Wd 1x1 word doccument

[Gifted]

Okay, so APPARENTLY Sar's got it so I can't attach word doccuments to posts. THANKS SAR.

so I am gonna have to copy the ENTIRE thing out. Over 650 pages. *sigh* this is gonna take forever. Okay, here I go.

[Gifted]

Three weeks had passed since the wedding. Three weeks since Mistress Raven's oldest friend had disappeared. There was still no sign of Fox, but nothing much else had occurred in Ravonia. All was good. Even the murders had stopped. Some said it was because Adam was too busy with his new wife to bother with innocent girls. Others had no reply to that. Little did they know the peace wouldn't last long.

The spring festival was always a happy time of the year. Handmade crafts were bought and sold. Beautiful paintings, skillfully made sculptures, delicate weavings. Raven tried to take it all in as she kept tabs on her favorites, making notes to come back to them and buy if they hadn't been sold already. Beside her, Kenny waved blossom petals away from his crystalline candy pop. An easy smile showed on his features as three small children raced down the road ahead of their parents. On Raven's other side was her second bad case of misplaced trust, her adviser/maid/bodyguard, Lynn, who spent much less time bothering with the flowers and much more admiring nearby glasswork. Presently, Raven quickened her pace to look at something that had caught her eye. Moments later, Kenny returned to her side. "Raven, you shouldn't wander off like that, I almost had a panic attack," he murmured. "Let's go for a walk, I need some time away from the bustle." Elsewhere in the city, two other identical people made themselves seen. Adam and the real Kenny. Hours later, only Adam remained on the streets when his would-be wife's body was found in the woods...
Kenny turned Raven to look at the robot. Her expression turned from confusion to fear when Kenny drew his knife. Crow’s knife, actually. “Look, Crow. If you want this woman to live, you’ll do exactly as I say. I certainly hope you’re watching, because I don’t have all day and if you don’t do as I say in the time I say it, you’ll find that Raven is dead. I want you to alter Belle’s appearance again. Yes, I know about that. Make her look exactly like Raven. After that, bring her here. When you do that, I’ll exchange Raven for Belle. You have 8 hours. It’s not important that Belle is healthy, but the quicker you get her here, the better off Raven will be. The more time you give me, the more time Raven and I have alone. When you get to Ravonia, call us on Raven’s phone. If we hear anyone or anything coming through the trees before I get that call, I will kill her.
“You’re to be the only one outside of our group to know who was behind the murders. It was me. With that in mind, I suggest you hurry, before Raven gets dissected,” Kenny said. “Oh, by the way, you might want to bring one of your injections to knock her out, because otherwise, I’ll be using mine. I don’t think you really trust me injecting things into Raven’s system, now do you?” Then he kissed her. It was obvious Raven was trying to get away, but he held her there, kissing her more forcefully. When she finally got a bit of space between them, she tried to push him. He caught her wrist, pulling her close again. He took her other wrist in his hand, so her arms were wrapped around him.
“What’s the matter, babe? Having second thoughts about our marriage?” Kenny asked sadistically. Lowering the knife, he cut through her belt, and the fabric under it. Blood welled in the cut it caused as her pants fell. She tried to pull away again, but it didn’t work. There was a metallic clicking sound, then Kenny used both hands to pull Raven even closer. Tears came to Raven’s eyes as she realized he had handcuffed her there; tears of fear and hopelessness. Would Crow be fast enough? Would he even try? Did she want him to?
It was in that moment that Raven made her decision.
She wouldn’t allow an innocent girl to take her place. She had to know, though. “Who is Belle?” Kenny ignored her. “Adam, please! Tell me who she is, and you can have me… You won’t have to take your… Anger? … Out on an innocent girl!” she pled.
Kenny smiled and shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong,” he told her. One look at her confused face told him to go on, “Belle is the alias for a traitor named Alexa. The same Alexa who was filed as missing; Alexandria Rodgers. Crow knew who she was, and he forced her to stay with him… She had a life and he took it away. Not so different from you. Only, you were kind enough to end it for us when we had everything taken; he wants her living. His personal slave in every way. Her actions, as well as the perfect position create the exact advantage I needed. Even if not as you, she would be put to death. This way, it’s easier. If not now, then I would have to have her fiancé kill her. If he didn’t, then I would take it into my hands to kill them both. So, you see, this way is easier for us all.”
Without her noticing, he had taken advantage of the fact she wasn’t trying to pull away and had slipped one of his hands up her shirt. When her bra fell, she realized her mistake and tried to pull away again, only to remember he had cuffed her there. She wondered for a moment at how he’d gotten her bra off without pulling it down her arms before remembering her choice in clothing. Thinking it was just too much of a coincidence that she had worn a strapless bra and a sleeveless shirt, she recalled him offering his opinion on what she should wear.
“How long have you been planning this?” Raven asked, trying to distract him.
Kenny cut through the side of her shirt, leaving a long red line along her side. She gasped in pain, wanting to put pressure on it, but unable to. He kissed her again, drawing the blade across her back. Her muscles tightened, causing the pain to worsen. Trying and failing to shove him away, the leader finally gave up. Attempting escape was pointless. She didn’t kiss him, but she didn’t try to get away, either. “I think I’ll have to stop cutting you up now, or Crow won’t be too happy with me,” Kenny whispered, sliding the knife into its sheath.
Raven frowned, figuring he wouldn’t just sit here with her until Crow brought Belle. Kenny had arranged for her minimum lifespan to be 8 hours. They would have several hours at least before it would be possible for Crow to get to Ravonia, and then he would call… And she wasn’t wearing anything anymore… Kenny’s shirt (a light red button-up) was off before she really got it. He had said something about the murders to Crow. Did that mean he was the serial rapist in Ravonia? This was all starting to fit together. Raven was solving the mystery of the murders in her country, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Without her realizing, they had moved away from the robot. They were alone. Kenny took the knife to her face. She screamed in pain, falling to her knees in front of him. “You know, it would be terrible if you bled to death from that,” Kenny told her. He tied a cloth around her head. “You shouldn’t do much for a while, or you probably will.”
“You’re one to talk,” Raven said, but the sarcasm was lost in pain. She didn’t have the strength to fight him when he sat on top of her, straddling her hips.

When Crow traded Alexa for Raven, he blinded her as well. “We’re going to have fun together, Alexa,” he whispered to her after they were gone.
“Alexa? Wha- Oh my god!” Kenny had replaced her memories. “K-“
Kenny held a finger to her lips. “Shhh. We don’t want our possible company knowing that, now do we?” he asked, smirking.
Alexa did her best to glare, but it didn’t work well. “What do you want with me?” she demanded.
“There’s been a change of plans, Alexa. You see, if I killed Raven, Crow would want my head. So, you’re the substitute.”
Alexa gaped at him. “But…”
“Yes?”
Alexa shook her head. “Conner, if you’re listening, I’m probably beyond help. Kill him.”
“Do you think I’m that dumb, Alexa? Even without your prompting, if Conner had heard what I’d said, I wouldn’t have him on my side anymore. I made sure he was doing something else.”
Fear shot across Alexa’s face. “You… You’re really going to kill me?” she asked. “One of your own kind?”
Kenny laughed. “Just because we’re both demons, doesn’t mean I’ll spare your life.”
Alexa tried to jerk away. If she could just get out of his grasp, she could be gone. He would never catch her.
“Alexa, you’re faster, not stronger. You aren’t going anywhere.”
“Really?” She kneed him in the crotch. He dropped her, sinking to his knees. She turned to run, but he caught her foot. She screamed; he picked up his knife, slitting her Achilles tendon on both of her ankles.
“Really,” Kenny replied, smirking. He stood over her. “Tell me, Alexa. How do you run when you can’t stand?”
Alexa glared at him. “You know, it isn’t nice to threaten a girl, Kenny.”
“There are a lot of things that aren’t nice that we’ve done, babe.” He bent over her. In an effort to distract him, Alexa sat up and kissed him. She held his shoulder so he couldn’t move his arm without her noticing… It was only a few seconds before the blade entered her chest. She held her breath.
“Goodbye, Alexa, you’ve died for a reason, though I can’t positively say it’s a good one,” he whispered, and then he left, shape shifting to his original form as he did so. He took a small radio from his belt. “She’s been taken care of, as you ordered, Sir.”
“Well done, Alaric. You can spend the rest of the evening at the festival, if you wish. Just make sure to get rid of any blood you might have on your hands,” Kenny radioed back. He had spent his time at the festival, making sure many people saw him. It wouldn’t do if Crow told anyone who had killed Raven. Or, at least, the girl everyone thought was Raven. So he had an alibi. Raven had left with Lynn to look at some paintings and he had gone to find food, when he went back there, they weren’t anywhere to be found. He figured they had seen something else and gone to look, and hadn’t worried about it. When it started to get late, he notified the guard force.

By the time Kenny alerted the guards, Alexa was already dead, posing as Raven. They found her body early the next morning. Lynn had been found unconscious, not remembering anything after Kenny had left to get something to eat. Alaric had been long gone by the time anything had happened. His power had allowed him to take Alexa’s after he killed her. It was the same way he had been able to use Ryan’s power to shape shift into Kenny and it was Ryan’s power that had allowed him to use Kenny’s.
“Are you Miss Trace?”
Trace paused, the bright white towels she was carrying to the bathrooms still clutched in her arms.
“I’m Officer Stokes from the Ravonian Special Circumstances Unit. We need your help on a case.”
Trace checked her watch. “I’m off work in an hour, I’ll contact you then and we can talk.” She listened to the Officer’s heels as she walked away before continuing down the palace hall with the towels.
Exactly an hour later she was down at the police station, using the window as a mirror to apply another coat of bright red lipstick before going inside. Her makeup was very important to her. It was the only thing she could use to make sure she wasn’t found by someone she’d been avoiding for a very long time. Well, that and the fact she’d dyed her hair black since then. She entered the police station.
“Hey, I’m looking for Officer Stokes?”
The man at the desk nodded and pointed into one of the other rooms. Trace went inside without another word.
Three officers were standing off to one side having a discussion when she walked in. “Ah, Trace, you made it,” Officer Stokes said. Trace surveyed the room, looking for any sign of the case she’d been assigned to. She found it in the pictures clipped up on a whiteboard.
“This is about the serial rapist?” Trace said, not exactly surprised. “I recognise the victims from the news.” She nodded at the pictures.
“Yes it is as a matter of fact. We’re... having a difficult time catching him. No DNA, no eyewitnesses, there doesn’t even seem to be a pattern to the victims. Other than the age and genders, they’ve got nothing in common. We need you to find a link.”
Trace nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. Same price as usual, right?” When Stokes gave her a dirty look she shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to help, just being the odd job girl at the palace doesn’t exactly pay well.” She smiled guiltily.
“So get a job at the police department. You’ve already proven how valuable you are.”
“I’ll think about it,” Trace lied through her teeth, deciding not to push the issue. “You’ve got pictures of all the victims up there? Both when they were alive and the autopsy picture?” Stokes nodded. “Alright. I’ll do my best.” She turned to face the whiteboard and backed up until she could see all the photos. Then she activated her power.
The world turned different shades of red. She wondered if anyone ever noticed her eyes turning a pale red colour when her powers of enhanced observation were activated. She studied the pictures individually, noticing little things that sent chills up her spine. The way this one’s eyes were shaped. The way that one wore her hair. The lines of the lips on the second last victim. None of them looked like any of the others, but they all seemed to have some significance. She pulled some of the pictures down, overlapping them, trying to understand.
Suddenly she got it. She almost ran to a computer, ignoring the shouts of protest that erupted from the officers as she pulled up the victims’ files. Then she opened up an online Photoshop tool and began cropping the pictures together, taking the first ones hairline, the last ones chin, the third one’s eyes.
“What the heck are you doing?” one of them demanded.
“None of them have anything in common with each other,” Trace spoke quickly, trying to buy herself a few seconds to finish her work. “It’s someone else they’re being compared too... he’s working from the top down, each with one individual feature that matches the one he really wants, I think I know his final victim.” She finished, confirming her own fear.
“Well, who’s the final victim?” they demanded.
Trace turned the computer so they could see the perfectly fit together portrait, made from pieces of pictures of all the other victims. “Mistress Raven.”

“Raven’s not in!” One of the officers said as he and several others raced down the steps towards Trace and Officer Stokes.
“You check the painting room? If she’s in there nobody’ll tell you she’s here and she won’t hear you at all,” Trace said desperately, knowing this from her steady job there.
“Alright, fan out and search the area,” Officer Stokes commanded. “I want a three mile radius searched thoroughly until you find her,”
“Yes ma’am” they ran off.
“Come on, we can cover the forest down this way,” Officer Stokes said to Trace and the two officers standing with them. They rushed in, the two officers covering them while Stokes and Trace searched.
“Clear!” One of them yelled, and Trace went forward. She let out a gasp. There was Raven, lying on the forest floor on her back, a single stab wound to the chest.
“We were too late...” If only she’d taken less than two hours to figure it out, if only she’d bothered to go to them before they seeked her out... “We’re too late.”

Hours later a tape had already been delivered to Emeric, and to PINC

"Yesterday evening Mistress Raven Love's body was found in the woods just outside of the Ravonian capital of Vannier. Believed to be the work of a serial killer who has been plaguing the country for months..." Vixie rolled her eyes and wished Crow had more channels on his television. "The killer has yet to be found." That was sad, at least. After months a killer still hadn't been caught? The girl was Ravonian by birth, so the thought of her country's incompetence troubled her. "The entire world will grieve the loss of a great leader, wife, and had she lived, a woman who in months may have been a mother." The little tune it played whenever it was finished started and the young Ravonian turned off the TV and went to find some way to make trouble for Crow. Again.
Meanwhile Adam wandered his way to the castle, extremely confused. He had no memory past becoming engaged to Raven, yet he'd come to somewhere else in the city. Even weirder, the city seemed fairly quiet until he came still closer to the palace. Then he realized they were celebrating. It must be because of the engagement. How did it happen so quickly? Then again, maybe something had happened and it was the next evening. That was what he told himself as he walked inside the castle on his search for Raven.
After a while, Trace went back to her job. She still had to make a living, after all.

Cristel was getting ready to leave. She didn't care how suspicious it looked, she knew the longer she waited here the more likely it was Kenny would try to pull something. So she was ready to get out.

At least until Adam walked in the door.
"Adam?" Cristel was completely shocked when she met him in the hall, but knew immediately it was him. "Are you ok? How'd you get back?"
Adam frowned. "What are you talking about?" he asked, immediately suspicious of this girl he didn't know who seemed to think he shouldn't be there.
"Oh," Cristel sounded surprised. "But why did..." She was confused and tried quickly to talk herself out of it. She wasn't quite as creative as Joan or Tyler and only found one good lie that'd work. "I'm sorry, I thought you were out planning Mistress Raven's funeral." She felt awful for saying it as soon as she said it. He clearly didn't remember that recent, and even if he did he probably still wouldn't have known. This was going to be terrible for him.
Adam seemed to struggle to comprehend that for a moment and finally came up with only one possible response. "What?" He asked, sounding as if he had something stuck in his throat.
Then Cristel realised this might be a good way to help Adam get back his memories. After all, didn't that happen in one of the stories Gifted had told? Something about a knife in somebody's pocket and they'd seen the inconsistencies or something. She barely remembered it.
But she knew it was possible. That was the important thing.
"Raven's dead, it's all over the news. I thought you were someone else. Try to regain your memory, it'll help you a lot. I'd just tell you everything, but you'd think I'm psycho. By the way, names Cristel, Raven agreed a while ago to let me stay here because right now, Panem's kind of shot. Again; memory. You’re going to need it. I'd also suggest keeping a low profile. I'll probably be gone after a few days." She turned and began walking away.
No. The girl - Cristel - was wrong. Only yesterday they had been engaged. Nothing could have happened to Raven. Even still Adam went to the meeting room, locked the door, and turned on the television to be greeted with a picture of Raven as yet another covering of the incident ran. He couldn't swallow and had trouble breathing. He realized it had been several months since he and Raven had been engaged. "This great Ravonian leader will be greatly cherished as memories of her last for generations." The program ended as Adam's hand clutched the edge of the table. Memories slowly returned.
Emeric paced back and forth, agitation not a strong enough word to describe what he was feeling. An outsider could not have told you why. His army had been dominating the war, whatever power the rebels had was slipping. But to an insider, the answer was obvious.
He was in a clear powerful position in Panem, and the ravonians were in disarray after the death of their leader, a fact which Emeric had eagerly broadcast on PINC as soon as he’d got the news. Emeric wanted so badly to start expanding his empire, but he was stuck because of that stupid deal with Kenny. And contrary to what the public saw, the rebellion was not as down and out as it appeared. It was true it’d been dealt crippling blows, but that accursed commander bounced them back in a way only she’d be smart enough to pull.
Emeric had known there were spies, and he’d been making an effort to weed them out, but he hadn’t expected the sheer numbers. They’d all been pulled out at once, and had robbed the armouries as they’d done so, leaving Emeric with depleted resources and the rebels with renewed strength. With this blow, he wasn’t confident enough to take on the technological giant, talesworth, and that left him with no option but to wait. Just a week. Only a week, and then he could attack. If something worse didn’t happen by then. His mind span around in circles.
Kenny was going to be working from the underground. Sean would be his eyes and ears, his hand. Northern Ravonia refused to acknowledge Adam as their leader. Adam couldn't do anything to stand against Kenny, or anything at all really. Lynn was running Ravonia for the time being, and this also gave Kenny an advantage. The country was working as he wanted, but he could focus on other matters. Only a week remained under his treaty with Emeric, he had to act while the other leader couldn't strike back. Of course he couldn't attack directly, or that would crush the treaty prematurely. So the team of gifteds was being sent to Ametris. They would take control of Emeric's ally rather than of Emeric himself. Besides, Kenny wanted to allow the resistance and the Panemian gifteds to wear themselves out before he stepped in.

The team was deployed within hours. Within days, they were showing they were at the advantage despite the numbers. Although Ametris was a ways from being taken, the gifteds had made a significant dent in Diz's army with only one casualty taken on their side.
Cristel shut the door to her bedroom, let Yaz out of her pocket, and sat on the bed. "What the heck, Kenny?" she cried. She'd thought she'd had the guy figured out, but this made no sense. Why would he send Adam back now?
"Why do you think he did it?" Yaz growled, turning into a wolf.
"I don't know! At first I thought maybe it was some sort of sadistic torture, but that doesn't work because he wiped Adams memories of all the reasons why it'd be torture!"
"Maybe he expected you to do what you did?" Yaz suggested.
"How would he know I had that information? It's never come up, the one time I thought I was talking to someone who'd had their memories wiped by Kenny I failed at recovering them, and I only even remembered that fact in the first place from a single obscure story I wasn't even in!"
"Well, I dunno, I don't have any better ideas than-"
Trace was passing Cristel's bedroom when she heard the girl talking to someone with a low, gravelly voice. Not recognising the voice, she opened the door to Cristels room without knocking, wanting to see who it was just as Yaz was in the middle of replying. She gasped. A talking wolf?
They both turned to look at her, Cristels eyes going wide. "I can explain," She said quickly. "Sit down. What's your name?"
"Trace..." She said, worried.
Cristel explained in a hushed voice what she was. This shocked her. "Wait, so Gifted made gifteds, and it actually worked? We were declared failures and Raven tried to blow us up."
"We?" Trace went to fabricate a story, but as a mind reader, Cristel was a step ahead. "Never mind. I'm a mind reader, Kelsey, I already know."
"Don't tell anyone!" Kelsey snapped. "Don't you dare tell anyone, I will be killed by more than one party if you breathe a word."
"Don't worry, I won't talk." Cristel said. "Anyways, shouldn't you get back to work?"
"Yeah... probably should. Talk to you later?"
Cristel nodded and Trace left. Though they'd kept their voices low, the door had been open the whole time. They were easily seen.
Lynn very nearly walked in but paused at the sight of Trace. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" she asked, kindly smiling.
"Oh," Trace tried to show the appropriate respect to one of her employers. "No ma'am. I apologize, I was just passing through." She knew she was probably going to be told off for not doing her job, and tried to look as apologetic as she could.
"Oh, it's no worry. Just get back to it and make sure you clean the meeting room for tomorrow," Lynn said, as if that had been part of her job all along when in reality Lynn had just added it to the list.
....That was the janitor's job, and Trace knew it. But still, she shut her mouth. "Sure thing." She turned and walked away briskly.

Cristel heard unease in both their minds and wondered if she'd gotten Trace into trouble just by talking to her.
Lynn smiled at Cristel. "Is there anything you need?" she asked.
"No thanks," Cristel, unwisely, trusted Lynn because she'd played her part too well. Cristel had never noticed any allegiance to Kenny in her thoughts and assumed she was clueless like everyone else. So it didn't really occur to her how much trouble she could be in. She'd figured, at worst, clueless Lynn would mention this to someone working with Kenny by accident.
"Very well. I'll see you for dinner, then?" Lynn asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, no problem." Cristel nodded.
Lynn smiled and left. Moments later, Kenny was alerted of the problem with Trace.
Trace finished the job she'd been doing and headed over to the meeting room. She found the door closed and politely knocked.
Adam tried to ask who was there, but his voice cracked. It didn't matter anyway who it was. Someone needed the room or someone needed him. He opened the door and didn't recognize the woman standing before him. In the back of his mind he wondered if this was one of Kenny's people.
"I apologize, sir, I was sent to clean this room...?" Trace trailed off, ducking her head respectfully as she spoke.
Adam nodded slowly. "Don't let me stop you, then," he mumbled, somehow his voice didn't crack, though it was by no means steady.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Trace asked, concerned. What problem was so huge that it worried Adam?
Adam shook his head. "Nothing you need to worry about."
Trace bit her lip, but she knew prying would draw attention to herself. "Alright then," She walked past him through the door and began to clean.
"I don't recall you being one of the maids," Adam said.
"I'm not, I do the odd jobs nobody else is paid to do," Trace explained. "Miss Lynn asked me to come clean this room; I guess the maids are busy."
"I'm sure," Adam muttered and left.

The next day, Lynn had Adam go for a walk without telling anyone else. Kenny came in his place, seeking Trace out.
Trace was going around replacing the shampoo, conditioner and soaps in all the bathrooms with fresh ones. She did notice Kenny, but since she thought he was Adam, she figured he best be left to his own business and ignored him.
"Trace, correct?" Kenny asked, catching her wrist after she exited yet another bathroom.
"Yes Sir," Trace nodded at Kenny, wondering why Adam was gripping her wrist so hard. "What is it you need me for?"
It kind of unsettled her, to be honest. She had gone by Trace in the facility as well (only because her experiment had been officially known as Project: Trace, as a reference to her power) but she'd never really been worried about it since everybody just kind of assumed it was short for Tracey.
Kenny tilted his head. "You assume I'm Adam, Kelsey," he stated.
The air caught in her throat. After all these years, being so careful... "Kenny? How did you..?" She answered her own question before it was fully asked. It could only be that mind-reading, double-crossing little scab, Cristel, who'd found out her name. She smacked Kenny's hand away and stepped back, but her voice betrayed her fear. "Get your filthy hands off me,"
"You'd do well not to betray anything, Trace. I will give you one more chance to join me," Kenny said.
Trace's voice rapidly gathered courage as she spoke. "One more chance? That's a load if there ever was one. The only reason I've been on my own all this time is because I didn't come in contact with anyone when I fled that burning wreck. I didn't get no chance." She rolled her eyes.
On the inside, she was panicking. Was Kenny going to wipe her memory now? If he didn't, she might have a chance... a slim one, but it was there. But if he did something now, she was screwed. Would he just threaten it? Oh, what was she going to do?
"Then I will give you one chance," Kenny replied.
"Why?" Said Trace. "What scheme are you planning this time that I should... or shouldn't, know about?"
Kenny smiled and rolled his eyes. "Too much to ask for global takeover? Look, you can join me, or you will forget everything about your job, your power, and me."
"You don't have to threaten me. I adapt to survive, remember?" She smirked, recalling a friend who used to say that. "Find Catherine yet?" She said it in a smug tone that already knew the answer. If Catherine didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be found.
She turned away and waved as she walked. "Don't worry, I won't snitch. Later,"
"That's not good enough, Trace. You will join me, or you'll end up like her," Kenny said. She probably could figure out the truth, but if Catherine didn't want to be found, she wouldn't by anyone.
Trace froze. Was that even possible?
Her instinct said no, there was no way Kenny had even touched Catherine. Adapting to survive wasn't just a saying for her, it was an accurate description of her power. She didn't even have to hide amongst people, if she didn't want to. She could go chameleon and hide on the side of a building or in a bush or something. But at the same time...
If by some chance Kenny had found Catherine, she knew Cath would never help him. She was one of the few people Trace knew who wasn't the least bit intimidated by Kenny. Trace could picture only too clearly what would happen if Kenny caught up with her...

Catherine was walking down a Ravonian street, her light blonde hair fanning out behind her. Despite her blonde hair and light skin tone, there was something about her jaw and shape of her face that suggested Asian descent. She turned off the street and into an alley, unaware of Kenny coming up behind her.
"Did you think you could hide forever, Catherine?"
Catherine stopped and looked over her shoulder. It only took a second before she rolled her eyes and started walking again. "Get bent, Kenny."
Kenny grabbed her shoulder, stopping her from leaving. "You'll get one chance, Catherine. Are you going to join me?"
"Maybe I didn't make myself clear," Catherine shoved him forcefully backwards as her skin changed to a hard, lizard like armour. "I said, get bent Kenny. I don't want anything to do with your stupid schemes."
"This is your only chance Catherine. Or would you prefer I erased every memory you have?"
"I adapt to survive," Catherine snapped. "So I think I'll take my chances." She backed up, ready to bolt, knowing he couldn't do anything if she was in plain sight. But before she could shed her armour, Kenny grabbed her wrist so tightly it would've hurt... but for the armour.
"So be it. You made your choice. Now, adapt to this."

"No," Trace whispered. "I don't believe it for a second. You couldn't have found Catherine." She tried to redirect her thoughts, the inevitability of what would happen if he DID find her freaking her out.
Kenny laughed. "Or I could do to you what I did to Raven. Trace, we can make the world right together. We won’t have to hide anymore!"
"Anything run by you isn't 'freedom', you sadistic... wait. What you did to Raven?" Trace's eyes widened. She saw Ravens lifeless body in her mind’s eye on that forest floor. She'd been too late to save her... "That was you? You're the serial rapist?" Her tone was a mix of shock and anger. Of course! How stupid could she be, not to see...? "I was called in on that case and found Raven's body!"

"Would you like to know a secret, Kelsey?" Kenny grinned. He was clearly proud of his work.
"Not really, though I'm sure you'll tell me anyway," Trace said coldly, though she looked at him with interest.
"That wasn't Raven," Kenny said. "That was Alexa." A sly smirk curled up half of his mouth.
"Alexa?" Trace was shocked. "But... but then where is Raven...?" She couldn't see Mistress Raven allying with Kenny. Even if she had, there would've been far easier ways to go about it than her faking her own death and killing Alexa.
"That doesn't matter. I erased her memories, someone else changed her appearance. She won't be coming back. Will you join me or not?" he insisted. "I won't ask again."
Trace didn't know what to do. She sure as heck wasn't going to stand by Kenny's insane scheme. But what were her other options. Commit to helping until she could find a way out? Commit to helping until she could bring them down from the inside? No, that wasn't an option, Kenny could read minds, as could that Cristel girl and who knew who else. She did not have the option to be a traitor. An Expatriate, maybe. But Traitor, no. Flat out say no, and then try to bolt? No... that'd be suicide. She didn't want to lie; she'd been composing careful half-truths up until this point, or trying too. But that wasn't going to cut it.
She really only had one option.
"Fine. Don't think I'm happy about this, though." She grumbled.
"I knew you'd see sense," Kenny said. "You've always had a wonderful sense of self preservation, like the best of us. I'll allow you to stay within the castle for the time being.” Kenny smirked. "I do hope you won't try anything drastic, Trace. I'll be here when you get off."
"Yeah, whatever," Trace rolled her eyes, sounding offhand. "I've got work to do." she walked down the hall, away from Kenny, keeping up a carefully uncaring demeanour until he could no longer see her.
Then she started running.

She sprinted to the storage room where nearly all the materials she worked with were kept. She only had one chance. One. There was no way Kenny was going to leave her alone, knowing she only agreed to join under threat, and if he knew what the word "Expatriate" meant, he'd be even more suspicious. When she'd first run off, she'd thought of a single scenario that could keep her memories alive if the unthinkable happened and he found her. Now it seemed unreasonably flawed. But she had to try.

She grabbed several sheets of paper and tore them into strips. On each of these strips she wrote down a statement of fact. Some were as simple as "My name is Kelsey Felton." Others were more complicated, requiring longer strips, but essential, since Trace knew they'd be the first to go. "I agreed to work with Kenny only after being threatened" was an example of one of these. Then she spent the next half an hour hiding them in the most difficult places she could think of around the room. One in the jar of pencils nobody ever seemed to touch. One taped to the back of the picture that was hanging on the wall for absolutely no reason (maybe raven didn't like it and just needed somewhere to put it other than the garbage...?). Not the picture frame, she popped off the back of the frame, taped it onto the picture and put the back of the frame back on. She specifically made this process as long as possible, hoping she'dve forgotten where the first ones were by the time the last ones were hidden. Finally, when she was done, she stepped back and activated her power.
Every hiding place was indicated to her, though it wasn't obvious what was there, she'd still have to look if Kenny made her forget she'd hidden the papers. The only obvious one was sitting on a shelf, on the lowest part touching the floor so it wasn't noticed the second one walked into the room. It was an addressed letter to her reminding her what her power was, in case Kenny made good on his threat and made her forget about that, too.

Then, she went back to her work. But all day, every time she went back to the room, she activated her power, looked around once, and then continued on her way. The idea was to make it instinctive; she wanted to do that every time she walked in, without thinking about it, make it automatic. Muscle memory. That way, If Kenny made her forget everything, she would do it without thinking, wonder why her power was alerting her to all these places, check them out, and regain her memories using the papers as triggers.
That was the theory, anyway.
At the end of the day, Kenny was there as promised. His eyes found her immediately and he quirked an eyebrow, waiting for her to come to him. He watched her the whole time.
Trace met him, as he'd demanded, feeling only marginally more comfortable.
"It was stupid, Trace. Just because you forget about something doesn't mean I can't see it. That would make my power so much more difficult. If I so wished you to not know these things, I would sooner make you forget you work at the palace at all. I look just like Sir Adam, it would be easy enough to fake firing you," Kenny stated, his eyes still didn't leave her. "It would be simple to have you permanently banned from the castle on false charges."
"What's your point?" Trace shrugged. "And my forgetting wasn't only for your benefit, though that was part of it." She shrugged.
"My point is, if I cared, you wouldn't know. If I cared, could have someone get rid of the papers just as easily as I could have you never come back," Kenny answered. "Follow me." Without telling her, Kenny let her see exactly where they were going, but she would have no idea what was inside the door that was the final image he gave her.
Trace shrugged. She pretended she didn't care. She followed him, wondering what on earth he was going to show her behind that door.

Probably nothing good.
Nothing good indeed. Kenny led her right past the cell that had held Adam while he resided in the castle. He had no intention of locking Trace in one of those cells, but he knew she knew what they were. They had all been threatened with those cold stone cells before Raven had attempted to blow them off the map. It was something that spiked many feelings - fear, imprisonment, anger, spite, and now, accomplishment. Past that lay one of two central commands. Three other gifteds looked up as they entered - Sean, Alaric, and Caroline. The third didn't look at all pleased to be there.
Trace threw the cells a dark look but otherwise made no comment.
Her expression didn't change when they entered the room and she saw the other three. She knew them by name, though they wouldn't recognise her after all the trouble she'd gone through keeping up a disguise. She simply nodded at the three of them.
"Nice ta see you, Project Trace," Alaric said, grinning. He folded his arms behind his head. The fact that he knew that meant he had killed a few people to obtain a mind reading power.
Trace smiled. One of the few things she could do well was be friendly to people she didn't exactly like. "Who'd you murder to figure that out, Alaric?" she asked in a joking tone, smiling. "Or did Kenny just tell you like a cheat?"

"Murder is such a harsh word," Alaric replied, then laughed. "It was April."
Trace laughed, though inside she felt faintly sick. Poor April. "Figures,"
"Around us there's not much point in pretendin', Trace," Alaric stated.
Caroline waved slightly when she realized what Alaric must mean. Trace wasn't entirely willing to be here.
"You, Alaric, can bite me," she abruptly snapped. Trace rolled her eyes, annoyed, and leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, surveying him and Kenny with wary intensity. The act was just as much for herself, as it made people in general easier to deal with, but she'd never liked Alaric and he'd probably known before now anyway. If he wasn't gonna play along, she wasn't gonna make the effort for him.
She wondered about that Caroline though. She didn't remember a whole lot about Caroline from before, but noticed the expression that made her look like she didn't want to be here either, and that alone made Trace wonder if she was really quite as bad as the others here.

Of course, as soon as she'd thought this, she realised that because there were now two mind readers in the room they both heard that. Well, that was irritating. She was going to need to learn to discipline her thoughts, somehow, if she didn't want them prying into everything she might possibly think. Of course, there wasn't much she could do about Kenny.
"Good luck, Trace. Though it's not like we didn't already know about the both of you," Alaric said. Whereas his power was immediate, Kenny's was delayed.
"I was just making an observation, I'm not planning anything," It was the truth, but she couldn't stop herself from adding yet in her mind. She definitely needed more discipline with her own thoughts. Since see knew a few other languages (what felt like her only other useful talent sometimes), she started translating random phrases in her head so she wouldn't think about what he'd just said.

Alaric scowled. "You're hurting my head," he informed her.
Kenny rolled his eyes. "Shut up both of you," he snapped.
Trace laughed. "Hey, what did I do?" She asked. "Alaric's the one with the problem." then she shut up before he got too pissed off, and continued translating in her head.
Alaric glared and opened his mouth to chastise her again, but was cut off by Sean. "He said shut up. Shut up," he said forcefully. Alaric looked like he wanted to object, but Sean's power stopped him.
Trace smirked, and made no comment, waiting to see if Kenny was going to say something or if they were just pissing him off.
Kenny crossed his arms. "Play nice. I'll be back."
Trace watched him leave. That's it? She wondered. Geez, what a prick. This left her alone with Sean, Alaric and Caroline. Trace went back to translating again.

Sean stood and went to the control room.
"What's so bad about being alone with us, Trace?" Alaric asked, grinning.
"Tu as connecté deux phrases je n'ai pas été connecter." She smirked, knowing the use of another language irritated him. "I was calling him a git for telling us to shut up just so he could say he's leaving, not for leaving us alone together. I really couldn't care less... it's all varying degrees of awful."
Alaric glared at her. "Whatever."
Caroline giggled. Trace grinned, pleased to see she'd annoyed him successfully.


She was out of breath, her lungs feeling as though they were about to burst. She was running at breakneck speeds through Ravonian streets, alleyways, highways. She saw two of them blocking her way and did it without thinking it through. Her body encased itself in a hard, lizard-like armour and she threw a punch, hitting one hard in the jaw, hitting hard enough with her armour on that despite him having thirty pounds on her at least, she sent him sprawling to the ground. They were both shocked at her violence, and the split-second it took them to recover was all she needed. She gripped the side of the second one’s head and drove it into the ground, delivering a crushing blow to the skull. There was little in the way of blood or anything around it, which she'd already known, but which shocked the one just getting up, hand on his jaw and eyes wide. "You can't kill me!" He backed away. "You're not the type... and it'd leave e-e-evidence!"
"Not the type?" she growled. "I adapt to survive." she threw another punch at him, and he stumbled back against the alley wall.
Catherine advanced on him until she was less than an arm’s length away, staring him in the face. "First hit's free," She hissed, then delivered another powerful punch, this time driving his head into the brick wall. The combined force to his skull killed him instantly. Then her armour peeled itself off and she turned to continue running, out of the alley.
But he was blocking her way.
He wasn't there for a fight. He was holding a casual stance, hands in his pockets, back to the brick wall. He was wearing a wide smirk on his face, and his eyes were alight with gleeful understanding.
Fear jolted Catherine out of her nightmare.
She had it almost every night. It wasn't always the same. Sometimes it followed the real events, and she could get all the way to the boat in the harbour before Kenny appeared. Sometimes he showed up earlier, and watched the fight between Catherine and his two lackies. But his presence never ceased to inspire a stroke of fear intense enough to drive her into consciousness, paralyzed with terror.
It wasn't the fact that Kenny was there that scared her. She'd never been scared of Kenny, always finding him an immature annoyance at the best of times, and downright evil at the worst. It was the expression on his face. Ah, you understand now he seemed to be telling her. You handle it just like me.

It's true. She did.


She couldn't sit still, there was no way she'd be able to sleep. She needed to remind herself where she was, remind herself there was nothing to fear anymore. She was safe.
She donned her jacket and scarf, taking care to tuck in her blonde hair - with pink streaks that she'd dyed into it to confuse anyone looking for her - into her jacket. Then she stepped outside into the cold night and began wandering the streets of Talesworth.
Vixie grinned as she escaped the confines of Crow's home again. The leader of Talesworth had recently put in more security to try to keep her there, but with nothing to do but try to escape, she did it in a matter of days. She made her way to the main square. She had no memory of the robots that patrolled the streets, so she had no idea that there might be a good reason beside the biting cold to stay inside.
Vixie was too busy staring at the lightly-falling snow to notice Catherine until she ran into her. "Hey," he greeted, rather than apologizing, as if she'd just found an old friend in a park. It was true that with Vixie's memories, she recognized Catherine, though it would be hard for Catherine to place a face that belonged to the girl who had died in the Ravonian gifted bombings. One of many, but the only one Kenny had known well.
"Oh," Catherine collected herself fairly quickly when Vixie ran into her. "Oh, uh, hey. Sorry about that." Catherine didn't really know what to say.
"Yeah. But it's good to see you. I rarely see a familiar face around here. Though I guess it makes sense, since I'd wager most of the others would be hard pressed to get all the way to Talesworth," Vixie said brightly, then wondered briefly about Kenny. She had known him before he really became a terrorist.
Catherine stepped backwards in shock, her eyes narrowing and her posture shifting into an offensive position automatically. She'd thought she'd gotten away from them all... "Who are you," she barked. Her muscles tensed, and she prepared for a fight. "Zoe? James? Autumn?" After checking that no one was watching, Catherine was enveloped in her armour.

Vixie tilted her head. "No, it's Vixie. Vixie de Buren. What's wrong?"
Vixie, Vixie... she actually vaguely remembered a Vixie. But that only hurt Vixie's case. "You were one of Kenny's lackies," she hissed, glaring daggers at her. She looked wild, like a dangerous animal. She also looked about two seconds away from attacking.
"Kenny's lackeys?" Vixie repeated indignantly. "I was no one's lackey. And even if I were, why would it matter?"
"Bullcrap. I remember you, hanging out with him all the time whenever you could. What? Did he send you out here to do his foreign relations work for him?"
"I was his friend, not his lackey. He didn't send me here, I haven't seen him since the bombing. Crow brought me here," Vixie answered. "And he's quite determined to keep me for some reason."
"If you think Kenny has friends, you're delusional." Despite her nasty words, some of the acid had leeched out of her voice. For once, fire had not been met with fire. "And it probably has something to do with the fact Kenny's a terrorist," She added.
"We were frie-- he's a what?" Vixie demanded.
"Well, assassinating the leader of Ravonia counts as an act of terrorism, does it not?" Her muscles relaxed and she no longer sounded angry, though she didn't remove the armour.
"No one knows who killed Raven," Vixie said defensively, her eyes narrowing at Catherine.
Catherine laughed. "It's obvious, though." she rolled her eyes. "Fine if you want to pretend that's not the case. He's still a terrorist. Why do think I'm here, in the land of snow and ice?" She didn't know if Vixie would remember Catherine’s irrational fear of the ocean, but it certainly hadn't been an easy decision for Catherine to leave the continent. Only the fear Kenny would send more people after her had given her the courage to get on the boat. "If Kenny found me he'd force me into his terrorist cult."

"How could anyone force you into anything," Vixie scoffed. "They would have better luck forcing Raven."

"Thanks for the compliment," Catherine laughed. "But with Kenny's power, he can do damn well anything. He could erase all a person’s memories and turn them into an entirely different person if he wanted. Hence why everyone seems so scared of him." She rolled her eyes. "I don't see the point, to be honest, if you're going to be scared of him just for his power then you might as well be scared of basically everybody." Her armour peeled off her skin. Her defences were down at last, and she was back to herself. She was very glad it hadn’t come to confrontation.
"It's the ability to change who you are that scares people, not just his power. They don't want to forget who they were. But he wasn't like that. He wouldn't threaten people like us," Vixie insisted.
"You're delusional Vixie. He’s threatened more people like us than normals. He's got people working for him against their will, and he sent two people out to look for me because I refused to join him, and he'd found me after I don't know how long of hiding. After I took care of those two he lost me again and I managed to make it here. He`s far from the saint you think he is."
Vixie shook her head. "He is a good man. And even if he did kill Raven, I can hardly blame him after what she did to all of us."
"Well I can. You know they've connected raven's death to a string of homicides? And all the victims got raped first? And it's not just Raven I feel bad for, or did you forget Kenny has a twin brother?" Catherine didn't have to guess what happened to Adam. In her mind, it was obvious.
Vixie frowned. "He wouldn't do that, Catherine. You didn't know him like I did." What Vixie said was true. Kenny had been a good person, up until the bombings, when the real Vixie died, and her memories stop. That was when he really changed.
"You sure you remembering that right?" The implications in Catherines tone were obvious. "Besides, people change." The truth of those words overwhelmed her. She turned away. "Myself more than anyone." a single tear rolled down her face, and she brushed it off before it could freeze in the cold night air. "We all adapt to survive, Vixie." She said it quietly, not able to cover up the pain in her voice. "That's not always a positive thing," She started walking away. She couldn't be here anymore. She had to get out.
"So why do you run from him? If he doesn't scare you?" Vixie called.
"Vixie, whether or not you're afraid of heights, if you're twenty stories up and there's no railing, you're not going to stand on the edge of the balcony." She walked away.
The next day, Catherine was sitting in a cafe when the tiny TV in the corner caught her attention.

Sayoko appeared, straightening papers on her desk, with a picture of an army advancing, guns poised to fire, on a screen next to her. “A portion of the Panemian army has been dispatched to Amesistris and is expected to arrive sometime late this evening. We will now transfer to one of our in-field reporters, who’s attending a speech being given by Father Emeric about this strange military maneuver.”
Emeric was standing on the balcony where Gifted’d given my speech claiming to get vengeance for Fox, with a crowd standing below him, but the few similarities only underlined the fact the two scenes couldn’t be more different.
The crowd seemed smaller this time, and shabbier, like Panem had fallen on hard times. Whereas last time, the audience had hung on her every word and listened openly to what Gifted had said, this time there were shifty looks, muttering amongst themselves, and general distrust and distractiveness. While I had been serious and calm, Emeric fidgeted uncomfortably, as if he wasn’t very confident with this whole “Scripted speech” thing. Of course, that tallied exactly with the public image he was trying to portray. He took a deep breath, and then began.
“People of Panem, a great danger has arisen.”
Much of the crowd fell silent and looked up at him in awe. The others shot dark looks at them and tried to pretend they weren’t listening to what Emeric was saying.
“The people of Ravonia, our former ally and current enemy, those rebel-sympathisers, have formed a militia group in Amestris, and have made some serious progress in taking the country down from the inside.”
Many people rolled their eyes.
“Some of you may be thinking ‘why does it matter to us? We don’t need to be involved in Amestris’s affairs.” He paused and continued quietly, though he was wearing a microphone so he could still be heard. “This is a mistake.”
Most people were paying attention now.
“Already the Ravonian militia gains strength. If we don’t act now, they’ll soon have the military of Amestris beaten, and add the country to their Ravonian Empire. Do you think they’ll stop there? That Amestris will be enough? No. I say ‘Empire’ because it is exactly appropriate. Ravonia is building up an empire, conquering any nation that stands in their way. And we’ve already gotten proof they’re against us.” Emeric closed his eyes, a pained look coming over his face for a moment. “When Ravonia conquers Amestris, their military and political power will increase beyond any other country in the world. If that happens, they can do whatever they want. Who will be powerful enough to stop them?” He opened his eyes and his mouth set into a hard line. “That’s why we have to stop them now. We’ll go in, and crush their resistance, and wrest Amestris away from their fingertips. If we get Amestris before they do, we’ll be prepared for whatever they scheme. So let’s be prepared! Fight for our country!” He was shouting now, and the majority of the audience cheered and clapped when he ended.
This had a profound effect on the entirety of Panem. Even those who hated Emeric and Gifted couldn’t ignore the fact that Ravonians had sent assassins to kill their leaders. Even some of the rebels joined up with the army. Emeric pretended not to know they were rebels and shipped them off to the front lines. He sent a few Gifteds of his own, namely Xander, Alex, Ariel, CRS-01 and Olivia, out for good measure as well.
"I never sent a militia," Adam insisted. But of course, who would believe him about Kenny? No one, not without proof, which was impossible to obtain. The North had already been in disarray about Adam becoming their leader, and this only fueled their upset.

In Ametris, the gifted force quickly dissipated. Most found ways to escape the country or go into hiding. Those who couldn't were killed. It was obvious that this was not an army. When the going got tough, they were quick to abandon their cause. Kenny was glad to have his good fighters back, rather than dead.

The Panemian troops slaughtered the last remains of resistance in Amestris, and Panem claimed the country for its own empire, Emeric carefully keeping his double-cross of Diz a secret from the press, and personally making sure Sharie killed her. The only good thing you could say about it; Emeric wasn't one to torture Diz before killing her. Her death was quick and relatively painless.


Trace did her work quietly in the palace, hoping one day she could escape. But she made no plan to defy Kenny other than her vague wish. When she ran, she knew it'd have to be a split-second decision. She couldn't help but notice Adam seemed shocked at the news of the Ravonian militia, and inferred it must've been Kenny's doing, and he hadn't even given Adam a false memory of it... for some odd reason.
"He didn't bother because that would make Adam question why he sent a militia, and why he wasn't giving the orders still," Alaric told her. "Besides, what can Adam do? He can say he didn't send it, but what good will that do?" Kenny, Caroline, and Sean hadn't been around much, but several other Gifteds popped in and out. For the most part, it was just Alaric and Trace, but someone always made sure Trace was either at work or at the base.
"You know, if I don't say it out loud, I'm not talking to you," Trace snapped. "Leave me alone."
Needless to say, she'd never appreciated being babysat by Alaric.
"Don't be so mean, love. We're stuck here together after all, may as well make the most of it." Alaric grinned.
"Well I tried that and you got all pissy at me," Trace reminded him. "I can't pretend I like you, so I don't see a point in sugar-coating it"
"Naturally the only answer is to start genuinely liking me," Alaric crooned.
"Alaric, you're an insufferable twit with no regards for human life, how could I possibly like you?" Trace snapped.
"I wouldn’t say no regard. Just less than most people," Alaric said.


There was no more trouble in Ametris from Ravonians who weren't present. However, there were rumours of guerrilla tactics being used in remote regions of Talesworth. No one was sure exactly how many attackers, and the clothing made it difficult to tell their ethnicity, but it was rumoured it was yet another Ravonian attack.
Emeric heard about the militia in Talesworth but was busy trying to keep those in Amestris under control after many rebellions sprung up due to the killing of the former leader. They were much easier to deal with than the one at home, but all these problems meant Emeric was kind of distracted.

Catherine sighed when the news broadcast was over, pushing in her chair and getting up. At least someone stood up to Kenny. Kudos to Father Emeric for having the guts, that's all she could say.

Vixie bit her nail as she examined the newest installation to Crow's security. This might actually get difficult this time.

The militia seemed to be everywhere. One day they would attack in the south, the next in the north. There was no pattern to their attacks, only that there would never be a time you could predict when or where they would come.
Catherine herself was caught in several attacks within that time period, though normally she'd just put on her armour and escaped, or blended into a wall and left that way. Still, she wondered why Talesworth's troops and police seemed so ineffective against them, when Father Emeric had had an easy time in Amestris. She wondered what was taking him so long to intervene here.

Finally Vixie found herself free again, only to be caught in the worst siege yet. The full team of fifty gifteds were laying waste to the capital of Talesworth. Vixie gaped at the fire that had been the first sign of attack.
Catherine saw the fire spring up down the street and couldn't resist the urge to check it out. She pressed her hand flat against the stone wall behind her and let the stone envelop her. Pressing her back against the wall, she slowly crept down towards the flames, hoping nobody would see her moving.
That's when she saw the Gifteds milling about, most of whom she recognised.
And then she saw Vixie.
Her eyes narrowed. She was honestly worried about Vixie. If they touch her...

[Gifted]

Nearby, one of the gifteds set off an explosion. Vixie remained unharmed, but she froze midstride. Even when she tipped over she barely moved. It looked as if she was in shock.
Catherine crept as close to Vixie as the building would allow when suddenly a building not too far away exploded. "Vixie!" She yelled, hoping it'd carry over the noise. She knew she'd be more likely to be spotted if she waited until it was quieter and she didn't really want a fight.
If Vixie had heard, she gave no sign of it as she slowly curled into a fetal position. Her eyes were wide and once someone got close enough, it was easy to see her shaking.
"Oh, mother of-" Catherine let the stone peel off her and ran to Vixie. "Vixie! Come on, we've got to move!"
It took Vixie a while to respond, a blank look in her eyes. "A-are you talking to me?" she asked in a quiet voice, so quiet it was almost lost in the sound of war.
"Duh! Who else would I be talking to?!" Catherine tugged on her arm, trying to block out the sounds of war from around them. "Come on, let's move!"

Vixie was shaking her head. "No, no, no."
"Come on! Please!" Catherine said desperately. Do not look around, do not look around, do not look around. She knew without a doubt if she saw any of the destruction she would lose it... hunt them down. The primary objective now was getting herself and Vixie safe.

"No, you're a gifted, get away from me!" Vixie cried. Raven was back.
"What the hell Vixie?" She wasn't talking sense. Now wasn't the time to argue. "Listen to me; if you stay here, you're going to die. Those're Kenny's troops out there. He's doing the same thing he was doing in Amestris, and I don't know why Father Emeric is willing to be a hero in Amestris but not in Talesworth, but he's not coming to save us this time! We need to go!"

Vixie shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kenny can't have done that already. He wouldn't dare." She had no memory beyond the point when Kenny altered her memories.
"He would dare to do whatever he damn well wanted since he killed Raven!" Catherine practically screamed at her. "Vixie, we need to leave now!!" She was slightly hysterical.

"Stop calling me that, and I'm not dead," Raven snapped, pulling away from Catherine.
"What?" Catherine cried. It didn't take her long to realise Vixie meant she was Raven, but it took her much longer to fit the rest of the pieces together.
"But... but... how would that..." She decided it didn't matter. She was just going to have to treat Vixie like she would Raven if she wanted either of them to get out alive.
She knelt down. "Raven, listen to me. The majority of the Gifteds you created were not evil. But even those who disagreed were caught by Kenny and the price of crossing Kenny isn't something most of us are willing to face. Why do you think I'm here, in Talesworth? It's because I'm one of the few who had the ability to avoid him, and I got a boat out here at the first opportunity. Now, if you're really Raven, then I don't know how he did it -got a shapeshifter to turn into you and killed them, maybe, I don't know- but the whole world thinks you're dead. If I were you, I'd take advantage of that and get out now, somewhere where Kenny can't hurt you anymore. It's been a few weeks since you were found dead, I don't know how far your memory goes. Maybe go to Panem. Father Emeric seems to be able to hold his own against Kenny and the gifteds, somehow, it ought to be the safest place on the planet for you at the moment." She clearly knew next to nothing about what was going on in Panem, since that was always Panems policy when it came to foreign affairs. She smiled. "But right now, we need to escape. Please, trust me."

"Very well. I'll explain it all later. How do I know I can trust you?" Raven asked, she was slowly regaining control.
After a long pause, Catherine said "Do you want the brutally honest answer, or the slightly less creepy one?"
"Just answer me, dammit," Raven insisted. She had always been one for brutal honesty.
"If There was even a chance I'd hurt you, you'd be dead by now." Catherine said. She'd asked for the brutally honest answer. "Come on, We've got to hurry." Now she chanced a look at the devastation, but even then, the flames tore her eyes away from most of the carnage.
Raven nodded and stood to follow Catherine. "Lead the way, then," she said.
Catherine led Raven quickly out of the danger zone, relieved she seemed to have finally gained her trust. "I don't know if you'll want to tell Crow you're leaving, you've been living with him for the past little while, but he's a little... overprotective, I guess. The way you spoke it sounded as though he was trying to keep you in there,"
"Probably because I didn't know who I was, he wanted to make sure I didn't put myself in danger. He knows who I am, he would never let some random Ravonian girl stay in his home," Raven said. Oh, if only she knew.
Catherine nodded. They were at the harbour. "I'm going to stay for a bit longer, but if Kenny gets a hold here, I'll follow you. You need to get to Panem. Father Emeric's the only one so far who's even sort of held his own, and he won back a whole country from Kenny's raids" she laughed. "And you don't look Ravonian anymore, so he'll have no problem protecting you." Catherine looked satisfied with her own assumptions.
Raven shook her head. "I would rather face Kenny than Emeric," she stated.
"Why’s that?" Catherine was confused. She’d never seen anything wrong with Father Emeric. Yes, he seemed like a bit of an idiot, but so what?
"Gifted had a program like mine. Emeric is a better actor than he lets on, he has powers of mind control. That's why Gifted has been so out of the loop," Raven explained.
"What?" Catherine was shocked. She'd been completely taken in by Emerics act. "Since when?" Well, no wonder he'd been holding his own if he had gifteds at his disposal! "Wait... she gave a kid mind-control powers? How stupid can you be?"

"She was attempting to recreate characters she had made up when we were younger. But making all of them - including Alex and Emeric - was stupid, in my opinion. It would be like me deliberately trying to make a real Kenny when I knew what he had been like," Raven stated. It was true that she hadn't. But the scientists got a little carried away when they found her inspiration for trying the project. "There might be a few powers I regret letting scientists try out, but Kenny was the closest they got to mind control." Raven paused. "It might not be such a bad idea to go to Panem. Like you said, I don't look Ravonian. I'm dressed like I come from Talesworth, which I have. Maybe I can help Gifted."

"Maybe," She was still reeling from the fact Gifted had made gifteds too. "Wait, is that what the whole 'inner circle' thing is?" She'd always wondered why the people who Gifted had always claimed were her 'inner circle' were all kids and teens. Kids and teens did not exactly give the best advice.
"Correct. Now any more questions or shall I go?" Raven asked, suddenly impatient to help her friend. Especially after she'd blown her off as she had done for so long. It made Raven's heart wrench when she remembered her final talk with Fox and Gifted. Now she had no idea where Fox was and Gifted was being mind controlled by a freak. Why did everything always happen to those she loved?
Catherine nodded and left, letting Raven leave.
Raven boarded the boat oh wait Crow doesn't have boats octopus and was soon on her speedy way to Panem.

When Raven got to Panem, she was warmly welcomed as a refugee from Talesworth escaping the rule of that "Ravonian tyrant". The woman manning the toll booth said she'd give Raven a reduced rate, but the boat was probably going to swim off so it wasn't even necessary to pay. Several people offered to escort her to the palace, all of them assuming she was here for protection.
Only one person, a man around Gifted's age whose hair was black and untidy, with brown eyes, sat back and surveyed it all with interest. He snorted when the first person to offer to take Raven to Emeric.
Raven began to nod, then she noticed the man sitting nearby. She mentally thanked her training with Lynn to help her with her observational skills, which were usually quite good but began to be lackluster when she was interested in something else. "What's so funny?" she asked him.
"This bunch of idiots." He said, waving his hand at the people offering to help. Now that Raven was focusing on him, it was clear he wasn't nearly as old as he'd looked from a distance. Why, he could be in his early twenties. "Thinking Father Emeric is going to help you. If you want someone who does more than pretend to care, I suggest you to stay as far away from Father Emeric as you can."

Several people glared at him. "Gifted was the best thing to ever happen to this country." One girl snapped.
The man looked up at the speaker. "Did I say anything about Princess Sarteena Gifted?" he asked politely.
"You insult Father Emeric, you insult Gifted.
"Ph, I disagree. The two are not mutually inclusive or mutually exclusive. After all, we all know who holds the real power, don't we?" He gave Raven a knowing smile and left, saying something about glasses that nobody quite caught.

As soon as he left, people started talking.
"Who was that guy?"
"Probably just another worthless rebel, forget about him."
"I swear I've seen him before..."
"Anyone who used to hold a position of power who doesn't now would be stupid to come out in public."
"You don't think it could be Vlad?"
"Of Neptune? Nah, he'll be with that creepy, evil general of his, and we all know she doesn’t have a chance of going unrecognised here..."
One of the men looked back at Raven. "You'll learn pretty quickly that rebels are terrible company to keep down here. It’s best to just keep quiet and let the army do its thing."
Whatever propaganda was being released in Panem, it was clearly working. Or maybe the rebels had just gone off the streets.
"Whatever the case," Raven said charmingly, "I'm sure Father Emeric is a lovely man. I just wish he could do more to help my people. I understand, though, he must have been weakened fighting those damned Ravonians in Ametris." She nodded as if there were no question about it. "There have been other refugees, right?"
"No," The man said. "Least not much as I have seen, and I've been a fisherman my whole life, so I'm usually on the water. We expect more to follow though, it sounds like thing'sre getting pretty torn up in Talesworth." The man looked genuinely sad thinking about it.
Raven nodded. "I was in the capital when it got attacked," she mumbled sadly. "I don't know how many others escaped. But the Ravonians were unlike anything I'd seen. There were only about fifty of them, but they kept doing strange things..." She sighed. "Would you take me to the palace, as you said?"
"Of course. Hey Bethany." He directed this at the woman manning the toll to the harbour. He threw a couple of twenties at her. "Watch my skiff, would you?"
"Yes sir, Mr. Tawnson." she said as he walked away.
"Thanks dearie." He went back to addressing Raven. "Come on, miss, the castles up this way. By the way, what's your name?"
The first thing that came to mind was the name Catherine had called her. "Vixie," she answered, moving to follow him.
"Well, Vixie, my names Cave. We should be at the palace in.... half an hour, more or less. Twenty minutes if we make good time."
About ten minutes later, the city started to thin out, replaced by sunny forest and green, grassy hills. Looking carefully, it seemed like there was someone moving in the forest. Cave, however, was oblivious.
"Ohh, it's beautiful here," Raven said. "We don't have much green in Talesworth." That was the one reason she would have never lived there. She loved trees, despite the small welling fear she felt, mostly out of paranoia. She had almost died in her forest at home.
"Yeah, Princess Sarteena Gifted didn't want her country to be "One perpetual city" as she put it in a speech about three years ago," He laughed. "Nothing better than seeing the grass and sky once in awhile except getting out on the ocean and breathing the salt air. It's the best feeling in the world, I tell you."
As Cave rambled, whoever was in the forest bolted as if knowing they'd been noticed.
Raven pretended to listen as she glanced over her shoulder every few steps.
The man did not come back to the point, evidently accomplished everything he came to do. Cave rambled on.
Raven was growing bored of Cave's ramblings and branched off to look for her past shadow.
"Hey, wait! Where’re you going! That's not safe!" Cave shouted as she walked into the forest. After a moment, he got a terrified look on his face and ran off.

In the forest, there was no sign of the man. However, a patch of dirt near where he'd been standing was obviously disrupted, looking as though it'd been dug up and patted down in a hurry. It was pretty noticeable. If dug up, though, Raven would find a long black slender tube with a cap on top you needed to unscrew to open.
Raven began to dig at it with her hands, thankful it had been recently disrupted so it wasn't quite as hard. After finding the container, Raven moved to unscrew the cap.
Suddenly, the click of a gun was heard, and the barrel was pressed against the back of Ravens head. "Don't move." An extremely familiar voice said. A hand reached out in front of her, too small to belong to anyone other than a kid or young teen. But it fit the voice. "Hand over the container. Don't move anything else. If you move, I will kill you."
Raven froze. "Why do you want it?" she asked softly. She made no move to give it to him.
She only pushed the gun barrel harder into Ravens skull. "You're not in a great position to be asking questions."
"I only want to know which side you're on. If you decide you can't trust me once we talk, you can shoot me," Raven stated. She was confident that either way she could pull a reason to trust her.
She was, quiet clearly, done with this nonsense. "Isn't it obvious?" The hand she'd had extended now grabbed Raven's shoulder roughly and forced her to turn around, letting Raven see her face for the first time.
Joan, wearing a navy blue bulletproof vest and equally dark long sleeves and pants. There were about a dozen men behind her, dressed similarly. Joan, with at least three large, effective guns strapped to her for easy transport.

Joan, positioning a pistol carefully under Ravens chin, pushing the barrel right up against her skin, and holding her hand out again. "Now, hand it over. This is your last chance."
"Joan," Raven said, the relief clear in her voice. Then another thought occurred to her. "I'm not from around here, obviously. Did Emeric get to you?"
Other than a murderous glare for even suggesting it, everyone ignored your question. Joan lost her patience, yanking the black tube from your hand. "Cuff her," She snapped at the people behind her. "We'll have Rooney interrogate her later. See what she knows."
"And then?" One of the men asked.
"I dunno... Prisoner of war? She might have been useful to him."
"General Wenkeling, if she's truly important to him she's more than likely just another string... if that's the case, it's doubtful Rooney will be able to get any information out of him."
"Oh, I wouldn't mind if she was a string," Joan muttered. "I'd love to have a few words with that rotten son of a-" She stopped there, looking like even profanities were not strong enough to profess her anger. She turned. "Cuff her and take her back to base." She repeated, and two men came forward to obey.
"I'm not part of Emeric’s team in any way," Raven snapped. "I came from Talesworth. I was going to the castle, but I haven't been there yet."
"We've gotten no word of this. And even if we had, you just randomly decide to wander around the exact area we've dropped our dead letter box in on the day it was being left for us? Not likely," Joan snapped. The two men cuffed Raven's hands behind her back and Joan turned over the black tube and began picking at the bottom of it as they walked out of the forest.
"I arrived today, it wasn't scheduled. Talesworth is under attack. I managed to escape and I was coming through the woods when I saw your messenger. It was coincidental," Raven insisted.
"Yeah, yeah tell it to Rooney," one of the men muttered, saving Joan from having to say anything. The group left the forest and went over a grassy hill, the palace coming in sight. They circled around behind it and walked into a thicker forest, grown wild rather than strategically planted for effect.
They hadn't walked through this new forest for more than five minutes before they came across an old stone bunker, vines creeping up the walls, and moss forming in the cracks in the concrete that had begun to show due to old age. About ten feet to the left of them was a plaque on a concrete pedestal, but none of them took any notice of it, instead letting themselves into the bunker.

The area looked exactly like a living room, a little bigger than the bunker had looked, with the floor sloped downwards. The floor was hardwood, they had working electricity, as evidenced by the working TV - that appeared to be about ten years old - and the lit lights in the room. A woman was casually lying on the green couch, not even looking up when everyone walked in. One could see a bit of a kitchen down a staircase to their left. It was clear, the place expanded much more underground.
Joan and her group didn't bother with any of these things, going down another staircase straight ahead of them.
At the bottom of the staircase was a long hall full of doors, one of which was standing open. It appeared to lead into a dining room, with many people sitting around the large, square wooden table. One of them got up to meet Joan.
"General Wenkeling." He said as he met her at the door "Before the meeting begins I wanted to have a quick talk with you about attack route #34Q32W8..."
Joan sighed. "We can't hook around, how many times do I have to tell you? Emeric’s 'scouts' can cover up to a two-mile radius, they'd see it coming and break off to surround us. They can afford the separation of their army. We can't.”
“Yeah, but surely after we depleted their weapons sources and he outsourced a good portion of them to Amestris...”
“Don’t forget some of those were our soldiers too.” Joan said impatiently. “Look, can we talk about this later? Only I’ve got a prisoner to take care of,” She indicated Raven. “Go find Rooney if you want to do something useful. We’re going to need him to interrogate this one.”
“Making sure she’s not a string?”
Joan nodded. “By the way, if she is a string she’s mine,” she grinned.
The man laughed. “I’m not sure Vlad’ll agree to that. You’ve already made him agree to let you have the ultimate prize, he’s going to want as many of these as he can.”
Joan laughed. “Fair enough.”
“We’ll be waiting, General Wenkeling.” The man turned and went back into the room. “Come on, you,” Joan said sternly to Raven, taking a hold of her cuffed hands so that the guy holding them let go. Despite this, he and one other soldier stayed close to her as she forced raven down the hall to a door near the end.
Inside was what looked like a bedroom, with one major difference. On the inside of the door were thick iron bars, carefully constructed in a frame around the door. Though it could easily pass as defence against burglars for the paranoid, it was the only thing in the room that showed the true purpose.



It wasn’t a bedroom, it was a jail cell.
Raven never resisted. Rather, she followed willingly. "I will help you when he finds I’m not a string as you call them."
"You don't even know what a string is," Joan said dismissively, closing the bars behind the door first and fumbling with their lock.
"Someone being mind controlled by Emeric like he has all the other gifteds except you and Cristel, I would wager," Raven responded. "And like he has my best friend. I came to help Gifted, Joan. It can be done."
Joan gasped and fixed a furious glare on Raven. "How do you know that?" she hissed furiously. Just then, an older man with black hair and beard walked over. "Rooney! Good,
you're here." Joan tossed him the keys. She cast a dark glance in Ravens direction. "Be careful with that one. She knows too much. Things no friends of ours know."


"I prefer to collect my assessment without bias," Rooney said calmly. "Please leave, General Wenkeling. Sargent Harris said they were waiting for you in the war room."

"Right." Joan sighed. "Later, Rooney." She walked off and Rooney let himself in. "Greetings. Vickie, isn't it?" He asked conversationally. "My name is Harrison George Mcroon, but just call me Rooney, everyone does."
"Vixie is what I've been called. I will not tell my story without Joan here. She's the only one who I will trust," Raven said, meeting Rooney's eyes firmly. "Believe me, you don't want to keep me here, I can help you more than you could ever know."
"How could you help us?" Rooney asked.
"Like Joan said, I know things most people don't. I have connections. I won't say anything else until Joan is here," Raven insisted.
"Yes, well.... I'm afraid it's not quite that simple, Vickie. See, I'm sort of the screening process. To speak to anyone in the resistance, you need to speak to me." He smiled, still being pleasant.
Raven's eyes flashed. "You would not have any way of verifying what I say is true," she stated flatly.
"Oh, I don't know about that," he smiled. "I'd say I'm rather good at picking out lies. It was my line of work, you know. I was a profiler for the Panemian Royal Police. And there is nothing more dangerous, to a man -or- woman- with something to hide, that a simple conversation! Did you know that? Nothing at all. So, shall we talk?"
Raven rolled her eyes. "You're wasting time. Sure, go ahead. Do you have any questions, Rooney?" she growled.
"Have you ever heard of a man named Kenneth Clarce?" Rooney asked, still keeping his tone pleasant.
"No, but I've heard of several men with similar names," Raven replied. "Perhaps if you mean the terrorist from Ravonia you should get his name right."
"You seem to have rather a personal interest in him," Rooney noted.
"He faked my death," Raven's voice was flat as she said it.
"Really?" Rooney sounded surprised. "Do you have any proof?"
"I know things very few would know, and I am one of those few. I don't look like my true self, because Kenny had Crow's assistance," Raven replied. "I don't know how exactly I would go about proving I'm Raven, it's an extraordinary claim."
Rooney's eyes widened in shock. "You claim to be Mistress Raven?"
"That I do. The other girl who died in my place was a Gifted from Ravonia named Alexandria Cove. I was spared to avoid an immediate war with Crow; Kenny had other things to do before then. He attacked Talesworth now because he wanted to kill me before I regained my memories," Raven said.
Rooney nodded. "Well, I believe I've gathered sufficient information for the present." Rooney said, nodding. "I will return with an interrogator shortly." He was out the door before Raven could question him.

Nobody looked twice at him as he walked down the hall. He'd long been over the paranoia that caused him to look over his shoulder, to look twice at everyone to be sure they didn't suspect him. He was too well liked. Too trusted.

He entered his room and pulled a ball-point pen from a cup on his desk. He inserted the thin center part into a hole under the second drawer in his desk, pushing up the false bottom to reveal an old walkie-talkie.
"Alert," He whispered into it. "Detective Downs, do you read?"
"Copy that, Agent Mcroon."
"The white bird has flown to her new nest. I repeat, the white bird has flown to her new nest." He whispered urgently. There was a long pause.

"Understood. Over and out."
Rooney replaced the walkie talkie and went to the war room and knocked.

"What is it, Rooney?" Joan asked when Rooney came in.
"We have a problem."
"She's a string?" Joan guessed.
"Worse. She's one of Kenny's people."




Vlad came back with him to interrogate Vixie.
"Vlad," Raven greeted. She'd learned the names and faces of most of the high-ups of Panem, and all countries. "Good to see you. I assume you have questions."
"Cut the crap," Vlad said rudely. Rooney hung back now, letting loud, brazen and irresponsible Vlad do his thing. "We know the truth."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Obviously you don't," she replied.
"We're not stupid, kid. We know you're a Ravonian sent here by Kenny. What's he planning?" Vlad demanded.
Raven sighed. "This would be so much easier if Cristel were here. I don't know what he's planning. I'm not a gifted, nor am I part of Kenny's force. If he sent someone here, my guess would be it would be someone with some actual strength, in which case they wouldn't bother with the lot of you. Either way, if I were trying to determine his next course of action it would be to finish in Talesworth and take hold of the government, waiting until he has them stabilized before taking some other country. He'll save any Panemian country for the last. He has no reason to send someone here while you're already tearing each other up. Though I must say, if he did decide one side needed help, it would be you. He certainly won't want to fight Emeric’s gifteds. So even if I were among Kenny's people, I would be here to help." She leaned back.
Vlad looked back at Rooney, who gave a small shake of the head. "Don't bullshit us!" he threw a punch at Raven's face.

Rooney scratched his ear.
Raven was too slow to do anything to avoid the blow. Her eyes narrowed. "Your lie detector shouldn't be the single person you trust, Vlad. Just because he knows when someone lies doesn't mean he always tells the truth." She crossed her arms and set her jaw.

"That man," Vlad pointed backwards at Rooney. "Has saved our butt more than a few times. He's caught dozens of spies Father Emeric tried to send in, and just because you're from Kenny doesn't make you any different. Also he has science on his side, and I'm supposed to be doing this the way gifted would do it so apparently that matters," Vlad rolled his eyes.
Rooney nodded. "In your case, there's a tic in your left eye every time you lie. It's a common condition that affects about one in eight Panemians. I would assume the numbers are similar in Ravonia. With practice, you could learn to control it, but there you are," Unbelievably, he was still keeping his pleasant, polite tone.
This was, of course, an outright fabrication, but Vlad didn't know this. Rooney had the experience, moreso than any other rebel. Vlad had no choice but to trust him, because on what basis could he say Rooney was wrong?
"How do you know he isn't a spy himself? With your trust he can do more good for Emeric than forty spies. Especially by turning away the greatest ally you with ever receive. How do you know that he has even once caught a real spy? Do you have anyone to check that he lies? If I were trying to bring you down, it wouldn't be under anyone's command. Especially not a greedy coward like Kenny. Use your sense Vlad. Why would anyone who doesn't work for Emeric want to harm you? Is it not that the enemy of your enemy is your friend? Anyone would need all the help they can get to stand up to Emeric's force, do you not agree?"

"Because when we brought Rooney in, the vast majority of the leaks stopped. Now quit questioning the competence of my profiler. I'm the one doing the questioning here." Vlad snapped.
Raven sneered at him. "I’m not questioning the competence of your profiler; I’m questioning your competence."

Vlad hit her again.

"Get up." He snapped. "Now, tell the truth this time. What does Kenny want with us?"

Raven glared, she could already tell she was going to have at least a very black eye. "I don’t know. I gave you what I thought and hitting me wont convince me to tell you something I don’t know. Did you know he has the power to erase your memories? He was a bit of a pet project of mine."
"Of Yours?" Vlad looked at Rooney questioningly.

Rooney rolled his eyes. "She's been claiming she's Mistress Raven and Crow altered her appearance," he informed Vlad.

"That's insulting," Vlad said. "That's really, really insulting."

"Aren’t you two done yet? Joan snapped from the door. "Prince Vlad. We're waiting for your vote on the new attack pattern Kaleb outlined. You're the last vote. Would you hurry up?"
"She won't cooperate!"
"Then leave her here and come back later!"
"So she can think up a story?" Rooney said questioningly.
Joan faltered. Rooney had a point.

Raven rolled her eyes. "I have my story, it’s called the truth. Ask me any question. You can’t deny what I've said, at least regarding Kenny, makes sense."
"There's also the fact that Kenny's more dangerous than Raven ever was." Vlad shot back.
"Woah woah woah, slow the heck down," Joan said. "What the heck is going on? And would somebody let me in please? Rooney has my keys."
"Oh, sorry Joan." Rooney went over and unlocked the door, letting Joan inside.

"I am Raven, no matter what you believe. I know it’s far-fetched, but if he had any real talent and was actually allied to you he would tell you so."
"Wait what? This is the bullcrap she's trying to feed you? Why are you still bothering again?" Joan snapped. "It's offensive to ravens memory and someone clinging to such a terrible lie probably isn't high enough to know anything useful, anyway."


"I agree with Joan." Rooney nodded.

"Why? She's here for a reason. I want to know why Kenny sent her here!"
"Could be a scout sent ahead." Joan suggested. "Kenny's militias were using guerrilla warfare tactics in both Talesworth and Amestris, according the news. That's hard to do if you don't know the lay of the land."
Raven growled. "I'll be more than willing to speak openly with Joan alone."
"Not a chance. You think we're stupid?"
"Vlad-"
"We're not going to leave our general alone with someone who's more than likely a gifted-"
"Vlad-"
"-who's powers we don't even know-"
"Vlad, I am more than capable-"
"So she can get brainwashed or some Sh*t into believing whatever bullshit you decide-"
"VLAD!" Joan yelled. Vlad shut up, and he and Rooney looked at her. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I held up against Emeric, didn't I?"
"You were lucky."
"What's your point?"
"That you might not be so lucky this time and we can't afford to lose you!" Vlad snapped.
"Vlad." Joan narrowed her eyes, and her voice came out sounding like an order. "Leave me a loaded gun, and get out."
Vlad obliged. When he and Rooney left the room, Joan put the gun in her holster and sat on the bed. "Well?"

"I swear to god. Ask me anything. I am Raven, no matter how unbelievable it is. At the very least you have to know that if I were some powerful gifted who wanted you dead, any Ravonian gifted who was capable would have done it in the woods."
Joan thought for a long moment. "The only thing I can think of, Kenny would know too. He was there." She admitted.
"Like I said to those two, if I were sent by Kenny it wouldn’t be to harm the only other people who are opposing his greatest threat. If there is one thing I know about him from what little I've seen of him is that he has a keen sense of self preservation. He isn't going to want to fight the gifteds without letting them weaken as much as he can manage. He'll attack everyone else in the world before you."
"I know the stories, I know how he operates." Joan sighed. "That's quite honestly the only reason I agreed to this, because I know you're right about Kenny. That and I need five minutes to be me and not some genius General expected to order everyone around." She sighed. Then, something seemed to occur to her. "What did you mean before, about being able to rescue Gifted?"
"There is nothing more dangerous than someone desperate. Though the plan was rather weak. I was closer than you have been, wasn’t I? I was going to get into the castle. Up until I found that tube... it seems too coincidental that someone sent by Kenny would come from Talesworth and be heading to the castle, doesn’t it? He wouldn’t come here even to help you. That should narrow down the options to a spy for Emeric, which even Rooney says I am not, myself, or a forth party."
"Closer? Excuse me, I was in the castle in a shootout with Emeric. That's about as close as you can get." Joan didn't sound proud. In fact, she sounded incredibly angry and bitter. "And what Rooney does isn't an exact science, there's no guaranteed way to tell if someone’s lying unless you're a gifted and that's your power. But it's a heck of a lot than SWAG."
"SWAG?" Raven questioned. "But I’m still not convinced Rooney is on your side. He claims my eye twitches."
"It probably does." Joan shrugged. "And SWAG stands for a 'Scientific Wild-Ass Guess." She laughed.
Raven smirked. "I've said what I have to say. Any questions miss Wenkeling?"
Joan was silent for a very long time. Finally, she got up.
"Alright. I believe you that you're not one of Kenny's people or, if you are, you're not particularly important to him and aren't told anything. I'll believe you're Raven if you can answer my question; other than Emeric and his strings; Raven is the only one who would know."
Raven nodded, though she wasn’t so sure of that. "Go ahead then."
"Remember when I first came to Ravonia? I refused to tell you the whole story unless you figured out the riddle Gifted gave me. Well, now I'm asking it in reverse. The answer is gifteds. What's the question?"
Raven nodded and struggled to remember the exact wording, not trusting Joan to accept an approximation
"You don't have to answer right now." Joan said, walking to the door. "It's not an easy question." She deliberated for a second. "I've got to get back, my troops are probably wondering where I am. If you can't answer in a week, I give them permission to haul your ass back to Ravonia. None of the others know, so don't bother bouncing ideas off them. If you call for me, I'll come unless I'm on the battlefield." She opened the barred door and put her hand on the regular doors handle. Then she stopped. "And what you said about saving Gifted... it's impossible. I know how you feel. A long time ago, I thought that too. But it's just fiction." She sighed and left the room, locking up before she went.
Raven paused. Back to Ravonia? That was the last place she wanted to be. Even Panem was safer for her than her home. Probably the safest place in the world for her except Ametris. But before she could say anything, Joan was gone and she was left to ponder what the answer was.
Over the next few days, people were in and out of the room. Mostly it was Rooney, pleasant as ever, saying if she would only talk to them, they could deport her faster. Raven was not starved, but given plenty of food. Vlad came occasionally for the first few days, but maybe three days after Joan had given her riddle, she and Vlad got into a shouting match in the hall.

"This is what you get for being an impulsive ass!" Joan shouted.
"This is not my fault!" Vlad yelled back. "I'm telling you, the only ones in the room were me, the prisoner and Rooney!"
"You think that matters? You don't hit a prisoner Vlad, are you out of your mind?"
"I didn't think it mattered, how the hell would anyone see?"
"You didn't think is what happened! Any one of the potential spies Rooney found could've hidden a camera in there! Do you know how many soldiers I've had walk out on me today? Twenty-four. Twenty-four soldiers because of how you treat our prisoners, and that includes Sargent Thomas Maxwell!"
This pulled Vlad up short. "Thomas left?"
"Yes you idiot, Thomas left! How the hell are we supposed to pull off our attack next week without Thomas? We need the maps for attack pattern #18XYB and you and I both know who's memorised them."
Vlad had no answer.
"And what if he defects, huh? You realise this entire bunker's going to have to go on lockdown for the next several days because of your bonehead move?"


Needless to say, Vlad didn't come back after that.
Only the next day, Raven had begun to develop a black eye. When she heard the shouting days later, she wondered briefly what it had been about, but like the days before, Raven remained silent. Whenever Rooney entered the room, she withdrew into herself and thought more deeply about the riddle. If only she was able to look at her memories as Kenny was. She didn't speak until the sixth day, when finally she realized the answer, only after she had given up trying to remember. It was so obvious she didn't know how she could have spent so much time wondering. The next time someone entered her room, she spoke. Her voice cracked since she hadn't used it in days, but she plowed on. "I need to speak to Joan."
Rooney's mouth became a thin line. It was true he'd been told to go get Joan if she was ever asked for, and he couldn't exactly disobey a direct order from the general. But still... dammit she only had one more day! "Of course. No problem at all." He exited the room and went to get Joan.

"John, you're PR, I never said I knew how to handle this," Joans voice came about ten minutes later outside the door, sounding irritated.
"Well I'm sorry, I'm not Rick, I can't just pull a miracle out of thin air!"
Joans voice took on a much darker tone. "What? Did I say anything about Rick?"
"You were thinking it!"
"All I was thinking was that you better get your ass in gear! But apparently now it's my job to fix this stuff, because the so-called real leader is the cause of it all! I never claimed I could do any of this, or that I would do any of this, and you sit here expecting me to come up with all the answers! I'm a General, not a princess!" Joan threw open the doors, causing an insane racket as iron slammed against wood. The man Raven had seen on the street (not cave, the young guy who laughed at everyone) walked away angrily.
"What?" Joan snapped.

"I remembered the riddle," Raven replied without a beat, though her voice still grated from lack of use. She cleared her throat.
Joan looked skeptical, though she also looked a good deal less angry than she had a few moments ago. "Let's hear it then."
"Long ago these fantasies were mine,
Impossible they were made,
Impossible has remained," Raven recited. "I apologize if it isn't perfect, I've been through a lot. But it refers to our stories, about the lot of you."
Joan was silent for a very long time, Shocked into silence. She'd accepted Raven as dead. When the news first came, she was shocked. She'd thought she'd have time to apologize for getting Rose killed and Darin mind controlled. She'd thought she could apologize for leaving on her own when the battle was lost, rather than trying to save as many people as she could like her instincts should've told her too. Explain how she survived the fight, since Emeric made sure everyone thought she was dead until it was too late for them to do anything. But she'd accepted she'd never get a chance to say them, never atone for her mistakes.
But now Raven was alive. It was impossible, but it'd happened. Her eyes threatened to spill tears.
Maybe impossible things did happen.
Maybe this might work out after all.
“You believe me now?” Raven asked.
Joan nodded. Her voice broke as she spoke. "I'm sorry... about everything." the tears finally fell down her face. "Oh my god, Raven, I thought you were dead."
"That was the idea, Joan. Everyone was supposed to think that. But now you know either Rooney is terribly wrong very often or he lied. Think about that. I doubt there was a hidden camera in here," Raven said and crossed her arms. "Oh, and about what you said about being deported to Ravonia, I'm fairly certain neither of us really want that."
"Don't hate on Rooney.... What are the odds...?” Joan whispered. She was still reeling from the fact Raven was alive.
Suddenly there was a pounding on the wooden door. "General Wenkeling!" someone yelled through it.
Joan struggled to raise her voice and make it sound normal. "I'm... kinda busy, here!"
"We need your help with a prisoner," they shouted through the door anyway.
Joan sighed and opened the wooden door, leaving the barred door closed. "Rooney's the interrogator, I don't know where he is... why are you holding her like that? Do you want us to get deeper into the hole Vlad's thrown us into?"
"We don't need Rooney for this one, General Wenkeling, we already know she's no friend of ours."
"How so?"
"She killed three people while we were retraining her."
"I'm assuming you've already searched her and confiscated her firearms?"
"She... wasn't using firearms."
This threw Joan for a minute. "What? You guys are wearing bulletproof vests and all carrying guns. How did she manage to kill three of you?"
"Well... she's got a gift, you see."
Joan was surprised, and surveyed the girl more closely. "If she's gifted she's a string, and we agreed Vlad dealt with those."
"We just need you to restrain her. When she activates her power her skin... hardens, and her strength increases. Do you really think I can keep her like this?"
Joan sighed. "All right, let her go." When the man obliged, Joan threw out her hand and forced the gifted against the wall. "I don't recognise you," She said darkly. "Are you one of Kenny's people, or is Emeric making new gifteds?"


"Neither," Catherine hissed, murder in her eyes.
"She's mine," Raven said from the doorway. "Catherine, stand down. If you harm anyone else you will be put in a lockdown confinement equal to that of the Ravonian testing labs, and I assure you I remember enough about your particular case to assist them making one." The leaders’ eyes flashed dangerously. Yes she knew this case well, it was the reason for the initial bomb. She hadn’t realized until after hearing her power though.
Catherine blanched. Her protective shell formed as a reflex, and her thoughts were still clouded, but she no longer looked ready to kill. "You're a traitor Raven" She said in a hate-filled voice. "Course, why should I expect anything less, from you."
"Raven, come out," Joan said, completely ignoring Catherine as she unlocked the barred door and pushed it open. "You're not a prisoner here anymore, you don't need to be trapped in here. So I'm just going to throw her into this room."
"Why is it you felt the need to kill anyone?" Raven asked Catherine. "And how does this make me a traitor? These have always been the people I intended to help."
"And I told you I was coming, did I not," Catherine snapped.
"Raven, step out of the room." Joan said more firmly.
Raven did so. "I could hardly tell them! They thought I was working for Kenny because their interrogator is a damn spy!"
"Raven, get out of the room now, that's an order!" Joan snapped.
Raven moved into the hall, well away from Catherine.
With a flick of her wrist, Joan threw Catherine into the room. She landed on the bed and was unharmed. Joan shut and locked both doors as fast as she could.

Catherine beat her fists on the door, busting through the wood but of course, not getting through the bars.

"We don't have any protocol for this. Until we discuss it, I'm leaving her there." Joan sighed. "Come on, let's go."
"Calm down Catherine. You will only make things worse!" Raven cried.
"Shut up!" She shouted through the hole in the door.
"Great, how're we gonna replace that without tipping off Emeric where we are?" Joan muttered, annoyed, and began walking away.
"We don't need to replace it. Her power is adaptation. If there is nothing to threaten her with she's useless," Raven stated.
"I thought her power was that blue shell thing she's covered with?" Joan said. "And anyway, I meant the door. This is technically a historic site, that's why we can use power and such and it doesn't tip Emeric off that anybody's here. They're trying to keep it in the same shape it was ten years ago or so. Besides, those doors are there to block out sound so the prisoners don't hear our plans... this is pretty much the main hall in the whole place, and a lot of talking people go down it every day."
"Well I can vouch she won't go off to Kenny or Emeric. She hates them both. As for her violence, she was probably unaware that you were on our side," Raven said. "She can help a lot once I talk to her."
"If you say so," Joan shrugged. "Anyways, I still say we should let Rooney see her, I know the others think she's an open-and-shut case, and I'm inclined to agree with them that she's dangerous, but you never know with people these days. But I gotta clear it with Vlad and-" She paused for a split-second, noticing the three guys passing in the hall "-chocolate first. Sergeants Whitlock and Fraser, aren't you supposed to be manning the upstairs post?"
"Yeah, I was, but Kaleb here was running late like an idiot," one of them laughed. "So I came down to get him. We're heading up now. Patricia's still up there."
Joan nodded and kept walking.
"No. You are not to let Rooney near her. I can vouch for her. Rooney was lying about me the whole time," Raven snapped.
"Raven, you can't expect Rooney to be right every single time." Joan sighed tiredly. "Look, Raven, it's going to be hard enough for them to trust you, don't make things harder on yourself by throwing out wild accusations. You might be right, you might not, I dunno but the fact remains nine out of ten times Rooney's been a fantastic asset to us, and he's one of the five... five?" She interrupted herself, counting on her fingers. "Me, Vlad, Chocolate, Roo, shorty. Yeah. Five people who knows everything." Joan nodded.
"He was wrong every single time about me. And he was pulling Sh*t out of his ass! I don't care what you think he's done for you, I still have a bruise because of him!" Raven growled.
"Vlad shouldn't have done that. He's an idiot who can't control his temper. I keep telling Rooney to do interrogation by himself but noooo he insists on bringing someone important with him. A second opinion, he says. And then he brings in Vlad, and then Vlad decides to be an idiot and lose his temper!" Joan sighed.

"He does it on purpose. Especially what happened in there. He's a spy and you have no one to check him."
"How do you know?!" Joan cried, exasperated. "Do have any proof? Because I would love to hear it."

"I heard there was a picture of Vlad hitting me that got out. I can make that go away. Did anyone ever think of trying?" Raven asked. "Ever once did Rooney say anything positive of me? Do you have proof that the people he's caught are really spies?"
"Yeah we do actually. We've got about six videos we filmed of spies breaking down after he interrogated them and confessing. It's weird, I've never seen him be anything but courteous, polite and friendly to anyone, including during interrogation, but whatever happened at those times before the camera started rolling really messed them up... not physically, you know, physically they were exactly the same as when they came in, some even looked healthier. They were just emotionally... messed up. I dunno. I asked him about it once. He said it was all psychological, that if you could find your way into their head you didn't have to be rude or unpleasant to make them confess.... he started talking some scientific psychology mumbo-jumbo and I stopped listening. But that was the gist of it."
"If you're good enough at messing with people's heads and have a long enough time you can make them confess to things they didn't do. Not to mention the fact that videos can be altered. It's not even hard to do," Raven stated flatly.
"Rooney doesn't even know we have the videos," Joan snapped. "So he couldn't have altered them. Now would you cut the guy a break?" Joan snapped, and knocked on one of the doors.
"Come in!" a female voice called through it. Joan pushed open the door.
A tall woman was sitting on a bed. She had short blonde hair with brown roots, a long, oval face, and bright blue eyes. She surveyed them with wary interest. "Who's this?" She asked.
"Mistress Raven. Turns out Kenny faked her death. It's definitely her, I double checked."
"And Rooney?"
"...This was one of his rare fuckups," Joan acknowledged. "But you've got to admit, it is a farfetched-sounding story."
She nodded. "Well if Joan trusts you I'm not going to argue. My name's Rhodesia. Nice to meet you." She held out a hand for Raven to shake.
Raven shook her hand. "Well Joan already introduced me. It's nice to meet you." She wondered why Joan had brought her here.
"I want your advice on what to do with a new prisoner... I assume you heard the ruckus she made when she came in?"
Rhodesia nodded. "You have good timing, actually, John's trying to bring a new idea to a vote that I want your opinion on."
"I'm assuming you're against it, then?" When Rhodesia nodded, Joan continued. "Alright, I think we can get to that in a bit,"
"We don't have a bit, Shorty's calling council in ten minutes!"
"That's more of the reason we need to discuss this now. We need to come up with a new identity for Raven that doesn't look suspicious."
Raven nodded. "Take your pick, I can be Charlotte Kennedy Monohan or Vixie van Buren. Vixie was the identity Kenny planted me with, they're both old characters of mine," she said.
"We need to come up with an identity that could conceivably be close to me, Raven. Because you're one of the most crucial people here, and you of all people deserve to know what's going on, but nobody'll trust you even if I tell them the truth, because just because they're here doesn't mean they don't believe at least some of Emeric's annoying propaganda Sh*t." Joan facepalmed. "Anyway we need to come up with some excuse as to why you know everything even though you just got here. "
"Speaking of propaganda..." Rhodesia began, when the door flew open.

"John wants to call a vote on something" A tall woman said. "Oh, am I interrupting something?"
"No, it's fine. We'll be there in a moment," Joan said back.
The girl rolled her eyes, muttered something angrily, and walked off.
"Great."
Raven sighed and nodded. "Fine then, I'll leave that up to you two. Anyway, once that's done we should get working on a video of me saying that image of Vlad's temper was a fake. Though the delay is certainly going to be suspicious and a good number of the people who were here to begin with won't believe it."
Both of them looked like they'd forgotten about it.
"That might actually kill two birds with one stone." Joan said thoughtfully.
"If, not only was the hit fake, but there wasn't even here with the name given in the video..."
"That kills a lot of the authenticity of it. We could even say it was for some publicising event... like, we were trying to prove to our ranks how easily something like that could be faked, and it got circulated as real..."
Rhodesia looked uncomfortable. "I don't know if we should take it that far."
"Well, why not? We could introduce Raven as my cousin, or something... Say she agreed with Vlad to do it."
"A cousin nobody's ever heard about until today? When you're such a well-publicised individual?"
"I. Am. An. orphan Rhodesia, it's not that hard to miss someone I didn't even know in the first place-"
"Are you two coming?" Someone else snapped at the door.
"Three." Joan corrected. "And sorry, we're coming right now." Joan sighed and said to Raven. "The friggen politics of war are more tiring than the actual combat, I swear. Come on, this is as good a time as any to introduce you, and I'm sure you'll want to jump into the debate at some point. it's really no big deal, we just shout at each other over some issue until more than half the room comes to an agreement and somebody writes it down on paper" She grinned.
"That is sadly accurate." Rhodesia muttered as she walked out the door.

Raven smiled. "I've always secretly enjoyed politics. I just like seeing different people's opinions and sharing my own. It's even better when I win." She stood.
Joan nodded. "Gifted was the same way," she laughed, and led her to the war room. She briefly explained Raven was her cousin (conveniently without mentioning a name) before the debate started.
"Alright, John, I assume you have a reason for calling us here?"
"Yeah. Here's what I say; we've been fighting this battle as ethically as we can. We've been doing it, as Joan would put it, 'As Gifted would've done'."
Joan threw him a dirty look.
"Ok, other than the fact we're in a war in the first place," he allowed, and Vlad rolled his eyes.
There were seven of them there, not including Raven. Joan, John, Vlad and Rhodesian were there, as well as three soldiers who'd been selected to represent the lower ranked soldiers. Two of them were unfamiliar, one was the girl who had called them in earlier. One chair sat empty.
"Where's Rooney? Shouldn't we wait for him before we start?" The asked in the sort of self-righteous voice I would have immediately distrusted.
"Oh he's not coming," Vlad said. "I sent him down to look at that gifted we've got in room 6."
"What?" Joan snapped. "Why wasn't I told this?"
"You're always complaining about how you've got to do everything, so I intervened for you!" Vlad cried.
"And what happened to you not getting involved with the prisoners after the Vixie de Bruen incident?" Joan shot back.
"Joan, do you have an issue with Rooney interrogating this woman?" John asked.
Joan faltered. "No, no it's fine. Continue, John."
"Anyway, as I was saying, we've been fighting this war ethically. And we're getting nowhere.
We lose an inch of land every day because we've got not enough troops, not enough weapons, and not enough training. Pulling out our spies with all the ammunition they could get their hands on helped, but it's only a temporary solution to the problem.
And the problem's getting worse. Every time Emeric releases a propaganda video, another dozen or more soldiers walk out on us. Two-thirds of them, walk out while on duty, and take their weapons with them. How many people walked out after the de Bruen incident, Joan?"
"Thirty-three," Joan reported.
"Exactly." John said. "My dipshit brother loses his temper for a second, and almost three dozen people walk out on us. What happens when something more controversial already happens? Like, if Joan messes up at some point? The majority of the people here secretly hate her anyway and we all know it. Heck, we've got one person at this table who openly hates Joan." He directed his next question at the girl. "How many troops do you think would walk off with you if Joan made a calculation error and we suffered a huge loss?"
The girl thought about it. "...About half, I'd say. Maybe two thirds."
John shook his head. "Two thirds of the army gone because Joan isn't a freakin' goddess and will eventually make a mistake and let a shitty plan through at some point! Can we afford that?"
"Do we have a choice?" One of the men asked.
"That's why it's time we defended ourselves. Emeric wants a war. Well, we'll give him war. We'll give him every kind of war. We'll give him a propaganda war."
There were several cries of outrage at these words, but Rhodesia’s was the loudest.
“Not a chance! We’re supposed to be the good guys! If we go about... manipulating public opinion, taking advantage of other peoples compassion, controlling how people think... how are we any better than him?”
“What we’re doing’s not working! We need to take some drastic countermeasures!”
“Rhodesia, every regime in the history of ever has used propaganda at some point...”
“I agree with Rhodesia, we can’t go around saying how much better we are than Emeric if we stoop to the same methods.”

Raven sighed. "First off, its de Buren not de Bruen," she snapped. "Secondly, I agree with John. It is John, right?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "I can't believe it has taken this long for that to come up. We must fight for our freedom, and propaganda is part of that. You ask how we can claim we're better than Emeric? Well how many of the people in this building, in this entire resistance, are being mind controlled and forced to be here? I certainly hope you answer none, or I'll walk out with those thirty-three. That is how we are better, we give people a choice. Those thirty-three people had a choice, and they chose to leave. However we are few who have a choice. You claim it would be wrong to fight back with propaganda of our own, but the opposite is true. It is wrong to rob anyone of the decision to join us," here she stood, "to fight for freedom from what has become a dictatorship."

"But it's not a choice, it's an ultimatum." Rhodesia protested.
One of the men rolled his eyes at Rhodesia's terrible word choice.
"They know we're out here, they know what we stand for. The problem with propaganda is it's hyperbolish, and you're not trying to convince them of anything, you're trying to make people think you're way. That's not right. We give the public all the information we can give them, and let them make their own informed decision."

"They're being corrupted by his propaganda. We need to really fight back unless one of you finds a way to end this war in the next week!"
Just then there was a frantic knock on the door. "It's urgent!" Someone called.
As Rhodesia went to reply, they heard the knock on the door. "Shut up!" Joan hissed, then got up to go see who it was. She opened the door warily. "What is it, soldier?"
"I... I don’t know how she found us. But she's here!" The soldier exclaimed, awestruck.
"Who's here?" Raven demanded.
The soldier grinned and said, "Mistress Raven."

Outside the front door, Alaric, looking exactly like Raven had before he had messed her up, watched Trace carefully. He couldn’t let her ruin the plan, and it was vital to have her there. They had two missions: to help bring Emeric down and to kill the real Raven.
"What?" Joan looked at Raven briefly, then back to the soldier. "Get her inside, now. Before anyone sees her. I mean it. If it gets out we're working with Mistress Raven we'll lose what little city support we have left. I will be there in thirty seconds. Take her to a cell or something, just so I know where she is. And one more thing; make sure she's got at least three people with her at all times, and they are all armed. Understand? I don't care if she brought her own guard or what. Just give me thirty seconds and I'll be down with her."

The soldier nodded and ran off to do as he was told. Raven sat back, her mind wurring as she tried to think of who the imposter could be. Who would be stupid enough to send someone looking like a dead person?

Though Raven may never know the answer, Kenny certainly did. "Autumn!"

[Gifted]

When the soldier did arrive, he told Trace and Alaric that Joan would meet them soon and led them to a cell, then informed three men of Joans order for a guard. Trace would have to stay by Alarics side at all times.
Joan turned back to them once the soldier left. "so this is clearly not the real Raven, so what're we gonna do about it?"
"How do you know it's not the real Raven?" Vlad shot back in an offensive tone. "For all we know Kenny could've staged the killing and done something to her!"
"Oh he did," Raven said darkly. "But I wouldn’t be stupid enough to walk into Panem looking like me. And if this "Raven" walked here, how the hell did she not get shot, Vlad? So unless you're suggesting Kenny gave her some kind of freakish superpower, too."
Vlad was the first to get it. He glared at Joan. "You could've said something!"

"She was telling every word of the truth before, I didn't say anything because I knew you wouldn't trust my verification and I especially didn't want to say it in front of him!" she pointed at the man who'd been agreeing with Rhodesia, who was now glaring hostilely at Raven. At these words, he got up and left the room.
"Great! Now he's probably going to walk out on us." Joan said angrily. "That means we're going to have to find someone to replace him. Raven, why can't you keep your mouth shut? I don't think you've said anything since you got here that hasn't put us in a deeper hole! We're walking a very precarious tightrope here. I'm trying to keep us all alive." She stormed out of the room to go deal with the false Raven.

"Someone needs to take a chill pill." The girl scoffed as she watched Joan leave.
"I think the stress is causing her to crack." John said worriedly. "Heaven knows we do put too much pressure on her."
The remaining man nodded. "With Mikaela she had Mikaela and Rick, at least."
"Hey, I do a pretty damn good job of Ricks position thank you very much." John said.
"Do you really think all Rick did was PR?"
"And Mikaela didn't actually do anything." Vlad laughed.
"Just because she wasn't the brains doesn't mean she didn't do anything. You're both ridiculous," the man said.
"And I think you're all overreacting. She's just being a drama queen." The woman muttered.

"Yes and it makes so much sense for her to affirm who I was when the last person who said it got hit," Raven hissed under her breath. "Either way, that points out just exactly what I was saying about the propaganda. If you don't want me to say anything from now on, fine." She was well aware Joan had left even before she started talking, but she continued anyway. "Either way, I am probably one of the few people who knows a good deal about most events occurring around the world and I know how Kenny thinks." With a smirk, she mumbled, "He thinks like me." She continued loud enough for others to hear her again, "I could very well be one of your most valuable assets. Now how do you feel about Rooney claiming I'm some mentally unsound experiment working for anyone but myself?" She giggled slightly. Needless to say, she was jumpy about why anyone would make such a bold move by sending her would-be lookalike here. Or anywhere.
"Oh I doubt Joan really meant half the things she said. And I still think it is immoral." Rhodesia said. "And you know Rooney will agree with me."
"The dude always was a stickler for morals." The man agreed.
"So that means me, Dylan and Rooney against the vote and John, Vlad and Raven for the vote. Joan, Karen and Tanner have yet to vote."
"All I can say is it's a good thing Raven showed up, because it looks like this vote would go into a tie otherwise." Karen said, smiling grimly.
"Hey you don’t know for sure Rooney would vote with Rhodesia. The guy surprises me sometimes." Tanner shrugged. "Speak of the devil," he added as Rooney walked in.
"Hey now, I didn’t know you had such a low opinion of me" Rooney joked. "Were you talking about me?"
"Just discussing your opinion on the vote. John wants to start using propaganda." Karen said grimly.
"Absolutely not. Out of the question."
"Told you so," Rhodesia said smugly to Tanner.
Rooney looked distracted. "Where's Joan? And Dylan?" He seemed to add the last part on as an afterthought.
"A situation came up. Joan is handling it." John said.
"And Dylan left. We think he may have walked out on us." Rhodesia added.
"Because of Raven, I imagine." Rooney said, nodding at you. There was a second of silence.
"How do you always find these things out before we do?" Vlad demanded.
Rooney remained ever calm. "I interrogate the people, Vlad. The fact that she's here proves she's proven to Joan she's telling the truth. I’m still not sure, but Joan believes her and Catharine believes her, so I'm inclined to believe her too. My sincerest apologies, miss Raven." He added, inclining his head towards her.
"Catherine? As in the crazy homicidal gifted we're holding prisoner, Catherine?" Karen asked.
"Yes. Contrary to what you believe, she's not a threat to us."
"Not a threat? She killed three people!"
"That was simply a case of a psychological overreaction. It’s probably due to a history of trauma similar to the one she experienced today, but her fight-or-flight response is much stronger than the norm. She wasn't thinking rationally. Of course, she'll never admit to it." He turned back to Raven. "I can tell you she feels terrible about how she treated you. She won't acknowledge it, but it'd make her feel loads better if you went down to see her. She feels incredibly guilty." He looked back at the others. "Anywho I just wanted to talk to Joan about releasing her"
"Well, I'm sure she'll be back soon." Karen said, annoyed.

Trace stood by Alaric, cursing Sean for about the thousandth time. She watched as the three armed men left and General Joan Wenkeling sat down.
"I'm.... amazed, Raven." Joan said, choosing her words carefully. "I thought you were dead."
"As would most people, I would assume," Alaric said dryly, trying to imitate the way Raven would speak and think.

Meanwhile, in Ravonia, Kenny was trying to think of a way to turn this useless venture into something worthwhile. Alaric and Trace could do little to help bring down Emeric, and Raven could do plenty. For the time being, he was fine with her staying there. Of course, Alaric didn't know that. His eyes scanned the room and at last he came upon something that might work, though he may also be creating his toughest enemy. The generally lucky man decided to take a gamble on the idea. With that determined, he grabbed the syringe that had given him the idea. The one that had been used on many gifteds in the past due to a certain bloody shapeshifting power.
"So how'd you survive?" Joan asked.
"Did you know I had a sister, Joan?" Alaric asked, sounding tired now.
"A younger one," Joan nodded, recalling Gifted mentioning her occasionally. "Did she have something to do with it?"

Rooney pretty much ignored Raven after that, not answering her question. He got into a sincere conversation with the others about the propaganda idea, and was evidently very against it.
"She was the one who was found. We look so similar and the DNA is a-almost identical," Alaric covered his mouth, rather girlishly, with his hand.
"How do you know?" Joan asked, not sounding skeptical but confused and interested. It was an act, of course. She was intentionally vague, hoping to trip fake Raven up. Trace's stare made Joan uncomfortable.
"Know what?" Alaric asked, moving his hand to his forehead.


Trace was indeed staring at Joan, not using her power yet but planning on it soon. She wondered who this woman -not woman, she wasn't old enough to be called a woman, though she was certainly treated that way here- was to the original Raven. She wasn't aware Joan had noticed her staring.

Joan was secretly pleased he hadn't fallen for such an easy trap, insisting she clarify rather than attempting to answer the question. "The DNA thing."
"It was one of the, ah, experiments that we had done. Or would have had. We tested it to see if our DNA was different enough to show how differences in the gifted serum worked. Since it was so similar, we didn't bother trying," Alaric answered. "Good thing too."
Well, he'd clearly expected that question. Joan moved on to the next. "Who's the girl?" She nodded at Trace.
"My name is Kelsey Felton," She said quickly, hoping her presence would somehow get back to the real Raven. If raven remembered her particular case, she might have an easier time figuring out why they were here.
"She's one of the only people I could trust who wasn't too high up to stay with me," Alaric answered.
Joan nodded. That'd work until she had time to fact-check it. Now to move on to the next tricky question. "You know I'm relieved you're alive Raven... even if you did survive Kenny, just walking through Panem would've been enough to get you killed. How'd you manage to get all the way here?"
Alaric paused for a moment on that one, then answered, "I covered my face, it isn't hard to escape unnoticed. I pretended to be Kelsey's servant," she answered. "No one much cares then." He didn't even really know how those things worked in Panem, but he hoped his story would check out.
"A servant doesn't follow you around here. A bodyguard maybe, though she's not exactly that scary looking. Besides, only the very rich have servants. More people would come up to you if that was the case, because the nations fallen on hard times, in case you couldn't tell, and everyone needs money. Try again."


Raven snorted at their arguments and got up to leave, not waiting for them to ask where she was going. She went right to Catherine's room, though she took her time walking there.
The door was shut, the bars locked... but someone (probably Rooney) had placed a single key on a loop of twine next to the door. The key fit into the barred door so Raven could unlock it.
Catherine’s face was red, she'd clearly been crying. However she wasn't crying now, she was huddled up at the far corner of the bed, facing away from the door with her head down.
"Catherine?" Raven asked as she shut the door behind her.
"Raven" Catherine said in a sullen voice, acknowledging your presence. "Thought you were Rooney back again." She made no move to look at Raven or change her position at all. Not even her expression changed.
"What's wrong, Catherine?" Raven asked, coming to sit near her.
"Nothing," Catherine said unconvincingly. She figured Raven was just in here to chew her out for how she'd acted, and since Catherine expected no forgiveness - she didn't deserve it - she made no apology.
Raven scowled. "Answer me honestly, Catherine."
"It's nothing. It’s my own fault. I reap what I sew," Catherine muttered.
"I didn't ask whose fault it was, Catherine, answer me!"
"What do you think!" Catherine cried suddenly, turning abruptly and facing her. "I'm sorry I killed those three people, I'm sorry I screamed at you and called you a traitor, I'm sorry I freaked the Sh*t out of every person here and I'm sorry for apologizing because I don't deserve your forgiveness and so don't expect it!" She started crying again and turned away again.
Raven sighed. "It's understandable after all you've been through, Catherine. I was never mad at you, but I knew they wouldn't let me keep you with me until after their interrogator had talked to you. Don't worry about it, Catherine. You can make up for it by being one of our greatest assets in defeating Kenny and Emeric, deal?" she asked, hoping Catherine would accept.
Catherine was shaking her head before you were done. "It's... it's not a one-time thing Raven, that's the problem... every time Kenny... I mean, I knew it wasn't Kenny's people when I saw them, but six guys standing there, their guns trained on me... I was having flashbacks. And for Kenny's actual people..." she shook her head and hung it, as if admitting a great weakness. "Originally when the labs burned down I heard Kenny was angry, and I just figured it didn't matter, if he wanted to nurse some revenge thing he's entitled, right? But he started coercing other gifteds, forcing them to join him, murdering people callously for no reason... and I got scared. I knew he'd covet me, my power, so I ran.
He found me several times but each time I just adapted to the situation and got out. I adapt to survive, that was always my motto in and out of the labs. But adaption is instinctive, I didn't think about it because that would've been my downfall. The first thing that popped into my head, that's what happened.
It started when two of his gifteds cornered me in an alley. They were coming at me, and I was in my shell to defend myself, and all I could think about was the old CSI shows I used to watch, and the main investigator and coroner talking about how there was no blood spatter or evidence with a blow to the head if there was only one blow to the head. 'First hit's free'... those were the words he used.
I...did it. I c-c-crushed both their heads in and took off running.
I felt no remorse about it... that was the weird thing. I didn't feel anything at all, just the same need to run I'd had before they'd cornered me. I didn't even know if they were working of their own free will, and I didn't give them a second thought." her voice broke. "It's happened under every threat since then... I moved to Talesworth to get away from it, but those first kills still haunt me every night. I'm no better than Kenny now. I hate it. And yet I can't stop myself from doing it again, and again, and..." She stopped. "You shouldn't forgive me. I'm a monster. People like me are the reason you blew up the lab in the first place."
"Partly, yes," Raven admitted. "You were very specifically part of the reason, which honestly was of no help at all. You aren't the only one who gets scared and kills people for it. The only people who died in those bombings were those who couldn't defend themselves. But the fact is, this war will turn global. No matter where you go, you'll be caught in it. No matter who fights and who wins, lots of people are going to die. I won't force you to fight for us, but I will encourage you to. In fact, I have a very good idea of how to finish this quickly, with your help. And if you do it well enough, there's only one person who needs die. In the meantime, I would enjoy it if you would train with me, to try to keep your power under control, as well as allow your instinct to be of use but not the sole component of your fighting."
"You think?" Catherine said sceptically. Then she sighed. "I'm not entirely sure it's possible any more. I've tried everything I can think of on my own. I'll keep trying, don't think I won't... but unreliable me is not someone you should have to put your trust in." She sighed.
"I already have. You just need to work on thinking rather than acting, while still allowing your defenses to come up. Once you're protected, you have as long as you need, right?" Raven asked.
"It has nothing to do with my power," Catherine said quickly. "It's worked the way it always has. It’s just a tool I used, it's got no bearing on what's going on with me." Catherine said, encasing herself in her shell and letting it peel off again, as if to prove her point.
"I mean," Raven said, "would it be possible to simply let your armor come up and then stop?"
Catherine didn't get it. Adaption was instinctive. How was she supposed to adapt to her situation if she couldn't rely on her instincts? Was she supposed to adapt by not adapting? Was that the point Raven was trying to make?
"Well, then, next time you'll know who's on your side and who is not, it will be simple," Raven stated. "The point is, you won't be trying to escape, your goal will be to fight. And if you can't be harmed, then you're the perfect warrior."
Catherine nodded. Then she looked at the door. "I thought Rooney was coming back to let me out of this infernal cage," She complained.
Raven nodded. "He mentioned that. Though what would you do even if he did?" Raven asked.
"I dunno, he said they trusted me... join up and start from the bottom, I guess. It's better than going to Rillia or something only to have Kenny attack the place." Catherine shrugged.
"But does that require getting out of here now?" Raven asked.
"It requires getting out of this cell now." Catherine said simply.
"In case you hadn't noticed, we are clearly not from around here," Alaric snapped. "And I was the servant, not her."
"And any Ravonian would still be spit upon in the streets today!" Joan snapped back. Whoever this is, they're a killer actor. It really seems as though I'm arguing with Raven. "Ever since Emeric put out that stupid broadcast! I can't conceivably see a way you could've made it through town without being beaten to a pulp, and that's not even touching on how you found us in the first place, so forgive me if I'm a little suspicious!"

"It's not that hard to change your appearance with some makeup, granted it's all washed off, but it's not like I found you right away, either. Why do you think it's taken so long?" Part of the acting, at least, could be attributed to Alaric's mind reading. "I may have even gotten here before the broadcast, though I don't know when that was or exactly when we arrived."
Joan saw gaping holes in this story, but she let it pass for now. "How'd you find us? Emeric hasn't even found us yet, and we're practically in his backyard... which is precisely the point, but still."
Alaric nodded at Trace. "Her," he said, and didn't explain anymore.
"Care to elaborate?" Joan asked.
Trace gave her a look. Surely she couldn't be this dense.
She wasn't. Joan had suspected immediately that the girl had some kind of gift, and it sounded now like it could be something to do with finding things people might not want found. This was further evidenced by the are-you-a-fucking-idiot look Kelsey was giving her now. But the real Raven wouldn't get involved with gifteds... well, herself and Cristel nonwithstanding. So Joan was interested to see if she could poke any holes into whatever story the fake fabricated.

"I'm sure you know perfectly well what I'm talking about. She's one of few who I trust, yourself and Cristel included," Alaric said. Hell yeah mind reading.
"I heard you blew up -attempted to blow up- all your gifteds, and she's certainly not one of ours." Joan said coldly.

"Things change, Joan. I only recently figured out who she was after years of having her in my employment. By that time, I needed her, and if I didn't trust her I was going to die anyway," Alaric sighed. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."
"You must have poor background checks on your employees."
"Well usually you keep records of experiments with the experiments - they were all burned. Besides, she was an odds and ends girl of no real consequence. I trust that Lynn knew she was safe to have around," Alaric snapped.
"Lynn? Was that your sister?" Joan knew what Lynn looked like, since she'd seen Lynn while she was in Ravonia, and knew it couldn't have been Lynn who was killed. Which was of course why she asked. She had no idea Alaric could read her mind.
Alaric rolled his eyes. "No, she was many things but not that. My most trusted servant, a body guard, my friend. My sister's name was Alexis," he said.
"What happened to her?" Joan inquired.
"I would assume she's still there," Alaric replied. "Serving Kenny as far as I know."
"Why didn't she come with you then?"
"Like I said when I mentioned Kelsey, there were few people I could trust who wouldn't be missed. Lynn is also heavily involved in political matters, or was at least, it would be noted if she disappeared," Alaric said.
Raven sighed. "Well I'm not about to lock you back in here."
"It's probably better I wait to be officially released. I've ticked off enough people." Catherine said.
"Well then don't complain. They'll probably be a while, they're arguing over whether to use propaganda or not." She snorted.
"What? That's a stupid thing to argue over. What kind of idiot would be against it in a war?"
"Rooney. He also claimed that I worked for Kenny. And he got Vlad to hit me," Raven said flatly.
"By what I've heard from people walking down the hall, this Vlad doesn't need much 'convincing' to hit someone," Catherine chuckled. "But that's weird... isn't Rooney supposed to be good at his job?"
Raven snorted. "Supposedly. All the ones he caught were probably not spies at all."
"Well, whatever else, he seems nice enough." Catherine shrugged.
Raven snorted. "Yeah right."
Joan pretended she was satisfied with that answer. "Of course, we'll have to have our profiler interview you both separately. Standard procedure, you understand, Raven. After he's finished with you I'll update you on what's been going on. Kelsey, if you could follow me please," she stepped to the door. She had no ulterior motive behind this, it was just because the first thing Rooney would do would be to separate them anyway, so she figured she was doing him a favour.
Trace looked at Alaric. He better know how to talk his way out of this one.
"I'm sorry, Joan, she physically can't. I don't know what it is but something went wrong with her gifted testing and for some reason she can't leave my side," Alaric said apologetically. "There were a few cases similar."
Wow. If this was a lie, then this person had screwed up badly. Or maybe they'd run out of ideas and were telling the truth, this one time. Either way, this was something Joan could latch on to. "That couldn't be the case, because Raven obviously wasn't always at the labs, so they couldn't have been incapable of leaving her because otherwise they wouldn't have been at the labs ever, or at least not very often. And they wouldn't have been at the labs when Raven blew it up, either, and you've just admitted you tried to kill all the gifteds. Not most of them, all. Even assuming you forced them away and put them through terrible pain or whatever they had to go through by being away from you, it still doesn't work. Anyone who came straight to you after that bombing because they were incapable of being away from you would've been put to death, and lastly, if that were the case with Kelsey she couldn't have possibly been an odd-jobs girl, because that would require her to be all over the castle, much further away from you then I'm taking her now! So I suggest you quit lying and fess up, Raven." She practically sneered the name, making it obvious she knew this wasn't Raven.
Trace wanted to applaud this girl. Alaric was stupid for using the truth, the holes in the story were gaping wide, and Joan had picked at every one of them. However, she didn't want to be punished later, so she did nothing.

Alaric stopped listening before she even started and facepalmed. "I mean it went wrong in testing, that's not when the problem started. I hardly ever visited the labs, I mostly had the scientists send me reports. I certainly was never there during the actual tests. No, if that had been the case they'd have all grown attached to the scientists. I meant that after spending so long with someone, they grow attached to them. When separated, that's all they can think about. They don't eat, they don't drink, they don't sleep. It happened to most of the others with scientists or other Gifteds, but Kelsey was kept mostly isolated so it's only now that she's bonded. I apologize for not being clearer."
"That can't be true either because then most of the other gifteds would have died of malnutrition by now, seeing as you've killed all your scientists from that project. Good try though."
"There were only a few who had bonded to the scientists and they died within the first week. I know what I'm talking about. It wasn't that every gifted had the issue, only a select few. Outside of Project Trace, there were five known cases. All of them but one died before the bombing, that one bonded to Kenny. Her name was Vixie de Buren," Alaric said.
"If that were the case, then it would be possible to separate the two of you briefly for Rooney. And my point about her being the odd jobs girls still stands." Joan was getting frustrated with poking holes in this guy’s story.

Alaric shook his head. "No it wouldn't. She only bonded after I supposedly died," he said. "And though the first part is true, if you did, she would be unable to answer any questions as her only thought would be to get back to me. So unless you're worried her presence will change my answers, it would be pointless."
"Rooney doesn't like anyone else being in the room when he does it. Don't ask me to dissect the mind of my profiler, I just know the second he comes in here he'll ask the two of you to separate. So I’m sorry, but I really can't budge on this. Come on Kelsey. Rooney's usually fast, it shouldn't take long." Joan snapped.
"She won't walk away, you'll have to drag her," Alaric said with a slight smirk. "And you may want help when you do so. I'm not joking about her not wanting to leave."

Autumn scowled at Kenny as they stood, barely touching so as to keep Kenny invisible against the wall. After teleporting him there, Autumn wanted to leave. Of course, Kenny couldn't have that. He needed her after she had so stupidly sent not only Alaric, but Trace, right into the heart of Panem. And, as it so happened, right where Raven would undoubtedly end up. Unknown to Autumn (as she had a maximum limit of two powers and at the moment those were teleportation and invisibility) Kenny held that same syringe in his pocket that he had seen earlier. He watched Alaric's memories to wait until he was alone.
Joan sighed. "Oh I won't need to drag her. Look, I'm sorry about this but I just know this is what Rooney'll want..." As if on cue, there was a soft knock at the door. Joan went and opened it. "I thought I said not to interrupt me when I'm doing something."
"I'm sorry, I did knock," Rooney said.
"Yeah, sure. What is it you wanted?"
"Well I've deemed Catherine to be of use to use, but I need your official permission to release her."
"Right. Yeah, fine, but can you come back quick after that for these two?"
"They'll have to be separated before I can do anything Joan, do you think you could do that while I'm gone? I'll be back shortly."
"That's what I'm trying to do." Joan said simply. "Kay, see you in a minute." Rooney left.
Joan sighed and turned back to them. "Ok. I hate to do this by force, but if it's the only way." She sighed, and lifted Kelsey up with her telekinesis.
"Woah!" She'd figured Joan had powers, but until that second she hadn't guess what power Joan had. She wondered if what Joan was attempting -separating herself from Alaric- was even possible. She was lifted about two feet off the ground.
It was indeed possible, though what Alaric had said about how she'd act while she wasn't with him was true. He'd seen more than a few people under the effects of Sean's power and whenever it wasn't physically possible for them to do - like the time Sean had told someone to fly, just as an experiment - they did everything they could to try. In the end the one told to fly had jumped off a cliff while flapping his arms. When it was physically possible, they did it, no questions asked. "You'll have to lock her in another room," he said pleasantly.
Rooney went and freed Catherine just after Raven left.

Trace had expected something to happen. Great physical pain... that she could live through. Her body pulling her towards the door, desperate to get back to Alaric... She could deal with that too. What she hadn't prepared for, was everything Alaric said being true. The compulsion was all mental as Joan carried her away. She couldn't stand it.
Immediately after Joan and Trace left the room, Kenny appeared in it, Autumn beside him. In Alaric's memories, he explained everything, then handed him the full syringe. And just like that, they were gone, leaving Alaric alone as before. Alaric immediately pocketed the syringe and Kenny erased the memories of anyone who had seen the syringe other than himself and Alaric.
Immediately after, Trace was left alone to pound futilely on the door. Both Joan and Rooney returned to Alarics room. This time, Joan leaned against the back wall and made no comment.
"Good afternoon, Raven." Rooney said, coming forward. "My name is Harrison George Mcroon."
"Good afternoon, Mr. McRoon," Alaric said, smiling.
"Oh, just call me Rooney, everyone does." Rooney said pleasantly. "Now, I'm just going to ask you a few questions. Standard procedure, you know, it can be a pain," He gave a small laugh and beamed at Alaric.
"Go ahead," Alaric said, sighing.

Cristel watched Adam carefully over the week, but she was aware shed already left it too long. She decided now was the time to escape, and she and Yaz set off for the door without a word to anyone.
Cristel was shocked to find she made it all the way to the ocean and nobody came to stop her from leaving. She waded out to waist height. "Yaz you go first." She said quietly, letting the mouse-turned-goldfish out of her pocket. He turned into a dolphin and shot off as far away as he could without causing them both pain.... not very far, but he was away nonetheless. She slowly began wading into deeper water.
About halfway out, Yaz ran headfirst into a forcefield.
"Ow," Cristel said, annoyed. She swam out to join him. "Let's find out if there are any drop-offs on either side. We're pretty far out, there's got to be one along the coastline somewhere. Even if there’s not, this shield can't go around the entire country." Cristel started swimming away from the palace, parallel to the shield, touching it now and then to be sure it was still there. It couldn't encompass the country. There had to be an opening.
It didn't encompass the whole country, just the whole beach. It was a dome.
Cristel followed the edge until it curved back around. Then d she followed it back onto dry land. It still took her a few seconds before she got it.
She was trapped.
As soon as she raised it, she ran back into the water, as deep as the dome would allow. She had the advantage there. Yaz turned into a shark and they waited for their captor to show his face.
A young girl - not too young, probably in her late teens - stood on the outside of the dome, where the water met the sand. After a moment, she walked through the force field as if it were nothing more than air. She blinked at Cristel.
Cristel watched the girl, not moving from her spot. She knew the girl wouldn't get too close when Cristel had a great white swimming around her, and if she did... well, Cristel had a trick or two of her own prepared. So she just stood quietly and watched.
The girl simply sat on the beach, letting the waves wash over her feet.
The girl, whose name was Aura, couldn't help but wonder at Yaz. The creature fascinated her.
After about ten minutes, Cristel spoke up. "So how long are you planning to keep me here, Aura?"
Aura blinked, and her thoughts wandered back to Sean, her messenger from Kenny. "As long as I need to."
"What does that mean?" Cristel asked coldly.
"I mean we don't want you leaving this city," Aura said. Her mind was oddly blank of the thoughts before she spoke them, as if someone else were speaking through her mouth.
Cristel glared coolly at her. "Oh really? And why's that?"
Aura's thoughts were her own again. She shrugged. "I don't know."
Cristel narrowed her eyes. A mind-controlling coward who wouldn't even answer her question? She said nothing, just glared at Aura, waiting for a real answer.
Aura frowned. "I do not know the reasons he has, but that is the case."
"What was your purpose for coming here? Surely you know the vast majority of Panem well not approve your presence." Rooney chose his words carefully.
"Well it's also the one place Kenny isn't going to hunt me down. I'll take my chances against the vast majority of Panem," Alaric said dryly.
"But you knew how to avoid the angry citizens, I see." Rooney nodded at her unblemished state.
"That I did," Alaric said.
When Rooney finished with "Raven" he calmly stood up and left the room. Joan stayed behind. She did not speak nor look at Alaric, nor engage in any action whatsoever. Truth was, she was only here because she severely doubted her soldiers ability to fight a gifted who's ability was a mystery, even more so after the Catherine incident. She was ignoring him completely, thinking about something else.
She did not suspect Alaric had the power to read her mind. Had she suspected, she no doubt would've been more careful with her thoughts, sought to hide the ins and outs and details of the rebel army from his prying eyes and ears. But she didn't know.

She was thinking about Johns latest attempt to convince the others to use propaganda. It was clear now Joan was very pro-propaganda, despite having never officially voted yet. A campaign was beginning to unfold in her mind, radical and extreme, perhaps more controversial than the simple propaganda itself. Scratch that, definitely more controversial. They would throw a fit if they heard it. She was going to need backup if she was going to have a prayer of anyone listening to her. But Rooney would never agree to it, because of his super-strict morals, and that was going to carry a lot of weight against her. Everyone loved him. Well, except Raven. Vlad would agree with her, definitely, but that almost hurt more than it helped. Dylan would probably go for it... if he hadn't walked out today. She sighed. He was probably going to spill everything, and they'd have a huge walk-out tomorrow. Even if he didn't, unless that Kelsey woman broke and told everything - from the look on Rooney's face, he hadn't got anything useful from false Raven - then it looked like they'd have to accept the false Raven in for the time being, which would trigger the walk-out anyway. Stupid, stupid. She couldn't help but feel a little pissed off. She'd been so sure having raven here would make everything better, but so far things had only gotten worse.
So Rooney was out, Dylan was out, Vlad was out... Raven herself? Raven would almost certainly agree, but she most likely wouldn't understand the consequences of such an action... the exact reason WHY it was such a big deal. She wouldn't be taken seriously. John... John was a swing vote. Joan didn't know how John would react.
That meant talking to Karen.
Joan sighed. How in the world was she gonna get Karen to agree with this? She had no doubt that if somebody else came up with this idea, Karen would be all for it. But Karen absolutely hated Joan. That, in fact, was almost the entire reason she was chosen for the council; as one of the three people representing the lower soldiers, they had to choose at least one person who hated Joan just like they had to pick one person who had issues with Raven. But because of this, Karen reflexively voted against anything Joan supported. Joan didn't hate her for it - even felt she deserved it - but it was really irritating when you wanted to get things done.
So she debated different arguments with Karen in her head, waiting for Rooney to finish up.


"Look, Kelsey," Rooney said, letting himself into her room, smiling still. "The faster you tell the truth the faster I'll let you go back to Raven. If you lie to me, I will know, and we will sit here and I will cross examine you until you tell me the truth. If you tell me the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, you will be back in no time at all."
"Promise?" Trace asked desperately.
"Of course,"
If there was one thing Joan did for Alaric, it was exactly that. He was glad to have something to do other than search the base for Raven with his mind, so once he noticed her thoughts becoming more intent, he began paying more attention. It could never hurt to learn more about how this place worked.
Trace told him everything. Alaric, Sean, Kenny, everything. She spoke more in that quarter of an hour than she had since she was blackmailed into Kenny’s group. When she finally finished speaking, she looked desperately at Rooney.
He nodded and escorted her back to Alarics room.
"I got nothing," he muttered to Joan.
"Nothing?" Joan couldn't believe it. "You've gotta be kidding me. We can't just let him out."
"I can buy us a little time but not much. Leave it to me." He stepped forward and raised his voice so Alaric could hear. "It looks like you check out. we'll need to run this by the others of course. I'll be back to release you in... Oh about an hour probably." The two left.
Alaric sighed and laid back on the bed. "You told them everything didn't you?"

"Even if I'd wanted to keep quiet I didn't have a choice. Damn Sean. Damn you, too, but damn Sean more." Trace snapped. Besides, didn't sound to me like the guy told anyone."
"Did I sound like I was angry? I know I was telling the truth about the effects of his power," Alaric snapped. "I know you couldn't help it if you did, it merely confused me that he didn't mention it."
"Maybe he just wanted to wait till we were out of earshot" Trace said, shrugging. She didn't particularly care.
Alaric rolled his eyes. "Yeah right," he said.
Trace ignored him. She didn't the least bit regret telling Rooney the truth.
Meanwhile, Raven was wondering who exactly it was Kenny had sent to impersonate her. She could rule out most of the gifteds simply because they would be unable to take her shape; though she reminded herself that some of them could have accompanied the imposter. There were a few, however, she knew would have access to that ability, and the one that stuck out most in her mind was Ryan. His had been one of the most complex powers because it had involved allowing his digestive track to read the DNA from the person on their blood. It hadn't been easy, and he had been one of the worst cases when it came to insanity.
Raven (the real one) stopped briefly in front of them. "I need to figure out who it is who's in there," she said desperately, the question had eaten away at her even in the short time she had been thinking about it.
"Raven, are you absolutely insane? You know she's probably here for you, we're doing our damndest to get her outta the country. " Joan snapped
"Indeed, however it looks like we may have to put up with her for a while. She's a skilled liar." Rooney said. "Her and her bodyguard both."
"I don't care! They're Kenny's people, they probably are here for me but I can figure out who they are and what you have to be aware of when it comes to their powers! Obviously the one's a shapeshifter, but the other one... I won't sit around and wait for them to do whatever it is they want to do; for all we know they could teleport into my room tonight while everyone's asleep," Raven said. It became obvious just how terrified she was of the idea of her gifteds.
"Raven, there is no 'when everybody's asleep' here. You think I'd be such a fool as to leave the place unguarded for eight plus hours? Give me just a little credit. We work in shifts at night, it's just as busy as the daytime. Second, you'll have plenty of opportunity to observe them withoutendangering yourself. Whoever she is, she's a damn good liar. Unless we can get the council to agree to deport her, which probably won't happen, we're stuck pretending we believe her, because Rooney found exactly nothing to go on in his interviews. And I was there for one of those, and I can vouch for him, so don't start with you BS" She turned to Rooney. "You gonna be coming back to the war room, Rooney?"
"Can't Joan, I promised Catherine I'd let her out shortly."
"Right, so do I just assume I know your vote then?"
"I'll catch up near the end" Rooney smiled.
"Fine," Joan said, though it was obvious she was annoyed by this. "Do you think the others'll still be waiting?"
"Probably not." Rooney laughed and walked down the hall to Catherines room.

Raven scowled. "Well then I'll be in about as much danger at night then I will be in there, moreso still. You can have someone come with me. You can chain them up or something. I don't want to wait around for them to find me, because if they couldn't from just about anywhere, then he wouldn't have sent them!" she cried.
"And have two gifteds on one?" Joan snapped. "As Catherine so kindly demonstrated, apparently I haven't trained the soldiers to fight against gifteds as well as I thought I had. What if they've bothgot lethal powers, huh? Then what? You think I alone can fight off two gifteds at once, when my power's barely lethal itself? Get real! If you stick with us, you'll be surrounded by dozens of witnesses, armed to the teeth, and you're officially high-ranked so there'll be an absolute frenzy if you go missing! We will find out who they are, but not with you putting yourself in more danger than you already are!"

"One of them is a shapeshifter, that much is obvious, Joan. It's just her companion who is threatening." Raven paused for a minute, then said, "Let me take Catherine in. She's quite possibly the most powerful gifted in existence. You can come too, if you want, then it'll be even. Okay?
Joan thought about it for a few minutes. "Well, I disagree with you that the shapeshifter is no threat. For all we know, it could be someone like Xander or Kaitlyn who uses other peoples powers, and if that's the case they may have an offensive power stored we don't know about yet. But bringing Catherine sounds like a good idea. Alright, fine, we can go see them. But don't expect me to cave like this every time," she smiled to show she was joking. "Rooney, can you get her quickly?"
Rooney left, and returned with Catherine, who looked fairly confused. "You guys wanted me?"
"Yeah, Kenny sent an imposter of Raven and Raven wants to go see her." Joan explained. "It's a good idea to have another gifted as backup in case either of them tries anything funny."
"Either of them?"
"The girl brought a bodyguard with her." Joan explained. "Some skinny black-haired chick named Kelsey."
"Kelsey?" Catherine frowned. She couldn't help thinking of her old friend, Kelsey Felton. It couldn't be...
"Might be an alias." Joan shrugged.
Catherine nodded. Besides, Trace had dirty blond hair. She was probably still running the streets of Ravonia, doing whatever she'd done up to this point to stay hidden.
"Shall we head in?"
Rooney left, saying something about checking on the council.

Raven nodded. "Please." And she went to the room where her would-be look-alike was being held, she didn't wait for Joan or Catherine to go in first, and stepped in, letting the gifted girls shut the door behind her. She didn't say anything, merely stared at Alaric and Trace.
Joan and Catherine entered the room, Catherine closing the door behind her. She didn't immediately recognise her closest friend, because Trace had not stopped applying her heavy makeup disguise. But Catherine, whose only disguise had been to die pink streaks into her hair, was recognised instantly.
Trace's mouth fell open in shock. She knew Catherine would be able to avoid being found, but how had the girl gotten across the ocean without attracting attention? And that wasn't even accountingfor the fact she was afraid of the ocean!

She closed it quickly when Catherine caught her looking. Did her old friend recognise her? She didn't know, and she didn't know if she wanted to know.
Raven noted the jaw drop, and thought she recognized Alaric's companion. "I know you're working for Kenny. Whatever you want, you won't get it," she growled. Now that she was here, she wasn't actually sure how to figure out who the shapeshifter was. Then she concluded that the only way would be to get these people to try to use their powers.
Alaric raised an eyebrow. "Why would I work for Kenny?"
Joan and Catherine said nothing. Catherine was still studying Trace, trying to work out if she'd seen her before.
Trace knew Alaric would probably get angry at her later if she showed any recognition, and so she simply returned Catherine's gaze, wondering how her friend couldn't recognise her.
Raven made an exasperated noise. "I know you do so cut the crap," she snapped.
Catherine was starting to wonder if her being here was a good idea. If the imposter snapped and attacked Raven...
Alaric looked up at Catherine. "Catherine, what are you doing here?" he asked, ignoring Raven. He was quite keen on the idea of sending Catherine out, or at least a distance from Raven.
"Oh what, you think I hopped on a boat just to go to the other side of the city?" Catherine said, he voice thick with sarcasm. "If I'm gonna have t travel by boat, I'm getting as far away as I bloody well can."

"I wasn't aware you were on a boat," Alaric said, tilting his/her head.

Raven scowled.
Catherine simply rolled her eyes.
Trace, feeling the need to explain to Joan and raven if nobody else why that was such a big deal, turned to Alaric and spoke in an undertone. "Catherine is afraid of the open ocean."

Her voice was what was finally recognized. "Trace?" She said in shock.
Trace cringed and looked down. "Not exactly the reunion we were hoping for, huh Catherine?"
Raven glanced at Catherine, she and Alaric said at exactly the same time, "You know her?"
Both nodded. "She was my best friend." Catherine said. "After the bombs finished and we discovered that we were both alive we ran our separate ways. Two are more easily tracked than one, neither of us found it a good idea to be seen together." She looked. "Even if one of us can't fight." She sighed, but inwardly hoped Raven caught the hint. Trace had a nonoffensive power.
Raven frowned, then her eyes widened. "Oh! Project Trace? That's what it is? Excuse me, by it I meant your name not you," she nodded to Trace, but the itch of wanting to know who her impersonator was incredible. "Why are you allowing them to stay in the same room, Joan?" she asked, then.
Trace nodded. "I'd like to be known by my name if you don't mind."
"It's a long story,” Joan grumbled, annoyed. “I'll tell you later."

"You'll tell me now," Raven said, her eyes narrowing.
Joan sighed. "She," she began, pointing at the false raven. "Gave us some story about how some of the gifteds bonded with certain people and... oh screw it I'm not going through all the details, basically we separate them and Kelsey freaks the f*ck out.." Joan said impatiently.
Raven scowled. "That only happened once..." Her mind was whirring. The only time she could recall anything like what Joan had said was when one of the gifteds had become overly attached to Kenny. Realizing the name she scowled even more. Vixie de Buren had once become inseparable from him. "It must have been mind control, not like Emeric's. The single instance we had would have left effects like with Trace."
Catherine was shocked, and incredibly relieved. Before she could stop herself, she asked the question that was gnawing at her. "So you didn't-"
Trace didn't even give her a chance to finish. "No! Gosh no! Don't you know me at all?"
Catherine smiled.
All at once, Alaric was no longer there. And then he was, but behind Raven, with the syringe in hand pulling her to him, like a meat shield.
The reaction was immediate. Joan lifted both Alaric and Raven into the air. Catherine let her shell encase her body immediately after. "Let her go," Joan growled.

Trace just stood there, scared and torn. She couldn't fight for Alaric even if she wanted too, and it was unwise to help Joan when Alaric was still there, and still a very real threat.
Alaric pushed the tip of the syringe into Raven's skin, causing her to cry out in pain. "Let's just give her a taste of her own medicine, shall we?"
Joan reacted immediately, throwing the both of them into the back wall. The impact would be severely lessened for Raven, who had Alarics body to cushion her impact, but Alaric would hit the wall hard. The possibility of the needle breaking off leaving the metal bit in her arm was high, but she wasn't going to let Alaric forcibly inject something into Raven if she could help it.
Alaric was momentarily dazed and Raven fell forward away from him and the syringe. By this point, Raven had no doubt in her mind what was in it. Alaric was very careful about not letting the syringe break.
Joan let Alaric drop, while at the same time keeping raven safely up in the air and out of harms way. Catherine pounced on him immediately. She went to grab him by the throat while he was still down.
Alaric cut it very close. By the time he had appeared elsewhere, she would probably already be on the floor where he had been.
Catherine spun around when Alaric disappeared, expecting him to reappear behind her. Joan pulled out a gun with her free hand, and watched carefully, looking for Alaric.
Alaric reappeared next to Raven once again. He wasn't interested in trying to fight Catherine, but he was going to be much more careful with his syringe.
Joan saw him appear and fired her weapon, wishing the ceiling was higher.
Trace was worried Alaric would teleport out without her. She wouldn't be able to handle that.
Frustrated, Alaric did just that. As soon as he heard the gunshot, he was out of the room, formulating a plan on how he could get at Raven now. He didn't really care that Trace was going crazy, maybe some part of her mind would register that he'd come back once his goal was attainable and join in the fight.
The change was abrupt. Trace cried out in agony and rushed at the door. "You can't leave me here alone! You know full well what happens!" she screamed down the hall. "You backstabbing motherfucker..."
Catherine was shocked. "Wow, they really did a number on you, Trace."
Trace nodded, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape. "Fucking Sean. Fucking Alaric and fucking Sean...."
"That's Alaric?!" Raven demanded from near the ceiling. "Fuckfuckfuck."
Joan let Raven down. After a minute she sighed. "I know Gifted's mentioned the guy but I didn't pay any attention when I was younger. Who's Alaric? What's he do?"
Raven sighed. "He's like Xander, in a way. He takes others powers, but to do that, he kills them, and he can store every power he's ever taken, not just two," she said. "Without a doubt the stupidest power any of the scientists tried to make."
"So he could have like, twenty powers for all we know, and there’s no way of telling which ones he's got. Great." Joan sighed. "We're not gonna get anything more here. Let’s go," She said bitterly. She went to the door, pushed Trace out of the way gently, and unlocked it.
Raven looked at Trace. "She'll lead us to him," she said. "If we want to find him."
"And then what?" Catherine said bitterly.
"She's right." Joan said, sighing. "He'd teleport away again, we've got no way to hold him. The only thing I can think of that would work is Rick, and he's trapped at the castle because I was forced to leave him behind!" She sounded extremely frustrated.
Raven nodded. "Fine then. But we're keeping Kelsey," she said.
Joan snorted. “Obviously.”
"She'll try to escape every chance she gets."
"Again, Obviously. Good thing she won't get many chances." Joan said. She pushed Trace, none too gently, away from the door and opened it. "Come on, let's get out of here. Go bug John or something."
Catherine came out without objection, not wanting to see this damaged Trace any more.
Raven followed with a quick apology to Trace and shut the door behind her.

Joan made her way quickly back to the meeting room, but most people had already left. The only people who were left were Rooney and John, who were deep in hushed conversation.
“What’s up guys?” Raven questioned them.
"The meetings been postponed indefinitely." John said grimly, looking up when they walked in.
"Again? That's like the fourth time!"
"I know" John sighed. "That's what me and Rooney were talking about, we need to find some way to keep enough order that we all actually vote next time."
"No kidding." Joan sighed.
"Lock the doors," Raven said with a smirk. She was joking, but it was still an idea.
"Funny, Raven" John said, shaking his head.
"Hey, do you know where Karen went?" Joan asked him.
They both looked at her, shocked.
Finally after several seconds, Rooney said "Well... well Karen doesn't start her next shift for an hour, so she's probably upstairs watching TV...."
Joan nodded and left the room.
The two boys exchanged looks.
"What's with the expressions?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow.
"...Karen hates Joan." John said, as though it were obvious. "And Joan knows it. Anyone else I'd say she's going to go insist Karen treat her like a human being, but she won't. Joan usually tries to stay out of Karens way. ...It's weird that she'd seek her out."
"I'd say she's keeping something from us." Rooney said quietly, nodding.
"Oh, yes, huge surprise why," Raven said, voice full of sarcasm.
"This is supposed to be a democratically run council." Rooney explained. "Not to mention what Vlad will do if and when he finds out Joans keeping secrets." He exited the room.
“I think Rooney's exaggerating, my brother isn't that unhinged." John said, straightening the papers on which he'd taken notes of the meeting. "However, as we've been debating for months whether or not we're going to stretch the truth for the public, I don't think Joan stretching the truth for us is going to come off very well to the others. We really can't handle another large-scale walk out." He sighed. "I'll have to go talk to her..."
"Very well. When the chance next arises, I would like to speak to your council," Raven said, turning a seat to sit in, while facing the door.
"Sure, if we can find someone to replace Dylan." John nodded.

"What was all that about?" Catherine was confused. "paranoid much?"
Raven shrugged. “Sometimes you need to be.”
"Still, holy crap, they ought to cut the girl a break. It doesn't look any more suspicious for the two of them to be off on their own whispering to each other than it does for Joan to go off and talk to some girl alone."
"I agree, but it’s not like they're doing anything about it, really, so it doesn't matter much," Raven said.
"True." Catherine sighed. She still didn't think it was right.
"Hey where do you suppose we could find food?" Raven asked aloud, even though Catherine probably knew less than she did.
"I have no idea." Catherine laughed. "Head upstairs and ask someone?"
"Might as well," Raven said smiling. She got up and went upstairs, asking the first person she saw.
Dylan and several other soldiers were sitting around a round table playing blackjack, betting with bullets from their weapons. Despite the fact he was doing better than most people at the table, he was the only one who appeared to be in a bad mood. He hadn't noticed Raven and Catherine come in.

The soldier Raven asked pointed to the left wall, where a second staircase led down. "Kitchen's down there."
"Thanks," Raven said, and left without another word to go get food.
There were a few people in there, cooking. None of them took any notice of you.
The fridge was stocked with plenty of fruit and perishables like yogurt, but there were many, many cupboards holding non-perishables as well, in case of a black out.
Catherine snuck up behind you and grabbed an orange out of the fridge.
Raven smiled and grabbed a pear (my favorite fruit). "I like it here already," she said, closing the fridge and moving to stay out of the way.
"Not bad for a rebel hideout, eh Miss Raven?" one of the men joked. "Setting up base in a historic site; one of Vlads only good ideas."
"Hey now, don't be too mean to Vlad. He was smart enough to oppose Emeric, after all," Raven said, smiling.
"True that, true that"
"Hey, I'm not so sure about that," One of the girls joked, putting a pizza in the oven. "We all know Vlad loves picking fights with anyone and everyone, it's really not all that impressive he's gone and picked a fight with the palace. Not that I'm complaining."
Raven giggled. "Well if I'm saying good things about him he can't be that awful."
The girl laughed, then turned to the boy. "Hey, do you know if Dylan's coming down or is he gonna be gambling until his next shift?"
"He's not usually a gambler so I wouldn't normally expect him doing it for more than an hour..."
"Yeah, but you know he's up there being bitter."
"Yeah, that's why I'm not so sure.... save him some dough so he can actually cook something, anyway."
The girl made a pouty face and then laughed.
Raven sighed. "Is he the one who doesn't like me?" she asked the room in general.

"Hon, a lot of people around here don't like you." The girl said, opening the oven and checking to see if her pizza was done.
"Yes, he's the one who's actually told things who doesn't like you." The guy added. "The only reason we know at all is because he came out here and started telling everyone about it. There might be another walk-out tomorrow morning. If Dylan decides to go, I know of at least a dozen others who'll join him. But nobody likes being by themselves, so if he doesn't... I'm not sure."
The two other chefs, who hadn't spoken a word since raven came in, left the room.
"Personally," The girl said. "I don't understand how they can have a problem with you, and be fine with the army being led by a fudging traitor."
"What are you talking about?" Catherine asked, confused.
"I'm talking about Wenkeling, duh." She snapped.
"Come on, you know Raven and Wenkeling are friends, I don't think it's proper to-" Before he could finish, the girl cut him off.
"So? I'm entitled to my opinion." She pulled her pizza out of the oven and set it on a cutting board to cool.

"I trust Joan, but just being friends doesn't necessarily make one like the other," Raven said. "Joan and I have different opinions on more than a few things, and I am certainly not her... Though more than anything, I trust Gifted's judgement of her."
The girl rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, look where Gifted is now," she pointed out. "After what she's been doing, does it really surprise you she hung out with amoral creeps?"
The boy sighed, looking uncomfortable. "I think you've made your opinion quite clear."
Raven sighed. "It would take time and much more information for you to understand. I trust Joan with my life and I believe she is the only one capable besides my own general of pulling this off. And since General Luke Walker is in Ravonia under my husband’s command, General Wenkeling is really the only choice we have. If you are frustrated with the way things go around here perhaps you should write about it." She took another bite of her pear.
The girl kinda rolled her eyes. "Write to who? Vlad? Now there's a good idea."
"Would somebody explain to me why everybody hates Joan here? Please?" Catherine snapped.
"Some people just can't let the past go." The guys non-answer was even more frustrating to Catherine.

"It had something to do with the last civil war Panem had," Raven said, rolling her eyes. "And I don't care who you write it to. Write it to Vlad, Joan, Joan, me. Write it to God for all I care."

[Gifted]

"That's really helpful, Raven." Catherine said sarcastically.
Just then, another soldier stuck his head in. "I heard there was a new recruit named Catherine down here I'm supposed to get set up?
The girl snorted. "I've been here since the rebellion started. Quit it with the practical jokes."
"No no, not Kathryn. Cath-er-een. With a C." he clarified.
Catherine looked. "Oh, they actually did something about that?"
"You're supposed to come with me so I can show you the run of the place and get you on a shift."
Catherine sighed. "Alright, later, raven." She headed up with him.
"...She's not from around here, is she?" Kathryn said, chuckling as she cut her pizza.

"She's Ravonian," Raven replied. "Doesn't watch the news much either. I wonder if I can get a fancy little tour."
"Nah, you're way too important. ...Dylan’s gonna gamble away all his ammo if he stays up there much longer." Kathryn looked up the stairs.
"He knows what he's doing."
"Does he though? You know he used to have a gambling problem."
"Yes, but he's recovered from that."
"Do you ever really 'recover' from something like that? It's like an alcoholic or a chain smoker, you can't just go back and do it in small amounts, it just doesn't work that way..."
"And you would know this how?"
"In case you've forgotten, I was studying to be a schoolteacher!"
"Explain to me how that has anything to do with anything?"
"Well you're pretty much legally obligated to do at least one class about drugs and alcohol a year, it seems like..."
"It's just another addiction is what she's saying. And she's right." Raven didn't wait to hear more, she went to look around hoping to find Joan.
Dylan was indeed still gambling, and on a hot streak it looked like it. "Hah! gotcha again, suckers!"
"Aw, shuddup Dylan, that just about breaks you even" One of the men, clearly drunk, drawled. "besides, I got about five times yer payout."
"Aw, I'll win it back next round," Dylan said, smirking. At least he wasn't drinking - upon closer inspection, the only one at the table who wasn't. Several others were eyeing the table with contempt.
Joan was just exiting a room, followed by Karen. "Raven! Good, I was afraid I'd have to go hunting all over the complex for you."
Karen looked uncomfortable. "Joan..."
Joan sighed. "I know it doesn't change anything, you don't need to tell me. But I really appreciate your help."
Karen nodded. "Well, I'm gonna go upstairs then...." she left.
"So what am I supposed to do all day?" Raven asked once Karen was gone. She wasn't used to not having a country to run, a wedding to plan, or an escape to coordinate.
"Hey, you're one of the only people here without a billion things to do. Go hang out upstairs. Talk to people." Joan laughed. "You might be able to actually convince a few people you're not a sociopath." Joan checked her watch. "Actually, it's pretty late, so we should probably head to bed. I've been up three nights in a row, and we're probably gonna have to get up at some stupid hour in the morning to deal with some crisis or another."
Raven sighed. "Where shall I sleep then?" She wasn't tired, she didn't want to sleep. In fact, Raven had spent the last three days in dream land. If anything she wanted to run.
"Right, down here" Joan went down to the end of the hall. Down here, the rooms were exactly the same as the cells, except some had two or three beds, and all had a key hanging by the door.
"Just pick one of the solo rooms that doesn't have a red paper underneath it."
"What does the red paper mean?" Raven asked
"It's someone’s room. It usually has a name on it. We used to put the names on keys but if the rooms occupant dies we can't replace the key every time." Joan explained.
"Oh." She should have realized it was something like that. "See you in the morning. Good night Joan." Raven was never going to admit how much she missed having Lynn and Adam - though she reminded herself it was Kenny probably the whole time. She wasn't used to having a bed to herself anymore. Maybe it showed on her face as she turned to look for a room.
There was one empty room with a single bed right close, other than that one most were taken. Joan said goodnight and let herself into a double room.
Raven went to bed, but found herself unable to fall asleep. Unable to resort to her usual methods, she began whispering a story to herself. One she made up on the spot about current events. For the first time in a long time, she began to think like Kenny. "After realizing what must have happened in the trauma from seeing Talesworth torn apart, he knew that there wasn't much time. Raven was herself again. The only thing that might save him would be her different features. Who would believe that she was Raven when she looked like some random Talesworthian? Nevertheless..." Her eyes closed, but her whispers continued for a long time before they faded into nothing as her dreams continued the story.
At exactly one o’clock in the morning, there was a loud rapping on the door. "Raven," Joan hissed. "Raven, wake up!"
Raven groaned and rolled out of bed - quite literally. Getting up, she came to open the door. "What is it?"
Joan looked barely awake herself. "Freaking Rooney and John were conspiring last night on how to get us all to actually agree on a course of action for once and they decided we have to have the debate at one o’clock in the freaking morning, and nobody's going back to bed until we come to an agreement." She sighed. "I figured you'd want to be there, but you're not obligated to come if you don't want to."
Raven grinned. "I'm coming," she said. "Lead the way."
Rooney, John, Vlad and Tanner were already in the room. All four looked wide awake.
"You're both jerks, you know that right?" Joan said as she sat down. "You could've at least warned us beforehand. Like, a few days beforehand."
"I just wanted to be able to hold a meeting without the eight million interruptions we get when we have it in the middle of the day." he said.
"Doesn't mean you're not an asshole." Karen said as she walked into the room. "I told everyone it's happening. They're coming."
"Is Dylan going to be here?" Rooney asked.
"Yes, Dylan's gonna be here. He didn't leave yesterday, so I went to him and said 'You leaving tomorrow or you gonna stay?' he said he'd stay, so I said 'Good, get your butt to the conference room because Johns an ass."
John just laughed. "Tanner had no trouble with it."
"That's because Tanner had night shift tonight anyway!"
Just then, Rhodesia and Dylan walked in. Niether of them said a word. Rhodesia looked awake, but Dylan nearly passed out as soon as he sat down - as far from Raven as the table would allow. Karen, rather uncharacteristically, sat beside Joan.
"Well I believe that's everyone." Rooney said smiling.
"You traded interruptions for no one being able to think clearly," Raven jested. "Or at least, only half of us."
"Oh, you'll wake up." John smiled.
"Alright. We need to come to a decision on this once and for all. This is what... the fifth meeting on propaganda we've had no?" He looked to Rooney.
"Actually I think it's only fourth" Rooney replied. This was untrue, he was positive it was fifth, but he was undermining John psychologically.
"Oh, really?" John said, surprised. "Well, still. That's still a lot. We need to come to a firm vote today. and as there's nine of us instead of eight, there's no way we're going to tie." He grinned.
"Well I still think it's not right." Rhodesia said. "You're manipulating the way the public thinks. Let them make their own decision."
"I quite agree" Rooney chimed in.
"But Emeric isn't doing that!" Vlad snapped. "They're not making and informed impartial decision, they're being told to think a certain way by Emerics propaganda!"
"So we should sink to his level?" Rhodesia snapped.
"No, we should fight fire with fire!"

"It is better to let them choose which side they believe more. At least they'll at least have something to come back with. It's impossible for someone, even someone who wants to believe in the rebellion, to convince him or herself that we are the right choice when we don't even seem to be making an attempt to care for the public. Look at this from a civilian's perspective. They don't like Emeric and don't agree with the new ways Gifted is changing their country, but the government at least tries to protect them, or so they're told. When they aren't being harmed by the rebellion but there is fighting, it doesn't leave much room for doubt, especially when every good thing that happens to them has been claimed by Emeric. For all they know, we're a terrorist organization set to blow up Panem like someone did Forli!" Raven said, looking around at them. "We can't just not speak to them."
"We have been! But we work with facts, and statistics, not hype and exaggeration!" Rhodesia snapped.
"I think the word you're looking for is 'hyperbole'" Dylan added to her.
"Yes, but the human brain doesn't understand statistics" John said, sounding exasperated. "People are not hardwired to understand statistics. If we were attacked by a bear, we don't need to know what percentage of bear encounters end with getting eaten, we need to know to run away. We're dealing with more delicate matters now, but peoples brains are still in Bear = Run away mode. Besides, 93% of statistics were made up on the spot."
"What?" Rhodesia didn't get it. "Really?"
"Rhodesia, that's a joke. I made up the statistic." John said, facepalming.

Raven chuckled. "Besides, what statistics can you have that are good for convincing people? 'Fact: our army is 70% smaller than Emeric's'. 'The chance of us winning without serious help is about 20%'. And really, you are all ones to talk about not giving out the facts. How many people fighting in your army know the full truth about what's going on?"
"Don't even go there," Joan suddenly snapped. "The war ends the same way whether they know or not, because Vlad insisted on pushing this into a war in the first place. But the difference is in this case is who dies after the war. Assuming we win, if we go as we are now, the public will call for Gifted and Emeric's deaths. A public execution. If we tell them everything, they'll still want that public execution. But it won't be for Gifted. It will be for every single gifted in the country. And how could Gifted, who sure, the country would forgive, but how could she say no? One gifted was able to take over an entire country! One gifted began a catastrophic war that encompasses the entire planet! If one gifted could do that, imagine the damage thirty could do? So, what, we ask Gifted to execute her entire inner circle? Because that's what will happen! And if she gets everyone to run, or anyone finds out Kenny and his group are also gifteds, it'll be even worse.
It'll be a witch hunt. Mobs of people going after every last gifted and lynching them in the streets. Scores of innocent people accused of being gifted and not, and lynched as well. Police not only powerless to stop them, but not even wanting to in the first place.
Meanwhile, the gifted who survive the manhunts would grow resentful of their treatment. There will be other Kennys, Raven. A need to be heard and understood and accepted will turn into a power grab. It'll be gifted against normals. You think this war is bad? How do you think it'll be when the enemy can blend in, and is motivated not just by power, but by revenge for so much ill-treatment?
So the answer to your question, Raven, is nine. The nine of us sitting here now. But what do you think Gifted would rather have happen? Two people die, and she goes down in history as an amoral tyrant? Or an easy takeover of the palace which will start a chain of events into a war the likes of which this world has never known, which will leave millions of people slaughtered?"

Raven's eyes glimmered. That was exactly where she wanted this to go. "So if you will keep secrets to save gifteds who may or may not get angry at simply being ignored as more powerful, why not stretch the truth to make sure less of your own damn army dies?"
A few people looked convinced. Joan smiled.

"I never said I had a problem with propaganda. I'm all for it, and I even have an idea for the first campaign."
John looked surprised. "You do?"
Tanner looked a little miffed. "Let's hear it then."
Joan looked suddenly self-conscious. "Well, we start with a poster, right? And we draw a large picture of Emeric in an ornate throne, and take up the majority of the page with it."
They still seemed interested, but confused.
"Like, a really ornate throne, way more ornate than he actually has. Like something out of a history textbook."
They still seemed interested, but Joan was getting more uncomfortable by the minute.
"And then we draw two people, dressed in rags, holding an old pocket watch, like the kind you don't see anymore because we have cell phones. Or bowing. One of the two. We draw them really, really small, so they're only about five or six inches high, and tiny compared to Emeric sitting on the throne.
And we emblaze it with the caption..."
They were all leaning in now, because Joan's voice was barely audible.
"....Emperor Emeric"
The change was abrupt. "Absolutely not!" Vlad cried, slamming his fist down onto the table.
"Are you insane?" Rhodesia cried. Apparently, everyone thought so.
"Why you would even want to bring something like that up..."
"You're just a kid, you don't know what it was like..."
"You weren't even alive when..."
"...possibly pick at old wounds like that, it's unbelievable..."
Joan and Karen were silent.

"I can draw it," was all Raven said.
Everyone ignored her. Even joan.

But Karen spoke up. "I think it's a great idea."
Everyone looked at her in complete and utter shock.
"You." Dyaln said quietly. "You. agree with... Joan?"
"Yes, I do." Karen said, though she avoided Joans eye. "What's the point of propaganda if we're not going to go all the way? We need the shock value. John, you're the politician here, you know how it works. The very reason you all think it's crazy is why we should do it. It's powerful. It brings up bad memories. Heck, half the people who are already with us are here because they're thinking it. Why don't we have the guts to say it out loud?" She looked at all of them, but more specifically at Dylan and Tanner. "Tell me I'm wrong." She challenged, then repeated in a lower voice. "Tell me, I'm wrong."
After a long pause, everyone slowly sat down. John spoke quietly. "Votes on Joan's propaganda campaign...?"
"No," Rhodesia said quietly.
"No," Rooney said, much firmer.
"Yes." Karen said, matching his tone.
"Yes." Vlad nodded.
"No," John whispered.
"Yes." Joan said
"No," Tanner shook his head.
"Yes," Raven chimed. She had counted the votes and hoped Dylan didn't vote no just to spite her. Even as she answered, her eyes were on him. Did he understand there was more to this than just his feelings towards her and her country?
Everybody looked at Dylan. Karen bit her lip and looked worried. She was thinking the same thing Raven was. It was almost a whole minute before he spoke.
"...Yes."

John nodded. "That's a majority. Motion passed." He looked up to Raven. "If you want to help make them you can meet me tomorrow morning." He sighed. "For now I think we ought to let everyone go to bed."
People nodded and began getting up and leaving.
"I'm on a shift," Tanner muttered, as he headed out.
Karen left the room before Joan even got to her feet.
Raven waited for Joan to leave before following her. "What was up with the strong emotions back there?" she asked, her tone almost casual.
"Panemian history. Before the MG wars, before I was even born. The country had another name back then. You might want to ask one of the others about it. They lived it, they'll know more than I do." Joan replied.
"That's exactly why I'm asking you. I don't want a big long story, but clearly you know enough to come up with an idea that would have some impact. Tell me about it," Raven said. For the first time since she had come to Panem, the authority she still felt crept into her voice, making the request sound like an order.
Joan rolled her eyes. "fine. Back when Panem was still called Arubia, the power structure was different. We had Emporers and Empresses. The last one was a tyrant. He supressed any sort of technological growth in Arubia - all the technology you see now was created after I was born, or imported from other countries. The most famous example would be sometimes, when he felt like stroking his ego, he would be carried through town on his big ornate thrown, and everyone would have to stop what they’re doing, come outside, and bow. Then he would stand - again, there are people carrying him- he would stand up and everyone would have to stand up and cheer "Long live the Emperor!" when he passed. If you didn't you were pulled out of the crowd and shot. There was a massive rebellion, Princess Sarteena Urqhart was put into power, there was a pandemic, Sarteena died, Gifted tacked her name onto the title in her memory and assumed power. That's all."
"Well he sounds like a classic," Raven said. She could totally imagine this guy. It almost reminded her of the final episode of Code Geass, which made her suppress a smile (and how would that look?) at the idea of this tyrant only trying for peace in Panem. Obviously it hadn't worked.
"Yeah. Exactly." Joan sighed. "Now, I'm going back to bed. Night." She went back to her room.
Raven sighed and returned to her own. "... Nevertheless, it was important for him to find her. There may be some way that she could be recognized. After all, his weren't the only gifteds and someone may read her mind. And god forbid someone else have his power. Which, as far as he knew, and was proud to say, was his only. In fact, that was his greatest weakness. Not his power being his alone, mind you, but his ego. He believed he should get everything he wanted. Right now, what he wanted..."
When Raven awoke, the bunker seemed almost completely deserted. There was nobody in the recreational are, nor down the hall where the armoury and conference rooms and bedrooms were. Nowhere that Raven had actually explored before seemed to have any people in it at all.
After searching the entirety of her known world at this point, Raven stopped, braced herself against a wall, and sighed. "Where the fucking hell is everybody?" she asked, though as her question entailed, there was no one around. It was only 9:00 for hells sake!
There were more than a few doors she had never touched.
The TV was off, all the dishes were clean. It was definitely a planned departure. If she checked the armoury, she'd find nearly all the weapons missing.
She went to the nearest person, scowling. "Where did everyone go?" she asked.
"This is a war," The guy said, laughing. "Where do you think?"
"Well of course but why did no one care to notify me?" Raven asked, almost pathetically.
"Because it's no big deal, Happens all the time. Most of 'em'll come home, and you know Joan will." He laughed.
Raven scowled and went to occupy herself with exploring.
There was a door in the kitchen she'd never opened. Behind it was a flight of stairs leading up to ground level. A trapdoor was at the top.
Raven decided to investigate and once she had climbed the stairs, she pushed the trapdoor open.
The controlled chaos was noticeable almost immediately.
"All’s quiet from three to five!" Someone shouted
"No one out at front, either!"
"Position is secure."
"Alright," Johns voice carried over the others. "General Wenkeling, how's it look on the front line?" He directed this question into a radio sitting on an old-looking table. The walls here were nothing but concrete and shelves. An old light bulb hung on its own, the only light source up here.

"Alright. So far it's all going according to plan, but they've got some of Command team zero here!" Joan shouted back over the barking of machine gun fire erupting around her. "They're holding off for now, worried the civilians will see, but they're-"

"Hey!" a soldier suddenly yelled, spotting Raven. She turned and brandished her gun at her. "Who are you and what're you doing here?"
Several others looked over at her outburst, and turned their guns on Raven.
"What's going on over there?" Even Joan, miles and miles away on the battlefield, knew something was amiss.

"Stop! Stop, everybody just calm the heck down," A familiar voice said, and Catherine pushed her way through the crowd. "What're you doing up here?"
John finally looked up. He sighed. "This is an on-duty area only." He said tiredly. "Go back downstairs."
"I am not part of your army, John. Though technically it isn't even your army. You are my ally and nothing more, and you do not have the right to order me around like a simple soldier," Raven said, frowning at him. She crossed to the radio. "There is nothing the matter, General. Resume your report."

"As long as you are under my roof you're to obey the orders of myself, General Wenkeling, Sergeant Mcroon and any of the royalty and that includes my brother." John snapped.
"Quit bein an ass, the both of you!" Joan snapped. "Look I gotta report back later anyway, we're getting swamped on both ends and- Oh, Sh*t Hit the dirt! All of you now! They've got a flamethrower!" There was a sound that sounded like Joan had dropped the radio.
"General wenkeling! General Wenkeling!" John shouted into the radio, sounding worried for her.
"I'm fine, I- Well, what's your explanation for it if it's not a flamethrower! Sergeant Hutchinson, snipe that guy in black in the stomach so he goes down! No, not HIM, you idiot, the one in the mask!...ugh, I forgot. Goddamn Xander in his fucking bulletproof fucking trenchcoat! Look, we're probably gonna have to retreat within the hour, I gotta go."
Suddenly another voice sounded on the radio. "General Wenkeling!"
John was surprised. "Vlad?"
"Hey bro. Wenkeling, I'm transmitting from position JC Delta. We're in."
"Seriously? That's excellent! Alright, John, looks like this battle just took a turn for the better, I'll talk to you when I can next get a report in. Wenkeling out."
"Base out." John said, and shut off the radio.

Raven listened to all this without commenting, then she turned to John and replied to his first remark. "I will follow orders when I believe they are necessary. You may be low royalty of Panem, but even here I won't be bossed by the likes of you. Certainly not when I'm being told not to involve myself in battle plans."
"Raven" John said, lowering his voice so the others had to lean to hear. Which of course, they didn't - they all had their posts. "Go downstairs. I'll be down in-" He checked his watch. "Half an hour. If you're going to argue with me, do it then. But I'm on duty right now so please, do as I say."
"I'll be quiet," Raven replied, standing back against the wall. "Besides, Catherine is here."
"She's an on duty soldier." John pointed out.
"So give me a job. Please, I hate being alone."
After an awkward pause while John tried to think of something she could do, one of the soldiers near the front window - if you could call it that - chimed in.
"Give her the broken radio. That way she can hear what is going on but Joan won't flay you alive for putting her in the action."
"Hey that's a good idea Tanner," John said. "Give me two seconds," he added to Raven, and went into another room. He came back with a radio identical to the one he'd just been using. "Outgoing feed's shot, but incoming's still clear as a bell. you'll be able to hear what's going on through this." He tossed it to her.
Raven frowned but didn't argue. "Fine, then," she snapped, and left with the radio.
John sighed. Joans friend was beginning to seem more trouble than she was worth.
Or at least, what she would seem to be worth for anyone else. But when she'd come off the battlefield last, John had seen a gleam in Joans eyes that frightened him. He'd noted the gradual increase in efficiency and bloodbath in the plans she cleared. When she'd first come, she'd been so careful. Now she went through it automatically, and it showed.
Ravens presence here was worth more than any of the soldiers here could ever realise. If it was discovered Joan might be regressing... well, he couldn't think about it.

The next radio transmission came ten minutes later. "Alright, Wenkeling, how's it look on the battlefield?"
"There's been some civilian casualties, but mostly the town nearby has been evacuated. We're holding position."
"They retreating?"
"Yes, we've got them cut off from the palace. If we can push them back east and cross plenat lines they'll never get there in time to resupply enough to stop attack pattern #Z9Z9Z9 if we launch within the week. We could have the war clinched right here."
"Remember, Z9 still has flaws."
"Yeah, yeah. Even if it doesn't go as planned, we can rescue his POW and the two of you can work together to shift public opinion in our favour. All's going well down here but... well there is one thing."
"What?"
"I think one of our snipers may have killed Xander."
Raven actually considered going back to John to ask what half of those things meant, but decided hearing this much was better than nothing. And they were doing well, Xander be damned.
"Xander's dead?" John sounded a lot more worried.
Joan sighed. "There's a small chance the porcelain mask would have absorbed enough of the impact to stop it from immediately killing him, physics says the impact would radiate over it and the force would be absorbed by the whole surface area rather than just the impact point, but if that's the case he'd still be in critical condition and Emerics troops aren't going to save him when they pull back."
"But why not? We've never stopped then from retrieving their wounded before, it's a time-honoured rule of warfare."
"Yeah, but even if they retrieve them, they won't take Xander."
"Why not?" John demanded.
"You're intelligent, John, you think about it. Or get Ben on it." Joan snapped. "I've got to go. Wenkeling Out." She cut the feed.
"Wait, wait, Joan!" There was a sigh, and John cut the feed also.
At that Raven couldn't resist returning. "You really don't know why they wouldn't take Xander?" she asked. She wasn't one hundred percent but she thought she might know.
Raven actually ran into John on the stairs, he and a kid who looked to be about 17 were coming down.
"No..." John said. "Why, do you?"
"I think I might, though I may not be right," Raven replied.
"Well, it's better than trying to get Ben to hack into Gifteds computer and go through her files to find the answer." John said simply.
"I think it has something to do with Emeric's... personal preferences, if you know what I mean," Raven said, trying to hint discreetly that she meant to talk about the powers.
"Well, duh, but that would make them more likely to save him, not less! Ben, go head downstairs and get yourself set up on a computer, I'll be right with you."
The boy nodded and left.

"No, I mean, the pain will likely snap him out of it, I think," Raven replied.
"You think that's possible? I think he might cling to it more. Joan said when Rick pulled people from it with his power it looked like they were in pain, and that Pierce didn't snap out of it even after being exposed to Ricks power. Pierce has extremely low pain tolerance. He'd do anything to avoid pain, and I think that's the difference. Still... with what Joan said, you could be right."
"Like I said, I'm not sure. I don't know the absolute details of their powers, especially considering they seem to have changed from back then..." Raven sighed. "Anyway, I'd like to know what Ben finds."
"You can come with if you want. He's just going to hack into computer and go through the oldest files. It won't be somewhere new. Assuming Emeric hasn't forced Rick to put extra security on Gifteds computer, Ben should be able to handle it."
Raven nodded. This made her think of when Sumner had hacked into PINC. "Let's go then."
John led her into a room furnished like a tiny office, with Ben sitting in front of the computer, not looking up when he heard John and Raven come in.
"How’s it going, Ben?"
"Not well..." Ben said quietly. "I think I can still do this, but somebody who got ahold of it is really good with computers... there's more security on this than the PRP database."
"It’s really too bad they have Rick," Raven muttered.
"It is," John sighed. "Rick's a genius with computers, if he backed up Gifteds then I don't think even Ben could get in. Ben, is there any other way to get access to these files?"
"I doubt it... Gifted's not a huge computer geek or anything, but she knows what she's doing. I don't think she'd be dumb enough to use other channels unless she didn't mind oter people reading her things."
"Explain."
"Well, there's a pretty popular website that will save your files in it's database. The idea is to back up your files, so if your computer breaks down you can access them on another one. But anyone who guessed your password would be able to get onto your account and see what you're saving. It's really not very secure."
"Try it anyway."
"Alright... this could take an hour or two."
"Alright, we'll come back when we finish the propaganda posters." John said, going to leave.
Raven followed John and John went into what must have been his and Vlads room. It was nearly three times as large as Ravens room, with two bends, a bookshelf and a storage cupboard along the walls. In the middle of the room was a large table. John went to the bookshelf and looked for a second. Finally, he pulled a large thick book off the shelf. He set it on the table and flipped through the pages. "I know there's a picture of it in here... there it is."
It was a picture of an old propaganda poster, very similar to the one Joan had pitched. A twenty six or twenty seven year old man was sitting on a blue and gold throne with so many inset diamonds, inlaid patterns and other embellishments that it looked almost ridiculous. The man had brown hair that reached down past his ears and formed an attractive curl around his face. There were gold streaks in his hair that reflected the light -because they were made of real, literal gold- but it wasn't overdone. His clothes were also of the blue/gold colour scheme, and just as fancy and overdone as the throne. He was smiling in a self-satisfied smile. Two people in old-fashioned clothes, miniscule compared to the Emperor, who took up most of the page, stared up at him in awe and respect. The poster was emblazed with a caption in giant red letters, the first sentence at the top of the poster, the second at the bottom.
"ARUBIA, OUR COUNTRY. LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR."

John pulled out several poster-sized pieces of paper and a huge box of art supplies. "Joan wants them to look as historically accurate as possible, so I thought it'd be good to provide a reference point." he said, indicating the picture of the poster in the book.
Raven nodded with a smile. "Thanks." She took one of the pencils up and began a rough sketch. John picked up a thin felt and began tracing out the outside of the throne carefully on his own paper.
About an hour later, Ban came running down the hall and slid to a stop in front of the door. "Raven was right. Y'all gotta come read this."
John got up and took the paper from Ben. "Alla attack sqaud zero's based on Gifteds ol' stories, right?"
"All but Emeric himself," John said quietly, then read aloud "It is said when a person is about to die he knows exactly who he is. Our superiors have debated if it worth saving those mortally wounded because of this."
"An get this; in the book, it works." Ben said excitedly. "The girl helpin' the main character almost dies, an' she's revealed to be the one who the main character spent the entire book lookin for in the firs' place."
"Then why almost kill her?"
"She was supposed to die, an' the main character was supposed t'be captured. Doesn't work, obviously."
"Now slow down, Ben. Just because Gifted once wrote a story like that doesn't mean it'll actually work. Remember this is a completely different form of mind control."
"Still, that's gotta be what Emeric's afraid of!"
"Even if it is a different form, it may have the same weaknesses," Raven said. "After all, every gifted created by Gifted or myself was based in part on stories. Without them, we would never have come up with any of this." She didn't even look up from her drawing.
"that's true." John said. "Alright, has the army retreated?"
"Yeah, a coupla squadrons're already back. Our main force'll be back in an hour r'so."
"Alright, get someone to set up medical rooms for the wounded, and especially Xander. He'll require surgery if he's going to survive."
"Eloise or Olivia'd be nice right now, wouldn' they?"
"Don't even start with me Ben," John said, but he smiled.
"If you have something else you need to do, I can finish these up on my own, John," Raven said, dutifully drawing and beginning to color a few sections.

Raven continued working in silence. In time, she had finished an almost identical image to the one in the book, with a few exceptions: instead of the past emperor, Emeric sat in the throne; in more than one place, blue had been replaced with purple; and lastly, though still tiny, the peasants seemed to hold more life. On closer inspection the girl looked exactly like Primrose, Luke's daughter who had been killed in Panem. The boy was Panemian and held a distinct resemblance to Pierce.
Maybe an hour later, Joan practically skipped down the hall. "Hey, John!" She called. John looked up, set his completed poster down, ad went to the door. "Joan?"
Joan came over when she saw him. She hadn't yet hung up her guns, she was dusty and dirty from head to toe and there was a bullet wound in her shoulder. Nevertheless, she had a self-satisfied smirk on her face, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. She didn't notice Raven there. "How'd things go around base?"
"Fine, As usual." John shrugged. "How'd the attack go?"
"Perfect." Joans smile got wider. "220 dead, and only 15 were ours. We have our position and we can swarm the palace within the week."
John tensed. "That's a pretty big number."
"Yeah, well after their fourth civilian casualty we decided it was about time to pull out the big guns."
"...How many total?"
"What? Civilian casualties?" Joan frowned. "I'm not entirely sure... I know they got four and we got at least two... but those were some damn big explosions out there. I'm sure I missed some."
Raven blinked, glancing up at Joan. Something seemed off... "We started on the posters while you were gone," she said, changing the subject.
"Oh, Raven!" Joan seemed to just notice her. "You guys finished the posters?"
"Uh, yeah," John said, shocked by the sudden change. "You want to see?"
"Sure..." She came in and took a look at Johns. "That's really good. John," She said, smiling. "Raven, did you do the same thing?"
"Not exactly," Raven replied. The only real difference was the peasants. Even as they were different from John's, not one was identical. Where on the first poster they had been Pierce and Rose, the second featured a likeness of an Amestrian citizen and Cristel.
She took a look at the second poster and just nodded. Then she looked at the first and burst out laughing. "You know people here are gonna freak, right?"
"What?" John asked, snatching the poster from Joans hands.
"Look at the little people, John,"
"Raven! Are you crazy?!?" he snapped after a minute.
"No one will notice," Raven said with a sigh. "They'll be far too traumatized by the whole."
"Still," John said. "If anyone here notices, there'll be an uproar. You know, not everyone here believes you... come on Joan, back me up here."


"I never said I had a problem with it. I think it's brilliant."
"She's a child, what difference will a child make?" Raven questioned. "Emeric told the country I sent assassins, didn't he? Who would believe that if they knew what she looked like?" She crossed her arms. "I'm going to make a total of six different copies, each one representing Panem and one other country. Everyone will be affected if Emeric wins this, it's only fair everyone should be represented."
"You're forgetting this is the country where no less than three years ago public enemies number one and two were ten and sixteen years old. This is not a nation that thinks of kids as harmless."
Joan glared at him but ignored the comment.
Raven shrugged. "Did he show the picture of her?" she asked.
John shook his head. "But that won't really make any difference. Panemians and Ravonians don't exactly get along anymore." He stated the obvious.
Raven sighed. "I can make it less obvious, but I won't change it."
"Do that then." John said, none too nicely.
"Why? I think it's a great idea." Joan said, smiling. "I'm gonna go get cleaned up, be back in ten minutes or so."
When she left the room, John sighed. "That's exactly why I don't think it's a good idea." He said quietly, as if he were talking to himself. He seemed to be thinking about something difficult.
Raven immaturely stuck her tongue out at John.
"Funny, Raven." John sighed. "I'm glad someone finds this amusing." He looked back at the posters. She said we would be ready to attack the palace and rescue Rick within the week... does she mean our version of ready, or her version of ready? That was a thorny enough question to think about that it could almost distract him from the far more pressing question: Do we even want to rescue Rick in the first place?

"May as well make the most out of the small moments. After all, I've nearly died what, five times now?" Raven replied.
John flashed a small smile and began cleaning up some of the art supplies. "I'll take the posters to get photocopied... except the one you're going to fix, of course."
"Have fun with that," Raven replied and sat down to tweak her poster.
John nodded and left the room. "They should be up by tomorrow," he added on his way out.
"Wonderful," Raven called. When she was done she made more of the posters, without asking permission.
Half an hour later, Joan stuck her head in. "You still in here? John went off with Rooney somewhere."

Raven shrugged. "I'm drawing more posters," She replied.
"You don't really need to you know. We can use the four we have and just photocopy them." Joan shrugged.
"But those four only represent two countries," Raven said. "I'm not going to let that be. Besides, it's something to do."
"Oh I dunno, I bet you could make a case for Talesworth for one of John's guy..." She joked. Just then, a girl who Raven could recognise as Kathryn, the girl from the kitchen yesterday, showed up at the door. "General Wenkeling?" She said in a none-too-friendly voice.
"Kathryn Willow?" Joan looked over, surprised. "What is it?"
"Xander Xavier is asking for you," She said in a cold voice.
"Xander's awake?" Joan was shocked.
"For like, an hour," Kathryn said, turning away.
"Wait! Has Rooney checked him yet?"
"No." Kathryn walked off.
"May I see him?" Raven asked. "With you, that is." No matter her ambitions, Raven didn't have a death wish.
"I don't see why not... but it's probably a good idea to have Rooney check him first... make sure he's not still a string. For all we know this could be an elaborate assassination attempt." Joan pointed out.
"Do I need to explain why I distrust Rooney?" Raven replied. "Let's see him now."
"Raven, do you have a death wish? Do you WANT Emeric to use him to fry you?" Joan said, exasperated. "There is no way I'm letting you near him without testing him first."
"I would sooner discover an assassination attempt with my life than let Rooney at Xander," Raven snapped. "And if you won't come with me, then I'll go alone."

"Man, why are you so paranoid about Rooney? You'd think if he were gonna do something he'dve done it already, we're kinda winning, in case you haven't noticed." Joan said, rolling her eyes.

Raven narrowed her eyes and wiped her cheek on her shirt, smearing the make-up there. "I still have the bruise. All because that man claimed I was lying. I'm not going to let him turn away anyone else just because he isn't good enough at what he does!"
"Oh please! One mistake! Get over it!" Joan sighed. "Look, I'm trying to keep you safe, here. If you insist, I can have someone else go in first. Vlad, maybe, we'd all love to get rid of him." That last part was a joke, but she was serious about the offer. "Or I can go in by myself and call you in after."

"Why are you so insistent? All I've done here is draw," Raven snapped, scowling.
"Because I don't want you to die.... duh..." Joan sighed. "Why do you have to be so insistent? Your annoying everyone here to death, you know that? I felt bad for John."

Raven scowled. "So you believe the general should risk her ass sooner than I should? That is stupid Joan. And believe it or not, I'm not exactly happy with how things are going around here, either."
"Yeah, well I've got a way to defend myself! You don't!" Joan shot back. "And what issues could you possibly have? You haven't done anything other than help with the damn propaganda vote, which, okay, yes, was completely necessary, but still, what do you have to bitch about?"
"Just that; you won't let me help," Raven replied. She strode down the hall towards where she hoped (and was fairly certain) Xander would be held.
Down the hall where the bedrooms were, multiple people were running in and out of usually unoccupied rooms. One room in particular seemed to be the most frequently traveled, men and women going back and forth from the room, bandages and antiseptic and needles in hand.

"Raven! Ugh, come on, really?" Joan headed down the hall, trying not to look like she was freaking out.
Raven spun around to face Joan. "I am not a child, Joan. I've been at war before. I'm not some innocent puppy you need to shield from the real world. I'm tired of hiding. I get that a Sh*t load of people are out to get me, but frankly, if all I'm going to do is sit around and draw all day, then you are more important!" Despite her words, Raven looked very like a child at that moment. Her eyes begged rather than scowled and her chin was stuck out defiantly.

Joan heard her shout, and yelled back "I don't consider you a child, I consider you a valuable target for our enemies!" She'd be there in another two seconds if Raven didn't pick a door.
Raven humphed and chose the busy door.
Xander's coat was gone, he was clothed in nothing more than a pair of sweatpants and an old blue long-sleeve shirt, still coated in sweat from his recent combat. Definitely not an outfit he'dve picked for himself. Xander usually preferred clothes that would make fighting easier... not constricting sleeves, and sweatpants he could trip over that would contain his body heat. But Emeric didn't think of those things like he did.
He was a mess. Half his face was bandaged, and he was breathing with the help of a respirator. There were at least three tubes in his arms, yet the doctors were still fussing over him. He was barely conscious. Still, he was conscious.
Raven bit her lip and slowly approached. "Xander?" She asked his name, rather than asking the doctors if he was currently able to speak. It seemed rude to ask them when he was right there.
Xander's one uncovered eye flicked down to look at Raven briefly, but he still couldn't see her all that well. "Joan?" He asked in a faint, pained voice.
"No, it's Raven... Joan will be here soon," she replied, moving to his bedside.
"Raven...?" Xanders eye followed her as she moved and he struggled to remain conscious.
"Are you sure we can't give you morphine? You sound like you're in a lot of pain..." one of the doctors trailed off hopefully.
"No!" His voice came stronger than earlier, almost panicky. "No! I don't want... got to-" He tried to sit up but one of the doctors put a hand on his shoulder.
"Okay, okay. Don't exert yourself." He sighed, and turned to the other doctor. "Why'd you even bother?"
"Because I can' handle watching him like this when we have painkillers! "
The male doctor facepalmed and spoke to you. "We tried to give him morphine when he first woke up, but he freaked out, ripped the tubes out of his arm, cut off his oxygen supply, almost killed himself. Since then they've been asking like every ten minutes. We're hoping after he talks to Joan he might actually say yes, or we'd never have said anything till he's stronger." He shook his head and left the room to get who knew what.
Raven nodded at the doctors. "Yes, it's Raven," she said after the doctor had left. "Just stay lying down while we talk, okay? It won't do anyone any good if you pass out from pain. May I ask why you want to talk to Joan? It's okay if you don't want to tell me."
"She's gotta know... trap... he knows..." Xander couldn't help letting out a small groan from the pain, but he was determined not to let them sedate him. He couldn't let them rob him of his feeling, back him out again after being controlled for so long. Even if all he felt now was pain.
"What does he know?" Raven asked

*missing piece of story here, Emeric knows where they are, Raven tells Joan, Joan takes off to fight and theres a power outage*

The doctors panicked at the power outage, with their machines keeping Xander alive no longer working. After thirty frantic seconds, the backup generator came on and the machines came back to life.
After about a minute, shouting and the sound of gunfire came from down the hall.
Raven bit her lip and locked the door, wishing they had access to Olive and Elise, or whatever the healers names were. She sat against the wall and tried to formulate a plan. Anything she could do would probably be useless and get her killed.
The two doctors, after the initial shock, worked calmly, seeming only mildly concerned by the gunfire. The shouting over the gunfire was getting louder. Joans voice could be heard, barking orders, but it was too far away to hear what she was saying over the rest of the noise.
Raven decided to open the door and see if there was anyone around. Except the door wouldn't open. "The damn door's locked!" she cried.
"Ugh, Joan you son of a bitch." one of the doctors muttered, annoyed.
"I guess she wants us to have warning if they try to come busting in here or something." The other doctor sighed. "Don't see how it would make a difference either way considering we're not armed."
"...Scalpels?"
"Oh, yeah, bring a knife to a gunfight, that's a real good idea"
"Hey, F*ck you, at least I'm trying."

Raven sighed. "If it really came to it, we could probably surprise a few of them and stab them before they knew what was happening. But it doesn't exactly sound like the fighting is nearby," she said.
"That was sort of a joke, hon." The doctor who'd suggested the scalpels said.
Maybe twenty minutes later, the fighting had moved into the hall. Near the door, Joan and Rhodesia could be heard arguing.
"If they're gonna play on our compassion, then we'll do it too! We're using the same rulebook Emeric is, Rollo!"
"No! No way, absolutely not-"
"The rooms made of concrete, it's not gonna cave in, what are you worried about?"
"What am I worried about? You're asking me to clear out and blow up-"
"Rollo, when has one of my plans not worked? I'm telling you, as soon as they get down here they're going straight to the armoury, let's take advantage of that! As long as most of the stuff's out of there-"
"Why? We've got the upper hand, why can't we just drive them out like normal people instead of massively increasing casualties for absolutely no reason?"
"Rollo, I don't exactly have time to argue! I'm the freaking General and we're in the middle of a battle! I order you to go set the bombs now! Give 'em twenty minutes after you're done, I can herd at least two of their squads in by then!"
Rollo left to do as she was told.
John, hiding nearby with a sniper rifle, heard the whole thing. It made him uneasy. Joan wasn't thinking like herself. This was definitely, definitely too close to the General Joan from three years ago.
But what was he supposed to do about it?
Raven listened and growled. She wanted out but that didn't seem like the best strategy at the moment. "Sounds like they're doing alright," she reported to the doctors instead.
A few of the doctors nodded, and Xander groaned. The girl doctor looked at the other one quickly, then moved to inject Xander with morphine before he was conscious enough to stop her. What She wondered. Is the point of his pain when we have to ability to ease it right here?

"Is that morphine?" Raven asked. The woman nodded, trying to move quickly. Raven sighed and sat against the wall again. "So... How long have you been part of the rebellion?"
The woman gave Xander the morphine, and he fell unconscious again almost instantly. "Since the very beginning" the boy said. "We used to work in Vlad's mansion on Neptune... it was nothing like the main palace, of course, but all the royalty in Panem have a place to call their own... anyway, me and my sister here were working there as servants, because if you work for the royalty for two years you can get a scholarship from the government. Not just servants get it, cooks and soldiers get the opportunity too. In fact, if I had to guess, I'd bet you a good half of Emerics army by this point is broke, desperate college students." He sighed. The girl continued.
"Anyway, we were studying to become doctors, but after Emeric came to power, the economy tanked and the college we were studying at went bankrupt. We had nothing to lose. So when Vlad told us he was going to head a rebellion... well, we jumped right in," She gave a tiny smile.
"Do you enjoy your work?" Raven asked.
"Definitely" They said at the same time.
"My sister took a while to convince," The boy said smugly. "She wanted to be a tailor for the longest time. But our parents always wanted us to become doctors, and she agreed to give one semester a try. Turned out she loved it." He grinned teasingly at her.
"Oh like you're one to talk, Mr. Oh, I'm gonna be a mechanic when I grow up!" The girl teased back.
"I was ten."
"So?"

Raven smiled. "Well I'm glad you're both happy. And it's great that you get to work together as well."
"Yes, it truly is." The boy said. "And once this is all over, hopefully we'll finally be able to go back to-"
He was cut off by a huge explosion that made the whole building shake. However, nothing caved in. Just like Joan said. The sparse gunfire that had still been going on abruptly stopped.

The fighting was over in less than five minutes from that point.
"You were saying?" Raven asked, as if nothing had happened.
"-college." he finished. "So we can get proper jobs in the field."
Raven nodded and smiled, then began pounding on the door. "Joan you've had your fun now let me out!"
Joan heard her banging on the door, went over and tested the handle. Then she unlocked and opened the door, looking very confused.
"Why the hell did you lock us in here, anyway?" Raven demanded.
"...I...I didn't" Joan said. "I never locked that door."
“Then who did?” Raven asked.
Joan shrugged. "I don't know... but I swear I didn't."
Raven sighed. "I believe you. Did we have many casualties on our side?"
At the question, Joan brightened up. "Not very many. There were even less than I expected, which, if you think about it, is really, really sad. Speaking of which, I ought to go survey the damage done to the armoury, figure out exactly how many of theirs we killed. If you can even tell, which sometimes you can't." She shrugged and headed off in that direction, leaving the decision to follow her or not up to Raven.
The whole time, John was staring at her, a worried look on his face. He watched her almost skip off.
Raven stepped into the hall. "Something wrong, John?"
What was he supposed to tell her? John deliberated probably too long. Finally, he decided on one answer that was both true AND evasive. "Nothing you need to worry about." he tried to force a small smile.
Raven shrugged. "Whatever." She headed towards the armory.
The place was destroyed. The blast radius covered the room, and it was littered with body parts. Everywhere. There had to have been at least two dozen people in here to cause that many body parts, that much blood. Joan was surveying the damage from the doorway, looking pleased. "Rollo did a good job, for all her talk." She said when she heard Raven coming up behind her.
Raven blinked. "Seems like she was a little too thorough."
"Aw, not really, she got most of the weapons and stuff moved out of the room before I let the squads through. There were only about a dozen guns in here, and those were old."
"Joan...?" the moan came from behind one of the blackened metal shelves. And it came in a horribly familiar voice.
Joans eyes widened and she stumbled through the room, over the bodies, and into the back. She gasped and dropped to her knees. "Rhodesia!"
Her left leg was blown clean off, and a large pool of blood was around her. there waere deep gashes in her face and it was clear she only had minutes left. She clutched a few sheets of clean white paper to her chest like a lifeline.
"Rhodesia, what where you still doing here?" Joan said, horrified. "I told you twenty minutes..."
"I...had to...go back..." she choked out. "For these... Take them... Joan..." She held the papers out with a shaking hand. "Z9Z9Z9"
Joan took them from Rhodesia's shaking hands, trying to hold back tears. "There are like three people who've memorised these, you idiot.." She raised her voice to a shout and yelled "Medic! Doctor! Someone!"
"No..." Rhodesia grabbed her wrist. "They won't make it... Joan..."
"What?!"
"Remember...where...you are..." her grip went slack, and Rhodesia’s heart gave a last thud.
Raven watched with slightly widened eyes. She didn't know why it affected her so much; she'd seen plenty of people die.
Joan also seemed to be hit surprisingly hard. She was fighting to keep from crying as she surveyed the papers in her shaking hands. "Th-these weren't even supposed to be in h-here... I moved them like t-two weeks ago. They're not supposed to be in here..."
"What are they?" Raven asked, her voice flat.
"Only the most important notes in the whole bloody building... Plans for hopefully the last offensive we have to make. We take the palace next week." Joan said, sighing and getting to her feet. Her knees and down were soaked in blood, something she hadn't noticed when she collapsed beside Rollo. "I thought the armoury was a stupid place to hide the plans, so I moved them... they weren't supposed to be in here."
"Who are the three people who memorized them, if you don't mind me asking...?" Raven questioned.
"Me, Dylan and a high-ranked commander you probably don't know named Ericken... why?"
"Just wondering. Did Rooney see them?" Raven asked, figuring he probably had, but still...
"We all saw them, We had to vote on it when Ericken proposed it after all." Joan said irritably.

Raven shrugged. "Are you sure he didn't memorize them as well?" She had no idea who had moved the papers and she didn't care. That was done and over with, Rollo was already dead. But if Rooney had seen the papers...
"I don't know, ask him." Joan snapped. "Actually, don't, I have to go figure out why these were in there... ask him later." She started walking down the hall, irritated.
“Why does it matter?” Raven asked crossly.
"Because if the damn things had been where they were supposed to be, Rhodesia wouldn't have gone back for them and died!" Joan practically shouted, and took off down the hall.
Raven sighed. "But she already is dead. Figuring out why won't help anyone," she muttered, then hurried after Joan.
Have you ever walked in on someone, and realised they were just talking about you?
That's what Joan felt as soon as she opened the meeting room door.
Rooney, John, Tanner and Dylan were all in there, huddled together, talking quietly. When Joan entered the room, they all looked up, surprised.
"Thought you were washing up?" Tanner said, not helping their case.
Raven soon stood behind Joan, wondering what was going on and casting uneasy glances at Rooney.
Joan was wondering the same thing.
"What is it, Joan?" Dylan said after a long moment.
She forced herself to speak. "Rhodesia's dead."
"What?" John and Tanner stood up in protest, shocked.
"She went back into the armoury after it was already rigged to blow." Joan said coldly. "For these." She tossed the papers to the floor.
"Oh my God..." Dylan whispered.
"Would someone like to explain why they were in there?"
They fell silent.
"I moved these into my room and you all knew it."
"Has it occurred to you Rhodesia may have moved them herself?" Rooney said in a patient, reasonable voice. "That would explain how she knew they were in there when none of us did."
"She wasn't that dumb, she knew why I moved it."
"I don't know how her mind worked, Joan."
Finally, Joan's careful composure gave way to tears. "Fine. It doesn't matter who did it, I guess. But thanks to someone's stupid blunder, one of Gifteds best friends is dead. Hope a few sheets of paper were worth it." She turned and left without another word, heading to throw her clothes in the laundry, take a shower and lock herself in her room. She couldn't deal with this Sh*t right now. It was so much easier when she only had to keep track of two people instead of eight. Anyway, since when was she supposed to do everything? She didn't sign up for this. She'd given a battle plan she'd known would work, what was she supposed to do?
Her mind drifted back to Rhodesias last words. "Remember where you are?" What did that even mean?


The four boys looked at one another.
"So what are we going to do about it?" Rooney asked.
"Nothing to do," Tanner said. "What could we do?" He rose to his feet. "I've got to go help clean the armoury."
"I'll come," Dylan rose too. The two left, leaving John looking very uncomfortable and Rooney absent of his usual smile.
Raven entered and sat down, putting her feet on the desk and studying Rooney's expression.
He sat there casually, with a thoughtful expression. Ever-cheerful Rooney seemed to have finally thought of something more serious to think about. But after a minute or two, he changed the subject. "So, John, do you think we should try to replace Rhode, or just let Raven make it eight?"
John did not answer.
"Always a business man," Raven said sarcastically. "Are we going to have a funeral?"

[Gifted]

"There will be a memorial service for those who died in the war once this is all over." Rooney said, nodding. "For obvious reasons, we can't have an individual funeral for everybody. She's not the only one who died today."
"No, just the only one Joan cares about." John muttered bitterly.
"I'm sorry? I thought you didn't want to talk about that in front of Raven?" Rooney asked.
"Shut up," John muttered. He rose to his feet, and left the room.
"Touchy, touchy..."
"You can only be friends with so many people. Joan knew Rhodesia, of course she feels differently about her than about the people who are trying to kill us," Raven said. "I know that doesn't justify everything, and I suppose you heard the same thing I did. But a war is a war. If you go sniffling over every death you'll never win."
"Oh, that's not what John is talking about," Rooney said, smiling. "He didn't want to bring it up in front of you because he didn't want to worry you, and also because Joan wouldn't like it."
"Then perhaps you shouldn't mention it," Raven snapped at Rooney, hate practically dripping from her pores.
He laughed and raised his arms defensively. "Hey, now, I'm not the one who brought it up,"
"No, you're just the one who pointed out exactly which question I should ask, and the fact that you're keeping secrets from me," Raven replied.
"Well, it wasn't exactly hard for you to figure out regardless." He replied, unapologetic.
"So just because someone knows they're chubby is an excuse to be the dick who calls them fat," Raven snapped.
"I'm merely offering you the information if you want to know," Rooney said, eyes wide as if he were honestly offended. "I would have thought you'd appreciate the information John is unwilling to tell you." He shook his head in mock disappointment.
"If John doesn't want to tell me, then I'm sure there's a good reason for it," Raven hissed. She was really dying to know, but she wasn't about to ask Rooney.
Rooney laughed. "Come now, give me a little credit, Raven. I wasn't lying about what my job used to be, you know. I do know how you feel about me. But you're not going to get the information out of anyone else. John... well, he has about as much influence around here as I do." Rooney flashed another smile, then rose to his feet.
"I give you plenty of credit. Just not for anything pleasant," Raven replied, standing to look at the papers Rhodesia had saved.
Rooney shook his head in mock disappointment again, adjusted his jacket, and left the room.

The papers contained very detailed plans for a three-way attack on the palace. There were detailed diagrams of the inside drawn by someone with a very steady hand, and the most likely places where each gifted (labled as "strings") would be positioned and the quickest way to get through the halls avoiding each of those positions, to any of the five rooms labled on the diagram as possible places Emeric could hide Gifted or Rick, labled as "Key targets". Along with the plan itself, there were also notes in the margins in Joans handwriting on possible targets that if spotted were to be "Terminated with extreme prejudice" which, once you looked at the list and recognised some of the names, clearly meant they were gifteds Gifted wasn't stupid enough to make, but had definitely been spotted: Ruby Crockford, Jesse Stouse, Tyler Winslake, Ralios, Tammy Felton, Cyrus Ross Swesh, Justin, and Mary. Beside Mary's name was a question mark, as if they'd been unsure about adding her. There was a brief, one word description of their powers written next to each person, except for Jesse, who had "wand" written next to her name, Mary, who had "H-Light" written next to hers, and Tammy, whose name had nothing after it.
Raven read the whole thing, then bit her lip and straightened the papers. CR-S01 and Tyler most worried her, though she couldn't help but wonder if Jesse's "wand" really worked like the Harry Potter character... She set the papers down how they'd been and left the room.
Mostly people were cleaning up the damage inflicted by the battle, though there wasn't much in the hall. It was the room upstairs that was the real wreck. And of course, adjusting for the fact they would no longer have power for as long as they were holed up here. The generator had to be used for the medical equipment, after all.
Raven stopped the first friendly-looking person. "Do you know where Joan went?" she asked.
"Probably in her room," he said. "It's probably best no to bother her."
"Thanks for the advice, but I don't care." Raven went right to Joan's room. She rapped on the door. "Joan?"
"It's open" Joan said.
Her room was actually relatively small, maybe only a little larger than Ravens room. The only extra thing in the room was a desk pushed against the far wall, and a garbage can next to it. Joan was sitting at the desk sketching roughly on a piece of paper. The garbage can was full of old paper scraps, and pretty much nothing else. She was wearing the green sweater for the first time since Raven'd been here, and she didn't look up when Raven came in.
Raven came in and shut the door behind her. "It wasn't your fault you know," she said.
"Did I say it was?" Joan said, not looking up from her work. She sighed. "No, because then Emeric will move Alex and Tyler here and Ralios here and then we're all fucked." She crumpled up the paper and tossed it aside.
"What are you trying to figure out?" Raven asked.
"Making backup plans for Z9. There's no point in making new battle plans any more, not if we pull off this one successfully. Even if it's not successful, as long as it's not a complete and utter failure we'll still get Rick out, and then we'll win the war for public opinion if nothing else." She grinned. "And if it goes off without a hitch, wars over. But you see, any battle plan has to make SOME assumptions, based on your enemy’s intelligence and resources if nothing else. But if any of those are wrong, well, that's when we start looking at the we-might-have-lost-but-at-least-we-have-Rick alternatives. So I've been making identical plans where one of those assumptions turns out to be incorrect. Back-up plans. I breezed through two of them but... as far as I can tell so far, if we wake up Sayoko and she turns out to be a string, we are like eight different kinds of fucked." Joan sighed. "I don't think she will be, it's sort of redundant to mind-control someone who will already do anything you tell her too... still, it's a possibility."
"Even beyond that, Emeric doesn't seem like the kind of person to see any real importance in a servant," Raven said, then shrugged. "But I haven't really gotten to know him."
"Exactly. Although he does know she's a ninja, so he might have some use for her. But I doubt it. I'm just trying to come up with a backup plan."
Raven nodded. "I doubt I'll be of much help with that," she stated.
"That's alright. I'm really just killing time anyway." Joan sighed. "So is there any particular reason you came to hunt me down?"

Even mail was being loosely monitored now. It wasn't really a big deal, just a brief check to make sure his brother wasn't contacting some kind of outside forces. Though Kenny certainly had other means of contacting them. One of the last unchecked packages had contained a chip with a video of Adam announcing the closed harbors. It had been mailed right to PINC.
"How do you think he found out we were here?"
"Xander." Joan said dismissively. "He'd lost so much blood, nobody checked to make sure he wasn't conscious when we brought him in here. My fault. He was probably still under Emerics control by that point, and Emeric just watched where we took him."
Raven sighed. "So you're not at all worried that he might know about your plan?"
"Not really. There are only eight people who've seen it in its entirety."
"Well he wouldn't have to know all of it to know it was happening."
"Annnd that's why I have back-up-plans." Joan rolled her eyes as if it were obvious. "Don't worry. I'm sure I can make this work."
"Well I hope this works out, then..." Raven sighed.
Joan nodded.
One of the doctors looked in. "Xander's awake again, if either of you care. He should be fine now, though it'll take him awhile to recover."
Raven glanced at Joan, then decided to go talk to Xander. "Do you feel any better?" she asked as she entered the room.
"If you mean physically, then yes," Xander said, sounding angry, though it was clearly not directed at you.
"And how are you not okay, then...?" Raven asked.
"I told them not to give me any bloody morphine. I can barely feel my arms," he snapped. Then he sighed. "Question: Exactly how clueless are these people? About what's going on, I mean."
"Joan has been calling you a string," Raven replied. "I found that out when I, ah, told a few people." She smirked. "And you'll be better company without your arms anyway."
"Funny." Xander sighed. "So they don't know anything? ...You know that means Gifted is probably going to get executed?"
"It isn't my decision. The three stooges of war have demonstrated over and over again how little they value my help here. And I've already told the masses more than they like," Raven said. She sighed.
"Three Stooges? Nice, Raven." Xander chuckled. "Who's that? Vlad, Joan and...?"
"John. I would include Rooney but I think the title is too kind and funny to fit him." Raven leaned back in her seat. "And besides, Joan made a very nice point about how selfish it would be to save the princess just because she's my friend rather than all of your gifted asses from the people."
"Who's Rooney? And Vlads little brother is somehow important? Amazing."
"The supposed interrogator. When I showed up I told him everything. He then proceeded to make up some Sh*t about my eye twitching when I lie, and how I was lying about who I was and why I was here. He said I was Emeric's spy, got Vlad involved, and somehow a picture of Vlad hitting me went viral. Of course, the camera was planted there by one of Emeric's spies, who Rooney caught." Her voice was laced with sarcasm at the last sentence.
"Well, that sounds mighty suspicious." Xander said after a minute.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm probably just biased. And everyone else is right. After all, he was trying to tell me something earlier. While saying at the same time that John didn't want me to hear it." She snorted.
"Why's that? That no one believes you, I mean." Xander said. "Honestly, you'd think Cristel or someone would've caught that by now..."
"Cristel isn't here," Raven said. "She's still stranded in Ravonia. And no one else believes me because of all the supposed spies he's caught. There's no way to check if he's right, he's the only one who reads people like that."
"Well they must've done some sort of background check on him... a polygraph... of course if he knows how to read people he can probably beat a polygraph."
"Check or no check, I don't trust him a bit," Raven said. "Oh, and there's how Emeric mysteriously knew we were here."
"Well, that's obvious. He knew through me. You'd think if this Rooney were the one who told him he'dve attacked while they were down, not once their awesome new propaganda campaign was finally putting some numbers back into their ranks." He smiled. "Whose idea was it to use actual real people in the posters? That was brilliant."
"That was me; John disapproved," Raven answered, dropping the subject of Rooney.
"Well, it was a big risk. I probably wouldn't have approved either," he allowed. "But still it was absolutely amazing the reaction it got on the streets."
"I wish I would have seen it," Raven said with a smile. "But that's been about the only thing I've done besides get interrogated while I've been here."
"Well, obviously. Joan wouldn't be dumb enough to put you on the battlefield." Xander said, as if it were obvious.
"That doesn't mean they couldn't let me know what they are doing at least," Raven hissed. "And I don't see why not, I'm already supposed to be dead."

"A multitude of reasons. First, if the public opinion of ravonia shifted to where it was at the start of this whole mess, you could quite literally end the war with one well written-speech. Heck, look what one propaganda campaign did. Public opinion of the rebellion skyrocketed, and public opinion of Ravonia went from "Bitter sworn enemies" too "What have they done to us?" Neutral is a whole lot better that where you were at before. Second, before the propaganda was released, the entire rebel army knew you were here and most of them hated your guts. To prove just how much influence you had by putting you into combat in a high-ranked position - she'd never insult you by insisting you be a foot soldier, not to mention you can't take orders - would put a serious target on both your backs, and she had a big enough target as it was. But by keeping you out of any actual conflict, she could claim you were in more of an "Advisory" position, which nobody here could deny you need since this army is officially run by Vlad, but since advisory implies you don't have any actual power, that makes an assassination attempt pointless. And third, it's not like they're going to just shoot gifted in the palace. They’re going to have to keep her prisoner for a few days and arrange a public execution, that's the proper way to do it. I think Joan wants to at least be able to tell gifted that she kept all her friends alive before she gets executed."

"Publicly, I'm still dead. If I wrote a speech that was heard by just anyone, Panem would become a war zone again, and after this war, I don't think many people will have the urge to fight back," Raven said. "And my demon scares me much more than Gifted's does."
"It's not like it'd be broadcast on PINC Raven. It'd be confined within the country, this stuff always is. it probably wouldn't even be on TV, just because PINC got hacked a couple of times and it's better to be safe than sorry." Xander pointed out. "Besides, doesn't Kenny know you're here anyway? Since he sent that shapeshifter and the girl who screams in the hall from time to time after you?"
"Yes, he knows. But he thinks everyone else doesn't. That's why he isn't terribly worried about it, I think," Raven said with a sigh.
"...Well, it's not like it'd be on national TV." Xander sighed. "So what's going on at the moment? Anything I should be worried about considering I'm apparently bedridden?"
Raven grimaced slightly. "Emeric's soldiers came, right after you passed out. We won, obviously. But we don't have any power and..."
Xander didn't like the way she trailed off like that. It sounded ominous. But he said nothing, just simply waited.
"Rhodesia died," Raven mumbled. "Joan is taking it really hard."
"That's too bad," Xander said, sounding legitimately sorry. After a long moment he added "That doesn't sound like Joan... What happened, exactly?"
"She told Rollo to go set bombs in the armory, that she'd get Emeric's fighters in there. Rhode got her leg blown off," Raven summarized.
"So Joan thinks t's her fault Rollo was in there when the bombs went off." Xander sighed. "Okay yeah that does sound like Joan."
Raven nodded. "And she's working on a plan for invading the castle," she confided.
"Good. The faster this war is ended, the better." Xander stated.
Raven sighed. "But Rooney probably knows the plans inside and out," she said.
"Well..." Xander said after a long moment. "I guess if he's gonna act, he's gonna do it now."
Almost as if on cue, Catherine appeared at the door, in the clothes she first came here in. "Hey Raven?"
Rave looked up “Yes?”
“Have you seen Joan?”
“She was in her room last time I saw her. Why?”
"Tanner said he wanted to talk to her so I went to her room and she wasn't there, but the plans she was working on were strewn all over everything. If one of those papers were missing, she'd be the only one who'd realise it, since nobody's seen them yet. What happens if a spy gets a hold of that stuff?"
Xanders eyes widened. He looked worried about it and was actually considering helping them look before he remembered he was lying in a hospital bed with a gunshot wound and would probably set the room spinning if he so much as sat up.
"Have someone keep watch. There's always the chance that hasn't happened yet. Check the meeting room, the armory, and Rhodesia's room, I'll-" Just then something occurred to her. "I'll be with you in a moment, I have something I need to ask Xander."
"But all the papers were everywhere. Either a fight went down in there, or some untidy dipshit was looking for something." She pointed out, sounding like me a little bit. “And I came from the armoury, so she's not in there."
"I don't fucking care what happened in Joan's room, do what I said. And if you already know she isn't somewhere then it seems rather obvious to me that you should look somewhere else," Raven snapped.
"Holy geeze, so-rry. Just pointing it out." Catherine said, and left.
"What is it?" Xander asked.
"How did you know about the shapeshifter Kenny sent?" Raven asked.
Xander looked confused. "Because Emeric knew. He's been getting updates from the Panemian Royal Police. I guess they've got a guy in here somewhere or something. Come to think of it, that guy might've stolen Joans papers," This visibly worried him.
"Hardly anyone even knew about Alaric and Trace," Raven said. "I'll be back. Probably." She ran off looking for Joan.
Joan was nowhere to be found. After an hour of searching, they'd still come up empty. Catherine met up with Raven. "It's not just Joan who's missing. Rooney and John haven't been seen either."
"Damn!" Raven growled. "What about Vlad?"
"Vlad's here, he's in his room. I didn't tell him his brothers missing."
"Did you tell him Joan and Rooney are?" Raven asked, already walking in that direction.
"I told him we'd looked all over the complex for Joan and we couldn't find her. He told me she was probably up in the bunker-top, but I went up there and she wasn't up there."
Raven knocked quickly on Vlad's door before opening it, not caring that it was rude. "Joan, Rooney, and John are all missing," she said.
"What? And you checked everywhere? The bunker-top, the armoury, Rhodesia's room, the meeting room... everywhere?"
"Yes, we've checked everywhere. There's always the possibility we've just missed them, but it's unlikely," Raven said.
Vlad looked really really worried about this. "Those three are high ranked officials here... dammit I knew that fight was too easy! I told Joan she oughta gather up the troops and route out the bunker for anyone who stuck around, but nooo." He came out of the room. "We gotta put together a search party. When's the last time any one of 'ems been seen?"

"I saw Joan in her room not ten minutes ago. I saw Rooney in the meeting room just before that, John was there too but he left before me," Raven replied. "I don't know if anyone has seen them since then."
"Ok, so ten minutes. They can't have gone far. We ought to get a bunch of people, maybe have Tanner pull a party of soldiers together, and check in a kilometer radius around the bunkers, see if they're somewhere underground or if whoever took the three of them just has them in the forest still. If we move fast and get enough people, it shouldn't take too long."
"I'll tell Tanner. You stay here with Catherine," Raven said. She didn't want Vlad going missing as well, even if he was an idiot. She went to tell Tanner.
Tanner was in the armoury. The bodies had been cleared out and they were pouring bleach on the ground to clean up the blood. Dylan was in another corner of the room as well.
Raven checked to make sure they were the only two there. "Joan, Rooney, and John are all missing. We've checked the whole bunker. Will you set up a search party? Make sure it's people who will keep their mouths shut and actually look rather than panic," she said, looking at Tanner. "I've set up a small guard to make sure Vlad doesn't go anywhere. I can help with this."
Tanner looked alarmed, but nodded and got right to action. "Dylan? Grab Ericken, Nolan, and John whatever-his-last-name-was, that mayors kid from Venus. I'll find Karen and Hedia and some people who can get this job done while we head out. Maybe Nolans brother too, so he doesn't keep bitching we never let him do anything. He's observant, he'll be helpful."
Dylan nodded and left the room.
"Alright," Tanner said to Raven. "Vlad knows... who else knows about this already?" He started walking down the hall as he spoke, figuring she'd keep up with him and time was of the essence.
Raven followed, mostly because he was asking her a question. "Xander, Catherine, and us, as far as I'm aware," she answered.
Tanner nodded. "What's Catherine doing? She coming with us?"
"Er, no, she's the one watching Vlad," Raven replied.
"Ok. The only thing I'm going to insist upon is other than Ericken, refrain from talking about gifteds or anything else not commonly known around the people we're going to round up." Tanner said. "As long as you do that I don't really care what you do, I'm not going to freak out like Joan would. Just don't break that one rule."
"I don't plan on talking, Tanner. I plan on looking for two people who are probably in danger and one who is probably not," she replied smoothly.

Tanner looked confused for a second, then shrugged. "Whatever you say." He ran into Karen. "Good, Karen." he said in an undertone.
"What?" Karen said. "You want me to run a shift? Sure I don't care, this place is a drag without power."
"Actually it's a little more complicated than that." Tanner said in an undertone. "Joan, Harrison and John are missing."
Karens eyes widened and she got up quickly. Acting not panicked fairly successfully, she grabbed two random soldier. "Kurt, Corbyn, go downstairs and finish up the armoury."
"I thought Tanner and Dylan were doing that!"
"Well, something came up. Now, go"
The two left, muttering under their breaths.

"I think the two of us should go start searching while Tanner gets the others," Raven said to Karen.
"That's probably a good idea." Karen nodded and turned towards the stairs that would lead out of the building.
Tanner nodded. "Meet you up there." and ran off.
Raven followed Karen. "Which way is the castle from here?" she asked.
"Straight ahead from the door, it'd take you about fifteen, twenty minutes to walk there from this place. Not even, probably. But unless whoever did this is extraordinarily stupid, they won't take them to the mansion. No way. The forest only extends like, forty more feet out, and after that it's plain open grassy fields and hills until you get there. Alright, maybe they could hide behind a hill, but that'd be a lot of time and effort out of their way and the hills aren't even close to sort of tall. They'd be in plain sight. It's a good idea to check in case they really are that stupid, but I doubt it."
Raven nodded. "Where do you think they would probably take them, then?" she asked.
"They could be hiding in this forest somewhere, heading back to Emeric's armies last known position to rendezvous with them and then have some well-armed soldiers bring the three back to the palace as prisoners... But that'd be like an hour away, so if we work fast now we can still catch them before they get that far." Karen nodded. "Other than that... I've really got no idea."
"And where was the last known position?" Raven asked. "If they're just waiting out, then it isn't as urgent. If they're going somewhere, we need to worry."
"It'd take like an hour to walk there as the crow flies, about twice that if you take the road. It’s southwest from here, just outside a major port town."
"Do you want to take the road, or shall I?" Raven asked.
"Roads the same problem. Very out-in the open, plus you'd have to go through town. Good luck spinning that into something innocent." she snorted.
"Well, where do you suggest I check, then?" Raven demanded.
"I don't freaking know! They're in this forest somewhere unless they're complete idiots. That's why we need a large number of us; so we can split up and cover the forest area in a minimal amount of time." Karen snapped.
"Then I'll start doing that, you need to check the direct route to the possible rendezvous."
"NO, Really?" She said sarcastically, and started walking through the forest in a southwestern direction.
Raven resisted the urge to punch her and began searching the woods.
The area seemed utterly deserted. In a few minutes, Tanner came up with a group of five boys and one girl, excluding himself. All were in their late teens to early twenties, except for one boy, who was about ten. They quickly joined in to help look. But nobody found anything.

"There's got to be some clue." Dylan said after twenty minutes, exasperated.
"Well, there was nobody on the road when I checked!" The little boy said, whose name was Charles.
"Where else could they have gone?" Raven asked, frustrated. Then she turned to Karen, "You're sure you looked far enough?"
"I ran for fifteen straight minutes until I could see the damn road." Karen snapped. "Yes, I went far enough."
"Well, they can't have just vanished into thin air," Nolan said, frustrated
"Did we ever end up checking the path to the castle?" Raven asked.
"I did that!" Charles said.
"We've got to be missing something." Karen said impatiently.
"Maybe we should ask Erica?" Charles suggested.
Karen snorted. "Erica's not gonna know."
"Why not? She knows everything else!"
"Erica does not know everything kid," Dylan chuckled.
"Whatever, nobody has any better ideas, so why not?" Raven asked.
Hedia, the only other girl up here besides Karen, went downstairs and brought up a girl who pretty much exemplified the nerd stereotype. Large glasses, with her hair in a ponytail and her teeth in yellow braces, she clutched a dark blue notebook in one hand and spoke in a nasally voice. She was wearing dark green pants that flared out at the bottom and a white shirt, overtop of which was one of those ugly hiking vests that look good on no one but have about a billion pockets.
"You wanted me for something?" She asked.
"We need to know all the possible hiding places around here and routes that lead away," Raven said. "Quickly."
Erica nodded and tossed her notebook aside, and started opening pockets. Notebooks. Notebooks upon notebooks upon notebooks, every freaking pocket had a notebook. Apparently she colour coded them or something, because she would take a look at the cover of each notebook she pulled out, and toss it aside. After she'd tossed about two dozen notebooks aside, she pulled out one with a light pink cover and her eyes lit up. "Oh! Here it is!" she started flipping through it, looking for something. After a minute, she found it. "Okay. So Dennis Tilsley once told me-"
"Bullcrap. You've had a conversation with Dennis Tilsley?"
"Yeah, I won a contest about a year ago to go out to lunch with the guy."
"Yeah. Right. Dennis charges like-"
"Karen, shut up and let her talk." Hedia snapped.
"Thank you." Erica said. "Anyway, Dennis Tilsley once told me there used to be an escape tunnel from the bunker back in the days of the first rebellion. The entrance was in the armoury, but one day the Emperors troops were coming down hard and trying to blast their way into the bunker. It held, but the escape tunnel had a massive cave in right at the entrance, and they never used it again. Supposedly, the exit was a trapdoor that blends into the forest floor. Unless absolutely the entire thing caved in, which is really unlikely, that would work for a good hiding spot for anyone who could find it. But only veterans from that war even know it exists."
Dylan looked very uncomfortable and shot a glance at Raven.

Raven glanced at Dylan and raised an eyebrow. "So, does anyone know where we can find a really old war veteran?"
Karen laughed. "War vets from then really aren't that old... anyone over thirty was old enough to fight at that time... Gifted was one."
"So was Rooney." Dylan said quietly. He was clearly starting to believe Raven that Rooney was a spy, and probably behind this. He would've known this was one place he'd never be found.
However, nobody else seemed to catch onto that hint. "Yeah, so was Rooney, and he's only like, forty." Hedia commented.
"I'm pretty sure he's thirty seven."
"Really? He looks more like fifty to me."
"Nobody care how old Rooney was!" Tanner said impatiently. "We`ve only got about a dozen people who are over thirty in the rebellion and we don't even know if any are vets."
"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" Hedia said.
"Well that will make it easier to ask all of them. Split up and meet back here in five minutes. Just ask if they're veterans, we can explain to them once we've found one," Raven said.
They all nodded and went downstairs.
Half an hour later, everyone came back up with no one save for Dylan. He came up with a woman who'd clearly just come from a shift, still carrying a gun, wearing a bulletproof vest, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was scrutinizing everyone with her narrowed green eyes. She looked to be thirty-three, thirty-four. "Well? What is it?"
"Do you know where the hidden entrance to the bunker's escape route is?" Raven said, without wasting any time.
"You mean the one that caved in and killed my younger brother?" She said coldly.
"I'm sorry to hear about your brother, but yes, I mean that one. It's very important," Raven said.
Why?" She asked.
"Shauna, please." Hedia said patiently.
"I think it's a legitimate question. I think this country as a whole has had enough of people in power lying to them for their own good. Sure. Don't think people don't know you're hiding something big."

"We're hiding something big because if everyone finds out and everyone starts panicking, we'll never get this solved. If you must know, we believe that is where Joan, John, and Rooney have been taken. They've been missing for over half an hour now and we've looked everywhere else. Furthermore, how is you telling us where the damn tunnel is going to hurt anyone? It will take hardly any of your time and then you can go back to doing whatever the hell you want. If not, then you can count yourself personally responsible for losing this war to Emeric, because for whatever reason, I don't think they'll escape if they haven't already." Raven glared.
Shauna looked at Raven for several seconds, looking like she was seriously considering punching her out. But after a moment, she just said. "Suit yourself," Turned and started walking through the forest. Erica followed immediately, fascinated.
"Thank you," Raven said, following.
Exactly six minutes later, she stopped next to a tree that was covered in moss that extended down onto the floor, mixing with the grass, dead leaves and twigs. She pulled a knife and cut some of the moss off the tree. there was a mark in the shape of a four that was cut into the bark a long time ago. It still showed plainly once the moss was cut away. She nodded to herself, crouched down, and felt in the forest debris for a handle. When she found one she pulled up the door, big enough for three people to fit through easily, with a loud creaking of rusty hinges.
The door opened to a pit that extended straight down into the earth. A rope that was definitely not as old as the place was tied to the bottom of the door (so it won't pull it closed), but was still plenty long enough to use to get up and down the tunnel.
"Okay, who's coming with me?" Raven asked, grabbing the rope.
Shauna turned and left.
"I'm going" Dylan said instantly.
"Me, too." Karen added.
"Same." Ericken said.
"I wanna come!" Charles said
"Oh no you don't. We're bringing you back to base." Nolan said, having to literally drag his brother away. "I'd come, but I gotta deal with this brat."
"I'll come," Erica smiled.
"Alright, make sure not to step on my head, please," Raven half joked, and started down the rope. Thankfully going down ropes was much easier than going up the one in gym in elementary and she made it in no time.
At the bottom the tunnel extended for a long time back the way they came. Finally, they started to hear voices.
"No! No way, I can't. I agreed we'd take her here and kill her, not that we were going to hand her over to be mind controlled by Emeric!"
"Funny, I'd say to her it's the same thing." That was definitely Rooney, his ever-annoyingly-pleasant voice. Pretty much everyone but Dylan was shocked.
"I'm serious, I'm not doing this. I will go back to back and tell Vlad what you've done."
"Have you ever studied the behavioral psychology of criminal partnerships?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I think you're a little too far down the rabbit hole to be deserting me at this stage in the game, my friend. Who would believe you, whether I'm caught or not?"
Hesitation. A pause. Then, "I don't care. Either we call it off and just kill her like you told me we were going to or I'm leaving right this instant!"
"Yes, you see it to a lesser extent in all partnerships. Marriages, friends. But it really comes out in its purest form when you add in the criminal element. You see most partnerships are actually merely the attraction of the "dominant" and "submissive" partner. Though in word they may be on equal footing with each other, in truth the submissive will mostly just carry out the orders and let the dominant one lead. However, the submissive always seems to come down just as hard as the dominant when they are captured.
You've always been the submissive one in your partnerships, John. First it was with your brother, who you let boss you around despite being fairly intelligent and knowing how his ideas were going to end. Then of course, it was with Joan, and then it was with me." He didn't sound angry, but he didn't have to. John was silent.
"It's fascinating really. When people get into a fight they feed their anger off of one another. If one remains calm the others anger will inevitably lose momentum and dull into resigned silence."
"Stop doing that." John muttered.
"Doing what?"
"Using your psychology mumbo-jumbo on me and then explaining it to rub it in my face."
"My apologies. I thought you enjoyed when I shared psychology facts with you."
"I used to. But not anymore" John said quietly, then raised his voice. "How long before they arrive?"
"Twenty minutes."

Raven leaned over to Dylan and whispered, "Let's try to get them. They'll notice if more than a few people come towards them. You get whoever's closer." She began sneaking closer, careful to step carefully.
"But wait," Dylan whispers back. "Shouldn't we at least see-" that's about when they got to the end of the hall and saw into the "room"
It would be just barely wide enough to fit them all inside, and a perfect circle. Joan was to Raven's left, her shirt and sweatshirt pulled off and carelessly discarded on the other side of the room - probably, knowing Rooney, to degrade her. Her hands were taped behind her back, her mouth was taped over and her legs were taped together so she couldn't run anywhere. She had multiple cuts on her face and bruises were starting to form. Nevertheless, she glared defiantly at Rooney and John. John was walking away from Rooney and over to Joan. He took out a roll of duct tape and kneeled next to Joan, re-taping her hands so she couldn't use them but being ever so careful not to end up behind her so she could throw him into the wall or something. He had a gun in a holster at his hip. So did Rooney.
"Our only chance is to surprise them, then outnumber them," Raven whispered. "I'll take Rooney when we get the chance. The only problem is getting Rooney to give us a chance..."
"well it doesn't sound like we have too long..." Karen said worriedly.
"I've never seen Rooney use a gun, but John is definitely gonna shot if we just run in" Dylan said.
"He works for the PRP and he's a war vet. Trust me, Rooney'll shoot too." Erica whispered.
"If only Rooney would turn around, I don't think it would be too much of a problem... But once John is finished with Joan... Dammit," Raven hissed.
Suddenly Joan moved sideways, literally head-butting John just to anger him. He cried out and stumbled backward, clutching his nose which was bleeding.
Rooney kind of rolled his eyes and smirked. "Feisty, are we?" he said to Joan. She glared back at him with unconcealed hatred.
But Rooney knew just how to defuse her, too. "Only fifteen more minutes. Please, enjoy it."
Joan looked very worried about it. Scared. She'd never seen nor heard of this place before, and she didn't believe anyone would be able to come help her. They'd never find the opening.
Without thinking it through all the way, Raven quickly and quietly dashed forward and slipped the gun from John's belt. This could be their only chance.
Rooney noticed. He pulled his gun and aimed it at Joan. "I don't think you really want to be doing that," he said calmly, that annoying freaking smile STILL on his face. John jumped, turned so he was facing you and backed up, worry evident on his face.
"Oh please, if you shoot her, you're dead. Her plans are already scrapped; I can find someone else. The hardest part would be getting people to move on quickly and efficiently." She smirked. "You're either dead or you're a prisoner Rooney. Which will it be?"
"Ah but you see that's where I believe you're wrong, Miss Raven. Oh, by the way, you can tell your friends they can come out now, as I know they're here. You wouldn't be foolish enough to try a primitive tactic like this alone. Or with just Dylan."
"Actually, I would. You're right that there are others, but that's mostly because they were out looking for all of you with me. The 'primitive tactic' wasn't exactly a highly planned move. I saw an opening and I took it. Now choose before I choose for you," Raven threatened. If the others came out, that was up to them.
Rooneys smile got wider, he even chuckled a little bit. "You know, you were really worrying me there for a bit, Raven. Everyone seemed inclined to consider my framing of you an honest mistake. But you stuck to your guns, convinced I'd done it on purpose. You were right of course. But you never really followed through with it. I was worried, the Gifted I used to now would've stopped at nothing before she found the solid proof against me, and I'd always heard you were so much alike. She would've broken into my room if necessary. But you just let your baseless accusations stay as baseless accusations. Who knows? This might not have happened had you bothered to try to snoop through my room for evidence."
Raven shrugged. "I've never been a lucky person. If I'd done that you'd probably have found me before I found anything else. Doesn't matter now anyway." She smiled as well. "Don't think you'll keep me talking long enough for your backup to get here. In five minutes, if we haven't come to a decision, I'll shoot you."
"Of course. But I am curious. Where did you find out about this place? I highly doubt you just stumbled across it"

"We asked another veteran," Raven replied with a smirk. "Since we noticed you were gone within ten minutes, you couldn't have gone far. When we didn't find you we knew you had to be hiding somewhere we hadn't thought to look. For being a supposed mastermind, you didn't think much of this through very well. You didn't even try to excuse your absence, and you're basically the three most important people in the rebellion. Obviously, you knew someone would find out you were missing, but did you really think it would be so impossible to find someone who knew where this place was?" She giggled and aimed the gun at his chest rather than his head. Her arms were getting tired of being held up like that.
"Well, I happen to know for a fact there was only one other veteran of that war in the entire rebellion and she's a colossal bitch... I thought I'd take my chances." He smirked.
"Shauna is not a colossal bitch" John muttered.
"She was a colossal bitch," Raven said. "But I'm a bigger bitch. Now fucking choose traitor."

"Sheesh... impatient, aren't we?" Rooney said, jokingly. "I could be just trying to-" He cut himself off abruptly by changing his target and shooting at Raven.
Raven fired her own gun, which meant she wasn't able to dodge. Silently she prayed that her own bullet would hold true and his would not.
The bullet went over Rooney’s head. Rooney’s aim was better. He missed Raven, instead shooting and killing Tanner. John gasped and was probably wondering what he'd done to get himself into such a mess as he backed up further away from Raven.
Raven ignored the commotion behind her and aimed lower this time, shooting again.
Erica, who'd been conversing with Tanner when he was shot, looked conflicted for a second. Then she decided when Rooney fired another shot that missed Dylan by inches that she didn't want anyone else to die. This would mean blowing both covers at once, but that was ok. She pushed to the front until she was directly behind Raven. She took out her ponytail, dropped her lasses and pulled out two things from her pocket; a gun and a Panemian Royal Police badge. She pressed the gun to Ravens head. "Now I think that's quite enough of that" She said, her voice lacking the nasal tones she'd had earlier. She showed the badge to Rooney. "Agent Mcroon. I'm agent Rebecca Kotton from the counterterrorism unit."

Rooney laughed. "Rebecca! They told me you were around somewhere, but I must admit Erica Whildes was not my first guess."
"Yeah well that just means I'm good at my job."
John was in shock. "Erica...?"
"Oh please John. You think Harrison was the only spy Emeric put in your ranks? Not by a long shot. Now, we're just going to wait quietly until the cops come, okie? Otherwise Mistress Raven here is gonna feel hot lead in her skull. Now, Raven, lower your weapon."
Raven lowered her weapon, but only to get a better aim. She fired again.
Rooney cried out in pain as he was shot in the stomach, but did not fire back, trusting "Rebecca" to finish Raven right there.

Erica was furious. She had been TRYING to get everyone to calm down so they could bring Rooney in for a trial, but now her cover would be blown if she didn't shoot. But if she did shoot, it would be defection. Everything would've been fine if Raven wasn't so goddamn suicidal!

In her hesitation, the others moved. Karen kicked her hard, forcing her legs to give out, and pushed her head so hard into the ground Erica could feel a bruise begin to form. Karen pried her gun from her fingers.

The boys went for Rooney and John, overpowering them both. John did not get any pity, bleeding from the nose and mouth by the end, with his arm twisted so far back he was whimpering in pain. Rooney was being held by the wrists and hair, the smile finally one from his face.
Raven went over and quickly freed Joan of all the tape. "Are you injured?"
"Just from the fight." Joan said, standing up unsteadily. She looked nervous and insecure. She went over and retrieved her shirt.
"Let's get going. Don't push John and whatever the hell her name really is around too much, just don't let them near the guns," Raven instructed. She glanced at Joan again once she had her shirt on to make sure she was alright.

"Oh, Erica." She turned to Karen. "Yeah, let her go."
"WHAT?" Karen said. She started to protest, but Joan cut her off.
"She's a spy we sent into Emerics ranks when the war first started. As soon as she cleared the background checks they sent her right back over here. Her real name is Erica Hutchinson."
"Hutchinson?" Karen was confused. "Tanners little sister? I thought she died?"
"Well duh, we had to make it look like that otherwise the police could trace her back to us."
"Who's this we?" Karen demanded. "I sure as heck didn't know about this."
"We were me, Tanner and Vlad. We didn't have the council back then."
"Well, then why did Tanner get to know?"
"Because Erica's parents weren't around and as she's a teenager we figured we oughta ask an older relative for permission for her to go on what at the time was probably a suicide mission!" Joan snapped. "I can have Vlad verify this when we get back if you want."
"You're gonna have to. Because I'm not gonna let go of the girl who almost shot Raven."
"And her plan would've worked if Raven wasn't so damn suicidal. Sorry Erica, I tried." Joan said.
"Thought you were gonna throw me under the bus there for a second," Was all she said. She didn't resist Karens grip.

"Let her go," Raven said. "She didn't almost shoot me, she held a gun to my head. There's a very distinct difference. And even if she did almost shoot me, I wouldn't blame her." She glanced at Tanner, wondering if he'd be okay, and hoping Rooney wouldn't. She started back down the tunnel, holding the gun in one hand.
Karen glowered, but since Raven was the one Erica had pulled a gun on she couldn't exactly object. She let Erica up. Erica retrieved her badge and gun and tucked them away in a pocket. Then she pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Hey Dylan, you want these for Harrison?" She tossed them to him. Dylan caught them and handcuffed Rooney.
"Alright, let's go." Ericken sighed. He had stayed behind in case any of them tried to hurt Joan or Raven when attacked, and now picked up Tanners body. "We still have to get up that infernal rope."
"We may as well leave Rooney here. They'll find him eventually, and he's just one more thing to haul up the rope," Raven said, looking at the spy with hate in her eyes.
"There are soldiers coming, remember?" Erica said. "All we'd be doing is handing over a lot of information to the enemy."
"We could always shoot him again," Raven said, only half kidding.
"We have to take him back for a trial. Trials are mostly a public spectacle anyway. And when he's found guilty, a public execution. It's a victory show. For the public, horse race coverage." Ericken nodded.
"Where’d you learn that term?" Joan asked curiously.
"I was taking a course in journalism at school." Ericken admitted.
"We could just say there was a big fight and it was self defense," Raven suggested. "No one will miss him."
"Yeah, but the trial is a show. A victory thing. Kind of a propaganda tool. Plus, I'd rather see him humiliated in front of the witness stand and then executed, just so everyone knows exactly who this scumbag is." Ericken replied.
"I can get them out of the hole, but shouldn't we hurry? There are troops coming." Joan said worriedly.
"Right," Raven muttered and glanced at the rope. "There's no way I'll climb this holding a gun." She held the gun out for Joan to take.
Joan took it delicately.
"Let's go before the cops get here." Hedia said, turning to leave.
Erica followed.
Raven followed them up out of the passage.
Hedia climbed up first, for which Joan was grateful. Then Erica followed. Ericken was carrying Tanners body, and the others had either John or Rooney hostage. None of them could get up the rope without help.
"Raven, head up, I'm just going to lift the others." Joan said.
Raven nodded. "Just lift Tanner, John, and Rooney up, we can handle them from there. Then the guys can climb up," she said, then shimmied up the rope.
"John's got nothing binding him and Harrison can run. I'm just gonna lift them two at a time. " She lifted Dylan and Rooney into the air and up to the surface, dropping them on the grass.
Raven sighed. "Okay..." She waited for the rest of the party to join them, impatient to get moving.
Joan lifted the others out, then climbed up herself.
"Let's hurry," Raven said, and led the way towards the bunker.
Joan followed without a word
Everyone was shocked when they walked in with Tanner dead Rooney in handcuffs and John also held in the manner of a prisoner. They crowded around, asking questions.
"Hey, back to your posts, back to your posts!" Dylan shouted, but as it wasn't Joan doing it (Dylans not actually that high-ranked) they ignored him. "We'll tell you another time. Back off!"
"Can you and Joan go tell Vlad what happened?" Dylan asked Raven.
Raven nodded, then shouted at the whole of the room. "Back to your posts, or I swear to God I'll have your asses." She didn't really care if she was officially ranked high enough to do that; the few people who had been either weren't anymore or they weren't going to. She then went off to find Vlad.
Joan followed her because she was supposed to.
"Finally! Trapping me here with the most insufferable person in the whole bunker... Joan! You're okay!"
"They found Joan?" Vlad came out almost at a run. "What about the others? Where's my brother? And Rooney? Did you catch the bloody traitors who did this? If I get my hands on them, I swear..." he trailed off, and made a punching motion with his hand to illustrate his point.
"Yes we caught the traitors. But I don't think you'll punch both of them," Raven said. "Catherine, you're welcome to stay or go while we relate the story."
"I'll stay." Catherine said. "I am so sick of being in the dark on everything."
"Alright. Vlad, as you have probably realized, we found Joan, Rooney, and John. Rooney was the mastermind behind them disappearing in the first place. He was going to turn Joan over to Emeric, to be turned into another string," Raven said.
"What?" He was shocked. He looked to Joan for confirmation. She nodded.
"He said there'd be people there within twenty minutes. That was ten minutes ago, meaning they should be passing us right around now."
He waited for Joans inevitable next instruction; to lock down the area and ambush the troops when they arrived. But it never came. So he said "You didn't kill he sonofabitch, did you? Because I would just LOVE to see him at trial."
"He took a bullet to the stomach, but he'll live if we send a medical team to his cell."
"And john? What did Harrison do to him? Is he okay? Is my brother okay?" He assumed Rooney had had the same or worse plans for his brother.
"He's just got a guilty conscience," Raven replied. "You could say he was Rooney's understudy."
"...What? John was... helping... Harrison?" Vlad said. He couldn't believe it. No way...
"Johns injuries will heal on their own." Joan said quietly, not making eye contact. Actually, she hadn't made eye contact with Vlad, Catherine or Raven since they'd gotten here. "He just has a nosebleed, and someone punched him in the mouth."
"Where is he?" Vlad demanded.
"Don't go too hard on him Vlad..." Joan said.
"Why not?"
"....They say it's bad to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. What about doing the wrong thing for the right reasons? What then?" She shook her head and left the room.
"I believe John should receive a full pardon, if he's even put on trial. Rooney should carry the full weight of the operation. And of spreading that picture of you hitting me around. I told you so," Raven said, with a slight smirk. She left without another word. She wasn't going to stick around and convince Vlad to leave his brother alone, she was more concerned about what Joan had said.
"Hey now!" Vlad said angrily, but raven was gone before he could say anything more.

Joan had gone back to her room, not to cry this time but to sit and think. She hadn't yet got her wounds treated, and she didn't bother to pick up the papers that littered her floor. She'd meant what she'd said. John... what were they supposed to do with him?
Twenty minutes or so later, Raven knocked lightly on the door. In the twenty minutes, Joan hadn't moved. She was sitting on her bed, thinking, when she heard the knock. She rose to her feet and answered the door. "Yes?"
"How are you doing?" Raven asked
After a bit of a pause, she lied to Raven for the first time since she'd arrived here. "About as well as can be expected." She forced a smile.
Raven looked at Joan with a Look. "I take it you don't want to talk about it, then."
"I'm not sure what there is to talk about."


"Miss me?" Alaric asked, yawning and laying back on Trace's bed.
Trace jumped. She hadn't even seen him. The relentless compulsion she'd been plagued with since he left vanished.
"You son of a bitch." she snapped. "So what? Did you come to bust me out?"
"Only if you're nice," Alaric replied teasingly. "And I'm hurt you would think so little of me. I even brought you lunch." He tossed an apple in her direction.
Trace caught it. "Well you're the asshole who left me here in this condition. I have a right to be mad."
"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't mean to leave you here for so long. The person I was looking for was being... stubborn," Alaric said and smirked.

"What you meant just before you left," Raven said.
"You don't know? I thought Harrison would've told you. He said he tried."
"I never listened to a word he said, not once," Raven replied.
"Oh. Well That makes sense." Joan sighed.
"I was down there maybe half an hour... that I was conscious, anyway. During that time, they both explained themselves. Harrison was full of crap, but something John said... well, it bugs me."
Raven nodded slightly. "I'm here if you want to share."
"..." Joan sighed. Raven deserved to know. "He said I was becoming callous with human life. He said if someone didn't stop me, I would become like... like I used to be. He said if it was my nature to treat people like statistics, then he didn't want someone like me leading the rebellion." She shook her head.
"While there may be truth to that, you also can't be too aware that you're killing human beings. To a point, the end does justify the means. You just have to know where the line rests," Raven said. "It's like a game. Every one of them killed, besides Emeric, you lose a point. Every one of us who dies, you lose three. If you reach zero, you're out."

"That's exactly my point!" Joan replied. "A move like what happened when Emeric tried to raid was completely unnecessary! And before that, the last official battle, I took a huge gamble to take maximum enemy casualties. It paid off, and we got home almost unscathed, but if Vlad hadn't made it to that point in time, we could've been severely decimated! But because it worked, we got out almost unscathed. That's not a risk I would've taken when I first showed up here! I should be minimizing the loss of human life, not trying to get a good ratio!" The way she said ratio implied she had some serious negative connotations associated with the word. She shook her head. "John noticed before i did... and what the hell was he supposed to do? If he'd tried to talk to me we both know I would've been insulted. What he did was horrendous, but I put him in a position where Harrison could take advantage of him. I just can't believe he's going to be convicted for something that was - partly - my fault."

"Who exactly will be the one giving the sentences?" Raven asked.
"Rick would want the best on it. Publicity thing. But the fact is, with just the facts the public's allowed to see, John looks way worse than Harrison does right now."
"Then it shouldn't be done for the public. It should be done fairly, to hell with what everyone else thinks," Raven said.
“And what are we supposed to tell the people who saw us bring him in like a prisoner, Raven?" Joan said tiredly.
"Well, the truth would be a nice touch," Raven snapped.
"And have them panic and attempt to assassinate me thinking the same thing John was?" Joan snapped back. "You know why Gifted lied so much? Because people don't actually want the truth. They want the truth to conform to their ideals. When it doesn't, they freak out. the media is there to create a panic over every. Tiny. Little. Thing. Politics is a dangerous game in panem. After so many wars and one big plague, the tiniest thing will result in a full-blown panic. Victory is so close you can literally taste in. Do you really want to sacrifice the people’s freedom just to create a schism in our ranks over the 'truth'?"


Adam had spent an increasing amount of time alone working on various projects, most of which were attempts to find Kenny. The only announcement he'd made since becoming King was the closing ports. People, especially merchants and others with seafaring businesses, were becoming restless.

"That sounds like a problem that should have been addressed long before now, but I won't stand for Rooney getting it light just because the damn public can't know everything. If it takes manipulating the cards even more, then fine! But I swear if someone else doesn't blow that man's brains out, I will."

"I'm not saying Rooney's gonna get it light, I'm saying John's going to get it heavy!" Joan practically shouted.
Raven shrugged. "That sounds like a problem you'll have to work out. I like him, but if you aren't willing to do anything about it, then nothing will change," she replied.
"Yeah, but what am I supposed to do?" She sighed. "You know what? Nevermind. I don't even know why I’m talking to you about this. I'll figure it out." She sighed.
"You could do a lot of things, Joan. That doesn't mean any of them will be perfect," Raven said, then left.
Joan sighed. She knew that. And in her heart, she knew what she really should do. But she'd been trying to find a way around it, trying to find a way John wouldn't end up like her. But ending up as hated as she was was still better than execution, or being put to jail for the rest of your life. The only real question was if she'd have enough political clout after the war to pull off what Gifted had done for her.

Meanwhile, John and Rooney had been locked in separate cells. Vlad, Dylan and Karen were preparing to interrogate them.
"I want to help," Raven said, popping into the small group without warning. "Or at least watch."
"Be our guest, we need as many people as we can anyway." Karen said before Vlad could object. "Do you want to interview John or Scumbag first?"
"John," Raven said. "Or I'll be in a bad mood from interviewing Rooney."
"Works for me," Karen said. "Johns down this way." She went down the hall, and unlocked the door and then the bars.
John was sitting on the bed, looking very very nervous. He was fidgety, twiddling his thumbs and adjusting his shirt collar, trying to stop his hands from shaking. When Karen opened the bars to let them all in, his eyes flicked over for half a second before looking away before making eye contact with anyone, very deliberately avoiding looking at you. "Karen. Raven. Dylan. Vlad." He said, in greeting.
Raven already felt bad for him. They should have gone at it in teams of two rather than all at once. "Hey, John." It was a small attempt to let him know she was on his side
John nodded at the recognition. They filed in quietly, though Dylan nodded to him. John didn't notice. "I don't know why you're here." He said suddenly.
"John-" Karen started, but John cut her off.
"Dylan knows why I did it. Tanner knew why I did it. Joan knows why I did it. I don't know what more there is to discuss." He bit his lip, looking very guilty. He spoke very fast.

[Gifted]

"Just to be clear, when did you start helping Rooney?" Raven asked.
"With this? Maybe about three hours ago... I mean, we'd been talking about it for weeks, but it wasnn't like we had a plan... Dylan and Tanner were at some of those discussions, you can back me up on that, Dylan... right?" He rushed on before Dylan would give him an answer. "We were having a discussion when Joan and Raven showed up in the room... to tell us Rollo was dead... Raven stayed when Joan left and... and we knew Raven would tell Joan so, so-so we dropped the subject. Dylan and Tanner got up and left. I let slip more than I was su-supposed to so I thought it'd be a good idea to get out of there... then a few minutes later, he tracked me down again." John described the scene in detail.

He walked down the hall, worrying about what to do about Joan. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't in good conscience allow Joan and Rick to work together again with Joan in such a state... it might make her worse to be with her old partner in crime. But even if they never saved Rick, she'd be put in some sort of situation with political power once the war was over. At the very least she would be a war hero, a celebrity. At most... well she could run the PRP if she wanted too. And having Joan in power was not a good idea. Just look what had happened three years ago! But nevertheless...
"Hey, john," Rooney called down the hall, and he turned to look. His face relaxed into a smile. John and Rooney were the closest of any two people here.
"Rooney," He said, falling into step beside his friend.
"How long do you think we have?" He asked, continuing the earlier conversation.
John looked worried. "You mean until she passes the point of no return? I don't know. I thought we had longer than we do, though. That explosion thing... that really shook me up. That had General Joan written all over it."
"I quite agree." Rooney nodded. "But what are we going to do about it?"
"I don't know... she can't lead this army anymore. But she'll protest if we try to remove her. The only way we could get her down is if we take her out of the picture." John bit his lip, waiting for Rooney to call him crazy. Truth was, he was waiting to see if it was really the right thing to do or not, because he couldn’t figure it out himself. But Rooney was always a stickler for morals. If it wasn't right, Rooney would tell him so.
"I quite agree."
John was shocked. "Then you don't think... you don't think it's wrong? Morally reprehensible? Evil?"
"Well, it comes down to the very complicated moral question of sacrificing one life to save the lives of many. Whether or not it's a reprehensible act is unique to every human being. But I gather you're not opposed to it. No?"
John nodded. "So... we'll do it?"
"I know a place to hide her. Shouldn't be too difficult." Rooney smiled. They were at his room. "Here, come inside and we'll discuss in private."
John went in eagerly. "How will we get around her power?" He asked once Rooney closed the door.
"Oh that's simple, we stay on two different sides of her at all times. John, come here, I want to show you something."
John approached Rooney. Rooney was standing at the desk.
"You know John... going through with this would constitute a betrayal to the rebellion as a whole. You realise that right?"
John was surprised with his bluntness, but nodded. "It's for their own good. Ericken can lead Z9, he knows it as well as she does. At this point-"
"John. Just give me a yes or no answer."
"Yes."
"Then I want to show you this." He slid the drawer to the desk smoothly open, revealing the walkie-talkie stashed inside. Standard issue. John realised what this meant at once.
"You're... a spy?" He said, taking a step back in shock.
"I didn't used to be. But, well... it didn't exactly look good for us out there, and when I was offered my job back I just couldn't refuse." He smiled. "So, you still up for this?"
John swallowed back the lump in his throat. He couldn't back out now.
"Yes."
"Did Rooney tell you about anything else he did as a spy here?" Raven asked. Clearly, she wasn't all that interested in getting John to say anything about himself.
John shook his head. "No, just showed me the walkie talkie in his drawer. I was shocked. I thought... I dunno, I thought maybe after we killed Joan I'd set it up so Vlad found the thing in his room or something... Nobody could call him an idiot if he discovered the most powerful spy in the rebellion, right?"
"The one real spy in the rebellion, if everything I've assumed about it is true. Things don't seem to look up for you, John. The public can only know so much, and it makes you look bad," Raven said. If she was going to have to keep secrets from most people, she wasn't going to keep that one. If everything worked out well, then he might be pleasantly surprised.
"I know." John said. "But what else was there to do? What was I supposed to do?" he rubbed his face with his hands. His voice was pained.
"You could have come to someone, especially once you found out he was a spy," Raven said. "Even if he hadn't been, what did you hope to accomplish by killing her? Yes, Ericken might be able to lead the next attack, but the question is if there would have been a next attack. We would have spent too much time and effort looking for her to bring any good of it."

"I couldn't snitch on Rooney, who would believe me?" John snapped. "Okay, fine, you would, but you've never had any proof! The others would never believe it. Besides, he could just say I was planning to kill Joan and he told me he'd snitch on me... he could get you to believe it." He shook his head. "Once I knew, I didn’t have a choice but to go through with it." his hands were twitching again.
"I never had any evidence because I wanted to be sure myself before I went snooping through his things," Raven replied. "Hating a person and knowing they're a spy, as opposed to just evil, is very different." She sighed. "I'm sorry for that. I'd do anything I could to help you, John."
"No..." John shook his head miserably. "He was right about one thing... I'm in too far to go back now." He pulled his knees up to his chest and hid his face. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.
Raven sighed. "I don't blame you, John, and Joan doesn't either." She stood, not wanting to talk to him anymore.
This, more than anything else, is what clamed John. He looked up, as if not daring to believe it. "You don't?"
Not everyone seemed to agree with your sentiment. Vlad was eyeing his brother with disapproval and Karen looked stressed. But Dylan was nodding coolly at what you'd said.
"I don't, and I don't think you would be found guilty if it were a fair trial with all the information presented," Raven said. She didn't add how much she wanted Rooney to get executed.
John actually managed a small smile. "Thank you for the sentiment."
Raven sighed. "Anybody got anything to add?" She looked at the other four. "Or can we go bug the real criminal now?"
"I don't see why not." Dylan said. He went to the doors and opened it. Karen followed him out. Vlad stood there, looking like he wanted to say something nasty.
"Vlad? You coming?" Dylan asked.
Vlad nodded. He turned his back on his brother, and joined Dylan in the hall.
"Good luck," Raven said, before following them. As soon as she left the room, her eyes narrowed at the prospect of getting to be the interrogator for this encounter of Rooney. A small smirk turned up the sides of her lips and made her eyes glint.
Karen smirked at Ravens smirk. "You know you're the only one looking forward to this, right?" She shook her head in disbelief. Then she locked Johns cell and went down to Rooneys.

Rooney was sitting on the bed calmly, his hands up in front of him, looking like someone politely waiting for a meeting. He didn't look nervous at all.
Raven wasn't at all phased. No matter how good an actor he was, he was going to get shot. "Hey, Rooney. Have a good afternoon?" Sarcasm was evident in her tone.

"Well, isn't someone vindictive this morning?" He said, that stupid smile still on his face. "I'm the one in the cage, why are you angry?”

"Actually I'm quite happy; the thing I'm normally pissed about is in a cage," Raven replied.
"That's funny, I didn't know you disliked John that much."
"You're hilarious," Raven commented dully. "How long have you been a spy?"
"Oh, let's see... I got the offer about two weeks after Joan got here... how long ago was that? Two months ago? Three?" He shrugged.
"Name all the large operations you've been part of since," Raven commanded.
"...Why?" Roonesy shook his head. "How could that possibly help me? Or you, for that matter?" Then, ever confident Rooney did something very out of character. The smile dropped off his face, replaced by a distressed look, and he looked away. "He has a plan, and soon, it won't matter how brilliant Joan is. She's going to drag you all. Down. With her." He shook his head, a hollow look in his eyes. Then, just as abruptly, he grinned, straightened out, and resumed his normal self. "But of course, I suppose that's your problem, isn't it? Now, are you finished with your questions?"
"No, we're not done here, what the hell do you mean by that?" Raven demanded.
Rooney shrugged. "Oh, a little of this, a little of that." he said nonchalantly, apparently not going to divulge.
Raven punched him in the face. "Tell me!"
He landed on the bed, unfortunately, but raven might've broken is nose, or at least, she'd made it bleed. Rooney didn't seem concerned though. "You really ought to control your temper Raven. After all, the last thing you people need is for another fiasco like the last time someone here hit a prisoner..." he grinned conspiratorially at Vlad.
"You so of a-!" Vlad probably would've punched Rooney too had Karen not held him back.
"No! He's got to be alive for the trial. At the trial, we'll make him pay." Karen snapped trying to get Vlad to see reason. "Until then you need to calm. Down."

"You probably haven't noticed anything interesting happening here, have you?" Alaric asked. "Too bad I don't have invisibility."
"I've been locked in here the whole time, how on earth would I hear anything useful?" Trace snapped.
"It's not as though you're normal." Alaric sighed and began probing with his mind.

"I don't HEAR extra well, I SEE well." Trace snapped. "And there's nothing for me to see but this room. And there’s nothing bloody in here." She was telling the truth.
"Unless I get to beat him to death with a rusty hammer at trial," Raven muttered, glaring at Rooney. "In Ravonia, we wouldn't be so kind to a spy." She turned and stalked out.
Karen practically forced Vlad to follow you out. Karen and Dylan came out themselves about ten minutes later. "That sonovabitch is one tough nut to crack." Karen muttered when she came out.
"What he said. Earlier, about Emeric having a plan." Dylan said. "It bugs me."
"Oh, come on, he was probably just trying to mess with us"
"I don't know... I've only ever seen him act that way once, and in hindsight... well at the time I thought it was nothing, but if he's telling the truth about when he turned... that was around the same time."
"Oh yeah, that one week when he freaked out at anyone that so much at looked at him twice." Karen said, remembering.
"Exactly. At the time I thought it was just him stressing out... we were in a bit of a jam, after all. But at this point..."
"We'll have to talk to Joan and figure out what to do," Raven said, shaking her hand slightly. It still hurt from punching Rooney so hard.
Karen nodded. "That's probably the best idea. Call an official meeting... except for really it's only us and Joan, now." She sighed. "Should I get Ericken to come too? So there's more than four people with brains at the table?"
"Hey!" Vlad snapped at the obvious insult.
"Who says she was talking about you, Vlad?" Dylan said with a grin. "Yeah, sure, why not? Ericken knows anyway... and I guess Erica knows too. Should I grab her too?"
"Not this time, I think. I know Joan said she's ours, and I think she would have shot me if she weren't, but I'd rather be safe than sorry," Raven said.
Karen nodded. "Alright, Dylan, you grab Ericken and we'll grab Joan." Dylan nodded and went off to find him.

Joan was at her desk working again and it was apparent John was still on her mind. She was angrily scratching out multiple lines on old plans and rewriting them and scratching them out again, getting frustrated when she couldn't rework it.
"Joan, we've called a meeting, you need to hear this. And Ericken is coming too," Raven said.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm coming." Joan nodded, and put the papers in a drawer, getting to her feet.
Raven headed back to the conference room. "Do you think we should check for bugs?"
"Better to be safe than sorry, though I don't see the point since Harrison was at every one of those meetings." Joan nodded.
Raven shrugged. "That's why I asked, rather than saying we should."
"Still better to be safe than sorry." Karen nodded.
"We could get this done a lot quicker if I just blasted the room with telekinesis... once on either side of the table... that'd crush any hidden electronic bugs, wouldn't it?" Joan offered.
"Yeah, probably," Raven replied.
"Ok, stay outside the room so you guys don't get hurt." Joan said, stepping in. She stood on one side of the table and set off a huge telekinetic blast towards the wall. The concrete did not crack or give in the slightest, but then if it wouldn't for a bomb, it wouldn't for a blast like that. She turned and blasted the other walls, too, then checked under the table just in case. "Well if there was anything it's fried now."
"Good," Raven said, stepping inside. "I think we'll need to do that for the cell rooms as well."
"Probably, though that could get slightly more complicated." Joan said as Dyaln and Ericken entered the room.
"Just sit down, Ericken, you’re not the only one who doesn't know, we'll explain to both of you at once." Dylan was saying as they came in.
"Ok..." Ericken looked shocked he was even here. Karen, Ericken, Dylan and Joan all sat down at the table.
Raven sat next to Dylan. "We were interviewing Rooney and John, and Rooney said that Emeric had a plan," she said.
"And...?" Ericken said, in a tone that implied Raven was stating the obvious.
"It was a bit more than that." Karen said. "It was a very real threat. Besides, with Harrisons former high-ranking position, it's a safe bet Emeric knows the ins and outs of Z9. We're going to need to come up with a new strategy."
"No way!" Ericken snapped. "To come up with a new battle plan that works, run training drills and prepare for it, we're not even going to be able to carry it out for another month! We'll be lucky if we even still have food then, not to mention the possibility of better-planned raids by Emeric, or the probable possibility of just flat-out bio warfare agents spread to kill all of us, because in case you've forgotten, Emeric knows where we are now!"

"I'm sure he's known for a long time, and only avoided exposing that fact so we wouldn't displace Rooney," Raven said.
"Maybe, but he seems pretty ready to reveal it now, considering he shut down our power and sent a raid." Ericken pointed out. "What's to stop him from, say... mustard gassing the whole freaking bunker? It's not like people would notice if they weren't specifically here at the time, so there's no danger of a PR disaster."
"Then maybe we need to move bases," Raven suggested.
Dylan snorted. Karen looked amused.
"To where?" Ericken said, a smile playing on the corners of his lips. "There are maybe three places in the entire country with a setup that can keep us both away from the general public so they don't get caught in the crossfire, and well hidden. And they're nowhere near here."
"You're the ones fucking complaining. It's not my country," Raven snapped.
"I'm just saying this is a big fucking reaction over something that was probably a bluff anyway!" Ericken snapped. "We're literally one battle away from winning this war. We don't have time to be backing up and waiting another month. If you're all really so worried about this, why don't you try moving things in the other direction?"
"I'm not sure I follow," Karen said, confused.
"Well... Joan. Assuming this hadn't happened, how long do you think it would have taken to launch Z9? A week? Would that be about average for you?"
"Well, yeah... A week sounds like a decent enough amount of time..." Joan trailed off, unsure where he was going with this.
"Then let's do it tomorrow."

There came the sound of slow clapping from the doorway. "Don't you know these meetings--" Raven started, but stopped when she saw who stood in the doorway. It was certainly a well-known face, but there was no way Adam would be here, eliminating any hope that it was a welcome visit.
Both Karen and Joan whipped around, but it was Joan who reacted violently. The second she registered Kenny she shot a wave of telekinesis at him that would throw him into the wall behind him. It wasn't nearly enough to kill him, the wall wasn't far away enough. But it would hurt.
"What the heck is he doing here?" Joan pretty much yelled. "How did he get in without anyone noticing?"
Dylan just looked flabbergasted. Joan shot a worried look at Raven before refocusing on Kenny.
Impossibly, Kenny wasn't moved. "You really should stop talking about me like I'm not here. It's not polite. And do you really need to wonder how I got in?" He rolled his eyes and Alaric stepped into the room after him. Raven just stared at him with a look of horror on her face.
Joan was pissed, trying to figure out exactly why Kenny didn't move. Was he like... a hologram, or something, able to communicate through Alarics powers? She supposed it didn't really matter. It just pissed her off. Karen stood up and reached for a weapon (her being the only one who was armed because apparently they were all idiots) When Joan said. "Don't bother, Karen." She knew there'd be no way karens little emergency pistol was going to stand up to two really powerful gifteds. She wished the room had more than one door. Then she could get them to go do something useful, like find Catherine. Having another gifted to watch her back would be really helpful right now. "What do you want?" she snapped at them.


Trace had come in quietly after Alaric, and had a very guilty look on her face. She didn't enjoy her part in this, not at all. But it wasn't as if she had a choice.
"Well now, that's hardly any way to treat a guest, Joan," Kenny said with a smile. "I thought it was about time I came to check up on my wife. I hear she's been in a lot of danger around here." He took on an exaggerated pout.
"You're not funny." She snapped back. She took a step forward, trying to make herself a target... mostly so he had to get through her to get to Raven. Although epic duel to the death with Alaric would not be the most terrible way to go.
"Oh, relax. I'm not here to fight you. If I wanted that, I would wait until after your damn death match with Emeric, when you'll be exhausted," Kenny said, waving a hand.
"I figured that. There's a lot of things I could say about you, but 'retarded' would not be one of them. So I ask again. What. The F*ck. Do you want?"

"We have a common enemy, so I figured it was time to help. I don't want to end up fighting Emeric, and he will aim for world takeover," Kenny said.
Karen snorted. "Right. You're just gonna help us. That'd totally happen."
Joan was a little annoyed but said nothing since, y'know, Karen did have a good point.
"I never said I would help you forever, but I most certainly will tomorrow. By the sound of it, you'll need help anyway. Think about it, if I wanted to wipe you out, I would just have shot Joan before I announced my presence. None of the rest of you would stand a chance and I doubt any of the others have what it takes to lead a rebellion against Emeric, especially considering they don't know about the gifteds. However, Emeric is the greater threat and I would much rather he wipe you out and get damaged in the process," Kenny said, leaning against the wall.

"Excuse you. We're going to win this with or without your help." Dylan snapped
"Oh come on, Dylan, you're not actually considering this, are you?" Joan muttered. Truth was, a few more gifted would be of immense help... but she was not going to risk Ravens safety. she knew full well Raven had every reason to be terrified of Kenny.

Kenny grinned. "If I wanted to harm her, all I would have to do would be replace Harrison with her in your memories," he said. "It wouldn't even be hard to do." That last part was a bluff, but he didn't let it show.
She remembered how Kenny operated to know he would ever follow through with such a flawed plan. "Please. I'm not naive. I know you're not stupid enough to try something with so many ways it could go wrong. So don't bother threatening me unless you're actually going to back it up." Joan snapped. Inconsistent timelines, details that made no sense, the fact that Rooney was locked up and Raven wasn't, not to mention the fact Kenny was a sadist but knew a traitor’s public execution was relatively painless... No, that wasn't something he'd do.
Kenny shrugged. "I've had the power to kill her before. We shared a room for months, after all," he said.
Raven shivered at the thought.
"Look, I could less than give a crap. We don't. Want. Your help. So leave." Joan snapped.

"I'm not leaving, so get used to it," Kenny replied and walked over to sit down at the table, looking completely relaxed. Alaric followed a short distance, looking irritated.
Karen drew her pistol. Joan didn`t bother to tell her it was fucking pointless a second time. "Get. The hell. Out."
Kenny laughed. "Go ahead and try to shoot me," he said, but stood. He looked like he was going to just leave, but then he kissed Raven full on the mouth. For a moment she seemed too shocked to respond, then she shoved him towards the door. He laughed again and left, closing the door behind him even though he knew why they'd had it open.
They all just stared dumbfounded at the door.
"I'd still like to know how the heck he got in here," Karen muttered, putting her gun away.
"Oh, he probably got that Alaric dude to teleport him in here, it's not that hard to figure out. I'd like to know how come he didn't go flying when I tried to throw him into the wall." Joan said bitterly, going over and opening the door to let some light in. "And Ericken, I still think you're insane for wanting to attack tomorrow."
"Why not? What do we need to do before we go, Joan? Another drill? What's the point, we've done a dozen of them! It'd be the absolute last thing he'd expect, to keep the same strategy but pull it before it was ever planned to be pulled... he's going to expect us to wait longer, better to be safe than sorry. And that's if he even knows in the first place, and Harrison isn't bluffing."

Raven shivered. "Alaric can use any power, so long as he's killed the original owner. He could have had something to do with it. Hell, that might not even have been Kenny." While that was true, she was almost certain that it had been him. She didn't think any of the possible shifters would have pulled off that good of an act. "And I agree with Ericken, for what it's worth."
"I think you're outvoted, Joan." Karen said with a small smile.
Joan looked around, realising she was pretty much the only one who disagreed with this plan. She sighed. It was like she had an alternative. "Fine. Then I need to go inform the troops we're attacking tomorrow so they're prepared... 'Scuse me." She left the room.
Raven sighed. "I guess the meeting is over, then," she said.
Kenny yawned more like someone trying to exaggerate boredness than someone actually tired. "You aren't very good at treating guests," he commented.
"You're not my guest and you never were. Didn't I tell you to get the hell out?" Joan said, walking by him.
"Look, kid, you could use my help whether you like me or not. Without it, you're as good as dead because even if you somehow manage to beat Emeric, I'll be waiting. You help me help you, and I might be a bit more lenient," Kenny snapped.
"I don't see how you deluded yourself into thinking we'd be less difficult to beat Than Emeric, considering my plan is to make sure most of the gifteds survive this... if you start a war with us you have two... no THREE combat geniuses planning against you. Against Emeric you have none, because he really isn't that smart." Joan pointed out. "Just something to think about." She sped up, trying to get away from him before she reached the main room so people didn't see this asshole. That was the LAST thing she needed right now.
"If you gave me a room, I wouldn't have to keep following you around," Kenny said
"Well, I'm not going to give you a room because I don't want you here." Joan snapped

Kenny shrugged. "Then I'll take yours," he replied, and without waiting for a response, he was gone.
Joan, angry, turned around and ran back to her room. Noting he wasn't in there, she pulled all the sheets she'd worked on, ripped the failed ones to shred, grabbed all the completed ones and took them to another room. She put them into a filing cabinet, locked it, and pocketed the key. There was no way Kenny was touching any of those. Then she went back to the main area to inform the troops bout their attack tomorrow. Some were understandably pissed (talk about no warning) but some seemed very excited about the prospect.
That's when she got an idea. Really hoping she wouldn't run into Kenny, she went off to find Raven again.
Luckily, Kenny had genuinely been tired and was now napping on Trace's bed. He'd told Alaric to take Trace where ever she wanted.

Raven was just leaving the meeting room. She'd waited for a long while, hoping to avoid Kenny.
"Raven. Good,. I had an idea but I wanted to ask you before suggesting it to the others because I'll totally understand if you're not okay with it." Joan said quickly, watching over her shoulder in case that sonofabitch came up behind her.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" she asked.
"I'm thinking we pretend to let Kenny help, but we send him to go find Rick. Because the first thing Rick's gonna do, whether he recognises Kenny or not, is push his power onto the guy. That'll negate every memory rewrite he's ever done with his power. How many people do you think there are back in Ravonia who only follow him because he completely rewrote their memory?"

"I don't know... I always assumed they just followed him because they hated me, but maybe you're right," Raven said, then nodded. "It's worth a shot."
"They can't all hate you. Catherine doesn't hate you." Joan pointed out. "I shall go hunt down Dylan, if he's ok with it that's 3 of the 5 of us, so it doesn't matter if the other two care. I'll get one of them to tell him so he won't know why we're doing it." Joan nodded and went off to do exactly that.

Twenty minutes later, it was Ericken who had the unfortunate task of hunting down Kenny.
Twenty minutes after falling asleep, Kenny was awake again and smirking gleefully at Trace. "If you were better behaved on your own, we wouldn't have to do this," he said
"Back off," Trace muttered.

Finally, FINALLY Ericken had the brains to check Trace's room. "Oh! Finally." He said, surprised when he actually found Kenny in there.
Kenny looked up with a slightly annoyed expression. "Yes?" he asked.
"Joan wanted me to tell you that she gave it some thought and she actually thinks we may need your help after all. There's a guy named Rick we're going to need your help finding tomorrow... she figures a mind reader will find him faster than anyone else can. He's an ally of ours, and he'll be the only one you can't hear." This was the reasoning Joan had given Ericken. "But you should still be able to tell he's there... she says he won't be difficult for someone like you to find."
"Great," Kenny replied. He didn't bother correcting Ericken about him being a mind reader. "Why can't I read him, exactly?"
"That's his power. To block other gifteds powers. He's also the first gifted that was ever created. Don't know how on earth that works, but there you go," Ericken laughed. "The kid is brilliant... worked with Joan couple years ago. Emeric's been keeping him locked down so he doesn't wreck anything. Because you can't hear him, but Emeric can't control him, and anything made by a gifted cant harm him. Joan thinks Emerics keeping him alive as bait. And for his hacking skills."
Kenny nodded and demonstrated in that moment how much a person can fail if they're too confident, no matter how smart they are. "Alright then."
Ericken nodded pleasantly, and went to tell Joan the good news.
A few hours later, Kenny knocked on Joan's door, looking like he belonged there and had been a fixture for quite some time.
"Come in," Joan said, seeing him at the door, which was partially open to let light in. She was quite unoncerned. Of course, she was generally one who could keep her emotions in check.
Kenny entered, but only a few steps before he leaned against the wall in the least threatening manner possible for a serial rapist in a young girl's bedroom...
"I have a few conditions," he said.
"Kenny, you're the one who practically forced yourself on us." Joan said tiredly, not looking up from her desk.
"And I can force you to do a lot worse if you don't agree," Kenny replied, and without breaking stride, continued on to his conditions. "Firstly, you will take five of my people with you, in whichever group you choose to put them in. Secondly... I want Raven."
"No." Joan said firmly. "You know I'm not going to hand over Raven to you. I don't even know why you bothered trying." She still didn't look up at him. "Either help us or don't, I really don't care."
"For an hour," Kenny said. "I don't think the rebellion will last very long if the general has no memory."
"Still no, you have shapeshifters." Joan said, still not giving him the courtesy of a glance. "And I'm not as indispensable as you think, there are at least two other people who know the plan as well as I do. You take me out of the picture, one of them will step up." She didn't mention one of those people was locked up at the moment.
"I can easily see who those people are before I wipe your mind," Kenny replied. "Hell, I could even rewrite your memories to use the rebellion as I see fit."
"And then what?" Joan pointed out. "If I went off normal, people would notice. What you don't seem to understand is that this is not just me telling everyone what to do. Yes, on the battlefield, what I say, goes. Within the rebellion? There are checks and balances to prevent exactly this sort of thing." She shook her head. "How do you not expect that? What you're suggesting is basically more foolproof mind control. What are we fighting again?" She facepalmed. "Now, would you let me get back to my work, please?"
Kenny smirked. "No, what I'm suggesting is a very slight change in plans. You really have no idea what I'm aiming for, do you?" He didn't let her answer before he continued, "I won't leave until you either agree or you have a very sudden mid-life crisis."
Joan actually laughed. It sounded so ridiculous. "I think John's already beat you to the punch there, Kenny." She said, collecting her papers. "Anywho, I have to talk to Karen about something. I'd tell you to leave me alone, but I can't exactly stop you if you're gonna follow me. So do it if you're going to, but I'm leaving." She left her room with the papers.
Kenny stepped between her and the exit, nudging the door closed with his foot. "I'm serious, Joan."
Finally, she looked him in the face, her eyes determined. "So am I, Kenny. It wouldn't work. This. is. not. a. dictatorship. Even if I was willing to entertain the idea of handing Raven over, I would still have to get three of the five people to agree to it. That means talking to Dylan, Ericken and Karen about it, and hoping two of them say yes, and the third doesn't rat us out. If you were willing to drop that part, maybe we could talk about the other condition, because I don't really understand what you even meant there. But again, I have two, probably at least three people to clear it with. And as for your little threat, I'm not scared of you. I don't even know what you're talking about, a mid-life crisis to be brutally honest. I may not seem like it to you, but I'm thirteen. Almost fourteen. And no matter what you do to me, Z9 is set in stone. We've already voted on it, I literally cannot change it now even if I tried. If I bowed out, they would step up. So yeah, I'm willing to put myself on the line for Raven's safety. I wouldn't be able to face Gifted if I didn't. And just for the record, I was the one who first said 'hey, maybe letting Kenny help wouldn't be such a bad idea, he can find Rick faster than we can.' I am willing to be flexible with you. I hate your guts, but I am willing to be flexible. But I'm not afraid of you. And I'm not going to work with you if you're going to be unreasonable, and I don't care what threat you put over my head."
That wasn't all completely true. She was afraid of him. But she could push down her fear, look past it. And she did understand his threat. Well, she thought she did, anyway. She wasn't entirely sure, but she thought Kenny was threatening to push back the clock. Make her ten years old again. And that, to be truly honest, was the reason she was afraid.

"It isn't something you need to talk to anyone about, Joan. This is a matter of you not interfering. I'll even let your gifted - Xander, was it? - borrow my power to make sure I don't harm her," Kenny said.
"And? I would still need to talk it over. If you're really so insistent that you won't harm her, why won't you let me make the decision the way it's supposed to be made? This isn't a one-man show here. and you've still got to explain to me what you meant by the other condition."
"Fine then. And by the other I mean five of my gifteds will be helping you with whatever it is you're doing. If you don't ask for more. You can choose who," Kenny said, sounding resigned.
"With me specifically? Or just doing what I send you guys off to do? Finding Rick?" Joan double checked just to make sure he wasn't trying to make he agree to something she wouldn't want to because she misunderstood his wording. "If it's the latter then fine, whatever. I don't see why that'd be a problem."
"No, I'll only take one other person with me to find him. The other five you can choose to do whatever else you want, I don't care, but they'll be helping you," Kenny said.
"Hm... that... could be problematic. Not because it's you, if that were the only thing I'd be completely fine with it... Just because we're trying to keep gifteds on the down low. Once he realises we're in the palace, Emeric will play his gifteds close to the chest. Knowing this, we can pick who is exposed to them. If you had gifteds with more subtle powers, something people won't notice, then it wouldn't be a problem... but placing overt gifteds could be potentially problematic." Joan said, thinking.
"You can decide who. There are gifteds with just about every power. Raven's operation was much less covert than Gifted's," Kenny replied. "I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories about her fantasies, and since I'm real, who knows?" He smirked.
"The possibilities are endless, Kenny, and I didn't exactly pay attention to the stories as a kid." Joan smirked. "As long as their influence isn't obvious, I don't mind. Like... a telekinetic would work, for example, because they can mess with the enemies aim and make sure they never land a shot. That's subtle. Or an emotion manipulator. Or... I don't know, the possibilities are really limitless if you've got a good imagination." She laughed.
"Then I'll throw you five and let Raven do the imagining. Hasn't she been complaining about lack of work?" Kenny rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. I don't see a problem." Joan sighed. "Just tell me who you're picking before you make the final decision, and I'll tell you if I'm good with it or not. Now I really do need to talk to Karen." She looked pointedly at him blocking the door.
Kenny stepped out of the way. "Go ahead."
Joan smirked and exited the room. What a flaming asshole. She went to find Karen.
Kenny went back to Trace's room. "You doing okay?" he asked her, though his tone made it clear he wasn't being nice.
Despite his tone, Trace was actually shocked he'd bothered to ask. "About as well as I can be, considering I'm being held against my will..." She said, though it wasn't confrontational, just stating a fact.
Kenny snorted. "Then maybe you should rethink the circumstances," he told her, and lay back down on her bed. His nap earlier had been the first time he'd slept for more than an hour in weeks. No matter how evil you called him, you couldn't criticize his devotion.
Trace rolled her eyes, but let Kenny sleep.

Joan wandered the halls, just wanting to put some space between herself and Kenny. Her feet carried her to the conference room without really thinking about it.
Well, that was as good a place as any to sit and mull it over. She pulled up a chair and sat down to think. She couldn't bring it up with them... No outcome would be a good one. If she got three yesses, she'd have to put Raven in danger. She wouldn't have a choice. If she had to tell Kenny no, she was scared of what he'd do to her. But if she didn't bring it up and he found out...
Raven had no desire to return to her room, so after wandering for who knows how long, she returned to the conference room, only to find Joan there. "Hey, you look troubled, something wrong?" she asked, sitting next to her.
Annnd now Raven was asking questions. Should she tell her? But that would imply she was considering it... "I dunno... just Kenny being really, really aggravating." Joan sighed. "It figures this has to happen now, doesn't it?" She gave a half-hearted smile.
"He has an excellent sense of timing, he just uses it to bother people rather than help them," Raven replied. "What did he do now?"
"He's trying to set conditions for helping us. I told him we didn't care whether he helped or not and lay off, and he continued as if he hadn't heard me. Then he threatened me unless I agreed. I didn't, don't get me wrong; I told him this wasn't a dictatorship and the others needed to have a say too, so he let me out to talk to everyone. But I probably won't, because it's not even worth considering." She sighed.

Raven tilted her head. "He won't be happy," she murmured. "What did he want?"
"Well, he actually wanted two things... just the first one, that he'd have at least five of his gifteds in our army when we attack, I had no problem with, because I sort of figured he'd do that anyway, without consulting me. In fact, I made him agree to let me learn the powers of the people he brings over and replace any one I didn't like, which was a bonus I didn't expect... But it was the other one that was completely and totally out of the question."
"Joan, just tell me what it was," Raven said, a hint of an edge creeping into her voice.
Joan sighed. "He wanted an hour alone to talk to you, okay?" she snapped. "I told him it wasn't going to happen. And he started threatening me, and I told him even if I was going to consider it, which I wasn't, I had to talk it over with the others, and I got the heck out of there."
"Make it half an hour, and it’s done. He can't do anything to me in that time. Well, he could, but he's too sadistic to kill me quickly," Raven said.
"Wait, seriously?" Joan was shocked. "You don't need to do that for me... you're okay with this?"

"No, but I'm less okay with dealing with him after you're out of the way," Raven replied. Then she sighed. "There might come a time when we can tell him no, but now isn't it. I made him the way he is, it's my job to deal with it, not yours."

"Raven, anything he can do to me, so long as this works, will be erased as soon as Rick sees him. He won't kill me when he could rewrite my memory and add me to his ranks. He could and probably will try to kill you. I have much less to lose than you do."
"He had a point when he said he'd had plenty of chances to kill me. We lived together, in the same room, for at least a month. He had me there, but he chose to trade me out, to let me live. He wants the world to think I'm dead, but I don't think he actually wants me dead..." She hesitated, then added, "And if we don't do what he asks, he probably won't go find Rick."
"That's even worse, because then it asks the question why?" Joan sighed. "Although you're probably right about Rick... still. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"Like I said, get him to lower the time. Try at least. I don't know why he even bothered asking you for permission...."
"He probably figured - and rightly - I wasn't gonna let you out of my sight tomorrow. his exact words were he was asking me 'Not to interfere'. So I'd have to assume that’s what he meant." She rose to her feet. "If you're sure about this... well I'll go tell him."
Raven nodded. "Thank you," she mumbled.
She went and found Ericken, briefly explained the situation to him, and asked him where to find Kenny.
"Trace's room," He answered.
"That's a pleasant thought." Joan sighed, and headed over there. She unlocked the doors and went inside. "Kenny?"
"I think he's asleep." Trace said quietly, sitting in a chair as far from the bed as possible.
Kenny opened one eye. "Not anymore. What, Joan?" he asked. Reason he's so tired? It's hard for a light sleeper to sleep when people are always shouting.
"Make it half an hour instead of an hour and you've got yourself a deal." Joan said, wanting to get in and out as quickly as possible.
Kenny sat up. "Fine. Where is she?"
"She's in the conference room." Joan said bitterly. "But we need to see Xander first." She was going to take every advantage she could get, even if Xander WAS bedridden.
"Lead the way, General." His tone was filled with mockery.
Joan didn't care. She led him to Xanders room. "Xander, can you take his power please?"
Xanders eyes widened in recognition. "Isn't that-"
"Long story, don't have time to tell it now. Will you do it or not?"
"Uh, sure. " He looked up at Kenny for a second and replaced his weather with Kennys power. "Done."
"Alright. I'm timing you, Kenny." Joan said, then sighed. "Go."
Kenny rolled his eyes and smirked. He made no effort to move quickly as he made his way to the conference room, clearly not worried about the time limit.

Once there, he was pleased to see that Raven was still sitting at the table, apparently waiting for him. "I wish I could say it's good to see you again," she commented as he closed the door, not caring about the lack of lighting.
He made his way flawlessly to the table and took a seat. "It was never good to see you, so I don't mind."
"Then why did you bother coming to talk to me?"
He smirked.
Joan really wished she could listen in on the conversation, but she wasn't dumb enough to screw this up. So she went back to Trace's room to wait for Kenny. Trace was quiet, but she didn't mind. Only once did either of them speak.
"I told that man Rooney everything, you know." Trace said quietly.
"Oh yeah?"
She nodded. "I wouldn't be helping him if I had any other choice." She said.
Joan nodded. "I believe that." She made no further comment, and neither did Trace.
"Whatever you know that they didn't already won't be of any real use to Emeric," Alaric said. "If you were that important we would have kept you back in Ravonia."
"I know." Trace said. She didn't bother explaining that wasn't why she'd said it.

"I can tell there's something up, Kenny. Give me some credit," Raven said, frowning in his direction. His laughter filled her ears, along with a barely discernible sound beneath that. The sound of someone flicking glass. "What are you- Ow!" She tried to pull away from the sharp stabbing feeling in her wrist, not having any idea how he'd known where her arm even was, but he was holding her arm.
"It won't hurt once the needle is gone, I swear," Kenny said. Moments later, the pain was gone as he'd promised. She felt a little dizzy. "The spinning will stop before half an hour is up."
Sure enough, ten minutes later, Raven felt perfectly normal. "What did you do to me?" she asked.
"Trust me," was Kenny's only answer. He left without another word, leaving the door open behind him.
Joan, unaware that anything happened, stayed in Trace's room waiting for him. At exactly the half hour mark, she stood up to go kick Kenny out.
Kenny walked in just then. "Not a minute late," he said smugly.
"Good." She snapped. Then she rushed out to find out what he'd done. She hoped Raven would still be in the conference room... she always took her sweet-ass time leaving anyway.
Luckily for Joan, being injected didn't change Raven's sweet ass a tiny bit. She hadn't moved at all, in fact, and was busy trying to figure out what had happened.
"What happened?" Joan ran in, looking worried.
"I'm not... sure," Raven said, frowning.
"Are you ok?" She was very worried.
Raven nodded uncertainly. "I think so."
Joan was unsure what to do. She wished she'd followed him now, so she'd know what happened. "I got Xander to take Kenny's power before Kenny came in here. Just as a precaution." Joan said, definitely still worried about her. "Do you want to go see him? Xander, I mean. He might be able to make sense of what happened."
Raven nodded. "Okay, thank you..." She stood and without waiting headed towards Xander's room.
Xander nodded when they came in. "Hey Raven, hey Joa- wait." He seemed to just register something, and a look of confusion crossed his face. He looked back to raven, then looked down, rubbed his eyes, and looked back up at her again. He was very, very confused.
"What?" Raven asked. "Surely you aren't just realizing Crow had my features changed?"
"What? No... no, that's not what I'm thinking..." He was slowly starting to panic a little more. Was this really even Raven? Did Kenny replace her? No... no, that'd be impossible, he'd see a shapeshifter power... but then why was he reading...?
Was his power malfunctioning? He did just get shot in the head. But... but that meant it could be permanent... he couldn't go his life without trusting his power! If he had some sort of brain damage... "Joan? Do you know whatever happened to those two doctors?"
"No. Why? Are you in pain?"
"No. Well, yes, but that's not why I'm asking."


"Then why are you asking?" Raven asked, frowning.
"Just a question..." Xander was intentionally vague, but the panic inside him was starting to slip out, though he tried carefully to look calm. "Anyway, what did you guys need me for?" he asked, wanting to change the subject.
"We were hoping you could figure out what Kenny did to me," Raven said. "I'm not quite sure..."
"I'm not going to be able to see anything more than you did..." Xander pointed out. "I'll look, but I don't know how much help I'll be." He looked through her memories, skimming over the last half hour.
At first, this just confused Xander too. But, looking at her and then through the memories again, he slowly started to put the pieces together. "Raven... how exactly were your gifteds made? Gifted had to operate on us... a sort of genetics transplant, would be the fastest way to describe it. Did your scientists have an easier method?"
Raven didn't get it at first. "It was the same principle, but we developed a virus to do it faster. Virus being a very loose term, because while it was biologically like a virus, it gives advantages... And doesn't negatively affect the patient much..." She trailed off, feeling a little guilty about it.
"And were they putting it into an aqueous solution?" Xander asked, knowing that's how it would be put on a report, even though "aqueous" just meant "dissolved in water".
Joan got it then. "Wait... why the F*ck would he do that? If you're saying what I think you're saying... that doesn't make any sense."
Xander nodded. "When you guys walked in, I thought my power was malfunctioning, because I got a read from both of you. You find a better explanation."
Raven finally grasped what he was saying. "You-- What-? No," she spluttered. "No, he wouldn't."
"Unless you're implying I have some sort of brain damage." Xander said, not really understanding why this was a bad thing.
Joan didn't get why this was a bad thing either. At least, not from Ravens point of view. "What on earth would Kenny have to gain from doing something like that? Making her harder to kill?"

Raven shook her head. "There weren't many negative effects," she mumbled. "The ones there were were bad enough that none of the scientists would have tried giving it to themselves; that I wouldn't do it."

"So he's banking on the maybe 5% chance you'll experience a side effect?" Joan asked. "Really?"

"I doubt it," Raven answered. She looked nervous.
They both just looked at her. Xander was the impatient one. "Well, what?"
Raven fidgeted. In the end, she wasn't even the one to answer. "Almost all the subjects showed increased signs of aggression. With few exceptions, they also tended to rely much more heavily on their instincts... The first twenty-four hours after the virus reaches your brain are the worst. That's where the five percent comes in, about that many went completely crazy. It's only then that you actually become conscious of your power and are able to use it... The worst part of it all was how they talked about all of it as though we weren't there anymore. It was as though the 'virus' had killed us and they were trying to figure out a cure using our corpses. They didn't treat us much better," Kenny said, evidently impatient with Raven as well. He stepped into the doorway at that moment.
"The F*ck?" Joan whipped around, surprised when Kenny showed up. "Why are you still following me, dammit!" She snapped angrily.
Xander, not one to pass up an opportunity for information on the enemy, starting looking through Kenny's memory for anything that would help Raven either now or in the long run, skimming through the jumbled mess of other people’s memories mixed with Kenny's own.
Memories were out of order, not only from other people, but his own memories as well. Many memories surfaced in double, one from him and one from someone else. In some cases, they overlapped, making it confusing who saw and said what. Many memories seemed blurred or even completely obscured by some kind of memory white-out. Another thread began to stream into the void; at first they were a smaller version of the whole, then they turned to Raven and Joan, the owner of the memory talking, obtaining Kenny's power, and the searing pain of a gunshot wound, an numbness like the owner wasn't in control... They were going backwards, skipping, but they were Xander's memories.
Xander could tell that Kenny was going through his memories, but he didn't really remember anything that would be helpful to Kenny yet. He barely remembered anything before being shot. He could only hazily remember being carried here, and his memory wasn't perfectly clear until the point where he'd told Raven Emeric knew where they were. Before that, the last thing he remembered was that desperate, frantic fight with Emeric, standing alongside Alex, Alex going down, and that terrifying moment when Emeric got Alex back up, to fight two on one against Xander. He'd fought like a cornered animal, fought frantically... but once Alex turned, in that tiny little space... he'd known it was all over.
Xander continued looking through Kenny's mind, looking for information Raven could use either now, or in the long run against Kennys group.
Kenny smiled. "If I cared what you knew, I wouldn't have given you my power." He left Xanders mind and focused on his own, bringing forward a specific memory, his eyes closed in concentration.

It was dark; not the black of night, more like just after sunset. A hacking cough came from the memory's owner. As he turned his head, it was no wonder why. He'd just emerged from a building that was going up in flames. Parts of it were completely destroyed, leaving only broken fragments of stone behind. The cause came from the owner's gravelly whisper. "She bombed us." The speaker didn't seem to be talking to anyone, merely trying to come to grips with what had happened. He staggered backwards away from the buildings - he'd been lucky to be on one of the outermost edges - but after only a few steps he tripped and fell on his butt. He seemed unable to move after that as he watched the flames grow. He was aware of more people following him out of the buildings, all coughing, but he didn't really register how many or who. He was searching for one particular face that definitely wasn't there. She'd been down his hall and certainly would come out this exit, unless she'd been in Testing when the bombs went off. He didn't want to think of that, since the Testing areas were at the very center of the compound. He hesitantly stood up, deciding she was probably just out of sight and he walked towards the flames. They still hadn't reached the arm he'd come out of. The one subject number 59395 should come out of as well. Vixie, she'd called herself. It was something she'd come up with based on a simple alpha-numeric code she'd taught him, taken from her number. His heart leaped when he saw a shadowy figure running down the hall. It must have been her. He took a single step forward as she stepped into the faint light that reached just inside... Everything changed as the building collapsed. She leaped forward, but her momentum on the shaking foundation as well as her late warning caused her lower half to be caught under the rock. In an instant he was at her side, trying to move the rocks off. Red stained his hands as he struggled with the sharp stone fragments, but he took no notice. Finally he managed to get her out, but he could tell something was off. She wasn't breathing normally and she seemed to bend at an awkward angle... And she looked strikingly like Raven did now.
"Hey, Ken," she mumbled, the simple words seeming to cause great effort. He didn't reprimand her for the god-awful nickname like he usually did, instead just responding, "Hey, Vixie."
"I feel like shit," she managed, slowly. He could only nod, watching as her eyelids slowly started to droop.
Less than an hour later, she was becoming cold. He could almost imagine the white flakes falling around him were snow, that there wasn't an inferno burning nearby. It would seem so much less awful that way. If all of this had just been some natural disaster... He kept wiping at his face, though he didn't seem to realize he was crying. He stood abruptly as he remembered the others who were still standing around. "We'll make her pay for everything. We'll let her know how it feels. All of it," he said to no one in particular. Perhaps, he thought, saying it to Vixie.

As soon as the line finished, Kenny hurried to cut Xander off from the memory. Even still, a pang swelled in man of memory's heart as he looked down at the girl.
Xander winced, but said nothing. The others would probably attribute it to pain. That was almost bad enough to make him feel bad for Kenny.
Almost.
"What exactly do you want to know, Xander?" Kenny asked. "It will take you much longer to find it in my head."
"Hey, you're the one who handed over your power, I'm just using it." He shrugged, then smirked. "Who, what, where."
"Your name is Xander, you are a Panemian gifted, and you're in a bunker in Panem," Kenny replied. "I'll add a bonus: you should be more specific."
"Har, har. You know what I meant. Who's in your little terrorist group, what powers do they have, and where are they situated." he snapped.
"Too many to name, with almost every power Raven could think up and then some, and besides Alaric and I, all of them are either in Ravonia or Talesworth," Kenny said with a smirk.
"You really are a smart ass, aren't you?" He kept looking for anything he could use., not caring that Kenny knew he was looking.
Kenny brought up a memory that couldn't have taken place long after the last one, only this only lasted a few moments and was entirely comprised of him looking around at the other gifteds. There were at least ninety.
He started looking at the faces... He knew Kenny would know who they were, so through his memory Xander should be able to identify some others he just guessed from old descriptions I used to give. He had paid much better attention to gifteds stories than Joan had.
A younger version of Alaric stood nearby, looking extremely superior to Kenny. Like he was in charge and Kenny couldn't change that. Tabitha stood near the back. Alexa, Hope, and Summer, and Connor stood with 4-year-old Kumair. Samantha was looking bored on the outskirts, as was Sean. Ryan stood in a small group with Gabriel, Trace(?), Toby, and, most shockingly, Lynn.
Xander nodded and committed the memory to memory, planning to go over it in more detail when he had time but now just recognising those who jumped out at him.
"You know, it's a funny thing about memories. When the person who made them recalls them, it is nothing more than a re-creation. The things you remember most often are the things that have deviated most from the original, because small things change every time," Kenny said, leaning against the wall.
"You know I don't care, right?" Xander snapped. He wasn't normally quick to anger, but Kenny was really starting to aggravate him.
Kenny smirked and shrugged. "Is there anything else you want, then?" he asked.
"I never asked." Xander pointed out. It was true he hadn't asked for any information, partially because he had no idea exactly what he was looking for. But that's just how these things work sometimes. He didn’t' mind looking without a specific objective, it was Kenny's pestering and interruptions that got on his nerves.
"Actually, you did. Only after I prompted you," Kenny replied.
"And I answered to get you to shut up, not because I had an answer for you."
Kenny rolled his eyes. "All that was needed was a simple yes," he said, and left the room. "I'm going to take a nap," he called over his shoulder.
Just as Kenny left the room, a little girl slipped out of sight around a corner. She was moving swiftly but quietly, as if she didn't want to be caught.
Kenny peeked into her memories to see why she didn't want to be caught, then began to follow her.
For a minute her memories - precious few they seemed to be - were perfectly in focus. Kenny got a glimpse of Emerics face, some cards and a voice saying "I want a favour from you." before everything started to blur. Slowly the memories seemed to be fading and vanishing into darkness where even Kenny couldn't find them. She stopped running. Her hair was a light golden brown, almost like gingerbread. It was tied in two pigtails that reached almost to her feet. She was facing away from him, and wearing a simple yellow tank top and black pants. Her memories were coming back, but they were completely different than before. Nothing but a sweet, innocent little kid named Leia, and her loving parents, both of whom were here to fight.
"That's an interesting trick you have there, Leia, was it?" Kenny asked as he approached her.

[Gifted]

She turned, surprised. Her eyes were a bright blue, and her expression was confused and innocent. She looked to be about eight years old. She looked up at him. "Trick, sir? What do you mean?"
Kenny smiled lightly. "I want a favor from you," he tried, wondering how she had made her memories change like that.
Immeaditely, her memories began to fade out again. Her bright blue eyes began turning yellow. dots of yellow appeared quickly, scattered all throughout her eye until there were so many they blended together into a solid new colour. Her pupil was no longer black, just a darker shade of yellow than her iris. Then an immense change came over her. Though she hadn't grown one inch, she no longer seemed to be looking up at Kenny. All traces of innocence were wiped clean from her face. "Come with me into a private room and we can discuss it." she said, her mouth curling into a slight smirk. The old memories Kenny had been looking for came entirely into focus. This girl was a bargainer, and a gambler. She was working for Emeric because he'd won her card game. At the same time, the old memories, the ones that had been in focus before, were still there, just buried, dismissed as irrelevant. It was the same girl as before... just less nice, and more experienced.
"Do you do that on purpose, or is it a trigger?" Kenny questioned.
"Oh, it's a trigger. It's not really my decision. Now I'm on a time limit, so chop chop." she said, none too nicely. She led him into an empty room with toys scattered around. She seemed to take little notice of them, instead going to a wardrobe and opening it. She retrieved what looked like sleeves from the wardrobe, black with gold trim that were wide near the wrists and left the shoulders bare. There was a pocket inside one of them for her deck of cards, but it wasn't easily seen from the outside. She slipped them on and the deck slipped out of the pocket. She caught it in the same hand and placed it on a table in the room, much smaller than the one in Johns room. "If you really want my help, you're going to have to play a game with me." she said.
"Are you going to tell me how to play?" Kenny asked.
"Of course." She pulled four cards in each hand, and laid them on the table face-up. She selected five of them: An Ace of Hearts, a Ten of Clubs, a Two of Diamonds, a Five of Spades, and a Queen of diamonds. The queen was not the same pattern as a standard Queen, instead a girl who looked very much like Leia held a heart shape in her hands. She put the other cards back in the box. "This is a game of memory, and of concentration. I will flip these cards face-down and swap them around. Your prize, or punishment, depends on the card you pull. Pull the heart and you will have my full cooperation. Pull anything else, and you will have lost.
If you pull the spade, you shall be allowed to leave unharmed. Pull the club, and you will get a swift beating. As for the diamond and the Queen, well, pulling those will keep you sound in body but not so sound in mind.
A diamond is the sharpest and strongest material in the world, and because of that it is often used as a cutting implement. And cut you will be, for if the card with the diamond is pulled I shall cut out part of your memory and claim it for my own. However, if you pick the Queen - my card - then your fate shall be worse still. I will claim your mind for my own, and you will be no more than my puppet until my own clock winds down, an ending which could lead to your death.
So you see, you have much to gain, but also much to lose. Will you play with me? Do you understand the rules?"
"Yes," Kenny replied. He didn't mention that he could play with memories as well. May as well play the cards you were dealt. "I'm ready."
The girl smiled and pointed at the cards. On her command, they spread out so they were a perfectly even distance apart, then flipped over face down. The girl moved her hand ever so slightly back and pointed all her fingers up, and the cards started moving around on the table, swapping positions smoothly, fast enough to be a little difficult to follow. After a minute or two they ceased moving. "Now, what is it you want from me, Kenny?" She asked.
"I want you to make someone's life hell. Shouldn't I see what I get, first?" He asked with a grin. He checked her memories to see if she knew the order of the cards.
"And who might that be?" She actually hadn't paid a whole lot of attention to where the Ace fell, but she had paid very close attention to the Queen. It was the second card from the left, and she was longing for him to pick it. That would be the most fun of all.
"Her name is Raven," Kenny informed her. He made sure that she didn't know anything else about the placement of the cards.
"Raven, hm...? And I can sense you looking, so don't bother," She snapped suddenly. "You're just going to have to play the game like everyone else." She smiled. Her mind closed like an iron cage, for of course those with mental powers themselves are better suited to defend against that sort of attack. She knew she couldn't keep him out permanently, but then she wasn't going to let him wait forever trying.
Kenny smiled, and began to search his own memory, following the ace. Finally he picked the card he believed to be the one. At least he could narrow out the Queen by what he'd seen.
When Kenny moved to pick up the far right card, it came up on it's own accord.
The diamond.
"If you make a choice, you will not be able to take it back because," the cards, as if compelled by her dark tone, lifted off the table and circled around him in the air. She caught a glimpse of the choice; a diamond.
"I have already put my cards into play!" The cards came back to her. they stacked neatly atop one another and slipped back up her upraised arm as a smirk played across her face.
"Time for your cut, diamond Kenny." She said, and put her hand out in front of her, palm up at Kenny.
He was blasted backwards, and hit the wall hard. But nobody came to rescue him. He made a very satisfying noise when his head hit the concrete. Her hand changed, as if she were beckoning something towards her, and a soft, dark light was pulled in a stream out of him. He and she watched it pull and stretch away from him, but when it snapped away, he immediately fell unconscious.
It recoiled into a small ball of light and she held it just above her hand, examining it. It was his mind, his very essence... something she knew how to freely manipulate. Men's minds were malleable. Gazing into it, she soon knew as much about him as he did himself. "Raven, hm...?" The Queen said, watching it as she pulled a dagger smoothly from its hiding place. "I know exactly what I'm going to cut from you..."


Exactly ten minutes later Catherine spotted Kenny lying unconscious in the hall. "Kenny...?" Catherine leaned down to shake his shoulder, wondering why on earth he was lying in the hall. He didn't react, but Joan came down the hall.
"Joan! Kenny's out cold in the hall!"
"What? Why?" Joan came over to look as well.
"Dunno... I just found him like this."
Joan sighed. "I'll carry him to Trace's room. I'd really rather people not see him if I can help it."
It would be hours before Kenny awoke again. When he did, he would find anything from (and including) the blowing up of the labs to the "killing" that had anything to do with Raven was wiped clean from his head. He wouldn’t be able to remember a thing about it for the rest of his life.
Or so she thought.
Kenny groaned. He had the worst headache. As though someone had tried to break his skull with a sledgehammer. He barely opened his eyes, the light hurting as though he had a hangover.
"Amazing. He awakens." Trace said kind of bitterly, but she couldn't help feeling a little worried. "You okay? What happened?"
"I don't know... I was hoping someone could tell me," Kenny said, raising his hand to his head.
"Hey, all I know is Catherine found you lying in a hallway about ten minutes after you left Joan and Raven and that other guy. Joan took you back here and you've been out cold ever since. It's almost morning. Like, four. But Wenkeling told me to tell you she'll still be up if you're ready to talk to her." Trace shrugged.
"'Bout what?" Kenny said. Even though it wasn't a memory that had been taken, he couldn't quite think of what Joan would want to talk to him about...
"The gifteds she agreed to let you send? You're supposed to run them by her, remember?" Trace was confused. "You okay, Kenny?"
Kenny nodded and held his head. "I remember that... But everything else... I don't know what the hell happened." He sounded genuinely concerned. "Everything is so confusing."
"You don't remember what happened? Odd..." Trace said. She didn't care for Kenny's sake, for obvious reasons, but she was curious.
Kenny rubbed his head. "Where is Joan?" he asked.
"I dunno, I'm a prisoner here, thanks to you, and I'm not allowed out and about. Check the conference room. Or, I dunno... that guys room, whatever his name was. Xavier?"
"Sorry, but I'm not even a prisoner, don't blame me," Kenny said. He stood and went in search of Joan, avoiding Xander's room.
Joan was in her room, still planning. This was much faster than she'd like to go, so she was taking great care to make sure not to leave any loopholes. She started when Kenny appeared. "Kenny! You're awake." She was quite surprised. "What happened?" She, unlike Trace, actually sounded worried, but it wasn't for Kennys sake either. She was worried someone was trying to sabotage them, that there was a spy they hadn't yet dealt with.
"I don't remember," Kenny sounded truly miserable. "The last thing I remember is talking to Xander... Well, and walking here."
Joan was frustrated, but tried not to let it show. Now was the time to concentrate on the task at hand. "Figures." She said. "I assume you've come because you've decided who you want to bring?"
"Sure," Kenny said, shrugging. "Do you want to meet them, or can I just tell you?"
"Just tell me." Joan said impatiently.

"Toby is a healer; Sabrina can replicate small objects, including weapons; Zanna can find anyone provided their name and a few mundane details; Sophia is like you," Kenny said, leaving off the fifth one for the time being.
As long as you can convince Sophia to either be really subtle about it or head with you - there won't be a whole lot of other people around, as you and I are heading into the palace while the fighting'll be outside... I'm setting off for Gifted, you'll be looking for Rick. After that we can get Rick to capture Emeric. Anyway, as long as you can get her to do that I've got no objections to any of them. Whats the fifth?"
"Pierce can accurately predict probability. And I'm bringing Zava with me," Kenny said.
"Okay, so you, Zava and Trace are going in after Rick, and Me, Raven, and Catherine and possibly Vlad are going in after Gifted." She nodded. "They're all fine with me, Kenny."
Kenny nodded. And then did something he never would have before the cut. He smiled.
Joan was shocked. Kenny was smiling, and it wasn’t even a smirk but a nice smile, the sort of expression one only saw on Adams face. Despite the fact it wasn't threatening, it still made her uneasy, wondering what he had planned that made him smile like that. "The attack starts in four hours... those asleep are getting up in two." Joan said. "I guess I'll see you on the battlefield."
"Uh, yeah," Kenny said, rubbing the back of his neck as he left. He tried to control his expression by the time he got back to Trace's room, but there was still a very slight smile hovering around his mouth.
Trace noticed. With her power, how could she not?
"Are you sure you're ok? You're acting really weird. Since when do you smile?" She smirked herself, not caring how it sounded. He couldn't hurt her too badly in here.

Kenny stopped smiling at that, but he didn't frown. He shrugged. "I don't know... It seems like I've been doing a lot of stupid stuff..."
"Like what?" She couldn't process Kenny's strange mood, but he seemed to be more talkative, and she wasn't above taking advantage of that when it was someone like him.

"Like that poor woman - Raven I think.. I don't have a clue why I hate her so much, but I do. Or did, I suppose." He actually sounded remorseful.
Trace was utterly shocked. "Wow... whatever happened, someone must have really done a number on your memory. You've only been nursing a freaking vendetta against her for years. I mean, I figure that's why you started the... terrorist group or whatever the heck you want to call it that you've forced me into."
Kenny frowned. "I don't... know what you're talking about..." Then something occurred to him. "Xander did it," he accused, and went to Xander's room. "Put my memory back," he demanded.
Xander was confused. "What? What are you talking about...?"
"You changed my memories," Kenny said. "Change them back!"
"What? No I didn't!" Xander was shocked. "I've been here since you left, and that was hours ago! I'm bedridden, remember?"
"You changed them before I left," Kenny insisted.
"Kenny, if I was gonna change your memories, I would've made you leave Raven and Joan alone. Besides, what would I gain from that? Anyway, you were fine when you left. You said you were gonna go take a nap."

"Yeah, and I don't remember a thing after that. And someone certainly tried to get me to leave Raven alone." Then he ran his fingers through his hair. "Did you really not change it?" he asked softly.

"I wouldn't lie, Kenny, not even to you. I didn't change your memories." Xander shook his head. "If I had to guess, I'd say you stumbled upon something someone doesn't want seen. Have you told Joan this happened?"
"Yes, I told Joan," Kenny said miserably and sat down. "I'm sorry, I just... It seemed obvious that you would have been the one."
Xander was surprised. Kenny... apologizing? "No problem... I mean I am the only known person here with that power other than yourself.... Joan'll be worried sick about this. Either someone did this to you just because, well, it's you, in which case they're nothing for us to worry about... but there's also the possibility this was planned deliberately. Or worse, you saw something they didn't want found... if that's the case, it means there's still a spy or two in our ranks, and a gifted one at that. This could lead to major trouble."

"Wish I could help, but my memories are gone where even I can't reach them," Kenny mumbled. "It's just best to hurry with the attack..."
"They may not be..." Xander thought. "Kenny, just before you left I was looking through your head for information, right? So I'll still remember replicas of some of your memories. What if I looked through your memories to see what's missing, and if I have it, I can show you what I remember seeing."
Before Kenny could answer, little Leia walked into the room, her bright blue eyes looking around worriedly. "Excuse me? Have you seen my daddy?"
Even with his memories (albeit minus the ones of her), this would have struck a chord. "What does he look like, sweetie? What's his name?" Kenny asked, crouching beside her.
"He's tall and he has brown hair just like me!" Leia cried. Her appearance at this crucial moment was not a coincidence. Knowing her clock was running down, she'd watched Kenny rather than spy, always enjoying the distress of one who'd been cut... but when she saw him go into Xanders room, she knew she had to make a move. So she performed a cut on herself - a small one. Just her father telling her he'd be upstairs - here meaning up in the bunker area above ground where only on-duty soldiers were allowed to go - if she needed him. She didn't particularly care, but when her clock winded down she would panic, because her daddy always, always told her where he'd be if he wasn't around. Then it was just a matter of waiting it out.
Now her clock had run down, and little Leia couldn't find her daddy.

"We'll find him, don't worry," Kenny promised. "I'll check with Joan to see if she knows where he might be positioned." He went to Joan's room.
"Oh," Leia said as they stopped in front of Joans room. "Daddy always said General Joan doesn't like being interrupted when she’s working."
"It's okay. I know her." Kenny smiled. "Joan!"
Joan was sitting at her desk, thinking, when she heard Kenny call. "Kenny?" What on earth did he want now? She sighed, got up and opened the door. "What is it?"

Leia was amazed she didn't seem upset.
Kenny picked up Leia and showed her to Joan. "She can't find her daddy," he said. Joan was surprised.
"Leia? Your dad didn't tell you where he was going?"
Leia shook her head. "Daddy usually tells me... I don't know where he is."
"Don't worry, we'll find him. He might be on duty. Let's check upstairs."
"Okay!"
Kenny decided to lead the way, keeping an eye out for the girl's father.
Joan was fine with that until they got to the stairs up, then she quickened her pace and got in front of him. She peeked through the door. "Is Mark in here?" She asked.
Leias father was holding a machine gun, but he tossed it to the side when he saw the three of them. "Leia! What are you doing up here?"
"Daddy!" She ran over to hug him.
"Is something wrong?"
"I didn't know where you were!"
"...I told you I would be up here, sweet pea."
"....No you didn't..." She pouted, confused.
Kenny frowned, thinking Leia had become victim to the same person he had. Which, technically, she had. "Well I'm glad we found you at least." He turned to leave the room.
"Thank you," Leia's father said to him, and Joan turned to leave with him, adding over her shoulder. "We're out in two hours... be ready." to the soldiers.
"She's a precious little thing," Kenny commented.
"Definitely." Joan smiled. "At first I thought of her as a hindrance... who has time to look after a little kid, right? There's a war going on... but it's almost impossible not to like her."

Kenny smiled. "I agree. Though it seems dangerous to her..."
Joan nodded. "Both her mother and father are here as soldiers. It is very dangerous for her, but she's been alright so far... and her parents wanted to do their part."
Kenny nodded. "It's no one's right to question them, I suppose," he said.
Joan shrugged. Then she stopped. It was messing with her head, this new, nicer Kenny.
"Why're you being so nice all of a sudden?" She demanded.
Kenny shrugged. "I guess that happens when you lose half your memories. I don't even really remember why I was here."
Joan shook her head. "We'll figure out who did it." She assured him. "You seriously don't remember why you're here? ...You're like a completely different person than the Kenny I know and loathe. It's uncanny."
Kenny smiled slightly. "Maybe not having my memories isn't such a bad thing, if they screwed me up that badly," he said.
Joan laughed. "Maybe. Though you'll sure have a lot of explaining to do to Alaric and all them when you get back." She pointed out.
"Or I could just change all their memories," Kenny teased, then shrugged. "I don't even know how many of them wanted to help me. I don't have any idea why they would. There was no reason behind what we were doing. It wasn't even really aimed at anyone."
"But it was. A close friend of mine made a mistake and you've had a vendetta against her ever since. And not all of them are there by choice... you alter memories, remember? A ton of people are terrified of you, just ask Trace. Or Catherine. And you've got some sort of mind controller at your disposal, too. Heck, the only reason I haven't already kicked you out is you threatened to erase my memory of the last three years." Joan smiled. "Which would be fine if you didn't realise my past and where exactly that'd take me."
Kenny nodded slightly. "It still isn't worth it all. Too many people have died... I do remember threatening you, and I'm sorry..." He sighed. "I'm afraid to remember what could possibly have made me like that."
"Well..." She didn't really want to, but she felt bad for Kenny, remembering only half his life. Maybe, if he ever got his memories back, he'd remember how it felt. She doubted it though. "I know what she did. Catherine and Trace know more. If you want to know, well, I can tell you." She sighed. "I probably shouldn't, but there you go," She gave a sad little laugh.
Kenny shook his head. "Thank you, but no. I'll spend my time trying to make it up to everyone I hurt... An impossible task but I have to try... Just to be clear, I'm letting Trace out of her room whenever she wants." He walked off to do just that.
"That's cool with me." She grinned. "I've got to go get the troops into shape. I'll see you in a couple hours." She wandered off.
Kenny nodded. "I'll get Alaric to start bringing in the others," he said, and headed off back to Trace's room.
Trace was waiting, sitting on the bed looking glum.


That's when it occurred to Joan that she'd sent him off to find Rick, who would get his memories back whether Kenny wanted him too or not.
Oh, how cruelly ironic it was that a maneuver she thought would help them could be the largest blow of all! Should she send him after Rick, freeing anyone he'd affected with his powers but freeing his memories also in the process? Or should she tell him the truth and swap him out, and let Kenny clean up his own mess? But if she changed the plan, she'd have to tell Raven why... and if Raven thought Kenny had her memories changed, or was influencing her in some way... she was sympathizing with Kenny after all. She didn't even think Raven knew how Kenny had been altered yet... but still, sending Kenny to Rick seemed like a more foolhardy thing to do every moment...
She sighed and stood up. There was only one person she'd trust to make this decision. She started towards Ravens room.
Alright, just act natural. The more normal you seem, the less likely she'll think Kenny's done something to you. She knocked on the door.

Raven was in her room, sure enough, but she was curled up in a ball in the corner.
When Joan got tired of waiting, she opened the door and was shocked at Ravens state. She completely forgot why she came and rushed over. "Raven! Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
Raven gave an infinitesimal shake of her head, then gripped her head with both hands.
Joan crept closer and put her arm around Raven gently, trying to comfort her. "What is it?" She asked worriedly. How the heck was she supposed to ask about Kenny now?

Then suddenly it hit her. What was going on. Of course, the freaking gifted serum was taking effect. Joan was so glad she was from Gifteds methods, which were uncomfortable and required an operation, but... as far as being conscious for it, anyway... were relatively painless.
Raven spasmed and didn't answer, holding her head still tighter. A moan of agony escaped her lips.
Joan was at loss at what to do. A doctor would be no good... She decided the least she could do was be there for her, and so she sat there, with the troops and Kenny eating away at the back of her mind.
Kenny, after informing Trace she was free to go where she pleased (while not leaving the bunker), had spent quite some time waiting around for something to happen. After half an hour, Kenny was looking for Joan. Finally he found her. "What are you doing..? I thought we were supposed to be getting ready?"
"Go away!" Joan cried, her voice catching on the last syllable. She knew Raven wouldn't want Kenny to be here. At the same time, she felt bad for snapping at him. He wasn't the same guy, after all. But he brought to mind again her previous dilemma, and that made her angry, too. "I'll find you before the battle begins, okay? And the soldiers know what they're doing. Just go."

Kenny nodded. "You won't be able to stay with her the whole time, unless we postpone setting out," he said softly, then left.
Great. More to worry about. She bit her lip. Should she go just tell Kenny now, then...? Ugh, she didn't want to make this decision. It was Ravens choice... but Raven was in no fit state to decide on this. So what, then...


She checked her watch. About an hour.
Quite suddenly Raven was crying. "Let go let go," she begged.
Joan let go and backed up several steps. "What is it? Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
"Everything hurts," she cried, closing her eyes against the light and carefully covering her ears.
Joan, seeing her distress, ran over and turned off the light, thinking it may help. "Should I get a doctor?" She asked worriedly. "I might be able to get you... painkillers..."
Raven nodded. "Please do."
Joan ran off without another word.
"I need some sort of painkiller for raven. No, you idiot, stronger than that! Medical grade stuff, Tylenol isn't gonna do anything!"
"Please, miss, this stuffs very addictive, I really-"
"I don't have time for that, don't you know we leave in forty-five minutes?" She snatched the bottle from the doctors hand and ran back with it. She pulled two pills out, and ran in to hand them to Raven. "Here," She said.
Raven gratefully swallowed them dry and waited for the effects to kick in. Strangely enough, a giggle bubbled to her lips as she remembered the last time she'd taken anything stronger than Advil.
This alarmed Joan even more, but she felt in unwise to say anything. "Does it help...?"
"Hasn't kicked in yet. It'll probably be a while," Raven said, getting to her feet and quickly regretting it. As uncomfortable as it had been sitting down, it was worse with all her weight on her feet. "I'm sure it'll be fine, though... The others didn't seem to be in terrible pain, but most of them after the first one were on some pretty tough medication.”
"Well, the doctor just about freaked when I took this from her, do that's probably a good sign." Joan smiled grimly. "We leave in forty five minutes... do you think you can make it?"
Raven nodded. "So long as I can keep that bottle," she said. "How long are you supposed to wait in between?"
"I think eight hours..." Joan said, not really willing to hand over the bottle but knowing whatever Kenny had done to Raven warranted a real need of them.
"Which translates to five," Raven smirked. "I promise I won't take any more yet. Or for several hours."
She sighed. "All right." She gave Raven the bottle.
Raven shook out about ten more pills and slipped them into her pocket, tossing the bulky bottle back to Joan.
This made Joan uneasy, but she took the bottle back and said nothing. She was wondering if asking raven was such a great idea. She certainly didn't want to bring it up.
"So, did you come here for any particular reason?"
"Yeah... Kenny woke up a few hours ago, but.... he's lost like half his memories. He's not faking, Xanders noticed it too." This is what you came to tell her. She reminded herself roughly, and ploughed on recklessly. "He's like a completely different person... I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. He doesn't remember why he did anything he did, or why he's even here. He apologized to me for threatening me. He went out of his way to find this little girls father for her. " She sighed. "The problem is the plan was to send him to find Rick, which if he does will still help anyone whose memories he's changed, but will cause his memory to come back as well."

"He can't fix anyone else's memories without his own. The danger of having tons of loose ends floating around is much worse than him getting his memory back. We'll just have to shoot him afterwards. His followers will all leave him after that," Raven said.
Joan nodded. "If you say so. But none of us will be there right when he gets his memories back. It'll be just him and a couple of his gifteds. We're in after gifted, though we might end up catching up with him at the entrance. Speaking of which, I think it's time to go."
"Isn't Trace going with him?" Raven asked.
"Yeah... you don't think I should arm her?" Joan asked worriedly. "Trace doesn't even know about this plan, because Kenny's with her so often, I didn't want him picking up on it."
"That was smart before, but from what you say, I doubt he'll be looking at anyone's memories," Raven said. "And she most certainly isn't in line with him."
"Not by choice, no, but she is with him." Joan bit her lip. It really was smart, to take him out just as soon as he got his memories back, when he’s disoriented and he'd never seen it coming, but... that just didn't sit right with her, somehow. It felt like something she'dve done three years ago. Still, look what he'd done. It was worth it... right?
"The only thing he has her forced to do is to stay with him, not to do as he says," Raven said.
"Raven, if she wasn't forced to do as he said, she wouldn't be here. You remember the state she was in when she first arrived?" Joan shook her head. "Whatever. We've got to go."
"Yes, because she's forced to stay with him, and she wasn't," Raven insisted. "Or rather, with Alaric."
"Raven, why would they bring her here if they didn't have a plan for her?" Joan snapped, and stepped out to go find Trace, which was harder than usual considering Kenny'd let her out.
Raven sighed and rolled her eyes. Joan sure was snippy for a twelve-year-old.
Half an hour later, they were out on the battlefield. Joan, Raven, Catherine, Trace, Kenny and whoever else he brought with him to go after Rick were off to one side, covered and protected from the raging battle and near to the door into the servants quarters. Catherine was incased in her shell, and Joan was wearing a bulletproof vest. Trace had a pistol hidden in her back pocket that she was to shoot Kenny with when he got his memories back. Raven had been given a gun to defend herself with as well. Nobody else carried a weapon.
"Alright, once we get in there there'll be little time to talk." Joan said, eyes always on the door and on the fighting very near them. "We head in, and we search the palace. There will be definitely some guards... I was right about Emeric playing his gifteds close to the chest." There couldn't be more than three gifteds battling currently in the war. "Rick'll be locked up, so Kenny's group'll have a slightly easier time of it, Gifted could be anywhere. We find who we're looking for, then get out and rendezvous back here. Capiece?"
Kenny nodded. "You know, Zanna could help you find Gifted," he said, glancing back at where the girl was fighting as the equivalent of a sniper, trying to take out the few gifteds on the field.
"It's fine... we're going to need her when we try to catch Emeric himself. He'll no doubt try to make a run for it during this siege. But we can't catch him safely without Rick. So this ought to be done first, and she'll do more good out here."

"Unless she gets shot," Raven added. "Let's go."
Kenny nodded solemnly.
Joan nodded, said "Good luck" to Kenny, and blasted the door down, causing shrieks from inside. The Servants, cooks and other hired help had barricaded themselves down there. "Go! We're not going to hurt you, just go!" Joan yelled to them over the din of the battle, and they only too happily rushed out. When they'd left, Joan led the others inside and up the stairs, where they split off at a hallway.
"This way," Kenny said, leading them along.
After Kenny had been walking for a few minutes, he came across something in the middle of his path: a human corpse. From what you could see without closer examination, it was a young woman who was once a maid here. Her blood was dripping from a wound that one couldn't see, staining the carpet around her black hair. She appeared to have been coming out of a connected hall to the right of them when she was struck down.
Kenny immediately pulled Trace behind him and looked around for whomever might have killed the poor girl. Zava stepped back to Kenny's side, looking over her shoulder so that no one snuck up behind them.
From this angle, it was impossible to see anyone, though the assailant was almost definitely in the hallway that branched off to the right, where the woman had been coming from.
Trace activated her power, and two things stuck out at her. "She was stabbed in the neck with something." She said quietly to Kenny. "You can just... just see it under her hair. Whatever it is is still lodged in." After a moment, she added "...she's holding a ninja star."

Zava edged forward to peek around the bend. While Kenny stayed with Trace. After a moment, he whispered back, "That's Sayoko. I heard about her..." He seemed sad about the woman's death. "She was on our side..."
Kannon was standing there, smirking triumphantly, a long, narrow plant that ended in a spike in his left hand. "You should've known better than to try your ninja tricks on a gifted who could read minds, Saykoko." he taunted. Or rather, Emeric taunted.
Just then, Sayoko's hand gripped the ninja star more tightly. She was in fact, still alive, but only just.
Zava stepped between Sayoko and Kannon, a ball of black fire forming in her hand. Kenny stepped forward and knelt next to the maid, wishing they had a healer there.
Kannon looked mildly surprised when he saw her. "Well, that's annoying. I thought all you troops were outside still." He threw the plant with surprising strength, right at Zannas head.
Zava let the fireball go and the plant was quickly in flames, even as she dodged out of the way. "I'm not exactly a normal troop," she replied.
"Hm. So you're one of Kenny's gifted." Kannon said, advancing on her. "This should be fun then."
Zava bowed slightly. "It would be even more interesting if it were you against him, Emeric, but with the whole mind-controlling-real-gifteds thing, it wouldn't be very fair at the moment." She sent a fireball at Kannon.
Kannon dodged it easily, as if he'd known what she was going to do.
Kenny probed the man's mind. Zava glared and leaped forward to punch him, her fist lighting on fire.
Kannon dodged it easily.
Kannon, who was being controlled by Emeric, had the capability to hold his natural and unnatural powers, and the unnatural power he was holding was mind reading. That was what allowed him to beat a ninja like Sayoko. He turned and stabbed at Zanna from behind, trying to spear her through the back.
An intense burst of flame radiated from Zava as she spun out of the way just in time. Kenny quickly leaped forward and touched Kannon's hand. His power would make for a delay that would cause for the advantage to be lost.
It took Kannon a second to realise what had happened. "You little-" he threw a spiked plant at Kenny.
Kenny laughed and stepped out of the way while Zava sent another fireball at Kannon's back.
Just as Kannon moved to attack again Trace uttered a shriek of pain and collapsed, her back split open. Sharie was standing behind her, grinning wickedly.
"Trace!" Kenny shouted, aiming a punch at the woman who had injured her. He tried to call out with his mind for Alaric to send a healer.
Kannon backed off for the moment to watch Kenny and Sharie. Sharie flourished her whip, meaning to wrap it around Kenny's wrist ad take off that hand.
Zava wasn't finished with him and she threw another punch at his head while Kenny let out a scream of pain.
Emeric had left him alone and so he had no thought to dodge. He was hit and staggered from the blow.
Sharie had a wild smile on her face as the hand came clean off. Suddenly there was a gunshot, and she cried out in pain as red spread from her shoulder and stained her tacky white shirt.
Trace, panicking, had drawn the gun she wasn't supposed to let Kenny see and fired. She'd been aiming to kill, but her hand was shaking so badly she'd hit Sharie in the shoulder.
It did far more good than if she had been killed. The sudden, intense pain was just enough to jolt Sharie herself into a state where she could fight against Emeric. But the headache was unbearable. Her knees gave out and she clutched her head, fighting hard.
Zava attempted to knock his feet out from under him and pin him beneath her. Kenny could barely manage to be thankful towards Trace through the agony. He curled up around his arm, bleeding all over the floor. He thought nothing of Trace having a gun, and would never guess she'd planned to use it on him. Moments later, a familiar face appeared. Alaric had brought Katrina. She quickly staunched the blood flow from Kenny's wound but couldn't heal it completely without running the risk of leaving Trace unchecked. She quickly attended to Trace's back and looked at Sharie before using her remaining expendable energy to continue to heal Kenny's arm, mostly hoping to dull the pain.
"Thanks, Katrina," Trace said, actually recognising her and legitimately grateful.

Kannons legs were knocked out from him but he managed to create another spiked plant and drive it upwards. If she tried to pin him down, she'd get it right in the upper arm.
Zava kicked his head instead.

Katrina nodded almost shyly as she checked to see if Sayoko was still alive. Kenny had a grimace stuck on his face, but he looked up at Trace. "We need to keep looking."
Kannon took the kick and spat blood out of his mouth. But Emeric had a better grip this time, and the pain wasn't sudden but a gradual building, and so Emeric managed to hold onto him.

Trace nodded. "You're right, let's keep moving. The fact Emeric put goons here means we can't be far."

Sayoko was technically still alive, but she was dying. A gifted might be able to save her, but any natural EMT would pretty much consider her dead.
Katrina looked up. "Zava, I need your help quickly," she said. Zava curb-stomped Kannon's face for good measure before turning to help the healer. "I need you to filter the energy from your fire into me so I can heal her." Katrina checked to make sure nothing was in the wound before beginning to heal the maid, feeling her own energy draining despite the flow from Zava.
That brought Kannon around to make a feeble attempt at fighting, but it was really no use. Sharie had been so much luckier... she was still fighting.

Kenny grabbed Trace's arm with his remaining hand and led the way.

Raven just followed along behind Joan, squinting her eyes. Despite the medication (though perhaps that didn't help) the lights were giving her a headache. And her feet hurt. :c
Joan wasn't really sure where they ought to go, despite knowing the castle back to front. But then, an odd sound, almost lost in the shots and yells from outside, came from down the hall: Music.
Joan recognized the song, a vocaloid song Gifted had once enjoyed. "Does anyone else hear that?"
"Yes," Raven said, hoping they were close and the music wasn't too loud.
Joan followed the music down the hall. It was indeed not far, but it was fairly loud. Eventually they stopped at a plain, closed door. The music was definitely coming from inside. "This is Gifted's room," Joan said, surprised.
"Doors locked... from the inside." Catherine noted.
"So are you going to bust it down or what?" Raven asked.
"Is it really the best idea to bust in there just like that? Gifted may put up a fight. If we go in quietly we may catch her by surprise." Joan pointed out.
"Careful, Joan, it could be a trap."
Joan knelt near the door handle and pulled out an ordinary paperclip, which she began to pick the lock with.
Raven sighed. "We should just give her enough of these pills to knock her out for a few hours," she said, mostly kidding.
Joan rolled her eyes, sincerely hoping that was a joke.
As it turned out, Joan and Catherine's over-cautiousness was unnecessary.
Gifted was sitting a ways from the door at a polished computer desk, the light from the screen reflected back in her tired eyes. She was watching the video and quietly singing along, in English too soft for them to have heard outside the room.
"If you're short on money that's no fearful thing,
just take it from those who you dangle on a string.
To those who feel they want to bring me down,
You'll just tidy up my gown."
Her voice broke on the last word, and she looked as if she were fighting hard not to cry. Of course, it was harder to control your own emotions when you'd been cut off from them so long. But I couldn't cry. This was how it was supposed to end. I reached over and turned the music down to soft background noise.
"I knew you'd be the one to come."
Joan watched me hesitantly, unsure. "Gifted?"
"He let me go." I explained. My voice was hollow and raspy from disuse. "When the fight started. I guess he thought I'd do something stupid, like run and get myself shot." I shook my head, looking dejected, and stood, looking at Joan, Catherine and Raven, properly for the first time.
I looked absolutely terrible. My hair, which had been cut short as a boys when I'd appeared on TV so long ago, now grew down past my ears and hung in an untidy mess around my face. I was wearing the same dress as I had for the television appearance, though some of the gems at the front had come off.
I was skin and bones. The dress, which had been perfectly tailored at my last appearance, now hung misshapenly about my body. My cheeks were sunken and hollow looking, and it was obvious behind the dress one would be able to plainly see each of my ribs. My arms and hands were so thin and fragile it looked as though one could break my arm by gripping too hard. My eyes, looking too large in my face, reflected only a broken spirit.

Despite Gifted's apparent fragility and her own condition, Raven was wrapping her friend in her arms in seconds. "We'll get you out of here, there's no way he'll win," she proclaimed.
I was confused, and a little alarmed. Oh well, not like it mattered anyway. I looked back to Joan. "Who are they?"
"You think I could bear to live with this if I couldn't tell you Raven was safe?"
My mind seemed to be working slower than usual. I looked down at her wonderingly. "Raven..?"
"Kenny altered her appearance."
After that I understood, and finally returned the embrace delicately. "Raven... I thought you were dead." I was dangerously close to tears now.
"I was pretty sure I was going to be for about three hours, too. And then there was about two weeks where I didn't remember who I was. But I'm here now," Raven said, with a soft smile.
"I'm sorry for walking out on your wedding."
"I kinda deserved it, as was proven," Raven replied.
"Next time, believe the mind readers when they tell you something," I said, but it was a joke. Though I wasn't sure how well jokes would come off in my state. I sighed and released Raven, knowing what would happen next. Joan would have to escort me out of the castle to a cell where I'll await trial - which I didn't have a hope of winning - and then execution.
"You don't have to do this, you know," Joan said quietly.
I gave a single, sad laugh. "Come on, Joan. Even you don't believe that."
Joan smiled grimly, because of course I was right. She came up and took my wrists delicately in her hands, worried about hurting me. I didn't particularly care.
"Nor do I. You're not going to do it, and that's final. We're going to pull the same trick Kenny did, only we'll need an illusionist rather than a dead body," Raven said. "Or really just have the Inner Circle claim it, and have closed casket because you were horribly mangled."

"Without my testimony, the Inner Circle is as dead as I am." I snapped, sounding almost like my old self for once. I tried to be a little nicer as I continued. "It's a nice sentiment, Raven, but it won't work."
"Speaking of which, what do you plan to tell everyone?" Raven asked, another plan formulating.
"That Emeric was holding the Inner Circle prisoner and would have killed them one by one if I’d not complied to his demands." I'd been thinking about it already.
"They were on the battlefield, how is that prisoner?" Raven asked speculatively.
"Only a few did. Xander is a capable man, he stepped in to help me. You'll notice he switched sides once captured with no second thoughts; that's because he only wanted to help me in the first place. Others who came after I was forced into power, such as Tyler or Ruby, are his associates. Still others were sent as punishment to me, condemned to die on the battlefield. They escaped out of sheer luck."
Raven set her jaw. "We could admit to gifteds. Just don't admit to yours."
"And start with the conspiracy theories that'll lead to the same place? No thanks." I snapped.
"I won't lose you!" Raven half-shouted, her eyes flashing in anger.
"How do you think I feel?" I snapped. "I'm the one going to my death!" The tears finally started coming down. Great. After all this time, it's the anger that finally does it. How humiliating.
"Then why are you so fucking stubborn?" Raven demanded, looking like she might hit Gifted.
"Because it's the only way to keep everyone else alive!" I snapped back.
"Can't you two argue about this another time? It'll take Rick ages to put a trial together, and anyway, we're supposed to rendezvous with Kenny's group." Joan said, trying to break up the argument.
"You're working with KENNY?"
"Oh please, he locked me in a room and threatened me, how was I supposed to refuse him? Besides, we sent him to find Rick."
Gifted smirked. "Always one to make the best out of a bad situation."
"You betcha. "
"He turned me into one of them," Raven blurted.
"One of what?" I didn't get it.

"A gifted, dumbass." Joan said as they began walking out the door.
"Oh! ...But why on earth would he do that?" What was the problem there?
"Why does he do anything?" Raven asked.
"Granted, but still he usually has SOME sort of twisted logic." I replied.
Raven shrugged. "He probably just wanted to make me squirm."
Trace and Kenny made it down the hall to a large sitting room, where Ruby was sitting watching TV. a door directly to their left led into the room Rick was held in, but of course they couldn't know that.

Ruby heard them come in and looked up almost lazily from the TV. "Oh joy." She said sarcastically, then sighed. "Colsheen!" a butterfly the size of a cat fluttered off a pillow and turned into a cheetah almost instantly.
Trace couldn't help noticing how much Ruby looked like Cristel... and she even had a daemon like Cristel.
"God dammit," Kenny said, and immediately tried to wipe Ruby's mind.
Ruby saw it, and so it was effectively pointless. "Good try, but you can’t erase the memories of a mind reader." She giggled. "I'm amazed you got through Emerics other defences though. I should get Tyler... on second thought, maybe not." she giggled again.
Colsheen leapt at Kenny, trying to dig her claws into his face or chest.
"Trace, get Rick," Kenny demanded as he attempted to get away from the cheetah.
"Where?" Trace asked desperately.
Ruby's girlish smile was replaced with a scowl. "Colsheen, guard the door!" She snapped. The cheetah whipped around and positioned itself between the door and Trace.
"And don't think your friends power will help you either, that room is soundproof, he doesn't have the faintest idea what's going on out here."

This was true. Rick was just sitting in there, unbound because how's he going to get out to do any damage, completely unaware there was even a fight going on.
Soon, Katrina had healed Sayoko as well as she could.
After several agonizing minutes, Sayoko tried to push herself up off the ground. She was weak, but she just barely managed it.
"Hello there, Sayoko, is it?" Katrina asked. "You're very lucky to be alive." Zava silently went after Kenny and Trace.
"Kannon..." She said quietly, regretfully. Then she looked to Katrina. "I thank you ever so much, Miss."
"We're working on getting the castle captured. Hopefully we will be able to save them," Katrina said.
"Yes I heard. That's why I went after Kannon, you see. I wanted to keep the strongest Gifteds out of the way. I incapacitated Alex and Maverick and September, and I was going to remove Kannon next, but I wasn't aware he'd gotten mind reading as his second power when I engaged him."
Meanwhile, Kannon was just getting up, trying to stem the blood from his nose.
Katrina drew a knife, though she didn't know how much good it would do.
Before Kannon could make a move, Sayoko whipped the ninja star she'd been holding when she almost died at him, where it stuck in his forehead, the gash spurting blood.
"Go, you idiots, go!" A different voice yelled. Sayoko turned, and saw Sharie, still fighting hard, had desperately shouted to them to leave, scared for them. "Miss Sharie...?"
"Go! Do you WANT to get torn to pieces?! Ugh!" the pain was too much for her to concentrate on talking.
"I don't know this place," Katrina said, then added, "Do you think we should help Kenny?"
Sayoko nodded. "Don't worry miss, I know the halls here inside and out." She set of at a brisk, almost-but-not-quite running pace.
Zava fired a fireball at Colsheen from the doorway. "You two will get yourselves killed, I swear," she said.
As the fireball connected, Colsheen hissed like a cat, and Ruby cried out in pain and clutched her side. "Hey, three against two isn't fair!" She complained. "Especially when I'm handicapped." She pulled a knife out of her waistband and whipped it at Zanna.
Zava managed to duck to the side and smack the knife away. "How are you handicapped?" she asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ruby asked.
"She feels pain when that familiar of hers does." Trace said, who'd noticed.
"It's called a daemon. And her names Colsheen! Gosh, get it right!" She giggled and withdrew another knife.
"Yeah, well he has no hand," Zava motioned at Kenny. "So I think it evens out." She sent a burst of flame at Ruby.
Ruby blasted water at it, putting out the flame. "It's still three on two."
Colsheen tried to jump on and dig her claws into Trace, but Trace pulled out her gun and, in desperation, fired into the cat's stomach.
Ruby gasped out in pain and dropped the knife. She was nearly doubled over clutching her own stomach.
Zava fired another blast of flame at the girl and Kenny dashed across the room, quickly searching Ruby's memory for a key even as he tried to open the door to Rick's room.
Ruby had absolutely no idea how to open that door. The only people who knew were Emeric and Tyler Winslake. She was hit by the fireball and her clothes caught on fire, causing her to shriek with terror and immediately try to put it out with her power.
Sayoko, who knew exactly where Rick was being held, led the way and they were there in a few moments.
"We need to find Tyler Winslake," Kenny announced, mostly speaking to Sayoko.
"Mr. Winslake? Oh, he'll be with Emeric himself, I'm afraid, if he's not here." Sayoko shook her head. "He is an amplifier, you see."
Kenny growled in frustration. Zava rolled her eyes. "You know how to pick a lock, ninja?"
"I do indeed." She reached up and undid a pin from her hair - that wasn’t really doing anything right now anyway, her hair was all messed up after the beating she took at the hands of Kannon - leaned down, and picked the lock. the door opened with a soft click.
"What do you want now?" Rick snapped, thinking it was Emeric. When she walked in, he looked confused. "Sayoko?" Emeric had never sent Sayoko before... just that Tyler man and occasionally himself.
"Come now, Rick, we're going to get you out of here. Miss Wenkeling-"
"Wait, Joans attacking?" Rick grinned. "All right," He came over to the doorway.. and saw the others. Ravonians? He had no idea of the shift in public opinion towards the ravonians that had occurred, and anyway, he still remembered "Luke". "Who're you?"
Kenny indicated each of the Ravonians one at a time, "Katrina, Zava, and Trace. We need to meet up with Joan and the others who went to get Gifted, come on." He was more than willing to let Rick believe he was whoever he wanted to believe.
Trace had her hand around her guns grip, watching Kennys eyes, ready to shoot Kenny when Rick made a move, but dreading it. Finally, he did.
He did it because Rick recognised Kenny at last. Only not as Kenny, but as Adam. And with Raven dead, Adam had no business leaving Ravonia. So he threw his power so it would cover the entire group.
Sayoko felt no change, but Trace felt as if bindings had fallen off. She had no doubt what Rick had just done, but waited a second for the change in Kenny's eyes.
It hit him like a brick wall. The changes Leia had made to his memories were undone and his previous memories came back together. He scowled that he'd let himself come in here without a weapon. Then a second wave drove the breath from his lungs. The memories that had been hidden from him since the bombings came back full force. How could he have been so delusional the last few years? He wasn't in command--

"What just happened?" Katrina asked, blinking as though waking up from a long rest.
"What happened was-"

Trace fired her weapon directly at Kenny's chest, so her shaky aim wouldn't stop her from getting a bullet in him.
Kenny gasped and doubled over, blood quickly changing the color of his shirt.
Zava was at his side almost instantly, trying desperately to help him, but of course it didn't help, and Katrina seemed too shocked to move.
"N-not me," Kenny gasped, his mouth opening in a silent scream of agony.
Trace couldn't believe she'd actually... killed...Kenny. She just stood there, too shocked to move. After Kenny had said his final words, there was silence for nearly five seconds. Then Rick rounded on Trace.
"What the blazes?"
"I was only doing what Joan told me to do!" She cried, trying to defend herself. "She said 'when Rick uses his power and Kenny gets his memory back, you have to kill him'. That's the entire reason I'm armed in the first place!"
"He wasn't even armed!" Zava shouted, leaning over his body.
"I was just doing what I was told to!" Trace cried. "Ask Catherine, she was there."
"Come on." Rick said, beginning to head out. "We've got to move."
"...What? Why?"
"Because that gunshot was probably heard in half the castle, now move."

"Don't you have a mind of your own?" Zava demanded. She made no move to get up. Katrina looked at her with pity in her eyes, but left the room.
Trace followed Katrina, but Rick stopped just before the hall. "Zava, right? Ten to one there'll be people coming any second, we have to go. This isn't something Joan would do. I'm going to try to get an explanation out of her when we get back. But for now what’s done is done, and we've got to get out of here before anyone shows up."
"I'm not leaving him," Zava stated plainly.
"Zava, there's nothing you can do for him. He's gone. We need to get out of here before Emeric-"

Just then, Darin came out, gun pointed directly at Zava. Rick ran towards them, just as Darin fired.
Strange, that a normal Ravonian should be here, Zava thought, quite sure this kid wasn't a gifted. It was the only thought that really struck her, even hearing the gun fire. She had only even noticed the kid because Rick had stopped talking. Why did he stop talking? She just pulled Kenny closer.

Rick was used to throwing himself in front of attacks to save others. Heck, that was pretty much the sort of thing his power was built for. But it was always a gifted, and so it never actually did any damage. He didn't even think about it until it was too late.
The bullet hit his left leg and the leg gave out from under him as he cried out in pain. "Darin." He choked out his name, remembering when Darin and Joan had come to rescue Gifted, and almost succeeded. Poor guy. "Zava, go."
"That was reckless, Rick," Darin taunted, brandishing his gun threateningly.
"They need you," Zava said. "I won't leave. I don't care if he's..." She seemed unable to form the word and bent over Kenny until she was crying into his chest.
"You're gonna get yourself killed." He forced out, not trusting himself to stand. He pushed his power out, trying to get it to cover Darin.
"Then at least I won't have to live through this. Maybe we'll be together again," Zava mumbled.
Darin let out a groan but tried to step forward, figuring being closer to Rick would help. He struggled to throw Emeric out of his mind, hating the feeling of being controlled more than anything else. At least the pain would be temporary.
Rick completely ignored her, and Emerics control over Darin snapped. Rick let his power snap back to him and tried to get to his feet. He just barely managed it, trying not to put any weight on his injured leg.
Once Darin gathered his wits about him, he quickly stashed his gun and came over to offer support to Rick.
"You okay, Darin?" Rick said, smiling and gratefully accepting the support. "We sent a couple girls on and apparently Joan's here somewhere too." He added. "We ought to get out of here." Finally he turned to Zava. He said in a much gentler voice than he'd been using up till now. "Zava?" He sighed. "Zava, believe me, I know what it's like to lose someone you really care about. But if you stay behind, it's not going to bring him back. You're only hurting yourself. The best you can do is... try to finish what he started." If Rick had known what Kenny had done he wouldn't have said this, but it was how he felt. And he knew that feeling well...

[Gifted]

It was one of the last days of the MG wars. Gifted, desperate, had somehow snuck an army around their territory and attacked the town where the palace of Mars was located. Joan wasn't the least bit worried, but Rick had advised Mikaela to go barricade herself in a back room somewhere. Now he was out, watching the fighting from the high windows of the castle. He wasn't officially part of the battle, but he did have a sniper he could use if he got a good shot. He didn't see the point, though. No, Joan would destroy Gifted in this battle like all the others, and then Mikaelas victory speech would deal a devastating blow to the morale of her few remaining troops. The speech practically wrote itself in Ricks mind as he watched the chaos down below, a slight smile playing on the corners of his lips.
A figure dressed in black caught his eye. He was darting through the chaos with no weapon at all, nothing but a sheet of paper, white against his trenchcoat. He was wearing a white porcelain mask Rick knew well. "Xander." He grinned and took aim. He was going to kill one of Gifteds Inner Circle! An intelligent, cunning one too. How stupid Gifted was to send out one of her favourites to die as little more than a messenger boy! He squeezed the trigger.
The bullet hit the boy squarely in the forehead, the porcelain mask splintering and cracking as he collapsed. Rick felt a moment of satisfaction. Gifted would get no more advice from him.
Another soldier approached the boy and knelt down beside him. Ricks smile grew larger. "Well, if you're stupid enough to help him without checking for snipers first." He took aim at the second man, watching him try to help. The second man reached over and took the mask off, and Rick froze.
The blond hair and blue eyes he'd expected behind the mask had never come. Instead it was a face he knew well, a face he’d laughed with and talked with, whom he'd had some of the best times of his life with. His closest friend. The sniper clattered to the floor, his eye no longer on the scope, but the image was burned into his brain, the soldier taking Xanders mask off of Jared's face.
He felt like he was going to be sick. His best friend... gone. And by his hand. He staggered back from the window. He couldn't do this. He ran into the washroom.
By the time the nausea passed, he knew what he had to do. He couldn't allow this to go on any longer. But there was no way Mikaela would ever be talked around. He called Joan.
"What is it?" She demanded when she picked up the phone, the battle raging around her.
"I...I just shot-"
"Rick I don't have time for this right now!" Joan said, then hollered at her troops. "No! Swing around and trap them in a circle! They'll press inward and we've got mines there! They'll be blown sky-high!" She went back to the phone. "What is it?"
"I just shot Jared, Joan. Gifted just sent him in Xanders coat and mask to deliver a message, or something, and..."
"Is there a point to this?" Rick knew she wasn't cross with him, just impatient.
"I-I don't think I can do this anymore, Joan."
That stopped her cold. "What? Rick, we've almost gotten this thing won!"
"I just killed my best friend."
"Rick, we're so close we can taste it! We've got like four plenats already, Gifteds army is miniscule, and-"
"Joan, how would you have felt if it were Rakel or Nicholas under that mask?"
Joan gave a little gasp and said nothing.
"All the people we killed, Joan. They were like Rakel to someone. They were friends, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives. How come only our friends are important? And anyway, how do you know it won't be Nicholas next time? Or how do you know it hasn't already happened? It's not like we would know, their bodies would be blown apart beyond recognition!"
"Which was precisely the point," She whispered in a horrified voice.
"We'll never really know who lived and who died! All those people will have someone waiting, wondering why their sister or brother or husband never came home!"
"All those people..." Joan whispered. Her last battle had been her best ratio by far. Tens of thousands more of gifteds side had been killed... they had been so pleased....
"And for what? So we can have a little more power? Is any amount of power really worth this?"
"But how are we to stop it?" Joan asked desperately. "It's not that simple."
"Yes it is, Joan. I can end it with only one more death."
"How?"
"Withdraw your armies, Joan. I'm going to assassinate Mikaela."
"You think that'll work?" She sounded shocked, and hopeful.
"Don't you trust me?"
A pause. "Mmhmm. I'll start the retreat."
"I'll see you in a few." He hung up.


After it was all said and done, he found out Jared had survived the bullet. The mask had protected him the same way it had protected Xander so much more recently, and with Joans hasty retreat, they were able to get him off the battlefield soon enough to save his life. But it was a close thing. And that experience, that one shot, would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Even if no one was ahead of us, we should get out of here, Rick. Powers might be the main weapon around here, but Emeric would be stupid to leave his only gun in my hands," Darin said, then frowned. "Speaking of, I have no idea how much ammunition I have. And this gun is pathetic."

Zava looked up at Rick with dead eyes, then nodded slightly. She stood and left the room without looking back at Kenny's body again.
"Yeah, just saying we're not alone. And I'm sure Joan can get you a better one once we get out of here."

"Let's go, they're probably waiting for us," Raven said, but she was still thinking about ways to save Gifted.
When Joan, Gifted, Raven and Catherine made it back to the door out, Trace and the others weren't there. "Oh great." Joan said worriedly.
"Emeric probably had guards set around Rick," Raven said.
Just then, Trace and Katrina made it back to them.
"Where's Rick?" Joan asked. "And who're you?" She asked Katrina.
"Rick stayed behind because Zava wouldn't leave." Trace said quietly.
"I'm Katrina," she answered quietly. "They ran into a bit of trouble and had to send for me... Kenny lost his hand." She then quieted, because really, that was the thing of the least concern.
Joan nodded. "Well we can't leave without Rick, that would defeat half the point."
Zava crossed her arms. "Was the other half getting people killed?"
"The other half was her." She replied, indicating me. She chose not to comment on that, though I was instantly worried. "Who got killed?" I asked quietly.
"Some gifted Adapter with spiked plants and Kenny," Zava's lip quivered.
"Kannon..." I sighed.
That's when Rick and Darn made it back.
"Darin!" Joan grinned what she recognised him. "Rick!"
"Hey," Rick grinned.
Raven smiled at the pair. "Glad you made it back mostly in one piece," she said, noting Rick's leg. Darin nodded to Joan.
"So, first things first," Darin said, "do you have any real weapons? Emeric's suck." He pulled out the gun he'd been using.
"Darin, I'm the General of an army that's waging war against Emeric's last forces outside. Of course I've got good weapons," She smirked. "We've gotta go back for that Zanna or whatever her name was that Kenny pointed out, anyway. Then her, Rick and a dozen armed guys can head in to capture Emeric."
Rick nodded. "Send me in because nobody else can touch him, huh?"
"No shit, Sherlock,"
"I'm going," Darin said. "I want to be the one to shoot him in the head."
Both Rick and Joan said "Nope," at the same time, then Joan elaborated.
"We can't kill him yet unless we absolutely, one-hundred-percent have to. We gotta have a big grand trial and public execution."
"That'll be fun to plan," Rick smirked.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. We still gotta get this thing done. Let's go." She walked out, keeping me in a firm grip, not that I was going anywhere. Or that I'd even get that far if I did, in my malnourished state.
"I'll stay with Gifted," I offered.
"I'm still going," Darin muttered under his breath.
Zava trailed after them, her eyes narrowed.
Joan didn't really trust Raven to stay alone with Gifted, but she knew Gifted herself would never consent to running away. And she didn't care one way or the other if Darin went. "That's fine with me." Once they got back around behind their own line, Joan simply went back a bit into the trees. There was a weapons cache here, hidden discreetly enough you'd never guess it was there, looking as though guns were simply strewn about and covered in leaves at first glance. But after a moment the order of it became more clear. it was more convenient to come here than walk all the way back to the bunker. A few soldiers were around, exchanging their empty, broken, or otherwise useless weapons for fresh ones. "Alright, let's see," Joan said, surveying them. "I gave Trace a .40 Smith and Wesson, you can always use that one... I've got some Colt .45 automatics here too. The bigger shotguns and rifles and such should probably stay with the official troops, but either of those could give you some decent power and way better than that wimpy little .38 special you got off Emeric."
Darin nodded and picked up a .45, looking it over. He turned and shot at a tree, nodding at the feel of it. "This will do," he said, flicking the safety on.

"What if we broke you out after the trial but before the execution?" Raven suggested.
"Start a manhunt, not to mention an inquiry. Look, can we not talk about this?" I said miserably.
"Raven, you ought to take her back to the bunker. Get her something to eat." Joan suggested.
Rick was watching me carefully the whole time, looking odd. It made me uncomfortable for him to be staring. I couldn't figure out if it was just because he hadn't seen me in years and still felt ashamed for his actions back then - actions I'd long forgiven him for, especially since, y'know, he practically won the war for me and all - and couldn't say anything, or if there was some other, bigger reason. I tried to ignore him, but it was uncomfortable.
"be back in five," Joan said, grabbing a Mauser C96 "I'm gonna go find Zanna and a few other guys."
Raven nodded. "It's a bit of a walk, but it's better than doing it later, I suppose." She started to trudge back towards the bunker.

Darin stayed with Rick as Katrina worked on his leg.

Joan was 30 feet away from her when an explosion went off, as if a bomb was strapped to Zanna's chest. It was big enough to take out the people around her. At the same time, the other four gifteds that Kenny had given Joan experienced the same thing, but Katrina, Zava, and Trace remained completely unharmed.
I followed. It was a very good thing we didn't stay, because I might not've recovered before my death if I'd seen what happened next.

Joan gasped, frozen in shock and horror. The noise of battle still hung in the air, but to Joan, it was silent. She gazed upon a scene she'd watched so many times before, knowing this last act could be the end for her. She hadn't done that... But how would she prove it? She could feel the eyes boaring into her, how this scene would look to an outsider. Even Rick was watching in shock, knowing what she knew, seeing what she saw. Why? How? This couldn't be happening... She didn't do it... She didn't do it...
The sound of a gunshot penetrated her consciousness, and almost instantaneously a red flower of pain burst from her chest. She fell backward, not registering the shock as she hit the ground. The vest... she'd been counting on going in the palace... she hadn't put it on.
The sound of battle reached her ears again, and she understood it had never really ceased, that she had just become numb to it. But now intertwined with the gunfire and the barking of orders, came a new yell, being repeated endlessly amongst the soldiers.
"General Wenkeling's been shot! General Wenkeling's been shot!"
Katrina wasted no time. She was at Joan's side as soon as physically possible, and then soon she was barking orders. "Cover us! And dammit, someone get me something to get the bullet out with! Quickly!"
Joan desperately wanted to say something in case she didn't make it, but she knew it wasn't smart to try to talk... it would only decrease her chances of survival.

A few soldiers rushed to her aid, but not really enough to cover them properly, especially since Katrina was now a prime target for Emeric forces... without Katrina, Joan would definitely die.

Rick was mouthing something so quick Trace couldn't keep up with him, his hands moving as if reading or writing something she couldn't see. His eyes were wide and frantic. Suddenly, less than five seconds later, his expression was replaced with one of pure anger and he shouted at the top of his lungs, loud enough to carry over the noises and make sure every man heard.
"You blind cowards! Are you going to let yourself be taken in by their dirty, underhanded attempt? To fool you, to break our bonds in the hour of victory, to turn you against one another? Joan fell from distraction, from horror, of the evil recreation of what she was once party to. Are you going to let them get away with that, or are you going to make them pay?"

Though Ricks speech might have cost maybe one or two lives due to distraction, it had an amazing effect on the troops. Many more came in to cover Katrina and Joan, as much as they could possibly hope for, and even two or three medics came out to assist. The rest of them fought harder and more viciously than ever, emboldened by the words.

Meanwhile, Rick relaxed almost all at once. He sighed, and a relieved smile spread over his lips. "I've still got it."

"Yeah, you do," Darin said. "Do you think we should get going?"
"We should have more manpower than just the two of us, but I'm worried if we leave it too long Emeric will escape out the back." Rick said, biting his lip. "Aw, heck with it, let's just go." He grabbed a gun at random. Joan had taught him to shoot, but he wasn't one who could really tell one gun from another. The guns Joan had pointed out with her technical names that Darin had apparently followed all just looked like handguns to him. So he grabbed one at random.

Katrina looked at the first medic and repeated her earlier command. "I need something to pull the bullet out now, or she'll never make it."

One of the medics produced a pair of forceps and handed them to Katrina.
"We oughta get her off to a real hospital!" another one shouted loud enough to be heard.
"No time, it's best to do it as quickly as possible and move her afterwards," Katrina answered quickly, and carefully pulled the bullet out of Joan's wound. She didn't bother taking care of the tool or the weapon, and just dropped them. "Take those and the rest of you go get a cot to carry her on." Katrina specifically made sure no one would be left to watch her heal Joan. She grabbed at a roll of bandages and held a wad to her wound. "And stitches. And someone get a knife and a lighter!" If she was going to put on the show she was going to do it right. Besides it would take less out of her to help the process along.
The medics around her raced to comply. One out them raced back to the bunker to get a proper medical scalpel - pretty much everything else was there with them - passing raven and gifted as he did so.
I was worried. Joan would be on the warpath if she saw someone running from battle, unless there was a reason he absolutely needed to get back. Or it was part of some big plan that was yet unclear to me, which wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.
Katrina started healing Joan, enough to help but not enough to be noticed without severe inspection. She erased all hint of infection and staunched the bleeding a bit.
Joans breathing was getting shallower. The world kept drifting in and out of focus, but she tried her best to keep looking steadily at Katrina. She could not pass out. A medic came back with a lighter and stitches "Here," she said desperately.
"I need something metal for this to work. A knife or something," Katrina said to the medic. Once the medic was gone, she pulled out her knife and heated it, but rather than cauterizing the wound (which would cause other problems in the long run) she simply stitched it up and began healing it. Then she quickly bandaged it so no one would notice. "You're going to be okay, Joan," she whispered.

When Rick and Darin entered the castle they were almost immediately greeted by a ball of fire hurtling towards them. Rick was unfazed and blocked it with his arm. It fizzled out upon contact with his skin. Dominic, standing atop the staircase, turned and bolted through the door into the hall.
"We need to hurry in case he warns someone else," Darin said, probably unnecessarily.
Rick shook his head. "There'll probably be gifteds positioned all along our way as raining signals for Emeric that we're close. That and I guess he wanted to take out one of our group before we got to him. But now he'll know there's only two of us, we're at a distinct disadvantage."
"Only if he has twenty armed men around him," Darin said. "They can't touch us with any of their voodoo Sh*t."
"Every one of those Gifteds is still a person. He's gotta have, what, ten in there still?" Rick pointed out. "At LEAST ten."
Darin shrugged. "I've gotta have at least eleven bullets."
"We don't want to kill them if we can help it, Darin. Remember it's not really them." suddenly blood was whipped at them from Alex, who was standing in a shadow around a corner they were about to turn.
Joan could feel her strength coming back. Her head was beginning to clear. She sat up, not remembering that might not be the greatest idea.
Katrina pushed her back down. "We'll get you out of here soon, just stay there," she said.
Joan realised then that because Katrina had used her gift it wouldn't do to let people think she was fine. She nodded and lay still, but it was so frustrating lying on a battlefield when she should be helping win the war.
"Bullets can just as easily maim," was Darin's reply. "And-" he was cut off as blood splattered his face. He'd been stupid to not watch where he was going.
Rick threw out his shield in a panic and Alex staggered backwards, however Emeric didn't release him. Alex began to back off.
"Sorry," Darin muttered. "I can hit his shoulder." He raised his weapon, but waited for Rick to give the okay.
Alex turned and started running down the hall, away from them. "Quickly," Rick said.
Darin fired directly at Alex's shoulder blade, where he knew the bullet wouldn't kill him but would hurt like hell.
The bullet hit perfectly and alex went down, tripping over his own feet. Rick shot forward, keeping his shield stretched so Alex came inside it. "You going to be bested by your own man, Alex?" he challenged.
After less than a second, Alex groaned. "Damn, Rick, your power supposed to hurt?"
"I don't think it does... I think Emerics power hurts when it's broken, not that mine hurts when it's working. At any rate, Katrina and Trace didn't seem to be in any pain." He offered a hand to help Alex up.
Darin followed after Rick. "Please to not use your power until I get thoroughly washed," he said.
"Oh," He seemed to just notice Darin was covered in blood. "Damn, I'm sorry. I don't think it'd work anyway, isn't Rick gonna trap us in his little bubble for safety reasons?" He joked.

"Funny, Alex." Rick said. "C'mon, guards means we're going in the right direction."
Darin nodded. "Lead the way, Rick," he said. He clearly didn't like Alex, though he tried not to hold a grudge knowing that the man hadn't been intentionally hurting his group.
Alex didn't even notice. He was used to not being liked.

After several more simple attacks that smothered out when they got close, Rick, Darin, and Alex finally reached the throne room. Emeric was in there, of course, his remaining gifted armed and standing around him. Ruby looked angry. Rolias and Tyler both looked bored. And Emeric was sitting, smirking on his throne.
"You know, I should have shot Ruby while I had the chance wimpy .38 or not. Right in the head," Darin muttered, looking over the lot of them.
"I don't think Cristel would've minded." Rick said with a smirk on his face.
"So." Emeric said. "You've come with two other guys and only two guns between the three of you. Wow, I'm scared."
"Technically, he came with one other guy. We picked the other one up on the way," Darin said, with a smirk. "And if you're not scared, then why do you have an army between us? Seems like you're a coward to me."
"Well I'm not very well going to take you on by myself, am I?" he said, flippant. "Besides, there's only three or four people here actually doing the thinking,"
"And you think that makes you less of a coward? You hide behind other people instead of fighting like a man," Darin said.
"Yeah, tell that to your friend who fought me one on one in her supposed skill and nearly died." he rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to fight you people. It'll take too long. Joan's armies'll burst in here and then I'm really screwed."

"Fine then, have it your way," Darin said, then he quickly lifted his gun and fired at random into the crowd. To hell if some of the gifteds died, it was better than the whole rebellion being for nothing.
Ruby leveled her gun and fired back, as did multiple other gifteds. Ruby's wounds from Trace had mysteriously disappeared. It's worth noting Colsheen was staying the heck away from Rick.
Olivia dodged easily, Sharie and Rakel were hit, but it wasn't fatal. Ricks bullet hit Heather, also non-fatally, but while the first two a single hit was enough to shock them out of it long enough to begin to fight Emeric, he maintained his grip on Heather.
Suddenly Rick gave a gasp and took a half step back. His hand went halfway to his face, but he stopped in shock more than anything. Emeric gave a smirk as he watched Rick wince.
"What the hell... he was never that strong before... I've been in the same bloody room as him, and he was never that strong before."
"Don't you remember the stories, Rick?" Alex asked grimly. "It's Tyler. He's enhancing it."
Rick nodded, somewhat recovering himself. "I hate to say this guys, but if my shield shatters, you're on your own."
"Your shield can shatter?" Alex asked, shocked.
"I didn't think it could." Rick answered. "After that attack... I'm not so sure."
"So which one's Tyler? Let's shoot him," Darin said, firing again into the crowd, now crouched to be a smaller target
"The only guy without a gun." Alex said. "Rick, pull your shield off me so I can fight."
"After that attack? Absolutely not, he'll get you again before you can move." Rick fired as he spoke, he and Darin together hit three other gifteds. Darin hit two of the three though because for some odd reason Rick kept his gun mostly trained on Olivia, who of course dodged the bullets fairly easily with her super speed.
"I've gotta help somehow!" Alex protested. Rick wanted to tell him he could help by shutting up, but didn't say a word. At least, not about that. "I thought using Tyler was supposed to come back and bite you in the ass at some point."
"It does, but not if he keeps renewing it every twenty minutes like he has been."
Darin fired in what he thought was Tyler's general direction, but since seeing wasn't easy from one's knees, he wasn't at all sure who he was actually shooting at.
It now became apparent why Rick was shooting at Olivia; she dodged a bullet and in doing so ran close enough to them that she was under Ricks shield. Her body suddenly wouldn't move as fast as it could a moment ago and the momentum caused her to trip and fall hard on the ground, getting rope burn from the carpet. Rick capitalized on the advantage, as she struggled to get up and away from his influence, he grabbed her by the arm and wrestled the gun from her hand. He tossed it casually to Alex, who caught it and started shooting like Darin. It was immediately clear Alex was incompetent with a gun.
Olivia writhed and struggled against Ricks grip, but Rick grabbed her by the shoulders and held her down. This was really somewhat of a test, to see how long Emerics now-enhanced posers could survive under his influence.
Olivia couldn't move, but she damn well tried. He held her shoulders and sat on her legs so she couldn't move, but still she writhed and twitched and struggled. Tears began to stream down her face.
"Rick, it hurts." She whimpered. Rick was shocked. Olivia never cried. Never.
"Let me go... please. It hurts."
Seeing his partner's inability, Darin stood again, took aim, and fired directly at the man who wasn't holding a gun. He was hoping for a shot right in the forehead.
Tyler was hit and fell dead, but three or four others shot at Darin while he was up and focused on Tyler.

Despite Tylers death, Emerics power didn't wane. It took almost a minute for Olivia to stop struggling. Her tears stopped flowing and she finally lay still. Rick finally saw the awareness come back into her eyes, but she seemed confused and weary. "What... What's going on...? My head..."
Darin ducked as soon as he fired, but one bullet still found its way to his shoulder and he gave a shout of pain.
"Rick...?"
Rick realized Olivia had no idea what had happened to her over the last several weeks and was going to be little help "Stay close to me," he said, letting her get up.
"Rick, let Olivia and Darin out so she can heal him!" Alex snapped, looking over at him worriedly.
"For the last time, I'm not leaving anyone vulnerable!" Rick grabbed his gun and started shooting again.
That's when Eloise appeared out of nowhere, standing a little behind emerics chair. All the gifteds save for Ralios and Ruby (CR-S01 is outside) stopped shouting and turned to look.
Darin grimaced and held his shoulder, but raised his gun and let lose his second-to last bullet at Emric's chest.
Rick, knowing Eloise would teleport him away and then they'd lose him for good, did something dangerous and fairly stupid. He threw out his shield father than it could really go, encompassing the room. Most of the gifteds flinched, but they really had no chance to do anything else. Emeric glared and used the last second he had to push his power on Rick, as strong as he could muster.
No one could say afterwards if it was heard or felt, but everyone could tell when Ricks shield shattered like glass, into a million little pieces. Rick himself gasped in pain and fell to the floor, unconscious.
But the damage was done. Those who's been injured or those stronger than most were coming back to themselves, and the others were disoriented as Emeric scrambled for control.
Darin did his best to force his way through the small crowd to Emeric, injured shoulder and all, the gun still held in his hand in case anyone got in his way.
Freed gifteds tried to help him, and gifteds still under Emerics control tried to stop him but were blocked by the freed ones until there was fighting everywhere you looked. Olivia was racing around, healing those who'd been freed.
The fact he was about to lose seemed to finally sink in for Emeric. He got up from the throne and turned to run for his life.
Darin aimed his last shot at a much less fatal area, hoping to stop Emeric from running by shooting his leg.
It hit dead on and Emeric sprawled to the ground. Alex ran up to help Darin, since he still couldn't use his powers since Darin had blood on him still. Emeric tried to get up, but he'd been shot in the back of the knee and just couldn't bend that leg. He looked terrified, and rather pathetic in those grand white robes that were now a hindrance to him.
Darin grabbed him by the elbow. "Pathetic coward."
Emeric certainly seemed a coward. He looked too terrified to speak. The combatants stopped. Olivia came over Darin. "Here, I'll fix that bullet wound. She said roughly, and put her hand over the wound. The bullet inside seemed to disappear, and the wound healed flawlessly.
"Hey, olive, you okay?" Alex asked, surprised how normal she was acting and how well she was handling herself.
"I dunno what on earth is goin' on, but after getting into so many fights against you with Xander and them I just kind of roll with it." She shrugged.
"Thanks," Darin muttered. "What do we do with him now? They said they want him alive."
"I've got an idea," Alex said, cutting his arm open near the elbow. He held his dripping arm over emerics head so his face and hair were colored with Alex's blood. "Emerics seen my power in action enough times to know how it works, haven't you, buddy? Now-" he moved as if he was going to snap. "Release the rest of the gifteds."
Emeric instead lashed out at both of them with his power, trying to make them cave in and let him go.
Darin bit his own lip until he tasted blood as he fought to stay in control. He wouldn't go through that again! He tried firing his gun again, but remembered that he'd used the last bullet. Without anything else to do, he lashed out with his fists, hoping to connect while not really fully trying.
Darins vision blurred for a second, then his fist connected and there was a yelp of pain . Everything became clear again. Alex had backed up several feet, guessing correctly that proximity helped Emeric. He looked defensive and shell shocked, but he was still himself. Olivia, predictably, had no clue what was going on.
Emeric had been hit in the back of the head and the momentum got him a face full of floor. His nose was bleeding. "All right! All right..."
Suddenly those gifteds he'd had left blinked and rubbed their eyes, as if coming back to themselves.
"You're just lucky I ran out of bullets or I'd be tempted to ignore what Joan and Rick said about keeping you alive," Darin threatened.
"Why DO they want to keep him alive?" Kaitlyn asked, glaring at Emeric. The gifteds were gathering around, watching.
"To save Gifted! Isn't it obvious? " Trisha said. Rakel looked uncomfortable, wondering if what Trisha said was even possible.
"I'm gonna have to heal his leg." Olivia said grimly. "Unless you're planning on carrying him out of here."
"We can do that later. In the meantime, some of us need to stay here but some should go help with the war effort," Darin said. He had no idea why they wanted Emeric alive.
"I'll go out and help the doctors. Eloise can heal him just as well." Olivia said, and she was gone.
"Wait, if we've been with emeric the whole time, won't they think we are the bad guys?" Rakel said practically.
"I'll go, I can disguise myself as Rick or something." Noah said. "At any rate e can't just have Olivia go by herself." He waited to see if anyone else would come.
"If Joan is anyone even sort of important there, they'll never kill me or Nicholas, I'm pretty sure she'd blow a gasket." Rakel said. "I'll go."
"I will too." Nicholas agreed.
"Joan is the general of the whole rebellion, but she got shot... she's recovering, one of the Ravonian gifteds healed her, but..." Darin shrugged. "I'll go too, if that’s okay. But first I'd like to wash up a bit."
"How on earth did she manage THAT?" Rakel asked, shocked.
Nicole grinned. "Guess people finally got over being bitter. Bathrooms second on the left down the hall." She added to Darin.
"Hell if I know, I've only been away from Emeric's power for about an hour now," Darin said. "Maybe the whole 'rebellion' is really just a bunch of people from other countries who want to be able to trade with Panem again." He shrugged.

"Funny." Rakel rolled her eyes.
"Let's go," Noah said, wanting to help.
"Noah's right, we oughta hurry." Rakel said, and they left.
The others left when Darin entered the bathroom, as those who remained discussed how to set it up so Emeric could not escape.
The bathroom was enormous, with most of the space dominated by a bathtub big enough to swim in. The bathtub and mirror were spotless, like the maids had been in here just recently. However, the drain in the sink was clogged, and a pair of scissors were left carelessly on the counter, and clinging to the blade was a few strands of long black hair.
Darin scowled and quickly used water from the bath to wash off, then went to the people outside the room. "Guys, are the maids here incompetent?" he asked, mostly to get their attention.
Heather laughed. "I should think not. Sayoko would have their hides if they slacked off."
"I most certainly would." Sayoko said.
"Not to mention Gifted pays them really really well. Nobody wants to lose a job like that." Kaitlyn added.
"Why?" Jared asked.
"Well the whole bathroom sparkles, but the sink's clogged with hair," Darin said.
"That's odd, I just had someone check it little more than two hours ago." Sayoko said.
"Are we really worrying about the state of the bathroom at a time like this?" Nicole asked incredulously. "Let's just get this done, the others are already outside."

Darin glared at her. "If you want to move on then go, but I see nothing else incredibly important to do, they can handle the state outside and we have to watch him anyway," he jutted a thumb at Emeric. "The point is, someone cut their hair, probably to try to change their appearance, and recently."
"But what would be the point of that?" September said quietly.
"Could just be one of the servants, worried they’d get caught in the legal crossfire afterwards." Nicole pointed out.
"If it was a servant, you think they'd clean up after themselves." Heather said skeptically.
"It could be from one of us. Not like we'd remember." Cristel added.
"Wait, guys." September said, looking another direction. "The dead guy. Isn't that Tyler Winslake?"
Alex nodded. "He had his power and everything, that's how Emeric was able to knock out Rick."
"Oh Sh*t." Heather was shocked. "Well, this is bad."
"What?" Darin asked, frowning.
"Forget not being allowed to have powers, Tyler wasn't allowed to live in the same plenat as gifted. She put him on a watch list." Heather explained. "We are all the heroes in the stories, but unfortunately, some of the bad guys exist too. When gifted finds them, she puts them on a watch list to make sure they do no damage. Tyler was one of them... a very ruthless one. If he was here, with powers..."
"Then the others are back too..." Cristel said in a low voice, and nobody spoke to her. They all knew who she was thinking of.
"....You took out Tyler so easily because working with the people he wants to win isn't his forte." Jared said after a minute. "He preferred to slip into the opposing team and weaken them from the inside, then flip when he's satisfied they don't have a chance. Jane, who else was on the watch list?"
"Rolias, Mary/Hilary/Susie, Justin, Cyrus Ross Swesh, Ruby, Tammy, Maverick, Vivian..."
"No, she found Vivian, but never managed to actually add her to the list before things started going wrong." Heather corrected.
"Okay, scratch Vivian then. She had a paper copy somewhere."
"Well, Cyrus and Justin will be outside, they excel in that form of combat more than gifted on gifted. But the others must've snuck away during the fight." Yazmin said.

Darin nodded. "I was too focused on not getting shot to notice who came and went, sorry."
"We were all distracted." Jane said, trying to comfort him.
"Let's deal with slimeball, and get out and tell Joan what's going on." Heather said.
"How though? How can we make sure he's not going to try to turn us on each other again?" Jane said worriedly.
"I've been thinking about that.... It must be why they sent Rick in here, to negate Emerics power so we can bring him back without worrying about our minds. I'm confident we can get him back and locked up regardless, but how many of us are going to die if it comes to fighting again?"
"Can't you heal Rick, Eloise?" 'Cristel' asked.
Eloise shook her head. "he's not wounded... not physically, anyway."
"besides, wouldn't his shield block that?" Jared asked.
"....I don't think so." September said.. "We saw it shatter. I think that's what knocked him out. I think that - at least temporarily - it's gone. broken. Rick is vulnerable right now."
"...Well if his shields gone, then that solves the problem." Yazmin said."
"It does?" Jared questioned. "Sounds like it creates a bigger problem to me."
"Kaitlyn or I can use our powers to take his power and use it on Emeric."
"Oh. Duh."
Darin nodded. "I'll help carry rick," he offered.
Nicholas nodded. "You and I should be able to handle it."
Kaitlyn took Rick's power and Nicholas helped Darin lift him up. It seemed a lot easier than it should be, because Nicholas was using his telekinesis to support most of the weight.
"Does he never eat?" Darin commented, helping carry Rick out.
Nicholas laughed. "Probably not recently, but there's a reason they all just assumed I'd carry him. I'm a telekinetic like my sister."
"Oh," Darin said, nodding and feeling about 20 times as awkward as he ever had in his life.

Meanwhile the first group had just reached the battlefield, Noah disguised as Rick so they wouldn't be shot. "They're fine, they're fine, Joan can verify it!" Noah shouted to one of the soldiers who'd turned his gun on them.
"Joan's been shot." The soldier informed them. "She's not verifying anything."
"Is she alive?" Rakel demanded.
"Dunno. Some medic girl's over there taking care of her." He pointed over at Katrina, and the whole group rushed over.
"Is she ok? Will she make it?" Rakel asked.
Joan recognised that voice and looked over. "Rakel? Rick?"
"Not Rick, Noah," Noah clarified. "Ricks still inside. We came out to help."
Joan nodded. "So they got him then."
"Yup."
Joan turned back the way she was before.
"We heard you got shot, you ok?" Rakel asked.
"She'll be fine, she's just acting so that the others don't suspect anything," Katrina answered. "I'm a gifted as well." She smiled. "She's almost completely healed, and there's no risk of infection or reopening."
"Alright, that makes sense. Guess Olivia's behind the lines somewhere." Rakel said.
When they got outside, Cristel immediately said "Joans been shot."
"What?"
"Just before they went in, there was some explosions and then everyone thought Joan did it and Joan was distracted and got shot and then Rick gave a speech to get everyone motivated again. She's over there." She pointed to where Joan lay.
"Well don't just stand around chatting, girls," Darin said. "Let's not bring Rick to the medics, in case they think something's weird."
"Then what do we do with him?" Jared asked worriedly.
"More importantly, if Joans not giving orders, what are we supposed to do with slimeball?" Cristel said, indicating a struggling Emeric.
"I don't know, I think they have a base of some sort but I don't have a clue," Darin said. "I woke up not an hour before you guys..."
"Someone else grab Rick, I'm going to go see if Joan's ok. If she's not too badly hurt, she'll know what to do." Nicholas said.
"Nicholas... she got shot in the heart. She's dead." Cristel said carefully.
"Then why are there still people around her? There's no time to mourn in war, but there is time to heal the living. If she was dead she'd be left alone!"
Yazmin and Sharie nodded and came to take his place. Nicholas let Rick drop, and though the two girls were now helping him, Darin was supporting almost double the weight he'd had to before. Nicholas ran to Joan. "I'm her brother! Let me through!"
People moved out of his way and in a moment he was by Joans side.
"Nicholas!" Joan smiled at her brother and spoke in a low voice. "I'm fine, I've just gotta keep it quiet because she's a healer and it's all thanks to her, so I've got to pretend I'm still injured to keep away suspicion."
"Oh thank heaven." Nicholas said. "But Joan, what do we do with Emeric?"
"Doesn't Rick know?"
"Rick's in bad shape." Rakel said. "His shield shattered and he's unconscious. We don't know if he's seriously hurt or what." Rakel said.
"What? But then how do you know Emeric won't control one of you?" Joan said, extremely worried.
"Ricks shield is completely broken. Or something. At any rate, his powers fair game now. Kaitlyn took it." Nicholas explained.
"Oh. Ok, let me think... I can't do it... Rick can't do it... Vlad! Find Vlad. Vlad will stand up and make a speech and prove Emeric's been caught, and his army will surrender."
"Ok." Nicholas ran back to the group. "Vlad." he said.
Jane nodded and looked about the battlefield, and asked the question in her mind. Where is Vlad?
she pointed. "He's down there on the far end, in the middle of a shootout with Justin. They've both got machine guns and they're both low on bullets."
"But justin'll just get another gun." it wasn't a question.
"If he has his power, yes."

"Well why wouldn't he?" Darin questioned.
"No, no... you don't get it, you're thinking he has to back to the armoury or a weapons cache like a normal soldier." Heather said. "But his power, if he has it, is to create a sort of black hole portal thing that he can store things in so he doesn't have to keep them on him. it never runs out of space. so all he has to do is reach into the portal and grab another gun, while when Vlad runs out of bullets, he has to back off. So Vlad is done for if he runs out of bullets at the same time as or before Justin."
"I meant, why wouldn't he have his power?" Darin clarified.
"Oh... I don't know, he'll probably have it. But there's always hope, right?"
"Come on, we've got to find Vlad quickly!" Jane said. "If he gets shot that's it, he can't help us anymore. And Justins a dedicated soldier, there's no way he'll miss on purpose."
Zava stepped up. "I'll help," she offered.
"Come on, let’s take Rick back towards the gun stash," Darin said, motioning with his head.
"....who are you and why are you eavesdropping?" Heather said suspiciously to Zava.
"Zava, I helped find Rick," she said. "And because I can, I'm one of the Ravonian gifteds."
"Yeah, she's on our side," Darin said, nodding.
"Alright." Heather nodded, satisfied.
"Let's go, quickly." Jane said.
Darin started carrying Rick towards the stash.
Zava followed. Most followed, while Jane and Heather ran through to go find Vlad.
A few minutes later, the battle was over. When Vlad had heard they had Emeric in custody, he announced it to the whole army. The opposing side quickly surrendered, and Cyrus Ross Swesh was taken into custody as Emerics general and key sniper. Justin, along with the rest of the other soldiers, was released.
Joan and Rick were taken back to the bunker for medical treatment, along with the other wounded. To keep up appearances, Vlad insisted all the gifteds and Darin were to be locked up.
"But don't worry," Dylan said to them in private. "If I know Gifted, she'll do everything in her power to make sure none of you take the fall for this."
"Is she already locked up?" Nicholas asked.
Dylan nodded. "I dunno if Raven likes it, but she's in there. Formulating a plan, no doubt."
They were also starting to draw up the trial phase. "Of course, when Rick wakes up he'll put the embellishments and flourishes on it, of course, but we can cover the basics."
The soldiers - just people now - rehashed and quoted Rick's inspiring and quickly famous speech. The quotes leaked out into the outside world, along with the joyful news; Father Emeric was in custody. The palace had fallen. Peace reigned in Panem while the country began putting the pieces back together.
Only those who knew the whole truth were unhappy. For one, Rick still hadn't woken up. The doctors said he was in a coma, and that they were doing all they could. Joan was also confined to a hospital bed, purely for show this time, which she would've only found mildly annoying but for the fact Rick hadn't awoken, and she was refused when she wanted to see him. Finally, there was the fact no matter what Gifteds plan was, it was obvious she wasn't planning to survive to see the end of it. Nor could she realistically expect to. Even Vlad's hands were tied.
Raven didn’t give up, coming up with idea after idea most of them completely unreasonable. "What if we said Emeric made the surgery or whatever it is?"
"Then how do you explain how Emeric made me and all the other gifteds do what he wanted before he made it? Besides, it leads to the same thing. One gifted almost took over the world" I said tiredly. "Look, Raven, I really appreciate the sentiment, but you're not making this any easier."
I looked a little better. Though I was still far too skinny to be healthy, I was no longer just skin and bones. My arms no longer looked fragile and you could no longer see the bones through them, and my cheeks were starting to fill in. Dylan and Karen had made sure I was fed well, because they felt bad for me. I was extremely grateful to them for it.
"I'm not trying to. He could have used threats and you could even claim that the bad guys were the only ones. Joan and them were careful, we can accredit the rest to the bad guys, they'll never know."
"People have been inside for interviews, and Xander was on the battlefield, we can't just say they were locked up. And I am planning on accrediting a lot of the damage to Tyler and Cyrus and them." I replied. I was so sick of having this conversation.
"By that point Emeric was a mind controller," raven said.
"But it still comes to the same thing. A gifted. Took over. Multiple countries. Now he's created forty or more of them. If one took over multiple countries, what could forty do? People would be scared, they would insist gifteds be eradicated. Hasn't Joan said this to you yet? I would've figured it'd be obvious with even a tenuous grasp on human nature."
"No he created Tyler, who is dead, CR-S01 who is in custody, Ruby, Valios, and Justin who we will track down. And himself. Thats all they need know. Hell we could even erase the last three names and you would walk free," Raven said.
That one surprised me, I had to admit. The only people hurt I was throwing under the bus anyway... and after the trial...
I almost groaned. The trial. "How do you think that'll hold up as a defense? It's not like any of them would demonstrate, it sounds like a stupid, desperate story by a stupid, desperate girl. And on the off chance they did believe me, There's still the argument of why didn't Emeric use his powers to save himself? That would be an excellent defense for him, and if we base our case on his powers he could tear down the whole thing on just that argument alone."
"Say he ran out of power. It’s like a gun, you see, and he just didn’t have time to reload. And well... Zava and Katrina are both still here. I’m nervous about what Zava will do once she doesn’t have to worry about your gifteds. She was never a good guy, not once."
"How would I know that? Not to mention I'm still claiming he held us for a pretty long length of time... he never needed to 'reload' then?" I sighed. "No, if possible I'd prefer nobody know about gifteds at all. It just gets too complicated otherwise."
"No because you never broke free. But we got Darin out and then he shot Emeric and allowed you all to escape."
"Your forgetting Emeric never came out shot. Soldiers will be called to the stand and they'll have to testify Emeric was uninjured and unharmed. Besides, where's your proof? This is a court of law, you've got to support your claims. See, hypothetically, if we told the complete and absolute truth, it'd be easy to back up. We'd have Joan and Rakel and some other people demonstrate their powers to the court. Maybe Cristel or Jane, too, just so they knew it wasn't a magic trick with illusions and such. Then they'd probably find DNA from all the gifteds in the room where Emeric fought them all, and there'd be the testimony of all of them. It really doesn't matter how a court handles that evidence, Emeric is done. But we can't do that. Then there's my idea. The testimony's of Joan, Darin, Rick, Xander and their own eyes will help me there. And the story is simple, so they can't ask for too many details, so no matter how many gifteds take the stand, they'll all give pretty much the same story if they follow my lead. Plus, it will paint a sympathetic picture. Because I do expect them to sympathise with me, Raven. Just not enough to spare my life."
"Fine, I give up, I've suggested everything, and I'm out of ideas. Happy now?" She didn’t wait for her friend to answer before she stormed back to her room. She had no intention of going back.
I watched her go. I knew she meant well, and a part of me that was not as brave as I'd like wanted to give in and listen to her. But that would never convince anyone of anything. Still, it hurt me much more than usual to see how angry I'd made her. Was I really going to die with bad blood between us?
Plus, Raven's visits were about the only contact I'd had with anyone outside my cell. Joan would've come, I knew, but she was stuck in a hospital bed. Karen had come only the one time, and she'd informed me of Rooney's betrayal. He and I had had a friendly sort of rivalry during the rebellion against the Emperor and I was very disappointed when I heard the news. And anyone else who would've come talk to me was locked up also. Normally I wouldn't have minded, but after being numb for so long without any contact with the outside world, the continued isolation was really maddening.
Darin had spent a lot of time talking to Joan since the victory, about every detail of the plan, and especially about the goings on while he was being controlled by Emeric. He wished more than anything that he knew what was going on in the rest of the world, especially in Ravonia. He didn't have the same faith in his country's leader, nor the same distractions that Raven did, plus he'd been gone about three times longer.

Zava, on the other hand, was doing exactly what she was told. She played the good-girl part, acting like she had followed Kenny because he had changed her rather than because she believed him. She made every effort to help out, while at the same time totally avoiding Trace and Raven and never seeking contact with the other gifteds.
Joan, grateful for the company, indulged him. She told him everything she knew about what had been going on, about Kenny and Adam and the recent closing of the ports Adam had ordered. "Though I betcha he'll open them up again once he finds out Kenny's dead." she added. "You know, Vlad and John both probably know more about this stuff than I do."

Zava was warmly welcomed by the others there, though the people in charge never really saw much of her, so that might've had something to do with it.
Darin shrugged. "You seem like you could use some company anyway," he said.
"You got that right." Joan said, but she didn't laugh. She'd just noticed a nurse walk in. "He any better?"
The nurse shook her head. "We may have to take him off of life support soon."
"And leave him to die?" Joan snapped. The nurse didn't answer, just wrote a few notes on her chart and left again. They only came for show, anyway.
Darin scowled. "I'm sorry," was all he could say.
"What even happened in there?" Joan asked bitterly. "Nobody will tell me anything. I'd understand if I was, you know, actually injured and needed rest, but I'm not! So why the hell won't anyone tell me what's going on?"

Darin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe nobody's really sure. All I know is that Emeric was stronger and he made Rick's shield break. I could feel it shatter, and then Emeric was running so I shot him in the back of the knee. Only he just tried to take control of our minds, so I hit him."
"Wait wait, back up. Rick's shield just shattered? It didn't snap back to him, just shattered?"

Darin nodded. "Shattered," he repeated. "Like a glass ball dropped from a nine story building."
Joan's eyes widened. "well... I guess that explains why he's in such bad shape." she said worriedly. "Rick's power is supposed to be... well, impenetrable. If there's too much strain on it, it'll snap back to its original position - that is, only protecting Rick - but it shouldn't shatter like that. How could Emeric have enough power to do something like that?"

"I guess it was because of Tyler. I shot him, too," Darin said. "But apparently that wasn't enough to reverse his effect on Emeric."
"Wait, Tyler? Holy shit, seriously? Forget mind controlled, you're lucky you're all still alive!" Joan shook her head. "And no, Tylers power works with a twenty minute time limit, so his effect wouldn't have stopped when he died."
"No kidding, we were getting shot at by about 30 people," Darin said. "I'm damn lucky I only got shot once."
"Yeah, there's that, too." Joan nodded. "You said you'd killed Tyler?"
"Unless he's immune to a bullet in the forehead," Darin replied.
"Okay, good, he would've become a major problem later on." Joan nodded.
"He was already a major problem," Darin replied.
"Yes, but you only dealt with him out of his element, and only briefly. I'm amazed Emeric didn't try to throw him in as a spy, but I guess he figured I'd recognise him. But that would really be more Tylers forte." Joan nodded. "Were any others there? Rolias or Mary or Ruby?"
Darin shrugged. "I don't know, I didn't really catch on to any other names," he said.
"Rolias you'd notice if she was there. She'd be the only one wearing a dress and she'd have black and red hair." Joan really wanted to know, clearly.
At this point, unknown to them, Leia was passing outside the door. It was true she was not as she was when she'd cut Kenny, but just a little kid, but it didn't matter. She'd still hear everything.
"Yeah, she was there," Darin said, nodding. "She was definitely there."
"Greeeaaaattttt... so the most lethal Gifted Gifted ever dreamt up is now on the loose." Joan sighed. "You are definitely, definitely lucky you're still alive."

Darin shrugged. "I've always been pretty lucky, I guess." He sighed.
With nothing else to do, Raven decided to visit Rick. She was disappointed to hear that he was still out, but figured she could at least talk to him. She'd always heard they could still hear what was going on around them.
"He's the same as ever," The doctor said when Raven came in. "We may have to take him off life support if this goes on much longer... really, we should have done it days ago. But miss Joan was so worried about him..."
"Comas have been known to last months, you would be stupid to take him off life support after not even two weeks. Especially someone as important as Rick," Raven snapped. She took a seat next to Rick. "If you aren't doing anything important I would like some time alone."
"Well, yes, but we don't know if he even has a chance of waking up. We don't even know what caused-"
Her brother cut her off, putting a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head, and the two walked out to give you some privacy.
Raven had no real attachment to Rick, but she was still emotional over her talk with Gifted. "Thank you for trying to keep them alive," she murmured, and put her head on his bed. She was more than happy to just take a nap there, despite her goal to talk to him. She had nothing more to say.
It was maybe fifteen minutes later that he moved. It was almost unnoticeable, just a hand twitch. But his hand brushed against her hair when it moved.
Raven almost screamed, but she contained herself managing to remain silent besides bumping her knee against his bed when she jumped. "Rick?" she questioned quietly.
Rick wanted desperately to answer her. The fact was, he'd woken several days ago. But his shield felt different: brittle and hard as cement. He could not move enough to even open his eyes. When raven had sat there, he'd mustered all his strength and forced his hand to move. He'd meant to grab her; as it was, he'd only managed a twitch. Now he struggled to replicate that move in answer, to show them he was still alive, still fighting. But he couldn't. He couldn't even move a finger.
Raven was convinced she hadn't imagined it anyway. "I'll tell them to keep you along, I promise I'll do whatever I have to." She grasped his hand and smiled slightly. "We'll wait as long as you need."
Rick pushed himself. Just a little bit of pressure, just enough to show her he'd heard, that he was alive. He was terrified they'd take him off life support, because he doubted his ability to breathe on his own. Nothing.... Nothing.... Then he felt cracks begin to form in the shield that was now his prison, and his hand closed around her own. Thank god.
Raven smiled. "I'll be right back, I promise," she said, then moved to the door. "Doctor? I think we need to talk."
The doctor was just coming out of Xanders room. "Yes? What is it?" Her brother came out behind her.
"He's fully aware, he just doesn't have much energy. He moved his hand," Raven announced. "Twice." She smiled.
"What?" The doctor was astonished, and looked into the room. "He looks the same as ever to me."
"You're saying he doesn't have the energy to open his eyes?" the doctors brother asked.

"I know what I felt," Raven said. "And you can't just pass it off as wishful thinking, I don't even care about Rick." She crossed her arms. "Maybe he just woke up a moment ago, or the lights are dazzling, I don't know."
"We'll watch him more carefully from now on," She assured Raven, but her voice sounded more like she was soothing a child than like she actually believed her.
I almost literally growled. "I'm being serious. I hardly know him, and I know he moved. If anything happens to him, I will hold you both personally responsible," she hissed threateningly, then went to tell Joan.

Joan was sitting quietly in bed. A nurse had come in saying they'd let her up in a week or two, which was fine, except that still left her stuck here for a week. And now she had Rolias to worry about on top of everything else. Great.
"Hey, Joan. Guess what?" Raven said with a grin, closing the door behind her.
"Oh, hey raven." Joan said. "What?"
"Rick moved. He grabbed my hand," Raven said, smiling.
"So he's awake?" She asked, her eyes lighting up.
"I think he's aware, but he can't do much," Raven said. "But movement is a good sign, it means he's getting better."
"Definitely." Joan said, grinning. She looked positively cheerful at the news, probably for the first time since the war ended.
"And I gave the doctors very specific instructions to give him everything he needs for as long as it takes," Raven said pleasantly, as though she had merely made a request rather than basically threatening their lives.
"Oh, psh, like that'll work. But if he's showing signs of life I don't know why you'd need too..."
"They didn't believe me, I don't think," Raven answered.
"What? But why not?" Joan clearly didn't understand.
"They didn't see him move..."
"What...?" Joan was confused. "I don't get it... is he unconscious or isn't he? What do you mean they didn't see him move? If he's conscious, they'd know, wouldn't they?"
"No, he's almost paralyzed or something. He seemed to struggle moving his hand at all and he didn't open his eyes..."
"Paralyzed? " Joan repeated, sounding really worried. "I guess that explains why they thought he was still in a coma...."

"I'm sure he's getting better though. And in fact, he might never have been in a coma in the first place," Raven said.
"True... though that sounds horrible for him..." Joan shuddered.
Raven nodded. "Especially if he heard them saying they were going to take him off life support," she said.
Joans eyes widened. "Yeah... if he's paralyzed, that certainly wouldn't fair well."
Raven nodded. "Good thing I visited."

"Definitely," Joan said, then changed the topic. "So how's Gifted holding up?" It wasn't a welcome topic change. Raven just set her jaw and shrugged. Joan looked confused. "Weren't you just with her?"
"I was just with Rick," raven replied with a scowl.
Joan rolled her eyes. "I meant before that, smartass."
"I don't want to talk about it, obviously," Raven snapped.
Joan raised her hands "Okay, okay, fine I'll ask someone else later. Just trying to get a feel for what's been going on around here while I'm stuck in a bloody hospital bed."

[Gifted]

"Yeah well I don't care, and you won't guilt trip me either. You could be in a lot worse shape."
"Yeah, I could be dead. It's just aggravating to sit here when I've got nothing wrong with me." Joan agreed.
"I'm sure it is, but there are other aggravating things that other people are dealing with as well." Joan took the hint and shut up.
"I should go soon," Raven lied. "Unless there's something you need."
Joan could tell she was lying, but didn't comment. "No, I'm fine." Raven left without another word.
In another week, Rick was able to open his eyes and speak, much to his immense relief. He still couldn't move his arms and legs, but he was finally able to explain why he was frozen for so long. As soon as he could speak and Joan was allowed to leave her bed, she would often lock herself and the other important people in Rick's room for hours at a time, making plans. Nobody ever thought to invite Raven to these planning sessions.
The bunker emptied out. People started heading home, or going to live with friends and family. By the end of the second week only a few people were left there. Catherine, Trace and Xander were there, not having anywhere else to go, and a few others volunteered to stay behind to guard Emeric and the other prisoners.

From the whispering amongst the guards, it was easy to tell people were rather alarmed at how much Gifted had changed. She rarely spoke to anyone, it seemed, and although she was looking healthier by the day, the sad, beaten look never really left her eyes, though that was attributed by most to the simple fact that they'd completely destroyed her in war. She'd taken to singing softly to herself in her cell, though nobody ever quite caught what she was singing. People wondered if she was going mad.

John knew none of this, as he hadn't been told anything since the fiasco with Joan, other than that they'd won and he would be supplied a lawyer for the trial very soon. He seemed pretty much like his old self, sometimes even chatting with the guards who before had known him well. But when anyone important came by, he would look away, and wouldn't speak for almost an hour afterwards. He still felt incredibly guilty.
Raven would have been more than willing to sit out of these discussions even if she knew about them. She had hardly left her room since Rick started to speak and when she did it was for her once, maybe twice a day meals. Day here being a relative term, considering these excursions usually took place late at night or early in the morning. She made no attempt to visit Gifted, ever, or anyone else really, though she occasionally stopped near John's room. The first time she had tried to speak with him, but once she saw his reaction she'd become inexplicably angry. She hadn't spoken much to anyone since. In fact, the most she spoke was when she was utterly alone, her eyes closed, doing the only thing she really did anymore: narrating stories.

Darin and Katrina also remained in the bunker, but at some point during the flow of people leaving, Zava had disappeared. No one had heard from her since.
"Hey Raven?" Dylan called at the door one day, pretty much assuming she was being updated. "Did you find someplace to stay yet?"
Raven opened the door and stared at him blankly for a moment, as though wondering why on earth someone was standing in front of her door. "What?"
"Did you manage to find a place to stay? I mean, the clear-out is tomorrow, so I figured you would've, but I thought I'd come by and check.... I mean I know you don't have any money, but we managed to scrape together enough for Joan to rent a little apartment until the trials are over, so I figured someone was working out a similar deal with you."
"I haven't heard about it," was Raven's only answer.
"Really? I thought Joan would've told you. She's always worrying about you."
"She hasn't spoken to me in weeks," Raven said, crossing her arms. She didn't sounds sad about this; she was just stating the facts in that bland monotone of a high schooler forced to read To Kill a Mockingbird out loud in front of the class.
"Well, no duh! You think she wants to drag you into the meetings? She only comes out for meals. But She's been worrying about you since you showed up at this place... though she'd like us to believe it was for gifteds sake." He laughed. "That girl tries too hard to look tough. But she's always been looking out for your safety. Heck, you know she only agreed to kill Kenny for your benefit? And then, after what Trace said, now she's more worried than when he was around. It's driving Karen mad. Weird she didn't tell you we're clearing out tomorrow."
Raven's eyes suddenly blazed. "Okay, she's been busy. I never heard about any meetings and no one else has spoken to me either, besides you," she snapped viciously. "Now if you need something, go ask someone else." She shut the door in his face.
Dylan was hurt. He was only trying to help...


About an hour later, Joan passed Ravens room, heading towards her own and looking dead on her feet, her eyes barely open. She was talking to herself, but her voice was raspy, like she'd been shouting at someone for a long time.
"-being an idiot.... old habits die hard I guess. Still he knows we're trying to make Gifted look good here, so why in the blazes..." She sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Raven asked. Her voice was hardly welcoming, her eyes were slightly narrowed, her arms were crossed over her chest, and she leaned against the wall.
"Huh? Oh, hey raven." She looked like she hadn't slept in a week, her eyes barely open. "Oh, Rick's just...being difficult... he wants to do Gifteds trial last, because that's standard... the most sensational things at the very end. I want to do it first, because we're supposed to be drawing attention away from her an' if she goes first the other gifteds can get mileage outta her testimony. Ricks being stupid."
"It's not like it really matters either way," Raven stated dully.
"Well, it does. See, gifted's entire plan is to generate sympathy for the others so they don't die too, an' she can't do that if she doesn't go before them. Look, I'm really tired. Can we have this discussion in the morning?"
"I don't care. Not like we talk anyway," Raven replied and shut the door with practiced silence.
Joan went to bed, not really registering what happened. Her tired brain just saw raven leaving as raven leaving at the time. Once she woke up the next morning and remembered what happened, she realised exactly what it'd meant, but by then of course, she could do nothing but get up and pretend it never happened. She knew they never spoke... she'd been doing that on purpose. She'd been watching, worrying from a distance, trying not to look like she had any connection with Raven.
After Trace had told her about Zava's freak-out, she began to see what a terrible mistake it'd been to kill Kenny so quickly. With him, you could at least see where the attack was coming from, know with some certainty what form it would take. But now, people like Zava who’d truly followed him out of loyalty would be enraged, would probably come out of the woodwork looking to finish what Kenny had started. And after Rick had told her what he'd said to Zava to get her moving again, Joan had become even more horrified. She knew sticking by Raven's side would mean they could easily be assessed, attacked and overwhelmed so she did the only thing she could think of; She fell back and withdrew from Raven, hoping the isolation would convince them to act with a smaller group so she could step in against only a few. That way, they might have a chance. She knew she was being unfair to Raven, and she didn't care. Ravens safety was more important.
But she'd never show just how much Raven's attitude hurt.
That morning it would become obvious to anyone who looked into Raven's room (as though anyone did anymore) that she hadn't slept a wink. The room was spotless, everything quite literally shone. And then she'd gone to sit in the kitchen, quietly and moodily munching in the corner, hoping that enough people had left that no one would find her for a very long time, if at all.
Joan woke up, discretely checked Ravens room, hoping not to be noticed, and panicked. She ran down the hall, only to be stopped by Cristels voice.
"She doesn't want you."
Joan stopped and looked into Cristels cell. She was lying on the bed, looking at Joan. "She's in the kitchen, alone, and she doesn't want you. Or anyone."
"You think I don't know that?" Joan snapped. "She won't even know I'm there."
"You worry too much." Cristel said. "Let her handle her own problems."
"She's going up against several gifteds and she doesn't even have any powers! How is she supposed to handle her own problems?"
"Well that's not true." Cristel pointed out. "Kenny gave her powers."
"Well yeah, but she can't use them." Joan said impatiently.
"Can't she? Why would she tell you if she learned how to use them? It's not like you'd extend the favour."
Joan was hurt. "I'm trying. To help!"
"By making her completely miserable. Can't you see she's hurt enough without your help? You'll just make everything worse."
Joan shook her head, aghast. What else was she supposed to do?
"You've got to let her go. Let whatever happens, happen. She's better off without your help."
Joan was miserable, but Cristel was right. She turned around and went back to her room.
Cristel smiled.

It was several hours before Raven left the kitchen, and then she went to John's room. She hesitated down the hall, but then set her jaw and went to talk to him, her arms crossed.
John looked up after a moment when he realised Raven wasn't just passing by. "Hey Raven." He said quietly.
Suddenly, all the withheld anger of the past few weeks exploded and her voice quivered with rage as she hissed, "I don't care if you think I'm a monster, you can at least have the decency to look at me." She didn't move her eyes from him.
John was utterly shocked. "I'd never think that about you." He said, looking up at her. He only held her gaze for a minute or two, but he did look her in the eyes, which is more than anyone else even semi-important could say.
"So you say," Raven said, glaring at him.
"I don't. Really. I think you're a very good person." John replied meekly.
"Then why do you keep looking away?" she demanded.
"It's got nothing to do with you. It's me I'm ashamed of." John replied.
Raven scowled, but obviously believed him. The anger left her eyes and her arms across her chest suddenly seemed more to comfort herself than to show disappointment in John.
"So how are you? What's going on?" He made more of an effort to look, if not at her eyes, then at least to her face, but it was hard.
Raven shrugged and sat against the wall opposite him. "How much do you know?"
"Not a lot... which isn't surprising considering what I am. I just know you guys managed to defeat Emeric and the trial should be starting soon. Nobody's been allowed to tell me anything else."
"Well, Rick was in a coma for a while, Joan got shot though she's doing fine, and we killed Kenny," Raven said.
"What? How does Kenny come into this?" John was confused.
"He... showed up after you got put in here. He said he wanted to help, in return for having some time alone with me..." She sighed.
John looked shocked. "Well that's worrisome. Joan let him? Really?"

"He threatened to erase her memories back to the MG wars," Raven said. "He said he couldn't do anything in ten minutes..."
John looked shocked. "Right, he could do that couldn't he... That wouldn't have ended well for anyone."
"We still have yet to discover how the other option will end for everyone," Raven muttered. "He turned me into a gifted."
"What? But... how does that make any sense? Making you MORE capable of defending yourself?" John asked.
"John, I blew up the labs full of people like what I now am," Raven mumbled.
John had never been told this, and it shocked him. He tried to maintain his cool. His expression pretty much frozen into place, he said. "I guess that makes sense... still seems short-sighted to me."
"Doesn't matter, he got shot before it could have a chance to bite him in the ass. Maybe that's what he was working to the whole time, anyway; it's not like he didn't have plenty of times to kill me before," Raven said, sliding down the wall until her knees were curled against her chest.
"I guess that could be true... but wasn't he like, a terrorist or whatever in your country? Seems like a lot of people to hurt just to give you a power..."
"He was insane, who knows his full reasoning?" Raven replied. "He probably had no regard for human life, believing that if someone wasn't able to advance themselves enough to stay alive, they shouldn't use up the oxygen the rest of us need. Maybe his next plan was purging the earth of the handicapped."
"I don't appreciate the joke, Raven" John said quietly.
"It wasn't a joke. That's how Kenny thinks," Raven said. "Though maybe not as specifically targeted. He thinks other people are beneath him."
"You mean thought. Didn't you say he was dead?" John asked.
"Right. Thought," Raven said with a sigh.
"So how did that happen?" John said. He found that he could look her in the eyes more easily now. "You'd think he'dve seen it coming."
"We sent him to find Rick. Trace shot him right after Rick covered him with his shield," Raven answered.
"Oh wow. And he didn't see this Trace person planning this beforehand? That's smart... bet Rick was a bit shocked, though."
"Don't think he checked. Something changed his memories a few days before the battle, he was being nice, actually," Raven said. "He didn't remember anything about me up until he got here..."
John's eyes widened. "Something?" He picked up on the word, looking very, very worried. "You don't know what?"
"No idea. It happened in less than five minutes. He wasn't physically harmed in any way," Raven said. "Hopefully whatever it was is on our side."
"And he couldn't remember anything?" John asked, sounding worried to the point of panic.

"No, he remembered everything except me. He even remembered everything he'd done to try to get to me, but he couldn't remember the reason," Raven said.
"That seems bizarrely specific for just a head wound or something..." John bit his lip and looked down again, not as if he were ashamed this time, but as if he were thinking hard about something.
"I already told you he wasn't injured," Raven mumbled.
"Huh? Yeah, you did..." John said quietly.
Just then, Joan stuck her head in the door. "Raven. We've got to go. John, You're last, there'll be a couple people to move you to a more permanent place in like ten minutes,"
"Okay," John said quietly, looking away.
Joan looked extremely guilty, though that could be attributed to the way John was acting. "Come on, Raven."
"Where to?" Raven asked, not looking at Joan. She crossed her arms again.
"I've got a place. You can stay there with me until we find a more permanent home for you... assuming you want to stay in the country, of course." She added after a moment.
"Thank you. I may as well; I have no place in my country anymore," Raven replied.
Joan nodded coolly. "Then let's go."
The apartment the others had rented for her was in the city closest to the palace, maybe a twenty minute walk from the bunker. More importantly, (at least to Joan) it was a five minute walk from the largest and grandest courthouse in the country, though not nearly the most important one. However, it seemed more fitting to have the trials there. It looked better on TV.
"Lead the way," Raven said, starting out even so. She didn't care about the location, or even what the place was like, she was just glad to be out of the bunker.
Joan met up with Rick at the door, who still walked rather stiffly but was up and moving about (Another thing Joan had neglected to mention) and the three of them walked into town. Rick looked uncomfortable... of course, this was the first time he'd walked through a panemian town in years.
People barely noticed them walking by, though a few people who'd been in the rebellion waved and called hellos to the three of them. This indifferent, almost friendly reception was new to Rick, and pleasantly shocking. It showed pretty plain on his face.
They went up to an apartment building, up to the third floor. "Rick's just next door to us," Joan said as they stopped at the apartment that would be their new home. It was simple and sparsely furnished, but the furniture was extremely modern-looking. the walls were an off-white.
"There's a couple of bedrooms down the hall. I don't really care which one I have, so feel free to pick one." She shrugged and went to the kitchen to find something to eat.
"Thank you for letting me stay here," Raven said, mostly because she felt required to say something. Then she went straight to the first bedroom, not caring what either of them were like.
"Don't mention it." Joan said. She still felt guilty from what Cristel had said earlier.
Raven didn't come out for a long while. When she finally did, she started off with, "Do you have plans for dinner?"
"....Not really. I can't cook to save my life." Joan gave a small smile, but couldn't help but noticed the cold impersonal way Raven treated her. She knew Raven had every right to be mad, and Cristels words came up again in her head. Cristel was her friend... and even she'd felt the need to comment...

"That's fine, I'll make something," Raven said, though in all honesty she couldn't do much more than make toast. She crossed to the kitchen area and investigated what they had.
They had Milk, cheese, some pasta noodles and sauce, a few boxes of hamburger helper, carrots and various other vegetables, margarine, bread, and peanut butter and like three different jams, plus one unopened jar of Nutella.
"We'll need hamburger, at least," Raven said. She planned to get some other things as well, while they were out.
Raven smiled. For the first time since the final battle. It wasn't exactly the brightest smile, but it was there. "We can get sausage and eggs for breakfast as well."
"That'd be great." Joan said, getting up. "It'll be nice to do something normal, for once."
Raven nodded and slipped on her shoes. "You'll have to lead the way, I don't know my way around."
"Oh and you think I do? When would it be smart for me to walk around town on my own?" Joan laughed. "Oh well, we'll figure it out."
Raven sighed. "Well, it is your country. I was still hoping."
"Oh well. A grocery store shouldn't be too hard to find." Joan shrugged.
"Probably not," Raven agreed, then started down the stairs.
Joan followed.
The grocery store wasn't too far away, and they found it after about twenty minutes.
Raven bought sausage, eggs, hamburger, pancake mix, bacon, sandwich meat, and bread. "Do we need to get anything else or go anywhere else?"
"Not that I can really think of... buy some clothes, maybe. Most of mine never left the palace." Joan said.
Raven glanced down at her own clothing and nodded. "Let's do that tomorrow," she suggested.
"That works." Rick was gonna be busy with Gifted tomorrow anyway. Joan grinned. "I think this is like, the first ever time we've done something normal together."
"I'm pretty sure it's the first time I've done something normal since I met you," Raven replied.
"Oh come on, you must've done something normal." she teased. "Gone to like... a museum or an art exhibit in Ravonia or something, they've only gotta have like, a billion of them."

Raven smirked. "True."
A few days later, Joan was dressed in sleek black pants, a dark red top and a leather jacket - the closest thing she could find to business wear for a thirteen year old. She needed it because she would be attending the trials of every last gifted, as well as Gifted herself, and of course, Emeric.
"Raven... it's trial day, I've got to go." She said at nine in the morning. "Gifted's the first one, and her trials at ten-thirty. Broadcast all over PINC, of course." She sighed. "Will you be coming at some point today?"
"Is John going today?" Raven asked, though clearly she was more interested in Rooney.
"John? Yes, but not till like three. We're trying to get the gifteds out of the way right out off the bat... at least the ones easy to sympathise for. People like Alex are gonna need a lot more help than just Gifteds testimony, and we've got to mix in a few guilties with the innocents so it doesn't look biased, so we throw in people like Cyrus or Tammy. Not that John probably won't get a guilty verdict himself... but he'll be easy to drum up sympathy for, he won't get a death penalty and then... well, I'll just have to pull some strings for him the way gifted did for me. But that's awhile from now. For now, he'll get a reduced sentence for testifying against Harrison, who'll have his trial around one. That and the sympathy he'll get from the jury means he'll probably be the guilty party with the lightest sentence at this point."
"I'll be there around one," Raven stated.
Joan nodded. "I'll save you a spot at the front." She said. "Later, Raven." She adjusted the jacket, and walked out.
Raven sighed and went to wait in her room. She wasn't sure if she would ever show up for Rooney's trial. Was it worth it? Gifted probably wouldn't still be in the room, but she'd hear about everything that had passed...
The trials began at ten thirty sharp, and from then on, every TV in the country was tuned in for the trials of the century. Joan sat solemnly in the first row, watching gifted take the stand in her own defense.
"My inner circle are some of the closest friends I've ever had." I began, looking not yet healthy enough that I didn't inspire pity, but much, much healthier than I had when I was just skin and bones. "I cared about them like family. I never dreamed someone I cared about would turn on me, I never dreamed this was a realistic possibility. Of course, you never do until it happens to you.
Several months ago, Emeric systematically fought and locked away every one of them. I had no idea this was going on. If I'd known, maybe I would've been able to stop him... if I'd known, maybe I could've saved them..." I shook my head and tried my best to regain my composure. I'd rehearsed this story in my head multiple times. Then I'd worked with Rick on how best to deliver it, and he'd improved it tenfold. All I had to do now was play my part. How ironic that all I'd ever really wanted to do with my life was be an actress.
"I was in the courtyard when he came for me. My favourite courtyard... it had a beautiful little river running through it..." I faltered again. Then I picked it back up. "He was holding Ariel... Ariel Dekoto. He had her by the hair, pulling her head back, and a gun underneath her chin. I was frozen, shocked. He said to me 'Now we're going to do things my way. If you don't listen, then I'll kill every one of your friends. One, by one, b-b-by one. Just... Just... Just like poor Ariel here.' and then he p-pulled the t-trigger.
I screamed at the gunshot, but no one came running. But she was still looking at me, with terrified eyes. The shot had been a blank. He grins and he says to me 'Next time I do it, it will be for real.' I told him yes, I'd do whatever he wanted, just leave Ariel and the others out of this. He said he wanted me to name him as a second-in-command, but he would be making the decisions. He told me to make up a title if I had to. I said fine... what choice did I have? I just wanted him to let Ariel go. I'd do it. Then he said to me I'd better not think of betraying him, because he would kill every person he could get his hands on. then....then he s-said 'I wouldn't want you to think I was b-b-bluffing." And he shot her. Not a blank this time... he shot her.
Even after all this war, all this bloodshed... that's what keeps me up at night. That one image. Ariel's terrified eyes before he shot her.... her blood was everywhere. Everywhere
I just... broke. I've always tried to be a strong-willed person but... it just... destroyed me. I stil haven't put myself back together.
I was in no condition to write a speech the next day. Emeric wrote it. That same day, I stood up and read out his 'Justice for Forli' speech to the entire world."
Many on the jury were visibly shocked by this. Most people had no idea it'd been going on that long.
"It takes time to make a move as big as the 'Father Emeric' crowning in politics. I worked on it under his watchful eye every day. And every day I had to watch what said, what I did, do everything he asked of me, because if I didn't.... if I didn't..." I shook my head and was unable to continue for almost a minute. "I watched the country falling into shambles around me. I felt like such a traitor. But Emerics friends... Tammy, Rolias, Justin, Mary, and eventually Cyrus, were coming... and the more of them there were the less likely it was we could escape. Some of my most intelligent friends, Cristel Crockford and Joan Wenkeling, managed to escape and fled to another country so they could no longer be used as a trade for my cooperation. I am eternally grateful to them.
Finally, the guilt became too much. I couldn't watch my friends suffer like this anymore, nor could I watch nation I was supposed to be guiding and protecting fall into ruins. I managed to get a few precious minutes of alone time... and I called overseas and asked for a favour from my great and everlasting friend, Mistress Raven, may she rest in peace." I had to add that onto the end since people were supposed to think she was dead. "Upon my request she sent three assassins to the palace to murder Emeric. One, my dear friend who'd managed to run, Joan. The other two, Darin and a girl whose identity I never even knew. Yes, I ordered that hit.... and Emeric somehow managed to turn it to his advantage. He used it to explain away Ariels death, as well as turn the nation against my dearest friend and ally. As for the aftermath.... The girl was killed by Emeric, and Xander was sent to the armies to die for my disobedience. Darin was captured, so Emeric had one more life to hold over my head. Joan, as all know, managed to escape at the last moment once again, and immediately went to the only hope left: the rebellion. Xander, against the odds, managed to survive until he was found by the rebels and because of this he of course switched sides gladly, wanting nothing more to help me, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
After that is really all a blur. I was too scared to disobey again. Cristel came back, not knowing the assassins had failed, and was caught. I watched him bleed our once beautiful nation dry and I couldn't... or wouldn't... do anything to stop him.
I know this is my fault. I ask no mercy for me. But all this time, I've been working so hard to beat Emeric, to make sure he does not kill my friends. And now here you stand, today, deciding whether they live or die. Please don't let him win." I shook my head one last time, this time not to compose myself, but to add emphasis to my conclusion. "Don't let him win."
Raven had spent a good half hour staring at her wrist and trying to gather her nerves. The steak knife in her other hand seemed to vibrate as her hand shook. She shook her head. I should have been dead already. I'm done now. I give up. The world sucks, life sucks. She laughed at how cliche her thoughts sounded, but it wasn't a happy sound. "If anyone else could hear me, I would never live this down." Tears forged shiny trails down her face and her breath came in sporadic shaky gasps. Now. Do it now, she told herself, and pulled the knife across her wrist. At first she was confused by the lack of pain, then she looked at her wrist. She could name about twenty different things that had left more of a mark on her skin, starting with keys, her cat, a laptop, and grass. Even just bending her wrist did more to it! The realization made her drop the knife and cover her mouth.


When the doors opened, Raven was much earlier than she said she'd be. She quickly took the seat Joan had saved her, waiting until the moment she would be able to talk to her and praying the worst of it was over. She rubbed her wrist self-consciously.
Gifted was seated with an unfamiliar man (lawyer) while Xander was on the stand being bombarded with questions by the prosecution.
"No, there was no chance of her hearing. The room was soundproof."
"The room, was soundproof?"
"Yes, sir. It was meant as a room for Gifted to practice guitar, which would be distracting to the maids and others, so she had it soundproofed."
"When did this soundproofing take place?"
"About two years ago."
"No further questions, your honour."
Court was adjourned so the jury could retire and the people began to get up to go outside to stretch or use the washroom.
"Raven, you're early." Joan said, surprised.
Despite the fact that they were allowed to talk now, Raven shushed her. The courtroom wasn't a place she would care to be discovered, and she didn't want the attention. In a low voice, she hissed, "I found out my power."
Joan looked visibly surprised, then looked around nervously. This moment was being recorded by like ten different cameras.... this was not the place to be talking about it.
So she nodded and rose to her feet. "I just need to use the washroom," she muttered, but she hoped Raven would follow. She stepped out of the courtroom.
Raven did follow, a little hurt that Joan would just leave her like that.
"I do remember telling you the trials would be broadcast on PINC... it's not a good idea to be talking about stuff like that when there's like, ten cameras in the room." Joan smiled when she saw Raven had indeed followed her. "Conspiracy theories have been made out of less. But what is it?"

"No shit, that's why I didn't shout it across the room," Raven snapped. "I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but I was... I was slicing an apple and not really paying attention. I would have cut off my finger, but the knife bent a little. And well, my finger is fine. It didn't even hurt."
"Woah... so it's like... bulletproof skin or something?" Joan said, impressed. "That's like what Gifted said she wanted to accomplish for Jane and Henrick... it never actually worked. Gifted finally stopped trying for it when Jane almost lost the capacity to feel anything at all. I never got why that freaked her out so much."
"'Cause in one role play, Jane lost all feeling in her body and she kept getting hurt and not realizing. Your sense of pain is really important, believe it or not. Would you really want to see someone limping along without a foot, but they can't feel anything? They would bleed to death pretty quick even if it wasn't terrifying," Raven said.
"True... it's just weird because worse has happened to people because of this. People have died. But if she was like that in a story maybe it has something to do with that." Joan shrugged. "Anyway, since if Gifted did her job as well as I think she did that jury's going to be out on this one for hours, the next couple trials I'm pretty sure are taking place in a different courtroom in like ten minutes."
Raven nodded. "Well, I guess I'll be there. I'm not going home again, I'm still a little freaked out."
Joan nodded, and they went off to another courtroom to watch the next, fairly uneventful trial.
Rooney's trial came around precisely at one. "Well," He said briskly, in a smart suit and acting like his usual cocky self. "I did join the rebellion legit at first, y'know. It was just... just..." His smile faltered, and he looked wearied. He addressed his lawyers table. "I'm sorry, I can't do this." He sighed, and looked back to the general audience and cameras. "Look... I'm not gonna stand up here and say I'm proud of what I've done. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused.
It's like this. Soon's I heard Vlad was putting together a rebellion 'gainst gifted, I was the first to jump at it. I was apprehensive... but all I could think about at the time was gifted, my friend from the rebellions against the emperor. I knew that gifted would go crazy if she saw what she'd become... I wanted to stop it.
I was able to use my skill as a member of the panemian royal police to weed out spies. I was quickly brought into the inner circle to help make the big decisions.
But we were failing. There was really no other word for it. Battle after battle, our armies were being decimated... and so many were simply walking off. So many.... All of you, you who sat by in the towns, if not out of fear then simply out of some necessity, you have no idea what it was like. There are so many times we could have lost, and we just barely managed to pull through. We could've been decimated in a matter of weeks! The very real possibility was at the time of losing at the very next battle.
Most had really nothing to lose. You cannot punish every person... not severely. Only the higher-ups will be made an example of.
I had everything to lose. If I knew for a fact they would kill me, it might not have happened the way it did... but when we lost, everything I'd gained would be gone. I was retiring in just a few years... and I had a job I loved... and a chance to really start a family... if we lost... if we lost... I'd lose everything I'd ever had. I was scared, I'll admit it.
Then my old boss from the PRP got in contact with me. I was... well I was shocked, to be honest. I thought they'd writ me off. But he gave me an offer... well, at the time, he gave me my future. My job... my life... I was to keep it all. I was under the impression Vlad would have to surrender any day now. I agreed.
They must've had a good laugh at that one. Look at me. I'm supposed to be an expert on human nature. I didn't see the trap they'd tricked me into until it was too late.
Anyway, I started taking my orders from my boss, and I started letting the spies in. Not all of them, mind you... only about one in every seven Emeric threw at me. Letting in spies wasn't really my official job there. No... My boss had given me the order to turn away those who seemed too helpful. A defector from the other side who had serious amounts of enemy information. A sniper who'd trained his whole life for something like this. People like that. So I did. I was believed every time, but once." Here he looked pointedly at Raven.
"But we started doing better. And now I saw the cruel trap in which I'd been ensnared. I had to keep helping Emerics side, because I didn't know every spy he'd put in our ranks. Had I stopped, he would simply instruct one of them to sneak into my room and look in my desk drawer... where they would find my PRP walkie-talkie... indisputable evidence I was on the other side. Then how was I to tell them I had come back to their side in the time since? I would never have been believed. I let my fear get the best of me and I was trapped. I'm truly sorry for everything that happened." He bowed his head and stepped down from the stand.
"Does the prosecution have a witness?"
"One, your honour. The prosecution calls John Lunin to the stand."
John was led in in handcuffs up to the stand. He refused to look at Rooney.
"John Lunin, could you please describe your relationship with the defendant prior to the 22nd of August?"
"Best friends." John replied" I would have trusted Harrison with my life."
"Could you explain to us what happened on the 22nd of August that pertains to this case?"
"Yes. Harrison and I had been talking for quite some time about some worries I thought we shared about the General, Joan Wenkeling. I was very worried about the way she was handling the battles and was debating ways to... ways to remove her from the picture." He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm and not look embarrassed, knowing this was going out to the entire world. "I thought kidnapping her and keeping her captured until it was over, though it wouldn't impact us as much at that point as any other point, was too extreme, but it was the only thing I could think of. I went to ask Harrison for advice. He convinced me."
"How did he convince you?"
"He said it 'came down to the very complicated moral question of sacrificing one life to save the lives of many'. The issue at the time was her plans, which were causing thousands more deaths than necessary."
"So you agreed to this plan?"
"Yes. We went back to his room after that to discuss the difficulties... especially with how to deal with her... superior fighting ability. But he wanted to talk about something else."
"What was it he wanted to talk about, John?"
"He asked me if I realized if this ever got out to the public that we'd had that conversation, it would constitute as a betrayal to the rebellion. I said yes, and he opened his drawer. There was a PRP walkie-talkie inside it. I asked him if he was a spy, shocked by what I was seeing, and he said yes."
"No further questions, your honour."
"Very well, does the defence have any questions for Mr. Lunin?"
"A few, your honour." Rooney's lawyer said, a sly grin on his face. "Mr. Lunin. You admit this plan to kidnap Miss Joan Wenkeling was your idea?"
"Yes."
"And, after, as you put it, 'finding out Harrison was a spy', did you still go through with this plan of yours?"
John faltered, but answered. "Yes, but-"
"So you would say you had just as much motive for turning on Miss Wenkeling as my client?"
"Yes, but-"
"And you admit to actually acting against the treasured and trusted leader of the rebellion?"
"Yes, but-"
"Your honour, I don't believe this. The prosecution is trying to make a case against my client with a witness who should be standing here being tried instead of my client, it's ridiculous!"
The judge looked through some paperwork. "Mr. Lunin has agreed to testify against Mr. Harrison George Mcroon in exchange for a reduced sentence." he read.
"So he has motive! He is hardly the most credible source, your honour."
John slammed his fist on the witness stand, losing his temper for the first time in recent memory. "Harrison George Mcroon did not get one single call from his boss since he heard my plan!" he shouted. "He chose to agree to my plan, take Joan out into some hole in the middle of nowhere, and then turn on me and call Emeric to come take her away, instead of simply keeping her tied up there like we agreed! Nobody would've known, there was no boss hanging over his head, and no threat of exposure from another spy. He did it entirely on his own! I'm not defending what I did, but Harrison's little pity routine falls flat in the face of his actions with me on that night!"
The prosecutor looked amused.
The defense said "No further questions your Honour."
It wasn't long before the jury was out on that trial, too.
"John was brilliant up there." Joan said, grinning. "That defense attorney was really grilling him, I was worried for a second."

"No kidding," Raven said, shaking her head slightly. She sighed. "Who's next?" Her question was delivered in a defeated tone.
"Cristel." Joan replied. "Long as she tones down the hostility she should be fine."
"Cristel?" Raven questioned.
"Yeah... she'll be fine, don't worry about her. Gifted's testimony went a long way for some of the others, I'm sure Cristel will get from sympathy from it too. Plus I'm going to have to go up there and give a speech in her defence." Joan rolled her eyes. "Anyway, unless something goes-"
Just then, Rick came in. "Wrong." Joan finished her comment with a sigh.
"We're going to have to bump Cristels trial up. They're owing in with Gifted's verdict and the News stations will be pissed if we overlap it."
"Already?" Joan groaned. "Fuck. It's only been three hours."
"I know." Rick sighed.
"Well, this sucks." Joan said. Then she addressed Raven. "Okay, scratch that, John has the next trial, but there'll be like a half an hour interval between Gifteds verdict and the beginning of the next trial. Because we're not allowed to overlap any. Which is stupid, but whatever."
"Well, all the trials are by the same news station and on the same cannel, so it follows if they're going to do every one live they can't play two at once." Ericken said, butting in.
"Ericken! Hey." Joan greeted.
"Are you guys gonna go to hear the verdict?"
"I kinda have to, Ericken." Joan said with a sigh, rising to her feet. "I'm supposed to be present at every trial."
"That question was more directed at Rick and Raven." Ericken said with a smirk.


Meanwhile, in Ravonia....

Kenny's old base had been all but deserted. A few of the gifteds who hadn't had sided with him had let all the prisoners out, though there were few of those. To everyone who was up to date on Ravonian news, it was obvious that Kenny wasn't the only issue and, in fact, the much bigger issue came from the northern half of the island. The reason for the closed ports was an attempt to determine where the new rebellion was getting supplies. It had been a bad move, since Adam still had no idea and the shortages for normal citizens were only fuel for the same rebellion he was trying to calm. Though Raven's faith in her second-in-command had been with reason, the supposed loss of his love at his own brother's hands had been a hard hit for the new leader. Adam needed all his wits about him, but he could hardly think straight.

The Ravonian gifteds all seemed to have disappeared off the face of the Earth, the ones who hadn't been loyal to Kenny trying to disappear into the crowds while the ones who had been went into hiding. Even the gifted workers in the castle seemed to have left. Even Lynn had taken a vacation, at a most inopportune time, when her memories of Kenny killing her little sister had come back. The only good thing about the gifteds change seemed to be that Adam could now focus on one problem alone...

The three people who seemed to run the rebellion rarely let anyone see their faces and with few exceptions only the most dedicated to the cause ever saw them. The exceptions came from the most unlikely sources, because most often these people had nothing directly to do with the rebellion. One of the three was in charge of identifying the fallen on both sides and trying to locate the families. The leader, the 'face' of the unseen rebellion, made an effort to personally apologize to each family. In some cases, it spread good things, in some cases it spread only tears. He did it nonetheless. It was simply who Frederick was, and he would never leave something like that with nothing more than a general message like 'to all who lost family members' or 'to those grieving for those lost in struggle'. In the end, he would ultimately give a speech to that effect, for all those he could not identify, but that could wait. It was really his only job for the time being. He didn't feel comfortable trying to plan battles, since he couldn't fight. That was Francis' job. Nikolai wouldn't allow him to help with the death list, claiming he would repeat things or slow him down in some other way. So he contented himself with writing speeches he'd probably never use, visiting with the soldiers, and visiting the families of the dead, of which there were few. That much he would dare claim a part of. He rejected any of Francis' plans that required any death, let alone a large amount of it.
Raven frowned. "I don't know," she muttered. She didn't want to hear her friend's death sentence. She wanted to pretend everything was okay, even though she knew it wasn't.
Rick felt bad for her. "I'll stay." he said. "Doubt the jury will be out for Harrison for too much longer anyway."
Raven thanked him with her eyes. "I'll stay with Rick," she said.
"Kay, I'll come back when the sentencing’s over." Joan said, and she and Ericken left. Rick sat down in Joans spot. "So how've you been holding up?" he asked, concerned for her. He knew this must be hard.
Raven answer honestly, in a flat tone, "I haven't."
"I'm sorry." He replied. There was nothing else really to say. He could point out that Gifted would still be alive for a few more weeks most likely, since an execution takes time to plan, but he doubted that would be helpful. He couldn't even say it'd be over soon, because that depended on how long it took the juries to come to their decisions. If trials kept getting bumped like Cristels then this could go on for nearly a week.
Raven sighed. "Thank you for staying with me," she said.
"No problem. I'm only here to make sure the whole thing goes smoothly, anyway." Rick shrugged. He wasn't really happy to be here either. "If Harrison's sentencing takes as long or longer than Gifteds did, I just might punch something."
"I doubt it will," Raven said. "At least, I don't think it will. John's little explosion didn't seem staged, but you never really know I guess."
"I'm just glad the defence attorney didn't object to it. There's probably a law somewhere that could render the whole thing invalid." Rick said.
About twenty minutes later, Joan and Ericken came back. Rick didn't even ask about the verdict.
Maybe ten minutes after that, the jury came in with Rooney's verdict; Guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.
"I still think I shoulda just shot him," Raven muttered, glaring towards where she had last seen Rooney.
Rick tried very hard not to burst out laughing. "Don't you realise that is a death sentence?" he chuckled. "Harrison was a cop. He put a ton of guys in jail. There is no way he'll survive prison."
"I don't care. I wanna do it myself." The same anger from before was bubbling to the surface replacing the sadness.
"Oh come on, calm down. We just humiliated him in front of an international audience and sent him to be stabbed in prison by some angry asshole." Rick said, smirking. "This'll be one of the only good things we get to watch all day."
Raven clenched her fists, her eyes burning. She didn't speak again but it was clear that she wanted desperately to be the person who did him in.
"There's going to be like twenty minutes before the next trial." Rick said after a minute, wanting to change the subject. "Then John'll be up."
Raven nodded and after a moment said, "Can you eat lunch in twenty minutes?"
"Sure," Rick shrugged. "Why? You wanna go somewhere?"
"I haven't eaten recently," Raven admitted. "It might be nice."
"Sure. " Rick said, getting to his feet. "Let's go see if we can't find something to eat." he headed out of the courtroom with her.
"So where do you wanna go?"
Raven shrugged. "Anywhere's fine. Preferably someplace nearby and quick."
Rick led her to a little cafe place nearby that sold sandwiches and bought some for the both of them and found a little table off in a corner for them to eat at. A TV up in the corner was playing PINC and showed some guys talking about the trials that had happened so far. Particularly, as it was one of the more important ones, Gifteds trial. Though, every other trial was at least getting a passing mention as well.
Raven did her best to ignore it as she ate, but it was obvious it was beginning to irritate her.
Rick couldn't exactly ask them to change it, as pretty much every public place in the country would have it playing. So instead, to distract her, he began to talk. "I'm amazed this place is still here. I haven't been in Panem in like... four years."
Raven nodded. "Yeah... It must seem strange, how much has changed since then," she murmured, wondering what it would be like when she was finally able to return to her country. If she ever did.
Rick nodded. "You do not know how weird it's been today to walk down the street without looking over my shoulder."
Raven smiled sadly. "Do you think anything will ever be normal again?"
"I'm sure it will. Eventually. It just takes time, that's all. Look at this country. We had disaster after disaster.... first a plague, then some major earthquakes that destroyed thousands of homes, then a war... all within a year of one another. Then three or four years of normalcy. Now this. And once this is over, things will go back to normal here."
Raven sighed as though her question had been more specific and picked at the remains of her sandwich.
Rick looked disappointed after a second, and ate the last of his sandwich. Then he thought to ask a question that had been bugging him for awhile. "Hey, what were you talking about with John a week ago? On the last day we were at the bunker, I mean."
"I was updating him on everything that had happened. Whoever did it was either very poorly informed or did a very horrible job of it," Raven said.
"Nobody did... he was a prisoner, it would've looked odd if he knew everything." Rick looked confused, like this wasn't the answer he was expecting.
Raven shrugged. "Well, what else would I have been talking to him about?"
"I don't know, that's why I asked. He's been acting odd since that day." Rick said. "Apparently he kept asking for me. He asked me to come like six days straight before I could finally find the time to head over there. In the end he lost his nerve and I never found out what he wanted."
Raven frowned. "I told him about what Kenny did to me," she whispered.
"You told him that? That's worrisome, but... it still doesn't explain the way he was acting. What would he want with me? I mean, I've never even spoken to the guy. The only way he'd know anything about me, I mean besides from the obvious history connection, is what Joan told him."
Raven shrugged. "I also told him how Trace killed Kenny, but I can't think of anything else."
"That he got shot? Well I don't see how that'd be relevant..." He looked up at the TV. "We've stayed a bit long. Look, John's trial is starting." he pointed up to it.
"Let's hurry then. I want to be there," Raven said and stuffed the rest of her sandwich in her mouth before hurrying out the door.
Rick got up and they started heading quickly back to the courthouse. "So you just told him Kenny was shot?" Rick asked as they hurried.
"And that we won, obviously. I told him you were there, and I might have mentioned that you were kinda out-of-commission. But I have no idea why that of all things would make him request your presence, considering you couldn't move the last time I had checked," Raven said. "Maybe it was something else?"

"I don't know... was there anything he seemed more interested in than normal to you? like something that worried him more than expected at all?"
"I don't know, Rick, I wasn't exactly in the best shape. No one had talked to me in weeks and I wasn't paying attention," she said.
"Ah, well I don't know. Come on, we've got to be quiet, Johns probably already giving his testimony." Rick opened the courtroom door.
Raven hurried in and slid into her seat next to Joan, looking up at John.
John looked even more nervous than he had at Rooney's trial; of course, he'd have to go into greater detail here about his treachery. He took a deep breath and began. "It didn't really start when it's been told it had. The thought entered my mind about a week before the actual deed. After the Battle of Clynesdale. On paper, it was beautiful, a classic execution of Joan's brilliance... and that was what worried me. It was a massacre. You're not supposed to call it that when it's your side doing it, but it was. Twenty-" he stopped, looking up at Joan, and changed the wording. "Almost 45 thousand people were killed."
Joan was shocked. She'd thought it'd happened after the battle directly after Clynesdale, the battle Raven had butt in in the middle of. What about Clynesdale had been the problem...
Finally Joan did something she hadn't done in three years: calculated the ratio in her head. The numbers seemed to go into each other almost too perfectly and she understood why John had stopped. He knew she wouldn't want to hear the ratio. the 20:1 ratio. (anotherwords, 40,000 of Emerics soldiers died, 2,000 of Joans.)
During the MG wars, she would've considered that average, maybe even a little below average. Not really a standard she'd shoot for. But now it was obvious John had done the math ages ago. And that... that was alarmingly high. How had she not seen it on her own?
John continued. "I was worried about her for quite some time, and I wasn't the only one. Harrison, Dylan, Tanner and I often met in private to discuss what we should do... but those discussions never got anywhere, because what were we supposed to do? We couldn't just go talk to Joan. She would consider it a grave insult... with good reason.
Another Battle, and more to worry about. But it didn't really get urgent until Emeric's siege on the bunker. After that it was clear to me drastic measures needed to be taken.
I stayed behind in the conference room to talk to Harrison, Dylan and Tanner. We didn't have time to discuss long before R- Vixie and Joan showed up to tell us Rhodesia had died, because some papers hadn't been where they were supposed to be, and she went back to rescue them. ...Now a part of me wonders if Harrison moved them so precisely that would happen. ...But that wasn't what I was thinking at the time. Joan left in grief but Vixie decided to stick around, and Vixie would've told Joan anything we said, so we couldn't continue the conversation. Dylan and Tanner got up and left. After I felt I'd given away too much, I got up and left as well. I guess Harrison left shortly after I did, I'm not sure, but I met with him in the hall. We got to talking about the subject again... and I finally said what was on my mind. I said 'she can't lead the army anymore, but she'll protest if we try to remove her. The only way we could get her down is if we take her out of the picture.'
Harrison is an amazing actor. Before this, he'd been known amongst us for having... well, for having the fiercest, most unbendable morals. I thought if I was truly as crazy as I thought I was.... Rooney - Harrison - would tell me so. Then he said he agreed with me.
'Then you don't think it's wrong?' I asked him. 'Morally reprehensible? Evil?' He said it came down to 'the complicated moral question of sacrificing one life to save the lives of many'. But he wasn't opposed to it. He was known for having the most inflexible morals, and he wasn't opposed to it. I began to think maybe it wasn't such an insane idea after all. He said he knew a place to hide her, and that we should discuss it in private, so we retired to his room. He rarely let anyone go into his room, there was no chance we'd be disturbed there.
Once in there, he asked me if I knew going through with our plan would be a betrayal to the rebellion.
I did, but I tried to rationalise to him the way I'd done for myself. Our last battle plan was set in stone, and there were others who knew it just as well as Joan did. Her disappearance would have an affect on nobody but her. At least... thats what I'd told myself.
Rooney then showed me the walkie talkie and I found out he was a spy. Now, I was trapped. He was a respected figure, liked by everyone, who was one of the first people to join the rebellion. I was only on the council because I was Vlad's little brother. Who would they believe if I turned Rooney in? He could just say he denied me when I approached him with this plan and I spread the rumour out of spite.
So the two of us found and overpowered Joan. We... we...we tied her up and t-took her out of bunker and brought her to some hole under a trap door Rooney said used to be an escape tunnel. She awoke once we'd gotten her down... that's when I told her what was going on, why we were doing this. I still hope she can forgive me someday. I was only trying to do what I felt was right.
We brought her down into that hole, and I assumed we were going to do it right then and there. But Harrison took out the walkie talkie and called the PRP without my imput. I was too shocked to react... I should've done something. I keep going over and over it in my head, every day... I still don't know what I could've done. But I should've done something.


I argued with him but could do nothing. Then Vixie, Erica, Tanner, Ericken, Dylan and Karen appeared. Erica blew her cover trying to stop a shootout from happening, but it was inevitable. Rooney was subdued. I tried not to fight back, but ended bleeding at the mouth and was knocked to my knees. They brought us both back to the bunker, where I've been reliving the moment in my nightmares ever since." John sighed.
After the prosecution had a few witnesses, it was the defense's turn again. "The defense calls Joan Wenkeling to the stand."
This shocked quite a few people, since, after all, she was the victim here. She rose from her seat and went to stand at the witness stand.

[Gifted]

"Well, Johns been a lot nicer to me up here than I deserve," She laughed nervously. "Probably at his own expense. But I would not be exaggerating to say that John Lunin saved my life that day." She gave a small smile when she saw the muttering and confused looks. "Confused, are we? In nearly killing me, he saved my life. Well, John did not lie, and his explanation was pretty comprehensive, but at the same time he did a good job of leaving out the most important point, I guess for my sake. For my reputation which has only just been repaired. But there's no point in beating around the bush about this. Very few people know that when I first came back from Ravonia with the assassins, and barely escaped being captured by Emeric, When I went to Vlad, we argued for hours on whether or not I would help him lead. I didn't want to be a general. I didn't want any part of that world. I wouldn't have even got involved with the rebellion if there was another choice. Because I was afraid of what could happen to me when I put myself into that position again... what almost did happen.
At first I spent hours pouring over every plan, endlessly tweaking and obsessing over it, because I was so worried about going back to the way I used to be. It didn't help that the planning style was basically identical... from a random, informal spit-balling of ideas with Rick and Mikaela to a random, uninformed spit-balling of ideas between Vlad, John, Harrison, Tanner, Dylan, Karen and I. Karen though, always despised me and that helped a lot. In fact, I think it's exclusively because of Karen and Vixie that it didn't happen sooner. But I grew more confident and started worrying less... after all I needed to be efficient as well as thorough, as it was.
But John was watching better than I was at that late stage. When my ratio jumped from... well whatever it was before, I never did the math... to 20 to 1, he figured out something was up. Even then, probably nothing would've came from it if it werent' for what I did at Emericss siege which prompted him to take such a drastic action. John was quiet about that, but I deserve whatever punishment this gets me anyway; I blew up twenty or so of Emerics men in one of the rooms I knew wouldn't fall.
The worst part is, he’s completely right that I would've been insulted had be brought any of this up. Incredibly insulted, considering I'd spent the last three years trying to avoid what he claimed I was becoming. I put him in a position to be taken advantage of. Harrison, it turns out, lacked a lot of good qualities; Intelligence, wasn't one of them. He took advantage of the situation.
The fact e kidnapped me... the fact he was so scared he was willing to kill me over it... that was what made me realise what I'd become. The explosives at the final battle were not my doing, and I was shocked beyond measure. And of course, that caused me a bullet which I only barely survived. That, was not me. The explosion at Emerics siege? That was all me. John trying to kill me saved me from myself, and for that, he's a greater hero than I'll ever be. And no matter how this trial ends, he will always be, my friend." Joan ducked her head once to the camera and stepped off the stand, heading back to her seat. But just then she stopped at the defense table, were John and his lawyer were seated. She held a hand out as a gesture of friendship for him to shake.
His face lit up with the biggest smile he'd worn since his capture, and he accepted her hand. After a moment she let go and went back to her seat.
She prepared herself for the rejection again, for everyone to move just a little further away when she sat down. Instead, they seemed to almost move closer. She was still respected. Joan thought that might just be the best feeling in the world.
Rick gave her the thumbs up as the jury filed out and she grinned back.

Raven patted her on the back. "That was brave of you," she whispered.
"Thank you." She said as people began to get up. "Let's just hope it paid off for John."
Raven nodded. "When is the next trial scheduled?" she questioned.
"Like... twenty minutes from now." Joan said. "Unfortunately, the downside to getting the reaction you want is the jury always takes a stupidly long time, so we may not hear from this case again for awhile. It's why we were so annoyed Gifted's case only took 3 hours. We were hoping for at least a day."
"Oh," Raven said flatly. She clearly didn't want to hear about Gifted.
There were four more trials that day, and then the courthouse was closed at seven and everyone had to go home. Johns verdict was never reached.

Meanwhile, I had been escorted to a cell on death row. Mere hours after my arrival, I heard a soft voice say my name. The sound was pleasant and extremely calming, and I looked up.
The calm and color drained from my face as I took in the girl standing there. The black, perfectly straight hair and the black gothic clothes were all familiar to me, but of course the most recognizable feature was her telltale hat, a tall thing like a witches had, only with thick red and white stripes. Ironic the twisted character that could come out of such an innocent, kind party member in an innocent game.
"Vivian!" I cried, scrambling to back up. I would not let her use her power on me. "You're not supposed to be here!"
"Oh come on now Gifted, don't you remember me? We met a few months ago in the street after all."
"But I never put you on the list... Emeric shouldn't know you exist.... Emeric shouldn't know you exist..."
"Emeric, is as good as dead. But there's one thing he wants to do before he dies... now... come on." She used her power once again. "Come away with me... we can escape this jail cell. Escape your death."
"No!" I snapped. Her power couldn't work if you were braced against it, I kept reminding myself. "I'll never go with you!"
Her expression changed to a scowl. "Then 'll come back tomorrow. And every single day after that... you'll come with me eventually, won't you? You know it as well as I do. Goodbye, Gifted" and she walked off, leaving me terrified.

Raven fidgeted the entire time she made dinner. Finally, as they were sitting down, she asked, "There hasn't been any news from Ravonia, has there?"
"I haven't heard anything since they closed the ports." Joan said honestly.
Raven nodded with a sigh. "How will he ever learn that Kenny is dead?" she murmured, crossing her arms over her chest.
"We can send Cristel back to Ravonia to tell him." Joan said. "Since she's been there, I'm sure someone will recognise her... Lynn or someone."
Raven nodded. "I suppose so. She caused quite a stir about mermaids in Ravonia," she said with a smile. "I think just about anyone would welcome her in the waters, at least."
Joan laughed. "Oh I've got to hear about this at some point." She said. "Mermaids? Really?"
Raven nodded with a grin. "She swam away whenever people got too close and she was just swimming around in the ocean all the time."
"Wow," Joan laughed. "Leave it to her to come up with something like that." When she finished eating, she said "I'm going to crash, the trials will probably resume pretty early tomorrow."
Raven nodded. "Good night, Joan. See you tomorrow morning."
The next morning Joan was ready by about nine. "You coming today?" She asked.
Raven nodded and quickly got ready. "Yeah, no point not."
"Kay, I think Tammy Felton is the first one today." Joan said. "Hers is soon, so we better go now."
Raven nodded. "Who is Tammy, exactly?" she questioned.
"I don't really know, she wasn't a very well developed character from what I heard..." Joan said, thinking about it. "Um... I think she killed someone in a story and robbed like two or three casinos... I'm not really sure, I just know she was on the watch list."
"Oh, that explains it. I didn't know a lot of people who would be on that list. CR-S01 and Tyler. And Ruby was always stuck in Cristel's body after some freak accident and she only came out on Fridays for some reason," Raven frowned slightly.
"The reason for that was she needed to wait seven days before she had enough energy to fight Cristel and win. The fact that it happened to fall on a friday is completely coincidental." Joan said. "Basically any of her villains are on the watch list. Any she found, anyway. Ruby, Cyrus, Justin, Tammy, Ralios, Tyler, Maverick, Mary the tri-personaity psychopath, um.... That's all the ones I can think of at the moment."
"Mary was in the same role play as Pride - er, Jane. She pissed Toby off for sure, when she couldn't talk." Raven nodded. "She read a story, I'm not sure if it was real or not, that inspired that character. I don't really know many of the others. Oh, but Maverick. Damn I hope Emric didn't find him. Dolls are creepy."
"That was her alternate personality Hillary that couldn't talk, Mary could talk just fine. And dolls are creepy... at least Mavericks dolls." Joan agreed.

"All dolls are creepy," Raven replied. "I never had one and I still had nightmares about the things." She shook her head and grabbed a roll. "Let's go."
When they got there, Tammy was already standing there. Her brown hair was curly and done well, framing her scared-looking face. She wore a business suit, just a blue suit with a lighter blue undershirt underneath. She was doing her makeup nervously with a compact mirror, applying a red lipstick as she awaited the others to file in and looking determinedly down at her mirror.
Raven looked at Joan. "Lead the way, I don't know where we'll sit."
Joan led Raven up to the front on the left hand side, behind the prosecution.
Tammy looked up when the back doors closed, and stuffed her makeup back in her pocket. She watched Joan, looking nervous. But when Joan caught her staring, she turned away.
"She seems nervous of you," Raven commented.
"It's probably just the trial. She is facing life in prison." Joan pointed out. Then the crowd hushed, and the trial began.
"Well." Tammy looked around and sighed. "I've done a lot of bad things, I'll admit that." She paused, looking down. "But... well it was only for the sake of my niece." She sighed, and continued. "I was scared, Emeric was destroying the rebels, and my niece was a high profile individual in there. I went to Emeric out of desperation, and offered my assistance in exchange for pardon for my niece. At first, of course, he said no. But I did my best to amplify my usefulness, show him how much I could do. It's entirely thanks to me he and his forces could communicate as fast as they did. Eventully, Father Emeric agreed. I had won. My niece was safe." She sighe, looking down sadly. "She has no idea. I haven't seen her for nine years... I doubt she remembers me.
My elder brother Nicholas and I had a falling out shortly after she was born... he was really mad at me." She looked close to tears but did not cry. "He told me to never walk through their front door again, me and Antonio both. He specifically wrote in his will that if something were to happen to him and his wife, his children were not to be handed over to me or Antonio. So...so when they died... Sharon, Kyla and Michael had all been killed in the rebellion against the Emperor, me and Antonio weren't allowed to have her and Tiffany... Tiffany said she didn't want any children. So she was put up for adoption. I never saw her or my nephew since. My nephew was safe... but I couldn't let Emeric hurt my niece."
"Your Honour, as proof of her story, we the defence present Exhibit 1, Tammy's birth certificate. Mrs. Felton is a married woman, and this as her maiden name on it."
"You are married, correct?" The judge asked her.
"Yes." Tammy nodded. "To Robert Felton."
"Very well." The judge said, and Tammy's lawyer went up and handed him the birth certificate in an evidence bag. The judge scrutinized it closely.
"Your Honour, please read out the name of the child on the birth certificate."
"It says here... a girl was born at St. Pauls general hospital... at 11:45 am on March 25th, 1988… named...


Tammy Wenkeling."

Raven glanced at Joan, trying to judge the girl's reaction, but she didn't say anything.
Joan was completely and utterly shocked. She struggled to maintain her composure, but it was obvious this took her completely off guard, and she had no idea what to do.
"Yes.... Joan Wenkeling is my niece. Nicholas Wenkeling is actually the second in his family of that name... his father, my brother, had the same name. Emeric was winning... my brothers son was safe but his daughter was not. I may not have done the greatest things, but it was all to save Joan!" Tammy turned away, sniffed, and rubbed her eyes as if she was crying, but she had her back to those watching as if she were ashamed of it. She practically ran off the witness stand.
As the prosecution said a few closing remarks, trying to reverse the impact of her testimony and failing miserably, Tammy moved her hands from her face, her red lips turned down into a frown, her dramatically highlighted and mascaraed (is that a word? ) eyes turned down at the floor in utter depression. She looked like the perfect picture of unhappiness.
"Joan, she's lying about something," Raven hissed, though she wasn't sure if Joan wanted a family or not. "Look at her eyes."
Joan looked. "Her makeup.... it'd be running if she was really crying." She agreed.
Nobody else seemed to have noticed.
Inside, Tammy was grinning. OH, she knew how to play a crowd. It was true Joan was her niece, but that wasn't something she really cared about. Only now had she realised she could use it to her advantage, and she'd prepared this excellent defense. Since she'd already said she was guilty, she couldn't walk out... but with these soft hearted losers, she'd be out of jail in no time.
Raven nodded. "There's no way of knowing how much is the truth, but she doesn't care..."
Joan nodded. "No way to convince the jury though." She said as she watched them filing out. She stood up and walked out the door without saying a word.
Raven glared at Tammy and hurried after Joan.



As I was locked away I had no idea what was going on in the courtroom. I had withdrawn even more then usual, locked in my own fears. Vivian had said she would be back... What did she want? Why was she trying to break me out of here?
I was terrified she would break me, force me to do what she asked the way Emeric had for so long. I tried to remind myself her power couldn't work if you saw it coming, but the obvious nagged at me; I had never really drawn up her power that well... I didn't focus on specifics. Did her power weaken the one it was used on if exposed to it multiple times? That's what had me the most worried. Would it be even possible for her to break my will down so much I didn't have the force to resist her?
"Oh, Gifted." Vivians voice echoed into my cell. It was a pleasant sound, a sound that compelled you... she was trying to use her power on me again. I tried to hear past it, to hear Vivians voice for what it really sounded like. "Come on out. Come escape with me. Let me let you out and come with me."
"No! I'm not going, I'm not going...." I shook my head and curled into a tighter ball.
"Come on now," Vivians voice sounded normal again. "You can't resist me forever... I can see your fear. You know it yourself, don't you?"
"Vivian Marilyn Beldam, leave me the F*ck alone!" I shouted at her.
Vivian shrugged. "I'll come back... later." She was gone.
I sighed. Like before, when Emeric had first released me, then again when I was abandoned in a cell at the bunker, I found refuge in my music. I may not be a great singer, but it was the thing that would give me a base in reality, so I wasn't completely enveloped by fear.
"I know I can stop the pain, if I will it all away.
Don't turn away (Don't give in to the pain)
Don't try to hide (though they're screaming your name)
Don't close your eyes (God knows what lies behind them)
Don't turn out the light (never sleep, never die)"

Joan evidently was not aware Raven had followed. She did not look back even for a moment, just walked outside.
After a while, Raven spoke. "Do you want to talk? I don't blame you if you need some time alone."
Joan whipped around reflexively. She'd been convinced she was alone. "Oh, raven." She sighed. "Yeah... I just needed to get some air." She didn't want to say what was really going on in her head right now... how badly she wanted to punch something.
"I'll be at all the trials, and if you want to go home we can make some excuse," Raven murmured, nodding her head. She left without waiting for an answer, going to find Rick.
Joan was very glad Raven left her alone.
Rick was in the courthouse lobby, killing time before the next trial. "Hey, Raven." He greeted when she was close.
"Joan needed some time alone," she explained briefly.
"Yeah, that figures." Rick said. "I understand why Tammy was on the watch list... the girl makes me look like an amateur." He shook his head.
Raven nodded. "Who's scheduled next?" she questioned.
"Um... let's see here.... Cristel, I think." Rick said. "Finally. Then once she and the others that were pushed back are out of the way, we can finally get to Emeric himself."
Raven nodded. She had no reason to believe that Cristel had stayed in Ravonia, even after she had 'died'. "I hope it's over with soon," she admitted.
"Same here. Then this'll all get back to normal." Rick said, and sighed. "Should we head in for Cristel's trial now? We'll be early... but it's not like there's a whole lot else to do here."
"Sure," Raven agreed.
Rick led her into the correct courtroom, where 'Cristel' was sitting at the defense table with her lawyer, looking down as if thinking about something.
When the trial started, it was fairly uneventful. Cristel was intelligent and stuck to the story Gifted had laid out at her trial, just like most of the other gifteds. Joan came in about halfway through the trial, just in time for her turn on the stand. She was a good character witness for Cristel and convinced a decent number of people.

In Ravonia, Cristel had noted the surprising lack of Kenny's associates, but with the war in Panem finally drawing to a close, she didn't see the point of leaving now. Besides, she felt bad for Adam. He had so much on his plate, what with the idiots in Northern Ravonia rebelling, Lynn gone... not to mention Kenny's people had to be here somewhere, and he had to be stressing about that. She knew she was.
So she stayed at his palace with him, assisting in any way she could. When she couldn't help, she kept herself updated on the trials in Panem.
She turned the TV on and saw Joan giving testimony for someone... a lot of heartwarming nonsense people just ate up. She seemed to be doing a fairly good job, but it was a boring and predictable trial. She was about to turn the TV off when Joan spoke her name.
"What?" She whispered, watching Joan step off the stand. Then the camera panned onto the defendant, and her breath caught in her throat.
A perfect clone of her, sitting patiently and awaiting the verdict with identical short hair, in her clothes....
"No..." Cristel backed up. No way. Gifted had put her on a watch list. Cristel was supposed to be done with her. But there was only one person that could possibly be....
"Ruby." Yaz growled. "Come on, we have to tell Adam we're leaving."
Cristel nodded. Ruby was a psychopath, and she probably had powers now. Cristel couldn't leave her running around unchecked. She rose to her feet and went off to find Adam.
Adam was just getting out of a very long, very boring meeting that, like most of the meetings about the uprising, did nothing. There was no new information. There were no new ideas. He rubbed his temples, trying to soothe his growing headache.
Cristel saw him, heard his headache, and felt intensely guilty she had to add more stress to his day. But she couldn't leave Ruby to cause havoc in Panem under her identity. She just couldn't. "Hey, Adam."
Adam looked up and a small smile touched his lips. "Hey, Cristel. Did you need something?"
Cristel sighed. "Yeah. Have you seen the trials in Panem lately?" she asked.
"No, I haven't since Gifted's trial, honestly. Did someone slip up?" he questioned.
"No... no, but there's an issue there they don't see yet. It's complicated to explain, I'll show you." She went into the closest room that had a TV and turned it on. The jury was filing out, and she pointed to her lookalike in the bottom corner at the defense table. "She's the problem."

On the TV, Ruby stood up and looked over her shoulder at the camera briefly before going out with her lawyer.
Adam stared, bewildered. "That looks just like you," he said.
Cristel nodded. "That was my twin sister Ruby Crockford. She's... psychotic. If she's there, it's because she was working willingly with Emeric. But because they think she's me, she's going to be declared innocent. I can't do anything about that... Double Jeopardy attaches as soon as the jury is sworn. But I can't let her cause havoc under my identity... god knows what kind of psychological damage she's already caused to my friends."
"What are you going to do?" Adam asked
"Head back to Panem and warn the others. They'll know enough about her to be on their guard. After that, just being near her I can hear what she's planning. That means I can take steps to stop it. I can't leave her on her own, or you'll be hearing about serial killings in Panem next."
Adam nodded. "Good luck then," he told her.
Cristel nodded. "Same to you." Then she and Yaz left the building.
She was very surprised when she made it to the ocean without incident, and made the most of her opportunity, taking off instantly into the water, Yaz changing into a dolphin and swimming alongside her. It would be a long swim home.

Once Ruby's trial was over, there was an announcement that Johns verdict had finally come in.
Raven quickly stood. "Where will it be announced?" she questioned those around her.
"Back in the courtroom his trial was in, come on." Joan said, getting up and heading over there.
Rick looked at Raven, wondering if she even wanted to go.
She did. John was the one person, besides Rooney, that she wouldn't miss. She hurried to follow Joan.
Joan quickly slipped into the courtroom and sat at the front on the right-hand side, leaving room for Rick and Raven to sit down as well. John was led in and he sat down, and the jury slowly filed in.
"Would the defendant please rise," the judge said, and John got to his feet. The courtroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop when the sentence was delivered: Twelve years in prison.
"It could be worse," Raven whispered. Even still, she felt bad for John.
"Are you kidding? That was the best we could hope for." Joan whispered. "Considering with just the straight facts he could've gotten life." She was smiling.
John certainly seemed to be thinking along the same lines. He looked immensely relieved.
Raven nodded. "I still wish he could have gotten less. Prison changes people..."
Joan nodded. After a moment, she said quietly. "Whose next?"
"Cyrus is last. Then we wait for the rest of the verdicts, then we go through Emeric." He replied.
"I never liked CR-S01," Raven said. "Well, he was an awesome character and in Hunger Games he was great... But still."
"Yeah, Cyrus always was an ass." Joan nodded. "He was the general of Emerics army... so he'll probably get a death sentance too." Joan shrugged. "Can't say I've got a problem with that."
"I certainly don't. He would cause too much trouble in prison, and John will be in there," Raven said, scowling.
"Oh, he might go to prison. Depends on the jury, really. But I don't think they'd put John and Cyrus in the same prison." Joan shrugged. "They're not that stupid."

Raven shrugged. "He'll cause trouble no matter where he is, I'm sure. And with his power, he might just be able to get away with it."
"True." Joan admitted.
"We heading over there?" Rick asked.
"Sure," Raven said. "I'd like to see how he tries to defend himself."
She nodded and they went quickly to Cyrus's trial.
After that one, though it was only two or so, they were done for the day unless a new verdict came in, which only happened once or twice. Most of the verdicts would be tomorrow, then they would finally get to the grand finale - Emeric's trial. When he inevitably was sentenced to death, the execution for Emeric and Gifted would take place the day after the sentence. Normally they'd wait a few weeks to set it up, but, knowing they'd get the verdict they wanted, Rick had gone ahead and had them set it up beforehand.
Raven suggested they go to lunch, since nothing was really happening.
"Sure," Joan said. "Where too?"
Raven shrugged. "Wherever. What're you up for?" she questioned.
"Oh yeah because I totally know my way around this city." Joan joked.
"Let's just find something." Rick said, heading off in a random direction.
"Rick, don't act like you know more than I do!" Joan snapped, but she wasn't really angry. "Wait up!"
Maybe twenty minutes later, they found a random Chinese restaurant in the middle of town. "There, see. I knew we'd find a place eventually." Rick said.
"I bow to you o wise one," Raven commented as she passed Rick into the store, but her grin let him know she was joking.
"Funny," Rick said, heading in after her.
The next day was almost entirely verdicts. Most were exactly as Joan had predicted. There was only one that took her by surprise; Tammy Felton-Wenkeling was sentanced to nine years in prison.
"I don't believe it!" Joan snapped when they were back home and away from the cameras. "How the F*ck did that witches' bullshit testimony give her a lighter sentance than John?! Dammit!"

"I'm sorry, Joan." It was weak, but it was all Raven could think to say as she watched her roommate from the couch. She didn't want to say something that might offend Joan, and any number of things might. Not for the first time, I realized how little I knew her. I didn't know if she had ever wanted a family, or if she was upset because Tammy was a bad person and her only relative, or just upset because a bad person had gotten less of a sentence than John. I didn't know if Joan would have reacted differently if Tammy's story had been true. I hardly knew how to talk to her anymore.
"I'm going to bed." She snapped, heading off without another word.
Joan couldn't believe it. She knew Tammy's story had to be true - at least the part about her being Joans aunt - because her lawyer would be thrown out of the profession and probably serve jail time if she faked the birth certificate. She also knew Tammy really couldn't give a crap. Joan didn't need more family... certainly not a witch like her as a family member. She had her family, and that was her brother Nicholas. But the fact that that bitch was going to be out earlier than John because of some stupid blood relation... Why? She deserved to burn like Cyrus and Emeric.
The next morning, Joan was up much later than usual. Emerics trial was to happen at one, and nearly every person in the country had been given the day off work for it. She didn't leave her room until after ten.



The guards at the prison were positive I was no longer mentally stable. From the songs I sang that sent shivers down their spines (Whisper and Daughter of Evil, only. That would be kind of creepy XD) to the way I rarely moved, staying curled up in a ball while my mind spun around in tight circles except for when I was singing, the only time I would stand. Even then, as soon as I stopped my fear and overwhelming questions would swallow me again and I'd go back to my corner. I'd asked for a pencil and paper the day I was brought in, thinking writing a story would help to calm me, but as all my characters were people who had their own very real problems it only increased my anxiety. I hadn't touched them since.
Vivian came again that day, and my whole body ached to join her, to listen. But I couldn't... I wouldn't. No. I could not leave. But her voice, her incessant voice, was working its way into my mind, twisting the way I thought until it almost sounded like a good... but no. No, I couldn't. She left again, promising as she always did, to come back tomorrow. When she left, I took solstice in my singing, which was becoming slowly less comforting as the song mimicked reality.
"Fallen angels at my feet,
Whispered voices in my ear,
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me, I fear
She beckons me
Shall I give in
Upon my end, shall I begin
Forsaking all I've fallen for,
I rise to meet my end."

Raven was already awake, reading a book on the couch. She looked up when Joan came out. "Sleep well?"
"Sure." She said, looking in the fridge for some eggs or something to make a quick breakfast with. It didn't exactly sound convincing.
Raven sighed and turned back to her book, but she couldn't focus. "I made bacon."
"Oh?" Joan looked over. "Oh, cool. Thanks. She grabbed some, not caring enough to make her breakfast substantial. She sat down on the couch next to Raven and turned on the TV, flicking through the channels without a real purpose in mind.
"If you ever want to talk about it," Raven said, still looking at her book.
"Raven, can we just drop it?" She snapped.
"Yeah." Raven hugged her.
Joan gave a small smile and the gesture and returned the hug. After they broke apart, she aid "So... one o'clock and we get to deal with Emeric. About time, huh?"
"It’s been far too long," Raven answered.
She nodded. "Rick'll be in the room, so he can't use his powers to cheat. There's no way he can talk his way outta this one."
"No problem." Joan said. She looked surprised, and a little concerned, but she didn't pry.
Raven flashed a smile - one that looked at least partly genuine. "Let's head into town."
Joan nodded eagerly and the two headerdd out.
Around one, the courthouse was packed. Only specific people or people who'd paid a lot of money could actually be in the courtroom during the trial (due to the fact it wasn't nearly large enough to hold so many people), but others crowded around the doors in as well as the front steps, wanting to maybe catch a glimpse inside, and staying to watch the trial in bars or restaurants or other public places across town. There was even a big screen set up in the park area between the castle and town for people to gather and watch there.

At one o'clock, Emeric was led in in handcuffs. He was wearing the clothes he'd been caught in, but most of the embellishments were faded, dirty or just plain came off. His hair was messy and he was no longer his grinning, cheerful self. He looked... well, bewildered.
Raven watched and whispered, "He looks like Kenny got to him."
"I think this act tallies with his public persona, actually," Rick said.
"How he's been appearing on TV." Joan explained. "His propaganda's been making him out as a well meaning but completely clueless individual, I guess to make it look like Gifted's the brains of the operation. Being stupid's like half his act. He's probably going to make some speech about how he has absolutely no idea how it got so out of hand. Dunno how he expects it to work this time around when it didn't stop him from being captured, but...." She shrugged.
"I don't know how much of it's an act. He's stupid, he's just powerful," Raven hissed.
"Emeric stupid? I'd call him a lot of things, but not that. He was smart enough to trick the scientist into giving him mind control, wasn't he? not to mention he had the upper hand for awhile. No, Emeric is a lot more intelligent than I, Alex or Gifted ever gave him credit for. The stupid is an act to make him seem harmless."
"Doesn't make him a genius," raven replied
"True, but he's no idiot." Joan looked up to him, where he was standing on the stand, looking as though he were preparing for a speech the way he'd done so many times before. Finally, he began.
"Wow.... this is... this... I can't believe this is happening." He said breathlessly. "I dunno what to say to defend myself... I am fortune's fool." He laughed, not like he found it funny, but just like he was nervous.
Emeric sighed. "I guess all I can do s tell you how it was. I don't know if that will change how it will be but... maybe it will afford me the small amount of compassion, that you allow me to die by my fiance's side."
"Fiance?" The word echoed around the courtroom, as the confused onlookers began muttering back and forth. The judge tapped his gavel to restore order, and eventually got them to quiet down.
"Yes.... Gifted and I are engaged to be married." Emeric continued when it was quiet. "It happened only a few weeks ago... we didn't think it appropriate to make a big production out of it, what with the war and all. It wasn't good timing, I'll admit.
It started after Fox's 'death'. Gifted was distraught. I'd loved her... gosh I don't know how long, now. Years. But I'm... well I'm too young, it just didn't seem appropriate. But after it was announced that Fox had died, Gifted was really torn up. I couldn't stand seeing her like that... so I went to comfort her. They'd been friends for awhile, Gifted and Fox and... Raven. I comforted Gifted and we bonded. Seeing she was in no fit state to do it, the next morning I offered to write a speech for her... something that accurately depicted how we felt about the death. She agreed to it, it, and I spent the morning writing for her, doing my best to put how we felt into words. I've never been much of a spokesperson." he laughed nervously here again. "But I did my best. Gifted barely managed to compose herself in time. She took my speech, went outside and read it out to the world. That night, I confessed my love to her alone in her throne room.
We grew closer over the passing weeks. But the others were uneasy about our relationship. It is true I fought with almost every one of them... it was horrible. What was worse was these were supposed to be the happiest days of our lives... the joys of first love and al that. The worst fight was with Cristel Crockford and Joan Wenkeling. They said Gifted was shirking her duties as Princess Sarteena to spend time with me. That wasn't something we wanted to hear." He shook his head. "Finally Gifted lost it. Shouted to the whole Inner Circle that the next person to make some comment against her and I would be kicked out of the palace. 'I love him, and you're all just going to have to live with that' was what she said. Joan and Cristel walked out in protest. Cristel came back and apologized eventually... Joan came back, but it wasn't to apologize." He bit his lip, as if distraught by the memory." I'll be the first to admit, After that we weren't really here at all. I was on cloud nine, with the love of my life.
Then Raven, whom was once Gifteds closest friend in the world, sent assassins after the two of us. Wenkeling was with them. I still don't know what it was Joan told her to convince her to turn on us... I probably never will. It's like they thought I'd bewitched her, or something.
I engaged Joan in combat myself, but the others got by and went for Gifted. The others may not like me, but they weren't going to let the assassins put Gifteds life in danger. They subdued the other two. One was killed, the other we had to lock up until we could figure out what to do with him. I didn't want to kill him.
I got into a one on one shootout with Joan, and just barely got out alive. Of course, I'm lucky to have survived at all, considering it's Joan." He gave another nervous laugh. "I would never have survived had her gun not run out of bullets when it did. With no ammunition, she panicked and ran, and I was able to go see my Gifted, and make sure she was safe.
When the rebellion was first rumoured, we didn't take it very seriously. I once asked Gifted about it, but she just kind of laughed and said 'Oh, I doubt Vlad is really going to drag this country into another war. He's not that stupid. Panem's not ready for that yet. He'll back down, just you wait'. I figured she knew better than I did... and she was right about Panem not being ready for that type of thing. It was only after it was really happening that we began to see what we'd done. We tried to get the best people we could find for intelligence, for strategy, even promising Mrs. Felton Joan's complete safety in exchange for her help... she was far and away the best at the communications end. All so we could quash the rebellion and repair the damage we'd done... but in the end... it was Joan. We couldn't beat her in the MG wars, and we couldn't beat her now. We never stood a chance." He sighed. "Gifted... Gifted had a real issue dealing with what we'd done. I think that's why she said what she did on the stand... the people of Panem were everything to her. She would rather convince herself everything the others had said was true than admit to herself that she had let the people down."
Raven glared daggers at Emeric. What an ass. "If he'd really loved Gifted, he would have done anything to save her," she hissed.
Joan nodded coldly as the defense began preparing. "Still say he's stupid?" She said darkly.
The defense went on with their standard set-up speeches, but none of them had really thought about the love angle, and there wasn't really a rebuttal for it.
In the end, Emeric was still sentanced to death, but the story had made an impact.
"It doesn't matter. Nothing can save them." She sounded bitter.
"No, Raven, it does matter." Rick said suddenly. His face had been impassive the whole trial, as if it hadn't made an effect on him. But now it was easy to see different. "When it comes to public spectacles, what you've got to understand-"
"Rick! We're on camera!" Joan hissed
He shot a glance at the camera, which was now filming the whole room as the people filed out.
"Right, sorry." He said. It wasn't like him to forget they were being filmed.

"They're both going to die no matter what people think, and no matter if people try to protest it, it's going to happen soon enough. Any people who use him as a martyr won't be able to use people the way he has," Raven snapped. "It doesn't matter." She stalked out.
"That's not what I'm talking about at all!" Rick snapped, running out after her.
"Guys, break it up, there's nothing we can do about it now!" Joan called.
Rick slowed and walked calmly out and Joan caught up, but it was clear why. The area outside the doors was swarmed by reporters. They were mostly there to bug Joan, but Rick got his fair share of questions. Joan looked to him for lead before saying anything.
"No comment," Rick said irritably. He said it over and over to every question about the trial, until finally, just before the two exited the building, Rick turned on the media circus and said "Look. His whole defense what a complete load of crap, and neither of us are going to talk about it right now!" Joan just nodded and the two exited the building.
Raven was already heading back to her apartment when Joan and Rick exited.
Joan headed back to the apartment, Rick said he was gonna go talk to Karen. So only a few minutes later, Joan came back alone.
"I'm not coming when they execute him."
"Why not? Out of curiosity, it's ok if you don't want to tell me."
Raven gave her the Look. "She's going to be there too."
"Oh." Joan said, in a tone that showed she understood. But then she asked the stupid question. "So I guess that means I'm going to go see her alone, then?"
Raven set her jaw. "Yes."
Joan nodded and dropped the subject. She looked in the cupboard for something to make dinner and grabbed spaghetti noodles and sauce. She didn't say a word as she began attempting to cook.

"Catch me, as I fall
Say you're here, and it's all over now
Speaking, to the atmosphere
No one's here, and I fall into myself.
This truth, drives me,
Into, madness,
I know I can stop the pain, if I will it all away."
The song, no longer a source of strength to me, yet I kept singing. I didn't know what else to do.
"Don't turn away
(Don't give in to the pain)
Don't try to hide
(though they're screaming your name)
Don't close your eyes
(God knows what lies behind them)
Don't turn out the light"
"Never sleep, never die."
It was a different voice. A voice I knew well by now. My whole body seized up. "Go away." I moaned.
She laughed, already using her power on me. It was such a lovely, pleasant sound. A sound you could get lost in.
"Come on, now Gifted. Come with me. Escape with me."
"N-n-no."
"Come, Gifted. Escape this place. We both know you want to. You don't want to resist me. Come with me."
That was it... The compulsion was too strong, and I lost. As I rose to my feet I understood that my will lay around me in tatters, not because of Vivian but because of Emeric, and I'd never had the strength to resist her in the first place. The others, with Ricks help, had regained themselves, but I had been broken and repaired and broken again so many times now that as I didn't have Ricks help to throw off Emerics control, he'd left my will a shattered wreck, completely unable even to control my own emotions. I didn't know if it would ever be repaired over time or if I was broken for good, but I knew that for right now... I had absolutely no hope.
Wait! I'd spotted the untouched pencil and paper, still sitting where I had discarded them. I had to leave something for them... for all of them. All the people I'd tried to help save.... all the people I cared about... My hand shakily picked up the pencil and began to write, the same line over and over.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.
I didn't want to go with her.

"Gifted!" Vivian called to me, and I obediently put down the pencil and came forward. Obeying the compulsion was the best feeling in the world, and though I knew deep down it was fake, I also knew I would never be able to turn back now. So I submitted to the peace and tranquility she gave me, and my mouth turned up into the first smile I'd worn in a long time as her double came with keys. She unlocked the cell, and Vivian led me away.


Raven sighed and went to help where she could. She was no good at spaghetti either, but she didn't have much else to do. "I... wanted to talk to you, though..."
Joan had thought that was what she'd wanted to talk about. Guess not. "What is it?" She asked.
"You're thirteen, right...?" Raven asked slowly.
"Actually... I turned fourteen a couple weeks ago. It was kinda too busy so I didn't think it was worth mentioning. Why?" Joan asked, confused by the question
"Oh. We'll have a party later, then," Raven said, though it sounded like a passing comment. Then she went on, "I'm thirty-five, and I've been thinking, if you want to, that when all this is over, I could adopt you." She set the spatula down and looked at Joan.
Joan was shocked, and said nothing for several seconds. Finally, she said, as though trying (and failing) to find words for what she was thinking, she said. "...I have a brother..."
"I'll adopt Nicholas too, if he wants," Raven said. "I don't know him very well, but we'll learn." She nodded. "And of course it wouldn't change the fact that you're still the best general anyone can claim to have met."
"...You'd do that for me?" Joan said quietly. She'd never felt she needed a mom... her brother Nicholas was enough family for her. But Raven...
She hugged Raven tightly. "Oh, thank you, Raven. This means a lot to me."

Raven smiled and hugged her in return. "It's about time someone was nice to you. All of you. Gifted was good to take you in, but it doesn't seem right forcing you to grow up so fast."
Joan grinned. "I don't think she forced anything, I think except for a few of us, that was pretty much what happens when you grow up around politics." She took the spaghetti off. It wasn't perfect, but it was done. "Let's eat."
Raven smiled. "Alright." She set the table, thinking not for the first time how strange it was that she was sitting around with Gifted's old role play characters. "Do you know where Nicholas is staying?"
"I have absolutely no idea. He was declared innocent, so they should have let him out... him and the others are banding together, hopefully, to find a place they can stick it out till morning. They've all got a decent store of money for diplomatic missions and stuff back at the palace, but nobody'll let them in there for a day or two."
Raven nodded. "Will he show up tomorrow?" she asked.
"We'll have to look for him... he won't know where this place is." Joan pointed out. "And he won't be at the execution, so we'll have to do our own search."
Raven nodded. "Hopefully it won't be too hard." She smiled. "We'll ask around first."
"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine." She replied happily.
After they ate, Rick knocked on the door. Joan got up to answer it.
"Hey, Joan, Karen wants to talk to you about something."
Joan groaned. "I thought this nonsense was over!"
"There's still the matter of damage control, Joan, you know that as well as I do."
"But I've got to go see gifted tonight! You know they're not going to broadcast the verdicts to her! She needs to know everything went - pretty much - according to plan!"
"Then go early tomorrow or something, this really can't wait."
Joan sighed impatiently. "Fine. Coming." She looked back. "Knowing them, Karen 'n' Rick are gonna keep me up till two in the morning, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Raven."
Raven smiled. "See you then, Joan. Don't stay up all night or you won't be able to talk coherently when you visit Gifted," she teased.
"Oh, please, Like I've ever had a problem staying up all night." She pointed out. "Later." She shut the door.


Maybe an hour later, there was a knock on the door.
Raven was a little surprised, wondering if Joan was home already, and why she was knocking on the door. She went to open it.
Cristel Ruby was standing there. "Excuse me, could you- wait, vix- Raven?" She was shocked.

"Hey Cristel... What's up?" Raven asked. If she hadn't known who was here, why did she knock on the door?
"I was looking for Joan and I heard someone thinking she was in this building." She said. "I TOLD Nicole to stick close by, but whatever."
"We're staying together, but she's out with Rick," Raven informed 'Cristel'. "She won't be back til late."
Cristel nodded. "Well she's certainly gotten a lot done... And Gifteds execution is tomorrow so she probably has a lot of planning to do."
"Was there something you needed?" Raven asked.
"Oh... Well... Since I don't exactly have money for a hotel room and Joan is pretty much the only person I know, I thought I'd come and ask to stay the night, but if you're already here I guess that's not an option... What's the matter? Was it something I said?" She sounded concerned.
"It's no problem, Cristel, you're more than welcome. We've got two bedrooms and a couch," Raven said with a small smile. "Hey, have you seen Nicholas since the trials? Joan and I were wondering where he's staying."
"No, I haven't.... Me and Nicole just got out like an hour ago. Nicole went off somewhere pretty quick... I haven't seen anyone we know since." She sighed. "I'm just glad they all got out okay and it ended well for all involved."
"Almost all," Raven muttered conspiratorially. "Come in." She stood aside and opened the door wider.
Cristel came in, and picked up the tenor of Raven's thoughts when she spoke. "Why're you so angry at Gifted?" She asked.
"I'm angry at myself. I couldn't save her, and she was willing to do this for the lot of you. I never would have. I'm too scared of death, even after being at death's doorway so many times," Raven told her.
"Well, that's hardly a reason to take it out on Gifted... especially not in the state she'll no doubt be in." Cristel sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be snapping at you... just ever since I got my own verdict I've been worrying about her. From what I remember hearing in Emerics mind... the fact that the rest of us had Ricks help to break free did more good for us than the rest of them will ever know."

"I didn't actually ask, Cristel," Raven mumbled.
"I know, I know..." She sighed. "Wish I could have gone and talked to her though. She needs her friends now more than ever... But it isn't like she gets a lot of visitors." Looking depressed, Ruby smugly waited to see the effect she would have on Raven.
"Why couldn't you?" Raven asked.
"They wouldn't let me. Said they had too much to do at the moment, but I could come back in a couple hours and talk to them then." She sighed. "But honestly, I think they were worried about letting someone too near her who might break her out or stress her out. Probably only letting important people see her."
"Joan was planning to, but she had to go with Rick," Raven informed her. Cristel nodded, but said nothing.
"You can have the couch," Raven told her.
"Thank you." Cristel said. It was almost seven at night.
With a sigh, Raven stepped out. "I'll be back later." Despite what she'd said, she wanted to see her friend one last time.
Ruby watched her walk out. Huh. I didn't actually expect her to go. Oh, well. Hope Vivi is done! she thought, and giggled.


When Raven got to the prison, it was right around seven thirty and the inmates were just getting dinner. As the death row prisoners would not be let out, guards were preparing to take their shitty prison food to them.
One of the men near the front noticed Raven "Vixie, right? I recognised you from the news." He said. "Is there anything we can help you with?"
Raven nodded. "I'd like to see the princess," she said.
"Gifted? Sure, we're just sending someone down there to bring her something to eat." He looked around nervously, and said quietly. "Though I should probably warn you... The general consensus around here is that Gifted's no longer mentally stable."
"Yes, well, she spoke the truth to help her friends rather than saving herself. She's been stuck there for almost a week waiting for her own death. You would be a little off your hinges as well," Raven snapped.
He shook his head. "It's not that.... I'm not really supposed to talk about it... but, well, you don't seem the type to go running to the press about it." He laughed nervously, and went into another room quickly and brought out a tray to bring to Gifteds cell.
"It's rare she ever moves. That'd be understandable, I guess, considering what she’s going through, but it's just... different. The whole first day she sat on the bed-thing on the far wall... but then every day after that she's been curled in a ball in the back corner. She flinches when we open the door and moves back, like... like she's trying to get as far from the door as possible, or something. She asked for a pencil and paper on the first day, and we gave it to her, but she never touched them again. And she sings." He seemed to go pale as he was talking.
"No doubt it doesn't help that she hasn't had visitors," Raven pointed out.
"Very true. Though that's partially Prince Vlad's fault, he asked we not let the morbidly curious crowd her with visitors." As they walked down a hall he frowned "That's odd... we should have heard her singing by now... it's haunting, really. You can hear it throughout almost the whole prison if it's quiet enough. Sends chills up my spine."
"Maybe she fell asleep," Raven suggested.
"Maybe." he allowed, heading up the hall. Then they came to a cell standing open like it was the most natural thing in the world. Looking in it was as though whoever was in there had just otten up and walked out. The bed was unmade, and a piece of lined paper lay on the floor, the pencil having rolled away somewhere. The door was undamaged and there was nowhere else an exit could be hiding.
The guard went very pale. There was a loud clang as he dropped the tray of food. "She's gone..." He pulled out a walkie talkie, still in a daze. "How in the hell could she have gotten out?" He held the walkie talkie and spoke into it quickly. "Put the place on total lockdown.
Gifted has escaped."
Raven held very still for about half a minute, then she moved very slowly to the notepad.
It was a single sheet of full-legnth paper, with one phrase repeated over and over until it filled the page like something out of "The Shining".
I didn't want to go with her.

Raven's eyes widened slightly. Who was her? And had Gifted really gone crazy? It certainly appeared that way.
The entire prison was put into lockdown, and all the prisoners were rounded up and counted. No Gifted. Every nook and cranny of the place was searched by the guards. No Gifted. One of the guards checked the door for tool marks but it really appeared nothing had gone wrong, like she'd just miraculously had a key and walked out. Everyone who'd been on guard duty was interiewed. None of them had seen Gifted.

Finally the exhausted guards gave up. One said they ought to call Prince Vlad, another said to call General Wenkeling. A third just said forget both of them and let's call the press. Raven was really not noticed.
Taking advantage of their other concerns, Raven left, a frown on her face.
When she got home, it was still only about nine, and Joan wasn't in yet. 'Cristel' was sitting on the couch watching TV, oblivious.
Raven went to her room. She didn't want to cause an uproar and she figured it would be best to tell Joan first, if she hadn't been called by then.
At midnight, Joan let herself into the apartment. She saw Cristel passed out on the couch. "Huh. Guess Raven let her in," She said quietly. She seemed to be in a good mood, like whatever she’d been doing with Rick went well.
Raven heard the front door open and came to her own door to greet Joan. "Hey, Joan...?"
"You're still up?" She laughed once. "Hey."
"I'm a night owl... I went to visit Gifted earlier," she said.
"You did?" Joan looked pleasantly surprised.
"Yeah, except I never got to see her. She escaped."
Joans eyes widened and the grin was wiped off her face. "She escaped?"

Raven nodded. "Or was taken, I guess. She wrote 'I didn't want to go with her' on her note pad at any rate."
"....Damn it!" Joan cried.
Cristel jerked awake. "Joan?" She said tiredly.
"Sorry Cristel..." Joan said lowly.
"What happened?"
"Gifted was taken.... it just figures." She went to the phone and dialed a number. Ricks voice came from the other end of the line.
"Hello...?"
"Get over here. We've got a problem."

Raven leaned against her door frame. There was nothing much else to say.
Rick was looking in a moment later. "What's going on?" He asked.
"Shut the door." Joan said. "I don't want this getting out before it has too."
"Oh great." Rick said, coming and shutting the door.
"Gifted was taken."
Rick swore violently. "Now? Really?" he facepalmed.
"Well it’s not like they could have waited," Raven pointed out.
Rick rolled his eyes. "So what do we know?"
"Whoever did it probably had keys, because the lock wasn't broken. There was a notebook in her cell and a whole page was covered with 'I didn't want to go with her'. The guards thought she had gone insane," Raven said.
"That wouldn't surprise me in the slightest." Cristel said. Joan turned to look at her.
"Why's that?"
"How many times did she get out of Emerics control briefly only to be forced back under it later? Let's see, Once to warn Crow what was going on, Once at the world meeting, Once when Jane warned her about Kenny, and there was at least one other time. Gifted is one tough customer, but that would do major damage to one’s mental state no matter how tough you are. Being broken and put back together and broken again... it's no wonder she wasn't all there."
There was an uncomfortable pause.
"So what gifted would be able to get her out of there?"
"I dunno... Maybe Kaitlyn turned on us?" Rick suggested "She could've used Noah's power... told someone she lost her keys..."
"But what would Kaitlyn gain from that?" Joan asked, annoyed.
"You have a point..."
"There wasn't a fight," Raven added quietly.
They were surprised.
"If there was no fight, then it's definitely not Kaitlyn. Only one power at once." Joan said
"Okay, so someone intimidating enough to get Gifted to submit without a fight, and able to blend in and get her out without attracting suspicion."
"There is like... nobody who fits both criteria. Justin? Everyone trusts a soldier."
"Enough to let him walk out with a prisoner?"
"He could've shoved her in that portal of his."
"Can a living thing even survive in that portal? Did that ever come up?" Rick asked, and Joan shook her head. "Okay, then if you're gonna kill her anyway why not let the executioner do it?"
"It could be one of Kenny's people I suppose... Alaric... Not sure why they would do that, but it's possible."
"When he works alone he kills. And he rarely targets anyone who doesn't have a power," Raven said.
"Well, someone else who was in Kenny's group then, like I would know." Joan said dismissively.
"I still don't see what they'd have to gain from that..."
"Well who else could do it? Mary?"
"Haha, no."
"Ruby?" Cristel put in worriedly.
"Doubt it. She'd be noticed."
"None of my gifteds would do it without a reason," Raven stated. "They might not have killed me yet, but they wouldn't have saved Gifted."
"Well she never would've gone willingly." Joan said, exasperated. "Somebody's gotta be behind this."

"So maybe it's a simple matter of drugging her and then pulling her out."
"That's a good point." Rick said. "So Kaitlyn could still have done it."
"Maybe... But Rick, how in the heck are we going to play this?"
Rick stopped, looking like he was trying to come up withan answer, "I...I...I got nothing." he sighed and facepalmed.
"Wonderful. We're going to be fucked when the press shows up tomorrow,"
"Probably."
"Now what do we do?" Raven asked.
There was a long pause. Then Joan finally said the words she dreaded saying.


"I have absolutely no idea."
Raven nodded. "We'll make it up then."
The media had a field day with the news of Gifteds escape from prison. The amount of confidence she'd won back from her people, as well as any sympathy from Emerics crazy-in-love story was wiped out overnight, and again she was viewed as nothing more than a dictator, a bloody tyrant, now a wanted fugitive. There was a nation-wide manhunt and people combed the country for her. Eventually, though, it all settled down. Emeric was executed as planned.
Joan and Nicholas gratefully moved in with Raven. Joan, deciding she wanted nothing more to do with combat and war, enrolled in classes and got a job as a teacher at the local middle school, teaching students the same age as herself. Rick also did not want to be involved in the world of propaganda, but he was unwilling to let his skills go entirely to waste and became a prosecuting lawyer, using his words to sway a jury into punishing criminals to the full extent of the law. Trace and Catherine enrolled in high school, and carved out new lives in Panem rather than returning to Ravonia. Cristel found her sister, and became Ruby's shadow, carefully making sure she did no harm. Ruby was working on her own life, and distanced Cristel's relationship with Joan and Raven, until they hadn't spoken in months.
The country went through its time-consuming political process and a new Princess Sarteena was chosen. Four months after the fall of Emerics regime, Panem was normal again, and the citizens were happy.

[Gifted]

Things had gotten steadily worse in Ravonia, the death toll rising alarmingly high. Adam had long since stopped watching for the gifteds, trying to focus all he had on the rebellion. Luke did everything he could to prevent more deaths, but it was a losing battle. He could only hope they could outlast, and that Emeric's and Kenny's attacks had left the other countries in no want for launching an invasion.

Raven had gotten a job as a cop and spent all her free time with Joan and Nicholas.
Panem had absolutely no desire to get into another military venture, thankfully for Adam. Amestris was not seceding from Panem anytime soon.

Nicholas went to college, and was away most of the day. One day, a few minutes after the kids were let out from school, a young woman dressed in white ran quite literally ran into Raven outside , too focused on some papers she was writing to look up. The papers flew everywhere.
"Oh, I'm sorry, miss." She apologised hurriedly.
"It's no problem." Raven helped her pick up the papers.
the papers were patient files from a nearby asylum, St. Colsons Mental Hospital. They were for a completely unknown patient, but there was one line that jumped out.

11:05am: Told Patient #M13X1 to cease her singing, as it was causing increased agitation to Patient #S23X4. Patient obliged to sing lower so #S23X4 could not hear from his room.
11:10am: Managed to calm down #S23X4 before any injuries were caused.
Personal Note: Make note of response to request on #M13X1's file.

The woman collected her papers as well, unaware Raven was reading one.

"Where do you work?" Raven asked, handing the papers back.
"At St. Colson, just up behind the police station." She responded, grabbing the last few sheets. "Why?"
"Sorry, I was just trying to make polite chatter. I'll let you be on your way, you're probably in a hurry," Raven said, moving aside.
"Alright, Thank you." she said, taking the sheet Raven had read the line on. She took a moment to put the papers in order, and headed on her way.
How wouldn't they know if they had Gifted in there? she wondered. Crazy people sing all the time, it's nothing to get worked up over. She shook her head and went to work.

There was nothing really unusual happening during her job... the most unusual thing was when she ran into that old security guard who'd led her to Gifteds cell at a bar during an interview with a witness. It was one of those places with a jukebox you could put money into and pick what song came on next, and someone had 'Whisper' playing. The guard went up to the bar tender, offered a little extra money, and said "I'm sorry, I know this isn't standard but... do you think you could change the song? This one still creeps me out."
Paranoid as ever, Raven noted that it seemed that everything reminded her of her friend today. She wracked her brains for anything significant about the date. The only thing that came to mind was that it was the day after her mother's birthday. Definitely not something that should bring Gifted to her mind. After she was done with the witness, she took the stool beside the old guard.
The bartender told the man he wasn't changing the song. The guard sighed and ordered a drink, sipping it moodily. "Never sleep, never die... F*ck this fucking song...."
"Fear of a song seems a bit irrational," Raven said, though not unkindly.
The guard turned, and recognized her. "Oh, vixie. Hey." He sighed "This is what gifted used to sing. Every night. You try walking up and down a prison hall, in pitch dark at midnight, with no sound but that frickin song being sung, over and over... Then tell me my hatred is irrational."
Raven smiled. "I'm sorry they won't change it, but I do like the song. It was one mine--" She cut herself off. She'd almost told him that it had been one of her's and Gifted's favorite songs. That would have brought up a lot of questions. "It seems like she's following me everywhere today."
"Who, Gifted?" he shrugged and said, not at all like he was joking "Maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something" and took another sip of his drink.
"Like what?" Raven asked with a sigh.
He shrugged. "I dunno. But there's gotta be a reason, right?" The song came to an end and another song started in its wake. The guard grinned. "Bout time they played my song... I picked it like an hour ago." In a few moments, "Sanitarium" was blasting over the speakers throughout the bar.
"Right. See you around," Raven said, leaving.
He waved moodily as she left and returned to his drink.
After work, Raven went to the mental hospital.
It was a nice building with a well-kept garden out front. there was a bunch of sheets in one of those clear containers that was stuck to the window... volunteer forms. The inside was clean and reminded one of a hospital. A door separated this reception area from the rest of the building.
Just then two people came out from that door... the brother and sister doctors from the rebellion. For the moment the door was open, you could hear a faint sound coming down the hall. Singing, too faint and too short of a time before the door closed to really understand the words.
The two came out and went behind the desk, ignoring the receptionist and placing some folders in a basket that was full of them.
Raven went to the desk, unsure of what else to do.
"Hello, Miss." The receptionist greeted cheerily. "Is this a scheduled visit?" She began looking through a schedule on her desk as she spoke.
"No, sorry, it isn't," Raven said.
"Oh," She said. "Well then, what can I do for you, miss?"
"I heard that there might be a patient here, someone I know, but I'm not certain," Raven explained.
"I can give you a list of our current patients if you want." The receptionist said, pulling a clipboard from a drawer under her desk.
Just then one of the doctors noticed her. "Vixie?" She said, surprised.
The boy turned to look at his sisters comment. "Oh, hey Vixie!"
Raven smiled and gave a small wave. "Hello."
"What brings you here?" The girl asked cheerily.
They boy turned to his sister and said. "I got to go, I've got to hold Mr. Whitlocks appointment."
"Oh, Mr. Whitlock's files are already in the back room." The receptionist put in.
"Ok, thank you," The boy walked off.
"I'm looking for someone," Raven answered.
"Do you have a name? I could help you find them." The girl said.
"If he or she is a patient here, she'll be on this list." he receptionist said, placing a clipboard onto a desk. there were about thirty pages clipped to it, a long list of names in order of file number.
Yeah, it certainly didn't help Ravens case there were only three mental hospitals in the country. The place was massive.
Raven didn't mind. She was mostly looking for the number anyway. It had started with M, she was sure. And would they really keep Gifted here, knowing it was her? She had no idea. She went to Ms
The list for M's was shorter than most of the other letters.

#M02x1 Delilah Gales
#M03x1 Harry Kyles
#M03x2 Sebastian Horrest
#M04x1 Harriet Powell
#M05x2 Candace Lockett
#M06x1 Riley Zaparozan
#M07x2 Kim Foster
#M07x3 Patty Hale
#M08x1 George Urqhart
#M08x3 Steve Lot
#M09x1 Fiona Stewart
#M10x1 Quinton Chide
#M12x1 Isabel Lopez
#M13x1 Abigail Silver
#M13x2 Sharpe Assin
#M14x1 Wendy Locke
#M15x1 Kyle Scotts
#M15x3 Lea Gardner


Raven immediately ruled out the boys, then she struggled to remember what the rest of the number had been. M1...something. Abigail Silver. The few months when Gifted had played as Abigail on the chat box came to mind. Hadn't the name been SilverAbigail? How did they not realize who it was, if it was her? "Does Abigail Silver take guests?"
"She's... she's never had one. And she doesn't really talk all that much. Just sings." The girl said. "She's been here only a little longer than we have. About... three months?" She directed this question at the receptionist, who nodded. "She came stumbling in here on her own one day and wouldn't say a word. It took almost a week before a doctor got her to tell us her name."
"I don't usually work with her... but I think we don't have anything scheduled in for her today. I can get Dr. Emmerson to take you to see her if you want."
"Thank you, I would like to see her as soon as possible," Raven said.
She nodded. "Alright, let me go get Dr. Emmerson." She left and shortly came back with a kindly old man in his fifties or sixties.
"You're here to see Abigail?" He asked kindly. "Please, follow me." He went to the door and opened it, starting down the hall.
As you went further down the hall, the voice started to get clearer and echoed down the hall.
"One, day
I'm gonna forget, your name.
And one, sweet day
You're gonna drown in my, lost pain..."

Raven followed, noting the song. A small smile formed on her lips, despite everything. "Thank you for allowing me to see her."
"It's not a problem." Dr. Emmerson said. He stopped at a door where the voice was the loudest.
"Fear is only in our minds, taking over all the time
Fear is only in our mins, but it's
taking over all the time..."
Dr. Emmerson opened the door wide, but he was standing in it so Raven couldn't see in. Though it was probably more so Abigail couldn't see Raven than the other way around. "Abbey?" He said softly. Abigail ignored him. "Abigail?" Finally he raised his voice. "Abigail Silver!"
The singing stopped. Then Dr. Emmerson said "You have a visitor." It was quiet, but she must've shaken her head because Dr. Emmerson said "Come now, Abbey, there's someone here too see you..." After a long pause. "She came all this way-"
A voice from inside cut him off. It was angry, furious. It also sounded like an order.
"No!" Raven only got a split second glimpse of a pale, angry woman before she slammed the door in Dr. Emmerson's face.
Dr. Emmerson was shocked. "She's never reacted violently before..."
He was cut off when something was thrown at the door. It seemed small and there was no sound of breaking afterwards.

"I'm sorry, this is my fault. I didn't mean to upset her," Raven said, looking at the door
"It's fine... we had no idea how she would react, to tell the truth. She's never had a visitor before." Dr. Emmerson said.
"It makes sense, not many people knew Abigail, and I can't imagine they would know she was here even if they had known her. It took me three months, after all," Raven said sadly.
"Really?" He seemed interested. "We have precious little background information on Abigail, actually... even on her better days when she speaks to us, she doesn't talk about herself much."
"That's very like her. She never spoke much," Raven said.
Dr. Emmerson nodded. "Well, if you'd like to come back and try to see her another time, I'm sure I can make some progress with her."
Raven nodded. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll come back when I can make time. My name is Vixie, by the way."
"Alright. Nice to meet you Vixie." Dr. Emmerson said, walking back to the end of the hall and holding the door open for Raven. Raven waved and left.
Nicholas and Joan were home, Joan marking worksheets on a table. They were both cheating. How? Nicholas was marking papers and Joan was doing college homework. They both seemed to be in a good mood.
"Did you both have a good day?" Raven asked as she came in.
"Oh hey, Raven!" They both said.
"Yeah, it was great." Joan said "How about you?"
"Pretty good. I saw a couple of old friends, after work luckily," she joked.
"Oh really?" Nicholas asked, looking up. "Who'd you see?"
"The doctors from the rebellion. The brother and sister," Raven answered.
"Oh! Did they finally graduate university?" Joan asked, grinning. "How are they?"
"They're doing great. They say they both work at the mental hospital now," Raven answered.
"Oh, that's cool. Maybe I'll drop by there some time." Joan said.
Raven smiled. "That's not something you hear every day. Although I fail to see how you doing his homework is productive. Unless he's going to be a teacher too."
"He paid me five bucks to do it and I told him only if he marked math tests for me." She grinned.
"Hey! Don't tattle on me," He joked.
"But isn’t that what little sisters are supposed to be for?" she teased back. They both laughed.
Raven grinned as well. "Who's turn is it for dinner duty?" she questioned.
"Yours," They both said at the same time, and laughed.
"I'll do it," Nicholas conceded, rising to his feet.
"I'll grade papers," Raven said, taking his seat.
"Really? Awesome, thanks raven." Joan said. "I should be done Nicholas's homework in fifteen minutes or so."
"What class is it for?" Raven asked as she looked at the paper on the top of the pile.
"Um... Physics, I think... I'm not really sure. It's mathy stuff." She laughed.
"So you exchanged math for math," Raven said with a laugh.
"Yeah... pretty much." She laughed. "But the difference is, this is actually challenging."
"I'm welcome to not thinking for a few hours," Raven commented with a laugh.
Things went pretty normally for the next week and a half. Nicholas was always willing to help.

A week and a half later there was a really slow day at the station, so Ravens boss offered to let her go a little early.
"Thank you," Raven accepted, and finished the bit of paperwork she had (which she only still was working on because she hadn't tried to hurry). When she was done, she grabbed her jacket and went to the mental hospital, hoping for good news.
The hospital looked the same as ever. The receptionist recognised her. "Looking for Dr. Emmerson?" She asked.
Raven nodded. "Yes, thank you."
"Alright." She picked up her phone and dialed. "Hello? Dr. Emmerson? There's a woman here to see you about Abigail." After a minute she hung up and said "He'll be right with you."
"Thank you," Raven repeated, and sat to wait.
Dr. Emmerson came out after a moment. "Ah, yes, Vixie... I'm afraid it's not good news."
"Is she alright?" Raven asked, standing.
"Well, after your visit, her condition... took a turn for the worse." he said honestly. "She hasn't spoken a word since that day, and though she still sings nearly all the time she refuses to raise her voice loud enough so anyone not close to her can hear it.... the last thing she said to us before she stopped talking was 'absolutely no visitors.'"
Raven nodded sadly. "Then I suppose I'll be going... Maybe it wasn't her after all." It was clear she didn't believe it.
Dr. Emmerson nodded. "I am very sorry." He said kindly. Then he sighed, looked at time, and said. "I'm sorry I have to leave you so soon, But I must go keep an appointment with Miss Lea Gardner." He turned "Have a good day, Miss," he said, and left.

The receptionist was organizing papers and took no notice of Raven.
Dr. Emmerson was already long gone by now, and there was no one in the M hall. it was surprisingly quiet considering it was an asylum.
Raven remembered which room was Gifted's nonetheless. It was really amazing what she did and didn't remember. She tested the door to see if they kept locks.
The correct door wasn't locked.
From the doorway, you could see "Abigail" in profile and it was immediately obvious it was me. It was amazing I hadn't been recognised, really, because wasn't wearing any sort of disguise. I hadn't dyed or even cut my hair, which now just barely reached shoulder length.
Then again, maybe it wasn't so surprising. I was wearing no makeup, but as a princess I'd never be seen on camera without it. I wasn't wearing a dress but jeans and a black t-shirt with white block writing on it that couldn't be read from this angle. And, viewed as a tyrant, people no longer remembered me as the long-haired princess who made a conscious effort to be seen in blue nearly always, but with my hair cut short as a boys and my makeup accenting strong features.
I was curled up in a ball on the ground in the corner, my lips were moving. I was still singing to myself, but it was impossible to hear from the other end of the room. I hadn't noticed you open the door.
Raven closed the door behind her and crossed to her friend, putting her hand on her wrist.
I jerked sharply at the touch. My eyes locked on Ravens, wide and fearful. Then, recognition. "Raven?" I said, shocked. "....Wait, that was you a week ago?" I sighed in relief and pulled my friend into a hug. "Oh thank god...."

"Who did you think it was?" Raven asked softly, hugging her in return.
It seemed to take me a great effort to say her name "Vi-...Vivian. Oh gosh Raven, you scared me to death."
Raven gasped. "That's who took you from the prison. Oh, Gifted, we couldn't figure it out. I'm so sorry." She clung to her friend.
I nodded and finally released my friend. "Oh, Raven.... she came every day. Every day after I was sentenced. I kept thinking to myself, 'just wait until someone else shows up. Joan'll come, or Rick'll come, or Vlad'll come, someone to update me on what was going on... they wouldn't let me die without knowing everything had gone as planned, would they? And I'd tell them and they'd get me moved to a harder-to-access location. Or station a guard, or something. But nobody ever came. And I was in no condition to fight Vivian off so soon after..." I trailed off.

"After Emeric. Gifted, I was a few hours too late... I'm sorry. Everything went fine, but Tammy got off with only five years when John had twelve. But it went fine. We should have come sooner."
"It's fine... I'm not sure much could've prevented it. And I know... the people here let me view tapes of the trials when I asked. And I'm glad everyone made it out okay."
Raven nodded. "I'm so glad I found you. Why did you come here, of all places?"
"When I was finally released, there was still a manhunt going on. I thought... well I thought 'nobody looks for you in an insane asylum'. "I shook my head. "I thought it'd give me alone time so I could put myself back together."
Raven nodded. "Have you been alright?"
I didn't see the point in lying, not anymore. "Not really."
"Do you want to talk about the last four months?"
I sighed. "I dunno. It's just.... I haven't recovered. I'm always scared. And I don't feel like myself. Some days I'm almost normal again.... but the... it's just, crazy... sometimes I wonder if I'm really losing it."
"You could come stay with us," Raven whispered.
"No!" I looked scared. "No, Don't tell anyone you found me here. Nobody, Not even Joan, you understand? It could get out and if Vivian finds me again...." I looked terrified.

"Okay, Gifted. I won't tell. But I'm coming here to visit, so you had better tell them it's okay," Raven threatened.
"I will, of course." I said. "Just... Keep quiet about it, okay? I can't go through that again. I can't go through that again." I shook my head and it looked for a second like I might cry. But I managed, with enormous effort, to pull myself together. I was getting better at this... but I still felt like any second I could break and be right back where I started.
"No one will notice. I work at the police station, right down the street. I'll make up some story for the doctors about my sister, alright?" Raven asked softly.
"Okay." I said quietly.
"I adopted Joan and Nicholas," Raven told her.
"Really? That's really nice of you, Raven." I said. I didn't smile though. It'd been ages since I smiled.
Raven hugged her close again. "We'll figure something out. Even if it takes putting a bullet in Vivian's head myself," she promised.
"Thanks" I hugged my friend, so glad I didn’t' have to do this all alone anymore.
"Just look at the pair of us..." Raven shook her head then her eyes widened with an idea. "Gifted, what if we got Crow to make you look different?" she asked. "Like he did with me?"
"Raven... How would I get across the ocean? Or even to a dock, for that matter?" I shook my head.
Raven sighed. "I guess you haven't developed teleportation yet..."
"That's not my power, Raven." I whispered almost fearfully after a minute.
"What?" Raven asked, sure she had heard wrong.
"...She... she took me someplace underground somewhere... Emeric had brainwashed one of the scientists who performed the operation." I buried my head in my hands, my voice shaking. I clearly did not want to talk about it.
Raven held her tightly. "What's your power?" she murmured.
"I see the truth." I murmured. "Not a lie detector... things a lie detector wouldn't be able to see. Like the truth about myself. The truth about others. Things maybe even they wouldn't see, or just simple disguises and lies. I see through all of it. I discovered them when I was watching the trials... the truth was as plain as day to me." I frowned, thinking of one trial in particular, but just thinking of my power again brought me renewed grief "He only did it because he knew it would torment me! Because I see it... everywhere... always. He still has power over me Raven. That's why I can't move on. I can't deny it, I can't pretend I don't know... even free of his spell. Even in death. He still has power over me." I started to cry.
Raven just held her, wondering at the both of them. It was so strange how alike they could be while still being totally different. Gifted's solution had been to have a trial, to sacrifice herself. Raven's, after bombs failed, was to shoot the problem in the back while he didn't have a chance to defend himself. If their positions had been switched, Raven couldn't help wondering how they would have reacted differently. Or even if they would.
I just cried, then that made me feel ashamed I was making Raven support me and ruining this reunion by crying over Sh*t I couldn't control and that just made me cry harder. My attempts to stop it were pretty much ineffectual.
More than anything else, how Gifted had ended up frightened her. Gifted had been the noble one, but here she was. It just made her hold her friend closer. She didn't care if the doctors came in.
It took me half an hour to stop crying. "I'm s-s-sorry." I choked out, trying to at least sort of regain my composure.
"You don't need to be sorry, Gifted. I understand..."
"St-till" I sighed. Then I changed the subject. "Won't Jo-jo-jo-joan be wondering where you are?"
"I got off early, I have time. As much as you need."
"Alright... if you say so." I said. "I really am glad to see you... It's nice having one person around who knows you're not crazy. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I scarred that poor guard at the prison for life..."
"You did. I saw him the first day I came here. He's terrified of Whisper." She had to stifle her giggle.
"It was how I felt at the time." I said quietly, sounding like I didn't find it remotely funny.
Raven sighed. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." I said quietly.
"We'll make this work," Raven promised, probably for the second time.
"Sure, Raven." I hugged her yet again. I wasn't so sure we'd find a way out of this, but I thought with her help, I might just be able to heal. Maybe.
"I won't let you go again," she mumbled.
"Don't worry... I'm not going anywhere, I promise." I replied. Then, I checked the time. "You know you've been here like two and a half hours, right?"
Raven shrugged. "I had no idea. I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Alright. See you another time." I said, nodding. I released her and pulled a bouncy ball from my pocket. This was what I'd thrown at the door last week. It was just something that helped relieve the boredom when I felt a little better.
Raven waved slightly and hurried out. She headed straight home.
Joan was waiting and she looked nervous. "What kept you?" She asked. "Nicholas went out to look for you."
"Sorry, I had to do a bit of over time. Kelsey wasn't there today and we needed some paperwork done by tomorrow morning," Raven lied smoothly.
"Trace wasn't there?" She asked, surprised. "I thought she came ever day after school."
"She must have gotten sick or something," Raven said.
"Huh... I guess so." Joan said, confused. "I gotta call Nicholas and tell him you're home." She pulled out a cell phone and dialed his number.
"Thanks. I'll make dinner," Raven said, and went to the kitchen.
Joan called Nicholas, who came home. "But I swear I checked the police station." He protested. Joan just kind of shrugged.
"We're having spaghetti," Raven announced. It was one of like, four things she could make.
"Oh, that sounds delicious," Nicholas said.
The next few days Raven didn't risk visiting, but a week or so later, she stepped into the mental hospital again. She'd told Joan she was running late, but didn't give a reason.
When Vixie came in, the receptionist immediately called Dr. Emmerson.
He came, and smiled. "Good afternoon Vixie. I don't know why she's changed her mind, but Abigail's been asking for you lately."
"Really?" Raven asked, seeming pleasantly surprised.
"Indeed. It was surprising. About a day after you came the second time she suddenly perked up,and seemed to be greatly improving for a few days. She asked us who it was at the door who we'd sent away. When we told her, she acted surprised and said it wasn't you she wanted to be rid of. Since then she's gone back to her normal, but every day she asks if you showed up." Dr. Emmerson said, smiling. "I think you may be helping her condition quite a bit, she never took this much notice of us before."

Raven smiled. "I'm definitely glad to help her, in any way I can," she said. After a moment, she added, "May I see her?"
"Of course." Dr. Emmerson said. "Follow me."
As he walked down the hall, my singing could be heard again.
"Fear is only in our minds,
Taking over all the time.
Fear is only in our minds, but it's
taking over all the time...."
"Abigail!" Dr. Emmerson said. This time I stopped immeaditely and looked. "You're visitor is back."
"Vixie?" I asked.
Dr. Emmerson nodded. "I'll come back in two hour for your appointment." he said, and left.
"Hey, Rave," I said when he was gone. I was standing, which was better than what you could say last time.

Raven embraced her friend. "How have you been?" she asked. "Do they ever let you out of this room?"
"Rarely. Sometimes I go to a garden out back, but there has to be a doctor with me."
"I wouldn't expect them to let you wander around alone. People who genuinely belong in places like this can be homicidal," Raven pointed out.
"Well, yeah. Still, I was never a big fan of flowers."
"Yes, you spent more time indoors on a laptop," Raven teased.
"Oh, like you were so much better." I said. "Pot calling the kettle black, hon." I almost smiled.
"At least I liked flowers. I frequently looked them up on Google," I jested.
"Yeah, well I was outside plenty... I biked to the card store every couple weeks." I shot back. "And I went swimming most Fridays. So there."
Raven grinned. "Alright, alright. It must still be better than sitting around in here, though."
"I suppose. So how've you been?" I asked.
"Pretty good," Raven answered with a smile. "Not much exciting has happened since my last visit."
"That's good. I think I need at least another year before we get into any more excitement." I nodded. "So how is everyone?"
"We're all great. Joan is teaching at the high school, and Nicholas is going to college, studying science. Joan was doing his physics homework the other night while Nicholas and I graded tests." She smiled brightly.
"Isn't that backwards?" I asked. "Especially if Joan is a teacher, she should hardly endorse cheating." I was joking, but it may have been hard to tell by my tone.
"If Nicholas is sure enough of himself to let his little sister do his homework for him, I'm not going to stop him. Lord knows I never did my homework," Raven said. "If he doesn't know the material, that's one thing, but I trust him."

"...That was sort of supposed to be a joke." I explained, sighing. "I could really less than care if he wants to cheat, I thought it was funny. I guess I'm not really in any fit state to try to be joking." I looked down, depressed.
"I would have answered the same either way... Will you be happier once you're out of here?"
"I doubt it... I'm here by my own choice, I doubt'd make a difference if I chose to be somewhere else."
Raven bit her lip and nodded. "I'm glad you picked the name you did," she mumbled.
"I wasn't thinking straight enough to come up with anything better." I admitted. "But that was probably a good thing..."
Raven nodded. "I would never have remembered your number code," she said.
"It's just thirteen thirteen times one, not that hard to remember" I sad. "It's funny it's that number actually... I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. I used it for a character based off myself."
Clearly, Raven was very confused. "No, I mean your number for the hospital. It starts with an M, but that's all I really remember. M1 something."
"Exactly. M13x1. M is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet. Thirteen, thirteen, x is times, and one. Thirteen thirteen times one.”
"Well that makes it much simpler... But 59395 is still easier," she teased.
"Yeah but that wasn't offical sounding enough." I said. "Besides, 13 is my favourite number. Always has been. Though I suppose I was asking for it with two."
Raven smiled. "How did you get to pick your number, anyway?"
"I didn't. It just happened. But I made up the number for a character based off myself ages ago, so it doesn't surprise me it's what I was stuck with."
"That's weird," Raven said, nodding her head. She smiled. "I'm sort of relieved they haven't asked me about you. I don't know what I would say."
"They're scared of causing me to relapse. Like they'd have a choice in the matter." I rolled my eyes. "In their minds, it doesn't matter who you are or what you're doing so long as it's working."
Raven frowned slightly. "Well that's no good. Especially leaving unknowns alone with the patients. I mean, I'm glad for it, but it could end badly..."
"I know. It's not smart." I shook my head. "That’s why I told him no visitors originally... even this could be taken advantage of by someone who could trick their way in."
Raven nodded. "I understand. Good thing I'm no good at following rules, mm?" She grinned.
"I guess so." I nodded.
"I should probably get going," Raven murmured.
I nodded and sighed. "Alright. See you when I see you, I guess."
"Soon," I promised, and left.
That evening, as Raven was just exiting the insane asylum, she saw Ruby, who'd grown her haircut out again, heading home from wherever she lived. She saw you and waved. "Hey Vixie!"

Meanwhile, Cristel was hiding in the shadows, hoping against hope Ruby wouldn't do anything stupid.
"Hi, Cristel," Raven greeted. "It's been a while. How are you?"
"Great!" She said. She certainly seemed much happier than anytime you'd seen her. "I've been busy a lot, so that's why I haven't seen you, but it's been fun, so I'm not complaining." She read ravens thoughts as she spoke.
Raven was worrying if Joan and Nicholas would question how long she'd taken to get home, and trying to think of an excuse. "That's good."
"So how're your 'kids' doing?" She joked. Raven adopting Joan had happened before they'd lost contact, so of course Ruby knew about it.
Raven smiled, focusing on the conversation. "Good. They're surprisingly good cooks."
"That doesn't surprise me at all." Ruby smirked. "Nicholas always was the smart one. And Joan catches on pretty fast."
Raven nodded. "I should probably get home, actually. I'm running a bit late as it is."
"I don't suppose I could come say hi? This is actually one of my rare nights off." Ruby said. Truthfully, she wanted to see if they'd acquired anything she could take advantage of. Cristel knew this and grit her teeth. She wanted to just run out and warn them... but Ruby had made it very clear that if Cristel did that, Ruby would kill whomever Cristel warned before they had time to react. Cristel would have to be more subtle than that.
"Oh, sure," Raven agreed, thinking that would make an excellent excuse. She led Ruby home.
"Forgive my asking... but excuse for what?" Ruby asked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just can't help but hear."
"Oh, I'm just late coming home," Raven passed off, occupying her thoughts otherwise once she had the reminder.
"Oh, I see." She said, but she was intrigued. This sounded like just what she thought she'd find with Joan. Joan was so secretive, so concerned about protecting the ones she loved... Ruby felt for sure she was hiding something dirty, and that taking advantage of her would cause some serious trouble. But judging by the way Raven was acting, she was the one with much bigger things to hide. How interesting. She followed Raven.
"About time!" Joan said when Raven walked through the door. "Nicholas checked the police station but you weren't there. Where've you been all day?"
"I was late off, and then I wanted to go clothes shopping, but I couldn't find anything I liked. Besides, since when are you the mother, Joan?" she teased with a smile.
"Oh yeah well it's not like you're really a mother either." she teased back.
"Hey guys," Ruby said, waving.
"Cristel!" Joan greeted. "Hey! Long-time no see!"
"Sorry it's been so long."
"Hey there Cristel." Nicholas waved from the couch where he was doing homework. "How are you?"
"Great, thanks Nick."
"Cristel, how many times have I told you not to call me Nick?"
"Whoops," Ruby giggled. "Sorry Nicholas.”

Cristel heard the conversation from outside. These guys really were clueless. She was slightly offended.
Raven smiled. "Whatever, Joan, it's your turn to make dinner," she said, sticking her tongue out.
"You realise you're just proving my point." Joan said as she got up to go cook.
Ruby became a pretty regular visitor, but as she didn't try anything, Cristel never made a move. She seemed to just legitimately want to hang out. Cristel knew she was waiting for something, that she wouldn't bother with them if she wasn't... but what Ruby was waiting for, she didn't know. At least, not until it happened.

About a month later, Joan came into the police station while Raven was still at work, at about 4. "Can I talk to you privately for a second?" She asked.
Raven stood immediately. "Yes," she said, and pulled Joan away from the other workers.
"You've been keeping something from us." Joan said firmly.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Like you've never kept secrets," she accused.
"When we're in the middle of a crisis, sure. But seriously, what the heck?" Joan said. She was trying to give Raven a chance to come clean before she had to go right to the heart of it, but from the way she was acting Joan figured she'd have to demand the truth straight out.
"Who says I'm not?"
"So you're saying there's a crisis we don't know about?" Joan challenged.
"Not all crises involve the world," Raven snapped. "Anyway, if it was any of your business, I would tell you."
"So instead, you lie about where you've been, and who you've seen! How am I supposed to trust you if you'll lie to me about something as small as this? I may not have always told you everything, but I don't think I've lied to you, not once." Joan snapped, then went straight to the heart of the issue.

"Who is Abigail Silver?"
"What are you talking about?" Raven demanded.
"Playing dumb is not helping your case." Joan snapped. "Abigail. Silver. Who is she? I know you've gone to the asylum every time you've said you were staying late at work to see her."
"And how do you know that?" Raven asked, furious.
"Remember last month, the first time you stayed late? That was the only time you were even sort of honest with me. You said you'd met up with some old friends, the brother and sister doctors from the rebellion, and you said they worked at the asylum now. I had no work to do, so I thought, 'I haven't seen them in a while, I might as well go say hello!' So I go over there, and they mention you've come several times in the month to see a girl named Abigail Silver, when you've been telling us you had to stay late. Nicholas knows too. I'm done being lied to, Raven. I thought we were supposed to be family now." She sounded legitimately hurt.

Raven immediately felt guilty. "Joan, I'm sorry. It was wrong to lie to you, but I can't admit more than you've already found out. Abby is family, too." She hugged her adopted daughter, hoping she didn't pull away.
"Raven..." She pulled away. "If she's family too, then why can't I know her? I just... I don't understand. What do you expect me to do? Why do you feel the need to lie and deceive us after we've done so much together? You know Nicholas has been beating himself up every time you say you're here when you're not because he thinks he keeps just missing you? He feels like a total idiot, because he trusts you and if you say you were there, you were there! What is important enough to you to lie to your family?"
"This is. Abby doesn't want anyone to know..." It was clear she was torn.
Joan looked seriously hurt. "Fine... at least I've learned something today." Joan sighed and turned to leave. "I'll leave you to your job."

"I'm sorry, Joan. If you knew you'd understand, I'm sure..."
"Well obviously I don't." She spat back.
"I'll talk to her today... Maybe she'll change her mind," she murmured.
"Whatever, raven. I don't want to talk about it." She walked out.
Right after work, Raven went to the asylum. Once she was alone with Gifted, she spoke in a quivering voice. "She hates me."
My face was red and my eyes were swollen, like I’d only just stopped crying when you walked in the room. Yet at your words, I tried to hide it and restrained myself from acting as broken as I felt. The very fact that I managed to do this was something I considered a huge accomplishment. "W-w-who?" I asked.
"Joan, she hates me for lying to her about you," Raven said, though not in an accusing way.
"... She found out?" I said, suddenly panicky, misunderstanding.
"She found out about Abigail Silver, and now she's furious at me for not telling her how I know you," Raven said, clearly in distress.
I was distraught. Joan had found out? I felt terrible for being the cause for their fighting. My demons were supposed to be my demons to overcome... I shouldn't have dragged Raven in like this. I hugged her, and managed to choke out despite beginning to cry again, "You d-don't have to vi-visit you know."

Raven hugged her friend. "No, Gifted. I'm the only thing you have. You're as much my family as Joan is... She would understand, if she knew. She'll just have to get used to the fact that I won't tell her everything." The one other time I'd lied to Joan came to mind, when I'd told her how I had discovered my power.
"I don't think that's what bothers her Raven." I whispered. "Joan... Joan is the sort who will tell you if she doesn't want to tell you something... if she's mad at you, it's because you deceived her, not because you're keeping s-s-s-secrets. But it's still my fault."
Raven sighed. "I'll make it up to her."
I didn't have the heart - and anyway, I couldn't stop crying long enough - to say what I was thinking... That getting Joan to forgive you wasn't going to be that easy.
Raven knew it already. She sighed. "I should have known she would find out." I shook my head, not really knowing what to say. "Do you not trust her?"
"I trust her, b-b-b-b-but sh-sh-she's f-f-famous. You don't think it'd be easier for her to let it slip completely by accident? I wouldn't have told anyone f I had a ch-coice in the matter." I didn't think about how that might sound to raven before I said it. To be honest, my mind was completely somewhere else.

"You couldn't have gone on alone," Raven said, scowling.
"It would have been safer, though." I said quietly. The tears were gradually slowing down and I wiped away the last few. "And I wouldn't be causing you all this trouble."
"We're all so worried about you," Raven murmured.
Trying to sound like my resilient old self, I muttered "I'll manage," but as my voice broke, it kind of failed horribly.
Raven sighed. "Of course you will." She hugged Gifted. "I'll see you again soon, okay?" she left without waiting for an answer, and went straight home.
Nicholas was in the kitchen, cooking. Joan was nowhere to be found.
"Where's Joan?" Raven asked softly.
"In her room." Nicholas said. He didn't sound angry, but he didn't look up from what he was doing.

Joans door was shut and locked, and it was silent inside.
"I'm sorry, Nicholas," Raven murmured, ducking her head. She went back to the hallway, and after a moment, knocked lightly.
There was no answer. It didn't sound as though anyone even moved. “Joan?” There was still no answer. Raven didn't want to bother her, but this was out of hand. In no time, she had gained access to the room.
Joan was passed out on the bed. This was clearly a method to avoid talking to anyone, since it was only like six-thirty and it's not exactly like Joan needed her rest. Still, it was effective.
Raven sighed and went out. She didn't bother to lock the door again.
Joan didn't wake up for dinner. Nicholas chatted with Raven over dinner but seemed distracted... he was too nice to make it obvious how hurt he was by what she'd done, and was making an effort to forgive her... but every silence seemed ten times more uncomfortable. At least, it did to him.
The next day, Joan was out of the house before Raven even woke up.
Raven sighed. She had no idea how to make it up to them. That day after work, she didn't visit Gifted.
It didn't make a difference. Joan stayed late at school and didn't get home until seven at night. Then she tried to slip upstairs to her room without being noticed.
"Avoiding me won't fix anything, Joan," Raven mumbled.
She ignored Raven and headed up to her room. She was gone again early the next morning.

The next day was a weekend, so of course Joan didn't work, but she didn't come out of her room until eleven and even then she seemed to only be gathering up things necessary to go somewhere. At least, until Ruby came over, oblivious to the fighting. "Hey Raven!" She greeted when Nicholas let her in. "Hey Joan!"
Oh, Sh*t was that today? Joan thought. "Hey Cristel," She said.
"Hi Cristel," Raven sighed.
She noticed the sigh. "What's up? Is this a bad time?"
"It's fine Cristel." Joan said, sighing as well. "We forgot you were coming."
"Oh! Is that all?" She asked, though she knew pretty clearly that was not all. She listened to the minds round her, trying to figure out exactly what was causing trouble in paradise.
Joan didn't answer, not wanting to lie.
"How are you?" Raven asked instead. She kept wishing that Joan would forgive her.
Ruby was shocked, and looked to Joans head for details. "I'm fine."
Joan grabbed her coat. "Aw, dammit where's my key?" She muttered, annoyed
"Where're you going?" Ruby asked.
"Out." Joan said unhelpfully, but her thoughts gave Ruby all the information she needed.
She barely contained her excitement, keeping a concerned expression. "I'm sorry, I can see this is a bad time... I have a few other friends I ought to catch up with, anyway... so I guess I'll see you around, then?"
"Oh, Cristel, it's fine, really..." Joan said, feeling bad she'd dragged her friend into this.
"No, really, it's okay. I haven't spoken to... to Rakel in ages." The only friend of Cristels Ruby knew off the top of her head.
"You're always welcome here, Cristel," Raven said.
"I don't want to intrude on your family business. I'll come back another time, kay?" she smiled, as if to show she was really fine with it.
"Alright. See you around, Cristel," Raven said.
"Bye," she waved and walked out.

Cristel hadn't dared to approach the house. Ever-vigilant Joan would spot her, and then, knowing Ruby she'd convince everyone Cristel was Ruby and get her locked up somewhere. So it was a few minutes later that she saw Ruby again. She had a spring in her step and a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
Cristel did not hear the details in Ruby's thoughts... Ruby knew she was being tailed and took steps to prevent Cristel from knowing. But she heard enough.
No.... she found it... Cristel backed away in horror. Whatever she was looking for at Joans... she found it. She turned tail and fled towards Ravens house.


About ten minutes later, Joan had gone to her room to look for her key. Cristel made it there and pounded on the door frantically.
Raven opened the door, annoyed, then sighed when she saw who it was. "I thought you went to Rakel's?"
Cristel had let her hair grow out like Ruby (easier to explain if she was seen and Ruby wasn't) but was wearing her normal, darker style of clothes. She didn't bother with the pleasantries. "What did you tell her?" She snapped.
"Nobody's been here since you left, Cristel," Raven said, frowning.
"That wasn't me!" she snapped angrily. Joan came down the stairs.
"What is all the commotion down here?" She asked.
"Joan! What did she find out when she was here?"
"Who? Nobody's been here. Cristel, you need to calm down."
"I will not calm down! Ruby found whatever she was looking for here and I've got to figure out what it was before someone gets hurt!"
"Wait... that was Ruby?" Joan said, shocked.
"Yes you idiots, it was Ruby, it's always been Ruby! The only reason I came back from Ravonia when I did was because I saw Ruby testifying at the trial!"

Raven frowned, then gasped. "Darin told me about the hair in the sink, we never found out why that was there, now we know. F*ck. We didn't tell her anything," she said. "She must have been listening to our thoughts or something."
"Well, no Sh*t. Then what were you thinking about ten minutes ago when she left?" Cristel snapped.
Joan, now understanding the issue, did her best to answer the question. "Um.... I was looking for my key still, so...."
But a quick scan over Joans mind told Cristel what she needed to know. "Raven, who is Abigail Silver?"
"Don't even bother," Joan scoffed, turning to head upstairs again.
Raven did her best to think of something else before the image and the answer popped into her mind.
Cristel grabbed Raven by the shoulder. "Raven! I don't care why you're keeping it a secret, this woman is going to get kidnapped or die if she's of any use to Ruby at all. Who is she?"

Raven closed her eyes. "Gifted."
Cristel went very, very pale. It took her almost five seconds to get over the shock. Then she swore under her breath and darted out the door at top speed.
Joan was frozen in shock. This is what she was trying to keep from me? She knew where Gifted was, all this time? Did Gifted tell her to do that...? This is why she lied to me?

"I'm coming with you," Raven shouted, following. What if it had just been Ruby again? Or if Cristel couldn't get there in time?
Joan ran out after Raven
When the three girls got to the asylum, it was pandemonium. There were multiple doctors in the front, and they all seemed to be on the phone. A potted plant was tipped over, dirt spilt everywhere. Cristel ran up to one of the doctors to find out what was going on, but they just told her it was hospital business and to please come back later. Nevertheless, she kept trying.
Raven checked no one was looking before sneaking off to Gifted's room.
Joan immediately followed.

They were too late. The room was empty. A folded piece of paper lay on the bed, the name Vixie written neatly on the front. Unfolded, there was only one sentence written on it, in my recognizable messy printing.

I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise.

"We have to find her. I don't think Ruby knows who she is. I mean, she might. I don't know. Dammit!" Raven couldn't stop the tears.
"Is her disguise that good?" Joan asked quietly, still in a state of shock.
"She fooled the doctors at least. I don't know." Raven desperately wanted to break something, but in that room, there was nothing. Instead, she punched the wall. "She's a damn mind reader, but Gifted made her, so I don't have a clue!"
"She did not..." Joan said. "you think she's stupid enough to give powers to the first villain character she ever thought up? This is Emerics doing."
Raven glared. "She made the character, and I'm sure that Emeric stuck to the ideas she told you all," she snapped, leaving. "Where would she go?"
"How should I know?" Joan snapped back. Cristel ran out of the asylum. "Ruby didn't take her.... Not yet, anyway." She said breathlessly. "After she showed up here, gifted started screaming so they kicked her out. She only got in the room at all because gifted assumed she was Raven. Gifted then snuck out into the lobby without anyone noticing, but she was caught by the receptionist and bolted out the door." Cristel looked over her shoulder, edgy. "Unless Ruby finds her in the street she's on her own."
Raven nodded. "We're finding her. They won't question me looking, I've visited too many times for me to be just anyone." She couldn't help feel this was her fault.
Cristel and Joan nodded. "Should we split up to cover more ground?" Joan asked, unsure if it was a good idea with Ruby and who knew who else roaming the street. "We could find her faster, then again if Ruby's got powers who knows who else is out there."
"No doubt they'll also have the police looking for her, since she just broke out of a mental hospital. We'll split up, but if you find her and so does a cop, just stay nearby," Raven advised, then ran off.
They went off down separate streets.

A few minutes later, Raven ran by an area sealed off by crime scene tape. Trace and a few cops Raven knew were at the scene, but none of them seemed to notice Raven. Raven froze. A few minutes passed before she was able to move to inspect the area. She nudged Trace. "What happened?" she hissed.
"Homicide." Trace said. "Some poor S.O.B got set on fire." She looked around nervously, then lowered her voice so the other cops couldn't hear. "It's obvious a gifted did it. I dunno what to do, there’s going to be a lot of explaining to do if a coroner sees this body."
Raven nodded. "We'll come up with something. Did you hear about the breakout at the mental institution?" she asked frantically. She needed to find Gifted, but this was important too.
Trace was shocked. "No,there was a breakout? How many escaped?"
"Hey, wasn't this poor crispy bastard part of Gifteds inner circle?" one of the other cops said.
"You think? How can you tell?"
"Yeah, Henrick or whatever his name was...."
Trace sighed. "Great, now we're doubly screwed if it gets to a coroner." Then she raised her voice so the cops could hear. "We can't be sure of that until we've got a positive ID on him."
"He had a sister."
"Right! .....Jane... something or other."
"Well, then we'll have to find where she's living now!" Trace said impatiently, then turned back to Raven. "How many are out?"
"Just one," Raven answered. "Abigail Silver... I don't know why they didn't have her in the white clothes, but she's wearing a black T-shirt and jeans. Red hair, about to her shoulders. She had a visitor, freaked the hell out, and bolted out the door." She knew who had been killed now, even if she only knew him as a vampire.
"I should alert the other officers," Trace said.
"Me, Joan, and Cristel think she's connected to Emeric somehow," Raven murmured
"Oh," Trace said. "...But you know the cops'll find out eventually, right? As soon as the new Princess Sarteena gets it on PINC."
"I know," Raven said. "Tell them if you want, more people looking would be great, but I don't want anyone getting hurt."
She looked from Raven to the crime scene and back. She sighed. "Probably best we handle the case. I don't know what to do about the corpse.... but hopefully they'll pass it off as a scientific anomaly and move on. I don't know who has the power to do something like this, but they have one seriously twisted power."
"I can't think of any of Gifted's characters," Raven replied. She could think of dozens of hers.
"I see what those cops can't see with the naked eye.... The coroner will find it though. That's what's got me worried. The fire that killed him.... it wasn't set on him. The conflagration marks don't match that. It was set inside of him. He was cooked from the inside out."
"We could always say he was a side-act fire-eater, with suicidal tendencies," Raven said.
"...What?" Trace was bemused. "Nevermind. I gotta go. I'll tell you if I see the girl you're looking for."
Raven nodded. She had every intention of using that excuse. "See you later, Trace."
As Raven went searching a few more blocks, she passed an electronics store, with TVs behind the window. They were not turned to PINC but a national news broadcast.
"Just in, two minor break-outs have been reported in Mercury First, a woman by the name of 'Abigail Silver' has been reported to have broken out from St. Colson mental hospital. She is described as having dark red hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. Doctors at the hospital say Abigail is 'generally harmless' but urge citizens to call the hotline if she is sighted." A number flashed on the screen.
"Finally, there was also a breakout at Mercury plenat prison. A single young woman, Arianna 'Ralios' Hart, is at large. Police have set up a tip line for anyone who spots this woman." The number flashed on the screen along with a mug shot of Ralios.
"Fuck," Raven muttered. Ralios was not a minor break out, she had set Heinrick or whatever-the-fuck-his-name-was on fire. From the inside, Trace had said. She couldn't let Arianna find Gifted. She kept going in the same direction.
Street after street, Raven couldn't find Gifted anywhere.

Meanwhile, I was trying to run to the docks. I remembered what Raven had said, about Crow changing my appearance, and decided that was my only option. Yet, to do that, I'd have to get on a boat, where someone was sure to recognise me. I'd told Raven it was impossible. It still seemed impossible... but I had to try.
Suddenly, a girl with black hair cut me off. I was scared for a second, before I realised it wasn't Ruby. It took another second to come up with a name. "Devon!"
Devon nodded. I'd never actually met her in real life... I'd thought she didn't exist yet. She was a little younger than when I'd generally play her... but it was definitely her.
"Gifted." She nodded without smiling. Of course, Devon hardly ever smiled. She was my most antisocial character. She preferred talking to the dead than to the living. I wasn't concerned. I should've been.
She grabbed me by the wrist tightly, so hard it hurt. "Ow! Devon let go!"
Devon obliged me. "I'd go quickly. You don't have much time to find her before your power boost runs out."
"Power boost?"
"I ran into Tylers ghost."
"....And?"
"Are you seriously this stupid? Do I have to spell it out for you?" Devon sighed. "Tyler enhanced my powers, with my powers enhanced I can borrow the power of any ghost I come in contact with who has one. I borrowed his and used it to pass along a power boost to you so you could take her out for them."
"Who? And for whom?" I was confused.
"Ruby wasn't there to hurt you, Gifted. She was there because you're the only one who can take out someone you both want gone. "
I took a horrified step back. I was so sure Devon would be trustworthy.... "You're... you're working with Ruby?"
"I don't have a choice.... one of the girls with her.... the one with the red-and-white hat..."
"Vivian? Vivian and Ruby are working together?" Oh, crap, oh crap oh crap oh crap....
"I don't know her name. All I know is what they want you to do."
That reminded me of what she'd said before.... someone we both want gone... "What? When and how could our interests possibly be mutual?"
"The three girls have a plan, and her murder spree will only get in their way. And I'm sure you don't want an unstoppable murderer in your country... not to mention the chaos she'd cause if she were ever caught."
The pain when she said your country hit me in the gut. It wasn't my country.... not anymore. He'd taken everything... my country, my friends more than once now...
"If you need any more convincing, go down to the alley behind Parkland Drive. I'll tell him you said hello if I ever see him."
It took almost ten seconds before I pulled myself together enough to understand. "Wait... one of my friends.... is..."
Devon turned and walked away.
"No, wait! Devon!" ....I had to check. I looked at my hands. I had twenty minutes before this power boost she gave me ran out. I guess she just expected me to know who'd done it when I saw it. I took off back down the street.

Raven was, quite honestly, freaking the hell out. She was keeping an eye out for Joan now as well. She wouldn't have her out here alone with Ralios running around, even if she could take care of herself.
I was so worried about whoever might've died, and my limited time, that I passed right by Raven without even seeing her.
Lucky for Raven, because if I had seen her, I would've hid.
Raven, who was looking, did see Gifted, and grabbed her arm. "What the F*ck are you doing? You would think if you were going to run away you would at least have the sense to stay away!"
I was shocked. "Raven!" After the shock Devon had given me, I jerked my hand away, afraid. "I....I-I have to check something. Someone died." I turn to run off again.
Raven ran after, trying to grab her again. "I know, I saw it! There are police all over the place, you'll be taken back to the institution right away!"
"I'm careful! And Ruby wasn't there to kill me! ...Apparently." I pulled myself out of her grip again, scared of her touching me. "But who? Who was it? Who died? Is there a suspect yet?"
"Heinrich, I think his name was. Jane's brother. No, there's no suspect, because it was Ralios' magic," Raven snapped. "You're not going back there!"
"Ralios? She got out?" Of course, that explained everything! Ralios was too cocky... and powerful... to team up with Ruby, so of course Ruby wouldn't want her around. They got Devon to give me a power boost so I could bind her! "But.... I need light and water powers to do that... I don't have either..." I said quietly, thinking aloud. Then again, they probably knew better than me.... I'd just have to try. Not wanting Raven to stop me, I shot off down a side street. I wasn't a fast runner but I could handle distance, so hopefully as long as Raven wasn't too quick to react I could lose her.

[Gifted]

Raven was caught by surprise, but she was fast and the police training had given her a bit of stamina. "You're not going anywhere without me, dammit. I'll call in the whole police squad if I have to!"
"No way!" I panted. "This... too... dangerous... don't want... to have to worry about you.... Worried about you... too much... already." I was going at top speed, and was frustrated Raven could keep up.
"And you think... I haven't worried about you?" Raven demanded breathlessly.
"Oh please.... till few weeks ago... you didn't even... know where... I was."
"Like you knew where I was for the majority of the time you were supposedly worrying about me!" Raven leaped after her, trying to grab her hand again.
"That was the problem!" I snapped. "I didn't know where you was... couldn't risk getting in touch with you anyway... yet I knew Ruby was out there, probably tricking you into doing something the way she tricked Joan into helping her get set free by pretending to be Cristel!"
"So why do you think that not knowing where you were went any better for me?" Raven growled, grabbing her and pushing her into the wall.
"You had Joan!" I shouted. I was abruptly furious... which was progress, I suppose, since it'd been so long since I'd had the strength to be mad at anything. "Anyway, I survived, didn't I? It's what you wanted!" I pushed her hard away from me.
Raven shoved her back. "Yes, because having two kids around is really going to help when you're missing and I haven't had any news from Ravonia since he closed the damn ports," she shouted. "Stop acting like you're the only one who cares!"
"If you've been treating Joan like a child then it's your own damn fault!" I shouted back, tears beginning to stream down my face again. "And if you cared how I felt you would've come when I was alone and needed you!" It was a low blow, and had I been thinking straight I never would've said it. "Instead you leave me to die without seeing my best friend one last time!" I shook my head. "You're wasting my time, I've got to find her now." I started running again.
"I did come, bitch, it's not my fault your own creations had other plans!" Raven shouted after her. She didn't care anymore if Gifted went on her own, she stormed off back to her apartment.
Nicholas came out from his room. "What is going on?"

So glad she wasn't following me, I ran through town, sure I would find Ralios eventually.
I was right. Unfortunately, I found her because I heard screams. When I followed them, I saw her with Yazmin backed to the wall. I saw a power I'd never wanted to see in action happen before my eyes, as Yazmins screaming choked off and died, as the light faded out of her eyes, as her skin went darker and darker until she was as black as charcoal, her features no more defined than what it would look like on a burnt piece of wood. Her hair disintegrated. Slow Burn... the power that set a fire inside your body, and burnt you from the inside out... and it was only one of six moves Ralios could use.
"Ralios..."
She turned to face me, her multicoloured hair so long it almost hit me in the face. "Ah, Gifted. Saw what I did to your friend, I see.... would you like to be my next victim?" She grinned. "Not that I'll give you a whole lot of choice."
"No!"
"Slow Burn!"
I dodged out of the way desperately, running through the list in my head. She couldn't use Fiend Fire, she was too close.... Burn Out was useless to her, Flash Fire she hated because it was weak.... That left her with Slow Burn and two other attacks. I dodged out of the way again and shot towards her.
She was shocked and confused. "Ha! You don't have an offensive power!"
"I don't need one!" I cried, and of course, because of the power I had, I could tell it was true. I understood now... with enhanced powers I would be able not just to see the truth about Ralios, but to see her two sides, and separate and chain the darkness. According to continuity, I should have to have the opposite combination of powers she did... she Darkness and Fire, I Water and Light. But I'd never made a character who could do it. And so continuity had gone out the window. This was good enough.
I grabbed her by the wrists. She looked alarmed, and tried desperately for a fast power that would let her escape.
"Flash-"
"No! I will lock away your power, and leave you in chains!" I used the last of my strength, along with Tylers/Devons boost of my power, to turn it all on her.
Her entire body turned blue. Not blue like she was running out of air... blue like she was covered in a thin, light blue film, or made of water. Light shone from it, illuminating the alleyway. then it peeled off... and for a second, she looked like she really was in chains. bright blue chains connected her hands together, and her legs together... and of course one on her neck, so one could control her. then the chains disappeared, but the bands that had connected them to her - the blue bands around her neck, wrists and ankles - sunk into her skin, until they resembled nothing more than ribbons. Ralios turned pale white. Her eyes closed. She fell first to her knees, then face forward into the ground, passed out.

I looked at her quietly for a second, shocked by what I had done. Bound Arianna... the only person who would never lie, never break trust, never betray me, even if she wanted too. I couldn't let her go back to prison. I picked her up carefully in my arms, and stumbled out of the alley, trying to find a place we could rest for the night.
"Gifted escaped the mental institution and went to get herself killed," Raven snapped, slamming the door.
"Wait, What? You guys found Gifted?" Nicholas said, surprised. "I didn't hear any of this."
"That's who I've been visiting," Raven hissed. Clearly she wasn't in a good mood.
Nicholas nodded, and, telling that Raven didn't want to talk right now, went to the kitchen to cook dinner.


About an hour later, Joan and Cristel came through the door. "We couldn't find either of them." Joan said.
"I saw a crime scene... I hope it's not Ruby's doing." Cristel said worriedly. "The body was gone when I got there."
"It was Ralios. Gifted went to find her," Raven said bitterly.
"Ralios? Oh, great..." Joan said worriedly.
"Wait... you found Gifted, and then you let her leave again?" Cristel asked. She didn't sound angry, or even surprised... suspicious would probably be the best way to describe it.

Raven glared. "Isn't that what I said?" she demanded.
"Well, yeah, but I thought you told us..." Just then, there was a knock at the door.

When opened, one could just barely see a person slipping around a street corner, stumbling from exhaustion. A note was left on the doorstep. It was my printing.

I am fine. Arianna is bound. We are going to attempt to leave the country.
Raven, thank you for the help you've given me.
Joan, blame me, not Raven. I made her promise not to tell.
Cristel.... Keep watch on your sister. She has two friends now and she and Vivian and some girl are planning something.
Goodbye.


Raven passed the note along and went to her room. She really acted more like a child than either Joan or Nicholas did.
Joan called up Rick and told him what happened. He came over and the four of them sat in the living room and discussed what was going on. The only time any of them bothered you was when Rick came upstairs and knocked on your door. "Raven? I brought you some dinner."
Raven had fallen asleep, but when Rick knocked she rubbed her eyes and got up. "Thank you Rick," she said, but she came out and sat on the floor.
"Don't mention it." Rick said. He knew he ought to get back downstairs... but he didn't. He sat down nex to her. "You okay?" He asked kindly.
"Just worried," Raven answered with a whisper. "I should have gone with her."
"...Well, the note said she was fine, right?" Rick said hopefully.
"Notes can be written by anyone, and even then, that only accounts up to when she left the note. Anything could have happened since then."
"Except it's her handwriting." Rick pointed out. Then he sighed. "I don't know.... there comes a certain point where... you just have to trust her."
Raven sighed. "It won't stop me from worrying," she replied.
"You can't worry about her your whole life, Raven. Hopefully she and Arianna can get out of the country. After that... Well, we've just go to believe she knows what she's doing." He sighed. He was worried about her too.
"I can too. I've done pretty well so far," Raven said. She was only half-joking.
Rick shook his head. "You think she'd be happy if she knew you were sacrificing your mental well-being for her sake?"
"It's not like I can tell her, so that's moot," Raven muttered.
"Not if she's successful." Rick said. "But If that's the case... well, why worry about things going right?" he said, and looked over his shoulder, back downstairs. "Besides... I think the girls think we-" just then, his phone began to ring.

"Because things can go wrong after she leaves the country," Raven muttered, but let him get the phone.
He pulled out his old-looking cellphone. "Hello? ...Yes, this is Rick Martinez.... Really?" He narrowed his eyes. "That's odd.... No, no, it's just I've never actually spoken to the guy. There's not an appeal coming up or something is there? ....Yeah, that's what I thought...Yeah, I'll come. It's too late tonight and I got a court appearance in the morning... how about around two? Alright. I'll be there." He hung up. "That's the second time that kid has asked for me." he said, looking confused and a little surprised.
"What kid?" Raven questioned.
"John." Rick said. "Last time was right as everything was clearing up, and I had to put it off for a couple days and when I got around to seeing him, he just said nevermind. I'd never even seen him before."
"Oh." Raven frowned. "I wonder what he wants..."
Rick nodded. "Whatever it is, it must be important to bring up again after all this time..."
Raven nodded. "Can I come?" she asked.
"I don't see why not, if John doesn't want you to hear you could just wait outside for two seconds." Rick said, shrugging. "I'm sure he'd love to see you."
Raven smiled and nodded. "I'd like to see him too," she said.
Rick smiled. "Then I'll see you tomorrow at two, I guess." He was glad he'd gotten Ravens mind off Gifted, at least temporarily. He headed back downstairs, where the girls and Nicholas were still discussing what to do about Ruby.
After she finished her dinner, Raven came downstairs to put her dishes away, but she just hovered in the background. An hour later, she left in silence. Since the next day was her day off, she stayed in her room until noon.
Since it was Sunday, Joan was home too, and she had nothing to do since she'd done all the marking she'd been planning to do in the next two weeks in one sitting on Friday (When she stayed at school until seven to avoid you) She had pretty much nothing to do. By noon, she decided she'd get out of the house and see if she couldn't locate Ruby and started getting ready to go.
"Where are you going?" Raven asked quietly.
"I'm thinking I ought to figure out where Ruby's hiding out... at least so Cristel can keep tabs on her. Don't worry, I'm not going to fight her." She added, guessing what Raven would say. "Though, if I did I'm pretty sure telekinesis can handle a girl with a knife. But I just want to make sure we know where she is."
"There are three of them, remember?" Raven asked.
"Cristel never caught wind of them and she's been tracing Ruby for four months." Joan pointed out. "Besides... telekinetic. I can handle it." She headed out the door.
"Joan, Vivian is one of those people," Raven said. "You're not going, no matter who Cristel has seen."
"Why are you worried about this? If this Vivian is a gifted, I doubt she's a very good one, she wasn't in any of the stories we were told." Joan shrugged and walked out.
"That's because she was new," Raven replied, scowling. "Please, Gifted was terrified of Vivian."
"Gifted was terrified of Ralios too," Joan pointed out. "If she can fight and win against Ralios, I'm pretty sure I can fight against some girl who I've never even heard of. It's not as though I expect to win, just stall long enough to get out of there." She wasn't being cocky... she knew she had little chance of winning a fight if this Vivian girl had a power so strong it terrified Gifted. But she figured she'd have just enough skill to stall long enough to run from battle.
She didn't understand that with a power like Vivian’s, there would be no battle.
Raven gave up. "You can't fight her, Joan," she snapped.

"Why not?" Joan snapped, misinterpreting it as an order rather than a statement of fact. "Because you said so?"

Raven glared. "No, you physically can't, Joan."
She seemed confused. "What? Why not?"
"She has the power of compulsion," Raven replied, clearly annoyed.
"What? That doesn't make sense. Compulsion? How would you even make a power out of that?" Joan didn't seem angry now, just... really confused.
"She can make you do what she wants, Joan. Does it really matter how she does it?"
Joan was shocked. She thought Gifted had no controlling characters....
"But what about Cristel?" She said quietly. "You think she's going to stop looking for Ruby?"
"I don't know, Joan! I didn't think about it!" Raven shouted. She'd been pissy since Joan cornered her at work.
"Well neither of us know who this Vivian is... or what she looks like I might add! If Cristel runs into her while looking for Ruby..."Joan cursed inwardly. If only she knew where Cristel lived...
"Yes, well, we'll just have to hope she doesn't, won't we?" Raven asked.
"Hope she doesn't? Really? That's all you can say?" Joan said. "I'm not going to leave Cristel to probably die out there. I'll find her." She ran off, looking scared but determined.
Raven glared after her. "You're being stupid!"
Well, it's not like you're going to help find a better solution. Joan thought, but she said nothing, just ran out of sight.

Rick showed up promptly on time. "Let's go," he said, smiling. Raven followed without a word.
Rick led the way up to the prison and guard led them to a room where multiple convicts were sitting at tables, separated from one another, talking to whoever came to see them. The guard pointed out the table where John was seated, staring off into space and looking somewhat nervous. He hadn't noticed you come in.
Raven slid into a seat across from him. "Hey, John," she said pleasantly.
John seemed surprised. "Raven!"
"I said she could come along, is that okay...?" Rick asked carefully.
"It's fine!" John assured him quickly, beaming. "How're the others doing?"
"Good, pretty much. You know Gifted escaped prison, right?" Raven asked, fully intending to update him.
"Yeah, and one of the guards got fired for it." John said, nodding.
Raven nodded sadly. "Well, I found her. She was under an alias at a mental hospital. Yesterday she escaped and left the country," she whispered.
"Wait, so she was the one who broke out from the mental institution?" John asked, surprised. When Rick raised his eyebrows, he said "They've got the news on here nearly twenty-four hours a day... I'm informed on these things. I heard Ralios escaped, too..."
"Gifted bound her and dragged her along with, but she killed Henrick and Yazmin first," Raven said.
"....That's horrible." John said. "Bound... Like in chains?"
"No, it's part of her power, I guess. She's good now, is all," Raven said.
"She has-!" He said it rather too loudly in his shock, but checked himself before he said something incriminating and lowered his voice. "Gifted has powers now?"
Raven nodded. "I don't know the details," she mumbled.
John nodded.
"So, John... what was the reason you wanted to see me?" Rick asked.
John fidgeted nervously. "Well, it's just... I remembered what Raven said, about how Kenny... about what happened to him before he died."
Raven frowned. "Go on," she said.
"Welll, it made me think of something that happened awhile ago... The others used to tease Harrison about something... they would constantly reference the week when 'he snapped at everyone who looked at him twice'. But I don't remember it at all. From the others I was able to sort of piece together when that must've been, but... I don't remember a single thing from that entire week. At first I thought I just got hurt in a battle or something, and missed it entirely, but the others all said I was there... I was in a couple battles, I voted on a couple of new plans... plans I don't remember ever hearing of. It all sounded like stuff I'd do... but I just can't remember any of it, even now. Though I had no wounds, they said I'd been in battle so I chalked it up to a head wound and moved on... but after Kenny, now I'm not so sure."

"You think a gifted did it," Raven said.
John nodded. "Without Kenny, we can't find out who did it to him. But if I'm right, I'd have to have seen this persons face... or at least, they would have to have seen mine." he allowed. "If Rick uses his power on me, I might remember who the culprit was... and why it happened."
Raven nodded and looked at Rick. "Well?
Rick looked sceptical. "I can try." Was all he said.
John nodded. Rick threw his shield out over John, and let it snap back quickly.
John gave a gasp as memories that had been cut away for good returned to him. His eyes widened, and his hand clutched at his eyes. It was obvious, how had he been so stupid..... "Of course.... I knew. I knew about him all along." John whispered.
"What is it?" Raven asked
"I was right..." John said in a strained voice. "There was a spy we never caught... how could we? How could we have known Emerics last spy was an eight year old girl?"
"Wait... that kid whose parents were there...."
John nodded. "Leia. Leia was her name. This all wouldn't have happened if... of course it seems so obvious now. Harrison was my best friend, he was acting odd, worried.... obviously I'd go try to talk him." He shook his head, preparing to explain, remembering....
The bunker was in chaos. They'd gotten back from a fight not three hours ago... a fight in which they'd gotten their asses kicked. There were shouting soldiers running up and down the halls, carrying fallen comrades or medical supplies and trying to prevent further casualties. The council had just come out of meeting... well the council sans Rooney, after he'd freaked out on Karen and went back to his room. John had been very unsettled by this. He'd say Rooney was taking the defeat harder than the rest of them, except this had been going on for almost a week... poor guy was overstressed. John thought he'd talk to him about it, see if he couldn't try to help somehow. After all, Rooney was his friend.
He stopped at Rooney's room and gave a soft knock on the door. "Rooney?" He called knocking again. "Rooney! You there?" He tried the handle and, surprisingly, it opened.
John hesitated. Rooney hated people in his room.... still. Maybe he was just sleeping. John went in. "Rooney?" He was near the center of the room now.
"John!" Rooney said breathlessly, standing in the doorway. "What are you doing in here?"
"Looking for you!" John said. "I-"
"Don't you know you're not supposed to go in my room?" Rooney demanded, looking panicked. He came over, and John thought Rooney was going to grab him... but he didn’t', just moved to the other side of him so Rooney' back was against the desk.
"I was worried about you!" Jon said, thinking it was odd. What was the point of Rooney doing that? "You've seemed so... stressed lately, I dunno..."
"I'm fine!" Rooney snapped, backing into the desk as John advanced.
"You don't look fine," John said, honestly worried about him. It was weird how he kept himself so tight against the desk though... like he was hiding something.
As soon as John thought that, he felt guilty for thinking it. Rooney was the first person to join the rebellion... not to mention Johns closest friend.... still it would explain why he'd been acting so odd lately...
"Well, we're losing in case you hadn't noticed." Rooney said. "Badly. If we don't turn this around, we could be done in the next week."
"....That's not like you." John said, edging a little closer. "You're usually the one to tell me to stay calm when things are dire."
Rooney looked dejected. "I know... it's just... well..."
John cut him off by taking advantage of his momentary lapse in focus to wrench open the drawer he seemed to be protecting.
There was dead silence as they both looked into the drawer.
"That's...." John was astounded. "That's a Panemian Royal Police communicator..." He looked up at Rooney, suddenly scared. "You... you went back to them?"
"John, please, it's not what it looks like..." Rooney said, but he looked really guilty.
John was horrified. "You're... you're a spy! I trusted you, and you're a spy!" John backed away unsteadily. He had to get his brother. Turn Rooney in... get his brother. "Vla-"
Rooney's hand was over his mouth like a vice, cutting off his cry and choking him into silence. He struggled and fought, but Rooney was older and bigger and had been fighting for longer, and John couldn't break his grip. Despite this, Rooney seemed entirely uncertain what to do next.
"Put him down, Mcroon." A voice said from the doorway. Rooney's grip relaxed and John was able to wrench himself away and turn to face the newcomer.
Little Leia, standing in the doorway wearing some sort of sleeve things. John had never seen her in them before. She was wearing a strange, frightening expression. Playful, but cocky, and eyes alight with malice. It was an expression that certainly didn't belong on a little girls face.
"Lea!" Rooney said... oddly he sounded just as nervous as John. "I... I don't know what to do with him...."
"It's 'Leia', Mcroon." Leia said impatiently. "And he found you out already, did he?"
Rooney gulped and nodded. Rooney, always the master of the situation, seemed for once not in control. No, it was this girl who controlled the situation.
"Well, that's hardly surprising." She said. "If you're going to be any sort of successful, you need to stop looking over your shoulder. Forget them. As for this one..." She trailed off, looking over John. "We could have him killed. Or.... or I could simply cut out part of his memory so that this little incident never happened."
Rooney looked relieved. "Oh, would you?"
"Now, now, Harrison, you know that's not how I work. The boy must play for it."
John was confused, but Harrison seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. He shook his head. "What if he pulls clubs? We can't beat him, they will see the bruises and it could get into a whole other mess."
"That's true... then we shall play with two diamonds." she went and sat down at a small table. "Sit down, John." She said politely, gesturing to the other chair.
With Rooney at his back and knowing that he really didn't have a choice, John went nervously forward and sat down across from Leia. He still couldn't believe that sweet little girl had this in her... a dark side he'd never sensed before.
A deck of cards flew slowly from her sleeve and set itself on the table.
John wasn't even shocked she had powers. He was so beyond being surprised by anything.
The top five cards flew off the deck and set themselves in a neat line face-up. One of every suit, plus the Queen of hearts. Leia shuffled the club back into the deck and withdrew another diamond. "Here is how the game works." She said. "It is memory. I will swap the cards around, face-down, and then you must pick one. If you pull the heart, I will give you what you desire; in this case, your freedom. You pull the heart, I will let you go tell your little friends Karen and Vlad and whoever about Harrison."
"Which heart?" John blurted.
"Hm?"
"Which heart? There's two hearts there."
"Ah, I will get to that in a minute. next is the spade. If you pull the spade... I will stay out of it, and let Harrison handle you on his own. A club would result in a beating, but as we cannot do that I have replaced it with a diamond. A diamond is the sharpest and strongest material in the world, and used as a cutting implement. I will use it to cut as well... to cut your memories out of you so that you no longer remember this ever happened.
Finally, the Queen. My card. Choosing this card will result in my complete control over you, from now until your death in a week, when the clock winds down. Of course, playing is entirely up to you. You could refuse, and take what Harrison has in store. Of course, that's hardly going to be very pretty."
John's throat felt raw. He wasn't sure he could speak loud enough to be heard. Nevertheless, he managed to say those fatal two words.
"I'll play."


The girl smiled and pointed at the cards. On her command, they spread out so they were a perfectly even distance apart, then flipped over face down. The girl moved her hand ever so slightly back and pointed all her fingers up, and the cards started moving around on the table, swapping positions smoothly, fast enough to be a little difficult to follow. After a minute or two they ceased moving.
John watched them, his anxiety building. He had to draw the heart... he had to draw the heart... he knew he couldn't speak this time, so he reached out to pick up the card on the far right. It rose up before he could touch it.
Diamond.
"Once you've made your choice, you can't take it back." She said. The cards swirled around them and back up her sleeve as she watched the panic in his face uncaringly. "I have already put my cards into play!"

John was scared. He had no doubt she could do what she threatened.
"Time for your cut, diamond John." her hand changed, as if she were beckoning something towards her, and a soft, bright blue, pure light was pulled in a stream out of him. He and she watched it pull and stretch away from him, but when it snapped away, he felt his strength evaporate and everything went black.
He'd woken up on Monday morning with no memory of the past week.
"Why would Emeric let a little girl be a spy?" Raven asked, scowling.
"Most of the inner circle was under age." John said miserably. "Kids just heal better than adults do, so there's much less chance of permanent injury. If she already had that attitude beforehand.... I can see him trading a power for some help."
Raven sighed. "Eight years old, though..." She shook her head.
"That was no innocent child, Raven. It doesn't matter how old they are. Joan was only ten when she nearly took over the country. This isn't a country where kids are considered harmless."
"God damn why does your country have to make my simple realities so fucking complicated?" Raven replied, scowling.
"It's just prior experiences. Panem isn't really that complicated when things are running smoothly." John pointed out.
"Things never run smoothly in Panem," Raven muttered conspiratorially.
"What was happening in the four months after the trials?" John said smugly. "Besides, it's not like most of the other countries fare any better. They, like Panem, just keep quiet about it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Raven asked, scowling.
"Nothing, just stating a fact. Panem is not actually all that much worse than a lot of other countries."
"Kenny was the only problem Ravonia faced, and has faced in a long time," Raven told him crossly.
"...yes, but it didn't start like that, did it? He must've come from somewhere. If it started there, then you jumped into murders and twin-brother-kidnapping. then he staged your murder and went into hiding. Now Adams got a rebellion on his hands and he's closing the ports. The thing with countries is, there may be long stretches of peace, but you never run into just one ad thing at a time. You just caught Panem in a rough patch. In five or six years, this place'll be running so smoothly it'd be like this never happened. That was how Arubia was before the people rebelled against the last emperor. The system that had been in place had been there for nearly a hundred years, and nothing really interesting had been there to put in history books for at least the last twenty."
"What?" Raven asked, looking genuinely surprised. She hadn't managed to find anything out about Ravonia - though admittedly her attempts had been weak.
"You haven't seen the news? Adams shut down all the ports. Nothing gets in or out of Ravonia. It's most likely to cut off rebel supplies... that's not hard to figure out. However, they've been closed long enough that it must be seriously detrimental to his people. If he doesn't re-open them soon, or at least give some sort of press conference on the continuing necessity, he's going to have a riot on his hands, I'd wager."
"If there are rebels then there already is one... That's all a rebellion really is, just more organized," Raven said, frowning.
"Well, yes, but I mean the regular citizens. The ones not already in the rebellion." John clarified.
Rick nodded. "Any fishermen are probably starving, not allowed on the water. And any stores that rely on imported goods are completely screwed. An extended period of closed borders for a normally open country will completely devastate their economy and way of life."
"I know this. But I don't know why Adam isn't fixing it..." Raven sighed.

"Who knows. They say politicians can get out of touch with the real world," John shrugged his shoulders.
Rick shook his head. "No, that's completely inaccurate. They get out of touch with the working class, sure, but the economy affects the wealthy too. He's got to be feeling it as hard as anyone. He has a reason for this. Whether or not it's a smart one..."
Raven rubbed her face. "Well I guess there's nothing we can do anyway..."
"What about this Leia character?" Rick said. "She doesn't seem like the type to just disappear."
"I don't know. And it's not like we can ask someone. She'll erase the memories of anyone who sees her," Raven said, scowling.
"Unless they win the card game and pull the heart... or a spade." John pointed out.
"If she even holds up her word on that." Rick scoffed.
"Which I doubt she would with something like that on the line," Raven said.
John nodded. "I guess."
"Stilll... there must be some way to track her without coming into direct contact... or at least show if she's been active lately. What did you say happened if they drew the other cards?"
John repeated. "Well, supposedly, if you draw the heart, she'll give you what you want... whatever the wager is set before the game starts. Spade is a draw, you aren't given what you want or harmed. Clubs is a beating. Diamond she cuts out a bit of your memory. Queen she said... takes over your mind 'until the clock winds down' and then kills you. Wait... does that mean she has a time limit on how long she's allowed to do that? Like, a non-self-imposed time limit?"
"Possibly. Raven, you're a cop right? Do you think you could look into any suspicious homicides in the last five months where the victim was reported acting oddly before they died? I can look through old cases I saw in the courtroom too... there may be someone whose already been put away for her crimes if she's doing anything."
Raven nodded. "Sure. I'll try to look into missing persons reports as well. If she's cut anyone's memories, they might not have come home," she said. "Not right away at least."
"That's a good idea." Rick said. "Thank you for telling us this, John."
"Thank you for helping me recover my memory." John said, smiling.
"If only we could help you get out of here," Raven smiled sadly. "See you around, John."
"Bye Raven, Rick." he waved and watched them leave.

"...Well... that was certainly... informative." Rick said. He sounded as though he was struggling with his tone, like that wasn't what he was really thinking.
Raven nodded. "How will we find her even if we find her crimes, Rick?" she asked.
"...We figure out the most recent one and if it's recent enough we can work from there." Rick said.
Raven nodded. "Okay. I'll call you if I find anything, then."
Rick nodded, but said nothing. He turned and began to walk away.
The next day Raven looked into homicides and missing persons reports. In the country, there were nine homicides. Most of them were out of Ravens jurisdiction, in Venus, the next plenat over, but there were three here. All nine homicides were stabbings, a dagger straight through their hearts. Two before their deaths had been caught stealing from family members, and two were reported to have sent all their money to an overseas account and completely demolished their wills the day before their deaths. The others reported equally bizarre, distant behavior. They came from all social classes, all races and ages and genders.
There were four missing persons cases that were equally odd. Three of them seemed to have something medically wrong with them, the latest being two weeks ago, as they couldn't remember large chunks of their lives. They were in hospitals around the plenat.
However, the most promising lead was also the oldest. A former tightrope walker named Hilary had gone missing exactly four months ago to the day. She'd been let out of the hospital only three days before she disappeared after a fall from her tightrope during an act had severely damaged her neck (she fell exactly wrong, and her neck slammed into a lower tightrope) and broke 6 bones in her body. Miraculously, she had made a full recovery.
She was found after she stumbled into the hospital she'd left, two days later, covered in bruises to her face, neck, arms, thighs and stomach. She'd also suffered a major concussion, and was coughing up blood from some internal damage. She would only say one sentence to the doctors who treated her: "I drew the club"
She was transferred to St. Colsons for treatment to her shock, and was permanently stationed there now due to a host of other problems revealed to the Doctors who worked with her. No progress whatsoever has been made treating these other ailments, though in body she's made a complete recovery once again.
Raven sighed and printed copies of all of the reports, finished the little work she had left, and headed home. As soon as she was some distance from the police building, she called Rick.
"Hey," Rick said. "So I managed to find two murders that might be what we're looking for.... I prosecuted them myself." He sighed, realising he probably put an innocent man behind bars.
"So, two months ago, a pair of twin girls, prostitutes, were stabbed in a motel in Venus. They were topless and the cops collected semen from both girls, so it was assumed to be a sexually-motivated crime. They matched the semen samples to a guy in the database for aggravated assault, but he insisted that the girls were alive when he left them... of course, they usually do. His fingerprints were all over the room and the girls had no money on them, something they should've had if, like he'd said, he'd paid for a threesome and then left them alive. The police found another prostitute who seemed to be friends with the two girls, named Sheilah, who said they hadn't taken a single job in the whole week up until they died, wouldn't talk to her or anyone else, and had been accused, more than once, of robbing her clients, which obviously isn't the best business strategy. So of course the theory I put together against the man was that he was a regular client of theirs, and during their last time in bed together found out the two were leaving the plenat and getting out of the business - hence why they needed the extra cash, and why they hadn't taken any clients, they were putting everything together to move - and got angry and it escalated, he stabbed them, and as they were dead anyway took back what he'd paid. The defense stated he'd gone their but left the girls alive afterwards then someone else came, murdered and robbed the twins. I was more convincing, and the guy is currently serving life. As far as I know the witness Sheilah is still on the streets somewhere."
Raven listened until he was done. "I found nine homicides, four missing persons reports, and Hilary," she told him. "The homicides were all stabbed in the heart after a week of strange behavior like stealing from family or sending their money overseas and destroying their wills. The four missing persons have been found and are currently hospitalized for amnesia. Hilary drew the club. She's being held at St. Colson's," she said.
"...Wow. I guess she's been active lately." Rick sighed. "Well, if Hilary drew the club then she still remembers what happened... how long ago was the most recent killing?"
"Three weeks ago... And Hilary was four months ago."
"Great... so not soon enough to get a general location on her then." he sighed.

"No. I'm afraid we really don't have much on her," Raven agreed.
Rick nodded, then remembering she couldn't see him said "Yeah," He wondered if raven had told or was planning to tell Joan any of this, but he knew better than to ask. "Listen I've got to go, I need to hit the books on a motion to suppress case. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, talk to you later, Rick," Raven said, then went to St. Colson's yet again. She knew just who to ask for when she went to the desk this time. "I'm looking for a woman named Hilary..."

“Wh…where am I?”
I looked over at the pale form, still not in her dress but the orange prison jumpsuit she’d broken out in. Despite that I knew she was bound, not dead, I couldn’t help but be scared for her as I looked at her pale-as-salt form. “Arianna! You’re alive!”
Arianna sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking around at the alley I’d dragged her into. Unlike most of my inner circle I knew my way around town quite well, and since it was either find an alley or knock on the door of a homeless shelter and pray they didn’t recognise us I’d had to make do. I ran over as she sat up and helped support her when she almost fell again. “Gifted….” Her voice quivered and she seemed on the verge of tears. “What have I done… to everyone…”
“I locked away a good portion of your power, and with it, your darkness.” I said. “….Wow that sounds incredibly cheesy. But, seriously. As long as you don’t submerge your bindings in water, you should be fine.”
“So… I can’t touch water?”
“No, no, they wouldn’t last very long if it were as simple as that. You’ve got bindings around your wrists, ankles and neck. As long as one always remains, the others will come back. They all have to come off at the same time to permanently come off. So as long as you don’t go swimming you should be fine.” I said. Yes, I’d done what I could to make sure the bindings looked incredibly difficult to remove without it being on purpose… but only to shock people when it did happen, and wasn’t on purpose. Trying to ignore the fact I was traveling with a ticking time bomb before I started crying again, I said. “We’re wanted people, we need to get out of the country now.”
“How are we going to get a boat to leave?”
“Huh?”
“….Gifted…. don’t you remember? It’s against the law to travel out of the country…”
I gasped. I had completely forgotten about that. Nobody would drive us out of the country. We would have to buy our own boat, only to abandon it once we were in Talesworth. We had no money, and being spotted, with our distinctive hair colours, would mean immediate capture and in my case (as we’d be broadcast on TV, someone was sure to recognise me) death. “What are we going to do…?”
I was going to pieces again, but Arrianna put her arms around me comfortingly. “Don’t worry Gifted… we’ll think of something.”
“How are we supposed to pay for a boat?” I asked. The whole thing seemed so hopeless. “We can’t get jobs when we’re so recognisable…” and good Arianna would never agree to steal a boat.
“…Your stuff. We could go back and get hair dye and some of your clothes and makeup. I doubt Princess Sarteena Cynthia would know it was even missing. It is technically yours.”
“You… you realise, you’re talking about sneaking back through the city and breaking in to the palace, right?”
“What choice do we have? Even a little hope is better than no hope at all.”
I nodded and got to my feet. “Then let’s go.”

"Hilary? Do you have a last name?" the receptionist asked, typing something in on her computer.
"I'm afraid I don't. She used to be a tightrope walker, she was brought here about four months ago..." Raven trailed off. Would this Hilary have multiple personalities? She hadn't thought so, since Hilary had been deaf...
"Oh, you must mean Hilary Garcia!" The receptionist said
"Well... you see Vixie, Hilary is a much more serious case than Abigail was... I don't think you'll be able to see her now, because she's on a much tighter schedule, however if you would like I can see if we can arrange an appointment..."
Just then one of the two brother and sister doctors came in, the boy, and set some papers on the table. "I just got a call from Mrs. Garcia, she wants to cancel her appointment to see her daughter." He said. "Oh, hello Vixie." He smiled.
"Oh, that's too bad, Hilary will be so disappointed." The receptionist said, tapping away at her computer.
"That will be fine. It's for a case, is all. I don't know her." Raven smiled slightly. "You might be thinking I only spend time with mentally unstable women."
The receptionist laughed. "It's fine... Abigail seemed to look forward to when you came, so it's not like you're harming them." She tapped away at the computer. "Let’s see... Say, are you free at four today? We had that time scheduled for Mrs. Garcia, but if she's canceled, we could pencil you in there."
"That will work wonderfully," Raven said with a smile. "Thank you, I'll be back then."
"You’re welcome." The receptionist said cheerfully. "Andrew, let her know, will you?"
The boy nodded.
Raven headed home. She'd have something to eat, talk to Joan, and maybe read a bit before heading back.
Joan came home promptly at 3. "Hey Raven," she said barely pausing before heading up to her room.
"Joan? I'm leaving in an hour. Rick and I think we have a lead on some of Emeric's people and I've got a meeting," she called.
"You think he had more?" She asked, pausing and turning back. "Thought all of them but Ruby were in jail. ....Well, I guess this Vivian would have to have been associated with him too. Still. Or is it Ruby your tracking?"
"No, it's Leia. We went to see John earlier and it turns out she was probably the one who changed Kenny's memories; she changed John's too," Raven said.
"Leia? As in, the kid whose parents were in the rebellion Leia? Really?" Joan sounded skeptical.
"Unless you believe that John is making things up, yes," Raven replied.
"No, I wouldn't say that... you went to see John?"
"Yes, Rick and I. John had lost his memories of one week, when Rooney was acting funny. It turns out that he found out about Rooney being a spy then, but Leia erased his memories of it. I don't suppose she assumed that either Kenny or John would be encountering Rick."
"Or didn't think that far ahead. Or didn't know about Rick." Joan pointed out.
"It doesn't matter, either way, she wasn't anticipating it," Raven said.
Joan nodded, not feeling like it was necessary to point out that wasn't actually true, that you could learn a great deal about how she thinks with information like that and anticipate her movements.
"I don't know when I'll be home, but it probably won't take more than a few hours," Raven told her.
"Kay, see you later." Joan waved and went up to her room.
Raven got there five minutes early, smiling brightly.
"Afternoon, Vixie. The doctor will be here to escort you to Hilary's room any moment." The receptionist said.
"Okay. Thank you again," Raven said with a kind smile.
"You’re welcome." Just then, the boy Andrew came in through the door. "Vixie! Good, you made it. Come this way." He led you, not down the hall to her room like Dr. Emmerson had, but into a much simpler room. It looked somewhat like a therapist’s office, with warm colours and three comfortable chairs. "Sit down, I'll be right back with her." he said, and exited the room.
Andrew came back escorting a tall blonde into the room. Her hair was dirty blonde and poker straight, and past her shoulders. Her eyes were bright blue and flicked from Raven back to Andrew suspiciously. Then she looked over the Andrew and her hands moved... speaking sign language.
"Her name is Vixie, she's just here to ask a few questions." Andrew answered. "...I don't know. But Hilary-"
she cut him off rudely. You would think someone speaking only sign language couldn't do that as their speech was silent, but she managed by snapping her fingers, looking annoyed.
"You spoke to the doctors when they took you in, remember?" Andrew said patiently. "....Yes it was, Hilary."
She waved her hand dismissively at him and went and sat down across from Raven. Andrew sighed and went to sit in the third chair, clipboard in hand.
Hilary smiled and gave a small, nervous wave. Then she used sign language, asking in sign language is you spoke sign language.
"Not enough for a conversation, I'm sorry," Raven replied.
Hilary nodded once, looked to Andrew, and did a few more signs. Andrew gave her a look, and she did it again, looking increasingly annoyed. He sighed. "Fine. Here." He withdrew an ordinary notebook and golf pencil from his pocket and handed them to her. She flipped through it... it contained pages and pages of her writing. Finally she found a blank page she could use for their conversation. She wrote neatly near the top of the page and put the book on the table in between them when she was done so raven could read it.
Pleasure to meet you, Vixie. My name is Hilary.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Hilary. I have a few questions... Would you mind answering them for me?" Raven asked.
Of course. Ask away.
"Do you know anything about a girl named Leia?" Hilary looked confused and shook her head. "Did you ever play a card game with a little girl...?" Raven asked.
Hilary's eyes widened. Her writing got noticeably messier in her haste.
Are you talking about the 'Queen'?
"That's right. Do you know anything about her?"
I played her. Stupid, huh?
"Many people have. You're lucky, it could have come out much worse. We're trying to find her, so that we can put her where she belongs."
It took her a long time to write back. I'll help however I can.
I doubt you'd believe me though, if I told you what happened to us in there.

"I've heard it on multiple occasions. I know she isn't normal. You picked clubs, and that's when you were put here," Raven said.
I picked clubs and was beaten. I was put here for shock. I was kept here because of Susie and Mary, and also because I made the mistake of telling the doctors what happened.
Raven nodded. "Anything you can tell me could help," she said kindly. "There have been too many people who have played and picked the queen... We have to stop her."
Queen is death. I barely survived the club. Those who've pulled the spade or heart will never know what she is truly capable of. The only ones who will know are those like myself. And we'll all be locked up because of what we saw.
"You can tell me, Hilary. Please, we need to know. Two of our friends drew the diamond, they couldn't remember a thing about her."

She sighed. Then she began writing.
It was right after the accident. I was still somewhat in a period of shock. It was devastating to me to think that I would never speak again. It still is, sometimes.
Mary and Susie had joined me in the hospital. Susie is great, but Mary... Mary's been trying to kill me for as long as she's been around. She hates me... she wants to have my body for herself.
Then I heard her. She was hiding down some alleyway. She said something, I don't remember exactly what, asking if I wanted a favour. She said she could do the impossible for me. She said she would get rid of Mary, and make it so I could speak again. I didn't believe her, but suddenly there was a great pushing force behind me... I couldn't go back. It pushed me after her as she walked away, so I had no choice but to follow her.
I didn't pay attention to exactly where we went. If I slowed down too much her power that was pushing me would throw me to the ground, and I almost broke my nose a few times. So I followed her down into some underground room with a table and she pulled out a deck of cards... without touching it. It just flew out of her sleeve. And I knew it was her doing that had forced me to follow her. She set out the cards for me, and explained the wager. This time, I believed her when she said she could do what I wanted... of course, only if I drew a heart. She asked me if I wanted to play. I should've said no. I should've walked out. But my voice. My safety. I told her I'd play.
Mary was better at memory games than I was, she has fast eyes. But I'm not going to ask her for help when I'm trying to delete her. I don't even know if Susie is any good. So I tried to do it myself. I chose, and before I could touch it, the card rose up. I saw the club, and then the cards whirled around us and shot back up her sleeve. I got up out of the chair, meaning to run, but I was thrown backwards into the wall. My head hit so hard I was dizzy and couldn't see straight. It was probably the concussion. So I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but I do remember this. She did not lay. One. Finger. On me. The attacks came from an unseen force, a force she was commanding, but never once did her hands come in contact with me.
When we had a chance, I ran and Susie, bless her, took over because I was in bad shape. She pushed us single-handily back to the one place she knew we'd be safe. The hospital where I'd been treated after my tightrope walking injury. We were all scared out of our minds, and thankfully the doctors took us in and managed to fix us up so I'm in as good condition now as I was after I left the hospital the first time.
That's what happened. I don't blame you if you don't believe me.
"I believe you. Do you have any idea where the underground place might be? Even just a general idea would help."

Not really... I was in Venus... In Celinaville. I know that doesn't help.
"It does help. That's much more useful than searching all of Panem," Raven said, gently patting her hand. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"
Hilary took back the pencil and was in the middle of writing a response when suddenly she dropped the pencil and pressed her hand to her head. She shook her head and the hand holding the notebook clenched to the paper tore. Then, just as abruptly, she looked up and the two of them, a hostile glare on her face. "Who the F*ck are you?" she asked rudely.
"Hilary-"
"Stop bloody calling us all Hilary!" Mary snapped at him. "It gets really annoying."
"Hello, Mary. My name is Vixie," Raven said, not thinking about how strange it would seem that she knew Mary's name. "And my friend is Andrew." She didn't smile, but she didn't frown either.
"I know him" Mary snapped. "But what do you want?"

"I was talking to Hilary. About the Queen," Raven answered.
Mary laughed. "Hilary got what she deserved. As if she could really erase me. Hah!"

"I'm not saying she was right to do that. I'm trying to catch the Queen, and put her away for good," Raven said.
"Yeah, good luck with that." Mary said sarcastically.
"With my friend and myself, we can do it, Mary. Whether you believe it or not. I have friends who are able to do things like what the Queen can do," Raven said.
"Oh do you now?” Mary said. "And what makes you think the Queen is working alone?"
Andrew was very surprised. Mary had never talked about the Queen before.
"I know she isn't working alone. She has a girl named Vivian and one named Ruby with her, right?" Raven asked. It was a leap, and she wasn't sure if she was right, but she didn't think Mary would just tell her. "We can take them too. One of our people is immune to them. All of them. We have someone like Ruby, and someone who can do things like the Queen," Raven said with a small smile.
"Well, I don't know." She smirked. "I wasn't talking about proper accomplices. Or have you forgotten what happens to those who pull her card?"
"He's immune to that too. I know two people who drew the diamond, and they both have their memories back," Raven said, with a smirk. "Besides, I never said I was going to play cards."
She smirked. "You think you have it all figured out, don't you? You think one guy is gonna catch this woman? Little shrimp will be impossible to find. All you've got on her is possibly a city. Which, I might add, is the third largest city in Panem in physical size alone." Mary shrugged. "I don't personally give a damn if you catch her or not. But you got no chance with just the info Hilary's got. And that's even if Hilary and Susie are around long enough for her to help you."
"But that's where you're wrong. We don't just have their information." Raven smiled. She had an idea, and she hoped it would work out. "I should really be going now. Thank you for your time, Mary. Andrew." She waved as she left.
"Later." Mary rolled her eyes.
"It's time I escorted you back to your room, Hilary. Another doctor will be there shortly."
"Oh, joy."
Raven had barely left the building when she called Rick.

It took ages for Rick to answer.
"Raven? Hey, sorry, I was in a library. Sup?"
"I just visited Hilary. Leia is working with Ruby and Vivian. They have a permanent base in Celinaville. If we can talk to Gifted, she might be able to tell us where it is," Raven said.
"...I thought she left the country." Rick said. "How the heck are you supposed to speak to her?"
"I'll call Crow," Raven replied easily.
"You know his number?" Rick asked, surprised. "Alright if you can contact him then it's a place to start."
"Of course I do he was one of my best friends." Raven didn't add that he'd been her lover once. "Talk to you later, then?"
"Yeah, bye Raven." he said, and hung up.
Raven called up Crow. And was soon very disappointed when she learned that Gifted wasn't there yet.
When raven got home, Joan and Nicholas were talking and laughing and having fun, the two apparently done their work for the night.

"You ready for this?" Arianna asked.
I nodded. "We have to go in through the front, the maids entrance is too crowded."
"Right. Stay at my back and run if we're spotted." Arianna carefully pushed open the door.
"Come on, before a maid comes to greet us!" I snapped, slipping through the door and down the hall.
"I said stay behind me!" Arianna called, sounding really nervous. But I knew where I was going. We had to get in and out fast.
I ran through the halls so quick that if she wasn't a freaking ninja I would've smacked into her.
"Gifted?" Sayoko was shocked. Of course she recognised me, having seen me with no makeup and in jeans multiple times.
"Sayoko!" I was only mildly alarmed. I put my finger to my lips.
"What are you doing here? It was madness, absolute madness to come back here...."
"We had too." Arianna said, catching up
"Miss Ralios!" Sayoko took an alarmed step back and prepared to defend herself.
"Nonono, she's bound now, she's fine, calm down Sayoko." This challenge... breaking into the palace with a wanted criminal by my side, only precious little time... it made me almost feel like myself again.
"Gifted.... how-"
"Sayoko. Who knows everything about these people again? Trust me. If there's blue around her wrists, ankles and neck, she's fine. If there's not, fucking run."
Arianna gave me a look, but I knew she knew I was right so I didn't bother with her.
"If you say so." Sayoko said. "But why are you here?"
"Because we have to get out of the country. For that we need a boat, and for that we need money, and for that we need jobs, and for that we have to have some sort of disguise. So we're breaking into my room to get my hair dyes, makeup and old clothes."
Sayoko nodded. "I'll see what I can do to keep the maids away from that hall. I can't do anything about Princess Sarteena Cynthia, of course."
"What are the odds she'll be down that hall though?" Arianna asked rhetorically. I answered anyway.
"Now that you've said something?"


"Have a good night?" Raven asked pleasantly.
"Oh, hey Raven," Nicholas said cheerily. "How was your day?"
Raven smiled. "Pretty good. How was yours?"
"Good," He answered.
"Great." Joan added, laughing.
"That's good. I'm glad you had a good day. What should we have for dinner?"
"I dunno... whatever you decide to make" Joan shrugged. "Tomato soup and grilled cheese.” Raven smiled and went to make just that.
Joan went back to talking with her brother... she was much more open with him than she'd been with Raven in the last three or four days. Raven had resigned herself to that. After all, Nicholas was her brother and while I thought she'd forgiven me, she might still be a little hurt.
No progress was made towards finding the two escaped convicts over the next week, and Crow never reported that we had arrived.

[Gifted]

About a week later, Ravens boss informed her of a crime scene in Celinaville. Even though it was out of her jurisdiction, the victim lived in the city so their department was on the case as well. Her boss asked if Raven could drive down to Celinaville and cover it.
"I'm on it," was Raven's answer as she walked out. Could this have been another of Leia's crimes? She began the what I would assume will be a long drive there. Finally, she found the place she was supposed to be at.
The victim was stabbed in the chest and left in a back alley to bleed out There was no real evidence, but a few police officers from Celinaville were already scouring the area. One of them noticed you and called "Hey, Sara? Mind briefing the cop from Mercury on the case?"
"Uh, oh, sure!" A rookie cop stood up from the back corner.
Her voice sounded exactly like mine.

I may have sounded exactly the same, but I'd pulled out all the stops on my disguise. My hair was dyed jet-black, and had been tied in a ponytail. I was wearing a baseball cap, green contacts, and tons of makeup. Bright red lips, pale skin, big dramatic eyes... I looked like one of those people who had to paint their face on every morning. I hadn't been on the force long enough to be covering a homicide, I was just a traffic cop. However, I'd been lucky enough to get this one by being the first responder on the scene.
When I saw Raven I was very nervous. I hadn't even known she was a cop. What were the odds that out of all the cops in the entire plenat....
I went nervously over. "I'm Officer Sara White," I said, holding my hand out for Raven to shake. I was even wearing stupid looking red press-on nails to complete the disguise. I gestured over to my superiors on the force. "That's Officer David Wong, and Dr. Naomi Kimishima."
Raven looked mildly suspicious, but decided to play along for a time. She shook 'Sara's' offered hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Officer Vixie de Buren. You don't have to be nervous, you know. I don't bite."
"Sorry," I grinned. "I'm just a beat cop, so this is kinda nerve-wracking... first murder case and all," I pulled out a notebook and skimmed through what I wrote down. "Okay, victims name is Patricia Hale, age twenty-five, single parent... her family has yet to be notified. Coroner put her death at around... four hours ago. So, right when everybody was getting to work." I sighed. "Wonder how the killer got her here without being seen."
"And she was stabbed, correct?" Raven asked, moving father into the alley.
"That's right." I nodded. "Straight through the heart. The coroner will be able to tell us more once we get the body out of here."
"Are there any other unusual circumstances surrounding her death?" Raven asked.
"Not that we know of, but she was only found an hour ago. Once we talk to her friends and family we'll have a better idea."
Raven nodded. "There have been a few other cases like this in the last few months, we believe it to be the work of a serial killer," she said. Even though 'we' was her, Rick, and three personalities.
"Really? That's really worrying... You'll want to bring that up with Officer Wong later probably."
"The strange part is that whoever it is never leaves any real evidence," Raven said.
"There have been a few stabbings like that in Celinaville recently." I acknowledged.
"Hey, Officer White," Officer Wong came over.
"Oh, David. This is Officer Vixie de Buren."
"Pleasure to meet you, Officer de Buren. Sara, do you think you could go notify the victim’s family? We've got an address on the school her daughter goes to as well as her parents’ house."
"Oh... um, sure. But is it really ok to trust me with something like that?"
"Sure, you'll do great."
"Alright.... Officer de Buren, would you mind coming with?"
"Sure, Sara," Raven agreed, and followed. Once they were on their way, Raven asked, "So how did someone like you come to work in the police force?"
"Oh, well me and my sister just moved to Venus a few weeks ago... I used to be an accountant in Saturn, but it was kind of boring. So I thought I'd try something new, for a change." I shrugged. Now that I was alone with Raven, I was even more scared she would recognise me. I tried to maintain my composure. I couldn't cry before we even saw the family.
"My boss doesn't believe the murders are linked."
"Why not? Not enough evidence?" I asked.
"The one witness is a patient at St. Colson's," Raven answered with a sigh.
"Oh." Yeah, that'd do it. We pulled into a school parking lot. "Okay... the daughters name is Charolette. Let's go to the office and they'll call her down." They headed into the office and got the girl to come down.
She was only about seven, and looked very confused.
"Hello there... I'm Vixie, what's your name?" Raven asked. Why had she agreed to tell a little girl her mother was dead?
She just stared blankly, and a teacher came in behind her. "Oh! You're not Charolettes mother," she said, surprised.
"We have to take her to her grandparents’ house." I said.
"Hm..." The teacher looked a little concerned. She knelt down to Charolettes level. "Charolette? Do you want to see Grandma and Grandpa?" When Charolette didn't really respond, the teacher cupped her hands around Charolettes ears, trying to block out unnecessary distractions. "Do you want to go to grandma and Grandpa's house?"
It took her a moment, but she smiled a big smile and nodded. "Grandma! Grandpa!"
"Does she have a learning disability?" I asked, thinking I might've seen this before.
The teacher nodded. "Charolette is severely autistic." she said, before turning back to the little girl. "Come on, let’s go with the nice police girls to see Grandma and Grandpa."
Raven felt even worse. Soon enough they were there.
The teacher managed to coax Charolette into the police car, but obviously couldn't come. When we got there, I tried, but she didn't want to come out. "What should we do? Get her grandparents to come help?"
"That's probably best," Raven agreed, and went to knock on the door.
A woman of about sixty opened the door. "Hello? Oh! Did you need something?" She asked kindly, a little surprised to see the police.
"We have your granddaughter here," Raven stated.
"Oh! Is she in some sort of trouble...?" Mrs. Hale asked.
"No, it's actually her mother... We should talk, but first your granddaughter doesn't want to get out of the car," Raven said.
"Oh! Of course, I can help." she said. "Oh Robert?" She called into the house. "Make some tea and set out some snacks for our guests." She came out and went to the car. She opened the back door and aid "Hey Charolette, dear."
"Grandma!" Charolette jumped out and gave her grandmother a big hug.

"Hello dearie. Why don't you head inside and grandpa will get you some cookies?"
Charolette nodded and ran inside.
I exited the car. "Afternoon, Mrs. Hale."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hale," Raven said.
"You’re welcome. Come in, Officers." She invited, leading them into a comfortable, if slightly stuffy, house. An old man was just putting a teapot and a tray of sugar cookies with pink flowers on them on the coffee table. Charolette had already found toys and was playing happily, a cookie in one hand and getting crumbs everywhere.
"Would you like some tea?" Mrs. Hale asked as she poured a cup for herself.
"No thank you," I said, never one for tea or coffee.
"No, but thank you," Raven said, looking at Charlotte. "Is she listening?"
"Oh I doubt she'll understand if she is." Mrs. Hale said. "our granddaughter... well, she has a bit a bit more trouble than regular children, I'm sure you understand."
"But why are you here?" Mr. Hale interrupted, sitting on the couch next to his wife. "Is it about Patricia?"
"Yes, it's about Patricia... We found her a few hours ago, stabbed through the heart."
Mrs. Hale gasped
I nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, Patricia," she cried, leaning into her husband’s shoulder. Mr. Hale looked distraught as well, but did his best to comfort his wife. "You're sure it's her?"
"We found her driver’s licence in her purse." I nodded.
"Has she been acting strange lately...?" Raven questioned softly.
I looked to Raven, wondering why she wasn't following set procedure... but figured I ought to ask later.
"W-well, yes, I suppose you could say that." Mrs. Hale choked out, but Mr. Hale explained, seeing his wife was in no fit state.
"Last week she forgot to pick Charolette up from school... twice in a row. My wife finally had to go get her. Patricia would've risked her life for Charolette, there's no way she'd forget her... We were worried she was getting into something she... she shouldn't."
"Do you have any idea what that might be...?"
"No... We haven't seen our daughter much over the last week except when she came to pick up Charolette..."
"That friend of hers!" Mrs. Hale said suddenly. "Oh I knew that girl would get Patricia into nothing but trouble,"
"Now, you don't know that for certain-"
"Who is this woman?" I interrupted.
Mr. Hale explained. "Patricia met another mother during her monthly visits to the doctors for Charolette-"
"-she was not the mother." Mrs Hale interrupted. "She was the aunt or something,"
"She had no siblings."
"Then maybe they died, I don't know, but she was the aunt."
"Anyway?" I put in.
"Her boy Evan was only a year or two older than Charolette. The two became friends very quickly. About two weeks ago Charolette called us all excited, and said she'd found help for Charolette. She said her friend could put her in touch with someone who could cure Charolettes autism. We tried to talk Patricia out of it... told her autism can't be cured. But she was dead set on meeting whoever it was her friend was speaking of."
"Who was her friend?" I asked.
"Shannon." Mrs. Hale cut in. "Her name was Shannon... devolter?"
"Shannon DeVoltaire?" I asked, looking surprised.
"Yes! Yes... I'm sorry, I'm no good with these foreign names."
"Okay..."

"Do you know where we could find Ms DeVoltaire?" Raven asked.
Mrs. Hale shook her head.
"Alright, thank you for your time," I said. "And we are deeply sorry for your loss."
"We'll do everything we can to find who did this," Raven added.
"Thank you." Mr. Hale said.
"And thank you for bringing us our granddaughter." Mrs. Hale added.
"Just doing our jobs. Take care," I said, and exited the home, heading back to the car
Raven got in. "This matches the circumstances of the other murders, you know," she said.
"At least we have a lead," was all I said, starting the car.
Raven nodded and looked at Sara. "The person I suspect could have healed the little girl, if the mother had played it right."
"...Autism is an incurable disease," I said, sounding confused. "There's no way."
Unless they were gifted.... Had Emeric made one that was never even a character of mine? Was he or she the one doing this?
"I've seen a lot of other 'impossible' things happen," Raven replied.
"...What exactly do you mean by that?" I said suspiciously. Either she knew who I was and was faking it to make me feel better, or she was an idiot for even explaining that much. Either way...
"I mean, I've seen jail breakouts that shouldn't have been possible," Raven answered smoothly.
....Huh. Good catch, Raven. Still. "But what does that have to do with an incurable disease?"
"Nothing. Have you worked with autistic children before? You seemed very good with Charlotte."
"Um... I've met a few. There were a couple at my middle school, and my brother was mildly autistic. But I'm just good with kids in general, I think, I really don't know how to handle autistic kids," I laughed.
"What was your brother's name?" Raven asked casually, watching her out of the corner of her eyes.
"Ja-" I stopped for a second, suddenly sure this was a test "-red. He still lives in Saturn."
Raven nodded. "What's he like?" she asked, despite knowing she would be more careful.
"Nice enough," I said carefully, trying not to say too much. I didn't know what to say, considering Jack had been dead for sixteen years.
"That's good," Raven said, nodding. "How old is he?"
"...Twenty-six..." I said. We pulled into the parking lot of a police station, a much bigger one than Raven worked at.
Raven followed her inside.
I told Officer Wong everything that happened, but conveniently left out your theory. He insisted we go to Shannon DeVoltaire's house, something I clearly objected too.
"With all due respect sir, I've only been on the force a few weeks, and I'm not ready to be leading an interview with a suspect!"
"So let Officer de Buren lead it, but we've got everyone else on this case pursuing forensic leads. You'll just have to make do."
"I'm not even supposed to be on this case!"
"Well, you are now."
"Sir-"
"Look, stop complaining. You can work this case or you can get kicked off the force. Pick one."
I turned and walked out of his office, and headed straight into the bathroom without looking at Raven.
Raven followed her. "Why are you so opposed to visiting Shannon?" she asked.
I jumped "R- Vixie! Don't you know it's rude to sneak up behind people like that?" I snapped, but my lip was trembling like I was about to cry. Nevertheless, I managed to keep my composure. "I know the girl, alright? Procedure states you're not supposed to have a personal life that in any way coincides with your job. But procedure also dictates that means they need to pull me off the case, and this is my first - and probably only - opportunity to do a homicide case. I don't want to be pulled off. I wanna catch the sonovabitch who did this."
"Don't worry about it Sara. I won't let you mess anything up," Raven said.

"If you say so," I sighed. I pretended not to notice the way she said the name. I really, really hoped it was a coincidence.
It wasn't. "When you're done, meet me by the car," Raven said, and went to find vending machines.
I went out to the car and waited for Raven to come back.
There were a couple vending machines in the back with chocolate bars & chips inside them.
Raven got a Milky Way and went back out to the car.
I started the car, and when Raven got in I immediately started driving. When they finally got there, Raven knocked on the door. Nobody answered.
After a minute, a girl peeked over the fence from the back yard. It was the bitchy girl from the rebellion who'd shown you where Rooney was hiding.
"Oh, hey Vixie," She gave an uncaring wave and opened the gate, stepping out into the front yard. "You're a cop now? Impressive."
I kept my mouth shut. Forget Raven, I knew Shannon would recognize me. That girl was like a hawk.
Just then, a little boy of about nine yelled "Auntie Shaaaaannnonnnnnn!" and ran full sprint into the front yard with a big smile on his face.
Shannon turned and held her arms out. She caught the boy as he ran to her, picked him up and swung him around. He was much too big for most people to do that, but Shannon was tall and powerfully built, and managed easily. She and he both laughed as she set him back on the grass and he ran around pretending to fly like superman.

"Yeah, and we need to talk to you," Raven said, though she had a feeling Shannon wasn't listening.
"Oh, why's that?" she said, focusing on us more closely, though she still turned to watch her nephew from time to time.
"We'd like to ask you a few questions about Patricia Hale," Raven answered.
"Patrica?" Shannon seemed surprised. "What... oh, I bet I know what this is about." Shannon sighed. "She screwed up, didn't she?"
"What do you mean, Ms. DeVoltaire?" Raven asked, though she knew very well what.
"Why don't you tell me." She said, thinking it was obvious you knew well what she was talking about.
"Because what I think I know doesn't matter and won't help catch a killer," Raven replied.
"So Patricia's dead." Shannon shook her head. "What an idiot. She knew she could've backed out."
"Please, Miss, will you tell us what you're talking about?”
"Oh, I know you know what I'm talking about, ask the damn questions straight out or don't ask them at all." Shannon snapped.
Raven narrowed her eyes. "What can you tell us about Leia? How do you know about her? Where is she?"
"Leia? Who the F*ck is Leia?" Shannon said, confused. "I thought you referring to - oh, that's her real name. Duh. I dunno, in this city somewhere. She wanders. And she doesn't like people knowing exactly where her hideout is... she always makes you go through a route down alleys and between buildings so there's no real landmarks. I've been there twice and I still have no fucking clue where it is."

"Have you ever played her?" Raven questioned, mostly from curiosity.
"Yup. I played her game and won. My nephew, Evan, used to be severely autistic. That's where I met Patricia, she took Charolette to the same doctor I took Evan to. Then I met the Queen. I backed out the first time around... but I changed my mind. She said she could cure Evans autism. I was willing to put myself on the line for him. I found her again after a few days, told her I'd changed my mind. She invited me back down to play..."

Shannon picked her way down the stairs carefully, following the Queen. "No tricks, right? You'll really cure him?" She demanded.
"Of course," the Queen said. "I never go back on my word."
The two went into an underground room and sat at the table.
"You already know how to play," The Queen said as the cards flew out of her sleeve and five cards set themselves face-up on the table. "You want to continue?"
"Neat magic trick. I knew a girl who could do that awhile ago," Shannon said, grinning. "I accept your challenge."
The cards flipped face-down and began to rearrange themselves. Shannon narrowed her eyes in concentration, knowing she couldn't mess this up. Not just Evans life, but her own, hung in the balance. They stopped, and she reached out to pick the second card from the left.
It rose up before she could touch it, and she laughed in triumph and snatched it out of the air. "Read it and weep!" She cried, flipping the card over to show the Queen the heart.
The Queen nodded. The other four cards flew off the table. "If I make a choice, I cannot take it back, because" the cards flew back up her sleeve. "You have already put your cards into play." She nodded. "Bring me to the boy and I will do as I have promised."
Shannon led the Queen back to her home, let her in and brought her to Evans room, where Evan was sleeping. The Queen just stood there looking at him for a few minutes. Something nagged at the back of Shannons mind; the door. She couldn't leave it unlocked, that was just asking to get robbed. She went as quickly as she could to lock it, but when she got back it was too late. The Queen was already standing up. "When he wakes up he will be like any other boy." She said. "Pleasure playing with you." She nodded, and left.


"And she wasn't lying. Evan healed overnight. The doctors can't make any sense of him. They call him Miracle Boy." She laughed. "Right, Miracle Boy?"
"That's my superhero name!" Evan nodded. "This looks like a job fooooooorrr, Miracle Booooyyyyyyy! Whoooshhhh" He pretended to fly away.

Raven smiled at him, then frowned slightly. "I had figured she would go back on her word if someone drew the heart," she said, then she looked at 'Sara.' "You've been awfully quiet, Sara... No comment about the incurable disease being cured?"
Fuck you, Raven. I thought, annoyed.
"I'd have to agree with the doctors." I said in a low voice, hoping against hope she didn't recognise my voice.
Shannon thought she did, but she'd have to get me to speak again to make sure. "Well, that's what happened. I told Patrica about it, she said she wanted a crack at it, so I set it up so she could find the Queen. If she was no good at memory games she should've realised that and backed out when she had the chance."

"Nevertheless, she didn't, and now she's dead," Raven said. "Thank you, you've just confirmed what I already learned from Hilary about my serial killer." She smirked. "Is there anything else you can tell us?" She didn't expect there was.
"Not that I know of. She finds you when you're down, and she performs miracles if you're willing to risk it. I was, and I won. Patricia, wasn't, and she paid the price for it. I'm sorry she's dead, but she knew what she was getting herself into."
Raven smiled softly. "I know. I still have every intention of catching the Queen. Thank you, Shannon. Let me know if you ever need anything."
"Thanks, but no thanks. Hey quiet one. What was your name again?"
"...Sara?"
"Oh please, like you expect me to hear you mumbling? Speak up."
"Sara!"
Shannon nodded. She was sure of it now. She just smirked. "Sure it is. Come on, Evan, lets head back inside."
"We're looking for someplace underground, in the back alleys. If you have anything you want, think really hard," Raven instructed as she walked back to the car.
"So we're just going to go without any real plan? How do we even know how she does this stuff? It's impossible!" I had to add that, because anyone else would.
"I told you, I've seen the impossible happen. Besides, with a team of cops we won't find her. The only way to take her is by beating her at her own game," Raven said. "I'm sure of that... Get in the car."
I got in. "So you're going to put your life on the line and hope you draw the right card?" I said. "If you lose, she'll kill you, too! Or, whatever it is she does. It still doesn't make any sense! Just because you've seen someone good at breaking out of prison, you can just accept this farfetched story? There's no logic whatsoever!"

Raven turned to look at her from the driver's seat. "I've seen people who can move things without touching them. People who kill by lighting a person on fire from the inside out... People who can change memories and disappear into thin air, right in front of your eyes. It was one hell of a prison break out."
"W-what?" I really, really hoped she was only saying this because she saw through my disguise.
Raven shook her head. "You want to see something impossible with your own eyes?" she asked, as she started the car.
I nodded, though as there were no Gifteds around, I didn't see what she could be talking about.
Raven drove a while in silence, finally she pulled over and stepped out. There was no one else around. She waited until she had Sara's attention, then pulled her gun and before 'Sara' could react she put the barrel to her own head and fired. Then she put the gun back on safety and put it away, picking the bullet up off the ground. She expected even Gifted would freak out at that one.
"Holy-!"
Raven has a power? SINCE WHEN? I was shocked and backed up a step. Am I absolutely positive it's Raven? It could be... someone... aw I got no one. Alaric?
"Kenny made sure of that. I don't know how that helped him any, especially considering what it does. I guess nothing helps him anymore, though." She went back around the car. "Now, do you still want me to call you Sara?"
I was pretty surprised, but I just smiled. "So you do know. Good, because I was about to punch you in the mouth for even mentioning..." I trailed off, looking amused. "Though I don't know how much good it would've done considering that sweet power of yours. Damn sight better than mine. Though I still don't see how you expect that to help against the one we're after." After a moment I added. "And damn, my disguises suck. I dye my hair, spend three hours every morning applying so much makeup I swear there’s more of it than my face...."

"Looking at a picture of you, I would have never guessed, but I heard your voice and then you just slipped up one too many times." Raven smirked. "And because two of the three things she does involve getting hurt. I suppose that if I drew the Queen she would still be able to manipulate me, but I don't think she could kill me, and the club certainly wouldn't do anything. So my choices are get what I want, get nothing, get my memories switched around, or become a puppet for a week." She still had no idea about the only-lasts-an-hour condition. "Honestly, I could do a lot of things in a week that could get me in tons of shit, and losing my memories again doesn't sound great, but I'm the best person for the job."
"I guess..." I was still really worried about her. Something else occurred to me, and I almost laughed. "What exactly are we going to tell the other cops? They're going to expect a report you know."
"If I win, it'll be easy. We'll make something up about how we found her at the place Shannon had told us about and we caught her. If not, we'll say Shannon couldn't tell us much. She said that Patricia had been spending a lot of time in shady places, but she couldn't name anywhere in particular," Raven replied.
"...Just because the place exists does not mean she did the crime," I pointed out. "We’d have to fabricate some serious evidence pointing her as the culprit, which will be difficult considering there was no evidence at any of her crime scenes. Plus you have to think about the fact she couldn't have carried bodies from that room, she'd be noticed. Obviously as a gifted she could control her victims long enough to kill them at the crime scene... heck she might've even made them stab themselves, which would 'technically' be a suicide. But how are we supposed to explain how the bodies got to the crime scenes if we make it out they were killed somewhere else?"
"We can make her admitting to anyone who asks part of the deal," Raven answered.
"We'd have to be awfully specific if we're going to be amending the request to anything more than allowing herself to be arrested and taken to the police station. There're a lot of loop holes that could be taken advantage of, otherwise. Think of it like one of those genies in stories where you wish for something and they proceed to F*ck you over with exactly what you wished for,"
"Okay, how exactly do you plan to screw me over with the order to 'willingly be arrested, admit to anyone who asks that you killed Patricia and the others, accept and obey the jury's verdict, and never reveal that you had powers'?" Raven asked.
"Is that a challenge?" I asked. "Okay, let's see..." I thought for a moment. "How about, when we're not around, she tells one of the other Officers 'I'm only admitting to this because I'm too scared to do otherwise, because those other two officers threatened me with such-and-such if I don't comply?' that's not explicitly saying she didn't do it, so it's still within what you ordered, yet I'd say that's F*ck us over pretty badly. She is eight. Then she could say we fabricated the evidence. Again, that's just a statement of fact, that doesn't necessarily point to guilt or innocence. You think the cops will just assume she's lying, especially if she knows how we did it?"

Raven frowned. "Okay, and once we're gone, and she still admits, what then?"
"That's if they even keep her in custody through the whole beaurocratic procedure Raven... not to mention if... if she reveals the evidence was staged the whole case could be thrown out." I shook my head, looking dejected.
"What if we forbid her to speak except to answer a direct question?"
I looked up, surprised. Now there was idea. "That....might work,"
"Well keep thinking like a maniac, would you? I don't want her to see some loop hole we missed," Raven said, still looking for a place to look.

"I don't know how this girl thinks, I've never heard of her. That's just what Tyler would have done." I answered. "Besides, you had more evil characters than I did."
"None of my characters needed to think of loopholes. They either didn't do what you told them or they had no idea what a loophole was," Raven pointed out. "And two minds are better than one."
"True," I agreed, trying to think. "Hm... let's see... she could allude to something in an answer, try to make the cops ask questions. Especially if 'Explain yourself' is considered a question."
"Explain yourself is a demand, not a question," Raven replied cheekily. "Only answer direct questions directly?"
"...that probably would work. Of course, it depends on the questions asked and who... whose asking the questions." I said worriedly. "And who exactly this person is. We don't exactly know how crafty she is, do we?"
"We'll have to hope for the best, then. Unless you think of something better before we find her. Let's get out and search in the alleyways," Raven said. The truth was, she was sure that if she kept driving, she'd crash. She was getting so nervous.
"If you say so." I said. I was starting to feel vaguely edgy, and I wasn't sure why.
Raven parked so she wouldn't impede traffic and started looking.
I started to look as well trying to ignore the growing feeling of dread I felt as we pressed deeper into the network of alleys in Celinaville. I had no idea why I was so irrationally scared - I was in cops’ uniform, any thugs or bums in the alleys were running for cover and anyway I had a gun. So why was I so terrified?
I started drifting back behind Raven, committing to just following her for now... not really wanting to do that, either.
Raven was used to the irrational fear. She'd experienced it every time she walked down her grandparent's stairs at night for as long as she could remember. She pressed on, despite the fact that her legs felt a little wobbly.
After a while it just became too much. "R-r-raven... let's go b-b-back" I said. A quick look back and one could tell I was going to pieces again.

So much for progress.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked, frowning and going back to her.
"I don't know...." I said honestly. "Raven, I'm t-t-t-t-terrified." Tears were streaming down my face, completely ruining my makeup, and I looked like I was having difficulty staying on my feet. "Please... let's just g-go..."
"Do you remember the way back?" Raven asked. I nodded, just wanting to get as far from this place as possible. "I'll meet you back at the car, then," Raven told her.
No, that wasn't right... but I couldn't protest before I was on my feet and bolting down the alley in the opposite direction, tears still running down my face.
Raven sighed and kept walking. There was nothing particularly ominous about the rest of the alley... old cardboard boxes and tents and crates lined it. There wasn't a whole lot to see other than the mounds of crates stacked behind buildings and the homes of the homeless.
Raven sighed. "Hello?" she asked the air, mostly to prove that no one would answer. Nobody answered. Like a bunch of fugitives would answer when a cop called anyway. Raven sighed and searched the walls, looking for a tunnel.
Some of the tents still had homeless people in them, who were very aggravated to have you looking in on them. "Hey! Whadda you want, Officer? We ain't breakin no laws here!"

"Sorry. I'm looking for something," Raven answered in passing. She edged the crates away from the wall a few inches to look behind them.
"An' what's that?" he snapped.
There was a second row of stacked crates behind the first one.
"Why do you care? I'm not arresting you, or even asking you questions. Could you return the favor maybe?" Raven shifted a few on the second row as well.
"Why I care is y'all don't have a right to come all up in our business. Where's your back-up? thought you cops were supposed to always have back up." The man (Who was probably drunk) grabbed Ravens shoulder before she had a chance to look behind the second row of crates.
Raven twisted her arm so that she held him against the first row. "I don't need back-up, okay? I don't care if you've got booze or drugs, but I am going to look behind these boxes, mkay?" she pushed him away from her and the crates and continued trying to shift the second row.
"Hey now that's our stuff" Another hobo yelled from his tent.
Then a calming, pleasant voice seemed to reach out from everywhere. Vivian, who could multiply herself in addition to her compulsion power, was hiding behind you as well as in front of you, turning her power on you with all its strength.
"You should go... just go back to your car. You are only one person, and you know you are scared. If these two were hiding in their tents there must be more... go, leave, go back to your car and help your poor broken friend. You saw her state. She needs you. So, go."
The urge Raven felt to obey those words went farther than logic or fear could account for and as she turned around, she was even more afraid. "I want to know where to find the Queen," she said, shuffling a few steps back in the direction she came.
"As does your friend. But you saw her state. All that progress... all of herself shed regained... gone in one terrified moment. She is alone back there... she needs you. Go back to her... go help her escape her fear. You don't know how many men are here. how many you will have to fight if they attack. You need to leave before they get angry. Of course, who knows if they haven't harmed your friend already... all alone, in that state. Who knows if she even got back to the car before being attacked? You need to find out. You must go."

That thought was the one that did it. Raven hurried back to the car, and even though she hit a few dead ends, she got there soon enough.
Had you stayed even a split-second longer, you'dve seen all the hobos lose their nerve and bolt back into their tents. They only protected the place because they were terrified of the three girls who used it as their hideout... the three girls with magical powers.

I was back in the car, and unhurt... well, at least physically. I was curled up in a ball on the seat and it appeared I'd tried to put my makeup on but couldn't because all my makeup supplies were scattered on the floor of the car. I had no idea why I’d been so scared. With my power, my own thoughts shouldn’t have been a mystery to me but they were. Crying still... why had I left Raven all alone out there? Why had I even been dumb enough to take a job like this in the first place? I was in no shape to be fighting bad guys. Why had I...
"Thank god you're okay," Raven said as she pulled open the door and hugged her friend.
I reached up and hugged her tightly before I even thought about what I was doing. I was still crying, and probably getting mascara on her uniform. Raven didn't care. She wouldn't normally, and she especially didn't now. I hugged her tightly and cried for a good twenty minutes. Then, finally, it occurred to me you shouldn't be back yet. Not without the Queen. "I thought you w-w-were looking for the Queen's hideout," I asked, worried.
"I found Vivian. She didn't want me poking around."
I gasped. "She's working with V-v-viv-v" how pathetic. I couldn't even say her name. "Of course, we were c-c-close, that's why I was s-s-s-so s-s-s-scared. She m-must've taken me down those same alleys when she brought me here to p-p-preform the opper-peraration." I hugged raven even more tightly, if that were even possible.
"Shhh," Raven cooed comfortingly. "It's okay. They don't want us here, and they can't have you."
"H-H-How are we s-s-supposed to catch them now?" I cried...and a much more pressing question brought on a fresh wave of tears. How on earth was I supposed to go back to the police station like this?
"We'll figure something out, Gifted. Don't worry. I'll think of something."
I let go of her and curled back up on the seat, wishing I was as optimistic as she was.
"Let's head back to the station, okay?" she asked, getting in the driver's side.
I tried to tell her there was no way I'd put myself together in time, but I couldn't get the words out. Finally I just gave up. It was late, my shift was pretty much over, but we had to report on what happened today before I checked out.

When we got back to the police station a woman with long blonde hair wearing white shorts and a pink tank-top was waiting outside for me. The only obvious give-away to her identity was the blue bands around her wrists, ankles and neck, which she probably could pass off as bracelets to the general public except for the fact blue didn't really go with the outfit.
Raven laughed. "Go figure the most wanted criminal and her sidekick are working at a police department."
Arianna gasped when she saw the state I was in and ran to the car. She shot a nervous look back, glad there were no cops outside. "Let me in, I'm her sister!" she cried, not recognising Raven. "Sara?”
"Cut the crap, I know who you are," Raven told her, unlocking the doors.
Arianna didn't really understand if she should be scared or not. Was this woman just saying she already knew "Lucy" - her alias - was Sara's sister? Or was she saying she'd discovered Gifteds identity, and Arianna should run? Although, in gifteds state, the makeup probably had washed off...
But she couldn't leave the poor girl like this. She opened the door and hugged me, trying to comfort me. "Sara? What happened?"
"We were looking for the murderer and we found Vivian instead. I'm a gifted too, you know. You don't have to worry."
Now she got it. "Wait... you know?" She shot a nervous glance back at the police department. "Why did you bring her here? The police cannot see her like this!" She said, sounding scared.
"If we had stayed out much longer people would expect results, and we don't have any. I can tell them that she got upset over the case, it's not unheard of, especially since she's so new and she found the body. I sent her home and they can have a full report by tomorrow."
Arianna nodded and pulled out a notebook. She scribbled some directions and an address on it. "Follow those to get to where we're staying. Ask for the room registered to Lucy White." She gave Raven the page. "I'll be there soon."
"Thanks, Arianna." Raven grinned, and drove Gifted home.
The place was an old run-down hotel, the sort of place you would expect shady goings-on, where the owner asked no questions and was used to people who paid for the night but stayed for an hour.
Nevertheless, I still hid my face as I stumbled in behind Raven.
"I'm looking for Lucy White's room," Raven said, holding Gifted's hand.
"Second floor, room 209," The man said in a bored voice, pointing to the stairs.
"Thank you," Raven said, and brought Gifted up.
The room was bare and ugly and small, but had two single beds for Arianna and me and a tiny, dirty bathroom. I immediately went to the bed, but I knew I'd never be able to sleep.
"I'll check on you later, okay?" Raven asked. I didn't answer, but I barely heard you and it didn't really matter. Raven left, going back to the station to explain why Sara wouldn't be back at work today.
The officers were... pretty surprised to say the least. Officer Wong looked aghast. "I shouldn't have forced her to go," he said.
"I'm sure she'll be fine, it's just been a hard day for her is all," Raven said. "And you know how women are." She smiled.
Officer Wong nodded. "Alright... I hope she's okay."
"She's fine," Raven assured.
"Alright. Tell her to take care," Officer Wong said, nodding in dismissal and going back to his work. He still felt bad sending a rookie out into the field.
Raven went back to her own station and reported to her boss.
Her boss was impressed she'd gotten so much done so quickly in Celinaville and marked her overtime so she would get a bonus next paycheck.
Score. "Thank you sir." She completed her shift, doing any paperwork she had, and went home.
It was pretty late, and Nicholas was in bed. Joan was awake watching TV. "Hey Raven, how was Celinaville?" She asked when Raven walked in the door.
"It was alright. I think the murder is connected to Leia."
"Brilliant," Joan said sarcastically. Then she sighed. "So did you figure out where she's hiding out?"
"I'm not sure. I found Vivian, though."
"You did?" Now Joan sounded concerned.
"Yeah. Only, she doesn't want me there, and she told me to leave before I could do anything."
"I'm glad that's all she did." Joan said, sounding a little relieved.
"So am I," Raven admitted.
Joan nodded, and after a moment, went back to watching TV. She couldn't help but wonder what the purpose was behind this madness... what were Ruby, Vivian and Leia trying to do, exactly?
"We'll have to check it out." Raven went to her room and called Rick.
"Hey Raven," Rick answered. "What's up?"
"I found their hideout, but Vivian made me leave," Raven said.
"Brilliant." Rick sighed. "I can't come down tomorrow, I got a trial at 11, but Saturday I have a day off. Should I come down then?"
"Yeah, that'll be great."
"Alright, I'll see you then."
“See you, Rick.”
The next day, it turns out Sara had stayed home sick from work. Lucy had called it in, saying Sara was vomiting in the bathroom and couldn't come to work, and she was terribly sorry about the inconvenience.
Raven sighed and asked 'Sara's boss what she should do.
"I can set you with another partner if you have a lead you still want to chase, or there's always the paperwork which has got to be done eventually," Officer Wong said, laughing. He seemed to be in a good mood... or maybe he was just a cheery guy.
"Is Sara's sister here today?"
"...Lucy doesn't work here." Officer Wong said, confused. "She comes to pick up her sister at the end of the day. I think she works at some clothing store."
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry, I was confused," Raven said with a laugh. "Anyway, we searched out the only lead we had yesterday, unfortunately."
"Well then, write it out so that other cops can take a look at it." he gave you a look suggesting he thought you should already know this.
Raven resisted the urge to say 'no shit' and, nodding, went to do so.
It was pretty uneventful, though a few other officers seemed to be working on similar cases and were coming back and forth with reports and updates all day. Missing persons, mostly. They seemed to fit Leia's MO.
Raven sighed and just kept working on her report, eager for Saturday to come. When the report was finished, Raven went back to try to find the alley she'd seen.
It wasn't difficult to find. unfortunately some of what Raven had took before to be walls had in fact been stacks and stacks of crates, which had been moved to create an almost completely different labyrinth than the one we'd traveled before. They had put some thoughts into this, clearly.
Raven sighed in frustration, but continued searching until she found a spot that looked right.
The hobos did not come out this time, but you could hear sounds from the tent. The boxes were spread apart, revealing what looked like basement doors. They were shut, but there were voices coming from behind them, too far away to make out. Though there was one sentence that seemed to stand out, maybe because it was what Raven had wanted to hear or maybe not.
"Then let me play your game."

Raven tried to open the doors, attempting to be quiet.
The doors opened quietly, revealing stairs into the depths. As raven descended the stairs, the voices became clearer.
"No, I have a two-in-five chance, not a one-in-five chance. Spade means I walk, as well. Or don't you remember your own rules?"
There was no answer, but after a moment, a giggle was heard, and it was Ruby who answered.
"Sure, but that still leaves a three out of five chance something bad happens."
"That is correct." It was Leia's voice, devoid of the innocent, happy tones you'd heard in the rebellion, now it was full of malice. "If you pull the club, I will give you a swift beating. If you pull the diamond, I will cut out your memory."
"And don't forget the best part!" Ruby cut in. "If you pull the Queen, we get to control you, then kill you!"
"You're already controlling me." The unfamiliar voice, clearly the player, said coldly. "Please. Do you really think I'm scared of death?"
"Touché" Ruby giggled.
After a long, quiet pause, Leia said "If you insist."


There was a door between Raven and the group, and a long hallway on the other side of that door. The door had very squeaky hinges... a natural alarm.
Raven tried, and froze when she heard the first hint of a squeak. Damn, go figure Leia wasn't into oiling hinges.
It had been too quiet for the girls to hear, but it wouldn't be if she moved again. But if Raven didn't act quickly, the player was going to seal her own fate.
"I know you know the rules... how many times you've seen the game played."
"And you know I will play. Let's get on with it."
"Yes, but you also know... if you want a pretty favor, my consequences cannot waver."
"And?" She sounded sullen and annoyed.
Whatever, I'm indestructible anyway, what're they gonna do? Raven asked herself, and opened the door. This time she didn't bother being quiet, she continued down the hall.
d opened the door. This time she didn't bother being quiet, she continued down the hall.
It didn't even appear that there was a reaction.
"Vivian? Deal with that, would you?"
At Leias words, there were footsteps from the room... several pairs.
"Yes, she multiplies," Ruby giggled.
The players voice came again, cold. "Did I say something?"
"Let's just continue with the game." Leia agreed.
Three people came from the other end of the hall, all identical. Vivians.
"It's nice to meet you Vivian. It's really too bad that you of all people have two powers, because frankly, you're such a bitch. When did you decide to start being loyal?" Raven asked.
"Loyal? We're all working towards a common goal. Queen just has her way, Ruby has hers... and of course, I have mine." her power was activated, and her voice became calming, compelling once again. "Now it's time to turn around again." All three were speaking at once. "Leave, and go back to your car. Nobody knows you are here. You have no backup. You must go."

Raven was ready for it. "I don't need any back up," she said, mostly to herself. "It doesn't matter if someone knows I'm here, they would just come looking for me and get hurt anyway. This is the best time. Why won't the Queen play me, anyway? Is she too afraid?"
Vivian didn't answer. Changing the subject would detract from her power. "What you do here now, with no backup... you have not followed procedure. The arrest will be null and void. There's no point to it." it didn't matter to Vivian if that was true or not, as long as Raven believed it coming out of her mouth. "Go, head back to your car. Wait for your friend. Your poor, broken friend. Go back. Is she okay? You need to go."

"She isn't coming. She isn't coming and I'm not leaving. I'm off my shift anyway, but that doesn't mean I can't put someone in custody," Raven insisted. She'd had enough of this. She drew her gun and fired at the middle one.
Vivians face turned to a scowl, knowing Raven wasn't going to cave in for her this time. The copy that was shot was hit and died, but it only dissolved into thin air. "You have to kill them all to kill me," she smirked. "So good luck with that."
Suddenly a cry of pain was heard from the other room. "How...?"
"You use your friends to cheat, our game is void." Leia said harshly.
"Fine." the player said sullenly. "Then let's up the stakes."
"...Too?"
"She goes free, and no harm is done to her."
"She?"
"You know who I mean."
The Vivians looked intrigued, and backed off from Raven. Leia answered.
"If you insist."
"Hey! I didn't agree to this!" Ruby butt in. "She's mine!"
"Who can keep her here again?" Leia challenged. Ruby backed off.
Raven dashed into the room, the gun still in her hand. She was ready to use it if Vivian tried to stop her.
Surprisingly, Vivian didn't.
"Put that thing away, or I shall have to make you." Leia said, not even looking up. She was dressed in all black, with a black mask around her eyes. Nevertheless, she was recognisable. She was looking at a table with five cards sitting atop it.
Across the table was another girl dressed in all black, but she also had black hair, down to her shoulders and around her face. She looked sullen, sort of like Cristel, but she was pale and had a good fifty pounds on Cristel and Ruby. Though she was overweight, she was more wide than fat, and still managed to be imposing. Her grey eyes were fixed on the cards.
Raven put it away. "Hey, kid, don't do this, alright? We'll get your friend back without you risking your life."
"I know how the game works. I've been with them for months. You clearly know Vivian." the player snapped. "Queen, Leia, swap the cards."
Leia did as she was told, the cards moving seemingly on their own. The other girl kept her eyes carefully trained on them. She had to pick the heart if they were both going to go free...
"No Sh*t you know how it works. That doesn't mean you should do it!" Raven snapped.
"Cop." She said in a dark voice. "Shut up."
after a long moment, she reached for a card, and Leia lifted it from the table before she could touch it. The player sighed, took the card from the air, and showed it to Leia.
"Spade. No dice." She said smugly.
The girl took a last look at the three of them, Ruby, Leia and Vivian, and rose to her feet.
Raven sighed her quiet relief. "Who were you playing for?" she demanded.
"Myself and Ruby's identical twin." she said, and walked out.
Raven scowled, then looked at Leia. "My turn."
"If you insist." Leia said, gesturing to the chair. "You’re coming unscheduled sort of ruined my production." she said smirking, as the cards were already out. "Ah, well." she flipped the cards face-up, and placed the spade back with them. "As you've been going through my opponents, I trust you know the rules?"
"I do. Would you like to hear my request if I win?" Raven asked, looking at the cards.
"Of course. What would it be?"
"You will willingly come into custody and speak the truth, speaking only when asked direct questions. However, you will never mention anything about powers no matter what you're asked." Raven felt asking for Cristel was too much, and if she won she could come back for her anyway, with Rick.
Ruby and Vivian gasped.
"Sure."
"What?" Vivian spoke. "You're going through with this?"
"Why not?" Leia asked coldly.
"Why not?" Ruby asked, dumbfounded. "Are you insane? If you lose...."
"The odds are very much in my favour, and I would appreciate it if the two of you would quiet down." Leia said, her tone definitely implying a threat. The cards flipped face down, and swapped around. "Choose your card, miss raven."
Raven chose the one second from the left. Before Raven could touch it, the card rose into the air, coming to a stop at eye level.
Diamond.
"Once you've made your choice, you can't take it back, because" She said. The cards swirled around them and back up her sleeve as she watched Raven's face uncaringly. "I have already put my cards into play!"
That was the only card Raven had honestly worried about. The odds had been totally in her favor on that one. She felt as though she would be sick. This was the only one they could guarantee she wouldn't find them again with. Cristel was screwed, and so was she. Would they let her keep the memories of Joan and Nicholas? She desperately hoped so. "The odds were in my favor against something bad happening," Raven conveyed. "This is unfortunate." She felt she could speak forever, she was so scared. Even if she had felt she could escape, she wouldn't have been able to move. Would she know what Leia chose while she still had her memories? She almost wanted to say goodbye to them.
Leia pulled a dagger from her pocket. "Time for your cut, diamond Raven." A soft red light began pulling out from Ravens chest, just like John had described. When it disconnected, Raven fell unconscious.
Leia smiled, and began working, removing not portions of the timeline but entire people from Ravens life. Joan, Nicholas, Rick, Gifted, Arianna... only the good, bound Arianna to scare her, and of course, the three of them. She only made two mistakes; She forgot to erase Devon, and she never erased Cristel.

When Raven awoke seven hours later, she was alone on a deserted street in Celinaville, shoved into a back alley an hour from where she started.
Raven rubbed her head and groaned. "What am I doing here?" she asked herself, standing and looking around. She had no memory of the place and desperately hoped she would be able to find her way... where? Find her way where? That was strange, she couldn't remember where she was or where she lived. Her mind immediately jumped to Kenny, but she remembered he was dead and whimpered softly. Thinking of no viable explanations and not wanting to think of other possibilities, Raven started to search for her car.
Even if she'd had all her memories, she was in a completely unfamiliar part of town and it was already dark. The malls and shops that lined the streets were closing up for the night, and the casinos and nightclubs were opening. This town was clearly a tourist trap, but an unhelpful one. There were also a few hotels along the road if she went up a few blocks.
When she found them, she figured her situation couldn't be much worse and she decided to find her car tomorrow morning, since it was her day off. She paid for a room at one of the motels and went to her room, trying not to cry. She couldn't have been hit on the head, because that wouldn't have done anything, with her power. Which left only the option that someone had magically screwed with her memories.
the next morning was a busy, busy Saturday. People were coming in from all over to pay a visit to the big city, to go shopping and visit the different places Celinaville had to offer. The crowds, coupled with the fact Raven had no clue how to navigate this city, meant it was near-hopeless finding her car.

At around noon, a commotion was caused in the middle of the street. "Look!" Someone cried. He was pointing to a girl around her mid-thirties, but who looked much younger. "It's Duchess Celina!"

In Panem, officially the sisters and brothers of Prince's and Princesses were Dukes and Duchess's, but as they had no real power, the title was rarely bothered with. Duchess Celina was an exception to the rule, because she exemplified the very idea of what young royalty should be. The prettiest member of all the royal families in Panem (except perhaps for the new Princess Sarteena, Cynthia, who was a good ten years younger than Celina) she was also one of the happiest. Even now, she laughed as all eyes turned to her. She was not dressed like a princess, but she was wearing a bright summer dress and silver earrings that twinkled in the light. She was lucky she was somewhat of a celebrity and favourite of the people, as it had saved her and her husband Paul’s life... they were the best friend and little brother of Mikaela.
She didn't act above the crowd, either. She was nice and pleasant to everyone she met, and spoke to them the way you would speak to anyone on the street.
"Celina, why didn't Sharon run for Princess Sarteena after Gifted was removed from the throne?"
"That's something you have to ask her," Celina answered. "I'm just in town clothes shopping."
Raven smiled. She'd always heard well about the Duchess, although that was never much to go by. She'd always heard well about Gifted as well until a few months ago. She decided she'd like to learn a bit about Celina, if she got the chance.
Celina chatted with a few more people and the said she really had to keep going, clearing out most of the crowd. One or two people stuck around, who she knew by name. She chatted with them and headed into a fancy clothing boutique. Eventually her friends had other places to be, and left as well. Se stayed in the shop and continued looking at clothes.
Raven wandered closer. "This necklace would look wonderful with that," she said with a smile, showing a necklace that would look wonderful with anything, but matched the top perfectly.
"Hey, you're right," Celina said cheerily, taking the necklace, comparing it, and trying to put it on to see how she'd look in it. "It'd look great on camera too." She added. "Thanks. What's your name?"
"You're welcome. I'm Vixie," Raven said with a smile.
"Hey Vixie. I'm Celina. Though I guess you already knew that." She laughed. "How are you? What brings you to town?"
"I'm pretty good. I came in town for a case, and got off work late enough last night that I decided to stick around a bit. Though you probably don't want to hear about that," Raven said with a slight laugh. Even though she had no memory of the real case, she couldn't think of a better reason.
"So you're a cop?" She sounded impressed. "That's cool! You like your job? Is it as cool as it looks on TV?"
"I love it, and sometimes it is. A lot of time it's dead ends and paperwork," Raven smiled.
"Wow. Dead ends and paperwork... sounds like my sisters job." She laughed. "Lucky girl, Sharon is, but I wouldn't trade places with her for anything."
"It gets a little stressful, but it's worth it. I love making the cities a little bit safer." Raven smiled.
"Yeah, and I guess it gets exciting sometimes, right?" she laughed. "So where're you from? Or is this in your jurisdiction?"
"I'm from the capital," Raven answered. At least, it made sense that way, since that was where she worked.
"Oh, that is so cool, then you must've seen most of the rebellion!" She said eagerly. "Sharon and I were locked off in the palace the whole time, so I missed the whole thing." She sounded genuinely disappointed.
Raven smiled. "I was part of the rebellion, actually. I only moved to the capital afterwards."
She gasped. "Really? That is so cool! Then you must have known General Wenkeling!"
"Not very well, unfortunately, I only saw her a few times," Raven answered. She had no memory of ever meeting, conversing with, or even seeing Joan. Which was unfortunate because it would have been cool to brag about adopting her.
"Oh. Yeah, I guess you had to be one of the important people to really get to know Joan, like Prince Vlad or John. Still, being in the rebellion would've been so cool! I was so not happy my sister refused to pick a side."
"It was dangerous. Gifted and Emeric didn't really care who got hurt, so long as they won," Raven said. "And it wasn't exactly all sugar blossoms at base, either. Some of the higher-ups had a mean temper."
Celina nodded. "Sharon said there was more to it than that... and I went to school with Gifted, I can't believe she'd do something like that. But I suppose history doesn't lie." She sighed, looking depressed for a minute. But of course, nothing could keep Celina down for long. "Still! I bet it was really neat. You-" Just then, her cell phone rang. She looked at it quickly. "Aw, no. My sister wants me to head back.... I guess I have been out awhile. We have a public appearance in like an hour." She grabbed the things she wanted to buy and went to pay. "Hey, you should come back with me! I can show you around our palace, I'm sure Sharon won't mind."

[Gifted]

"Are you sure?" Raven asked, trailing after Celina so as not to abandon her.
"Sure, why not? We won't be in her way." Celina shrugged and led the way to the palace on the edge of the city. It was about half the size of the Princess Sarteena's palace, with a huge fountain in front and hedges around. Celina practically skipped there.
Raven smiled as she followed. "Are you always in this good a mood, or is today an extra good day?"
"Pretty much always." Celina shrugged and opened the door to the throne room was white. The room was small considering it was a palace antechamber, but the walls were painted gold, and two gold pillars stood in the room to complete the effect. Celina slipped off behind a pillar and down a hall, where the bright, shining gold walls gradually faded to white. My palace had been covered in rich reds and blues and warm colours, but this palace was bright and clean with gold, white and the dark brown of the hardwood floors. It was almost cold.
Celina barely noticed, heading down the hall. Sharon came from the other end. Her dress was gold and the straps cupped around her upper arms, leaving her shoulders bare. She wore no jewlery but plenty of makeup, and her browish-black hair was tied in a tight bun. "Hey Celina... you brought a friend over?"
"Yup. You mind?"
"No, just be sure you're camera-ready in an hour."
Raven looked around with appreciation. Despite the cold feeling, she couldn't help but feel a little more at home. The Ravonian castle was made almost entirely out of obsidian, decorated with browns and blues, accented with only a hint of red. It was a nice feel, but it brought on a wave of homesickness. So much had happened and she wished desperately she could get a hug from Adam.
Celina eventually found the door she was looking for and opened it. It opened into her bedroom, which was circular and more than twice the size Gifteds room had been. It was also very green.
"This is my room!" Celina said happily.
"It's beautiful," Raven said, honestly, looking around.
"Thanks. Sharon’s’ is bigger," Celina said. She went to sit on the bed, which was in the dead center of the room. "Which is sad because I share the space with Paul. But oh, well, she is the princess."

"Paul?" Raven asked, tilting her head.
"My husband. I think he's off in the backyard, he usually is." Celina shrugged.
"Oh, Sharon isn't married then? Forgive me, I'm not very up to date on Panemian royalty."
Celina laughed. "No, Sharon isn't married. She's had a boyfriend named Brett for years though. They say every few years that they're going to get married, but it still hasn't happened. I think it's just a joke to them now" She laughed.
Suddenly a ringing began. Celina frowned. "They know my sisters busy..." after a minute she brightened up. "Hide." She said, and snapped her fingers. A closet across the room opened.
Raven was very confused, but she did it anyway. "Why...?"
"They won't say a thing if they see you." she snapped again, and the closet door slid closed. She then clapped twice and a screen projected onto the back wall. It was the head of the PRP... Rooney's old boss.
"Oh! Celina... may I please speak to Princess Sharon?"
"Sharon's busy."
"It's urgent."
"Then tell me. I'll tell my sister."
"Celina, it's up to Sharon whether or not she wants to reveal this information to you."
"Then call Brett and he'll tell her"
"Brett is not authorised-"
"Look.. It doesn't really matter if you tell me or call Brett but my sister is really busy and I don't think we can bother her now. So please do one or the other." Celina knew full well which one they'd choose.
"Alright... she's been sighted."
"Gifted!?"
"No, not her... the serial killer."
"Ralios!?"
"Yes. She was sighted in Celinaville not an hour ago. We need your sisters clearance to send Rakel after her...."
"Rakel can't go after Ralios, that'd be suicide!"
"Do you have another option? The police'll be onto her in another hour, tops. We can't let the police have a crack at her."
"Ugh... No. No way Rakel's power can stand up to Ralios.... hm.... I've got it! Rachel!"
"Rachel? That ditzy kid with the ice and the clocks?"
"Yeah! Send her, I betcha she can polish off Ralios. I bet I can get my sisters permission for that"
"We'd be cutting it awfully close on the time front, trying to contact her."
"Are you kidding? With Rachel on our side, we've got all the time in the world."
"...Alright. Call us back when you have an answer."

Raven waited until she was sure the call had ended to get back out of the closet. "You were talking about powers," she said cautiously.
"Huh?" She acted confused. "Ralios is smart and strong, she could overpower a couple of cops." She tried to act like that's all she meant by it. "Anyway I've got to tell my sister."
Raven smiled slightly. "I know about powers. I'm originally from Ravonia. I just didn't think anyone outside my country knew..."
"From Ravonia? But then... You came in with Kenny!" she sounded nervous.
Raven shook her head. "Not all of us sided with him, I came before the ports closed."
Celina bit her lip. "If you say so... civilians aren't really supposed to know, but I suppose there's no harm if you already know..." she sighed. "Sharon's gonna hate me for this... oh well." she shrugged, recovering her good mood "Ralios, real name Arianna, is easily the most dangerous gifted ever created in Panem. If you're a cop, you probably remember the two bodies they found in the capitol not too long ago, when she first escaped.... Henerick Jedestal and Yazmin Rakshada? That was her. The police don't know of course, they're only after her for the prison breakout... but if any cops went up against her, they'd end up like those two poor souls. Those two were gifted themselves, you know. So the PRP were asking permission to contact one of the gifteds we keep in contact with and send them to kill Ralios before the cops find her."
"If I go, we can say I shot in self-defense," Raven said, nodding. "You have my permission to add me to your gifted list." She smiled slightly.
"What's your power?" She asked brightly, sounding interested.
"I don't know all the exact details, honestly. The scientists never cared to tell us, but I've been shot in the head and it didn't leave a mark on me."
"Oh, wow!" Celina sounded impressed. "Well, Vixie, if you want to go as well, I don't mind... I wish I could come, but my sister would never let me out of the palace with Ralios running around loose. You might meet up with Rachel though... she freezes time, so she's perfect for assassination jobs like this. Of course, time is only frozen for as long as the ice cube she uses is... most of them have little failsafe’s like that. In case they turned on us, we know their weaknesses."
Raven nodded. "I don't honestly know my own," she admitted.
"Don't worry they don't all have them. They should... the first twenty-five or so do. But the others... well I'm not really sure what happened. Sharon won't tell me. But things changed, and they're a lot more powerful than they should be. There were powerful ones before that, but the more powerful the gifted the bigger the failsafe was... like Rachel. She can do a lot more than freeze time.. her power is pretty hard to explain. But she needs ice for everything, so she has to carry a cooler around wherever she goes. Take that away, she's powerless. But the last several.... I don't know what Gifted was thinking, creating powers like that without failsafe’s built in."

Raven shrugged and kept quiet. She didn't want to speak badly about Gifted in front of someone who seemed to think well of her, but she thought the answer was pretty obvious. She was thinking she didn't want the rebels to win. "Yeah... Where was Ralios last seen?"
"Somewhere in this city... hang on, I'll call them back as soon as I tell Sharon what's going on." She darted out the door, and came back in less than a minute. "Yup, she's cool with it. kay hang on." She clapped twice and the screen came down again. "LoDiCS system online. Establish online connection one."
"Please state your contact."
"Panemian Royal Police Command."
"Well?" the head of the PRP said when he answered.
"Sharon's cool with it. Also we found another gifted. She's bulletproof and wants to help."
"Bulletproof isn't going to be worth squat against Ralios, Celina."
"Maybe not against Slow Burn, but she's probably the only one with a chance of surviving Fiend Fire. And Flash Fire probably wouldn't even have an effect."
"...You have a point." He allowed. "Alright, but don't blame me if she gets killed. Ralios was sighted coming out of a clothing store on the corner of Det and Den. According to the person who called her in, she's wearing a lot of makeup and dyed her hair blonde, but other than that looks pretty much the same."
"Good, shouldn't be too difficult then with a reference point."
"Over and out." he hung up.
"Det and Den are less than ten minutes from here. I can get you Ralios's mug shot if you need a visual reference." Celina said.
"That would be helpful, thank you," Raven said, nodding. "So what is Ralios' power?"
"Um... the simplest answer would be a darkness and fire combo, but that's not really accurate." She sighed. "Ralios has a power that works slightly differently than most. Her powers only work for six different attacks, and only function as attacks. Slow Burn is by far the most dangerous... if you hear her say that, run. If you get hit with Slow Burn, you will be cooked from the inside out. Nobody's ever been hit with it and survived.
Fiend Fire is hotter than regular fire, but catches on things the same way. Creatures made entirely of fire come out of it... never very big ones, lizards and very small dragon like things... they’re too hot to look at. They will spit fire at you, and surround you and try to lock you in. How many of them there are depends on how big the fire gets, but there generally aren't more than two or three.
Burn Out you don't need to worry about, it's a defense mechanism. It fries any attack using powers that are stronger than Ralios's, but Ralios is the most powerful gifteds ever made, so it's kind of unhelpful and doubtful she'll use it.
Flash Fire moves under the speed of a bullet, but not by much. A super-speed gifted much just barely be able to outrun it. It will engulf you in seconds, however it will also go out in seconds and shouldn't leave any more pain than a sunburn would. It’s doubtful she’ll use it as she hates weak powers.
The other two are called Shadow Burn and Incinerator, but nobody's ever seen them used, so we don't really know what they'll do."
Raven nodded. "They sound scary, that's for certain. Any tips?"
"I'm not really sure... I didn't think Gifted would actually create Ralios, even though she said Ralios had a failsafe... we've never found it." She shook her head. "Don't get Slow Burned and don't get cornered by the Fire Fiends."

"Got it. And you said you could dodge slow burn?"
"Theoretically, you could dodge anything but Flash Fire. She has to speak the names aloud to activate them."
"That's good. How are we getting her out of the public eye?"
"That... I don't know. If you see Rachel ask her. She's got white-blonde hair, and her face is covered in scars. You'll know her if you see her, trust me." She laughed.
Raven nodded. "Alright. Thanks."
"No problem. Good luck!" Celina said, smiling.
"I'll probably need it," Raven joked, and left towards the clothing store.
Just as you got there, a girl with long blonde hair turned around a corner near the end of the street and disappeared from sight.
Remembering the bit about dyed hair, Raven followed.
The hair was the exact length and style Ralios's had been. She was wearing a pink tank top and white short shorts and didn't appear to have seen you. She was walking out of the busiest part of town. Raven decided to trail her, hoping to catch her completely alone.
She led Raven into one of the worst parts of town, with no one around but homeless people and other down-on-their-luck or shady types. The way she was dressed, she certainly didn't look like she belonged here. She was heading (Though Raven wouldn't know it) back to the hotel room to check on Gifted, as it was her lunch break, and Gifted still hadn't recovered enough to go back to work. She was completely unaware she was being followed.
Raven didn't wait for her to notice. "Ralios!"
Arianna froze. Nobody had called her by that name in...
She slowly turned her head.
And realised it was just Vixie. "Vixie!" She sighed in relief. "Don't scare me like that. Besides, we're in public. Did you forget my alias?" She began walking over, totally unconcerned with a smile on her face.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Ralios." Raven had her hand on her gun. "How do you know who I am?"
Arianna stopped dead in her tracks and she suddenly looked concerned. "You... You worked with my 'sister' on a case... you know... Sara?" This was becoming a very dangerous situation. Arianna didn't think it safe to say Gifteds real name. Plus, she'd never been told Vixie was Raven. I was in no fit state to keep her updated on stuff.
"I don't know who you're talking about, you really should stop talking."
Arianna backed away slowly, looking very scared. She asked the question she dreaded, one she felt she already knew the answer to. "...Why are you looking for me?"
"Because you're dangerous and you've killed people, Ralios."
At these words, a tear came into Arrianna's eye. She knew she'd never survive this encounter if she didn't get out now. And, because they didn't know about Leia, there was only one scenario in her mind that could've led to this. "Vivian got a hold of you," She whispered. "She must've ordered you to block it out..." she backed up another step. "Vixie, I am very, very sorry for this. But I have to protect my ''sister''." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pointed her palm at the ground between them. "Flash fire!"
In the second it took the bright red flames to shoot along the ground to Raven, Arianna turned and began running away.
Raven leaped back. Indestructible or not, she didn't want her clothes to burn off. When it burned out, she started running after Arianna, pulling her gun as she did so. She didn't shoot, though, as she didn't trust she could make it.
Arianna, terrified, shot Flash Fire's back at random. When Raven was hit by one, it would go up her too quickly to burn her clothes off, they'd just end up singed.
Raven shot at her, not caring if she missed.
Arrianna was hit in the leg and went down. A few strung out junkies were watching, but as Arinna shouted for their help, not a single one moved. She reached into her pocket for something... two twenty dollar bills. "Someone," she choked. "Anyone... tell Sara... tell Sara to move on..." She couldn't walk, nevermind run on that leg. Finally one of the junkies ran over, took the money and left, though whether or not he was actually gonna do as she asked was anyone’s guess.
"We'll find your assistant too, if she causes trouble," Raven said, glaring. She didn't wait for Arianna to answer before shooting her in the head.
Arianna had nothing to defend herself and died instantly.
Raven went back to Sharon's palace with a positive report. "You got her? That's great!" Celina cried, a big smile on her face. "Finally!"
"Now we just have to catch Gifted." the PRP boss said with a sly smile.
Raven nodded. "She kept talking about someone named Sara."
"Sara?" Celina repeated.
"That's a fairly common name... it'll be difficult to narrow down suspects from just that. Still, we'll see what we can do"
"This was amazing help, thanks a lot, Vixie!" Celina grinned.
Raven smiled. "Sure thing. I don't like murderers."
Celina laughed. "Nobody does, do they?"


"Sara?"
I flinched at the unfamiliar, male voice. I'd stopped crying (for now) but I hadn't left the bed in two days.
"Sara White?" The drawling way he spoke made me think he either was badly faking a Southern accent or high on something. I looked over to him, seeing his fingers clutching tightly around two twenty dollar bills. He noticed my face.
"Woah..."
Arianna had washed the makeup off my face, so I knew he recognized me. But it wasn't hard to come up with an explanation. "Are you tripping on something?"
"huh?"
"Are. you. high on something. You're staring at me like you just saw a ghost."
"Oh, oh yeah, must be... yeah. Anyway, you Sara White?"
"That's me."
"Lu paid me forty bucks to come tell you somethin'"
"Okay...then spill"
"She said to like, move on before she got shot."
"She got shot!?" I sat bolt upright. No... no, it couldn't be...
"Yeah, she was runnin from this chick man, 'n' she got shot in the leg, 'n' then she told me ta come tell you to move on before the chick who was chasin' her blew her brains out." I couldn't believe he was so calm... I felt as though my brain were working in slow motion. I wished Raven was here. She'd know what to do.
"Anyway, yeah, I did what she paid me to do, now I'm gonna go chill. Later." he waved and walked out.
Grief didn't come. I knew I was in shock, that it would cripple me in time, but right now I was just numb. Knowing I had to follow Arianna's last wish, I got up and went to the bathroom to reapply my makeup mask.
Half an hour later I was at the police station with a letter of resignation. I walked in and handed it to Officer Wong "I'm sorry, Officer Wong... I'm just not cut out for this job."
"You're resigning?" Officer Wong was shocked.
I nodded."Vixie seems to be an extremely talented and competent officer, and she's handled the stress much better than I ever could. But what happened the other day... I can't get it out of my head. I thought I could handle this job... but I guess I was wrong. I'm sorry for wasting your time, Officer Wong." I handed him my uniform as well.
"If you truly feel that way." Officer Wong nodded. "Have a good day, Sara."
"You too. I'll forever respect what you people do here. It’s something I could never deal with." I walked out. We had just over $300 saved. That wasn't enough to buy a good boat, but I would have to try anyway. I needed out of the country now, before I could drag another friend down with me. I hadn't left Raven a note this time. I was better off without her.

That night, Raven went back to the hotel. She was glad she still remembered her bank details, otherwise she would have been screwed forgetting where she lived. How did that happen, anyway?

Adam was never seen by the people anymore. It had been rare after Raven's death, but after a failed assassination attempt, it just didn't happen anymore. No one could really blame him, but they resented him anyway. He still hadn't opened the ports, and he didn't seem to care that people were suffering for it. Lynn had returned to work, though she didn't work nearly as much. She'd gotten her own apartment, close to the docks. It was a quiet place now, in a way it had never been before. Even at night, it used to have had a quiet buzz about the place. Now it seemed deserted.
Joan was really starting to worry about Raven. She hadn't come home last night, and when Joan herself had gone in she found raven had never checked in at work, either. She was worried enough to go to Celinavile... except for the fact she was a fourteen year old girl and couldn't drive. Even Nicholas was only just getting his license. She couldn't get the cops involved, not considering this was more than likely some gifteds doing. Couple that with the fact Rick had called her earlier to inform her he and raven had made plans and she'd never shown up, and joan was certain. She would WALK to Celinaville if she had to, if raven didn't show up by tomorrow morning. She stayed up all night, so she'd be awake if raven walked in the door.
Raven wasn't going to come home, but she was going to spend all the next day looking for her car.
The next morning, as the sun rose, Joan packed several meals and about a gallon of water for her walk. She left promptly at seven in the morning, and began walking the seven hours to Celinaville, wishing it was Ricks day off so he could drive her.

I had never owned a car other than the police car. Arianna had rented us one, but I had to send that back as I would have to ditch it. There were no bus systems that went from Celinaville to the Capital, but I didn't necessarily need to go there, just to a port city. So I got on a bus to Venus's busiest port city, Wright.
Raven searched all day, starting where she'd woken after her memories were wiped. After a few hours she considered filing a stolen vehicle report. Finally towards midday, she found it. "Thank god," she muttered. She had never been so happy to see a bit of technology.
It was two when Joan arrived in Celinaville. Knowing already that the place was a tourist trap, she went into one of the little shops she knew would be around and purchased a brochure which, as she'd suspected, had a map inside. That'd save her a lot of aimless wandering. First stop was the police station, where Raven was supposed to be working... on Friday. Still, it was a good place to start.
She learned from Officer Wong that Raven had completed her Friday shift, handed in her report and left, nothing unusual. But he offered to locate Ravens cruiser. Joan was relieved and thanked him for his help, and she got the car location in less than ten minutes. In another twenty she was there.
Raven had driven back to the hotel, intending to stay one more day before she went back to the capital. After all, it wasn't as though she had anything better to do. As far as she knew, anyway.
Joan went up to the front desk and asked for Vixie de Buren's room. Then she went upstairs to her room and knocked, really hoping Raven was actually in there.
Raven was just getting ready to leave and she opened the door. "Can I help you?" she asked, clearly confused.
"Raven! Thank heaven, you had us worried sick!" Joan was so relieved Raven looked perfectly fine... a little sunburnt maybe, but that was no big deal. "Why didn't you come home? You could've at least called... or y'know, answered my calls." She'd been so worried Leia had got her...

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about," Raven said. "I don't know you."
"What are you talking about? You adopted me, for crying out loud. We've been living together! How could you.... wait a second. Well, F*ck. Leia got to you didn't she?" Joan sighed. "Of course, how would you know if she did, you wouldn't remember it." Joan sighed. How was she supposed to get Raven to trust her long enough to get Rick over here?

Raven was more than a little weirded out. "Would you please leave? And wait a minute. How did you know my name?"
Alright, this is bad... think, Joan, think. Dammit, Rick could talk his way outta this, why can't I? Course he wouldn't need to, but still...
Okay, so Raven's just like John and Kenny were... wait. When it happened, John noticed, and Kenny sure as F*ck noticed... Hasn't Raven noticed?
"My name is Joan Wenkeling," She hoped to get a tiny bit of mileage out of her new hero status by giving her name... make it easier for Raven to trust her. She might as well work with what she's got. "I'm working with the Panemian Royal Police to fix the damage done by a top-secret group of people we call 'gifteds'. I know you've been having memory problems." She tried to think of a memory that would definitely be removed. Well.... she'd be stupid not to erase herself. "Think about it... do you even remember why you came to Celinaville in the first place?"

Raven scowled. "I know about gifteds," she replied.
"Well you should, seeing as you are one." Joan grinned. "Look.... this stuffs not exactly for public ears if you catch my drift. Can we discuss it inside?" She looked around nervously. She hated lying to Raven, but if it had to be done to bring back her memories, then Joan could do it.

"I know it isn't. You could leave..."
"You don't want your memory back? I have a friend who can help you, Raven. I've just got to give him a call. You used to know him, but if Leia's got any brains she'll have erased him too. But again, not exactly the place to be talking about this. The PRP will have my ass. I'm not going to hurt you... I want to help. If I wanted to hurt you it would've happened already, because you're not the only gifted at this party." She smirked. "I'm just glad I found you in one piece."
"You couldn't hurt me if you tried." Raven let her in.
"....Actually, you're probably right about that one. You’re indestructible, I forgot." Joan laughed and shut the door behind her. She then pulled out her phone and dialed. "Hey Rick? Yeah, hey. How quick can you get to Celinaville? ...Well, it's kind of a long story... yes, yes I did find her. ...Well, she's better in one way, worse in another." Joan sighed. "She's physically unharmed, but half her memories gone. Yes, just like John and Kenny. She must have been stupid and played Leia and pulled a diamond. Oh please Rick, can't you handle pulling an all-nighter just once? ...Ha ha, very funny. So you coming or not? No, because I walked here and Raven doesn't remember me so I doubt she trusts me enough to get a ride from her. Yeah, fine. Yes, I walked seven hours, how does that surprise you? Okay, fine. See you in a few hours" She hung up. "He'll be here in four, he has to finish something up." She sighed.
Raven crossed her arms. "How do I know I can trust you?"
"...Well.... Someone else might say my reputation, but I don't stand with that. After all, you and I both know how wrong a persons reputation can be." She paused. "Or do you? I wonder if she hasn't taken her from you too... this is going to be bloody difficult." She sighed. "Anyway, I'd say... I know you. I knew you were out in Celinaville, and I knew something had happened. I know you as Raven and not as Vixie. And my only power isn't anything that could be used to do what's been done to you, so the only other possibility, being that I'm the one who did this to you in the first place, doesn't work either. And if you want proof of what my power is, I can show you" She raised a hand, and a pillow from the bed flew into it. "Telekinesis. Moving things with my mind. That's what I can do." She tossed it back to the bed and it laded perfectly the way it'd been before. "Not the most original power, but definitely one of the most helpful."
"One of the most lazy," Raven muttered conspiratorially.
Joan laughed. "Hey now," she said "I'm a fourteen year old girl, you think I can overpower someone with muscle strength?"
"It's not like we wrestle to determine our wars," Raven replied.
"True, but I've also got to handle little one-on-one things like this, or facing any other gifted. Or heck, just one dude with a gun while I'm unarmed. Or Even a bunch of dudes with guns while I'm unarmed. I'm versatile."
"It's still the laziest power in the world."
"Oh yeah like I got to pick. Besides, it's also the one that fits most every situation. Sure, you're indestructible, but how does that help you on offense?"
"I wander around until I find a weapon. It's not like I have any shortage of options. I could put my finger in their gun and make it explode or something," Raven said.
"...I wonder if that would work..." She said, amused. "It'd be funny as heck, I'll say that much. As long as you're not the poor sucker holding the gun."
"Yeah it would," Raven said, snickering.
"So what've you been doing these last two days? It's been your days off, and obviously you didn't go home. They say you never left the station till the end of your shift on Friday, but if I had to guess 'd say you went in after Leia afterwards and she blew that entire day. But there's no way you've been unconscious for three days."
"I went and spent a day with Celina."
"Oh wow! She must've really liked you to spend the whole day with you. Celina usually never sticks around for more than an hour or two. Not since her last best friend was such a disaster." Joan shrugged.
"I helped her with a gifted problem," Raven replied.
Joan was surprised. "So they found one, then? Ruby, I hope. Cristel would be pleased."
“Ralios.”
At the word, Joan grew very pale. Her voice was surprisingly steady considering how she looked when she asked. "What did you do to her? Arrest her?"
"No, she would have just escaped again. I shot her."
There was a several second silence. Joans face lost what little colour it had left. "Well... I guess that answers the question of whether you remember her or not." she whispered.
She and I are going to try to escape the country. The words echoed in Joans mind. Gifted had no powers and bound Arianna was her only line of defense. A crappy line of defense, and a ticking time bomb, but a line of defense nonetheless.

"I remember her just fine. She's a convict."
"You remember her reputation, sure. She's one of the most dangerous, powerful gifteds ever created and killed two people, sure. But do you really think she'd exist without a failsafe built in?"
"Do I care what Gifted decided to do? She was stupid and selfish," Raven snapped.

Joan facepalmed. "You only remember what the public knows about them. You and I know there's more to the story. And as for Arianna, as she was one of the most powerful gifteds, she also had one of the most powerful failsafes. After the second body was found she was bound... I'm sure you noticed blue bands around her wrists, ankles and neck? When bound, everything that made her a threat is stripped away. She won't do anything against any morals. She becomes almost the complete opposite of what she used to be. Even if she didn't, the bindings also lock away all her power but Burn Out and Flash Fire. She couldn't have hurt you if she wanted too."

"Sure, self-defence. That's not surprising, especially considering who she's protecting. But it’s not like Flash Fire does any real damage. " Joan shrugged.
"Whatever. She still killed people."
Joan just shook her head, deciding she wasn't even going to bother.
"How would you get my memories back?"
"I can't do anything, my friend Rick can. He was the first gifted ever successfully created, and his power is to negate other powers. Total reset button. Any power someone is using on you will be instantly removed...so will your normal power, but it'll return as soon as he pulls his shield back. So there'll be no harm done in the end. He's helped a lot of people." Joan said honestly.
Raven nodded. "Okay. Fine."
About two and a half hours later, there was another knock on the door. Joan got up to open it and rick was standing there, looking worried. "I got a speeding ticket," he said. "But I made it."
"Rick, you didn't need to rush here and get a speeding ticket." Joan said. "It's not like anyone is in danger."
"Where is she?" Rick asked, changing the subject.
"In the other room." Joan answered, pointing. Rick nodded and went into the room where raven was. "Raven," he said, smiling. "You would not believe how worried we were about you." Then he activated his power, and the memories cut from Raven came back in a second.
"Stop-" Raven started, but then she remembered that they did know her. With horror she realized she'd killed Gifted's friend, someone that wouldn't hurt a fly. She held her head in her hands.
"....you okay?" Joan sounded really worried for her. Rick didn't understand the problem, but then he didn't know about Arianna.
Raven shook her head. "No, I shot her... Gifted was depending on her. Dammit."
"It wasn't your fault." Joan said, trying to comfort her.
"She wasn't even fighting back, she just wanted someone to let Gifted know to run." Raven shook her head. "I shot her..."
Joan came over and put her arm around Raven. "You didn't know." She said. "For all you knew, she could've burned you to a crisp with a glance. It was not your fault."
"I should have..."
"No. Don't even start with that." Joan said. "You start tormenting yourself with should-haves and could-haves you're going to turn yourself into a nervous wreck. There wasn't anything you could have done. Now come on, we've got to go home, we both have work in the morning."
"I should've waited for Rick... They have Cristel."
"They've got Cristel?" Joan was shocked. "Are you sure?" It was true she hadn't spoken to Cristel in a while... but she didn't know where Cristel lived, or her phone number, so she hadn't been worried.
Raven nodded. "Another girl was there, she was playing for Cristel's freedom, but she drew the spade."
Joan swore. "I knew not finding Cristel when we learned about Vivian was bad idea."
"So should we go hunt them down?" Rick asked.
"If they're even still in the same place." Joan pointed out.
"I don't think they doubt their abilities enough to leave their hideout."
"Then let's go!" Joan said. "It's late, we'll catch them off guard."
"I dunno about that, but there's no danger from Vivian or Leia with my power." Rick said. "I'm game."
Raven nodded. "Let's go before they can hurt someone else," she agreed.
Joan and Rick nodded.

When Raven got them back to the alleys, the path had changed again, but it was fairly easy to navigate. When they got close, a voice came from their left.
"Well that didn't buy us as much time as Leia thought it would."
Vivian stepped from the shadows.
"Who the heck are you?" Joan asked, on the defensive
"I'm known as Vivian. Though your friend already knew that." She nodded at Raven. "What're you doing here, then? Don't tell me you came to ask Leia for a rematch?"
"We're not playing this time," Raven intoned softly.
"I should think not. Queen would never agree to it." Vivian looked pointedly at Rick. "But then why are you here?"
Raven smiled. "You'll see," she mumbled. "Let's go."
"Answer. The. Question." Vivian snapped. With her power unusable, she was fast losing her patience and the collected demeanor she so often portrayed.
Raven smirked. "I don't think I will."
"Look, you can tell me why you're here or I can use one of my many copies placed all over the city to wake up Ruby. None of us may be able to use our powers against you, but Ruby could still beat you with her knife and I don't care if you've got a gun." Vivian snapped.
Rick laughed a hollow laugh. "Ruby couldn't even beat me in a knife fight, and she'd be taking on all three of us. A cop, an army general, and have you forgotten what happened when I was in prison?" He raised his hand and showed his scar.
"Wait... that actually happened?" Joan was shocked.
"I was still having trouble controlling my temper."
"...Wow. I thought that was a story made up for the media."
"Nope."


Vivian glared, her leverage lost. "...If you tell me what you're here for, I may just be able to help you out. The others are asleep, they'll never know." It wasn't true, but she doubted she'd get caught in that lie.
That was something Raven finally recognized about Vivian. "Why would you help us?" she asked, honestly wondering.
"Well... it could work out to my advantage." Vivian smirked. "And I never pass up an advantage."
"Yes, but you also never hesitate to lie for what you want. So how do you think we could help you?"
"Oh, please. I know your type. If something you do help me get what I want, you'd sooner scrap the whole thing than help me get away with my plans. So I won't be telling you that much. But if your old pal Gifted ever told you anything about me, then you'll know I'll change sides on a whim and work loyally for as long as it suits me. So I don't see how you've got a helluva lot to lose, here."
"Fine then. We're here for Cristel, and the Queen. Though I guess even if you did turn against us, you couldn't do much with no weapon." Raven crossed her arms.
"Cristel? Ha. You're a little late. Cristel up and escaped 'bout three or four hours ago. See, Queen thought Cristel would be compliant if she had nowhere else to go, so she erased everyone Cristel ever knew except the three of us. Her friends, her family... Cristels all alone out there. But she was resilient. Despite what we did, still she tried her best, and actually succeeded on getting out of here. Ruby was pissed. We only just got back from looking for her twenty minutes ago... no luck."
Raven scowled. "And how would we know that's the truth?" she muttered.
"Go down there and look, I don't care. Just don't wake the two of them. If Ruby got the better of you with that knife of hers I'm deader than the criminal you shot in the head today." She smirked.
Raven punched her in the jaw and stalked off towards the tunnel.
Vivian dodged it easily and watched with a smirk on her face as a pissed-off Raven went inside. Joan threw her a dirty look and she and Rick followed Raven inside.
Leia and Ruby were asleep in a room just behind the main one, on a dusty old mattress. There was a little bit of blood in the opposite corner of the room, and a single shoe. It definitely wasn't something Ruby, Leia or Vivian would wear... it was a big heavy skater shoe that wouldn't go with anything any of these three would wear.
At the foot of the bed was Leia's deck of cards, separated neatly into five piles.
Raven went automatically to the cards and tried to pick them up.
A little bit of what seemed to be dye came off on Ravens fingers. Where her fingers were stained by the dye there was a slight stinging pain, but Raven appeared to be fine.
Raven scowled but ignored it. She would burn these later. "Queen."
Leia didn't move... but Ruby did. Apparently a light sleeper... or perhaps her power just registered a much larger increase in noise than there actually was (as three more people walked into the room, that's three more minds and her power doesn't shut off)She groaned and raised her hand to rub her eyes.
"We were anticipating you to leap to your feet with that knife," Raven said with a smirk.
Ruby opened her eyes. "Huh... Viv?" It took a minute before she could see clearly. When she did she let out a cry of fear and jumped to her feet. She reached to her pocket for her knife, on the defensive, only to find it wasn't there. "Leia you bitch," She muttered, now scared she would have to fight completely unarmed.
"Actually, Leia didn't take it, I did." Vivian said from behind them.
"It wouldn't do you any good anyway. There's no way I'd let Rick cover me while you were coming at me with a knife," Raven replied. "Give up now and we won't have to hurt you before we handcuff you."
Ruby tensed, trying to find a way out of this. Vivian laughed. "Don't burst a blood vessel, Rubes. Here." She tossed the knife, and it flew over Joans shoulder.
Ruby could have caught it easily. Instead she hit it with the back of her hand. It changed trajectory and stuck into Rick's arm. He cried out in pain and was shocked at how quickly she'd been able to do that.
"Wow, Ruby, that was good even for you." Vivian smirked.
"It sucked." Ruby snapped. "I was trying to kill him. It landed far too low and was off to the left by like half a foot." Before anyone could react Ruby dove under the bed. The rest of her knives, none as good as the one she'd just lodged in Ricks arm but all decent tools for her to work with, were all under here, and she grabbed three, putting two in her pockets before darting out with the third one ready to fight.
"Good. And as for me..." Vivian pulled out a gun and pointed it at the back of Ricks head. "Ravens the only one of you three armed or impervious to bullets.
Now, you said you wanted the Queen. Take her and welcome. But Ruby and I are getting out of this unharmed."
"So, what, you'll double-cross her but not me?" Ruby demanded.
"Oh please, Rubes. Leia's already done her part of the plan. She's nothing but dead weight now. Besides, her time is up."
"It is?" Ruby looked surprised, and started counting back the days to herself. "Oh wow, you're right. Her time was up ten minutes ago." She giggled.
Vivian nodded. "For someone whose entire life depends on the tick of the clock, she sure is surprisingly lapse at keeping her own time." She looked down at the sleeping Leia, with a dark smile on her face. "Poor little girl is going to be so traumatised when she wakes up. Oh, well. Not our problem."
"Fair enough. With one exception. I'm sticking something in her arm for that," Raven said, gesturing towards Rick. "You can choose whether it’s a knife or a bullet."
"Don't you touch me." Ruby snapped.
"I wouldn't test me on this, Raven." Vivian said, gesturing to her own gun.
"Wait, what did you mean before, about time?" Joan demanded.
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough."
"Don't test me, Vivian. She stuck a knife in his arm, now I'm sticking something in hers. You pull that trigger and you'll have a bullet in your brain before you can think about using your power."
"Let it go," Rick muttered. "I'll be fine."
"...But you'll also lose a friend. You willing to risk that?" Vivian smirked.
"Fine then. Run along," Raven snapped, glaring at them.
Ruby smirked. "I'll be taking my knife back," She yanked it out of Ricks arm before he could stop her, and she giggled and the two of them darted off into the night.
"Patch that up before you lose too much blood," Raven commanded and went to Leia. She nudged her with the toe of her shoe, but she didn't think that the girl could fight back without her power, so she didn't bother drawing the gun.
"With what, genius?" Rick said. he was using his shirt sleeve to put pressure on the wound, but they didn't have much else.
Leia squirmed slightly. Joan, having quite enough of this, went over and shook Leia's shoulder roughly.
Leia pushed Joan's and away and rubbed her eyes, finally waking up.
"Get up," Raven told her, then addressed Rick again. "Tear something if you have to."
Leia got to her feet wearily. "Who're you? Where am I?" She asked, looking very confused. She noticed Joan and gasped. "General Wenkeling?"
"You know why we're here, Queen. Don't start."
"Wh-what are you-? Where's my mom? And my daddy? Where are we?" She looked close to tears.
Raven realized what they must have meant by time being up. "You were kidnapped, sweetie. We're here to help." She cursed herself for it, but she still couldn't believe that children could be harmful, even after adopting Joan.
Leia gasped. "Oh no... not again." she sank to her knees and put her head in her hands.
"Again?" Joan was skeptical, but asked despite this.
Leia nodded. "I was kidnapped when I was six... why can't I remember this time? ...I'm scared..."
"I'm not sure sweetie, but you seem to be alright. Come on, we'll take you with us until we can find your parents."
"I know how to contact them." Joan said, and left the room to go do so.
Leia nodded, looked up at you with a scared expression and took your hand.
Raven squeezed it reassuringly. "Rick I'll drive you to the hospital if you want," she offered.
"Thanks." Rick said. He didn't trust this girl, and probably never would. But there didn't seem to be anything he could do, and so long as she wasn't harming anything... hopefully her parents could keep an eye on her.
Raven went to the car and opened Rick's door for him.
"Are we going to see my mommy again?" Leia asked, looking around at the city at night like she'd never seen it before.

Rick got in the car, his shirt already covered in his blood.

Leia finally noticed and looked horrified. "Wh-what happened to him? Is he gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, he'll be okay." Hopefully. "Your kidnappers hurt him. Joan? I'm taking Rick to the hospital."
Joan was on the phone. "Hang on." she held the phone away from her and addressed you. "Do you even know where the Celinavile hospital is?"
"I think I saw it yesterday.... Do you?"
"No, but I have a map of the city." She handed over the brochure. "That'll make finding it a lot easier. I'll meet you there with her parents." she went back to the phone. "Kay I'm back."
Raven quickly looked and then hopped in the car. "How are you feeling Rick?" she asked as she started to drive.
"I'm fine. Let's just get there." he said. Leia was in the back seat, kicking nervously at Ravens seat like kids do.
Raven managed to ignore it. "Let me know if you start to feel faint, I'll turn on the lights."
"I'm fine." He was watching Leia out of the corner of his eye. If she's not telling the truth, then that kid is one helluva actress. He thought to himself as he watched her fidget and kick Ravens seat nervously.

Raven got to the hospital without a hitch and quickly got Rick into the ER.
Leia sat next to Raven and waited. "Is he gonna be okay?"
"Yes, he'll be okay. Don't worry." Raven smiled. "We've got good doctors and they know how to help him. How are you doing?"
"Not good... Miss... why don't I remember what they did to me?" Leia asked desperately, staring at Raven like she had an answer.
"I don't know, honey. Do you feel okay?" Raven asked. Now that Rick was taken care of, Leia was her top priority. Her mind was already coming up with explanations for getting Leia help she needed if not for her sake then for others.
"Yes but... but that's what's so scary." She said, biting her lip and looking down.
"What do you mean?"
"Well last time I... last time I was kidnapped, when I was six... she made me so I couldn't think straight. I was.... wrong." She struggled to find the words she needed to explain herself. "Mommy and daddy were scared... but the therapist lady said it was normal, after what they'd made me go through. But I don't feel that way this time... I don't even remember what they did. Or what they look like. If what happened before was normal, how come it hasn't happened now? What's wrong with me this time?"
"You might have forgotten because you were so scared. That's normal too, sometimes. We'll make sure someone finds out what's wrong, and with time you should remember," Raven said. Hardly any of that was true, but it very well could have been.
Her eyes lit up. "You really think so? So there's nothing wrong with me?" She asked.
"No, you'll be as good as new with some help," Raven said.
Leia hugged her. "Oh, thank you miss."
Just then, Joan walked in with two adults.
"Mom! Dad!" Leia cried when she saw them. She ran over and hugged her mother, smiling brightly.
"Leia! I'm so happy to see you're all right!" Her mother hugged her, crying.
"Leia told me this has happened before," Raven said softly. "I think you need to keep a better eye on your daughter."
"We have been trying to." Her father sounded distraught, and her mother was still too busy with her to notice the question. "She was playing in the backyard, and I was watching her through the kitchen window while making dinner. I was cutting up onions and happened to cut my finger so naturally I looked down and the cut and went to the sink to wash it... when I came back she was g-gone." His voice broke on the last word. "I'm just so relieved she's back now."
Raven sighed. "I believe she has multiple personalities, sir."
"What? But that doesn't make any sense!" He protested. "We had her seeing a therapist for months after that last time, and she said leia was completely fine, there were no long term problems caused by the incident other than a few bad things she'd learned that we quickly taught her were not okay! She's supposed to be normal." His voice broke on the last word and he started to cry.
"This is not the end of the world and you are not a child. There is no way to determine if a child has multiple personalities until you see them yourself or that child gets older. Often times it goes undiscovered for years passed off as simple forgetfulness. There are treatment options now start acting like the father your daughter needs," Raven snapped.
He dried his eyes, ashamed he'd started to cry. He just couldn't help it. He wanted so badly for his daughter to live a normal, happy life. "You're right...." He said "But how do you know this? We've never noticed anything different about her..."
"She had no idea where she'd been or what she'd been doing since she was at your house. She fought us at the start, then she just stopped, asked where she was and what was going on," Raven said.
The father nodded. "I'll make sure she gets to see another psychiatrist." he nodded, then crouched down to his daughters level. She hugged him, too.

"I don't know if this is really touching, or really disturbing." Joan muttered to you.
Raven shrugged. "Whatever, hopefully she's taken care of." She sat back down.
Joan nodded.
About two hours later, long after Leia and her family had left, Rick came out. His arm was tightly bandaged but he was allowed to leave. "Hey," he said casually, not happy he'd made them worry about him.
Joan just smiled. "Let’s just go home. If we're lucky we'll get there before the sun rises."
They got back just as the sun was rising. "I'll see you guys sometime in the future." Rick waved and drove home in his own car.

I sat on the dock alone in Wright as the sun rose higher and higher. It was funny... I'd seen multiple sunsets but never a proper sunrise... there were always trees in the way. Watching the sky turn gold and pink, I began softly singing a song I'd had stuck in my head for the last day and a half.
Tell me where our time went, and if it was time well spent. Just don't let me fall asleep, feeling empty again.
It wasn't Evanescence, so I suppose it was an improvement. Even still, it was hardly healthy that it seemed to mirror my mind so exactly.
I can feel the pressure, it's getting closer now. We're better off, without you.
There was no way Raven would find me here. I hadn't left a note or any sort of communication. I had changed my alias again, and never left a paper trail. What's more, I doubted Raven knew this town existed. I would not drag her into my mess.
Now that I'm losing hope, and there's nothing else to show, for all of the days that we spent, carried away from home.
I was alone. My last friend had fallen. It was time to go on my own now.
Some things I’ll never know.... and I had to let them go. I'm sitting all alone, feeling empty.
I rose to my feet and went into the wharf. I knew where to find a shady sailor who would sell me a slim speedboat, powerful enough to get where I wanted to go. Maybe for a bit more cash than what we'd managed to make... but I was sure I'd be able to haggle it down to a more reasonable figure.
I can feel the pressure, it's getting closer now. We're better off, without you
No second chances. No goodbyes. I stepped into the old, decrepit warehouse. Funny... this was the only time in my life I'd ever actually believed in destiny.
Feel the pressure, it's getting closer now.
You're better off, without me.


In the craziness of getting her memories back, Raven had let Gifted slip from her mind. As she lay awake, she wondered if Gifted had taken Arianna's advice, and if so, where she'd run to. Raven felt terrible for leaving her alone again, but she didn't have any idea where to find her. After a few hours, Raven called in sick to work, but she just stayed home that day, catching up on her sleep.
Late in the evening I was on my way to Talesworth, lost in thought.
All this time, and look at me. I was a shadow of my former self. I was a wreck. Time was supposed to heal all wounds, wasn't it...? So how come I still didn't feel like me?
Clearly, I needed some help. More than anything, I wanted to do something... something difficult. Something that a year ago I would've done because it was there, because it was the right thing to do. There was nothing in Panem for me, and I'd left Panem behind anyway. But there was nothing else for me anywhere else either... defiantly nothing in Talesworth. Not Amestris, or Rilla, or...
Then I had it. It was stupid and reckless, but it was something I'd do.
"Sorry Crow," I said as I turned the boat sharply in the water. "But I've got a best friends husband to help."


It was really too bad I hadn't stayed in Panem just a few more days. If I had, what unfolded in the early hours of the morning just three days later would have stopped me from leaving at all.
Rick was just getting ready to go out to another town in northern Mercury. He was packing up his clothes when he heard his door bell ring. Confused, he went to the door and was greeted by an old friend.
"Hey! Jared! long-time no see, how've you been?"
Jared shrugged, his face impassive. "Fine. I live in Saturn now."
"Saturn?" That was pretty far. "Wow... say, how'd you find out where I live?"
"You're a good lawyer and the media hears a lot from you. It's not that hard." jared said.
"Right... look, Jared I hate to blow you off after you've come so far, but I've really got to get to Robertson in an hour to speak with the mother of an arsonist, so-"
"Rick, you're gonna have to cancel it... this isn't a social visit." Jared said, biting his lip. "You remember when we were younger, and you were always talking about those conspiracy theories? An you'd always say 'I may be wrong 99 times, but when the hundredth comes around and I'm dead on you'll wish you'd listened to me sooner'?"
"Well sure, but I was like, 12 at the time..." Rick wasn't totally sure where Jared was going with this.
"Well, Rick, here's conspiracy theory number 100." He handed rick a paper he'd brought with him, a printscreen of a site on the internet. Rick only read the title before he dropped it in shock. "You're...you're joking." he choked. Jared shook his head. "I gotta phone Joan and Raven." Rick bolted into the house and dialed Ravens number, all thought of going north completely forgotten. The title of the page burned in his mind.
The 'Gifted' Conspiracy: The TRUTH About the Inner Circle, the Rebellion and the Most massive Coverup of All Time!

Raven picked up. "Hello?" she asked sleepily.
"Raven, are you near a computer? There's something you and Joan both have to see." He was on his own computer, googling the title to find the website Jared had found.
Raven groaned. "What is it?" she threw something at Joan's door as she passed. Guess who's not a morning person?
"Go onto the internet and type in..." There was a pause and Rick swore under his breath. He couldn't believe this was happening. Sure, it starts small now, a stupid conspiracy theory on the net. But things like this always did start small, didn't they?
"mutanttruthmovement.ca"
Raven went to the link as she was told. After a long silence, she said, "There are two ways I can think of to handle this. One is to ignore it and try to keep the site from getting views, and the other is to have it taken down."
"And what, prove them right? A friend of mine bussed across the country to tell me about this because he didn't have my phone number, it's safe to say this is already getting big enough that people will notice if it’s taken down. And how on earth are we supposed to stop it from getting views? If we so much as mention it people will look it up out of morbid curiosity!"
Joan came into the room. "Raven why'd you throw Sh*t at my door? I was trying to sleep."
"Because you don't really need sleep, look at this," Raven replied, motioning. "Well in that case, we'll have to hope for the best."
Joan looked over at the computer and read a few lines off the page. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Fucking Ruby and Vivian!" she snapped angrily.
Obviously, Rick couldn't hear her. "Hope for the best? If this catches on..."
"Let me talk to them." Jared said.
"What? Why?"
"It'll be faster. Plus... I have a few questions I need to ask."
"Jared, what on earth..?"
"Just put him on the phone. It's not like you have anything useful to say," Raven snapped.
"you don't have to be a bitch," Rick muttered, and handed Jared the phone.
"Raven, my name is Jared Ennis. I came from Saturn to show Rick this, and I've actually been following the site almost since it appeared about a month ago. It's already got a fairly large audience in Saturn, particularly in the larger cities. I'd say about one in five people you ask in the city I'm from know about it, and one in three of those people believe it. I'm not sure how the other plenats are reacting to it. Are there any gifteds up there who are also on the police force?"
"There's only one other one I know of, but she's one of mine, not part of the Inner Circle," Raven replied.
"One other?" Jared picked up on the key word.

"I have powers," Raven said. "Why do you ask?"
"And you’re a police officer?" Jared asked. "They added a bit more onto the site only two days go... about a case in Celinaville. Apparently the police there called in an officer from out-of-plenat who found a connection to multiple other killings, found a reliable witness and was well on their way to solving the case... when it was abruptly closed with no conclusion and the partner assigned to the case alongside the out-of-towner went missing two days after the final report was sent in. It's been written off as a case of gifteds protecting one of their own. Obviously, as for those in Saturn Celinaville may as well be on the moon, there's no way for the people there to verify if it's true."
"I was the person who went missing," Raven hissed, angry with herself. "I should have fixed it when I got back."
"Well the whole things just adding fuel to the fire, and closing the investigation was a stupid move. If nothing more happens we should be fine... but the way things are going thus far, I doubt it will just go away."
"It's true," Raven hissed. "My partner fled after her sister was killed, though not by the murderer."
"I don't want to offend you, I’m just trying to point out how far exactly the damage has spread. Most of what was written before could've been passed off as speculation simply because it's been too long since the rebellion... which is both good and bad, but this new story has added two witnesses and proof of a government cover-up."
"I didn't choose to close it I had my memories erased," Raven replied. "If that hadn't happened, my partner wouldn't have gone missing, and we would have caught the person behind it."
"They mentioned a witness on the site. Shannon, it doesn’t give a last name. It just calls her a 'party who benefits greatly from the coverup and existence of these mutants.' Then of course if you turned in a report there’s anyone who read that. Then there’s the missing cop... if they are still alive." Jared explained.
"Is it too late to fix, then?" Raven asked meekly. What would Ruby and Vivian have to gain from this? If it was them, like Joan suspected, anyway. If not, who could know so much?
"Do you have an idea of how we could do it?" Jared said simply.
"I could try to go in and fix the case, which would require bringing up new evidence..."
"So a case gets closed, people find it suspicious the case was closed, so you immediately go and open it again? You don't think that makes you look like you have something to hide?"
"No it makes it look like I found something new," Raven snapped. "I have to get ready for work." She gave the phone to Joan.
"Rick? What the-? oh, hey Jared. How's Heather? Yeah I've been reading it over Ravens shoulder. Ruby and Vivian are behind this, they must be...She's one that Gifted never told us about with this weird compulsion power. I dunno how to explain it better, she can like... make someone want to do what she says. Compulsion. It's way easier to beat than Emeric, more like something Gifted would actually come up with, but still not what she'd actually make... so what've you and Heather been doing about it?" She continued discussing in this way for quite a while.
"Talk to you later," Raven told Joan. "You can call the station if you need me." She left without waiting for Joan's answer.
Joan didn't even bother answering.