A/N: *Drum roll please* I did it, that’s right, I along with my talented sidekick Ana are coming with the sequel to “Troubling Gifts” Yeah, aren’t ya happy? To all my readers, enjoy this new part and watch where the “Gifts” take our Boys. If any are new to this story I suggest to first read “Troubling Gifts” in this section before attempting to read this sequel. When done, must I ask, drop a review, hehe. Till later I’m out and Ana the next chapter is yours! *grins*

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.-Proverbs 18:16, NIV Bible.

**~Chapter One- A Predicament of Offerings~**

He steps out of the taxi and breathes the night air. He hands the driver a tip and waves bye as the taxi pulls away from the front of the house. Gulping, he passes his light chocolate hands through his black unruly curls. He didn’t know how his family would react to seeing him back home. His father was still away working for the military government army. After the destruction of CAPPA, all the surviving employers were transferred to work either in the army or sent to the White House to train soldiers for the top notch air force. Riley steps on to the familiar walk way leading to the front door. He remembered when he was a child, the joy he felt playing here, sitting in the green blades of grass playing with his toys. Now after years of training and his experience with CAPPA the innocence was gone. He wanted a change. A change to escape from the devastating job he once worked in. No longer did he want to kill and the thought of holding a weapon, a gun of any kind disturbed him. He walks through the white gate that surrounds his house, passing the bright green grass at either side of him. The small sprinklers went off at the sound of his footsteps, spraying gentle drops on the green blades. A small mist of the spray hung in the dark air drifting through the soft breeze. Riley smiles, he was back home and he couldn’t wait to hug his mother and siblings.

Ringing the doorbell, he waits patiently for the thick mahogany door to open. He gazes his eyes at the white porch swing at the corner and smiles recalling the times when he was young how his mother would take him on the porch swing and sing him to sleep if he was scared or needed comfort. He remembered his first kiss there with a girl he started dating at thirteen. He remembered his first heart break on that swing as well, when that same girl was using him to get to his friend. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted when the front door opens. Riley smiles and turns to see who answered but to his surprise was met with a pistol in his face. Backing away in sudden fright, Riley drops the book bag with his items in it on the porch and back away to the porch swing. A large muscular light skinned man steps out the house pointing the rifle at Riley. The man’s light pale complexion almost matched the white wife beater he was wearing, his dull light green eyes bore into Riley as he approaches him with the pistol.

Riley felt the fear crawling into him as he backs away, falling onto the porch swing. Riley knew he couldn’t run if he did, there will be others waiting around for him. The man laughs, his gruff appearance looking like one who’s in need of a shave. Riley stares at the small pistol the man is holding and suddenly he feels his breathe caught in his throat when he sees fresh blood stains on the man’s white wife beater.

“What are you doing here?” Riley asks calmly as he raises his hands showing the man he had no weapons.

The man laughs and with the other hand wipes off some blood drops that hung in his black spikes. “I came to finish business.” His thick German accent boomed Riley’s ears.

“What business is that?” Riley asks confused, the fear nagging at his heart but he pushed it away.

“To finish you off by the command of Cyrus. He stated that Roy sent him a message before dying in the hands of those experiments.” The man states: fingering the trigger of the pistol and pushing it into Riley’s forehead.

Riley could feel his heart pick up and he sighs nervously, “Who’s Cyrus?”

The man laughs, “The President of CAPPA, that’s who.”

Riley shakes his head slowly, Cyrus was appointed by Dr. Sanchez before his death to replace the doctor if anything. Riley closed his eyes tightly knowing he forget to kill him. Cyrus was away during the findings of the experiments and survived through luck. Riley knew someone was missing and it was Cyrus. Riley had only met the man twice on occasions when he was sent to deliver some medications and chemicals to him. Cyrus co- owed the business of CAPPA along side the former doctor Sanchez. Both were friends from college who decided their next move would be wise if they maintained a working relationship with one another for CAPPA.

Riley swore under his breath as he feels the trails of sweat appearing on the side of his temples. He was scared and he was unarmed. He would scream but why bother? If he fought he couldn’t stand a chance. Either way the same result would end: death. Riley gazes at the man, “What did you do to my family?”

The man laughs, “They screamed loud before my nice bullet killed them. They were nice too. Too bad. They thought I was coming with news about you. But they were wrong, dead wrong!” The man emphasizes the last words, the German accent making it almost sound like he was talking gibberish to Riley’s ear. Riley knew once you’re in this business you can never get out unless however you die.

Riley sighs as the man the pulls the trigger. Riley had the sweet memories on the porch and along with it he can add his death will take place on the swinging porch. The loud shot echoed in the quiet suburban community as birds flutter and fly to the sky in fear, even they were better off than poor Riley.
~**~

He yawns and leans back on the bus seat. Today marked the last concert of their tour and he was happy for it. He wanted to go home and be with his family. He knows he’ll miss the screaming fans and the dancing and singing, but he needed his rest and touring seemed to have sucked the energy out of him. Since the group’s departure from Washington D.C. after kidnapped, it seemed everyone, the news, media swarmed them with endless questions about their experience, but they all swore that they will not tell a soul about their situation. What can you say about a secret organization that the government had installed. Nothing, and that is what they will say, nothing. If they spoke they fear someone could be after them and they could endanger not only themselves but their families along with the women that helped them get out of the organization. He pulls off his soak sweat yellow t-shirt and throws in on the bus floor.

“Eww, man. That’s gross. Is that how you have your house? Cause I won’t visit.” Brian states, his bright blue eyes glimmering in the yellow lights inside the bus.

Nick shrugs his shoulders and leans back on the soft smooth cool bus seat, “Dude whatever man. I don’t want you over any way.” Nick states smiling.

Brian laughs and throws the sweaty shirt in Nick’s face, “That was a hazardous thing, leaving that nasty shirt on the floor. What if I fell and that was the ground when I landed?”

Nick laughs and flings the shirt off him, “Hey at least you would have something to break your fall.”

“A t-shirt?” Brian asks smirking.

Nick nods and gives him a thumbs-up sign. “Be happy that could have broken your fall and not one of A.J.’s little toys.”

“Hey, hey man. I have no toys.” A.J. states interrupting the laughter between the two, “It called big boy play objects, things one buys for a woman that will… you know.” A.J. states smiling.

Howie enters the back area of the bus where the conversation was talking place and laughs, “That’s real gross A.J. Thanks I’ll sleep well tonight knowing where your mind is.”

A.J. sticks his tongue out, rolling his deep chocolate eyes at Howie, “D, man come on, don’t tell me you don’t own any of those things.”

Howie licks his lower lip softly and blushes, “I, uh, I. Well at least I don’t carry them around, their at home, where they should be. Cause my girlfriend isn’t on the bus.”

Brian and Nick’s mouths drops open, “And to think you know a person. Come to find out something new about our boy here.” Nick states shocked and smiling.

Brian shakes his head, “And to think, I use to look up to you bro and I found out about this. I don’t think I can ever look at you the same way.”

Kevin’s laughter breaks the shocked expressions in the back area of the bus. “You guys are too much.” And he grabs a seat beside Nick and picks up a folded newspaper. Flipping through the pages, he stops and gasps.

“Oh, oh, God guys. Look at this.” Kevin states nervously, holding up a picture of a body covered with a sheet on a stretcher. The name below the picture was what surprised the guys.

“The body of a young man by the name of Riley Atlin was found murdered along with his family at their suburban home. No suspects or witnesses are said to be found at the moment.” Brian read the caption below the picture.

“Oh man. What could that mean? Could someone have been after him. Cause that could mean we’re in danger as well.” Howie whispers, hoping the manager didn’t hear their reaction from the front of the bus.

Kevin shakes his head, “It doesn’t mean anything. The fact that someone was shot, what makes you think it’s the Riley we know. People get murdered everyday, the possibility that the Riley that we know could be the one shot is small. After all we came from the government junk and people could be watching us. But let’s not jump into conclusions. Do any of you guys have Riley’s number, maybe we can call and see where he’s at.” He states smiling, hoping to ease the sudden tenseness that had arise in the room. His emerald eyes were full of joy but in his heart, Kevin was beginning to have doubts and that the picture is the picture of their Riley.

The bus pulls over to a road side and enters a gasoline station. They hear their driver exit the bus to put gas into the bus. After a minute it seems the driver boarded back on the bus and pulls away driving down the busy streets and pulling into a highway.

A.J. raised his eyebrows and poked Kevin in the side, “Yo Kev, I know it don’t take a minute to full up this bus gas tank. And since when do we take a highway after getting off to get to each of our houses.” He states, running his tan colored fingers through his black and blue dyed hair.

Kevin nods his head, “I’ll talk with Jimmy, he might have forgotten we’re getting dropped off at the station, not the airport lobby.” He heads to the front to talk with their driver and a scream is heard from him.

Nick sits up in his seat abruptly as Howie and A.J. rush to the front of the bus.

Brian could feel his heart hammer against his chest as he along with Nick walk to the front of the bus to stop in front of their dead manager and security guard on the floor. A tall muscular bound light skinned man with piercing dark brown eyes and dark jet black hair stands in front of the five men with a rifle pointing in their direction, “Move and I’ll take you out like I did them.” His gruff voice states. “I suggest you stand over there and sit down. We’ll be here for a while. In the order of Cyrus, it looks like we found our Boys. He’ll be happy to see ya.”

The guys do want the man said afraid of dying for no reason with the manic holding the pistol and sit down on the wooden plank floor. Kevin being the eldest of the group remained standing up to see if he can get any information about the man.

Kevin stands there fear etched in his face, “Cyrus? What?”

The man laughs and shoves Kevin to the floor next to the dead corpse of their manager. “Thought you could get away from us. We’re been tracking you for a while now. Since the demise of Sanchez, Cyrus thought he should take the responsibility of getting you and seeing what you’re all about. It’s seems you’re the experiment we were looking for. You guys are the first in human race to develop powers within yourselves. And we’re gonna get to the bottom of this and find out how you did this.”

Nick looks confused and touched Brian on the shoulder, whispering in his ear, “What the heck is this guy talking about? I’m not a freak and neither are the rest of us.”

Howie feels the cell phone on his belt and gazes down at it. If only he could call without the manic noticing.

“The names Edgar, and I pleased to have kidnapped some wealthy people. I don’t know anything about you guys but I heard you’re famous so that means money. So if ya don’t mind pull out your wallets and I’ll see what you got there. Maybe on the way, I can spend it. After all I have a family and I have to feed them.” The man states grinning, holding the rifle. The driver of the bus turns around and laughs and A.J. realizes it was their bus driver they had hired recently for the new leg of the tour.

“Didn’t anyone research him before he took up the job?” A.J. asks quietly.

Howie gulps and nods his head, “Yes, but we’re messing with the government Alex, what can we do? All the info they gave us was useless.”

“And to think we trusted you!” Nick shouts at the driver who’s laughing. The dark caramel complexion of the driver glittered in the hint of light from the bus.

Brian shakes his head softly and tries to calm down an angry Nick. “Don’t give him a reason to pull the trigger.” He whispers to his younger band mate.

“Does it matter? We’re screwed anyway!” Nick shouts again staring at Edgar holding the pistol to Nick’s temple.

“Looks like it’ll be a fun ride up to Washington. Cyrus and the others are waiting to see you Boys. You’re the talk of the company if I should say so myself.” Edgar states eerie quietly.

The guys look at one another confused and shake their heads trying to understand what is happening. Howie closes his eyes and pulls on a strand dark short brown hair on his head. He hopes they won’t die trying to get out of organization again and this time it seems they are in this alone.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

A/N: My co-author wrote Ana wrote this chapter.

Chapter 2: Brief Contact

Howie groaned softly as bright lights flooded into his vision. He blinked, trying to establish where he was located. He blinked again, trying to swallow. His mouth was dry. His vision slowly began to clear as he tried to move his arms. Howie grunted as his arms stayed still. He struggled for a few moments, feeling something cutting into his flesh. Howie looked downward, he was tied to a metal examining table. He laid his head back, fighting the urge to break into laughter, it seemed that CAPPA hadn’t changed things.

“D?” Nick’s voice squeaked out groggily. Howie lifted his head, peering over his chest. He felt relief course through his body. Nick, Brian, Kevin, and AJ remained in the same room with him. Each was tied to the same examining table. They faced one another in a circular pattern. Howie was relieved that they weren’t separated this time.

“I’m here, Nick,” Howie called out, his voice throaty from lack of water.

“Same,” Kevin muttered.

“Right,” Brian yelped as he struggled with the bindings.

“What happened to us?” Nick questioned, still lying flat on his back. He stared at the ceiling, his temples throbbing. He struggled to remember when they had left the bus. The last thing he remembered was being thrown into darkness. The bus had taken a sharp turn, and Brian had tripped. The sound of guns had invaded Nick’s ears, but darkness soon fell. Nick threw his head from side to side, moaning.

“We were shot at, Nick,” Kevin replied shortly, unable to see the younger boy.

“The same damn darts as before,” Howie snickered.

“This isn’t funny!” Brian growled, staring at the white ceiling.

“I know,” Howie answered, unable to contain his nervousness.

“Just, chill out,” Kevin answered, pulling at his hands. He wiggled his fingers, trying to loosen the ties, but it was useless. The ties were made of a heavy leather. Kevin muttered a small string of curses as he stared back at the ceiling. He listened to everyone breathing softly. Kevin’s mind zoned. He glanced at the ceiling again. “AJ?” he called out.

No one answered.

“Alex?” Kevin called again.

Nothing.

“Where’s AJ?” Kevin asked.

“Right here,” someone called out with a devilish laugh as a door slid upward. The boys groaned as their tables were quickly heightened, and then pointed vertically. They slid slightly as they were put upright, as if they were standing. Howie looked down to see himself strapped into the board heavily.

“AJ?” Howie called quickly.

Before the boys could make another comment, AJ was shoved into the room. He sputtered and coughed as he stumbled to the tiles, falling to his knees. He was soaking wet. He shivered from cold as he sat on his knees, his arms bracing his upper body. He coughed again, choking against the bile that wanted to erupt from his stomach. He heard his friends shout his name, but he said nothing.

“AJ!” Nick screamed out.

“SHUT UP!” a guard growled as he walked into the room, pointing a large rifle at Nick’s forehead. Nick immediately went quiet, intimidated by the muscular man. Four more guards entered, each aiming at another boy. AJ’s guard pointed the gun directly at the back of his neck. AJ continued to cough, unable to tell his friends the horrors he had just seen.

“What did you do to him?” Kevin growled, watching AJ with worry.

“Nothing deadly,” Kevin’s guard chuckled, “But I’d watch your mouth, you might be next.”

“Not if I kill you first,” Kevin threatened.

“How? Tied up like a frightened animal? I think not, sir,” another guard replied, his voice coated in a thick German accent.

“Boys, boys, boys, let’s not be so violent,” another voice called out. The boys turned their attention to the doorway as a shadow appeared. Each strained their vision as an older man walked into the room. He was dressed in a black silk shirt with a white tie. His slacks were white, and pressed neatly. Glasses sat upon the bride of his nose. His black hair was swiped back comfortably as wisps of gray coloring painted across his temples. He clasped his hands in front of him, walking regally. He examined each boy as he walked in a circle. “It seems you’ve grown fine.”

“What are you talking about?” Brian asked.

“Who are you?” Howie quickly followed.

“My, my, my, we are filled with many questions, aren’t we?” the man asked, standing in the middle of the circle. He stood inches from AJ, who still coughed and gagged. He tapped his foot softly against the marble flooring. “If you must know, my name is Cyrus, and I am the chief owner of CAPPA.”

“Dr. Sanchez owned CAPPA,” Nick argued.

“If you hadn’t noticed, young man, you killed him. He was my partner, but now I am the sole owner. You don’t think that just because you burned down one building means that we would give up our efforts, does it?” Cyrus laughed. His chuckle bounced against the walls, vibrating against the boys’ heads. “Please, you do amuse me, but I am here for a better business.”

“What would that be?” Brian asked.

“Your powers.”

“Our powers?” AJ snorted, his voice thin and crisp. He pushed his weak body up from the floor, glaring at Cyrus. He stood up, his knees shaking slightly. He pointed an accusing finger at Cyrus, as if he was daring the man to step forward. “You crazy old bat! We have no powers! Sanchez’s daughter cured us months ago! You moron! Why don’t you go after them?! The girls still have their powers! To Hell with you and the powers! Stupid, Bastard, we have none!” AJ roared, his voice cracking at moments.

Cyrus nodded toward a guard. AJ winced as the butt of the man’s rifle was sent into the back of his skull. He fell forward, his eyes rolling upward into his head. His body lay against the floor, lifeless. The boys called out in shock. Cyrus ignored the boys as the guards took AJ and strapped him to the final board.

“I apologize for the ruthlessness I needed to use to restrain your friend. I do not tolerate swearing of any demeanor. He was quite rude, and I do not accept that by any means. I am quite a nice person when I need to be,” Cyrus explained as he smoothed his black shirt.

“AJ was right, though. We don’t have our powers anymore,” Howie explained.

“Correction, Mr. McLean was wrong,” Cyrus answered, stepping forward to Howie. “You all have your powers. Ms. Jamelet Sanchez merely gave you a placebo. You all have retained your powers. Your minds have just fooled you into thinking the opposite. I assure you of that.”

“What did you do to him?” Nick whispered.

“The same thing that will happen to each of you over the next few hours. I placed Mr. McLean inside a large tank, and drowned him for five minutes with a certain set of chemicals. These chemicals will counter-react the chemicals within your body, dulling your powers for the next forty-eight hours. It’s quite a nasty procedure, but it is for my benefit,” Cyrus explained with a pearly smile. Nick gulped, turning away from the man. Cyrus smiled, holding his arms out as if he was embracing the boys. “Once you all have been cleansed, I will release you from the boards. You will be free to roam this room, but you will be sealed within. I find it barbaric to separate you. However, if you find yourself on my bad side, you will fear for your life.”

The boys remained silent as they gazed at AJ. He had been knocked out completely. They all winced with regret, unable to accept the words from Cyrus. Howie stared at the man, wondering if he really had retained his powers. It seemed odd. Before he could question the man, a phone rang. Cyrus clapped his hands with a wondrous smile upon his face. “The call I have been expecting! Hold one moment, boys. I will take it here.”

They watched as Cyrus rushed to the desk in the corner of the large room. He picked up the black phone and then pressed a button. Before anything could be explained, a tired voice boomed into the speakers. “Am I speaking with Cyrus? I have been put on hold far too long to be connected with another bubbling idiot!”

“No, no, of course Mr. Steeles, this is Cyrus.”

“About bloody time!”

“I apologize.”

“Of course, do you have what I want?” the voice demanded. Howie shivered at the sound of the man. His voice was ripened with age, but an ominous tone behind the voice made Howie weary. He strained to overhear the conversation. “I’ve been waiting months for my items, Cyrus. I am not a patient man!”

“Of course, Mr. Steeles. I understand completely. We have just captured what you wanted this afternoon. The five boys you requested are waiting here. I’m going through the process of numbing their powers for transport to your estate. You should have them within a few hours�”“

“Pardon me, did you say boys?”

“Yes, Mr. Steeles.”

“You are mistaken, then, Cyrus.”

“Pardon?”

“I wanted the girls.”

“Girls?”

“Yes, these girls,” the voice called out. Howie heard the clicking and buzzing of a fax machine. He craned his neck as five sheets of paper were printed from the fax. Cyrus picked up the papers, fumbling through the pages. “Those are what I want! Not the inferior men of the project! Cyrus, you are wasting my time. It is crucial that I have these women. The one with the Ice power is most important. Do you understand?”

“O-O-Of course, Mr. Steeles.”

“Find these women before I send my own men out on the job. I will waste no more time. If I do not have the Ice Woman within twenty-four hours, consider our deal terminated,” the man roared as he ended the phone call.

Cyrus turned on his heel, screaming out profanities. His anger rose as he kicked the side of the table. He turned over the fax, smashing it into pieces. He screamed out to God as he tore the phone from the cable. Howie winced as the anger grew further. Cyrus walked past the tables quickly, throwing the pages sent to him into the air. “SEARCH FOR THE WOMAN WIL THE ICE POWERS! HE WILL NOT WAIT A SECOND LONGER! GET THESE BOYS INTO THE FLUID AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! OR HEADS WILL BE ROLLING!”

Howie watched as Cyrus disappeared out the door. The guards quickly scurried after. Howie felt his heart race as a single page fluttered to his feet. He glanced down at the picture. His jaw fell upon; realizing whom Cyrus was talking about. Her pretty face stared back up at him, smiling into the camera as if she had a special secret. “Ana,” Howie whispered, staring at the photograph.

*~*~*

“ROSE! GET BACK HERE!” Alison cried out with fury as she ran after the older girl. Rose giggled with mischievously as she floated in the air. Her powers growing stronger by the moment as the wind carried her lightly against the blue sky. “ROSE! THAT’S NOT FAIR!”

“Sorry, Ali,” Rose called back with an impish laughter.

“Tag isn’t as fun when she does that,” Kimberly huffed, staring up at the sky.

“Nor is it any better when you make a huge crater and make the person IT fall into it!” Paige accused, her blue-gray eyes staring menacingly at Kimberly.

“ROSE! GET DOWN FROM THERE!” a voice hissed suddenly. Rose faltered with her powers, dropping from the sky like a rock. Rose grunted as she hit the ground on her behind. She sat there as the woman rushed down from the steps. She wagged her finger at Rose, who merely rolled her eyes at the woman. “I am not joking about this, Rose! You know what could happen if you get caught doing that nonsense!”

“Jamelet, calm down!” Alison cried, running toward the older woman. She wrapped her arms around Jamelet’s waist, hugging her tightly. “We’re in the middle of the suburbs, no one pays attention to us. We are in the back yard, and our fences are higher than anyone’s! I promise we weren’t getting into any trouble! We were just playing!”

“No one is hunting us anyway! Don’t you remember, CAPPA died!” Kimberly called out joyously.

“I know, but still�””

“Jamelet, you worry about us too much!” Paige giggled.

Jamelet sighed, reaching down to hug Alison. She nodded briefly, ruffling Alison’s dark locks. She decided to let the matter go. The girls were right. CAPPA was dead. They were all free from the prison. Jamelet watched Alison beam a smile as she ran back to pounce upon Rose. The girls giggled as they immediately jumped into the playful fight. Jamelet had to smile as she stuck her hands into the back of jean pockets. The girls were definitely happier since the demise of CAPPA.

Jamelet still remembered that day. The days under siege at CAPPA had been a nightmare. She was so thankful to get away. Now, she lived with Rose, Alison, Kimberly, Paige, and Summer in the suburbs of New York. They had purchased a small cottage near one of the small cities. They kept the girls in school while Jamelet and Summer worked at the local pharmaceutical company. The girls practiced with their powers when they were at home, and Summer continued to study the girls’ genetic codes, but no one worried about the miracle cure. They were happy.

“Zoning again, my friend?” Summer called as she walked out onto the back porch. Jamelet nodded as she seated herself next to Summer on the swing. They went silent for a few moments, just watching the girls romping around on the grass. “What were you yelling about?”

“Rose was flying again.”

“She’s getting stronger.”

“And she’s getting more like…” Jamelet let her sentence drop.

“Ana?” Summer guessed.

“Yes,” Jamelet replied softly, letting her gaze fall to the planks of wood beneath them. Summer nodded with understanding. Ana had not joined them at the cottage when they parted ways with the boys. Ana had chosen to live on her own. She preferred the solitude. She had been quite different from the other girls. She was stronger than the other girls, and treated with the most care since the rarity of her disease. Jamelet was extremely hurt the day Ana decided to leave. Jamelet had formed a fond relationship with Ana during their days under siege. She felt betrayed when Ana disappeared. The heaviness of Ana’s choice still remained in the darkest places of Jamelet’s heart.

“I’m sure Ana had her reasons for leaving,” Summer replied softly, placing her hand on Jamelet’s shoulder.

“I’m sure of it, too. I just didn’t think she should leave.”

“You shouldn’t worry about her. You have the other girls to think about. You’ve been like a mother to them. Don’t let them see the sadness in your eyes, or they will think about the same issue. It hurt them, too, when Ana left. She deserted us all.”

“I know.”

Summer nodded, standing up. She gazed out at the girls, who all now laid on the grass, letting the sun beam down onto their skin. Each had developed a nice tan for the summer. They giggled as the poked each other in the ribs, and then began to whisper. Summer turned back to Jamelet. “Before I forget, this came for you,” Summer answered as she pressed an envelope into Jamelet’s palm.

“Thank you,” Jamelet whispered as Summer disappeared into the house. Jamelet narrowed her eyes at the envelope �“ there was no return address. She turned it over and carefully tore the envelope. She pulled out a small letter and immediately unfolded it. She scanned the bottom, her heart pounding with anticipation. The letter was from Ana.

*~*~*

Ana smiled softly as she closed the letter up and placed it aside on the small desk. She had spent hours carefully crafting the first letter to Jamelet. At first, she really didn’t know what to say. It had taken more hours to compose than normal. Jamelet was a special person. The second letter would be out tomorrow, and reach her shortly. Ana prayed that Jamelet wasn’t too angry with her. Everything would be explained in the letter. She hoped that Jamelet understood. At least she had contacted them, she owed them that much from her decision.

Ana had chosen to be alone. She craved solitude. Her personality was too different from the others. Her cynical nature always brought the house at unease. It was easier for Ana to escape. She now lived alone, and she let them know that. She was careful not to allow them to know her whereabouts, but she at least let them know she was okay. She did owe them that.

Stretching her aching muscles, Ana pulled herself away from the desk. She entered her small living room, immediately turning toward the CD player. She pressed play, the soft music of Backstreet entering her ears. She found that she enjoyed music more than television. It had been years since she heard voices of melody. Ana crouched down to her fireplace, and began to light a fire. She smiled as the flames licked at the logs almost instantly. She stretched her fingertips outward, almost touching the flames. A smile spread to her face. She finally felt warmth. So many years she wished for warmth, and now she had a fireplace. That satisfied her more than anything.

‘I wish someone could warm me up, maybe you can, Howie?’ Ana thought back to CAPPA with a laugh. The CAPPA experience was one that she would never forget. Not a day went by when she wouldn’t think of the boys who had suffered under the same doctors. Howie had been the most amusing to her and the one that entered most of her dreams. She thought that there might have been something between them if it weren’t for the circumstances, or his lifestyle. Ana rolled her eyes, settling back into her pillows on the floor. The boys hadn’t even kept contact with the girls when they went back on tour. What was the use of thinking of them? It wasn’t as if they would show up in her home.

She was alone now. Ana curled under the blankets, her breath billowing from her mouth into tiny clouds of cold mist. The same happened every day. Her powers were stronger than ever. She could kill a man in two minutes. It was a task that she had been pleased with, but choose to live in solitude so she never had to. The fire crackled at her feet as she laid back, daydreaming. One day she would be warm, until then, she let her powers grow stronger.
~**~

**~To Be Continued...~**

A/N: This is another chapter added on, I hope you’re all keeping up with the reading! Enjoy and drop a review by e-mailing me and Ana or reviewing when done with this is chapter. I’m out, till later and my girl Ana got the next chapter for you.

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.- 2Corthinthians 8:12 NIV Bible.

**~Chapter Three- Beyond the Safety~**

The metal door slides open allowing entrance to the two soldiers on either side of the next victim. Cyrus smiles as Nick is dragged in by the soldiers. “Place him in front of me. I want to see the fear in his eyes.” Cyrus states smiling, the grey streaks in his jet black hair radiate from the harsh white lights infiltrating the testing room. His dark brown eyes watch the young blonde man before him.

The room is a wide space filled with gadgets of all type and in the center of the room stood the demanding water tank at the height of ten feet, its same measurements all around. The white tiles match the color of the ceiling and walls and the white lights in the room gleam down giving the room a rather eerie serene feeling. A metal chair stands besides Cyrus as Nick faces him feeling the head of the rifle on the back of his head.

“Well good evening Mister Carter. I’m pleased to see you have made it to the festivities.” Cyrus states, his Greek accent penetrating through his words. He stands firm and regale, like an officer in command ready to give orders. “Like you’re friend Alex, you’ll begin to feel what I like to say is called pain. Your powers, I want to see them.”

Nick gulps, “Look I don’t know what’s going on, but please what you did to my friend, just leave us alone.” He states, the fear lurking in his face.

Cyrus laughs and then points to the metal chair. “Put him there.” He shouts to one of the soldiers standing near by the water tank. On his command the two soldiers pushes Nick on the hard metal chair and strap him in it.

Nick cries out, “What are you doing? What powers? I don’t have any!”

Cyrus laughs and waves his finger in Nick’s face, “It seemed somebody lied to you then. Your friend showed his ability with his wonderful gifts. I want to know what yours is.”

Nick cringes in pain as he sees Cyrus walking to a small medical table with needles of all kind. Cyrus grabs a syringe and walks back to Nick with a sly smile on his face. “Sir if you would kindly show me what you can do, we can move this project right along.”

Nick shakes his head in confusion, “I don’t have powers!”

“On the contrary, mister Carter. You do, you just don’t realize it. It seemed you received a placebo. You never were really cured. You can’t be cured, it’s in you.” Cyrus states quietly, his gaze boring down on Nick.

He shakes his head in confusion, he had trusted the women back in CAPPA, Jamelet wouldn’t have given them something if it didn’t work, now would she? He gulps and watching the soldiers pointing their rifles at him, he knew he had to see if he really did have the powers. He closes his eyes like he did when he first knew he had the fire ability. He waited for what seemed like forever but only thirty seconds and nothing was felt. He snaps open his eyes and gulps, “See, I don’t have anything. I can’t do it.” His voice trembles.

Cyrus growls and slaps his large thick hand across Nick’s cheek. Nick in surprise felt the stinging as his face was smashed with the smack. “Try again. I don’t have all night for this.”

Nick gulps and closes his tear filled eyes again, fear trickling down his spine. He didn’t understand how he and the others were caught up in this again. He waits and suddenly he feels the burning sensation arising from the pit of his stomach. The painful tickle travels up his chest and down his arms and then in a few seconds as it began, he feels the heat on his hands. A small blast of fire shoots out from his fingers, slamming into one of the soldiers standing near the water tank. The soldier started screaming in horror as the fire consumes him, eating away at his flesh. Nick sits there in pure shock. “No! No way! It can’t be! That shouldn’t be there!! Why did she lie to us?” Nick mumbles under his breath.

Cyrus laughs and watches the other soldiers take out the ongoing fire on their friend.

“Well done Nick. Now for the tank.” Cyrus state, pointing to the water tank.

The soldiers begin to lift Nick off the chair, taking the straps off him when the phone in the room begins to ring. The soldiers hold onto Nick awaiting further instructions from their boss. Cyrus makes an annoyed face and briskly walks over to the small portable phone lying on a vacant medical table. After a couple of minutes of talking quietly on the phone, Cyrus slams his small cellular phone down on the metal table and growling tells the soldiers to forget it. “We’ll pick it later. It seems Joey found some information on tracking the women of the experiment. I suggest we get on to it, drop off the boy and board the jeep. Looks like you guys are gonna travel to New York with me.” Cyrus states, his dark eyes glaring at Nick.

The soldiers quickly drag Nick back to the main examination room where the other members of the group are in. The metal doors slide open and the soldiers are greeted with the bright white lights of the room. They shove Nick into the room and smirks, “We’ll be back for you.” One of the muscular armed soldiers state: pointing his rifle at Nick as they exit the room, the sliding door slamming behind them.

Brian gasps, “Nick you’re ok? You’re not wet. They didn’t dunk you. What happened?”

Nick stands in the center of the room rubbing the back of his neck painfully. “She lied to us guys. The doctor back at CAPPA: Jamelet. She lied to us.” He states softly.

Kevin looks at A.J. and responds, “What would give you that idea? You know we can’t use those powers given to us. She give us the medication for it, you saw it yourself.”

Nick shakes his head rapidly, “No. Then what would explain how I burned a guy back in the office. You guys!!! I burned someone and the fire came from within me. I didn’t think I could do that but what else would explain that. Plus that man Cyrus told me that she gave us a placebo. The medicine was never to cure us: cause it never existed!” He cries out frustrated.

A.J. still feeling sore from his past procedures from the soldiers, speaks softly. “Nick’s right. She lied to us. She did it to protect us. Now Cyrus is after the girls and from what I heard Jamelet and Summer are in care of the women.”

“They’ll be back for me you guys. Please don’t let them take me.” Nick whispers. “A.J. what did they do to you in there?” Nick asks pointing at the metal doors.

A.J. shakes his head, “I can’t speak about it. They’re watching me. I know they are. If I say they’ll come back for me and punish me.” He states softly, his chocolate eyes downcast. He tries to move his tan colored hands against the straps on the table he’s on but failed. The men look at their friend Nick who drops on his knees and shakes his head confused.

“Nick, I’ll get us out of this. No one will hurt you.” Kevin’s deep voice enters Nick’s ear.

“Promise me that.” Nick states, his blue eyes in torment as he pleads.

Kevin smiles and nods his head, “It’s a promise little buddy.”
~*~

Jamelet paces back and forth in front of the giggling girls and waits for them to settle down.

“Shhh, quiet you guys, come on. Jamelet has to tell us something.” The golden haired, emerald eyed woman states: her snowy complexion glittering in the florescent light.

Alison, Kimberly, Rose and Paige quiet down and note the seriousness on Jamelet’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Alison states, her dark medium brown locks cascade pass her shoulders. She gazes her dark brown eyes at her friend pacing in front of her and notes Jamelet holding what seems like a letter of some kind.

“I received this package from Ana today in the mail.” Jamelet states, her light brown eyes welling in tears.

Kimberly didn’t like the quiet feeling passing in the room, “What about Ana? She left us! We didn’t have anything to do with her leaving. It was her choice.” She defended herself, her dark brown eyes with the amber rings in the center, stare at her friends sitting beside her on the soft white couch. Kimberly grumbles and passes her hands through her dark brown hair with the red highlights reflecting in it. Her tan complexion twinkles in the room light.

“I know, I’m not blaming anyone here. She just wrote to say she’s misses us and felt that she was a danger to us. Her powers are growing immensely and I know she felt she was threat to our safety.” Jamelet states: holding the letter in her hands. “She’s planning on visiting us but not yet. And Alison, she sent the picture of Brian to you signed with his autograph for you.” Jamelet smiles, handing the glossy picture of the celebrity to her.
Alison smiles, embracing the picture to her chest. Her brown eyes lit up in joy. “See, she’s nice when she wants to be.” She whispers smiling.

“And Rose, here is an autograph picture of Nick.” Jamelet states, handing the glossy picture to the blue eyed, blonde haired woman.

Rose smiles, “Thanks, I wish I could personally thank her.”

“You will soon, when she plans to visiting.” Summer states smiling.

Jamelet laughs and hands a glossy picture of A.J. to Summer, “Ana didn’t forget about you.”

Summer breaks into a laugh and hugs the girls.

Paige smiles, her bluish gray eyes gazing at Jamelet as her blonde tresses tumble down her shoulders. “Everything will be fine. Nothing to worry about.” Her snowy complexion glittering beautifully in the light.

Jamelet nods her head and gulps. Forcing down the sudden anxiety that was gnawing at her, she smiles and hugs the girls. Somehow not everything is safe nor fine. She can feel that something worse will happen before it gets better.
~*~
Ana curls under the warm covers of her bed as she watches the news on mute. The bright pictures flash before her on her thirteen inch television on the night stand in her room. Her mouth drops open when she recognizes a familiar tour bus on the screen. She un-mutes the television and listens to the reporter stating another celebrity heist is up. The reporter discusses in unclear details how the music group Backstreet Boys are kidnapped and seem missing since the last day of their tour. “No reports or witnesses saw the actual kidnapping.” The young male reporter states on the news. Ana continues watching the rest of news as the reporter state that the last time the group was seen was Friday as their tour bus pulled up to a gas station. The bus was found empty with no one in it, down two miles from the highway. The reporter states police investigation are ongoing but no data is found as of yet.

Ana drops the remote in her hands and curls into a fetal position under the bed covers. She knew what happened to Boys and she knew CAPPA never died, “You can’t kill what’s already dead.” CAPPA was coming for her and she needed to tell the girls as soon as possible. Sleep would have to wait until another day, for her life depended on it.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

A/N: This is Ana's chapter

Jamelet stretched as she pushed herself away from the desk on her small chair. She had spent hours staring at a screen trying to fill in the correct data for the doctors. It seemed to take forever when she just wanted to be home. Summer was currently watching after the girls. It seemed as if they needed constant supervision, but Jamelet worried too much about their safety. Only one person needed to observe the outrageous acts conjured up within the household to know the unusual circumstances unfolding. Jamelet shivered �“ just one person to ruin their lives.

“Sanchez? Do you have Brier’s file?” a doctor called as he peeked his head into Jamelet’s office. She pulled herself back to the desk, typing a few key words into her computer system. She turned around with a broad smile.

“It’s sitting on the desktop of your computer, Dr. Jennings.”

“Thank you,” the doctor stated, hurrying out the door. Jamelet leaned back in her chair, rolling her eyes. The doctors in her office would loose everything if it weren’t for Jamelet’s guidance. Jamelet was satisfied with the importance of her job, no matter how insignificant it seemed to most. She had chosen a position as a Medical Secretary and Physician’s Assistant in a small doctor’s office about two blocks away from the home. She was close enough to the girls so that if trouble arose, she could leave quickly, and she still worked in the medical field, which pleased her. Summer worked in a different office three blocks the other direction from the home, and filled her duty as a doctor in the office, which gave her good hours and time to do research on the girls’ diseases. Both girls made enough money to maintain the decent home.

Jamelet turned away from her computer, eyeing the clock. It was time to close out and head home. She was thankful that the day had ended so quickly. She didn’t feel right being away from the house. There was something brewing in her soul. Jamelet couldn’t ignore the knowing at her heart. She felt as if someone were betraying her, however, the girls constantly scolded her on being overly cautious.

She shook her head, smiling as she took her coat from the hook of her door. She made sure that her computer was locked down. Jamelet tugged her coat on as she snatched her purse. She made her way to the front of the office. She hummed softly to herself until she heard the front door slam close. Jamelet peered out from the corner of the hallway, but immediately cowered against the wall at what had arrived.

Two large men had barged into the office. Neither looked to be a resident of Jamelet’s area. Each wore a long leather jacket, billowing against the background of the office. The black clothing they were projected shadows against the jackets. Their eyes were concealed behind sharp black glasses. Each wore a pair of leather gloves on their large hands. Their muscles bulged against the tight fabric. The first man, who was of a lighter color and held a scar above his right eye, slammed his hands against the desk, causing the nurse to jump with fright. Jamelet’s breath caught. “I’m looking for a woman who works here,” he growled.

The nurse stepped backward from the desk in obvious surprise. She brought her hands across her stomach, holding herself. The men seemed to glare from behind the glint of their dark glasses. “D-D-Do you have an appointment with the woman?”

“Obviously not,” the other snorted.

“Then I c-c-can’t�“”

“Her last name is Sanchez.”

The nurse’s eyes grew bright in recognition. Jamelet groaned as she jumped up. The nurse quickly gave the finer details of Jamelet’s work in the building. Jamelet’s breath caught while the nurse told them where they could locate her office. She tried to calm herself, thinking they might actually go back to her room, but instead, she heard the front door slam close again.

Her breath released as she ran from behind the hallway. The nurse tried to make contact with Jamelet, but she ignored the nurse’s voice. Jamelet pulled the collar of her coat tightly against her neck. She rushed out the door, praying that she made it home in time. Those men were up to something, and she hadn’t a clue what to do about the events unfolding.

*~*~*

Howie sat tightly bound to his examination table as his friends huddled in a corner. Cyrus had returned from the city quicker than expected. He had dunked each of them in the pool of horrors as the hours passed. Howie now waited for his demise into the liquids. Each of his friends came back more drained than before. Howie assumed that Cyrus was working out his aggressions. His worried eyes scanned over his friends as they sat quietly.

“I can’t believe Jamelet lied to us,” AJ whispered bitterly, “Summer, too. They said they could cure us. They let us believe this lie, and we thought we were out of the woods, and now we’re back in the hellhole. They better pray to God that I never see them again.”

“Alexander,” Kevin scorned, coughing heavily. He had been the last dunked into the pool. None spoke of the torture that awaited Howie. Cameras watched their every move. Kevin rubbed his wrists, just thankful that Cyrus had released them from their locked positions on the tables. “It wasn’t Jamelet nor Summer that caused us this problem. They wanted to help us.”

“If they wanted to help, we wouldn’t be here,” Brian whispered. He glanced down at his raw hands. Cyrus had made him kill ten guards. His hands ached with the stench of death. Brian closed his eyes - tears trickled down his cheeks. It hurt so badly. He wondered if Alison still felt the pain of her powers. He wondered if Alison was still okay. He could still feel the little girl in his arms as they ran from CAPPA. He never stopped thinking of her.

“No, no, no, that’s not it,” Nick answered, finally voicing his opinion. He thought of Rose, unable to hide his smile. He glanced at them, knowing they wouldn’t understand the smile. “The girls are in trouble, too. Cyrus was on the phone when I was in there. He left the place for a reason. He said something about tracking the girls.”

Before any man could speak of the comment, the door was pushed open. Immediately, AJ, Nick, Brian, and Kevin covered their heads. They had tried to free one another when Kevin had been taken for the treatment. Each had been beaten badly by the butts of the guards’ guns. The guards smirked with approval as they walked over to Howie. “You’re next, Latino.”

“Please,” Howie whispered in pure fear.

“Don’t worry, we’re not the ones torturing you �“ Cyrus is.”

*~*~*

Jamelet burst into the house like a bat out of hell. Her dark eyes were wild with fear as she slammed the door behind her. She heard the pounding footsteps upstairs responding to the negative energy felt within the house. Jamelet looked up to see the Rose, Kimberly, and Paige staring down at her from the balcony of the home. Summer walked from the kitchen. Her smile froze when she saw the wildness of Jamelet’s features.

“What happened?” Summer asked with a frown.

“I think that we need to leave,” Jamelet whispered.

“WHY?!” Rose and Kimberly screeched immediately in horror. The girls loved the house more than anything. They were the eldest of the group since Ana’s departure. They had ruled over the four girls. Each seemed to have a quality of Ana’s personality, but none that could match Ana’s leadership. Jamelet knew each girl tried to fill Ana’s shoes, but found it hard.

“Because something happened!” Jamelet screeched, brushing her thoughts of Ana away.

“We’re not leaving,” Paige answered defensively. “This is my first home and I like it here.”

“You can’t uproot us for no reason, Jamelet,” Rose agreed.

“You need to tell us what happened, Jamelet. You’re worrying us,” Summer soothed as she walked over to her friend. Jamelet nodded, opening her mouth to speak. However, her words were soon stopped as little Alison burst from the living room. Her dark eyes were wide with fear and worry. Her mouth had formed a ‘o’ of surprise.

“YOU GUYS! BACKSTREET WAS ABDUCTED A FEW DAYS AGO!” Alison shrieked.

“What?” Rose asked in shock.

“THEY’RE GONE! THEY DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR TOUR BUS!” Alison exclaimed, waving her hands in the air to add to the effect. Everyone fell silent after Alison’s news. Alison frowned �“ she assumed that her news would bring a rousing of noise. She glanced at everyone, absorbing the postures and feelings within the room. Alison turned to Jamelet. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Jamelet lied.

Alison narrowed her eyes. Her light brown eyes suddenly turned dark as a light breeze entered the room. Jamelet’s eyes grew wide as she felt her personal thoughts invaded. The phone began to ring against the background, but no one picked it up as Alison concentrated. “Someone was at the office,” Alison whispered, reading Jamelet’s mind with accuracy. Jamelet shook her head, trying to cover her ears. Alison looked deeper into Jamelet’s heart.

“Who was at the office?” Summer asked.

Before Alison could answer the question, the answering machine went off. The tensions in the room caused a thick silence. Everyone jumped at the sound of their voices on the machine. Summer raced to the answering machine, prepared to hit the button to stop recording, but the voice coming out startled her. She backed up, bumping into the adjacent wall.

Ana’s voice rang clear against their brains: “I know you guys don’t want to hear from me, but listen up, there’s trouble brewing. The boys are gone, and I know something is going down. You guys have to get out of that house as soon as possible. Go somewhere secret, and don’t move. I have some things to do for myself, but I’ll find you myself, don’t try to contact me. Got it? Just get out! Remember, you can’t kill what’s already dead!”

*~*~*

Howie trembled as he was strapped to the familiar metal chair. Beads of sweat collected against his temples as Cyrus approached him. The man seemed deeper in thought than before. He was shuffling about some papers. Howie chewed on his bottom lip as two men rushed to Cyrus’s side. Howie struggled a bit in the chair, but it only seemed to hold him tighter. Cyrus glared at him before turning to the men. “What is it that you want?” Cyrus asked.

“Steeles called. He wants to know if you located Ice,” the one man stated.

“Must he be so concerned with Ice?” Cyrus growled, rubbing his temples. “Tell him I’ve located the other four. They are in a small town house in the suburbs of New York. We are planning their capture tonight after I have sedated the boys.”

“Yes, sir,” the man barked.

“Tell him also that Ice is slowly being located. She is the trickiest of all. She is more vicious than one could imagine. I’ve been drawing something up on my computer in the office. Download the files to this computer in here immediately, oh… I’ve got it. Send him my files on her, along with the pictures, that should wet his appetite until I locate the woman,” Cyrus ordered. The men nodded, scurrying out of the room before Cyrus could speak further to them. Cyrus cracked his knuckles as he grabbed the nearby cart, wheeling it to Howie’s side. Howie shivered with uneasiness as Cyrus grinned. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Dorough, as you see, I have quite a task ahead of me.”

Howie said nothing. He stared at Cyrus with true fear. His tan face had turned suddenly pale as the hot lights glared down upon his skin. He squirmed around in the seat as Cyrus looked over his tools. Howie’s eyes fluttered with nervousness as he eyed the large number of scalpels, needles, picks, and other assorted instruments. Cyrus chuckled at Howie’s actions. “Are you familiar with your power, Mr. Dorough? I know we must not be naïve at this point, since all your friends have gone through the similar process. Will you kindly share with me what you do?”

Howie swallowed, feeling his mouth go terribly dry. His eyes fluttered briefly as he struggled to remain conscious. “I…I control electricity,” he whispered faintly.

“Oh, of course,” Cyrus replied. “Would you care to demonstrate for me before I put you through the ultimate torture device? I guarantee that you will be having many nightmares about the tests that I will guide you through. No matter what you say, Mr. Dorough, I control you. You are my puppet. However, it’s much easier if you simply indulge my fetishes and allow me the opportunity to see your gift.”

“It’s not a gift, it’s a hex,” Howie hissed, regaining some power back in his voice. He thought of the girls in CAPPA. He wondered if Cyrus had conned Dr. Sanchez into injecting the toxins into those young girls. Or, had it been Cyrus who ordered the girls locked up? Howie glared up at the man, not caring about his own safety any longer.

“A hex for you, a money maker for myself,” Cyrus laughed.

“Not if I use it on you,” Howie threatened.

Cyrus fell silent for the longest moment. He gazed upon Howie, nodding slightly. His cold gray eyes examined Howie for what seemed forever. Howie gulped down his fears. If he should die, he would die with dignity. Cyrus went placid for a second, but his anger bubbled like a volcano. Without the slightest indication, Cyrus slammed his fist onto his tray, grasping a scalpel and holding it tightly against Howie’s neck. Howie winced as the blade bit into his tender flesh.

“You, sir, try my patience worse than the others. You will find yourself in a terrible position if you dare talk to me in that manner. I can do things to you that would make the Devil weep. Do you understand the words coming from my mouth, MISTER Dorough?” Cyrus hissed. Howie locked eyes with the man, almost daring him to pull the blade across his throat.

However, before Cyrus could make the decision, his laptop made a shrill alarm. Cyrus slammed Howie back into his chair, causing it to teeter. Cyrus laughed at his cruel nature as he walked a short distance to his computer. Howie gulped for large amounts of air. His heart hammered against his ribcage. He could feel the blood trickling down the side of his throat from Cyrus’s instability. He quickly thanked God for the salvation.

Howie turned his attention to Cyrus, who was hurriedly typing on the computer. He stood there, his back curved as he hovered over the tiny screen. Silence filled the room for an odd amount of minutes. Howie’s nerves rattled when Cyrus suddenly whooped for joy. “No child can hide from their master, Ice. You should know that even your tracks can be traced, no matter how little you leave behind. You are the fox, and I am the hunter. And, soon, my bassets will be leashed upon you,” Cyrus explained to the computer screen, causing Howie’s stomach to churn with fear.

Cyrus quickly snatched his phone. He dialed the number, and placed the phone upon speaker. Howie fell completely still as Cyrus paced back and forth. The phone beeped repeatedly, until an older voice called out into the large room. “Steeles speaking,” the mysterious voice barked.

“Mr. Steeles, have you received my files upon Ice?”

“Of course, she is a lovely specimen. Her pictures seduce my intentions to a further purpose, if you catch my drift. Though, the file was a pathetic tactic to slow down my desire for her. Nevertheless, I hear that you will be coming upon the other four soon. That is good news. Their rooms have been prepared. However, nothing is complete without Ice. I am more interested in her than the others. You run my patience thin, Cyrus.”

“I know the bothers of this task, sir. I understand completely, but I bring you good news about Ice.”

“What would that be, Cyrus?”

“Anastacia Grace Lord, introduced to you with the power of Ice, seems to be living in the remote destitute of Pennsylvania. Her mother was born one of the towns, and it seems that Ice has decided to return there, even though her mother abandoned her to our projects during the first years of her life. She lives upon the mountains, alone. I have a location of her. I’m sending my men as we speak.”

“Wonderful. She is the key to my life, Cyrus. Do not mess up.”

Howie listened to Cyrus give the last bits of information to the man upon the phone. Howie couldn’t believe his ears as he heard of the man’s sick obsession for Ice. His mind wandered quickly about the details Cyrus had stated. The familiarity struck him with a greater force. Howie’s mouth went dry.

‘Anastacia…Ice…Anastacia…Ana…Ice…Ana!’’

Howie’s mind screamed out in panic. The girl who had been so woven into his life during CAPPA! That was of whom they were speaking. Anger raged in his soul as Cyrus hung the phone up. He listened to the sadistic laughter floating about the room. His mind grew warm with rage. Ana had devoted a part of herself to freeing him from the place. She had taken a piece of his heart when they parted ways. Howie screamed out as his brain exploded in fury. He felt the burning sensation rip through his chest and explode into his fingers as large amounts of electrical currents carried against the air.

Cyrus screamed out as the bolts seeped into his small computer. Without the slightest hesitation, the computer blew to bits. Slivers of glass blew against Cyrus’s hands as he shielded his face. Cyrus fell to the ground in a rage of fear and fury. Howie’s chest heaved heavily with fatigue as the flesh on his hands burned. Cyrus rose to his feet, glaring upon Howie.

“I see that I have struck a cord in your heart, Mr. Dorough, have I not?” Cyrus growled, advancing upon Howie with a fever of frenzy. Bits of glass clung to his coat as he peeled it from his flesh. Howie noted the splotches of blood against his crisp white shirt. “I know that you and Miss Lord grew quite fond of each other during the escape. I know more than you think. However, you will not get away with this,” Cyrus hissed in fury as he grabbed the scalpel from the tipped table. “Do you think that you are protecting her? I think not, my friend. The information has already been sent. She will be captured, and tortured far worse than you can imagine. I will have them record her screams and I will repeatedly play them on the speakers for you as you rot in your cell. But, as for now, MISTER Dorough, you will pay for that foolish trick.”

*~*~*

Ana hurried up the stairs of the ancient library. She had packed all of her things from her cabin in a matter of minutes. All of her possessions now remained in the trunk of her car. She had little to carry, and she was momentarily flustered by the idea. However, now she was thinking of things that were far more important. She knew that she was in mortal danger. She had sent word to Jamelet �” she prayed that they listened.

Ana ran to the back of the library, assisting herself to a free computer. She clicked to the Internet, hastily typing in specific words. Computers had fascinated her since she had been locked up in CAPPA. She found herself quite handy with one. Ana smiled as she clicked away, transporting herself into the CAPPA website. She did some more finger work, finding herself accessing private files.

“Bingo,” Ana whispered, her lips curving into a smile. Her eyes moved over tons of information and the final location of the new CAPPA center. Ana grabbed the disk from her back jean pocket and hurriedly stuck it into the ‘A’ drive of the computer. The computer beeped and hissed as it saved the information. Ana grinned with success as the disk popped out. She grabbed the disk and shoved it deep into her jeans.

Ana closed the boxes as quickly as she could. She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her blonde curls, concealing her identity. She smoothed out her jean flares as she proceeded to step away from the computer. Ana was denied access as she slammed into a massive object. Instantly, pressure clamped around her shoulders, lifting her inches from the ground. Ana’s blue-green eyes grew wide in surprise as a man dressed in leather stared at her in anger and amusement.

“You are familiar to me,” he stated, smiling. Ana groaned in disgust, realizing that he was missing several of his teeth. He set her on the ground again, but kept his hands tightly about her shoulders. She winced with discomfort as he gazed upon her figure. Her heart pounded with anticipation. He was studying her as he felt her through her sweatshirt. Ana cursed her powers for the better of a minute �“ he could feel the coldness radiating from her skin.

“I don’t know you, sir, so please let me go,” Ana insisted.

“You’re awfully cold, ma’am. Which is hard to believe when it’s the middle of the summer. Aren’t you hot with that sweatshirt on you?” he asked.

“No, I’m fine,” she growled.

“Let me help you,” he insisted with a devilish smile. Ana yelped in surprise when he reached to take off her hood. Her flaxen curls spilled past her shoulders as she looked at him with her beautiful ocean eyes. Her skin color matched the color of fresh snow. Ana watched his eyes grow wide with recognition. Ana looked at his knuckles �“ four letters were initialed upon them: C.A.P.P.A.

“You freaking pervert!” Ana growled as she reached up and wrapped her small hands around the man’s throat. She began to think of the bitterness in her heart. The large man choked as he began to tremble violently. Ana’s eyes transfixed on him as concentrated on the fury within her soul. Her ocean eyes turned dark as fell to his knees. His hands began to turn purple, blue, and then turned black. The stench of rotting flesh filled the air as his fingers fell off one by one. The man began to choke as the blackness spread to his face. He gagged as Ana let go of him. His spasmodic episodes continued while he gagged again. His flesh continued to fall off in large clumps of rotting black tumors. She watched as he heaved for a final time. Ana rushed to her car just as his intestines were expelled from his mouth in an icy heap.

*~*~*

He laughed with approval as he listened to the latest radio reports. Things were finally turning in his favor. The darkness of the hallway delighted him as his cane tapped softly against the plush red carpet. He moved carefully about the large hallway. He had worked so long to improve this hallway for the lovely women. Each would have their own room, specifically designed to their liking and power. There would be no escape for them, no matter how hard they tried. He smiled, loving his deviousness. He gazed upon the first room, making a mental note of its design.

The first room was done in the many variations of tans, browns, and greens. The bed sat low to the ground and shaped to look like a cave, where a woman could hide while she dreamed. The carpet was a light brown shade, which concealed the secret he made for the first woman. The floor was made entirely of cement, as were the walls. Each wall was several feet thick, making it impossible to break under the most violent earthquakes. A vanity table sat in the corner of the room, as were the other necessary supplies for a woman to care for her beauty. A large bathroom area was set to the side of the room, giving her the privacy of a rolling curtain. The woman of Earth would be pleased.

He shut the heavy iron door and proceeded to his next room. He gazed upon the dark blues and violets of the room. Large curtains fluttered about the room as gentle breezes flowed about the room, letting the gauzy curtains flow softly. The woman of Wind would sleep in her bed, which was suspended from the ceiling. She could gently rock herself to sleep with her own powers. However, she too, had shatterproof windows, along with thick walls and flooring.

The next room was flooded with brilliant colors of blue and green, representing the water. A large waterbed sat to the edge of the large room, covered with velvet pillows and garnishing. A large pool sat in the middle with brilliant fountains springing fourth. Rose petals littered the gentle currents of the pool. The Woman of Water would enjoy her surroundings.

He entered the fourth room, looking about the room. It was made in light hues of pink and yellow. The Woman of Heart wasn’t as much trouble as many thought she would be. Large teddy bears hung about the room for her companionship. He would purchase an animal for her company later if she behaved appropriately. Her room contained speakers and such for activities. She was the youngest of the group, and would be most pleased with her surroundings.

He dwelled in the final room longer than expected. This was his favorite place to venture while he listened to the latest news reports. He guided himself into the familiar room, smiling with pleasure. The room was colored in bright white and soft blues. He had applied light curtains to the large bay windows that shimmered softly in the pale lighting of the room. A fireplace sat in front of the large canopy bed he purchased. A large flowing veil of baby blue settled against the posts of the canopy, which would conceal the lady in her dreams. Tiny snowflakes fluttered about the room as they suspended from the ceiling. The man’s tired lips curved into a smile as he fell upon the bed. This room would hold the Woman of Ice, his favorite out of the five.

The radio suddenly went to hysterics �“ ‘This just in from Pennsylvania. It seems that a man in the town of Gwynedd was killed early this morning in the library. His body was found in the back mutilated. Doctors say that the man was rotted from the inside out with frostbite. Just before he died, he vomited the contents of his stomach and intestines, which were incased in a tightly packed ice sheath. Many say they seen a woman rush away from the man, but no charges have been filed. More later.’

The man burst into hysterics, applauding the woman’s courage. He stood up and excited the room. He halted for a moment, unable to pull himself from the room. He thought of how soon he would own five terrific women. He gazed about the room, conjuring the pictures of his Goddess of Ice. His words gently vibrated against the soft breezes of the room: “It has just begun, and soon you will be mine, my Precious.”
~**~

**~To Be Continued...~**

A/N: Thanks for reading, and please leave a review so it can place a smile on my face as well as Ana's. Thanks once again and you know the deal- enjoy!


"Contributions of Dilemma"



**~"Do not neglect your gift…"- 1 Timothy 4:14A NIV Bible.

**~Chapter five- A Trapped Soul~**

She throws her small black purse on the bed and collapses onto the soft plush cushions of her full size bed. Since the destruction of CAPPA, Doctor Natalie welcomed her home with joy. She felt free from the disturbing regulations and empowering work CAPPA used to have a hold on her. For the first time since she left away from the ruined institution, she felt liberated. Natalie decided to keep her identity a secret until she settled into a good occupation to get her back on her feet. She decided to work in a medical lab not that far from where she lives as a medical assistant and works with the environmentalist on treating stray animals.

She was tired of all the stress that CAPPA placed on her and once the group of men and the women she had escaped with left the area, she wanted to scream out in pure joy that she can live with happiness. She hasn't seen the others that escaped with her since the last day of the CAPPA burning down, they all seem to have went their separate ways. Natalie remembered when Jamelet and Summer tried to convince her to come back with them to care for the girls but Natalie had a family emergency in Asia and she hopped into a plane to see her parents. Well that was months ago since then, she lost track of where the girls are, but have seen the news plenty of times discussing how the group of Backstreet came back home since their long disappearance being kidnapped.

Natalie stretches out on the bed and kicks off her shoes, settling into the bed. Rummaging through her purse, she pulls out some information about CAPPA that she's been secretly working on. Not that she needed the info, but she was curious about the actual creation of the corporation and the story behind its creation. She pulls out some scribbled notes on index cards and absent-mindedly flips on the television to the news. She scans her chocolate eyes over her writing on the cards to recall any info that she might not have noticed. Suddenly her ears perked up when the news mention an emergency investigation set out to find the kidnapped Backstreet Boys who were gone missing since Friday. Natalie snaps her head up from the cards in her hands to the TV screen at the news. The news mentions that no clues have been found as to where they could have been taken but reports stated earlier this morning that the gasoline owner saw the driver of the bus speed off after picking up an estranged man dressed in black. Since then the tour bus was located vacant off the side of the road down the highway two miles down from the gasoline station. Natalie drops the cards in her hands and she feels goose bumps prickling her, "Disappeared, how?" She whispers softly to the television.

In response the news showed a reporter with the answer to her question stating that no one knows how they disappeared except that the man boarding the tour bus with the alleged driver was carrying a used gun. Natalie runs her light tan fingers down her dark long straight brown locks nervously as the news moved onto a small robbery crime downtown. Natalie bit her lower dark powder pink lip as the fear creeps up her chest almost choking her. She begins picking a small hangnail, one of her bad habits, on her fingernail as she does when she's nervous. Natalie gulps and jumps when her cell phone begins ringing in the quiet house. Natalie shuts off the television and reaches for her cell phone quickly.

"Hello?" She whispers gently into the phone, checking the ID on her phone. The number was blocked, she had no idea who could be calling her.

A strange deep German voice rasps into the phone, "I know where you live and I'm coming for you." And with that Natalie was greeted with a long silent click as the voice hangs up. Natalie stands there shaken as she dials 911 immediately.

"Hello this police precinct 41, officer Baiety here. How can I help you?" The officer states.

Natalie takes a deep breathe and explains the sudden strange phone call she just received.

"Ok Ma'am. Have you called the phone company to see if they can help track where the call came from?" Officer Baiety asks.

Natalie states no and waits to see what the officer will say next.

"Well ma'am this is what I can do you for, I'll call the phone company from here and see what I can get. Your number appeared on the computer screen so I'll call you back in a few and see what I can get ok?" The officer states politely.

Natalie gulps and thanks him before hanging up. She walks to the front of her comfy apartment near her front door to get to the kitchen when suddenly she hears shots ringing out. Natalie stands petrified in the kitchen as she clutches the kitchen counter tightly. Her front thick door is kicked open by two gruff build armed pale complexion men.

Natalie squeaks out in fright as she reaches for anything that can be used as a weapon, in her fear she picks up a wooden spoon. One of the men laugh and in thick German accents reply, "What are you gonna do, feed me till I'm in pain?" The men chuckle as they approach her. She fishes in her cabinet and pulls out a long kitchen knife.

One of the men growled, his gruff pale face sneered in her direction as he kicks the knife out of her hand. The other guard smiles and points the heavy magnum to her face. "Hey pretty lady, you gonna corporate with us or do we have to get violent on you?"

Natalie gulps and drops the knife on the smooth beige marble floor. She raises her arms in the air helplessly as the guards grab her, one on each arm and drag her out the apartment.

Natalie could hear her cell phone ring in the background as she's drag out her apartment. Her machine went off in the cell phone as the officer told her that the phone call was made on a pay phone in her building. He shouts telling her that's she's in danger and to leave the apartment: the police are on their way. But it was too late, two of Cyrus's soldiers got a hold of the young doctor. If only the policeman had called a minute ago, she could have escaped.


~*~



Jamelet slams the car door as Summer hops into the driver's seat. Paige, Rose and Alison get into the back seat as Kimberly closes the front door of the house and runs to the backseat.

Alison hugs her suitcase to her chest and leans near the front of the car, "Did you check the answering machine? Remember someone called before we left the house after I told you about news of Backstreet."

Summer shakes her head no and Jamelet mumbles something incoherent under her breath.

Alison mumbles, "I guess that's a no. Wonder who it was that called?"

No one answered her question as the eerie quietness settled in the car.

Summer takes a deep breathe and starts the ignition but the car wouldn't start. "Oh God, why did this happen?" Summer shouts out annoyed as she walks to the hood of her car and opens it checking to see what's wrong with it.

Rose smiles and giggles, her bright blue eyes noticing the problem. "Hey Summer, it's not the car. When was the last you put gas in it?" She asks, passing her soft snowy fingers through her blonde locks.

Summer shrugs her shoulders, "Two days ago, but this car wasn't used since then."

Kimberly coughs nervously and lowers her head, "Uh, um, well I think I might have taken the car for spin yesterday and I forgot to fill it up. Sorry Summer." Her dark brown eyes pleading gently, the amber rings in her eyes glittering gently.

Summer gasps and runs to the driver's seat, sticking her head through the opening, "Why did you use my car without my permission?! Hello, do you know how much it cost now to fill up a car and you decided to take it for spin. Where did you go exactly?" Summer asks growling, her snowy complexion getting flustered in annoyance.

Jamelet sighs and whispers softly, "Forget the car Summer. We'll take the bus. We don't have time for this." She states, her peach complexion glittering in the moonlight as her dark brown locks topple in a ponytail over her shoulders.

Summer grumbles and grabs her book bag along with a small carry on suitcase. Paige, Alison, Rose and Kimberly climb out the car and grab their belongings quickly. They race towards the nearest bus stop three blocks down from their house.

They reach the bus stop and settle down on the wooden bench tired.

"This is like day sha vu all over again." Alison whispers, tucking some of her dark brown strands behind her ears.

"How long till the next bus comes around?" Asks Paige: her blonde tresses blowing gently in the summer breeze as she gazes tiredly down the street with her blue grey eyes.

"Maybe another ten minutes. Till then we just gotta wait." Jamelet states softly, her mind on their safety.

Summer sighs, "I hate waiting, it's seems with our luck only bad can happen when we wait." Her emerald orbs scanning the empty streets as her blonde locks lie loose above her shoulders.

"I wish Ana was with us, we wouldn't be so afraid as we are now." Rose whispers to Kimberly.

Jamelet glares at Rose, "Well she's not. So get over it."

Rose cringes away from that remark and leans near Kimberly as the others sigh and wait for the arrival of the city bus.


~*~



Ana races down the street as police men pulled up to the library. More than three police cars arrived on the scene of crime as many begin searching the one responsible for the crime. She knew she was in deep trouble when that creep in the library tried to hit on her. He had the letters of CAPPA scrolled on his fingers and she knew he was there for some other reason. She runs down the train stairs and pays for a ticket. "I guess now is a better time to visit the girls than ever." She states softly as she pushes a metal bar revolving door to get onto the train platform. She just hopes they got the message she left on their answering machine.


~**~



**~To Be Continued…~**

The boys paced back and forth within their cell. Howie had been gone for hours with Cyrus. Each boy knew that the tank took an hour, but not several. AJ chewed on his fingers as he sat perched on a medical table. Their room was bare and metallic. The only comfort within the room was a small desk, which had been completely stripped of useful items. The boys slept on the floor or on the examining tables, hoping that blankets would be supplied sooner or later.

“Why is it taking Howie so long?” Nick whined as he stared at the older boys. His hands were still charred from the fire that had spurted forth. The boys knew that their powers were almost as useless as before. They would have to learn how to control them all over again. It was a painstaking process. Nick let his hands rest against his legs, with the burned palms pointed toward the ceiling. His face was paler than normal. He was definitely scared.

“Maybe Cyrus needed him to do more tests than us?” AJ suggested thoughtfully.

“I’m sure Howie is completely fine,” Kevin replied for the other boys’ assurance. They all nodded, agreeing with the thought. Kevin looked down at the floor, knowing very well that Howie wasn’t fine. Within his heart, he could feel the tremors of panic. The room became deadly silent as they stared at one another. Footsteps could be heard outside. There was a constant rhythm of marching. It was the guards.

“Why isn’t someone looking for us?” Brian whispered, his voice bounced against the walls. Nick, Kevin, and AJ jumped with fright �“ not expecting Brian to speak. They looked down at Brian, who lay still against the cold floor. His deadly touch caused his nerves to shatter completely. He held his hands deep within his back pockets, refusing to show them to anyone.

“They have to be looking for us,” AJ insisted as the room went silent once again. They listened as footsteps approached the cell. They weren’t the same rhythmic pattern. The boys scattered up from the floors and ran to the back of the cell. They knew that if they jumped the door, that guns would await their chests. AJ panicked as he huddled behind Kevin, covering his head with his hands. He shut his eyes tightly as the door was flung open.

An object was quickly hurled into the room. In a blur of white, the object jumped up and ran for the door as it slammed closed. It began to pound heavily against the metallic door, screaming for mercy. The shrieks of terror caused the boys to cringe. Kevin’s eyes adjusted to the soft light, his jaw hung slightly ajar at the sight before him. He reached up to rub his eyes again. He thought he might be dreaming, but he wasn’t. It really was Dr. Natalie.

“YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME! THIS ISN’T RIGHT! THIS IS ILLEGAL! SOMEONE WILL KNOW THAT I’M GONE, CYRUS!” Dr. Natalie screamed into the small glass window that Cyrus’s face appeared in. He just offered her an unnerving smile, infuriating her more. She screamed, slamming her palm against the unbreakable window. “PLEASE! CYRUS! THIS ISN’T FAIR!”

“You know why I brought you here,” he told her.

“PLEASE! NOT AGAIN!”

“You will be supplied with the proper tools for what I need. The door in the back will open within a few hours, showing you to your private quarters. It’s the only room that leads into this cell without my genetic code to unlock the door, though I will control when you are locked in your room and when you’re free to converse with the boys. You will conduct tests on the boys whenever I feel necessary. You won’t be given any thing that would provide you with a useful weapon, I assure you of that. You will be given a small laptop to record information. This is your work, Doctor, and I advise you to make the best of this situation �“ or death will be delivered.”

The window shut closed quickly as Natalie sunk to her knees in sorrow. She could no longer control the emotions coursing through her system. She burst into angry sobs, pounding the floor. Her eyes burned with pain as tears fell against the metallic floors. She heard a soft shuffling of feet. Her eyes quickly adjusted upward to be surrounded by five figures. At first, she prayed it was the girls. “Girls?”

“No, we’d be your other projects,” AJ replied somewhat coolly.

“Boys?” Natalie gasped.

“Yes, and you have A LOT of explaining to do,” Brian insisted.

*~*~*

Ana hurried up the steps of the small cottage. She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt tightly around her head, concealing her identity. She pulled her flaxen blonde curls behind her ears, tucking them safely within the sweatshirt. She shivered as she reached for the doorknob. Since the killing, her body’s core temperature had dropped lower than before. It always happened when Ana was excited or frightened, causing a more potent delivery of powers. Ana went to reach for the doorknob, but found the door ajar. She gently pushed against the door, causing it to swing open with a bang.

She felt immediately haunted by the greeting of the vacant house. She couldn’t hear Alison laughing as she chased Paige about the rooms. She couldn’t hear Summer and Jamelet arguing over what to cook for dinner that night. Nor did she hear the sounds of Rose and Kimberly in the attic going over what they would wear to the local concert. Ana cringed at the silence �“ it sounded too much like her own home.

She stepped into the hallway, already too much aware of her surroundings. She crept like a cat in search of its next dinner. Her body remained taunt as she walked carefully around the accumulating piles of mess. She knew Summer would have a fit if she came home to this. Books, papers, pictures, blankets, and all the furniture had been torn apart and thrown to other sections of the home. Windows had been smashed. It was obvious that the placed had been searched. Ana feared that she had come too late when she reached the answering machine. The red blinking light taunted her.

Ana reached out and pressed the button, praying that it was a message from the girls. The machine rewound the tape quickly, causing the most annoying racket Ana could ask for. She cringed as her voice played back over the crackling static. She cursed herself, throwing her fist into a nearby wall. She watched as the wall caved and cracked beneath the weight of her mighty hand. She was about to throw another punch, when her fist was abruptly stopped.

“I FOUND ONE!” a thick German accent radiated into Ana’s ears. She perked up with awareness as the man turned her around and grasped her hip tightly along with her right hand. Her ocean eyes searched the man’s dark face, finding a large scar upon his left temple. His sadistic smile showed off two gold teeth replacing his front upper teeth. “You are quite the pretty little girl, aren’t you?” he cooed in his rough voice.

“Get off me,” Ana growled.

“You don’t look like the ones in the pictures,” the man voiced.

“And neither do you, prick!” Ana hissed, her eyes glowing a brilliant electric blue.

The man shouted in pain as he covered his eyes to shield from the blinding light, releasing Ana from his tight grasp. She regained her balance quickly, watching her powers work against the man’s foolish behavior.

Instantly, his hands clasped and sealed to his face as painful icy feeling erupted into his body. He screamed as his skin began to crystallize into ice. He turned deathly pale as an icy blue tint burst from the constricting capillaries of his freezing veins. He screamed out with his final icy breath, “IT’S THE ICE GIRL! SHE’S HERE! ICE!”

Ana heard the quick footsteps of several men. She crouched down as she watched two men come running down the middle stairs. Ice erupted from her hands as she sealed the stairs, placing the men in an icy block. They screamed out as the pounded against the freezing cage. Billows of clouds erupted from their cold mouths. Ana grinned with satisfaction at the job she had finished. She knew now that the girls were safe somewhere else. It was her duty to get them and flee the country.

Ana was preparing to leave quickly until she felt something wrap tightly against her carotid artery in her neck. There was a quick snap, and Ana was propelled backward. Ana felt the cord tighten against her throat, cutting the circulation to her brain. She struggled for a breath as she heard laughing behind her. Anger tore against her soul as she stood up, pulling forward on the cord. Something jerked from beneath her, sending her down against her back. She struggled to crawl upward for relief as the cord was pulled up.

“GET SOMETHING TO KNOCK HER OUT!” the man cursed from behind her.

“Why? You got her!” another cackled as Ana’s vision blurred. She felt someone lightly touch her cheek. “She isn’t as terrible as Cyrus made her out to be. She’s kind of cute. Just a little girl, how could she possibly hurt us? Please, just throw her in the truck, and I’ll tie her up.”

“Do what I say!” the first man ordered with a firm bark. Ana kicked her feet, struggling to loosen the cord from her neck. Dark spots began to invade her vision as she reached up to pry the tie loose with her fingers. She felt the burning sensation of scratches from her own fingers, but felt no relief. Bubbles foamed against her the corners of her mouth as the air depleted quickly within her lungs. It felt like her lungs might burst as gurgling sounds erupted from her mouth. She felt herself being dragged out into the bright light. She flailed her feet helplessly as the world darkened more quickly. “NOW, IDIOT! I CAN’T BE WASTING TIME!”

“I can’t believe we found this one! Steeles is going to be kissing Cyrus’s butt for centuries! This is the only one the man seems seriously concerned about it! Look out boys, major bonuses will be in our bank accounts!” someone hooted.

Ana felt her back crack against metal as she was thrown upwards. She attempted to loosen the cord once again. Her fingers dug deep into her own flesh, but the cord never loosened. She gasped as her eyes bulged. She pleaded for mercy, pitifully knowing that they couldn’t hear her thoughts. She felt a stinging sensation erupt against the side of her throat as a burning liquid flooded her constricting larynx. Suddenly, darkness seeped into her world as her body slumped.

*~*~*

Cyrus tapped his fingers anxiously against the control panel as he sat in his large examination room. The boys were locked in the cell against the far wall of the examining room. Howie had returned to the group far more battered than Cyrus had intended, but his anger had gotten in the way of his true goal. It didn’t matter, however, Howie would heal eventually. Until then, he would suffer for his foolish mistake. Cyrus had already made a mental note to play Ana upon Howie when Cyrus decided the man’s fate. Howie caved at the mere mention of the girl.

Cyrus laughed to himself at the brilliant schemes he was inventing. Natalie had been thrown into her own cell for a cool down period. Cyrus now waited for word upon the four girls. Steeles was an impatient man. He would wait for no one when it came to the girls. Cyrus feared that Steeles might already have men on his side locating the missing women. Cyrus glanced up to see the boys staring intently at him through the small window. He laughed as the door from the adjacent hall clicked open.

“SIR! SIR! SIR! WE HAVE FANTASTIFC NEWS!” one of his youngest guards screamed out as he came running into the room. His cheeks were bright red with enthusiasm. Cyrus stood up, clasping his hands behind his back. He nodded toward the guard as he saluted quickly. The boy took a huge gulp of air. “We went to the house that you located. We planned on capturing the six women, but we found something MUCH better!”

“You do not have the six women?”

“No, sir.”

“What could be possibly better than the SIX women?” Cyrus snarled, reaching for the gun that lay strapped to his side. The guard flinched as the other doors slid open. Cyrus’s eyes grew wide in surprise as the three burly guards thrust a blue vision into Cyrus’s view.

The blur stumbled and crumpled to the floor with little effort. The woman’s hands were bound behind her back as well as her feet. The pale white, almost blue, coloring of her skin made Cyrus’s heart pump with anticipation as the woman moaned. Masses of flaxen hair curled about the face, hiding her identify, but it was obvious to Cyrus.

“This can’t possibly be,” Cyrus let his words fall.

“We found her lurking about the house. She killed three of our men, but we got her, sir!” a guard beamed with triumph as the woman’s moans became louder. She took large gulps of breath as she began to stir. Her body fumbled from side to side, struggling to free herself from the bondages. “I held a cord about her neck to subdue her, then Marks gave her the injection that you gave us. She was sedated the entire way here, and now we present you with Anastacia Lord �“ Power of Ice!”

“Get Steeles on the phone immediately!” Cyrus barked to a smaller guard. The man nodded, quickly scurrying off to the phone. Cyrus grinned as he crouched down to Ana’s level. Her large ocean eyes fluttered against the bright lights. Her lips a faint blue as she struggled for breaths of air. Cyrus examined the rope burn against her throat. He frowned, knowing Steeles would be displeased. “This woman is truly a work of art, my friends!” Cyrus approved with a whoop of joy.

Ana immediately turned onto her back, her eyes opening immediately. She looked as if she had been startled. She took large gulps of air as she lay on her back. She could feel her arms twisted behind her, and her legs bound with tight rope. She groaned, trying to remove the thick pieces of her flaxen curls from her face. She felt her heart pound intensely as hands moved against her face, brushing away the soft curls.

“Welcome, Miss Anastacia,” a familiar voice cooed. Ana looked up to be faced with the most vicious man of her past. She screeched out in terror and yanked her feet apart, severing the cord instantly. She felt him place a warm kiss upon her freezing skin. She immediately pushed herself up, preparing to run, but Cyrus delivered a sharp kick to her back, sending her flying against the hard floor. She groaned as Cyrus flipped her over and pressed the heel of his thick leather boot upon her sternum. Her stomach caved in with each breath she took. His cold gray eyes burned into her soul. “It’s good to know that you remember me, little one.”

“You two legged little jerk of a mother’s dog!!!” Ana raved, her voice cracking from the lack of oxygen she was denied.

“Ooo, looks like Dr. Sanchez did break your filthy habit of swearing,” Cyrus laughed. He pressed his foot deeper against her chest. Ana writhed in pain as he stared into her eyes. “I do wish that I would have kept you in my lab setting. You would have prospered so much more with me. I remember reading to you when you lay in that bed. You were so full of curiosity.”

“Go to Hell!” Ana gagged.

“I did miss that fiery personality, also,” Cyrus chuckled as he motioned to his guards. They immediately coiled their arms about her shoulders as Cyrus released his foot. Ana was thrown upward against a wall as the guards braced her. Cyrus walked over to a table, admiring his tools. Ana’s eyes burned into his back. “I have so many plans for you, Ana. You were my prize. I molded you into a true predator, but Sanchez let you get soft. Now, you have special obligations to fill. You poor child, you should have been mine.”

“Why don’t you just stick it up your�””

Cyrus turned on his heel, bringing his hand quickly against Ana’s cheek. She felt the burning sensation prickle against her cold cheek. His raised his finger to her lips, making a quiet sound. “There will be no filth in this home, Anastacia. You know better.” Cyrus turned back as a guard signaled to a phone. Cyrus nodded, hurrying to pick up the phone.

Ana felt her skin prickle as one guard bent close to her ear. Her anger raged like a volcano when he whispered disgusting filth into her ear. She wanted to reach out and strike him dead. She went still as the men laughed at one another. Cyrus’s back was turned to her. “Did you really think you could escape us, Princess?” one cooed.

“We were the big bad men, and your just a little girl,” the other laughed.

“Too bad you’re infected, because we could have fun.”

“A lot of fun!”

“Awe, look, she’s getting mad, Bud.”

“The poor darling.”

“Too bad she can’t do anything about it.”

“Oh, yes, a terrible thing. She can’t hurt us. She’s just a little girl. A puppet in our game. I say we take her back to the room. She can’t hurt us. She never could hurt us. She’s a bogus little girl playing some sick joke upon the world. She needs taught a lesson.

Ana’s hands curled as she felt the prickle of her powers. The corners of her lips curled into a smile as she shattered the rope bound to her hands. They melted away like snowflakes. Ana watched as the men continued to laugh and enjoy their harassing. Ana looked from one to the other. “You guys are pathetic losers who couldn’t get a date with a freaking lab rat,” Ana snarled.

“Excuse me?” one coughed.

“Did I stutter?” she asked coldly.

“I’d watch that mouth. Your powers can’t save you this time,” the other snarled.

“Wrong, that sedation drug used to work on me. Nevertheless, I’ve been out of this system for a very long time boys. I’ve been training myself every day. I’m stronger than you’ve ever imagined. And, just for being the bad asses you are, I’m going to play a fun game with you,” she whispered with the most menacing voice possible.

The men instantly let her arms drop when they felt her temperature fall below zero degrees. They began to back up as her skin turned a misty blue. Her eyes glowed a brilliant blue as she raised her arms, conjuring all the power she could afford. The first man tried to run, but his legs instantly curdled with a strong ice. He screamed in agony as the fire of the cold ice ripped against his body. He fell against the metallic blocks, shattering his bottom half into millions of crystals. He twisted violently as he struggled to compensate for the agony of his lost legs. He began to cough up the blood, which began to freeze to icicles. Within moments, his throat was slaughtered from the sharp points of his icy blood.

“CYRUS! HELP US!” the other man screamed in fright when he looked at his friend’s fate. He ran for the door, but Ana froze the locks. He screamed as he pounded against the door, trying to free himself. Ana closed her eyes as the frigid winds blew against her soul. She sent a hailstorm down upon him as if she were Mother Earth. Large boulders of hail fell upon the man, crushing him instantly. He screamed in agony as he was pinned beneath each pounding boulder, which grew larger by each rain. Ana laughed as his screams continued for less than two minutes.

Ana felt a hand grab her shoulder. She turned and grabbed the next guard by the neck. She raised him in the air with little effort. He kicked helplessly as she tightened her hold around his throat. Black bubbles began to boil against his tan flesh. He screamed out as the dark pus filled his throat, spilling out into an icy froth upon the floor. Ana dropped him as he scratched at the decaying flesh of his throat. He kicked and twitched violently as his entire body was engulfed with the black skin of frostbite. Pus frothed against his open sores until he lay dead in a puddle of yellow iced pus, which remained cold despite the warm temperatures of the room.

All the other guards fled for the emergency door. Ana was satisfied with the results as she prepared to free herself. She hurried toward the emergency exit, only to hear the most disturbing sound. “ANA! WATCH OUT! BEHIND YOU! OH, GOD! RUN, ANA! RUN!” a familiar voice screamed behind her.

Ana turned toward the source of the sound with a smile of delight. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as she saw Howie’s face in a small window. His handsome features could not be overlooked as he connected with her. His dark eyes were instantly recognized by her soul. Her heart crumpled as she stared at him in horror.

She never saw Cyrus sneak up behind her. She gasped in surprise as she felt a sharp object pierce her abdomen. She felt blood spurt forth from her mouth as she stared at Cyrus in utter shock. “Great performance, I see you haven’t wasted your time. But remember, you were my pet, Precious, and you always will be my pet. Remember, I am the hunter, and you are the fox? Those are our roles, Precious,” Cyrus whispered in her ear before she collapsed against him.

*~*~*

Howie screamed in anguish as he pounded against the door, struggling to free himself. He watched Ana collapse into a bloody heap upon the metallic ground. He tugged anxiously at his short curls as he screamed again. “YOU BASTARD! YOU BLOODY BASTARD!” Howie cursed as he slammed his aching fists upon the metal door. He felt his friends try to pull him backwards, but to no avail. He continued to scream at Cyrus. “DON’T HURT HER! DON’T!”

“HOWIE!” Nick screamed.

Howie watched as Cyrus kicked Ana’s limp body over, revealing the growing red stain on the lower half of her sweatshirt. Cyrus tossed the long blade beside her as he whistled to his guards. They came running down with fever, trying not to see their dead friends lying in a mutilated heap. They glared at Ana’s lifeless body before Cyrus cleared his throat. They straightened.

Cyrus offered a pleased look toward them, shaking his head with amusement. “She is stronger than I anticipated. I plunged a sword tipped with a specific poison into her abdomen to counter react her powers. Lock her in the cell with the chains binding her to the wall. Do not allow her any freedom. However, do not give her anything to calm her powers, the cell is protected for those special cases. Stitch the wound and get her large doses of antibiotics. Get Mr. Steeles here immediately! Ana is growing to her full potential, and he must see what a special woman she is.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Then men bent down and grabbed Ana’s arms, sliding her across the floor. Cyrus watched the crimson trail of blood smear against the tiles from Ana’s wound. He sighed, shaking his head. “GET HER A FORMAL GOWN TO WEAR BEFORE STEELES ARRIVES! HE’S A ELEGANT MAN! HIS BEAUTIFUL TREASURE CANNOT BE IN BLOODY ATTIRE!” Cyrus barked.

“SIR, YES, SIR!”

Howie screamed out again as Cyrus turned toward their cell. Howie’s eyes locked with Cyrus’s cold eyes for that instant. Howie cursed Cyrus. “LET ANA GO! SHE DID NOTHING! DON’T HURT HER BECAUSE I DID SOMETHING STUPID!” Howie cried, his voice growing hoarse from each scream. His throat ached as he slammed his fists upon the door. “NOT ANA!” Howie begged as Cyrus walked up to the cage. Howie knew that Cyrus intended to play Ana against him, but Howie didn’t know of Cyrus’s other plans.

Cyrus pressed himself close to the door, knowing that Howie could hear him. He whispered softly, “Her screams will echo in the night, Mr. Dorough. It’s a promise, Mr. Dorough. And, I assure you that you will witness each and every torture performed to your Ice Angel.”

A/N: Hehe, Oh my God, I’m back again! That’s right I’m here to give all you joyous readers something to sink your teeth into. I hope you enjoy this chapter for my sanity as well as my dear co-author’s sanity- leave a review on the site please or simply e-mail us what you think of this story or any chapter of the story. Thanks and enjoy!

“Contributions of Dilemma”

-“For troubles without number surround me;…”- Psalms 40:12A, NIV Bible.

**~Chapter Seven- More Than Imagination~**

She fumbles with the key to the hotel door and swings it open as the group of girls pile in the room. Jamelet sighs and holds the door open as Summer, Rose, Alison, Paige and Kimberly enter the room carrying their belongings and book bags. Jamelet closes the door and walks to the small bedroom.

“How are we all gonna share this room with only two beds?” Kimberly asks, her dark brown eyes scanning the small hotel room.

Summer sighs and drops her small carry on suitcase on the crème carpeted floor. She gazes at the ivory walls in the room as her emerald eyes absorb the white velvet couch and a small television set placed in the corner of the room. A white love seat was centered in the room facing a small entertainment area, an old stereo system and radio.

“Well this is wonderful. It looks like we’ll be bunking with each other then.” Rose states, her blond tresses lying in a slight disarray around her shoulders.

Jamelet collapses into the white sofa in the living room staring at the blank black screen of the television. She turns on the T.V. with a remote lying on the sofa and the news blasts out, showing a young woman reporter giving details about a sudden secret organization that is beginning to expand. Jamelet raises the volume on the set as she calls the girls over to check it out.

“Oh man, this is it. See Backstreet was kidnapped!!” Alison squeals out, her dark medium brown locks lying wildly over her shoulders. She shakily points to the screen with her finger.

Jamelet sighs annoyed with the news and shuts off the television. “If I hear anything else about CAPPA, I’m just about to lose it.”

“I thought it was over, how can CAPPA come back?” Rose shrieks running out of the bedroom.

Summer nervously runs her pale snowy hands through her blonde tresses. “Ok, look. We obviously were blind if we can escape from the government. I mean who are we kidding? We can’t run from them, what are we trying to prove? That we’re smarter than the institution?” Summer yells, the fear rising in her voice.

“God, you’re right. What was I thinking? Look I’m not giving up. If those creeps are involved with the kidnapping of the Boys then we’re next on the list. I’m sure whoever is running the company knows about us.” Jamelet states softly, she kept her gaze away from the fallen eyes on her.

“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Rose asks, her ocean blue darting to the petite figure of the woman sitting on the couch.

Jamelet rolls her light brown eyes and sighs, “I didn’t want to mention to you guys before because I was concerned about our safety. But when I left work today, two men dressed in black…” Her voice trails off when she hears Alison humming the Men In Black soundtrack.

“Sorry.” Alison blushes, her light cheeks an array of pink and red. “Continue.” She whispers softly staring at her.

Jamelet finishes telling how two men were looking for her at her office but left the building instead after getting the information they needed.

“So they never even saw you then?” Summer asks, her voice dropping out every once in while in shock.

“No, by some miracle the men left and they didn’t even bother to go into my office.” Jamelet state: tapping her white sketcher sneakers on the carpet nervously.

“Ok, so then this is good and bad, right?” Paige asks sitting besides Jamelet, her grey blue eyes boring into Jamelet’s eyes.

“Somewhat, if you want to think about it that way.” Summer says shaking her head in disbelief.

Paige sighs, her tousled blond locks tumble over her shoulders gently. “We’re in trouble aren’t we? We have to get away from these people. Who are they? Can they even be from CAPPA? We destroyed the institution, it doesn’t exist!” She says exasperated, her blue grey eyes staring at the black screen of the television.

“We can’t stay here, they could come after us.” Kimberly states quietly, her dark brown locks in a tight ponytail.

“Where we gonna, huh? Tell me where we gonna go? We have limited money and this room cost half of the money we’re carrying!” Jamelet growls under her breath.

Kimberly gulps and stares at Summer for help.
Summer smiles and squeezes Kimberly’s shoulder gently, “She didn’t mean it, we’re just a bit stressed right now trying to figure things out. If Jamelet had mentioned the work incident before maybe we wouldn’t be in this hotel room.”

Jamelet rolls her eyes angrily and mumble something incoherent, leaning back on the velvet couch. A deep quiet tension stuffed the room and the ringing of the phone suddenly, breaks the uncomfortable silence.

“I’ll get it.” Paige states: running over to the small black metallic phone on a mahogany desktop. Paige picks up and whispers a “Hello?”

A deep raspy voice responds back, invading her ear, “I see you. I’m coming and you can’t hide!” The eerie voice growls into her ear.

Paige holds the phone out, away from her as Summer takes the phone away from Paige.

“Hello? Who is this?” Summer states nervously, waiting for a response, but heard nothing but the click and the dial tone. ‘There’s no one on the phone, they hung up. Who was it Paige?”

Paige shakes her head, her sweat like drops of water, form on her temples, “They know we’re here! We have to get out!” She whispers loudly, fear banging in her chest.

Jamelet gulps hard and pushes Kimberly, Rose and Alison into the small bedroom. “Where can we go? It’s too late! They found us!” Jamelet states eerily, her light eyes wide open in fear.

Summer gently hang up the phone and pulls Paige away from it, towards the bedroom. “I’ll call security. Then we’re leaving. Get everything ready, looks like we won’t get any sleep this evening.” And with that turns back around to see the black phone ring again.
~*~

Natalie opens her dark brown eyes to see the five men from the past experiment. It seemed she was brought back to the guy’s cell due to Cyrus’s orders. “You’re on the news. People know about your kidnapping.” She whispers, her throat raw and pain from the screaming and crying she did before hand. It seems she was brought back to the guy’s room for some strange reason.

“Yeah, that tends to happen when you’re famous.” A.J. states smiling gently; kneeling down to Natalie who is sitting on the metallic floor.

“How did they get you?” Brian asks, his light eyes bores into Natalie’s eyes.

She gulps, the throbbing pain in her throat reminding her of the soreness. “They knew where I live and broke into my place. They got me right there.” She closes her eyes in hopes she was just caught in another one of her nightmares, unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

“They’re after the others you know.” Kevin spoke, his smoothing voice, erasing Natalie’s discomfort for a moment.

“I know. I wish I could have called them, but I lost contact with them after we went our separate ways.” Natalie speaks gently to avoid bringing more pain to her throat then needed.

“You lost contact with them? Why?” Brian asks approaching her.

Natalie shrugs her shoulders, “Don’t know. When I went to visit family, I never got any of their phone numbers or any form of contact, so it was impossible to stay in contact without the info. The girls went to live together and I was asked to go be with them. But I said I had to see my family and I thought it didn’t feel right living with them. Figured I’d be too much of a burden, with so many mouths to feed, Jamelet and Summer thought it be best to stay together. I argued with them telling them, I’ll find them again, and now looks like it would be best time.”

Nick who was sitting on one of medical tables, spoke so quiet, everyone turned to listen, “Did you really think you could fool us into thinking that CAPPA died? You, along with Summer and Jamelet never gave us the full story. Now it seems you have to get info on us, how ironic is that?” He states glaring at her from across the room.

Natalie sighs and looks around, there were only four men in the room, last she came she saw all five, “Where’s Howie?”

“Why do you care?” Nick growled.

Natalie avoided the hurt look that passed on the blonde man. “Where is he?”

“A soldier came back under Cyrus’s orders. Cyrus stated Howie was gonna see Ana. And that he will get a taste of his own medicine.” Brian states sadly.

Natalie sighs, “They’re hurting him, I know it.”

“You know that Ana is here. They found her.” A.J. states: staring at her curiously.

Natalie shakes her head, “What? How? She was under the supervision of the girls, how can she have gotten caught?”

“By the looks of it, she came here alone. Cyrus almost killed her in the medical room. I thought she died after he plunged that sword in her stomach.” Kevin states softly.

Natalie shakes her head: all this was too much for her. “I’m sorry if you think other wise of me. I know I lied to you before but it was for your safety. You must understand!”

Kevin stares at the young doctor and shakes his head, “I don’t know what to believe anymore, your lies or the companies?”

Natalie wipes away the stray wetness on her face from the tears that had leaked before using her blue cotton long sleeve shirt. “I’m sorry, it was done for your safety. Your powers are growing as we speak.”

Nick shakes his head, “Wrong again doctor! It seems this Cyrus guy managed to weaken our powers by dunking our bodies in chemicals. I thought for sure you knew that!” He mentions in a sarcastic tone.

Natalie squints her eyes and shakes her head, “Weaken your powers, how? The powers are in you. Unless they drain you of your blood where the chemicals are mixed in your blood system, that would be impossible.”

Abruptly, a voice through the metal intercom blasts into the room, “Thank you doctor for that vital information. It will be very much useful as I drain the blood out of our boys and I’m sure they’ll gladly thank you later before they die!” Cyrus’s cackles thundered in the cell.

Nick glares at Natalie with hatred in his eyes, if he was gonna die, he’s going down fighting. “Should have known you’re in this too!”

Natalie cries out, “What!! No, I knew nothing about this!! How can you say that?!” She states, tears trailing down her light tan face.

The thick metal door in the room swings open as a badly bruised Howie slumps unconscious in the two soldiers arms. One of the burly black dressed soldiers throws Howie on the metallic floor and laughs before walking away. The other solider holds the door open for Cyrus to enter it.

“Good evening my children, how are we doing? I’m glad we’re all here to unite, I have quite a surprise for all you. Howie already knew what my surprise was so I had to put him to sleep. He’ll be ok if he behaves right next time.” Cyrus states, his cold dark eyes glare at Kevin who’s cowering over Howie like a mother.

A.J. glares at Cyrus and rolls his eyes, “Let me guess? You’re treating us to dinner.”

“You’re quite the funny one Alex, but it’s something far better than food.” Cyrus states, his eyes twinkling in delight.

Brian gazes at Nick who stands up and walks towards Cyrus. Nick eyes the man and brushes pass him roughly. Nick kneels down on the floor besides Natalie and stares at Cyrus.

Cyrus eyes Nick and whispers something to one of guards, “Behave blonde one, or you’ll suffer like your poor friend did over here.” He mentions, pointing to Howie.

Nick gulps and watches as two more soldiers bring in a young blonde hair woman in the room. Two more soldiers drag in a young unconscious woman into the room and drops her hard on the metallic tiles.

Kevin sees the tangles mess of blond locks covering the soft face of a young woman. “Ana.” He whispers, staring at the wound on Ana’s stomach. “Oh God what did you do to her?”

“She’ll be fine, just sleeping. It seems she’s one of the five we’ll need. I figured by the way your friend Howie acted upon seeing her, that you all met with her before. So I came here to see if you will be polite and state any information that we might need about those women.” Cyrus states smiling, his dark eyes glaring at the men before him.

Brian gulps and shakes his head, “We know the same you do about the girls.”

Cyrus stares to one of soldiers who points a rifle in Brian’s direction. “Don’t lie to me. I don’t like liars. I know you know who our Ana is. You’ve seen her before haven’t you mister Littrell?”

Brian nods his head slowly as he hears the others guys gasping. A.J. smacks the rifle away from solider, “Leave him alone, he’s right, we’ve seen her before but we don’t know where the others are.”

Cyrus smirks, “Well Alex, care to inform us of your vital data?”

“No.” A.J. states growling in hatred as he walks to a medical table to sit on.

“Well, that’s rude. It seems you boys are becoming more daring, not knowing all your lives are in danger as we speak. I must say, the more you all hold out on me, the worse your little girl friend here gets it.” Cyrus states: kicking the unconscious body of Ana on the floor.

Natalie stands up and holding onto the wall behind her, whispers, “Cyrus what is it that you brought all of us here? You found them didn’t you?”

Cyrus smiles and gives a quick nod to her, “You’re quite the fast one darling. Yes, it seems that way. Not that it matters, my dear friend Steeles is pleased to know I’ve captured his beloved ice princess. What a reward I’ll get. As for you Natalie, under the company’s regulations, you work for us now. There’s no way you can leave or get fired from here. The only way out is death and I don’t know how that would looks on your resume when looking for another job.” He states laughing leaving the room, as the soldiers drag the blood stained Ana out the room, locking the door behind them.

Natalie stares at the boys, “We won’t leave here, it’s too late for us.” She states defeated, slumping against the metal walls.

Howie moved and opened his eyes painfully to see Natalie in the room, smiling, he sits up from the floor with the help of Kevin to see her. “You’re here to help us?” He whispers, cringing in slight pain of his cracked lips, bleeding.

A.J. smirks, “Sorry D, she got caught. She’s stuck with us.”

“Oh. What about Ana? She’s not ,you know, dead?” Howie manages to whisper fearing the results of that answer.

“She’s ok. She’s sleeping now. A man is coming to take her away and care for her.” Brian whispers, his ocean blue eyes full of sadness.

“What about us?” Howie asks, staring at Nick.

Nick stands up from the floor and sighs, “We’ll die D. That’s what.” And with that, he sits next his friend Howie embracing him as fear crawled into his spine.
~*~

**~To Be Continued…~**

A/N: I never do author's notes, I really don't know what to say. I hope you're enjoying this story. It's all Jamelet's doing, I just put other words in to make it pretty *lol* Seriously, drop her a line. She's a talent, and I know she wants to know if this story kicks some serious butt. *~*Ana*~*

Chapter 8 - Tainted

He trembled in his fitful sleep. Images of blood and tainted hands coiled about the misty fogs of memory. He twitches with the horrid encounters discovered in the soft moonlight. The first gaze at the young women proved to be relief. He had finally found her as she lay upon a table, breathing softly. Immediately, he was seized, and strapped to a table facing the woman. His insides churned while she was roughly jarred into consciousness. He felt his body tremble as she screamed out in protest.

The first hit occurred in that direct instant. The butt of a gun was shoved roughly against her clavicle �“ shattering it. He watched as a coil of cold ice formed against her snow-white skin, providing a shield. He laughed with delight, almost a bizarre laugh. That’s when pain was inflicted toward him. He felt the hands of several fly against his abdomen, chest, and head. Blood rained down like a drenching summer storm. He felt his body drain of many fluids as he was forced to look at her.

Then the true barbaric nature began. She was displayed like a prized piece of meat, dangling from the ceiling by her arms. She screamed out in pain while a burning object was plunged against her open wound. Pus began to fizzle and bubble within the leaking whole from her abdomen. A knife was plunged carefully into the same burning wound, poking about the flesh as if she were a fish. She was submerged in water under her body nearly fell to a state of death, and then revived quickly by an on looking guard. A sadist smile smeared upon the tortures’ faces.

He screamed for her salvation, but it only offered more torture to them both. Her screams grew louder as pain increased in his soul. Their eyes connected for a brief moment. The pools of dark brown and sparkling blue meshed as they offered some comfort. However, his forbidden desire was tainted. His body was slammed about with heavy objects as needles were injected through various places. His body went weak as darkness invaded his soul. The screams continued to invade his hearing. He screamed out, suddenly jarred from the darkness.

“Howie!” a voice called to him.

He jerked from his fitful sleep. His eyes blurry from the swelling and bruises. He squinted against the harsh lights, still assuming his place within the dream. He screamed out as Ana’s screams filtered into his ears. Her pleas echoed for the freeing of Howie and sacrificing herself to death. She begged for him to be released from the straps of violence. The torturous sounds of slamming articles against brittle bones made Howie shutter. Her screams became utterly violent. Howie could feel the terrible cold mist that surrounded the room.

“Howie!” another called.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Howie screamed, grasping at his ears. He looked down to see a recorder being replayed simultaneously. He hollered in frustration as Ana’s voice continued to squeal out within the speakers. He took the recorder and smashed it against the floor. He slammed it so many times, watching the small pieces fling about the tiny room. Uttered gasps fluttered about the room in shock as Ana’s voice was silenced finally. Howie collapsed against the cold floor, bursting into sobs.

“Oh, gosh, Howie,” Brian sighed, watching his friend wail against the cold tiles. He hugged himself close, fearing that the same might happen to him. Nick touched Brian’s shoulder, watching Howie’s pitiful state. Howie had obviously been mentally and physically abused by the men. His eyes were dark with bruises, his left cheek held a cut from a needle of sorts. His arms were punctured from numerous injections. His chest was bruised and slightly deformed from several rib fractures. He was in a terrible shape as blood trickled down his cracked lips. He pounded at the floor, praying for Ana to be safe.

“I’m going to kill those creeps for what they did,” AJ avenged.

“Not if I get my hands on them first,” Kevin whispered, leaning down to Howie. He placed a gentle, but firm hand upon Howie’s shoulder. He jerked in surprise, pulling himself into a cowering position. “Hey, D. It’s just me. Are you okay?”

“N-No,” Howie stuttered.

“What happened?”

“They hurt her… They tortured her until I talked! They just wouldn’t let her go, and then they tried to get information out of her, and beat me down… Kev, I don’t want to go back. Please, don’t let them take me away,” Howie pleaded, grasping Kevin’s shirt with his bloody knuckles. Kevin grasped his friend in a brotherly embrace as the doors slammed open.

“Isn’t that a pretty picture,” a guard cooed as Cyrus appeared before the men. Brian, AJ, and Nick immediately backed away from the door, but were roughly seized by the guards. They screeched in surprise as Kevin was roughly thrown backwards and away from Howie. Cyrus laughed as he noted the broken recorder. “She screamed especially for you, Mr. Dorough.”

“You’re a sadistic man,” Howie hissed.

“And you’ll be a dead one if you keep up with that mouth,” Cyrus explained with a cackle. He leaned down and grasped Howie tightly by the throat. Howie choked as he was thrust into a standing position. He could feel is trachea being clamped closed until Cyrus placed a steel blade across his throat. Howie took an uneasy breath as he watched the rest of his friends be shackled with large handcuffs and ankle-cuffs. He prayed that death might eventually come upon them.

*~*~*

“You guys can’t slow down!” Jamelet scorned as she pulled on Alison’s small hand. Alison screeched out a complain as she yanked her hand back from Jamelet. Her dark eyes burned with intensity as Jamelet stopped. Summer let out a ragged breath as she collapsed onto the soft grass. Jamelet refused to let the girls travel on the roads where they could be spotted. They traveled the highway within the thickness of the forest. Jamelet watched as Rose placed Paige onto the ground, and then collapsed beside Kimberly. “Please don’t do this!”

“JAMELET, WE’RE TIRED!” Alison whined.

“I know that you’re tired, but we have to find somewhere to hide for the night! We’re only miles away from that hotel. They could be coming after us! You don’t want captured again, do you?” Jamelet cried with exasperation. She wanted so badly to fall asleep within a soft bed, but found the substance around her lacking. Her bones ached with a newfound pain. Jamelet pressed a palm to her sweaty forehead, praying for God to give her the strength to continue.

“Can we take a five minute break?” Summer asked, resting her back upon the pile of backpacks.

“I suppose, but we can’t just sit here, can we?” Jamelet asked.

“There’s a diner!” Rose shouted with glee. She jumped up from the grass and eagerly pointed toward the small sign. It was a small diner, probably housing only the locals of the tiny town. Her blue eyes glittered with happiness. “Is it okay if we go there and get something to eat? Please? I’m starving, Jam.”

Jamelet frowned, hating the nickname that Rose dispersed with. Ana had always called her that, as reference to the crazy personality she exonerated in Ana’s presence. Jamelet swallowed her aching to see Ana and picked up her bag. “We can get something to eat, but we’ll have to be careful. Okay? Nothing big. Probably just sandwiches and a bag of chips to share.”

“Sounds good,” Kimberly answered, placing her hands upon her growling stomach.

“That goes double for me,” Alison agreed eagerly, licking her lips.

Jamelet nodded as the girls stood up. They hurried over to the small restaurant with quickened steps. Jamelet was relieved when they entered. The small place held only two customers. They were older aged men that sat slowly drinking their coffee and reading papers. Jamelet and the girls flood to the small booth in the corner, seating everyone comfortably. Alison peers at a menu with Paige, her eyes growing with delight tat the tasty pleasures in the pictures.

“What can I get you?” a waitress asks as she snaps the gum within her mouth. She looks to be ancient. The folds, wrinkles, and creases in her cheeks contain the powder and concealer. Rose made a face of disgust as Jamelet ordered some water and sandwiches. The waitress nods, collects the menus, and walks back to the counter.

“I can definitely do makeup MUCH better than that,” Kimberly giggled.

“She looked like some hot-mama from the THIRTIES!” Rose snickered.

“Girls, shut up,” Summer sighed. “We have bigger problems than that woman’s makeup.”

“Sorry,” the older girls respond, bowing their heads.

“We need the news,” Jamelet murmured softly as she caught Alison gazing into her mind. Jamelet frowned as Alison blushed deep red. Alison immediately turned into Paige’s side, whispering something in her ear. Paige nodded as she scooted from the table. She walked a few paces to the old TV, and flicked it to the local news station. Jamelet smiled as the two younger girls beamed smiles. “Thanks, girls.”

“Welcome!” they chirped.

Jamelet studied the screen as the suburban New York came into view. She immediately noted the luscious trees and chirping birds. She felt her heart ache, wishing she could get back to reality. Something about running failed Jamelet. She just didn’t want to run anymore. Her mind quickly blanked when a particular house came into focus. An announcer stepped into the camera’s view as three bodies were being wheeled from the cottage.

‘Tonight, it seems there has been a bizarre tragedy in a local New York home. Police were called to this residence for an attempted robbery, but found much more. When they arrived, they discovered three bodies in baffling situations. It seems each man died from freezing cold temperatures. The details are only released to the police, but each case was grisly and horrendous. Police are baffled how the middle of the summer one could die from lethal frostbite… Or any type of cold for that matter. Jonathan, back to you.’

The girls all looked from one to the other. It was their house that had been robbed! Jamelet watched Alison’s dark brown eyes grow bright with appreciation. Kimberly and Rose frowned, folding their arms across their chest in a hostile manner. “COLD! That’s Ana! She toasted those guys that were going to kill us!!!” Alison shrieked with happiness.

“Shhh!” Summer whispered harshly.

“Was it really Ana?” Alison chirped with hope.

“It has to be,” Jamelet said, an actual smile forming against her lips.

“Does that mean she’s coming to rescue us?” Paige concluded.

“Why would she do that? She left us. Remember? She’s only out to save her own hide. She left us to be alone. She didn’t need any of us to survive, and that was made clear from the start! Don’t think she’s coming to get us. She’ll let us suffer before she’d ever save us. Remember that, Ali,” Rose growled.

“Rose,” Summer scolded.

“She’s right,” Kimberly answered quickly.

“Girls, please, just eat,” Jamelet concluded. She groaned as the girls went quiet, eating their sandwiches. She had stopped the argument quickly. Jamelet rubbed her temples, wondering where Ana could possibly be at that very moment. She closed her eyes, praying to God. She asked Him to keep Ana safe.

*~*~*

Ana screamed in wretched agony as her body lit with an intense fire. Her eyelids fluttered with awareness as she slowly awakened from the aching sleep. She found herself surrounded in the cool room. Heavy fog of cold air settled about the room. Ana’s eyes glowed a brilliant white-blue as her anger and anguish stimulated her brain. Hail and ice shatter against the glass concealing her in the tiny room. Her body was chained against the wall, providing her no support. She glanced down to see her white tank top stained with her own blood. She struggled to situate herself as the artic chill rose and stimulated a thundering blizzard. She screamed curses for Cyrus’s death as the misty clouds layer her haven for safety.

Before Ana could conjure up a stronger force, the shackles released her. Ana fell forward to the icy ground, slamming her weary body into the ground. The ice crackled to provide some sort of shelter for Ana. She heaved heavy breaths of relief as she braced her upper body against her arms. Her eyes continued to glow as the doors leaked her misty clouds. She pushed herself into a crouch position as shadows cast against each shadow. The hail continues to thunder, causing Ana to be obliterated from the shadow’s sight. She felt her fingers tingle with icy death as she prepared to attack.

“ANA, DARLING? COME MEET A SPECIAL FRIEND,” Cyrus calls through the mist.

Ana crouched deeper, cracking her knuckles. She noticed Cyrus’s leather boots appear against her icy ground. Ana watched as his face quickly appears. She lunged, only to be faced with Howie’s terrified face. Ana immediately was pushed, causing her to fall backward. The fog was quickly sucked from her surroundings in time to see Cyrus standing there with a blade pressed tightly against Howie’s throat. Ana muttered a profanity as Cyrus laughed. He could see the terror in Ana’s eyes as they settled back to the blue-green coloring.

“I try to bring you a special visitor, and this is the thanks I get? Miss Anastacia Lord, that is not how we behave for company,” Cyrus chided, glaring at the young adult. She fidgeted uncomfortably as she sat in the piles of her own snow. Cyrus pressed the blade tightly against Howie’s carotid artery. Howie squeaked in agony. “Get up and address him properly,” Cyrus barked.

Ana offered Cyrus a deadly glare as she stood up from the snow. She brushed off her bloody jeans carefully, holding her aching chest. Her lip was bleeding, but none of the other wounds from yesterday showed except for the bloody remains from her stomach. Cyrus had injured her beneath her clothing, still providing his client with a beautiful Ice Princess. Ana was revolted by Howie’s shabby appearance. He looked as if he had been tormented for days. She longed to reach out and caress his bruised cheek, providing comfort. But Ana stood there. Ana finally gave a little curtsy as her stomach ripped with pain. “Hello, Mr. Dorough.”

“That’s right, Darling. Politeness is number one in CAPPA. Now, you better be a good girl or Mr. Dorough will be in worse pain than you.” Cyrus pointed out toward the larger area of the room as the plates of glass slid into the floor from Ana’s cell. Her eyes grew wide in horror as she watched to see all the boys strapped to medical tables, which were directed at her cell. They all looked at her with tremendous pity as dozens of chemicals were injected into the veins. Cyrus quickly flung Howie out into the room toward a guard, where the man proceeded to attach Howie to the chemicals.

“Don’t do this to them,” Ana hissed.

“Fine, then we’ll see what your body contains,” Cyrus hissed back. With heavy hands, he slammed Ana into a container. She screamed as her ankles and hands were bolted directly into the metal wall. Cyrus plucked a large hammer, knife, and needle from the adjacent table. He advanced toward Ana with a look of pure delight. “You see, I can do whatever I want to you, as long as I don’t mar your beautiful face or arms.”

“You’re sadistic,” Ana spat.

“And I know the secret to get you to behave. Do you have a love of some sort for our Mr. Dorough? It seems that Mr. Dorough is quite annoyed if I place my hand upon you. I find it quite enjoyable. I like to play with his head. He’s quite the firecracker when he chooses to be. Mostly when I mention your name,” Cyrus chuckled as he let the blade trace down Ana’s medial line to her bellybutton. Ana winced as the knife drew closer to the stitches.

“Don’t you dare hurt him,” Ana threatened.

“Or what, Darling?”

“Or I’ll tear you to pieces when I get my hands untied. I’ll freeze your esophagus so you slowly suffocate, then I’ll make icicles erupt from all your major oranges. You’ll bleed out before I let you suffocate. You’ll experience the pain for ALL the experiments, you bastard! And that’s the truth,” Ana hissed menacingly.

“And you have far too much fire in your personality, dear!” Cyrus growled as he set the knife and needle down. He grabbed the hammer with both hands, setting it against Ana’s right femur. She watched as he reached back and smashed the hammer with all his force into her upper leg. Ana screamed in agony as the bone immediately protruded from her bloody pants. Pain invaded her body as she began to convulse. Bright red blood spewed forth as the guys called out for mercy.

“DON’T HURT HER!” Howie screamed in agony as another injection was launched into his throat.

“She’s not hurt,” Cyrus laughed as Ana moaned in agony. The blinding pain turned extremely cold. Cyrus watched with approval as the jeans lying against her hips were shattered from the freezing temperatures, exposing the heavily fractured femur. Within minutes, an icy cast was coiled around the bone, sealing it back into the ruptured skin. Ana breathed heavily while the pain continued to work its way through her central nervous system. She screamed out as Cyrus advanced again. “I need to ask you questions, Ana, and I pray that you give me the answers I need.”

“DON’T!” Howie cried out again.

Cyrus ignored him. “Where are the other girls, Ana?”

“I don’t know,” Ana mumbled softly, the pain controlling her.

“Now, Ana, try again,” Cyrus cooed.

“I…DON’T…KNOW!”

“Wrong answer,” Cyrus replied, digging the needle deeply into her first wound.

Ana screamed out as the needle dug deeply into her muscles. “I’M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH! I DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE! I LEFT THEM MONTHS AGO! I WANTED TO BE BY MYSELF! I DIDN’T WANT TO HURT THEM WHILE MY BODY WHEN THROUGH CHANGES WITH THE ICE! I DIDN’T WANT TO BE NEAR THEM! DAMNIT! LEAVE THEM ALONE!”

“You never had a heart, Anastacia, so don’t try to have one now,” Cyrus hissed with laughter.

Ana was stunned, realizing now that Cyrus meant her more harm then the boys. She watched with defeat while pus and chemicals began to fizzle against the wound, burning her insides. Her muscles ached with fierceness, begging for her to give up. Death curled its cold fingers about her neck. Ana felt tears fall down her face as agony gripped her soul. Words began to drown out as Cyrus continued his torturing devices, repeating the same questions. Blood drained from her cold interior, spilling against the floor and hardening. She glanced upward to see Howie watching with sorrow. His beautiful dark eyes shed tears for her pain. Ana whispered something before she slipped into another deep sleep.

“STOP IT! PLEASE!” Howie begged as Cyrus finally glanced at him. Cyrus nodded toward his men, stepping away from Ana’s wall. She lay against the wall, bleeding heavily. The icy cast was tinted with bright crimson liquid from her femur fracture. Howie struggled to move against the bondages, but found another needle injected into his neck. He squeezed his eyes tight as the burning liquid pulsated through his veins.

“SHUT UP, HOWIE!” Kevin pleaded as Cyrus closed Ana’s cell upon her.

“NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!” Howie wailed while Cyrus approached.

“Did you say something?” Cyrus asked as he walked straight to Howie’s medical table. Howie stood on his legs as the medical table lay vertical. Howie’s heart began to beat furiously while Howie glared. Cyrus’s face came within inches of Howie’s face. “Excuse me, Mr. Dorough, did you say something?”

“I said leave her alone,” Howie gritted.

“Aren’t you in enough pain to be sticking up for your little girlfriend?”

“No, just leave her alone!”

Cyrus laughed as he gazed back at Ana’s lifeless body. She had been taught a very important lesson, and Cyrus now knew how to make her behave. Howie was the key to Ana’s control and heart. Cyrus could tell Steeles to play that card easily. Cyrus had to call Steeles and inform him that Ana would be ready to leave by tomorrow morning. It wouldn’t hurt to let the boys say their goodbyes to the Ice Goddess. He reached up and grasped Howie’s gray t-shirt. He began to smear Ana’s cold blood against Howie’s shirt, tainting him with the smell of Ana’s near-death. He nodded toward the guards, telling them to inject the boys with the final drug. This would reverse the powers for a few hours, so they could be freed. Only until their powers became as strong as Ana’s ice could he be useless against them. Each boy winced as another needle was inserted.

“Howard, Kevin, Brian, Nickolas, Alexander �“ get ready to say your goodbyes to the Ice Princess. Say your goodbyes, and be brief, because the dear Ice Goddess will be gone in the morning,” Cyrus concluded with the final smearing of Ana’s blood across Howie’s bleeding lips. He chuckled to himself as he left the room and bolted it closed. Each boy fell from the medical table as they were released. They lay still against the cold tiles. Howie was the only one who stared at the lifeless Ana. Howie only could imagine that as he lay there that he was tainted with Ana’s precious blood.
~**~

**~To Be Continued...~**

A/N: LOL, although my fellow writer doesn’t really like writing these little notes to you the readers per say, I feel it’s to personally thank all you readers who are reading this and loving it! And yes a review would be wonderful! If you can leave a review in the site or e-mail it to us, cause Ana is truly a great writer that needs the credit for the wonderful graphic scenes in this story! Enjoy and drop a review!

“Contributions of Dilemma”

-“There are different kinds of gifts…” -1 corth.12:4, NIV Bible

**~Chapter Nine- Stained Past

Howie trembles as he pulls himself up to his knees. Nick crawls painfully over to the poor woman that was tortured in front of them.

Ana was left hanging on chains from the wall like a piece of meat from a butcher shop. Her abdomen bled profusely, splashing the white tiles with her crimson blood. Ana looks down to the floor to see the blonde man stare at her in pain. Nick stands up and faces her, sadness overwhelming his face.

“Ana!” He chokes out in pain. “I’m so sorry for this.”

Ana focuses her blue green orbs to the young man and shakes her head no. Somehow through all the pain and confusion, she was conscious or rather came back to consciousness. She wanted to tell him, all of them, that none of this was their fault. She knew the business was cruel and torturing their subjects was the only thing they can do to get their way.

“It’s not your fault Nick.” Ana hears Howie reply. She turns to face the poor man who was dragging himself on the floor to a standing position. He suffered pain for her, no one had ever done that for her and to a point it touched her to know that there are people that really do care for her.

“Thank you.” She whispers out to Howie. Howie glances up from the floor and smiles, nodding his head. She didn’t need a long detailed explanation, he understood completely.

She looks to see Kevin and Nick trying to unchain her from the metal cuffs that left her immobile. “Forget it. It’s locked. You’ll need a key to open the cuffs.” Her voice sore and cracked.

Kevin smiles and opens his mouth to show her a tiny silver key lying comfortably on his tongue.

Ana could almost laugh at the irony of all this. Somehow Kevin was clever enough to grab the key from one the guards when they were distracted with Ana. She was pleased and quite surprised that Kevin successfully managed to get away with it.

“Wait! The cameras!” Brian whispers loudly, pointing to indicate a diminutive projection coming from the corner of the ceilings.

Howie along with the help of A.J. makes his way over to Ana. “Oh God, I didn’t know they would do this to you. I feel so bad that I couldn’t stop them. And now they’re taking you away from us, from me.” He whispers the last two words to her.

Ana manages to smile but her heart was breaking, poor Howie, he looked miserable. His cracked lips held Ana’s smeared blood and within his chocolate eyes, his gaze held some lost hope that was slowing diminishing within each hour. She longed to caress his soft face and tell him that there is life after this, after CAPPA. But she herself didn’t believe in that.

A.J. claps his hands once to catch the others attention, smiling, he passes his fingers through his black goatee. “I have an idea.”

The others watch A.J. as he stares at the miniature camera on the wall, his chocolate eyes focus on the camera which shattered to pieces in a little explosion. “There, no more eyes in this room.” He whispers happily as the others watch on.

“How did you do that? You still have your powers?” Brian whispers, in shock.

A.J. nods, “Yeah, you forgot what our ‘friend’ Natalie said before. The company can’t just dunk us in some chemicals and wash away our powers.” A.J. states grinning.

Nick raised an eyebrow and smiles, “If that’s the case, let me see something.” He raises his hands to the bolted metal door and feels the power emerging from within him.
~*~

Cyrus glares as the screen goes black and shows the snowy dots buzzing at him. “Damn those kids!” He growls passing his fingers through his jet black hair. “Ralfie, do me a favor and shoot the kids. They found out they still have powers, it seems our chemical tank isn’t effecting them at all. I suggest you bring in the young doctor along the Boys. As for our ice princess, get her ready in the clothes Steeles sent. He wants to see her in a white lacy dress he bought especially for her.”

The young guard smiles and nods, running out the office with his magnum in his hands. Cyrus was left alone in the office as the soldier dashes out the door.

Cyrus smiles and clasps his hands together, “I’ll get rid of the girl, kill the Boys and be rich all in the process. Talk about killing two birds with a stone. Now all I need is the other four women and I’m a sent billionaire.” He chuckles to himself and burst into laughter.
~*~

Jamelet gasps out of breath as she reaches the main entrance of a hotel not far from the café. She wipes away some sweaty dark brown strands away from her peach colored face and turns around to see Summer and other four young women tagging along.

“I, never, ran this much even in school.” Summer gasps, taking in air as she places her hand over her chest.

“Ok, we’re all here and a counted for.” Rose says, dragging a tired Alison by the arm.

Kimberly stares around the homely hotel. It was like going to one’s grandmother’s house, it’s small, cozy and smelled of cookies that enticed the young women’s appetite.

A kind elderly man leans over the counter dressed in a navy blue blazer with the hotel’s logo embedded on the right upper pocket. “Good evening ladies. How can I be of service to you?” The elderly man asks, his bright brown eyes glittering ecstatically at the young visitors. Strands of grey highlighted his thinning white crown of hair.

“We need a room for all of us.” Summer states, her emerald eyes scanning the interior of the hotel.

The elderly man smiles, his snowy complexion glows in the soft yellow florescent light. “Well.” The man states, tapping on a keyboard, his small eyes squints at the computer screen. “There is one open room that can accommodate all six of you. Though usually the room holds four per room. But I’m sure you don’t mind sharing.” The man says smiling, pulling out a set of copper keys. “The room cost sixty five a night.”

At that, Summer’s mouth drops open, “But that’s the rest of the money we have left on us. I guess we’ll have to find a bank later on.”

The elderly man smiles and nods his head, “Well I’m a nice man, how about I let ya stay in here for half the price? I would feel awful sending you girls out of the hotel to get money to pay for one of the rooms.”

Kimberly smiles, “Alright, we like that idea, right girls?” Her dark brown eyes glitters in joy.

Paige nods her head, “Sounds like a good idea. Thank you so much mister…”

“Walker.” The elderly man says interrupting Paige. “No problem. In fact I’m thinking since we normally don’t have so many visitors stop here, I’m considering leaving the room for free. Though I’ll have to discuss this with my wife first.” Mr. Walker states, his happy face crinkles in joyful smile.

Paige runs to the counter, “Oh please, that would be so nice, if there was anyway you could let us stay for free, we’d be clean and leave the room spotless. In fact we’ll be so quiet, you think we weren’t here!” She whispers softly, her blonde tresses lying loosely over her shoulders.

Mister Walker smiles and winks to the woman, “We’ll see young miss.” He hands the keys to Jamelet while Summer signed the group in. “You have room 204. And if you’re friend was right about the room being clean and the no noise, you might have yourself a free stay.”

Rose grins and pokes Alison on the side giggling, “Nice deal for a room huh?”

Alison grins and runs off to the solid thick mahogany stairwell that will lead them to their room. The other girls grab their book bags and trail off after Alison up the stairs.

“Night Mister Walker.” Jamelet and Summer state following the others.

“Night children. Enjoy the stay.” The elderly man states smiling and waving a good bye.
~*~

“Alright Cyrus, we spotted them going into Carmes Cottage. Should we put the plan in action now?” One of the soldiers state, talking on the cellular phone as he leans over the side of the black jeep he’s in. “Alright, wish us luck. Let’s hope these girls won’t be that tough to catch.” And he hangs up the phone and tucks it away in his black and blue military jacket. Gripping the steering wheel in his hands, he hears his fellow soldiers in the jeep arming themselves with weapons.

“Mario and Lenny, you take the water and heart child. Gino and I got the earth and wind ones. Be careful, they powers are at their full. They’ll know we’re coming.” The soldier states, his dark eyes piercing the three comrades with him. “Ready?”

The three soliders nod their heads and follow the main solider in charge. “Johnny, there’s one small problem. What about the owner of the hotel?”

“What about him?” The main soldier asks, his gruff voice whispers loudly.

“Kill him and move on. We don’t have time for you to grow a conscience.” Gino mumbles, his dark eyes scanning beneath under his baseball cap. The four soldiers armed with guns walks up to the entrance of the small homely hotel.

Lenny kicks open the door, his gun in his hands ready to shoot. Lenny’s dark eyes scans the counter of the hotel and sees an elderly man staring at them with fear on his face.

“We’re not here for you old man. We saw you let six women in this hotel for the night. Care to tell us what room their in?” Lenny growls at Mister Walker.
Johnny pulls the clip back on his silver pistol and raises it to Walker’s face. “Tell us now, we don’t have time for this.” His tan face stares manically at the owner of the hotel.

Mister Walker was scared stiff as another man with a light snowy complexion pushes his silver pistol to Mister Walker’s temple as he jumps over the counter to lean in closer to the old man.

“Mario since you’re next to the man, check out the computer.” Johnny states, gazing at the hotel and clambers up the thick stairs to his left. Lenny follows Johnny up the stairs in excitement as they are close to completing their mission.

Mario leans next to the computer and begins searching for the names. “Bingo!” He yells. “They’re in room 204.” His gruff voice shouts out.

“Let’s get them already, I want my money!” Gino states and runs up the stairs after the other two dark dressed soldiers. “Mario take care of him.” Gino yells from up the stairs.

Mario smiles and whispers, “Okie, dokie!” and releases his finger on the trigger as the silver pistol spews out its content. The bullet slams into Mister Walker’s temple as he lets out a yell in terror. But it was too late for the elderly man, the bullet played tag with him and now he was dead. Walker falls to the mahogany floor with a soft thud as the crimson liquid sputters out of the small hole now ingrained in the temple. Mario smirks and yells to the guys, “Lets a go!” He jumps over the counter and up the stairs to join the others.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

A/N: I suppose I have been mistaken in my past author's notes. It's not that I don't appreciate you reading what Jamelet and I have to create, but I just ususally don't know what to say. I do want to thank you for reading the stories. It makes a large difference in our lives. Please, don't hesitate to contact us! Enjoy!

*~*~*

Ana stumbled while AJ made her and Howie lean against him. Ana wanted them to leave her behind, but the boys denied such an action. They wouldn’t leave her for anything. Ana felt truly grateful while Nick, Kevin, and Brian kept running ahead to make sure that no one was coming. Though, Ana could barely walk through the torture of her broken femur. Her upper leg was encased within a frozen cast as she limped. The ice was already transforming the bone to its last healing stages, but it would take days for normal generating of a new bone. She found it hard to walk as Howie often gazed into her eyes, causing feelings to bubble.

“Feels like the old days, doesn’t it?” Howie joked as Nick began to burn a hole through the next door. Everything had been manually closed down and alarms sounded throughout the place. Everyone had known of their escape, now they prayed they could find their way out. Ana felt desperate as AJ looped his arm tightly around her hip to stabilize her.

“Except I have to carry your asses,” AJ teased further, causing Ana to actually smile.

“I can walk if it’s that much trouble,” Ana concluded.

“NO!” all the boys shouted as Nick cleared the room. Ana jumped with surprise while little light surrounded them in the room. Nick muttered something about not being able to open the door, so Kevin tried to work it with the lasers expanding within his eyes. AJ moved the nearest wall while moonlight filtered through to provide them with ample light to see. He let Ana and Howie rest against the ground. Ana breathed heavily as Howie let her rest against him.

“You’re not going to mess up that leg any worse than it is, okay?” Howie ordered with a soft tone. His dark eyes glittered in the light. Ana smiled softly as she glanced at her hands, acting as if she were examining them closely. She felt nervous as she listened to Howie’s heartbeat. Quietness surrounded them as AJ went over to speak with Brian. “How did you make your powers protect your leg, anyway?”

“I didn’t make them, they do it on their own.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, really. When I left the girls, I went to a small mountain where I could be by myself. Every day I trained myself in my powers, no matter how much it hurt. I learned that I could do more than anyone told me. I’m by far the strongest within the group, because I trained more. I learned so much during my time alone.”

“Didn’t you miss the girls?”

“Of course I missed them.”

"Then why didn’t you stay?”

“Because, I couldn’t let myself,” Ana answered softly. She knew Howie would ask her for further information, but their silence was engulfed with loud gunfire. Ana’s heart began to hammer as AJ grabbed her and Howie roughly by the waists. They were thrown into a corner, covered by Nick, Brian, and AJ. Ana watched through AJ’s legs as Kevin began to terminate the men as gunfire exploded. His eyes sliced against the several men, cutting them at their stomachs. Organs leaked onto the floor as Nick’s hands exploded with fire. AJ tried to gather the guns, but more men rushed in. Ana heard AJ screaming for help as Howie let electricity churn behind AJ.

“LET ME OUT THERE!” she screamed.

“STAY BACK!” Brian ordered as he let his hands grab men, making them fall dead.

Ana grew frustrated as she was sent behind all the boys for protection. Each man screamed as their powers began to loose control. Ana knew that it would be only a few moments before their powers released on each other or stopped completely. They couldn’t control their powers as best as Ana could. She slipped from beneath AJ’s legs, letting her hands foam with freezing power. Men screamed as they were attacked by frostbite. Ana allowed hail to rain down as she made herself stand up, wobbling against her fragile leg.

Before Ana could continue her destruction �“ a gun was pointed directly against her temple. Ana shivered with fear as the gun clicked. She looked into a pair of dark eyes, recognizing the man immediately. Her heart ached as she stared at Cyrus. He gave her a cynical smile, shaking his head. “What did I tell you, Princess? There is no escaping.” He seized her arms roughly, wrenching her forward. Ana watched as other guards forced the boys to sit. Each man was thrown against the wall by a special chemical. The boys’ powers dimmed dramatically as the chemicals were absorbed into their skin, and they went stiff. “Now watch their fate,” Cyrus hissed in her ear. Five guards aimed their guns at the boys’ hearts.

“Don’t!” Ana shrieked in pain.

“Don’t what?” Cyrus asked.

“Don’t hurt them. I got out myself. I froze the cuffs, and froze the systems. I managed to break the hinges on the door. I’m sorry, okay? I’ll go back with you. Just don’t hurt them. I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave them alone, okay? Cyrus, I’ll behave I promise,” Ana compromised.

“Ana! Shut up!” Howie strained in protest. “She didn’t do everything herself!”

“Is that right, Ice Princess?” Cyrus asked.

“No, he’s wrong,” Ana muttered.

“I see. Two different opinions from those who love one another. Such a dilemma. Whatever shall I do?” Cyrus contemplated with a heavy sigh. Ana thought he might release her, but he eagerly waved his hand. “I suppose I have no choice. These boys deserve death for letting my prize escape. Men, do your duties,” Cyrus answered with a wave of his hand. Ana screamed out as bullets were plunged into the boys’ hearts. She watched them slump down as a small amount of blood trickled from the bullet sight. She let her skin drop to below freezing. Cyrus shrieked in pain as frostbite attacked his fingers. He threw Ana against the wall. “You insolent little whore!”’

“YOU KILLED THEM!” she snarled.

“Wrong, darling, you killed them,” Cyrus answered, letting the bullet release from his own gun. chamber.

*~*~*

Alison sighed softly as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep. She had decided to share a bed with Kimberly. Rose and Paige slept on the floor, while Summer and Jamelet took the other bed. Alison felt as if she were sleeping on clouds. Her body screamed for sleep. She had been running for days on end. Her mind was heavy with fear. She didn’t want to be put back into CAPPA’s cruel world. She kept her fears away from the others as she tried to contemplate the realities of her own life.

Alison stirred when something cracked against the window. Her eyes opened as something curled against her neck. She screeched in surprise, letting her mind take control. She was roughly tossed from the bed as bright lights invaded her eyes. She screamed out, startling the other girls. Men rushed within the room as Alison was brought tightly against someone’s chest. “ROSE! JAMELET! SUMMER! PAIGE! KIMBERLY!” Alison screamed as a hand was clamped against her mouth.

“Shut up you little rat!” a man hissed.

“ALISON!” Rose shrieked, her mind growing cloudy as the world around her grew loud. She struggled to orient herself as she watched Alison squirm within the powerful arms of the man. Rose jumped from her bed as two men lunged for her. Paige had already crawled beneath the bed, hiding in fear.

“SUMMER! WATCH OUT!” she heard Jamelet cry.

Rose couldn’t see the other girls. She felt someone grab her roughly by the shoulders. Rose immediately closed her eyes as she screamed fiercely. The walls began to fall against the wild winds of her mind. Torrent winds whirled about the room as high pitch squeals rushed against the two men’s temples. The high velocities from the winds caused the men to fall to their knees in wretched agony. Blood spurted from their ears as they fell dead. Rose watched Alison being lifted with her winds. She held her arms out in time to catch Alison in her arms. She ran for the hallway behind Jamelet, who had enough time to grab Paige from beneath the bed.

Kimberly allowed Rose to escape with Alison in her arms as one man prepared to tackle her. Kimberly’s bright brown eyes grew bright with her powers. The ground began to quake beneath her. The carpet and floorboards cracked beneath. Before the men could react, the earth split into two large chunks. The men screamed as they fell forward into the Earth. Kimberly let the Earth continue to crumble as she ran out the door.

“JAMELET? SUMMER? ROSE?” Kimberly screamed as she ran down the shaking steps. The plaster against the walls began to crack as Kimberly’s earthquake continued. It would be only a few moments before the building caved completely. She stumbled out of the front door in a blind fury. She shielded herself as the building toppled behind her. Dust, soot, and dirt clung to her skin as she heard someone screaming her name. She squinted against the clouds of decay as she felt a girl’s arms encircle her waist. “Ali?” Kimberly coughed.

“Are you okay?” Alison asked, pulling Kimberly through the dusty haze. Kimberly rubbed her eyes as Alison brought her into the woods. She noted that Paige was curled in Rose’s arms, breathing heavily with fear. Kimberly glanced at Rose, who was paler than normal. All the girls had been through a terrible scare.

“I’m fine, Ali,” Kimberly promised. “Where’s Jamelet?”

“She went to get the car that the old man owned. He’s dead,” Rose whispered.

“Oh my,” Kimberly mourned, collapsing onto the ground. Alison immediately cradled herself within

Kimberly’s arms. Kimberly ran her hands through Alison’s dark hair. Her heart hammered with intensity. “Thank you for waking us up, Ali. Without you, we all would probably be dead.”

The girls fell suddenly quiet. Each stared at one another with amazement. It didn’t seem possible that they were now without another comfort zone. It seemed as if the men were following them with fever. They feared for their lives. Each girl stared at the road until Jamelet arrived with a large van. Jamelet hopped out of the van, leaving it run. She quickly checked over the girls. Her eyes fell upon an empty spot. “Where’s Summer?” Jamelet asked.

The girls’ eyes went wide. No one had bothered to check for Summer, assuming that she was with Jamelet. The girls stood up in complete surprise. They all knew what had happened, although each feared to say the truth. Tears gathered in Alison’s young eyes. “They took her!” Alison wailed.

“Why didn’t anyone get her?” Kimberly shouted.

“It was so dark, I thought she was already out of the house. I can’t believe that I didn’t think to get her. Oh my…” Jamelet whispered with shock. Her face went pale as the girls stood quietly. There was no other option than to believe that Summer had been abducted. The younger girls shook with fear, wondering if Summer would be treated kindly.

“Poor, Summer,” Paige whispered.

It felt as if Jamelet had been physically slapped. She had promised to take care of all the girls, that even included Summer. She listened to the purr of the engine, knowing that they couldn’t stand around. Someone would be back to capture them. Jamelet needed to save the rest of the girls. They were the most important. Summer could survive on her own. Jamelet straightened her shoulders, wiping away her tears. She couldn’t loose her backbone. “Let’s go girls, into the van.”

“That’s it?” Rose snorted in anger. “We’re just leaving? What about Summer?”

“She can take care of herself,” Jamelet concluded, trying to cover her emotions.

“But�””

Jamelet gave Rose a cold glare. They couldn’t waste any more time. Jamelet closed her eyes, saying a quick prayer for Summer’s safety. She then ushered the girls toward the van. “The van, girls, now!” Jamelet ordered.

*~*~*

Ana moaned softly as lights blinded her eyes. She squinted in the light, trying to accommodate herself. Her vision cleared to make out the bright cream coloring of a parlor room. She felt her bare feet sink into the soft luscious carpet. Her arms tied to the oak wood of a velvet cream couch. She could feel a rifle barrel being pressed into her back. Several men stood within the room, all their guns aimed against Ana’s chest. She blinked back tears of pain as Cyrus invaded her sight. She growled with displeasure, memories of the boys’ dead bodies invading her thoughts.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Cyrus laughed, reaching down to untie her hands from the chair. “I want you to realize that you are meeting a very important man within five minutes. This whole entire room is under surveillance. Twenty men are aiming their rifles at your heart. You make one false move, or if your breath turns to ice �“ they will kill you instantly. I have no regrets of that, either, darling. Is that understood?”

“Yes, father,” she snarled.

He laughed as he patted her head. Releasing the last of her bindings, Ana was placed to her feet. It was only then that she sensed what she was wearing. Her long flaxen curls had been trimmed and laid neatly against her shoulders. Her lips were glossed with a light hue of coloring. Her body lay confined within a long dress that graced the floor. A veil of lace covered her with a shawl about her bare shoulders. The upper portion of the white dress held no straps or sleeves, but merely hugged against her bosom. It clung to her pale body like a second skin, and blended perfectly with her snowy complexion. Her curves flattering the dress as she stood there. She truly looked like an Ice Princess.

“Aren’t you beautiful,” a voice called out. Ana glanced up to see another man enter the room. Her heart caught against a notch of dread. The man moved with a slow manner as his solid oak cane tapped lightly against the carpet. Dark He walked with a professional demeanor, the cane merely providing a gentle support. His body draped within a thick black cape and dark black suit. Dark brown hair lay gently against his scalp as gray hair splashed against the top. His face was crinkled with age, though his dark sapphire eyes caused fear to bubble against Ana’s throat. She went silent as he stood beside Cyrus. “Is this my Anastacia?”

“Of course, Mr. Steeles. This is Anastacia Grace Lord,” Cyrus introduced. “Anastacia, this is your new master, Mr. Geoffrey Steeles. You will be living on his estate. I suggest you greet him properly and treat him with the utmost respect. This man is offering to take you off my hands and care for you.”

Ana remained silent while Mr. Steeles took her hand into his. He pressed his lips upon her skin. “I find you the most beautiful creature in the world, Miss Lord. I have been searching for you for years. I am offering you a chance at a wonderful life within my home. I have already made the perfect room for you to dwell in. I assure you that you will fall in love with it. I must tell you, I live in an ancient castle that overlooks the seas. It’s bitterly cold upon the rocks, but it does not matter. It’s a beautiful place. You will be the perfect compliment to my quiet estate. I can give you all your heart desires, and I promise you that.”

Ana looked at him with disgust. There was a certain lustful glimmer within his cold sapphire eyes. She immediately yanked her hand away from his grasp, startling him. She pointed an accusing finger at him while her eyes began to light with diamond coloring. “You have no right to think I will be some object in your diseased mind! I am not yours, nor will I ever be yours. I demand that you end this masquerade, or you will be doomed. I will circle you like a vulture, waiting for your weakest moment. Then, I will freeze you from the outside in. Your brain will be stimulated by the fresh blood as your body explodes with ice. I promise you that it is no easy death, nor painless.”

“Do you insult me with your threats, Miss Lord?”

“Did I stutter?” she hissed.

“You are quite fiery, my dear, but it only expands my adoration of you. I will not let you go, nor will I be killed. You are my slave, and that is understood,” Mr. Steeles explained as he clapped his hands. Within a few moments an object was thrust at his feet. Ana’s eyes narrowed as Howie gazed up at her in fear. His face was bloody from more torture. His lips cracked and began to bleed as he tried to whisper something to her. Ana felt sick, although she began thanking God that he was alive. She wanted to hold him with comfort, but Mr. Steeles gathered her at his side, placing his old hand along her hip. “Do you know this man, Lovely?”

“Yes,” she answered as Howie’s eyes burned with jealousy.

“What is his name?” Mr. Steeles asked.

“Howie,” she whispered.

“What, darling?”

“His name is Howard,” she answered, speaking up as Cyrus grinned at her.

“Good, then it’s settled. This is why you will not kill me, my darling. This man is being loaded into a small cart to be shipped to my estate. He will be my slave while you are settled within my castle,” Mr. Steeles announced as he kicked Howie’s bare shoulder. Howie winced in pain as Ana gasped. Their eyes met as Mr. Steeles tightened his grasp upon Ana’s hip. “He is my slave, as well as your partner. I will treat him with respect if you obey my wishes. I only ask for your company and affection. If you do behave, I will consider letting you two visit under guarded circumstances. However, this does come with a price, my darling. Please accept my threats. If you misbehave in our home, Anastacia, this man will receive the punishment

A/N: It’s seems I have broken the bubble of my dear fellow partner and writer. She’s not much on words when it comes to this, so for all our sanity, please leave a review. We would appreciate it very much if you can use do that for us! Thanks and enjoy the chapter!

“Contributions of Dilemma”

-“But eagerly desire the greater gifts.”- 1 Corinthians. 12:31, NIV Bible.

**~Chapter Eleven- In His Cold Hands~**

She opens her emerald eyes only to be blinded by the harsh striking white light. She raises her head and notices that she’s lying on the hard metal ground. Her snowy fingers grapple the tiles as she lifts her back up from the hard floor. ‘Man, where am I?’
She thinks to herself as she surveys her surroundings. She seems to be locked in a jail cell. The only furniture in the cold isolated room was a small medical table and wooden chair in the corner.

Summer struggles to stand up only to be invaded with dizziness. She struggles to walk to the cold black metal bars that kept her entrapped. She wraps her fingers tightly around the metal bars in front of her. She hears the dragging of a soldier coming in her direction. His heavy steps clump towards her direction. The large man passes by her cell and turns around to stare at her. His dark brown orbs gleamed in the harsh light as he smiles a frightful grin. His dark coffee complexion seemed to glimmer with sweat over his black attire. He pulls out his magnum from the back holster and giggles insanely. His black small curls on his head bounce with delight.

Summer gulps and backs away from the bars watching the lunatic approach her. The overweight man unlocks her cell and was about to enter it, when another soldier pulls at the big man, screaming obscenities. “What are you doing Amill? Get out of there! If Cyrus catches you messing with his new findings, he’ll kill you!” The young Italian soldier states, tugging at the big man.

Amill grunts and walks away from the cell shaking his head rapidly. The young soldier pokes his head in the cell, “Sorry about that miss. I know you have questions. I’m sure Cyrus can help answer any questions you might have.”

Summer gulps, the fear in her body raising, her pushes a strand of blonde locks behind her ear as she manages to speak softly to the guard, “Can I ask you one question please?”

The young guard looks at her, his grey eyes staring from beneath his brown shaggy locks. “Well hurry, I’m needed in the main lobby.”

Summer gulps, “Are the Boys here?”

The soldier grimaces, “They were but they’re dead now. Why?”

Summer feels her eyes stinging with tears as she tries to steady her self. “Dead, when?” her soft voice cracks, as her tears splash down her rosy cheeks.

“You knew them?” The soldier asks curiously.

Summer nods her head, “Yeah.”

“Sorry.” The soldier states with sadness in his voice as he closes the cell and walks down the hallway. Before leaving, he turns back to see Summer cradling herself on the floor, her arms wrapping around her legs. “My name’s Vincent in case you want to know.” The young solider states as he walks down the hallway. He disappears down the hallway and out of Summer’s view.
~*~

Brian opens his eyes and feels a shocking electrical pain zooming through his chest. He looks to see he’s lying on a small twin size bed in a metallic room. The only other furniture besides the bed was a wooden mahogany chair in the center of the room. Brian gazes to see the thick metal door that enclosed him in the room. He was alone in the room and that concerned him. He was lucky enough to not have died when he was shot by the soldiers. He was glad Natalie somehow managed to smuggle in their room before meeting Ana, bullet proof vests, or they would have all died for sure. He trails his fingers over his black t-shirt to feel the vest, his protector beneath it. Sighing, his azure eyes scroll the room as he lifts his shirt to the see the damage the bullets down on the navy blue bullet vest. He traces his fingers over the impending holes the vest took and was glad that he still lived. He assumed that the others were separated like him and all must have fell in a deep state of shock. He runs his fingers over his dirty blonde locks nervously. He seemed to have failed, Ana was taken away and Cyrus believes he killed him and the others. Now he’s trapped in a room by himself. He calmed himself down as his beating heart raced against his chest. Taking a few deep breaths he sees a young soldier enter the room.

The young soldier stands at the open door in shock to see that Brian had lived. Stepping in the room, the young soldier stares at Brian, his grey eyes locked in confusion. “How? You’re alive! But you were shot. I saw when you fell and died like your friends.” The young light colored youth states, adjusting the weapons strapped on him.

Brian glared at the youth angrily, “Lucky for you then, I’m alive! You can torture us more!” Brian growls as the youth enters the room and accidentally in surprise lets the door go, locking him in with Brian. The young solider turns around and pulls on the handle realizing he’s locked with Brian himself.

Brian lowers his bright eyes and smiles a sadistic smile as he approaches the young man.

The soldier turns to see Brian coming towards him, but he didn’t want to shoot the man, that wasn’t the reason he came in. He wanted to tell him that he has a young woman who knows who he and his friends are. And that she was locked in a cell down the hallway. Vincent stands still as Brian reaches out and places his hands on the soldier’s shoulder. Vincent whispers out the word, “Summer.” Before the cold darkness seeped into his body. He could hear his heart take its last beat as he lets out his last breathe. He could hear Brian yelling, “Summer! Summer! She’s here! What did she say?” But the young soldier fells to his knees which give into gravity as his body slumps over and his eyes roll back. He collapsed dead on the floor in front of Brian as Brian’s shouts disappear.

He snaps open his eyes to see Brian staring at him. Somehow he was moved to the bed upon his sudden death. “I’m dead?” He shouts alarmed.

Brian smiles and shakes his head, “You were. But you said the magic word.”

Vincent scratches the side of his shaggy brown locks and gazes un-focus at Brian. “Magic word?”

Brian nods, “You said you saw Summer. Take me to her.”

Vincent sits up and shakes his head dizzily, “I can’t. Cyrus will have my head for that.”

Brian growled, “Well tell Cyrus he can go hell for all I care. Now take me to her now! Or the next time, I’ll let you die and you won’t wake up!”

Vincent shakes his head and grips the edge of the bed for support, he runs his hands over to look for his weapons but see Brian standing next to the pile of arsenal with a grin on his face. “Oh right, like I was gonna let you wake up armed so you can kill me. I’ m not dumb.”

Vincent snorted and mumbles, “Could’ve fooled me.”

Brian points his finger inches away from Vincent’s chest, “Care to make a last request? Don’t test me boy. I’m ticked off: you don’t want to feel what I can do with one touch.”

“How did you bring me back alive?” Vincent whispers, knowing he felt death consume his body minutes ago.

Brian laughed softly, “That’s for me to know and for you to find out. Now shall we go?”

Vincent licks his powder pink lips carefully and moves to the door slowly, his body disoriented from the waking up from death.

“It’ll take time for your body to work right. After all you did die for fifteen minutes before I dragged you over to the bed and woke you up.” Brian says calmly, following Vincent out the door.

Vincent shakes his head and leads Brian down the hall. Cyrus was going to be surprise to see the Boys didn’t die like he had planned.
~*~

Jamelet sighs and starts the ignition of the black van, again the van refused to start up. The girls have been stalled miles away from the attack at the hotel. They decided to cut through the forest so it would be hard for the soldiers to track them, but it seemed that the van wanted them to give up their hope. “Uh! See this is way I don’t bother getting a license!” Jamelet growls turning off the engine for the fifth time.

One of the girls smirked, “No license huh? Explains the driving like a mad woman technique then.” Paige says, her blonde tresses lying over shoulders in a low ponytail. Jamelet sighs and looks in the back to see Rose, Kimberly and Alison squished in the backseat, their arms thrown around each other for comfort.

Paige sitting besides Jamelet, lets out a big sighs and leans her head back on the worn ripped leather seat.

“So now what?” Kimberly mumbles tiredly, her powers have taken some of her energy.

“We run. We can’t stay here. They’re coming for us and it’s my fault that Summer was caught.” Jamelet whispers sadly, her light brown eyes viewing the trees that hid them from being spot.

Rose opens the back door to the van and jumps up followed by Kimberly and a frightened Alison. Jamelet pulls on the silver cold door handle and swings in open with Paige following her. The five women huddle and begin walking through the eerie dark forest, pushing pass green leaves on low branches that greeted their path. They walked on a dirt road in the middle of the forest staying close to each other with Jamelet leading them and Paige guarding the back.

As they were walking, Rose stumbles on the fallen tree branch. The group stops and waits for Rose to join them. After hearing a small struggle and grumbling in the pitch black. It seemed Rose had joined the group back and they continue on their journey.

“Where are we going?” Kimberly asks tugging on her sweater as the cool breeze passes by.

“Anywhere away from here.” Jamelet states, guiding the young women through the pitch black. And the group continues on their way never noting that Rose never joined them back. She was shot with a tranquilizer and taken back with the soldiers that were hiding in the forest ready to capture the women. Instead a solider silently followed the young women with his silencer ready to shoot them.
~*~

Natalie rolls over in the uncomfortable bed and gazes at the people that had gathered in the room across from hers. She looks out the glass window to see what all the commotion was about. It seemed Ana was getting ready to be shipped off to join Mr. Steeles and Howie was going along for the ride. This didn’t look good for her, she was deeper in this company than she can ever imagine. “Poor Ana, what did they do to you?” She whispers, noting the marks and scars hidden beneath Ana’s long white dress. She looks over to see Howie brutally beaten, yet still alive. She was happy her planned had worked, for he was still living. She just hoped the other men were alive as well.

The only way to end this would be to kill off Cyrus, but if the Boys couldn’t do it with their powers then she left to save them. She checks under her pillow and smiles, the small silver pistol lied hidden in the comforts of the white pillow case. She managed to have stole it along with the bullet proof vests that saved the Boys. Cyrus was not one for pulling jokes, if he sees the guys didn’t die the first time around, he’ll personally destroy them himself. And that is what Natalie has to stop before it gets too late. She just wished the girls were safe and they managed to have escaped this wrath. She holds her breath as a soldier smirks in her direction looking through the windows that contained the room which Natalie was trapped in. Her dark coffee eyes stare at the seething face from the window and manages a small smile. She would have to play along in being nice to these wolves. After all she would have to look convincing to get close to Cyrus. Soon, he’ll be eating lead and that thought pleased Natalie. She closes her eyes and imagines the peace of being back at her home, living her life away from CAPPA after its destruction.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

The darkness invaded the girls’ souls as they silently walked among the trees. The only sound heard within the girls’ trails were the cracking of branches and leaves. Alison pulled her sweater tighter against her body, shivering as the cold wind whipped about her small body. She could remember her bed at the small cottage. She just wanted to be home, away from this crazy lifestyle. She remembered her mother singing lullabies to her during these cold winters nights, as they lay snuggled against a blanket. Alison wanted that back.

“Ali, keep up,” she heard Kimberly grunt.

Alison squeaked a reply as she hurried her footsteps. She couldn’t see two inches in front of her face. Alison prepared to take another step, but a branch tangled beneath her feet. Alison screeched as she went flying forward into Rose. A strong pair of hands grabbed Alison tightly by the shoulders lifting her up. “S-Sorry, Rose!” Alison blurted.

There was a quick grunt as the pressure was released from her shoulders. Alison listened to the continuing footsteps ahead of her. She felt odd as she reached to grasp her shoulders. Something was terribly different about Rose. She was usually quite talkative beside the rest of the group, and never once remained silent. Rose had never been that strong, nor had her voice ever been that low…

Alison ran up beside Rose again. She hurried to keep her steps with the taller girl. She closed her eyes for a moment, readying herself. She took a deep breath, preparing herself. Soon, Alison’s dark eyes began to glow as she sent her essence into Rose’s soul. She searched for inner thoughts and the peaceful nature that Rose represented. However, sudden thoughts jumped Alison’s essence.

‘Foolish children, just wait till we get into the clearing. They will never suspect such a ingenious attack. To not even distinguish a military man from one of their own… Each girl will bring in ten thousand dollars, but that frozen one brought in two million. Cyrus took most of that money, though, but these girls will bring a nice chunk of change into my pocket. All I have to do is keep them alive till Washington, then my hands are clean. Just a few more miles, and I’m done…’

Alison quickly removed herself from the man’s mind. Her breath quickened as screamed out, causing the girls to jump with alarm. Her eyes grew bright as the man instantly froze against the time continuum. Alison could feel the other girls’ energies forming as their eyes grew bright, casting a glow upon the man’s still body. Alison shrieked out as she grabbed Jamelet’s coat. “Jamelet! That guy…he… It’s not Rose!”

“Oh my Lord,” Jamelet whispered as she heard the heavy trampling of branches. Kimberly peered out into the darkness, feeling dysfunctional energies cast upon her. Kimberly immediately grabbed Paige and dove to the ground. Jamelet heard the clicking of guns, and she immediately pulled Alison to the ground. They immediately began to crawl toward the bushes as the men gathered about their still breathing partner. His eyes glassy as they shined their lights upon him.

“What the Hell happened to Carlos?” someone growled.

Jamelet pulled Alison and Paige into her arms as they lay hidden beneath the bushes. Kimberly’s rage grew as her fingers tingled. She glared at Jamelet, her eyes casting out an eerie glow. “This cannot be happening. Girls, stay close and don’t make a sound. They’ll kill us,” Jamelet whispered softly to the girls.

“Why, our powers are stronger than their guns,” Kimberly challenged.

“You’re not as strong as you think, Kim. Just stay here!”

“They took Rose, and I’m going to get her back,” Kimberly hissed.

“No, just stay—”

“We can do it,” Paige promised, following Kimberly’s move. Jamelet found herself fearful as her protests were ignored. She felt Alison tremble within her arms. Jamelet pulled Alison close as the men lurked nearer to their bushes. She prayed for God to protect them as Paige’s voice screamed out to the forest. “COME AND GET US, SUCKERS!”

The men instantly turned and loaded their weapons. They aimed at the two girls identified through their flashlights. The girls grinned happily as the bullets rang out, but stopped in mid-air. The men looked terrified as they stared at the bullets hanging within the cold air. “What the fu—“

The man was silenced as Paige’s hands released a tremendous force of water. The men were flung backward by the powerful gushes of water. Kimberly slammed her hands to the ground, causing it to tremble as a large hole was opened beneath the group of ten. They all fell down into the hole as Kimberly and Paige ran forward. Paige pointed her huge blasts of water into the hole, filling it up quickly. Kimberly took a moment and then brushed her fingertips against the dirty ground, sealing the whole with the drowning men inside. Silence invaded their ears.

Jamelet pulled Alison out of the bushes while Paige retrieved two flashlights that had been dropped with the first blast of water. The girls were drained quickly from their use of their stronger forces. Jamelet sighed heavily as she drew Kimberly and Paige into her arms. “You two are the most foolish girls that I have ever seen! I don’t know whether to ground you or kiss you!”

“Ali stopped the bullets,” Kimberly flushed with relief as she tussled Alison’s dark locks. Before Alison could make a reply, they heard a muffled scream. Jamelet grabbed one of the flashlights in Paige’s hands and ran toward the scream. The girls followed quickly as Jamelet came upon a large black truck. She instantly noted the logo of CAPPA upon the side. She opened the door to find Rose tucked inside, bound and gagged.

“Wow, they really didn’t want to play,” Paige whispered as Jamelet climbed inside the truck. She tugged the gag away from Rose’s mouth. Instantly, Rose began to scream and shout at the world. Kimberly winced as she drew the two younger girls into her arms. Rose continued to shout until Jamelet freed her arms.

“Those stupid pricks! What did you do with them?” Rose cursed as she rubbed her raw wrists.

“We drowned them in a large hole,” Paige announced proudly.

“All ten?” Rose asked with hope.

“All ten,” Alison concluded.

“How’d you know that they were there?”

“Alison read the one’s mind, thinking it was you,” Jamelet answered, sitting back against the wall of the truck. Paige and Alison climbed into the front seats, turning all the equipment and location devices off. They quickly ripped the monitoring system and CB out and chucked them into the woods. Kimberly crawled into the back with Jamelet, closing her eyes as she rested on the floor. “Are you okay?” Jamelet asked Rose.

“I’m fine, but we’ve got more trouble than just running from these goons.”

“What trouble?”

“They took Summer to Washington, and they have Dr. Natalie there, too. But the worst is that they captured Ana, and have her in Washington. They’re planning on capturing the rest of us, although they didn’t say why. Whatever happened, Ana is in bad shape. Her powers have grown to enormous amounts, but they’re still controlling her. Somehow, I think the boys are there, too,” Rose told them with anger.

“Poor Ana,” Paige whispered sadly.

“Serves her right for ditching us,” Kimberly growled.

“Don’t say that!” Alison scorned.

“Why? Because you want to go rescue her? What, is she better than all of us Ali?” Kimberly snarled.

“She’s a part of our group!” Paige protested loudly.

“SHE DIED AS A PART OF THE GROUP THE SECOND SHE SAY GOODBYE!” Kimberly screeched.

Jamelet watched as Rose, Alison, Kimberly, and Paige began to bicker back and forth. Tension grew strong within Jamelet’s temples. She didn’t know what to do any longer. It was obvious that the company was growing too strong again. She winced, rubbing her temples as the girls screamed. Finally, Jamelet slammed her fist against the door, causing a loud burst of quietness. “All of you stop it! You’re tired. We can stay in this van for a few hours, so rest a while! I have some things to figure out while I have use of this equipment!”

*~*~*

Brian watched as Kevin, AJ, and Nick were brought into the room one by one. Vincent gave a small smile as he slipped out of Summer’s room for the final time to retrieve Howie. Brian felt relieved when he noted that Kevin, AJ, and Nick were still alive. He stared at Summer, debating if he should allow his anger to still flow through his soul. He was about to consult her, but AJ stepped toward her first. He pulled her up off of her bed, staring at her darkly. “You never called,” he told her with a feeling of betrayal.

“You didn’t call me either,” Summer countered, staring into his dark eyes.

“You lied to us, though,” Nick hastily answered, glaring at her. His body ached from the needles and fluid injected straight into his veins. His chest held a large bruise from the impact of the bullet. His hands were still charred from his fire attacks. Nick wanted to kill Summer for the betrayal. “You knew that we couldn’t get these damn powers out of us. Why did you let us think that we could?”

“It was Jamelet’s idea—”

“Well, Jamelet isn’t here, is she?” Brian hissed, not willing to believe Summer’s disgrace and lies.

“But you have to believe me!” Summer protested.

“Why was Ana away from the group? Did she figure out your lies, too? Did you lead her down the wrong path?” Kevin accused, crossing his large arms across his chest. His emerald eyes grew murky with displeasure.

“I don’t know why she left!”

“But you did know that we were hear. Is that why your conveniently stowed away in this little cell? So we all could get thrown in here to find you? What, do you have a gun in your pocket to kill us?” AJ asked, his voice coated with hurt. Summer bowed her head, letting her tears fall onto the floor. “Summer, we trusted you and believed you. Yet, you let us believe that we were free from danger? Why could you pull such an outrageous stunt on us and get us thrown back in this hell hole?”

“No!” Summer screamed as the door opened again. The sharp snap of the door sent thousands of alarms exploding into the air. Vincent cringed, knowing that men would already be on their way to the cell. Summer jumped with fright as Vincent slipped back into the room. He ran his hands through his shaggy brown locks. He looked more frightened than the others.

“Where’s Howie?” Nick asked the young man.

“Something happened,” Vincent explained with a rough tone.

“Is Howie dead?” AJ feared.

“No, not yet.” Vincent peered out the small window to check for any guards that were alerted. The sirens had started the second that information was received on the four girls. Vincent felt his temples throb from the loud noises. He glanced back at the four men and one woman. “It seems that the four girls that are being sent here have gotten away. On a video feed from one of the men showed a dark hole being filled with water. All the men surrounding the women were killed. Now, Cyrus has no guards in the New York area to get the women. It would take hours for them to reach New York with new men. So, Cyrus is having a fit, and alerted everyone to be on top alert with you guys here.”

“The girls escaped,” Summer sighed happily, glad that the girls were at least free.

“That has nothing to do with Howie,” Nick growled.

“Oh, yes, the other man! It seems that the man who came to take the Frozen girl also took the man. Cyrus said that the Frozen girl had some kind of appreciation for the man, and would behave better with the man’s life on the line. So, both of them have been transported to the collector’s private estate,” Vincent explained as he finally heard footsteps.

“Howie’s gone?” AJ asked in fear.

“With the Frozen girl.”

“Ana’s here?” Summer screeched. Instantly, the five captives began to yell at Vincent, searching for answers. Vincent could hear the steps growing closer, they were above them. Within ten minutes – guards would flood this room. Vincent screamed out, causing everyone to grow utterly quiet. His dark eyes flooded with apprehension.

“Guards are going to seal this hallway up in ten minutes. I managed to grab one of the dead guys’ uniforms. One of you guys get suited up and come with me. I can get you to the outside and you can at least find the other girls that this lady is talking about. Nevertheless, I can only get one out. So, you need to make a decision,” Vincent explained, holding out the uniform as the boys’ stared at it.

*~*~*

Ana walked nimbly by the old man as he led her down the paths of his estate. Mr. Steeles had a terrible fight with Cyrus just before Ana was shipped off with him. He now mumbled something about finding a different way to capture her friends. Ana just walked by his side, finally a broken spirit. Howie trailed behind them, shackled in chains and covered by a guard. He longed for Ana to glance back so he could offer her some kind of comfort, but she never did look back. Her mind was transfixed upon her surroundings.

The castle was of the early Renaissance era. It towered above the cliffs as the waves crashed heavily against the sides. Ana began to think of plunging to the depths of the cliffs below, wondering how long it would take. Before she could try, Ana was thrust into the house. She found herself overwhelmed by the exquisite nature. Lovely hues of cream, gold, and peaches splashed above the corridors. Several doors lay embedded within the ten corridors, centering about one large living room. She wondered what lay behind each corridor as Mr. Steeles gathered his servants into the large central living room.

“This is your new Mistress, Anastacia Grace. She is to be treated with respect when she roams about the quarters. No one is to address her without my permission. I will check upon her daily, and assign duties to each of you to perform. She is a kindred sprite, and to be regarded with care, or you will face her vengeance,” Mr. Steeles announced to each of his servants. “She will attend dinner this evening, so prepare a large banquet for our dining pleasures. Understood?”

The servants merely nodded and scurried off in different directions. Ana felt dismayed at the way they scattered. Mr. Steeles was feared within his own home. Ana was then brought down a narrow corridor and a large door was opened. She watched as Howie was brought forward and thrust at her feet. Her soft dress blew gently against Howie’s bloody cheek, smearing the blood upon the fabric. She looked down in sorrow at him.

“Say your goodbyes, Anastacia,” Mr. Steeles ordered.

“My goodbyes?” she asked in confusion.

“Anastacia,” Mr. Steeles growled. He nodded his head and Howie was thrown heavily into the dark room. She heard his body crack against the hard floor as he screamed out in agony. Immediately, Ana pulled herself away from Mr. Steeles’ side, preparing to help Howie. Before she could enter the musty room, she was yanked backward by a powerful force. Her scalp tingled as Mr. Steeles held her with a fist of her long flaxen curls. “I already told you to say your goodbyes. I gave you a chance and you disobeyed. Now he will pay the price.”

“I don’t know what you meant!” Ana screeched while the door leading to Howie’s room was slammed shut as a man entered. She heard a sharp slap of something, and another pitiful moan from Howie. Ana’s eyes were blinded by tears as she was dragged further into the next corridor. “Please! Don’t hurt him! I didn’t know what you meant! You bastard! He didn’t do a damn thing!”

Mr. Steeles shoved Ana into the next room. She toppled into a soft bed of white and lilac linens. Mr. Steeles pressed a button and a bulletproof and shatterproof glass door slid into place. Ana jumped up from the veiled bed and immediately rushed toward the door. She pounded on the glass as tears dripped down her cold cheeks. The soft winds gently blew against her dress, causing it to elevate and toss about her ankles. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH ME?” she screamed at him.

“You are my most prized possession, Anastacia, and you soon will find out your fate,” he promised, placing a kiss upon the glass.

“Leave Howie alone, please?” she whispered with agony.

Mr. Steeles ignored her begging. “Here are the rules, Miss Anastacia. Your room is specially regulated for your specific power so you will not be able to escape. There are things to amuse yourself within the room, and I am assured that you will enjoy your stay. However, I will let you walk the compounds when you learn better manners. There are special guards set about this place and ordered to capture you in the instant you try to break through the compounds. There is also a temperature regulator fixed upon my body if you should try to kill me. When this happens, a gas will be set off in the entire house, killing everyone and everything. It will last be leaked into your room, and you will suffer watching everyone die around you that you love. The same regulator is set if I should die, and the same will happen. So, do not think that you can murder me with or without your powers.”

Ana merely nodded.

“I am having a very special dinner prepared for you tonight, Anastacia. If you behave until then, I will allow your friend, Howard, to join us, and then you can visit him in his cell afterwards. If you misbehave, he probably will die before the morning dawns. So, enjoy your new home, Ice Princess.”

Ana watched while Mr. Steeles vanished from her sight. She gazed back at her bright white room. Plastic snowflakes fluttered gently about the room with the cold temperatures. A fireplace was set near her bed with a white rug christening the fireplace. Her bed covered in a white veil of fabric, hiding her from the world. Rage swirled within her mind as the light purple and white mixed within her mind. Storm clouds whirled within the room as she screamed out. Then the hail and freezing rain poured.

**~To Be Continued...~**

A/N: Real quick note to all readers, enjoy this chapter and please drop a review for this story. It helps me and my co-writer Ana feel so much better! *grins* Thanks and hope this chapter brings a smile on your face!

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~Chapter Thirteen- Psychological Imprisonment

She screamed out as the hail pounded in her room. The loud pieces of ice spill on the floor, scattering and leaving ice patches on the bright white floor. Her long white dress was drenched in the hail and rain that pounded in the room she would she remain in. Her flaxen curls droop down her shoulders as trails of water trace over her face. The cold drops of water sprinkle her snowy skin and crash into her room. She hits the glass pane door that held her trapped inside the room in agony as she cries out she hates this place. She wanted to kill Cyrus and tear Mr. Steeles to shreds once she lays her hands on him. She screamed out for freedom and her hatred against Cyrus and his plots. She just wanted to be home, away from all this mess and be in comforts of the one she can love: Howie, if he allows it. She raises her hands in the air and stops the freezing rain. The tears on her face drip off as she walks slowly over to the white dressed canopy bed. Puddles of water caress her soft white toes and she heads towards the canopy bed. Angrily, she pushes aside the baby blue veils and sits on the cushions of the bed. She draws her knees up to her chest, the wet dress clung to her moist skin as she buries her head in the crooks of her arms weeping.
~*~

Howie opens his coffee eyes to stare at the dingy room he was thrown in. One of the servants under the request of Mr. Steeles gave Howie a good beating on his back with a thick whip. He knew the cut drew up blood, for he could feel the stinging of the wound as he sits up. Dizzily, he stands up and limps over to the door which was locked. Grunting in pain, he places his hand on his back and closes his eyes wishing the pain would just disappear. Within a matter of minutes, Howie realized he was no longer in pain. In fact he felt good and was curious to see why. He sees an ancient black dresser with a stained mirror on the top and makes his way over in that direction. Upon arriving to the mirror, he lifts up his white blood stained shirt to see how badly his bruises really where. His eyes grew wide as he stares at the reflection in the mirror. It was a miracle, all the bruises that brandished his body has disappeared. There were no wounds and not even scars were found on his body. His mouth drops open in amazement as he stares at his chest and back. He couldn’t believe it, his body healed. It truly was miracle for him. He traces his tan fingers down his back in utter surprise that the wounds had healed themselves. Howie didn’t know how it happen but it he glad with the results. Suddenly concerns over his four brothers consumed him.

“They probably think I died back over there.” Howie whispers as he pulls down his shirt and stares around the room. He feels a sting from his lips which were still in bad condition. Curious to see what would happen, Howie grabs his lower lip gently with one of his hands and tugs on it. He looks in the mirror and again thinks of being healed. Suddenly a tiny yellow twinkle of electric light glitters on his fingertips. The small electrical current softly touches his injured lips and glows as it heals the cuts on the lips. Howie watches all this in pure amazement until his lips were healed completely. The cuts vanished and the small electrical current seeps back into his fingers. He could heal, his powers advanced to the point where he can heal himself when in danger. This was a wonderful surprise to Howie who smiles happily. The musty smell was bothering Howie and in the dark, it was difficult to see. Howie looks around the pitch black room only to notice his eyes were glowing a soft yellow. He can see in the dark! He looks around the room and it seemed to be like someone turned on a light bulb. He could see clearly the room and again this surprised Howie who was delighted to see what else his powers can do. He walks to the locked door and an idea struck him. He reaches out and grabs the cold copper doorknob in his hands. After a second, a rush of light or rather electricity crashes into the door, breaking it open. The thick wooden door crashes down in front of him as he steps out the room. He smiles but the smile soon left when he was met with servants yelling and pointing at his direction.

Somehow he knew Steeles would be furious with this and have him punished, but he needed a plan and then it hit him. “Of course why didn’t I think of this before?” Howie whispers to himself: as Steeles is heard far off yelling about something. Howie just figured out the perfect way to escape and needed to put that plan in action now.
~*~

Rose fights to keep her eyes open but sleep seems to winning. In a matter of seconds, she was knocked out and slumped back on the car seat. Alison who was tucked under the arms of Jamelet and Paige were all sound asleep. Kimberly yawns and turns to shift positions on the van seat when she hears whispering coming from near by. Rapidly seating up, she presses her tan face near the van window. Her eyes squint against the harsh yellow flashlights that were inching closer to her. Her breath got caught in her throat when she sees a parade of CAPPA soldiers making their way over to the van their in. She gulps and gives Rose a push on the shoulder, “GET UP!” She whispers loudly to Rose.

Rose yawns and sits up, her eyes drooping with sleep embedded in it. “What?”

‘They’re coming!” Kimberly yells softly.

Rose bolts up in her seat and tilts her head to the van window next to Kimberly’s side. “Oh na man. No way! This ain’t good!” She whispers loudly, the fear etched in her voice. Kimberly nudges Jamelet and Alison to wake up and tells them the soldiers are approaching.

Jamelet gulps and watches the van window lit up with oncoming flashlights.

Alison slowly opens her dark brown eyes and tugs on Paige who is slumped on the van wall in a deep sleep.

Jamelet sighs and watches the back of the van which they locked. The door handle turns and all the women gasps as the back door was about to be opened.

Rose had idea, she rushes over to the back door and using the little power she had left from before, she blows wind which by some strange miracle latches on the door lock, pulling it closed. This caused the doors to remain locked and makes it difficult for those to enter the van and open it

Jamelet rushes over to the front of the van and sees a small walkie talkie lying on the floor. “Ok, you guys I have an idea, but you gotta work with me alright?” Her peach fingers grab the small black box in her hands.

The others nodded and listened as Jamelet explains that she’ll contact the CAPPA soldiers main commander and tell them to withdraw. “That under Cyrus’s orders, the remaining women have been captured and are being sent to him as he speaks.”

Alison gulps and shakes her head, “But they saw us! How will they believe that?”

Kimberly smiles, “They’ll believe whatever Cyrus says. Now the question is how are you going to talk to the commander, are you going to say you’re an employer there?” Her bright dark brown eyes glitters as the auburn center of her eyes gleam in the soft moonlight.

“Yeah, they won’t know who I am, but I have the walkie talkie that belongs to one of the soldiers. They’ll think I’m one of the people sent from CAPPA and they’ll move on.” Jamelet states in time to see Rose drop on the floor from exhaustion after using her power for so long.

“Oh God, Rose, you ok?” Paige asks, dragging Rose to the van seat in the front. Jamelet meanwhile tells the others to stay quiet as she contacts the commander of the soldiers.

“This is agent GC4 speaking what’s the problem?” A gruff voice speaks through all the static.

“Yes, I’m one of Cyrus’s doctors and he stated to drop the search for the remaining women. He found the group and the women are already heading back to the institution. Drop the search, do you hear me?. Under Cyrus’s order’s- drop the search!” Jamelet states with confidence as the banging on the back doors increases. Rose’s little wind was still holding onto the door, but would soon disappear if the girls aren’t fast enough to find a way out.

“Who am I speaking to?” The gruff voice responds, the static making it almost inaudible to understand.

“This is…” Jamelet thinks and sees a picture in her wallet of her with Natalie taken a while back. “Natalie. Doctor Natalie from the Cappa institutions.”
“Oh, doctor! Yes, ma’am. I’ll call off the soldiers at once. Did you see the young woman captured, she said she knew you.” The gruff voice responds.

The girls all sighs in relief but hold their breath as Jamelet tries to answer the question. The banging on the door ceases after a few seconds and the throngs of soldiers dispersed under the commander’s voice.

“Young woman? What are you talking about?” Jamelet whispers as the mumbling of soldiers and their walking creates a loud racket making it difficult to understand what the voice was saying in the walkie talkie.

“Excuse me? I can’t hear you. What did you say?” Jamelet asks. Suddenly the walkie talkie shuts off as its batteries deteriorate and run out.

“Oh man! We lost connection!” Rose whispers angrily, her blonde tresses tousled.

“Well it worked right?” Jamelet asks, passing her fingers through her dark brown locks.

“I guess so.” Alison whispers looking at the back door, the small wind now completely dissipated as Rose sits up in her seat.

“Well did they leave?” Rose mumbles softly, her eyes gazing around dizzily at the back of the van.

“Yeah for now.” Jamelet states, sighing. It seems Natalie was also caught and that just left her with the four girls. She leans her back on the van wall and slides down, sitting down on the hard floor.
~*~

Vincent taps his foot impatiently waiting for Kevin to finish dressing. “Man that was fast.” Vincent states, his grey eyes amused with how quickly the elder of the group dressed.

Kevin rolls his eyes and flings his blood stain shirt towards Vincent’s direction. “Yeah well you get good at it when you do concerts and have thirty seconds to change.” Kevin mumbles, tying the thick laces to the black boots.

Vincent hears the running of the soldiers as the alarm shuts off. Over ten soldiers race down the hallway pass where Vincent and Kevin are standing at. Vincent turns around and stares at the other three men and one woman. “Ok, guys. We’ll be back ASAP. Don’t go any where.”

Nick responded in sarcastic tone, “Well gee man. Where we gonna go? To the other side of the wall.” His blue orbs gleaming in hate.

Kevin smiles, “He’s a bit angry, his powers didn’t work right when we were in the room with Ana. He’ll get over it, right Nick?”

Nick grumbled a profanity and slumps to the floor glaring at Kevin. “Ok, I’m ready to go.” Kevin states to Vincent who shuts the cells and locks it.

Vincent smiles and tilts his head, “Alrighty, the exit’s this way.” And both men disappear down the hallway.

A.J. glares at Summer and begins cracking his knuckles. “You know I thought I was beginning to like you until this came up.”

Summer rolls her emerald eyes and swings her legs off the side of the bed, “Yeah well. What can I say? You don’t seem to believe me anyway.”

Brian smiles and pokes Summer on the side of stomach. “Just apologize. He’s acting like a big baby right now. I believe ya. I mean you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t in the same predicament as us right?”

Summer grins and nods her head, her blonde tresses hung above her shoulders. “I’m sorry A.J. Do you forgive me? I promise to call you.” She says sweetly, batting her emerald orbs at him.

Nick chuckles and pushes A.J. “Say yeah and get it over with!” A sly smile plastered on his face.

A.J. winks at Summer at nods his head, “Ok, I forgive you, but to make certain, give me a kiss.”

“What?!” Summer states surprised, her eyes open wide as a big grin spreads over her snowy face.

A.J. puckers up and points to her, calling her over with his finger.

Summer laughs and was glad that the guys chilled out, at least she won’t be bored out of her mind while trapped here.
~*~

Natalie sighs as she types on the lab top one of the soldiers bought in for her. Her weapon was found by one of the guards earlier on, who was gonna tell Cyrus, but Natalie somehow convinced the guard to not open his mouth about this. If Cyrus found out what her intentions were, she would have been treated as badly as the others were. She leans back on the chair and feels the cold metal tip of the gun on her neck. She couldn’t slack off, they were watching her and if she stopped when not told, there was always a soldier armed and ready to take her life. Natalie gulps and pushes on a button, waiting for the computer to download a file. ‘This is gonna take a while.’ She thinks to herself as her deep set coffee eyes gaze outside the window to freedom.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

A/N - If you hate the chapter - hit me with an email and I'll change my ways. If you like the chapter - hit me with an email and I'll thank you profusely. Sometimes it feels like I'm working my butt off to top Jamelet, and somehow I never suceed. Impossible dreams, you know? Anyway, hit me back with some comments, I'm curious to know...

Chapter 14 – Fading Unity.

Kevin’s heart hammered with intense rhythms as he crept down the narrow hallways. Vincent stood right next to him, perfecting the military steps. Vincent occasionally nodded toward a passing guard, but never stopped to associate. Kevin’s throat went terribly parch as he continued in the heat of escape. The alarms and bells had been stopped briefly, but the alert was still in effect. Guards prowled about the necessary corners, briefly checking upon the hidden passages.

“You need to calm down, or we’ll both be hanged,” Vincent murmured toward Kevin as they took larger strides down the last hallway. Kevin gave Vincent a dark glare. Vincent’s eyes grew large with surprise. The soldier was one of the youngest recruits, or so he had stated. He seemed like a newborn babe in Kevin’s eyes as he remembered Vincent was barely nineteen. He had been working within the system since his earliest years of childhood. Kevin felt pity for the boy.

“I can’t calm when I’m almost out of the madhouse,” Kevin replied as he saw the door nearing. His heart skipped many beats as Vincent reached upward to swipe his card through the ID system. There was a mechanical click, and the door sprung open. The brilliant rays of sunshine smiled upon Kevin’s tan cheeks as he burst out of the metal building. He immediately fell to the ground, kissing its dirty face.

“That’s really gross, man,” Vincent groaned as he fished for something within his pocket.

“I can’t thank you enough,” Kevin answered, scrambling to his feet. He glanced at the road leading away from the building. Large mountains engulfed the world in his eyes. He wondered how long it would take him to reach safety and alert the police. Kevin glanced back at Vincent. “Will you take care of my brothers?”

“Of course. I will try to sneak another out as the days pass. If I am not killed first,” Vincent answered, retrieving an item from his pocket. He scurried to the small building adjacent to the door. He opened in and pulled Kevin inside quickly. Their eyes were suddenly coated with darkness again. Kevin frowned.

“Do you expect to die here?” he asked.

Vincent nodded. “It’s something that every CAPPA man is told in the beginning. It is stated that we will die for a noble cause, and be relished in the sun of God after death.”

“CAPPA is not the way to God,” Kevin mumbled.

Vincent said nothing as he grabbed a cloth that was draped over a cumbersome object. Kevin’s eyes grew wide in surprise as his mouth hung open. Vincent took it as a sign of good faith, laughing. The sleek lime green motorcycle revved and ready for departure. The smooth handles and imprints of tigers claws tearing through the metal appealed to Vincent’s tastes. He gave a shy grin. “You can’t expect to get to New York on your feet, can you?”

“Why are you doing this?” Kevin immediately asked.

“Unfinished business?” Vincent claimed quickly with a shrug of his shoulders.

“You have a tale about this place, don’t you?”

“Everyone who comes into this place has a tale,” Vincent answered with a simple shrug of his shoulders. He tossed the keys at Kevin. “You need to get going. Night is coming sooner than imagined, and they’ll be looking for you. Stay off the bigger main roads, travel through the country. Dr. Summer said that the girls are in the southern woods of New York. You’re connected to them through the exchange of chemicals within your blood streams. You’ll sense them when you find them. As soon as you find them, take them west… There’s safety there.”

“What kind of safety?” Kevin asked as he mounted the sleek bike. He gripped the handles tightly, his lips curving into a pleasant smile. The sun warned his cheeks as it began to sink within the deep mountains. Kevin glanced to see Vincent shake his head. Kevin nodded with understanding, there was no more time to spare. Every second counted against him. Kevin gave a nod of appreciation. He quickly snapped the kickstand and launched himself into the road. “Take care of my friends!” Kevin called.

“As long as you take care of the rest,” Vincent whispered as he watched Kevin disappear into the weary travels.

*~*~*

Jamelet sighed as the sun began to sink further into the sky. She knew that the girls could only stay a few more days in this location before they would move on. Jamelet had spent an entire day searching through the van for some kind of signal or information. Everything only brought more confusion. Slips of papers revealing sorted numbers. Some slips contained names of various companies, and other business ventures. The most curious came from a collector of arts – Mr. Steeles. She knew nothing of the man, however. His name provided only a keen sense of worry.

Jamelet sighed heavily as she sank back into the front seat, giving up her search for a few hours. She glanced out the window, watching the girls. They had been in better spirits since the searches had been called off for them. They decided not to worry about the soldiers for the time being, because they were certain their powers would always protect them. The girls now played within the darkening sky. Each held a smile, but Jamelet could not smile because she feared the worst.

She watched as Paige eagerly chased Alison about the trees. Kimberly and Rose lay sprawled out on a small blanket retrieved in the back of the van. Their eyes were heavy with fatigue as they watched the younger girls. They had been worn out from using their powers extensively. Each calling upon a power would produce another reaction.

Jamelet knew better than to let the girls continue to experiment. The girls had to build up a tolerance before their powers would increase. Jamelet wasn’t sure if she was ready for the girls to develop more into their powers. As the development occurred, serious dangers would present themselves. The girls could loose control of their powers, and loose them in their entirety if not done correctly. Jamelet sighed as Paige tackled Alison’s feet.

“HEY!” Alison shrieked with a giggle as she fell upon the ground. Paige giggled as she covered Alison with her own body. Kimberly and Rose rolled their eyes as the younger girls. Paige immediately jumped upon Alison, tickling her mercilessly. “STOP IT! PAIGE! STOP IT!” Alison shrieked as tears of laughter cornered her eyes.

“No way!” Paige declared with laughter.

“Girls,” Rose and Kimberly scorned.

“Not until she tells me!” Paige declared.

“Tells you what?”

“What she saw in her dream last night!”

“What dream?” Kimberly and Rose asked as Alison went very still. Rose jumped up from the blanket and wrapped her arms tightly around Paige’s waist. She pulled the girl backward, releasing her from Alison. Kimberly immediately grabbed Alison by the wrists. Alison’s dark eyes shimmered with fear. Kimberly and Rose knew something was wrong.

“What is this dream thing, Alison?” Kimberly immediately demanded, setting Paige on the blanket. Rose carried Alison, and placed her down on the same blanket. The older girls glared at the younger ones, towering over them. “I don’t have time for these games, girls. Tell me, now!”

“I…” Alison felt tears prickle her eyes. “My powers show me dreams sometimes. I didn’t really use it until we were stalked at the house. I just think of a person, and if they’re sleeping I project myself into their dreams. Their sub-conscious continuously plays what happened throughout the day, and I find that subconscious. I can see what they’re doing, and what they’re feeling.”

“Why haven’t you told us about that before?” Rose accused.

Alison glanced down, guilty of deceit. “I thought you guys would think I’m lying, or maybe I was just dreaming. But I know it’s real, because I used to get thrown into your guys’ dreams at CAPPA. I knew what was happening, I just didn’t want to believe it. It happened a little at CAPPA, but it’s stronger now…”

“And who did you dream about last night?” Paige asked, sad that she had gotten Alison in trouble.

“Ana,” Alison whispered faintly.

“Ana?” Kimberly snarled. “And how is she, living in the lap of luxury? Does she enjoy being away from us? Has she told our secrets to the world? Is she the reason we’re being hunted like dogs?”

“No,” Alison whimpered.

“Does she even miss us? Oh, forgive me! I must be mistaken. She only thinks of herself. Her heart is nothing, because it’s frozen ice.”

Alison’s eyes went dark with fury. She pushed herself up off the blanket. She shoved her small hands into Kimberly’s waist, making her tumble to the ground. She pointed an accusing finger at Kimberly. Her eyes began to glow with deep amber. She began to think of everything that came to her during the night of Ana’s capture. The memories of emotions coursed through her veins as she quickly read Kimberly’s heart. Her eyes turned darker as Kimberly stared up at her from the ground. Alison released her emotions: “YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHE’S GOING THROUGH! YOU THINK SHE DOESN’T CARE, BUT SHE ALWAYS THINKS ABOUT US! SHE’S LONELY! SHE WANTED TO STAY, BUT HER POWERS MADE HER LEAVE! SHE WAS GETTING TOO STRONG, TOO FAST! AND DIDN’T WANT TO HURT US! BUT YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE HER! YOU ARE THE BIGGEST JERK, KIMBERLY! SHE WAS TORTURED IN THAT PLACE FOR US! SHE WOULDN’T TELL THEM WHERE WE WERE! SHE SAVED US OVER AND OVER, AND YOU DON’T CARE! YOU JUST CARE THAT SHE LEFT YOU, AND THAT SHE’S NEVER COMING BACK! YOU FEAR BEING THE ONE IN CHARGE! YOU HATE THE RESPONSIBILITY SHE CONSTANTLY HAD! AND YOU KNOW WHAT?! YOU’RE RIGHT, YOU DON’T DESERVE US!”

Paige and Rose fell into utter silence as Kimberly blinked back burning tears. Each were stunned that the quiet Alison managed to disperse all her emotions. Alison didn’t wait to hear a response as she fled into the dark woods. Kimberly lay there as Paige and Rose glanced down at her. Kimberly said nothing – she was stunned completely. Paige finally spoke up before disappearing into the van, “Alison is a passionate person, and you deserved every word she said.”

*~*~*

Hours of endless torture began to get the best of Ana’s firm exterior. She felt her willingness slowly starting to crumble as the hours slowly ticked by. She had ate dinner with the man whom she was forced to call ‘Master Steeles.’ Her lips twitched in a frown whenever his shadow overcame her presence. The man had watched her sleep that evening, and it was beyond the normal limits of Ana’s outreach. She became restless and forbidding, not knowing what to do with the time laid upon her hands. Sleep wasn’t the answer, because she feared the man that watched her. The restless urges to escape toiled about her mind, driving her insane as the sleepless nights overtook her physical capabilities. She was just thankful for that moment that she was allowed to use the library in solitude.

Ana sighed heavily while she thumbed through hundreds of books within the large library. The library was one of the only places she was allowed to be alone in, besides her room. Her arms were locked to a specific chain that unlocked only when Mr. Steeles uttered a password, using his voice was the mechanism. If she tried to break her chains with her powers, a deadly gas would submerge within the room. So, Ana just impatiently glanced through the books, hoping to find one to occupy her time. She was about to call for a servant to walk her back into her room when a decrypted old book caught her gaze.

She picked the book up carefully and set it upon the large oak table. Her fingers quickly pulled at a small piece of paper stuck up between the pages. She turned the pages and found that it was a small bookmark. Her eyes widened with surprise as she stared at an artistic impression of a woman powered with the energy of ice. The woman’s soft blonde hair swirled about as ice exploded from her fingertips. The dark blue-green eyes caught Ana by surprise. She could feel the loneliness and isolation that each blizzard’s kiss claimed through the eyes of the woman in the painting. Ana felt sick – it was as if she were looking into a mirror.

Ana traced her fingers down the page to a highlighted section. She quickly scanned the words, reading the passage:

It was said that God created the Earth with unique specifications and many to watch over this new land. It was long after Adam and Eve graced the gentle Earth, after God learned the mistrust of human natures. So, He thought to create a new breed. One to watch over his land with a keen eye.

On this Earth, He ordered for a protector, one that could blend in with the special natures of the world, relating and using the Earth as a special haven. Next, He placed someone in charge of the winds, letting the person control each gust that blew softly against the Earth’s guardian. Next, there was someone to protect the fire, conjuring the desolate and providing warmth to the nations. Next came the protector of water, absorbing and guiding the currents within the water, protecting all the animals that live beneath the calm glass. Another controlled the electric currents of the Earth, guiding the lightening storms across the valleys. Finally, there was the most violent and unique of all – the Ice Protector. This person was formed with God’s own hands. He crafted this person to withstand the pressures of the coldest temperatures, and the coldest hearts. This protector, always a woman, was the keenest and toughest of them all. She was said to have a heart of ice to all but her master – God.

With this tale also come the powers of the future and possible control. It was said that a man who could control at least four of the powers could control the world. This man would draw blood from each source, and drink them together – and he would invoke each special trait. This man would be alive for eternity, and the new God of Earth.

The only catch was to dominate the Ice Princess. This man would forsake The Eternal God, father of all, and find himself damned. This man would fight the battle of righteousness to find his place. Only the purely satanic have attempted such a trait – and Lucifer was the first. The last catch would be, the absolutely necessary power to complete this transaction would be the Ice Princess. This woman is the toughest of all, battling for her Savior. She would risk death before succumbing to the temptations this damned man would bring. Her powers would destroy the man, and she would fight for God until the ends of the Earth. The only way to defeat such a champion would be—

Ana groaned as the rest of the page was torn completely from the book. The confusion spread like a wildfire as the words blurred. Her mind swirled, knowing that others before her had this chemical. Her throat went dry as she heard her name carried into the night. Ana dropped the book and whirled around, praying that it wasn’t the Lord of the Castle. Her heart pounded as she was faced with a pair of tender brown eyes.

“Howie?” she asked with disbelief.

It was true, Howie stood before her – healed completely. No scars marred his handsome face as he smiled at her. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as he rushed forward. He held a Cheshire smile. It did his heart wonders to see Ana unscathed by the old man’s jaded heart. He held her cold upper arms and gave them an affectionate squeeze. He almost lost himself within the tenderness of her blue-green eyes. “I told you I’d watch out for you, didn’t I?” he asked carefully, glancing to see that no one had followed him.

“How did you possibly escape that room?”

“Let’s just say that I’m getting stronger by the minute,” Howie enthused. He had cut the entire speech of the servants when he caused electricity burst from his body. He turned a bright yellow, blinding them all as if the sun had fallen to the earth. They had fallen to the floor in time for Howie to send high volts into their bodies – killing them instantly. He glanced at her, smiling again. “Now I’m here to get you out.”

“Get me out?” she asked with a blink of confusion.

“We’re not staying here,” he answered, glancing at the thick metal chains that molded her to the wall. He smiled as he glanced at the blinking handcuffs. Something to be rid of easily. He glanced at her, wondering why she hadn’t escaped before him. “Ana, just freeze those things, and they’ll shatter easily!”

“I can’t!” Ana scorned, pulling away from his grasp.

“Why? Do you want to stay here?”

“No! That man has some kind of trigger device all over this house. If I use my powers, gas is released into the house. I’ll kill everyone in here, including myself. I can’t have that on my conscious,” Ana hissed as she heard several feet trampling against the thick boards of the house. Howie’s eyes blinked rapidly in fear. Ana stared at him with confusion when he grabbed her wrists and pulled her toward him. He stared at the locks as electricity spurted forth into the mechanisms. She prayed that the electronic systems would fry as the footsteps grew closer and louder.

“Damnit!” Howie cursed. He watched the hair upon Ana’s arm rise from the volts of electricity, but the handcuffs did not free. He could hear the shouting and loading of guns. His heart pounded as he looked up into her eyes. His mind swirled with possibilities. He would not leave her behind. He would never leave her behind. “Ana, I can’t break those things!”

“I know,” she whispered with regret.

“BOY! GET AWAY FROM THE ICE PRINCESS!” a voice shouted down the hallway.

Ana glanced back up into his eyes. She could see the longing for him to escape. She glanced down at his hands, noting the trembling she could feel and see. Finally, Ana took a deep breath and pushed him away from her. She gave a deadly glare as he fell to the floor. “Get out of here. You can fry the electrical systems that surround this place before you break for the woods. Just make sure to hit the central power, okay? Your powers should scramble the sensors, so you won’t get caught. Now, would you just go?”

“Ana—”

“NOW!” Ana screeched as he scrambled to his feet. The door began to cave with the severe pounding inflicted into its heavy exterior. Ana’s eyes turned dark. “Howie! You need to go, or you’ll never get another chance! Just go get you friends and leave me alone. Got it?!”

“I’m not just going to leave you!”

“GO, NOW!”

“Ana, please!”

“NOW!”

Howie sighed in defeat. He crossed the length of the room and grasped her tightly by the shoulders. He pulled her toward his chest and gently brushed his lips against her own. He stared deeply into her eyes, forcing the connection. “I’m coming back to get you, alright? I promise you that I will be back!” Howie answered as the door finally splintered. He nodded to her as he released her arms, and then crept out the open bay window and ran for the woods.

Ana felt her heart cave as she fell to the floor. Her mind swirled when the door finally cracked into pieces. Tears stung her eyes as her mother’s voice echoed against her brain. ‘I’ll come back for you sweetheart. This doctor is just going to get that nasty cold out of your system. You behave, and I’ll come back soon. I promise you, baby. Give Mommy kisses to make it all better, so I won’t miss you that much. Come here. I’ll be back…’ Ana never received a final kiss from her mother as she was thrust into a small cell for the remaining years of her life.

Tears brimmed Ana’s eyes as she took a deep breath. Rage consumed her soul when she realized that no one ever returned to save her. All the promises created of a safe return were as brittle as the ice created in a hailstorm. Ana slammed her fist into the ground and a thick ice cage surrounded her. It surrounded her with several feet of thick ice, concealing her from the world. She sunk into the middle, letting her thick flaxen curls shade the emotions penetrating her face. She knew Howie would never come back as Mr. Steeles began to attack the icy cage. She knew that the man would finally break through in the hours to come, and she would be punished. However, until then, Ana would wait in her prison of solitude and pray that death consumed her as thick black clouds formed outside the window of escape.

A/N: Well hello once again. You all know the deal, drop a review! Please! Help us out here man, tell us if you love it or hate it, or whatever. Just review because that would be the nice thing to do right? *grins* Well enjoy.


"Contributions of Dilemma"



-Alone we can conquer nothing; together we can conquer the world-

**~Chapter fifteen- Weaken Forces

Her feet tramples over the broken branches, the scurrying dead leaves twirl in the cool wind softly as she runs away: away from the pain and especially from Kimberly. She was tired of what everyone had to say about their fallen friend. Ana was still their ally and Alison knew that Ana would risk her life to see their safety. She stops and gazes at the murky night sky. It was going to be a long day; she can feel it in her body. She walks through the tangle of trees that encircle her. It was a peaceful area; the only sounds were the soft wind lapping at her ears and the sudden breaking of branches she would occasionally step on. The thick large trees seem so overpowering in their silent clothes of dark green. Green, the color of Summer's eyes when she would tell a joke and make Alison laugh. Now poor Summer is in the hands of CAPPA and she somehow felt at fault with it. 'I could have sense it before. I could have help Summer escaped. But now she's caught and it's my fault.' She mumbles to herself.

Sighing she stops and presses her back against a tree, staring at the serene forest. She can hear the echoes of her name being called from the girls about a quarter mile back, but she didn't want to head back to see the frustrated faces of the women. Alison tugs on her dark brown locks and kneels down to pick up a stone. She fingers the smooth stone and once again leans back on the tree. Suddenly she can hear footsteps creeping up from behind. Alarmed, Alison stares around to see where the deserted footsteps are coming from, but no one was there. She can hear the steps rushing up from behind her and her mouth was clamped over by a gloved hand. She squirms against the hand and the figure that held her tightly. She is picked up from her waist and feels the person's hand clamp harder on her mouth. A raspy violent voice falls into her ears, "Don't struggle. It'll just make things worse." Alison could feel her heart pounding as tears pricked in the corners of her dark coffee eyes. Alison tries kicking the person from behind but failed and feels the person grip her tightly against his chest. Alison read the person's heart and realized she was in serious danger. The man that gripped Alison, had intentions of sending her as well as the others somewhere to a man named Cyrus. Who ever this Cyrus was, she knew she and the others lives will be at risk. She tries moving and struggles against the man's grip. She finally gave up and feels herself carried over to a parked black van hidden off the side of the road. The back van doors fling open and Alison is thrown in there roughly, her knees banging painfully on the hard floor. One masked soldier stares at her, his emerald eyes clouded in concern. The tall built soldier eyes her and gently lifts her in his arms. Alison cries out and tries struggling against the mask man.

The masked soldier that brought Alison in laughs and runs off. Alison shivers and struggles to get on her knees. She looks up to see another masked solider staring at her.

She gasps and stares up at the tall figure cloth in the dark, her eyes covered in pure horror.

"Shhh.. It's ok. I got you. I won't let them get you." The deep smoothing familiar voice caresses her ears as he gently lifts her up in his arms.

Alison gasps and stares at the eyes of the man she believed could be her savior. "No way. You can't be!" She cries out in surprise, as she notices it's just them two in the van.

The masked man nods and pulls off his mask, revealing to her Kevin. Alison laughs and throws her arms around his neck. "How did you? When?..." Her questions coming out: one after another in amazement.

Kevin whispers and places his finger over her mouth, "Shhhh...You be amazed at how fast a motorcycle goes at 150 miles per hour."

"But from Washington, you traveled so far to get here." She whispers as Kevin carries her in his arms and hops off the back of the van. He looks around carefully before running off to the forest.

Kevin smirks and hurries over behind a bush where the lime green motorcycle lies waiting for their arrival. "Well this is it, my little one. We're about to go save the other girls."

Alison smiles and trails her fingers over the tiger claws on the handles, "Nice one you got."

"Got connections." He whispers happily and snaps the kickstand. "Hold on tight Ali. We about to save some people."

Alison giggles and throws her arms around Kevin's waist as they pull off and sped down the deserted highway.


~*~



Jamelet shakes her head and plops down on the blanket outside of the van she and the other remaining were in. "She got caught. I just know she did." She whispers. Suddenly her breathing becomes ragged and Jamelet staggers to stand up. Kimberly and Rose in confusion, anxiety crawling on them as they watch their friend clutch her chest and turning pale.

"Oh my God! Oh God. What's happening to her?" Paige whispers in terror as she Rose try to help Jamelet stand up.

"She can't breathe! You guys she can't breathe! She needs medical attention now!" Rose screams out, her azure eyes scanning the desolate road before them.

"Where can we go? We don't have the keys to the van and walking to the closest hospital is impossible since the closet is miles down the road." Kimberly shrieks, her deep coffee eyes fill with worry.

"We have to find a way to get her to a hospital!" Paige states, her blonde tresses blowing widely in the wind. A loud rumble of a motor broke the conversation, sending the women in panic.

Kimberly hears a motorcycle and turns to see Kevin and Alison sitting there waving them over. Her dark brown locks lie on her shoulders as she jogs over in surprise to see Kevin there.

"Look! Kevin is that you?" Paige squeals happily running over. Rose and Kimberly hold Jamelet and bring her over to Kevin.

"Something's wrong with her! She's having problems breathing." Rose's voice quivers in fear. She licks her lower lip nervously as she helps Jamelet board the motorcycle. Alison hops off the motorcycle and get Jamelet comfortable. Jamelet wasn't looking too good, her skin paled varies shades and her eyes were dilating. Her breathing was coming out ragged as she straggles in the seat, too weak to hold on to Kevin.

"I'm taking her to the hospital. Do me a favor? Stay in the van until I come back to pick you up." Kevin whispers, concern clouding his emerald eyes as he gazes sadly at Jamelet's condition.

"I think I know what's wrong with her. She has the same disease that her sister had. There is no cure for that. I just hope she's strong enough to fight it. She looks like a fighter." Rose states, her azure eyes gazing sadly at her sick friend.

Kevin nods his head and takes off down the road with Jamelet strapped successfully behind him. The four girls stare down the road until Kevin was out of their vision.

"So I guess we wait then huh?" Alison states, following the other three towards the van.

"Yup." Paige states, heading into the black followed by Rose. Alison brushes aside some of dark brown strands off her face as was about to step into the back of the van until she hears a sound.

It sounded like a motorcycle and she gazes over to see what looked like Kevin on the motorcycle staring at her. A grin appeared on her soft lips and thinking Kevin must have forgotten something, she rushes over to him on the roadside. The shadows cover him but it seemed like Kevin from what her eyes can make out.

"Ali what are doing? Get back here!" Rose shouts in fear as she releases that the man on the roadside was a soldier and not Kevin.

Alison was already down the dirt pathway inches away from Kevin when Paige screams out to stop. Rose wishes she was strong enough to release her powers again but she needed to rejuvenate as well as Paige.

Alison giggles and runs up to Kevin ready to hitch a ride on the backseat when suddenly the man that seemed like Kevin grabbed Alison by the shoulders roughly. The man steps off the motorcycle and out of the shadows, his dark brown eyes glare into Alison's soul. Alison gasp and tries to push away but failed as the strong burly man laughs and smacks her across her face. Alison drops to the ground immediately knocked out from the force. Screaming erupted from Rose and Paige as they run towards the man. Kimberly also rejuvenating from her powers runs down the dirt road pleading the man to leave Alison and not hurt her.

"Take me instead! Don't take her please, I'll go for her instead!" Kimberly screamed out, her eyes round and shining in the moonlight.

The man cackles and pulls out his magnum, pointing it at the women. "How about I take all of you. Is that better?" The man growls, his dark eyes staring at them angrily.

Paige raises her hands in the air, her blue grey eyes full of defeat as she taps Kimberly on the shoulder. "Forget it. It's too late. They got us surrounded."

Kimberly shakes her head rapidly, "No, NO!! That can't be!" She quivers as she sees more than five armed men all pointing their rifles at the women.

"So as you were saying earth girl." The gruff soldier speaks, laughing.

"Looks like we got almost all of 'em. Cyrus is gonna be thrilled." Another soldier spoke, holding the rifle.

The one on the motorcycle grins, he passes his hands over his black bearded face. "Let's get the girls back to Washington. Cyrus has a plane waiting for us at the Kennedy airport. Let's load them up."

The seven armed masked soldiers grab Rose, Alison and Kimberly and throw them into the back of a running CAPPA van across from the motorcycle.

"Hold up Amerian. Ain't there suppose to be another one." A masked soldier asks to the one on the motorcyle, his dark eyes staring at the three women.

Amerian shakes his head, "Na we got em' all. It's all good. The one taken we'll track down later. Let's get these girls to the plane pronto." He shoves the pistol head into Paige's back. She cringes from the touch and is lead into the back of a of the CAPPA van, tears sprinting from the edges of her blue grey orbs.

The soldiers shoves the three remaining women in the van and board it Amerian locks the back and hops into the driver's seat with a grin spreading from ear to ear. Rubbing his hands excitedly, he thinks of the amount of money he'll receive when Cyrus sees the captors. "Looks like I'll be going home rich today." Amerian states, his thick dark hand clump on the steering wheel and pulls off the side the road taking them to the airport.


~*~



A.J. paces the cell as Brian taps his foot nervously on the metal floor. Nick yawns and drums his fingers on the metallic floor while Summer gazes up at the small clock above them.

Summer noted the soldiers stopped running around to search for the missing captives and were sent out by Cyrus. "I don't know, but something serious is up. They're called out for something."

"It could be anything." Brian whispers, his usual bright blue eyes hold distress.

A.J. stops pacing and shakes his head, "Summer's right. They're called out for something. Oh man, what if Kevin got caught?"

Suddenly Vincent runs up to the cell, a smile on his face, "You guys Kevin's escape is successful, he should have reached the girls by now." His grey eyes glittering.

Brian shakes his head, "The soldiers were called out just now, didn't you hear it?"

"I don't go yet. I stay here and work in the facilities until I'm of age." Vincent states curiously.

Nick stands up and sneered at Vincent, he clamps his hands on the black bars and glares at Vincent. "You know something don't ya? What is it? You lead Kevin to danger didn't you?"

Vincent gulps and shakes his head anxiously, "No man. I would never do that."

"Oh stop being so modest young Vincent, you created the perfect plan." The smooth eerie voice of Cyrus creeps into the hallway as he joins the young guard facing Nick.

Nick growls, his blue eyes a dark blazing blue as his hands crackle in sudden heat. Nick shouts out a load of profanities as Cyrus laughs and throws his arms around Vincent's shoulder.

"I must say, this little tactic of yours is brilliant. Your idea was a success." Cyrus states joyfully.

Vincent's mouth drops open as he realized Cyrus was framing him.

As A.J., Brian and Nick seethe in anger, Summer watches horrified and realizes they can't trust anyone.

"I should have known better than to trust you!" Nick growls sticking his hands out the bars and reaching for Vincent's shirt.

Brian pushes Nick away and points his finger out at Vincent.

"Uh, uh, uh. We'll have none of that death touch my dear boy in this place. Looks like you didn't learn your lesson the first time. I guess I must bring you to the tanks again to play with." Cyrus says slowly, enjoying the horrid look that passed on all three men's faces.

Summer gulps and watches the misery before her, she manages a whisper to Cyrus, "You'll die for what you did to us."

Cyrus chuckles and claps his hand, "Oh, I'll be looking forward to that after I kill you." And with that some burly guards enter the cell and carry a thrashing Brian out the cell.

Cyrus points to Nick and smiles, "I like you, you have quite a fiery personality." And with that walks away as one of the guards lock the cell and take a screaming Brian with them down the hallway. Vincent stands there in shock as A.J. glares at him.

"I can't believe you. Get away from me." A.J.'s raspy voice shutters in Vincent's ears. Vincent backs away from the cell, stating he was set up. That he really was on their side and they cold get saved. But A.J. didn't bother listening to Vincent's cries. Suddenly Vincent falls on his knees in pain as he against his will picks up a small silver pistol he's carrying buckled to his belt.

He lifts the pistol to his right temple, his hands shaking terribly as he screams at in pain, "No please, I've been set up! I'm on your side, please!! Don't Kill me!!"

But his cries were unheard as A.J. raises his hand and acting like he was holding the pistol, he pulls his finger over where the trigger would be and Vincent pulls the trigger shooting him self dead. His dead body slumps on the floor as the crimson liquid pours out profusely, staining the clean metallic floor. Nick watches the scene and smiles.

Summer lets a cry and crawls away from the three men. "What happen to you all? You've changed."

A.J. sighs and sits on the bed shaking his head, "I don't know. It's the gifts. They seem to have a life of their own now. It's changing us and we can't stop it."

Nick smiles and sits on the floor, looking at his hands. While Brian shakes his head and stares at Summer. "I'm sorry."

"I don't believe that anymore from you." Summer whispers and crawls under the covers to hide from them.


~**~



**~To Be Continued...~**

Howie sighed heavily as he watched the thick black clouds forming against the sky. The mountains surrounding him echoed with the shrill screams of anger radiating from the large castle. The anger spreading over the castle almost settled like a thick fog. The rumbling of thickening clouds quickened Howie’s pace as he darted toward the farthest reaches of the woods. He had already killed a man at the gate while the thick clouds created a sheet of darkness. Bitter clouds of fog swept against the floor of the forest. Howie’s skin prickled as the temperatures dropped significantly. He was near the sensors setting up the parameters of the home; he would need to short-circuit them quickly.

Howie felt awful as he stopped at the widening gate. Ana’s cries grew desperate within the howling winds of a storm. Howie knew that the emotions swirling within Ana’s soul would create a disastrous storm. Howie couldn’t risk the chance of going back, although he died to do so. He wanted to protect her, but it would mean suicide. He sighed wearily as he fixed his gaze upon the blinking sensors. The electrical sensors began to beep erratically as Howie drew closer. He touched his fingertips together, slowly creating a large bubble of electricity.

Instantly the sensors fried against the charges of Howie’s essence. He smiled gleefully as he stepped through the sensors, and nothing happened. The wind whipped against his bare arms, threatening him. Howie glanced up to see a large cloud rip to shreds and large snowflakes burst in a sea of white. Other clouds rumbled as large hailstones pierced the flesh of the Earth. Howie stumbled against a root and watched as a large boulder of ice fell inches from his legs.

Howie scrambled upward as the blizzard of chaos rattled the chains of Hell. He watched his breath exit his lungs as he darted through the woods quicker than before. His teeth chattered as the snow packed against the ground heavily. Several inches accumulated in mere minutes. The hail continued to pound against his back in tinier doses as the large boulders rained closer to the castle.

Hours began to pass as Howie’s body system dropped in several life threatening degrees. His legs numbed as he watched sunlight flood against his eyes. Howie squinted, stumbling toward the opening of light. His legs were cyanotic and barely keeping him standing as he traveled toward the warmth. He glanced backward, several feet of snow packed tightly against the trees. There was nothing left for him to return to. Ana had sealed her fate within the blizzard.

Howie sighed softly, feeling sadness wash over his soul. ‘Keep Ana safe. Give me time to rescue her and not break my promise. I need her to have faith, Lord. Please keep her away from Mr. Steeles hands, Lord,’ he prayed.

The light beckoned him closer, swaying his thoughts to warmth. The closer he inched toward the warmth, the farther away it seemed to flee. Howie blessed God as he finally stumbled onto warm grass. He tumbled into what seemed like a bed of roses. His eyes fluttered as his systems slowed. Death began to claim Howie’s life as brilliant beams of sunshine kissed his skin. Too many hours in the snow had left Howie defenseless. He heard cars roaring past his body, blowing a gentle breeze. Howie gasped for air.

His eyes blurred as he glanced at the large sign above him – LEAVING MASSACHUSETTES, WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND!

*~*~*

Alison whimpered softly as she was dragged into a large building. She had spent hours in a dark space of a plane, and then several minutes in a van blindfolded and gagged. Rose and Paige had been taken in a separate vehicle, which was hours late. Alison had listened to the men complain about their counter-parts being slower than normal. Alison said nothing as she was thrust into a cold room. Her nerves were shattered from the abrupt capture. She wondered if Kevin knew anything about their attack. She sniffled softly as she settled in a corner.

“You got us caught, so stop whining,” Kimberly’s voice growled. Alison glanced up to see Kimberly glaring at her. The dark amber pools of Kimberly’s soul obviously cast blame upon the small teenager. Kimberly crossed her arms tightly across her chest. Something scared Alison as she crouched in the corner. Kimberly glared. “If you wouldn’t have run off, and if you wouldn’t have tried to defend Ana, we wouldn’t be here Ali. We would have had a normal life. A NORMAL LIFE! Can’t you understand that?”

“I wanted a normal life, Kimberly, and this wasn’t my fault!” Alison defended, shivering terribly.

“Sure, Alison. You got all the special attention in this hellhole. You were never locked up. You didn’t have to live down near Ana’s freezing cell. Constantly caged like some kind of animal until they took you out and allowed you to show them your abilities. You were free! You never suffered like I did,” Kimberly hissed, growing agitated with Alison’s behaviors. The child had changed far more than anticipated when they ran. Kimberly hated the new person forming from Alison’s personality. Alison cared more for the abandoners than those that stuck through the hard times.

“All you do is whine!” Alison groaned.

“And all you do is stick up for a person that wouldn’t save you if your life depended on it!”

“Ana is braver than you will ever be!”

“She’s sadistic! That ice power manipulated her emotions. She doesn’t care for you, Ali. She never did. She left the first chance she had. Don’t you remember when she left? She just snuck out the door and never said a word. We thought she was dead. All those months of worrying! She doesn’t care about you, Ali. Nor does she think of you!”

“Why do you insist that! You didn’t see into her mind like I did! You don’t know where she is! You don’t even care! You’re the most heartless person that I’ve ever met! I hope you get what you deserve! That hateful mouth of yours is going to be sore for ages once God scolds you!” Alison raged as the door was opened. She continued to spout hateful words until a hand was laid upon her shoulder. Alison jumped with fright as she stared up at an elderly man.

“You don’t remember me, child?” he asked with a small smirk.

“No, sir,” Alison answered, scrambling away from him. She made sure to stand far away from Kimberly. She shot Kimberly a dark glare. Kimberly said nothing as she stood there, clutching her hands into fists at her side.

“My name is Cyrus.”

“You…” Kimberly’s breath caught in her throat. She remembered that he was the man to coax her away from her family. He had convinced her family that she would be better taken care of in the hospital. Kimberly’s eyes burst into the color of the muddy earth. Her fingers tingled as the floor trembled slightly.

“None of that, child,” Cyrus warned as a guard seized her arms, pinching the nerves in her arms. The power vanished quickly. Kimberly sighed with defeat, knowing that the slightest tremble of the Earth was all the power that remained in her since the first battles with the previous guards. She bowed her head as Cyrus pulled up a large TV on a stand. “I would like to show you the consequences of fighting myself and my workers.”

“Mr. Cyrus—”

“Watch the video, Alison,” he warned, cutting off her question.

The TV flickered as a video was played. Alison watched as the camera focused on a bloody and battered woman. She was chained high above the rest as a whip snapped. Alison jerked in complete surprise as the camera zoomed on the desperate woman’s face. Instantly the sorrowful blue-green eyes caught the glare of the camera. Alison choked back a sob – it was Ana.

Instantly, a hammer connected with Ana’s leg. The crack blared against the speakers, causing Alison to cringe. Blood splattered against the camera and at different angles of the floor. Kimberly paled as she sank to the floor in complete horror. Ana never screamed. She felt beads of cool sweat cling to her skin. “Oh, God…” Kimberly whispered.

“She fought me every step of the way,” Cyrus answered as he continued to replay the torture. Alison trembled violently as Cyrus’ voice became calm and unemotional. “The child was too hard to contain, and I taught her a lesson. I taught everyone a lesson that decided to fight. You will be gone in the morning, so I suggest you do not try my patience. Stay here, behave, and you’ll enjoy the transfer. Stay here, cause havoc, and you’ll feel immeasurable pain.”

He left just as quickly as he had arrived. Alison watched as Ana’s face was placed upon the scream. Tears fell down Ana’s pale cheeks as the knives were drawn against her skin. Alison burst into fresh tears as she stared at Ana. Her heart ached as she called upon Ana’s emotions. Pity, depression, loneliness, fear, and anger called against Alison’s body. More tears fell as Alison traced her fingers across Ana’s frozen face. “You’ll watch over us all one day,” Alison promised softly.

*~*~*

Kevin hurried into the hospital, everything around him a cold blur. He hadn’t a clue what to do as he rushed forward to a nurse. Jamelet continued to convulse within his arms. Her skin had turned a dark blue as she gasped every few minutes for air. Kevin’s emerald eyes grew wide with horror as he held the woman close to his chest. He rushed forward. “Please! Help her! She’s really sick!” Kevin begged the nurse.

“What’s the problem?” the nurse asked as she motioned a gurney to be placed before her.

“She’s really sick. She has this blood disease, I f-f-forget what it’s called,” Kevin blurted as he held the nurse lay Jamelet upon the small wheeled bed. Jamelet’s body twitched as the nurse examined her eyes and checked for a pulse. There was a quick nod from the woman, and then two doctors began to wheel Jamelet down the long corridor. Kevin was completely shocked as the nurse glanced up at him.

“What’s her name?”

“Jamelet,” he answered softly.

“I need her last name also, sir,” the nurse answered, clicking a pen that she held. She was staring at a small chart, waiting for his answer. Kevin sighed, struggling to remember her last name. He knew the dangers of giving it, and the chances that she might make newspapers for her rare blood condition. “Sir, I need her last name.”

“Oh, right! I’m sorry. Her name is Jamelet, Jamelet Richardson. She’s my sister.”

*~*~*

Natalie sighed softly as she waited in the large dining hall. She had finally won Cyrus’s trust. She had known him before he took over the company. He had been one of her colleagues working on the girls’ DNA. She paced back and forth, smoothing her fire-red skirt. She prayed that he wouldn’t see through her false mask. So much rode upon Natalie’s actions. She hoped to gain Cyrus’s trust so she could check upon the boys and her other colleague, Summer. If she could make Summer follow suite, then they had a chance at escaping.

“Good evening, Natalie,” Cyrus called out.

Natalie jumped with surprise. She turned around, brushing away the curls of her hair. She gave a flustered smile, crossing the room. She clasped her hands against Cyrus’s hands, and kissed his cheek. She offered a charming smile. “I’m so glad that you invited me to dinner, Cyrus. We have so much to catch up on. It seems like ages. I forgot how handsome you were.”

“Indeed,” Cyrus answered, pulling out her chair from the large banquet table. Natalie nodded as he helped her be seated. Then he sat down next to her. He took a large drink from his wine before speaking. His dark eyes glittered against the reflections of the candles set about the room. “It’s quite amusing to find your sudden change in personality, Natalie. I had my assumptions that you loathed this facility.”

“That is true, I once loathed it, because I could not see my family. However, a few days of solitude loosened my appalling behaviors. CAPPA holds great promise for my future. I am only praying that you allow me to rejoin this illustrious group. I have so much to put forth into the studies.”

“I suppose,” he replied.

“I will prove my trust, Cyrus.”

“You always have, Natalie,” he answered, patting her hand. Natalie smiled as she sipped from her wine goblet. He glanced at her, giving a charming smile. Natalie smiled back, hoping that he would confess to her. He finally drew his hands together, holding his elbows upon the table. “I suppose you want the details of our current situations, Natalie?”

“If you are willing to give me the details.”

“Of course.”

“Then I would be delighted.”

“Well, you know of our first experimentations. These girls that were given injections in hopes to find a cure for the Sanchez daughter are quite the opposite of our first suspicions. We assumed they were no good, because they failed in curing the disease. Well, it turns out that this old bat down in Delaware wanted to have the girls for his own private collection. He is tickled pink with the idea of possessing each of the five women. When I consulted him, he had some sort of lusting affection for the woman the provided ice. He called her his Ice Princess. Of course, he offered several million for obtaining the capture of this woman. We were lucky, and found her when we hoped to find the others.”

“She is the most fierce of all the girls,” Natalie whispered.

“That is very true. She’s a hellion. However, she paid quite well, and now is in Delaware under the strictest of containments. We now have the girl of Earth and the girl of Heart. They’re in the containment unit, and will be shipped down tomorrow. This man is delighted, and keeps offering generous amounts of cash. The girl of Wind and the girl of Water will most likely be here within the hour.”

“So, he’ll have all of his collection then?”

“Yes, but he doesn’t just want his art collection,” Cyrus murmured. He shifted slightly, tugging at something inside his pocket. He pulled out a yellow piece of paper. Age began to eat at the corners of the small paper as he held it in his fingers. He stared at it as if it contained the fate of the world. Natalie stared at it with curiousness. “This man had several meetings in his library. He kept me waiting one day, and I searched through his books, and I found this slip of paper. It’s the most curious bit that I have ever read. It stays with me daily.”

“What does it say?” Natalie asked, her breath catching.

“It seems that these women are far more important to him than just a simple art collection.”

“How so?”

“After man first sinned against God, He was torn with anguish. He had offered the world to His creations, and they had disobeyed His simplest rules. He wanted something more tangible and more faithful than man. He wanted something to bring Him joy instead of sorrow. He set out and created these creatures in the likeness of man, but gave them special characteristics. He first created an Angel to guard the Earth. The second was the Angel of the Waters. The third was Angel of the Winds. The fourth was Angel of the Fires. The Fifth was Angel of the Sun. The Sixth was given the strongest of these powers, and given the most powerful element known to Earth - Ice. Each were created as the likeness of humans, and sent down into the world,” Cyrus first explained.

“The Devil grew jealous of these special Angels, and sent His minions out to destroy them. He created a Man of Death, a Man of Visions, a Man of the Tangible Mind, and a Woman of the Heart. He sent these creatures out to find and kill the Angels, who were the Guardians of Earth. To make a very long story short, the Devil fell and the creatures were made into Guardians of Man. The Devil was banished below the Earth into the fiery depths, and has never risen since.

“There is a greater likeness to this story. It seems that this Devil left a code to follow for another miserable man. If one man can capture five original guardians, he can open the portals of Hell and defeat God forever. He can take over the entire world for his own delight. The only catch is that this man needs to dominate and break the wild spirit of the last - Angel of Ice. I believe that our collector of the arts wants to proceed with his conquest.”

“I don’t see how our girls are anything like these guardians!” Natalie asked in disbelief.

“They are the ancestors of the guardians,” Cyrus answered.

“But we gave them the powers!”

“Indeed, we gave them the powers with the faith of God. This collector was the previous owner and starter of CAPPA. I checked into his background. He manipulated Dr. Sanchez into believe that these special medicines would cure his child. Overridden with grief, the doctor had no choice. Dr. Sanchez started the end of the world without having a clue that he was talking to the Devil.”

“No, that’s not true!”

“It is, and always will be. However, the man does not realize that he only has three of the original guardians when he ordered for the girls. The two changed guardians will only provide a muddling effect and open a portal to another world if used. When he realizes this, I will have the last of the original guardians, and the powers to subdue the sixth, which lay in this paper. I will sell each of the guardians for a higher price, and the piece of paper for more than the original sixth. This is my plan, and I will continue to produce these medicines and create my own hellions.”

“That’s brilliant,” Natalie murmured.

Cyrus’s eyes glittered with a dark ambition. His lips wetted with the salvation of hunger. The desire in his eyes made Natalie sink deeper into her large seat. Cyrus smiled with pleasure as he spoke softly. “However, there is one final plan to this. No one can reproduce the Guardian of Ice. The formula was lost within her systems. So, I must get her back, because little does she know, she’s the key to my own salvation.”

A/N: Real quick, this chapter I wrote, Ana writes the even number chapters, so now you all know. Please leave a review ok! Thanks!


"Contributions of Dilemma"



~Chapter Seventeen: Lightening Strikes Twice

He opens his eyes slowly to see the gentle roses caressing his body. He was enraptured in the bed of roses; the warm green grass blankets his legs as he tries to stand up. He was exhausted and he needed a ride back to Washington immediately. His dark coffee eyes stare back behind him to see a whirlwind of snow, the blizzard covering the exquisite castle Ana was held in. "I'll get you out Ana. I promise you that."

Howie stares at the vacant road as he scrolls his eyes up and down the cement roadside. No cars are around so early in the morning. The early morning sun light peeks its head between some clouds. The bright blue sky opens itself up to allow the golden arc of sun radiate its light into the darkness. Howie sighs and walks towards to the sunlight. His body filled with warmth as he steps away from the roadside. His legs wobble a bit as he stands in the middle of the road underneath the circle of sunlight. His body sighs in relief as the sun seems to rejuvenate him some how. It was wonderful for a second, as Howie closes his eyes and stands under the sunlight. Peacefulness engulfs his body as the only other sound was of birds chirping from a distance. Howie didn't hear a van coming towards him on the road. Suddenly the blaring of a horn startles Howie as he faces in time to see the van coming towards him at full speed. Howie screams out and places his hands in front of him, hoping by some miracle the black van will not reach him. His legs were too weak to move anymore and Howie feels the fresh gulp of fear zooming at him, down his spine. The black van suddenly screeches to a stop when out of Howie's hands a small blast of electrical current crashes into the engine of the van. The van chugs along and stops centimeters away from Howie's fingers. Howie could hear his yell echoing in the quiet surroundings as the front bumper of the van lightly touches his leg.

Howie gulps and stares in fright at the tinted windows of the van. He wanted to see who was idiotic to run him over. The driver of the van flings open the van door and steps out of the vehicle. A built man stands before him, his black goatee down the side of his face. The man stares at Howie angrily and points his dark chocolate finger at him. The man wore all black, and on his head a black baseball hat.

"You fool! What the hell is wrong with you?! You wanna get run over, standing in the middle of the road like that!?" The man growls his gruff voice interrupting the peaceful forest.

"Well why were you racing towards me like you were gonna kill me?!" Howie shouts, his dark coffee eyes glaring at the man. The man sucks his teeth and rolls his dark brown eyes.

"Thought you were road kill, figured you be smart enough to move!" The man seethes.

Howie stays quiet and takes a deep breath as he examines the van. Something about it, reminded him of CAPPA. Howie watches as the tall dark man grumbles some profanities and talks with someone inside the van.

"Amerian, what's the problem? Just go, we gotta schedule to keep!" Someone shouts from within the van.

Amerian smirks and clumps back over the van door, leaning on the side of the door, he waves his hand towards to Howie to tell him to move out the way.

"Wait! You're from CAPPA aren't you?" Howie yells before he realized his mistake.

Amerian laughs and reaches into the van for something. "That was pretty interesting how you stopped the van like that. You know, I didn't press the brakes, but somehow the van stopped. Figured you had something to do with it, right Howie?" He states holding a rifle towards Howie.

Howie raises his arms in the air, "Whoa wait, I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me. Get in the van Howie. Now!" Amerian grits between his teeth.

Howie shuffles to the front and side of the van before two black attired soldiers grab him on each arm and drag him to the back of the van. Howe lets his eyes catch a glimpse of the golden letters etched on the side of the van. 'Cappa.' He thinks to himself. He's caught again and he failed Ana. Now Cyrus is surly gonna kill him now he gets back to Washington D.C.


~*~



Alison screams out again in fear as Kimberly bolts upright in the hard bed, Cyrus planted in the room. She races over to the screaming teenager hoping to soothe out the fears. Since the video with Ana, it seems for the past week sleep wasn't working for any of them. Half the night, Kimberly would stay awake thinking of the horrors Ana endured for all of them and here she was acting on pure emotions. Kimberly decided to end the feud and apologize to Alison for her rude behavior back in the forest yesterday. She was lucky she stated sorry for she missed the late night conversations they would all have about boys and such. Kimberly figured if she changed her attitude that maybe she along with the other girls can find a way or means of escape. She embraces the brown haired Alison in her arms, as Alison whimpers in fear the tears falling like a waterfall. "Shhh. Don't worry anymore. Ana did what she did. She's strong, she can overcome Steeles, you'll see."

Alison raises her teary stained face up and stares into Kimberly's eyes, "No, you don't see what I see. She's hurting! They're treating her like an animal, caged in a wild creature and acting like she's the slave. She's under the will and command of that psycho! We got to save her!"

Rose opens her eyes and gets up from her small twin size bed, Cyrus offered each girl. Her blonde tresses fall over her azure eyes gently as she joins the two young teenagers. "Where ever Ana is, she can survive. She's the strongest and she knows it."

Paige who was sitting on the hard metallic floor spaced off, joins in the conversation, "We'll die before we have a normal life again." Her golden locks hung limply over her shoulders.

"Don't say that! You heard the guard, the guys are in here somewhere. That means we have back up. Look if we did it before, what makes you think we can't do it again?" Kimberly says gently.

Paige sighs and points to the black bars that held them within the cell. "Because of that."

All eyes turn to see two soldiers dressed in black attire dragging Brian by the arms, the rest of his weak body scraping on the cement ground.

Rose sighs heavily and closes her eyes, "Well there goes our backup." And she slides under the covers wanting to wish the trauma away.


~*~



She raises her head and snaps open her eyes. She's blinded by the harsh whiteness of the hospital room. The beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room besides her heavy breathing.

Something wasn't right, she has collapsed but why? She wasn't ill, she knew that for sure. The disease that was passed down from her sister to her was a mistake; a lie she found was embedded to keep her working in the company with her father's supervision. She found out this information after escaping from CAPPA a couple of months ago. Her light brown eyes scan the room to see Kevin sleeping on a chair besides her bed. She smiled, thankful that he had taken her here for her safely. But she wasn't in danger but she knew who was.

She reaches her hand out and lightly nudges Kevin. Her peach color returned and she looked more energetic. All she needed was some sleep, not a big deal at all. But that still didn't explain the reason why she collapsed, she figured it was stress related. With all she and others are going through, no wonder she had a break down. She takes off the hospital bracelet and waits for Kevin to open his eyes.

He yawns and sits up, smiling at her, "Well you're up."

"Yup. Let's go." Was all Jamelet said as she leaps out the bed and races to the small counter where her clothes were folded. Slipping into her dark blue jeans and throwing on her purple tank top, she fishes on the counter for some socks and finds a pair. Slipping into warm with cotton socks and putting on her beige boots, she zips up the boots and runs her fingers through her dark brown locks which lie in a mess.

"Hold up! You're ill. You can't be going anywhere!" Kevin shouts in alarm.

Jamelet sighs and pulls on his arm, "We're getting out, the girls are in danger, from what I can tell, it looks like they got caught. We gotta go back to CAPPA! We have the save the others!"

"Oh ok. But are you sure you're ok?" Kevin whispers, opening the front door, eyeing Jamelet curiously.

She nods, "It's a long story. But I can tell ya, I'm not sick, nor was I ever. Now can we go?"

Kevin nods his head and waits for Jamelet to exit the room as he follows along.


~*~



Nick walks over to thick white metal door and peers through the small window, "I should kill them for what they did to Brian. Look at him!" He lashes out, pointing at the unconscious dirty blonde man lying on the metallic tiles.

A.J. sighs and tries to calm down his friend, "Save it for later Nicky. We'll need it when we break out this joint." He mumbles as he stares at Summer who's staring at Brian.

"What did they do to him?" Summer asks, her voice quivers in fear.

"The same they do to all of us, who decide to act up. He was punished for his remark." A.J whispers gently placing Brian on the only bed that was in the dingy cell.

"Look!" Nick shouts as he points to a small television screen at the corner of the cell.

The others stare in horror as a replay of a young woman screaming in pure agony filled the cell with her desperate yells.

"It's Ana!" A.J. yells as he watches the screen show Ana's abused body. She was chained and was cut up as Howie stood watching and getting abused as well.

Summer screams over and over again, not believing what she saw. "Oh Dear God, what did they do to her?!" Nick tries to reach the small television but it was too far up in the ceiling to be touched.

A.J. tries to calm down the screaming Summer but soon watches as Summer faints from horror into A.J.'s arms.


~*~



Natalie paces the room back and forth, Cyrus was losing his mind to think Ana was the one needed for that sicko to mess with. Natalie knew Ana's will can never be broken, can it? The whole story that Cyrus told her was a bit too hard to swallow. How was she to believe in such a thing like that? It was a fairy tale, and nothing more. She recalled her parents telling her that story when she misbehaved as a child. Cyrus couldn't possibly believe that story now could he? Steeles was too odd to think of something that ingenious, Natalie would have to go out of her way to guard the ones that are here. Although it's a myth she still needed to watch the group that is captured here. She didn't know what to believe anymore. But she knows that as long as Nick is here, Steeles can't have that so called powers of his, he so desires.

"Doctor, I think you have a visitor who wants to see you." A young soldier asks, his short blond locks tussled under his black CAPPA hat.

"Who is it?" Natalie asks nervously, her chocolate eyes gazing at the man.

The soldier shrugs his shoulder and states a girl wants to talk with her.

"Oh Summer." Natalie states.

"No, it's another girl. She has brown hair, she looks about fifteen or so." The young soldier replies.

Natalie felt her heart caught her throat, 'No, they couldn't have captured the girls could they? They were safe.'

"Brown hair, what's her name?" Natalie states as she steps out the room into the cell where the guys and Summer are.

The soldier waits for Natalie to cross the jail and out the door before he answers her, "Alison."

Natalie froze in fear, 'She's caught.' She thinks to herself as her heart hammered in her chest.

"Do me a favor k? Cyrus doesn't like the idea of you mingling with these girls. They know you from before and we don't want them to think there is hope for their escape. So keep the conversation short and sweet. I'll be back to get you in about fifteen minutes." The soldier states, opening the metal door and letting Natalie in the room.

Natalie gasps when she sees, the four girls caught. She trembles and watches as Kimberly and Rose run to her. Natalie could feel her knees buckle as she tumbles into Rose's arm.

Alison murmurs, "I thought she would be happy to see us." She lowers her dark brown eyes to the floor.

Paige shrugs her shoulders and watches the other two girls place Natalie on an empty twin bed. "Guess we all got a lot to talk about with her, huh?"

Rose nods her head, "No doubt, let's just hope she tells us why she wasn't with us after she came back from visiting her family." And with that settles back on the hard ground in the cell.


~**~



**~To Be Continued…~**

Chapter 18 – Bitter Justice

Smoke billowed heavily into the fading light sky as the van swerved to a deadly stop. It toppled over itself several times before landing upon its hood. Flickering lights of torrent flames engulfed the golden initials. Hisses and squeals of heating glass beckoned for rescue, but no one approached. A large cracking sound erupted into the stillness of the abandoned road. A shadow leapt into the twilight while the back door tumbled off. The figure stumbled to the ground. He coughed heavily, struggling to breathe deeply.

He glanced upward, listening to an approaching sound. He lay still, waiting for the sound to come near him. The darkness plunged against the backdrop, surrounding him in darkness. He groped for some kind of weapon to protect himself, finding a large piece of glass that had broken away from the van. One single beam poured into his eyes. He squinted, crouching deeply against the road.

“Kevin!” Jamelet called out as she gripped tightly to his back. The bitter winds scraped against her reddening cheeks. She watched in shock as the vehicle before them exploded. A tire went flying into the air amidst the toiling of flames. “KEVIN! WATCH OUT!” she screeched as Kevin’s eyes were preoccupied with the launched tire.

He never saw the figure lying upon the road. Jamelet smacked him squarely on the shoulder, drawing his attention downward. Kevin gasped as he swerved. A bolt of electricity surged past Kevin’s head as the bike fell. Jamelet instantly hit the road, sliding several feet upon the gravel as Kevin hit the embankment. His arm ached as the handle bar folded against it. Kevin cursed out as everything went silent.

“GET UP!” a voice screamed toward Jamelet. She moaned softly in agony, feeling her body for bruises. She was roughly seized upward by hands. She gasped in shock as she stared into a deadly pair of yellow illuminated eyes. She couldn’t form the words within her mouth as a trail of metallic blood trickled down the corner of her lips. She trembled as she heard the footsteps of another person.

“DON’T HURT HER!” Kevin’s voice shouted.

Suddenly, the shadow dropped her. Her body slammed to the ground with tremendous force. She gasped for a breath of air as the two shadows before her met. Both stared into each other’s eyes. Jamelet saw a faint glow of red burning in Kevin’s eyes. She covered her ears, waiting for a clash of murderous intent. “Kevin,” the shadow that had seized Jamelet whispered faintly. She craned her neck to get a better look at the figure. Something seemed familiar about him.

“Howie?” Kevin called out in complete shock.

Howie’s eyes adjusted quickly, seeing the faint lines of Kevin’s smile. The glowing emeralds of Kevin’s irises made Howie’s body flood with happiness instead of anger. Everything suddenly glowed with a newfound sight. Howie’s eyes burst with bright yellow illumination. He could see Kevin perfectly. His eyes formed runny tears as he leaned forward to embrace the older man in a tight hug. “I thought all of you were dead!” Howie exclaimed, his hands still tingling from the surges of electricity.

“We thought you were dead!” Kevin exclaimed, hugging Howie fiercely. “What happened to you?”

“That crazy man!” Howie blurted, his eyes still glowing.

“What man?” Kevin asked in confusion.

“Guys?” Jamelet called out weakly. Her head was spinning with confusion. Throbbing pain invaded her arms from the road rash. Howie and Kevin immediately bent down and scooped Jamelet up from the road. Howie immediately pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. “Howie, I’m glad to see you, too.”

“I’m so glad you’re all right!” Howie enthused.

“Me, too.”

“Were you with the girls?” Howie asked, glancing to see Kevin wince.

“They were taken away,” Jamelet whispered.

“Ana’s caught, too,” Howie replied with guilt.

Jamelet’s eyes grew wide in complete shock. Her throat went raw, knowing how difficult it was to maintain Ana’s behavior. The child was wild. She was hardly contained in the original building of CAPPA. She knew that Cyrus was like a serpent, and would bite Ana if she got out of control. Jamelet brought her hands to her mouth. “Is she okay?” she immediately asked.

“Pissed would be the better word,” Howie answered as Kevin retrieved the fallen bike. Kevin wheeled the bike slowly to the couple. He stared at Howie with confusion. Howie sighed. “She and I were taken away by this crazy man. He threw me into a dungeon and had me whipped. I passed out, but I woke up and found that I could cure my scars. My powers grew intensely! I can see in the dark, heal myself, and screw up any electrical current. I glow, and blind people… It’s amazing, so I had a chance to get out. I tried to get Ana out, but that son of a bitch, Mr. Steeles, locked her into—”

“Mr. Steeles?” Jamelet interrupted with complete horror.

“Yes, why?” Howie frowned.

“You were in Mr. Steeles’ house?”

“Yeah.”

“And Ana is there at this exact moment?”

“Yes,” Howie replied again, feeling lost.

“Jamelet, what does that have to do with anything?” Kevin urged.

“Ana is in serious trouble if she’s at that psycho’s house! He has always been seriously disturbed since he brought my father in to create CAPPA. We need to find Ana, we need to get the boys, we need to get the girls… But…” Jamelet felt tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. Her head pounded with fierce pain. She felt dizzy as she grabbed onto Howie’s upper arm, steadying herself. Kevin quickly looped his arms around Jamelet’s waist.

“We need to rest. C’mon, Howie. Let’s duck into the woods to hang out until daylight. Jamelet, hold onto me, sweetheart,” Kevin pulled Jamelet against his side. He stared at the burning embers left from the wreckage. He gave Howie a short glare, “And you’re going to tell me how the Hell you managed to toast all those CAPPA men.”

*~*~*

Ana paced back and forth within her large room like a caged lion that had just been thrown out of the African lands. Her eyes burned with fury as she waited for a visitation from Mr. Steeles. He had just chipped away her icy protective cage, and thrown her immediately into her room. He would not visit her until he calmed himself. Ana let her mind draw backward to the window, staring out at the icy blizzard she had created. Huge amounts of snow hugged the swaying trees. Some trees had completely cracked in two from the huge boulders of hail. Snow still stuck against the freezing ground. Her anger had not subsided.

Her mind drifted toward Howie. Her anger boiled within her soul as she sat perched in her bay window. He had left her to survive. He had left without her. Nothing mattered anymore, because she knew how life would treat her. She would remain in this frozen prison with only the psychotic old man to tend to her heart. Howie would go off and live his life in full contented bliss, and she would starve without love or nurturing.

“Son of a bitch,” Ana hissed in complete disturbance. She pulled away from the window, tripping against the long lavender skirt Mr. Steeles had placed her in. She muttered another curse, loathing the elegant dresses she was to wear. She wished for her favorite faded jeans with the ripped knees. She had met Howie in those jeans.

Her mind surged and conjured a soft picture of Howie. He smiled at her through the misty haze of her memory. Ana frowned, tugging at her skirt. She began to pray that God would take Howie’s life. She wanted him to be caught within her turbulent storm. She looked for something to trash to control her rage. She bent down, grasping the book she had kept from Mr. Steeles’ library. She was about to hurl it against her large window, hoping for some minor salvation, but stopped when a small piece of paper fluttered from its dirty pages.

Curiously, Ana bent down and scooped the small piece of paper from the soft white carpet. She peeled it away from itself, exposing a small clip of text. She hurried to her white desk, sitting down. Carefully she began to scan the reading. She furrowed her flaxen eyebrows together in confusion. Softly, she read aloud from the book: “Guardian of Ice can often become vicious and tenacious. She will never bow to the powers of those stronger than her, because she will often overcome. Her mind is superior, and crafted with the hands of her Loving Father. She was made to follow the Divine Guide. She will always prevail against Evil, unless Evil succumbs to the wickedness of below. The Guardian of Sun will be her only weakness, because he owns her heart. He has been given her heart since the very existence of time. He was made to guide her along with their Heavenly Father. He will melt her cold heart, weakening her mind’s strength. The only way to tame the Ice Guardian is to expose the Guardian of the Sun to danger. He of the sun will guide her, manipulate her, and might cause the destruction of Earth.”

Ana’s mind throbbed with new knowledge. Many words became smudged from the olden state of the paper. She peered at the last words. Her eyes grew wide in surprise when the text became clear: ‘The Guardian of Sun will not have all the powers of the sun. Remember, he is the guardian. He will expose the night with his eyes, light up the world, and control the electric powers of each division.’

“Howie…Howie has the electricity, and I…I have ice?” Ana asked herself in confusion. Her hands began to tremble with the revelations before her. She prepared to stand up, but found a force of power lying heavily on her shoulders, forcing her to the ground. The old paper was snatched away from her hands as she stared at the ceiling. A silver pistol pointed at her face, Mr. Steeles laughing menacingly as he picked up the book.

“Child, why must you fight me?” Mr. Steeles sighed heavily. Ana grunted as a large leather boot was pressed tightly against her throat. She stared into Mr. Steeles’ cold eyes. He had brought in a guard to subdue her. She looked longingly at the book, craving the knowledge it contained. Mr. Steeles frowned when he noted she was not looking at him. “Princess, I am speaking to you!”

“And I’m listening,” she growled.

“You are quite feisty.”

“I am quite pissed!”

“Why did you take my book, Anastacia?”

“You told me I could go to the library, that’s what you do in the library, isn’t it, Master? Look at books?” she growled, fed up with the cruelty. She reached up and clamped her hands tightly against the guard’s leg. It didn’t take long for the man’s leg to turn dark blue. He screamed in agony as the ice seeped into his blood stream, covering his leg. He fell backward, clawing at his leg like a rabid beast. The leg began to seep with pus as he screamed for the pain to stop.

Ana jumped upward, holding her hands out threateningly to Mr. Steeles. He recoiled in utter shock. He backed up instantly, clutching the ancient book to his chest. His eyes grew wide with surprise. “You know better, Anastacia. If you kill me, this entire home will fill with gas. You will die before you know the touch of that blasted man that escaped. You will never see him again, Anastacia!” Mr. Steeles warned.

“Why should I care?” she asked, her body tingling from the thrill of the screaming man. Her heart ached for more destruction, and for a means of escape. Her lips curved into a wry smile, knowing that she had finally gained the upper hand. She reached out to grasp Mr. Steeles by the throat, but her heart jerked. She gasped as an overwhelming essence draped into her soul. The power began to stroke her heart, beckoning her to do something else.

“You know very well, Anastacia—”

“SHUT UP!” Ana screamed, icy clouds of smoke billowing from her mouth. Her eyes began to glitter like cold white diamonds in the northern skies. As her eyes glowed, she focused upon the sensation of her heart. Her arms prickled with knowingness.

‘God. He’s calling upon me,’ Ana thought as the power continued to plead for an escape. She curled her hands into tight fists. Her lavender dress billowed against the cold temperatures as the man’s deafening screams were silenced. She imagined the temperatures dropping. Her mind wove against the idea as the clouds were summoned back from the sky. The lights within the room flickered as Ana recalled the large electricity lines that circled about the mansion. She conjured up the mental plans of the generators and series of electronics circling the cold estate. She brought her chin upward, as if she were looking to the sky. Instantly, a cold ice began to coil about the large power-lines. The lights flickered as the winds of the icy north howled for justice, and Ana’s world was quickly plunged into midnight darkness.

A/N: Hey I'm glad to see new readers interested in this story. I'm so happy to see that, it does bring a smile on our faces! Enjoy this chapter and please try to leave a review for our sanity. Thanks so much. And my buddy Ana got the next chapter!


"Contributions of Dilemma"



**~Chapter Nineteen- Souls Entrapped~**

"Well that's it. I mean before I knew they were sizzling from the burning electricity that was coming outta my hands. You guys it was freaky, it was like the power had a life of its own." Howie whispers softly as he watches Jamelet yawn.

Kevin smiles, "You really did all that?" He whispers, gazing at the darkening sky of the forest.

Howie smirks, "Yeah man, what? You find it hard to believe?"

"Well yeah." Jamelet responds, her dark strands blowing gently in the warm breeze.

Howie rolls his coffee eyes away from her and settles back on the thick quilt Kevin packed in the motorcycle. "Well it happened so believe what you wanna believe."

Jamelet smiles and pats his shoulder, "Ok, I will." She watches Kevin staring at the snow covered horizon where Ana was held. "Kev. We'll get her right? I mean Ana will be ok right?" She asks nervously, fearing the response.

Kevin turns his head and stares at her with his emerald eyes, "Yeah, we'll get her. She's strong. If she covered the place in snow, we can count on her to still be our Ana."

"What about Steeles that you're so anxious about anyway?" Howie asks, his short dark brown curls waving in the breezy night.

Jamelet sighs and shakes her head, "He's a freak."

"That I know, I saw the man. He's holding Ana as a prisoner! I was close to killing him if I wanted too, but I would have put Ana in danger if anything." Howie whispers harshly.

Kevin rubs Howie's shoulder to calm down the anxious man before him. The only sounds heard in the night was of the chirping of the crickets and the scampering of the hidden squirrels in the forest.

"There's more than what's wrong with Mr. Steeles. The man was found with a sick obsession of collecting people. His greatest works so far besides Ana was a living creature that was closely resembled a demon. See Steeles knows about the story that was written centuries ago." Jamelet whispers and stops abruptly when a screeching bird falls dead on the ground besides Kevin.

The three look in disgust as the dead pigeon stared up at Kevin from the ground. "Ugh!" Kevin yells and crawls back a couple of inches away, "What the hell happened to the bird?!"

Jamelet looks on in disgust, "Maybe it got too cold for the animal."

"Or maybe it was shot at." Howie states in disgust.

Kevin shakes his head and kicks the animal corpse into a nearby bush. "No, I think something's up. Birds tend fly in flocks and head back to the warmer areas, not fly away from it unless it was in danger." Kevin states, his deep voice dropping an octave lower.

Jamelet nibbles on her lower lip and gulps, "Howie, I think Kev's right on this. Something's up. Like something is coming in this direction."

Howie rolls his eyes, "It's just one bird people, don't jump to conclusions." Suddenly as if on cue, a large flock of birds scream and flap over head the forest, traveling in a large group covering the dark sky.

Kevin stands up and watches the flock of endless birds fly away from the possible oncoming danger. Howie rubs his hands down his arms as goose bumps rose up.

"Ok. You know what. I think now it's a good time to jump to conclusions!" Howie yelled over the flapping of the wings overhead.

Jamelet watches the pack of birds descend away from the castle where Ana was held at. Some birds suddenly squawk, dying and crashing to the ground as they flutter about and leave the forest.

"Man that was weird." Kevin whispers after the last bird disappeared into the night air.

Jamelet swallows hard, "I don't think we should sleep here tonight."

Howie nods his head, "I agree with her. There's a small cabin about a mile off. We can stay there till the morning and then save Ana."

Kevin nods his head slowly as he kept his eyes up in the sky. "Yeah, let's do that. Another dead bird and I might not ever eat duck again." Kevin mumbles as the three head off down the road with Howie walking the green motorcycle besides him.


~*~



Nick paces the room endlessly and finally stops in front of Natalie. The young doctor smiles at the young man, "What is it?"

"They have the girls don't they?" Nick growled, his icy blue eyes sparkle in the harsh white lights of the hallway.

"Yeah. I saw them about an half an hour ago. They're scared Nick. They don't understand why they're in this mess again." Natalie whispers as she stares at the small research room enclosed in the cell that she would do her work.

"WHAT!? And you don't think we don't feel that way about all this as well!" Nick states, his anger rising.

Natalie simply sighs and leans back on the dingy wall in the cell. Her dark brown tresses topple gently over her shoulders as she seems spaced out for a moment.

"Well did you hear?" Nick yells.

"Relax Nick. Don't scream at her. She's in the same predicament as us." A.J. states as he pulls Nick away from Natalie.

Summer runs her fingers through Brian's disheveled hair as he lies sleeping in the only cot that was now available in the cell. "Nick your friend was killed back there and here you are screaming and taking out the blame on the Natalie." She whispers, her back turned away from him.

Nick growls and kicks the metal steel door that held them inside the cell. "Yeah well what do you want me to do? Hug her and say thank you for screwing us over?!"

A.J. raises his hands in the air in front of him. "Ok that's enough!" Calm down Nick. We have Kevin out there and no word on his safety."

"Yeah, well if you didn't kill Vincent, we would have known where Kevin is at!" Nick screams at him, his hands wrapped in white gauzes.

A.J. lowers his eyes, "He was gonna backstab us! You think having him with us on the team was gonna help." He whispers harshly.

Nick flips his middle finger to A.J. and kicks open the front door. The steel door swings open and creaks as Nick walks out of it.

"Wait Nick, what are you doing?" Natalie shouts as the alarm goes off, the red flashing lights erupting the silence.

"I'm out of here!" Nick shouts and runs down the hallway, disappearing down the corner.

"He's gonna get himself killed!" Natalie shrieks as A.J. runs to the doorway.

Summer shakes in fear as the scene erupted before her. "We have to stay together. Alone is more dangerous, Natalie knows what she's talking about." Her blonde strands lying in a low ponytail, lie on her shoulders.

A.J. sighs and shakes his head, "If we're lucky, Nick won't do anything else stupid that can cost us our lives."

Natalie gulps and watches the sleeping wounded Brian and wondered what Cyrus would do to Nick if caught.

A.J. runs his hands over his dyed red hair and grumbles, "Nick needs an attitude adjustment. I wish Kevin was here." And he slumps into a chair closing his eyes.

"Natalie go after him! If Nick is caught, they'll kill him." Summer states worried.

Natalie shakes her head, "He's on his own, I can't leave, or I'll get a beating like Brian here!"

A.J. whispers something about Howie.

"Can you repeat that?" Natalie asks, her tan complexion glittering in the harsh white light.

"He's ok right? Maybe Kevin found him." A.J. asks, his eyes still closed.

Summer mutters out, "How can that be? Unless Howie escaped the mansion, there's no way he could meet with Kevin."

Natalie nods her head and watches a group of soldiers racing down the hallway. Two soldiers point their rifles into the cell as they lock the steel door behind them.

"I hope Nick gets out of here. He can at least see freedom cause we sure won't." Summer whispers sadly as she strokes Brian's dirty blond hair gently.

Natalie sighs and sits down on the metallic floor, "You guys ever heard of Adam and Eve?" She whispers.

A.J. and Summer shrugs their shoulders, "From the Bible. Why?" Summer asks.

Natalie decides to let them in on the info she found about a book pertaining to some guardians that roamed the earth long ago. After all she wasn't going anywhere and they needed to know this info eventually.


~*~



Rose sighs and rolls over on her stomach. She grumbles and places the pillow over her ears as the loud screeching alarm resounded down the hallway. She can hear the soft breathing of Paige sleeping besides her on the small cot they were sharing. It amazed her to see Paige still sound asleep through all this noise. Rose lifts her head up to see Kimberly and Alison talking quietly in the corner of the room. They were sitting on the metallic tiles hidden in the soft shadows of the lights from down the hallway. Rose brushes some stray blonde strands away from her face and perks her ears up to listen to the two talking.

"Hey, what are you saying?" Rose whispers loudly.

Alison looks up and smiles, "We're just thinking about where the guys are? I heard Nick managed to escape, hence the alarms." She whispers loudly, her deep dark eyes scanning the desolate hallway.

Rose smiles, "He escaped huh? Maybe I should go help him." She giggles.

Kimberly laughs and rolls her dark brown eyes, "I'm sure that's you want!" The amber rings in her eyes glitter lightly in the dim harsh lights.

Paige mumbles something and buries her head under the pillow to hide away from the loud persistent ringing of the alarms. The bright blinking alarms stop suddenly and quietness resumed in the place.

Alison gulps, "Uh oh, I think they caught him."

Kimberly narrows her dark eyes, "Are you sure?"

Alison tries to read into Nick's mind but all she felt was anger, hate, fear, pain. "I don't know. Nick somehow manages to keep his thoughts hidden. Even I can't tell what he truly feels. It's weird really, it's like he knows I'm gonna try to invade his thoughts or something."

Rose sighs, "Can't blame him, I wouldn't want you in my mind."

Alison sucks her teeth and rolls her eyes. Suddenly the metal steel door in their cell opens up and in comes in Nick covered in blood entirely, from head to foot.

Rose sits up in the cot and gasps as Nick crashes onto their floor unconscious, his blue eyes roll to the back of his head. "Oh God!! Tell me he's not dead!" She shrieks as Kimberly and Alison walk towards the fallen body.

Paige sits up and gasps, "How I wish I was still sleeping! Is he…"

Rose watches in horror as Kimberly and Alison try to turn Nick on his back and check his pulse on his wrist.

Kimberly shakes her head in confusion, "He doesn't have a pulse but he's breathing!"

Alison smiles, "He'll be ok, I can feel it. He's in peace now."

"NO!" Shrieks Rose as she stumbles out the bed and throws her arms on Nick's chest. "Come on! Get up Nick! Get up!"

Alison pushes the older teen away roughly, "He's gonna be fine, he's resting now. He's not dead Rose!"

Rose smiles and lets out a puff of air, "Oh good, so I can continue plotting his life with mines."

Paige smiles, "You're insane girl. Wonder why he's in blood? Guess he'll tell us later when he gets up." And with that yawns and helps the other three girls carry the man to a cot to rest.


~**~



**~To Be Continued…~**

AJ’s eyes grew wide in utter horror as he stared at the piece of paper that Natalie furiously scribbled on. He listened to Summer gasp in complete surprise. AJ frowned, not understanding. Adam and Eve weren’t the only ones first created in God’s eyes? God had other plans of protection for His people? Life was more than just being God’s child? Guardians of God’s creations?

“Is this really true?” Brian whispered, looking at his bloodied hands. He had woken up a few hours ago from his restless sleep. His body ached with a newfound pain. No one had told him of Nick’s escape. No one really knew anything about Nick’s escape, so they decided not to mention it. Natalie’s eyes grew wide as Brian stared at her. “We’re really descendants of God’s Guardians?”

“In so many words,” Natalie replied.

“Don’t tell me you’re falling for this crap!” AJ scoffed, jumping up from their depleting circle. His eyes were raging with fury and frustration. AJ paced around in the dingy cell, pulling at his scattered locks. His mind was whirling with complete confusion. Everyone watched him as he continued to pace like a rampant tiger aching for freedom.

“J?” Brian finally called out meekly.

“What?” AJ snapped. He watched Brian wince. AJ immediately felt guilt plague his heart. “This is insane! We’re God’s Guardians? If we are, why are we here? It’s complete crap, Bri! Think about this! We should be in Heaven playing around and having fun if we belonged to His group of watchers! You’re the most religious person I know, but you were made to be one of the Devil’s jerks? Let’s think about this! Bri, you’re Christian, how could you possibly be created by the Devil?”

“Didn’t you listen to the whole story?” Summer sighed, standing up from the floor. She grabbed the piece of paper and slammed it against the metal wall. She tugged AJ over and made him stare at the scrap of paper. Natalie helped Brian up toward the wall so he could also listen. Summer pointed at the various bubbles that Natalie had created. “God made six Guardians to watch over the Earth. They needed to be on the Earth to protect it, hence why you’re not up in Heaven screwing off. Five guardians were made for each symbol of the Earth. Guardian of the Earth is Kimberly. Guardian of the Water is Paige. The Guardian of Fire is Nick. The Guardian of Wind is Rose. The Guardian of Ice is Ana—”

“Who’s Guardian of the Sun?” Brian suddenly questioned.

“I’m starting to believe that Howie is the Guardian of the Sun,” Natalie voiced.

AJ gave Natalie an incredulous look. “Howie has electricity currents in his body, not UV rays!”

“Just because he has electric currents don’t mean he doesn’t control the sun. There are many other parts to his abilities that we don’t know yet, and there are other comparisons. The sun controls all the powers in the world, and powers a lot of factories. Without the sun, we would die. The sun builds and stores huge amounts of electricity, hence Howie’s first power. For now, I’m assuming that he is the main source,” Natalie explained, frowning at AJ’s pessimistic attitude.

“You’re completely insane,” AJ murmured.

“And you’re not considering the obvious! It’s true, whether you want to believe it or not. No matter what you think, I know what Cyrus is trying to accomplish. Do you realize that if he opens the Gates of Hell, your friends will die? You all will die horrible deaths and be forced to submit to the cruel intentions of Lucifer. And Ana’s fate…” Natalie let her voice drop.

Summer’s eyebrows rose in complete surprise. She had known the story, but not the entire details. Brian held his heart as he watched Natalie stare at the floor. AJ blew a large amount of air out of his nose, causing a snort. Natalie glared at him. AJ finally went ballistic. He growled and slammed his fist into the wall, causing everyone to jump. “If what you’re saying is true, tell me why CAPPA was invented. If this is all somewhere in the Bible, why would CAPPA be made? Why would a company producing mental stimulus drugs for something predestined! TELL ME!”

“Cyrus and Steeles were manipulated by the Devil himself. They were told the story by a serpent, and wanted the power. They found a man with two sick daughters. The daughters had a rare form of a blood disease. They manipulated the man into believing that testing certain drug stimulus on certain children might prove beneficial. CAPPA developed with Sanchez. He didn’t realize what he was getting into. He harbored the secret powers of the Guardian Angels and fed them into the children who were ancestors to these rare angels. When Sanchez was faced with the truth that his daughter’s couldn’t be cured, he took the girls. The boys were given back to their families. Sanchez went mad with rage when his first daughter died. He decided to lock the girls up and do more tests to develop the evil inside. The girls revolted like their natural instincts. Jamelet had hoped that with some manipulation the guardians could heal her with the powers, but she never had a chance to test it out when the boys were brought back,” Natalie explained softly.

“Oh my,” Brian found his words lost within the mess of his mind.

“This is outrageous!” AJ hissed.

“What, the fact that you don’t want to believe the truth?” Summer scorned.

“You’ve been cocky ever sense that man was killed,” AJ concluded, staring at Summer with complete shock. During the siege at the first CAPPA building, she had been warm and loving with him. Now she developed a cold attitude toward him? AJ was confused. He watched Natalie and Summer exchange knowing glances. He became frustrated again. “What’s the big deal?”

“Excuse us?” Summer asked primly.

Before AJ could continue, the front cell door slammed open. He had hoped to find Nick behind the door, but found a guard. A gun was pointed at Natalie’s chest. She rose quickly. The guard tugged at her arm. Natalie stared back at the two boys. They were the only ones remaining. She frowned before she was dragged from the room. “AJ, please believe. It’s your friends’ only hope.”

*~*~*

Nick’s eyes fluttered heavily against the weariness of his body. He moaned softly as a flood of bright lights invaded his vision. He squinted, rubbing his eyes. Slowly his vision cleared to meet a set of large cerulean eyes. He screeched in surprise, pulling himself backward on the bed. He trembled, unable to keep his balance as he jumped up from the noisy cot. His feet became entangled within the sheets, causing him to fall to the cold floor. He groaned in pain as four sets of curious eyes gazed upon him.

“Are you okay?” a young woman giggled.

“Alison?” Nick murmured, cringing in pain from his head.

“The one and only!” Alison chirped with glee.

“Hey!” Rose growled, causing Alison, Kimberly, and Paige to burst into fits of laughter. They scurried back to the opposite side of the cell. Nick groaned as he sat up, bracing his aching back against the wall. His mind began to cloud as Rose sat down next to him. She pushed her blonde locks behind her shoulders in a flirty manner. “How are you feeling, Nicky?”

“Honestly, this reminds me of the time you broke my cell and made me fall into yours,” Nick muttered as he rubbed his throbbing temples. He listened to Rose laugh. It sounded like an unchained melody. He smiled softly, finally gazing at his arms. He felt his breath catch – he was covered with dried blood. He scrunched his nose in distaste, hurriedly rubbing the flaking bits of blood away from his raw skin.

“Are you okay?” Rose asked with fear.

“I—I’m fine,” Nick hesitated.

Kimberly stood up from the other side of the cell. She watched as Nick hurriedly tried to peel the blood from his skin. Something didn’t seem right. He had no serious injuries besides a few bruises. Her mind began to spin with the ideas of placing a puzzle together. She gathered Paige and Alison to her side. Kimberly’s eyes grew wide as she crouched down next to Nick. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah, looks like I got time,” Nick muttered, still working on cleaning his skin.

“But Kimberly doesn’t,” Rose hissed, arching her eyebrows with annoyance to make a full effect. Paige and Alison rolled their eyes, understanding Rose’s actions. Rose wanted some time alone with Nick, which seemed impossible. The other girls would always be in the room. It’s not like they could scurry away unannounced.

“Shut up, Rose,” Alison and Paige announced with innocent smiles upon their faces.

“Glad you two can be optimistic during this time,” Nick answered with a small smile. He was glad that he had gotten away from Brian and AJ for a while. The two men just knew how to manipulate his buttons. He was becoming agitated with being trapped, but thanked God for his life.

“You’re welcome!” Paige giggled.

“So, what was the question?” Nick asked, glancing back at Kimberly.

“Oh, yes, why are you covered in blood?” Kimberly questioned, her mind being relocated.

Nick frowned, the lines of tension deepening in his young face. He hated the idea of explaining to the girls about what he saw. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to relive it. Nick trembled slightly as the girls scooted closer to him. Nick stared at his tainted hands. His eyes began to prickle with tears.

“You can tell us, Nicky,” Rose soothed, reaching out to hold his bloody hands.

“It was so bizarre,” he whispered.

“We’ll understand,” Kimberly encouraged.

“O-Okay,” Nick whispered with a frown. “I ran out of the room… I wanted to escape, girls. I didn’t really know where you guys were; I just wanted to run out. I ran into this room, not thinking. It was absolutely crazy. Tons of pictures were plastered against the walls, but they were so real. The pictures…we had wings… Then there was a picture in the center of the room. It was… I can’t explain it… It was… Ana was plastered against the wall in a crucifix form like Jesus… Her body just bleeding out. I reached out against the wall, and touched her blood. My hands were sticky when I pulled back. It was real blood. I freaked and fell backward. All of a sudden all I could see was red. I had fallen into this huge pool of blood, and then everything went black… But that room… All that blood… Ana’s blood… It just…”

Nick went silent as his tears fell.

*~*~*

Ana’s heart slammed against her ribcage as she tore through the bitterly cold woods. Her body welcomed the comfort of the cold, but her soul loathed it. Her lungs ached with the crisp winter air that she had created. The distant screeches of terror pushed her to move faster. Birds circled about her head in great masses of fear. Her feet ached as she hurried within the deep pits of snow. It seemed as if she were running for days, but it had only been a mere few hours. The escape from the horrid castle had been successful, but something else had escaped with her.

Ana felt a scream burn against her throat as she twisted away from a thick brush of thorns. She would not reveal her location to that disastrous creature. Her body cried out for relief, but she persisted at the same pace. Her speed and agility had helped her away from that crass beast. She hadn’t even known that Steeles’ owned such a creature. She could hear it murmur her name through the cold woods, beckoning her to its side. Her mind continued to search for some sort of hiding. She needed relief, or she would perish.

Where was the cabin that she had seen?

“ANASTACIA,” the creature cried out.

Ana tried to ignore the beckoning of her name, but couldn’t block out the screeches. The image of the terrifying beast continued to flash against the back of her brain. Her heart skipped beats at the thought when she had run into the beast. Its face was contorted as if it had suffered years of agonizing torture. The stains of bloody tears that encrusted the beast’s murky yellow eyes churned Ana’s stomach. Huge pieces of flesh ripped open against its abdomen and chest. She could see its black heart slowly ticking against the massive bulges of flesh. Long, razor-sharp talons tore out against its massive decayed paws, threatening her existence.

“ANASTACIA!”

'Leave me alone,’ Ana pleaded as she noted the large brush of thorns. She could easily slip within them and save herself. She could feel the animal’s breath against her neck. The odor of decay wafted into her body, clenching its hold against her throat. Tears of agony spurted from her eyes, struggling for breath against the heavy stench. Its huge claws reached out to grasp her. The cabin should be just beyond the thicket of thorns. Ana screeched in terror while she pushed herself through the thorns. The huge claws dug into her flesh as the thorns tore against her legs. Ana held no remorse for her tattered body as she continued to push herself through.

Salvation!

Ana’s mind blanked as she slammed the door of the cabin. It creaked open and Ana threw herself into the threshold of the home. It took only a moment for her to slam her back against the door, encasing herself inside the safety house. Huge bursts of energy pushed against the door, splintering it. Her chest heaved with ragged breaths. Her arm ached with intense pain as a slow trickle of liquid invaded her senses. Soon the pounding ceased against the door. She let the beast return to the woods and waited until the woods went silent. Her arm continued to spurt forth huge quantities of her crimson blood, but the beast was gone. Ana offered a silly smile upon her face, feeling lightheaded.

She then collapsed against the floor.

*~*~*

“Look! The cabin!” Howie shouted with joy. Jamelet grinned as she pulled on Kevin’s hand. They laughed at the irony. The cabin glowed with warmth. Jamelet and Kevin hurried ahead of Howie. Their minds surrounded on the comforts of the newly built cabin. The idea of comfort ached against their hearts. Jamelet couldn’t contain her giddy laughter as she ran up the steps of the porch. She would lock the doors and then snuggle against the fireplace. “I’ll take the bike to beside the house,” Howie suggested as Kevin jumped up upon the porch with Jamelet.

“What’s the matter, Jamelet?” Kevin asked as Jamelet froze at the threshold of the home.

“Look,” Jamelet whispered, pressing her fingers against the heavy oak door. Kevin’s eyes grew wide in complete appreciation of her behavior. Thick scratches lay embedded deep within the workings of the door. Jamelet’s eyes glittered when flittering beams of light peeked through the deep hellish scratches. Something with massive power and rage had exploded against the door. Bloody handprints slammed against the middle of the door, showing signs of defeat and fear. Jamelet ran a trembling finger against the blood. She winced, immediately pulling her hand back. “Kevin, the blood is still warm…”

“Let me go in first,” Kevin commented, looping his arms protectively around Jamelet’s waist. He pulled her back behind him, shielding her with his own massive body. Jamelet shivered, pressing her face against Kevin’s back, closing her eyes tight. Kevin pushed against the door, splintering the framework. He stepped inside to be confronted with a whirlwind of snow and bitter cold.

“GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE I MAKE SURE THAT YOU FREEZE FROM THE INSIDE OUT, JERK!” a terrified voice screeched against the howling wind. Kevin squinted, covering his face from the bits of hail flying from the wind. Bright white light flooded the room, making Jamelet shriek with surprise.

“ANA?!” Jamelet screamed, identifying the voice though she couldn’t see the image within the wind.

The winds ceased, dropping large balls of hail against the creaking floorboards. Jamelet felt tears prickle the corners of her eyes as she looked beyond the forgotten face. Jamelet felt her heart wrench as she took in Ana’s battered form. Wet curls of honey coloring matted against Ana’s beautifully pale face. Her lips were tinged with light blue coloring from the freezing temperatures within her body. Her gracefully lithe form was covered with a tattered lavender formal gown. Huge rips of cloth raced up against the fabric, revealing Ana’s slim and powerful legs. Blood tainted the gown with various splotches, contrasting the fading appearance of the gown. The most noticeable injury was blazing against Ana’s shoulder. Five long gashes from claws bit deeply into Ana’s soft flesh. Blood continued to run down her arm, but she said nothing about the pain. The deep gashes reminded Jamelet of the door.

“Jamelet?” Ana whispered, the clouds disappearing from outside the windows.

“Are you…” Jamelet couldn’t find the words to reveal her emotions. She just ran to Ana, embracing her in a tight hug. Jamelet heard Ana’s fleeting laughter as Jamelet caused the girl to fall to the floor. Jamelet never let go as her words ran close together in clipped sentences. “I was so afraid that Steeles had taken you. There were so many things riding upon your shoulders. I never should have let you leave me. I never should have let any of the girls leave. I’m just happy that Steeles hasn’t completed the final stages of his plan! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Ana, what can you tell me?”

“Would you let her breathe, Jamelet,” Kevin chuckled as he reached down and pulled Jamelet off Ana. Jamelet blushed faintly as she stared down at Ana’s trembling body. “Ana, are you injured?” Kevin asked, offering his hand to the intimidated woman.

“I’m fine,” Ana whispered, reaching out to grasp the man’s heavy hand.

“How’d you escape?” Jamelet hissed in surprise.

“I froze his electrical lines. He won’t be able to reach Cyrus for hours, and I plan to be long gone by then,” Ana explained simply as she was assisted to her feet. She instantly placed her hand across the wounds of her upper right arm. She winced as the blood ran warm against her trembling hand. Her small hand didn’t even cover the massive portion of the wounds. She sighed heavily as Jamelet and Kevin stared at the wound.

“What did that to you?” Kevin questioned.

Before Ana could answer, the door burst open. She jumped with fright as a figure whooped a call of joy. Her eyes narrowed, taking in the complete figure. It was obviously a man. Tight curls lay gently across his tan forehead. His face was contorted into a look of complete surprise. His hands trembled as he held the doorknob tightly. His words jumbled within his mouth. “You guys, I put the cycle along the—Ana?”

Ana’s light colored eyebrows were arched in a look of complete amazement when she admired his strong physique. Howie stood in front of her, completely healed from his injuries. Not a flaw upon his freshly glowing skin. Her heart raged with a fiery black passion. He was carrying on with complete excitement while she had lain trapped in her lonely hell. Her hands curled into fists of anger as he rambled about her.

“You low-life creep!” she finally roared – the dam of emotions breaking heavily against the toiling emotions. Ana charged and tackled Howie against the floor. She let her eyes glow a brilliant sapphire blue, preparing to hurt Howie as much as her soul had hurt for him.

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~Chapter Twenty-One- “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothes.”

The thick metal door slides open allowing entrance into the cold dark room. Cyrus stares as two armed soldiers push Natalie into the room.

“Well miss Natalie welcome back. I see you spoke to the others about confidential details. I trusted you would have keep things just between us. But I see I was blinded to believe that. See Natalie I brought you back here to see what happens with those that tend to squeal.” Cyrus’s deep voice floats into her ears.

Natalie cringes and stares at the dark eyed man before her, “I didn’t think I had to keep quiet about this. I assumed they have the right to know their own history.” She whispers softly, her voice barely audible. Her coffee eyes blink back the stinging tears that were welling in her eyes.

Cyrus snorts and booms, “Well you assumed wrong. I thought you could keep your mouth shut through this whole ordeal but who was I kidding to believe that? Come now sweetheart. I want you to see what a mess you caused.” He tugs on her arm roughly pulling her to a large glass pane mirror within the room, only this particular mirror was really window in disguise. “Look through the window. Tell me, doctor. Who do you see?” Cyrus whispers eerily.

Natalie gasps to see A.J. and Summer cuffed to a metal operation table, the tables are lying vertical facing the window’s direction. A.J. and Summer seemed awake and unharmed. She gasps, “Why are they in there?”

Cyrus laughs, “You’ll see soon enough.” He places his large thick hand on the glass pane, looking into the window with glee.

“Please don’t hurt them.” Natalie asks nervously. It seemed her trust with Cyrus was at the brink of extinction and she felt at lost. She was so close to knowing Cyrus’s full intentions of the real reason he still held the others, but it seemed she might not know that now.

Cyrus smiles and eyes her, “Answer me this quick question Natalie? It’s quite a simple one actually. Do you like hot or cold?”

Natalie narrows her eyes and knew this will somehow involve someone getting hurt. “Why do you wanna know?”

Cyrus grabs some strands her dark brown locks in his hands and tugs painfully on it, “Just answer it!” Cyrus growls, his eyes boring in to her soul.

Natalie cringes in pain and tries to move her head away from his right grip but only made it worse. Cyrus clutches a fist full of her hair and pulls her to him, ‘Well? Your answer?”

Natalie licks her powder pink lips nervously as fear etched down her spine, “Co, cold.” She stutters.

Cyrus smiles and lets go of her hair, “Good. Cold huh? Very well.” And he pushes a small metal lever on the top of the mirror.

Natalie backs away from Cyrus, “What’s that lever for?”

Cyrus laughs, “Oh you’ll see Doctor. You’ll see shortly.” And walks to the entrance of the room, calling two other armed soldiers into the room. “Watch her. If she screams, shoot her.” And he leaves the room to join the two unfortunate souls in the operating room.

Natalie watches as Cyrus enters the operating room. Cyrus turns to face her direction and smiles, waving at her, knowing that Natalie was watching. Natalie gulps, “Please, no. No, don’t hurt them.” She whispers to herself as she hears the clicking of the loaded guns in the room from the soldiers. This is going to be a long day for her: she doubted she would catch sleep tonight.
~*~

Nick opens his eyes and sees Paige smiling down at him, “Hey you’re up! I hope you feel better now.”

Nick sits up and recalls the vivid images of the crimson liquid splashing out the picture. “It was real. It was so real. The blood, it came out when I touched Ana. It’s like she’s in pain. She needs help, but she can’t do it alone.”

Rose passes a white warm towel over Nick’s face gently, smiling she whispers, “Ana’s a strong girl. The strongest of all of us. She can make it.”

Nick shakes his head, “No, no she can’t. At least not anymore.”

Kimberly washing her hands on the rusty sink in the corner of the cell, turns towards to him. “Not anymore?”

Nick gulps, “Have you seen Steeles? The man is insane.”
“Steeles? Who’s that?” Alison asks.

Nick blinks his eyes hard and shakes his head, ‘You don’t know the whole story behind why you’re caught again right?”

“No. The ones that got us said nothing about it.” Rose states curious.

Nick raises his eyebrows, “Guess I’ll fill you in on it.”

“But wait before you do. Are you sure you’re ok?” Alison asks, her dark coffee eyes glimmer in hope.

Nick smiles and caresses the young woman gently on her cheek, “Yeah, feel much better now. Thanks. Now onto the story.”
~*~

Brian walks in the empty cell alone, with Kevin and Howie outside somewhere, Nick running off and now the guards took Natalie and later came for Summer and A.J. Brian was left to deal with this all alone.

“So how is my little grim reaper? Ready to cause destruction?” The deep voice of Cyrus shatters the peaceful hallways.

Brian glared at the man hatefully. “What did you do my friends?”

“Oh, you mean the woman and that guy. They’re playing. I’m thinking you could join them. Cause it seems you’re friend Natalie doesn’t understand the word private. You know about your past and that wasn’t suppose to be told to you. You caused enough danger, you don’t belong here Brian you know that right? I’m sure A.J. is getting hurt from what you were now know.” Cyrus painfully teases him, through the metal door that kept them separated.

“Leave A.J. out of this!” Brian came to his friend’s defense.

Cyrus laughs, “Oh but Brian! Then where will the fun be? Besides, A.J. along with all the others are in this knee deep since the beginning! Don’t you know you can’t run from your past. It’s who are you. You belong to us, to CAPPA, to Steeles if he’s lucky. So just learn to accept it already. The others have and they’re doing just fine. So come. Join the party. It would be sad to hold a party without your humble presence.” Cyrus whispers with delight.

Brian steps back from the metal door as it was opening to see five armed black attired soldiers all pointing their rifles towards him. Cyrus smiles, “The others are waiting for you to join them. I promise you’ll love what we have planned.”

Brian gulps as he follows Cyrus in front of him, he could hear the clumping of the soldiers feet behind him and every once in while, felt the cold pistol head scrape the back of his neck. He had an idea, though it would risk his life if he decided to do it. He slowly stretches out to touch Cyrus’s back and hoped he would live tonight to see freedom.
~*~

Kevin pulled unsuccessfully to free Howie’s from Ana’s vengeance. Ana’s pale hands gripped Howie’s throat tightly as her eyes spark bright blue. Jamelet grabbed Ana and manage to distract her long enough for Kevin to pull Howie away from her.

“STOP IT!! Both of you! What’s the matter with you?!” Kevin shouts out in anger, his emerald eyes turns a dark green tonight.

“He’s the problem! He left me to die!! And now he comes in here without a care in the world while I was battered and abused in the maniac’s mansion! How could you leave me there? Why didn’t you stay?!” Ana cried out, she sinks to her knees as Jamelet embraces the weeping girl.

“Stay!? I was gonna stay there and be with you! You told me to go, so I did!” Howie shouts out.

Kevin shakes his head and pulls Howie aside, “D, she only said that out of fear, she wasn’t really expecting you to leave her there. But you did! She’s hurt and it’s your fault. You could have done something, taken her with you or something.”

“I tried convincing her to go with me, but she refused! She wanted to stay there with Steeles. I don’t understand why!?” Howie whispers loudly in confusion. His normally tan complexion was now slowly returning after the fright Ana had given him and the others.

The lights in the room suddenly starts blinking and goes off. The entire cabin was filtered in darkness as the moaning of the sick creatures outside lurked around the cabin ready to feed on flesh.

“Great, this is nice. We’re in the dark and something out there wants to eat us. I say this is a prefect evening. It seems to complete all we’re been through.” Jamelet mutters sarcastically as she flops down the dusty rug on the floor.

Ana sighs and leans her head on Jamelet’s shoulder, “At least you guys found me.” Ana whispers as a tired and frightened Howie collapsed beside Jamelet on the other side away from Ana. Kevin stares at the burned out light bulb and makes it glow a dull red.

Jamelet smiles, “Hey didn’t know you could do that?”

Kevin smiles, “I didn’t know that either!”

This caused a small chuckle between the group.

“There some light. So we can see each other and talk. Especially between Ana and Howie.” Kevin murmurs and sits next to Ana.

Ana closes her eyes and falls into a deep sleep, her head lying gently on Jamelet’s lap.

“Or we can talk in the morning? Either way.” Kevin whispers quietly as Howie and Jamelet close their eyes to catch a small nap and rest. “Guess I’ll get some sleep now too. Night Ana.” Kevin whispers and pats her head softy.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

"Contributions of Dilemma"

Chapter 22 - The Days of Deception

Brian’s hands shook with fear as he let his hand lay upon Cyrus’s shoulder. Everything happened in a second’s time. His hand surged with a dark cloud of energy. Cyrus’s body shuttered from a violent spasm. Murky yellow foam spurted from his mouth as he fell toward the ground. Shouts of anger and fear echoed against Brian’s skull. He fell to the floor as hundreds of bullets flew through the air.

‘Please God! Don’t let me go like this! C’mon! I have so much more to accomplish in my life! I can work for you. Let me use my gifts. Give me a sign, God! Something!’ Brian pleaded softly as he shut his eyes tight. He could feel the bullets whizzing past his head. He had fallen atop Cyrus’s cold body. Tremors from Cyrus’s decaying body quaked Brian. He held his breath, imagining himself as a smoky cloud.
Everything around him went silent. Soft winds blew about him, picking him up from the ground. Brian felt as if he were flying. He sighed happily at the feeling of solace engulfing him. He was carried away from the little house of horrors. He no longer felt guilty for his gift. He was released. He was free. Brian opened his eyes briefly, hoping to find himself in Heaven. However, his vision was greeted with men screaming and pointing at him. Brian’s eyes went wide as he now realized that he no longer held a human form.
He was a thick black cloud.

His form was grasped by the winds circulating through the ducts. He felt himself propelled toward the men screaming. His eyes took in the horror he had caused. Men were engulfed with his form, and suddenly fell to the floor. Violent convulsions shook their bodies as they screamed for help. Huge black welts formed upon their various skin tones. They screamed, trying to scratched at the giant bubbles beneath their skin. Dark gray pus burst from each pustule, exploding upon many other men. Others vomited the contents of their organs up, soon to be followed by gray tinted blood. The smell of death lurked in the air as the skin began to coat with pus and deteriorate. Brian felt sick as he watched the clean white bones poke through masses of putrefying flesh.
Brian had created the Bubonic Plague within his form.

Brian’s mind went numb as darkness controlled his mind. Within a few minutes, Brian found himself lying upon the soft green grass. The sun warmed his cold body. He lay there, staring at the grass for a long time. His mind slowly deduced the possibilities. Brian shakily sat up, running his hands through his unruly sandy locks. A nervous smile appeared upon his tired face.
He had done the impossible.
He had killed Cyrus.
No one held him captive.
He was outside the facility.
Nothing stopped him.

“I’M FREE!” he screamed out, scrambling onto his shaky legs. He stumbled for a few moments until he regained his balance. His powers were stronger than ever. The power no longer controlled him. No one controlled him. Brian let out a whoop of joy, running toward the woods. He had to find Kevin and Howie, and then he could rescue the others.
*~*~*
Jamelet stared at Ana in utter shock. They had spent the last two hours running tests upon Ana’s powers. She was tremendously stronger than before. She no longer needed her hands to control the powers. Her mind had balanced everything. Ana could freeze things from the inside out. The deaths of the men that tried to overpower her were mind-boggling. She could cause detrimental frostbite in all creatures. She could create giant hailstorms and blizzards. Her body even produced ice-casts to protect her injured states. Everything dealing with ice Ana produced, controlled, and used.

“That’s just utterly amazing, child!” Jamelet squealed as Ana completed her final task. On the table sat a beautiful ice sculpture of the entire castle. Ana had memorized every detail, and depicted it within her creation. She gave a shy smile as Jamelet tackled her, hugging her fiercely. “I can’t believe you can do all that! How did you manage to learn those things?”

“I sat in my cabin all day, screwing around,” Ana answered simply, unable to hide the smile on her face. She felt so animated when around Jamelet. It had been too long. She was away for far too long. Jamelet had been her favorite. Ana reached up and hugged Jamelet again, finding herself unable to let go. Her eyes prickled with frosty tears. Jamelet shivered at Ana’s touch, but allowed the hug. Ana pulled away for a slight moment, wiping the tears away from her pale face.

“You never should have left us, Ana!”

“It was my choice, and I had my reasons.”

“Could you tell me those reasons?”

Ana glanced toward the window, frowning. “Later, Jamelet.”

“What’s wrong, little one?”

Ana glanced at Jamelet, her face seemed to shatter into despair. Ana looked extremely guilty as she gazed at her cold hands. Her voice called out softly, “I am so sorry, Jamelet.”

“Why?” Jamelet asked in surprise.

“If I wouldn’t have gotten caught, then we wouldn’t be in this disastrous event—”
“No, Ana, that’s not it at all!”
“I was reading one of Steeles’ books. The man is a total freak. There’s this old book, a missing chapter from the Bible or something. It says that everyone with a power is a Guardian Angel. It was so weird. I tried to read the rest of it, but Steeles snatched it from me. He started yelling, and I got so pissed,” Ana explained, her eyes turning an icy blue. Jamelet went silent, stopping Ana’s rage. She glanced curiously at the older woman, trying to identify the curious look upon Jamelet’s face. “Jamelet? Why are you so quiet?”

Howie and Kevin watched the girls from the opposite side of the room. Everything seemed fine between the girls. Kevin was completely amazed at the tasks that Ana could perform with no hesitation. Her body was adjusting nicely to her powers. Kevin stood there, glancing at Howie. His eyes were transfixed upon Ana’s form. Ana hadn’t made a move to speak with Howie during the entire morning. All she offered him was sour glares and icy hisses. Kevin found it amusing that Howie was so bothered by Ana’s hostility.

“She acts so much like a woman,” Howie grumbled as he fell into the chair by the small kitchen table. He watched Ana lean against the wall, near the fire. She practically had her hands submersed in the flames as she listened to Jamelet’s soothing voice. Her body gracefully maneuvered to her advantage. The steady sunlight from the dusty window near Ana beamed against Ana’s soft skin, making her glow with a seductive admiration. Howie grumbled incoherently, sinking further into his chair.
“Last time I checked, Bro, that woman was far from acting feminine! The only feminine qualities would be her appearance and that soft lavender dress—”
“Would you stop gawking at her like some kind of psycho!” Howie hissed, interrupting Kevin.

Kevin’s eyes went wide in complete surprise. He tried to hide the smile crinkling at the corners of his mouth. He held his hand upon his mouth, only to make Howie fume more. Kevin patted Howie’s back, trying to soothe the younger man. “Jezz, Howie, you’ve got it bad! Why don’t you just go talk to her? It’s not that hard. She’s a sweet kid.”
“She’s not a kid,” Howie mumbled.
“Excuse me? Are you trying to rectify that you like this sweet woman?” Kevin mused wiggling his eyebrows. Howie blushed furiously, rubbing his red cheeks. Kevin glanced over at the two women, finding Ana laughing at something Jamelet stated. Kevin smirked, knowing very well that Howie was watching Ana like a hawk. “Howie, do you have a crush?”

“You’re not funny,” Howie growled.

“You’re just lucky Nick isn’t here, she seemed to like the idea of fire and ice together—”

“OKAY, KEVIN! I GOT YOUR FREAKING POINT!” Howie exploded, jumping up off the chair. “I’LL GO TALK TO HER, LORD ALMIGHTY!” Kevin burst into laughter as Howie crossed the room. Howie never had much of a temper unless Kevin was actually speaking the truth. It amused Kevin greatly. It was nice to have his spirits lightened during a time of chaos.
Howie muttered to himself as he crossed the cabin toward Ana and Jamelet. He listened to the Jamelet compliment Ana’s abilities and sneakiness. He found himself admiring Ana as the sun and fire glowed upon her snowflake complexion. She smiled, running her hand behind her ear to tuck in a stray flaxen curl. She was a pretty creature, and it was impossible to deny. He was about to call out to her, but a roar of fierce nature rattled the ancient boards of the cabin. Within an instant, a bulky black hand smashed against the window, shattering the glass as it seized Ana’s upper shoulder.

“ANA!” Howie screamed, lunging at her. His hands encircled her waist and pulled her down to the ground as Kevin’s eyes burst with a ray of blue light. The tension from the beast’s hand released as Howie tumbled onto the ground on top of Ana. His heart hammered furiously as Ana held her left shoulder, moaning in pain. The fingers of the angry beast rained down upon Ana and Howie. Ana screamed out from the pain bursting in her tattered arm.

“KEVIN! GET SOMETHING TO COVER THE WINDOW!” Jamelet screamed as the remaining fingers from the beast spilled upon the floor. Blood began to spray about the room, covering everyone with the slimy substance. The beast roared in agony, retreating into the dark woods. Kevin grabbed a chair, splintering it with his massive arms. He hurriedly slammed it against the window. His eyes turned red, burning the wood and melting it against the plastic covering of the window frame.

During that time, Ana found herself staring into Howie’s dark eyes. Everything seemed to go silent around her. She could only see Howie’s handsome face. Her mind whirled as the anger towards him slowly melted. Her breath caught as he held his hands against her new wound, keeping the cold blood from spurting. “Ana?” Howie whispered, “Are you okay?”

“I…I’m fine,” she answered softly.

“Ana?”

“Howie?”

“I need to tell you something,” Howie answered, his mouth suddenly going dry. He didn’t move from her body, not really wanting to. He sighed softly, refusing to move. He was about to continue, but he felt a shiver race down Ana’s spine. His eyes went wide in shock. “Are you cold?” he asked.

Ana’s body tingled as she tried not to concentrate Howie lying on top of her. She shook her head as Howie continued to hold her shoulder. She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. She could actually feel beads of sweat forming at her temples. Her body finally felt warm, almost as if it were on fire. She stared thoughtfully at him. “I’m not cold, Howie. In all honesty, I feel like I’m on fire, and that’s the first time this has happened since I was a baby.”
Howie nodded briefly as Jamelet and Kevin rushed to their sides. “We need to talk, Ana,” he told her.
*~*~*
Steeles screamed out profanities as the lights faintly flickered about his house. It took an entire day to get the generator defrosted. All of his paintings and galleries of artifacts had been completely ruined by one devious child. His anger swirled as he raged in his private office. The child would be punished. He had fallen in love with that child, but disobeying was out of the question. She would absolutely have to be punished.

Steeles was about to call for his guards when his phone caught him off guard. He seized the phone, preparing to scream at whoever it was. He couldn’t believe that the child had manipulated the systems so cleverly. He wanted to strangle her, but he couldn’t bring himself to that. He needed her more than she could assume. He had to think of something else… Something more painful would have to do, and he thought of killing her little lover-boy. That would be the perfect punishment.

“Hello?” Steeles growled.

“Steeles?” a faint voice crackled against his ear.

“Speaking, who is this?”

“It’s Cyrus,” the voice wheezed.

“You son of a—”

“I need something from you, Steeles,” Cyrus interrupted, wheezing into his phone. His hands trembled as he sat in the small chambers of his room. His body ached from the powerful force of death. He coughed again, wiping the blood that contaminated his oral cavity.

“What the Hell happened to you, Cyrus? You sound awful,” Steeles growled, falling into his large chair. He could tell by Cyrus’s tone that something had happened. Steeles ran his fingers along the ancient book sitting upon his desk. It was one of the few things that hadn’t been damaged by the child’s escape.

“That damn Grim-Reaper tried to kill me! He slammed his hand upon my back, and this toxic charge erupted. I thought I was dead, but one of my assistants grabbed me and pulled me into her office. She injected me with a vital vaccine she’s been working on to counter-remedy the boys’ powers. She brought me back to life, but the Grim-Reaper escaped. I can’t trace him, because he damaged my systems. So, I need you to bring the Ice Princess here. I know that boy is seeking out his other two friends that escaped. The child could be bait—”

“I can’t do that for you, Cyrus.”

“Why the Hell not?!”

“She escaped yesterday. The wench froze my entire home and escaped. She let out my most prized possession after her. That beast took years to find and trap! Now it’s out running about the woods…”
“She actually escaped? I thought you said that could never happen,” Cyrus cruely teased, coughing violently.

“Quiet yourself, Cyrus, or you might find that—“ Steeles stopped for a moment, remembering what the beast had been created for. He started to laugh. The ironic notion rang clearly against Steeles’ dark soul. “My God, why didn’t I think of that! The beast is a genetic mutation from those minions of Hell! He’ll search out my Princess and bring her back to me! That is genius! She set her own trap!”

“Steeles?” Cyrus called faintly.

“Does the Grim-Reaper know that you survived?” Steeles blurted.

“No.”

“Do any of the others?”

“No.”

“Good, make sure that it passes around the entire facility that you are dead. Release your prisoners, have the guards explain that the entire project has been abandoned. Make sure they know that Ana and Howie are running about the Rhode-Island territory. Let them assume that I have died by Ana’s desperate escape. Let them believe that our entire plans have been disrupted and buried,” Steeles explained with a giddy laugh.

“You’re positively insane!”

“No, I’m a genius! If all the projects assume that everything has been dropped, they will be free. Naturally, they will seek out one another to find comfort. They will band together and think that they can move onto freedom, and that’s where we can strike. The escaped with find the abandoned, and they will collect together and drop their defenses because there is no longer a threat upon their lives. That’s when we’ll attack, getting them all in one single swoop.”

Cyrus was silent in a moment of thought. Suddenly he burst into laughter. “That is brutally brilliant!”

“I know. So, hide yourself, Cyrus. Fly out to my other estate, and we will wait there. No one will think the better. Only we will know of our plans. The projects guards will be down and they will suspect nothing. They will freely come out into the open to restart their lives. And in that time, we can lavish upon the royalties of our brilliance. For in their stupidity, I will have the pleasure of destroying them and the pleasure of having my Ice Princess back for the my coronation as the leader of Hell!”
*~*~*

**~To Be Continued...~**

"Contributions of Dilemma"



**~Chapter Twenty-three-Running in Circles~**

He gasps and stops running, taking in gulps of air. Smiling, he gazes around the quiet forest. He couldn't believe his luck, he was freed from the imprisonment that Cyrus had held him and the others. Brian stares at the dark heavens, the peacefulness engulfing him. He felt extremely tired after attacking Cyrus with the bubonic plaque. His arms and legs ache in pain and the transformation from solid to gas and back to solid form was just pure traumatic and insane. Brian huffs and puffs, taking in the cool air. He had managed to run about a good two miles away from the institution but felt he was still too close.

"I need a way to get away from here and fast. I know they're looking me." He whispers, sensing the close presence of the hunters on the search for his body. Brian felt too tired to run, his body cried out in pain and he was struggling to cooperate properly with his legs. "I gotta keep moving." He cried out, his light complexion flushed as his legs brought up a stinging pain. Limping, he runs into the forest, brushing pass trees, hoping to lose anyone that could be following him. He runs and stops when he hears voices and footsteps coming closer to him. Brian turns to see a creature, its stomach ripped open, the putrid flesh slashed to reveal the decaying organs. Its black heart thumped as the creature's talons stretch out to touch Brian's black jeans. The smell of rotting flesh invaded his nostrils as he crinkles his nose at the disgusting smell. Its murky yellow orbs watch Brian as the encrusted blood smeared on its decaying flesh. "Brian." The creature growled.

Brian yells out and back away as fear races down his spine. "Oh dear God, what are you?!"

The creature smiles and walks forward slowly advancing towards him. Brian screams as the creature clasps its talons and wraps Brian up in an embrace. Brian cries out until he went hoarse as the creature tries to squeeze him in its embrace. Brian screams out in pure fear when he suddenly feels himself light, as if floating in the air. Through his screaming he failed to recognize that the creature lies dead wrapped in a grip around Brian's waist. Brian gags and kicks the creature's corpse away as he shivers in pure terror. He starts taking deep breath fearing he's going under shock. He sees a small cave and almost crawls over to it hoping he can hide until he can seek a way to travel to get to Howie and Kevin. He fingers around his pockets and forgot that Cyrus took any and all form of identification and contact that Brian might use to get away. Grumbling, Brian pulls his legs up to his chest and wraps his arms around it. He buries his head in his arms and hopes that in the morning he can somehow by some miracle find the others.


~*~



Jamelet paces around the room staring at the wounded Ana. Howie strokes his fingers through Ana's golden locks as he sighs and taps his foot impatiently waiting for Kevin to finish covering the windows for all their protection.

"What is it that you needed to talk to me about?" Ana whispers as she winces in agony from the throbbing scratches on her shoulder and arm.

Howie sighs and looks at Kevin who smiles and nods his head giving him the cue. "Ok, Ana I need you to listen to me. It's important what I'm gonna say. And I'm glad that you're calm down."

Ana rolls her eyes and settles back on the chair, "What? You're gonna propose to me or something?" She states with a smirk on her face, her golden tresses pulled up in a handmade bun with a few stray strands tumbling down the side of her snowy face.

That statement caught Howie off guard as he tries to figure out what he had to tell her. Just as he was about to speak, the cabin was pounded with bullets crashing in the planks and windows. Jamelet and Ana scream as they duck down and cover their heads with their arms. Howie and Kevin stand in shock as the metal bullets shred into the wooden planks.

"Ok, you guys we're surrounded by Cyrus's soldiers, we gotta be careful. I have a plan but Ana I'll need you to help us out. Are you in?" Kevin yells over the crashing bullets as he joins the women and ducks down near the floor.

Ana gulps and glances at Howie who gives her small smile and a pat on her shoulder. Ana grins and nods her head as Jamelet cowers near Howie who covered the young woman from the oncoming bullets pathway.

Kevin grabs Ana's hand and tugs on her softly, "Ok good, this is the plan." He tells her and whispers the rest in her ear. Jamelet and Howie watch the other two and hope that whatever the plan is, that they'll succeed.

"This better work whatever they're thinking of, cause I already had dinner and I have enough protein, don't need the metal bullets in my system." Jamelet states annoyed with a hint of fear in her voice.

Howie smirks and stares as the other two shake hands smiling. He watches as they rush to the front door to take on whomever was the enemy.


~*~



Nick watches the loud disruption that had formed recently over someone fleeing. Nick runs over to the metal door and peers out the small window to see soldiers armed with rifles and explosives ready to go after who ever left the institution. Nick could sense the eyes of the girls on him, knowing they were all afraid and wanted an explanation to the mess.

"I don't know what's happening? I can't hear them talking?" Nick questions, still peering through the small window.

Kimberly and Rose watch nervously covering their ears from the loud screeching alarm.

Alison stands besides him and tries to gaze at the window but couldn't reach it. Her brown eyes bore into Nick as she stands nervously. "What do you see?"

Nick gulps, "The soldiers are getting ready to go after someone. They're carrying the rifles and seem to loaded with arsenal of all types."

"Who are they going after?" Paige asks, her golden locks tinted with orange lie peacefully on her shoulders.

Nick shrugs his shoulder and continues staring at the small slot the door had. He could feel his heart racing and pattering loudly against his chest, for he knew somehow that the person who could have left was one of his friends and he just hoped they had escaped successfully.


~*~



Summer and Natalie whisper to each other as A.J. leans back on the wall staring at the small window of the metal door. He sees the guards and soldiers running around rampantly with loaded arsenal, screaming about Cyrus and how he died. At this statement, A.J.'s heart leaped.

"Whoa you guys did you hear that?" A.J. asks staring at the two women.

Summer shakes her head, her golden locks lying loosely over her small framed body. "What is it?"

"I think someone escaped, looks like they gonna go after them." A.J. whispers loudly.

Natalie runs her fingers down her black pants and fidgets with the lab coat buttons. "Who escaped?"

A.J. shakes his head, "Don't know, but Cyrus is hurt. I think the soldiers said he might be dead."

Natalie smiles, her dark brown orbs wide open, "Wait what? He's dead?"

"Yeah." A.J. states simply, running his fingers through his dyed red and black hair.

Summer gazes at the window of the door and sees soldiers running past screaming.

A.J. walks over to the small slot window of the metal door that encaged them and his heart bangs against his chest at what he hears from one passing solider. A.J. turns around to look at the women, fear edging their way into him. He feels a cold shiver tickle his spine as his ears burn with the name of the one that had escaped. His mouth went dry when he heard the name of the missing person.

Summer noting A.J's paling complexion, nervously asks, "What's wrong?" Her emerald eyes wide in anxiousness.

"A.J. you know who they're after, don't you?" Natalie asks, her dark brown locks lying gently her shoulders.

A.J. nods his head and gulps before he whispers the name, "It's Brian!" With his back pressed against the door, he gulps and slides down bringing his knees up to his chest.

Summer and Natalie stand open mouth in surprise and comfort the man as he sits on the floor in shock.


~**~



**~To Be Continued…~**

Chapter 24 – Romantic Endeavors

Nick paced nervously as the footsteps grew closer to them. He watched the girls fearfully. Paige and Alison stood huddled in a corner, their arms encircling each other. Rose and Kimberly watched Nick, anticipating his every move. Brian had escaped, and they were left with the punishment. Nick felt his heart hammer in his chest, fearing that the girls might be hurt. They had only been thrown into the rooms for safe keeping when they arrived. It was the boys and Ana who received the punishments. Nick vowed that the girls would never be punished for his mistakes.

“Are they coming to get us?” Alison whispered, glancing fearfully at the man.

Nick faltered in trying to give a reassuring smile. He crouched down near Alison. She was the youngest, and needed more comforting than the rest. She was tinier than the average teenager. She was almost like a daughter to the boys. He ran his hands through her blonde locks. “I don’t know what they’re doing, Ali. I really don’t.”

“Do you think they’re coming to get us?” Paige voiced.

“I think that they’re pissed that Brian got out. Whenever someone escapes or does something wrong – another gets hurt. That’s how they operate here, and you guys should know that,” Nick answered, standing up to his full height. The two young girls nodded, and then went back to comforting each other.

“Nick?” Rose asked quietly.

“What?” he asked, listening to the footsteps stop for a moment.

“Should we fight?” Kimberly asked honestly.

“Fight?” he asked quizzically.

“Use our powers,” Rose elaborated.

“No,” Nick answered after a long pause. He knew better than that. The last time they used their powers, the powers reversed back on them, and the guards captured them. Then Ana was tortured beyond belief. He sighed heavily, running his hands through his spikes with worry. “I will tell you what you can do though.”

“What?” Kimberly questioned.

“Keep those two close,” he whispered, motioning to the two younger girls. His eyes turned a misty blue as he stared at the younger girls. They seemed oblivious to Nick’s speech. He paused, glancing back at the older girls. He gave a rueful smile. “Those two have the whole world ahead of them. They can do so much if given the chance. We’re older, sixteen and up, but they’re just starting their lives. Don’t let them think of this place as bitter. So, fight your anger to Hell and back to keep those two safe. Got it?”

“Of course,” Kimberly stuttered, walking toward the girls. He watched as Kimberly knelt down. Paige and Alison glanced at her with surprise. Kimberly offered a smile, and then brought both of them into her arms. The girls giggled softly as they hugged Kimberly back, staying in the comfort of the embrace.

“Are you scared?” Nick asked, gazing at Rose.

“Excuse me?” Rose gasped in shock.

“You heard me, are you scared?”

“No,” Rose growled.

Nick rolled his eyes. “You’re not the leader of this group just because Ana’s gone,” Nick chided in a soothing tone. He stood above her, staring down at her trembling form. “You can be scared, and you never had to assume the role that Ana had. You may be the next oldest, but that doesn’t matter. Fear is natural. So, let me ask you again, are you scared?”

“Terrified,” Rose admitted.

“Then come here till the steps close in,” Nick answered, drawing Rose into his arms. Rose pulled herself against him, embracing the moment. Her body trembled as he light ran his hand down her back in soothing circles. She closed her eyes as the steps were at the threshold of the door. She prayed for God’s salvation as the door slammed open. Immediately, ten guards entered the room – their machine guns aimed at the hearts of the prisoners.

“Pull apart,” one man barked.

Nick obliged, pulling away from Rose. He stared at the men as they pushed Alison, Paige, and Kimberly next to himself and Rose. They grunted some orders to one another. Nick pulled his shoulders back, standing tall. He refused to be intimidated by these men. He waited for his sentencing, fearing the idea that a bullet might plunge into his chest cavity.

“You’re free to go,” the leader finally announced.

Rose’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?” she whispered.

“Cyrus is dead. Steeles is dead. The whole corporation has fallen. We don’t have a damn clue what to do with you. Cyrus said in the event of his death, everything must be hidden. So, you are free,” he announced, pointing his gun toward the door.

“You’re bluffing,” Alison exclaimed.

“No, Cyrus’s body is lying in the morgue. I don’t bluff, child,” the leader growled with disapproval.

“But—”

“NICK? ALISON? PAIGE? ROSE? KIMBERLY?” Summer’s voice called out. Alison and Paige shrieked with delight. They tore out of the room, speeding into Summer’s awaiting arms. Summer pulled the girls close, kissing their foreheads repeatedly. “Thank God you two are okay! You don’t understand how much I worried about you. You’re not hurt are you? You’re okay?”

“Fine, we’re fine,” Alison giggled, hugging Summer again.

“Nick?” AJ called as the boy emerged with Kimberly and Rose. AJ took a heavy sigh of relief, advancing toward the younger man. AJ clasped his arms about Nick in a manly fashion. Nick felt tears prick at his eyes as he hugged AJ just as fiercely. “Did you hear anything about Brian?” AJ whispered.

“No…all I know is that he escaped,” Nick encountered.

“Damnit,” AJ hissed.

“He’s probably with Kevin,” Nick suggested.

“I hope you’re right.”

“Dr. Natalie?” Rose and Kimberly asked in surprise.

“The one and only,” Natalie chuckled as the girls ran to hug her. She thanked the Lord that she had met up Rose and Kimberly instead of with Ana. The oldest child would have killed her most definitely, but Rose and Kimberly loved her. Natalie kissed the girls’ cheeks. “Are you two okay?”

“We’re fine,” Kimberly replied.

“We’re very happy for your loving uniting, but get the Hell out,” the leader barked.

“What?” Summer asked with a frown as AJ reached out to grasp her hand.

“You have ten minutes to get out of this building before we release the bullets in our weapons,” the man threatened. “We’re tired of this shit.”

Everyone looked at one another. They shook their heads in dismay, but held grins on their faces. They shrieked with delight and ran for the nearest exit. The next stop for them would be to find Kevin, Brian, Howie and Ana. Everything seemed right again. They thanked the Lord that they were saved, and thought nothing more about it.

*~*~*

Jamelet and Howie peeked out of the corner of the broken window for a moment before they ducked under some furniture for protection again. Ana and Kevin had crept out the back way of the house, prepared to attack the men. The other two remained in the house, having no idea as to what the others were planning. They just prayed that the bullets would stop firing. The sunlight filtered through the bullet holes of the worn cabin. The clicks of bullets rang against Jamelet’s ears.

“Let them be okay, Lord,” she prayed as she covered her ears. Her stomach churned violently as she felt Howie’s arms wrapped around her for protection. She winced as the bullets rushed around the building. Her eyes fluttered as a cold sweat broke out against her paling skin. She felt sicker than before.

“Are you okay?” Howie whispered fearfully.

“I’m fine,” she lied, pressing her face against the curve of his chest. She smiled ruefully for a moment, realizing the jealousy that might rage from Ana. If the younger woman had any idea as to what was happening inside the cabin, she might break out into a fitful rage. Ana was overzealously protective of Howie, even if she denied it. Jamelet had to laugh softly at the idea that she was wrapped in Howie’s arms while Ana fought the monsters outside.

“What’s so funny?” Howie asked, listening to the rounds of bullets continue to fire.

“Ana would kill me if she realized your arms were around me like this,” Jamelet admitted honestly as she wiped the beads of sweat with her trembling hands.

“Would she?” Howie asked, slightly impressed by Ana’s jealousy.

“She’s frightfully protective of you, no matter what you think,” Jamelet admitted.

“Then who’s arms would you rather be in, Doctor?” Howie asked, trying to ignore the scene around them.

“I could take Kevin for awhile,” Jamelet answered with a faint blush.

“I’ll make sure to mention that to him,” Howie replied with a wry laugh.

“What did you want to talk to Ana about?”

“Huh?”

“Are you really planning on proposing to her?”

“No!” Howie answered, blushing fiercely. “That was Ana’s thought.”

“More like Ana’s wishful thinking…”

“Excuse me?”

“You should continue this conversation with her, not me,” Jamelet answered as everything went atrociously silent. She stared at Howie in shock. Both of them immediately scrambled toward the window. Jamelet’s jaw dropped in surprise. Ana was crouched near the ground, her hands seeping with freezing water. The trees around them turned white with ice. The men’s screams were frozen in their mouths as an icy sheath surrounded them. Ana had frozen everything around her. Kevin now took to using his laser-vision to hack each man to pieces. The icy blood clumped about the frozen ground as Jamelet and Howie hurried out to them.

“Damn good job, kid,” Kevin approved as he continued to slice away at the men’s solid flesh.

“Thank you,” Ana approved with a Cheshire smile. She had killed every single man within five minutes. She was about to ask Kevin something, but a crackling sound caught her attention. She heard the distant beeping. She hurried toward the sound, finding a man’s radio lying against the snow-covered ground.

Crackling entered her ears as a report was given: Disarm yourselves immediately, 890. Cyrus has been killed. Steeles froze to death in his castle. The company has disbanded. Grab your supplies and come back to the factory for debriefing. The Prisoners of CAPPA have been released. I repeat, get your asses back here, we’re done!

“Kevin!” Ana shrieked in complete surprise as Jamelet and Howie burst out of the broken door. Her eyes were wide with happiness as she thrust the radio near Kevin’s eyes. He stared at the object in complete surprise. She turned back to Howie and Jamelet. “YOU GUYS! WE’RE FREE! I KILLED STEELES!”

“You’re kidding,” Jamelet whispered, unable to hide the smile on her face.

“We’re free?” Howie questioned.

“UTTERLY FREE!” Ana shrieked, running toward Howie. She embraced him in her arms. Howie was shocked as he felt her lips connect with his own. Sparks flew down his spinal cord at the sweetness of her lips. Howie felt her hands warm against his skin. She wasn’t cold anymore. Her lips were soft, sweet, and warm. Howie’s eyes fluttered as Ana released his lips from her own. Jamelet and Kevin stared at her with shock. “HONEY! I’M GOING HOME! I KILLED STEELES!” she shrieked, ignoring everyone’s looks of shock at her outrageous burst of romance.

“And I killed Cyrus,” another voice filtered in the woods.

Kevin shook his head, startled by the voice. The shadow appeared from the woods, stepping across the frozen mutilated bodies of the dead men. Kevin gave a whoop of joy, tackling the figure. “BRIAN!” he called out in happiness. The boys fell to the floor as Howie stood docile, his hand at his lips. Jamelet looked toward Ana, who was grinning wildly at the surprising events.

“We’re free,” Jamelet whispered as she and Ana joined Kevin in the welcoming hug for Brian and Howie stood there, unable to speak.

A/N: Welcome back my readers, here is the next chapter to this wonderfully written story. My buddy Ana got the next chapter.

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~Chapter Twenty-five- Journey to Freedom~**

She laughs and runs through the overgrown grass blades in front of the now fallen CAPPA institution. Her blonde tresses blow gently in the wind as she giggles in pure delight. Paige turns around to see the others running behind her all in laughter. There was a form of electric excitement zooming through all their all souls as they all run into a forest hidden away from CAPPA. The bright hazy warm summer day lighted up the sky, enveloping the group in its warm embrace.

“I can’t believe they just let us out of here!” Kimberly squeals, her dark brown locks tumbling down her shoulders, her light tan complexion glittering in the sunlight.

Nick runs his fingers through his hair causally smiling, “We were lucky I guess.”

A.J. laughs, his dark eyes shining in delight, “Dude, this is more than just luck man. We were saved. Now all we gotta do is find the others and get the hell out of here.”

Summer playfully pushes A.J. Her emerald eyes wide in anticipation as he gently tackles her to the grassy ground. Nick laughs and shakes his head.

“We gotta find out where Brian, Kevin and D are at.” Nick whispers, nibbling on his lower lip gently.

Natalie smirks, her dark brown locks swaying in the breeze as her coffee eyes stared around the area. “Well from what I know, if the guys were to escape towards Rhode Island where this creep held Ana, then we should walk in this direction.” She states confidently pointing her finger down the left side of the road leading away from CAPPA.

The warm breeze engulfed Rose as she and Alison take a deep breath to taste the sweet summer air. Rose’s sapphire eyes scan the scene in joy and tugs on Alison’s arm. “So now that we’re free. What are you gonna do?” She whispers, a smile spreading her pale cheeks.

Alison giggles and pulling her brown locks into a ponytail she yells out, “I’m going to Disney World!” She raises a fist in the air with confidence as the others join in the joyful yelling. And with that they run down the road, the atmosphere fills with their laughter.
~*~

Brian smiles as Jamelet and Ana throw their arms around him, “I thought I wasn’t gonna see you. How did you get out?” Jamelet asks, her light brown eyes widen in interest.

Brian smiles, his sapphire eyes glittering in pure glee. “It was strange, I was gonna get lead away from the others to get punished. Cyrus had plans to torture me in some sick way but I manage to stop it by touching him, I gave him the bubonic plaque. It was pretty freaky. I mean I turned to smoke and stuff. It was crazy.”

“Wow! You have the power of the bubonic plaque!” The others shouted in unsion.

Brian nods his head and looks at his palms.

Ana narrows her eyes, her honeysuckle tresses lie loosely over her shoulders like an angel. “What did you mean by touching him?”

Kevin nudges her, “He has the death touch remember?”

“Oh, right. Well I knew that. I just wanted to make sure you knew it too.” Ana says grinning widely.

Jamelet burst out in laughter as she steps over frozen dry cracking flesh that littered the ground. “Ana, Kev. Great job on this man. A little more and I might have been food.”

Howie nods his head and remains silent while he continued in shock to touch his kissed lips.

Kevin nudges Howie on the side, “So how was it?” He whispers in his ear.

Howie’s grin spreads out as he chuckles, “Amazing. It’s like I kissed an angel.” He turns suddenly to hear Brian playfully gag at that statement.

“Could you guys not talk about this? Howie, she’s a girl. You could get in trouble messing with her.” Brian jokes around, throwing his arm around Ana’s shoulders.

The others join in the laughter as Howie blushes uncontrollably at the statement and the kiss.

Jamelet was beaming in excitement as she tugs on Kevin’s and Brian’s arm, “You guys let’s go! We gotta get the others! If they’re free, then their on their way here.”

Slowly the group marches on, out of the forest area. The frozen bloody limbs crack beneath their footing while they head out to meet the others. Brian sighs and smiles at Ana as Kevin pokes Howie on the side. Howie and Ana gaze at each other quickly before continuing their conversation.

Jamelet laughs as she watches the estrange pair glancing at one another secretly knowing something that the others didn’t. Jamelet was sure this one simple kiss as Ana later had told her was nothing but she knew it was more than that. Surely spring was in the air for love is blooming right before her eyes.
~*~

Cyrus sits up in the seat coughing terribly. The plague that had shook his body from the momentous touch of the grim reaper Brian, is slowly leaving his body. He gasps and takes deep breath as he looks out the window to his office. He sees the fading images of the experiments fade into the horizon. Cyrus clutches his fist and smiles, “It’s working just the way I planned it. Those fools don’t know half the plan.” His thoughts are jolted when the phone rings in his office. He reaches for it and hears it is Steeles.

“Well?” Steeles asks.

Cyrus couldn’t hold back his laughter, “My dear mister Steeles. It worked! Those fools have taken the bait! Now all we have to do is wait for all of them to unite. Once they travel in the group, we’ll catch them and continue onward with this plan. It is possible to rule the souls of others and I’m glad I have something they all forgot.” He says, placing his hands over the manila folder that pertained all the vital info for the plan to be placed.

At this Steeles chuckles in amusement, “Oh Cyrus I must commend you on this unique plan. Who would have thought that the freedom they so want is their own imprisonment?”

Cyrus ruffles his brown hair and smirks, “Yeah all we have to do now is simply wait.”

Steeles’s voice on the other line lets out a deep sigh, “Yes, it’s only a matter of time now.” And he hangs the phone up. Cyrus smiles and places the phone back in its cradle. Leaning back on his leather seat, Cyrus glances at the window, rubbing his hands together, awaiting for the plan to unfold.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

Chapter 26 - Rejuvenated Spirits

Jamelet, Kevin, Ana, Brian, and Howie had traveled for about a week straight in search of their friends. Each day became the same routine. Traveling through the day, taking breaks for rest and sleep. Each seemed to be in better spirits, now they that knew their lives were safe. Their group had bonded for the past seven days, finding each other quirky and entertaining. The boys were having a hard time trying to understand what might happen after they found the others. The possibilities that the girls might depart from the boys’ lives made them apprehensive about leaving. Brian, Kevin, and Howie made the most of spending the time with the two women. They seemed cheerier than ever, and Ana’s personality had grown on all of them. She seemed more important to each boy than before.

“Okay, okay, I’m done with the silence between us. There’s only so much a chick can take before she goes insane!” Ana announced as they walked through the thickest part of the woods. She found herself annoyed that they were crossing into another section of woods. The farther they traveled towards Washington, the hotter it seemed to get. Ana had basically stripped the dress she was wearing into large pieces. The top half of her dress had been slit into a tube-top and the skirt inched its way above her knees. Jamelet had teased Ana about the dress for several days. Ana became annoyed quickly, but knew as soon as she got back to her cabin that she’d be dressed like a bum for days.

“You do seem to be the most talkative of the group,” Brian teased with a genuine smile.

“Shut up, Littrell. You know I’d tear you up if you didn’t pose the threat of the Bubonic Plague. However, I’d be willing to see it in another person. Do you realize what it does to a person’s body? Now that’s a true medical blooper! Those thick black welts filled with decaying pus! The pus is thick and black, putrid smelling. The skin literally rots from the inside out. You smell death everyone for days. Finally, you’re body fills with blood and you die. Now that’d be something to see! I’d be willing to risk contamination to see someone with that,” Ana spoke with interest.

Everyone else went pale and quiet from Ana’s enthusiasm for the disease. Jamelet gave a weary sigh, groaning at the thought. Her stomach churned for a moment. Ana seemed extremely excited about the disease. Howie, Brian, and Kevin passed the girl uneasy glances. Jamelet smirked as Ana looked at them with question. “You would actually want to see that?” Jamelet asked, already knowing the concept Ana had in mind.

“Of course,” Ana quipped with a smirk.

“Why?” Kevin asked with horror.

Ana frowned for a moment as she led the way through the woods. She glanced back at him, her blue-green eyes sparkled in the brightness of the hot sun. Howie felt his throat dry as he gazed upon her. She immediately launched into her explanation, “Ever since I was little, I really liked medicine. I always thought it’d be neat to sit down and work with a patient and try to help them. I developed a keen interest in the horrors of the medical world. Infectious diseases, amputations, body trauma. It all seemed like something I’d like to do. To me, that’s the neatest thing in the world. I’d even be willing to take care of someone with gangrene.”

“So you want to be a doctor?” Brian asked, now understanding her idea.

“Yeah, I think it’d be neat to work in the Emergency Room. But it’d have to be a big city, you know? Where they get all the messed up cases of gerbils in the rectum or crazy wives that shove knives through their husbands’ heads. The chaos appeals to me,” she answered truthfully.

“Sounds like a good plan,” Kevin agreed.

“She’s smart enough,” Jamelet approved with a funny smile. In CAPPA, Ana had always been the girl constantly reading and looking up things in their facilities. She always made Jamelet bring her the medical textbooks. Ana had a keen eye for the medical directions. Jamelet figured if given the chance, Ana might aspire to be a doctor or better. Now that Ana had the chance, there would be nothing stopping her. The idea of the girls being able to have normal lives made Jamelet’s fears disappear.

“So, you’ll be going straight to college once we find the other girls and get settled?” Howie asked carefully, hiding the dark look in his eyes. He shifted his gaze toward the fallen leaves against the ground. Kevin and Brian noticed the frown set upon Howie’s face. Brian smirked, knowing that Howie was thinking of the possibilities of Ana disappearing again. It was obvious that Howie cared a great deal for Ana. The idea of never seeing Ana again made Howie sick.

Ana seemed too focused on the idea to notice Howie’s downcast features. She eagerly smiled, causing Jamelet to break into a small laughter. “I would love to start college as soon as I get settled. I don’t know if I can manage to get accepted being kept in a basement for my entire life, but I sure as hell can try. I’d like to look into college as soon as possible. I think I can get into the pre-med program. I think I’m smart enough.”

“You’re definitely smart enough, Ana,” Jamelet confirmed.

“Thanks, Jamelet,” Ana answered with an affectionate smile. Jamelet laughed, bringing the younger woman into her arms for a tight squeeze. Jamelet had developed a close affection for the girl. She was so special in Jamelet’s eyes. She was filled with the potential to conquer everything. Jamelet kissed Ana’s golden curls.

“No problem, Little One,” Jamelet retorted as Kevin hurried to jump into the girls’ conversation. Brian and Howie frowned, scrambling up to the front of the group. Inadvertently, Howie slipped himself between Ana and Brian. He offered Brian a funny smile, causing Brian to roll his eyes. Jamelet slipped her arm through Kevin’s arm as they walked. “So, what are you boys planning on doing once we find everyone?” she asked.

Kevin thought for a long moment. “We’ll have a lot to explain for, that’s for sure. I don’t know how exactly we’re going to field the question as to why we were kidnapped. Obviously, showing up on our front doorsteps without any consequences will be odd. We’ll have to think out a proper statement to release.”

“Why can’t we tell the truth?” Brian asked with confusion.

“Do you really want the world to know that you guys have freakish powers?” Ana asked, not really wanting to hurt the boys’ feelings. But it was the truth. The world wouldn’t understand the uniqueness of the boys’ powers. She watched the boys offer her hurt expressions. Ana sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “Just think about it, Brian. You guys have odd powers. I mean, when I was little, I was freezing everything in sight. My mother flipped out and sent me to CAPPA. She asked me to give her a kiss and she’d be back. She never did return for me. So, if my mother couldn’t handle the fact as to why I was different – how are your fans going to react?”

“We’re sorry your mother did that to you,” Howie told her thoughtfully.

“It was a long time ago, I’m over it,” she replied with a careless shrug of her shoulders.

“Thank you for bringing up the facts, Ana. We will have to think about it,” Brian answered.

“We’ll talk with Nick and AJ when we find them,” Kevin approved.

“Will you go back on tour when you get home?” Jamelet questioned.

“I don’t know, really,” Kevin admitted with a bashful smile.

“I don’t want to go back on tour,” Howie replied.

“Why’s that?” Ana asked curiously. “Tour would be hilarious. I know I could never be a singer – I’d never focus on my work. I’d want to have fun all the time. I’d be such a slacker! I’d be out creating havoc every night.”

“World, please welcome Nick Carter Jr. to the pack,” Brian muttered playfully.

“I don’t want to go on tour, because I don’t think we should be apart from you girls again,” Howie answered, staring into Ana’s dark colored eyes. He found himself falling into the pools of sea blue-green. The color allured and tempted Howie. He found himself conjuring up the picture of Ana’s unexpected kiss. The color reddened on his cheeks as Kevin’s jaw and Brian’s jaw dropped at his comment.

“Apart from us girls?” Jamelet asked with surprise. She found them coming upon a large field of grass. She sighed with relief, thankful for a change in scenery. She held her hand up to the others, signaling that she would like to take a rest. Her stomach was churning violently again. She had been coming down with terrible bouts of fever and nausea for the past week. She tried to keep the information concealed in her heart. She leaned against a tree as Kevin plopped down beside her, letting her rest her head upon his shoulder.

“Yeah, I don’t think we should part ways,” Howie explained, staring at Ana (who seemed preoccupied with other things) “Every time we’re apart from the girls, it seems like we get into trouble. Maybe we should just all live together or something. It’d be nice to have all of you with us all the time. You know?”

“That’s sweet.” Jamelet smiled as she watched Howie’s gaze fall upon Ana. Jamelet traced her eyes to see that Ana was staring out into the field. Ana seemed in a daze as she walked a few feet into the high grass. Jamelet took the opportunity to comment about Howie’s idea. “You really want all the girls nearby?” she asked him.

“Of course,” Howie answered with a blush.

“More or less he just wants Ana fully occupied in his own home,” Kevin muttered.

“Shut up!” Howie blushed.

“That’s my thoughts exactly,” Brian answered wryly.

“He only wants the girls around so he can get more kisses from Ana,” Jamelet agreed.

“So? What’s so wrong with that?” Howie fumed with a wry smile – still blushing terribly.

Before anyone could comment – Ana gave a whoop of delight. Kevin and Brian jumped to their feet, preparing to fight whatever Ana had found. Jamelet trembled from the cold as she leaned against Kevin for support. They all watched Ana tear off against the high grasses. “ALISON! PAIGE! OH MY GOSH!” Ana cried out with happiness.

“Paige and Alison?” Jamelet asked softly with hope.

Ana hurried through the grasses, seeing the two younger girls running toward her. Ana felt her heart slam against her chest with excitement. She saw the entire group staring at the three. Ana crossed the threshold and tackled the younger girls with extreme energy. It had been far too long since Ana had seen Paige and Alison. The two girls seemed like her little sisters. She wanted to protect them from everything. Ana immediately layered the younger girls’ cheeks with fresh friendly kisses. “I’M SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE OKAY!” Ana laughed happily.

“ANA!” Paige cried, throwing her arms around Ana’s neck.

“We’re so glad you’re okay!” Alison finished. The two younger girls couldn’t believe they were staring at Ana. This woman had done so much for them. Alison could only think about the horrible tape that Cyrus had shown. Ana seemed perfectly healthy as she hugged the girls again as they sat upon the soft grass. Ana seemed as if she were her same old self. Nothing could stop them from being happy again. Alison shrieked with happiness, tackling Ana back to the ground with Paige for more exuberant greetings.

A/N: Welcome readers to an all new chapter of this beloved story. Now enough of me, you all the deal drop a review and bring a smile upon me and Ana’s face. Thanks. Until later bye!

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~Chapter Twenty-Seven- Reality Check~**

Jamelet explodes in a fit of giggles as Ana crashes into the grass blades with the laughter of the Alison and Paige. A few feet away, Jamelet craned her neck to see five more shadows in the far distance. Natalie and A.J. along with Summer and Kimberly race up to catch up with the others. Rose tackles Ana as Kimberly tugs on Kevin’s arm in excitement. Everyone squeals at the sight of one another and each fall into a never ending embrace.

Brian runs to Alison and picks her up in a hug, twirling the girl around in a circle laughing in joy. The early morning sunlight touches the sky, letting everyone know that day is on the way. Jamelet watches the group in a peaceful image.

“So this is it huh?” Nick asks, his sapphire eyes glittering in excitement as he passes his snowy fingers through his blonde spikes.

“Yup.” Natalie says simply, her dark coffee eyes amused with gladness.

Ana gazes confused from the grassy ground she lied on as Alison and Paige tickle her.

Brian asks what was on Howie’s, Jamelet, Ana’s, Kevin’s mind, “Free of what? CAPPA?”

“Thanks to you B! CAPPA didn’t want use anymore. With Cyrus out the picture, we were let go from the whole project!” A.J. states, his chocolate eyes wide with glee.

Jamelet raises her hands, stepping into the middle of Brian and A.J. “Uh, guys, how can CAPPA just let you go like that? There’s something not right with that.”

“Who the hell cares?! We’re free! That’s all that matters now. Why are you so concerned with the remains of CAPPA? It’s over! We won and that’s all there is to it!” Nick states loudly, bouncing around in glee with Rose in his arms. His smile spreading over his face.

Jamelet shrugs her shoulders, “Ok geez man, I was just concerned that’s all. I mean they let ya go just like that after Cyrus’s death. I guess we’re fine then right?” She stares at Natalie who is beaming in happiness.

“Yeah, we have nothing to worry about! Both of them are dead and the soldiers are done. With no leader to guide them, their nothing but a big mess.” Summer states calmly, her honeysuckle locks blowing in the warm breeze softly.

Ana giggles, whispering into Alison’s ear, “You heard that. Nothing to worry about girls. Especially since I’m here!”

Howie smiles, his heart rate beating calmly. Suddenly as if instincts were on high alert, he feels goose bumps trace down his spine. He could sense something was not right. In fact his body was telling him the whole freedom thing: is just too coincidental. Howie rubs his arms together as if he was cold and watches the happy scenery in front of him as if in slow motion.

Jamelet could sense Howie felt the evil coming, cause she feels it too. CAPPA was still around, now the question is to convince the others that they truly still are in danger.
~*~

Cyrus chuckles as he runs his finger over the length of the silver pistol. “So wait.” He states in between his laughter, “Tell me again, how happy they were?”

The young soldier shifts in his seat as he looks at his boss before him. Cyrus taps on the thick mahogany desk with his fingers gently as the soldier beams happily.

The soldier smiles and runs his fingers through his thick red hair, “It’s exactly the way you planned it Cyrus! I mean they’re all in the field right now as we speak. They’re all thinking they’re free! All we need is to pull the last card out and get them!”

Cyrus smirks and rolls his eyes, “Just like them. I guess we should call Steeles to inform him. He’ll be pleasantly surprise!”

The soldier smiles and picks up his pistol, “I’ll get the army ready. The general is setting up the equipments with the troop. We’ll move out shortly once you give us the cue.”

Cyrus nods his head smiling and picks up the black mobile phone, speed dialing Steeles number.

The soldier stands up and leaves the office, eagerly awaiting for the plan to unfold.
~*~

Steeles grunts and struggles to stand up from kneeling on the floor as the phone rings. He wipes his hands on a wet towel, eying the chalked symbol on the wooden planks. “Soon, my ice princess, soon. You and all your friends will give me the power I need to rule the world. And they say it can’t be done.” He whispers to himself as his cold eyes stares at the ringing phone on the wall. Grabbing it, he laughs when he hears Cyrus’s voices.

“Well Cyrus I assume you call for good news, eh?” He says as he grabs a small ivory candle in his hands.

Cyrus states happily the plan is in full effect now, “In a few, I’m sending out the soldiers to capture them. This will be grand. I say we hold a party after their demise to congrats each other on this wondrous tactic.”

“Will do. We’ll talk later. I’m getting ready to set the opening. These powers will be amazing.” Steeles states, a menacing scowl covering his face.

Cyrus smiles and hangs up the phone as Steeles fingers the white candle.

Steeles laughs and states bye, hanging up the phone with a grin on his face. He kneels back down and places the candle in the center of the symbol that will open the keys to ruling. “Some say it’s a story, I say its reality. The powers will be mine and I’ll win the heart of that frozen chick if it’s the last thing I do.” And with that, he rubs his hands together and smiles, gazing at the early dawn emerging from the dark skies.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

A/N: welcome back people! *grins* my talented co-writer Ana came out with this chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 28 - Never a Moment's Peace

The group traveled some distance before resting for the evening. They had found a quiet clearing in the middle of the woods. The girls had gathered some sticks and Nick had created a fire for them to keep warm. Paige had gone to the nearby stream and captured several fish to bake. Everyone knew that her powers had created a tie with the creatures of the waters. She had commanded the fish to jump upon the grass. Everyone had engorged themselves upon the fish that evening. It was a primitive way to live, but suited their purposes fine.

Now, Alison lay within Brian’s lap, sleeping peacefully. Paige had curled beside Kevin, falling asleep almost just as quickly. Kevin wrapped his arms around the child, offering her warmth. Natalie and Summer seemed to occupy AJ’s energy as they spoke of the recent tour and other events. Rose and Kimberly continually spoke with Nick, although Rose seemed to occupy most of his attention. Ana watched as Rose shameless flaunted herself toward Nick. Ana muffled back a small chuckle of amusement as she noted that Jamelet and Howie were having a private conversation. Ana tried to denounce the jealousy that was eating at her heart, but couldn’t.

“Hey! What’s with the secret party?” Ana asked as she jumped into the conversation, seating herself in front of Jamelet and Howie. She watched as Jamelet held a bemused smile upon her face. Ana smiled back innocently, acting as if nothing had increased her intentions of stopping by. She leaned back on the grass, waiting for an answer.

“Why do you care? Would there be a note of jealousy in those eyes?” Jamelet teased thoughtfully.

“Never,” Ana answered with a true look of shock.

“That would be wishful thinking on my part,” Howie muttered softly.

“What Howie?” Ana questioned.

Howie blushed furiously. Jamelet smirked, already having overheard Howie’s ‘wishful’ thinking. She decided that she would have to save Howie from his emotions just this once. She gave a laugh, ruffling Ana’s curls. Ana yelped, falling backward onto the grass. Jamelet took the opportunity to steer the conversation away from Howie. “We’re just talking about CAPPA, Little One,” Jamelet told the younger woman.

“What about it?” Ana asked with complete interest.

“We don’t think it’s dead,” Howie told her truthfully. Ana finally leaned upward, staring intently at Howie. He blushed for a moment, averting his gaze. It made him nervous to have her staring so attentively at him. It made him feel like as if she were searching his soul. When she didn’t reply – Howie felt determined to explain his idea. “Ana, we all escaped how long ago, and they came back after us. That was even after Jamelet’s father died. They always find someone to take over when someone dies. It’s just odd that they left those guys go… Don’t you think?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Ana answered. She watched Jamelet’s eyes grow wide in surprise. Ana leaned closer, already noting that everyone else was listening to their conversation. She really didn’t care. “Mr. Steeles was so fixed on keeping me at his house. I don’t care if I killed him or not – he wouldn’t let me get away that easily. It is weird that they let everyone go. I think they’re planning something. I just don’t know what, and that’s the problem.”

“So you believe us?” Jamelet asked hopefully.

“Of course,” Ana agreed.

“And the rest of you?” Howie asked, already aware that everyone was spying.

“I think they’re finally dead,” Rose answered truthfully.

“Same here,” Nick concluded, swinging his arm around Rose’s shoulder with a goofy smile.

“I really don’t know what to think,” Kevin replied.

“I think you guys are personally crazy,” AJ murmured thoughtfully, standing away from the

burning embers of the fire.

“Why?” Jamelet encountered.

“You guys are just paranoid. If they wanted us, they wouldn’t have let us go in the first

place. You know? They wouldn’t have the patience to let us go. I just think you guys don’t want to believe in miracles,” AJ told her honestly, shrugging his shoulders. Kevin, Brian, and Nick nodded in approval. Paige and Kimberly yawned slightly at the raising of voices. Howie shivered suddenly during AJ’s speech. Howie rubbed his bare shoulders, noting that there wasn’t a wind. He heard a snapping of branches. Howie jumped up, preparing to tell the others that they needed to leave, but was halted by an object being hurdled into the air.

“What the heck is that?” Natalie murmured in curiousness. She stared at the small green ball that spun in a circle. Everyone slowly crawled toward the object. It continued to spin menacingly. Natalie’s eyes grew wide. “That looks like a—”

“GUYS GET DOWN!!!” Ana’s voice shouted as she pulled Jamelet and Howie to the ground. Immediately, there was a small explosion from the ball. Sparks of fire and light shot upward into the sky, blowing everyone backward. Thick piles of gas hovered against the air, immediately choking the group. Everyone was submersed into the sea of wretched gases.

“HOWIE?! BRIAN?! AJ?! NICK?!” Kevin shouted through the smoke.

“GIRLS?!” Jamelet screamed.

“JAMELET, WHERE ARE YOU?” Paige screamed in fright.

“ALI, ALI, WHERE ARE YOU?” Brian’s voice called through the smoke.

Suddenly, the winds began to pick up faster than before. Jamelet groped for the nearest person. She felt warmness rush over her as Kevin began to whisper soothing words in her ear. The smoke whirled in billowy circles as the wind began to howl. Jamelet noted the bright blue eyes of Rose glowing amongst the clouds. The winds picked up stronger than before, blowing the smoke away. Jamelet gagged with relief as darkness settled amongst them. Rose collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

However, the peace didn’t last long. Within moments, bullets penetrated their space. Rose, Kimberly, Paige, and Alison were struck immediately in various limbs. Each girl hit the ground with a thud. Large nets flung out from the darkness, encompassing the girls’ heavy bodies. Jamelet shrieked in terror as more bullets continued to fly. No one knew what to do. One bullet pierced AJ directly in the chest. He glanced down at the red dart as his eyes rolled back into his head. He fell upon the earth in a dreadful slumber.

“AJ!” Summer screamed, falling down to his side. She struggled to wake him up as the rest of the group fell upon the earth in a matter of minutes. More nets were flung into the ocean of bodies, as if fishing for huge quantities of tuna. Summer stroked AJ’s cheeks mechanically, begging for him to get up. Suddenly, there was a cold barrel pointed at the base of her neck.

“Game’s over,” a man whispered as he struck Summer with the butt of his gun.

“WE’RE MISSING ONE!” a voice cried out.

The missing one was Ana.

Ana’s eyes watered heavily as she continued to cough. She pressed herself against the grass, slowly crawling away from the chaos. Once the bullets had flown through the air – she had hit the dirt. She could hear the voices that were crying her name suddenly drown with sleepiness. The constant chaos had created an easy victory. Ana continued to crawl away, hoping to escape. Suddenly, she bumped into a cumbersome object. Ana glanced up through her bleary eyes to find a CAPPA Solider.

“If it isn’t our favorite girl,” a man snarled.

Ana immediately jumped to her feet, clearing her eyes with her tears. She rubbed her eyes, her hands beginning to turn numb. Her anger had pushed to the farthest reaches of her subconscious. She would not be taken hostage again. The men backed up for a slight moment, watching her eyes turn white and blaze with fury. “Leave him alone,” Ana retorted as she watched a man plan to pound Howie in the temple with the butt of his rifle.

“What do you think you’re going to do?” the man hovering over Howie’s weak body questioned.

“Kill you,” she threatened.

“You don’t have the authority anymore,” a man cackled from behind Ana. She turned around, preparing to release her powers, but the man that stood in front of her took action. He grabbed a fistful of Ana’s curls, yanking her backward. Ana fell to the ground. She yelped out in pain at the sudden attack. She was brought to her knees quickly as an injection was planted firmly in her arm. She watched the man that had threatened Howie throw the butt of the rifle into Howie’s temple. Howie’s body immediately went stiff. She closed her eyes as she felt a similar blow enforced into her skull. The pain invaded her soul – and she went limp.

**~To Be Continued...~**

“Contributions of Dilemma”

**~Chapter Twenty-nine- Fuel for the Fire-~**

The large black van pulls up into the long street that CAPPA have surrounding the small community around it. CAPPA had many scattered buildings, similar to what a college campus might have. It was their own little world and the people within it understood it- along with the rules and regulations it carried. A young man parks the black van encompassed with the ten bodies of the experiments along with two doctors and an intern. The bodies where left drugged in the forest upon the sudden attack that the soldiers sprung on them only an hour ago. The group had managed to cover about twenty miles away from CAPPA, but no one can escape what Cyrus and Steeles had planned.

The van doors in the back fling open by one of the soldier’s as Cyrus clamps his hands together in glee.

“Unbelievable. To think the plan worked just like I thought it would. Quick, call Steeles. He must arrive here immediately. Tell him, his ice princess is waiting for him patiently.” Cyrus states, his ice cold dark orbs stare at the masses of sleeping bodies crumpled in the back of the van. “Take them out now. Line them up. Steeles would want to get a good look at the other experiment that had almost defeated us before hand.”

The young soldier salutes Cyrus, “Yes sir.” And quickly scampers off to call Steeles on a phone. The red headed soldier that had talked with Cyrus before in his office appears and him along with two other soldiers begin to take the sleepy bodies out of the van.

Cyrus smiles and inhales deeply, breathing in the scent of victory. Suddenly a young solider- the one sent to make the call- came back smiling stating that Steeles was already on his way here. “Said he’s about fifteen minutes away from here. So you can bet he’s excited.”

Cyrus smirks and pats the young soldier’s shoulder, “Very good. This is turning out to be excellent. Look at that.” He states tauntingly, pointing his finger at the sleeping young woman with the ice power. “All that talk and no action. She’s sleeping like a baby just like the others. It’s a pity too, she could have been a great source for these powers that she has.”

The red haired soldier smirks and eyes the young woman carefully, he takes in her every curve with each stare. “She’s pretty. In fact all those girls are beautiful.”

Cyrus smiles, “I tend to have good taste for my victims.” He cackles softly, running his hands gently through his black grey stained hair.

The three young soldiers empty the van and place the thirteen bodies on the concrete street. Each body was laid on their back, about a few centimeters apart from one another.

Cyrus claps his hands excitedly, staring at each slumbering body. He hears a vehicle pull up across from the CAPPA van, as Steeles leaps out of the car and rushes over to see the thirteen sleeping bodies.

“My goodness, this is it! You’re a genius Cyrus! I thought for sure they would have gotten out of our grasp.” Steeles states happily.

“Never doubt Steeles. See miracles happen everyday. And this just proves it.” Cyrus says with a grin upon his face.

“Well Cyrus, I see my Ana is here. How tempting it is to grab her and take her with me. But like you said, we’ll need all of them, for we don’t know which five can open the keys to maintain power and ruling. I must admit Cyrus you have me amazed.” Steeles states as he walks and kneels over Ana and Summer. “So how long will be they be out from the drugs?”

Cyrus rolls his eyes and checks the watch on his wrist, “For another fifteen minutes and then they’ll begin to stir. So I suggest you begin the spell now if you want to attempt to pull this off.”

Steeles nods and runs back to his black vehicle, taking out a stick of chalk and a small round white candle. “Give me a minute to draw the figure and we’ll place the bodies along it.”

Cyrus yawns and taps his feet calmly watching Steeles draw something on the black concrete. Cyrus walks over and decides to help Steeles out not noting that someone was awake from the group.
~*~

His eyes snap open as he dizzily stares up at the black sky. Nick tries moving his head, but felt it weigh a ton and the headache that brought up with it, reminded him of the power of the tranquilizer. Nick eyes the others and sees them still in deep sleep. He feels the cold wet pavement beneath him as he tries to move his hands to grab for anything. He feels the rough graveled cement under his hands as he continues to search for something to hold on to. His ears perked at the familiar voices of Steeles and Cyrus.

“They didn’t die.” Nick whispers shakily as his eyes roll around and his vision is still trying to adjust to the sudden images around him. He hears Brian grumbling and wince in pain as he opens his sapphire eyes to the new scenery before him.

“Nick.” Brian says in a throaty whisper.

“I’m here B. What happened to us?” Nick whispers quietly, hoping to not be caught by any nearby soldiers running around engulfed in their own conversations.

“Don’t know. Hurts, pain in head.” Brain states as the drugs mess with his speech.

“I know. Same here. Can’t get up yet. Too drugged out to do.” Nick whispers turning his head painfully to see Brian lying on the rough ground besides him.

“We have to save them. We have to get out.” Brian chokes out in a whisper, his speech a blur and struggle for him still.

Nick nods his head, “Stee, Steeles. Still alive.” Nick whispers frantically, trying to raise his arm to point to the man drawing something on the concrete a few feet away from them.

Brian curls his hands into a fist, “No.”

“Yeah.” A.J. answered, his eyes straining to open. “Man, what did they put in this one? I feel high off this.”

A.J. hears Kevin stifle a laugh, as he struggles to open his eyes, “Figured, you feel high.”

Nick smiles as Brian tries to grin in pain. Suddenly he sees about four soldiers coming up to Nick and him. Two grab Nick and the other two grab Brian. Nick and Brian are slowly dragged over to Cyrus and Steeles. Nick trips over his feet and couldn’t yet find his balance due to the heavy drugs imbedded within his system. The two young soldiers, roughly grab him and allows Nick to collapse in between their arms as they drag him to Cyrus. Brian is also dragged by two other soldiers as he tries to walk and fails as well.

A.J. and Kevin watch frozen in fear as they try to fight to get control of their bodies. They stare from the ground they’re lying on and attempt to sit up when a wave of nausea and dizziness hit A.J. hard in the chest. He feels Kevin’s palm on his chest, as his friend whispers to relax and try to take things slowly. A.J. gulps, his throat too dry to speak loud to Cyrus and Steeles. He sees the soldiers place a sleepy Nick and Brian in the large chalked drawn circle a few feet away.

“Don’t start trouble J.” Kevin whispers, as he tries to sit up but stops midway when a wave of nausea struck him.

A.J. whispers slowly, the drugs slowing his speech, “Need to help them now.” He sits up and wraps his arms around his drawn knees. He gazes over to see Howie still drugged out from the tranquilizers. “Kev. Howie’s hurt. Blood from head. Someone hit him. Need to get revenge on them.”

Kevin sits up on his elbows and swallows hard as his emerald eyes cloud in confusion. “We will. Stay here first. Mad they get and hurt us more.” He says slowly as he tries to adjust to the environment. “Feel pain. Hurts bad on head.”

“This sucks Kev.” A.J. states as he noted that the soldiers were on their way back to get them.

“I stop them.” A.J. states, his brown eyes a muddy color in confusion and pain.

Kevin watches and whispers no but A.J. doesn’t take note and raises his hand in front of him, sending the four oncoming soldiers flying off the ground and crashing painfully to the ground. A.J. keeps his palms open and stretches out his arms in front of him. Kevin watches in dismay as A.J.’s powers have grown to its full potential. He watches as the four soldiers were invisibly picked up and slammed hard onto the concrete pavement. This was done five times before the soldiers cry out a painstaking yell. Their deformed and broken limbs break away from their bodies flooding the once clean grey concrete with its crimson ocean. The four bodies were slammed so hard that the limbs broke away from the torso as their screams were drowned out by the yelling of the horrified soldiers running nearby to see this. Cyrus and Steeles stun at the images, scream out orders to stop A.J. and bring him to the drawn circle now.

“They’re mad now. Told you to stop.” Kevin whispers dizzily.

A.J. smiles a drunken smile and nods his head, “They started.” As two armed soldiers yell and grab A.J. roughly, bringing him to Cyrus and Steeles.

Kevin yawns and is lifted up by two other soldiers who drag his drugged weary body over to join the others.

Paige opens her grey blue eyes and like the guys, feels the dizziness and such. She along with Rose, Kimberly and Alison, watch in confusion at the drama that lied before them.

“What’s happening?” Alison croaks out, her coffee eyes stroll around the dark sky as she tries to sit up.

Kimberly sits up too fast for her body and she begins gagging suddenly, her brown locks lie in a tangle over her shoulders and she tries to brush back some strands over her shoulders.

“Easy there.” Paige whispers, her dry throat making it hard to speak properly. The effects of the drugs made her blink in and out of consciousness and it disturbed her to know what exactly could have been injected into their bodies.

Rose slowly sits up and her sapphire orbs scan the scenery in confusion. She sees Ana and Howie lying next to her on the ground. “They bleeding. Hurt.” Her slow speech comes out as she tries to lean over Ana to see if she was awake.

Jamelet and Summer snap open their eyes and immediately sit up, feeling the throbbing and painful nausea on their chest. Jamelet leans near Howie and shakes her head sadly as Summer gags and stares at the scenery of the four soldiers bodies, its dismembered limbs strewn across the pavement.

“Trouble.” Jamelet whispers, the drugs affecting her speech.

Summer gazes wearily and dizzily as a group of armed soldiers make their way over to them. She hears Natalie sit up and gulping for fresh air.

Natalie looks around the area in fright as she feels the nausea rise within her chest. Her dark brown locks stick to the cold sweat on her forehead as she places a hand over her heart. “Too much. They put too much.”

Jamelet dizzily stares at Natalie and responses, “What?”

“Drugs. Too much. We can’t do things right. Body not used to this.” Natalie whispers softly, her vision blurry and spinning.

Jamelet takes a deep breath and watches in interest at what Cyrus and Steeles are planning to do. “Not dead.” She whispers weakly.

The other girls nod slowly and watch in horror at the two supposed dead enemies. Alison squeaks out, “Ana, Howie. Hurt too much. Bleeding. Head.”

Summer stares at Ana and lets out a sigh, “I feel bad. Sick. What they put in us?”

“Drugs, too much put in tranquilizers. Get us knocked out and immobile.” Natalie says, her head spinning with visions before her.

“Will they hurt them?” Alison asks, struggling to see the four men placed in the chalked drawn circle a few feet away.

Kimberly nods her head and trying to sit up right, leans over and regurgitates the little food she had managed to eat a few hours before.

Suddenly two soldiers pointing their weapons at Kimberly, grabs the ill girl to join the men on the drawn circle. Paige and Alison watch as they were grabbed brutally by two other armed soldiers. Rose looks at Jamelet and throws her arms around her shoulders, ‘Don’t let them get me. No. Don’t wanna go.” She pleads slowly, the drugs still in her body.

Jamelet smiles and leans her dizzy head on Rose’s forehead, “No more hurt. We leave now. You see.”

Rose looks at her confused as a soldier grabs her swiftly and drags Rose away to join the others. Summer and Natalie watch in fear as the guys and girls were told to lie a certain way on the drawn circle.

Natalie smiles, “They stupid. Just a story. Not real. They think they get power.” She says slowly as the dizziness overcomes her for a minute.

Summer feels the warm breeze ruffle her blonde tresses over her shoulders, “Trouble now?”

Jamelet nods her head softly, “Yeah. Watch.”
~*~

Nick was told to lie on the rectangle shape inside the drawn circle as he lies on his back; he began to regain more control as the drugs began wearing away. Smiling, it was time to really show the company who they were messing with. When Cyrus and Steeles turn their back for a minute, Nick stands up and his eyes begin glowing as a burning rush floods within his arms. Raising his arms in front of him, he releases a large fireball crashing into both of the men. The fire begins eating away at Cyrus and Steeles as the flames engulf the screaming two who tried desperately rolling on the ground to take out the flames. Somehow, the fire never let up on them as the bright orange and red flames continue to eat away at Steeles and Cyrus. Instead of Nick feeling normally tired after such a thing, he seems fueled up and more stronger than before. Spreading out his hands, he touches the ground and the fire spreads out and trails back to Cyrus and Steeles who after screaming suddenly stops and the smell of burnt flesh filters the atmosphere.

An army of armed CAPPA soldiers surround Nick and tells him to stop before they shoot. Brian stands up and waving his hands before his face, he blows out a stream of smoke or rather poisonous gas that infiltrates the soldiers flesh and causes them to scream out in panic. The smoke embeds the soldiers flesh causing them to burn from the inside. Nick eyes the CAPPA building in front of him and in his rage that he held for the longest against what this institution had done to him, he spreads out his arms and a tornado of hot molten fire from within the ground covers the metal building along with the many employers in it.

The ground begins shaking, as Kimberly stands up spreading her arms and taking lives along with it as the earth quake swallows some fleeing soldiers. Bullets spray around her but not one touched her as the rapid metal brushes pass her ears and body.

Kevin stands up and feeling his power reaching the fullest potential, he feels the energy burning within him as red and black lasers illuminate his body and shoot out, striking any nearby soldiers dead by slicing them to pieces. Torn flesh and body parts lies littered on the ground as Kevin walks heavily near the burning CAPPA building.

Summer watching all this in dismay struggles to stand up and help the other two on their feet. Dizzily with the drugs still in their bodies, they make their way to hide away from all the disaster that is happening.

Jamelet, Natalie and Summer watch all this in terror as they hide out away from the mess behind a CAPPA van.

Rose stands up from the drawn circle and a sinister smile crawls on her face as sharp winds shoot out of her hands and tear any unfortunate soldier standing around her to pieces. The wind shapes into a sharp blade before slamming into oncoming shooting soldiers: cutting off the limbs from the soldiers. The dark red blood splashes all around her, dripping onto her hair and trickling down her arms and face.

Paige stands up, her full power now emerging, raising her hands towards the sky, a large rush of ocean water crashes down from the clouds, slamming into soldiers- dragging them and drowning it in its cold liquid grip. The water slams some running screaming CAPPA soldiers and cuts their bodies, the dark blue now tinges with red. Paige full of energy, smiles and walks away to joining the others in the group. The large ocean swarmed with death and decay as it travels and trails down a hill to join a river bank nearby.

Alison races over to Jamelet and screams out in horror. Her death defying screams, reach the ears of some soldiers as her yells seep into their ears and explode their minds, the grey matter seeping out of their ears as they drop dead on the ground. Jamelet, Summer and Natalie watch the horrid action as the young girl reaches them, shaking in fear.

“Oh God. What did I do?” Alison cries out, her soft tears staining her precious face. Summer embraces the young girl as Jamelet and Natalie watch on to see what else the group had planned. It seemed that almost everyone had reached their potential powers all except Ana and Howie who were still knocked out from the stun blow to their heads. Natalie and Jamelet drag Howie and Ana over to them near the van, in hopes that they can soon wake up. Suddenly Howie snaps open his eyes and since the drugs had already worn off from him, only the slight concussion remained from the blow to his head earlier. He stands up in shock staring around the area and looking at the fearful girls. Summer immediately filled him in on what happened and what the guys just did. Surprised, Howie stumbles back and runs his fingers nervously through his hair.

“So I guess I should have mines now then right?” Howie asks, taking a deep breath.

“Yeah, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea since you hurt your head.” Jamelet states over the screaming of the soldiers.

Howie smiles and rubs his hands excitedly, “It’s ok. I’m up to some fun. I can handle it.”

Summer smiles and pats Howie’s shoulder, “Well ok then. Just you be careful ok.”

Howie gazes at Natalie and she blushes a bit, “Um, same here. Just be safe ok. It’s dangerous out there.”

Howie hugs her and Jamelet and squeezes Summer’s small hands tenderly before running into the night.

“Good luck Howie.” Jamelet whispers as she signs and watches the destruction around her.

Summer and Natalie stand next to her as they all stare at the bloody massacre the night has brought.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**

Chapter 30 - God's Children

The cataclysmic natures exploding in the room scared Jamelet, Summer, and Natalie. In all the years of testing the girls’ powers – they never imagined that the girls could produce such strength. The boys had even seemed to emasculate their powers to great heights. Howie had joined the battle with great surges of electricity. Each man that had tried to touch Howie exploded with huge volts of power. Jamelet watched as more bodies fell upon the floor, splattering huge heaps of blood upon the gray floor. Two bodies of what seemed to be Cyrus and Steeles were smoldering within a huge heap of bloody limbs as Paige and Alison joined to defeat another swarm of guards.

Jamelet felt her heartbeat quicken as she turned back to Summer and Natalie. Something seemed wrong within the picture before her. The girls and boys were winning without much of a fight from the opponents. Cyrus and Steeles would provide better protection of their desired guards. Jamelet bit down on her bottom lip, turning back to Summer and Natalie. It was then that she noticed Ana’s body had disappeared. Her eyes went wide in shock. “Natalie and Summer?” Jamelet trailed with sickness.

“What?” Summer asked with confusion.

“Where is Ana?”

“The drugs were still…” Natalie glanced at the bare spot. The only evidence of Ana’s body was a small puddle of blood. Natalie shivered as she watched the blood begin to crystallize into tiny slivers of ice. It wasn’t a good sign. “Ana’s gone!”

“That’s what I was saying!” Jamelet complained.

“Where is she?” Summer hissed.

“I-I-I don’t know!” Jamelet screeched.

*~*~*

Ana’s head clouded from the medications as she was dragged along the floor. She stumbled to gather her balance. Her head pounded from the blow from the butt of the gun. A steady stream of curses could be heard from her abductor. She struggled to gain her footing, only to find the man wrenching upon her neck with more pressure. She yelped softly at the throbbing in her body. It felt as she was enveloped in a cloud of confusion.

“Howie,” Ana suddenly called through the graininess of her voice.

“Howie is busy,” a voice snarled.

As soon as the voice invaded her hazy mind, Ana began to choke on a putrid smell of burnt flesh. Ana opened her eyes, focusing on the image that was dragging her by the neck. She faced a pair of dark gray eyes. Her mind blanked immediately – it was Steeles.

“GET OFF ME!” Ana shrieked, reaching up to grasp Steeles by the wrists. Her mind flooded with images of icy terror. She heard him laugh, slamming her onto the ground. She gagged as the wind was knocked out of her lungs. She struggled for another breath as Steeles continued to laugh. She stared at the white lines encasing her soul. She felt the icy exterior of her body cease to be. She struggled to orient herself as Steeles forced her onto her knees within circle of blood-red lines. Something began to drain her energy.

“Give into the temptation, Anastacia. You are in the ritual circle now. This was drawn with the blood of your friends. We took them during testing for this specific act. Cyrus is dead by Mr. Carter’s foolish actions. I managed to fall into some sort of water… Provided by Paige’s act of ignorance. That’s not the point. Now, you’re in my home. You are where I need you to conquer. You will open the portal of Hell for me. You will call your friends out and block them from defeating me. You find yourself getting weak, don’t you, dear? The mixing of your friends’ blood is drawing your energy away. You will give into the temptations – don’t worry about that. Such a pretty child. Aren’t you dear?” Steeles cooed softly behind her, antagonizing her.

Ana swallowed against the dryness of her sore throat. The nature of her body was rebelling. Her eyelids fluttered feverishly. It felt like her body temperature was rising. “Go to Hell,” she whispered.

“Precisely,” Steeles answered indignantly. He reached down and snatched her wrist into his hands. He held a small dagger with a foreign inscription upon the blade. Ana looked up at him lazily, becoming revolted at his appearance. His skin was tinged with blackness. Huge chunks of flesh began peeling off his forearms. The smell of death lurked within Ana’s nasal passages. She gagged as Steeles began speaking in a foreign language. Ana recognized it as Latin, but couldn’t translate the words.

Ana hissed in agony as Steeles dug the blade deep within her wrist. The pain exploded within her wrist as sharp squirts of blood began to taint the circle of her friends’ blood. Instantly, her body heated with an intense fire. Ana screamed out, calling the attention of everyone else. The intensity of the fire within her soul sent her flying onto her back. She convulsed within the circle as the blood pooled against the bloody lines. Steeles began to scream the words of Latin.

She screamed at the pressure building against her chest.

The fire raged within her soul.

The ground began to cool.

Ice tinged with Ana’s blood formed beneath her trembling body.

More fire licked at her insides.

She screamed out in Latin phrases.

Suddenly, bursts of ice shot out from Ana’s hands. They traveled against the ground, searching for the Dark Angels of the Lord. Immediately, the ice consumed Brian, Kevin, AJ, and Alison. Their bodies froze and became incased within a cocoon of ice. Each body fell to the floor with heavy weights. Steeles grinned with delight, whispering: “Man of Death – Brian. Man of Visions – Kevin. Man of Tangible Mind – Alexander. Woman of Heart – Alison. The Devils true patriots.”

The guards ceased to fight as the ice encased their own bodies. Before they could react, they screamed in torment. Their organs became to expel from their rotting flesh. Icy organs spilled upon the floor, drawing a thickening black hole within the center. Howie, Rose, Paige, Nick, and Kimberly stood in complete shock.

“ANA!” they screamed.

It was too late.

Steeles began to chant against them, drawing the blade across Ana’s left wrist. Her body fed the flames of her soul. She screamed out again as sweat began to break out in beads across her clammy forehead. Her blood poured against the circle, enlarging the portal of blackness. Suddenly, strong icy hands seized Kimberly, Rose, Paige, Nick, and Howie. They screamed out as they were dangling over the engulfing black hole. They tried to free themselves, but it was useless. The cold hands clung to their bodies, freezing against their skin.

“God’s True Angels… Angel of Earth – Kimberly. Angel of Waters – Paige. Anger of Winds – Rose. Angel of Fires – Nickolas. Angel of Sun – Howard. Angel of Ice – Anastacia,” Steeles answered, trembling with delight. He bent down toward Ana’s immobile figure. He ran his finger along the blood red lines, placing it against his tongue. The black hole began to spark with fires. Steeles held the final task. He pushed Ana to the edge of the circle, allowing her to stare into the black hole. She was braced against her knees – her blood continuing the pour from her wrists.

“Anastacia, look at what you created. This is your life. You were God’s strongest angel, but I defeated you. The devil prevailed over your weak soul. You couldn’t even save the man you hold strong affections for. Look at him, dangling above the portal. Once I complete the final incantation, his soul will be dropped into the pits of Hell. He will be tortured for the rest of eternity. But you can save him.”

Ana remained silent, trying to fight the grogginess of pain.

“I only truly need your powers to control Hell. Sacrifice your powers and life, and your friends will remain unscathed. I promise you that,” Steeles challenged.

“DON’T ANA!” Howie screeched as the ice began to choke him.

“ANA!” Jamelet, Natalie, and Summer cried.

“Your choice, Ana. Die or let others die,” Steeles continued. “You’ve plagued these people since you were born. Your own mother feared you. How can you continue living this life with that guilt? You killed your stepfather. Do you remember that? Don’t you remember your mother’s face? That’s the reason she locked you away with me. She couldn’t have a murderer as a child. Now, you want to murder your friends? You would rather let them die? So, what’s your choice, Anastacia? What road will you take toward God?”

Ana fell silent, letting her eyes slip closed. Death seemed almost too present in her mind. Steeles continued to taunt her within her dreamless agony. Panic continued to brew in her chest. She felt as if her body were still licking with intense flames. She could hear her friends screaming for salvation.

Death or murder?

Live or die?

Save or sacrifice?

Be God’s Angel or the Devil’s Advocate?

Ana wetted her drying lips, squeezing her eyes shut. She would not cause her friends’ death, nor would she accept her own death. It was an accident with her stepfather. She was only a child and had already asked for God’s forgiveness. He loved her. Ana felt tears trickle down her hot cheeks. She called out for God’s help. She prayed for Him to take away the pain. She prayed for Him to give her the strength to carry on.

Suddenly, Ana’s body temperature started to fall. Her mind became extremely clear as God wrapped His arms around her in a protective embrace. She no longer feared Steeles. She imagined her icy palace. The snow was falling gently against the banks of snow. With the images - her skin turned an icy blue as her eyes whirled with complete white irises, as if her eyes were toiling within a blizzard.

“Anastacia, what are you doing?” Steeles cautioned wearily.

Ana ignored his wavering voice. Her skin turned a deeper blue than before. Tiny cracks began to split against her flesh, peeling back. She imagined the poles of the earth.

Extreme cold.

Forbidding ice.

Cold.

Ice.

Hail.

Freeze.

Within an instant, Ana’s body exploded into several slivers of sharp ice. The elements of her body sliced through Steeles like shearing knives. He gasped as blood spurted from the arteries of his body. The icicles peeled large amounts of flesh away from his body. Steeles’ blood continued to seep into the blood circle as the icicles rained upon the cold ground. He fell forward against the circle, causing the portal to explode with heat. Howie, Kimberly, Nick, Paige, and Rose fell out of the air and slammed onto the ground where the portal to Hell had been. Kevin, Brian, AJ, and Alison began to melt from the cocoons of ice.

Ana’s body quickly melted back into her human form. She lay against the cold ground, breathing heavily. In all her years of possessing the powers – she had never formed her entire body into ice. She sat up, still breathing heavily. She watched as everyone pulled themselves together. Cyrus lay within the corner – dead. The guards were slaughtered. Steeles lay upon the floor – dead. Ana glanced down at her hands - noting that the wrists held no evidence of cuts. She started laughing hysterically as Howie collapsed beside her.

“Ana?! Ana?! Are you okay?!” he blurted, drawing her into his arms. Ana continued to laugh hysterically as tears were beginning to trail down the corners of her eyes. Jamelet, Summer, and Natalie burst from the small vehicle, running toward the group. They checked to make sure everyone was okay. Everyone stared at Ana with confusion. “Ana, sweetie?” Howie cooed.

“Guess what?” Ana announced with a giddy smile.

“What?” Howie asked.

Ana listened to the chiming of a clock signaling midnight. She glanced to make sure that Cyrus and Steeles were actually dead. They were. Ana started laughing again. She smiled as she leaned up and brushed her lips against Howie’s cheek. “I’m officially eighteen!”

A/N: Well people we're almost at the end of this wonderful story, as Ana and I take a bow and blow kisses to our readers thanking you all for your support. I'm extremely happy that I had a chance to write with such an amazing God given talented writer such as Ana. I'm extremely happy I was able to take you guys the readers to our world. So we bow one last time and give a big kiss to you guys as flowers are thrown in our direction,.Until next time my readers, we will strike again- I promise you that much! *Waves bye to readers* Enjoy and review please. Thanks- *happy face goes here, lol.*


"Contributions of Dilemma"



**~Chapter Thirty-One: Never Destroyed~**

Jamelet steps carefully over the gravel pathway as Summer and Natalie follow behind her into the entrance of the hospital. They enter the brightly lit corridor of the hospital as a nurse waiting for them, leads them towards two rooms down a long hallway. The young nurse turns her head, her light eyes gleam happily. "You guys are lucky to have friends that fought for their lives. They're recuperating extremely well, you'll all be glad to hear that. Try not to stay too long, they all need their sleep, they've been through hell and back."

Summer rolls her emerald eyes, "Tell me about it." She whispers, her short honeysuckle tresses tied up in a high ponytail.

The friendly nurse opens the first door on the right and smiles, "The men are in this room. They're more alert than the women are at this point. When you're done visiting with them, call me and I'll take you to see the women."

Natalie nods her head, "Yes thank you, we will." And the nurse exits the hospital room, leaving the three women alone with the five men.

Summer walks over and stands between two hospital beds: A.J's and Howie. Natalie walks over to Kevin's bed while Jamelet stands between Nick and Brian's hospital beds. The white florescent lights gleam down on the slumbering men. They were all lying down as a white starch sheet was placed over them. Besides a few scratches and a concussion, the men were just fine. They were healing at fast rate since the complete destruction of CAPPA last week.

Summer leans close to A.J. and gently places her palm over his forehead. He was warm to her touch, on his cheek a soft bandage was placed below his eye lid. His breathing was normal as the beeping of the heart monitor reminded everyone that he was doing well. A small IV needle was placed on his arm as he continues his nap.

"That was some crazy stuff you did back there to the soldiers A.J." Summer gently whispers, her snowy complexion glittering beautifully in the light. A.J. slowly opens his coffee eyes and smiles, reaching to grab Summer's small hand. Grabbing it, he holds onto it as he looks into her eyes.

"Hey, they had it coming. They threatened me, so I had to protect my Boys and my girls." A.J. whispers, a sly grin plastered on his tan butter pecan complexion.

Summer smiles and laughs, gripping A.J.'s hands, "Your girls, really? Now I feel special." She teases him as he rolls his eyes smirking.

Natalie scans her chocolate eyes down to see Kevin's bright eyes snap open. Like A.J. he was doing extremely well, his snowy complexion glittered in the harsh white lights. The beeping of his heart monitor blended in with A.J.'s as he smirks at the IV in his arm. He smiles and slips his fingers in between Natalie's hands. "Thanks Doc."

Natalie gazes at him surprised, "What? I should be the one thanking you. You along with the guys and the girls saved all of us. If it wasn't for your bravery, we'd still be working for that psychotic man!"

Kevin laughs and turns his head in time to see Howie wake up.

Howie opens his eyes and scans the room, "Ana?" He whispers to a blonde haired woman standing near him.

"No sweetie. It's Summer. You've been through a lot. How you all feeling?" Summer beams happily.

Howie manages a smile and see Jamelet walking towards him. She leans down and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Gracias para todo." -Thanks for everything.

Howie gazes up shyly, "De nada." -Your welcome. "I only did what I had to do. You should really thank Ana though, she risked her life for all of us."

Jamelet nods her head, "Of course, but you did your part as well and for that I'm glad. I wanted to give you something Ana wanted me to give you when you woke up."

Howie narrows his eyes as he looks at her suspiciously, "What do you have planned girl?"

Jamelet giggles softly, "Oh right man, I got something for everyone. My way of thanking our heroes."

Howie smiles and nods his head, "Now that's more like it. Is it food?" He tugs on the small bandage on his cheek and the white cloth that was wrapped on his chest.

Natalie laughs and nods her head, "Yeah, thought you all needed some real food after being stuck in this hospital for while."

Brian opens his eyes and coughs lightly distracting the attention of Natalie and Jamelet. Both of the women smile and heads towards Brian.

"Well hey you, glad to see you're up." Natalie smiles, her dark brown locks tumble peacefully over her tan shoulders.

Brian smiles and squinting his eyes from the bright lights, turns his ocean colored eyes to her, "Well glad to be up. Man that was a mess the other day. I'm happy to see you're visiting us. Did you see the girls yet?"

"Not yet. The nurse in the front told us to see you guys first since you're up before them." Natalie whispers gently.

Jamelet walks around the other side of Brian's bed next to Nick's and grins. "You probably wanna know what happened to CAPPA right?"

Brian nods his head intensely as Nick croaks out, "Oh God, Don't tell me that they are still around?!"

Jamelet turns around and faces Nick laughing, "No. Their gone. Thanks to you fire starter. You burned their butts nicely."

Nick and Brian let out a puff of air in unison, "Good, cause I didn't want to have to go back to give them seconds. I can't move my arms for the pass couple of days since it happened. I guess I was on adrenalin that day and the pain didn't kick it till now. Which sucks now you know?" Nick states, his eyes beaming with pride.

Jamelet smiles and sighs, "At least you rested. I was worried sick about all of you and missed out on sleep."

Nick eyes the woman and slides over on the bed patting for Jamelet to sit down. "You can rest next to me. I'll watch you. I promise I'll behave."

Jamelet feels her checks burn pink as she grins, "Are you hitting on me Carter?"

Nick stuck out his lower lip, "No ma'am. I have total respect for you, I'm just friendly, that's all." He gives her a seductive grin he's known for.

Summer laughs and tugs on Jamelet's arm, "Girl get away from him, he's being a bad boy today. Nick stop hitting on her."

Nick pouts, "I'll try, but I won't make any promises."

Natalie chuckles and walks over to Nick saying bye, "Guys we're heading over to see the girls. I promise we'll come back to tell you how they're doing."

The five men nod their heads and tiredly wave their hands to the girls who exited the room.


~*~



The room seems dizzy as she takes a deep breath. She gazes over her bedside to see Paige, Rose, Kimberly still in deep sleep. Alison stares at the white tiles and with her dark eyes trace the pattern of the tiles until it stopped by Ana's bedside. Alison could feel her heart caught in her throat. Ana was buried under hospital appliances of all kinds. Ana's delicate head was covered with piles of wires interconnecting to her temples and coming back out on the ground. Ana lies peacefully still as her snowy complexion shines out like a true angel. Alison nibbles on one of her brown strands that had managed to tickle and caress her cheek. She sees the front door open and smiles, her heart beeping happily to see the three women. The heart monitors were the only thing in the quiet room that provided noise and Alison was slowly getting fed up with the constant loud beeps it would make.

Jamelet, Summer and Natalie race over and embrace Alison, comforting the youngest in the group and thanking her for her bravery. Tears prick the edges of Alison's eyes as she sighs. Like the guys, the four girls rarely looked like they've been through anything. Only Ana was seriously wounded on her wrists with a few scars across her precious face.

Summer gently passes her fingers over Alison's tangle brown locks, "I thought maybe this might cheer you up." Summer states walking over to the doorway to see a couple, a man and woman enter the room.

Jamelet embraces Alison and points, "We thought your parents should be here when they take you home."

Alison could no longer hold back the gentle tears that flooded her coffee eyes, Her soft voice whispers out a "thank you" as her parents in extreme emotions embrace their little girl, whispering comforting words and thanking the three women who had watch her.

Natalie smiles, "It was no problem. You're lucky to have a wonderful girl like her. She's a fighter."

The parents grin and hold onto their child, pelting her with many adoring missed kisses they felt they needed to make up. Amist the quiet room, Alison's giggles and her parents kisses alighted the room.

Natalie smiles and throws her arm around Jamelet and Summer. "This was a great idea, I just hope the other girls are cool with it?"

Summer smirks, "They better be. It took me a couple of days to track the families down."

Jamelet turns to see to Paige, Rose and Kimberly getting up from their slumber. All three women rush over to the three girls and embrace them, happily crying.

"Wait, hold up, we have a big surprise for you girls." Natalie beams, her tan cheeks flushed in a gentle pink.

Rose raises her light eyebrows and tugs on her blonde tresses, her ocean eyes trying to find the answer behind Natalie's statement.

Sure enough, Rose feels tears streaming down her eyes as her parents flooding the doorway and race towards they're child. Her heart bangs against her chest as her parents embrace their child, the wet tears striking Rose's bare arms.

As Rose's mother flings her arms around her child, Rose pokes her head and silently thanks the women for this.

Jamelet nods her head and whispers, "No problem girl."

Summer beams as she watches Paige's parents squeeze their daughter with extreme joy. Paige's light blonde locks lie on her shoulders as her mother giggles and continues embracing her child. Paige's father sits on the edge of the bed, his face full of pure joy as he reaches to hug his daughter, holding her tightly in his embrace.

Kimberly eyes the doorway as Jamelet giggles, "Don't worry girl, their coming, give them a few."

Sure enough, Kimberly's dark eyes lit up as her parents rush into the room, crying and laughing to see their little girl doing well. They squeeze her and she allows them to, surprised the women managed to pull this off. While the reunion was occurring, Jamelet turns to walk over to Ana who was still in critical damage since CAPPA's destruction. Jamelet places her hand over Ana's still frozen one. Ana's been in a coma for the last couple of days, as her body is recuperating. The doctors told her that Ana would be fine, she just needs to heal.

"Well heal away little one." Jamelet whispers as she finds an empty folding chair and slides it next to Ana's bedside watching the heart monitor beep away in silence. She places her hand over Ana's hand waiting for any response. Jamelet yawns even with all the noise around she was feeling quite tired, missing sleep. Her light brown eyes scan over Ana and as she was about to stand up, she feels her hand gripped and she immediately sits down smiling, "Ana? Sweetie you up?"

Ana's eyes flutter open, her light eyes stare at Jamelet. "I'm going home soon right?"

Jamelet tries to smiles but knew that neither her, Summer or Natalie could have contacted her mother. "Yeah, you're coming with us."

"What about my mom?" Ana asks softly, her appearance looking like a radiant angel of heaven.

Summer hears the conversation and answers for Jamelet, "We couldn't find her. But I'm sure she loves you and misses you and you know if we could she would be here right now with you."

Ana nods her head as if she understood and stares at the threshold expecting for her mother to walk in.

Guilt plaques the three women at this scenery, how they wished they could have contacted Ana's mother but that was of no avail.

After a couple of hours the girls were able to go home with their families. It was a sad farewell as Paige, Rose, Alison and Kimberly tightly embraced each other and the three older women. They even said their goodbyes to the boys but were all waiting to say bye to their savior Ana.

Jamelet and Natalie help Ana off her bed and with the doctors permission manage to get of fall the equipment that was on Ana's head and such. They get her to walk down the hallway to say goodbye to the girls each girl holding onto a side of Ana, hoping she won't topple over in any way.

"Oh God, I'm gonna miss ya!" Cries out Paige and Alison.

Ana smiling, gently kisses their foreheads and wipes the tears away from their faces, "Hush now. Don't cry, it's all over. We're free from the powers that held us so long and free completely from CAPPA's hold. Everything will be ok now."

Kimberly asks, "But how do you know that?"

Ana smiles, "God told me."

The other girls smile and make their way out the exit of the hospital. Alison turns around and screams out, "Call me ok? Let's never lose touch."

Ana grins and gives her a thumbs up, "We never will." And the girls leave the hospital. Ana sighs and Jamelet nudges her on the side.

"You know you never had the chance to celebrate your birthday right?" Summer squeals out happily.

Ana sighs, too depressed after the girls leaving, "I don't care, it sucks cause we'll all separate and we'll all leave and forget each other."

"You sure about that?" Jamelet asks, her eyebrows twitching with excitement.

Ana grins, "What do you guys have planned?"

Natalie shrugs her shoulders, "Who knows, I mean you're too depressed to have fun at your own party."

"What party?" Ana asks curiously.

Alison sticks her head out in the corner of the door way giggling, "This party!" And the four girls along with their families bring in decorations, gifts and food.

Ana stands there in the middle of the bright hospital room aghast, "But we're missing music?" Ana asks curiously, her heart laughing at the sudden surprise her friends planned for her.

"Oh I took care of that." Summer states, bringing out the Boys who had managed to dress for the occasion, all in white hospital gowns over their regular attire. Ana laughs as the Boys sing to her. Ana smiles and looks around, "I thought you all left."

Kimberly shakes her head, "Girl you should know us better than that to just leave you. After all you've done for us, we couldn't just walk away with out thanking you and celebrating your birthday."

Ana laughs and shakes her blonde locks, which lie gently over her shoulders, Howie grabs her in his arms, singing to her, his sweet voice vibrating down her body. Ana blushes as Howie throws his arms around her and finally since the beginning, he has been waiting for her gentle kiss on his lips. He longed to hold her and now he was able to express his emotions towards her. Pulling her to him, he brushes his lips on hers and finally pulls in for the kiss, a soft gentle kiss that brought shivers down both the pair's spines. Ana leans her forehead on his, gasping for air as she glowed in happiness, her white pants and white halter top under her hospital gown.

Jamelet sighs happily as she along with the others clap their hands and holler at the scene before them.

"Show off." A.J. playfully shouts at Howie as he grabs Summer and plants a short and tender kiss on her lips. Summer stands there laughing for no particular reason as A.J. winks at the other Boys. Kevin and Brian both lean in to give Natalie a peck on her cheeks.

Brian takes one cheek while Kevin takes the other, making Natalie giggle and blush. Nick laughs and pokes Jamelet in the side.

"Oh what's wrong Nick, you feel all left out?" Jamelet teases him. He rolls his eyes and pulls the young woman into his embrace giving her a quick kiss on the lips leaving them both surprised.

"Na, not anymore." Nick smiles, winking at her, as Jamelet stands there confused, touching her lips. She could here Ana's laughter as they all gather around, with one of the girls parents holding the cake for Ana.

They all sing happy birthday to Ana as Ana giggles and hugs all her friends. She was truly was blessed with great friends and she knew she was already home.


~*~



He rips the newspaper and smiles, circling the address on the paper. He pulls out the picture of CAPPA, along with the five women and five men that all carried the special powers. He smirks and folds the small clipping into his pocket. Grabbing his black suitcase and gym bag, he boards the greyhound bus to reach to Rhode Island. He had to see for himself if CAPPA truly was destroyed. He leans back on the cushioned chair and looks out the window to the passing roadside as the bus picks up speed. He would be there in a few hours and only time will tell how things turned out. He pulls out a picture of his father, the most recent one he has. There his father stands happily in a white lab coat, his black grey stained hair and dark eyes peer back out at his son. "Oh Cyrus: dad. How could you miss this up? You said it would be simple. But I guess not. Looks like I gotta take over and show you how it's really done. CAPPA isn't over, it only started." And he leans back on the seat and closes his eyes. Knowing the ride up to Rhode Island will be awhile. Until then, he can come up with something new.


~**~





**~The End…~**





Or is it?....