Chapter 3

Dante’s figure appeared in the room, the first thing he noticed was the dead silence. He looked at Annette’s shocked expression, “What’s going on?” his gaze moved to Jett’s somber face. Annette tried to walk out of Jett’s hold, and he let her go without a struggle this time. Annette look towards Vincent, “I’m sorry,” she started with a fake smile, “I have to go, but I’ll see you at tomorrow’s meeting.”

“Have to go?” Dante interrupted.

“Yeah,” Annette turned to him, “A small crisis at home came up.”

Annette took a place next to Jett, “See you tomorrow, Dante.”

Dante nodded his head, still slightly confused. Annette’s animated personality had vanished, a slightly alarmingly thing in Dante’s mind, but he decided it’d be best to keep quiet. For now.

“Let’s go, Jett.” Annette spoke quietly, and their figures dispersed into the air.

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Annette flung open the door to their home with a flick of her wrist.

“Evelyn,” the girl she addressed stood a few feet away from the doorway inside. Dull silver eyes, so lifeless, surrounded by pale brown hair, the girl was so small standing only as tall as Annette’s shoulders. Her big Victorian curls were pulled into two pigtails on either side of her head; she wore a long sleeved black dress with white lace and frills. Tight around her torso, the dress then flowed out from her waist, the exact resemblance of a doll.

  Annette ran up to her and embraced her, “Evelyn, are you alright? Did they hurt you??” Annette pulled back and held Evelyn in front of her to look at her.

“I’m fine,” Evelyn said quietly.

Jett abruptly spoke, “Where is she Evelyn?”

Annette let go of Evelyn as she activated her ability. Her silver eyes were engulfed in a crimson color; Evelyn had something of a 6^th sense. She could immerse herself into the thoughts of another person, see through their eyes, and even see their future. But, she never could see how one arrived at that future, in other words, she could always see the end, but never the journey to the end.

Evelyn suddenly took off shadow sprinting, Jett and Annette quickly followed suit.

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Dante stayed behind at Headquarters, introduced Vincent to the Council, and got him situated into special training. He strolled down one of the many halls with his hands in his pockets, immersing himself in his thoughts.

He turned one corner sharply and ran into someone, and knocked the person over. “Cyrus?” he asked as he looked down at the pale blonde rubbing his forehead. 

“Owww,” Cyrus whined, “Hi Dante. I was hoping I’d run into you before you left Headquarters, but not literally.”

Dante crouched down in front of Cyrus and placed his hand on Cyrus’ forehead looking for bumps. He indeed found a small bump, “Ouch!” Cyrus cried and placed his hand on the back of Dante’s. Dante looked down at the cringe on Cyrus’ face. When Cyrus opened his eyes and made eye contact with Dante, Dante dropped his hand from Cyrus’ forehead and stood up straight again.

“What did you need me for?” Dante asked as he extended his hand to Cyrus.

“I need you to accompany me on a mission,” Cyrus started as he took Dante’s hand and was lifted up, “To a temple. The monks there, they have a very ancient archive of their history. And I’m looking for some information.”

Dante held Cyrus’ hand without even realizing it, when Cyrus looked down at their hands, Dante quickly snapped back his hand and covered his mouth to clear his throat.

“Then why do you need me?” Dante thought to himself.

“Because, the monks might be hesitant to let me explore their archives, you’d be great backup.” Cyrus smiled at Dante.

“Damn,” Dante thought to himself again, “I forgot, you’re a blasted mind reader.” Dante continued aloud, “What kind of information are you looking for?”

“Just some archives on…past Sensors.” Cyrus gave a sheepish smile.

“If you were just looking for that, you wouldn’t need me,” Dante said aloud. “You’re looking for information about…Him,” he said in his mind, “Aren’t you?”

Cyrus simply nodded, his smile vanished.

Dante nodded back, “Okay. When do we leave?”

“Now.”

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The group was now outside of the city, Evelyn was sprinting in the lead flanked on either side by Jett and Annette.

Jett looked to Evelyn, “Who exactly kidnapped her Evelyn?”

Evelyn shook her head slightly, “It was masking its presence, I couldn’t tell if it was Him or not.”

Evelyn, Jett, and Annette finally came to a halt in front of a massive abandoned warehouse, about 20 miles outside of the city.

Annette sighed, “Of course, it has to be an old abandoned dump. It’s always an abandoned building.

Jett glanced at Evelyn; she nodded as if responding to an unasked question. Annette then made eye contact with Jett, he mimicked Evelyn and nodded.

“I hate going into these things blind,” Annette whispered as she waved her arm, breaking the lock and flinging open the door.

4 giant spider-like creatures engulfed in a red aura flew out of the darkness.

Jett quickly flipped backward to avoid one, and then pointed his arm at it, turning it to stone. Annette mentally grabbed one as it lunged at her and then flung it off to the side. She saw another spider lunging toward Evelyn, and she darted in between the spider and Evelyn.  She pulled up a small invisible wall of psychic (does that word even work there?? D: ) energy, and the spider collided with it. Annette then quickly closed her eyes to focus; she made a hand of energy that gripped the spider. Her teeth clenched in her attempt to mentally crush the spider, but finally, the red aura from the spider vanished, and the monster itself crumbled to dust.

“Annette!” Annette’s eyes shot open as she heard Jett yell at her just as a second spider lunged at her and Evelyn. This time, she held her hand out, and the spider stopped in midair. “Behind you!” Jett called out again. Evelyn quickly ducked as Annette looked back; she caught the third spider in midair as well. Jett then turned both the spiders into stone, and then Annette let them fall to the floor.

Jett sighed, then put his thumb and middle finger together, “Wait!” Annette grabbed his hand. She waved her other hand, and the three stone spiders rose into the air.

“Right,” he replied with a somber tone. Jett didn’t look at Annette, but rather gazed at Annette’s hand grasping his.

Annette noticed this, then took her hand from his and looked to Evelyn, “You alright?”

Evelyn simply nodded, and then the three walked into the warehouse. It was dimly lit, filled with random crates and tarps and other junk.

Jett was in between the two girls walking a few feet in front with both arms outstretched a little to either side in a defensive manner.

Suddenly, Evelyn stopped, and Annette did as well when she noticed this, “Jett,” Annette’s tone held a hint of alarm in it.  Jett stopped and turned around, and Evelyn quickly looked to Annette, “Sorry about your leg,” she whispered. Suddenly, Annette felt a familiar wave of energy flow through the room. Jett, Evelyn, and the whole area were frozen in time.

“Amber?” Annette called out as she looked to where she felt the wave had originated from. Her hazel eyes scanned the darkness in front of her; silence.

Annette slowly inched her way over to Jett’s frozen figure when she suddenly heard a laugh; a slow, deliberate, almost mocking laughter.

“A-A…mber?” Annette stuttered while still slowly inching towards Jett. And sure enough, Amber stepped forth out of the shadows with a wicked smile on her face.

“What are you doing Amber?” Annette swallowed her fear and asked the obvious question. “You can restart time Amber, it’s just us.”

Amber only laughed her mocking laugh once more, “Oh Annette, always so naïve.” Annette noticed Amber twitch her left hand, and by this time Annette had inched close enough to Jett so she reached out and grabbed onto his wrist.

A few seconds later, Amber’s hand was engulfed in the same red aura as the spiders were and waved her arm, sending bundles of the red aura towards Annette.

Annette let go of Jett, rolled to the side to avoid the red auras, and then mentally deflected them upwards away from Jett’s frozen figure.

With nothing but heart beats between her movements, Annette waved her arm hard towards Amber, sending the stone spiders hurtling towards Amber,; then Annette quickly snapped her fingers, causing the spiders to detonate all around Amber.

When the smoke cleared, Annette could see Amber cringing with her hand over her face. When she dropped her hand from her face, Annette could see deep gashes across one side or her face.

With her eyes still shut, Amber spoke, “I knew you were up to something sneaky Anne. You’ve gotten better with your draining ability.”

Annette felt shivers run up and down her spine when Amber opened her eyes, if you could even call them that anymore. They were aflame with the same red aura she had just tried to kill Annette with.

“Amber, Annette rose to her feet,” you traitor!” Amber only grinned menacingly. “How could you do this Amber? How could you do this to us, your friends?” Annette was desperately trying to distract Amber; she needed to get closer to her…somehow.

“Friends?” Amber asked the question as if amused, then laughed again.

“What about Jett?” Annette asked, “Don’t you love him?”

Amber’s smile faded, and her eyes were drawn to the floor, “Yes,” she quietly spoke, “But, he doesn’t love me. Same old story, right? It starts out as lust for two, and then changes to love for one.”

Annette, for a moment, almost felt sorry for Amber. In a way, she could sympathize with her loveless broken heart.

“He doesn’t love me, he never could. He spent all his time worrying about you,” Amber’s tone became stern, angry, “Always following you when you went out alone, always getting up to check on you in the middle of the night, always giving you such tender looks  whenever you were too busy to notice.” Amber became engulfed in the red aura again, “I’m not going to let him have any distractions from me.” Amber threw bundles of red aura at Annette once more.

Annette ran and jumped and dodged far from Jett and Evelyn. In her dodging, Annette attempted to slowly maneuver herself closer to Amber. Annette waved her hand again, lifting a crate and tossing it at Amber. Once Amber was distracted with destroying the crate, Annette concentrated hard and a wave of mental energy towards Amber that swept her backwards and pinned her against a wall, knocking the breath out of her.

Annette was panting a little from all the running, but she kept her focus and her mental grip on Amber. Once she caught her breath, Amber smiled her wicked smile once more. “Why are you doing this Amber?” Annette tried to keep Amber distracted once more; the last thing she wanted was for her to bring Him into all of this.

“You’re so stupid, Annette,” Amber hissed. “I couldn’t get rid of you with my own powers. I needed more, and He gave it to me.” Amber smiled.

“Why would you do that, Amber? You say you love Jett. He’s been working so hard for years, fighting Him. So you go and join forces with Him, and throw all of Jett’s hard work back in his face?”

Amber frowned, “I’ve loved him for years. I’ve been working hard to get him to love me too, but he goes and decides to get feelings for you, throwing my love back in my face. How is that any different?”

Annette sighed, she had to admit, when you got down to it, they weren’t too terribly different. “But Amber, this isn’t feelings you’re messing with. Choices like this don’t just affect you and Jett; they affect everyone, innocent people Amber!”

Amber’s brow furrowed, “What do I care for people? What have they done for me to make me care for them? All people do is hurt you, Annette. I thought you of all people would be able to understand that.”

“This isn’t about me Amber.” Annette stated harshly. “Please, Amber, you can still change your mind. Come back to us, I don’t want to hurt you, and neither does Jett or Evelyn.” Annette tried to offer a small smile.

Amber’s face remained angry, “All you’ve done is hurt me Annette. You and Jett both.” Amber’s head drooped down. “But once you’re gone, you won’t be able to hurt me, and neither will Jett.”

Annette saw a slight smile twitch at Amber’s lips, and she quickly tensed up. She heard something behind her, and she turned to see a flash of red aura hurdle down at her like lightning. Annette kept her right hand towards Amber to hold her to the wall and used her left hand to place a mental barrier between her and the red lightning. She cringed slightly, but used all her strength to focus on keeping up the barrier, and holding onto Amber. She looked at the lightning behind her, “Amber’s trying to join with Him.” She thought, “ This isn’t just energy…” her eyes widened when she saw a sinister face form in the lightning as it pounded at her barrier, “Enma.”

Apparently, her mental grip on Amber wavered slightly; Annette felt this and looked over towards Amber. She smiled deviously and was able to move her hand enough to send a bolt of red aura at Evelyn’s frozen body. Annette couldn’t drop the barrier holding back Enma’s spirit, if He could possess Amber and have her power to manipulate time, the world might as well be over.

But, Annette refused to lose Evelyn.

Annette dropped the mental barrier between her and Enma’s spirit, and her grip on Amber loosened more as she darted towards Evelyn. Annette didn’t have the strength to place another barrier in front of Evelyn, so she did the only thing she could. Annette leapt in front of the bolt, blocking Evelyn. The mental grip on Amber dropped completely when the bolt made contact with Annette, and Amber dropped to her feet with a smile on her face. Without any sort of blockade, Enma’s spirit poured into Amber, causing a dark red aura to emit from all over Amber’s body, giving her the look of crimson fire.

“You always had to be the good guy, Annette.” Amber walked towards Annette’s motionless body. Annette lay motionless with her eyes closed, the pain coursed through her entire body. She tried her bet to focus all her energy, “Just one more time,” she thought, “One more.”

Amber smiled with triumph, and slightly pushed Annette’s body with her foot once she got close enough, “So predictable, Anne.”

Annette used all her strength to push mental energy around Amber’s whole body, chaining her to where she stood.

Amber gasped, “You’re still not dead??” Annette quickly grabbed Amber’s ankle, and used her draining ability. With every passing second, Annette felt her strength dwindle even further; like the flame of a candle flickering in the wind.

Annette felt her hope breaking as well, “I can’t do it,” she thought. Annette had never pushed her abilities this far, much less used them at the same time. Annette felt herself wanting to give up, “I couldn’t save mom and dad,” she thought as tears stung her eyes, “and now I can’t even save Jett and Evelyn.”

Annette felt her inner stubbornness yelling at her, “Stop whining! Get your head out of the past Annette, focus on the people you have now. You don’t want to lose them too, do you?” Annette had always felt like she was two people. And sometimes she even found herself arguing with herself in her mind.

“No,” Annette whispered aloud.

Amber was struggling to break from Annette’s mental grip, and yelled in anger when she felt the energy pushing on her more, and her power being drained even faster.

Annette pushed herself even harder, cringing all the time and shrieked through her tears when she used the last of her strength, so much so to the point that her body was pulsing with the pain she much that it was numb. She dropped her hand from Amber’s ankle, and her mental grip disappeared from Amber. Annette had just enough strength to use Amber’s power, and she unfroze Evelyn and Jett. Annette then fell unconscious from exhaustion and pain.

“What the-“Jett started as he looked at Annette on the floor, then towards Amber, still glowing red.

“Wake up Jett,” Evelyn spoke as she saw Amber’s limp body float upwards.

“Amber!” Jett yelled.

“Shut up Jett,” Evelyn spoke quietly, but harshly. “Do it.”

Jett kept his gaze on Amber; she now faced the group with an expression of pure evil on her face.  Jett didn’t want to do it, he wanted to save Amber, not kill her.

But the minute Amber pointed her arm towards Annette, Jett’s decision was made for him, he didn’t want Amber to die, but he wouldn’t let Annette die.

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Annette, in her unconscious sleep, heard a loud thud. “S**t!” she thought to herself, “I can’t sleep right now!” She forced herself out of sleep, and her upper body rose up.

“God damnit, Annette!” she heard Jett’s voice, and then felt a hand gently push her back down. “Don’t move! Do you want to die, you idiot!”

Annette was still very tired, and very groggy, but she noticed something out of the corner of her eye, and turned to look at Amber, well….stone Amber.

Annette sighed, partly with exhaustion and partly with relief. She then turned her head to look at the person looming over her. Jett had an expression on she’d never seen; a mixture of sadness, relief, and anger. She smiled a little, and then said, “Must I always take care of you?”

Jett scoffed, “Go back to sleep Annette.”

“Gladly,” Annette sighed, and then fell back asleep.

As other agents from the Organization arrived at the warehouse, Jett took Annette in his arms carefully, “Let’s go Evelyn.” They two then took off sprinting just as the sun began to slowly peek over the hills; the beginning of a new day and the end of their fight, for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

<3 Comments, reviews, etc.