The Sisters: The Curse of Gabriel's Gardens

The Demon's Return

In a week after her arrival, Gwendolyn got accustomed to living with her daughters. And the girls did, too. For the first time after nineteen years, they were able to wake up and say: "Good morning, mom!"

The woman formed her provisional bedroom in a spare room the girls didn't have a good use for. Maybe they were secretly hoping for their mother to return all along. Gwendolyn promised them that she'll soon find her own housing, but for now, the girls wanted her to stay.

Alexis was relieved when her mother formed a beautiful friendship with Anna. Even though the impaired girl was younger by a generation, Gwendolyn and her were able to talk endlessly; it was almost like Gwendolyn reunited with her long lost friend, Patricia Lightfoot, reborn as Anna.

She didn't only accept her and Alexis' relationship, she was happy with it and fully supported it. She even told Alexis she understands why did she fall for Anna. If there were still some doubts about homosexual relationship in her, they completely disappeared by now.

Alexis cherished the words her mother told her the second day after she moved in: "There are so many horrible things you could become. A murderer, rapist, a person without morals, conscience or compassion. Feeling love towards anyone, no matter if it's considered 'normal' or not, makes you a wonderful human being and I fully support what you are. I understand love is not a choice. Twenty years ago, I found out myself. Who are you as a person is defined by your choices, not by things you can't influence."

When Alexis walked into the kitchen, she saw a smiling woman with loose, messy hair dressed in baggy white tank top and knee-long cotton shorts preparing dinner. At that moment, she looked like every other mother. Nothing gave away what did she go through. That she fought a demonic assassin and then spent many years recovering from depressions.

She looked happy.

During the past week, they encountered no attempts to eliminate Gwendolyn or the girls. However, they didn't start to hope the mysterious villain gave up. It was more probable he's somewhere gathering new powers, piecing together a new plan, more efficient than the previous ones.

Even though they didn't talk about it, they were afraid. But they didn't let their fear interfere with the happiness caused by their reunion. Like Diane said earlier: "Now we have an alternative mom, a nerd daughter, the troublemaker one, the artist annoyed by everything and a grumpy guy next door. Guys, we would make a perfect sitcom, don't you think?"

"Morning, mom," Alexis said. "How do you feel?"

"What do you mean, sweetie?" Gwendolyn walked into the living room with a bowl of fruit-flavored oatmeal, Alexis followed her with her own bowl. They sat on the couch.

"I can tell you're still feeling uneasy," Alexis said. "Do you... want to return?"

"Oh, the empathy," Gwendolyn smiled. "People say I'm empathic and it seems you inherited a chunk of it. Yes, I still feel a little uneasy, but I don't want to return. Yet. You two need me. And I can sense something sinister in the air. I didn't have another vision, but my instincts are telling me something big is about to happen."

"That's what my instincts tell me, too," Alexis admitted. Gwendolyn already knew about the mysterious man who invaded Anna's mind and did everything possible to stop her from returning. "Mom, I have to ask you... when the time comes, are you ready to fight?"

"I've spent nineteen years in peace," Gwendolyn replied. "Recovering, gathering powers. Yes, I am ready. I'll do whatever it takes to protect you."

"And you won't be alone," Alexis took her by the hand, touching her mother's hourglass insignia. Maybe it was only Alexis' imagination, but it seemed to radiate power which seemed to be sleeping. However, it was ready to awaken.

The girl was aware her mother had to be a powerful foe back then. The powers of both sisters combined in one body. It was no wonder Chance lost his final fight - at least Alexis presumed he did because Gwendolyn still refused to talk about it.

"Chance Arlington," Alexis said. "Was he a powerful opponent?"

The girl was afraid Gwendolyn will turn secretive again, but to her surprise, she replied. "Yes, he was. Actually, he wasn't as powerful in a direct combat, but he could destroy you in other ways. He was sly and ruthless, always knew your weak spots and wasn't afraid to use them against you. I think there was some good in him after all, but once he decided that a person is his opponent, he pursured that person until they were either dead or completely destroyed."

"So he proclaimed you his enemy?"

Gwendolyn nodded. "I think it was nothing personal. Maybe he even didn't want to fight me. It was me who decided to interfere even though he sent me several warnings. But these only fanned my hate against him. If I could rethink my decision... maybe I wouldn't try to oppose him."

"I'm not here to question your decisions," Alexis replied.

"He clearly gave me a chance to back off." Gwendolyn continued. "But at that time, I was too selfish, too prideful. I only saw things black and white and I thought I would be some kind of hero who'll liberate the city from the opression of a deranged killer. But now I realize I did a disservice."

"Most people agree Arlington was a hero," Alexis said.

"Which makes me a villain of the story," Gwendolyn sighed.

"As you can already tell, I'm a huge bookworm," Alexis continued. "And I've already read many stories which don't have either heroes or villains, just people doing things they consider right. Look at me. What do you think I went through when I killed Marlene?"

"You are probably right," Gwendolyn admitted. "It's too late to think about things that can't be undone. We have to focus on the future. Chance Arlington is dead and will never return."

<<>>

Murders were rather common in Gabriel's Gardens, but every time Alyssa Lafayette was called to investigate one, she felt strange chills running down her spine. Even though she usually acted tough, she was a sensitive person at heart. Countless times, she just thought about all the people whose deaths she investigated. They all had their lives, hopes, problems, childhoods.

All of that was destroyed just someone else decided so. And Alyssa found it so unfair.

Who the hell gave them right to take away someone else's life for petty reasons such as money, revenge, different views about certain things.

Alyssa rarely regretted joining the police. She lived for the feeling when she sent an offender or a drug dealer behind the bars, finding a mischievous pleasure in their hate aimed against her. Saving life or arresting a criminal also increased her libido, which Melody already knew. But murders were a different story. She would prefer if she didn't have to investigate any, but it was her duty as the head of the police.

Every time Alyssa received a phone call in the dead of night, she knew something serious happened. And this was also the case. One of her most faithful coworkers told her about a dead body found in the Centre. She got up and proceeded to replace her nightgown with a police uniform.

"Oh, not again," Melody yowled, looking at her from the bed. "Call of duty, I guess?"

"I'd love to stay," Alyssa sighed, "but yes, call of duty."

Alyssa had to deal with guilt that was present inside her since she divorced her first wife because she neglected her for the favor of her work. After she started dating Melody, she tried to strictly separate her personal and work life, but sometimes, it was simply inevitable.

Fortunately, Melody was more understanding than June. She acted disappointed, but it was only her kind of game; she never blamed Alyssa for leaving in the middle of the night or a romantic dinner. Her standards were set differently than June's since she basically grew up as a street child even though he belonged to the influential Forrestal family.

Alyssa kissed Melody on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, I promise," she said.

"But if you won't be home in the morning, I'll serve myself and you'll languish for the rest of the day!" Melody threatened her for a joke.

"Maybe I should have married someone with smaller appetite for these things," Alyssa laughed.

She left the house and shivered to the cold; maybe she should have really taken the warmer jacket. She got into her car; the car radio automatically turned on, playing the night programme consisting of some 90's rock. The traffic at night was significantly better than during day, so Alyssa was able to arrive on the desired spot in less than fifteen minutes. Her team was already waiting for her at the crime scene.

"Alyssa!"

The woman was greeted by Samir Nayar, an officer from India who was also the one who called her. About ten years ago, Alyssa scattered a radical group especially dangerous to muslims which threatened Samir's family. The man decided to join the police and Alyssa became his ally and mentor.

"Hi, Samir," Alyssa said. "Just tell me what happened here."

The area indicating the crime scene was set behind one of the Central bars famous for frequent meetings of the local mafia. The dead body lied close to the bar's back door between two garbage cans.

"Looks like the killer went straight for the boss," Samir replied. The victim was an overweight Hispanic man with a sleek hair and massive moustache - Roberto Vasquez, nicknamed "Don Pedro", the most efficient drug distributor who managed to avoid the police up to this day.

But it wasn't the police who brought him to justice.

"Who the hell was able to kill Don Pedro?" Alyssa muttered while examining the fatty body dressed in a white suit. The woman herself led some attempts to capture him, but always failed; Vasquez's sly mind always outwitted the hand of justice.

She turned the corpse around, finally seeing its doughy face. Don Pedro's eyes were wide open, just like his throat interrupted by one precise cut. But the biggest surprise was located on the front of his head and it was enough to make Alyssa gasp.

There were three crosses carved into the victim's forehead.

<<>>

The next day near noon, someone knocked at the Warren sisters' flat. Gwendolyn came to open and Dante rushed to greet the visitor as soon as he smelled a friend, the friend with black fur on her head smelling like flowers. Alyssa smiled and pet the dog.

With a more serious expression, she looked at the woman who opened. "Gwen? I think there's something you should know. Can I come in?"

"Of course."

The sisters, sitting in the living room, greeted her, but immediately noticed Alyssa is unsettled; her tired eyes indicating she wasn't sleeping well and untidy clothing consisting of a navy blue shirt and black miniskirt gave it away clearly. The woman sat on the couch and asked for a coffee.

"How many coffees did you already have today?" Diane asked her.

"This is my fifth," Alyssa replied. A minute later, Alexis came with a cup of strong coffee and Alyssa could finally start to speak.

"There was a murder tonight in the Centre," she explained. "The victim was Don Pedro, the infamous drug baron we were trying to capture for many years. That can be explained, some assassin could be lucky enough and caught him off-guard; Don Pedro probably came to vomit near the back entrance after he got a little too drunk. But that's not the most disturbing thing about it."

Gwendolyn gulped. "Show me."

Alyssa reached into her handbag and pulled out a tablet computer. Then she opened a file, a photo depicting Don Pedro's dead face. Gwendolyn opened her eyes wide when she saw the bleeding wounds in the man's forehead. Three Christian crosses made with six precise slices.

"That can't be..." Gwendolyn voiced as her body started to tremble.

"What's up, mom?" Diane wondered. "Yeah, that guy's ugly, but I presume that's not why are you so nervous. Is that something with those three crosses?"

The mother nodded. "Yes. Just like we have our insignias, Chance Arlington had his own. On his hand, along with a number of people he killed. And it were..."

"...three crosses," Alexis completed.

"I don't want to be a bad omen, but this looks like a typical Arlingtonish murder," Alyssa claimed. "Target: a drug mogul who causes havoc in the whole city. Method: slit throat with an extremely sharp knife. Absolutely silent, unnoticed, the murderer disappeared without a trace. And then we have the brand on Don Pedro's forehead: Chance's symbol."

"Chance never branded his victims!" Gwendolyn objected. "He was too smart for that."

"Maybe he changed his manners," Alyssa replied. "This can be his way of announcing: I am back and you can't hide from me. Fear me."

Diane raised her hand like she was at school. "Objection. I don't know if you realized, but there is a little, really tiny problem about this - Arlington is dead."

"That's true," Gwendolyn admitted, "but I also said Chance was crafty and resourceful. He could have faked his death and travel somewhere far away to regain his powers - just like I did. It would be something he would do. And now, he somehow learned I returned. Ready for one final clash."

"Do you know he could be the one who tried to boycott your return?" Alexis asked.

"I don't think so," her mother replied. "Chance wouldn't want to prevent me from coming. One thing is clear about him - he never turned down challenges. And even though his favorite way of killing was from the shadows, he wasn't a coward. Also he didn't have a power of invading someone's mind."

"So... is it possible that these two events are somehow connected?"

"I have no idea."

Alyssa spoke: "I think it's still too early to tell. Maybe it's just some wannabe pretending to be Chance; lots of these emerged after Chance died. I admit it's a strange coincidence, but we shouldn't jump into conclusions. I'll keep you updated as soon as anything else happens."

<<>>

Right after Alyssa left, Gwendolyn bursted into tears.

"Mom! What's happening?" Alexis bursted out.

"I just..." Gwendolyn sobbed, "Alyssa scared me. These three crosses haunt me in my dreams to this day. When I saw them for the first time... it was the beginning of the end. And I suppose not many people knew about the shape of his insignia. I'm scared."

"So you think Chance returned," Diane said.

"I don't know. As Alyssa said, the murder was executed completely in Chance's style. And it happened right after I returned... maybe he hid in the shadows until now, wanting his vengeance. Maybe... what if the one who tried to prevent me from returning actually wanted to save me from Chance?"

"That would be a game-changer," Alexis admitted, "but the brutality of some of the actions leaves a big question mark. These hired hitmans killed Alyssa. And there was a landmine on the airport. Why would anyone want to save you by killing you?"

"That doesn't make much sense, does it?" Gwendolyn wiped away a tear as the initial wave of hysteria slowly faded. "So it seems there are three independant subjects present in this fray - me, Chance and the mysterious manipulator. Three Trimorts in one city."

"Three Trimorts?" Alexis said. "Are you sure the mysterious one is a Trimort, too?"

"Invading someone's mind is a textbook example of a power of Infernal Trimort," Gwendolyn regained her stability completely. "It's the most viable option. If I only had an ability to sense Trimorts..."

"There's still a chance it wasn't Chance," Alexis noted.

"If I was him, I'd come back from dead just for the sake of using that beautiful punny name," Diane said.

"Alyssa is right," Gwendolyn replied. "During the months after Chance's presumed death, several impostors showed up, trying to imitate Chance's deeds. They were either imprisoned or killed because neither of them had Trimort powers. This can be an impostor, too... only two things speak against it - the usage of Chance's symbol and the victim, seemingly invincible kingpin of crime."

"Maybe Alyssa was right and the assassin was just lucky," Alexis guessed.

Her mother sighed. "We have to hope. I'm not sure if I'd be able to handle another clash with Chance. And now... he would have another weapon to use against me. You two. Chance's strategy is to undermine your fighting spirit by eliminating everything you love and care about. To drive you into the breaking point, then sense a moment of your greatest weakness and strike. Twenty years ago, he was successful. But now... I have something to fight for again. And if it's really Chance, he will focus on it."

"No worries, mom," Diane smiled. "Me and my sis can take any hellish assassin that would try to kill us."

Gwendolyn didn't return the smile. "Don't underestimate Chance's power. He mastered the arts of stealth and silent killing. He never hesitated to kill a sleeping victim, so it may be too late before you can even wake up. I'm afraid nobody is safe from him."

"That's exactly a thing you wanna hear before going to bed," Diane uttered.

"Please, I beg you, watch your every step and be careful," Gwendolyn pleaded. "Maybe Chance and the second Infernal Trimort joined forces and now are preparing to launch a two-pronged attack. That would be the worst possible scenario. We would have some chances if a Trimort Battle Royale breaks out, but if these two formed an alliance, I'm afraid nothing can help us."

"A fourth Trimort?" Diane hinted.

"Trimorts don't grow on trees."

"I had to try it, right?"

"We're forgetting one thing," Alexis said. "Me and Diane are basically half-Trimorts with our own powers. And we are also a force to be reckoned with. Maybe we're young, but we were able to defeat Kyle Fletcher and many smaller threats. The chances are even."

"You are right," Gwendolyn said. "I must never underestimate you two."

<<>>

The roaring forces of fire and water surround me. I feel powerful like never before, but also so weak, so small. I'm holding a man who has been ruining my life recently above the ground like a filthy dog. I'm powerful like never before, but he still doesn't fear me. There is a grim smile on his exhausted, injured face.

Maybe I'll die here tonight, but it will be you who will lose. You will sink low. Much lower than me.

I scream and dive my fist into his ribcage. I hear cracking. Maybe it's his bones, maybe the remaining pieces of my sanity and resolve. Probably both.

Gwendolyn woke up in a cold sweat. The dream about the final battle grew less frequent during years, but tonight, it returned with a full force.

She faintly heard Chance's voice even now, fully awake.

There's no angel in you in the end...

A surge of pain struck her head and she almost threw up on the carpet. Her heart raced exactly like that day. The dream brought back memories about how much pain Chance caused her. And now, maybe the nightmare will continue. Maybe Chance somehow survived the D-day...

She tried to calm herself down by telling herself that the killer of Don Pedro is just some kind of impostor. That Chance is dead and will never actively interfere with her life again.

But what if...?

Then she noticed a small light on her cellphone shining. She kept the phone on silent during night and apparently, someone sent her a text message while she was asleep. She usually checked new notifications after she woke up, but this time, the curiosity was stronger.

After reading the message, she had only a few second to rush to the toilet where she actually emptied her stomach. The shaking overwhelmed her and she wanted to scream. After she rinsed her face with cold water, she went to her room again and reached for the phone. She dropped it twice before she managed to turn it on and read the short message again.

It will be a pleasure to meet you again, Fortuna.

It came from a hidden number.

Fortuna was a nickname she received during her youth, after she managed to survive seemingly lethal accident more than once. She also used it as an alias to cover her true identity. "It means nothing..." she tried to convince herself. "It's probably just an impostor, nothing more."

She texted: Who the hell are you?

A reply came a minute later. I thought you'll remember me after all these years, Fortuna. We know each other since we were kids. We could be friends, allies... but you decided otherwise. And you were responsible for my fall - literally - at the Frontier Dam. But, as you can see, I cheated Death once again.

Gwendolyn's nausea returned. Chance started to add more and more correct details about the times their paths crossed. They really used to be friends when they were seven. Back then, Chance was just a kind, introverted boy constantly feared and bullied because of his charred face. Gwendolyn was the first one who offered him friendship.

She had no idea the boy would later become the most feared assassin.

Go on. Show me some more proofs you're the real deal, she texted.

He was number 597, the reply came. After reading it, Gwendolyn literally felt physical pain in her chest. Mentioning the number brought back the memories about Chance devilishly grinning, showing her his insignia and the number below it. Blood on the walls, Gwendolyn's desperate, horrified scream.

How could anyone besides Chance know this detail, engraved into Gwen's mind forever?

The final strike to Gwendolyn's sanity was the last message Chance wrote.

The rematch is imminent, Fortuna. I'm watching you and your biggest weaknesses. If you want to act like a hero at least once, leave the city. In that case, your daughters will remain unharmed. But if you decide to continue your clash, you already know that no one is safe from me.

<<>>

The next morning, Alexis immediately noticed something's not right. Her mother's bloodshot eyes and pale, tired face was diametrically different from Gwendolyn's usual cheerful face.

"Mom? What happened?" she asked.

"I'm sorry to say that, but I'll have to leave after all," the woman voiced. "I tried to be strong for you, but now I realize it won't work. The memories are just overwhelming and if I stay here for any longer, I'll return to the state I was in after you were born. I'm so sorry."

Alexis frowned. "The change is too sudden... are you telling me the truth?"

Gwendolyn looked away. "Yes."

"You are lying," the girl sat on the couch. "Something happened last night. I heard you in the bathroom. You were... nauseous. Tell me what happened!"

"I woke up from a nightmare!" Gwendolyn exclaimed. "That's all this God forsaken city does. Gives me nightmares. I'm returning to Philadelphia and you're going with me!"

At that moment, Diane entered the living room. "Drama right in the morning? That's pretty new," she stated. "What's happening?"

"Something happened to our mom and she wants to leave," her sister explained. "She refuses to tell me the details, but she has some kind of secret."

"There's no secret!" Gwendolyn said. "It's just too much for me to take!"

"I don't know," Diane responded. "So, like... you are alright for two weeks, and then, during one night, you just decide to be broken? That doesn't add up."

"I've been faking the good mood recently," the woman objected unconvincingly.

Alexis shook her head. "You weren't. Everything was alright until this morning. Something had to happen. You cannot just decide to leave us! Remember everything we talked about. That even if Chance Arlington returned, we'll face him together. Running away is not an option!"

"You're wrong," Gwendolyn muttered. "It is the best solution."

"Do what you want, I'm staying," Diane stated. "I'm ready to kick that assassin dude's ass and I don't need anyone who'd slow me down. We aren't afraid of any challenge. Okay, you can leave if it makes you happy. But we're staying and we'll fight these Trimorts on our own."

"You're coming with me!" Gwendolyn exclaimed. "It's unsafe here for you! I am still your mother, so I can decide about important things. And I already made up my mind."

"But we're adults," Alexis objected. "We don't have to obey what you say."

Gwendolyn started to shake, not knowing what to do. She realized Alexis is right - the girls aren't children anymore. But Chance clearly said that he'll be after them. She just wanted to save their life. Chance was treacherous and there wasn't any guarantee that he'll really leave the girls alone if she leaves.

"Please, I beg you," she sobbed. "Leave this goddamn city and join me. I want you to be safe. You have no idea who are we dealing with! If you knew about the horrors I went through, you would gladly comply. Alexis... Diane... I love you too much to just leave you here."

"We love you, too," Diane replied. "But we didn't spend so much time and energy searching for you just to find a hysterical woman who turns tail at even the slightest threat. We need that warrior who fought Arlington twenty years ago despite the situation being grim!"

"I'm sorry, girls, but I'm afraid that person is gone."

"It's not!" Alexis shouted. "I saw that person in your eyes just a few hours ago. I don't know what caused that sudden mood swing, but you have to fight it. We are here to help you. Can you just abandon Reverend Warren? And Alyssa Lafayette? If you can, then I'm really disappointed in you."

Gwendolyn looked shocked by the girl's words. For a minute, she looked like comprehending what she heard. Then she sighed. "I'll think about it. You're not making things easier."

"We know. But we can't just let you give up."

<<>>

To relieve the tension in the family, Alexis arranged a date with Anna for the evening. They went to their favorite place for a date, a small tea room with intimate atmosphere called Daydream near the centre of Serenity Square. The local owner already knew them and offered them a drink on the house.

"Alexis and Anna," the owner, an older man with gray hair and a beard looking a bit like slimmer Santa Clause, said upon seeing them. "Long time no see!"

"There were some... problems," Alexis smiled and took her and Anna's favorite seat in the corner of the room. The spot was only slightly illuminated and only soft, dreamy music filled the air. The place was favorite among alternative students (someone would say hipsters) and the decorations consisiting of hardly understandable paintings and sculptures only supported this fact.

Alexis and Anna's relationship fully recovered after the mysterious invader tore it apart briefly. The girls didn't talk about the incident and their love was stronger than ever. It was their first time in Daydream after the incident; they spent a while just by sipping on their tea and looking into each other's eyes. Nobody judged them for their love; the tea room was a safe place for homosexual couples.

After a few confessions and gentle hand touches, Alexis went straight to the point. "I needed to talk to you about mom, Gwendolyn," she said. "This morning... she changed. She completely turned and wants to leave, ideally with us. I have no idea why."

Anna opened her eyes wide. "But... you are not going, right?"

"No, don't worry, my love," Alexis stroke her girlfriend's hand to calm her down. "Nothing can convince me to leave. But I'm worried about mom. That sudden mood swing."

"I don't want her to leave," Anna admitted. "She's like a mother to me, too."

"It's funny," Alexis smiled. "You and mom... you see Patricia Lightfoot in each other."

"Yeah. Maybe... I shouldn't be telling you that, but maybe you wanna run through her phone; maybe there are some notes or messages which can tell you more. It's locked, but the unlock pattern is simple: it's a letter L, starting in upper left corner and ending in lower right."

Alexis raised her eyebrows. "How do you know?"

"She unlocked her phone several times while speaking to me," Anna blushed. "I accidentaly noticed the unlock pattern. I didn't want to tell you, but now, it may be necessary. You know, Lex... I don't want her to leave. Try to convince her otherwise."

"Do or do not, there's no try," Alexis said. "And I will do. But there's a little problem in the way. It seems that Chance Arlington... returned."

"Returned?" Anna frowned. "As a ghost?"

"No, it's probable he faked his death and somehow survived. It's not in the news yet, but Alyssa found a body of a drug baron with a carved symbol on his forehead. Mom confirmed it used to be Chance's symbol, and also the murder was executed in Chance's style. She said there'll be probably something like battle of Trimorts - her, me and Diane, Chance and the man who invaded your head."

"Doesn't sound good," Anna muttered.

"Yeah. I'm afraid. But despite that, I want to fight, punish that man who did it to you. But I can't do it if mom just gives up. We'll need all the support we can get."

Anna grabbed her hand. "I think it's hard to believe me after what I did, but you'll always have a full support in me. I tripped once... well, that was ironic... but now, I'm ready to make up for it. I don't have any paranormal powers or stuff like that, but I'll do whatever it takes to help you."

"We agreed that we won't talk about it, didn't we?" Alexis said.

"Yeah, but... since then, I'm afraid that something like that will happen again. I don't want to betray you anymore. It would break me if I betrayed your trust again."

Alexis leaned towards her across the table. "It won't," she whispered as her mouth gently touched Anna's lips. The couple sitting by the neighbouring table, a metal musician and a girl in a fedora and cropped top, curiously watched the whole scene, but the girls didn't mind.

<<>>

Alexis came back around eight, which was the time Gwendolyn usually took a shower - she could be sometimes heard singing, but today was not the case. The girl took her chance and sneaked into her mother's room. A sting of guilt struck her as she grabbed her phone and used the unlock pattern Anna told her. It worked and Gwendolyn's system was all for Alexis to use.

The girl smiled when she saw Gwendolyn's wallpaper - a group photo of the woman, her daughters and Anna they took shortly after her arrival. They all looked happy - Alexis and Anna holding hands, Diane showing the metal sign of the horns, Gwendolyn between them looking much younger than she actually is, more like their peer than a woman older by a generation.

Gwendolyn's phone contained some basic apps and also several Match-3 type games. She didn't have time to browse them all, so she just opened the basic messaging app. And that was a successful shot. There were several messages from a hidden number.

It was exactly what Alexis needed. Chance directly threatened her and also included details that nobody except real Chance could know. The girl understood the scene from today's morning. Her mother's nemesis, just as Gwendolyn predicted, aimed at her most sensitive spots.

Alexis always tried to act cold-blooded, but after seeing a direct threat against her, she started to shiver. For a second, she wished to just obey her mother and travel to Philadelphia with her. But that would mean leaving Anna and other people she cares about.

The King returned.

She heard various rumors about the legendary killer, but there was one sheer majority agreed on: Chance Arlington died almost twenty years ago and nobody ever heard about him again. But now it seemed all these people were wrong.

Back then, Arlington was young, just like their mother. Now he has to be over forty - again, just like Gwendolyn. Did his powers wear out with time, or did he manage to stay in shape and maybe ever improve? Maybe he roamed the whole United States, hunting for more targets to keep his blade sharp. And now, he returned to his hometown to fulfill his vengeance.

She imagined Chance's face as he appeared in Cassandra's files - one half likeable and good-looking, the other half horribly disfigured. She could easily picture his current appearance. The disfigured half remaining unchanged, the healthy half furrowed with wrinkles and beaten by age, his hair and maybe also beard already grizzled, his body becoming wiry.

From her books, she knew that age doesn't come with weakness - it's the other way around. The old ones were the most feared opponents because throughout the years, they were able to gain experience and wisdom while improving their skills and abilities.

In other words: older Chance clearly doesn't equal less powerful Chance.

What would happen if they faced Kyle in his older years? When they fought, he was young and reckless and his arrogance and love to play games exposed his weaknesses. He would be definitely more powerful if they faced him as an adult. He would elaborate the plan a lot more and wouldn't allow anyone to access the rooftop and stop the summoning.

Something changed in the atmosphere. At first, Alexis couldn't tell what it is, but then she realized - the sound of the shower stopped. The girl panicked for a second, then quickly closed the app and locked the phone. She quickly left the room.

Alexis bursted into Diane's room. Before the brunette girl could complain about Alexis invading her privacy, Alexis started explaining. "Listen up. I got into mom's phone and found out what's wrong. She received some text messages from Arlington. And it's the real deal."

"Damn," Diane uttered. "Shit is getting serious."

"He sent direct threats," Alexis said. "And we are his primary targers. I don't wanna be a bad omen, but I think we can expect a visit soon."

"That'll make it a lot easier to fall asleep at night," Diane stated.

<<>>

Alyssa was going through a rough week. After Don Pedro, two more people have been killed and branded just like him. Both could be considered controversal and their death was appreciated by many people. It looked like the King of Gabriel's Gardens came back and continued his reign.

She had to try her best to keep the journalists away. She could only imagine the panic that would strike the city if the people found out Chance Arlington returned. He would be focefully ripped from the world of legends and inserted into the real world. And she already knew that a mass hysteria can greatly complicate the investigation which was already complicated enough.

A migraine was throbbing in her forehead as she filled in the necessary papers. She had to fill them carefully; she couldn't lie, but she also couldn't mention Chance Arlington in any way. It was like crossing a minefield. She finally wrote the last letter, left the police station and drove home.

"There are more dead guys than usual, right?" Melody asked.

"Yeah," Alyssa sighed as she undressed from her uniform. "It's all so weird. Melody... can you keep a secret? The public must never know what I'm gonna tell you."

"Sure thing. I can lock my mouth if necessary."

"Do you remember the King?"

"Of course I do. I was like eleven or twelve when the whole city was talking about him. But he's already dead, isn't he?"

"And that's it," Alyssa replied. "It looks like he came back."

Melody frowned. "Came back? Like a zombie?"

"No. It seems that he faked his death and now he returned to the city co continue his work. But we can't be sure it's not just some kind of impostor. I've personally caught two after Arlington died."

At that moment, someone knocked at their door. Alyssa put on a black tank top and came to open, with a hand on her gun in case that an enemy wants to visit her. Fortunately, and to her surprise, she saw Gwendolyn. "Alyssa," she said right away. "Maybe there's something you should know."

"Come in," the officer invited her.

Gwendolyn sat on Alyssa's couch, shaking and paranoically looking around.

"Who's this?" Melody asked. "It's impolite if you just invite old lovers into our house!"

"It's an old friend," Alyssa briefly explained her and Gwendolyn's history. When Melody acknowledged the facts, Alyssa turned to the newcomer. "So, what's up?"

The woman showed her the text messages. "It's him," she voiced. "No impostor. It's really him and now he's after me and my girls. What should I do? Should I take the girls and return to Philadelphia? Or should I stay and fight? But I don't feel like it! Lyss... I'm scared."

"I won't lie, we're facing a problem," Alyssa said. "He killed two more people, both had the same brand as Don Pedro. Three crosses. I think the number of murders will grow... and Chance will probably go after you. To put it simply, Chance will probably continue where he left off."

"What do you think, Alyssa?"

The officer put her hand on Gwendolyn's shoulder; fortunately, Melody was perceptive enough to not make any jealous scenes. "I can hardly understand what are you going through," she said. "If I were you, I would probably leave. I'll do as much as I can to capture the murderer, and I'll keep in touch with you. I'll also try to convince the girls."

"Thank you, Alyssa. But... wouldn't it be too cowardly to just leave?"

"I don't think so. Too many things happened and if you faced Chance in your current condition, you would definitely lose. Go and live to see the tomorrow. For the safety of you and your girls."

"You're probably right. I just feel bad for the girls."

"I'm sure they'll understand."

<<>>

Gwendolyn stayed for a little longer for a casual talk. She was able to calm down, even though Alyssa still noticed her shaking hands and clearly visible stress in her face.

Since Gwendolyn never met Melody, the two women got to know each other better and became friends, even though Melody's impertinent, wild nature was sometimes too much for Gwendolyn's more temperate personality. The trio even had some laugh and Gwendolyn was leaving with much better mood.

Gwendolyn approached her car parked near Alyssa's living.

Her improved mood was gone within miliseconds.

Next to her car stood a shadowy figure. The woman wanted to believe it's just her imagination, but the man in a long coat and a hood covering his face moved towards her. Then he spoke with breathy, rasping voice which has been haunting her nightmares for so many years.

"You bought a new car, Fortuna," Chance said. "I remember it from our very first clash, where I finally discovered who you are. Do you remember? I had a chance to kill you back then. God only knows why did I pass this opportunity. Maybe because the youth we shared. If I only knew how many problems would it save me..."

Gwendolyn wasn't even able to move. The terror paralyzed her as the infernal Trimort stood just a few centimeters away from her. She started to recognize his facial features - left eye was dar and intelligent, right eye stopped seeing a long time ago and turned white.

"Out of words?" he smirked. "During the time we were separated, did you think about me? About my goodbye words? I hope you realize what did you do. I leave this city alone for several years and look at that! It's once again full of crime and violence. Is that what you wanted?"

"How... how did you survive?" Gwendolyn was finally able to speak, but her words were quiet and squeaky.

"Hardly," Chance laughed. "I had to stay away from this city for so long. I wanted to meet you again at least once, to talk to you once again, to let you know you didn't win." His voice was like a whisper of Death itself due to his lungs destroyed by smoke during the same night he got the scars on his face. "And now... when I found out that our prodigal daughter has returned, I couldn't resist coming back, too."

"How did you find out that I returned?"

"I have my ways," Chance smiled, then removed his hood. Gwendolyn gasped at the sight of how much he changed. The healthy part of his face already had wrinkles and its lower part was covered by a stubble which grew even on the charred part of his face to some degree. His hair, which used to be neck-long, were now short with several patches of gray hair.

There was almost nothing that resembled Chance Arlington she used to know. Yet there was no doubt it's really him. There was also his signature mark on his hardened, calloused hand - three crosses, but this time, without a number indicating his kill count.

The initial shock finally ceased. "So, what are you gonna do?" Gwendolyn barked. "Kill me?"

"That would be too easy, Fortuna," Chance said. "If I just attacked you right now, you would fight, right? And I already know that a direct clash with you is... troublesome. It took me a while to recover. So we can just continue the little psychological game we had, right?"

Gwendolyn's insignia started to glow. "You aren't touching my daughters."

"So I guessed right. I already know who they are... sweet Alexis and Diane. They inherited powers even though they didn't die three times. It's impressive, but their powers can't match ours, right? They're just learning to tap their powers. I have to admit they already faced many challenges... but will they stand the test if faced with a legend? The people tried to forget me, but it seems they were unsuccessful."

"You won, Chance. I was preparing to leave, and I will leave. Just leave the girls alone. I know that despite all your flaws, you can keep a promise. So let's make an agreement."

"I changed my mind, Fortuna. I remembered the thrill when I played with you and I want to feel it again. So we should finish our game without any of us withdrawing, don't you think?"

The woman shouted a battle cry and tried to grab Chance, but the man jumped backwards, turned tail and started to run. Gwendolyn went after him and she would catch him if Chance didn't throw a smoke bomb which obscured Gwendolyn's vision and filled her lungs. Gwendolyn started to cough and when she regained her sight, Chance was gone.

<<>>

It was close to ten in the afternoon when Gwendolyn arrived home. Alexis rushed towards her and hugged her. "Mom!" she said. "Where were you? We were scared!

"Change of plans," Gwendolyn announced instead of replying. "We are staying here."

"Why the sudden change?" Diane wondered.

"I wasn't completely honest with you and now I regret it. Chance sent me text messages and now I met him. We didn't fight, but now I know for sure it's him. I also realized running away isn't an option. The messages were also the reason for my moment of weakness. Starting today, I will tell you everything regarding our case and I expect you to do the same."

Alexis, however, decided to keep the fact she has been searching through her phone secret. She nodded. "Good to see you in the right mind again, mom."

"You said you met him?" Diane said. "Tell us more."

"In the messages," Gwendolyn started to explain, "Chance threatened me that he'll be after you two if I don't leave immediately. That's why I wanted to leave and take you with me. But now, he told me that he changed his mind. He wants to fight. And a good fight is what he'll get!"

"Yeah!" Diane cheered. "That sounds like that heroine we kept hearing about!"

"However, we should stay alert," Gwendolyn continued as she removed her jacket and sat on the couch between her daughters. "We should ask Annie to fill this whole flat with alarms. Not that Chance isn't able to deal with alarms, but it may slow down his progress. He's a master of entering his victims' residences, so we have to set up some traps."

Alexis nodded. "Annie will help with this."

"Also, we mustn't leave the flat alone, at least at night. Chance can find advantage in separation, so we have to stay together as much as possible. I know it sounds annoying, but it's crucial, at least until we manage to fight Chance off. Good thing is we're relatively safe during daytime, especially when we stay in the places with lots of people. Chance is afraid to strike in public."

"As you said, it's annoying," Diane noted, "but it makes sense. I'd rather be a mommy's girl for a week than having my sexy throat slit by a demonic assassin."

"Chance has aged," Gwendolyn said. "Maybe I'm wrong, and this wrong assumption can cost me a lot, but I didn't see the ruthlessness he used to have. He looked... different. I can't exactly tell why, but he looked like someone pretending to be Chance. But that's not an option anymore since he knows too much. About things that were just between me and him."

"So you wanna say he's just worn out?" Diane said.

"Maybe. It's possible, even though the murders Alyssa investigated were professionally done, just as you can expect from the Chance I used to know. Maybe he was holding back when he met me. But I'm not afraid to say one thing: if we join forces, you and me, we can defeat him."

Diane smiled. "Hell yeah. I ain't afraid of him!"

"You should be. I underestimated him during our first match... and it wasn't a good idea. I thought he's just a filthy assassin who'll fail in the first direct confrontation. But he's much more than that. The master of mind games, but also a vicious animal who will ruthlessly fight for its survival."

"Sounds like a nice guy to hang out with," Diane noted.

"Maybe it's not so far from the truth. Despite all this, he still has something that can be called morals or conscience. He's a monster, but still a human at the same time. And that's the most scary part about him. His own sense of righteousness"

Alexis nodded. "I know. Killing only those who deserve it."

"And those who stay or stood in his way. I have to warn you, dealing with him won't be easy, especially when we consider the other Trimort who controlled Anna. We have no idea who he is or if he's Chance's ally. But I'm sure we can do it. We just have to prepare for the clash."

<<>>

The next day in the late afternoon, Anna finally nodded in satisfaction. They spent the whole day by installing barely visible devices looking like laser pointers in all possible corners of the flat. Gray Forrestal inherited his father's company which produced security systems and gladly helped the girls when they asked him. He recommended and sold them a security system for a friendly price.

It was up to Anna to put it into operation. And also up to Diane who had to install the devices exactly where Anna needed them - she ended up exhausted and her complaints were never-ending.

"It's about your own safety, Diane," Gwendolyn said.

"But Anna is like a slaver! 'Two milimeters to the right, not there, you're stupid, it's facing the wrong corner'... Jesus, Alexis, how can you date this girl without going crazy?"

Anna laughed. "Sorry, Diane, but when I start doing something, I can sometimes get carried away. But it's done now. Your home should be secure."

"Care to explain how does it work?" Alexis said.

The impaired girl took a deep breath. "Well, the devices Diane helped me to install emmit invisible laser beams which will set off the alarm once they're interrupted anyhow. Simple, yet efficient. You will also need this," she handed them three devices resembling a remote car key. "This button enables the alarm and also disables it. There is a fingerprint scanner which doesn't allow anyone but you to mess with the alarm."

Gwendolyn frowned. "Are you sure this is enough to stop Chance?"

"Not unless he's able to become immaterial," Anna replied. "I arranged the beams so they mostly cover crucial points like doors, windows and spaces between two rooms. You can take a look." She handed Alexis a special pair of glasses which made the laser beams visible.

The girl put on the glasses and enabled the alarm. She saw a dense network of otherwise invisible beams; several went across the room, but, as Anna stated, most of them protected the flat's weak spots. It was impossible to break in through a window or walk through any door without setting off the alarm.

"What happens if someone walks through these beams?" Diane wondered after she also tried the special glasses. "Or you know what? Imma test it myself!"

"Jesus, Diane, no," Anna sighed.

Diane tried to look confused. "So, Jesus or me? Sheesh, make your mind."

Anna ignored her joke attempt. "It turns on all the lights in the flat and gets really noisy. It's enough to wake you up and shock the intruder for a while. Also, the small red button on the remote will call the cops if needed. Alyssa would already know what's up."

Alexis kissed her girlfriend on her forehead. "Thank you, Annie. I'll sleep a lot better, knowing that a complete chaos would wake me up if someone attempted to break in."

"And if you'll ever feel afraid, you can always come to me and snuggle a little," Anna smirked.

Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows and looked at Diane. "Do they do things like this often?"

Diane rolled her eyes. "All the time. You'll get used to it after a while."

The woman folded her hands and nodded. "Thanks to you, Pat... sorry, Anna, we took away Chance's most powerful weapon - the element of surprise. I'm not saying he didn't manage to overcome alarms in the past, but right now, it's the best we can do."

"A tiny question," Diane said. "Let's say that Arlington breaks into our flat and all the fuss from the alarm will wake us. What will we do then?"

Gwendolyn smiled. "Isn't that clear? We'll fight. When it comes to direct combat, I'm way better than him. And it will be three against one - I'm sure we'd be able to fight him off and get rid of him for good."

"Sounds like a plan," Alexis smirked.

Diane sighed. "I think that I'll forget to turn off that ridiculous thing at least once while going for a midnight snack, wake y'all up and cause a panic. I apologize for this in advance."

<<>>

Three days after Anna installed the alarm, the public found out about Chance's return.

All because his sixth victim who was found dead by his son. The boy in his late teen years found his father in their mansion's garden with a massive stab wound in his throat and three crosses engraved on his forehead. The late man told his son lots of things about Chance Arlington as scary bedtime stories.

Because of that, instead of calling the police, the boy just ran on the street, already half insane, and started to scream: "CHANCE ARLINGTON IS BACK! THE KING RETURNED! HE KILLED MY FATHER!"

Initially, his breakdown didn't have much effect since most people still believed the King is merely an urban legend. But there were also people who remembered the King's reign very well and after they connected the boy's claims with the rising number of murders in the city, they started to be suspicious.

After another murder, they started to attack the police, forcing them to tell the truth. The crowd of those who believed in Chance's retrun was rising and Alyssa had no choice but to confirm it.

Gabriel's Gardens became divided. The people who believed in the King's nonexistence were either severly shook or tried to find other explanations - they once again tried to blame crime syndicates or blamed an impostor. Some people were happy their fallen hero is alive and will continue his work. And some of them were afraid.

The local news, both on TV and on the internet, were filled with articles about the King, theories about his survival, lists of his possible targets. It was like the entire city started to shake in terror while remembering Chance's reign twenty years ago.

"Cassandra would be thrilled to hear that," Alexis said. "She died in belief Chance was dead."

"Oh yeah, Cassandra," Diane sighed. "I'm certain she would be able to help us, with all her experience and knowledge about Arlington."

"Maybe that's why she died."

"So you think someone just wanted to remove her from the way?"

"It's a possibility. But remember, Cassandra was killed by the thugs hired by that mysterious Trimort who controlled Annie. It would mean they formed some kind of alliance."

"You're still thinking about her death, right?"

Alexis nodded. "If I reacted a little bit quicker, I'd be able to put up a forcefield and save her. And the more I think about it, the more I realize Cassandra's death wasn't a coincidence. Someone had to tell her we're leaving. Someone who wanted her to be at the airport when it happened. Someone who wanted her dead. Maybe it sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it makes sense, don't you think?"

"First of all, stop blaming yourself," Diane replied. "These goons came just out of the blue and nobody saw it coming. And second... you're probably right. Someone probably thought Cassandra has been too benefical for us lately and wanted to eliminate her for good. The same person who forced Anna to betray us and tried to separate us from our mother."

"So you're saying someone wants us to be completely helpless."

"That's exactly what I think."

"Sis... I still think there's something suspicious about Chance's comeback," Alexis muttered. "I know, he knows too much to be a mere impostor, enough to scare mom to death, but there can still be explanations... maybe he was Chance's friend or ally. It looks like that guy has a hit list of people who are helpful to us. Our allies. And when we're on our own, he'll strike."

"And by faking Chance's return, he wants to eliminate our mom by playing her most sensitive strings," Diane finished. "Bringing her past traumas and threatening her with our safety."

"But besides mom, there are our other allies," Alexis elaborated the theory. "The villain in the background and the fake Chance will focus on them for sure. First, there's Alyssa. We can expect her to get in trouble sooner or later, but we need to warn them as soon as possible."

"Don't forget Reverend Warren," Diane said. "He doesn't possess too much threat, but his death would seriously shake our morale, don't you think?"

"Gray Forrestal also helped us many times," Alexis expanded the list. "And what about Lenny Sorenson?"

Diane nodded. "Good guesses. Damn, you have no idea how many friends you have until someone wants to kill them one by one."

Alexis kept thinking, then gasped. "Jesus, Diane... we forgot about our most important ally. Who is also the most vulnerable. We are safe and secure, but Annie is defenseless!" She looked at the clock; it was close to nine in the afternoon. "There is still time."

<<>>

Anna was genuinely surprised when she saw the entire Warren-Pearl family at her doorstep. "Uhm... hi?" she said. "Did something happen?"

"Not yet," Alexis said. "But we think you're in danger."

"Me? Why?"

"It's not about us, Annie," her girlfriend continued. "I mean me and Diane. "The man we're facing wants to eliminate all our allies and leave us defenseless - for some reason, he probably wants us alive. He already managed to lure out and kill Cassandra, then tried to eliminate you during that... incident. And now... I think he knows you enabled the alarms, that we think we're all safe and sound... we are, but we're also not his primary targets. He'll be after you."

Anna invited them in; she was watching a movie with Augustus. "I'm confused," she said. "Who's the bad guy you're talking about? The man who got inside my head, or Chance Arlington?"

"We're now pretty much sure they cooperate," Gwendolyn said.

"That's probably... no good news, right?"

"Not at all."

Diane smirked. "I guess that missions to rescue Annie is becoming our tradition, right? Remember that drone controlled by Kyle? We also managed to save Annie just in time."

"Yeah," Anna laughed. "Good old times."

"If someone wants to eliminate Annie, they'll come tonight," Gwendolyn said. "They presume we'll be off-guard because of the alarm. But they didn't reckon one thing - the smartness and logical thinking of my daughter. And that was a grave mistake."

"I guess you can stay for tonight," Augustus said. "I wanna see the surprise in that dude's face when he sees five people instead of just one sleeping girl." He went into his room and returned with something that made everyone gasp - a handgun. Upon seeing their shocked faces, he shrugged. "I decided to get a gun licence after all the shit we've been through. I love this sweetie more than myself."

"Mom?" Diane said.

"No, you can't have a gun," Gwendolyn replied right away.

"Your body is a weapon on its own," Anna smirked. "If someone needs a firearm for defense, it's me. Gus, can I have a gun, too?"

"Over my dead body," Gus uttered.

"That's a Catch 22 since it would be much easier if I had a gun," Anna stated.

"Come on," Alexis said. "We're trying to keep a serious atmosphere. Maybe a killer who's ready to kill us all will appear in a few hours and you're just fooling around? That's irresponsible."

Anna shrugged. "We still have those few hours."

They proceeded to finish the movie Gus and Anna were watching and then played one more; however, none of them could fully focus on the plot since they were all crippled by an unpleasant suspense. Every tiny sound startled them, every unexpected sound belonged to a killer.

After midnight, they decided to turn off the TV and wait in the dark; seeing they're still awake could easily discourage the assassin who prefers sleeping, defenseless targets.

Anna's hand scrabbled around, looking for her girlfriend. She finally reached Alexis' hand and clenched it tightly. Alexis complied. Diane, Gwendolyn and Augustus just stood close to each other.

The suspense was almost unbearable.

Then finally, after one in the morning, they heard strange sounds coming from the kitchen. Someone was using some kind of device to open the window and sneak inside the flat. The intruder also had to have something to reach ninth floor above the ground.

It was clearly a work of a professional killer.

<<>>

"Annie, hold back," Alexis whispered. "No offense, but you really are the most defenseless of us all. Maybe you should really consider getting a gun."

Anna just nodded and stayed behind the group.

Augustus cocked his gun. The insignias of Alexis, Diane and Gwendolyn started to glow. Everyone was ready for a fight, ready save themselves and especially Anna, their friend, sister and girlfriend.

The intruder left the kitchen and was only a few meters away from the group. The figure in a long coat and a hood aimed towards Anna's room, unaware of the threat he's facing since the group was covered in complete darkness. He was too self-confident, dismissing the fact someone could go wrong.

That doesn't seem like Chance, Gwendolyn thought. She knew that her past nemesis always carefully examined his surroundings and enviroment, careful to not fall into a trap. Even though his performance at the parking lot was convincing, the woman was still less and less sure it's really Chance.

She decided to attack.

Gwendolyn rushed towards the intruder, with her insignia glowing. She didn't use its power for so long and the feeling of force flowing through her veins like a red, burning river was refreshing. The intruder turned to her, but it was too late. Gwendolyn's fist connected with his face and sent the killer towards the wall.

The intruder gasped and tried to regain his stability. Anna turned on the lights and revealed the invader. It was Chance, real or not, from the parking lot. Anna gasped at the sight of his horribly disfigured face. A thin stream of blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth as the man stood up and cursed.

"That's where you end," Gwendolyn announced. Augustus clenched his gun using both hands, aiming at Chance's head. "I've got some questions to ask."

Chance didn't reply. Instead, he rapidly evaluated the biggest threat and hurled a smal throwing knife, which appeared seemingly from nowhere, at it. Augustus gasped as he saw the knife getting closer and closer to his face; he didn't even attempt to shoot since the panic prevented him.

Then, an explosion of soft blue light appeared in front of his eyes. He started to consider the possibility the knife sent him straight to the Heaven's gate, but then he realized it's one of Alexis' forcefields which stopped the knife. The girl looked at him, smiling. "I've got your back, man."

Gus once again pointed his gun, but Chance was gone. Diane already followed him into Augustus' bedroom. They could only hear Diane's shout: "No escaping, sucker!" followed by sounds of fighting.

The others rushed after them, only to find Diane engaged in a brawl with Chance. The girl rained punches at the man, but Chance skillfully evaded them. It was the killer who used a dirty trick first - he swiftly kicked Diane's kneecap and as the girl doubled over, he punched her in the face. Diane gasped and stumbled backwards, falling at Augustus' bed.

Something shined in Chance's hand. A knife.

"Not my daughter, you dick!" Gwendolyn exclaimed and ran towards Chance. She grabbed the killer's collar and lifted him up, then hurled him against Augustus' bookshelf. The piece of furniture collapsed and Patricia Lightfoot's books fell on Chance's head, as if the author wanted to punish him for the attempt to assassinate her daughter from beyond the grave.

However, before Chance got hurled, he managed to stab his knife into Gwendolyn's shoulder area. The woman exclaimed in pain and clenched the wound, but the blood was already soaking into her light blue T-shirt. Augustus aimed at Chance and finally fired; he wanted to hit the chest, but since he wasn't used to shooting yet, the bullet penetrated the same place as Chance's knife did with Gwendolyn.

The man clenched his teeth in pain, but didn't scream or give away his pain in any other way; his self-control seemed to be perfect. He got on his feet and ran towards the window, but Diane blocked his way again and knocked him down with a poweful punch.

Gus pointed his gun at the killer's forehead. "Don't move."

<<>>

Chance was surrounded. The biggest threat was, without a doubt, Gus' gun pointed at his head. However, Diane's angry look and clenched fists were also a force to be reckoned with. Gwendolyn also seemed to be ready to fight, even though her face went pale as her blood kept dripping from the stab wound.

"You're out of shape, Chance," she spoke.

"So are you," the killer sneered. "If it was only you and me, Fortuna, the fight would be short. You used to play fair... and now? Four against one?"

"You would also bring a whole team if you weren't pathetic and lonely," Diane noted.

"I always work on my own," Chance said. "Everything I do is my own decision and I don't have to consider anyone but myself."

"We already know you're lying!" Alexis lashed out. "You are cooperating with someone. Another Trimort who wanted to take Annie away from us. Who's responsible for Cassandra's head. Speak up! Who is it?"

"As I said, I don't work on anyone."

Chance didn't seem to care about his gun wound or the big bruise on the healthy half of his face. Gwendolyn didn't remember him like that. Even though Chance was ruthless, he was quite sensitive to pain and he even took opiates to escape it. Did he harden, or is it a different man kneeling on the floor?

This Chance looked calm and collected, emotionless. If real Chance was defeated like this, he would probably let the fear take control, making him act like a cornered animal. It's possible he learned to control his emotions throughout the years, but was he really capable of completely change hs nature?

The man in front of her looked like a soldier, not like an assassin.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Chance looked at her. "I thought you'd remember, Fortuna."

"If you want to imitate Chance, at least do it right!" Gwendolyn shouted. "You are not the man I fought twenty years ago. He was a worthy opponent. You're only a fraud. Maybe you're really Chance Arlington, but in that case, you became someone else."

Chance smirked. "On the other hand, you didn't change at all. Your righteousness is still laughable and your unconditional love for your daughter has become your new biggest weakness. Maybe you don't know it, Fortuna, but you're infested with weaknesses. Your love, arrogance, righteousness, morals. I don't know any of these things which would hinder my progress."

"And that's where you're wrong, you fraud," Gwendolyn replied. "Real Chance knew morals and righteousness... in his own way. He wasn't insensitive. Pretending you're cold-blooded and emotionless only deepens my belief you're a fraud. Chance regretted some of his kills... and I didn't believe him when I should've done that. You are right. I was arrogant."

"That's wrong. I've never regretted any of my kills."

"If you are real Chance," Gwendolyn said, "tell me one thing. One of the last sentences you told me during our final clash. It involved angels. What was it?"

Chance seemed to think about that. "You can't expect me to remember every single sentence I told you."

"If you're the real deal," Gwendolyn said, "you remembered it just as I kept it in mind after our clash. It haunted me through all these years."

The killer smiled. Then, everything went chaotic. A cloud of acrid smoke filled the room, blinding the group. Augustus fired his gun, but the bullet ended in the floor. When the smoke settled a bit, Chance was gone. There were only a few drops of his blood on the floor alongside the bullet.

"Damn... he escaped!" Diane said. "How did he do that?!"

"He had something hidden in his breast pocket," Alexis replied. "It was probably some kind of smoke bomb. If I only saw it earlier... he wouldn't escape."

Gwendolyn put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, Alexis. This meeting was important. It gave me several answers."

"The sentence you were talking about," Diane said. "The one he had to guess. What was it?"

The woman lowered her eyes. "He told me... There's no angel in you in the end."

<<>>

"Will he try to attack us... me again?" Anna asked. Augustus was trying to air out the smoke Chance unleashed, but he was mostly unsuccessful. Alexis already called an ambulance for her mother and her stab wound which didn't stop bleeding.

"Probably not right now," Alexis replied. "First, he has to recover from the injury Gus caused him. And second, he will probably choose another target now. But who? Reverend Warren? Alyssa?"

The doctors arrived and stitched Gwendolyn's wound. After they asked what happened, the woman decided to tell the truth - they fought the King and somehow defeated him.

"You are lucky," the doctor said. "Not many people survived the attack of that maniac."

"We know, right," Diane uttered.

When they managed to remove the consequences of Chance's rampage (fortunately, none of Gus' books were damaged), the sun was already rising. Gwendolyn was nervously scratching the stitches on her shoulder even though the doctor explicitly prohibited her.

"Does it hurt?" Alexis asked her.

"Yeah," her mother admitted. "But Trimorts have accelerated healing, so I should be alright in a few hours. It's nothing serious."

"Do the... demon Trimorts also heal faster?" Diane wondered.

"Yes, Infernals possess this trait, too."

"So Chance will most probably heal quickly, too."

Gwendolyn smiled. "That's another way how to expose him. I'll observe his wound during our next fight, and judging from his condition, I'll be able to tell if he's the real Trimort."

"Our next fight," Alexis said. "I don't like how does it sound."

"There must be at least one more fight," Gwendolyn stated. "It's up to us to make it the last one."

"If I meet that guy ever again," Gus grumbled, "I'll gun him down right away. I don't care that you need answers, I don't want him to threaten my sister ever again."

"You have my full permission," Gwendolyn answered.

"I wanna make one thing clear," Diane said. "While you talked, I got kinda lost. Is it Chance, or it isn't? Or give me a percentual probability of that guy being an impostor."

"Eighty," the woman said without hesitation.

"So much?" Alexis frowned.

"You didn't know him, Alexis. That guy we captured... he just felt differently. Real Chance wasn't that arrogant and boastful. He had his own creed and honor. That man seemed like normal contract killer, not different from the rest. Chance was exceptional. Besides, he didn't know the sentence."

"There's no angel in you in the end..." Alexis repeated. "Was it really that important?"

Gwendolyn nodded. "It was the sentence which made me snap. The breaking point. I'm sure real Chance would remember it, especially about that hint about angels."

"What does it mean, by the way?" Anna said.

The woman paused for a while and the girls thought she won't reply. But then she spoke. "At the end of our final fight, I had the upper hand. I was right about to finish him off, but he kept talking to me. And now... now I realize he was probably right. He addressed my arrogance, that I only saw things black and white. I thought I'd be a hero if I defeat him, but in fact, I just pursued my own personal vengeance for all the things he did to me - because I interfered with his business. I did it to myself. If I just let him work, we would both live in peace and it didn't have to end like that."

"I'm sure you did the right thing," Alexis tried to comfort her.

"Well... I'm not sure. I think I would act completely different if I could turn back time."

<<>>

Three days after Chance's attack, everything seemed peaceful and its survivors slowly started to hope the killer gave up since there were no new victims with three crosses on their foreheads.

However, on the fourth day, Gwendolyn received a text message from Alyssa. The officer needed to meet her as soon as possible. The woman didn't hesitate.

She knocked on her friend's door and anxiously waited until Alyssa opened. The text message was sent at half to three in the afternoon. Gwendolyn arrived twenty minutes later. Her daughters wanted to come along, but for some reason, Alyssa requested her alone.

"Gwen...?" the officer, wearing casual clothes and no make-up, said after she opened.

"Here I am," Gwendolyn said. "What do you need?"

Alyssa frowned in confusion. "I don't need anything..."

Gwendolyn showed her the message. "Here! Sent from your number! Gwen, please come ASAP. It's urgent. Alone. Alyssa."

"I... I didn't write this," the policewoman said. "My phone... where's my phone?"

Both women entered Alyssa's flat and its owner entered her room. The cellphone wasn't there. "Melody," she uttered. "She's taking a nap in her room. Could she...?"

They rushed into Melody's room. Alyssa threw the door open and gasped in shock. Melody, dressed in panties and gray tank top, laid on the bed, panted in pain and clenched her head in her hands. She was mortally pale and the small dustbin near the bed emmited the smell of bile as Alyssa's lover threw the content of her stomach inside it. Alyssa's cellphone laid on the carpet.

"Melody!" Alyssa bursted out and grabbed her wife into her arms. "What's wrong?"

"My head..." Melody voiced. Her usually shiny plainum blonde hair now resembled a tuft of white hay and caused the woman to look old. Her green eyes also lost their tomboy charm.

Gwendolyn turned to her. "Melody," she urged. "Did you write a message to me on Alyssa's phone?"

"I did... in a dream," Melody replied. "When I woke up... I realized it was real... and my head. I puked. I feel so sick... Alyssa, stay with me."

As Alyssa consoled Melody, Gwendolyn checked the phone. The Outbox folder really contained the message. The woman tried to comprehend what happened. It seemed like something forced Melody to write the text message in her sleep and that something caused her a horrible migraine.

She remembered Alexis telling her about her brief breakup with Anna. With tears in her eyes, she described that Anna willingly betrayed her while suffering from severe headaches.

It couldn't be a mere coincidence. The thing that possessed Anna now took control of Melody, taking advantage of the thin border between sleeping and being awake that appeared during the afternoon nap. Someone who wanted her to leave as soon as possible.

And leave the girls home alone.

"Alyssa!" Gwendolyn shouted. "The girls are in danger! Someone wanted to lure me out and leave them home alone. And since it's only afternoon, they didn't turn on the alarm. Damn it! If something happened to the girls, it's only my fault... I should've called you to check if you really wanted me to come..."

"Don't blame yourself, Gwen. I'd also come to you immediately."

"Take care of Melody. I'll call them and rush home. Maybe it's not too late."

Gwendolyn reached for her phone, but before she could dial Alexis' number, someone called her. A hidden number. Her hands shaked as she reluctantly accepted the call and turned on the speakers. The women heard the mortal whisper of Chance Arlington.

"You paid for your kindness once again, Fortuna," he said. "Before you ask, your daughters are alive. For now. But they can barely stay awake and I can slit their throat at any given moment. Now it's up to you, Fortuna. You have the power to fight your lesbian police friend and kill her. If you don't... the girls will be the ones to die. So, what's stronger? Family, or friendship?"

<<>>

The subjugation of Alexis and Diane was easier than the killer expected. He simply used a taser after he sneaked out through the window with the help of his wall-climbing tools; he had to be more careful this time since he used them during daylight.

First, he tased that brunette one, the one with her mother's strength. The electric projectile connected with the piece of bare waist under the bottom hem of her T-shirt. Only a quiet crack sounded through the room and the girl collapsed to the ground. Then he found a suitable vein on her body and injected her a serum which won't kill her, but will render her useless for the next several hours.

Then he proceeded to find her sister, the blonde one. A pleasant smell lingering in the flat told him the girl is probably in the kitchen, cooking. Since he already knew something about the flat's layout, he got there without dragging unnecessary attention.

His guess was right - the girl was there, with a frypan in her hand. While aiming at her left forearm, he noticed a slight smile on her face indicating she's finding pleasure in her activity. She sensed the threat and turned around just as the killer pulled the trigger. Her eyes widened in terror and immediately faded again, after she fell unconscious.

The frypan landed on the ground with a loud bang, scattering the pieces of chicken all around the floor. He walked towards her and also injected her the serum. Then he tasted a piece of food which remained in the frypan. It wasn't done yet, but it was deliciously spiced and juicy.

He dragged both senseless bodies into their living room - a piece of cake since both girls were slim and he was already used to dragging much heavier individuals - and seated them on the couch. He didn't even bothered with binding them since the serum prevented them from moving at all.

He took a look at them. They were clearly children of her mother - it was like someone separated Gwendolyn's "good half" and "bad half" and made them into two individual people. While he was observing the blonde girl's soft, innocent face and her sister's showing midriff, he felt a surge of basic instincts, but he managed to control them. Like he always did.

He was a professional. Violating anyone during the mission was unacceptable unless the mission specifically asked for it. He smirked. Now it's time to play with their mother a bit.

He waited until the girls wake up. they did after roughly fifteen minutes. The taser shock was already exhausting enough, but the serum took away all their willpower. He knew exactly what do they feel right now. In the first place, it's an unbearable headache. They can barely see and their limbs feel like useless pieces of plastic. But they can think and hear enough.

He wanted them to hear what's his plan.

The blonde one opened her eyes, now completely confused and lifeless. The killer observed her for a while. Her attempts to move, to comprehend what's happening. A while later, her sister also started to wake up. Her lips were moving, clearly trying to say something, but her mouth didn't cooperate.

The killer sat on an armchair close to the girls. He observed their struggle for a little longer, then grabbed his phone and dialled Gwendolyn's number.

"I hope your mother is available," he remarked towards the girls. "For your own good."

He smirked at two pairs of hateful eyes staring at him. Then, Gwendolyn picked up the phone. Before she could say anything, he started: "You paid for your kindness again, Fortuna." He continued his speech while looking at the girls whose eyes started to fill with terror.

"So, what's stronger? Family, or friendship?" he finished with a smirk on his face and ended the call. "And now we wait," he said to the girls. "Do you think your mother will have enough guts to do it? That she'll be as merciless with her police friend as she was with me?"

The girls didn't reply, obviously.

The killer stood up and aimed towards the kitchen. "That food you were cooking tasted delicious," he said towards Alexis. "I was thinking about finishing it and eating some. On the other hand, why not? I got hungry and something nice would come in handy. Be good here, girls!"

<<>>

At first, Alexis couldn't recognize if the strange state she's in is merely a dream, or if she finds herself in cruel reality. Agonizing pain behind her eyes suggested the latter. Without a chance to move or speak, she had to watch Chance Arlington blackmailing her mother.

What will she do? Kill Alyssa? Try to rescue them? Chance would probably kill them at the first sign of Gwendolyn's presence which would render the rescue mission useless.

After a while, she became able to move, but she could only do minor movements - there was no hope of escaping, the less fighting back. Diane next to her struggled, but the substance inside them was too strong. She also started to feel slight stinging in her forearm where the needle went.

Diane tried to speak, muttering something like "Dissisodishi."

Alexis replied, but her tongue felt so heavy and swollen. "What?"

Her sister articulated a bit better. "This is some deep shit."

Alexis tried to pronounce Certainly, but it was so difficult that in the end, she simply said "Yes."

"I wanna kick his ass," Diane said. The substance probably had weaker effect on her since her body was more healthy, in better physical condition. "I swear if Alyssa dies..."

Her sister took several deep breaths, trying to shake off at least the worst fatigue. "Look... I can try something," she said after she regained control over her tongue. "Absorb your weakness to me... through the ins... ini... ing... through my mark."

"Don't," Diane replied. "It may kill you."

"No worries. I'll be fine."

Diane tried to move on her own, but she was unsuccessful. Even if she managed to leave the couch by some miracle, she would have no chance of fighting the killer in their house. "No use," she said. "My head's spinning and I can't feel my legs... or anything, by the matter."

Alexis concentrated her willpower and moved her hand slightly, touching Diane's. Then she closed her eyes and tried to awaken the powers of her insignia, also dulled due to the sedatives. After a while, it started to flicker a bit, connecting the twins' energies.

"Don't!" Diane uttered.

"Surprise him," Alexis said. "He won't be exp... xe... exe... he'll be shocked."

The girl opened a conduit between her and Diane's lifeforce. She started to take away the weakness in her sister's body, absorbing it into herself. The pain and the fatigue grew stronger while Diane started to feel better and better. Diane then yanked her hand away from Alexis' reach.

"Idiot!" she hissed. "You'll kill yourself!"

"Please, let me finish this," Alexis said after several tries to articulate the sentence.

"No! I can't!"

"I can handle it. Give me your hand."

Diane hesitated, but then she heard Arlington speaking to her mother. She realized what's at a stake. She reluctantly grabbed Alexis' hand. "Okay. But don't overdo it."

Alexis smirked and started to cure Diane again. She managed to stop just as she fell unconscious, before the negative energy she absorbed could endanger her life. Her body turned into a pale pile of exhaustion. Diane gave her a concerned look; Alexis' breathing was shallow, she almost looked like dead.

On the other hand, it worked. Diane jumped off the coach, drawing even more power from her insignia. She was ready to take on Chance and save everyone - her mother, her sister, Alyssa.

She walked towards the voice, seeing Chance talking to the phone. "The clock's ticking," he said with his ghastly voice. "It's two for the price of one. You're powerful enough to kill that policewoman. Or did your killer instincts dull while we were separated?"

Chance's sinister smirk made Diane even angrier. Overflowing with power, she bursted into the room, shouting: "Mom, there's no need to kill anyone! I got this!"

Before she finished, she took a swing at Chance, her fist crushing into the killer's jaw. She heard a loud crack as something in Chance's lower jaw broke. He hit the floor, his phone landing several meters away from him. Diane smiled truimphantly. "I expected you to be tougher, bub."

<<>>

Chance spat out some blood and got on his feet. Diane took the fighting stance, ready to challenge him. "How did you...?" Chance rasped.

"Sisterly love," Diane smirked and attacked unexpectedly. Chance blocked the punch and counterattacked. With her reflexes revving into overdrive, she easily evaded and shot up her knee, hitting his forearm and capturing the opportunity to dive her fist into Chance's chest.

"You're fake," Diane said spitefully. "The guy mom was speaking about would be a tougher opponent. Come on! Are ya really gonna lose to a young girl?"

Chance attacked her again, this time with bigger force. Diane had trouble dodging and blocking his attacks, some of them even hitting the spot. She gasped as Chance's fist hit her near the eye, blurring her vision for a moment. She regained it just in time to see the incoming threat - Chance pulled out a knife out of his pocket and used it to attack the girl.

Diane ducked just as the knife sliced the air where her head was just a milisecond ago. She tried to Grab Chance's wrist, but the man evaded and conuterattacked. The girl blocked him, but Chance's knife was quick enough to cause a long, painful cut in Diane's forearm.

The girl cried in pain as several frops of her blood sprinkled the carpet below her. When the initial shock ceased, she smirked. "Mom was right, you are a wretch. Bringing a knife into a fist fight with a young girl...? Come on, man! Don't you have some honor in you?"

"All I have is a desire to kill you," Chance uttered.

"Okay. Try it."

Chance attacked, but Diane was prepared this time. Right before the impact, she stepped slightly aside and used Chance's motive energy to strenghten the impact of her fist on his stomach. Chance doubled over in pain, the knife clinked on the floor.

Diane used her knee once again to hit his chin. Chance spat out two teeth and another one followed after a crushing hook punch.

"Pro tip," Diane smiled. "Next time someone tells you 'you fight like a girl', thank them."

Chance tried to stand up and continue fighting; his persistence surprised her. She drew power from her insignia for the last time and focused it into her leg, stopming on Chance's wrist with her bare foot. She heard the delicate wrist bones cracking, almost drowned out by Chance's scream.

"You're done for," the girl uttered and rushed towards her sister. She had to see if Alexis is alright, check her vital signs, call for help. She didn't care about the fact she should have probably knocked Chance unconscious. Now it was too late for that.

The killer used his uninjured hand to pull out a throwing knife, carefully aiming at the area where the wound would be fatal. He threw it with only a slight movement of his hand and watched it spinning, flying towards the girl who had no idea about the imminent danger.

The knife was almost there. He already imagined Gwendolyn's daughter gasping in pain, stumbling and collapsing to the ground.

But right before the knife hit the spot, it stopped mid-air and fell on the floor. The girl, noticing the noise, turned around to see a knife laying only a few centimeters away from her heels.

The killer initially didn't understand what's going on until he saw a sphere of soft blue light which negated the knife's impact. He looked up and saw the slim, powerful figure of Gwendolyn Pearl towering above him with a resentful look in her eyes.

"That was a dirty trick, wasn't it?" she noted.

"Mom!" Diane cheered. "Just in time!"

"I see you did a good job, Dee," the woman commented.

"It's all thanks to Alexis," Diane admitted. "I wouldn't be able to fight without her."

Gwendolyn took a closer look at the killer. "How could I think you were the real Chance?" she spat out and grabbed the edge of his burn scar.

<<>>

Much to Diane's revulsion, her mother's fingers sunk underneath Chance's damaged skin. Then she started to peel it off. For a second, Diane expected seeing a disgusting chunk of flesh, but instead, there was a perfectly smooth, undamaged skin under the scar.

"What the...?" Diane frowned.

"Latex," Gwendolyn explained and threw the fake scar away. "Your blind eye is a contact lens and the three crosses are just a tattoo. Am I right?"

The unknown man kept silent.

"You are a killer," Gwendolyn continued, "but definitely not Chance Arlington. Now tell me. Who are you and why did you go after us? Or better... who ordered you to go after us, pretend to be Chance Arlington and setting up this nasty thearte?"

The man just smiled.

Diane grabbed his collar and raised him up. "ANSWER!" she shouted at him. "Or wasn't your ass kicked enough already? Look, man, I'm starting to be pissed and so is my mum."

"He said I have to keep the girls alive, but I don't care anymore," the man opened his cloak to reveal something similar to a TV remote with several flashing lights. Diane at her mother examined it for a moment, then Gwendolyn's eyes widened in terror.

"An explosive!" she exclaimed.

"Exactly. People like me must always have a way out," the killer grinned.

What could they do? The explosion will be probably strong enough to obliterate Gwendolyn, her daughters and maybe even Anna downstairs. She had no time to think. She just grabbed the man's collar, just like her daughter did, and threw the man across the room through the window.

The glass shattered and the man started to descend. However, he didn't hit the ground since when he was roughly halfway down, the bomb on his body exploded. Fortunately, Gwendolyn managed to throw him powerfully enough to distance him from the building as much as possible.

The explosion's shockwave shattered several windows in the lower floors and scared many people to death, but it didn't harm anyone. Gwendolyn exhaled in relief and collapsed on the armchair.

"I could just make a forcefield around him, but this was faster and more reliable," she noted.

"And also more fun, I guess," Diane gave a tired smile.

Gwendolyn put on a more serious expression. "It just happened too soon. That hired someone is dead without giving any answers. What was the purpose of it all? Why did someone have to pretend to be Chance Arlington and kill Alyssa and Anna and presumably also me? Why was he ordered to keep you alive? It doesn't make sense. Our only chance is to find the one who hired him."

"I'm a bit disappointed it wasn't him," Diane said. "I'd be able to say I kicked the King's ass."

"Maybe it wasn't Chance, but it was a highly trained professional trained in infiltration techniques, stealth and direct combat. You can still be proud of yourself, just as I am proud of you."

"Come on, mom," Diane blushed. "That reminds me..."

She rushed into the room where Alexis was still sleeping. Gwendolyn quickly checked her condition. "She's alive, but only so-so," she said and put her hand on her daughter's forehead. The blue part of the hourglass insignia started to glow. "I'll give her some power."

"Careful, don't overdo it," Diane said. "What would I do with two passed-outs?"

"Don't worry, I know my limits," the woman replied. "I've helped my animals many times using my own power. That's one of the reasons I became one of the most valued caretakers - everyone thinks I'm miraculous... and they're not so far away from the truth, right?"

"Don't the human and animal energies... collide?"

"Not at all. There's always the same energy present in us, whether it's a human or an animal."

"So it's something like the Force?"

"Yes, like the Force."

<<>>

Even though she received a dose of her mother's strength, Alexis woke up the next day late in the morning. She opened her eyes to see Anna holding a vigil over her. "Finally," she smiled. "They said it's foolish that I wanted to stay here with you until you wake up, but I wanted you to see something you love after you open your eyes. That's nice of me, right?"

"Something I love...?" Alexis muttered. "You have a hot tea here?"

"Rude!" Anna laughed and kissed Alexis on the forehead. "Just don't rush, sweetie. It'll take some time until you completely recover."

"I've passed out from exhaustion so many times I'm getting used to it," Alexis noted. "Damn, my head hurts. Could you bring me something to drink?"

Anna left to make some tea. Alexis reached for her glasses and put them on, but her vision barley improved; she was barely able to keep herself awake. When Anna came back with the tea, Alexis was sleeping again, but this time, it was not an evil, fever sleep, but a refreshing one.

She woke up again in the early afternoon, finally fit enough to walk. She put on some clothes and half-stumbled into the living room.

"Hi," she smiled. "So... can someone tell me what happened while I was away? I don't like missing all the fun. I'm not used to it."

Gwendolyn and Diane described the final fight with fake Chance.

"Not real... I knew it," Alexis said. "Everything turned out to be true. The fake Chance cooperated with the second Trimort, the one who possessed Annie. His goal is to keep me and Diane alive, but eliminate everyone else helpful to us - so far, he was only successful with Cassandra."

"I have to admit, his plan was elaborate," Gwendolyn said. "Bringing back Chance Arlington, my biggest fear and insecurity... he even went so far he ordered the assassin to kill several people to make it look like Chance is really back.

First, he aimed for - no offense - the weakest spot, Anna. Her death would break us all, which would make us more vulnerable for things yet to come. Fortunately, we were able to foil his plan. Next victim should have been Alyssa - he tried to force me into killing her by threatening your lives."

"Would you do it?" Diane asked.

"Did what?"

"Kill Alyssa to save us."

"She actually offered to sacrifice herself," Gwendolyn sighed. "She would let me. But instead, we started to make a plan how to save you. But it wasn't necessary since you found a way how to save yourselves," she smiled. "As soon as I heard Diane's voice, I rushed home as fast as possible. Just in time."

"So it seems we all passed another test," Anna said. "But the final exam is still ahead of us. We have to find out who's that sucker in the background and eliminate him. And I have no idea how to do it. And if it wasn't bad enough, there are more and more cases of young women disappearing in the city."

"I don't believe in coincidences," Alexis said.

"Neither do I," Gwendolyn nodded.

"So, let's summarize what do we already know," Diane said. "First, that guy is probably a Trimort with all these powers and mumbo jumbo. One of his abilities is to invade people's heads where he either talks to them, controls them or deadass kills them. Probably rich enough to hire an assassin and tip him enough to play this sick theatre to us. And he probably kidnaps young women for some reason."

"Also," Alexis said, "he had to know a lot about Chance Arlington so he could prepare the script for the assassin. Another point: he wants me and Diane alive for some reason, but tries to kill anyone close to us - mom, Anna, Alyssa, Cassandra, maybe even Gray Forrestal if you count in the explosive on the airport. He wants to face us alone, exterminate all support we can get."

"It seems that the guy's got a plan. No, it's a scheme," Gwendolyn said. "And I'm ready to foil it."

"You can always count of us," Diane said.

"And on me!" Anna added.

"Sooner or later," Gwendolyn predicted, "he'll make a mistake. And we will take advantage of it. I just hope it'll be soon enough before he manages to destroy us all."