The Sisters: The Curse of Gabriel's Gardens

Rebirth

The disappearance of young women in Gabriel's Gardens became a number one topic in all the media in the city. There were also a few articles about Mayor Whateley's sudden illness. The man didn't appear in public for nearly two weeks and the people started to seriously discuss his condition.

There were only a few people who knew about his true identity.

At first, they had trouble believing Mayor Whateley could be behind all the misery plaguing them in the past weeks. As both Alexis and Gwendolyn confirmed, Whateley appeared as a courteous man and he was also adored by the citizens - it was one of the few actually trustworthy politicians and seemed to actually care about the people, even about the "lowlifes" in the slum districts.

It seemed that Whateley had two faces. And Alexis was the first one to be able to talk about both of them. She was able to describe the demonic being she encountered. A being which tried to destroy her friend Pia and then Alexis herself.

A war council was happening in the Warren flat in the usual composition - Alexis, Diane, Anna, Gwendolyn, Augustus and Alyssa. The officer was now also familiar with Whateley's true intentions and was equally shocked. She also met the Mayor several times and, like nobody else, would never guess there may be an evil being hidden behind the well-groomed look and thoughtful words.

"So my guess was right, Whateley is a Trimort," Gwendolyn said. "We already know two of his powers. First, he can drain power from his victims and..."

Alexis interrupted her. "But you and me also have the power-stealing ability. Yet we aren't able to turn our victims into ancient, fragile versions of themselves. How so?"

"We can only absorb their energy," Gwendolyn explained. "Just siphon it away and make them tired or even pass out. We are Celestial Trimorts, that means we mainly use our powers to defend and protect ourselves and those we care about. Whateley is an Infernal. He attacks the person's very lifeforce. If you steal the person's energy, they just recover after some sleep. However, attacking lifeforce can be fatal."

"So it's like you and Lex attack the stamina while Whateley takes out the health bar," Diane said.

Gwendolyn nodded. "A perfect explanation."

"But that also means he's much more dangerous," Anna said.

"He does have a weakness, though," Alexis replied. "Once he begins the absorbtion, it has no effect until he finishes it. Both me and Pia have been in the progress of absorbtion. It was, however, interrupted and the stolen youth returned to us. It's not over until it's over, got it?"

Diane nodded. "We can use it to our advantage. That guy ain't stealing my youth no matter what."

"He also uses his mind to attack," Alexis continued. "The same trick he used on Annie - complete brain jam and terrible migraine. If we encounter him directly, I'll try to use my forcefields to deflect these attacks. But be careful. I'm not omnipotent and Whateley is treacherous."

"Wow, this looks like a briefing before encountering a final boss in a game," Diane noted.

"One more thing," Alexis said. "It's his biggest weakness, but also his biggest mystery. It's his age. When I interrupted the absorbtion of Pia, he became old. Ancient. He simply started to look his age. His powers and reflexes dulled, but he was still really powerful. He probably uses his power to maintain youth, but it seems he's hitting his limits. That all the girls he absorbs aren't enough anymore."

"So he will just keep absorbing more and more?" Alyssa asked.

Alexis shook her head. "I'm almost sure he's onto something bigger. When he used his psychic attack on me... I don't know if it wasn't only my imagination, but I think I heard something like Not when I'm so close. As Annie told us, he transfers a bit of his mind into his victim when he attacks. That means I probably heard him."

"Close. But close to what?" Diane said.

Anna turned to Gwendolyn. "I know you probably don't know much about Infernal Trimorts, but do you think there's some way he can regain his youth permanently, not only temportarily by stealing it from a girl? Something like a permanent facelift."

The woman shook her head. "As you said, I don't know much about Infernals. Their ways are often nasty, creepy and unnatural. Even Blanca, the Celestiale who became my guide, hesitated to talk about them."

"What kind of powers did Chance Arlington have?" Diane asked.

It took a while before Gwendolyn remembered. "First, he could turn invisible."

"I guess he visited so many female dressing rooms," Diane smirked. "Or male, if he was gay."

Gwendolyn reacted with a brief smile. "Second, he was immune to falling damage. During our first encounter, I sent him out of the Arlington Tower's window. He survived. Third, he didn't need to breathe, which made him perfect underwater or in some contaminated areas. But, however, for some reason, Chance had a fourth gift. Some kind of demonic sight which allowed him to see through solid objects."

"And you have only three? Unfair," Anna noted.

"I think that the powers of each Trimort are somehow personalized, to match their style and personality as much as possible. Chance was a silent killer who preferred to take out his targets unnoticed, yet personally. And that also mirrored in his powers. However, Whateley is different. He seems to be a master of manipulation whose ways aren't as clean as Chance's."

Diane frowned. "Wait. Chance's ways were 'clean'?"

"Let me explain. When Chance wanted to kill you, he sneaked into your residence, waited for you and usually slit your throat from behind. You didn't even see it coming. Whateley, however, is different. He can enter your head and either weaken you enough to kill you directly, or use his mind games to force you into suicide. And that's a dirty, awful way to kill."

Diane remembered the thug on the airport who just suddenly died, killed by the burst of Whateley's mind power. "You're right. He's way more creepy."

<<>>

Wilbur Whateley's mansion stood on the very edge of the Centre, on a cliff which offered a view on the peaceful sea surrounding the city.

If you took Whateley as a kind man of good manners, his mansion looked beautiful to you. But if you were familiar with his true nature, the mansion looked like something out of a horror movie.

The building was composed to look like an old victorian mansion made of heavy, dark-gray bricks. It was three floors high, decorated by numerous pillars, sgrafitto decorations and even several gargoyles on the roof. There was also a small tower in the front left corner of the building. As the Mayor showed in his TV interviews several times, it contained his excessive library.

Whateley also had a garden with neatly trimmed grass and two small fountains gushing streams of water into the afternoon sun. Near the mansion's wall, there were also beautiful red rose beds. The whole estate was enclosed by a massive iron fence with a monumental gate in the middle. On each of its wings, a decorative lion's head roared silently at the visitors and one W on each side, together forming the initials WW, proudly announced who lives in this magnificent residence.

"You have to admit, that man's got some style," Diane noted.

"And he's really into old stuff," Alexis said.

The girls and their mother were standing in front of the mansion, evaluating their chances to infiltrate it. It was no use. The fence couldn't be broken by anything weaker than a tank and, even though the whole residence was built to resemble a neogothical palace, there were also several clearly visible security cameras guarding the estate. They were also sure the mansion is also secured by numerous alarms.

Their nemesis was inside. Alexis was wondering if he's at full power, piecing together his mysterious plan, or just focusing on staying alive in his ancient form. Even though she saw him only briefly when she drained his energy, it was still a horrible sight. The dark gray, ruptured skin didn't resemble human at all.

What the hell are you, Whateley?

They came to a conclusion that they'll have to enter his mansion to find out more about him. They expected to find the kidnapped girls there, maybe in equally miserable condition as young Samantha Dayre.

"I think the only way in is through Alyssa," Alexis stated. "If the police had something against him, they would be able to enter. Whateley would most probably quickly shake the suspicion out of himself, but it would give us some time to search through this building."

"But who would believe the gentle, courteous Mayor Whateley is a criminal?" Diane objected.

"We need someone to confirm it," Gwendolyn said. "And besides us, there's only one person who can confirm Whateley is worse than he seems. Well, there's also Pia, but I think the most convincing testimony can be given by a person he hurt the most."

Alexis frowned. "Samantha Dayre?"

Gwendolyn nodded. "I know. She's somewhere in the Everglow hospital, locked away from the rest of the world. But I think Alyssa could still negotigate a short visit."

"It's our best chance," Diane agreed.

"I'll contact her right away," Gwendolyn said. "We have no time to lose. We don't know what's his plan, but I'd like to foil it before it happens."

"I don't know either," Alexis said, "but I assume his plan involves him restoring to his full power. And that would be the end. We already saw how powerful he is in this old, exhausted vessel. If he manages to rejuvenate himself somehow, imagine his capabilities. We would stand no chance against him as he would probably use his mind tricks to get us to the breaking point and then kill us."

"Good. I like to be motivated," Diane grumbled.

The mansion's massive wooden door seemed to invite them, mock them. Just like the person behind them.

<<>>

Alyssa worked quickly. As a police chief, she got a permission to visit Samantha Dayre in the most secure ward of the Everglow hospital usually used by celebrities who tried to hide their health problems. It was a hard negotiation and the woman even had to bribe several places, but in the end, she got the permission for herself, Gwendolyn and her daughters.

"That was a long run," Alyssa said after she met the Warren family in front of the hospital. "That poor girl is guarded like she was an object of interest in Area 51."

"No wonder," Alexis said. "She turned from a teenage girl into an old woman in a matter of hours. Of course the people can't know about it. Do you know how much panic would it cause?"

They entered the hospital and were immediately approached by a strange man in sunglasses and all black clothing. His sharp face showed no trace of emotion, he resembled a robot a bit. Without saying a single word, he gestured them to follow him and guided them to the hospital depths.

They passed several door For authorized personnel only. They had to verify themselves to the man's "friends" who were just as disturbing as he was. They were probably agents of some secret agency, maybe even sent by the government to keep Samantha Dayre's secret.

The private ward looked less welcoming than the "official" parts of the hospital, but it could be also because the secrecy of the whole place. They encountered several doctors and nurses, but as soon as the visitors started to look at them, the agent roughly lowered their heads, making them stare at the sterile white floor.

They finally approached the desired room. There were two more agents guarding it. Before they entered, they had to go through a thorough pat-down and had to hand in any electric devices except a small voice recorder Alyssa brought and which was verified in advance.

"You can come in," their guide agent grumbled and it was the very first time he spoke. "But you have been warned. If anything you'll see in this room gets public, you will face consequences."

They entered the room and immediately got struck by the place's uneasy atmosphere. The complete silence was interrupted only by quiet beeping of ECG. A doctor and two nurses stood by the hospital bed which seemed too big for its only inhabitan.

"Oh God," Alexis voiced when she saw the patient.

Samantha Dayre looked at them with tired, bleary eyes. The Afroamerican girl looked completely like a scrawny, wrinkly old woman with paperthin skin and white hair, but there was still something young about her, which made her look even more creepy; it was like she went from eighteen to eighty within several minutes, which is basically what happened.

Alyssa approached the bed. "Samantha," she said with a soothing voice. "I know you're tired and need to rest, but I need to ask you several questions." Alexis noticed the policewoman turned on the voice recorder before she started speaking.

"Okay, go on," Samantha spoke. Her voice was still young, but breathy and rasping, like a child with a serious throat illness. Alexis shivered.

"Actually, we need to know only one thing," Alyssa said. "Who disfigured you like this?"

She used the vague word "disfigure" so she could present the recording in public. Smart move.

Samantha coughed; it sounded like a cough of an avid smoker with serious lung cancer. "I'm afraid," she said. "He's a monster."

"Come on, girl, there's a whole squadron of FBI agents guarding you. There's nothing to worry about."

"Just a name," Alyssa told her. "No details for now."

Everyone saw the fear in Samantha's eyes. Even though they were old, there was still a spark of youth in them. Will her youth return once they defeat Whateley? Or will his current victims stay old and his defeat will only serve to prevent more incidents?

If she says the name, they'll have an evidence, a reason to enter Whateley's mansion. The Mayor will keep denying, that's for sure. But in the meantime, they'll have a while to examine his mansion a little - if Alyssa will be cunning enough to sneak them in.

Another wave of cough shook Samantha's body.

"Come on. One name," Alyssa urged.

Finally, Samantha spoke. "Mayor... Whateley," she said. "He just..."

"No details for now," the policewoman said with a relief in her voice. "We will ask the Mayor by ourselves. You gave us all we need. Thank you for your cooperation."

Samantha just nodded and fell asleep within seconds.

<<>>

"Great, we have what we need," Alyssa said after they left the hospital with their electronics and privacy returned. "It should be easy to visit Whateley now."

Alexis looked paler than usual and didn't speak since they left the heavily guarded hospital room.

"What's the matter?" Gwendolyn asked her.

"It's just... seeing Samantha like that really unsettled me," she replied. "First Pia, then me... Both his attempts to drain us were stopped with a huge portion of luck. If they weren't, we'd end up exactly like her. Do you think it also affects the victim's lifespan? Like... is she going to die of old age in a few months or years, or will she live for sixty more years in this devastated vessel?"

"I'd guess the first," Gwendolyn said. "He probably uses the victim's lifeforce to prolong his own life. That means we have to act quick since his victims may start to die soon."

Diane rolled her eyes. "That's great, just great. I always work better under the immense pressure of the responsibility for human lives. I meant it sarcastically, if you don't realize."

"I guess we still have some time," Alyssa guessed. "Maybe Whateley made their bodies old, but their minds are still young. As long as they keep hoping and clinging to life, they are less likely to die."

"Or it's possible they give up completely and just pray for something to end their suffering," Alexis replied. She wasn't sure which group would she join if Whateley succeeded in stealing her youth. She would probably put her faith in her friends, hoping they'll be able to save her somehow.

But what if she was just a mundane girl who has absolutely no idea what happened to her?

Alexis saw intense fear in Samantha's bleary eyes. It was the most primal fear common to all humans - the fear of the unknown. Alexis saw several Samantha's photos from before the incident. She seemed like the kind of careless, teenage girl who doesn't even think about distant things like the paranormal or death.

Whateley's assault was a true shock therapy.

The women returned back home, full of indifferent emotions about what they saw. Seeing Whateley's work personally made them more aware of the threat they're facing. Alexis just sat by her computer and started to aimlessly roam the interned, trying to find anything helpful.

Searching the term Wilbur Whateley usually pointed to the mayor of Gabriel's Gardens due to the localization of the search engine she used, but there were also several seemingly less important links. Alexis, however, found them more than interesting.

One of the links redirected her to a webpage about classical literature. There she found that the Wilbur Whateley they know isn't the first one to exist.

The original Wilbur Whateley was a character from a story called The Dunwich Horror by Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Alexis didn't hesitate, found the story on the internet and spent the whole evening reading it. When she finished, she surprisingly found herself shivering. It took a lot to unsettle her, especially when it came to books, but Lovecraft's story was successful.

In the story, Wilbur Whateley was a son of the ominous Whateley family who got involved with a demonic deity called Yog-Sothoth. Lovecraft's Whateley was basically a bizarre monster and Alexis realized it can't be a mere coincidence. Maybe Mayor Whateley lies even about his name.

She remembered Whateley saying: I've been around longer than you think.

What if he meant it more literally than Alexis thought? 116 years is an advanced age for sure, but what if Whateley has been around longer?

Maybe it's a mere coincidence. Maybe his parents just loved macabre horror stories and took a chance to name their son after one of the characters (Alexis already met a boy named Bruce Wayne). But that was another problem - any information about Whateley's parents were nowhere to be found.

Alexis repeated a question she's been secretly asking Whateley for some time now: "Who the hell are you?"

<<>>

It took Alyssa two days before she set things into motion. She also had to work silently - there were always tons of journalists eager to bring the latest news about celebrity scandals. But in the end, she and her team of the most trusted officers got the permission to interrogate Whateley.

They had several pieces of evidence available. The recording of Samantha Dayre was the most important. Then, there was a document given by Samantha's doctors. Of course they couldn't specify what happened. Instead, they stated Samantha is in the state of complete physical and psychical exhaustion caused by strong, unspecified physical and emotional trauma. Mayor Wilbur Whateley has been marked as the source of the trauma by the patient.

Alexis and Diane stood in the small crowd of police officers in front of Whateley's mansion. Alyssa contacted the man using the intercom. "Yes?" Whateley's deep, soft voice came from the microphone.

"This is the police," Alyssa stated. "We need to ask you a few questions. Please, let us in."

"Oh, dear. I hope I didn't do anything wrong," Whateley said, but opened the door anyway. The gate's wings separated by sliding sideways and the officers stepped inside. Alexis and Diane followed them. "What if he sees us?" Alexis said to Alyssa.

The policewoman shrugged. "So what? There's the police in his house. He can't afford any dirty tricks, at least now. He won't like your presence in his mansion, but you are under our protection. We will also try to buy you as much time as possible. Find something that can convict him."

"Will do," Diane said.

For a while, Alexis had to forget about their task and admire the undeniable beauty of Whateley's garden and mansion. It was like a journey several hundred years back in time. This impression was ruined when the heavy main door made of dark ebony opened automatically and invited them in.

"Woah," Alexis voiced as she stepped inside.

Whateley's mansion was even more beautiful inside. Even though Whateley was probably a horrible monster on the inside, he had some fine taste for sure. The entryway was almost as big as the girls' entire flat, decorated by a small fountain in the centre and ivory pillars supporting the ceiling, covered in masterpiece artworks similar to those in the Sistine Chapel. Many paintings were also hanging on the walls. Alexis was sure that one of them would be enough to pay her complete university tuition.

"Now go," Alyssa told the girls. "Don't disappoint us."

Alexis and Diane nodded, then disappeared into one of the hallways.

Once they were gone, Mayor Whateley started to gracefully descend the stairs in the back part of the room. "Miss Lafayette," he said, approached the woman and gently kissed her hand. Alyssa had to fight the urge to just yank the hand away. Alexis told her the man's touch can be lethal. "I wonder what brings you here."

The other officers observed Whateley closely, ready to interfere at any slight inconvenience.

"Are you familiar with the name Samantha Dayre?" Alyssa asked.

Whateley frowned. "I'm afraid I have to disappoint you, Miss Lafayette. Maybe I met someone of that name before, but I cannot recall where. I'm deeply sorry."

"Well, the girl of that name accused you of an attack which left her badly disfigured," Alyssa said. "It can be proven you were near her when the attack happened, so you have no alibi."

Whateley smirked. "Miss Lafayette, I have to deal with such accusations several times per year. Some people are just clumsy, yet cunning. They blame their injuries on someone who possesses great riches, hoping they can receive some damages. As you see, I am a nice man. If they just asked me to pay their treatment, I probably would. But cheating and false accusations are something I dislike."

"So you are telling me the girl was lying?"

"Try to prove she did not."

<<>>

"This is gonna take forever," Diane complained. "This mansion is huge and, as Alyssa said, we have limited time. I think we overestimated our skills."

"Sssh," Alexis said. "I know what I'm doing... I hope."

The girls were running through hallways as beautiful as the main hall - ivory pillars supporting the ceiling several meters above them, paintings from various eras and styles between them. Sometimes, they also encountered a statue, usually young, buxom naked women typical for ancient Greek and Roman art, but there were also several male sculptures.

"Look at it, it's so tiny," Diane laughed and pointed at one of them.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "We're not here to judge ancient Greek weenies."

"It's always a good time to judge ancient Greek weenies. But okay, nevermind. You said you know what are you doing. Mind to give me a little insight?"

"Imagine the outside of that building. If you were a megalomaniac villain trying to hide something really important, where would you hide it?"

"In a secret chamber accessible by touching a tiny Greek weenie?"

"Jesus Christ, Diane."

"I know, I know. Let me guess... the tower?"

Alexis nodded. "Exactly. The tower. I'm almost sure that if Whateley has some kind of secret chamber, it's under the tower. I can't be sure, but it's the best chance we have."

The girl remembered the tower's position and aimed towards it, even though it took a while before she got oriented in the labyrinth of hallways. They passed several heavy, ebony door, but none of them seemed to lead into the tower. She was sure there must be some bigger door leading to their destination.

Her guess was right.

After a while, they saw the door roughly twice as big as the others. Two majestic lions standing on their hind legs with crowns on their heads were skillfully carved into the wood, just like huge letters WW. Besides the most prominent carvings, there were also smaller motives - flowers, birds, snakes. And also ominous eyes scattered seemingly randomly across the door.

"These door are looking at me," Diane noted.

Alexis remembered Wateley's insignia - three eyes in a circular formation - and shivered. She was sure Whateley is really proud of this door's design which somehow presents all his personality trait.

WW - the initials of his name. Lions, the symbols of pride and nobility. She identified the flowers as daphnes - beautiful, yet poisonous. The birds can symbolize his gentle facade while snakes reveal his true nature. And the omnipresent, sinister eyes... his personal symbol.

"So, haven't you ever heard of opening the goddamn door?" Diane smirked.

"I think we should," Alexis said. The girls approached the door with respect in their hearts and gently pushed the wings. The door opened easily. No creaking, no resistance.

They entered a round hall with walls made of gray bricks to make the whole scene look medieval. More paintings were hanging from the wall - Whateley was probably very fond of art. There were two spiral staircases. One of them leading up, the another one down.

"Which one?" Diane asked.

"Down we go," Alexis replied. "The upper level will probably contain just something innocent. If I had something to hide, I'd go for the underground."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Diane grumbled. "That place creeps me out."

They started to descend the stairs. The staircase was illuminated by electronic lights made to resemble torches. But the most disturbing part were the paintings.

The pictures above depicted landscapes, people, animals, abstract motives. These paintings contained gruesome, horrific creatures, people dying of horrible deaths or mutilating themselves. Nightmare sceneries with screaming skies and infernal themes.

"So this is apparently his true taste," Alexis muttered, trying to not look at the disturbing art made by deranged minds. Even Diane looked unsettled.

After a few minutes, they finally found another door, this time made of shiny metal with a keycard terminal on them. They looked absolutely unbecoming in the ancient-themed settings.

"Let's see what's behind them," Alexis voiced.

<<>>

Alexis naively tried to open the door, but, as they expected, they were locked and the keycard was probably safe in Whateley's suit. "Dee? You'll have to smash them," the girl said.

Diane examined the door. "I'm afraid it won't be so easy," she said. "They are one of those metal heckers who can withstand a bomb explosions. There has to be something important behind them."

Alexis grabbed her sister's wrists and closed her eyes. "I'll give you some of my power," she said as she opened the conduit between her and Diane's energy and started to pour her power into the brunette. "Give it all you got. We only have one attempt."

"Sure," Diane said.

Alexis kept only enough power to herself so she could function normally. Her head swayed a little as she broke the connection between them. Her body now felt heavy, but Diane was overflowing with power. Her eyes showed pure focus as her insignia illuminated the staircase with optimistic red light.

"Here it comes," she said. "Diane smash."

Alexis stepped back.

They were both sure the following impact could be heard over the whole mansion. The mechanical sound of crushed metal sang a duet with Diane's shout of pain. The girl was breathing heavily, clenching her right hand with bleeding knuckles. "Shit," she muttered. "I guess my whole hand is broken."

However, the job was done. The door were heavily dented, the lock resembling a strongbox broke. The door could now be easily opened. The girls stepped inside, Diane still panting in pain.

"Oh... my... God," Alexis whispered. What she saw was more horrifying than all the paintings on the staircase. Because it was real.

The room wasn't big. It was brightly illuminated and painted in sterile white; it was like making a single step from the past to the future. It looked a bit like an operating theatre without any medical instruments. Instead, numerous strange-looking capsules were built into the walls, similar to cryogenic pods from sci-fi movies.

They weren't covered in any kind of glass, so it was possible to directly touch their content. In almost all of them lied a woman on a black cushioning. A metal straps went across their waist and ankles, preventing them from escaping. Their right arms were also strapped, with an IV needle buried into their vein.

The women seemed to be of various ages, but both girls knew all of them probably started as young girls. There were several victims that looked as ancient as Samantha Dayre, with a wrinkly, fragile skin and glazed eyes. Some of them looked like in their fifties, hinting that Whateley consumes their youth gradually. And then, there were some "unused" girls, young and pretty, mostly shouting at them. They were all dressed in simple white gowns resembling hospital attire.

Alexis approached the closest capsule. The woman inside was already old, with almost white skin and thin lips. She gazed at Alexis without any sign of interest or excitement. The girl heard whistling of her breath in her lungs. Her look was full of resignation and despair.

Every capsule contained a touchscreen monitoring their ECG. The victim's heartbeat was slower than it should be. Under the slow curve of ECG, more data were visible:

Caroline Snyder

Chronological age: 19 ● Biological age: 82 ● Remaining doses: 1

Before she could finish her examination, one of the younger girls shouted at her: "Hey, over here! I don't know who you are, but set us free, for God's sake!" It was a slim young adult girl with short, bright red hair and freckles scattered across her face. Alexis approached her and checked her data. Unlike Caroline, her heartbeat was racing in excitement.

Elena McKirby

Chronological age: 21 ● Biological age: 21 ● Remaining doses: 3

<<>>

"Thank God... you're here," Elena bursted out. "This whole thing is like a goddamn nightmare. I saw what he's doing to the others... my sister..." she started to cry. "Please, save us."

Alexis checked the capsule next to her. Marianna McKirby, chronological age 18, biological age 53. Two remaining doses. She indeed looked like Elena's older version.

"Listen up," Alexis shouted so all the victims could hear her. "We don't have much time, but we'll try to free you all. We already..."

One of the women in their final stage (Jennifer Green, chronological 20, biological 84) interrupted her with a weak, breathy voice. "Free those who can escape by themselves," she said. "Some of us are too weak to move. We would only hinder your progress and lower the chances. It's okay."

Alexis hesitantly nodded. She checked out Elena's console. There were three more buttons: Release, Anesthetize, Execute. She shivered at the sight of Execute button. How many times Whateley use it already? Instead, she touched the Release button - fortunately, no authorization was needed. The straps binding the girl unlocked. Elena yanked the IV needle off her vein, escaped the pod and stretched her stiff body.

"Now Marianna!" she said.

The girl released the second McKirby sister who stumbled forward at first, not used to her older body yet.

Alexis and Diane gradually released all the girls who seemed to be in a good condition for an escape. The old ones watched them either with complete apathy or slight, hopeful smiles on their wrinkly faces. When they finished, they led an army of dozen women determined to escape their nightmare. About ten more stayed in the pods. "Now we have to get out before Whateley spots us," Diane commanded.

The freed victims, led by the sisters, left the room and started to climb the staircase, too busy to notice the disturbing artworks on the walls. The young ones, driven by hope and adrenaline, had no trouble keeping up, but those who already served as Whateley's power source lagged behind.

In the end, however, they all successfully left through the door leading to the tower. Alexis navigated them through the hallways she memorized, hoping to find the main entrance soon.

"What if Whateley catches us...?" Elena McKirby wondered.

"There are too many of us," Diane replied. "He can't catch us all."

Finally, they arrived into the entryway. The main door were so close.

However, Mayor Whateley was already standing in the middle of it, with his arms folded behind his back and an ominous smile on his face. "Warren sisters," he said. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Run away, quickly," Alexis told Elena. "We'll slow him down."

Whateley's victims started to run towards the main door in a big crowd. Whateley just raised his hand and aimed it towards the women; Marianna McKirby screamed and collapsed to the ground, struck by the Trimort's psychical assault. Two more soon followed.

Alexis tried to form a forcefield in front of Whateley to weaken his attacks, but she was too exhausted from borrowing her power to Diane. Her field was weak and the Mayor could crush it easily. Before Elena and one other woman could open the main door, two more collapsed, struck by Whateley's powers.

On the other hand, Whateley started to age before their eyes. He started out as a handsome man, now he turned into an old man with bony limbs and crooked posture. He rushed towards the crowd of escaping women and grabbed one of them. It was Elena who was still holding the door.

Whateley's insignia started to shine and screaming Elena aged rapidly as Whateley started rejuvenating. Other victims ran away in panic, fearing Elena's fate. Alexis and Diane, screaming Elena's name, rushed towards them, but they couldn't make it in time. Ancient version of Elena fell on the floor. Wilbur Whateley stood tall, young and powerful again.

"Elena..." Alexis whispered.

<<>>

"Run away!" Elena rasped. "You can't help me anyway."

The sisters realized she's right. The door were still open and they rushed towards it. Alexis gathered all her remaining power to form a forcefield which protected them from Whateley's psychical assaults. Whateley managed to break it anyway and a surge of agonizing migraine struck Diane who stumbled forward. The girls, however, were already in Whateley's garden.

Problem number one: the gate was closed. The bunch of runaway women stood in front of it, desperately trying to take it down. The girls ran towards them, Whateley followed them using slow, deliberate steps. Without asking, Alexis grabbed the nearest young girl and drained her power, then immediately transferred it to Diane. "Smash the gate!" she shouted.

"Gladly!" Diane punched the middle of the gate. One of the wings bent enough to make a gap where the women could escape. Alexis carried the girl she drained and looked over her shoulder; Whateley approached them slowly, raising his hand for a final psychic attack.

Fortunately, everyone managed to escape through the gate before the attack landed.

"Don't stop!" Alexis shouted. "We have to get as far away as possible. We're not safe yet!"

They kept running, Alexis looking over her shoulder. For some reason, Whateley stopped in the gate and didn't pursue them anymore. He probably realized that all his power sources are running away and all he can do now is to siphon the remaining power from his already used victims. They forced him to save his power and pursuing the runaways would drain too much of it.

Alexis realized they probably sentenced several remaining victims to death and that thought jerked a tear from her eye. Which one will he pick? Caroline Snyder? Jennifer Green? These girls have families who still hope their daughter (sister, girlfriend) will come back. They will probably never learn the truth. And who knows how many girls did Whateley already drain completely and throw away?

Despite what happened, the result was probably the best possible. They stopped when Whateley's mansion could be only seen as a sinister black dot on the horizon. Several rescued girls collapsed, trying to catch their breath; the long run after long days of inactivity was too much for their stressed organisms.

"What should we do now?" Diane said, also exhausted, with her hands resting on her knees. "We can't call the doctors since they would lock them up somewhere again, just like they did with Samantha. And we need to ask them a few questions."

"Gray," Alexis muttered and dialled Grayson Forrestal's number on her phone. "Gray? It's me, Alexis," she bursted out when the young man picked up the phone. "Do you have something like... a private bus? You do? Great, it will be enough. We need it immediately. Yes? On the roadway leading to Wilbur Whateley's mansion. We'll explain later. Just send the vehicle, please."

About fifteen minutes later, a big black van with the Forrestal company logo imprinted on it stopped next to them. The driver was obviously shocked when he saw a huge group of women dressed in airy white gowns. He, however, didn't ask any questions and let them in.

After a dozen of women plus the sisters entered the van and the driver closed the door, the place became dark and crowded. But it felt like a paradise compared to Whateley's diabolical pods. In the darkness, only sobbing and ocassional whispering could be heard. The journey, fortunately, wasn't long and Gray's driver stopped near one of the office houses owned by the Forrestal company.

Gray was already there; he probably used one of his muscle cars to get there in time. "Wow... you have so much explaining to do," he said after he saw Whateley's victims. The women quickly moved into the building. "I gave all the employees who work here a day off, just to clear this building. These charming ladies can spend the night here if they wish... and if they don't mind sleeping between computers and printers."

Alexis hugged the young mogul who gasped in surprise. "Thanks, Gray. You're the best."

"I know, I know. It will cost me some profits, but who cares, right."

"One more favor, please," Alexis said. "Call Gwendolyn, Alyssa and Anna. We need them here."

<<>>

Gray also brought the victims some clothes he quickly bought in the nearest boutique. The women gladly gave up the sweaty, cold gowns and changed, not minding everyone could see them, except for one. Marianna McKirby sat behind one of the work desks in a clean, white office and wailed quietly.

Alexis put her hand on Marianna's shoulder. "We'll do as much as possible to save your sister and make her young again. And you too, of course."

"Elena..." Marianna whispered. "That monster..."

"Yes, he is a monster," Diane stated. "But too bad he encountered a pair of cool monster hunters."

The girls who weren't "used" yet started to celebrate. They just had to think about a cover-up story and return home. Those whose bodies aged, however, weren't as happy. They were free, but they will have to hide away from sight of the public. For the uninitiated, the shock would be too strong to take.

Finally, Gwendolyn, Alyssa and Anna arrived. Gray seated them in one of the offices and the sisters told them what happened.

"It's my fault," Alyssa sighed. "We tried to make the interrogation longer, but Whateley quickly crushed our evidence and forced us to leave. We had no choice. If we stayed for just a while longer, we would be able to help you... maybe save all the victims..."

"Don't blame yourself, Alyssa," Alexis said. "Without you, everything would be lost. Considering the circumstances, the things went pretty well."

"Well?!" Marianna screamed. "Elena stayed in that Hell hole and that monster drained her!"

"Some battles can't be fought without sacrifices," Gwendolyn tried to calm her down.

"I think we sacrificed more than enough," Marianna spat out. "My sister is lost. So many girls stayed there. Some of us lost thirty years of our lives. For you, they maybe meant nothing, but we knew them very well! We shared our stories. And our pain. You have no idea how horrible it was when he entered the room... we could only guess which one will he choose this time. A few of them..." she bursted into tears.

"It's not that they mean nothing to us!" Alexis argued. "There was only nothing we could do for them at the moment. If we took them with us, we would have no chance of escaping. Try to look at it factually. You know it's true. We did everything we could!"

"You just left them for dead!" Marianna screamed.

"Cut the crap, Marianna!" one of the "unused" girls shouted at her. "You know she's right. Be glad you are one of those who left that shithole! Elena is not lost yet. Not completely. If we help Alexis and Diane instead of accusing them, there's still a chance to save them."

Marianna calmed down a little. "Still... Elena..."

"Now we need all the help you can give us," Alexis said. "Describe everything. His visits, his behavior and especially how did he kidnap you."

All girls told their stories. Only two of them were kidnapped personally by Whateley; his thugs took care of the rest. Whateley used an elevator to travel from his room straight to the chamber; he left the elevator car always as a worn out old man, barely able to walk. Then he picked one of his victims randomly (if he had a system. they couldn't figure it out), drained a part of her power and then left as a completely changed, rejuvenated man, all without saying a single word.

The worst part of the tale came soon. When Whateley used one of his power sources for the last time, the unlucky woman "turned into a dust-dry, gray-skinned mummy", dying in the process. Whateley then activated some kind of trapdoor inside the pod, dumping the dead body somewhere unknown. Shortly, another young woman came to take up her place.

It was clear the whole thing was painful to describe and a lot of saved victims started crying. Three of them went through some kind of mental breakdown, refusing to cooperate any longer. The interrogation proved only one thing - Whateley is a merciless, inhuman savage, a sociopath with infernal powers.

"I'll stay with them for tonight," Gwendolyn said. "I have experience with taking care of damaged people. It's the best I can do for them."

Alexis nodded. "Good. They need it."

<<>>

After a night spent in the Forrestal office building, the rescued victims seemed to be in a better condition. Some of them, however, still struggled to accept their aged body. Two of them still exhibited serious psychical problems; one of them, a girl whose body has been used, tried to damage herself to get rid of the old body. Gwendolyn had to stop her and bind the girl to cause further self-harm. The second was "unused", but she saw enough to make her sink into deep depressions where she refused to talk to anyone.

The girls who remained young could return to their families after making up a believable story about a gang of pimps crushed by the police. Two of them showed great solidarity - they decided to stay and help their less fortunate friends. The others left in the early afternoon.

"Just... be careful," Alexis told them. "Whateley's ears and eyes are everywhere."

"He won't get us for the second time," one of the girls said. "Good luck hunting that sucker down."

In total, five girls left, two of them stayed, five were already used by Whateley. Gray decided to free the office building for as long as they'd need. Gwendolyn agreed to take care of them. Her gentle, patient nature became truly prominent as she started to nurse the traumatized victims. She even made the depressed one eat something, which seemed like an impossible task at first.

"Do you think that... their youth wil return once we defeat Whateley?" Alexis asked.

"I'm not sure," Gwendolyn replied. "I'm not able to fully grasp the powers of Infernal Trimorts. Maybe he just stole their lifeforce and then used it to prolong his life for several... days? Hours? In that case, the youth is gone and will not be returned. But it's also possible he also steals parts of their soul which reside somewhere inside him. If he does, these parts will, upon his defeat, probably return to their original bodies and rejuvenate them. We have to try."

"But that won't resurrect those who already died," Alexis muttered.

"It won't. But we have to focus on those who are still alive. Whateley's death toll is enormous already - think about all the people killed by the false Chance on Whateley's command. We'll honor the deceased the best if we stop Whateley and prevent more deaths."

"And now it's time to think about how," Diane said.

"There's no other way than breaking into his mansion and confronting him directly," the woman replied. "But you won't face him alone. I didn't return to Gabriel's Gardens to back off from a fight. I'm ready to pick a fight and three against one aren't odds he can handle."

"When are we gonna do it?"

"As soon as possible. We just have to discuss some kind of strategy so we just won't show up at the mansion with no idea what to do. But we can't prolong the waiting much longer. His resources are now limited, so he will try to find more young women to feast on."

"Maybe releasing his victims was a wrong move," Alexis sighed. "This way, we endangered a dozen of innocent girls all over the city. We don't know where will his thugs strike."

"All we can do is to ask Alyssa to check all vehicles aiming towards Whateley's mansion," Gwendolyn thought out loud. "Someone has to deliver the girls into his house, unless he has some secret underground network which I doubt. Undermining the cliff Whateley's mansion stands on could be dangerous."

Alexis nodded. "That's a good idea. We have to contact her right away."

"And to top it all," Diane said, "there's still that thing with his... final plan. That dude is in a horrible condition. A few attacks were enough to completely delepete him - he had to grab a girl to keep going. That can be our advantage. Just let him have some fun and then, when he turns into a geezer, we just quickly dispatch him. Easy as 1-2-3."

"That's probably the easiest way to do it," Gwendolyn nodded.

"What? You agree?" Diane frowned. "I'm not used to people agreeing with the crazy stuff I say."

"Whateley's limited power is our biggest advantage," the woman elaborate. "Your plan is basically right. If we can resist his attacks long enough and keep him away from anything he can drain youth of, we have a chance to finish him off for good."

"Why do I think it's easier said than done?" Alexis said.

<<>>

Alexis and Diane returned home with mixed feelings; Gwendolyn stayed in the office building to watch over the remaining Whateley's victims. She promised to contact Alyssa and give her instructions about securing Whateley's mansion.

Instead of going straight home, Alexis aimed towards the Lightfoot flat. She needed a while with her girlfriend to calm down. When she entered, she encountered Augustus. The man also looked worried; he probably knew about everything that happened in the Whateley's mansion.

"How does it look?" he asked.

"Honestly? I don't know," Alexis replied. "Some of the girls we rescued are going cazy. And we're not sure if defeating Whateley would return them their youth."

"I would also probably go crazy if someone just stole thirty years of my life," Gus said.

The girl sighed. "Kyle Fletcher was dangerous, but Whateley is a whole different league. Kyle was chaotic, a young boy with more power he could handle. Whateley... who knows when he was born. Maybe he's really one hundred and sixteen years old. Maybe he used his power to keep him alive even longer. And if he managed to survive for this long, he has to be extremely formidable enemy."

"Don't forget I tasted his power personally." Anna drove into the hallway and joined their conversation. "Alexis, please... be careful. I know what is he capable of, and it's honestly nothing pleasant. Just the way he screwed up my head... you know how did it go."

Alexis smirked. "Let's see if he's gonna be so powerful even during a direct fight."

"I know... but still..."

"It seems you two have a lot to talk about," Gus said casually. "Just go to Anna's room, I don't mind. I was planning to cook something anyway."

Girls appreciated Augustus' tact and followed his instructions. Alexis noticed several strange machine parts on Anna's desk; it seemed the girl is trying to experiment with something new. "During your fight," Anna said, "I'll be with you. Closer than you'd think."

Alexis raised her eyebrows. "What is this supposed to mean?"

"You'll see for yourself."

"It's enough you're close to me right now," Alexis leaned towards Anna; her girlfriend seemed to wait for it. A few passionate kisses told Alexis Anna has been probably eating something sweet. Of course - there was a bag of fruit-flavored gummy bear open near Anna's computer.

"What's sweeter?" Alexis asked teasingly. "Me, or these candies?"

"The candies were just a training," Anna purred and dragged Alexis closer. For several long minutes, all danger ceased to exist. Whateley was somewhere far away, in some alternate universe filled with pain and suffering. Now, in this dimension, there was love. Only love.

In the heat of the moment, Alexis rolled up a piece of Anna's T-shirt and gently touched her midriff with her fingertips. Anna gasped softly and Alexis recioled, with her face bright red and hertbeat twice as fast as usual. "I'm sorry," she said. "I got a bit... carried away."

"I promise we'll get there someday," Anna said. "I just... just a little while more, okay? I know you probably think I'm petty, but I'm still not over our brief... pause. I still blame myself for that. Getting... closer is one of the most important milestones in a relationship and I'm not yet in the right mind for it. I don't want to remember my first time as an act full of doubts and guilt."

Alexis kissed her on the forehead. "You know I'd never force you into anything, right?"

"Thank you, Alexis."

"At least I'll have one more reason to survive the fight with Whateley."

Anna nodded. "If you defeat him, maybe I'll feel better. Knowing the one who violated me is gone. It would ease my mind and maybe allow me to sleep a bit calmer."

Alexis smiled. "Two reasons."

<<>>

The upcoming days were busy near Whateley's mansion. Alyssa's squad guarded the building and watched out for every suspicious vehicle attempting to enter it. Two days after the victims were freed, they were finally successful. An inconspicious white van leading towards Whateley's gate contained two nineteen-years-old girls frightened to death. The kidnappers were arrested.

"I guess we did a good work," Alyssa told Gwendolyn and the girls in the Forrestal office building where the rescued victims still resided.

"You certainly did," Gwendolyn replied. "It means Whateley is high and dry now, with almost no way to recharge his powers." She said the word almost with a sorrowful emphasis. Whateley will probably try to save his remaining captives, but he will need to recharge sooner or later to survive the day.

That means minimum of three captives will die before they engage him in a combat.

If they take action immediately.

"We can't afford to lose more lives," Alyssa said. "I probably have no right to interfere with such things, but I'd ask you to take action as soon as possible. It's only a matter of time before Whateley manages to sneak a girl inside of his mansion - we are not omnipotent."

Gwendolyn nodded. "We're planning to do it tomorrow."

Alexis looked out of the window. Even though it was just early afternoon, it looked like the sun already set. Heavy black clouds were preventing the rays of sunshine from landing on the city. Her sensitive hearing noticed soft drumbeat of the raindrops falling on the building's rooftop. The sky on the horizon seemed to flash like someone was taking giant photographs there.

A storm was coming.

The girl loved dramatic weather. She even had a list of songs saved on her YouTube account entitled "Thunderstorm Playlist". During the storms, she usually just sat in her room near the window, listening to music and observing the rain, wind and lightning cleansing the city.

Since she started dating Anna, she didn't have to undergo this ritual alone. Her girlfriend also loved watching the storm, but, unlike Alexis, she was a bit frightened. Alexis didn't mind. She always held Anna close, noticing the girl's shivering and the careful fascination in her eyes.

Alexis regretted Anna is not with her right now. However, the summer in Gabriel's Gardens promised a lot of thunderstorms, many opportunities for nice, intimate moments with her lover.

In case she survives the final encounter with Whateley.

A lightning flashed in the distance. A while later, a faint sound of thunder resonated through the room; Alexis felt in in her guts. "I don't like this kind of weather," Alyssa noted. "The darkness and the noise can hide too many things. The police and thunderstorms aren't exactly in a friendly relationship."

"I don't like thunderstorms because they often blow up the electricity," Diane said. "One lightning is enough and boom - let's return to the stone age."

Several minutes later, the storm moved to the city. Majestic lightnings crossed the sky, accompanied by powerful thunders. Some of Whateley's victims hunched up on the ground, apparently frightened by the celestial theatre. The one with the most severe PTSD started to yowl and covered her eyes.

"Oh God," Gwendolyn sighed. "Just as she started to recover a little."

The rain also grew more powerful. The raindrops kept striking the window, driven by strong wind. "I wonder how will we get home in a weather like this," Diane said. "I guess we'll have to stay here for a while."

In that moment, someone opened the door. It was a young, slim woman wearing a cropped top, denim jacket and skinny jeans, all drenched, with wet, platinum blonde hair plastered to her head. Her green eyes with smudged make-up contained unwordly amounts of panic.

"Melody...?" Alyssa voiced. "What are you doing here?"

Melody Forrestal bursted out just three words. "Gray... is gone."

<<>>

Alyssa rushed towards her wife, undressing her drenched clothes and covering her in her dry police jacket in return. "Gone?" she asked. "What do you mean, gone?"

Melody, with her teeth chattering, looked at her with eyes full of despair. "Just... gone," she replied. "I tried to call him - he doesn't answer his phone. It's the first time it happened, he usually picks up the call even in the dead of night." The woman caught her breath, then continued. "I immediately got into my car and checked both his house and main office. He's nowhere to be found and nobody has any idea where did he go." She looked at Gwendolyn, suddenly full of hope. "Is he here?"

"Unfortunately... he's not," Gwendolyn replied.

Melody's tears mixed with the raindrops running down her face as she started to sob. Gray and Melody both chose a completely different life path, but they were still very close and even though the siblings loved teasing each other, the love and care between them was undeniable. Alyssa knew that losing her brother would emotionally break her wife for a long time.

"I bet he's okay," she tried to calm Melody down. "Maybe he just forgot his phone, or is out of signal because of the storm. Calm down, love. It's alright."

Melody's uncontrollable sobbing ceased a little just as Alyssa's cellphone started to ring. It was one of the policemen who worked for her. "Miss Lafayette?" he said, his voice distorted by the raindrops. "We're monitoring Whateley's mansion and we see a chopper landing on his garden. We can't do anything about it right now since it's landing on his property. Any further instructions?"

"Not right now. Keep observing the situation and let me know if something notable happens," Alyssa replied and ended the call.

Melody's face turned almost white. "He was in that chopper," she voiced.

"Why would Whateley want to kidnap Gray?" Diane objected. "He's a guy... well, if he isn't hiding something big. That would be a plot twist."

At that moment, Gwendolyn stopped in shock. "Oh God," she whispered. "Now I understand what's Whateley up to. I hope I'm wrong... if I'm not, Gray is in immense danger."

"What's happening?!" Melody bursted out. "Tell me!"

"Calm down, Melody!" Gwendolyn looked impatient. "We have to break into Whateley's mansion as quickly as possible. It can be over within a short time. Melody, does Gray have a private chopper?"

"Yes, he took me..."

Gwendolyn interrupted her. "Do you have a way to contact any of Gray's employees?"

"Yes."

"Call them and request the chopper. Immediately, not minding the weather. Tell that Gray's life is on the line and it's only a matter of time."

Melody reached for her undressed, waterlogged pants and found her phone, fortunately secured in a case. Gwendolyn blushed a little after she noticed her wallpaper - a photo of Alyssa in a dim-lit room wearing a black lingerie. She saw it for a brief moment only before the woman dialled the number.

After Gray's employee picked up the call, Melody started to rap out everything about current situation in incoherent sentences the man had no chance of understanding. Gwendolyn took the phone from her and started to explain it herself more calmly.

"Mr. Forrestal is in trouble?" the man said - by coincidence, it was Wayne, the pilot who took them to Philadelphia to find Gwendolyn. "I have to say the current conditions aren't good for flying. But this is an emergency, I guess. I'll take it as a test of my skills."

"The rooftop is big enough for you to land on it," Gwendolyn said. "We'll be there."

"Alright," Wayne replied. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Hold on."

<<>>

Gwendolyn and her daughters climbed on the rooftop. The heavy rain immediately soaked them and the wind almost struck them off the roof, but they endured. Alexis shivered with cold. In the morning, it looked like it will be a warm day, so Alexis was dressed in thin, short-sleeved blouse and knee-long skirt. Diane, in her sleeveless black top and ripped jeans, was in similar situation. Gwendolyn had it the best since she took a light jacket which, however, couldn't completely shield her from the raging weather.

From the rooftop, the city looked almost apocalyptical. Only the silhouettes of skyscrapers could be seen through the ominous mist of darkness, clouds and rain, only the lights of their windows and neon lights shining through it. The streets were empty as everyone sane stayed inside.

Every now and then, a lightning struck one of the highest buildings, illuminating the whole scenery. A sound of thunder always follwed, almost unbearably loud.

It started as a quiet hum which graduated into a fast-paced beating. A bright eye shone through the darkness - the chopper's searchlight. The trio stepped back as the machine started to land. Its skids finally touched the concrete. Wayne leaned from the cockpit. "Get in! Quickly!"

Diane opened the door of the dark gray, shiny chopper. Its propeller broke the teardrops into soft drizzle. All three stepped inside, appreciating the dry enviroment. The seats inside the chopper soon became drenched; Alexis was also insecure about her blouse, tightly clinging on her body. Wayne realized it and turned on the air conditioning to dry their clothing at least a bit.

"I guess this will end with a flu for me," Alexis noted, polishing her glasses.

"At least it will be over," Gwendolyn replied.

"We're approaching Whateley's mansion," Wayne announced. "I can try to land inside, hoping Whateley doesn't have any security systems which would just shoot us off the sky."

"We have no other choice," Gwendolyn decided.

The lights of Whateley's mansion appeared in the dark, looking like eyes of some giant spider beasts. It grew bigger and bigger as Wayne approached it. The searchlight scanned the Mayor's garden, briefly showing the chopper which apparently brought Grayson.

They expected the gunfire to hit their chopper at any given moment, but it didn't happen. Wayne quickly, yet carefully picked a place for landing and initiated the descend.

Alexis looked at the mansion. Gray is somewhere inside. What are Whateley's plans? Gwendolyn apparently saw through them already and her daughter also slowly pieced the clues. And she didn't like the result at all. If they won't be able to save Gray in time, a horrible fate awaits him.

The chopper touched the ground again. The trio, still half drenched, exitted the machine and felt the violent weather on their skins again. The main door to the mansion looked so close, yet so far away.

"We have to be quick," Gwendolyn said. "Ready, set, GO!"

"WAIT!" Alexis shouted. She noticed a shadow near the main door, hiding behind one of the pillars. Diane, however, was too quick. A gunshot resonated through the courtyard and the bullet hit the chopper's exterior, fortunately missing Diane who shouted in surprise and hid behind the machine again.

"Some bodyguards," Alexis said. "Looks we're gonna get through them."

"I bet they're here to delay us," Gwendolyn said. "Let's handle them quickly." She reached into an inner pocket of her jacket and pulled out something nobody would expect - a gun.

"Mom...?" Alexis voiced.

"Self-defense," the woman explained briefly. "I've already used it before." She grabbed a stone laying under her feet and threw it; it landed on the grass between the chopper and main door. A shadow peeked from his hiding spot. Gwendolyn immediately stood up, aimed and took three quick shots. A gasp of the thug could be heard through the rain as he collapsed to the ground.

"Is he... dead?" Diane asked.

"Why the hell should I care?" Gwendolyn replied. "Let's keep moving."

<<>>

Two more thugs tried to prevent their entry. Wayne's chopper took off and left, but there were still numerous covers, mostly statues and decorative low walls. Gwendolyn handled the firearm like a professional and cooperated with Alexis who shielded her from the enemy gunfire using her forcefields.

The woman regretted every second of the gunfight. Every second she spent hidden behind a cover, waiting for the enemy's next move, could mean Gray's doom. Maybe the Mayor is already done with his plan and all their efforts are futile.

"Now!" Gwendolyn shouted. Alexis formed a forcefield above the stone fence they were hiding behind. As soon as her mother saw the soft blue light, she peeked out and fired a precise shot at the mansion guard who immediately returned the fire. The bullets, however, were stopped by Alexis' field and didn't harm the woman at all. The guard grabbed his shoulder and dropped his firearm.

"One more," Diane stated.

The trio changed their stand; they became vulnerable to gunfire for a brief moment. Two shots sounded through the garden, revealing the position of the third guard, but also scratching Diane's shoulder. The girl hissed in pain as the raindrops washed away the blood from her injury.

"Dee! Are you hurt?" Alexis asked while crouching behind the pedestal of a large statue.

"'Tis but a scratch," Diane smiled. "I'll probably get a badass scar!"

"Whateley knows what he's doing," Alexis said. "Creating the shields drains my power - the power I'll need to fight Whateley himself. These goons are only here to slow us down and exhaust us. And it seems they're successful so far."

"You are right," Gwendolyn admitted. "Whateley isn't going to make this easy."

"Distract him for a while," Alexis told her mother. "I'll try something." Before Gwen could react, Alexis left the cover and slowly crawled towards the man. Her choice of attire was more than lucky - instead of usual white, she was wearing an elegant black blouse today. Her dirty blonde hair, now plastered to her head due to rain, also appeared dark through the thunderstorm's veil. It was only her pale skin that could be noticeable.

Gwendolyn looked at Diane. "Isn't it usually you who does stupid, reckless things?"

The girl shrugged. "I don't recognize her either."

The woman fired a few shots in the guard's general direction to keep his attention away from Alexis whose stealth skills were better anyone would expect. The girl kept low, hiding her white arms and face behind thick bushes. She managed to sneak behind the guard's back while he was still engaged in a shoot-out with Gwendolyn. Finally, she stood up and grabbed the man's neck. The glow of her insignia was tearing through the darkness as she drained the guard's power.

Finally, the man collapsed to the ground. Alexis, evidently refreshed, ran to the main door and beckoned them to come closer.

"That was a really risky move," Gwendolyn scolded her. "I would ground you if you weren't nineteen."

"But the enemy is down and my power is back," Alexis shrugged. "It's undeniable it worked."

Gwendolyn sighed. "Now it's your turn, Diane," she said. "We need to get through the door."

Diane smirked. "Alright. Stay back."

Diane's empowered fist connected with the thick wood and the resulting sound could successfully compete with a thunder that sounded right after. "Maybe I should consider being a locksmith for living," the girl noted as she walked into the familiar entryway.

The girls could easily recall the battle fought here a few days ago. Elena McKirby's aged body was nowhere to be seen. Is she dead? Did Whateley use her first, as a punishment for her runaway attempt?

No other guards could be seen. The women ran towards the stairs in the back part of the hallway, their footsteps echoing through the room.

"What are we searching for?" Diane asked.

"If Whateley has something like a 'main room', that's where are we aiming," Gwendolyn replied. "I'd begin in the upper part of the mansion."

They ran up the spiral staircase to the third floor. It seemed smaller than the remaining two floors. It was basically just a long hall illuminated by torches made to resemble real fire as much as possible. Eight giant statues of fallen angels kneeling on one knee (four male, four female) seemed to guard the place. The ceiling was painted to resemble a night sky with illustrated constellations.

And at the end of the hall... the door.

<<>>

All three felt uneasy while being watched by a group of five-meter-tall angels made of almost black stone. They had distorted, animalistic features such as claws instead of hands or crow feathers covering their private parts. Their faces were beautiful and detailed, yet scary and unsettling.

Male statues had antlers on their heads, the females had horns growing from their foreheads. Black pillars between them supported the ceiling. They were decorated by mysterious magical formulas imprinted on them using pure gold, at least according to its shine.

"I miss that creepy girl choir that plays in places like this in movies and videogames," Diane said, her voice creating a multiple echo. "This is seriously some Devil may Cry shit."

For some reason, they couldn't force themselves to run through the eerie hallway. Maybe it was because of the ceremonial atmosphere of the whole place, maybe because of the dark angels who looked like they may come alive at any given moment. It made them feel like mere pawns in a never-ending game of life and death. And that was also probably Whateley's intention.

They finally stood before the massive door similar to these leading to the tower. These were even bigger, with different carvings. Each of the wings carried a carving of an angel similar to the statue - male on the right, female on the left. Both were holding a sword and looked more human than the statues. They were completely naked. Above them, like a sinister moon, floated a symbol of three eyes in a circular pattern.

Whateley's insignia.

"Ready to go inside?" Alexis asked.

Diane and Gwendolyn nodded. Each of them pushed one wing of the door which started to open, revealing the scene of a final fight.

The most prominent feature of the room was a giant, at least ten meters tall window made of stained glass which occupied the whole wall opposite to the door. The images, made by carefully piecing together colored glass shards, once again depicted constellations (with thirteen star signs, Ophiuchus included), angelic and demonic beings, animals. And also Whateley's insignia once again. When a lightning struck outside, the whole window started to shine, briefly illuminating the room with psychedelic colors.

The black pillars were identical to those in the hallway. However, instead of the torches, there was an impressive gothic chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the candles on it using the same fire-imitating technology as the torches.

The floor was covered with a black-and-red carpet with occult and magical symbols woven into it. There were also two shelves with ancient-looking books, one on the each side of the room. In the back, close to the window, stood a heavy wooden table with two actual candles dripping wax on its surface.

And then, behind the table, stood a throne. A three-meter-tall seat decorated by numerous demonic themes evoking the image of ancient, eternal evil. Even though beautiful, the room instantly triggered the feelings of despair and depression.

And in the throne, with his hands laying on the armrests, Wilbur Whateley.

Instead of his usual tailor-made suit, he was wearing a black and red robe similar to an attire of some satanist cultist with his three-eye insignia embroidered on his chest. His face was barely visible due to the distance between the door and the throne, but it was clear he's smiling.

"The Warren sisters and their mother," he said, his voice clearly audible because of the room's acoustic. "I originally planned that only two of you will witness my rebirth, but I think that I can handle three of you. Come closer. And don't attempt any tricks."

The trio approached the table. Whateley looked significantly different, his outfit seemed to reveal his true, evil nature. "What are you up to?" Gwendolyn shouted. "Where's Gray Forrestal?"

"Hey... I'm here!" they heard from beneath the throne. The women ran there; Whateley didn't try to stop them. Then they realized the danger not only Gray, but they all face.

<<>>

Gray sat between the throne and the window on some kind of device sinisterly resembling an electric chair. Like almost everything in the room, it was made of dark wood, but there were also metal parts. The handcuffs immobilized his arms and legs by attaching them to the chair. They seemed to be connected to some kind of silver shiny box under the seat, resembling a car battery. So was the metal headband circling his forehead.

From the metal circle around his head protruded a wire leading up and disappearing in the room's ceiling. Gray opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, a lightning struck the building and the thunder's vibrations filled the air. It, however, faded compared to Gray's scream.

The battery under Gray's bottom started to emmit a soft buzzing sound, like it was charging. Gray collapsed on the chair, panting, unable to talk. After a while, when he caught his breath again, he started to talk. "This wire... attached to my head... connected to the lightning conductor on the roof. That thing under me... it's charging. Who knows what will happen when it charges fully."

"Maybe it's time for you to know, Grayson," Whateley slowly approached Gray's torture device. "And our precious guests deserve to know my story, too. At least we can kill some time before my device fully charges and I will be able to proceed to my rebirth."

"You condescending son of a bitch," Gray uttered.

"Why such a language?" Whateley frowned. "I am a soft-spoken man and I expect the same from you. I forgive you since today is the day my life will turn for better. But before we start, I think you can excuse if I get a bit more... comfortable. Maintaining this appearance already costs me too much."

Whateley emmitted a mortal wheeze as he started to age rapidly. However, he didn't stop at the old man look. He went beyond the point every normal person would die. It seemed that all his flesh disappeared, leaving only bones covered by paperthin, dark gray skin.

The skin wrinkled like a finger pad after a long bath, even cracking at several places, revealing dust-dry remains of completely black flesh. His lips dried out, revealing his teeth in a permanent grin. His eyes sunk even deeper into his skull. His hair now resembled a tuft of white wires.

"Oh my God..." Alexis gasped. She remembered one of the final scenes in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where one of the villains drinks water from the wrong Holy grail, causing him to age rapidly and turn into dust. Whateley now looked almost exactly like the final stage of his doom - a dry, gruesome mummy resembling a human being only partially. Only his eyes looked alive, hatefully looking at them from the deep pits of their sockets.

"I hope I did not shock you much," he said with a voice resembling a breathy mortal whisper. "This is what I see in the mirror during the past months. It takes more and more power to maintain my young appearance, so I have to stay at home like this. You can never imagine the feeling. Dying when you cannot die."

"This is not happening," Gray chanted with his eyes tightly closed. "This is just some kind of weird nightmare. I had to accidentally eat a pot brownie and now my mind is pulling tricks. Yeah, this is the explanation. Nothing you see is real..."

His theory shattered with another lightning. The power travelled through the cord, then through Gray's body and into the battery. Gray twitched and screamed, the smell of ozone and burned flesh surrounding the chair. After the shock, Gray collapsed again and started to sob quietly.

"Don't worry, it's almost finished," Whateley rasped, oblivious to Gray's suffering. He touched his throne; it turned around to face Gray's chair instead of the table. He sat down, crooked and hunched up like a vulture. Alexis, Diane and Gwendolyn stood next to Gray, waiting for what will come next.

"I guess you are all curious about my story," he said. "It started in the fourteenth century."

<<>>

"What?!" Alexis exclaimed. "That would..."

"...make me over seven hundred years old?" Whateley finished the sentece. "That is right, young Miss Warren. I was born in the gothic Europe."

"That explains your weird ass tastes," Diane uttered.

"It's impolite to interrupt someone's speech. But I got used to the fact people of the current era have no manners. So, where should I start? Well, Europe had many problems when I was born. Unusual cold. Black plague. It is easy to die during this period... but surviving your own death is hard.

However, I did. Even though the healthcare in the medieval era was mediocre indeed, I managed to survive my clinical death three times. I blame my strong willpower, the power of my spirit. It is also clear that in order to survive these dark ages, I had to do things someone would consider immoral. Alas, if ending someone's life means seeing another sunlight, it's an easy choice.

I died for the third time when a wandering bandit used a dirty trick to stab me and take all my belongings. I saw Hell. I talked to its ruler. And I received my gifts. I became a Trimort and that changed my life forever. My first power lies in absorbing my victim's lifeforce and use it to empower myself. The second: I can enter the mind of anyone I wish, see through their eyes and manipulate them. And even kill them if they are damaged enough. And my final ability is called genius loci and it allows me to perceive the energy of the place. It means I can connect to a place and relive everything that happened there, see it like a movie before my eyes."

"That's why did you know so much about Chance Arlington!" Gwendolyn bursted out. "You just visited the places where Chance operated and relive the place's memories."

Whateley smiled; it looked more horrible than his frown. "I have always known you are a smart girl, Gwendolyn. You were always one of my favorites. I am disenchanted by the fact we have to stand there like enemies in the end."

"I would never guess you fight for the side of evil, Mayor Whateley," Gwendolyn replied. "But I presume it's not even your real name."

"I will get to it later," the Trimort replied. "If you insist to call me by my birthname, use Johannes Crestian. This is the name my parents gave me."

"Johannes Crestian..." Alexis echoed. It fit the man more than Wilbur Whateley.

"Back to my story," Crestian said. "I used my newly gained Trimort powers on my rise to the top. You probably know an Infernal Trimort's contract with Hell - they have to kill six hundred and sixteen people in order to escape the suffering in Hell and have a wish granted. With my powers, it was easy.

I could just drain the power from my enemies, strenghtening myself. If I had some spare time, I invaded the minds of the people I greatly disliked, either driving them into suicide or breaking them so much I could kill them. I used my third power to gather information, reveal the biggest secrets and then use them to blackmail the rulers. Soon I became the king nobody knew about. I was pulling the strings, eliminating everyone who stood in my way and manipulating anyone who could help me reach my goals.

I became a rich man. Rich and powerful. It didn't take me long to fulfill the Infernal contract. Killing six hundred and sixteen people... I tended to feel some kind of regrets in the beginning, but they soon disappeared. When I saw my wealth... my influence... nothing else really mattered. It was somewhere near the start of the hundred years was between England and France when I finished and could make my wish."

"What did you wish for?" Diane wondered.

"The thing every sane human being would wish for," Crestian grinned. "Immortality, of course. Escaping the cycle of life and death. Being able to be here as long as you wish. I couldn't allow my age and mortality to stop me. The Demons complied and granted me eternal life."

"But it's obvious something went wrong," Alexis noted.

Johannes Crestian nodded. "At first, everything seemed perfect. I lived for two hundred years without losing my power, money or youth - using my power to drain people delayed my aging. Sometimes, people questioned that I just stay alive for too long. I solved even this problem - I relocated, changing my name to a literary character - my reader's vanity -, took all my wealth with me and built my reputation once again. But just recently, I started to realize even this gift has its downsides."

<<>>

"It was in the nineteenth century, when I was already settled into America under the name Arthur Dimmesdale, when I realized that my body is not going to last forever like my mind and soul. I started to age and it required draining more people than before to keep my youth. I was, however, still able to keep up.

Twentieth century belonged to the world wars. My identity changed to Emmanuel Goldstein and I secretly manipulated the war from the backstage. I had lots of people available to drain. By that time, I was already a billionaire, so I could afford everything I could ever wish for. I found out that young women prolong my youth the best, so I started to hire young prostitutes and drain them. Usually, nobody really cared about them and nobody wondered where did they go.

And now... twenty-first century. My body started to collapse at alarming rate and started to resemble what you see now. I realized that this body cannot carry me for much longer and I started to seek solutions. I moved to Gabriel's Gardens, a city so rotten it allowed me to flourish freely, and became its beloved mayor. I was searching for a solution for long years... and now, I finally know what to do."

"Yeah? And what does it have to do with me?" Gray asked.

"My only hope is to transfer my soul into a different body," Crestian replied. "It was just about time. This body is about to collapse. But since I cannot die, I would end up trapped in a decaying organism. That must not happen. And I will prevent this fate today."

"Was it really worth it, Whateley?" Gwendolyn asked.

"Of course it was!" Crestian barked, his bloodshot eyes opening wide. "What can be better than immortality? I learned how to transfer my soul. And I chose Grayson Forrestal as my new vessel."

"What? No!" Gray protested. "I ain't hosting a soul of some immortal madman!"

"I am afraid you have no choice, my young friend," Crestian stood up, approached Gray and touched his face with his bony, dry fingers. "You are young. Rich. Influential. Handsome. A perfect vessel. After Wilbur Whateley dies, which will happen in a few minutes, you will take up his place and become a mayor. You have what it takes. Of course, it will be my mind in your body, so basically nothing will change for me. Except that I will have new body which will serve me for several centuries."

Alexis clenched her fists. "That will not happen."

"I am afraid there is nothing that can stop me now," Crestian replied. "Lightning after lightning, the device I spent years creating charges with mysterious energy. And in the end, it will be able to produce a power surge so strong it tears off my soul away from my body and transfer it into young Mr. Forrestal. It will be a noble sacrifice, boy. I will make your name and soul more famous than you can ever imagine."

"I'd rather pass," Gray noted.

"Also, my new body will receive a gift," Crestian continued. "That's why I am so glad you are here. I didn't reckon with Miss Pearl, but that's only a little problem to fix. You, Alexis and Diane, will be the first ones my new body will drain. This will transfer your powers to me, adding them to my collection. That is the reason I wanted you alive. So you can live up to this moment of my triumph."

"Don't you dare to touch my daughters," Gwen stood before the girls, her eyes giving away her threats are not just vain words. "We will fight, Whateley. Or Crestian, or whatever your name is."

The immortal being smiled. "That's what I wished you would say."

Everything happened too fast. Crestian raised his both hands, unleashing a destructive psychical attack at both girls, knocking them unconscious for a moment. When they woke up, they saw Crestian's skeletal hand on their mother's forehead. Gwendolyn desperately tried to fight back, but Alexis already knew that Whateley's touch completely paralyzes its victim.

"Mom! NO!" Alexis screamed and tried to interrupt the gruesome ritual, but she was too late. Crestian released the woman who fell on the floor as an ancient version of herself. She didn't even have enough power to stand up. She just remorsefully gazed at the girls, her eyes losing their unique golden shade.

Crestian was laughing. He underwent the opposite process, towering above the girls in his young version which was somehow even scarier than the gray-skinned mummy he was just a few seconds ago.

<<>>

Another lightning charged Crestian's doomsday machine, causing Gray to scream. The iridescent light from the stained glass painted the Trimort in wild colors for a brief moment. "After I became immortal, I had one more art to master," he lectured. "The art of solitude. When you cannot die, everything you love will go away sooner or later. I spent endless time learning to let go of things I clinged on. And I succeeded. Solitude is now my serenity, my greatest weapon. I learned how to use it against my enemies."

Diane was shaking, clenching her fists. Alexis knew she is on the verge of lashing out and attacking Crestian, but she, fortunately, decided to be careful after she saw what happened to Gwendolyn.

"For people like you, there is nothing worse than solitude, right?" Crestian continued his monologue. "That is why I put my focus on all your allies. Why I killed the journalist woman. Why I turned the girl on the wheelchair against you. I also tried to eliminate the lesbian policewoman and, of course, your mother. However, I hate to admit I was not successful. I would be. Eventually. But my rebirth could not take any further delays, so I had to act quickly, even though Gwendolyn Pearl was probably my most powerful enemy."

"You used the man who pretended to be Chance Arlington to strike her down," Alexis said. "Her deepest fear. That episode was meant to eliminate both mom and Alyssa." She realized Crestian is right. Without them, they would be completely alone, on their own. And that was the worst thing she could imagine.

Crestian shrugged. "Only the weak don't take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses. But it seems I feared Gwendolyn Pearl for nothing. See? She lays here, defenseless, with her power flowing through my body..."

Diane couldn't take it any longer. With her insignia glowing, she assaulted Crestian, attempting to crush his face. However, her fist was stopped mid-air by a red glowing field. Alexis gasped - Crestian just used Gwendolyn's ability against Diane.

The immortal man smirked, then swinged his elbow and struck the shocked girl's chin. Diane flew a few meters, then landed on the floor. Crestian clenched his fist and attacked her. The girl managed to roll aside before the man's fist impacted, leaving a small crater in the floor.

He claimed Gwendolyn's powers for himself.

"That was not a good idea, my friend," Crestian said. "I have an offer. Let's just wait peacefully until my device charges. Then, when I get reborn, I will extract you quickly and painlessly and leave you with enough power to live for another... twenty years. Isn't it a fair deal?"

"We won't go down without a fight!" Alexis announced.

Crestian shrugged. "As you wish."

Diane attacked him again; this time, the assault was more coordinate. Crestian tried to counterattack, but Alexis slowed him down with her forcefields. Their combination was successful. After a short fight, Diane managed to kick Crestian's shin and then punch him in the face. The man gasped and stepped back.

"Impressive," he claimed, then he pointed at Diane who screamed and doubled over, grasping her head. Then she turned to Alexis and rushed towards her, her fists ready to strike.

"Diane...!" Alexis called and stopped her with a forcefield. Diane tripped over it and fell down. "What the hell just happened...?" she voiced, trying to recover from the mind control.

"You seem to not understand the point," Crestian said. "If I wanted you dead, you would already be. I have to toy with you like this only because I need you alive. There is no way two teenage girls can defeat a man who has been roaming the world in the eras you only know from your history textbooks."

Diane stood up and shrugged. "But we can still try."

Old Gwendolyn kept watching the scene, slowly reconciling with the possibility Crestian's plan will come together. Now he possesses the power of two Trimorts. An unimaginable, ancient power. She knew this is an opponent they have no chance defeating. He's unable to die. Unable to be defeated.

"Do you understand it now?" Crestian asked. "We are not the same, you and I. Calculated to your limited lifespan, I have already lived ten human lives. And where are you? Only at the beginning of your journey. Since I am a fair man, I give you a last chance to succumb to your fate. It would save us all lots of problems."

"Are you deaf, Mr. Immortal Freak?" Diane smirked. "We. Decline. Your. Offer."

<<>>

The girl grabbed the nearby candelabra, about two meters tall with three candles on the top, and used it as a polearm. Her strength allowed her to handle the improvised weapon with surprising grace and elegance. The first swing landed on Crestian's ribs; upon impact, they heard a nasty crack. The man's face distorted in pain and aged five years. Success.

The second slash was aimed at his head, performed from the top. Crestian managed to stop it using the forcefield ability he stole, but it was clear he is still unexperienced with it. He aged again.

"Keep it up, Diane!" Alexis cheered.

Crestian tried to hit Diane with another mind assault, but Alexis was prepared. She was much more skilled with the forcefield than him; she pulled a trick she never tried before and spinned the field right after it absorbed Crestian's attack. It succeeded. His attack backfired and turned against its user; Crestian fell on his knees with agonizing shout.

Diane didn't hesitate and smacked him hard with the candelabra.

Crestian's body, thin and fragile once again, flew across the room and landed on one of his libraries. Several ancient books fell off, directly on his head. Crestian stood up, looking like a hunched old man. One more impact will be enough to return him to his mummy form.

"Never underestimate the power of a pissed off girl holding a huge ass candlestick," Diane smirked.

"Your efforts are futile," Crestian said. "You cannot kill me. You can beat me up, weaken me, but you will never be able to end my life. It is my gift and my blessing."

Diane theatrically put her palm behind her ear. "What do I hear? You are ready for another round?"

At that moment, a lightning struck the conductor. For the last time. The battery under Gray's seat started to emmit an irksome hum. The box, along with Gray's whole body, started to glow white. Gray screamed, twitched and tried to escape the chair. Unsuccessfully.

A sinister smile ran through Crestian's face. "It's done," he said. "Now... just one more touch... and I will relocate in my new vessel. Young. Beautiful. Successful."

It seemed that sitting on the chair equals a torture. The battery kept buzzing, pumping the strange, eerie glow into Gray's body. The young man didn't scream anymore, just convulsed like he was under a seizure attack. One touch will release the power of enslaved lightnings.

Crestian started to stumble towards Gray; if Diane didn't send him flying with the candelabra attack, he would be there in no time. This way, he had to cross about fifteen meters, which wasn't an easy task for his ancient, exhausted vessel.

The sisters rushed for him, ready to do what it takes to prevent Crestian from reaching Gray. The man, however, was fueled by his ominous intentions which gave him some extra power.

Crestian raised his arms to perform another psychical assault. Alexis shielded both her and her sister, but the attack was strong enough to penetrate through the shield and strike the girls down.

Alexis could only watch Crestian stumbling towards tortured Gray. Ten meters. Seven...

"That sucks," Diane said. "We were so close..."

"This can't end now!" Alexis called. "We must save Gray... mom... everyone."

She managed to get on her feet, but it was too late. Crestian was already extending his hand, ready to touch Gray and unleash the forbidden powers.

At that moment, the stained glass window shattered. Alongside the cold wind, iridescent glass pieces flew into the room and some of them ended in Crestian's dried out flesh. The man shouted in pain and surprise, forgetting about Gray for a while and looking for the source of destruction.

Above the ground hovered a big drone looking like a small plane with numerous propellers to control its speed, direction and altitude. Then, the machine started to... speak.

"Air support, motherhecker!" it said from some kind of hidden speaker. "Hands off my girl!"

Anna.

<<>>

Alexis took advantage of Crestian's brief shock, running towards him as fast as she could. But not even Anna's surprising distraction couldn't stop the immortal being for long. He made another step towards Gray. Only a few more and all their efforts will be futile.

The drone flew closer to Crestian who didn't seem to mind it at all. "Lexie, NOW!" Anna screamed through the drone. The shout was immediately followed by a loud crack.

Crestian fell on his knees, not uttering a single noise, just staring at the ceiling with his mouth open and eyes rolled so only the white bloodshot sclera could be seen. Alexis understood. Her girlfriend armed the drone with a taser which she used to electrocute the enemy.

Alexis rushed to the man while he was still shocked. She firmly grasped his thin, bony wrist and started to siphon away his power. The man realized what's happening and screamed.

Crestian tried to fight back, but there was nothing in this world that could possibly loosen Alexis' grip. She felt his power flowing inside her, but it was like drinking a poison. Dark, twisted, evil energy. She tried to not pass out and continued.

She felt several energy lumps similar to cancer tumors leaving Crestian's body and entering hers. His Trimort powers. Lifeforce drain, mind transfer abilities, genius loci. Two more pleasant lumps followed - powers stolen from her mother.

And finally, the last lump, seemingly too big to swallow. The gift of immortality.

Alexis tried hard to pull it through the conduit between them. It was a battle of minds - Crestian desperately wanted to keep it while Alexis tried to yank it away. However, Crestian was already too weak. The groan he gave as the immortality left his body contained all his hatred towards the girls, the sorrow of his defeat, the fear of what will come next.

As soon as the immortality left his body, it dissolved inside of Alexis and disappeared without a trace.

When Alexis finally let go, Crestian kneeled on the ground in his mummy form. huffing and groaning. "I was there when America was discovered and fought for its independence," he muttered. I was there during the civil war. During all the important events in history. Both world wars. It cannot just end here."

"Too bad," Alexis replied, on the verge of passing out herself. "You should have never touched our friends and family. Everyone who does ends up like this." Then she turned to Diane. "Dee! He's mortal! Could you?"

"With pleasure!" the brunette girl replied.

She rushed forward, with the candelabra ready to strike, a battle cry resonating through the room. She swung her improvised weapon in a broad arc. The candelabra's widened upper part connected with Crestian's head. His weak skin, flesh, tendons and bones succumbed to the impact. The head flew across the room and hit the remains of the stained glass window, making a sound like a cracking egg.

The head landed on the carpet, looking like a gray, dusty fabric bag containing something shapeless.

"Homerun!" Diane cheered.

The body of Johannes Crestian collapsed forward. No blood poured from the stump of his neck. Then, like something exploded, the room became filled with presence of all the people Crestian ever drained. Sheer majority of them just faded away, expecting their fate in the afterlife. But some of them flew to find their bodies.

Alexis just knew it happened like this even though the souls were invisible. She also felt intense happiness and gratitude. A tormentor who plagued the Earth for nearly a millenium is finally defeated.

Diane used the candelabra for the last time to smash the wire connecting Gray and the lightning conductor. The device's hum stopped, the glow ceased. Gray, finally free, closed his eyes and tried to recover from the agony. "Thank God," he whispered. "Thank God."

Gwendolyn stood up on her feet, looking young again. "Girls... you have no idea how proud I am," she said. "I did many things throughout my life, but killing an immortal being? That's a nice stunt even for me. It also means that Crestian's victims will recover. And everything will be fine."

The weather seemed to agree with her. The thunderstorm ceased and the disappearing dark clouds revealed the last few rays of sunshine as the sun set.

<<>>

Crestian's victims regained their youth and were able to return home. The group who won over the immortal Trimort decided to set his twisted mansion on fire, after rescuing his remaining victims in the underground, to ease the work of the police. The firefighters were too slow and the news that Mayor Wilbur Whateley burned in his mansion were the number one topic in Gabriel's Gardens next day. The body was never found.

After a long, refreshing sleep, the whole group met in the Warren flat - Alexis, Diane, Gwendolyn, Anna, Alyssa, Melody and Augustus. Gray came, too, even though he still seemed weak and had to use a cane to walk. He was, however, recovering quickly, also thanks to his sister who showed her caring, gentle nature.

The girls vividly described the last moments of Johannes Crestian. Of course, Diane had to exaggerate a bit - in her version, she was a heroic warrior who fought a long, exhausting duel with a fearsome enemy. Alexis let her fabulate. She had to admit her sister looked pretty epic, swinging the giant candelabra.

Another hero of the day was Anna.

"You know... I started working on that drone after I... came into a right mind," she explained. "I basically built it myself, getting various parts and piecing them together. It cost a lot of time and some money, even though people I know gave me discounts, but I guess it was worth it."

"Your toy literally saved the day," Diane smirked.

"I was just tired of being just a passive watcher of your actions," Anna said. "I wanted to help more. And with my impairment, this was the only way to achieve it. It's controlled almost like a videogame, with a camera and voice transmitter. And, of course, the taser," she grinned.

Gray gave them a tired smile. "Y'all saved my ass once again," he said. "It's gradually becoming a habit, don't ya think? It also means I'll have to repay it somehow again. For the first time, I paid you this nice flat. What else do you charming ladies want?"

"We don't do it for money, Gray!" Alexis objected.

Anna leaned towards the young businessman and whispered something into his ear. Gray's smile grew bigger. "That's a great idea!" he said. "Alexis? A pretty birdy told me you want to study the university. And guess which bitch is rich enough to pay you a full tuition?"

Alexis' eyes sparkled in joy, then ceased again. "I can't," she said. "You already gave us more than enough. Risked your own life to get us into Philadelphia. I really can't wait more."

Gray casually grabbed her around the shoulders. "Look, Lex," he said, "it's just money. There are billions of them around the globe. They more or less mean nothing, since they are replacable and the company produces more and more every day. But a cute lesbian friend who is able to kill an immortal guy? That's one of a kind. And I have to cherish her as much as I can. Can we agree on that?"

"Well..." Alexis voiced.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Diane interrupted her. "We were both there when it happened! How come Alexis gets her tuition and I leave this with empty hands?"

Gray rolled her eyes. "I'll get ya a nice, custom-made motorbike. Deal?"

Diane gave a satisfied smile. "Deal."

Alexis felt like dreaming - after all this time, she can finally fulfill her wish and study the university. She hoped that her life will become normal for at least a while - after the exhausting year scarred by the faces of Kyle Fletcher and Johannes Crestian, she deserves it.

Some time to focus on her studies. To deepen her bond with Anna. To enjoy the presence of her mother. Just a normal life without any paranormal interference for a while. That's all I ask for.

She looked at her girlfriend by her side. Anna was smiling. "I'm happy for you, Alexis," she said. "I know how badly you want the degree. And to learn something more. Find a normal job besides the paranormal hunter. Now it's all up to you. I will help you as much as I can."

Alexis kissed her lips. "Thank you, Annie."

Gray cleared his throat. "And to honor our heroes, I suggest ordering several large pizzas, hectoliters of Coke and some good dessert. After such a fight, you have to be hungry, right?"

Diane grinned. "Gimme gimme gimme!"

They spent the whole day together, like one big family. And after all, they pretty much were. Alexis knew the future is probably already preparing another test for them, but she decided not to think about it. She just enjoyed the company and laughed with them.

Soon, she will complete the acceptance exams and become an university student.

And if anyone decides to stay between me and my dreams, they'll meet the same fate as Johannes Crestian.

After the long, exhausting celebration, Anna decided to stay for the night. After putting her pyjamas on, Alexis helped her on her bed where both girls snuggled together. And that was the moment Alexis realized she can't be happier at this moment.

She... they were strong enough to overcome all problems and even though the situation seemed grim, they managed to win. And love, no matter if sisterly, motherly, friendly or from a lover, is the best reward for it. She grinned for herself. Since when I'm fond of sweet clichés?

"Goodnight, my love," Anna turned to her, giving her a kiss Alexis gladly accepted.

"Goodnight," Alexis whispered.