Aira gasped as the lamp fell and Chris broke the chair. Dawn put her plate down and moved to clean up the broken glass and the lamp. Aira saw the struggle that Chris was going through. She had to. Something was seriously wrong with him. The light was working to hard. It seemed to be taking him over. Aira got off her stool and moved to Chris. She turned him to face her and let him stay sitting. She breathed in deeply and then looked to Mike quickly.

"Watch me. If there is any sight of problem or something seems vary wrong break the physical contact." She turned back to Chris ans breathed.

She put her hand on his temples and breathed she looked him in the eyes slowly and closed her eyes. She let the Light inside her sweerl and move up her arms and into Chris. Then she felt a burst of light meet her own. Her eyes opened and were glowing bright white. Aira felt strange. she pushed to find his mind. She could her muffled voices. She tryed to move towards them but something held her back. She pushed with her light. She broke through a tough wall and found herself standing inside a large while place. Though she knew she wasn't physically there. She felt conflict, sadness, pain and anger. She looked around and moved to her right walking into the never ending light. Soon the feeling of anger were replaced with happiness, joy, passion and love. she turned then. If this way felt good then what she was looking for was back where she was. She turned and walked towards the pain and anger. Soon she felt suffering and Hatred. Then she was falling and landed in a dark room she looked around. She had fallen into a memory.

"Watch me. If there is any sight of problem or something seems vary wrong break the physical contact." Aira instructed. Mike nodded his head, ever present as ever. He rubbed his head, and his survival instincts kicked in. He ran upstaris and strapped his survival harness on over his T-shirt. He retrieved his clean jacket and put it on over his shirt. He put some hidden knives on his body, and strapped his revolver onto his holster. His combat knife went back into its sheathe. He walked back downstaris and rushed out to the van. He retrieved extra medical supplies, and extra bullets just in case. He ran back to the farmhouse, and opened the doors. As he stepped inside he closed the very same doors behind him. Mike had once had his memories tampered with. It wasn't a pleasent experience. Interrogators, and even the director herself had tried to gain access to his mind. He was well trained though. No one but Aira, and the Susan clone had ever seen the inside of his mind. Though battering at the barriers for months had scrambled a few memories. Most of which was unintentional.

He looked over at Dawn and Elizabeth. "If anything goes wrong, certain people might be able to detect what they are doing. If I need to break the contact, you two might want to find somewhere safe. No need to worry now though, I'm sure Aira knows what shes doing." Mike was armed incase of attack while they still had the link going. Though contrary to what Mike had just said, Mike had never let Aira fully acess Mikes mind before. He never let anyone in after his year long stay at an interrogation facility. Mike sometimes shared a memory or two with Aira, but that was it.

Mike was slightly on edge, he couldn't back Aira up in this situation. There would be no enemies to gun down before they reached her. This was another mind game. Something Mike would never beable to fight against. Only defend. He leaned against the kitched counter and periodically checked the road, his gaze would jump back to Chris and Aira, and from there he would sneak a glance at Elizabeth from time to time.

Aira stood in a dark experimentation room. She saw Chris's broken bloody body. Then she way her. she stood behind the glass looking in.

"Don't you die on me Christopher!" she clicked off the intercom system and turned to Dee who looked worried. Aira moved through to stand behind them looking in.

"He cannot die Dee this is too important" she spoke slamming her hand on the desk

"I know that....but you have to understand...Chris is very old even for experiments standards...we are not even sure what the darkness will do to him...if he survives who knows what will happen to his mind....if you allowed more time for us to develop it we wouldn't be having this problem at all" the Director turned suddenly and glared at Dee.

"No...you will fix it as it develops within Chris if he dies i will personally shoot you in the head or inject you with a tainted batch of DNA" she said pressing a button making Chris scream in pain as he was electrocuted sharply in an effort to keep Chris alive. Aira then felt the pain.

She held back her screams and pulled herself from that memories. she had to keep looking. The director was sacred that Chris would die. Why? What was the darkness? why was it so important? She shuffled through to find another memory. One that would let her hear more of the directors plan. Aira quickly pushed up a meant block knowing that someone or something was inside with her. She could feel it.

Chris... Show me her. What does she want?

Aira felt herself being pulled towards a new memory. One with a vary young Chris.

Mike was prepared to be on watch for a while. In some cases some sessions could last hours. Mike's usually did, then again he was fighting back most of the time. He didn't want to take chances though. It never hurt to be prepared for attack. then again being armed to the teeth when around Elizabeth didn't seem right. Still he had a job to do, if anything happened to anyone he held dear on his watch, this would naturally cause extreme amounts of conflict. This would naturally hamper his ability to further carry on. His mind was under lock and key, unbreakable unless if multiple mental based experiments tried to assault him all together. Mike had his arms caused, sometimes his palm would rub his jaw line. A habit of Mike's. He sometimes did this when presented with problems. Many of which stemmed from answers he needed. The questions he had been asking for the past seven years had began to overlap. If he only had something to go off of, he might be able to figure out the others, but to get answers was to set off again.

He looked at Elizabeth, holding the gaze for a few moments, never giving anything away. The same question plagued him. Can I embrace my future without fully comprehending my past? Mike thought to himself. Where did he come from? Why had the school selected him? What did code name 'Hammer" have to do with him? More importantly, how did he fit into the scheme of things in the present?

Aira felt the force of her own light protecting her. She was back into the white mist of Chris mind. Memories flashed though her minds. Her own memories now. She and Chris picking apple on the island. The laughing when they took a trip to the beach. Chris splashed water at lulu. She ran behind Aira and the water went all over her. The memories shifted. Now she found herself back within the white mist of Chris Mind. She knew. She had guess before but now it was certain. Aira dwelled there. Thinking on what she saw, what she now knew. Then something changed. The mist started to change. To darken. The light around her began to burn bright her and she was pulled from his mind. It was a painful feeling. She was being pushed about while being pulled back. It was force.

Aira's eye flashed bright white and then the white was gone and Aira was physically forced back. She was slammed back against the hall of the kitchen. Her head hit the wall with a loud thump and her back made plates that were hanging fall off. She gasped as the air in her lungs left her. She fell to the ground in pain. Her vision was blurry and her hearing was muffled. She felt like she had been hit by a flash-bang, like she had been shot with a cannon ball. Her mind buzzing with what she now knew.

The hairs on the back of Mike's neck stood on end. He felt the same unknown presence poking around at his barriers. It wasn't Aira either. He rubbed his jaw and all of a sudden contact between Chris and Aira was broken rather violently. Something had thrown Chris into a wall, pictures fell. Shortly afterward the audible noise of pots and pans clattering filled his ears, glass shattered left and right. Whatever was going on was very strange. Mike strode over to Chris and helped him up. Mike carried him over to the couch and set him down. From there he checked on Aira, then to Dawn, then to Elizabeth. Making sure nothing had touched her in the commotion. Mike's mind opened up after a few moments when the foreign presence was gone. Anyone who has an altered mind such as yours may have sensed this, that is if they were listening. We should be on guard. Mike intended the message for Aira. Mike wasn't able to exactly feel the beacon that was just launced into the air, but his senses picked up portions of it. Such as his hair standing on end. That feeling of lightning about to strike.

"Is everyone alright?" Mike asked, genuinely concerned. He was in uncharted waters, he wasn't sure what to expect at the moment.

Aira gasped trying to regain her breath. Her vision came back quickly and hearing was slower. She looked around to see glasses and plates broken around her. She searched the room to find her mother and Elizabeth looking at her. Suddenly Aira felt a burning. She looked down at her hands and her right hand had a burn mark on it. on the palm of her thumb. Aira looked at Chris. How could she tell him? How would he take it. Aira slowly got up and brushed her self off feeling the pain in her back as she stretched. Her wings blocked most of the hit but now they were sore.

Anyone who has an altered mind such as yours may have sensed this, that is if they were listening. Mike's faint voice pushed itself towards her. She nodded at him.

No one was trying to push in when i was inside. we should be okay for now.

"I'm fine, sore but fine." She looked around and saw her mother starting to clean up the floor and Elizabeth whipping up some spilled OJ on the counter. Everyone was unharmed everyone but She and Chris. She moved into the living room and sat on the floor next to Chris not touching him.

"Chris, Are you okay?" she said softly almost cooing.


Back in the kitchen Mike, Elizabeth and Dawn stood.

"Well, looks like a have a good reason to go into town now. I would have had to buy bigger plates anyways. They eat like two grown men." She said to Elizabeth who giggles lightly as she cleaned up the last of the OJ.

Aira watched over him carefully. He looked like he was sick with the flu. His skin was pale and had a cold sweat covering him. He looked weak. She wanted to reach out and help him. Send him a better feeling but she now knew that was not the right thing. She knew. After seeing that memory she could put the pieces together. She could see now.

"did you....find anything?" Chris' tired voice spoke from the couch. Aira leaned in close and pulled all the light from her hand to stroke Chris' over long hair from his eyes. She smiled.

"How about we wait until your feeling better before we talk." She said trying to use her old mother smile. She used it on the island when she needed lulu to listen and not suspect anything. She hadn't used it in a vary long time. She hoped it still worked.

"Did i...do this?" Chris asked looking around. Aira semi smiled.

"We did it. After i broke the physical connection we kinda exploded and well... boom. Right now you need to focus on resting. I think you'll be able to calm down now." She said trying to make him feel better. She could feel the memory dwelling within her mind. She had blocked Chris from seeing everything she saw while in his mind. The weight of the memory wasn't pushing on Chris anymore. She looked into the kitchen to Mike and Elizabeth.

Mike, From what i saw, we have a whole new set of problems with the director them just the schools.

"I think it would be best for Me and My mom to go out and get stuff now while it's still early. It gives time for Chris to rest. When we get back we'll all talk together and make a game plan. Alright?' Aira asked looking at the four faces looking at hers. She hoped she looked calm. Though inside her mind she was buzzing with what she knew. What she had now put together and what it would mean.

As Aira and Chris spoke, Mike was brooding to himself in the kitchen. It was much like one of the moments where he was thinking about charging after prey. Though there was no such prey in this situation. He carefully weighed his options with Aira. He had to tread lightly. Information he should've presented to her long ago. He looked long and hard at her. Mike, From what i saw, we have a whole new set of problems with the director them just the schools.

Aira, you and Chris have been at the center of a plot years before your conception. Maybe before even my own... I've been gunning for the Director for a while now. She's in more memories of mine than I care to mention. Mike hesitated. He felt as if it was time to tell Aira the truth of it all. It wasn't important information. It was just about Mikes desprate flight to an uncharted island, an island well kept as a secret. Illegal shipping zones 'secret' Many lives had been sacrificed. Many people had died to give Mike the position he was in now. So many deaths over a packet of shipping orders.

Maybe sometime after this is all over I can share you the whole story, but for now it is better if I only tell you what I have to. I always thought you Chris, and the others were just another flock. Now I can see that I was wrong. I can't trust some of my memories, but It wasn't just coincidence I found you. We waged war with the Director to get the information of your whereabouts. This information came at a price Aira, if we can't stop the Director I fear there will be no one left who can. Mike glanced at Chris, Aira had to know what had been bothering Mike, and he presented it with a silent, yet grevious thought.

"I Love you too." She said and then got a rush of thoughts from Mike.

Aira, you and Chris have been at the center of a plot years before your conception. Maybe before even my own... I've been gunning for the Director for a while now. She's in more memories of mine than I care to mention. Mike hesitated.

Maybe sometime after this is all over I can share you the whole story, but for now it is better if I only tell you what I have to. I always thought you Chris, and the others were just another flock. Now I can see that I was wrong. I can't trust some of my memories, but It wasn't just coincidence I found you. We waged war with the Director to get the information of your whereabouts. This information came at a price Aira, if we can't stop the Director I fear there will be no one left who can. Mike glanced at Chris, Aira had to know what had been bothering Mike, and he presented it with a silent, yet grievous thought.

Aira froze. She tryed to think, put everything together. How long had Mike been holding this in? How much information did his mind truly know? What could it still know. Her mind was swirling filled with to much information and not enough connections.

"Mom, can we go? I wanna get there and back before Chris wakes up." She said putting in her best poker face and turning to the others. She looked fine a little distracted but fine other wise. She walked into the kitchen and saw her mom had everything almost cleaned.

"Sure, we'll leave now." She said going up and getting her keys and bag.

"Mike, Elizabeth, i need you guys to make sure Chris stay rested. I know we'll have a lot to go over. Mike is there any type of clothes or things you want me to pick up? Elizabeth?" She asked pulling her hair up into a pony tale. She felt weird with her hair up. she always had it down. But she looked younger with her hair out of her face.


"Actually, could you get me a pair of jeans and a nice comfie yet fashionable top." She said with a sweet smile. Aira looked at her funny. she looked at herself. She had a pair of ripped, dirty and bloody jeans that she bought 2 years ago and a tight shirt that she stole off a clothes line. She didn't know the first thing about being fashionable.

"Oh...Okay." She said faking a smile. She looked to Mike for his response. Just as Dawn came into the kitchen with her bag and sunglasses on.

Mike rubbed his shoulder, and rolled it around. The muscles were still tender, but the majority had mended. Cameron would be on his feet in a day or two, hopefully they wouldn't let him move around sooner. It wouldn't be wise for him to chase after Mike with the wounds Mike had dealt him. Mike's ears were intently tuned in on the speech that was floating back and forth. He rubbed his shoulder, and let his free hand drop back down. He looked a little pale, maybe his mind was indeed mending. Mike could remember a lot, but the blanks in his memory were still taunting him. It was just out of his reach. Mike could remember everything from three years ago fully. About a year before he had met Aira and Chris, the facility holding him had suffered a rather unfortunate fire, staged to get Mike out before he cracked; however it had been too late. It took a few months, but the healing process had put his mind and body back into sync. After that he went on a cold calculating journey to kill the Director, he met many in his travels, many of which who followed him to the Director's door. All of which to Mike's knowledge, were either dead or captured. Sent to the opposite parts of the world.

He was forced to follow the only lead on the Director's plans, most of which was secured from her study. That had began Mike's desprate flight to a deserted island. Mike would of course arrive too late to save the flock that had been abducted by the school. He managed to get to the facility two days before they were to be sent to the Director's mansion. The reoccuring question kept plaguing him. He had been pestering the Director's plots at every turn, and yet she had let him live when they had taken him along with Aira and Chris before they had met Elizabeth. Maybe Dee managed to cover it up? Maybe. All Mike knew was that her Mansion was a well kept secret, getting there had taken peices from him, escaping had taken what little remained, almost until there was nothing left.

He looked at Aira and gave a small reassuring smile. "I'll just need cargo pants and T-shirts, or maybe jeans." Mike crossed his arms.

He knelt down and picked up the pieces to a broken plate. He placed it on the table, and looked up at Elizabeth. "I'll be watching Chris, I suppose you wouldn't mind sitting with me for a while?" Mike offered with smile. His face didn't mirror the confusion of his situation. He needed to give Aira more information, info that he simply wasn't able to and or prepared to give. There was too much pain involved. He couldn't share the memories, he would have to find words that described them, words that eluded him.

Stay safe. Chris in in good hands. Mike's mind was swirlling with thoughts, he plucked the two words out of the turmoil and presented it too Aira.

(Sorry I started a nice big post but i hit to meny buttons and it got erased! -.- stupid lap top. I'm writing now)

Stay safe.

The thought reached her mind slowly. The words seemed like fantasy to her now. Aira nodded to Mike and the moved out the front door. Aira moved to Dee's Van and got the money and gift cards out of the glove box. It was a big wade and the gift cards were still in there original wrappers. Aira spent a minute unwrapping them and added them into a pile.

Dawn watched Aira go out and knew something was wrong. The way Aira was not speaking. She turned and smiled at Mike and Elizabeth.

"We'll be back as soon as possible. Please help yourself if your hungry or thirsty and don't hesitate to look around." She said and moved out the door.

Dawn found Aira getting cards and money together. Dawn pushed the button on her keys and a trucks horn blew. Aira got the last card out and then followed Dawn to the dark blue truck. Aira got in and they pulled out onto the dirt drive. Aira got anxious the moment she started to move away from Mike and Chris. She got that stuck in a box feeling inside the cab of the truck. she didn't put on her seat belt just in case she needed to make a quick tuck-and-roll. They drove of a bit and then Aira saw a few house back in the trees and Dawn slowed in front of a store. Forever 21. Aira thought she had seen a billboard for that while flying in Paris but she wasn't sure. Dawn reach into her big bag and pulled out a small bad with the word GUESS printed all over it. It looked expensive. She looked to Dawn for what to do with it.

"There is some make up and a hair brush. I'll go get you something girly while you do yourself up. You can use the purse to store your wade of cash." Dawn said getting her bag and keys. Aira reached over and handed Dawn two hundred dollar bills. Dawn smiled and handed the money back.

"I can't buy my own daughter a gift?" Dawn said and closed the door. Aira got a warm feeling in her chest while dawn walked away.

Aira shoved her cards and money into the purse and then pulled the brush out. She pulled it through her hair. She hadn't realized how many tangles she had until she started brushing into them. Finally after a good 5 minutes at brushing, Aira's hair felt soft and smooth. She realized her hair was vary long. To the middle of her back. She pulled out the make-up and just looked at it. She didn't know what half of this was for. So she waited until she saw dawn coming back. She had two bags in her hands. She passed the to Aira who looked through the bags quickly. She pulled it all on quickly. Fitted blue jeans with a pink flowy top and a while leather jacket. It fit perfectly but an inch of Aira's stomach showed.

"Thanks, it all fits but i think the top is too small. And i need some help with the make-up." Aira said shoving the bags in the back with her old clothes inside them.

"That shirt is supposed to be worn that way. your body tone makes it look normal. You look great don't worry. And yes, I can help you." Dawn smiled then went to work. She putt eye liner, mascara, a light peach eye shadow and a pink blush. After she was done she smiled.

"Do I look like a barbie doll?" Aira asked scared to look in the mirror.

"You look beautiful." Dawn said and they started for Down town.


Elizabeth waved them both goodbye then turned to Micheal. She liked it when it was just she and him. Like that morning. Everything seemed to be perfect. They were safe, alive and together.

"So did you wanna watch a movie while we wait. I'm sure there is something on TV." Elizabeth said with a smile.

Once they were gone, Elizabeth asked him if he wanted to watch a movie. Perhaps something on TV. Mike could get used to watching the television with her. It allowed him that small amount of time to actually feel normal. To forget about the so called glorious kill count he hung around his own neck, similar to that of a ball and chain, or maybe even a noose. Mike had never managed to fully unwind, to forget his mannerisms. Perhaps he never really would, like all war vets that woke up in the middle of the night frightened. Mike wouldn't be at peace, never. Only death's embrace would quiet the storm. This thought was morbid, but he found peace in these dark thoughts. They illuminated a few anwers he sought out. The answer wasn't one he wanted, but it was an answer all of the same. Simply moving on and remembering his loved ones was the only way to live his life to its fullest. He was granted curses, but he was granted one gift. A gift he never asked for. The gift of saving those who otherwise couldn't save themselves. These curses helped him as much as they chained him. Elizabeth was a way out though. He felt as if he were drowning for the longest time. Just when he had accepted his fate as a fighter, she pulled him from the clutches of that dark fate. That act in its own meant more to Mike than any gesture one could bestow upon him. He would safeguard her with his life. Though if he ever had to choose between Chris, Aira, and Elizabeth; he would be hardpressed to offer one more protection over the other. Then again Elizabeth was human, where Aira and Chris were birdkids. He shook his head. Such thoughts weren't going to be entertained. It took Mike a few moments to respond.

"hmm? Oh, sure. That sounds great." Mike offered her his hand and a small smile. It was true he was distracted, but maybe he needed another distraction to keep his mind off of the initial distraction.

Dawn pulled into a very large parking lot. When she parked Aira stayed in the car and looked around first. When out she looked for black hummers or police cars. The school never was discreet with their modes of transportation. Once she noted there were none she felt a little better. Only a little. They moved into the large building that Aira nor figured was the mall. She opened the door for her mother and then followed her in. From the corner of her eye she was a girl and when she looked but her mouth dropped. The girl was tall thin and surprisingly pretty. She had long dirty blonde hair and bright green eyes. They popped due to her pink eye shadow. She had a golden tan and was wearing clothes that looked like they belonged in a fashion magazine. Then Aira saw her mother standing behind the girl. Aira realised that the girl she was looking at was herself. Dawn smiled.
“I told you, you looked beautiful.” She said fixing a stray hair.
“I just never thought I could ever look like anything more than what I did.” She said with a light laugh. She shook her head and followed her mom.
First the headed to another girl store where Aira picked up a few things for herself and got her mother to help her choose some things for Elizabeth. Then they moved to a men’s store to pick up clothes for Mike and Chris. Aira picked out a new sweater for Chris. It was black and she thought I would look nice. She picked up a good pair of Cargo’s for Mike. After clothes shopping Dawn ordered some new plate and glasses and picked up a few things for dinner. They walked and Dawn bought Aira a strawberry-banana smoothie. They were on their way out when Aira passed by a shop called Green Earth. Aira stopped and walked in. She saw a pair of woven bracelets. She looked them over slowly. They were handmade each has a single bead with the word “Survive.” Aira smiled and picked up 4. Then she carried her, what seemed like, a million bags to the truck. She thought running for her life was a work out. Shopping worked your legs and arms all at the same time! Aira got in the truck and sighed. She pulled her bracelet on and Dawn got in. They started the truck and headed for home.

Elizabeth smiled and took Micheal’s hand. They moved into the living room and She took the remote and turned the TV on. She turned the volume down so that it wouldn't wake up. She began looking through the satellite channels. She came upon something that made her laugh. She hit enter. Avatar come one. Elizabeth smiled. This was the Movie he put on when they were in her apartment.
“Look familiar?” She said with a laugh.