The lights flicking off effectively cut off the conversation she was having with Vix, and her smile froze on her lips when the lights flicked on one more time, illuminating one final image of delayed reaction and the fade of contentment from her friends eased faces. The lights flicked off, plunging them into darkness, and in that moment, Ashlyn stood, a half formed cuss word escaping her lips. There was then a lingering moment, and Ashlyn felt her fear create a small spark of light, the flame flickering uncertainly in the palm of her untrained hand, and the door exploded, sending Huey flying. And abruptly the press of soldiers against her mind made her gasp. FEAR. The organizations desire for their eradication was blatant on each mind that she felt as she stepped between them and Huey as he crashed to the ground behind her.

She glanced at him and Vix, refusing to let fear take over. Her previous nightmares tried to surge to the fore of her thoughts, but with an effort of will she choked them down and drew her little knife with her spare hand. In her other, her left hand, Ashlyn tried to make the little spark of light more substantial, focusing and withdrawing as she mentally coaxed the fire into some sort of projectile. Her training in this was informal, little more than instinct, and it wasn't until her nightmares pressed against her inner eye with a renewed vengeance that her anger and fear and natural defensiveness surged forth, and the flicker of heat in her hand swelled abruptly. She felt a thrill of victory. She had done it!

The soldiers moved forward.

Ignoring them, reclaiming her state of concentration, Ashlyn hurled the fire at them. Her aim was a guess as the fire arced from her hand to the middle of the group, striking home with the power of her anger. Like a cornered tiger that turns to her last defense, her flames exploded, and felled several of the soldiers, and broke the morale of a few of them as the stench of burning human filled the air. Even Ashlyn almost gagged. Nevertheless, she drew to herself another flame. It came easier, but it stuttered uncertainly, and even as she threw it at the FEAR soldiers, she knew it would do minimal damage.

They drew ever closer, and Ashlyn took Vix's shoulder as she dragged her, none too gently, to regroup with Huey. She shouted to them over the noise of the soldiers and the pounding in her ears "We need to get out of here!"

And where the hell was Caleb?