On The Run - The Escape

[Bianca Bartlett]

(( With the aim of proceeding with this character for this plot without James (who played Derek) I will be trreating Derek as a NPC and then leaving it so that he can either be dead or alive if James should return and wish to revive the character. ))





*When Bianca reentered the motel room, she found Derek standing by the window, peering out through the cracks of the blinds. Arching a brow in his general direction, Bianca dropped the bag of doughnuts on the bed before she spent more care with placing the tray of two coffee cups on the bedside table. Picking the orange cup out of the tray, Bianca carried it over to where Derek stood, still looking out the window.

~I got you a coffee..~ she mumbled. ~ There’s doughnuts on the bed too…~ she trailed off as she saw he was still staring intently through the window. ~What the hell are you looking at?~ she asked.

Finally he turned and looked at her, his brow etched in worry lines she had never seen before. ~We’ve got a tail.. down there.. the blue sedan..~ he waited as Bianca moved in for a look, her long slender fingers flicking the middle two blinds up slightly for a better look.

~Are you sure?~ she asked. ~All I see is a guy sitting in his car reading a newspaper..~

~Yeah,~ he nodded grimly, sipping his coffee. ~ I was watching him after you left, and he watched you when you walked to and from the coffee shop… the sun glinted off something too.. I don’t know if it was a gun.. or a camera… but it was something and I don’t like it. We have to get out of here Bianca. I thought it was too close to the hospital.. they’ve found us.~

~How did they find us so quickly though? And if they know we are here, why are they just watching us?!~ she shrieked as she backed away from the window, tripping over the large potted fern that lived in the corner of the room. Despite his own panic rising within in, Derek moved to comfort her before he walked to the bed. ~ I don’t know babe.. we just gotta get out of here.. ~ Picking up the bag of doughnuts, he opened it before selecting two for himself, then dropped the bag back on the bed. Popping both into his mouth with a disgusting amount of speed, he swallowed the sweet dough, washing it down with the coffee. Tossing the now empty cup into the wastebin, he turned to look at Bianca.

~Make yourself eat before we go… we don’t know when we will get a chance again..~ he said as he started to pack their meagre possessions into the bags they had acquired thus far. She watched him anxiously as she forced herself to eat three doughnuts. Every bite seemed to stick in her throat and she was aware that she had started to sweat. As she reached for her coffee, she saw the light under the front door of the room, go away for a moment before appearing once more. Someone had walked past their door, and while this was not unusual, she still felt a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. That dread began to consume her entire being as the strip of light under the door disappeared again, this time seemingly defeated by the dark shadow that now peeked under the door at her. Her trembling hands dropped the coffee cup as she picked it up, and Derek turned to look at her as he heard it hit the floor. She had just enough time to point to the door and say ~ He’s here..~ before the door kicked open and the agent burst in.

{ Although the article he had been reading had been more than mildly interesting, the agent had still had one eye trained on Bianca and Dereks window. It was because of this that he had seen the flicker of the blinds as Bianca had looked out at him. He knew instantly that he had been spotted, and after the necessary call was made to headquarters, he checked his four weapons and exited the vehicle. As he stalked across the street towards the motel, Agent Mikypetho willed his racing heart to settle as he steeled himself for the battle ahead, drawing his favourite gun from its holster before he mounted the stairs. His family flickered across his mind and he said a silent prayer for his wife as he kicked open the door and burst in}

Derek dropped the bags he was carrying as he ran towards the agent. ~Get out of here now!~ he screamed at Bianca as he went in with fists flailing. The agent raised his gun and shot three rounds directly into Dereks chest. Bianca screamed in rage as every light bulb in the room exploded, showering the agent in a rain of glass that pierced his skin and eyes. The agent began to sob as he tried to pull a large piece of glass out of his left eye. Ignoring him, Bianca ran over to where Derek lay on the floor, blood oozing from the three bullet wounds in his chest and torso. ~run!~ he told her, before turning his attention to the candles they had used the night before. Despite the life energy running from his veins, he still had the strength to light the wick of one large dark candle with his mind so that a strong amber flame began to burn. Bianca did not know the extent of Dereks abilities with fire, but she had heard enough rumours in Parasych Park to be worried now that he was playing with a lit candle and telling her to run. She wanted to hug him, to cling to him and never let him go, but she could hear the enraged grunting of the agent behind them and she knew it was a matter of time before he turned that gun on her.

As if to prove her suspicions, a bullet tore into the flesh on the side of her left thigh as another whizzed past her head, hitting the wall above her. Derek tore his gaze away from the flame long enough to plead with his eyes. ~Run… Bianca.. please.. get out of here.. now!~ before his head turned back to look at the flame that had now leaped to the other candles on the table, twelve of them in total. Ignoring the searing pain in her leg, Bianca kissed him one last time before she slowly stood up and turned to look at the agent. He was crawling to his feet, his gun trained on her. Grinning like a demonic cat and with tears streaming down her cheeks, Bianca teased the agent.

~You shouldn’t play with guns little one… don’t you know..? Guns don’t kill people.. people kill people…~ as she spoke, she willed the gun to turn, and it did so, regardless of the resistance of his hand. With horror, he looked down at his hand as he realised he was powerless to make it stop. The gun was now pointing towards his head. Biancas smile disappeared as she looked at the agent coldly. ~Yeah people kill people.. and sometimes.. just sometimes.. they use a gun…~ as she talked, the gun continued to turn so that he could now look right down the barrel of it. ~ ….and if you kill someone by a gun you should expect to die by the same gun… burn in hell you son of a bitch.~ before she forced his finger to pull the trigger. He realised that he could still control his feet as he flinched automatically, and he moved backwards and upwards as he tried to dodge the bullet. As a result, it missed its intended target, instead hitting him in the right shoulder. Feeling the heat from the table that was now burning behind her, she turned and looked at Derek one last time, tears blurring her vision before she ran past the wounded agent and sprinted down the stairs. Remarkably, he continued firing at her, bullets racing past her as she ran into the midday sun.

She ran all the way past Rosies, towards the truck stop that they had seen from the highway. Figuring that she needed a car, or to hitch a ride at least, Bianca figured that it was her best choice right now. After running a few miles and checking several times to see if he was behind her or not, Bianca slowed down to a fast walk as she finally allowed her tears to fall, and for the sobs to consume her aching heart. As her heart beat in agony at the thought of losing Derek, she had no idea of the life that had been created within her the night before. Mourning Dereks loss, she walked the remaining few miles, not knowing that she carried his unborn child with her.

A few minutes later, she heard the sound of a fire engine, and she turned to look back the way she had come, seeing the sky was now tinted a deep dark orange and grey. Sobbing deeper, she forced deep breaths of clean air into her lungs as she tried to not think about his dying, and spoke to him with her mind. She prayed that wherever he was now, he could hear her and know that she had loved him, even though their time together had been so short.

Squaring her shoulders as her sobs finally started to subside, Bianca kept to the side of the road and tried to stay in the shadows as she walked the last remaining miles to the Truck Stop. *

[Tanasha Arati]

(I'll continue this here from Yorkie C's post so those still in PP can have the hospital. Hopefully he and Chayne, if he's even still out there, know where to come looking for me. Chayne, I've left it open if you get back to the thread as to whether you tagged along.)


:~:As was common of Athalia’s moods, her journey from discouraged and broken to energetic and outgoing was instantaneous. Given what she’d survived in just one day, Tanasha was unable to offer a characteristically witty remark. Instead, she staggered around the front of the vehicle, pulled open the unlocked door and fell unceremoniously into the front seat. It might have been an overstuffed Lay-Z boy for the relieved sigh that came from each and every abused muscle she’d pissed off over the last few hours. She sat for one blessed moment in comfortable silence, head back, eyes closed, and completely unaware of whether or not Chayne had joined them in the car. He would do whatever it was he intended to do, with or without them.

Ta didn’t bother to open her eyes when the car started suddenly, despite a severe lack of key. The gentle warmth that marked this miracle soothed a portion of the goosebumps that were wreaking havoc on usually smooth skin. The internal heat that had recently reddened her skin to the point of flame abandoned her completely now, leaving the nude woman shivering and sore in its wake.
Exhaustion stood in the way of recalling the fire, so she curled in her seat and waited for something to happen.

Athalia’s question may have caused the dozing Ta to start had she the energy left for such things, but as she didn’t, she skipped that step entirely and moved straight through to finding an answer. She was surprised to realize she didn’t have one for once. Her mouth had only just opened to admit this when Crash found her own and hit the accelerator. A public beating, escaping a hellish prison in her birthday suit, and being unable to drive herself had been attacks enough on her dignity for this night. She need not add squeals of fright to the list as the angel took the wheel of the getaway car and sped away from the hospital, busting right through its imposing iron gates. For this reason alone, Ta kept her jaw firmly locked and any noise she may want to make stifled to the point of silence. She did, however, brave the scene ahead by opening her eyes and struggling nervously with her seatbelt just as the tires went airborne and she cracked her already aching head off the passenger window. With her stomach in her mouth and one hand clutching side of her head, she snapped the latch into place. This need to buckle-up was less to do with being a law-abiding citizen than someone unwilling to go headfirst through the windshield when Crash finally lived up to her name. Whatever the reason, the belt made her feel even more naked as the coarse texture scraped her bare, raw skin. She had little time and even less ability to do anything about that particular problem just yet. She was still gripping the “oh shit”-bar attached to the door when she ventured a look at the laughing Athalia’s tear streaked face.:~:

“Crash…? Did you figure out if you can actually drive, by any chance? Do you know where we’re going?”

[Athalia Mischavitch]

Athalia drove; she sped like a demon and refused to take her foot off the accelerator… whatever that was. She smiled sweetly, enjoying the sensation of speed, the way her stomach fluttered and protested, the rush of adrenaline, She was so close to death she could giggle, one swerve of the steering wheel and she'd be back home where she belonged with her sisters… or would she go to the other place… She shivered and finally pulled her foot of the accelerator slowly

“Crash…? Did you figure out if you can actually drive, by any chance? Do you know where we’re going?”

Athalia smiled at Tanasha and for the first time noticed she was quite naked.

"And the LORD GOD make skin coats for the human and his woman, and He clothed them."

Athalia said with a sigh, she turned her head and noticed a blanket covering the back seat, she stretched backwards, temporarily forgetting that she was driving a car and she handed Tanasha the blanket before taking the wheen once more.

"He's always doing things like that…"

She said with a raise of her perfect brow. Athalia nodded at Tanashas other question,

"Oh I know where we're going, straight to the walls of Jericho where the priests havent blown their horns and that land still stands with even through Joshuas curse…"

They passed a sign, Athalia couldn’t read the numbers nobody had taught her, but she understaood the words well enough, the town was called 'Jicho' and they weren't far.

"What do we do when we get there? I'm not going back to that place…"

She turned back to Tanasha and spoke sounding almost sane.

[Tanasha Arati]

:~:Tanasha winced at her own stupidity in assuming that the ride couldn’t get worse as Crash turned to retrieve something from the backseat and neglected the wheel completely. It was obvious her statement had something to do with Ta’s nudity, but what that had to do with killing them both was beyond even Ta, who knew her best. Her hand shot out instinctively to steady it before she ended the day with a visit either upstairs or down. The jury was out on where she'd be going. Despite how tough she claimed to be, she wasn’t up to answering for every wrong doing and bad deed committed over the last 22 years just yet. There would be plenty of opportunities for that in the future and, no doubt, a longer list to own up to. Ta had also intended to meet her maker clothed, which is why the blanket Athalia returned with moments later was welcomed. She relinquished her grip on the steering wheel only once the angel was facing front again and cocooned herself in the warm, fluffy folds. Sleep crept ever closer.:~:

"Uh… good of him. Thanks, Crash. If you need anything else back there, just let me know, k? Had that coming...knew better than to ask."

:~:Ta sighed softly. Athalia’s destination was as confusing and Biblical as she’d expected, but that did not make the answer any more useful. Their situation was not a good one. What had seemed so easy and straight forward in planning now seemed near impossible and this was just the beginning. A stolen car, no money, no clothes and nowhere specific to run…how could she protect the angel like this? Maybe one of those wussy telekinetic powers- like Bianca’s- or the ability to create money from thin air would have been more practical in an escape than turning into a human torch when pissed off. Tanasha scowled out the window, determined to hide her fears from Crash, and caught sight of the “Jicho” sign. Her heavy lids, so desperate to fall in sleep, were forced open as she struggled to wake up. Maybe it wasn’t as dire as it seemed. A town, obviously the one Crash had rambled about, this close was a start. They could steal some clothes and money off someone who needed it less than themselves and disappear. With the hospital looking for them and the threat of returning to that hell, there was no time to be discouraged. She turned to Athalia with new hope for their survival and/or freedom.:~:

"Grab a bite to eat and trade this piece of shit in for something nicer. Leather interior, if we can. The more we swap, the better. Then, I guess, we’ll pick up a map and head for the border. As soon as we hit a city I can get us some IDs and a cash stash. Enough that we’ll be catching a ride out of this damn country. Land of the free, my ass. Land of the “If you’re different we’ll fuck with you”. Watch the speed, Crash, k? If we get stopped I’ll have to kill the pig and I’d like a meal before I go homicidal again. You’re with me now, kid. We’re never going back. Never."

[Bianca Bartlett]

*Her thighs and calf muscles were aching by the time the Truck Stop finally came into view, but it was a sensation that Bianca relished. Locked up within Parasych Park, she had had little time or opportunity for exercise, save for the two hours of gym time that was allocated to each patient, whether they wanted it or not. While some of her fellow inmates had used this time to keep in tip top shape, Bianca had merely seen it as another way to waste some time. In “the park” she had had nothing but time.. too much time. Fortunately, she had been blessed with good genetics when it came to her body type at least, and this, combined with her two hours of “gym time” meant that she was in pretty good shape prior to her escape. The bullet wound in her leg had now gone comfortably numb and she only walked with a slight limp as the Truck Stop grew nearer.

Her keen jade eyes took in the surrounding area as her feet touched upon the tarmac in the eastern end of the parking lot. Several big rigs were parked on the left side of the pumps, some refilling, others just waiting for their drivers. Hiking her jeans back up over her hips, Biancas eyes shifted back and forth as she scurried over to the diner section of the truck stop. Everyone was involved in their own business, and noone seemed to pay attention to the stooped over figure that scurried in and took a seat in a booth at the back of the diner.

Risking a glance upwards once she was settled in the booth, Bianca saw that the diner was about one third full. It was one of those old fashioned diners with a large counter top littered with scattered stools that were decorated in the same blistered red vinyl that was a perfect contrast to the sparkling black and white chequered tiles. Truckers were the bulk of the clientele, while a handful of families huddled in scattered booths, the children clearly pushing the limits of the obviously tired fathers who seemed intent on drowning in their large cups of black coffee. Bianca watched with curious green eyes, her heart growing somewhat wistful as she watched the way that the mothers fussed over their kids, trying to keep them quiet while the fathers rested before another few hours on the road. She had never known that sense of attention and love with her own family; they had either feared or loathed her for most of her existence, and as she watched now, she could not help but feel a little jealous as she longed for a normal family life. Her grumbling stomach broke her train of thought and she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the nearby family to scan the tables that were close enough to her booth to be of an advantage to her. A table two places up to the left of her had a plate of a half eaten burger and handful of fries left behind by its previous owner, but it was collected by an overly efficient waitress before Bianca could claim it for herself. She slid further back into her booth, slightly discouraged as she watched the other nearby diners for any opportunity to settle that gnawing sensation in her stomach. Claiming a serviette from its previous prison of polished chrome in the centre of the table, Bianca folded it up into a small square and pressed it against her bullet hole in an attempt at stopping the bleeding while she kept an eye out for her next meal.

Her patience was rewarded in less than half an hour when a rather large trucker sat down in the booth across from her. He had several plates delivered to him over the course of forty minutes or so, a wide variety that included burgers, fries, soup, doughnuts and apple pie with cream. After slurping down four cups of coffee, the monstrosity of a man had stumbled out of his booth, offered Bianca a stench filled burp and ambled away. Scrambling out of her own booth, Bianca snagged his tray and carried it back to her far booth, picking through the remains for anything that was edible. Her scavenger hunt paid off and she enjoyed five bites of the burger that was still slightly warm and more than slightly greasy, a few handfuls of limp warm fries, two doughnuts and a quarter of the apple pie. Gasping for something to drink, Bianca sat in her booth, peering out at those around her, waiting for a drink to be left behind by the next nearby diner. With one eye on the patrons, and another on the door, she would see anyone that walked in. Fearful that the Agent might track her somehow, Bianca promised herself that she would find a rest room and tend to her bleeding leg as soon as she was able to quench her burning thirst.*

[Athalia Mischavitch]

Athalia listened intently as Tanasha relayed her plans for the two escapees; she smiled and turned her head nodding furiously.

‘I want my name to be May...’

She said brightly and went back to concentrating on the road, she lifted her foot gently off the accelerator and slowed down, Tanasha was right, the last thing they needed were cops pulling them over. Athalia shifted in her seat,

“I need to pee...”

The Angel said earnestly and fell instantly silent, they passed a road sign, there was a truck stop up ahead, she turned to Tanasha and turned her head in question.

‘To Jericho or the truck stop?’

She asked Athalia would do almost anything for some clothes; she had been forced to wear the same small hospital gown for the last seventy years. Nobody really knew what she had gone through, when every single patient arrived in Parasych Park Athalia had already been there for years. The years had started to blend and blur together, was it seventy? Or longer? Or two days? Not even Athalia knew for sure.

‘I need to pee now...”

Athalia said with a hint of desperation in her voice, she squirmed in her seat uncomfortably,

‘Lets stop at the truck stop... friends or foes, doves or crows...’

She said softly as she pulled into the truck stop.


((It's a bit short sorry!))

[Tanasha Arati]

“May? Like the month? That’s different. Into all that sunshine, flowers and shit? Eh, I guess you’re pretty sunny. May it is, but you’ll always be Crash to me. Hey…that name thing isn’t a bad idea, actually. Guess I oughta get one. What kind of ass names their kid ‘Tanasha’, anyways? Hated from birth, I was. It changes now…”

:~:Tanasha’s tensed shoulders dropped slightly as the car slowed to a reasonable speed and the threat of capture lowered significantly. She rolled them a couple of times to ease the pain creeping up her stiff neck into the back of her head, then sighed. They were out. They were taking new names and a new future. Those who had controlled and destroyed her and Crash’s past would suffer for their crimes eventually, but for the moment all they needed concern themselves with was the open road. With her head resting back against the seat, Ta was free to gaze aimlessly out the window at the scenery that flew by. It may have been the moon as unfamiliar as it seemed. The bright colors and constant movement of the real world were almost too much for eyes accustomed to the drab innards of a psychiatric hospital. She took in these sights with a vengeance, mentally daring the Parasych Park staff, the authorities, the whoever to threaten her again with the colorless walls of a cell until her green eyes burned from the effort. Crash’s statement- so normal in this bizarre situation- brought Tanasha abruptly back to the present.:~:

“Now? Wasn’t much time for that before we left, huh? Well, when you gotta go, you gotta go. You want to go in the woods or something?”

:~:A nervous glance into the rearview mirror confirmed that, for the moment, they were not being followed. A quick, roadside pit-stop would likely go unnoticed if the eccentric angel didn’t find some reason to dawdle. If luck was with her at all, the part of Crash that understood their need for speed was also the one that required a bathroom. The road sign caught her attention at that very moment and Ta smirked. More than one problem solved, if they played their cards right. It was a bit obvious for anyone hunting them, though with the hectic scene back at the hospital they had a few minutes to spare. A risk worth taking.:~:

“Ask and you shall receive. I bet you’re the only one that shit works for. Tell Him you need some clothes too, for both of us. That pimped car too, with the leather interior. Have Him drop it at the truck stop and while you hit the loo I’ll grab the stuff, some green and a snack. Wonder if they still sell Devil Dogs…”

:~:As the rest area approached, Ta uncurled long legs from under her in a stretch. Exhaustion that had minutes ago tried to consume her now faded away with adrenaline. Every move they made after exiting their escape vehicle was crucial to continued freedom. Plans and their various outcomes took over Ta’s thoughts as the haven of road warriors and tourists rose ahead. She had no delusions that God would be funding this trip. Oh no, she was on her own whether she was traveling with an angel or not. Gathering the blanket around her shoulders as she might a cloak, she gestured towards the back of the building where the enormous metal monsters slept in long, colorful rows between hauls.:~:

“Head for the back, Crash. There’ll be an entrance for the truckers and a separate loo too. That gown of yours isn’t exactly your Sunday finest. They’d enjoy the show but we gotta do this quiet. Lock yourself in the bathroom until I come, okay? I’ve got an idea….”

[Bianca Bartlett]

*The bullet wound in her left thigh was beginning to burn with an itchy intensity and she glared down at her leg in frustration as she bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from crying. Bianca was quickly becoming fed up with the entire situation. The loss of Derek had now completely consumed her as she huddled in the far corner of her booth sipping on the half cup of lukewarm black coffee she had managed to steal from the tray of a nearby trucker who seemed more intent on what was in his girlie magazine than what was on or off his tray.

The coffee had soon been improved with two satchels of the packaged sugar that had previously been enslaved beside the paper napkin she had rescued minutes before, and Bianca was grateful for the sugar rush that took the edge off her screaming thigh, though it did little to ease her sorrow. Though the coffee was only lukewarm however, it was still warm enough to fail in her quest of quenching her thirst. Every swallow of the sugar coated caffeine hit only served to remind of her how thirsty she was and she eyed the large cup of soda that the trucker was currently slurping all over. Grimacing in disgust as she saw his tongue flicker over the red straw that stuck out of the clear lid of the cup, Bianca nearly gagged as she forced herself to look away. That drink was definitely out of the question, and her green eyes searched the diner in earnest for another source of cold sugary goodness. She found her answer in the hands of a four year old boy. His family had been sitting in a nearby booth for as long as Bianca had, and they had all enjoyed their meal while he had slept, propped up against his older sisters side. Now he had awoken and was busy shoving as much of his burger and fries into his mouth as he could while his family gathered their things and prepared to go. Biancas eyes zoomed in on the medium cup of soda, small beads of condensation dripping slowly down the light yellow plastic cup. The boy had only managed two sips of it so far, and as his father told him to hurry up he took one last sip on his straw before he stood up, his half eaten burger in one hand while his mother pulled on the other one. The family were gone in a flurry of noisy activity and Bianca forced her pain to subside as she slid out of her booth and crossed quickly to theirs. Sliding into the empty seat, she grabbed for the soda, removing the lid and straw and drinking straight from the cup. The soda was inflicted with a tangy lemon flavour and while this would normally cause her to gag, for now, it was the sweetest taste she had ever had the pleasure of experiencing. There were still two small ice cubes bobbing in the sea of yellow goodness that succeeded in their task of keeping the soda cold enough to quench her thirst, and Bianca sang their praises silently as the fire in her throat finally went out.

After securing some more warm fries from the boys tray, she also managed to grab a quarter of cherry pie and another half of a doughnut. Sitting back in the seat, Bianca placed a hand on her stomach that now felt like it was about to burst. Satisfied that she had fed the machine enough to fuel the next part of her adventure, Bianca grabbed some more paper towels from another chrome prison in the centre of the table as well as some cutlery; two knives and a spoon to be exact. As she slid out from the booth, she placed the cutlery carefully in the front pocket of her jeans while she carried the paper towels in her hand as she limped her way to the ladies restroom. Pushing open the heavy swinging fake wooden door with the picture of a stick figure wearing a skirt etched in deep dark red in the middle of it, Bianca slipped into the restroom and looked around. Only one stall was occupied and Bianca quickly stepped into the nearest stall and closed the door as she heard the sound of a flushing toilet. Soon, the sound of an opening door was followed by the sound of running water, and then the sound of footsteps approaching the door and disappearing told her that she was alone.

Opening the door, she peered out curiously and nodded grimly to herself as she saw that she was in fact alone. Reaching back into the stall, she grabbed the roll of toilet paper off its holder and approached the sink. Adding half her paper towels to the roll on the counter beside the sink, Bianca then used a wad of the remaining paper towels to block up the drain so that the running water she now turned on would fill up the sink with clean water. Glancing quickly at the door, Bianca hoped no one would come inside in the next few minutes as she undid her jeans and began to undress. The only way she could reach her thigh was to take her jeans off and Bianca did so slowly, the pain of the material peeling off the wound proving to be more painful than she had expected. Blinking rapidly to stop herself from passing out, Bianca took a few deep breaths before ripping the denim from the wound, causing it to bleed even more profusely. Swearing like a trooper, Bianca quickly applied a large wad of paper towels to stop the bleeding. Of course, these quickly became soaked with crimson fluid and Bianca picked up the toilet roll with her spare hand. Dropping it into the sink that was now filled with clean water, she turned off the tap and then began to dunk the roll in the water, happy to see the paper begin to soften and thicken with the water. Ripping off medium sized chunks of the soggy paper, Bianca then lifted up the wad of paper towels off the wound and began to clean it gently with the wet tissue paper. She stood like this, in her panties and singlet, her jeans puddled around her feet, bent at the waist while she cleaned her thigh. Once again, she prayed that no one came inside in a hurry. She didn’t want to have to explain what she was doing, or how she had been shot.

[Athalia Mischavitch]

‘All good things come to those who wait’

Athalia told Tanasha patiently, she brought the car to a rest between two large empty trucks, hiding the car sufficiently

‘Need to pee real bad... I have an idea, you wait here...’

She said almost ignoring Tanasha's instructions; she opened her door rather obnoxiously and slammed into the truck parked next to her

‘Whoops...’

Was all she could muster as she pulled herself out of the car. She took a quick look around; two women were heading into the toilets. Tanasha had said something about private trucker toilets, but it had all but left the spotty mess that was Athalia's brain. Her bare feet slapped against the ground as she followed the two girls towards the bathroom, one was dressed in leather pants and a red singlet, while the other was dressed all in black, she wore chuck tailors on her feet and a shirt skirt, her legs were adorned in black fishnets. She wore a long leather jacket and her face was painted in thick makeup. Prostitutes... probably trying to score some easy bucks. They pushed open the door into the woman’s toilets; Athalia heard them wail in disgust.

‘Ewwwww’

Athalia sighed and pushed open the door, they were blocking her view, Athalia needed their clothes, she moved forward in a blur of tangled blonde hair, she grabbed the pair by the scruff of the neck, a hand on each and with one heavy wrench she pulled backwards, the woman were lifted off the floor for a split second and fell backwards, their heads smacked the porcelain sinks in unison and finally Athalia had a clear view of the bathroom.

‘You...’

She muttered, her mind went black, she lost the escape even Tanasha waiting for her in the car, all she saw was Parasych Park.

‘You won’t take me back!’

Athalia roared, her hands erupted with a brilliant golden blur, she slammed them forward, a blinding yellow light roared towards Bianca, the force would be concussive true, this is something Bianca would have experienced first hand in Parasych Park, what she wouldn’t know however was the blast also had a healing quality. To Bianca she would probably look as if she had two golden wings of light erupting from her back, but in reality it was just the light moving towards her at an alarming speed. Athalia bent down and quickly began to undress the two women, pulling their handbags and throwing it over her shoulders

‘I won’t go back... I won’t go back... I won’t go back...’

She repeated out loud over and over again.

[Tanasha Arati]

‘Need to pee real bad... I have an idea, you wait here...’

:~:Tanasha couldn’t help but sigh as Crash…er…May, in her own special way, trashed yet another of Ta’s brilliant plans on a whim and with just seven little words. Before she could redirect her, Crash swung the driver’s side door open with such force it found and dented the passenger side of one of the tractor trailers they’d parked between. Great. Now she could add a pissed off trucker to the lengthy list of people out to get them and do God knows what when and if and they got the chance. She could almost feel her brilliant red hair going grey with the stress of even the simplest of tasks. Her fingers clenched on the door handle as she glared upward into the fabric ceiling of their getaway vehicle and growled:~:

“This is your fault. I’m always cleaning up your messes. She actually listens to you, so if it wouldn’t be too fucking much trouble would you tell her to chill and let me get us through this without a scene? Think you can handle that, big guy?”

:~:Ta threw open her own door and sprang from the car, eyes glued to the back of the retreating blonde’s head. She wouldn’t have taken an order like “you wait here” from a sane individual, much less the demented angel that was Crash. There was no doubt in her mind that she meant well, however, the rest of the world just might not get that. Specifically those freaks back at the institution. Barefoot and sporting only a tacky patterned travel blanket that had enthusiastically absorbed the generic spice scent of the car’s tree shaped air freshener, Ta shot across the parking lot with the blanket billowing behind like a cape. The cracked pavement, warmed by the summer sun, burned and she swore irritably as sharp rocks and various other bits of litter dug into the soft soles of her feet, though she was close behind and intended to keep it that way. But a few feet from the back entrance, she was forced to slow and lose Athalia as a sharp tug on the blanket half removed it and captured her full attention.:~:

‘Whoa, lit’l lady, where’s the fire? Anyone rushing ‘round in nothing but a blanket like you is must be in one helluva hurry to get some. Ain’t you lucky, you found me.’

:~:Furious, Ta whirled to find a perfect example of why hated men gripping the corner of her cover. Short, stocky and sporting a generous beer gut which strained against the buttons of a filthy, checkered flannel and hung over the worn belt holding up equally disgusting jeans, he looked and smelled as though allergic to water and loathe to bathe in it…ever. As strong as the urge to punch in his face was, the thought of touching his greasy, unshaven face was enough to nauseate her. Even in the open air with a breeze helping fend off the stench of stale smoke and sweat, she found herself holding her breath. Momentarily content to pluck her blanket from his stained fingers and stalk off in a huff without a word of comeback, sparing him from an ass whooping just this once, he tightened his grip as she attempted to jerk the cloth away and ended his chance to escape unharmed. Then, obviously too stupid to read body language, he proceeded to try reeling her in with the blanket.:~:

‘Come on, sweets, mah truck’s right over there. Bed’s all comfy and cozy, just how you young things want it. I’ll even pay ya so’s you can feel classy.’

:~:Ta allowed him till the end of the sentence before she relinquished her claim to the blanket letting it fall- this was no time for modesty- and planted her foot solidly into the stunned man’s crotch, sending his balls into the vicinity of his throat. He gagged and coughed as if choking on them and dropped to his knees, where she caught him under the chin with another sharp kick. He was out before his head hit the blacktop with his grubby paws still clutching his tiny, damaged package. A quick look around confirmed they were alone for the time being, a blessing she couldn’t deny. She snickered viciously as she realized the truck he’d been gesturing to was, in fact, the one Crash had wiped out with her door. Nice. With only the slightest hesitation at the idea of having to touch him with ungloved hands, she felt around in his pockets until she located his wallet. It was easy enough to find being the only substantial rise in his jeans due to its considerable cash content. Caching. For no purpose beyond being a bitch, she kept everything, money, I.D. and all, to further complicate his life. She then gave serious thought to heaving him into the nearby dumpster where he belonged, but as it was her hands and kicking foot needed prompt bleaching, so she abandoned the unconscious pig where he lay and headed inside with a final goodbye.:~:

“I’m the fire, dipshit. Thanks for the green, by the way. I’m feeling classy already.”

:~:The remaining trip to the restroom might have been uneventful had it not been for Crash’s hysterical cries from the ladies’ room. So much for getting in and out without a scene. Ta cringed and broke into a run, slamming through the swinging door of the bathroom and coming to a dead stop just in time to avoid tripping over the angel and the two lifeless prostitutes she was stripping. Even stranger was the intense, golden glow illuminating the room beyond where they women lay sprawled and the unidentifiable silhouette of the poor sucker by the sink that the blast had been meant for. Was it a guard? Crash’s panicked chanting seemed to imply it was, which could mean nothing good as where there was one there had to be fifty given the Park’s extensive staff and ties to local authorities. Backing into the hall enough to check for any incoming back-up, Ta grabbed Athalia’s upper arm and tried to drag her to her feet and into the hall. They could buy clothes, food and anything else they might need elsewhere with the money she’d lifted from the trucker. The whole truck-stop thing wasn’t working out after all.:~:

“Time to ditch, Crash. You’ll have to pee later if you didn’t already. We’re not going back. Breathe and come with me.”

[Bianca Bartlett]

*The bullet wound was nearly completely clean, the flow of blood stemmed to a slow trickle as she wiped at it with one last wet wipe. As she began to dress it with some dry paper towel ripped into long strips, Bianca looked up and grinned at the two women who had entered the toilet. She heard them utter their disgust at the sight of her bloody leg , though she only had enough time to mutter ~you should see the other guy…~ before she sensed the girl from the hospital seconds before she saw her. Bianca froze in her tracks as she saw the girl, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to remember the girls name. She had just called her “the crazy Angel chick” back at the hospital, but Bianca knew that a more flattering name might be more appropriate if she was going to address the girl. She was saved from having to strike up a conversation however when the girl knocked attacked the earlier entrants of the bathroom, and banged the two women’s, head together. Noticing Bianca then, she began to yell something about her not taking her back and began to shoot the strange light at her that she had been famous for back at the Park.

Bianca looked down at her leg in surprise as it began to tingle and heal before her eyes. She saw the redness around the wound ease and then disappear along with the angry red ring of torn flesh around the spot where the bullet had struck. The bullet itself was now safely in the sink, her blood painting the white porcelain in a repulsive shade of scarlet gore.

More than slightly curious as to how the bright light had seemingly cured her of her most recent infliction, Bianca glanced over towards “the crazy Angel chick” in time to see her stripping the two women of their clothing. As Bianca bent down and picked up her jeans, she kept her eyes on the three women, arching a slender brow in surprise as another woman arrived and began trying to drag “the crazy Angel chick” away. The golden light made it difficult to see, but as Bianca wriggled into her jeans, she knew instantly that she had already come into contact with this other woman before, she just didn’t know where. Given the fact that this new arrival was clearly connected with “the crazy Angel chick” however, Bianca quickly came to the conclusion that this other woman was also an escapee from the Park. And then, it hit her. It was Tanasha. Reminding herself that Tanasha was a “Fire starter”, Bianca knew it was wise not to piss her off. Nodding grimly to herself as she zipped up her fly and popped her button, Bianca turned around from the sink so that she was facing the door.

~Either one of you mind telling me how the hell all three of us ended up in the same place at the same time?~

Wiping her hands over the thighs of her jeans, Bianca reached over to unclog the drain so that the water drained out of the basin.

~I mean, theres coincidence, and then there is just plain freaky shit.. ~ she shivered and grew somewhat sombre as she watched the bullet disappear down the drain hole.

Bianca thought of the three bullets that were probably still lodged within Derek’s chest, and the image of him being shot before her, filled her head with a nauseating explosion of grief. Scooping up the blood stained soggy tissue that remained, Bianca walked quickly to the nearest stall and flushed the remaining evidence down the toilet. Wiping angrily at the sudden tears that formed in her eyes at the thought of Derek, Bianca took a few seconds to compose herself before she left the stall and moved closer to Tanasha and “the crazy Angel chick”who was till trying to rip all the clothes off the two unconscious women. As she grew closer, she realised why the girl was so desperate for some clothing. She was still dressed in her hospital gown from the Park, while Tanasha wore nothing more than a blanket. Whatever their story was, Bianca could tell that they had not been allowed the luxury of a shower, a change of clothes and a nights sleep like she had back at the motel. She grew sad again as she remembered the motel and the night she had shared with Derek; the night she had learnt so much. Blinking back her tears, she peered at Tanasha and “the crazy Angel chick” expectantly as she waited for either one of them to speak.*

[Athalia Mischavitch]

Athalia pulled back against Tanasha’s grasp on her arm, she finally finished pulling off the woman’s shirt, she picked up their handbags and shoved them under her arm, She stood up to her full height once again (which wasn’t very tall) and allowed Tanasha to pull her towards her. Her incredibly long thick hair still clung in tangles around her head and down her back, dirty and unwashed; she wiped away a stray locke. Suddenly her neck snapped to the side.

‘They’re here!”

She said suddenly, the panic rising in her voice; she grabbed hold of Tanasha as tightly as she was trying to pull her away and finally allowed herself to be dragged away like a rag doll

‘Are you coming?’

She said aggressively to Bianca, turning to Tanasha she whispered

‘They’ll take her back if we leave her alone...’

It was another odd level of Lucidity for Athalia; it seemed to be happening more and more often the further from Parasych Park she got. Athalia followed Tanasha out of the bathroom, there was no time to wait for Bianca, she knew what she needed to do, it was come with them or be carted back to the hospital, probably on a stretcher, everything seemed more or less clear, but Athalia could feel them, they knew exactly where they were. Athalia handed Tanasha the keys. As they ran Athalia opened up on the purses to look inside, it was full of dark makeup and interestingly enough, a stun gun. She held the purse close to her chest; she could see the car in the distance, nestled between two trucks.

[Tanasha Arati]

:~:A voice, too familiar in this strange new world to ignore, had Tanasha pausing long enough in her attempt to haul Crash physically yet gently back to their getaway vehicle to chance a second look at the mysterious victim of the angel's "attack". She was less than thrilled and even a little disappointed to see Bianca. Curiosity flitted briefly through her disgusted expression at the bloody hands and equally bloody jeans said hands were fastening, but the scowl reclaimed its territory when the woman finally spoke. Same old Bianca. Rolling her eyes, she muttered just loud enough for her to hear.:~:

~Either one of you mind telling me how the hell all three of us ended up in the same place at the same time?~

~I mean, there's coincidence, and then there is just plain freaky shit..~

"I mind. You're pretty freaky shit yourself."

:~:By now Athalia, er...May, had successfully escaped her hold while Ta had been ever so stupidly distracted. At least this wasn't the full out emergency it was moments ago. Not yet, anyways:~:

"Let's blow, Crash. If you really want to dress like a slut, we can arrange it later with slut clothes of your very own, only newer and cleaner."

:~:In response, Crash finished with the shirt she'd been struggling with, snatched up their purses and appeared to be in agreement with the plan. For... like...once. Ever. Tanasha was now able to draw her along and was doing so happily, leaving Bianca to whatever the woman was up to, when the soft, slender arm she held went rigid with fear. What came next made her cringe all over again. Of course they were coming. God forbid she have one fricken second to think, unpressured! Ta picked up pace instantly, intent on making it back to their car and out of this god forsaken state before either of them put one toe out of it again. When Athalia, er...May, grabbed her, she met her gaze and squeezed her arm reassuringly, assuming it was a simple gesture of panic. What she had to say, however, did not require Tanasha to break stride.:~:

‘Are you coming?’

‘They’ll take her back if we leave her alone...’

"Pfft. Very funny. How is that a bad thing? Some of those weirdoes actually belong in there. They can't all be sane as we are. Besides, if they're poking at the real nuts like her, they won't need us."

:~:It was faulty logic but it just may bring Crash around to her side. The lack of resistance on the angel's part was Ta's sole comfort as they hurried down the corridor and out the back. She guided her around the sprawled trucker, delighted to see he hadn't been found or regained consciousness in her absence. She snickered to herself, but the amusement died as Crash passed her the keys. She fingered them nervously as they crossed the lot to their car and hovered by the driver's door, glancing back at the only one of the two of them who appeared to know how to drive. She tugged the blanket tighter around her and scanned the area for any sign of "Them":~:

"Uh, did you forget how to drive since we got here? I can if you won't, but yeah...you seem awful good at it to be leaving it to me. Sure you don't want to try again?"

[Bianca Bartlett]

*Bianca was shocked by the crazy angel chicks invitation for her to join them. The three of them had never been what she would call “friends” back at the Park. Hell, they weren’t even acquaintances. Just three girls stuck in the same hell hole, trying to make the best of a horrible situation. To think of joining forces with them both went against every fibre of her being, but Bianca knew that desperate times called for desperate measures.

Ignoring Tanasha’s jibes, while making the mental note to repay her for her kindness later on in the day, Bianca fell silently into line behind her fellow escapees and followed them out to the car park.

~You two got your own set of wheels?~ she muttered in shock, letting out a long slow whistle of appreciation as she saw their car. ~Well done ladies.~ As she fumbled with the rear passenger door, Bianca finally got it open and crawled inside. After a few minutes she realised she was alone as the former inmates outside were still deciding who was going to drive. Letting out a long slow breath of frustration, Bianca wound down her window and popped her head outside.

~For fucks sake ladies, if its such a dilemma, I’ll drive! Come on, I think our time here is nearly up.~

Almost as if her words had summoned them, a squad car pulled into the truck stop with its lights flashing though the siren was eerily silent. Once it had parked, the passenger cop got out and walked into the diner, while the driver stayed in the car. With the late afternoon sun reflecting off his windshield, it was impossible to see where he was looking, though Bianca could not shake the paranoid sensation that he was looking straight at her. Muttering ~Let’s fucking move NOW!~ Bianca pulled her head back in the window and sat back in her seat, buckling up for extra safety.*

[Athalia Mischavitch]

Athalia snatched the keys from Tanasha’s hand and grinned; she opened the drives door and waited for Tanasha to scramble through. Athalia held under the crook of one arm all the clothes she had stolen, she threw them into the backseat after Tanasha, in the other hand she had a small black purse, she clicked it open as she sat down inside the car, makeup, mints, house keys and condoms (which utterly confounded Athalia) she closed the purse and stuck the keys into the ignition.

Athalia seemed to be in one of her rare moments of perfect clarity, she adjusted the rearview mirror.

‘You should get dressed Tanasha...’

She said huskily, she looked at Bianca in the rearview mirror

‘Buckle up you two back there, this might be bumpy’.

She said with a grimace as she started the car and pushed her foot flat on the ignition. She could see the white van weaving through the trucks, heading towards them, the windshield was tinted almost black, but Athalia could still make out a man behind the wheel, searching.

‘Old Lady, how powerful are you exactly? Do us a favor and push that truck over, on top of the van if you can manage it’.

Athalia slammed the breaks on, they had been noticed, the van stopped gently behind them, between two trucks.

‘It’s now of never... we’ll never out run them... they’ll call for back up and block the way.’

She picked up the purse and began to rummage through it, she glanced at Tanasha and gave her a look that spoke more than any words, she knew exactly what she was doing.

She pulled out what looked like a business card, but something had been spilt on it, She could clearly read the words however. ‘Ondessa’ a city Athalia presumed, she knew where they were headed next.

‘Do it now Bianca!’

Athalia roared suddenly. She slammed the accelerator on again.

‘Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths...”

Athalia said calmly as she drove away from the confusion, one hand on the steering wheel, the other applied vivid red lipstick.

((I need to elaborate a little, the positions of everyone in the car are as such, Athalias driving, Tanasha is shotgun, Bia is in the back alone, when She refers to the 'two' in the back seat, she's refering to Bianca... do do do dooooooo...))