The Enemy

[Vanessa Marlowe]

"Dr. Marlowe..... " No response. "Dr. Marlowe...." Still no response. "Vanessa!" Cole reached over the back of the cushy office chair to grab her shoulder and shake her awake. As soon as his hand came to rest on her shoulder it was a blur. Her right hand gripped his wrist, the sound of her phone clattering to the floor, suddenly he was yanked halfway over the back of the chair-- the chair itself having been kicked into his midsection as she pulled him over it, with a pen pressing to his throat. She had rotated his arm somewhere in that movement and now held it pressed tight and hard against his back. "Vanessa it's ME! COLE!" In the hands of anyone else he imagined the worst someone could do with a pen is scribble a mean note. But Vanessa had the remarkable capacity of making nearly anything a deadly weapon.

She snapped the pen from his neck and pulled his hair back to check his face. Her eyes were terrifyingly calm. She was entirely prepared to do what was necessary to protect herself. And she saw the tea on the desk next to them. She let him go and straightened her skirt and shirt, replacing the pen in her hair, which had become somewhat more tangled and loose than sleeping had made it. "I'm sorry Cole... I wasn't expecting.... You really oughtn't sneak up on a girl like that..."

Cole turned, rubbing his arm. He knew what Vanessa did for a living, and it wasn't lecturing. "I was just coming to wake you up so you could go up to bed. The reports won't be coming in and finalized for tonight's tracking and patrol until you're about ready to leave for your lecture in the morning." He adored Vanessa, and it was second nature for him to try and dote on her, though she never much allowed that from anyone. Well, almost anyone. "I made you tea..."

She smiled and picked up the teacup, noticing that he had already put in the proper pound of sugar. "Thank you. Cole, I'm sorry... just... reflexes, you know?" She pushed aside some of the file folders on her desk corner to sit there and sip her tea. It was delicious.

He watched her and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Look, maybe you should take it easy for a few days Vanessa, maybe you need to take a vacation. Perhaps a trip back to London. We can handle things here, you know that." She was having nightmares again and while she confided in Cole about some things, he knew where the line was. He rotated his arm and slid her chair into place behind the desk before turning to the window that cast his own reflection back, wrorrying about his hair... "Does it look ok?" He turned back to her with a charming smile.

She chuckled and nodded, stirring the tea a bit. "Yes, a vacation would be nice, Cole. But I have pressing matters in the next few days. Peregrine Daniels is arriving tomorrow night, and he'll be staying for a bit. We have some very complicated things to discuss and deal with." She intentionally avoided looking at Cole, hating to see the muscles tensing in his jaw.

And tense they did. Cole liked Daniels as a person, respected him for what he had done his whole life. But he knew that when Daniels was here, Vanessa spoke little more than a business associate with him. At least they were friends now, but when.... he sighed, not even completing the thought. "I'll be sure to arrange accomodations for Mister Daniels. Anything else you plan on springing on me?"

She laughed, brushing off the feelings she tried hard to ignore from Cole. He was a dalring guy, but she just wasn't up to getting involved with him. She glanced up at him and swiftly altered the subject matter. "Of course, dear, there's always more. We're going to be planning an attack. A major one-- you know, big fire, things burning, and all that. We're going to hit the Playhouse." Even as she said it, confidant as she was that they would pull it off, she realized how insane it must have sounded to Cole. She sipped her tea, waiting for his eyes to finish widening. "It won't be until after Perry arrives, so please spread the word to the Alpha group as to the plan. Have them gather supplies. And train. Have them train. You too Cole... I don't want anyone going in there soggy." She trained every day, and usually the others did too, though as of late they have been doing more recon work and survailence.

Cole just blinked and nodded. "Right away, Try and get some rest, hmm? I'm going to see to things here." And he hesitated before leaving, but eventually just did. She set her empty tea cup on the desk and snatched up her phone. She left the blanket on her chair and slipped her fingers into the toes of her abandoned shoes on the ground. She would sleep the rest of the night in her own bed, and think about the attack tomorrow. After her lecture. She made her way up the big staircase, glad that most of the people were already asleep or out doing their shift.

Her room was quiet, and dark and warm. She dropped her shoes at the foot of the armoire and took a quick moment to actually change into something sleep worthy. Before she knew it, she was on the bed, sleeping on top of the covers.

[Peregrine Daniels]

It wasn't long before Peregrine Daniels was walking through the busy Sydney Nightlife heading towards the Harbour. Hopefully it would be more quiet, Sydney always had a reputation as lasting all night, but it never really lived up to that, not unless you knew where to go exactly, not like Melbourne. He sighed heavily, if only all the Vampires were in Melbourne.

Peregrine walked alone but if anyone looked close enough they would be able to tell that he was by no means alone, he was being followed by six other people in front and behind him. Peregrine was wearing all black, a black jumper and black camo pants. His Thick army boots made little sound against the concrete. The Drunken men and woman started to fade away until there was finally quiet, Peregrine made a silent sign with his fingers and instantly his group began to move in closer though they still kept there distance. The Harbour was fast approaching; someone was walking towards him in the opposite direction of the street carrying a duffle bag. As the person passed the duffle bag was discreetly swapped between the two men and now Peregrine carried the bag across his shoulder. Things were starting to get dangerous, he took in a deep breath as the Harbour grew closer, there was nobody around at this time in the morning luckily though there were several cars and taxis driving past. Peregrine was starting to get worried, what if things didn't go according to plan, he could easily be killed tonight, leaving Nessa to deal with the Psychopaths alone. He shook his head and his thick black hair tussled against the wind, he ran a hand through his hair and kept walking realising that he was no standing in front of the First Blood hideout, he could see the majestic Opera House in the background as well as the Sydney Harbour above and not to far, he could hear the traffic across the bridge. He knew his earlier plan wouldn't work at all, he doubted they would have a sprinkler system he would be able to get access to, But burning the whole place down that was a whole different story. Peregrine raised a hand giving another symbol and he immediate felt the people shifting around him. Peregrine peered through the darkness, there were several lookouts standing outside. Peregrine felt up his sleeve and fondled the pointed stake with his fingertips and bit his bottom lip. Things were about to get very nasty.

Perry got closer to the two men and one woman, they immediately began to walk towards him, hunting like there kind always did, they circled him

"What are you doing over here mate? Looking for trouble?"

Said the girl with an aggressive yet flirtatious sneer. Peregrine smiled

"Actually… I am"

He said with a sudden smirk as he moved with a flash, Vampires were fast by nature, as quick as they were deadly, but even Vampires got surprised the Female Vampire looked down at her chest in shock as a long and dagger sharp Stake was rammed through her heart. The others realised

"It's him!"

One called out loudly, Peregrine cursed as one of the Vampires lunged out his punch to his face, but Peregrine was to well trained to allow himself to get punched in the face

"Sloppy… What has Isabella been teaching you?"

Perry said now full of adrenaline momentarily forgetting the consequences, He dodged the punch by inches and grabbed the Vamps fist, he swung it in an arc and lashed out with his own fist catching the Vampires rips unprotected, there was sickening crack as his ribs shattered by the sheer force, The Vampire doubled over in pain, using that Vampire Peregrine rolled over his back, kicking the second Vampire in the head, when he landed he made an elaborate round house kick and smashed the second in the Face, he fell to the ground and Perry was on him in a flash, his stake deep inside his chest. His a sound like a growl and a yell all at once, he had the First Vampire with the cracked rips at his neck, his teeth extended his hands on Perry's shoulder and head, Perry reached behind and grabbed the Vampire by the hair with one hand with the other, he snapped the Vampire across the chin ever pulling the Vampires head by the hair in the wrong direction, there was a snap and the Vampire neck was broken. Perry spun around and staked the Vamp. He breathed heavily and turned around looking up at the First Blood base… Nobody had noticed yet…

[Peregrine Daniels]

((Hope this is ok, I took control of a Vamp, but I wont be doing more than that now that I'm in, I think it's ok, I think I got permission from the Mori a while ago?))

Peregrine dusted off his hands as his faithful stake slid back into his sleeve, Perry pulled on a thin black beanie and made his way closer towards the entrance

"You know what to do"

He said simply to the people around him, they nodded and immediately began to move around him, giving him some distance, things were going to get tricky from now on, he would have to make an entrance but be able to vanish when need be, these were things that aren’t easily accomplished.

The Front door looked old and worn down, but Perry knew it wasn't, there was a small buzzer by the door, he pressed the button

"Yeah?"

The thick Australian accent asked, Instantly Perry's voice took on a different sound, no more was there a soft hint of English and Australian in his accent, he was as Aussie as they came

"Yeah man, I need some blood dude! Haven't killed in weeks, and like I have some information for the big boss!"

Perry said sounding stoned, there was no response immediately, Perry moved back and waited

"Move forward so I can pick you up on the camera"

The Voice replied, it was all Peregrine needed, he was close, close enough to sound some kind of Alarm but maybe not close enough

He leaned forward making sure he was out of the bright light and pressed the button, he gazed at the small camera in the corner, moving to try and catch him, but it was hopeless, all the camera would pick up would he a shadow, hopefully anyway.

"I'm waving to the camera; I need a blood pack man! Please, I got some juice on that Enemy guy! The one the hottie hates, what's her name Isabelle!"

It was unusual for there to be a Vampire in Australia that didn't know who Isabella was, Perry heard some shuffling until he knew someone was right behind the door, Perry made a motion with his hands and instant a group of The Enemy was in front of him, holding a Police issue Door basher, Perry nodded. They hurled the basher towards the door, slamming it open, Perry leaped in front, grabbing the door basher he swung it at the recovered Vampire who had been knocked by the door bursting, his neck cracked to the side, once more Peregrine ploughed his head with the Basher, there was a sickening snap as the spinal cord connecting to the cerebral cortex snapped. Perry smiled, one down… One hundred left, he thought to himself darkly, but now the euphoria that came with battle took over. His stake was in one hand, his cross in the other, his duffle bag still strapped to his back, He made a signal with his hands and immediately the Enemy began to douche the entrance with Kerosene

[Vanessa Marlowe]

She didn't wait for the response she knew would come. Instead of giving the Vixen of New York and her paramour the pleasure of hearing her ragged breathing, she closed the cell phone, watching a moment as the indicator light blinked back from red to green. She slid the phone before her, facing her on the desk as she sat back in the winged leather chair, the rain pounding outside to wake the dead. How ironic.

Her eyes remained glued to the phone. They wouldn't call back. Not tonight. Probably not ever. Histories ran through her mind in succession. One subject after another being watched for generations, tracked through art and literature, transcripts of assylum interviews, folk legend and news reports. She was a watcher, of sorts, one in a very long line of watchers of the supernatural. She documented their existance, examined them in an impartial, academic way. But her generation, hers and Perry's, were different. They not only watched, they protected. They fought these creatures with physical prowess and the knowledge that centuries of watchers had provided them with. They were initially considered renegades, as was Perry's father. But soon it became clear that these vampires, Vampyr, kindred, these abomonations were overpopulating and giving humanity a run for it's money. They threatened the delicate balance between the mortal and immortal. Ghosts, vampires, elves, fairies, spectres, and a whole host of other creatures roamed the world as they had done since the dawn of time. Never before had they threatened to enslave, or criple the mortal realm, though and that was a problem that required action on the part of Iluminix.

In the past, when contact was made between a kindred and a watcher, now watcher-hunters, they revealed their lives to them and then dissapeared for lifetimes. She knew that she may have just had the last conversation with Lilith and Luciferi that any Iluminix member living may have. She couldn't help feeling a pang of regret. And so she did what she was born to do. She documented it all, from start to finish. She snapped from inactivity and passive thought into work mode. Snapping open her lap top, she opened the recording application and filled out the requisite information for the report. She relived the entire conversation again through the keys and finally sent a copy to all the house heads, including Perry. She sent the document off to be archived and discussed by the counsel, to be interpreted and deconstructed as all academics do. And she once again snapped the lap top closed. She couldn't stay here and wait any longer. She was growing impatient and restless, and though Perry had told her he was coming to New York for a while, she couldn't wait. She needed to see him, needed to hear his voice without an ocean and a baker's dozen of continents between them.

She made the decision instantly, and tucked her laptop and phone into her bag, swinging out of the doorway of the Library into the hall, nearly bowling over Cole. She didn't stop to talk to him, which was much to his dismay as he watched her bounce up the stairs, pausing to lean over the railings to yell down to him. "So sorry, love. I'm off to Sydney for a few. Hold off on the orders I gave you earlier tonight. Things have suddenly changed again, and it's time I clear my head before this attack. Do take care of Rick and Ilsa for me, hmm? The ylikes Yeats, dear, read them Yeats...." She was, of course, talking about her orchids, and Cole wanted nothing more than to smash those orchids as she smiled brightly at him from the last landing. At least Perry wasn't coming here.

[Vanessa Marlowe]

She was being chased into an alley, panting, running so hard she could barely breathe. It was raining, large long thin drops of freezing water that sliced at her skin, and she reached the end of the alleyway. It was a dead end. Lightning flashed, exploding in the moonless night and she could see their eyes. Quickly she searched for an escape, but there were none to be had in this industrial section of the city. She slowly backed against the wall, trying to control her breathing, all of her training, her years and years of training seemed to have evaporated. She couldn't remember how to dispose of these things, how to get away. She only knew she was alone, in the rain and about to be murdered by a rogue band of vampires. Her back hit the wall and she felt somewhat safer for feeling it, until two hands grabbed her by the shoulders and tore her from the ground. She screamed, even through the piercing incisors attacking her neck. She screamed....

...and woke herself up. Her hands gripped the airplane seat, quickly batting away her straying hair that was sticking to her sweat covered face. The Flight attendant brought her a warm towel and a stiff drink. Thank god they were familiar with her flightmares. "Ma'am, are you alright? We'll be landing within the hour. Should I have the pilot alert Mister Daniels that you'll be on the ground soon?" Vanessa straightened herself in her seat, placing the towel behind her neck, flipping her hair forward between her knees. She spoke through the tangle of hair, rubbing her neck.

"No, Lily. He doesn't know I'm to be arriving. I'd like to keep it a surprise. The members of the house who know are sending a car for me. If you could, dear, bring me some tea?"

She sat upright again, running her fingers through her hair before sweeping it in a clip atop her head. She was fortunate that she rarely had to fidget with her appearance. She just didn't have the time or enough concern to do so. She sat back while she waited for Lily to bring her tea, her eyes searching the night sky for something through the jet's window. All in all, she had a good life, good friends, a job she loved and a calling she was born for. So what if it was a little strange?
She thanked Lily as she stirred her tea, and returned to her reverie. So if things were just fine, then why the nightmares? A small smaile creeped across her face, one reflecting an old cherished memory.

When they were children, she would get nightmares that would fend her off of sleep for days. She had no way of knowing that they were linked to the supernatural, no way of knowing that they came more frequently when the darkness of the world moved in concert. All she knew was that she was a little girl, living a strange life, her parents were gone and she was afraid. Until Perry came to the rescue. Even as a child, he watched over her with a compassion that she couldn't fully appreciate until they were continents apart. When the night terrors would come, Perry would sneak into her room and lay there with her, calming her by being close, petting her hair, letting her curl against him as if he could fight off any monster in her dreams. It was a much simpler time, and yet nothing much had changed.

They settled in for the landing and she drank her tea, wondering what state the Sydney house was going to be in when she arrived. Most of the members there didn't have a clue she was coming, and that was perfectly fine with her. She was killing two birds with one stone. Checking on operations for Iluminix and taking a much needed break from the bright lights of the big city.

She was met on the tarmac by the car, what little baggage she brought --mostly her work and a few changes of clothes-- were already being secured in the trunk, as she descended the stairs. The ride to the House was quick and painless, and only minimal small talk was offered. She inquired about the attack that Perry had went on against her advice, hoping all had turned out well. She wondered, as they pulled into the headquarters, if she should gather her things to go find him. But she noticed, as she made her way into the sanctuary, that that wouldn't be an option.

"Doctor Marlowe! What are you doing in Sydney? I thought Perry--err.. Mister Daniels-- was to be leaving for New York? Welcome, welcome, let us take those things for you. You know where everything is, by all means, we're at your disposal. Can we get you anything, or would you like to rest after the flight?"

She smiled as the members of the house greeted her, nodding and thanking them for their courtesy. She knew where her things were, she knew where the library was, she felt like she was arriving at another home. "Thank you, dear. I'm going to use the gym... I feel like I need to train after being cramped in that jet. When you hear from Perry, feel free to let him know I've arrived." She winked, and smiled again. She knew that if he thought she were coming he might disuade her. Now that she was here?

She smiled to herself and went to change into her black pants and shirt, and moved her way through the house to the gym, ready to kick her nightmare's asses....

[Peregrine Daniels]

A pair of clear eyes watched Vanessa as she moved through the huge ancient Cathedral that had been turned into the Sydney headquarters for The Enemy, much more low key and much smaller than Vanessa's. A wispy vapour moved towards her, it hung in the air beautifully yet cold and hard to see, it wasn't long before a little boy was standing in front of Vanessa on the way to the gym. He was oddly colourless but at the same time it was clear what colour his hair, skin and clothes were, he was dressed old fashioned and his hair was parted to the side. He smiled warily at Vanessa

"I know who you are…"

He said shyly

"Mr Daniels talks about you all the time and he talks to his hand to you…"

Said the little boy placing his hand to his ear in a phone motion, all heat had left the room and the men and woman that worked for Peregrine shivered slightly

"That’s Nate, Ms Marlowe, he's been here for years, his cryptic but we think he was murdered in the cathedral, i dont think you've ever meet him? he doesn't usuaslly like new people, he probably hid at all your other visits"

One of Perry's men smiled and nodded at the Ghost who looked slightly offended, The man was holding some papers he smilled at Vanessa and went back to his work. The Ghost looked wiser than his age, but there was something sad about the boy, his face was always sad and he talked softly.

"I'll never tell…"

Said Nate softly, he reached forward and grabbed Vanessa's hand, holding onto it, but at the same time moving through it, it would be an odd sensation for anyone.

"I'll take you to the gym, it wasn't a gym before"

He said shaking his head sadly.

[Vanessa Marlowe]

Moving through the cathedral, Vanessa's dark eyes roved over the remnants of the splendour of the structure. The carvings of stone and wood, the stained glass that was, only by sheer miracle, still in tact. Her academic mind was already awash with interpretations, correlations, meaning. She already wanted to do research and she had only been here less than an hour. As she moved, she caught a chill, her black tank top not providing much warmth in the drafty old building, and the fitted yoga pants leaving the warm comfiness of her bed to be longed for. But the draft seemed to have intent and she felt the back of her throat tingle with the alertness of another presence even before the young ghost made himself visible before her. She had felt it before during her times here, but never tried to summon the being, believing that only in serious circumstances should she tango with the incorporeal.

As the young man blocked her path, she considered ignoring him, hoping that she wasn't going to have to add an exorcism to her list of chores while here. But he smiled at her, warily and yet with a hint of admiration and curiosity. He was equally as intrigued by her as she was of him.

"I know who you are…"

He said shyly

"Mr Daniels talks about you all the time and he talks to his hand to you…"

She blinked and smiled as he mimiced the gesture of using a cell phone. She tried to quell the twitching she felt in her skin, insubstantial but always present when confronting ghosts. Nessa had forgotten what it felt like to engage one from that realm, and she felt her forehead warm slightly. Her telepathy was harnessing her attention against her will. She smiled kindly to the young ghost and responded.

"So you know my Perry as well, love? I'll have to scold him for keeping you from me... such a darling thing you are. I must say, we've met before, dear. Just never face to face... I was starting to wonder if you didn't like me..."

The heat left the room and strangely, Vanessa didn't feel it. Her entire being was focused on Nate. As one of the others explained who this was, she nodded and smiled, curtsying to the young man in a way he would recognize from his own time. She had encountered old ghosts before, and at least this one spoke english.

"It is genuinely my pleasure Nate. I do hope we can become fast friends. Perhaps you can help me out when I'm away, and watch over this place for me. I worry about my friends here so... I feel much safer knowing you're around."

Nate didn't seem to take kindly to the response of the man, and his saddened expression spoke volumes. "I'll never tell…" A ghost seeking refuge in a cathedral was abnormal. But a ghost tied and clining to the place where he was murdered was not. It was a new puzzle for her to solve and she felt the thrill of the hunt start.

As Nate reached out suddenly and took her hand, she felt the same coldness she had felt before, only this time it felt as if it was swimming in her blood. She could feel his hand, but couldn't. An unnerving sensation, to say the least. But rather than pull away, the consumate scholar glanced over to the others who were half surprised half not caring and smiled teasingly. It was her life to engage these beings and the creatures she fought, and having been acquainted with the dead since her childhood, she found no reason to shirk from him.

"I'll take you to the gym, it wasn't a gym before"

She moved to follow him, speaking to Nate as she would anyone else. As they moved, she attempted to memorize his attire, looking for clues to his exact decade of death. It was a skill that she had honed, one that drove her haberdashers insane when she brought her own designs based on centuries old designs to be made. "Do you remember what it was before, Nate? Could you tell me? I like to close my eyes and imagine old places like this as they once were..."

As they moved toward the gym, Shakespeare ran through her mind like a raised Alarum. Hamlet and Horatio sparked angrily as the returned ghost of his father beckoned him to follow:

Hamlet:
Why, what should be the fear?
I do not set my life at a pin's fee;
And for my soul, what can it do to that,
Being a thing immortal as itself?
It waves me forth again; I'll follow it.

Horatio:
What if it tempts you toward the flood, my Lord,
Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff
That beetles o'er his base into the sea,
And there assume some other horrible form,
Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason
And draw you into madness? think of it;
The very place puts toys of desperation,
Without more motive, into every brain
That looks so many fathoms to the sea
And hears it roar beneath. **

And like Hamlet, she went with the ghost willingly. She knew her way to the gym, she had lived her for summers at a time, though she knew well the ability of the spectres to disorient and confuse. And like Hamlet, she placed her scholarly interest before her own safety. She smiled, remembering how that worked out in the 16th century play. A true ghost, but the pursuit led to the death of everyone else. It was only fitting... they all had to die sometime. She was no different, and given the option, she'd rather it be Nate than Luciferi who brought Death's Scythe to her throat.

** Hamlet I.v. 64-78

[Peregrine Daniels]

As they walked towards the Gym Nate hummed softly to himself, he hadn't actually answered any of Vanessa's questions, only smiled shyly and quickly turned his face away, he walked, yet hovered at the same time, he was quick footed and if anyone guessed he looked roughly 7 or 8.

"Do you remember what it was before, Nate? Could you tell me? I like to close my eyes and imagine old places like this as they once were..."

Nate looked up at her, deep in concentration

"Sometimes it's hard to remember things… Sometimes I forget about… Sometimes I forget about…"

He seemed to be struggling to say what was on his mind,

"I forget what it was like before I got hurted"

He said, speaking like a child and putting his tiny finger up to indicate some hidden pain in his little finger, he spoke with an unusual accent, it was similar to Peregrines, English but with a hint of Australian, almost like he couldn't work out which one it was yet, some words sounded English while others were pronounced with an Australian accent

"I think it was like the rest of the place… but the gym was different, it wasn't cold and scary… but the bad man lived there"

He said his voice dropping until it was little more than a whisper

"Bad man… still tried to get me"

He said punching his arm through the air

"He wears funny clothes…"

He said timidly, they were getting closer to the gym; Nate pressed his body against Vanessa fearfully and let her walk ahead of him

"You go first"

He said as he let go of her hand and held onto her backside and walked slowly after her.

"Solomon Grundy,
Born on Monday,
Christened on Tuesday,
Married on Wednesday,
Took ill on Thursday,
Worse on Friday,
Died on Saturday,
Buried on Sunday:
This is the end
Of Solomon Grundy."

He said repeating the rhyme quickly several times. As they quickly made their way into the large gym with all the modern instruments and machines as well as Yoga mats everywhere, he sand out loud in a sing-song voice

"Dance to your Daddy,
My little babby,
Dance to your Daddy,
My little lamb.
You shall have a fishy
In a little dishy,
You shall have a fishy
When the boat comes in."

His Song was increasing in speed and desperation, He looked at Vanessa nervously and sang again, almost trying to drown out a silent noise that was growing louder.

"Doctor Foster went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain.
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle,
And never went there again,"

Nate looked around nervously almost as if, if he stopped singing someone would get lurch out of the shadows and claim him, he put his hands out in front of his small body and began to run on the spot

"Look Missy Marlowe, I'm a grown up at the gym!"

He said squealing as he ran around pretending to use the Treadmill, he stopped suddenly

"When you’re here, he doesn't come to catch me…"

He whispered with a shy smile.

((Scared myself for a second there!))

[Vanessa Marlowe]

As they were moving toward the gym, Nate changed quite obviously. While he wasn't ever the bouncy child most imagine, he somehow took on a more ominous, a darker personality. He was troubled, as most spirits were, but somehow his apparent age troubled Vanessa more than the others she usually dealt with. As he responded seriously, truly trying to remember, she gave him her all of her attention, showing that she was, indeed, valuing what he had to say. While she would always treat him as a child -- and for her that meant kindly but still as an adult-- she found her attentions to him like that of an adoring relative.

"Sometimes it's hard to remember things… Sometimes I forget about… Sometimes I forget about…"

He seemed to be struggling to say what was on his mind,

"I forget what it was like before I got hurted"

She felt her heart break for this one, still so young. It made her smile to hear him use the language impropperly, as most children do. Especially since he had lived three lifetimes to her one. He showed her his finger and she realized that she was in the process of reaching out to his finger before she stopped. With a real child she would have pulled him close and kissed the tiny finger's pain, but could she do that with a ghost? Most likely not. And she suddenly felt the empathetic pains of lonliness that Nate must experience without the sensation of touch. It broke her heart.

"Before you were ~hurt~?" She said, correcting and asking at the same time. Children learn quickly, and they don't need their mistakes thrust in their faces all the time. "Did you hurt your finger, Nate? Do you remember how?" She smiled again, kindly as they stood before the entrance of the gym, still not entering. "Was it like Sleeping Beauty, darling? Did you prick your finger on a spinning wheel and fall asleep?" Her stomach wrenched as she said this, having a bad feeling that it would be something far more ominous. And as he continued, she became more and more endeared to this little one, particularly his method of speaking just like Perry. It reminded her of their childhood, too.

"I think it was like the rest of the place… but the gym was different, it wasn't cold and scary… but the bad man lived there"

"Bad man… still tried to get me"

She didn't know if it was her mothering instinct or her fierce sense of justive that enraged her about this mystery man, but she crouched down to the level of his eyes and tilted her head slightly.

"The bad man, love? Did he have a name?"

"He wears funny clothes…"

Now they were getting somewhere. Perhaps there was a reason the Nate hadn't told anyone what happened. Perhaps they just weren't listening the right way. "Funny clothes?" She stood and smiled before twirling around once. "Like mine, Nate? Or different?" Clothes can give her more of a clue than anything. She mightn't even need a name, afterall. As they began to move to the gym, Nate pressed himself to her and she could taste the fear the young boy felt. It was coppery and tinny at the same time. Like eating tinsel.

"You go first"

As he moved around to her backside, clutching to her like any frightened child ready to peek from behind his mothers skirts, she moved a little more cautiously into the gym. If this ghost had reason to fear, perhaps she should to. But she didn't let him see that. She took a deep breath and without thinking let her hand drift back to attempt to pat his head.

They moved into the room, and Nate's singing sent chills up her spine. The topical matter was odd enough, she supposed, but ominous in a way that she would rather not have felt. It made sense, though. Even "Ring around the rosie" was depressing once you knew the origins of it.

He switched rhymes and songs and as he moved through his series of lyrics his tone changed, almost in a desperate manner, one that was rising and seeking to ward off whatever was there.

Suddenly he was on the treadmill as if all was forgotten and she smiled over to him. He looked happy for that brief moment and that was all she could have asked for. It was strange, her attachment to this child, having met him only moments before, but feeling tied to him in a way that she couldn't explain. She allowed herself to laugh. He called her Missy Marlowe and she couldn't admit to having ever been referred to in such a way.

"You can call me Vanessa, pet. Or Nessa." She moved to a Yoga mat and bent over to start stretching. "And a grown up, yes... you look every bit the charming man." She proceeded to stretch, amused at his antics on the treadmill as she shifted from one leg to the other. But it did no good. Her muscles tensed again, ready to spring as his next sentence met her ears.

"When you’re here, he doesn't come to catch me…"

She slowly stood up, minding the positioning of her spine as she looked at his shy smile with a slight smile in response. Was the entity that killed Nate still haunting this cathedral? She would end the fear of this little one, if she had to move here.

"Of course he doesn't Nate, darling... because he knows that if he troubles you I'll send him far far away. I haven't been here for a while, Nate, and I didn't know about ... him.... " She paused and looked around the room, glancing at the shadows and the corners. "Nate, honey... the bad man, is he still here? In the cathedral? Or did I scare him away?" She winked at him, hoping to keep the topic light as possible, but still letting the little one know that she wouldn't let any more harm come to him. And if there was anything that scary in this House, she needed to know about it. They may have been spied on from an ethereal presence. Whatever the case, she would put a stop to it, if that meant that Nate would stay in her room with her every night. She couldn't help but smile, thinking of what Perry would say to that.

((Yeah! You scared me TOO!... ~*shivers*~ that... was awesome....))

[Peregrine Daniels]

((Note to the easily scared and religious don't read!))

Nate stopped running, almost as if he was out of breath, but that was impossible, He breathed in and out deeply with a phantom breath.

"Too Much Running and playing and not enough pray is the devils work"

Said Nate solemnly looking over his shoulder to make sure nobody was listening,

"Not clothes like yours, your clothes are all skinny…"

He said smiling brightly, it was anyone's guess what the meaning of skinny clothes were and his moods changed dramatically, one second he seemed almost like a normal exuberant little boy, the next minute he was brooding and fearful.

"His dress was long, like a ladies, like Santa Clause… but different, can't remember his name it was the same name as my friend Peter"

He said once again, his huge blue eyes filling with non-existent tears

"Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday"

He sang softly, moving closer towards Vanessa again, he nodded

"'Hurt' my fingers, for not being a good Catholic, said he was my father, but my father was dead-ed it was only my Mama and me, I looked after her."

He said wagging his finger, pretending to tell someone off in a motion that he must received for not being a 'good catholic'

"So he broked them"

He said sadly once more bending his tiny fingers as far back as they would go,

"Said I wouldn't know what it was like to be a good Catholic boy without feeling some of what the Holy Spirit must have felt when he was crusifixed"

He said incorrectly again, He looked around to check that nobody was listening into the conversation.

"I was brave though, sometimes I didn't even cry!"

He said puffing out his chest proudly, his mood once again shifted darkly and he drew closer to Vanessa for comfort,

"He's always here, always waiting for me, at night time he chokes me"

He said putting his little hands against his own throat in a choking motion, he then put his hands around his collar and lowered the little white shirt revealing dark bruises against his whispery skin. The Door to the Gym shut with loud bang, Nate drew closer to Nessa once again pressing his tiny body against hers

"He says you’re a bad girl, he says you believe in the devils creatures and that makes you bad too, cause belief is the sign of the devil"

He said in a tiny squeaky voice

"You leave Nessa alone!"

He called out to the shadows drawing ever closer into Vanessa's warmth.

[Vanessa Marlowe]

"Too Much Running and playing and not enough pray is the devils work"

Vanessa felt ill. She had a horrid feeling of where this was going, and Nate's description of this Father's clothing only confirmed her suspiscions. From Nate's description she already had a list of things to research, to look into. Could this man have been a priest here, a bishop? Like Santa Claus... quite possibly a cardinal. "The same name as my friend Peter..." She made rapid mental notes as he rattled off what he remembered.

"So he broked them" ..."Said I wouldn't know what it was like to be a good Catholic boy without feeling some of what the Holy Spirit must have felt when he was crusifixed" "I was brave though, sometimes I didn't even cry!"

It was unbearable, what this child experienced, and she couldn't stand to let the torture that was inflicted upon this beautiful child to continue for eternity. Something had to be done. Did Perry know about this? Why wasn't something done? She felt herself getting angry. Were they all so obsessed with one aspect of their job to forget the rest? Why did no one know? She crouched down and opened her arms to the ghost, a strange gesture, but one indicating her protection and desire to comfort him even if it was fleeting. "Nate, my darling... does anyone else here know this? Did you tell Perry? Did you tell anyone? Has anyone tried to help you?"

She couldn't imagine her Perry not doing whatever he could to help this little one, ghost or no. He showed her his bruises and she felt the tears well up in her eyes, her jaw set tight and she wanted nothing more than to physically hurt this "Father Peter," as she quickly named him for lack of true identity yet. And the door slammed shut. She stood, eyes roving around the room, slowing her breathing.

"He says you’re a bad girl, he says you believe in the devils creatures and that makes you bad too, cause belief is the sign of the devil" "You leave Nessa alone!"

She felt Nate draw into her warmth and she reached down to console him. She spoke very firmly, as if in fact, to reassure the frightened child. "I'm a very bad girl, Nate. And I do believe in devil's creatures. HE is one of the devil's creatures and I intend to put a stop to this. I couldn't stop him if I didn't believe in him..." She felt her body tingle, knowing that something was coming, whether it would be a fight or a spiritual battle, something was coming. Perhaps she should call Perry or the others, perhaps she should take Nate from this room to come back and fight another day. She couldn't help but smile as Nate demanded the ominous ghost leave her alone. So brave. And she knew that the door to the gym wouldn't open now, even if she tried. "Nate, dear.... I'm going to help you. You can stay if it makes you feel safer, or you can go... I'll be ok, love... No worries. Remember? I'm a bad girl... I can handle anything." She hoped. One thing was for sure, she'd have a hell of a story to tell Perry when he came home.

[Peregrine Daniels]

"Nate, my darling... does anyone else here know this? Did you tell Perry? Did you tell anyone? Has anyone tried to help you?"

Nate nodded his small head even though he was know keeping his face burried within the safe confines of Vanessa shoulder and neck.

"Ask me all the time! He gets psychos to speak with me, but I don’t say anything! to scared!"

He said defiantly as he lifted his head off Vanessa shoulders, still holding onto her tightly with small incorporeal fingers, sometimes it was like he could cling on, and while his touch was cold it was very real and then again when he reached out to grab he simply moved through Vanessa.

"I'm a very bad girl, Nate. And I do believe in devil's creatures. HE is one of the devil's creatures and I intend to put a stop to this. I couldn't stop him if I didn't believe in him..."

Nate smiled and jumped on the spot delighted.

"He doesn't like that!"

He said squealing with delight and antincipation

"I'll be brave and stay here to help"

He said softly, his mood once again changing dramatically, there was a banging at the door.

"Ms Marlowe? Is everything alright?"

A muffled voice called out timidly. The room shook, flying equipment was knocked over and several lifts lifted into the air, smashing back down on the floor, dinting the floorboards, the room grew cold and Nate squeezed tighter, there was a loud roar that echoed eerily through the room, it sounded primal, unnatural. Everything stopped suddenly.
The dim lights in the high ceiling began fade and buzz softly, once again there was the ferocious roar and the sound of skin slicing open, blood began to splatter across the walls.

"Children who obey what they have been taught are clever, but friends of troublemakers disgrace their parents."

The Room called out in the same hoarse gravelled growl, in the middle of the room in mid air. An ethereal mist began to spread, it wound around the room, shifting and changing until the torso of an old man could be seen, the edges and lines of his face sinister and angry, he was ghostly white and silvery and unlike Nate he had no body but long tendrils of inky silk mist, he roared again, all the anger and hate in his face was clear as he opened his mouth and screamed. Nate screamed terrified and hung behind Vanessa

"He's here! What do we do?"

Nate called out against the terrible noise that seemed to shake the entire cathedral

"Ms Marlowe, we can't get in!"

The Muffled voice once again called through the closed door.

[Vanessa Marlowe]

Psychos to speak to him? The childish misunderstanding and mispronunciation of words warmed her again as she made an effort to pat the back of his head. “Ahh, Perry tried to get psychics to talk to you. Well, you only have to speak to people you want to talk to, Nate. I’m here now… so we can talk all you like.” As Nate’s enthusiasm showed in his bouncing delight, there was a call from the door.

The call from the door coincided with the maleficent spirit of the priest tossing the room into a maelstrom. Before she could answer the Voice at the door, crashing, and destruction could be heard by those in the hall, and Vanessa could do nothing but cover her head in an attempt not to be struck by flying equipment. The room roared and the incorporeal mist hovered before them, Nate now firmly planted behind her.

"Children who obey what they have been taught are clever, but friends of troublemakers disgrace their parents."

She stood up, standing with her feet shoulder width apart, her hands dropped to her sides as she glared at the hovering tendrils of mist. She was in a very unfortunate situation, being in a dangerous room with no components, no way to get them, and only her mind and memory to help her. This spirit was clearly dangerous, and she knew there were few options she had. Her voice was calm, cold. “Nate, dear… you may want to leave for this. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. At the very least, stay close to me.”

She didn’t turn her head or eyes from the ghostly apparition as she yelled to the door. “NO things are NOT ok. Go get my black duffel bag from my room and find a way in here. FAST! Break down the door if you have to.” She knew that without her equipment, it was possible that she would have to resort to some very dangerous measures to rid this place from that unpleasant spirit. She didn’t fancy being driven mad or possessed, but the only way to ensure that didn’t happen was in her bag. Her eyes narrowed at the ghost, resolute and without the fear he may have been expecting.

“That’s quite enough, thank you. For all your hot air, I would have imagined you would have better manners. I’ll give you a choice, Father. Leave this place, return to the Source, or Stay and I’ll send you there myself. And I can promise you that my way will be far more unpleasant.”

A million things rushed through her mind. Perry… where are you? This is not going to be easy, and I’m stuck in a room that could kill me. Bloody Hell… it had to be a priest! I wonder if Nate can carry things. I need salt. If they can’t get in here, I am going to have to risk my life and sanity to exorcize this Ghost. I should have made sure all of the Houses were set up in every room for these kinds of situations. Were I in my gym in New York, I’d be done already…. She ran through the various spells, prayers, protections and wards in her mind that might work, but unfortunately most required the use of components. She had trained under Shamans, Witches, Voodoo Priestesses and Poltergeist hunters, and at this very moment, so few of her various skills would make a dent. She had to ground herself before anything else happened. She pulled the chopsticks from the pile of dark hair on her head, letting her hair fall loose over her shoulders. With one of them she pointed it at the ground before her, breathing deeply and connecting herself to the energies of the earth. She didn’t have time to ceremonially cast a circle of protection, but she could use the simplified method she had been trained to use in emergencies. She kept her eyes on the spirit as she spoke the following words, turning in a circle, but maintaining her line of sight with the apparition:

"As we in this place, where impressions of the past are trapped and associations linger, let us do so with the assurance that we are guarded by the Power which proceeds from forthright and peaceful intent. We envision a white radiance encircling us, fortifying us and protecting us from any harm or distraction in our purpose."

She felt the protection of the circle, and ultimately, that is what made the difference. Much of the charms and spells that she had been taught, the methods too, were based entirely in the confidence of the caster, in the faith in the success of the mission. But she never discounted the words entirely. She had studied alchemy, and knew that words were what could bind one thing to another, one person to another and one spirit to another. Nothing was out of the range of possibility. She yelled again as she stood firmly in the center of the circle, Nate still hanging close.

“Where’s that bag, love?… Let’s get moving, hmm? And someone call Perry and let him know his Priestly Ghost is destroying the gym and trying to destroy me with it….”

[Peregrine Daniels]

The Apparition laughed a deep throaty laugh void of girth and no humour, he lunged towards Vanessa and the now screeching Nate, his cold ghostly clawed hang snapped back as if the sacred circle was hot to the touch, he hissed dangerously and weights once again began to hover and rumble against the floor. The ancient room groaned in protest and the stain glass windows began to crack slightly. There was a loud banging against the door and it splintered slightly, but the priest reached out one long silver arm and lunged through the door. There followed several groans and the sound of bodies falling to the ground.

"Bag, Bag, Bag!"

Nate called out looking at Nessa his large ghostly eyes full of fear, he seemed to suddenly muster up some courage, he turned and ran from the room, screaming and crying. The Priest Laughed once again and lunged for the circle, this time he managed to pierce it slightly

"Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places"

He managed to rage and he began to beat away at the circle getting closer and closer towards Vanessa, The entity was no more the little old man who had tortured and murdered Nate, all his years as an evil entity had changed and transformed even his twisted soul, atop his bald head were two small horns, his eyes were flaming and his hands were twisted and gnarled into claws, he continued to repeat bible verses as he struck at the circle. Suddenly though one of the glass windows smashed open and a bag flew through the air, attached to the bag was Nate, he ran towards Nessa and flung the duffle bag into her hands

"NOOOO!"

The Priest called out and swept into the air, his body seemed to grow and the silver tendrils skirted all over the place, the weights lifted into the air and smashed through the ancient windows

"Witches and Sinners!"

He called out hoarsely, Nate squealed terrified he grabbed onto Nessa

"Don’t let him hurt me more! He hurts me all the time! I just want to go to sleep again!"

Nate called out terrified, once again sounding older than his years but at the same time in a child voice and gramma.

[Krisztinya Valkai]

((This, of course, is Vanessa. Sorry, I forgot to change my log in name...))

As the apparition lunged at her, the white light of the circle she cast protected her, though she knew it wouldn't last forever. She repeated the incantation, twice more to invoke the sacred law of threes, hopefully to buy her a little more time. It was when she heard the banging at the door, and the splintering that she for a moment averted her eyes. it all seemed to happen in a split second, the silvery tendrils of mist lashed through the doors, Nate screamed and flung himself from the protection of the circle. Her eyes flung to the door as she heard bodies hit the floor in a domino of pain. She refocused, praying silently that the weights wouldn't fly at her while she was in the circle, and then the windows began to crack. Where the hell is Perry?! Don't they have a resident shaman? A resident witch?! No, of course not, let's just leave it for Nessa to deal with when she gets here.... She realized her frustration would do her no good, and all she could do was to psychically call to Perry while attempting to exorcise this demon. Whether it would work or not would remain to be seen, but there was always hoping. Times like this she wished she had brought Colin. The horrible voice of the Apparition resonated in the hall, filling it with a cold emptiness that she instantly recognized in the deepest recesses of her mind and bones.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places"

She stood her ground as the twisted ghost abused the circle, faithful that somehow, some way things would turn her way. It was, after all, all about faith. In what, though, she hadn't said.

"You wrestle with being stuck on this plane of energy and nothing more. I say, all this time in those priestly garments has made you a sight bit insane old man. Rail all you like, your God and Devil hold no sway over me. Be gone, ghost! Release this world to the living energy and return to the Source!"

She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand as she made this assertion, in a cathedral, to a priest. It was true, though. She had learned a great many things over the years. All that she had studied, all that she had seen, had convinced her that "problems" such as these-- a catholic ghost priest-- were nothing but the collective fears of the people of this area brought to fruition. They were not imaginary, not at all, but only allowed to gain power and existance because of these fears. It had nothing to do with religion. Tribes in Africa have their own ghosts, protestants, catholics, baptists, buddhists, they all had paranormal entities that wreaked havoc. They all had different names, different powers, and each had different ways of being banished.

His eyes were flaming, the horns became more and more evident as he attacked the circle. She was considering a last minute prayer to the Virgin Mary as a back up plan when the wondow shattered and before she could blink, Nate was back in the circle, clinging to her adn the duffel bag was in her hands.

"NOOOO!"

"Yes! Oh, my little angel, Nate... you're brilliant!" She turned to the apparition as it expanded and flung itself in the air. Her voice was full of authority and unyeilding demands. She had what she needed. "I'm giving you one last chance Father, GO HOME, lest I send you there painfully...." She was rifling through the bag, the contents were arranged and strapped in place wuite intricately. She had been on more than her share of exorcisms and she knew just what she needed. One hand scooped into a recess in the bag and lifted out a full handfull of sea salt, both black and white where she dumped it at her feet while the other hand quickly found a smudging stick-- a bundle of herbs and leaves tied with string consectrated for this very purpose. With the flick of a butane lighter she lit the smudging stick and dropped it at her feet in the pile of salt. The smell was awful and bittersweet at the same time. She slipped a rosary blessed from the vatican around her neck. She may not believe in such religions, but never were talismans about religion... they were about faith and positive energy.

"Witches and Sinners!"

"And that's my cue. Nate, stand close."

She stood, in the waist band of her pants was an ancient looking crucifix. It was not the traditional four point cross, but a "T" like those of Roman history. It was oak, and carved with runes in a language long since dead. She held in her left hand an open bottle of water, holy water to be exact. In her right hand she held another handful of salt, which she instantly began sprinkling around her in a circle, sure to keep the smudging stick in the confines of the salt. She chanted, knowing that the time between casting this spirit out and being seriously hurt and possibly killed by this demon were growing closer. Her voice was loud, calm and authoritative. She summoned all the psychic energy she had, and periodically, as she turned in the circle, as she made the sign of the cross with the open bottle of holy water, splashing it everywhere, she tossed salt as far as the granules would go.

"With this salt I sprinkle about
I banish You, negative spirit, out
within these walls you may not stay
I demand you now go on your way
with harm to none
it shall be done.

Basil, lilac, pine, and sage--
Burn with mint to expell you now
Salt of the sea and of the earth,
protect this place. No dark energy may stay
I compel you abort, avaunt
I banish you from this garden of Ra,
From the source you came and shall now return,
with harm to none,
it shall be done.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti."

Until she was either interupted physically, or she completed this process three times, she would not stop. The combination of the rituals of different worlds, different religions, of the absolute faith in her skill and ability, enflamed her work and fed her determination. She would hold fast to see if these charms would work, it was not in her nature to go at a "problem" half hearted. If they did not, she may be in for a world of trouble. In other exorcisms, one or the other may only be needed-- the salt and the chanting, or the smudging stick and the chanting. But she wasn't taking any chances here. Where the hell is Perry....