The Gifts

The Order Chapter 18

The Order

Copyright © 2018 by Brad A. Townsend

All rights reserved. This story or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author (Brad A. Townsend).

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is entirely coincidental, or also used fictitiously.

Content warning: This story contains adult situations, language, and consensual sex between adult men. If said content is illegal in your state or country, please leave now and do not continue.

Chapter Eighteen

It was a long flight to Sydney, and Darren and Pat dozed in the dimly lit First Class cabin.  They had already seen movie in the main cabin so they skipped it and chatted with one another in their Minds, content to be together.

To the other passengers, they didn't look like the large, muscular, devastatingly handsome men they were.  No, to the outside world they looked like an elderly Asian couple traveling to Sydney on vacation.

I'm still stoked about this Pat.  I've always wanted to visit Australia but never had the chance.  This is going to be awesome.  We need to hit Balmoral, I hear the guys on the beach there are over the top hot.

What?  I'm not hot enough for you? 

Darren laughed: You know you are so don't even go there.

Actually, I'm with you Dar... and seeing how much hotter you are than all those guys combined will make me feel special.  It'll be fun to watch them drool over you.

Even though they were joking around, Pat's comment brought a smile to Darren's face.  They weren't wholly merged at the moment, because they didn't want to mask their auras in case there happened to be any Enemy agents on the plane, but they were deep enough Darren felt the all-encompassing love he and Pat shared.  Sharing your Soul with another man is like that.

Okay if just being in Australia wasn't enough to make me horny, that statement just got you laid tonight.

But I get laid every night.  Usually two or three times a night.

Darren laughed again:  Fucker.

You got that right!

Reaching over, Darren held Pat's big, warm hand, and squeezing it tight, he brought it up to his face to kiss the back of it.  Pat had strong hands, and his touch could send Darren into orbit with the gentlest of caresses. Pat was a lot like Ken in that he was a very physical man, often touching Darren and the other guys, squeezing a shoulder, arm, or thigh when he was close.  Darren loved nothing more than the feel of his lover's hands on him even when they weren't making out; it was just comforting.

Their Mental chatter slowed as they became drowsy.  The lights dimmed, and holding hands they quietly rested in each other's Minds and Hearts, content to be silent and with one another as the plane continued its path over the ocean.

Darren's Mind drifted back a few weeks to right after they returned from their camping trip at the Tree...

<><> 

Ken called a group meeting the morning after they got back.   He wanted the doctor and Albrecht brought up to speed on everything that happened on their camping trip, especially their encounter with the mysterious stranger named Luke and the song Lane Dreamt.  He wanted their input on who Luke might be, and also on interpreting the parts of Lane's Song they weren't sure about.

The doctor and Albrecht both paled when they heard what Raphael said about the man named Luke.  The doctor was always serious-minded, but they rarely saw him as forceful as he was when he told them, "Mind what Raphael said!  Never speak his name!  I cannot stress this enough.  When we must discuss him openly, I will show you how to properly ward yourselves... it is not easily or casually done."

Ken replied, "Alright doc, as always you know best.  Brad and you other yahoos can take care of the Mental part.  We'll do that today before everyone leaves.

"Meetin' him was an eye opener and no mistake, but it certainly wasn't the only one... Bill, share with the rest of us what you found from the Dark Nephilim Istariel'n the others destroyed."

Brad passed control of their Link to Bill, who masterfully took them deeper into a Construct of the Operations Room.  Everyone appeared around the conference table in full assault gear, and Bill stood in front of the Ops board.

"Okay guys hold onto your hats.  We have names and locations of two key Enemy Agents. I shared this with Pat and Dar early this morning, and they've already loaded the info into the new computers and database, so it's available on your tablets once you've synced up." 

Ken held up his hand and interjected, "Sorry Bill, just a sec.  I know this is important, but I wanna say somethin' quick while it's on my mind.  I've wanted `ta say this for a while and what you said just illustrates my point even more.  Pat and Dar, you guys have been more than pullin' your weight lately with all the hard work and extra hours.  The new computers are amazin', and I want you `ta know it hasn't gone unnoticed by any of us.  I know it'll happen `ta all of us eventually as we find tasks that are better suited to our Primary Avatars, but right now yours are helpin' us get this fight back up and runnin' and on the offensive in a major way.  Never think we're takin' you for granted, okay?"

Darren and Pat flushed at the praise, and Lane, sitting beside Darren, reached over and ruffled his hair.  As closely merged as they were Ken's sincerity was apparent to Darren and Pat, as well as their Teammates.  Over time they learned that even though they knew how each other felt, there was still value in telling each other verbally.  It was a reinforcement of the bond they shared and how they supported one another.

Pat said, "Just doing our part guys, but thanks for saying it.  You know we appreciate it."

With a grin and a nod, Ken indicated to Bill to continue.  An image of two men appeared on the Op's board.

Bill continued, "Okay...The Dark Nephilim's name was Ulariel.  We acquired the names of two major players from him. He took direct instruction from a human Agent based in Sydney, Australia named Trenton Ashmore.  Ulariel didn't know much about him but was terrified of him, which tells us he must be pretty powerful if a Nephilim, even a minor one, was afraid of him.

"The other Agent is Gerald Laurent.   Ulariel knew of Laurent but never had direct contact with him and was uncertain if Laurent was a peer of Ashmore's, taking direction from him, or a superior.  Laurent is located in British Columbia, Canada.  Ulariel was also scared of him, so he's definitely a player of some kind."

The doctor interjected, "Both of those locations are former strongholds of The Order.   Nearly two centuries ago The Enemy eradicated all existence of The Order in those areas.  There is no telling what you will find if you go to either location, but you will need to be extremely careful and on your guard at all times."

Darren spoke up, "Ken, doc... I've wanted to bring something up for a while, and it might be coincidental, but those two areas are significant to me."

Ken smirked and looked at Darren, "If I've learned anythin' about livin' with B is that there's very little coincidence anymore.   If you have a gut feelin' Dar, let's hear it."

"Well, you know how I have my safe spot to jump to here in the Lab right?  I've wanted to expand on that and imprint a bunch of new locations.  The idea of us having safe houses or bunkers in other parts of the world has been floating around in the back of my mind.  Places inaccessible except by teleportation.  Sydney is one of the areas I've thought about, and British Columbia, Canada too.  There are a few other locations, but since those two came up today, somehow I don't think it's random chance.

"In light of what happened recently, I think it would be prudent to have a number of places we can jump to quickly, not just for safety but for quickly getting to other parts of the world when we need too."

Ken noticed a gleam in the doctor's eyes when Darren mentioned his idea, and grinned.

"I think the doc has already been thinkin' about this and was waitin' for us `ta think of it on our own."

The doctor looked innocent, but Albrecht's wink told Ken he was right. 

Ken continued, "Okay, Dar, that sounds like a great idea.  We'll get started on the implementation a.s.a.p.  You're the financial guru, so why don't you get with the doc and start drawin' up a budget and we can get things rollin'."

Darren replied, "Why not kill two birds with one stone?  Pat and I can head to Sydney next week to get things started on a bunker, and we can gather Intel on Ashmore while we're there."

Ken scowled, "I'm not sure about that Dar.  It's not that I don't trust you two, but you heard what the doc said.  We aren't sure what we'll find in Sydney, and this Ashmore guy must be pretty badass if Ulariel was scared shitless of him.  I'd rather you take at least a few other guys with you."

Kevin said, "Bill and I can head to Canada, and Dar and Pat can hit Sydney.  That leaves you six here as a backup for either of us.  We need to act fast on these guys Ken.  There's no telling how quickly word will spread that Ulariel is dead or missing and they might disappear on us."

Brad interjected, "I don't like it either Ken, but we do need to act fast.  We can stay in touch on a regular basis and gather within seconds if it comes down to it."

Ken looked apprehensive but said, "Okay, guys, but light Intel only and no unnecessary risks.  If you even have a twitch in your gut that somethin's up, report in."

They spent another few hours discussing details and ironing out a plan for the two teams to leave and do recon to find suitable locations for bunkers.

Darren had already drawn up an elaborate CAD diagram of how he thought the bunkers should be laid out.  The facilities would be self-contained below ground with enough room for all of them to stay comfortably.  They would be supplied with the equivalent of MRE's for food and have generators and fuel to keep running for weeks if necessary.   The only obstacle he hadn't overcome other than old-fashioned air tanks, was how to maintain fresh water and oxygen in a closed environment and circulate carbon dioxide and waste out of the facility.

The doctor assured Darren that wouldn't be a problem and the design could be modified to take those factors into account.

When Bill brought them out of his Construct only a few seconds had passed, and they each started on their prospective tasks in getting the plans rolling.  All of them felt a pang of excitement in their gut... they were on the offense and feeling proactive in the fight against The Enemy.  It felt good.

<><> 

Even before their plane touched down, an odd sensation tickled at the edge of their Shields.  It wasn't overtly oppressive, but a strong aura of something seemed to be everywhere.  The sun shone bright, and the weather was clear and hot, but a chill ran down their spines.  Shifting their Sight, a murky haze covered the landscape as far as they could see.

Pat and Darren were extra cautious going through customs.  No one could see their true forms, but they still felt exposed and vulnerable.  Once at the hotel Darren found a secluded corner and dropped their illusions.

They checked in under their normal appearance, but used false I.D.'s provided by the doctor.  They breathed a collective sigh of relief once they were in their room with the door locked, and immediately started setting wards for additional protection.

Pat watched Darren unpack his suitcase.  Even if they weren't Linked, he could see how tired he was.  Pat's own physiology didn't make him immune to jetlag, but it didn't affect him nearly so much.  Any of the Bodies could go for days without sleep if necessary. 

Dar said, "I think I'm going take a shower to wake myself up.  I'd rather stay up and push through to get used to the time change."

As Pat watched, Darren began to undress, revealing his body.  Darren was cute and ruggedly handsome at the same time, his short brown hair and green eyes framing a square face and a strong jawline.  In Pat's opinion, and most everyone else's, the dimples that appeared when he smiled pushed his looks over the top; they certainly melted Pat's heart, and once Darren learned to weaponize them, Pat was lost.  In addition to his handsome face, Darren's thick frame, 5'10" tall and 235lbs of muscle was mouthwatering.  His body was perfect, and stunning to look at.  The light dusting of hair on his chest and the treasure trail running over his sculpted abs... Pat was hard before Darren finished taking his pants off.

Fuck Dar.  Every time I look at you, I can't believe what a lucky man I am.  You are so fucking handsome.  What did I ever do to deserve you?

Looking up, Darren noted the combination of love and lust in Pat's eyes.  Pat moved forward and started running his hands lightly over Darren's muscles beginning with his traps and tracing down over his shoulders and biceps.  The feather-light touch coupled with his adoration caused Darren to get hard in seconds.  Travelling back up, Pat traced the outline of Darren's chest, running his fingers through the sparse but perfect hair, and then used his thumbs to lightly press and rub his nipples.

Darren trembled at Pat's touch, his body flush and warm as Pat moved them to the bed, and they grinned when the bed groaned under their combined weight. 

Darren's dimples deepened at the thought that crossed his mind.   

Hot hotel sex in Australia!  This is one checkbox off my bucket list for sure. 

Darren cupped Pat's cheek in his hand, his thumb rubbing lightly over his five o'clock shadow, and his face turned serious. 

Just for the record Pat... it's me who's the lucky one.

His dimples reappeared and he added:  Okay, so we both feel like we won the lotto.

Pat cupped Darren's face with one hand and started a passionate kiss while his other hand moved down, rubbing firmly over Darren's bare chest and shoulders.  Darren's belt and pants unbuckled on their own and as he raised his hips, they slid down and off, dropping to the floor.  He was now completely naked and cradled in the arms of his lover.

Outside the bedroom Darren was a confident man, a soldier, but in the bedroom with Pat he had a submissive streak.  He wasn't into any kind of domination or humiliation, he just liked Pat to take control.

Pat moved one leg up, so Darren's balls and lower shaft rested on his kneecap.   Pat continued the kiss while his big arms wrapped around Darren.  Darren was so turned on he was breathing hard and moaning.  Through the kiss, as their tongues moved against each other, a sexual surge traveled through Darren's body and down to his groin.  In response his back arched, rubbing himself more firmly against Pat's knee.

Darren's erection got harder and harder, throbbing against Pat's leg.  Darren's moans became more urgent, as a steady stream of precum pooled on his stomach.  With one last arch of his back, without Pat touching his dick, Darren shot across his chest and abs.  He came so hard his body convulsed, causing all his muscles to contract tightly.  Pat's mouth never left Darren's, but his hands and arms moved to hold Darren through his orgasm.  Being held by Pat while in the throes of ecstasy sent Darren to a place of pure physical and emotional contentment.  Sex for Darren was deep and profound, and similar to Ken, it always took him a while to come back to himself.

Pat continued to hold him, caressing his body while Darren recovered, riding out the pleasure of his orgasm.  Once Darren's breathing returned to normal Pat pulled back far enough to make eye contact.  Pat ran the back of a finger over Darren's face, tracing his jawline and chin in tender intimacy. They smiled at one another.

Holy shit Dar.  It still amazes me that I can do that to you. 

While they looked into each other's eyes, Pat used his other hand to lightly run his fingers up and down Darren's still rigid erection, smearing the cum that dripped around the head and shaft.

A single tear leaked out, falling over the cheek of Darren's handsome face.  He rested one hand on Pat's chest and a bright yellow Light engulfed them as he opened the gateway to their Souls.

Their Love for one another was a hot fire, the most dominant force in their lives.  They got over questioning how the doctor managed to combine their Souls, or how they could be One being and yet two separate men who loved each other beyond reason.

Suddenly Pat was naked too, his clothes teleported off his body, and he heard them drop to the floor at the foot of the bed.  Now naked, Pat moved on top of Darren, pressing their bodies together.

Darren shifted his sight and saw Pat's dark brown eyes rimmed with his own green, further proof of the bond between them.

Lie back Pat and let me take care of you now.

Pat rolled over, letting Darren crawl on top and straddle his waist.  Darren's hands oozed Red Fire as he caressed and touched Pat's body in all the places he knew drove Pat wild.  Pat was already hard after seeing Darren shoot hands free from just his kiss, and the red energy added to the fire running through him.  Darren's touch was like throwing a lit match into a can of gasoline.

Darren leaned forward, putting his weight on his elbows so they could continue to kiss and look into each other's eyes.  With his Mind he positioned Pat at his opening and slowly sank down, filling himself with Pat's thickness, using his own load as lube.  There was no better feeling in the world to Darren than the fullness of Pat inside of him, another aspect of the perfection between them.

Ohhhh, fuck Dar... your ass is perfect... so hot and tight.  It was made for me.

Pat began moving his hips, thrusting slowly at first but quickly building speed until his movement was almost a blur.

Darren's face reddened and his eyes watered, but he never broke eye contact.  He moved up enough to hold Pat's face in his hands and used his fingers to brush the hair off his forehead or palm and knead his tight chest, shoulders, and arms.

Pat kept it up until Darren's body involuntarily squirmed and spasmed in an impending orgasm.  Once again Darren reacted to his lover, his manhood becoming harder and harder without being touched.  At the pinnacle moment, throwing his back his head, every muscle in Darren's body tight, he covered Pat's abs and chest with another load.  With the onset of his orgasm Darren's anal muscles clenched around Pat, and it pushed him over the edge to start shooting his own load into his lover.  Renewed strength filled Darren's body, which he used to clench Pat even tighter, milking him like a hot velvet glove.

Pat looked at Darren's muscular body, now covered in a light sheen of sweat and pumped up from his efforts.  Darren was a very physical lover, and veins in his arms, shoulders, and chest clearly showed from his exertions.  Pat, looked down on him, enraptured at the sight of him. Like Ken, Pat appreciated Darren pushing his body to look like he did, and always made sure Darren knew he didn't take it for granted.

They were deeply merged, and Darren knew Pat got off from looking at him.  It warmed his heart and made his efforts worthwhile, and his dimples once again melted Pat.

Darren scooped up his load splattered over Pat's body and fed it to him, Opening Pat's Mind even more as he ingested Darren's DNA.  Darren pulled their Souls tighter and the two men lost themselves in one another, resting their sweaty bodies together, holding and caressing one another with their hands, Minds, and Hearts.

Merging so deeply after sex allowed them to match the physical and emotional intimacy with their Souls, and like all the guys they found it difficult to separate.  Their contentment in being One was so consuming they never wanted it to end.

In the Spiritual Realm they shone like a small star, and Pat made the conscious effort of masking their auras.  If he hadn't, their actions would set off a beacon to The Enemy.  Being extra cautious, Darren scanned the nearby rooms to see if anyone might have felt anything.  The surrounding area was empty except for a woman asleep in the room adjacent to theirs.  Darren nearly missed the emotions because they were so faint, but the woman was pregnant and the fetus was awake.  The unborn child somehow felt the Love emanating from him and Pat as they made love.

Darren smiled and felt Pat's question in his Mind.

I just scanned the rooms around us to make sure no one felt anything.   The lady in the room next to us is pregnant, and her baby felt us.  She's too young to have any thoughts, but her innocence and emotions are breathtakingly pure.  It's so refreshing to know we all start out that way.

With his Mind Open, Pat reached out and saw the child's emotional happiness from their lovemaking.  It made him happy as well, to inadvertently bring joy to such a small being.

Jumping in the shower, they enjoyed soaping each other up and washing each other's hair.  The shower wasn't made for two big men, so they squeezed together, loving the closeness.  Both of them got hard again, but other than some mild groping they didn't push it any further.  With the burst of energy Darren received from their lovemaking he no longer felt the need to take a nap, and ravenously hungry, they decided to venture out for food.

The hotel restaurant looked good, but Darren wanted to try some local cuisines, preferring not to eat at food chains.  Mild guilt followed after scanning the Concierge's Mind to find a good restaurant.  As he suspected, she was instructed to direct customers to a few specific restaurants with financial ties to the Hotel, but her favorite local fish place was called Fishmongers.   He also knew far more about her than he ever wanted and it was a painful and uncomfortable experience. He had to remind himself he and Pat used to be just like her.  Well not that bad. She was a piece of work!

The young Concierge couldn't interpret the look Darren gave her as he and Pat left the hotel.  It was a mix of pity and compassion, but her Mind chose to believe Darren was checking her out.  She let the thoughts go, preferring to remember Darren's handsome dimpled face and remarkable body.  In reality, she made him nauseous from seeing even the surface of her Mind.

The food better be worth that!

Pat gave Darren a tight Mental hug and squeezed his shoulder, briefly bringing the two of them together to wash out the negative residual emotions.  Darren sighed and smiled. 

I knew you were here for a reason.

Grinning, Pat kissed Darren's forehead, and the dimples let Pat know his actions worked.

Fishmonger's wasn't far, so they walked to the restaurant, and again Darren was only mildly guilty about bumping their name up on the list to get a table.  After two appetizers each, three entrée's each, and a mammoth shared dessert they were temporarily sated.

After lunch, Darren wanted to walk around and see the city.  It was almost time for their check-in with Brad, so they wandered down to the harbor to watch the boats and find a spot to sit.

Right on time Brad's comforting presence entered their Minds.

Hey, guys!  You make it there alright?

Darren:  Yeah, the flight was easy... no screaming children or anything!

Brad laughed.

That's good.  So, have you seen or felt anything odd yet?

Pat: Yeah, we have.  As soon as we touched down, both of us felt pressure against our Shields.  It's subtle but everywhere.  We aren't sure what it is yet... if it's runes all over the place or something more powerful.

Ken:  Okay, you guys know `ta stay on your toes.  You're in uncharted territory, and we still don't know anythin' about this Ashmore guy.

Darren:  I'm going to start work on the bunker plans first thing tomorrow.  Today we're out on the town.  Just ate a fantastic lunch and are out for a walk along the harbor.  I think I'd like to hit one of the bars before we head back to the room.  All in the name of recon, of course.

Darren sounded like he was joking, but gathering Intel was precisely what they were doing.  Darren and Pat were two of the best on the team at recon, and Ken trusted them implicitly to get the job done and stay safe.

Ken:  Alright fellas.  You know who you are and why you're there. Be careful and stick `ta the plan and watch each other's backs... and I don't mean your asses!

Darren and Pat chuckled at Ken's comment.

Pat:  We're good Ken.  We'll check in tomorrow morning and let you know how much the Australian nightlife sucks ass.  Any word from Kevin and Bill?

Brad:  They're good.  They arrived on schedule and are getting set up.

Darren:  Okay folks.  Good thing we don't get charged international rates for this.  We'll talk with you ladies tomorrow.

Ken and Brad:  Good night guys. Love `ya.

<><><> 

Asking around, Pat and Darren discovered one of the premier gay clubs in Sydney.  Of all the guys they loved to dance and socialize the most.  With their hyper metabolisms neither of them got drunk easily, or if they did they sobered up in a matter of minutes, but they still held drinks to a minimum to keep up appearances.

Most of the men in Sydney were everything they read about, and the eye candy was over the top.  The two of them garnered more than their fair share of attention and were approached numerous times with offers of a good time.

Periodically they shifted their Sight, looking for any sign of The Enemy. Pat kept their Aura's masked, and Darren saw a few well-dressed men, escorted by large, muscular Protectors, imprinting their faces in his memory. 

<><> 

Pat woke to the sound of Darren moaning. Generally, they cuddled and stayed together the entire night, but Darren was on his back at the edge of the bed, drenched in sweat and trembling.  His Avatar lit up the room it was so bright, spitting arcs of color.

Pat immediately realized Darren was Dreaming, his reaction exactly how Bryan described Lane when he was having one of his.  Darren hadn't yet experienced a Dream so intense, and as much as Pat hated it, he had to wait for the event to run its course.

<> 

Darren just finished making love with Pat in their room and scanned the area to make sure no one felt their aura.  A pregnant woman slept in the room next to theirs... her fetus felt the Love he and Pat emitted, but the mother was oblivious.

The innocence of the unborn child was so refreshing.  On instinct, Darren looked more in-depth at the child and it saw immediately something was horribly wrong!  Delving deeper he looked at her energy centers, and the child's body was riddled with birth defects and deformities.  He knew she would not survive to term as she was, or if she did, not long and very uncomfortably.

His eyes filled with tears; to have such perfect innocence lost from the world before it had a chance at life was heartbreaking.

Darren couldn't see as far or as accurately into Timelines as Lane, but he knew the child was special, and felt the desire to intervene. Something in him wanted to correct the genetic abnormalities and restore the child to what she should be.  He saw in her tiny energy centers how everything wanted to be, making it apparent her condition wasn't natural.

Unexpectedly a wave of terror came from the child, and Darren felt an overwhelming need to comfort and protect her.

Another presence... not the mother!  It was evil, and every time the child sensed it, pain soon followed.  Within seconds unbearable pain wracked her tiny bod, and Darren, Linked with the child felt the pain as if it was his own...

<> 

Jolting awake, Darren sat up in bed covered in sweat, his chest heaving.  His eyes White and tattoo glowing, tears of fear and pain spilled from his eyes.

Through the Dream the child's terror and pain were his own, and he shook violently in reaction.   Every cell in his body was on fire as the child's genetic structure was shifted around mercilessly. .

As soon as Darren shot up in bed Pat threw his arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.  He knew something traumatic happened and the first thing he wanted Dar to feel was the comfort and safety of his arms and Mind wrapped around him.

It's alright Dar.  I'm here!  You're safe!

It took a few moments for Darren to come back to himself.  The emotional aftershocks were severe and intense.  Darren clutched Pat with all his strength, and as amped up as he was Pat had trouble breathing.  He held Darren firmly against him, filling his Mind with soothing thoughts while rubbing his body with his other hand.

Darren was intimately familiar with Lane's experiences from his Dreams, but Darren had never had one himself.  Even reliving the experience while merged with Lane wasn't the same as going through it himself.  Darren was still breathing deep, fighting off the effects.

Fuck Pat.  We have to help.  We have too.

Tell me, Dar.  Share it with me so I can help.

Darren immersed himself in Pat, taking comfort in the liquid golden Light of his Soul.  His pain lessened as their Souls joined and Pat's Soul wrapped around him, buffering the harshness of what just happened. 

Open up and let me see, Dar. I'm with you, now and always.  You never have to go through this alone.  I talked with Bry about this, knowing eventually you'd have Dreams like Lane.  I know how disturbing and sometimes painful they can be... I really do Understand it.

Okay Pat, I'll show you, but we need to talk to the doc and Albrecht about this right away. 

Darren removed the block he hid the Dream behind, and Pat absorbed it.  Tensing, his breath caught in his big chest when the same fear and pain gripped him.  The assault on the genetic structure of the child was excruciating, and even feeling it secondary to Darren it was nearly unbearable.  They continued holding one another while the emotional aftershocks and discomfort subsided.

Dar, how can that be?  She's an unborn child, barely developed.  Her brain shouldn't be advanced enough yet to feel any of that.

I know!  But it is, and she's terrified! 

Yeah, I agree we need to talk to the doc.  I'm not charged up Mentally enough right now to be much help in reaching him, but we can still do it, I'll just have to be careful to mask that much of a buildup from both of us.  You can Listen and borrow Power from the Animal Spirits, and I'll draw from the Tree.  We're mini versions of Lane, Loy, and Bryan all rolled into the two of us.  This is what we've trained ourselves to do.

Embracing their training, the two men relaxed and their eyes turned White.  Darren Listened but noticed for the first time how quiet it was.  There was virtually no Music in the area around them.

For anyone with the ability to see into the Spiritual Realm, the Hotel filled with Animal Spirits, and nearby pets stopped and stood still, lending their support.  Roots and branches of the Tree filled the hallways, intertwining through the rooms.  Oblivious, maids and guests scattered about the building walked through the ghostly images.

Pat masked their Aura's as their strength increased.  Fully merged, they filled one another up and Darren cast his thoughts to the other side of the planet. 

Doc!  Albrecht!  Can you hear me?

Darren my boy!  What is wrong?

Brad:  Dar?  I can hear you loud and clear.  What's happening?!

Darren shared everything about his Dream with them, and as with so many times recently the doctor's first reply was, "Oh my!"

Darren:  What do you think we should do doc?  I don't think I can sit by and let whatever's happening continue.  The child can't survive much more of whatever is being done to it.  I know we aren't supposed to interfere with things like that.  But this is different... that child is Awake, scared shitless, and totally defenseless.  She doesn't have the intellectual capacity to understand any of what's happening to her other than feeling the pain she's being subjected too.

Albrecht:  If the condition of the child is a direct result of some scheme of The Enemy you know they will be aware if you intervene. 

Brad:  This can't be a coincidence, guys.  Either on Their side or ours, I have a feeling someone orchestrated this situation.  Ken do you want to call the mission?

Ken:  My first reaction is to say yes.  Get the hell outta there and come home.  I'm not takin' risks with you guys.  There's too much at stake here.

Brad:  I'm sensing a but...

Ken:  B, what's your Intuition tellin' you?

Brad:  That it's a dangerous fucking situation, but Dar and Pat are highly trained Navy SEALS and Hybrid Nephilim badasses.  I don't like them being at risk any more than you do, but we're at war and risks sometimes have to be taken.  If we ran from The Master in that basement, we wouldn't have figured out who he is or how to stop him.  They're big boys and can look after themselves.  It's what we've trained so hard to do.

Darren's own Intuition kicked in, and he realized Ken's hesitancy.

Darren:  Ken, you can't protect us all the time, Brother.  We love you, but we're on an isolated mission you aren't responsible for us.  Pat and I love you like you're our own flesh and blood but you have to trust us.  Trust we can do this or get home safe if things go sour.

Ken's mental sigh of resignation spoke volumes about how much he cared and how frightened he was for them, but he was their leader, and they were in a war, and tough decisions had to be made.

Ken steeled himself.  Years ago, in Syria, he would never have hesitated to keep Dar and Pat right where they were.  But after all their changes and living in each other's Souls they were now a part of him, and his love for them, for all his Brothers, was so deep it sometimes scared him. 

Ken:  I do trust you guys, you know that.  And I know that out of all of us you two are the best suited `ta be there.  I'm trustin' that in this cosmic chess game we're in, you have a Purpose there, but, be ready to evac at a moment's notice.  I know it'll be hard Dar but do whatever you have `ta do `ta get the two of you outta there if things go south.

Darren:  You got it, boss.  We'll stay sharp, Ken, never fear. 

Aaron:  Trust your instincts as to how to proceed with the unborn child. If you do in fact have a Purpose there, listen to your Hearts.

Darren:  There's one more thing, guys.  This could wait until our next check-in, but since we're all together, I'll pass it on.  When I powered up to reach you, there's virtually no Music here to tap into.  There's some, but it's weak and faint, more like static.  Any idea what could cause that, doc?

Aaron:  Curious.  My first hypothesis would be the Presence of The Enemy is the cause.  They slowly bleed the Will and Life Energy out of an area as they take control.  It could be they have been there long enough that the quiet you are experiencing in the Spiritual Realm is a long term side effect of their tenure.  I will continue to think about it and perhaps come up with an experiment or two to test my theory.  Just be aware that aspect will not be available for you to draw on if you need to generate Power quickly.

Pat:  Alright guys.  We're on it.  Love you all and big hugs around.  We'll check in later as planned and keep you apprised.

<><> 

As the presence of the doctor and their Brother's faded Darren chuckled, shaking his head.

So, it's up to us after all Pat.   I was hoping for more than a Yoda-like vagueness as to what we should do. 

Take it as a compliment Dar.  It means we're all grown up and get to make our own decisions.  It proves they trust us to do what we think is best and that what we think is best might actually be best.  Did that make sense?

Probably not to anybody but me, but yeah.

Fucker.

They both laughed, and Darren punched Pat on his chest at his retort.

<><> 

All of the guys referred to Darren as a workaholic.  While he and Pat waited for the husband to come back to the room next door, he worked on his laptop searching for a piece of real estate suitable for the bunker. 

After a group consensus, Darren's initial design was altered, making the facility much larger and more self-contained.  There would be multiple rooms and more equipment; it turned out to be a larger version of the Lab in Atlanta and even had a fully expanded gym.  It was evident the doctor had given thought to the idea and modified Darren's plans accordingly.  No longer a bunker, it was now a full-fledged base.

While Darren worked on his task, Pat contacted a number of construction companies, setting up appointments and interviews. 

Not only was Darren a workaholic, he was also hypersexual.  Once the ball was rolling and at the stage of waiting for people to get back to him, he glanced over at Pat.  Pat saw Darren's look out of his peripheral vision and smiled, knowing what it meant.  Pat glanced over and raised an eyebrow and then cupped the growing bulge in his shorts.

We missed making out this morning because of my Dream.  We both need to be charged up while we're here, don't you think?

Pat chuckled.

Dar... you don't need to come up with a lame excuse to get my dick.

Darren grinned, his dimples in full force. 

Okay then, let's get naked!

Darren disappeared from his chair and appeared over Pat on the bed.  His clothes, now devoid of his body, stayed in place for a brief second before collapsing in a pile.

Darren hovered over Pat, making eye contact.  As always, the emotions between them were comfortable and perfect.  Pat pulled Darren down on top of him, his arms going around Darren's broad shoulders and muscled back.  Their Aura's brightened as they started kissing.

Ready this time, Darren cast his senses to the room next door and felt the child's reaction, and he brought her into a very light Link with them, enough to feel their Love and warmth.  After the trauma and fear she experienced he wanted her to feel safe and loved.

They started out naked in each other's arms, Minds, and Hearts, talking in their heads while their hands roamed over their bodies in the comfortable, familiar way they had with each other. What started as gentle, soothing, loving caresses ended in a sweaty, manly rut.

For the next hour they napped, with Pat spooning Darren, until the ding of an incoming email on Darren's notebook got them up and moving again. 

Mid-morning Pat heard the door to the room next to them unlock, and a short time later the sound of the woman crying.  The next thing he sensed shocked and surprised him; a cold, Black Aura of Power started coming from the room!

Darren felt it too and threw a Shield around both of them immediately.  Pat was still masking their Aura's and confident whoever was in the room was unaware of their presence.

Another wave of fear came from the child only this time it wasn't just fear; horrifying pain followed, causing its tiny body squirm.  The child screamed in her Mind at what was being done to her.  It was pure emotion as the child didn't have the intellectual capacity yet to form thoughts; all she felt the havoc wreaked on her genetic code.  In their Minds that made what was happening even worse.  The idea of an innocent unborn child, defenseless and subjected to torture enraged the two of them.

Darren reacted instinctively, his eyes turning White and delving into Pat, pulling strength from their collective Souls, breathing in the Light they emitted when they were One.  Then he brought the full force of his formidable Mind to bear on the man who brutally harming the child.

The man was Shielded, but Darren's attack was powerful, swift, and unexpected.  Darren and his Brothers had grown into their Nephilim Heritage and were far more powerful since their original Awakening.  Darren shattered the protections over the man's Mind and took control, locking him down painfully. Looking deep into The Enemy servant, sent a chill down Darren's spine. 

The man was intentionally altering the energy flows of the fetus, trying to re-arrange its genetic code to suit a pattern he held in his Mind.  He wasn't nearly as skilled or as powerful as Darren or any of the guys, and his attempts were chaotic, random, and torturous to the child, but he didn't care.  He relished the pain and terror inflicted on the fetus, and it made Darren and Pat sick to their stomachs.

Somehow, it made it worse that he didn't even know what the genetic pattern would do to the child, he merely knew he needed to recreate what Ashmore imprinted into his Mind. 

He was evil to his core, a lifelong servant of The Enemy, and there was no way they could let him loose to tell Ashmore they were in Australia.

They were One so Pat saw everything through Darren, and with his Understanding saw the death trap in the man's Mind just before it went off. 

Dar!

Darren barely had the time or strength to stop the trigger that would have killed him instantly and alerted Ashmore. 

Fuck Pat!  I'm sorry, but I need...

Do it!

With no Music it would take too much time to find Animal Spirits or for Pat to draw from the Tree, so Darren drew heavily from Pat to supplement his own strength.

Darren shattered the trigger, and it must have been painful because the man passed out with a groan loud enough to hear through the wall.

The man and woman were unconscious so Darren couldn't piggyback off either one of them to get a visual to teleport into the room, and they rushed into the hallway to the door.

Looking at the lock Pat Understood the electronic intricacies of the mechanism, feeding the knowledge to Darren whose eyes turned White. The light on the lock turned green, clicking open.

The man lay sprawled on the floor, unconscious from Darren's Mental assault.  The mother was comatose, although her face was wet with tears in reaction to the pain inflicted on her as well as her unborn child. She was under an oxygen tent, and an IV pole beside the bed held multiple bags. A feeding tube was visible and an ultrasound machine sat nearby. Reading her energy patterns, Darren realized she must have been kept in her condition for months if not years, and her vital signs were only being kept stable through drugs in the IV bags. She had been in a coma so long her body suffered acute muscle atrophy from inactivity. Essentially, she was nothing more than an incubator, used to grow the child for unknown reasons.

Darren placed a Compulsion in the Enemy Servant's Mind to stay asleep until either Darren or Pat woke him up.

Fuck me, Pat!  This isn't how I wanted any of this to go down.  What the hell are we going to do with this guy?

Sorry Dar, but it looks like we only have a few options and none of them are pretty.  We can't just kill him.  I say we reset him and send a message.  It might not be the wisest thing to do, but I'm tired of tip-toeing around these assholes.  At least that way he lives, and we get rid of another Enemy Agent and send a message at the same time.

I can't say I disagree.  I just hope we can weather the storm we're about to stir up.  I feel like we need to be here and get this base up and running along with the other locations.  There's a Pattern in what we're starting with the bases; I'm sure of it now, and I'm hoping you'll see it once we get things moving.

Taking more time, Darren scanned the mother more deeply, and doubted she would survive the birth or if she did, not long after.  There was enough scarring to tell she had given birth multiple times; she wasn't even thirty and her body was nearly worn out.

Let's take care of the mother and the baby first and then we'll deal with douche bag here.  Let's Power up.

Pat moved behind Darren, putting his arms around his lover and pulling them close together, and they settled into the warmth and strength of one another.  Pat buried his face in the crook of Darren's shoulder, and Darren leaned his head back, pressing their cheeks together.  Darren's hands gripped Pat's powerful forearms, squeezing them in affection.

In the middle of everything, Darren once again lost himself in the overwhelming connection they shared.  Their breath caught, and their eyes watered from the painfully exquisite intimacy shared between them. 

Fuck I love you, Pat.

Their Avatars came to life as One, spitting arcs of color as the Runes combined.  Animal Spirits appeared, swimming in the air around them and through the ghostly branches of the Tree that again filled the building.  After their trip to the Valley their capacity was vastly increased, and they shone brightly in the Spiritual Realm, holding more Power than ever inside them.

Darren focused on the child, opening up her tiny energy centers.  Her life was fragile, and he was as delicate as he could be. Darren briefly wished Lane were there as the Primary Healer of the Team, but Darren learned well and had a perfect memory.  Taking a small breath to steady himself he opened the child's Heart, bringing her into their Link to feel the comfort of their presence.

She appeared with them in the place where their Souls were One.  Darren didn't merge with her, knowing it was dangerous, but he brought her Heart in with theirs.  In that place he held her tiny, ill-formed body in the palm of one hand.  His warm touch calmed her, as their Hearts wrapped around her.  The pain was gone, and all she felt was the Light of their Souls shining on her.

They both sent soothing thoughts her way. 

It's okay, sweet pea.  They aren't going to hurt you ever again.

Darren altered her delicate energy flows, carefully correcting the damage wrought on her tiny body.  This time, rather than the excruciating pain she felt a warm, tingling sensation.  The genetic defects and imperfections faded and she became as she was originally intended.  The only thing he didn't chance was closing her Heart and Mind.  Now that she was Awake, even though it was only on an emotional level, his Intuition told him it would be dangerous to close her Mind.

You're going to grow up to be a very special young lady.

Her contentment and peace were apparent to them, no longer in pain and once again healthy and whole.  Her tiny Mind reached out to him for comfort just as her little hands would one day wrap around his finger.  Darren couldn't help but smile, and he pulled her closer as he would any of his Brothers who were in need of comfort and needing to feel Loved. 

Changing his focus to the mother, he Healed the extensive physical damage incurred by The Enemy Agent while he manipulated the child's genetics.  He restored Life to her atrophied muscles, tendons, ligaments and all the damaged organs, tissues, blood vessels, and cells in her body.  Her pale complexion flushed as health returned to her body.  Darren also corrected any natural imperfections in her genetic makeup, wanting her to be as healthy as possible to take care of the child.

Looking at the mother and child, Pat's Avatar flared again.  A web of lines and arcs connected the two of them, and he Understood the gaping hole between the mother and child that needed to be filled.

Dar, you need to Open the mother's Mind and Heart.  There's no way she can raise an Awakened Child if her Mind is Closed.

Pat was right, in order for the mother to care and comfort her daughter, she needed to be Awake and Aware.  If she wasn't, it would turn into a disaster for both of them.  They would have to send her to the doctor and Albrecht, so they could teach her about the new part of herself.  Her life, whether she wanted it to or not, was about to become vastly different; more than she could ever have imagined. 

The decision weighed on both men, but they saw no other alternative. It wasn't just Opening her Mind, they were reverting her to a pre-Fallen state, and no longer under the Curse, she would be Immortal. Free Will was front and center in their fight against The Enemy, and they were making the choice for her based on the needs of the unborn child.

It was difficult without Brad and the other Mentalists, but he pushed through and removed the block in her Mind keeping it closed. 

Once finished, he set a Compulsion to keep her asleep. Everything he looked at within her so far was in her Mind, so he took her hand, the part of his Avatar that came from Bill Read her.  

Kelly was not a pleasant person.  She came from a broken home and was a runaway.  The Enemy found her and played on her fears and weaknesses until she ended up as he saw her.  After nearly a decade of imprisonment she had severe emotional scars of her own, and Darren's stomach knotted in concern for the child.  With all her own issues, he didn't have any confidence Kelly could rise to the challenge of raising an Aware child. 

Pat saw Darren's unease and increased his presence around him. 

Dar, we can't fix everything today.  The doc can help her.  If anyone can, he can.  There are a lot of options for her and no decision needs to be made today.  We'll make sure the baby is safe one way or another.  I promise you that.

Pat knew what Darren needed to hear.  Nodding, Darren took a deep breath, comforted and settled by Pat's words.

Okay Pat, you're up.  Reset the bastard and let's take another Agent out of the playing field.

Pat's handsome brow furrowed as he concentrated and pulled Darren even tighter against his body, squeezing his eyes shut as he breathed in Darren's essence.  Their Love was the primary fuel for the part of his Avatar that came from Rick.  The Light they emitted so strongly in the Spiritual Realm took on a liquid quality, pouring into the man, filling up his body and Dark Soul.  Their Light literally leaked out of his eyes and mouth once he was full.  Even unconscious he writhed in pain as the Evil burned out of him.  Every crack and crevice in his dry, arid Soul filled, and in a silent explosion of Light the Darkness was not just incinerated but annihilated as though it had never been.  It was a physically excruciating process, and once finished he lay breathing heavily and drenched in sweat.

Still Powered up, Darren sent his thoughts across the globe once more and called out:  Doc?  Albrecht?

It took a moment, but he got a sleepy reply. 

Yes, Darren?  What is it, my boy?

I'm sorry to wake you doc, but we have another guest we need to send you; the woman and her unborn child.

Darren filled the doctor and Albrecht in on what had transpired with the woman and The Enemy Agent.  Darren's high level of concern about the woman was apparent to the doctor and Albrecht.

We're keeping the Agent here with us, at least for now.  I'm sorry for the short notice, but everything happened so fast on our end, we didn't have time to think. 

We are definitely going to need to expand our facilities if this continues.

I'm sorry sir, I didn't know what else to do.

You did the right thing, Darren.  I am not complaining, it is early and I am grumpy.  I will assess the woman and promise to consult you before making any decisions concerning her welfare or that of the child.

Darren felt relieved and surprised the doctor would include him in such decisions.

Thanks, doc.  Incoming!

The woman vanished from the bed as Darren sent her body literally halfway around the world to his safe spot in the Lab.

<><> 

Darren and Pat rested for the remainder of the day and made love again to comfort, refresh, and restore each other.  While they lay naked, arms and legs wrapped around each other, they talked about their plan for that night.  If they were going to make a statement, they were going to make it boldly and in public.  They decided to go back to Arq, the gay bar in downtown Sydney they visited the previous night.

They took Danny, The Enemy Agent, with them.  He was passive and did whatever they told him ... he had no clue who he was or any memory of his prior life.  He was a new being and completely innocent.  They sat him at a table with a drink and told him to stay put while they danced, and he docilely obeyed.

The club was loud and busy and full of some of the hottest gay men in Sydney.  As the evening wore on the dance floor filled, and Darren and Pat put on a show for everyone.  The two incredibly handsome Americans with their amazing bodies drew a lot of local attention, which is precisely what they wanted.  Pat stopped masking their aura's as soon as they arrived at the club, knowing they would shine like a beacon and get Ashmore's attention.

They kept the servers busy ordering nonstop appetizers and drinks to keep them going.  While the DJ took a break they went back to their table to sit with Danny and cool down.  It was hot with all the bodies on the dance floor, and they were sweaty.  While finishing their drinks, a chill Aura touched the edge of their Minds, and looking towards the entrance, a small entourage was filing into the club.

Laying eyes on Ashmore confirmed him as the source of the Dark Aura; he was damn powerful!  He was a large, muscular man, looking to be in his mid-thirties.  Devilishly handsome, he sported a goatee and wore ass-hugging jeans and a collared shirt half unbuttoned, revealing a defined, tanned, hairy chest. He had the body of a Protector, and the speed and strength to go with it.  Also, quite visible was an Amulet around his neck.  As soon as Pat saw it, he realized that was the source of the incredible strength they felt.  Ashmore was powerful in his own right; his Mind was Open, but the Amulet was a battery for stored energies.  His Understanding told him at once where all the Music was... the Amulet siphoned it off and stored it for Ashmore to use.

Taking no precautions, Darren and Pat merged while Darren Shielded them with their combined strength.  Ashmore's Darkness pushed against them as soon as he entered the bar.  He made directly for them, his posse fanning out around him as he approached their table.

Pat deliberately gave Ashmore one of those head to toe glances he knew was insulting, the kind guys at the gym use when they sum another guy up quickly and dismiss him as if saying to themselves `I can take him.'

In a perfect Australian accent Pat irreverently said, "Hey Trent, how are `ya mate?"

Trenton Ashmore smiled, showing his perfect white teeth.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."

Darren replied, "I'm surprised The Master didn't fill you in."

"You flatter yourselves.  He must not think you worth the effort, or I'm sure he would have."

He glanced at Danny and his brow furrowed.

"I wish you hadn't done that.  Good help is so hard to find."

Pat grinned saying, "Yeah, sorry about that.  The woman and her child are out of your reach.  Forever."

Ashmore laughed, "Pity! But I have a few dozen more just like her, so I'm sure I won't miss her that much.  She was near the end of her usefulness anyway. However, I won't allow you to take any more like her away from me.  I'm in a generous mood tonight.  I'll give you until tomorrow night to book a flight and leave, never to return.  If you defy me, I will destroy you both and send your bodies back to your precious doctor in the States in body bags."

Darren laughed, "That's a bit melodramatic don't you think?  What?  Are we going to have a gunfight at high noon in front of the sheriff's office?"

"Nothing so quaint.  No, we will simply hunt you down and kill you.  You are in my territory and no match for me.  We've held this place for a hundred years, and there are more of us here than you can imagine."

He sure is full of himself Pat.  I guess we shouldn't have expected anything less.

Yeah, he's a pompous ass alright.

Ashmore continued, "Stay and enjoy your last night here; drinks are on me.  I will track you to make sure you leave as planned.  If you choose to disobey me your lives will be forfeit."

Filled with arrogance and expecting to be obeyed Ashmore turned and left, his posse filing out behind him.  Pat and Darren noticed the three Protectors who remained, blending into the crowd.  If Pat and Darren weren't experts at surveillance, they might have missed them.

Neither Darren nor Pat believed a word Ashmore said.  They knew he would try to take them out, probably soon and before they left the club.

Keeping their guard up they continued dancing until the bar was about to close, fully prepared for and expecting an attack.  The dance floor was packed, and they took full advantage of the cover of bodies.  During the last song, Darren waited until the strobe lights started and shifted their appearance to a couple of young Aussie guys they met earlier in the evening. 

As soon as they disappeared, the Protectors trailing them started running around, pushing people out of the way and causing a ruckus.  Darren and Pat took their time and made their way out of the bar onto the street... they both thought it humorous to watch the agents in a panic trying to find them.  They did notice one of the Protectors grab Danny as he docilely sat at their table, knocking him out, carrying him as though he was drunk.

Pat thought:  I'd love to see the look on Ashmore's face when he realizes he can't undo what we did.  It'd be nice to go ahead and get the confrontation out of the way.  We both know it's coming.

Darren: I know what you mean, but we need to stay under cover.  The base is our primary concern, and we need to stay here long enough to get that project finished.  We'll be extra careful to stay off their radar.  Let Ashmore think we put our tails between our legs and ran home to the states.

Pat: As much as it rubs me the wrong way I agree.  Hey!  Speaking of rubbing... let's get back to the room.  I feel like rubbing my hands all over you.

Darren: Hot damn... I never thought you were going to get there.  I know how horny you get on Spec Ops.  I thought you were slowing down on me.

Pat: That comment is going to cost you, mister.

Darren smiled, showing his dimples. 

I'm counting on it!

<><> 

Luke watched as Darren and Pat changed their appearance and left the bar.  Ashmore's underlings were in a panic... no doubt terrified of their boss's reaction when he discovered they lost their targets.

He smiled to himself as his thoughts formulated into a plan.  Yes, he'd like to push a few buttons and see how these two young members of The Order would react in an extreme situation.  Just how far would they go to save lives and how many lives of The Enemy would they be willing to take given the right circumstances?  Luke smelled Remiel in Darren and Saraqael in Pat and wondered how the Archangels managed that.  Even so, he was sure these new Warriors of The Order would be no different, even with their Nephilim bloodlines. 

It had been a while since he had spent so much time on Earth in the Physical Realm.  He always found incredible joy at how easily the creatures of Earth were manipulated for his pleasure.

<><> 

Darren dropped their illusion once they were in their room with the door securely locked.  Pat flicked on the light switch and saw a package sitting on the bed.  He nearly knocked the wind out of Darren as he swept his partner behind him and shouted in his Mind. 

Dar!  Get behind me!

The second Pat saw the package his Avatar responded, and bright images filled his vision.  Whatever was inside the wrappings was immensely powerful with significant ties to Darren.  The scariest part was that his Avatar wasn't telling him what the connection was.  He could see the connection but not its Purpose.

Darren took a tentative look over Pat's shoulder.  When nothing happened after a few seconds he thought: It might be okay Pat... neither one of us is picking up any danger. 

Sorry Dar, but where you're concerned, I'm not taking any chances.

Hold on... let me unwrap it.

With his Mind, Darren gently pulled the cords binding the wrappings.  The material looked like silk but heavily yellowed with age.   It seemed ancient and fragile and Darren used a light Mental touch, afraid of pulling the fabric apart. 

Unfolding the cloth revealed a large leather-bound book.  Faded symbols adorned the cover, and they were shocked to see the symbols resembled characters from their Avatars!  

Specific pages had silk ribbons marking them, and Darren attempted to open the book but couldn't.  Some force held it shut, and it was too strong for him to break without risking damage to the ancient tome.

Darren and Pat both shifted their Sight and were nearly blinded by the brightness shining from the book in the Spiritual Realm.  Neither Pat's instincts nor Darren's Intuition were telling them anything one way or the other.

Darren: Well, here goes nothing. 

The book was ancient and worn, and the symbols on the cover so faded they were barely visible.  On closer inspection, with Pat's exceptional eyesight and Avatar, he realized the symbols were the combination of the tattoos of all the guys that only appeared when all ten of them were One with Ken's Avatar locking them together.

Pat's recognition of the Avatars gave Darren confidence that it was alright for him to touch it and the book lifted off the bed, floating over to rest on Darren's outstretched hands.  As soon as the book came in contact with his skin the seal and his Avatar flared in unison for a brief moment, spitting bright colors of energy.

There was a slight pop, and book unlocked.  Darren had an odd sensation... the part of his Avatar that came from Bill should tell him everything about an object once he touched it.  He knew it was meant for him, but other than that everything about the Book was blank, cleansed of any Psychic or Spiritual imprint prior to that point in time.  Whoever left it wanted to remain anonymous.

Fuck, Pat, I don't know what to make of this.

Me either.  It worries me my Avatar isn't telling me what it is.  It's got to be damn powerful if that's the case.  Even Ken's Avatar worked against Michael.

Hey, Pat, I remember that sound.  That day in the Lab at our Awakening the doc had a small crystal he used to unlock the box holding the harnesses we wore.

It must be the same type of warding.

Alright, Pat... moment of truth here.  Let's see what this is all about. 

The cover of the book opened and writing in a language neither of them recognized filled the page.  Darren moved to the page marked by the first silk ribbon.  A large elaborate Rune filled most of the thick vellum with more of the script below the Rune and around the borders, possibly notes or instructions.

Pat's eyes flared White as Understanding of the Rune came to his Mind.  It was a Rune of Light and immensely powerful... so much more than the runes the doctor taught them or anything The Enemy used so far.  This Rune would take a significant amount of Power to create and would be nearly invulnerable once placed.

Darren Read everything through Pat, and they each came to the same conclusion simultaneously.  Someone left the book for them as a gift and a huge boon in their fight!  Who it might be they didn't know... at least not yet.  The pages were filled with Runes just as powerful as the first one, and many other pages with the flowing script they couldn't read.  Somehow the scripted language prevented Pat's Understanding from translating it, and that had never happened before.

When Pat and Darren were so deeply Linked their Avatars complimented one another, expanding their Minds and abilities.  The synergistic aspect of their Avatars had something to do with the fact they were both oriented to the Physical Realm... Darren's ability to interact with it, and Pat's ability to Understand almost anything that existed.  When they were together it was like they were an overclocked CPU, and the part of Darren's Avatar that came from Bill made the two of them even more potent together.

Grinning at one another, they had the same thought.

Darren:  Yeah, buddy!  Fuck, Pat, do you know what this will mean?  If we incorporate some of these Runes into the construction of the base, it will make the place impenetrable to The Enemy!

Pat:  This is fucking awesome!  Who in the world could have left this for us and why did it have to be anonymous?

Darren:  Whoever it was probably broke a Rule.  I can't imagine anyone wanting us to have this knowledge.  Remember what Raphael said when we were at the Tree about that guy we met?  He said there was a Mandate against mankind being given certain knowledge and that guy was breaking the Rules.  They just can't catch him doing it.  The Amulets Istariel and his cousins were imprisoned in... I bet those Runes are in this book once we look through it.

Pat:  The book is keyed to you Dar.  I wonder why or even how?  I think it might be better if we don't know, although I'm sure the doc will ask and want to look into it.  It could even be from that guy, but I'm not sure why he would want us to have this kind of Power.

Darren:  Do you think we should call Remiel or Saraqael?  If there's a chance this could be from you-know-who they need to know.  I don't get any bad vibes when I think about that, so I really don't think it has anything to do with him.  But, as powerful as he is, he might have found a way around our Avatar's.  Brad and Ken didn't sense anything from him when they ran into him at the Tree either.

Pat:  Let's talk to the doc first.  We need everybody in on this. 

Pat grinned and thought:  You ready to set up a conference call?

Looking into each other's eyes, Darren brought their Souls together.  Their eyes turned White, and a hot wind blew around them.  Linked as they were they had the same thought, and it made them smile; each of them loved how handsome the other looked when the wind blew through their hair and the warmth of their Souls shone through.  Drawing Power from the Tree and nearby Animal Spirits, their Aura's masked by Pat, Darren cast his thoughts across the world.

Brad?  Doc?  We need to talk!

Usually a response came almost immediately, but there was nothing on the other end.

Hmmmm.  I think communications are down.  Same as with Loy and Rick, when they found that Amalgam over near Augusta. 

Yeah, but we're prepared, and they were caught off guard.  We figured this might happen.  That Amulet of Ashmore's gives him the strength to block us.  If we see him again, grab it off him as soon as you see it.  He'll be a fucking pansy without it.

We still aren't sure how much he knows about our powers individually.  The Master may not have shared everything about us with him, but he knows who the doc is.  I didn't sense he was lying when he made those comments.

That's utterly idiotic of them if it's true.  There might be some friction or rivalry going on we don't know about.  I'm sure Ashmore likes his autonomy here, and that Amulet makes him pretty darn powerful.

Good thing we have a backup plan.  Our normal check-in time is in an hour, so we'll just have to wait.  We have enough time to change our appearance and switch hotels.  Now that we have this book we need to keep it safe at all costs.  It's way too powerful to fall into Their hands, and we can't be too careful.

Over the next hour they checked out of the hotel under their natural appearance.  Neither one of them detected anyone following them, but Darren changed their appearance regardless, following established mission protocol.  This time Darren chose to make them appear as a wealthy African couple, and they checked in at the Sydney Intercontinental Hotel on Macquarie Street.  Their room was beautiful, overlooking the harbor.

<><> 

They took extra time warding the suite before unpacking their bags.  Just to be sure, at the designated time they Powered up and Darren called out to Brad but got no response. 

Darren:  Well it was worth a shot.  I'm not sure how long Ashmore can keep that Shield up. 

Pat:  I say let him keep it up as long as he wants... it's got to be a considerable drain no matter how strong he is.  The more energy he wastes on it, the less he'll have for us if it comes to a showdown.  Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on him and kick his ass.

Darren's dimples made an appearance, reading Pat like a book. Pat's protective nature towards him was asserting itself, and he was acting studly. 

With a side glance towards Pat, Darren smirked. 

What if I want to kick his ass?

Pat's response was to pull Darren into a quick hug and kiss him. 

I'm not going to let him get near you Dar.  Him, or any of his goon's.

I love it when you get this way.  It turns me on.

Pat gave him a knowing grin and kissed him again, cupping his face gently with his hands as he did so. 

Darren had to snap himself out of it before things got out of control. 

Okay Pat, let's hold onto these feelings.  We need to take care of business first. 

Darren laughed, knowing Pat would purposefully twist his words.  Pat got the dimples he wanted and lowered his hands.

<><> 

Pat and Darren got on the bed next to one another and held hands.  Taking a deep breath, each looked at the other and smiled as they fell into one another's Soul.  A sharp intake of breath and watery eyes accompanied the exquisite intimacy they shared, and a ball of Light rose from their chests, bobbing gently in the air before merging into one larger sphere.  A slight breeze blew through the suite, ruffling the fresh flowers on the table and billowing the curtains.

After a brief moment the orb vanished, slipping across the Veil into the Spiritual Realm.

<><> 

As Brad learned more about traversing the Veil and the laws of the Spiritual Realm, they practiced on how to find each other quickly.  To Pat, just like Ken, it made no sense that distance didn't matter, only direction. 

Darren took to it like a fish in water just as Brad did.  It was a part of his Avatar and he was wired for it.  Pat's Avatar still functioned but the Laws of the Spiritual Realm were vastly different, and he wasn't acclimated to them yet, and felt a twinge of unease not having a body. 

A few moments after they Crossed, the presence of their Brothers surrounded them.  Five balls of Light and ten Minds and Hearts floated together in a circle.

Ken:  Hey guys!  We're glad you're here and safe.  We were worried.

Pat:  We appreciate the concern guys.  Things are happening just like we predicted.  We're making progress on finding a site for the base.   Dar should be making an offer on some real estate in the next few days.  We sure wish the doc and Albrecht could be here.  We had a real surprise tonight.  We need to have a serious discussion and could use their input.

Darren: When we got back to our room tonight there was a package on the bed.  Our room was heavily warded so no one should have been able to get in or out without our knowing.  When we unwrapped the package, it was an old book with a powerful Binding keeping it shut.  It was keyed to my Avatar and as soon as I touched it, it opened right up.  Guys, it's fucking amazing... it's filled with Runes... it looks like the language of our Avatars.  We can't read the text, but Pat can get an Understanding of each Runes purpose.  They're immensely powerful.

Darren and Pat shared what they had seen of the book so far. 

There was a smattering of `Holy shits! and `Fuck me's!

With all of them Linked and their thought processes so intimately bound together, the same idea occurred to most of the guys that had already come to Darren and Pat.  If they could incorporate the Runes permanently into the structure of the bases, they would be impregnable against The Enemy.  It would be just like having the Trees at their Houses.

Brad:  That's some serious mojo.  You have no idea who left it for you?  You would think it had to be someone looking out for us but who?  And why did they do it anonymously? 

Darren:  No clue Brad.  The thought occurred to us that it might even be that guy from the Valley.  Neither Pat nor I had any sense of foul play or danger though.  But, then again, you and Ken didn't either when he showed up in the Valley. 

Lane:  Do you guys think we should call in one of the Archangels?  You heard Michael... if we have even the slightest inclination that it might be related to `you know who' he said to call out.

Ken:  I'm not ready `ta do that Lane; at least not `til we've had a chance `ta talk to the doc and Albrecht.  Besides, my main man B here has an idea on how to break through that barrier.  If that works, then we can include the doc and Albrecht directly.

Brad:  Yeah guys... I'm not sure you can reach us, but I think we can contact you.  Let's try in an hour and if it works, we can bring the doc and Albrecht in on it.  If it doesn't, we can meet back here.

Bryan:  Okay, you fuckers.  Be safe.  You know we love you.  We'll talk to you in a bit.

They all closed in for the equivalent of a group hug.  The White ribbon of Power binding their Souls tightened, and the support and Love they had become so accustomed too filled each of them.

Realizing the potential danger Pat and Darren were in and how quickly the situation could change, they felt the need to express their affections for one another.  If the mission went south and either Pat or Darren were killed, it would devastate all of them.  

A powerful wave of Conviction and Strength came from Ken, reinforcing their support for one another and boosting their confidence and well-being. 

Stay strong fellas.  Remember who and what you are... just don't get cocky.

They all felt Darren's dimples through the Link.

I'm depending on Pat for the cocky part!

Amidst their laughter the balls of Light disappeared, Crossing back to the Physical Realm as they returned to their bodies.

<><> 

An hour later, Brad's comforting presence entered their Minds.

Hey, again fella's.  This seems to be working.  Kev... show Pat what you're doing so it will make things easier.

Pat absorbed the information from Kevin on the workaround to Ashmore's Shield.  Kevin essentially focused his Avatar like a laser against a specific point on Ashmore's barrier rather than trying to dampen the entire block.  Basically, they made a needle sized hole to communicate through and masked their Aura's so it wouldn't be detected.  By masked themselves on either end of the connection Ashmore wouldn't sense what was happening.

Darren and Pat smiled.

Darren: Pure genius guys.  I always knew you fellas would be good for something.

Kevin:  Yeah, we do our best, but it's not hard though with you two sissies.

They kept the banter to a minimum, knowing the doctor was in the Link. 

As if on cue the doctor's voice entered their Minds.

Darren... Patrick... I am proud of you both.  From what Kenneth tells me, you are doing an excellent job.  So, what is this book you discovered in your hotel room?

Darren held the book, his eyes turning White as the doctor used his vision to examine it, running his over and tracing the runic symbols on the cover.

The emotional shock from the doctor and Albrecht was unexpected and extreme.

Aaron: Oh my!  This cannot be!  Albrecht!  It's...

Albrecht's voice sounded grim as he finished ... The Book of Loagaeth!  Aaron that's not possible! 

Ken interjected:  So, you know what it is?  Is it dangerous or helpful?  Any idea who left it for us, and why?

Aaron:  Oh my!  This is disturbing.  The Book of Loagaeth is written in the First Language; the language of Creation.  It is the language of your Avatars.

Albrecht:  The book has been hidden for thousands of years in a sacred place along with many other powerful artifacts and relics.  If the Book was taken, there's no telling what else might be missing.  The thought of those objects in the wrong hands and in the world again is unthinkable.

Ken:  Where is this place?  Should we go and find out what's happened there?

Aaron:  It might be possible.  It should have been impossible for anyone to get into the Vault.  Other than yourselves, I cannot think of anyone who could reach it, let alone enter.  The Vault is protected by an Archangel.  I cannot fathom anyone bypassing the wards or the Vault's Guardian.

Lane:  Doc, Albrecht... the Song I Dreamt in the Valley.  `What was stolen must be returned,'... could it be the Book or something else from that place?

Aaron:  It is entirely possible my boy.  If you can focus on trying to discover that it would be most helpful.

Ken:  Doc... as long as we have the Book can it be of use to us?  If the knowledge in it and the Runes are so powerful... wouldn't it give us a huge advantage?

Albrecht:  It would, Ken.   Darren, you should memorize the Book and share it with your Brothers.  Aaron and I can help you translate as much as we can but no one on Earth can fully read or comprehend the content of that Book without the help of your Avatar's or an Archangel.

Brad:  Should we call in Raphael or one of the others to help?

Aaron:  I am fearful of doing so Bradford.  They might help, but the knowledge is so powerful I am not sure what their reaction would be, and we still do not know who put the Book in our possession.  It seems the Book is somehow keyed to Darren, and until we discover how that was done, and how it works, I am not sure it is safe to try to return it.  It may return to Darren regardless of our attempts.

Brad:  Should we destroy it once we have it memorized?

Albrecht:  I'm not sure that's possible, or wise to try.  Yes, the Book is dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands, but such a powerful artifact cannot be easily destroyed.  As far as we know, it's the only Tome in existence that records the First language.  Everything I've learned has been from notes of Order scholars that had glimpses of the Book ages ago.  I've never laid eyes on it myself.

Ken:  Guys it looks like your mission just got a bit more complicated.  You have to keep the Book safe and out of the Enemies hands.  If you have to bail to keep it safe then so be it.  We can always go back later to finish the base.  Ashmore can't know about the Book or get his hands on it.

Pat:  We got it covered, boss man.  We're laying low right now.  We met Ashmore face to face earlier tonight.  He showed up at a bar we were at... he took the bait and had a bunch of goons with him. 

They shared the conversation with everyone and made them aware of the Amulet Ashmore used to siphon off ambient Music and store it.

Darren:  We're going to let him think we've left while we finish the base.  In our downtime, we'll try to track down where his center of operations is.  Doc if you and Albrecht can translate any of the more powerful Runes we can go ahead and plan to incorporate them into the construction of the base.  Pat's interviewing construction companies now, so best case scenario we should start in a few weeks.

Ken:  Alright guys... keep up the good work.  Be careful and keep `ta the schedule for stayin' in touch.  If you have an emergency and need `ta reach us shoot a 711 text and we'll group up and get with you a.s.a.p.

Darren and Pat:  Love you fellas.  Talk soon.

<><><> 

The next few weeks went quickly.  Darren and Pat changed their appearance and switched hotels every other day.  As experts at surveillance, they were confident they gave Ashmore's goons the slip, and after a few days the barrier blocking their communications disappeared. Either Ashmore assumed they left the country, or was laying a trap for them.

Darren found a perfect location for the base near Uluru in the surrounding rocky countryside.  He acquired it dirt cheap because it was in the middle of nowhere.  Additionally, he purchased a small plot of land on the outskirts of Sydney as a cover where the construction workers would think they were going to work.

Darren had his work cut out for him teleporting building materials to the site and the workers back and forth, plus modifying their day to day memories.

Creating the initial starting space was the most difficult.  Darren needed a visual of some sort to teleport, so they experimented with sonar equipment similar to what archaeologists used to discover the Dead Sea Scrolls.  At first, he grabbed chunks of rock and once the area was large enough to view on sonar, he felt comfortable jumping into that space.  Rather than try to teleport air, he opened an oxygen tank and sent it ahead of him, waiting a while before he made his attempt.

Once he had a starting area he slowly enlarged it, continually drawing strength from Pat as well as their other sources of Power.  They channeled massive amounts of energy, and after a few days the area was large enough for a generator. Pat stayed busy filling oxygen tanks and recycling them as they filled the slowly enlarging area.  Darren needed the help of Brad and the other Mentalists for the extremely heavy initial equipment like the generator, and he synchronized their Avatar's across the planet. They learned their Avatars, like travelling across the Veil, ignored distance and only direction or positioning mattered.

In a few days Darren managed to clear an area large enough to bring in construction workers, and they began mining out the area to match the floor plan.  The doctor and Albrecht, with the help of Ken, Bryan, and Rick started deciphering some significant Runes that would make the entire facility not only invisible to The Enemy but impregnable to Scrying and Dark Spells.  Anything Evil would not be able to enter and if it somehow managed, would be obliterated by the Light almost instantly.

Pat kept expressing concern over how hard Darren pushed himself.  The only thing that kept him going day to day was making love to Pat and receiving the extra energy boost.  On the upside, the extreme Mental workout from exercising his powers made him stronger.  With the use of Darren's Avatar tied to his physical strength, Pat saw the effects on his body as if Darren had been working out more strenuously than normal in the gym. 

Pat did everything he could to help, taking extra care of his partner, giving him back rubs and foot rubs and holding him tight.  They took showers together daily, and Pat washed every inch of Darren's body.  Darren stayed exhausted but loved the attention, and of course he was always happy with the lovemaking that ensued. He and his dimples milked the attention for all it was worth.

After another month the facility was starting to shape up.  Darren coordinated with the guys at the Lab, and they started sending equipment and furniture through.  That was something Pat could help with... with his strength moving everything into place was easy.  The original generators were no longer needed once the doctor's new equipment arrived. 

Darren was blown away by the device the doctor sent.  Darren was a wizard at Physics and realized, once he looked at the machine through Pat's Avatar, the doctor created a perpetual energy device capable of powering the entire facility.  In all likelihood it would never exhaust itself but even if it did the original generators were still in the first room he had carved out of the rock.

Similar devices were purposed for creating fresh air and water and recycling both as needed.  The science behind the equipment was beyond brilliant and incorporated both physical and metaphysical principals. 

They were impressed yet again at the genius of the doctor and how humble he was for such a brilliant man.

The final and most challenging stage of the base construction would be empowering the Runes deciphered from the Book.  The energy required to embed them would take the entire Team over a number of days.  Bill and Kevin were in Canada and not readily available for a few more weeks so the Runes would have to wait.

Pat and Darren decided to move out of hotels and into the new facility.  It was much larger than Darren ever envisioned, and far more sophisticated.  He and Pat looked on with pride at what they accomplished.

Pat: Fuck Dar, when we get more of these places built around the world it's going to be incredible.  With the new computers we helped the doc build and all the new technology, we'll have supplies and a presence wherever we need to be.

Darren: It wouldn't surprise me if the doc asks us to send up a satellite for him.  I wouldn't put anything past him these days.  When he and Albrecht were forced to stay apart before we were Awake he had to hold back on anything metaphysical, but now he can cut loose. 

If we don't need the construction guys anymore, I'll do a full modification of their memories tomorrow.  The day to day mods have worked in the short term, but I'm going to make it seem as though they never met us and were building another facility in the city the entire time. 

This place already feels like a new home.  I'm up for christening it tonight if you are. 

A huge grin crossed Pat's handsome face at Darren's comment.

Darren returned the grin and moved into Pat's arms. 

I'm all for that Pat.  I'm ready for a vacation after this.  I wanted to come to Australia, but we really haven't gotten to do much of anything while we've been here.  Once we get the Runes powered up, I'm going to ask Ken and the doc for a few weeks to ourselves.

Fuck yeah, Dar.  I'm sure no one will have a problem with that.

How about this afternoon we kick off early and go to the beach?  I'd really like to get some sun. 

Sounds good to me.  Let's hit Balmoral, I know you wanted to go there.  It's going to be a hot, sunny day, and it'll be perfect.

I love you, Pat.  It'll be perfect because I get to spend it with you; just the two of us.

Awwww, Dar.  Why are you being so sweet?

Dar got that cute grin on his face that melted Pat's heart.

 Just tired I guess.  I'll get over it soon enough.

Pat grinned back. 

Fucker.

No, that's your job.

<><><> 

Earlier that morning Trenton Ashmore sat, eating breakfast on the balcony of his estate overlooking over Sydney Harbor.  The house he called home was a small palace in Sydney, with breathtaking views of the water. 

Ashmore prided himself on never being surprised.  As powerful as he was, especially with his Amulet, he didn't have to fear anyone, yet he barely kept his composure when a man appeared out of thin air in his breakfast room.

As soon as he appeared, Ashmore's Protectors pulled their guns with lightning speed, but the man didn't flinch or look at all concerned. 

"G'day mate!" 

Ashmore didn't reply.  He stared intently, assessing the stranger.  Whoever the man was he must be powerful to show up as he did.  He was either supremely confident or an idiot.

The man raised his eyebrow and asked, "Mind if I join?  I'm famished!"

Ashmore finally said, "You have balls coming in here unannounced.  I'm not sure how you pulled that off.  Go ahead and eat and then I'll decide if you get to leave or not."

"Yeah, thanks mate.  You won't regret it.  I got'a bit `a news for `ya."

Ashmore waved off his Protectors, and they put their guns away but stood vigilant, ready to jump at a moment's notice.

"What could you possibly have to tell me that I don't already know."

"Those two fella's from The Order?  Yeah, well, they never left.  They've been right under yer nose this entire time."

"You're certain of this?"

"Spot on mate.  Saw `em myself just yesterday.  Rumor has it they'll be catching some sun up at Balmoral later today."

"How do you know this?  Why should I believe anything you tell me?"

"I reckon you don't have a reason.  Just bein' a mate.  Sorry, we've never met.  Name's Luke." 

Ashmore reached out to take Luke's proffered hand, also touching his Mind, and while his face didn't reflect the fear running down his spine, his Black Soul shivered at the Evil sitting across the table from him.

Luke smiled and winked as he tucked into his eggs. 

"Great grub!  Hat's off to your chef."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I thought you'd want `ta know.  Your diggers aren't doin' a very good job keepin' an eye out for `em, so I thought I'd help pick up the slack a bit."

"Are you from...  The Master?"

"Naw, but I'm mates with him too.  Drop by now and then to keep him straight."

Trenton had to suppress a gulp at that news, as a tiny trickle of sweat ran down his temple.

"I see.  I'll make sure those two won't make it back home alive."

Luke raised his glass of orange juice and said, "Good on `ya mate!  Half yer luck!"

Ashmore bowed his head.  He was an incredibly arrogant man but knew the being in front of him could snuff him out of existence with a thought.  That brought some temporary humility, forced of course, but necessary to survive.

"Don't underestimate `em, Trent.  I'd take a lotta blokes with me to make sure they don't give `ya the slip.  They're crafty buggers.  Cheeky too."

"Consider them gone."

"Cheers then, mate." 

Luke stood, readying to leave and almost as an afterthought said, "Oh yeah... one small piece of advice.  That pretty little trinket around your neck... make sure it's not visible when you confront them."

With no sound or motion, Luke vanished.

Ashmore sat quietly for a few minutes, taking in what just happened.  He had a vague idea of who Luke was.  Rumors existed that The Master reported to someone else.  No one believed them, but now... the Power and Darkness his Mind brushed against was like nothing he ever imagined.  He must be successful, or he would be in trouble.

Finished with his breakfast, he put down his napkin.  A frown covered his face, which his followers knew was a bad sign.  His current expression usually meant someone died.

"Chip."

"Yes, sir?"

"Round up everyone from Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne.  Get them here now."

"Everyone, sir?"

"Something wrong with your ears?"

"No, sir."

There was no way he was going to botch this.  It might be overkill, but he couldn't take chances.  Three hundred men ought to be more than enough to squash two blokes from The Order who were on their own.

His eyes turned Black, and lowering his head briefly in concentration, the shield he had taken down went back up.

"Dougie."

Another Protector stepped over and said, "Yes, Mr. Ashmore?"

"All the cell towers around Sydney need to be out of commission for a few hours once I give the word.  Get things ready."

Dougie looked hesitant; that was a tall order and would bring a lot of unwanted attention to their operation.

"Is that a problem, Dougie?"

"No, sir.  I'll have things in order when you give the word."

"See that you do."

He was going to corner those two blokes from The Order like rats and cut off their heads, then send the pieces to The Master as a gift.  Trent heard the rumors from the States about how powerful the new Warriors of The Order were.  But three hundred men augmented by his Amulet should be more than enough.  He expected casualties but that was acceptable, especially to further his position with The Master and more importantly, the being named Luke.

<><><> 

Balmoral was everything Darren expected.  The beach was fantastic, and the guys were generally hot and fit.  As handsome and well-built as Pat and Darren were they got a lot of looks, and a number of guys stopped to chat them up.

A few hours of bright sun in the mid-day heat had their bodies glistening with sweat.  Pat tanned more easily than Darren because of his hyper physiology; his skin healed so quickly he tanned and never burned.  Darren's shoulders were getting red even with some light sunblock, so they decided to gather their towels and cooler and head back to their rental car.

Pat and Darren were highly trained soldiers and even after a relaxing afternoon they were alert and observant, never letting their guard down.  Both men noticed they were being followed at the same time.  Darren's Intuition kicked in, and an uneasy feeling twinged in his gut.

Pat, we have trouble.  Something else is going on here.

I feel it too Dar.  Let's get in the car and head out.  We can lose them on the way back.

Slipping on t-shirts and shorts over their speedos, they hopped in the car, acting as though nothing was wrong.  As soon as they pulled onto the main road, a number of vehicles started following them.

Pat had their Aura's masked, so Darren channeled a small amount of energy and his sunburned shoulders instantly tanned.  If they were going to fight, he didn't want to deal with the sting of a sunburn.

Darren: How the hell did they find us?

Pat: It doesn't matter now.  We'll have to try and ditch them. 

As skilled a driver as Pat was there were too many vehicles following to lose them.   Darren tried texting the Team in case they needed backup but had no cell reception.  His Intuition told him it wasn't just coincidence.

Darren called out with his Mind as loudly as he could for Brad or the doctor, but there was only silence.  The barrier was back up so even fully Powered he couldn't reach them unannounced.

Fuck!  The barrier's back, and there's no cell reception either... They had this planned.

Well, as much as I hate it we can take them on directly.  There aren't that many of them.  Remember... we can't hold back, Dar.  I know you don't like hurting them any more than I do but we need to make it out of this in one piece.

Pat hesitated before continuing, his face a mask of concern. 

Dar, maybe you should go back to the bunker.  You can reach the doc from there.  You can contact the guys and pull me out. 

There's no way I'm leaving you, Pat.  No way in hell.  With that barrier up we might not be able to pull you out, and I'm not leaving you alone.

Pat sighed but knew he wouldn't leave Darren either so it wasn't worth arguing over unless things got really out of hand.  He wasn't worried yet.  The Enemy didn't know how strong they were and he was confident their training would see them through.

Pat:  They have the home field advantage of knowing the area.  I'm not going to be able to lose them with so many following.  I'll find someplace more secluded and pull off the road.

The pressure against Darren's Shield told him the `suits' in the area were joining the fight, and closely Linked Pat felt it too.

After a few minutes, Pat came across a large construction area in the process of being cleared and leveled, with no workers currently around.  Pat skidded to a halt, and they both hopped out of the car but didn't run.

Taking off their sunglasses they held each other's hand, delving into one another, becoming One, and in the Spiritual Realm they shone like a small sun even in the bright Australia sun.  Immediately their breath caught and their eyes watered as their unconditional Love for one another filled them up.  Pat stopped suppressing their Aura's so The Enemy would feel them without question.

The closest Protectors held their arms up, trying to fend off the White Light burning their Black Souls.

Darren's Intuition warned him, and he slowed his perception of time.  A bullet rushing towards him blinked, reversing its trajectory, and the Protector who fired on him fell dead.  Word spread quickly among The Enemy and there was no more gunfire.

Darren drew from local Animal Spirits, and Pat from the Tree of Life.  They weren't sure if The Enemy saw the ghostly images around them, but they felt the Aura of Light and Strength increase, pushing back against their Black Shields.

Within a few minutes dozens more cars showed up.  Well-dressed men joined the ranks, Shielding the Protectors.  Pat and Darren were shocked at how many men showed up.  Something was very wrong ... they were too careful for this to happen.

Ashmore stepped out of the last car that pulled up., and Darren noticed immediately the Amulet remained hidden beneath his clothes.

Pat quickly summed up that he and Darren were surrounded by Ashmore and roughly 300 Enemy Agents.  Approximately one-third were suits and the rest Protectors, all augmented by the Amulet Ashmore wielded. 

Darren tried to teleport Ashmore directly to him and wasn't surprised it didn't work.  He ripped Ashmore's shirt open with his Mind, revealing his hairy, tanned and well-muscled torso.  With the enhanced speed of a Protector, Ashmore twisted his body to keep the Amulet out of Darren's direct line of sight, gripping it in his hand and breaking the chain around his neck. 

As strong as Darren was telekinetically, he couldn't match Ashmore's physical strength and pry his hand open to teleport the Amulet out of his grasp.

On their camping trip in the Valley, something changed inside Darren, Pat, and their Brothers.  Every aspect of their nature was augmented and stretched, and the Power Darren and Pat held was more than ever before.  But, as Powerful as they were, Pat Understood what they were up against.  The Protectors and `Suits', augmented by Ashmore's amulet, would overwhelm them.  Darren realized it at the same time. 

This is fucked up Dar.  This just didn't happen... there's another hand at play here, but I don't know whose.  I think I know but there's no proof, and without proof we can't call for help.

Ashmore's face was angry as he moved forward.  His Shields clashed with theirs, vile Black against pure White.  Sparks flew in the Spiritual Realm and thunder cracked across the skies of Sydney reflecting the Battle that was starting.  A hot wind gusted, blowing the hats off the closest of the well-dressed men.

Darren and Pat held firm, not letting their faces show the strain they were under.

"I told you to leave.  You will now suffer the consequences for disobeying me."

Pat replied, "Yeah whatever, douchebag.  We saw the men you left to kill us that night.  You aren't fooling anyone.  You never intended to let us go."

Ashmore smiled, showing his perfect white teeth.  He was devastatingly handsome in his own way; darkly tanned, with dark eyes, short black hair, and a full close-cropped beard covering his face.  He cocked his head to the side and had an `oh well you can't blame a guy for trying' look on his face.

The pressure against their Shields increased as Ashmore motioned to begin the assault.

Darren and Pat were One, and Darren felt Pat steel himself for the fight.  Pat's fear was clear, not of the fight but of Darren getting hurt, and Darren realized Pat would sacrifice himself to protect him.  Darren couldn't bear to let that happen and desperately wracked his Mind to find a solution to their predicament.

An idea came to him and his gut wrenched at the thought... but this was war.  The Order didn't start it, but Darren and Pat and their Brothers were born to finish it. 

It fact that Darren was capable of such an act frightened him as much as the thought of executing it. With only seconds to act, his face hardened, and he hid his intent from Pat behind a wall in his Mind.  He would face any consequences, emotional or otherwise, when things settled. 

His dilemma lasted the barest fraction of a second.  Ashmore had his ability to teleport blocked, he couldn't fight nearly a hundred augmented suits by himself. If only he could get that damned amulet away from Ashmore!  But, he couldn't. 

Darren's expression turned flat and stony as he braced himself for what he was about to do.  His hair blew in the wind, his angelic charisma fully evident to The Enemy.

I'm sorry Pat.

Darren's Mental voice held a resignation that frightened Pat.

Dar... what are you going to do?!

What I have to. 

The emotional undercurrent and plea in Darren's words almost broke Pat's heart.

Please don't hate me.

Darren looked at the small army approaching them through his lover's Avatar.  His eyes turned White, and his Avatar shone brightly on his muscled shoulder.  Looked through Pat's Avatar his perception of Reality changed.  Lines and vector arcs filled his vision and Mind with the Understanding of it all.  Darren looked for precisely what he needed, and realized what he was going to do was even easier than he thought.

Darren's Avatar was unique... in all the history of The Order, no one ever had an Avatar that affected the Physical Realm.  His accomplishments were already astounding and he was young, newly Immortal. The advanced technology he created with the doctor's guidance put them light years ahead of even the most sophisticated government computers.  He was proud of what he and Pat had accomplished.  Agents of The Enemy had died at his hand before but he had always reflected their bullets or attacks back at them or used his hands and physical strength.  This time he was on the offensive, and his Avatar was the weapon. 

A wave of sound like small static pops started at the forefront of The Enemy bearing down on them, and just as the Protectors in front started to fall, the popping noise made its way to the rear of the mob.  With each pop, Darren's Soul flinched, as all three hundred men fell to the ground dead, their necks snapped clean.

Ashmore appeared dumbfounded for a brief second, and then his face darkened with rage.   Darren felt it against their Shields... all of the Power Ashmore used to augment his army returned to the Amulet, and Darren and Pat became the focal point for all of it.

Throwing all their Power to their defense, it was a stalemate in the short term.  Ashmore's assault pushed Darren and Pat to their limits, but they were enough.  White and Black Power clashed while thunder and lightning raged through the sky, mirroring the battle on the ground.

The ghostly image of the Tree solidified as Pat drew deeper from its Life Energy.  Animal Spirits grew in number, swimming around and through the branches, lending Darren their strength. A pack of ghostly Wild Dingo's savagely attacked Ashmore's Shield, to no effect.  The amulet made him too damn powerful!

Unexpectedly Darren felt a Light brush against his Mind and the pressure against his Shields lessen.  A large ball of Light, an ancient and Powerful Spirit appeared, hovering in front of him.

The Spirit coalesced into the form of a giant sea turtle, floating gently in the air as if swimming in the ocean.  Through his Avatar, Darren knew it had been through the Cycle of Life countless times and carried much wisdom.

Her strength bolstered their own, empowering their Shield, but Darren knew even if she depleted herself it would not be enough.  After all the death he had caused and witnessed, Darren couldn't let such a bright Light leave the world.

NO!  I won't let you sacrifice yourself!

Her soothing voice entered his mind.

Shaman.  You have returned to free this Land from the bondage of the Dark.  The Talisman their Shaman wields is Powerful, and you will not win this fight without aid.  I freely give you my Essence to Power your spells.  Chaos and Entropy have ruled here too long... restore Balance to this Place.

No! Go get help!  Find our friends and guide them here!  I swear we'll hold long enough for you to reach them!  Fly!

Her gentle voice resonated in their Minds. 

Very well.  Hold to the Light! I will be swift.

She slipped through the Veil and the pressure increased against their Shields, and fresh sweat poured down their bodies with the strain.

Pat saw the emotional pain in Darren over his actions and held him tight.  Even in the middle of the battle Pat wrapped his Heart around Darren, shielding him and trying to ease his suffering.

<><> 

Loy and Rick slept, spooned together with Loy to the inside.  Rick had one arm under Loy's head with his hand against Loy's furry muscled chest, holding them together even in sleep.

The soft Light suddenly filling the room woke Rick at the same time Loy's Avatar came to life, and a loud voice filled their Minds.

Shaman!  Awake! Make haste!  Your Brethren cannot hold much longer!

Both men shot up in bed, startled, amazed to see the ghostly image of a giant sea turtle floating in their bedroom, its fins gently swaying as though swimming in the air.  It was so large most of its body passed through the walls.  

Hurry!  They fight the Dark Shaman, but his Talisman is too strong!  Even now it might be too late!

Loy cried out: Fuck me!  Brad! Lane! Bill! Pat and Dar are in trouble, and they need our help yesterday!

Loy's Brother's heard his cry in their unconscious Minds, waking immediately.  At the speed of thought they resided in Loy's Mind, ready to do whatever was necessary. 

Loy's Avatar Read the Ancient Spirit and saw the urgency.  The thought that this might be a trap crossed his mind briefly but she had to be benevolent, or the Tree guarding their house would never have let her close.

The Ancient Spirit turned and vanished, slipping back across the Veil, racing back to Darren and Pat.

No time to gather fellas, we need to do this remote.  We'll have to punch through the barrier.  Pat and Dar are fighting Ashmore and won't be listening for us!

Lane looked to the Heavens, casting his Soul out into the Milky Way.  He plucked the string of a comet's tail and the sound reverberated through the Cosmos.  He soaked in the Music and transferred the Power to Bryan and his Brothers.  Loy called on the Animal Spirits, and Bryan called on the Tree. 

In bed, each man embraced his partner, holding their naked bodies tightly together.  Their eyes turned White as Power filled them.  Brad merged them all into One, carrying them across the globe to the far side of the planet and the defense of their Brothers.

<><> 

In their Minds they saw the dome of Darkness, sensing its Power.  With the eight of them One, even as large as the dome was, Brad knew they could break through.  If Ashmore had concentrated his strength only over the area where he fought Darren and Pat they might not have been able to breach it.

Brad focused their collective Power for the initial attack, striking the Dome with a White Spear and shattering it.  Lightning flared across the skies as the loudest crack of thunder in the history of Australia ripped through the air.

<><> 

Brad's attack struck Trenton's Mind a blow such as he never felt before.  He realized help had arrived for the two wretched Warriors before him.  It infuriated him that he hadn't been able to destroy them yet.  Pat and Darren were weakening, but they were tough; far tougher than he thought possible.  Somehow, they found the strength to resist him even with the amulet.

With the barrier gone the energy to maintain it withdrew back into the Amulet.   Overconfident, the thought of fleeing never occurred to him.  In his anger, he wanted to kill them one by one until they rested dead at his feet.  He wanted to see the decimation on their faces as they started losing their lives and realized The Order was vanquished once and for all.

The being named Luke would be pleased, and Ashmore would rise higher in the ranks.  If he was the one who decimated The Order, something The Master had not yet been able to accomplish, he might even become his replacement.

<><> 

Shrouded, Luke watched, enjoying the confrontation.  He was thrilled when Darren single-handedly killed Ashmore's army.  Darren reacted precisely as he hoped.  Luke felt confident Ashmore was about to die, but even if he didn't Luke's plan moved forward.

<><> 

Darren and Pat were entirely on the defensive as Ashmore continued to wear them down.  Black smoky tendrils like whips came out of the Amulet, striking relentlessly against their Shields.  He stood shirtless, holding the amulet over his head.  His thickly muscled body dripped sweat in the Australian heat and from channeling so much Power through his Body.

Each impact against their Shield affected Darren as if it were a physical blow.  Pat held Darren tight, filling him with every ounce of strength he could muster while doing his best to absorb what he could to spare his lover.  Pat used his Avatar to dampen as much of Ashmore's Power as he could, but the Amulet replenished the bastard as fast as Pat neutralized it, negating his efforts.  Even if Kevin were present and their Avatar's synchronized, he wasn't sure they could counter the Amulet.

Ashmore's eyes narrowed and his handsome brow furrowed in concentration.  He began building his final attack to destroy Pat and Darren before the others could join the fight.

Hot wind whipped around Ashmore as he drew on the Amulet for the final blow.  At his direction, the clouds in the sky belched forth a Black Funnel directed at Pat and Darren.  It was more than enough to destroy their failing defenses and kill them both.

The evil grin on his face faltered as a high-pitched scream covered the area.  The Ancient Spirit interposed herself, taking the full force of his attack upon herself.  She knew it was powerful enough to destroy Darren and Pat and she couldn't let that happen.  She was ancient and Powerful but no match for the force of Ashmore's attack, and her essence shredded as she writhed in the air, her cry fading as she dissipated into nothing. A brief silence followed, and the winds lessened as if nature paused to honor her sacrifice.

As the Spirit faded, Brad and the others poured themselves into Pat and Darren, filling them and bolstering their Shields.  All ten of them were One again.

All of them, especially Loy, grieved at the sacrifice of the Ancient Spirit, but her actions saved Pat and Darren and allowed them time to come together.

They were One, and no words were necessary as they fought together.  Pat and Darren became vessels for the Power of the entire Team.  Inside their Minds and Bodies, their Avatars flared as Ken locked them together, and the co-joined Runes formed the new complex Rune, the one on the cover of the Book of Loagaeth.

<><> 

Ashmore's disbelief faded, quickly changing to frustration and then anger.  His big shoulders bunched and the bicep of the arm holding the amulet bulged.  Black smoke dripped from his fist, shaking with the effort of squeezing Power out of the charm. 

Tears streamed from Darren's eyes, now White and radiating the Power of his Brothers.  The sacrifice of the Ancient Spirit was heartbreaking, removing her from the Cycle of Life forever.  Darren's grief added to his self-loathing over killing nearly three hundred men, and he prayed none of them were coerced innocents like Henry.

Pat was with Darren as the storm raged inside him, and the wrath of all his Brother's added to his anger at The Enemy for creating this situation and bringing him to the point where he had to make such decisions.

Pat's heart was breaking over everything going on inside Darren.  Darren wasn't a violent man and hated taking a life, even in the Navy as a SEAL.  Killing affected him deeply, even when he saw the need.

Darren braced himself to kill Ashmore too, and Pat couldn't allow that.  They were One, and each of them felt it.  Pat would do anything necessary to prevent Darren from hurting himself any further.

Catching Darren off guard, Pat drew all the Power they shared into himself, crying out in excruciating pain from the sheer amount of it. White Fire licked his Body and his eyes shone brighter than ever before.

The bright ribbon flowing between them became a whip in Pat's hands, and he hurled a bolt of Power at Ashmore, shattering his Black Shield.  Simultaneously Pat launched his body, putting all his physical strength, training, and Understanding to bear, knowing precisely where to strike and how hard, doing exactly what Darren had done earlier.  Conviction from Ken's Avatar and his own filled him as he fulfilled his Purpose in fighting The Enemy. 

Pat's muscular body flew towards Ashmore, and fear gripped him for the first time in hundreds of years.  Even with the speed and agility of his modified physique, Ashmore could not avoid Pat's attack.  Ashmore screamed as his Shields shattered and White Fire struck him a second time in the fight, burning his Black Soul.  His scream was cut short as Pat's momentum simultaneously severed his head and the hand holding the Amulet.  As Ashmore died the Amulet went inert, and it's sustaining Power left his body.

The last thing Ashmore saw, and it caused him more pain than the physical attack, was the pity in Pat's eyes.  Ashmore's Dark Soul screamed in anger and hatred at what he saw in Pat as his Dark Soul left his body.

Pat nimbly rolled to his feet in a defensive posture, ready and alert, and silence fell except for their harsh breathing.  The image of the Tree slowly faded and the spirits dissipated.  A few animals nuzzled Darren before fading away, trying to comfort him. 

Both men breathed hard and were drenched in sweat, their chests heaving.  Over three hundred dead bodies lay on the ground around them.  Their leader, Trenton Ashmore, lay among them with his severed head and hand nearby.

Pat and Darren looked at each other as their Power faded and their eyes returned to normal.  Darren's eyes were bloodshot from the tears running down his face.  Pat rushed over, kneeling down and pulling Darren close against him.  Darren shook with emotions, and now that things were quiet, his grief surfaced as the strongest.

Pat:  Shhhh. I love you, Dar.  It's okay man, I'm here.

Brad: We're with you guys.  Lean on us.  We're here to carry the burden.  It's the only way we're going to make it.

Eight Souls and pairs of arms wrapped Pat and Darren tightly in the place where their Souls were One.  As soldiers, each of them understood the cost of war and the effect it had on them as men.

Ken:  You did what needed `ta be done, and your trainin' kept you alive.  I know you're hurtin' right now, but you two need `ta get outta there before anyone else shows up. 

Brad:  I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but you did good.  You know we love you guys.  We're here and with you both.

The other men had their own words of comfort and encouragement, and Pat and Darren sent their heartfelt thanks to their Brothers in arms.  Brad pulled back slightly, but the support and comfort of their presence was there, ready to be brought back to the surface with a thought. 

Pat continued running his hands over Darren's body trying to soothe him.  He kissed the top of Darren's sweaty head, stroked his cheek, and rubbed his back and shoulders.  He Understood what Darren needed and held him close, enforcing his unconditional love.

Darren:  It hurts, Pat.  I just... killed them.  It was so easy.  God, what am I?  Please don't hate me.

Pat:  I could never hate you, Dar.  You're the same handsome, incredible, brave man I fell in love with.  I'm sorry things went down the way they did, but you saved us both.

Darren:  I'm a monster. 

Pat:  No, you're not!  You're a soldier, and the man I fell in love with!  The man I can't imagine being without for the rest of my life.  You're everything to me, Dar.  That you care so much is one of the things I've always loved about you.  I know it hurts, but you are NOT a monster... except in bed.

Darren cracked a small smile at Pat's comment. 

Thanks for finishing Ashmore. 

Pat:  I wasn't going to let you hurt yourself anymore if I could help it.  We both did what we had to do.  You were amazing.  It's part of what we do now.  I know it'll take some time to get over today, but don't let it eat you up.  Even if there were a few innocents in that crowd, think of how much good we did today by taking Ashmore out and clearing so many of his followers.  They pushed it and escalated it... and we finished it.  We're soldiers.  We took a stand and let them know who they're dealing with.

Darren held Pat so securely his knuckles were white.  His chest was so tight with emotion he was having trouble breathing.  Pat continued holding him, stroking his face and hair, and trying to calm him down.  The hurt in Darren was deep, shocking him down to his core.  The realization that he took so many lives so easily terrified him.

Darren:  I'm scared Pat.

Pat: I know.  But you don't need to be.  I'm with you.  The guys are with you too.

Darren:  It scares the shit out of me, you know... what I can do now.

Pat:  I'll never let you go, Dar.  Ever.  You're the same man I've always loved.  Just like the soldier you are, you did what needed to be done regardless of the consequences to yourself.  I hate that part of it, but we knew there would be burdens.  It just hasn't been the burdens we thought.  But you did good today; believe me.  You know I Understand this shit.

Darren buried his face against Pat's chest and shoulder, inhaling the scent of his lover.  The simple act, along with Pat's arms around him, gave him strength.  Still deeply merged Darren immersed himself in the Love they shared, and the love of his Brothers who were still in the background.  They held onto one another and went so Deep time stood still.

They stayed together and rested in their bond.  Brad and the others were present but giving them privacy.  They were in that dark space, naked together, and holding onto one another just as they were in the world.

They were shocked when a voice said, "You did well, Darren.  Both of you did."

It was Remiel, Darren's angelic grandfather.  His presence was physically stunning like all the Archangels, with a powerful body thick with muscle; not a bodybuilder but solid from hard work.  He had brown hair and green eyes and was dressed in shorts and a tank top with tennis shoes, looking like he was ready for a stroll in the sun.

He smiled and nodded a greeting as he continued, "Hello again.  I know what you did was difficult Darren, and I see how hurt you are by your actions.  I watched and was with you even though you were unaware.  It saddens me to see you so distraught."

Pat looked up in relief and said, "Thanks for coming.  I'm not sure how you can be here, but I'm glad you came."

Remiel grinned and replied, "This is the place where your Souls are One.  Any of us can find a kindred Soul.  You are a beacon of Light for me to see Darren.

"Even though we only recently met, I've been watching you for some time.  If you weren't so deeply in one another I would not be able to talk to you.  Since your visit to the Tree, my Brothers and I have been extra vigilant to keep outside involvement in this war at bay.  We cannot permit it to escalate to a point that will destroy your world.  I have no proof, but sensed another hand at play in the events you just experienced, so I remained close."

Pat snarled, "That fucker... we knew something wasn't right.  He set us up."

Remiel nodded, "Indeed.  He is that...  and I suspect he did."

Darren sniffed, wiping his eyes, and said, "Thanks for coming.  I know it's difficult and it means a lot to me."

Remiel smiled and said, "You might find this concept difficult because you are still naturally bound within Time.  Time for you is linear.  Eventually, when your bodies perish your Souls will no longer be bound as such.  To me, we have already known each other for eternity.  You have come to mean a great deal to me over the years you have not yet lived."

Pat smirked and said, "That's a mind fuck."

Remiel laughed slightly and replied, "Indeed it is.  It is another Paradox between the Spiritual and the Physical Realms.  You will learn more over time and eventually come to Understand it."

Through his Avatar, Pat noticed a profound sadness in Remiel.  With the two of them so tightly merged, Darren picked up on Pat's awareness.  With a concerned look on his face and asked, "Grandfather, are you alright?"

Remiel's smile faded, and he lowered his head, his voice quiet.

"I lost a good friend today.  The Spirit who sacrificed herself for you was a dear friend of mine.  I have known her through many of her lifetimes.  She was a gentle, kind Spirit, and very wise."

Darren said, "We're sorry.  Her help turned the tide.  We were shocked when she showed up, and even more when she spoke.  I never knew Animal Spirits could speak."

Remiel responded, "Her speech was my doing.  Ages ago I Gifted her with speech so she could communicate as a Spirit Guide to the Shaman of this land.  One of my Provinces is a Bringer of Visions."

They both looked surprised, and Pat started to ask, "So you've been responsible for ..."

"Yes, Patrick.  Some, but not all, of Lane's Dreams come from me."

"What about the Dream Dar had regarding the woman with the unborn child?"

Remiel said, "That was not my doing.  Your Avatars have the ability to ascertain information through the Ether and bestow Dreams as well.  Those are Dreams and not Visions.  A subtle difference, but significant."

Pat had an epiphany about how interconnected their lives were with their Angelic ancestors.  His Avatar glowed briefly, and he Understood something that just came into his mind.

Pat's eyes were wide with wonder as he said, "You guided the doctor when he spliced our DNA with yours and the other Archangels."

Remiel nodded, "Yes that was me.  The doctor's memory is excellent, and he is a gifted man.  His theories on creating hybrid Nephilim were correct. However, we did not allow random chance when it came to your lineage.  That choice was made before Time existed, precisely for what is happening today.  The doctor is unaware of our interference."

His comment, and the ramifications behind it, stunned them.

Darren commented, "I'm glad you shared that, but I'm surprised it didn't break some kind of Rule."

Remiel replied, "That information has no bearing on your Fate and in no way unbalances the Conflict.  There is much I cannot tell you, but that I was able to share."

Pat was aware of Darren's thought about the Book, but before he could phrase the question, Pat gave him an almost imperceptible nod indicating not to ask.  He felt it best not to mention the Book yet.

Remiel continued, "Even though Time is nearly standing still here, I have spent all the time I can with you for now.  Remember, either myself or one of my Brothers will be watching over you nearly all the time.

"Both of you did well today.  I know it hurt to kill so many Darren, but the ache within you speaks highly of your character and humility.  I will risk one minor transgression and tell you that none of those men were held against their will or forced into servitude."

Darren and Pat both felt a small sense of relief at Remiel's words.

As Remiel prepared to leave Darren smiled but looked hesitant.  He saw the look on Darren's face and held his arms out.  Darren and Pat both got a firm hug of farewell and with the sound of fluttering wings, Remiel was gone.

Pat smiled and pulled Darren back into a tight embrace.

"You know it still knocks me on my ass we have Archangels as relatives.  I'm glad you got to see him again.  I want to see Saraqael again too."

Darren replied, "Yeah I'm sorry he didn't show up."

Pat smiled and said, "I'll admit it would have been great, but I have everything I need right here in my arms."

 Pat took Darren's face in his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away the remaining tears.  Pat didn't say anything, he just stared into Darren's eyes; the eyes he could sink into, emerald green ringed with his own dark brown.  He loved how Darren's eyes twinkled when he was happy.  The look in his eye coupled with his dimples melted Pat's heart.

I do love you, Dar, more than anything.  You know it.  I know you know it, but I can't stop saying it.  What we did today had to be done.  I know how much you're hurting because I'm in you right now, Mind, Heart, and Soul.  Let me wash that hurt away.  The memory will be there but for now, let me love you and focus on that.

Darren's eyes teared up again, but this time from the depth of his emotions for Pat, and how lucky he was to share half his Soul with such a man.

Thanks Pat, for everything; for loving me, and knowing what I need when I need it.  You're the most perfect man in the world to me.  I really don't know what I'd do without you.

Pat got a smirk on his handsome face. 

Yeah, me either.

His comment got the dimples he wanted, and he pulled Darren's head against his bare chest.  Darren loved drifting off to sleep with his head on Pat's chest, and he remained still feeling the skin of their bodies touching and taking comfort in the closeness. His face against Pat's chest was soothing. 

After a few minutes, they became aroused by the closeness and caresses.  Pat shifted their positions, arching himself over Darren and making love to him.  His movements ranged from slow and gentle to serious thrusting.  Even though they were in a Spiritual place and the bodies they were in were manifestations of their Minds, they made love until they were both sweaty masses of satisfied muscle.

Once they were sated, Pat stayed on top of Darren.  Darren had his arms and legs locked around Pat, enjoying the weight of his body and the feel of his hairy chest and stomach against his.  He loved running his hands over Pat's muscled shoulders and back, especially when he was sweaty. 

Darren finally broke the silence. 

You know one of the best things about making love here?

What's that?

We don't need to shower or clean up.

Pat chuckled at Darren's comment. 

Yeah, technically you're right but as soon as we get back to the base and call in to debrief the others, we're going to take a long hot shower together.  I want one more serving of your hot ass before we crash for the night.

Let's pick up some food on the way back.  I'm already starving, and I know you are too.  The MRE's in the base are for emergencies, and I've always hated them anyway, at least without Bryan to doctor them up.

<><> 

Once back in their bodies, only a few seconds had passed.  For a moment, seeing the corpses brought back the emotions.  The brush of Uriel's Wings was another small Gift of comfort, as the Archangel of Death harvested the Black Souls of The Enemy.  Uriel didn't manifest visibly and was gone in a second.

Putting an arm around Darren's shoulder, Pat guided him to the car.  They hopped in and started to pull out, leaving the bodies for either The Enemy to clean up or the police to find.  As they pulled away, Darren held out his hand and Ashmore's Amulet, covered in blood, appeared in his palm.

As soon as it touched his skin, he Read it.  He instantly knew how it worked, who made it, and everything about it.  A Nephilim named Orophir crafted the Amulet.  The Amulet itself was Evil and needed to be destroyed, but he didn't get a feeling one way or another about Orophir.  Darren tossed the Amulet in his gym bag with their towels.  Just touching it made his skin crawl, and it reaffirmed that Ashmore needed to be stopped. 

They got food and made their way back to the parking garage where they housed their rental car.  Grabbing their bags they Powered up, and Darren teleported them to the base.

<> 

As soon as Pat and Darren drove off, Luke appeared.  With Remiel still close, he was cautious.  Uriel had already collected the Souls of the dead in his Raven Wings and left.

Looking at Ashmore's body, bereft of his head and hand, and the three hundred corpses scattered about, Luke smiled.  

Yes, they did exactly as I expected, and will be as easy to mold as I thought.

<> 

The already familiar surroundings of the base made it seem like a second home, and they breathed easier once there.  Neither one of them could wait to get the final Runes activated and in place to make the base impregnable and safe.  Until then they were still vulnerable to a Spiritual or Psychic attack if The Enemy discovered their location.  At least there was no way for anyone to physically reach them.

One nice surprise in the doctor's modifications to the design were large ultra-high resolution LED screens placed all over the walls that could be used as Ops boards, but when not in use they looked like windows to the outside world.  Darren had set up surveillance cameras around the area above the base, and the screens showed the beautiful sunny area of Uluru and the surrounding rocky landscape.

As the emotional high began to wear off, Pat and Darren were exhausted.  With food in their stomachs they were ready to crash, but still had to check in for a quick debriefing.  There might be immediate repercussions to deal with, and the debriefing couldn't wait. 

Darren pulled out the Amulet and set it on the table in the main conference room.  Pat looked at it and Understood how it worked and everything about it.  Their Avatars, each in their own say, saw the Evil in it.  

Darren and Pat noticed a subtle difference once they brought the Amulet back.  It was passively soaking up the Music around them... there didn't seem to be a way to turn it off.  Perhaps the doctor would know of a way to Shield it until they could destroy it.

Right on schedule Brad's voice and presence entered their Minds.

Hey, guys!

Immediately the company of the rest of the guys was in them again.  Brad's Mental strength never ceased to amaze them as he so easily included them from halfway around the world like they were in the same room with him in Atlanta.

The debriefing commenced, and they went over the details and events of the day leading to the confrontation.  As close as they were the unease in Pat and Darren was still apparent, and their Brother's immersed the two men even deeper in the intimate bond they shared.

Each of their buddies was special, and the individual strengths and traits among them brought something different to the table from Bryan's stoic, solid presence and Lane's humor, to Loy's emotional support.  Rick's Avatar unraveled the hurt and pain in them and the relief and caring touch of their collective Souls was so powerful they didn't know what they would do without it. 

Darren's remorse over killing three hundred Agents became their own, and his fear of the devastation he so easily inflicted and could again. 

Ken:  Dar, listen to me, buddy.  You're not a monster... I can tell how you see yourself now, but it's not true.  You were strong and did what needed to be done.  Don't be afraid of the Power you have now, embrace it.  You're a soldier, and it's another weapon in your arsenal.  You're such an important part of us... none of us would know what to do without you by our side.  Not for your ability, which is apparently off the chart powerful, but you. 

Back in the Lab Ken's and Brad's Avatars came to life, and one by one the rest of their Avatar's did as well, emitting arcs of color adding to and further empowering the bright White ribbon running through them, completing and making them One.

The doctor sensed it again when their Avatar's joined; an intangible difference that occurred when they were together.  It wasn't only a sense of completeness; it was something far more profound and subtle.  It was the supernatural force that would allow them to restore Mankind and remove the Curse once The Master was defeated.

Ken's Conviction, combined with Brad's Compassion, backed by their Brothers soaked into Darren and Pat, healing the deepest part of their hurt.  Song inside Lane, especially powerful to them now while the Amulet was next to them, made them smile.

Ken:  I'm sorry you guys had `ta go through that by yourselves. 

Pat:  We still aren't sure how Ashmore found out where we'd be.  We were beyond careful.  Remiel said he felt another hand at play, so we're pretty sure someone tipped Ashmore off.  There's really only one person we can think of who could be responsible, but again there was no proof.  As if The Master wasn't bad enough for us to deal with, now we have this guy breathing down our necks too.

Darren:  Bill you might want to take a look at this and see if you can pick up anything I missed.  A Nephilim named Orophir made it.  It absorbs ambient Music and stores it like a battery for whoever wears it.  Ashmore augmented himself and all his goons with it. 

Bill's presence strengthened in Darren's Mind and their Avatars synchronized as Bill Read the Amulet through Darren's touch.  There were minor additional details he picked up but nothing significant.  He saw hazy images of a cave and the work area where the Amulet was created.

Bill:  Doc, Darren's right... this thing is Evil and needs to be destroyed.

Aaron:  We will all be at the base tomorrow for the Rune placement and activation.  Albrecht and I can instruct you on how to safely destroy it then.  Darren and Patrick, I wish to say again how well you have done, and how proud we are of what you have accomplished.  Before we continue with additional facilities, you both need to take some time to yourselves and relax in one another.

Pat: Thanks, doc, we were going to ask.  Putting the base together took its toll on Dar.  He won't admit it, but you can see as well as I do he bore the brunt of it.

Aaron:  I entirely agree, Patrick.  I consider this a highly successful experiment and prototype facility for the others.  Moving forward I believe all of you should be present to share the load in the construction.  If circumstances with Trenton Ashmore and Gerald Laurent had not dictated otherwise, I would have insisted in this case as well.

Darren:  Speaking of Laurent... how did things go in Canada?

Kevin:  We made significant progress in finding a spot for the base but The Master showed up, so we had to lay low for a while.  We'll need to be careful moving forward there.  The doc had us come back home until you guys were finished so we can all head back together.

Darren:  If that's the case we'll shit-can the vacation and head there a.s.a.p. after we finish this place.

Ken:  No way Dar.  You guys need that time and deserve it. Consider it an order.  There's no hurry on the base there.  Besides, you said you had other locations in mind, so we can start someplace safer.

Pat and Darren smiled.

Brad:  Alright ladies, you two relax and go christen the facility.  I know you want to!  We'll check in with you mid-morning your time and head over to finalize empowering and placing the Runes.

Pat: Thanks again for the support, fellas.  You all know you mean the world to us and we couldn't make it without you fu... sorry, doc!...guys.  We'll see you all tomorrow.

<> 

True to their word Pat and Darren christened the base again, and again, and again, and finally exhausted, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

<><> 

The next morning, Darren teleported them back to the car park so they could grocery shopping. With all the guys coming to help with the final task of activating the Runes they needed mass quantities of food, and based the time difference, they would most likely be wanting a late dinner. 

The kitchen boasted extensive cabinetry and multiple walk-in pantries for dry goods, the new appliances were oversized and state of the art, and the industrial-sized double refrigerator was enormous.  With the food requirements of the hyper-metabolized men, the facility even included a walk-in freezer.  

Pat and Darren bought enough food to last a few days, not knowing how long it would take for everything to be completed.

Darren teleported them, along with all the food, back to the base.  They made breakfast and had everything cleaned up just as Brad's voice entered their Minds.

You fella's ready for some company?

We just got all the food sorted... we knew you yahoos would be showing up any minute.  Bryan is going to get a serious hard-on when he sees the new kitchen setup.

Darren trotted back to the platform dedicated as the `safe' spot all of them would imprint for that very purpose.

He synchronized their Avatars and pulled everyone, including the doctor and Albrecht, to the base.

<><> 

As soon as they appeared everybody dropped their bags to the floor and swept Pat and Darren up into a massive group hug.

Brad kept the Link up including the doctor and Albrecht and took them all extremely deep.  The expression of Love and support for Pat and Darren was as profound as ever.  They both got a little teary-eyed, but their eyes were smiling and Darren's dimples were in full force.  They had communicated daily, but hadn't seen each other in person in months.  It was the longest any of them had been apart since Awakening, and to everyone's surprise they were all unsettled by it. 

As profound and intense as their Mental and emotional bonds were, there was still a need to physically touch one another and their hugs were long and tight.

Pat and Darren played host, to the amusement of everyone.  The doctor seemed exceptionally excited, especially for him.  Pat found him at the central Operations console while everyone else was still with Darren going through their quarters and settling in.

Doc, I have to tell you, you absolutely outdid yourself on all this.  This place is more state of the art than the Lab back home!

Yes, Patrick, it is, and I plan to correct that soon enough.  I wished to see how the new systems worked here first, and they have run flawlessly the last few weeks.  I have been running remote diagnostics non-stop since you installed them.

I was a little dubious at first, but those LED panels you sent are fantastic.  It helps to see outside and makes it not quite so claustrophobic.  When the air system kicks in you almost feel like you're outside; the air smells so clean and fresh.

Pat interpreted the doctor's smirk as "yes I know," and Pat grinned back.  It felt so nice being around everyone again, he and Darren couldn't keep the smiles off their faces

<><> 

It didn't take Bryan long to find the kitchen.  Darren found him with his head in the refrigerator and could practically see the wheels turning in Bryan's Mind coming up with a menu for dinner.

He slapped Bryan on the back and laughingly thought:  Knock yourself out, Bry.

Bryan grinned back, stood up straight, and grabbed Darren into a quick side headlock, giving him a noogie. 

I missed you, fucker. 

Ditto Bry.  It's not the same checking in once or twice a day through the Link.  That's great, but it's no substitute for having your fat ass in front of me.

Fat ass hell!  You fucker!  You mean these rock-solid globes of granite?

Darren couldn't help but laugh. 

Yeah, those... good thing you're a top!  You'd grind Lane's dick to powder with that ass!

Yeah, that's what he said!  Now help me get dinner started you fucker.  You did great with the groceries, by the way.  We weren't looking forward to MRE's.

Yeah, we weren't either.  Tomorrow Pat and I want to take you guys to a seafood place we found.  It's fantastic.  If you can learn to make crumbled calamari like they do, I might have to convince you to ditch Lane and move in with me!

<><> 

The night continued with a great meal and time spent with one another.  Darren sent the doctor and Albrecht back to Atlanta for the night so Sally and the other guests wouldn't be alone.  They would return for the Rune activation once everyone was ready.

<><> 

Each couple had their own soundproofed private quarters, but that didn't shield the Auras they generated when they all made love to one another that night.  Pat and Darren were busy themselves and relished the presence of their Brothers around them, not realizing how badly they had missed it.

As friends they rarely participated in group sex; they had in the past, as couples, and even as a full group on a few select occasions, but decided early on it would not be the norm.  That night Brad pulled their Souls together as they all made love, and in the special place where they were emotionally and intimately naked to one another, they made love together.  They were still in their beds and bodies with their partners, but at the same time with all their Brothers.  The pleasure and fulfillment were indescribable and reinforced how much they loved one another as men and Brothers, and how unconditionally open they were with one another.

The next morning Bryan cooked a big breakfast for everyone, and then they were ready to get started.  Everyone laughed when the doctor and Albrecht showed up with Long John Silver's bags for their own dinner.  Apparently, the doc had Albrecht hooked on it as well.

<><> 

The doctor stood at the lectern with the Book of Loagaeth in front of him while everyone else sat around the conference table.

His expression was more serious than usual as he started.

"With Patrick's help, Albrecht and I have chosen Runes we believe will be the most beneficial for this facility.   However, there is a question I must ask, and I hope it does not make you uncomfortable."

His comment raised a few eyebrows.

He paused for a moment while he stared at the Book before continuing.

"There are Runes in the Book that affect the Light as well as the Dark.  I wish to know your thoughts about protecting this facility against both."

Even though Pat knew those Runes were in the Book, the thought of using them never occurred to him.  A ripple of surprise went through the Link.  There were many thoughts of `holy shit!' or similar exclamations amongst them.

A ball of Light appeared in front of the Operations Board and rapidly grew into the form of Raphael.  He looked impeccable as always and was dressed in his customary brown leather jacket, tight white t-shirt, and jeans.

He smiled and looked directly at Brad first saying, "Hello Brad.  It's good to see you again."

His gaze continued around the room after Brad, and he said, "It's good to see all of you."

The doctor did not look pleased with the interruption.

Raphael continued, "Remiel informed me of his suspicions, and I've been close since Darren and Patrick's encounter with Trenton Ashmore."

Raphael raised his hand in a strange gesture, and a wave of Power came off him.

"I've warded the room so we may speak freely.  I believe it was Luke who betrayed your presence to Trenton Ashmore."

Darren spoke up and added, "Do you think it was Luke who left the Book?"

"I do not know who left you the Book of Loagaeth, Darren.  Many are concerned it is in your possession, but it is not in our Province to interfere.  Personally, I am thankful it has come into your hands.  It presents a unique opportunity for you at this juncture."

Raphael grinned at the doctor.

"I know you have reservations about me and my Brethren Aaron, and I believe I interrupted your meeting just as you were about to bring up the idea of making this facility safe from us as well."

The doctor didn't bat an eye, and replied, "Yes.  I was proposing the idea that we might consider making this base safe from both sides, the Light and the Dark."

"I think that is a most excellent idea."

The doctor raised an eyebrow, inviting Raphael to elaborate.

"If you protect this facility from the Dark, Luke will not be able to see or hear anything that occurs here or in any place you ward similarly. I would suggest you do that at your primary Lab as well, and as soon as possible.  If you leave your facilities open to others of my kind, I believe you are putting yourself at risk.  You must know by now that we are your Protectors and would do nothing to intentionally harm you.  My fear is that you might be betrayed by someone with good intentions.  Luke is a master of subtlety, and it is possible he might trick others of the Light into betraying you inadvertently."

Brad spoke up, "Aren't you breaking a Rule by telling us this? I don't want you getting into trouble on our account."

"Thank you, Brad, but I'm not breaking any Rule.  I am simply sharing my opinion.  I cannot say Michael or some of my other Brothers would agree with my reasoning, but I believe you would be prudent to follow my advice."

Raphael glanced at the Ops board, and it came to life with a series of images showing more Runes than the doctor had on his diagram. 

"These are the Runes I suggest.  The number and placement are indicated for maximum effect."

"I know my presence here upsets the good doctor, so I will leave you to decide how you wish to proceed."

Raphael looked at Brad, speaking in his Mind: I'm sorry I haven't spent more time getting to know you, Brad.  I wish to rectify that.

Brad's smiled at Raphael's statement. 

Of course!  I've wanted the same thing since I first realized who you are.  I think it would be great!

Raphael's face broke into a beatific smile, and he transformed into a ball of light.  Keep the Light, my children. 

And with that, he was gone.

<><> 

Everyone fell silent after Raphael's departure, pondering what he said.  Brad still had a smile on his face.

Ken: What are you smilin' about?

Brad: Raphael said he wants to get to know me better and spend some time with me. 

Ken: Hell yeah, B!  That's awesome. 

Brad:  I'll want you with me, you know that right?

Ken:  If you want me there B, I'll be right by your side.  But if you need some private time with him it's cool with me.  I can totally see where you get your looks from you know.  You`re just about as good looking as your grandfather!

Brad laughed. 

You're so full of shit!  You're just trying to get laid tonight.

Ken got that devilish, little kid grin on his face. 

Oh hell, there go your mad seduction skills again.

Brad: Damn straight mister.  Don't you forget who's running this show.

Ken reached under the table and grabbed Brad's hand, squeezing it tight.  He winked at Brad and then cleared his throat, "Alright ladies.  I want to hear any and all opinions about what just happened, and then we'll make a decision.  Doc, if you don't mind you and Albrecht go last, so you don't influence any of these yahoos."

<><> 

For the next hour, they discussed the pros and cons of making the facility impregnable to both the Light and the Dark.  In the end, the decision was unanimous to follow Raphael's advice. 

The doctor was in agreement with Raphael for different reasons, mainly his mistrust of the Archangels where his adoptive sons were concerned.  As difficult as it was for him to admit, there was an element of truth to the words Luke's spoke in the Valley.  The Archangels had an agenda, and he feared they would hold that agenda above the interest of the men he cared for so much.  Even though his reasons were different, it was still a unanimous vote.

It was an exhausting week placing and empowering the Runes Raphael suggested.  Once finished, everyone spent one last night in the Australian base before putting the facility into `sleep' mode as they headed back to the Lab in Atlanta.

<><> 

Sitting in a small café in Paris enjoying a cup of coffee, Luke's head snapped up.  A frown crossed his inhumanly handsome face, and thunder rumbled in the clear blue sky.  The new Warriors of The Order vanished from his perceptions.  Few things could prevent his awareness, and he guessed immediately what happened.  A wave of intense anxiety spread throughout Paris that day.  The following day newspapers reported an unusual number of deaths in the city... freak accidents, murders, elderly people dying in their sleep; all ripples of Luke's anger.

He felt better the next morning when he could sense them again.  But he knew it was only a matter of time before it happened again.  With the knowledge of the Runes in their hands it escalated matters. 

After giving the matter some thought, a smile spread across his face.  He had his Nephilim child Orophir to make items for him and pass Forbidden Knowledge to The Master.  He knew he was breaking the Mandate but the fact that someone of the Light actually broke the same Rule to counteract his own actions thrilled him, making him almost giddy.  They were usually so timid and restricted, placing limitations on themselves.  The fact that one of them had grown a pair of balls delighted him.  After all these millennia, he might finally have a worthy adversary.

<><><> 

Pat and Darren spent three weeks in Australia relaxing with one another.  It was a great time together, and Darren visited all the places he had ever heard or read about.

Even though everyone stayed in their own homes in the evenings, most of them ate together with Sally and the other `guests' at the Lab.  Their training continued daily, and they spent most of their free time around the Lab.  It was time well spent with their friends, and they did everything possible to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

Drew loved having the guys around to play with, and Henry and Liz seemed happy together.  Sally assumed the role of assistant to the doctor, at first out of boredom, but once he realized how skilled she was at keeping things organized and running smoothly he appreciated her help.  The Keenan's were low key and seemed happy to be together.

The doctor and Albrecht continued their search to find suitable places for everyone to live.  With the new Runes from the Book, their safe houses would be impregnable. 

The first night Pat and Darren spent back in the Lab, after an enormous meal with everyone and all the `guests,' they shared pictures of their vacation with everyone. 

<><><> 

That night Bryan woke up when Lane's body twitched.  Rolling over, he knew immediately Lane was Dreaming, but this time his eyes were open and glowing with a White Light that illuminated the room.  His tattoo was bright and spitting sparks, and his muscular body was tense and sweaty.  He was in some sort of trance and threw the covers off, standing up.  His behavior was different from previous Dreams, and Bryan was alarmed.

In each house, Ken, Rick, Kevin, and Pat witnessed the same behavior in their partners.  Brad, Loy, Bill, and Darren got out of bed as One, their Avatars bright and synchronized with Lane's.  Some major event was occurring and affecting all of them.

Unaware he was even doing it Darren reached out and synchronized their Avatars, teleporting everyone to his safe spot in the Lab. 

Ken and the other Bodies appeared in a circle around their partners with Lane and the Mentalists at the vector points of Lane's Primary Avatar.  As soon as they appeared, their hands reached out to one another.  Their energy centers Opened and a Powerful White ribbon flowed between them.  The Power swirled faster and faster, causing a hot wind to blow around them.

An image formed in the air before them.   Ken and the Bodies were still charged up Mentally, so Ken brought them all together.  Pat's Avatar synchronized with theirs and they Understood what they saw wasn't an image... it was a window into an alternate reality.  Through the window, Ken and Bryan were talking.  Something was wrong... the scene was vastly different than it should have been. 

They felt how wrong it was, noticing immediately Ken and Bryan weren't Awake.  Ken wore a t-shirt that pulled high on his bicep, and he had no tattoo.  Their faces looked haggard, worn out physically and emotionally.

The window stayed Open a few more seconds when suddenly with a bright flash Lane and the others woke up.  The window closed and they all let out a "holy shit!" before dropping to their knees exhausted.

Ken grabbed Brad and pulled him close, as did the others.  Ken brought Brad and the others into his Link, refreshing their partners from their own strength.

"B!  Talk to me!  What just happened?!"

"Fuck Ken, we have to help them!"

   The End of Chapter Eighteen

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