Outside, the garden surrounding the mansion buzzed with silent energy. Craig's fist and fingers flew in silent commands and signals to his team. Silently they took their position with answering communications. The darkness was all-consuming, suffocating and very welcome.

Breanna, David and Clio found a high position to monitor the expansive gardens. The trio was surprised when Birgit / Valencia, and Jesse joined them.

"What are you doing here?" Breanna stepped in front of the pair, "we don't need you to endanger anyone here."

"We are here to help," Valencia and Birgit spoke quietly, "we're here to fight with our family."

"Val, you don't have any fighting skills," Breanna spoke to her friend.

"No, she doesn't," Birgit answered, "but I do."

"What do you mean?" Breanna bristled, "what can you do?"

Birgit held out their hands palms up and gently cupped them. She fisted her hands before flicking her fingers open she held two glowing balls of blue flame.

Breanna took a step back, narrowing her eyes on her friend's face, "Explain."

"I was having a fight with Valencia and got frustrated," Birgit said, "there is a toilet handle that will need replacing."

"You melted a toilet handle," David started laughing, "that is the best way to find out you throw flames."

Breanna stared at him while he doubled over in laughter; the irony of the situation hit her. Chuckling, she faced her friend again, nodding, "Val can sense enhanced beings and their levels. You two make a good combination. I take it Jesse will be pairing with you two."

Jesse nodded before the pair could answer, "I'll make sure she comes out alive."

"Good idea," Clio said, handing him a large duffel bag filled with weapons and ammunition, "thought you might want a piece of the action."

Jesse took the bag with a questioning expression, his eyes narrowing on Clio.

"Relax," she sighed, "it's filled with your favourite toys. Not a land mine."

Nodding his thanks, he opened the bag, "Hope this is enough."

"We all hope so," Breanna said, "our abilities are used as a last resort or if it is essential."

"Got it," Jesse, Valencia and Birgit said in unison.

"Man," Breanna shook her head, "that will take some getting used to."

"Got Cara's signal," David called across the rooftop, "she hears some minds."

"How many?" Jesse asked, noting Valencia had gone really still.

"She isn't too sure," David said, "there seems to be some interference."

"Val?" Jesse called as Valencia slowly moved to the nearest corner. Following, he waited. No response, "Birgit?"

"She is sensing a lot at the moment," Birgit spoke, "there is a ..." Birgit gasped, "damn ..." Jesse stepped in front of the pair.

"Talk to me," he gripped their chin, pulling their gaze up to meet his, "what is going on?"

"Cara is in a mental battle with a level five telepath," Birgit said, "Valencia is trying to help."

"Tell her to disengage," Breanna said from behind them, "Cara will only try and protect her."

"She's back," Brigit said quietly, "there are a lot of others."

"They are coming from multiple sides," Valencia said quietly, "the groups are mixed levels."

"This was thought out," Jesse said, looking around the rooftop, "Birgit, how far can you throw those fireballs?"

"Jesse," Birgit sighed, "I haven't got a clue. I only found out about this a few hours ago."

"Right," Jesse grinned, "it's still a good question, though."

"Val," Birgit spoke quietly, "where is the biggest group coming from?"

Jesse watched as Birgit left their eyes and Valencia took over. The saying is that the eyes are the window to the soul, and it was undoubtedly true. These two were as different as they were the same.

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Valencia blinked slowly before looking over her left shoulder, "There is group one," she said, looking diagonally to the left. "Group two ", she looked at a little to her right. "Group three," she turned to look in line with her right shoulder, "and group four." Looking far over her right shoulder, "group five," finally turning a hundred and eighty degrees, she focussed on a spot on the horizon, "group six."

"Where are the helicopters coming from?" Breanna asked while giving silent commands for lookouts in the indicated directions.

"They started coming in as a group, but I sense a split in the collective enhancements," Valencia spoke quietly, turning toward the front of the house, "there is a motorised convoy coming."

"Val, check with Oran how Cara is doing?" Breanna said quietly.

"She seems to be winning against whoever it is," Valencia spoke quietly, "but that mind is taking up too much of her resources. She cannot coordinate information."

"Tell her to show me where the mind is," Phoenix said, "that sounds very familiar."

Valencia directed the information toward Phoenix, connecting his mind with Cara. He stood quietly for a moment, nodded and began moving toward a point in the roof where no one stood.

"What is he doing?" Jesse asked, watching the man spread his arms wide.

"Stay out of his way," Birgit grasped Jesse's arm as he started forward, "he can elevate himself, move his form around, and fight simultaneously."

"You're kidding," Jesse, Clio, Breanna and David said in unison.

"No," Birgit shook her head. "I was posing at Valencia one day when I saw his abilities being tested in Darcia's facility. Back then, if he tried to strengthen and push his ability beyond Darcia's idea or whim, she shut him down."

"How?" Breanna frowned.

"The necklace would tighten ..." Birgit mimicked someone suffocating.

Everyone grimaced.

"What is he trying to do?" David frowned as Phoenix rose higher off the rooftop.

"Aerial support?" Valencia shrugged, "no one knows what that man has in his mind."

"Val, check-in with Cara," Breanna said quietly, "Birgit guard her."

"What are you doing, Bre?" Jesse frowned while watching the women begin to work in tandem but own their own.

"Phoenix is connecting with Cara," Breanna muttered, "she will need all the mental help to stay stable."

"What am I supposed to do while the women I love go into an unseen battle?" Jesse asked, looking around the perimeter of the rooftop.

"What would you normally do?" Breanna gave him a questioning look.

"Make sure she comes out alive," Jesse muttered, nodding in understanding.

"Stop questioning yourself, trust your instincts and get moving," Breanna indicated to the incoming helicopter.

Diving into his bag of toys, Jesse prepared to protect the women he loved and their strange, dysfunctional caring family.

Oran stood guard while his sister blinked slowly. He understood the mind battle she was waging at the moment. In this state, Cara was vulnerable.

"Oran," she whispered, "on your left."

Oran turned to his left, finding a small group of fanatics coming over the rooftop railing. Taking aim, he took out two of them while another two dropped a red ring appearing in the middle of their forehead.

"Thank heavens for backup," he muttered while taking out the last one.

"Oran," Cara called, holding out her hand.

Oran grasped his sister's hand with his left while securing his weapon with his right hand, "I'm here."

"Phoenix will connect with the other mind," she gasped, "when I say take three steps and pull me toward you hard."

"Ready," Oran said, taking a step away, adding more space.

Cara gasped, "He's strong. Very strong."

Oran waited, "Let him have space, Cara. Remember, it's easier to let go if you're not holding all the cards or information."

"Okay," Cara panted, "... three ... two ... now."

Oran pulled hard as he took three steps while spinning his sister out of the way. The pair wrapped their arms around each other. A soft holographic glow stood in Cara's place while Phoenix glowed in the air above the mansion and gardens a little way down the rooftop.

"What is he doing?" Oran asked in wonder.

"No idea," Cara said, pulling a weapon from a holster on her hip, "we have company, so let's protect our family."

Shots from below could be heard as well as from the darkness. Helicopters turned on their lights but seemed confused as shots rang out from ground troops toward them. Oran and Cara chuckled, grinning at each other.

"Reilly," they nodded, "good job."

"How did you get out of Phoenix's path so easily?" Oran asked as they positioned themselves to take on an advancing group of fanatics.

"Val helped me," Cara said quietly, "she has definitely gotten stronger. Phoenix would have ripped my mind apart otherwise."

"I guess Jesse sorted things out," Oran nodded. "Some things," Cara corrected, aiming at a target and pulling the trigger without hesitation, "they still have to talk about a lot, but they will be fine."

"What about Birgit?" Oran asked, pulling a knife and throwing it at a fanatic climbing a tree to get to Trevet, positioned as a sniper.

"Birgit doesn't hold the emotional side," Cara said quietly, "Valencia does."

"Does Jesse know that?" Oran asked, firing into a fanatic trying to get on the roof.

"Not yet," Cara said, shooting into a group of advancing fanatics, "he'll figure it out."

"If we don't get rid of most of these fanatics," Oran panted, "nothing we are doing will make a difference."

"True," Cara said, looking around, "we need to find their weakness and rip it open until they cannot defend themselves or attack."

"When did you become so dark?" Oran frowned, firing at advancing fanatics.

"Since Madden decided to bring this fight to our doorstep."

"Can Hana and Calla help?" Oran asked.

"Protection, please," Cara said, sitting cross-legged on the floor, "I will find out."

"Got your back," Oran said, kneeling next to his sister's suddenly still body, "find us that hole to rip open."