Isaias sighed in frustration as another rat died of the poison. He banged his hands on the table and pushed himself away, smoothing his hands down his hair that by now he wore in a short ponytail. He began to pace. What am I doing wrong? Am I not using enough Traxin to combat the toxin in the rat? Am I giving too much poison to the rat? But it’s barely a dose big enough for a human! What if…

A slight wind blew in and then Marco was there along with takeout. “Hey, I thought you might want something to eat.” He buckled to the floor and Isaias had to catch him. “Zen wasn’t kidding about the major jet lag,” Isaias muttered, propping a drowsy Marco up.

“Yeah,” Marco nodded, using the table to balance himself again. He felt as if he hadn’t slept in days! “How do you do it,” Marco asked as he sat on the floor leaning against his leg. Issaias chuckled. “I haven’t left this lab since I entered it.”

Marco mumbled something and Isaias growled, snatching the take out from his hands.

“No food for you buddy!”

“Oh come on I was kidding! You know I prefer you over my family any day...even if you stink.”

Isaias took a big bite of his bologna sandwich and swallowed. “Keep pushing mister! You’ll see where it ends you,” he muttered, taking another bite.

“Ok, you win. Can I have my sandwich now?”

“How did you know I liked Jago’s?”

“Your mom might have told me a few hours ago. So have you been able to make the antitoxin?”

“Sigh...nope...the rats keep dying the minute we administer the toxin. We need something bigger.”

“Why not just shoot up one of your men? They know of the poison and they know of the risks. You have the antitoxin to the original. The only way you’re going to create antitoxin for the toxin good enough to use on humans, is to test it on a human don’t you think?”

Isaias thought for a minute then smirked.”I know who to try too.”

Marco looked perplexed. “How do you know?”

“The same way I know which chemicals react how. I see them in my head somehow or not them exactly, their energy.”

“That sounds like a Galactical ability, Isaias. Only Galacticals can see the energy of things. You and Zen are twins. Could you also be Trinity blood?”

“I’ve been able to do it since I was thirteen when Dad saw Zen do something scary. Could it have been her Galactical gift that scared Dad into killing her? What is it I wonder if it could scare a grown man?”

Marco stood, rubbed some sauce off Isaias' chin with a napkin, and looked him in the eye. “Don’t know, but this makes you just as valuable as her Isaias.” He tugged Isaias forward. “ Please be careful.”

“I always am,” Isaias muttered, leaning in and kissing Marco. Marco sighed and played with Isaias’ hair. They broke apart. “You need a haircut. You really do look like your sister you know.”

“You can’t mistake us though.”

Marco leaned in. “No, you can’t,” and kissed Isaias again. Isaias deepened the kiss and turned so that Marco was pinned against the table and his body. He swept his hands up Marco’s side and…

“This isn’t a make-out zone Isaias! It’s dangerous to lose your head in here,” Dr. Shea warned from the doorway.

Isaias broke from a grinning Marco groaning. “Roger that Shea,” he muttered looking at Marco.

“I better go. I’m distracting you. Don’t you have some poor sap to torture?”

Isaias smiled and kissed him. “I do. See you in a day? Or a month I’m confused.”

“I’ll see you in a day. You’ll see me in a month.”

Isaias pouted. “How is that fair,” he muttered, kissing Marco again. Marco closed his eyes. A light wind blew and he was gone. Isaias turned to Shea and said, “Bring me Tortuga and Gorrito.”

“Why?” asked Shea as he saw Isaias make two syringes full of venom. Isaias tapped the syringes for air bubbles and squeezed the top so that each dribbled a little.”

“If we’re going to get anywhere with this antitoxin, we need bigger test subjects and I have a feeling that Tortuga and Gorrito will have the answers we are looking for.”

“One of your feelings again?”

“Something like it, doc.”

“I’ll get them then,” Shea said, walking over to where the men were playing poker and hauling two men out of the game.

If this works I’ll have the antitoxin by the time Zen awakes.

He greeted both men and explained what he needed in no-nonsense details.

“I need you two to be guinea pigs for the venom. It’s that simple. I inject you with it and you go on with your lives as normal. If you show signs of illness, we have the antitoxin from the original that could be administered as a fail-safe. It won’t get rid of the poison but it will stop it from spreading further.”

“So we’re safe then,” asked Gorrito.

Isaias shook his head. “There’s a chance you react badly to the poison and die. This is on you gentlemen. I picked you two because one of you is capable of making the antitoxin we need.”

Tortuga gulped but rolled up his sleeve. “ Give me the shot boss.”

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Gorrito’s hands trembled but he too gave his arm. “Count me in.”

Isaias injected two of his men with Luis’s venom.

###

Isaias watched as Tortuga and Gorrito played poker as usual. It had been a week and so far the men hadn’t shown any signs or symptoms of the poison but it took nearly three weeks for the body to start making antibodies. One could fall ill before then.

###

Gorrito was administered the antitoxin as he shook violently on the bed.

###

Tortuga was called in and his blood was taken and just like Isaias thought the successful antitoxin was running through his veins. He smiled and nodded at Tortuga. “You’ve just cured a few hundred men and women. They’ll be singing your praises. I’ll make sure of it. You and Gorrito both deserve something. What do you want? Within reason.”

“Not for me but the gang as a whole. We need to spruce our place up a little. Not fancy but at least a better table and real chairs for the poker table boss.”

Isaias smiled. “That’s on my to-do list Tortuga. Anything you want though?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Isaias laughed and nodded handing the antitoxin to Shea. “Give the first dose to Gorrito.”

Shea nodded and was off with the antitoxin to the back rooms. Isaias called another Hormiguero and Nathan walked into the lab.

“Please don’t say you need to stick another one of us. Seeing Gorrito go down was scary enough, thanks.”

“Funny guy. No, I need you to take the antitoxin to Gibson. Tell him it’s on Don Arrio and Don Rodriguez’s order to make as much antitoxin as he can in as little time as he can make it.”

“He’s not going to like that.”

“He’ll be paid handsomely after the war.”

A bright light engulfed the hideout making everyone cover their eyes and then a sleepy voice was saying. “Did you make the antitoxin Isaias? You only have two weeks left.”

Isaias turned around to face a drowsy Zen. He got up and hugged his twin.

“Isaias, gross you smell like dead rats!”

“You don’t smell like roses either!”

Zen raised her arms and sniffed before wrinkling her nose. “Ok, we both need a bath.”

“The antitoxin has been made. All it needs is mass production and Zen what is up with your eyes? They have two circles of silver around the pupil and Iris. It’s neat!”

“Ishevara said there would be a few changes. This is one of them. Her power has fully merged within me. I no longer carry the crystal piece. It is within me completely heart, body, soul, and power. I can keep the time warp indefinitely if we need to.”

Isaias’s eyes widened and then he smirked, hugging his sister again. “We only need it up for testing and then it’s the Guerreros’s time to go under a bit of time management for treatment.”

Zen nodded and yawned. “ Let’s go bathe then. We’ll be back in a few days,” she said.

Isaias nodded and pointed to Nathan. “You’re in charge til I get back. Comm me if anything happens alright Nate?”

“Roger boss,” Nathan said grinning and setting the rickety table up for another game of poker.

Zen took Isaias’s hand and they simply disappeared.

They reappeared in front of Carmelo’s home and a squeal reached their ears as a lightning bolt ran toward them. Strong arms picked up the girl and she sparked in indignation.

“I’m stinky. Later I promise,” Zen said smiling as Isaias walked up the steps to the door and into the house. Zen followed and went to her room grabbing her things and hopping into the shower. She took in the changes Ishevara was talking about. Triangular stripes were on her shoulders and waist. Slash lines were on her ribs and ankles. They were a silver color like her eyes.

They were my marks before I was turned into a crystal. I have given you my body in a way.

Thank you Ishevara. I shall take good care of it.

It will give you control over your abilities as a Galactical half-breed.

Isaias, is Trinity blood as well?

He is a very powerful one. He already has his Galactical abilities. So should you but what your father did, has hidden them. They must be what scared him

Zen nodded and turned the shower off. She got her towel and dried off before dressing up in black jeans and a cerulean t-shirt with a silver butterfly motif on the sleeves and hem. She strapped her knives on and tugged on the harness for her gun. She made sure her dimensional pocket was within her pocket and looked at her bare neck. It’s missing something. You ishevara.

You’ll always carry me wherever you go now.

Hmm I’m still missing something

She exited the bathroom to be jumped on by a needy lightning elemental.

She caught the wriggling mass of a little girl and smiled, turning her head to the other occupant in the room. He raised his hands “She shocked me till I brought her over here.”

She turned to a bashful Edline. “Is that true Ed?”

The girl nodded red-cheeked.

Zen’s hand sparked and she ran a finger up Edline’s arm.

“Ouch,” the little girl cried, rubbing her arm.

“Being shocked isn’t fun is it?”

“N-no.”

“I think you owe your brother an apology then and no more sparking on purpose ok? Accidents happen but you can’t use your abilities for your whims. Those are some very bad manners.”

Edline teared up and Zen hugged her. “Promise not to do it again Zen just don’t leave!”

“Leave? Where would I go? I’m not leaving Edline.”

“You’re not? But aren’t you upset with me?”

“Yes, but I’m not leaving you. Why would you think that?”

“Everyone was supposed to leave me alone when I did something bad. Mommy refused to see me if I failed at something or did something bad.”

Zen’s eyes narrowed and she held onto Edline. “ I may be mad at you but I will never turn you away when you need it, Edline alright?”

The little girl nodded and laid her head against Zen’s chest resting her eyes and sighing. Zen held her for a little while till soft snores reached her ears. She smiled and handed Edline over to Stephan who was watching her slowly rock Edline to sleep. Edline was a little old for such things but then she never really had them before Zen. He picked up his sister gently and kissed Zen softly. “Be right back,” he muttered, carrying Edline to her room and laying her down, wrapping the blankets around her sleeping form. He closed the door gently and came back to Zen’s room where he found her hunting for a rubber band to tie her hair up with. Spying it on the drawer, he picked it up and stashed it in his pockets before she could see it.

“I like it down. It’s almost to your elbows,” he said, running his hand through it. She sighed and tapped her foot, hand out. “Give it,” she said. He smiled, bringing her closer and shaking his head.. “No, not yet.” He leaned down, fisting his hands in her hair and kissing her. She nibbled on his lips deepening the kiss and he opened his mouth against hers. She delved into further deepening the kiss still and he reciprocated. They pulled apart and he gave her the rubber band. She smiled and kissed him again before pulling back and tying her hair. She swung her long ponytail and smacked him in the face laughing.

“Not funny princess,” he muttered, batting the ponytail. She turned to him and hugged him. “I have to leave and help Isaias with the Guerreros. When Edline wakes up I want you to hand her one of my daggers. She’ll know what it means I hope.”

“Hmm, he touched her neck. You’re missing something.”

“I know I kinda miss my old necklace.”

He fiddled with his necklace and undid the clasp letting it fall to his hand. He took it and clasped it onto her neck letting the glowing blue stone lie on her neck.

“There. Now you’re not so bare.”

Zen touched her neck in wonderment. She stared at him.

“Your necklace? Who gave it to you?”

“My father...my real one before he abandoned us. It’s made out of some galactical stone that’s supposed to enhance your abilities. I never saw any enhancement in mine but I don’t have galactical blood.”

“Why did he have a galactical necklace?”

“I don’t know. What I do know is that he told me to keep the family together. And I have or at least I brought them together again. Now it’s time to pass the torch. What do you want more than anything?”

“Is it ok if I don’t say it?”

Stephan nodded and kissed her. “You don’t have to tell me.”

She smiled. “Good, then I won’t. See you, waterboy.” She waved and disappeared.

Stephan grinned. “The hazards of having a teleporting girlfriend,” he muttered before walking back to Edline’s room.