The fine hairs on his arm lifted in the chill of the early morning as the ocean mist fogged on the humid city air. Quiet pre-dawn hours hung over the town as Craig led an ever-vigilant patrol through the city. Slowly stopping at the entrance to an empty parking lot, he looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of his unease. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Something was off. The team of five came to a halt around him in a loose circle, scanning the area for possible threats.

"What is it?" Jonathan asked, turning in a circle, his automatic rifle raised against his shoulder, his gaze taking in the rooftops of the nearby buildings.

"I'm not sure," Craig murmured, "I can't place it."

"That's not like you," Trevet said, circling nearby, "we haven't come across any of Darcia's fanatics for nearly an hour ..." Trevet paused, glancing at Craig. "When last did you feel this way?"

"Darcia's Madhouse," Craig muttered, his gaze snapping to and focusing on one area down an alleyway near the back of a nightclub, "when did that place close?"

"Twenty minutes ago," Jared said, "I don't think everyone has left."

"Did you hear that?" Kelvin whispered, turning on his heels toward the nightclub.

Everyone stilled, allowing their enhanced abilities to extend past their current location.

"Sounds like breaking glass … raised voices," Trevet muttered, "and a fight."

"It's coming from inside the nightclub," Simon said, glancing over his shoulder at Craig's intent face.

"We investigate. If it is humans, we leave them to it … if not, we engage," Craig murmured, "stay alert. We don't know who it is or why they are there. If it is a Rogue Enhanced Being taking their frustrations out on humans …." Everyone stilled, waiting for Craig to finish "… finish them."

They nodded in unison before moving between the buildings toward the back of the club. The alleyway opened into two open-plan adjacent parking lots. Freely used by the staff and patrons of the various surrounding businesses.

The back door of the nightclub opened as they neared the end of the alley. Quickly taking cover behind a few remaining cars, they waited. A slim young woman appeared. She seemed distorted in the warping light above the door; as she twisted, they could see her wrists bound behind her back. She wore black ankle boots, blue jeans and a branded luminous blue golf shirt, indicating she was a staff member at the club. She grunted, almost pitching head first through the door, struggling to find her feet. From where they crouched, it looked like she had been shoved and was recovering from a stumble. A mutinous look filled her angry gaze as she stared out toward the parking area. Glancing over her shoulder, she gasped and quickly looked forward, her face suddenly pale.

"Move," a gruff voice said as she was shoved again, making her stumble down the few stairs to the steaming asphalt surface, "where is your car?"

"I told you," she panted, finding her footing while turning to look at the person, "I don't have a car. I don't know what you want with me."

"You said your name was Alexis," the gruff male voice said, appearing at the top of the stairs, "I was told Alexis has a car."

Craig frowned, taking in the low hooded head of the man. Why did he know that stance? That voice? Everything about the man was weirdly familiar.

"Who told you?" the woman frowned, "I don't know many people, and they all know I don't have a car."

Craig watched as the man raised a gun and moved to the top stair aiming at the woman. She pulled herself up to her full petite height, squaring her shoulders and staring the man down. She had a backbone, spunk and determination. Respect niggled in his chest at this display of bravery.

"Does the name Mandy mean anything to you?" the man said, lifting his free hand and pushing the hood from his head in frustration. The movement displayed his irritated glare as he moved slowly down the stairs toward her.

Craig raised his gun while shaking interfering memories from his vision. In his peripheral, he noticed the team following his lead.

"Craig," Trevet whispered, "who is he?"

"Morgan," Craig grunted as one memory remained, "a cold, calculating, murdering bastard."

"What do you want to do?" Jared murmured.

"Take him out if you can but protect the girl at all costs," Craig whispered, moving out of the shadows and shouting, "let her go, Morgan."

The man whirled quickly as surprise widened his eyes. It was clear he didn't expect any interruptions. Least of all, someone who addressed him by name. Craig stood his ground, rifle raised against his shoulder and the sight level with his vision.

Morgan frowned for a moment before realisation and recognition showed in his eyes, seconds before he raised his gun, aiming at the ghostly appearance of the team.

The woman frowned slightly before turning toward them as Morgan grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her against him. Her assessing, narrowing eyes took in the six black-clad, weapon-wielding men coming toward them in a loose semi-circle. Suddenly she spun in an anti-clockwise turn from where she stood, kicking hard into the back of Morgan's knee.

Craig watched Morgan fall to one knee, the jolt sending his weapon skating to one side. The woman turned to run but was no match for Morgan's speed. Craig watched as Morgan reached for her lengthy hair, unravelling from the knot on the back of her head.

"Jon," Craig shouted, "get her out of the way."

Craig quickly moved to intercept his old enemy as Jonathan grabbed the frantic woman, lifting and spinning her out of the reaching grasp of the furious man. Moving her wriggling form out of the sphere of fighting.

Craig planted his feet in front of Morgan, landing a fist on the approaching solar flex and deflecting to the side as Morgan's fist punched air over his shoulder. A cry of rage ricocheted from the nearby walls as Morgan flew back, hitting the tarmac with a sickening thud. In an instant, he rolled to his feet, ready to meet whoever had interrupted his moment of reckoning.

"Craig," he sneered, making the name sound like an insult, "what are you doing here?"

"Stopping you from doing whatever you have in mind with this woman," Craig spoke quietly, "she is not your plaything Morgan."

"Oh no," Morgan sneered, "she is much more than that."

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"Not tonight," Craig said, watching every move Morgan made, "nor any other night."

"Who is going to stop me?" his chuckle sounding detached and inane, "you?"

"If I have to," Craig said, moving between the woman and Morgan.

"I have been looking forward to this moment," Morgan grinned as his dark eyes flashed weirdly in the lights on the back wall of the nightclub.

Jonathan gently placed the shaking woman on her feet near a row of cars, motioning for her to follow him and move out of the two men's path. She frowned at him, then at her bound hands before looking back at him. Jonathan felt that she was wondering what she was looking at.

"Simon," Jonathan muttered, "cut it off."

Turning his attention to the two titans in the middle of the parking lot. Instinct had him looking at the rooftops and surrounding areas. If she or whomever Mandy was, was the target, there could be more people ready to corral the asset. Craig had said protect her at all costs, and that is what he would do. He glanced over at Simon, who stared at him before shrugging, grasping her arm and moving her out of the way as Morgan slammed into Craig, taking the two men to the tarmac.

"Think he needs help?" Simon asked, flicking open the blade of his knife and slicing through the duct tape at her wrists.

"Not sure," Jarred frowned, scanning the area, "heard of this guy in the Madhouse. Apparently, he is a sadistic torture monger."

"What in all that is good is going on?" Alexis ground out, trying to move her hands but found them still bound with cable ties, "can someone get these off?"

"We're here to save you," Kelvin grinned, watching the fight on the floor, "why do I feel that this is just the beginning?"

"Who are you guys?" Alexis looked between the tall, heavily muscled men, "what do you do? Aren't you going to help him?"

"We're… enforcers," Trevet said, "incoming … rooftops, Jon. Simon, she's your responsibility."

Jonathan flicked his knife and cut the cable ties still binding her hands. Looking up, he realised Simon was reading her.

"Leave knowledge and memories, Simon," he muttered, stepping into the path of the almost imperceptible sound of flying bullets wincing as they hit his body armour. "We need to get her out of here."

"I'm not cowering somewhere while you fight my battles," she pulled away from them, "I need to check on Mandy."

"Where is she?" Simon asked quietly, pulling her into a crouch as the team secured the area.

"I left her in a friend's car," Alexis whispered, "we don't… have anywhere to stay right now."

The words were whispered, but to all the men, it may as well have been a gunshot. The information reached their sensitive hearing over the grunts of the men grappling on the tarmac. Jonathan knew if they heard it, Craig would have heard it, meaning Morgan would have heard it.

"Get her moving," he said to Kelvin and Simon, "If that chump tries to get to her, he has more than Craig to reckon with."

Kelvin pulled Alexis to her feet, following her through the cars away from the fighting. Jonathan slowly followed, keeping a distance from the trio but ensuring he was the last line of defence before Morgan could get near either of them.

Craig heard the whispered conversation between Jonathan, Simon, Kelvin and the woman called Alexis. Morgan tried to twist away from Craig and get to his feet. Craig grunted as he manipulated his grappling hold to get his feet underneath the attacking form of Morgan. Kicking as hard as he could, he watched Morgan launch through the air, hitting the ground near the chain link, fencing several meters away. Rolling to his feet, Craig motioned for a cease-fire, and a sudden deafening silence fell.

Turning toward the form of his enemy Craig waited. Morgan slowly rolled to his feet, glaring at Craig before running down the alleyway and disappearing into the night. The remaining team followed Craig as he moved toward the trio working their way through the cars.

"Where?" he asked Alexis quietly while glancing at the alleyway entrance.

"The next parking area," she whispered, staring at Craig fearfully as he finally caught up with them, "she's just a baby. Why do you want her?"

"We don't," Trevet said, moving in the direction indicated.

"I don't understand," Alexis glanced between the group of terrifying men, "he wanted my car and Mandy. Aren't you with him?"

"No," Craig grunted, "which car?"

Alexis pointed toward a cluster of cars, and they quickly ate up the distance. Craig looked down at the undecided woman, her head skimming the middle of his upper arm.

"Watch out for any surprises," Craig murmured to the group, "there is a reason he wants the child. Morgan is a sick enhancement and has no remorse for his actions."

"Who is he?" Alexis met Craig's gaze.

"We'll answer all your questions, but we must get you both to safety right now. Which car?" Craig scanned the area where the cluster of cars sat as she moved to a clapped-out old Nissan from about twenty years before. He watched as she opened the door to the back seat and pulled out a cocoon of blankets.

"Craig," Jarred moved toward them, glancing at Alexis with Mandy in her arms, "we need to go. Morgan is back with more fanatics and an arsenal."

"We can take them," Simon said quietly.

"We could," Craig said, "but we have an innocent to protect."

"What are we going to do?" Trevet took in the area looking for another exit point, "that is the only way in and out."

Craig closed his eyes, silently connecting with Valencia and Cara. Quickly he told of their problem and returned to the present, looking around for an open area.

"We have a solution incoming," Craig said, moving toward the open space, "we need to protect them until we get out of here."

"They are strategising on how to get Alexis and Mandy to divide from us," Kelvin said in the waiting silence, "they are not interested in her. Only the baby."

"Why do they want Mandy?" Alexis sobbed, "she's just a baby."

"Craig, do you think it's to do with who her father is?" Jarred asked.

"Could be," Craig sighed, "but we must get them away from here first."

"Oh boy," Kelvin grinned, "they have body armour and electro-charges on their gloves."

"That is not a good logistical standpoint," Jarred muttered, "we need to retreat."

"What is that?" Alexis pointed to the side of the advancing troop, where a square-like object was being pulled into the area.

"Craig …" Simon shuffled from one foot to the other, "that's an enhancement de-activator."

"Is that good?" Alexis asked into the uncomfortable silence.

"Not for us," Craig muttered, "it looks like they're setting up."

A sudden appearance of two people near the group brought a yelp from Alexis, clutching a squirming infant to her.

"Birgit, you need to pull the energy from that contraption," Valencia said, "hurry, Jasmine, we don't have much time."

"Everyone gather and grasp either each other or me," Jasmine said quickly, "oh … hello. Cute kid. Kelvin, she will need to hold the baby with both hands."

"I got it," Kelvin said, wrapping his arm around Alexis's waist, securing them against him while grasping Jasmine's utility belt. "Don't let go of Mandy."

"What are you doing?" Alexis asked, fear threading through her words.

Valencia touched the side of the whimpering baby's head, closed her eyes, and smiled before dropping her hand and nodding at Alexis, "She'll be okay now."

"We're getting you out of here," Jared said, "Val, Birgit, Jas, anytime soon."

"Okay with what?" Alexis said as Kelvin tightened his hold, pulling her back against his chest, and she, in turn, clutched her now docile baby.

"We're ready to go," Birgit said, "everyone ready."

The group huddled together, ensuring no one was left behind; the prompt commands of Morgan to his troop of scrambling fanatics wafted to them.

"Breathe in and hold it," Kelvin whispered in Alexis' ear, "and tuck Mandy's face against your neck."

"Now," Craig yelled as gunfire peppered the floor near them, "take a deep breath."

A collective breath was taken before they shimmered out of view, leaving nothing behind but empty tarmac.