A week has passed and Jennifer didn't contact them. No one else called them in that time, either. Even prank calls had died down.

As Tadeus went an his morning jog, he heard a loud thud, followed by a child's scream.

"Mommy! Mommy! Get up, please! Why?! Why did you do that?!"

He ran into an alley to search for the commotion. There was a black woman lying on the ground, motionless. A young boy was kneeling beside her, his sweatpants stained with blood that was slowly pouring out of the woman.

And behind them stood what looked like the dewvil

While Tadeus was not a religious person, he has been raised by Christian parents. The figure before him looked like those he was taught would torture him in hell should he misbehave.

The man had pale skin, his exposed shoulders covered in tattooed snakes. His left hand had three fingers, each ending with a needle-like protrusion. His head bore a pair of horns, curved like those of a ram. One of the horns had a bloody scrap of cloth stuck to it.

Despite his menacing appearance, he was just as horrified, if not more, than the little boy, standing motionless and staring at the scene.

Tadeus kneeled down in front of the woman. She was conscious, but only barely. He took of his shirt to block the gash in her stomach.

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"Call an ambulance!" Tadeus yelled at the horned man. No matter how bizzare the situation, this woman needed medical attention. Besides, Tadeus thought he already knew what caused this man's demonic appearance.

"I didn't- I didn't mean to-"

"Then call an ambulance! She's bleeding out!"

The man finally snapped out off his shock and took out his phone.

----------------------------------------

After the woman and her child were taken to the hospital, Tadeus decided he and the man should stay and discuss what happened.

"My wife and I, we were fighting again. She wanted me to start borrowing money because she needed to donate more to her new church. I said I didn't want to have anything to do with her new cult. And then she took out a knife. She never even hit me before but she grabbed my hand… I was too shocked to react and- my fingers… I ran out of the house. And she ran after me and kicked me down. I fell on my head, and those horns started growing… and my fingers turned into this… and I was so angry. She wasn't herself since she started going to those meetings. And I ran at her and she started bleeding and Tommy ran and he was screaming and… and… and you were there." The horned man that introduced himself as Cameron tried to explain.

This was a disaster. And not just because of the tragedy that was domestic abuse. Cameron was clearly a Cordian, and this incident would not be in favor of Tad's plan to integrate themselves as regular members of society. Now they would be seen as dangerous and violent. It didn't matter Cameron wasn't the aggressor.

"Okay. I get it, it wasn't your fault. The problem is you just joined a group of very unique people. We can help you settle in your new predicament."

"I have horns goddamnit! What are you talking about? They will put me in a vat and let scientists poke me with needles!"

"Well, then, you're lucky that I'm the one who found you. I'm one of the scientists."