It took me a while before I got out of bed. I couldn't find the will to move my body for over an hour as I clutched my pillow tightly, the tear stains are what finally get me to move and I throw the pillow in a huff of rage. Damn it, why that flashback at that time?

My therapist, one of the only ones to know my identity as a Sorceress, said that this was a part of PTSD. She said that in a lot of cases my past would haunt me. The choices I made, the battles I had been in, the suffering I had caused were all part of me, and I had to accept it or I could never get any better. But how is it possible to accept that the girl who I saw in my memories and the woman I am now are the same? Even better question, why would I want to accept those scars? The very things that make me cry when I wake up, potentially for the rest of my existence?!

Damn it Doll, you're behind these deep introspections, curse you and your tempting offer! Part of me wanted to march down there and just get it over and done with... But that other part of me? Well, part of me doubts that giving up my memories would solve the issue. Plus, if I wasn't around to save my friends, who would? The Engel United Front, those annoying Engels and the special police they assisted? They had red tape to worry about... Not to mention Lumina would find it odd that I was still alive yet she was unable to locate me.

Now that i thought bout it… why *was* i so in a hurry to accept the offer? As suspicious as it was, why was I already thinking as if i had already accepted it? Was I that eager to just, what, be another person entirely? I guess I was. A way out that I never thought was possible..I guess it made sense why I was chomping at the big.

I got dressed and, after a moment, retrieved the key Doll had given me... Just in case. I was already way late for class so I didn't have the luxury of breakfast, I sprinted the whole way there and even then I had to sneak into class quietly. Once that was done, I finally opened up my phone to see the going ons of the world.

I was all over the news, the biggest highlight of yesterday was the defeat and capture of known daemon conspirators. One of them, who had been converted by a Sorceress (me), admitted that they had intended to steal a large transport of gold and strike fear into the hearts of those nearby. However they were foiled by this young, sexy Sorceress and left with only shackles. This Discord lady sounded pretty cool, I said to myself with a giggle. Even I could be a bit of a dork sometimes.

I finished up my classes for the day. Selene still had more classes today, so I would be heading off to do God knows what for the rest of the day, probably think some more, about myself, and everything else. I was in the middle of contemplating this when I saw someone at the gates, someone I knew was waiting for me and me alone.

She leaned against the gate, keeping an eye on a wristwatch. Tanned skin caught the light, and short black hair, tipped with just a small amount of rebellious pink. A punk style jacket and jeans that seemed almost out of place. She wasn't in her Sorceress attire, but we had been friends even outside of our duties. "Callie? That you? What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," She says as she looks away from her watch to meet my gaze. Shade was always a bit ... rough around the edges, but it was something you quickly got used to. "Come on, we gotta talk. It's important." She said as she moved up, beckoning me to follow her. I had a feeling that I knew what it was going to be about, but I followed anyway.

"Last I heard, you were leading a group. Black ops, real hush kind of work." I started in my attempt to strike something up. Shade's ability was to melt into the darkness and rob enemies of sight. Shadow work suited her, to say the least.

"Just got back from Egypt actually. Group of Daemons tried using their magic to make a bunch of mummies come to life." She says. I almost didn't believe her, but daemons had been known to try some weird stuff. I still remembered the issue involving the anarchist and the oyster."They actually got some of them to move too. Not sure what they were going to actually do with a bunch of bandaged up corpses, but we got rid of them before they could."

"Sounds like a proper vacation then." I mused, but my tone quickly grew more stern. "Seriously though, what's this about? Lumina send you to try and recruit me back to the fight?"

Callie shrugged. "Nah, you being out is your choice. We all made our own decisions and if anyone tries to judge the group that saved the world, I'll punch the damn hypocrites myself. I didn't see anyone else fighting the Queen that day." She spits on the ground in annoyance and I couldn't help but smile. Some things never changed. "Nah, it's about the ass you kicked yesterday. Figured you should hear what that goon you turned had to say."

I admit I was intrigued. "News said something about them wanting to cause terror and rob a bank. What was hushed?"

"According to the guy? That was only part of their orders. He said the squad was given precise orders: at noon, attack that bank, expect Sorceress resistance. Survive as long as possible."

I froze. "Their orders were to survive ?" I asked just for confirmation. The implications about that were not good, and I felt a feeling of dread begin to grab my heart.

"His words exactly... he speculates someone was recording or watching the fight, and I intend to agree with that. If that's true, whoever set that up might have combat data on you. You might be targeted for something, Lexi."

That's exactly what I was dreading to hear. My immediate thought turned to Doll. She had admitted to watching my fight, had she set that up after all? Why, to make her offer seem more inviting? "Say Callie, what do you know about any Sorceress' in my area, aside from me?"

She took a moment to study me. "Just in case they were targeting someone else? Lumina didn't sense the presence of magic aside from them and you. They were definitely expecting a Sorceress and you were the only one around, unless they expected to just stall and wait for one to show. Seems unlikely though."

Now that was interesting, Lumina didn't sense Doll. Well, I supposed she could have used a camera or something, but something told me that wasn't it... Part of me already felt it, Doll could pass undetected by Engels. Why did I want to believe that so badly? "I guess you're right... I wonder what they want with a Sorceress anyway, why hire a group of people and send them to be captured? Sure if I didn't fight they could have robbed the bank and caused hell until then, but going in knowing I'd show just feels wrong. If they knew they would be captured then they had to have known we'd get them to talk, which means-"

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"Which means not only are they targeting a Sorceress, they wanted us to know ... Wanted you to know, Lexi. Now you know why I'm talking to you right now. I'm going to be here for the next few weeks or so."

I thought about all of that, sighing. I didn't know if Doll was trying to push me, if she was, I didn't appreciate it, but someone was trying to put a squeeze on me. I had my suspicions of who or what else it might be, but I would rather not explore that at this moment, not without giving out unfounded accusations. "Right, if something does happen I'll be glad to have a friend I count on."

Callie laughs and wraps an arm around me. " Hey, you're technically a civ now, so technically it's my job to protect you!" She grins as she squeezes my shoulder, I can't help but feel a little bit better at that, friends were the best when you needed to feel better. " I'll kick the butt of anyone who tries to fuck with a retired vet, you better believe it!"

"I'll be counting on you then. If I have to fight as a Sorceress, I'm going to get your pay docked." I teased, and Callie pretended to be shot by a stray bullet. After a little more joking around, we stopped at the station, and Shade bade me goodbye and take care, leaving me to my own devices. Probably wasn't the best idea.

I thought about what I should do... confront Doll?! She was my number one suspect in this and everything fit into place if you look at things from the angle of trying to pressure me. I pulled out the silver key and looked at it. I could feel it humming with magic still, though I couldn't tell what. Why didn't I just shout at Callie to come back, tell her what had happened, and we go kick her ass?

But I couldn't, I didn't want to. It was just my gut feeling, but I couldn't convince myself. Besides, I hadn't rejected the offer yet, and I still didn't know if I wanted to. Even with the suspicions against her, the offer was still sorely tempting. Hell, if she wants it that badly maybe I should just give it to her.

I blink, slapping my face. I was tense sure, but that was just a stupid idea. I wasn't going to let my powers be suppressed if it turned out a psychopath was trying to string me along. I didn't like playing puppet.

I decided to just return home at this point. I sorely wanted to drink, or do something out this late at night to ease my stress, but I knew how much danger I put myself in by doing stuff like that. I had also seen too many dramas where the heroine gets kidnapped after doing shit like that, and I was no stupid heroine.

Shutting my door, I spy something on my desk that definitely wasn't there before, a folder. I sigh, pulling out my cell phone to hire an alarm company. If people were just going to open my door I should at least be alerted to it. I pick up the folder, it's rather light. I open the contents.

Pictures. Pictures of me walking, dressing in the gym, fighting those creeps as Discord, of me using my powers on Selene. A picture through my window of me chatting with Doll last night. I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to think at first, or even to feel. Fear? There was certainly part of me that felt that, but after talking with Shade I had already braced myself with the idea that someone was targeting me, and I was afraid that they saw me with Selene, my best friend, and Doll… which could be used to blackmail me. No, instead I felt a rush of anger.

After I called and scheduled an appointment, I went into my closet and retrieved an old camera. Letting Sorceress powers rush through me, I jump out the window and onto a nearby rooftop. Taking the camera, I look through it and towards my room, comparing what I see with the photo taken of me and Doll. I would angle myself until I matched it to the best of my ability, and drew an X on the ground.

I look around the rooftop. This building had free access to the roof, so anyone could have come up here. It wasn't much to go on, but if someone was up here taking pictures, they may have left evidence. I channel magic through my eyes, allowing me to alter what I could see. A very handy little trick that could give me thermal vision, night sight, and could let me see from further away. Hopefully this would give me some sort of edge.

I was hoping for a footprint or a magical signature, but any tracks had already been covered or blown away. Heading down the rooftop stairs, I caught a glimpse of something by the door, red flashes of lights, a camera! Feeling a surge of hope I leap off the rooftop, landing by the front door, and walk inside.

I had never been in this building before but it seemed to be a set of offices. Walking over to the front desk, I demand to be shown the security footage. The man at the desk looks at me, half stunned he was speaking to a Sorceress, half shocked at the utter gall I had to march in here without a warrant.

But I didn't need a warrant. After listening to his protests for a solid minute, I grab his arm, and send shocks of my energy into his body. He froze up completely. "Thank you. Now then, repeat after me. You don't need a warrant. You’re welcome here and I will be as helpful to you to the best of my abilities."

Once he repeated those lines a few times, he smiled at me and showed me to the security room, letting me in. I immediately access the cameras, rewinding them to last night. Come on... I know it's a long shot but if they weren't a Sorceress they had to have used the door access. How many silent, undetectable magic wielding nutjobs could possibly be following me at once?

A hit, some guy in a suit used the door to the roof at a rough time I was meeting with Doll. I studied his face, nothing about him really screamed evil doer. Plain hair, plain face.... Ah, his eyes appeared to be somewhat out of focus. That was a look I knew, the guy who led me in here was now sporting that exact same look. Something had messed with this guy's senses. Still, it was something to go on. I had done enough for today, so I sent the data to my phone and headed back home.

I had evidence of magical activity. It was time to make a certain furball work for me.