"We have most of the data here," Valencia grinned at Jesse, "you shouldn't be arguing. I know I'm right."

"You may think you're right, but what about the theory that Bre shot the gun and didn't know she was doing it?"

"Not physically possible," Valencia said, turning to the computer, typing in another search, "I know Bre. She wouldn't blackout during a fight. Besides, Bre isn't ... programmed that way. I have seen what she can do. She is fast, but not that fast. Not fast enough to fire a gun until it's empty while continuing in hand to hand."

Silence met Valencia's reasoning. Sitting at the bank of high tech computers, keyboards and screens, she waited. Jesse was probably processing all she had said, but on the other hand, Jesse was one of the quickest guys she had met since being out of "The Madhouse". Looking up at the high ceiling of the tech room, Val inhaled and waited. Still no quick retort or flirty reply following her words. Valencia frowned. The air seemed to feel suddenly crisp and frosty, like a Winter's morning after a night of snow, plus she felt another presence in the room. Her frown deepened when she glanced at the automated glass doors, still closed, and no one had entered. The fine hairs on her arm rose as the air chilled further as a voice murmured in her mind making her shake her head. She preferred working with Jesse because she didn't hear thoughts from other people. She couldn't hear any of his thoughts, and she didn't have her developing telepathy ability working all the time. She was still trying to understand its workings; controlling it was a full-time requirement. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as the murmur came again ... I need energy ... I need to live.

"Jesse?" swivelling on the chair, she turned from the keyboard, freezing at the sight of the crouching, panting woman on the other side of the room. The owner of the presence and the voice murmuring in her mind. Valencia stood from her chair, preparing to address the woman but froze as Jesse's hand rose to shoulder height, silencing her. Ironically, Valencia took in the crouching figure, huddled on the stone floor inches from the far wall, the room's only open space. Three sides of the room displayed various forms of high tech equipment used to track, trace, and monitor the world influenced by the late Darcia and presently by her minions. It helped the Enhanced Protection Detail to assist those left in the fallout of what she started. The manipulation of the human gene pool.

Valencia could feel this woman across the room; her enhancements were high but not as high as Breanna's. Confusion seemed to roll off the heaving form like waves in the ocean. She was near exhaustion as the sagging head displayed wavy flaxen hair hanging from a middle parting down each side of the head, covering the face. Slowly the head rose. Valencia sensed the woman seeking. The oval-shaped face came into sight between the hair, revealing hazel brown eyes. She had a slightly parted, panting mouth and heaving chest as though she had run for a long time, her straight nose flaring with her heavy breathing.

They watched her gracefully curl up from the floor, long muscular legs extending from the hiking boots. Black jeans met a short-sleeved, loose-fitting burgundy T-shirt. Valencia watched the woman's eyes dart around the room before moving between Jesse and herself. A slight frown creased the top of the nose. The woman was a little on the heavy side, as though she used to be fit but become suddenly idle. The murmur in Valencia's mind came again but a little stronger; she felt as though another being was latching onto her in a death grip. Sinking slowly into her chair, Valencia frowned, blinking her eyes, gently rubbing them. Mist like vapour rose around the woman. Reminding Valencia of a Winter lake. She could feel the woman's rising panic. The sudden tightening in Valencia's mind made her gasp. Her mind and body felt invaded by the woman's chaotic thoughts and feelings and ravenous hunger for energy. Valencia felt rather than saw the mist race toward her. Filling her. Inundate her every pore. Sucking her oxygen from her lungs, her body convulsed where she sat.

"Alarm," Valencia gasped, her body sliding from the chair as she felt the floor meet her now limp body. She could hear everything happening around her, Jesse's exclamation, him calling her name but was unable to respond. Unable to explain what was happening. Her eyes closed, and the darkness rolled in. Slamming down on her. Locking her into this world that someone else controlled.

The last memory Valencia held on to was the blaring sound of the voice-activated alarm ringing throughout the compound and red flashing lights danced on the inside of her eyelids. The lab doors sealed, and the lockdown process of the central area began as Valencia lost the battle of control against the energy-sucking fog gliding through her mind and around her body.

Jesse watched in horror as opaque mist moved toward him, around him and then onward. He turned to see beautiful, gentle Valencia slide to the floor, convulse and lie motionless. The alarm blared while the lights flashed on and off throughout the space beyond the sealed doors.

Quickly moving to Valencia's side. Jesse knelt, feeling for a pulse. At first, he could feel nothing. Lifting his head, he paused; there… a flicker … just.

"What have you done to her?" Jesse shouted over the noise.

"Need … energy," a woman's voice panted on the other side of the mist, "need to recoup … my energy."

"Not with this woman," Jesse spat; he strode across the room, stopping in front of the misty haze, "not my woman."

Narrowing his vision, he located the flickering heat signature of the intruder in the middle of the unnatural billowing fog. Pushing his hand to the core, he grasped what felt like a throat tightening. He felt a jerk before her body crumpled to the floor. Following her down, he kept his grip around her throat.

"Who are you?" he ground out, holding his hand to the woman's throat, the mist withdrawing and slowly disappearing, "did Darcia or Maden send you?"

"Need … Breanna," the woman gasped, tugging the hand from around her throat; her movement slowed before blacking out, and the vapour disappeared altogether.

"Jesse," Breanna's voice rang over the noise as the doors opened, "let go."

Slowly he released his iron grip, rising to his feet. Turning slowly, he took in the crumpled form of Valencia. Pain sliced through his chest. A sense of loss and helplessness filled his body. He watched Cara, Hana, and Rose kneel around Valencia's still form, attending to her.

"She is frail," Rose said, resting her hand on Val's head, "but she will live. There seems to be someone else attached to her, but I cannot be sure."

Jesse swallowed hard, watching as they gently lifted Valencia's limp body onto a gurney and wheeled her away.

"Jesse," David moved across the room from the communications panel after silencing the sound of the alarm, speaking quietly but urgently, "Valencia will be okay. What happened?"

Nodding absently, Jesse inhaled deeply, fighting for calm before meeting David's understanding gaze.

"We were busy with intel gathering," he spoke mechanically, his voice sounding distant to his own ears, "I felt a … presence … here in the tech room. She … appeared."

"This person just materialised?" David asked.

"She was crouching, flexing in and out like a … like an orb," Jesse stared off into the distance; he could see it all happening clearly in his mind. "A mist came from her or appeared from her or … I don't know how to explain it. I didn't realise what was going on until Valencia called for the alarm ..." he breathed in deeply, "... just before she collapsed."

"Did you know what she was doing with Valencia?" Breanna asked quietly.

"No, not before she collapsed," Jesse inhaled painfully, fighting the anguish settling in his chest. "The intruder said she was searching for energy," Jesse shook his head, "something about needing to recoup."

Jesse watched Breanna kneel next to the unconscious woman, lifting and spreading limp fingers. Bowing his head, he fought for control of the rage, confusion and fear.

"Jesse," Breanna said quietly, "these are the same prints we took off my gun from the office."

"You sure?" Jesse asked, his head snapping up, "we can take the prints … if it matches," he nodded, "that would explain how your gun could have been shot while you were fighting. Why would this woman shoot your gun? Do you know her?"

"No, I have never seen her before," feeling the pulse point at the women's neck Breanna met the waiting gazes. "We have a regeneration unit in the infirmary. Let's move her there. We may be able to help her get the energy she needs."

"I'll take her," David said quietly, lifting the limp body into his arms, "Jesse, coming to see Valencia?"

Jesse glanced at Breanna, not knowing whether to go or stay, "Do you want to discuss anything further."

"No," Breanna shook her head, "go, find out how Val is. I'll get to the bottom of whatever this was."

Nodding, Jesse left the room, following David.