Eian closed his eyes, already knowing his reply, the only logical reply really.

It was painfully obvious, yet he would have to take the risk, these people were dangerous.

"Can we hear our other options?" Eian heard his mother sigh with relief.

Mr.Bradley's smile lost some anticipation, though he nodded cordially he did take a while to scrutinize him from head.

"Before we continue, please fully consider our first proposal, the world will soon become a difficult place to live in and we have much to offer. Protection, supplies, contacts, or medicine you name it. Also to alleviate some fear, be aware not all jobs in our enterprises are unsafe. We have several businesses which will need eager workers, everything from manual labor to office jobs." Bradley took off his glasses and cleaning them slowly.

Everyone remained silent, their decision anonymous, to Eian it seemed unwise or even downright dumb to side with anyone who had a group of killers attacking them with guns.

Mister Bradley took this time to pull a folder out and place it in front of him, reading a few lines on a page with eyes of lightning.

Finally, after about a minute he closed the folder and looked at them, they were all uncomfortable with the silence and at his next words, Eian tensed.

"Alas' I suspected as much, the only other option is temporary con...employement, you will have to help out with a few things around here. This place will eventually be abandoned as we regroup so this way...we ensure all of you have to stay put until you cannot give our enemies information. Nothing overly complicated, but we ARE short-staffed and the Boss IS reluctant to send too many people out at this time." Mr.Bradley looked down at his folder.

Eian almost sighed but held it in, both options sounded terrible, hopefully, there were other options.

Mr.Bradley kept scrutinizing them, gauging their reactions, Eian shifted warily to some hidden trap.

Finally, he seemed to get the hint.

"I understand your reluctance, but we can't have unaffiliated people wandering about with what you know, also while we have vast supplies those will not last forever so every-mouth we feed must earn their keep. If any of you possess any useful skills or trades relating to these NEW phenomenal changes we can make use of your skills." Mr. Bradely rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"What sort of skills and trades?" Ed bumped into the conversation.

"....You may or may not know, but there are many new disciplines which a few select people have knowledge of. QI, Psyche, and Spirit are deep studies to which we have only touched the surface, each is a vast science. Knowledge is power, and in these coming dark days we will need that power if we are to thrive." Mr.Bradley opened his mouth to say more but seemed to re-evaluate it, as though they were too low-grade to know.

Eian closed his eyes thinking, he knew little save for what Ul taught him, Sarah would have likely been a prime candidate of which this cunning portly man was looking into.

Opening his eyes, Eian decided it truly did not matter, after all, he was definitely not about to hand over any sort of dangerous information to criminals.

"Err...I have my sisters to worry about..." Ed licked his lips nervously.

"Not a problem Edward, you're not unaffiliated so YOU, and you alone, are free to go." Mr. Bradley barked a short laugh at him, his bulk strained his chair.

Eian turned to look at Ed, both his mother and Martin were doing the same, if looks could kill he would be shish-kebab then Barbequed and finally fed to dogs.

Edward had the grace to look embarrassed, with a touch of fear and sympathy.

Fortunately for Edward, Mr.Bradley interrupted them before they could lynch Edward and probably tear him a new asshole.

"Moving on, you three will have to make a choice. I am open to any suggestions you may have to offer, however, please keep in mind WE need to be sure you will not become a liability to us. Also while you stay, you must earn your keep, unless you somehow manage to convince us to let you go. Once those two are met we can negotiate." Mr.Bradley leaned forward.

"How much time do we have to make a decision?" Elisa spoke for the first time and Martin voiced his agreement.

"We will give you a few hours, we will also tend to your injuries for free. I'm sure those of you injured do not want to risk an infection." Mr.Bradley eyed the three men with the hint of a smile.

Dismissed, they were led to a doctors office where a pair of medics, an older grandfatherly doctor wearing a fancy white lab-coat which matched his hair color and what looked like an untried nervous young Caucasian man.

The bullets logged in Eian's back, Edwards right leg along with a gaze Martin had on his right tricep was also treated, Martin's wounds were healed, the stitches removed.

The young assistant to the doctor turned out to be a life-spirit user, the doctor was not and the young healer applied whatever the doctor instructed, their injured were patched up in short order.

The whole time, Elisa admonished Eian for hiding his injury and lying to her, earning him an ear twist and a smack in the head.

*****

Eian was racking his brain for a solution, a way for this criminal group to believe they meant no harm and let them go...somehow.

He was coming up empty however, they were guided into a cramped little room, smaller even than Eian's previous living room, guards were stationed outside.

Edward scurried away back home like the rat he was, his apologies and reassurances of help were worth less than the air he spewed and fell on deaf ears.

Sleep evaded them despite the hour, he tossed and turned the whole night, he wished he could discuss their situation together but Elisa and Martin were deep in thought neither helpful.

For a brief moment, Eian thought he felt a slight shaking of the earth, it was eerily reminiscent but it vanished just as fast.

A meal was delivered and quickly devoured, looking upon his attributes Eian tried to remember anything useful.

Spirit was at three and rising, Body was at five and rising, while Mind was at four and blinking.

The fact that he could upgrade his attributes was a welcome surprise, in the dream he had only recently upgraded Body before his battle with the collector.

Smiling for the what felt the first time, Eian imagined he would be at full strength by tomorrow, hopefully, he could upgrade his spirit before anything eventful happened.

At some point, they tried to speak on their options but came out empty, after hours they surrendered to the inevitable.

Laying down on a couch, he decided a stressed mind would not help, sleep claimed him much later than expected.

Everyone else had bedded down on the couches and were fast asleep.

Feeling miserable, Eian was constantly bothering for more food from the guards whenever possible but he was denied each time, his stomach felt as though it was eating itself and his muscular body with thin an wiry.

His body did not have the same thickness as in the dream, almost emancipated despite the obvious solid steel coils of muscle under, Eian chalked it up to the lack of nourishment, hopefully, a few days of good eating would solve that.

Sometime after his fourth or fifth awakening from starvation, he again woke with a start, the first thing Eian noticed was the sizzling air and his cramping stomach.

It was scorching hot, so much the fan above was simply pressing burning air unto him.

Opening the door he noticed the guards outside the rooms had removed the outer jacket of their outfits, they were clearly still uncomfortably damp and sweating bullets.

"'Ey not time yet, we ain't giving ya more food." Guard grew surlier each time Eian woke, wearing no shades his eyes murky brown.

"Uhh. No, it's just hot and I need to shit too." Eian fanned himself and aired his shirt.

" Oh for fucks sake." The guard was clearly grumpy, given the heat Eian couldn't blame him.

A few hours passed in horrid torment, Eian wondered where the sudden heat came from but his thoughts were easily distracted.

In his opinion, early morning couldn't have come quicker, by then escaping the blasted heat was a welcome reprieve, depressing as it was he was incapable of thought.

Eian was feeling completely drained of energy, from constant knawing of his stomach and bathroom breaks, he wondered where his body was still processing when his belly was empty.

Finally, their captors led them right back to the office, which mercifully had air conditioning.

Upon entering they all heaved out a breath at the cooler room, even as Mr. Bradley urged the guards to close the door.

"Well?" Bradley's fat cheeks and thick neck were drenched despite the conditioner.

Eian closed his eyes, it wasn't like they were being given much choice and he wasn't about to risk his mother's life.

"You are not giving us a choice." Elisa asserted herself.

"Honest," Martin affirmed by nodding.

Eian looked at her, she was clearly dissatisfied, at that moment he realized the bags under her eyes.

Martin for his part looked a lot healthier, his scratches were gone and Eian's small worry about him turning into a zombie lessened...slightly.

Eian felt the world still as Mr.Bradely rubbed his brow, a frown decorating his face.

"I gave you as much time as I could, I'm sorry if it seems forced but please behave yourselves at your posts." Bradley's complexion was visibly distracted.

*******

Of ALL people to be put under Eian could not imagine someone worse than Jacob, apparently, the man was high up in security.

After devouring a quick breakfast Eian was reluctant to leave his mother at the cafeteria where she was to be given a job, but Elisa urged him to comply, they could not risk alterations just yet.

Martin was there with him, nervous as ever, Eian tried to just ignore the man, he barely knew him and the man was a whinny bitch.

They were being led into a storehouse slash warehouse, it was the other building away from the houses and Bradley's office.

"Alright kiddo. Time to earn your keep." Jacob's smile taunted his knuckles with a target.

"How?" Eian resigned himself, he had to find a way to get out and quick preferably by not endangering Elisa.

"I would prefer to start you on something easier, but we are short-handed. Deaths all over, our job to protect the surrounding areas from enemies until they shit themselves running or die, it's pretty hard without more men." Jacob shrugged and led Eian and Martin.

Arriving Martin and Eian were given no weapons, Jacob straight up told them they were not trusted enough to have guns, and if they found something lethal on them there would be trouble.

As the passed Eian noticed the storehouse was being worked thoroughly, unarmed men of all sizes and colors were moving supplies ranging from food to clothing in at the direction of taskmasters who were surrounded by a few bulky bodyguards.

He also noticed certain doors, which when opened, clearly led to downwards, meaning at least one entire floor was down there, guards were stationed at each of these.

The more he saw the more Eian dreaded escaping, he himself could escape easily but just in here there were at least a hundred men, taking into consideration the scope of the compound there could be anywhere from two to five times more, and his mother would die to any stray bullet.

"Easiest job ever, while everyone important is out working, you'll be their runners, like giving candy to a baby." Jacob pointed at a single guard on one door.

"Ya?" Martin looked at the guard confused.

"Joe, giving the kids here something to do. Radio's got too much static, so use 'em however." Jacob glared at Joe to prove a point before leaving them both with Joe.

Eian stepped beside Joe, wearing a simple blue security suit with 'SECURITY' in a vivid yellow splayed over.

"Joe is it?" Eian asked.

"For fuck's sake I'm Blake, Jake's just a dick. You, the taller one, go through the door and down the stairs. Report to the guy down there you're his radio replacement." After Martin left downstairs, Blake squinted with distaste at Eian before snorting and promptly ignoring him.

A slow crawl of an hour later Eian was thoroughly convinced this was the most boring job ever, watching idly as laborers moved up and down, wholly ignoring them.

He found it strange he was put here to just placed here and forgotten, but then again he had nothing more to do.

Blake wasn't chatty but being stuck together for so long people tend to make conversation.

"So, what are you guarding? Guns, drugs, money?" Eian doubted money would be valuable for the foreseeable future but stranger things have happened.

"Ah, you'll see." Blake shrugged off that question.

"How long's your shift usually take?" Eian was bored out of his mind already.

"Till lunch, we get eight-hour shifts, then we get replaced and back to it the next day." Blake sighed, he leaned against the wall for a while.

Chatting away Eian idled away the hours, occasionally he would have to report to Jacob whom was outside, the lack of anything resembling a fan made him soak his shirt.

His worry for his mother was a constant worry, these guys might try to do something to her, sexual harassment could only be the beginning.

Blake was surprisingly forthcoming on certain things, though he evades certain sensitive topics, any man would likely do the same after hours of boredom.

"Hey, Blake, my mom's here too. How do men treat women here?" Eian tested waters.

"Here how? " Blake turned to look at him confused and perhaps suspicious.

"Bradley just assigned us to work. Jacob brought me here and told me my mom would cook." Eian explained, he had actually said the cafeteria.

Blake turned to look at the door they were guarding.

"Well. She's probably in the caff, that's where the only cooking happens." Blake raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"IS she safe there?" Eian shook his head.

"Probably." Blake shrugged.

That only made him want to go check on her even more, but the 'how' was the problem.

"Does anything ever happen?" Eian complained, bored out of his mind.

"Yes," Blake responded deadpanned.

"Like what?" Eian stared at him oddly.

"...Attacks, this whole thing is just a small operation, a recent addition. The local gangs have tried to push us out several times." Blake explained, he stared at the ceiling.

"Push out..." Eian oddly remembered the gunshots of last night.

"Let me rephrase, put down. As into a grave." Blake gave him a knowing grim look.

'Knew it.' Eian sighed, he felt he was going to be shot at again in the near future.

Eian scrunched up his face in distaste, that meant his mother was in more immediate danger around here, any attack nearby could accidentally hit her.

Looking around Eian tried to see if he could find an excuse to go speak to her, warn her ahead of time.

Eian realized after a few tries Blake wouldn't be having any of it, however, once alerted it was impossible to invent a reason to get away without Eian incriminating himself.

He was stuck, and if an attack happened his mother would be defenseless.

Then a sudden spasm occurred Eian groaned, at first he thought it was his stomach but when power followed just above the belt, energy coalesced then pumped in rhythm through what felt like veins until it projected outwards through even fiber of his body before surging back in a tidal wave to its resting point.

Despite it taking much longer for some reason, his core had, for the first real time, finally formed, despite the grim situation Eian smiled.

The question as to why it had taken so long was for another day, his spirit and mind had fully powered up normally and were in top condition.

Eian wondered how long the last point in Body would take to settle in.

*****

Hours passed and it turned out attacks were more common than Eian had thought, and, as the first shot rang from outside the warehouse, Eian hoped the guards protected the perimeter enough for a breach not to occur.

Every working laborer ran towards them and was ushered into the guarded doors by Blake, the ceiling high shelves obscured the place, Eian couldn't tell if enemies were even inside.

If the door leading down had anything of value the attackers were probably after it, so Eian was on alert.

"Shit! What now?" Eian looked at the guard.

"NOW? Now we stay and make sure no one goes in there." Blake pointed at the door as the last nearby laborer rushed in.

"Whats down there?" Eian asked.

"People damn it! Here!" Blake cursed, pulling out a baton and handling it to Eian.

Eian stared at the baton, he glanced at Blake, briefly considering bludgeoning him to death but hesitated for many reasons.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?" Eian glanced around and stared at Blake, guns made him nervous he was not fully sure he could take bullets yet and not die.

"Fight obviously." Blake snorted.

With time, the shots slowed down, though a few were ringing from outside.

As the shots finally ceased, they waited until a young man ran up to them and gave them the all clear, the young man looked haggard and out of place here.

Eian wanted nothing more than to run towards the cafeteria, but Blake might actually shoot at him, abandoning his post and leaving a dead body would also incriminate Eian.

Slowly the laborers began to emerge, Eian grit his teeth and debated whether he could convince Blake to take him to see his mother.

"No." That was the answer he received.

Shortly after Blake confiscated the gun, a laborer called Blakes name, Eian turned and looked at him funny.

"What?" Blake glared at the laborer.

"Ezrael has something to say." The laborer spoke weirdly, Eian was getting creeper vibes from him.

"Bud? You high or something?" Blake watched the laborer funny.

"What? No." The laborer shook his head slowly in denial, almost robotically.

"Then get back to work. And stop talking funny." Blake pointed at the distance, the laborer hesitated shortly.

"He said your boss will want to know what he has to say." The weird guy responded.

"Get back to work." Blake was visibly bristling.

"I'm sure Bradley will want to know." The laborer flinched slightly, before scurrying away.

Eian saw the laborer freeze a short distance away, suddenly jolt as if woken, then he scanned his surroundings and walked away.

"Who's Ezrael?" Eian asked as he watched the guy wander away confused.

"Beats me," Blake answered bored.

"Don't you think you should report it then?" Eian hatched a quick plan to check on his mom.

"Not really. An idiot down there is probably just bullshitting us." The guard shot Eian an annoyed look.

Eian figured if he brought information to Bradley he could take a quick peek at his mother on the way, maybe even escape through the wall with no one the wiser.

"Doesn't hurt to check, and if anything I can deliver the news," Eian responded slowly.

"For fuck's sake." Blake turned to look at him with angry eyes.

Blake glared at him for some time.

"Fine, let us just check." Blake sighed, Eian suppressed an emerging smile silently praising the power of boredom.

Upon entering the door Eian glanced at the descending stairway, no decor and it was solid cement without tile.

There under was Martin and another no-name security guard, a brief discussion occurred between Blake and his co-guard.

Eian silently observed the hallway they now stood in, Martin and his work-buddy were guarding at the end of the stairs but ahead lay several door-ways.

The doors were sealed heavily and made of metal, which alerted Eian something or someone of value, or danger was inside each.

"What is this place?" Eian wondered aloud, nobody answered.

Blake got the direction and headed towards a door seemingly at random, Blake opened the hatch allowing him to view in.

Eian waited, Blake suddenly trembled which was worrying, he ignored Eian's questions before turning at observing him as though for the first time.

Watching he wondered if the guard had changed his mind, or if he was angry, Blake rubbed his jaw.

The light feathery tickle probed the back of Eian's head, he scratched it, the feeling remained and it felt weird.

"We should talk." Blake interrupted his thoughts.

"What? You want me to take the message to Bradley?" Eian hid his smile, he hoped so, though he couldn't fathom what information as had not spoken to anyone.

"No. I mean about escaping." Blakes words spooked Eian, they were almost robotic as though someone who was getting to know his own voice.

Filtering through scenarios Eian tried to gauge Blake's motive, was he trying to blame him for something or was it a test?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Eian narrowed his eyes at him

"You're here against your will. Your mother's in danger but you are confident enough to escape on your own, am I right? We can help each other." Blake listed his thoughts.

"Look, I don't know what game you are playing. You're part of the staff here and you expect me to seriously believe you want me to escape?" Eian snorted, pigs would sooner fly, though that might be possible with magic...nevermind.

Blake nodded, and remained silent, he appeared to be choosing his words carefully.

"I'm not part of the staff," Blake announced after some time.

"Bullshit." Eian crossed his arms.

Stepping to a side Blake gestured to the locked door.

"May we speak face to face? I'm Ezrael and I've been waiting for someone whom could help." Blake announced, weirding Eian out slightly.

******

Later in the night, as he lay on a single bed in a small isolated room, Eian debated the information he had just been presented, things did not look bright.

The question was if he could trust the information to be fully reliable, he had so little information on his new informant it made him skeptical at best to trust him.

Ezrael was his name, and the possibility of being locked in a room like his was terrifying, he would never get his mother out without violence trapped that way.

Time was ticking and his situation didn't look bright, Ezrael presented a solution, risky and prone to error, but a solution none the less.

What really had Eian grinding his teeth was Edward, finally he 'deemed' show his stupid face in front on Eian again.

While Eian was intending to bed down Ed came in without warning, surrounded on both sides by guards they retreated at his request.

Fidgeting, Ed was clearly anxious, which Eian found inappropriate, he should be shitting bricks preferably without lube.

"Hey. Ah, em. Dude I'm trying to get you released." Edward bit his lip and looked down at the floor.

"Why? I like it here." Eian's voice was sickly sweet, face filled with sarcasm.

"...Wha' ya want me say, E? ...I didn't WANT you to be here." Edward grit his teeth clearly defensive.

"Can you get my mom out at least?" Eian was almost sure he could escape if his mother was safe, all his plans were too risky with her in the picture, including the one he was picturing.

Edward rubbed his forehead, sweat trickling down his neck.

"I don't think so. Bradley's adamant you both have to be here for some more time. They're planning on eventually leaving his place to group up with the rest of their people. Bradley says he will let you go then." Edward explained.

"I DON'T! ...Ed, these people keep other people in cages! I don't trust these people to not hurt my mom or kill me while I sleep." Eian managed to calm his anger and lower his voice from an octave to a whisper.

"Shit E, we trying nigga. Russel's trying to think of something too, but short of storming the place we got nothin' much to go on." Ed chewed his fingernails.

"Russel's with you?" Eian frowned, he found it strange their old friend would even associate with Edward.

Edward smiled bitterly, self depreciatingly grunting.

"Yeah, he came to find you and when he heard what happened well... He's doing really good by the way. I mean really really good. My sisters and ol' man are safe too." Edward scratched his head.

"If...What if I break us out? Can you guys drive us away?" Eian grasped at straws, whispering.

"Wow wow wow, slow down there nigga. That's crazy talk, we'd have these guys breathing down our necks gunning at us the whole time." Ed did calming motions.

"We can get out of state, with the shit-storm going on they won't bother following." Eian pushed, it was his only other shot.

Edward's eyes grew wide, he got a thoughtful look in his eyes and he seemed to be fighting an inner dialogue.

"I...I'll try something dude, gimme' some time." Edward was sweating looking depressed.

Eian shot forward, eliciting a squeak from Edward as he grabbed him by the cuff.

"You owe me, man. You got me into this mess, I want my MOM out of this asap." Eian bottled up his anger and let him go.

Both guards entered as soon as Eian had let go, eyeing him intensely with their hands gripping weapons.

Edward left with a simple nod, he was clearly angered as well, well tough luck Eian was far more pissed at him.

This visit concluded one thing for Eian however, he wasn't getting any help any time soon, if he was going to get out he would have to do it himself.

He only hoped he wasn't making a horrible mistake.