Looks like Muscles 1 and 2 came back for me. By the way they were chatting they were going to take me away to whatever hellish place they go to torture their victims. I could only hear 2 sets of footsteps, so it didn't look like they came with anyone else, and if it really was the same two guards then taking them out would be easy.

“They're coming to take you away, aren't they?” Sable said, her ruby eyes staring into me with uncertainty.

“Yes, but they won't take me.” I knew she wouldn't believe me, but there was one sure way of making her trust me, and that was to do what I said I would.

I turned my body away from her and towards the sound of the noise. I waited until I got a clear view of the two guards before I ported behind them and struck. I probably could have taken them out quickly, but I didn't. They've done too much to deserve such kindness.

I kicked out the legs of Muscles 1, grabbed his head with one hand and put all of my weight into his falling body. There was a delightful sound of gushing blood and bone when his face met concrete, and before his buddy could do something I ported directly on the space a few feet above that guy's head. I used gravity to my advantage as I fell knee first on Muscles 2. He landed harshly on the ground with a shout, his hands fighting uselessly to get me off of him. I punched him on the face once, and while he was dazed I pinned his arms to the ground with my legs. Once he was fully locked down I punched his face, using all the energy and force that I could muster up, I punched him again, and again, and again, and again.

I only stopped when my hands started to get sore, and by that time his face was a bloody mass of tissue; his features unrecognisable. I stared into the mess I created, stunned.

I hadn't realize how angry I was, and I knew that I should have felt... disgust, or guilt, or something for doing that to another human being; just anything but what I actually felt: pure, joyful contempt. But he deserved it. I wasn't in the wrong, that bastard deserved so much more for the things he's undoubtedly done to innocent people, so much worse. I wished that he was still alive so I could beat the shit out of him again for all he's done.

I whipped the blood off my hands with Muscle 2's shirt, and took the keys out of his belt. I calmly walked up to the cage where Sable was and unlocked the door. The look on her face was something, that's for sure. She was two parts surprised and one part overjoyed, and when the cage door finally opened wide she leaped at me, arms open. I didn't need to avoid her like I did last time. She wrapped her arms around my neck, she was close enough that I could smell the dark, metallic scent of her breath – delicious.

“How... how did you do that?” She asked, never letting go of me as she spoke.

“Well, I told you I would get us out of here, and I do keep my promises.”

“That's not what I meant! I mean, how did you just vanish and then... you were... just how?”

“Well... I'm not actually a v-” I said, stopping mid-sentence when I saw the look of concern and fear on Sable's face.

“Frank, watch out!” was all I heard before the loud sound of gunshot filled my ears and a sharp pain echoed up the side of my stomach. I staggered backwards and saw what got me.

Shit, it was Muscles 1, and even though he was bleeding profusely from his head he was still alive and kicking. It was also probably due to his head trauma that he missed the next couple of shots, and how I avoided a lethal hit in the first place.

I pushed the worried Sable off of me and ported directly in front of the bleeding guard, knocking the gun out of his hands. I put both hands on his neck and squeezed with all my might, ignoring his nails digging into my arms as he desperately tried to free himself. I held steady and squeezed, my muscles fuelled off the anger of being shot, of being helpless for all this time, and from all the suffering that he's ever caused. I could feel his pulse slow down with each passing second, and I waited until it grew weaker and weaker before finally coming to a stop. It was only then did I reluctantly let go, letting his useless body fall to the ground.

“Oh god, Frank, are you ok? You've... you've been shot. We have to stop the bleeding!” Sable said, ripping a piece of her shirt off and wrapping it around my waist, “You have to lie down, maybe we can get the bullet out...”

“That'll have to wait,” I said, tightening the makeshift bandage, “those gun shots probably alerted the entire compound. We gotta get everyone out of here, and fast. Can you get the keys from that guy and help me get these people out?”

“Yeah, ok, just... don't over exert yourself.”

I picked up the keys that I dropped and went on to unlock the next cage, and it wasn't until then that I noticed the looks on everyone's face. Where fear and hopelessness once filled their features, something akin to hope now stood, and I was the one responsible for it. It felt great seeing these people freed. Once the last of the doors opened I saw that several of the more injured prisoners were not getting out.

“Common guys, we're getting out of here, you're free now.” I said, dragging the elderly gentleman that I noticed earlier off the ground, “None of you guys are getting left behind, you got that?”

The old man just placed one hand on my shoulders and shook his head.

“Common, I'll carry you if I have to!” I said, confused.

“Frank...” I turned my head towards the voice, and saw tears filled in Sable's eyes.

“Oh, you can help them out as well!”

“Frank! Look at them, you know they can't make it any more!”

I looked at the people on the ground and a feeling of hopelessness washed over me. The people there were badly bruised and beaten. Beside the thin old man was a young lad with hollowed cheeks and four stumps where his limbs should be. Next to him was a girl that was missing an eye and had a huge red stain on the side of her dirty brown shirt. They were all on the edge of death, but even so they smiled at me. Why are they smiling? I didn't deserve it!

“I... I know they're too weak to get out, Sable, I know that!” I said between sobs, “But I cant... I cant just leave them behind. I can't do it Sable! These are people too! I'll get them out, you hear me?”

I nudged her aside and tried to put the old man on my back, only to collapse from the pain and effort. I got up again, panting with the effort, but the old guy just gave me a frown and a look of understanding. I could tell that he wanted me to leave him behind – leave all of the behind. I couldn't do that! I wouldn't be like those fucking people who would treat the injured and old like dirt. I wouldn't be like those humans that enslaved everything. I wouldn't be like these people.

“Frank,” Sable said, dragging me off the ground and hugging me, “just look at yourself. You know that they cant make it, and neither will the rest of us if you continue being this idiotic! I know what you're feeling, we all feel it, but you have to face reality. They're in no condition to move, and they're not blind to that either. Trust me, they're thankful what you've done, but they have their pride as well, so let them go doing something noble.”

I knew she was right. I wanted to save everyone here, to not repeat the same failures that I've done before, but the facts were there. I couldn't let my idiotic ideals cost the rest of the people their lives.

With one final look at the few that stayed behind, I lead the survivors out. When we left the room I realized that escaping might be harder than I first thought. Without knowing where we're going, there was no way anyone was going to get out alive, especially when I had no idea just how large the complex truly was – for all I knew it could be the size of SIDNA.

“Shit...” I muttered to myself before turning my attention to the dozen or so people following behind me, “Does anyone here know the way out of this damn place?”

For a second the band of dishevelled vampires just looked at each other, each one unsure but checking with their neighbours to see if anyone else knew the way out. I was about to curse some more when a little 11 or 12 year old boy came up to me, tugging at my shirt. I hadn't expected a child to be here... I didn't think that anyone would have been monstrous enough to put a kid in a place like this. I was disgusted.

“Hey, what's your name, kid?” I said, putting on a fake smile.

“It's... it's Thomas.” the little guy said nervously.

“It's nice to meet you, Thomas. Do you know the way out of here?”

“Yeah, I-I remember the way they brought me here. I th-think I can take you.”

“Great!” I said, as a real smile spread on my face, “Do you think you can lead the way?”

“But... but...” I could tell that Thomas was afraid, it must have taken everything he had just to speak up in the first place.

“Don't worry, everyone'll be right behind you, and I'll take care of any bad guys that comes along. I promise you that I wont let anyone hurt you again, ok? So do you think you can be the hero and take everyone out of here?”

Thomas nodded, pointed at a direction and started to walk, looking back every few steps to make sure that we were still there. I felt bad for putting such a big task on such a young guy, but I didn't have a choice, everyone's safety depended on a swift escape.

After maybe 10 minutes the path began to become wider and wider, and at the end of that final hallway was a large metal door. On the other side I could see dim moonlight, and even from here I could smell the sweet outdoors; we finally reached the exit! The excitement of the ex-prisoners was palpable, and they started to run towards the exit, some shouting with joy. I was glad that we were able to make it out without encountering any guards, it was almost too easy.

I froze as a cold realization struck me. Why were there no guards? It was impossible to ignore the gun shots, and it wasn't like the security here was light, so why did no one try to stop us? Shit!

“Guys, we gotta stop!” I shouted, “Stop, it's an ambush!”

No one heard me.

I tried to forcefully stop them, but even in their weakened state the vampires were much stronger than I was. I was powerless; I could only stand back and watch as the first wave of bullets struck the escapees.

* * *

A bullet passed through a young woman, piercing her skull and splattering her brains all over the cold, dark concrete.

It's my fault.

The screams of a middle aged man echoed through the compound, stopping only when he fell to the ground from the holes littering his body.

I couldn't save anyone, I let them all die.

Thomas was crying, but the sobbing stopped when a guard smashed the butt of his gun into the boy's head, and as the tiny body toppled over, a single bullet was shot, ending a life.

And there was Sable, panic stricken, trying to shield a fallen comrade from the heavy blows of a soldier, but her struggles were cut short when a man pulled the trigger and blood erupted from her side.

Why...? Why does this always happen to me? Why can't I do anything right? I fell to ground, legs spayed, staring into the carnage before me. It was just like the time I fucked everything up in High School, and lost all my friends because I thought I was doing the right thing. Just like in University where my ex broke up with me because I just couldn't keep myself from acting like a retard. And just when I thought I could just settle down in a little lab position, wasting my days away, I had to get this useless fucking ability! I just want things to stop!

Time stopped, just like it did back at SIDNA, but I just knew that I couldn't stop what was happening. I was going to be useless again.

I cried. I cried for all those that died needlessly here, for all those could have been saved if I was just thinking a bit harder. I cried for Thomas, for bring the hopes of everyone up just so they could die a useless death inches away from freedom. I cried for Sable, the one girl who believed in my abilities, but I've let her down as I did Kelley.

“You can save them still, Frank.” A familiar, female whisper said. Rose?

I turned around, and I saw the same beautiful face that I saw earlier. But she was not greeting me with a smile this time. Her face was etched in melancholy. I could feel what she felt, and she could likewise feel what I felt.

“Do you want to save them still?”

“I... I can't do it.” I said, “I'm hopeless, useless! Everything I do ends in failure.”

Rose glided towards me, and embraced me. I could feel her warmth and comfort, and her touch alone made my spirits rise. I grabbed her and cried.

“What can I do...?”

“You can do anything, Francis Morgan. I chose you to be my champion for a reason.” she said, her voice warm and motherly, “The potential is there, and I will always be by your side. Wish it and I can end your suffering, I can give you the strength to overthrow humanity's cruelty. All you have to do is choose. There are risks however...”

“Fuck the risks! I'm tired of always fucking things up. Do it... I don't care what happens to me after.” I said, knowing full well that the request could cost me everything, “Just do it.”

Rose smiled a dark smile, and with a cold hand she forced my head up and stared into my eyes. Her gaze was mesmerizing, and they told me things, unfathomable things. I felt a piece of me break then, and from its death something else start to grow. Something dark, something with purpose, something that will undoubtedly take over when the day comes. But I didn't care.

Rose was gone when I looked up again, but I knew that she was still with me, buried deep down in my own subconscious. I looked around and found that my mind was pristine, as if a thick veil was lifted from my head. I saw in crystalline clarity for the first time. I saw the subtle energies around everything, dancing like the wind, just waiting to be used, to be harnessed. I finally realized just how much I could do.

I heard another bang and knew that I had to get rid of those guns. It was that those guns that gave those disgusting monsters their power, their ego. They thought that they could rule over everything because they had the means, because they were bigger and stronger, yet they knew nothing. They were just school yard bullies, like those little shits that used to pick on me because I was pale and weak. I've always wanted to take my revenge, to make them understand even half the suffering they've caused. They needed to be taken them down a few notches, and I could do it.

With a wave of my hands I took away their guns. Haha, why didn't I think about this earlier? I wasn't confined to just teleporting myself, I could exert my power onto others as well! The weapons simply disappeared from their grasps, appearing before my feet. I picked one up and studied it, it was just another piece of plastic and metal, so fragile, yet dangerous. I squeezed my hands, wrapping the radiating energies around my arms, and saw the little toy contorted with my grip, twisting and turning before finally breaking apart. I tossed the lump of metal to the side and surveyed the monsters who dared harm my people. They were surprised, still trying to figure out what happened, but I didn't give them the time to think.

I ported in front of a group of guards, and raised my hands, pointing to the sky. The two guards closest to me vanished, I knew they would reappear and dropped off some two thousand meters above the ground from that spot. It was a pity that I was indoors and couldn't see them fall. One guard started to run away, a foolish decision. I looked around the corridor, saw a particularly heavy looking desk in a little room off to the side and dropped it on the fleeing guard.

By now the remain guards started to panic.

“You... you monster!” One of them said. They call me the monster? Was I the one who thoughtlessly slaughtered these people? That tortured young children for their own desires? Killed countless innocents just to get a pay check? Experimented on beings just because they were a little different?

I laughed.

I ported in front of them, and struck a solid blow into the gut of one guard. He flew back a dozen feet and crashed into the wall with a thud, leaving a messy smear of blood. I finished off the others, quickly and efficiently, leaving only one guard remaining. I wanted to take my time with them, but I had people to free.

“Tell your boss, whoever it is that you work with,” I spat, “that I will hunt him. I will shut this place down, and any like it. Tell him that his end wont be pretty, and I swear it on every god out there that this will be true! Now go.” And as laughably cliche as my little speech was, the guard only nodded before he bolted as far away from me as he cold.

I went to check on the conditions of the prisoners on the ground, it wasn't good. From the 13 that made it out of the cages there were only a handful alive now. There was still one person that I didn't check though, and my heart went into overdrive when I approached the figure. I feared the worst.

“Sable... I'm so sorry...” I said, bending down and feeling her pulse. I was hoping for deja vu now, and I would gladly be attacked if it meant that she was ok. I did feel a pulse, and it filled my body with relief, but the the pulse was light, and getting dimmer by the second. I picked her up, turned my attention to the door blocking the exit and with a flick of my fingers the heavy metal door disappeared, appearing a few feet away.

“Are you guys able to walk?” I said, addressing the other four.

“We're... we should be fine.” A deathly thin man responded, leaning heavily on to one of the other three.

I nodded and with Sable in hand, I left the compound.