Stonebridge .... Again???

[Argus Steele]

Jara made no effort to hide her distaste of the large building they passed while pulling into the near by parking lot. "Methinks Tohmaz had his reasons for pairing us up for this lil' juncture, no? The name of my home away from home was called Safehaven. Luv, I hated setting foot in the place, and made sure those bloody head shrinks had an equally miserable time as well. Let's play nice, get those documents signed, and do some serious shopping!" Pausing long enough to put her hair into a pony tail, Jara gave Eve a reassuring smile, as they left the car and murmured. "Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me. An' really bad eggs, *yo-ho!*"


By the look on her face, it was pretty obvious that Eve didn't really want to be there either. She felt a bit in the dark, having no idea what kind of situation she'd actually be walking into. Would this part be the same, or similar? Was Maxwell still the same arrogant, condescending man? Giving Jara a somewhat distracted smile, she nodded, but found herself having a hard time keeping from flexing her hands. Anxious habit. Taking a deep breath in an effort to steady herself, she'd then unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, waiting for Jara - and taking her time about moving toward the building. It was all deliberately done, keeping her posture elegantly straight, let her eyes empty a little - and keep from curling and uncurling her fingers. "Just a casual visit to my former doctor..." Murmured more to herself than the other woman, but followed with a nod. Yeah, that was all. So why was she having a hard time keeping that mindset?


Right before they entered the facility, Jara pulled out a pair of dark sunglasses and slipped them on. Pulling the double doors open long enough to let Eve pass her, Jara slipped both hands into the back pockets of her jeans. As the pair approached the front desk, one hand was freed long enough to flip open a small wallet containing an ID badge, Jara's eyes showing over the tops of her sunglasses. "We are here to see the mad doctor. Hers to be exact. Be a good lil' receptionist and click on all those bells and whistles to summon... " Giving Eve a side glance. "...What is his name anyhoo? Ah, Dr. Maxwell. Yes, him. Thank you oh-so-much." Pushing the glasses back over her eyes, she plucked several pamphlets from their holders, with little to no interest in actually reading them, but it kept something in her hands. Leaning over to Eve, Jara would whisper a few words of advice. "Luv, you better relax, or the mad doctor's already won the battle. Just do what I do: picture them all nekkid, with saggy man boobs, twigs and verra small berries."

"Mmm. Easy for you to say. This is only the first time you've lived this little scenario." Whispered back to Jara, with the arch of a brow. Stonebridge was almost an entity in her mind, a living breathing beast; Eve had always felt while there, someone was always looking over her shoulder - regardless of whether a spook seemed to be present or not. The places had a brooding atmosphere no matter where she was, it seemed.

There was a pause, in which she offered a shrug, then: "Besides, if I do that I might start laughing every time I see Doc and he really *might* lock me back in here, then." A glance around, taking note that much of the place looked the same...except for what might have been a few renovations, or a very *good* cleanup crew. It only enhanced the sterile, impersonal feeling of the place in her perspective. "Unless he's moved, I think I know where his office is. Feel free to call him and tell him to take his Excedrin." Throwing a slightly too-sweet grin at the receptionist, she gave a tip of her head to Jara to gesture her on their way. Eager to be done with this? You bet.


They would have a little time to wait for the good doctor, as he was still making his rounds. A low whistle escaped Jara, as she looked at the countless degrees that graced the good doctor's wall.

"Bloody hxll, the only thing missing is his diploma from Dr. Frankenstein's Academy. Least you got the top of the line head shrinker. Anything out of the O'?" Taking a seat. "I noticed you don't like looking at anything with a reflection, especially those of a mirrored variety. " Upon hearing a man's voice outside the door, Jara folded her arms across her chest, waiting for the good doctor to make his way inside. It took her about 10 seconds to make up her mind about him, before he had a chance to utter a single word. "Gonna save you a lot of time Dr. Maxwell-Decaf. Eve's here for some release forms that will get her foot inside a very elite program that deals with the paranormal. The fact that she is a former resident of this fine establishment will not be held against her, because her record outside of here is squeaky clean. And spare me your thoughts on the whole subject matter. I've heard it enough for my next several lives. God bloody willing. And please don't try to figure me out. Better men have tried. Is that all? Let me think... Yes, I think it is for now." And with that, Jara motioned to Dr. Maxwell. Eve would note that how serious Jara was looking and speaking that entire time, it was almost uncanny.


She'd winced inwardly as Jara had launched into saying all that, and had done very well not to tense up or turn away from looking at the diplomas on the walls...even if she didn't really see them. Eve was listening to the other woman's words, and resisting the impulse to smack herself in the forehead. Well, at least Steele had let her get Maxwell riled up herself last time...Jara cut right to the chase.

"Hi, Doc. Miss me much?" It amazed her how even her voice sounded; she felt the muscles in her shoulders drawn bowstring tight with tension, but at least she seemed to be faking it relatively well. Only now did she turn around to look at him. Moment of truth.

There were small differences; this Maxwell seemed to have more grey, and he wore the classic white coat instead of a suit jacket, but he looked...the same. His eyes were definitely the same. That same too-bright green that had always made her think of a vulture, for some odd reason. He was either speechless, or considering Jara's words very carefully; either way, Eve could already tell that he didn't care for the other woman much.

Not that she thought he liked her much, either. A long moment passed, in which he closed the door and proceeded to his desk. "You disappoint me, Eve. You've missed our last three appointments." He took a moment to sit down and get comfortable, giving a little groan. "The paranormal? Are you joking? Getting involved in that pseudo-science is *not* going to help Eve at all - in fact, it is a step *back.* I'm not going to sign any release."

She sighed, glanced briefly at Jara. "Oh, beautiful." Murmured, before speaking up. "Why don't you just *sign* it, Doc, and I'll be out of your hair for good."

...Yeah, like he was going to take *that* bait.


"Then you are in fact affecting her own personal growth, as well proving to be a contradiction to what you *were* trying to do with Eve here. That is if you were teaching and showing her how to be more ... Close minded when it comes to things of the paranormal nature? What better way to see if you have done your job; or is that the problem? It's not Eve you're doubting, but your own reputation." Pointing to all the degrees on the wall. "You teaching her how to get better, how to cope, or just your short sighted view on things? She's a tough cookie, with a sharp mind. Bet you take credit for that, huh?" Her arms were still folded across her chest, while the tone of her voice had a nice little bite to it. Jara had already drawn a line in the sand as it were, and she wasn't budging one inch. "What? You walk in here all high and mighty, knowing how Eve feels, knowing what buttons of hers to push to get that reaction you want. Call me Shania Twain because that don't impress me much. So she has not kept every bloody appointment Who would, seeing how much of a bloody butt nugget you're coming across as! Got so many stupid things on your wall, it's given you a bloody God complex!"


Apparently, all of that struck some chord with Maxwell. He leaned up from his chair, hands placed on the top of his desk, giving that stern-faced look to Jara that he'd given to Eve so many times. That was the look that had scared her as a little girl; no wonder, either. It made him look even more brooding, more vulture-like to her. "I have been trying to *help* Eve to put these delusions and fantasies behind her to become a productive member of socie-"

"Enough!" Eve raised her voice enough to cut off the fuss from both sides, even *if* Jara wasn't speaking at the moment. This...this was going to give her a very serious headache if it continued much longer. Eve had hoped to get in and out, to move onto shopping with Jara and getting the hell out of Stonebridge. "You know what, Doc? I've had it. You're just as much of an ass I as I remember - Maybe even more so. You don't believe in the paranormal, hmm? You want viable proof of something you can't explain? Fine. Explain this!" She didn't really even *think* about it, this time; just acted. Half-twisted toward the wall where all the diplomas hung, Eve outstretched one arm and gave a sweep up and over with it. Every diploma on the wall would go flying in an arch toward the ceiling, only to crash down across the room.

For a long moment, the only sound was the crinkle of breaking glass as some of the pieces fell to rest on the floor among the scattered remnants of the frames. Eve was a bit shocked at what she'd just done, but couldn't say she that she regretted it much. With a smile, she looked at Maxwell, who was too busy staring in shock, mouth gaping. "At least you know I don't have any issues expressing my anger, hmm?"


"Seems we need each other, Dr. Maxwell. The department I represent can help Eve to control...that, while you still do your thing here. Just think, you'll be the first to cross over. It's not about denial. It's about expanding your field, and getting another nifty degree to hang your hat on." Reaching into her jacket pocket, Jara tosses a card onto the desk. "Open invite to our facility. Take a look at it first hand before you want to pass judgment. And by the look of things? You can still play a role in helping Eve cope with...that."


"His 'thing?'" Eve glanced at Jara, raised that left brow. "Oh, his 'thing' is over with. Has been for a long time, really. I think he would have helped me a *lot* more if he'd tried a shred of *belief* rather than constant denial. Things exist beyond the scope of what they teach you in textbooks and journals and none of it can be cured with a pill. So get over it, and get over yourself." Oh..but she'd never thought she'd get a second chance to tell Dr. Maxwell off. It was kind of nice, in a way. "You have a choice, Doc. You can either take her up on the offer for an open invite - so long as you come with an open mind - or you can sign the papers and I will be on my merry little way, and you won't have to see me again. But...I'm not leaving until you sign." As if to prove the point, Eve dropped down into one of the chairs in front of his desk, making herself quite comfortable.

Maxwell was recovering himself by now, and a scowl had creased his brows. He was giving Eve *the look,* but she just looked mildly back at him - which seemed to annoy him still more. "*How* did you do it?"

"Ohh, Doc, you don't *always* have to ask 'how.' You can accept that some things are just done." Eve smiled at him coolly. "But if you must know, I've found that my problems no longer seemed to be limited to Seeing and Feeling. If you don't believe that I just destroyed all of those pretty little framed documents without actually touching them, then I can't help you. Maybe you should write yourself a prescription. In fact, I'd encourage it, just so you know how it feels." Her smile became sugar sweet for a moment, before fading off.

To his credit, Maxwell had picked the card up and was looking at it. He didn't like it - not a bit of it - but Jara had laid the bait. It would be groundbreaking, if he came up with something that no one else had, some kind of *proof*...Eve could almost see it rolling around in his head, the possibility of opening doors into an entirely different field of study.


To be honest? Jara never saw *that* coming, and she wasn't too sure how to handle it either - at least right then. The ball was in Eve's court, and all she could do was look at the doctor, back to Eve, then at the mess of fallen degrees, then back to the doctor, and back to Eve again. Jara would have to have a little chat with Tohmaz, sooner than later.


"Come on, Doc. I've been your patient long enough to see when you're really thinking about something and when you're not giving it the time of day. You really thinking about it. So I'll tell you what: Sign the paperwork, keep the card - I'll even put my cell number on there, too - and call when you want to see it. You'll form your own opinions, which I expect, but be willing for your idea of what is and what isn't to be shaken up." Eve had pulled the paperwork out of her pocket, where she'd had it folded, and was tapping it against the arm of the chair. "You don't want to go, it doesn't matter, but I won't be coming back to Stonebridge. You'll have to forgive me if I think I've had enough of this place to last a lifetime."

Jara had baited that trap with something better than Eve would have even thought of. Grudgingly, he held out his hand for the paperwork. Oh yeah, he wanted to be the first one to break into a new field, make his own observations, write his own papers and journals... "Don't forget to leave your number." Spoken as the papers were unfolded and given a look, and he even picked up a pen.

Eve could only smile sweetly. "Absolutely."


Jara would continue to hold her tongue, while watching this latest turn of events unfold from behind tinted lenses. Truth be known? Eve had stolen her thunder. She had many more comments primed and ready to catch the good doctor off guard...but this was Eve's show, and she took the bull by the horns. "We done here, folks?"


After he gave each page a cursory inspection and signed, Eve rose and picked up another pen from the desk. Leaning over long enough to write the number to her cell phone on the back, she collected the papers and gave each a look of her own. A glance at his signature or initials on each one. This followed a brief smile, tinted with knowing. Funny, they had a patient-doctor relationship with very little trust... "Yeah, I think we are." So she hoped. Stepping back around the chair, she flashed another smile and glanced toward the broken documents. "Sorry, Doc. I'm really not that destructive, but I had a point to get across. You'll understand, I'm sure." That seemed to be it, as far as goodbyes went. A nod to Jara, and Eve was leading the way out the door.


Jara would wait until they were well on their way, before giving Eve a look over the top of her sunglasses. "What in the bloody hxll was that all about? You know he could have called security on you for that stunt!? About peed my pants, too, when you did that!"


Right after the door closed, she had to stop in the hall, take a deep breath. Exhale. She couldn't even believe some of the things she'd said - and especially what she'd done... "It's not every day you get to tell off the psychiatrist that treated you like dirt for so many years, Jara. That was the second time I got to do it, and...well, I thought a demonstration was in order, I guess." A shrug on her part, and she started to walk, heading for the way out. "I'm familiar with the security here, and I can't say that I'm very afraid of them anymore." Just an afterthought. She'd had more than one run-in with them while she'd been a resident of the institution.


"No, let them go. We shall heed Dr. Maxwell's choice. Besides, I have all the raw footage I need. " Dr. Cromwell would smile to himself, while stroking his chin and murmuring, "It would seem that Eve Nora Lizt has a rather nasty streak inside her when pushed too far. I'm curious to see how deep that streak goes. Such actions like that would lead one down to the ....dark side." Dr. Cromwell would smile again, while watching the monitors that showed the two making their way to the parking lot. "Yes, I look forward to opening her Pandora's Box."

Jara on the other hand was actually quiet during their drive away from Stonebridge. If there was eye contact, it was hidden by the sunglasses.


Jara's general lack of small talk was one of the first things Eve noticed; she figured that it might not have been a good sign. Oh, she could only imagine how it would sound when she told Steele... and what he might say about it.

She didn't want to think about that too much.

The day seemed to have gotten quite long on her; Eve leaned her head back on the seat, just watching the world fly past in the windshield. Tired, but she did feel better now that she'd gotten to lay into Maxwell...

"Alright. So how bad was it from your point of view, really?" The quiet and her thoughts were becoming too much, it seemed.


"Eve ... I know you're under a lot of stress, from what you've said and what not. I'm still in your corner, and want you on the team. " She even took off the sunglasses when she said it to her, making full eye contact, and a small smile was given. "Dr. Maxwell-Decaf about had a cow in there. I don' think he's going to bully you around any more! Chalk one up for Eve! Lunch is on me!"


"Stress...I guess you could call it that. It's more just...frustrating, I guess. Nothing is really what it was before. Well..okay, Doc was as cantankerous as ever, so I suppose that didn't change too much." A shrug, and a glance at Jara. "Wish I could have gotten a picture of the look on his face." That was even accompanied by a grin. "Are you still going to drag me along shopping?" 'Drag' was used loosely; she was a willing participant, and even thought it kind of nice to do something relatively normal for a change.


"Mmhmm. You so need new gear, luv. Especially if you plan on turning your boyfriend's head more. " Of course Jara turned up the radio before Eve could answer.


Jara must have one hxll of a sound system in there to drown out the indignant shout of, "He's not my boyfriend!"


"Yet." Jara would take her to one of the more popular places, and would have the joy of playing her clothing consultant. Things would take a rather interesting turn when Jara had left her with enough clothes to try on for at least 45 minutes to an hour, while she did a little looking around herself.


The quip had only gotten an eyeroll and a long suffering sigh from Eve, and she'd given up on it. Between Jara and Evan now...Not to mention everyone at that coffee shop that knew she was staying with Steele. Joy. She'd taken enough teasing to last a lifetime.

Being left in a dressing room with a lot of clothes...reminded Eve of why she hated the entire process. Not only because she had to figure out what to pair with what and how to actually *wear* some items, but there was also the dressing room mirror. The three floor length panels, all angled with the intent of giving a view of the outfit from all angles...

"Mirrors. Why does it always have to be mirrors?" Murmured as she took a deep breath, dared to step in front of it. The stuff Jara had picked out wasn't *quite* her taste. The denim skirt was okay, even if she wasn't sure about the length; bit short for her taste. The short sleeved top was another matter, mostly because the scars on her inner arms were too easily visible.. "Giving me all this stuff and leaving wasn't the best idea..." Whispered to herself, and while she could see her own reflection and the outfit - not that bad, she'd have to admit - Eve caught herself mostly looking at the glass. Just...waiting. There weren't any chills yet, but that didn't always mean much.


[Maybe because she trying to show she trusts you. You almost fxcked it up back at Stonebridge, Eve.] Evan only *appeared* after she had fully changed into another outfit. He didn't look very happy. [Well, I guess that little display means your joining the Ghost Busters for real, huh? Guess there's nothing else to do save go with the flow until another shift happens. If one does, right?]

This time he was frowning at her choice of clothing. [Stick with the dark brooding stuff. We always made that look good. ]


"You know, maybe I did screw up. Wouldn't be the first time, but I sure as hxll didn't see you speaking up, Evan." A shake of her head. "Do you have any idea just *how* angry I've been at that man for so long? *Any* clue what he's put me through since I was nine? If he'd ever even *tried* to believe me, I might not have even done that. Those pieces of paper mean so much to him, and it's all about having his name known and his status. He's as bad as my parents." A turn, looking over her shoulder at the outfit from the back. "But I said what I wanted to say to him, and that's it. There's nothing more to it." A frown at herself in the mirror. "Besides, your girlfriend picked this outfit out."


[Yeah, for your boyfriend! 'This is why I'm hot, this is why I'm hot, this is why (this is why), this is why I'm hot!'] Mocking her with a small grin [I did some looking around Stonebridge. This reality is yours, but altered. Someone is giving you a second chance.]

Pacing back and forth, Evan continued. ['I'm hot cause I'm fly, you hate cause you not, this is why (this is why), this is why I'm hot!']


"He's not my boyfriend. I should just get a sign made or something..." A shake of her head and a sigh of annoyance, and she returned to the dressing room to try on something else. "Okay, so fill me in. How can you tell that it *is* my reality? Oh, and don't feel the need to disappear when your girlfriend does show back up. I think she thinks you're cute." Eve had to grin to herself as she pulled the curtain closed and went about the fun of getting into something else. "Even though I can't understand *why.*" Teasing, naturally.

[She's not my girlfriend. I should just get a sign made or something... ] His face would have a more serious expression when answering her next question. [Well, I was able to catch a look at your records; hard thing to do in my case. Your folk's place? Same address. ]

That would only be the start of a lot of things that were the *same* as Evan began running off various things, stopping when a clerk knocked on the changing room door to see if everything was alright; more so, who she was talking to? [Well, I stayed behind after you two left, and Steele was talking about you. He said that you were-]

And Evan was gone just like that. Another blink and Eve found herself still inside the changing room, but it was now in total ruins. Another blink, and she was back again. This didn't feel like any vision she had before, that *felt* so real. The stench of death, the acrid smoke. The dark clouds over head ..... The future of things to come? Then there was Evan, who was pale as a...ghost. [Eve...for a second, I...I... was solid. ]


Eve had lost a good deal of her color, too. She'd frozen, and was looking around herself, completely stunned. "Yeah...I..." She had to clear her throat to even talk; the acrid tang of the smoke had left it feeling dry, burned.. "I Saw that. I mean...not you, but what happened. Are you...sure you're dead?" Could he have warped back to his own body? But even if that was it, why had she Seen it to? It left her head spinning, and with even more questions that needed answers.

[Argus Steele]

Jara wasn't sure what happened while she had left Eve to pick out some new things, but *something* had. She'd give Eve her space - Until they reached the car and was on their way back. "I'm thinkin' the long way back will be best. You wanna talk about it?" Even Evan was acting strange; what could have happened to affect both Lizts on the same scale?

Evan had vanished just as Jara had returned. Seemed like he was avoiding her ever since Jara came clean about being able to see spirits.

Speaking of Jara, outside of Eve's display at Dr. Maxwell's she seemed on the up on up, save for the random boyfriend comments. "Eve, I know my limits on certain things, so if you need me to mind my own, just say the word. I'm a big girl and will respect your space without getting a 'tude, alright? We don't know each other that well, but I hoping it will change in time, once you join the elite club of PSI. Dun dun duuuuuuuuun! Which stands for Paranormal Supernatural Investigations. That's our unit's title. I liked the NWI, but Steele nixed the idea."


Eve had gone quiet and pretty solemn by the time Jara got back. After that little incident, she really hadn't been in the mood to try on clothes anymore...if that could be imagined. Eve hadn't really know exactly where Jara had gone, and while trying to puzzle it out with Evan, the easiest thing for her to do was keep busy - which meant that she'd kept on with what she'd been doing. The young woman had found a few things in the midst, though she was understandably distracted...but even when Jara *did* come back, she wasn't quite sure what to say...

There was a long moment of silence, in which she was looking out the window, considering. "I Saw something, while I was in the dressing room. Both Evan and I. I don't really understand it, Jara. It was like...everything was in ruins. Decimated. It freaked me out and Evan says that for a second, while it happened, he was even solid." A shrug, and she glanced at the other woman. "He says that this *is* my reality, but I don't really understand what that was all about."

She found herself blinking at Jara though as her mind caught onto a something the woman had said. "...I thought Paranormal and Supernatural essentially meant the same thing?"


"But in your reality I was a guy, Amber was a girl, and Steele was an Argus, right? Any chance that you had some sort of weird dream or vision and that *this* is your reality? I may be reaching, but there has to be some logic to fall back on...Right? As for Evan becoming solid, that's way out of my league. Maybe Steele knows more. I thought they were the same thing myself, but Steele said there is a difference. The truth is out there ..." And with that, Jara started whistling the X-Files theme. "We'll make heads or tails out of this stuff yet. I think the really weird stuff only happens to us girls, yanno?" Jara looked like she wanted to continue, but she just had a solemn look of her own.


"Steele put the same idea out. I just have my doubts about that. I mean, I know what visions Feel like, and this is just too...real. I mean, visions have always been pretty brief before; sometimes vague, sometimes not so much so. If *that* was a vision, then it was a pretty long, in-depth vision." A sigh, and she turned back to the window. It was an idea Eve really didn't like; it made her feel more like she was losing it than anything else.

"Still sounds redundant to me. I'd either stick with NWI or use something more like 'preternatural' in place of 'paranormal' and 'supernatural.' Bit of a mouthful, you know?"

Another moment of quiet, and she glanced to Jara again. "I think the stranger things do happen to us...or me, at least. I still feel like a lab rat."


"Then that'll be your new code name! Lab Rat!" It was Jara's small attempt to shatter the somber mood both seem to be in. " 'Paranormal Special Investigators?' " Spoken with a crinkle of the nose. "Now that you mention it, you do seem to be the primary constant in all of this, eh? But I'm not reading anything out of the ordinary with you either. But once we get you settled in, I'd like to go over all the differences you've gone through, okay? Maybe we can find something there. Be as it may, I do believe something out there is guiding you. Let's beat it to the punch!" Jara spoke with such conviction right then, letting Eve know that she believed her one hundred and one percent. "Besides, I'm already tagged as the slightly mentally unstable one, so you can't have that. " Another grin offered. "Sooo...What all did you get? Please tell me you got another color aside from black? Steele wears that like it's going out of style...Or would that be in style?"


A little shake of her head. "I think I like 'Elf' better than 'Lab Rat..." She did have to grin at that though, even crinkled the bridge of her nose up a little. "The funny thing is that a lot of things seemed to be working in my favor, this time around. Or maybe I just have some weird advantage from the d?j? vu." She could only shrug at that.

"I was thinking something more like "Preternatural Investigation Unit' or something." A shrug, and wave of her hand. "But I'm not very good at names, either."

A few seconds later, after half-turning to glance back at the bags. "And no, I didn't get all black. I don't wear much black; I'm more of cami-and-buttondown girl, really. I like a little color to my life."


"It sucks, huh? Not knowing what fate has in store for you? I..saw your wrists when you were changing. Got that bad, huh? Been there myself. I was the sole survivor of a boat that everyone aboard ... died on, somehow. Save for me. Tough thing for an eight year old kid to handle. I thought I was some sort of freak of nature. Seeing dead spirits on my 13th birthday didn't help matters any either." Nodding slowly to herself. "My choice? I swallowed a bunch of sleeping pills. I'm a wuss when it comes to pain. It hurts. "

Another small smile. "My bad, luv. I didn't mean to start ramblin' like that." A shrug of the shoulders. "You're the closest thing I have to a friend, outside of Steele, but he's well...A guy. And thinks like a guy. Acts like a guy. That make any sense to you?"


She'd been looking at Jara when she talked, delicate face almost expressionless...but her eyes were narrowed slightly, showing her to be listening intently. "Yeah, it got that bad. I was fourteen when I did that. I was just..pushed too hard, I guess. My parents didn't believe me, and were taking me to Maxwell and medicating me already and I tried to just...lie about it. To act normal, say I didn't See anymore. I think I'd gotten in my head that if I pretended hard enough, it would really happen. But it didn't." A shrug. "I did that one night after a dance recital. I wasn't even afraid, didn't really even wonder if it would hurt." She smiled a little. "Sticking with sleeves tends to make things easier; less to explain or make excuses for." Reaching up, she pulled the ponytail holder from her hair, shook the strands out. "I think it helps to ramble, sometimes. It's just not always easy to find someone willing to listen to it. But yeah, guy. That..sounds like it pretty well explains Steele." She had to grin at the simple explanation; that was really a long way away from explaining *him...*

"P.I.U.? Sounds like some kind of univer- " The next instant, Jara was grabbing her head. A soul rending scream came from
her, and the car went crashing through the guard rail, speeding down the steep hill.


It made Eve glad that she *was* wearing her seat belt. She didn't even think about it, though - once Jara let go of the wheel and grabbed at her head, Eve was lunging for the steering. Not that it made much difference once they hit that guard rail and were heading down the hill. A mad mental scramble ensued then, in which she tried to do something - slow the descent, stop it altogether, do *something* to keep them from getting killed.


Whatever was happening to Jara was bad, because blood started coming from her nose. At the rate she was going, her throat would be raw from the screams. Luckily she also had her seat belt on, and she began convulsing, her body looking more like one of those girls in the Ring or Grudge movies. Eve's gambit would pay off, as the combination of Jara's foot off the gas pedal, and her mental push, caused the car to swerve sideways to slow, then stop at the bottom of the hill.


Once the car seemed to be slowing, Eve was ripping the seat belt off and turning to the other girl. "Jara!" A near shout in the confines of the car, and she grabbed the other woman by the shoulders. What was happening to her? It made her think of seizure or convulsion, but what could have brought it on? She'd seemed fine before... Eve had the feeling that she was having a curve thrown her way, that some new kind of ugly was rearing its head...

There was a second of hesitation before she did something else - reached out for Jara mentally even as she tried to hold the woman still in the car, tentatively trying to find the cause.


Without warning Jara's eyes snapped wide open, filled with pure stark terror. She wildly looked all around her, before trying to push Eve away, to cover her own head, while rambling off the word 'no' continually. Only when Jara's hand grabbed Eve's wrist...

-Contact!-

It was so raw, so ugly, the feeling to throw up was just too strong. The stench was everywhere -t he stench of the dead. There were so many of them, crying out. Was it any wonder Jara was able to cope at all? The nightmare-like wraiths appeared to be all women, their souls unresting.


It reminded Eve of what she'd Seen before, in the dressing room. Her stomach twisted in a knot and her throat burned from nausea, but there wasn't much she could do about it; those were images that would forever be burned into her mind.. "Oh my God.." It even brought tears to her eyes again, and she found herself twisting her arm unconsciously, trying to break Jara's grasp.


The convulsions were getting worse and Jara's body began contorting into near impossible positions; one allowed her to release Eve. Her eyes had rolled into the back of her head, and the souls continued to swirl about them both before one in particular entered Jara, caused her body to turn a sickly pale color, with grey veins covering her from head to toe.


Not that it was much better before, but the change in Jara's color was even more alarming. Her eyes were still tearing and flowing freely down her cheeks and blurring her vision, but she was reaching for the other woman again - mentally and physically. Reaching for Jara's shoulders in an effort to pull her closer, but doing something else as well: Reaching for the *thing* that had gone into Jara, that seemed to be doing her so much damage, trying to break it loose, draw it out of the other woman. "Go AWAY!" It only dimly occurred to her that it was her own voice shouting the words. She was afraid for Jara, worried what all of this meant..but also angry. She almost Felt it in the air around her, an almost weighted Feeling that came with the effort of pushing the wraiths back, trying to guard against them.


"DON'T TOUCH ME!" The force of the scream itself would almost throw Eve from the car. "Why did they do nothing! We will have our vengeance!" The ground that the car rested under began to shake, and the surrounding earth began splitting in half, revealing decaying bodies. The wails of their souls filled the air, angry wails, and *Jara* stared at Eve. "Do not punish her. She does not understand. NO! She is under the sway of Them! No! Look at her eyes. They are the mirrors to her soul. She merely seeks to help her friend. " Each voice was different, and *Jara's* facial expression changed with each. "Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!" The new voices were drowning out the previous ones, and *Jara* began to slowly rise from the car. The souls swirled about her, faster and faster still, until a bright blinding flash filled the air and let loose with a loud clap of thunder. Jara would fall to the ground like a puppet with it's strings cut. Her skin color would become normal once again, the veins gone as well.

"Hey! HEY! YOU OKAY DOWN THERE?!" Their crash did not go unnoticed, as several drivers had pulled over to the side of the steep hill. However, it was too far down for them to see anything, and they feared the worst until that thundering noise.


Being tossed around in the car by what power had come along with Jara's scream had left Eve mildly dazed, threatened to black her out for the space of a heartbeat. A shake of her head, but the dizziness continued as the shouts grew in volume, and Eve found herself clambering in the car, reaching for Jara all over again. All the voices, the changes... Possession? The girl felt at a loss, unsure of what to *do* but afraid of what would happen to Jara...

Eve almost fell when it came to making it out of the car, but recovered with a stumble before dropping down beside the other woman. At least her color was better... "Jara?" She was checking her, looking for a pulse, breathing, any signs of life. The other shouts got her attention long enough for her to yell back, "We need help down here!"


"I heard someone! Get some help! We're coming down there, okay? Just stay put!" Easy for them to say, when they were not the ones surrounded by unearthed bodies. Lots of them. So many spirits, and Jara was a Reader. She seemed to be breathing normally, save for that goose-bumps sensation Eve would keep getting whenever she got *too* close. "Mary Mother of God! Tell me you brought your cell phone?" Two men had made their way down, and had only taken a step before they were stared at the sight before them. "Look at all of..." And that was when one of the two threw up what he had for lunch. Sirens could be heard in the distance as well. "You alright over there? What about her? She okay? We called for help...I'm going to try and get over there, okay? Don't move!"


At least she was breathing; much more than that, Eve couldn't really say. She didn't know what that sensation was, what it meant - except that it prickled on her instincts and kept her from getting *too* close. "Jara? Jara, come on, wake up, answer me..." The tension was clear in her voice. She wasn't paying the other people any attention except for the two words that sank into her thoughts: cell phone. Frantically, Eve fumbled in the pocket of her jeans, looking for her own cell. Hitting the speed dial for Steele's phone even as she tried to keep an eye on Jara. "Come on, come on..." Not that she had a clue what to really say, except for where they were..

[Argus Steele]

The second man was still throwing up, while the first tried to make his way through what looked like some scene right out of a sick horror-slasher movie.

The bodies were in different states of decay, not to mention that the stench of death was thick. The first male was several yards away when something else started moving about in the loose ground. Moving right towards him. Quickly.

Jara was still in some sort of coma-like state. Her eyes weren't fully open, as only the whites of them could be seen. Her skin was ice cold to the touch, and she felt like...dead weight.

"Oh-my-God!" That would be the first male's startled cry as a daemon hound was about five seconds away of having a free meal. This horror looked exactly like the bruiser Eve had seen with her glasses back at the coffee shop. That was the good news. The bad? Those buggers tend to run in packs. Three more were phasing through the ground, one near the second male, and two more near Eve and Jara. Her attempt to contact Steele resulted in only static. The supernatural mojo that was happening all around them was just too much.

Good-bye frying pan, hello fire.


She'd seen the bodies around them, but her mind and senses struggled with it. How was that possible? What had they done? Her heart was pounding, and in frustration Eve flipped the phone closed and threw it at the car. Not any use now...

It was about the time that her eyes latched onto the movements of the thing moving through the ground near the man. Then she was reaching for Jara again, trying to shake her. Hoping she'd wake up, but not banking on it. "Jara...Jara, come on, wake up..." There was a tense undercurrent to her voice. She gave up on trying to wake the other woman after that, and instead fell into trying to warn the man. "Run!" Throwing a hand out instinctively, Eve found herself just reacting - trying to use the force of will to stop the beast in its tracks, pin it to the ground to give the man a chance of escape.

The skin at the back of her neck was prickling, and she felt the cold line drawn down her spine. The young woman didn't even stop to wonder what it meant - there was more than one, and that made the situation look even worse. "Oh, God.." A soft exhalation, and she reached for Jara once more. Eve didn't think she could carry the other woman, but she couldn't just leave her, either. Maybe she could move her...in much the same way she'd torn the diplomas off Maxwell's wall - with less broken glass, of course. Get Jara away if she could then...what? Defend herself? Eve really didn't even know how but...it looked like she'd be learning on the fly. As usual.

They *Felt* far too close for comfort. A clench of her teeth and half-twist to try and get her bearings, spot them...and put a barrier between herself, Jara, and them. Maybe neither of them was going anywhere, for the time being...


Amazing how fear just locks up a persons body. That's what happened to the man closest to them: He was dead to rights, when suddenly the beast went head first into the ground. Unlike the bimbos in the movies, he turned and ran. Fast. The second man wasn't that lucky; the daemon pounced upon him before he could even react. Screams and sounds of tearing flesh and crunching bone could be heard, along with the first male repeatedly saying "Oh God" as he scrambled up the hill.

The two that were closing in on Eve and Jara struck the barrier full tilt before recoiling, and shaking it off. One began to swipe at the barrier with it's talons, each attack more vicious than the last. The second one continued to circle them, looking for any point of entry. The initial daemon had since recovered, turning its ugly head in the direction of the female that cost it it's meal. It had teeth that were at least seven inches long and too numerous to count, drool dripping continually from it's mouth. It ran toward them, then phased into the ground!

At that given moment, Jara's eyes snapped open and she grabbed Eve's wrist.

-Contact!-

The young woman suddenly felt every fiber of her being recharged, as the barrier was not only withstanding the assault, but becoming stronger.

"M-m-move ...on my mark. Have to m-m-make barrier into a sphere... K-keep them out ... .NOW!" She looked like death warmed over, but it was Jara. Wiping the blood from her face, she quickly took in the situation. Eve was still raw, and there was no telling how long that power boost would last. "K-keep it up for 36.9 seconds...ok-kay?"

The daemon that phased through the ground was repulsed by the sphere. The only problem was that the three began concentrating their efforts on different areas of the barrier, testing the limits of the young woman behind it with relentless attacks. Sensing she would tire soon...


The strangest thing about the attacks on the barrier, Eve realized, was that she could Feel them. It wasn't a pain - more like an intrusion in the back of her mind, something alien disturbing the flow of thought. The fear alone had a way of draining her, so Jara's boost had done much for steadying her. Eve was finding that she could be aware of the creatures without really having to *look* at them - it was a Feeling, some strange awareness of their whereabouts around her...especially once all of them were checking the barrier, trying to get through. Eve was sticking close to Jara, and extending the barrier into a sphere had almost stung, somehow; going *through* a material was a little more difficult, it seemed, but she wasn't wiped out - yet.

Eve was tense, to say the very least. One of her hands had curled around Jara's wrist, maybe a little more tightly than she'd intended, and she'd even try to help the other woman sit up if she was able. "Back off. Back off. Back off..." Whispered under her breath, eyes darting about to the three beasts. The tension became too much, and she found herself shouting, "Back OFF!" at the one right before her.

The barrier could be offensive as well as defensive, Eve found out then. It took more of an extension of will and focus, but it lashed out at the beast with a hot flash. It left Eve a tad stunned, but gave her a little hope, too.

The barrier hadn't flickered, but she wasn't sure how much more of that she could do; it had hurt. A lot.


When the fourth had finished its meal, it returned to join the others defeat this stubborn little flesh bag. Strike after strike, they pressed their attack, the outcome swinging to their favor.

"Pull your field around us as close as you can. And if you throw up on me, you're buying me new clothes!" Yeah, joke in the face of impending death; that was Jara Rico all the way.

"Three. Two. One." She had been softly counting down those 36 seconds, before curling up against Eve to assist her in shrinking down that barrier ....

Through the yelling and growling, a high pitch whine sliced through the air as one daemon suddenly burst into bits and goop. Then a second. One turned to see a figure perched on top of the hood of Jara's car, armed with a gun. A big gun. A very *big* gun. It was Steele! There would be no quips from him, as he simply locked, loaded, and fired. The one that had seen him escaped the blast, while the other found itself covering Eve and Jara with its insides.

"Son of a- " Was all Steele could mutter as the daemon phased again. It came up behind him, sliced into the power pack, caused the gun to lose power. Steele had just thrown the weapon aside when it exploded, knocking him off the top of the car, and out of the women's line of sight.

From that point on, through the smoke and haze, there were sounds of swearing, growling, then whining, then a loud sickening crack...Then nothing.


Drawing the barrier in took more focus, but she did it, pulling it close against herself and Jara; at one point, it was so close to both that it was almost a second skin.

Of course, Steele's arrival had thrown her a bit, but Eve couldn't say she was disappointed by it. Getting splattered with beasty guts wasn't high on the list of things she'd wanted to do that night, but it was better than being dinner.

Seeing him fall wasn't a good thing; the noises that came from behind the car didn't sound very good either. It was another moment when she didn't think, but only reacted. Eve darted up from beside Jara and ran for the car; the funny thing was that she left the barrier up, but *separated* for both to have their own protections...just in case. The young woman drew up a little short of the car, taking a moment to peer around it, half-afraid of what she might find there.


"Are you bloody daft?! Get back 'ere! Dehm rookie!" Jara had her own situation to deal with without having ultra-girl go running off like that.

As for Eve, she would see the daemon on top of Steele, and lots of blood. Neither were moving. The sirens were louder still, as groups of black garbed agents were running down the hill, armed to the teeth.

The daemon began to shift slightly, before falling off to one side, leaving one really pxssed off Tohmaz Steele drenched in goop. "He's alright!" Shouted by one agent. Another would check on Eve, while several others were having a little trouble with Jara, who didn't want any one around her. Them not listening to her didn't seem to be helping matters.

Steele had pulled himself up, then he saw Jara. "Get away from her! Now! Move-move-move! Code Red!"

Funny how those last two words sent agents running away from Jara like she was a bomb about to go off. Eve was tackled by Steele just as Jara ... well...exploded. The entire area was bathed in a white blinding light for a good 15 seconds before things became deathly quiet. Jara? She was face down on the ground and not moving.


She hadn't known what to think when she'd seen what was around the car, and had tensed up once more when the daemon began to move. When Tohmaz was getting up, she gave a tense little laugh and even tried to help him get up - after dropping the barrier around herself of course. She *thought* she'd let go of the one around Jara as well, but in a very short period of time, she wouldn't be so sure about that.

It was amazing how quickly confusion could happen - the next thing she knew, Steele was shouting, agents were running, and she'd found herself tackled to the ground. Eve had almost reacted until some vague understanding of what was going on had settled in - that it was Steele that had taken her down, and that something was happening to Jara...

As the light faded off and she was able to see more than some brilliant glare, Eve was twisting, trying to struggle back up to her feet. "Jara!" What in the hxll was happening now?


Two agents were already turning Jara over, handling her with great care. Steele grabbed Eve by the arm, shaking his head. "Let them do their job, frail. You okay?" Eve would see first hand what she was becoming a part of. There were countless agents within moments, some scanning the area, others collecting the remains of the daemons. More still were sifting through the ground, collecting the remains of what would eventually be well over 250 bodies.

"Steele, it's going to be tricky containing this one from the press."

He'd nod slowly. "Try telling that to that poor bugger's family. We have a small window here."

The agent would look up from his scanner. "We'll be gone inside the hour. Without a trace."

Steele would leave them to their jobs at hand, his focus now on Jara, who they were loading into a transport vehicle. Tohmaz looked over at Eve, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Jara will be okay. She has a limit on how many spirits she can take. Two-fifty, three hundred is pushing those limits. Frail had to set them free or..." His voice trailed off, before looking back up at Eve.

"Cover your nose and mouth, and unless you want to have the squirts for the next day or two, don't inhale until we get the all clear." Men in white containment suits were approaching the duo, stopping just short of them, spraying both with a yellowish solution that dried up the daemon remains within seconds, causing it to flake off into a fine powder. They would be scanned before given the all clear.

"Guess that's our cue to get out of here. Hey, make sure Jara's car gets taken care of, okay?" Steele looked and sounded very tired and drained as he led Eve back up the hill.

At the top there were countless fire trucks and other vehicles, offering the illusion that it was some sort of chemical spill - with one fatality.

Almost like in the 'Men In Black' movies, the other only witness would not recall what actually happened either; sometimes it was better that way. Steele would escort Eve to his SUV, and once inside he'd sit silently for a moment or two, collecting himself.

Eve found herself more frustrated than anything; unsure of herself, worried about Jara, and a nice dash of guilt thrown into the mix over the fatality. She hadn't reacted fast enough, simple as that. If she'd been faster, she could have saved him. It made her sick to her stomach, formed a tight knot in her chest, and enhanced the raw ache in her head.

To her credit, she behaved herself, even did as she was told and didn't say a word. Any other time, she might have found the entire thing somewhat fascinating, to see how the aftermath of such a thing was actually cleaned up. Somehow, it just didn't seem so interesting now...

Sitting in the SUV, Eve sat still for a moment, just staring at the dashboard as if it might offer her some clues, before giving her head a shake. Not a good for the ache, but it helped her try to shake some of the thoughts - even if just very briefly. "Are you okay?" He hadn't said anything since they'd left the scene; not that she could blame him. He looked as tired as she felt.


"Mmm. Sure. We get to go get cleaned up, enjoy the rest of the day, and see the head shrink in the morning. Protocol for something like this." He turn his head slightly, just looking at her. "First time it was ever this big, this bad. Scared the shxt out me, frail. Not gonna lie. Can't be losing the crew before we get our group name, yanno?" A small smile offered, as he brushed the hair from her face. "You did good out there, being raw."

Without warning, Tohmaz leaned over, kissing her softly on the lips. Then pulled away slowly, and put the SUV in drive.

"More shrinks. Joy." She sounded thrilled, didn't she? Her tone was deadpan, mostly because she couldn't muster the energy for sarcasm. "Join the club. I didn't have a clue what was going on, or what to do." She blew out a quiet sigh, her gaze flickering downward for a moment before raising again. She might have even said something else, but found herself rendered quiet speechless with that kiss. Eve just settled back into her seat, now given something else to puzzle over. At least this one seemed more pleasant than the other puzzles.