Drama Darker Tides ~ A Soap Opera

IC: Kareen Gillis
Parking lot, Riverview Police Station

Robert let it sink in.

"Shot her while I was sleeping."

Kareen?s mouth actually fell open. ?...God, Robert..." She couldn't believe what she?d just heard. She'd never known that Robert had once been engaged. "I had no idea...I'm sorry." She didn't even dare ask why, or when such a thing had happened.

"And I thought Patrick was a jerk..."

"Mark was jealous, to put it plain and simple. He had been on the police force twenty years, and he thought he deserved Kelly." Robert slammed his fist down. "Invited her out to eat. I took a nap. She went. I wake up to Amy screaming at me about her. It messed me up, Kareen. I know you hate hearing about my relationship problems. . .it's just. . .nothing ever seems to work anymore. When I met you though. . .It made things better. To have a friend. I mean Amy was my friend, but she was also my boss. And things were just. . .uncomfortable. Just talking about it made her cry."

"And see, you didn't even know about her. I told Amy not to talk about it. I was moving on. Mark's in jail somewhere far away from here. He's still winning though. If he couldn't have her, I couldn't either."

Kareen was shaking her head as they pulled into the station's parking lot--how could she not have known about this? She quickly wiped at her eyes, fighting off the tears--she couldn't go to the news conference looking like she'd been crying.

"No, Robert...He's not winning. He's sitting in a jail cell for probably the rest of his life--you aren't, and you are--slowly, perhaps, but surely--moving on with your life. Someday, I think you'll find someone else, someone you can settle down with, start a family with. And you know that he could never take anything else away from you."

"Who could I settle down with? I've already dated every woman in town. Made myself look like a damn fool, jumping from woman to woman." He looked dreamy eyed for a second. "The only reason I'm still here Kareen, is because of not wanting to disappoint Kelly. . .and you, Kareen. Thank you." He glanced at her one last time, as if he wanted to say something else. But he didn't.

He opened the car door and climbed out. "Good luck with the interview. I'll watch and cheer you on at home." He closed the door, leaving her to her thoughts.

Kareen just waved good-bye, before pulling over into a parking space for a few minutes, trying to sort out what Robert had just told her.

It's no wonder he promised Xander he'd find the killer--he's been through the same damn thing... What was wrong with people? Four and a half years as a cop wasn't a long time, she knew, but it was still long enough to know the horrible things people did to each other. And it still shocked her, every day.

She roughly shook her head again, finally backing out of the space and heading for the news conference. Time to get this over with... The weather was already getting bad, a point that reiterated itself as a harsh gust of wind rattled her patrol car--and her nerves in turn, and her public address wasn't going to do a lot of good if the storm got here before anyone heard it.

Riverview City Hall

Kareen took a deep breath to steady herself as she approached the podium, notes in hand. She hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt. Just don't screw this up...

"Good afternoon. As everyone is by now aware, our town is in the direct path of a very severe storm that is expected to arrive here at some point tomorrow. Schools have already closed in anticipation of this, as have a number of businesses. Hospitals and the fire department are also preparing, as is the police department.

"As many citizens have already noticed, police officers have already begun to set up roadblocks on some of the town?s back roads?this process will continue throughout the day, and we will be closing down Main Street after rush hour this evening. Once these roadblocks are in place, you will not be permitted to pass unless you have a legitimate need to d/>

The Funeral of Natalie Crane
Part One

With treacherous road conditions and the fear of a murderer on the loose, the funeral wasn?t as large as it could?ve been. Still, a fair amount of people turned up, including several news reporters. The wind was vicious, ripping at those who had chosen to come. The preacher hurried them inside, and they filled up the pews of the Riverview Catholic Church. Natasha came in after everyone had sat down, her walk slow and her steps sorrowful. She wore plain black, and yet it fit her body perfectly. In her hands was a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Tulips. Natalie?s favorite. Behind her came her loving husband, who had stopped to hold the door open for the beautiful figure of Katherine Casper. She also held a bouquet, but held the hand of her handsome young son also. Then Patrick came him. He saw Kareen, and he met her eyes. Finally, Robert rushed in. His face was flush from running. He looked around, then noticed Kareen. He shut the door behind himself, and made his way beside her.

Amy, wearing a light purple dress with a black flower in her hair and on her dress, smiled at him as he came in. Suddenly, a song filled the room. Everyone looked towards the front, where pictures of Natalie began to play.

?Natalie!? A wail louder than the music shrieked out from the front row. Natasha fell from the pew and onto the floor, sobbing into her hands. ?Natalie!? Lucas stooped down to her level, putting a hand on her back. The pictures ended with a final one, showing Natalie only weeks prior to the event. Katherine began to cry also, but Patrick didn?t comfort her. Instead he looked down at his hands. He was at a loss as to what to do.

As the music continued to fill the open room, the main doors opened. The screaming wind ran rampant, but everyone forgot about it. Because the pallbearers were coming inside, with the large chestnut casket in their hands. Cursive writing on the outside wrote her name and a prayer.

Suddenly, someone else stood up. She had been sitting on the far end of the pew, but now she was wailing. Susanna Crane, a carbon copy of the girl in the casket plus twenty years, put her face in her hands. Patrick hurried to her, wrapping an arm around her slender shoulders and holding her fragile body. The pallbearers continued their descent, laying the casket down gently at the front. They opened it.

Susanna bawled her eyes out. Amy felt herself begin to crack inside. Robert leaned over and handed her and Kareen tissues. Not a word passed between them, too afraid to disturb the ceremony. The preacher stepped up, fighting some tears of his own. He read a short eulogy written by Susanna, who couldn?t find it in herself to come up there. Everyone in the room prayed for her soul. Then, slowly, row by row, they were allowed to come and look at her body. Susanna came first. She kissed her daughter?s cheek, ignoring how cold it was. Patrick and Katherine, with Natasha and Lucas following, came along. Dakota was the next, along with his twin daughters. His estranged wife also attended. Then it went row by row. Finally it came to Kareen, Amy, and Robert?s row. They walked down there, to see her body.

?Natalie. . .? A cold shiver ran up Robert?s spine at her peaceful face. Someone had hidden the damages from her attack. He knew the coroner wanted to check her body one last time before the burial, and yet he thought it might be better to just go ahead and bury her. Let her rest. Amy rubbed her soft, bouncy hair, wiping away a tear before continuing on. It allowed Kareen a moment with Natalie.

TAG: Anne (All)

OOC: So, with the upcoming MOVE, we will have to move to temporary boards. I plan on having a little informal flashbacks, if anyone wants to. Just to keep us busy. And I would back all of it up, and then when we move to new boards, I'll PM your flashback to you and we could finish them if needed, or if finished, you could just incorporate them into yo/>/>/>

IC: Chris Nichols
St. Mary's University

Chris sat in the west campus parking lot for several minutes, staring at the collapsed roof of the recreation building as he tried to remind himself why he had wandered out into this mess in the first place. He had passed several roadblocks on the way here(passing through all of them illegally, of course), which should have been reason enough to stay home. But, no. Here he was and now he felt obligated to help whoever was trapped inside.

He shook his head with a scoff, pounding the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. Like he was going to be much help. What the hell was he going to do with them, anyway? Drag them free only to have them lie helplessly outside as they got pelted by the driving wind and rain? They had a better chance of surviving by staying exactly where they are until someone with more experience arrived.

Reaching for the cellphone hooked on his belt, he began to dial 9-1-1. It just started to ring and he heard the dispatcher answer on the other end when a hint of movement caught his attention out of his peripheral vision. Glancing up, Chris saw an ominous shadow swaying unnaturally in the reflection of the windshield before a sickening crack announced the destruction of a nearby tree - a casualty to the high winds. But the worst part was yet to come - it was heading right for him.

Dropping the phone in his haste to escape his doomed vehicle, Chris slammed open the door and practically tried to leap to safety. It wasn't a clean escape, however, as he got his foot caught on the high ledge at the bottom of the door, causing him to pitch forward and tumble face first into the ground. Now staggering forward on all fours, he was able to clear the space mere seconds before the tree finally came crashing down on the spot he had just vacated.

Chris sat on the ground for a long moment, breathing heavily as he stared at his wrecked jeep and contemplated just how close he had come to death. If he had hesitated for only a half second...

Not wanting to think of that fate, Chris inhaled deeply and rose shakily to his feet. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and allowed the rain to fall onto his face in an attempt to clear his mind. It was starting to come down more heavily by this point and it soon became apparently clear that it wasn't a wise idea to simply stay outside. He was now without a phone and the rain was starting to soak through his clothes, which left him with no choice.

Turning back toward the recreation building, Chris frowned at what remained of it(and partly at his bad luck) and slowly started to trudge forward through the mud with a slight limp. When he reached the door, he ducked inside carefully to not disturb any of the rubble and glanced around with a shiver. It was dark and fairly damp, no doubt a result of the gaping hole in the roof allowing the rain and wind to penetrate the space. It wasn't adequate protection for a storm like this, but it would do for now. At least they weren't getting the full brunt of it...and anything was better than sitting outside.

"Hello?" he called softly, his eyes darting back and forth among the rubble, trying to discern any signs of life. Things were still...very still and he was starting to doubt that anyone pulled through, but then he saw movement off to his right.

"Hold on, I'm coming!"

He stumbled forward, still minding his foot, as he approached the area and started to toss aside bits and pieces of debris in order to free the body. He just hoped it wasn't too late.

TAG: spycoder

Recreational Building



The moving figure, Christopher would soon recognize, was Agatha. Blood covered it, sticking in her hair and on her clothes.

As she stumbled towards him three steps before collapsing at his feet, he would notice a sharp piece of glass sticking out of her stomach. She groaned, a long, painful groan.

Opening her eyes just a little, she searched his face. Immediate recognition hit her.

?Chris. . .you came,? It was meant to be a smile, but looked a lot more a grimace. ?The girls. . .they were practicing damn softball. . .?Her voice was ragged. ?Some left. But. . .Ashley Parkins. . .and the twin girls. . .Rochelle and Rachael. . .are in there. . .?She gestured to the rubble behind herself. ?I?m. . .fine. . .save them. . .hurry.?

She laid her head down on the floor, trying to find some form of comfort.

Another high pitched wail came from the rubble. A hand, sticking out from under rocks, dug into the floor.

And time was running out. The wind had steadily gotten worse.


TAG: Han

IC: Chris Nichols
Recreation Building, St. Mary's University

The beaten and bloody form of Agatha Crumplebottom soon emerged from the wreckage. She seemed to be getting along just fine on her own until Chris noticed the rather large portion of glass that had embedded itself into her stomach. That certainly wasn't a good sign and Chris doubted she would make it very far without seeking medical attention soon. Still, he didn't want to alarm her and kept his expression calm as he hobbled over and took her arm to offer her some support.

?Chris...you came,? she rasped through something that resembled a smile, but Chris wasn't quite sure. ?The girls...they were practicing damn softball...some left. But...Ashley Parkins...and the twin girls...Rochelle and Rachael...are in there...? She gestured to the rubble behind herself. ?I?m...fine...save them...hurry.?

"Shh...don't talk," he advised her as he helped her to find a place to sit down. "Stay here and don't try to move too much." He glanced down at her stomach again and winced. Despite not wanting to worry her, something had to be said about that, especially since there was a real possibility that she could bleed out if it was removed. Taking a deep breath, he went right for it. "Now, I know this is going to sound crazy, but don't touch that glass. Leave it where it's at until a doctor can take a look. You're gonna be fine." Leaning in, he patted her on the shoulder and smiled before moving off in the direction of the trapped girls.

As he approached the second pile of wreckage, Chris quickly noticed a hand snaking out from beneath a cracked board, the fingers flexing and unflexing as someone groaned from within. Well, at least that was a good sign - someone was alive under there.

Chris lowered himself to his hands and knees and clenched the outstretched hand with his own as he leaned down to try and get a look underneath the board. "Can you hear me?" he called into the rubble, squinting in an attempt to get a better look. "Don't move, okay? I'm gonna lift this off and get you out of here. Is there anyone else in there with you?"

He couldn't really make out the answer as he rose up onto his haunches and released the girl's hand as he repositioned his hands under the board in order to lift it up. He took in several deep breaths to calm himself before using all of his strength to hoist the board up and out of the way. The strain was clearly evident on his face when the thing finally gave free and tumbled away into the darkness, freeing whoever was underneath.

Allowing himself to fall backward, he released a sigh of relief. Maybe he was in the wrong line of work - he should have been a paramedic or firefighter or something along those lines with all of these rescues. He really had to stop trying to be a hero...

TAG: spycoder

OOC: The combined flashback in this post is a continuation of the flashback introduced on page 13.

IC: Kareen Gillis

Four and a half years ago
Riverview

She looked up again when someone spoke to her, only to find that same man now standing by her table, asking to see a section of the paper. Caught off guard, it took Kareen a second before she nodded, gently pushing the requested section towards him. "Sure, go ahead," she replied. She hadn't paid any mind to the front pages anyway. She was here to enjoy herself, not to study the local business news.

As her eyes met his, she couldn't help thinking that he looked even better up close.
?Thank you.? He took the front page and looked over it. He could feel her eyes on him, and he didn?t get nervous. He was actually at ease around her. He skimmed the section, not focusing on the words, but more or less on her shapely figure. Young, beautiful, and kind. A perfect package for a lucky man. He sighed.

He couldn?t do this. His reputation. His father. His son. Katherine. Well, he could care less with what he did to Katherine. All she did was whine and gripe and-

Stop this. You?re the crazy one thinking this girl might even care a thing about you. Conceited. He nodded as he folded the pages and handed them back to her.

?Again, thank you.? He stood there for a second. He wanted to say something so badly. But he just nodded and smiled, letting his heavy feet carry himself away from her table.
?You?re welcome,? Kareen said politely as she watched him start away, feeling just a little put off. "Is that all?" she muttered aloud.

Her hand went to her mouth as soon as the words came out--she hadn't meant to actually say them. For all she knew, she was looking way too much into this, thinking he might actually be attracted to her--maybe he had been staring at her because she had something on her face. Or in her hair. Or maybe just because of her hair--maybe he thought having such red hair was freakish or something like that...

"Sorry, nevermind," she said, just in case he had actually heard her, as she began to hastily gather her things.

Patrick tried to hide his sheepish grin. Spunky, this girl was.

?Um. . .there was something else.?

Kareen tensed, not sure if she wanted to hear whatever else he had to say--she was embarrassed enough without getting chewed out for a brief lapse in self-control. But her curiosity won out, and she was careful to be polite as she spoke up. "Yes?"

?I. . .know a place. . .maybe a picnic tomorrow? Three o?clock? I?ll bring the food special from Ester, and you bring your pretty little self.? Patrick was surprised in himself. Courage he didn?t know he had.

?If you?ll still be in town then.? He added a smile to sweeten the deal. Katherine, he thought. **** her. She can get her own food.

Again blind-sided, Kareen looked up at him again, feeling her cheeks grow warm as a blush crept up her face. But she managed a smile, even a little laugh. "Are you...asking me out?"
Present day
Riverview Catholic Church

Kareen shook her head roughly, mentally scolding herself for letting Patrick affect her like that, for letting his presence trigger such thoughts. Dreams were one thing; those she had no control over. But to be consciously thinking about such things?and in church. At his niece?s funeral.

Fortunately, no one seemed to notice, as most everyone else was more interested in watching the family arriving. Robert sat down with her, and Amy soon joined them, one of the last to arrive before the service began. Xander was still in the hospital, and though Kareen partly felt that it was wrong that the funeral was taking place without him, another part of her was grateful that he wasn?t there.

The grief was thick within the room as the pallbearers carried in the casket. Natasha and Susanna both broke down, and Katherine and Amy were both crying as well. Kareen, who had never even met Natalie, found her vision blurred with tears.

After t/>/>/>

St. Mary's Academy


Rochelle Sparks lay on the ground. Her face was turned down, and yet her arm and hands twitched.

Beside her, still with legs trapped under wreckage, was her twin sister. Rachael Sparks lifted her head up to look at Chris. Her eyes showed some recognition, but she was too weak to lift her head long. She let it drop back onto the ground.

Ashley Parkins was also sitting there, though she appeared almost totally unharmed. She was visibly shaken and frightened. She looked from the barely moving bodies of her friends to Christopher?s face.

?Chris!? Agatha?s piercing scream hit. ?Oh my God! My stomach!? She screeched. The pain from her wound had finally struck her.

Ashley stood up, using some of the rubble to get balance. ?Mr. Nichols. . .I. . .I can help you if. . .if you need me.?

Riverview Catholic Church


Amy led Robert and Kareen out to the parking lot. The wind and rain had gotten worse, but still weren?t frightening bad. She told them that she couldn?t thank them enough for coming. Whenever they were actually able to bury her body, they would have refreshments.

?Amy,? Robert looked at her, about to ask something. ?Is anyone staying down at the station during the storm? In case of an emergency??

?I was planning on it. I really wanted to stay at the hospital with Xander, seeing as how bad this weather is going to get, but I couldn?t find anyone else able to stay.? Amy gripped her umbrella tightly as she shouted to him over the wind.

?I?ll stay there,? He smiled, though it was more like he was gritting his teeth because of the rain, ?Hold the fort down.? He looked back and forth between them, before nodding his head and heading back to his car. ?Have a nice night!?


TAG: Han, Anne
/>

IC: Chris Nichols
Recreation Building, St. Mary's University

Chris didn't have much time to fully assess the situation and determine the condition of each of the survivors before Agatha's scream pierced his ears. Wincing at the noise, Chris turned and glared at the older woman before realizing why she had screamed in the first place - she had only now discovered the wound and the piece of shrapnel embedded in her stomach. It might have been adrenaline that kept the pain away this long...if only it would've held out a little while longer until he could find some help.

"Don't move!" he shouted in her direction, holding out his hand towards her in warning. "Just...stay there. It'll be alright...don't try to think about it. We're gonna get you to a doctor and everything will be okay."

?Mr. Nichols," a weak voice said from behind him. "I...I can help you if...if you need me.?

Turning around to face the speaker, Chris was a bit surprised to see one of the three girls standing there with barely a scratch to be seen on her body. She must have found one hell of a hiding place. "Uh, yeah, sure," he stammered a bit, looking around the rubble for some kind of clue as to what to do next. "Stay with the girls and make sure they don't move around too much, okay?"

Dammit, what was her name? Did she say Ashley? Please say it was Ashley. "And Ashley...do you have a phone on you? We need to get help in here and I...uh, I had a bit of an accident outside and lost mine."

TAG: spycoder

Olivia Madders
Olivia's House

Olivia ate a tea cake, but spent her time, reading from a very large book, leather bound, and worn from much use. It's feel was warm and comforting to her. Rufus nuzzled Olivia?s arm, a soft growl of comfort coming out. She laughed softly, as she scratched behind his ear.

Many years, she and Rufus had done this. The storms always came. And they always rode them out. Together. Sometimes, they had company. Olivia remembered one year, when the storms came early. It was really bad. Knocked out power to most of the town. But her little light stayed lit. So did her home. Some, who lived closer to the water, came to her place. It was on higher ground. So she opened her door, and let some of the older folks stay the night. They call camped out in her living room and kitchen. It was nice. Most of them, werent around now. She sighed softly. Town was changing. Or maybe, it was just her that was not changing. Town seemed to be getting less friendly. Young ones, not taught the same way Olivia had been raised. Course, not just their fault. But she did try to lead by example. Some of the younger ones seemed to understand. Others...well, she knew they called her "Crazy Maddie." But they left her alone.

Most adults seemed to understand her. The locals at least. It was the outsider folks who brought so much mess into the town. Before, didnt matter about money. Folks worked hard. Made an honest living. Storms came, and people pulled together. Originally a fishing town, when a ship was lost, the entire town came together, to show in their sorrow, and to pull one another together. United. Nowdays....

Olivia shook her head, as she rubbed her eyes, and put down the book. Inside, some very old pictures. In others, loving drawings done by other members of her family, ages ago. Faces, facts, so much carefully documented. Olivia added to the list, carefully writing, and then gently blowing on the ink, until it was dry. Then she carefully put the book away, back into its special little box. Fireproof.

As Olivia sat back, looking at the flames, it reminded her of when her brother had taught her how to cook her first meal over a fire. She had learned early to be self-reliant. Or when her mother taught her how to use her 'gifts'.

It was so sad, really. People nowadays, always too much in a hurry. Too much in love with technology. They were more willing to put their trust into a few hunks of plastic, than to spend time, listening to real flesh and blood. Trusting in the veil. In the light. It gave her more time however for herself. Olivia had picked up several new hobbies. And poor Rufus, was usually her test subject, which he seemed to take well. She chuckled softly. "Well Rufus, we both might be a bit too old to chase after the rabbits, but there are still plenty of silly ducks around, for us to wrestle up, aint there?" Rufus gave a sleepy woof.

Lighthouse. Fishing village. Farms. Shipping. Boating. It was like the waves of the ocean. As each rebirth ebbed along with the times. Then came the two. And things stopped ebbing. It just turned plain nasty. If you were rich enough..you were fine. Everyone else was getting pinched. And NOT in a good way! It had disturbed the natural rhythm of the town. But Mama nature didnt let little things like that stand in her way. She and the ladies, would fix it. Always did. Course, that usually meant things were going to get a little rough, until she was done.

"Yep. Plenty of silly ducks."

Olivia got up from the couch, and walked about. Some things were still done the same. When storms came, Olivia walked. And she would walk now. Rufus sat snoring on the couch, which was fine. This was her time.



TAG: Spycoder9

Recreational Building


?My phone?? She searched through her pockets. She found something and jerked it out. It was her phone, except it was shattered into many pieces. She looked from it to Chris, wiping her tired eyes. ?I?ll check them for phones. Go see about Ms. Crumplebottom.? Ashley went back to caring for Rochelle and Rachael, asking them questions.

Agatha wasn?t doing as good as the other girls. Enormous amounts of blood coated her body. She continued to cough up blotches of it into her hand. Her immediate fear from her wound had slowly subsided. When she noticed Chris was over her again, she took his hand.

?I?m gonna die, aren?t I, Chris?? She looked into his eyes. Tears ran from her own. ?Don?t lie to me. You have to save those girls. They are your main priority. I have a lived exactly the kind of life I wanted to live. They still have there?s ahead of them.? Rain droplets hit her face. ?My dogs. . .my dogs. . .you have to take care of them. Peanut and Butter.? Just saying their names lit up her face. ?

Olivia Madders's Home


KNOCK KNOCK

The arrival of another person interrupted the peace. A young woman, holding the hand of her daughter.

The daughter, Olivia would recognize, was the same little girl who?s grandmother had spoke to Olivia at the grocery store.

They stood in the rain, hand in hand. The woman?s makeup ran down her face.

It was obvious they had no place to go.

Like boats in the darkness, the followed the light.

Right to Olivia Madders?s humble abode.


TAG: Han, Ktala/>

IC: Chris Nichols
Recreation Building, St. Mary's University

Luck was not on his side and things took a turn for the worst when Agatha called him back over to her side. Chris took note that she appeared much calmer now, most likely accepting her fate, but he wasn't about to let her give up that easily. Chris was not a quitter and he would try to keep her going for as long as he could.

?I?m gonna die, aren?t I, Chris?? she said weakly, looking up into his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to match her gaze and instead, focused on her wound. Her clothes were already soaked through with red crimson and that was with the piece of shrapnel still stuck in her body, plugging the continuous flow of blood. He didn't even want to imagine what it would be like if he removed it.

"You're not gonna die," he replied evenly, still refusing to look at her. Instead, he started to rip a strip of fabric from her dress so that he could use that to apply pressure to the wound.

?Don?t lie to me. You have to save those girls. They are your main priority. I have a lived exactly the kind of life I wanted to live. They still have there?s ahead of them.?

"This is gonna hurt," he said instead, ignoring her direct comment. "But I want you to try and relax..." Without waiting for her to reply, he took the piece of fabric and with both hands, pressed down hard on her wound.

Chris could feel her squirm under his touch and there was no doubt that she was in agonizing pain, but she was also strong. She fought through it and kept herself fairly calm and even reached the point where she could continue to speak. ?My dogs. . .my dogs. . .you have to take care of them. Peanut and Butter.?

Dogs? Chris inwardly winced at her request. It wasn't that he didn't like dogs, he just didn't want the extra burden and he certainly didn't have the time or the inclination to watch after two. They would be better off at the local animal rescue, but Chris did his best to keep up appearances. "Your dogs will be fine, don't worry. I'll make sure they get the best treatment." With one hand still pressed against the wound, he used the other to reach behind her head to help her lay back. "Now, rest...you'll be okay."

As he helped her down, Chris couldn't help but think that this dying woman may be his key to promotion. It was a terrible thought to have at a time like this, but it was also the truth. If Agatha died, she would need a successor and Chris was well aware of his status within the university and the praise Agatha had stowed upon him these past few years. If he could convince the administration to break away from the tight, religious regimen and expand, he may have a chance ...as long as his past didn't catch up with him.

TAG: spycoder

Olivia Madders
Olivia Madders's Home


*KNOCK KNOCK!*

Olivia turned from where she had been heading, and moved straight for her front door. 'Land sakes, who would be out there is this mess?' She wondered to herself, as she reached over to open the door. Rufus, had woken up, and padded over softly towards her.

When she opened the door, what a mess, met her eyes. A young woman, holding the hand of her daughter. She instantly recognized the little girl, as the granddaughter of her friend, Anne, she had just spoken to earlier.

They stood in the rain, hand in hand. The woman?s makeup ran down her face. Truly a sight.

Olivia's face lit up, as she moved out of the way. "Bless me, hurry up and get out of that nasty weather, and come in, before you catch your death of cold!" She gestured, as she moved out of the way. She smiled, as she saw them eye Rufus. "Dont worry about him. He aint gonna hurt you none." she told them gently as she looked behind them for a moment, as if looking for someone else, and then closed the door.

Olivia frowned a moment, and then turned once more, all smiles. "Go on, and stand near the fireplace and get warm, I'll go grab you a couple of blankets." Olivia stated, as she walked over to a standing closet that stood in the corner of the lower living room. She pulled out two large quilts, and walked back over to gently wrap one around the pair.

Olivia turned and looked at the pair, shivering, and very wet. Had they walked the entire way here? In this storm? Finally Olivia asked the young woman. "Child..I know you. Spoke with your Momma earlier. Why you not at her house? Aint nothing wrong, is it?" she asked curious. She was hoping that nothing bad had happened to Anne. She smiled, as she patted the little girls head.

"Go on..and have a sit. I can get you something warm to drink." She added gently. "Nobody to says that I 'aint the hospitable type." Olivia said with a grin. "I wouldn't even throw a wet dog in this mess." Olivia's eye held a small twinkle. "Well, MOST wet dogs...there are a few I'd give exception to." Olivia added with a smile.

Olivia hoped that after they warmed up, she would get a response. Poor things. Mamma Madders to the rescue.



TAG: Spycoder

Mordecai Casper
The Warehouse


Mordecai kept his cool. He simply stared at the coughinbg remains of the woman he had once married.

"I see."

More there was not to say. Sylvester. Natalie had an affair with . . . Mordecai smirked, as he realized he would have killed her for this. So probably better, if someone else had done it. Sylvester. For so many years they had avoided a final, lethal crash. but both had known one day one of them would slip. Right? One day one of them would stumble and step one step too far in their dancing of the thin red line they had performed for so many years. Now Mordecai saw, sylvester had not stumbled, but jumped into the wrong side of the playind with all of his heart.

Mordecai turned and waved his hand. "Out. All of you." He whispered, but it was the kind of whisper that better stayed a whisper. If he had to speak up, whoever opposed him would die down here. To make that clear he looked up and watched them leave. He watched them leave and then sighed. the coughing showed she was still alive. So far so good.

Looking around the old workshop nearby quickly revelaed what he had been lokking for. He walked over, taking out his gun, but lay it down on the desk nearby. Instead he found the instrument of choice. Old, rusty and without any elegance or dignity. "Oh Heather." He sighed. "Smart of you to keep that a secret. It certainly has extneded a lot of lives. Made your own a bit difficult, did it?" He wandered over to her. A gentle, almost fatherly smile appeared on his face as he took her chin nad made her look at him.

"Consider this our divorce." And he used all his strength to swing the hammer and crush it into her face. Yelling out he did not even wait for the result, but repeated the movement again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again . . .


When he left the cellar his arm felt exhausted. His suit was covered with blood. His smile thought showed the same gentle look he faked most of his life. "So, that was that." He said and smiled. "Cut her to pieces and feed her to the dogs." Mordecai said with a smile. Then he turned to his driver and lawyer. first speaking to his legal advisor he sighed. "I need a check if the child is Sylvesters. Yesterday or sooner. Understood?" He said. Then he raised his brow. "Did I speak Chinese or why are you still here?" He watched him go and then turned to his faithful driver. "Call Chicago and new york, damned call these guys in Tijhuana if you need to. I need contractors. A lot of them. four, maybe five. And I need someone to find out where Sylvester little breed lives, works and drinks. All of them. The children, the the wives, the daughters and sons. I will take his head, but only after I took everything else from him." Business was over, he made this personal. "But keep quiet about it. Nobody has to know. When I strike I don´t want him to have ever seen it coming." Mordecai sighed wiped his mouth clean of his ex-wifes blood. 2And get me my second suit out of the car. I will have a bath in the river."

And then he would have a bath in blood.

Tag: Spy

/>

OOC: Combined and Approved by spycoder9!

IC:Xander York

Xander tried to shake the cobwebs loose from the drugs that the nurse had given him the night before. ?Huh? Oh, Amelia. She?s an old friend of mine. We attended St. Charles University together and lost touch after graduation. When you said Cassie?s last name it just reminded me of her. That?s all.?

He was hiding is true motivations as best as he could. He didn?t think that it was any of this girl?s business why he was interested in Amelia, but perhaps he could use the old York charm to get her to do stuff for him.

?You know, I?ve always had a thing for a woman in uniform, especially a nurse?s uniform.? He flashed her a sly grin along with a slight raise of the eyebrows.

"You're still looped up on the meds." She rolled her eyes. As she turned away from the man, she remembered something. He had been the boyfriend of Natalie Crane. She knew about that Casper family. If she even returned the words, she could find herself in the same position as the Natalie girl. The thought sent chills down her back.

"Listen," She patted him, trying to hide her fear. "My shift is over. I'm going to go get your other nurse."

She backed out of the room slowly, her smile fading away. He was handsome. She shook her head. She had to fight it. He had just lost his girlfriend. She would be taking advantage of a wounded man.

Xander was losing her, he had pressed too hard, too fast. He needed to think quickly, ?I?m sorry, I didn?t mean to scare you off. Can we talk, please? I haven?t had many visitors and I just wanted to talk to someone.?

"Um. . .I guess." She closed the door and walked back in. "What do you want to talk about?" She hoped she could hide her fear.

Wow, he had not expected her to turn around and walk back in. What he thought she would have done was go and get Amelia for him since he could go see her. He did not want to come off as using her so instead he decided to roll with it. ?Well for starters, what is your name? You?ve been looking after me and I don?t even know what to call you.?

?Marissa. Marissa Cain.? She smiled a bit as she sat down in the chair beside of him. The tensed muscles from before had begun to loosen. ?Um. . . Natalie Crane. Did you know her funeral was today??

?No, I was not informed about it,? which was not a lie at all. Not one member of the Casper-Crane clan had said anything to him about funeral arrangements. Part of him took offense to it, while at the same time it did not surprise him at all. ?I kinda have been out of it for a little while,? he said pointing to his head. Xander was trying to get her to laugh and change the subject at the same time.

?Marissa? I?ve always liked that name,? which also was not a lie, he and Natalie had thought about naming one of their future daughters Marissa Jean. ?So are you from around here? Did you grow up in Riverview? Go to school here? What is the story of Marissa Cain?? He genuinely was curious about this attractive young female nurse who had been charged to his care.

"Well, I live with my parents. Loser, I know. But if you saw my parents' house, you would live there too." Marissa smiled. "I graduated high school, got married to some loser, got an abortion and a divorce, went to med school, and became a nurse. Five years of my life in a short little sentence. How about you, Xander York? I know only a smidge of you, and that is from rumors. Who are you really?"

That was an interesting question, ?I?ve never actually considered it before. I?ve lived in Riverview my whole life, except when I went to SCU. Captain of the high school football team, dated the head cheerleader, had a brief period of not being together in college, failed racecar driver, and now own a struggling auto repair shop. Not much different from the rumors, right? Well that is who I am just a dumb jock with halfway decent looks.? He honestly started feeling sorry for himself, but quickly shook himself out of it, ?So, Marissa Cain, what are your plans? Your hopes? Your dreams fo

IC: Naomi Nichols
Nichols home

"Oh, by the way," Chris said, "my sister called - she's coming over for Thanksgiving and she's bringing mom."

?That would be nice, I think,? said Naomi. ?There?s so much going on with my side of the family, it?ll be good to have some semblance of a normal holiday.? She went and hurriedly got cleaned up, relieved to be out of that pressure cooker. Chris had eyes that could melt your heart, but they could also pin you in place and make you feel like you hadn?t a secret in the world. On her way out the door she kissed him goodbye, something that she had always done, but something that now felt urgent, felt necessary. She was going to make this work out.

As she drove to the Casper labs, the wind grew worse. She barely noticed, so occupied was she with her own thoughts, until a particularly strong gust nearly knocked her off the road. She recovered at the last second, but was left staring over the edge of a cliff. Her father had arranged for the lab complex to be built away from the town on a remote stretch of the Maine coastline, for security reasons. Once he had made it, he had worked hard to make sure that no one could take it away from him. Naomi had always approved of this attitude, and had resented the interloping Sylvesters for trying to take Riverview from them. Now though, she began to wonder if her father wasn?t going too far, as different rumors had him responsible for Natalie?s death and her mother?s disappearance. Who knew what he was capable of, if he was willing to invade her home to take a boy away from his grandmother.

She backed the car away from the precipice, and then continued the drive, making sure to pay attention and keep both hands on the wheel, this time. She arrived at her destination without further incident. Thankfully, the storm hadn?t damaged the building, or the precious research contained within. Mordecai had spared no expense in protecting his investment.

She swiped her ID card at the security checkpoint, then turned down the hall toward the Water Purification section, where her project was located. She passed a couple of offices: Dr. John Travers and Dr. Naomi Nichols, their labels read. John was her co-lead on the project, and he was a brilliant physicist. A bit aloof, though. He?d been one of the only scientists in the company who had turned down the invitation to the work party the other day. A big waste of time, he always said. Well, he was right this time. Seriously, Dan Johnson? What the hell was I thinking? Naomi kind of resented the sense that John was looking down his nose at her whenever she exhibited any sort of fun-loving tendencies, but for the most part they got along, as they shared the same vision: to push the lifespan of humanity to its limits, and beyond.


To be continued

OOC: Others comes hopefully tonight. . .maybe tomorrow though.

Recreational Building



?Yes. . .yes, St. Mary?s Academy, the recreation building!?

Ashley was on the phone, screaming over the howling wind.

?Three people are hurt! There are five of us here!?

The wind began to shriek then.

?You?re. . .you?re breaking up! Hello! Hello?? Ashley looked down at the phone.

As all of this happened, Chris would notice it. The power line pole, standing a mile behind the school, was creaking. Swaying in the wind. The school had requested multiple times that it be replaced, but it had been shoved to the back of the budget requirements.

Swirling clouds.

High winds.

Heavy, drenching rain.

?OHMIGOD, OHMIGOD, OHMIGOD!? Ashley voice was somehow heard over the wind. She saw it first.

The tornado building in the far distance.

?Agatha?s car!? Ashley cried, pointing to small Chevrolet in the parking lot. White, it had been hard to see in the storm. ?We have to use it!? She looked from Chris to the others.


TAG: Han/>

OOC: Oh man! Way to lay on me one of my worst fears! I'm absolutely fascinated by everything about tornadoes, but ugh...I would never want to experience one. This should be interesting!


IC: Chris Nichols
Recreation Building, St. Mary's University

Chris was only half aware of the conversation between Ashley and the emergency dispatchers as he tried to keep Agatha comfortable. Unfortunately, it was a losing battle. She was becoming weaker and weaker as time wore on and it got to the point where Chris could feel her life starting to ebb away under his touch as he continued to apply pressure to the wound. It was only a matter of time before--

A rather angry sounding howl made everyone freeze in place. Even the phone went silent as the noise escalated and started to push against the walls, causing them to creak. It was a phenomenon that was rarely seen in this part of the country, but Chris was fairly certain he knew what was about to happen. The frantic screams coming from Ashley now confirmed his suspicions - a tornado.

Leaving Agatha for the time being, Chris slowly rose to his feet and stepped forward to get a better view of the hole in the roof. Even through the driving rain, he could see the greenish hue to the sky and the clouds above them rotating lazily. They didn't have much time and even then, it was anyone's guess as to where it would touch down...if at all. A rotating thunderstorm was not something to mess around with and they needed to find shelter.

?Agatha?s car!? Ashley shouted suddenly as she pointed to the parking lot in the distance. ?We have to use it!?

Chris' jaw dropped at how ridiculous that sounded. "Are you crazy?!" he sputtered, stepping away from the opening and darting his gaze around the room to find something more adequate. "The last thing you want to do is jump in a car and try to outrun it! Depending on how big it is, that thing could have enough strength to pick us up and throw us over into the next county! We'll be safer staying put!"

He started to move off into an area of the building that had been relatively untouched before stopping himself with a wince. He realized he had come off much harsher than he had wanted and he slowly turned back around to face Ashley, his expression softening a bit. "Besides that, they need to be lifted out of here," he said in a much calmer tone, gesturing to Agatha and the others. "I can't possibly get everyone out in time by myself."

TAG: spycoder/>

Olivia Madders's House


?Th-thank you mam,? the young woman smiled at Olivia as she shivered. She held her daughter in her lap. ?And you m-met my mom??

She looked out the window for a second. The reflection of the rain on her face made it look like she was crying.

?She kicked us out.? She turned back to Olivia. ?Told me that she just couldn?t handle anymore of it. So. . .we packed up and left. Started walking.? She sighed. ?She tried to stop me. But I couldn?t handle her yelling anymore.?

?We noticed the lantern, and I remember you when I was a little girl.? The young woman looked as if she thought of something else, but decided to not say it. ?You?re move around so well for being. . .? She paused again.

?Doggie!? The little girl exclaimed. In her hands were a soggy doll, the same one Olivia had purchased for her at the store the night before.


TAG: Ktala

Riverview Medical Center


?Xander??

A voice interrupted his slumber. The noise of rain gushing down and high winds could be heard outside. Blinds covered the wide windows, which had been locked while Xander slept. Amy York, hair tied back in a ponytail, came into the room. She was wearing a beautiful, but bleak at the same time, dress and high heeled shoes. She marched in, dropping her purse and jacket off on the chair and running to his side.

?Xander.? She kissed the top of his head and ran her hand along the side of his head like she had done when he was a child. ?I?m glad you didn?t go to the funeral. You wouldn?t of wanted to go anyway. Susanna. . .it was bad. And Heather didn?t come. . .or Mordecai. . .or. . .? Amy didn?t continue. The DNA testing results still hadn?t come back. Delay with all the storms and things of that nature.

?Xander, Mordecai has Alex.? She looked him right in his eyes. ?He has temporary custody until the DNA tests come back, and might even get permanent custody. But. . .Xander. . .if this little boy is your son - my grandson - I will fight for him. You will get him, if he is yours.? The fire burned in her eyes at the thought.

?I won?t let Mordecai take him away from you.?


TAG: CPL

OOC: Others come tomorrow. Schoolwork, etc. keeps me busy at the moment. />/>

IC: Kareen Gillis
Riverview Catholic Church--Kareen Gillis's House

"Be careful!" Kareen called after Robert, before turning to Amy. "I would offer to stay with him, but my parents will be in first thing tomorrow--storm or no, I was hoping to spend the day with them, if that's okay?" She hated to ask this, with everything that was going on, but on the other hand, with the storm coming, she couldn't see how they would be able to accomplish anything tomorrow anyway.

?That?s fine.? Amy?s umbrella almost blew out of her hand. ?Have fun with them! I?ll be praying for all of you! And thank you again for coming to this! It means a lot to not only me but also Xander.?

"You're welcome, Amy. And thank you." She started towards her car, but turned back once more. "Any word on when Xander is getting out of the hospital?"

"None yet. The doctors said they want him to recover some more before releasing him. He has therapy after he is released, but overall, he'll recover." Another gust of wind hit. "Damn, this wind is strong!"

Kareen grimaced at the violent gusts of wind that threatened to blow them right over. "I will say this, he got very lucky--I know a coma and a couple of broken legs doesn't sound that way, but considering how it could have gone..." she trailed off, knowing perfectly well that Amy was painfully aware of how it could have gone. "Just let me know when you hear something, and feel free to call if you need anything." She waved good-bye, finally heading towards her car. "See you later, Amy."

"Bye!" Amy called back as she walked away.

Even though it wasn't even four o'clock yet, the clouded sky was almost as dark as night, and with the heavy rain and rough winds, it took Kareen twice as long to get home as it should have. Once she was safely in the door, the first thing she did was change out of her damp clothes--even with an umbrella, the wind-propelled rain had left her black skirt feeling like she'd put it on straight out of the washing machine; her dark green blouse had not fared much better. After putting on a dry sweatshirt and leggings, she spent the next hour or so cleaning the house in preparation for her parents' arrival the next morning, before finally sinking onto the couch to relax. She started to turn on the TV, but, remembering that she had promised to call her mother back, she reached for the phone instead, dialing her parents? number.

A gruff man's voice that Kareen would recognize as her father's answered the phone.

"Kareen! Thank God you are calling!" He began to whisper. "Your mother. . .I really believe she has lost it!" He chuckled a little though, signifying his humor.

Kareen smiled to hear her father's voice on the other end of the line--Hannah usually beat him to the phone, so Kareen rarely got a chance to talk to him.

She laughed along with him when she heard what he was saying. "Why's that, Dad?"

"You know how your mother is. When she's about to go on trips, she runs around the house, hollering at me to do five things at once. Pack this, fix that, don't forget that. She's-" He was interrupted by a voice in the background.

"Daniel! Did you pack a snack? What about your toothbrush? Have you called Kareen? What about the-"

"Hannah! I'm on the phone!" He called.

"So? You can work while on the phone."

This silly husband/wife banter had been Kareen's basis for how a perfect relationship was supposed to be.

Kareen covered the phone's mouthpiece so her father wouldn't hear her giggling. Her parents rarely truly argued with one another, but they were known to occasionally bicker 'like an old married couple'--they weren't even that old, but as long as they had been together, any real kinks in the relationship had been worked out long ago.

She had never thought that she would be jealous of her own parents, but Kareen wanted what they had.

"Dad, you and Mom have been married for--thirty years, now, is it? I would have thought you'd be used to her antics by now..."

She was teasing,

OOC: Brutal, Fins. . .I like it.

New York City


The blonde haired woman stared at the others inside the loud bar. She had her arms crossed, her back propped against the corner of the room. With her at the moment were two guns, one in each pocket, a blade, a knife, and a mini axe. Almost every night she entered this particular bar she was contacted for a special type of job. Today, a business man with a fancy red tie sat at a table. He was so out of place that the woman knew almost immediately what he wanted. The man had yet to notice her in the shadow of the corner. Putting on her best hooker smile, the woman strutted from the corner. No one paid any attention.

?Hey, big boy,? Her voice, soft but also high, was a melody to the man?s ears. Her fingers drifted over his neck. ?I just noticed you.? She sat down on his table, kicking her legs as she stared at him. ?What are you doing here?? She asked innocently.

?Well, pretty lady, I?m actually here to meet a woman named Melody. You know her?? He took a sip of his beer, looking her body over.

?Melody? Haven?t met her, I don?t think. But, I?m new here. Only been here a month or two.? She leaned over, getting into his face as she spoke. She allowed a brief glimpse of her bra, breathing in her peppermint into his face. ?But forget her.? She stroked his cheek. ?You have a very pretty woman at your disposal right here.? She whispered in his ear. ?And she?s very, very dirty.?

He grinned, taking her hand and leading her out the door. She poked her butt out especially far as she walked out the door in front of him. After they ducked into an alleyway, he approached her.

?You?re lookin? damn fine, pretty-?

She leaped forward, pinning him into the brick wall with knife. In the split second before attacking, she chose it because she actually felt a little bad for the guy. If he was stupid enough to abandon his job for a woman, she might as well go easy on him.

?You?re looking for Melody?? She hissed in his ear, this time spitting on him.

?Yes, he is,? A male voice from behind her said.

Realization hit her seconds before the end of gun did.

Sometime later. . .


She woke up to a shining flashlight in her face.

?Melody.? The man from the bar smiled at her. She realized her hands were restrained. ?You thought I was an idiot, didn?t you?? He walked away from her, circling the cell she was inside. Blood splotches, only recently scrubbed at, were all over the room.

?Who the hell do you think you are?? She growled through her gritted teeth.

?Well, I guess I should tell you that I am an employee for a man named Mordecai Casper.? The name didn?t ring a bell in her mind. ?You might not know him, but you should know about his granddaughter. Natalie Crane. She?s been all over the news.? Now that name was immediately recognized by ?Melody?.

?So what? What does this have to do with why I am here? Where am I, exactly??

?Shh, shh, shh,? He put a finger to his lips. ?One thing at a time. You are in Riverview, Maine. The hometown of both my employer and his deceased granddaughter. You are going to do as we ask, Melody.? He smiled at her once again. ?Your mother lives here, doesn?t she? Anne Thompson. And your sister, your niece. And your name isn?t really Melody, is it-?

?Okay.? She couldn?t look in his eyes. ?Okay. Dammit, I?ll do it. Whatever it is. Just don?t hurt my mom.?

?Good. Good, good, good. Mr. Casper will be very pleased, Melody.? He moved to the door, and opened it. ?Now meet your team.? A bald black man covered head to toe in tattoos and dark clothes entered the room. ?T-Pain, here.? The man smiled at her, knowing just how much she hated watching these idiots. ?He?s known though out the Western states for his burning of church. . .with several women and children inside.? T-Pain made no move to speak, instead simply staring at her.

Another man entered the room. This guy was shorte/>/>

Recreational Building


Ashley looked back and forth, from tornado to Chris.

?Then what do we do?? She screeched over the high winds. Agatha moaned in her sleep.

Rochelle and Rachael had both fallen back into the slumber.

Ashley ran back to them, trying to comfort them. She looked from them to Chris.

?We have to do something! Find something to get under!? Ashley cried out to him. ?Something! We can?t just sit here and get crushed by the rest of the roof!?


TAG: Han

IC: Chris Nichols
Recreation Building, St. Mary's University

Chris was already moving back to where the others lay as he formulated a plan in his mind. It wasn't the best of plans, but he did what he could with the time allotted to them and what limited knowledge he had on the subject. Tornadoes were quite rare in Maine and he tried to remember back to what forecasters always seemed to be drilling into people's minds on the Weather Channel and other news programs. Who knew that one day he would actually need to use that information?

With that said, there was only one place in the recreation building that contained no windows and was nestled within the interior of the building.

"Head for the locker rooms!" Chris shouted over the wind as he pointed in that general direction. "Find one of the shower stalls and curl up in the corner with something to protect your head - towels, your hands--anything! I'm gonna gather up the others and I'll join you. GO!"

Without waiting to see if Ashley heeded his advice, Chris hesitated briefly as he decided which of the three women to take first before kneeling down and lifting Rachael into his arms. He silently reminded himself that this is what Agatha wanted - to save the girls first, but he couldn't help but think of his own motives concerning the future of the school. Shaking that from his mind, he forced himself to move across the rubble against the howling wind and rain as he made his way for the locker rooms.

TAG: spycoder

Recreational Building


Ashley didn?t want to listen to him. Rochelle especially was her friend, and they had bonded while playing multiple sports together. Rachael was a tad bit whiny, but Ashley could ignore it now. She watched Chris pick up Rachael, and decided then that she would be more of a nuisance than help.

She took off galloping to the locker room. She ducked into the shower stall, covering herself in a few towels. She also threw several, several towels out for Chris to cover up the other girls and Ms. Crumplebottom.

?Please. . .God. . .please. . .?

She begged out loud. All she wanted to do was return to her parents? house.


TAG: Han

Mordecai's "Home"


When Mordecai had finally arrived back at the home he had been staying in, his frantic nanny would come running to him. Tears ran down her face, for she knew what was to become of her. And she also knew what had happened to Heather. She had liked the woman. Sweet, actually cared about the help. And she had actually thought her and Mordecai might last.

?He?s gone!? She screamed, holding onto his arms. ?He asked to go to the bathroom, so I stood outside the door. He broke open the window, climbed out, and by the time one of your men had opened the door, the kid was gone!?

Rain pelted her head, and the wind howled around them.

?He?ll die out here! And they all know you were taking care of him, Mordecai! We have to find him!? The nanny was going crazy though. Sobbing obsessively. She could only live with the Casper madness for a little while longer.


TAG: Fin/>

IC: Chris Nichols
Recreation Building, St. Mary's University

Somehow he had made it; somehow he had managed to gather up both Rochelle and Rachael, plus Agatha, and make it back to the locker rooms in time to ride out the beast. By this time, the wind was howling something fierce and bits and pieces of debris could be seen flying through the air out in the main room where the roof had collapsed. There was no guarantee they would be better off here, but it was the safest place to be right now other than a basement back home. They would just need to hold their breath and hope for the best.

After settling the three girls against the wall of the stall and throwing blankets over them to protect them, Chris knelt down and huddled close to Ashley, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. At this close proximity, Chris could hear her mumbling some sort of prayer to herself and frowned.

"It'll be alright!" he yelled over the wind, trying to reassure her. "Just keep your head down and stay close! It should be over in just a few seconds!"

Something banged and ripped loose in the main room, generating a terrible tearing sound as it went airborne. That was his cue to shutup and hang on for dear life. Clenching his jaw and closing his eyes against the wind, Chris ducked forward as he tightened his grip on Ashley and waited.

TAG: spycoder

Olivia Madders
At House

"Th-thank you mam," the young woman smiled at Olivia as she shivered. She held her daughter in her lap. "And you m-met my mom?"

Olivia smiled. "Lan sakes, course I did child. Just talked to her yesterday." she replied, as she puttered around, trying to make the pair comfortable. The young girl looked out the windows. Olivia could tell she had quite a bit on her mind. She didnt push her, she just gave her time, as she took of them, trying to get them warmed up. Finally, the girl spoke.

"She kicked us out." She turned back to Olivia. "Told me that she just couldn?t handle anymore of it. So. . .we packed up and left. Started walking." She sighed. "She tried to stop me. But I couldn?t handle her yelling anymore." Olivia was surprised at that. She didnt see Anne kicking them out in the middle of a storm. But that sounded more like the girl just didnt want to listen anymore. Olivia gave a small sigh. Children now days..so durn stubborn.

"We noticed the lantern, and I remember you when I was a little girl." the young woman stated, then paused, looking a bit lost for words. She then added, "You?re move around so well for being. . ." She paused again.

Olivia burst out into laughter, as the little girl called out "Doggie!" excitedly.

"Ya mean, for being as old as dirt, do ya?" Olivia cackled softly, as she patted the young woman on her shoulder. "Dont you freet none. I KNOW Im old. I aint embarrassed none by it. I take care of myself. Keeps myself in good company, I do." Olivia added with a grin.

Olivia looked noticed the soggy doll she had gotten the child, clutched in her hands. Olivia laughed again, as she spoke to the child. "Here now, lets take the doll, and let her get dry near the fire, while ole Rufus will play with you. He just loves children, and he dont get a chance for too many to come a visiting. So he will play with you, while your doll dries... wont you Rufus?"

Rufus seemed to let out a happy 'woof!', as his huge tail wagged about, more than eager for a bit of attention. He laid down, next to the little girl, so that she could rub his head. "You old flirt." Olivia told him. As she did, she took the doll, and laid it above the mantle, so that it would dry quickly. With that done, Olivia looked towards the window, rubbing her necklace for a moment, her eyes narrowed. "This storm getting started with a bang." she stated softly. A second later, she looked away, and looked back at the young woman.

Smiling, she turned. "Well now. Since you all are my guests, how about some hot chocolate, to warm you two up, while you get dry..?" she asked the young woman. In her mind, she was deciding if she should call Anne to let her know. But Anne might call her first. And she didnt want to scare the pair away. Too dangerous outside. Olivia shook her head. "Dont worry." she said softly, so that the little girl would not pay attention to her. "Your momma... well, your momma got a lot on her mind. She worried. For both of you." Olivia gave her a smile. "An anyways, you welcome to stay here. Nobody come here to mess with ya. Not unless they want catch some bad ju-ju." she added with a wink.

"So, you just relax child. Nice to have someone to sit and talk with. Reminds me of when times were simpler here." She pushed a strand of wet hair from the woman's face, and gave her a gentle smile. I dont have none television, but I got a fancy radio, a stereo, and plenty of books and such, if you get bored...'less you the crafy type. I got all kinda of yarns, and materials and stuff like that. You just let me know. And if you want to take a nap..that works too."

Olivia turned, speaking to Rufus. "Take care of stuff, while I got get us some drinks, eh, Rufus?" she told him. he didnt reply, but his tail was moving a hundred miles a minute. Olivia smiled, as she moved to her kitchen, to get some warm drinks made and to grab some more muffins for her new guests.

Olivia wondered, what other souls would be found by her light this night?

Olivia p