Chapter Two

Ace flipped punching the robot and pulling his sword to take out the next. Swinging his leg around he kicked one attacking him from behind. Tech always asked him to test his new training simulations, even though Duck's pleading and begging was quite presistant.

Suddenly the lights all went out and Ace looked around holding his sword at the ready perking his ears listening for any signs of movement. "Tech?" He called. He felt a woosh of cold air zip by him. Looking around he narrowed his eyes, "Hey Tech. Is this supposed to happen?" There was no response. Ace clutched his sword as he heard footsteps approaching, "Tech!" The footsteps grew closer and he felt his heart rate accelerating.

A child like voice came, "Imagination is a powerful thing, isn't it?"

He gasped and felt a force lifting him off his feet. "Hey!" It threw him against the wall and he got the wind knocked out of him. The lights came on and he saw in front of him a dark figure not hesitating to thrust itself at him. Ace gasped and scooted away.

"Ace?" He caught his breath and looked up finding Tech approaching a concerned look on his face. "Man, you never get thrown down on that level."

"What are you talking about? Why did you do that?"

He looked around in confusion, "Do what?"

"The lights went out... There was a girl- t- that girl from..." He realized he sounded crazy. Shaking his head he wiped the blood from his cheek and gulped, "I guess I ju- I'm a little tired."

Tech took his hand helping him to his feet, "You sure you're okay?"

Nodding Ace sighed picking up his sword from off the ground, "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." He chewed on his lip and glanced around, "Let Duck test the rest." Pushing past Tech he hurried out of the simulation room.

As he rushed out of the room he found Lexi waiting for him outside the door, "Damn it! Lex you scared me."

She chuckled giving him a funny look, "Sorry, uh." She raised an eyebrow at him, "Luch? Ten minutes?"

He nodded giving a small smile before jogging into the elevator he pressed the top button. As the elevator raised up he wiped the sweat from his brow. "It's just you're imagination. You need sleep." He told himself. Taking a deep breath he exhaled closing his eyes and trying to relax. He opened his eyes as the elevator came to a stop. The doors slid open and he stepped out finding Duck and Rev watching a game on TV. Slam rummaged through the fridge for lunch, everything seemed quite normal. He turned calmly walking down the hallway trying convince himself none of this was real.

After showering Ace got dressed and began to leave the bathroom when movement from the mirror caught his eyes. Glancing over he tried to comfirm it was simply his own refelction. He saw nothing. Staring at the mirror for a moment he pursed his lips before turning. Suddedly something began to write on the mirror. He turned and studied the writing. It formed an H. He waited. E. L. L. O. Gulping he backed away breathing heavily. All at once there was a hand print wiping a away the O. HELL. A face fromed in the mirror behind him and he gasped stumbling back and tripping over his own feet. He fell back and out of the bathroom. He found himself looking up at Lexi as she stood over him, "Uh, you okay?"

He scrambled to his feet pulling her into the bathroom, "Look!"

She studied the mirror. "What am I looking at?"

Ace looked at the mirror. The writing had vanished. "No! No! I swear it...was there."

Lexi touched his shoulder locking her arm with his. He looked at her. She had never done that before. "Come on chief, maybe some chinease will relax you."

• ∞ •

Ace watched the people around him waiting for Lexi to return to the table with their food. Everything seemed normal. He noticed a woman strolling past. She causally glanced at him. His heart nearly stopped. Enderna? No! He jumped to his feet shoving his chair back as the woman lowered her head. "Hey!" He hurried towards her grasping her arm and making her turn. It wasn't her. Impossible! He could have sworn... Backing away form the slightly confused woman he shook his head, "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."
"Ace!" He heard Lexi call.
He turned and quickly walked back to the table, only trying to ignore the stares he was getting. Sitting down he pulled over his bowl of rice and took a bite, "Thanks."
She simply stared at him in confusion. "What's gotten into you lately? You seem... really jumpy."
Should I tell her? No! She'd never believe me. He went over it in his head. Finally he gave in biting his lip, "It's just... Weird stuff has been happening ever since Enderna."
Lexi leaned back slurping up a noodle, "Enderna? What's she got to do with anything?"
He sighed, "I don't know. I'm seeing things that aren't there. I feel like I'm going insane. Everywhere I turn it's just... Weird."
"Wait, wait wait. Do you actually think she put some kinda voodoo shit curse on you?" She asked in obvious sarcasm.
Ace shrugged, "No. I mean. I don't know what else it could be."
Leaning over she spoke, "Ace, Enderna's in prison."
He shook his head, "Well, obviously that's not stopping her."
She stared at him for a second a bit baffled that her brave leader was so paranoid. Chuckling she took another bite of her meal, "Maybe you just need to get out."
He looked her over, "Maybe..." He took another bite, "So how about a movie tonight?" She stared at him for a moment. Was he asking her out? He froze. Did he really just ask her out? Oh shit. He didn't mean it like that. He bit his lip. He couldn't take it back. "Uh, we can invite Duck and Rev too." He added. It's not a date if it's with friends right?
She smiled at him as he blushed. Nodding she looked him over, "Okay, chief, that sounds nice." She decided to keep it to herself that she would have been fine with it just being the two of them. Ace sighed. Phew. Dodged a bullet there. Though he kept it to himself that he would have been fine with it being just the two of them...
Once back at HQ they took the elevator to the top floor. Lexi secretly glanced at Ace as he leaned on the wall causally. His eyes wandered over to her and she smiled. He smiled back. Her smile was so cute. He thought. The elevator suddenly came to a complete stop and making the two bunnies nearly loose their footing. The lights began growing dip soon buzzing out. Ace looked around. It was completely black. He couldn't see anything. Frowning he felt around, "Lex?"
She felt around as well trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness, "Ace?" Their hands touched and she quickly grabbed his. "What's happening?" Ace moved closer to her touching her shoulder about to speak when the lights went on. All at once the elevator began to fall. Lexi yelped latching onto Ace's body. He held her looking around frantically for the emergency exit. They fell so fast he could barely think. Then, just as fast as it started, they stopped, throwing Ace and Lexi off their feet. Lexi landed on him looking down into his blue eyes feeling her legs tangled in his. He searched her eyes and she could hear his heart beating faster. "What was that?" She whispered.
Carefully he reached up wanting to touch her, but quickly catching himself. What the hell are you thinking? He scolded. "I..." He shook his head unable to find words, "I don't know."
Quickly realizing that she still was laying on top of him, she sat up. He sat up as well studying her cocking his head to the side. She turned to him smiling softly. Her expression suddenly changed and she gasped jumping to her feet. "Ace."
He turned behind him to find the woman from him dream. She was there! Hanging upside down her eyes closed remaining silent. Ace backed up placing his hand in front of Lexi. The woman opened her eyes their black color shooting at Ace like daggers. She screamed and he quickly used his laser vision, "Leave me alone!" It went right through her.
Lexi grabbed his arm as the elevator doors opened. Though it felt like they had fallen they found themselves on the top floor. He felt something then. Someone on his ankle. Before he could look down he was tugged off his feet. "Ace!" He yelped as the thing began to pull him, however when he looked there was nothing there.
"Let me go!" He screamed as he was pulled from the elevator; Lexi raced after him still in shock, but determined to get to him. The team heard the two from the living room and hurried to see what was going on. The thing let Ace go and he quickly scrambled away catching his breath. Lexi wrapped her arms around him hugging him gratefully; he hugged her back his heart racing.
"What's going on chief?" Tech asked approaching slowly.
Ace bit his lip getting to his feet keeping Lexi close. "I..." He couldn't find his words as his mouth went dry.
Lexi spoke for him, "Something had him, and something stopped the elevator."
The group studied the two bunnies, "What are you talking about?"
Ace gulped and in the blink of an eye suddenly found himself surrounded by the demons haunting him. He gasped, "No! Leave me alone!" He pushed past his team racing to his room only hoping that was a haven, a place where these things couldn't find him. He was beginning to grasp that he can't run from this. That scared him.
He crawled onto his bed gripping the blanket and pulling it over his knees. His door suddenly opened and he jumped a bit as Lexi walked in. "Ace..." He looked up and she sat on the bed beside him not bothering for him to invite her.
"Hey." He mumbled.
She searched his eyes, "What's going on?"
He bit his lip, "I don't know. A curse. A spell." He shook his head looking up at her. Her eyes locked with his and she found herself in a spell. Why? She tried to shake herself from it. She couldn't. He leaned closer to her, "Magic." He whispered. Though he didn't mean Enderna. She studied his lips. So inviting. No! Stop it! She felt her eyes sliding shut as they grew drawn to each other. Then there was that moment before a kiss. That moment of slight hesitation, only to be followed by that push making their lips touch. His lips were soft and moved gracefully over hers like a cloud pushed by the wind. He closed his eyes as well unable to believe what he was doing. But he couldn't stop himself. He didn't want to stop. Neither did she. Carefully she placed her hand on his cheek drawing him closer. He touched her shoulder running his hands to her neck. They separated slowly and she lowered her eyes to the ground. What had she done? He bit his lip still tasting her on them. "Lexi..." He trailed off.
She looked up wanting to kiss him again, but holding back. "I..."
"I uh... I want to be with you." He blurted out. Did I really just say that? He asked himself. His heart was on his sleeve. Now what? What if she didn't want to be with him? How could she? He was her leader, not lover. He wanted her to say something. The silence of not knowing was killing him.
Finally she spoke, "Y- you do?" He nodded. She looked right into his eyes bringing her hand up to his cheek. He lowered his ears almost submissively. A smile spread onto her face, "I want to be with you too."