Chapter Two

Christen parked the car next to a large grey truck in front a small hut; it looked abandoned building. He and the four males he worked with had put some work into making it basically liveable. They didn't need it to be lavish or even particularly liveable as they wouldn't be staying for more than that night or two.

Christen got out and knocked on the front door before walking back to the car and picking up the exhausted girl and carried her to the door and kicked it twice with his foot. The girls grimaced in discomfort which Christen regretted but he couldn't help it. Someone knocked twice from the other side, to which he responded with one more knock. Finally it opened revealing another young male dressed in a green, long-sleeved polo-neck, slim pale blue jeans, and black shoes; his hair was chocolate brown with a long sweeping fringe that obscured at least one of his dazzling green eyes; he let the blonde male pass without question although curiosity twinkled in his eyes as he took note of the female bundled up in his arms. The door was quickly shut behind them.

There was only two rooms where the four other males had been sat waiting for their friend and comrade to return. Damien, an American brunette whose hair was in a long braid reaching the small of his back, was led on containers that were stacked together in one corner, his feet hanging over the end, his head and shoulders resting against a wall he was fiddling with his exceptionally long braid. Tyler was leant rigid against the wall to the left of the door; his hair was darker than Trevor' and his blue eyes were watching Christen as he stood carrying his load. Finally there was Charlie who jumped from his spot on the far wall; this male was so strongly tied to his heritage and training that he dressed like a fighter with his shoulder short clipped raven hair was gelled back sleekly.

"What happened?" Tyler snapped.

Charlie stared at the person encased in blankets, "What the hell, Christen?"

"What is it?" asked Damien joining Charlie near the door. Tyler also got up. All four of them looked on, "A girl?" whispered Damien, glancing up at Christen' face – which looked slightly embarrassed.

"Lay her out." ordered Tyler indicating the six foot hard oak table in the middle of the room. The only light they had coming from a single dim light bulb hanging over the centre of the table which was flanked with large empty crates; a few lanterns placed on the crates creating a pool of light. Charlie followed Tyler's instruction and laid the girl on the table under the light.

"u-Hm…" the girl arched for a moment with a frown she was still in a lot of pain but she did not wake – it seemed as if she was in a trance like state. Christen showed the others the note:

"Sparks Pilot,

This is Lillian Larkspur.

Get her to 43.2975° N, 5.3772° E

URGENT

Admin 01-87-H"

"It is not like Admin 01 to be so -" Damien began then stopped not knowing how to phrase the next part.

"So uninformative – I thought the same; and this code has been unused for over a year and a half" Christen continued for him, Damien nodded.

Tyler frowned, "who would go to such length to get us to this place?"

Lillian suddenly snapped her eyes open and bounced up and away from the males. There were five boys in her sights - panic rose as her eye flitted from one to the next. 'Hell, where am I now?' she edged away keeping the blanket over her as she shakily backed further away. She had a hidden weapon – stolen from one of the males she never took her eyes off of the males. The boys pulled weapons out of pockets and from behind boxes,

"Who… are you?" she struggled to say clenching her aching right side "you are not FP soldiers" she said shakily but her eyes suspicious.

A boy near her to the left spoke, his gun never wavering, "You broke into my room asking for a place to hide. I brought you here."

The girl frowned fleetingly then nodded "yes, I asked for help not a kidnapping" she responded sarcastically just looking at them.

She suddenly doubled over and groaned gripping her side. The male who had saved her and the braided brunette, exchanged glances and started advancing, but she whipped the weapon out and levelled it at them alternating between the two, her reactions were fast. "No – stay away" she demanded. The Chinese male checked his belt then scowled – 'at least I know the owner now' she thought.

"You're injured. Now lets' all calm down and talk," the braided brunette dressed as a priest said. The blond placed his gun on the ground and the other followed suit. They then held their hands up to show the edgy female some sort of non-threatening peace.

The girl laughed humourlessly, the five looked weary. "Do I look that dumb there are three other guns levelled at me" she could feel her vision starting to fade again, "l-let me go… I won't let… you people catch me…" her back hit a cold wall, she was trapped but that only made her more dangerous.

The brunette with the sweeping fringe stopped, "Did you capture her?" he questioned.

"No. she just gave me the letter." Christen replied.

"We've been through this" the girl replied, she sounded drained but she wasn't backing down, "why did you not leave me there, why bring me here?" she demanded, Christen handed her the letter, which she read and seemed to relax. A noise from the door made every one turned on edge; it was another note with distinct blood stains on it.

Tyler was the first to recover and he shot out of the door intent on finding this person and drag them back to demand answers, Damien picked up the second letter.

"Looks like the same handwriting as the last one," he commented then had the letter snatched from him by Lillian who instantly opened the letter and read it.

It was short and to the point. After reading the note, Lillian thrust the letter at Christen, who read it. "We need to pack up now – apparently FP is zoning onto us" He stated and the four males left were instantly moving and packing the crates, Lillian slumped to the floor and just watched until Tyler came back.

"Lost them" he stated irritably.

"Was Admin 01-87-H" Christen stated handing the note over. Tyler tutted then helped the others, Christen or Damien were standing guard over the blond girl who just sat with her eye closed. She knew her companion was near by watching and had gone out of her way to get the guys moving her to safety sooner.

Lillian, Christen and Damien rode with the silent emerald eyed brunette, Trevor. They were to follow the other two who were taking the truck.

They'd been driving for about four hours before Damien, who sat next to her, noticed that she had fallen asleep. "Hey, where're we going?" Damien whispered as quietly as he could manage. Some people he knew woke violently while others didn't; it was hard to tell which she was.

"I'm following Charlie." Trevor replied as it that answered everything, Damien looked out of the front windscreen but he couldn't see it, which Trevor seemed to notice this, "next lane, up seven or eight vehicles" he stated. Damien sat back muttering something like 'Creepy'; Christen chuckled. He knew Damien did not consider the fact that Trevor was keeping a close eye on the vehicle seeing as he was following it.

"I spoke with Tyler before we left. Those co-ordinates are the co-ordinates for Hamilton's Junkyard but we are going to have to make a stop for tonight" Christen looked at the map to get a bearing on their location, "We should be there soon."

Damien sighed in his seat, "Great, This car is cramped." The blonde pilot decided not to tell him that soon he meant another two and a half hours at least. The young girl slept the whole way without as much as an unintelligible mutter in her sleep. Damien fidgeted as little as possible which was still a lot.

"No way, this is a pit stop?" Damien exclaimed making the girl wake in fright. Christen turned around to glare at the braided male but stopped upon seeing she was awake, alert and not looking at all relaxed or happy with what she saw.

She was awake – very much awake now and staring with a naked fear at the wrought iron gates they were passing. "Damien!" he said with a glare, "Hey Lillian - Lillian" the blonde called, the girl could not register Christen was speaking to her straight away. When she looked at them the fear that had been focused on the perimeter defences was turned to him and then collectively on all the boys. The car door opened and she rolled out blanket and all, she bounced once before rolling to a stop, the blanket affording protection from the surface below. The car stopped almost immediately but the girl was up and already running for the gates. Christen and Damien called for her to stop, but then so did everyone – and she hadn't in the past and she certainly wouldn't now, if she could help it.

The aches in her body intensified tenfold, she knew she couldn't run forever, probably not even a few minutes; already fear was starting its deadly course again. Strong arms suddenly caught and clamped her in place from behind; wrapped around her chest and waist, effectively clamping her arms down.

"NO! No let go!" the girl struggled as she could, "I won't be locked away again – let me go!" she was so close and struggling furiously - the gates were right there but they were swinging shut already! Tears streaming down her face, "let me go," she kicked and lashed out, "LET ME GO!" she shrieked terrified.

They five males turned stunned to see an auburn haired girl running over from their truck. She ignored them and went straight to Lillian who on seeing her immediately calmed down, Tyler let go of the blonde female. The dark haired girl smiled; she was looking worried and stroked Lillian' hair. The blond flung herself in the other girls' arms; the auburn grimaced and groaned in pain. "You are here" she cried, the other girl was pale and her breathing laboured and sharp, once Lillian let her go and looked at her companion; she was in a bad way which was proven as the girl suddenly blacked out Tyler caught her on reflex, yet she weighed hardly anything and her skin was stone cold. On turning the girl around Tyler found that she had open wounds and was losing blood and had lost quite a bit already, he sighed irritated.

Tyler walked up the front steps carrying the lifeless girl in his arms wondering 'why has she kept risking killing herself?' Lillian followed looking worried but not so strained.

They entered the expansive Entrance hall. Doors and halls trailed off on the right and left, but in front of all that were two staircases. One on each side that swept up and joined about three quarters of the way up and merged in to one staircase which carried on up to the second floor, which opened in to a horizontal hallway and many more hallways on either side of that. He could see Trevor investigating a large sitting room.

Charlie came out of the next door up on the left, took one look at him holding the new girl and the blond hovering behind before continuing on to a room on the right muttering about 'troublesome females'. Tyler couldn't but help agree at this point.

"Tyler" Christen looked down to him from the second floor landing, "Up here." The blond boy turned around down a wide hall as Tyler got to him; he was closely followed but Lillian. The two followed Christen into a room a few doors down on the right. Inside was a soft looking twin bed covered in a thick comforter and many pillows.

"Was a girl's room" Christen stated more to himself than the other two. Tyler who had already placed the girl second girl on to the bed and was fishing bandages out of a duffel bag that Christen had brought, Lillian left the room feeling queasy after seeing the blood. "Why did she do it?" Tyler suddenly growled; Christen knew the what-and-how-to of what Tyler wanted and propped her up on the bed. The blonde instinctively knew to what his friend was referring to – "Lillian was afraid – and this one for at least part of her life must be close to her and seeing her friends fear over-whelming her she had to act," he replied, then frowned, "they both felt trapped; this girl seems caged and it frustrates her" he muttered. Tyler sighed as he removed the girls' jumper and top. He knew that feeling – always having to be a step ahead. 'Yep, new wraps were needed' he thought drily, she glanced at the girls' face which had a frown fixed to it and she was sweating, 'why would anyone reopen wounds to quail another person's fear?' he pondered perplexed.

Together Tyler and Christen cleaned and re-bound down females' wounds in no time and laid her down in bed for some much needed rest. Lillian entered the room and led next to the other girl as the two males exited but they left the door open.

The five of them gathered in the sitting room. "We're the only ones who know we're here, but I don't expect we can stay long enough for the new girls' wounds to heal much." Christen informed them as he took a seat in a chair with a tall, straight back. It didn't look comfortable, but he looked content with it. "We need a plan…"

Damien yawned rubbing his eyes, "Can't this wait till this afternoon?"

Charlie hit the back of his head, "It is the afternoon."

"After I have had lunch afternoon – I'm starved"

"I'll keep watch over them both until the other wakes up, I can answer some questions." offered Christen getting up and making his way to the door then paused and looked at Tyler who looked at him inquiringly. "The girls' wounds – they were in the same place as the bruises I found on Lillian at the apartment."

"So?" Charlie enquired unhelpfully.

"Lillian has been having a lot of difficulty with those bruises – a lot more than one would expect for such a minor injury." Christen sped through, "I am wondering if the two girls are somehow connected – like twins" he continued in a rush half expecting to be interrupted. The others stared at him, they knew he was sensitive to other peoples' emotions but what he was suggesting was something more; more than they could understand with-out some rest.

"Worth looking into, wake us when they wake." Tyler instructed leaving no room for argument. They all needed sleep but he and Trevor more so. They chose rooms at random but they were all in the same hall near Christen and the resting girls. Christen was left to his own thoughts as he and silence settled in the house. He heard Damien go into one of the bedrooms after he had eaten. The various creeks and groans of the house were the only sounds to be heard for some time.

Meeting their new charge was an absolute shock; he wondered how they had missed her; how Tyler had lost her so quickly. The pilot crossed his arms over his chest as he regarded the two girls part of him agreed with Charlie – these girls were causing a lot of problems. The darker haired one was muttering in her sleep and her head and body twitched with an occasional whimper.

Lillian was curled up on the girls' right holding her hand as she slept; Christen wondered if she was afraid the girl would disappear without the contact. Lillian' top had risen slightly and her skin was smooth and unblemished which took Christen by surprise when he noticed, the bruises from before at the apartment were gone. He inspected her skin held no indication having been bruised recently – he ran a hand through his hair looking confused.

He sat back down and waited quietly. Christen enjoyed the peace and tranquillity. He watched as the sun set. He switched on the lamp on the dressing room table with let of a dim glow; he placed a couple of blankets over the girls to ward off the winter chill.

The new girl seemed to calm down and fall into a deep slumber; but as the sun began to rise again Lillian began trembling and muttering in her sleep it became worse rapidly. It was about six in the morning when Lillian cried out in despair and sat bolt upright in her bed almost scaring Christen out of his chair, and waking the other girl who scanned the room warily. Her bright eyes finally rested on Christen before she turned to her friend who was staring at her unfamiliar surroundings.

Christen knew the other pilots would have heard the commotion and would be in the room momentarily. Neither girl said a word but the auburn girl was tapping Lillian' arm who was watching as if she was reading another note. The auburn haired girl' eyes held a very guarded look as she looked at him - he knew that stare well, he knew three other people who looked the same way at people. She had her own walls and defences around her and he suspected the tapping was her way of communicating with-out speaking.

"What's going on?" asked Trevor who, though armed with a pistol, still wiped sleep from his eyes wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Tyler was not far behind him and not any better dressed in boxers and the addition a half buttoned shirt, he was also armed. The bed creaked a little under the girls shifting weight; Lillian was huddled at the top of the bad still wrapped in blankets, the other girl was stood at the side of the bed; she looked at the barely dressed males her eyes twinkled with amusement for a moment.

"Please, calm down. You're in no danger here." Christen did his best to calm the two girls.

The Auburn haired girl shook her head in disbelief "You people know nothing. They'll find us, they will kill you. It is what they do" Lillian spoke out. Slowly the other girl made her way to the foot of the bed and sat on the seat placed there. "We'll kill you if you don't talk." Tyler stated aiming his gun at the dark haired girl, who smirked and shrugged. She stood and put her head against the barrel aimed at her but remained silent. In that moment of silence Damien and Charlie showed up to see what all the commotion was about. Damien wore black P. J. bottoms with no top while Charlie appeared fully dressed in black trousers and a white shirt buttoned up his hair all over the place.

She couldn't help it; the sight of the males as they turned up was amusing and it put her at ease and she smiled softly momentarily – she had turned to her friend she was paling and becoming weak again; Lillian came to her side and guided her back into the seat.

Slowly Tyler put the gun down as two tears ran down Lillian' face and she sat on the floor at the others feet. The dark-haired was still watching the five males – but it seemed more out of interest or curiosity.

After five minutes of silence she sighed; everyone was silent and thoughtful. But like the determined stubborn girl she had been forced to become over the years she stared Tyler down as she got back up – "my name is Hope Larkspur, Lillian's cousin; I am better known to you as Admin 01-87-H" she announced walking off, she didn't wait for them to move out of her way just slipped through them then through the door.

"Where you going" Damien asked tailing after the girl.

"Bathroom" she stopped in the middle of the hallway looking around. All the doors were closed and all looked the same.

Tyler appeared in front of her, she just looked at him. "Here." He held out a back pack. She took it with a small smile all the while wondering just how he got ahead of her and when he had retrieved her stuff from the back of the truck, 'so going to try and scare me to death instead of shooting me – resourceful' she thought to herself as she walked off allowing Damien to show her to the bathroom.

The bathroom was plush. Soft sky blue coloured towels sat folded on racks beside the door, slightly darker coloured floor mats were in front of the toilet, sink and bath. The entire counter top was a single piece of either marble or granite containing two sinks each with elegantly carved metal taps. A window was placed between the mirrors that stood over the sinks. The blinds were the same shade as the floor mats as was the shower curtain. The girl ran a hot bath before stripping off and folding her clothes placing them on the counter between the two sinks. She sighed contently as the warmth of the water seeped into her body. She just led there and relaxed.

"Why are you standing guard?" Lillian asked as she approached the door. The male looked at her in surprise; she was surprisingly quiet and stealthy.

"Tyler said to" Damien replied, "probably doesn't want her to run off before she answers his questions"

Lillian looked at the braided male, "she won't talk until she knows she can trust you," she replied finally, "but then I was surprised she told you her name," she sat down next to Damien.

"So why don't you tell us something" Damien suggested, "like why are we taking you to Hamilton's Junkyard?" Lillian shrugged and muttered something about seeing what Hope said about it. "Are you an admin?" Damien questioned suddenly, as the thought sprang to him; the girl shifted uncomfortably glancing at the door before nodding.

"There are quite a few of us but only five are assigned to each of you pilots and go through your reports and stuff" she answered looking at her feet

Hope smiled, she had checked the wounds and they were a hundred times better, she could hear people talking outside the door, one was sure belonged to Lillian so she wasn't too worried. She had taken her time in the bath as it had been so long since she had had that luxury, well luxuries as she hadn't had time to relax or the luxury of a hot bath; just barely warm showers. She wrapped a towel around her body and tucking in a corner to hold it up and wiped one of the mirrors. Her eyes and skin glowed from the warmth and her wet hair framed her face. She felt much better, the weariness and pain had dissolved enough for her to bend over with little more than an ache to dry her-self off. She got herself dressed and dried her hair off as much as possible before tying it up,

"Need any help?" a voice called from the other side of the door as she pulled the plug from the bath; it was Damien. Hope opened the door and chuckled to herself as he jumped in surprise. 'He's easy to make nervous.' she smirked at her friend, "I like you, Damien. You remind me of a friend" she stated softly as Damien playfully stood to attention.

Lillian was grinning, "should think so too" the blonde smiled.

"Okay, I suppose I have an inquisition on the agenda for today – better get it over with," Hope sighed, the hallway felt cold after the steam room she had made of the bathroom. Damien nodded solemnly and walked down the hall, she followed him with Lillian' arm linked through her own.

"What you going to tell them?" the blonde asked as they walked down the staircase.

"I will see what they ask" the other replied. The three entered a room that reminded Hope of a Morning Room or at least it used to be it looked like it hadn't been used for some time. Christen and Trevor were stood one playing the violin the other a flute, the music was sweet and relaxing, Charlie on a small sofa sat looking at the fire and Tyler, Hope noticed after entering, was leaning against the wall near the only entrance as well as the only exit - he was what you'd call guarding it.

The coffee table was set up with food, from cakes and biscuits to sandwiches and various drinks. Damien was instantly on the food and joined Charlie on the small couch gulping down one freshly baked goodie after another. Christen and Trevor had stopped playing and sat in the arm chairs

"I won't run." Hope said to him, "Yet" she finished deciding to be impish. Tyler's eyes narrowed as she said the last word and watched as she and Lillian sat on a free sofa near the food. "So what is it you want to know" she asked, deciding to let them lead the conversation so she could miss as much as possible.

Tyler and Trevor looked at each other, they knew this trick. "Why is FP after you?" Tyler asked, "They said Lillian was a convict".

"She was FP's prisoner yes; we both were – but not for any crime" The boys were silent but attentively listening.

"I will not tell her story; but my family lived on an island in the Celtic Sea; for the first few years of my life things were good and happy, but that all changed when I was five. FP came to the Island in search of my father who was not there; as they could not get him they punished him by punishing us. My mother tried to protect us but in the end I was left in an orphanage. The woman there came to dislike me as I grew up but there I stayed until things got drastically worse when I was eight when FP started pursuing me after the orphanage owner started blubbering in her drunken stupor since then I have been on the run since. They caught me once which is when I met Lillian but we were broken free by some of their own employees and taken to Hamilton"