The rickety route obscure and lonely of the ground beneath them was enough to make their stomachs lurch, Hal's grip on his rifle clenched tighter as the memory of Lexi in his arms haunted him, the strength in her posture, her demonized eyes. She was his baby sister, what devil had possessed Karen to commit such an action? They had no clue, the others; he was alone in the matter. And, to think, a few months ago, he had blindly believed the worse to be behind them. Lourdes had not spoken to him since, and yet when she looked at him, there was a calculating expression in her eyes, as she scrutinized him, expecting him to make a wrong move anytime soon. Did she know? She could not have known, he had been careful to not entrap her in his fate. There was a gorging noise in the rear of their truck, he heard his father curse and open the back engine. The black sparks had nearly cut him.

"You have got to be kidding me…" Tom muttered to himself, with a signalling to the back, Captain Weaver seized the movement of the other vehicles. "We have to stop, this truck's messed up. Where's Jamil? Get him on the job". Jamil's entrusted smile was seen emerging from the crowd, as if there was no other way to sour Hal's mood. His younger brother Ben bounded through the crowd to assist them. "Ben," Tom directed, father figure gone, his boss was present, "Take Hal, and get water from the river for the engine. Get some for civilians as well."

"Sure, Dad." Ben's voice was soft, it made Hal despair. Ben was optimistic the majority of the time, but when times were challenging, her would have breakdowns, his childhood had been tainted, and his young hood taken. Hal only wished he had been more merciful to Ben in their other life, he felt nothing could repay for the difficult days he would bestow upon Ben. They left with no support, but Hal knew he was not always alone, never with her leeching from his thoughts.

Lourdes had seen it, the cocking of the rifle. Discreetly, Hal had hidden his hand behind Ben's side, and the movement of his elbow had been concealed, except Lourdes had been in preposterous position of sight as to see his action. Alarm bells had sounded in her mind, her medic senses had overwhelmed, and she knew what fate was imperturbably waiting. Rudely interrupting Maggie and Anne's exchange, she pulled Maggie by the hand away from the crowd so they could discuss in private.

"Ben's in trouble." Her voice was harsh and tight; her heart was bursting with dread, her brilliant brown eyes bloodshot with fear.

"What? How?" Maggie enquired, her eyes darted around her surroundings frantically to locate Ben, and her blood ran cold as she could not see that beautiful, gentle smile within the crowd.

"He took Hal with him, I don't know what for, but I saw Hal cock his gun, it's the parasite, and it's starting to act on him."

"Okay, well what the hell do we do? No – one else know s what's going on."

"I know, we just….we need to create a distraction, something that will divert the crowd, giving us enough time to get away and stop Hal."

"Okay, but, ho-"Maggie's eyes settled on an empty vehicle, the spark in her mind alit. Lourdes watched as a mischievous smile framed her features, she stood back as she watched Maggie approach the car mentioned, her hands manoeuvring over the wires underneath the vehicle, there were sparking and hissing latent echoes emerging from her position from underneath the vehicle.

She isn't…Oh my god she is! Lourdes watched in horror as the vehicle began to travel backwards at rapid momentum, causing several simultaneous collisions, there were cries of panic as the crowd gathered watched as their vehicles began to attack each other in frenzied states, Lourdes and Maggie quickly weaved through to escape. Lourdes prayed that it was not too late to save Ben, and most of all, cure Hal.

They found him at gunpoint. His tears moistened his cheeks, but his eyes were bloodshot, his voice was shrill, and his body was convulsing. Ben held him down by his two hands, but soon Hal gained his strength back. In one swift movement, his elbow dug deep in Ben's stomach, making Ben reel back in shock, one punch to the throat, and one punch to the jaw was clear. Causing Ben to stagger, the gun flew from Ben's hand, snapping in two on the hard, rock ground. Hal turned his gun towards Lourdes.

"Stay back!" He was growling, but his eyes, his eyes were different. They were begging. They say that the eyes give us a door to a soul, and Hals' eyes were magnifying glasses into the wretched soul he had become. He was begging for repentance, begging for a saviour. As Lourdes rapidly moved forward, he advanced towards her, cocking his gun in the process.

"I said stay back!" Dragging Ben up by the collar, he heaved him to his feet, the gun still trained upon Lourdes.

"One movement towards either one of us, and you get shot, dear medic." It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things; it clicked in Lourdes' mind. Hal would never name her a "medic", he would use her name. It was another voice calling through him, which was why his eyes were different to the rest of his rigid cadaver; it was the sole part of him that Hal had control over.

"What do you want, Karen?" Lourdes' questioned her voice harsh and icy. Karen within Hal's body, cackled mockingly, and then spat in Lourdes' face.

"Wow, nothing gets past those medic senses, huh? I want the child."

"Lexi?"

"Yes, that one. Give her to me. Or this one gets it in the head." The gun dug deeper into Ben's neck, he gasped in pain at the rimy tip of the gun, and the sharpness.

"I can't give you the child, Karen. No." She suspiciously watched as Hal's jaw clenched, and Ben's eyes widened in horror as the gun lifted to his temple, he began struggling against her grip, but it was no use. Karen was a harnessed human as well, their strength equalled, Ben was helpless. For once, his mutation within his body was no super power to him.

"I'll shoot him, I swear!"

"I know you will, but you can't."

"And why is that?" Hal barked.

"Because, Maggie is right behind you." He barely had time to move, Maggie swung the arm holding the gun in full force, bring the heavy handle of the gun to the back of the neck, piercing the pressure point, causing Hal to collapse to the ground. Ben fell to the ground instantaneously, wheezing and coughing as fresh air was inhaled into his lungs, Maggie grabbed Hal by the legs. Lourdes grabbed him by the arms.

"Okay, let's get that damn parasite out of him." Lourdes declared her mind-set stern and her soul determined.

"But, how?" That was the issue, she did not know. She really did not know.