Ello! Katlana here! I've been digging into this story a little more and decided to add a little fantasy, I guess you could call it. Ok, it's not really fantasy at all. But it's my story, I can say whatever the heck I want.

Anyways! Thanks for the reviews. I got home from school today feeling like crap and found two reviews in my inbox. Those reviews were from Youwillneverknowmeever and mozzi-girl. Though mozzi commented on the Tale of Three Princesses, it still made me smile and forget about the crapola I endured today. Thanks!

Ok, so onto a little more serious matter. I think Latin is a beautiful language. My resolution last year was to be able to speak a few sentences in Latin fluently, but that failed. So, I wanted to add some Latin into this chapter. Also, I think I did rather well on this chapter. It's a little longer than the last one and I finished it in maybe an hour, so there might be a few grammatical errors and such. I apologize in advance. Oh, and this is one of those chapters where I 'attempted' to be humorous. Don't kill me because I wasn't funny. :D

OH, and while I'm still ranting, I want to ask about who played the new Christmas Ep? Yeah! It finally uploaded and I am so flippin' happy. I screamed when I saw C.O.D's post about it and instantly bought it. If you're wondering if it's worth it...it is. And to spoil some...there is Maltara...I won't say what kind. ;D

Any questions? Any suggestions? Any comments or some critique? There's a review bottom at the bottom of the screen for that. ;) I'll try to answer question in my next chapter, alright?

Merry 2012 and Cause of Death.

Your Friend,
~Katlana Child~

Chapter Four

"Special Agent Warden, good morning," Hal greeted. "You seem...upset?"

"Huh?" I asked, his voice taking me off my train of thought.

"You seem upset," he repeated. "Is there anything I, myself, can do to make you happier?"

This guy will not give up. "Hal, you're very kind, but I think it's more of a personal matter at the moment. Anyway, are you ready to crack this case?"

"About that," Hal said, half unsure. "Your technicians discovered a connection between every single victim. I was hoping we could check it out."

"Well, of course. But what is the connection?"

Hal sighed. "Promise not to murder me?"

I shrugged. "I make no promises."

"Fine. Have you ever heard of Lorem perfuga?"

I knew what language he was speaking, but I didn't dare guess at what he said. I shook my head. "What is that?"

"It's a little hide-away for refugees."

I thought about this in my head and nodded. "Lorem...it means home, correct?"

"You're catching on, Special Agent. Well, according to Miss Mercedes Jensen in the lab, she believes that everyone of the victims were involved with Lorem perfuga."

"My uncle wasn't a refugee," I muttered.

"No, they HELPED them out. You remember that war years back?"

"I was probably too young to care."

"Well, the Donec War took place for ten years here in the heart of Florida, and part of Georgia. Invaders captured innocent victims, threatening to kill them off if a few businesses decided not to give them what they wanted. I was still in school at the time, but I wanted to get involved. Eventually I was drafted to an upper ridge of Florida and that's when I noticed a few people ducking in and out of a cliff. I went to investigate and found a whole refugee camp of escaped victims. If your tech isn't mistaken, that's where we will be able to find some of our answers."

"I'm guessing it's going to be a long drive then, huh?" I asked, not willing to go with it.

"Don't sound so glum! I love car rides. We can make it fun!"

I smiled slightly. "You're always so happy, aren't you."

"Pessimistic ways aren't the best ways to drift towards," Hal confirmed. I nodded slightly.

"And who said I was pessimistic."

"I'm a profiler, much like you, Special Agent. It's my job to startle people with my amazing abilities."

It was a very lengthy car ride indeed, but Hal talked through most of it. Hal parked his car in an abandoned parking lot. This area seemed totally bare. Some buildings resided at the base of a broad mountain, but they all looked as if they were vacant.

Perfect place for a hide-out, I thought.

"If I remember correctly, the entrance should be by a bushel of strawberries." Hal said, shielding his eyes from the sun.

I followed his gaze, but couldn't find myself to lock eyes with a bushel of strawberries. "Are you totally sure? You said the ten year war..."

"You might be right. Donec War was over five years ago. The bush might be dead."

"Or even better," I mumbled, "our refugees might be gone."

"Pessimistic..."

"Optimistic..."

Hal walked closer to the base and yelped slightly. A snake slithered away and he sighed.

"Afraid of snakes?" I asked with a smirk of amusement.

"No. Of...Of course not!" he replied. "It caught me by surprise, it did."

I smiled. "Sure it did, Hal. Sure it did."

"This thing you Americans have...sarcasm? Yeah, it's annoying."

"It's a way of life."

"It's an annoying way of life."

I rolled my eyes and Hal shook his head. "At least look for a crevice in the mountain. That should be the entrance to either the camp, or the entrance to a chamber filled with vicious creatures."

"Talk about optimism."

After a half of an hour searching, Hal called me over to a large builder with a strange carving on its face.

"The Greek Omega," Hal muttered. "This must be it."

"Okay, first of all, if the camp has a Latin name, why are they using the Greek Omega?" I asked.

"They're a confusing people, I'll give them that," Hal muttered. He got on his hands and knees and grinned. "Bingo! The entrance is right here."

"Hal, I don't mean to be a jerk or anything...but I don't see an entrance."

"It's a burrow, Special Agent. Now I know that most American girls, what with their fancy hair, plastic surgery and such, don't like to get dirty..."

"Obviously you've never met half of America. Plus I'm the mother of two very active kids. I'm sure burrowing into the ground will be a piece of cake."

"Alright then," Hal said with a smile. "Then why don't you go first. What do you Americans say...Ladies first?"

"Only when the male is too sissy to act on his own," I implied and he frowned. "I mean, unmanly."

"I know what 'sissy' means, Ms. Warden. And I am not afraid."

"Then go first. You know, like a hero. Go in, scope out and be ready to catch me when I fall."

"American girls are so confusing."

"I believe the word you're looking for is bi-polar."

Hal shook his head, muttering as he tore at the grass, revealing a small hole, big enough for someone of Hal's stature to slide through. He put one foot in front of the other and instantly fell through the hole. He called out the whole way down. It must have been a short fall, because minutes later, I heard him cry out in pain.

"Are you alright?" I asked from above.

"You suck!" was his response. I couldn't stop the smile that crept onto my lips. For someone who was usually well-mannered, his reply was just priceless.

"Alright, ready to catch me?" I asked.

"After my back stops throbbing!"

"Well, I'm coming down anyway." And with that, I lowered myself into the gaping hole and lost footing. I slid down and the stench of food filled my nostrils. It wasn't your typical McDonald's. It was more of a home-y sort of smell. Spices and meat combined together...Fresh bread straight from the oven...It all reminded me of dinner with Kai. This must have been where he learned all of his cooking traits.

I landed directly in Hal's arms and he quickly set me to my feet. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Fine, and you?"

"Still sore, but I'll live."

"I don't think that's an option," a harsh voice rang out. Hal and I flipped around and held back a gasp. We were surrounded by at least twenty armored men. They had old fashioned spears in their grasp.

"Well...this is bad," Hal growled.

"You think?" I asked, rolling my eyes.