I must say that I'm disappointing with the results of the election, but it is what it is at this point. NOw that I've had a moment to calm down and starting thinking rationally, I realize that I am highly unlikely to be deported, because I am an American born citizen to two veterans. Of course, that may change as the years go by. Not me, of course, but the guidelines for deportation.

"Hanayo-chan, are you alright?" She wanted to talk, in private, so I took her to Wildwood, to that field of flowers. She hasn't said anything since we arrived, but that might just be her mustering up her courage. "Hanayo-chan, you know you can talk to me, right?"

"I know, Maki-chan, it's just that I don't know what to do. How to tell you."

"Tell me what?" She doesn't answer, looking down and to the side. "Tell me what, Hanayo-chan? Did someone do something to you?" She flinched, giving me my answer. "Who?" She shakes her head quickly, refusing to meet my eyes. "Was it Justin?" Her head shook again, no. "Hanayo-chan, talk to me. Please."

"Maki-chan… did you know that your-" she was clearly struggling to process the next word- "fiancée has a genetic disorder? A disorder I also have? A genetic disorder that was forced on us?" Genetic disorder?

"Are you saying that you're a Splicer?" Recognition. She flinched when I said that, meaning she understands that I know. "Hanayo-chan, I already knew that Justin is a Splicer. It took me two years to figure it out, and he had to tell me, but I know." I reach out and take her hand, she shaking hand. "Hanayo-chan, you don't have to be afraid of me." I pull her into my chest as she started crying.

"-you." She mumbled something.

"What was that?"

"I love you." She actually said it. "I know you love Justin-san, and that Justin-san loves you, but I just wanted to say it. I know that this isn't some book where everyone can get together with the person that they love, but I just wanted you to know. I love you." A butterfly landed on her hand, a familiar butterfly. And that butterfly had a note.

'Take your time.'

"Hanayo-chan, love is a powerful word. Take care not to use it too casually. But if you really mean it, who am I to disagree?" I leaned forward and kissed her, lightly, teasingly. "But if you want more, then show me. Prove it to me."

"Well, this is all very sweet. Young, lesbian love. And one of them is cheating, at that. Such a shame." A rather handsome young man walked into the field. "You've caused us some major headaches, my dear. Did you really think that Rapture would let you go back to the parasites?" He smiled a gorgeous streak of white.

"A Splicer?"

"Well, once upon a time, you would be correct. Back when the ADAM was still new technology, but we have improved greatly since we discovered the first ideal specimen, and even further since the second. While we are far from perfect, the Splicers of the sixties are a long distant memory. But the parasites stole the second specimen from us, so we came to retrieve her. Add in some chaos from the beasts we released and viola! Her she is, all wrapped up for the taking." More Splicers, each impossibly attractive, circled us. None of them were armed, but that doesn't mean anything. Gene tonics and Plasmids are perfectly capable of making up the difference. "Now then, would you kindly come with us?" Something tells me that wasn't a question. Hanayo-chan pressed herself closer to me, her face buried between my breasts. The butterfly fluttered off, but the Splicers ignored it.

Interesting fact about Toledo, Ohio. It ranks fourth in the country for human trafficking. I knew this, but it didn't seem to ever come to mind, until I had a personal stake in one of the victims. My kin informed me of what was happening, in real time. Maki's mom had already called the cops, and an AMBER alert was sent out.

"Hello?"

"Hello, my dear test subject. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough if you ask me."

"And that's a shame. Anyway, if you are willing to listen to me, I'm willing to strike a deal with you."

"A deal. With you? What makes you think I'll make a deal with you?"

"Because we both have something the other wants. I have these girls, and you're body has valuable ADAM. So, I'll offer you a trade. I'll give you Maki Nishikino and Hanayo Koizumi, unharmed and safe. In return, you let me extract some of your ADAM. Of course, I don't know how long my men will hold back, so make your decision quickly." I took a deep, steadying breath.

And then the window was smashed by an extremely large Splicer. "Found you!" A quick application of telekinesis broke his neck.

"If you think that sending a Splicer to attack me will convince me of your sincerity, Doctor, you are dead wrong. I refuse." I need to get to the Seagate center, quickly.

"Well, thanks to Johnson, we just lost our best chance at our main goal. Congratulations." The doctor in charge of the Splicers said silkily. "Welcome back, my dear."

"What do you want with us?"

"Maki Nishikino, correct? Well, we want our ideal specimen back. Or, barring that, enough of his stolen ADAM to continue our work." She doesn't seem to want to harm us, but that could change. They haven't tried to separate Hanayo-chan and I, so at least there's that.

"Hanayo-chan, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Maki-chan." She's stopped shaking. "You're braver then me, Maki-chan." No, I'm not. I'm just better at hiding it. "So if Maki-chan can be brave for me, I can also be brave for her."

The doctor walked out of the room, and Hanayo-chan acted. Every Splicer in the room was thrown against the walls as a telekinetic burst was unleashed. She didn't stop there, breaking the door down and using it as an impromptu ram.

The police and SWAT teams are holding out well against the Splicers, but it isn't quite enough. My first attack scatters the Splicers and makes them attack me. While they may be physically superior to me, I have the advantage of surprise and height.

We made our way out of the room and found a field of death. And at the center, impeccably dressed, was Eileen. As far as I could tell, she was unharmed; covered in blood, but unharmed. I couldn't find the doctor, so it seems she managed to escape. "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine, thank you for coming for us." The Crow vanished, killing three more Splicers.

Someone threw up. So did I. "Fifty-three of these pests are dead, so let's go." She waited long enough for us to get our bearings before escorting us into the main hall.

"MAKI!" My mom all but tackled me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you-"

"Well, except for the Splicers, I'd say this was a success."

"You would say that, wouldn't you."

Justin was there, talking to the police.

Why didn't the Splicers do more damage? The building is undamaged and only Splicers seemed to have been killed. I didn't see any of them using Plasmids, even after I used mine.

For those of you who read Obligation as well, I have put up a poll. Take a look at it, give me some feedback, something people.

One last thing, before I sign off. I would like to move for the name of this country be changed from "United States of America" to "Boatmurdered". That is all.