It had been almost 9 years since I had even driven down this road. I hated coming to the city, Logan being the only exception. I found it over populated, and riddled with the constant reminder that I failed as a protector. As a vigilante type. Not that I'd ever give myself that much credit but…the city reminded me of all the things I could never be. Completely normal for one. I hated seeing all the couples, and the groups of friends going from bar to club to bar, laughing, enjoying their young lives. I never got that, and I probably never will get that. Well I could have that…with Logan. We could walk away from all of this shit and start over somewhere small…maybe down south. We could…if Logan's best friend wasn't being turned into a pshyco killer. I had Logan safe, which was my job from the get go, and now I just needed to make sure his "trusted" best friend didn't do anything stupid, like join up. Once I got James, fixed him up and made sure him and Carlos were okay, (only helping James for Logan) I'd ask Logan to go away with me and start over. If I had enough guts and didn't pull the usual shit by just walking away without saying one word.

I parked across the street from a small free clinic. It was open 24 hours for obvious reasons and always had the sketchiest people going in and out of there. When I locked my very nice and expensive sports car, I saw a few of the regular hobos look at me and then my car but ignored them. There was absolutely no way they could break into my car or do anything to me, so I wasn't too worried. I did hate however that when I pulled the free clinic door walking myself in, that I got dirty looks. I look rich, because of my car, so everyone thinks I shouldn't be at this free clinic. Little did any of them know I wasn't here to get a checkup or discounted prescription. I was only interested in seeing the one man I knew I could always count on. Dr. Plank, a.k.a. the man who used to be Emilio's right hand guy, before Michael came along, and I left. Dr. Plank has been with Emilio since he moved here after his father's death. I was always trying to stay in touch with him, because like me, he was sick of the way the locals were being treated by our kind and wanted out. And he did without ever getting on anyone's (Emilio's) shit list. The only thing he never did was try to stop them from doing what they were doing. Coming to see him now, I was hoping he might change his mind about that and give me a few extra guys along with it.

I stopped at the front counter and glanced around the very empty clinic. I almost hit the bell when a small blond lady walked out, in scrubs, a yellow folder in her hand. She sat down at her chair and smiled big looking up at me. "Hi! Can I help you?"

"I need to talk to Dr. Plank, if he's not busy." She smiled even bigger and stood up pointing to a door to my left. "Thank you." She nodded and looked em up and down before sitting back down. I smiled, friendly enough to make her think I was an asshole, but that was it.

I pushed the door open slowly and quietly seeing him at his desk his head down, nose pressed against a book. I stepped in completely and stood by the door closing it. I had to smile seeing his hair. The last time I saw it, it was black. Now it was turning into grey, covering his entire head. I looked down clearing my throat softly and smiled bigger hearing him laugh. "Kendall Knight…why am I not surprised to see you?" I looked up and walked to his desk. He was now standing and tossed a pen on the desk sticking out his hand. I took it, shaking softly and breathed out sitting across from him. Before he sat he shimmied out of his doctors coat and threw it to a big leather chair in the corner. He sat down grabbing a half empty water bottle. "If I know you, and I know that face, you're here because Emilio." I grinned and nodded once. "Awesome…let me see if I can be two for two….about that doctor who was almost killed by Michaels, oversized hands?" I frowned but nodded. He sat back and folded his hands together shrugging. "Is he doing okay?"

"Yeah…I took him in. I've been watching over him and figured out why they went after him." He raised his eyebrows. "They thought he was trying to cure people. A kid came in and had bite marks. He covered them and gave the kid a garlic placebo because he heard about a doctor in…"

"Seattle. Yeah I heard about him too. So that means there is a cure?" I only shrugged and shook my head. "Well Emilio would be the first to try to stop it. Was the doctor trying to cure anyone?"

"No. He was just trying to help the kid out." He nodded an di moved forward. "Look Brad, you and I know I'm the poster boy for hating Emilio but I can't stop him by myself." He nodded again, standing up and walking to a water cooler in the corner of his office. He took out a little white cup and filled it up before downing the entire thing. "I need your help Brad. And I need all of your buddies help."

"Well you aren't their biggest fan." I frowned watching him walk back to his desk and sit down. He chuckled and pointed to me shaking his head. "Everyone knows how you and Emilio were…they thought you walking away was just a show." I gritted my teeth and looked down at my legs. "But I was the only one who saw you that night when Emilio cut you." I closed my eyes blocking out the memory of the night I told Emilio I didn't want to be a part of any of it. He told me I was weak and that I wouldn't survive without him. I told him I didn't care and turned my back to him. I remember him grabbing the back of my head and tilting my head back. He put the knife to my throat and told me something…I can't remember and then cut my jaw. I got out only by the grace of God and came to Brad as fast as I could. He cleaned me up and kept me safe until I could figure something out. "What do you need from me?" I looked up quick and swallowed hard.

"I need bodies. I need…a lot of support. They're growing stronger. Just changing people every day. Maybe we could even ask Justin…"

"You honestly think dogs will want to get involved?"

"It couldn't hurt to ask." He sighed and leaned forward picking up his phone on his desk. He pressed one button putting it to his ear and sighed.

"Angela…can you call in Lou. Something has come up and I need to take care of it." I smirked and stood myself up taking my car keys out of my jean pocket. "I'll come by your house with everyone. Start thinking about how you want to do this. I'll call when I'm on the way Knight." I stuck out my hand and he took it standing up. We shook but I kept a hold of his hand shaking my head.

"If I could do it myself. I would." He nodded and chuckled dropping my hand form his softly. I turned and walked to his door pulling it open. I stepped out and shut it softly, faintly hearing on the other side Brad say something along the lines of "I think I'm out and I get pulled back in." I smirked again and waved to the blond behind the counter before walking out.

The drive to my house was quiet, but tense. I had to seriously think about how I was going to do this. Obviously we couldn't just storm in and start killing. Emilio would out smart us, and out man us. By a lot. But maybe if I tried to hit Emilio where it hurt like his neck, we could grab the upper hand quick. But that would mean coming face to face with him, and I didn't know if I would have that kind of strength. Yeah Emilio and I are on two different wave lengths but he was my first…everything. If I actually had to end his life, I don't think I could. It made me laugh actually, because I gave Logan shit for not wanting to pull the trigger, but maybe I was more like him then I liked to admit. Maybe I liked the idea that I was like him. It made em seem more human I guess.

I stopped in the front of my house parking and cutting the engine fast. It was a little after 4 in the morning and I hoped, Logan was at least lying down, or asleep. I prefer if he was sleeping, because he needed the rest and I hated that I was the reason he was stressing and worrying. At least I assumed he was worried and stressed over me. I didn't want that for him but I know how stubborn he is. He wouldn't change his ways even if I begged. I got out of my car and hurried to my front door suddenly wanting nothing more than to hold and see him. I unlocked my front door and stepped in quietly, and quickly. I shut it, and locked it before walking into my dark quiet living room. The TV was on, very low and lying face down on the couch, mouth hanging open, snoring was Carlos I smirked and walked over to him shutting his mouth, and plugging his nose. He did nothing for a minute before his eyes shot open and he pushed my hands away from his face. "Dick.." He coughed quietly, and sat up on his knees rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

"A little past 4." He nodded yawning and stood himself up glancing around me.

"So what's going on? Did you already take care of…"

"No I had to recruit some old friends for some extra help. Their going to be coming here in a while and then were going to get James and take care of Emilio." He nodded running a hand over his buzzed head and stretched his back.

"Well…I think Logan's still asleep. He went in there right after you left. I don't think he's had anything to eat at all…" I frowned and pushed off my sweater throwing it to the couch.

"I'll wake him up. I'll even shove the food down his throat if I need to." Carlos chuckled walking past me to the kitchen and I sighed heading down the dark hallway to my closed bedroom door. I was actually really excited about walking in on him, fast asleep in my bed. I had a feeling it would be the cutest damn thing in the world. I stopped right in front of my door and put my hand on the knob turning it. It didn't budge. It was locked, which was weird. I turned the knob again and raised my other hand knocking quietly. "Logan?" I paused waiting to hear the squeak of the bed, and then his footsteps coming to unlock the door. But nothing happened. There was no sound on the other side of the door. "Logan? Open the door." I juggled the knob a few times, aggressively, before stepping back and breathing out. "Carlos?!" I quickly threw my shoulder against the door, but it didn't budge.

"What's up?" He got next to me, and for the second and last time, I threw my body against the door forcing it open. I stumbled in but caught myself glancing around my very empty and cold room. I looked to the bed, and then to the floor seeing the shirt of mine, he was wearing earlier. I walked quickly to the bathroom and looked in seeing no one there. I stepped back out and saw the back of Carlos's head as he glanced at the wide open window. And then I saw it. I walked slowly over to the bed seeing the folded piece of paper on the pillow I had just seen Logan's head on. I picked it up and slowly opened it. I sucked in a hard breath and gritted my teeth together. "Did someone…"

"Emilio." I looked up at Carlos who was looking at me, concerned and sad. I gently put the paper out to him and let him take it from me as I walked around to him and walked past him going to the window. I stuck my head out the window and shook my head seeing the dirt around the bottom of the window a little kicked up. There was clearly a struggle…someone was dragged out through the window and tried to fight it.

"I win…what the hell does that mean?" I turned quick and looked to Carlos. Although I was pissed he let Logan just get carried out of the house, I couldn't be mad at him. This is how Emilio works. I gently took the note from him and looked at it again. Written in the all too familiar, pretty cursive handwriting that I knew was Emilio's, were two simple words that struck a nerve in my body. Hard.

"I win."