*Okay so after you read this chapter I need your help, all of you. I can't decide whether or not I want to continue the journey in this story or start another one about what happens after all this. So I need you to go to my profile and vote. Either I put a couple more chapters in here to finish this up (because it's actually a rather nice place to "end" it) and begin another story about their struggle or I just find a way to string the next part and this together. I appreciate the input! :D Enjoy this chapter.*

Erol lunged for David but was quickly stopped by Desmond. "I knew it!" Erol shouted. "I knew you'd just screw us over!"

"You're dead," Jordan growled, moving for David. Somehow, I managed to stop him.

I turned to David. "Why?"

David sighed and stared sheepishly at his feet. "What I told you about my brother was true. They have him now. They had me before. The scientists did experiments with mine and my brother's blood for a year and a half. God, I was stuck there a year and a half." He shook his head trying to rid it of memories. "When they were done they told me that I was free to go but that they'd be watching me. I asked about my brother and they told me that he was to remain in the containment facility. I couldn't bare it. I told them I'd do anything."

"So you sold your soul and became a Bagger?" Rosto demanded. I'd never seen him angry before. Frustrated, yes, but even that was just sweet and adorable. The look in the young vampyre's eyes was terrifying.

"Not a Bagger per se, but yes. I went through their training plus some spy type training. My first mission was to infiltrate your hideout. The Baggers knew there were some powerful vamps around here, just not where they were hiding. I was to get in, do some recon and get out."

"Again, you sold your soul," Kimmy reiterated.

Jason touched the girl's shoulder. "Lay off. I mean, what he did is awful but…what would you do if someone you loved like Rosto was Bagged?" Kimmy looked over at her cousin. "If you had a way to free him, you would." Kimmy nodded, staring stubbornly at her feet.

"But the noble thing to do would be to try and stop them, not aid them," the fledgling sighed.

"Sometimes being noble is really hard. I don't know if I could do it if something happened to my sister."

I'm sure this was a touching sight. Jason opening up and showing that he actually did have a soft side. I'm also sure that people like Erol and Jordan didn't give a rat's ass about the noble thing or David's reasoning and that they made it very clear through their facial expressions. But I couldn't honestly say. My eyes never left David. "So why did you come?" I asked.

"I told you," David replied, shaking his head with shame. "I was a coward and decided to do the Baggers' bidding. I came to spy on you."

I shook my head and took a step forward. "I mean, why did you come back?" David squinted at me. "You were out of harm's way. You could have gone back to the Baggers, told them what was going on and been rid of us. But you didn't. You came back, sword in hand for some reason, to save me. Why?"

David scratched his head. "I guess, I just felt I owed it to you. I felt bound to you. All of you. You're all an amazing group. But Mari, it's that loyalty I was talking about. I…ugh, I want to be like you. You know…if you guys don't decide to kill me."

Everyone began arguing all at once. Jason, Kimmy and Rosto arguing on behalf of David and Jordan, Erol and Desmond arguing against him. It was chaos and I was surprised a group of Baggers didn't find us purely based on the noise factor. In the midst of it all I looked over at Daydream. She too was silent and staring thoughtfully at me. I looked into her eyes and knew what she was thinking. She removed the final bag to see a man who ripped the shiny badge from his chest to reveal his true heart.

"A Bagger's badge?" I asked her. Everyone slowly quieted down, surprised by my sudden question.

"That would be my way of thinking," Daydream admitted, nodding at me with a sagely glint in her eyes. "And he appeared by the grace of Nyx when Jordan wasn't here…"

"Giving him a chance to change first," I completed.

Daydream smiled widely, causing her big brown eyes to turn into little crescents. "Sounds like a divine plan to me."

I smiled back, feeling overwhelmed by a sense of clarity and purpose. "By the way, I seriously missed you," I told Daydream, my best friend. She grinned and gave me a squeezing hug that nearly winded me. But I was happy to have it. I turned to the rest of the vamps. "David stays with us, not only that, but he's going to help us attack the Baggers." I filled the three psychic vamps in on what Desmond and I had been planning, taking on the Baggers.

"What makes you think he'll actually help us?" Erol growled.

"What makes you think we can take the Baggers?" Jordan added, sounding just as crabby as Erol.

"He'll help us because I believe he really does want to help and he knows we can help get his brother back. I think you know this too Jordan, what with that whole psychic thing you've got going on." I looked over at David who seemed both nervous and confused. But he definitely didn't seem like he was going to run back to the Baggers. "And I think we can actually take on the Baggers because they think we can." Now everyone looked confused but Daydream and myself. "David, why did they send you to us?"

"Because I was dispensable," he replied sadly.

"No, I mean why did they want this group watched?"

Understanding lit up David's face. "They feared your collective power and that you'd gather a following great enough to overthrow them."

I smiled and looked to the vampyres. "They are terrified," I announced as I began pacing. "You don't try to take out someone unless you think they can be a threat. They think we're dangerous, and I think they're right. You guys are passionate and dedicated vamps who have been cooped up long enough."I specifically locked eyes with Desmond and Erol who oozed warrior energy. "I think it's time we mobilize. Leave behind the safety of the tunnels and take on those who wish to destroy you. Let's fight for future vampyres and free the ones they have captive." It sounded like I was giving the Braveheart speech but the feeling of passion and confidence that emanated from my heart was genuine and overwhelming.

The vamps responded well to my enthusiasm. I'm pretty sure they would have cheered or something had Liam not stirred and disrupted our rising hope. Desmond sighed and shook his head. "He cannot be allowed to survive," the Son of Erebus said in a definitive tone. "As long as he has the ability to control minds he is a danger."

I thought of the books in his room. "Maybe we can drain him of his ability to control minds," I suggested.

Everyone exchanged glances. "Mari," Desmond sighed, carefully. "We can't guarantee that it will work or that he won't wake up and mess everything up before then."

When I shook my head, Jason stepped forward. "We're going to have to kill him Mari." I looked at those around me and David, Rosto and Kimmy were the only ones to seem as horrified as me.

"There's nothing else we can do?" I asked while running through ideas in my mind.

"Can you think of anything?" Jordan asked me. I thought really, truly hard then shook my head. "Leave this to Jason, Desmond and I." When Erol opened his mouth to object Jordan added, "I only want one person he might be able to control here, it's easier to contain. Just take everyone back to the tunnels." Erol looked irritated but nodded obediently.

Everyone quickly began to leave but I discovered that my legs were still not working properly after Liam's paralyzing medicine. Erol saw and swooped me up. "Don't worry, I'll carry you."

I held onto his neck as he walked swiftly towards the tunnels. I watched his face remain hard as he moved. "Listen, Erol," I started.

Erol shook his head. "I stand by what I said Mari," he whispered. "He may be this way now but he may just find another way to make you feel insecure. He's a drama queen that way."

I cocked an eyebrow. "If you wouldn't keep it a secret why are you whispering?"

He smiled. "For your sake. You can pretend to be oblivious of my feelings for you." I pursed my lips, feeling genuinely torn. "It's not important right now. What matters is this new mission of yours. You're right, it's something we have to do. But just know that my feelings won't be changing anytime soon. I'll be waiting. After all," he chuckled, "I'm a vampyre. I have more time to wait than your average guy."

When we got to the tunnels Erol set me down on the couch and excused himself to go pack some of his things and some of my things in his room. He wanted to be ready should we need to leave that night. I sat there for a minute, trying to massage feeling back into my legs, before David sat down next to me.

"Why did you stand up for me?" he asked, giving me a hard stare.

I smiled and said the first thing that came to my mind. "Because I was meant to."