A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: Yup – it's another one of those interludes. This one runs simultaneously with the end of chapter fifteen. This means that it takes place right after Ryan left Diana on the balcony, and after Blade told Laetitia to go back inside and get some sleep, but before Diana discovered that Ryan had left. Confused yet? No? Damn.

Italics indicates telepathy

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Second Interlude: There Comes a Point...

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Ryan stepped inside the silent motel room and rubbed his temples.

Fuck. Why did Diana always ask questions he didn't want to answer?

Fuck!

Until the conversation with Diana, he'd actually thought that he'd gotten over the events in Atlanta...or at least as much as he could. Okay, if he had to be honest, he wasn't over it – far from – but he'd learned to live with it.

But to actually tell the story to another person...

It had opened the gates to a furious river of suppressed emotions, ranging from burning hatred, to soul-wrecking guilt. Ryan clenched his fists and tried to get the emotions back under control, but it was impossible.

They coursed through his veins, burned their way through his soul, until they found the only possible outlet.

BLADE!

Ryan's mental shout was based solely on instincts, and not rational thoughts. Instincts, hate, the need for revenge...all combined in a single thought that he somehow knew would find its target.

Cretes...

Blade's reply was cold, but Ryan could feel the surprise clearly through the mindlink, and he smiled grimly. Rarely did anyone catch Blade Heron by surprise, and yet Ryan had managed to do so not once, but twice.

No wonder Blade wanted him dead.

So you're in Pittsburgh, Ryan noted.

Yes. Does this conversation have a point, or did you just want to get some more people killed? Blade replied in a malicious tone.

Against his will, Ryan flinched slightly at the harsh words and felt Blade's smug satisfaction through the link.

Drop the childish games, Ryan snapped. I have a proposition for you.

The smug satisfaction faded and was replaced by a hint of cold curiosity.

You have my attention.

Ryan ignored Blade's arrogance, and quickly checked that Diana was still outside and that the others were asleep.

We have some unfinished business, and I think we both know that as long as our teams are nearby, we're not going to get the chance to finish it.

Get to the point, Cretes, Blade ordered. He had already guessed what Ryan was proposing, but decided to play with his opponent a little longer. Games pissed Ryan off, and pissed off people were more likely to make mistakes.

There's an abandoned steel plant in the suburbs south of the town. We'll meet there and settle this, without any teammates to get in the way.

Blade waited a moment before he replied, but his interest was obvious.

What's the address? Blade asked.

Ryan told him, and Blade thought things over for a few moments. The others were asleep, so there would be no one to show up at exactly the wrong time. And Ryan would be there, alone, with no teammates to save his sorry ass, and no cops to interfere just when things were getting interesting.

All right, Cretes. We have a deal. Be at the plant in thirty minutes.

Ryan nodded, although Blade couldn't see it. Thirty minutes – he would have to hurry, but on the other hand neither of them would be able to get there fast enough to prepare any nasty surprises.

He gently reached out with his mind, and with a few, careful thoughts he convinced Diana to stay outside for a little while longer.

Think about what happened, Diana. Think things through. Relax. Enjoy the warm night, he whispered in her mind, and Diana accepted the thoughts as her own.

Ryan grabbed his coat, sneaked out of the room, and closed the door quietly behind him.

* * *

Blade quickly checked the map to find the shortest route to the plant, then instinctively checked that that his guns were still in their holsters.

He put on his trenchcoat, then slowly let his gaze wander across the room. Everyone appeared to be asleep, but there was something...his eyes settled on a mess of blue and faded green hair.

"I know you're awake, Jordane," Blade said quietly, careful not to wake up the others.

Jordane opened her eyes and pushed the covers aside, revealing the loose, black T-shirt she used at night.

"Where are you going?" she asked in an equally low voice.

Blade silently debated how much to tell her, then quickly wrote down the address on a piece of paper. It wasn't because he was afraid that something would go wrong, it was more because he wanted to ensure that Jordane wouldn't do anything foolish like trying to follow him on her own. Nineteen-year-old girls should not be driving around on their own in the middle of the night, especially not during times with mutant hysteria.

"I have some business to take care off. I'll be back later. *Don't* follow me," he ordered briskly.

Jordane looked away, no doubt remembering their argument in the alley, and Blade handed her the address.

"Go back to sleep, Melee," Blade said quietly.

Jordane watched him cross the room, and open the door. He sent her a stern look, then closed the door silently behind him.

"Where is he going?" someone hissed quietly.

"Fuck!" Jordane muttered. "Aaron, damnit, don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry. Well...where is he going?"

Jordane glared at him.

"He didn't say. Just said something about some business to take care of," she replied and toyed absently with the small piece of paper.

Aaron looked thoughtfully at the closed door.

"And we're going to stay here like he told us to?" he asked.

Jordane snorted.

"Like hell we aren't. Let's give him a ten minutes head start, and then you and I are gonna go on a little trip to see Pittsburgh by night."

Aaron just smirked and grabbed a pair of jeans.

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Coming up: Ryan and Blade are determined to settle things once and for all, but not even they know what the consequences will be...