"Why did you do that?" Kane said in an almost accusing tone.
"What do you mean?"
"Why did you let them go?"
I shrugged. "Why are you all upset for? You say I only do things to save my skinny butt." Kane grinded her teeth, I didn't understand her. She hates my guts when I catch experiments and she hates my guts when I let them go free.
"What am I supposed to tell them when we come back with only two experiments?" she said shaking her note book at me. Kane had a very good point…I hadn't exactly worked out that detail yet. The sun was rising, its rays soaked up by an overcast sky of ugly clouds. They moved quickly across the sky riding on cold winds. Suddenly a single crow appeared cawing loudly and moving fast. Soon more crows started to appear and then entire flocks were crossing the sky above our heads. Lighting ripped through that sky while thunder boomed loudly adding to the noise of the thousands of birds.
"What's going on? Kane said dumfounded. "It seems like the end of the world has come."
"Sure does or something out of a Hitchcock film….but it's not. Kane come on, we've got to move. Raf's in trouble," I said sliding in to the passenger's side. "What are you waiting for? DRIVE!" Kane slammed on the gas and turned off the empty street.
"How are we going to find him?" she asked.
"Follow the crows, they'll lead us to him." Surprisingly enough they were all heading in the same direction. Citizens, who were setting up shop for the day stared up at the skies in awe.
"Do you know why they are all here?"
"Yeah, it's Rafmire…this is one of his powers…one he rarely uses. I've only seen him do it once before now, a long time ago… on one of our first missions. He called a whole bunch of crows to defend him and they also made pâté out of our targets. It's weird…if Raf is under a lot of stress and in a pinch, crows will come from miles around to protect him. The freakiest part of it is he doesn't have to say a word or make a sound, they just come automatically," I explained looking out at the window. As we neared where the crows were headed, the sky had turned hideously black.
"We're here," Kane said halting the car " I'm not taking this vehicle any farther. We need a way to make it back to the School…I won't risk any more damage to it."
" Fine," I said flatly. " Stay here." I got out and looked up at the eye of the brewing storm, there the crows had amassed themselves into an enormous ball. Individual groups would break away and attack Storm, who was not too far away. That little twit, he shouldn't have been given these powers. Suddenly, Storm made a throwing gesture with and lighting struck the ball of crows. I took cover as hundreds of burnt birds fell like black chard hail. The ball of crows moved and darted at Storm. It split to form a huge mouth that engulfed him. I heard him scream in terror and soon multiple bolts of lighting struck the ball of crows, birds fell like rain. I didn't know what to do, I wanted to run in and help. But the problem is I didn't know when my interference would be useful. There was only one way to find out. I took to the roof tops and approached bounding from one roof to the other to get a closer look and find a good opening. I tried not to step on the crows, but every now an then I would here the crunch of a dying bird's bones beneath my feet. When I was close as I could get, I watched intently. Storm was still engulfed in the ball of crows, lightening still lashing through the air and more birds falling. Now that I was closer, I could see that there were fewer ones than before, which allowed me to view two battling figures fighting inside the ball. Suddenly hail the size of golf balls began to pour down from the sky pelting everything. This was bad news for Raf and his crows. More birds were being taken out then ever before, along with repeated lighting strikes. Storm finally reemerged from the ball of crows. Raf must have done him a treatment, because Storm's cloths were torn and there were claw marks all over his body.
"Take this!" he screamed, raising both hands and brining them down simultaneously. Multiple lighting bolts lashed out at once and instantly the remaining crows in the ball burst into flames. "RAF!"……

If I ever had a chance to see hell without dying, this moment was it. The instant the lighting struck my crows, they all burst into flames. Letting out the most tortured cry they could muster, it sounded unworldly. Burning writhing bodies of black birds fluttered around me. They scattered flying in a frenzy, I didn't know why but I just hovered there, my hands plastered against my ears. "Make them stop!" I thought to myself. I wanted to protect them and put out the fires, but I didn't know how. As the flames consumed the crows their cries started to fade out and they began to fall to the earth. Falling crow carcasses started to hit me and set fire to my clothes. It was a living nightmare that I needed to escape from. My wings ached horribly after being in the air for hours fighting Storm. He was tougher than PC gave him credit for. I flapped my wings quickly, trying to neglect the pain and burst out of the ball of flaming crows, hail pelting me from head to toe. Many of the birds had either retreated or lied in the streets below. It was a saddening sight….

I saw Raf escape on fire and suddenly drop from the sky landing on a roof top. I immediately moved to his position. From far away Raf didn't look very beat up, but close up he was a mess. He had rolled around to put out the flames and was now lying there on the ground among the crows.
"Raf! Are you okay?" I said urgently. I was beginning to worry.
"Yeah," Raf said distantly, sitting up, his back turned and holding his right for arm. " I'm fine…But I got burned…it stings," he hissed between his teeth. The birds smelt awful, there is nothing like the smell of burnt feathers and flesh to clear the sinuses. Raf suddenly sneezed and it made me jump. Then he did it again in succession, and then wiped his nose with his sleeve. "I think I'm getting a cold too." I watched Storm with one eye and Rafmire with the other. He seemed droopier than usual and suddenly rain began to fall hard and fast like liquid bullets.
"Are you able to keep fighting?" I asked,
"Maybe," Raf replied, gathering the dead crows around him. It took me a moment to realize with he was doing. Raf was pulling them close like you would a teddy bear.
"They didn't deserve this," he said "I never asked them to come…but they came."
"I'm sorry, Raf," I said with all sincerity, putting his hand on his shoulder. "But right now you need to get up. Storm is still out here and this fight isn't over." He let out a long shaky sigh. I think he was struggling to pull himself together.
"You're right," he said, finally placing the bodies down gently. Raf began to rise but then fell forward gasping.
"What's wrong?"
"Storm…cracked a few of my ribs…nothing major." He grunted.
"On second thought maybe you should get back to Kane. She's waiting not to faraway. "NO, Storm killed my crows and he is going to pay for it." Raf forced himself to stand. I shook my head there was no point in arguing with Rafmire. He had never really been passionate about avenging anyone or anything…so why should I stop him?
"Are you sure you're up to this?" I didn't know why but I was having my doubts that Raf could go beyond his endurance.
"Yes," he said firmly, his clawed fingers wrapped into tight fists and his pupils constricted to the size of pinheads.
"Okay then…let's do this."...

I hopped up on the edge of the building with my midget wings poised for flight. Raf stood next to me. The weather was becoming more savage by the minute. The sky swirled and churned like a witch's brew, as high winds howled and hail and rain pounded everything. Lighting lashed out in varying lengths and in the center of it all, a pompous bird kid. "These winds are too strong for me," I said, feeling their force tugging at my feathers.
"Maybe for you, but not for me. It'll be difficult, but once we are able to get him to loose focus, taking Storm down won't be that hard," Raf said.
"Alright." I took a deep breath and threw myself off the building and began to plummet. Rain and hail stung my face and the winds were deafening. Then my body jolted upward as Raf caught me, his arms under mine. He grunted as he flew toward Storm, avoiding flying debris and barely dodging bolts of lightening, one stuck in front of us, making us see oddly colored dots. My heart skipped a beat, if we would have been struck, if would have been the end for us; even I wasn't resilient enough to tolerate a lightening. The weird metallic odor of a lightening strike stung our senses as we surged forward.

Flying in this mess was nothing short of impossible and down right dangerous. I didn't realize how perilous it was until I saw debris that was practically harmless in day to day life go through brick walls. The rain soaked my feathers making them heavy and the hail and high winds weren't helping. I was more alert than I ever had been in a long time. I was tingling all over and my heart was pounding. Why did we have to get the hardest assignments first? My shoulders and upper back were on fire, I channeled that pain into anger and then motivation to keep my wings moving, to get to the source of our trouble this morning. After dodging a few bricks we were within range for an attack. I readied myself, my arms tiring from carrying PC's slim but heavy frame beneath me. 1…2…NO!
Storm smiled wickedly down at us "Trying to get close to me huh? " With one whoosh of his arm a horrible wind fell down on me, snapping my wings back sharply. I stifled an a yelp of pain and was sent tumbling through the air out of range. My vision went double and the world was spinning, and nausea set in. The heavy rain added to my disorientation. "Look out!" I heard PC say. I swerved and barely missed a billboard. I groaned in frustration, Storm was a small dot again.
"This isn't working," PC commented.
"Thank you Captain Obvious," I said smoothly.
"If we go at him directly, he will just keep blowing us back….I've got it! Raf ! Drop me off at the closest roof top. This will allow you to fly more easily, you can engage Storm and get him to come with in range, for me to assist and attack."
"How am I supposed to get him down?"
"I don't know, say somethin' mean to him. Now let's go." I rolled my eyes, how does he come up with this stuff? If I didn't know any better I think PC just pulls this stuff out of his—"Hey! You awake up there?" I heard him ask. I didn't reply and darted back into the mess. My wings hurt, this plan had better work.
"Get ready PC…here's your drop point," I said eyeing a roof top. The winds were strong but I think he could handle it. "Ready?" before he could reply I slid my arms out from under his and dropped him.

I HATE IT when Raf does that. I was falling fast, it was a great rush and I was almost enjoying it. But I would soon hit the roof top. I dared not open my wings, if I did I could be blown off course or worse the punishing gales would rip them clean off my body. The world was an enormous murky blur as I twisted around in the air. Then finally WHAM! …it is true that cat's always land on their feet and I was no exception to this feline rule. I landed on the roof top in a crouched position. My whole body was shocked. The force from the fall ran up from the balls of my feet and stung my ankle then my knees all the way to my hips. It also ran up my arms stinging every joint and ravaged my collar bone and shoulder blade. Despite the pressure, tingling and sting of the impact, I was still in working order. A growl gurgled in my throat and for a few moments the animal part of me took over. I didn't know why, you would think the beat in you would come out, when you were really angry or something. I hissed at the rain and moved toward the edge of the building and crouched awkwardly on its edge. I dug my claws into the concrete for stability then waited, my tail swung from side to side expectantly as I waited for Storm, my canary...

PC was right, dropping him off made my ability to fly a lot easier, but I was still extremely alert. Lighting was still an obstacle to dodge, but my reaction time was several second better than it had been. Wasting no time, when I saw Storm become closer I flapped my wings as hard and as fast as I dared. He launched another powerful wind at me, but I kept flapping hard until I felt my wings were going to break off. I stared up at Storm; he was smiling a smug little over confident smile.
"Come on, give up already. You can't fly against this current. I know you are not strong enough, Black." I smiled inwardly this little punk thought he had it all figured out…he was sadly mistaken. I frowned and shot straight up into the sky and into the frothy clouds. I circled high above Storm out of sight and silent. Uncertainty can be your greatest ally when it comes to messing with someone's head. Storm hovered there looking around. As lightening flashed among the clouds, he could see my silhouette and each time he darted at it, always missing me. After a few minutes of hide and seek, he yelled in frustration and enormous bolts of lighting lashed out and crossed behind him. " Come out and fight me, Black," he challenged.
"Why should I?" I said cheerfully, snaking through clouds. " I could get hurt."
"You are already hurt, I could have sworn I heard two of your ribs crack when we fought last."
"What if it was the thunder?"
"Quit hiding! Are you afraid of me?"
"Not in the slightest…But I think the big question we should be asking here, is if YOU are afraid. Eh?"
"What! I'm not afraid of you."
"Is that so…"
"IT IS!"
"Hmph…then why have you been sitting up here fat, dumb, and happy, letting nature do all of the dirty work for you?"
" Shut up! I can do what ever I want to with my powers."
" It seems to me you're just a scared little kid."
" I am NOT!" I moved quickly as a shard of lighting caught me off guard and singed my feathers. "I'm through playing with you. NOW COME OUT!"
I slid up through the clouds soundlessly," With pleasure." Storm whirled around startled and I socked him in the nose, making him spin…which was amusing. Taking advantage of his disorientation I darted forward and rammed him in the stomach then twisted behind him and grabbed his wings tightly holding them closed.
"By the way my name isn't Black…it's Rafmire." Then I closed my wings and bolted into a dive, Storm squirming in my grip.

Okay this is getting a tad bit scary…Remember when I told you that my animal side had taken over? Well it still had control over everything. My lapses only last for a few minutes, which is good, because I usually come to my senses just before I am about to rip someone's throat out. I sounded calm about this little change before because it happens every now and then. It was normal for experiments of my type. No biggie. But right now I could not force the beast back into its cage. I sat there licking my paw like hands, waiting; at least a small portion of my rational self still existed, telling the rest of my feral self to wait for something. I just hope I didn't get distracted with a ball of yarn or something stupid like that. Suddenly, I saw two large birds falling from the sky at a fast speed. One of them with large black wings and the other with cute gray wings tipped with yellow…I licked my lips. The black bird spiraled in the air and threw the other bird towards me. I yowled in surprise as it crashed into me. We both fell back on the roof. I sprang up and walked on all fours circling this ugly little birdy. The weather conditions were slowly changing. The wind though strong had begun to weaken and the hail stopped falling.
"Seth? Is that you?" the birdy asked. Seth? Why does that sound familiar, I growled and watched my prey stare at me, bewildered and angry. "So that is what you look like, you're even uglier than I thought. Although Nia confessed to me that she thought you were cute. Imagine her disappointment if she could see you now." I didn't know if that was supposed to make me feel bad. The more this birdy talked to me, the more distorted his speech until I couldn't understand him at all. It was just noise. I bounded forward and pounced on the birdy with a loud weird roar. His form was light and fragile under mine. Now that I was in control I didn't know what to do. Should I eat it? Or play first? I swiped a paw at the birdy and he made a noise as my claws raked his pale skin. I did it again and then backed away. I played with this birdy that way for a little. He punched me several times in order to keep me away and ones tried to take to the air but I jumped up and pulled one of his wings with my teeth. When I was done playing, I pinned the birdy down and went for his throat, but before I could get a good grip. The birdy hit me something really hard, it broke over the side of my head. I roared angrily and swiped him with my claws then went for the throat, the birdy screaming loudly shouting his gibberish….
WAAAAIIIIITTTT! What am I doing? Instantly I recoiled, the tangy taste of blood in my mouth. Storm laid there stunned and pale with fear. He was alive and it looked like I hadn't done any serious damage. Thank goodness, I guess that bottle in the head was all I needed to get a grip. I spit the blood out of my mouth. Nasty. Shakily I stood up. Storm saw this as and opportunity to attack. He aimed low hoping to fly away with me. I moved away at the last minute and used his momentum throw him to another roof top. AS soon as he landed I jumped to the roof with little effort and pinned him there, then applied the Clampers.
"NOOO!" He screamed in rage. Suddenly a bright light shined above me and then ZAP. Being struck by lightening is no fun. The electricity coursed through me, making me…oh heck I didn't know what it was doing to me. It happened so fast I didn't have time to scream or cry out in anguish. All I remember about that particular moment was that smug expression on Storm's face and me falling over with a THUD…..

PC! That had to hurt! He lied there in a crumpled steaming heep. Come on get up…PC…your not down…I know you! Get up! Unfortunately PC wasn't moving…not even twitching. AS I hovered there, it began to dawn on me that he was in fact dead and I sat there and watched it happen.
"That'll teach you," I heard Storm say trying to get the Clampers off. He trotted up and kicked PC's body, "You Scum…you picked the wrong side to be on, Seth. I hope you burn!" Storm moved to strike him again. I dropped out of the sky and landed in front of him, grabbing Storm's forearm. My wings were spread high above my head, making me look ferocious.
"Don't touch him," I snarled my voice low.
Storm wrenched his arm away "Why defend that carcass?"
"Because, that carcass was my friend and so were those crows you fried!" I shouted. Suddenly the windows in the buildings were blowing out one by one and sea of glass was coming under my control. My eyes turned completely black and I pointed at Storm. The glass shards moved as one in a fluid serpentine mass. Storm turned to run away, but he wasn't quick enough. The shards zipped passed him, swiping at his clothes and cutting his exposed skin. Remembering that our mission was to bring him back alive, I made a crushing gesture with one hand and all of the shards broke and fell harmlessly to the ground. It was an incredible display each piece sparkling, like deadly rain; I darted through the curtain of glass and with one powerful punch knocked Storm unconscious. I was trembling angrily and looked down at the unconscious kid, the damage could have been A LOT worse. Fortunately I was able to get a grip and he came out with only a few scratches.
"You're lucky they want you alive," I muttered. The skies were beginning to clear and shafts of sunlight were peeking through the clouds. The winds were soft and warm and a rainbow appeared in the sky. People would start arriving to this area soon and needless to say this mess would attract town officials. We would needed to clear out. I felt sad that I wouldn't be able to bury all of the crows, but silently I thanked them. Suddenly a soft moan made me jump. To my surprise PC was sitting up…..

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I had the most horrible headache anyone could possibly imagine. I don't think there was any cold compress that was going to make the pain go away… not quickly anyways.
"You're alive?" I heard Raf say. He sounded surprised, which was rare.
"Yeah," I said, even the sound of my own voice seemed to aggravate my headache. "How?"
I winced, "Can you lower your voice, Raf," I said ,rubbing my temples feverishly. It wasn't helping.
"How?" he whispered.
"I really don't know," I said softly.
"That lightening should have killed you."
"I did die, Raf, my heart stopped for several minutes…But somehow I willed it to start beating again. I guess it's a miracle or something." I moved around a bit and noticed it wasn't pouring rain.
"You took care of Storm, I see."
"Yeah, he's over there." Raf pointed. I looked over his shoulder and saw Storm lying there, knocked silly.
"He deserved worse….but that's my opinion." I felt a pain my wrist that was just as excruciating as the one in my head. My thoughts turned to the Ring that wrapped around my wrist. It was glowing brightly and the skin under it was horribly burned. However there was something different….the Ring felt somewhat looser. I fingered it and saw a small break in its flawless metallic surface.
"Will you look at that," I said with a smile, holding it up.
Raf's eyebrows shot up, "Whoa"……

Yeah " Whoa" pretty much covers it…When Kane slapped that piece of metal on me I thought that my goose was officially cooked …I was bound to Jeb and the School forever. But this new development gave me some hope…and I would like emphasis the word "some".
Raf put his hand on my wrist, "I though these things couldn't be shorted out?"
" I think I know how I survived….The Ring must have acted as a lightening rod and absorbed most of the energy and overloaded."
"How much voltage do you think it took?"
"I don't know. 1.21 jigawatts?"
Raf's eye's went flat "Okay now you're just being stupid."
"Well I don't know Raf. Do I look like a SCIENTIST…..Ow,ow,ow,ow." I cradled my head momentarily. "Man…do you think if we woke up Storm he could do the same thing…for me?"
"Raf I don't think that is a good idea."
"Why not?"
"He could kill you…it was only by pure luck and chance that I didn't die. Besides, I'm a little…sturdier…than you, you get it?"
"You right," Raf said solemnly, he sighed and dropped the proposal like a hot potato. He didn't seem to be all that upset about it. But with him you can never really tell.
"So what are you going to do then?... About the Ring? Or you are just going to let it dangle there?" That was a very good question. Now that it was off, I could just toss it and make a run for it. Grab Bree and pray no one ever found us. That would be the easy way and it sounded great. Best idea I had had in a very long time. Jeb wouldn't miss me. I was just as expendable as any other experiment. I wouldn't have to do this anymore. I could go away. Bree and I could do all the things that we wanted to do, there would be no Network …no hide and seek with Erasers. Then reality hit me… don't you just hate that? What about Raf? And The Network? …They all depended on me one way or another. Was I that selfish?….To just get up, disappear and leave everyone else to their fate? I didn't want to, but I had to face it…I was deeper in this mess then I led myself on to believe. I was trapped in a room full of strings with bells attached to them. One move affected everything else around them. If I ran now…there was a good chance me and Bree could get out of this. But that meant threatening the lives of anyone affiliated with the Network. The system would crumble without me, Bree and Gozbud to support it. Was I willing to take that chance? Could I live with that? SURE! I guess I could…I've done worst things, right? And I am sick of being a freedom fighter. I stared at the Ring my hand shaking. RUN! RUN! RUN! …It's what you want…to go away and never be bothered…NO! You have a responsibility! Screw it! Run! No!... I argued with myself back and forth the pros and cons were almost evenly matched and I was afraid my consciousness was going to split in two. "What will happen to you?" I asked Raf.
"I'm not sure, but I expect I'll get another partner and continue my handy work." See nothing will happen to him,I thought.. But for some reason…I had a gut feeling that something would. Jeb's moods change and I knew that he was weary of Raf and so were many of the Whitecoats. So what…it's not my problem….I continued to debate.
"What would you do?" I asked Raf.
"I dunno." He said. Thanks a lot. He pulled out his cell phone and called Kane to bring the car. After hanging up he said. "Listen…If you want to stay, come and meet me down in the street. If not, stay up here and be quiet…Don't worry I won't think any less of you if you go, PC. You've been a good friend to me." Raf walked picked up and gently glided down to the street below and waited for Kane. I sighed, the solution looked easy, but the decision was hard. I examined the Ring carefully; the blue strip on it was still glowing brightly. Then I had a thought…If the thing is shorted out …then that means I can put it on and take it off when ever I want too…the strip is still lit so it looks active….maybe I can make this work to my advantage. I clipped the Ring back on then carefully pulled it apart again…YES! I clipped my defective Ring back on and joined Raf down in the street. He looked suprised when he saw me.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Why did you do it?...Don't you want to get back to that girl you keep talking about?"
I yawned and stretched. My head still ached. "I don't need to explain myself to you all the time, Raf. You have your reasons… I have mine." Truthfully, I had a feeling that I wasn't supposed to leave…not because I was afraid of Jeb or the School. But because…it's a lot harder to cripple an organization if you're not on the inside, knowing how things work….and even though I had been with the School for weeks there was still more I could learn.
The car screeched as Kane brought it sharply around a corner, the smell of burning rubber and dead crows flying as they were hit by the tires.
"Was that really necessary?" Raf muttered.
"It took you guys long enough" Kane said getting out of the car.
"I don't want to hear it." I said calmly.
"Pop the trunk please," Raf requested. Kane did as she was told and looked around.
"What a mess…We are going to need some clean up people and fast." She
started her dialing on her phone with her thumb.
Raf plopped Storm in the trunk like a sack of meat and gave him a tranquilizer than closed the trunk. After Kane made a few phone calls and I changed back to my human form, we all got in the car and drove by the restaurant where Raf had stored Nia. Luckily, no one had discovered her.
"Well what do we have here…it looks like we have a babe-sicle on our hands. Do you think she'll stay solid the entire trip?" I asked, tapping Nia with my finger.
"I don't know and I am not taking any chances." Raf procured some tranquilizers from the car and stuck the syringe through her icy skin. "That should keep her out even if she does thaw….that's two down…two more to go." He said slamming the trunk closed.
"Where are Voice and Torrin?"
"I let them go…" I mumbled.
"You let them go?"
"Yeah…I couldn't do it… not to them anyways," I said…it was a poor excuse, but it was honest. It seems that the years I have traveled around ruining other people's lives I still had a strong sense of morality…isn't that ironic.
"I see," Raf biting his lower lip. "Getting soft are we?"
"Who said I was ever hard to begin with?"
Raf shrugged "Well on the brighter side…. It's less people we have to pile in the trunk. I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have to tie Kane to the roof to make more space." I smiled at the thought……