AzulaTano: :3 Dougie's just a stalker-ish sweetheart.

DD4L: Gonna have to read. :3

Guest: This would be a much shorter story if it was only Bree and Chase.

Shades of X: Well, not everybody….

James?

"Zara doesn't own Lab Rats or anything you recognize. If you don't recognize it, it's probably hers."


"Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it."

Baltasar Gracián, The Art of Worldly Wisdom


"Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more."

Laurell K. Hamilton, Cerulean Sins


James

The traitor wouldn't talk.

James stalked through the tunnels of the sewer alone, thinking. It had always been easy to get Kevin to talk before. Show him a pill, and he was an open book. Now, though….

He seemed to be making an effort to seriously get clean. James supposed it was good for Kevin's health.

It was bad for James, though.

Even starvation wasn't working. It was startling. Kevin should be babbling non-stop about any and everything he knew just to get some water at this point. Especially anything about Soad's weakness.

Soad was a very real threat to the entire world. He was the kind of demon that the Bible warned about. The strong ones who could bring humanity down. Maybe it was the Apocalypse. Who knew? Maybe God was punishing everyone.

James wouldn't allow it to happen, though. Not without a fight, at least. James liked this world. He didn't want it to end. And, if Kevin had the answer to killing Soad, then he needed to talk. Immediately. Especially since he seemed to be getting sicker as days progressed.

Maybe setting him waist-deep in filth when he was injured was a bad move. They didn't have the medical ability to cope with strong infections.

James set his jaw. That just meant that Kevin needed to talk. If the secret died with him, then they would be back at square one.

The problem was that he was being stubborn in an attempt to save his own life. What happened to the demon killer in that man? Sure, he had always been a somewhat unwilling member, but James had seen Kevin work miracles against monsters with his knives. His civic sense of duty should force him to act.

Maybe his tactic involved the Summoners he seemed hell-bent on protecting.

James paused mid-stride. Maybe not all Summoners were stopping him. Maybe it was just one.

Sitting on the ledge, James frowned thoughtfully. Maybe Kevin didn't care about Summoners at all. Maybe he just cared about the one that was his boyfriend. What was his name again? Douglas? Love tended to make people do crazy things.

Stupid things…selfless things….

James felt like an idiot when the idea finally hit him. Why hadn't he thought of it sooner? It would have saved him a lot of headaches trying to get Kevin to talk before. If they had Douglas, then one or the other would likely spill all the secrets in the world to save their lover. Then, when they had given everything up, both could be killed. It was a win-win situation!

James grinned, standing up again. One way or the other, they'd get their answers.


"The love of knowledge is a kind of madness."

C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet


"Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect."

Samuel Johnson, The Rambler


Bree

"And the pattern? Why does it look like running water?"

Chase yawned, flicking his ears. He seemed to be getting annoyed at having to explain something for once. "The blade looks like that because it's Damascus steel. The technique to make it was lost a long time ago."

Bree looked at the sword again. She had become incredibly fascinated by the weapon, to her surprise. She wanted to know any and everything she could about the sword. "So it's old?"

"Yes," Chase growled, "it's old." He rolled over so that he wasn't facing her anymore. "Bree, I'm tired."

Because Satan has you polishing all day like a slave, Bree thought. Not that you seem to mind, for some reason. She nudged him, anyways. "Why won't you touch it?"

"Because it's magic," he hissed. "Dangerous magic. It's radiating enough power that I feel like it'll burn my fur off. I don't want to mess with it."

Bree frowned, running her fingers over the cool steel. She wasn't having any trouble touching it. Maybe it was some kind of demon-slaying sword? Who knew?

Well, Apollyon probably knew, but he would likely not tell.

Speaking of Apollyon, the only reason Bree was even able to handle the sword now was that Apollyon had decided to fly around outside of his cave. She had no idea when he'd be back, so she wanted to spend as much time learning about the weapon as she possibly could.

That meant both she and Chase had to stay awake, even if he was incredibly reluctant to do so. She wanted to know what was so endlessly fascinating about the thing. Why was she drawn to it? She had never been interested in swords before in her life. It seemed like more of a Leo thing than hers. He was the weapon guy. She was a weapon herself. She didn't need a sword.

Well, if she wanted to get technical about it, she wasn't bionic here. Still, she could defend herself.

Right?

Yeah!

She nudged Chase again. "Why is it so heavy?"

"Because it's a sword," Chase growled, pinning his ears. "It's kind of big and made of metal. Did you think it would be light?"

"But they lift swords so easily in movies," Bree protested.

"Because they train with them! Bree, seriously, go to sleep." Chase curled up a bit, covering his head with a wing.

Bree rolled her eyes. Apparently, he was done talking. She ran her fingers over the blade again, careful to avoid the sharp edges. She sure would like to know how to use it. Maybe it would get them out from under Apollyon's paw. With a sigh, Bree laid down and closed her eyes. Wishful thinking would get her nowhere. She needed a plan.

It would be a hell of a lot easier to think of one if Apollyon couldn't hear her thoughts, though.

Maybe she could wear a tinfoil hat. That might do it. Maybe she could break his control then.

Well, his control over Chase, at least. Then, he couldn't hold her brother hostage over her head.

Bree sat up suddenly. Apollyon obviously had control over Chase, but what had he made her do? All he had done was put thoughts in her head. He seemed unable to force her to do them. If he could, then he wouldn't have used Chase to get her to do what he wanted to in the first place. Was it because she was human? Was it because Chase was half-demon? Could Apollyon really only suggest things to her?

Bree leaned back against a pile of trinkets, resting her hands on her stomach thoughtfully. If it was true, then the whole game might have changed a bit in her favor.