DD4L: Exactly.

Shades of X: Xaranthi's laying low, for sure.

Guest: Who knows?

AzulaTano: Protip: Apollyon's the king of demons….Or is he?

Queen Charlen: Relax. It's that magical time of year where me, every single sibling and their gold fish have our birthdays. :P Been a bit busy, you see.

Missy?

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


"I am somewhat exhausted; I wonder how a battery feels when it pours electricity into a non-conductor?"

Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Dying Detective


"He doesn't necessarily need to have my DNA to be my son, for when the DNA of love flows through your heart, anyone can be a son."

Ikechukwu Izuakor


Douglas

He was just so tired.

If it wasn't Trevor waking him up because of a nightmare or because one of the imps got too close, it was that the bed was just way too cold and empty without Kevin. Douglas hadn't slept well in days, and it was starting to take its toll. He could barely focus, and the tiniest thing irritated him. Worse yet, Oly hadn't come back with any news. Was she still searching for Kevin and Perry, or had she simply joined Soad? It wasn't out of the question for her.

This worry had plagued him almost constantly. Even with Trevor talking to him about his friends at school over breakfast in the hotel's dining area while they were waiting for everyone else to come down from their room, Douglas couldn't pay attention. He was trying not to think up horrible things that could have happened to his boyfriend. Also, whoever was playing a Looney Tunes cartoon on loop in the lobby was about to get his neck snapped. If Douglas heard Yosemite Sam yell, "Varmint, I'm a-gonna b-b-b-bloooow yah t'smithereenies," just one more time….

Also, the manager at the front desk needed to stop glaring at him if he wanted to keep his nose unbroken.

Trevor was enthusiastically talking about a girl named Jasmine as he spread jelly on a piece of toast, grinning. Douglas had been sure that somebody would have taken Trevor away from him by now, but nobody seemed to want the kid. No family members, none of his family friends, nobody seemed to want to find him. It was a little sad, but Douglas wasn't complaining. The little guy had grown on him over the past few days, and Douglas wasn't fond of the idea of losing him. Sure, someone might come eventually, but until then, Douglas was perfectly fond of having him around. He was at least a distraction when Douglas was focusing too much on Mission Creek.

How were they going to get back into the city? According to the news, the military was surrounding the city now to keep Soad and the demons contained. However, they weren't going to succeed. By the time they got Soad down – if they ever took Soad down – the other demons would be out and terrorizing everybody.

Douglas would kill for The Arm of Raziel back. At least then, they would stand a chance against that monster. Without it, Douglas was at a loss. It would take Douglas several large demons and a few days before Douglas had enough magical energy to even scratch Soad's scales. Even then, Soad had Azazel's Bane, so magic attacks would be pointless. A missile did hurt him, but only after several hits. Soad would crush the tank before they could hit him enough.

So…now what?

"Varmint, I'm a-gonna b-b-b-bloooow yah t'smithereenies!"

Douglas glared in the direction of the sound, locking eyes with the desk clerk. He was going to hurt somebody, and he was going to start with the clerk for looking at him like he was hated. He never even talked to the man.

"Douglas?"

Douglas looked back at Trevor, who was looking at him with a slightly cross expression. Clearly, he wasn't happy that he was being ignored. Douglas smiled apologetically, pushing around some eggs on his plate. "Sorry, buddy."

Trevor nodded a bit. "You okay?"

Douglas nodded. Who wouldn't want to find Trevor? His family was crazy if they didn't want such a sweet kid. "I'm fine."

"Do you know that guy?" Trevor asked, glancing at the man at the desk.

Douglas shook his head. "He's nobody."

Trevor grinned. "Just a hater?"

Douglas couldn't help himself. He smiled. "Yeah, buddy. Just a hater."

"Just ignore him," Trevor advised.

Douglas nodded. For an eight-year-old, Trevor was pretty clever. It would be nice to know what the man's problem was, though.


"It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane."

Philip K. Dick, VALIS


"Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up"

Veronica Roth, Divergent


Samantha

"Damn it, focus!"

Sam winced at the loud words as James accented them with a kick. Kevin winced and stirred a bit, but didn't seem to break out of his fevered delirium. He just sighed and mumbled a bit, his eyes closed. Sam tried not to stare at the scene, focusing on her task for the day: Sorting bandages.

Missy scowled. "James, he's sick."

"I can see that," James snapped. He glared at Kevin again. "Pay attention! How the hell do we kill Soad?"

"Well, if you hadn't made him stand around in sewage, then he'd likely be fine right now!"

James glared at Missy again. "He's not in sewage now, is he?"

"It's a bit late for that!" Missy snapped, gesturing at the pale man on the ground. "He'll be lucky to survive another few days!"

"He'll survive," James practically snarled. He turned back to Kevin. "If he doesn't, his Summoner boyfriend will pay for it." He crouched lower to Kevin, grinning almost maniacally. "Hear that? I already got a message across the airwaves of Yosemite Sam. It's only a matter of time before we find Douglas. If you don't talk, he dies."

Kevin didn't even seem to know that anyone was talking to him. He just mumbled feverishly.

James stood up again, rolling his eyes. "Should've just put a bullet in his head when you found him, Missy. I doubt that he knows how to beat Soad at all." He pointed at Missy. "That's your problem. You're too merciful. I bet if a demon was attacking you, you'd let it tear your throat out before you kill it!"

Missy sighed. "James –"

"I don't want to hear another word from you," James hissed. "It's your fault he's here at all!" With that, James stormed away into another part of the sewer, leaving Missy alone to contemplate that statement.

Missy sighed and looked at Kevin again. "Sam, do you think you can maybe get him to drink some water?"

Sam nodded. "Okay." She fidgeted awkwardly with the bandage she was holding, biting back a question.

Missy sighed again. "What, Sam?"

Sam swallowed hard. "Is…is James always this…?"

"James didn't used to be this bad," Missy answered. "This whole Soad thing has him on edge." Before Sam could say anything else, Missy left the area, sighing.

Sam sighed, getting a bottle of water and crouching beside Kevin. How could she get Kevin to drink something when he wasn't even coherent?

Suddenly, Kevin's hand snaked out, catching Sam's arm. She bit back a yelp as his eyes snapped open. He was more lucid than she had seen since he had been moved to the medical area. He was practically radiating heat, and his skin was clammy. Sam wanted nothing more than for him to let go, but she resisted the urge to pull free. "Sam," he rasped, his voice weak but panicked. "Find him first."

Sam frowned. "Find who?"

"Douglas," Kevin hissed. "The mansion burned down, but there's a tunnel hidden in the rubble. He's down there. Find him first! Warn him!"

"A tunnel? What?" Sam had never been anywhere near a tunnel in the Davenport home.

"He's in the Lab, under the mansion," Kevin hissed. "Find him before they do!"

"Kevin, I can't leave these guys without them knowing," Sam protested. "Who knows what they'll do if they think I'm a traitor?"

Kevin, however, let go of Sam, closing his eyes again as his momentary lucidity passed.

Sam sighed. She was on her own, it seemed.