A quick chapter before work.

I hope everyone has a nice day!

This wasn't happening.

No, this couldn't be happening.

Fear and incomprehension was written all over her face. Never in her life had she expected to see Augustine here. In the city, yes, Yana had to live with that but here, at her workplace?

"You don't seem happy", noted Augustine with no sign of any feeling in those words. Her gaze moved around the store. It all seemed a bit surreal to her. Being in this place, near her own daughter but still feeling a certain distance between them. She grabbed one of the romper suits with her hand. "I never bought you anything like that."

Yana narrowed her eyes at that comment. Why was Augustine sounding like.. an actual human while saying that? As if she was truly sorry for never having done that or taking the chance to do it. Because she did have that chance. If she had turned away from her military career and focused on her family. Things could've been so different just by making that one choice.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"What do you want?", Yana tried to sound as if she wasn't scared or not more than she already was. "How do you know that I'm here.. that I work at this place?"

The corners of her mouth moved up a bit as if Augustine was trying to suppress a triumphant smile. "Mhm, let's say a mutual acquaintance brought me here", she moved a few steps closer to Yana but still kept a certain distance. It was a strange feeling to stand in front of your own daughter - especially under these circumstances. She was aware that Yana tried to back up. She didn't want to get any closer than necessary. "I feel like you're forgetting that I have my eyes and ears everywhere."

"You're surveilling me?"

"No, I'm surveilling the city and caught you on tape doing so - along with a certain Bio-Terrorist from Salmon Bay."

So that was the crux of the matter here. Yana didn't even bother to correct Augustine. It wouldn't help anyway. Still, Yana was angry at herself: she was always so careful not to get into the focus. She didn't care about the cameras if she was honest, there was nothing she could do about them. That didn't meant that she stood in front of them and waved at whoever was watching. She was 100% sure that there hadn't been any cameras around during the first meeting, mostly because she had only mentioned Delsin but not his brother. That meant Augustine had seen the second meeting between Delsin and her.

She should've known given that Augustine was keen on capturing the Conduits. Delsin had come into full focus after he climbed on top of the Space Needle for sure. And he came to Yana right afterwards. A part of her wanted to blame him, another part wanted to blame herself because why did she even allow both, Delsin and Reggie, to come to her place? If she hadn't done that.. Delsin might have not come to see her. Augustine might have not found her and wouldn't be here now. It only brought more problems. What if Sarah came back while Augustine was still here? She would get more people in trouble.

Yana felt her hands grew cold and sweaty. In that moment she wasn't scared because people would find out about her relationship to Brooke Augustine, worst person on the planet. To Yana at least. She was more scared about the fact that her friends might get hurt. She could never forgive herself if that would happen.

"You two seem to be close. Getting along great as far as I could tell."

No doubt anymore that this was about the second and most recent meeting. She had put on Delsin's hoodie and then followed him. She knew how that must look to others. "Even if that's the case, why do you care", Yana crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I care because the safety of the city is at stake."

"Right, don't make me laugh. The safety of the city? As if you actually care about that. Have you ever looked around? The city is a goddamn prison and the D.U.P. is harassing the people", Yana had no idea where the sudden rage came from but it was there. Everything that had happened.. everything that was happening..

"We're protecting the people."

Yana couldn't hold back anymore. Did Augustine really believe that was the case? That she was protecting the people by shutting them off from the rest of the world? Yana had seen people trying to leave the city. Be it by foot, car or boat. There was no use in trying. The bridges had been destroyed and if one still tried.. she had seen the D.U.P. arresting people for that. Augustine had no remorse for those suffering because of her actions. Protecting people? Maybe in her dreams.

The rage and the disappointment grew stronger. Forgotten was the fear from just moments before.

"You don't give a fuck about those people so don't say you're protecting them!"

Several concrete shards shot out of the ground just a few feet in front of Yana who now tried to get as far away from Augustine as possible. She knew that it was wrong to anger the woman but there was so much frustration within her that finally came to the surface. "What now? Are you going to kill me? That would just confirm the picture I have of you."

"Do you really think I would do that? Kill my own daughter?"

"Don't come at me with that trick. You've never cared about me or Dad", if the situation hadn't been this serious Yana would've started laughing. Five years ago she was told that her existence was a disappointment. Now that was replaced with the 'I'm your mother' trick. "The only thing you cared about was your job, your career. How we felt - how I felt - was never important to you. Do you know how I felt as a kid? When I saw my friends being picked up from school by their mums? How much their eyes sparkled with joy? I only had Dad. And I had hope, hope that you weren't as terrible as I was told but you know what? That had been destroyed faster than I could've imagined."

Yana tried to suppress the shaking in her body.

There was no way to back down now. She couldn't. She knew Augustine would try to manipulate her. Whatever her end game was, Yana didn't want to be a part of it.

"I'm aware I must have hurt you", Augustine began to explain. Her eyes were still fixed on Yana who had tried to get even more space between the two of them. She had moved closer to the cash register, farther away from the concrete shards sticking out of the ground. "It was better that way, believe me. I'm not the monster you think I am. I can see it in your eyes. Dealing with that Bio-Terrorist, dealing with any of them, it won't end well for you. Stop meeting him before he'll hurt you."

"Hurt me? Like you did?", Yana's voice was a mere whisper.

As Augustine raised her hand Yana was expecting the worst. To her surprise she watched as the concrete in the ground disappeared. Leaving no trace of it ever being there in the first place. "It was never my intention to hurt you. You might not realize it now, but I'm trying to keep you safe." Augustine looked at her daughter. The women's eyes met for a second. Enough for Augustine to see the fear in Yana's blue eyes. She didn't want her to fear her but maybe this was the only way. "However, if you don't stop seeing the Bio-Terrorist and you can be assured that I will find out, I might take other actions to make sure you listen. You seem to be rather close to a man named Joe. I'm also aware that your best friend is currently attending her brothers wedding. I don't need to 'hurt' you, it would be enough if I hurt others."

There was a part of Yana that wanted to throw something at Augustine.

This was what Yana feared: having the people close to her being hurt. Augustine knew how to get what she wanted. This situation, Yana wouldn't dare to oppose her. Not for anything in the world.

Footsteps echoed through the room. When Yana focused on Augustine again she noticed that the woman had made her way back to the entrance. She didn't expect her to answer or say anything about the threat. For her everything what needed to be said, had been said. Yana watched Augustine reaching for the door. Before she opened it though, she turned back to look at Yana. "I've always thought of you.. on every birthday.. every holiday", her voice sounded the same like when she looked at the romper suits. Even her look, as if she was longing to turn back time right here. "You're my daughter, how can I not think about you? I just want the best for you."

With that, Augustine left. Just as silent as she had come to the store. Without anyone noticing.

Yana stared at the closed door.

Minutes passed.

Minutes that seemed like hours.

Her knees felt week. Whatever had kept her from simply falling to the ground before, it wasn't keeping her up anymore. She slumped down to the ground and began crying. She didn't know why. Maybe because of everything Augustine had said to her. Maybe because all of this got to her more than she'd like to admit it.

When the doorbell rang again Yana feared Augustine had come back to feast on the sight of what she had done to her own flesh and blood. It was Sarah instead. Without second thought she dropped everything to the ground and rushed over to Yana hoping to help her calm down. Yana just clung onto Sarah as she cried.

Any questions about what had happened were left unanswered.

~ooo~

After arriving at Olaf's the first thing Delsin noticed, besides the large neon sign his brother had talked about, was a large group of people demonstrating. It wasn't the first demonstration he had seen since he arrived in Seattle. This one was bigger than the others he had seen though. Even before he got closer he could hear and see what it was about:

drugs.

Curiosity got the better of him. Despite not wanting to check it out he got closer to the group of people. The signs they held read about how drugs were evil and the cause for people to become Conduits - though they of course said Bio-Terrorists. They even had an 'example' for their theory.

Fetch Walker.

Some of the signs had a woman's face on them. Delsin recognized her as the same woman on the pictures with Brent he had found earlier.

"Mister", a man approached Delsin. "Will you sign our petition to get drugs of the street? Unless we don't stop this poison, more of our youth will turn out like Fetch Walker." The man had a clipboard in his hands. His brown eyes sparkled with determination. He really believed what he was saying.

Giving the paper on the clipboard a short look Delsin could see several names on it. There seemed to be enough people to believe that drugs were indeed the cause for people to become Conduits. He thought of Betty. She had told him that it didn't matter if he was a Conduit or not to her. He had been born that way. Every Conduit was born a Conduit right? It just needed a trigger to activate the powers they had. Maybe Fetch's trigger had been the drugs. He didn't know that, but maybe he would find out soon. Raising an eyebrow in confusion Delsin put up a hand. "Sorry man", with that he walked away. In the back he could hear the man go on about his beliefs and asking another person to sign.

When Delsin had put a little distance between him and the demonstration he spoke to Reggie. "You heard that right?"

"I did."

"Can you run that name through the database too?"

"Will do."

Delsin wondered if it would bring something up. The people here definitely knew who Fetch was. Probably through the news. Yana knew her name as well after all. Those people here, he wasn't sure if they got all those information from the news. They even knew her last name which was new to him. Walker. It was the same as Brent. The thought Delsin had when he was in her hideout came back. That they were siblings and something terrible had happened to Brent that caused Fetch to go around and kill drug dealers. From what those people a few feet behind him were shouting, she herself was taking drugs or had done so. He doubted Augustine would give the Conduits in Curdun Cay any.

"The name doesn't bring up anything. I went back to Brent though. His file mentions a sister named Abigail, no more info. Maybe the job of the D.U.P. too."

"Fetch might be Abigail. Took a new name. Something that goes with her powers", he shrugged.

"Like people calling you 'Bannerman'?"

"Can we forget that name please?", Delsin wasn't happy his brother brought that one up. It wasn't a good name. Not to Delsin anyway. He wanted to erase it from everyone's mind if it was possible.

"If you insist", Reggie chuckled a little. "I'm impressed by your impulse control by the way. I could hear what those people were shouting. Might be a wise idea to stay away and out of sight. Maybe up by the neon sign is a good idea? She might come back to recharge."

"Good idea. Plus: less people who want to kick the crap out of me", he didn't need that now. Making his way to the side of the building and away from the prying eyes of the demonstrators, he found a vent leading to the roof. Looking around once more to make sure no one was watching him he used his smoke sprint to make his way through the vent.

When he arrived on the rooftop he took in his surroundings. There weren't a lot of things up here he could use to hide. Though there was a small corner with a chair and a sleeping bag. Delsin came to the conclusion that Fetch had a lot of places around the city where she could crash for the night. Hopefully tonight she would come back here. For now all he could do was to wait. He spotted several cardboard boxes. Delsin would be able to use those as a cover. Not that he looked forward to it, but it was for a good cause.

More powers to kick the crap out of Augustine.

And maybe he could make a new friend along the way too.

~ooo~

It was already dark when Fetch came back to her usual spot at Olaf's.

Today had been.. weird. That was a nice way of putting it. First the D.U.P. had interfered with her business so that she had to bail and then that other Conduit began to sniff around too. She was hoping that she had lost him. It was several hours later now so the chances he had lost her were good. Nevertheless she had to stay away from some places just to make sure.

When the smell of food hit her Fetch instantly regretted not taking any money from the dealers. Looking up at the starry sky she took a deep breath. It smelled delicious and her empty stomach gave a low noise in response. Yes, she needed food but that was a little bit problematic without money. Though, and she knew it was an option, if she would just enter the store and demand something the people would give her without questioning.

"Mhm.. money why do you hate me. You should be my friend", she began to walk around the roof contemplating about just going down to street level and cause a little chaos in order to get free food.

That was when she heard a rustling noise to her right.

Fetch turned to look in the direction the noise had come from. When she spotted Delsin she made a step back. Even more so when he tried to grab her. How did he get here? How did he know she would be here? Pulling her arm away before Delsin managed to grab her, she made another step backwards and looked at Delsin with a scared expression on her face. "No!"

"It's okay", Delsin noted before attempting to grab her hand once again. This time he succeeded. Fetch had nowhere to go when his hand moved in and she watched in horror when a bubble of light formed around their now intertwined hands. She watched as small pieces of light seemed to be pulled from her and flew to Delsin. He was taking her powers! Fetch tried to break free with all her might but to no avail. Whatever was happening, it drained her energy. "It's okay, I promise."

It wasn't.

Everything happened so fast.

Fetch could see pictures flashing in her mind. Pictures from the day she first discovered her powers. Her parents, her brother. How both of them had run away and ended up in a spiral of drugs and violence until the day she was taken to Curdun Cay. The day she killed her brother.

She blacked out instantly at that. Her body, feeling heavy, dropped to the ground just like Delsin did. As her body hit the ground the pain brought her back to consciousness and the panic of not knowing what was actually happening right now did the rest. Looking at Delsin she could see him trying to get up. His body was covered in light or rather, light was moving around him. Fetch began to move away from the other Conduit.

"Stay away from me!" She was furious.

"I don't want to hurt you", came Delsin's response. He managed to stand up just like her but as he made a step into her direction.. it wasn't a normal step. It was almost a sprint. Leaving a trail of light.

Fetch was now more than just a little confused. That was her power, no mistake here. He was using her powers! That's why he was running around using Hank's. He had stolen them, and now he had stolen hers as well. Deciding that she needed to get away from him before he managed to touch her again - who knew what would happen - she began to run.

Delsin right behind her.

Closer than she liked.