Blood Ties
Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel Comics, New Line Cinema or Blade the Series. However all original characters are mine.
Summary: At the behest of some of the readers I have written a sequel to my story "Bloodline". This takes place a few weeks after the events in the first story.
Marcus Van Sciver has made good on his promise to accompany his wife, Krista to the Aids ravaged country of Botswana in the heart of the Africa.
In the last chapter the secrets of Marcus' human past have just been exposed. Krista has not only learned about the existence of Marcus' older brother William, but that Marcus' first wife Isabel may have played a part in the breakup of the brothers' relationship.
Join me now, your humble writer as I bring you a bit more of this sad chapter in Marcus Van Sciver's life.
Chapter Three
"Isabel? Oh God Marcus, what happened?" Krista is dumbfounded by Marcus' startling revelation.
Marcus sighs then continues with his heartfelt confession. "Well, what can I say? I guess Isabel couldn't resist my charm and devastatingly good-looks."
Krista soundly smacks Marcus thigh for his smart-alecky remark. "Don't be glib! Just get on with the story!"
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry I guess sarcasm is your strong suit, not mine. Anyway, the night that William brought Isabel around for dinner, she and I felt drawn to one another right away. I felt guilty as hell about it, and for William's sake I tried my best to stay away from her. But then I'd inexplicably find myself following her home from the butcher shop, making up excuses to be in the same places that Isabel frequented.
I was acting like a lovesick schoolboy, but I couldn't help it. I was completely taken with her."
"Did Isabel feel the same way about you?" Krista asks, curiosity getting the best of her.
Marcus' melancholy is evident in the tone of his voice as he replies. "At first, she shied away from my awkward overtures. But as time went on, Isabel and I had become quite close. William, of course was completely oblivious to what was happening, he was blinded by his love for Isabel."
Krista, more than anyone else in the world knows how much Marcus had cared for his first wife. She had experienced his heartbreak over losing her through her A.D.E. But now discovering that there is even more to this tragic story requires her to urge her husband on.
"Go ahead, baby, I'm all ears."
"On Christmas Eve of that year it all came to head. William had confided in me that he was going to propose to Isabel. He had even purchased a ring that he intended to give her as a Christmas present the very next day."
Marcus pauses as he feels the familiar lump in his throat. It isn't until he feels the moisture on his face that he realizes that he's just started crying.
Jesus, I haven't shed a tear over anyone since Isabel died.
With a choked sob he carries on, Marcus feels compelled to do so.
"I don't know what had come over me, Krista. I swear to you that I hadn't meant to hurt him!
As I sat there listening to William going on and on about how he was going to marry Isabel, something inside of me snapped. Jealousies perhaps, maybe fear of losing Isabel, I honestly don't know. Whatever it was I had angrily blurted out that not only was I in love with her as well, but that she and I had been secretly seeing each other for months!"
Krista holds her breath, for she knows this isn't the end. Something tells her there is much, much more to this whole sordid affair.
She manages to whisper, "What did William do? Tell me Marcus, what did he do?"
"Oh Krista, his eyes, I will never forget the look in his eyes! Tortured and wounded, William said to me, 'How could you, brother? Don't you have everything already? You were the sole recipient Mother's love and adoration while I received nothing but the back of her hand! You could have had your pick of any woman in this bloody city! Why Isabel, why her?'
Like a coward I said nothing. And yet William's every word had pierced my heart like thorns."
Marcus is openly weeping at this point, but he doesn't care. His tears somehow purify the sins of the past.
"I can still remember his last words to me before he left our house, never to return. The hate he had felt for me burning in his eyes.
'After all I've done for you and you've proven yourself to be nothing but an ungrateful spoiled whelp. Well mark my words, boy, before I leave this earth I will have my revenge on you!'
As he had slammed the door the whole house shook. I remember sitting in that chair for hours, overwhelmed by my feelings of guilt and loss. I probably would have still been sitting in the dark wallowing in self pity if it hadn't had been for Isabel coming 'round on Christmas Day bearing gifts for everyone, including William.
When I had told her what had happened, she insisted that we look for him. She didn't want things between us to end on such a sour note. So we embarked on a search of the entire city of London from the Thames to Brixton, but we turned up nothing. There had been no sign of William. Exhausted by our fruitless endeavor, we had decided to stop by our favorite pub, the Fox & Hound for a pint And it was there that we learned what had happened to William. The barkeep informed us that he had booked passage on the next ocean freighter bound for Africa. Apparently the ship's captain had been in the pub earlier trying to recruit men to work the diamond mines of Jwaneng. My brother had been one of the men to sign up. Upon hearing the news, Isabel and I bolted from the pub and ran towards the docks to try and stop him. But it was too late; the freighter had already set sail."
At this point Krista is beyond words, nothing she can say could alleviate her husband's pain. So she decides to wrap her arms around his left leg and rest her head on his thigh.
Knowing that Krista is near somehow comforts him, yet he feels undeserving of her love at this particular moment. Unconsciously he starts to stroke her lustrous brown hair.
After a momentary pause, Marcus Van Sciver brings his harrowing tale to an end. "A year had almost gone by before we received news of William's fate. It had been a letter from the owner of the diamond mine, Mr. De Vries. My mother couldn't bear to read its contents. But it had not been out of any latent love or guilt she might have felt about my brother, I can assure you.
So I took the epistle from mother and read it for myself. The correspondence had stated that my brother had gone missing from the base camp just outside the mines. After an official search had been conducted, no remnants of his body were ever found. The search party had only discovered his torn blood stained clothes. William was presumed dead. And everyone on the mining team made the assumption that he had been attacked by a lion or some other wild beast.
Naturally I was devastated, as was Isabel. Wanting to escape our unhappy memories, we decided to marry and leave England to start a new life in America. Of course Mother objected as did Isabel's father, but we didn't care. We were young, in love and determined to make a life for ourselves in the untamed West of the Americas. But our happiness as you already know was cut short by unforeseen circumstances."
Krista lifts her head away from husband leg to look up at him. The twisted heartbroken expression Marcus' face is just too much for her to bear. An overwhelming desire to console her anguished husband takes over. Wordlessly, Krista reaches up to enfold her arms around Marcus' neck.
Still consumed by his feelings of worthlessness, he reluctantly returns Krista's embrace and yet the moment he feels the softness of her lush body press into his, he yields to her comfort. Krista begins to kiss his neck then she whispers hotly into his ear, "I love you, Marcus."
Marcus pulls away from her slightly and takes her beautiful face into his hands. Looking into deeply into her amber colored eyes, Marcus responds to Krista's heartfelt declaration. "And I adore you. How did someone as wretched as me get so lucky? I don't deserve you Krista."
Krista puts all his doubts to rest when her lips touch his. At first, the kiss is tentative and tender. But soon enough it intensifies as passion unfurls to consume them both. Marcus' entangles his fingers in her long chestnut colored hair pulling her face closer to his. His tongue desperately plunders the sweetness of Krista's mouth as she moans softly.
The smoldering kiss lingers on for few more moments. But out of necessity for oxygen the lovers unwillingly withdraw from one another. Smiling bewitchingly at her beloved husband, Krista Van Sciver makes one request. "Take me to bed, Marcus."
Marcus returns her smile as he replies. "With pleasure, my love."
Rising out of his chair, he quickly bends down to scoop Krista up into his arms.
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Now as they lay face to face, skin to skin, the beating of their hearts is deafening in the quiet of their room. Marcus stares down at Krista completely lost in her eyes. Nothing else matters but this, being with her. Here, in this room is only the present, and the love of this woman. The past, now purged from him can be finally laid to rest.
Their lips meet, limbs intertwine. Krista groans when Marcus introduces his tongue in her mouth. Clutching him close to her body, she returns his kisses with equal ardor. She wants him, needs him so much.
His smoldering lips leave hers to kiss their way to her hollow of her throat. His tongue dips in caressing the indentation. Sighing deeply, Krista revels in the luxuriousness of Marcus' mouth on her flesh. His kisses ignite an inferno of lust deep within her. She can now feel his teeth nip and nibble at the curve of her jaw line. Krista instinctively wraps her long legs around his slender waist, as her fingers run through Marcus' blond hair. Her lips press into the top of her husband's head and he continues to explore the contours of her neck and shoulders his mouth and fingers.
His hands sensuously and methodically travel to the slopes of Krista's heaving bosom. Marcus' long fingers tease her nipples until they become erect. His mouth is practically watering as it commences its descent toward the twin mounds adorned with their stiff sensitive peaks.
Krista closes her eyes the moment Marcus runs his tongue over her left breast, the very tip of it tracing the outline of her left areola. She bites her bottom lip to keep from crying out when at last the nipple is enveloped in the moist heat of Marcus' mouth.
He suckles at her flesh hungrily, frantically. Lust courses through Krista's veins like liquid fire, forcing her to lift her back off the bed. She throws her head back with eyes closed and mouth wide open in a silent scream of surrender. Marcus' hands are placed firmly on her back holding her in place as he greedily rolls his tongue around her nipples, teasing them mercilessly.
Krista's breathing is ragged and shallow, her body quivers as her desire for Marcus intensifies. An involuntary groan emanates from deep in her throat as Marcus ceases his assault of her chest. Gently he pushes her back down onto the mattress and takes this moment to look down at his wife.
He can't help but think, God, she's beautiful!
Krista is a vision of feminine sensuality as she lays underneath him, with her eyes still closed, lips parted and her long brown hair wildly tousled. Just looking at her stokes the flames of his passion. His manhood is now engorged and aches to be inside her. And yet Marcus feels compelled to bestow onto Krista the most intimate of kisses. To feel her body tremble and quake as a result of the fulfillment that only he can give her. At this moment, it is his greatest desire.
Lowering his lips towards hers, he quickly takes possession of Krista's mouth kissing her once more into submission. Marcus then wrenches his mouth away to kiss and lick his way down her body. With each swirl of his tongue or touch of his lips, Krista wantonly moans his name. Marcus inwardly smiles when he senses the muscles of her flat abdomen contract and relax of their own accord. He loves the sensations he elicits as he pays homage to this area of Krista's body with slow soft kisses.
Next, Marcus places his hands on each of her knees pushing them up and apart as he lowers his body even further on the bed. His face is now just above her pubic mound and it is the most beautiful sight he has ever seen. Moist and glistening Krista's womanhood is temptingly inviting. But first, Marcus runs the tips of his fingers along the inside of her thighs enjoying the silky feel of her skin. Then he retraces the path of his fingers with his lips. He repeats this technique several times as Krista grips the sheets, twisting the material in her hands.
Her musky scent signals to him that she is more than ready for him. So Marcus decides to put an end to her sweet torture. Gently Marcus parts the lips of her vagina then he slowly slips his index and middle fingers inside. His thumb meanwhile rubs at her clitoris as his fingers move in and out with a steady practiced rhythm.
Krista is making incoherent noises of pleasure as Marcus continues to play her like a fine tuned instrument. And just when she thinks she can't take any more of Marcus' ministrations he deftly removes his hand only to replace it with his hungry mouth. His tongue rapidly laps up Krista's womanly secretions, not allowing a single drop go to waste. He then jabs his tongue inside the source of Krista's sweet emissions, reveling in the taste of it.
Krista quickly reaches down to part the folds of her vagina with her own fingers to reveal her throbbing clitoris. Eager to bring about her orgasm, she starts to rub at herself, but Marcus removes her hand to place his mouth over the sensitive bundle of nerves. As he sucks at her hard, Marcus' arousal has reached a critical point. His manhood feels heavy and is aching for release.
At last Krista verbalizes what she is feeling. "Yes, Marcus just like that! That's the spot. Oh baby, make me come! Please make me come!"
And he obliges her as his lips and tongue work even harder than before. Krista is writhing now, tossing her head from side to side, she knows she's on the brink. Her orgasm is imminent she can feel it building to a shattering crescendo as Marcus continues to worship her with his mouth. And with a final swipe of Marcus' skilled tongue she at last reaches supreme bliss.
Her climax almost frighteningly intense as it whips through her entire body like a thunderbolt. As she shakes uncontrollably on the bed, Krista cries out, "I love you!"
Marcus cannot hold back any longer. He swiftly moves his body into position and with one long hard thrust he penetrates Krista. He begins to ram into her at a frenetic pace as he swoops down to kiss her mouth. Krista groans when she tastes herself on Marcus' lips and in a fit of unbridled passion she rakes her long fingernails across his bare back. She's drawn blood, but he doesn't care, Marcus ignores the pain. He only knows that he is inside Krista, that this is where he belongs. The glorious sensation of her muscles constricting all around his long hard member is like nothing he's ever experienced. Not even with Isabel.
She had been the sweet love of his youth, but Krista is Marcus' passion for the ages. The way that their bodies fuse so perfectly, he knows that he was made for her and her for him. And then he feels it. All of his love, lust and obsession amass into this one perfect moment, this single instant of utter fulfillment.
Looking deeply into her eyes Marcus proclaims, "Oh, Krista, I love you!" And then he lets go, giving in to his powerful orgasm. He comes hard and deep as his body trembles over his wife. Marcus continues to thrust his hips forward until he is completely spent and collapses onto Krista's chest.
Exhausted but content, Marcus and Krista declare their love for one another before husband wife drift off to sleep in each other's arms.
And just outside their balcony a pair of red eyes burning through the darkness of the night, jealously observe the blissful couple.
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At around three in the morning Marcus stirs from his slumber. Krista is still in his arms sleeping soundly. Careful not to disturb her, he gently moves her head off his chest laying it to rest on a soft fluffy pillow before getting out of bed.
Grabbing the robe that is draped on the footboard of the bed, he quickly wraps it around his body then Marcus starts to walk over to the French doors.
He soon realizes that due to their preoccupation with other matters earlier this night, that neither he nor Krista had remembered to draw close the curtains. Thank goodness he had roused from his sleep in time to remedy the situation before sunrise!
As his hands reach up to take hold of the heavy black drapes, Marcus sees something just outside the doors that catches his undivided attention. He stands stock still as he tries to establish what exactly has crossed his field of vision. As unbelievable as it may seem, there standing on the rustic tiled floor of the balcony is a great ferocious lion. Staring defiantly back him with eyes as black as onyxes, the large jungle cat makes no move towards the doors, but it menacingly growls at Marcus nonetheless. By Marcus' estimations, this wild feline is much larger than the average Panthera leo. As the powerful lookinganimal starts to slowly stalk the balcony, Marcus can see its muscles ripple with each step it takes.
Marcus quickly turns his head away to cast a nervous look back towards the bed, and is relieved to see that his wife still sleeps, completely oblivious to the danger just outside their bedroom. And as Marcus spins back around to confront the unwelcome intruder, to his complete astonishment the lion has vanished.
Could I have just imagined it, he wonders worriedly.
No, Marcus is certain of what he's just seen, the lion had been there.
Promptly, he draws the drapes closed with a dramatic flourish and soon he rejoins Krista in their bed. Taking her sleeping form into his arms, Marcus pulls her close to him. Holding his wife protectively, he soon falls into a fitful restless sleep. Under his closed lids, Marcus' eyes move rapidly as he dreams of William being attacked repeatedly by a man-eating beast. In his nightmare he frantically tries to call out to his brother and go to his aid, but an unseen force holds him back. All Marcus can do is watch helplessly as William is torn apart by the fangs and claws of a black panther.
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The next morning Marcus Van Sciver wakes up with a fright, bolting his body upright in bed. Breathing heavily and drenched in sweat, he manages to startle his wife, Krista. Instantly her arms are around her husband.
"Baby, what's wrong?" she asks anxiously.
Marcus still under the effects of his powerful dreams stares straight ahead as his eyes try to readjust themselves to this plane of reality.
"It was William…" he says abruptly. "I was dreaming of him, of what happened to him."
Krista kisses his upper arm then says, "Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry."
Placing his hand over Krista's, he reassures her that she has nothing to feel sorry about. Suddenly remembering the lion he saw in the wee hours of the morning, he quickly decides not tell his wife about it. There really is no need to alarm her. However, Marcus makes a mental note to speak to security about the incident. There is simply no excuse for wild animals to running about frightening the residents of this compound.
"It's just being in this place, on this continent has stirred up my memories of William, now more than ever."
"I understand. It must be difficult for you to know that somewhere in Africa your brother met his death."
Taking a deep breath, Marcus turns away from his wife. "That's just it Krista, I know exactly where William died. You see my love, the diamonds mines of Jwaneng are located right here in Botswana. As a matter fact the town of Jwaneng is only about 30 miles from this very compound."
Krista's eyes open wide in disbelief. "Oh my God, I had no idea! It's no wonder you're having nightmares!"
Wanting to dispel the dark mood of the morning, Marcus whirls around to look at his wife. Cupping the side of her face in his hand, he says lovingly, "And that's just what they are, Krista, just dreams. They are not real; they can't hurt me, or us."
Half-convinced by her husband's words, Krista smiles feebly.
"Come on, let's take a shower. We have to get ready to greet the day. And I have a date with Dr. Darkoh."
Raising an eyebrow, Krista looks curiously at her husband. "A date?" she asks. "Should I be jealous?"
Laughing at his wife's display of possessiveness, Marcus replies, "Hardly! I just have a few questions for our illustrious chief of staff. Questions, that for her sake, she'd better have answers to."
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"Dr. Darkoh, Mr. Van Sciver is here to see you."
Sheila Darkoh, sitting at her desk, looks up from the patient file she has been reading. Petra, her young yet competent secretary has just entered her office to announce the unanticipated arrival the hospital's principle patron.
With cold mysterious eyes, the physician stares at her clerical assistant, intimidating the poor girl in the process. After few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Dr. Darkoh finally addresses Petra.
"Very well, show him in."
As she straightens her posture and folds her claw-like hands above her desk, Marcus is graciously shown into her office. Her dark fathomless eyes watch him carefully as he walks towards her. Shelia immediately discerns that he exudes the sophisticated confidence of man that is accustomed to having the world at his feet. Impeccably dressed and coiffed, Marcus does cut a handsome figure of masculinity.
A woman would have to be dead not to notice, Dr. Darkoh thinks to herself.
Not bothering to rise from her chair, her full lips twist into a smirk as she coldly greets him. "Good morning, Mr. Van Sciver. Do what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?"
Proper protocol demands that he remain standing until he is invited to sit, but in this case, protocol be damned. The House of Chthon has bankrolled this facility for nearly 100 years. And as the supreme overlord of said house, Marcus Van Sciver has every right to sit wherever he damned well pleases.
Gingerly he takes the seat directly in front the imposing desk of the chief of staff, not once taking his glacial blue eyes off her impassive face.
"Well, why don't you sit down, Mr. Van Sciver?" Dr. Darkoh says sarcastically, knowing full well that he has already done so.
Smirking arrogantly at her, Marcus replies, "Don't mind if I do."
"Forgive my abruptness, Mr. Van…"
"…please, it's just Marcus." He smiles broadly now, hoping that his feigned affability will move the good doctor to drop her guard.
She returns his smile, but it is far from sociable. There's a fierceness in her features that is almost disturbingly beautiful. With her high cheekbones, slanted dark eyes and full pouting lips there is slinky quality to her countenance that Marcus had not noticed during their first encounter.
"Alright, Marcus." His name rolls off her tongue as if she were purring it. "I'm afraid that you've caught me at a bad time. I'm just on my way to a staff meeting and then I have to make my rounds. So you see I really don't have the time…"
"…Oh, Sheila, don't worry." Marcus interrupts her. He then flashes her charming smile. "I shan't keep you away from your duties. I just have few questions that I'm hoping you can answer for me."
Incensed with his supercilious manner, Dr. Darkoh at last rises from her chair. Slowly she saunters around her desk ever mindful that she is giving Marcus a full view of her voluptuous figure. No longer donning the concealing white lab coat, the doctor is now clad in a body hugging sleeveless red dress with a low cut bodice that showcases her impressive cleavage. The garment cinched at her trim wasp-like waist, accentuates the curve of her hips. And the hem, scandalously too short for someone in the medical profession, displays a pair of long legs with well-toned thighs and shapely calves.
It is plain to see that beneath the aloof façade of the physician is a woman radiating sheer animal magnetism.
The rather alluring woman stops directly in front of Marcus to perch herself on the edge her desk, crossing her long legs as she does so. And much to Marcus' surprise he can clearly see that Dr. Darkoh is wearing no undergarments of any kind beneath that skimpy little dress of hers.
He quickly averts his eyes, and she smiles, basking in the knowledge that she has made him terribly uncomfortable. Good. She's winning this round. Marcus Van Sciver is not as tough as she thought he'd be.
Placing her gnarled hands on the edge of the desk, Sheila leans forward purposefully to give Marcus an enticing view of her cleavage. But Marcus stares intently into her eyes. He knows exactly what she is trying to do, and it's not going to work. He's too old and too worldly to play this game.
"Now Shelia, about my questions…"
Upon hearing her name, Dr. Darkoh gives him a slight flicker of an annoyed sneer which is quickly replaced by a duplicitous smile. "Now, Marcus, I didn't go through almost 10 years of medical school and another 5 of post graduate studies so that you can call me by my Christian name. I have a title and I expect that you use it when addressing me." Her voice is as smooth as silk, but the bitchy undercurrent is present nonetheless.
Unperturbed by her frosty disposition, Marcus presses on with his line of questioning. "Very well, doctor. But may I remind you that I also have a title, that of your employer. And as long as you are on my payroll you have to answer to me. Grant it, I have not given this institution the attention it deserves in years past. But I have endowed a great deal of Chthon's money into upkeep and research. And as any financier I expect to see a return on my investment."
Seething, Sheila begrudgingly concedes to his authority. As much as loathes the very thought it, Marcus is her superior. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she sighs. "Fine, what would like to know? And please be brief, I still have my…"
Smiling triumphantly, Marcus interrupts, "…rounds. Yes, I know. Far be it for me to keep you from your patients. What I would like to know Dr. Darkoh, is why after all of this time you still have not been able to isolate the mutation of on the AIDS virus? I know that a cure is probably years off, but a viable treatment should have been developed by now."
After a few seconds of silence, Sheila decides to give him the text book layperson's answer. "Well Mr. Van Sciver, the mutated cells are in a constant state of evolution, ever changing. Every time we think we've segregated the transmutation, reached a breakthrough, the disease transforms again. It's as if the pathogen is always two steps ahead, making treatment next to impossible, I'm afraid."
Marcus places his elbows on the arms rails his chair then steeples his two index fingers under his chin in a gesture of alleged contemplation. Then after a little while he lowers his hands and folds them carefully in his lap.
Looking Dr. Darkoh square in the eye, he addresses her with callous finality. "My dear doctor do you take me for a fool?"
Sheila says nothing but the loathing in her eyes speaks volumes.
Marcus undeterred, presses on. "I sincerely hope that for your sake that is not the case. For you see Dr. Darkoh during my long extensive life, I have had the opportunity to thoroughly study various branches of medicine."
His last statement earns him a look of astonishment from his adversary.
"Why look so surprised, doctor? After all it was to my great benefit to study all facets of human anatomy. It makes us vampires more efficient killers."
He then flashes a toothy grin that reveals his razor-sharp fangs before he continues.
"I actually found the subject of virology particularly fascinating. In fact I am more than certain that my vast knowledge and experience on the subject trumps the 15 some years you spent in some backwater institution dissecting cadavers and playing with your little test tubes. So do not sit there and try to placate me with your pathetic excuses!"
Sheila hotly fires back. "How dare you come in here and tell me how to do my job? I do not need to justify myself to someone like you! I became a doctor to save lives, Mr. Sciver. My dedication to find the cure and end this crisis is genuine, despite what you may think! So unless you are here to dismiss me, I have full day's worth of work!"
Marcus only smiles, mission accomplished. He's finally gotten under her skin and shown her that he has the upper hand in this situation.
Rising from his chair, Marcus starts to walk towards the door. "Very well, Dr. Darkoh, I will take my leave for now. But I would like to have files of all of the data you've complied over the years on my desk first thing tomorrow. Call it a professional courtesy from one colleague to another. And now I bid you a good day. Shelia."
As he closes the door behind him, Dr. Darkoh is seething. As soon as she knows that Marcus is out of earshot, she unleashes the rage she's held in check in the form of a guttural primal scream. Then she picks up the crystal paperweight off her desk and violently lobs it towards the door. It hits its target, shattering into a million fragments.
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End Chapter Three