Chapter Four: In Which the Plot, She Thickens, or 'Trouble with a Capital 'T''

"So you think what, now?" Caleb's arms were folded, as were Sarah's. Pogue and Tyler remained noncommittal as Reid slammed a fist on the hood of Caleb's parked car.

"I told you. I think there's something up with this Kat girl." The older boy sighed.

"Reid, man, come on. If there was something wrong with her, don't you think I would have noticed? I mean, I am the asce-"

"Yeah, but give me ten days and you won't be the only ascended one, Cal," Reid snarled. He was fed up. Not that that was particularly hard to accomplish, but he was so. Damn. Sick. Of Mr. High-and-Mighty looking down his perfectly chiseled, unbroken nose and acting as if anything Reid said was bullshit, just because it was Reid who said it.

"That's not the point, guys," Pogue interjected. He frowned a little, and jerked his chin at Caleb. "Remember the last time one of us got a bad feeling about someone, and you ignored it?" It was a low blow, and Sarah winced at the memory, as did Caleb. Reid couldn't stop the jolt of satisfaction that gave him.

"Yeah. Remember Chase?"

"So you're saying Kat is another Chase."

"Well, no," Reid said, putting as much 'duh' into his tone as possible. "She's a girl."

"Then what are you saying?" Exasperated, now.

"I don't know, all right?! You know what, forget it. Just forget it." Caleb heaved a sigh and went to Reid, grabbing his shoulder. The blond tensed, a muscle jumping in his jaw.

"Listen. Reid. Maybe you have something, here. We'll keep an eye on her, okay? It's just, I haven't seen anything suspicious about her."

"Yeah, well, where have we heard that before?" Caleb's grip on Reid's shoulder tightened almost imperceptibly.

"Point made, already," he said quietly. "Stop bringing that up." Reid shrugged off his hand, eyes darkening. Not black, but close. Caleb shook his head. "Cut it out, man," he warned. Pogue and Tyler stepped forward, not interrupting, but ready. Waiting. On guard.

Reid looked from Caleb to Pogue to the youngest of the four, and took a rebellious step back. He shook his head in disgust, eyes lightening to a tumultuous gray-blue.

"Please," he spat, lip curling. "Stop looking at me like that." Tyler bit his lip, glancing at Caleb, but relaxed back against the side of his truck. Pogue didn't move. Sarah and Caleb watched Reid steadily, slight frown lines in their foreheads. "I said stop looking at me like that!"

"You came pretty close, there, Reid," Caleb said slowly. "To using, I mean."

"Yeah, well, I didn't, did I?"

"But you're doing it an awful lot. You always have, when you get mad."

"Well, if you weren't such a-"

"Don't try to blame this on Caleb, Reid," Sarah interrupted, sounding torn between worry and anger.

"You're ascending in ten days," Pogue said quietly. "You gotta be careful right now."

"And that's why I didn't use, you morons! God. I'm fine. Okay? Can we get back on subject?" Tyler eyed Reid's wary, defiant face, and lifted his chin. In a clear, smooth move, he strode over to stand a shade behind the blond and to his right.

"Fine," Caleb said at last. "Kat. We'll keep an eye on her, like I said. Any funny business, and we'll deal with it right away. No more taking chances," he added, unconsciously reaching for Sarah's hand. Reid let out a breath, thankful that, now that he was consciously blocking any invasion of his mind, no one else could sense how close he'd really come to the edge. Pogue was right.

This was no time for risks.

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The black car pulled up just past the large sign reading, 'Welcome To Ipswich' and eased over on the curb. The engine didn't cut off as the passenger side door opened. A long, stockings-clad leg emerged, balanced on a crimson three inch heel. A woman followed the leg, standing in one graceful motion. Her black suit was crisp and unwrinkled from the drive, though it had been long.

"So. This is Ipswich."

"Yes, ma'am," said the driver. The woman smiled, showing no teeth.

"Beautiful countryside."

"It certainly is."

"Hmm," she hummed, touching the tip of her forefinger to her smooth, unpainted lips. "Lovely." Liquid elegance, she folded herself back into the car and shut the door. The smell of air freshener quickly replaced the brisk scent of grass.

"Shall we go?"

"Yes. Take me to the hotel."

"Right away, ma'am." The woman leaned against her window, the small smile still flickering on her lips. She reached down to a cloth bag at her feet, sliding out a large, hardback book. Smoothing her hands across the dark leather binding of the cover, she sighed with satisfaction as the pads of her fingers brushed over the slight ridges of gold print that made up the title: The Lost Pages of Damnation. Opening the book with utmost care, she stared down at the first page, reading the words there for the thousandth time. Soon. Soon, she would find these… these Sons. Soon, she would complete her mission.

"Kitty-cat, have you missed me," she wondered to herself, whispering the words. The driver did not glance at her. He was used to this. It was, after all, a long drive from California.

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Reid flopped back on his bed in the dorm room he shared with Tyler. The other boy wasn't there, but that didn't matter. Sometimes, a guy just needs to be alone. He reached over to the table by the bed and grabbed his CD player, jamming on the headphones and pressing play. The desperate, haunted wailing of Muse filled his head, and he cursed mildly and switched the song. He wasn't in the mood for desperation. He was in the mood for… ah, yes. This was his favorite mix CD. Reid closed his eyes as the loud, fast-paced chords of System of A Down came on.

Ten days.

In ten days, he would ascend.

Ten days.

Reid rolled over, ignoring the tingle of nervousness that ran down his spine. Caleb had done it while fighting in a barn.

It would be fine.