"Is there a Kane here?"

The voice rang out through the dingy, dimly lit bar. The usual drunken reprobates looked away from their warm bees to gaze at the newcomer. She had long brown hair that was ties up in a bun. Her face was round with fair skin and her nose was small, but cute. She was exceptionally curvaceous with long legs that were exposed due to her short skirt. This generated some whistles from the inebriated men, but she paid them no attention except to give them a quick look of disdain before turning her bright green eyes to search the bar, which was filthy and had the unmistakable air of violence and depression.

"Is Kane here?" she called again before quickly turning around to head out into the cool, moonless summer night.

She had her hands on the door when she heard it.

"Who's asking?" Came a reply around the corner of the bar in a booth that was shrouded in darkness except for the light of a cigarette burning in the ashtray.

She walked calmly through the bar towards the back were the voice had come from. When she got close, she saw through the dim lights a man who looked to be about twenty two or twenty three. He looked up at her through his long, messy black hair with sharp grey eyes that seemed to look at her as though he could see not only her, but her past and future as well. He had a thin face that looked as though it had once been handsome, but something had happened that seemed to rob the happiness from it, rendering it melancholy, but still somewhat attractive to members of the opposite sex.

"Hello" she said. "My name is Eplectan, but my friends call me Epps for short." she held out her hand to receive a handshake, but he merely looked at it with an expressionless face. After a moment he gestured for her to sit in the opposite end of the booth, which she cautiously took.

"Hey Mesdrem, I need two cold Sake's over here." He yelled at the aged bartender. He promptly got up and walked over to them to hand them there drinks. Evidently he knew the routine around here.

Kane took his glass and took a drink. He then looked up at Epplectan.

"Some people claim that Sake is to be drunk hot, but don't pay them any mind. They are uneducated fools." he said. Epplectan lifted her cup and took a sip. It tasted a little like a dry, clear wine.

After the bartender had left, Kane gave Epplectan a long look, as though by doing so he could understand her better.

"So what brings you to this part of town to come looking for me?" He asked her in a questioning tone. "I assume you're not here for the free drink, or you would have already left." he finished in a mocking tone.

"Well," She began, scanning the bar to make sure no one was eavesdropping. Mesdrem was behind the bar, cleaning mugs, while the others were talking about old war stories. "I wanted to find out some information about you. Is it true you're a Kenetok?" She finished in a low voice.

He looked up again from his Sake with a dangerous look on his face before relying. "Why do you want to know?"

She breathed deeply before continuing in a low voice "I know what you are, one of my colleagues in the Association told me about you"

"What the hell are you talking about?" He snapped angrily. He didn't like were this conversation was heading. "I don't know what you're up to, so just say what you want so I can get back to my life." As he finished he lifted his glass to take another drink before looking at her again.

"Have it your way then," Epplectan sighed. "I am part of a group called the " Association. Our aim is to take down this corrupt government. It enslaves its people in a series of never ending wars while they push propaganda in our face about how great the state is and how people like us," she looked him straight in the eyes "Are subhuman monsters to be shot on sight. We need people with you're..." she hesitated. "Abilities. To help us meet our goals."

Kane considered her with mixed emotions. On one hand he valued her beliefs, but on the other he despised her for her ignorance. By the looks of her she was one of those people who had everything handed to her by their rich mommies and daddies. She had never actually seen or felt the horror that the state had inflicted on those who opposed it. Or those who just got in the way. He lifted his glass and drained it before speaking.

"Even if I was what you think I am, how do I know you're not from the state?"

"Because if I was, you would be dead right now." She said simply. "You know that when it comes to Kenetok's, they don't take any prisoners. They kill them as soon as they can."

Kane lit a cigarette. "You can't take down the state even if you wanted to. It's too well organized. Too indestructible." He took another drag. "Besides, what chance would this "Association" have? They sound like another resistance movement to me, and so far all of them have failed."

"You'd be surprised," Epplectan rebutted "We have a vast amount of people who support us. The everyday people who can't be brainwashed or manipulated. Of course, the ones who aren't cowards are actually helping us with our work we also have a few spies in the state who inform us of their activities. So far, the state remains ignorant. Let's just hope it stays that way."

Kane looked at her as though he was struggling with some sort of internal conflict. He looked away and mentioned in an offhand sort of way "you said people like us. I assume that means you're one two. What's your element?" He asked curiously.

Eplectan smiled. "I can see that our paying attention. I suppose that since I know yours, it's only fair that I tell you mine. I have a strong affinity with water."

For the first time, Kane looked mildly surprised. "That's a strong element." He responded. "Almost as strong as mine."

She looked affronted."Better then yours, I think." She said with an edge to her voice. "The Association is well organized and powerful. We know we're facing an uphill battle, but the conditions are right for a full scale revolution. I won't lie, I'm not the only Kenetok who chose a side, but unfortunately not all of them are as noble as me, and possibly you if you choose to go with me." She once again loomed him straight in the eyes.

Kane wondered how much of what she said was true. He had learned long ago not to trust what other people said. But something about her seemed so... He couldn't quite describe, but he had the feeling that she was telling him the truth.

"Go where?" He asked

"To Headquarters." she said. "If you don't like what you see and I can't change your mind, you can leave and never hear from me again." There it was the ultimatum. She looked at him, barely able to conceal her impatience.

He took a final drag from his cigarette, the extinguished it in the plastic ashtray.

"Well than, let's go, I have other important thing I need to do."

"Like what, sit at a bar and get drunk?" she said.

He looked annoyed. "There isn't enough liquor in this godforsaken town to get me drunk enough." He got up and put on his coat. "Where's your car?" He inquired.

"Out back."

And so, together, they left the bar.