Before anyone could stop him he was through the hatch. His eyes searched for the one he had come to speak to. They found their target. Fuelled by anger his thoughts rested on only one thing. Several long strides brought him within arm's reach of the man he had loved, the man he had looked up to. The man that had destroyed everything they had had. With white knuckled fists he pushed him towards the wall ahead of him. He stood so close their noses were almost touching, their breath mingling in its ragged exhalations. Moments passed without movement. It seemed like a spell had been cast upon them, fixing them like stone in the position they had chosen.

That spell was broken when their eyes met.

Eyes of fire blazed into eyes of ice that remained orbs of frost. A fire matching that projected from that unwavering gaze burned within his belly, threatening to consume him as he struggled to hold it at bay. Completely losing his temper would get him nowhere, it would make it harder to attain the answers he sought. Besides, he wasn't alone with the man staring back at him with eyes that refused to melt beneath his intense observation, he had allies, people that would try to defend him, one of which had threatened to remove him if he allowed himself to get out of hand. He couldn't afford to have that happen, if it did his chances of finding out what he wanted to know would be wiped out. Taking in deep breaths he tried to still the inferno within him, so far it was working but he wasn't sure how long it would be before the moment when he could control it no longer. He still had to talk, he still had to hear what answers were made to his questions, his control would be most needed then, it would be when he was at his weakest.

They were still standing close when the silence was broken.

"You've talked with Robyn haven't you?" Sportacus spoke first, his tone level, un-provoking.

Kit nodded, "I did, a little. She seems to think that you know something I don't, something that made her punch you yesterday morning. What was it?"

"I don't know."

"Don't lie to me, Sportacus. You're rubbish at it. It's not in your nature to lie." Kit paused considering something, "Or maybe it is. You lied to Robyn for twenty one years, and Robbie, and me, and everyone else in this town. I suppose you've also lied to mummy and daddy."

Sportacus' colour faded slightly, "Kit, don't do this."

"Do what? You have lied to them, haven't you? Well someone has to tell them the truth! Who is it going to be, Sportacus, you or me?"

"What is he talking about, son?" Nine interjected stepping forward.

Trapped in a corner he couldn't see a way out of, Sportacus' brain began to work overtime. He knew what Kit was doing. He couldn't lie anymore. If he didn't tell the truth he knew that it would be told for him. His time was running out. As bad as things would be when he spoke they would be worse if the words didn't leave his lips.

"Mum, dad, I…" Sportacus trailed off, he couldn't do it.

Something stirred behind her. She was no longer alone in the room. Without turning around she reached out with her senses, feeling whoever had joined her, trying to find out who they were. It was someone she hadn't been expecting. They repulsed her. She looked over her shoulder at the face she knew to be nothing more than a mask, a decoy to trick people into thinking that they were someone normal, someone human. Only she could see beyond it. Only she knew who they really were.

"It's been a long time, Lassie." The tones stroked her ears in their broad accent.

Her answer was simple, "It has. I believe the last time we spoke we were in the cabin. You said something about having me protected but I can't see that that's happened. It's quite ironic really."

"What is?"

"You and the other little minions the Judges have running around still don't seem to have found Lily and yet it takes me no time or effort at all. And again instead of trying to look for her you waste your time bugging me. What exactly are you trying to achieve?"

"I'm sure you know the answer already. Why do you think the attempts on your life from us have stopped?"

Robyn smiled at the window, "You're right. I thought it had been quiet lately. You're also right about my knowing what's going on. You've stopped trying to find Lily and trying to kill me because you hope that we'll do it for you. You're stuck, you can't kill her and you can't kill me but I know that you don't like playing the waiting game. That's why you're here."

"You're very sharp, Lassie. You always have been. I'm sure you've realised your powers are growing, you can read me as easily as anyone else."

"It frightens you. There are some things you can still hide but soon that door you have them locked behind will open. Soon I'll surpass you. Even now I can detect something within you, something you've been trying to keep from me. You killed Dominic didn't you? He had to be silenced. I bet it didn't take much in the way of effort, he was dying anyway. A nice and easy target lined up for you. Something even you couldn't have gotten wrong."

Michael's expression darkened. He was rapidly running out of patience. More than once he had been insulted by a woman he loathed as much as she loathed him. If he had been given the slightest opportunity he would have made sure she never spoke ill of him or his brethren again but if she was to suddenly die or disappear questions would be asked and too much attraction would be aroused. He couldn't be sure that no one had seen him enter the house, there were too many eyes. If anyone had seen him they would know he was the last person to see her and there would be no denying it.

He was trapped and he knew that she knew it. He could see it in her eyes. There was a raw desire to push him beyond his limits, to make him do what he desired. He could see it in the way she walked towards him. Her steps were slow, calculated. He knew she had a mobility problem but her movements were deliberate.

Instead of coming to a stop in front of him like he had expected her to, she passed by him. This action confused him slightly. He turned himself around to see what she was doing.

He regretted it.

No one had moved in the airship since he had fallen silent. He had wanted to speak but his strength had failed him. It was a step even he hadn't been able to take. He could feel the eyes that still held his press him to break his silence, to confess all that he had done. Their pressure was beginning to work. He could feel himself becoming ready to try again, to break his silence of twenty one years. His lips parted, his eyes found his parents, words began to form on the tip of his tongue. He was going to tell them.

His words were silenced by his crystal flaring into life. His father's did the same. Both men knew that something was happening in the world below. Forgetting Kit, Sportacus surged forward. Hurtling past his father he threw himself down the ladder. Landing squarely on his feet he ran at full speed towards a house he knew that he wouldn't be welcome to but he didn't care, he had to stop whatever was happening.

He was at the front door in no time and he threw it open. Taking only a few seconds he assessed any possible danger to himself from entering the house, he could see none. Forcing himself across the threshold he used his eyes to scan every inch of the room. They fell upon something he hadn't expected to see, not there.

Filled with a deep sense of foreboding he edged towards it. It seemed so innocent just lying there but he knew it shouldn't have been there, poking out from behind the coffee table. He didn't want to walk any closer but he couldn't stop himself. It was if he were on a conveyor belt, on a one way journey he couldn't stop. His head craned itself to see what he was afraid of. He couldn't stop his eyes from looking upon what lay on the floor.

As if struck by a blow he recoiled back from the coffee table, his hand to his mouth as he swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. He staggered across the room until he came into contact with something that stopped him. Keeping his eyes tight shut he leant his cheek against the cool surface of the wall. He struggled to breathe, his lungs fought to obtain all of the air that he needed. It was a fight that succeeded in victory. He opened his eyes. A sound had reached his ears that he hadn't heard before. Following the sound he saw Robyn sitting in a corner, she was trembling violently. He could see the fear in her eyes as she spoke in tones he struggled to hear.

"Here comes the candle to light you to bed. Here comes the chopper to chop off your head."

It was then that he realised there was someone behind him.