Chapter 16

Two Years Later...

Seattle was a sprawling hive of activity as the woman stepped out onto the street. The autumnal air had really set in and she found herself glad that she'd been saving up her pay for the last couple of months. She'd now got more than enough together for motel fees and winter provisions. Luckily, there was no shortage of work. Even more so as autumn drew near since people started preparing for Halloween and Christmas. With a bit of luck, she'd hold on to a few of the jobs until early January and then maybe be bringing even more money in. For the first time in two years, she was honestly starting to feel like life might be picking up.

Unfortunately, night was falling. This was the time she dreaded. She didn't have any jobs tonight. That left her with nothing better to do than go to the motel and sleep. And when she did that, she knew what was coming. She knew what she would see. Melody's ashen face, totally lifeless in Chloe's arms. Inchy, House and Percy waiting to drop someone in an ambulance only to get gunned down in a drive-by. And Jimmy's leering face as he held her head in position and forced her to watch it all on repeat. And if she didn't wake up in time, it would graduate to other things. Things her mind had fabricated. Things like Chloe being dragged into a side room and tortured in ways similar to how she'd tortured that Tunnel Snake, her screams the only audible thing as everyone else in the room was forced to listen. That girl that Chloe was so fixed on finding being the one dragged off and Chloe breaking down as she was forced to listen to the aftermath... The possibilities were endless and there was just no let up.

Shaking it off, she started walking. She'd signed up for one of those online trauma support groups recently at the recommendation of a contact. It hadn't done too much yet, but it was reassuring knowing at least some of them could empathise when she talked about the nightmares.

At that moment, she was roughly jolted from her thoughts. Something hit her in the back from behind with enough force to send her sprawling. Quick as she could, she was on her feet again and whirled to face her attacker. Her first thought was that it wasn't too serious. She'd bumped into someone and taken issue and nothing less ordinary. If it had been serious, she'd probably have been knifed or shot already. One look sent that notion crashing.

"Hello, Connor." The voice was pleasant but there was no disguising the hate in it. "I barely recognised you."

"Iidazan." Ana acknowledged him emotionlessly, cursing the fact she wasn't packing. A number of her jobs today had been trial days by potential employers. While she had a right to carry, she didn't see turning up with a loaded Glock as a good way to set an impression. Either Iidazan had known that and so he'd chosen now to show up or he'd just gotten unbelievably lucky. Either way, that didn't do her any favours.

"I'm here for what you owe us." Iidazan fixed her with a gaze of steel. "Two years ago, you claimed on our insurance for surgery costs."

"Costs I understand the insurance company rejected." Ana shot back. "They refused to pay out because the family told them I'm no longer one of you and not on the plan."

"Yeah, but you share our last name." Iidazan countered. "They came after us over that. One night in hospital. That's fifteen thousand. Surgery costs- seven thousand. And that's rounded down. Now I've come for it."

"Have you tried going to a bank?" Ana asked sarcastically. "Might have better luck there."

"Don't you insult me!" Iidazan spat, his accent growing thicker as he grew angrier. "You shamed us several times over! Then you get your family in debt-"

"Oh, so you are my family now?" Ana jumped in as she herself grew angrier. People around them were realising this could turn ugly and the street was beginning to clear as people gave them a wide berth. "Make your mind up, Iida! They asked me what kind of life I wanted to lead. I answered. They shunned me for it. Now that you need something from me, I'm one of them again? Fuck right off, brother!"

"I am no brother to you!" Iida growled threateningly. "You'll pay your debt in money or in blood!"

"Will I, now?" A grin spread over Ana's face. She had the upper hand. He wouldn't dare shoot in such a public place, if he even had a gun to begin with. And he'd only seen an inkling of the power she commanded now. A quick glance at him showed he didn't appeared to be wearing any ear plugs. If she could just get him somewhere less populated...

Her plan in place, Ana turned tail and ran. Back when they were kids, their parents used to throw what was essentially a family sports day for the two of them. Putting them through their paces in all kinds of different ways. Ana had been useless at most events and their parents had let her know as such. But one thing she'd always out-stripped Iida on was the running. The street traffic had thinned out because of the commotion, so she took off at a blistering pace. Behind her, she heard Iida let out a scream of rage as he took off after her. She knew he'd never catch her on foot unless she suffered a major accident, but she kept one ear on his footsteps to make sure he was still behind her. If he decided to stop chasing her, she'd be forced to turn around and engage him on his terms. But luck seemed to be on her side. He was pissed enough that he was determined not to let her get away. That was good. Something told her this needed to end today. If it didn't, he'd just keep tailing her and keep making her life a misery until she either paid her debt or one of them killed the other. And she wasn't about to give a cent to a family that cast her out.

Luck was on her side. She was able to lead him into the nearby gap between two trees. She made sure he saw her go in and knew the thick tree canopy would be more than enough to conceal them as they fought. Unfortunately, it wouldn't block the sound. She just had to hope the dense foliage would buy her time.

Ana stopped dead, staring up at the sight before her. The scene before her was one she'd missed greatly and also hoped she'd never see again. In two years, nature had utterly reclaimed it. Ivy and rust had overtaken everything; the fire-damaged ground had proven full of fertile nutrients that had encouraged the growth of new life. No attempt had been made to repair anything. How could it? There had been no one there for two years. And as Ana stared dumbly at her former home, she felt a tear roll down her cheek. Of course she was back here. This was where her new life started. It was only fitting that it should either be cemented or ended here too.

Iidazan crashed clumsily through the undergrowth, pulling vines off his jeans and hoodie as he did. Ana turned to face him, her emotions boiling within her as her a glimmer of her confidence started to creep back. With renewed strength, she faced down the person she'd once called brother and prepared for the moment that would define her life from this point on- be it long or short.

"You know, I never knew why we named this place The Hive." She spread her arms and spun around to look at it again before turning back to him. She knew she was safe. Their family valued tradition. If he did something as dishonourable as shooting her in the back, that would cast him in a worse light than her. They would never let him back. And unlike her, he was hooked on the thing they passed as love like a dog on a leash. "But then I realised. It's because we knew something monumental would happen here one day. And now it is." She met his gaze head on, not letting her surprise show that he hadn't pulled out a gun yet. "You've stepped into the hornet's nest, brother."

"Hornets aren't the apex predators of the insect world." Iida said, still not going for a gun. "They have to defend their homes, too. And it's fitting yours is such a pile of shit. What makes you think you can take me on?"

"Because I'm a fucking Warsinger." The talking was done. Ana drew in a breath, a note starting in her chest cavity as the energy from it rippled through her body. It slowly intensified in power, coiling around her before slowly unwinding outwards and picking up bits of the gravel in its wake. As it blossomed out into a full tune, more of the gravel was ripped from beneath the weeds that mostly carpeted the ground now and began to carry them in a lethal vortex around her. She began to lift off her feet, suspended in the air by the melody emanating from her. It was an intimidation play. She'd only used her power once in front of him and that was the time she found out about it. They'd found out in the same instant. Once he saw what she was capable of, he was sure to run away with his tail between his legs. He would realise he was out of his depth and-

In an instant, her defensive wall was blasted apart. Gravel scoured her as she was blasted back by the strongest bass note she'd ever heard or felt. She landed awkwardly, turning her ankle with a loud snap and hitting the ground hard. What the fuck was that? Where had it come from? Her answer came a second later as Iidazan stood over her, glaring down.

"Pathetic." It wasn't songs with him. Somehow, he was using the same power to amplify his regular speaking voice. "All this time you've had to learn and this is how far you've come? If you are used to living hard, then dying should come easy."

"I was just giving you a chance to run." Ana let loose another note, holding nothing back this time. The same one she'd used on Vic at Heaven's Night. It hadn't killed him, but it had been absolutely crippling. That was all she needed. She just needed him to go down! Unfortunately, he was ready. The note he unleashed easily overwhelmed her own and sent her skidding back along the floor. There was just enough gravel on the surface that her left cheek was sanded raw. No wonder he hadn't pulled a weapon on her. Just like her, he didn't need one. And he was effortlessly overpowering her. She'd never seen anything like it!

"You were a failure even to your dying breath." With that, Iidazan unleashed one final note. The shockwaves slammed into her head full-force. When the end came, she was too far gone to feel it.