"An hour? You're shitting me…" Maureen shot up onto her feet, nearly smacking Jack right in the chin. A groan would suffice as the man rubbed his chin and shook his head.

"Look, Maureen." he was starting to become angry, cold… the way he was when he had tried to kill her last time in the engine room.

"I don't have time for this." a hand shot out to Epps' throat as he squeezed with all his might. But not tight enough to snap her neck. Maureen was brought up off of the ground as she tried to claw at his hands around her throat, but failed.

"This is the balance. We can't have mortals running around ferrying souls…besides, this way, you're mine." with one powerful let go of his hand, he tossed her across the room.

Epps groaned softly, laying yet again on her back as she rubbed at her throat and tried to get up. His shoe had caught her on the stomach, keeping her down.

"Should I let you pick your own death, or is that too easy, Maureen?" a wince had been exhaled from the woman underneath his foot as he pressed down harder into her stomach.

"I'm not dying!" Maureen growled as she attempted to move, kicking her leg to slide to the side right into his leg. Jack growled in annoyance as the woman began to crawl, her stomach had hurt like hell. Grabbing her dark curls he yanked her up.

Without one more look of hatred, or anger, he yanked onto her hair with all his hands might, and pressed his face to her own, kissing her hard, even more …passionate than Francesca.

Epps didn't know what to make of it as she tried to struggle. But then, he shoved her away, held onto her hair, and with a snap of her head the wrong way. She was dead.

Gently, Jack laid her slender body down on the carpeting, brushing his hand over her forehead, brushing back little curls. She was beautiful even in death. But at least the annoyance was gone. Feisty little Maureen…

Taking her hand in his own, a hissing sound could be felt, along with heat. She was marked. Now one of his.

With the snap of his fingers her body disappeared. Maureen Epps was dead.

------

Katie bolted up right in the bed now. It was a dream. Things were tattered… and torn. This looked like the Antonia Graza but it wasn't. When she tried to pick up the glass of water beside her, her hand went right through it.

"Dammit!" the 40 year old little girl yelled in anger. Some good Epps was an influence on her.

Quickly had her dress wrinkled and twirled as she began up off of the bed, this had been the nurses quarters. Now she'd have to be careful who she'd show herself to. Ferriman had tricked her, made her believe she was alive…what happened now?

-----

Just as he suspected, a scream erupted in the room. He didn't even have time to plug his ears as Jack winced.

"Epps…" turning around on his knees as he began up into a stance. His oceanic blue eyes watching the woman.

"What did you do to me?!" she was furious and immediately ran to him and started pounding on his chest, heading for a punch with a left hook. He stopped her immediately, grabbing her wrists and squeezed hard.

"You're going to listen to me now, you're dead. Maureen. You're marked." instantly her hand began to pulsate as she felt a scathing pain on her palm and her strength had been lessened minus ten.

"You'll do exactly what I say, when I say it. And if you don't…" he heard a gasp from her as blood began to form at her palm, and let her go.

Maureen held her hand with her opposite hand and rubbed over the mark, wincing. She was dead? To prove that theory and to prove it to herself, she picked up the hand mirror on the bureau. To her amazement, she held it perfectly.

"I'm not a ghost…" she whispered.

"No." Jack rolled his eyes, sometimes she was either too stubborn to realize what he had just said or just point blank stupid.

"You're a salvager. Just like me." he drawled.

"Fuck." Epps hissed as she dropped the mirror.

"Maybe later." Jack had to grin at that one.

-----

"So what, you're my babysitter now?" Desarae whimpered as she stared to Andy, just staring in his eyes.

"Sort of." Andy muttered. This was going to be a long evening.

"What's with the glasses, four eyes?" the young woman grinned.

Andy rolled his eyes as he immediately snatched the glasses from his face and tossed them carelessly to the floor, stomping on them.

"You're really that naïve. It's a cover, you dumb bitch." he gripped onto her wrist as he forced her into a chair, invisible binds on her wrists and legs.

"Have a seat."

-----

"Shut up. Ferriman." Epps glared at him as she leaned against the wall. She was dead. There was no going back, she remembered how he'd snapped her neck… kissed her… Oh God that kiss. Shuddering in disgust.

"You liked it." he teased.

What was worse. He was right.

"Hell no." she growled.

"Fine." Ferriman muttered as he started for the cabin door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not wasting my time sitting here with you. There's business to attend to."

He added wryly.

"Coming?"

----