Diligo Est Amicitia

Chapter 7: Of Spying and Evil

A/N: Thank you guys so much for reviewing my last chapter… glad that it gave you guys a chuckle. For this chapter, I'm not so sure; I wanted to reveal little by little the plot because I realize that I have been focusing on pairings and romance too much in previous chapters and I forgot about the action. I'm sorry if this is not the best chapter you will ever read (in fact it might be the worse) but I thought that it was the best way to introduce the problem. Now, though, it's time to answer the reviews.

RedRogue: Wait a moment! Did I really say that Reid was handing Fin over to Tyler? Gods, who would love him if he were so unselfish, girl? Hahaha! Nah… don't worry about it… he's just in a dilemma. As for Lilith, I guess I was trying to portray how just about any girl would respond if they heard a guy who they really liked tell – to her face, no less – how he felt about another girl. Especially if the 'other girl' is none other than her own best friend, the girl she's been practically living with for three years and bonded with. As for Fin's name… you couldn't POSSIBLY think that it was her real name? Lols… okay, maybe you would because it didn't seem all too suspicious then, right? Never mind, let the plot unfold and let thee learn the story as the thread unravels! And oh yeah, P.S.: as something that I may not include in the story, Fin's ability to read minds is not exactly literal. It's more like "Bananas in Pajamas"… 'Are you thinking what I'm thinking B1?'… Hahax. Like she knows a person's mind so well in such a short time… ever come across a person like that? I have and she's my bestest friend. Fin is actually a little based off her.

Draco's Secret Lover: Glad that you seem to really like Chapter Six! Hahax… now isn't this funny… you like Lilith, RedRogue likes Fin and BlueFlameDancer can relate to Jamie! Yay me! Does that mean my story is less Sue-ish now? hopeful face I hope to decrease the romance level for a bit…adding little by little and slowly; this story might last a while. And to tell you the truth, I'm a little unsure myself of the 'love square'. I already have scenes of it playing through my mind but I still have to decide. Stay tuned to find out what happens!

Queenie180: Um… it's sorta of a clue as to what they are… I can't actually release info all at once! But no, all three girls are different and unique.

Marah: Okay, I'll be careful. Yes, ma'am! salutes Onward with the nitty-gritty stuff! And yeah, you do make sense… I can understand. But really, mansions are a must and as for werewolf guardians… I prefer to refer to them as… 'bodyguards' and 'spies'. Here's your update!

BlueFlameDancer: You're right; I have been spying on you and your mates CIA-style though you've gotten my affiliations wrong: I'm working for the MI6…Hahaha! Jk, jk!

Peroxide blonde: these two words bring back wonderful memories of when Buffy the Vampire Slayer was still on TV and Spike was her demented – though still hot – sidekick! But seeing as I'm getting out of point here… onward!

And now, to continue with the story...

Jamie sat in the lotus position on the floor of her dorm room. The curtains had been drawn and the door locked. The room was dark. A circle of candles had been placed around her and in it, she had drawn the pentagram. All she needed now was fire and she could start the spell. She was by no means, a witch though she sometimes practiced Wiccan ways, as had the ancient Archos. She placed her fingertip on the edge of each candle, and then tapping into her power, ignited a small flame. She did this to every single candle and soon, her features were bathed in the soft and comforting glow.

Iam EGO operor quod is EGO operor. Meus vox to order, elementum pareo. Succurro mihi animadverto quis meus pectus pectoris votum. Ostendo mihi Sons of Ipswich. (Translation below)

Orbs of white light began surrounding the Archos-to-be as she chanted the incantation. Suddenly, one by one they hit her in the forehead and she began to receive images of what had happened more than three centuries ago. The original Sons of Ipswich and their descendants. Caleb and whom she supposed was the fifth Son of Ipswich battling it out at Putnam Barn. She had asked about him – the fifth son – and had received a wary look from Caleb before he told her that the line had ended with John Putnam. She knew he was lying. He knew she knew he was lying. Both kept quiet.

"What do you want?" Caleb demanded.

"Your powers!" Chase Collins' voice rang in her head.

It was like following through the view of video camera; it cut to a scene of Sarah lying on her bed, vein-like bluish poison flowing through her body. Now, it cut to a view of the grocery store downtown. Tyler Sims was picking through a large array of chocolate. "Hey, I've gotten everything already. Ready to head back?" Jamie's eyes narrowed. She knew that voice. All too well. What was Fin doing with a Son of Ipswich? It fast-forwarded from Tyler dumping the bags of shopping into the back of his truck to what looked like an argument between him and Reid in their dorm room. Reid stomped off and within a safe distance from the room, smashed a window. All that passed after, she studied intensely.

She rolled her eyes at the discussion of her sexual orientation but couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips when Reid insulted Caleb's. She could feel Lilith tensing up when Reid said he liked her, only to have her deflate when he added the 'only as a friend' bit. Men. They were such inconsiderate and unfeeling jerks! Having quenched her curiousity of the Sons of Ipswich, she pinched out the candles, packed them up before using a rug she had been presented with from a dignitary in Spain to cover up the pentagram. Who knew when she might need it again?

Caleb sat in his room in the Danvers Manor, lying perfectly still in the perfectly quiet atmosphere. In fact it was too quiet. Almost scary. He sat up, and then sighed. If he tried to call up Pogue, he would probably be hanging out with Kate. Reid was an impossible choice; he would be the exact person Caleb would go to if he wanted to be pissed off and Tyler was not just the guy Caleb would go to pour all his woes to. In fact, baby Tyler seemed to have his own life outside of the Covenant. And that's supposed to be shameful for me coz I don't. He thought bitterly. Refusing to think any more about his current love life, he grabbed his keys, convinced that a ride throughout the beautiful colony would erase any more thoughts of his unfortunate state of affairs.

He went down the stairs, past the living room where his currently drunk mother slept. Caleb had always wondered how much wine there was stored in the cellar but had been forbidden to go down there and it had been a ban he had obeyed. He started up the Mustang, eager to get away from the Manor and as far as possible.

He drove down a familiar route; one he'd come to when he was stressed out. The scenery simply calmed him down, no matter how high or frayed his temper was. He started to slow down as he came to a bridge. He stopped, and then got out. He looked at the peaceful lake; how the undisturbed waters seemed so serene. He let out a heavy sigh. All he wanted to do right now was hold the very beautiful Sarah Wenham in his arms and just share this panorama with her. It was the only secret he hadn't told her about; it had simply slipped his mind because when he was with Sarah, he didn't need the lake. She was more than enough.

A sudden movement to his off right startled him and he quickly turned in its direction to see what it was. Something was moving in the forest. From the current distance, he couldn't see who – or what – it was. He approached the figure. All he saw was white. No… there was yellow… this… this woman had long blonde hair and she was wearing some sort of white garment. "Hello?" He called out softly at first as he passed into deeper into the forest. He glanced back; his car was still in sight and he wouldn't be lost. "Who's there?"

He turned back towards the woman but she was gone. She had vanished. He looked around him. Line upon line of trees, all their barks a dark brown colour, stood but there wasn't a single speck of white. All he saw was the darkness creeping up, swallowing the forest. He took a step back. "Caleb?" A familiar voice asked behind him. He whipped around.

"Lilith?" Caleb's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "What're you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same." Lilith said. She noticed that he was paying special attention to her clothes but shrugged it away.

"It's dangerous to be walking in the forests of Ipswich, you know." Caleb warned gently. "Especially when you're new. You could get lost." Or kidnapped. It was common knowledge to the Ipswich folk who had lived in the colony long enough that this forest had been the place where many had gone missing. And they had not returned. And although Caleb knew that any of his Covenant brothers would have stayed overnight in the forest for a dare, he also knew that none of them would. However much Reid liked to show to prove he was better than Caleb.

"I'm okay, Caleb." Lilith waved off his advice impatiently. She was more concerned about whether he had noticed her using her powers. "I thought you would have known that by now."

"Known what?" Caleb asked, his vigilance already starting to waver. It was hard to be alert when the breeze was blowing and everything around you was so peaceful anyway.

"Jamie." Lilith stated. "She drove you back that night, right? And she's still okay, isn't she? What are you afraid of anyway? Monsters?" She asked. "WOOO!!!" Lilith badly imitated a ghost but she got the point across.

"You know, it pays to be cautious." Caleb tried to defend himself.

"Yeah, yeah. Save it. We've heard enough of that crap from Jamie." Lilith waved him off dismissively, walking away. Caleb sighed inwardly. Like him, Jamie was the leader of the chief of their troupe and like him, they had to deal with the 'Reid's and 'Tyler's in the group. Pogue had rarely been a worry to him; he could resist the temptation fine and only occasionally did he indulge in tricks Reid and Tyler did.

"Where're you going?" He yelled as he broke out of his thoughts.

"Home!" She yelled back.

"Need a ride?"

"I have a car!"

Caleb only shook his head, then turned towards the direction of his own vehicle and started towards it. It was only then that he noticed something was wrong. It wasn't the most obvious thing in the whole world but it did after all contradict the name of the forest he was in. Deadwood was alive. Not that the trees were moving or anything but Caleb could see life in every tree, flower and leaf. Which was, of course, ridiculously impossible. They said Deadwood burned out a long time ago; burned out with the ash and the flame and all that remained were burnt tree-trunks. And yet Caleb could see green everywhere he turned; little white flowers poking out of shrubs and bushes as well as the trees. The tree-trunks looked strong and there was no indication that anything harmful had ever been done to this forest. Indeed, even the sun blessed it; it golden rays touching every leaf, making them glow in a heavenly light.

What the hell had happened here? What could have possibly occurred that the once dead forest could have become so… vivacious? It wasn't only the picture; it affected the soul as well. No, this was not natural, Caleb decided. He could sense something in the air; like faint traces of magic, so dim it was as if it never existed at all. But he felt it. He tapped into the Power and he could feel it. Only question was: what exactly was it?

"Hey, did you…" He started to say loudly as he turned around but he stopped mid-sentence. Lilith was gone. True that he had spent a few minutes studying the plants but she couldn't have gone that fast… could she? He could see the forest going on for miles but there was no sign of that white coat and boots and that dirty-blonde hair. Caleb had been wondering about how she had gotten behind him without him seeing her. For he was certain she had been the same woman that had been in the forest he had seen.

"Lilith!" He shouted, hoping that the wind would carry his voice. It echoed around the forest but there was no reply. Panic crept up him as slowly as the shadows of the forest did. He had to get out of there. Darkness was approaching and it was coming too fast to be natural. His breaths became heavier; the carbon dioxide that he breathed out becoming smoke. This isn't right. He kept telling himself. And then it began to rain. Drops of the chilly water began to sprinkle itself onto his jacket and his face. He looked up… and saw the clouds. Was that it? Were the darkness just storm clouds approaching too fast? He certainly hoped so. And if it wasn't, then he knew. There was a newcomer in Ipswich, and chances were good that, sooner or later, it would do what the bad guys from TV shows always did. Shows like Charmed or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It would make itself known to the Sons of Ipswich.

He ran to his car, started the engine and with one last glance at Deadwood, sped out of there, hoping that Lilith was safe in her own Mazda and racing back to the dorms. It is a peculiar thing that Caleb never looked back as he should have; or even glanced through his rearview mirror back at Deadwood. The clouds, miraculously, had disappeared. The sun shone again on the plantation of Deadwood and everything became effervescent again. Even the butterflies started dancing from flower to flower. Deadwood did not like being disturbed.

For what whispers of the forest spoke were true; Deadwood was not a place mankind could take. There were creatures who lived there… they had been making a home for themselves there for the last four thousand, four hundred and forty-four years. Some were good. Others were evil. They desired nothing more than to overthrow the Archos - currently the one ruling was Lord William Lycan – and take back what was theirs. The Rebellion.

A/N: Well, hope you found this chapter, at the very least, acceptable. Review to tell me what you think about my slight introduction of the Rebellion.
Translation: Now I do and this I do. My power commands and the elements obey. Help my heart see what it desires. Show me the Sons of Ipswich.
Note: At least that's what I think it all means! I went to my translator and it gave me those Latin words. If you try searching it up and it comes out funny, sorry!
Note to the authors who have commented on DEA's Photo Album

RedRogue
Regarding the wings thingy, it was considered a 'fun shot' so it was totally fake. And yes, I did get the picture homepage idea from you. I thought it was bloody brilliant, to be honest. Nothing literal about the 'bloody' part of course.
Regarding that comment at Fin's page... no comment for me; you'll just have to bear with anything and find out who gets her! I'm evil for keeping you in suspense, I know, but don't all authors have some baaaaad side to them?
Regarding that comment about Lilith's shirt, just pretend that the word 'pink' never existed in Chapter Four and that it was white... or red. Or purple.
Regarding Jamie Chapman, I am glad she is to your liking!

Marah
Regarding Peter Lycan, yes actually, you have met him, rather briefly however at the end of Chapter 2. I referred to him at first as 'young Master Lycan', then on the very last line of the chapter, told you his name was Peter. The wings are also a fun-shot; he looked rather bare without any 'accessories'.
Regarding that comment about Lilith's shirt... ah well if you read the tip I gave RedRogue then you needn't read it again and I needn't type it again.
Regarding Jamie Chapman, no offence taken. I know this may sound as a very desperate attempt to save Jamie from being compared to Selene but eheh, Selene had shoulder-length hair. Alright, never mind; call me desperate.

Crickes