It had been a weird couple of months since the kidnapping incident. Susan, who true to her word was still talking to him, had invited Serenity and Harris to stay around for a while. Serenity's attitude was still a little chilly toward him but it was good to her her around again. As for Harris... well it was good to have Serenity around again. And they generally spent most of their time in Chicago so Owen didn't see much of them. Although the couple of times he talked with him the Father mentioned it seemed like Susan was talking to Harris about something. On the home front school was a couple of months from being over so he didn't have to worry about that for awhile, although he did pity whomever got Princess when the new year started. And he hadn't seen a hide or hair of Janet, her mother and whoever else was in that group in those two months either, and he had looked when he had the free time.

Well seen was the operative word there. About a week or so after their kidnapping Susan had been visited by one of them bearing the strangest of gifts. And that term was being used rather loosely. He studied the scrape piece of paper in his hand like it might bite him if he wasn't careful. Finally he glanced up at Susan, "He gave you his number?"

"Not exactly," Susan corrected him. "He gave me his number to give to you."

"One of the guys who kidnapped you?"

"The one who ended up killing the thief if you want to be exact." And Owen remembered him as clear as day too. "He came up to me, in a non challenging way although I still held up my guard, and said to give it to you. What you did with it was up to you at that point."

"Was there a hidden threat if I didn't call?"

"Not that I could tell," one of his oldest friends, in length of knowing her if not age, told him. "He gave me the paper, told that message and left. If there was any type of threat there he was blinking it in Morse Code. And before you ask do you know Morse Code?"

"Never picked up," Owen conceded.

"Neither have I and I'm been around longer." Rising to leave she said, "He did say it was up to you if you wanted to contact him or not."

"It might be a trap," he told her. Considering who he was with that was more than a distinct possibility.

"It might be," she agreed. "But then again it might not." When Owen looked at her with some confusion, she shrugged. "They all can't be like her now, can they. Even if that Jim guy helped arrange the whole kidnapping thing he did seem apologetic while we were waiting for you and Ser to show up."

A few hours after she left Owen finally decided to try it. Still he went for a drive to a park that was pretty much you had to go out of your way to get to to make the call. Paranoia made him think they were trying to pin down where he lived based on the various cell phone tower around. Making the call he waited a few ring, telling himself that he was going to hang up if it went to voice mail. Then he didn't get the voice mail, "Is this McAllister?"

Not really sure what else to do he replied, "This Omar?" There was a grunt in response that sounded like an affirmative one. "All right, why did you want to talk?"

"The girl." It was only two words but Owen knew exactly who he was talking about. Looking around for any surprises he listened. "She needs to leave the company of her so called mother. You seem to care about her as more than a tool, you should take her."

"Um, Okay," Owen went. "Why should I believe you in any way, shape or form?"

"You shouldn't" Well that was pretty honest by any standards. "But she deserves better then what she has now." And he really couldn't argue that particular point. "I will text you our location. But do not come until she is ready to leave. If I see you before then I will kill you myself on sight, is that clear?"

"I might have a slight issue with that particular demand."

"I don't care," Omar told him. "Right now she is still enthralled in whatever spell that damnable woman has on her. She has found a hint of her inner strength, but it need to bloom before she can truly be free. To take her now would enforce what Victoria has been saying to her. Do we have a deal?"

He hated this with everything he had, and he didn't that dark voice in the back of his mind spurning the flame. Still he needed to get Janet out of the way of the cross fire when he did confront Victoria. So he only had one real answer, "Deal." The call ended as soon as he said the word. As promised he as sent a text telling them exactly where they were located. Also there was an added text reminding him that it would be his death if he should up early, or at all in the area, before Janet was ready to leave. That got under his skin like he couldn't described, but even if he did best this Omar then Victoria would be right there to pick up the scrapes. And very few immortals could survive two fights in a row. So he waited. And for a month and a half there was nothing.

"Please Mr. MacDonald, Mr. McAllister... help me." Owen wasn't sure what to think after he got a message from that number. He was even more confused that it was Janet herself. First she informed him that Omar was dead. Then started to say something else before breaking down and finally pleading for him to help her get out of there. He was so stunned he took the message to Susan. Serenity and Harris were both there as she watched the message too. Harris eyed it from the corner he was standing in, Ser looked unfazed by what she was seeing as she was still a little ticked by the previous kidnapping. Susan looked up and studied him a bit before handing back the phone.

"You're going aren't you?" Owen was expecting some sort of debate first, maybe even an argument. But he'd known Susan for almost as long as he had been Immortal. And she probably knew him better then he did himself in situations like this.

"I think I pretty much have too," he ended up saying. Susan nodded in understanding, knowing where he stood when it came to Janet's safety.

Serenity on the other hand, "It's a trap. I'm the youngest one here out of all of us and I see that."

"I have to risk it," Owen told her.

"Why?", she demanded. "Why risk your life for this girl."

Owen looked at her in a way that made Serenity back up a bit. Even Harris stepped forward to get between them. Glancing over to Susan to see what she was doing Owen told Ser, "I don't want another life hanging over my head." He left before any of them could respond.

Elsewhere Victoria threw Janet to the ground in front of Jin before tossing a phone at him. "This bitch told him where we're at. Begged him to come get her." she turned her attention to Janet, "After all I've done for you." Jin made her angrier by stopping her attempt to discipline her daughter. "Get out of my way?", she hissed.

"The phone was Omar's," he informed her. "and I was aware of some of the contents that were on it when I gave it to her. Although I am a bit disappointed Janet let the phone be found."

"Why do you think I search everywhere she goes," Janet snapped at him. "Children shouldn't hide things from their mother."

"I'm sorry...", Janet started to say.

"Shut up you bitch!" before Jin could react she had her sword out and jammed it into Janet's heart. Jin looked on horrified as Janet looked to be in too much shock to be in pain. "I will deal with one of you later," she said not taking her eyes off of Janet. Practically kicking Janet down in anger to free her sword she stormed out of the room. "I have another unwelcome nuisance to take care of first."

Owen found the place eventually, an old two story building of some sort. While he wasn't expecting a luxury hotel he wasn't expecting anything that looked this run down either. Still it was in a pretty abandoned area, perfect for a group trying not to be noticed. He walked closer, pausing for just a moment as he felt the buzz hit him. Unfortunately the general feeling that told him another immortal was nearby didn't exactly tell him how many he was exactly dealing with. Seeing how neither Janet or Omar were all that forthcoming about how many were in this particular group that could be an issue. Walking forward he kept an eye on his surrounding just in case there were some surprises of the mortal variety that were ready to pop out and party.

Being unmolested so far Owen reached into his jacket and pulled his long sword out of it's hidden scabbard before he reached the door in front of him. Carefully he tried the doorknob, it was unlocked. Shoving it open he backed up real fast in case she was waiting on the other side to strike. Nothing came at him so he cautiously walked in. Sword up to defend any sudden attack he eased his way into the room, a lobby type of area with a staircase leading to a visible second floor. Whatever this place used to be it was probably something back in the day. "A little over dramatic don't you think?" Owen's head whipped around until he saw her leaning against a door jam and immediately felt his blood start to boil. If Victoria was aware of the reaction the sight of her was causing him she didn't show it. "I would almost think you didn't trust me. I mean you don't even know me."

"I know enough," Owen spat as he came at her. He should have realized something was up when she didn't even react at his charge. Then he felt the floor give out from under him as he dropped to a basement level. Trying to get some of the former floor off of him as he tried to get up he caught enough of a shadow out of the corner of his eye to get his sword up. There was a metal clang a few inches from his face as his trusted weapon intercepted her sword as she jumped down on top of him. "Case in point." Owen grunted as he pushed her away, trying to use those couple of extra seconds to free himself as best as he could.

"Oh boo hoo," Victoria said as she came at him again. He was on full defense mode at the moment as he tried to figure out if anything broke from the fall while trying to keep his head om his shoulders at the same time. Never a good combination. Not feeling anything out of place Owen stepped up his attack surprising her. Enough that she started backing away. She tripped on an old ceiling joist that was behind her and fell backwards. Not even waiting to see if this was a trap our not Owen raised his sword seeing nothing but her exposed neck.

Then he felt it. Victoria felt it as well and smiled. Another buzz that came out of no where as he halted what would have been, should have been, a killing blow. A basic instinct based on a fear nearly every immortal had about being challenged again right after absorbing the power of another one. But it wasn't like he usually felt another immortal presence, like he would on he street. Not like one who's Quickening would intermingle with his once the two almost mystical fields crossed. No this was almost like one just blinked into existence, like one who had just woken...

Horror filled him as his arm lowered and he look at Victoria, who's grin just grew bigger and bigger as she watched him realize what was happening. In almost a whisper he uttered, "You didn't."

She got to her feet, that damnable smile still on her face. "Just giving my darling daughter what she always wanted." Not even hearing that dark voice laughing in the back of his mind he Owen yelled and swung widely with his long sword. She read it easily and backed away. "I wonder how long she'll live after this is over," she taunted as she ran down the hallway with Owen right on her heels.

Janet breathed in hard as everything in her body seemed to start up all at once. None of them had ever explained what this felt like. It was nothing she want to experience again. In her confused state she was briefly aware if Jin casting a glance her way before returning to whatever he was looking at. Then she was aware at how different things seem to be. Almost sharper than they were before. And of the sensation that was currently attacking her from the inside. "Your teacher came," Jin had said after a bit. "The fight is still going on." She just stared at him while he continued talking. "Having never really him in a duel I can't really say who the smaller confines Victoria has them in would favor."

She heard the words but barely registered their meaning as whatever she was feeling still assaulted her. A sharp memory hit her like a bullet as she grabbed her chest. Her mother stabbed her, in the heart. She had died. Now she wasn't, now she was immortal. That thing she was feeling it was what her mother and the other felt when they sensed another one of their kind. Her kind, she was one of them now. She should have been overjoyed since this was what she wanted all along. But Janet felt hollow, angry. She looked at Jin, focusing on him truly since she woke up. "You let this happen," she said.

Jin looked at her with sorrowful eyes, "She acted before I could realize what she was planning to do. I apologize for letting this life fall on your young shoulder. You deserved a better fate than this one."

"You let it all happen," she said as an anger she never felt before started to rise inside her. "Letting her beat me. Lett Nathan fuck me whenever he wanted." She got to her feet visibly shaking. "You were suppose to be in charge of all of this and you just let it happen to me!"

"Janet," Jin said firmly, "you're still in a state of shock over your reawakening. Just calm down and we'll talk." She may have been a new immortal but she had been training for most of her life. Reaching behind her head for the scabbard hidden in her shirt she pulled her sword. Jin pulled his as well but didn't hold it up in a defensive position, just down at his side. "I do not wish to fight you." Janet went at him any way.

Elsewhere in the building Owen and Victoria still fought. He realized she more than had the home filed advantage as she apparently knew every nook and cranny in this hallway they were in. Even had a few surprises laying in wait, and not all of them were set by her. She slashed at a pipe and nearly boiling hot steam attacked him causing him to back up from the pain. He didn't have enough time to get his bearing as she came through as she came through the steam cloud. Barely getting his long sword up in time "Getting slow at your old age?", she taunted. Tasting the hate he pushed her back and swung low. She easily jumped over the attack and he swiftly got his blade back up to counter her's. "So how often do you dream about me?"

"Don't flatter yourself," he spat s he went at her again. She was fighting smart, kept her distance, only going in for an attack when she had him rattled enough to do so. And she was rattling him in that there was no question. On any other occasion he would have ignore the remarks, fight past him. Get this fight back on his terms. Usually. Usually there wasn't something inside of him spurning on his hatred, making that flame rise higher and more fierce inside of him with each passing moment. Something he was barely able to control since he knew letting the hate overtake him would untimely cause his death. At her hands. The hands that killed Himiko. The hatred grew even faster.

He yelled and swung widely, right at her neck. Victoria was able to block it and twist the point of the sword down to the ground. Grabbing his wrist she quickly got got both swords back up and crossed behind her head. Owen glared at her only to realize what she did right before she blew him a kiss. "Good night." She spun him out as she pushed him away and swung her sword with all she had.

Her blade stopped. She looked on in disbelief as Owen stood there. Face in a wince Owen opened an eye. He was till alive. Her sword was touching his neck, the edge was just starting to dig into his flesh. His sword, however, was up just enough to get in the way. He let out the breath he was holding before pushing her blade away. She just stepped back as he slowly turned his head to look at her, a fresh determination in his eyes. "She look at her sword then at him as he backed away. "That's... that's supposed to be..."

"Unbeatable?", he finished for her as he followed her. "Supposed to be yeah. But you see I knew the guy who invented it. He even told me how to beat it. And it is simple as hell." Using the edge of his blade he knock her's away. "You just have to know it's coming, then you have a chance to block it."

"Why would he tell you that?", she demanded as she looked around, trying to find anything to use as an advantage. "Why would he give that secret up?"

He looked at her, a darkness growing in his eyes, "He was my brother-in-law." A nearly primal scream escaped his throat as he charged at her again. She was faster spotting a stairway leading up and ran up it at the same time he brought his sword in a motion that might have cleaved her in half if it connected. Snorting he gave chase, blocking a horizontal swing as he reached the top.

Chasing her across the main lobby Janet and Jin were still in combat having reached the upper balcony of the room. Jin could see how good she was. Even saw hints of Omar's influence in her fighting style now. But she was still a new immortal, and one still in a rage. Jin was older and had absorbed more Quickening than he cared to count. But power alone wasn't enough to win a battle. He himself had lead successful raids against stronger armies. His main advantage right now was his mind and experience., which had in spades over the young woman. Janet had a good mind as well but she was too unfocused, concentrating on her anger, which would make her an easy kill in the right hands.

But he wasn't going to kill this girl. No he was going to let Janet wear herself out, let the anger pass before trying to talk her down again. Even if he had to wound her to do, even have her die again in order to properly subdue her. And if this McAllister was victorious hopefully he would understand his reasoning. And if McAllister wasn't victorious then he was fully prepared to defend Janet against the woman who defiled the word "mother" with everything that she did. "I understand your anger," he said in an attempt to get through to her as she seemed to slow down her attacks. Perhaps if he did it enough she would finally listen. "And I fully take any blame in not stopping what had happened to you." Her attacks started to grow wilder, no sloppier, as her anger apparently grew. Jin now fully realized his mistake in not following his better judgment and try to stop the actions against her.

Knocking each one away he moved at the last second. Her blade going past him he struck out with the tip of his blade and pierced her in the side. Regretting the pain he was causing her he knew it was for the best at the moment. He had to try and incapacitate her before she became a danger to herself in this situation. He saw her muscles tense and knew she was going to lash out. And that when he realized he made an error in his tactic. When he pierced her side he was standing slightly behind her but still well inside her range as she swung her sword back and it bit into his neck.

On the lower floor Owen and Victoria had made there way to the other wing as their fight continue. Both only pausing as they felt the Quickening. If the strength of what they were feeling wasn't enough to give away who lost the scream they were hearing cemented it. "She won?", Victoria uttered, but not in a proud way. But in a way that gave away her complete and total shock of the discovery.

"Guess you thought she be an easy target then once she became immortal," Owen spat with a venom that wasn't there before. A venom that was pushing his anger and hate even more. She blocked the incoming blow, barely holding her ground from the force behind it. He came at her with ever increasing force and ferocity. He seemed to get wilder with each passing moment, the look in his eyes seemed to wilder and wilder with each one. Then he started raining down blows on top of her until her defenses broke and with an animalistic type of roar kicked her hard in the stomach. She stumbled backwards trying to keep her balance, and more importantly the sword in her hand but eventual fell to the ground.

Where in the hell was this coming from she wondered to herself. There was anger, which she saw in spades at the beginning of the fight, then there was whatever the hell this was. She looked up to see where he was, but he stood where he was, breathing heavily. Some sort of shadow crossed his face from the flickering lights, making him look like someone else for the briefest of instants. Enough so she looked on in horror, "What are you.?

"What am I? A beast." He slowly walked toward her causing her to crawl back. The tip of his sword scraped against the ground, the sound making her want to cover her ears. With a maniacal glint in his eye a smile that was foreign, almost unnatural to his face started to spread. "A demon." An eerie, otherworldly laugh seem to come from him as he swung his sword down at her again. Victoria rolled out of the way and tried to run. Owen sword beat against the walls behind her as he tried to decapitate her with each swing. Looking back she saw a look akin to a wild animal staring right back at her, that smile still plastered to his face. And for the first time in a long time she knew fear.

"Running out of places to hide?", Owen taunted her. He swung his long sword again and barely missed removing a limb as she hurriedly backed away. She looked around as best as she could and tried ot keep an eye on him at the same time. She say a adjacent hallway, it led to a maze of hallways and the way out if her panicky mind remembered right. Scanning the hallway she saw another pipe and struck it with her sword. More steam rushed out causing Owen to back up by surprise. It was quickly over and as the air cleared she was gone.

"No," he growled as he stepped forward. There were too many doors. And the steam deafened him enough that he couldn't hear where she went. "No!" which door to choose , the wrong one and she could, no she would get away. He looked at each door seething. He wanted her head, any head! Then he stopped and slowly turned his head to look back at the way leading to the main lobby No, there was another option here.

Still where she was on the ground Janet still couldn't get up. That was nothing like she ever imaging a Quickening could feel. She witness her mother absorb another immortal's essence over the years and it always looked painful. But nothing she witness felt like what she experienced. But she had to get up since she was still feeling another immortal close by, but there was no sounds of a fight that she could tell. There wasn't another quickening that she could hear. At least she thought she would have heard it. Finally sitting upright, although it was still a bit of a struggle, was when she heard somebody come up the stairs in front of her. It was McAllister, at first she was happy, he did come for her. But that happiness disappeared as she saw the look on his face. It was hard, emotionless. Except his eyes, they seemed hungry and locked right on her.

"Mr. McAllister?", she asked but no answer was coming forth, "Owen?". She kept looking him in the eyes as her hand went looking for the handle of her sword. As impossible as she wanted to believe, something that went against every memory she had of the mam, she knew, just new that he wanted to take her head. He suddenly ran toward her and stomped his foot on the blade of her sword as soon as she got a grip on it. His face started to twist into a sinister smile as he stared her down. Her arms and legs suddenly moved on their own as she crawled backwards to get away from him. He just watched, almost amused as she banged into a wall, startling her self. Taking her eyes off of him only momentarily to see what she hit but quickly turned back toward of him in case he got any closer.

Owen kicked her sword even further out of her reach. Brandishing his sword he walked toward her. The tip of his blade lowered and scraped against the floor. That sound seemingly made him stop in his track. He started looking conflicted and confused as he looked down at his sword. His breathing started to get heavier with each passing second. Then he turned and threw his sword down the hall, "NO!" She watched him pace back and forth clutching at his head. Finally he stopped and reluctantly looked back at her. He looked afraid as well.

Taking a step toward her Janet tried to crawl deeper into the wall. Seeing her reaction made him stop. So instead he squatted down where he was. Right, although he still looked conflicted, now he was looking like the teacher she remembered. After a bit he looked over at what used to be Jin. Finally looking at her all he could say was, "That first one a bitch huh?"

Confused for a moment she quickly realized he meant the Quickening, or at least hoped he did. "Does it get any better?"

He only had one answer he could give her. "No, you just learn to brace for it better." Standing up caused her to flinch back again. "I'm... going to call somebody. A friend of mine. She's a little more trustworthy than I am right now." Slowly he backed away and searched himself for his phone. God hopefully he didn't lose it when he fell down that... no here it was. Calling Susan he waited for an answer.

"Owen?", she said expectedly.

"It's me," he answered. "She got away. I was," he looked back at Janet, "I was too late to stopping her from awakening Janet."

"Oh Owen," she said.

"I told you were this place is at right? Swing by the church and get the Father to come along. I'm hoping she'll trust him right now more than than she's trusting me."

"I'll do it," Susan told, obviously confused by the request, "but what happened? Owen what happened?"

He still heard that dark voice. Now stronger than it ever was.. Telling him, no screaming at him, to turn toward the girl. Finish her off To take her Quickening. "Susan... I... I think I need help. There's something inside... I can't control it anymore. I need help."