(Happy New Year to anyone in Australia! First off, I'd like to thank MentosGoBoom, jamesss, angie2282, AlexTheMortal, Lance-Dusk, and Can't Get Any Better for your reviews! So, for todays chapter, it's a fairly calm atmosphere as such. Read on!)
The morning was slightly brighter than night, but only by an inch or so. For the twenty one occupants in the house, the black swirling mass of cloud was getting on their nerves much more than usual. They had stationed themselves in defensive positions around the house, as it was likely they were going to get attacked there.
Roger and Gabrielle actually had a stock of weapons in the attic, and when Fred asked why, Gabrielle responded with "You didn't think we spent all the money on the house, did you?"
In a way, the house was peaceful. Zeke, Tanzi and Fred were chatting in one of the bedrooms, taking turns to take watch out of the window. Conner was sent on a small squad with Paul, Miguel and Jake to hunt for any demon 'nests' around the immediate area. Everyone else had helped with setting the house up properly. Rose had led an expedition with Jenna, Chris and Paul to the old base, to try and salvage any machines or if possible, any survivors. They came back empty-handed, as the base was swarming with demons.
Rose had let the group have a peaceful morning, until she called a group to the room where they had held the meeting the previous night. It consisted of all the Ability-Users, as well as Roger, Gabrielle, Camille, Lauren and Emma. Everyone else was stationed at various parts of the house, covering all areas in case of attack.
On the table now sat a large map of the world, around three times the normal atlas size.
"Okay." Rose started, rubbing sleep dust out of her eyes. "You may be wondering why there is a map on the table. This map will be very important. Roger."
Rose turned to Roger, who nodded, and held a black marker pen in his hand.
"We are currently here." Roger said, marking a black dot in America. "In the South-East of Utah."
Conner raised an eyebrow. "That's an awful long way from civilisation, ain't it."
Roger nodded. "Yes. That's because mom and I like to be away from things and people. We have enough food and drink here to last a lifetime and a half." Roger turned back to the map, and made another black dot on England. "We know a couple of where the Generals are based. In London Jack the Ripper resides. He practically rules it. It's all converted into Victorian-esque structures."
"So..." Lorraine muttered. "Are we going to kill him over in England?"
"Very likely." Rose said. "Carry on Roger."
Roger nodded, and made a black circle covering a quarter of Egypt. "Near the Nile, we've captured glimpses of the Headless Horseman and his cavalry. Always in this circle, never anywhere else.
"The only other General not in America that we know of is Chucky, who is in Greece, for some particular reason." Roger said. "He has converted it to a playground, of sorts. We've spotted giant play blocks and crayons and all sorts of giant toys."
"Why isn't it normal, then? Why is it a playground, as you say?" Paige asked.
Emma spoke up this time. "Because Death allows his Generals to choose their place of residence and what they would like them to be. Thus the Victorian London in England for Jack the Ripper."
"All right, so where the hell are the other Generals, then?" Conner asked, absent-mindedly stabbing a knife between his fingers. "'In America' is all we know. That's a damn broad spectrum."
"Those four are the only ones we know." Rose said. "Along with where Jigsaw and Hades were, before we killed them."
"Why are you telling us this?" Leslie asked, staring at the map. "We are supposed to find Tally, right."
"I'm glad you asked, Leslie." Camilla said, nodding at him. She stood up, went through a side door, and brought an old cassette player in. "During the night, this was thrown through the window." Camilla held up an old tape and inserted it into the cassette player. Leslie was reminded of the familiar tapes the now deceased Jigsaw used.
"I want to play a game." A deep voice growled, and the ability users exchanged glances. "Is what my good friend John Kramer would say. I'm still slightly annoyed he's gone, but ah well. I got a number of you killed anyway. Who was it again? Oh yes, Jeffrey, Damian, and good ol' Victor. That reminds me, I need to pat William on the back for that. Anyway, who those of you who don't recognise my voice, e.g, complete dumbasses, I'm Death.
"I have to say bravo to Rose over there, for getting rid of Papa Hades, mind you, William was supposed to do his job and kill Zeke... but, enough about killing and all that, I got a little message for you. I still have your little mind-reader Tally imprisoned, but I wonder where? Haha, oh, you could indeed call this a little game. I know that you know where three of my Generals reside, that being Chucky, The Headless Horseman and one of my favourites, Jack the Ripper. Well, I'm going to give you a chance of rescuing your dear friend.
"Tally is with one of those three Generals. Which one? I can't say, sorry about that. Well, that's about all I wanted to say, and it's fun watching you human's try to survive. I can see where old Jiggy gets the kicks of tapes.
"Any-who, Adios."
The radio clicked, and the room fell silent.
"He's mental." Roger muttered.
"He's Death. He can be whatever the hell he wants to be." Rose said. "Now, Leslie, does that answer your question?"
"It's a trick. It has to be a fucking trick." Conner exclaimed, flicking his knife in the air and catching it. "You can't expect him to just reveal where she is."
"But it's a lead." Emma objected.
"So? Are you just gonna 'lead' us to our deaths?" Conner challenged.
Rose retorted rudely back, and she and Conner started to get into an argument.
Leslie shook his head and leaned back, wondering where Tally was.
"You okay?" Paige asked, touching his elbow.
Line Break
Paige was on the floor, breathing heavily. She looked down to her right leg, which was bleeding quite badly. Cobbles were underneath her, and the dark buildings around her were bricked and tall.
An eerie voice called out from an unknown location. "Come 'ere girly girl! You can't hide from me."
Paige grit her teeth, and tried to stand up. She let out held breath through her teeth and supported herself on the alley wall. She looked ahead, and realised she was in a dead-end. "Damn it..." she muttered.
A figure appeared from the corner ahead of her, and the man, wearing a trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat, looked up, the knife in his hand speckled with blood. "Aww... look at you, all suffering and trying to escape. Don't you worry little missie, I'll end it nice and quickly."
"Yeah right." Paige said, knowing it was fight time. "You're not called Jack the Ripper for nothing."
"True that." Jack shrugged. "So, I may be telling a little white lie. What are you gonna do now? You can't run?"
Paige shrugged. "Then I'll fight. It's all I can do."
"Paige! Don't!"
Jack tilted his hat up enough to reveal a grin, and reached into his cloak as if it were some kind of gateway. From within was a bound Tally, ropes wrapped around her arms and legs. "Aww... didn't I tell you not to talk?"
"Why should I listen to you?" Tally said, dried blood caked across her face.
"Otherwise you may lose your pretty face!" Jack exclaimed, backhanding Tally across the face.
Paige took the chance and stumbled forward, ignoring the pain in her leg.
'Closer... closer...' she thought to herself, and prepared herself to tackle Jack to the ground.
"Oh no you don't, princess." Jack swung around, the knife gleaming in the darkness.
Paige felt the metal slice into her throat as if through butter, and watched as her blood spurted from her neck. She heard Jack laughing maniacally before darkness filled her sight.
Line Break
Leslie jumped, a bead of sweat slipping down the contours of his scarred face.
Paige saw his worried expression and asked what's wrong as Rose and Conner's argument escalated into a shouting match.
"I... I know where Tally is." Leslie said quietly, unable to take the image of Paige's throat being cut from her mind.
The argument suddenly stopped, and Rose looked over to him, her face red. "Did I just hear you right? You know where she is!"
"I just had a premonition..." Leslie muttered. "Jack the Ripper has her..."
"Are you sure?" Rose asked, tilting her head, taking Leslie seriously because of his ability.
Leslie nodded. "Yes. I was in Paige's eyes. Jack had Tally tied up." Leslie didn't mention Paige's death. "The premonition cut out just as she talked."
Rose stroked her chin for a long minute. "Well, it's a big lead. Emma, gather the others here. I need to tell them we're leaving for London."
"And what are you going to use to get there? Walk?" Conner sneered.
Rose smiled a glint in her eyes. "Not exactly."
(Hmmm... what has Rose got planned? And now we know where three of theGenerals are. Greece, England, and Egypt. But it's England where the group will head to rescue Tally, see you next year!)