As the ground began to shake outside the fort faintly under everyone feet Taker knew this couldn't be very good. As he kept his eyes on John he could almost see the dark aura slip away from around him. That much was a good sign. When he saw John collapse he knew he was no longer needed…at least not there. Retreating to his view point he watched as Krys picked herself up looking around. Then calling out for Jade…Yes where did she vanish off too…there was no debris to search. He saw Krys had John taken care of so he slipped away while she was distracted to begin his own search.

Making his way back to the nearby road where he had a bike hidden. Hopping on he took off, exactly where he did not know for sure. He allowed his instincts be his guide. His ride lead him to an old cemetery. Whatever gate there was it was hanging crooked on rusted hinges. Most of the gravestone either broken or overgrown. Parking off to the side he dismounted. His head hung low for a second, partly out of respect & partly of disgust.

It wasn't till he walked past the gate & looked more closely at one of the few standing stone in the moonlight that he realized part of the places condition may have been age. Most of the graves seemed to be a hundred years or more old. A few cleared stops were of slightly newer graves. Sadly some looked turned as if someone had been trying to unearth what ever. He was sure it was nothing more then grave robbers…that was until he saw the symbols scribed on the side of one of the mausoleums. Archaic symbols, or someone poor attempt at them. He didn't want to guess what they were trying to do.

"LEAVE" A faint yet commanding tone filled the air. His head moved to try to find the source. "LEAVE"
"No I am seeing a…friend." Why did I just call her that? I hardly know her…he had to call her something.
"No friends here…I warn you….leave out of here."
"I know she is here…Where is Jade?"
"Nooooo Jade here less they are among the rested that will stir less you leave."
What this thing mean will stir unless I leave? Why I have a bad feeling…is she like John was? Well better then nothing."JADE?…Is that you.?"
An almost angry hiss is heard in the air. "You were warned."

Mark could hear the beginning of some sort to chant…perhaps an incantation. He had a feeling this was not going to be good. That could have been among the understatements of the year. The air began to be filled with the sounds of stone moving, iron creaking, dirt shifting. Then a sight not even the Deadman would wish to see. Various shifting & shuffling forms in the distance heading his way. Forms of the departed. Zombie to skeletal all heading in his way. Now few would call him a chicken, but even he had limits. He started to back away, but realized these things could move faster then portrayed in movies. Turning he nearly ran for the gate, of course had no clue what he was going to do once he got to it as he remember the darn thing was busted.

He was to focused on what was behind him to notice what was in front of him. As he came out of the cemetery he ran right into Krys tumbling them both to the ground in a heap.
"YOU BIG OAF" Krys untangled herself standing up, she then realized who she called an oaf…ok what would he be running from out here…unless Jade is there & was…she doubt that would even do it. Then she saw the mass of forms heading their way. Going on a hunch she stayed where she was as Mark got up.
"What you doing out here…come on…"
She turned her head to look up at him. "I think the same reason you are…though I don't know why you are. We don't need to run…look." Mark looked back towards the cemetery to see the masses of undead begin to retreat & thin out returning to he could only guess where it was they belonged. "We won't be able to get near her till morning….lets find a place to rest ourselves." Mark offered a reluctant nod…why was he listening to this…child. Maybe cause she knew more about Jade then he did, so she may have a better clue about her. "I parked my car near your bike…just follow me I know a small motel around here." She turned heading back down the road.

It was mid-morning when they both woke up. Even though Mark didn't get much sleep. A Mix of sitting in a chair, mixed with the abundance of thoughts through his head. Krys stretched getting out of bed. She looked over at Mark with a faint shake of her head.
"Sorry they only had one room left, I told you I was willing to take the chair."
He lightly scratched at his beard as he stood from the chair stretching. "I would never hear of it." He began to head for the bathroom shutting the door behind him. Krys walked to the desk sitting on the chair there already trying to think of their plan of action.

"So now what?" His smooth yet gruff tone shook her from her thoughts.
"I don't fully know. I always worked with Jade…never against her." She lowered her head mumbling to herself.
"What?"
Krys' head lifted to look at him & then standing."It's nothing."
"You think you should of done more…tried harder out there?" She faintly raised a brow a questioning look. "I'm right aren't I?"
"Maybe." She looked away sitting down again. "That's in the past…lets see what we going to do about now & tonight."

"Well" Mark moves to sit in the chair he was sleeping in before "You know more about her then I do, you have any clue what happened to her?"
"Not really except…never mind."
"Spill it girl…I ain't gonna think you nuts…Remember who you talking to here." She turned her head to look at him…he had a point She remember watching the Ministry on tv she wonders how much was act & how much was real. That would need to wait for another time. "First off how long you two been 'dealing' with those things?"
That question threw Krys off faintly. "Me…not long…that was actually my first encounter. Jade…well…I don't know how many encounters with those she has had…but of the supernatural sort…Quite a while."
"How bout an estimate?"
Almost looks like she is trying to figure math in her head. A faint chuckle "If my math is right…about 13 years. Maybe longer…but that seems about right."
"She not that old."
"I know…she started young. Don't let her age fool you."
"I'll keep that in mind…so what do we do about her? You think perhaps she got possessed herself?"
"No…if that was the case the fort wouldn't of disintegrated."
"Possible…then what?"
"Something from the fight affected her…changed her. My guess something with the flow of her energy."
"What?"
Damn why I say that out loud? "You should know everything in life has an energy to it…well Jade learned how to tap into hers in certain cases. If that flow of energy in her some how got changed…corrupted…maybe that is why she is acting this way. "
"That blast she took outside."
"Maybe."
"So how you suggest we…correct this energy problem."
"That part I am not sure…first we need to see if that was really her there last night, & it may be best we do it why it is still light out." Mark looks at her faintly puzzled. Krys sighs. "After an accident a few years ago she doesn't like to go out during the day."
"The reason she wears the sunglasses?"
"Yeah."
"Ok then lets go." They both nod & head out the door. Reaching their rides it was decided it would be better if they both just took Krys' car. Mark would of rather been on his bike, but realized that if they did get Jade there would be no way all 3 of them would fit. Hopping in they took off hoping an idea would come to them on the way, as sitting in the room they were only burning daylight.