Thanks to everyone who's reading this story and adding to favourite lists and story alert.

Even if you dont review just seeing the emails that someones added me to a story alert list at least tells me you guys care so thanx sooo much to all you guys out there.

I've kinda been forgetting the disclaimer so lemme just stick it here and hopefully that makes up for the other chapters . . .

Disclaimer:This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Michael Grant, various publishers including but not limited to Harper Collins Publishers. No money is being made and No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Literally he owns it I don't, Enjoy!

Here's chapter 21 . . .

Chapter 21- The living nightmare

The desert raced by Brianna in a blur of yellow and brown. The wind whistled in her ear as she ran but not as fast as she could have run if she had taken all of Brianna's powers. If she'd done that she'd be a wanted murderer. No, she'd taken enough to get the job done without Brianna noticing any significant change in the amount of power she had. Brianna stopped when she reached her destination and stood in humanely still as her eyebrows knitted in concentration and her face started to contort unnaturally. Her whole body started to reshape until Dekka now stood where Brianna used to. She smiled eerily noticing how her transformations were faster than her brothers and definitely more controllable before walking forward with an strange air of confidence as she made her way to the old mine shaft. . .

Sam and Caine talked companionably in the main hall. Caine could tell Sam was making an effort not to make anything awkward between them like avoiding certain subjects like 'you're very skinny have you lost weight?' However Caine did actually want to have some resemblance of a relationship with Sam and end all the arguing with Sam and the residents of Perdido Beach.
Arguing was pointless and childish and was wasting precious time and resources. Caine wasn't a genius but he knew that they also needed each other if they were gonna survive in the FAYZ. Caine looked out the window and sighed no way they were going to get to the mine shaft tonight by the time they'd get there the sun will be setting and the coyotes would be on their backs. No, it would be better to go tomorrow morning where they would have plenty of time and plenty of light to work with.

"So how are things going with you and Astrid?" Caine watched as Sam blushed and started to avoid eye contact.

"Good can't complain" he said quietly

"That's good maintaining a healthy relationship is hard enough without us being in the FAYZ." Caine replied

"Well yes you could say out relationship is definitely healthy." He blushed even harder going completely crimson red. Caine eyed him suspiciously.

"Are you having sex?" The question was out before he even had time to realise he was thinking of asking it. Sam made the sound of a choking animal trying unsuccessfully to avoid eye contact with Caine. Sam's reaction was answer enough but he didn't miss the quiet mumble of affirmative from Sam. Suddenly a thousand questions went off in his head but there was one in particular he decided to ask.

"What if she falls pregnant?" Sam immediately paled and looked at Caine in shock. Caine then realised he'd hit the nail on the head.

"She is pregnant isn't she?" Again Caine didn't need an answer Sam's reaction provided one for him.

" Look Sam, I know you haven't really had a good impression of me in the past but - want you to know if there's anything you need whether it be a shoulder to lean on, a roof over your head or a sanctuary from prying eyes. Our doors are always open." Caine spoke trying to summon all his sincerity. What he'd said had been true but he knew that Sam would hesitate to agree. However Sam just stared at Caine for a few seconds before the smallest of smiles graced his face.

Dekka continued to pull rocks and fallen debris from the entrance of the mine shaft but the task was proven to be more difficult than it initially looked. The sun was now setting in the distance giving the whole desert an orange hue. Removing the blockage was never going to be an easy job but it seemed as if whenever Dekka pulled an extremely big rock from the entrance a myriad of smaller ones will fall in its place. Her arms were starting strain from continuously thrusting them upwards to increase the effectiveness of her powers. The only thing keeping her going was the thought of completing her task. Once she had freed her brother it would only be a matter of time before her master's will was fulfilled.

Dekka remembered the first time she'd spoken with her master. It was when she'd been created. She remembered how first she hadn't existed only an idea or a theory suddenly there was a flash of green light and she had been born. Originating from her brother's flesh the Gaiaphage had made her as a replica of him. But something had gone wrong she'd been born of the opposite sex and her DNA was constantly unstable.

Only one good thing had come from that.

She had the ability to create herself in the image of another. The darkness had given her the power to practically take another person's essence. Anything that made them who they were. And for some people it happened to be power. At first she hadn't realised she could take power as well but as the days went by she noticed she could run faster when she was Brianna. Not as fast as the real Brianna could but still faster than what should be humanely possible. Combining both her powers made Dakota a very dangerous person who you should twice about getting on the wrong side of.

Astrid followed Diana to her room in silent contemplation. She felt unbelievably tired and thought a short nap before dinner wouldn't do anyone any harm. Diana came to a room and opened the door allowing Astrid to go in while she stood at the doorway wanting to give Astrid a chance to inspect the room.

" The bathroom's through that door" Astrid spun too see the door she was referring to" since this is one of the teachers old rooms you don't have to share a bathroom down the hall with 15 other people." She chuckled before backing out the door." If you need anything just give a shout. I'll be right down the hall. Dinner's at 7" Then she turned to leave closing the door behind her.

Astrid sighed while toeing off her shoes and making her way to the large double bed that sat near the back of the room against a wall, making it clear only one person used to live in this apartment type room. Astrid's exhaustion finally hit her as she slid into the bed's warm covers; she hadn't slept the previous night so was understandably tired. Despite there being quite a lot of sunlight in the room at the time Astrid fought to keep her eyes open and was asleep before she knew it.

Her feet ached and she could tell they'd been walking a long time. Caine and Diana walked in front of her submerged in deep conversation while Sam and Edilio spoke next to her. As the group approached the mine shaft loud banging noises could be heard.

"There's someone here" Caine whispered pointing to a figure standing in front of the mine shaft entrance. Immediately Astrid recognised who is was, and it seemed like she wasn't the only one.

"Dekka!" Edilio yelled. Dekka froze then turned slowly toward the group her face blank. Then out of nowhere there was a rush of wind and Edilio slumped to the ground. She shrieked as she saw the blood flowing out the back of his head. Sam and Diana ran to help him while Caine and Astrid studied Dekka. But was left confused when she turned back to see that Brianna had taken Dekka's place and that in her hand she held a rather large stone covered in blood.
Astrid gasped as she put two and two together. Brianna had used her speed to bludgeon Edilio with the rock and now stood looking at the group with the same blank expression Dekka had.

Suddenly Brianna ran forward in a rush of wind again continuously running circles around Diana and Sam as they tended to Edilio. She ran so fast all that could be seen of her was a ring encircling the trio. The speed at which she ran at disturbed the dust and caused winds of great speed effectively pinning Astrid and Caine to the floor. Astrid looked up and watched as Diana wore a shocked look on her face before she paled and started to clutch onto her throat desperately. Sam did the same thing mimicking her actions.

"She's cutting off the oxygen! They're choking!" Astrid heard Caine shouting from beside her a hint of shock laced within his voice. Astrid stared in horror as Diana dropped to her knees then fell forward.

" Do Something!" She yelled at Caine.

" I can't I might hit one of the others!" Sam suddenly thrust his hands forward fingers splayed in a last minute resort to avoid choking to death but nothing happened.
'No oxygen, no fire'.
A shocked look flashed across his face before his eyes rolled back and he fell. As soon as Sam fell Brianna skidded to a halt sending sand and dust everywhere. Astrid squinted to see more than a few metres in front of her she strained her ears and could hear the sounds of flesh hitting flesh. Soon followed by a low thud then a squelching sound. Then silence.

Deadly silence.

Astrid dare not call out in fear of giving away her position. The dust was a friend and a foe while it hid her from whoever was now out there it also hid them from her. The dust started to settle allowing her to see Computer Jack standing right in front of her fists clenched. Astrid studied him closely. Whoever was standing in front of her was like Jack in every way except one thing. His eyes were green, like emeralds.
Before Astrid got a chance to examine him any further he grabbed her harshly around the waist and mid thigh then threw her upwards her speed being accelerated by his super strength sending her further than should be humanely possible.

She screamed as she flew through the air so fast the sensation felt similar to riding on a rollercoaster. She stopped abruptly then started her plummet. Judging by the height he had thrown her there was no way she'd survive the fall. She was gaining speed and the ground was getting closer and closer. As she neared her death she could see the bodies of her friends scattered below her, whoever this person was they'd succeeded in taking them all down in the most painful ways possible even prolonging death in some cases and with those thoughts she slammed into the ground thus painfully ending her life.

At first Sam had thought he'd imagined it but by the 3rd time he definite the screaming wasn't his imagination. Caine was looking at him as if to say 'can you hear that too?' He got up and raced out the room taking the steps 2 or 3 at a time. He froze when he reached the top of the staircase and followed the sound of hushed whispers and suppressed sobs. Sam came to a door that had been flung wide open to see Diana and Astrid sitting in the middle of a double bed. Astrid had tears streaming down her face while Diana held her hand. Sam entered the room closely followed by Caine and Edilio, as they approached the bed he could hear how Astrid struggled through tears trying to relay what had happened in her dream.

"A-And then h-he threw me into the air, it was so high a-and then I f-fell and I-I-. Oh! It was so h-horrible a-and that's when y-you woke me up!" Sam came over and sat on the bed beside her, wrapping his protectively around her, Caine sat on the bed beside Diana while Edilio stood behind her with a concerned look on his face, Diana held Astrid's hand patting it in a comforting gesture.

"When was the dream? I – mean like when was it set?" Caine asked. Astrid's immediately froze her eyes going wide, Sam watched as the wheels in her head starting turning.

"It was today." She answered

"What do you mean?" Diana asked

"We were all wearing the same clothes and looked like we did now and-and it was like what would've happened if we'd arrived on time, and gone to the mineshaft today."

There was a moment of silence as everybody comprehended what she'd said. If what Astrid was saying was true then that meant they would've have all died today if Sam, Astrid and Edilio had arrived on time like they were supposed to. It also meant that Astrid was having suggestive(1) dreams.

"How do we know its true?" Edilio asked looking a bit paler than usual.

"We go and check tomorrow. For anything suspicious or out of place." Caine said with an air of authority. Everyone nodded. Diana sighed then loked back to Astrid.

"Are you okay now?" Astrid nodded her answer. She was still a bit shaken but at least she wasn't crying anymore.

"Alright then let's all go downstairs for dinner let's not end the day on a negative note." Edilio said, Caine held out his hand to help Diana off the bed then they both started making their way out. Sam and Astrid remained seated. Caine noticed this and turned back.

"Aren't you guys coming?" he asked.

"We'll be there in a minute." Sam answered, Caine nodded before heading downstairs. As soon as he'd gone Sam tightened his arms around Astrid, then let her go so she could turn to face him. He placed both his ands on either side of her face before looking directlky at her.

"Are you sure your okay?" He asked sincerely.

"'I'm fine" She replied blushing a little under the intensity of his stare.

Sam eyes flickered from her stomach back."And. . . how's your, erm belly?"

Astrid chuckled."Junior is fine." She spoke with a possessive edge while placing hand on her abdomen. Sam smiled before pulling her into a hug.

"What are we gonna do with you Astrid? You're having mood swings, weird dreams-"

"Next thing you know I've got swollen ankles, I'm cranky, craving the weirdest things and the size of a whale."

"But I'll still love you anyway. . ." He pulled her closer kissing the top of her head.

It was dark, very dark. Too dark. The last thing he remembered was being thrown into the mineshaft no doubt about surviving. Yet here he was lying at the bottom of a pile of rubble. However he couldn't feel any injuries, maybe a little stiff but that was it. The only problem was that he was pinned to the ground. But that all suddenly changed when the rocks shifted and a hand grasped the front of his t-shirt and dragged him upwards out of the darkness ad into the light.

Dakota had done it she had succeeded in the almost impossible but that was only half the plan. Now all she had to do was wait for the opportune moment. As soon as he'd been pulled out of the rubble Drake immediately lashed out cutting her cheek with his deadly whip but Dakota didn't even flinch. She just grinned at him then spoke in a low yet meaningful voice.

"Hello Brother."

(1) I dont know the proper term for this!If anyone knows can thye tell me so I can change it.

Oooo! a very eventful chapter! So much happened I dont even know where to start!

Hopefully referring to Dakota as the character she has morphed into doesn't conufse anybody but if you are baffled about anything feel free to ask!

Please review!

Hunnybunny