A/N: Okay, okay, I realise that I said I'd go back to the others, but this went on longer than expected and wouldn't work in context to the others. So I made it a chapter in itself. Don't worry, we won't be seeing anyone in this chapter for a while now. Anyway, what are you doing up here? Read on!

Chapter 41

Gregory Fisk

David was surprised when Joshua had driven outside of Dorothy's apartment. David looked at it blankly for a moment before turning and looking at Joshua. "What the hell are we doing here of all places?"

"This is where I've arranged the meeting." Joshua said. "You have a key."

"I…" David found himself blushing ever so slightly. "How did you know that?"

"Come on, Dorothy is blind. She could have had an accident at any time in there and would have phoned you, being her closest friend. So you needed access." Joshua suddenly smiled and muttered into his shoulder, "Besides, you love her."

"What was that?" The pink rose even deeper in David's cheeks.

"Hm? What, nothing. Come on, let's go." Joshua didn't lose his grin as he climbed out of the car.

"When did you contact him?" David asked as they walked through the doors.

"Well, to be accurate, I contacted Death who did me a favour and contacted him."

"You can contact Death?"

"Yep." Joshua nodded. "He gets pretty pissed if I don't have a good reason, so I don't exactly have conversations with him."

"I still don't understand… how real is he?" David asked, stopping in the doorway.

"What do you mean?"

"You said Death was an entity, but what does that mean? Can he… come into this world?"

Joshua laughed slightly. "He is in this world, David. He's around us all the time. He is death. He handles it, he deals in, he is it. He is the baby who was never born, the man who lived until an old age, the widow who died alone. The moment the life leaves your lips he's there, ready and waiting." Joshua glanced to David. "But if you mean, can he stand on his own two feet, that'd be a no. He can't form anything physical. He can be the wind, he can be gravity, all the 'forces of nature' but he cannot become physical. And contrary to some rumours he cannot possess anyone. He can speak to people, but those people have free will."

David just nodded. "So I won't be meeting him then."

Joshua looked at David sharply. "What do you mean by that? Come a years' time you'll be meeting him."

"I…" David started forming a sentence but he stopped. Looking to the floor, he placed a hand to his forehead. "Christ, why do I feel compelled to tell you this? It's just that… once we finish this thing with her murderers… I'm not going to have much to live for, y'know?" Joshua's gaze sharpened. "My ex-wife hates me, my son hardly knows me… Dorothy was my life and I'll be at peace going to her… I'll let myself go once we've done this."

"You…" Joshua bit his lip before suddenly lashing out and backhanding David, sending David stumbling to the side in shock. "Are you stupid?" Joshua asked unbelieving. "You want to know what I said earlier? I said you love her. It's plain obvious I'm surprised no one else picked up on it. You love her and yet you want to die for her? That stupid, completely and utterly stupid. What use is a martyr for love? If you love her, you'll remember her every night until you are an old man. You'll remember her and love her and… You loved her so much you tried to kill me. Would've succeeded to, had I not been one of the Chosen." Joshua sighed softly. "To hear you say such a thing. If you even decide to give up after this, I will personally ask death not to let you die."

David just looked to the side, crossing his arms.

"Besides, you said you had a son. When this is all done, get to know him. Try and retain your relationship with your wife, maybe even get your former life back. Trust me, you'll regret it if you up and die with regrets, even if you don't know what those regrets will be."

"You sound like a councillor…" David growled. "But yeah, you're probably right."

"Of course I am. Now come on." Joshua led David up the stairs.

"Do you even know where Dorothy's room is?"

"Nope, but I'm going to assume it's that one." Joshua pointed down the hall to a door hanging half open.

"What the…" David moved forward to see it was broken at the lock, as if someone had kicked the door to break it. Splinters of wood covered the floor.

"He was always one for entrances." Joshua sighed and moved into the room.

The man was sitting in a chair that he had moved himself, so he was facing the door. He was very a black suit with the jacket done up and a red tie neatly tied around his neck. A red rose hung in his left jacket pocket while a red handkerchief hung on his right. David moved his gaze up and gasped at the head.

His skin was pale and white, as if he had never seen the light of day, while his mouth was thin and in a straight line. Black hair was combed tightly over the back of his skull. However, the most intimidating feature of the man was his eyes, not that David could see them. The man's eyelids had been stitched together with neat, diagonal lines of wire.

"I realise you may be wondering about my eyes." The man immediately introduced; his voice soft and somewhat musical. "I find solace in the darkness. The darkness of my eyes keeps the darkness of my heart at bay, if you can understand. I do not wish to see the bodies of those I once heralded as comrades." The man stood up and offered his hand to David. "Dorothy's friend, I will assume. David Trayce, it is my pleasure to work with you."

"You plan on helping us?" Joshua asked, surprised.

"Indeed, Joshua." The man's eyebrows creased in anger. "You are not the only one who is furious at this vermin who is playing Death. Dorothy, Jake and Dylan are tragedies that deserve to be reconciled. I will help with every resource I have." The man faced David again. "My name is Gregory Fisk. I am sure Joshua has told you of our status, yes?

David nodded.

"Good, that will save us time, of which we have not enough." Gregory let go of David's hand and paced around the room, closing the door as much as was able. "Joshua, I was hoping to meet you earlier in Willingboro. It appears my attempt failed."

"Trying to use Lukas to get at me?" Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, what is wrong with up and asking me face to face? Besides, have you actually got a name for those men in black yet?"

"I do not need a name. We are a faceless organization. Only those that need to know are aware of our existence. You, your mother, your brother and now you, David. Lukas and Dominika have no knowledge of us anymore."

"Of course they don't." Joshua rolled his eyes.

"Now, Joshua, I want to get straight into the plan."

"You have a plan?"

"Indeed, why would I not? Do you know my strategies for people not knowing who we us? People who are alive, like the afore-mentioned Lukas and Dominika?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Joshua asked.

"Then how have you not come to the solution?"

Joshua blinked slowly. "Wait, wait, what? You mean… but something of that level is unmentioned! You can't even do it, implanting memories, making them see real people…"

"What do you mean?" David asked. "What is it?"

"It is simple, if you were to know where to look and what to look for. Somebody did this to the people influencing the deaths of Jake and Dylan. Somebody did this to Jason, to Dorothy and indeed to you, David. Hypnotism. Of a level unseen from the likes of many."

"Hypnotised?" David blinked. "I was hypnotised?"

"Yes."

"Wait, but what about Dorothy? Hypnotism involves somebody seeing or keeping track of something with their eyes, right?" Joshua asked, confused.

"Correct." Gregory nodded. "That is what leads us to the culprit. The culprit used sounds and that is higher on many levels. Much higher than my techniques. Using sound to replace memories? That leads us to our one and only lead."

"Really!?" Joshua looked excited.

"Yes. Only one person in the United States trains this technique publicly. We are to visit him and we are going to be leaving immediately." Gregory headed for the door.

"Of course you'd be prepared… ugh, I hate that about you. No chance for me to get in a plan." Nevertheless, Joshua had a broad grin on his face. "Well, let's go. I cannot wait to get my hands on these guys."

"You can't wait?" David had echoed Joshua's grin. "You're going to have to wait, Joshua. Once I'm done with them, you can have the scraps."

A/N :- Thanks to LocalTalent553, Bookreader2010, Gabe's-Girl-Forever and Meowth's Toon Dragon for the review!

Right then, as said previously, Gregory, David and Joshua won't be appearing for a while now, while they head out and investigate.

Also, I won't be appearing for a week, maybe less maybe more. I'm visiting my grandma who has a lack of internet. But I'll have a chapter ready for when I come back. Look forward to it!

Finally, some of you showed interest in Ilha Do Maldito, so I figure I'll do an update for you. I've gone into proper planning mode, which means expanding the characters into fully fleshed beings, and planning the chapters out. It will also feature more adults and passengers than expected, so that's also a plus! I am so pumped up for writing it I may even start by the time this story is done with!

'Till next time!