Here is a chapter for you to hopefully enjoy, as I've enjoyed writing it. Always do. Leave a review letting me know! As previously stated, I do not own anything except new characters and ideas. All rights go to the rightful owners and I make no money from my writings.

The elevator opened directly into his private office, a huge room occupying the corner of the building with floor-to-ceiling windows giving views in two directions: Fifth Avenue to the east, Central Park just a few blocks north. The two remaining walls contained a door, a low bookshelf, and a single oil painting - a vase of flowers by Vincent van Gogh.

The black glass surface of his desk was equally uncluttered: a computer, a leather notebook, and a framed photograph of a fourteen-year-old boy, hopefully his grandson.

He was ...small, roundish, and moved with ungainly restlessness, like a number of elderly squirrels trying to escape from a sack. His own age was on the older side of completely indeterminate. If you picked a number at random, he was probably a little older than that, but- well, it was impossible to tell. Certainly his face was heavily lined, and the small amount of hair that escaped from under his red woolen skiing hat was thin, white, and had very much its own ideas about how it wished to arrange itself. He too was muffled inside a heavy coat, but over it he wore a billowing gown with very faded purple trim, the badge of his unique and very peculiar academic office.

He spoke with such a grandfather tone, "Now Astraea, you are understandably aggravated with us. Most are in agreement you should have been notified right away, you are the best Heroine we have had and now we need you, the question is are you ready?"

My body on edge, "Mr. Debaroe, we are wasting time in locating my sister. I think you old coots have done a fine job just letting time slip by. Give me her last coordinates so that I may be on my way."

With a heavy sigh he sat. "The thing is my dear, she was on a very high priority mission. She was to locate and terminate Nova Prime."

"You sent my sister, a tree hugger to take out Nova? You should retire, all of you, she would never have had the balls to do it. Nova is fairly new only been around since I was twenty-one at most, he kills hero's, heroines' sidekicks, villains; this super ain't picky about who he or she kills."

This was not good they had no information to go on.

But he looked at me, "You could though, we believe he has your sister and brother in law held captive. To taunt us so to speak, we are sending the very best Villain with you. Our rules have changed since you were number one, always two go together."

"I can do this alone and as known I work best alone."

"I am sorry, my mind will not change, here is the location of the bar where you two will meet up. I suggest you work with him, he is very good and so are you, he doesn't know who he is meeting so here is his picture as well." now his voice trembled.

I removed the picture from his shaking hand, the man was my age if not a year possibly two older. His hair was a dark brown in the right light it could look black, his eyes though. His eyes reminded me of the old barn door, flecks of deep brown married with lighter hues, so much strength in them. His hair was also long and of undetermined length, but in the end his face was very handsome and familiar. Like a bolt it hit me, he was a senior while I was a freshman in school at Sky High.

I quipped, "Warren Peace, aka Death."

"Yes, he was not thrilled he still was required to have a partner, but he relented due to finding Layla. He was her partner not Hammer her husband, but Death was hurt on their last mission and was not able to go." his tone now level and trying to convey authority but in the end all the old men had their heads on backwards still.

I spoke low, "If she is hurt or worse, please understand I will come back and kill you all. She is the only family that I have left, you and anyone who played a hand in this will die." the hiss was evident his eyes wide and filled with emotion but like that I leave him.

I left Hades with Magenta until this was all over and she welcomed him the inner animal in her understanding my pup more than myself. The smoke twisted in its artistic way, forming curls in the gloom, illuminated only by the age-speckled bar lights. Along the wall was every hue of amber liquid in their inverted bottles. The music was decent and more my style, right now over the old jukebox plays saw her standing there by the Beatles. I felt a stare it was odd since no one here would know me or know why I was in this place. I glanced around making eye contact with none other than Death the very man I was here to see, but then again he didn't know who he was meeting.

I slip into the crowd. I wouldn't trade this anonymity for anything. You can keep the podiums, only safe so long as you tow the party line. Give me the shadows and a thousand faces that look just like mine. He radiates heat in scorching waves as my body stops just in front of his, my dark Green eyes touch on his alluring brown ones. "We leave now to find my sister, Peace." for a spilt second his face was surprised before every emotion vanished.

He didn't like the counterdemand. I sensed his displeasure, though his expression didn't flicker. The hesitation lasted for barely a second, but I noticed it and had the immediate impression that he wasn't going to answer. Then he drawled, "The elusive number one, Sparrow, or should I call you Astraea?" He didn't raise his voice, didn't change the calm, dead-level inflection of his tone, but suddenly it was a command and hardly a real question.

I was just as calm and cold as he appeared to be. "I have no cares what name you choose to call me, Peace. I am leaving so I suggest you get in gear and follow or stay behind, in fact I'd rather you stay." the same tone and command rose in my tone, I leave him watching my exit but soon his heavy foot falls are now right behind me.

My car was waiting, the chilly air was now building as winter was on it's way, I slide into the car with him following, leaving his own vehicle.

I studied my hands as I drove down the long road leading out of town, they clenched on the wheel my every thought was trying to focus on finding them and not the man sitting calm beside me.

"Why are you staring?" I asked without looking at him. Having been as aware of his gaze as I would have been of my own sisters.

"Sorry." He didn't explain his actions in any way.

I was surprised when he spoke as the sun rose, "We will need sleep, or we will not do her any good." his eyes scanning and with a single finger he pointed at an old and very Norman Bates looking motel.

Scoffing, "Great you find the only motel possibly run by inbreeds with a lust for human flesh, nice." but I turned into the gravel drive not more than five minutes later hearing the small crunch of tire on gravel.

He gave a small smile, something that might be foreign to him.

If the outer structure was chilling and horror movie worthy the small but warm lobby was bone chilling to say the least, it might be warm, but it had this cold vibe working around the room. The hotel lobby has the same decor as an old folks' home that had been condemned. The floor carpet is a decade too old and with an old-fashioned pattern of large flowers interrupted by worn and thread-bare patches. The large windows should allow a lot of light through, yet the heavy drapes and city dirt on the panes leaves it dull to the point of depression. My body stops, the park bench suddenly looking like an attractive option after all.

The oily voice, greased back hair, hunched back, piercing black eyes, false smile, watches you like a wolf might observe it's prey, slight smile. His tone was low and creepy, "We have one single room left this evening, a single queen bed." this was a no go.

I groaned, "No other rooms? The parking lot is deserted." I quipped my tone condescending.

"None other." he smiled in a slimy way.

Peace snarled, "We will take it." but the snarl was not associated with the room it was due to the man and how he looked at us in this Norman Bates manor.

Warren was waiting for me inside the motel room, his eyes narrow and cold. "What did he want?"

"A roll in the hay by the smile he was flashing." I spoke of the guy who walked from his own room flashing a bright toothpaste ad smile, he was cute but than again I had no attraction.

His head snapped around, and his eyes burned with black fire, his usual cool remoteness shattered. "Hell, no, you're not. Get that idea out of your head, lady."

"I am not, that is just not who I am. Now excuse me, I think we should order food, shower, and then sleep an early start is better."

He grunted his agreement but was about to check in when my hair stood on end, I blurted out. "Give them false information." his eyes locked with my own.

"Why?"

"Sounds odd, but Nova Prime never holds anyone hostage for any reason, he is about the game, the kill. I think the Mantle has been compromised and right now we can't trust any of them until we determine how far the traitors have reached."

"Damn it, you're right." he whispered, the words barely audible as he pushed them between his clenched teeth.

There was a reason when I was on active duty they called me number one, I turned and walked away from him, going into the bathroom and closing the door; it was the one place in the motel where he wouldn't follow. Sitting down on the rim of the tub, shaking; Layla was bait and if she was the bait it was me they're after.

But why, I had been in active for years.

I stripped off and got in the shower, briskly shampooing my long darker hair and bathing, not allowing myself the luxury of brooding. Self pity wouldn't accomplish anything except wasting time, time that would be better spent considering how to conduct myself that night, how to be friendly without being encouraging. The last thing I wanted was Peace thinking there could be anything between us.

Turning off the water and dragged a towel off the top of the shower door, then wrapped it around my head. Just as I started to slide the door open and step out of the tub I caught sight of Peace's blurred image through the frosted door, and I jerked my hand back from the door as if it had burned.

"Get out of here." I breathed sharply, snatching the towel off my head and wrapping it around my body, instead. The frosted surface of the doors gave some protection, but if I could see him, he could see just as much of myself.

"You didn't answer when I called." he said curtly. "I wanted to make certain you were okay."

Lifting my chin. "That's not much of an excuse. As soon as you saw I was taking a shower, you should have left."

"I'm sorry." he said abruptly, finally lifting his gaze to my face. "You're right, we have been set up, the Mantle is comprised and right now we have no clue how far up it goes."

A wary look was passed to him, "It is me they're after, maybe us both. Layla, is my sister the last family member that I have left. She was your partner you two had some form of bond, it night be us both they are targeting."

His face was cold and blank, "That was their mistake."