Lori leaned against the support beam and looked into the street. Its floor of dust and dirt, and the rest of the lined-up abodes steady in place. She could have never pictured this type of scenery before. In her own years when she was growing up, she saw a suburban neighborhood in her future. She married into a rich family, nice husband whom she'd give three kids. Maybe it was Bobby, maybe it wasn't in the end, but it was always someone lucky. A man of no face. He'd pull into the driveway of the colorful house and be welcomed by her, the trophy wife, and their three kids. But Lori blinked now and again, knowing what reality was and how it separated from her would-be fantasy. Whether or not it would have been was another question to be asked. Thanks, gods of fire, you really did them all dirty. She never looked that reader, even when she had been laughing and stretching her body not too long ago. Life did that to her, broke her again. It was as if her mind-

Lori needed more than just a pheno serum, but Lincoln and Alex did all they could for this. For her.

Lincoln, on the other hand, was at the other end of the porch, staring blankly at her. In truth, he was waiting for her to say something. Dialogue was lost on him, what could he say to her? What could he-

"Darcy's dead," Lori revealed, not looking his way. She said it, soul lacking from place. No hint of emotion of grief. He bet there was, but gathering it now, Darcy had been dead so long that they no longer mourned. It hit him hard. "She got knifed hard sometime after you left."

And he realized it back then that he hadn't spotted her among the other Freights. He felt to have been disrespected her good memory. "Knifed? What-?" Lincoln had taken Darcy's ticket to a limited godhood, killed her by not making her invulnerable to simple attacks. Lincoln found himself suddenly mourning when he would never have, for anyone. But Darcy was Darcy, the youngest girl of the bunch. "You're kidding me, right? She can't be-"

"But she is..." Lori then turned to him as if to appoint the blame. "I thought you should know, considering the last time she went out was with you."

His blue eyed went down. "Yeah..."

"That's- that's all you have to say?" Lori grew disgusted, face acting as if she smelled some rancid three-day-old puke, then she switched over to a hopeless reading on it. "No, wait, that's to be expected from you. You are that much of a piece of shit, Lincy."

"Nice to see you again, big sister," he rolled from the tongue.

"Really?" Lori motorboated her lips. "Wow, you really aren't going to commemorate her or-"

"What do you want me to say?" Lincoln retorted back, having enough of her mouthy Lois Lane attitude. "I could say anything here, maybe everything right down to a tee, but I'm no idiot. It would do nothing because she's already gone- and... Maybe it's better for her to have her eternal rest. Why would she throw her life with the Freights?"

"Hey- Hey, those were my-" Lori was rendered mute when he shot a deathly glare back at her. This such glare, the one where he was about to unload unto her what was and what should have never been. His stone-cold face had made her uneasy to look anywhere but him. "So, why did you come for me so last-minute?"

"Uh-" Lincoln snorted out through his nose. "Yeah, I should have just left you there."

"Given that you've forgotten me, left me to die without any of my siblings..." Lori put a hand to her chest. "Not a day goes by where I don't think about them, and... Leni. I really miss Leni, you know? Her and the others, but I can't really feel anymore. It's like-"

"You've exhausted yourself on feelings?"

"Yeah, that sounds like it," Lori heavily nodded to it. "Must be it, it... It's the most horrible feeling in the world, and you... You do know it, don't you?" She formed a happy smile as if she had received some happy news, or discovered some oil under her feet, making her rich. That haply grin where she loved everything again. "You do... You understand me, that's why I'm here, isn't it? You needed me, you wanted me, and now we can be together at the end of this cruel world."

She crawled to him on all fours, him never budging from place. She was a nice doll of a woman. Perfect hips, thick legs, and a nice set of blonde hair that was half-scruffled, half-straight, a mess she didn't tend to, she didn't try and comb with her plain fingers. "Lincy..." she beckoned, her voice going soft and warmly. She wanted something from him, and when she had met right next to him, she grabbed his shoulder with both hands and leaned on him. "You're a huge fucking asshole, but you came for me so that has to mean something, right?"

"Yes, it does-" Lincoln was disrupted by her pressing a hand on his face to kiss him. Not on the cheek but on his lips. Soft and tender, her eyes closed. He shut his as well and let her shove her mouth into his. He gave into that temptation and soon found himself to kiss her right back, but his mind had developed no thought about it, about how feral and gross this incest play was. Out of many worse things they've ever done, this wasn't so bad. This sibling tonguing wasn't so bad.

At the south end of this street, the third one at that, Alex, Bed, Lizy and Liberty were sat down, leaning against one of the storage shacks. Alex and Liberty were on the side looking into the street, and Bed and Lizy were leaning pointed northways, but they were obstructed by a house in front of them in view. Only Alex had been watching them the whole way while the other three girls had then lost interest. She saw that thing she had earlier before, mere days ago when she was here- This year, on the other timeline- and saw him put his lips on her. Oh yes, Alex knew their relation to each other and regarded this as abomination and complete mockery. She called it mockery her own way given the circumstances and the life story left on her by Lincoln.

Life story; he fucked off for some reason and left one Ronnie Anne pregnant and vulnerable. That brought Alex here, hating him. Of course, Alex had an uncle... But she knew how that went and she hated it. It, them, it came all from them. Alex saw him and knew that, moving forward, he would be bumping into mom again and they'd do the no-no and he'd go away. Pretend it didn't happen. It angered and hurt the girl of two races just the same.

"So you're a pheno," Lizy's Southern accent sprung at her, "I wanna know, how does it feel?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Alex let out, eyes still on the two Louds.

"Wait, then..." Liberty looked up and finally got her end of the equation. "Does that mean I'm-?"

Lizy pushed Liberty into the wall and jammed her claws into the latter's shoulder. Liberty did howl in utmost pain, leaving Lizy to pull out and lick the fresh blood from her fingers. Might fine tasty, this human was. Liberty hissed and cupped her mouth to muffle her high-pitch cries. She did, and it only stopped when the three gores made from Lizy closed up, leaving only a trio of blood lines running down. Lizy lost control and ran her tongue out against Liberty's shoulder to lick at them all sloppily, and then kissed Liberty's cheek to compensate her unnatural act. "Mwuah!"

"Oh, joy!" Liberty had looked down and cracked a smile. "That's awesome! Wait, but you were able to hurt me... So, what am I invulnerable to?"

"We must be the same as him," Alex suggested. "Normal bullets can't harm us if that's the case-"

"Wrong," Bethany shared, index finger raised at her. "You're comparing yourself to him in exact. Okay, yes, we do know that you two possess phenogenes, hereditary, but how can you be certain it's a hundred percent? Why could it not be less than you say?"

Alex rubbed her chin and actually wondered it from Bed's stance. "Oh, I see what you mean, you're saying I've got his abilities to some degree because of genetics. Right, it wouldn't be pure, I'm of mixed cells from them. Then-"

"You might be half as strong as him or maybe a third-" Bed concluded. "But the only person who really knows is the Prime Supreme, and I doubt he would share that to you, it's all classified and there are files that even us Primers can't access."

"So..." Alex looked down to her feet. "He knew we would both be-"

"Yeah, even he would keep secrets, that much was given." Bethany planted her hand on Alex and had her meet contact with her eyes. "From where I'm standing, the both of you- No, you two, and you, Lizy- You're all lucky to be phenos. You know I'm not one, but I can get by with what I've got, what he offers me. It is an honor to be working with you and the commander."

"Did- Did she really-?"

"Way to show initiative, sport," Lizy giggled. "Tell you what, Alex and clone. I-" there was some sarcasm in her voice, or maybe she was trying to brush it off as comical, "-Thought of nothing but to hate you. I mean, you-" she touched Alex by the nose and flicked it with fun, "-Are of blood Loud, so my first instinct is to hate you and your guts. I could not forgive what the other reptile bitch did to me, I could not forgive them all for being, simply for being."

Liberty stood behind Alex, suddenly cowering from Lizy.

"Maybe I've been too hard on you, maybe I've been a bitch here, at first-" Lizy's smile flipped on itself. "I guess this is the reason he put us four together. He was able to sniff our pettiness and intended us to be wise, to be the team he wanted us to be. The fact that he entrusted you, Liberty, that means he favors you more for some reason. A clone and not the rest of us humans. I find it funny and disgraceful. We worked hard to be here, trained with the elite soldiers of the Prime Federation, went on scouting missions. Hell, it was even me, Bed and the commander who went chasing the Domicile's zoomer scouts. Where the fuck were you when we got here the right way? The long way?"

"Lissandra!" Bethany grabbed both of her blonde teammate's arms from behind. "I know where you're going with this."

"Maybe that's why he cloned me and not you," Alex threw back to defend Liberty. "You're a pubk bitch with attitude."

"DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN!" Lizy went for a running start but Bethany held her back tightly. "LEMME GO! THIS HALF-BEANER FUCK IS DUE A FULL 'MURICA LESS'N!"

"Calm down, Lissandra," Bethany tried to ease. "Don't make a scene here."

"I'll be the better Primer and not feed you what you want," Alex scoffed, grabbing Liberty's hand and taking off.

"IF YOU ASK ME, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR SISTER!"

And it was this that made Alex go back to the pit with Lizy. She climbed out of it but these tugs had become more stronger. Liberty moved forward and tugged on Alex. "No, don't do anything-" And Alex jerked it away, spun around and came galloping out with fist in hand. She let Lissandra have her knuckle sandwich, striking her head to the left. "Fuck you if you think that!"

"HIT ME AGAIN!" Lizy shrieked, still unable to liberate herself from Bed. She then thought to use her legs and kicked at the air hoping to land a hit. Alex had backed away by then, but she had been angered where it could possibly hurt her. "SHOW ME HOW UNWORTHY YOU ARE!"

"Lizy, that's enough!" Bed lifted a knee and pulled Lizy back with more force, winding up giving the blonde's back the full force of her knee strike. "Take this-"

"YEOW! BUTT OUT, BETH!"

"You're making a scene here!" Bethany never spared the details and proved both disputing girls, one minor and the other an adult, right. Some wandering Grimmtown residents were close by and observed. Wasn't just the random, but Lincoln and Lori had been eyeing the four with grand interest. "Honestly, if we're going to have this debate, I can wholeheartedly agree it should have been me. You two bark more often than not, regardless if it's at each other. Just... Jeez, make out already."

"I'M-" Lizy stopped jerking around, reinforcing the grip for Bed again. "You know what, fine! Fuck you, it's whatever."

Alex raised her fist at Lizy. "I haven't finished pounding it into you."

"Maybe some other time," Lizy promised. "This doesn't end here, I can promise you that."

"I'll be waiting, then," Alex accepted, staying as Bed and Lizy went away, Bed seemingly taking Lizy to have her swallow the chill pill. Then, Alex and Liberty went away but walking the opposite direction, and everyone else around no longer batted an eye. Questions would be asked later by those who would care of the safe haven's sanctity, but that was all.

Lincoln, holding Lori- she sat on his lap now- had not let out a comment until she did so first. Unto him, she asked, "What was all that about?"

And his quiet but firm response; "They're just like us, Lori. They fight and they make up and they live, they're just like us. Doesn't matter what their relation are to each other, they act just like us."

"Well, that's too philosophical, don't you think?"

"Maybe it is, big sister..."

She turned and rubbed her cheek on his face and leaned in for a kiss- it was a weird kiss that hadn't the full affection of a lover or sibling, but it had something to it, some power, a significant message she had to get out of her. No word could express it, and that was why she planted it. She was telling him she wanted something from him now; he could give it to her and he didn't fully have it at thid second. She knew he didn't have it wholly but he had something, and she wanted that which he could supply. And for her, it was the same thing. She had a portion of that thing as well, and she could give it to him- and it occurred to her that in the end, an hour later from this moment, they had never had anything to give- and they gave it anyway. She got up and grabbed his aging hands to hoist him up. "Do you remember when you kissed me?"

"I do..."

"And how I-" Lori felt her hands loosen up after she had pulled him to his feet. "Well... You know what I did, I'm sure you-" Then, her eyes had looked down and they saddened, gleaming with that hurt that you'd get when you found out your best friend had spoke an ugly truth, or maybe when mother or father had disowned you after drugs. Take that, Nicky Cromwell. And for Leia Prescott, somewhere north in the states with her cronies, it came in the form of a burning van. Lynnette and Lyra Laude, a future that was no future at all. Poor Lemy the orphan. It was everywhere and you could have never seen that sadness because it was unable to be seen. It creeps up on you like a shadow formed when you moved towards the sun, shadow stretching out behind you forever. For Lori, it was just that. The shadow of her burdens, the unconstitutional role she played here. She, who drove him away- Yes, I'm the one! I rejected his advances and I made him go away to a place I know not where. I- I blame me, myself. Never him. Never know. Never see through me, because I just may never accept it if it came from a second person not me.

"Lori?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of it; what demon got ahold of her just now? "Oh, sorry- I'm sorry..."

"I remember it still, I had you down and I made the first move-"

"And I pushed you away like trash..." Lori looked deep into his eyes. "It was weird, it was sudden... I don't know how to have felt about it. I mean, back then- I didn't know-"

He touched her, hand on her face. "And if I kissed you again?"

"We've just..." Lori stopped and then started to answer all over again. "I would let you... You wanted me because you saw me as the only one closest to you. You thought I could give you that different love, but I could not. Not back then, but..." She leaned in and kissed him again. "I- I think things are different now. Are they? Are they, Lincoln?"

"Believe me, they are..." Her hands felt rather nice, soft as a blanket that came back from the laundry, but firm and sincere like the cup of hot chocolate coming from mother's hand. He rubbed on her hands and liked how they felt under his fingertips for a change. "Lore-"

"Come inside, I want to be alone with you," she told him with gentle ease, but also some desperation in her eyes. With you.

"Alright," he swiftly nodded, letting her take him inside the house that had, surprisingly, not been taken by any other pheno around. Didn't matter, more structures were quickly going up around the clock.

They were naked, lumped over each other. Lori was on top of him and had her knees bent and spread away as she continued to thrust and ride her younger brother, taking in his big manhood inside of her, welcoming him into Her Kingdom. She was tight for him and he felt that, his own skin being tugged down and then back in place for the cycle. "Tell me-" she huffed, letting the squeamish of girl moans she could ever let out. He was so damn big, she didn't complain- not until he would rupture her and make her bleed. Sex wasn't so heart-racing by itself, ya know. "-when you're-"

Lincoln had hapoily inserted his hands on her body. He ran them down her back, he grabbed her neck- he slid down with two fingers rather slowly and seductively- and then felt her breasts. The flesh orbs with beautiful nipples he applied two fingers to for each and then pulled and twirled. She moaned more, embracing his touch, feeling the-

"-about to-" Lori kept up at her steady rate, leaning down every ten seconds to give him a sloppy kiss- not just in the mouth but also on his neck. She kissed and licked him and he said nothing. She noticed it too. He didn't seem to be in it. She gave him pussy and he wasn't in it. No, she was the one who jumped onto his erect penis and bounded up and down on it. "-cum."

Couldn't be disinterest; he was touching her, feeling the privacy of her body. She unlocked it all for him, one summer day in the middle of nowhere-xico. Her vagina was moist soon enough, dripping with sin and the love liquid that poured away and got on his penis. It surely showered the man's cock, but one-two-three, clean-up on aisle four! What's wrong? Don't you want me? Don't you want my body- You're touching me but you're...

She rode him slower and dropped herself on him to whisper in his ear. "Do you- Uh- Know that- Oh!- I love youuuuuhhhhhgod- You?"

He said nothing even know. She asked and he said nothing- but he did make a move. And this move was to grab her, lift her, and then flip sides. She was soon on the bedside, laying down, her breasts sinking back a little, looking less grab-able but yummy just the same. He was still inside her and he had the plan to return the favor. He wasn't finished with her snd neither her with him. He had still to blow his load. By her request and common sense, he would pull it out but he would do so and give her face a makeover. And she was going to like it, one way or another.

Her eyes widened with delight. "Oh yes, Lincy! Fuck me, fuck my brains out-"

And he gave it to her fast and hard. He didn't stop, his engine was on maximum overdrive, the sound of wet flesh being smacked filled the room. That Goddamn sweet spot was being found again, and this time, it was not in Vanzilla but deep past Lori's clit. The special place where the tip of his dick was able to hit against and make her orgasm hard. She put her arms around him, scratched at his back and moaned out her satisfaction. "Ohhhhh yes! Yessssss! I love you!" She was a grateful bitch who needed a good fucking, here he was. "Oh!" she gasped, flying into an orgasmic moan.

As Lori and Lincoln continued having sex, Alex and Liberty had wandered away from the town, going north towards a steep hill and together they overlooked this hill, standing on higher ground. For a second, young Alex believed this could be the center of the world. Be it the center or the top, what would that make her? Something special or nothing else at all?

Beyond that hill was nothing; it went downwards from there on and only showed them the rest of the landscape, barren emptiness in golden yellow, faint orange and lifeless. Not even a tumbleweed, unless it was just too far and tiny to have been seen from here. Oh, it was there, but far, far away. Maybe more.

"Alex?" Liberty had been questioning herself to no end as to why the original had defended her. "Why?"

"Ask me in full, Liberty. I don't follow."

"You made it clear where your stance was here, it defending me like that-"

"Is that what you want to know?" Alex let out a dry laugh. "Why didn't I let her tear you a new one?"

"Yeah, that." The white-haired girl of buck teeth clamped her hands together, right over her flat stomach. "You didn't need to-"

"I know what I wanted to do, Liberty.'

"Oh- Well..." She had reason to give gratitude. "Thanks, I guess."

"You hid behind me," Alex recalled. "Oh yeah, you did. Does she scare you?"

"Did I?" She knew but she wanted to deny it- anything for a brave face in front of mother. "It happened so fast."

"Even when I don't look at you, I can see right through you," Alex commented. "You got scared of her, or her words, or maybe both. Maybe a little of both, right?"

"N-no..." Liberty's voice all but betrayed her. "Didn't get scared. Didn't get scared..."

"Right..." Alex grabbed and threw Liberty down the hill without warning. The wee clone took multiple rolls before she stopped herself (it was fun at first but she was not here for fun) before it ran stable flat. "Hey-"

"What was that about?!"

"Look here!" Alex set her hands behind her back. "Know your place for now! This is why you're to belong down there, beneath the rest of the Primers! We are six now, but Lizy and Bed said the Prime Supreme wants a full eight for the Primers. That's all I know. More clones to fill in the blanks or total newbies. I don't know, but replacing you is a thoughtful choice he could make. I'll stand by what I said-"

Liberty never made an effort to pat the dirt-sand off her.

"-this is no life for the frightened and weak. You've told me all I need to know, so thank you."

"Mo-" For a second, she was about to use that false label on her. "Alex, I can't change your mind, can I?"

"You're me, and if I die, and if you did on one of his-" You could believe it hurt like hell to her. Liberty wasn't understanding it from her point of view. Wait, no, it was something else- had to be. Was. And Alex had already been told not long ago. You want to stick to me like glue. You're afraid of being alone with yourself. You believe you have nobody so you turn to me, don't you, kiddo? You really are just like me... But why don't I-

"Then that'll be it- That's my resolve-"

Alex shook her head. "You're still a child underneath that artificial skin. Everything you are comes from my bloodstream and my cellular structure, so I get to believe that your thoughts and your ideas are just like mine!"

"Oh, that does make sense-"

"Dare you to tell me I'm wrong! I know I'm not."

Liberty scaled upwards. "I think you are, but I'm not sure of it myself."

"Are you willing to fight me?"

She stopped, disagreed. "No, I don't want to fight you. There is no reason to."

"Maybe I'm feeling it."

"Are you? Alex, you hated the idea of... Of, my aunt- Do I call her my aunt? You didn't want her having her own me so... Are you content with me as it is or was that just an act? No... You're playing with either me or those two. I can't tell with you, and I'm confused..."

Alex kicked at the dirt lazily. "Alright... Maybe I'm being too...-"

"You're conflicted, doesn't take another to-" Liberty blew air into the wind, exhaling as if she had been weary. "I don't want to give you trouble, that's not why he brought me into the world, whatever I am to you "

"Clean yourself up," Alex suggested. "So, he wants us all on equal footing, does he?" If it went on anymore, Alex was sure she'd hurt Liberty quite enough. Maybe Alex has felt that she was loading rocks of burden onto the backpack Liberty was wearing. Too much of it would leave her unable to go forward. Shit, I'm the world's worst... Mommy.

"Yes, I get to toy with this silver watch again!" Liberty had then smiled, meeting with Alex back up top.

"Liberty!"

"Right, right."

"We're almost done here, there are only three others to bring here. The last two..." Alex hated that part. "Shit..."

"Yeah, yeah," Liberty had also known the significance of the final two names on the list. "Hide your face, remember to."

"Thanks, Yoda."

"Head back into town, have Bed and Lizy keep watch on B, C and D." Her suit took over her body, covering her from head to toe. She flashed a thumbs-up at Liberty. "This one, he told me, is gonna give trouble. What was her-? Oh yeah... Allison Taggart."

Act VI: Renaissance, Chapter V: Grimmtown Attack

Elsewhere

He appeared out of nowhere, coming at her with a revolver aimed at her. He thought of shooting her for her affiliation with the enemy here. The big dog, the behemoth of greed and blood and selfishness. The human sins, all in one. He had all six rounds in the chamber, and any one could break her face, destroy it like a watermelon. So easily. But he wasn't here to kill her even when it came to mind. He knew it.

Allison Taggart was alone and broken, hiding out in a trailer park. This trailer park was abandoned, all of them empty, part of the wastelands. Rats and possums took it over now, but the one where he found her was the one she had called home long ago. Square one with Mustard-Green Hair Bitch, her rich uncle had been executed before her very eyes, and since he had disowned her that very minute before he was nothing but a corpse-

Yeah, Allie had never had it easy for a second. She believed in him, a man who could possibly never lie or deceive her as long as she became his minion, a cat, a dangerous feline with claws that would scratch his enemies to death. They could bleed out and she'd have a home. She had a safe house with Lemuel, best he could do for her while she worked in the shadows and kept their lines as separate as possible so that he could not ever be traced back from her. Shit, she failed. And knew the real him.

Why, she could die in the very place-

No, Allie had died here, who was she kidding? This very same trailer where her innocence left the window. Grew right out of childhood to never finish it. Hurt and kill and be threatened by the men who wanted Tammy and no crying brat hungry for a PB and J sandwich, or for warm milk. They never liked kids, they only wanted to blow Tammy so hard she'd never walk again.

Dylan Blood was a man and he was a gun-toting intruder staring at the depressed girl of young. She looked up at him but she was looking past him. Those eyes, those lifeless eyes had not acknowledged his presence. He expected a fight here, but not even that. Allie was looking rather brain-dead. He didn't like it, he couldn't say he wanted it either. "Hey, you-"

"Go away, just go away and leave me alone..." Her voice, raspy as a dying animal. The girl was thirsty! Not even a sip of piss down her gutter. Hungry, thirsty, choosing this to be her deathbed. "Let me die."

Alex was atop the trailer, sitting on it while camouflaged with the invisible feature. Prime Supreme, it is as you said! You really did come here- And you gave her your gun to-

"The choice can be yours now, Allison." Dylan Blood forfeited his revolver for her to take. "Sux bullets here, five to kill and then it turns on you when you're ready. These bullets inside are anti-pheno. Take revenge or just end your suffering. I'll be leaving now. Have no regrets, that is all I can say."

And she turns the gun on herself and blows her brains out not long after as you've reported... Alex patiently waited for the young Blood to take his leave, strolling away from the trailer park. Once he was out of range, Alex made a leap down and gracefully entered the trailer to meet Allie. The plan was for her to be extracted and placed in Grimmtown. Alex would offer her Lincoln there, and then the rest of their plan would follow. Blood was here being fair, moreso than before, making use out of her. She had to say yes. She had to agree. She had to have wanted it, a tasty plate of imperfectly perfect revenge. Gun. Pheno. Kill. Six dead by her hands. The weak door was nearly off its hinges- coming off by half when Alex pulled the tiny white handle to let herself in. She saw the revolver and little Allie curled up like a sad kitten on the left end of the trailer, perched right under the built-in brown couch. So this is the face of suicide. This is what the dead looks like up close.

Allie didn't advance on the gun just yet. Her eyes had taken notice of Alex, the Alex in rocker clothes. "Go away..."

Alex bobbed her head side to side, ignoring her wish and moved forward. "Can't do that, there's something I wish to propose to you, although I'm not sure if you would be interested. I don't even know at all, but I know you. I know your name-"

Alex related to the girl more than you'd think. She lost her mother, then her uncle (granted, Allie had no idea Tammy Taggart and Peter McMahon were related, the girl had seen his face a few times before through the bits of magazine that flopped around the trailer time to time), and that left her truly alone in the world. Alex was staring down at not Allie, but a girl who could very well wind up harboring a resentment for the Loud clan. They were responsible, and they ran underground and hid from the light like cowardly rats retreating after hours on a carcass- maybe a living person. That was the idea, fill the dead with that sort of anger that could transform any person into a living weapon, and in the world of the CIA, they applied this to grieving fathers whose kids were reduced to cannon fodder following a FIVE attack. Scythe. Hell, the Freights' doings even.

All the Dylan Bloods in the world didn't care. Allie could have been utilized properly, he believed that- and he also believed in making that alteration happen. It was that, by way he talked. Allie Taggart dies here soon enough, with only one shot that breaks open the back top of her head. Nevermore.

"I know how you're feeling," Alex soothingly exhaled, joining Allie down and sitting on her right side. A gentle hand applied to the side of her face, the exposed one, and Alex rubbed around her hair and cheek. One thing she had noticed was that the Caucasian girl's hair was softer. Of course it was, she probably had it more conditioned that Alex had bothered. "You're soft."

Allie never attacked Alex, never bothered to fight back. Were she a boy- Allie admitted it to herself; Alex had the touch of a goddess. That hand was stroking so gently, with such elegance. Was this woman a mother, perhaps? Did she know her way with young? My, she looked no older than thirty but she wasn't (she felt) a teenager. But her words had her doubt her honesty. "You lie..."

"You really are soft," Alex nodded.

"No, not that..." Allie choked on herself and swallowed her spit; she needed water real bad.

"Oh," Alex realized. "I'm not, Allie. I know about you. Mom and uncle, it happened to me too, if I'm to be honest. They were taken- Killed, I mean. They were killed and they're not coming back. My own father, he's such a piece of shit. What about you? Do you know who your father is?"

Allie lifted herself up but had been drooping downwards and frontwards, head looking like it was going to fall right off. But she shook her head, body rotating about. No, she didn't know. No, it didn't even matter. They could both agree that daddy was shitty, and the mutual connection had more power now. Allie studied Alex, questioning her motives. Ulterior still, not upfront. Of course. "What do you want?"

"I want to give you something not even the guy who gave you that shooting iron could have." Alex rubbed on Allie's shoulders from behind. "You have a bone to pick with the enemies of your uncle, I know it."

But uncle had disowned her. Uncle Peter had-

"They put you in this position," Alex said, and revealed the key fact that began to do the trick in the young girl's mind. They put you... In this... You. Position. Put.

It clicked for Allie; they put Peter McMahon in that situation where he was too backed into the corner and in a desperate act- He relinquished his ties with her, and Lincoln had spared her. Spared her. Spared her because... Uncle was done using her?! Had he done this so that she could not be any threat to him?! Allie gasped lightly and her eyes shifted about a random. Yes, that's what it begun to feel like. Find him! Find him and take righteous revenge! Kill the pheno!

Alex pulled away from Allie. "Hey, you okay?"

Clarity obtained, a reason not to drop out of this just yet. "Yeah..." She found it again, and it was because of this Mexican stranger who never existed before a few minutes ago. "Yes, I think so."

Alex had then smelled the dump of this place and waved her hand in front of her face. "This place stinks..."

"Open a window then-"

"Actually I'm going to leave... With you..." The next second, Alex was in for a lovely surprise; Allie had turned and looked surprised to hear that Alex intended to take her back. Then, her eyes closed and she leaned her head in, planting her soft, tiny lips onto Alex's own. For the Taggart girl, she didn't care anymore if they were of different age groups, but Alex wasn't a hag at least. Curvy and might fine tasty up there- maybe down there too. Allie had also revealed her sexuality status to Alex without being afraid as well. If she had balls, they'd be fucking brass. Is this what kissing feels like?"

They were both also inexperienced in the matters of the heart as well. Neither girl had what was known as a boyfriend. Allie had worked Lemy's mind only, and on occasion she let him do her to keep up the charade. Fuckin' charade, she didn't want to keep letting herself be a it forever. She was the Dayna Jurgens to his Lloyd Henreid, but the sides were reversed. A dyke that faked orgasms when it needed to be. Hey, Lemy, you're not so big after all, she'd want to tell him. But he ran off with zoomer punk Nyla, that was what she called herself, looking like Lynn Loud. Pretty funny, ain't it?

Allie loved the kiss for what it was, sloppy and amateur. In reality, the kiss could be comparable to the awkward, cringe ones that James and Alyssa had in a British show that streamed on Netflix. Allie had heard of it, only remembered it because the F-word was on the title. Profanity on titles. More like life, I tell ya.

It didn't last long but it surely felt long. Allie left her moist saliva upon Alex's lips when she pulled away, but not smiling. She needed it, she had just been shown a kindness rare, so rare that it might as well have been an ore. Alex did wind up blushing uncontrollably, and the straight fact that Allie was a minor didn't help matters. "Uh-"

"Oh-" Allie shut her yapper and buried half her face unto Alex's chest, pressing against her breasts. "I'm sorry- I know you must be an adult, I won't pull a fast one on you. But thank you for that."

"I didn't do anything."

Allie hugged the woman. "Yeah, you didn't do anything to deny me."

Alex did agree... She did do nothing to stop her. So, did she also like the kiss? "Come on, we've gotta go. I know where Lincoln Loud is hiding, I can take you to him and you will have your chance. And bring that gun."

Allie grinned, purred and rubbed her head along Alex's chest, secretly feeling the squishiness of her breasts. And the Santiago-Loud woman was no fool. Allie was as as straight as a circle. "You are a goddess."

"So you say." Alex kept still, letting the Taggart girl embrace her, finding comfort and secret, silent affection where it laid. I just might be the girl's last hope, but I am not a goddess. I am no goddess... I wonder what Liberty and company are doing.

Lizy currently rested upon the diagonal surface of the roof. The shingles never gave way, not for her or the monster inside her. Next to her, Bethany Chang, sat upright, had her knees closed together, arms wrapped around her knees. Bethany stared around the streets, able to look over to the one ahead. Everyone else moved along, to the left, to the right. Grimmtown was busy-busy-busy, wheelbarrows rolling their one-wheelers along the dirt, holding tools and blocks and bricks. Someone had even brought an abandoned food truck and brought it over to strip for parts. Bethany paid no mind. Her interest was keeping watch on the Link trio. Those select clones were still inside Old Lady Dermont's- Was that her name?

The Chinese-Japanese girl had somehow wandered back to Hong Kong again. She was there, running, crying and screaming for her parents. They were dead. Sid and Adelaide Chang weren't yet. Neither were their parents, her aunt Rebecca and uncle Stanley. The four of them moved as a group, but Bethany tripped upon the earth's sudden rumbling. Some buildings had collapsed, making devastating messes all around. You could be certain that many civilians were crushed in the catastrophic event. And it was indeed catastrophic, but it just wasn't earth-natural. It was no earthquake. It was not a series of bombs that went off in just about everywhere. It was them. The tall beings of six feet and silver skin. They had heads but the shape of their heads, it was like they had motorcycle helmets for heads, also to be in silver as well. Silver and shiny as could be.

Bethany had no idea what to make of these floating humanoids, soaring in all directions and declaring war on planet earth. This had to be happening everywhere, no way was this a hate-crime on a genocidal level, right?

And Bethany had been discarded and disregarded by the other Chang family. They ran into a hotel on the block without ever looking back. She yelled at them in Mandarin, in Japanese, and finally in English, hoping to snag Rebecca Chang's attention. No, the four turned the corner and beat it into the hotel along with several others. So many screams that overlapped hers. Endless explosions that rocked the ground and filled their ears and engulfed their captivated eyes. Fire, debris falling, cars being blown up by the shower of white beams (later to be called the Flare of Stars) raining from above. In mere seconds, the city became ground zero. And the hotel where she last saw them blew up to high hell caving in on itself.

She screamed-

Lizy slapped a backhand across her face. "Hey, you're acting up again!"

Bethany was no longer in that dark place. She blinked and rubbed her eyes crazily before lowering her heavy-beating heart, telling herself it could not happen again. "S-sorry..."

"Does that still faze you?" Lizy had no regret about slapping the Asian at all. "It can't hurt you no more."

"But it does..." Bethany tilted upwards. "I'm far from there but the memory can never elude me."

"I... Sorry, I have no words for you, but I wish-"

"It helps that you listen with an open mind," Bethany told her, facing her. "I mean, you listen to me at least, but you've a lot to work out."

"Babygirl, I'm the bomb!" Lizy wailed with a cheer. "My pussy is bomb, too."

"There are kids here!" Bethany had herself a laugh. "Keep it PG."

Lizy was feeling the silliness and hollered out, "THE LORD BLESSETH MINE VAGINA!"

"Lissandra, dear God!" Bethany went red on the cheeks and broke into laughter.

"Ahhh! Ah haaaaa!" Lizy triumphed her victory and yoinked Bethany back down. "I have vanquished the inconsolable darkness from thy soul but alas, tis a temporary repelling."

Now Bed was grinning from cheek to cheek, highly amused by the raunchy youngling. And she turned to her to say something again- and met a soft welcome of Lizy's porky lips. The Asian girl closed her eyes and kissed Lizy back. To put it plainly, the two girls were lovers, locked into a lesbian relationship. Back at the main base, they shared a room. They slept on the same queen sizer and rubbed on each other naked. Lizy was the one who spooned Bed, her hands running up and down the latter's body. A handful of titty and maybe down on her legs- both felt great and she was always sure she had been a faggot girl from the start. Bed would be eaten out more often than not, or fingered when it didn't happen. Tell you, Lizy the Hick Pheno was a whore for women. Boys meant shit, she just wanted pussy and breasts on her face. And if you had to ask Lizy what she wanted to do to Lyra and Lynnette secretly, it would not be what the others had in mind. Rape them, molest them, touch them. Oh, Lizy, you horncat, you.

Right now, Lizy was in Fingering Mode; she slid down her hand down Bed's pants and rubbed two of her fingers on the latter's clit. "Oh, mmmmmf. I'm hungry for you, babygirl."

"Let's... Save it for when we get back, then we can scissor each other until we're tired to death, yeah?"

"Unf, you know what the fuck to say to me, dollface..." Lizy bit her bottom lip abd pictured a naked Bed running train on her. Pussy train; the Asian would thrust her pelvis back and forth, smacking against her clit. Oh, how it aroused her. "You're gonna get me wet."

"That's a Lizy problem." Bethany rolled over and mounted over Lizy, her butt pressing down in the blonde's thighs. From there, the Asian sought to tease Lizy by grabbing the bottom of her long-sleeved thin black shirt and pulling it upwards to reveal her chest. Voila! There was no bra on the Chang girl. Orbs of perfection, ripe for the taking. Lizy lifted her arms, feeling handsy to have some fun with the succulent lumps. But it was just a dirty teasing, and Bethany dropped her shirt back down and kept Lizy's intruding hands at bay. "Uh-uh-uh, not heeeeeere."

"You love to mock me, doncha?" Lizy developed a smug look. "You're a silly goose."

They stared at each other's eyes longingly, the sun sparkling that gleam of life within them. Stars, white little dots, they reflected in that light. And as good as this moment had been, a moment where two young lovers had been in perfect sync, they opened their mouths and said unto the other, "I love you," and then they gasped and blushed and looked away from each other to giggle. It was rather cute, sincere, but it was true of them to have to admit that. When their eyes had reconnected, Bethany went down and they kissed again, adding more gentle passion this time.

Lizy was the light that kept Bethany's darkness at bay; what more could the Chang girl ask for?

Liberty had finished a bowl of veggie stew from the dining hall and wandered away, going aimlessly nowhere. She moved around and only stopped when Alex had just about arrived with Allison Valeria Taggart at hand. For a second, the albino thought about pretending she didn't see them advancing towards her. She could have done that 180-degree turn and done it, but she didn't. The clone was slowly walking closer, and Alex was giving her the damn sour look that said to fuck right off from Allie's sightlines. Too late.

"Who is that?"

"My... Twin sister, the idiot too into anime," Alex lied. Well, the idiot part was true.

"Oh?" Allie immediately licked her lips; that sex drive kicked into overdrive. She wanted them both in bed. "She looks just as beautiful as you do."

"So, I'm ugly?" Alex raised a hard eyebrow at her. "Like them with colder skin, is that it? Maybe there's some goth girl out there with a burgundy dress just for you, and her name, it could be... I don't know, Lilith?"

"Goth girls, huh?" Allie grasped at the concept of those types. "I mean, they are hot, yeah."

"There you go..." Alex wished the girl would stop hitting on her, or rebound on Liberty for that matter. "He's here, we'll leave you to it, okay? We're going to be in the crowd, we'll jump in to help you if you need it."

"You promise?' Alex had unwrapped her hand around Allie, and she pouted as she had become too giddy to be touched like someone's best friend. It was a nice feel while it lasted, but Alex vowed to have her best interest at heart.

"I do," Alex had agreed, nodding- and lying- to her. "Take it on the streets so that they can see."

"Right!" Allie smiled fiercely, filling herself with confidence. "Thank you... So um, are you free tonight?"

Alex rolled her eyes in her mind, but let out a pseudo-happy smile. "Wow, you like me, don't you?"

"I..." Allie blushed. "Goddesses don't come out the way you do."

"Too much ass-kissing, who do I look like? Flagg1991?"

Allie dripped sweat; she was Vale's OC. "I don't know how to respond to that."

"Once this is over, I'll get us a room where..." Alex raised her eyebrows suggestively. "We can be alone."

Liberty was joined in by the half-blood, then led away as Alex waved to Allie for good luck, blowing a kiss to her. That ought to get her motivated. "Where are we at with the clones?"

"Still silent," Liberty answered. "Place is as calm as the wind, feels weird."

"It feels as if we're back a hundred years. Barely any civilization here."

"Ghost town blues." Liberty put her back to the side when the winds picked up messed it up playfully. "That only leaves the final two, doesn't it?"

"As per his instructions, after they're all here, I have to move three people and explain what the situation is and that's the end. Allie is to make chaos without our intervention, we leave this dump to the phenos."

"And Lizy and Bed?"

"Team-bonding, my ass..." Alex shook her head. "If they want to, they can both leave. We don't need their protection, we've got this covered. Him, her and the clones might just lay waste to this town."

Lincoln dressed himself and left his beautiful sister lie sleeping on her side on the bed. He made no effort to, at the very least, wipe his penis dry from being soaked in her semen. He'd smell like pussy until dusk, he was sure, or until he was told to take a shower. Pants buckled, socks and shoes fitted in, and his shirt then coming down- why, he was ready to walk the mother earth again. The Ungodly Stormbringer set off, exiting the shithole house of weak foundation and thin walls and a frail roof. He was sure some few passersby heard her sexy moans.

Whatever the case, mind yer bizniz.

From the get-go, Alex said food mostly came from the dining halls. Off he went. And Allie followed him.

Lupa, Lacy and Liby also took off for the dining hall at the first street, going as trio when only one of them sufficed to fetch extra plastic cups for Old Lady Demonet. She wasn't even that old just yet, but in comparison to many of the phenos around, of course they made her be. Poor woman had Liby feeling sorry for her when Lacy and Lupa didn't seem to care. The woman had lost her kids, in the same world where these Loud kids lost their parents.

"Gonna help Tyler Rourke down over on the end of Third Street," Lupa told them as they entered the dining hall. "You two can go help Demonet, I told him I'd be there for the whole day. They love a telekinetic."

"Alright, we'll see you back-" Liby and Lacy had turned to wave Lupa off, and he was in view. Liby spotted him first and went pale white, freezing in time. She stuttered like a dying car engine that needed a fresh new V6 battery. "G-g-g-girls-"

"What's got you all worked-" Lacy had followed her eyes, and she could never have regret doing something so fast. "Luce... It- it's him, he's-"

Lincoln came walking faster, surprised to see the trio but had grown rather pleased. Especially when Lupa, the powerful of the three, was there. His nasty, demonizing smile curled into place, and Liby and Lacy knew what fear was again. Lupa had turned and faced her probable opponent, readying her arms. "Stay behind me."

"Funny seeing you three here," Lincoln simply said, greeting the trio with that ugly facial expression. Then, he frowned and then recollected that night's events. "Wait a second, how are you alive?"

Lupa hadn't shared that litte detail where she had been blasted by a shotgun where it hurt the most; at her head, point-blank range. There was a dispute between her, Lincoln and the real Lynn over the clones. That time around, all the clones were gone, Liby and Lacy having never met their real counterparts or the sisters. Not yet at least.

"I've blown out your lights when you made it clear you turned on Lynn. But hey, you both went berserk over your losses so I can understand it."

"What... What do you mean you've blown her out?" Liby asked.

"I killed her," Lincoln cleared up. "At least I thought I did. Fired a shotgun right in her face, and it was gone."

Liby and Lacy looked at each other, petrified. Lupa didn't need to see them, she just knew.

"I'm impressed, too," Lincoln revealed. "It must have been painful while you were regenerating, right? I've got no regrets though. Good to see you're alive, because I could use your help."

"No."

"No?"

"I'm not some black slave," Lupa hissed. "You can find someone else to do your own dirty work, monster."

"Calling me the monster?" It made him chuckle. "Last time I checked, I wasn't a weapon created by Lisa and her pack of elder friends."

"Last time I checked," Lupa countered, "we were running away from all that. No one was going to use us for things we didn't agree with. Clones or not, we're alive and we have been given the right to choose as we wish upon it."

"At the end of the day, you're still-"

"Hey, asshole!" Allie came from behind Lincoln. "What a wonderful surprise! The clones B, C and D are here as well! How I've lucked out today!"

"Who the hell is that?" Lupa leaned sideways to face Allie. "Another one of your allies until you dispose of them, at no doubt."

Allie pulled out the revolver from her back and lined it up with Lincoln's chest. "I'll kill you for taking everything away from me, you hear me?"

"I've given you a second chance, and you dare squander it so easily?"

"Silence!" Allie shouted, flaring up. "I'm the one with the gun! I'm the one who can finally end you!"

Lupa backed away and signaled her sisters to leave, but Allie had noticed them. "YOU THREE WILL NOT MOVE A MUSCLE!" Allie circled them to get clear shot on them all. "YOU'RE FAILURES FOR CLONES!"

"I don't know who you are," Lupa said, raising her hands. "Let's not do something we're going to regret."

"Too late for that," Allie coldly stated. "Far too late for that."

"Wanna bet?"

Allie snickered and fired one fine round from the silver gun. It clicked and it did its job, then rose up, a recoil, that was too strong for little ol' Allie. She got too cocky and missed the critical memo where it stated Lupa had herself an upgrade not part of the initial clone design. So she didn't expect Lupa to stop the bullet singlehandedly and levitate it above her opened hand. "WAIT, WHAT?!"

"Oh, that's right..."

Alex, Liberty, Bethany and Lissandra watched them from the edge of the street as it began to fill up. "Hey, Lizy, what are they saying?"

Lupa pinched the bullet and brought it close to her face. "No one told you, huh?"

Allie had trouble holding the gun steady after this. She grew afraid to shoot again at any of them when Lupa could so easily stop it. Five bullets left, who wins the Wheel of Misfortune?

"Did you want this back?"

"Put it down, girl," Lincoln warned. "Or the lady here-"

"Shut the fuck up, buddy, I'm not with you-" Lupa threw the bullet in the air and moved it around with her index finger, setting it in front of Lincoln's head. "These aren't regulars, you wouldn't come here with regular ammo here. However you knew to come, you were set on killing us."

"I've only been made aware of his presence," Allie stammered nervously. "I've come here for him but now that you are all here-"

Lupa had enough and redirected the bullet to Allie's hands; the bullet struck against the gun and spooked Allie to drop it. The weapon fell and didn't go off upon impact, Lupa made sure of that. Lupa dragged the gun away from Allie, welcoming it into her hands as Allie rubbed around hers, looking for any wound inflicted. "Bitch!"

"Shut your whore mouth." Lupa held the gun by its muzzle, not intending to have a massacre here. "Take off, you aren't a pheno welcome here."

"It's not over!" Allie threw a scowl at Lincoln. "Not until he's dead at least!"

"Take your conflict away from here!" Lupa pointed to the outskirts of the town. "North! Or south! East, west! Take it elsewhere! Take it far from this place! These people..."

Lincoln and Allie noticed the change in atmosphere around them. The eyes of the collective were fixated on them both, angry faces, cold steel written on them. They've just about- "These people are done with this shit. You'll both be killed and hung on crosses, they don't care."

Lincoln could see the weariness in their eyes. Yes, Lupa was right. These people would not have it in here, where they had run away to so that they could hide. This was purely pheno territory now, not America. Rules were likely- No, he knew they were.

"Hey, we should-" Liberty stayed in place by force; Alex wasn't allowing it. "What, why?"

"She was to drop in here, she'll do what we can't- or fail to."

"So, you brought her back so that she could get herself killed?"

"It was the Prime Supreme's order here," Alex reminded her squad. "Maybe he intended her to try and take revenge the first time around. He gave her that gun- His younger, present self, but she takes her life. This is a timeline change, by that logic, and he has me here to balance it, to give her that chance. She listened to me- I think it's because I'm a female and she was all over me."

"Lesbian, huh?" Lissandra kept her eyes and ears open. "But you're ugly."

"Fuck yourself."

"Focus," Bethany struck on them.

"Pity if she dies, but a suicide makes this wasted effort."

"Can't handle it?"

"No..." Alex shook. "If I had the power to choose my line-up of Primers, I'd select her."

"Talking about putting a time-displaced girl into a team of girls who operate in the future," Bethany laughed. "No, I don't see that happening. Over my dead body."

"I mean, she's got nerves of steel, gunning for them. And that albino one, the telekinetic. That's pretty brave and stupid."

"No..." Lissandra dropped. "She seemed to be unaware."

"Oh?" Alex flung her head to Lizy. "Is that so?"

Lincoln extended his hand out. "Sure, why do I want to hang here, anyway? Let's make a deal..." He went over to Allie and grabbed her. She went and allowed herself to be easily grabbed by him. "Give me the gun and you will never see me again."

Lupa winced. "You're not about to commit murder, I know you didn't just suggest that you'd clean this up your way."

"Of course I did..." He glared the death look again. "What would you all do?"

"We'd exile you all unless you go on and start, which is what I'd like. Show them who you are, show them how bloody you can be. Kill the girl, why don't you?"

"I can, and I will-" Lincoln pushed Allie down on the ground hard. "We're both leaving, but my business here isn't done here."

"Lincy?" The last two people on the special list Alex had come collecting had shown up. And while Alex was there, watching Lincoln, Allie and the clones, another Alex, sporting her dark-blue suit, led these two figures with her, and they came closer and closer-

"Who goes there?" He saw them and they were strangers until they weren't anymore. He was soon facing them with a state of shock. Ronalda and Roberto Santiago had gotten older with the passing time, but it was them. He knew her mouth- buckteeth- and her hair, and her open-mouthed expression, and she had called him Lincy, not Lame-O.

Alex- the one in the suit came to current Alex and the others. "Told you I'd be right back."

"WHAT- HOW ARE-?" Liberty's head twisted up.

The Alex next to them and had a laugh. Then, she said, "I'll be right back," and disappeared around the corner. The second Alex deactivated her suit and showed her form, replacing the other Alex. "So I went back and brought them back. You three have just witnessed a paradox."

"Fucking hell," Lizy cursed.

"Just have one last thing to do here..."

"You've got it covered, I trust," Bethany wondered. "No, you do. Lizy and I want to take off."

"By all means," Alex allowed. "Thanks for... Not helping."

"You ungrateful shit."

"Ronnie Anne?" Lincoln began to forget where he was, and what he was doing. "Hey..."

Lupa had cocked an eyebrow, drawing confusion. Of all the people to come step foot in here...

"It really is you, isn't it?" Ronnie Anne was closer to her mother's age, but young at that. She had a green sweater wrapped around her, but unzipped. This and shorts as well, plus leggings that went as high as to cover her whole leg. "You've grown so much."

He guessed that next to her was Bobby. Older and with a beard, but it was definitely him. Same damn hairstyle had been kept, too. Things never change.

Allie found her chance and ran away from everyone, running into the empty desert landscape. Lupa allowed it if it meant she wouldn't return. Maybe she'd die of dehydration out there, or stupid luck would be with her. Whichever, Lupa agreed she was no threat without any weapon.

"It's okay, people," Lupa relieved upon the folk, rising into the air. "This little altercation has been diffused as could be, and for the sake of Grimmtown, if you see that girl again, apprehend her immediately. Whom you have just seen is an affiliate of those who have held you captive, and I wish to gain more information from her if possible! Thank you!" She caused a series of whispers and murmurs instead of an ovation of cheers. Very well, but she was not here to play good girl here.

"Wow, Lucy, you sounded like a figure of authority," Lacy complimented. "Nicely done!"

"This place will be safe and I will do anything I can to keep it that way. Maybe they'll make me part of some defense squad."

"Not a bad idea!" Lacy agreed.

"So... How have you been?" Ronnie Anne zeroed in on him and locked her hands to his bare arm. Neither she or Bobby had known what just happened. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise-" He actually smiled. "Hey, Bobby- It is you, right?"

"Hey, little- Well, you're not little anymore, shit! You're taller than me now. Pinche gringo."

"Hey, I'll bet Lori would want to see you," Lincoln thought. "She's here too."

"Lori...?t brought back the train of memories for him instantly. There was a happy, goofy smile on him that he would not shake off until after seeing her again. "Could you...?"

"Let's go say hi."

The Next Day

Bethany and Lissandra were no longer present in Grimmtown, and Lupa was more watchful on the new entries of town. She had no reason to be suspicious of anyone yet but Liby and Lacy were close to her at all times now. Liberty sat alone eating porridge this time, and it wasn't very good. Not even without anyone's company; tears has streamed down her face in stealth.

Alex, on the other hand, had to keep a straight face when she was finishing her job here. Lori, Ronnie Anne and Bobby were already getting ready on her behalf. She was taking Ronnie Anne and Bobby away; she had promised them a day with their old lovers, and had fulfilled it just right. Up until then Bobby was skeptical and rubbed the wrong way until she showed them by transporting them there. Here. This place.

Lori had gotten rather lovesick and made her tough choice; go with them. Alex had tossed that bone her way and it seemed impossible to believe. She said yes and Bobby seemed... A little happy but something else, too.

And there was Lincoln, who had not received any gift to stay with Ronnie Anne, and secretly he had wanted to. But it wasn't there, maybe Alex had known that it could have never been. And she had known it, but it was out of her hands. Say goodbye, you'll never see them again... And I don't just mean you...

Lincoln had said nothing yet, and maybe he wouldn't in the end. No tearful goodbye for the Lori promised a better sanctuary (so Alex says), a life with Bobby away from the United States. No way could she have a life there, but here? Grimmtown was alright, but Alex proposed another location. And she took it if it meant being with her old-time boyfriend. She'd have to leave Lincoln behind... Just when he had come back to get her out.

She didn't need saving anymore, and she forgot his significance somehow. She replaced him with Bobby and never batted an eye. She could not. She was his sister and they had sex and it was incest and it was- Forbidden love would never be. She needed to cut him off from her; he was no good in the end. She said nothing either and regrouped with the Santiagos on the tiny living room. Alex had done some stretches while still in her suit. Lori had come in and signaled her readiness.

Lincoln didn't move until he saw that flash of blue light. They were gone, all gone again. And he felt nothing but harsh loneliness again. I'll see you someday...

Later

Lupa had been helping the men out with stripping down the metal out and off the taco truck. The wheels had already been gone, made into tire swings for the kids around. Lupa used her abilities to rip the fender off, and from there, break it all apart. "These make good batons or something," she told them suggestively.

"We'll see what use we can make of these," one man said, taking two of the fender pieces. "See if you can remove that battery, we could use it as some generator. Where's Calder?"

"Hey, Lu- Uh, Lucy," Lincoln echoed from behind, coming to Lupa.

The group of guys working around the truck had stopped what they were doing and dropped the metal scraps they held in their hands. "Stop right there-"

"Hey, easy now," Lupa calmed unto the older phenos. "We're not going to have a repeat of yesterday, are we?"

Lincoln held his arms up. "I've come in peace, earthlings," he joked.

"What did you want this time?" Lupa got to the point. "Told you, I'm not a tool on display to be bought and sold."

"Relax, is isn't about that," he assured with one bob of his head. "Come on, walk with me."

"Alright..." Lupa turned to the crew. "Girl's gotta take a break."

"I want that battery out when you get back!"

"Count on it!" And Lua strode off with Lincoln, walking slow with him. "Anyone ever told you how much of a dickhead you are? I'll be blunt with you because I don't think I could give a shit about sugarcoating it. You need sixty hours of therapy a week."

"Thanks for the advice," Lincoln scoffed. "And don't worry about me trying to kidnap you. I have a feeling you won't go down easy."

"You forget I'm protected here, just as much as I protect my sisters- Well, the clone sisters, I mean. Meanwhile you don't-"

"I have been trying, but they cast me out because they can't seem to handle the fact that I do what must be done."

"So dark!" Lupa slapped her hands on her face and made an 'O' with her mouth. "So bloodthirsty! But you can't keep that running long, can you?"

He said nothing.

"Look, I'm going to be real here. Me and... Well, the three of us don't plan to come back up there given the nature of the situation. Fresh start for us here, just like it is for the others. They won't have any worries about being made out-of-place undesirables by the rest of the world. I feel like it's gonna come to that at some point."

"Safe haven, right."

"Bottom line, we cannot possibly be your enemies, so there is no need for us to be killed by you. We're out of the Black Network, now and forever. And I won't have you rope me back into all of that. I may have been born to fight you but I have chosen what I want for myself, and this is what I want."

Lincoln listened.

"Maybe you could stop, too. Throw away everything and start over here. You could be an enforcer here even, keeping and preserving the peace."

"Preserving the peace...?"

"You know, stop any scoundrels around. And considering we are in Mexico, we'll have run-ins with cartels unless we can hide the whole town somehow. We're all hoping for some pheno who can conceal it with their abilities, however that will be."

"Sounds like you might need to go on raid runs. The technology exists, don't have to tell you to peek into Kapacity Korp to find and loot them dry."

"Kapacity Korp... I'll be sure to remember that, thanks."

"Anyways, I've still got my own mission on U.S. soil, I can't stop until I've succeeded. Just one thing I need, and I could totally use your help. I mean-"

"Yeah, no." Lupa had made up her mind. "Don't wanna know, don't care."

"Fine, I guess I'm alone."

"Don't try that guilt trip shit with me, idiot," Lupa slapped at him. "Now that I know you won't stay, I'll be happy to give you back that gun the idiot girl brought. Hey, who was she and what did you do?"

"Killed her uncle, the one giving the orders with Lisa from a distance."

"What, an affiliate of theirs?"

"He was more than that, he was the boss just above her, and he bought out the entire Kapacity Korp corporation."

"You..." She nodded slowly. "You've done the head in, that's good work. Okay-" Lupa took out the gun from behind her. "Here, I've kept it with me. I don't trust myself to leave it under the bed or hidden in a box."

Lincoln didn't hesitate to grab the gun, and checked the chambers. Five bullets as it had been left. "I appreciate it."

"We both still have enemies up there, so I'm guessing that's your mission, right? Wiping them all one person at a time."

"The monster killeth."

"Be on your way, man with a mission." Lupa tucked her hands in her sweater pockets and walked back to her job. "Come down when you're done. You can settle down and start over, and you know you need it. You need it."

"You might be right about that."

"Just don't bring any trouble or killing tools, that's all I could ask of you," she said, voice fading as she spoke. "Goodbye for now, I hope we will see each other again under better circumstances."

"Sure."

"Liberty?"

Liberty looked up from her porridge; there was Alex again, joining her on the table. "It's done, Liberty."

"Of course it is... Are we finally going home?"

Alex nodded. "Back to the present, yeah."

"How do you feel?"

Alex noticed the clone's red eyes. "Same way you do, but this is for the better. I didn't understand it at first, understood why he...-"

Liberty got up. "Don't hurt me."

"Sorry."

"Let's go then."

Days Later - Niagara Falls

An RV had rolled nearby and stopped. In it, only two occupants had gotten out, and the night had been close to reaching midnight. First to step out was Allison Taggart, the young girl mostly everyone had come to know her as Allie. She was tied up, arms only and at frontal position. She was forced out of there by Lincoln, but the engine had not been turned off, only set in park, headlights breaking the dark with their two spotlights, miniature ones right for a bug circus.

They advanced to the edge of the waterfall, and he had her back up right to the railing. She couldn't completely see the waterfall but she heard it. Mother nature was beautiful here, and she only then wished that she had seen enough- no, participated was more the right word here- to say that she lived a full life. The world was too big for someone as small as her, someone confined to a trailer to have an idea of the size and the many places out there waiting to be explored and experienced by her. This place was one less spot, and she enjoyed it. She closed her eyes and got in touch with it. This was where she was destined to die.

Lincoln pulled out Dylan Blood's revolver. "Are you ready?"

"Of all places, why here?" Allie set her tied hands on the railing. "It's so... Wrong for my grave. Look at it, it's so peaceful and natural."

"You want to know why?"

"Aren't I right?"

"They won't find your body," Lincoln dropped. "One shot and you'll be tossed over like the trash you chose to be."

A faint gasp escaped her throat.

"No one will find you."

"So... That's it, then?" Allie began breathing hard. "Like an animal..."

"No, not like an animal. You get two minutes to unload any burden vocally. Whatever had been consuming you, it'll help that you-"

"I- I don't want to die anymore!" Allie ran her hands up and down, repeatedly striking the railing. "I thought about ending my life! What reason did I have to live?! What reason, when my own dad was never there?! My own mom left me- She- She just-"

Lincoln kept the gun on her.

"And my uncle used me- He did, didn't he? You could tell me, can't you?! I've just been some tool to use- I know that now... I know that and I worked that boy Lemy, I used him and I used Nyla, too."

"Those two I've fought with you, right?"

"Yeah, them. I hate everything so much, it's all unfair. I got chances and I never lucked out. I never got lucky..."

"If things were different, girl..." He moved in and spun her around so she faced him. "I have given you a chance to better yourself, and you went after me to avenge someone who gave no shit for you."

"I'm- Okay- Okay! Do you want me to say sorry!?" Allie cried, tears steadily coming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'll do better next time! I'll reform- I'll-!"

The gun went off once, thunder erupting from it to fill the perimeter. Where Allie's left eye once was had now been replaced by a meaty flesh found; the bullet dug deep inside her skull, burrowing into her brain. Her body jerked back into the railing, legs losing balance. Lincoln lowered the gun and picked up Allie from her shirt and put her over the railing. Before he let go to sacrifice her to Poseidon, he had a sorrow look on his face. No, this wasn't your fault. I can admit it, I know you're just a victim here. You've been roped into this. My decision to kill you was to free you from this hell. I know you may never understand now, but you'll have all the time to... In the afterlife.

He dropped her, leaving her to be buried in the waters.

This won't end... Not for any of us until we're all... Dead.

And he found reason to cry; he was alone again.