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[img]http://i.imgur.com/uvX201s.png[/img][/center]
Location: Lost Haven, Maine- Tyburn Avenue, beneath the North Bridge underpass (drop off location) 
Timeline: Present 

[i]Racheli stood alone in the darkness. 

Her figure was feeling numb. There was no cold or air that seemed to circulate around her, drawing an unsettled sensation within her core. Something was wrong. She could easily feel it as she tried to peer through the veil of shadows, their forms twisting together like a curtain and hiding the exit from her. In the far distance was a faintly glowing dot that drew her attention. Her eyes fixed on it with suspicion as she started to step forward, her right foot leading and shortly the rest couldn’t stop the motion that had began. The first thing Rach noted was that she was bare footed. Her soles slapped against the smooth surface with a determined and haste brought on by instinctive fear, that sounds the only thing breaking the silence around her. For anyone, the light was a beacon to life but for Rach, it would chase away the night which had fallen. With any luck, it might also relieve the unbearable sensation of something stalking her by revealing the source. 

Spurred on by the dread, the numbness faded when she entered the light. Pale warmth washed over her image and immediately chased the shadows away, revealing the scene she had been traveling to her. It was obviously alien [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/63/37/ba/6337bae3a3a684d87b0b2cefd7ff65ae.jpg]world[/url] because while it shared elements with earth, the differences were too difficult overlook. Mostly it was a desert with a too clear miniature ‘sea’ reflecting the oddly shaped cliffs back to her and savanna grass sprouting around her feet. The sand was hot but tolerable. Her eyes glanced down at the pure beach like like coloring as she furled and unfurled her toes, small clamps in her fisted feet. The most notable image was the towering rock nearest her. It seemed to be a bizarre hybrid of organic bark and stone, its presence radiating a sense of superiority that increased the subtle loathing within her at it. Overhead and orbiting dangerously close was a moon like saturn planet with a ring of ice circling it. An elegant image despite how uneasy it made her.  

Rach’s eyes stared at the strange beauty until movement caught her eyes. 

Her head turned to the side and spotted a red skinned figure, her image humanoid for the most part though covered in a blocky, white robe. At first, Racheli got the sensation it was a single piece but the thought faded when she spotted it fracture and shift with the creature’s movements. Each one was graceful and delicate, the gestures controlled down to the smallest spent energy and gave off an aura of complete beauty. For several moments longer than needed, Racheli merely stared at the alien’s casually walk. Her eyes taking in all the details and sensations given off by the strange being with surprising accuracy, something that Rach had never noted before. 

The creature’s skull was more oblong in the back, her ears crystallized to her head side and long tendrils of white hair seemed to stick off her in both strands and feather layers along her skull back. Her pupiless eyes blue, glowing slightly, idly glanced about in searching. Transparent  energy wisped about her in narrow lines, almost outlining it. They seemed to harmonize with her aura while they orbited her. Use the display that Rach guessed it was common place, the alien’s three toed feet skirted from her robes then shifted the white sand in her path. Suddenly, she came to a complete stop. The creature’s narrow, almost human featured face tightened in concentration when realization smacked across it. Her blank expression soften while she curled her biped legs underneath and reached out an arm to scrap away the sand quickly. 

Rach studied in silence. A sensation of dreadful knowing filled her core causing her figure to stiffen and still, her eyes watching the alien gradually reveal another buried behind the shifting sands. A smaller, younger ‘sister’, the corpse looked almost identical to the one uncovering it through the red coloring had long since dulled. There wasn’t any orbiting of energy or spark of life within the empty shell. Sand collected to her face thanks to a black, sticky liquid leaking from her eyes, nose and mouth which Rach suspected covered the alien’s front and was the cause of her death.  Curiously the original creature touched the outside curve of the dead one’s face, gently brushing away the sand. A sense of foreign confusion mixed with fear filled Rach, her mind reading the being’s uncertainty over the death’s cause. While she knew the reason, the alien woman was still ignorant. 

Some part of Rach, old and primal, screamed for the alien to run away. To flee and stay away from the corpse, but every time she made to open her mouth, no words came out. Instead like a useless statue she just stood there waiting and watching. After a time, the alien stood up then walked away. Her figure vanished into the landscape leaving Rach alone. Moments later the background shimmered like a mirage, the landscape dissipating back into shadows and darkness once more enveloping her. 

The sensation of something lurking nearby caused Rach to address it, her tone harsh and accusing to the thing inside her. [color=indianred] “You’ve done this before. Haven’t you?”[/color] 

[b] “Yes.”[/b] The answer appeared before the virus entered into the remaining light, its image was still that of her father and smirking that same smug way since the last time she saw him. Her teeth gritted in anger over the sight causing the man’s gesture to deepen before he continued. [b] “I’ve traveled a long time, often set adrift on meteors or other things floating in space. The cold was where I thrived and when I came into contact with an individual, I spread like a wildfire. Infecting all those who came into my path.”[/b]

His hand raised, summoning an image of another planet. At first Rach thought it was Mars, the outside surface barren and dry, but it held a ring about its center. It cracked, crumpled and then blackened into a lifeless rock like it had been burned up in invisible flames. When finished, it shifted away to orbit around the pair when another planet appeared and repeated the very same cycle. Rach could sense the thousands suffering through the very pain she had, their cries filling the silent skies and anything that couldn’t adapt merely died during the process. 

Unfazed by her growing anger, his words spun through his grisly tale. [b] “A suitable number always survived my infection whenever I altered their very building blocks. I’ll admit, I wasn’t focused on being gentle as I was being fast and effective. Various species from humanoid to energy life forms were changed into something much more suitable for upcoming war.”[/b]

Michael snapped his fingers, the images of the planets rotating about the pair dissolved in the numerous races found upon each. From those almost human to too bizarre to accurately describe, the virus’ voice never pausing in his speech. [b] “Most becoming much less than what you are now, identical copies of each other and merely fighters to serve some greater cause.”[/b]

His arms pulled back to rest against his lower back, his eyes studied Rach’s expression while she absorbed his words. The man’s head tilted much like a teacher observing his student in silence. 

[color=indianred] “Why are you telling me this?”[/color] Racheli finally asked, her eyes turned upon him and fixed in a glare.

[b] “We’re bonded, Racheli. What power that should’ve been spread over a population of trillions is now contained within you instead of spreading and being allowed to infect other, dwindling the power over many rather than one. My original function wasn’t to house this much raw power into one person but a whole civilization. In fact, you never should’ve survived at all.”[/b] 

She was quiet for a moment. Her eyes shifted and arms tightened against her chest, her irritation growing for a moment before she forced herself to relax. [color=indianred] “Why did you chose his face?”[/color]

[b] “You know why…”[/b] 

[color=indianred] “Enlighten me again.”[/color] 

‘Michael’ sighed then let his vision shimmer and sway, his figure melting into another form. His size diminished into a smaller height, his face became childish and feminine. The hair grew out then pulled back into a ponytail, held in place by a scrunchie, as an eight year version of herself was smirking back at her. Instantly, Rach’s eyes averted from the image. Her stomach churned in her middle causing her to feel sick while she started to pull away. 

A small childish chuckle erupted through ‘her’ lips as she watched the woman retreat, the voice slightly delighted in the reaction. [b]”At least as your father, I know you’ll never ignore me.”[/b] 

Without another word, the virus reverted back into his original form. His expression fell into one of interest and subtle surprise, his eyes stared into space as if noting something she didn’t. He hummed slightly in disappointment then added more. [b] “Looks like we’ll be finishing this conversation later. It’s time for you to wake up now.”[/b][/i]
[hr]

The words echoing through her mind, her eyes snapped open abrupt. Rach’s body tried to jerk up and immediately felt resistance, her arms pinned to her side and head flipped about to see what was restraining her. Thick, sturdy straps held her tightly against the stretcher drawing a dumbfounded look from the two idiots sitting in there with her. It didn’t take her long to realize where she was at: within the back of some type of ambulance, she assumed. Various equipment from a heart monitor, which was beeping quickly, to defibrillator and surgical tools. In short, the back was filled with everything possible in the event something went wrong. 

Save, for this one. 

Both men were still in shock over her sudden awareness when one quickly snapped out of it and moved. His lanky figure shot up and reached for a nearby bag at his feet, his fingers fumbling over the contents for a sedative. Neither of them had noted the truck’s vibrations had ceased, meaning it had stopped, due to Rach becoming conscious. However, she had but she had better things to worry about. Her unwanted guests were too concern about the current threat locked and sealed within the back with them.  

Not eager to be put back under again, Rach’s anger increase. Things of a metal nature started to hover gradually. Several tools from clamps to scalpels to even the paddles off the defibrillator rose into the air around her. Slow and gently, barely noticeable, the straps removed themselves from her figure. They floated by their clasps like hairs on ends allowing her to raise upright completely. It was at this point, the other man started to dart toward the vehicle’s door in panic. He shoved the first out of his way, his eyes round in terror and thick arms nearly knocked away the sedative from the hand. Assuming Rach was going to attack him, the CDC employee raised his left hand as if trying to calm a wild animal then approached. 

“Easy ma’am. Now let’s just remain calm while we get you situated and explain-” He never got a chance to finish, his sentence cut off when the syringe needle made a small, straining noise. Sounding like nails on a chalkboard, it wrenched to the side and snapped off to embed itself into a wooden cabinet with a loud thunk. “Shit…” 

Racheli smirked, her eyes completely black as her pupils extended to swallow all the white within them. [color=indianred] “I think I’ve had enough rest as it is.”[/color]  

She jerked her head to the paddles causing them leap to her mental commands, the large metal pieces flipped forward and stretched the cords enough to entangle the man bolting for the door. It tugged and twisted about his legs, jerking him back to the vehicle’s other side. Realizing the sedative was useless, the younger and lankier man rushed her in hopes that her dealing with the first was enough to keep her distracted. It wasn’t. The moment he got near enough, one of the clasps twisted about his arm then jerked down hard. He immediately went face first into the metal edge of her seat then crumbled into a heap. Too pissed to care if she killed him for time being, she flipped her legs over the edge and pushed off onto the floor. Cold metal greeted her soles as she applied pressure, her legs gaining strength the harder she straightening into an upright position. 

Balancing herself against the stretcher, Rach’s eyes turned upon the door toward the back. She ignored the man struggling with the cords and stared upon the object in her way, blocking her exit. Her free hand raised in an open palm motion causing the hinges to jiggle and rattle. It was quietly at first and gradually gained more momentum, strengthening in volume over a few seconds. A voice whispered in her mind back, encouraging and softly, like a father encouraging his child. 

[i][b] ‘Just let go.’[/b][/i] Her virus said and for once, Rach listened. 

Closing her eyes, she shoved her open hand at it. Abruptly the hinges gave away and metal ripped from its position as the door was launched from its position into the street. It made a ear deafening thump upon impact causing Rach to winch in pain, her eardrums throbbing from the sounds echoing her heightened hearing. Pupils still dilated, she opened her eyes and carefully edged toward the vehicle’s end. Each step she was using her hand to brace herself until she arrived at the end, noting it was higher than she expected. Inhaling deeply she hopped down and stopped herself from tumbling face first into the pavement as she shot her arms back, leaning into the edge to catch her breathe.