Cade leaned over the railing, his eyes stared into the sea. The waves lapped at the ship’s hull, shifting them subtly side to side, and propelled them forward. A seaman shouted down below about approaching land when the island quickly drew into view. At the cry, Cade lifted his hazel eyes to scan the horizon then frowned. He immediately reached up and removed his glasses, using his shirt to wipe away the salt water until he could see through them better. When clear, he replaced them back upon his nose with a soft smile. At that moment, he noted someone from his vision side causing him to shift his face to see Samad’s thicker figure. The Persian had been rather quiet for the majority of the trip creating some tension within Cade, unable to reach the older man’s mine thanks to their lacking harmony, and forced him to imagine the actual reasons for the mood.

Gradually, the captain started to pull the cruiser into the harbor. The current Asylum pair were shortly joined by the others, including the Chronos, as several crewmen rushed to their positions. Their hands tossed ropes out to those upon the dock, who then lashed them down and started to pull the ship into port like some metal catch from the sea. It made a low rumble as it turned into the direction, lead by the guidelines and finally shuddered to a complete stop. A ladder was raised for all the bloodlines, Asylums and Chronos to disembark down to solid ground again.

Cade noted, unsurprisingly, that the elder of the two Chronos was among the first off the metal behemoth. There was a slight note of relief and pleasure to be back on dry land as well causing the blond to frown in confusion. Not forgetting his medical bag, Cade leaned down to pick it up and followed Samad who was already making his way off the ship with the others. Briefly, upon spotting Anya, he couldn’t help but smile softly in her direction. A small way to let her know he was alright without actually saying then rushed to catch up with Samad’s departing figure.



After a bit of a walk through the gates and into the main courtyard, they stumbled upon a rather chaotic scene. Several more Asylums were standing within the open space about the single fountain and seemingly had been paired off to engage in a sparring match, including what appeared to be their current leader with what looked to be a miniature bear. Cade instantly stopped in his tracks at the sight. His eyes widened and mind was unable to form the word going through his head, his figure frozen in place. Samad, on the other hand, busted out in a hoarse laugh when Yang promptly belted Geko with a sizeable rock.

That was enough to break the spell of shock over Cade, his head jerked in Samad’s direction. His lips pressed tightly in disapproval but the Iranian simply just flashed a pleased smirk and ignored him. “What? Not my fault they decided to have a stripping match here in front of Peralta’s estate where every single camera likely caught their every move.”

He was unbothered by Cade’s scowling over his reaction while he shrugged it off.

The mismatched pair of Song and Dancer limped their way slowly down the upper deck, the taller of the two walking very slowly and very carefully as he followed his partner towards the front of the ship. After a rather unnerving and violent experience on the bridge, Maya had decided to take some precautions before they left. Now, they moved uncomfortably, not looking at each other or speaking, though their minds were still actively exchanging commentary.

Just to make sure we're on the same page: we are not telling anyone about that. And that includes fucking AMRO.

We're not supposed to lie on official reports, and I'd rather not risk annoying our superiors any more.

Don't fucking deflect, you know what I mean. Use all that fancy wording of yours, leave out the nasty details.

Maya made the tiniest of nods. We entered the bridge, found a chemical weapon, and disposed of it before it could do to much damage. Effects on both asylums were temporary and negligible. There's no need to mention you bawling like a baby-

That's enough of that!

Oh, come on. It's not like you haven't embarrassed yourself far worse before...

The strangeness of the experience aside, they had been successful in their mission. The bomb had been found, and while they hadn't defused it, its effect had been spent on them and caused little actual harm. Probably more of a prank than anything else. Maya knew it pissed off Dancer to no end, but it was still better that actually having the ship blow up on them. The crew was back on the bridge, the other Asylums appeared to have dealt with the other bombs, and the boat was quickly heading towards its destination. Not a bad start, all things considered.

Or so Maya thought. Dancer was still utterly convinced that something was going to go horribly wrong.

Still, there were no immediate screams or explosions as the cruise ship docked, nor did the ladders or the docks show any signs of collapsing as the crowds of Bloodline members disembarked. Dancer's eyes flicked back and forth as he walked onto the island, a heavy duffel bag slung over one shoulder, but no immediate threats presented themselves. The peacefulness only made him more paranoid. If whoever was out there wasn't attacking them now, that could only mean they were saving all those nasty surprises for later.

His ire and attention, however, were soon drawn by the crowd of Asylums dicking around in front of the estate they were supposed to be protecting. His right hand smacked into his forehead. "Maya... please tell me this is another fucking bomb, and that the little shits aren't actually acting like a bunch of five-year-olds?"

She smiled back at him. "I'm afraid not, there's no signs of foul play." Then yawned. "Seems we have some colorful reinforcements on our hands, here. Not that I mind, if it means less work for us." She waved at Geko and the others, pleased to see them. She could tolerate her grouch of a partner better than most, but it'd be nice to have some fresh faces around to lighten the mood.

Angel couldn't help but sneer at the sight of the lecherous lizard being knocked out by a mere pebble. "Looking at this makes the whole 'David and Goliath' story a bit more plausible." He jeered while nudging his chuckling partner. The Lost Number's upbeat attitude was clearly the result of landing on solid ground, it was afterall no surprise that A.M.R.O's Crow detested most means of transportation.

"I see everyone has gathered at my humble abode!" Lucas Peralta clapped his hands together as he along with his family casually walked towards the gargantuan gold plated gate. "What say we get this party on its way?" With these magic words the gate slowly parted allowing the guests to witness the Peralta estate and all its glory.

"Humble....abode," The Laofeng Patriarch reiterated with a smile, his tone heavily laced with sarcasm as his eyes explored this sinful paradise.

A massive golden carpet welcomed the guests, stretching from the base of the gate all the way to the mansion's main door. However this was by no means the highlight, the real extravagance blared from the luxurious swimming pools on each side of the carpet. With the arrival of said guests, as if per que, the DJ cranked the music and the entire estate transformed into a debaucherous pool party.

It is said a show of wealth if often synonymous to a show of power, as such one could hardly blame this overzealous bloodline for putting on a spectacle for their guests. Scantily dressed women danced till the eye could see, butlers distributed alcohol and drugs as if horderves, the entire compound served as a powerful welcome to their guests while silently revealing their way of life, 'No sin or pleasure is too expensive for a Peralta'.

--------Xx------xX----------
BloodLines

"I love it!" Henry exclaimed in delight, his palm striking Lucas's back in approval. "Now this is what I am talking about, that last meeting was so fucking bland at least you know how to keep things alive!" The Queen Anne patriarch continued, applauding the ambiance while discreetly shooting a smug look towards the Adesolas.

"This is all a wasteful show of wealth, excuse me if I preferred to show a little professionalism!" Amaka snapped back, clearly insulted by Henry's remarks. It had been a tradition, bound by centuries, that every five years one of the Bloodline must host the 'Meeting of Crests' where the Patriarchs are summoned to discuss issues and create treaties and bonds that encourage peace.

"You see that is your problem dearie, you are so fucking boring," Henry replied yawning while wearing an expression of disinterest, just looking at the uptight Matriarch had mysterious ways of making him drowsy.

"Are you two really arguing over whose hosting was better?" Clair Laeveau interrupted the two, her tone condescending as if addressing two children. "Both of you are aware of the tragedy, you should know what this means?" She was unable to fathom how the Peraltas and the Queen Anne were able to maintain such a jovial behavior under these situations. The very point of this meeting was to address the murders that had surrounded the Bloodlines but now an entire family had been wiped out. This was no longer a simple act of attrition but a deceleration of war, blood must be payed in blood and that means another Bloodline will fall.

"Calm down sweetheart, why fret over these matters right now? The meeting will begin soon enough and then we can proceed to slicing each others throats......" With a hearty laugh the Patriarch then proceeded to snatch a few drinks from a nearby butler and gulp them one after the other.

Meanwhile Lei Gong and Ying Laofeng had found themselves in the company of the Kians once more, the Patriarch wasted no time in greeting the Matriarch with a polite bow. Ying on the other hand looked a bit uncomfortable in facing the woman whose child she had almost murdered.

"How is your children doing? I hope the whole ordeal didn't frighten them too bad, but being a Kian I am sure they are rather resilient," the Patriarch opted to start the conversation, his eyes darting around to try and find the little trouble makers while wondering if this environment is fit for children.

-----------------Xx-----------xX----------------

Ante Mortem

While the Asylums and Bloodlines had entered the compound, Ante Mortem remained outside along with the unconscious Geko. While Rena kept herself entertained by tearing of a tree branch and using it to poke Geko's face, Angel appeared a little distraught while receiving a telepathic message.



"What is wrong big brother, you have a scary look on you?" The Chrono inquired, momentarily stopping from assaulting Geko's face only to poke it once more.

"Apparently something has happened that changes everything, our purpose has been redefined from being moderators to executioners," the Lost Number sighed as his fingers nursed his aching temples. Assassination was nothing new to Ante Mortem, however this situation required them to find the culprit and the wrong allegation could lead to all out war.

"This is why I hate politics," the crimson vested Asylum continued to vent as his fingers snapped in a hypnotic rhythm. As the sound echoed the world around them slowly appeared to warp, as if ripples tearing through reality. In actuality this was how a human would perceive the phenomenon known as astral projection, the consciousness of Ante Mortem along with all the present Asylums was pulled away into the void.

"Welcome to the void, the pathway between all minds," Angel casually greeted the distraught Asylums who had just experienced the world breaking. "You need not worry, we aren't in anyone's mind or some cliche like that. The void is a pathway between your consciousness and my consciousness, consider it like a pit stop where the perception of time does not exist." As the Lost Number explained the white formless space which they inhabited, the empty existence appeared to tremble and reshape itself. By the time Angel had finished his explanation, the space in which they stood resembled a large Victorian stylized library lit by a multitude of candles.

"The Delacours are all dead!" The Chrono suddenly chirped, her anti-climatic reveal dropping the news without warning. "They are dead, so dead, very dead, super dead!"

"As my partner so eloquently placed it, an entire Bloodline has been annihilated. This changes the very nature of our roles as well as the meeting, if we do not resolve this matter....we are looking at an alchemic war between the rogues of this world. I can't stress enough the amount of paperwork I will have to complete.....if that were to happen....we are talking months of paper work.....we cannot allow that and so we must prevent any further tragedy."

Jun bobbed her head up and down, humming along to the song playing through her earphones as she adjusted the comms headset over her head so she wouldn’t have her music marred by the whirring of the helicopter. AMRO, for some reason, had assigned her to take out a bunch of alchemist smugglers before the coast guard descended on them and there was a massacre.
Once the pilot had given her the all clear, she shouldered her sniper rifle and began getting to work. The crew gunner would use the minigun to engage any targets on the open deck of the ship; her job was to use her alchemy to take out the rats in the hold.

“We are hunters, we are judges, administer justice swift without grudges.” She rapped along to the song as she began firing, her Absolution’s thermal sights showing her clearly where all the targets inside were cowering. The sound of the machine gun beside her spinning up and firing disappeared as her world narrowed and the only existence she was aware of was whatever appeared in her sights.
Her rounds flew straight, phasing right through the hull of the small ship and hitting only flesh and blood on the other side. The open season on smugglers continued until everyone on the aircraft confirmed they saw no movement.

AMRO would be cross if she didn’t do a thorough job, however, so she fast roped down onto the yacht and personally checked every single corpse. Whoever was simply near death, she ended with a shot to their skull.
Descending into the cabin, however, it was apparent to the Hunter that there was a rat who managed to find safety. A safe room that had hidden its occupant from Jun’s scope. Sighing, she drew her naginata and gave no hint that she had caught on to the hidden room. She waited for an apt line of the rap to come on before thrusting the blade straight through the solid wall.

“Voulez-vous de la cocaine, sil vous plait mademoiselle?” She sang along to the song as she announced her presence to her target, drawing her weapon back and confirming that she had scored a hit with blood on the blade.

“This is life or death; we do not require a locked cell…” She continued rapping along to the song as she stepped out of the cabin and gave the chopper the thumbs up.

“Ghost, mission accomplished. RTB.” She announced into her communications device.

---

“Slave drivers.” She sighed as she stretched a little before securing more ammunition and replenishing her gear after a change of clothes. No rest for the wicked it seemed, as they wanted her to go on another mission.
There was a knock on her door. “茶の心がないなら、彼は、真理と美のわからない人だ.” She protested, heading out with said can of tea in her hand. “No rest for the wicked, it seems.” She sighed again as she was teleported to her next destination.
“Ghost, at your service.” She broadcast to all other Asylums in the area. “Where do you guys want me?”

Geko's horrid cackling came to an abrupt end, and Audrey watched as the Lost Number crashed to the ground. Oh how the mighty had fallen! If it had been anyone else, she might have felt sorry for them, might have even winced in sympathy... but this, well this was fucking great. Defeated by a rock, it was such a fitting end to their perv leader that she couldn't help but smirk at the man's misfortune, and when the other Asylum's began arriving (including the woman who'd knocked Geko out), the smirk on her face turned into a toothy grin.

"Best sparring session ever," the girl turned to An and Tae. "Geko versus pebble was my favorite fight of the day, hands down, personal favorite." And she would have gone on and on had it not been for Lucas Peralta's arrival. Audrey shut her mouth and watched in silent awe as the gold plated gates opened, revealing the wonders of the estate. Rich was an understatement and her eyes flitted from the extravagant golden carpet to the indoor swimming pool and the party favors being passed around, something told her those brownies one of the butlers carried on a silver platter weren't just ordinary brownies, as awesome as that would have been.

As great as everything was, she had to wonder, didn't a bunch of people get murdered or something? Welp, it wasn't her business how people dealt with their grief. Audrey followed her fellow Asylums into the mansion, but before they could do much, found herself surrounded by a wide expanse of endless white. The sudden change in surroundings disoriented Audrey but they weren't left in the dark for long. Angel explained where they were and she stared in wide-eyed disbelief as the world reshaped itself into a library of sorts. The past two years had been filled with the strangest experiences, and whenever she thought things couldn't get any weirder, she was always proven wrong. Now, was one of those times. However once Angel had delivered the news, her starry-eyed wonder was replaced with a sickening sense of dread.

Truth be told, Audrey didn't give a shit about the bloodlines and didn't quite care about AMRO either. More than anything in the world, she just wanted to go home, but this was her place in the world now and people were being murdered so it was up to them to do something.

She cracked her knuckles, sucked in a breath of air, then looked up to Angel. "So, um, what exactly are we supposed to do in there? Y'know, now that there's been another mass murder... are we supposed to just act casual?" The girl blinked dumbly, Audrey had always been better at letting her fists do the talking for her.

Cade jumped when suddenly a woman, likely of oriental-his guess was Japanese or Chinese- ancestry, had promptly appeared near the other asylums. He still wasn’t use to the teleporting ability that every alchemist had as he looked over, embarrassed, to see if Samad had also been caught off guard by the display. The Iranian never even flinched through his left hand was cupped under his right and a small point of a katar was easily seen under his coat. It retracted, quietly and quickly, back into his sleeve. Samad’s reaction even to the unexpected never ceased to amaze the younger man while he straightened himself upright and tried to brush off the unsettled fear still scratching at his calm, trying to render it into pieces. Her words spoke loudly into Samad’s and Cade’s mind, broadcasting her eagerness.

Actually having seen how many newcomers had arrived, something felt off to Cade as he eyes met Samad. The look the Iranian gave seemed to suggest he was thinking the same thing. Something was up and they both knew it. AMRO, though, didn’t seem to be ready to reveal the details and this only made the linked pair uneasy.

Cade moved closer to his partner, then leaned in. He whispered his concerns into Samad’s mind. ‘Something’s not right. There are too many asylums here for a simple babysitting job…”

Samad was about to reply to Cade, then the woman, his eyes staring at the others admiring the sinful scene when something happened.

Cade and Samad froze in place when the echoing sound of a finger snap cracked within their heads. It vibrated and shook within their ears, lingering while the world twisted and warped in their vision. Both asylums stood eerily still, their breath inhaled and held within their chests, but it felt like their very souls were drifting away against their will. Gradually, darkness washed over them before the void seemed emerged around them and the darkness faded into nothing. Cade promptly collapsed onto all fours then spewed up the contents of his last meal, shaking terribly. This made enough of a scene that Samad casually walked over and crouched beside him, patting the younger Asylum’s back. The expression on his face, however, was one of annoyance and edginess despite his handling of it.

"Welcome to the void, the pathway between all minds." Angel’s voice stated, his figure coming into view finally. "You need not worry, we aren't in anyone's mind or some cliche like that. The void is a pathway between your consciousness and my consciousness, consider it like a pit stop where the perception of time does not exist."

The place itself looked like a pure, white room to the linked asylums. Likely their minds putting some sense of recognition on the colorless, shapeless and unknown place to ease the fear of the unknown. Either way, the white space felt more unsettling to Samad and Cade the longer they stayed within its boundaries. It didn’t help that Samad wasn’t fond of Cade being in such a vulnerable position as he hands wrapped about his partner, then gently coaxed Cade upright again. Cade adjusted his glasses with his hand. They had slipped down slightly on his nose and he leaned heavily on Samad for support, his legs still feeling like jello despite his figure not being physical right now. He couldn’t stop the trembling as much as he tried through. Something that likely made him look pathetic, a fact that made him both irritated and angry at himself.

Gradually, during Angel’s brief summary of where they were, the place became more normal. It broke apart and shaped itself while they were still within to resemble a large, Victorian stylized library. Candles were their only source of illumination casting faint, soft yellow light everywhere. Cade carefully placed his weight on his feet feeling sure he could fully stand now, thanking Samad for his assistance. Samad said nothing, merely shrugging off the appreciation as a vilipend thing.

It didn’t take long before the youngest Chrono squeaked in an excited voice. "The Delacours are all dead! They are dead, so dead, very dead, super dead!"

Samad turned his head, his surprise and shock hidden under a mask at the news. Cade wasn’t so talented. His face paled when all color drained from it, his eyes fixed in horror at the Chrono while Angel continued.

"As my partner so eloquently placed it, an entire Bloodline has been annihilated. This changes the very nature of our roles as well as the meeting, if we do not resolve this matter....we are looking at an alchemic war between the rogues of this world. I can't stress enough the amount of paperwork I will have to complete.....if that were to happen....we are talking months of paper work.....we cannot allow that and so we must prevent any further tragedy."

Cade just stared at Angel’s concern about paperwork with stun awe. He couldn’t believe his ears. The man was more worried about avoiding paperwork of all things than actually realizing their roles had shifted from babysitters to judge, jury and finally executioners. Some of the bloodlines had children, his mind fluttering back to the Kians and Palladinos, causing the sourness from earlier to intensify for a second round. His arm jerked out to clasp Samad’s shoulder as his balance wobbled. If those bloodlines were found guilty… there was no telling what AMRO would do. They would all, man to child, all wiped out. It wouldn’t have mattered if they were innocent or guilty, a fact that sicked Cade at his very core.

‘What if it was the Legendes that did it?' Cade’s fingers tightened at the thoughts of a bloodied, dead Anya laying there as her life ended. It was like someone had punched him in the gut. Samad noted Cade’s reaction and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that the man’s overactive imagination had kicked in. ‘Cade, get a hold of yourself!’ The man snapped into Cade mind’s mind while trying to help keep Cade and himself standing, his arms gently guiding his partner to the nearest chair. Cade folded in on himself with his arms cradling his head and face looking down at the ground, resting in a slouched position within his chair.

"So, um, what exactly are we supposed to do in there? Y'know, now that there's been another mass murder... are we supposed to just act casual?"

Audrey’s words snapped Cade from his own thoughts, his head jerked up then answered her. His eyes seemed a bit cold and frustrated at the situation he, and to some extent, Samad was placed in. “We become Judge, Jury and Executioners then hope we get the correct culprits. Then we wipe out the whole family… if we chose wrong, we could kill a whole Bloodline and the murderers walk free.”

Samad shifted uncomfortably in place, not liking Cade’s tone but not wanting to draw attention to himself while he mentally tried to access Cade’s mind. He suddenly hit a wall. The Iranian blinked, slightly surprised that Cade had decided to block him or was too pissed to notice it. Samad tried again but once more, he found himself in the same position. It was times like this he wished he could simply stab the doctor just to feel better.



Sahar kept the children close, especially Dara, after the incident with Lei Gong. Her hand rested carefully upon his shoulder and briefly tightened in warning when his head flickered over the activity, his curiosity drawn to not to the scantily clothed women but the pool and towering walls. The boy, oddly enough, was addicted to heights. A trait that was allowed to be explored back home with numerous walking planks, climbing walls without the ​rope, and more. However, she refused to allow him to wander off from her sight again. Her fingers held their grip causing Dara to lower his head and stare at the ground, seeming to find his toes suddenly interesting like any other child.

It was a visual clue to submission to his mother’s desire for his safety. The Shah’s wife could easily feel the rebellion in her young son’s figure, thanks to the eagerness to explore the estate, but his teachings came first and finally yield the result she wanted. Gradually she had loosened her iron like grip and retracted her arm back to her side.

Parisa and Ziba stayed close, on instinct, as their eyes absorbed the sight. On habit, Sahar’s hand came over her youngest’s eyes to shield her from the over exposed females and males, her mind was too innocent, unlike her elder siblings. Six years was far too young to be exposed to certain subjects, even for a Kian.

While the Queen Anne patriarch, Lucas, Amaka and others interacted about the presentation of the estate, Nima noticed Lei Gong and his sister make their way back toward them. On impulse, Nima looked over to his wife then nodded subtly. Immediately the children huddled near her as she counted the heads, making sure all three were accounted for, then held them close to her. Her dark eyes stared in defiance at Ying to attempt to murder her children again while a mother’s scorn rose to the surface and wafted off her usually calm aura. For a moment, Nima found it hard to see this creature that stood protectively over his children as the very timid, soft-spoken woman he had originally married. It was rare for her to show this side publically after all.

When the alchemists approached, the Shah, his heir, and the guards took up their positions. Nima fixed his body in the front, between the pair and his family. His arms were held at his side with his chest out, his eyes fixed forward and studying the two. At his side were two of the non-blood related alchemists with Yaser and the third following behind the heir. Nima’s bearded face tightened in anxiety while Loafeng bowed politely then inquired about their children.

The Shah’s voice was gruff and accusing in his reply, the dark eyes narrowed in a heated glare at Ying, “Yes, it’s part of the Kian family up bring regrettably. Though I don’t appreciate the accusation the Lost Number made, namely jumping to conclusions about my youngest son. Had she believed Dara was even able to do you harm and didn’t just merely traumatize him with darkness then I’m sure we would be burying him instead. We have enough funerals within our own family to deal with.”

“Nima,” Sahar’s soft words reached Nima’s ear, her hand settled on his shoulder. Sahar rarely spoke and so, when the seemingly submissive woman did then the Shah made certain to listen. For it a moment it appeared the two were merely staring at each for an awkward length of time. In reality, they were having a non-verbal argument which ended in Sahar’s victory.

The Shah’s breath inhaled in defeat and finally addressed the Laofeng’s question in a different tone. “I don’t appreciate having my family being nearly killed twice in a short period of time. I thought AMRO would’ve trained their dogs better than this. Even if we’re only a nuisance to them, there’s little excuse for such behavior.”

Once the Asylums had become comfortable with their surroundings, the questions finally began to rise as the implications of what Angel had said were fully realized. The reality that was before and the reality that is now has profoundly redesigned. No longer are the Asylums mere tools of observations, the roles being shifted, now they will have to be Sherlock as well as Jack the Ripper. Each Asylum present in the void had been made aware of two factors, the first a Bloodline had been massacred and the second a Bloodline will need to pay the debt in blood and the Asylums are the collectors.


"So, um, what exactly are we supposed to do in there? Y'know, now that there's been another mass murder... are we supposed to just act casual?"

The Lost Number couldn't help but be amused at the casual nature of the unlinked girl and the fact, she managed to ponder over their next move as opposed to mulling over the tragedy. However yet another phenomenon appeared to interest the Silver Reaper even more, their surroundings appeared to gently quake as if a disturbance rippling across this make shift world. It didn't take long for the man to trace the culprit, none other than Cade whose state of mental distress was causing slight tremors.

"This is unexpected," Angel thought as his gaze turned to face a physically shaken Cade. "I didn't feel the need to mention that under certain situations the void can be influenced. Mainly due to the fact that it requires intense emotions to cause ripples, he is still too human." Angel mused, his trail of thought finally breaking when the Asylum decided to reply to Audrey's question.

“We become Judge, Jury and Executioners then hope we get the correct culprits. Then we wipe out the whole family… if we chose wrong, we could kill a whole Bloodline and the murderers walk free.”

"Let me address the question of Lottery first," the Lost Number spoke as his fingers pointed towards Audrey, whose name he had misinterpreted, a recurring habit of Angel. "This entire is being kept under the radar, I am assuming the Bloodlines are already aware of what has transpired but the knowledge would be restricted to the immediate family members, such as the Patriarchs and their heirs." As he spoke, the reaper appeared to causally tap the frame of his spectacles creating a melodious 'tapping' sound.

Capitalizing on her partner's dramatic pause, Rena decided to force herself into the lime light once again. "It is a game of pretend!" She chirped as the Chrono Asylum frolicked towards the Unlinked. "We pretend to not know in front of others, we dance and we eat and we have fun!" She continued to prance and twirl until the end of her sentence, upon reaching Audrey her expression and tone suddenly changed. Her brows narrowed as she pretended to look malicious and threatening while faking an adorably sinister accent. "Then when the meeting of the Crest begins, we show no mercy huhuhu!"

"Was that a Dracula accent?" Angel replied with a raised eye brow, his partner's antics derailing him from the topic. "As the little one says, we will feign ignorance and only reveal our knowledge to the Patriarchs in order to ascertain the truth." With Audrey's question cleared Angel finally turned his attention to the sheep of this group, a malicious smirk spreading across his face.

"You have brought up a very valid conundrum," the Lost Number praised the boy albeit in a nefarious tone. "If this was a mere assassination mission, it would have been simple genocide and that is relatively easy to do. The problem is that this is a political matter, we need to kill the [b]right[b] Bloodline." As Angel spoke he appeared to stress at 'right' in order to indirectly let the others know that there will be blood.

"Murder is murder, no matter how you phrase it. It doesn't mean if you're killing one person or everyone..." Cade said softly but never raised his head. He was trying to make himself stop shaking and his fingers dug into his arms, squeezing tighter. His eyes stared into the dark colored and pattern floor while sinking deeper into the seat of his chair.

Samad mentally cursed his partner's arrogance. Cade was playing with fire and about to burn them both, the Iranain's gaze carefully watching Angel.

The older achemist immediately went into defensive mode. His figure stepped visibly in front of Cade and become a wall of flesh, his eyes looked up and down the 'wolf' about to prey on his partner's misery. His jawline subtly tightened in reaction to his instincts crying for self preservation. The Asylum rested his hand over his Cade's shoulder, still unable to reach his partner through the more common means of communication, then gradually applied pressure.

For humans, it was usually a reassuring gesture but not how. It was a warning and the pressure increased the longer that Cade refused to keep his trap shut.

"However you haven't brought up this matter due to it's politically fragile nature, have you?" Angel crowed, his silver spectacles gleaming over his arrogant smirk. "You are an Asylum, you are no stranger to murder and yet you hesitate. You are afraid of something?" As the Silver Reaper spoke he slowly inched his face closer towards the direction of Cade.

"Just because AMRO wants us to be hollow, doesn't mean I intend to allow it." Cade's eyes snappd up and looked into Angel. Surprisingly, there was a hardness and hatred within him that shouldn't have been there. Fed by his desire to resist the change, Samad took this moment in Cade's distraction to tighten his grip almost painfully causing his partner to hiss in reaction and silencing him.

Samad replied in a controlled and calm tone to Angel. "I think we're getting derailed from our mission objective. Rather than provoke my partner, as ill suited as he is, it might be better to allow us to get to work."

"The shinning knight, galloping to his partner's aid." Angel replied, clearly disappointed at being interuppted. "You are yet another oddity, a survivor of a shattered link. To top it off you even managed to be linked again. You know it is said the merging of links is not just two minds being connected, it is the bonding of two souls. And yet you haven't fully accepted your new partner have you? You fear his naiveity and his desire to cling to that humanity may just undo you both." Unlike with Cade, Angel's tone showed no signs of provocation, his tone was cold and uncaring. "Attachment is a dangerous thing in this world of ours, you need to protect those you care for and for that you need to be strong enough to do so or not bother entering in such a situation and watch it burn later."

Samad stiffen at the mention of his broken link, his eyes widen briefly in surprise at how the Lost Number knew and pushed it to the side. Curiosity was a dangerous thing in this delicate situation and Cade already had gotten them into enough trouble, much to Samad's bitterness. The older Asylum waited until Angel was finished with words that sting much harder than they should've. However, Cade was far too human and the last statement caused him to try to rise upright. Realizing what his partner was about to do, Samad's alchemy kicked in and he quickly slowed the younger man's speed in his action.

Samad turned about then used his arm to bar Cade from rushing forward. The doctor was easily stopped in his tracks as his partner wrapped his arm about then shoved him toward the nearest door, his words hissed in Cade's ear. "Stop it... Stop it now!"

For a few more moments, Cade's eyes glared at Angel. His lips pressed and seeming ready to kill the Lost Number, though he likely would end up nothing more than red smear on the library's wall, before jerking out of Samad's grasp then shifting toward the indicated exit. Samad waited to follow when his head turned back to Angel. "You're right... I don't want to accept him. However, that choice isn't mine. It's AMRO's. Personally, I think he should've died during his crash course..."

With those words left to linger on the air, Samad turned to follow Cade's already retreating figure as far away as possible.

Angel couldn't help but be amused at Samad's brutal honesty, the man protrayed himself as a cruel partner and yet under the surface, was clearly sympathetic to Cade's nature. Humanity is a trait that often leads to an Asylums death and as such the majority abandon it and while there is a fraction that cling to it, they do so at a cost. Within A.M.R.O being humane wins you no praise, you merely watch your ideals crumble as despair eats at your heart. Before the Lost Number could continue musing over these matters, the realization of the two Asylums leaving the void, quite rudely broke his trail of thought.

"I wouldn't do th- ....oh they left," the silver spectacled Asylum sighed as his gaze trailed about the room as if waiting for something to transpire and the settling on Audrey and the others. "The doors around this makeshift area define my domain, what is within it I can control. The void is immense, unquantifiably so and so you can imagine what would happen if you get lost within it. A minute within the void would translate to decades of inexcapable solitutde. Luckily, the door those two walked out, does not lead outside." The devious reaper couldn't help but scoff at Samad and Cade's efforts as his head tilted towards the roof, his gaze meeting that of the two Asylums who had just entered through another door. The only difference, Samad and Cade were standing upside down, their feets touched the roof and they walked as if unhindered by the laws of physics.

The two seemed to been fighting, their conflict distracting them for several moments to stop them from realizing where they were.The roof was fairly high but parts of their conversation could easily be heard thanks to the echoing of the room. Samad quickly walked to catch up with Cade, his hand reached out to grip the blonds' shoulder causing Cade to jerk away.

"Get away from me."

Samad inhaled, his eyes narrowed on his partner. His figured stopped as he crossed over his arms and glared, his voice growing in volume over the reaction. "And you're being an idiot!"

"What do you care? I know you rather I wasn't here. Why do you give a damn how I go out?"

"Because it affects me. I'm alive and I intend to keep it that way for a while longer. Just because you're unable to handle the truth."

"I wonder if they have noticed..." Rena chirped as she waved to the two Asylums above her.

Upon hearing Rena, both men looked 'upwards' only to realize they were actually looking down at the rest. Cade immediately felt weak kneed at the sight then started to crumbled. Samad, less fazed, quickly rushed to the crumbling doctor and kept him upright. Samad didn't say anything but it was clear he wasn't pleased with the situation when he looked at Angel and silently blamed him for this.

“What a waste of time.” AJ scoffed as the duo walked out of the ship to see the end of the battle happening between the waiting Asylums. With the mission's priority focusing on the safety of the Bloodlines, he couldn't see how stripping in front of the Peraltas' abode was even an idea someone would contemplate as a good way to spend their time as they waited for the ship.

“If they have nothing else to do but wait, why not. Don't you think a sparring match is a good way to gauge people's skills and get to know who you are working with?” Keith said with a shrug. He was glad to see that AJ was back to his normal self after the man had some time to gather himself before the ship arrived. Although his partner was an odd person to be with, the breakdown AJ experienced was far worse than anything he experienced even during the nearly two crazy years they've been with each other. This was something new. Keith could still visualize the blood and the torn off fingers laying limp on the deck of the ship and the cries of the young heir as she clung to her mangled hand. With the way Apate was muttering the word monster and the state AJ was in after he finally found the man, it made Keith wonder what exactly AJ saw while he was prisoner to the hallucinations.

”Not when we are supposed to be bodyguards. I don't see the professionalism in this.” AJ said stubbornly to emphasize that he wasn't going to let his partner's logic derived from Keith's pelvic region cloud his own sound opinion of his comrade's choices. As they neared the gates and joined the others AJ turned the conversation inwards and continued with Keith through their link. 'It's highly unprofessional to be unclothing yourself while on the job like this. We are at work, not at a strip club.'

A look of surprise crossed Keith face as he watched the gates open and took in all that the sinful pleasures the Peraltas had to offer. A chuckle escaped Keith as he briefly glanced at AJ before letting his eyes continue to take in his surroundings 'Your idea of professionalism might be a bit off here Spock.'

'It isn't my concern how the Bloodlines handle themselves in their day to day lives and their business unless AMRO decides to make it so.' Shrugging Keith's pestering aside, AJ slowly looked around the estate. Unlike his partner who was busy rating the scantly clothed women, AJ was calculating the new totals concerning the unimportant personnel and as he worked on memorizing the places someone could easily conceal themselves as well as weak points in the security, Keith was trying to figure out the routes of the nearby butlers to work out which one would come close enough to snag an alcoholic beverage before AJ could stop him.

A sigh crept out of AJ as the snippets of his partner's thoughts seeped into his mind through their even open link. It was times like these AJ wondered if Keith would purposely get sidetracked just to pester him. They had a job to do and instead of focusing on the important things he was busy letting himself get consumed by the pleasures that filled the estate. 'Can you at least put half the effort you are taking to ogle these wome-' AJ mentioned before suddenly pausing when he noticed the distortion in his field of vision.

As he watch his partner's composure stiffen and a great uneasiness could be felt through the link, Keith watched with curiosity as the distortion grew worse and Angel's voice explained the void. During the five years he was forced into joining AMRO and learning about the world of alchemy Keith has seen many things he wouldn't have thought to be possible and although he wasn't close to forgiving AMRO of the past, he was still amazed about the powers and wonders he has seen from time to time. ”This is actually quite neat.” Keith said as he looked around the library and brushed his fingers alongside a few books on a nearby shelf. Not only were the visual details quite impressive but even the feel of the books seemed to mimic reality with great accuracy.

”No, not neat.” AJ muttered as he shot a glare at Keith. 'Definitely not neat.' Keeping still in his place, AJ looked at Angle as he continued his thought to Keith. 'The mind, consciousness or whatever he wants to call it is a dangerous place and isn't something that should be meddled with'

“The Delacours are all dead!” The Chrono suddenly chirped, interrupting further conversation the duo were having between themselves.

”Well this mess will be interesting to deal with.” AJ muttered out loud to no one in general without a hint of surprise or sorrow as he waited to hear the rest of the details however was unimpressed when the Experimental Team got the debriefing derailed with Cade's overly emotional outburst. 'Are they seriously going whine and complain about the mission given to us?'

'Can you quit being you just for five minutes and be sympathetic? People have died AJ.' Although he didn't know the Delacours personally or even much about the bloodlines in general besides the things he read and heard over the years he knew that the bloodshed of that many people wasn't something to take lightly and Cade had the right to act the way he was.

'Deaths happen all the time. What makes this one so bad compared to all the people out in the world that die every day? Besides, the bloodlines have been at each other's throats recently so I don't see what is so sorrowful that more people have been added to the list'

It's not just the random killings that have been happening within the bloodlines but rather a whole bloodline has been annihilated. Innocent people were killed AJ and it doesn't end there. A second bloodline will follow suit by our doing.'

'And justice will be served so I don't see the problem.' Giving a shrug, AJ tuned their discussion out knowing that things wouldn't end with Keith and focused on the Experimental Team as Samad tried to reign in Cade before leading them to the door. The good news was that at least another overly emotional Asylum stepped up and gained Angel's attention before Keith could even get a chance to blurt out stupid nonsense and that he wasn't in Samad's shoes and making his way out the door with his partner.

Hearing voices above, Keith looked up in confusion and was surprised to see where Cade and Samad ended up after going through the door.“What the hell?” Keith muttered as he looked between Angel and the duo above. “If these doors leads us to god knows where, why didn't you putting the effort into stopping them or starting off about the dangers of the void when you first sucked us into here?”

”It's their fault they ended up there. They were being stupid.” AJ scoffed as he looked up at the duo. ”There are reasons why the mind and things like that shouldn't be tampered with.” AJ said, breaking his gaze upwards to look briefly towards Angel before continuing.”It's a dangerous thing to tamper with and they are lucky that they've only made a fool out of themselves rather than anything worse.”

”Whether you think of them as fools or not, we can't just leave them on the ceiling like that.” Keith said as he walked towards the door the duo walked out of and grabbed the handle.

'Don't.'

He wanted to help Samad get Cade right side up again or at least help point them in the right direction but as aggravating as AJ could be, he trusted the man for the most part and didn't open the door. Could he guarantee that the same door would lead him to the same exit? With very little knowledge of how the void works he couldn't be certain. But there was someone who did. Turning around to face Angel, Keith took a few steps away from the door.

'No, don't do that either.'

”Hey Angle,” Keith said, intentionally messing up Angel's name after the countless mistake the lost number had made throughout the day with their names.

'You are playing with fire Keith. Quit it.'

“You're the one who brought us in here so why don't you fix this little mess? It would be a shame if more paperwork was added to your pathetic little busywork due to a mishaps within the void.”

'You idiot.'

Gris rolled over from the position Geko had deposited him in, head ringing from the impact. He gingerly felt his neck, checking for any damage but it appeared he had been lucky. The landing hadn’t snapped his neck like a twig. Hands sliding up to his skull, pushing in through the thick hair, he tested his skull for the same. Nothing felt loose. The big man’s attention was suddenly drawn by the motion of Geko falling over from another person’s assault. With his hands already in the waistband of his shorts Gris looked to Joseph for guidance.

Joseph laughed as Geko was so easily dispatched by the new arrivals, yet at the same time wondered how he’d taken Gris’s full impact only moment earlier without the same effect. Catching the eyes of his partner he shook his head. The duel was over, no reason for Gris to honour the deal now. Turning his attention back to the new arrivals he watched as the estate was opened up and its luxurious interior revealed.

“Come Gris.” he called out, before turning his head towards Rikka and Oliver in a move that lacked any subtlety, “Let us leave the chaff behind and join those of our standing. We should be the first to enter after all.” He took off towards the open doors at a quick pace. As Gris followed him past Geko’s fallen body the man paused to look down, contemplating revenge. A sharp call from Jo, who had paused just ahead, stopped any of that.

“The chaff?” Rikka glanced back at her partner, “Antoine, be a doll and tell me where you see the trash?” She glared back at Joseph and snapped her fingers at Oliver. Rikka crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one leg. Whenever she was given a chance to insult someone or show off, she would never back down. The “princess” twirled strands of her hair and looked back at Oliver, silently urging him to do something.

Feeling like he was needed, Oliver glanced up as he knew what she was up to. Feeling a bit amused, he decided to humor her. He tugged his mask down, exposing his face, “It seems to be walking away from us.” Oliver used Rikka’s shoulder to rest his elbow on, “Shall we leave, princess?” Rikka was relieved that he played along, but didn’t enjoy the direct contact without her approval. Instead of lashing out directly in front of everyone, Rikka gently pushed his elbow off and wrapped an arm around his arm.

“I really don’t enjoy the view here.” Rikka subconsciously pulled her gold ring off her hand and attempted to slip it onto Oliver’s hand. His hand was too big for the bracelet, she tugged on his hair and hooked the gold bracelet onto his antlers made of branches. As the duo passed Joseph and Gris, Rikka tilted her head and scrunched up her facial features at them, “Have you taken a bath yet? You two...hmph.”

The pair’s turning of his insult was a clever move, but even internally Jo refused to acknowledge that. Their little touchiness afterwards betrayed a gap between them though nothing leapt to mind that he could use. “Perhaps Gris,” he began, “We should allow the princess of rags and the boy who plays in the dirt to lead us in. It will only make our entrance all the more noticeable by the difference in class.”

As they passed by Gris gestured slightly, using a slight touch of his power. A few strands of Oliver’s hair lifted up and pulled the ring off his antler before tossing it behind him. Gris’s arm snapped out and scooped up the bracelet, depositing it in his pocket. Joseph couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the robbery.

As they entered the estate Joseph’s eyes were immediately drawn to the pools that flanked the walkway on either side. Who needed a bath indeed?

Rikka tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear and dropped her arms. She was bored of the antlered boy. Oliver pulled the surgeon mask above his mouth and heaved a sigh. Oliver felt like she was being difficult and could not be reasoned with. He twitched a bit and felt something graze his head. Instinctively, he tried to grab the gold ring. Feeling it’s absence, Oliver nudged Rikka’s elbow. The young lady narrowed her eyes at her partner and glanced up at his silver hair. In a flurry of emotions, she realized that the gold ring was gone. In a condescending tone, she glared back at the two men, “Where did my gold ring go?”

As Jo and Gris continued their path into the party the former led them so they would pass close by to the other pair. In an unfortunate turn of events Rikka turned her attention back towards them before he could complete his manoeuvre, an angry look on her face. A revisal of plans was required. Reaching into Gris’s pocket Jo removed the stolen bracelet and held it up. “This one? Oh it went …” and he tossed it over their heads to splash down in the pool beside them. As it did Gris stepped forward and gave Rikka a gentle shove, enough to send her tumbling towards the pool.

Rikka felt her spine curve as Gris pushed her towards the pool. Her heels skidded on the pathway as she tried to spin backwards to land on her hands. Oliver reached out to grasp her fingers, desperately trying to grab her before she fell into the water. Rikka suddenly felt like she was being submerged into water. Her vision rippled as she sunk back and she quickly dropped to the floor. Oliver stood by her feet, watching Rikka’s confusion spread across her face. Her face reflected feeling lost and unable to do anything. Oliver was slightly less confused, he was able to figure out that the Asylum was able to transport the group to a different field.

The young man knelt down and held out a hand for Rikka to take and sit up. He stood up from the squat and pulled the girl up. Rikka dropped his hand and began to wrap her hair over her left shoulder. As the man began to introduce himself and the plane of space they were in, the girl began to braid her hair and comb through the strands. Angel explained that the void was the line between two consciousness. The scenery around them shifted and turned into bookshelves and candles. Suddenly, Rikka felt more relaxed, almost like she felt right at home.

Having been watching in great anticipation as RIkka began falling towards the water, the sudden change in scenery was a disappointment to Joseph. The pools and party had disappeared, replaced by a much more boring environment. Still standing near to the woman Joseph glanced over, and was further annoyed by how comfortable Rikka looked amongst the books. At least her attention had been distracted from Gris’s shove. Pushing the thoughts away he focussed on Angel and Rena, business called. Gris, caring little for what was being said, began pulling down books and flicking through them.

Without any warning, the Chrono beside him spoke up with news about the deaths of the Delacours. The man heaved a sigh and spoke on to confirm the casualties. Another Bloodline has been eliminated. Oddly enough, he began to complain about the amount of paperwork that was needed to be completed, “So..we are preventing blood loss so you wouldn’t have to fill out paperwork?” Oliver shrugged it off, “Fair enough.”

“A history written in blood.” Joseph snorted. Cade wanted vengeance and Joseph wasn’t against the path he proposed. He could do with the chance to release some tension. Gris’s head spun around as a ripple passed through the void, including the book in his hands. He casually placed one hand against the bookcase beside he and Jo, just in case the intensity of the shaking grew.

As Cade continued speaking Joseph realised he may have misinterpreted the man’s earlier words. It appeared blood was the last thing he wanted spilt. How did he intend to stop the assassins then? Perhaps a nice big hug from his filled up insides. He’d have a new hollow in his heart if he tried that. Rather than speaking up himself he let a smile come to his lips and watched the flow of emotions, studying how everyone reacted. Was Angel being careless with these secrets he was spouting, or did he not care?

Anger, indifference, amusement. Old wounds revealed, not even close to scabbing over. A stark statement of rejection. AMRO was no better than the squabbling Bloodlines in this moment. His attention turned to Angel. The man was doing little to inspire any loyalty among his soldiers, nor even trying to show a shred of sympathy. And Samad, in this moment at least, was little different. Trapped with a man he would prefer dead and making no secret of it. What a family.

Rikka glanced up at the ceiling and crossed her arms, leaning to one side of her body. She twisted her hand to face herself and pretend that she was interested in her nails, “Can’t even handle heights?” She scoffed as the doctor fell to his knees.

Angel couldn't help but be amazed at how quickly these ludicrous events appeared to transpire, his gaze casually shifting from the two Asylums stranded atop to yet another amusing individual who had decided to don the garb of Nightingale. Yet what had truly gobsmacked A.M.R.O's Silver Reaper was the young Asylum's decision to challenge him, the logic of which rendered the Crimson vested Lost Number slightly stunned with amusement.

Watching a mere Asylum rebel to authority was a feat in itself and yet to do so in an alien realm and that too against it's architect, it was baffling. Could an individual inherently programmed to prioritize self preservation make such a blunder? There are less painful ways for committing suicide after all and yet here was a pup indirectly bearing its fangs. Only a single word could be used to describe this situation, "adorable".

"What an amusing little hamster, this one." Angel replied with a 'pleasantly surprised' grin on his face, wasn't everyday one would meet an individual with such a high sense of self-worth.

"I appreciate your concern regarding my cumbersome chore of paperwork," he crowed in a tone heavily laced in sarcasm. "However you don't need to worry yourself, you see this 'paperwork' is a log of events of importance and trivialities are allowed to be omitted." Despite not saying it directly; Angel's words spoke volume regarding the reality of an Asylum's life, a life that goes unrewarded, unrecognized, forgotten hence ultimately unworthy of being documented.

"Now let me address your second concern regarding the two gentleman doddling above us. Common sense dictates, if you are whisked away to an alien realm, the last thing you should do is stray from your host let alone attempt to leave through a door." As Angel chastised those around him, Rena couldn't help but giggle albeit for a completely unrelated reason.

As Angel tried to explain the intricacies of the realm that lied beyond the physical reality, the Chrono appeared to be preoccupied in her attempts to braid Gris's hair. "This suits you much more, you look super pretty!" She chirped upon her completion, nudging the Asylum to look at his reflection, which he would upon opening the books within the library and realizing each page is but a reflection of the reader.

"These doors, they serve more of an abstract idea. You can consider them as a grounding mechanism within this surreal reality. They define my domain and in doing so serve two basic principal; the first being that they prevent you sheep from slipping into the abyss. So there was never really anything to be concerned about and with that said I can point you to the real door." With that said Angel's arm casually extended over his head and a familiar sound echoed across the room, the sound of a snap that was responsible for whisking the Asylums in this world. The world in which they stood slowly appeared to decay and disintegrate. The walls began to cave in while bookshelves melted like the candle sticks around them.

"But brother you never told them the second basic principal of the doors!" The Chrono suddenly uttered in excitement, her reminder indicating that these Asylums were not the first one's present in the Void.

"I am sure they know, it is to keep what is out...from coming in," with these muffled words the very world shattered to pieces causing all the individuals to return to reality where but a few seconds have transpired.

---------------Xx-------------xX-----------------



“I don’t appreciate having my family being nearly killed twice in a short period of time. I thought AMRO would’ve trained their dogs better than this. Even if we’re only a nuisance to them, there’s little excuse for such behavior.”

"Dogs...." came the only response from the young girl standing behind the Patriarch of the Laofengs. As the second Lost Number casually walked past her brother, her expressions quite visibly appeared to change in front of the kians. Once she had shed the facade of being nothing but a spoiled princess, there was a creature truly terrifying. Ying calmly stood in front of the Kian patriarch, her seemingly calm eyes concealing a malice that even Lei Gong dared not interfere with.

"Do you know where this label originated from, along with the term 'rogues'?" She calmly whispered as she edged closer towards the Shah and his family. "Originally A.M.R.O intended to work in unison with the Alchemists of the world, bet you find that surprising huh? It was supposed to be a regulating body that would be a mediator between humans and alchemists, protecting both and keeping balance through mutual understanding and respect." Ying couldn't help but scoff in disgust at the though of such a relationship.

"It is then A.M.R.O faced one of it's most degrading revolts, I am not talking about some riot but an organized assault led by alchemists....no....rogues who A.M.R.O made the misfortune of trusting. Do you know how the deceleration of this revolt was made?" As the Lost Number continued her story, her alchemic drive slowly began to warp and envelop her surroundings, death was quite literally in the air.

"The deceleration was made by a display of power, some of A.M.R.O's most endeared soldiers were stripped and hung by their legs. Their genitals were eviscerated and placed in their mouths while a poem was torn into their chest.



As the Lost Number chanted the poem the shadows of all Kian's appeared to flicker, a motion only the perceptive eye could catch.

"From that point onward the phrase 'hound' and 'dogs' became rather popular among the rogues. I suppose it made the poor pieces of shit feel a little superior, that event did after all display the fact even A.M.R.O's might Asylums can be slain. Do you know how A.M.R.O responded?" As she approached the climax of her little story, the flickering shadows appeared to take a discernible form. Despite the fact Ying stood in front of the Kian's, behind each of their shadow it appeared as if her own shadow was present. A silent message echoing through her actions, you can't outrun your shadow.

"A.M.R.O purged the rogues indiscriminately and displayed the consequences of challenging the superior authority. The conception of trust and cooperation was replaced with but a single goal, submission or elimination. A.M.R.O's owes nothing to your family, you and your children and their children are nothing but property. When property begins to overestimate its value, it is usually a sign to end its value." As Ying carefully and slowly uttered her last few words the flickering shadows disappeared.

"You are to never address me in such a manner. We are not here to protect you, we are here to clean your mess. All theories suggest to a Bloodline behind all of this and once shit hits the fan it is our hands that will get dirty so that the deaths in your family come to an end." With her 'decree' made clear the Lost Number regained her general composure and retreated with a polite smile. Her monstrous alchemic drive slowly dissipating.

"You will have to excuse my lack of intervention," Lei Gong finally replied, his hand visibly shaking from the experience. "It is unwise to upset the upper echelon of A.M.R.O's....soldiers. Let us not fret over the matter, let us proceed to the meeting hall, we have greater concerns to address such as the fate of the Delacours and what it means for us."

Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Cade's words were terrible enough on their own, but the look on his face was what amplified it and got the message across. Audrey flinched. If they screwed this up, they would be responsible for the death of innocent people, for the end of an entire bloodline. It made her furious, but she managed to keep her anger hidden beneath a mask of indifference. She didn't like it, but it was the mission she'd been assigned to and she was in no position to complain, not with two Lost Numbers with them -- even Audrey wasn't that stupid.

The man might have looked shaken, but credit where credit was due, he had guts. "I see," she answered curtly before Angel began to throw in more details. The lost number stopped eventually and his partner leaped in to continue. She told them it was a game of pretend, but really, with murder on her mind, the party lost whatever little appeal it had and not even Rena's out of place laughter could change that.

More words were exchanged, but by then, Audrey was no longer paying attention... at least until the verbal spat between Angel and Cade began. This wasn't going to end well for the man who'd spoken out, was it? She quirked up and eyebrow then watched as everything began to unfold. Jabs were fired and old wounds were torn open as Angel taunted the pair, it ended with the two of them exiting the room only to return through another one of the doors, but this time upside down and more confused than ever.

The one who'd lashed out at the Lost Number looked like he was ready to flop over and Audrey couldn't help but think the switcharoo was both unnecessary and cruel. If they had things to do and judgement to deliver, wouldn't it make more sense to keep everyone alive? Wouldn't it make sense to cut the crap and get to work? Bickering here, bickering there, it'd been happening since morning and had continued to escalate. They were the dream team alright.

She would have said something, but from their group, a man decided to stand up for the poor pair on the roof.

Audrey didn't know him, but she made a mental note to remember. It was nice to know not everyone was completely apathetic. She watched intently, wondering how Angel would respond. What followed was a spiel on paperwork and an explanation on the void, making Audrey think they would never ever leave this place. "Hey," she said to no one in particular. "Is it just me or are we going to be here until winter--oh." The world around them began to disintegrate and before Audrey could say more, they were back in the mansion and out of the void.

She looked to Samad and Cade to see how the latter was faring before her eyes flitted to her fellow asylums.

So far, the only ones she'd really spoken to had been An and Tae. She sought them out, just to make sure they were alright as well. Once Audrey had spotted them, she shuffled awkwardly towards the pair. "That was trippy."

Cade was trying to hold himself together. His sense of orientation gave away at realizing he was upside down and his figure froze in place, his heart edged into his throat where it was choking him. For a few moments he tried to register what was happening. Sadly, his mind had difficulty grasping the truth. His knees felt weak and he half expected to be falling toward the floor where his neck would crack, killing him. His eyes snapped close to shut out the experience while he swallowed the fresh bile wave edging toward his throat. For a moment it helped. His legs straightened and kept firm, allowing him to remain standing. Cade sensed Samad draw near, his voice sharp and irritated, him when he spoke.

“Are you happy now? Look what you being human did.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Samad snapped, his eyes penetrating into his partner’s idiocy, his tone lowering to a hiss. “Why didn’t you just stop when I told you to? Was it that hard to trust me?”

“Yes, and you know why.” Cade said through gritted teeth.

“They were already dead, Cade. I did what I had to and honestly, it was more merciful than you wanted to.”

“I wanted to give them a chance, you took that away from them. They were just children. They could’ve been saved, I’m a doctor, and I know how long a body has before-”

“You’re fooling yourself. You wanted to believe the children had a chance, but did you really look at them? They would’ve died even if we let ARMO get to them. Personally, they were much more lucky than you were.” Samad interrupted with a harsh reality, an event neither wanted to remember and divided them from the beginning. The Iranian’s head turned to the door but didn’t go through it, knowing Cade’s stupidity got them both into a messy situation earlier and he wasn’t about to repeat it. It wasn’t a guaranteed it would lead them to the same room as before so their best option was to wait.

As predicted, the world righted itself abruptly. A little too abruptly cause Cade’s weak knees to give out from under him, his figure immediately fell into the pavement and landing on his ass. He hissed in pain while he pulled his hand up to see he had slightly scraped himself. Sighing, the blonde raised his arm to Samad and telepathically tried to get his attention. ‘Help… Samad, I need some help.”

Annoyed he was being ignored, Cade looked toward his partner.

Samad had been unfazed by the whole experience, but he had become distracted. Curious, Cade turned to look at the direction Samad was. He spotted the Kian patriarch, his wife and Lei Gong, the couple looked rather rattled by an event they all had missed. Something odd was noted by the blonde as he spied the woman hold her waist protectively. As if… his curiosity vanished when Samad roughly tugged him finally.

“Oww.”

“Stop being a baby, if I wanted to rip your arm off than I would.” Samad stated plainly, letting go of Cade.

Huffing under his breath, Cade rolled up his sleeve as revealed his wound. “Just hand me my bag, please.”

Samad handed him the bag without another word, allowing Cade to sterilize the wound and wrap it up. He could’ve used alchemy to mend it but it would gradually cost him his sanity, a fact he aimed to delay for however long he could.