The Broken, The Beaten, and The Damned

=( I like Patrick.

************
Lena threw Bob and Frank a meaningful look before she walked over toward Alexis as she sat up. She stopped short of her couch, opting to sit on the one Frank had slept on instead. Alexis felt her face grow red with shame, was it truly that bad?
“Alexis honey,” Lena started again, looking like she was straining to find the right words.
“Alexis, do you remember waking up in the night,” Bob asked from the table. Alexis shook her head, her eyes growing wide. The three of them exchanged worried glances as the acute smell of burning reached her nose. Alexis looked around a bit before her eyes caught site of the burnt end table. It was a charred hull, much like the buildings in the burned town had been. A wire ran from the pile of ash toward the wall where the lamp that use to be on the table was plugged and two charred spindly legs were still standing. She stared at it for a moment longer before asking, in a shaking voice, “did I do that?”
Lena’s eyes brimmed with tears, “yes dear…yes that and…”
A sob choked out Lena’s next words. Alexis looked over at Frank and Bob, trying to see if they were badly hurt. Frank looked a bit shaken, but nothing bad, and Bob did not seem to have a mark on him. What else could she have done?
“I…I didn’t hurt anyone did I,” she asked staring at Lena. Frank made a move out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked over at him Bob had already stopped him.
“You…you woke up in the night dear, we think…we think Frank startled you,” Lena began.
“You used your gift to use Frank’s power to burn the table.”
Alexis shook her head, remembering that Frank said she had snapped his resistance. “No…no I-I hurt Frank,” she whispered softly.
Her eyes went to Frank’s face, expecting him to begin yelling about what a screw up she was or something, but he just shrugged.
“I am ok…I mean it was scary as hell when it happened but now…”
He shrugged again. It was a little infuriating.
“But,” Lena said softly, “but that’s not it…not all of it.”
Alexis looked back over at Lena, her eyes growing wide again. What on earth could have been worse than what she had done to Frank?
Lena took in a shaking breath, looking Alexis in the eyes as if trying to read something that wasn’t there.
“Alexis…do…do you remember anything that you did after you went to sleep last night?”
Alexis frowned, “no, just waking up now with a headache…”
Lena looked back at Frank and Bob, her eyes begging them to come over and sit with her. Slowly the two of them came to sit on either side of her and looked over at Alexis. Lena opened her mouth to speak several times before she finally looked over at Bob for help.
“Alexis last night you…I mean…after you lit the end table on fire you…you talked to us.”
“Talked?” Alexis did not understand why that was so wrong.
“Yeah,” Bob continued, “but it wasn’t you talking it…it was Artimus.”
Alexis slumped back on the couch, “I…I don’t understand…”
“It was you talking, but you were talking like Lena’s husband,” Frank said while Bob was busy comforting Lena as she slumped against his shoulder.
“I…I don’t understand. I mean…is…isn’t he…”
Frank nodded, not wanting Alexis to say it anymore than she did.
Alexis let out a shaking laugh, “why…why did it happen?”
Frank shrugged again, moving to sit next to Alexis so their conversation would not be heard my Lena, who was already very upset.
“Do you think it’s happened before,” Frank asked softly.
Alexis shook her head, “no…I mean…if it had wouldn’t Pat have noticed it when we were in holding together?”
Frank nodded, his nose still wrinkling a little whenever Patrick was mentioned.
“Did…did he say anything…bad?”
Alexis was dreading that he had told them to leave her behind…to not travel with her because she was too dangerous.
“Nothing really…just that he loved Lena and that we were on the right track…”
Alexis let out another sigh, looking over at Frank as he stared over at Bob as he laid the now dozing Lena down on the couch.
“So…you ok with staying?”
Frank shrugged, “yeah. Sleeping in actual beds will be nice for a few days.”
Alexis smiled, glad that Frank seemed to be okay with her now. She just hoped that all of them, Patrick and Mellon Collie included, would be able to leave before long. There was something here…something that just did not feel…right.

oooOOOOOOoooooo....

bad juju!!

muahaha, but MAN i missed you guys!!!!

*just so Zomb knows, BBD is the first fic i checked up on, (not counting Dancing.. .but thats a RP, so yea...)

MISSED YOU PEACHES! *tackle hug*

So bad shit is about to go down!

----------
Channels flipped by in a slow blur on Patrick’s television. With every channel came a short burst of staticy sound as the people of screen tried to plead their case for best channel to watch. Of course their pleas were useless, Frank had no interest in the television or its contents, he just needed something to do…something to distract him. It had been nearly three weeks since they had decided to stay with Patrick…and hardly anything bad had happened. The worst had been at their dinner when Patrick had seemed so overjoyed at their stay. Frank’s fingers had melted his fork straight through. They had since taken to using plastic utensils.
Frank had understood in the beginning. He and Alexis were a danger to themselves and others, but now it was ridiculous. It had been over a week since his ‘gifts’ had behaved out of the ordinary. It had been even longer for Alexis, her’s had not acted up since that night.
The fact that they had not moved on from here was bad enough, but what made it worse was the fact that, since their episodes, he and the rest (besides Patrick) had been forced to stay indoors. At first that seemed reasonable, but now it was driving him mad. The channels went by faster.
“Frank,” Lena’s tentative voice asked softly. Frank sent her a harsh glare, the channels moved more quickly still, nearly a blur. “Frank, are you ok?”
Frank grunted a bit as she stood in front of him. “Nothing’s on…”
Lena gave him a kind smile as she said a soft ‘oh’.
“Is that why the remote is melting?”
Frank was suddenly aware of the burning stench coming off of the remote. He frowned a bit, watching as Lena took the remote from him and turned the television off. .
“Would you like to talk about it,” why was Lena always such a mother?
“No…not really.”
Lena nodded, the remote being placed between them as Lena took a seat on the couch.
They passed a silent moment together like that until, “we will be gone soon Frank.”
Frank sighed. She kept promising him that.
“Alexis just really wants him safe with us…it’s not too much to ask for us to be patient.”
“No…but would it be too much to ask for him to come with us and just get it over with?”
Lena sighed, “he is scared. I know I would be too if I had been through half of what he and Alexis have.”
As if summoned, Alexis came through the door from her trek to get mail. That was the only thing they were able to do it seemed, if Alexis or Bob went with them to scout for people, and even that Patrick had allowed grudgingly.
“Meet anyone on the stairs,” Lena asked softly.
Alexis shook her head, “all clear on the stairs.”
She smiled as she plopped next to Frank on the couch.
“So, what’s up?”
“Frank’s mad…what else is new,” Bob said as he walked from the bathroom where he had been showering.
Alexis’ smile faltered a bit, “oh…did I do something wrong?”
Frank sighed, “no…just going stir crazy.”
Alexis gave Frank a long look before turning away to look at the door.
“Pat’s nearly home. Heading for the door,” her brow furrowed, “something seems to be up.”
All faces turned to the door as Patrick threw himself through the door and slammed it behind him. When he faced them Patrick was pale and sweating, looking terrified. Alexis stood from her seat and walked to him.
“Pat…are you…”
“News…turn it…the television. Turn it on.”
Frank fumbled for the remote and turned the television on. He did not even have to turn the channel to find out what Patrick was talking about. On the television screen were black and white photos of all five of them, as a warning scrolled across underneath.
“We repeat,” the reporter claimed, “these mutants are deemed armed and dangerous and are best left to officials.”
“H-how,” Bob muttered.
Alexis’ eyes began watering as she sunk to the floor.
“What now,” Lena asked in a quiet voice.
“We go,” Frank said, standing and helping Alexis to her feet, “how long we got Bob?”
“We gotta get going now,” he muttered, “they will be here soon

I don't care if he DID warn them...I STILL don't trust Patrick!

Bob closed his eyes, trying to get a better feel for where the agents could be. He felt slightly like a wild animal, scenting the air for the weird emptiness that the agents seemed to carry around them. When he opened his eyes no one had moved but the reporter on the television that had moved on to the weather by then.
“I’d say an hour…that’s all I’d risk,” Bob said as he gently helped Lena off the couch.
“We need to get everything. It needs to be as if no one was ever here. Lena, you start in the kitchen, Alexis and Frank can check the bedroom that we used and Patrick…”
Patrick made a small choking sound from where he stood. All eyes fell on him, as if somehow he had been attacked by an unseen force. Patrick’s eyes scanned the room slowly, taking in every face.
“I…I can’t…”
Bob heard Frank let out a frustrated sigh to his left at this news.
“What do you mean you can’t?” Alexis asked, walking over to him, “you gotta go.”
“No!” Patrick seemed to screech, collapsing to his knees.
“I am not going back there…I’m not!”
Alexis threw Bob a small glance before putting an arm around Patrick.
“We are not getting caught Pat. I mean…we are getting out of here…soon.”
Patrick just stood there shaking his head, “no. Not good enough. They will catch us…catch you…I’m not going.”
Alexis sighed, “what do you plan on doing?”
Patrick looked around, looking like a caged animal to Bob. Panicked and pale.
“I’ll stay here…stay behind. I mean…I’m safer here.”
Alexis’ eyes shinned with tears, “Pat…they’ll kill you if they find you here.”
“It’s suicide to stay,” Frank muttered softly, but Patrick still seemed to hear. He turned his head to Frank, a strange light in his eyes.
“Please Pat,” Alexis said softly, calling his attention away from Frank.
“Please…why don’t you go to your room and think. Pack a little and just…think. We have about an hour to get out…just rest and think and we can always leave you somewhere you feel safer later.”
Patrick sighed, “I guess…I…I dunno…”
“Please Pat…for me please.”
Patrick looked at Alexis and sighed, “ok…I…ok.”
Alexis lead Patrick to his room and pulled the door slightly closed.
“Just rest,” she told him, “I’ll pack your things in a bit.”
Bob heard that Patrick responded, but didn’t hear what he had said.
“How much longer now,” Lena asked softly.
Bob closed his eyes again and opened them sooner this time, “roughly an hour, more or less.”
“Let’s get going then,” she said as she headed to the kitchen to pack.
It did not take to have them packed and ready to go. Frank and Alexis made quick work of the guestrooms and it wasn’t long until Bob heard Alexis say that she was going to help Patrick pack. Bob had nodded his head and barely noticed her open Patrick’s door. He was busy with Frank packing the dogs’ toys and a few extra sets of clothing for them all while Lena was making sandwiches. It was a moment after the door was opened, maybe a full two minuets, before they heard the scream. It was weak, hollow, and clearly feminine. Everyone stopped what they were doing in an instant and ran to Patrick’s bedroom door to see what had happened. None of them were prepared for what greeted them.

I can't wait to see what comes next

...hmmmm... i bet i know what it iiiiiiiisssss

Alexis stared straight ahead with unseeing eyes. She could not…would not allow herself to see what was in front of her. It was too awful.
Dead
Dead
Dead
Dead
But how had it happened? They were so close…how had it happened with her in the next room? Alexis stood trembling in the doorway, not wanting to chance another glance at him, but knowing she was going to have to.
Slowly Alexis allowed her eyes to trail up the suspended body. The legs, stiff and hanging in awkward angles, the hands hanging limply at his sides, his chest was motionless. Around his neck he had a sheet wound like a noose that’s other end was tied to a beam above his bead. His neck held a small black and blue bruise all the way around it and his face…his face was blank and smooth like he was sleeping. Alexis felt herself start shaking as a soft high noise reached her ears. It took her a second to realize it was her own weak scream. By the time she stopped the rest had come up behind her to see why she had screamed.
No one spoke for a moment, they all just stared at Patrick’s hanging form. The need to escape seemed to have eluded them with this new tragedy.
“How…how did he…”
Lena’s words were cut off with a small sob. Hearing her words made this so much more real. Alexis could not deny it any longer. Slowly her legs gave out and she fell to her knees as tears welled up in her eyes. Frank and Bob were both motionless and staring. The silence…the silence was deafening.
“Say something!” Alexis screamed, tears pouring over her cheeks. What could they say…what did she want them to do? There was no bringing him back…he was gone…gone forever this time.
“He was so scared…I shouldn’t have pushed him,” Alexis said softly, “I should have said I’d stay with him and keep him safe…”
“Don’t say that,” Frank said, trying to sooth her with his voice, “if you did that then you both would have been dead.”
Dead
Dead
Dead
Dead
Alexis let out another sob, collapsing fully to the floor. Lena sat next to her, placing a cool hand on her back and rubbing it. It gave her no comfort.
“Bob,” Lena said in her softest voice, but Alexis’ mind was everywhere…she heard everything.
“Bob…get him down please.”
There was a shuffling sound and a groaning of bedsprings as Bob and Frank got Patrick down. All too soon there was the sound of them stepping back into the floor from the bed and walking over toward she and Lena.
‘we gotta go’
The thought was in the forefront of Bob’s brain, but Alexis did not care. Let them come, she wanted to die.
“Lena,” Bob whispered, as if his thoughts were no so obvious…as if he were not as transparent as a window.
“Lena we gotta leave now. We have less than five…they heard her scream. We are gonna cut it close.”
Alexis felt Lena’s hand tense on her back and then she stood.
“Alexis dear, we have to go. Can…can you walk?”
Alexis ignored her…she did not want to talk, feel, walk…live. She closed her eyes…she did not want to exist…she wondered if one could die like this…die of sorrow.
Suddenly strong arms picked her up and began carrying her away from Patrick. She could physically feel the distance being put between them like someone gently tugging her heart out of her chest.
Alexis opened her eyes as she left the room and saw Patrick, her Patrick, lying on the bed as if he was really asleep. The only thing that gave away his death was the dark bruise and the lack of breathing. She struggled against the arms until they had no chance but to drop her and ran to Patrick.
“I’m sorry…I’m sorry Pat. I…I can’t go on. I want to go to...with you…please…”
She held his cold hand in hers tightly, trying to convince herself that he was not really dead.
“Alexis…please!”
Lena’s voice sounded as if she were speaking from a great distance.
Frank’s voice said something…something about leaving… ‘no fire escape’
“Too late,” Bob’s voice was hollow…defeated. Did he just now know that Patrick was dead…that it was too late for him?
The sound of banging filled her senses, she did not know where it was coming from. A scream came next, but that one seemed more important…it sounded familiar. Alexis broke her gaze from Patrick’s still face to see a group of familiarly unfamiliar men stalking toward Lena…Lena and her new family.
These men…these men and their kind had taken her Patrick from her…but they would not get away with it.
Alexis strode out of Patrick’s bedroom door, her face a pleasant blank as she came in the room and spied the men moving toward where her friends were cornered, both men guarding Lena as best as they could.
“Gentlemen,” Alexis said softly as she stopped outside the door, “I believe that if you are looking for a fight I am it.”
Frank threw Alexis a glance, feeling his stomach turn a flip as he recognized the dead look in her eyes. He braced himself for the insuing massacre.

Okay I DID NOT see that coming..

But he just did it so Alexsis wouldn't find out he's been working for the man the whole time

Ok kiddies, lots of gore and grossness...be wary.

---------
Lena looked over at the doorway to what had been Patrick’s bedroom, but was now his tomb. She saw the deadly look in Alexis’ eyes that she had only seen once before in her old apartment. The girl’s eyes were wide and vacant, as if she was sleep walking...but she could not be…could she?
One of the agents took a half step closer to Alexis, a smarmy smile on his face.
“Miss, we are not looking for a fight. Especially not from such a pretty young thing as yourself.”
Another step closer, his gun drawn.
“We just need to take you guys in for questioning, nothing more.”
“Promise,” Alexis asked softly, taking a step closer to him her eyes still vacant.
“Course sweetie. That’s all we are here for.”
The three agents closer to Lena, Bob, and Frank moved closer to them, causing Bob to take a tight grip on Lena’s arm and hold her to him. Lena’s breaths were coming in panicked pants as they drew ever nearer. Just as they were about to be cornered Alexis’ laughter peeled out throughout the room. Lena looked to see the agent closest to her frozen mid-stride. She walked calmly up to the human statue, laughing softly the whole time.
“So, are you just stupid, or did you think I was,” she asked as she stood in front of him, smiling brightly.
“I…I…I don’t.”
“You don’t know what I mean,” she laughed again, “so you mean no one told you that I can read minds? That I can control you like a puppet?”
Suddenly the man before her turned quickly and shot the agent closest to Lena, his hand out stretched, in the throat. The man fell gagging to the ground where he slowly stopped moving. At this the other two agents turned their guns on Alexis, eyes wide with alarm.
“Drop it,” she said just above a whisper and the other two men dropped their guns quickly as if they were on fire in their hands.
“Good boys,” Alexis said with a smile, “you two might make it.”
Her attention turned back to the agent who had his gun trained on his partners.
“You…you probably won’t.”
Her eyes flickered to Lena’s, a frown creasing her brow. Lena was reminded of a story she had heard once, long ago. It was about a boy who could read minds and only wanted nice happy thoughts. If you made him unhappy he wished you away…maybe Alexis could do that…
“I think you should tell her,” Alexis said softly, “I think you should tell Lena and the others what you had planned.”
Her eyes went back to the agent’s face, seeing him shaking his head. Alexis clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
“If you won’t…I will.”
The agent’s face grew red, as he fought against what Alexis wanted. Finally, when he could no longer stand the pain his mouth opened slowly.
“I…we…we were going to take the men and turn them in…”
The agent paused, looking tired.
“And!” Alexis demanded.
“And…and and and….and we were going to keep the women…and…”
His mouth worked soundlessly, as if he were searching for words that his mind couldn’t find.
“And fuck us…right?”
The agent nodded as well as Alexis would allow him to, his chest heaving with effort. Alexis sighed, “see, doesn’t it feel better to confess.”
The agent’s head nodded, a bit to enthusiastically to have really been controlled by him. Alexis looked over at the group by the window, a deadly light in her eyes.
“I believe I am done playing,” she said softly, “time to put you away.”
She looked at the agent, her eyes concentrating on his head. Lena watched as it quickly turned a bright red, then dark moving toward a purple color.
“Oh God,” Bob muttered and turned Lena’s face into his chest and held her ears tight. It was not a moment too soon because a second later the agent’s head exploded. Bob’s hands did not stop her from hearing the sound though…the sound of flesh and bone and brain all separating at once. One of the agents near Lena became sick and she thought she heard Frank’s voice moan in disgust from what he had seen. Lena pulled away from Bob, getting a look at the scene. She tried her best not to look at the headless agent, but instead at Alexis who was standing uncertainly on her feet swaying slightly.
“Better move now,” Bob’s voice boomed above her, “before she comes back to her senses and kills you too.”
The agents that were left alive did not need to be told twice, and quickly ran from the room as Alexis collapsed to the ground. The three of them stood silently for a moment before the alarm was sounded. A fire alarm maybe, or did they have mutant alarms now? Either way they did not want to wait to find out what it meant. Bob moved swiftly and grabbed a pack and Alexis from the ground and headed for the door.
“We gotta get out now! More will be here soon.”
Lena nodded and grabbed her pack while Frank grabbed both his pack and Alexis’ saddlebag. They made for the door, the two dogs following when Bob whistled for them, and headed toward the staircase. In the crowd on the stairs they blended in, not easy to tell them apart from the others unless someone near them had taken the time to see the bits of blood and brain that were entangled in Alexis’ hair, or on their shirts.
When they got out of the staircase they noticed that their jeep was being towed away by an unmarked tow-truck. More agents at work.
“Woods,” Bob grunted, heading for the wooded area across the street. Before long no one could make out what had become of them. Their only clue lied in the scene of carnage in the apartment up above.

COOL!! Agent bits every where! Sometime I wish I could make peoples heads explode!

Wow...too long before an update.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!!!!
**********
The small group walked quickly and as quietly as possible through the woods. It did not take them long to get lost, but they never stopped. Even with Alexis’ uncontious they kept moving with Bob carrying her as best as he could. After a while Frank seemed to notice that they seemed to be following not only Bob, but the dogs too. The three of them seemed to be leading them together away from civilization. Finally, when the dogs seemed tired beyond movement, Bob and the rest of them finally stopped. By that time it was dark outside and just on the bitter side of freezing. Bob carefully laid Alexis down on the leaf-strewn ground near the exhausted dogs, and walked to where Lena and Frank had slumped to the ground.
“Everyone alright,” he asked in his gruff voice. Lena and Frank both nodded, looking up at him.
“Ok then. Well…let’s try to get a small fire going Frank to warm everyone up. Lena, you see what all we were able to take with us…maybe find us something to eat. I’ll try to find out where we are.”
Lena nodded again, reaching for her pack, but Frank looked at Bob in the dark, feeling afraid about something. He waited until Bob walked away from Lena to confront him.
“Bob…w-what about Alexis? Is she…is she hurt?”
Bob gave Frank a pointed glare before turning away.
“Bob,” Frank whispered again, “she hasn’t moved since we left the apartment…is she ok?”
“Breathing…she is living,” Bob muttered as he looked over the map in the pitch dark.
“Should we try to wake her…maybe talk to her or something…”
“Look,” Bob said in a tired voice, “there is nothing we can do for her, so just do what I said and make a damn fire.”
Frank’s eyes narrowed to two angry slits, but he did as he had been told and built a small fire near where Alexis and the dogs were laying. As the firelight touched her face Frank could tell how pale and sick she looked. He could also see the dried bits of blood that were flicked across her skin and in her hair. Frank was reminded that they probably could all use a bath pretty soon.
After a moment Lena came over and handed him a soggy cheese sandwich.
“How is she,” Lena asked softly, looking over at Alexis.
Frank looked at her and sighed, “I don’t know. She has never been out like this before…she could have hurt herself this last time. I mean…how much energy does it take to do what she just did?”
Lena shuddered a bit, “I don’t know…and I don’t really want to think about her doing anything like that…it was just…awful.”
Frank’s body tensed, “look…she had to. I mean if she didn’t they would have just taken us and hurt you and Alexis…didn’t you hear what that agent said?”
Lena nodded thoughtfully as she chewed a bite of her turkey sandwich, “yes…but it still seems so…awful.”
Frank nodded, remembering seeing her burn a man from the inside out…she could be awful…but it wasn’t really her fault.
Bob walked over to the firelight, warming his hands after folding the map up.
“Well…I can’t tell anything about where we are. I think we will just have to wait for morning to see if any land marks stand out.”
Frank nodded, about to ask him if he felt anyone nearby that could be trouble when Lena let out a cry of surprise. Frank followed her gaze to see that Alexis was sitting up across the fire from them, her eyes wide but vacant.
“Alexis dear…are you ok?”
Alexis made no sign of recognition.
“Alexis,” Lena tried again, but to no avail. They tried calling to her, waving their hands before her face, Frank even risked yelling, but nothing worked.
Finally Bob walked to her and gave her a small shake, “Alexis,” his rough voice commanded, “snap out of this!”
That still did nothing, Alexis just sat there like a wind up toy with a broken spring. Lifeless and dead to them all.

Awww poor Alexis. I wonder though if maybe they should see if it's REALLY Alexis sitting up or some other entity using her body to sit up.

Fleur de Lis wrote:I wonder though if maybe they should see if it's REALLY Alexis sitting up or some other entity using her body to sit up.

ARTY?!?! Is Arty back?!?!?

The next morning brought no change to Alexis. When Frank awoke he found that she was still staring blankly forward at what looked like the same spot. Slowly Frank moved to sit next to her, trying to see if there was something that she was staring at, but all he could see was a mish mash of trees weaving in and out of one another. Breakfast was a solemn affair, Lena and Frank shooting glances between one another, Bob, and the stupefied Alexis. Bob sat hunched over the map, mumbling to himself between bites of his slightly stale sandwich. Finally Lena sighed and stood up.
“What are we going to do with Alexis,” she asked, snatching the map from in front of Bob. Bob sent her a glare as she took the map out of his reach.
“I don’t think it matters what we do with her until we know where we are,” Bob said as he stood and tried to take the map back.
“No,” Lena said as she quickly pocketed the folded map, “it does matter. Because no matter where we are, if Alexis cannot leave then neither will I.”
Bob sighed, running fingers through his hair before he walked toward Lena and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
“We…I don’t want to leave Alexis. I really don’t! It’s just that I can’t tell where we are, how close we are to the guy we are looking for…or to an agent that’s hunting us. We need to move or if you want just I will go. I just need to know where we are.”
Lena looked up into his eyes, feeling her cheeks growing a little pink.
“I…we can all go if we can find a way to get Alexis to move.”
Bob smiled a little, “ok. Well, I guess we could try to make a stretcher out of tree limbs.”
“Or maybe tie our packs together,” Lena said, “it would be softer, and less to carry.”
“We could use some tree limbs to secure it,” Bob muttered as he looked from their packs to the semi-awake Alexis.
Lena hurriedly walked to the packs and began trying to bind them together while Bob gathered long sturdy branches. They were working hard when Frank walked amongst them.
“What the hell are you two doing,” he said as he looked at both their work.
“We are making a stretcher for Alexis to ride in while we keep walking,” Bob grunted, giving Frank a sour look.
Frank frowned, “so…you tried and she can’t walk?”
Bob and Lena exchanged a glance, “no” they both muttered softly.
Frank let out a soft laugh, “don’t you think we should try before you rig that up?”
Bob sighed and rolled his eyes as he walked over toward the dying fire and the living Alexis doll. Lena and Frank followed close behind.
“Alright Alexis,” Bob called as he stood next to her, “we’re gonna need you to come with us dear.”
He then bent down and took one of her hands. Frank followed his lead and pulled her by her other hand until she was on her feet. Carefully Bob and Frank backed away, leaving Alexis standing on her own.
“Alexis,” Lena said softly, “walk with us please.”
Alexis tilted her head a bit, as if listening to Lena, then took a few stumbling steps toward her. Lena let out a small laugh as she walked to meet Alexis’ unsteady steps.
“I…I think she can walk herself,” Lena said, “she is a little clumsy, but if someone walks with her she should be fine.”
“We can take turns,” Bob said softly, “Lena, you can go first. Is that ok?”
Lena nodded, taking Alexis’ hand and walking her toward where Bob was leading them. They all put on their packs, Alexis was even able to wear her saddlebag, rounded up the dogs, and buried all signs of their fire. With in a good twenty minuets the average person would never have known that they had been there.

- - -

He smiled as he read the report that had been placed on his desk early that morning. At first he dreaded to read it, knowing that his men had let Alexis and her ‘friends’ slip between their fingers again. But of course, it was too soon to take her. After all, they were leading them to the last piece of the puzzle. Still, it would not be a pleasant thing to read…and yet…
Yet when he opened it he was pleased to see that, though they were lost in the woods away from the prying fingers of his agents…they were able to be seen on some of the cameras that they had tried out of some of the trees outside a few selected towns. Their progression was being monitored, and that was good, but that also meant that Diana might find them out and ask that they be brought in sooner. She might even demand it, and that could be a pain in more than one way. It was hard enough to denigh her, with her long silky blonde hair and wide green eyes. She was lovelier than he had thought she would have been, but with her...'gift'...it was hard to tell her no. And she was nearly as bad as a child about getting her way.
Still, all in all, not a bad morning. And who knew, if she behaved perhaps Diana could be allowed to see the tapes, maybe even be able to see them in person someday. Wouldn’t that delight her. He smiled a bit to himself, it would not be long now…soon Alexis, the Seer…the Dreamer…they would all be his.