Visit to Arklay

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distress call

:: Alison snaps at attention as the she SEES what's happening and then the old TV blinks on...replaying those frightening images of.::

ALYCIA!

:: getting snatched back into the mansion and Haleigh being besieged by devil dogs.::

NOW we can go!

:: she contacts Nicolas and Delilah::

CHANGE of plans...Alycia has been captured by a creature inside the mansion....possibly KYLE KELLY and Haleigh is HURT. Get here as fast as you can!! we're on our way to the mansion now!

:: she turns and rushes to find Morgan and Ava.:

We have to hurry...Alycia and Haleigh need our help!

:: and with that, Spellbinder, Harbinger and Persephone bust out of the cottage, with Spellbinder taking to the air and Harbinger accelerating her's and Perspehone's temporal fields, allowing them to sprint like crazy through the forest and brush, while using her own "eyes" and telekinetic power to clear the path for them on foot while Spell streaks through the air.::
 
Nicolas nods at Harbinger's directive and sets back for Illustra. He teleports to the War Room to monitor events as soon as he is able to hide himself, sure that Delilah will quickly follow. In the moments he has to himself, he thinks about Alison's words. WHAT exactly does Delilah need to hold together? She was feeling conflicted before, but she came through just now. He would keep an eye on things as needed.

Suddenly he feels the surge of emotion from Haleigh and Alycia as they run from Kyle. He looks at the monitors to see a large hand pull Alycia into the mansion and Haleigh fighting off demonic-looking dogs. As Alison urges them to come immediately, he locks onto Haleigh's position mentally and teleports directly to the mansion doorway, dressed for combat. He finds Haleigh going back in after dealing with the canines, but looking worse for her time here. He senses several broken ribs.

Haleigh! What was it and where did it go?? Are you able to continue?
 
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through the forest to the mansion

<< Spellbinder looks grim as the TV screen flickers on...>>

What??

<< its like something out of a horror movie! Haleigh and Alycia come rushing out of the mansion , only for Alycia to get pulled back inside and the mansion doors SHUT while Haleigh gets attacked by dogs!>>

dammit!!

<< Alison tells them they have teo go and Morgan agrees as the women rush outside and with a sound of rushing wind and chimes, Spellbinder lifts off the ground and takes to the air.>>

You contacted Delilah and Nicolas??

<< she debates for a moment...>>

if that IS Kyle...should we TELL SHARON?? ...

<< that would have to wait. they had to get to the mansion befor Alycia was killed by whatever was inside and Haleigh needed assistance too!>>

<< the women rush through the forest, with Morgan in the air and Harbinger and Persephone covering ground fast courtesy of her temporal power.>>

<< through the forest, dodging trees, rushing past animals and a few straying zombies up the slope, the women soon hear the sounds of a rushing water fall.>>

we're almost there!

<< she looks down and see's Harbinger and Persephone fending off some zombies and Spellbinder takes aim before obliterating two devil dogs and some giant wasps with her own eldritch bolts. >>

<< Morgan can see the mansion from her vantage point and the large water fall nearby....and in the circular drive out in front of the mansion is ...>>

Haleigh!!

<< Nicolas has just arrived with Delilah. thank the goddess... and several dead dobermans lay nearby.>>
 
Arklay Mansion

:: as Morgan touches down in the drive, just past the fountain, Alison and Ava arrive as well, no longer blurred from the effects of Alison's temporal turbo boost.::

that was fun...

:: she says softly, having sped through the forest and knocked off a few zombies and dogs like the helpless bowling pins being struck by a bowling ball.::

:: Nicolas and Delilah are there now too. Haleigh looks visibly hurt as the two witches and goddess finally make contact.::

there's no time to waste....

:: Morgan begins healing Haleigh's wounds with her magick as Alison looks out.::

This place is enormous....there are zombies, creatures and booby traps, not to mention mazes, passages and a sprawling underground complex that connects to the water fall, the streams and lake and surrounding areas of this forest and the city that its jurisdiction falls under.

Kyle has Alycia and he's taking her....

:: she looks out with her seer's eye...her own eyes turning solid white.::

he's intending to take her down below, to the the underground labs!
 
[ Delilah nodded to “Alison” as they were told to head back to Illustra. Then Alison made a strange comment about her “not giving in to confusion”. ]

“Okay, Dr. Phil…”

[ She said it under her breath, but seriously. She was fine. Alison just needed to chill. She turned to suggest to Nicolas they share a cab back and he could pick his car up at Sharon’s later…but he teleported away before she could speak. ]

“Bastard.”

[ As Delilah was walking to Seventh Avenue to catch a cab herself, since Illustra wasn’t far but she didn’t feel like walking, Alison reappeared. She swore under her breath.

“Kyle Kelly?! Holy shit!”

[ She walked quickly into the lobby of the Hilton and found the ladies room. Luckily it was empty, and she opened a wormhole to the mansion. Screw Nicolas, he could find his own way (;)). She arrived just in time to meet Alison and the others at the fountain. ]

“Kyle Kelly? How is that possible? Why would he take Alycia?”
 
:: After unsuccessfully finding anything useful in the kitchen, Ava was about to head back to the livingroom to meet with Alison and Morgan when Alison beat her to the punch. ::

"We have to hurry...Alycia and Haleigh need our help!"

:: Quickly, Ava high tailed it out of the cottage and back into the woods. Morgan took flight while both herself and Alison ran at warp speed [thanks to Alison's powers] through the forest toward the mansion. Parting the fog as they went, it gave the woman a clearer view of what was in front of them, and what was AROUND them. Zombied creatures tried to attack both herself and Alison, but their speed allowed them to literally mow the creatures over and reach the mansion unharmed. Calming to a hault, Ava flipped her wind blown hair away from her face. ::

"that was fun..."

"Who needs amusement parks..."

:: Ava moved past Alison and over to Haleigh, checking on her as Morgan healed her wounds. ::

"Are you okay?"

:: Helping her sister up as Morgan finished, Ava looked to Alison who spoke of Kyle Kelly having Alycia. ::

"Can't Morgan just use one of her stepping discs to transport us all where Alycia is?"
 
Arklay Mansion

<< Spellbinder looked around the creepy foyer as they began to acclimate to the place and try to get their bearings. everyone arrived quickly and that was a good thing.>>

<< Delilah asked why Kyle would take Alycia...Morgan couldnt even wrap her finger around the fact that Kyle was still ALIVE....only now he was something ELSE. she only saw a HAND grab Alycia...but what was connected to it?>>

I dont know...but we have to FIND her before its too late!

<< this place gave her the creeps, and the gurgling, moaning of human zombies in the air indicated they were soon to have company. Ava asked why couldnt she just reach Alycia with a disc. >>

Unless Alison or Haleigh can give us EXACT coordinates...I cant teleport us completely blind. without my scrying glass to view more of the mansion, i have no way of knowing WHERE to teleport us to.

<< looking around at the creepy gothic decor, Morgan expressed agitation at herself.>>

I spent all that time in the forest..i shouldve flown up here EARLIER when i felt like i needed to. That SNAKE took me by surprise...if it hadnt been for Alison and Ava...i dont know WHAT i would have done but now... Alycia's being dragged further into this awfull place and there's no telling what creatures may be waiting to EAT her or worse!

We have to stick together. We get Alycia and we get away as fast as possible. we dont know enough yet of this place or all the creatures within....and we have to seal it back up when we leave....so that MORE of these..."things" dont escape.
 
back in the mansion

NO!!!!

:: Alycia screamed and cursed....struggling but his grip was too strong, he nearly covered her face with his hand which caused her to almost PANIC because NOW she couldnt SEE what ELSE was coming her way. more ZOMBIES? other creatures? WHERE were they going?::

:: struggling in vain, the woman beat at the hand with her own fists...and thankfully her body contouring "armour" which offered protection against temperature extremes, conventional weapons such as knives and other sharp objects (such as teeth or claws) kept her body from being bitten ....but she could FEEL zombies reaching for her....her mind became ablaze with PANIC as she began to kick out...hitting some but missing most.::

:: NICOLAS would sense her distress as her muffled scream could be heard in the far distance. she was SOMEWHERE in the main area of the mansion, not YET taken into any passages. PROBABLY up on the same floor where she and Haleigh had been only moments ago.::


I DONT WANT TO DIE!

::she cried out in her mind as she could not with her mouth.::

:: Kyle....or at least the creature that once WAS Kyle, dragged her along before throwing her into one of the rooms that they had passed by during the initial run of this hall way. he slams the door shut...and lumbers on...disappearing into the darkness...and leaving Alycia stunned and winded on the floor in this dark room...the personal quarters of a lab worker whose corpse just happened ot be sitting, slumped over in a chair at a desk.::

::COUGH!! COUGH!!....::

:: the federal agent lay on the floor, shaken and disoriented...and by now GRIPPED with fear. she HATED this place...and now she was in it...she was too afraid to move or even SPEAK now that she could. and what was worse...the CORPSE in the chair...began to REANIMATE as if it were expecting her. ::

:: up the main stairs, to the left...up more stairs, down the hall....a few paces...door on the right.::
 
A they stood there, Nicolas could feel Alycia's distress and he walked forward, trying to pinpoint her. Then a muffled scream was heard and he raced forward and up the main stairs and to the left to follow the sound. The passage had zombies shuffling about but he had no time for niceties. The sound of his axe could be heard as he carved a swath through the zombies in his way while pushing the rest aside telekinetically. He managed to reach Alycia through her panic and spoke to her.

Alycia!! Stay calm, I am following your though patterns. I should be there momentarily.

As he ascended more stairs, drawn to her like a moth to a flame, he heard her "say":

I DONT WANT TO DIE!
Click to expand...

Stay with me honey, I'm coming as fast as I can!!

He saw the door in which she had to be enclosed and tore it off the hinges, looking to see the federal agent facing a newly animating corpse. He "pulled her over to him and picked her up with one hand, brandishing his axe in the other...
 
A small clearing near the mansion

Oracle said:
<< Bishop didnt have long to rest, as he heard a slimey, slithering sound....and soon, from the ground, from the trees above...and from the slope near the water fall came giant, agressive zombiefied LEECHES....all zeroing in on HIM. this was in ADDITION to devil dogs that had become aware of his presence as well.>>
Click to expand...

Bishop was looking around himself, wondering how the hell he was going to get out of this one, when one of the dogs decided to full on attack and leapt into the air. He snatched it out of the air by its neck and severed its spinal column as it snarled and kicked.

Before he could catch his breath, two of the giant leeches were on him, toppling him to the ground. He rolled his body, managing to get a hand free to pull his 12-inch ka-bar knife. He stabbed one of the creatures with it, pulling the blade towards him slicing half of it open. He pulled the other one off his chest and stabbed it in what he could only assume was the thing’s head as it stopped moving.

He stood, and another devil dog came at him. He pulled the M16 off his back and fired into it. Its head exploded like a melon against a wall.

He wiped blood off the corner of his mouth. “Dogs? More like pussies.”

Just then he was pushed to the ground from behind by another dog. This one managed to grab a hold of his vest, but thankfully hadn’t broken the skin. He tried to hit the dog with the butt of his gun but it held on. He was able to take a hold of its leg as it released its jaws in order to try for a tighter grip. He flung it way from him and rolled onto his back, firing at the dog repeatedly until it stopped moving.

He started firing at leeches randomly, trying to keep them at bay, but they kept coming at him. He pulled out three incendiary grenades, and dropped them into the M203 attached to his M16. He could hear rushing water. He aimed in that direction and fired. Not waiting for the smoke to clear, he ran, hoping his path had been cleared enough for an escape.

He ran, until he could hear the waterfall loud in his ears and then, finally, could see it. He didn’t slow as he reached the cliff, and jumped off it into the cold water.
 
[ Delilah put a hand on Morgan's shoulder. ]

"You can't blame yourself. You're here now, and that's all that matters. Now let's go get Alycia."

[ She looked at her surroundings, a close approximation of what she had seen before in the danger room. But it was even creepier being there for real.

Nicolas rushed up the stairs after some unknown lead. Did that boy ever play well with the group? She didn't know what else to do but follow. Coming into the doorway behind Nicolas, she without thinking threw an arm forward and sent a laser blast at the animated corpse. ]
 
Arklay Mansion

<< Morgan jumped a bit as the sound of zombies grew louder.>>

they're COMING!

<< she looked over to see Nicolas moving away.>>

WHERE do you think you're going? we're to STAY together!

Harbinger: He's found Alycia wth his telepathic powers! she's not TOO far away. ...He's strong enough to get her but KYLE is coming back...


<< and as she said that....the group RUSHES forward, to keep up with Nicolas. He gathers up Alycia while Delilah blasts the zombie with a laser and slices him in two. as the group rushes back...making their way just as alycia and haleigh had, they find theire way BARRED by a new welcoming committee. there's a group of zombies ...about 15 of them...some in lab uniforms, other in "support staff" uniforms...and at least TWO in hiker attire....all looking decayed, bloody and inhumanly agressive. >>

allright.....let's show them that WE can be just as scarey as they are!

<< four zombies begin RUSHING forward, HELL BENT on biting Morgan. She leading off the offense of the women of the six , as she begins gesturing and a chime sounds off, Morgan weaves a pattern of power as she casts a spell.>>

Hell spawn demon creatures of death!
FIRE shall take your BREATH!

<< several flaming circles with mystic symbols form and flow around Morgan as she extends her hands and the rush out...spinning and sparkling as the slam into not one...not two...but FOUR of the zombies closing in on them...engulfing them in mystic fames before they EXPLODE...incinerated to piles of ASH.>>
 
Haleigh wasn't panicked but she certainly looked harried, and she nearly collapsed into Nicolas' arms as he appeared in her path and queried her. He was the FIRST on the scene and he wanted to know details she didn't think she had time to explain and even worse, he questioned her ability to continue.

"Alycia! .....[cough] Come on..... [cough] we have to go back..... [cough] for her!"

She said, pressing against him.... but it was clear that though she had the INTENT in her heart and mind to go on, between her injury and the fight with the devil dog pack, she was thoroughly sapped of the strength to continue. She began to cough more violently than before, coughing up BLOOD, evidence that her broken ribs had punctured her lung.... luckily.... the calvary arrived.

Morgan was instantly at Haleigh's side, healing her, and everyone had questions.....no one believed that could have been Kyle.... Haleigh still clutched the ratty child's tee.... in the chaos of everything, she must have subconsciously kept it close. She somberly looked at it now....

"It's Kyle Kelly alright. [inhaling and exhaling deeply as Morgan finished healing her.] Fuckin' A..... he knocked the living fucking shit out of me...."

The others discussed plans to reach Alycia, but Haleigh shook her head and moved quickly towards the stairs once her strength returned to her.

"No.... I'm willing to bet that 'Kyle', despite his size and strength, still has the mental capacity of a child.... he probably thinks she's some kind of TOY.... in any case, he'll take her right back the way we came.... come on.... and watch the fuck out when we run back into him.... he only got me ONCE.... but it fuckin' rocked my world. [as Nicolas takes off in the direction of Alycia] HEY! Don't separate yourself from the group, if you get ambushed--"

She sped off after him, leading the rest up up the main stairs and to the left.... up a second flight.... through the medical lab entrance to the entrance of the dark corridor.... where she slowed..... she lit a flare, suddenly calling attention to a NEW GROUP of Zombies.... but hell if they were going to stop her... she had a .45 sidearm aimed and ready, and she BLASTED anything standing between her and Alycia right in the FACE.... checking each room as they passed... as she had the FIRST time they'd come down the hall.
 
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Arklay Mansion

:: Haleigh leads the way and both she and Morgan begin fighting off a new group of terrifying looking Zombies. even ALISON is repulsed by this "new breed". Nicolas has secured Alycia::

He's got Alycia!

:: MorningStar destroys the reanimated corpse just as it rises out of its seat.::

now HURRY!!


:: she motions for them to come out of the room....and as Haleigh and Morgan destroy the group of zombies....they begin to run for the stairs::

Haleigh is right..to a point. Kyle's MIND...is childlike...BUT it has been erroded by YEARS of torture and experimentaiton. he will be unpredictable....as unpredictable as his BODY is INDESTRUCTIBLE. i SEE IT...he is the PROTOTYPE for what Patrick, years later, would eventually become..he was the FIRST attempt at a super soldier experimentation...and after YEARS of TRIAL AND ERROR at his expense....he is....TRULY INSANE.

:: at that moment, she turns...::

WATCH OUT!

:: and Kyle LEAPS UP the real and is now IN FRONT of them...BLOCKING their path to the stairs.::

his stature is immense...and his body...HORRIBLY grotesque...the awkward way he stands...one arm longer than the other, HANDS so big with the shackles of chains LONG broken around his wrists. tentacles sprouting form the hump on his hunched over back. his THREE eyes and his inhumanly long tongue that flows out of his gaping mouth. the grey'ish skin tone of his indestructible hide and his only clothing...is a tattered hospital gown that somehow managed to survive the warped growth and changes of his physical body!::

:: he sees Alycia...and he WANTS her...and as he slams his fist down toward the group...ALISON steps forward and THRUSTS her hands out a la' Piper Halliwell attempting to TRUE FREEZE him...but to her DISMAY even as a PRECOG...her POWER does little more than to SLOW HIM DOWN and even THEN he begins to fight through her attack.


UGH....THE STRENGTH HE HAS!! MORGAN GET US OUT OF HERE!!

:: she screams over the roar of the creature.::
 
From the Mansion back to Illustra

<< Spellbinder and Black Widow take down the zombies in the hall way on one end, while Perspehone dispatches another group with wind and lightning from the opposite end. Upon hearing Nicolas and Delilah have gotten Alycia, Morgan stands back and lets Alison direct them out of the room as the rest of the six follow morgan's direction to cover them from all sides while SHE chooses to bring up the rear.>>

No one ELSE is getting snatched back in here ..not THIS time.

<< she looks behind her....as shadows from around the distant corner indicate that MORE zombies are coming. but that becomes a secondary issue as Alison quickly explains more about Kyle as she "SEES" it....adding to Haleigh's earlier observation. this wasnt going to be like it was with Sharon there was no way that science OR magick could fix this. >>

which means that there's no way we can....

<< Alison screams for them to watch out as the creature that was once Kyle LEAPS into view....and Morgan is STAGGERED by what helooks like......HOW could that have EVER BEEN a human...a LITTLE BOY at that?>>

<< even for a sorceress who ruled hordes of demons....to see this creature..and to KNOW that it was once a CHILD that had been brutally turned into THIS...it broke her heart even as it terrified her to behold him.>>

Zombies are closing in on us from BEHIND too!

<< Harbinger tries to STOP Kyle but he's...IMPOSSIBLY too strong and at that moment, she screams for Morgan to get them out.>>

YOU GOT IT!

<< with a chime and crash of thunder, Morgan summons a stepping disc...and in the twinkling of her eye the six, along with their ally Alycia are TELEPORTED out of the mansion, OUT of the forest...and back to NYC, safely inside ILLUSTRA...with only the memories of that nightmare mansion to haunt them as th ey realize they are SAFE now.>>

.....

<< Morgan staggers with dismay as she leans against the wall.>>

is...is...EVERYONE allright?

<< she quickly does a head count. EVERYONE was there...thank the goddess.>>
 
:: Running into the mansion, Nicolas took off looking for Alycia and the rest of the group followed. It was like Nicolas to play Rambo and try to rescue the damsel in distress...but Ava didn't have time to argue or yell at him, she simply followed the group, dodging zombies as she ran. But as they came to a stop, the zombies grew more vast in numbers. Thrusting her hands out, bolts of lighting came charging from the palms of her hands, obliterating three zombies off to her left. Hearing groaning sounds behind her, Ava quickly turned sending a powerful blast of wind sending three more flying into a nearby wall. ::

"They're surrounding us!"

:: Shouting above the chaos, as the zombies multiplied, another threat surfaced, Kyle Kelly....or what was left of him. Watching the monsterous 'child' jump in front of the staircase, Alison took action by trying to freeze him...he fought through it. With Kyle stronger than everyone anticipated, and zombies closing in on them, Spellbinder made a sound move by teleporting everyone out of the mansion and back to Illustra. Ava's body relaxed upon arriving back home. Everyone was pretty shaken up...Kyle Kelly was alive and a brute at that. How were they supposed to explain this to Sharon? ::

:: Looking over at Morgan, Ava nodded her head. ::

"I'm fine..."
 
"Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."

[ Delilah had crouched down and had her head in her hands. This was almost too much to process. She looked up. ]

"You know what? I HATE zombies."

[ Standing up, she crossed one arm across her body and put the hand thoughtfully to her lips. ]

"So how do we get out of this one? Jesus - we can't save Kyle, or what's left of him. And we sure as hell can't tell Sharon about this - she'll go off half cocked back there and get herself killed. And we really sure as hell can't just leave him and those - things - out there running free. Fuck."

[ She shook her head. ]

"What can we really do short of dropping a nuke on the place and being done with it?"
 
Illustra

:: Alycia wanted to pass out and when Nicolas arrived, she felt herself TRULY slipping in and out of consciousness.::

Nicolas.....the creature......

:: She passes out as the corpse reanimates, unaware that MorningStar arrives and blasts it with a laser whiler Spellbinder, Black Widow and Persephone are fighting off zombies in the hallway. Harbinger directs them to move and as they make their mad dash, KYLE appears. Its clear that he has a preoccupation with Alycia, perhaps he DOES view her as some sort of TOY or object to be possessed.::

:: the next moments are truly frenzied as Harbinger tries to stop Kyle but he fights through her temporal stasis. Spellbinder teleports them all back to Illustra..and Alycia awakens with a START, thrashing about a little bit::

THE CREATURE!

::before realizing she's in Nicolas' arms, surrounded by The Six in ILLUSTRA!::
 
Illustra

<< Morgan went over to Alycia and checked her over...>>

shhh! its allright Alycia. you're safe now. you and haleigh both. we ALL are now.

no signs of any obvious physical injury that i can heal....Nicolas, check her internal systems as well and then take her to one of the medical rooms to rest for a bit. She and Haleigh can gives us details of their own recon mission later.

<< she went over to Delilah, who was clearly unnerved.. Morgan was shaken up herself, she empathized with her friend. She herself was CREEPED OUT by the place they had just been. it was WORS than the dream she had. she gave her best friend a reassuring hug.>>

you did great in there. you saved Alycia from the zombie. and now we're all safe.

<< she said trying to reassure herself as well.>>

but....delilah raises a valid concern. just what ARE we going to do NOW? we CAN'T just pretend that Arklay isnt there anymore....the longer it stays..the more danger it poses...there are creatures ALL THROUGH that forest, people have been coming up MISSING for over two decades and i suspect that nicolas, delilah and i SAW some of those people when we rescued alycia from Riley months ago....as ZOMBIES. the mansion itself is a death trap! The creatures....they're HORRIBLE!

Kyle Kelly is....ALIVE...how long before SHARON finds out even if the DONT tell her?? Will she BLAME us for not telling her?

If we DESTROY the mansion outright....THAT will draw attention too!

<< Morgan exhales.>>

this is all so...MONSTROUS.

<< having no idea that another problem was brewing from WITHIN....possibly from her best friend.>>

its a NIGHTMARE....and what if the VIRUS is still in there..just WAITING to get out? my magick cant stop it...HALEIGH is proof of that...if it gets out into the water system...what are we going to do?

<< her own fears...coupled with the grim vision that alison saw...were starting to wear on her.>>

we'll need to go over what Haleigh and Alycia found while they were there. but i just want Alycia to rest for a bit first. being dragged around by a hideous creature ....especially one that is the son of your best friend cant be anything so easily forgotten.
 
The creature reappeared as everyone came together to fight off the opposition and make a retreat.... Alison tries to freeze it but it fights through and Morgan quickly teleports everyone to the safety of Illustra.... and Haleigh can finally breathe a sigh of relief, gesturing that she's okay, though she still looks a little shellshocked. Delilah is the first to speak about what they'd seen and it invokes a quick and intense reaction on Haleigh's part....

Delilah said:
So how do we get out of this one? Jesus - we can't save Kyle, or what's left of him--
Click to expand...

Haleigh, loudly cutting in: "There's NOTHING LEFT of Kyle Kelly!"

And we sure as hell can't tell Sharon about this - she'll go off half cocked back there and get herself killed. And we really sure as hell can't just leave him and those - things - out there running free. Fuck.
Click to expand...

Morgan adds in agreement to Delilah, talking about how difficult it could be to contain the inhabitants of the mansion.... and her concern shifts to Kyle and how to handle Sharon... and this time, Haleigh BELLIGERENTLY interrupts:

Morgan said:
Kyle Kelly is....ALIVE...how long before SHARON finds out even if we DONT tell her?? Will she BLAME us for not telling her?
Click to expand...

"GODDAMN IT, LISTEN PEOPLE! KYLE Kelly is NOT alive.... [holding up the child's shirt, displaying it with angry emphasis] the LITTLE BOY that wore this shirt is GONE. G. O. N. E. As in, NO LONGER WITH US. As in DEAD. What you saw back there.... was some kind of Zombie with a deluxe UPGRADE package, okay?! It was a perversion, a mutation of his CORPOREAL body.... but there is NO PART of Sharon's son there ANYMORE!"

She was absolutely fuming, and venting it on anyone who insisted on calling that... THING.... by the name of Kyle. The same woman who just an hour ago had no problem dissecting a decomposed zombie corpse and attaching a human identity to it..... a switch in her psyche had obviously been tripped... she couldn't bring herself to attach the idea of a child-- Sharon's little boy, no less, to the thing that had nearly caved in the left side of her ribcage... and she wasn't keen on letting the others anthropomorphize it with Kyle either. She was desperately determined to SEPARATE the two as far as she could get them... if for nobody's sake but her OWN, so that she could justify the need to destroy it.... and not feel guilty for being willing to destroy it herself. The best person to recognize Haleigh's outburst and what was driving it was in fact Karen... it was a psychologically motivated desire to detach from the 'target' and Haleigh herself seemed to recognize that she couldn't DO that [detach] if she kept calling it 'Kyle'.... or if she viewed the creature as remnants of a little boy.

No.... in the same way that she had separated Patrick from the Super Soldier in order to fight it.... she was trying separate Kyle from the creature in the mansion and she was having a hard time because everyone kept referring to it as Kyle.... she took a deep breath.... and composed her anger.... before going on.

"We HAVE to tell Sharon what we found.... we can protect her from harm but not from the TRUTH. she'll find out eventually and unfortunately, she'll be devastated.... and probably upset with Alycia and me for going OUT there... but if she finds out we tried to KEEP it from her... or tried to deal with the fallout without her... she'll be irate.... and Sharon is STILL having trouble readjusting with her Silver Swan abilities.... We can't risk triggering some kind of relapse. [more gently now] But... we have to realize.... we HAVE to accept-- and help HER accept.... that what EVER that THING was back there.... it's NO little boy, and especially not hers.... and I KNOW.... if SHE can't differentiate between her memories of her child and that hulking BEAST of a monster.... when she sees it.... it'll kill her. The sense that she failed to protect Kyle and the maternal guilt and the irrational HOPE that somehow, if she came back, maybe he can too... the idea that what she faces in that creature was once actually her little boy, her baby, whom she LOVED.... all those feelings will combine and she'll be completely paralyzed by them... if she doesn't go CATATONIC.... she'll go BERSERK."


She lets that sink in.... and she mulls over the best way to debrief everyone on the mission with Alycia..... Alycia would probably want to be there as well but Haleigh would answer any questions or concerns as they were presented.

"We have to take this one step at a time.... the FIRST step... is separating the identity of KYLE from the creature we found at the mansion. I know I must sound like a broken record but I CANT stress it enough. Even if it doesn't bother the rest of you.... it bothers ME and I know for DAMN SURE it'll bother Sharon. Once everyone can agree to that.... the next step would be to disseminate all our intel and develop a plan of attack."
 
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