Streaks of moonlight streamed through the fractured windows, creeping across the wall. Alex wondered how long the decrepit mansion could withstand the unwavering demand of gravity. During her search for anything related to the Cosa Nostra, she remained alert in case someone lurked in the shadows. The gang had been silent. The assassin hoped this was one step closer to finding her parents' murderer but seemed like just another mission for the Pyka.

Beneath her feet the wooden floor felt soft, not as much as even a firm carpet, but not right for oak planks. Alex moved down the hallway, her dark uniform brushing against the mildewed wall. The musty scent of rotten wood reminded Alex of things better left forgotten. Cobwebs billowed on the banister as she went down the corridor. In the grime, she could make out a faint set of shoe prints leading to a room.

She moved the beam of her flashlight, following the track in the room. She pressed the button on her earpiece, her only lifeline to her brothers. "Ace." She waited a second. "Storm is clear." Speaking in code came naturally to Alex and her brothers. "Moving to the library. Out."

Static crackled in her ear. Nikolai was the first to respond. "Ace, copy. Basement's clear. Found gold. Rage and I are headed clear."

Alex radioed back. "Copy that. Storm out."

"Copy. Stay safe," Nikolai replied.

At least Nikolai and Ryder had found something and were headed back to their jet. Alex knew Lev would be getting the jet ready to take off as Kellin would be ready for their older brothers. A smile formed as Alex glanced down the hallway, but left as quickly as it came.

Something doesn't feel right.

Alex was thoughtful for a moment, thinking over if there were warning signs. Of course, there were. A dark and empty house that was basically falling apart in the middle of nowhere. The Pyka telling them that the Cosa Nostra had used this place as a hideout, yet nothing much was here. The siblings weren't given much information in the first place, so it was like they were walking into a trap. Alex wouldn't be surprised if it was The Pyka just messing with them or controlling them like with everything else they did.

A chill rose across her pale arms. She spun, searching for the source of her unease. The flashlight's beam wavered, showing the way down a dark corridor. No eye-shine or indication of another presence, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

When she eased through a doorway, past the wooden door hanging off its hinge, she stepped on something hard. Books laid scattered across the wooden floor, muted colors like a dying rainbow. Stacks of paper littered the desk and the floor around it. Someone left in a hurry.

A large cracked painting hung crooked on the wall. Alex bent over and brushed the dust off the closest book, flipping through the pages only to find them empty. What the hell? Puzzled, an open book caught her eye.

A book full of writings and maps. She could only imagine them being used as weapons of some sort or plans of the next target or more. It was everything she needed. What they had come for.

She reached up to contact her brothers, but paused when approaching footsteps echoed down the hall; Alex dropped her hand from her earpiece and took the safety off her gun, raising it a bit. This was a surprise and she didn't like them, not even on birthdays. She thought she was the only one still left in the house.

Adrenaline coursed through her. Everything was enhanced. The sounds of her breathing, her heart racing. Alex eased her breath just like she was trained. Her eyes fixed on the door, waiting for whoever was there to make another sound. She knew it wasn't one of her brothers for they would have announced over the comms.

"Storm? Everything okay?" Kellin's deep voice spoke over the radio. "I can sense fear spiking in you, that's not your M.O."

Thank God for that empath.

She hesitated with her finger twitching above the earpiece button, then squeezed the gun tight. "Shadow, I think someone is—"

An explosion shook the hallway, blinding Alex and sending her into a bookcase. Small pieces of burning debris fell around her. Flames caught the paper surrounding her.

Every muscle seized up, her body struggled to recover from whatever had blown up. She lifted her hand to see blood dripping from cuts, dust and more covered it. Her hand touched her ear as she just noticed the ringing noise. She blinked just enough for the fog to fade in her vision. Her eyes found what destruction that was left behind.

Sweat dripped down the sides of her face. She spat blood, grabbed the shelves of the bookcase, and pulled herself up. The flames grew hotter as she tried to peer through the smoke, so black not even the night sky could match it. All she found was debris all over the place, either on fire or close by one. Her eyes found the door, but widened at the sight.

A figure walked through the flames, and Alex's breath caught.

"Ryder?" She whispered. Her gaze fixed on the approaching figure, dark shirt, dark pants. "Nik?" No, that wasn't one of them. The figure was taller from what she could see.

She stepped forward. Her eyes raised, connecting with the stranger's. No. It can't be.

Red eyes. Just like in her visions. The fire enhanced the red as it shone through the smoke.

"You." Fear coursed in her veins but never reached the surface. Her complexion remained pale and matte, her eyes steady.

"Hello, Alexandra," the figure's voice sounded far away. "It's been a while."

It was him. The voice that haunted her visions, her nightmares.

It was thought everything was in slow motion, her legs buckled crashing her to the ground. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she breathed through the sudden pain.

"Come back," Alex attempted to follow him, to demand more answers. Crawling over the debris, her eyes never left the man.

Smoke swirled around the broad shoulders of the man's back, clouding him, clouding the room, until it filled her vision. She closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall. She opened her eyes to find that the figure was gone. It was like he just vanished into thin air. Or was he even there?

Did I hit my head that hard? He isn't here. He isn't here!

The fire fed on the mansion's ancient wood, flames burning dangerously close. Eyes watered, she stumbled through the room, stepping over debris that covered the blackened floor. A wild flame seared her arm, a scream escaping her. She clutched her aching arm to her chest, eyes stinging, as she searched through the dense smoke for a way out.

Harsh coughs erupted from her, as she bent over to avoid the choking grasp of the smoke. The glowing embers leaped and twirled in a wicked dance, lighting the room. She crouched to see under the thick smoke, the acrid smell of the fire burning her lungs. It engulfed the door. No way she could get out.

"Is there another way out?" Alex asked her brothers. Her vision blurred and bile rose in her throat. "I'm trapped."

*

"She's trapped, Nikolai." Lev pulled up the blueprints on the screen. His fingers flit across its smooth surface. Nikolai leaned over his shoulder.

"Hurry it up." Nikolai demanded. "You've done it before. Find another way out for her."

"I'm going as fast as I can." Lev pressed the button to initiate contact with Alex. "Storm, on your left. There's a door behind the bookcase."

"On it." A cough erupted over the radio, then an intake of breath and gasp of pain. This wasn't good. Alex was injured. It made Lev nervous.

"She's going to get herself killed," Nikolai said. "Just let me take control."

Lev was sure that Nikolai didn't mean for any of them to hear his worry. He couldn't help but agree. The dark circles under her eyes screamed of exhaustion. He was surprised Nikolai allowed her on this mission. Yet, he couldn't deny they needed her.

"Nik, let her do it." Kellin said. The voice of reasoning. "She doesn't need you to control her mind. She needs to make her own decisions."

"This isn't a training exercise, Kellin." Nikolai turned toward the blond. "I don't understand why Igor said she had to be the one to stay."

"She'll be fine." Ryder said, leaning against the wall. "She won't learn if we keep pulling her out or going in to save her."

"She won't do anything if she's dead, Ryder," Nikolai shouted.

The tension coming off the two heated the air between them. Both determined to not back down.

"Guys, Alex's life depends on us." Kellin put himself between them.

Lev turned back to the blueprints. "Storm, you still there?" he asked.

"Where else would I be?" The sound of her voice was hoarse.

Lev smiled, able to relax for a moment. "Tell me what you see."

"A long corridor." Another cough erupted over the radio.

Lev pointed to the blueprint. "We're gonna get through this. Go straight and take your second right."

"Hurry." Alex said.

Lev nodded, glancing out the jet's window. His heart beating faster in fear. This fire was different. "Copy."

*

Dizziness distorted her vision. Alex staggered, finding a wall to lean on. I can't get out. I'm trapped. I'm alone. All she wanted to do at that moment was fall asleep and never wake up. Everything ached.

The fire crackled with a roar brought her back to reality. She pulled herself towards the bookcase. Black dots formed in her sight as she tried to push it aside. "It's not moving." No, damn it. Pain tore through her abdomen as she leaned against the wall.

Nikolai said. "Get out of there."

Alex studied the bookcase through the haze of smoke and noticed the base of it weakening. Using its weight, she wedged her hand between it and the door, pulling until it toppled forward. Just like Lev had said, it led into another room.

Another room? This place was like a maze, it was causing a fear to rise that she wouldn't get out of there safely. Pushing the negative thoughts away, she knew her brothers would get her out one way or another. Especially Lev. It was his gift of knowledge and technology.

"Get to the jet, Storm," Nikolai commanded. "The house is about to cave."

Alex scurried out of the room down a dark corridor. She couldn't help but wonder if they left anything behind. As if her brother read her mind, his voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Alex, get out. We've got everything we need."

Alex heard the seriousness in Nikolai's voice as he said her real name over the comms, but she couldn't help but question his command. "But what if..."

Ryder said, "Get out!"

A slight pressure entered Alex's mind, urging her to run forward. Nik, get out of my head. But she followed his orders anyway.

Her hand ran against the rough rock walls as she hurried down the tunnel."I'm in some kind of underground tunnel." She shone her flashlight. "Lion, where does this end?"

"Go straight, turn left and climb up. You'll come out at the start of the forest." Lev said.

Following her brother's directions, Alex found the stairs and climbed. She opened the hatch. A burst of fresh air rushed over her.

She paused to get her bearings, ignoring the pounding pain in her head. "I'm out. Where are you guys?"

Alex looked around for anything familiar. She was in an umber-brown, ancient forest. It reeked of age. Its woody incense was from centuries of snapping branches crashing to the forest's floor and rotting silently. The composting, organic smell rose up in waves like a miasma.

"Head left into the field," Lev said.

The further she went, the more spellbinding it became. Huge roots spread-eagled the ground, twisting like the vines. The foliage became thick and lush, forming an arch of fairytale-green above her head. She arrived at a wide glade, where the trees fell away, revealing the bespeckled sky. The night stars were glinting like silver pin pricks, luminous and bright. An ore gold moon hung quietly in the distance, casting a honeyed sheen over the trees.

Alex leaned against a tree. I'm safe. I made it. The relief of survival washed over her. The house appeared in her eyesight. Burnt wood filled the air. Black smoke spilled from the structure, choking the stars with its heavy clouds. The roof collapsed onto the lower floors as the fire continued its feast. Alex watched the scene, releasing a breath. What would have happened if she was still inside?

All of this trouble for a stack of boxes. She hoped they'd find something in them.

"Let's go." Her voice shook as she leaped into the cockpit. Her brothers spun to look at her, their faces wreathed in concern. She dropped in the seat behind Lev. "What?"

"You look terrible." Lev grinned. "And smell like death."

Alex raised her eyebrow. "I feel terrible. You guys yammering in my ear wasn't helping anything."

"Everyone set?" Lev turned the attention away from her. He pushed the controls forward. Engines roared and the siblings were pushed back in their seats.

Alex's head pounded and her ears popped. She turned away to hide her wince. She closed her eyes, sucked in air hoping the world would quit swimming. "It never fails that one of us always gets injured," she mumbled as she turned to grab the seat belt behind her, a stabbing pain in her ribs jolted her forward. She gripped the armrests and took sharp breaths through her clenched teeth until the pain subsided..

"Don't move," Kellin said. "You might puncture a lung if you keep at it." He folded his arms and frowned. "We leave you alone for ten minutes." He doused a rag with water from a bottle.

I'm fine, Kel. Just leave me alone. She tried to dodge him, but Kellin caught her jaw, so that he could wipe off her face. "You ought to see what you look like."

Alex raised an eyebrow and winced. Two Kellin's, two mouths, two pale hands shaped in her vision. She squinted back tears. "Kel? I see two of you."

"Hold on," Kellin whispered. He pushed her hair to the side and continued wiping off the blood and grime on her temple.

Kellin's hand glowed a brilliant blue as he moved it towards her forehead.

The pain eased off. The large bruise dissolved into a small spot until it was gone. Her headache eased to a dull throb. She moved her shoulders to ease the tension, rolling her neck side to side. Alex felt Nikolai's stare bored through her.

"Should be good as new," Kellin said. He winced a bit before downing some pills.

"You don't have to keep doing that, you know?" Alex watched as her brother tried to hide the headache.

"I'd rather I be in pain than you." Kellin said. "Besides, it's just a headache."

The jet lurched as Lev banked hard left, rattling the crates behind them.

Alex smiled. "Let's see what we found."

She grunted when she got up and walked over to the boxes they'd recovered. Hauling out a few envelopes, she opened them up.

"What? They aren't going to read themselves." She saw the looks she was receiving. Ryder was just shaking his head, before looking at their oldest brother. Who just so happened to be glaring at her. He shouldn't have been surprised, Alex knew her stubbornness annoyed him and the others, but she learned it from the best.

Kellin just happened to be looking down at his touchpad, ignoring the staring showdown. Alex figured he knew what was happening, but had to log any injuries that happened during the mission to The Pyka before they landed. She hoped he didn't mention anything, since he healed her and she didn't want any of the medical people to annoy her when they got back to their base.

Scanning through the folder, Alex paused and looked back to her siblings. " I know what you're going to say but we need to get ahead of the Cosa Nostra. We always rest and recuperate while they always get a step ahead. I'm sick of it." Alex shut the folder, quieting herself, but she couldn't give them a chance to escape. She needed the group to hurt as much as she had since her parents' murders. Could these folders have the answers they needed? Are their parents' deaths linked to the Cosa Nostra?

"Rest." Ryder motioned his hand in a circle, and the folder flew across the jet into his hand.

"They aren't resting," Alex responded.

Nikolai pushed her back into her seat. "I'll take a look at them."

"Fine." Alex sat back in her seat. Her mind played tug-of-war amongst resting and alertness as she attempted to stay awake. Her eyelids grew heavier by the minute, battling to stay conscious. Nikolai's voice entered her mind, encouraging her to sleep.

Damn that mind control bastard.