Colin's posts

"Any idea where they went?" one asked.

"Naw. They seemed to head into different directions." another answered.

"We'll know soon enough. That stuff is potent. I mean there's-" the third started to say, before one interrupted them.

"Shh! We don't want anyone overhearing!" they whispered in a scolding manner.

"Sorry...!" the one that had spoken before apologised.

"Anyway, we should get going." the first one then said. "Let's keep an eye out. Soon the world will see the menaces for what they really are. What they hide beneath the surface."

Hal's expression hardened when he heard that.

"I see." he said.

"Ah, yes." he then said into the phone, the call having been answered. "We have a Code 5. Agents LeBlanc and Callamachi." he told them. "...yes, I meant that." he said further, before looking at Peyton.

"Where is this happening?" he asked her.

"H-hallway close to... to the storage rooms." Peyton responded.

"In sector 3-G." Hal finished, before the call was ended. He then sighed, and looked at Peyton with softer eyes.

"You're safe here." he assured her. "Just take your time... and relax." he went on. "If you like, you can watch the tropical fish in the tank." he said further, gesturing to the glass enclosure filled with water and aquatic life. A recent addition suggested to him by Hollie to help his stress levels. So far, it'd been working.

"....all out?" Hal asked.

Peyton just nodded.

"Damn it." Hal growled, before going back to his desk and picking up the phone to alert special security. They had general security, and security for when things like THIS happened.

"Are YOU all right?" he asked her.

"You didn't get caught up in it, did you...?" he then asked, bringing the phone to his ear as he called someone to break up the fight.

Hal had no idea what was going on, but Peyton was out of breath, and seemed genuinely scared. That never bode well. He got up from his desk and made his way towards her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Peyton, Peyton, calm down." he said to her.

"Focus. And breathe." he told her further.

"You're panicked about something, but try and get your thoughts together." he went on.

"Do you want something to drink? Some water?" he offered her.

Zeke looked back over at Aedan, and cracked his knuckles.

"THAT'S it." he said.

"You crossed a line, and now it's time to make sure this NEVER happens AGAIN." he growled.

Meanwhile, Hal was in his office, and the door was open. His receptionist had an impromptu emergency errand to run, so he gave her the chance to do so, allowing all calls to go to voicemail for him, and leaving his door open so those that wanted to speak with him, could.

He sighed as he finished listening to a voicemail, and hung up the phone on his desk.

"...need to get that info sorted by the end of next week." he mumbled.

Zeke's eyes widened when he saw this, and even though he had the archangels of wrath in his DNA, he also had an instinct to protect the innocent. And none were more innocent than Peyton.

Before Aedan could go in for the kill proper, he grabbed her by her neck and threw her off of Peyton with every ounce of strength that his muscles could bring forth. He then looked at someone who was watching them from afar.

"You!" he declared, causing them to jump.

"Get Peyton out of here!" he ordered.

This caused the person to just nod and rush up to Peyton.

"C-come on..." he stammered, helping Peyton to her feet.

Zeke might have been out of sorts... but he wasn't TOO far gone. He was still 'there' enough to be jolted back to reality when Peyton called out to him, between violent gasps for breath.

"...Peyton?" he muttered, glancing at her.

"You... you should get out of here." he said.

"You're already hurt." he went on. "No need for you to be even MORE hurt." he went on.

"...Mira'd never forgive me..." he mumbled, before looking back at Aedan and narrowing his eyes.

Zeke had recovered a little when she pushed off of him, but not enough to counter her lunge. She managed to tackle him, and the two of them tumbled about on the floor, with Zeke mostly trying to keep Aedan away from his head, for... obvious reasons.

They both seemed to trade getting the upper hand and disadvantage, but it was clear that at this point... they were evenly matched. Zeke was stronger, but he was a decent strategist, too. But this time, he was acting more on instinct. Aedan was weaker, but a better strategist... and that had gone out the window, too. With her boost making her on the same level as him, there was no clear winner.

And people were noticing this, too.

They were scared to get close, and some wondered what to do.

But most just fled, scared to get caught up in it, or fall into the sights of one of them.

Zeke didn't even seem to notice the blue in Aedan's eyes. In his mind, he was being attacked by an evil creature, and his archangel DNA was screaming at him to fight back. To smite it.

And he couldn't ignore it any longer.

Using his weight advantage, he managed to buck her off of him, so that she was sent forward, onto her front... specifically, her hands and knees. He then leaped onto her, grabbing her arms and trying to pin her down.

"...I don't have my sword with me." he muttered.

"Means I'll need to just beat you into submission." he growled.

Zeke didn't take kindly to being ignored like that. She was being so flippant with him, like he didn't matter.

Therefore, as she walked past him again, she received another punch. This time to the lower back.

And then another to her mid-back.

"Cursed creature!" he declared.

"Just rot! Rot like you are supposed to!"

Again, that did it.

Normally he could deal with her ribbing, but... not now for some reason.

He had to retaliate. So he did.

He was still close enough, that his hand... balled into a fist... met her cheek.

Hard.

He hit her with all his anger... and he didn't hold back very much.

"GOD DAMN YOU!" he shouted.

At that point, something seemed to snap in Zeke.

He didn't do much... he managed to hold SOMETHING back... but he couldn't contain it all.

He reached out and shoved her. Hard.

He pushed her away and she ended up getting slammed into the wall.

"Shut UP!" he yelled.

"Seriously!"

Zeke narrowed his eyes.

"And you're nothing but proof that your father didn't know when to quit." he said.

"I don't know where his soul is right now, but it sure are shit ain't heaven." he told her.

"You're as much of a sin as I am." he went on.

"The difference? I'M alive." he said.

"You're a corpse. Nothing more than a wretched soul chained to a corpse." he continued.

"Yeah. REAL love from a parent THERE."

No sooner had the words escaped her lips, did she feel Zeke's crushing grip on her upper arm, as he had darted his hand out and grabbed her. He was silent for a moment, before he yanked her back, so that she was facing him again, his expression hardened.

"...say that again." he told her, darkness in his tone.

"I dare you." he said.

"Say that... ONE more time." he went on.

"You really think YOU of all.... things..." he continued, venom in that one word. "...have the right to cast judgement on ME?" he asked her.

"YOU'RE little more than a testament to how humans can't accept death, and feel they need to conquer it, no matter what. Even if it creates an illegal aberration." he spat at her.