WHAT COMES AFTER I (Ch. 109)

"RAVEN!", "JAYSON" Laura and Maya shout running up to them, assisting Raven up the latter turns to Mari,

"Get them here quickly, we've been compromised",

"Already on it" she replies, as the girls help the guy's with the exclusion of Dennis and Darren into the house.

Now within the confines of Laura's house the group take several minutes to collect themselves, 

"So what's next?" Jayson questions,

"We train, and wait, with this we've achieved our goal" Raven replies,

"which was?" Mari questions, "you've been deliberately vague about that" she concludes,

"For us?" He pauses, "Time" Raven replies, 

"Time?" Laura questions,

"Time, her capture delays the war" he responds,

"Unlikely" Mari frowns,

(Did we really waste all that effort for nothing?), "Even more unlikely that we break her" she follows,

"Who said anything about breaking her?, I wasn't the one desperate for this deal, he was" Raven nods upwards his chin aiming up to Jimmy, "care to know why i took your deal?" Raven questions,

"With literary understanding it didn't make a lot if sense, but then it occured to me, you have an artifact to get the required information don't you?" He grins,

"Surely she's been long warded by an Enchantment type artifact" Mari questions,

"Even better if she has" Raven's lips tilt slightly. At the sight Laura realises the boy she remembers had long since changed, 

(He really lost weight didn't he, and they look so alike),

"Rave?" She calls,

"Hmm?" He turns to her,

"The other Raven where is he?" She questions, the others who are now awake turn to listen in curiosity. Raven exhales, pondering a lie momentarily,

(Ahhh fuck it) he sighs, a few minutes latter they're eyes are widened with varying degrees of shock, 

"That makes oddly enough sense" Mari mumbles turning to the guard, walking up to her she pulls her mask off. Beneath it is a short brown haired yellow fair skinned woman, Mari opens first an eye, the first sea blue, opening the other out if curiosity to see they're simple black, 

(Heterochromia), 

"They're beautiful" Maya mumbles,

"Yes, admire the enemy" Laura trolls, with a settled heart, the unification of the people she thought separate had given clarity to her internal dilemma, 

"Getting back on track, you said time, how?" Jayson states,

"Ceb... MURAKAN are well aware we have the means to invade her mind, knowing the bastards they'll try to kill her, that fails and they'll alter their plans as best possible to throw us off" he concludes,

"Plan's that include ensuring the success of the crew war" Jimmy follows, "they wouldn't want the date to be known, meaning you have anything from a week to a month of  pensive respite" he analysis,

{He'd have peered brilliantly with the big eared one, a shame} Silver quip,

(Don't be an ass, you know his name, and despite my violent impulses i agree) Raven telepaths, 

"Where's Konan?" Yanick groans, 

"He's here" Mari replies as the Shifter's in the group pick the sound of several approaching vehicles, 

Raven Mari and Jayson make their way out, exiting the car at the head of a fleet of a dozen mercades cars a woman with stark white hair and a devilishly beautiful face steps out with Konan following out his side momentarily, 

"Raven Voss" Raven calls extending his hand, his face apathetic,

"The heart really has changed your personality, i wonder, will this fade with time or will it keep permanence" she smiles taking his hand,

"If truly it's changed i can only say it's for the better" he replies, his statement soliciting a light chuckle from her,

"That evaluation i must agree with" she replies, "call me aunty", she grins,

"Aunty?" Raven questions, "wh..." He's about ti question,

"Yes just like that" she replies ever smiling as she steps into the house.

Meanwhile several miles away James's uncle who'd continue to spectate chuckles at the sight of Evelyine arriving,

"I should've known, they were alway's the best of friends, it's quite a force you have beside you Voss" 

"I must concur" a voice rings from behind him, "it's been years, how've you been, Ashy" Rachel mocks,

"She still calls me that?" He chuckles, 

"What?, It suits you" She smiles, 

"So tell me Ashton, what brings one if the few Brain level Shifter's all the way here?" She inquires,

"Oh?, Interrogatin me already i see, can't a man just have a nice family vacation?" He questions sarcastically,

"Alright, i'll believe my you, so tell me old friend" Rachel questions taking a seat next to the towering hulk, "how's being president been"

"Horrid, those conglomerate bastards are pressing desperately to seize monopoly, even more eager are the new gen old head non's, with the emergence of KINETIC SHIFTING they've become obsessed"

"Can't say i blame them" she replies, "for them there's finally something other to life than the conventional acrewment of money and power, real individual power subject only to themselves, the novelty and realisation most be exhilarating" she concludes,

"Doesn't make those bastards any less of a pain" he sneers, "they've been adamant in they're interference with government operations, some going as far as to fund and solicit terrorists, others inciting societal discord through media and manipulation, if i become more hands on with every facet of societal functions they'll call me a power hungry communist" he grumbles,

"That one's oddly specific" she laughs,

"Couple that with the endless piles of human trash and rotten officials i command and it's one hell of a shit show, the only thing keeping the wolves at bay is my power" he concludes,

"Which is exactly what they desire for themselves, the power to deter the similarly powerful by sheer existence, coupled with what is closest to immortality and the nature if humanity and it's endless self centered greed and there logically isn't much to say against them"

"This is why i don't like talking to people who are way too smart" he sneers,

"That's because all you know how to do is hit stuff" she sneers in reply,

"Book head",

"Muscle brain" she quips back.

The group stare in positive astonishment at the sight of Evelyine upon her entrance,

"I'm glad my lazy sister could be of  some use"  she states turning to Raven who'd followed behind her,

"Sister?" He questions following her line of sight to Mari before his eye brows lift lightly in suprise,

Mari she's your sister?" He questions again as if unsure, 

"Any your God mother" Mari replies,

"God mother?, Wait you're close too my mom?",

"Practically sisters" she beams, "it's been years since we've seen last, you probably can't remember me, you used to go around swinging that toy robot sword all day" she replies.

Raven's eyes widen momentarily as the blurry memory of him play fighting with a sword with a woman in transparent huge round framed glasses with similar white hair and toy sword resurfaces,

"You..." He calls,

"Yes me" she replies pulling the glasses out and wearing them, 

"It's nice to see you again little birdie" she grins, causing Mari to face palm,

(Oh God!) She's started again, 

"Mari get the boys in here would you?, Have them place the prisoner in my ride, i'll be dealing with her personally" she smiles, but this time a sense of dread burrowed from each and every one of their stomachs.