The Clinic- Chapters

[Techno]

The Clinic We have been ruthless in our quest to keep knowledge under wraps. It has been a difficult but rewarding journey, for we have the right to say that we are the Watchers of Peace and Justice. We have entered a New Age where Man need not resort to barbarism and violence to achieve his goals, but merely focus his mind’s intent upon what he desires and it shall come to pass. Despite the overwhelming odds against our Crusade of Light, we will prevail in the end. To quote the Holy Book: "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" Chapter 1: Identification, Please Shawn Billard Tapping the ballpoint pen against the wooden desk offered no comfort to Shawn’s rising anxiety. Things were about to change dramatically in the Clinic, and virtually anything could happen. Having been briefed, debriefed, and giving procedures on operations at the Clinic over 5 times in one day, Shawn was becoming aware of how serious this line of work was. Fortunately for him and his arriving co-worker, Shawn had the greatest opportunities and rights anyone could possibly want at the Clinic. There was no room they couldn’t enter, no patient they couldn’t observe, and no experiment they weren’t allowed to try. Doctors were completely free to perform whatever actions they desired, except for anything that could endanger the physical well being of their patients and the staff. Any researcher would be willing to kill for that position at the Clinic, but the only requirement to work there was one that was not only very difficult to achieve, but almost always life-threatening if revealed to the general public. Shawn was gifted with the ability to observe locations great distances as if he were actually there. “Remote Viewing”, as it was called, was a hypothetical psychic ability that granted its user the power to break down any barriers created by distance or physical objects. Shawn possessed this ability for sure, but that was not the true reason he worked at the Clinic. This was his first day officially working there, and once his patient and co-worker arrived, his true purpose at the Clinic would be revealed. Even so, Shawn still had time to spare before Charlie would arrive. Why not kill some time and remote view a nearby city? Las Vegas? Phoenix? Salt Lake? Charlie Souza “I hate deserts...” Charlie adjusted her glasses at every bump and shake the van took as it bustled its way down the nearly indistinguishable road. The air was hot and dry, making the ride quite unattractive to Charlie. Watching the driver from the corner of her eye, she began to peer into his mind. Ever since the young man had picked her up from the airport in Phoenix he had been silent and emotionless, in ways that was unnerving even for Charlie’s cold and sophisticated tastes. The sound of repeated rumbling and tumbling in the large space behind the front seats went on for hours, as the young man was also assigned to escort the “packages” in the back. Apparently the Clinic had little time to perform transportation services due to the strict watch from other “organizations”, so agents acting quickly and discreetly were a common sight for Charlie. Even now, the agent transporting Charlie and the packages in the back was being controlled and directed by an unknown psychic source from the Clinic. The masterful planning the organization that employed the Clinic impressed Charlie, mainly because of their intelligent gathering and communication systems, which relied not on artificial technology but on paranormal forces that resided within the minds of the agents themselves. They were capable of communicating with each other subconscious on a telepathic level so deep that it was a challenge even for Charlie to invade that psychic plane and communicate on a conscious level in ways that agents had been trained to do inherently for less than a year. Sighing, she ceased her mental infiltration and observed the natural wasteland around her. Robert Vienna The sound of rubber sliding across a round metal frame and against the gravel and stone of the mountain road went in sync with the symphony nature presented. The sound of birds in the stately trees echoed all around, singing as an unofficial choir one magnificent piece of music after another. The weekend was an amazing thing for Robert, as this was one of the only times he could actually enjoy the world in all its regal beauty. College was fraught with stress and disturbances, and Robert understood the importance of leisure time. Without true balance and order, the human psyche was bound for negative thinking, which always led to collapse if sustained too long. Robert whirred down the mountain road, enjoying the view and serenity of a world protected from the greed and mischievousness of man. Glancing left and right at each clearing, the young man began to feel an odd emotion rising: paranoia. Was it the air? Had he been riding too long? No, this was not a trick of the subconscious. Something was here with him, but what? Robert, not by thought but by impulse, instantly halted the bike, only to wonder why he had just done so. Looking at the clearing before him, Robert’s eyes widened at the terrifying sight before him. A dark black figure vaguely resembling a small child stood in the clearing silently, staring directly at Robert with dark red eyes. An innocent giggle tainted with mystery and hidden intentions echoed through the clearing and around Robert. Without even thinking, Robert’s subconscious commanded him to climb his bike and leave the clearing instantly. However, some deep, unusual thoughts urged him to stay, to remain in his very location. Before he could even challenge these bizarre urges, everything went black. Dante Fulke “...WaKe Up DaNtE!” Dante lay on the padded floor of a dark cell as his blood-shot eyes opened wide. The smell of sweat and dirt filled his lungs as he took in a gasp of breath. He had awoken for nothing, but was he truly awake now? Looking around his location, Dante realized he was still in the holding cell he had seen in his dream. It was made of thick concrete and was padded on all four walls and the floor. There were no windows but there was a rectangular dent in one corner, which one could easily determine was the door. If he was still asleep, this was by far the most detailed and realistic dream he had ever experienced in his entire life. Even the padding itself smelled consistently of sweat, dirt, and other foul liquids produced by humans. For some reason Dante was willing to accept that this was reality, and that he had somehow been kidnapped and placed in this cell. But, such a theory would certainly bring up some serious questions. Why had he been kidnapped? Who was the kidnapper? How and when did they actually pull it off? Any attempts for Dante to delve into his memory had been fruitless, giving him no answers but only a sharp headache instead. He was still aware of the passage of time, so Dante could determine this was the second day of his captivity. His clothes were still in good shape, but they were stained and quite dirty already. His next move would be to find some answers to his questions and possibly an escape plan as well. Jewel Ellis The rumbling of the vehicle was so strong that it shook Jewel out of her deep sleep. Without even having to move her limbs about, she realized that she had been bound, gagged and blindfolded. Thoughts raced through her mind, thoughts of where she was, what was happening, and how she had come to this situation. Stereotypical thoughts of kidnapping, rape, murder, or even other events that occurred in cliché movies and fictional settings she had learned of drove her imagination wild. Random thoughts and ideas cycled continuously in Jewel’s consciousness, and she began to imagine herself being kidnapped by Jason Statham, in the trunk of a BMW E38, driving through France. However, it was the distinct odor of salt that snapped Jewel back to reality, and she realized she was not in a small package, nor was she in the small trunk of a luxury car. Hell, she was probably in some beat-up van driving alongside of a beach or something. Well, there was no “ocean” smell, but there was the smell of sand. Shuffling around a bit, Jewel began to feel the texture of the floor, and could feel and hear the sensation of sand rubbing against something. The bizarre twist to this whole ordeal was that Jewel didn’t live anywhere near a large body of water, nor did she even live near a lake. Moving around a bit more, Jewel’s head brushed up against a solid mass, one that felt like another person. Look’s like she wasn’t the only one being taken somewhere by the kidnappers. Nathaniel Martinez Beyond the glowing haze, Nathaniel could see a bright orb above him, staring without emotion at his paralyzed form. He felt like his arms were twisting and turning into his body, going in positions unimaginably painful. Fortunately for Nathaniel, a bizarre numbness was spreading from his toes and fingertips, and it was traveling up his limbs towards his torso. He did not have to experience the aberrational sensation of his body acting like play dough. Was this sleep? No, it felt too strange...too different to be called that. In one moment, Nathaniel’s senses died completely, and he entered true sleep. Nathaniel then entered another state of mind, one he probably never experienced naturally. Without warning, his eyes began to flutter, and a new, strange world formed around his body. Scenes flickered before his eyes, moments in his life that had no meaning, no purpose to his waking life. Then, all of time froze as a wave of emotion too irrational to define came over Nathaniel. He felt like a weight was pressing against his chest, and a presence behind him was just standing there, watching him. Terror was all Nathaniel could process in these moments, for fear is the only emotion man understands when confronted by the unknown. Then, all the chaos and confusion ceased with one utterance, one motion. Nathaniel scuffled about, trying to get a sense of rationale in a world of hallucinations and fantasy. Looking for his hands, Nathaniel brought them to his face, only to see them bigger than they truly were in reality. “Am I...dreaming?” Nathaniel asked himself, unsure of what was happening.

[Techno]

Chapter 2: Gods Within Shawn Billard Shawn reclined back into his chair and decided to make the best of the remaining time he had. Soon enough his first patient would be arriving and there would be no rest for Shawn. The organization was ruthless when it came to mental alteration, and Shawn had read in his briefings all about the meticulous methods and procedures that were involved. Records and reports needed to be made often, which would be reviewed by experts working for the organization for the purpose being analyzed and eventually create a standard mental alteration process. Unfortunately, these days they only had one method for this kind of thing: break them down, strip them clean, and build them back up as drones to the organization’s growing ranks. But Shawn was not interested in these matters at the moment. Tranquility and self-enjoyment was something he recognized as a vital matter to anyone’s mental health. He had learned over time that the most effective treatment for anxiety was self-expression and relaxation. What better way to have both than to fly through the magnificent skyline of Phoenix, Arizona? Closing his eyes and clearing his mind of all thoughts and disturbances, Shawn opened himself to the pulse of the unconscious universe. There was nothing more amazing than to feel the waves of cosmic energy that rocked back and forth on the canvas of the consciousness, and Shawn had often found himself entrenched in this feeling, as if it gave him a fix of sorts when he had his doubts about something. Focusing without thinking anything is probably the hardest thing someone could ever do, except for Shawn of course. To direct your astral self through the uncaring yet soothing field of psychic plane that encompassed the visible universe by sheer will was a feat that took years to control, let alone the lifetimes required to master. Directing his mind with unconscious commands Shawn created a warp in this infinitely dark and silent reality, one that traced along the ley lines of human minds existing the world. He raced through the countless thoughts of people, seeing the world through their eyes a thousand times over. His destination was only bound by two factors: it had to physically exist, and thoughts needed to surround it. This warp in the fabric of the psychic plane became connected to the string of human consciousness that Shawn followed, giving him not only a limit to how far he could go, but how long he could hold the link. Reaching out towards the great collections of consciousnesses, Shawn could sense the psychic pathways that instantly formed because of his efforts. With a swift dive Shawn descended into the nearest path, and was thrown into an abstracted and vague world. Echoes and shadows of what was surrounded Shawn’s astral body, forming an ever-changing mystical realm around him. The mountains and the skyscrapers began to take form as the disembodied mind and the real world merged together in a holy union. By opening his eyes, Shawn’s mind connected to the space around it, and his senses were flooded by the colors and noises around him. He could feel the desert wind blowing against his skin, and the city lights and sounds reverberated through his massless form. He was in Phoenix, but at the same time he wasn’t physically there himself. He could see the streetlights change and the people walk to and fro. He could hear the cars honking and the citizens of the city chattering away. The smell of a nearby fast food restaurant came to Shawn, and the force of gravity fighting the ground below his feet was ever-present. If there was one thing in the world that could even give Shawn a rush, it was truly this... Charlie Souza Grinning, Charlie decided to take a little taste of the minds of the people in the back of the van. Since they were being transported to the Clinic and would eventually be given to certain doctors anyway, this was probably Charlie’s only chance at delving into these peoples’ minds and dig a little big into their memories and such. Getting in a comfortable position, Charlie closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all thoughts and disturbances and opened herself to the pulses of consciousness around her. While she could easily read the mind of an individual visible to her, such as the driver of the truck, Charlie required more effort when it came to telepathy on those out of her sight. As she began to empty her mind more and more, Charlie began to sense the minds of the individuals around her more easily. The psychic plane around her began to bulge and warp as she began to tune her consciousness to the frequency of less intelligent minds. Unfortunately for Charlie and other telepaths, if one were to instantly connect with a person whose brain functioned more rapidly or slower than your own, their minds could be more easily detected or even altered by the victims themselves. Entering the mind of one with less intelligence than the telepath could very well retard their own minds to a certain degree, while vice versa would not necessarily make them more intelligent, but rather make them more susceptible to detection. Charlie’s mind began to focus in on one of the individuals in the back, but there was no conscious thought emanating from their mind. It seemed that the sedatives that the agent had administered to the patient was still in effect on them, meaning mind-affecting chemicals easily influenced them. This would certainly save the staff at the Clinic money on sleep-inducing medications as well. Naturally, Charlie directed her focus to the next individual, and could sense that they were already awake and active. Thoughts of rage and anger filled Charlie’s mind, only to be brought under control by the individual’s willpower and reasoning. The basic thoughts of the human’s inferior consciousness were audible in Charlie’s mind. “Observe my surroundings first. Get response from this person. Make escape plan afterwards.” Charlie then began to delve into the individual’s mind, and pushed her thoughts from survival to personal knowledge. “My name is Jewel Ellis. I’m nice. I don’t talk a lot. Very friendly and empathic. I’m wacky sometimes...” Before Charlie could direct Jewel’s thoughts any further, Charlie could sense the girl’s mind was putting up a serious defense. This was too early for a mundane individual to have such a strong mental defense against telepathy, which led Charlie to confirm that Jewel had a psychic defense. But if she had a psychic defense, then she had to possess a psychic ability as well, but what? Seeing she could learn nothing more from her, Charlie let go of Jewel’s mind and began to think about her next moves. She realized that Jewel was being transported to the Clinic to be mentally altered into a Psi-Agent, but before they got there Charlie needed to know exactly what power she possessed. Generally doctors were secretive when it came to facts about their patients, so Charlie didn’t have much time to get the knowledge she needed from Jewel. “How much time till we arrive to the Clinic?” The driver shifted his posture as he rapidly communicating with fellow agents far and wide for an answer. “27 minutes.” Robert Vienna Robert could see nothing but blackness, one so deep that he felt sick from looking at it. Where was he, and how did he get there? Moving around was effortless, so effortless that Robert felt he was weightless. In fact, Robert didn’t even feel the effect of gravity on his body. It was like he was dreaming, but he wasn’t sure he was really dreaming at all. There was up, no down, no light, and no ground. Silence was everything, and numbness filled in the gaps. The feeling of being drugged was not enough to explain what he was experiencing. Or was it? Robert’s mind raced from thought to thought with unimaginable speeds. Each thought separately seemed random, but together it was like an infinite chain of suppressed emotions, desires, and mental commands. Thoughts about Robert’s life, family, friends, enemies, job, education, his history and more came and went like raindrops in a storm. Separately they were nothing but together they were what gave Robert life. It seemed like this train of thought would never end, but a stray thought seemed to pop up now and then, one that was different from the rest. The though of waking up from this odd dream bugged Robert’s mind, and the pleasure of living the abstract versions of his memories repeatedly struggled to remain dominant. Bump. Bump. Bump. Robert began to experience touch again, and the first thing he could sense was the incessant throbbing in his back. It was as if something kept slamming itself against his scapula like a hammer would against a nail. With his chain of abstract thought breaking apart, Robert began to become frustrated at his situation. The scent of sand and the taste of blood overpowered his mind, and Robert was being dragged closer and closer to the threshold of consciousness. Then, without warning: BUMP. Groaning, Robert’s eyes stopping flickering from under his eyelids, and the sensation of being paralyzed spread throughout his body. A rumbling noise became louder and louder, and the restless shaking feeling underneath Robert’s body brought him to reality. As if by instinct, Robert moved his legs and arms, only to realize that his legs were bound together and his arms were tied behind his back. The bumping against his back ceased, and the sound of a mass shifting against rocky grains and a plastic surface signaled to Robert that he was not on the mountain trail anymore. Swiftly moving back and forth, Robert realized he was not only bound, but also blindfolded and gagged. The slight sound of a muffled female voice reached Robert’s ears, which not only gave him some sense of bittersweet comfort, but it only furthered his growing fear that he had been kidnapped. Uttering a muffled curse word, Robert attempted to turn his body around so that he would be facing this other person. It seemed that she was the one who had awakened him, which seemed like something that deserved a hardy “thank you” in return. Aside from that thought, Robert realized he first needed to figure out what was going on. Dante Fulke The first thing Dante needed to discover was if there was someone else here. By doing that he’s probably be capable of learning about something outside of these four walls. There was never a situation for Dante where knowing too much was a bad thing, and he hoped that the same concept applied to his current situation. Dante let out a growl as he ran forward and slammed his hands and arms against the metal door, making a considerable amount of noise. Instead of banging on the door any longer, Dante immediately stopped and listened carefully. Somewhat to his surprise, he heard the sound of shoes shuffling against a concrete surface, which already informed him that someone was standing outside of the cell door. The possible scenarios of what was happening to Dante had now been reduced greatly thanks to the impulsive and foolish mistake that the person outside the cell had just performed. This informed Dante that there was a guard of sorts outside of the room he was in, and he had more than enough reason to believe he was being detained for a specific reason. Dante began to conjecture that if there was a guard then there must be some level of order in the location he was being held in. If there was order then there must be some sort of important goal or purpose for Dante’s kidnapping. The million-dollar question was who kidnapped Dante in the first place? Although he was sure he wouldn’t find that answer out any time soon, Dante was certain that he could continue to determine the levels of complexity of the organization that was bent on keeping him in this god-forsaken cell. If he listened carefully enough, Dante could figure out when there were shift changes to the security outside his cell. That could continue to give him a sense of time, which would then allow him to determine what the daily routine for these people were. From there he could even proceed to calculate his possible location in the world’s numerous time zones based on the difference between his sleeping pattern versus the daily pattern of the guarding shifts. Dante was also sure that these people wanted him alive, which meant that he would eventually be fed. This proved that the organization wanted him alive for some period of time, because after all, if an organization capable of kidnapping him didn’t want him alive to begin with, why would they go to so much trouble of keeping him a cell for two days? And if he were to be fed, Dante could even memorize more routines and the individuals that would enter the cell. Although his surrounding environment didn’t tell him much else, Dante was feeling unsure if they’d let him use a restroom outside of the cell. Still, it was better than not being alive at all. Jewel Ellis Rocking back and forth, Jewel bumped her head into the solid form next to her again and again. She needed to learn about her surroundings somehow, and no matter how odd it sounded, she could most definitely learn something by banging her head against another person quite easily. Although her arms were bound to her back by the wrist, Jewel was still able to move them around a bit. As she began to think out a plan, Jewel’s thoughts were brought back to how she even became kidnapped. But before her thoughts could delve anywhere into the immediate past, Jewel began to have an excruciating headache. Without hesitation Jewel diverted her attention to the matter at hand, and was surprised to discover that her headache vanished right then and there. Bewildered by this fact but not deterred, Jewel continued to attempt to get a response from the living mass next to her. Calm and composed, Jewel was attempting to learn as much as she could about her surroundings. She even began to listen to the rhythm the vehicle made when driving down the mysterious path it was taking. There were numerous bumps a minute, but for the most part it made a sound akin to a vehicle driving on sand. Was she on a desert road perhaps? But that would call into question how she came to such a place. Jewel’s shoulders began to ache, as the pressure on her back from having her arms bound began to sink into her immediate attention. Rage and anger began to fill Jewel’s mind as she became furious at the thought of having been kidnapped at all. Thoughts of retribution and revenge filled her mind, only to be cut short by her conscience, which demanded her to continue trying to response from the other person. But suddenly a bizarre feeling entered Jewel’s mind, one that felt invasive yet not malicious. It was as if someone was watching her silently, and that feeling was beginning to gnaw at Jewel’s self-control. She was unaware that she was holding her own breath, as fear began to tighten its grip on her sanity. Thoughts entered her mind, as if some force was directing her to think a particular thing. Her own name flashed by in her mind, and so did a description of how she generally acted. Suddenly the directed thoughts stopped, and Jewel took a sharp inhale through her nose as she was released from that moment of paranoia. To her surprise, Jewel felt the other body begin to move on it’s own. She even heard a male voice groan, and she moved herself over to make room for them. With whatever senses she had left, Jewel could determine that this person was also bound like her, and that he had just woken up as well. Now that both of them were awake and aware of their situation, they needed to find a way to work together. Nathaniel Martinez Nathaniel’s mind was unsure of what was happening, but his instincts told him this was not real life. Without a moment’s hesitation, Nathaniel looked around to see a blurred and ever-changing scenery form around him. Sounds were muffled and vague, while smells and tastes were nonexistent. Touch was weak, and riddled with inconsistencies and ambiguous sensations. Surely this was a dream, but what Nathaniel couldn’t get his mind around was why it was so bizarre. Focusing his mind, Nathaniel took a step forward, only to have a surreal imitation of gravity drag his body backwards. Stumbling to and fro for balance was difficult and seemed futile to Nathaniel, until everything seemed to magically stabilize. A sense of cold shot up through Nathaniel’s spine, and he felt as if the paralysis was slowly creeping through his body again. “tUrN aRoUnD!” As his body began to perspire, Nathaniel’s limbs seemed to move against his will and towards the source of the infernal voice behind him. Closing his eyes, Nathaniel struggled to stay in control, only to have a greater sense of fear and paranoia rush through him. Nathaniel felt as if he was being sent to hell itself, and this fear chipped away at his sense of reality, driving him further into panic. When his body came to a stop, Nathaniel lashed back and forth mentally, trying to escape the urges that commanded him to open his eyes and stare at the face of death. However, upon opening his eyes, Nathaniel saw not death, but a beautiful city skyline stretching before him infinitely. The rushing wind pervaded Nathaniel’s body, giving him a chill so great that he took a step back. As his feet moved back each step, Nathaniel could feel they were getting weaker and weaker, and a strange feeling began to form in his gut. This emotion was unlike anything Nathaniel had ever experienced, and it was almost impossible to describe. One phrase began to echo through his mind though, a phrase so chilling that brought Nathaniel’s eyes wide open: “End it all...” Without warning, adrenaline surged through Nathaniel’s body, and his legs began to move forward. The sound of gravel being crushed under his feet was beginning to paint a picture of what was happening to Nathaniel. The skyline seemed to move further away from him, while simultaneously the buildings closest to him moved closer. Sheer terror gripped Nathaniel’s soul as his legs kicked him off the gravel-covered roof and sent him straight into the chasm of concrete and steel below. Screaming for his life as the ground came rushing at him, Nathaniel could see a black figure staring directly at him with blood red eyes. It was grinning at Nathaniel with a smile riddled with sharp white teeth that gave it a terrifying look beyond words. Nathaniel’s eyes shot open in terror and shock as he began lashing out and screaming at the top of his lungs. The bright world around him flooded his vision, and the sounds of people talking in hushed but startled tones rang loudly through his ears. A painful throbbing emanated through his skull as his heart rate escalated rapidly and blood was pumping through his veins fiercely. His body restrained, Nathaniel heard a distinct voice through all the chaos, one that was not only calm but also very serious. “Don’t try that again Mr. Martinez...or you will die.” Amitlu Nopaew Running into the master bedroom, Amitlu leaped over the king sized mattress and ducked on the floor next to the wooden cabinet. There was a liquid stain spread out across his over clothing and shirt, as if it had been splattered onto him somehow. Quickly reaching for the phone on the cabinet, Amitlu began dialing 911 with his gloved hands. Sure enough that murder would find him, but for now he had the advantage of concealment and the potential aid of police officers. The phone stopped dialing and a voice came on the line. “Do you really think I’m that stupid Mr. Nopaew? You can stop running and just come with me peacefully.” Terrified, Amitlu immediately shut off the phone and grabbed the undercover of the matters next to him. Running over to open the window, Amitlu began tying the cloth around the bedpost with one end and let the other end drop out the window. Stepping up onto the windowpane hesitantly, Amitlu looked over the edge and could see the grassy lawn three stories below. Holding his breath, Amitlu closed his eyes as he turned and dropped himself out of the window. Using the velocity created by his drop, Amitlu turned and pressed his legs against the stone exterior of the building. Quickly and sloppily kicking himself lower and lower, Amitlu went down from one floor to the other in a matter of seconds. Before almost reaching the ground level he instantly jumped down and broke into a furious run. As he ran Amitlu could not help but recall the images he saw that brought him to this chase. A woman had instantly materialized out of nowhere and twisted the head of one of the housekeepers, killing them instantly. The woman had continued to go throughout the building, killing housekeeper after housekeeper, searching for Amitlu. However, Amitlu was now outside of the estate and was probably more vulnerable than ever. Losing his breath but still running for his life, Amitlu continued to charge his way through the grass. He needed to get off of the estate and go somewhere, anywhere instead of here. His instincts were in control now, and Amitlu didn’t whether he should go to the police or to where people where. Even if he began to explain what was happening to him, Amitlu didn’t expect anyone to believe that a woman had teleported into his estate and killed everyone except for him. Hell, Amitlu couldn’t even believe the story himself but it had happened somehow. Before he had run halfway to the gates of the estate, Amitlu saw a bizarre vortex form a few meters ahead of him, which instantly then formed into the woman that was chasing him. She had long brown hair and deep blue eyes and was dressed in some sort of military uniform, one that looked unlike any uniform Amitlu had ever seen before. The woman instantly ran up to Amitlu and sent his foot flying directly at his chest. Amitlu was prepared, and caught the woman’s leg and attempted to twist it. The woman bent downwards and performed a handstand while she kicked at Amitlu’s stomach. Keeling backward, Amitlu took a defensive position while seeing the woman get onto her feet. Before he could even react Amitlu saw the woman vanish into a vortex, only to hear her reappear behind him. The woman grabbed a hold of his right arm and placed an army knife at Amitlu’s throat. The two stood there in silence for a moment, while Amitlu planned his next move.