How insidious is evil? Can it become genetic? Can good be genetic? Where does that leave freedom of choice?

It had been a hot day and Darko, in his guise as the coach, had given the kids who were on the football team a lift in the back of a Ute and had handed each of them a bottle of water. However in the water was a drug that would render them unconscious five minutes after drinking from the containers. Darko had taken the children out of the vehicle and tossed them carelessly onto the ground.

The first thing he said to Sarah then was, "When doing dark magic one must learn that the more pain the sacrifice is in the more power you obtain from it. In a ritual with children pain is good but not too much pain because we don't want to destroy their innocence too quickly." Sarah was listening to every word that Darko was telling her like an eager student. There was a puppy tied up in the corner of the warehouse and he told her to bring it to them.

Darko then said to Sarah, "Your first lesson will be to prepare a circle. Blood sacrifices to draw a circle is more powerful than a circle drawn with something else. We are going to use the dog." he handed her a knife a told her to cut it's throat and let the blood drain onto the ground. He then said, "When drawing a circle with blood, the person doing the spell needs to do it and they have to put their essence into the sacrifice. This means drawing the circle by using hands that have been dipped in the blood of said sacrifice.

As he did this Geoff ran outside to throw up. Darko finished drawing the circle of blood around the sleeping kids and told Sarah to wait there. He walked further into the warehouse and disappeared. Geoff came back inside looking pale. Geoff and Sarah Robinson argued. "How can you be like that?" shouted Geoff. "I get wanting to be popular but how can you be willing to become a murderer?"

Sarah closed her eyes and covered her eyes as if she had a headache from hearing his complaints. "Stop being so short sighted Geoff," said Sarah, "The only reason I wanted to be popular is because it gives me power over the sheep. Now I've got a chance to learn magic, that's real power. Nobody will be able to hurt me ever again."

Geoff had hated his step- father because he had destroyed his sister's life taking away her innocence until their mother realised what was happening and called the police. He had raped his step- daughter only once but the emotional and other types of physical abuse lasted for years.

At the court case when the lawyer called him to the stand Sarah had shot him dead. To this day Geoff still didn't know how she got the gun. Strange occurrences always happened around Sarah but none more so than that day. For try as they might, the police never found the weapon she had used.

"Sarah," he said as calmly as he could, "If you do this, you will be worse than him."
"Shut up Geoff, just shut up" she screamed.
Darko heard this commotion and smiled, this would work out nicely. He walked back in and said to Sarah, "If you want to learn sacrifice rituals you need to be able to kill without regret." He waved a finger at Geoff and suddenly Geoff felt his body go rigid, it ceased to obey his commands.

* * *
James White- Eagle lifted his head slowly form where he'd been sitting. 'I hope the girl knows what she's getting into ' he thought to himself. He heard Darko tell her that her first test in dark magical rituals would be to use the blood of a loved one in a sacrifice. James knew that he had to act now, a lot of people had put their faith in his ability to do this.

James had been letting evil flow through his body. Darko had though that it would corrupt him and let him become an eventual sacrifice. James silently chuckled, 'Even after a thousand years, the fool hasn't gained a shred of wisdom' he thought to himself.

In the other room Darko had told Sarah to sacrifice Geoff, she got a shock when he told her this but she knew that this might happen. She nodded and walked over to her brother.
"Please Sarah, you don't need to do this." His voice was pitched high in a panicked tone.
"Yes I do" she said, raising the dagger and closing her eyes.

He though her mutter something about the loss of innocence, saw the dagger come down and--
- he was no longer in the warehouse but on a rocky ridge, next to him stood a distinguished looking shaman and lying on the ground a few feet away were the children that were on one of Flagstaff's middle school football teams.

They had started a camp-fire and he was just sitting there morosely. "She tried to kill me," he said miserably. "No" James White Eagle said, "she saved you." He continued, "I knew that Darko was going to be in Arizona. I just needed assistance in stopping him from whatever he was doing. I didn't know exactly where he was going to be so I contacted all of my students and told them to be on the look out."

"Students?" Geoffrey asked.
"Sarah is involved in one of my Shamanic circles. She is becoming very powerful in her own right."
"All that spiritual new age crap is true?" he asked. Then he shook his head and continued, "That doesn't detract from the fact that she was going to stab me with a knife."
"Hmm...yes, the only reason she would have done that would be to break a curse." He continued, "Did he curse you?"
Geoff's mouth fell open, He made my blood boil. He said if I told anyone he was going to kill the children, I would die."

Suddenly Geoff felt like a enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His sister hadn't been corrupted. She'd stayed just to save him, then it hit him. Sarah was still there. "My sister," he shouted in a panic, what about Sarah?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you" James said. "You have to go and get her back."

* * *
The knife had slashed through the air where Geoffrey had been standing. 'Thank you James' she thought to herself. She knew nobody heard her thought but she liked to imagine that James heard hers. Darko looked at Sarah as the knife passed through the air and he saw the brief flash of light that showed she had been assisted in thwarting him. Her brother was gone but he didn't really need her brother because the children were always his goal. But he would make her suffer for her betrayal.

He turned to carry on with the ritual and what he saw made him scream out in frustration. The children were gone. He turned to the girl with the knife still in her hand and growled unintelligibly. "You think you won? That was nothing girl. I just lost one battle and I've still got an ace up my sleeve. He wave his hand in an odd pattern and then moved each joint in it separately. One at a time.

Sarah felt her bone break and her joints pop. "You wanted to help your brother!" he screamed, " well now you can take his place. She felt herself go rigid, crushing her bones more than they already were. The knife the was going to sacrifice Geoffrey had fallen to the ground but Darko just reached out to it and it flew to his hand.

"You see little girl, I always prepare for the worst, I have a corr-
As he said this she started laughing weakly, "Fool. Do you think someone like James would be so easy to corrupt?"
Darko was going red with anger and the blood vessel near his eye started bulging and twitching. "I've still got you," he said. "Oh I know you'll say that you're not afraid of dying and all that nonsense. I don't intend for you to die little girl, no you will suffer. I will make you my slave, you'll do everything I want you to but I won't let you forget who you are. Your mind will despair at the things I make you do."

Sarah had gone into this prepared to die and although she didn't show it, she got ice- chills just thinking about what he said he could do to her. She began to wonder if saving the children would mean less deaths. She was sure that if he controlled her she would be made to kill on a very large scale.

At least Geoffrey's free," she thought.

* * *

The gas that Charles Victor had designed to enslave the minds of his ex jailers was a simple formula which, when dispersed through the air ducts of the building, would ensure that anyone who breathed it in would believe anything that Szasz said and they would work to ensure that he got what he wanted.

The interesting thing about the gas what that he didn’t wear a gas mask to prevent him from breathing it in. He had thought that it was unnecessary because he was the one benefiting from it as it had been keyed to his genetic make up.

What he hadn’t realised yet, nor would he, was that every time he breathed in the gas he lost more and more of his body mass and became less aware of his surroundings. In essence, while he retained his intelligence he increasingly lost a greater amount of his sanity. When he released the latest dose of the gas, his awareness of what was going on around him became that of a toddler’s. His world became the Chateau and his slaves sole job became to care for him as he played at being brilliant.

The man that had been sent to Australia to kidnap Stephanie for the now childlike scientist began to regain consciousness. When he had attacked Stephanie she had used the power that had been thrust upon her to defend herself against him. In doing so she had used a certain pheromone that had freed him from the effects of Dr. Szasz's slavery gas. He awoke with a splitting headache and a very, very painful memory of all that he had been forced to do.

As he lay there he thought of all that he'd done at the command of Szasz. He curled in on himself trying to make himself smaller, like he was trying to hide from the memories that he had. Szasz had made the staff at 'The Chateau', the mental asylum /jail become his servants. They had become his toys. Catering to any thing he wanted; Lust, sex, slavery, assassination. You name it he got it, he had committed more war crimes in peace time than the Nazi Josef Mengele during the 2nd world war, and his slaves were the people who were originally supposed to be ensuring the world was safe from him.

Then he remembered his attack on the woman, Szasz's experiment, he was actually quite surprised at the power she had. He had to admit to himself that no matter what you said about Charles Victor Szasz, when he created something that worked; It worked really well. He decided to get up and see where he was because he didn't think it very likely that he would be taken in and cared for by someone who he'd attacked. However he could see that he definitely was in someone's home and not a hospital. He walked out of the room he had been in and went toward a room that seemed to have a lot of light coming from it.

He was walking toward the door with the light when a woman who looked to be in her forties said from behind him in a surprised tone, “Oh you're awake.“ She continued, “Come with me and I'll get you something to drink, a nice tea perhaps.“ He looked toward the room with the light, shrugged and followed the woman into the sitting room and then into the kitchen.

“Now,” she said calmly “Would you tell me why you were trying to kill my assistant.”
“Uh...” He could tell straight away from her bearing and total confidence that this was not a woman to be trifled with. “It's a matter of French National Security, forgive me but I don't know who you are.”
“French?” Marie- Elise said. It was more of a statement than a question. “Maybe I should get the French government to tell me why it wants to kill it's Australian Ambassador's assistant.”
The man smiled, “Madam, if you could give me proof of who you are I will tell you all I know.” He said in a relieved tone.

After he had decided that it was safe to talk, he told her everything. It seemed his name was Jacques Vervoux, he was an orderly at the Chateaux. Marie -Elise was surprised at this, everybody with any knowledge of France knew that the Chateaux housed the most severely violent mental cases in France. Similar to Arkham Asylum in America. Only worse.

All of the staff there had to have military service and the doctors and nurses had to have worked in their specific field for at least five years before being allowed to work there. The orderlies however, had to have had training in the French Special Forces (Commandement des Opérations Spéciales or the COS.)

“A number of years ago we got a new patient, a Charles Victor Szasz,” he told her. “He used to work for the government but now he is completely insane. However that didn't stop him developing a substance that enslaved the staff and other patients. With all our abilities he created an international corporation intent on reaping havoc. It seems that your assistant is one of 'the experiments' he was working on before he was incarcerated. For some reason he wanted her back and, after seeing what she did to me, I can see why.”

Marie- Elise was shocked, a mad man had seized control of one of the places where they housed some of the most dangerous maniacs in the world, and he was using it to run his own criminal empire. She told Jacques to wait in the sitting room and walked off quickly, presumably to call some politician in charge and tell them what was happening.

Jacques tried to stay where he was but something was pulling him in the direction of the room where he saw the light coming from. Without realising it he found himself walking in that direction. The light seemed to pulse to the beat of his heart, he didn't understand the reason that drew him but he knew that he had to go there. The light from the room seemed to get brighter the closer to the room he got.

As he was about to open the door, there was an extreme burst of bright white light. The pulsing stopped but if he expected his vision to return after that sudden flash of brightness he was sorely mistaken. The door swung open and he felt himself falling to his knees. He couldn't see the Angelus but instinctively knew what It was. “My, my,” said Dani, “you must have a death- wish. You're lucky she's sleeping because I wouldn't have stopped her from killing you if she tried.”
* * *

After Stephanie had collapsed on the beach she hadn't been in any state to transport to the hospital, not that a hospital would have been able to help her. Dani was only able to help her by transforming her. Even if she had tried to take Stephanie home any touch of Celestial flame would start a transformation, so it was lucky Steph was aware enough to give her her decision on the beach.

She had whispered in Dani's ear that she did not want to be an Angelus warrior, she said that she knew the risk of burning the impurity from her body was death. She told Dani that she'd take that chance because she'd like to experience life with powers of her own under free will. She had correctly assumed that a warriors first priority was to the Light and even though they maintained a measure of free will they were, ultimately in service to Dani.

Dani had stroked her arm like a very dear friend instead of holding on to her as she had when transforming Howard Stern into Flame. Steph's body seemed to catch fire but it was not a type fire many people have seen before. It was violet. A violet fire of transformation, that seemed not to burn her but instead looked like it washed over her like rain.

What was actually happening was exactly what it looked like, the fire was running over her like water from a shower. It washed and cleansed her blood, cells and genes. She lay for two hours like that. Finally Dani told her mum that it was safe to take her home. Stephanie was gently put into the back seat of the car, while the other two women got in the front for the hour drive back to the city.

Dani didn't want to leave the guy who had attacked her friend on the beach only to have him come after her again. So she worked out a way for Finch to help bring him back to their apartment. Once they arrived back Dani noticed that Stephanie seemed to be sweating black liquid. She took Steph out of the back seat and once she had her friend in her arms the back seat of the car began to dissolve as if it had been eaten by acid.

“Eww. Is that what the stuff was doing to her body?” asked Marie- Elise.
“Probably.” said Dani. “Let's get her inside and then I'll see what I can do to make her comfortable.” They carried the unconscious girl indoors and she was taken to a spare bedroom. Dani turned to her mother and said, “Don't come in once I close the door, I'll be trying to help her body complete the process that it started and I don't know how that will affect the surrounding area.”

She really had no idea how to proceed and just followed her intuition. Holding her hands out over Stephanie she thought about their friendship and what it meant to her, how the unconsciousness girl had helped her through a particularly difficult situation in her life, how understanding, caring and forgiving she could be.

She didn't realise it yet but the light that had filled the room as she helped Steph recover would alter the colour of the paint on the wall but more noticeably over time, crime in that area of the city would decrease.

She walked out the room refreshed, as though she had slept a whole night and was ready to begin her day anew. She wasn't really surprised to find the man who had attack Steph outside, she knew that his fate twined with the sleeping girl's. However, she knew any normal person would be angry with him. She made some remarks about letting Stephanie kill him as he knelt before her, hopefully humiliating and scaring him at the same time. It barely caught her attention that the man had been blinded by the Light that had emanated from the room a short while ago as she carried on walking to the living room.

* * *
Stephanie awoke to see the man that had attacked her standing over her with a worried expression on his face. She saw him, recognised him and decided to let whatever was going to happen, happen. She realised that at this moment she was as helpless as a baby. Then she realised that she wasn't at the beach any more. She guessed that she was in Dani's home and that for some reason they had decided to bring this man with them. But, she wondered to herself why had they allowed him to come into her room?

“Are you going to kill me?” She said weakly. Of course she knew he wasn't, she just wanted to see his reaction. He flinched. “Mademoiselle,” he said “I did not mean to cause you any pain and I would like to make up for any trouble I have caused you.” She saw the earnestness in his eyes and didn't need any other power to know that he was telling her the truth. Half an hour later Stephanie felt strong enough to walk out of the room into the sitting room where Dani and Marie- Elise were quietly talking to each other.

She came in supported by Jacques. Dani raised her eyebrow, “ You don't take very long to set things in motion, do you Steph?” she said teasingly.
“I don't know what you're talking about,” Stephanie replied.
“Oh I'm sure you do, just focus and you'll see that you two have a link.”
Stephanie frowned, “I couldn't do that before.”
Dani smiled, “It's because of our interaction, you now have my ability, be it not as strong, to see probabilities.”
As he helped Stephanie to sit down Jacques said, “I'm sorry but I'm not following your conversation.”
Dani said, “I assume you've told Stephanie what you told my mother.” He nodded.
“It seems that your Dr. Szasz's treatment was destroying her body” She nodded in the direction of her friend and colleague. “When I helped her to rid her body of the poison we each shared a little of each other's power. We know that Stephanie received the ability to see possibilities in greater detail.” Dani smiled at Stephanie, “I on the other hand learned the truth about who and what I am and where I fit into everything. I think that that means that I will get a clearer understanding of all my probable actions.”
Stephanie's eyes widened, “He's going to act as bodyguard for me!” She cried out in surprise, forgetting that Jacques was even in the same room.
“I would think,” said Marie- Elise “that he owes you that much.”

Jacques couldn't believe it. In one 5 minute conversation, these women had decided what he should do with his life. 'But' he thought to himself, 'it is not something I mind doing. I'll feel like I am paying off a debt as well as working for a beautiful woman. There's no reason for me not to do this.'
“Anyway,” Marie- Elise continued, “A young heiress needs a manservant, especially when she goes to check her family properties in France.”
Stephanie stared at Marie-Elise, her mouth dropping open.
“Oh close your mouth Stephanie, you are one of the richest women in France not only because of your inheritance, but because a madman left all his worldly goods to his only living experiment.”

Steph was puzzled by this statement. However Jacques just stared at her and started nodding. “Is he dead then?” he enquired referring to Szasz.
“No,” replied Marie- Elise. “That gas enslaved everyone to Szasz, but in the end it reduced him to nothing...it turned his brain into mush. At the moment all he does is stare off into space he needs to be assisted in everything that he does.”
Marie -Elise told them that another reason they had to go was because Jacques was required to testify in a closed hearing in the case concerning Szasz.

Steph smiled, 'and so begins my new life' she thought excitedly.

* * *

Estacado was pissed off. The vampire had gone. He really didn't think it would have waited for Darko to return, but now he would have to put his search for drug lords who dealt in magic on hold. He knew that Darko was in the state of Arizona but his informants hadn't been able to tell him exactly where in Arizona.

* * *

In Flagstaff, Arizona it was night and the soldier had just finished a delectable meal. Humans with alcohol in their blood were always so much tastier.