Pulse

     "Frank, we have a reading on the Escapees.  Number six was here no more than an hour ago.  And... what the hell...?" the man trailed off, staring at the small computer he held in his hand.

     "What is it?" Frank asked, walking over.

     "This is impossible... here, take a look at this," the first man said, handing Frank the device.

     Frank's brown eyes narrowed slightly as he peered at the readings.  "Number thirteen... but she died... the night she was Branded, she killed herself..."

     "I know!  According to the tap put on her with the number, she went off-line exactly thirty- five minutes after being Branded..."

     "So how are we going to explain this, Jeff?"

     Jeff shrugged, taking back the computer.  "Guess we wont tell them anything... least, not until we find out just what happened."

     "Right.  So let's get going, then.  If we follow number six, he might just lead us back to thirteen, and to the others."

     "Yeah, and the sooner we take down their little resistance movement, the sooner we can all rest easy."

     "Damn straight," Frank muttered as they started to follow the invisible data trail in the same direction Janna, Sebastiaan and Farfarello had gone not so long ago.

* * * *

     "...I will walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and I will fear no evil..."

     Janna's eyes narrowed slightly at the words and the speaker.  It was a woman she knew well... an adulterous rich woman named Lirra.  The redhead sneaked up behind her and leaned forward, whispering, ~But you should be fearful... because I am the god of death, and this is my valley, baby.~

     Lirra's pale blue eyes widened and she stiffened.  "...You... you really are a murderer... deserving of the Thirteenth Brand..."

     Janna suddenly grabbed Lirra by her shoulder length blonde hair and yanked her head back a bit.  ~I should kill you, you hypocritical bitch... but I wont.  Not here.~

     Farfarello watched her with a faint smirk. Strange... like me.  But not.

     Sebastiaan frowned slightly and put a hand on Janna's shoulder, steering her away.  "Come on... no use starting fights before you even know if you can stay..."

     ~What about Farfarello...?~ Janna asked as she was led away.  She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the silver haired man was no longer following them.

     "I'm sure he can take care of himself," Seb murmured distractedly.

     I'm sure of that too.  But I don't know how well these others will fare with him... she thought with one last glance over her shoulder.

     Not even five minutes later, Janna and Sebastiaan stood before three Branded individuals.  One, a scarred man with a number nine etched on his forehead, Janna recognized as a warrior named Reshka.  The second was a woman bearing the number ten on her forehead.  A thief.  And the third was completely hidden from Janna's piercing eyes.  They were covered by a hooded brown cloak.  Even their hands were covered, by gloves.

     "You've found another...?" the woman asked, looking at Janna with no small amount of suspicion.

     Sebastiaan was silent for a moment, choosing his next words very carefully.  "She was brought back.  By the Nexus.  She had killed herself by slitting her own throat, and can no longer speak."

     "What's her name?" Reshka asked, narrowing his eyes.

     "She... has no name."

     Janna chewed her lip for a moment, glad that Sebastiaan had chosen not to reveal her name.  Suddenly, an idea began to form in her mind.  ~Sebastiaan... can you read hand signs?  ...Answer inconspicuously, because right now, only you can hear me...~

     Sebastiaan shook his head ever so slightly, just as the thief woman spoke.

     "What shall she be called, and what can she offer us?"

     ~I am the Nexus' version of a blight,~ Janna murmured in Sebastiaan's mind as she signed with her hands.

     "Ah, she says that she's the Nexus' version of a blight," Seb blurted awkwardly.

     "A virus, then?" Reshka asked with amusement.

     Janna nodded.

     "And this is what you wish to be called?" the woman queried, raising a brow.

     Janna nodded again, and mouthed the word, "Virus."

     "Very well.  And what can you offer us... Virus?"

     ~Sebastiaan, tell them that all I am sure I can offer at this moment is my life.  Anything to stop They who worship this false God... Their Nexus.  They taint it...~

     "She says that at this time, all she knows she can offer is her life.  She'll do anything to stop Them..."

     The woman nodded slowly.  "We need all the help we can get... very well then.  I am Mikayla, and this is Reshka," she said gesturing to the warrior.  Her blue eyes saddened faintly when she gently placed a hand on the shoulder of the cloaked figure.  "And this is Vallum... he is... not well..."

     The girl nodded, her dark blue eyes shifting to Sebastiaan.  ~Tell them about Farfarello...~

     Sebastiaan cleared his throat.  "There... there's another one who came with us, though he's not Branded... I left him in the main room..." the boy trailed off at the sound of a scream coming from the direction of the aforementioned room.

     ~Shit!~

     Virus turned on her heel and took off.  As she reached the room they'd first been in, she found chaos.  Farfarello had Lirra in a death grip, and his knife was pressed to her temple.  He slowly drew it down, missing her eye by only a few centimeters.  Blood streamed down the left side of the woman's face as Farfarello laid open her cheek.

     ~Farfarello!!  What have you done?~

     "Making a new god cry..." here, he smiled chillingly, "Isn't that why you came here?  To get revenge on your Nexus?"

     ~Whatever animosity you bear for whatever god, it has no place here.  Don't kill her, Farfarello... you don't know what you'll bring down upon yourself...~

     "You're right, I don't know," he growled, flinging Lirra away, "But I'll continue my fight later..."

     ~Good.  Now come on, we'd better get you out of here,~ Virus muttered, gesturing for him to follow.

     The people who occupied the room finally rushed forward to help the woman, while Virus and Farfarello slipped away almost unnoticed.

     "Why did you want her spared?  She's worthless..."

     ~I have better things to save my hatred for... don't' you?~

     Farfarello just smirked slightly.

     ~Here, the name 'Janna' no longer exists.  They're going to call me Virus.  It would be best if you called me that to... the less these people know, the better.  I don't trust them, no matter what they say their cause is.  Though I know Reshka wouldn't lie... the thief woman... I don't trust her.~

     "I don't know who you're talking about, you know.  Why was your little friend so eager to leave me behind?"

     ~Sebastiaan?  He's afraid of you, because you are something he doesn't understand.~

     "I could give him more reason than that to be afraid of me," the Irishman muttered.

     ~No.~

     Farfarello raised a brow at the curt answer, but Virus gave no further explanation as she led him back the way she had come.  When they reached the room where Virus had stood as Janna for the last time, Sebastiaan wore a somewhat horrified expression.  He saw the blood on Farfarello's hands, and on the knife he still held tightly.

     "What happened!?" Mikayla demanded.

     "Nothing," Farfarello answered flatly.

     "Whose blood is that?" Reshka demanded in a low voice.

     ~It's Lirra's,~ Virus answered flatly, deciding to drop the facade, ~She'll be fine, though.  It's only a small cut.~

     Mikayla's ice blue eyes turned to Sebastiaan.  "You've led a potential murderer into our home... maybe two," she hissed.

     "Forgive me, I had no idea..." Sebastiaan started

     ~No one is dead.  Let's not make this any bigger than it has to be.  I came here because I want to ge out of the Nexus... simple as that.~

     Farfarello eyed Mikayla as he licked the blood off of his knife.  "She spoke too much of the Father of Lies."

     The one who deemed herself a Virus shot him a hard look.  One that clearly demanded silence.  Then she turned her attention back to Mikayla.  ~I will help you if you help me.  I need to take down the Wall... to get out.  And you need to rid yourselves of Them.~

     "And exactly how could you help us?" Reshka demanded, narrowing his eyes.

     ~I'm a virus, aren't I?~ she asked with a smirk, ~Just give me a chance and I'll show you the damage I can do...~

     "You prove your worth to us, and this incident will be forgotten," Mikayla said in a low voice, "If you fail... you'll be terminated."

     Such a cold way of putting things, she thought.  She smiled slowly.  ~All right, Mikayla... I'll prove my worth.  And if not, you can kill me.  Either way, I win.  However, if you kill me, I believe Farfarello might be a bit mad.  He'd like to go home, you know.  But anyway...~

     "Go," Mikayla said flatly, "But Vallum will go with you."

     The Virus blinked.  ~I thought he was not well...~

     "He's not, but he's well enough to be your guard... make sure you don't do anything stupid," the woman said with a rather hateful look.  It was clear that she'd already passed judgment on Virus.  And she did not like her one bit.

     ~Fine.  Am I taking anyone with me, or do I go alone?~

     "Alone.  Your silver haired... friend will remain under guard at all times until you return," here Mikayla paused and smiled coolly, "That is, if you return."

     ~I'll come back.  Don't you worry,~ Virus said with a smirk.

     "Vallum, go with her... make sure she wont betray us," Mikayla said softly, placing her hand on the cloaked figure's shoulder once more.

     The girl branded with the number thirteen couldn't help but wonder why Mikayla seemed to soften every time she looked at or spoke to Vallum.  Perhaps there is more to things than it seems...

     Vallum slowly moved towards Virus, after gripping Mikayla's hand for a moment.  He brushed past her, motioning her to follow.

     Virus stopped first in front of Farfarello. ~Don't kill anything while I'm gone,~ she said with a smirk, ~We can do plenty of that later.~

     The Irishman's single brandy colored eye lit up at the prospect of blood-letting.

     She turned to Sebastiaan, putting a hand on his shoulder.  ~Thank you,~ she began sincerely, ~I know everything has changed, and stopped making sense, but... you'll always be my best friend.  Don't let yourself get swallowed by the hatred, Seb.  You're not like me... and I don't want you to be.~

     He blinked, but nodded slowly.  "Take care... I'll be waiting for you to come back.  And I know you will," he said softly.

     The girl who had dubbed herself the Virus smirked and turned, following Vallum away.