Drake walked the streets for a long time. He wasn't sure at first where he was going, but he did make it a point to avoid traffic areas. He didn't want to be seen by anyone, and it was a good bet he would run into someone he knew, members of a rival gang, or worse a member of his own gang. What was he going to say or do? What he could do was what scared him. He feared he was becoming what he dreaded the most, the monster that he had seen in his nightmares since he was a small child. He had been able to suppress it until now, but it was growing stronger in him, and he could no longer hold it back. He just wished someone or something would come along to finish him off and put him out of his misery.

There he was, getting suicidal again. How pathetic. Lea was right, but he would never take his own life. He didn't have the guts for that. It didn't mean he wouldn't push someone else into doing it. When his fellow gang members found out what he was, he was good as dead anyway.

Somehow, he ended up back at the hideout. This was the last place he should have gone. Perhaps it was his underlying death wish. He didn't care anymore. He looked on to see the old building that lay within what used to be a junk yard. He jumped over the fence with little fuss and ran quietly through the yard through a maze of old rusted out car parts and discarded junk.

This place used to be his safe haven, but now it seems more like a prison. As he walked in through the door and saw the familiar surroundings it made him feel uneasy. The furnishings of this place were almost all provided by stolen goods. He used to be proud of the fact that he basically planned all the heists perpetrated by the gang and the bigger the better, but now it just this disgusted him knowing he had stolen from innocent people. He couldn't understand why he cared now. He never had before, but somehow, he wasn't the same as he used to be. What astounded him is that he didn't know why.

No one ever treated him like he was worth something, not until the gang came along. Then there was Lea. They had a strange sort of relationship. He knew she didn't love him, and he didn't love her. He just needed someone to hold on to so the night didn't seem so cold, but she only wanted the power. She was the leader's girl, and that made her important. It didn't have anything to do with him. It was always about her.

He sat down on the leather couch in need of the rest, just a few hours of sleep, but his mind was not allowing him to relax. He couldn't get out of his mind what he had done to Leah, but he would do it again and next time it would be worse. He could have killed her. Part of him relished the thought and part of him was disgusted with himself that he would even consider it. He tried to put it out of his mind as he lay down on the couch and closed his eyes. He wanted peace, but all he could see or think about was Lea and what he had done to her.

Silence filled the air, but it was driving him crazy. Then a sound broke the torturous quiet, but for him it was a godsend. Finally, it was time, and it would be over soon.

"Hey, Drake," he heard a familiar voice. He kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. "Get your lazy ass up!"

Drake opened his eyes to see his friend Jed, but he wasn't looking so friendly now. "And so it begins, " he said in a low voice. He was either going to get a quick death or live through a long painful night.

Drake rose from the couch and faced his longtime friend and gang member. "Hey, Jed, what's up?" he said casually.

"You tell us," Jed said as he took a cigarette out of his pocket. He lit it and blew the smoke right in Drake's face. When Drake coughed, Jed laughed along with the other two teenagers who were with him. "Hey, guys, look at this. Fire boy doesn't like smoke."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Drake shouted, getting in Jared's face. He yanked the cigarettes out of his mouth and put it out by crushing it in his hand. The lit cigarette stung his skin but the pain wasn't something he couldn't handle. He then opened his hand and let the crumpled cigarette fall to the floor.

"That," a boy with spiky blonde hair with two red streaks on each side said pointing to Drake's hand. A small puff of smoke rose from it. He still had a wound, but it looked like it was already starting to heal.

"Yeah, Mel, Marx was right," Jed said. "It looks like our leader is nothing but a freak."

"Then let's take him to the boss," another boy with short purple hair said.

"Hold on, Ace," Jed said. "Let's have a little fun with him first."

"Jed, shut the fuck up and let me out of here if you know what's good for you," Drake said threateningly.

"Whatcha you gonna do, fireboy, torch us," Jed said as his two friends grabbed Drake from behind.

"Let go now, before..."

Jed just ignored Drake's please and instead punched him in the stomach. Drake let out a groan as he struggled to get loose. "Not so tough now, are you, freak." Jed was laughing which made Drake even more furious.

"Whatcha gonna do?" All three boys chanted over and over. They were laughing as they beat on Drake. Then finally the rage that had been bubbling inside of him his whole life took a life of its own and he cried out.

He heard Jed scream in pain as the two other boys released him and ran to their friend. Drake was in a lot of pain too. There was a burning around and the inside of his mouth. He looked up to see Jed's arm on fire and Mel and Ace trying to put it out. Drake looked on in horror. Had he done this? He wasn't sure, but no one catches on fire like that for no reason.

He staggered to his feet and stumbled towards the door. "Hey, you freak, come back here!" It was Ace's voice and Drake saw a look of pure hate on his face. "I'm gonna fuckin' kill you!" Ace pulled out a gun and was ready to shoot.

"Go ahead," Drake said and leaned unsteadily against the door trying to get it open. He noticed that Jed's arm was no longer on fire, but he was still crying out in pain. "Shoot, damn it!"

Ace hesitated long enough for Drake to get the door open. At that moment the gun went off just missing Drake as he ran out into the night. He had nowhere to go, but it didn't matter, nothing did anymore.

Two of the boys just had stunned looks on their faces as Jed was more preoccupied with his wounds. Ace held tight to his gun and flew towards the floor looking in all directions, but it was dark and no moon to speak of.

"I can't believe it," he shouted out. "That dirty bastard got away."

Jed was still wailing from the pain. Mel took the cue and knelt down by his friend to see how badly he was burned. He examined the puffy red skin on Jared's arm. "It's bad but not too bad."

"Not bad," Jed shouted out more from the pain than anything else. "It hurts like hell. I'm gonna find..."

"Would you relax," Mel said, trying to calm him down. You're not doing anything until we get that looked at. It's a second or possibly a third-degree burn. If it gets infected..."

"Fuck Jed's little bruise," Ace said, stumbling over towards the two boys. "If Marx finds out we blew it, and Drake got away... "

"So, we don't get paid," Mel said, trying to help Jed to his feet.

"Not getting paid is the least of our worries. If Marx does find out we're as good as dead."

He already knows," a voice came from the doorway. All three boys turn their heads to see the angry face of their employer. "Leave it to you three to fuck up a simple job."

Before any of the boys could react, Kal had Jed by the throat choking the life out of him. "Let go of him," Mel pleaded grabbing onto his arm, but Kal Marx just pushed him off sending him flying across the room. He landed on the wooden coffee table. The impact was enough to crack the wood.

Ace took out his gun and pointed it at Marx. "Get the fuck off of him, or you're dead."

Marks reacted by slamming Jed on the floor and coming towards Ace. He tried to fire, but somehow the gun jammed. He would have to run, but Marx had already grabbed the gun, crushing and crumpling it as if it were a piece of paper. Ace was frozen in fear as Marx grabbed onto him. The man could have broken every bone in his body, but he only wanted information for now.

"Where the fuck is Drake?" Marx shouted as he twisted the boy's arm. "And don't lie to me."

"He... he got away," Ace said hesitantly. He was almost too petrified to speak. One word and he was dead. Hell, even if he said the right word Marx would probably kill him anyway. "We tried to stop him, even after he burned Jed."

"He what?" Marx asked, releasing the boy. He was doubled over clutching his arm. His voice trembling as he spoke. "It's true. I saw it."

"Saw what?" Marx demanded.

"Fire... It came out of his mouth. He burned Jed, I swear."

"Well, the boy really does have power," Marx said with a smile. "Then you three blew it, so now I'll have to find him myself and as for you..."

Kal was interrupted by a noise outside. It distracted him from the boy he was so wanting to kill. "Drake," Marx said quietly and raced towards the door. He saw a figure in a black hooded coat and grabbed the smaller person. He heard a high-pitched scream and laughed. "Well, little Drake, you wail just like a girl." He pulled the hood off and wore a look of surprise on his face when he saw the creature he had captured.

"Well, well, look what we have here," Marx said. "Are you one of Drake's little girlfriends?" Marx slammed the girl up against the door. She grabbed for his arm an intense look in her eyes. Marx started to feel a little weak at first until he realized what the girl was doing. "That won't work on me, girly." he slammed her hard onto the wood floor instantly knocking her out.

Ace looked on in horror. "You killed her," he cried out. Mel was coming to at the moment and picked himself up and staggered over to Jed.

"He's dead," he said in a low voice.

"Then we have two dead bodies," Ace said. "Are we next?"

"Stop whining," Marx said. "She ain't dead, just knocked out. So, I have another job for you too lowlifes. He then pointed a finger down at the girl. "Keep an eye on her, while I get rid of the corpse."

"Jed's dead," Ace shouted. He had a look of panic in his eyes. "Doesn't anybody care?"

"You want to join him?" Marx asked. There was a snarl in his voice that made the two remaining boys fear for their lives. Now, get some rope and tie her up good, especially those hands."

"Hey, that's Janalyn," Mel said, pointing at the unconscious girl. "You know, Lea's sister. Then the truth about the girl just hit him. "She's a..."

"Sadian," Marx finished.

"Leah's sister," Ace said, shaking his head. "I never would have guessed."

"Who the hell is Lea?" Marx asked.

"Drake's girl," Ace said. Marx eyes brightened, and Ace didn't have to wonder what was on the man's mind. He already knew.

"Then we may have some leverage, boys," Marx said, picking up Jed's body. Before he was about to leave he turned towards the two boys. "Don't screw this one up, or you'll join your friend."

Marx disappeared into the night, both boys knowing that Kal Marx never bluffed. They quickly tied the girl up, starting with her hands. After seeing how she tried to weaken Marx with her power, they weren't taking any chances that she might do the same to them.

To Be Continued...

Wow! That was an intense chapter. Drake is still missing, but not for long. He's going to run into an old enemy... literally, but the old enemy just may become an ally.