"Hello," a young female voice greeted Marie as she woke up. She woke up on the floor. Her whole body hurt and she couldn't focus. She scanned her surroundings. There were many people around her. She knew most of them. She was dead and she was killed by the Darkling. She looked around for Sergei. She sighed in relief. There was a mirror right in front of her. She looked at it. Sergei was hugging her body. She reached out to touch it.

"I'm so sorry! Please let me go!" 

"Who do you see?" Marie turned around. A Fjerdan girl greeted her eyes. She had burn marks all over her legs and the scars reached up until her neck. She had a plain light blue dress on. It wouldn't of done anything to power against the cold.

"What?" The girl grew closer.

"Who do you see?" Her voice grew agitated.

"What do you mean?"

"WHO! DO! YOU! SEE! iN! THE! MIRROR!" The voice was so angry and startled Marie.

"His name is Sergei," she told the girl. "I loved him." The girl calmed down and smiled.

"Thank you, now, was that so hard?" Marie shook her head.

"Who are you?" The girl turned away. "It's the least you can do," the girl gasped.

"You are not in control here, I am." Marie was confused. "I'm the one doing my job, it's not your place to ask me questions."

"Is it so hard for you to give me your name, you work here after all? What if someone wants to give you a glowing review?" The girl turned around. Her eyes glowing.

"A glowing review! My master would be so proud!" Marie pushed her hair out of her face.

"W-who is your master?"

"Who else, Ilya Morozova," Marie tried to be gentle.

"Who are you?"

"Birgit, I learn things," Marie exhaled in relief. She finally got her answer.

"Well, Birgit can you help me?"

Marie saw Fedyor run up to her. Two people chasing behind him. She recognized Alexei, but she had a faint idea of who the other person was. Is that Fedyor's roommate? He was pale—very sickly in color—and had dark hair. He was also very lean, Marie could see a peak of bicep peaking out from his shirt. She recognized him. Wait is that...?

"Marie!" Fedyor called out to her. The trio caught up to her. It wasn't who she thought he was. Thank god. Marie was then aquatinted with him. His name was Kaz and he roomed with Fedyor.

"You don't normally come without a reason anymore? What do you need?" She asked. Fedyor gave her a hesitant look.

"We need some assistance. I was hoping you would help us, what do you say?" Marie smiled slightly at him.

"Depends on what it is, what are you planning?" The three boys looked at each other.

"We can't talk here. Come back with us to our room?" Though it was question it didn't seem so. Kaz's raspy voice was threatening and began to unsettle her. Marie nodded. The four of them traversed the front lobby and before reaching the elevators Birgit stopped them.

"Hello there," Marie nodded in return.

"How are you doing Birgit?" Birgit smiled a bright fake smile. Something about the four of them seemed to make her angry.

"I'm just lovely, and you?" Birgit's voice was laced in sugar and cyanide. Every single word packed it's own little punch.

"I'm still dead," Birgit struggled out a laugh.

"Well, where are the four of you heading?" In the corner of her eye she could see Birgit glare at Kaz. Alexei looked nervous. Marie chuckled half heartedly.

"Well, Kaz just arrived from the living world! I was hoping he would regale us with tales of a world like Kerch! I never had the chance to go while I was alive!" Birgit was still looking at them roughly but Marie's statements seemed to quell her suspicions for the time being.

"Well... that's just great." Birgit ground her teeth together as the four of them got into the elevators. Alexei furiously clicked on the button repeatedly. Marie eyed Kaz as he seemed to stare off into nothing. Who is he?

"Would you stop that clicking! It's going to come!" Kaz snapped at Alexei. Alexei sighed and shot Kaz a nasty look. An elevator soon arrived and they all stepped in the small room. Kaz hesitated before finally climbing on like the rest of them. He scanned the room for any openings. Marie noticed how uncomfortable he looked. She noticed sweat dripping down his forehead. He was swaying. He steadied himself on the wall. Fedyor tried to help him but Kaz waved him off. He was mumbling things. A name? For a girl? Fedyor grabbed Kaz's arm.

"Don't touch me!" Kaz growled. Fedyor wouldn't let go. Kaz desperately ripped him off. "I said don't touch me!" Kaz looked cornered; like a wounded animal. Marie wondered what made him this way. So scared. The elevator beeped and finally after what seemed like forever the doors opened. Kaz ran out so fast Marie asked herself if she even remembered seeing him move.

"Kaz are you alright?" Marie asked. He turned to her.

"I miss my girlfriend," he was so flat in his saying. Marie almost laughed. This guy had a girlfriend before he died. Wow, poor thing must be a wreck, or she's happy he's dead and she killed him! Marie did chuckle at that.

Fedyor opened his and Kaz's room and let everyone in. The pair made sure no one was following them. Looking through the peephole and checking for anything that could spy on them.

"Why the secrecy?" Marie asked. She sat down on the edge of a Davenport. "What is so important that you had to ask me back here?"

Fedyor grew the most serious face she had seen on him in a while. He tched. "Tell Kaz how you died," he ordered. Marie didn't know how to react. It was certainly a personal event. She didn't see the point.

"Why?"

"He'll want to know. It could be important to our plan." Marie nodded.

"Fine," Marie thought about how to put it. To sugar coat or not to sugar coat? Kaz seemed like he could handle just saying it. "Because Of The Darkling I died. His attack on the Little Palace left me crushed to death." Marie looked around. "Why was that so important?"

"Cause know we know the probability of you helping us," Kaz said.

"Ok, will you spill the beans now?"

"Well, how would you feel about helping us stop the Darkling?" Marie was bewildered.

"That's impossible! We don't even have a Sankt to guide us. Or even Alina Starkov! It would be useless!"

"But would you?"

"If we had a chance? Of course! Fedyor, Alexei, and I all died because of him. If you can guarantee that we won't be caught. I'll do it." Kaz smirked.

"This isn't my first big job. I've broken into the Fjerdan Ice Court and lived to tell the tale. Sure, I don't have my crew, but this will be child's play."

"Really?"

"Most likely yes."

"What?"

"Yes." Marie smiled.

"Ok. I'll join your little terrorist organization."

"It's a revolution not a terrorist group." Marie turned to Alexei, who had said the comment.

"All revolution starts with terrorism."

"Are you supporting terrorists?"

"Only the good kind!"

"Marie, what the hell!?"

XxX

As Kaz looked around he noticed how his little dead team was coming together. He knew this still wasn't enough. He needed someone who could sneak around and get into closed places. They would be useless without one.

"Fedyor do you know anyone how can spy around for us?" Fedyor shook his head. Alexei was deep in thought.

"I don't know a true spy, but I know a tracker. They're known for having to be stealthy." As Kaz went though the plans in his head he thought about how the tracker would fit in.

"Ok, let's give it a shot."

Ok, so, I'm back. I know it's been a while and I'm sorry. I've been working on this chapter for too long and I'm trying to get back into a groove. I'm going to try and stay consistent but it's going to be hard as I'm in summer school right now and I really need to focus. I have something to keep me motivated in mind but it involves all of you. I'm going to tack on little q and a segments at the end of each chapter. Not too big as to not bulk up the chapter with needless filler, but like a couple questions per chapter. They can be meaningless like who's the best try guy (Zach) or what's my favorite color (green) or they can even be about the story. If I have these questions to answer then I'll feel like I'll have a deadline. And I want to interact with all of you because you are all so supportive and nice. I'm going to go work on the next chapter so I hope you enjoyed this one.