||3rd Person POV||

Jane is lead throughout the warehouse once her strength has returned, herself, Kali and the rest find themselves in a newer room that Jane has not yet seen. She and her sister come face to face with a wall decorated with photographs and documents of various people.

"These are the bad men, as you call them. The ones we believe are still alive. Do you know any?"

Jane's brown eyes sweep the wall, she is careful to take in every face studiously as she scans. Not a single photograph or document, no individual piece of parchment has gone unmarked. The words filter to the back of her brain as she soaks up the images, the only useful information to her. She finds no familiar faces, that is, until her eyes land on a folder news clipping of a bald man caucasian man. But she knew him as the four-fifty man.

The man in charge of hurting her mother. He did it. He hurt her mother, turned her into what she was today. Stuck.

"Him." Says Jane, taking the paper from the wall. "He hurt Mama."

"His name is Ray Caroll," Kali informs. "And he did more than hurt your mother."

[FLASHBACK]

The men step forward, the electrified weapon crackles as he whips it forward towards the cowering young girl. She knows what's coming, she knows the pain all too well.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

"The bad men like Ray, they about us. It's made hard to track. But maybe not anymore."

The anger returns once more and Jane crushes the paper in her hands in a fit of rage. The paper rolled tight in her hands, she now sits in the warehouse her new companions surrounding her as she searches. They watch studiously as she sits almost statuesque, and some begin to grow irritated by the white noise of the static but then she moves. Her face scrunches up into a tight scowl behind her blindfold and she rips the paper in half. She discards the cloth from her eyes and looks to Kali, nodding.

"Gramercy Apartments. Washington and Bethel." Dottie reads, the phonebook hanging lazily in her hands. "That's gotta be it. Right?"

Kali is seated above her at the table and reaches out, taking the phonebook from her waiting hands as sits criss-cross on the floor.

"'Linburn.' Where is that?" Kali asks, leaning back.

"About an hour east." Funshine answers.

"We don't even have a new ride," Mick argues worriedly.

Kali leans forward, a smirk on her features.

"So we swap plates. We have plates, right?"

Axel looks to her incredulously but nods anyway from where he is seated beside Jane. "Yeah..."

"It's risky," Mick adds, beginning to pace.

The sly smirk returns to Kali's lips as she looks to her friend. "Where's the fun if there's no risk?"

"We want to give my sister a memorable first day, right?" She asks, a gleaming look in her eye as she looks to Jane.

"I'm in," Funshine quips, a kind smile directed at the girl. "For Miss Jane."

Jane smiles, and Axel sighs exasperatedly as he waves his beer can in the air exaggeratingly.

"Yeah, sure. Why not? Mick?"

Every eye falls to the woman and she sighs at the sky, shaking her head despite the ends of her lips curling into a smile. She looks to her friends and throws her arms in the air.

"Screw it!"

The group disperses into an organized flurry and Jane finds herself stranded in the middle, unsure of what to do. Though she finds relief when Kali sneaks behind her and gives her a smile and a reassuring squeeze of her shoulders. All around her, the gang prepares. Mick and Dottie wait as Funshine and Axel empty the safe, cocking their guns and checking ammo.

Kali drags Jane back upstairs to the room, for the final touch. Jane sits in the desk chair, albeit a bit confused as Dottie stands over her gauging her color as Kali plucks a dark blazer and shirt from the masses. Jane waits patiently as prods around her head, floating her hair back and adding a strange powder to her eyes and lips.

Finally, the rest of the gang is called up to the room once she is changed and ready, Dottie spins the desk chair and she revealed to as the newest member of their group. They gaze at her awe and there are several gaps and nods of approval.

Dottie folds her arm in as she leans against the wall, observing her work and she nods with a confident smile.

"Bitchin'."

"Bitchin'." Jane agrees.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The gang steps out into the sun with great stride, their newest member decorated proudly, her head held high. Like her friend before her, she wears cuffed jeans and black tee. A wool blazer hangs on her body, the sleeves pushed to her elbows but she is comfortable. Happy. Bitchin. Unsheathing the van from the tarp, they waste no time in piling into their "new ride". The can takes off, weaving through the twisted corners and alleyways and even blow past a bust, drawing a wandering eye from a suspicious officer.

The van hits the open road, Mick in the front seat and the others piled into the back. She takes a puff from her cigarette, one hand on the wheel and spares a glance to Axel in the passenger seat and blows a puff of smoke in his face. The music sounds in their ears and he sits bouncing in his seat, banging his head to the music.

In the back, Dottie plays a rhythm in the table as she hangs her head, Funshine nodding along next to her with a smile. Kali digs through the pile of masks, holding out different options for Jane before eventually losing herself in the music. Her head begins to move with the rhythm of the music, her purple hair flying all around her and Jane watches. She smiles in awe, a warmth spreading in her chest, finally feeling a sense of belonging and she allows her own head to sway to the music losing herself in the moment.

Times passes and much to Jane's disappointment the moment ends. The van pulls off the road at George's Gas n' Go and the gang piles out of the van. Jane lingers in the van door at Kali's side as she stares at the gas station uneasily.

"What are we doing?"

"Stocking up."

The duo joins their friends in the convenience store to find them already dispersed as planned. Jane sticks to Kali's side as she stops lingers by the store clerk.

"Hey, your bathroom is leaking."

The man frowns in response, hiking himself over the counter to see a pool of brown water flood out from under the door.

"Oh shit."

"Yes," Kali agrees. "Shit."

The pair watched in amusement as the man scurries over to the bathroom door, tiptoeing over the dry ground in disgust and heads inside closing the door behind him.

Axel stalks around the corner with a cocky smile and mischief in his eyes. He looks around at his mates and gestures eagerly around the store.

"Okay, contestants, you have a minute and a half, let's begin your supermarket sweep!" He cheers gleefully, sliding across the floor arms outstretched.

They sweep the area, Jane wanders down an aisle and picks up an apple. Her eyes venture further down the aisle to find the freezer of frozen treats and she discards the apple without a second thought. Making a beeline for the freezer door, she rips it open and grabs as many boxes of Eggos as she can carry. On the other end of the store, Axel jumps the counter and grabs a plastic bag fluffing out before pulling it with cash from the register. Funshine raids the other freezer for beer and Dottie - having already snatched some useful supplies for her and the other ladies - takes a gander at the selection of sunglasses.

"Hey! Put that back, or I'll blow your head off."

All heads turn to the counter where the clerk has returned and is now aiming a gun at Axel who raids the register. Axel slowly raises his hands, and the clerk steps forward.

"You hear me, freak?"

"Put the gun down," Kali orders slowly, stalking forward carefully her arms in a small surrender.

"Stay back." He warns. "Stay back."

"Darrel," she eases. "Your money is insured. We are only stealing from the war criminal billionaires who own this place. You won't even lose a dime."

As the words calmly leave her mouth, the others stalk forward to her aid in slow cautious steps.

"You won't even lose a dime."

"I said stay back." He spits, stepping forward in view of Jane.

Kali raises her hand further, her stature showing nothing but ease.

"We're on the same side. I promise."

Jane steps closer down the aisle. She has gone unnoticed so far and so she remains. The clerk is in her sights now as she reaches the end of the aisle.

"Stay back." He says once more, gun pointed in Kali's face.

With a forceful scream, Jane steps forward throwing her arm up the man. He is sent flying through the air and he crashes into a stockpile of goods that now surround him as he lays on the ground unconscious. The group gathers as they admire her work.

"Damn, Shirley," Axel marvels.

The sound of sirens quickly grabs their attention and it only takes them a matter of moments before they are safe in the van, loot in hand. Mick is quick behind the driver's seat, having taken watch over the van during the raid thanks to her quick thinking and driving skills, they lose the sirens in a matter of minutes leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dust.

||Reader's POV||

My stomach rumbles and I can feel the sharp edges as it growls. My hand comes to rest on my stomach and I fight a groan. Either I was slowing, or I didn't take into account how quickly it would grow dark. Most likely, it was a combination of both. I haven't eaten since Becky's and it's already getting duller out. I have to squint a bit to see but thankfully my eyes adjusted as the sun slowly began to fade away.

I've been taking breaks every hour and a half or so, and I've quickly come to enjoy them. I've already made a habit of checking my watch and I have to stop myself from checking it every other minute. I debate it carefully in my head and I decide that thirty seconds has been long enough. I turn over my wrist and examine the watch, and it is not a surprise at all to find that second hand has only moved thirty notches.

But eyes to linger on the watch itself and I smile as the memory of receiving the watch come back to me slowly. Dustin gave it to me for my last birthday. He had known I had been eyeing it for a while and he saved up money to pay for it. Well, technically he went splitzies with mom since it was a bit expensive, but I didn't care. I love it.

My smile fades and my stomach turns. I miss Dustin. And Mom, although I know I'm going to get an earful when I get home. Knowing Dustin, when he confronts me about going out on a solo adventure and lying to him not only as a sister but as a party member, he's going to give the silent treatment for a while. And that's just Dustin, I have no idea the extremity of what I'm in for when I return.

||3rd Person POV||

Mick draws the van to a slow as it creeps through the parking lot Gramercy Apartments. The sun has set over the horizon and the headlights sweep over glistening cement and the vehicle pulls to a stop. Mick and Axel turn to face the others, and Mick begins giving orders.

"We should case the place, stick to the routine. We have time."

"We also have her," Adds Kali. "Can you look?"

Jane nods and closes her eyes, the others watch her carefully with more patience than the last. A speck of blood peels from her nostril and her eyelids flutter open.

"He's watching television."

"Is he alone?" Mick asks.

"I saw him. No one else."

"Good enough for me." Kali shrugs.

The others nod in agreement, and Jane fiddles with the plastic doll mask in her hands. Mumbles of agreement percolate from the group and Funshine speaks up, adorning his namesake mask, a pink carebear.

"Let's do this."

The others follow his lead, and soon each face if covered, and one by one they pile out onto the street.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Punky, what's the matter?"

Ray looks at his drink uncertainly, and readjusts in his Lay-Z-Boy as the man on television storms in the room, flipping on the switch and coming to the child's aid with great worry.

The small girl named Punky pets her dog comfortingly but looked desperately to the man her eyes wide and frightened.

"A nightmare. I dreamt I was in the doctor's office. All of a sudden, he's started to give me a shot in my arm."

Unbeknownst to Ray, the chain lock on his door silently unlocks itself in the other room as the frightened child on the television set continues to describe her nightmare. As he listens, he realizes it is not his drink that has left the bitter taste on his tongue.

"Then the needle got bigger and bigger and bigger..."

The chain comes undone and dangles tauntingly against the wooden door, scratching it lightly and the TV pops, the screen going dark. With a grunt, he rises from his seat and reaches the set, fiddling with the knobs to get it to work. Out of sight, Kali is the first to enter the apartment, followed closely by Jane and Dottie and the rest.

"Hello, Ray."

The man whirls around, his heart pounding in his chest to find four masked figures standing in his living room.

"Jesus Christ!" He pants, running for the door.

He comes to halt to find a masked Funshine blocking the exit. Funshine stalks forward, getting in his face.

"Sit down. Please."

Ray continues to back up, the larger masked man never ceasing his advances and he is backed into his spot in the living room. He grabbed by the shoulders suddenly and thrown into the chair.

"I said sit." He spits.

He holds out a trembling hand, too afraid to meet their eye.

"Just, please... just take whatever you want."

Axel, leans forward mockingly, his hands on his knees. All the man sees is the tallest of the bunch with a spikey mohawk - which added to his already intimidating height - and contextually unsettling mummy mask over his face.

"Oh, we will." He growls.

Dottie imitates his moves, leaning forward behind her clown mask and tilts her head. "Where's your wallet?"

"Bedroom. My bedroom. My jeans." Ray stutters, gesturing around the corner and Dottie disappears pulling Axel with her.

Funshine stands guard at the only exit at attention, arms crossed his large frame blocking anyone from moving. Axel and Dottie raid his bedroom, stealing not only the money from his wallet but pills from his drawer and anything else of cash value. Meanwhile, Jane and Kali stand over the cowering man who looks between them swallowing thickly.

He expects the worse, but much to his surprise the taller girl - the one he knew was in charge - took off her mask revealing a familiar face. She glared at him, before giving the ok to her companion. She complies, peeling back the doll mask to reveal a young face. The leader raises a brow.

"Do you remember us?"

Not daring to speak a word, he shakes his head no. The girls do not move but every light, every bulb in the apartment flickers violently. The entire room flashes like a funhouse with a sharp hiss furthering the illusion. The lights darken completely for a brief moment and when they return he is shown two small girls, all too familiar.

"What about us?" The braided girl asks. "Do you remember us, Ray?"

He gapes in fear and the lights flicker once more, the older girls return and he met with a strong right hook to the face. He falls to the ground, hissing in pain where he know rests on his hands and knees. Pleasingly, he looks to their angered and vengeful faces and begins to weep as they did all those years ago.

"Please. Please."

"You hurt Mama." The younger girl spits, disgust and hatred dripping from her voice.

Yet another forceful scream erupts from her throat and she whips her arm out, Ray is sent flying with it. Like the clerk, he is sent into the wall where he lays now cowering in pain and fear. The pale girl with dark eyes marches forward, disgust and rage in her eyes at a mere glance. Her shoulders move rapidly, her breathing increases as she tries to control her hated but it too strong.

Blood drips from his scalp, and his whole body is shaking. He cowers as far as he can into the broken wall, though he can't escape. Kali watches in a trance as she finds the man who haunted her memories and cowered as she did under his wrath. She did nothing to stop Jane as she advances.

"Wait..." he croaks, his voice barely audible. "Wait, please... I just did what he told me to do."

Jane tilts her head, hot angry tears flood her vision but she does not let this break her focus or her goal.

"He said she was sick." He wept.

"You had a choice, Ray," Kali says, her voice stern. "And you chose to follow a man you knew was evil."

Jane throws her hand up and he flinches violently.

"No, wait! No, wait! Wait!"

Jane falters, though her anger does not.

"I can help. I can help you find him."

Kali's jaw clenched and she speaks through gritted teeth. "Find who?"

"Brenner! I can take you to him."

This is enough to shake Jane's confidence. She can feel herself breaking at the mention but it only fuels the emotion. Her eyes cloud and she tries desperately not to allow her voice to break.

"Papa is gone."

Ray shakes his head, a mixture of regret, pity, and guilt cross his face.

"No, he is alive."

"Don't lie to us, Ray."

The man's shoulder begins to shake and he is crying once more, tears streaming freely from his cheeks.

"I'm not lying!" He croaks, his voice falling into pitiful whimpers. "I swear... he trusts me."

Jane watches in horror, her stomach flipping and her heart clenching into impossible knots she fears it will stop beating. She refuses to believe it, she does not want to. She can't.

"I'll take you to him." Ray eases.

"If he is alive, Jane will find him. Just as she found you. Do it, Jane."

But Jane is frozen, she battles the fear of the horrid possibility and yet the image of him replays in her mind on a torturous loop. Four-fifty.

"Do it."

Four fifty.

"Wait."

The man is pulled slightly from the ground, his hands clawing desperately at the invisible hold around his neck. He chokes and gasps for air as Jane scowls at the man, her hand outstretched and clenched. He topples to the floor completely, and his eyes begin to roll back in his head as he slowly moves across the floor from her forceful hold. Jane only looks at him as nothing more than something brought in on someone's shoe.

She follows him, her grip still firm and Kali trails behind her proudly, whispering in her ear.

"Not too quickly." She suggests. "He wasn't so generous with your mother."

Jane watches with satisfaction as he slides across the tile floor, his face turning purple and his going bloodshot. Veins pop from his head and she feels strength in his pain. But her eyes drift to the broken frame near his head. It was him, smiling, his arms wrapped around two young girls.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Axel and Dottie reach the final door in the hallway and swing it open. Their stomachs drop when their eyes land on the sight of two young girls hiding in the corner, clinging to one another and a working phone, 911 on the other line.

"Oh, shit."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Jane releases her grip, her strain lifting and she begins to paint. The man coughs and gasps for breath, but he is relieved. Kali looks to Jane frantically.

"What's wrong?" When she receives no answer, she asks again louder and harsher. "What's wrong?"

Axel appears in the hallway, gesturing to the open door behind him where Dottie appears.

"We got a problem."

"Kids in the apartment." Dottie pants.

"Please..." Ray whimpers.

Kali desperately returns her attention to the task at hand, urgency creeping up.

"Did he show your mother mercy? No."

Ray's cries go ignored as Kali continues to whisper to Jane, her motives and wounds pushing her and Jane stands to stare at the pleading man. Torn.

"He took her from you, without hesitation."

"Please don't. Please."

"We got to go, K!" Axel shouts. "They called the cops."

"We finish this first." She snaps, returning to the girl. "Jane, now!"

"Please don't... Please. Please."

Unable to waste any more time, Kali whips out her gun, pointing it at the man who shrieks in fear. Jane's attention snaps to her hand and with one swift flick of her head, the gun flies across the room and crashes through the window, shattering the glass. Kali looks disbelieving at Jane, fire in her eyes seething and for the first time, Jane falters. Her eyes flicker to the ground and once again she feels like a scolded pet, nothing more than she was in the lab.

"Kali, we gotta go!" Axel shouts, running down the hallway Dottie on his tail.

Sirens were approaching and only then did they snap out of their trances. They fled down the apartment and out of the back door and down the stairs. They fumble across the grass out back, the police already swarming the apartment from the parking lot. Just in time and as promised, Mick pulls the van to a halting stop at the curb where it waits for them

The van is in motion before the door closed and when they find themselves ok the open road, Kali begins to speak. She turns to Jane, who sits beside her, her arms folded in and she closed off. Tears streak down her cheeks but this does not lessen Kali's venom.

"If you wanted to show mercy, that is your choice. But don't you ever take away mine. Ever. Do you understand?" Her voice raises as she gets in Jane's face. "Do you understand?"

Jane flinches, her breathing still heavy and spotty but all she can do is look away swallowing the bitter taste.