Chapter 1 In The ER. The smell of burned rubber fresh in the air accompanied the shattered glass sprayed out on the street. The twisted metal of two vehicles, a trail of blood flowing from the smaller one. The accident happened rather quickly and was over just as fast. It involved an eighteen-wheeler and a black suburban car. The car had been crushed by the shear weight of the eighteen-wheeler which flipped over as it tried to stop. Sirens filled the air approaching closer to the scene as the truck’s driver climbed out of his cab, cut and bruised. Within minutes, two ambulances rounded the corner followed by the local fire engine. One set of paramedics headed over to help the truck driver while the second checked on the driver in the car. To their amazement he still had a pulse, a strong one at that. One of the paramedics checking on the car’s driver yelled over to the fire fighters to get the Jaws of Life to free him from the wreckage. The two teams worked quickly and carefully pulling his body free. Placing it on a stretcher they loaded him into the closest ambulance; the truck driver was treated in the other for minor wounds and a possible concussion. The sirens of the ambulance resumed once more as they drove to the hospital. Scanning the bar-code on his neck they sent his past medical history ahead to the hospital. They tore his shirt off connecting several electrodes to his body monitoring his vitals. His heart beat stayed strong, but one of his lungs had been punctured by several ribs. The trip to the ER was faster then some of their others. They unloaded his body rolling it into the ER, his body flinching every now and again. The nurses ended up strapping him down to the table
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preventing any further harm. The doctors worked quickly to stabilize his vital signs. His body lunged up from the table as four large wings exploded from his back. The wings relaxed draping along the sides of the table resting his body back down. Several nurses screamed in horror, doctors stepped back as blood dripped down the feathers to the floor. No one in the room had ever seen this happen before. They stood back from him against the walls in both awe and horror unsure of what to do next. One of the nurses lifted a trembling finger pointing to a necklace he was wearing that started to glow. Its light grew brighter as the air of the room swirled around his body. The straps holding him were unbuckled by an unseen force as his body lifted up from the table. An alarm screeched as red lights came on flashing; it had taken that long for all of his information from the bar-code to be read by the hospital’s computers. The doctors and nurses quickly evacuated the room as the doors into it started locking. A gentleman in a black suit wearing a white shirt, thin black tie and sunglasses walked up to the head surgeon. “What did you see in there doctor?” Still bewildered by what he had seen take place, the doctor answered him absentmindedly. “I saw wings erupt from a man’s back after he had been brought in from a car accident.” “Was there anyone else in the car with him?” “No, he was the only one.” “What was he in an accident with?” “An eighteen-wheeler, the driver said he suddenly lost control of it and tried to miss him.” “In your professional opinion doctor, what were his chances of surviving something like that?” “He wasn’t supposed to be alive after a hit like that, let alone have a strong pulse with only a couple of broken ribs and a punctured lung. It’s really a miracle that he did survive.” The man in the black suit turned, walking toward a group of people which had arrived all dress similar to himself. The doctor called after him. “Who is that man in there and what’s going on here!?” “That ‘man’ is an outlaw of sorts, we’ve been looking for him for some time now. That’s all I can tell you doctor.” “But what is going on in there?”
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“I said, that’s all I can tell you doctor.” The group of people quickly cleared the hall of the nurses and doctors still gazing in disbelief into the room as the man’s body remained in the air. With the hallway cleared and all security cameras turned off, the man in the black suit unlocked the doors into the room. Opening the doors strong air currents spilled out into the hall as an old man in a dark blue robe walked through the hall into the room. He held an aged black leather book with red writing on the cover in his arms. The currents caused his robe to thrash about with great force as he took out a metal disk with unusual carvings on it. Holding the disk up level to the man’s body, the wind became still once more as his body rested down on the table. The necklace’s glow died as several people in black suits rushed in, all with guns drawn. The old man stepping closer, looked down upon him a look of content on his face, spoke in a cold raspy voice. “Get up fool, you’ve lost.” Each gun cocked, ready to fire if needed. “It’s no use trying any of your tricks to escape; I have the sacred Medal of Nearon.” For the first time since being brought in the man on the table opened his eyes and replied in a cheerful tone to the old man. “Oh darn and I was doing so well too. It’s a real shame that the only celebrant they could find that knew of it and could use it against me won’t live to tell about how he defeated the great Phoenix with his knowledge of the primeval ways.” A small smirk graced his face. “What foolishness do you speak of? You are powerless so long as I have this, even good old lead can kill you.” “Ah, but what you have not noticed… human… is that since you came in here my blood covers most of the floor and now your robe too.” “It is only blood, useless to you without your powers.” “Oh, really? Well, if I remember correctly and I’m sure I do; my blood is rather flammable and I really do love these lighters that they still produce in this time of technology dominance.” Phoenix withdrew a small metal lighter from his pocket flipping it open, as a look of worry took hold of the gun wielders throughout the room. The leading man in black yelled forcefully to the others, showing no fear of his own of Phoenix’s underlying threat. “Stay where you are, he’s bluffing!”
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“Am I, Frank? Do you really think I am bluffing here? I’m practically bleeding to death without my ability to heal, thus spreading more of my blood. All I have to do is drop this lighter into it… and everyone becomes a memory. It won’t matter for me, as soon as that artifact falls into the fire; I’ll walk right out of here as if nothing happened. I’m sure you don’t want that to happen, not with all I know about your society. For what if the masses knew what I do? It wouldn’t last very long now would it?” Agent Frank’s face boiled with rage. Fighting to find words to reply back with as a long pause took place between the two. Then quite suddenly a calm look swept over his face. Agent Frank grinned knowing what to say. “You wouldn’t allow a fire of that sort to take place in a hospital, where hundreds of innocent lives would die. That would ruin any chance you may have for redemption. Even if you think the fire would only stay where the blood is, you forget that this building has miles of piping containing oxygen running through out it.” “Clever, Frank, very clever of you, I feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing you want me to be redeemed in your ‘societies’ eyes once more. However, you should know something very important.” “Oh really, what’s that?” “I shall rise again on my own accord as your ‘society’ falls in upon itself from its own lack of acceptance.” “You think they don’t accept others? Well do you? After all they accepted you back when you didn’t even know your own name. It was by your own fault that you are what you are now. Three accounts of murder of the fourth kind aren’t acceptable in any culture.” “A lot of double talk there, Agent Frank. They accepted two accounts of murder before my own actions. They even held up the murders as heroes for their actions. And I in no shape, form, or fashion see murder of any type as an action to where the murderer should be seen as a hero.” With that he dropped the lighter into the blood, instantly engulfing the room in flames. Just as he predicted the artifact fell into the fire. Walking out of the room, his wings folded into his back once more. The fire twisting and swirling around his body forming a new black silk shirt replacing the one they tore off. On his way out of the
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room he turned on the sprinklers. The alarm sounded again, this time for the fire. His bangs fell loose on his face as the water dampened his hair. Calmly he opened the doors releasing clouds of smoke into the air. Placing a pair of sunglasses on as he rounded the corner. Several Fire trucks pulled up to the hospital as Agent Frank ran outside barely a mark on him; he looked around for Phoenix. Frustrated he took out his cell phone dialing a number on it. “Yes sir he got away again… Yes sir we had the artifact with us… No sir the old man didn’t survive… No sir neither did his book…I’m sorry sir we tried all we could but… Yes sir I understand we will catch him… Very good sir.” Finished with his call he walked to the curb where a black limo pulled up. The driver opened the door for him where a shadowy figure waited inside. The fire fighters fought the flames as the limo drove off.
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Chapter 2 Dangerous Flight. ┤“That was the scene today as a freak fire erupted in the ER of St. Johnson Memorial Hospital. The firefighters were able to extinguish the flames with little damage to the rest of the building. When asked what could have been its cause Fire Chief McDaniel replied ‘It appears an unknown chemical was spilled and a short in one of the outlets ignited it.’ When we asked him what the chemical was he replied with ‘No comment’ the rest of the patients were just happy it was taken care of before it was too late.”├ A black bladed dagger smashed the television as the news went to a commercial break. “Unknown chemical my butt; that was my blood that spilled... Well I suppose they have to tell the public something to cover their tracks up.” Phoenix stood up from his arm chair walking over to the television, pulling the dagger from it. Sparks shot out as the metal of the blade was removed. Setting it down on the glass table beside the smashed television, he turned walking over to a red oak desk where he fumbled through the papers that lay upon it. “Ah, here it is.” Holding up one of the papers a drawing of the artifact on it with writing under the picture. His eyes moved from left to right reading the page, becoming enraged the further down he read. Finally, he dropped the paper to the floor, burning on the way down. He turned quickly furious and threw the dagger at the wall just missing the woman walking into the room with a cup of tea in her hands. “Careful now, you almost hit me that time.”
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She spoke softly to him while handing him the cup of tea. “Here have some black rose petal tea; it always helps to calm you down.” Taking the tea from her he sat back down in the arm chair. Sipping on the tea his focus was back on the smashed television still smoking. “What troubles you?” “They found it, and discovered how to use it against me today.” “They found what?” “The Medal of Nearon” “But I thought that was destroyed long ago.” “I thought so too, but I guess there were two of them made. He was there with them too, organized the whole thing I’m sure.” “Well what did you expect? He has a job to do, you know.” “Yeah, but I am tired of being hunted… He walked out of there alive. The body count of the fire was one short. The question now is where did he go?” “How did they explain the fire this time?” “An ‘unknown chemical’ spilled and a short from an outlet ignited it.” She laughed lightly with his reply. He set his empty cup down on the table next to the chair as she walked over and pulled the dagger from the wall placing it back in its case. “It’s nearly night fall now, it’ll be a good time for you to stretch your wings and get some fresh air. That’ll give you time to think and plan your next move.” “No amount of planning can prepare me for what is to come. I will fly though to at least try and find out where he was taken this time.” “That’s a bit dangerous don’t you think? He might see you.” “Even if he does he can’t do anything without revealing what he really is.” “True but you should be careful none the less.” “I always am, they haven’t found out how to track me at night yet.” “Yes, but if they still have the relic they might be able to.” A look of worry was now on her face as she stood beside his chair, the feeling of something bad in the air. The hallway clock struck mid-night as a storm began to build. He stood at the window peering outside into the night as lighting flashed across the sky illuminating the city sky line. The only light in the
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bedroom came from the lit candles and fireplace that cackled as it burned the logs. Soft jazz music filled the air as the wind blew the windows open, slamming them against the walls. She walked up behind him placing a hand on his shoulder as she leaned against his back. “You’re not still going out there are you?” “Yes… It’s been a long time since I’ve flown in the rain. I could use the energy.” “What if lighting hits you?” “I’ll be careful out there.” “I still wish you’d stay in and fly another night.” “Maybe this time the storm will stay instead of blowing over.” “Promise me you’ll come back if it gets too bad out there?” “I’ll return.” Rain had started blowing in the open window, the candle flames danced about throwing shadows on the walls. Stepping outside as the rain fell harder; he took his long coat off and set it on the railing of the balcony. His head hung as he closed his eyes, the cold rain running down his face. Quickly lifting his face up toward the sky, his eyes were now glowing orange as wings exploded from his back, ripping off his shirt. Four large wings now spread wide as the torn pieces of the shirt fell to the ground. They rose and fell with each breath he took drooping down as he turned back toward her. Lighting reached across the sky once more, illuminating it behind him. She stepped up to him to kiss him, but he turned, only allowing her to kiss his cheek. She turned walking out of the rain, lighting flashed again on the empty balcony, his silhouette in the night air.
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Chapter 3 On Trial. ┤“Miss. Sharon send Agent Frank in here.” ├ “Yes sir. You may go in now.” Agent Frank stood up from his seat calmly and straightened his tie. He turned looking at Miss. Sharon, the secretary, with a look of pure hate. Turning away she tried to focus on the computer screen, but could still feel the cold harshness of his stare bearing down on her. His stare didn’t break until he opened the large frosted glass doors. A large man sat in the shadows as the doors closed. The man sat forward, still concealed by the darkness and spoke harshly to Agent Frank. “Time after time you allow him to escape!” The man slammed his fist on the desk as he stood up from his chair. “Millions of dollars, of MY dollars have been spent on catching HIM! And all of it seems worthless! Is this just a big joke to you Agent Frank?! Do you think I enjoy spending all this time and money?! If this were any other deal I would have dropped it a long time ago when I didn’t see results!!” The man walked slowly around to the front of the desk as he lit a cigarette. Agent Frank calmly tilted his head down peering over the top of his sunglasses. “You know of all of the different ‘ones’ of your kind I have had to deal with, you are by far the dumbest one.” Agent Frank looked long and hard at the man in the shadows as the small point of light from the cigarette moved slightly. The figure, somewhat enraged, spoke forcefully to Agent Frank.
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“MY KIND!!! MY KIND!!! It is by MY KIND that you have gotten as far as you have with your hunt. And it will be MY KIND that continues to do so, whether you like it or not!” Agent Frank sat calmly in the chair in front of the desk folding his hands together. “You know your species is a greed filled one, caring only for money and self-advancement. It’s no wonder you’re destined to die out.” The large man lunged out of the shadows placing a rather large hand on each of the chair’s arm rests. Sweat forming on his forehead with his face inches from Agent Franks. Agent Frank sat as calmly as if it was a mere gnat in front of him. “Are you threatening me, Agent Frank?! Do you think you are above me?! You think you’re powerful enough to take me on?!” “In this order; Yes, Yes. And Yes.” “You think so do you?! Well we’ll just see about that.” The large man stood up calmly and took out of his jacket a gun, pointing it at Agent Frank’s chest, and fired. Agent Frank peered down at the spot where the bullet entered his chest then turned around looking at where it now laid embedded in the floor behind the chair. Bright red blood stained his white shirt as he stood up brushing some of the gun powder off his jacket. The large man stepped back in disbelief. The cigarette dropped out of his mouth to the floor, followed by the gun that had been in his trembling hand. His hand reached for a little red button under his desk, but never made it. In an instant, the large man’s throat was in Agent Frank’s hand, the sunglasses in his other. The fat from the man’s neck spill over onto Agent Frank’s hand as his body was lifted into the air. Agent Frank’s eyes began to glow bright blue as the blood on his shirt faded away while staring into the dark red face of the large man. The man managed to choke out a few words as the room grew dim around him. “You’re just like him aren’t you? You’re what he is?” “Well I guess you’re not as dumb as I thought you were. The only difference between him and I is that I’m the one hunting him.” Agent Frank loosened his grip on the large man’s throat letting his lifeless body slump to the floor. Straightening his tie and sunglasses, he turned back toward the doors of the office. Calmly walking out into the waiting room he
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stopped momentarily by Miss. Sharon’s desk, not caring to look her in the face. For this she was glad. “He wanted me to tell you to cancel all of his upcoming appointments.” She hesitated to ask, but did so anyway. “All of them, sir?” His head turned slightly towards her, while remaining forward. She cringed a bit, regretting she had questioned him. Agent Frank’s jaw became ridged with an annoyed tone in his voice. “Yes Miss. Sharon, All of his appointments.” “Yes, Sir” Placing his hands into his pockets Agent Frank walked to the elevator, stepping inside pressing the Lobby button. Miss. Sharon waited for a few seconds before getting up from her desk and walking over to the doors into the office. She paused still contemplating whether or not she should enter. Finally, choosing to do so, Miss. Sharon opened the doors and let out a loud high pitched scream of horror as she saw her former boss slumped against his desk, dead. Her scream echoed down the elevator shaft into the elevator itself where Agent Frank stood in the center, a smile on his face. The elevator doors opened up to the empty Lobby where only the doorman stood, inside out of the rain. Agent Frank walked into the massive Lobby, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor and columns. The smile still on his face as the door man stood up to get the door for him. “Need me to call a cab for you Mr. Frank?” “That’s quite alright Stan, I don’t mind getting a little wet tonight.” “You sure Mr. Frank, it’s really coming down out there?” “Yes I’m sure. Nothing could dampen my mood tonight.” Agent Frank slipped a hundred dollar bill in Stan’s coat pocket as he stepped out into the rain. Walking for a couple of blocks, the rain rarely touching Agent Frank as it poured down around him. The streets were empty; nobody dared to go out on a rainy evening at this hour. Agent Frank looked down at his wrist watch, reading midnight. Leaning forward he placed his hands just above his knees, his back arched, shoulders rounded forward, and a look of discomfort manifested on his face. The suit jacket instantly ripped to shreds as two large dark blue wings fought their way out of his back.
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Within seconds, he was in the night air, the rain beating down on his face, the smile still strong. Police sirens echoed in the night air as he gained altitude. Lightning flashed illuminating the night sky, for a split second he could almost see another being with wings flying below him. The light faded as he tried to focus harder on what he saw. A second flash of lightning reached across the sky, the object he saw moments before now gone. Dismissing it from his mind, writing it off as a result of the night air, he landed on one of the tall buildings a few miles from where he took flight. The rain lightened up as Agent Frank stood there; the gravel crunching beneath his feet. Thunder exploded filling the night air silencing his scream in agony, his wings folded down into his back once more. Agent Frank stood in the middle of the roof his head hung and eyes closed. The rain fell upon his exposed chest, the tattered pieces of his shirt still tucked into his pants. Water from the rain ran down his cold gray skin toned chest. His heavy breathing sent out wisp of steam with each breath he took, a coldness to the air around him. Jerking his head up suddenly toward the stairway access door, as it opened. The light spilled out across the gravel of the roof in front of Agent Frank. A tall average built woman’s silhouette stood in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest. She spoke to him with a tone of rage in her voice. “They aren’t pleased with your actions tonight.” “It matters not; I did what was needed to be done.” “Killing it was not necessary.” “In my view it was, anyway, they can always find me a new one to work with. This world is full of them.” “You are testing their patients. But, yes, a new one will be assigned for you, try not to kill this one or you will be removed from your position.” “They have nobody else that can track him like I can, or knows how he thinks.” “They do now. Your possible replacement was tailing you all night and saw him directly below you for a few minutes staring up at you before flying below the clouds.” “He was what!! How is it I didn’t feel his presence?!?!” “It would seem your ways of tracking him are no good now.” “Bull …” “Watch your tongue!” “He thinks he can make a mockery of me, well I’ll show him.”
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Agent Frank stormed into the stairwell nearly knocking into the woman, running down to the hallway door at the bottom of the stairs. Agent Frank went to open the door out into the hallway, only to find it locked. Walking calmly up behind him the woman pulled a card out of her pocket. He could see her more clearly now in the light of the stairwell. She wore a black business suit and skirt with black shoes, her hair was pulled back in a French braid, her eyes were cold and dark with a very stern look on her face. She passed the card in front of the door placing it back into the pocket. The door clicked and swung open revealing a very plain looking hallway that would reside in any normal corporate building. She looked at him in disgust; he returned a look of irritation. “At least put a shirt on before going in.” Dark blue smoke swirled around Agent Frank’s chest forming a new white button down dress shirt and a matching jacket with a thin black tie. She walked into the hallway turning left. The lights of the hall flickered momentarily. Agent Frank went to step into the hallway after her, but was slammed against the door as a second female’s voice spoke its source unseen. “Excuse me, but not all of the females have gone through the doorway yet.” “At least show yourself next time wench.” “Jerk” A slender red headed woman came into focus in the stairwell. She stood in front of Agent Frank, her hand still pressing him against the door. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a black damp t-shirt with a Hello Kitty head on the front. Agent Frank looked at her crossed and unimpressed. “A bit out of dress code don’t you think?” “Bite me!” She brushed passed him, slamming him into the door, again turning right in the hallway. Her two light red wings collapsing down flat against her back. Agent Frank mumbling under his breath as he walked into the hallway turning left. “Miserable new breeds think they run everything, I’ll show her a thing or two.” His mumbling had reduced itself to a low growl by the time he noticed he was standing in the middle of a large old storage room a long row of old chairs were in front of him appearing empty. The woman in the suit stepped out of the shadows speaking to him once more.
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“Adjust your vision fool, this is a protected room.” Her voice was stern and with little patience. Agent Frank’s pupils swirled into a dark blue color, the room’s appearance changed completely. Instead of being in a large storage room, he stood in the middle of a bright pearlized room. An endless ceiling rose above him. The ‘empty’ chairs were now filled with several old beings that seem to glow with knowledge. Agent Frank found himself standing alone in front of these beings as they stared down upon him. A sideways glance revealed the woman in the suit, a small smile on her face.
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