Evolution Lost

            “It was in the heat of the moment…that I could only think of just that,” Xeo said while brushing off the dust and grit from the impact he made with his Force Push. Aya and Xeo got out of the crater while a familiar voice was being yelled in the distance.

            “Over here Maeda!” It was Daniel as he rushed over to the two whom had messed up hair dos. They brushed their hair aside to be normal looking again as Daniel look at the work Xeo did to the ground. “Holy shit! I mean it Xeo! You’re some kind of superhero to make that kind of a hole in the ground…and you even saved Aya! You got a lot of guts trying to pull that off!”

            “Daniel…glad to see you too,” Xeo said while putting his lightsaber back into his belt hook.

            “Aya!” Maeda said while running over as Aya had to speak from all the commotion that was happening.

            “We don’t have any time! Eve got away with a sperm sample!” Aya said as nothing else was said and started running towards Daniel’s car. “Hey! What about the other car?”

            “About that car…Xeo?” Daniel said while he pointed to the smoking wreck police car with the crate being on top of it.

            “Oops…eh.” Xeo said while Aya just shook her head in disbelief of the chances he would destroy that car. Everyone got into Daniel’s cop car and drove away from the ruined hospital building.

            “Did you find anyone inside?” Daniel said to either Aya or Xeo.

            “Just…monsters that’s all,” Aya said while Xeo nodded off in the back of the car.

            “Thank you for saving me, Daniel by the way!” Maeda said to Daniel with a pleasing tone. Xeo kept thinking in the back of his mind about what he felt from the vision that Aya had and how he could feel Maya’s presence from the help of Aya. What confused him more was the voice of her sister being in the sample that Xeo looked when it was Aya’s mitochondria under the microscope. From what Eve and Aya were talking in there conversation before the jet crashed was how Eve might have been Maya or a part of her. He wasn’t able to think straight not with Eve being able to go with her plans for bring the mitochondrial race to power with the help of Dreazin, which he ponders about.

            “Maya…Aya…Eve. I don’t get it. Maya is the source of all of this? I can feel her presences in Aya’s mind and yet…within Eve’s body and in Aya’s sample back at the museum. Dreazin wasn’t there but did what he needed to do with Eve. He’s going to use her like he did with everyone else that I knew back in the New Republic. Nothing but death and chaos from him…but he is using Eve then why hasn’t he been able to master the power he has been trying use from her. Is he…holding back or something else? Still…” he kept pondering to himself while Aya spoke to Daniel.

            “Daniel is everything ok back at the station?”

            “Sure it is, Aya…” Daniel answered her question while still talking. “But I did find some dirt on Klamp, but. Well…in the past, a doctor from that hospital was fire for giving out a patient list.”

            “A list?” Aya said while could only think about the HLA list. “You mean like the one with the HLA listing…?” Daniel nodded.

            “I tell you Aya, these guys have access to just about everything. Those doctors…shit...” he said while not finishing up his talking; however, Xeo kept thinking to himself while overhearing the conversation happening.

            “About that list…HLA and Dreazin’s aura footprints where there too…why would he need something like that?”

            “I’ve got other info too,” Daniel kept speaking. “This is what I heard from Warner, who was into Melissa’s background. She was seen going into the museum late at night on several occasions!”

            “Eve…?” Aya said. “She was going into the museum while being as Melissa right?”

            “I thought that too at first,” Daniel answered back at Aya but didn’t stop. “But from what I was understand from police reports that they saw more NMCs showing up near Central Park’s zoo with in the distance…then going near the museum!” Xeo then broke his silence after hearing the info Daniel just said out loud.

            “It…makes sense now!” Xeo said while everyone looked at him?

            “What, Xeo?” Aya said while seeing an enlightening look on his face.

            “Klamp…why he has been acting all high and mighty…why all this protection about the mitochondria in his research studies…Eve is using the museum as her own personal base of operations for NMCs and…Klamp’s research!” Xeo said as Daniel was the first to her something that was true and unbelievable about Klamp.

            “You’re saying that thing is using Klamp!? Because it is that fuck up in the head that he will do anything for his research?”

            “No…” Xeo said while understanding how madmen act with power. “Klamp is the kind of man would do anything to get attained power. Such is the nature of all things I’ve been seeing lately. There’s something more to his research that just mitochondria itself. He wants to help Eve…somehow he could be able to be not effected by her power if he made a deal with her for…” Xeo kept saying while Daniel cuts him off.

                        “Motherfucker! I knew he was messed up in the head. Damn that Klamp!” Daniel yelled out as he drove the car into triple digit numbers on the speed gauge. Cruising at very high speeds they went fast as the car could handle. One false move and they would end up in a nearby building being charred bits, which was something Xeo didn’t feel like being at the moment. He kept thinking to himself as one thing still wasn’t been able to answer.

            “What did Eve say to me…being more human? Something Aya’s mitochondria said to Eve that made her smile in her own way. Could it mean…could it…be…” Xeo said as he was able to look at Aya with her face looking towards the window. He thought Aya was exhausted from all the fighting but something felt unsettled in her mind. Unable to see her face he was only able to hear a small voice from Aya’s direction giving out a name.

            “…Maya…” she said while Xeo kept looking and wasn’t able to understand still about the visions Aya could have of Maya and yet not him. It drove him back to the voices of Aya’s mitochondria that became an endless cycle of thoughts until he passed out in the car.

            “Xeo?” Maeda said while he could see that he was asleep but not for long until Aya looked at him being sounded asleep.

            “What’s wrong, Aya?” Daniel said while he knew something felt wrong with Aya.

            “I don’t know…something Eve said to him and me. About how my mitochondria told Eve everything we been together and she felt like Xeo wasn’t…himself,” Aya said while Daniel already thought of what that meant to him.

            “You don’t mean he isn’t…what he is anymore?”

            “You mean…a Jedi?” Maeda said while being quiet. “Something like his brother?”

            “Aya?” Daniel said while trying to keep it down as they could in the car.

            “He saved my life countless times before and I returned the favor, but lately…he’s been doing stuff I haven’t even thought was possible. I haven’t seen him do anything that isn’t against his ways that he said…but…” Aya said.

            “But what?” Daniel spoke as Maeda listened in.

            “I…don’t know. Somehow I think he might be himself at times while in different moments he…isn’t following his ways. His code of being a Jedi…” Aya said while Daniel just looked away from Aya and kept on driving.

            “Aya…I don’t know if it’s even possible but…if he turns out to be just like his brother…don’t think. Shoot,” Daniel said while Aya couldn’t believe the words he was saying to her.

            “Daniel…why…I…” she said while Daniel looked at her.

            “At least you can stop Eve with your powers but…even if you can get a chance for Xeo…take it…” Daniel said while already thinking about the possible outcome of two Dark Jedi being on Earth. Aya just nodded and looked away from him knowing she couldn’t even take out Xeo if it was the only means of controlling the situation at hand. For some unknown reason it made her think too much about killing him as she slept in the car. Daniel kept driving along until they were back at the 17^th precinct. He parked the car outside and woke Aya up. “Aya…were back.” Aya opened her eyes and looked around to see that they weren’t near the museum.

            “Daniel why aren’t we at the museum to go after Eve and Klamp?”

            “Warner radio me in on the receiver. A unit was sent over to the museum to check out the building but…no one was inside and he didn’t feel hot being inside of that place…until he had some food he couldn’t keep down. Heh heh!” Daniel laughed while Aya got out of the car and Maeda too. Xeo woke up and got out of the car to as they all head back into the police station. All the cops they walked by saluted Daniel as others kept cleaning up the hallways. The detectives’ desk area was back to its original look while Warner and Nix were mapping out known possible locations that were not investigated for signs of Eve or Klamp. The cops were calling in to outline units on the ground as the chopper was out of the question after Eve showed off her powers against the Navy’s jet fighters. Xeo took this opportunity to scope out the room and could feel like a war control center back where he came from.

            “Looks like every NYPD officer is going to war against Eve. If only that was partly the problem,” Xeo said as Daniel turn to him.

            “Not just that, Xeo but a manhunt to find Klamp at this rate.”

            “He’s behind all of this! Eve and those massacres on those nights...it’s all his responsibility!” Aya said while feeling betrayed by Klamp after what he did to her sister with Melissa.

            “Aya…they will be brought to justice,” Xeo said while acting clam for the moment until he asked anyone about his brother. “What about a man in a black cloak…has he been seen with Eve?” Everyone turned towards Xeo and shook their heads. “Damn…”

            “Daniel!” Warner said while running pass a couple of cops in the room.

            “What is it, Warner?” Daniel said while he saw him with a paper report and pictures marked out on the sea.

            “Remember those planes that came in and were taken down by Eve? Well sure enough that the Navy is off a mile away near Manhattan. They were called in by Baker before he left and put you in charge.”

            “Well I guess after Central Park…” Daniel said while still missing his wife for the moment. “He thought it would be for the best to get the big boys to come in with everything they got at Eve.”

            “You call that…’everything they got’ while me and Aya saw what she can do?” Xeo said.

            “Now we know a direct attack is not an opinion,” Aya said while Daniel nodded. “For now at least…we need to find her or Klamp.”

            “Guess I’ll head up to the lab and see anything else I can find out about Eve and her U.B.’s time length for development,” Maeda said while leaving the room.

            “What can we tell that hasn’t been taken into account or hasn’t been checked out?” Aya said while seeing the map of Manhattan.

            “Central Park and the museum have been check out,” Nix said while pointing to the locations on an oversize blow up map of Manhattan. “Anything higher from that location and off the city grid wouldn’t be a possibility if the only research place Klamp can use in this area and for Eve to do…whatever she does.” He moves his hands up as he spoke to everyone overseeing the map. “The only known possible places that haven’t been checked out some abandon warehouses near on the east side of Mid-Town and this place…” Nix points his finger to the bottom of Manhattan. “…Chinatown.” Aya has only been to Chinatown a few times for local gang busts with Daniel in the early days of her being on the NYPD force. She knew a few dark alley ways that someone could hide themselves from the sights of cops.

            “I’ll go there. Daniel what about you?” Aya said

            “I’m not going to sit here and just let this city fall apart by Klamp and his evil deeds! I’ll get the car warmed up and drop you off at Chinatown. I’m going to try out those warehouses…” Daniel said and just remembered something to give to Aya. “Oh, Aya. I forgot to give this to you. It’s a radio…so now we can talk to either other from a far distance…just don’t get in a dark place that it doesn’t work.” Aya takes the radio and puts it in her jacket.

            “I’ll go with her too, Daniel,” Xeo said while walked over to him and Aya. Daniel could only think about how he might not be who he is but couldn’t feel any better if someone didn’t back up Aya; although, she can fend for herself.

            “Fine, Xeo. You two go to that place,” Daniel said while he look towards the rest of the room. “The rest of you cops keep finding out about Klamp and radio me the second it’s important!” The cops agreed with him as Xeo, Aya, and Daniel make their way to Daniel’s police car. Once everyone got inside and Daniel started it up they pulled away and drove on to Lexington Ave. From there the car went on a long stretch of road until it end up taking them to Irving Pl. Daniel made a right at the end of Irving Pl to get on E 14^th street for only a block until they turned on 3^rd Avenue, which he turned left on to. As soon as 3^rd Avenue became Bowery Daniel looked for a suitable place to pull over as Aya checked her Beretta and ammo clips while Xeo looked at Chinatown’s most outlined row of buildings. Daniel put the car in neutral as Aya and Xeo got out of the car. They looked around to see nothing out of the ordinary but Xeo knew that’s when something wants to be found. “Check your six, Aya.”

            “Don’t worry, Daniel…I’ll be fine,” Aya said while Daniel started to pull away from their drop off spot. Xeo and Aya were able to see an archway with Chinese writing at the top of the structure as a sign that they were entering Chinatown. With her handgun gripped firmly, Aya kept looking around corners for any possible NMCs or signs of Klamp. Xeo, using his Force Powers, was scanning the area for the reason as Aya was doing. Some of the neon street lights flickered as they pass them by wondering if anything was chewing on the wires. Rotten fruit and meat were still left out in the open for any scavenger animals to dine on as they kept walking deeper into Chinatown. The only sounds that they were able to hear were the wind chill and their own footsteps. Aya then turned to Xeo to see how he was holding up after what Daniel talked to her about Eve’s thoughts of him. The Jedi didn’t look different in front of her and could only guess that something was either bothering Xeo about looking for his brother or his ways of being a Jedi were being lead astray from an unknown reason. Aya kept on looking as Xeo, looking in another direction, spoke to Aya.

            “It’s not nice to stare…even after what you said to me before in the hospital,” Xeo looked at Aya while finished up his sentence. She could only just feel guilty about looking at him for a while after being caught in the act. “Aya…this might take too long at this rate. I have an idea…wait here.”

            “What are you going to…” Aya said to Xeo as the Jedi felt The Force in his feet and Force Jumps to a low story building and than a higher one. It was only then Aya could finish what she was saying before. “…do. Sheesh…Xeo.” Xeo was able to get to a tall enough building in Chinatown to look down at Aya.

            “I can see you from down there!” he yelled at her while she waves her hand to signal him that she can hear his voice. “I’m going to try to see if anyone is in the place…or anything.” Aya nodded while still taking aim for anything to come out of the alleyways. Xeo felt a surge of The Force within his mind as he could feel his Force Sight being able to look all around Chinatown. His Jedi abilities were increasing the more he kept using his powers without training to aid him; even thought he wasn’t aware at the fact he could do this in the first place. It didn’t take him long to find a path of Dark Side energy flowing to a point down the street they were walking on before. It wasn’t strong or what Xeo was used to feel in The Dark Side’s taint, which meant that they were following Eve’s trail. He starts making his way back down to Aya’s location with grace and ease until he landed right next to her on his feet. “I think we found Eve’s trail…down that way, although I don’t know if it’s her…”

            “We got little choice in this matter. Come on!” Aya said to Xeo as they both continue down the street for some time; however, Xeo felt unease about the lack of NMCs showing up if they were on Eve’s trail. Aya knew this too but she wasn’t worried about any NMCs coming out to get them, but what she was thinking about was Eve said to Xeo and her last night. She couldn’t hold her tongue about it and asked Xeo. “Did what Eve said to you…bothered you, Xeo?”

            “You mean…being human?” Xeo said while he kept his mind alerted for anything.

            “I was talking to Daniel about it…he thinks that you might be…changing.”

            “Changing? Who me?” Xeo said while he looks at Aya’s face.

            “Not like mutating…like…what your brother is now,” Aya said while being straight forward about her question.

            “I not feeling anger or greed or anything for myself to be able to be on The Dark Side…Dreazin has taken that pathway and…” Xeo said while Aya stops walking as he could tell something was wrong.

            “I mean as in how Eve said how your fate was sealed. She could tell from my mitochondria and knew a change in you because you were being human. Why is that?”

            “I…” Xeo said while he couldn’t come up with an answer. “I’m sorry, Aya. Maybe Eve is trying to turn us against each other with lies…” Xeo said as he kept walking down the street.

            “Somehow…I hope so…” Aya said as she caches up with the Jedi. They kept moving the long street with no resistance of any NMCs until they got to where Xeo’s Force Sight ended in Eve’s trail. It was a manhole that was left open and a pile of orange ooze was seeping in. Xeo kneeled down as he examine the substance to see how fresh it was with his Jedi Senses while Aya get’s the radio out of her jacket and calls in Daniel.

            “Daniel…Aya here. Read me?”

            “I hear you, Aya,” Daniel said over the speaker.

            “We might have a possible trail of Eve on our end? What about yours?”

            “I’ve already called in some units to check out a warehouse with unusual tremors in the ground. It might be a big nasty monster but I’m not taking that chance without some backup. Keep me posted, over and out!” he said while the static was only left coming for the speaker.

            “Okay, Xeo…shall we?” Aya said as Xeo could tell that they were going into the sewer system. Xeo steps aside from the opening as Aya began to descend first into the blackness below.

            “Careful, now,” Xeo said to her while she kept going down without looking back at him. Slowly she stepped on every metal step and gripped the sides of the ladder so she wouldn’t fall down and hurt herself. By the time she got down to the last step and moved out of the way of the ladder Aya looked up and could still see Xeo not going down the ladder. Before she even said anything to him to hurry him up the Jedi just took two steps and dropped. As before with the building jumping, he landed in the brick germ infested surface with ease as Aya watched the whole time. Once he got a whole of his lightsaber Aya took out her handgun and started to walk only a few feet but stopped.

            “Uh…kind of dark in here, Xeo,” Aya said while she turned to him. Xeo would be able to use his Force Sight to see in the dark and aid Aya; however, she was also looking at his weapon as to hint him for something. “…You mind?” she said while Xeo looked at his lightsaber and could understand what she was asking for.

            “Oh…light…okay,” Xeo said as he turns his bright Aquamarine energy blade on. He didn’t give up on his Force Sight since he didn’t feel powerless then before; because, of his prior times with The Force and doing multiple tasks that would drain him. It felt like nothing before as if he had some kind of boost or achieved a higher sense if his powers than ever before. Xeo ignored the fact as Aya kept moving away from him as he had to catch up to her. Soon they enter a section of the sewer system and just stopped.

            “Oh great…tell me you can figure this one out?” Aya said as they were staring down three different pathways that could be endless tunnels. She thought it was a maze from hell if she didn’t know where to look or how to begin tracking down the orange ooze, which wasn’t even visible on the ground from the filthy water washing it away. Xeo, knowing what must be done, began looking with his Force Sight to find Eve’s trail; however, not only was he able to pick up her trail again but also find life beings coming at them from down one tunnel.

            “Incoming!” Xeo yelled while Aya didn’t think for a second after his warning. She drew her weapon and aimed in the darkness that was barely visible, even though there were dim lit lights in the section they were in. Xeo knew where some of them could be hit with his Force Saber Throw power but he would leave Aya defenseless and without the aid of a powerful light source. “I think they are moving above our heads…flyers of some kind. Wait until they are in the light to get a perfect shot and…” he said as one of one of them showed itself. It had the look of a bat with the skin tone of being black and grey. It had no face but overgrown wings and sharp claws near its wing tips…and it wasn’t alone. Five of them came out of the darkness while one of them let out a loud sonic shriek. Both of them were stunned for the moment as their ears were suffering by the sound. Xeo didn’t want to risk leaving Aya without his lightsaber in hand but instead use his Force Push to kill two of the five NMC bats. While the other three were dazed Aya took up her gun and ripped apart two of them and blasted the last one. They both recovered from the sound, which lead Aya to believe more were right behind them. Xeo turned around to see ten more of the NMCs coming after them. He got behind Aya and, using his Force Saber Throw power, threw his weapon down the tunnel and diced up four of the bats while exposing them to the light. The bats didn’t agree with the light as the hum of the saber made them ecstatic and even crashed into the wall. Aya took her time and kept blowing them away one by one. By the time the last one felt in two by Aya’s Beretta Xeo recalled his Jedi weapon and kept it on.



“We must be on the right track?” Aya said while Xeo tried to look at the possible pathways for any hints to Eve’s trail.



“Those were just here because they fell under Eve’s power. No intelligence what so ever…it was just their well time advantage for us to be here and to attack us. They didn’t expect us to be like this to them.” The Jedi look on words to see a possible pathway with the tainted aura to justify his dissention. “Ahead…I can see the trail,” he said while Aya took point and moved on. They kept going down the tunnels of the sewer system with only their instinct and powers to lead them to survive. By the time they got down to the end of the tunnel another section with three pathways lay before them again. Without hearing Aya’s voice Xeo was already looking for the trail again. This time it was to the right. When went down another corridor of sewer rushing water and lit dim lights. The hum of the saber was the only thing that was echoing down the tunnels as their footstep was blurred by his weapon’s reacting to the air around it. By the time they went down the tenth tunnel in the same sewer system Aya stopped and just looked at him to think if he was kidding around.



“Really, Xeo…how much more is there?” Aya said while feeling a sense of repetitiveness was happening all around them.



“I can still see the path of the taint…it is getting stronger,” Xeo said as Aya looks back ahead down the abysmal blackness. Xeo kept following Aya until he stopped in his tracks to feel a sense of danger nearby. Aya, once again, knew that as soon as he would stop that something was wrong within Xeo’s mind. She turned only her head to look at him and knew right away that they were going to run in with more NMCs.



“Bat’s again?” she said as Xeo looked at her and shook his head.



“No…much larger…” Xeo said as he was getting his lightsaber to be at his back in a reverse style. Aya got close to him while seeing if he could pin-point the NMCs coming after them and sure enough they did…only the sound of a fluid curtly roar was made. From the darkness came a violet skin yellowish-brown spotted oversized frog with an overgrown tongue to match its spots.



“Great…them again!” she said while shooting of a couple of rounds into one of the frog’s eyes and mouth. Xeo could feel another one behind him as two more were advance near Aya’s direction. Aya slowly walked forward and kept putting shot after shot into the nearly dead frog. While she was doing that Xeo, being in the Soresu stance, was able to Force Levitate one of the NMCs coming at him and threw him up into the ceiling of the tunnel. The other frog just jumped very fast and got high enough to get near Xeo. Its tongue came out and lashes at his body but Xeo was able to dodge it and cut it off and then rushed over to give it a horizontal slice across its body. Behind Xeo at the time of the frog he just slay, Aya was slaying another NMC frog creature’s brains out but ran out rounds in her magazine. Trying as she could to reload the gun in time the last frog monster got too close for her to get her clip into her handgun. It tried to pounce on Aya but she dodges its front body; however, its tongue came out and almost had her. A Force Push by Xeo sent the tongue back at the frogs face and temporally blinded it for Aya to load up and give it one shot to the head, even through the tongue’s muscle fibers. As it lay dead and started to lose its physical mitochondrial body structure Aya turns toward Xeo and nods to him for helping her out. “Thanks.”



“It’s in my…well…I don’t have to repeat myself,” Xeo said as he started walking towards her. Once her gun was primed and ready they advance down the endless maze of the sewer system, which was only about a couple of yards away from their current position. As they got near the end of what could have been another room with three pathways they could hear the sound of rushing water. The sound wasn’t different except for the echoing to be more intense the more they walked closer to the end. The darkness started to fade away as brighter lights were emitting more power that before. Soon they had enter a large open area but yet enclosed with a claustrophobic feel to it. Other tunnel ways were visible to their point of view as the water that was rushing out went off into an abyss of darkness. Looking around from where they are standing Aya just looks over the edge to see how far deep the water fall of sewage goes.



“That is some fall…” Aya said as Xeo sensed his eyesight to find the trail, which was becoming more visible to the naked eye.



“I have no idea why Eve would leave a trail like this…it’s over the walls here and I think it leads up to that catwalk,” Xeo said as his view looked up to the metal grate walk path above where they were standing. Aya heads for the ladder and climbs it while Xeo wais for her to get up. Once she was on the catwalk Xeo Force Jumps his way up to land right next to her with ease. Aya, ignoring the fact of Xeo’s Jedi abilities were at this point, had her Beretta pointing for anything to show up as Xeo had his lightsaber at the ready. The orange ooze that they were following was becoming more dense and noticeable as the brick grey walls started to become rusty looking. The catwalk wasn’t any different as the substance was all over the place too which made it apparent that they were on to Eve’s trail. They were half way across the catwalk’s bridge when Aya stops and could hear the sound of wings flapping off in the distance. Xeo knew that it was the NMC bats again but this time about a dozen of them came out of the darkness to get them.



“We’re in trouble?” Aya said while check her six as they could hear it all around.

            “It’s just an echo…I wouldn’t…” Xeo said while he got his Force Sight on and could tell that about 20 bats were coming after them. “I take that back…it’s real. They are coming by a dozen or more! Take cover if you can!” he yelled out at Aya as she could spot a few emerging from the darkness. Taking her aim carefully she takes out the few bats with the sights of dismemberment and blood as a sign of a direct hit. Xeo ignites his lightsaber and waits for any other NMC flyers to get near him while being in the Soresu form. Killing just small numbers of the bats it was soon that the whole group would swarm in out of the darkness. They were out number at a ratio of 12:1 for each. Aya could only think of using her Energy Shot attack to take out a group of them but it would leave her venerable to a counter attack as it would make her daze for a moment. Xeo, on the other hand, could easily take them all out but couldn’t risk the life of Aya being in the crossfire of his lightsaber or Force Powers. Try as he may, Xeo could only use Force Push and Force Pull to make the bats fall faster to his skills. A group of five bats came at the Jedi’s head but with a few flicks of the wrist and upper cut swings he put them down with grace and persecution. Aya also demonstrated her abilities to shot without missing her shots in an open area like this. She even made one shot go through three bats as they were lined up with perfect timing for her to shoot. The bat numbers seemed endless until the group added a NMC frog into the mix. “Aya…we got another one of those you dislike!” Xeo yell as Aya quickly could see the tongue of the monster to tell what it was.

            “This is beyond our control!?” Aya said as Xeo could try to think of a way to end this quickly without putting her life on the line, which not only hers but his also. He looked around to see that the catwalk had light lamp posts to see where they were walking before all the NMCs came out of nowhere.

            “Aya. I got an idea! Get far away and take them down as a sniper if you can!” the Jedi said to her as she agree without question. Using her own powers, she hastens herself to get as far as she could to Xeo while running she was able to witness a strong concentration of the orange ooze for a brief moment. Tuning back around to face Xeo she takes aim and gets off a few shots from her handgun at a long range distance, which she was able to clip off a few bats to not fly but not fatally wound them but the fall would end the NMCs lives. Xeo could tell Aya was far enough away that after that last two bats he cadaver up with his lightsaber he makes a 360 degree spin. Jumps over to the next set of lamp posts and does it again. The posts themselves that were cut with such accuracy that they didn’t fall but had signs of cuts that they should have fell. After he did that he looks at Aya and without moving was open to attack from the bats as the NMC frog was coming ever so closer. It kept hopping along while he stood there doing nothing.

            “Xeo! Whatever you doing do it now! It’s right behind you!” Aya said as Xeo replied back.

            “I’m playing bait for it…” he said while feeling the presence of the frog almost on top of him as the bats were swarming Xeo. “Hook…line…and…” he said as The Force flowed through his hands and eyes. The Force Levitation he showed up before became much more prominent this time around as it became a power of Force Telekinesis that surged around his lightsaber. He ducked as the most of the bats were on top of his head. His lightsaber, now imbued with the power of The Force, used it as Saber Barrier technique. A blur of evaporating NMC blood from the bats and the arc of Xeo’s lightsaber blade color went all around him. The Jedi even clipped the lamp posts and he pre-cut before to finally be free but he needed to most of the bats away from him. By being stationary and dicing up the nearby bats he was able to pick up the four lamp posts with his telekinesis skills. While his lightsaber was coming back around to his hands he sends it flying at the frog as a Force Saber Throw move. The NMC frog was quick enough to dodge it as it was in the air and that is when Xeo said, “…sinker!” at last. The lamp posts that he was using with his Force Telekinesis made it possible to hit the last reminding bats around for Aya to take her shots. Near the end of the battle Xeo use the lamp post’s cut sharp ends and send all four of them into the falling NMC frog that was about to crush him. It was impaled in all directions in its body as Xeo Force Pull his lightsaber back. He kept it on still as it twirled back and cut the frog in half sending it in two pieces into the blackness below.

            “You…you nearly got me worried about you!” Aya yelled while Xeo walked over to her as if it wasn’t impossible for him to do this.

            “I was worried myself…I never knew I could try that out. Some reason…this is almost easy for me to do and yet…not in my lifetime can me nor any Jedi would be able to pull off without feeling drained,” Xeo said as he tried to answer his own question until he was able to feel voices of people’s chattering. “People…down here?” he said while Aya wasn’t thinking about the large mass of orange goo was down here.

            “You mean…this is?” Aya said as they walked closer to it. “It’s the audience from Central Park.”

            “You’re…right!” Xeo said while he kept hearing the sounds of a hundred voices being inflicted with pain and suffering of which they once were. “I can hear them…all of them from Central Park. Pain…death…hunger. This is not what I would think they would turn out to be after death or even become one with The Force.”

            “You mean…they aren’t dead?” Aya said while looking at Xeo and his will to hear them through The Force.

            “Even in death anyone can become one with The Force either good or evil. Yet…these people…innocent people…were robbed of this by Eve. The mitochondria I can feel…it’s them!” Xeo said.

            “That’s…horrible! Eve…how can she?” Aya said while feeling sorry for not being able to save anyone in time before everyone in the Central Park stage area to become a slave of her power. She then had a terrible thought that Aya had to ask Xeo. “Can you even heard…Daniel’s wife?”

            “Yes…I can,” Xeo said while being able to know the Force Signature within the mass as being Daniel’s wife. “It’s about Ben…and Daniel…hopping they are okay and doing anything to…save them. She keeps repeating herself that. By The Force…what Eve can do is of The Dark Side nature.” Aya walked over to the mass of orange ooze with her handgun to defend herself from any attacks. Soon the mass, of what were the people of Central Park, began to form a liquid sphere at the bottom of a huge water refinery pipe and tank despiser. It quickly moved at Aya as she kept her guard up while Xeo walked over and could feel more of the emotions of the people within the sphere. Soon it dropped away from Aya when it was just about to touch her and went into the reservoir.

            “Damn! That slime…” Aya said as she turned towards Xeo. “We need to get it out of the reservoir before it infects the whole city.” They looked around for any means of doing this task that Aya just said right in front of him. It didn’t take long for Aya to spot an answer as she looked around to see a valve that would be that answer. “Xeo, down there…I think that valve would do it!” Xeo nodded as they both ran for the ladder to get down to the level they needed to be at. Aya was the first to get down there followed by Xeo’s jump down to the ground level. Xeo was running over to turn the valve when all of a sudden the water erupted and two large shadowy shapes came from within the reservoir. They landed, one near Aya and the other one near Xeo. Again, Aya just had to see for her own eyes that a NMC creature she dealt with a long time ago is back again and had a friend along. “Oh no…not this thing again! Well this time I’ll even out the odds.” It was the crocodile that she fought back in Carnegie Hall’s sewer waterways days ago. Xeo could tell that it was another old friend wanted to challenge Aya again but wasn’t ready for her new founded talents as much as they didn’t know about the Jedi’s skills. They snarled at them both as Aya felt herself being faster than before while strafing and shooting the NMC, which proved to be mostly miss shots until she stood still and fired. A couple of shots from her gun was effected enough to disable its tail as it tried to wipe it for that wind cutting attack. Xeo on the other hand wasn’t known well about the monster expect in Aya’s 1^st day being after Eve. All he knew was what to expect from his large and scaly opponent. It stood back as it to tell where Xeo was as he stood back and stand his ground with both hands on his lightsaber that he held it near the right side of his face while standing still. The creature had a spark at its mouth as Xeo could tell what it was intending to do; however, he knew already that it meant a powerful attack was about to be unleashed. The monster took its stand and constrained his attack into a heated beam of energy. Although, Xeo would of used his lightsaber to deflect it or veer the attack off but he could feel his power able to do…more. It unleashed its devastating attack at the Jedi as it moved at incredible speed that even Aya could see him standing still but had her own NMC to deal with. The beam moved towards Xeo so quickly that it was almost blinding to him but he didn’t flinch at all. He lets go of one of his hands on his weapon and moves his free hand in front of the beam. It happened so fast that when he Force Pushed the attack a shockwave was made at the time he use his powers on it, which made his body push back a bit from where he was standing. The beam was sent back to the crocodile and it knew its attack was coming back to hit him. It tried to move out of the way by tail whipping it but it no avail as its tail was hit at where it was connect to its lower backside. It was dismembered and flew in the air but Xeo took the time to use his Force Telekinesis power to hold on to the tail and use it against the NMC. Aya kept trying her shots against her own crocodile as it was not going down with a fight, even with a disable tail. The Jedi started slapping the NMC crocodile in the head and body as it was breaking its bones and spine. Finally Xeo gave it one good uppercut swing to send it flying towards him. As he was walking towards Aya and her almost dead creature his air-born crocodile started to fly down on him. It only took him a few seconds to move his lightsaber above his head with only a slight angle pointed behind him as the monster flew and was being slice down its front area. Xeo kept walking while the monster was finishing up its run in with his energy blade. When he knew it was done cutting into his lightsaber he Force Saber Throws his weapon into the already disabled tail of the crocodile that Aya was fighting against. Soon it fell but wasn’t done but could feel its death coming. Without hesitation, Aya walks up to the downed NMC and puts her foot on its head and killed it. She looked up at Xeo to see nothing done to him and felt like something about how he was able to do that to the crocodile monster but she ran over to the valve and turned it. Nothing happened.

            “We did that for nothing?” Xeo crack his voice to her while she looked at him and shrugged.

            “I thought it would have been useful…at least you made sure those crocodiles aren’t going to made into any kind of luggage,” Aya said while she started to make her way back up the ladder.

            “Well…didn’t know if I could of block that shot with my hand alone. So I’m glad to see that you’re okay and I couldn’t of been if I failed,” Xeo said while Force Jumping up to the catwalk.

            “You’re welcome.” They moved to the other side of the intersection of the catwalk and up a flight of steps that led them to a door. Inside there was a control panel with a video fed of the water reservoir. “This looks like it!” Aya said while she tried to know that buttons function. “I could move the slime in the reservoir by using this control panel…” she said as Xeo overlooks to see what could be done. Aya flips a switch and a tremor could be felt. They both watch the video feed as the water was being pump out from the two tunnels and the orange slime flow out soon after. It knew something was wrong as it took shake and wrecked the main support beam for the tunnel. It collapsed and blocked off all the water it could generate out.

            “That made it mad…” Xeo said as Aya turn the system off.

            “We should be able to cross it with no problem, come on!” Aya said as they both got out the door and into the destroyed tunnel. Residue of the slime was still lingering around the area but didn’t pose any threat to them as they made where way across the tunnel. Once on the other side Xeo turn around and was confused by what just happened.

            “We got the slime out of the reservoir Aya but…what now? Eve isn’t here and not even I could be able to hold that thing down at bay.”

            “I got to report to Daniel at least about what we just encountered. We need to get back to the surface, somehow,” Aya said while looking down the tunnel that the slime kept going. “At least the city won’t have any problems of that thing coming after anyone else for the time being.” Xeo nodded as he pointed to a hallway with a light shining over the entrance way. Running up the steps they both headed for a door that was unlocked and took a moment to rearm and think. “Hmm…I know this kind of door structure. Xeo can you use your power to tell us where we are?” he closed his eyes and used his ability to see pass the door with ease. In his body of thoughts moving about the area beyond the door he saw rail lines and a platform. No moving trains were felt or being seen in the far ends of the tunnels as no people or MTA employees were using them. Soon he was able to make out a sign that had information on a location and a number that was colorized.

            “I can see…a sign…Brooklyn Bridge…6…green color,” he said as Aya knew where they were.

            “The Lexington line. Number 6…at least we’re near the surface.” As soon as Xeo’s mind was in sync with his body he nodded to Aya that he was good to go. They both enter the train station Lexington line section through the service door. Aya and Xeo were able to make it to the platform with little difficulty; however, there only chance to get to the surfaces was block by a chained doorway. “Locked…” she said as Xeo knew what he had to do.

            “No problem…I’ll just…” Xeo said and started to wave his hand but stopped on the count of a tremor in The Force. “Hold on…Aya. Something isn’t right…” he said while looking around as his Jedi Senses weren’t able to find what was troubling him. Aya had her handgun pointing to cover Xeo in case something would have jumped him. He kept walking around near the platform’s edge and looked down the tunnels blackened visibility. Xeo was Unable to figure out why he was feeling an overwhelming sense of danger within his mind. Aya was far behind Xeo to give him the best cover she could provide; however, she too started to feel within her body that an NMC was not too far away from their location. Xeo knew the danger was coming in closer and use his Force Sight to find out who or what was making his Jedi Senses trigger off. It was only then he could feel a large and vicious NMC about to strike. He only had to turn around to see Aya just being there alone for one second as a dark navy blue insect creature with orange bloody appendages and legs descended to her from the ceiling. “RUN FOR IT!!” Xeo yelled at out Aya as she felt the centipede like creature’s breath on her neck. She only turned around to get a glimpse of the monster behind her as it took a quick snap of its mouth and caught Aya in it. Xeo, unleashing his lightsaber’s energy, Force Speeds to get her free but the centipede’s reflex got the best of him by swinging its body to knock him into the other side of the platform. As he crashed into the wall and on to the rails he saw it run off into the darkness. He got up on his feet with a simple burst of Force Push and Force Speed his way down the tunnel he was on. Jetting after the large NMC he could spot the creature’s body with Force Sight being used. While he was chasing after it he notices that some obstructions were in his way, which was a downed train cart and some barrels of water next to it. He didn’t care from what he could feel from The Force coursing through his body. As he kept running he made himself Force Shockwave to knock over the barrels of water and let both hands Force Push the train cart with ease. The train car almost felt like it was moving on its own that as soon as he was ahead of the NMC he got the cart in his Force Levitation and threw it to the other side. He blocked the creature’s exit while destroying the cart as flames started to take over as it was the only primary light source left. Xeo then Force Leap over to the monster and gave it a good cut across its head. It squealed but didn’t let go of Aya as she was able to aim her Beretta at the NMC’s eye. Taking a few rounds to the eye the monster roared and let her go as Xeo responded to its outcry. Seeing Aya falling he was able to catch her and rolled out of harm’s way. In that moment she looked up at Xeo as he did the same and could tell that something was not right with the Jedi. It felt like what he told Aya about his way of being a Jedi wasn’t being expressed in his face as a look of stressfulness was seen on him.

            “Xeo…I…thought…” Aya said while Xeo put her down and just nodded.

            “You’re not going to die…not on my watch,” he said as he turned towards the monster-ish centipede. Aya looked down her sights and started taking more careful shots at the large NMC as Xeo started his attack run with Ataru. It kept moving around as Aya let out round after round of lead into the monster’s hard skin but they kept bouncing off. She then tried going for a soft target and shot at the underbelly of the creature which started to show signs of progression. Xeo made his slices while jumping around to confuse the monster and Force Pushing its head away from its bite. It didn’t take long for it to let out an attack that was nearly impossible for Aya to avoid without her using her haste speed. The NMC let out a purple acid poison substance into the air and started to rain down on them both. Xeo was able to slice them and Force Push away as Aya dodged away from the impact points. Over time the bullets were making their marks as the lightsaber cuts were making the centipede slow down. “It’s over for you!” Xeo yelled out as Aya was reloading. The monster started to rush towards her again as Xeo knew he had to put it down for good. Once he was on the ground he could tell that the body of the NMC was in its way for him to help out Aya, but by the time he got in view the monster was already on top of Aya again. Aya thought it would be a good time to use her Energy Shot again but Xeo stopped that for happening. Reaching deep within his mind and feeling The Force influencing his every move and thought he was able to give some of his power to Aya in a technique known as Force Protection for as the monster’s mouth started to take hold of her again.

            “No!” Aya screamed but Xeo’s power was able to save her from the NMC’s claws as it tried to bite her but was feeling the barrier around Aya. After which Xeo using one hand was able to get his Force Levitation around the centipede’s body and crush it into the ceiling.

            “Aya…be ready to shoot it if this fails!” Xeo tells her while she couldn’t comprehend what Xeo would do next. Using his other hand he changes the barrier around Aya to another technique called Force Absorption, which by doing this Aya was protected by any Force Powers. Xeo knew with all that he was doing he wanted to end this creature’s life without the use of his lightsaber. While still holding it in the ceiling he lets go of it and Force Jumps mid-way to the NMC as he let out a yell to Aya. “Get ready!” he said as the NMC started to fall near his body. Soon Xeo stopped in mid-air and was feeling every ounce of The Force around him as he began to transfer his life into aiding him with more Force Power via Force Body technique. Once he achieved the maximum thresh hold of his new power he curled up into a ball and waited for the centipede’s body to be all around him. The head of the monster just looked at him as he smiled and wink to it while setting of his Force Repulse power. By doing this he was able to not only kill the NMC but devastate it in a way that it went into four separated parts as the blood flew every from this attack. The whole underground train station shook and felt like an earthquake happen in Brooklyn alone as parts of the tunnel and tracks were falling apart or been turn into a crater by Xeo. The Jedi landed on his feet and looked at Aya who wasn’t harm by the Force Absorption power protecting her from his Force Repulse. Aya looked around and just couldn’t believe how much has happened.

            “You really have changed…Eve wasn’t lying,” Aya said while she walked to Xeo and kept looking around at the damage he just unleashed.

            “But how can that be? This is not me being human or having human emotions? Even if I did I am able to control those…” Xeo said while Aya looked at him and knew something wasn’t making sense.

            “You’re emotions?”

            “Yes…I am in control…” Xeo said with such confidence that Aya knew Xeo wasn’t even right about himself.

            “Then why do you sound like you know it’s not right? In your voice?” Xeo just looked away at Aya while trying to figure a question like that would make him feel hesitance to answer back.

            “I don’t know…it just happen on…instinct,” he said as Aya could tell some truth was behind his words.

            “Like when that thing got me. You ran after me and even had gave me a look when you rescued me…it felt like…something shouldn’t of happen to me back there?” Aya said.

            “I should of seen it coming…I didn’t want to…see you go out like that. I just…didn’t want you to die…” Xeo said while trying not to raise his voice at her.

            “Xeo…I know you must be feeling and…” Aya said while Xeo collapsed on to the ground. “Xeo!” Aya said while running over.

            “Damn it! I must of use too much of my powers to kill that thing…I am so…strong in The Force that I nearly gave up my willpower to even walk for the moment…heh,” he said while Aya helps him up.

            “Don’t laugh. We still need to get to the surface and…” she said as Xeo walked with her help for a short time until his Jedi Senses felt that danger feeling happening again and knew what it was.

            “It’s not over…” Xeo said as he looked at Aya. She too could feel it as the NMC Xeo took down was coming back to get them again.

            “Xeo…I can deal with this. You rest,” Aya said while putting the exhausted Jedi near a wall. Aya walks into the area again with her gun out. Seeing the sight that Xeo had done to it, Aya wasn’t too true about Xeo’s sensing as the body of the centipede disappeared. She thought it melted away like the rest but it was only then that the four bodies came alive and were stalking Aya; although, this time it was more of a hit and run tactical for her to deal with. They kept rushing her and trying to run her over as she kept up her haste power and took shots when she was still enough to land a hit. They were fast but so were she as her reflexes could match theirs. Over time she was able to take own down by disabling its leg and shooting it’s under belly for a more massive damage effect. Another one of the body pieces hit her as she fell to the ground, which she got back up right way and started counter attacking the NMC. Unknown to her, which Xeo could sense from Aya, she was able to heal herself without even noticing and a great amount of it too. Her back was cut deep but her mitochondria powers made it possible to heal the wound as if nothing happened to it. Aya kept continuing her assault on the three body pieces that became two after one of them had a bad case of blood lost from lead shots. The last two went faster as Aya but her gun gave her the advantage. She could take her time to kill another part by blasting its internal organs and butchering them with her Beretta. As for the last one it rushed her with great speed that she only could run back from it until she was at a good point to blow its legs off one by one. Then she walked up to it to kick it over on its back and Aya put it down for good. The other body pieces started to melt as they should have done before hand while Aya started to head back to Xeo. Finding the Jedi trying to stand with all he could on his own Aya comes to his aid and holds him up. “Come on, Xeo…you’re not all that powerful as you were showing off back there.”

            “I wasn’t showing off…I just did that so I could protect you,” Xeo said while Aya listen to him and began to think of how he has been acting differently.

            “Those powers you did…was for my protection? You didn’t have this kind of talent before…?” Aya said as she helps him get on top of the platform of the train station.

            “Never…I had just my usual powers including many Light Side powers to aid my friends…I always use those in battle or helping out military personal…as I did for you.” He sat at a bench near the doorway to the ground level of Manhattan.

            “But…you’re a Jedi. That code means something to you…so why are you…well…” Aya said while Xeo looks at her with a feeling of confusing as she was expressing discontent in her voice. “Why am I getting this feeling that you’re not truing into what you are saying. I feel like you had been lying to me this whole time!” Xeo had no idea how to answer that without even thinking of who he was anymore. It was then he could understand Aya more about her own powers and how Eve’s path of destruction could turn out to be the same for her. He could have turn out to be like Dreazin by the way he has been acting in the last couple of days. Xeo didn’t know it all because he couldn’t figure out why he was becoming more powerful than ever.

            “I haven’t got the slightest idea of why I am becoming more powerful than…”

            “To hell with you and your powerful Jedi ways…!” Aya yelled at him while she knew what she wanted to get answered. “…When you saved me from that NMC…you have that look in your eyes. I knew something was wrong with you but…I don’t know if it’s this power you been improving on. You even told me about how you should choose to use your power for good…or evil. I’m just learning how to control mine and how I am using it to stop Eve…to help those indeed of not being killed or turning into NMCs. But you…you’re being controlled by this power of yours…I can tell,” Aya said while feeling something pricking at the back of her mind of the feelings she was trying to express to the confused Jedi. Xeo didn’t know how to answer this question but couldn’t even begin to think about how to approach it. He got back up even after a short rest that his body can feel The Force again. He only had one thing to make her reason with him.

            “Aya…you have to trust me. If…if I even have been falling...I’m not completely gone over, yet. My powers are my own…a gift and a curse. What do I choose of those two…is up to me. I want to bring back my brother so much that even after all that I have seen these last days with you in this city. It might be my undoing as a Jedi for I haven’t dealt with anything like this before. Eve and Dreazin are making their moves towards whatever their goal is and we can’t just sit here and let every second count towards an impossible victory against Eve. Maeda could be right about her life but chances are that could not happen if Dreazin is going to keep her alive long enough for whatever his reasons are…” Xeo said as Aya looked at him trying to believe that his ways as a Jedi are not being as fulfilling as he claims to be…but she had no choice.

            “Xeo…please don’t make this hard for me,” Aya said while Xeo nodded.

            “If it comes down to it Aya…you’ll be the first I’ll come after…Daniel would be right if I was on The Dark Side should you have to turn that gun of yours on me,” Xeo said as Aya’s eyes widen from what he said.

            “You knew…”

            “For a while…I didn’t fight it because I knew something was bothering me after what Eve said…still is and I can’t understand it. But soon…once this is all over I will take that chance and look deeply into The Force. Find it. Understand it. And know what it means…for my better understanding as a Jedi or…my downfall for everything I know in my heart,” Xeo said while his lightsaber ignites and starts cutting down the door lock to the ground level of the Brooklyn Bridge. “Come on, Aya…we need to finish this. I rather not keep my brother waiting.”