The letter was a jumble of thoughts and ideas, fed by the need to say something but not entirely sure of what, or how much, to say. He didn't feel safe on the grounds with that girl around, but he didn't want to implicate his brother in any wrong doing. Not his real brother, mind you (then again maybe it was), but the older boy who'd been looking out for him since before he could remember. They were always getting bounced around from orphanage to orphanage together until eventually his older brother had aged out.

Bastion was a couple years younger than Kaiden at least, closer in age to the girl he shared the A&M Theory class with, Layla. The girl who'd abducted him. If it hadn't been for the fact that Kaiden had been there, presumably Layla's boyfriend or something, he wasn't sure what would have happened to him.

Headmistress,

Before classes went on hiatus I had an incident with another student. I didn't want to bring it up and had almost forgotten about it until I realized that I'd be sharing a class with her again. I don't know her name, but we're in Arcane & Metaphysical Theory together; she has dark hair, and blue eyes. L something, I think. I'll enclose a picture, I draw them of people in my classes sometimes.

I can't remember how it started. I think maybe I was drugged. I remember seeing her after class, I was heading across campus. Then things ....I can't remember anything very clearly. I woke up, I was sore. I was in the back of a car. She was driving and there was someone else with her, someone I recognized. He was trying to help, I think.

They took me to some kind of club, like something out of a Chuck Palahniuk novel or something. It looked rough. Don't get me wrong I wasn't scared or anything, it's just not my type of place. I saw people coming out, the ones that came out were always bleeding. Only sometimes living. I was in the back of their car, but I was cuffed, but I was watching. The two of them started arguing with a bouncer or something, and she came back to the car. She was pissed off, but she undid my restraints and let me go. She smirked when she did it, I'll never forget it.

I'm writing to you directly because I don't trust the Professor of the class we share to exercise any kind of discretion. He's just as dangerous as she is but that's another issue. He doesn't pay attention to what?s going on around him, and I think as long as you're one of his 'favorites' you could get away with anything, anyway.

I don't know what can be done, but this situation needs to be addressed. I'm sending a courtesy copy of this letter to HR also. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Bastion Kincaid



Bastion couldn't forget the night he got taken by her, nor the 'club' that they'd arrived at. He'd always meant to go back.

((Poll is open to anyone, just a fun/funny thing done with Layla-muns consent. Answer from an IC or OOCly point of view, dealers choice.))

Mother lifted her hands from her lap, resting her elbows on the dark wood table. She brought her fingertips together in a church steeple, and stared silently for a few moments. When she finally spoke over the steeple, her words were terse and sharp. "You chose to begin with a lie?"

"Excuse me?" Leta said, taken off guard by the accusation.

Mother spoke slower, but just as bitingly. "From whom did you receive the letter?"

Leta was about to defend herself saying that she didn't lie so much as leave out some of the whole truth, but quickly thought better of it. "I received the letter from the Headmistress of the school where the boy attends. She was concerned about its contents and I assured her that I would handle the matter," Leta answered while watching Mother intently, fearing Mother knew of her connection to the Headmistress, a secret she worked hard to keep from Company members.

Mother stared silently again. As Leta grew worried she might press the issue, Mother spoke up in a commanding tone. "The boy is never to be harmed by you, your charges, or anyone of this Company. The boy is my child." The man bathed in shadows at her right side nodded in silent acceptance.

Leta bowed her head for a moment, accepting the decree. Once Mother claimed someone as one of her children, that person was forever free from any harm from anyone in The Company, including anyone in their employ. It was how she earned her codename "Mother".

Mother spoke again. "Since his return from the dead, Lantern has worked closely with Nightshade in her missions. He was there with her during the kidnap attempt?"

Leta winced. "Yes," she answered regretfully.

"Lantern and the boy were reunited?" Mother asked unsympathetically.

Leta only nodded.

Mother bowed her head down and touched the top of her pointer fingers to her forehead. After a few moments of silence, she brought her hands down and interlocked her fingers together. She looked to Leta and said somberly, "Now that they are aware of each other's proximity, they will contact each other with some regularity."

Leta stood silently for a moment, waiting for a question. She did not see the possible harm that Mother must have seen in their contact.

"Tell me, Seer," Mother commanded, "You have "seen" for Nightshade and Lantern?"

Surprised to be called by her own codename, Leta paused before answering. "Yes."

"Tell me of Nightshade."

Leta sighed quietly. "When I see for her, it is first of blackness. It is a deep, empty void of darkness that engulfs any light that attempts to penetrate it. Its power is immense, though uncontrolled. Right now, she is unaware of her full power, something I assess to be for the best. I fear if she became aware, she would be as uncontrollable as the darkness inside of her."

"It appears as if she is already acting out of your control," Mother snapped, leaning back in her chair and letting her hands fall into her lap.

Leta closed her eyes briefly and nodded, silently accepting the guilt.

"And what have you seen for Lantern?" Mother asked, still leaning back.