<span style="font-style: italic">The super storm that was being predicted for the past week had just rolled in, the rain was pounding down on anything and anyone crazy enough to be out in the weather, thunder boomed loud over head seeming to shake the entire planet with each blast, and the lightning cut through the sky so close that you could see itâ€™s true blue color. <br/><br/>   Taylorâ€™s blood began to pound loud in his own head as he pushed through the forest, he could hear the yells and degrading calls coming after him. The sound of their pounding footsteps echoed around in his head as he gasped for breath. He hadnâ€™t run from a fight in many years but he knew he wouldnâ€™t survive this one if he turned around. <br/><br/>   His body was in horrible shape and he could tell by the way the air burned its way in and out of his lungs and how his legs screamed with every step. His bare arms were covered in deep gashes as he swatted tree limb after tree limb away from him. It almost seemed like the yells were getting closer but they had simply been joined by another group coming in from his left. <br/><br/>   Taylorâ€™s foot sunk into a rabbit hole and his body followed after, ankle twisting from the way it landed. Wasnâ€™t this great? He had made an escape from the prison camp and was going to get caught because of a fucking rabbit hole. <br/><br/>   â€œRochester. Get your ass up.â€ The voice sounded so much like his fatherâ€™s that he looked around. Even with his enhanced vision he couldnâ€™t see anything besides the blanket of rain that had already soaked into his very bone. â€œI mean it Taylor!â€ The command sent him to work, shoving his way out of the hole and crawling up to his feet. He had never thought that heâ€™d lose his mind in the middle of a jungle but it appeared that he had. His father had been dead for weeks. <br/><br/>   Taylorâ€™s head jerked up as the sounds of crashing feet and attack dogs grew closer. He stepped forward and almost collapsed, bracing himself on the tree. If he was caught theyâ€™d kill him for sure. They wouldnâ€™t take the chance of another escape he wasnâ€™t useful as a bargaining chip anymore. <br/><br/>   Grinding his teeth together he started running, each step sending a new wave of fire through his body. He made it to a river and splashed half way through the freezing water to try and mask his scent when the arrow ripped through his shoulder. He grabbed hold of the shaft and looked at the bank, they had caught up with him and he could feel the chill setting into his bone. Perhaps he had enough time to make it through the water to the other side; heâ€™d stand more of a chance on ground instead of water. <br/><br/>   â€œYou might as well stop pussy cat, youâ€™re hide will be on my wall!â€ The taunt sent his blood boiling but he pushed forward to the other bank, his knees buckling as soon as he touched ground. The adrenaline was running out of his system, he would have made it out if his body hadnâ€™t already been weakened. Even he was mortal as much as heâ€™d like to think otherwise.<br/><br/>   Darkness began to close around him but it wasnâ€™t the warm embrace he had been hoping. Screams of bloody murder and the howls of injured dogs brought his consciousness swimming back to the surface. He felt like a thousand pounds and fear curled around his heart as he heard the sound of something crossing the river. <br/><br/>   A yell ripped from him as he was jerked to his feet and his injured shoulder was slung over the higher and wider shoulders of the man cloaked in complete black even the paint covering the manâ€™s face was dark enough that he couldnâ€™t tell what he looked like, not in his condition. <br/><br/>   He was dropped in a heap at the base of a tree and the first thing he realized was the rain wasnâ€™t pounding on his weary body anymore, the second thing he realized was that whoever pulled him to shelter was making a fire, the third was that whoever it was turned to leave. â€œHey.â€ His voice was hoarse from thirst. â€œWho are you?â€ The shadow turned to stare at Taylor and he grinned, baring startlingly familiar fangs. â€œA shadow.â€<br/></span><br/><br/>Taylor sucked in a lung full of air as he sat upright in his bed, his head pounding and spinning with the sudden movement. He gripped his head between his hands and tucked it closer to his knees until the spinning stopped. Once he was sure the world had righted itself Taylor slid off the bed and pulled on a pair of sweat pants. His shoulder ached with the phantom pain of that arrow, the scar still visible between his shoulder and collar bone. He rubbed the scar and rotated his shoulder to try and shake off the phantom pain and to assure himself that it had happened long ago. He was a different person then.<br/><br/>The sound of running water sent his hand to his bedside table and the gun that always rested there. The cool grip in his hand sent a wave of calm washing over him. This was his territory and his element, whoever it was wouldnâ€™t stand a chance in hell.<br/><br/>His steps were silent on the wood floor as he rounded the corner and entered the spare bedroom. When he saw the sleeve of Mekoâ€™s jacket his shoulders relaxed and he placed the gun in the waist band of his pants. Taylor was torn between what he should do, if it was him he would want to be alone to process the information but Meko wasnâ€™t like him. Meko wasnâ€™t like most of the people ever met.<br/><br/>Finally he decided to walk over to the door way, he picked up the jacket and studied it for a second, before his green eyes landed on Meko. It was the first time heâ€™d actually allowed himself to look at the young man, in the interrogation room he had been a job and afterwards it had been too hectic to get the chance. Standing here now he could see the slightly pointed ears and how Mekoâ€™s eyes held a keen sharpness that many career military men would be jealous of. â€œYouâ€™ll be fine.â€ He offered as he folded the jacket and dropped it back into the corner of the bathroom.<br/><br/>â€œCâ€™mon Iâ€™ll make us something to eat.â€ Taylor nodded his head towards the exit of the bedroom before turning to walk out and towards the kitchen. Heâ€™d make something if there was anything left worth eating in the kitchen.