<span style="font-weight: bold">Dr. Julien Summerfield’s Office </span><br/><br/>Julien was leaning back in his executive leather swivel chair as Jess spoke on. His perpetually composed expression was hard to read. He appeared smooth, professional, and cool. But also seemed far removed from what was going on.<br/><br/>The fire burning in the background where flares of orange and yellow illuminated his outer form. His eyes were glowing red. Marshalled and alert.<br/><br/>He turned around to look at Carly. The cat girl still lying there, delicate and graceful. She really did look like a frail porcelain doll. Someone Julien definitely would’ve sunk his teeth into years ago when he had an overpowering need for blood. However, she was of some use to him. As long as she wasn’t contaminated.<br/><br/>He turned back and looked to the mirror in the distance. The strong features on his face expressionless, and yet, as if they were masking something sinister.<br/><br/>A reflection of light streaked across his 3rd eye. A wave that was much more resonant than the surrounding fire light and interior chandelier bulbs.<br/><br/>‘Of course, all it took was some<span style="font-style: italic">patience</span>.’<br/><br/>Julien narrowed his brows, before smirking with darkened eyes.<br/><br/>He got back up again and took prompt strides towards the end of his conservatory. Facing the grand mirror, he stood with a monumental manner about his stance.<br/><br/>“I know<span style="font-weight: bold">where</span>you are, my dear.” Julien spoke softly to his own reflection, before turning around swiftly and throwing a blast of wild energy that erupted from the palm of his hand down towards the carpeted floor. The infernal red blazes consumed him, before he disappeared from where he was standing entirely. Any evidence of his standing completely dissipated.<br/><br/>___________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Skyscraper rooftops </span><br/><br/>The winds were howling outside. Menacing whispers hovering within the air currents. The last few apartment lights were shutting down which created an even greater feeling of an approaching overcasting threat.<br/><br/>Flags could be heard chiming against the flagpoles as the winds refused to quell their force. The ambience creating a further sense of remoteness.<br/><br/>And that was when he appeared.<br/><br/>Ethereal sounds of a void opening up could be heard and sensed as a red smokey aura appeared. The piercing light was rapid and brief, before the recognisable devil appeared within the wake. Bent down before rising to stand tall.<br/><br/>As the piercing light withered away, the scenery sank beneath murky shadows that swept upon the environment Jess and Julien were standing in.<br/><br/>All that was visible within the oppressive dark being the silver tiles the roof was lined with which caught reflected light from the moon.<br/><br/>The Lurker’s red eyes pierced through the night. His presence draining and almost crushing against anyone’s soul.<br/><br/>“Have we approached a time of<span style="font-weight: bold">reckoning</span>?” Julien asked, threatening undertones in his voice. He eased up a bit as he studied Jess more closely.<br/><br/>“Your kind seems familiar. Perhaps not purely ‘one or the other’ of what “<span style="font-weight: bold">I</span>” had in mind,” the amethyst beast smirked lightly, before hardening his gaze “how about you enlighten me with what your motives really are before I proceed and plague your very existence?”<br/>___________________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Office of Dr. Julien Summerfield</span><br/><br/>Carly stirred somewhat. Waving her head from side to side before she leant forwards to catch her head with her hands. Her frontal lobe throbbing intensely.<br/><br/>“….arrrrrrghhhhhhhh…” she whimpered. Hair covering her face as she shook her buried face within her hands “why…. Why… why….?!”<br/>She took a few minutes to calm down. Breathing in and out as the fire continued to crackle in the background. The warmth of the room feeling less oppressive for some reason.<br/><br/>That was when she looked up and noted she was all alone. She looked to the left, then looked to the right, before gazing out of the window.<br/><br/>No one was here.<br/><br/>She struggled to get up. Woozy and somewhat disorientated. The world spinning somewhat as she tried to catch her balance on surrounding objects and furniture.<br/><br/>She walked up to the mirror at the end of the room and observed her own reflection.<br/><br/>She looked flat. Almost lifeless and more exhausted than anyone at her age would look.<br/><br/>She brushed some strands of her chestnut hair out of her face before she bit her lower lip. Straining her raw, dull head to retrieve some answers. It was all pulsing so rapidly that she couldn’t make sense of it.<br/><br/>She needed to get out. Something wasn’t right. She heard and saw things but was unable to piece it altogether as a sense of flight and fright was starting pulse through her veins.<br/><br/>She took one last hesitant look at the mirror. Backing away with the fear of a little mouse, before turning on her feet and dashing towards the door. Suddenly feeling like she was in a lion's den. An evil presence that would soon hunt her down if it noticed she was evading the vicinity.<br/><br/>She<span style="font-style: italic">had</span>to get out.<br/><br/>______________________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Record store lounge </span><br/><br/>Dale simply sat there and wrote notes as James recounted his story. Being sure not to leave out a single detail.<br/><br/>Kip was getting bored. He sat there with his face supported by one of his hands. Yawning every now and again.<br/>How he'd rather be on the streets right now to put the nitty gritties of Society in their place.<br/><br/>"Alright James, we'll take some samples of the security cassettes to view within our own time at our office," Dale explained "there's just more questions to answer I'm afraid. But don't worry, we'll keep it simple for today."<br/><br/>"What we'd also like to ask is... did Tom have any enemies?"