Cassidy preying on Nadira

Ya're walking away at your highest speed, and you no e'en know why. Ya no sabi why Tina's words scared you like this, you no even know the real reason why she treated you like that. You don come here 'cause you cared for your friendship, 'cause she been of the few people who neva treated you like a stranger; and so, when this morning she tried that roughly to sever her contacts with you, ya knew something was off.

You'ways had an innate survival instinct, like that time when you and your older brother Iossuf were small pikin and you found a shelter in the middle of a tropical storm in a small cave, and una find ya way back home; or when, three years ago, you decided to commot for the hotel two days in advance, dodgin' the rebel militias raid in the village. Your parents told you ya Allah protected you.

And that same instinct, right now, e dey telling you that this one pass a storm or armed mazembe. You would almost have preferred her to be just a racist girl: because whatever dey happun, it's making ya turn your back on your friends.

You slow down ya pace.

"No... what am I doing? Tina and Heather... whatever this is, they need me! But she said... oh merde, what the hell!".

You're 'bout to turn around and walk back to Tina, when you realize say person was walking behind you and has halted as well. Cold run down your spine.

-What... you?-.

Cassidy Reynolds, the girl that you caught with Tina in a weird situation just two hours ago, dey shake for where she stand. You know say for sure that her presence here no fit be a coincidence.

-Are, are you involved in whatever dis is?- You ask. You don't know why you should expect cooperation from di school bully, and for fact she remains silent, her jaw clenched in frustration. Wait, you remember just now that her old folks na the school pushers.

-You boguess, have ya'nvolved my friends in **** or something? What have you done???-.

-Well, fuck you!- Cassidy bursts out in agitation: -I've done nothing, ok?-.

-Then why are you following me?- You respond angered. The punkette hesitates, but right then you hear another voice coming from behind you; young and feminine, and confused as much as you.

-Hey, what's going on?-.

You turn around, meeting a choua that, this time, you no recognize. She's blonde and cute, and is moving her eyes 'tween the two of you in uncertainty.

-Wait, you're one of Tina's friends, right?- She asks you, stretching her hand: -I'm Emily, her cousin.-.

You instinctively move to shake hands, but then you stop. You know nothing of this girl, and e be like you shouldn't trust people like this; though you know that Tina has a cousin wey dey bear that name. Emily awkwardly lowers her arm, while Cassidy spits on the ground.

-I thought you were staying with Hope this morning, Allen.-.

-I was coming back just now, Reynolds.- The self-styled Tina's cousin replies in slight irritation, then addresses you: -What's wrong? Was she bothering you?-.

-Go to hell, I ain't done shit!-.

You try to articulate some words, but at first only mutters exit out of ya throat, making Emily frown.

-Honey, are you ok?-.

-No! I-I mean, I don't know! Why has Tina tell me to run away from the country? You know wetin dey happen?-.

A look of utter confusion paints on Emily's face, who moves a strand of hair out of her face.

-Oh. Well, maybe I can give you some explanation, I guess. Look, ah, do you want me to bring you home? I've parked my car just there.-.

You shrug, ya heart dey beat fast for ya chest. You believe say she's Tina's cousin, and for sure you no want stay there much longer, with Cassidy dey plan Allah-knows-what.

-...ok. But, don't do anything strange, or... or you'll regret it.-.

You realize how dumb it sounded by Emily's gauche reaction.

-Yeah, I, I won't.-.

You follow her to her car, not bothering to check what Cassidy does behind your back. You're really eager to be out of the street.

As you stroll back to the corner where you were puffing on your cigarette earlier, a wave of uncertainty washes over you. You can't quite pinpoint your emotions. Sure, you're irritated that Miss Goody Two-Shoes interrupted your moment, but should you be? After all, Nadira may not be your friend anymore, but that doesn't mean you wished for her to be under that psycho-bitch's control.

"Will Emily take over then? Mmm, doubtful. It seemed like Tina spared her, so Emily will likely follow suit. Well, doesn't change much for me."

What does change, though, is how your captor will react to your slip-up. But running away isn't an option, and if there's one thing the old Cassidy learned living on the streets, it's to never show fear, not even once.

"-I gave you an order.-"

She morphs again, back into that Eric guy. Well, you prefer this to your sister. You pull out a cig and shrug.

"What could I do, huh? Put you in her with Emily watching? Besides, you already have Tina's besties and the rest of her family, right? You don't need that girl too."

You clench the cigarette between your teeth and flick open your lighter, but you notice your hand trembling.

"What the-"

A sudden pang grips your insides, like burning snakes coiling around your guts and bones. You collapse to the ground, grunting in agony, pressing your hand to your stomach, but it only worsens the pain.

"-Right now, I'm squeezing your intestine with my goo. I wonder if you can regenerate it if I make you puke it all.-"

Tears well up in your eyes, and you grit your teeth. Using the wall for support, you manage to stand, albeit with wobbly knees. The Old Bastard's torment amplifies your suffering.

"I'm still quite confused about how it works for you and your hosts. As far as I know, Cassidy isn't fond of Tina, so why do you still care for her?" 'Eric' asks, peering down at you.

"F-Fuck y-you..." You groan, your trembling hand reaching for another cigarette. You refuse to give her the satisfaction.

And it seems to work. You think. Suddenly, the pain dissipates. You glare at the boy in front of you, noticing a distant expression on his face.

"Take your bike and drive to this address," he instructs. He must be linked to some other body... damn, you have no clue how much she's hive-minded or how many clones there are. But you have to comply without too many complaints this time. After a final glance at your old house, where Cindy chats with the girl who knocked earlier, you head to your vehicle.

You park your motorbike in front of a grand mansion, complete with gates and sculpted hedges in the gardens. A place you never imagined setting foot in, whether as Tom or as Cassidy. Following the green slime slithering on the floor, you're guided to a room, your brow furrowing as you have no idea what you're about to find.

Entering the bedroom, confusion clouds your mind at first. Then, horror grips you as you recognize the barely-conscious woman on the large bed as Sally McBride, the big-titted chick Kim had possessed days ago. There are two other naked individuals, of whom you do not doubt who's possessing them; they're a man and a woman in their fifties, maybe a bit less, both blonde, him well-built and bearded, her with a bosom no less ample than Sally's. Two cloaks, no doubt on that either, you'd recognize the stink in a kilometer.

-What the fuck? What the hell have you done?- Against your every precaution, you rush to poor Sally to check on her status. Her eyes are nearly closed and, well, and there's sperm on her tits, but what catches your attention is the unmistakable marks on her neck.

-You... you psychopathic bitch! You strangled her! She needs a hospital!-.

-No, she doesn't.- The man interjects. You turn to him in anger, only to hear the woman's voice.

-She's already healing on her own. She wouldn't still be alive otherwise.-.

Your legs nearly give out at her words. You look at Sally with wide eyes, catching her attempting to speak, but only hoarse rasps escape her lips.

-Don't talk, I...- You begin, interrupted by the man.

-I'm giving you a choice, Cassidy.- He says, startling you: -I have no particular interest in this one, so I'll let you leave with her, if this is what you wish.-.

-Of course,- The woman adds: -since you've failed me already, I'll stop having an interest in you too, and I will make your sister have a phone call to your father, to see what unfolds.-.

Your breath catches in your throat. What... what did she just say?

You gasp, Sally has suddenly grabbed your wrist with the last strength she's left. You look at her in terror, you look at her pleading eyes, and then...

...you withdraw your arm, letting her hand fall on the mattress.

-N...No...- She mutters. You divert your face in shame.

"Please..." Her voice echoes in your mind.

"Shut up.".

"Cas...sidy...".

"Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!!!" In your fury, you realize you're pressing your palm over her mouth just when the woman talks again.

-As I thought.-.

You pull back your hand as if you were touching a firebrand, unable to process what you were just doing. But if she managed to send an alarm, then you'd be uncovered, and Dawn...

-Then you do realize it's in your interest to help me dispose of her.- There isn't the littlest trace of complacency in her voice, not even a bit of sadism to make her vaguely human: -No, I won't kill her, before you ask. I'll lock her somewhere, just to have a hostage more. Oh... I mean two. The other woman has stopped struggling right now.-.

You hide your face with the hand you were just glaring at.

This fucker... she's even worse than your father. You managed to stand against your father, you managed to make your choices to escape from him. Instead, she just made you choose someone to betray, and you've done so before you could even comprehend it. How many hostages is she getting in two days? Do you have even a remote chance of defeating her?

No... no, you shouldn't think of that. You don't know if the goo she put in your body can read your mind; right now, your only priority is Dawn.

Even if this means backstabbing your own people.

Sally has passed out, in the meanwhile. Right then, the green goo of before reenters the room and morphs into Maria Gonzalez.

-You have another task, Reynolds.- She instructs you. You swallow a dense lump. Right now, you're Alice, and this is the frigging Rabbit Hole you're falling into.