The Carnivale (open,R rated)

Jason looked at Hoss as he spoke. He had no idea that the note and card was suppose to be taken to him to tell him about the two towns folk. But he said, "I'll remember that next time." He watched as some of the carnival people picked the two men up. He didn't want the people of the city blaming the carnival people for the two being beat up. The two could claim anything. "I would prefer you call the cops now, so they can take those two and the guns into custody. I don't want the people of the city thinking bad things about you." he told Hoss before he left. "This way they can take statments from me and Blade."

When Blade invited him in he entered the trailer and looked around. He noticed Dahlia begining to mix some kind of brew. He thought he heard her telling her brother to invite him in, be fore he entered the tailer. He looked over at her as he sat down and Blade handed him a glass of brandy. He took a sip of it as he looked up at Dahila. He thought to himself, Damn your beautiful. To bad you are out of my league." he sighed and then looked over at Blade. "I hope Hoss gets ahold of the police. I know the type of those two. They will be telling everyone how they were robbed by your people and beat up. That would not be right."

Blade and dahlia both gave a small smile at Jason's thoughts, but neither would say anything just yet. Besides, there were more important things to be dealing with for now. Blade sat down in a rather overstuffed looking chair and leaned back for a moment. Dahlia knelt down by Jason's feet and put the bowl in better reach before holding out her hand for Jason's. Blade took another sip of his whiskey. "Another ten feet and the police would certainly by involved." He said, "But as it stands, the incident took place within our boundry. Hoss will call the police in the morning and tell them where to find the morons." Another sip before a slight smile. "We deal with our own business, Jason O'Riely, the same way we have dealt with it for as long as the carnivale has been around. Our justice is brutal, but effective an I don't intend to change so many centuries of history and tradition for the sake of modern living." He then motioned his hand to Dahlia. "My flower is waiting to tend your wounds."

At Jason's feet, the small woman shook her head lightly at her brother's comments. 'You shouldn't tease the boy so.' She told him silently, 'He doesn't understand our ways.'
Blade's eyes went to her, 'He will soon enough.' He said back just as silently. 'Besides, should he decide to stay on a while, he will have to learn quickly.'
'I doubt that very much.' Was Dahlia's reply.

Realising that the silence might be just a little too weird for Jason, Blade coughed into his hand and smiled again. "So tell me, Jason." He said, "What do you do for a living? I assume it is manual of some sort. Dahlia is fascinated with your hands." At the man's feet, Dahlia scowled at her brother.....

Jason looked a bit worried as Blade told him how they would handle things. He hoped the man knew what he was doing. Those two idiots could bring down a lot of trouble for the Carnival people. They were a bit strange and had different ways about them, but from what he saw they were good people, and hard working ones, that were just trying to make a living that suited them.

As he sat there he moved his hand towards Dahila and then he noticed how Blade and her were looking at each other. It seemed he heard them talking, or something. Their lips did not move but he heard a few words here and there. "Shouldn't tease, our ways, should he decide to stay, I doubt." He shook his head, thinking he was imagining it. When Blade asked him what kind of work he did, he replied. "I own an auto repair shop. Me and three other's repair cars, trucks, vans, RV's and the like." he was definately one not worried about getting his hands dirty. Normally he was up to his elbows in grease and oil.

Blade lifted his brow and smiled again, "A mechanic. Wonderful." He said, "We could throw some serious work your way before we move on." Dahlia took Jason's hand in silence and began dabbing the stinking wet cloth over his wounds. It would sting like hell for a few seconds.....

Gritting his teeth for a minute as the stuff she dabbed on his hand stung, he nodded his head. "Sure, and I will give you a good discount." he told Blade.

Blade nodded again, "How decent of you." He mused, then looked at the wounds on Jason's hands. He winced lightly, but then smiled. "That stuff is a nightmare at first, but give it a day and you'll barely notice anything ever happened. Old family remedy."....

Jason looked down at his hand and Dahila. "I have noticed that Dahila does not talk. How does she tell you what she wants." It was something that had been bothering him. He had seen her in the tent and the other woman always spoke. In the trailer they seemed to make their desires known to each other.

Blade hesitated over his brandy a little as Dahlia hesitated lightly over Jason's batered knuckles. "It's a long story." Blade said eventually. "My flower was always a quiet thing, but some years ago, there was an incident. We went to the outsiders for help, but her cries fell on deaf ears so she just stopped one day. Never spoke again." dahlia returned her attention to Jason's knuckles, dabbing the vile liquid all over. She never looked up.....

Jason looked down at her intently. He could imagine what that incident was. Most people were decent enought to those that they knew or were of what they considered the norm. But those like the carnival people, were great to go to and enjoy the games and such, but they were not the norm and who in their right mind would help them. Jason guessed he wasn't in his right mind, for he was willing to help them if he could. He finished his brandy and took a deep breath. "Well I guess I had best be on my way. I have imposed on you to much as it is."

Blade stood also as Jason did, but below, Dahlia grabbed hold of his hand. 'I haven't finished.' Her mind said. Blade offered a smile, "I believe Dahlia wishes you to stay." He said, "She may not have cleaned the wounds entirely yet."....

There had been no words exchanged between the two of them, yet it seemed like something had gone on between the two. He sat back down and looked down at Dahila and then back at Blade then at Dahila again looking into her eyes.

Dahlia looked up again briefly and gave a small, but perfect smile. Blade also sat back down and smiled, saying silently, 'You do like him, don't you.' Dahlia looked to her brother briefly as she soaked the cloth again and started on Jason's other hand. 'Not enough yet.' She replied. Blade leaned back in the chair, but then noticed his brandy glass was empty. "Would you care for another tipple?" He asked Jason. "I can have someone drive you home later if you wish."....

He heard a sweet womans voice as she looked back down from looking at her brother. "Not enough yet." he shook his head and then looked at Blade a bit distracted. "Ah, another, ah sure." he then looked back down at Dahila as she began tending his other hand.

Blade got up and collected Jason's glass. He poured two more generous amounts and then came back. As he sat down again, he said, "Do you like my sister?".....

His head jerked towards Blade as he asked his question. "What?" he was a bit shocked at the question. Then he looked back down at her, "Yes, who wouldn't."

Blade leaned back again with his brandy, "Indeed." He agreed, "She is a fine woman. I ask because you look on her as though you can hear her speak. It is strange that one beyond our family can do that.".....

"What?" Jason asked. "What are you talking about." He didn't understand just yet what Blade was trying to get at.

Blade leaned forward and put his glass on the table. "You have noticed many odd things here Jason." He said, "Things that you have put down to coincidence and simple body language. But I'll ask you this, has that odd feeling yet gone?" He sat back again, "What I am talking about, my dear boy, is an ability that your mind has picked up on. Perhaps a strange little voice in the back of your mind that you don't quite feel comfortable with? Earlier, you asked me how my flower and I communicated. To us, it is easy. We simply send our thoughts to each other. I believe scientists call it telepathy.".....

Jason looked at Blade. Telepathy? He shook his head, still not quite beliving it. "You are saying that you can talk to each other with your minds." he looked at Dehila. Could she read his mind. Did he pick up on her thoughts? How could that be. "Not enough yet." he had heard a womans voice say. "Was that you?"

Dahlia looked up, but said nothing. It was Blade that had opened this casket and so it would be him to explain. "Ask her to do something, or say something to you." He said, "Or indeed, myself if you so wish. If you can feel a response, then yes, it probably was my flower that you felt before.".....

He looked at her and thought, "Can you hear my thoughts? What did you mean by Not enough yet?"

Dahlia put the wash cloth down and looked up at Jason with a smile. She nodded silently. At the second half of his question, she looked to Blade. 'It means I did not like you enough to share so many secrets yet.' She responded, 'But I am sure my brother will help you change that.' She then got up and took the wash bowl away. Blade smiled at Jason and cocked his head to one side. "Remarkable."

This time he heard her plain and clear. He looked at Blade a shocked look on his face. "How?" he asked. It was a strange feeling to be able to hear someone's thoughts, a bit unnerving yet exciting at the same time. "What did she mean by that last part?" he was full of questions. He looked down at his hands and the pain was now gone. They were still scrapped and cut but not bleeding and feeling still like they had been.

He watched Dahila clean the bowl and put things away. He wondered if she would like to go into town and look around if she had time. He knew that she probably had a number of shows to do as well as her pyschic job. He had plenty of vacation time that he needed to take. The last three years he had only taken a couple days off. The business could go on with out him there for a couple of days.

Blade finished his drink and put the glass on the coffee table. He smile and watched Dahlia clean up before he answered. "Between actual twins," He began, "There has been documented cases of telepathy. Outside the twins dynamic, it's almost unheard of. The thing is, Jason, we're not like regular people. It's very rare that anyone outside of our carnivale learns our secrets or has a mind open enough to feel it. It's probable that you're one of those few that has felt it and wanted to know more about it." Jason was definitely full of questions, both said and unsaid. Blade gave a small laugh of amusement and shook his head. "She means to say that she thinks I will play Cupid between you. You like her and whether or not she admits it, she likes you too. She hasn't shown so much care for anyone in a long time." In the small kitchen, he could see his sister glaring at him and laughed openly. "Not that she enjoys being spoken about in such a way. By the by, I'm thinking of venturing into the city tomorrow." Yes, he'd read that too from Jason. "The city folk have taken full advantage of my world; I intend to take some of theirs. Perhaps I might bring my trucks in for you to have a look at?" He then looked at his pocket watch. "My goodness, time for bed, methinks."...

Jason was a bit shocked by what Blade said, and he looked at Dahila again and saw the look she gave her brother. So if indeed Blade and Dahila could speak to each other through their minds, how was it that he could pick up on it. He had not before when she had mad her reading on him, but now he was picking things up, when directed to him. He wished his grandfather was still alive. He had been around when the carnivals had been about more. He told stories of them to him and his cousins.

When Blade told him that they were coming into town he nodded. "Bring them by, I'll only charge for the parts that are needed." His business was doing good and he had invested well so it was not a problem for him to not charge them labor. He rose sat his glass down on the table and looked at his watch as well. Indeed it was late and he made for the door. He stopped and looked at Dahila. He got up the nerve and in his mind thought, "Would you like to ride in to town with me on my bike tommorow?"

Blade nodded in agreement, "That's very kind of you." He said, "Though you may regret you offer when I bring them by. Many of them haven't seen a real garage for a number of decades." He lauged quietly and then stood near the kitchen to wait for Dahlia. She had finished cleaning up and had closed the cupboard when Jason stopped and tried to speak to her. She looked back at him with a mixed expression before looking to Blade. He too had picked up on the thought and chewed his lip. "I fear the only thing my flower has ridden with a saddle would be our ponies. Perhaps another time?" Dahlia gave a nod of agreement to her brother and then to Jason. Another time.

That done, Dahlia gave a nod and a slight curtsie to Jason and then went into the bedroom. Blade stayed long enough to see Jason out and then joined his sister. She was waiting for him, toothbrush moving vigorously through her mouth and her nightie on. 'You must stop teasing him.' She demanded.
Blade laughed as he undressed and put his pyjamas on. "How am I teasing the boy?" He asked back out loud, "He asked quetions; I answered them. How does that constitute teasing?"
'Because he does not and cannot understand what you are telling him, brother.' She replied as she went to a tiny sink and rinsed her mouth. 'And what yo do tell him only encourages more questions. Need I remind you what happened the last time you let our secrets be known?'
Blade stood up straight quickly, "Now that was something utterly different." He told her, "Those people betrayed us intentionally and with malice aforethought. How was I to know what they were planning when they had so expertly disguised their thoughts? Jason O'Riely is another matter entirely, Flower."
Dahlia shook her head as she slid into her bed and cuddled up to her blanket. 'We shall see.' She said, the closed her eyes.

Blade got into his own bed and laid back to stare at the ceiling, "There is something different about Jason O'Riely." He said, "I know it and I'll prove it soon enough."

The rest of the night went without incident and soon enough, the dawn came and went with the inevitable unbearable heat the summer was bringing. By the time the sun had fully passed the horizon, life began in the carnivale camp. Blade had also risen early and was infrming his troupe of the adventure into the city. A few wanted to go, but a few wished to remain behind. They had more important things to be doing. In the end, it would be Lewis the Wolfman, Beatrice, the Beared Lady, Andre the Strong man, the twins, and Blade and Dahlia. Hoss had decided to go aswell, but he would make sure the trucks were dealt with properly before he joined them.

The troupe left the camp in the late morning and stopped outside Jason's workshop a fee minutes later. There was already someone taking up his time, so they waited. The current customer was an old man who was happily telling them all about his time in the carnivale the past evening. He'd won a large stuffed animal that he would give to his grandson later and how he'd missed the old traditions. He even mentioned that he'd been to the Runner carnivale before, but it was many years ago. "1931, it was." He chortled, "And it was a wonder then as much as it is now. You know, my father was smitten by the Runner woman. It brought back so many memories last night seeing that woman in the butterfly outfit. They must be the grandchildren of the original owners or something. I remember it all so very well."......

He was a bit disappointed that she would not ride in with him, but that was the way it was. When Jason got home he looked down at his bed. For some reason he did not feel tired. He sat down on the bed and faced the closet. On the floor in the closet was an old, large strong box that had belonged to his grandfather. He had seen it there every day for the past eight years, since his grandfather died. It had been willed to him in the old mans will, along with the house. He had never opened it, but something seemed to draw him to it. Standing up he took the few stepts to the closet and picked it up and took it back to the bed.

Something else he had not noticed when he had gotten the box. On the front of it in a plastic holder was a piece of paper that said, do not open until the lady of your life comes into it. Now that was a strange thing to have on it. Taking out his key ring, he came to the key that would open the strong box. He opened it and on top of a bunch of old photos and papers was an envelope with his name on it. Shugging his shoulders he opened the envelope and there was a note in his grandfather's hand writing.

"If you are reading this, then I have passed and you have found a lady that has peaked your intrest more then others. She is differnt then any other woman you have known and probably you have begun to have strange thoughts. Within the box is things that will tell you of my past, before I met your grandmother, and became the person you knew me as. You will find that it has a striking resemblence to what you are now encountering."

That was it. He put the note down and began looking at the photos. They were of his grandfather when he was younger. But what got Jason's attention was what his grandfather was wearing. It was clothing that looked as if it was made for a carnival person. There were other photos of people that were simalar to those in the Carnival. Then he found a flyer with his gradfather's photo on it. "Mysterio." "Come have your future told." He stared at it for a long time his mind racing. His grandfather had been part of a carnival? A fourtune teller?

He put the flyer down and looked some more. There was his grandfather's and grandmother's marriage certificate, wedding rings, and some stock certificates. He looked at them and realized that the stock that they represented was worth a fortune at the present day rates. He sat there stunned not knowing what to think. His grandfather had been in a carnival, had left it to live a normal life with his grandmother, and had kept his past from everyone. He folded the flyer up and stuck it in his coat pocket then put everything back into the strong box and back into the closet.

In the morning he rose, showered, and went to the shop. He opened the place up and as his crew arrived let them know that there would be several trucks coming in to be looked at. He told them he wanted them to have a through going over and get the parts ordered immediately. When Blade and the others arrived he was talking to an old man that had knew his grandfather. He had found out that his grandfather and grandmother had just arrived in the city when the carnivals of old were begining to fade away. That he had heard many had went under as people didn't go to them as they had in earlier years. Perhaps that was why his grandfather had left the Carnival he had been with.

As his crew began going over the trucks, Jason took the flyer out and showed it to Blade. "Every hear of him?" he asked. "It is my grandfather, I found it in a strong box that belonged to him."

The trucks dropped off and the previous customer leaving, Blade was about ready to leave with the troupe when Jason handed him an old flyer. He looked it over and then smiled before handing it to Dahlia. "I told you there was something about the boy." He said to her. The silent twin handed the flyer back and Blade looked it over again. "Ahh yes." He said, "The Great Mysterio. Bernard O'Riely joined our carnivale in 1925 and was our youngest clairvoyant. He was a great man in his day." Blade spoke about the man as though he knew him well, but that was surely impossible. "Never had a false reading and never had a bad word for anyone. He left to marry his sweetheart Rose in '31. She didn't believe our nomadic lifestyle was fit to raise children. We were all very sad to see him leave us." He handed the flyer back again with a smile.....

Jason listened to Blade as he handed the flyer to Dahila. It sounded as if he had known his grandfather personally by the way he talked. But that would be impossible. When he was handed the flyer back, he noticed something else. There was a date on it, July 20, 1900. He stared at it for a couple minutes before he looked up at Blade again. It was not possible. The picture on the flyer was of his grandfather and he was twenty six when he had gotten married. But the picture was of him and it was dated 1900. He would not have even been born when the picture had been taken.

"Not possible." he said aloud. Then his mind went back to the funeral. His grandfather had been touring europe when he had died in a freak accident that was said to have disfigured his body. It had been shipped back home along with his personal belongings that had been the source of his body's identification. Then his mind went further back to something he had heard his grandfather say to his grandmother. "It skips a generation." They had been talking about something when he had been staying the summer with them. He shook his head and again looked at Blade

"How can this be my grandfather? He would not have been born when this picture was taken. How could you know that much about him?" Jason said no words, but thought them to Blade.

Blade picked up the thought and considered his answer very carefully. 'Not here.' He thought back, 'And not now. Dahlia and myself will discuss this with you back at the camp site. Until then, we shall enjoy our day.' Dahlia echoed the thought, then left the workshop.

As she went outside, the first truck was beng driven in. One of Jason's workers looked it over briefly and rubbed his forehead before looking to his boss. "Uh,O'Riley?" He asked in a puzzled way, "You sure we should touch these things?" He waved his hand over the sheer aount of work it would need to be considered safe. "This thing hasn't seen a service since it was built and it must be fifty years old?"
Behind Jason, Blade smile, "Sixty four year, actually." He said with a laugh.....

Jason nodded and said, "Get them fixed up Ray. It will probably be a long time before they get a good looking over again. " Ray nodded and began crawling around under it and up in the engine compartment. Alex and James looked at two other trucks doing the same thing. They made a list of things they needed and called it in to the local parts dealer.

He could sense that Blade and Dahila was hiding something. Especially the way Blade answered him. But he didn't get a chance to talk, verbaly or mentally with him or Dahila. They both headed out and joined the others going into town. He sighed and went to one of the trucks and checked it out. The Parts Dealer was grinning ear to ear as he pulled up with a panel truck loaded with parts. He handed Jason the bill and he could see why the man was grinning. Jason wrote out the check for the parts and him and the others unloaded everything.

One truck after the other they all worked on. When one was done it was pulled out and the next brought in and fixed. They were older trucks, not those of the present day that you had to take everything off to get to the problem area. They were easy to work on and took less time to fix then one similar of the present. As he was working on one of the trucks, he was thinking of Dahila. Then it seemed as if he was watching her only a few feet away. She had gotten seperated from Blade and two men were watching her and they had a look on their face that he didn't like. He saw them grab her and pull her into an ally as they began gropping her. He saw the time on one of the men's watches, and then he was back staring at the truck he was working on. He nearly fell backwards as a wave of dizzyness swept over him. He steadied himself and looked at his watch. It was fifteen minutes before the time that had been on the mans watch.

"Take over. I'll be back in a bit." he said and hopped on his Harley and took off. He had no idea of what had just happened, but he felt that Dahila was in trouble. "Blade! he yelled in his mind. "Find Dahila, She is in danger!" he didn't even know if he could hear him at a distance. He had no idea how the telepathy worked. He could only hope and pray that he could get through to Blade, as he drove like mad towards the area he had seen. He knew the place.

The troupe entered the city with much less welcome than the city had received from them. People stared as thoug the had never seen such a group of people before. It was shrugged off as the usual greeting and intended to enjoy themselves. Two or three clothing shops were quickly emptied of stock as the troupe raided the shelves for everything that would fit and be practical for every one. Blade even invested in a few items, namely a few pairs of Levi jeans and some modern looking shirts. Dahlia bypassed most, if not all the clothing there. She liked what she liked and that was it. She did however, make a substantial payment in an antique store for clothing, hats and pins, jewelery and some picture frames. Their next stop was a coffee house and that was also emptied of the bean stock. So far, West City was making a fortune from the Runners, but realy, they were only gaining back the money they had already spent in the games and shows.

Once the shops and coffee houses were visited, the troupe seperated a little to explor on their own. At this point, Dahlia also became seperated, but by accident. Around her, she could see more low key shops and stores and the streets became narrower and less kempt. Dahlia Runner was lost and what was more, she had two men following her. Beginning to panic, Dahlia turned into various streets to lose them, but only managed to get herself more lost.

"Here cutie, cutie." One of the men cooed, "Wanna play with us?"
The other man laughed darkly and Dahlia could feel their desires. The pair disgusted her. Too soon, she was too lost to get away and the pair had her pinned in an alleyway. In a panic, she took her hat off and brandished the silver pin at them. They simply laughed and pulled out a stumped bowey knife. "I spotted her, so I get her first." The second man said. In response, Dahlia gathered her skirts up to her knees and scrambled at the wire fence behind her. They caught her and pinnd her against the wall. While their disgusting hands groped and felt around her intimately, her mind screamed for Blade, for anyone to save her. She used her delicate nail to scratch and claw at the men, but they took no notice of it.

As their attack continued, Blade was frantically trying to find her,using every trick he knew, even trying to see through her eyes to find her, but he didn't know this city. "Dahlia!" He shouted as he checked each alley he could find, "Dahlia! Flower! Where are you?!" He could hear her screaming in his head and he knew what the men were about to do. His pace increased further. "Please God, don't let this happen again, I beg you!" He breathed. Then suddenly, he heard another voice in his mind. It was Jason and he was shouting too. "I know she's in danger, you fucking idiot!" He shouted both out loud and in his mind, "I'm trying to find her before they......" He couldn't finish his words.

The two men had Dahlia on the ground now and were pulling up the dozen layered skirts to get at her. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" The first one laughed, "This bitch is wearing granny pants!" Both men howled with laughter as they ripped and tore at the expensive bloomers. dahlia was still fighting silently, but she knew she was no match for them. All she could do was fight back nail and tooth until someone came to the rescue.......

Jason began hearing Dahila in his mind as well and then Blade's voice. He was close, he could tell by the streets. He came roaring down the allyway on his bike and stopped as he saw them. He could feel the thoughts of Blade, sence him almost. As he got off his Harley, he thought, turn right at the next street then left two streets down and then right into the ally." He then ran forward and grabbed one of men by the throat and lifted him up to his feet and threw him against the wall of a building.

His partner stood up brandishing the bowie knife, snarling at Jason. Jason removed his leather jacket and wrapped it around his left arm to use it as a shield of sorts. The tough leather would deflect the sharp edge of the knife. The man swung the knife at Jason and he managed to evade it as he moved to get himself between Dahila and the man. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other man picking himself up and drawing a similar knife. "Lovely." he thought.

Blade finally heard what he needed and follwed Jason's instructions to the letter. He arrived just as the man on the ground was getting up. Without hesitation, he whipped the rapier from his cane and screamed into the alley. His firm top hat went flying somewhere while his coat tails reared up and danced around at the movement. The usually neat ponytail came loose of it's dark blue ribbon and long darklocks of hair came forward as Blade rushed at the man. Unfortunately, both were too quick at what they were doing and the rapier missed the attacker's chest. Blade still did a enormous mount of damage however, severing the nerve to the arm under the shoulder. This was when both men began to reaize they were out of their depth. The injured man backed away with his stll useful arm up in the air in surrender.

"A pox on you!" Blade screamed at the man, "I will see you both dead before we leave your city!" And he meant every word of it. The second man lowered his bowey and then dropped it entirely near Dahlia. He then started to back away too until both were at the edge of the street. Blade turned his back on them and rushed to his battered and badly bruised twin. The mountain of relief in her mind was a comfort to Blade. She had as yet not been completely violated. At the edge of the street, the first man seemed to find his spine again somewhat.

"You freaks can't prove fuck all!" He called with a laugh, "You can't touch us!"
Blade turned his head just enough to look at them. "I don't have to." He said coldly, then smiled as they backed up just one more step. What they didn't see or hear, was the massive garbage lorry coming right at them.....

Jason saw Blade enter the ally and then come running down it, pulling a long slender blade from his cane. His hat went flying, his hair fell from its pony tail and his cry of rage reverberated in the ally. The one man took the slender sword blade just under the arm and the mans arm went limp. The one facing Jason dropped his knife and backed up until both men had retreated to the street.

Anger and the desire to rip the two apart filled Jason. He was about to pursue them when suddenly a garbage truck turned a corner and not seeing the two men, ran over them. "Now that is justice." he thought and turned to Dahila. "Are you alright?" he asked his voice full of worry, and knelt down then picked her up in his arms and stood up.

As the truck squashed the two men to a pulp, Blade picked dahli upinhis arms and cradled her tenderly. "She'll be fine." Blade said quietly, "I just need to get her home; back to her own people and she'll be fine." He walked carefully with her and motioned with his head to their belongings. "Don't lave a trace of us here, Jason. As far as the authorities will know, this is a tragic accident and nothing more." He then left the alley, leaving Jason to pick up the rapier and cane sheath, the hat, ribbon, jaket and what remined of Dahlia's torn skirts. He made sure to stay out of the truck driver's perfieral. The man was busy enough anyway with his cell phone, calling for help. Blade didn' look back at the truck, but smiled. "I told them I would see them dead." He said soothingly to his wavering twin, "And I never break a promise."......

As Blade took her from his arms it was a strange feeling. Having her in his arms, he felt as if he could conqure the world, and then when Blade took her, he felt empty. He heard what Blade said and nodded. He picked everything up and moved to his bike. most of it he put in the saddle bags. The cane and rapier, he laid across his lap as he got on the bike and started it up. He eased it out of the ally as the truck driver was on the phone, franticly telling someone on the other end what had happened. Once around the corner, he gunned it and headed back to the shop.

It was getting late when he pulled in and the others had just finished up on the last truck. "Go home guys. You all have done an outstanding job. You'll see a bonus in your checks this week." That made the boys happy. When Jason gave a bonus, it was a good one. He always took care of his crew. He could feel Dahila's thoughts, but not words. At least she was with her brother. As his crew left, he waited for the drivers of the trucks to come back and get them.

Hoss arrive just ater dusk to pick up the trucks. He looked worn and weary and was clearly worried about Dahlia. The crew he arrived with also looked worried. Many of them thanked Jason greatly for everything he had done for them before they took the trucks and left. Hoss was last and he lingered a while. "Wanna come with?" He suddenly asked, "Blade done told me what you's did for Dahlia. He says you's welcome to stay wit us a while. She may wanna thank ya'll when she wakes up and we's ain't openin' da gates tonight." He went round to the back of the truck and dropped down the tail gate, "Besides, I think we's all should stick together now for a night and do some talkin'."

After going to the side entrance of the workshop; Hoss had made note earlier in the day, he wheeled Jason's bike towards the truck and carefully lifted the front wheel onto it. With a firm shove forward, he grunted and lifted the back end, sliding it down until it rested neatly on it's side against a couple of sandbags. Once he was done, he turned back to Jason and firmed his jaw. "Ya know," He said quietly, "I done been wit da Runners for nye on 35 years and I never seen dem take to someone like they's done you."...

When Hoss and the others returned he could see the worried looks on their faces. It seemed that Blade had somehow informed them of what had happened. Hoss and the others all thanked him for what he had done for them and Dahlia. When Hoss asked him if he wanted to come along back to the Carnival, he nodded and went to get his bike. But Hoss had already grabbed it and put it in the back of the truck. He quickly locked the place up and climbed into the cab of the truck. When the others started them up the engines purred and there was no vibrations shaking the trucks. When they rolled out, it was smooth going.

As Blade and Dahila got back to their trailer, the door was ajar. Sitting on the couch was a man in a black trench coat, a wide brim hat pulled down over his face. "Some things never change do they old friend. This time they were stopped, and it seems by my grandson." the man spoke and lifted his head up. There sat Bernard O'Riely as he looked in the old flyer. "Looks like he is coming in to his abilities, same age I did so long ago"

Hoss nodded with a smile as Jason got into the cab and then he smiled again at the sound and feel of the engine. "You's gone done a mighty fine job, Jason O'Riely." He said in respect. The drive back was smooth and easy. "By the way." He said enroute, "I done dropped a dime for those fellas you beat up. Told the police they could find dem on route 9 passed out with drink." He looked over briefly, "Just coz I know you wanted dem caugt an' all." He smiled again knowingly and then fell into silence as he followed the oher trucks back to the camp.

Blade entered the caravan cautiously, but he already knew that the person wasn't an enemy. Some of the others had already let him know when they had reached the boundy. His caution was purely for his sister. He stopped before the long sofa and eyed his old friend carefully, "So it would seem." He replied, then moved into the bedroom. He disrobed Dahlia and put her nightie on her, then put her to bed with her blanket and the duvet pulled right up. He then went back into the living room and stood with his arms folded a moment.

However, it was only a moment and Blade soon opened his arms to give his friend a long waited for hug. "I knew you weren't dead." He said warmly, "It's soo good to see you, Bernie. I've missed you, old boy." He looked him up and down and then went to his favourite brandy. He poured two generous glasses and handed one to Bernard. "What are you doing here anyways?" Then he rmembered Bernards comment over his grandson. Blade nodded with a kink in his lip, "Most definitely." He said, "And smitten over Flower. I still can't quite believe how easy it has come to him and how easy he found us. That and the fact he looks almost nothing like you. I could have passed him by and never imagined." He sipped his brandy.....

He hugged Blade back and smiled. "Takes his looks from his mother." Bernie took the brandy and downed it. "But has got the gift from me." At his comment about how fast his gift came to Jason, "Took me a long time to come to terms with it. Thought I was going crazy till I realized I had a unique gift and started using it. Jason would have probably gone through the same thing I did, but now days they would have had him in a lunny bin in a heart beat."

He sat back down and poured himself some more brandy. "I knew that one day he would find someone special. Though I never thought it would be your sister." he chuckled. "You going to tell him everything? He is going to have to know. The boy has my genes and therefore the long life."

Blade half shrugged his shoulders as h sipped his brandy again. "Oh, I don't know." He replied smoothly, "The were locking us folk up in the asylums years before you and I, my friend, burning us as heretics before that. I see very little change in my travels." He laughed emptily, "But at least some of their imagination has returned. My carnivale has made a tidy sum on their emotions so far and their money. We've been here three days and we've already collected enough to feed the troupe for a decade. If we can last for the rest of the week, I won't need to drag them through this for at least another fifty or so years."

He took his favourite seat and invited Bernard to sit with him. "So tell me Bernie, what's been keeping you alive these past eighty years? Oh, and you shoul know, Hoss is convincing Jason to come back here for a talk with me.".....

"What has been keeping me alive? Hell Blade I have no idea. When I stopped aging when I turned twenty five I wondered about it for some time then just gave up on it and enjoyed it. But when I met my Rose........ I kind of wished I could have grown old with her instead of making others think I was."

When Blade told him that Jason was coming back with Hoss, he nodded, "Kind of figured he would. Been keeping an eye on him since I came back. That boy is falling for her head over heals I think." he grinned, "Can't blame him she is quite the looker. Oh and don't tell him I have been here. I'll get with him one day. Figure he will begin to know that I am alive once he gets full control of his abilities, and you tell him about us."