"'cause if it doesn't work, the others will be," he paused, searching for the proper word, "...well they‘ll be disappointed."

"So?"
"You can see it," James waved around him to where the others had been sitting earlier, "Avery's consumed more alcohol in the past two days that I have in the past two weeks! Suchong just sits around-"

"He always sits around, he weighs more than both of us combine!"

"No, I mean, more than usual. He's got no motivation, and Ariel..."

Icabob inwardly rolled his eyes, Here we go again.

"I dunno if we...I mean, if she's...interested."

Icabob had to restrain a sigh, "She snap at you again?"

James nodded, "Maybe I should give up."

You should've given up a long time ago. The words sat on Icabob's tongue, it took every ounce of will to keep from saying it.

"Maybe I'm just lovesick."

"There's your sister." Icabob suggested.

James curled his lip in disgust, "Incest?!"

"NO!" Icabob shook his head and hands, "Not that, I mean, your right, maybe you are love sick, and maybe spending time with family is what you need."

James stared hard at Icabob for a moment before saying, "And here I thought you were just book smart."

Icabob shrugged his shoulders, "I have my moments."

"They're few and far between." James said, grinning.

"Shut up."

"Your welcome."

"Whatever. Help me move the Colossus, I gotta take out the battery."

"Say please."

"Lick my balls."

"Close enough."

"Did you see James staring at Ariel?"

"Again?"

Suchong nodded, "Why doesn't he just go ahead and tell her his feelings?"

"Actually," said Avery, "I think he did."

"Oh," said Suchong, "Ouch."

Avery chuckled, "Then did you see Icabob when he first walked into the room and saw Jada?"

"No. Why?"

"He nearly tripped over himself goggling her."

Suchong chuckled as they ran from the house to the barn several feet away. By the time they entered the barn Suchong was huffing and puffing for air.

Avery looked him up and down, "Have you-"

"Yes, I've gained weight." Suchong gasped.

Avery's expression was of mock amazement, "I didn't know you could gain more weight than that."

Suchong grabbed a pipe off the nearby workbench and swung it back and forth, "Keep talking."

"Or what?" Avery said, grinning, "You'll eat that?"

Suchong made a grab for Avery, but Avery dodged nimbly out of the way, "At this rate we'll die of starvation thanks to you and your big appetite."

"Once I catch you-"

"You'll eat me?"

Avery chuckled at his joke as he ran up the stairs to the next level of the workshop.

"I'm getting sick of your fat jokes."

"So don't listen to me."

"No one does."

Suchong walked up the stairs slowly, every step creaking under his weight. Avery leaned against the wall waiting for him to reach the top. Then suddenly the wall he leaned on cracked and gave way, and Avery fell outside.

"Awww," Avery groaned, rolling off of his back and onto his stomach. He landed right next to one of the sentry guns hidden around the farm. It's barrel slowly swiveled back and forth, scanning the area in front of it for any movement or thermal object. If it found any, it would open fire.

This particular sentry was directed at the large field of tall grass, and just beyond that, an Inquisition-held forest.

"Karma."

Suchong walked up to Avery and helped him back up, careful to not stand in front of the sentry.

"You okay?"

Avery nodded, examining the scrape on his shoulder, "Doesn't look so bad. C'mon, lets-"

"Whoa."

Avery turned to look where Suchong was looking. He was looking at the forest, something large was moving underneath the canopy of web.

"Do you see that?"

Avery nodded, "Yeah, I see it."

"Shit I hope it doesn't come this way."

Avery silently hoped it didn't either, it had to be three stories tall, whatever it was.

"What do you think it is?"

Suchong shook his head, "Something wicked. Something I don't wanna see any closer."

Avery nodded, glancing at the sentry. The creature was too far out of range, but even if it was in range, Avery doubted the gun would even scratch it.

The creature, whatever it was, lumbered off in the opposite direction, much to Avery and Suchong's relief.

Suchong grabbed Avery, "C'mon, we better let the others know."

"Damn that thing is heavy." James said, sweat dripping from his face.

Icabob nodded, "Told ya so."

James looked at the spot the Colossus had been standing in a few minutes ago, and at where it was now, "barely two feet..."

"And only ten whopping feet to go!"

"Once the suit is up and running," James panted, "will it weigh any less? I mean, to the person inside it?"

Icabob nodded, "If I designed the hydraulics right."

James sighed and got up, walking over to the eight foot high battle suit. It was iron gray, and looked entirely pathetic rather than intimidating or anything close to portraying an image of its true purpose. In fact, it looked like something out of some cheap nineteen seventies science fiction movie.

Icabob couldn't help but feel utterly hopeless about the project. It was entirely useless at the moment, and if he didn't get the parts he required, the Colossus would be no more than a giant door stop.

There was a crash from upstairs, and both men jumped, the Colossus completely forgotten for the moment.

"What was that?" Icabob asked.

James shook his head, grabbing the shotgun from the nearby work table, then headed for the stairs. Icabob quickly followed, grabbing a wrench.

They headed upstairs, coming out into the kitchen. Finding nothing there, they headed into the living room, where they heard angry voices.

"Its coming from upstairs." Icabob said.

James pumped the shotgun and ran up the stairs, fearful for his sister. Was it the Inquisition? Or the heps?

The scene they came upon in the middle of the hallway was entirely not what James or Icabob expected.

Avery lay upon the floor of the hallway, hands on his nose, while Jada stood in the doorway of Ariel's room, eyes wide as she watched Ariel yell at Suchong, who for some reason suddenly looked smaller compared to the raging Ariel.

"-JUST AS SHE WAS CHANGING YOU SICK PERVERTS!"

"I didn't know I swear!"

"Yeah, we didn'd bean do!" said Avery, blood trickling out between his fingers.

James stood dumbfounded on the top shelf, while behind him, Icabob began to chuckle, whispering, "Man, I am so glad I'm not on the receiving end of Ariel's rage."

James couldn't help but feel his pulse quicken at the sight of Ariel like this, his face felt suddenly warmer too.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO PAGE THROUGH A PORNO OR SOMETHING?!"

Icabob was chuckling harder, "I wasn't aware the Consortium published porno."

James couldn't help but laugh at that joke.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO LAUGHING AT?"

Ariel had spun on them and was glaring at them, fire glinting in her eyes. James's legs felt suddenly weak, and he didn't answer right away.

Icabob, realizing what was wrong, made a small sound of disgust and jabbed James in the back, returning James to reality.

"Oh, right, we...uh..."

"Heard a disturbance." Icabob whispered quietly so only James could hear.

"Heard a disturbance." James repeated.

"A disturbance?" Ariel said.

"Yeah...uh..."

"Are you okay?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Ariel said, crossing her arms, "Nice of you to ask. Oh," she added sarcastically, "and don't worry about your sister, she's fine but nice of you to ask."

"Whab aboub me?" Avery asked.

"Shut up." Ariel snapped waspishly.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight?"

"Will you have dinner with me tonight?"

The words just left his mouth when James realized what he had said, and realized that everyone, except Avery, was staring at him.

James spun on Icabob, who had a wicked grin spread across his face, "Sorry James, couldn't resist. You know how it is."

"I'm pretty sure we've been through this James." she said. James noticed that her voice had softened slightly.

"Yeah, just...forget I said that."

Icabob snorted.

"Anyway," James said loudly, "What's going on here?"

Before either Avery or Suchong could say anything, Ariel pointed a finger at them, "Those two dip shits walked in on us as I was helping her change her clothes."

"It was a mistake!" Suchong protested.

"We were looking bor you James." Avery said.

Ariel snorted.

"Why what's wrong?" James asked.

"We saw something."

"Somebing huge."

"Walking around in the forest."

"Which way did it go?" James demanded.

"Away from us."

"Thank God." Icabob uttered.

"What was it?" James asked.

Suchong shook his head, "Dunno, but it was huge."

"Huge." Avery piped in.

"Like, taller than this house huge."

Jada made a small noise, and Ariel, for the moment forgetting her anger, went over to her side. James wanted to as well, but he needed to know more.

"What did it look like?"

"Huge."

"I got that part, what else?"

Suchong shrugged, "It was in the forest, underneath the webs, it was too dark to see fully."

"What should we do?" Ariel asked.

"What can we do?" Icabob asked.

"Leave." James said.

"We can't just pick up and leave!" Icabob protested.

"And if it attacks?"

"We'll stop it!"

"With what? Handguns and a few semi automatics?"

"The Colossus-"

"Is useless."

"What Colossus?" Suchong asked.

"What are you talking about?" Ariel asked.

James glanced at Icabob, who nodded, "Might as well tell them."

"So let's get the parts." Avery said while Icabob examined his nose.

"Where do you propose we get them?" James asked.

"I dunno, the- aaghh!"

With a crack Icabob moved Avery's broken nose back into place.

"What are you trying to do, break it some more?!" Avery protested.

"Moving it back into place moron."

"Did you have to do it that hard?"

"Just shut up."

"There's Base Three, about twenty miles from here." Ariel suggested.

James spun on her, "Attack a Consortium base? The six of us?"

"Count me out." Jada said.

"Ditto on that." Icabob muttered.

"We can't attack Base Three," James said, "Or any base for that matter."

Suddenly there was static coming over the radio sitting on the TV stand.

"I thought the Consortium outlawed all radios and Tvs?" Jada said.

Icabob looked at her and raised his eyebrows, as if to say, Do you know who your standing amongst.

Jada understood the stare and nodded slowly, "Oh, right."

"Shhhh!" Suchong hissed as he played with the radio, trying to get it to receive. Finally a voice came through the speakers.

"This is Dr. Lawrence Harmon-"

"Dr. Harmon?!" Icabob said loudly.

"-can anyone hear me! Please! I'm on M going south towards Watertown! Please I'm being pursued by Harlequins!"

"Shit. We don't stand a chance." Avery said.

"We've got to help him!" Icabob said.

"We will." James said, "Is the hummer ready?"

Suchong shrugged, "As ready as ever."
"It'll have to do. Avery, load the truck with ammo and grenades, Suchong fill up the gas tank. Icabob, stay put."

Avery and Suchong left to do their jobs while James questioned Icabob, "How do you know him?"

"He was my professor at Concordia." Icabob stammered, "He must've done something to piss the Consortium off."

"Concordia?" Jada whispered, "They still let people go to college?"

James stared at her, so did everyone else. "Where have you been lately?"

"Or for that matter," said Icabob, "the past few years?"

Jada didn't look at either of them. James gave her a hard searching look when he noticed Ariel giving him a meaning look.

"Right. Icabob, give us the room." he said.

"And Jada, you can go back up to my room." Ariel said gently.

Jada gave her brother a pleading look for understanding as she left.

When they were gone, Ariel walked up close to James, "James, when I helped her change, I took off her shirt...her back...it...there were scars there."

James's heart nearly stopped, "What kind of scars?"

"The kind that you find on others that have been...studied."

Blood pounded in James ears. No. Not his sister. Not Jada. The only kind of people with those kind of scars were insane, or worse...

"She hasn't shown any signs-"

"That's enough." James said quietly.

"James-"

"Get yourself ready, we're leaving in a few minutes."