Hermanos

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna shot her brother a look as she pulled the van into the parking lot of Ralphs. "That is just ridículo. And, none of your business."

Jake snickered, "Well, I'm just saying. If you want to settle down and play Happy Families with Apollos.."

"He is a friend, that is all." Anna flushed, jerking the keys out of the ignition and opening her door. Jake did the same, rounding the front of the aging van to join her as they walked towards the supermercado. "You could use some of your own."

As soon as she said it she knew it was a terrible thing to say, and she gasped, "I didn't mean that."

[Jacob Foley]

"You did a bit," he muttered, thrusting his hands into his pockets.

There was a closeness between them that had multiplied since he'd taken up permanent residence at the safe house, and with it came a brutal kind of openness common amongst siblings. They told each other what they needed to hear and sometimes it stung.

"It's alright. Anything for a bit of affection, right? Even if it is the Greek creep."

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna sighed, giving him a bit of a shove as they neared the store. He stumbled dramatically, making her laugh. "Like I said, sólo amigos. But," she smiled mysteriously, "You never knooow..."

The doors slid open and they entered the air conditioned store. "Grab a cart, we need to hit the cereal aisle." Anna held up an envelope. "Cupones!"

[Jacob Foley]

"Put those away!" Jake hissed, he closed in on her and pulled her hand down like she had just revealed she was carrying a concealed weapon. He glanced around and spoke in a reprimanding undertone, "You don't want people to think we're a God damn charity case, do you?"

He froze, realising the stupidity of the statement and it was reflected in Anna's face. He skulked away to find a cart, muttering over his shoulder.

"Just get the stupid cereal, will you?"

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna looked at her brother, wide eyed. Something was really bothering him. She had a feeling it was more than just the thing with Apollos. Not that there was a thing with Apollos.

Would it be so bad if there was?

She walked to the cereal aisle, tucking her envelope of carefully clipped coupons into the back pocket of her jeans. Ronnie liked the sugary cereals, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but Anna preferred to buy healthy and organic.

Luckily for Ronnie, General Mills had a pretty good coupon this month.

Jake came rattling up behind her with a cart, and she plunked a few boxes into it. "Mama always used coupons, Jake. There's no shame in it." She winked, "Its not like we're using food stamps."

[Jacob Foley]

"Yeah, and just because times are hard doesn't mean you have to announce it to the rest of the world."

They progressed slowly up the aisle, he leaned lazily against the trolley, allowing it to roll steadily along under his weight. Anna said something about sugar content, he grunted in response, not even sure himself whether it was in agreement or not. A sly grin crept onto his face.

"Oh, Anna, my queen," he said, in an awful Greek accent, "Let us take zee er- healthy opschion, a schild's budy needs good er- nuthrischion to grow, aaand break-fast is zee most imporrrtant meal of all. I know zis. You know zis. Leth us make zee babies now, you and I, an we 'ave all zee creepy sessy time, yes?"

[Anna Fernandez]

"Jake!" Anna hissed, her cheeks blooming rojo. "Knock it off." She punched him in the shoulder, and he rubbed at it with an injured expression on his face that might have been believable had he not followed it up with a rogueish grin.

"What is your problem with him, Jake?" She eyed him, and then turned away to examine the canned soups. "Did you... see something?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Yes, in the shower," he said absently, browsing the shelves, "He has this really huge cock, you see, and- ah-haha! Alright!"

After fending off a barrage of slaps, he crouched low to retrieve a few tins of chicken soup, with so many people under one roof it seemed like there was always someone sick. He was still chuckling to himself.

"What do you mean, Anna?" he asked incredulously, "Did I see something? He just rubs me up the wrong way. He rubs everyone up the wrong way, except Jamie, because she doesn't mind being spoken to like a child. Unlike the rest of us."

[Anna Fernandez]

"No ser un idiota, estoy hablando de su mutación." Anna sighed again. "But I understand... he does have a very... formal way about him. And he likes to take charge.

"I shouldn't let him do so much, but... its nice to let someone else shoulder some of the responsibility every once in a while."

[Jacob Foley]

"Hm," he agreed with as little commitment as possible, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," he said, brightening up, "I'm thinking of giving guitar lessons. That could bring in some extra cash. What do you think?"

[Anna Fernandez]

"Sounds good," Anna said, smiling. He hadn't answered her question about if he'd used his ability on Apollos, but after the penis joke he'd made... She blushed just thinking about it.

"Ah, I think the dairy case is next?" She hurried down the aisle towards the back of the store.

Jake followed behind, the cart squeaking as he turned the corner. Anna opened the door to the case, searching for the latest expiration date on the milk gallons. At the front of the store there was a crash, and then someone screamed. With her head inside the humming dairy case, the cold air streaming out, Anna heard nothing.

[Jacob Foley]

Jake's head whirled around in the direction of the crash, everyone else on the aisle did likewise and in that moment of stillness, he reached out. His vision blurred for a second and when it returned, he was halfway down the aisle and his view was obscured by a woman wearing a ridiculous cedar bark hat, the image blurred again and he was standing at the checkouts, frozen to the spot by the startling scene unfolding before him.

An army green Jeep Cherokee was parked inside the store having driven through the window, knocking an elderly man to the ground. In the driver's seat sat a man whose face was hidden beneath a black balaclava. Three other masked men climbed out of the vehicle, they were shouting and dispersed with the crunch of glass beneath their feet. Two disappeared inside the bank at the front of the store, the third stood at the door, aiming an M16A4 assault rifle at the pair of security guards, stopping them in their tracks. A third time his vision changed, this time he was holding a rifle and threatening the men and women who worked in the bank. They dropped to their knees, hands clamped behind their heads, whimpering pleas of mercy.

"Anna," he said urgently, his vision returned and he gripped the trolley for support, "Anna, it's a bank robbery."

[Anna Fernandez]

"Huh?" Anna came out of the cooler with a gallon of two percent milk in each hand. "Que?"

Before Jake could repeat himself she heard the unmistakable sound of a gun going off, and a fluorescent light at the front of the store sparked wildly and went out. She ducked instinctively, nearly dropping the milk. Someone at the front of the store screamed.

"Bank robbers," Jake said quietly.

Anna nodded, her face a little pale. She put the milk into the cart without thinking. Then she frowned. "Someone should do something. Yo no puede permanecer y dejar que esto suceda."

There were employees in the back of the store that still weren't sure what was going on. "Get in the back room," Anna shouted at them. She was walking up the aisle before she could stop herself.

[Jacob Foley]

His hand snatched hers and he pulled with such force, they collided. His arm coiled around her immediately, holding her in place, he whispered over her shoulder.

"Anna, what the hell do you think you're doing? They have guns!"

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna tried to shake him off, but her brother's grasp was too strong. "Jake," she hissed, "Gun don't work if -"

"Hey!" A gunman came around from the back of the store down the aisle towards them. "Get to the front of the store." He waved his assault rifle at them.

Anna narrowed her eyes, but she and Jake complied. They were shuffled into a small group of terrified shoppers sitting on the floor by the express check out lane. There were no sirens or flashing lights outside - it was too early for the cops to have gotten there.

[Jacob Foley]

"See what I mean?" said a soft voice in Anna's head, "We're not talking cork guns here, those are the rifles used by marines!"

Jake sat cross-legged next to his sister, surveying his surroundings with mild curiosity, somehow he felt better that they had been rounded up with the others knowing there was no way Anna would try something foolish now. Others were herded to the front of the store from neighbouring aisles, and congregated in small huddled clumps around the checkouts.

"All we need to do is wait this out, if we don't do anything stupid-"

He suddenly went wide-eyed and rigid, the colour drained from his face, and he gripped Anna's hand. Raised voices came from the bank.

"Don't you touch that, you bitch! Don't you-"

Twin shots sounded like thunder and rang in the silence thereafter. Next came screaming and sobbing. The atmosphere in the building changed and strangers held each other tight. Jake held fast to his sister's hand, he gave her one solemn glance, and shook his head.

"Don't."

[Anna Fernandez]

But Anna had already done something. The two gunmen who were guarding the customers had no idea the interior of their weapons had been frozen, doing permanent damage to the metal they were made of. It was something she'd seen on TV, and she hoped that it worked as well as it had on the show.

She sat meekly, holding Jake's hand, but her eyes were cool, and she was carefully studying their surroundings. One of the robbers emerged from the tiny bank's storefront, retrieved a crowbar from a black bag, and disappeared back inside. Anna froze his gun as well. It was more difficult to work with things so far away, but so far it seemed to be going well.

"Just shoot it off," yelled the voice from inside the bank again, "Fuck this! The cops will be here any minute!"

Then there was a strangely loud gunshot and a high-pitched scream. "My hand! Aaoow!"

A trickle of cold sweat dripped down Anna's face. So. Super cooling the interior of a gun did make it explode when fired. Just like on TV. She smiled faintly at Jake.

[Jacob Foley]

"What the hell?"

One of the two gunmen patrolling the checkouts turned away from his associate and motioned for the man inside the Jeep to join them. There was the sound of a car door closing and footsteps. Stood before Anna and Jake, he lifted the strap securing his rifle over his head and offered his weapon to the driver.

"Jesus Christ!" he missed painfully, and dropped the gun, the barrel shattered at their feet. Behind their balaclavas, their incredulous eyes met, and the one bent double cluching his bare hands said, "Look at that! It was so cold it took the skin off my fingers!"

"Er... guys," came the voice of their associate, standing at the far end of the checkout row. He had removed a glove and poked his gun gingerly. It was frozen solid.

"We have a mutant on our hands!" yelled the largest of the men, hovering over them. He slipped a pistol from inside his jacket and pulled on the chamber.

"Alright, you, up! Get up!"

The gunman at the opposite end of the store, dragged a young man to his feet and pressed a pistol against his head. Their were cries from inside the bank and it was clear the same thing was happening there. It was now a witch hunt.

"It was you, wasn't it? You're the mutant freak freezing our guns, aren't you?"

"Tell us now and no-one else gets hurt! Is it you? Can you freeze metal?"

"If you can freeze metal, you can break into the safe, do it for us and we'll let you live. Are you the mutant? Are you? Aw, screw this!"

There was the click of a chamber and a couple of precursive screams, then Jake stood up.

"It's me," he said, "I'm the mutant."

[Anna Fernandez]

"No!" Anna said, pulling herself up as well. "I am the mutant."

The robbers looked at the pair of them, then each other. An older woman with pelo azul tugged at Anna's pant leg, trying to get her to sit down. People whimpered with fear as the gunman threw the man back down and advanced on the hermanos. "Goddamn, I don't care who it is," he shouted, "I'll kill the lot of you!"

He threw his weapon to the side and as it skittered up the greeting card aisle he drew a wicked looking k-bar knife. Anna felt her heart skip a beat as he lunged at them, and she threw her hands up, sending a blast of ice at her attacker.

The man shrieked as his hand froze, falling forward to the ground as Anna ducked out of the way, and breaking off a few fingers as he hit. "Bitch!"

She stomped on the flash frozen knife, shattering the blade, and turned to face the second gunman who was now approaching.

[Jacob Foley]

Jake watched his sister, rigid with fright, his mind racing. He suddenly ducked and from behind, the butt of a rifle sailed overhead. His attacker staggered into his field of view, thrown off balance by the momentum of his unsuccessful swing. Clenching his fist, Jake twisted and planted a blow into his abdomen. The gasp for air which followed encouraged him to make the most of his advantage and he landed two more kidney shots before the thief dropped to one knee, wheezing. Rising to his full height, Jake's arm closed tight across his chest then sprung out. Struck by a backhand blow, the robber slumped to the floor, his rifle shattering beneath him.

"Out! Everybody out!" Jake cried out, the customers and staff alike started to flee.

In a burst of inspiration, he then scrambled onto the nearest checkout conveyor belt and lifted his lighter to the ceiling. The flame lit and flickered delicately against a fire sprinkler, it erupted with water. All over the store, sprinklers burst to life, soaking everything below. Mopping hair out of his face, Jake called out over the hissing din.

"Anna! The floor!"

[Anna Fernandez]

As the people in the store scattered, Anna's skin took on a blueish white tint, starting at her fingertips and covering her whole body, even her clothes and hair. As water rained down on them, she took a few steps towards the small bank front, determined to free the hostages still inside despite the angry robber still coming at her.

She thrust her hand towards him as he pulled a knife, wisely abandoning his useless gun. Falling water transformed instantly to ice, and shot towards him like pellets from a shotgun. He screamed and flew backwards from the force of the impact.

Anna winked at Jake and walked to the bank.

[Jacob Foley]

He shook his head as she passed, although the curling at the corners of his mouth betrayed the cool exterior he tried to front at the sight of his sister's own cool exterior. Her confidence was infectious and she looked quite invincible. Under the strong lights, her shimmering skin cast patterns of brilliant azure on the walls and with every frozen footfall, the soaking floor misted and solidified with a smooth icy sheen.

"Fuckin' freak!"

The cry came from behind. Jake turned to see the man he fought moments before scramble to his feet and race towards Anna, he dived at him from atop the checkout. They crashed into the floor with a heavy crunch and slid effortlessly along its frosted surface away from her, Jake's head impacted against the wall and they came to an abrupt stop. The thief caught his chin with a jab, dazing him long enough to struggle free from under him. The fight was fierce and the crisp blue ice was stained with long slashes of glistening crimson.

[Anna Fernandez]

She hesitated at the bank counter, then continued inside. She could hear Jake cussing and wrestling behind her, but had to trust that he could take care of himself. Dios sabe, he'd gotten into enough fights as a teenager.

Anna pushed through the opening in the counter into back of the bank. Most supermarket banks didn't hold a great deal of money, at least, she didn't think so. Not as much as a proper bank. Of course, there was all the money in the registers just beyond, too.

Querido Dios, por favor, tenga la gente de aquí seguro, me ayudará ser valiente y hacer lo correcto. Nos bendiga a todos, oh Dios me ayude por favor ...


Entering the obscured back of the bank, she saw the manager crouched on the ground, her hands laced behind the back of her head. The woman's eyes widened as she saw Anna, and the robber noticed, turning around.

He had a black duffel bag half stuffed with money. To his right lay the body of one of the tellers, a young blonde woman. Her limbs were arranged haphazardly, her hair fanning out like a halo. Her blouse was stained with blood. She was dead.

"What the fu-" He was pulling out another gun, a pistol that looked small, compact, and deadly. As he pointed it at her she shook her head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She nodded her head slightly towards the ruined weapon on the ground by the backside of the ATM (now open and empty).

He cursed, advancing on her despite her appearance. Anna ducked a punch, then bull rushed him, knocking him down. He screamed at the touch of her ice cold body, and she hit him in the temple, dazing him into unconsciousness.

Getting off of his prone body, Anna took a deep breath and her body began to revert back to its normal state. "Its okay, its all over. Come with me." She reached a warm hand out to the trembling bank manager, her back to the would-be robber.

[Jacob Foley]

On all fours, Jake heaved violently, gasping for air. Drops of blood pattered on the ice below. Behind his glassy reflection he saw movement and rolled immediately sideways as the base of a fire extinguisher smashed into the ground. His opponent cursed with frustration and hurled the heavy cylinder at him, Jake yelped as it crushed against his ribs. From inside the bank he heard a gunshot.

"Anna!" he gasped, lifting himself up, fighting against the downpour of water.

Just as quickly, he was forced to the ground with the weight of the robber on top of him. The scuffle persisted, there was another gunshot, and Jake stiffened. He overturned his oponent with a feral roar, pinning him to the ground. His face contorted and teeth bared, he unleashed a flurry of blows, his fists pounding like pistons into the robber's masked face. In the ice, cracks branched out around his head and glistened with fine traces of red. The struggling ended, his body went limp.

"Anna?"

There came no reply, he couldn't hear anything beyond the gushing water and thumping in his ears. He was on his feet and ran to the bank. Through the shimmering grey haze, he saw his sister and the people she'd saved. There was something wrong. His heart jumped and with dawning realisation he charged forward. He hadn't heard any gunshots because no bullets had been fired. Behind Anna, he saw the gunman rise and with a pistol in hand, he took aim.

"No!" his cry was drowned out by a heart-stopping bang.

In the sudden stillness, Jake reached out to his sister, she turned to him and time seemed to stop. The siblings shared a glance and he realised in that moment that it wasn't time that had stopped, but the bullet. Suspended in the air inches away from Anna's face, it spun furiously, casting off miniscule water droplets. The spinning slowed, then stopped, and the bullet fell out of the air into a shallow pool of water with a cooling hiss.

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna stared almost cross-eyed at the stopped bullet, her heart in her throat. The manager had screamed again, and was sobbing into her hands. Somewhere a siren was going off, and then was joined by others.

She noticed that her hands were held out stiffly in front of her, as though she had been trying to hold back the bullet herself.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God..." The woman was getting hysterical, and Anna looked beyond her hands to the gunman they framed. He was stopped in time as well, a whitish, crystalline sheen to his features as he stood with the gun extended out towards her.

After a moment he fell over with a sickening clunk, his head hitting the edge of the open safe door and breaking off to roll a few feet towards them. Anna stood stock still, her mouth open in a shocked 'o'.

[Jacob Foley]

Jake turned away from the awful sight, his stomach lurched. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, and taking his sister's hand gently, he eased her into his arms. They squeezed tight, the embrace was long and silent. His body was trembling, he couldn't tell if it was due to the adrenaline or the cold or both. And still, the fire sprinklers persisted, their clothes were completely soaked through and the water level rose slowly about their feet.

The sirens rang clear just beyond the large broken window but the sound seemed so distant. No-one moved. A couple of women held each other on the floor and the manager rested her head on her murdered colleagues chest, sobbing quietly. There was the thick slosh of feet outside then raised voices. Jake held his sister close; oblivious to the sudden clamor, oblivious to his pain-wracked body, oblivious to the perimeter of heavily armed police officers closing in around them.

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna stood stiffly as Jake pulled her close, and then she hugged him tightly. "Oh mi Dios, mira lo que hice... esta es la razón por la... esta es la razón por la que no... oh Dios..." She buried her face in her hands, against his shirt.

"Get down on the ground! Do not make any sudden movements!"

"Back away from the woman, sir, and get down on the ground!"

"Get down! Get down!"

Anna looked up, a little wild-eyed and teary, realizing they were surrounded by cops, all with their weapons drawn and aimed right at her and her brother. Jake released her slowly, and spread his arms wide, taking one slow step back. She followed his example, trying to keep her stance as mild as possible. "Thank God you are here," she said, "These people - Aah!"

A policeman grabbed her, forcing her face first into a wall and Anna felt the pressure of a handcuff on her wrist. Her other arm was pulled around and she was trussed up completely. "Don't move!"

"Get her hands covered!"

Eyes wide, Anna saw Jake kneeling on the ground, his hands on his head. Please stay calm Jake, this is a misunderstanding. It will be okay. It will be okay. Please read my thoughts, Jake.

[Jacob Foley]

Jake's hard stare was fixed not on Anna but the floor, he heard his sister inside his head but for all her reassurances, he knew that if he looked up he wouldn't be able to control himself. He forced short breaths through his nose, keeping his mouth clamped shut, until the sound of his sisters clicking heels was out of earshot. He felt cold steel wrap tightly around his wrists and he was raised to his feet.

"Please," he said much louder than was neccessary, the sprinklers had been shut off, "She was only defending herself. She was trying to protect-"

"Save it, son, now's not the time."

The voice came from the man behind him, he led him outside, gripping his arm, nudging him forward. In the sudden burst of sunlight he saw the silhouette his sister being shoved into a squad car. He called out:

"Anna, don't worry! I'll see you soon!"

Several hours later, he made good on his word. The door to Anna's cell sprung open with a resounding clang, there was the clinking of handcuffs being unlocked then he appeared in the doorway. He was sporting a black eye and had small cuts dotted about his face. His sister was sat on the bunk across the room from him, her hands fidgeting.

"Are you alright?"

[Anna Fernandez]

"Ohh, Jake," Anna said, getting to her feet and taking him by the jaw to examine his black eye. "That looks... awful."

He took her hands and pushed them down, stepping back a little. "Are you alright?" he repeated.

She sighed, "Si, si, I am fine. Jus' a lot of questions." Anna rubbed at her reddened wrists, where she'd only just recently been released from handcuffs. Even though she did not need to use her hands to access her ability, the police had been paranoid and kept her shackled throughout their interrogations. "I asked them to speak with Captain Greene about me, and I think they are now. He should be able to vouch for us with regards to Redencion House and my work."

She looked exhausted, and after a moment she sat back down on the bunk, the springs creaking loudly.

[Jacob Foley]

"It will be alright. They wouldn't dare put us in a cell together if they were taking this further."

He sat down next to her, the bed groaned. There was a pallor to her face he hadn't seen for a long time. Anna was always so healthy and full of colour and warmth. The ordeal had taken its toll on her and he couldn't help recalling the time she and Jamie were attacked by the Three Elevens - she hadn't taken action back then and she'd looked better for it.

"People from the bank have come forward along with a handful of other witnesses from the supermarket, they're all offering statements in our favour. It will be viewed as self-defense although they're comparing it to the use of an unliscensed firearm. Luckily, the delay in passing the Registration Act means there aren't any laws for unliscensed mutant powers yet."

She wasn't looking at him but he offered her a grin nonetheless, and he wasn't sure why, there was nothing funny about it.

[Anna Fernandez]

She sighed, "Well, that is something."

Anna looked at him and his silly grin, and couldn't help but smile too. "I used my call to talk to Ronnie back at the house. He, Chelsea, and Jamie are fine, they're having leftovers for dinner. I told him to call Apollos if we're not back by eight."

She looked around a little helplessly, "I am not sure what time it is anymore..."

[Jacob Foley]

"It's just turned seven."

He was sitting hunched forward with his hands clasped between his knees, his weary gaze focused on the floor of their cell. The exhaustion finally hit him, his body ached and the overalls he'd been given to replace his soaking clothes barely kept out the chill. His swollen eye stung and he recalled the brutal fight responsible for it.

"I can't believe that happened," he said finally, "Those robbers. I told them that they were probably ex-military. They had to be, you know. We were lucky, Anna. We were seriously lucky this time."

[Anna Fernandez]

She nodded slowly. "I just... I promised myself I would never hurt anyone again with my ability." Anna looked away, a tear sliding down her cheek again at the thought of what had happened in the back room of the bank. "But I couldn't... I couldn't..."

She buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly.

[Jacob Foley]

"Hey," he said softly, turning to her, his arm instinctively wrapped around her shoulders and he eased her in close, "Hey now, it's alright. You did what you had to do."

Although he may have hid it well, Jake was surprised by Anna's sudden breakdown, he figured she was beyond the point of tears and had reached the quiet phase when she distanced herself from others. He knew his sister, something was wrong.

"What is it?"

[Anna Fernandez]

She felt guilty leaning on her younger brother for emotional support, but she was thankful for his company. Anna sniffed, wiping at her eyes and drying her sudden tears. "Oh... its just... I'm just..."

She blushed, which only confused Jake more. "Estoy embarazada. Creo. Quiero decir ... Yo soy."

[Jacob Foley]

Jake froze. First he considered how much "embarazada" sounded like "embarrassed", and humoured the possibility he'd misheard her for the briefest moment but the truth was he knew, or almost knew, on some subconscious level he had to - and prior to her confession he felt like the words were on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't quite place them. He couldn't quite believe it either.

"What?" he said, his voice hoarse, and turned to her, his face a picture of confusion, "How?"

[Anna Fernandez]

Despite the situation, Anna couldn't help a little humor. "I think you're a little old to need that explained, Jake." She grinned impishly, then sobered up.

"You remember John?" She grimaced slightly at about the same time Jake did. "He only came by the House that one time... but we went out a few times last month..." She blushed heavily.

[Jacob Foley]

His head fell slowly into his hands, he rubbed at his face, ran his hands through his hair and uttered a miserable groan.

"Oh, Anna!" he said, sounding much like their father, "You silly girl! Are you stupid?"

Then he was on his feet, his walk was quite stiff as he paced to the other side of the room then back, plagued by the thought of John leaving his sister in this delicate condition. His fists were clenched. He looked down at her, opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He stared at the wall instead.

"Does mama know?"

[Anna Fernandez]

She crossed her arms under her breasts and felt defensive. "Yo no soy estúpido. Sólo ... descuidados." Anna grimaced and crossed herself, "No, Mama doesn't know. Yet." She sighed.

"No one knows. Its... early yet to be telling anyone. But..." Her voice trembled again, but before she could tear up the door was opened and a kindly looking older policeman poked his head in.

"You two are free to go."

Anna stood up, smoothing her clothes with her hands, "We are?"

"Ruled it self defense, there are no charges being filed. Sorry for the inconvenience, Ma'am."

[Jacob Foley]

"I bet you are," Jacob snorted as he passed the police officer and followed Anna out of their cell.

Eyes were drawn their way from every direction, even visitors appeared to be in the known and pointed, speaking in undertones as the hermanos passed by. Guarding the double door entrance were a couple of officers, one of whom was Officer Singer, an acquaintance of theirs thanks to the affairs of Redención House. He patted Anna on the shoulder.

"There's a cab waiting outside," he said, "Just walk straight ahead and don't say a word."

She shared a confused look with Jake, who then urged her forward and out into a sudden storm of camera flashes and the clamour of a media frenzy. They shuffled quickly through the outstretched limbs, brushing against microphones and avoiding snap-happy photographers until they found themselves in the safety of the cab. Jake took his sister's hand lightly and gave it a gentle squeeze, he offered a smile of reassurance, and then they shared the rest of the ride in silence to they were home at last.