AN: As stated before, this is a story using my characters and Kate's characters. Thanks go out again to Kate for letting me use her characters! Please e-mail all comments to FrankMayn@comcast.net
The group of adventuring teens had made it back to the lobby of Lunarvale General.
"Frank..." Ellen started. "Didn't Tad want you to radio them when we picked up that shard?"
Frank nodded at his friend. "Thanks for reminding me, Ellie..." The Persona User removed the radio from his pocket and clicked it on.
"Frank to Tad... can you hear me? Over..."
Frank listened for the voice of his friend. However, all he got was a burst of static.
The Persona User pressed the button on his walkie talkie and spoke once more.
"Frank to Tad... Please respond! Over..."
Another burst of static, then something faint.
"Meow Wh- is - thing??"
Their Nekomata... Thank God they're still alive...
"Hey!!! Can you hear us???" Frank yelled into the radio.
The only response that Frank received was yet another burst of static.
The Persona User clicked his radio off before slipping it into the inner pocket of his leather jacket.
"Let me guess..." Brad asked as he combed his hair in the reflection of one of the overturned computer monitors. "You lost their signal?"
"At least I know they're okay... I heard their Nekomata speaking..." Frank said in relief.
"Myah!!! That's good to know!!!" Neko-Chan said happily. Yuki could be heard giggling at the catgirl demoness.
Diane, however, was concerned. Currently, she was looking out the glass doors. Alex approached his sister with worry.
"Diane? What's... what's wrong?" Alex asked his sister with concern.
Diane didn't answer. She was busy looking outside at the worsening weather conditions.
"Diane???" Alex asked in worry.
The Woren in question turned and began crying against her brother.
"I nearly died... Alex... I nearly died..." Diane said between sobs.
Alex began to comfort his distressed sister.
"But you didn't... You're still here... You've made it this far... And you saved Frank's life in the museum... That's something you should be proud of, sis..." The older woren told his sister while he hugged her.
Diane looked up at her brother. "If... if ya think so... Alex... d'ya think we'll... we'll make it home? I know tha' dad is worried sick..."
Alex looked his sister straight in the eyes. "Think so? I know so, Diane. Frank, Ellie, and their friends seem to know what they're doing... We'll be back in no time."
As brother and sister were busy trying to reassure themselves, Kate and Tellka were wondering about the weather in Lunarvale.
"Everything is white, Tellka... and the fog... I'm nervous..." Kate said quietly.
"Don't worry about it, Kate... Nothing bad is going to happen." The older woren said without removing her eyes from the haunting winter landscape.
Janet just stood, looking at everything in awe.
I've never seen this much snow before... Not in Windia, at least. And Frank and Brad said that it never snows this much here... What's going on? And what's happening back home?
Frank's voice interrupted everyone in the lobby.
"All right... lets head to SEBEC. Keep on moving... it looks like it's gotten a lot worse out there... Let's stick together so that no one gets lost."
The entire group agreed to Frank's decision. All together, they filed out of the double doors into the eerie silence of the city.
************************************************** The group of teens made their way through the snowy landscape known as Lunarvale. Janet was occasionally using Fireblast spells to clear built up snow off the sidewalks, leaving Yuki and Brad in awe as they witnessed, for the first time, true magic.Eventually, they made it to the SEBEC headquarters in Lunarvale. However, the group had to hide since a few of Guido's henchman were roving the area. Currently, the nine teenagers were hiding behind a minivan and a Ford Explorer.
"Shoot..." Frank muttered. "We won't be able to get in through the front with them patrolling the area!"
Ellen looked at Frank. "What about the factory, like we did the first time?" She then brushed some snow off of her shoulder.
Frank shook his head. "Completely out of the question."
"Why not? Are you scared of a few people? We've taken out demons, so a few humans shouldn't be tough!" Janet said quietly as she checked the clip of her Beretta. Noticing that it was empty, she loaded a new clip in silently, pocketing the empty to fill with bullets for later.
"For one thing, Janet... I don't want to kill a person. Though we've had to, since they attacked us first. It was in self defense. Another thing... They've got machine guns and assault rifles. One step out there and they'll waste no time in filling us full of bullets, just to stop us. Another reason is that the factory is in the southeast corner of town, and we have no idea if they're guarding it now since the last time we snuck in." Frank said quietly, with his eyes closed. Ellen also had her eyes closed as she remembered the people in SEBEC trying to kill their group.
"What we need is a distraction. Some way to get them away so that we can rush in." Frank said to no one in particular.
Neko-Chan sniffed, smelling something odd. The smell led her to a trail of liquid.
"Meow... gasoline... Like it leaked from somewhere..." The curious demoness told the group.
Yuki looked at the trail, and noticed that it lead to one of the black Ford LTD's that SEBEC used for their undercover corporate agents.
"Frank... are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The Japanese teenager said with a sly grin.
"Indeed I was, Yuki... Janet... Can you cast another Fireblast spell on that trail as soon as we move to another hiding spot?" Frank asked the Windian.
"What do you have in mind?" Janet asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Well... gasoline is flammable. I'm hoping that trail will lead to a source of gas, and cause an explosion. Instant diversion!" Frank said as he looked at the trail.
Janet shook more snow from her hair. "I guess I could, then. Just let me know when."
The group took shelter behind a public bus. As soon as they were safely away, Frank gave Janet the signal.
Janet leaned around the bus. "Element of fire... please aid me. FLAME!"
The spell launched itself from Janet's outstretched hand. A flame caught the trail from their former hiding place, quickly going over to the cars. Some of the guards began to panic, and before long, an explosion rocked the area.
Frank noticed that the guards were rushing out, trying to contain the fire. Luckily, no one was left guarding the entrance.
"Let's go!" Frank said quietly. The group hurried over to the double doors of the office building, As soon as they were in, they made sure that they couldn't be seen. Luckily, the security shutters closed on the windows and doors as soon as all of them were in.
"All right... so where do we go from here?" Tellka asked as she looked at all the high tech gadgets in the reception office.
"Just give me a couple of minutes... I'll tell you then." Frank said as he took a seat behind a red iMac, looking for anything important.
Yuki took a seat behind another iMac. "I'll change the security codes so they can't get in."
And with that, both teens began to work furiously.