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stopped.” I said hoping to offer solace.
    “They’ll never stop asking things of you, Chloe, trust me, I know. If you follow my son’s path it could end just as badly for you, remember that.”
    “I will,” I said to placate her. I couldn’t simply walk away and leave my friends to face the coming war alone. It wasn’t an option even if it meant a bad end for me. No, I was in this fight to the bitter end, and I intended to relish the battle.

Chapter Five
    Status: I head to my other job.
    The portal to the Diesel Factories swung closed behind me as I pulled my doorknob out and slid it into my pocket. Industrial buildings rose up in front of me in odd directions and shapes, each covered with numerous doors. People stepped out into mid-air and walked through open portals all around me. I was always amazed by this nexus point where Old Kind moved freely and the power flowed so openly.
    The roads that maneuvered around the buildings were crowded with older cars that zoomed along and then disappeared in flashes of blues and reds, the various   drivers activating their portal jumpers. Portal racing was a big pastime among Old Kind.
    I moved quickly making my way through the back alleys. The funny thing about the factories is that no matter where you intend to show up in them, your portal tends to dump you into any space it can find. Edgar explained to me that with so much activity you can never get an accurate end point. I didn’t mind the walk, not to mention it made it very unlikely that someone could follow me.
    I spotted the familiar metal stairs and rushed to them taking them two at a time. I didn’t bother to knock when I reached the top; I grabbed the knob and swung the door open. The loft was massive, the living and kitchen one big room.
    “Boss, I’m home!” I yelled as I walked through and tossed my bag on the couch and went to the kitchen to see if there was anything in the fridge. As usual he only had beer and week old pizza.
    “Grab me a beer would you?” Gavin Brimstone walked down the stairs that lead to his bedroom, scratching the back of his neck.
     I pulled a bottle from the refrigerator and tossed it to him. He snatched it out of the air, twisted off the top, and took a swig. Pulling out a stool at the kitchen counter he sat down, glanced at the leather jacket I was wearing, but didn’t comment. I’d rolled up the sleeves so that my hands were visible and while it was big on me, it felt good and I intended to wear it.
    “Where’s Henna?” I hadn’t seen her in a month. I wasn’t sure if the two were an item. I’d assumed they were, though I had gotten the feeling that Gavin had many female friends.
    “She’s looking into something concerning the HVO for me. Fill me in on your meeting.” He took another drink of his beer as I informed him of my recent meeting with Dad and everyone else.
    I’d been working with Gavin ever since I discovered that Nightshade had been a Polymorph and had also worked with Gavin before his death. In a world that was growing ever more difficult to trust people, excluding my friends, Gavin was someone I had come to rely on. He was honest with me even when I didn’t want to hear it. Plus the training he had me going through was remarkable. It didn’t come near to anything I had learned from anyone so far. With him being a Polymorph, he possessed more knowledge on how to help me access my various abilities.
    In the end the reason I had truly come to trust him was that he was the only one I believed didn’t have an ulterior motive when it came to helping me. I remember the day I had come here to his place yelling at him about Nightshade and demanding the truth. Gavin hadn’t held back; he had given it to me straight. He had told me that Nightshade was a Polymorph and that he had helped save many people from the First Kind. My response had been simple.
    “What do you need me to do?” I had been nervous and still upset about losing Nightshade, but I was more