It was James' last chance, he felt it. If he messed up one more time he would die, or worse, his daughter would die. He had been given many chances to save her, he was even allowed to do experiments with the blood he got from the alien that was held captive. He was told it was called a Curioni. Strange creatures they were, with a form between human and cat. He had only gotten this chance through Nibori Namtar. Only he would have this kind of power, the sway of a person able not only to get their hands on an unknown creature like that, but also the power to subdue it. He hadn't been able to touch the creature himself, but all he needed was provided to him, and he was able to study it from behind glass.

In appearance it was a young woman with long white hair, sea blue eyes, tanned skin, and a look on its face that scared him to his bones. He had been surprised to see its forms change once in a while, where at first it had been purely human, at other times he saw its more Curioni form, with long white hind legs, and black talons instead of human hands. A black and white tail would swish behind it dangerously, but it never seemed too agitated. 

He never asked what Nibori gave it that made the alien so calm, almost drunk on the substance, though he always wondered what could keep such a magnificent creature down. He never found any drugs in its system, but it must have been given something, he was sure of it.

Its blood was odd, he never had been able to understand its DNA, and when he was given subjects to experiment on with what he'd found, he wasn't able to utilize its blood to its fullest potential. 

The humans he was allowed (forced) to experiment on all got different responses. The first ones just died, but after lowering the dose of blood he injected into them he got a different response. They seemed stronger and more resilient than a normal human, the blood seemingly doping to them. However- under extreme stress they would start showing physical changes. He had seen this as a breakthrough, but when he'd told lord Nibori of his findings he seemed strangely disappointed.

He hadn't gotten any further with the experiments after that as well.

Now here was his chance to do one final experiment in the field, one that would make or break him. 

He would have to set up his experiments against his former foster kids.

The thought tore at his already battered heart.

Why did it have to come to this?

The face of his late wife flashed through his mind and he wondered how things would be were she still alive. 

"Oh Isabelle," he gasped out his daughters name, pain so overwhelming he almost doubled over. He would do anything to save her, even kill the others he so loved. He could not let her go, his Isabelle, his only daughter, his beautiful child that looked so much like her mother. It took him a little while to compose himself, and he stepped out of the Van he had taken to get here. Other cars stopped next to him, and he turned back to see the group he'd taken with him.

"I'm sorry Ella, Matt, Camille." he could not afford to lose.

----

The first room she ran to was Michio's. She needed to know if he was still here, even after being disappointed in her. Ella was used to disappointing him, but she felt it was too important for him to be here now. She didn't even knock, just opening the door with a swing, he'd probably be expecting her anyways considering he always seemed to be able to read her thoughts anyways.

"Welcome." he deadpanned, sitting in a comfortable chair in the middle of an almost entirely empty and not to mention dark room. He was reading a book, that he now closed.

She had no time to comment on his absolutely bare room, though she did get surprised by it.

"Michio, thank the heavens you're still here!"

"Where else would I be?"

Ella sighed, catching her breath quickly. Well, how'd she know where he would go. It's not like she really knew where he came from in the first place.

"Never mind that. We're under attack."

"Yes."

"I'm gonna get the rest, can I count on you if it comes to a fight?"

The edges of his mouth curled up just a fraction.

"Of course."

Ella was about to run out, did a double take to check if he was really smiling, found his face back to normal, wondered if she'd gone mad, and finally remembered what else she wanted to ask him.

"Can I count on you to fight even when we're up against your brother?"

Now she was sure he smiled, no it was a full blown smirk.

"Oh, absolutely."

Outside Michio's room Ella ran straight into Damian, who, somehow, had already dragged one of the enemies inside.

"We're under attack." he said, face somehow both bored and accusatory, as if she was solely to blame for him being awake at this godless early hour of the day.

"You don't fucking say? I thought you were bringing in a new guest. Was about to ask you for his name and all."

"Very funny, 'leader'!" he hissed, and unceremoniously snapped the neck of the man he was holding, "Now, what is the plan, huh?"

"Well, I might've asked who he was working for or what his goal was, but someone seems to have already killed this poor man. All jokes aside, of course we're gonna fight back and keep Dan safe. you get Camille, I get Matt and Dan. Make sure you don't scare her again somehow."

He grunted, lit up a cigarette, and left down the hall, dragging the now dead man behind him. Ella quickly took him in, seeing what they were up against. The man was wearing a simple black outfit and a bulletproof vest. He had weapons on him, and Ella cussed, reaching for her own trusty gun she always had on her.

Surprisingly enough Ella found Camille and Matt back to back in the main room, weapons drawn and some men on the floor.

"Ah, I see you guys have met our guests too." Ella said as she stepped into the trashed living room. Her insides squeezed when she saw the television and consoles in shambles. These guys deserved only death for this!

"Guests?!" Camille yelled back with panic in her voice, lowering her gun immediately, "Why didn't you tell us, we-"

"I was joking, Cam. Of course they're not guests. Why the fuck would they be guests? My jokes are falling flat today I see."

At least Matt laughed at her attempt, albeit awkwardly.

"Is it really time for jokes, though, sis. Who are these people, and why didn't we notice them when they came close to the hideout? I haven't heard an alarm."

"Me neither, they must be good. They're supposedly seriously bad news though, so we cannot let ourselves get overwhelmed."

One of the guys on the floor Ella thought dead suddenly started moving, and she wasted no time shooting him straight through the head. Camille yelled something about 'senseless violence', making Ella turn her attention to the blonde and her younger brother.

"Senseless violence? Are you dumb in the head?" Ella hissed, checking to see if the other 2 men were alive as well. When they were, she growled, and shot them dead twice over just to make a point.

"It's kill or be killed here, guys. Do you not understand this? And Cam, you specifically! I asked you to kill James. I asked if you could do this. I trusted you. Now he's attacking us with his underlings. You put us, and in extension Dan in danger. Do you understand this?"

Camille, who was spluttering at Ella before about being too aggressive, and doing unneeded stuff now fell quiet, face becoming pale.

"What?" she said, voice barely more than a whisper, "Are you sure these are Mouse's men?"

"No I'm not sure, Camille. I suppose I just assumed, since you let him go, apparently talked to him if I may believe my sources, and now suddenly we have very strong enemies right on our doorstep, the very next day. A little bit too much of a coincidence don't you agree?"

"I... I'm sorry." the blonde muttered shakily in response, not even trying to defend herself, making Ella sigh.

"If you couldn't do it, you should've just told me, Cam. I'd understood, maybe put someone else on it. You understand we cannot let anyone go if it means our death, right? No matter how hard it may be."

Camille started sobbing quietly, and Ella let her for a second, before suddenly realizing that Dan was nowhere to be found. 

"Where is Dan?"