A small hum left her lips as Adan rolled onto her side and came face to face with the cat sitting next to her. The pair stared at one another for a few minutes. Though, once she really thought about it, Raquel was looking through her, rather than at her.

Tentatively she reached a hand up to the cat, yet just as her hand sat upon the feline's head, she seemed to snap out of her trance. "You must've had a hard day too, didn't you." The images of Rauqel's previous strange activity flashed through her mind. It seemed like that monument had some spooky effects on those around it. Even humans... but only a relatively small amount of people or daemons at once.

From what Ron had said, the last four daemons were in separate areas. One on the south side of town, one on the west, one on the east, and Mrs. Harvell's daemon in the north-west section. No other particular daemon activity had been discovered. It wasn't sitting well with her. Not one bit.

She looked across the room, Sofia was passed out on the bed across from her, her arms sprawled out with her body twisted in a strange way. Then by the door leading out of the room, Ron slept on the chair. His arms crossed and his legs propped up on the desk.

Above her Charlie shifted.

"Everyone's asleep but us... I gotta do something. I think Charlie brought her computer along. Maybe I can look into the local news, or something." Slowly Adan scooted off the bed, put her shoes on and made for the exit only to realise that Ron was sitting way too far back for her to even open the door.

Lightly she pushed his chair in. His head moved to the side and he shifted in his seat. His lips twitched into an even bigger frown that usual. "Stupid Raccoon," he grumbled. "Always gotta be taking my food. Just you wait, I'm going to catch you one of these days."

A sigh left her lips as he became still again.

Raquel hopped off the bed, trotting after the girl as she snuck out to the car. For what reason, the girl couldn't have told anyone. But, she supposed it was because Raquel was worried about her. Not that Adan could blame the poor creature. She was starting to worry about everyone.

If this is some kind of bio-weapon Waystone is going to be using against the Free Landers, what happens when they infect more creatures at once. It'll wipe the whole town out in a matter of days.

As she got to the door and attempted to push it open, the wind seemed to push against her. She threw her weight into the door and pushed a little harder, until finally the heaviness ceased and the door swung open, almost causing her to fall forward.

The sun was just beginning its ascent into the sky, allowing just a bit of light to mix with the inky black. The trees looked almost black to her as she and Raquel stepped out of the station and made their way to the car.

Adan yanked on the passenger door and began rummaging through the bag. Her head began to pound just as Raquel began to paw at her leg. She looked back just to see the blue glow around the monument begin to fade. The ach in her forehead increased tenfold. It was like her heart was beating all the way in her head or something.

"Orinda~"

She turned to look around, attempting to figure out who the familiar, gravely voice might belong to. It was so close, yet the direction of the speaker seemed almost like it was coming from multiple places at once. She clutched the laptop a bit tighter as she looked down to Raquel. She had been looking off into the distance again, but this time, something was staring back at both of them.

Adan slowly crawled out of the car, setting the laptop on the seat as she heard something come walking through the small field on the other side of the station. It was large and black, blue flames danced along its body in a fashion that almost reminded her of some character she couldn't quite think of at the moment. It stopped moving again and stared past the statue again.

But, this time it stared dead at her.

I remember that thing... It used to be in my dreams. Is this town making me crazy or something? I haven't seen it since I was a kid.

"ORINDA!" The being growled. "Time is running out... Don't let him win. Don't let these people fall—"

Then it vanished, as if it had never existed in the first place.

Adan jumped as she felt Raquel nuzzle against her leg. She gasped for air like she hadn't breathed in days as she held her chest. Her heartbeat was so quick she could feel it shaking her whole body. She almost cried as she slid down beside the car, dragging poor Raquel into her arms and hugging the creature. Even though the animal seemed vastly uncomfortable with the situation, she eventually settled in and nuzzled against her.

For a few minutes she sat there staring from the stone to the spot where the fire daemon was. "Did I imagine that?" As she stared at Raquel for an answer she could have sworn she shook her head. Whether it was supposed to be a comforting gesture she didn't know, but she hoped she hadn't been the only one to see that creature.

Maker have mercy! The statue's here. I have to tell the others.

With speed she never knew she had, Adan leapt off the ground, shut the door and rushed into the station's back room, nearly bulldozing into a half-asleep Ron as he stood up from the chair. "What the— Why are you running around at..." His eyes moved to the clock on the wall. "Six-thirty?"

"The statue is here."

The gears weren't turning quite yet, but as soon as they did the man turned around and logged into the computer. "You wake the others."

Adan placed Raquel down. The feline quickly went to Sofia, while Adan went to wake Charlie. She clambered up the small ladder and poked her friend in the side. "Charlie, wake up. It's important." She merely got a grumble from the blond. "Wake the heck up!"

Charlie's eyes snapped open as she turned to look at her friend. "That was rude."

"I don't care, we've got a big problem." And now I've got another one on top of it. I shouldn't have raised my voice, it made my headache worse. The girl climbed down and sat on the edge of the bottom bunk. Her eyes on the computer as Ron logged into the cameras in the cell block. The police sure do have all the technology in this town... That seems so strange. Then again, what isn't around here.

By the time he had pulled up the cameras, both Sofia and Charlie were standing with them. Both squinting into the monitor as they attempted to comprehend what was going on. "It's fine?" Sofia mused. "It's not trying to get out or anything."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty strange. Let me see if I can get the audio too... it didn't work the other day, but maybe I just wasn't thinking straight or something."

Charlie sat herself down next to Adan, Raquel squeezing into the small space between them. "I take it the statue's appeared here, didn't they? Then shouldn't it be reacting?"

"I think he is," Ron mumbled as he placed his ear next to the speaker. "Shit. He is! He's like humming or singing." He looked back to Charlie. "Wait, are daemons supposed to be able to do that?"

Charlie instructed him to get the sound to go up. They all watched him carefully as he turned the speaker up and then the audio on the computer. It was barely audible, but just loud enough to make out what sounded like a hum. And not just a random one, it seemed like some kind of song she'd heard Charlie's grandmother listening to once. Some Opera or some kind of classical music or something.

"I've never heard of a Daemon doing that." She frowned as she looked to Raquel, the two of them looked to be silently conversing before finally she spoke again. "Daemons are only truly able to commune through connecting to one's Spirit Path... but, I don't think that's what's going on here."

Ron scratched his head. "Then what the hell is happening?"

Charlie seemed about ready to say something again, but stopped when the banging started. It hadn't come for the cell, instead it was the sound of a hand rapping against the glass door. The noise stopped for a few moments before it came back much louder than before. "Get out here, both of you."

Sofia and Ron cringed at the voice coming from outside. "Not good, Dad's here."

That was when Adan and Charlie looked at one another and groaned. That idiot actually remembered to tell him. Maker save us.

After a few seconds of contemplation, the four humans and the daemon all filed out of the room, exited the station and lined up against Charlie's car. Sofia half leaning on the hood of the car, while Charlie and Ron stood in the middle, and Adan right next to Ron.

Behind them Raquel sat atop the car, between Charlie and Ron. Her eyes glared into the poor officer from the day before. He stumbled over towards the group, muttering out a "sorry" as he stood beside Adan.

"Sofia, Ronald, I thought you two were better than this."

Ron scowled as he crossed his arms and stared at his father with what Adan could assume was pure hatred. It obviously wasn't anything like his typical annoyed looks. He was livid. Ron scoffed at the older man. "Better than what? Trying not to see the eradication of the Daemons around here when that stupid statue turns them into monsters. Screw you! I'd rather get thrown off the—"

It was only then that Adan noticed the group of officers and the woman in the fancy black suit. She turned around, flashed a malicious grin and walked over. "That can be arranged." A woman spoke. Her piercing golden-brown eyes locked on the group of five as she stopped next to the Chief of Police. "Actually, I think as of today, I'm suspending both of you.. And Bubba."

They all attempted to protest, but the woman held up a well manicured hand. "And as for your new friends, I think they should be going home." She smiled as she handed a case file over to Charlie and waited for her to look over it.

She growled as she shoved it towards Adan, the girl gingerly took the documents from her hand and had half a mind to rip it to shreds the moment that she looked at them.

Eden Hall Case

Three young individuals called Montgomery Daemonology Department on March 13th to request an investigation that was not authorized by the Mayor or any other supervising officer of the law. Affairs have been taken care of in the deaths of three daemons belonging to Rodulph Frenic, Francis Rolands, and Delila O'Dell. The Daemon of Mrs. Evelyn Harvell is in custody of Eden Hill police and will be judged and properly dealt with in the near future.

She thinks we're just going to throw our hands up and throw out the case. She could feel her blood boiling as she threw the file on the floor and looked up at the woman. "You witch! Who do you think you are! You want to claim that you know nothing and yet you've just tried to send us away like nothing's happening. Screw you."

Ron pulled her back by the collar as she took a step forward, her hands balled. "What are you doing?"

Charlie looked up, her teeth gritted together. Adan could feel both her and Raquel fuming, rage burned in them to the point she almost felt like she was standing next to a hot fire. "Adan's got a good reason to be mad. Even if it's a case called in by lower ranked officers, our department is here to investigate any concerns of behavioral changes in daemons. Whether you like it or not, we're required to investigate."

"Well, your investigation is neither needed, nor welcome. If you refuse to leave, I will have these officers escort you away from the town. And that goes especially for you two—" The woman turned from Adan and Charlie to Ron and Sofia. "If you disrespect the words of your mayor... whose to say it wasn't you two who had caused this chaos in the first place."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Sure, we caused it all and let Frank get half mauled to death. The hell is—"

Sofia's lips pulled down into a frown as she shook her head. "Don't Ron. We'll get more than just a suspension if you keep this up."

"Well, since you're smart enough to keep your mouth shut. Then your friends should be smart enough to leave this town alone. Do you not agree?"

With that the woman walked into the station and left them to stand with the Chief.

"I guess you guys don't really have any choice, but to leave this be... Do you?" Buba mumbled

"I got an idea," Adan whispered. "Why don't you come back to Montgomery with us. Even you Bubba. We'll settle this with the Department and get everything sorted."

A smile crawled across her own lips as they all nodded.

Charlie kept looking over to the Chief. Her lips dropped to a frown, and she bowed her head a bit. "Fine, I'll go with what the Mayor says, but should my fellows at the department deem this necessary, we might be back soon. I really can't do much if that's their opinion. But, we will leave for now."

Ron sighed and pushed himself away from the side of the car. "Well, I suppose we'll escort you back then. Tell them that there isn't nothing to worry about."

'"If that's the case, why do you need to go into the station again now? What are you looking for?" Ron's father questioned.

Ron looked back and shrugged. "I dunno, Dad, maybe because there is a high possibility we could get attacked by something. Maybe not a daemon. But, you never know, we do have a murderer running around." Bubba walked after him.

With that, the two walked into the station and came back a few moments later with three of the rifles and some backpack. Bubba patted the trunk of the car and Charlie went over to unlock it with her key. All the while, Sofia and Adan took the stuff in the car out to make more room.

The police chief just watched them as they finished their preparations and crammed themselves into the car. It definitely wasn't comfortable for Adan to be squished between Ron and Bubba. But, she supposed it could have been worse. At least they'd be away from the statue before anyone went crazy.

"So, where are we going?" Charlie muttered as she pulled onto the road.

Adan looked between the three officers sitting in the car. "Do you guys have daemons of your own?"

"At home. What about you Bubba?"

Bubba sighed. "Also at home."

Adan frowned. "I think the next step is to divide and conquer. Charlie, Ron, and Bubba are going to Mrs. Harvell's. Me and Sofia are going to round up the daemons. God only knows what might happen to them if they think you're gone."

"Good point. And we can get some samples from them as well," Charlie mused.