Formerly known as "Enough is Enough". This chapter was rewritten in order to prepare for the final chapter but also to remove filler scenes. Thank you for your understanding. 

***

Friday March, 2029

"Looking good, boss." Carver winked as Daniel stepped out into the light of the dining hall.

Daniel looked to his left where three men and a woman were setting up instrumental equipment as he walked over to the table where Michael and Carver sat eating.

The woman was dressed in very western like clothing; a long sleeved dress that went down to her ankles and button-up, black, heeled boots. All three men were dressed in similar, old-fashioned clothes, even for 2029- it made them appear straight out of the 1800's. They wore slacks with overalls and loose-fitted long sleeved shirts. One of them had a dark brown vest on. Despite their old looks they were all relatively young.

"What's with the kids?" Daniel asked and adjusted the oversized flannel shirt that Judy had given him to change into.

Michael shrugged a shoulder and looked over at them as though for the first time.

Around a mouthful of food, Carver spoke up. "I asked them if they were a hipster band, know what they said?"

Daniel looked at him, uninterested even as he pulled up the baggy pants higher on his thighs before sitting down at their table. "What?"

Carver swallowed and immediately shoveled in another forkful of meat and potatoes before speaking, again eating around a puffed cheek of unchewed food. "He asked me what a 'hipster' was." He finished and started to chuckle..

"They're kids..." Michael pointed out, "They're too young to know what a 'hipster' is."

Carver shrugged one shoulder dismissively as he took a drink of the beer he'd ordered, "Yeah, well."

Daniel dropped his head into his right hand and rubbed the side of his clean-shaven cheek and noted that Carver and Michael were also wearing oversized clothes provided by the burly Hamm behind the bar.

"Why do you even bother shaving?" Carver asked and pointed at Daniel with the end of his dinner knife.

"Because I'm not an animal, Jack." he indicated to Carver's own scruffy beard that was almost long enough to start shaping.

Carver chuckled to himself as he nodded and started to cut into his food.

Daniel huffed out of his nose before running his hand down the front of his face. He dropped his hands to the surface of the table, making a slapping sound against the surface. "Michael, have you seen Ella- has she come down yet?"

"No," Michael shook his head slightly, leaning back in his chair.

"Uh-huh, okay, I'll be right ba-" he started to stand, his hair screeching against the hardwood when she walked through the door to his right.

Ella shifted her weight to one leg as she looked across the tables in search of the three men in her life- continually rolled her shoulders in an attempt to find mobility in the restricting, long sleeve dress. Unlike the musicians dress, Ella's only came down to her knees- exposing her soft pale skin, blemished only by bruises from her fall in the mansion. Her dusty black boots contrasted heavily with the clean blue dress she wore but it added a unique style to the dress.

Daniel smiled at the bow in her hair that she fidgeted with, wanting to pull it out. Just as she was about to rip it from her head, Judy came up behind her and smiled- Ella's hand immediately fell to her side.

Then she saw him and a small smile graced her lips. She was breathtaking. As she started to walk over he stood up straighter and walked around to grab a chair, pulling it out for her. He barely noticed that Michael and Carver turned to see her as well, following her movements with their eyes as she came to stand beside him. She looked up at him with big brown eyes, now accented by winged eyeliner, bronze glitter, and mascara. The dark circles were gone and her lips were full of color, and sheened in the soft glow of the fire that lit the room.

He got lost in her gaze as she searched his.

Michael cleared his throat and the moment was gone. Ella sat down quickly and Daniel barely remembered to push the chair in under her. He quickly found his seat and sat back down, just as Judy came over with two plates for both of them. Surprisingly, Judy said nothing, just a smile at Daniel and a wink at Ella who quickly diverted her gaze after a muttered 'thank you'.

"Now, why'd you have to go ruin their moment." Carver whispered harshly, sarcastic, at Michael- loud enough for the whole table to hear.

"Shut the hell up, Jack." Daniel snapped.

Michael smiled at Ella. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear make-up before." He gestured to his own face, mirroring her.

Ella sighed heavily, annoyed but her lips still twitched into a small smile. "No, you haven't. I haven't worn make-up since a few months after my wedding."

Carver choked on his food and played it up by pounding on his chest, his eyes bulging slightly.

"What the hell's your problem?" Daniel ground out, his eyes narrowed.

"Wha- I..."

The band started to play music, the drums rolling into a beat as the violin, both played by the two men in colored shirts, played into a tune. Then the guitarist, the woman, began her intro. The man in a vest began singing at the beat drop of the drum;

I got sunburnt waiting for the jets to land 

Circus people with hairy little hands 

Come on boys strike up the army band

Ella looked to Carver, "We need to discuss the Ousia Elites and whatever else you know."

Carver stuffed another large forkful of combined food into his mouth, "I'm eating."

She grabbed the plate from in front of him and slid it to the opposite side of the table. "You're only alive because of the information you have." She snarled, her lip curling slightly.

"And our deal." He added, pointing at her with his fork.

Before he could react, Ella snatched it from his hand and threw it, without looking, onto his discarded plate- it clattered loudly and shoved some of the corn onto the floor. "You don't have a deal. The only deal that was made was between Danny and I- he doesn't kill you until I get the information I need regarding the Ousia."

"So what? I'm dead meat as soon as I spill the beans-"

Daniel slammed his fist on the table, the glasses jumping and forks clattering. "Not in the mood for games here, Jack."

Carver blinked slowly, barely looking away from Ella's set eyes. "I'm sensing a hostile environment. I don't feel comfotable sharing." He feigned innocence.

The woman in the band began to harmonize with the male singer as they began the chorus;

How do you feel? 

How do you feel?

"Things can get a lot more hostile, very quickly." Daniel retorted.

"This information is critical." Ella spoke up, her voice low but steadier than Daniel's, "If you're as apologetic as you claimed-" Carver's gaze flicked to Daniel's for the remainder of her statement. "-back in Stockbridge, you'll tell us everything you know."

"Tell her what she wants to know, Jack." Daniel ordered.

I can't seem to see through solid, marble eyes. 

I can't seem to see through solid, marble eyes.

"What do you want to know?" Carver propped his elbows up on the table, folding his hands together.

"When did they get here?" She asked immediately, as though she had prepared what questions she would ask him.

"Maybe, about four or five years ago, I think."

"Tell me about them, about the Elites."

"They don't just copy a face- they steal information."

Ella sighed and rolled her eyes, "What kind of information?"

"Work with us," Daniel added, "Stop being so literal with your answers."

Carver took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed against his chest and legs crossed at the ankles.

Fiery pianos wash up on a foggy coast 

Squeaky old organs have given up the ghost

"Accents, important memories, mannerisms, etcetera. They become the person they copy. It's almost impossible to tell unless they are injured or slip up on something big."

Ella stared at Carver blankly, deep in thought, while Daniel shared a look with Michael who had paled, his eyes wide.

"What constitutes as an 'important memory', how can they tell?"

Carver shrugged and looked away from the table to watch the band while he thought about his answer, "I don't know, something biological?"

"Wh-"

"Ah-ah." Carver sat up in the chair and leaned forward, "I'm not done yet. There's more," he paused and looked between the three of them."

Fire them up and kill the pianos 

There's creaky old organs burning on the coast

"Enough with the dramatic 'pause for effect', what is it?!" Daniel barked, his eyes narrowed to mere slits.

Carver smirked and ran a nimble finger against his upturned lower lip, "They have a new leader- one that is a lot worse than Faust was, back in the dead- excuse me, day."

Ella's eyes shuttered at his not so subtle blunder. "What are you trying to say?"

"I know exactly why the Ousia want you dead and it's not just because of the late Faust."

"No, it's not. And I'll fill you in on something." Ella's eyes were set, her jaw clenched, and Daniel could make out a vein on her temple that was beginning to pulse visibly just under her skin.

Daniel glanced over at Michael who was already leaning away- preempting a verbal and possible physical lashing.

"-I also know why the Ousia want me dead, but why don't you share why I'm not already."

Carver raised an eyebrow and shrugged a shoulder. "For the past ten years, you've had consecutive somebodies protecting you- preventing the Ousia from moving in. They've lost patience. That's why they've been moving into Syndicate as well as spreading the Huijari name."

"But we started the Huijari na..."

"They're taking it and running with it. You already spread the fear of them, now they're just delievering on what you advertised." He sniffled and brushed at his nose. When he pulled his finger away and saw blood, he groaned and grabbed at one of the several napkins in the center of the table. As he wiped at the dribbling blood clot, the other three diverted their gazes as they lost themselves in their thoughts.

How do you feel? 

How do you feel?

"How long do we have?" Michael asked suddenly, leaning forward and crossing his arms on the table.

"Till what? Before they take over the world, again? Before they kill her?"

Daniel started to stand in her defense, the chair legs screeching against the hardwood, but Ella put her hand out and gripped his arm.

"Answer both." She conceded to Carver's crude comment.

"They're everywhere and if we don't find a way to fight back, they'll wipe us out. They're done with humans."

"We're defensless!" Michael shouted.

"We were defensless before." Ella argued. "But how long do we have until the make a move."

"Less than a year." Carver guessed.

"What about Ella?" Daniel bypassed the current debate to focus on what seemed to be the most critical.

Carver leaned back, his head tilted to one side. "Literally, any time. They've tried two kill her three times in the last week. Now we're completely isolated, no weapons, no real protection. They know she's here, vulnerable, they'll likely strike as soon as they get a clear shot."

Ella looked down, her eyes fixated on a knot in the unfinished wood of the table. Daniel couldn't take his eyes off of her, watching as she seemed to fold in on herself, her mind in a place he couldn't reach even if he tried.

He managed to tear his gaze away to look at Michael who was staring at Ella as well.

The ambiance rose to a higher level; clattering dishes, shouting musicians, the crackling fire, howling winds just outside the windows, and the voices began to clamor in order to be heard over louder tables. A loud crash of a shattering plate brought Daniel's attention away from the table and he looked to where the patrons were trying to clean up the mess, Judy coming at it with a broom and dustpan.

Ella's mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to speak what was on her mind, "These people that were protecting me, did I know them?"

"Don't know."

"Are they dead? Is that why I'm being..."

"Hunted." Carver provided the word for her, "And probably."

Daniel glanced at Ella, her eyes were fluttering. "I'm going upstairs."

"Ella-" Daniel started.

"The noise- it's messing with my head. I just need to lay down a moment." She excused and stood.

I can't seem to breathe with a rusted metal heart 

I can't seem to see through solid marble eyes

"Hey, hey!" Carver grabbed her arm. "What about me?"

She wrenched her arm free moments before Daniel and Michael moved to restrain Carver. "What about you?"

The musicians paused to give a monologue about who they are and why they do what they do as the noise level continued to grow.

"You know where Rebecca is." He ignored the glowering from all three of them, his eyes glaring into Ella's pool's of chocolate- the red flecks seemed devoid in her depression.

Ella shared a look with Daniel and he nodded. "You'll get your information." He spoke up, earning Carver's attention.

"What, you knew the whole time?" Carver spat, his voice gravelly.

"What if I did?" Daniel challenged Daniel, talking louder just as the band started their second song.

Carver's eye twitched and his chin quivered with his lack of physical control.

The bearded man lunged forward, over the table, to grab at Daniel. Ella shouted her protest and grabbed at Carver. Michael tried to save the table from tipping over as their cups and plates fell over the sides.

Just as the band began their next song the music stopped, as did the rest of the noise in the small bar.

Despite Judy and Hammond coming over and Ella's objection, Daniel and Carver were locked in a physical altercation as they wrestled to the floor; their legs in a tangled mess and kicking against one another while Daniel managed to get behind Carver and put him into a choke hold.

"Danny!"