Alonzo Genaro and his wife Maria were walking home after an evening out at a restaurant. It was a beautiful night, with no moon and thousands of stars all across the sky. In companionable silence, the Genaros walked into the town square. A crowd had gathered at the far side, many of them on their knees praying. Before them floated an angel. He was at least ten feet tall, his face serene and his arms outstretched. Long wings stretched from shoulder to ground and he glowed with an inner light. The light slowly increased in intensity and then, with a brilliant flash, the angel disappeared. A moment of awed silence hung over the square before everyone broke into a babble of excited chatter.

"Case number #576-801. Case Manager Connor Doyle. We're in Treviso, Italy investigating an apparent sighting of an angel." Connor switched off the DAT recorder at his side. This was the second investigation in Europe this month with only a few days at home in-between. The jet lag was beginning to tell on his team. He wished he could give them a day off to rest but the Vatican were pressing for a quick resolution. One of the Vatican officials was even now walking across the square to greet them.
"Professor Doyle?" asked Father Antonio.
"I'm Doyle" replied Connor holding out his hand. The priest shook it firmly.
"I'm glad you could get here so quickly." said Father Antonio.
"Is this where the sighting took place?" asked Connor.
"Yes." said the priest. "Right over there." He indicated an area to the left of where they were standing.
"Peter, I'd like you to start getting environmentals and samples." said Connor.
"I'm on it." said Peter.
"Anton, Natasha. Set up interviews with the townspeople. Lindsey, check public records. See if there's anything unusual about this site." said Connor.
"Sure Connor." said Anton.
"Right." said Lindsey.
After watching the team disperse, Father Antonio turned to Connor. "I'm sure you realize that my superiors would like this settled quickly. The people here are calling for a miracle but we don't want to consider that option unless there really is no alternative."
"We'll do our best to have an answer for you soon." said Connor.

Connor joined Peter on the east side of the square. "Anything?" he asked.
"Negative." replied Peter. "All scans show normal. I'll know more when I can analyze air and soil samples."
"The mobile lab should be here soon." said Connor. He looked across the square distractedly, a feeling of uneasiness nagging at him.
"Are you all right?" asked Peter.
"Sure. Just tired." replied Connor with a smile.
"Tell me about it." said Peter. "Seems like all we've been doing lately is fly from one end of the world to the other."
"I'll see if I can arrange some time off for everybody when we get back." said Connor. "I think we could all use it."
"You won't get any arguments from me on that." said Peter fervently. "What do you think about this sighting?" he asked, changing the subject.
"It's hard to say." replied Connor. "There have been many documented sightings around the world but most of them have turned out to be false. This could be just another one of those."
Peter had the sudden feeling that Connor knew something about this that he wasn't telling. "You think we might get the chance to see it?" he asked intently.
"Surely you don't believe in angels?" asked Connor, neatly side-stepping the question.
"We've seen a lot of strange things in our time." replied Peter. "Just because there's no scientific evidence that they exist, it doesn't mean they don't."
"That's true." replied Connor. "Perhaps if it really was an angel, you'll get your chance to see it."

 "Right Mr. Genaro, can you tell us what happened?" asked Anton.
"Maria and I were walking home after an evening meal at a restaurant." said Genaro. "We came into the square and there was the angel, floating above the ground. He was dressed in a white robe and had wings that reached down to his feet and he was surrounded by a white light. The light got brighter and brighter and then with a flash the angel disappeared."
"Has anything like this happened before?" asked Anton.
"Once. About ten years ago I believe it was." replied Genaro. "There was a sighting in the main square, maybe even in the same place. Unfortunately I was away on business so I didn't see it but people claimed they had seen an angel. The church refused to believe saying it was a mass hallucination."
"Is there anyone who can tell us more about that sighting?" asked Natasha.
"Carlo Santini saw both sightings. He swears they are the same." replied Genaro.
"Can you tell us how to find him?" asked Anton.
"He lives not far from here. I'll take you to him." said Genaro.

Lindsey looked at the newspaper report in her hand. It had taken her some time to find it and it's content had been quite surprising. So had the photograph. She held the page for a moment longer before slowly getting up and taking it across to the photocopier.

Peter walked slowly down the south side of the square watching the readout on his scanner. He wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings and almost missed the piece of paper. By chance he looked up as he was passing an alley and saw it lying there. It appeared to have been dropped accidentally so he went and picked it up. It was old and worn and had seen much use. Peter unfolded it carefully, whistling when he saw what it contained. "Well I guess this explains a lot." he said to himself. Folding it back up, he put it in his pocket and made his way back to the mobile lab.

"It's not like Connor to be late." said Anton. The team were gathered in the conference room for their roundtable discussions about the case. "Has anyone seen him?"
"Not since this morning." said Lindsey. "Last I saw he was with Peter."
"We talked for a few minutes and then he left. Haven't seen him since." said Peter.
"I'll go check with the rest of the team." said Ray, quickly leaving the room."
"I don't like this." said Anton. "Connor doesn't usually go anywhere without telling someone. How did he appear when you were with him Peter?"
"He seemed preoccupied." replied Peter. "It was almost like he recognized the event although he denied it when I asked."
Lindsey suddenly remembered the report she'd found. "Maybe you'd better look at this." she said. Using the remote control she brought up an image of a newspaper clipping on the video screen. "This is a report from the local paper about a similar incident that occurred here ten years ago. An image of an angel appeared on the east side of the square and the OSIR were called in to investigate. This," she said, bringing up a new image, "was the case manager." It was Connor Doyle.
"Did the report mention anything unusual happening?" asked Anton after a moments silence.
"No." replied Lindsey. "It documents the sighting and the investigation and says that although the results were inconclusive, the case was left open."
"What about the OSIR's case files?" asked Anton.
"I've put in a request for those." replied Lindsey. "They should arrive later today."
"When they get here see if they've got any pictures relating to the sighting." said Peter. "I found this on the south side of the square." Taking the remote control, he brought up an image of the picture he'd found. It was the picture of an angel.
"We got this from one of the experiencers." said Natasha, bringing up another image on the screen. It too was an angel and almost identical to Peter's picture. "This was drawn by a Carlo Santini. Mr. Santini witnessed both events and he says they were identical."
"That first picture looks dog-eared enough to be ten years old." said Peter.
"It's certainly points to the sightings being a hoax." said Anton.
"It just remains to find out how they did it and what it has to do with Connor's disappearance." said Peter.
"As to the last," said Ray as he came into the room, "all I know for the moment is that Connor received a call just before midday. He took a car and left without a word to anyone. No one's seen or heard from him since."
"Where could he have gone?" asked Lindsey.
"There's no way to tell." said Ray. "I've got the Italian police trying to trace his car and we're keeping a check on his credit cards. We'll know where he is within minutes of his using one of them."
"Let us know if anything happens." said Anton. "In the meantime I suggest we carry on with this investigation."

Connor stepped out onto the wharf and looked out over the ocean. The waters were calm and inviting and the air was still. It had been a long time since he'd been swimming in the ocean but much as wished he were there now, he knew duty called. As he stood staring out over the water, a voice whispered in his mind. It was a gentle voice, not heard for ten years and it spoke in Russian, a language he knew well.
"Well met my friend." the voice said. "Turn to your left and walk along the wharf. I will join you about half way down."
Turning, Connor did as he had been asked. He scanned the buildings and the containers stacked outside of them but he saw nothing until the man he had come to meet suddenly stepped out of an area of shadow.  "Victor." said Connor warmly, in Russian. "It's been a long time."
"It's good to see you my friend." said Victor Razhenko. "Thank you for coming."
"Where are Nicolai and Anna?" asked Connor.
"They are being held prisoner, not far from here." replied Victor. "We must help them."
"Tell me what happened." said Connor.
"As you know we lived in isolation up in the mountains, only going into town for supplies." said Victor. "No one knew who or what we were so we were safe. Or should have been. Somehow. someone found us and they sold us out to Dominic Dorrs. His men took us by surprise one afternoon and captured us."
"How?" asked Connor. "I didn't think anyone could get close enough to you for that to happen."
"They didn't have to." replied Victor bitterly. "They used tranquilizer darts fired from a distance. We were unaware of their presence until it was too late."
"I was afraid of something like this." said Connor. "That was why I arranged for you to be hidden. Individually you are all very powerful but together you are unstoppable. A lot of men would kill for that kind of power."
"I curse the day the scientists re-engineered our DNA." said Victor.
"Didn't your father realize what was going on?" asked Connor.
"Not at first." replied Victor. "The doctors told him that we had some rare disease and that we had to have special medical treatment or we would all die. The injections they gave us to re-map our DNA used to make us sick. Poor Anna suffered the worst. Then one day Nicolai fell out of a tree and I stopped his fall with my mind. We realized in that moment that we all had enhanced mental capabilities and psychic power. When we told our father, he smuggled us out of Russia but not before we destroyed all the research. I don't think it was enough to stop them re-creating the experiment but it may have helped."
"It can't have been easy keeping your powers hidden." said Connor.
"It wasn't." said Victor. "We always lived with the fear of discovery. Ten years ago that fear was realized which is why we contacted you. Your organization seemed like our only hope."
"And now it's happening again." said Connor.
"Dorrs wants to use us to gain power." said Victor. "Already he has begun."
Connor looked at Victor sharply. "What has he made you do?"
Victor looked away, a muscle twitching along his jaw. "He forced us to kill some of his enemies. " he said, his voice filled with anguish. "We had no choice, he threatened to hurt Anna."
"It's all right, it's not your fault." said Connor reassuringly.  "Let's find a way to release your brother and sister so Dorrs can't threaten them any more."
"Thank you." said Victor gratefully.
"Why don't you tell me how you escaped." said Connor. "It might give us a place to start."
"Dorrs kept us in a warehouse, in separate rooms." said Victor. "Since I am the only one with psycokinetic power, I was kept blindfolded and restrained. The others were just in locked rooms. We were never given the opportunity to escape, not even when Nicolai and I killed  Dorrs enemies. But, that night when they took us back to the warehouse they made a mistake. When they restrained me they forgot to blindfold me first. I was able to weaken some of the links on the chains without them noticing. When they had gone I freed myself.  The guards made it impossible to free the others so I left them to get help. I hope they are okay."
"I'm sure they are." said Connor. "Even without you the other two are still powerful enough to do Dorrs dirty work. He won't risk harming them while he can still use them."
"Will you help us?" asked Victor.
"Ten years ago I made a promise that I would always be here for you." said Connor. "That promise still stands."
Victor smiled. "You are a true friend Connor." he said warmly. "Come. I will show you where Nicolai and Anna are being held."
Victor turned to lead Connor along the dock but as he did three men stepped out from behind a stack of crates, each holding a gun. For one frozen moment the two sides looked at each other then the newcomers opened fire.

"Have you seen this man?" asked Ray, holding out a photograph to a petrol pump attendant. He was in a village some miles outside of Treviso.
"Yes." said the man in broken english. "He stopped for petrol here."
"How long ago?" asked Ray.
The attendant thought for a moment and then said, "About one hour."
"Thank you." said Ray. He got back in his car and followed the only road out of the village. He wondered what Connor was up to, not liking it when one of the team went awol.  He liked it even less that it was Connor, knowing that it would take something fairly dramatic to get him to run out on his duties as Case Manager. As he drove, Ray considered all possibilities from kidnap to murder, trying to rule out the most unlikely.  Connor didn't have any dependents so it was unlikely to be a ransom demand and he didn't have any enemies to speak of so what did that leave? Ray sighed in irritation. He had the feeling that this was going to be a very long day.

"Mrs. Agnelli." said Anton. "Thank you for seeing us. Can you tell us what you saw in the square the other night?"
"I was walking home after visiting my daughter." replied Victoria Agnelli. "As I came into the square I saw a crowd gathered at the far side. Before them was a beautiful light. When I went closer I could see the light was coming from an angel. He stood before us with his arms raised in benediction. Many of us fell to our knees in prayer. The light got brighter and brighter and then the angel disappeared." Victoria sighed. "It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." she said.
"Did you see the original sighting ten years ago?" asked Lindsey.
"Unfortunately, no." replied Victoria. "I was away visiting relatives when it happened."
"Mrs. Agnelli, did you see anything unusual around the square?" asked Anton.
"Or someone you didn't know." added Lindsey.
"There was a man." said Victoria thoughtfully. "He was at the side of the square, by an alley. I have never seen him before."
"Can you describe him?" asked Anton.
"He was tall with blond hair." replied Victoria. "Now I come to think of it, he looked almost Russian."
"Russian?" asked Lindsey in surprise.
"Can you tell us what he was wearing?" asked Anton.
Victoria frowned in thought. "I think it was jeans and a t-shirt" she said.
"Thank you Mrs. Agnelli." said Anton. "You've been a big help."
"What do you think?" asked Lindsey when they were outside.
"It sounds like he was in the same place that Peter found the picture." replied Anton. "He could very well be our man."
"Now all we have to do is find him." said Lindsey.
"Well, there can't be too many Russians in Treviso." said Anton. "Providing he hasn't left the town, he shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Well I don't know how they did it." said Peter in disgust. "There's no sign that any equipment was used and none of the locals saw anything."
"There's been people in the square every minute since the sighting so if there was any equipment how did they remove it?" asked Natasha.
Peter shrugged helplessly. "You tell me." he said.
"What about another explanation?" asked Natasha.
"Paranormal?" asked Peter. "Well I've never heard of anybody able to project images like that.  It could be some kind of telepathy but whoever did it would have to be pretty powerful to cover that many people."
"Do you think it could be some kind of astral projection?" asked Natasha.
"It's possible." said Peter thoughtfully. "There are all sorts of cases were people in danger or near death have projected an image of themselves to get help."
"So it might be possible to do it voluntarily." said Natasha. "What about the change in shape?"
"I don't know." said Peter. "I suppose a powerful enough psychic might be able to project themselves in whatever shape they chose." He smiled. "It would make an interesting study."
"Scientists." said Natasha in mock despair.  They both laughed.

From the moment the first gun went off, everything seemed to slow down for Connor. In slow motion he saw the other guns being fired, saw Victor jerk as the bullets struck him in the chest. Then something hit him in the shoulder with stunning force, knocking him off the dock. Below him, he heard Victor hit the water and then he did too. A hasty gulp of air before the water closed over him was all he could manage and he knew he would have to surface quickly or risk drowning. He couldn't go straight back up without being shot again so he made for the dark area under the dock. Lungs bursting, he surfaced slowly next to a pylon. He could hear the voices of the men above him as they searched the water for himself and Victor and knew it wouldn't be long before they considered the area under the dock. He scanned the water around him for some sign of Victor but there was nothing. Just then a weak thought touched his mind. "Save my brother and sister." it said and then was gone.
"Victor." called Connor in a hoarse whisper. "Victor, where are you?". There was no reply.  Connor closed his eyes momentarily as grief washed over him. Victor had been a good friend and his death had been senseless. Anger slowly replaced the grief and Connor swore that his friend would not go unavenged. He began to look around for a way out of the water but after the bright sunshine the underside of the dock was dark and he couldn't see clearly for more than a few meters.  His anger quickly died as he faced the realization that he might not find a way out before he passed out from exhaustion and loss of blood. His shoulder ached abysmally now that the initial shock had worn off and he knew he would have to do something about it soon. Excited voices from above reminded him of his danger and he moved off into the depths of the darkness.  When he was sure someone looking under the edge of the dock wouldn't easily spot him he stopped and began to tread water. Shedding his jacket, he wadded a clean handkerchief against his shoulder and used his tie as a crude bandage.  Then, kicking off his shoes to make swimming easier, he started off once again.

"Axon." said Peter into his cell phone. He and the team were in the conference room during a break in the investigation.
"Peter, it's Ray." said Ray. "Any news?"
"Nothing so far." said Peter. "What about from your end?"
"I've tracked him as far as Venice." replied Ray. "I've got the local police starting to comb the city for him.  If he's here, we'll find him."
"Thanks Ray, keep me posted." said Peter. He switched off his phone and looked at the rest of the team. "Ray thinks he might be in Venice." he said.
"Venice?" asked Lindsey. "What on earth would he be doing there?"
"And what does it have to do with this case?" added Peter.
"You think his disappearance is connected to the case?" asked Anton.
"Yes I do." said Peter. "I've been doing some checking. Connor left Treviso during the original investigation claiming he had been summoned to a meeting at the Vatican. According to Vatican officials, no such meeting took place."
"I can't believe Connor would do something like this." said Anton. "It's completely out of character. In all the years I've known him, he's never abandoned an investigation."
"Well I guess there's a first time for everything." said Peter. "I'd sure give a lot to know the reason."

Victor collapsed exhausted into the boat he'd stolen. The swim had been arduous and the struggle to stay afloat and minimize the bleeding had almost finished him. He'd hated tricking Connor into believing he'd died but he knew Connor would never have left without him and it would most likely have meant the deaths of both of them. At least this way one of them had a chance of making it. Hands trembling from fatigue, he untied the boat and got it underway. He headed out and away from Venice, steering towards the mainland. His one thought now was to get help and the only place he could do that was Treviso. He just hoped he had the strength to make it.

Connor swam tiredly through the gloom. Not long after starting out he had encountered a wall that went down to the waterline and he'd been following it ever since. The water was cold which helped to numb his shoulder but it also drained his strength. He needed to find somewhere to rest and he needed to do it soon. Almost as if his thoughts had conjured it up, a door appeared out of the darkness. As he swam closer Connor could just make out steps leading up to it from the waterline. Gratefully he crawled onto them and lay breathing heavily until a cool breeze made him shiver with sudden cold. Wearily he got up and examined the door. It was old, the planking rotten and the ironwork rusted. He tried the handle but it had rusted shut.  Unwilling to get in the water again he began to kick the door. Unexpectedly the lock broke and it swung open, the hinges squealing in protest. Inside was a small room, dimly lit by a small window set high in the wall. Looking around Connor could see some old boxes and crates and in one corner, a pile of sacks. He padded over to the inner door and opened it a crack to look through. The room beyond was huge, obviously the lower floor of a warehouse. It was shrouded in darkness, relieved occasionally by small windows near the ceiling.  The musty odour told Connor that the place had been abandoned for some time. Relieved, he closed the door and considered his options. What he needed most was to get dry and get some sleep. He looked back at the sacks. They weren't ideal but they would do. Gingerly stripping down to his undershorts, he toweled himself dry with one of the sacks and then made himself as comfortable as he could on the rest. Within minutes he was asleep.

"Mr. Donaghue." said Lt. Mario Vincente as he walked across the dock. "Several of the dock workers remember seeing Mr. Doyle meet with another man here on the docks. They went down that way." He pointed down the dock to where Connor and Victor had been talking the previous day. "A short while later there was the sound of gunshots."
"Did anybody see what happened?" asked Ray.
"There was no-one on this part of the dock at the time." replied Vincente.
"Didn't anyone investigate?" asked Ray.
Vincente shrugged apologetically. "No-one wanted to get caught in a gunfight." he said.
Ray frowned darkly, not believing a word of it. "I want to see where it happened." he said.
"Certainly." said Vincente.
They walked down the dock to the scene of the shooting and Ray searched the area while Vincente looked on.
"Find anything?" asked Vincente when Ray had finished.
Ray shook his head. "No but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's no blood so it's not likely they were killed here on the dock." He looked thoughtfully at the ocean. "What we need is to check under the dock. Wouldn't you agree?" he said, looking meaningfully at Vincente.

Connor awoke, shivering and cold. Looking at his watch he realized with shock that he'd slept for more than twenty-four hours. Favouring his shoulder, he got up and got dressed, his clothes still damp from the long hours in the water.  Wishing he had some shoes, he started out into the warehouse and began looking for a way out. Halfway along one wall he found it. Stairs lead him onto the ground floor of the warehouse, which was just as empty as the floor below. He walked across to the main doors, coughing as his feet raised clouds of dust. He tried the doors but they were bolted from the outside, much as he'd suspected they would be. A search around the building revealed a small side door with a broken lock. Someone had obviously broken in looking for something to steal. Moving cautiously, he left the building and approached the dock. Everything was quite and not many people were around. To his left, a half a dozen men were lounging by the entrance to a building and smoking cigarettes. One of them looked at his watch and spoke to the others. They stubbed out their cigarettes and followed him into the building. Taking a chance, Connor went after them. Hearing their voices ahead of him as he slipped into the building, he discreetly followed them to the back of the building where they entered a locker room. He hid behind a crate watching and waiting until they had finished and left. When the coast was clear he went in and shut the door behind him. Inside there were three rows of lockers with a shower room on the left side and storage cabinets on the right. Going to the cabinets, Connor found what he was hoping for, stacks of new overalls.  He also found a first aid box. Taking the box and one of the overalls, he crossed to the shower room and found a mirror. Stripping off his shirt he began the tricky process of easing the tie off over his shoulder. The drying blood had stuck the tie to the handkerchief and the handkerchief to his shoulder. Gritting his teeth he peeled the cloth away from his skin, which was raw and inflamed where it had become infected. Taking some disinfectant, he cleaned the wound as best he could before taping some gauze over it. When he was done, he changed into the overalls and looked around for somewhere to dispose of his clothes. A nearby waste paper bin caught his attention and, rolling his clothes into as small a bundle as they would go, stuffed them down to the bottom of the bin. He covered them with paper from a dispenser and hoped they would remain hidden. Putting the first aid box back where he found it, he searched the lockers for a pair of shoes.  He finally found a pair and knowing he couldn't just take them, he took a wad of notes out of his wallet and left them in the locker.  Making his way back out of the warehouse, he turned left and walked down the dock to where he knew Nicolai and Anna were being kept.

During the morning the team gathered in the conference room. As acting Case Manager Peter opened the discussion. "Natasha and I have been over every inch of the square and we can find no evidence of any equipment having been used." He paused and looked at Natasha. "We do have a theory though."
"Go on." said Anton.
"It's possible the angel could have been an astral projection." said Peter. "Although it's never been proven, there are a number of documented cases of people projecting an image of themselves that other people have seen."
"Yes, but aren't those cases where the subject has been close to death?" asked Anton.
"True, but there's no reason to suppose it couldn't be consciously controlled." said Peter.
"Do you think that Russian could have anything to do with it?" Lindsey asked Anton.
"What Russian?" asked Peter.
"We've had several reports of what people are taking to be a Russian standing near to where you found that picture." replied Anton. "We've made enquiry's around the town but so far no-one knows anything about him."
"Whoever he is, I think we'd better find him." said Peter.

Victor steered his stolen car through the streets of Treviso, barely able to see as his vision blurred in and out of focus. Weak from loss of blood and exhausted from the drive, the only thing keeping him going was stubborn determination. Finally he found what he'd been looking for, the town square and the OSIR mobile lab.  He pulled in beside the lab and slowly got out of the car.  He didn't make it more than three steps before he collapsed.

"Dr. Hendricks! Dr. Hendricks! You better come quick!" yelled one of the technicians from the entrance of the lab.
Anton rushed from the conference room grabbing his medical bag on the way out. The rest of the team quickly followed him. When he got outside he saw a man lying on the ground, his shirt covered in blood. "What happened?" he demanded.
"He got out of the car and collapsed." said Dave Royal, who had raised the alarm.
"I must speak to Peter Axon." said Victor hoarsely.
"I'm Axon." said Peter, kneeling next to Victor.
Victor clamped his hand around Peter's arm and stared piercingly into his eyes. Peter felt as if he was falling into a deep well. He tried to pull away but Victor held him tightly. He jerked suddenly as the force of Victor's mind hit him, sending searing images across his thoughts.
"Stop him!" said Lindsey. "He's hurting Peter."
"No!" said Anton. "We don't know what's happening. Trying to stop it could cause more harm than good."
"We can't just sit here and do nothing." said Lindsey.
"We don't have much choice." said Anton.
"I think this may be the man you were looking for." said Natasha. "He certainly sounded Russian."
"You could be right." said Anton. "I wonder how he came to be shot?"
"Has anyone called an ambulance?" asked Lindsey.
"Yes." replied Royal. "There's one on its way."
"Forget about me. Save Connor." said Victor weakly as he released Peter.
"Where's Connor?" asked Lindsey, but Victor had passed out.
Anton meanwhile was looking in concern at Peter who had raised trembling hands to his head. "Peter? Are you all right?" he asked.
Unable to reply Peter shook his head, an action he instantly regretted. Suddenly overcome by dizziness, he again felt as if he was falling in to a well. He shut his eyes as darkness swirled around him and collapsed unconscious.
"Peter!" said Anton in alarm.  "Help me get him inside." he said to Royal.
"What about the Russian?" asked Natasha.
"Stay with him. The ambulance should be here in a few minutes." replied Anton.

Guided by Nicolai, who had touched his mind shortly after he had started out, Connor found Dorrs' warehouse.  It was a big building, set away from the docks in the heart of the warehouse district and as he stood and watched it he wondered how he was going tot get inside. Tired and lost in thought, he didn't at first notice the lorry. It came slowly down the road in low gear and stopped outside the warehouse. Several workers appeared from out of the building and began to unload it. Making the most of the opportunity, Connor slipped in among them and picked up a box from the back of the lorry. Hefting it onto his good shoulder to hide his face, he walked past the guard into the building. Checking to be sure that he wasn't being watched he moved off down an isle between rows of stacked crates. Nearing the end of the row, he froze momentarily when a foreman rounded the corner. Heart pounding, he continued walking.
"There you are." said Phil Downs. "That box is for the boss. Put it in the office, over there." He indicated an office just to the left of where he was standing.
"Sure." said Connor, hoping the man wouldn't realize that he wasn't one of the regular workers.
"Wait a minute." said Downs. "I don't remember seeing you before."
Connor's heart sank. This wasn't going the way he'd hoped. "I'm new, just started today." he said, trying to bluff his way out.
"The boss didn't say he was hiring anybody." said Downs. "Why don't you stop by the office when you're done and I'll run you through the rules."
"I'll do that." said Connor. He started toward the office, hoping that Downs wouldn't stop him again. He could feel the man's eyes boring into his back and he had to control the urge to look back at him. He made it to the office and set the box down on a table. Checking that Downs had gone, he picked up a clipboard and walked casually down the warehouse to where he'd seen stairs leading to the upper floor.

Not far away, Nicolai watched Connor. Eyes closed he reached out with his mind, sensing, seeing. He saw Connor climb the stairs to the first floor and was about to follow when a movement caught his attention. Someone else was watching Connor too.
Anna's urgent thought touched his mind. "Connor's in danger!"
"I know." responded Nicolai. "One of Dorrs' men suspects him. You must warn him."
Anna closed her eyes and pictured Connor in her mind, then she reached out to him. "Connor, you are in danger. One of Dorrs' men is suspicious about you."
Aware that Nicolai was watching him, Connor nodded briefly to show he understood. The stairs led out onto a corridor that ran the length of the building. Offices lined one side of the corridor and he could see intersecting corridors about a third of the way down form each end. Moving quickly, Connor went up the corridor trying all the office doors. Just in time, he found one that was open. He got the door closed just as Downs came up the stairs. Leaving the door open a crack, he saw Downs pause thoughtfully and look up and down the corridor. Making up his mind, Downs looked straight at the door that Connor was hiding behind and started walking up the corridor.

Peter stirred restlessly and muttered something inaudible. Anton looked up from his desk and frowned, this was the first time Peter had moved in an hour. As he got up to check on his patient, Peter became increasingly restless. He woke suddenly, crying out, "Connor!"
"It's all right Peter." said Anton. "Take it easy."
"No! Connor's in trouble, we have to help him!" said Peter, looking a bit wild-eyed. He tried to sit up but a wave of dizziness hit him and he was forced to lie down again.
"Just try and relax." said Anton. "You've had quite an experience."
"What's going on?" asked Lindsey from the doorway. She and Natasha had come running at the sound of Peter's yell.
"Is everything all right?" asked Natasha.
"Peter's awake." replied Anton. "I was just about to ask him what happened."
"Peter? How do you feel?" asked Lindsey, coming to stand beside him.
"Like I've been hit by a bus." replied Peter. "Victor didn't have time to be gentle."
"Victor?" asked Anton.
"The man who was shot." replied Peter. "He was responsible for the angel in the square."
"Why don't you start at the beginning?" asked Anton.
Peter closed his eyes, trying to put his thoughts in order. He'd been given a large amount of information in a short space of time and it was difficult to know where to begin. "The angel in the square was a pre-arranged signal between Victor and Connor." he said. " Victor used it because his brother and sister are in the hands of a gang boss called Dominic Dorrs. Connor went to Venice to help Victor free them but they were attacked and shot."
"Connor?" asked Lindsey in alarm.
"He's alive and trying to rescue Nicolai and Anna." replied Peter "We have to help him."
"Do you know where he is?" asked Anton.
"Yes, Dorrs has a big warehouse in the middle of the warehouse district." replied Peter. "That's where we'll find him."
"Natasha, call Ray and pass that information on to him." said Anton. "Tell him to get there as fast as he can."
"Will do." said Natasha. She quickly left the room to make the call.
"I need to get out there." said Peter.
"No, you don’t." said Anton, placing a firm hand on Peter's chest to stop him rising. "You're in no condition to go anywhere at the moment. What you need is to rest."
"Anton's right." said Lindsey, overriding Peter's protest. "Ray is the only one who can help Connor now."
"I just hope he gets there in time." said Peter.

"Thanks Natasha." said Ray, closing off the phone call. He walked across the dock to where Vincente stood talking to one of his men. "Lieutenant, may I have a word?" he asked.
Vincente sent his man off and turned to Ray. "What can I do for you?" he asked.
"I need to get to a warehouse owned by a man named Dominic Dorrs." replied Ray. "I have just received information that he is holding two people captive and that he may have Professor Doyle as well."
"Mr. Dorrs is a respected business man." said Vincente. "We cannot just go in there and accuse him of kidnapping people, and on what evidence? How did you come by this information?"
"I have my sources." said Ray non-commitally. "Look, can we at least see if Doyle is in the area?"
"All right." conceded Vincente eventually. "But I warn you, stay away from Mr. Dorrs."
Ray nodded, giving in grudgingly. He felt sure Connor would be somewhere in the warehouse and he needed to get in and find him. He would just have to bide his time and wait for an opportunity.

Nicolai shifted anxiously as he watched Downs closing in on Connor's hiding place. Anna, sensing his anxiety asked, "What's happening?"
"Dorrs' man is heading straight to where Connor is hiding. We must find a way to stop him." replied Nicolai.
"How?" asked Anna.
"You will have to get into his mind." said Nicolai. "There is no other way."
"I can't, not without seeing him." said Anna.
"Use me as your eyes." urged Nicolai. "Like we did as children." He knew what he was asking was extremely difficult and possibly dangerous, especially as the two of them were in separate parts of the building, but they had to try. He relaxed  and let Anna guide his mind, using his remote viewing to help her see Downs. He felt himself drawn along with her as she pushed forward and entered Downs' mind. With no time for finesse, she simply overwhelmed him with an explosion of images. As he started to pass out she withdrew, taking Nicolai with her. The effort cost them both a great deal and they separated, exhausted. Nicolai had barely enough strength left to send one final thought to Connor. "It is safe now. We are at the front of the building near the left-hand side. Watch out for the guard."
Connor looked around the office for something he could use as a weapon but there was nothing obvious. A quick search of the unconscious Downs turned up a gun in an ankle holster. Taking the gun, Connor made his way around to the front of the building where he spotted the guard patrolling the corridor. Using the clipboard he had taken earlier he walked up to the man. "Excuse me. Can you tell me where I can find this office?" he asked, pointing to the clipboard. As the guard took the clipboard Connor clubbed him with the gun, knocking him out. Unclipping a set of keys from the guard's belt, Connor went down the corridor knocking on doors. It didn't take him long to find Nicolai.
"It's good to see you again." said Nicolai warmly when Connor released him from his room.
"It's good to see you too." said Connor. "Nicolai, I'm sorry about Victor. I wish there was something more I could have done."
"No Connor." said Nicolai. "It is Victor who is sorry. For deceiving you."
"What do you mean?" asked Connor.
"Victor is alive." said Nicolai. "He went to your people in Treviso to get help."
For a moment Connor didn't know what to say and then he smiled. "That's the best news I've had all day. Come on, let's get Anna and get out of here."
Anna's room was halfway down the corridor and when they let her out she wordlessly embraced Connor. She held onto him for a long moment before stepping back and taking his hands. "Thank you." she said simply.
"You're welcome." said Connor with a gentle smile.
Anna looked at him, her expression grave. "There is something you need to know." she said. "Soon you will take a trip to our homeland. There is darkness and great danger for you there. Please, you must be careful."
"I will." said Connor. "Thank you."
"Come, we must leave." said Nicolai. "There is a fire escape on the far side. It is how Victor escaped."
The three of them quickly crossed the building to the fire escape but they weren't quick enough. They were spotted by the relief guard. "Hold it right there!" he yelled.
"Stand back!" said Connor. He shot the lock off the door and kicked it open. "Outside, quick!" he said, ushering Nicolai and Anna out the door ahead of him. Down the corridor, the guard took aim at him and fired. He had to duck hurriedly as the bullet ricocheted off the wall above him. He returned fire hoping to make the guard wary about coming down the corridor after them and then followed the others out of the door. He herded them down the stairs, all the while keeping a check on the door above them.  They had just made it to the bottom of the stairs when a shout went up from near the front of the building. Dorrs' men appeared at the top of the alley and started running towards them.
"Down the alley!" said Connor. The three of them ran down the alley and around the corner of the next building. They raced along the back of that building and turned down another alley.  Glancing over his shoulder Connor could see that Dorrs' men were gaining on them.

Ray stood and looked thoughtfully at the building across from him. He knew Connor and the others were inside but he didn't know how to prove it without going in. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a shot coming from the warehouse. A few minutes later half a dozen of Dorrs' men ran down an alley to the left of the building. Ray immediately followed, along with several police officers that had heard the shot and come to investigate. Ahead of him, Dorrs' men reached the end of the alley and turned left. Suspecting an ambush he stopped at the corner and took a quick look around it. He caught sight of one man standing at the entrance to another alley, before a round of gunfire made him pull back. Gun in hand Ray went down on one knee and fired at his attacker. Not expecting him to be kneeling, Matt Nelson fired at where he would have been giving Ray time to aim.. He dropped Nelson with one shot. Keeping his gun on the man he hurried to the alley and peered around the corner. There was no sight or sound of anyone. Ray swore, not knowing in which direction Connor had gone.
"What now?" asked Mario Sabato, one of the officers with Ray.
"We split up and search." said Ray. "You come with me. The rest of you take an alley each. Use your radios if you find them."

Connor rounded a corner and stopped, too exhausted to carry on. The last two days had taken their toll and he no longer had the strength to run. "You go on, I'll hold them off." he said.  He could hear Dorrs' men behind them and he fired a shot up the alley to slow them down. A startled yell told him he'd scored a lucky hit. He leaned against the wall, letting the coolness seep into him. His shoulder burned with fire and the heat seemed to spread to the rest of his body. He closed his eyes feeling curiously detached and was startled by a light touch on his arm.
"We will not leave you." said Anna. "Not after all you have been through for us." She looked searchingly at Connor. He masked his pain and exhaustion well but she could read it in his eyes.
"I can't go on Anna." said Connor gently. "If you stay with me you will be caught again."
"Then so be it." said Nicolai. "We will not abandon you."
"Thank you." said Connor gratefully.
"How sweet." said a mocking voice from up the alley. Not wanting to risk being shot, Paul Brandon had divided his men and outflanked his quarry.  Connor stepped forward and pointed his gun at him. "You can't shoot all of us." Brandon said menacingly.
"No, but we can." said Ray, coming up behind Connor.

"Glad you could make it." said Connor, handing his gun to Ray. He was becoming increasingly light-headed and feeling more and more detached.
"We almost didn't." said Ray. "If it hadn't been for that last shot we might not have found you in time."
Distracted by the arrests being made up the alley Ray didn't notice how pale Connor had gone, but Anna did.
"Connor?" she asked. Alarmed, she put a hand on his arm and found that he was trembling. Turning to Ray she said, "We need to get him to a hospital immediately."
To Connor Anna's words seemed to come from a great distance. He tried to tell her he was all right, but he didn't seem able to speak. As everything started to recede into the distance and grow dark, his knees buckled and he collapsed. Nicolai caught him as he went down.

Connor woke at the sound of someone entering the room. He experienced a moment of disorientation at the unfamiliar surroundings but quickly realized where he was. He turned to see who his visitor was.
"Hi Connor." said Peter. "How are you feeling?"
"I've been better." said Connor. He paused momentarily and then said, "I'm sorry I put you in the position I did but I had no choice."
"You could have told me." said Peter.
"If I had you would have insisted on coming." said Connor. "I couldn't let you put your career on the line like that."
"You think Elsinger will fire you?" asked Peter.
"I committed a serious breach of conduct, Peter." replied Connor. "I doubt Elsinger will stand for that."
Peter smiled despite himself. "You know, he was pretty mad when he found out. I don't think I've ever seen him lose it like that before."
"He does get pretty carried away sometimes." said Connor with a brief smile of his own. "It's a pretty rare event though."
"The ice man." said Peter. He looked at Connor. "He's coming down here to see you."
Connor sighed. "I'm not surprised. When is he due?"
"About eight o'clock this evening." replied Peter. "If you want to talk afterwards, I'll be here."
"Thanks, Peter." said Connor gratefully. He had the feeling he might need it.
A light tap on the door announced the arrival of Anton and Lindsey. "Hi." said Lindsey. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, thank you." replied Connor
"I have a souvenir for you." said Anton, handing Connor a small vial. Inside was a misshapen bullet. "Luckily it didn't do any real damage."
Connor looked at the bullet for a long moment before asking, "How's Victor?"
"Showing remarkable signs of recovery." said Anton. "He was shot twice in the chest but incredibly neither bullet hit anything vital."
Connor smiled. "Victor's a remarkable man." he said.
"Tell me about it." said Peter wryly. "I had a taste of just how remarkable this morning."
"What happened?" asked Connor.
"He used some kind of telepathy to show me everything that had happened. In about ten minutes." said Peter.
"He did that to me when we first met." said Connor. "It's not pleasant, is it?"
"You can say that again." said Peter.
"Can you tell us anymore about Victor and the others?" asked Anton.
"Their DNA was re-engineered by Russian scientists." said Connor. "The idea was to create super-humans with limitless psi potential. They succeeded beyond anything they could have hoped for. Individually they have different abilities and they are limited by their own strength. Together, they can combine those powers and they are virtually unstoppable."
Peter whistled. "Put that kind of power in the wrong hands and you have the potential for disaster."
"That's why I helped them disappear ten years ago and that's why they must disappear again." said Connor.
"Elsinger's not going to be happy about that." said Anton.
"That's too bad." said Connor, a hard edge to his voice. "That kind of power is too much of a temptation to use, even with the best of intentions."
"As much as I would love to make a study of their abilities, I have to agree." said Peter. "We've already seen what happens when it goes wrong like with those twins Alex and Sean.
"You're right, of course." said Anton. "What do you want to do?"
"I'll decide after I've talked to them." replied Connor. "Thank you for going with me on this."

Connor's second visit that day came from Nicolai and Anna. Anna embraced him with a smile. "I'm glad you're all right." she said. "You had me worried when you passed out like that."
"I'm fine." said Connor reassuringly. "Are you both okay? Have you got everything you need?"
"Yes, thank you." said Nicolai. "You're people have been very generous."
"That's good." said Connor. "Have you heard anything about Dorrs?"
"The police have been unable to find him." said Nicolai. "They think he might have fled the country."
"He may trying going after you again." said Connor.
"Yes." said Nicolai. "We've talked it over with Victor and decided we need to go apart from the world again."
"Will you help us?" asked Anna.
"Of course." said Connor. "I'll do whatever is in my power to make sure you 're safe."
"Thank you." said Victor. "That means a lot to us."
Anna took Connor's hand in her own. "Connor, there is something I have to say."
"What is it Anna?" asked Connor gently.
"Don't trust Elsinger. He bears you ill will." said Anna.
Connor squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, I don't." he said.
Nicolai touched Anna's mind. "What didn't you tell him?" he asked.
"I can't see into his future." replied Anna sadly. "It is shrouded in darkness."

Frank Elsinger quietly opened the door and stepped into the room. He stood for a long moment looking at the man before him and wondering what he had missed. Connor had never been anything more than a pawn but suddenly the pawn had become a knight. That couldn't be allowed, it set too great a precedent.
Warned by an inner sense that he was being watched, Connor stirred and opened his eyes. He knew instantly who was with him. "Hello Frank." he said.
"Connor." said Frank, stepping out of the shadows by the door. He crossed to the window and stood for a long moment in silence, looking out.
Guessing that Frank was trying to get him on edge, Connor schooled himself to patience. This was not the time to lose control.
"I'm disappointed in you Connor." said Frank eventually.
"I did what I felt was necessary." countered Connor. "If you want my resignation, it will be on your desk by morning."
Frank looked momentarily startled. Although Connor's words had been spoken dispassionately there was defiance, even challenge, in his eyes. This was a side of Connor Frank had never seen before and it surprised him. He frowned, considering his options. Simply firing Connor was too easy, he needed to make an example out of him. "I don't think that will be necessary." he said and then added menacingly, "This time." He walked to the door and turned, his face expressionless but his eyes twin pools of hostility. "I won't forget this Connor." he said. Then he was gone.