"He's gone," said the man with the bruised face, "No trace anywhere. He's either run away or someone's taken him."

"Has he not gone to the Police?"

"No, he could have been tipped off. There were no calls made or received by him at the care home either. If he was told, then whoever did probably took him out of town," he replied, "We'll also interview some of his friends, but I'm not hopeful. Hopefully he'll crop up again at a Police station. In the meantime, we're going to find his phone number and try to trace it. If he crops up, when he does, we'll get him."

"I expect so, last time you had five men and you were beaten. You're only alive because he was too weak to kill you. If you fail again, don't expect the same treatment."

The line was cut off. He swore he would get that kid. That boy had humiliated him and shot one of his only friends. Now he wanted revenge. There would be no more attempting to make it look like an accident this time. It would be the quickest kill possible. That kid had made a powerful enemy.

Jack pulled up outside some apartment block. James was still reeling from his revelation. He'd been rescued and hidden, rather than dumped, and his parents hadn't abandoned him, although they were dead, which was probably worse.

"You're my uncle?" James asked incredulously, as they got out the car. He'd grown up so long thinking all his relatives were either dead or didn't want him. The fact that he had an uncle, and it was Jack was just...unbelievable. Then before he could stop it, one of Ryan's stupid jokes popped into his head. "If your Uncle Jack helped you off an elephant, would you help your uncle Jack-"

James cut off the thought, shaking his head and smirking. It was a pretty inappropriate considering where he was and James tried to keep his expression serious. A question popped into his mind.

"Is that why you worked at the care home? So you could keep watch over me?" he asked.

Jack nodded solemnly.

"Like I said, it was your Mother's request that I did. I never had kids of my own. So, I got a temporary job at your care home. No one there knew I was your Uncle," he said, "I would have taken you in myself, but you weren't the only one on the Hunters radar, and I didn't think I'd be a great Dad to you, so I put you into the residential home, and visited as much as I could, and when I knew it was safe."

James nodded, and they made their way through the car park.

"When did my parents die?" James asked, not looking at him.

"When you were one year old. You were too young to remember. I have a photo," he said gruffly, and passed it to him, greeting the woman at the desk inside and collecting keys from her. In the picture was a young couple with a tiny baby. James' Mum and Dad. His Dad looked like Jack, or rather, Robert, but younger, and with brown hair. His Mum had long brown curls, and blue eyes. She looked great, and she was happily holding him in her arms, unaware that she would be killed within a year. His Dad was smiling at into the camera, right at him. Two happy people, both killed for no reason. James' jaw clenched involuntarily, and he stopped that line of thought before he got depressed.

"Michael and Caroline Stone," murmured Rob.

"Wow," he touched their faces reverently.

Jack unlocked his apartment, and James made to give him back the photo. He looked around. It was quite clean.

"Keep it, it's just a smaller print of a larger one I have," he said.

"Uh, thanks," James said, blinking. He had a real photo of his parents. That was just overwhelming. It felt like they weren't just thought up and non-existent. They were a real part of him.

"Do you actually live here?" he asked.

"No, it belongs to an organisation for our guys; we can come here when we need somewhere to hide or just a temporary home. But I'll be staying for a few months until things settle down."

"That's pretty useful," said James appreciatively. At least the good guys seemed to look out for one another.

"Yeah," Rob smiled. "Let's hope the Hunters don't find out."

James nodded. There was so much in his life he had missed. If the others knew...Oh hell, Maxine. He said he would explain this. But that was before it had got all complicated.

"Uh, J-Rob, can I go see a friend? I know it's bad timing, but... it's important."

Jack looked uncomfortable.

"I don't think that's a great idea, you just got away from them, do you really want to just hand yourself back over?"

Damn, why was he so reasonable? James had to think of something. He pictured the layout of the house in his mind. He remembered that one time when they were kids, when he and Maxine had built a 'den' out of a bunch of spare wood sheets, tarpaulin and logs. The area had a fair amount of trees and bushes, where you could get in from outside if you knew how, and there were pine trees leading up to one side of the house, and unless you were looking right out of Maxine's window, then you wouldn't see anything. He grinned at the plan he had come up with, and explained it to...Rob. He still didn't look sure. He tried one last tack.

"Come on, isn't there anything you'd have liked to say to my parents before they died?"

It was a cheap shot, but James needed to get him to agree.

"Yes," Jack said, so quiet James wasn't sure he had heard. Jack perked up.

"But this is it right? You won't be asking me to go round to all your friends' houses if I let you do this?"

James grinned. That was what he wanted to hear. He didn't want to, couldn't, leave without at least saying goodbye.

"No, this is it, and I have to." Maybe it sounded childish, but it was true. He'd known her for so long, he couldn't imagine how angry and upset she had be if James suddenly vanished. James owed it to her to, at least, say goodbye.

He probably wouldn't be back here.

James could see a light on in the kitchen, and he could make out Maxine's parents. It was quite dark, and he had never felt more like a stalker than he did now. Jack, damn it, Robert, was waiting at the back. James had a gun on him, just in case. Rob had shown him how to load it and replace bullets, seeming to know a fair amount about guns. There was also a light in Maxine's room. She was probably reading or doing homework. Ha! Homework.

He didn't have to do that practice essay in English, or any of his other homework for that matter. Every cloud has a silver lining, eh? James made his way through the trees at the side, slowly getting towards the one that stood less than a metre away from her window at the nearest branch. He had a couple of pieces of gravel in his pocket. He started climbing up the tree. The other branches seemed closer in than he remembered. He groaned inwardly as he put his hand in some tree sap. James gritted his teeth. Sap was so annoying. Eventually, he was level with Maxine's window, and he could see her working at her desk. He grinned. This would make her jump. He took one of the gravel pieces from his pocket and tapped it twice against the window.

As he expected, it startled her and she spun round, falling off her chair. He tried not to laugh but a few sniggers escaped. She saw him and gaped.

"James?" he could make that out easily enough. She opened the window and whispered furiously. "What the hell is wrong with you? There are people looking for you. We had Police come looking for you here, what have you done?"

Her glare put him off, he had expected some shock, maybe some anger, but she looked really annoyed. Like he needed that.

"Hey, I didn't do anything, they tried to kill me," he defended, "And they looked here? That's not good."

"They tried to kill you?" she asked sceptically, "The Police?"

"Can I come inside first," James asked, grimacing, "This isn't the best place for a conversation."

She stood back from the window, and James reached for the edges of the window frame, and pushed off with his feet, swinging them forwards and pulling himself inside in one movement. He landed on his feet and stood up.

"Admit it, that was impressive," said James. She rolled her eyes and shut the window.

"Stop mucking about," she said, "You were saying someone tried to kill you."

She looked sceptical, but James was expecting that. He quickly explained what had happened, but she still looked doubtful.

"You have to listen to me, it's true. Ryan knows everything; he even has one of their guns. Why else would the Police have come here?" he asked desperately, "Why would I come here?"

"Maybe you committed a crime," she suggested, "And since you ran away and you're not at the care home, they looked for you here."

"I haven't committed any crimes," James replied, irritated.

James decided not to mention the telekinesis thing for now. She already thought he was crazy. And she hated the idea that Police in their country were corrupt.

"They were after me because of some blood feud that started with my parents," said James, deciding to wing it and makes something up, "It was that lot that killed them."

James thought she might be considering the idea. She should know he wouldn't make stuff like this up. She looked sympathetic anyway.

"So," she said, "If hypothetically, this was true, then what are you going to do next?"

"I'm going away somewhere to escape," he said sadly. "I don't know when I'll be back."

Now this she had to believe, even if the rest wasn't likely.

"Oh," she said quietly, "Is that necessary?"

"Yeah, they came for me when I was walking to school, and again when I was there. I can't stay. I'm sorry. I came to say goodbye."

"Are you going alone?" she asked. She didn't say it, but he could see she was thinking he would never survive on his own.

He shook his head and explained about Rob coming for him. He took out the photo of his parents. Out of everything, this was probably most likely to convince her. Hard evidence, an actual photo. Plus she had heard him talk about Jack, even met him once. She took it silently.

"Believe me now?"

"I can see the similarity," she said, "And the events do seem to fit. But how did you get a photo?"

He cleared his throat, deciding to go with honesty.

"Jack's my uncle," he said quietly. She looked up in surprise, and James corrected himself.

"Actually, his real name is Rob, but that's not important."

"Oh my God," she said, "That's great for you. It's just like some TV drama, without the comedy."

James half-smiled.

"Yeah, shame it came at such a bad time."

"Why did he tell you now and not before?" she asked.

She had a point. Why couldn't Jack have told him who he really was? Did he really think James would have blabbed to everyone?

"Jack found out that these guys were after me and so he decided to rescue me. That's why he worked at the care home; he was protecting me and waiting for something like this," James explained.

"Jack knew?" she asked, surprised. This expression of surprise and disbelief seemed to be going around a lot recently.

"He knew it might happen," James defended him, "It was lucky he actually found out that they'd found me anyway."

"Still, he should have kept a closer watch on you," she said moving closer, and stroking his arm, "You could have been hurt."

"Yeah, I would have been if it wasn't for that lamppost," he laughed. Then he noticed how close she was, and how her hand was on his arm. He was leaving soon, and this could be the last time he ever saw her. That made him a lot braver. He could see in her face that she wanted him to kiss her. The feeling was mutual. They kissed, gently at first, but then they got more frenzied. Soon enough he had one hand scrunched up in her hair and one creeping down her back, pulling her closer. This was so good. They fell back onto the bed, and he forgot his problems.

James started, waking at the sound of gravel being thrown at the window. Maxine stirred but didn't wake. It was 11:30.

He couldn't believe he'd fallen asleep. After the intensity between him and Maxine had died down, they'd relaxed, lay down, and he'd fallen asleep. It seemed very stupid, but it had probably been the weirdest and most desperate day of his life. He went over to the window, and could make out a dark figure below.

"Rob?" he whispered harshly.

"Who else? Get down here," he hissed.

James took one last look at Maxine sleeping, and maybe it was just because he was leaving, but she had never looked as wonderful as she did now, sleeping in absolute peace. He wanted nothing more than to stay with her, curl up next to her and stay there, but he couldn't.

"Goodbye," he whispered, looking on last time, before tearing himself away.

James held on to each side of the window, and pulled himself into a crouching position. This had looked a lot easier last night. He held on to the sides, and carefully judging the jump, leaped across the gap. Even though it was half a metre's distance his stomach still abandoned him as he grabbed the nearest branch, scraping his hands but holding on. He breathed a sigh of relief, and then made his way down to the bottom.

"Come on, let's go," said Jack, damn it, Rob, walking ahead. James sighed, and followed him. What a long day.