It was hard for Candi to believe, but a year had already passed since the death of Erin. In that time, she had thrown herself into fear and doubt about Donte's death or possible life; found herself a questionable new relationship, seen the return of her greatest telepathic foe, battled numerous street criminals, had several revisions to her crude night vigilante centipede suit.

She had also witnessed the transformation of Jeral Cormier into Botan, and gotten fired from work after being threatened by a sex-obsessed new manager. She was growing tired of the idea of being on the pom squad at school, and while she was not failing her classes by any means, she wished to take some of her studies more seriously.



Just as was the case over a year ago, so also now...she just could not sleep peacefully! Her mind was beginning to wander in numerous directions that she wasn't sure she enjoyed. She wasn't sure if it was merely wandering or if it was beginning to wear down!

Everywhere she went, even her own local church, she was facing pressure of one sort or another! Pressure to let Denny have too much of her too soon, pressure to give up on life; pressure to think too much or too little of herself; pressure to give up hope on Donte; pressure to chase after the notion of Donte to the point that she abandoned Denny...

Why were all these forces tormenting her? And why did they not give her any peace of mind...not even in sleep?



And did her mind ever wander that evening...



Everywhere she could imagine, she had been with Denny already. She no longer felt the need to fight the desire inside, save for ensuring it didn't actually happen.

Kimi's words were seeming all too twistedly seductive to her in her vulnerable state of mind...nobody cared about her dignity anyway! Nobody believed she had any! And the fantasies...they were becoming so enjoyable!



The whole time, all she could recall thinking was: "God, help...I cannot stop myself!" She knew that when she woke up, it would be a lot harder for her to keep what had happened between her and Denny from manifesting in real life. She wanted it!

How could she win a war against her own desires? At the same time, she knew that she was playing right into her worst enemies' hands! And yet...she yearned like never before to take the path her sisters had taken...to feel the sensations which they had oft transgressed to get their hands on!

Candi knew that she could not forever hold back her desire.



She vowed not to take the road of her sisters...but the lure was so fantastic! She knew what she had to do. She knew that sooner or later, Denny would ask her to marry him! Hiding under the name of Stevens was getting old, and Candi didn't know if there were any Flippos left besides herself!

It was becoming clearer to her...Denny was the way out...or so she believed! Why did she still fear Donte? He was in a better place, where they would never be separated again! But in her time on Earth...why not enjoy herself little? Her sisters had!



Then again, Candi feared judgment from all those whom she would be leaving behind! If her parents were alive, would they understand? What about Donte? How would she feel knowing none of them would attend her wedding?



The zombies in her dream kept getting closer, threatening to avenge her failure to honor them in life! Desperately, she tried to deploy her centilegs...but they would not deploy!!! She had no powers in her dream world!

"Gurrrrrr!!!!" they cried out to her!

Candi: "Go away!"



Try as she may, the zombies simply would not leave her alone!

Candi: "No!! No!!!"

The figures of her parents and of Donte grew more grotesque the more she looked at them!



They surrounded her with even more determination than before, and her dread grew stronger!



Candi: (sobbing) "Just kill me already!!!!"



She quickly woke up in terror! The zombies were gone...but her conflicted priorities and emotions remained! She thought she heard something from outside though...a struggle!



Candi decided to sneak out the back to get a look at who the outdoor menace might be, given that the voice seemed to remind her of something she may have heard before...

It was a Meethlite! But he wasn't pointing his gun at her or at the house! It was being pointed at...Denny?



Gunner: "I want to make this quick! Before I blow you away! Why are you at this house?"

Denny: "None of your concern, Gunner! I told you guys! I'm done dealing with you!"

Gunner: "Done, eh? 'Done' means dead! Where's the formulas? Are they in that house???"



Gunner: "Oh...I see! Your girlfriend's got the goods!"

Denny: "Girl?"

Gunner: "Don't play dumb with me, kid! I know you're 100% hetero, so don't be trying to play that angle on me neither!"

As the two of them chatted, Candi kept a low profile, eying intently the Meethlite before her. She could have sworn she'd seen him before...or at least heard that voice before! And Gunner? Why did that name ring a bell?

The more the Meethlite spoke his arrogance, the more Candi could feel the rage swell within her.



Denny: "All I do is pediatrician work these days! I take care of kids!"

Gunner: "Well, you'd better tell me where the formulas are! Project: Musaran is only the beginning! We can't get far if we have to start the other formulas over!"

Denny: "Project what?"

Gunner: "Urrr...Darn! Now you know too much! Hand over the formulas, or I'll add your head to my trophy case! Along with...Erin Flippo's!"



At that point, Candi could take it no longer! She recalled what Wilbur's sermon contained in it, but Gunner just wasn't sorry!

She was not about to let her sister's killer get away with killing her possible future husband as well! Leaping out from under the fence before Gunner could react; she quickly pummeled him, heaping one abusive blow after the next!



With each passing sting, Candi felt her resolve growing; and feeling a little bit safer in the world. Her sister's killer would be subdued before long, and justice would at last be served!

Gunner: "The Gifted One!!! How???"

Candi: "Stop calling me that!!! You killed my sister...now go to Hell!!!"

Gunner: "Not till you've tasted this!!!"



As the phantom scream grew louder and louder, she knew it was not any mere liquid being tossed at her! Narrowly, the stream missed her body as she dodged quickly to avoid it!



Denny: "That's right! The Stevens residence! Hurry! My girlfriend is out there battling this thing, and it's got a gun!"