She at last reached the top; but looking down made her feel almost tempted to go back! As she looked down in the trench below, she could have sworn she saw what looked like a femur, in amongst the rubble.

Denny may have been a mistake, but he was her most important one! How could she live without him?

If Donte weren't still alive somehow, then she would be convinced - she must never let herself fall in love again!

If she weren't feeling so hot - almost burnt - she'd still have tears to cry! But as much as she tried, she couldn't get the tears to fall.

She knew that the answer lay somewhere other than that pit, yet she perversely wished she could just throw herself into that damnation below her, wanting to believe that if her life ended, Dirbine would again be at peace!

Yet, she knew that this would not solve the problem. She knew what she had to do. Yet, the pain of labor and the pain of guilt were overwhelming! How could she ever get over either in time to do what she had to? Why should she even bother trying anymore?



Candi: "No! Not now!!! Please, Angie!! Please, I beg you! Not here!!! Not now!!!!!"

It was too late. The infant would stop at nothing! Her time had come. As badly injured as Angie was, she had her mother's determination never to quit in spite the odds being overwhelming!

Candi: (shouting, and in tears) "Nooooooooo! Angie!!! Denny! Donte!!! Where are you all when I need you??? Somebody...please!!!"



The screams of labor carried on into the night, and the fire began to spread to nearby houses. Police who were not part of Merle's inner circle agreed to allow the fire department and paramedics to arrive and do their thing. They thought it best not to reveal to the inner circle the identity of the woman they recovered.

How could they, who always wished to be good cops, betray a pregnant woman to their genocidal superiors? The whole while, Arfaas and the like were terrified how Kelsea Linney's brashness might draw the National Guard's attention. Ploribus was on the move! Suspicions were being confirmed, and the Meethlites knew that the cleansing of Dirbine would be like a second Battle for Gerosha! Would they be prepared for such a humiliating defeat again?

Kelsea had forced their hands. Musaran had only functioned as the hit man he was programmed to; but Kelsea's suicide bombing was not part of the plan! There was no stopping the media at this point! They feared Ploribus would advance any day.

There was no reassurance for Candi that evening either. The flames continued to spiral as the fire trucks feverishly attempted to quench the blaze; and as Candi feared, she began to feel more sleepy than in pain from labor.

As the paramedics lifted her into the back of the ambulance, everything her eyes perceived grew very dark. The last thing she witnessed was a stranger gazing at her...wearing a leather jacket and a red bandanna.