the blueshifters, parts 1 + 2 (Complete!)

Dark Passage (episode 19)

Dan had called everyone to assemble them at Andrew's bookshop. Trillion was there as well. Dan had a daring plan. And yet, his teammates had been unearthing their own discoveries to be explored. Jack mentioned that he'd found where the red boxes the redshifters used to entice and control people were stored. Mary had found previous portals they had opened and used. They would make time to explore these things later. Right now they were on the warpath and this time they all felt stronger. Dan could feel it around him, the energy around them was fed by fear, excitement and determination. Trillion showed them a new small technique for controlling their powers by working together. It involved touch anddeep concentration while working. They had not quite gotten the hang of it but Trillion had promised that after his business he would be training all of them regularly to use their abilities to the full.

"The time is close, it is the darkest hour. I can feel it. Good luck to all of you," he said."I'll see you soon."

"Good luck to you too, Trillion, and thanks you for bringing us together," said Dan.

"Where are you going?" Asked Mary.

"There is a convening of rebels at a secret location. preparation for the war that is coming."

They watched with trepidation as their mentor and protector left. Dan felt a chill run up his spine. Things now rested upon his shoulders to lead them.

They were going to one of the major portals opened by the redshifters. It was revealed to him by the old blueshifter who went by the name Leonard, who had since lost his abilites through some tough, pitched battles. He'd met with the old man several times to talk and learn secrets since his return to the waterfront.

Leonard once had powerful abilities when he was young, a stout fighter against the redshifters and as a result he'd sustained massive injuries and lost much of his powers because of this. He'd had reconstructive surgery and even had his fingerprints removed. He'd moved from state to state, even livingout of the country for a while to hide from the redshifters after dealing them a terrible blow as a resistance fighter in WWII. According to Leonard they had engineered the second world war just as they had engineered the first one.

He'd gone into hiding and had remained in hiding for the past twenty years. Leonard told him to come and bring his team. he a gift for all of them. "A passing on of the baton, so to speak, son," he'd said. Though he no longer fought, he remained vigilant and close to the fight, observing while hidden.

When they'd reached Taylor Street and Third Avenue downtown Dan led them to a very old brick apartment building. It was four stories high made of brick and stone. it was a vestige of Portlan'd early days. but it was also rundown and in serious need of repairs. In fact form the outside it contrasted so much with much fo the rest of the buildings on the street that it looekd condemned. The other two gave him doubtful looks as if they had thought he led them to the wrong place.

"This is it, guys. trust me," he said. It was a lock-out with an old telephone style call box. Dan pushed the numbers: 101.

"Looks like it came rihgt out of a 19th century dunghole." murmurred Mary, wrinkling her nose.

"Come on, guys. Don't tell me a creaky old building is going to scare you off." The answer box crackled and buzzed with static.

"Yes?" Came a voice.

"It's Dan." After some seconds that felt like minutes they were buzzed inside. Dan knew that though they couldn't be seen, there were cameras stationed at the front doorstep. There was a watcher who knew everyone coming and going from the building and fed this information to Leonard when it was necessary for him to know. The hallway was dark, and smelled of caked grease, years of tobacco smoke, urine, mice and mold. It had the heavy dank scent that had become part of the archetecture of the building itself. It was doubtful it would ever come out. Dan marveled that it still stood where it did. They followed Dan all the way down the long hallway. At the eastern end, the opposite side, there was a door leading to the basement of the building and to the other side seven steps down. Here, there was one apartment unit with a red door. On the door it said: 101.