When duty calls1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONn1hTTv2l
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"Why are you crying Lu? Shouldn't I be the one freaking out, not you?" Ricky asked with concern on his face but obviously trying to lighten the situation, very unsuccessfully.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nwbTbWCod
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I tried sniffing up the last of the tears and put on a brave face, also very unsuccessfully. "I think you need to sit down for this one."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuTRRMc6zq
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Reluctantly he finally sat down and I began to explain all the pieces of information I had gathered since Mattie's death. "It started last night when I got home and crashed. The weirdest dream ever, there was this old guy and this amazing library an-"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90KM8Q3DE8
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"You really like libraries." Ricky smirked, obviously a little more relaxed that he was getting some explanation.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxozgYRlWJ
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"Yes I do, but shh, that's not the point. So this annoying old guy-"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxz0itQIoE
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"Why is he annoying?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlkj8KEPig
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I just frowned to keep my irritation in place with being interrupted all the time. "Don't worry you'll get to meet him."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AtVdwZmgr
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His shoulders slumped and he gave me a pout. "You know I don't like old people... They talk too much."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBvlqUXLFZ
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"Yeah well they're not the only ones. Shh I want to finish my story please, if you don't mind." 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMetHbnPpKP
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He sat up straight again and gave me his full attention. "So this old guy, Esperar, makes me the leader of the group I mentioned earlier of Quinto círculo. Honestly it sounds more like a cult than anything else, but yeah, he gave me the book you saw earlier. I also didn't know how to open it and it kept disappearing and reappearing when ever it felt like it. Today I left you guys at lunch so suddenly 'cos Markus wanted to talk to me an-"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SDKrZ4YB3
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"Oh my God! Like THE Markus? Markus o'Conner?" Ricky suddenly turning into a fan girl before my eyes.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVbRQus9a3
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"Yes. Tall, dark and handsome wanted to talk to me. Interrupt me again and I swear I'm going to punch you." 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBQCsIXNsv
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Ricky acted all offended but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "So anyway! He was totally hitting on me." I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqON0KVu3m7
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"Shut up!" Ricky obviously enjoying the gossip and trying to be funny with his antics.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtZgz5c4Gf
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"Although before you go crazy, I'm still not sure if he was just messing with me or not. And when I started snapping out of the whole "OMG Markus is talking to me' I started storming off."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6UZVCybNl
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"Why so defensive Lu? Maybe he really digs you."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAF09An5h3
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"He was with Mattie the night she died, that's why I was so defensive." I blurted with an expressionless face.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoeNkhmXgD
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Ricky just gaped at me waiting for me to continue. When I didn't he did. "What? How? Why? How is he so sure?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2IpXS2YRm
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"Long story short she wasn't supposed to die, I was." I felt my skin prickle as I said those words myself. repeating them in my head didn't help it all. I was supposed to have been killed, not Mattie.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIm2azuTTN
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This was obviously starting to get too much for Ricky. His eyes welled up and the tears threatened to spill over. "Lucy... If that was you..."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiS5C4oqaTq
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I tried to reassure him with a smile. "But I didn't Ricks, It's going to be fine." Even I didn't believe that last part. When I saw that Ricky was still about to burst into tears, I just pulled him into a hug.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCPeojIdzQ
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That seemed to have done the trick. "Okay." He took a deep breath. "Please continue." And he sat back down to listen to the next bit of my horror story.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzkWGZo1x3
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"So." Trying to get my bearings straight was proving to be quite a challenge. "As I was storming away he tried grabbing my hand to pull me back, and just like you and I earlier, ZAP, and I got a pattern too." Lifting my hand to show Ricky my decorated palm.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAtG6MpN9e
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"Woah! That's so cool!" Ricky had gone from totally depressed to childlike wonder in under a minute.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVqMiIVpRQ
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"It is, isn't it." I replied, matching his smile. "So Markus got the idea that it would unlock our books an-"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRf32lvbGIS
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"Okay wait, now that I heard that properly. Markus is part of this too?" 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1trReeE2CN
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"If you weren't in shock I would seriously hit you right now." I said while giving him the death stare, but he just egging on the topic.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hSHJiF30C
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"What's his picture? What's the topic of his book?" He went quiet suddenly, obviously in deep thought. "What's your topic?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgIt4BMnDJ
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"Markus has a purple eye, almost Egyptian in design, and it's charm, glamour and deception. Mine is-"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rr3VQcaLV
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Ricky started laughing uncontrollably. "That's so feminine, bet he's taking it rough."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkoSfBt088
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I smacked him on the arm and he gave a small yelp. "Hey! What was that for?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBDIPjXH4e
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"I warned you about interrupting me."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD9akiJvMl
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"Oops, sorry!" He said with a sweet smile and a totally fake innocent look.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmEEkXjTgJ
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"So as I was trying to say. Mine is power and control. and to answer you on your interruption, he actually likes it. Not that I'm surprised, he does love the spotlight."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Zwn9jUmh
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"And you love him" Ricky added with under his breath and a smirk on his face.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzQg1GaVTA
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"Eugh, you're so annoying." And smacked him again. 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLlkaaBeZG
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"So mine is empathy and telepathy, what kind of specialty is that?" He asked while retrieving our bowls of almost melted ice cream and passing mine over. 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7y64gkuUrl
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"That's where you actually have to read Ricky." I said with a snort, slurping at the semi liquid in my bowl.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZ5K7mJGD7
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"Gross much?" Ricky pretending to be grossed out.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKnGzztjpd
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"Shut up, you were going to do it too."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgUrdoQmfr
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"So true." He said with a grin and matched my slurping. We burst into laughter, enjoying the effect we had on each other to make a situation better or at least bearable.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT7Z7eewWh
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"So how about skimming through it and let's see what you can do." I prompted, trying to distract from me trying my abilities.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewHx6dR5h8
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"Okay just give me a sec." While he read I slurped down my ice cream and began licking out the bowl. It's not attractive, but it's criminal to leave behind any evidence of the chocolate goodness.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxgHxwGyxc
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As I was about to try steal Ricky's bowl and eat his remaining ice cream he looked up at me with a weird expression on his face. Before I could ask him what he was thinking a sudden wave of hysteria washed over me. I was frozen in place by fear, but fear of what I couldn't tell. Before I could start screaming a wave of calm came over me, almost as if I was high in a way, feeling the hysteria float away on a cloud of happy thoughts.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt237PeqGE7
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And then I was back to normal. "Woah. That was quite a trip. What just happened?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgdvFWOyo4
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Ricky took his time finding the right words. "What did you just experience?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonWSqJITlg
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"I just started freaking out for no reason, and then I felt like a hippie. Just mellow." 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7hlSsoNcg
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Ricky sat back with astonishment on his face. "What? What what what?" I nagged trying to get something out of him.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSghmwOqiO
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"I made you feel that." He said more as a statement and less like a question.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gACK4FcH6
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"How?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJVIDtVJQ8
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"I don't know I just..." It looked like he was trying to convince himself of what he had just done. "Thought it."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXmRstrpjj
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I just stared at him, dumbfounded. "You just... thought it?" 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqO0qX1qCEG
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"Yeah, I pictured you fearing for your life, and then I saw you freaking out and I wanted you to calm down immediately. So I imagined what you would be like if you were on a trip."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6yYDXYllQ
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"You made me high? Do you realise how wrong that sounds?" 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSImwUldwlN
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Ricky started laughing and I couldn't help but join in on the giggles. "So now I know what they mean by the empathy part of this... Skill of mine. Now let's try out the telepathy. Think of something." And he closed his eyes.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9ssUrcnIz
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Something. I did a little mental laugh, but before I could say anything Ricky perked up. "No, don't be a smart ass, think of something else."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6RVPR1OA1
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"Ricky I didn't say anything." Ricky looked up at me with wide eyes.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlMso89t3g
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Can you hear this? Ricky nodded.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQMeZU0frT
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What about this? Ricky nodded again, this time with a smile.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTraBxCpIMC
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And this? Ricky just gave me a look. "Okay you can stop now."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCeS3Xb4vI
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But this is so much fun! I thought with a huge smile on my face.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzDYQwQ2Cn
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Can you imagine what I'm feeling?1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWu9kLJrku
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I could practically feel my jaw hit the ground. "Did you just send a mental message to me?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7s4iZtWI8
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"I think I did." Ricky seeming amused with his new abilities.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclgi6gFKWf
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"This is too cool. I wonder what the other's abilities will be." I couldn't contain my curiosity.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3a5IjJt6k
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"Other's? I thought there was only Markus apart from us." 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3w8LqElpVO
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"Circle of five. There are only three of us at the moment." I said suddenly sifting mentally through a list of people that I could think of being part of all this madness.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YHMuqeYwj
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"How do you know how to find them?" 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54G1dntyet
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I pushed him out the way to get to his computer and searched the site I found the information on Peligro. As Ricky read his face went solemn. "I can see why you started crying earlier." And finished off the reading. "So it says people close to you, people you have made a bond with from early in life and are the same age as you." 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0O6DEsplf
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He went into deep thought, stroking at an imaginary beard subconsciously. "You do you realise you have no beard, right ?" I mumbled with slight amusement. "Hmm?" Came his reply, obviously to fixated on his own thoughts to have heard me. "Nothing, don't worry." I said with a smirk.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzJsS58tmQ
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"Ariana, Joey, James." Now it was my turn to look confused. "What?" 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun8jazGb27
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"That's your only other friends you have." Ricky still stroking his chin, gradually accompanied by a creeping smile. "Not much of a socialite, are we?" I just glared at him and his hands shot up in mock surrender as he burst into laughter.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmElHr7ed0
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"Okay Ricky, you can stop now, it's time to get serious." I said gruffly to get the conversation on the right track again. Ricky tried to compose himself, sneaky tears still running down his cheek and his body shaking slightly but at least he was tryig to stay quiet. "So between the three of them, two are my next.... victims." I said the word like it left a bitter after taste. "For lack of a better word." I quickly added as he gave me a funny look at my comment. "So who do you think they are?" Trying to avert the responsibility for a moment. "Only you will know this one Lu." He said with a reassuring smile. 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWt881MgPN
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I took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it out in one big sigh, allowing the responsibility to encompass me once again. "As much as it pains me, Ariana must be a definite candidate, she's like the sister I always wanted, she's the closest person to me." Ricky sending a throat clearing noise in my direction. "After you of course." I said with a grin, a scoff in reply from him. "But that's where I get stuck... Joey irritates me to no extent possible and James is just there. Actually come to think of it, he's just there because Ariana has had a crush on him since way back when. He's never really been a friend as per say."1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡer0iLRr8gI
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Ricky started fidgeting in his seat and I knew something was bothering him. "Spill it." I said in a stern, but lovingly way. 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRA3FC9g7a
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He pulled out his phone and started messaging someone. "Mind letting me in on the secret Sherlock?" Ricky kept quiet until he was finished, putting his phone away and looking up at me at the same time. "Just trust me on this one, okay?"1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXNsn4cTtj
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I could feel it, like a thick blanket of tension in the room, almost suffocating. I wasn't sure if it was my emotions or the emotions Ricky were feeling that was being projected, but I felt like now wasn't the right time to ask questions.1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70pYSWFRc2
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"Okay." I said, trying to keep eye contact with him to try read the situation further. "How long until they get here?" 1021Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg34UW6Zxdz
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