The night was still young and the moon full as Kat Jacobs drifted through the empty streets of Brooklyn. She moved swiftly but comfortably in the fading light, filled with what can only be described as self-determination as she left him behind, gaping in his doorway. Well, he could stand there looking like a fish all night if he wished; she wasn't coming back. She wasn't at all sure where her wanderings would take her, but she scanned the street for somewhere out-of-the-way to spend the night.

The wind started up, scattering her hair and kicking dirt into her face. Cursing silently to herself, she spit out a mouthful and rubbed at her eyes. If the breeze hadn't stopped as suddenly as it began, she never would've heard him behind her. It wasn't a specific sound that alerted her to his presence- nothing exactly that she could put a finger on- but something made her spin around and search the shadowed store-fronts behind her. There was nothing there for her to see but inky blackness.

"Kyle?" she called out with uncertainty, wondering if perhaps he had been following her from the house. But there was no reply and with the wind now gone, the street was silent once more.

"Hmmm." She said aloud to herself, and she shrugged and continued on, this time with more caution. The feeling that she was being followed grew into absolution in the form of prickling on her neck. It gnawed at her mind, causing her to cast nervous glances behind. Every alley she passed suddenly seemed to follow her with unfriendly eyes. Unable to view any of the potential sleeping spots as secure, Kat decided to make further towards Manhattan. Things weren't half so frightening there.

The same warning as before- perhaps it was the shuffling of shoes- had her spinning around so quickly she almost tripped. She shifted to the balls of her feet, balancing there and ready to take off at a moment's notice. This time someone definitely slipped back into the shadows. And it wasn't Kyle. She didn't even have to think; there was no way that she was going to scamper on down the middle of the street in plain sight.

Darting into the nearest alley, Kat raced about halfway down before stopping to crouch behind some wooden crates. She didn't want to loose herself in running unless she was really being pursued. In spite of herself, her panicked breathing sounded loud in her own ears, and attempting to quiet it only left her gasping all the more.

At the head of the alley, there was a scuffling sound so faint that Kat wasn't sure if she'd really heard it. Then a figure was silhouetted against the night behind him. He took one step towards her hidden form; two steps.

With an explosion of adrenaline, she burst from behind the crates and tore off down the alley with as much speed as she could build up in the short time. Her mind was frozen in fright but the rest of her body seemed to be working in the opposite direction. Her feet pounded through alleys and back ways, legs pumping. Luckily she was a quick and steady runner- always had been. Kat had also been jumped various times before. Living on the streets made this something difficult to avoid- but how she wanted to avoid it now.

She skidded around a corner, sliding on some loose gravel and catching herself before she fell. Hearing faint breathing behind her prodded her along at a quicker pace; she was only minimally confident in her ability to outrun him. His footsteps grew louder and Kat could only imagine that he was catching up; she didn't dare turn around. Her body was coiled like a spring, ready to strike if it came to that. But just as she was squeezing her eyes shut, the echoing footfalls faded out. She spun around without slowing, once again almost loosing her balance. There was no one. When she finally convinced her feet to stop moving, she was completely alone, in total silence. Surely she hadn't outrun him. No, she had heard sounds of retreat as he left. Panting like a dog in July, at a loss of breath out of fear rather than fatigue, Kat put her hands on her head to help suck in more air.

She twisted around in a circle, scanning the alley she was in, still incredulous that her pursuer had simply given up. But he didn't appear to be anywhere close. In fact, there was no evidence that he had ever even been there at all, although Kat knew better. She began walking slowly, further down the passageway.

This time when she spun around she knew she'd for sure heard him. He burst out of an adjoining alley at full speed and was almost to her before she could react. The oath she spat was loud and desperate. It echoed off of the walls that closed in around her as she dashed off again. Her head was still turned over her shoulder but she knew that the next corner was nearing.

*WHAM*

Kat collided with something firm and immovable, crashing to the ground with enough force to knock the newly breathed air from her lungs. Her neck snapped back; her head cracked on the ground. Her initial thought was that she'd poorly guessed her distance from the wall. She only realized differently when rough hands grasped her around the waist and yanked her from the ground. Her closed eyes flew open. Already painfully dizzy and out of breath, her face was buried in someone's chest, muffling the cries they must've expected.

As her body hung limply, her head spun wildly and her mind raced but only in circles, making no progress. By this time, Kat guessed that there were at least two guys- perhaps more- and that she had been herded and abruptly cut off from her escape. She tried not to be sick as she was jostled along in strange arms. She thought that they were running, and the knowledge that whoever carried her was strong enough to do so with her in tow was an uneasy one. Realizing suddenly just how desperate her situation was becoming, she drew on her last ounce of strength to twist so abruptly the arms actually released her.

She hit the ground again with an audible *umph*. She heard a curse from somewhere, too far away she thought to be the guy above her. His voice echoed strangely and his shadow simmered at the sides as he leaned over her. Her mind felt clouded; even the slightest of movements on her part took a lifetime to execute. As if in slow motion, a new set of hands ensnared her. The desire to fight had left her, and her attempt at flight had failed.

A floating sensation overtook her as they continued on, completed by the sound of lapping water heard nearby. Wanting so badly to close her mind like she had closed her eyes, Kat sunk gratefully into something akin to unconsciousness. The last thing she heard before submersion was another curse.