text stringlengths 14 5.77M | meta dict | __index_level_0__ int64 0 9.97k ⌀ |
|---|---|---|
Apple will reportedly close 2 stores to avoid an infamous Texas patent court
Jeremy Horwitz@horwitz February 22, 2019 9:06 AM
Image Credit: REUTERS/David Gray
With over 500 retail stores worldwide, Apple's opening or closing plans for individual stores typically aren't noteworthy, but the company appears to have an unusual motive behind the closure of two locations in eastern Texas: It's reportedly attempting to sever business contacts near a court that is often preferred by patent trolls.
According to MacRumors, Apple briefed employees this week that it will close two Dallas-area retail locations — Apple Stonebriar and Apple Willow Bend — with plans to open a new store called Apple Galleria Dallas soon thereafter. The Willow Bend store was notably Apple's first in Texas, and only recently remodeled, reopening with Apple's latest retail design in September 2016. Each old store will reportedly have its final day of business on April 12, 2019, with one source claiming the new store will open on April 13.
Under recent U.S. federal court rulings, closing the Stonebriar and Willow Bend stores could keep Apple outside the jurisdiction of a federal court located in the Eastern District of Texas, which patent trolls have used to win huge judgments against large technology companies. Currently, the law provides that Apple cannot be sued for patent infringement outside of its corporate home in California, except wherever it maintains a "regular and established place of business."
Shifting those stores out of the Eastern District of Texas to a location only miles away is expected to only modestly inconvenience some employees and customers, while eliminating the court's ability to try patent cases involving Apple — assuming there are no other Apple offices within the court's jurisdiction. Apple has invested considerably in Texas over the past decade, most recently committing $1 billion to a North Austin campus located in the Western District of Texas.
In recent years, claims and rulings of Apple patent infringement have been piling up in the Eastern District court. Earlier this year, the company was ordered to pay $440 million in damages to a patent holder named VirnetX over infringements in FaceTime, and the company has fought lawsuits there over step counting (Uniloc), iTunes (Smartflash), and streaming technologies (Dynamic Data Technologies), to name a few, sometimes facing $500 million verdicts.
Though not every case has gone against Apple, it's easy to understand why the company would want to avoid risking a half-billion dollars every time it's sued. An IP litigation research company advised Apple in mid-2017 to consider the revenues of its individual retail locations, suggesting that it was unnecessarily subjecting itself to unfavorable courts outside its home state. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
} | 7,807 |
{"url":"https:\/\/www.thejournal.club\/c\/paper\/332337\/","text":"#### A structure-preserving doubling algorithm for solving a class of quadratic matrix equation with $M$-matrix\n\n##### Cairong Chen\n\nConsider the problem of finding the maximal nonpositive solvent $\\Phi$ of the quadratic matrix equation (QME) $X^2 + BX + C =0$ with $B$ being a nonsingular $M$-matrix and $C$ an $M$-matrix such that $B^{-1}C\\ge 0$, and $B - C - I$ a nonsingular $M$-matrix. Such QME arises from an overdamped vibrating system. Recently, Yu et al. ({\\em Appl. Math. Comput.}, 218: 3303--3310, 2011) proved that $\\rho(\\Phi)\\le 1$ for this QME. In this paper, we slightly improve their result and prove $\\rho(\\Phi)< 1$, which is important for the quadratic convergence of the structure-preserving doubling algorithm. Then, a new globally monotonically and quadratically convergent structure-preserving doubling algorithm to solve the QME is developed. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of our method.\n\narrow_drop_up","date":"2021-07-27 06:48:06","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.7592122554779053, \"perplexity\": 584.2436384275182}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.3, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 5, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2021-31\/segments\/1627046152236.64\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20210727041254-20210727071254-00211.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
At KingsWay School our students enjoy a wide range of sporting opportunities throughout the age groups such as Football, Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Basketball, Badminton, Tennis, and Touch Rugby to name a few. Sport provides a wonderful opportunity for students to share their faith in Jesus with other teams on and off the field and display their Christian Character through their sportsmanship and commitment to fair play. Lasting friendships are often made in the sporting arena.
Join our KingsWay Sports Facebook community for quick updates and congratulations. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
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Q: How do I return data after an AJAX Call to the server has been made? I've been playing around this for a bit. My goal is to post my form fields to URL /checkaddress and display the results. The issue is my data object is display empty. delivery_line_1 should contain info from JSON content. I've seen examples using Callbacks and jQuery deferred Objects but I can't seem to incorporate them into my code.
My code is below:
submitHandler: function(form) {
// Submit Handeler
$.ajax({
url: '/checkaddress',
type: 'post',
dataType: 'json',
data: $('form#Form').serialize(),
success: handleData
});
function handleData(data) {
//do some stuff
console.log(data.delivery_line_1);
}
}
My form is:
<form id="Form">
<input class="fname" id="firstname" name="firstname" type="text" placeholder="First Name" />
<input class="lname" id="lastname" name="lastname" type="text" placeholder="Last name" />
</form>
My form data that is being posted is firstname=Kalska&lastname=Lamsm
When I go into the Network Tab in Chrome's browser tools, click on the Headers tab I get a Status Code:200 When I click on the response Tab I don't any response. Is this an issue that the server is not responding with any data or is my code incorrect?
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
} | 5,427 |
if RUBY_VERSION > '1.9'
require 'simplecov'
SimpleCov.start do
add_group "Library", "lib/"
end
end
require 'rubygems'
require 'bundler'
begin
Bundler.setup
rescue Bundler::BundlerError => e
STDERR.puts e.message
STDERR.puts "Run `bundle install` to install missing gems."
exit e.status_code
end
require 'rspec'
require 'fakeweb'
require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../lib/test_linker')
FakeWeb.allow_net_connect = false
def register_body(url_base, body)
#FakeWeb.register_uri(:post, 'http://testing/lib/api/xmlrpc.php',
FakeWeb.register_uri(:post, "#{url_base}/lib/api/xmlrpc.php",
:content_type => 'text/xml', :body => body )
end
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 461 |
Write For TLF
Get A Little Bit Closer: DIY Marketing the NIN Way!
By keidra fan club fans marketing Nine Inch Nails recording industry
Yippie! On Monday, I got an exciting e-mail from my hero, Trent Reznor! I had this entire post planned about the survey that Trent Reznor sent out to registered fans at NIN.com, and how DIY marketing is a sign of things to come in the music industry, and that connecting with and engaging your base is better return on investment than the old school approach of trying to demand loyalty from a large number of casual fans, but Bob Lefsetz did it for me, so I'll just let the man speak:
Hold on to what you've got. Maximize what you've got. Pleasure your regular customers. At least you know they're interested. Trying to convert someone new is oh so difficult. That's one of BMW's successes. The number of people who buy ANOTHER BMW! Are you gonna buy another album by lame-o act if the first one only had one good track out of ten? Are you going to buy the new single if the act never made it beyond the first single? Are you going to go see an act live that only has one hit single?
Record labels still believe it's the nineties. They're in cahoots with the major media outlets. But radio's tanking, newspapers are in free-fall and MTV doesn't play any music. These are your modern partners? Ridiculous. Your partner is your AUDIENCE! It's easy to reach your audience, if you're good, if they like you.
Hell, YOU can't even convert a new audience member. Usually A FAN has to do this! If I get one more loser e-mailing me a link to his MySpace/YouTube page, or worse, committing the crime against humanity known as e-mailing an unsolicited MP3, I'm gonna PUKE! I don't want to hear it from you! I want to hear about it from the underground, not someone with an investment! … Old line marketing is dead. And who knows what's truly going on in the present? NOBODY! Which is why Trent Reznor is ASKING HIS FANS!
Let me piggyback on that. I will add, as always, it's not just the music industry that could stand to learn from this, and not just the entertainment industry but most companies, organizations that are engaging their fans online. But it's the entertainment industry who needs the biggest fire lit under their asses, because marketing execs never seem to listen to what people want. That's how we end up with movies like Ghost Town.
Yes, it's a survey, you may say. Big deal. We sent out a survey last week! That's nice, but do you really want to find out what your base thinks, to really get input from your fans or do you just want an ego stroke, to get the success of your existing marketing strategies confirmed by your survey results? That's a losing battle.
Seriously, just ask what your fans want. What they really, really want. And like the Spice Girls, they will tell you. There may be answers you don't necessarily want to hear, but you can learn from it.
Bob Lefsetz may be a bit in love with the CAPS LOCK key, but he is on the money with this. If you are using traditional marketing strategies to get your message across online, you fail. Ask, and then listen, listen listen. Engage, and be honest.
And while I'm at it, can I just say, as a fangirl, it took at least 20 minutes for me to figure out what my favorite NIN song is. I am still not fully sure of my choice. Why did I care so much? Because this survey gives me the impression that I have am a stakeholder, and that my answer may lead to some kind of action that affects me as a fan. (Maybe my favorite song will get played live, perhaps my favorite album will get re-released in Surround Sound! Hint, hint.) I don't get anything tangible from this survey except the feeling that I'm being listened to. Sometimes for a loyal supporter, that's enough. Think about it.
1000 true fansfan clubfansmarketingNine Inch Nailsrecording industryTrent Reznor
Gaming as a statement of political belief? Are Dungeons & Dragons players really pro-Obama?
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Give it away: Why releasing music (and video!) through Creative Commons licenses is good for fan relations
We write about Nine Inch Nails a lot around here at Learned Fangirl. It's not just because at least one of us is a hugely…
Nine Inch Nails fan video project rebrands as pan-fandom collective
[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtIhedSMQXA"] Interesting news for both fans of NIN and followers of fan culture, fan-works and ownership. The grassroots fan organized video production collective This One…
Guest Post: Sam Ford: Worlds Without End?
The soap opera was once defined in part as providing worlds without end, as some have put it: fictional worlds that carry on daily for…
Fans Vs. Freaks: Media Coverage of Fandom
It's always amusing (and mildly annoying) when mainstream media outlets cover fandom and pop culture. The underlying smugness of their commentary often seems to rear…
The Four Horsemen/Mechanix of Snark Fandom: Megadeth, Nine Inch Nails, V.C. Andrews, and Sweet Valley High
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFGs6U6Bnb4] Fandoms, like any type of subculture, have different shorthand ways of discussing things that only make sense within the group — such as frequently…
Interview – Heavy Metal Writer/Publisher Ian Christe
I was pretty psyched when I learned that music journalist Ian Christe had started his own book publishing company focused on heavy metal, Bazillion Points….
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In previous years, TLF has talked a lot about Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor (and Radiohead's) attempts to bypass traditional record labels and establish new…
The Whole World is Biting Off of Trent Reznor
So by now, Nine Inch Nails decision to dump its (his?) record label has been well publicized. Trent Reznor has been a pretty vocal opponent…
Superman — not faster than a not-so-speeding reversion of copyright ownership
The ownership issues involving Superman have always been contentious but not factually disputed — two teenagers created Superman and then sold their rights for a…
2010: the year when fandom becomes serious business
Around about the end of last year, all the big shit web 2.0 blogs started to pull together their prediction list for 2010. I was…
Book Review: Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy
Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy, is the highly recommended third book by Laurence Lessig, focusing on why and how copyright…
Goodbye to you: Is changing canon the best way to keep fans happy?
Some stick with reading comics for their entire lives (the norm in Japan, though the type changes over the lifetime), while others put them away…
Banking on the 1,000
One of my favorite metal bands, The Dillinger Escape Plan, recently left their record label, Relapse, after their contract expired. According to the following interview…
Response to Who Gets to Write Fandom History?
As you describe in your post, Who Gets to Write Fandom History?, understanding how fandoms are created and evolve is complicated. I think that is…
One More Tardy Guest To The Online Music Party? « The Learned Fangirl
[…] As I blogged about earlier, at this point the field is getting quite crowded with digital music services, and when MySpace (a former music industry game changer that helped to launch careers) is no longer bringing anything new to the table, what the heck can Facebook do? […]
We Geek Hard
We Geek Smart
The Wild Ramp Project is looking for longform culture writing about Chicago
Even More Pop Culture Comfort Food For Difficult Times
Designed and Developed KreativeKrys Designs
thelearnedfangirl@gmail.com | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
} | 7,348 |
void nvkm_agp_ctor(struct nvkm_pci *);
void nvkm_agp_dtor(struct nvkm_pci *);
void nvkm_agp_preinit(struct nvkm_pci *);
int nvkm_agp_init(struct nvkm_pci *);
void nvkm_agp_fini(struct nvkm_pci *);
#endif
#else
static inline void nvkm_agp_ctor(struct nvkm_pci *pci) {}
static inline void nvkm_agp_dtor(struct nvkm_pci *pci) {}
static inline void nvkm_agp_preinit(struct nvkm_pci *pci) {}
static inline int nvkm_agp_init(struct nvkm_pci *pci) { return -ENOSYS; }
static inline void nvkm_agp_fini(struct nvkm_pci *pci) {}
#endif
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 3,529 |
Q: QObject::moveToThread: Widgets cannot be moved to a new thread My IDE Qt 5.0.1, platform Linux
i have a problem about set widgets to window.(My opinion)
this is my main.cpp->
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QApplication a(argc, argv);
QThread cThread;
MainWindow w;
w.doSetup(cThread);
w.moveToThread(&cThread);
cThread.start();
if(cThread.isRunning())
{
qDebug() << " Thread is Running...";
}
w.show();
return a.exec();
}
this is doSetup() method->
void MainWindow::doSetup(QThread &mainThread)
{
QObject::connect(&mainThread, &QThread::started, this, &MainWindow::activeLoopMainC);
}
i checked my signal-slot mechanism and it works.
slot method->
void MainWindow::activeLoopMainC()
{
qDebug() << " Signal-Slot structure working successfully..";
mainThreadProc((void*)(instAddr));
}
i call a function from my main.c by this slot method.
In debugging there is no problem about working codes. But my window is blank. there is only frame.
i receive an error message: QObject::moveToThread: Widgets cannot be moved to a new thread
How can i solve this problem?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
A: You can't move widgets into another thread - in order to keep user interface responsive, Qt needs to do all GUI work inside main thread.
If you have background work to do, then move background worker to other thread, and not the user interface.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
} | 2,997 |
{"url":"https:\/\/es.mathworks.com\/help\/rf\/ref\/abcd2s.html","text":"# abcd2s\n\nConvert ABCD-parameters to S-parameters\n\n## Description\n\nexample\n\ns_params = abcd2s(abcd_params,z0) converts the ABCD-parameters abcd_params into the scattering parameters s_params. z0 is the reference impedance; its default is 50 ohms.\n\ns_params is a complex 2N-by-2N-by-M array, where M representing number of frequency points of a 2N-port S-parameters.\n\n## Examples\n\ncollapse all\n\nDefine a matrix of ABCD-parameters.\n\nA = 0.999884396265344 + 0.000129274757618717i;\nB = 0.314079483671772 + 2.51935878310427i;\nC = -6.56176712108866e-007 + 6.67455405306704e-006i;\nD = 0.999806365547959 + 0.000247230611054075i;\nabcd_params = [A,B; C,D]\nabcd_params = 2\u00d72 complex\n\n0.9999 + 0.0001i 0.3141 + 2.5194i\n-0.0000 + 0.0000i 0.9998 + 0.0002i\n\nConvert these ABCD parameters to S-parameters.\n\ns_params = abcd2s(abcd_params)\ns_params = 2\u00d72 complex\n\n0.0038 + 0.0248i 0.9961 - 0.0250i\n0.9964 - 0.0254i 0.0037 + 0.0249i\n\n## Input Arguments\n\ncollapse all\n\nThe abcd_params input is a complex 2N-by-2N-by-M array, where M representing number of frequency points of a 2N-port ABCD-parameters.\n\nThe function assumes that the ABCD-parameter matrices have distinct A, B, C, and D submatrices:\n\n$\\left[\\begin{array}{cc}\\left[A\\right]& \\left[B\\right]\\\\ \\left[C\\right]& \\left[D\\right]\\end{array}\\right]$\n\nReference impedance of N-port S-Parameters, specified as positive real scalar in ohms.\n\nNote\n\nz0 must be a positive real scalar or vector. If z0 is a vector, then the vector must be equal to the number of network parameter data points or frequency vector.\n\n## Output Arguments\n\ncollapse all\n\n2N-port S-parameters, returned as a 2N-by-2N-by-M array of complex numbers, where M representing number of frequency points of a 2N-port S-Parameters.\n\n## References\n\n[1] Pozar, David M. Microwave Engineering. 3rd ed, J. Wiley, 2005.\n\n## Version History\n\nIntroduced before R2006a","date":"2022-11-30 10:52:44","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 1, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.8707274198532104, \"perplexity\": 9041.893100233832}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": false, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2022-49\/segments\/1669446710734.75\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20221130092453-20221130122453-00363.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
The grinders we sell are made to last a lifetime. If something needs replacing on your grinder, whether it's the burr, the shaft or the handle - or maybe an electric part needs replacing, you'll find what you need here. If the part you need isn't listed below, get in touch! We may still be able to help you. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 5,703 |
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<!-- NewPage -->
<html lang="en">
<head>
<!-- Generated by javadoc (1.8.0_111) on Sun Nov 20 02:07:09 EET 2016 -->
<title>All Classes</title>
<meta name="date" content="2016-11-20">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css" title="Style">
<script type="text/javascript" src="script.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<h1 class="bar">All Classes</h1>
<div class="indexContainer">
<ul>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/ExtractUri.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">ExtractUri</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/GetOpenWeather.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">GetOpenWeather</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.CloudsBean.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData.CloudsBean</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.CoordBean.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData.CoordBean</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.MainBean.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData.MainBean</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.SysBean.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData.SysBean</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.WeatherBean.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData.WeatherBean</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/OpenWeatherData.WindBean.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">OpenWeatherData.WindBean</a></li>
<li><a href="org/junit/Test2.html" title="annotation in org.junit" target="classFrame">Test2</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/TweetBot.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">TweetBot</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/WebRequests.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">WebRequests</a></li>
<li><a href="lv/mikust/tehbot/WindDirection.html" title="class in lv.mikust.tehbot" target="classFrame">WindDirection</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</body>
</html>
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 50 |
Euchloe hyantis é uma borboleta da família Pieridae. Ela é encontrada na Costa Oeste da América do Norte, do sul do Oregon até à Califórnia e mais para baixo até ao México. O habitat natural desta borboleta encontra-se em desfiladeiros rochosos e falésias.
As larvas se alimentam de flores e de frutos da espécie Brassicaceae, especialmente Streptanthus.
Subespécies
Euchloe hyantis hyantis
Euchloe hyantis andrewsi Martin, 1936
hyantis
Lepidópteros descritos em 1871 | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 5,206 |
Phylloxiphia illustris is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from lowland forest from Liberia to the Congo and western Uganda.
The length of the forewings is 27–29 mm. The forewings and body are straw-coloured. The forewing has a number of irregular, dark transverse lines. The fringe is dark brown. The hindwings are strongly produced at the tornus and pinkish red, although the tornal area is straw-coloured.
References
Phylloxiphia
Moths described in 1906
Moths of Africa
Insects of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insects of West Africa
Insects of Uganda
Fauna of the Central African Republic
Fauna of Gabon | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 4,099 |
Published by The History Press
Charleston, SC 29403
www.historypress.net
Copyright © 2013 by Tyler James
All rights reserved
Cover photo of Wabash's Ralph Lee Wilson (back row, far left) and team courtesy of Crawfordsville District Public Library. Crowd photos of Wabash and DePauw fans courtesy of Alex Turco.
First published 2013
e-book edition 2013
ISBN 978.1.62584.014.1
Library of Congress CIP data applied for.
print edition ISBN 978.1.60949.659.3
Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
_To Ruth for listening, to Greg for pushing and to Mom and Dad for guiding the way_.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. 1932–34: The Beginnings of the Bell
2. 1955: The Kick to End the Drought
3. 1962: A Little Menighan Magic
4. 1967: The Mud Bowl Upset
5. Monon Bell Shenanigans: Tales of Vandalism and Theft
6. 1981: Coach Nick's Crew Breaks Through
7. 1986: A Shift from House
8. 1994: The Electric Start
9. 2001: The Tip to the Catch
10. 2007: The Kick from the Question Mark
Appendix I: The Ballad of the Monon Bell
Appendix II: Monon Bell Results
About the Author
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following people have provided valuable work in making these pages come to life: Bill Wagner, DePauw sports information; Tom Runge, Wabash Alumni Affairs; Beth Swift, Lilly Library archivist; Wes Wilson, Roy O. West Library archivist; Christine DiGangi; Ellen Kobe; and Margaret Distler. Thank you.
INTRODUCTION
They can't even agree on what to call the game. For DePauw, it's Monon. For Wabash, it's The Bell Game. After 122 years of rivalry between the two schools, disagreements naturally form, even for the silliest reasons. The men of Wabash College, an all-male liberal arts school in Crawfordsville, Indiana, won't always agree with the student body at DePauw University, a coeducational liberal arts school twenty-eight miles south on U.S. Route 231 in Greencastle, Indiana. However, there will always be one agreement: the rivalry renewed annually in the officially-named Monon Bell Classic holds something special.
Matt Walker saw both sides of the rivalry as a young boy. Growing up in Crawfordsville as the son of a DePauw grad, he didn't have an allegiance to either school. One November he'd sit on the Wabash side, and the next he'd sit with DePauw.
"Even then, as a young pup not knowing a lot about what was going on, you still knew it was really different than anything else out there," said Walker, who ended up playing and coaching for DePauw. "I didn't know why, because I was a stupid, young kid. I didn't understand. But I could still tell. It was such an intense atmosphere it almost scared me as a young kid. You knew it was special then."
The rivalry has been developed around differences—perceived, created or legitimate—between two fundamentally similar institutions. At DePauw, they are Tigers, wearing old gold and black. At Wabash, they are Little Giants, colored with scarlet and white. Methodists founded the school in Greencastle. Presbyterians created the institution in Crawfordsville. Wabash calls its rivals Dannies, painting a picture of snooty, rich kids who haven't worked a day in their lives. At DePauw, Wabash students are known as Wallies, cavemen creatures grunting in classrooms without women. Even athletic slogans show a split. The Little Giants had "Wabash Always Fights," so DePauw countered with "DePauw Never Quits."
Some players learned to embrace the rivalry during the recruiting process. Phil Eskew's mother wouldn't let him go to an all-male Wabash. Jason Geringer took pride in telling the Wabash coaches that he picked DePauw. He's missed only one Monon Bell, because of the birth of his first child, since graduating in 2002. "I said, 'I made up my mind to go to DePauw,' and the Wabash coach on the phone said, 'Well Jason, tell me what made that decision.' I told him, 'Coach, honestly I decided I wanted to go to school with girls.' And he said, 'Jason, you mean to tell me you're passing up a quality education just so you can chase tail in biology class?' And I said, 'Coach, if it's a choice between chasing tail or not chasing tail, my decision is made.'"
Dave Husted learned his distaste for DePauw soon after enrolling at Wabash. "It was just sort of a given that everybody there disliked DePauw," said Husted. "It was one of those things that was sort of drilled into everybody from the beginning. The Dannies were pictured as a little arrogant, carrying umbrellas wherever they went and having all the girlfriends."
For the same reasons DePauw students slight Wabash, those connected to the Crawfordsville college embrace the tradition of the school. Former head coach Chris Creighton spent seven years at Wabash, leaving with a stronger connection to the school than he has to his own alma mater:
_I feel more a part of Wabash than I do Kenyon, my alma mater. I love Kenyon, but I'm a wannabe alum of Wabash. Wabash College is special. What they do for young men is unlike any place I've ever heard of. They take motivated and bright young men and challenge them in ways that they've never been challenged before and basically take these bright, motivated, studly guys to the brink of where I don't know if I can do this. They're pushed and challenged to do things that they'd never done before and maybe don't think are possible. And...they're supported in unbelievable ways to actually achieve those challenges. Then these guys are the most confident group of people that I've ever been around. They know that they can go out and make a difference in the world and that there isn't a challenge that they can't overcome. Wabash fundamentally changes its students in that way, and it's awesome_.
Such passion for a school carries the Monon Bell rivalry through all twelve months of the year. By the time November rolls around, the two schools are ready to fight on (and sometimes off) the field. The opposing crowds are now separated after scuffles between fans escalated in the 1990s. On at least one occasion, the referees made the teams attempt an extra point on the other side of the field from where the touchdown was scored because of a scrum leaking into the end zone.
Those most passionate about the Monon Bell Classic have their own connection to one of the schools. For me, it's the school in Greencastle. I first encountered the rivalry as a freshman football player at DePauw in 2007. That game ended with a game-winning field goal as time expired, and I've been hooked since Jordan Havercamp's kick sailed through the uprights for a Tigers victory. Knee injuries cut my career short before I could step onto the playing field for a Monon Bell Classic, but my sideline experience sucked me in. The rest of my college career was spent working for _The DePauw_ , the university's student-run newspaper. When a scarlet "W" was spray-painted on a DePauw campus landmark in the fall of 2009, I carried on the time-honored tradition of ripping the opposing school in print. The Tigers haven't won a Monon Bell game since that column was published.
The passion of the rivalry, whether expressed through words, vandalism or even thievery, matches anything I've ever encountered in my short career as a sports journalist. The stories I've learned while researching this book only reinforced my previous thoughts. Former Wabash quarterback Dave Knott likes to use former Wabash president Andy Ford as the epitome of passion for the rivalry. After Knott's son, Jake, threw a game-winning touchdown pass in 2001 to end a five-year losing streak to DePauw, Ford invited Dave Knott and others to celebrate at his home late into the night. Knott couldn't find anyone happier about the outcome than Ford. "He just hated DePauw, and it just killed him when they beat us every year," Knott said. "But yet he wanted football to take its proper place. He wanted to win, but he wanted to win within a set rules. He had the perfect mentality."
The following year, Wabash routed DePauw in Crawfordsville. At halftime, the Little Giants led 35–0, and a final victory in the regular season before a trip to the playoffs seemed all but assured. But there was Ford, urging the Wabash team for more.
"I'm thinking if I'm the coach, I'm not going to take a chance that any of my better players are getting hurt because I'm playing again next week," Knott said. "And there's the president leaning over that balcony with the veins popping out of his head screaming at the players to put thirty-five more on them in the second half. He's yelling at them, 'Let's beat them by seventy.' He wants thirty-five more."
The total wins and losses between both schools have remained close for more than a century. Wabash leads the series with a 57–53–9 record and holds a 38–37–6 advantage since the introduction of the rivalry's trophy.
The memories of Monon Bell victories and defeats rest in the minds of every player to put on a Wabash or DePauw jersey. The victories are always cherished, but sometimes the defeats weigh more. A career-ending loss to the rival can scar and keep former players from attending games at the opposing team's field for years. Perspective wins out before long. The results of a Division III football rivalry don't carry with former players into their jobs away from the sport after graduation.
"Colleges like Wabash and DePauw are both fine colleges where athletics were important as a part of the rounded education, but this is not Division I football. This is not where people don't graduate," said former Wabash player Allan Anderson. "This is where people go to go to medical school, to go to law school. I think we had a different perspective on athletics as part of our college lives. Were we disappointed? Was I personally disappointed? Absolutely. But you're young."
Anderson finished his career at Wabash in 1964 without a single victory over DePauw. He remembers head coach Ken Keuffel checking in his players late one night after another Monon Bell loss. "He came over because he was worried about his boys," Anderson said. "Well, we had forgotten about it. Not because we had too many beers; we had plenty of beers, but we had forgotten about it because we were kids and it wasn't the only thing in our lives. Now do we remember it? Sure we remember it, but it's a fond memory."
Those fond memories litter the pages that follow. More memorable moments will come for DePauw and Wabash with every clang of the Monon Bell.
Chapter 1
1932–34: THE BEGINNINGS OF THE BELL
The Monon Bell started as a gift. DePauw University and Wabash College have been fighting over it ever since.
In November 1932, the Monon Railroad, which in part connected the two Indiana campuses in Greencastle and Crawfordsville, donated a three-hundred-pound locomotive bell from one of its steam-engine trains to award to the winner of the annual football game between the two schools. The Monon Railroad's desire to be connected to the annual game made sense, as it had branded itself as a reliable transportation to five major schools in the state: DePauw, Wabash, Purdue, Indiana and Butler. The railroad even borrowed the school colors from Wabash and DePauw for their trains—red and gray for its passenger cars and black and gold for its freight engines.
The football rivalry between both schools already featured thirty-eight games in forty-two years. Wabash won nineteen games, DePauw won sixteen and the two teams tied three times before the new trophy was introduced. The annual football games created a rivalry between the two schools, but so did the makeup of their student body. Both based their education in the liberal arts, but a fundamental difference between the two schools was formed in the previous century. Wabash, founded in 1832 by Presbyterian ministers, remained an all-male institution. DePauw, founded as Indiana Asbury University in 1837 by the Methodist Church, started admitting women as early as 1867. The name change, a dedication to donor Washington C. DePauw, came in 1884.
So when the Monon Railroad handed over one if its locomotive bells, it became a part of a rivalry steeped in tradition. The idea of a trophy for the football rivalry was first publicly suggested by 1925 DePauw graduate Orien Fifer in a letter to the editor sent to the _Indianapolis News_. Later that year, the Monon Bell, first described as the victory bell, made its debut at a DePauw pep session the day before the 1932 matchup. DePauw publicity director Russell Alexander presented the trophy, with its chassis painted red and the bell painted gold, to fans gathered on the Greencastle campus.
For the first time, the winner of the clash between the Little Giants of Wabash and the Tigers of DePauw would take home more than just pride.
SOON AFTER INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL started being played in Indiana, the rivalry between Wabash and DePauw was born. Fittingly, both schools might not agree on who played a football game first.
On October 25, 1884, a Wabash team led by coach Ed Taber headed southeast to play a game against Butler University at Indianapolis Baseball Park. Winning by a 4–0 score with the help of four field goals from Jesse Tabor, Wabash claimed a victory in what the school claims as the first intercollegiate football game played in Indiana.
DePauw records also show a game of its own against Butler in 1884. Listed as a May 31 matchup, DPU was shut out against the Christian school from Indianapolis while allowing four touchdowns. Regardless of who played the first game, Wabash went on to play the first multi-game season of either school. In 1886, the school from Crawfordsville compiled a 2–0–1 record under coach Evans Woolen and claimed the first state championship in Indiana with wins over Franklin College and Hanover College and a tie against Franklin.
Four years later, DePauw and Wabash squared off for the first time. Separated by twenty-eight miles, the two schools became instant rivals. A 34–5 victory for DePauw in 1890 marked the first of seven straight annual meetings between the two. Making up for lost time during a three-year hiatus, DePauw and Wabash played each other twice in both 1900 and 1901.
In 1903, the two schools faced a conflict bigger than the sport. After traveling to Crawfordsville, the DePauw team refused to leave the locker room upon hearing that the Wabash lineup included African American player Sam Gordon. Wabash legend says Lew Wallace, a former general in the Civil War who lived a successful career as a politician and novelist, including writing _Ben Hur: A Tale of Christ_ , played a role in coaxing the DePauw team to play. Wallace, living in Crawfordsville at the time, helped Methodist ministers from DePauw convince the team to take the field. Wabash won the game by a 14–0 score, but the teams didn't play the following year because Wabash used another African American player, William Cantrell.
A head injury in a game against St. Louis University led to the death of Wabash player Ralph "Sap" Wilson in 1910. Before passing away, Wilson's last words were, "Did Wabash win?" The Little Giants won 10–0, but Wilson's death led to the remainder of the season being cancelled. _Courtesy of Crawfordsville District Public Library_.
Wabash continued strong play through the rest of the decade. In 1904, the team was given the nickname of the Little Giants by a newspaper reporter for its competitive play against schools much larger than itself. The following year, the newly named Little Giants defeated the University of Notre Dame 5–0 in South Bend. The storied Fighting Irish won their first national championship (1924) before losing a home game again (1928). The 1905 win marked the only triumph Wabash would have against Notre Dame in eleven matchups. The University of Michigan even travelled to play against Wabash in 1907. One of two losses for the Little Giants that season, Michigan defeated Wabash 22–0 at Washington Park in Indianapolis.
In 1910, the DePauw-Wabash rivalry was interrupted for the last time. The Little Giants played four games to start the season, accumulating a 4–0 record and a 118–0 aggregate advantage. But in the fourth game, freshman Ralph "Sap" Wilson suffered a head injury. Tackling a St. Louis University ball carrier, Wilson took a knee to his skull. Hours after the game, Wilson died as the result of a skull fracture. His last words: "Did Wabash win?" The quote remains engraved on his tombstone in Crawfordsville's Oak Hill cemetery and has become apart of Wabash football lore.
The rest of the 1910 season was cancelled, wiping out the game against the Greencastle foes. The rivalry was renewed in 1911 and has remained an annual tradition in every year that's followed.
WITH THE MONON BELL up for grabs for the first time, an added excitement surrounded the 1932 matchup between DePauw and Wabash. The _Indianapolis News_ featured daily stories on the upcoming game, but by midweek, snowstorms hit Greencastle. On Wednesday and Thursday, DePauw's athletic director employed a small army of workers to remove eight inches of snow from the Blackstock Field playing surface in preparation for Saturday's game. One _News_ story jabbed DePauw president G. Bromley Oxnam, a University of Southern California alum, for not knowing how to handle snow.
Up in Crawfordsville, Wabash head coach Pete Vaughan had ten inches of his own snow to deal with. Practices were held indoors all week long until Thursday night, when his team trudged through several inches of snow remaining on Ingalls Field.
The game would be the last in the lauded career of DePauw halfback Don Wheaton. The local Greencastle newspaper, the _Daily Banner_ , called Wheaton "one of the greatest halfbacks ever produced at DePauw." Wheaton led the Tigers to victories in 1930 and 1931 as a part of all three touchdowns scored in both games. In '30, a Wheaton touchdown pass to Forrest Crain set up an extra-point score for Wheaton in a 7–6 DePauw victory. Wheaton followed the previous year's performance with two touchdowns—one on the ground in the third quarter and one by air on a pass to Robert Bradley in the fourth quarter—for a 13–7 win in '31.
Following his junior season on a 7–1 DePauw team, Wheaton was named an all-state performer by the _Indianapolis Star_ and an honorable mention all-American by multiple press outlets. Famed sportswriter Grantland Rice placed Wheaton on his third-team all-American squad. The 1932 campaign served as Wheaton's victory lap, but the season didn't progress as well as the previous two. DePauw head coach Gaumey Neal, a Wabash graduate, faced multiple losses in a season for the first time since taking over in 1930. The Tigers needed a victory over Wabash to salvage a .500 record after a 3–4 start to the season.
Game program for the 1930 matchup between DePauw and Wabash at Blackstock Field. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Gaumey Neal brought winning ways to DePauw as head coach from 1930 to 1945. Neal's 1933 squad finished with the best record in DePauw history. The '33 Tigers scored 136 points and allowed 0 points in a 7–0 season that ended with the first win in a game played for the Monon Bell trophy. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Poor playing conditions limited Wheaton on Saturday. A 4–2–1 Wabash squad prepared to defend DePauw's backfield star and welcomed any aid in slowing down Wheaton. A scoreless first half favored the visiting Little Giants. A seven-man front line of Charles Wrona, Irvin Powers, Gordon Stierwalt, Robert Mueller, Donald Reinert, Earl Peterson and Gary Vinroot held strong despite playing without injured center and captain Heman Powers.
The second half brought scoring opportunities for both sides. In the third quarter, Wabash's offense drove as deep into Tiger territory as the twelve-yard line but surrendered the ball on downs. DePauw received its best scoring chance so far in the third quarter when Alvin Volkman blocked a punt to give his offense the ball at the Wabash thirty-yard line. On the ensuing drive, Wheaton completed a pass to Robert Fribley that moved the ball to the five-yard line, but Wheaton fumbled shortly after to kill the scoring chance.
Stuart Smith, starting quarterback for the 1932 Wabash team, wrote about his memories from the '32 game for a Wabash publication celebrating the 100th game in 1993. He provided a vivid memory of one missed scoring chance. "We lined up, and I barked the signals: 976...84...32...51...hike! The 8 meant that we would shift to the right...the 4 indicated the trailing halfback would carry the ball, and he would hit the #3 hole between their left guard and tackle," Smith wrote. "Our line had DePauw kissing the ground. One could have driven a freight train through that hole. The result...our trailing half, Red Varner, slipped and fell on the four-yard line."
Two more DePauw attacks at the goal line were stopped by Wabash in the fourth quarter. Wheaton was taken down at the three-yard line to end one drive, and a twenty-five-yard pass attempt to Bradley in the end zone sailed out of reach in the final minute. The first DePauw-Wabash game played for the Monon Bell ended in a 0–0 tie. Winners of the '31 matchup, DePauw kept the bell in Greencastle.
THE DEPAUW TIGERS could do no wrong in 1933. The closest game of the season came in the opener, when the Tigers defeated Ball State by a 9–0 margin. The lone touchdown of the game came from DePauw center George Lortz, who picked up a blocked punt and scrambled ninety-nine yards for a score. A dominating defense was just getting started for the '33 "Old Gold" squad. Confidence ran so high in Greencastle that the _Daily Banner_ sent out a warning to Wabash in a story recapping the season opener.
Each week, teams would line up across from the DePauw eleven and be denied access to the end zone. And as if trying to rectify the 0–0 tie with Wabash that ended the '32 season, the offense started to roll over opponents as well. The scores piled up:
DePauw 28, Earlham 0
DePauw 13, Manchester 0
DePauw 12, Hanover 0
DePauw 26, Franklin 0
DePauw 34, Evansville 0
The 1933 DePauw football team finished its season with an unbeaten, untied and unscored-upon record. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
By the time DePauw's annual battle with Wabash rolled around in late November, the Tigers remained undefeated, untied and unscored upon with a 122–0 aggregate. The only foe to have any luck in Greencastle was runaway bank-robber John Dillinger. He and his legendary crew walked away with $74,782.09 from the Central National Bank on Monday, October 23.
DePauw head coach Gaumey Neal packed up his team to return to his alma mater in Crawfordsville for the new tradition of the Monon Bell battle. A crowd of more than two thousand gathered at Wabash to see if the local Little Giants could upend the perfect Tigers. After one half, the crowd may have assumed the home team would do just that. Wabash racked up nine first downs before halftime, while the DePauw offense struggled to manage only two of its own. But the Tigers had given up yards before. It was points that were hard to come by.
In the second half, DePauw's offense ignited a rally. Halfback Robert Bradley ripped off a run of thirty yards and followed that with a forty-yard completion to Alvin Volkman. Three tries from the eight-yard line were denied, but Bradley found fullback Earl Pierce for a touchdown reception on fourth down. A Bradley extra point gave DePauw a 7–0 lead.
As to be expected, the Old Gold defense didn't need any more help. Regardless, the Tigers added seven more points for punctuation on an unprecedented season for the school. A two-yard Pierce touchdown run and Bradley extra point pushed the final score to 14–0 in favor of the Tigers.
The numbers added up for a memorable DePauw campaign: 136 points scored, 0 points allowed, seven wins, zero losses, zero ties and one Monon Bell.
PETE VAUGHAN KNEW how to win at Wabash. Throughout the 1920s, Vaughan's Scarlet teams rolled over DePauw almost every year. The Little Giants won eight of the ten meetings in the decade, including seven straight from 1921 to 1927. The first six in the winning streak came in dominating fashion. Wabash won those games by a combined 118 points while holding DePauw scoreless in each game.
Wabash head coach Robert E. Vaughan, known as Pete, started his tenure in 1919, more than a decade before the Monon Bell was introduced to the rivalry with DePauw, and compiled 115 wins by the time he ended his career following the 1945 season. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
DePauw's hiring of Wabash graduate Gaumey Neal to be its head coach proved troubling for Vaughan. Neal, who had played as a senior in Vaughan's first year as a head coach in 1919, made an immediate impact on the Greencastle side of the rivalry. In his first four tries, he led DePauw to three wins and one tie. His team continued to roll in the 1934 season.
The winning ways of 1933 transferred into the following season despite losing eight regular contributors to graduation. Seven wins to start the 1934 campaign extended the DePauw unbeaten streak to sixteen and winning streak to fourteen. The Tigers hadn't lost a football game since before the Monon Bell was introduced in 1932. The DePauw defense remained stout in '34 as well. Continuing the dominant '33 season, the Old Gold defenders didn't allow a touchdown until a game against Georgetown College in the first week of November.
As had become tradition, the final game in November against Wabash would still test DePauw's true excellence. The Little Giants took to Greencastle with a middling 3–2–2 record. Since a 41–0 loss to Washington University–St. Louis in October, the Scarlet eleven rebounded with two ties sandwiched between two wins.
With unseasonably nice weather greeting fans at Blackstock Field, attendance of nearly five thousand was reported from the game. A slow first quarter didn't provide much to cheer about, but action picked up in the second stanza. Wabash's C. Dale Riggs recovered a fumble by DePauw halfback Robert Fribley at the DPU forty-seven-yard line to flip field position. The Little Giants punted the ball back, but possession remained in Old Gold territory for most of the quarter. The Scarlet offense put its best drive together following a Fribley punt out to his own forty-six-yard line. Wabash halfback Herm Berns tracked a twenty-two-yard gain with a run over the right end. The drive appeared to stall after losing yardage on the next three plays, but a fourth-down heave put the Little Giants ahead. Berns started with the ball right and faded backward with nowhere to go. He tossed the ball downfield, where William "Booie" Snyder caught the pigskin at the ten-yard line. Avoiding two defenders, Snyder ran into the end zone for the go-ahead score. An extra-point kick from Paul Mueller gave Wabash the 7–0 lead it would take into halftime.
A scoreless third quarter led into an action-filled fourth quarter. Early in the period, DePauw seemed poised to score its first points of the game. A pass from Fribley to Earl Pierce moved the Tiger offense to the Wabash thirty-two-yard line. Another Fribley pass, this time to William Kinnally, advanced the pigskin to the twenty-yard line. Wabash's Snyder broke up a pass in the end zone, but the ball wouldn't reach the goal line again in the drive for DePauw. The Scarlet defense forced a turnover on downs at the ten-yard line.
An Old Gold threat returned quickly. Riggs fumbled the ball for Wabash, and DePauw's William Horst recovered it at the sixteen. Three rushes by Jerome Schilling, Fribley and Homer Bishop moved the offense inside the one-yard line, but a fourth-down miscue resulted in an eleven-yard loss for Schilling, and Wabash regained possession.
One last surge remained for DePauw late in the fourth quarter. A drive that started at the Wabash forty-four-yard line progressed to the twenty-four on a pass from Schilling to Wendell Kay. A Fribley run to the fourteen and reception to the four set up an eventual touchdown run off the right tackle for the senior halfback. Trailing by a point, the Tigers ran the same play for the extra-point attempt, but the Little Giant defense stood tall.
Clinging to a 7–6 lead, Wabash almost saw the victory slip away. Berns returned the ensuing kickoff to the twenty-nine-yard line, but the ball squirted away from him as he went to the ground. A DePauw player landed on the loose ball, but Berns was ruled down before losing possession. The Little Giants held onto the ball and the victory. For the first time, the scarlet and white were able to ring the Monon Bell.
Game action from the 1938 Monon Bell Classic in Greencastle. DePauw won the game 7–0. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Game action from the 1939 Monon Bell Classic in Crawfordsville. DePauw won the game 7–0. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
DePauw head coach Gaumey Neal talks with Bob Johnson (53) and Bob Steuber (37) in 1943. Both players joined the Tigers for the season while assigned to DePauw for naval training. Johnson previously played at Purdue, and Steuber had played at Missouri before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in April 1943. Steuber joined DePauw shortly after playing an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers. He tallied 266 yards and 25 points in the 1943 Monon Bell Classic, a 33–0 DePauw victory. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Game program for the 1943 Monon Bell Classic at Blackstock Stadium. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Former head coach Gaumey Neal was greeted warmly at DePauw decades after his 1933 team finished a perfect season. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Just two years after it was introduced as the official trophy of the DePauw-Wabash rivalry, both teams had earned possession with a victory. Each school would learn to yearn for the clang of an old railroad bell.
Chapter 2
1955: THE KICK TO END THE DROUGHT
DEPAUW 23, WABASH 20
The Monon Bell rivalry turned bleak for DePauw in the early 1950s. In the midst of a six-year losing streak to Wabash, the football program in Greencastle hit near rock bottom. The 1952 loss to the Little Giants, a 47–0 shellacking, marked the worst DePauw defeat against Wabash since the Monon Bell was introduced in 1932. The loss sent DePauw into a tailspin for the next two seasons.
The Tigers went through their entire eight-game schedule in 1953 scoring fewer points (44) than Wabash scored against them in the '52 finale. A 0–7–1 season ended with another dismantling at the hands of the Little Giants by a 41–0 score. The 1954 DePauw squad doubled its scoring output from the previous season but matched its winless record. The Tigers once again ended a 0–7–1 season with a loss to Wabash, this time by a 28–0 margin.
"There was a little bit of a defeatist attitude when I came in there as a freshman," said Morrie Goodnight, who arrived on campus in the fall of '54. "All of us on the freshman team thought we have to change this. We scrimmaged the varsity all the time and beat them a few times. We knew things were going to get better."
The shakeup took full of effect following the '54 season. No wins in two full seasons and a 116–0 aggregate in three games against rival Wabash didn't qualify as acceptable. With the support of new athletic director James Loveless, a 1929 graduate and three-time letter-winner in both football and basketball, DePauw head coach Mike Snavely hit the recruiting trail hard to bring in better athletes with higher expectations. Two of the biggest targets became Tom Campbell and Dwight Tallman.
"Doctor Loveless came in at about that time, and he was more energetic about the program," Campbell said. "He solicited the help of previous players and alumni more strenuously than I think had ever been done before. My experience was the result of a fellow who was an alum of the university in my hometown. He's really the person who got me started looking at DePauw."
Campbell, an Indiana All-Star and all-American from Sullivan, Indiana, weighed his options, which included a couple Big Ten programs, but chose DePauw with the aid of a full-ride academic scholarship from General Motors. While on a visit to Purdue, Campbell met all-star tackle Dwight Tallman from New Castle, Indiana, who also ended up at DePauw. "He and I both stood up on the press box of Purdue University and watched them play Ohio State," Campbell said. "We were side by side and had just met each other then and then ended up at DePauw together."
The DePauw starting lineup included Campbell for the '55 season opener in September. The only freshman starter, Campbell joined a trio of seniors in the Tiger backfield. Dick McCracken, back from two years studying in England, took the starting quarterback spot, while Fred Williams claimed the starting fullback position after an injury-riddled junior season. Art Bryant, a five-foot-ten, 155-pound speedster, returned as a halfback following a junior campaign as the team's MVP.
After a season-opening, 39–7 loss to University of Evansville, Mike Snavely didn't hesitate to tinker with his lineup. In the second game, Skip Mathieson replaced Williams as the starting fullback. Mathieson had waited a year for a chance to play at DePauw since transferring from Brown University. A self-described Pennsylvania coal miner, Mathieson found he didn't fit in at Brown as a freshman. Looking for an opportunity to play college football, the Sharon High School graduate heard about DePauw from Loveless, who was leaving his coaching post at nearby Grove City College in western Pennsylvania to return to his alma mater. Loveless convinced Mathieson to follow him to Greencastle in '54.
Sophomore quarterback Morrie Goodnight, who had also been waiting for his chance to play at DePauw, helped provide an offensive spark in the second game. DePauw was unable to come back in the home opener against St. Joseph's College, but Goodnight, inserted into the lineup in the second quarter, accounted for both Tiger scores with a rushing and a passing touchdown in a 27–13 defeat.
Still, the winning ways were missing for DePauw. Even a local newspaper had fun with the DePauw winless streak. Playing with the title of the 1955 Spencer Tracy film _Bad Day at Black Rock_ , one headline read "Another Bad Day in Blackstock."
The new blood in the program wasn't willing to accept the mediocrity. In the third game of the season, Ball State University came to Blackstock Stadium to play the Tigers in an Indiana Collegiate Conference matchup. The thought of starting the season 0–3 seemed dishonorable.
"The atmosphere we found in the first couple games in the locker room was not a winning atmosphere," Campbell said. "We had seniors who goofed off and jacked around before games. They weren't serious. Before the Ball State game, Dwight Tallman took a senior tackle and threw him out the back door of the stadium because he was goofing off. That just sort of set the tone for that Ball State game, and we went out and won."
Tallman, a six-foot-five, 215-pound freshman tackle, had played in only a reserve role but represented the feelings of many players dedicated to the program. That afternoon, Morrie Goodnight earned the first start of his career, and the Tigers jumped out to a 7–0 lead after the first half. A seventy-one-yard touchdown run by Bryant gave DePauw its first lead of the season. Another Bryant touchdown in the second half, followed by a blocked punt recovered in the end zone by Tom Holthouse, gave DePauw a 19–6 victory over Ball State.
"These were freshmen who were kicking seniors' rear ends. The atmosphere changed almost 180 degrees when this group of freshmen came in," Campbell said. "That's not taking anything away from Morrie or Skip or Art. The atmosphere was just different, and it promoted their playing ability. Then they took off, and it all came together."
With the youth infusion, the DePauw offense started rolling. The Tigers scored 41 and 40 points in consecutive wins against Oberlin College and Valparaiso University, respectively. The Tigers reached a 3–2 record and led the ICC in rushing yardage with 230 per game. Bryant led the attack with over 8 yards per carry and five touchdowns. DePauw's winning streak ended at three games when Butler University delivered an 18–7 defeat on October 22. The following week, DePauw took down undefeated Beloit College, which entered the game 6–0, and all of a sudden, the campus started thinking positively about the Monon Bell matchup two weeks in advance.
"As that year built to the game, it became more exciting. We certainly knew we had a chance to break a tradition," Mathieson said. "It became an exciting thing for us to look forward as the season kept going along and we kept getting our share of the wins. We felt like we had a chance to win."
A local business joined in supporting DePauw for the 1952 Monon Bell Classic with a newspaper advertisement. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
While confidence was growing within the team, particular praise came from Jerry Pontius, sports editor for _The DePauw_. Pontius buried a wager at the end of his regular "Sideline Supporter" column. On November 2, he wrote, "Incidentally—and you'll notice I insert this in the final paragraph, hoping few people will see it—yours truly, as a final gesture, will ring the cherished Monon Bell for one hour if the Tigers come out on the long end of the score Nov. 12th. See you then."
DEPAUW WOULD NEED more than a partial season's momentum to beat Wabash and end the six-game Monon Bell losing streak. The series advantage had never been tilted in one team's favor more than it had after the '54 victory for Wabash. A 32–24–5 series record gave the Little Giants an eight-game advantage. The '55 Wabash squad showed no signs of letting the DePauw losing streak come to a close.
Wabash entered the game with a 5–2–1 record under a makeshift coaching staff. Head coach Garland Frazier was hospitalized for an appendectomy during the latter half of the season, and line coach Walt Bartkiewicz filled Frazier's role in his absence. The Little Giants didn't share a conference with the Tigers, but both teams compiled a 2–1 record against common opponents. Both teams beat Valparaiso and split games against Beloit and Butler. DePauw's loss came to Butler, which Wabash had beaten 14–12 the week before the Monon Bell game, back in October. Wabash's 19–13 loss to Beloit in early October was bested by DePauw's victory over the undefeated team in the season's seventh week.
The focus on the Wabash campus remained even-keeled. Senior Bob Schwab said the team refused to let overconfidence prevail in Crawfordsville. "You really didn't think about that sort of thing. The guys that did that kind of thinking were the cheerleaders saying 'Beat the Dannies,'" Schwab said. "We were too wrapped up in the strategy of what was going to happen."
Meanwhile in Greencastle, the frustration had been building in a senior class that hadn't been able to ring the Bell. Guys like Jerry Rose, who started at center on the '55 team, grew to understand the dislike for the rival school of Wabash. "Some of it just came from the football team because this was our prime opponent, the nearest team to us geographically and the history of the rivalry," Rose said. "It was Wabash men versus DePauw men and women. So we always thought we had something more going than they did—a broader view on life. There's a lot of rivalry that people who were playing football felt because it was carried on from one class to the next. The coach, Mike Snavely, had a lot to do with it. He used to throw down the gauntlet to a challenge."
Game program for the 1955 Monon Bell Classic at Blackstock Stadium. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The sixty-first matchup between DePauw and Wabash ended up being the last challenge for Snavely and seniors like halfback Art Bryant. "We were hungry. But even if we had just lost one year, there would be a lot of motivation," Bryant said. "It was getting kinda embarrassing when you lose six in a row."
DEPAUW STARTED THE FIRST HALF like a team desperate to ring the Monon Bell. Overhead, a plane flew above Blackstock Stadium with a banner reading "Go Wabash, Beat DePauw." Playing on their home turf, the Tigers had a different idea.
Quarterback Morrie Goodnight engineered the first scoring drive of the game eight minutes into the first quarter. Starting at the DePauw thirty-two-yard line, the drive showed promise after a forty-four-yard pass from Goodnight to halfback Art Bryant. Goodnight capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. The home-team Tigers led 6–0 following a missed extra point by Fred Williams.
The Tigers added to their lead in the second quarter with more strong play from Goodnight and Bryant. This time DePauw drove ninety-four yards on fifteen plays for the second score of the game. A twenty-yard reception by Bryant highlighted a drive that ended with a twelve-yard Bryant touchdown run. The combination of timely passes to counter a strong running attack kept the Wabash defense off balance. The twenty-yard reception came on a particular favorite play of Bryant's. "We worked on it. It was kind of one of our favorite plays," Bryant said. "I went through the line and cut across the middle, and he hit me." The play-action passes were run off a belly series in which Goodnight would read the defense before deciding which of his options to follow through with. The ball often ended up in the hands of fullback Skip Mathieson or halfbacks Tom Campbell and Bryant.
An offensive line composed of Jerry Rose at center, Bob Fink and Ron Turner at guards and Clark Taylor and Dwight Tallman at tackles helped clear the way for the dangerous DePauw backfield. "They were just blocking beautifully. They were doing a great job," Bryant said. "Tom Campbell, who was the other halfback who gained more yards than I did in that game, was a hell of a back."
All momentum was returned to Wabash by halftime when DePauw ceded its lead late in the second quarter. A touchdown pass from Little Giant quarterback Vic Lodovisi to Dennis Burdock with three minutes and forty seconds left in the half cut the lead to six. Two minutes later, Wabash end Tom Hankinson blocked a DePauw punt and Bill Gabbert recovered the ball at the DePauw fourteen-yard line. Lodovisi cashed in on the turnover on the second play when he couldn't find an open receiver and scrambled to his right all the way into the end zone. A missed extra point left the game tied at thirteen entering halftime.
The thirteen-point second quarter sparked a fire in Wabash that poured into halftime. A recorded speech by head coach Garland Frazier, who was in the hospital for an appendectomy, was played for the team as inspiration during the break. "Frazier was very emotional about it, and so was the team," Gabbert said. "He was a very stern, tough, Marine Corps–type guy, but in this speech, he actually broke down. You could tell his chin was quivering. It was quite emotional."
The Wabash momentum carried into the start of the third quarter, and a fourth-down gamble turned into six points. On fourth-and-eight at the DePauw nine-yard line, Lodovisi dropped back and floated a pass to Hankinson, who caught the ball at the goal line for a touchdown and the lead. A Little Giant extra point pushed the score to 20–13 in Wabash's favor.
A Lodovisi miscue later in the quarter allowed DePauw to put itself back in the game. DePauw end Jack Johnson recovered a Lodovisi fumble at the Wabash thirty-six-yard line. Seven plays later, Bryant scored once again, this time from two yards out, and a Williams extra point tied the game at twenty.
A back-and-forth final quarter appeared to have the game destined for the sixth tie in the history of the rivalry. Limited substitutions left tired players on the field trying to find one last gasp to pull out a win. DePauw took its chance on a fourth-and-two on its own forty-four-yard line. The offense lined up in a punt formation but relied on quarterback Morrie Goodnight's arm for a fourth-down conversion. Goodnight caught the long snap from the punter position, put his head down while taking two steps like a punter and pulled up to throw a pass to Dick Hackenberg in the left flat. Hackenberg caught the pass and turned up field into Wabash territory for the first down. Moments later, a pass from Goodnight over the middle of the field to end Gene Halladay put the Tigers at the ten-yard line. As the game entered its final minute, a one-yard gain by Bryant set up a second-and-goal. The clock continued to tick away as Goodnight looked to throw again. Knocked down by a defender, his incomplete pass left two seconds on the clock. Skip Mathieson looked over to the circular clock, which appeared to have no time left. "The hand was on the zero, but it hadn't tripped the buzzer to go off. I guess it had to get there first and then trip the buzzer," Mathieson said. "There was basically no time on the clock on that thing. It was obviously the last play of the game."
Fullback Skip Mathieson helped DePauw snap a six-year Monon Bell Classic losing streak in 1955 with a 23–20 win. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
FIELD GOALS HADN'T served much of a purpose for DePauw in the four years Fred Williams was in the program. In addition to his fullback responsibilities, Williams took on the role of extra-point kicker. The brute force of his right leg usually provided enough distance and accuracy to drive the football between the goalposts off the front of his foot. "I did extra points, but in the previous four years I played, we never had an opportunity where a field goal would have done any good," Williams said.
That didn't stop Williams from fooling around a bit after practice with some kicks slightly longer than extra points. He thought he could make a field goal from as far out as twenty-five yards from his limited practice. So when Williams realized a last-second field goal was a possibility, he approached head coach Mike Snavely. "I looked up at him and I said, 'Hey, coach, I can do it. I can make it,'" Williams said. "I guess he said we're going to try it, so he sent me out there.
The level of confidence in Williams's ability to make the field goal measured out to roughly the same level of energy left in players like Jerry Rose and Art Bryant, who played all sixty minutes of the ball game. Rose had to gather himself to snap the ball. "I was pretty much out of it by the end. I can remember it," Rose said. "I can visualize being on the field. I can remember getting ready for the field goal. I was feeling good about the game but sort of being a little out of touch because [I was] so tired. I wasn't thinking too clearly."
Bryant felt the same exhaustion. "I was so damn tired I was just happy it was close to getting over," Bryant said. "Of course we were all hoping. I was blocking on one end of the line, and I got down in my stance and the Wabash guy didn't even charge. He just stood up and looked. So it was easy for me."
DePauw's Fred Williams, hero of the 1955 Monon Bell Classic, poses with the Bell. Williams kicked a last-second field goal, the first of his career, to lift the Tigers to a 23–20 win over Wabash. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Rose snapped the ball back to holder Morrie Goodnight, who placed the ball down and let Williams give it a rip. Williams swung through with his right leg, and the pigskin tumbled end over end through the uprights. DePauw won 23–20 and earned the rights to the Monon Bell for the first time since 1948.
DePauw celebrated in amazement while Wabash players crumpled in astonishment. "In those days, a tie was a tie. There was no playoff," said Wabash's Bill Gabbert. "We all just presumed that this was going to be a tie game, and when it wasn't, it was pretty devastating."
Fred Williams couldn't wipe the smile off his face. The reserve fullback won a Monon Bell Classic with his right foot. "My one and only field goal in my four-year career," Williams said, "and it luckily snuck through the bars."
TO THIS DAY, Art Bryant has refused to remember the story differently. Nearly sixty years since the game happened, he could say he had all the confidence in the world that Fred Williams was going to make that kick. But when Bryant was asked if he thought that was the case fifty-eight years later, he remained honest. "Hell no," he said. "In fact, I don't think anybody thought he would make it. It was gorgeous. He put it right down the middle. He became 'Fred the Toe.' It made him famous, and it should have. It was tremendous."
Years of reflection have shown Jerry Rose that he probably should have been more nervous than he was in the moment. The thought of messing up the snap to holder Morrie Goodnight never crossed his mind, even if he had barely practiced the routine. "I never realized it until it was all over," Rose said. "I never feared it like, 'Oh my God. You could have really screwed that up.' But I never had a second thought, and I don't think he did either. It was just part of the game. 'Come on, we've got a chance. We've got a chance to beat them.' That's what we were thinking."
Williams's legend grew larger with his fellow students because his kick forced the hand of DePauw president Russell Humbert to follow through on a DePauw tradition. A Monon Bell victory bought the students an extra day off from classes. As a result, classes resumed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving Break rather than Monday.
The victory has wiped away Bryant's memories of the three losses suffered at the hands of Wabash during his time at DePauw. The last game of his college career has replaced those. "The campus went wild," Bryant said. "It was just one of those great days that you can't duplicate."
Except when a few members of the '55 team were all on campus at the same time fifty-some years later. Among others, Rose and Williams set out to Blackstock Stadium for an impromptu reenactment of the kick. This time, Williams was slightly less prepared, but the result was the same. "All I had was a pair of tennis shoes and my running shorts," Williams said. "Luckily I squeaked it through."
Chapter 3
1962: A LITTLE MENIGHAN MAGIC
DEPAUW 13, WABASH 10
In the search for leaders of its football program, DePauw University didn't sell itself short in the spring of 1959. DePauw turned to Tommy Mont to take the reins of its small college football program. Mont came to DePauw with plenty of big-time football experience. After playing collegiately at the University of Maryland, Mont spent three years in the National Football League working as a defensive back and backup quarterback for the Washington Redskins, spending time behind future Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh.
Three years into a coaching career, Mont returned to Maryland to be an assistant coach under Jim Tatum. With Mont on staff, the Terrapins finished the 1951 season with a 10–0 record and the number-three ranking in the country in the final Associated Press poll. In 1953, a 10–1 Maryland team was named national champions by the AP. Mont took over the program in 1956 when Tatum left for North Carolina, but the former assistant coach couldn't find the same success as head coach. In three seasons, Mont's Maryland teams tallied a mediocre record of 11–18–1. That's when he decided to try his hand at DePauw.
Months into his new job in Greencastle, Mont brought in Ted Katula, who was also named as the head baseball coach, to be his assistant coach. Katula played collegiately at Ohio State University and came to DePauw following a stint as an assistant coach with Oberlin College. Mont became the offensive mastermind, and Katula took on defensive assignments. Together the two worked to turn around a football team in search of consistency, but the process took time. The first season, '59, ended with a 1–7–1 record. The following season found a two-game improvement for a 3–5–1 record. Then, in 1961, the Tigers finished 5–4 for their first winning season since 1957.
Success for DePauw in the Monon Bell Classic didn't disappear. The Tigers failed to lose a game to Wabash since 1954 despite two coaching changes. Mont's teams required dramatics to escape without a loss in his first two Monon Bell matchups. The '59 game ended in a 6–6 tie after the Tigers knotted the score in the third quarter and held Wabash from scoring from the two-yard line with ten seconds left in the game. In '60, John Rubush converted a two-point attempt with forty-eight seconds left in the game to give the Tigers a 14–13 victory. With his best team yet at DePauw, Mont's squad won the '61 game by a score of 20–7 in an easy home triumph.
Kit Lortz started the first game of his varsity career at DePauw under Mont. Lortz, the eldest son of George Lortz, a captain of the undefeated, untied and unscored-upon 1933 Tiger team that won the Monon Bell for the first time, played end as a sophomore in '59 and tackle in his junior and senior seasons. Following his playing career, Kit Lortz joined Mont's staff in 1962 as a graduate assistant while pursing a master's degree in mathematics. During the week, Lortz coached the linemen, and on Saturdays he traveled to scout future opponents. Lortz appreciated Mont as a coach but was leery about working on his staff. Mont didn't present a personable relationship with many of his players. "He was kind of an aloof person. In the good guy/bad guy thing, he was the bad guy. Katula was the good guy. They played that role on the football field," Lortz said. "Mont was a very complicated sort of person. He was very intelligent. He'd been in the big time for a while with Maryland and then with the Redskins. He was kind of a mystery to everybody. I knew Katula real well—as close as a coach and a player can be. Getting along with him was fine, but I was concerned about this deal with Mont. It couldn't have worked out better. Mont turned out to be a very different person off the field than on it. We became pretty good friends."
With an already impressive resume as a player and coach, Mont was popular for making speaking appearances across the state of Indiana. The head coach asked Lortz to tag along a few times, and that's when he began to understand the man behind the genius strategist. "He would make up these offenses and defenses and introduce them to the coaching staff and then to the team," Lortz said. "The whole week was pretty much putting in these new offenses and defenses for each particular team we were going to play. It was very interesting."
DePauw head coach Tommy Mont led his team to a victory in the 1962 Monon Bell Classic after making his team switch jerseys at halftime and letting quarterback Jim Menighan throw the ball more than usual. Here Mont crouches in front of his players during a game in 1963. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The '62 squad, much like his previous teams at DePauw and Maryland, featured a persistent running game. The brunt of the work fell on the shoulders of halfback Doug Weir and fullback Duff Gula, with quarterback Jim Menighan's role coming mostly with handoffs.
"Coach Mont was very innovative, but the innovation mostly came through running. He was a running coach," Lortz said. "To be quite honest with you, we never had any truly outstanding quarterbacks either. You take what you can get. That's where Mont was such a genius. He was able to take whatever talent he did have and build offenses and defenses around the personnel rather than trying to fit the personnel into something it really couldn't do."
As a result, DePauw entered the '62 Monon Bell Classic with a 4–4 record. A victory against Wabash would mark the second straight winning season for the Tigers and keep the Bell in Greencastle for an eighth straight year. The game would be Menighan's last at DePauw, and the senior would play an unexpected role.
"We didn't have the greatest athletes in the world on our teams, but we always had winning seasons," Menighan said. "Coach Mont got about as much out of the players as he possibly could."
Phil Eskew might not have ended up at DePauw if it wasn't for his mother. As a senior at Sullivan High School, Eskew took a close look at Wabash. He traveled to Crawfordsville one weekend to find out what kind of scholarships he could qualify for at the school. While taking a test on campus, Wabash head coach Garland Frazier pulled him out of the classroom and said he could offer Eskew a full scholarship based on his academics if he would come play football for him. Eskew had already been nudged toward Wabash by his high school government teacher, a Wabash graduate. A tuition-free education sounded awfully nice.
"My mother said, 'Nope. You are going to a school where you are going to learn manners, you're going to have a housemother, and you're going to experience the co-ed environment. You are not going to an all-boys school,'" Eskew said. "So I took a $50-per-semester scholarship and went to DePauw."
Eskew had a connection to the DePauw football program, too. Sullivan graduate Tom Campbell excelled as a halfback for the Tigers for two seasons following a highly touted career in high school. Campbell graduated in the spring of '59, just months before Eskew arrived on campus in the fall. "Tom was one of my idols growing up," Eskew said. "He was four years older, but he was a state champion in scoring and was just a great athlete. He tore his knee up, and that ended his career at DePauw, but he was also a great hurdler. I ran the hurdles as well, so I kinda followed Tom."
Sam Chattin had grander plans than college in Greencastle, too. He received a number of letters from bigger universities after his high school career at Lincoln High in Vincennes, Indiana. One particular letter from a certain school caught his eye: Florida State University. Chattin decided he would head down to Tallahassee in the fall of '59 to play football for the Seminoles.
However, Chattin hadn't broken the news of his decision to his father. Three days before he was set to head down to Florida, Chattin shared his plans with his father. It was greeted with silence. "I knew at that point that I probably wasn't going to join the Seminoles," Chattin said. The next morning, Chattin's father asked if he needed to do anything before he left, but Chattin had already packed a trunk for his travels. His father insisted on driving, so the two hopped in the car together the next morning. "He hadn't even read the letter or seen any of that yet," Chattin said. "As it wound up, he was not going to let me go there. He didn't care where it was as long as it had a good medical school." Chattin wasn't paying attention to the road, but his father started toward Greencastle, and before Chattin knew it, he was at DePauw.
DePauw players gather for motivation before the 1962 Monon Bell Classic. The Tigers won the game by a 13–10 score. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
"I arrived in good ole Greencastle, and we walked right to Coach Mont's office—Dad had already phoned him," Chattin said. "And within two hours, I was on the field in full dress with about another sixty to seventy freshman who I knew none of. Not one single guy did I know. That's how I arrived at DePauw."
In the coming months and years, Chattin learned to appreciate the decision his dad had made for him. He didn't try to fight it. "I loved my father beyond all things at the time, but he was a set man," Chattin recalled. "That was the way it was going to be, and there was no use even thinking about it. And I'm glad. To tell you the truth, I didn't know a whole lot about Florida State. In those days, it was the party school of the nation. I would have never become a doctor there. Of course, I didn't become a doctor anyway."
The realization that he wasn't better than the competition surrounding him at DePauw hit Chattin even quicker. "These guys were a whole lot better than I ever thought College Division football would be. I thought I was going to be like Superman or something like that. That's not the way it worked," Chattin said. "We had great guys. I know when Coach Mont got there and got his staff, they started bringing kids in from all over the United States."
INTENSITY AND PASSION for the rivalry remained through DePauw's long unbeaten streak over Wabash. The past seven years were filled with ties and close victories for the Tigers. DePauw assistant coach Ted Katula played a large role in firing up his squad each year for the Monon Bell Classic. "For some reason...we never figured out, Ted Katula hated Wabash. He would go berserk the week of Wabash preparation," said fellow assistant coach Kit Lortz. "Nobody could ever figure out what it was in Ted Katula that drove him nuts about Wabash. That was his game. He'd wait the whole season for that Wabash game, and then he would go absolutely bananas."
Not everyone at DePauw became as crazed in their dislike for Wabash as Katula. Senior end Sam Chattin said most hatred came from the student bodies, not the football teams. On the field, the play remained as clean as it can for a rivalry game. For Chattin, he found enjoyment in playing a team each year he respected even if he and his teammates were the butt of countless jokes in the Wabash student newspaper every November. "You can say anything you want to. It's what you do. That's all I looked at anything and anybody for—what you do," Chattin said. "Against us, they were literally Little Giants. That was a well-made title, Little Giants. How could you not fight with a title like that?"
The '62 Wabash team had plenty of fight in it. The Little Giants entered the sixty-ninth Monon Bell Classic with a 5–2–1 record on the season, their best resume prior to the DePauw game since 1956. In his second season as head coach, Ken Keuffel continued to employ a single-wing offense at Wabash. The offensive scheme slowly faded from college football, but Keuffel embraced the throwback style. The offense worked around the abilities of one singular talent at the tailback position who received the snap like a quarterback, engineered a dominant running offense, threw passes at times and even served as the team's punter.
Junior tailback Lynn Garrard fit the single-wing scheme perfectly, and when paired with Keuffel's play-calling and solid blocking on the line, the offense thrived. By the end of the '62 schedule, Garrard led the state in points scored with ninety-four. Garrard entered the home game against DePauw with eleven rushing touchdowns and eighteen extra points, threw for six passing touchdowns, and set a school record with a seventy-three-yard punt against Wheaton. Keuffel would need Garrard to deliver once again on a cold, muddy field to beat DePauw.
To start the game, Keuffel's single-wing offense hit the ground running. On the second play from scrimmage, fullback Allan Anderson took a handoff for fifty-four yards down to the DePauw sixteen-yard line. Tiger defensive back Phil Eskew, who made a point to stay clean during pregame warm-ups, found himself in the mud, thanks to a feeble attempt at tackling Anderson. "The fullback for Wabash came through the middle of the line, and I halfheartedly tried to tackle him and he went all the way down inside the twenty-yard line," Eskew said. "Of course at that point, I was wet and muddy. That changed my entire game from that point on because now I was ready to play, but I really screwed up by not being ready on those first plays."
Garrard made sure the Tigers regretted the sluggish start when he scored on a one-yard touchdown run moments later. He added the extra point, and the Bell-thirsty Little Giants jumped out to a 7–0 lead with ten minutes and fifty seconds left in the first quarter. DePauw's first drive reached the Wabash thirty-one-yard line, but the Tigers turned the ball over on fourth down.
Anderson and Garrard combined to produce another Wabash score late in the second quarter. DePauw quarterback Jim Menighan was given a rare green light to throw a few passes in the final minute, but one landed in the hands of Anderson in the Wabash secondary. Anderson returned the interception back to DePauw's fourteen-yard line with nineteen seconds left in the half. After a run to the ten-yard line on first down, Garrard knocked in a twenty-seven-yard field goal to give Wabash a 10–0 lead at halftime.
DEPAUW HEAD COACH TOM MONT didn't like what he saw from his team in the first half. His squad, with their white pants and white jerseys covered in mud, gathered around him in the locker room looking for answers to flip the script in the second half. Mont's first solution: change the jerseys. Anticipating the poor weather conditions, Mont had the equipment manager pack the team's black jerseys to come along to Crawfordsville with them as well. He decided to put the extra laundry to use.
"At halftime, you couldn't read the numbers on our jerseys," said DePauw safety Phil Eskew. "Coach Mont said we're going to change jerseys. I don't know whether he thought doing things like that was going to give us power or anything like that. He just simply said, 'We're changing jerseys, and we're going to go back out there and win this game.'" The switching of jerseys became Mont's first second-half adjustment. The players went ahead and swapped out their soggy whites for dry blacks and prepared for the final thirty minutes. "We had never done that before," said end Sam Chattin. "I'm not even so sure it was really something that the rules said you couldn't do. Apparently it wasn't, though."
When both teams emerged for the second half, the Wabash sideline looked across the field, puzzled by the new-look Tigers. Somehow, Mont managed to cause a subtle shift in the momentum of the game without a single play.
"These things are funny. I do remember that it was a psychological advantage—and who would know why that would be the case?" said Wabash fullback Allan Anderson. "It was muddy, and we were wet down to our bones. So here they come prancing out in the second half in clean jerseys."
Mont also decided to make a schematic change in the second half. After talking with assistant Ted Katula, the two decided to give quarterback Jim Menighan the chance to throw the ball more than he had all season. "Our coach was a control coach," Menighan said. "He would never let me call my own plays. He would never let me call audibles. It was the play that he called or no play at all. So we ran a lot. For four years, I was a frustrated passing quarterback." In Menighan's final Monon Bell game, Mont decided to give his quarterback one last shot. "He said, 'You got a half left in your career, go ahead and see what you can do.'"
Eskew, who practiced as a backup quarterback in addition to his role as a safety, knew Menighan had the arm to throw the ball around the field. He just hadn't seen Menighan live up to that potential in Mont's offense. Menighan's teammates and opponents alike hadn't witnessed a threatening DePauw passing attack.
"Needless to say, Wabash had no idea. They weren't expecting that at all. Who knew?" said DePauw assistant coach Kit Lortz. "Basically, our quarterbacks were option quarterbacks moving down the line, handing off or pitching out for sweeps or, on rare occasions, running a naked reverse. We just didn't practice throwing that much. We probably had maybe ten passing plays and probably two hundred running plays. We didn't run formations that were particularly suitable for passing, either. Mont was a running coach. He thought the name of the game was win it by running, and if you're not winning, try to pass to get back in the ball game."
End Sam Chattin caught the first of two touchdown passes from quarterback Jim Menighan in the second half of a 13–10 comeback victory for DePauw in the 1962 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Menighan did just that early in the second half. After the DePauw defense forced a Wabash punt, Menighan and the Tiger offense started a drive at their own twelve-yard line. On the seventh play of the drive, Menighan floated a pass to Sam Chattin, who outleaped a Wabash defender at the goal line to haul in the touchdown reception. Menighan completed six straight passes on the drive to lead the Tigers into the end zone and cut the deficit to 10–6 with five minutes and seven seconds left in the third quarter. "I called a lot of hook passes and eight or ten yard outs. Because it was muddy and rainy, the guys knew where they were going, but the defenders had to play a little loose," Menighan said. "I'd see a guy out there at ten yards and throw it to him, twelve yards and throw it to him, fifteen yards and throw it to him. I couldn't throw deep in such bad weather because the football was wet, and I had little hands, so I couldn't grip it real well to let it rip. I don't know if I threw any balls over fifteen to twenty yards in that whole second half."
The aerial momentum carried over into DePauw's next drive. Menighan marched the team into Wabash territory after starting at the Tiger twenty-five-yard line. On fourth down, Menighan found Eric Christman in the end zone for a thirteen-yard touchdown completion. Richard Dean knocked through an extra point to push the Tigers to a 13–10 lead in the fourth quarter.
The Tiger defense was left to try to shut down the Wabash offense one more time and came through. The final threat from the Little Giants was ended when DePauw's John Thomas batted down a Lynn Garrard pass to give the ball back to Menighan and the offense to run the clock out on a 13–10 win.
Eskew and the rest of the DePauw defense kept the Little Giants grounded to complete the comeback. The Wabash offense managed to complete just one pass out of eleven attempts from their single-wing offense with Garrard at the helm from the tailback position. The Tigers surrendered only 184 yards of total offense to Wabash. "We had them on the ropes. Lynn Garrard was trying to throw these passes, and he just couldn't pass," Eskew said. "It was obvious that the only way they were going to score on us was running it, and our defensive linemen were doing well. He was throwing floaters that my other defensive backs and I were just not knocking down. The receivers had no chance to outrun us because he just couldn't throw the ball that far."
Menighan had much better luck. The senior quarterback finished the game completing fourteen of his twenty pass attempts for 186 yards and both DePauw touchdowns. He spread his passes to six different receivers, with Christman (four catches, 66 yards) and Ed Skeeters (four catches, 45 yards) leading the way. Menighan also led the Tigers in rushing yards with 47. With his confidence at an all-time high, he jabbed head coach Tom Mont one last time. "It was one of the games where it's like a once-in-a-million type of thing," Menighan said. "So we wound up winning the game, and afterward the coach came up and said, 'Hey Jim, nice game.' I said, 'It could have been four seasons worth of that if you had let me throw the ball.' That was it. It was one of those wonderful endings to a career that didn't include a lot of passing."
Eskew and a few other mud-stained Tigers lifted Mont on their shoulders, carried him off the field and began a celebration with the Monon Bell for the eighth straight year.
Chapter 4
1967: THE MUD BOWL UPSET
WABASH 7, DEPAUW 0
A coaching change left the 1967 Wabash College football team in a tough spot. Gone was Ken Keuffel, champion of the single-wing offense. In came Max Urick, an assistant coach at Ohio State, and an overhaul of the entire offense. The first problem: the Wabash roster didn't include a true quarterback. Dave Knott, a returning junior, joined the program as a single-wing tailback, the same position he played at Valparaiso High School. The connection to Keuffel's scheme attracted Knott to Wabash, but now he'd have to learn a new position on the fly in order to make something of the final two years of his college career. Urick brought a modern offense and a different atmosphere to the Little Giants football team.
"It was kind of a culture shock," Knott said. "Ken Keuffel's background was in the Ivy League, and he actually taught a course in English literature. He was truly an academician. He was a good football coach, but he was also real faculty. Max Urick was a good football coach, too, but he thought football first and last. He wasn't an academician; he was a football coach. It was a different environment."
Urick had plenty of teaching to do on the field. Knott would need to transform into a traditional quarterback in a matter of months. The starting job was his to have for the season opener against Valparaiso University in his hometown. "The throwing the ball and handling the ball was easy because that's what single-wing tailbacks do," Knott said. "The hard part for me was the footwork, but I worked on it in the spring. We didn't have spring practice per se, but we worked out individually. By the time the season rolled around in September, I felt pretty comfortable. It really didn't take all that long. The mechanics of throwing the ball are the same. The footwork being under center and getting away from the center was a little bit different, but I got used to it pretty quickly."
The execution of the transition wasn't pretty. The Wabash offense struggled all season long. After the first win of the season, a 22–21 victory over Earlham College in week three, the Little Giants lost five games in a row heading into the season finale against DePauw. Wabash scored just 51 points in eight games for a 1–7 record and was held scoreless in four of the seven losses. "We were struggling. I'm in my first year as a head coach. I'm in over my head," Urick said. "We had just taken over and put a new offense in. I followed a great coach who had run the single wing at Wabash very successfully for years, Ken Keuffel. I didn't know much about the single wing, so we changed to a more conventional offense, and trying to make that transition had a set of challenges like none I had ever seen before. I wasn't very adept at making that kind of a transition. I was a terrible head coach that year. I was really on a learning curve."
Still, the Wabash players showed patience with their new head coach. They came out to practice every day and busted their tails while Urick tried to piece together a team worthy of its players' hard work. "They were just so devoted and had so much pride in being an all-men's school. They would just never give up," Urick said. "They'd go out to practice even though we were having a tough year and had disappointments along the way. They really would just fight to the end. And they were so tolerant of me being a 'green' coach that I always felt greatly indebted to them. They were terrific young men."
And as is always the case in Crawfordsville, a season-ending triumph over DePauw could redeem a lost season.
MEANWHILE, THE 1967 SEASON provided much better results for the Tigers of DePauw. Carrying over the momentum from a 9–7 Monon Bell victory over Wabash to end the 1966 season, the Old Gold squad put together its best campaign to date under head coach Tom Mont. A tie with Evansville and loss to Ball State stood as the only blemishes in a six-win season.
A potent offensive attack highlighted the successful DePauw team. Scoring 143 points and routinely tallying more than three hundred yards per game, the offense was led by a pair of quarterbacks—Dan Breckenridge and Eric Lortz—and a backfield trio of John Butler, John Sacramento and Bill Holton. Mont, starting to use the passing game more and more, rotated the two quarterbacks depending on the situation. Breckenridge possessed the better arm, and Lortz's strength came in running the ball. "Dan was a much better passer than I was. I was the running quarterback," Lortz said. "The good news for me was that Mont was a running-game coach. It wasn't like I couldn't throw. I threw a lot of passes. When we were behind in a game, Dan would come in. He was a good athlete, a good thrower, and he helped us out in that aspect."
Lortz, the youngest son of George Lortz, a captain of the undefeated, untied and unscored upon 1933 DePauw team that won the Monon Bell for the first time, had a winning tradition to uphold. He became the first Lortz son to lose a game to Wabash when the Tigers dropped their first game against the Little Giants in ten years in 1965. Older brothers Kit and Jeff avoided any losses during their four years in Greencastle in the middle of the unbeaten streak.
Eric Lortz desperately needed to end his DePauw career with another Monon Bell victory to avoid playful scorn at family gatherings. But the Tigers didn't have the assistance of '66 Monon Bell hero Tim Feemster, who knocked in the game-winning field goal in the seventy-third Monon Bell Classic, as a leg injury prevented him from playing his senior season and forced his legacy to end on a high-note.
DePauw assistant coach Ed Meyer knew the satisfaction that came with winning the Monon Bell game as a senior. He won his second Monon Bell game in his final year as a player in 1961. Now a coach, the importance of winning the game meant job security. "Coach Mont would tell you in those days that no matter how you did during the season, if you beat Wabash, you always had a job," Meyer said. "It was the most important game on our schedule. We spent a lot of time worrying about them."
A win over Wabash would keep DePauw's hopes alive for a postseason trip to one of the four bowl games in the NCAA College Division. Wabash, with a little help from the weather, had other plans.
DAVE HUSTED DIDN'T HAVE any problem understanding the rivalry between the Tigers and Little Giants. By the time he became a junior at Wabash in 1967, his list of reasons to dislike the foes in Greencastle grew from stereotypical to personal. "It was just sort of a given that everybody there disliked DePauw. It was one of those things that was sort of drilled into everybody from the beginning," Husted said. "The Dannies were pictured as a little arrogant, carrying umbrellas wherever they went and also having all the girlfriends. That was a problem, too."
When Husted graduated from Thomas Carr Howe High School in Indianapolis in 1965, he left a younger girlfriend, Laurie Detamore, back at home. The two stayed together for most of his first two years at Wabash, but in 1967, she graduated and headed to DePauw to join her older brother Trent, who played football for the Tigers. Husted and Detamore's relationship took a hit. "A lot of the guys from Wabash had gone to school with people from DePauw, and so we were constantly getting fixed up with girls down there that people knew," Husted said. "We either went there or Purdue or IU for dates, and that was pretty much the extent of it. There were definitely hard feelings. Wabash was a fairly demanding school scholastically, so we had to study a lot. People blew off steam and vented a lot of that steam at DePauw."
Husted thought Detamore attending DePauw would be a positive with her being only a half-hour drive away. Then it became clear to Husted that she didn't want him around anymore. When Husted heard word that Detamore was hanging out with a DePauw football player, his animosity for the annual gridiron rivalry only grew more intense. "I remember just being angry throughout the whole game. I think all of us were," Husted said. "Everybody took it pretty personally."
Husted's frustration would be short-lived. He and Detamore ended up back together in the winter, and the two later married. But for the time being, Husted had another reason to push himself against DePauw.
THE BAD WEATHER started in the middle of the week leading up to the Monon Bell matchup. A cold November in central Indiana brought a mix of rain and snow in the days leading up to the DePauw-Wabash game at Blackstock Stadium. The Greencastle ground froze over on Friday night, but by the time both teams took the field on Saturday, the cold ground starting melting and producing copious amounts of mud.
Sloppy conditions favored the visiting Little Giants team. Both teams would be limited offensively, but Wabash would have a better chance of battling out a win in an ugly fashion. The weather figuratively leveled and literally softened the playing field. A game of slop potato ensued.
"You couldn't read the lines," said Wabash quarterback Dave Knott. "You could hardly tell the light shirts from the dark shirts. You couldn't even tell who was on whose team. Everybody was just covered in mud. It was covering your shoes. It was up to your ankles, and there was standing water. The whole game just became a war of attrition. Who can hold on to the ball and run three plays without fumbling?"
Not much white was left to be seen on the Wabash uniforms in the 1967 Monon Bell Classic, known as the Mud Bowl. The Little Giants were still able to pull off a 7–0 upset over the home team DePauw. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Ball security proved to be a problem for DePauw in the muddy conditions. More drives ended in turnovers (seven) than punts (six) throughout the game for the Tigers. Both teams ended the first half without a score, but a draw was a moral victory for Wabash. The Little Giants weren't supposed to be keeping pace with the home Old Gold squad.
"Our locker room...was jumping like it was just before the kickoff," Wabash head coach Max Urick said of the halftime atmosphere. "You couldn't talk. Everybody was jumping around. They couldn't wait to get back on the field again. I just looked around at the coaches kinda wide-eyed. I had never seen anything like this before. Our guys were loose. They said they felt like they could win."
The Wabash offense continued to pound the ball on the ground with short-yardage plays. Tailback Wayne Monroe and fullback Mike Henry carried the brunt of the work from the backfield following behind linemen like captain Randy Slickers at center.
"There were only about three or four of us that ever handled the ball," Knott said. "We were actually able to move the ball. As the game went on, we started thinking we could win simply because we seemed to be playing relatively normal football while they seemed to be reacting to the rain more than we were."
Wayne Monroe trudged his way into the DePauw defense carry after carry with the yardage slowly adding up. He finished the game with forty-four rushing attempts for 143 yards. "I carried the ball a lot of times, but for just 4, 5 and 6 yards and kept grinding them out. We were keeping DePauw on defense," Monroe said. "With the weather conditions, that was about the only thing you could do. The passing game was pretty rough that day with the weather such as it was. The linemen did a good job of rooting them out, opening a little hole and giving me a little daylight."
The biggest carry of the game came from Henry, whose two-yard plunge capped the first Wabash drive of the second half and gave the Little Giants their first touchdown of the game. Kicker Terry Schuck added the extra point to give Wabash a 7–0 lead early in the third quarter. A Wabash upset soon became a distinct possibility, if not a predictable eventuality, after forty-five minutes of game play. "That touchdown was just a couple yards, but it was a tough couple yards," Henry said. "I played only in short-yardage situations my sophomore year, so they pretty much knew who was getting the ball. But it was a mess."
Defensive end Dave Husted and the rest of the Wabash defenders held DePauw in check for the remainder of the game. "Because of the weather, that enabled us to hang in there," Husted said. "It slowed the DePauw offense down so much.... We had pretty big, strong guys. We were able to control the line on defense particularly." The Tigers used forty-two carries to net a measly seventy-four yards rushing. Similarly stymied, the passing attack, featuring quarterbacks Dan Breckenridge and Eric Lortz, completed only seven of twenty-five passes for ninety yards and four interceptions. Three DePauw fumbles added to the misery.
The underdog Little Giants emerged victorious. The mud-stained white Wabash uniforms practically matched the darkness of the black DePauw jerseys. The two worthy foes looked more alike than rivals should at the end of the game. "I think we actually were the better team that day," Knott said. "If you talk to a DePauw guy, they probably wouldn't remember it that way."
The memory hasn't left Eric Lortz, whose four-year football career at DePauw ended with a loss to Wabash. "What has lived with me throughout life, believe it or not, is that my last football game was a major disappointment," Lortz said. "The weather was terrible. Our strength was throwing the ball. Of course we couldn't do that. They were small and fast, and we were big and strong, but that didn't help us on a day like that. They were just quicker and outhustled us, if you want to know the truth. It was a real big blow. I can only tell you that a loss of a Wabash game for a DePauw athlete lives with you for a long time, if not forever."
DePauw's Eric Lortz attempts a punt in the 1967 Monon Bell Classic, known as the Mud Bowl. Lortz, also a quarterback for the Tigers, was unable to lead the DePauw offense to a score the entire game. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The fact that his legacy ended so much differently from his father and older brothers only added to the pain. George Lortz '34, Kit Lortz '62 and Jeff Lortz '65 all endured DePauw careers without a loss to Wabash. Eric Lortz left DePauw with a pair of Ls in his three years on the varsity team. "They've often let me know that over my lifetime," Eric Lortz said. "It never goes away."
What was hidden, though, was the Monon Bell. The three-hundred-pound ringer went missing from DePauw's campus that fall, with few admitting any idea where the bell was located. One rumor around Greencastle claimed Wabash swiped the Bell and had it stowed away in a Crawfordsville bank. After a handful of students pulled off a legendary heist of the Bell under the guise of a visiting Mexican reporter in 1965, DePauw students had plenty of reasons for paranoia.
The DePauw choir hoped to use the Bell the Friday night before the game, but it hadn't surfaced. The game ended on Saturday with still no sign of the Bell. That's when DePauw students started digging beyond the north end zone. Fearing another theft, some students buried the Bell, where it sat silent the entire game.
The Little Giants made plenty of noise of their own in the postgame celebration in the locker room. First-year head coach Max Urick joined in the jubilation, showering in his already filthy and soaked clothes. He would have plenty of time to ring the Bell on Wabash's campus in the next year.
Chapter 5
MONON BELL SHENANIGANS: TALES OF VANDALISM AND THEFT
Countless entries litter the rivalry rap sheet for DePauw and Wabash. Vandalism and theft became part of the annual tradition early in the history between the two schools. Once the Monon Bell joined the fray, it birthed ingenuity in students looking to craft the perfect heist. But before the Bell became the center of attention, campus shenanigans played a large role.
Unwanted red paint made an appearance on DePauw's campus as early as 1924. A few Wabash students trekked to Greencastle the Thursday night before the annual clash. The visitors left their marks in scarlet on campus walkways and buildings before the Little Giants and their faithful fans arrived on Saturday. A similar act occurred again in 1930, when vandals returned to Blackstock Field the night before the game with plenty of red paint in tow. A prediction was painted across the back of the press box seats: "Wabash 32, DePauw 0." More red coated the both goals' posts, the scoreboard and the field entrance. The gate proclaimed, "Wabash Students Admitted Free." Admittance wouldn't be free, but the glares from the opposite side would be.
The stakes rose in 1941 when the Bell went missing from Wabash's campus in the fall. After months of worrying, including rumors that the Bell had been scrapped for its metal by the thieves, the trophy made an appearance in front of Jordan Hall on Butler University's campus a day before the Bulldogs were set to host DePauw. The Tigers lost to Butler in October and Wabash later in November, but the Bell was returned safely to one of the two campuses it calls home.
An editorial cartoon depicts the Monon Bell rivalry in 1948. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
At least eight more Monon Bell heists have been reported in the campus newspapers for Wabash, _The Bachelor_ , and DePauw, _The DePauw_. What follows are tales related to each memorable act of mischief.
1953: Two hundred Wabash students made their way to DePauw's campus in late September to find their missing Monon Bell. Met by a number of DePauw students and Greencastle Police, the Wabash mob spent most of its time shouting "We want the Bell!" and "Blood! Blood!" Accepting that a resolution wasn't coming that night, the Wabash students headed back home in short order.
Days later, a group of DePauw students returned the Bell to Crawfordsville. David W. Robinson, assistant dean of students, traveled with the group to meet Wabash dean Byron Trippet. The Bell was delivered to its storage space in the Wabash gymnasium. A handful of Little Giants made their way to confront the DePauw visitors, but they left safely without further conflict.
1959: Wabash took its turn at stealing the Bell in the fall of '59. The Little Giants failed to defeat DePauw for four years in a row on the gridiron, so the rivalry reached further into the student body. In order to guarantee a personal encounter with the Bell, a handful of Wabash students concocted a plan to locate the trophy using the fabricated identity of a high school newspaper reporter. Forced to return the Bell after a successful heist, the masterminds wrote an anonymous letter for _The Bachelor_ explaining the executed plan. The letter, titled "To Borrow a Bell," appeared as such:
_When one is interested in borrowing a Monon Bell, there are certain steps he should take. First, one should find an effeminate, emasculate, rival institution, which has possession of such a bell. Then find a sly and poised Wabash student and christen him "Harry Highschool." One should outfit him with a senior class key, a National Honor Society pin, and a Crawfordsville license plate_.
_This young man may then descend upon that poor, innocent, defenseless lace-pantied school to get some information. Oh, yes, he's a reporter on the high school paper, "The Black and Blue," and he would like to do a special story on the Monon Bell. Next semester, he might be made feature editor if the story is good enough. And he is interested in entering as a journalism student next fall. The director of admissions is very much interested in gaining what appears to be a full-male student, for once. He encourages the aspiring high schooler and sends him off to the director of athletics, who is the only person allowed to show the Monon Bell to anyone. The friendly admissions officer says, "Good luck in your quest," as the reporter goes out the door_.
_The director of athletics is busy, but this earnest face appeals to him. He calls up the student equipment manager, who rides over to the gym in a car which has only lately had a Wabash decal scraped off the back window. In due time, they reach the gym basement and a special view of the bell. "Yes, this is the bell. Pretty, isn't it?" And bidding adieu to the last of a line of gullible Dannies, our young spy heads back to C'Ville with his information_.
_It is not hard to plot the location of the basement room on the earlier prepared floor plan, and you are ready for a night of fun and profit. There's really no hurry, for Dannies never worry about the bell_.
_All is quiet, so you go over and lift up one of the gym windows. "There's no sense in locking the gym windows. We all like each other here at KittyKat Tech. No one would bother our happy togetherness." So you trot on through the locker room. There's the door. Handle your crowbar gently; don't chip any of that baby-pink paint off the door_.
_The door opens, and there is the Monon Bell, just where they showed it to you before. You pick it up and you're off. It's up the stairs, out the door, down the steps, and over to the street. The trailer gate is out, and the men on the outside report no business at all. In goes the bell, down goes the gate, and you set off for old Wabash. The night watchman says he was behind a tree, but then Dannies are always hiding_.
_Back at Wabash with the Monon Bell in true safekeeping, you settle down to your normal existence. But down at Dannyville, things are in a sorry state. "Someone tore the molding off the door where the swimming team's water wings are kept. They chipped the baby-pink paint. And they took the Monon Bell! What shall we do?" "I saw Broderick Crawford in 'State Trooper' on TV last night. He is big and strong and intelligent. Maybe he could do what we can't." So they called the State Police_.
_They called it "breaking and entering," and we had to take it back. But we expect the Monon Bell to stay in Dannyville no longer than November 14, when the Little Giant football team goes down to get it_.
_So the next time you get interested in borrowing a Monon Bell, make sure you pick a night when only the 'Mickey Mouse Club' is on TV_.
1965: The longest drought in Monon Bell history inspired its greatest thievery. Wabash, failing to win against DePauw for ten straight years, was starving for time with the three-hundred-pound locomotive dinger. So in October 1965, a group of students started hatching a plan to lift the Bell from DePauw. By the end of the month, the plot was ready to take place.
In the 1960s, the Monon Bell started requiring more protection from thieves. Here the Bell sits in a truck bed on DePauw's campus. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Ringleader of the robbery, Jim Shanks, arranged a meeting with DePauw president William Kerstetter for Monday, November 1. Shanks used the guise of a Mexico City news reporter working on a college brochure for the United States Information Service. He also expressed an interest in connecting DePauw to Mexican students through the fictional Mexican-American Cultural Institute.
The lunch meeting, also attended by Louis Fontaine, director of admissions and financial aid, and Robert Farber, dean of the university, went as planned. During the discussion, Shanks expressed a keen interest in the Monon Bell and asked if he could take photos with the trophy. Kerstetter, not knowing where the Bell was being kept, asked his secretary, who responded with, "The last time I told a visitor where the Bell was, Wabash stole it."
Kerstetter dialed athletic director James Loveless, who met Shanks at an equipment building near Blackstock Stadium. Skeptical of Shanks's motives, Loveless asked to see his credentials. He failed to look close enough to realize that the press card wasn't accurate. Loveless led Shanks into the storage area and let him snap some photos of the Bell. Shanks left Greencastle, but no one on campus knew he was headed back to Wabash.
Wabash student Jim Shanks famously stole the Monon Bell from DePauw in 1965 while posing as a Mexico City news reporter. He used his assumed identity to learn where the DePauw administration kept the Bell before returning with fellow classmates to steal the trophy. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Wabash fans poked fun at DePauw by sporting sombreros and ponchos at the 1965 Monon Bell Classic. Weeks earlier, Wabash students had stolen the Bell from DePauw using the identity of a fake Mexican reporter to enable the heist. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Later that evening, Shanks returned with a crew ready to break into the equipment room and take back the Bell. Another group, charged with creating a distraction for campus police, went to a female dorm to cause a ruckus. The disturbance bought Shanks and his buddies enough time to remove the Bell from the building and lift it into a car trunk headed back for Wabash.
A sight to be seen only on DePauw's campus: female students ringing the Monon Bell won by their male classmates. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The Bell would eventually be returned to DePauw before the '65 game, but the comical story spread on both campuses. Fully amused by Shanks's heist, some members of the Wabash student body wore ponchos and sombreros to the game. As an added bonus, the football team came through with a 16-6 victory and allowed the students to legally take the Bell back to Crawfordsville.
Looking to spin the blunder in his favor, Kerstetter told _The DePauw_ that the events were "unique in my experience. No one else has ever faked it before with me. I guess it just illustrates the hospitality of DePauw."
1966: A DePauw win brought the Monon Bell back to Greencastle on Saturday, November 10, but the Tigers experienced trouble keeping track of it. Roughly a half hour after the Bell arrived back on DePauw's campus, a group of Wabash students regained possession of the trophy its football team had just lost. They followed the truck transporting the Bell and scooped it up when no one was watching. Wabash returned the Bell on Monday.
1973: Another DePauw heist sent a large mass of Wabash students to Greencastle to try and force their foes to return the Monon Bell. The Bell was being held inside the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on campus. Fred Miller provided this personal recollection for the Wabash College Student News Bureau on October 16:
_We got the Monon Bell back last night. We Wabash men did. It took about 200 of us with a little muscle, but we got it back from DePauw's SAEs_.
_The SAEs pulled off one of the slickest capers in the history of the Bell in stealing it from the gym lobby here Sunday night_.
_Getting the Bell back was of particular personal gratification to me since the president of the SAEs is a good friend. And so, this is my account of how we—my Wabash brothers and me—went to DePauw and brought the Bell back to its rightful home_.
_I got a phone call last night about 11 o'clock from a friend at the Phi Psi House. He told me to announce to members of my fraternity that about 75 or 100 Betas, Sigs, Delts and Phi Psis were leaving at midnight to go get the Bell from the DePauw SAEs. A DePauw sorority had tipped us off that the SAEs had taken it and were holding it in their house_.
_I made the announcement, and it seemed like the house emptied in seconds. That Bell means a lot to Wabash students_.
_We loaded up a car and went over to the Sigma Chi house and were told that many cars had just left. Fine. We took off in hot pursuit. About eight cars pulled into Greencastle with us, and a car "with two cherries on top" joined our caravan_.
_We cruised past the SAE house (the rest of the campus was either asleep, scared or studying), and we were hissed and chanted at. We parked our cars about three blocks away where we met other Wabash men_.
_A grisly, motley crew it was that started walking, chanting, anticipating a violent confrontation. As we walked, carloads of Cavemen pulled over, piled out and joined in the "march on the SAE house." There must have been 200 of us by now—some armed with clubs, other with bats and fire extinguishers_.
_We paraded into the front lawn of the SAE house and had a welcoming party of Greencastle's best and campus security. But this didn't stop us. We wanted that Bell. We sang "Old Wabash" and chanted "Give us the Bell"...and a few other nice things_.
_Peace didn't last long. Some of our guys had made their way to the back of the house and were attempting to scale the wall. The SAES, by this time, were building their forces in their basement and were guarding the safe that contained the Bell. This is no ordinary safe, however. It's 12 feet tall, four inches thick...steel on all four sides. I've seen it—I know. Also, only three Dannies know the combination. Wabash had a "demolition expert" on hand, but I don't think he would have done us much good_.
_Wabash now had control of the house—except for the basement. The SAE wasn't about to give it up without a big fight_.
_About that time, I thought I'd better try and talk to an opponent friend, Dean Wright. We went inside to discuss the whole thing. We surveyed the damage, and I knew that the Wabash men outside were bent on getting the Bell. The agreement: Dean Moore and Dean Wright would exchange the Bell at a neutral site before the annual football game_.
_Well, our Wabash crowd, growing all the while, didn't want it that way. They wanted it right then. Mike Eckerle, president of the Wabash IFC, came on the scene, and once again another meeting was held to try and work out something about the Bell_.
_It must be noted that the police had called out their "riot squad" and a few more Dannies were filtering in. It had the markings of a potential riot_.
_Wright, Eckerle and a few others talked it out and came to an agreement. In order to save the SAE house and DPU campus from destruction, SAE agreed to give the bell over to Eckerle in a neutral area. Only Eckerle and the SAE president would know the whereabouts of the Bell until game time_.
_Well, the crowd reluctantly agreed, sort of. We hadn't gotten the Bell, but the Dannies didn't have it either_.
_The situation is about back to normal here at Wabash, and we've been assured that we have the Bell_.
1978: Another routine robbery, this time involving DePauw students extracting the Monon Bell from the Wabash gymnasium, incited more drama when students in Crawfordsville didn't take too kindly to their prized possession being stolen. Much like before, a mob of Little Giants trekked to Greencastle to demand their Bell back. Days earlier, Wabash officials insisted they would not step in and ask DePauw to return the Bell. According to _The Bachelor_ , students were asked "to conduct themselves as gentlemen at all times in their efforts to retrieve the Bell." A Thursday night in late October unfolded quite differently.
An estimated three hundred Wabash men made their way to DePauw with baseball bats, bricks and broken bottles. The Little Giant protesters visited a sorority and various fraternity houses, making demands. In return, members of the DePauw student body gathered to protect their campus. The conflict remained mostly nonviolent but showed no signs of ending any time soon. Greencastle City Police, Indiana State Police and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department were all called onto campus to separate the mob. One DePauw woman and ten Wabash men were arrested for disorderly conduct before the quarrel died down.
Long removed from its old locomotive home, the Monon Bell requires transportation by the winning team to and from the annual rivalry game between DePauw and Wabash. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Arrangements were made for the return of the Bell, but DePauw's administration felt the need to respond to what it called a "potential riot." President Richard Rosser met the next day with student senators and living-unit presidents to address campus safety. As a result, he issued a campus memo trying to create guidelines for future Monon Bell hijinks. His points:
• The Monon Bell competition is a great contest which is valued by both schools.
• Attempts to steal the Monon Bell are often a part of this competition, but in no case must attempts be made to recover the Bell on the other campus.
• The group stealing the Bell promises to return it to the campus from which it was stolen within 48 hours. If this is not done, the presidents of the two schools will seriously consider cancellation of the football game that year.
• Behavior during the game itself must reflect restraint on both sides, or else the game will be cancelled the following year—if not during the game itself.
Students on both campuses reacted unfavorably to the proposed rules, especially the threat of cancelling the annual game at the center of the storied rivalry. Wabash president Lewis Salter told _The DePauw_ that he admired Rosser's idea to return the Bell within forty-eight hours but also realized its flaw. "There has always been a competing tradition where the people who manage to filch the Bell return it at the beginning of the game to applause the mob," Salter said.
DePauw students made a scene of their own upon returning the stolen item. The Monon Bell was ceremoniously returned to Wabash in a trade at Monument Circle in Indianapolis with alumni and media present. DePauw handed over the Bell in exchange for the bolt cutters the thieves left behind at the scene of the crime.
1978: Another successful heist by DePauw resulted in more trips for Wabash students to Greencastle. After small items were stolen from DePauw's campus on multiple occasions, Rosser reportedly threatened to step in to end the conflict. Much like the previous year, a warning of cancelling the game was presented and in turn greeted with disapproval. A group of Wabash students wrote a letter to the editor of _The DePauw_ expressing their displeasure with the situation:
_Dear Editor:_
_We are shocked (but not surprised) at the action of DePauw President Rosser in dealing with the theft of the Monon Bell from the Wabash campus Aug. 28. According to published reports, Rosser has threatened to have any Wabash students arrested if caught trying to get back the bell on the DePauw campus. This just isn't sporting! Theft of the bell is a tradition, and nobody at Wabash denies DePauw's right to attempt to steal it_.
Wabash fans unfurl a banner in support of their team. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
_It's only fair that Rosser should reciprocate, especially as he invoked his double standard at a critical time_.
_A lot of Cavemen are hopping mad, not only that the bell was stolen, but that both this year and last the Rosser Youth that pilfered it have destroyed school property and possibly have damaged the bell itself. When Wabash students destroyed property at DePauw, Wabash students paid to have that property restored. Not so with Rosser. What more, he has threatened to cancel the annual game if Wabash men show up en masse at DPU_.
_Is he afraid of violence? We remember that last year, the Caveman hordes came down to Greendingle unarmed and that it was the Rosser Youth that was armed to the teeth with ropes, clubs, chains, baseball bats, and field hockey sticks. Maybe Rosser has ulterior motives for cancelling the game, namely DePauw's won-lost record_.
_The problem is simple. President Rosser doesn't think it's fair for 850 nasty, filthy, and crude Cavemen (just ask the Thetas) to pick on a school only two-and-one half times bigger. Well Pres, if you want to cancel the game, go ahead. You Dandies, keep the game. Let the men of Wabash keep the bell!_
_—Eleven Men of Wabash College_
A tiger poses with the Monon Bell. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Tyler the Tiger and Wally Wabash fake a fight at the 2000 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The stolen items were later returned in exchange for the Bell in the small town of Parkersburg between Crawfordsville and Greencastle.
1988: A few Wabash students hid in DePauw's Lilly Center following a basketball loss to the Tigers. Left alone in the gymnasium at night, the Little Giants escaped with the Bell.
1998: Mimicking the efforts of Wabash students a decade prior, an overnight stay in the Lilly Center was used to steal the Monon Bell away from DePauw once again. When campus staff noticed the Bell was missing from its perch inside Neal Fieldhouse on the morning of Halloween, the first assumption was that it had been moved in preparation for an upcoming concert. When DePauw Police learned that athletic director Page Cotton and head coach Nick Mourouzis didn't know the whereabouts of the Bell, it became clear it had been stolen.
The thieves left little evidence, and the Lilly Center had no signs of a forced entry. The police were baffled until the story of the robbery was detailed on Wabash's campus in _The Bachelor_ almost a week later. Pictures of the culprits wearing ski masks in the DePauw gymnasium provided further proof of their proud achievement.
Eight students took part in the heist with the help of a non-assuming DePauw student. Entrance to the Lilly Center required a swipe of a valid student ID, but the DePauw student let in the unknown Wabash conspirator without second judgment. Once inside, the Wabash student hid in the ceiling tiles above the men's bathroom for the night. After the building closed, he climbed down from the ceiling and opened the door for his seven friends.
From there, the Wabash group used scaffolding already in the gym to reach the Bell's perch high on the wall. After carefully lowering the Bell, the students used a wheeled volleyball cart to roll the trophy to the exit door with the least amount of noise and resistance. The Bell then began its trip back to Crawfordsville with its new borrowers.
MORE THAN THE MONON BELL was stolen in the fall of 1998. After DePauw waxed Wabash by a score of 42–7, rumors swirled about the DePauw coaching staff stealing the offensive play signals of the Wabash coaching staff. The rumor grew legs because DePauw volunteer assistant coach Herb King boasted about the feat at a local church gathering in Crawfordsville. His pride in a DePauw victory apparently trumped his worry about breaking one of the Ten Commandments.
Former DePauw player Tim Hreha was hired in 1978 as an assistant coach for DePauw. He enters his thirty-fifth season with the program in 2013. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
By December, the story grew from a big fish tale into an ethical discussion. DePauw head coach Nick Mourouzis received a call from Wabash head coach Greg Carlson asking if what he heard was true: had DePauw scouted Wabash multiple times and stolen signals? Mourouzis confirmed the rumor. He had nothing to hide and felt his staff had done nothing wrong. A disagreement commenced. It didn't matter, as defensive coordinator Tim Hreha would later assert, if DePauw hadn't taken advantage of the stolen signals until after opening up a 35–0 lead in the first half. Even then, Hreha said, the few decoded signals King relayed came in situations when Hreha already had a strong indication of the play because of film study.
"I was really mad because I thought we were as well prepared defensively as I could have gotten us," Hreha said. "I'm saying, 'Hey, we did a great job preparing ourselves.' To have a guy tell us that the reason we stopped them was because we knew the signals...to have them throw that crap up...why do you have a different guy signal in signals? Why do the NFL guys and college coaches cover their mouths when they're giving signals?"
Mourouzis caught heat for his stance, particularly from one Wabash alumnus, who described the actions he heard secondhand as "embarrassing and shameful" in a letter he wrote to Mourouzis and DePauw administrators. On January 6, 1999, Mourouzis received another letter—this one from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)—detailing ethical violations filed against him by Carlson. He was asked to speak in front of the AFCA Ethics Committee the next week for a ruling.
Armed with excerpts from the NCAA Manual for Division III, Mourouzis delivered a carefully crafted speech explaining why he felt his coaching staff had done no wrong. On the topic of improper scouting, he explained that since DePauw had left Wabash's conference for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1998, it was not limited in the number of games it could scout Wabash. He argued that his staff had the right to fairly find a competitive advantage:
_In regard to "stealing," reading, or observing signals: college football, at all levels, is a very competitive sport. Coaching staffs and players spend countless hours preparing for games in an effort to provide their teams with the best possible opportunity to perform well on the field. As a coach or player, you should expect that the opposing team will pay attention to your actions and words. Your opponents do, and are expected to, pay attention to your players, your formations, your plays, the tendency to run certain plays from certain formations, the strengths and weaknesses of your team, and even newspaper quotations. On the field, players and coaches look and listen to what an opponent does or says, including audibles, signals, and any instructions yelled or otherwise relayed from coach to player or player to player. Because teams expect opposing teams to pay attention is why teams often take significant precautions to disguise and protect their communication_.
_After Albion College "stole" or read our offensive signals six years ago, we began sending in our plays with wide receivers. I did not object to the actions of the Albion staff because I felt that their actions were part of the game. But I learned from the experience! Similarly, because Wabash knows our offense three-step drop-back series that we use as a check at the line of scrimmage, we have over the years adopted a different code system designed and specifically used for Wabash_.
_Based on my many years of experience coaching NCAA football and my knowledge of college football's rules and norms of behavior, DePauw's scouting and preparation process for the Wabash game was completely acceptable by our standards at DePauw, AFCA, and NCAA rules and standards of conduct. It is also perfectly acceptable for coaches standing on their own sidelines to observe an opponent and relay those observations to their players, including what plays might be expected based on what an opponent is saying or signaling_.
Randy Mellinger (25) and Bill Cannon (59) of Wabash pose with the Monon Bell in 1978, the year before the Little Giants lost in the national championship game against Widener. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
DePauw players rush to the Monon Bell following a 14–7 victory at Hollett Little Giant Stadium in 2004. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Mourouzis later closed his speech with a quote from the AFCA Code of Ethics that said a coach should set the example by "losing without bitterness." Days later, he heard from AFCA Ethics Committee Chair John Mackovic, former head coach at Illinois and Texas, that he was cleared of any wrongdoing. "We agree with you that no scouting rules were violated by DePauw," Mackovic's letter read in part. "There likely was some misunderstanding since both schools are in different conferences this year. We also agree that you did not violate any rules or ethics in detecting the signals for Wabash. As a committee, we strongly recommend that you and Coach Carlson get together prior to the season and have a complete understanding about scouting, video exchange, and any other items which may lead to misunderstandings. Your rivalry is to be cherished; do not lose its true meaning."
Carlson still questions the sportsmanship involved with stealing an opponent's signals.
_"There was nothing in the Code of Ethics about it, but there is a strong statement about sportsmanship and character. I just wanted to see how they felt about it," Carlson said. "They were hands off with that. They were like, 'Wait a minute now. We're not going down that road.' They basically said you two schools, you two coaches, you have to work this out. You have to come to some kind of an agreement_.
_"We learned a hard lesson that day, so we changed how we had plays called into the football game. We learned the hard way. Coach Mourouzis and I see each other every year at the AFCA convention. We talk. We're cordial. We're still professional friends. I'm not bitter at Nick and say I'll never talk to the guy again. He did what he felt he had to, and it wasn't against any particular NCAA rules_.
Carlson, 7-10-1 in Bell games, coached twice more against Mourouzis before Wabash looked for a new coach following the 2000 season. Mourouzis coached at DePauw through 2003 and finished with an 11-11-1 Bell record.
Chapter 6
1981: COACH NICK'S CREW BREAKS THROUGH
DEPAUW 21, WABASH 14
Blackstock Stadium didn't have enough seats. Two seating areas with a combined capacity of 4,000 provided less than half the necessary room for the 10,704 fans gathered for the 1981 regular season finale.
The eighty-eighth matchup between the Monon Bell rivals pitted a 9–0 Wabash squad against an 8–1 DePauw team. With the added stakes of a playoff bid and a perfect regular season for the Little Giants, local football fans flocked to Greencastle in droves. Fans without seats surrounded the field five or six people deep. Some looking for better views climbed trees next to the cemetery behind the Wabash sidelines. A game-time temperature of sixty-eight degrees was described as "utopian" in the official box score. Two giant "Ws" of dead grass scarred the turf in Greencastle, the result of a game-week prank from the Wabash faithful.
Set to start in his third Monon Bell game, DePauw quarterback Rob Doyle knew this game was different. He quarterbacked near-upsets the previous two years, but the setup for his final game as a senior felt bigger. "It was just amazing. It was an incredible atmosphere that day," Doyle said. "There was a sense that there were some really good teams and really good players on that field that actually got a chance in the NFL. The game was bigger. You walked out and you saw that."
Both programs reached a peak at the same time but took very different paths in the past five years to get there. Wabash College reached the Division III national championship, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, in 1977 and carried that momentum in the following years. That same year, DePauw went through its first season without head coach Tom Mont in nearly two decades. As a result, the Tigers stumbled through a 1–9 season under Bob Bergman.
The Monon Bell on display with flags of its two annual suitors. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Four seasons later, Crawfordsville became a semi-permanent home for the Monon Bell. Two DePauw coaches failed to bring the Bell back to Greencastle, though some DePauw student thievery allowed it to make a couple appearances. A tie in 1980 marked DePauw's closest effort to return the Bell to its Old Gold home. By the time the '81 season finale came around, Wabash rolled off twenty-four consecutive games without a loss.
Alan Hill knew what all the fuss was about. He came to DePauw to join the track-and-field team in '77. After a year playing intramural football, he joined the varsity team for his first taste of the rivalry in '78. He didn't even have a grasp of all the rules of football at that point, let alone the importance of a Monon Bell matchup. Three years later, with his collegiate career coming to a close, Hill was anxious to finally ring that old locomotive dinger. "We were ready," Hill said. "It all sort of culminated in, 'This is us. This is our time. Let's make it happen.'"
Each DePauw senior was given a chance to speak to the team gathered in the locker room before the game. The speeches varied from motivational to hysterical, but the tension already started to erupt. A group that saw some of the darkest times in DePauw's football history had one last chance to redeem itself.
"We had a great group of seniors, and we just refused to lose that day," said senior running back Mark McConnell. "It was our fourth attempt without success, and I think we had just made up our minds that no matter what happened, when the game was over, we were going to be victorious."
MONTHS AFTER WABASH lost 39–36 to Widener University in the Division III national championship, Pete Metzelaars decided to join the Little Giants. A two-sport stud at Portage Central High School in Michigan, Metzelaars chose Wabash over Dartmouth College, Albion College and a couple Division II options in 1978. Crawfordsville was just far enough from home, and the Little Giants would allow him to play both football and basketball. That same year, Broad Ripple High School running back Daryl Johnson joined Wabash. Together the two became the core of future Little Giant offenses.
Assistant coach Stan Parrish received a promotion to head coach for the '78 season after Frank Navarro took the head coaching job at Princeton. Parrish encountered his first Monon Bell game the year before, but he already understood the weight of the rivalry on Wabash's campus. "Everybody was just wired into that game," Parrish said. "I think it was Frank Navarro who told me when I took over as head coach...he said just make sure you carry on with what we're doing and beat DePauw. It was just that simple. Nobody else has a game like that in small college."
Parrish successfully picked up right where Navarro left Wabash and completed an 8–1 season, capped with an 11–3 win over DePauw. The next season, Parrish, who would later coach Brian Griese, Tom Brady and Drew Henson at Michigan, found a quarterback to lead his offense.
Awarded a full-tuition Lilly Scholarship for academics, Carmel High School's Dave Broecker was brought into Wabash to compete for the starting quarterback position. He won the spot for the '79 season opener and started every game at Wabash for the next four seasons. "He came in, and from day one, you knew he was a special quarterback," said Metzelaars, a tight end. "He was just so accurate with the football. He made very quick, decisive decisions, sharp decisions, and the correct decisions almost all the time to deliver the ball and get it where it needed to be. He took charge of the huddle and was confident in himself and who he was as a player and a person."
As talented of an offensive trio as Wabash had ever seen, Broecker, Metzelaars and Johnson embarked on a three-year run that brought twenty-four wins and only two losses to the Little Giant program. But no matter how dominating a season Wabash was having, DePauw still managed to put up a fight as underdogs.
The Tigers let a win slip away in the 1979 game at Blackstock Stadium. A Rob Doyle touchdown early in the fourth quarter gave DePauw a 13–3 lead, but moments later, Wabash's Dave Kennedy returned a kickoff eighty-five yards to shift the tide. Broecker completed the comeback with a short touchdown run with less than three minutes remaining in the game for a 16–13 victory. After the game, one of the Wabash offensive linemen handed Broecker a towel he stole from a DePauw defensive lineman. Embroidered on the towel were the words "Destroy Broecker." Not exactly a warm welcome (but one to be expected) for a Little Giant quarterback making his first trip to DePauw's campus.
Somehow, the 1980 matchup proved to be even closer. DePauw scored the final points of the game, but it wasn't enough to earn a win. For the first time since 1959 and the eighth time to date, the Monon Bell Classic ended in a tie. With less than two minutes remaining, Doyle finished off an eighty-yard drive with a seventeen-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jay True to cut the score to 22–20. Another completion to True for the two-point conversion knotted the score. Despite DePauw's late efforts, the Bell would remain in Crawfordsville for another year.
"It just always seemed like maybe we didn't always play up to our potential and they played a little bit over their head," Metzelaars said. "That's kinda the feeling it was. They'd throw the ball, and we struggled playing defense against them. We didn't quite move the ball like we had been and could have and should have."
Wabash remained talented enough to hold off DePauw for five years straight, but the gap between rosters seemed to have closed.
THE DEPAUW FOOTBALL PROGRAM struggled to find both success and stability at the end of the 1970s. Tommy Mont's final season as head coach in 1976 marked the start of four straight seasons with no more than two wins. Mont, continuing to serve as athletic director, replaced himself with Bob Bergman, head coach at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, in April of '77. His tenure ended after two floundering seasons with just three wins in nineteen games.
In 1979, the university tabbed Jerry Berndt, an assistant coach at Dartmouth College, to take over the program. Wins continued to elude the Tigers in Berndt's first year, finishing 2–7 once again, but the new coach brought a different feel to the team.
Jerry Berndt led DePauw as head coach for the 1979 and 1980 seasons. Though he lost to and tied Wabash in his two Monon Bell Classics, he played a crucial role in turning around the Tiger program that beat the Little Giants in 1981 under head coach Nick Mourouzis. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
"Jerry Berndt's a great coach," said quarterback Rob Doyle. "He really is one of the best coaches I've ever had. Bergman was a great recruiter, but they were floundering. Things were tough. Berndt came and just changed everything immediately. We went from really struggling to really playing well."
Practices were more organized, and after a year, Berndt and the Tigers started producing victories in the '80 season. DePauw opened the season with five wins before losses to Valparaiso University and St. Joseph's College leveled off the momentum. A season-ending tie with Wabash marked the state of the program perfectly: close, but not quite there yet. The problem was Berndt wasn't going to stick around to complete the turnaround. He jumped on an offer to become the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania and left the DePauw administration looking for a replacement for the third time in four years.
With an emphasis on finding a coach who would stick around, DePauw underwent an exhaustive search that included coaches familiar with the university but also coaches with Division I resumes looking for a place to settle. Returning senior captains Rob Doyle and Bob Torkelson were included in the process of interviewing coaches to sort through the right fit. Jim Gruden, recently let go as an assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame, and Nick Mourouzis, fresh off an assistant job at Northwestern University, were two of the favorites.
Mourouzis, who had already coached football for more than twenty years since finishing a football career at Miami University in Ohio, had a couple important influences favoring him. As Mourouzis tells it, a recommendation from Indiana University head basketball coach Bobby Knight helped his case. Mourouzis ran into Knight while evaluating a recruit at a basketball game at Glenbrook North High School, where Mourouzis's son attended school. Mourouzis approached Knight, and eventually the conversation led to his search for a job after the staff at Northwestern was let go. When Mourouzis mentioned DePauw, Knight said he knew the athletic director, Tommy Mont, and that he would give him a call. "Mont was impressed with that," Mourouzis said.
Mourouzis did more impressing during the interview process. "Nick came in and didn't have any of the formality," Doyle said. "He came in and started talking, got on the board and was diagramming his offense and the things we were going to do. He had a huge amount of enthusiasm. It wasn't for us to decide. They asked our opinion. I was like, there's your guy right there. He's been in the Big Ten. He's been on all the moves that you have to make in Division I. He wants a home. He wants a place where he can coach and build a program. I think he's here for the long term and for the university. I think he'd be great."
On February 17, 1981, DePauw announced Mourouzis as its new head football coach at a press conference in Indianapolis. He would soon make his first wise decision as a DePauw coach in retaining defensive assistant coaches Ted Katula and Tim Hreha. Both DePauw graduates, Katula and Hreha would provide a holdover for the upperclassmen who had already survived through plenty of coaching changes.
"Coach Nick's desire to keep them with the program and let them build the defense was big," said senior linebacker Bob Cathcart. "We were doing some things defensively from a scheme side that other people weren't doing. We had the athletes—especially Alan Hill in the back—that allowed us to do that."
By the time practice started in August, Mourouzis, who became known simply as "Coach Nick" to players wanting to avoid butchering his Greek last name, established a new feeling within the program. A player's coach, Mourouzis brought confidence and enthusiasm to his job.
"Our freshman year, it was not a good experience for a lot of us. But guys hung in there and got going," Cathcart said. "Jerry Berndt certainly made a difference when he came in with a level of a professionalism and attitude that the program needed. We were distressed when Jerry left, but the minute you got to meet Nick, you were like, 'Wow, OK. We're going to keep going right where we left off.' His expertise and positive attitude—everything that he did—was just taking it to another level from where Jerry brought it."
"Nick was a master at building off of what Jerry had started," said senior wide receiver Scott Welch. "He didn't come in with an ego that said, 'You're going to do it my way, and we're changing this.' He kept a lot of the offense in particular similar. He added nuances to it, but he didn't remodel it. I think that did a lot. Then he's such a real positive guy. He did a lot for our confidence and told us how good we were going to be."
Defensive back Alan Hill, who already excelled in track and field with a 1981 national championship in the pole vault, had one last football season to translate his athleticism into an elite football player. "I always said Bergman recruited me, Jerry Berndt coached me and Nick got the best out of me," Hill said. "That's really what it was."
The ceiling for the '81 DePauw squad hadn't been defined, but with a core unit of seniors returning from a 7–2 season the year before, the Tigers had the pieces in place to make a special run. In the first game of the season, one of the first preseason coaching decisions paid off. Hill, who was moved from cornerback the previous season to safety, intercepted four passes in a 31–7 victory over St. Norbert College. Mourouzis's offense clicked the following week in a 35–21 win over Hope College.
Hreha and Meyer welcomed the increased scoring with open arms. No longer did they have to play near-perfect defense in order to stay in games. Mourouzis started a routine of predicting how many plays it would take for the offense to score. "He would always say, 'We're going to score in five' or 'We're going to score in six.' Coach Meyer and I were looking at each other [and remembering] there were games we were hoping for just one score in previous years," Hreha said. "We're looking at him and going, 'You gotta be kidding.' And eventually they ended up scoring in six. He was very inventive offensively. It really took a lot of pressure off the defense most of the time."
Both sides of the ball felt the pressure of the season's biggest challenge in week three. DePauw headed to Ohio to play the University of Dayton, defending national champions in Division III. Playing in front of a crowd of twelve thousand fans on an Astroturf field only added to the challenges the Flyers presented against DePauw. The Tigers hung close but fell by a score of 16–0 for the first loss of the season. Missed opportunities, including costly penalties like the one that nullified a fifty-eight-yard return touchdown on an interception late in the fourth quarter, cost the Tigers the game.
Feeling that the game had slipped away, the Tigers hoped they would earn a chance at a rematch in the playoffs. "We knew we were going to win the rest of the way," Hill said. "A lot of the time I was focusing on getting to play Dayton again. That was just our mindset. We're going to play them again, and we're going to beat them."
Wins in the next six games of the season kept the slim hope of a Dayton rematch alive. All that remained was Mourouzis's first Monon Bell Classic against an 8–0 Wabash team with a 258–73 aggregate against opposing teams. The first-year head coach instilled a confidence in his team that expected nothing less than a victory against its rival. "By the time we got to the Monon Bell game," said senior running back Mark McConnell, "we wanted to win it for him just as bad as we did for ourselves."
THE MORNING OF HIS FINAL Monon Bell game, DePauw quarterback Rob Doyle noticed a piece of mail waiting for him at breakfast. Inside the envelope, Doyle found a red Wabash bumper sticker with the slogan "Foil Doyle." In case he needed the reminder, the clever rhyming hinted at Wabash's determination in defeating the senior quarterback one last time and ending his career without a Monon Bell victory.
Doyle and the rest of the senior class had their own regrets from their previous encounters with Wabash. The last time the Little Giants made a trip to Blackstock Stadium, they left with a comeback victory in 1979.
Linebacker Bob Torkelson remembered the pain and learned from the mistakes made as a sophomore. "That was evidence of the fact that a lot of the people that were playing in that game were still sophomores," Torkelson said. "It was one of those situations where I think we had it and then the emotions kind of took over. They had a really good team. Wabash always put a good team on the field. They came from behind, and it slipped through our fingers."
Fellow linebacker Bob Cathcart couldn't quite get his fingers on one Wabash completion in the '79 game, and the thoughts of "what if" still lingered. "Wabash, more than anybody else, we probably had more preparation, more film, more study, more everything to get ready for knowing what their tendencies were," Cathcart said. "I missed a play on the ball by less than a foot that would have changed the game. That one I remember clearly, and it will probably haunt me forever."
Focused on finally putting an end to the frustration, the Tigers came out to start the game looking more like the team that hadn't beaten Wabash since 1975. The emotions brewing in the locker room spilled onto the field, where the 10,704 fans greeted both teams. Unfortunately for DePauw, the hype mismanaged to start the game.
The Wabash offense tested a normally reliable DePauw defense from the opening kickoff. The first ten plays from scrimmage saw the Little Giants travel sixty-one yards down to the DePauw two-yard line. Thirty-eight rushing yards for running back Daryl Johnson and seventeen passing yards and six rushing yards from quarterback Dave Broecker put Wabash on the doorstep of an early lead.
"There becomes a time when you're almost over-hyped for a game," Cathcart said. "For us seniors, it was a very emotional time in the locker room before the game, our last game. That last game for the seniors, the locker room tends to be very emotional. I think we kinda wore ourselves out a little bit coming into that game. They were ready for us and took it to us."
However, the Tiger defense stood tall on the goal line. Two runs to the right from Johnson were stuffed, and a Broecker incompletion brought on the field-goal team. Frank Kolisek set up for a twenty-two-yard attempt, but DePauw's Alan Hill snuck around the left side of the Wabash line and blocked the kick.
"We fell into a very predictable pattern and became probably a little bit too conservative getting down on the goal line like that," Broecker said. A pair of isolation runs by Johnson was exactly what the Little Giants were expected to do in short yardage situations. "If I had it to do all over again, I probably would have just called a quarterback sneak and scored that way. But hindsight is twenty-twenty. DePauw stopped us on our opening drive. We went all the way down to the two-yard line, and that was a big momentum shift. It proved to DePauw that they could play with us."
DePauw head coach Nick Mourouzis responded with aggressive play-calling for his offense's first series. Seven of the first nine plays for the Tigers were Doyle pass attempts. Thirty-five yards into a promising drive, the passing attack backfired. One play after the Wabash secondary missed an opportunity for an interception, Doyle followed up with another errant throw, this time landing in the hands of defensive back David Rogers for a turnover.
Rebounding from its last stalled drive, the Wabash offense relied on Broecker and Johnson to move the ball down the field once again. Three complete passes and three running plays left the Little Giants with a third-and-eleven at the DePauw sixteen-yard line. Broecker swung the third-down pass to the left to Johnson, who scurried up the field for twelve yards and a first down. On the next play, Johnson took a toss left and powered his way into the end zone. A Kolisek extra point gave Wabash a 7–0 lead with one minute and fifteen seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Facing a deficit, the Tigers still relied on Rob Doyle's right arm to stay in the game. On third-and-seven from his own forty-six, Doyle unleashed a bomb down the left side of the field to senior wide receiver Scott Welch. The ball traveled fifty yards in the air until it fell perfectly into the arms of the Tiger receiver draped by two Wabash defenders. Tackled at the six-yard line, Welch put the Tigers in a scoring position in the final seconds of the first quarter. Two plays later, on the first snap of the second quarter, Doyle threw for DePauw's first score of the game. Senior wide receiver Kevin Perkins started wide right and motioned closer to the middle of the field before the snap. Crossing the field while drifting toward the back of the end zone, Perkins kept his defender behind him to allow Doyle to loft a throw in his direction in the end zone. The dynamic receiver leaped and caught the ball with fully extended arms over his head to pull in the touchdown. Doyle missed a wide-open Bob Cohen in the back corner of the end zone, but nonetheless the Tigers tied the game at seven with the addition of Dave Finzer's extra point.
"I wasn't wide open. I was open enough," Perkins said. "Robby had enough confidence in me to throw it up high and know that I'm going to go up there and get it. That's what happened. It was a high pass. It was in the very back of the end zone right off to the left of the upright. I hauled it in and made sure I got both feet in before [Wabash defender] Tony Will pushed me out of bounds."
Perkins had been hobbled all week after getting his foot stepped on the week before against Maryville College. Limited in practice, he had a special insert made for his cleats by team doctor Mark Stevens to protect his injured right foot. He was unable to push off his right leg with the same force as normal, but the motivation of winning the Monon Bell was enough of a pain reliever to help him push through. "I'm sitting on the sideline, and I heard that bell ringing when Johnson scored," Perkins said. "I'm like, 'Well, this is bullshit. We're going to have to drive the field, and we're going to have to freaking score.' That was our mentality. I know that was going through everybody's mind on offense."
On the ensuing kickoff, the Wabash front line took a hit when senior offensive guard Chris Carr crumpled to the ground during the kickoff return. Carr received medical attention (he later learned he tore his MCL) but insisted he walk off on his own. Four years prior, Carr sat inside Blackstock Stadium watching the 1977 Monon Bell Classic as a DePauw recruit with his father, Bob, a 1959 Wabash graduate, who was naturally cheering for his alma mater. When Wabash expressed interest later that year, Carr chose to follow his father's legacy.
Relegated to the sideline for his final college game, Carr argued his case to the training staff to be allowed to return. It was a battle that Carr couldn't win. The pain slowly set in as the game went on, and the Wabash offensive attack was forced to continue without Carr.
A Metzelaars fumble and a missed fifty-two-yard field goal by Finzer ended the following Wabash and DePauw drives. Then the Little Giants returned to efficiently moving the ball down the field once again, with every single yard attributed to the offensive power trio of Broecker, Metzelaars and Johnson. Working as a quarterback catalyst, Broecker ran four times for forty-five yards and completed a fourteen-yard pass to Metzelaars. Johnson chipped in with eleven rushing yards of his own, the final nine coming on a touchdown run to give his team the lead once again. Broecker pitched the ball on an option right before getting hit by two DePauw defenders, and Johnson eluded one would-be tackler in a race to the end zone. A Kolisek extra point gave the Little Giants a 14–7 lead with seven minutes and fifty-six seconds left in the first half.
Johnson grew to know a number of the Tiger defenders throughout the years. He took plenty of shots from linebackers Cathcart and Torkelson, but he had triumphs of his own, like the two touchdown runs in the first half. "They probably knew some of my tendencies, and I probably knew some of theirs. That never came into mind when you got on the field, because you're looking to win," Johnson said. "I'm trying to run past them, and they're trying to catch me. A few times they got a few good hits on me, but normally I got away from them before they could get a good hit on me."
Surrendering fourteen points in less than two quarters, DePauw's defense was ceding points to an opposing offense at a higher rate than at any point throughout the season. The unit hadn't allowed three touchdowns in a game since the second week of the season against Hope College, and all three of those scores came in a fourth-quarter comeback attempt when reserve players entered the lineup. Needing to keep up with the Little Giants, the Tiger offense slowed down the tempo of the game. Starting at its own twenty-yard line, DePauw ran the ball on the first four plays of the drive for fifteen yards. Two Doyle completions moved the Tigers into Little Giant territory before the attack returned to the ground. Rick Lindlow and Rich Bonaccorsi combined for forty-eight yards on eleven carries to move the Old Gold offense to the five-yard line.
The clock ran down to under two minutes, and the Tigers were hoping to knot the score at fourteen before halftime. On third-and-goal, Doyle lofted a pass to the left back corner of the end zone for Perkins. A good defensive play, which didn't always stop Perkins, forced an incompletion and left DePauw with fourth down. But instead of sending out the field-goal unit, Mourouzis elected to go for the touchdown once more. He wanted to try the fade again. "I was young and aggressive and thought, 'Let's go after it,'" Mourouzis said. "I had confidence in that fade route."
So did Doyle and Perkins. "To me, that was money," Doyle said. "That play was going to be successful. There was no question that he'd come down with it. I don't think I made a good throw the first time. Coming back to it, we weren't going to miss it twice."
Taking the snap at the right hash, Doyle dropped back three steps and quickly arched a ball toward the back corner of the end zone on the left side before Perkins even crossed the goal line. The six-foot-three Perkins ran hard into the end zone but stopped at the last second, shielding his defender off and squaring up to the ball, headed right to him. The two made the play look effortless.
A Finzer extra point tied the game at fourteen with one minute and nineteen seconds left before halftime. As the time ran out, both teams headed to their locker rooms in the middle of a stalemate. The quarterback-and-receiver combo delivered the points for the Tigers, but Mourouzis delivered a message to his team. They weren't going to back down to the undefeated Little Giants.
"At halftime, you just have a different attitude having another seven points under your belt," Welch said. "Kevin Perkins was just a great athlete. It did a lot to set the stage for our whole second-half strategy. It would have been a lot more defensive if it was, 'Well, let's just kick a field goal, guys.' It showed that we were there to win."
DEPAUW ASSISTANT COACH Tim Hreha walked around the locker room and shook hands with his defensive players. Instilling confidence in a defense that didn't resemble itself in the first half, Hreha congratulated every player. He might not get the chance to in the chaos following a victory, he told them.
Senior linebacker Bob Torkelson would be one of the key players counted on to turn that confidence into a productive second half. "We all felt like we were capable of doing that. Once halftime came and went, we really felt that we were going to be there," Torkelson said. "Not cockiness, but there was a feeling of confidence in the locker room that we were going to be able continue to do what we were doing. The offense had continued moving the ball, and we had tightened up to be able to hold them."
"We had this weird confidence," said sophomore linebacker Marshall Reavis. "If you looked in Torkleson's or Cathcart's eyes, I just felt we were going to win the game almost the entire time during it. They score, and it's alright—we've got a great offense."
The scoreboard showed a tie game, but the halftime box score favored the visiting team. Wabash gained more yards (240) than DePauw (179) in the first half and tallied five more first downs. Little Giant running back Daryl Johnson ran for 81 yards, and quarterback Dave Broecker added 65 rushing yards of his own to complement his 94 yards passing. Despite his fumble, Wabash tight end Pete Metzelaars also put together a solid first half with five catches for 48 yards. The Tigers set out to limit the power trio for Wabash in the last thirty minutes. "To some degree, they were pushing us around a little bit," said DPU linebacker Bob Cathcart. "And they just didn't do that in the second half."
After a DePauw punt, the Tiger defense had its first chance to assert itself in the second half. The Scarlet offense picked up thirty-nine yards in four plays, but the defense took advantage of another Wabash fumble on the fifth play. Sprinting through an opening on the right side of the offense, Johnson appeared on his way for a big gain, but defensive back Kurt Jones reached out, knocked the ball out of his arms and recovered the fumble. If Jones hadn't hit the ball, Johnson might have bounced off the tackle attempt and scampered for a long touchdown.
The DePauw offense responded with a drive similar to the one that tied the game late in the second quarter. A heavy dosage of run mixed with a few passes when necessary chewed time off the clock as the Tigers matriculated down the field. Thirteen plays (eight running, five passing) moved the ball from DePauw's own thirty-three-yard line to the Wabash eight. On second-and-seven, Mourouzis called for the same fade route to wide receiver Kevin Perkins that worked earlier. Well defended, Perkins could not get in position to make a play on the throw from Doyle. To end a drive propelled by outworking the Little Giants, Mourouzis chose a play, 54 R Read, to outsmart the defense on third down. The play revolved around a running back making a decision on his route depending on how the defense guarded him. Senior Mark McConnell was asked to carry out the play.
Fighting through a hip injury, McConnell knew he would be faced with a tough decision when choosing his route option. Earlier in the game, McConnell avoided cutting left, which would have aggravated his injury, even when the defense dictated that he should have. But faced with the final twenty minutes of his DePauw career, McConnell told himself he'd follow through with the correct read this time. "It didn't matter how bad it hurt, I was going to make the right decision," McConnell said. "Wherever the linebacker went, I was going to go the other way. Thank God the linebacker the second time around went in so I got to turn to my right and it wasn't painful. The ball was delivered, and the rest is history, so to speak."
McConnell crossed the line of scrimmage and found three defenders sucking into the middle of the field. He cut to his right a few yards down field with no white jerseys within ten yards of him. He caught the ball and scored untouched. The third Finzer extra point of the day gave DePauw its first lead at 21–14 with four minutes and twenty-two seconds left in the third quarter.
"Coach Nick deserves a lot of credit because it was a great play call," McConnell said. "As far as my part in it, I was pretty much a bit player or a role player. I was blessed that Coach Nick had the confidence in me to call a play that left me open. It was really just easy pitch and catch at that point."
A dominating performance from the DePauw defense to close the game allowed McConnell's touchdown to be the game-winning score. "I had no idea that would be the last touchdown scored. I don't think anybody did. We all felt there would be more scoring so I would be a footnote, not the one that caught what proved to be the winning touchdown," McConnell said. "I never felt totally confident until the game was over. I wasn't going to celebrate early or assume that we had it in the bag. Everybody was that way after being snake-bitten for three years before that. Everybody was going to play hard until it was over."
Four Wabash drives to end the game resulted in zero points. Only one drive, early in the fourth quarter, saw the Little Giants cross the fifty-yard line. That drive ended in a thirty-seven-yard yard missed field goal by Frank Kolisek. On the last offensive play of the game for Wabash, Broecker scrambled to avoid the DePauw pass rush but could only find Johnson a few yards down the field. The DPU defense held one last time to allow Doyle and the offense to run out the clock. The Old Gold won the Monon Bell for the first time in six years.
"We hadn't tasted the Bell," said senior safety Alan Hill. "The first thought was the feeling of excitement. That was unbelievable. Then we ran over there and tried to pick it up and I thought, 'Man, this thing is heavy.' I was exhausted, so I thought I'd let these other guys carry it. It was just unbelievable. All the hard work had paid off."
THE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES still haunt members of that 1981 Wabash team. Daryl Johnson and Pete Metzelaars each have fumbles etched into their brains. It's even wiped away some of the good memories from that '81 season for Johnson. "You don't care about the rest of the season when that particular game is what you want to win. To walk out of the stadium that particular day and lose, that's a heartbreaker," Johnson said. "I don't think you ever forget it. Even now—I'm fifty-three—boy I wish I could go back out there and play again and do that play over again. It stays with you."
Chris Carr didn't even have the chance to finish what he started. With a mangled knee, his sideline view couldn't have been any worse. Years later, Carr, a sports psychologist, returned to Blackstock Stadium to the spot where his football career ended. It was a way to help heal the wounds left from his Monon Bell finale. "It was always complicated because I was a bit envious of the guys even though we lost," Carr said. "But they got to finish playing on the field. I remember very vividly the game ending. At this point, I'm pretty sore and my knee's not very mobile, so I'm not walking too well. I just remember that sick feeling I had."
Stan Parrish might have left Wabash following the '81 season, but he couldn't bring himself to ditch the Little Giants after that heartbreaking loss. "When I lost that game and we rode back on the bus, I didn't care who I had coming back. I was not leaving losing to DePauw." He'd return with Dave Broecker as his quarterback for one more year to beat DePauw in 1982. Parrish left for Purdue University the following year.
"That was actually the low point of my four years at Wabash," Broecker said. "Getting beat in the game, ruining the perfect season, ending the twenty-four-game unbeaten streak, losing the Monon Bell and knocking us out of the playoffs. Some of those seniors—Pete Metzelaars, Daryl Johnson and Chris Carr—they had been instrumental in helping us achieve that twenty-four-game streak. We knew that if we won that game, there was no way we weren't going to go the playoffs, because we were ranked very highly. But we didn't win that game, and we knew that was the end of it."
For DePauw, the celebration dragged on. They didn't know yet that they wouldn't receive one of the eight playoff bids and that their season was finished as well. Instead, they received a gift from DePauw president Richard Rosser. After he entered the locker room to congratulate the team, the players started to coax him to give them the day off on Monday. He caved to the players' request. "Everybody just started screaming, 'No school Monday! No school Monday!'" Bob Torkelson said. "I think he felt like he had to give us a day off Monday or he wasn't going to get out of there."
Speaking with reporters after his first Monon Bell game, Nick Mourouzis didn't shy away from the hyperbole. His coaching days in the Big Ten had passed, but he found a similar excitement in Greencastle, Indiana. He'd remain as the head coach at DePauw for twenty-three years, chasing that same feeling at the end of every season. "This is probably the third biggest moment in my life," Mourouzis told _The DePauw_. "The first was when I got married, the second when I was at IU and we won to go to the Rose Bowl, and now this."
Chapter 7
1986: A SHIFT FROM HOUSE
WABASH 24, DEPAUW 23
Bill Kaiser's legacy came with a lot of bruises. In the 1985 matchup between DePauw and Wabash, Kaiser carried a heavy load for the Little Giants. Fifty eight times the junior running back from Jasper, Indiana, was asked to carry the football for Wabash's offense. Setting a Division III record for carries in a game, Kaiser racked up 211 yards in a 28–8 Monon Bell victory. He stamped his mark on the rivalry, and the rivalry repaid him with some black-and-blue body parts. At one point, Kaiser carried the ball on twenty-three consecutive offensive plays for Wabash. He became friends with an oxygen machine at halftime trying to catch his breath. The bruises would settle in later, and a broken finger would have an entire offseason to heal. After getting his hand stuck in a defender's facemask, he ran quickly to the sideline between plays to have a trainer tape the injured finger to a healthy one. He remained in the game, and Wabash scored a touchdown on the next play.
The 1986 season brought new challenges for Kaiser. Defenses knew stopping the record-setting running back was the key to limiting the Little Giants, especially the rivals down in Greencastle. After the '85 campaign resulted in 1,465 yards for Kaiser, he was held to just 638 yards through the first eight games of the '86 season. Certainly the DePauw Tiger defense would be hell-bent on shutting down Kaiser as a senior in the ninety-third Monon Bell Classic. "That happened all year. After that point, I had a big target on my back," Kaiser said. "There were other things that we had to do. One thing about Division III football is there are always a lot of guys that can step up and do different things. People come out and have great games."
The Monon Bell and the old Monon Railroad. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Wabash head coach Greg Carlson made sure Kaiser had plenty of talent surrounding him. In his fourth year as head coach, Carlson started to become an expert at recruiting successful high school athletes to come to an all-male institution. "You never went into a high school to talk to a young man who projected himself in an all-male collegiate setting," Carlson said. "There aren't high school juniors in Indiana that say, 'Boy, I can't wait to go to an all-male school when I get out of high school.' The biggest factor for Wabash was its academic reputation. People knew that guys that graduated from Wabash were going on to achieve great things in their professional careers."
Still, the 1986 Little Giants struggled through the season, at least in comparison to recent program success. With a 5–3 record entering the Monon Bell Classic, they became only the third Wabash team to lose three games in a season in the previous decade. In order to win a third straight Bell game, the team needed to embody the school motto birthed by a pair of alums in 1919: "Wabash Always Fights."
The offense, featuring Kaiser at running back, Curt Selby at quarterback and Tom Vandergriff at wide receiver, struggled and set a modern-day school record for fewest total yards in a season: 2,208. Linebacker Jay Herrmann and cornerback Marty Kaiser, Bill's younger brother, led the defensive efforts of the team.
"People knew what was coming. We were not offensively successful," Bill Kaiser said. "There were some other guys that came through. That's the great thing about the Bell game. People sometimes surpass what their expected athletic skill level is and do big things."
Only time would tell which Little Giants stood tallest.
A SCORELESS FIRST QUARTER played right into the hands of Wabash. DePauw's offense, led by quarterback Jeff Voris, presented nary a threat of scoring in the first fifteen minutes. A unit averaging 23.4 points per game was held scoreless in the first quarter. The leg of Tom Downham was needed to start the scoring in the second stanza. Three straight DePauw drives ended in Downham field goals of thirty, thirty-five and twenty-one yards. Meanwhile, the Wabash offense was limited to just twelve plays in the second quarter. Little Giant running back Bill Kaiser rushed for a measly twenty yards on eleven carries in the first half, and quarterback Curt Selby threw incomplete passes on all four attempts. One pass did land in a pair of hands, but those belonged to an intercepting DePauw defender.
The Tiger offense tallied 192 total yards of offense in the first half compared to 15 for Wabash but had only a 9–0 lead to show for it. Voris, who transferred to DePauw for the 1986 season after a redshirt freshman season at Division 1-AA Southwest Missouri State, knew his offense should have scored more points in the first half. "We kicked a lot of field goals when we should have scored touchdowns," Voris said. "You always look back...and you kick yourself for a couple passes that get away from you. You felt like you could have done more. We left some points on the board. In that game...it's a sixty-minute game, and guys are going to keep playing."
In the second half, Wabash's offense finally showed some life after a Jim Hebert fumble was recovered by the Little Giant defense. Selby and the Wabash offense started the drive at the DePauw thirty-two-yard line. An eleven-yard completion to wide receiver Tom Vandergriff followed by a defensive holding penalty put the Little Giants in a first-and-goal situation. A nine-yard Selby pass to Vandergriff resulted in the first score of the game for Wabash. The Little Giant offense awoke to trail 9–7 after a dreadful first half.
Voris halted the momentum shift on the ensuing drive. A forty-nine-yard completion to senior wide receiver Doug Penn quieted the Wabash faithful in Crawfordsville. Two plays later, the two connected again and stretched the lead back to nine points. Both teams scored their first touchdowns in a span of two minutes and thirteen seconds.
Even the DePauw and Wabash mascots quarrel over the possession of the Monon Bell. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Another failed offensive possession gave the ball right back to Voris and Co. The Tiger offense moved down to the Wabash twenty-yard line following a thirty-six-yard pass from Voris to Hebert. Five plays later, Voris threw for his second touchdown of the game. Tim Weaver hauled in the nine-yard touchdown pass; Downham knocked in another extra point, and four minutes and thirteen seconds later, the game headed to the fourth quarter with the Tigers leading 23–7. The visitors were threatening to blow out Wabash in Little Giant Stadium. The home team needed a special final quarter.
KELLEY HOUSE FIRST IMAGINED what playing in a Monon Bell game would be like when he attended one as an eleven-year-old Crawfordsville resident. A couple years later, his father, Steve House, joined the Wabash football staff as a volunteer assistant coach. It was only a matter of time before Kelley House became a Little Giant. Following graduation from nearby Southmont High School, House enrolled at Wabash in the fall of 1986 to take his turn at the historic college football rivalry.
As a freshman, House started to learn about the traditions that ruled the Wabash campus in the weeks leading up to the Monon Bell Classic. Suddenly the rivalry became more than a heated football game every November. As a fraternity pledge, House spent part of his week protecting the Crawfordsville campus from DePauw intruders, adding security to his academic and athletic responsibilities for the week. "To be honest, that sucked for us," House said. "For me especially, because you've got this huge game, basically the biggest game of the year for you, coming up and during a critical practice week I'm sitting there with a winter coat on hovered next to a fire watching for DePauw guys to vandalize the campus or do whatever."
Because Wabash students put so much time into keeping the campus and the Monon Bell safe, the clang of the bell could be heard throughout campus during every reasonable hour of the day. The pride of the possession of the Monon Bell became apparent to anyone within ear's reach that week.
On the football team, House found his way onto the field as a special-teams player. He practiced all week looking forward to seeing action in his first Monon Bell game but learned Thursday that he might not get a chance. That's when Wabash head coach Greg Carlson posted the depth chart for the weekend.
House scanned the list looking for his name in the usual places. With a personal preference for the kickoff team, House looked to see where he was slated to line up but didn't see his named listed as one of the eleven starters. He continued to look at other special-teams unit and grew concerned. He asked one of his older teammates, who revealed that Carlson always plays upperclassmen on the special-teams units for the Bell game. Only one unit listed House's name: Tiger Return. "I was super bummed out," House said. "It's like a guy vying for a starting spot and realize he's not going to be playing," House said. "We practiced Tiger Return later that day, and I dealt with it. Come to find out Tiger Return was a punt block."
A 23–7 deficit in the fourth quarter eventually forced House onto the field that Saturday. The Little Giants needed to find a way to spark a comeback, and a DePauw fourth down on its own fourteen-yard line presented an opportunity. The Tiger Return team headed onto the field to try to block the punt. House, a 180-pound defensive back, lined up across from the long snapper with the shortest distance of any Little Giant between him and DePauw punter Michael Ehlers. "I'm over the ball with adrenaline just beyond anything you can imagine," House said. "I remember saying, 'As soon as that ball moves, I'm off.'"
On the snap, House used a swim move to pass by the long snapper. A punt protector took out House below the waist, but his momentum projected him into the air. Falling toward Ehlers, House reached out for the ball. "I actually hit the ground, and then I heard the crowd. I wasn't sure what happened, but I heard this huge roar," House said. "It was an awesome sound." The ball ricocheted off House's helmet back into DePauw's end zone, where Marty Kaiser gathered the football for a Wabash touchdown.
"When I hit the ground, I looked up and saw the ball go off to the right, and I realized I had gotten it. I got it with my helmet," House said. "That's why I wasn't sure that I got it. I didn't really feel it."
In the press box, assistant coach Steve House watched his son shift the momentum of a Monon Bell game. He didn't have to hide his excitement. He celebrated with the other Wabash coaches watching the game from their perched view. "It was definitely a bookmark for me as a coach," Steve House said.
Trailing 23–14 with thirteen minutes and sixteen seconds left in the game, the Little Giants showed signs of life. The momentum shift continued at the other end of the field when DePauw kicker Tom Downham missed a thirty-eight-yard field goal attempt to close a promising drive for the Tigers. Then Curt Selby flexed his throwing arm to orchestrate a crucial drive for Wabash. Following a thirteen-yard run by Rich Riddle to start the drive, Selby threw two incompletions, but the second drew a fifteen-yard pass interference penalty on the Tiger defense. Three Selby completions in the next four plays combined for forty-four yards and put the Little Giants on the three-yard line. Running back Bill Kaiser, looking to finally break through like he was able to the year before, crashed through the line on first down for a touchdown. Another Tim Pliske extra point made the score 23–21, still in DePauw's favor.
Pliske's leg would be needed again shortly.
TIM PLISKE STOOD ON THE FIELD of Little Giant Stadium that Saturday long before most. His teammates were still in the locker room going through pregame rituals. Most fans were still in the parking lots loosening their vocal chords. Pliske and his fellow specialists went through their own pregame routine as the distractions started to fill into the stadium.
"You were out there doing pregame warm-ups as the first group. The quarterbacks didn't come out. The linemen didn't come out. You were out there early," Pliske said. "You pay attention, and you have to be a very focused to be able to do that, but you're aware of everything setting up. People are coming in. The band is starting to play. You really were able to catch the game from start to finish for an entire Saturday afternoon."
Few paid attention to Pliske knocking through field goals before the game, but all eyes would focus on him in the final minutes. A twenty-five-yard Michael Ehlers punt gave Wabash the ball at the DePauw thirty-two-yard line with two minutes and forty-eight seconds left in the game. The Little Giants were virtually within Pliske's range already with a two-point deficit.
Pliske knew his services might be needed, so he headed to the practice net on the sideline to loosen his leg one final time. As if he needed a reminder, nervous teammates approached the sophomore kicker making sure he understood the situation. He could no longer avoid the attention. "Everybody was coming up to me and saying, 'Hey, we're getting there. Hey, we're going to need you. Hey, you ready?' You really don't want to deal with them, but it does bring that awareness to you," Pliske said of the growing anticipation. "That's when you get a sense. Everybody else feels it, too."
When the Wabash drive stalled at the seventeen-yard line, Pliske was called on for a thirty-four-yard attempt on fourth down. But as Pliske awaited the snap, he wasn't the one to flinch. DePauw's defense jumped offside to move the ball five yards closer to the crossbar. Pliske had to reset and refocus.
"If they throw you off just a hair or you're thinking about something else, you're going to miss it. You're going to make a mistake," Pliske said. "It was just having to stop and start over. Beyond that, it was being a creature of habit: put the tee down, count off your steps and nod to your holder when you're ready. It's just routine, routine, routine."
On the snap of the ball, the kick looked the same as many other Pliske field goals. The left-footed kicker swung through the ball, and it sailed right down the middle of the uprights. Teammates hugged Pliske in celebration hoping his kick clinched another year of the Monon Bell in Crawfordsville. DePauw had one minute and six seconds left to prevent that from being the case.
Jeff Voris bounced around in the pocket trying to move his team down the field and create a chance to regain the lead in the final minute. The Tiger quarterback found wide receiver Tom Evans on first down for a twenty-yard gain to move the Tigers out to their own forty-two-yard line. A ten-yard penalty on Wabash and another twenty-yard completion to Evans gave DePauw a clearer view of the end zone from the twenty-eight-yard line. Two incompletions followed and left the Tigers with a third-and-ten with just twenty-five seconds left.
Wabash linebacker Jay Herrmann tried to calm his fellow defenders as they continued to cede yards to Voris and his receiving targets. "We were like a big rubber band that was stretching," Herrmann said. "We knew we were probably going to bend, but we were hoping we weren't going to break."
Head coach Nick Mourouzis stayed at DePauw for twenty-three seasons, winning the Monon Bell Classic eleven times, losing eleven times and tying once. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The Monon Bell sits on the Wabash sideline at Blackstock Stadium for the 1985 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
The DePauw team huddles before the 100th Monon Bell Classic in 1993. Wabash won the game 40–26 to give itself a 46–45–9 advantage in the historic series. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Little Giant quarterback Curt Selby could only watch from the sidelines. "I specifically remember saying all we needed to do was tackle somebody—get a sack," Selby said. "The best thing that could have happened would have been if they completed a pass and we tackled them. I don't know who I was standing with, but we were very clear that they didn't have any timeouts left."
Taking the shotgun snap, Voris dropped back scanning his options to the left, to the right and back to the middle of the field, where he found Greg Werner. Voris released the pass, and the sophomore tight end came back to catch the ball at the twenty-one-yard line. He surged forward but was corralled by a trio of Wabash defenders including Herrmann. The referees ruled Werner down at the nineteen-yard line, just short of a first down. "We thought we had the first down," said DePauw assistant coach Tim Hreha. Looking down from the press box, Hreha could only listen in on the conversation head coach Nick Mourouzis was having with his players on the sideline through a headset. "I remember him saying, 'First down. First down.' He turned to call the play, and the kids looked at him and said, 'No, coach. They're marking it short.' Now we're screaming, 'Field goal! Field goal! Field goal!' And all that time the clock is running."
Tom Downham and parts of the field-goal unit ran out onto the field hoping to get set for a field goal attempt with the clock ticking down to less than ten seconds. Confusion reigned as the clock melted away to zero. Fourteen DePauw players were on different parts of the field as time expired. Downham, waiting behind a scrambling line, raised his hands to his helmet in despair, and the Wabash sideline flooded onto the field.
"It was chaos at the end. You could tell they were scrambling to try to quickly line up," Herrmann said. "It was one of those things where literally they were at the line when the time ran out. It happened so quickly. The next thing you know, the game's over."
Wabash head coach Greg Carlson smiled from the sidelines. "From a Wabash standpoint, it was kinda comical. I'm sure it was devastating from the DePauw standpoint that they just couldn't get the right guys on the field to finish the game. That was an exciting game. We were lucky. We didn't play well for three quarters."
DePauw's Evans could only imagine the outcome if Downham had been able to attempt the thirty-eight-yard field goal. "That was a hell of a way to end it," Evans said. "I certainly had a lot of confidence in the kicker we had. I'll believe for a very long time that we would have made the field goal."
For Curt Selby, the memory of the woeful first half faded away. An incredible comeback completed his first start and, more importantly, his first finish in a Monon Bell Classic. "The old saying 'Wabash Always Fights' was never more true," Selby said. "Even today, if a team gets down and you can hear that chant on the sidelines, it gives me goose bumps. I feel like everybody truly believed it."
Chapter 8
1994: THE ELECTRIC START
WABASH 28, DEPAUW 24
Media attention around the Monon Bell rivalry rose to an all-time high in the mid-1990s. No longer were alums of DePauw and Wabash along with football fans in west central Indiana the only ones paying attention to the tradition-rich rivalry. When the two teams entered the 100th game against each other in 1993 with a dead-even record of 45–45–9, eyes across the country turned to Greencastle and Crawfordsville. National media members wanted to learn more about a rivalry that remained so close and so heated for so long.
National media attention had come before. In 1973, _Sports Illustrated_ devoted nine pages and more than six thousand words after writer John Underwood spent time on both campuses the previous year. In 1979, _CBS News Sunday Morning_ spent eight minutes featuring the eighty-sixth Monon Bell Classic and brothers Mark (DePauw) and Mike Kepchar (Wabash), who split family allegiances as players on both sides of the rivalry.
_Sports Illustrated_ returned to cover the rivalry in 1993. The 40–26 victory for Wabash was detailed in the November 22 issue that featured a cover story on the Notre Dame–Florida State game in South Bend, Indiana, that pitted the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in Division I against each other. The ND-FSU matchup was labeled by some as the "Game of the Century," but the 100th Monon Bell Classic in Greencastle pitted two teams against each other that had been foes for more than a century. The ten-page ND-FSU spread was followed by a seven-page feature on DePauw-Wabash.
Wabash head coach Greg Carlson made sure to stock a collection of copies of the _Sports Illustrated_ story on the 100th game. The national magazine basically printed additional recruiting material Carlson could use when pitching high school students. "That was unbelievable for recruiting," Carlson said. "I'd go into a high school and throw a _Sports Illustrated_ down on the table and say, 'Here's the kind of coverage we're getting from a national media outlet.' That was invaluable for us. I'm sure it was for DePauw even though they lost the game. Just to get recognized by a national sports magazine—that was incredible."
DePauw fans painted themselves with a free advertisement for the network broadcasting the 1994 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Mike Callahan was a junior linebacker on the losing DePauw squad but still valued the national coverage on small college football programs. "For student-athletes at DePauw and Wabash, that's a big deal," Callahan said. "We're student-athletes that aren't going to play in the NFL. We're not going to have that kinda exposure. It was an exciting time for everyone."
The national attention continued into the 101st game in 1994. ESPN2, only a year old at the time, chose to carry the game on a live national television broadcast. The cameras of "The Worldwide Leader in Sports" would capture the sights of a Division III football game in Crawfordsville. Chris Ings, starting quarterback for the Little Giants, played with plenty of future college football players at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, but being featured on ESPN2 brought some bragging rights his way. "It was one of those surreal things. Really, we're on ESPN2? Who would have thought?" Ings said. "I had a fun time giving a hard time to some of my buddies that were playing at least 1-AA football. Check us out. We're on ESPN2, what about you? It was really interesting. Especially with the whole rivalry and how we both had been doing that year and making such a big deal out of it. It was fun."
SECONDS INTO THE 101st Monon Bell Classic, ESPN executives had to be pleased with their decision, as a pair of speedsters for Wabash and DePauw gave the game an unprecedented start for a Monon Bell matchup.
George Lino came to Wabash to run track. Track coach Rob Johnson, with his connections to the United States Track and Field Team, convinced Lino that he could continue a fruitful career in sprinting at Wabash. Recruited out of Arlington High School in Indianapolis, Lino came to Wabash as a five-foot-six, 130-pound freshman and decided to continue his football career while at Wabash as well.
Wabash head football coach Greg Carlson found ways to get the diminutive but blazing Lino on the field as a running back and wide receiver. An ACL injury wiped out what would have been his junior season in 1993, but Lino returned in 1994 feeling as fast as ever. A recorded 4.3-second time in the forty-yard dash helped give him his confidence back. By the time the season finale against DePauw came around, Lino had found ways to put his speed back to good use.
Lino lined up deep as a kick returner awaiting the opening kickoff from DePauw's Pat Evens. The Evens kick carried to the Wabash six-yard line, where Lino corralled the ball near the left hash mark and started up the field. "The thing that stands most vividly in my mind was, as I caught the ball, I still see to this day that wide opening on the left hand side," Lino said. "I remember catching a glimpse of it and making a cut over in that direction."
Lino darted up the field, and by the time he split through the opening at the twenty-five-yard line, he'd already put himself out of reach of most of the DePauw defenders. All he had to do was make a move on Evens. He took an angle farther left toward the DePauw sideline and eluded a diving Evens. By the time he crossed the Wabash forty-yard line, a pair of trailing DePauw Tigers were the only players left for him to outrun. He raised the ball in the direction of the Wabash sideline in celebration after reaching the end zone. Thirteen seconds into the game, Wabash secured a 7–0 lead.
Jon Holloway was not to be outdone. The sophomore defensive back from Indianapolis had running back skills of his own from his prep days at Cathedral High School. By the time he finished his career at DePauw, Holloway set a new school record for career kick-return yardage. The stage awaited him after Lino set the bar high on the opening kick. An Alex Costa kick floated to the five-yard line, where Holloway hauled in the ball on the right side of the field halfway between the hash marks and numbers. Holloway picked up his first block at the twenty-three-yard line and continued down the sidelines, where his blockers set up a running lane. Wabash looked to have him cornered with three would-be-tacklers near the forty-yard line, but Holloway cut sharply toward the middle of the field and left a pile of Little Giants in his dust. "I cut left, and all the other guys kinda just fell over like dominos," Holloway said. "It was like they were on hockey skates. After that it was just run to the end zone."
Holloway crossed midfield and took an angle to the front left corner of the end zone to outrun one last Wabash defender to his right. He flashed the ball in his left hand toward the Wabash sidelines as he finished the final fifteen yards of his ninety-five-yard return. DePauw assistant coach Jeff Voris, who played quarterback for the Tigers in the '80s, was in charge of the kick return unit that day. He felt he couldn't take credit for the outstanding return by Holloway. "We had a kickoff return guy in Jon Holloway who was as good as anyone we were going to play against," Voris said. "He was an outstanding football player."
DePauw and Wabash combined for two touchdowns in the first twenty-nine seconds of the game, but in a bad omen for the Tigers, freshman kicker Jason Gardner failed to convert his extra-point attempt. DePauw trailed 7–6 with fourteen minutes and thirty-one seconds left in the first quarter.
After the game, Holloway's friends asked him what happened to start the game. Their buses from Greencastle hadn't arrived at Wabash in time. "They thought the scoreboard was broken," Holloway said. "They walked in two minutes late and it was already 7–6."
Carlson still hasn't seen a start to a football game that matches the returns of Lino and Holloway. Not a bad way to introduce the ESPN2 audience to the Monon Bell rivalry.
"The opening to that game was the most remarkable opening of a football game I've ever witnessed," Carlson said. "You look up at the scoreboard, and there's fourteen minutes and thirty-one seconds left in the first quarter and it's 7–6. We had ESPN2 there, and I'm pretty sure they're thinking, 'Oh my goodness. We just covered the games of our lives.' So if there's anybody that missed the first several minutes of that game on TV, that's a shame. But if you were watching, you were stuck to that TV the rest of the game. There was no way you weren't watching that game after you saw opening back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns."
AFTER THE DUST SETTLED from a blazing start, the game turned over to the hands of Wabash quarterback Chris Ings. The junior from Indianapolis started his third Monon Bell Classic with the expectations as Wabash's next bona fide star. Starting from game one of his freshman year, Ings built an impressive resume with heroic lore following him. In high school, Ings quarterbacked Ben Davis to state championships in his junior and senior seasons. His 1991 senior team earned national championship honors in three major polls.
Ings's collegiate legend, like many others that choose DePauw or Wabash, started when he chose the Little Giants after considering the Tigers for months. In his four years at Wabash, he cemented himself as one of the top recruits that DePauw head coach Nick Mourouzis regretted not being able to land. "I tried to recruit him like mad," Mourouzis said. The confluence of Ings's relationship with Wabash head coach Greg Carlson, a Ben Davis connection to Wabash wide receiver Chris Wiesehan, and the full-ride Lilly Award Scholarship that Wabash presented the quarterback prospect pointed Ings to Crawfordsville.
A cruel introduction to the Monon Bell rivalry greeted Ings as a freshman in 1992. On the first offensive play of the game, Ings threw an interception to the DePauw defense. Ings later helped lead a Wabash comeback while hobbling through a knee injury. Ings thought he'd won the game on a late touchdown pass to Wiesehan, but the play was nullified by a Wabash penalty. With the uncertainty of Ings's health, Carlson decided to settle for a field goal that forced the game to end in a 17–17 tie.
"As a freshman, I was pretty happy," said Ings, who accounted for both Wabash touchdowns with scores on a thirty-two-yard completion to Wiesehan and a one-yard run. "Hey, we got to keep the Monon Bell. Then you look at the seniors that are actually upset about the whole idea of not going for the win."
Ings further redeemed himself the following year with three more touchdown runs in a 40–26 victory. Then, as a junior, he continued to live up to the lofty expectations in the first half of the 1994 tussle when he punctuated two first-quarter touchdown drives with a three-yard run and a thirty-six-yard pass to Pete Logan. A fumbled punt return by Jon Holloway set ups Ings's first touchdown.
In the second quarter, George Lino struck again, this time from the backfield. "The fact that I was smaller...I could kinda get lost in the backfield," Lino said. "It worked out that we had so many good offensive players—a good offensive line—and I was able to sort of capitalize and take advantage because they couldn't see me if I was lining up in the backfield. They were trying to focus on all these other guys. Any one of us at any given time could have an explosive game."
Lino picked the perfect time to have a breakout game. Late in the second quarter, Lino lined up as the lone back behind Ings. After faking right, Lino took a counter handoff from Ings and started left. A free DePauw defender caused Lino to cut back to his right with a defender diving at his heels from behind. The quick moves from Lino put him in the middle of a blocking convoy before he shot past his teammates and nearby defenders. DePauw linebacker Mike Callahan gave chase but could only attempt a hopeless dive at the end of Lino's eighty-four-yard touchdown. "There's nothing like a long touchdown run because it takes so much out of the other team," Lino said. "If someone is on the one-yard line or the two-yard line, there's this anticipation that there's a very good chance that they could score. But the long touchdowns are impactful in that they really take a lot out of the defense."
The Lino touchdown gave Wabash a commanding 28–6 lead that it took into halftime. The Little Giants outgained the Tigers by a 297–94 margin in the first half. Two DePauw fumbles deepened the hole for an inept offensive unit.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TAUGHT GREG CARLSON to anticipate an unexpected momentum shift in a Monon Bell Classic. Eleven seasons as a head coach and three as an assistant at Wabash provided plenty of examples of Little Giant and Tiger comebacks before the 1994 matchup.
"Momentum's always a key factor in any football game, but in a Monon Bell game, because of the crowd, the importance of the game and everything that leads up to the game, you know as a coach that it's not over till it's over. And that's a true statement," Carlson said. "It doesn't matter what the score is going into the fourth quarter or with five minutes left to go in the fourth quarter. You can fumble, they can make a big play, they can intercept a pass and things can turn quickly. As a coach, I don't remember any Monon Bell game where you just said, 'OK, this one's over.' You never really take a breath."
A helpless DePauw defense in the first half forced a momentum shift in the second half, and the previously invincible Chris Ings started to look human. After DePauw's first offensive series led to another punt, Ings brought the Little Giants out to start a drive near midfield. Then, on second-and-nine, Ings was met by linebacker Tim Cooper blitzing into the backfield to force a fumble. Defensive end Phil Hiscock scooped up the loose ball and rumbled thirty-three yards for a touchdown. This time Jason Gardner converted the extra point to cut Wabash's lead to 28–13.
"We had worked on recovering fumbles all throughout the season and picking it up and running," said Hiscock, crediting assistant coach and former DePauw wide receiver Kevin Perkins with the focus on converting fumbles into returns. "So it occurred very naturally to me. I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing."
Three minutes later, Ings faltered near midfield again. Defensive back Jon Holloway worked all week on a coverage that required him to follow Ings's every move as a spy behind his linebackers. Ings threw the ball over the middle of the field and Holloway stepped in front of the pass and, being no stranger to running in the open field, returned the pick for another defensive touchdown for the Tigers. "He didn't even see me. He was looking over and didn't know that I was lined up right in front of him," Holloway said. "He tried to dink it over the linebackers, and I was just there because I was scouting him. So I ran it back."
The Tiger offense converted a two-point attempt to put the score at 28–21 with nine minutes and seventeen seconds left in the third quarter. A Wabash offense that scored easily in the first half started producing points for DePauw, and suddenly each possession became even more crucial. "We weren't doing what we were supposed to do," said Little Giant running back George Lino. "I was more concerned that we weren't playing up to the level that we should have been playing or that we were capable of playing. It was hard to watch, but internally I was thinking we as a team just have to do a better job."
DePauw quarterback Steve Ganote put together the first offensive scoring threat of the game for the Tigers midway through the third quarter. Passing for thirty-nine yards in the drive, Ganote led the offense to the Wabash eleven-yard line but couldn't muster any more yardage. A twenty-nine-yard Benjamin Fingerhut field goal put another dent in the Wabash lead, but the Tigers remained in a 28–24 hole heading into the fourth quarter.
WHAT STARTED AS A THRILLER turned into a grind-it-out finish. Punts on four straight possessions by the two teams killed the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter. A conservative Wabash offense stopped the streak of turnovers earlier in the second half and worked to run the clock down to hold onto a victory.
A third-and-six at the Wabash twenty-five presented a key moment in the game. A stop, and DePauw's offense would have plenty of time to find a way to score a touchdown. A first down, and Wabash would continue to drain the time on the clock. Chris Ings dropped back to pass, but defensive end Mike Callahan made his way into the backfield and dragged the star quarterback down. Trying to wrestle down the elusive Ings, Callahan grabbed a hold of him with one hand in front and one hand on the back of his shoulder pads. The sack for an eight-yard loss would have forced Wabash to punt. Instead, Callahan was flagged for a fifteen-yard facemask penalty. The tackle forced Ings's head down, but video replays didn't show a clear violation by Callahan. A picture from the play now hangs in the bedroom of Callahan's son. He doesn't remember grabbing any of Ings's facemask. The ESPN2 footage would be available for the DePauw players to watch and wonder what could have been.
"I remember looking at it and Callahan being very upset over that particular play just because he knew that Ings was faking it when he gestured to the ref that his facemask was pulled," said defensive lineman Phil Hiscock. "It was definitely very upsetting for him and for all of us, especially after watching it after the fact."
"At the time, it was a tough pill to swallow," Callahan said. "It was certainly something that I thought about for a long time after the fact."
Wabash ran the clock down to under four minutes, but DePauw's offense received one last chance. Quarterback Steve Ganote moved DePauw's offense to as far as its own forty-eight-yard line, but the drive ended without points for the eleventh time in the game. Ryan Pitcock sealed the game for Wabash with an interception with barely a minute left in the game.
The twenty-eight first-half points for Wabash proved to be enough for Little Giants victory number forty-seven in the rivalry. The mistakes in the second half lingered with Ings, but for the third year in a row with him at the helm, the Monon Bell remained on the Wabash campus for another year. He completed an undefeated career against DePauw the following year.
"We just didn't play well offensively," Ings said. "We were just making mistake after mistake. We were a great offensive football team that year. We had some untimely struggles, and they had some big plays. It came down right to the wire. We were fortunate to win that one."
Chapter 9
2001: THE TIP TO THE CATCH
WABASH 27, DEPAUW 21
Wabash College needed a change. Greg Carlson won 112 games as the head coach of the Little Giants football team, but his success against rival DePauw had waned. After losing to the Tigers for five straight years, Carlson was let go despite a .661 winning percentage in eighteen seasons at the head of the program. Only Pete Vaughan, who coached at Wabash from 1919 to 1945, won more football games (113) for the small college in Crawfordsville.
To replace Carlson, who had compiled a 7–10–1 record against DePauw, Wabash turned to a coach familiar with small college football in the Midwest. Chris Creighton, then head coach at Ottawa University in Kansas, led Kenyon (Ohio) College to a conference championship in 1989 as a quarterback during a career that ended with all-American honors. In 1999, Wabash joined Kenyon in the same conference Creighton won—the North Coast Athletic Conference—and the Little Giant football program completed its first season in the conference in 2000.
Creighton was charged with leading the Little Giants to the top of the new conference and bringing back the Monon Bell to Wabash's campus. Players like junior linebacker Nate Boulais felt the difference that Creighton brought to the program immediately. "Part of the reason why Coach Creighton was attractive to us was because we wanted something bigger," Boulais said. "We wanted more out of the program. He was a guy that was certainly going to push us that way."
Creighton set the new standard in the spring semester of 2001. He started to weed out players less dedicated to winning with fourteen weeks of 6:00 a.m. player workouts. Grueling early morning workouts put an emphasis on discipline for students already being challenged academically at the same time. The program lost twenty to thirty players by the time the semester ended, but the fifty-plus that remained all shared the same goals heading into the summer.
Ryan Short was coached by Creighton only for his last two years at Wabash, but the new coach left a lasting impression. From the moment Creighton took over the program, Short felt a new standard not only for Wabash but also for the entire coaching profession. "I've always compared the greatest coaches that I've met to him ever since then. He's just a whole-different-level type of guy. You realize that when you meet him," Short said. "He created a different level of excitement for the program. I thought there was already a lot, but he brought even more energy and excitement to the program."
By the time the fall rolled around, Creighton led Wabash to a 7–2 record heading into the annual season finale with DePauw. His team rebounded from consecutive losses to Wheaton and Wittenberg in September with six straight victories. Creighton then had to learn what to expect from the Monon Bell rivalry. "They tried to prepare me for it, and I thought it sounded a little over the top," Creighton said. "I'll never forget when [Wabash Director of Sports Information] Brent Harris sat me down and said how many media requests he had for the week. It was obviously a really big deal, but then it surpassed whatever expectations I would have had in that first year."
Creighton might not have known what to expect, but his players certainly did. Boulais came to Wabash in the fall of 1999 in the midst of the Monon Bell drought. "Every professor I had for class, every dean I met on campus, every older guy in the Phi Delt house at Wabash said, 'Hey, how are we looking this year?' The second question would be 'Are we going to win the Bell?' You realized how much it meant to the school. It's like winning the Super Bowl. You learn really quickly how important it was to everybody."
The Wabash seniors had yet to ring the Monon Bell in their three previous seasons. No player on the roster had tasted victory over its archrivals. The motivation to win couldn't have been higher. That's why Creighton decided not to throw any more pressure on his players. He trusted that they could be self-motivated. "I think the rivalry got so cranked up that guys weren't relaxed when they played," Creighton said. "I came in with the approach that it's not just any other game—obviously that's not the case. We just wanted them to be in the moment and to play." Creighton had only one motto for his team. "Our theme for the year was 'We Believe.' As a coach, when you live your theme, you have a special year," said Creighton. "We always spend a lot of time thinking about what the program needs to do to be its best. That first year at Wabash, it was 'We Believe.'"
The DePauw Tigers won their fifth straight Monon Bell Classic in 2000 with a 27–17 score. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
As the final seconds ticked away in the 2001 Monon Bell Classic, Wabash's theme couldn't be more fitting.
A VICTORIOUS DEPAUW TEAM kept five fingers in the air while celebrating with the Monon Bell in 2000. Since the first game between the two schools in 1890, DePauw had beaten Wabash five straight times only once before. The streak spanning 1996 to 2000 matched a streak of the same length from 1960 to 1964. In the five straight wins, DePauw held a 135–51 scoring advantage with only one game decided by fewer than 10 points. DePauw displayed a talent gap between the two schools at times, but good fortune and grittiness played a role in the streak as well.
In 2000, Ryan Short thought his Wabash team was the better of the two. Instead, DePauw went into Crawfordsville and pulled out a 27–17 comeback victory to take an overall series lead of 50–48–9. Wabash led 17–9 after Short caught an eleven-yard touchdown pass from Jake Knott with nine minutes and fifty-five seconds left in the fourth quarter, but DePauw surged ahead with the play of quarterback Jason Lee and wide receiver John Stephens, despite their injured body parts. The two connected for a thirty-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 17–15 before a fifteen-yard Jackson Rust touchdown run gave the Tigers a 21–17 lead with minutes and six seconds left in the game. A twenty-five-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Stephens iced the game with slightly more than a minute left. Stephens, the receiver, played with a broken wrist, and Lee, the quarterback, played on a torn ACL in his left leg.
DePauw quarterback Jason Lee led the Tigers to a 27–17 win in the 2000 Monon Bell Classic despite playing with a torn ACL in his left leg. The victory marked the fifth straight for DePauw. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
Lee hurt his knee in the eighth game of the season against Centre College and sat out the ninth game against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He found a way to hold himself together for the final game of his junior season. "The doctor said you can't really do anything worse to it, so it was kinda taped in a position where it wouldn't bend, and I had a big brace," Lee said. "I wasn't that mobile to begin with, so the offensive line knew they had a challenge."
Not yet having had a chance to play in a Monon Bell game, Lee was willing to play through the pain in order to put his mark on the rivalry that helped sway him to come to DePauw from North Central High School in Indianapolis. "You get that opportunity to play in one of these big games where it's kinda bigger than yourself," Lee said. "You get to watch all these other major college football teams steeped in tradition on Saturdays, and its fun to be a part of one of those types of games. That was one of the reasons I went to DePauw originally, and I was going to do everything to play in as many of those games as I could."
An ambush of DePauw Tigers tackles a Wabash ball carrier. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
As a senior, and with two healthy legs, Lee would get a chance to extend DePauw's winning streak against Wabash to a program-record six games.
CHRIS CREIGHTON WANTED TO BRING some civility to the game. He'd heard stories of fights before, both during and after Monon Bell games. Following multiple altercations between the teams and their fans following games in the '90s, the two schools decided to have the Bell moved to a neutral end zone in the fourth quarter. Previously, if a team lost the Bell, it had to face the opposing team rushing to its sideline to reclaim the trophy. Naturally some shoves and words were exchanged. Placing the Bell in an end zone prevented the teams from crossing paths after the game.
Creighton wanted to take the sportsmanship a step further. On Tuesday before the 2001 game, the athletic directors and head coaches of both schools met for a lunch. That's where Creighton learned that a postgame handshake between teams had been absent from recent traditions. "I basically said, 'Look, my mom will send me to my room if my football team doesn't shake hands after the game. We're shaking hands after the game.' To his credit, [Mourouzis] agreed."
The plan sounded good, but Creighton had yet to be truly introduced to the atmosphere of a Monon Bell game. There was a reason Jake Knott, junior quarterback on the 2001 team and son of former Wabash quarterback Dave Knott, went to a number of Wabash football games growing up but wasn't allowed to attend a Monon Bell game. He didn't get to experience his first game atmosphere until he started his freshman year. Creighton's first taste came that Saturday. "We're driving the bus into the parking lot, and there were people throwing stuff at the bus and giving you the bird," Creighton said. "The student section is there chanting vulgarities an hour and a half before the game as your guys are warming up. We're just looking at each other smiling like, 'You gotta be kidding me,' but in a cool way."
Maybe a simple postgame handshake line would be harder than he thought.
THE GAME COULDN'T HAVE STARTED much better for Wabash. DePauw's offense started the game's first possession but four plays into the opening drive gave the ball to Wabash courtesy of a fumble by running back Matt King and a recovery by Dustin Deno. That's when Jake Knott put in motion an offense that moved the ball down the field against DePauw one series after another in the first half. Wabash's first drive ended with a three-yard touchdown pass from Knott to Nick Dawson, and Wabash grabbed an early 7–0 lead with nine minutes and seven seconds left in the first quarter.
The next three Wabash drives took the Little Giants inside DePauw's 10-yard line. But four drives of 177 yards resulted in just a 14–0 lead. The second drive stalled with two Wabash penalties for a loss of 25 yards after reaching the DePauw 7-yard line and ended with a punt. Another DePauw fumble led to a 15-yard touchdown pass from Knott to junior tight end Ryan Short, ending the third drive of the game for the Little Giants. The fourth drive ended on DePauw's 1-yard line when Val Benoit was denied on a fourth-and-goal by the Tiger defense.
The fifth drive started at the DePauw twenty-two and ended four plays later with a turnover on downs. The Wabash offense left points on the board while its defense stifled the Tiger offense for nearly two quarters. DePauw's offense found life only after Wabash's Stu Johnson fumbled a punt return and gave the Tigers the ball on the twenty-yard line. A Jason Lee pass to Dan Ryan for a four-yard touchdown gave DePauw its first glimmer of hope with two minutes left in the first half. Despite a statistical onslaught, Wabash led by only seven points at halftime.
Wabash redeemed a lost lead in the 2000 Monon Bell Classic with a last-second victory in the 2001 matchup at DePauw's Blackstock Stadium. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
A third quarter full of punts and turnovers kept the score the same until DePauw tied the game with one minute and forty seconds left in the quarter. A forty-eight-yard completion from Lee to Mark Rinehart set up a three-yard touchdown run for King. Wabash was unable to regain control of the game until DePauw fumbled the ball for the fourth time. Wide receiver John Stephens let the ball loose and gave Wabash the ball at its own forty-yard line.
Knott was ready to put his mark on the game. A two-yard run on fourth-and-one at the Wabash forty-nine-yard line kept the drive alive. On the very next play, Knott threw to Josh Bronaugh for a forty-eight-yard completion. Following a five-yard penalty on first down, Knott connected with Short again for a six-yard touchdown pass, and the Little Giants took a 21–14 lead with ten minutes and fourteen seconds left in the game.
Having lost a late lead the previous season, cautious excitement filled the Wabash sideline. Each play ticked away the seconds standing between Wabash and its first Bell victory since 1995. DePauw's ensuing drive ended with three incomplete passes at the Wabash twenty-five. Knott then gave the ball back to DePauw with an interception, but DePauw failed to convert the turnover into points after driving into the red zone. Now four minutes and forty-three seconds remained, and Knott needed to open up a larger lead to seal the game. The drive halted when three straight running plays led to another Wabash punt and gave the ball back to DePauw with one minute and twenty-two seconds remaining.
The game would still need punctuation from Knott in the final minute.
RYAN SHORT SAW HIS TEAM fall apart in the fourth quarter one too many times. All of a sudden, he was having flashbacks to the 2000 loss, fearing that he and his fellow offensive teammates had not scored enough points to give the defense a comfortable lead. He could only watch as DePauw moved down the field in the final minute. "It really reminded me of my sophomore year because they just started plugging away. And in a football game, you kinda loosen up your defense and tighten up your offense, and it's the perfect recipe for a comeback."
A short sixteen-yard punt out of bounds by Wabash's Joe Lonnemann left DePauw sixty-one yards away from tying the game with a touchdown and an extra point. For one last time, quarterback Jason Lee hoped to lead his team to victory. He'd need to orchestrate a no-huddle offense with no timeouts, guide his team into the end zone and force the first overtime in Monon Bell history in order to have the chance.
After an incompletion on first down, Lee completed a pass to running back Matt King for sixteen yards to cross midfield. Another first-down incompletion brought the clock to fifty-nine seconds. Then King connected with wide receiver John Stephens for twenty-two yards to the twenty-three-yard line. Three plays later, Lee found King again for a seventeen-yard reception to the six-yard line.
Standing in the shotgun, Lee took the first-and-goal snap with the clock running and thirty-four seconds remaining. Throwing from the fifteen-yard line, Lee found Stephens cutting across the middle of the field. Stephens caught the pass at the six and headed to the goal line, where he was greeted by a trio of Wabash defenders who tackled him at the one.
As the referees stopped the clock to set the ball and down marker, DePauw offensive coordinator Matt Walker sent a jumbo offensive package into the game. It was a decision he immediately regretted. With less than twenty seconds left and no timeouts, an unsuccessful running play would have left the offense scrambling on third down with few receiving options on the field. "If we get stuffed here, we have time to get off another play, but we clearly couldn't run it again," Walker said. "I'd have to run all these skill guys back on and get back in a throw look. I'm like, 'This is really dumb.' I'm almost ready to throw up because I feel so bad about having done what I just did."
Matt Walker directs DePauw in his third Monon Bell Classic as a head coach in 2008. Walker worked six years as an assistant coach for DePauw and played for the Tigers from 1997 to 1999. The Tigers won seven of the thirteen Monon Bell games during Walker's years with the program. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
Walker's players bailed him out. Lee took the snap with just under seventeen seconds and handed the ball left to King, who followed the push of his offensive line to fall into the end zone. An extra point tied the game with fourteen seconds left in the fourth quarter. "We scored and tied the game, but really it was a big screw-up," Walker said. "We should have just been throwing it, or at least if we were going to run it, we needed to keep our throw package out there and we didn't. Thank God we scored."
If DePauw was thanking God, then Wabash would be praying to Mary moments later. Each second was precious.
DePauw hoped a squib kick would force a frazzled Wabash team to waste time on the kickoff, but freshman Eddie Garza fielded the ball cleanly and went down at the Wabash thirty-seven-yard line, using only 4 seconds. The Little Giants called a timeout with 10 seconds left in regulation and set up a quick pass to senior wide receiver Kurt Casper, who entered the game leading the team in receiving yards but had been limited to just two catches for thirty yards heading into the final drive. On first down, Knott rifled the ball to Casper, who was hit immediately by DePauw defender Cory Partlow, for a nine-yard gain. As Casper went to the ground, he immediately called for a timeout with 2.7 seconds left on the clock. "He was really our last option," Knott said of Casper. "He got absolutely hammered. As he's getting killed, he's calling timeout. It's two plays right in a row where guys were coached well. They were prepared, and they did exactly what they needed to do in that situation—one by a freshman and another by one of our team leaders and captains that year, Kurt, who had given a lot to the program and was just battling his ass off to find a way to go out on top."
Knott and Casper headed to the sideline to decide on one final play in regulation with Creighton. Casper wanted a hook-and-ladder. Creighton waffled between that and their special version of a Hail Mary. Knott wanted the long heave. Knott's voice won out. The play: Colorado Red, an homage to the sixty-four-yard, game-winning Hail Mary pass Colorado's Kordell Stewart threw to Michael Westbrook to beat Michigan with no time left on September 24, 1994.
The play's concept was simple, but the execution was complicated. Knot recalled:
_We practiced it every Friday. We knew exactly what we wanted to do in that situation. We had never used it—we had never been in that situation to use it—but it's like any other play. You practice a lot of things in football that you just don't know when you're going to need it, like a four-minute drill trying to make sure you wind the clock all the way down to a second every play or when you need to run one play and then run the field goal team on in less than sixteen seconds. There are all these situations that you practice; you just don't use them lot of the time. But you gotta be prepared to use them_.
Three wide receivers lined up on one side of the field and sprint for the end zone. Knott aimed for Ryan Short, a six-foot-five target. Depending on where Short was able to get to the ball, Kurt Casper would tell him what to do. "It didn't work very often in practice because it was so complex," Casper said. "The way the play worked was that if Ryan Short, who was the tight end at the time, was in the end zone, I would either tell him to catch it or tip it. If he were short of the end zone, he would tip it. In most cases, less than 50 percent of the time, it didn't work against air."
Short learned in practice just how hard intentionally tipping a football could be. The oblong shape of a football doesn't lend itself to a normal bounce. "I would practice tipping it, and we had about a 40 or 50 percent success rate in practice," Short said. "It's not a volleyball. Tipping a football is a very difficult process. There was a little bit of luck as much as I try not to admit it."
On the sidelines, Creighton challenged his team to live the theme he gave the team earlier in the season: "We Believe." He started chanting the two words, and his players followed. With a plan and a prayer, Knott took the snap with 2.7 seconds remaining on the clock. He rolled to his right, where three Wabash receivers departed downfield on the snap of the ball. DePauw, in a prevent defense, sent most of its secondary back deep to protect the goal line but also sent two defenders to jam Wabash receivers at the line of scrimmage. Linebacker Jason Geringer matched up against Wabash's Nick Dawson, and defensive back Obinna Ugokwe tried to knock Kurt Casper off his route. Lined up in between those two receivers, tight end Ryan Short was able to get off the line free and head for the end zone unmolested.
Waiting near the end zone, DePauw defensive back David Blackburn spied Short nearing the goal line and sized him up. The five-foot-nine defensive back would have to time his jump perfectly to deny the much taller Short. Back near midfield, Knott rolled to his right near the Wabash sideline eyeing his target. While Knott was giving his receivers time to get to the end zone, DePauw defensive lineman JT Benton started to close in on Knott. The quarterback approached the line of scrimmage and launched the ball downfield just before Benton crushed him onto the sideline.
The trajectory of Knott's throw carried the ball to near the five-yard line. Short, waiting by the goal line, drifted forward hoping to out-leap the black jerseys surrounding him. Blackburn jumped in front of Short and linebacker Mike Laszynski lunged behind the Wabash receiver. Two more DePauw defenders—John Christophersen and Freddy Marrero—were stuck a couple yards behind Short's back unable to make a play on the ball. "The ball was in the air, and I saw it," Blackburn said. "I was in front of the ball, and I tried to come toward it and jump up and knock it down. I just wasn't tall enough to climb that ladder."
Short reached higher than his surrounding defenders to deflect the ball toward the end zone, where Kurt Casper waited one yard across the goal line. The ball bounced directly toward Casper, who quickly jumped to catch the ball and win the game for Wabash. He turned directly to the Wabash crowd and raised his arms in jubilance before Dawson and Short took him to the ground.
"I looked back, and it just fell in his hands," Blackburn said. "It was just like, 'Oh my God. You gotta be kidding.' It was kinda like slow motion. There was no way it just landed in his hands like that."
Back near midfield, Knott couldn't see a thing. Benton's hit knocked him under a bench on the Wabash sideline. Then he heard the eruption.
A dog pile of Wabash players formed on top of Casper near the end zone, and the DePauw defenders were left to escape the celebration of the players and fans rushing onto the field. In the midst of the madness, Geringer grabbed the ball Casper dropped during the celebration and headed back toward the DePauw sideline. He punted the ball in frustration and unbuttoned his chinstrap.
Back on the DePauw sideline, the home team stood stunned. Players buckled, overcome by the emotion of a game lost on the final play. DePauw head coach Nick Mourouzis couldn't believe what he witnessed. "You figured, 'We stop them here, and we go into overtime,'" Mourouzis said. "We had momentum, and they knew it, too. To lose that way, you go from a high all the way down. That's the lowest I've ever felt. I've never gone through such an extreme change in emotion in such a short time."
Matt Walker didn't even see the play. He had his back turned to the field while planning the offensive strategy for overtime. When he heard the Wabash crowd, he experienced "a feeling I've never had before." "I couldn't believe it. I've never had a change in emotion quicker than that in my life," Walker said.
With the Bell waiting to be taken back to Crawfordsville, the celebration was halted as both teams formed a handshake line from sideline to sideline. In the face of defeat, DePauw managed to hold its end of the deal on the agreement Wabash head coach Chris Creighton advocated for earlier that week.
"There was a sea of people flooding the place, but our guys went to shake their hands, and their guys came to shake our hands," Creighton said. "The credit goes to DePauw and to their character because that would have been the most difficult moment to change the tide on shaking hands. And they did that. Then our guys went and got the Bell. To me, that's how it needs to be. Credit DePauw for making that happen."
THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS: how exactly did the ball travel from Ryan Short at the five-yard line to Kurt Casper waiting in the end zone. Casper and quarterback Jake Knott were the first to bust Short's chops and joke that the ball bounced off his helmet. The same sentiment still exists for some on the losing team that day.
"A lot of people say that it was a tipped pass back to the receiver," said DePauw linebacker Jason Geringer, who saw the play unfold from where he was guarding Mike Dawson nearby. "I still swear through and through that the ball bounced off his helmet and he missed it. I don't think it was actually tipped. I think he tried to tip it...but I swear it hit off his helmet and bounced back into the end zone." After the game, Nick Mourouzis's son, Ted, told his dad the same thing. "He goes up, he misses it and it hits him," Mourouzis said. "How do you lose like that?
Short has pored over the film of that play like a conspiracy theorist looking for evidence of John F. Kennedy's shooter on the grassy knoll. The footage shows Casper reaching with both hands above his head like a volleyball setter as the ball approaches. When the ball flies toward Casper, Short's hands then separate to the side. It's unclear whether Casper's helmet or hands played a large role in the deflection. To Short, the answer is physics. "If it hit my helmet, it would have bounced a lot differently," Short said. Instead, Short said he used his hands to guide the ball toward Casper. The momentum of the throw took care of the rest.
So the what-ifs live on. What if JT Benton had tracked down Casper a second sooner instead of hitting him after the ball was released? What if the game had gone to overtime? As Knott remembers it, he's not sure he would have been able to play in overtime after the hit he took from Benton. "I didn't break my hand, but it would have been pretty difficult for me to play in overtime," Knott said. "You don't know because maybe adrenaline takes over and you figure it out, but I couldn't really shake hands after the game or that night."
What if Wabash's defense didn't surrender the lead to DePauw with less than a minute left in the first place?
"I couldn't enjoy the win," said Wabash linebacker Nate Boulais. "I was so disgusted that we gave up a touchdown with under two minutes to go. I was praying that we went to overtime. I wanted to win in overtime so that we'd win defensively."
The Monon Bell, circa 2004. _Courtesy of DePauw Archives_.
One what-if that didn't happen prevails over all: What if Wabash didn't believe?
"We Believe" started as a cliché motto that sounded perfectly crafted for team T-shirts. Then it became the lasting legacy of the 2001 Wabash Little Giants.
"Coach Creighton had talked about this exact type of scenario," Boulais said. "There's going to be some kind of scenario where you feel like there's no possible way to win, and we'll figure out a way to win."
When that moment confronted Wabash, the Little Giants lived up to Creighton's promise.
"The moment wasn't the catch," Creighton said. "It was, 'Do we believe when there's only ten seconds left and all the momentum has just shifted and their crowd is going crazy and our crowd is quiet?' That's when I remember going up and down the sidelines basically challenging our guys, just saying, 'Did we think it was going to be easy? Do we believe or not?' And then obviously our guys responded. It was just complete euphoria."
Chapter 10
2007: THE KICK FROM THE QUESTION MARK
DEPAUW 24, WABASH 21
Who is Jordan Havercamp?
That was the question DePauw's student-run TV station asked in an accidentally prescient segment for its 2007 Monon Bell pregame coverage. A reporter spent time with Havercamp, and the two poked fun at his lack of playing time and relative anonymity on the football team. As part of a mocking interview, the reporter asked the sophomore reserve kicker, "What's your philosophy during practice?" Havercamp responded with, "Well, you know, coaches always say you should practice like you play, and well, I don't really play much, so I don't feel like I should take any kicks in practice because I don't kick in the game."
Part of that was true. Havercamp hadn't attempted any field goals in the first nine games of the 2007 season for DePauw, his first with the team after transferring from Denison in the winter of his freshman year. But he had kicked plenty in practice, even as the coaching staff questioned his dedication to the team. That season provided Havercamp with a heavy dose of reality. When he transferred from Denison, he was so confident in his kicking ability that he didn't even reach out to the DePauw coaches beforehand. "[Whether it was] arrogance or not, I figured I would just walk on to another D-3 field and take the spot," Havercamp said. "I didn't really care what the situation was there. I just figured that would be the case."
Havercamp didn't bring much of a resume with him from Denison. As a freshman in 2006, he missed his lone field goal attempt of the season, hit both of his extra point attempts and spent most of his time as a kickoff specialist with a 52.6-yard average on thirty-six kicks. He saw action in the first game of the season for DePauw, but it came with two minutes and seven seconds left in a 47–7 blowout win over Anderson University. Havercamp knocked through the final extra point of the game and booted the ensuing kickoff.
The season opener was a distant memory by the eve of the Monon Bell game. That's when Havercamp once again saw Brendan Smith slated above him as the starting kicker on the pregame depth chart. The end of a frustrating season was nearing. "I was furious," Havercamp said. "I was thinking I went the entire season and didn't get a start. The reason I went to this school was so I wouldn't get redshirted. I had basically been redshirted because of this. I was ticked off."
In the locker room, Havercamp started venting to sophomore offensive lineman David Joeckel. The backup kicker even considered not showing up for the next day's game, but his teammate and Sigma Chi fraternity brother talked him out of it.
Less than twenty-four hours later, Joeckel wouldn't be the only one glad Havercamp showed up.
CHRIS CREIGHTON HAD WABASH ROLLING. The Little Giants entered the 2007 Monon Bell Classic with a 9–0 record and were looking for the fourth perfect regular season in school history. Wabash found success in the North Coast Athletic Conference with four conference titles in Creighton's seven years but also strung together an impressive streak against rival DePauw. The Little Giants won two Monon Bell games in a row and five of the last six spanning back to the last-second victory in 2001.
Confidence came in bunches with the 2007 Wabash team. In preparation for the game, the team may have already had its eyes on the Division III playoffs. "We had no doubt we were going to win the game," said starting quarterback Matt Hudson. "When we watched them on film, we knew they were a good team at 7–2 coming in out of a tough conference. We were undefeated at the time, and we were almost like this is a formality. Let's just finish off this perfect regular season and go into the playoffs with hopefully a No. 1 seed and a lot of momentum."
A sophomore, Hudson wasn't supposed to be leading this team into the Monon Bell game. Fifth-year senior Dustin Huff, a preseason all-American, led the Little Giants into the season but broke his leg in the closing seconds of a 35–33 win over Franklin College. Huff threw for 477 yards and four touchdowns in the victory but suffered the injury as a member of the hands team trying to recover an onside kick by Franklin.
Wabash fans cheer on their team during the 2007 Monon Bell Classic at DePauw's Blackstock Stadium. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
After sophomore transfer Kyle Augustinovicz was given a chance to start the next two games of the season, Hudson took hold of the quarterback position in the second half of game three at Ohio Wesleyan University. Hudson entered a scoreless tie and threw for two touchdowns in a 15–0 win. By the time the regular season finale rolled around, Hudson had thrown for 1,710 yards and seventeen touchdowns.
Hudson's first experience with the rivalry came back in 2005, when he sat in the Blackstock Stadium bleachers as a DePauw recruit and watched the Little Giants win back the Bell. Now he was set to return to Blackstock and start his own legacy in the rivalry.
A defensive first quarter developed in front of eight thousand fans to start the 114th matchup between Wabash and DePauw. The pace favored the Tigers, whose time-crunching running attack led by Jeremiah Marks had defined the team throughout the season. The DePauw defense managed to hold a Little Giants offense, one averaging 35.7 points per game with Hudson as the starter, scoreless for fifteen minutes. But the last play of the quarter offered a glimpse of the high-powered offense Hudson steered throughout the season. He hit senior wide receiver Mike Russell for a 49-yard completion and put the Wabash offense on DePauw's 6-yard line. Three plays later, Hudson gave Wabash the first lead of the game on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. A Drew Oehler kick made the score 7–0 Little Giants.
The Tigers responded on the next drive with the legs of Marks and the hands of Bryan Mulligan. A poor kickoff from Oehler gave DePauw the ball at the Wabash forty-six-yard line, an opportunity the Tigers wouldn't waste. In eight plays, including six Marks rushing attempts for thirty-one yards, the Tigers tie the game. Mulligan, a sophomore receiver, caught a ten-yard touchdown for the first DePauw score on its second trip into the red zone on the day. Kicker Brendan Smith missed a twenty-five-yard field goal attempt to end the first red-zone trip, so Jordan Havercamp came on to nail the ensuing extra point for a 7–7 tie.
The big-play Wabash offense took little time to regain the lead. The following drive was highlighted by an eighteen-yard Hudson run and a thirty-eight-yard pass to Russell before C.P. Porter crossed the goal line on a two-yard rush. An offensive onslaught appeared to be underway at Blackstock with Wabash leading 14–7.
DePauw continued to have success moving the ball as well. A deficit didn't change the Tiger game plan, and Marks and Mulligan were well on their way to record-setting days. Twelve consecutive plays ended with the ball in the hands of one of the two players, and the Tigers marched sixty-three yards down to the two-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Spud Dick mixed in short passes with the repetitive running game.
With just twenty-eight seconds left in the half, head coach Matt Walker called timeout with a third-and-goal play awaiting his offensive unit. Marks had been stuffed on the two previous goal-line plays, so he decided on a different strategy. On third down, Dick faked a handoff right to Marks and looked into the right flat, where senior fullback Brett Claxton found an opening. Dick's pass floated past a jumping Little Giant defensive end and landed in Claxton's hands one yard from the goal line. The only things separating the five-foot-ten, 235-pound Claxton from the end zone were the white-painted "G" signifying the goal line and all-American linebacker Adi Pynenberg. The five-foot-eleven, 213-pound defender stoned the opposing fullback, and Claxton fell backward before the football could cross the plane into the end zone.
Pynenberg entered the game with 407 tackles in his career, a school record, but none were bigger at that point. The Wabash defense needed one more play to complete the stand. Walker elected to attempt another pass on fourth down, but Dick's throw fell incomplete with eleven seconds left in the half. Hudson ran a sneak from his own goal line, and the visitors took a 14–7 lead into the locker room.
A group of Wabash defenders knock DePauw wide receiver Bryan Mulligan out of bounds during the 2007 Monon Bell Classic. Mulligan set a Monon Bell record for catches in a game with fifteen receptions for 145 yards. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
"I can remember being really mad at myself on that one," Walker said. "We had Jeremiah Marks, who was arguably one of the top two or three short-yardage backs in the nation at that point. We should have just handed it to him four times, and he would have freakin' scored on one of them. We got fancy. We threw it to Claxton once in the flat, and he got blasted. We tried play-action to the tight end and it gets knocked down. It was stupid by me."
Walker would have to figure out a way to redeem himself in the second half if DePauw was going to win.
THE WEIGHT OF A MONON BELL MATCHUP had long been understood by Matt Walker. It was a tradition passed down by his father, Dick, who graduated from DePauw in 1968, and his proximity to Wabash while growing up in Crawfordsville. He'd seen countless clashes between the two in-state rivals, and when it was his turn to make a college decision, he followed the path of his father.
DePauw won all three games against Wabash with Walker on the team as a quarterback from 1996 to 1998. He took the final snap in a 42–7 victory in his senior year and still hasn't lost possession of that ball after having his brother stash it away following the game. So when Walker was named DePauw's head coach in 2006 after six seasons as an assistant, he knew how to approach the annual classic—at least how he thought it should be approached:
_I probably treated it a lot different than many of the coaches from Wabash or DePauw in that I didn't ever try to treat it like just another game, because it wasn't. As much as you may want to think that that was the right way to handle it, I knew from playing in it and being an assistant coach in it that it was different because you didn't even feel the same. Your body felt different. You almost felt like you were out of your body that day for a while. I remember that first year, I told myself, "I'm going to go against what a lot of people probably think the right way is to handle this." I firmly believe that no matter what you tell them [the players]—how you try to trick them or what not—they weren't going to feel the same that day. From the second you stepped off the bus that day, it was so different. Warm-ups were different...there was such a different buzz and feel. Why am I going to sit here and try to spin to the guys that we're going to treat this like any other game?_
Instead, Walker tried to channel the emotion and energy that takes over both campuses the week of the Monon Bell game for something meaningful. His team suffered a 23–20 loss at Wabash in his first year as head coach, but a home environment at Blackstock Stadium offered something different.
"I'm going to agree with you that this is going to be different. I'm not going to treat it the same. But I'm only going to do that if we agree that we're going to use what makes it different to practice that much harder, to study film that much harder, to work that much harder," Walker said. "You're going to feel different during the week. You're going to feel different when you go to the weight room. That's fine. Let's agree that that's going to be the case, but let's make sure that the different thing—whatever it is that's hard to define, let's make sure it feeds into something that makes us...work harder and be more intense."
INTENSITY WAS NEVER A PROBLEM for Jeremiah Marks. By the time the last game of his college football career came against Wabash, Marks had already rewritten DePauw's record book for rushing yards in a game, season and career. His day didn't end until he carried the ball forty-five times and caught seven passes for 278 total yards. "I went balls to the wall in every game I went into," Marks said. "I didn't really approach that game differently besides the fact that I knew it was my last game. I feel like I gave my all for every game in general. I don't know. I had a lot of yards and played pretty well that day, so maybe I had a little bit more enthusiasm. I'm not sure exactly."
DePauw running back Jeremiah Marks rushed for 181 yards and caught seven passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns in a winning effort during the 2007 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
Wabash's defense didn't seem to figure out exactly how to stop Marks either. Once again with his team trailing, Marks carried the Tiger offense to start the third quarter. "It was the Jeremiah Marks show," said freshman wide receiver Alex Koors. Six of the first seven plays were runs by Marks, totaling just twenty-one yards. Then he hit Wabash with a big play. Spud Dick dropped back on third-and-fifteen and, instead of throwing deep, dished a shovel pass to Marks at the line of scrimmage. The senior running back started down the middle of the field before cutting left behind a couple of blocks from his wide receivers and beat all Little Giant defenders in a race to the end zone.
DePauw kicker Jordan Havercamp attempts an extra point during the 2007 Monon Bell Classic. Havercamp would later hit a forty-seven-yard field goal with time expiring to win the game. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
A shovel pass was a twist employed by Matt Walker and offensive coordinator Dustin Ward to get Marks the ball in different ways. For an offense that used Marks repeatedly on power running plays up the middle, it was almost a trick play. "That play was awesome. We used it a couple times during the season, but we didn't overuse it," Marks said. "I loved that play. Everybody clears out, and all I had to do was run over a safety or a corner and I'm good."
The game was set to be tied, but kicking issues prevented DePauw from evening the score. Havercamp was unable to knock his third extra point of the season through the uprights.
Somehow, Wabash managed to hold onto a lead despite a defensive performance that disappointed captain linebacker Adi Pynenberg. "Defensively, it was not a sharp game for us," he said. "We really were in a holding-on-for-dear-life type of feeling. We did not feel like we were dictating the pace at all, and we were just kinda relying on our offensive guys to bail us out time and time again."
The Wabash defense did have one more important stop left in it. After the Little Giant offense was forced to punt, DePauw's offense drove into Wabash territory looking to take its first lead of the game. Faced with a third-and-seven, Dick once again looked for Mulligan, who had already caught nine passes in the game, but the pass fell incomplete. With a stable kicking game, Walker would have elected to kick a field goal with the ball on the Wabash twenty-yard line on fourth-and-seven, but both kickers already showed shaky legs. A fourth-down pass attempt by Dick failed, and Pynenberg and the Wabash defense gave the ball to quarterback Matt Hudson with a little bit of momentum.
Wabash picked up a first down in three plays on consecutive runs by running back Evan Sobecki and a completion from Hudson to Brock Graham. Then, with the ball at his own thirty-five-yard line, Hudson struck deep once again. He lofted a pass down the middle of the field to wide receiver Bart Banach, who caught the ball ahead of a trailing DePauw defender and sprinted the final thirty yards for a touchdown. The following extra point gave Wabash a 21–13 lead with fifty-one seconds left in the third quarter.
In desperate need of a score, the DePauw offense sputtered to start the fourth quarter and gave the ball back to Wabash after a three-and-out. Another score for Wabash could put the game out of reach, and the Little Giants were on the move into DePauw territory after three straight completions by Hudson. But the next set of three plays brought two incompletions, and the Little Giants were set to punt.
Sophomore quarterback Matt Hudson throws a pass for Wabash during the 2007 Monon Bell Classic. Hudson lost his first two starts against DePauw before winning as a senior in 2009. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
DePauw quarterback Spud Dick looks to throw a pass during the 2007 Monon Bell Classic. Dick completed twenty-eight of his thirty-five pass attempts for three hundred yards and three touchdowns in a 24–21 victory. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
The miscue on third down still haunts Hudson. Needing five yards for a first down, Hudson found Mike Russell open on the Wabash sideline past the first-down marker. Rolling left, Hudson's imperfect pass forced Russell to fall to the ground to make the grab. Russell caught the pass, but a referee ruled him out of bounds. "The referee comes up and just starts waving his hands above his head as if to signal to stop the clock and a first down, but after doing that for about a half a second, he went and signaled incomplete," Hudson said. "As far as I could tell, he did get his foot in."
Replays showed that Russell may have completed the catch inbounds, but Wabash would have to punt and rely on its defense to hold onto the lead.
DePauw head coach Matt Walker and offensive coordinator Dustin Ward never strayed from the game plan. Their offense continued to run the ball and look for short passes, even with the time in the fourth quarter ticking away. The Tigers needed to sustain a drive, and fourth-down conversions became a necessity. The players called on to make those plays weren't new. DePauw wasn't going to be able to win without the legs of Jeremiah Marks, the hands of Bryan Mulligan and the arm of Spud Dick. Helped by consistent blocking from the offensive line, the Tigers scratched for the necessary yardage.
With slightly less than eleven minutes left in the game, the DePauw drive started at its own seventeen-yard line. A nineteen-yard Mulligan reception on first down brought confidence, but the three short plays left the Tigers with fourth-and-one. Dick moved the chains with a three-yard run and then once again hit Mulligan for nineteen yards on first down. The Tigers moved deeper into Wabash territory when another fourth down greeted them at the twenty-seven-yard line. A five-yard completion to Mulligan allowed the offense to remain on the field. Three plays later, the Tigers had the ball first-and-goal on the nine-yard line. Marks was stuffed on a run up the middle on first down, so DePauw decided to try something different. On second down, Dick dropped back and flipped a shovel pass to Marks, the same play that had scored earlier, and Marks found a crease behind his blockers to dive into the end zone. An unconventional play for the DePauw offense found pay dirt twice.
"It takes a certain amount of timing to make it look like a pass to get the defensive ends up the field, and then it's a left-handed pass for me," Dick said. "That took a little bit of getting used to. We were certainly surprised that we scored two touchdowns on it. It was certainly a surprise that it worked that well."
In order to tie the game with three minutes and thirty-seven seconds left, the Tigers needed a two-point conversion. Fortunately for them, they had practiced one all week. Dick still remembers the play call: Explode to Right Hap 31 Net. The play required freshman wide receiver Alex Koors to start on the left side of the offense, motion to the other side and settle down behind the line of scrimmage while other receivers worked to get open in the end zone. "We ran that play so many times during practice. All week, all year, my entire four years, Coach Ward was anal about having a two-point play ready in case we needed it," Koors said. "We ran that play so many times throughout that week, and I don't think I got the ball one time."
This time he was needed. Dick scanned the end zone for his other targets, but the two receivers on the right side were covered. Dick's initial look to those receivers sucked the defense with them toward the middle of the field. That left Koors wide open at the five-yard line just outside the numbers on the field.
"I wanted to make a hand gesture, maybe yell or something like that toward Spud, because I was open," Koors said. "But at the same point in time, you do that and then somebody sees you there. Luckily he went through all his reads and hit me."
Koors caught the ball in stride and raced to the pylon at the goal line. He dove and reached the ball out and snuck in before diving Wabash linebacker Matt Kraft could stop his momentum. The unlikely freshman, who caught only one other pass all game long, tied the game.
WITH THE BIG-PLAY ABILITY it had already shown throughout the game, Wabash's offense still had a chance to win the game. That hope started becoming more of a reality on the fourth play of the drive when Matt Hudson hit Chad Sorenson for a nineteen-yard completion down the left sideline and moved the Little Giants to the DePauw forty. C.P. Porter then rushed for five yards on first down, and Hudson threw an incomplete pass on second down. Wabash head coach Chris Creighton brought his team to the sideline for a timeout with one minute and thirty-three seconds left.
It was time for Hudson to complete the big third-down pass that he failed to do the drive before. Once again, he threw for Mike Russell, and once again, the play ended with an incomplete pass. After the game, Hudson realized he missed a wide-open receiver on the play. But in the moment, he had to worry about fourth down. This time, Creighton let Hudson make the call. Hudson wanted to try Russell, who caught fifty passes on the season, one more time. The Monon Bell game wouldn't bring a fifty-first reception. Hudson heaved a pass deep down the right side of the field, but DePauw cornerback Jevon Pruitt forced his way in between Russell and the ball. Pruitt leaped to make the interception but pinned his team at the four-yard line. An incompletion would have given his team a decent chance of moving down the field in the final minute. Instead, the game seemed destined for overtime with DePauw ninety-six yards from the Wabash end zone and just eighty-three seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"The last thing you want to do is turn the ball over to give them a shot to score," said DePauw quarterback Spud Dick. "So I think the original intent was just to run out the clock, but with the thought that if we got a first down that we could take a shot at it."
So Dick handed the ball off to trusty Jeremiah Marks on first down, and he took the ball out to the nine-yard line. Hoping to get the ball back, Wabash took a timeout. A four-yard run on second down by Marks left the Tigers with a third-and-one and the possibility of giving the ball back to the Little Giants for a last-minute drive. Instead, Marks bounced around for an eleven-yard gain, and the Tigers were no longer in the shadow of their own goalposts. A shovel pass to Marks for no gain on first down led to a DePauw timeout with thirty-one seconds left. Marks then ripped off a fourteen-yard run to the thirty-eight-yard line. With the Tigers suddenly threatening to cross midfield, Wabash took a timeout to regroup. Without the timeout, Wabash would have been called for a penalty for too many players on the field following a substitution.
Receiver Bryan Mulligan lines up wide on DePauw's final drive in the 2007 Monon Bell Classic. Mulligan caught two passes for twenty-five yards on the drive to help set up Jordan Havercamp's game-winning field goal. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
"The first couple plays were pretty conservative," Dick said. "Then we were able to hit a dig route to Mulligan that really broke it and got us nineteen yards. At that point, we realized that we really could get into field goal range with enough time." Having someone to make that field goal was a different story. But with the ball at the Wabash forty-three and thirteen seconds left, the Tigers took a timeout. They just needed a couple quick plays for a prayer. "Given what had happened earlier in the game and the last couple games, I didn't think we had a field goal kicker that could come through," Dick said. "We missed an extra point earlier in the game. I knew it couldn't hurt to get into field goal range to give him a shot."
That's exactly what Dick and the Tiger offense would do. The quarterback looked right for a six-yard completion to Mulligan, who stepped out of bounds with 8.9 seconds left on the clock. Then Dick threw to Marks, who caught the ball near the hash mark at the thirty-five-yard line. Relying on the legs that already churned out so many yards in the game, Marks broke two tackles in the open field before darting for the Wabash sideline. He lunged out of bounds at the Wabash twenty-nine with 2.4 seconds left on the clock.
Now Walker had to pick a kicker or draw upon a Hail Mary. Six years to the day from the famous game-winning catch by Wabash's Kurt Casper in 2001, a last-ditch effort before overtime was only fitting.
WHO IS JORDAN HAVERCAMP? He's the kicker Matt Walker picked to give one chance to beat Wabash. All season long, the coaching staff favored Brendan Smith, a senior who also played baseball for Walker at DePauw. Walker decided to give Havercamp a chance, with Smith having missed nine of his fourteen field goal attempts throughout the season.
Still, many didn't know the answer to the question—even Walker. "Embarrassingly, I didn't know much about him," Walker said. "I was getting to know him like any other new player. Especially with those kickers and punters, you're just not around them as much."
Maybe a fellow player would know him better. "Honestly, I can't say I had said more than a couple words to him," Marks said. "He was a really quiet kid. There had been punters and kickers in the past that I was friends with and who I would talk to all the time. But he was a younger kid and pretty quiet, so I never really talked to him before."
DePauw celebrates with the Monon Bell after Jordan Havercamp's game-winning field goal in 2007. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
How about fellow first-year player Alex Koors? "I knew nothing about Jordan Havercamp," Koors said. "I didn't know what his leg was like. I just knew he wore that hideous jersey. I think if he untucked it, it would have gone down to his knees. I knew nothing about him."
Even the announcers of the HDNet television broadcast were left with little detail on the identity of DePauw's kicker. Throughout the game, Joe Emmick, a 1992 Wabash grad, and Rob Doyle, a Monon Bell–winning quarterback for DePauw in 1981, joked throughout the second half that the game wouldn't be decided by a field goal from either team.
To Havercamp, the answer was simple. He was the guy that should have been kicking all season long. Each week, he'd compete with the rest of the kickers in competition and come away thinking he had the better leg. But the coaching staff hadn't put its faith behind Havercamp. That changed when Walker gave him the chance to win the game. Thousands would soon know exactly who Jordan Havercamp was.
Out trotted Havercamp with holder Brad Paus, and the two set up for the kick on the right hash mark at the thirty-seven-yard line. There stood Havercamp near the forty, a scrawny six-feet and 170 pounds, wearing a different jersey than most of the team. He wore number fifty-two, which was also worn by junior defensive lineman Grant Wright, so Havercamp's jersey was an older version, with "DEPAUW" in larger white letters across the chest and white paw prints lower on the sleeves rather than on the shoulders.
The snap came with 2.4 seconds left. Paus set the ball down, and Havercamp gave it a whack. "Right when I kicked it, I knew it was long enough and I knew it was high enough," Havercamp said. "From my angle—I had the perfect angle—I could tell it was going in. I had the right line. I was celebrating."
Shortly after the ball left the ground, Havercamp jumped up with arms raised to signal a good field goal. The ball remained true to Havercamp and sailed through the uprights with at least five yards to spare. DePauw beat Wabash 23–21.
DePauw players piled on Havercamp while the Tiger faithful flooded the field in celebration. After what seemed like ages to the Wabash players, DePauw collected itself and lined up for the postgame handshakes before claiming the Monon Bell.
A GAME LIKE THAT lasts with players and coaches. The victors remember the joy of the celebration, and the losers take pain in every mistake that led to the loss. Chris Creighton, who left Wabash following the 2007 season, still takes the blame for his team's loss. "I failed to lead our team that game," Creighton said. That day, Creighton preached to his team about being tough-nosed. He even wore a bandage across his nose to symbolize the team's toughness. The motivation didn't translate onto the field. "On that day, they were tougher than we were," he said. "I failed to get our team to be the hardest-nosed team on that day. And that's why we lost. We got beat. They wanted it more than we did, and they played harder. It's hard to say that to a Wabash team. I could count on maybe two fingers how many times that happened in my seven years there."
Hudson, who finished the game with twenty-one completions for 322 yards, still looks at those two incomplete passes on critical third downs. "In the grand scheme of the game, little plays like that don't seem like they would be that big of a deal, but obviously they did end up being a big deal. Overall, we just didn't play our best game that day," Hudson said. "I think anybody who was on the team would tell you that. We felt like we would have beaten that team probably seven or eight times out of ten. We didn't play our best, and it's one that we'll always look back on and regret."
Wabash's Allen Athletics and Recreation Center sits void of the Monon Bell the day of the 2008 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
DePauw student Brad Hilbrich rings the Monon Bell on DePauw's sideline during the 2009 matchup between the Tigers and Little Giants. Wabash won the game 32–19 in Blackstock Stadium to take the Bell back to Crawfordsville. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
A DePauw helmet is raised to the sky during the 2009 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
DePauw's empty sideline awaiting the 2009 Monon Bell Classic at Blackstock Stadium. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
Television cameras sit atop the press box at Blackstock Stadium waiting to capture the 2009 Monon Bell Classic. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
Wabash quarterback Matt Hudson refused to lose his final Monon Bell Classic in 2009. Faced with a fourth-and-one on Wabash's own seventeen-yard line, Hudson told Little Giant head coach Erik Raeburn, "I will not fail you, Coach." Hudson gained the yardage needed on a quarterback sneak and allowed the Little Giants to hold on to a 32–19 victory. _Courtesy of Tom Runge_.
Linebacker Bryan Watson celebrates a Wabash victory in the 2009 Monon Bell Classic. Watson totaled four tackles and a forced fumble in the win. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
Wabash fans celebrate a score in the 2009 Monon Bell Classic at Blackstock Stadium. _Courtesy of Alex Turco_.
To this day, Adi Pynenberg doesn't like to return to Blackstock Stadium. Cheering on Wabash Little Giants trying to do what he couldn't as a senior is the only thing that brings him back. "It sucks. I hate being in their stadium. Their stadium is not fun to watch football games in," Pynenberg said. "My wife and I haven't missed one Bell game since I graduated and got done coaching there. We've been to that game more than homecoming or any of the other games combined. We don't like going to Blackstock, but we do to root everybody on."
Wabash has won the two games in Blackstock Stadium since, but every other November, the memory of Havercamp's kick still hangs in the Greencastle air.
Appendix I
THE BALLAD OF THE MONON BELL
"THE BALLAD OF THE MONON BELL"
© DePauw University, 1985
Lyrics by Darel Lindquist
_Long before the cannonball traveled through her towns_
_The state of Indiana owned the jewel of the crown_
_The train, they called the Monon, the stories they still tell_
_The Cavemen and the Tigers playing for her bell_
_It rode like a masthead on engine ninety-nine_
_Crawfordsville to Greencastle, then further down the line_
_The Cavemen came from Wabash, the Tigers from DePauw_
_Since eighteen-ninety they have played the last game ev'ry fall_
_Many years they played for pride, oh the stories they could tell_
_Then in thirty-two the Monon train gave up her precious bell_
_They said, "Here take this symbol of smoke and fire and grit_
_And give it to the winner, a symbol not to quit."_
_Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw_
_Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev'ry fall_
_Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw_
_Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev'ry fall_
_Suddenly the boys of autumn had fire in their eyes_
_Blood and spit, but never quit, fighting for the prize_
_The medal to the victor, the symbol to the school_
_Wabash and DePauw became a yearly duel_
_Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw_
_Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev'ry fall_
_Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw_
_Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev'ry fall_
_Now history has recorded the players and their games_
_And to this day they still play for the Bell in Monon's name_
_Those who've gone before return each November day_
_Swapping stories and the legends for those who did not play_
_Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw_
_Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev'ry fall_
_Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw_
_Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev'ry fall_
Appendix II
MONON BELL RESULTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tyler James has spent his falls on and around football fields since early childhood. Michigan-born and Indiana-raised, he grew to love the game as a coach's kid, a high school football player and, now, a newspaper reporter. A 2011 graduate of DePauw University, he currently works as a staff writer for the _South Bend Tribune_ covering Notre Dame football recruiting year-round.
_Visit us at_
www.historypress.net
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const angular = require('angular');
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Q: How to get filename after upload Drupal 8? I am building a form and where te user can upload a file. Since I am using Drupal I am using the managed_file. The file is being uploaded but I cannot seem to get the filename out of the form... This is my code
Buildform:
$form['formfile'] = array(
'#type' => 'managed_file',
'#name' => 'formfile',
'#title' => t('File'),
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'#upload_location' => 'public://trainingrequests/',
);
Submit
drupal_set_message($form_state->getValue('formfile'));
I have literally tried everything.
A: You first need to get the entity ID of the File entity, then load the entity:
$formfile = $form_state->getValue('formfile');
if ($formfile) {
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You can browse the source code of the File entity in your file system: core/modules/file/src/Entity/File.php
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Get ready for an inside look at the Jonas Brothers' comeback.
Amazon Studios announced on Monday that it has teamed up with the band, Philymack, and Federal Films, a division of Republic Records, for a documentary detailing the brothers' recently-launched comeback to music.
"Our fans are the best in the world and have shared in our journey as the Jonas Brothers and us as individuals," the Jonas Brothers said in a statement. "In releasing this documentary we wanted to make sure we partnered with an innovative platform, like Amazon, that could reach our fans around the world."
Though the film's release date has yet to be announced, it will be instantly available exclusively to Amazon Prime Video users in over 200 countries upon its release.
"Amazon Prime Video is proud to be the exclusive home for a very personal, behind the scenes look at the Jonas Brothers as they reunite for this exciting tour," Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, said of the project. "Experiencing the brothers back together again is the news that everyone hoped for and we can't wait to share this intimate and compelling documentary special with all of our customers."
Amazon's untitled Jonas Brothers project follows several recent successful music documentaries that have been offered by rival streaming platforms: YouTube released "Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated" in 2017, the same year that Netflix released "Gaga: Five Foot Two."
The Jonas Brothers, which consists of brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas, released the song, "Sucker," and its accompanying music video, on Friday, February 28, one day after announcing they had reunited. It was the band's first original recording in six years.
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Posted by: irishhawk | July 26, 2011
A Tribute to Legendary Libertarian Philosopher John Hospers
By Libertarian Defense Caucus Special Columnist Wayne Allen Root.
Our Friend John Hospers Passes Away
I have sad news to report…John Hospers, the very first Libertarian Presidential candidate in 1972, has passed away. John was 93. Because of our close friendship, I was asked to announce his death to the LP and his many fans and supporters.
John passed quietly away in his sleep, on Sunday morning June 12 without pain and suffering, of natural causes. He died only 3 days after his 93rd birthday.
He was a true friend of individual liberty and freedom.
A sad day for all. But a devastatingly sad for me, because John was a true friend to me as well. I spoke to John often. He was a trusted political advisor and confidant. And in his last years, when he was in the hospital, his friends always asked if I could cheer him up with a call. I came to enjoy those calls. John was my personal "Tuesday with Morrie."
He was the sweetest man alive, and a very loyal friend of mine. He will be greatly missed by all. The Libertarian movement has lost a pioneer and hero.
I send my condolences to the Hospers family.
And I wish a lifetime in heaven for John.
The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the author and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions, policies, or strategies of The Libertarian Defense Caucus or any individual Caucus member thereof.
Posted by: irishhawk | April 1, 2011
Perverse incentives in punishment of reformers and tolerance of the worst.
By Kevin Bjornson.
The principles of natural justice (Jus Naturale) are discoverable through
conscience and reason. This natural law applies to all natural persons,
in all places and for all time. The world will choose between natural
law and sharia law.
We know through observation that all existing governments are flawed.
Created to protect rights, these guard dogs often revert to wolf-like
behavior, stealing from and assaulting those they are supposed to
protect. This means, all existing governments should be reformed
or replaced. Yet there are not enough resources to do all that needs
to be done, all at once.
Not all governments are equivalent. Some are worse than others.
Governments that are reforming toward freedom, should be applauded,
rather than overthrown. Governments that are most threatening,
should be top of the list for abolition.
Bad people who reform, should be applauded for their good actions.
If instead they were punished for not coming close enough to good,
that would tend to push them away, back toward evil.
Gadhafii decided to dismantle his nuclear weapons program after
he saw Bush depose Saddam over that very issue (among other
issues). He also paid blood money to atone for his previous
terrorism. One of his sons even studied Austrian economics.
These kinds of good actions earn him respect and a seat at the
table of nations, with diplomatic relations and trade.
In contrast, the mad mullahs of Iran, after a temporary pause
about the same time (after the Iraq invasion), are proceeding at
full speed in pursuit of nuclear weapons. The Iran government
is more powerful than Gadhaffi's, and currently supports an
extensive network of terrorists, including agents helping to
kill American soldiers in Iraq.
The crazy dicatator of N. Korea kills millions of his own
people in a government-induced famine, due to their extreme
communism and international isolation. Yet we bargain with
them, to give them more aid.
The Islamist regime in Pakistan presides over a holocaust
of non-Muslims, expands it's nuclear arsenal, imprisons an
American who resists an armed assault, and continues turning
a blind eye to (or even supporting) terrorists in Afghanistan
and Kashmir. Yet they still receive US aid.
The message this sends is, if you're anti-American enough
and powerful enough, you get a pass. If you reform and try
to work with the west, and you're not very strong militarily,
you will be deposed by the west.
Whatever is rewarded, we will tend to see more of.
Whatever is punished, we will tend to see less of.
The end result in Libya and Egypt will be sharia law and
dictatorship of the Muslim Brotherhood. The result in
Iran and N. Korea will be more of the same. Trust and
belief in America are plumetting, our enemies are
strengthening.
There is something wrong with this picture.
Kevin Bjornson is the National Co – Chairman of The Libertarian Defense Caucus. He is considered one of the foremost libertarian intellectuals in the nation.
Posted by: irishhawk | March 1, 2011
National Co – Chairman Bjornson Responds to LP "Cut and Run" Communique
Libertarian Defense Caucus National Co – Chairman Kevin Bjornson penned this response to LP Executive Director Wes Benedict's intellectually dishonest "Cut and Run" communique. The full text of Benedict's bizarre and baseless rantings follows Co – Chairman Bjornson's response:
Fellow libertarians–
After a temporary lull in hostilities, LP director
Wes Benedict has once again declared war on
history, common sense, and liberty.
Reagan's method and purpose of deploying
US Marines in Lebanon was misguided. They
were lightly armed, bunched together in a
readily-accessible barracks, and given no clear
mission. The phrase "peace keeping" is not a
substitute for strategy, and certainly they were
not tasked with attacking Jihadists.
Lebanon's Christian minority, which was once a
majority, was largely middle-class and built Lebanon
into what was a "Switzerland of the middle east".
That was before Islamists tore their country apart,
through bombs, murder, robbery, and sexual assault.
The US could have charged the Lebanese infidels,
or neighboring Israel, for protection services. That
would have been an option in a libertarian foreign
policy–but apparently not the "non-interventionist"
foreign policy of Rothbardites.
That being said, the US withdrawal sent a wrong
signal to our enemies. We were "punked" and
simply withdrew. That was a reward to Jihadists.
They attacked us, and got what they wanted.
If rewarded, Jihadist demands will keep escalating.
Their ideology commands nothing less than world
domination. They have a bloody history–going
back well before the US was born and before Europe
was a world power. Before the Enlightenment gave
the west the edge, Islamist Barbary coast pirates
would raid Europe's coastal cities, for plunder and slaves;
until the US navy under Jefferson, the British navy,
and French forces, defeated them.
How to deal with Jihadism, is a matter for debate within
the libertarian movement and party. For one faction
to seize control (by showing up at national conventions),
and then proclaim that their plan is the only one possible
for libertarians, is false and misleading.
We cannot assume that US defense costs would fall,
if all US forces were withdrawn to within US borders.
Fighting a war on US soil, would be enormously
expensive to US infrastructure, and result in US
civilian deaths. Not being able to project US power
into the foreign sanctuaries of Jihadists, would force
us into passivity, having to defend every possible
target all the time. Instead of choosing the time and
place of conflict.
If the US adopted Wes' foreign policy,
US military and war costs would skyrocket.
There are ways of financing and privatizing
the US military, which Wes has been made
aware of, but chooses to ignore.
Further, we pledge that if libertarian hawks were to
become the majority faction at LP conventions,
we would not abuse our position of power by
mis-representing our foreign policy views as the only
ones possible under libertarianism. That much is
required by intellectual honesty.
We would welcome libertarian doves for other reasons.
By running only doves in political contests, the LP would
tend to siphon votes disproportionately from the Democrat
party base, which is also dovish. Under current leadership,
the LP is simply a minor shill for Republicans, who have
shown that they are not serious about either liberty or
effective counter-Jihadism.
Consequently, the Libertarian Defense Caucus calls for
the replacement of LP director Wes Benedict and LP chair
Mark Hinkle
The full text of Mr. Benedict's "Cut and Run" screed:
Dear Friend of Liberty,
In the Middle East, it's time to cut and run like Ronald Reagan did in 1984.
In 1982, President Reagan ordered American Marines into Lebanon as part of a "multinational peacekeeping force." In 1983, there were several bombings targeting Americans in Lebanon, including the well-known Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines.
At first, Reagan insisted that the U.S. would keep military forces in Lebanon. But in February 1984, he changed course and ordered a complete troop withdrawal.
The following is from Reagan's autobiography:
Perhaps we didn't appreciate fully enough the depth of the hatred and the complexity of the problems that made the Middle East such a jungle. Perhaps the idea of a suicide car bomber committing mass murder to gain instant entry to Paradise was so foreign to our own values and consciousness that it did not create in us the concern for the marines' safety that it should have.
In the weeks immediately after the bombing, I believed the last thing that we should do was turn tail and leave. Yet the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics forced us to rethink our policy there. If there would be some rethinking of policy before our men die, we would be a lot better off. If that policy had changed towards more of a neutral position and neutrality, those 241 marines would be alive today.
I think our government would be well-advised to think about that quote before they stick their nose into Egypt, Libya, and other Middle Eastern countries in turmoil right now.
I applaud Reagan's decision to withdraw from Lebanon, and I call on President Obama to follow his example by withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the rest of the greater Middle East.
Even though many Arabs hated the American intervention in Lebanon, it's important to remember that Reagan's withdrawal did not result in terrorist attacks in America. It did not result in a spreading takeover of Middle Eastern governments by terrorist groups. What it did was stop further American casualties, and allow for a reduction in military spending.
It was foolish and wrong for Reagan to send American troops into Lebanon, but it was good that Reagan was able to recognize his mistake and withdraw those troops.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, President George W. Bush's pride and stubbornness prevented him from following Reagan's example. Unfortunately, President Obama has shown that same pride and stubbornness so far.
A withdrawal might cause President Obama to lose face, but it would save many American lives, and it would help save our economy as well.
Many people say "cut and run" as if it were cowardly or idiotic, but that may not be accurate. Apparently the term comes from navigation, when in dire circumstances a ship's captain might quickly cut the anchor line, raise sail, and "run" before the wind. You lose the anchor, but you save the ship.
I am so frustrated. Sometimes I think we're spending a trillion dollars and wasting thousands of lives in the Middle East just because politicians are scared of the words "cut and run."
But I say that's exactly what we should do: cut and run.
The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions, policies, or strategies of The Libertarian Defense Caucus or any individual Caucus member thereof.
Posted by: irishhawk | January 26, 2011
Libertarian Defense Caucus Condemnation of Moscow Airport Terrorist Attack
By National Caucus Co – Chairman Kevin Bjornson
The Libertarian Defense Caucus stands in solidarity with Russian people, culture, and defense forces against the horrific terrorist attack at the Moscow airport. An attack which murdered dozens, and maimed scores more.
Let us speak the name of this terror: Islamic Jihad.
Let us make these declarations:
–America and Russia should be allies in this struggle to reverse the spread of Islamist aggression; much as Rome and Byzantium upheld civilization against barbarians.
–America should cooperate by extraditing to Russia, those who are wanted for aiding terrorists and who now have sanctuary in the US. In particular, Imad A. Ahmad of the Islamic-American Zakat foundation, which has supplied terrorists in Chechnya.
*–NATO should expel Turkey because it seeks to restore the caliphate by alliance with terrorists, including those now attacking Russia.
*–Russia should be invited to apply for NATO membership,
and resume it's rightful place as an heir to Byzantium.
* The Caucus holds no official position on the admittance of Russia into NATO nor the expulsion of Turkey from the alliance.
The guiding principle of the Caucus is that all member nation-states should be held to the highest ideals of republican governance.
A Personal Appeal To Anti – War Libertarians
Hi, many of you are longtime foes of mine. That's fine. I wanted to point your attention to an editorial by my friend in the Australia Libertarian movement James Fryar over at Worldwide Liberty, "AntiWar vs. Pro-Defense Libertarians." Jim asks pointedly of the AntiWar faction of the libertarian movement:
"We don't ask the AntiWar swabs to go over there and fight. But at least, they can offer moral support"
And Jim is correct. We Pro-Defense libertarians understand fully that you all hate the Military, and are opposed to all Wars. But surely your opposition to Defense can not include support for Islamo-Fascism and Sharia Law?
No doubt most of you have been witness to the gross atrocities committed by Muslims against Christians, all across South Asia, Africa and the Middle East these past few weeks and months. You've seen the stories, as Clifford May of National Review points out:
Christian churches have been bombed in Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, and the Philippines. In Indonesia a mob of 1,000 Muslims burned down two Christian churches because, according to one commentator, local Islamic authorities determined there were "too many faithful and too many prayers." In Iran, scores of Christians have been arrested. In Pakistan, a Christian woman received the death penalty for the "crime" of insulting Islam; the governor of Punjab promised to pardon her — and was then assassinated for the "crime" of blasphemy.
And that's only half the story. In Europe, in the UK, Pakistani men are raping young British girls, because they "dress like sluts." In Denmark, they are attacking the headquarters of the newspaper that publishes cartoons mocking Muhammed. In Sweden an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist tried to blow up hundreds of Christmas shoppers in downtown Stockholm.
In Uganda and Tanzania, Muslim groups are pressuring the governments to declare homosexuality illegal, punishable by life in prison, or even execution. In Somalia, music has been completely banned, and women are not permitted to work outside the home. The very latest; if they get caught shaking the hands of a non-relative male, they could be beheaded.
Surely, you all recognize how this conflicts enormously with libertarian values.
We understand your position and your personal feelings prevents you all from wanting to do anything about it.
But a compromise…
Why not let us Pro-Defense libertarians take the lead on this?
As Jim says, we don't need you to join us in our call to arms. But we sure as hell would like your moral support.
Isn't that the least you can do? Can you at least give us that? Just an acknowledgement that Yes, Sharia Law sucks, and all libertarians, including leftwing libertarians are opposed to Sharia Law. Further, if some libertarians want to fight back against Radical Islam, "mazeltof"; they are fully free to do so.
You all don't even do that. You don't even acknowledge the threat of Radical Islam. You've got your heads in the sand, and are pretending it doesn't even exist.
Okay, it's overseas. And I understand 99% of all non-interventionists are isolationists at heart and could really give an 'F' about what goes on in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, ect…
But what about Creeping Sharia here in the United States:
1. A restaurant in Nashville, TN was prevented from opening up a bar in the facility cause the Mosque across the street objected to the city council.
2. In Hamtramck, Michigan the Muslim call to prayer blares from speakers outside of 4 different Mosques in the tiny hamlet 5 times a day, despite the pleas of local residents, and the Chamber of Commerce, small businessman that its preventing outsiders from coming into town.
3. In North Philadelphia the city has prevented any new liquor stores from opening up because of objections from the Muslim community.
4. In Wisconsin a publicly-subsidized Pre-School, part of the Head Start program, just eliminated secular Christmas celebrations and banned Santa Claus, cause of objections of Muslim attendees.
5. Corporations across the U.S. are now being sued by CAIR in federal court, and pressured by Muslim groups to be "Sharia compliant."
6. A group of Christian pastors were arrested at a Fair in suburban Detroit last summer for handing out pamplets praising Jesus on a public sidewalk. They were surrounded by 8 squad cars full of cops.
C'mon you all. Surely you can agree with the Pro-Defense wing of the libertarian movement, that these examples are completely contrary to libertarian principles and should be opposed.
All we're asking in the Pro-Defense wing is that you acknowledge that Sharia Law is a threat to Liberty, and that you occasionally lend us Pro-Defensers your moral support.
Something along the lines of: "While we do not advocate foreign intervention to stop Radical Islam, we do recognize it as a threat to libertarian values, and acknowledge that those private efforts of some libertarians who want to fight back, are legitimate."
We're asking for compromise. Can you please meet us half-way?
Eric Dondero, Publisher
LibertarianRepublican.net
Member, Libertarian Defense Caucus since 1985
Fmr. Senior Aide, US Cong. Ron Paul 1997-2003
Ron Paul, Libertarian for President, Travel Aide, 1987/88
Fmr. Libertarian National Committee mbr.
Founder, Republican Liberty Caucus.
Posted by: irishhawk | October 25, 2010
Caucus Co – Chairman Composes Eloquent Rebuttal of Latest LP Press Release
Libertarian Defense Caucus National Co – Chairman, Mr. Kevin Bjornson, fired back at LP Executive Director Wes Benedict's and LP National Chairman Mark Hinkle's latest woefully misguided missive.
The rambling press release, although it should be noted that a press release has to in fact be covered by the press to be considered a press release, covered domestic and International affairs.
Mr. Bjornson eviscerated the juvenile proclamations asserted in the LP release with the following eloquent response.
The nearly incoherent original LP news release is incuded after Co- Chairman Bjornson's response.
Dear fellow libertarians and other concerned persons,
Recently, those of us on the LP e-list received a press release
(appended below) which sets new records for bizarre language;
Benedict and Hinkle seem to have a suicide wish for the LP.
The "libertarian" proposal touted, is that the US pull the plug
on both our foreign friends and retired Americans.
The unstated assumptions are, only government can provide
retirement/medical benefits, and taxes are necessary to
wage war. This flies in the face of liberty theory as well as
human history.
If social security benefits were simply dropped with no
free enterprise replacement, the results would be catastrophic.
Millions of retired Americans would be placed in mortal jeopardy,
and whoever did that would be crucified at the polls. Millions of
old Americans would roam the streets, almost like a scene out of
"Night of the Living Dead". Need I remind these masochistic
gentlemen, the LP is a political party and should be about
proposing solutions most Americans will accept, instead of
framing libertarianism in the worst possible light.
Fortunately there is a libertarian way out of this mess.
The US has vast tracts of land, which could be traded to
insurance companies in exchange for their assuming
Social Security and Medicare liabilities. Benedict and
Hinkle oppose Social Security but offer no positive
solution–other than what would amount to a holocaust
of elderly Americans who have paid into the system
for decades and have planned their retirement accordingly.
The Libertarian Defense Caucus has proposed ways that
US defense could be privatized, or at least financed without
taxation. The protection of property rights of merchant
ships and oil infrastructure should not be treated as a
welfare benefit, but as normal ways of financing the
business of providing government services.
Even if we accept the tax financing of defense,
there is no assurance that retreating to within US borders
would save money. Does anybody seriously propose that
one side in a war may unilaterally declare the conflict over,
without victory and with the enemy unvanquished?
Costs to the US would sky-rocket under military isolationism,
as our enemies would then be free to attack us on US soil,
at times and places of their choosing. We would be in a
defensive mode, forced to defend every possible target.
Jihadists would continue to use nationalized oil and prohibition
to finance their Jihad, safe from attack in their foreign sanctuaries.
If we simply retreat, they will not reciprocate, but will view
that as weakness, and accelerate their terrorist attacks.
If not stopped, sooner or later Jihadists will acquire nuclear weapons.
US infrastructure will be set back by 100 years, and Israel
(with whom we enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship)
will be toast.
Benedict and Hinkle make a mockery of libertarianism.
Fortunately their press releases are ignored. Where has
this latest press release been published? Who is still
listening? Thanks to Dondero and Cristiano, my responses
are likely getting more coverage on the internet than their
messages. We should present libertarianism in the best
possible light, and not go out of our way to alienate
people generally and dissenting libertarians. That much
should be obvious; sadly, the LP is in need of adult supervision.
Kevin Bjornson
Libertarian Defense Caucus.
WASHINGTON – With prospects of a Republican takeover of Congress, Libertarian Party (LP) Chair Mark Hinkle posed this question: "In order to balance the budget, where will the GOP pull the plug first: on Granny, or on foreign wars?"
Hinkle continued, "Of course, Republicans may have no serious intention of cutting federal deficits or spending, and their complaints about 'out-of-control spending' might be hypocrisy."
Over 60% of federal spending is in three areas: Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and the military. It would be impossible to eliminate the federal deficit without cutting entitlements or military spending, such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tea Party leader Dick Armey recently called Social Security a ponzi scheme.
LP Executive Director Wes Benedict said, "Social Security is universal mandatory welfare for seniors. It's very un-libertarian."
Benedict continued, "I suppose one way to maintain the Social Security scheme would be to rapidly grow the U.S. working population, such as by opening up our borders to increase immigration. However, Republican congressmen have tried to duck their responsibility for the bad economy by scapegoating illegal immigrants, so allowing a massive influx of immigrants is politically infeasible in the near future.
"Each child born in the U.S. immediately faces a debt of over $40,000. Ironically, it might not be long before American youth start ditching this debt foisted on them by their parents and grandparents, and start leaving America in search of better opportunity abroad.
"To make Social Security solvent as our population ages, the federal government either has to raise the tax, or cut the benefits. The last significant change to Social Security was a tax increase approved by Ronald Reagan. Libertarians favor cutting Social Security benefits, and we oppose tax increases. Libertarians would prefer to allow workers to opt out of Social Security. Perhaps entitlements can be cut gradually, rather than slashed abruptly, but that depends on taking action sooner rather than later.
"On the October 17 'Fox News Sunday,' I saw that Republican senate candidate Carly Fiorina was repeatedly asked what parts of entitlements she would cut to balance the budget, and she repeatedly dodged the question."
The recent Republican 'Pledge to America' makes no mention of cutting entitlements or the military.
Benedict continued, "Republicans refuse to say where they would cut entitlement spending, and of course Republicans oppose cutting military spending or ending America's foreign wars. Therefore, I'd say that Republicans are hypocrites who aren't serious about solving the federal debt problem."
A video lampooning John Boehner and the Republican 'Pledge to America' was created by Travis Irvine, Libertarian for U.S. Congress in Ohio District 12.
Benedict continued, "Only Libertarians recognize that we can't have it all for much longer. The longer Republicans and Democrats flush money down the toilet in Iraq and Afghanistan, the sooner the government will have to cut benefits for Granny. Of course, Congress may never have the courage to pass legislation to cut entitlements. In that scenario, Granny will eventually start experiencing 'rolling blackouts,' or perhaps a total system collapse.
"Libertarians stand ready to cut spending across the board. Perhaps the question Granny needs to answer is, 'Which do you love more: your Social Security check, or foreign wars?'"
The 'Liberaltarian' Cometh Once More
Libertarian National Chairman Mark Hinkle appears to have conflated modern statist liberalism with libertariansim when it comes to matters of foreign policy.
Libertarian Defense Caucus National Co – Chairman, Mr. Kevin Bjornson, seeks to help Mr. Hinkle clear up any confusion in his response to a ludicrously illogical LP 'press' relase.
Co – Chairman Bjornson's refutation is follwed by the original LP press release.
Dear Fellow Libertarians,
This is in response to Wes Benedict's latest missive
concerning foreign policy (wherein he quotes himself,
referring to himself in the third person). The letter was
unsigned, which is odd. That would be like me writing
a controversial letter anonymously, quoting myself,
and claiming to speak for all libertarians. People might
accuse me of god-like pretensions (if I were to do the same).
Wes' (or Mister X's) letter points out the obvious; that if the LP
adopts categorical non-interventionism, we will tend to attract
more voters who favor non-interventionism. Since the Democrat
party leans more toward non-interventionism than the GOP
(or at least has that image), this LP strategy tends to siphon from
the Democrat base–thus helping elections of Republicans.
Left unexamined, is the premise that the LP has a duty to
help the GOP. Why should we help the party that is the
main force behind the anti-drugs war, and is about as
bad as Democrats on deficit spending? Why should we
help elect social conservatives?
Wes claims that Obama is spending a higher % of GDP on
military spending than Bush Jr. That maybe true, but is an
example of lying by statistics. Since the economy has shrunk,
military spending can rise as a relative %, while at the same time,
shrink in absolute terms. Let us hope our enemies feel pity for
the sorry state of our nation's economy, and let up on their
attacks until our economy improves. Meanwhile, back in reality,
enemy attacks have increased (due to their cost-effective strategies
and increased oil prices).
If Wes' first premise were true, that categorical non-interventionism
were a good policy, we should be running liber-hawks in order to siphon
votes from the GOP base, in order to help the election of Democrats.
But if his second premise were true, that Obama and the Democrats
were military spending hawks (more so than the Republicans),
this would contradict his third premise–that we should help elect
Republicans. In reality, all three Wes premises are factually false,
and internally inconsistent.
Thus Benedict and Hinkle have helped turn the LP into a madhouse.
But, let's move on to look at the bigger picture.
Overthrowing of tyrants is a distinct and separate type of operation from
replacing them with "social democracy" or altruistic nation-building.
One can oppose the current occupation, without also opposing all
"interventions".
The LP cannot logically be categorically anti-interventionist,
and also respect the US constitution. The US revolutionary war would
not have succeeded, absent French intervention. To oppose all interventions,
one would also have to oppose US entry into WWII. Tyrants would
have free reign to overthrow relatively free nations, picking them off
one at a time.
In any event, even if all US troops were withdrawn to within US borders,
Wes would still have them tax-supported. Likely under such a policy,
aggression would increase, and the cost of a war fought within US
borders would be much worse for the US economy/infrastructure–
than if we confronted our enemies in their foreign sanctuaries.
Instead of foreign civilian casualties, we would be hearing about
American civilian casualties.
The non-aggression principle does not require non-interventionism.
To "intervene" simply means, to take sides in a multi-party dispute.
Under categorical anti-interventionism, every person would have
to defend himself, and could not intervene to help others or seek
help for defense from others. Every man would be a defense island,
leading to a war of all against all.
Of course, brutes would not bind themselves to such a ridiculous principle,
and would be free to organize force against lone individuals (or by analogy,
against lone nations). The result would be a swift collapse of civilization,
and the reign of chaos and tyranny. To seriously propose either categorical
anti-interventionism or categorical interventionism, would be folly.
Every sane person is anti-war; but sometimes wars must be fought to
defend innocent life, liberty, and rightful property. Which Benedict and
Hinkle would know, if they had any idea of what a libertarian foreign
policy would look like.
Libertarian Defense Caucus
Anti-war liberals can vote Libertarian
WASHINGTON – In the violent wake of President Obama's military surge in Afghanistan, and his failure to withdraw the U.S. military from Iraq, the Libertarian Party (LP) says anti-war liberals can vote Libertarian with a clear conscience.
Sadly, President Obama is spending an even larger percentage of America's money on the military than George W. Bush did. According to the tracking website usgovernmentspending.com, during the first two budget years of the Obama administration (FY 2010 and 2011), military spending is expected to be over 6 percent of GDP: a larger percentage of GDP than during any year of the Bush administration.
LP Chair Mark Hinkle commented, "Anti-war liberals who thought President Obama and the Democrats would reduce military spending and American interventionism have been betrayed.
"Liberals have also been betrayed by Obama's unwillingness to reverse the serious civil liberties violations of the Bush administration. Obama has claimed the authority to kill American citizens overseas without indictment or trial. Even worse, he has claimed that 'state secrets' prevent his targets or their families from challenging him in court. Obama's expansion of the 'state secrets' claim is a page taken right out of the neoconservative playbook."
LP Executive Director Wes Benedict added, "In many ways, the Obama administration is looking like four more years of George W. Bush. A vote for Libertarians sends a message for peace and respect for the Constitution."
Benedict continued, "It's important to remember that many congressional Democrats voted for the PATRIOT Act, and many also voted for the War in Iraq. They tried to blame Bush later, even though they deserved just as much blame as Republicans."
The Libertarian National Committee has passed resolutions calling for U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.
On September 12, 2001, the day after the major terrorist attacks, two-time Libertarian Party presidential nominee Harry Browne courageously spoke out against American interventionism. In his article he wrote, "When will we learn that we can't allow our politicians to bully the world without someone bullying back eventually?"
Benedict said, "The Libertarian Party doesn't have the resources to take the lead in organizing mass protests, but we like to join anti-war protests when we can find them. When George W. Bush was president, Democrats helped organize many anti-war protests. Now that Democrats are doing the war-making, protests are hard to find.
"I made an effort to express the Libertarian position at the One Nation March on October 2.
"The terrorists have tricked our government into massive overreaction, spending trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives to fight a small number of America-hating fanatics. Many thousands of innocent Muslims have been killed in the process. We have gotten bogged down trying to rebuild entire governments. Democrats and Republicans have both given in to this terrorist trickery. Libertarians, on the other hand, see through this trickery, and we would stop wasting lives and money on the disastrous policies of foreign interventionism."
Liberal vs. conservative support
There is a myth frequently repeated in the media that Libertarian candidates take votes from conservatives. In reality, the situation is mixed: many polls show that Libertarian candidates actually receive greater support from liberals.
In this Kansas poll, the Libertarian candidates received more support from liberals than conservatives.
This poll showed North Carolina Libertarian candidate Michael Beitler with more support from liberals than conservatives.
Hinkle said, "Libertarians have a lot in common with liberals. In fact, people with a libertarian philosophy often call themselves 'classical liberals,' in the sense of the word as it was used historically. Libertarians sometimes describe themselves as 'fiscally conservative and socially liberal.'
"We Libertarians have a saying that we're 'pro-choice on everything.' We are uncompromising supporters of free speech. We completely oppose corporate welfare, and we hate the way big corporations often manipulate the government to get subsidies and protection from competition. And we are more immigration-friendly than either Republicans or Democrats."
Posted by: irishhawk | July 6, 2010
Co – National LDC Chairman Bjornson Fires Back at LP Executive Director Benedict Over Foreign Policy Communique
Co – National Chairman of The Libertarian Defense Caucus, Kevin Bjornson, has condemned the foreign policy communique composed by Libertarian Party Executive Director, Wes Benedict.
The communique calls for the immediate and precipitous withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters. This irresponsible and sophomoric policy stance serves to undermine any foreign policy credibility The Libertarian Party had remaining and demonstrates how wildly disconnected Mr. Benedict, and The Libertarian Party are, from the realities of geopolitics.
The LP Executive Director's communique is published first, followed by Mr. Bjornson's passionate rebuttal:
The long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been back in the news recently, and we just had the bizarre spectacle of the Republican National Committee Chairman saying he didn't like Obama's war in Afghanistan, while the DNC chastised him for failing to support the troops.
Here are ten reasons to end the wars now. I hope you'll take a look at some of the links.
1. American military and contractor casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
2. Iraqi and Afghanistan civilian and military casualties.
3. These wars are a tremendous waste of taxpayer money in a time of extreme deficits, high unemployment and a falling stock market.
4. Invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq feeds terrorism.
5. Osama Bin Laden and his co-conspirators who attacked the World Trade Center were Saudi Arabian.
6. As Congressman Ron Paul recently said: "In Afghanistan, we are fighting the Taliban, those dangerous people with guns defending their homeland. Once they were called the Mujahideen, our old allies, along with bin Laden, in the fight to oust the Soviets from Afghanistan in the 1980s."
7. Most Republicans in Congress now admit Iraq was a mistake.
8. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's comments show that even the hawkish Republican Party can't support this war with a straight face.
9. As James Madison said, "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." (Witness the PATRIOT Act.)
10. The U.S. military has been in Iraq over seven years, and in Afghanistan almost nine years. It's time to give peace a chance.
(Note, the LP doesn't necessarily endorse the organizations linked above. We encourage you to research these issues for yourself.)
Wes Benedict
Libertarian National Committee
The rebuttal of Co – National Chairman Mr. Kevin Bjornson:
Wes Benedict, "LP executive director":
Your recent communique (appended below) tends to alienate
at least half of your LP audience. Is that your intention?
Do you intend to cleanse the LP of all but a tiny clique
centered around spurious sources like IBC and anti-war.com?
Fact-checking your statistics is an Alice-in-Wonderland
journey through America's anti-war fringe, where far-left
meets far-right.
For example: your claims for US-caused civilian casualties
are sourced to this website:
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
However, when I click unto their source, I get this:
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/
Clearly, this source is self-referential. They do claim a few sources,
in general terms (like "media reports " or "Iraqi government sources"–with no links as to where specifically all these numbers
were published, or proof linking the statistics to reality.
In fact, the statistics of alleged US victims mostly include:
"suicide bombers" "roadside bombs" and "shot" by insurgents.
So attributing the cause of their misfortune to the US is disingenuous–akin to blaming US attacks on Hitler
as the cause of the holocaust.
In fact, this page reaches a dead-end, wherein they assert as
proof of their statistics, that they are from irregular and
non-transparent sources:
1 We join UNAMI's call for the Iraqi Government to provide this information of important public interest regularly and in a transparent manner. UNAMI HR Report, 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2007. Page 3 Para 2. (PDF)
Yet another "source" is self-referential:
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/about/
Worse, this "source" admits they record all violent deaths,
simply assuming they are all the fault of the US.
And further assuming, our only alternative to present policies
is withdrawal to US soil, in the vain hope that oceans and a
pious attitude will protect our homeland while saving foreign
These series of self-referential websites read as if written by
grad students doing a parody of a superficially academic style.
Pompous enough to persuade the gullible, but without credibility
or substance.
I must protest at this sophomoric display.
This clearly diverges from your job description–
which is executive and not policy-devising.
You are not recruiting libertarians, but trying to re-make
the LP in your image. You are making dovish foreign policy
dovishness, and not the pledge or NAP, the litmus test for
libertarianism.
You pontifications are causing grave harm to the LP.
Thank goodness the LP has near-zero credibility,
or your editorials would cause grave harm to the country.
Civilization is engaged in a war with barbarism and religious zealotry.
This conflict will continue until we are vanquished or victorious,
and cannot be ended unilaterally by the partial surrender you advocate.
If you cannot restrain your actions to those within your legitimate
purview, you have sat too long in your position for any good you
have been doing. In that case, your best course is to depart,
and let us have done with you. In the name of Ayn Rand, go!
National Co – Chairman of The Libertarian Defense Caucus
Editor's Note: The Libertarian Defense Caucus calls on LP News to allow this Caucus to publish a response to the Executive Director's communique. His position is not representative of those in the broader libertarian movement, nor even within The Libertarian Party, itself.
Posted by: irishhawk | June 4, 2010
Communique from modern Libertarian Defense Caucus National Co – Chairman and Founder.
Dear New and Current Members of The Libertarian Defense Caucus,
I am pleased to announce that I have named by good friend Maverick, to the position of Founder's Advisor. He will now be my chief counsel in addition to his current role as National Co – Chairman of The Libertarian Defense Caucus.
Maverick has done an exceptional job in guiding the Caucus in new and exciting directions. He is responsible for establishing the LDC's successful Youtube media channel, and will be tasked with expanding the LDC's role in the new digital age.
All new and current Caucus members should review and familiarize themselves with The Libertarian Defense Caucus Guidelines and Bylaws, accessible on the official website.
The National Co – Chairman and Founder of the modern Libertarian Defense Caucus.
Posted by: maverickwhig | February 12, 2010
2010 Emblem
As some of you may remember, when I first joined the caucus awhile back that I had submitted an official emblem featuring the Statue of Liberty and Statue of Freedom, for 2010 I have submitted a new design.
Say hello to the Gadsden snake, featured next to it is a five point start reminiscent of the "Lone Star State", while above that fly streaks of gold and blue, colors representing the ideology of liberty. We hope it reminds all of you about our common struggle for capitalism and against tyranny.
Tell us what you think, feedback is welcomed! | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
} | 7,630 |
{"url":"https:\/\/www.vedantu.com\/iit-jee\/properties-of-solids-and-liquids","text":"JEE\n\n# JEE Important Chapter - Properties of Solids and Liquids\n\nGet interactive courses taught by top teachers\n\n## Properties of Solids and Liquids for JEE\n\nThe chapter Properties of solids and liquids is one of the most important chapters for JEE Main. It mainly deals with the behaviour of solids under stress and liquids at rest and motion.\n\nRelated to the properties of solid, we learn about types of stresses and strain followed by the types of\u00a0 modulus of elasticity. The stress-strain curve of a material and Hooke's law is explained in detail in this chapter. Thermal stress and work done in stretching a wire are also discussed in this chapter in detail.\n\nIn properties of liquid, Pascal\u2019s law and its applications are studied along with Archimedes's principles and numerical problems related to it. Bernoulli's theorem and its application and problems are very important topics in this chapter. Viscosity and surface tension is also explained in detail in this chapter. We have seen some conversion of solid to liquid examples and also liquid to solid in lower grades. A solid to liquid example of its conversion is the melting of ice.\n\nLet us see what are solids and liquids properties and the important concepts and formulas needed for JEE Main in this chapter properties of solids and liquids with solved examples.\n\n### Properties of Solids and Liquids - Important Topics\n\n\u2022 Elasticity of solids and its elastic behaviour\n\n\u2022 Young\u2019s modulus\n\n\u2022 Bulk modulus\n\n\u2022 Rigidity modulus\n\n\u2022 Stress-strain curve\n\n\u2022 Pascal\u2019s Law\n\n\u2022 Mercurial Barometer\n\n\u2022 Archimedes Principle\n\n\u2022 Bernoulli\u2019s Therorem\n\n\u2022 Application of Bernoulli\u2019s theorem\n\n\u2022 Stoke\u2019s Law\n\n\u2022 Surface tension and surface energy\n\n### Solved Examples\n\n1. When a load of 5 kg is hung on a wire, then the extension of 3 m takes place. The work done will be,\n\nAns:\n\nThe mass of the load hung on the wire, m = 5 kg\n\nThe force acting on the wire is calculated as ,\n\n$F=mg$\n\n$F=5\\times9.8$\n\n$F=49~N$\n\nWe can calculate the work done in extending the wire by using the formula given below,\n\n$W=\\dfrac{1}{2}F\\Delta l$\n\n$W=\\dfrac{1}{2}\\times 49\\times 3$\n\n$W=73.5~J$\n\nKey Point: The work done in extending the wire is half the product of the force acting on the wire and the extension of the wire.\n\n1. In a capillary tube, water rises by 1.2 mm. The height of water will rise in another capillary tube having half the radius of the first will be ____.\n\nAns:\n\nThe formula to calculate the capillary rise of first tube is given by,\n\n$h_1=\\dfrac{2S\\cos\\theta}{\\rho rg}$\n\n$1.2~mm=\\dfrac{2S\\cos\\theta}{\\rho rg}$...(1)\n\nThe capillary rise of the water in the second tube is given by,\n\n$h_2=\\dfrac{2S\\cos\\theta}{\\rho (r\/2)g}$\n\n$h_2=\\dfrac{4S\\cos\\theta}{\\rho rg}$.....(2)\n\nDivide the equation (2) by equation (1) to calculate the height of capillary rise in second tube.\n\n$\\dfrac{h_2}{1.2~mm}=\\dfrac{\\dfrac{4S\\cos\\theta}{\\rho rg}}{\\dfrac{2S\\cos\\theta}{\\rho rg}}$\n\n$h_2=2\\times2~mm$\n\n$h_2=4~mm$\n\nKey Point:\u00a0 The surface tension and the angle of contact in both tubes are equal since the same liquid is used in both tubes.\n\n### Previous Year Questions from JEE Exam\n\n1. A hydraulic press can lift 100 kg when a mass \u2018m\u2019 is placed on the smaller piston. It can lift _______ kg when the diameter of the larger piston is increased by 4 times and that of the smaller piston is decreased by 4 times keeping the same mass \u2018m\u2019 on the smaller piston. (JEE 2021)\n\nAns:\n\nApplying Pascal\u2019s law, the pressure acting on smaller piston due to mass m is equal to the pressure acting on the larger piston.\n\nLet A1 and A2 be the area of the smaller piston and larger piston respectively.\n\n$\\dfrac{mg}{A_1}=\\dfrac{100g}{A_2}$\n\n$\\dfrac{A_1}{A_2}=\\dfrac{m}{100}$...(1)\n\nNow, let M be the mass that hydraulic press can lift after changing the area of cross section of both pistons.\n\nAgain applying pascal\u2019s law,\n\n$\\dfrac{mg}{(A_1\/16)}=\\dfrac{Mg}{(16A_2)}$\n\n$\\dfrac{A_1}{A_2}=256\\dfrac{m}{M}$...(2)\n\nUsing\u00a0 equation (1) and equation (2), we can calculate the value of M.\n\n$\\dfrac{m}{100}=256\\dfrac{m}{M}$\n\n$M=25600~kg$\n\nTherefore, the new mass it can lift is 25600 kg\n\nTrick:\u00a0 The pressure acting on both the piston are equal according to the Pascal\u2019s law.\n\n1. A uniform metallic wire is elongated by 0.04 m when subjected to a linear force F. The elongation, if its length and diameter is doubled and subjected to the same force will be ________ cm. (JEE 2021)\n\nAns:\n\nThe formula to calculate the young\u2019s modulus of the wire is given by,\n\n$Y=\\dfrac{Fl}{A\\Delta l_1}$....(1)\n\nWhen the diameter is doubled, the area of cross section of the wire becomes four times initial area of cross section.\n\nWhen the same force is applied after the length and diameter is doubled, then formula for young\u2019s modulus is given by,\n\n$Y=\\dfrac{F(2l)}{(4A)\\Delta l_2}$\n\n$Y=\\dfrac{Fl}{2A\\Delta l_2}$....(2)\n\nUsing equation (1) and (2),\n\n$\\dfrac{Fl}{A\\Delta l_1}=\\dfrac{Fl}{2A\\Delta l_2}$\n\n$\\Delta l_2=\\dfrac{\\Delta l_1}{2}$\n\n$\\Delta l_2=\\dfrac{0.04}{2}$\n\n$\\Delta l_2=0.02~m=2~cm$\n\nTherefore, the new extension will be 2 cm.\n\nTrick: Young\u2019s modulus deos not depend on the dimensions on the wire and only depends onthe material.\n\n### Practice Questions\n\n1. An iceberg of density 900 kg\/m3 is floating in water of density 1000 kg\/m3. The percentage of the volume of ice cube outside the water is ? (Ans: 10 %)\n\n2. A wind with speed 40 m\/s blows parallel to the roof of a house. The area of the roof is 250 m2. Assuming that the pressure inside the house is atmospheric pressure, the force exerted by the wind on the roof will be (Ans: 2.4\u2715105 N)\n\n### Conclusion\n\nIn this article, we discussed important topics and formulas related to Properties of solids and liquids from the JEE point of view. Students must make sure that they do not miss any of the above important topics to obtain a good score in the JEE Main exam.\n\nSee More\n\n## JEE Main Important Dates\n\nView All Dates\nJEE Main 2022 June and July Session exam dates and revised schedule have been announced by the NTA. JEE Main 2022 June and July Session will now be conducted on 20-June-2022, and the exam registration closes on 5-Apr-2022. You can check the complete schedule on our site. Furthermore, you can check JEE Main 2022 dates for application, admit card, exam, answer key, result, counselling, etc along with other relevant information.\nSee More\nJune\nJuly\nView All Dates\n\n## JEE Main Information\n\nApplication Form\nEligibility Criteria\nReservation Policy\nNTA has announced the JEE Main 2022 June session application form release date on the official website https:\/\/jeemain.nta.nic.in\/. JEE Main 2022 June and July session Application Form is available on the official website for online registration. Besides JEE Main 2022 June and July session application form release date, learn about the application process, steps to fill the form, how to submit, exam date sheet etc online. Check our website for more details. July Session's details will be updated soon by NTA.\nBook your\u00a0Free Demo\u00a0session\nGet a flavour of LIVE classes here at Vedantu\nVedantu Improvement Promise\nWe promise improvement in marks or get your fees back.\u00a0T&C Apply*\n\n## JEE Main 2022 Study Material\n\nView all study material for JEE Main\nJEE Main 2022 Study Materials: Strengthen your fundamentals with exhaustive JEE Main Study Materials. It covers the entire JEE Main syllabus, DPP, PYP with ample objective and subjective solved problems. Free download of JEE Main study material for Physics, Chemistry and Maths are available on our website so that students can gear up their preparation for JEE Main exam 2022 with Vedantu right on time.\nSee More\nAll\nMathematics\nPhysics\nChemistry\nSets, Relations and Functions\nMatrices and Determinants\nSee All\n\n## JEE Main Question Papers\n\nsee all\nDownload JEE Main Question Papers & \u200bAnswer Keys of 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 PDFs. JEE Main Question Paper are provided language-wise along with their answer keys. We also offer JEE Main Sample Question Papers with Answer Keys for Physics, Chemistry and Maths solved by our expert teachers on Vedantu. Downloading the JEE Main Sample Question Papers with solutions will help the engineering aspirants to score high marks in the JEE Main examinations.\nSee More\nPYQP\nSample Paper\n2020\n2021\nJanuary\n06th\u00a0January\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n06th\u00a0January\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n07th\u00a0January\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n07th\u00a0January\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n08th\u00a0January\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n08th\u00a0January\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\nSeptember\n01st\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n01st\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n02nd\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n02nd\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n03rd\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n03rd\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n04th\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n04th\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n05th\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n05th\u00a0September\u00a02020\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\nFebruary\n23rd\u00a0February\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n23rd\u00a0February\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n24th\u00a0February\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n24th\u00a0February\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n25th\u00a0February\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n25th\u00a0February\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\nMarch\n15th\u00a0March\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n15th\u00a0March\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n16th\u00a0March\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n16th\u00a0March\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n17th\u00a0March\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n17th\u00a0March\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\nJuly\n19th\u00a0July\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n19th\u00a0July\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n21st\u00a0July\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n24th\u00a0July\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n24th\u00a0July\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n26th\u00a0July\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\nAugust\n25th\u00a0August\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n25th\u00a0August\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n26th\u00a0August\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n26th\u00a0August\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\n30th\u00a0August\u00a02021\u00a0-\u00a0aptitude\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 1\n30th\u00a0August\u00a02021\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 Shift 2\nmathematics\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\nmathematics\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\nmathematics\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\nmathematics\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\nmathematics\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\nchemistry\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\nmathematics\nEnglish\u00a0\u00a0\u2022\n\nView all JEE Main Important Books\nIn order to prepare for JEE Main 2022, candidates should know the list of important books i.e. RD Sharma Solutions, NCERT Solutions, RS Aggarwal Solutions, HC Verma books and RS Aggarwal Solutions. They will find the high quality readymade solutions of these books on Vedantu. These books will help them in order to prepare well for the JEE Main 2022 exam so that they can grab the top rank in the all India entrance exam.\nSee More\nMaths\nNCERT Book for Class 12 Maths\nPhysics\nNCERT Book for Class 12 Physics\nSee All\n\n## JEE Main 2022 Cut-Off\n\nJEE Main Cut Off\nNTA is responsible for the release of the JEE Main 2022 June and July Session cut off score. The qualifying percentile score might remain the same for different categories. According to the latest trends, the expected cut off mark for JEE Main 2022 June and July Session is 50% for general category candidates, 45% for physically challenged candidates, and 40% for candidates from reserved categories. For the general category, JEE Main qualifying marks for 2021 ranged from 87.8992241 for general-category, while for OBC\/SC\/ST categories, they ranged from 68.0234447 for OBC, 46.8825338 for SC and 34.6728999 for ST category.\nSee More\n\n## Master Teachers\n\nFrom IITs & other top-tier colleges with 5+ years of experience\nYou can count on our specially-trained teachers to bring out the best in every student.\nThey have taught over 4.5 crore hours to 10 lakh students in 1000+ cities in 57 countries\n11+ years exp\n\n### Shreyas\n\nPhysics master teacher\n\n4+ years exp\n\n### Nidhi Sharma\n\nChemistry master teacher\n\n2+ years exp\n\n### Luv Mehan\n\nChemistry Master Teacher\n\n## JEE Main 2022 Cut-Off\n\nJEE Main Cut Off\nNTA is responsible for the release of the JEE Main 2022 June and July Session cut off score. The qualifying percentile score might remain the same for different categories. According to the latest trends, the expected cut off mark for JEE Main 2022 June and July Session is 50% for general category candidates, 45% for physically challenged candidates, and 40% for candidates from reserved categories. For the general category, JEE Main qualifying marks for 2021 ranged from 87.8992241 for general-category, while for OBC\/SC\/ST categories, they ranged from 68.0234447 for OBC, 46.8825338 for SC and 34.6728999 for ST category.\nSee More\n\n## JEE Main 2022 Results\n\nThe JEE Main 2022 June and July Session result will be published by NTA on https:\/\/jeemain.nta.nic.in\/ in the form of a scorecard. The scorecard will include the roll number, application number, candidate's personal details, and the percentile, marks, and rank of the candidate. Only those candidates who achieve the JEE Main cut-off will be considered qualified for the exam.\nSee More\nRank List\nCounselling\nCutoff\nJEE Main 2022 state rank lists will be released by the state counselling committees for admissions to the 85% state quota and to all seats in NITs and CFTIs colleges. JEE Main 2022 state rank lists are based on the marks obtained in entrance exams. Candidates can check the JEE Main 2022 state rank list on the official website or on our site.\n\n## JEE Top Colleges\n\nView all JEE Main 2022 Top Colleges\nWant to know which Engineering colleges in India accept the JEE Main 2022 scores for admission to Engineering? Find the list of Engineering colleges accepting JEE Main scores in India, compiled by Vedantu. There are 1622 Colleges that are accepting JEE Main. Also find more details on Fees, Ranking, Admission, and Placement.\nSee More\n\n## Counselling\n\nNeed more details? Our expert academic counsellors will be happy to patiently explain everything that you want to know.\nSpeak to an expert\nFAQ\n\n1. How many questions are asked from properties os solids and liquids in JEE?\n\nAbout 2-3 questions from this chapter are asked in JEE exam every year which corresponds to around 8-12 marks in the JEE Main exam.\n\n2. Is the chapter properties of solids and liquids a tough chapter?\n\nAs far as teh JEE main exam is concerned, properties of solids and liquids is a moderate difficult chapter. But it is a vast chapte which consists of more theories and concepts and related formulas. But with proper learning and practices, all the concepts in this chapter can be learned without any difficulty.\n\n3. How to get a good score in JEE Main to get into the best NITs?\n\nTo get into best NITs in the nation, we have to crack the JEE Main exam with good scores. Even though JEE Main is a very competitive exam, we can score good marks if we understand the concepts in depth and pratice lots of questions and finally doing all the previous year question papers without any fail.\n\n## JEE Main Upcoming Dates\n\nVedantu offers free live Master Classes for CBSE Class 6 to 12, ICSE, JEE Main, JEE 2022, & more by India\u2019s best teachers. Learn all the important concepts concisely along with amazing tricks to score high marks in your class and other competitive exams.\nSee More","date":"2022-06-30 07:57:17","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.24422608315944672, \"perplexity\": 1937.2861676307111}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2022-27\/segments\/1656103669266.42\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20220630062154-20220630092154-00694.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
\section{Explanation}
What follows is
a lightly edited version of
the author's unpublished master's essay, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of
the degree of Master of Arts at the Pennsylvania State University, dated June 1994,
written under the supervision of Professor George E. Andrews.
It was retyped by the author on November 23, 2022. Obvious typographical errors in the
original were corrected without comment; hopefully not too many new errors were introduced
during the retyping.
Explanatory text added by the author in 2022 is notated by \emph{Remark added in 2022}.
After the initial posting on the arXiv on November 29, 2022, the author received email
from Wadim Zudilin and George Andrews, pointing out some typos and making some interesting
comments. These comments have been incorporated in this revised submission to the arXiv.
The bibliography in this version is more extensive than that of the original.
Lastly, in 1994, I neglected to
mention that $q$ is being treated as a formal variable throughout.
\section{Introduction}
In Chapter 4 of his monograph~\emph{$q$-series: Their Development and Application in Analysis,
Number Theory, Combinatorics, Physics, and Computer Algebra}~\cite{A86}, George Andrews showed
that ``[g]iven the Rogers--Ramanujan identities, \dots [certain] results become easy consequences of constant
term arguments.'' The results referred to are other series--product identities which are similar in form to the
Rogers--Ramanujan identiites.
The method of constant terms is executed as follows: one starts with a series involving powers of $q$ in the numerator
and $q$-factorials in the denominator and possibly the numerator. Then the series is re\"expressed as the constant term
in a product of two series involving a new variable, $z$. The $q$-binomial theorem or one of its corollaries is
invoked to convert the two series into products, which are then grouped in a new way, the $q$-binomial theorem and
one or two of its corollaries are then invoked once again, and a new series appears. In the case of all of the identities
addressed by Andrews in his monograph~\cite{A86}, the new series produced was always easily recognizable as some
form of the Rogers--Ramanujan identities multiplied by an infinite product. As we shall demonstrate here, sometimes an
unfamiliar series is derived via this method, and combining this information with established results, we generate new
series--product identities.
The following standard notation will be used throughout:
\[ (a)_n = (a;q)_n = (1-a)(1-aq)(1-aq^2)\cdots (1-aq^{n-1}) \]
\[ (a)_\infty = (a;q)_\infty = \lim_{n\to\infty} (a;q)_n \]
The following non-standard notation will also be used: $CT[X]$ will denote the constant term, that is,
the co\"efficient of $z^0$ in the series or infinite product $X$.
The following identities will be assumed:
\begin{align}
G(q) \equiv \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{q^{n^2}}{(q)_n} &= \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{(1-q^{5n-4})(1-q^{5n-1})} \label{RR1}\\
H(q) \equiv \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{q^{n^2+n}}{(q)_n}&= \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{(1-q^{5n-3})(1-q^{5n-2})} \label{RR2}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(a)_n t^n}{(q)_n} &= \frac{(at)_\infty}{(t)_\infty} \label{qBT}\\
\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{ (-1)^n q^{\binom n2} t^n }{ (b)_n } &= \frac{ (t)_\infty (q/t)_\infty (q)_\infty }{ (b/t)_\infty (b)_\infty }
\label{i4}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{q^{\binom n2} t^n}{(q)_n} &= (-t)_\infty \label{i5}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} }{(q^4;q^4)_n } &= \frac{ G(q)}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \label{i6}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2 + 2n}}{(q^4;q^4)_n} &= \frac{ H(q)}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \label{i7}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} (-q;q^2)_n}{ (q^4;q^4)_n} &= \frac{ (q^3;q^6)^2 (q^6;q^6)_\infty (-q;q^2)_\infty } { (q^2;q^2)_\infty }
\label{i8}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{2n^2 - n} (-q;q^2)_n}{(q^2;q^2)_n (q^2;q^4)_n} & = (-q)_\infty \label{i9}\\
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} (-q)_n} { (q;q^2)_{n+1} (q)_n } &= \frac{ (q^3;q^6)^2 (q^6;q^6)_\infty (-q)_\infty } { (q)_\infty }
\label{i10}
\end{align}
Equations~\eqref{RR1} and~\eqref{RR2} are the Rogers--Ramanujan identities.
Equation~\eqref{qBT} is the $q$-analog of the binomial series~\cite[p. 17, Theorem 2.1]{A76}.
Equations~\eqref{i4}~\cite[p. 115, Eq. (C.2)]{A86} and~\eqref{i5}~\cite[p. 19, Eq. (2.2.6)]{A76} can be easily deduced from~\eqref{qBT}.
Equations~\eqref{i6} and~\eqref{i7} were originally proved by Rogers and reproved by Slater~\cite[p. 153--154, Eqns. (20) and (16) respectively]{S52}.
Equations~\eqref{i8},~\eqref{i9}, and~\eqref{i10} were proved by Slater~\cite[pp. 154, 157; Eqs. (25), (52), and (26) respectively]{S52}.
\begin{remark}
I should have given more precise references for the various identities due to L. J. Rogers.
The Rogers--Ramanujan identities~\eqref{RR1},~\eqref{RR2} first appeared in~\cite[p. 328 (2); p. 330 (2), resp.]{R94}.
Eq.~\eqref{i6} first appeared in~\cite[p. 330]{R94}, and~\eqref{i7} in~\cite[p. 331, above (7)]{R94}.
Additionally, Eq.~\eqref{i8} first appeared in Ramanujan's lost notebook~\cite[p. 85, Entry 4.2.7]{AB09}.
\end{remark}
\section{New proofs for old identities}
As demonstrated in the proofs of Theorems~\ref{thm1} and~\ref{thm2} below, when the method of constant terms is applied to certain ``mod 5'' identities of
the Rogers--Ramanujan type, we simply reprove known results, as in Andrews~\cite{A86}.
\begin{theorem} \label{thm1}
\begin{equation} \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ (-1)^n q^{3n^2} }{(q^4;q^4)_n (-q;q^2)_n } = \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{ (1+q^n)(1-q^{5n-4})(1-q^{5n-1})}.
\label{i11}
\end{equation}
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
\begin{align*}
& \phantom{==} \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n q^{3n^2}}{ (q^4;q^4)_n (-q;q^2)_n} \\
&= CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{ (-1)^n q^{n^2} z^n }{ (-q;q^2)_n} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{z^{-m} q^{2m^2} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m } \right] \\
&= CT\left[ \frac{ (zq;q^2)_\infty (z^{-1}q; q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty }{ (-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (-q;q^2)_\infty } \times (-z^{-1} q^2; q^4)_\infty \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ (zq;q^2)_\infty (z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty \times \frac{(-z^{-1}q^2;q^4)_\infty }{ (-z^{-1};q^2)_\infty} \right] \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ (zq;q^2)_\infty (z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty \times \frac{1}{ (-z^{-1};q^4)_\infty} \right] \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty (-1)^n q^{n^2} z^n \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^m z^{-m} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m } \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2}}{(q^4;q^4)_n} \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} \times \frac{G(q)}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \mbox{ (by~\eqref{i6}) }\\
& = \frac{G(q)}{(-q)_\infty} \\
& = \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{ (1+q^n)(1-q^{5n-4})(1-q^{5n-1})}.
\end{align*}
\end{proof}
\begin{theorem} \label{thm2}
\begin{equation} \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ (-1)^n q^{3n^2-2n} }{(q^4;q^4)_n (-q;q^2)_n } = \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{ (1+q^n)(1-q^{5n-3})(1-q^{5n-2})}.
\label{i12}
\end{equation}
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
\begin{align*}
& \phantom{==} \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n q^{3n^2-2n}}{ (q^4;q^4)_n (-q;q^2)_n} \\
&= CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{ (-1)^n q^{n^2} z^n }{ (-q;q^2)_n} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ z^{-m} q^{2m^2-2m} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m } \right] \\
&= CT\left[ \frac{ (zq;q^2)_\infty (z^{-1}q; q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty }{ (-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (-q;q^2)_\infty } \times (-z^{-1}; q^4)_\infty \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ (zq;q^2)_\infty (z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty \times \frac{1}{ (-z^{-1} q^2;q^4)_\infty} \right] \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty (-1)^n q^{n^2} z^n \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ (-1)^m z^{-m} q^{2m} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m} \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2+2n}}{(q^4;q^4)_n} \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q;q^2)_\infty} \times \frac{H(q)}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \mbox{ (by~\eqref{i7}) }\\
& = \frac{H(q)}{(-q)_\infty} \\
& = \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{ (1+q^n)(1-q^{5n-3})(1-q^{5n-2})}.
\end{align*}
\end{proof}
Equations~\eqref{i11} and~\eqref{i12} were published previously with different proofs~\cite[pp. 155-156, Eqs. (19) and (15) respectively]{S52},
so nothing new appeared as a result of employing the method of constant terms.
\begin{remark}
Theorems~\ref{thm1} and~\ref{thm2} are due to Rogers~\cite[p. 339, Ex. 2; p. 330 (5), respectively]{R94}.
\end{remark}
\section{A new series--product identity}
\begin{remark}
With the benefit of hindsight, I see now that the identity presented in Theorem~\ref{thm3} was not really new.
It can be shown to be equivalent to Slater~\cite[p. 154, Eq. (48)]{S52} with $q$ replaced by $-q$. \end{remark}
In light of the proofs of Theorems~\ref{thm1} and~\ref{thm2}, and the eight identities of L. J. Rogers that Andrews
proves via constant terms~\cite[pp. 33--36]{A86}, one might wonder if all identities of the Rogers--Ramanujan type
are provable by this method. However, when we look at ``mod 6'' identities, we see immediately that this is not always
the case.
\begin{theorem}\label{thm3}
\begin{equation} \label{i13}
\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ (-1;q^2)_n q^{n^2+n}}{ (q^2;q^2)_n (-q;q^2)_n } =
\prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{ (1-q^{6n-3})^2 (1-q^{6n}) }{(1-q^{4n-2})(1-q^{2n})} .
\end{equation}
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
\begin{align}
& \phantom{==} \frac{(q^3;q^3)_\infty^2 (q^6;q^6)_\infty (-q;q^2)_\infty }{ (q^2;q^2)_\infty } \notag \\
& =\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} (-q;q^2)_n }{ (q^4;q^4)_n} \mbox{ (by~\eqref{i8})} \label{i14} \\
& =\sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} (-q;q^2)_n}{ (-q^2;q^2)_n (q^2;q^2)_n} \notag \\
&= CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} z^n }{ (-q^2;q^2)_n} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ z^{-m} (-q;q^2)_m }{ (q^2;q^2)_m } \right] \notag\\
&= CT\left[ \frac{ (-zq;q^2)_\infty (-z^{-1}q; q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty }{ (z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (-q^2;q^2)_\infty }
\times \frac{(-z^{-1} q; q^2)_\infty}{( z^{-1};q^2)_\infty } \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \notag \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ (-zq;q^2)_\infty (-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty \times \frac{(-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty }{ (-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty}
\times \frac{1}{(z^{-1};q^2)_\infty} \right] \notag \\
& = \frac{1}{(-q^2; q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty q^{n^2} z^n \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{(-1;q^2)_m z^{-m} q^m }{ (q^2;q^2)_m }
\sum_{r=0}^\infty \frac{z^{-r}}{(q^2;q^2)_r} \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \notag\\
& = \frac{1}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{(m+r)^2} (-1;q^2)_m }{(q^2;q^2)_m (q^2;q^2)_r} \notag\\
& = \frac{1}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{m^2+m} (-1;q^2)_m}{(q^2;q^2)_m} \sum_{r=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{r^2 + 2mr} }{ (q^2;q^2)_r} \notag\\
& = \frac{1}{(-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{m^2+m} (-1;q^2)_m}{(q^2;q^2_m} (-q^{2m+1};q^2)_\infty \label{i15} \mbox{ (by~\eqref{i5})}\\
& = \frac{(-q;q^2)_\infty}{ (-q^2;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{m^2+m} (-1;q^2)_m }{ (q^2;q^2)_m (-q;q^2)_m }. \label{i16}
\end{align}
\end{proof}
Here, the method of constant terms leads us from the series~\eqref{i14} to another series~\eqref{i16}, and~\eqref{i16} is not a straightforward restatement
of either of the Rogers--Ramanujan identities. However, we could have proceeded from~\eqref{i14} to~\eqref{i16} using
Heine's transformation~\cite[p. 19, Cor. 2.3]{A76}, which would have been easier than using constant terms.
\section{New double series--product identities}
What then, is the value of the method of constant terms? The key lies in the step justifying equation~\eqref{i15} above.
We were able to collapse the double series into a single series above because of the particular exponents on $q$.
Many times this will not be the case, and we will be left with an ``irreducible'' double series.
Theorems~\ref{thm4} and~\ref{thm5} are examples of this situation.
\begin{theorem}\label{thm4}
\begin{equation} \label{i17}
\sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{4m^2 + 4mr + 2r^2 - r} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m (q^2;q^2)_r } = \prod_{n=1}^\infty (1 + q^{2n-1}).
\end{equation}
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
\begin{align*}
(-q)_\infty & = \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{q^{2n^2 - n } (-q;q^2)_n }{ (q^2;q^2)_n (q^2;q^4)_n} \mbox{ (by~\eqref{i9})} \\
&= CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{ q^{2n^2-n} z^n }{ (q^2;q^4)_n} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ z^{-m} (-q;q^2)_m }{ (q^2;q^2)_m } \right] \\
&= CT\left[ \frac{ (-zq;q^4)_\infty (-z^{-1}q^3; q^2)_\infty (q^4;q^4)_\infty }{ (-z^{-1}q;q^4)_\infty (q^2;q^4)_\infty } \times
\frac{ (-z^{-1} q; q^2)_\infty}{ (z^{-1};q^2)_\infty } \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(q^2;q^4)_\infty} CT\left[ (-zq;q^4)_\infty (-z^{-1}q^3;q^4)_\infty (q^4;q^4)_\infty \times \frac{(-z^{-1}q^3;q^4)_\infty }{ (z^{-1};q^2)_\infty} \right] \\
& = \frac{1}{(q^2;q^4)_\infty} CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty (-1)^n q^{2n^2-n} z^n \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{2m^2+m} z^{-m} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m }
\sum_{r=0}^\infty \frac{z^{-r}}{ (q^2;q^2)_r }\right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4},~\eqref{i5}, and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(q^2;q^4)_\infty} \sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{2(m+r)^2 - (m+r) + 2m^2 + m} }{ (q^2;q^2)_m (q^2;q^2)_r } \\
& = \frac{1}{(q^2;q^4)_\infty} \sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{4m^2 + 4mr + 2r^2 - r} }{ (q^2;q^2)_m (q^2;q^2)_r }. \\
\end{align*}
\end{proof}
\begin{remark}
George Andrews~\cite{GAPC} communicated the following generalization of~\eqref{i17}.
\begin{equation} \label{gg}
\sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ t^{2m+r} q^{4m^2 + 4mr + 2r^2 - r} }{ (q^4;q^4)_m (q^2;q^2)_r }
= \prod_{n=1}^\infty (1 + tq^{2n-1}).
\end{equation} Andrews' proof of~\eqref{gg} relies on the $q$-Chu-Vandermonde
sum~\cite[p. 37, Eq. (3.3.10]{A76} and an identity of Euler~\cite[p. 19, Eq. (2.2.6)]{A76}.
\end{remark}
\begin{theorem}\label{thm5}
\begin{equation} \label{i18}
\sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{2m^2 + 2mr + r^2} }{ (q^2;q^2)_m (q)_r } = \prod_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(1-q^{6n-3})^2(1-q^{6n}) }{1-q^n }.
\end{equation}
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
\begin{align*}
& \phantom{==} \frac{ (q^3;q^6)_\infty^2 (q^6;q^6)_\infty (-q)_\infty}{ (q)_\infty } \\
& = \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{q^{n^2} (-q)_n }{ (q;q^2)_{n+1} (q)_n} \mbox{ (by~\eqref{i10})} \\
&= CT\left[ \frac{1}{1-q} \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{ q^{n^2} z^n }{ (q^3;q^2)_n} \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ z^{-m} (-q)_m }{ (q)_m } \right] \\
&= CT\left[ \frac{ (-zq;q^2)_\infty (-z^{-1}q; q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty }{ (-z^{-1}q^2;q^2)_\infty (q;q^2)_\infty } \times
\frac{ (-z^{-1} q)_\infty}{ (z^{-1})_\infty } \right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4} and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ (-zq;q^2)_\infty (-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty (q^2;q^2)_\infty \times (-z^{-1}q;q^2)_\infty \times \frac{1}{ (z^{-1})_\infty } \right] \\
& = \frac{1}{(q;q^2)_\infty} CT\left[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty q^{n^2} z^n \sum_{m=0}^\infty \frac{ q^{m^2} z^{-m} }{ (q^2;q^2)_m }
\sum_{r=0}^\infty \frac{z^{-r}}{ (q)_r }\right]
\mbox{ (by~\eqref{i4},~\eqref{i5}, and~\eqref{qBT})} \\
& = \frac{1}{(q;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{(m+r)^2 + m^2} }{ (q^2;q^2)_m (q)_r } \\
& = \frac{1}{(q;q^2)_\infty} \sum_{m,r\geq 0} \frac{ q^{2m^2 + 2mr + r^2} }{ (q^2;q^2)_m (q)_r }. \\
\end{align*}
\end{proof}
\begin{remarkWZ}
[T]his is a particular case of Bressoud's identities~\cite{B79}; when you replace 2s by 3s on the left, you get a
Kanade--Russell mod 9 (see a discussion at the end of my paper with Ali Uncu~\cite{UZ}).
The very same identity is recently treated again as the constant term, but in a more sophisticated way! See ~\cite[Theorem 1.1]{LW}\dots. The techniques of using the integrals for the complex terms and combining those with some theorems from the $q$-Bible are nicely given by Hjalmar [Rosengren] in~\cite{HR}.
\end{remarkWZ}
One might be suspicious that the double series in~\eqref{i17} and~\eqref{i18} are actually collapsible
into single series. Just because~\eqref{i5} is not applicable to the double series in~\eqref{i17} and~\eqref{i18} as
it was in~\eqref{i15}, does not mean that there is not some other way to simplify the double series.
However, currently there is no known general method for simplifying arbitrary multiple $q$-series.
Andrews~\cite{A81} has dealt with several special cases, but these apparently do not apply here.
So, by referring to these double series as ``irreducible,'' I mean that they cannot be transformed into a single-fold
sum by any currently known method.
\section{Conclusion}
This study suggests several directions for further research.
One could, of course, apply the method of constant terms to any identity of the Rogers--Ramanujan type
(there are 130 such identities in Slater~\cite{S52}), to see what series are generated by the method.
In a more advanced study, one could attempt to identify which partitions are enumerated by these series.
\section*{Acknowledgments}
First and foremost, I owe a great debt of gratitude to George Andrews, who served as my graduate advisor,
and has continued to act as a mentor to me over these many years since.
Thanks to Hjalmar Rosengren, who encouraged me to post this old essay on the arXiv, as a result
of a three-way email conversation among George Andrews, Hjalmar, and myself. Within hours of version 1 first
appearing on the arXiv, I received emails from Wadim Zudilin and George Andrews with interesting comments
and some corrections; many thanks to them as well.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 4,617 |
package tree;
import java.util.*;
/**
* Given a binary tree, return the level order traversal of its nodes' values. (ie, from left to right, level by level).
*
* For example:
* Given binary tree {3,9,20,#,#,15,7},
* 3
* / \
* 9 20
* / \
* 15 7
*
*
* return its level order traversal as:
* [
* [3],
* [9,20],
* [15,7]
* ]
*
* @author Joshua Wei
*/
public class LevelOrderTraversal {
public ArrayList<ArrayList<Integer>> levelOrder(TreeNode root) {
ArrayList<ArrayList<Integer>> ret = new ArrayList<>();
if (root == null) return ret;
Queue<TreeNode> currentLevel = new LinkedList<>();
Queue<TreeNode> nextLevel = new LinkedList<>();
currentLevel.offer(root);
while (true) {
ArrayList<Integer> level = new ArrayList<>();
while (!currentLevel.isEmpty()) {
TreeNode n = currentLevel.poll();
level.add(n.val);
if (n.left != null) nextLevel.offer(n.left);
if (n.right != null) nextLevel.offer(n.right);
}
ret.add(level);
if (nextLevel.isEmpty()) break;
Queue<TreeNode> swap = currentLevel;
currentLevel = nextLevel;
nextLevel = swap;
}
return ret;
}
}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 2,478 |
ATC Tannery Chemicals have worked for over 40 years producing speciality chemicals, from Beamhouse to Finishing and offering technological concepts to provide our partner tanners with the means to meet the important challenges of innovation and environmental regulations.
ATC Tannery Chemicals have supported IULTCS for many years, our founder Jean-Pierre Gualino has been an active member of the executive committee for 20 years and continues to offer his many years of experience in the leather industry to the organisation. Various employees of our company have given presentations and taken part in IULTCS conferences over the years as we see this as a very important way to support the leather industry as a whole. Our industry faces so much negative opposition from a misinformed media and so called "fake news", therefore it is only by members of our industry standing together as one, that we can demonstrate that leather is a valuable, cost effective, environmentally sound product and a logical material for the designers and manufactures of today and the future. Being an active supporter and participant of IULTCS is the perfect way to show that ATC is fully committed to the leather industry. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 2,954 |
This 16th Century manor house has been renovated by Kevin and Stuart in a modern style with delicate silks and Buddha carvings giving it an Eastern twist. Runner up in 2011 'Britain's Best B&B', Strete Barton House really deserves the accolades it has received as a comfortable gay friendly boutique B&B gem on the Devon coast.
Situated in the picturesque village of Strete five miles from Dartmouth in South Hams area of Devon, this chic B&B has panoramic views across Start Bay. It is only a mile from the award-winning beaches of SLAPTON and Blackpool Sands and just a stroll from two highly recommended award-winning restaurants in the village.
The sailing town of Salcombe is 15 miles away and the South West Coastal path is only 30 metres if you would rather avoid the car and spot yachts from the shore. If you have left the car at home, Totnes railway station is three hours from London Paddington and 20 minute's taxi ride away.
the South Hams area of Devon isn't known as the English Riveria for nothing – the coast is stunning. Check out Blackpool Sands, TORCROSS AND SLAPTON SANDS.
exploring Dartmouth, an atttactive workaday harbour town with good shops and cafes but also home to the fancy Mitch Tonks SEA FOOD RESTAURANT but don't forget that he also has a takeaway FISH AND CHIP SHOP TOO.
the homemade cake and warm welcome that is just what you need after a long journey. Very very civilised!
Kevin, who is from Devon, always dreamed of running a B&B since his childhood and convinced Stuart, originally from South Africa, to give it a go. They had both spent some time in the South Hams on holiday and fell in love with the dramatic un-spoilt coastline, fabulous walks and beaches, as well as the wonderful seafood restaurants. That was enough and as soon as the decision was made it took just two weeks to find "the" place and sign the contract! For them, there is nothing quite like wakening up, looking out the window and getting a sea view – whatever the weather!
Great stay at Strete Barton House. Kevin and Stuart made us feel really at home. Very comfortable and impeccably kept; a warming fire in the lounge and cosy sofas to curl up on with a book (and a cup of tea or something stronger) after being blown around on the coast. Not quite a car free stay but relaxed evenings having to walk only a few steps to the equally welcoming The Laughing Monk restaurant next door. We hope to return to both and explore the South Hams area further.
Your booking enquiry has been sent to Strete Barton House, they will reply to you directly. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 567 |
\section{Introduction}
A proper colouring of a graph $G$ is a mapping $f$ which assigns to each vertex $v$ a colour such that colours assigned to adjacent vertices are distinct. A {\em $k$-colouring} of $G$ is a proper colouring $f$ of $G$ such that $f(v) \in \{1,2,\ldots, k\}$ for each vertex $v$. The {\em chromatic number} $\chi(G)$ of $G$ is the minimum integer $k$ such that $G$ is $k$-colourable.
An {\em assignment} of a graph $G$ is a mapping $L$ which assigns to each vertex $v$ of $G$ a set
$L(v)$ of permissible colours. A {\em proper $L$-colouring} of $G$ is a proper colouring $f$ of $G$ such that for each vertex $v$ of $G$, $f(v) \in L(v)$. We say $G$ is {\em $L$-colourable} if $G$ has a proper $L$-colouring. A {\em $k$-assignment} of $G$ is a assignment $L$ with $|L(v)|= k$ for each vertex $v$. We say $G$ is {\em $k$-choosable} if $G$ is $L$-colourable for any $k$-assignment $L$ of $G$. The {\em choice number} $ch(G)$ of $G$ is the minimum integer $k$ such that
$G$ is $k$-choosable.
The concept of list colouring was introduced by Erd\H{o}s, Rubin and Taylor \cite{ERT}, and independently by Vizing \cite{Vizing} in the 1970's, and provides a useful tool in many inductive proofs for upper bounds for the chromatic number of graphs.
On the other hand, there is a big gap between $k$-colourability and $k$-choosability. In particular, bipartite graphs can have arbitrary large choice number.
Intuitively, the reason that a $k$-colourable graph fails to be $L$-colourable for a $k$-assignment $L$ is due to the fact that lists assigned to vertices by $L$ may be complicately entangled. In this paper, we put restrictions on the entanglements of lists that are allowed to be assigned to the vertices,
and hence builds a refined scale for measuring choosability of graphs.
\begin{definition}
\label{def-partition}
By a partition of a positive integer $k$ we mean a finite multiset $\lambda = \{k_1,k_2,\ldots, k_q\}$ of positive integers with $k_1+k_2+ \ldots + k_q = k$.
Each integer $k_i \in \lambda$ is called a {\em part} of $\lambda$.
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}
\label{def-multiset}
Assume $\lambda =\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$ and $G$ is a graph. A {\em $\lambda$-assignment} of $G$ is a $k$-assignment $L$ of $G$ in which the colours in $\bigcup_{x \in V(G)}L(x)$ can be partitioned into sets $C_1, C_2, \ldots, C_q$ so that for each vertex $x$ and for each $1 \le i \le q$, $|L(x) \cap C_i| = k_i$. Each $C_i$ is called a {\em colour group} of $L$. We say $G$ is {\em $\lambda$-choosable} if $G$ is $L$-colourable for any $\lambda$-assignment $L$ of $G$.
\end{definition}
Equivalently, for a partition $\lambda = \{k_1,k_2,\ldots, k_q\}$ of $k$, a $k$-assignment $L$ of $G$ is a $\lambda$-assignment of $G$ if for each $i=1,2,\ldots,q$, there is $k_i$-assignment $L_i$ of $G$ such that $L = \bigcup_{i=1}^q L_i$ (i.e., for each vertex $x$ of $G$, $L(x) = \bigcup_{i=1}^qL_i(x)$) and for $i \ne j$, for any vertices $x,y$ of $G$, $L_i(x) \cap L_j(y) = \emptyset$.
Assume $\lambda$ is a partition of $k$. By {\em subdividing a part} of $\lambda$, we mean replacing a part $k_i \in \lambda$ with a few parts
that form a partition of $k_i$.
Assume $\lambda$ and $\lambda'$ are two partitions of $k$. We say $\lambda'$ is a {\em refinement} of $\lambda$ if $\lambda'$ is obtained from $\lambda$ by subdividing some parts of $\lambda$.
For example, $\lambda'=\{2,3,4\}$ is a refinement of $\lambda=\{4,5\}$. It follows from the definition that if $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda$, then every $\lambda'$-assignment of a graph $G$ is also a $\lambda$-assignment of $G$. Hence every $\lambda$-choosable graph is
$\lambda'$-choosable.
\begin{definition}
Assume $\lambda=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$ and $L$ is a $\lambda$-assignment of $G$ and $C = \bigcup_{v \in V(G)}L(v)=C_1 \cup C_2 \cup \ldots \cup C_q$ is a partition of the colour set into colour groups of $L$.
If for each $k_i=1$, the corresponding colour group $C_i$ is a singleton, then we say $L$ is a special $\lambda$-assignment.
\end{definition}
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem0}
Assume $\lambda=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$. A graph $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable if and only if for any special $\lambda$-assignment $L$ of $G$, $G$ is $L$-colourable.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
If $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable, then of course for any special $\lambda$-assignment $L$, $G$ is $L$-colourable.
Assume $G$ is $L$-colourable for any special $\lambda$-assignment $L$, and $L'$ is an arbitrary $\lambda$-assignment of $G$. Let $J = \{i: k_i = 1\}$.
Assume $C_1, C_2 , \ldots, C_q$ are the colour groups of $L$.
For each $i \in J$, let $c_i$ be an arbitrary colour in $C_i$. Let $L(v) = (L'(v) - \bigcup_{i \in J}C_i) \cup \bigcup_{i\in J}\{c_i\}$. Then $L$ is a special $\lambda$-list assgnment of $G$. By assumption, $G$ has a proper $L$-colouring $\phi$. For each vertex $v \in V(G)$ and each index $i \in J$, let $c_{v,i}$ be the unique colour in $L'(v) \cap C_i$. Let
\[
\phi'(v) = \begin{cases} c_{v,i}, &\text{if $i \in J$ and $\phi(v)=c_i$},\cr
\phi(v), &\text{otherwise}.
\end{cases}
\]
Then $\phi'$ is a proper $L'$-colouring of $G$.
\end{proof}
It follows from the definition that for a positive integer $k$ and a graph $G$, a $\{k\}$-assignment is the same as a $k$-assignment.
Hence $\{k\}$-choosable is the same as $k$-choosable. On the other hand, it follows from Lemma \ref{lem0} that if $\lambda=\{1,1,\ldots,1\}$ is the multiset consisting of $k$ copies of $1$, then $\lambda$-choosable is the same as $k$-colourable. So $\lambda$-choosability puts $k$-colourability and $k$-choosability of graphs under the same framework, and $\lambda$-choosability for those partitions $\lambda$ of $k$ sandwiched between $\{k\}$ and $\{1,1,\ldots, 1\}$ (in terms of refinements) reveal a complicated hierarchy of colourability of graphs.
\begin{definition}
\label{def-order}
Assume $\lambda$ is a partition of $k$ and $\lambda'$ is a partition of $k' \ge k$. We write $\lambda \le \lambda'$ if $\lambda'$ is a refinement of a partition $\lambda''$ of $k'$ which is obtained from $\lambda$ by increasing some of parts of $\lambda$.
\end{definition}
For example, $\lambda=\{2,2\}$ is a partition of $4$, and $\lambda'=\{1,1,1,3\}$ is a partition of $6$. Let $\lambda''=\{3,3\}$.
Then $\lambda''$ is obtained from $\lambda$ by increasing each part of $\lambda$ by $1$, and $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda''$. Hence $\lambda \le \lambda'$.
If $\lambda''$ is obtained from $\lambda$ by increasing some of parts of $\lambda$, then certainly every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda''$-choosable. If $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda''$, then every $\lambda''$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable. Therefore if $\lambda \le \lambda'$, then every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable.
In Section 2, we shall prove the converse of
the above observation is also true: If
every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable, then $\lambda \le \lambda'$.
In Section 3, we study $\lambda$-choosability of planar graphs and line graphs. It is known that every planar graph is $5$-choosable \cite{Tho1994} and there are planar graphs that are not $4$-choosable \cite{Voigt}. By the four colour theorem, every planar graph is $\{1,1,1,1\}$-choosable. A very recent result of Kemnitz and Voigt \cite{KV2018} shows that there are planar graphs that are not $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable. This implies that for any partition $\lambda$ of $4$ different from $\{1,1,1,1\}$, there is a planar graph which is not $\lambda$-choosable. I.e., the Four Colour Theorem is tight in the refined scale of choosability defined in this paper. Nevertheless, many interesting problems concerning $\lambda$-choosability of subfamilies of planar graphs remains open.
Mirzakhani \cite{Mirzakhani} constructed a $3$-chromatic planar graph which is not $4$-choosable. In contrast to this result, we observe that $3$-chromatic planar graphs are $\{1,3\}$-choosable.
We also show that if $G$ is a planar graphs whose dual $G^*$ contains a spanning Eulerian subgraph $H$ such that every face of $H$ is either incident to a single connected component of $H$ or incident to two connected components of $H$ that are joined by an even number of edges in $G^*$, then $G$ is $\{2,2\}$-choosable. In particular, if $G^*$ has a connected spanning Eulerian subgraph, then $G$ is $\{2,2\}$-choosable.
It remains an open problem as whether every $3$-chromatic planar graph is $\{2,2\}$-choosable. We also present in this section a new construction of a planar graph which is not $\{1,3\}$-choosable. Then we prove that if $n$ is an even integer, and $\lambda$ is a partition of $n-1$ in which each part is at most $3$, then $K_n$ is edge $\lambda$-choosable.
In Section 4, we discuss relation between $\lambda$-choosability and colouring of signed graphs and generalized signed graphs.
A signed graph is a pair $(G, \sigma)$ such that $G$ is a graph and $\sigma: E \to \{-1,+1\}$ is a {\em signature} which assigns to each edge a sign.
Colouring of signed graphs was first studied by Zalslavsky \cite{Z} in the 1980's and has attracted a lot of recent attention \cite{MRS,KS2, KS}.
A set $I$ of integers is called {\em symmetric} if for any integer $i$, $i \in I$ implies that $-i \in I$.
For a positive integer $k$, let $Z_k$ be the cyclic group of order $k$, and let $N_k$ be a symmetric set of $k$ integers, say $N_k=\{1, -1, 2, -2, \ldots, q, -q\}$ if $k=2q$ is even and $N_k = \{0, 1, -1, 2, -2, \ldots, q, -q\}$ if $k=2q+1$ is odd. A {\em $k$-colouring} of $(G, \sigma)$ is a mapping $f: V(G) \to N_k$ such that for each edge $e=xy$, $f(x) \ne \sigma(e)f(y)$, and
a {\em $Z_k$-colouring} of $(G, \sigma)$ is a mapping $f: V(G) \to Z_k$ such that for each edge $e=xy$, $f(x) \ne \sigma(e)f(y)$.
We say a graph $G$ is {\em signed $k$-colourable} (respectively, {\em signed $Z_k$-colourable}) if for any signature $\sigma$ of $G$, the signed graph $(G,\sigma)$ is $k$-colourable (respectively, $Z_k$-colourable). It was conjectured by M\'{a}\v{c}ajov\'{a}, Raspaud and \v{S}koviera \cite{MRS} that every planar graph is signed $4$-colourable, and conjectured by Kang and Steffen \cite{St} that every planar graph is signed $Z_4$-colourable.
An assignment $L$ of a graph $G$ is called {\em symmetric} if for each vertex $v$ of $G$, $L(v)$ is a symmetric set of integers. We say $G$ is {\em weakly $k$-choosable} if $G$ is $L$-colourable for any symmetric $k$-assignment $L$. K\"{u}ndgen and Ramamurthi \cite{KR2002} conjectured that every planar graph is weakly $4$-choosable. It follows from the definition that every $\{2,2\}$-choosable graph is
weakly $4$-choosable. We prove that every signed $4$-colourable graph is also weakly $4$-choosable, and that every signed $Z_4$-colourable planar graph is $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable. So M\'{a}\v{c}ajov\'{a}, Raspaud and \v{S}koviera's conjecture implies K\"{u}ndgen and Ramamurthi's conjecture. Very recently, Kardo\v{s} and Narboni \cite{KN} disproved the conjecture of M\'{a}\v{c}ajov\'{a}, Raspaud and \v{S}koviera. The conjecture of
K\"{u}ndgen and Ramamurthi's remains open.
On the other hand, our result combined with the above mentioned result of Kemnitz and Voigt \cite{KV2018} disproves the conjecture of Kang and Steffen. We shall also present a direct construction of a signed planar graph which is not $Z_4$-colourable. This example is obtained by assigning signs to edges of a planar graph constructed by Wegner in 1973 \cite{Wegner}.
Section 5 studies colouring of generalized signed graphs.
DP-colouring of graphs is a concept introduced by Dvo\v{r}\'{a}k and Postle \cite{DP} as a variation of list colouring of graphs.
In the same spirit of generalizing choosabilities to $\lambda$-choosabilities, DP-colouring is generalized to colouring of generalized signed graphs. Relation between colouring of such generalized signed graphs and $\lambda$-choosabilities is discussed in this section.
In Section 6, we collect some open problems concerning $\lambda$-choosability of graphs.
\section{Ordering of partitions of integers}
\label{sec-order}
We have defined a relation $\le$ on the set of partitions of integers, which is easily seen to be reflexive, anti-symmetric and transitive. I.e., $\le$ is a partial ordering of the partitions of positive integers.
This section proves the following result.
\begin{theorem}
\label{main1}
If $\lambda \le \lambda'$, then every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable, and conversely, if every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable, then $\lambda \le \lambda'$.
\end{theorem}
Before proving this theorem, we prove a lemma, which will be used in our proof, and which is of independent interest.
For graphs $G_1, G_2, \ldots, G_q$, the {\em join} $ \vee_{i=1}^q G_i$ of $G_1, G_2, \ldots, G_q$ is obtained from the disjoint union of the $G_i$'s by adding edges connecting every vertex of $G_i$ to every vertex of $G_j$ for any $i \ne j$.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem1}
Assume for $i=1,2,\ldots, q$, $\lambda_i$ is a partition of $k_i$, and
$G_i$ is $\lambda_i$-choosable. Let $\lambda = \bigcup_{i=1}^q\lambda_i$ be the union of $\lambda_i$. Then $\vee_{i=1}^qG_i$ is $\lambda$-choosable. In particular, if $G_i$ is $k_i$-choosable, and $\lambda=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$, then $\vee_{i=1}^qG_i$ is $\lambda$-choosable.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Let $L$ be a $\lambda$-assignment of $G$. Then $L(v)$ is the disjoint union of $L_1(v) \cup L_2(v) \cup \ldots \cup L_q(v)$, such that $L_i$ is a $\lambda_i$-assignment of $G$ and $L_i(v) \cap L_j(v') = \emptyset$ for any $i \ne j$. Let $f_i$ be an $L_i$-colouring of $G_i$, then the union of the $f_i$'s is an $L$-colouring of $G$.
\end{proof}
\bigskip
\noindent
{\bf Proof of Theorem \ref{main1}}
One direction of this theorem follows easily from the definitions.
Assume $\lambda$ is a partition of $k$, $\lambda'$ is a partition of $k'$ and $\lambda \le \lambda'$ and $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable.
It follows from the definition that there is a partition $\lambda''$ of $k'$ which is obtained from $\lambda$ by increasing some parts of $\lambda$, and $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda''$.
Let $L$ be a $\lambda'$-assignment of $G$. Then $L$ is also a $\lambda''$-assignment of $G$. By omitting some colours from $L(v)$ for each vertex $v$ of $G$ (if needed), we obtain a $\lambda$-assignment $L'$ of $G$. Since $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable, $G$ has an $L'$-colouring, which is also an $L$-colouring of $G$. Hence $G$ is $\lambda'$-choosable.
Assume that every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable. We shall prove that $\lambda \le \lambda'$.
Assume $\lambda=(k_1,k_2, \ldots, k_q)$ and $\lambda'=(k'_1,k'_2, \ldots, k'_p)$.
We construct a graph $G$ as follows: Let $n$ be a sufficiently large integer (to be determined later). For $1\le i \le q$, let $G_i$ be the disjoint union of $n$ copies of the complete graph $K_{k_i}$ on $k_i$-vertices. Let $G= \vee_{i=1}^q G_i$.
Since each $G_i$ is $k_i$-choosable, it follows from Lemma \ref{lem1} that $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable.
By our assumption, $G$ is $\lambda'$-choosable.
Assume $C'_1, C'_2, \ldots, C'_p$ are disjoint colour sets such that each $|C'_j| = 2k'_j-1$.
Let
$${\cal S} = {C'_1 \choose k'_1} \times {C'_2 \choose k'_2} \times \ldots \times {C'_p \choose k'_p}.$$
Here ${C'_j \choose k'_j}$ is the family of all $k'_j$-subsets of $C'_j$.
Let $n=|{\cal S}|$. Assume ${\cal S} =\{S_1, S_2, \ldots, S_n\}$ and $S_j = (S_{j,1},S_{j,2},\ldots, S_{j,p}) $, where $S_{j,i} \in {C'_i \choose k'_i}$.
Note that $G_i$ contains $n$ copies of $K_{k_i}$, which are labeled as the 1st copy, the 2nd copy, etc. of $K_{k_i}$.
For each vertex $v$ of the $j$th copy of $K_{k_i}$ in $G_i$,
let $L(v) = \bigcup_{i=1}^qS_{j,i}$. Then $L$ is a $\lambda'$-assignment of $G$.
By our assumption, there is an $L$-colouring $\phi$ of $G$. For each index $j \in \{1,2,\ldots, p\}$, we say $C'_j$ is {\em occupied by $G_i$} if at least $k'_j$ colours in $C'_j$ are used by vertices in $G_i$.
For each $i \in \{1,2,\ldots, q\}$, let $$J_i = \{j: \text{ $C'_j$ is occupied by $G_i$}\}.$$
\begin{claim}
\label{cl1}
For $i, i' \in \{1,2,\ldots, q\}$ and $i \ne i'$, we have $J_i \cap J_{i'} = \emptyset$.
\end{claim}
\begin{proof}
If $J_i \cap J_{i'} \ne \emptyset$, say $j \in J_i \cap J_{i'}$, then at least $k'_j$ colours are used by vertices in $G_i$ and at least $k'_j$ colours are used by vertices in $G_{i'}$. As $|C'_j| = 2k'_j-1$, there is a colour $c \in C'_j$ that are used by both vertices of $G_i$ and $G_{i'}$, but every vertex of $G_i$ is adjacent to every vertex of $G_{i'}$, a contradiction.
\end{proof}
\begin{claim}
\label{cl2}
For each index $i \in \{1,2,\ldots, q\}$, $\sum_{j \in J_i}k'_j \ge k_i$.
\end{claim}
\begin{proof}
For each $j \notin J_i$, there is a set $A_j$ of $k'_j$ colours from $C'_j$ not used by any vertex in $G_i$.
Let $S_l= (S_{l,1}, S_{l,2}, \ldots, S_{l,p}) \in {\cal S}$ be an element with $S_{l,j} = A_j$ for all $j \notin J_i$. Then vertices in the $l$th copy of $K_{k_i}$ in $G_i$ does not use any colour from
$\bigcup_{j \notin J_i}C'_j$. In other words, the colours used by vertices from the $l$th copy of $K_{k_i}$ of $G_i$ are all from
$\bigcup_{j \in J_i} S_{l,j}$. As vertices in the $l$th copy of $K_{k_i}$ of $G_i$ are coloured by distinct colours, we conclude that
$$|\bigcup_{j \in J_i} S_{l,j}| = \sum_{j \in J_i} |S_{l,j}| = \sum_{j \in J_i} k'_j \ge k_i.$$
\end{proof}
Let $\lambda''=\{k''_1,k''_2, \ldots, k''_q\}$, where $k''_i = \sum_{j \in J_i} k'_j$. Then $\lambda''$ is obtained from $\lambda$ by increasing some parts of $\lambda$, and $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda''$. Hence $\lambda \le \lambda'$. \hfill\rule{0.5em}{0.809em}
\begin{corollary}
\label{cor1}
Assume $\lambda$ and $\lambda'$ are partitions of $k$. Then every $\lambda$-choosable graph is $\lambda'$-choosable if and only if $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda$.
\end{corollary}
\section{$\lambda$-choosability of special graphs}
\label{sec-planar}
Colouring of planar graphs motivated many colouring concepts and problems.
In the language of $\lambda$-choosability, the four colour theorem says that every planar graph is $\{1,1,1,1\}$-choosable. Voigt showed that there are planar graphs that are not $\{4\}$-choosable.
The other partitions of $4$ are $\{1,3\}, \{2,2\}$ and $\{1,1,2\}$.
It is natural to ask whether every planar graph $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable for any of these partitions $\lambda$ of $4$. Choi and Kwon \cite{CK2017} defined a {\em $t$-common $k$-assignment} of a graph $G$ to be a $k$-list assignment $L$ of $G$ with $|\cap_{v \in V(G)}L(v)| \ge t$. In other words, a
$t$-common $k$-assignment is precisely a $\lambda$-assignment with $\lambda=\{1,1,\ldots, 1, k-t\}$, where the number $1$ has multiplicity $t$. Choi and Kwon \cite{CK2017} constructed a planar graph with a $1$-common $4$-assignment $L$ for which $G$ is not $L$-colourable. Very recently, Kemnitz and Voigt \cite{KV2018} constructed a planar graph $G$ and a $2$-common $4$-assignment $L$ of $G$ for which $G$ is not $L$-colourable. In other words, there are planar graphs that are not $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable. This implies that for any partition $\lambda$ of $4$ different from $\{1,1,1,1\}$, there is a planar graph which is not $\lambda$-choosable.
So the Four Colour Theorem is tight in the refined scale of $\lambda$-choosability. Nevertheless, many interesting problems concerning $\lambda$-choosability of subfamilies of planar graphs remains open.
It was shown by Mirzakhani \cite{Mirzakhani} that there are $3$-chromatic planar graphs that are not $4$-choosable. In contrast to this result, we have the following observation.
\begin{observation}
Every $3$-chromatic planar graph is $\{1,3\}$-choosable.
\end{observation}
\begin{proof}
Assume $G$ is a $3$-chromatic planar graph and $L$ is a $\{1,3\}$-assignment of $G$. Let $C_1 \cup C_2$ be a partition of $\bigcup_{v \in V(G)}L(v)$ such that $|L(v) \cap C_1|= 1$ and $|L(v) \cap C_2|= 3$ for every vertex $v$. Let $V_1,V_2,V_3$ be a partition of $V(G)$ into three independent sets. It is known
that bipartite planar graphs are $3$-choosable. Thus there is a proper colouring $f$ of $G[V_1 \cup V_2]$ such that $f(v) \in L(v) \cap C_2$ for every $v \in V_1 \cup V_2$. For $v \in V_3$, let $f(v)$ be the unique colour in $L(v) \cap C_1$. Then $f$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$.
\end{proof}
Another observation is about $\{2,2\}$-choosable planar graphs.
\begin{observation}
Assume $G$ is a plane graph and $G^*$ is the dual of $G$. Assume $G^*$ has a spanning Eulerian subgraph $H$ such that each face of $H$ is incident to at most two connected components of $H$, and moreover, if a face $F$ of $H$ is incident to two connected components of $H$, then there are an even number of edges of $G$ connecting these two components of $H$. Then $G$ is $\{2,2\}$-choosable.
\end{observation}
\begin{proof}
Since $H$ is an Eulerian plane graph, its faces can be properly $2$-coloured. I.e., the faces of $H$ can be partitioned into two independent sets $A$ and $B$. If a face $F$ of $H$ is incident to one connected component of $H$, then the subgraph of $G$ induced by vertices contained in $F$ is a tree. If a face $F$ of $H$ is incident to two connected components, then the subgraph of $G$ induced by vertices contained in $F$ is a connected uni-cyclic graph (i.e., contains exactly one cycle) and the length of the cycle is the number of edges in $G^*$ connecting the two connected components of $H$. If two faces $F_1, F_2$ are not adjacent in $H$, then no vertex of $G$ contained in $F_1$ is adjacent to a vertex of $G$ contained in $F_2$. Let $X$ be the set of vertices of $G$ contained in faces in $A$, and $Y$ be the set of vertices of $G$ contained in faces in $B$. Then $X \cup Y$ is a partition of vertices of $G$, and each component of $G[X]$ or $G[Y]$ is either a tree or a uni-cyclic graph, and moreover, all the cycles are of even lengths. Therefore each of $G[X]$ and $G[Y]$ is $2$-choosable.
Assume $L$ is a $\{2,2\}$-assignment of $G$, and $C_1 \cup C_2$ are the corresponding colour groups. Then there is an $L$-colouring of $G$ such that vertices in $X$ are coloured by colours from $C_1$ and vertices in $Y$ are coloured by colours from $C_2$.
\end{proof}
Voigt \cite{Voigt} constructed the first non-4-choosable planar graph. A few other constructions of non-$4$-choosable graphs are given later, each with certain special feature \cite{CK2017,KV2018,Mirzakhani,Zhu}.
Here we present a new construction of a non-$\{1,3\}$-choosable planar graph. A graph $G$ is {\em uniquely $k$-colourable} if there is a unique partition of $V(G)$ into $k$ independent sets.
Assume $G$ is uniquely $k$-colourable, and $V_1, V_2, \ldots, V_k$ is the unique partition of $V(G)$ into $k$ independent sets. There are $k!$ ways of assigning the $k$ colours $\{1,2,\ldots, k\}$ to the independent sets. So there are actually $k!$ $k$-colourings of $G$. If $G$ is a uniquely $4$-colourable planar graph, then there are exactly $24$ $4$-colourings of $G$.
For a plane graph $G$, we denote by ${\cal F}(G)$ the set of faces of $G$.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lemma-unique}
There exists a uniquely $4$-colourable plane triangulation $G'$, a set ${\cal F}$ of $24$ faces of $G'$ and a one-to-one correspondence $\phi$ between ${\cal F}$ and the $24$ $4$-colourings of $G'$ such that for each $F \in {\cal F}$, $\phi_F(V(F)) = \{1,2,3\}$, where $\phi_F$ is the $4$-colouring of $G'$ corresponding to $F$ and $V(F)$ is the set of vertices incident to $F$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Build a plane triangulation which is uniquely $4$-colourable and which has $24$ faces. Such a graph can be constructed by starting from a triangle $T=uvw$, and repeat the following: choose a face $F$
(which is a triangle), add a vertex $x$ in the interior of $F$ and connect $x$ to each of the three vertices of $F$. Each iteration
of this procedure increases the number of faces of $G$ by $2$. We stop when there are $24$ faces.
Let $\phi$ be an arbitrary one-to-one correspondence between the $24$ $4$-colourings of $G$ and the $24$ faces of $G$.
For each face $F$ of $G$, we denote by $\phi_F$ the corresponding $4$-colouring of $G$.
Let ${\cal F}'$ be the set of faces $F$ for which $\phi_F(V(F)) \ne \{1,2,3\}$.
For each $F \in {\cal F}'$, add a vertex $z_F$ in the interior of $F$, connect $z_F$ to each of the three vertices of $F$. The colouring $\phi_F$ is uniquely extended to $z_F$. Hence the resulting plane triangulation $G'$ is still uniquely $4$-colourable.
The face $F$ of $G$ is partitioned into three faces of $G'$. The vertices of one of the three faces are coloured by $\{1,2,3\}$. We denote this face by $F'$ and use this face of $G'$ instead of the face $F$ of $G$ to be associated with the colouring $\phi_F$ (and we denote this colouring by $\phi_{F'}$ after this operation).
Let $${\cal F}=\{F': F \in {\cal F}'\} \cup ({\cal F}(G)-{\cal F}').$$
The one-to-one correspondence between ${\cal F}$ and the $24$ $4$-colourings of $G'$ defined above satisfies the requirements of the lemma.
\end{proof}
Now we are ready to construct a planar graph $G$ and a $\{1,3\}$-assignment $L$ of $G$ such that $G$ is not $L$-colourable.
Let $G'$ be a uniquely $4$-colourable plane triangulation, and let ${\cal F}$ be a set of $24$ faces of $G'$ and $\phi$ a one-to-one correspondence between ${\cal F}$ and the $24$ $4$-colourings of $G'$ so that for each $F \in {\cal F}$, $\phi_F(V(F))=\{1,2,3\}$.
For each face $F \in {\cal F}$, for $i \in \{1,2,3\}$, let $v_{F,i}$ be the vertex of $F$ with $\phi_F(v_{F,i})=i$.
Note that two faces $F, F' \in {\cal F}$ may share a vertex $v$. In this case, if $\phi_F(v)=i$ and $\phi_{F'}(v)=j$, then $v=v_{F,i}=v_{F',j}$.
\begin{itemize}
\item add a triangle $T_F = a_Fb_Fc_F$ in the interior of $F$;
\item connect $a_F$ to $v_{F,1}$ and $v_{F,2}$; connect $b_F$ to $v_{F,1}$ and $v_{F,3}$; connect $c_F$ to $v_{F,2}$ and $v_{F,3}$.
\end{itemize}
We denote the resulting plane triangulation by $G$.
Let $L$ be the $4$-assignment of $G$ defined as follows:
\[
L(v)=\begin{cases}
\{1,2,3,4\}, &\text{if $v \in V(G')$}, \cr
\{1,2,4,5\}, &\text{if $v=a_F$ for some $F \in {\cal F}$}, \cr
\{1,3,4,5\}, &\text{if $v=b_F$ for some $F \in {\cal F}$}, \cr
\{2,3,4,5\}, &\text{if $v=c_F$ for some $F \in {\cal F}$}.
\end{cases}
\]
The set of colours used in the lists is $C=\{1,2,3,4,5\}$ and
$C_1 = \{4\}, C_2=\{1,2,3,5\}$ is a partition of $C$ and for every vertex $v$ of $G$, $|L(v) \cap C_1|=1$ and $|L(v) \cap C_2| =3$. So $L$ is a $\{1,3\}$-assignment of $G$.
Now we show that $G$ is not $L$-colourable.
Assume $\psi$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$. Then the restriction of $\psi$ to $G'$ is a proper $4$-colouring of $G'$.
As $G'$ is uniquely $4$-colourable, the restriction of $\psi$ to $G'$
equals $\phi_F$ for some $F \in {\cal F}$. Consider the triangle $T_F$. Vertex $a_F$ is adjacent to vertices of colours $1$ and $2$ and has list $L(a_F)=\{1,2,4,5\}$. Therefore $\phi(a_F) \in \{4,5\}$.
Vertex $b_F$ is adjacent to vertices of colours $2$ and $3$ and has list $L(b_F)=\{2,3,4,5\}$. Therefore $\phi(b_F) \in \{4,5\}$.
Vertex $c_F$ is adjacent to vertices of colours $1$ and $3$ and has list $L(c_F)=\{1,3,4,5\}$. Therefore $\phi(c_F) \in \{4,5\}$. This is a contradiction, as $a_Fb_Fc_F$ form a triangle, and hence cannot be coloured by colours $4,5$.
This completes the proof that $G$ is not $L$-colourable. Hence $G$ is a planar graph which is not $\{1,3\}$-choosable. \hfill\rule{0.5em}{0.809em}
\bigskip
Given a assignment $L$ of a graph $G$, let $$||L|| =|\{L(x): x \in V(G)\}|.$$
The cardinality $||L||$ is another measure of the complexity of a assignment $L$.
The example above shows that there is a $4$-assignment $L$ of a planar graph $G$ such that $||L|| = 4$ and $G$ is not $L$-colourable. It is easy to see that if $L$ is a $4$-assignment of a planar graph with $||L|| \le 2$, then $G$ is $L$-colourable. Indeed, if $||L||=1$, then the statement is the same as the four colour theorem. If $||L||=2$, then without loss of generality, we may assume that $L(x) \in \{\{1,2,3,4\}, \{i, i+1,i+2,i+3\}\}$ for some $2 \le i \le 5$. Let $\phi: V(G) \to \{1,2,3,4\}$ be a $4$-colouring of $G$. Let $\psi(v)=c$, where $c$ is the unique colour $c$ in $L(v)$
for which $c \equiv \phi(v) \pmod{4}$. It is easy to check that $\psi$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$.
It remains an open question whether there is a planar graph $G$ and a $4$-assignment $L$ of $G$ with $||L||=3$ such that $G$ is not $L$-colourable.
\begin{question}
\label{g6}
Is it true that for any planar graph $G$, and $4$-assignment $L$ of $G$ with $||L||=3$, $G$ is $L$-colourable?
\end{question}
The following Theorem connects this question to weakly $4$-choosable graphs and $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable graphs.
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm-implies2}
Assume $G$ is weakly $4$-choosable and also $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable. If $L$ is a $4$-assignment of $G$ with $||L||=3$, then $G$ is $L$-colourable.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Assume $G$ is a counterexample.
I.e., $G$ is weakly $4$-choosable and $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable, but there is a $4$-assignment $L$ of $G$ with $||L||=3$ such that $G$ is not $L$-colourable.
We choose the counterexample so that $|\bigcup_{v \in V(G)}L(v)|$ is minimum.
Assume $A, B, C$ are $4$-sets and for each vertex $v$ of $G$, $L(v) \in \{A, B,C\}$.
First we observe that $(A - B) \cup (B-A) \subseteq C$, which implies that $|A \cup B| \le 6$. Assume this is not true. By symmetry, we may assume that $A-B \not\subseteq C$. Hence $A \not\subseteq B \cup C$.
If $i \in A-(B \cup C)$, then let $i'$ be any colour in $(B \cup C)-A$ and let $A'=(A-\{i\} ) \cup \{i'\}$. Let $L'$ be the assignment of $G$ for which $L'(v) = A'$ if $L(v)=A$, and $L'(v)=L(v)$ otherwise. Then we have $||L'|| \le 3$. Since
$|\bigcup_{v \in V(G)}L'(v)| < |\bigcup_{v \in V(G)}L(v)|$, by our choice of $(G,L)$, we know that $G$ has an $L'$-colouring $f'$. Let $f(v)=i$ if $f'(v)=i'$ and $L(v)=A$, and $f(v)=f'(v)$ otherwise. It is easy to verify that $f$ is a proper $L$-colouring of $G$. A contradiction.
If $|A \cup B |=5$, then $|A \cap B \cap C|=2$ and hence $L$ is a $\{1,1,2\}$-assignment of $G$. By our assumption $G$ is $L$-colourable.
If $|A \cup B |=6$, say $A=\{1,2,3,4\}$ and $B=\{1,2,5,6\}$, then $ C =(A - B) \cup (B-A) =\{3,4,5,6\}$. Thus colours in $L(v)$ for each vertex $v$ come in pairs; $(1,2), (3,4)$ and
$(5,6)$. Change the names of colours as follows: $2$ $\to$ $-1$, $4$ $\to$ $-3$ and $6$ $\to$ $-5$. Then $L$ is a symmetric $4$-assignment of $G$. Hence $G$ is $L$-colourable.
\end{proof}
Next we consider $\lambda$-choosability of line graphs. Vizing's motivation for introducing the concept of list colouring of graphs was to study list colouring of line graphs as a tool to establish the total chromatic number of graphs. The following conjecture, known as the List Colouring Conjecture (LCC), was formulated independently by
Vizing, by Gupta, by Albertson and Collins, and by Bollob\'{a}s and Harris
(see \cite{BKW}). We say a graph $G$ is {\em edge $k$-colourable} (respectively, {\em edge $k$-choosable}) if its line graph is $k$-colourable (respectively, $k$-choosable).
\begin{guess} [LCC]
\label{conj-lcc}
Every edge $k$-colourable graph is edge $k$-choosable.
\end{guess}
This conjecture received a lot of attention, however, progress is slow. In particular, it is unknown if the conjecture holds for complete graphs of even order.
The concept of $\lambda$-choosability suggests intermediate problems for many existing challenging open problems.
If Conjecture \ref{conj-lcc} is true, then the $\lambda$-choosability problem of line graphs would collapse to a colourability problem.
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm-line}
If $G$ is an edge $k$-colourable graph and $\lambda=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$ in which each part has size at most $2$, i.e., $k_i \le 2$, then $G$ is edge $\lambda$-choosable.
If $n$ is an even integer and $\lambda=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $n-1$ in which each part has size at most $3$, i.e., $k_i \le 3$, then $K_n$ is edge $\lambda$-choosable.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Assume $G$ is an edge $k$-colourable graph, $f$ is
a $k$-colouring of the line graph of $G$,
and $\lambda=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$ in which each part has size at most $2$.
Let $L$ be a $\lambda$-assignment of the line graph of $G$,
and let $ \bigcup_{i=1}^q C_i$ be a partition of $\bigcup_{e \in E(G)}L(e)$ such that for each index $i$, for any edge $e$ of $G$, $|L(e) \cap C_i| =k_i$. Let $s_0=0$ and $s_i = s_{i-1}+k_i$. For $i=1,2,\ldots, q$, let $E_i = \bigcup_{j=s_{i-1}+1}^{s_i}f^{-1}(j)$. So either $k_i=1$ and hence $E_i$ is a matching and hence edge $1$-choosable, or $k_i=2$ and $E_i$ induces a subgraph of $G$ whose components are even cycles and paths and hence is $2$-edge choosable.
Thus we can colour all the edges $e \in E_i$ using colours from $L(e) \cap C_i$, and obtain an $L$-colouring of $E(G)$.
Next we assume that $n$ is even, $\lambda = \{k_1,k_2,\ldots, k_q\}$ is a partition of $n-1$ and each $k_i \le 3$, and $L$ is a $\lambda$-assignment of $L(K_n)$.
Similarly, assume $\bigcup_{e \in E(G)}L(e) = \bigcup_{i=1}^q C_i$, where for each index $i$, for any edge $e$ of $K_n$, $|L(e) \cap C_i| =k_i$. We shall construct an $L$-colouring of $E(K_n)$.
A classical method of constructing an $(n-1)$-colouring of the line graphs of $K_n$ is as follows: Order the vertices of $K_{n-1}$ in a circle $v_1, v_2, \ldots, v_{n-1}$. Add one vertex $v_0$ in the center of the circle. Construct a matching $M_1$ as $v_0v_1, v_{n-1}v_2, v_{n-2}v_3, \ldots, v_{n-i}v_{i+1}, \ldots, v_{n/2+1}v_{n/2}$ (see the solid edges in Figure \ref{fig3} (a)).
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.6]{Figure0.png}
\end{center}
\caption{ (a) The matching $M_1 \cup M_2 \cup M_3$, (b) Embedding of $M_1 \cup M_2 \cup M_3$ in the plane.}
\label{fig3}
\end{figure}
Rotate the matching clockwise for $2\pi/(n-1)$ to get matching $M_2$, which consists of edges $v_0v_2, v_1v_3, v_{n-1}v_4, \ldots, v_{n-i}v_{i+3}, \ldots, v_{n/2+2}v_{n/2+1}$.
Rotate another $2\pi/(n-1)$ to get matching $M_3$, and matching $M_4$, $\ldots$, $M_{n-1}$. With each matching be a colour class, we obtain an $(n-1)$-colouring of the line graph of $K_n$.
The union $M_1 \cup M_2 $ is a Hamilton cycle and the union $M_1 \cup M_2 \cup M_3$ is a cubic planar graph as shown in Figure \ref{fig3} (b).
It is well-known \cite{Dougbook} that $3$-edge colourable cubic plane graph is $3$-edge choosable. Thus the spanning subgraph of $K_n$ with edge set $M_1 \cup M_2 \cup M_3$ is $3$-edge choosable, as well as the spanning subgraph of $K_n$ with edge set $M_{i+1} \cup M_{i+2} \cup M_{i+3}$ for any index $i$, is $3$-edge choosable.
Let $s_0=0$ and $s_i = s_{i-1}+k_i$. By the argument above, the spanning subgraph of $K_n$ with edge set $E_i = \bigcup_{j=s_{i-1}+1}^{s_i}M_j$ is $k_i$-edge choosable.
Thus we can colour all the edges $e \in E_i$ using colours from $L(e) \cap C_i$, and obtain an $L$-colouring of $E(K_n)$.
\end{proof}
It would be interesting to generalize Theorem \ref{thm-line} to all line graphs.
\section{Signed graph colouring and $\lambda$-choosability}
\label{sec-relation}
A signed graph is a pair $(G, \sigma)$, where $G$ is a graph and $\sigma: E \to \{-1,+1\}$ is a signature.
For a positive integer $k$, let $Z_k$ be the cyclic group of order $k$,
and $N_k=\{1, -1, 2, -2, \ldots, q, -q\}$ if
$k=2q$ is even and $N_k = \{0, 1, -1, 2, -2, \ldots, q, -q\}$ if $k=2q+1$ is odd. A $k$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$ is
a mapping $f: V(G) \to N_k$ such that for each edge $e=xy$, $f(x) \ne \sigma(e)f(y)$, and
a $Z_k$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$ is a mapping $f: V(G) \to Z_k$ such that for each edge $e=xy$, $f(x) \ne \sigma(e)f(y)$.
A graph $G$ is signed $k$-colourable (respectively, signed $Z_k$-colourable) if for any signature $\sigma$ of $G$, the signed graph $(G,\sigma)$ is $k$-colourable (respectively, $Z_k$-colourable).
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm-implies}
Every signed $4$-colourable graph is weakly $4$-choosable.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Assume $G$ is signed $4$-colourable and $L$ is a symmetric $4$-assignment of $G$. Let $L^+(u) = \{|i|: i \in L(u)\}$ for each vertex $u$.
We define a signature $\sigma$ of $G$ as follows:
For $e=uv \in E(G)$,
\[
\sigma(e) = \begin{cases}
-1, & \text{ if $\min L^+(u) = \max L^+(v)$ or $\min L^+(v) = \max L^+(u)$}, \cr
1, &\text{ otherwise.}
\end{cases}
\]
By our assumption, $G$ is signed $4$-colourable. Let $f: V(G) \to \{\pm 1, \pm 2\}$ be a $4$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$. We define an $L$-colouring $\phi$ of $G$ as follows:
For $v \in V(G)$, let
\[
\phi(v) = \begin{cases}
\max L^+(v), & \text{ if $f(v)=2$}, \cr
- \max L^+(v), & \text{ if $f(v)=1$}, \cr
\min L^+(v), &\text{ if $f(v) = -2$}, \cr
- \min L^+(v), &\text{ if $f(v) = -1$}.
\end{cases}
\]
Now we show that $\phi$ is a proper colouring of $G$.
Assume to the contrary that $e=uv$ is an edge of $G$, and $\phi(u) = \phi(v)$. Let $i = |\phi(u)|$.
Assume $e=uv$ is a positive edge. Then either $i = \min L^+(u) = \min L^+(v)$ or $i = \max L^+(u) = \max L^+(v)$. In any case,
$f(u) f(v) > 0$. Since $e$ is a positive edge, we have $f(u) \ne f(v)$. It follows from the definition that $\phi(u) \phi(v) < 0$, hence $\phi(u) \ne \phi(v)$, a contradiction.
Assume $e=uv$ is a negative edge. Then either $i = \min L^+(u) = \max L^+(v)$ or $i = \max L^+(u) = \min L^+(v)$. In any case,
$f(u)f(v) < 0$. Since $e$ is a negative edge, we have $f(u) \ne -f(v)$. Hence $|f(u)| \ne |f(v)|$, which implies that $\phi(u) \phi(v) < 0$, hence $\phi(u) \ne \phi(v)$, a contradiction.
\end{proof}
The converse of Theorem \ref{thm-implies} is not true. The graph $K_{2,2,2,2}$ is $4$-choosable (and hence weakly $4$-choosable), but it is not signed $4$-colourable \cite{KKZ2018}.
It was conjectured by
M\'{a}\v{c}ajov\'{a}, Raspaud and \v{S}koviera \cite{MRS} that every planar graph is signed $4$-colourable, and conjectured by K\"{u}ndgen and Ramamurthi \cite{KR2002} that every planar graph is weakly $4$-choosable. Theorem \ref{thm-implies} shows that M\'{a}\v{c}ajov\'{a}, Raspaud and \v{S}koviera's conjecture implies
K\"{u}ndgen and Ramamurthi's conjecture. However, very recently, Kardo\v{s} and Narboni \cite{KN} constructed a
planar graph which is not signed 4-colourable. The conjecture of K\"{u}ndgen and Ramamurthi remains open.
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm-ks-112}
Every signed $Z_4$-colourable graph is $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Assume $G$ is a signed $Z_4$-colourable graph and $L$ is a $\{1,1,2\}$-assignment of $G$. We may assume that colours in the lists are positive integers. By Lemma \ref{lem0}, we may assume that $\{ 1,2\} \subseteq \cap_{v \in V(G)} L(v)$. For each vertex $v$, let $L'(v) = L(v) -\{1,2\}$.
We define a signature $\sigma$ of $G$ as follows:
For $e=uv \in E(G)$,
\[
\sigma(e) = \begin{cases}
-1, & \text{ if $\min L'(u) = \max L'(v)$ or $\min L'(v) = \max L'(u)$}, \cr
1, &\text{ otherwise.}
\end{cases}
\]
By our assumption, $G$ is $Z_4$-colourable. Let $f: V(G) \to Z_4$ be a $Z_4$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$. We define an $L$-colouring $\phi$ of $G$ as follows:
For $v \in V(G)$, let
\[
\phi(v) = \begin{cases}
\max L'(v), & \text{ if $f(v)=3$}, \cr
\min L'(v), &\text{ if $f(v) = 1$}, \cr
1, &\text{ if $f(v) = 0$}, \cr
2, &\text{ if $f(v) = 2$}.
\end{cases}
\]
It is obvious that $\phi$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$.
Now we show that $\phi$ is a proper colouring of $G$.
Assume to the contrary that $e=uv$ is an edge of $G$, and $\phi(u) = \phi(v)=i$. It is obvious that $i \ne 1,2$, and hence $i \in L'(u) \cap L'(v)$. If $i = \max L'(u) = \max L'(v)$ or $i = \min L'(u) = \min L'(v)$, then $\sigma(e)=1$ and hence $f(u) \ne f(v)$. This is a contradiction, as $\phi(u) = \phi(v) = \max L'(u) = \max L'(v)$ or
$\phi(u) = \phi(v) = \min L'(u) = \min L'(v)$ implies that $f(u) = f(v)$. Assume that $i = \max L'(u) = \min L'(v)$. Then $\sigma(e)=-1$. So $f(u) \ne -f(v)$ in $Z_4$. This is again in
contrary to the definition of $\phi$.
\end{proof}
Again the converse of Theorem \ref{thm-ks-112} is not true. It can be verified that $K_{2,2,2,2}$ is also not $Z_4$-colourable.
As mentioned earlier, Kemnitz and Voigt \cite{KV2018} showed that there are planar graphs that are not $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable. Hence by Theorem \ref{thm-ks-112}, there are planar graphs that are not signed $Z_4$-colourable. This refutes a conjecture of Kang and Steffen \cite{KS} which asserts that every planar graph is signed $Z_4$-colourable.
In the following, we present a direct construction of a signed planar graph $(G, \sigma)$ which is not $Z_4$-colourable. Indeed, this planar graph $G$ is a slight modification of a graph constructed by Wegner in 1973 \cite{Wegner}, which was used as an example of planar graph whose vertex set cannot be partitioned into $V_1 \cup V_2$ such that $G[V_1]$ is bipartite and $G[V_2]$ is a forest. Kemnitz and Voigt's example graph was motivated by Wegner's graph and is more complicated.
Let $(H, \sigma)$ be the signed graph shown in Figure \ref{fig1}.
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.7]{Figure1.png}
\end{center}
\caption{The signed graph $(H, \sigma)$, where the dotted lines are negative edges and solid lines are positive edges.}
\label{fig1}
\end{figure}
\begin{claim}
\label{clm1}
For any $Z_4$-colouring $f$ of $(H, \sigma)$, $\{f(u), f(v)\} \cap \{0,2\} \ne \emptyset$.
\end{claim}
\begin{proof}
Assume to the contrary that $f$ is a $Z_4$-colouring of $(H, \sigma)$ and
$\{f(u), f(v)\} \cap \{0,2\} = \emptyset$. By symmetry in colours, we may assume that $f(u)=1, f(v)=3$.
Then $f(w) \notin \{1,3\}$. By symmetry in colours again, we may assume that $f(w) = 0$. As the edge $vx_4$ is negative, $f(x_4) \ne -3=1$. Thus
$f(z) \in \{0,2\}$ and $ f(x_4), f(x_5) \in \{0,2,3\}$. Since $z, x_4, x_5$ form a triangle with all edges positive,
$z, x_4, x_5$ are coloured by distinct colours. Hence either $f(x_4)=3$ or $f(x_5)=3$.
\bigskip
\noindent
{\bf Case 1} $f(x_5)=3$.
Now $x_1$ is adjacent to vertices of colours $0,1,3$ by positive edges, so $f(x_1)=2$.
Then $x_2$ is adjacent to vertices of colours $0,2$ by positive edges, and to a vertex of colour $3$ by a negative edge. Hence $f(x_2) \ne 0,2,1$ and so $f(x_2)=3$. Similarly, these forces $f(y)=0$, which in turn forces $f(x_3)=2$. Then there is no legal colour for $x_4$, a contradiction.
\bigskip
\noindent
{\bf Case 2} $f(x_4)=3$.
Then $f(x_3) \ne 3,1$. Hence $f(x_3)=0$ or $2$. If $f(x_3)=2$, then this forces $f(x_2)=3$,
which in turn forces $f(x_1)=2$ and $f(y)=0$. But then there is no legal colour for $x_5$, a contradiction. If $f(x_3)=0$, then we must have $\{f(x_1), f(x_2)\} = \{2,3\}$, which leaves no legal colour for $y$, a contradiction.
This completes the proof of the claim.
\end{proof}
We call the edge $uv$ of $H$ the {\em base edge} of $H$ and $w$ the {\em top vertex} of $H$.
Let $(G, \sigma)$ be the signed planar graph as depicted in Figure \ref{fig2}, where in each of the six triangular faces, a copy of $(H, \sigma)$ is embedded. For each copy of $(H, \sigma)$, the three vertices on the boundary of $H$ are identified with the three vertices on the boundary of the corresponding face, and the top vertex $w$ is identified with the vertex pointed by an arrow inside the face. Note that the four vertices $u_1,u_2,u_3,u_4$ induce a copy of $K_4$, and each of the six edges of this copy of $K_4$ is identified with the base edge of a copy of $(H, \sigma)$.
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.7]{Figure2.png}
\end{center}
\caption{The signed graph $(G, \sigma)$, where all the edges shown in the figure are positive edges.}
\label{fig2}
\end{figure}
\begin{theorem}
\label{main}
The signed planar graph $(G, \sigma)$ is not $Z_4$-colourable.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Assume to the contrary that $f$ is a $Z_4$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$.
By applying Claim \ref{clm1} to each of the six copies of $(H, \sigma)$, we conclude that
each of the six edges of the copy of $K_4$ induced by $u_1,u_2,u_3,u_4$ has an end vertex coloured by $0$ or $2$. On the other hand, all the edges of this copy of $K_4$ are positive, so the four vertices of this copy of $K_4$ are coloured by distinct colours from $Z_4$. This is a contradiction.
\end{proof}
Wegner's graph is obtained from a copy of $K_4$ by adding six copies of $H$ and identifying the base edge of each copy of $H$ with an edge of $K_4$, and identifying three copies of the top vertex and a vertex of the $K_4$ (see \cite{Wegner}). We could have used Wegner's graph instead of the graph $G$ described above. The proof of Theorem \ref{main} works for such a signed graph in the same way. The graph described above is obtained from Wegner's graph by identifying the top vertices of the other three copies of $H$ into a single vertex. This identification is not important, the only purpose is to make the graph a little smaller.
\section{Colouring of generalized signed graphs}
\label{sec-g}
DP-colouring (also called correspondence colouring) of graphs is a
concept introduced recently by Dvo\v{r}\'{a}k and Postle \cite{DP}, as a variation of list colouring of graphs, and has attracted a lot of attention (see \cite{BK,BKZ}).
\begin{definition}
\label{def-dp} A $k$-cover of a graph $G$ is a graph $H$ with $V(H)=V(G) \times [k]$, in which each edge is of the form $(u,i)(v,j)$ for some edge $uv$ of $G$, and for each edge $uv$ of $G$,
edges of $H$ between $u\times [k]$ and $v \times [k]$ form a (not necessarily perfect) matching.
We say $G$ is DP-k-colourable if any $k$-cover $H$ of $G$ has an independent set $I$ which intersects $v \times [k]$ exactly once for each vertex $v$ of $G$.
\end{definition}
By using the concept of DP-colouring,
Dvo\v{r}\'{a}k and Postle \cite{DP} proved that planar graphs without cycles of lengths $4,5,6,7,8$ are $3$-choosable, solving a 15 year old open problem. DP-colouring can also be viewed as a generalization of colouring of signed graphs. This point of view is adopted in \cite{JWZ2018,JLYZ}, where the concept of generalized signed graphs is introduced.
In this section, we shall study colouring of generalized signed graphs that are strengthening of $\lambda$-choosability of graphs.
First we define generalized signed graphs and their colouring.
For convenience, we view an undirected graph $G$ as a symmetric digraph, in which each edge $uv$ of $G$ is replaced by two opposite arcs $e=(u,v)$ and $e^{-1}=(v, u)$. We denote by $E(G)$ the set of arcs of $G$.
A set $S$ of permutations of
positive integers is {\em inverse closed} if $\pi^{-1} \in S$ for every
$\pi \in S$.
\begin{definition}
Assume $S$ is an inverse closed subset of permutations of
positive integers.
An {\em $S$-signature} of $G$ is a mapping $\sigma: E(G) \to S$ such that for every arc $e$, $\sigma(e^{-1}) = \sigma(e)^{-1}$.
The pair $(G, \sigma)$ is called an {\em $S$-signed graph}.
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}
Assume $S$ is an inverse closed subset of permutations of
positive integers and $(G, \sigma)$ is an $S$-signed graph.
A {\em $k$-colouring } of $(G, \sigma)$ is a mapping $f: V(G) \to [k]=\{1,2,\ldots, k\}$ such that for each
arc $e=(x,y)$ of $G$,
$\sigma(e)(f(x)) \ne f(y)$.
We say $G$ is $S$-$k$-colourable if $(G, \sigma)$ is $k$-colourable for every $S$-signature $\sigma$ of $G$.
\end{definition}
Colouring of generalized signed graphs is a common generalization of many colouring concepts.
\begin{itemize}
\item If $S=\{id\}$, then $S$-$k$-colourable is equivalent to $k$-colourable.
\item If $S=\{id, (12)(34)\ldots ((2q-1)(2q))\}$ when $q = \lfloor k/2 \rfloor$ or $q = \lceil k/2 \rceil -1$, then $S$-$k$-colourable is equivalent to signed $k$-colourable or signed $Z_k$-colourable, respectively.
\item If $S = <(12\ldots k)>$ is the cyclic group generated by permutation $(12\ldots k)$, then $S$-$k$-colourable is the same as $Z_k$-colourable, as defined by
Jaeger, Linial, Payan and Tarsi \cite{JLPT1992}. Indeed for each group $\Gamma$ of order $k$, there is a subgroup $S$ of the symmetric group $S_k$ such that $\Gamma$-colourable is equivalent to $S$-$k$-colourable.
\item If $S $ is the set of all permutations, then $S$-$k$-colourable is equivalent to DP-$k$-colourable.
\end{itemize}
It is shown in \cite{DP} that every DP-$k$-colourable graph is $k$-choosable. Indeed, assume $L$ is a $k$-assignment of $G$. We define a signature $\sigma$ of $G$ as follows: For each edge $e=(x,y)$, let $\sigma(e)$ be any permutation of integers for which $\sigma(e)(i)=j$ if the $i$th colour in $L(x)$ equals the $j$th colour in $L(y)$. If the $i$th colour in $L(x)$ is not contained in $L(y)$, then $\sigma(i) \notin [k]$.
Here we assume the colour set is ordered. Then $(G, \sigma)$ is $k$-colourable if and only if $G$ is $L$-colourable:
If $f$ is a $k$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$, then let $\phi(x)$ be the $f(x)$th colour in $L(x)$. It is easy to verify that $\phi$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$. Conversely, if $\phi$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$, then let $f(x)=i$ if $\phi(x)$ is the $i$th colour in $L(x)$. It is easy to verify that $f$ is a $k$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$.
In a very similar manner, the concept of $\lambda$-choosability is closely related to colouring of certain generalized signed graphs.
Assume $\lambda = \{k_1,k_2,\ldots,k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$.
Let $ I_1 \cup I_2 \cup \ldots \cup I_q$ be a partition of $[k]$, where $I_j= \{s_{j-1}+1,s_{j-1}+2,\ldots, s_{j-1}+k_j\}$ and $s_0=0$ and for $j \ge 1$, $s_j=s_{j-1}+k_j$. We denote by
$S_{\lambda}$ to be the set of permutations $\sigma$ of $[k]$
such that $\sigma(I_j) = I_j$ for $1 \le j \le q$.
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm2}
Assume $\lambda = \{k_1,k_2,\ldots,k_q\}$ is a partition of $k$.
If $G$ is a $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph, then $G$ is $\lambda$-choosable.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Assume $G$ is a $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph, and $L$ is a $\lambda$-assignment of $G$.
By definition, there is a partition of $\bigcup_{v \in V(G)} L(v)$ as $ C_1 \cup C_2 \cup \ldots \cup C_q$ such that for each vertex $v$ and for each $1 \le i \le q$, $|L(v) \cap C_i| = k_i$.
We may assume the colours are ordered in such a way that if $i < j$ then every colour in $C_i$ is less than every colour in $C_j$, and every integer in $I_i$ is less than every integer in $I_j$.
Then for any $l \in I_j$ for any vertex $v$ of $G$, the $l$th colour of $L(v)$ belongs to $C_j$.
We define a signature $\sigma$ of $G$ as follows: For each edge $e=(x,y)$, if $l \in I_j$ and the $l$th colour in $L(x)$ equals the $l'$th colour in $L(y)$,
let $\sigma(e)(l)=l'$. If the $l$th colour in $L(x)$ is not equal to any colour in $L(y)$, then $\sigma(e)(l)$ is an arbitrary colour in $I_j$, provided that the resulting mapping $\sigma(e)$ is a permutation of colours.
Thus for each $j$, $\sigma(e)(I_j) =I_j$ and $\sigma(e) \in S_{\lambda}$. Hence $(G, \sigma)$ has a $k$-colouring $f$. For each vertex $x$ of $G$, let $\phi(x)$ be the $f(x)$th colour in $L(x)$. Then it is easy to verify that $\phi$ is an $L$-colouring of $G$.
\end{proof}
Note that if $\lambda = \{k\}$, then $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable is the same as DP-$k$-colourable.
It is known that there are $k$-choosable graphs that are not DP-$k$-colourable. So the converse of Theorem \ref{thm2} is not true.
Similar to Lemma \ref{lem1}, we have the following lemma for $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graphs.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem2}
Assume for $i=1,2,\ldots, q$, $\lambda_i$ is a partition of $k_i$, and
$G_i$ is $S_{\lambda_i}$-$k_i$-colourable.
Let $\lambda = \bigcup_{i=1}^q \lambda_i$ be the union of the multisets $\lambda_i$ (the multiplicity of an integer $s$ in $\lambda$ is the sum of its multiplicities in $\lambda_i$). Then $\vee_{i=1}^qG_i$ is $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Let $\sigma$ be a $S_{\lambda}$-signature of $G$.
For $j=1,2,\ldots, q$, let $k'_j = k_1+k_2+\ldots + k_{j-1}$ and
$I_j = \{k'_j+1,k'_j+2, \ldots, k'_j+k_j\}$. By definition,
$\sigma(I_j)=I_j$. Let $\sigma_j$ be the permutation of $[k_j]$
defined as $\sigma_j(t) = \sigma(t+k'_j) - k'_j$. It follows from the definition that $\sigma_j
\in S_{\lambda_j}$. Hence
$(G_j,\sigma_j)$ is $k_j$-colourable. Let $f_j$ be a $k_j$-colouring of $(G_j,\sigma_j)$. Let $f$ be the $k$-colouring of $G$ defined as
$
f(v) = f_j(v)+k'_j
$
for each vertex $v$ of $G_j$.
Then it is easy to verify that $f$ is a $k$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$.
\end{proof}
\begin{corollary}
\label{main2}
Assume $\lambda$ is a partition of $k$ and $\lambda'$ is a partition of $k'$.
If $\lambda \le \lambda'$, then every $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph is $S_{\lambda'}$-$k'$-colourable, and conversely, if every $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph is $S_{\lambda'}$-$k'$-choosable, then $\lambda \le \lambda'$.
\end{corollary}
\begin{proof}
If $\lambda'$ is a refinement of $\lambda$, then any $S_{\lambda'}$-signature is an $S_{\lambda}$-signature. Hence every $S_{\lambda}$-colourable graph is $S_{\lambda'}$-colourable.
Assume $k' > k$ and $\lambda'$ is obtained from $\lambda$ by increasing some parts of $\lambda$. We shall show that every $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph is $S_{\lambda'}$-$k'$-colourable. By using induction, it suffices to consider the case that $\lambda=\{k_1,k_2,\ldots, k_q\}$ and $\lambda'=\{k_1, k_2, \ldots, k_{q-1}, k_q+1\}$.
For any $S_{\lambda'}$-signature $\sigma'$ of $G$, if $\sigma'(k+1)=k+1$, then let $\sigma$ be the restriction of $\sigma'$ to $[k]$; if $\sigma'(i)=k+1, \sigma'(k+1)=j$, then let $\sigma$ be the restriction of $\sigma'$ to $[k]$, except that $\sigma(i)=j$. Then a $k$-colouring of $(G, \sigma)$ is also a $k'$-colouring of $(G, \sigma')$. Hence every $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph is $S_{\lambda'}$-$k'$-colourable.
For the converse direction, assume every $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable graph is $S_{\lambda'}$-$k'$-colourable. Assume $\lambda =\{k_1,k_2,\ldots, k_q\}$.
Let $G_i$ for $i=1,2,\ldots, q$ be the disjoint union of $n$ copies of complete graphs $K_{k_i}$ and let $G=\vee_{i=1}^q G_i$. Then each $G_i$ is $S_{k_i}$-$k_i$-colourable. By Lemma \ref{lem2}, $G$ is $S_{\lambda}$-$k$-colourable. So $G$ is $S_{\lambda'}$-$k'$-colourable.
By Theorem \ref{thm2}, $G$ is $\lambda'$-choosable. As shown in the proof of Theorem \ref{main1}, when $n$ is sufficiently large, we must have $\lambda \le \lambda'$.
\end{proof}
\begin{definition}
\label{def-goodbad}
Assume $S$ is an inverse closed non-empty subset of $S_4$. We say $S$ is {\em good} if each $i \in [4]$is fixed by some permutation in $S$ and every planar graph is $S$-$4$-colourable.
\end{definition}
We say two subsets $S$ and $S'$ of $S_k$ are conjugate if there is a permutation $\pi \in S_k$ such that $S'= \{\pi \sigma\pi^{-1}: \sigma \in S\}$.
The four colour theorem is equivalent to say that $S=\{id\}$ is good.
It is proved in \cite{JWZ2018} that $\{id\}$ is the only good subset of $S_4$ containing $id$, and it is proved in \cite{JZ2019} that, up to conjugation, every good subset of $S_4$ not containing $id$ is a subset of $\{(12),(34), (12)(34)\}$.
\section{Some open problems}
\label{sec-open}
The concept of $\lambda$-choosability is a refinement of choosability, and basically all questions interesting for choosability are interesting with respect to $\lambda$-choosability. In particular, if a class of graphs are known to be $k$-colourable and not known to be or not $k$-choosable, it is interesting to ask if they are $\lambda$-choosable for some partitions $\lambda$ of $k$. There are many such questions. This section lists a few such questions.
By the classical Gr\"otzsch Theorem, every triangle free planar graph is $3$-colourable. It was shown by Voigt \cite{Voigt95} that there are triangle free planar graphs that are not $3$-choosable. On the other hand, it is easy to see that every triangle free planar graph is $4$-choosable. So the problem
of maximum chromatic number and maximum choice number of triangle free planar graphs is completely solved. With the refined scale of choosability introduced above, a natural question arises.
\begin{question}
Is every triangle free planar graph $\{1,2\}$-choosable?
\end{question}
It is known that every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5,6,7$ are $3$-colourable \cite{BGR2010, BGRS2005}. However, whether such planar graphs are $3$-choosable remains an open question. It was conjectured by Montassier in \cite{Montassier} that every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5,6$ are $3$-choosable.
On the other hand, it remains open whether every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5,6$ is $3$-colourable. It was conjectured by Steinberg from 1976 that every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5$ is $3$-colourable, and the conjecture was refuted in \cite{CHKLS} in 2017.
One plausible revision of Steinberg's conjecture is that every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5,6$ is $3$-colourable.
The following conjecture is sandwiched between Montassier's conjecture and the possible revision of Steinberg's conjecture.
\begin{question}
\label{g10}
Is it true that every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5,6$ is $\{1,2\}$-choosable?
\end{question}
On the other hand, it remains an open question whether every planar graph without cycles of lengths $4,5,6,7$ is $\{1,2\}$-choosable.
Although there exists non-$\{1,1,2\}$-choosable planar graph, it is likely that planar graphs forbidding some configurations are $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable.
The non-$\{1,1,2\}$-choosable planar graphs given in \cite{KV2018} contains $K_4$. By modifying that example, one can construct a $K_4$-free planar graph which is not $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable. Let $W_k$ be the $k$-wheel, which is obtained from the cycle $C_k$ by adding a universal vertex. There are non-$4$-choosable planar graphs that contains no odd wheels. However the following question is open.
\begin{question}
Is it true that every planar graph containing no odd wheel is $\{1,1,2\}$-choosable?
Or even $\{1,3\}$-choosable or $\{2,2\}$-choosable?
\end{question}
We have shown that $3$-chromatic planar graphs are $\{1,3\}$-choosable. However, the following question remains open.
\begin{question}
Is it true that every $3$-chromatic planar graph is $\{2,2\}$-choosable?
\end{question}
The List Colouring Conjecture is a very difficult conjecture. With the concept of $\lambda$-choosability, one may consider some weaker version of this conjecture. The following conjecture is such an example.
\begin{guess}
\label{conj-wlcc}
For any integer $s$, there is an integer $k(s)$ such that if $k \ge k(s)$, $G$ is edge $k$-colourable, and $\lambda$ is a partition of $k$ in which each part has size at most $s$, then $G$ is edge $\lambda$-choosable.
\end{guess}
For the order of partitions of integers, the following question remains open.
\begin{question}
Assume $\lambda_1, \lambda_2, \lambda_3$ are incomparable partitions of integers. Is it true that there is a graph which is $\lambda_i$-choosable for $i=1,2$ but not $\lambda_3$-choosable? More generally, assume $A$ and $B$ are families of partitions of integers, and the partitions in $A \cup B$ are pairwise incomparable. Is it true that there is a graph which is $\lambda$-choosable for all $\lambda \in A$ but not $\lambda$-choosable for all $\lambda \in B$?
\end{question}
| {
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Clarence Ian McCann (28 August 1933 – 16 February 2018) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Ian coached the Commonwealth Bank Football Club for two seasons in the VAFA's section B. Ian was a member of Northern Golf Club, A Hall of Fame inductee at Pascoe Vale Central Cricket Club, a Broadmeadows Rotarian, a member of Commonwealth Bank Retired Officers Association, and lead vocalist in the trio The Hat Band performers at the British Isles Dance Club Brunswick for 25 years. Ian served in the Army as a conscript.
Notes
External links
Hawthorn Football Club: Player War Service: National Service 1951-1972: Clarence Ian McCann - ARMY.
1933 births
2018 deaths
Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia)
Hawthorn Football Club players
Maryborough Football Club players | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 5,438 |
{"url":"http:\/\/www.ck12.org\/tebook\/Algebra-I-Teacher%2527s-Edition\/r1\/section\/5.2\/","text":"<img src=\"https:\/\/d5nxst8fruw4z.cloudfront.net\/atrk.gif?account=iA1Pi1a8Dy00ym\" style=\"display:none\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\" \/>\n\n# 5.2: Linear Equations in Point-Slope Form\n\nDifficulty Level: At Grade Created by: CK-12\n\n## Learning Objectives\n\nAt the end of this lesson, students will be able to:\n\n\u2022 Write an equation in point-slope form.\n\u2022 Graph an equation in point-slope form.\n\u2022 Write a linear function in point-slope form.\n\u2022 Solve real-world problems using linear models in point-slope form.\n\n## Vocabulary\n\nTerms introduced in this lesson:\n\npoint-slope form\n\n## Teaching Strategies and Tips\n\nStudents learn to write linear equations in point-slope form given:\n\n\u2022 The slope and any one point on the line (possibly the y\\begin{align*}y-\\end{align*}intercept). See Examples 1, 2, and 8.\n\u2022 Any two points on the line (m\\begin{align*}m\\end{align*} is not given). See Examples 3 and 7.\n\nAn equation in point-slope form:\n\n\u2022 Uses subscripts on x\\begin{align*}x\\end{align*} and y\\begin{align*}y\\end{align*} to designate the fixed, given point. x\\begin{align*}x\\end{align*} and y\\begin{align*}y\\end{align*} assume any other points on the line.\n\u2022 Is not solved for y\\begin{align*}y\\end{align*}. Suggest that students generate other values of y\\begin{align*} y\\end{align*} by solving for y\\begin{align*} y\\end{align*} first.\n\u2022 Can be used to graph the line without having to rewrite the equation in slope-intercept form because a slope and a point determine a unique line. See Example 5.\n\nUse Example 3 to show that any point on the line can be substituted for (x0,y0)\\begin{align*}(x_0,y_0)\\end{align*}. Point-slope equations will simplify to the same slope-intercept equation regardless of the chosen point.\n\nUse Example 6 to introduce function notation for equations in point-slope form.\n\n\u2022 Remind students that f(5.5)=12.5\\begin{align*}f(5.5)=12.5\\end{align*} is equivalent to the ordered pair (5.5,12.5)\\begin{align*}(5.5, 12.5)\\end{align*} in 6b\\begin{align*}6b\\end{align*}.\n\n\u201cFlat fees\u201d, initial amounts, starting times, etc. correspond to the intercept along the vertical axis.\n\n## Error Troubleshooting\n\nIn Example 7, have students determine the independent and dependent variables first. This helps them form correct ordered pairs.\n\n### Notes\/Highlights Having trouble? Report an issue.\n\nColor Highlighted Text Notes\n\nShow Hide Details\nDescription\nTags:\nSubjects:","date":"2016-08-27 15:24:27","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 13, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.6505721211433411, \"perplexity\": 4340.213927385014}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 20, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2016-36\/segments\/1471982921683.52\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20160823200841-00108-ip-10-153-172-175.ec2.internal.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
The Europa evolution and the danger of quantity over quality
WITH THE Europa League about to undergo drastic change, culminating in the creation of the Europa Conference League, UEFA's lesser competitions may continue to lead an uncomfortable existence. The Champions League, for all its excitement and glamour, has already eradicated the European Cup-Winners Cup and devalued the Europa League. It is difficult not to feel there is now simply too much European club football.
The Champions League took the cream from the old UEFA Cup, a tournament that was often very strong and included some of the continent's biggest names, but this was preceded by a strange bun fight called the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the brainchild of a trio of experienced football administrators – Sir Stanley Rous, Ernst Thommen and Offorino Barassi – keen to capitalise on increasing cross-border trade in post-war Europe.
The Fairs Cup, as it became more commonly known (the full name was a bit of a mouthful, after all) was the European Champion Clubs' Cup's ugly cousin. It wasn't UEFA-endorsed (not a lot of people know that) and it was structured, unashamedly, around commerce as much as football.
To qualify, the club had to represent a city that held trade fairs and initially, it was restricted to one club from each city. Trade fairs boomed in the post-WW2 years and countries like Germany, France and Italy seemed to love them. Indeed, today no large German city is complete without a "Messe", usually comprising huge exhibition halls. Somebody came up with the idea that football could be used to publicise and market these trade fairs. More likely, it was really all part of a plan to unite Europe in the aftermath of the second world war. It was no coincidence that the Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957 – the European Cup and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup were inaugurated in 1955 and the European Cup-Winners Cup in 1960.
In its early years, a number of rep teams were among the entrants. For example, Barcelona had a team but it was an "XI" rather than the club itself, and London had a team drawn from across the capital. The first two were run over a two-year period, underlining the possible inconvenience of interrupting domestic programmes.
The competition may have been a little rough at the edges – Chelsea, when playing in Rome were bombarded by missiles, including a urine-filled balloon and in the same city, Lazio and Arsenal players brawled in the street – but the trophy itself was a beautiful piece of objet d'art. It was known as the Noël Béard Trophy, a Swiss industrialist whose family were manufacturers of hotel dining equipment. The cup, the original of which sits in the Barcelona FC museum (with assorted replicas dotted around Europe), was also known as the Coupe des Villes de Foires and was won by Barca for keeps in 1971 as the trophy was retired to make way for the more imposing, and arguably less attractive, UEFA Cup.
But the Fairs Cup had a strange "one club, one city" rule that was a very unpopular, especially in England in 1968-69 when the final league table saw Everton and Chelsea both missing out on European football because Liverpool and Arsenal had finished above them. There were three places up for grabs, although in effect there were two as the Football League Cup winners would be allowed into the Fairs Cup. But in 1968-69, Swindon Town of the third division won the League Cup and were barred from entering. In normal conditions, the three places would have been filled by Liverpool, Arsenal and Swindon Town. And if the one-club, one-city rule was not in force, it would have been Liverpool, Everton and Swindon Town. Actually, England had four entrants in 1969-70 as Newcastle entered as holders. Given that Everton, Chelsea and Tottenham could not be considered, the additional place went to Southampton, who had finished in seventh position.
There was another quirk of European football that made a mockery of the effort that went into fulfilling an overseas fixture, and that was the toss of a coin to decide a stalemate over two legs. Thank heavens for penalty shoot-outs (!). Just imagine, AC Milan and Chelsea, in 1965-66, battling out not two but three games, only to settle the tie by flipping a Deutsch Mark.
Before English clubs got a grip on the things, Spanish teams dominated the Fairs Cup. They clubs won six of the first seven Fairs Cups, Roma being the only club to break the sequence. Then the Eastern Bloc had its day, with Ferencvaros and Dinamo Zagreb lifting the trophy.
The European Cup and its obese big brother, the Champions League, have always overshadowed other competitions and the Fairs Cup was no exception. But by the time it became the UEFA Cup, in 1971, it was getting very strong. A UEFA Cup run was a test of endurance. Just consider Liverpool's 1972-73 campaign: 12 games, four against West Germans, four against East Germans, two versus Greek opposition and a semi-final double header with holders Tottenham. And if you examine the 64 teams taking part, there were 21 teams that finished runners-up in their respective leagues in 1970-71, 22 that came in third, 11 fourth, six in fifth, one in seventh and two in 11. Furthermore, between 1971-72 and 1984-85, of the 14 UEFA Cup winners, six were also their domestic league champions, including Juventus, PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Feyenoord.
There is no doubt the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup grew up and became an attractive prize for a decent season, a little bit of icing on the cake for teams that couldn't quite make the European Cup. For teams that couldn't win a trophy, qualifying for Europe was the next best thing but the expansion of the Champions League, sweeping-up teams that once graced the UEFA Cup, has devalued that process considerably. Instead of merely adding to their portfolio, UEFA may have been better advised to slim-down the premier tranche, strengthening the Europa and therefore making a third product that bit more credible.
It is difficult to see if UEFA's plans will improve the quality of the two Europas and make the concept of European football more attractive. Part of the problem is that the world has shrunk since the 1950s and 1960s when pan-European football started to grow. European football competitions have lost a lot of their exclusivity and you can see foreign stars in all the major domestic leagues. Trans-European football is no longer seen as a reward for some clubs, regardless of the financial inducements.
Posted on November 13, 2020 by Neil Fredrik JensenPosted in Football politicsTagged Europa League, expansion, finance, greed, UEFA, UEFA Champions League.
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\section{Introduction}
The Transformer \citep{Vas17} sequence-to-sequence model alternates between multi-head attention, and what it calls "position-wise feed-forward networks" (FFN). The FFN takes a vector $x$ (the hidden representation at a particular position in the sequence) and passes it through two learned linear transformations, (represented by the matrices $W_1$ and $W_2$ and bias vectors $b_1$ and $b_2$). A rectified-linear (ReLU) \citep{glorot2011deep} activation function applied between the two linear transformations.
\begin{equation}
\textrm{FFN}(x, W_1, W_2, b_1, b_2) = \textrm{max}(0, xW_1 + b_1)W_2 + b_2
\end{equation}
Following the T5 codebase \citep{raffel2019exploring} \footnote{Also in the interest of ML fairness.}, we use a version with no bias:
\begin{equation}
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReLU}(x, W_1, W_2) = \textrm{max}(xW_1, 0)W_2
\end{equation}
Subsequent work has proposed replacing the ReLU with other nonlinear activation functions such as Gaussian Error Linear Units, $\textrm{GELU}(x)=x\Phi(x)$ \citep{hendrycks2016}, and $\textrm{Swish}_\beta(x)=x\sigma(\beta x)$ \citep{ramachandran2017searching}.
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GELU}(x, W_1, W_2) & = \textrm{GELU}(xW_1)W_2 \\
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Swish}(x, W_1, W_2) & = \textrm{Swish}_1(xW_1)W_2
\end{split}
\end{equation}
\section{Gated Linear Units (GLU) and Variants}
\citep{dauphin2016} introduced Gated Linear Units (GLU), a neural network layer defined as the component-wise product of two linear transformations of the input, one of which is sigmoid-activated. They also suggest omitting the activation, which they call a "bilinear" layer and attribute to \citep{mnih2007three}.
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
\textrm{GLU}(x, W, V, b, c) & = \sigma(xW + b) \otimes (xV + c) \\
\textrm{Bilinear}(x, W, V, b, c) & = (xW + b) \otimes (xV + c)
\end{split}
\end{equation}
We can also define GLU variants using other activation functions:
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
\textrm{ReGLU}(x, W, V, b, c) & = \textrm{max}(0, xW + b) \otimes (xV + c) \\
\textrm{GEGLU}(x, W, V, b, c) & = \textrm{GELU}(xW + b) \otimes (xV + c) \\
\textrm{SwiGLU}(x, W, V, b, c, \beta) & = \textrm{Swish}_\beta(xW + b) \otimes (xV + c) \\
\end{split}
\end{equation}
In this paper, we propose additional variations on the Transformer FFN layer which use GLU or one of its variants in place of the first linear transformation and the activation function. Again, we omit the bias terms.
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GLU}(x, W, V, W_2) & = (\sigma(xW) \otimes xV)W_2 \\
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Bilinear}(x, W, V, W_2) & = (xW \otimes xV)W_2 \\
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReGLU}(x, W, V, W_2) & = (\textrm{max}(0, xW) \otimes xV)W_2 \\
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GEGLU}(x, W, V, W_2) & = (\textrm{GELU}(xW) \otimes xV)W_2 \\
\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{SwiGLU}(x, W, V, W_2) & = (\textrm{Swish}_1(xW) \otimes xV)W_2 \\
\end{split}
\end{equation}
All of these layers have three weight matrices, as opposed to two for the original FFN. To keep the number of parameters and the amount of computation constant, we reduce the number of hidden units $d_{ff}$ (the second dimension of $W$ and $V$ and the first dimension of $W_2$) by a factor of $\frac{2}{3}$ when comparing these layers to the original two-matrix version.
\section{Experiments on Text-to-Text Transfer Transformer (T5)}
We test the FFN variants we have described on the transfer-learning setup from \citep{raffel2019exploring}. An encoder-decoder transformer model \citep{Vas17} is trained on a denoising objective of predicting missing text segments, and subsequently fine-tuned on various language understanding tasks.
\subsection{Model Architecture}
We use the same code base, model architecture, and training task as the base model from \citep{raffel2019exploring}. The encoder and decoder each consist of 12 layers, with $d_{model}=768$. For the attention layers, $h=12$ and $d_k = d_v = 64$. The FFN layers have hidden size $d_{ff}=3072$. As we describe above, for the GLU-variant-based FFN layers, which have thee weight matrices instead of two, we reduce the hidden layer to $d_{ff}=2048$, so as to maintain the same parameter and operation counts as the base model.
\begin{table}[h]
\caption{Heldout-set log-perplexity for Transformer models on the segment-filling task from \citep{raffel2019exploring}. All models are matched for parameters and computation.}
\label{tab:ppl}
\begin{center}
\vspace{-2mm}
\scalebox{1.0}{
\begin{tabular}{l|ll}
Training Steps & 65,536 & 524,288 \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReLU} (baseline)$ & 1.997 (0.005) & 1.677 \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GELU}$ & 1.983 (0.005) & 1.679 \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Swish}$ & 1.994 (0.003) & 1.683 \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GLU}$ & 1.982 (0.006) & 1.663 \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Bilinear}$ & 1.960 (0.005) & 1.648 \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GEGLU}$ & \textbf{1.942} (0.004) & \textbf{1.633} \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{SwiGLU}$ & \textbf{1.944} (0.010) & \textbf{1.636} \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReGLU}$ & 1.953 (0.003) & 1.645 \\
\end{tabular}
}
\end{center}
\end{table}
\subsection{Pre-Training and Perplexity Results}
Identically to \citep{raffel2019exploring}, we pre-train for 524,288 steps on the span-filling objective on the C4 dataset. Each training batch consists of 128 examples, each of which has an input of 512 tokens and an output of 114 tokens, the output containing multiple spans of tokens which were deleted from the input\footnote{Each training step took approximately 0.15 seconds on a 32-core TPUv2 cluster.}. Similarly to \citep{raffel2019exploring}, we use the Adafactor optimizer \citep{shazeer2018adafactor} and an inverse-square-root learning-rate schedule. We also decay the learning rate linearly for the final 10 percent of the training steps. Our main departure from \citep{raffel2019exploring} is that we use no dropout during pre-training. We find this to produce superior results. We compute the log-perplexity on the training objective on a heldout shard of C4, which we believe to be a good indicator of model quality. For each model architecture, we also trained four models for a shorter period (65,536 steps) to measure inter-run variability. The results are listed in table \ref{tab:ppl}. The GEGLU and SwiGLU variants produce the best perplexities.
\subsection{Fine-Tuning}
We then fine-tune each fully-trained model once on an examples-proportional mixture of the Stanford Question-Answering Dataset (SQuAD) \citep{rajpurkar2016squad} and all the language understanding tasks in the GLUE \citep{wang2018glue} and SuperGlue \citep{wang2019superglue} benchmarks.\footnote{This departs from \citep{raffel2019exploring}, who fine-tuned separately on the different tasks. We chose one fine-tuning run for simplicity.} Fine-tuning consists of 131072 steps with a learning rate of $10^{-3}$. As in training, the input sequences for each step have a combined length of approximately 65,536 tokens. Following \citep{raffel2019exploring}, we use a dropout rate of $0.1$ on the layer outputs, feed-forward hidden-layers and attention weights. The embedding matrices are fixed during fine-tuning.
Tables \ref{tab:glue}, \ref{tab:superglue} and \ref{tab:squad} show results on the development sets. For each task, we report the best score of any of the checkpoints recorded during fine-tuning. While the results are noisy, the new GLU-variants perform best on most of the tasks. For comparison, at the bottom of each of the tables we list the reuslts from \citep{raffel2019exploring}. The model is identical to our $\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReLU}$ model. Their results are notably worse, which we believe was caused by their use of dropout during pre-training. Also listed are the inter-run standard deviations measured by \citep{raffel2019exploring}.
\begin{table}[h]
\caption{GLUE Language-Understanding Benchmark \citep{wang2018glue} (dev).}
\label{tab:glue}
\begin{center}
\vspace{-2mm}
\scalebox{0.73}{
\begin{tabular}{l|c|cccccccccccc}
& Score & CoLA & SST-2 & MRPC & MRPC & STSB & STSB & QQP & QQP & MNLIm & MNLImm & QNLI & RTE \\
& Average & MCC & Acc & F1 & Acc & PCC & SCC & F1 & Acc & Acc & Acc & Acc & Acc \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReLU}$ & $83.80$ & $51.32$ & $94.04$ & \textbf{93.08} & \textbf{90.20} & $89.64$ & $89.42$ & $89.01$ & $91.75$ & $85.83$ & $86.42$ & $92.81$ & $80.14$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GELU}$ & $83.86$ & $53.48$ & $94.04$ & $92.81$ & \textbf{90.20} & $89.69$ & $89.49$ & $88.63$ & $91.62$ & $85.89$ & $86.13$ & $92.39$ & $80.51$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Swish}$ & $83.60$ & $49.79$ & $93.69$ & $92.31$ & $89.46$ & $89.20$ & $88.98$ & $88.84$ & $91.67$ & $85.22$ & $85.02$ & $92.33$ & $81.23$ \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GLU}$ & $84.20$ & $49.16$ & $94.27$ & $92.39$ & $89.46$ & $89.46$ & $89.35$ & $88.79$ & $91.62$ & $86.36$ & $86.18$ & $92.92$ & \textbf{84.12} \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GEGLU}$ & $84.12$ & $53.65$ & $93.92$ & $92.68$ & $89.71$ & $90.26$ & $90.13$ & $89.11$ & $91.85$ & $86.15$ & $86.17$ & $92.81$ & $79.42$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Bilinear}$ & $83.79$ & $51.02$ & \textbf{94.38} & $92.28$ & $89.46$ & $90.06$ & $89.84$ & $88.95$ & $91.69$ & \textbf{86.90} & \textbf{87.08} & $92.92$ & $81.95$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{SwiGLU}$ & $84.36$ & $51.59$ & $93.92$ & $92.23$ & $88.97$ & \textbf{90.32} & \textbf{90.13} & \textbf{89.14} & \textbf{91.87} & $86.45$ & $86.47$ & \textbf{92.93} & $83.39$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReGLU}$ & \textbf{84.67} & \textbf{56.16} & \textbf{94.38} & $92.06$ & $89.22$ & $89.97$ & $89.85$ & $88.86$ & $91.72$ & $86.20$ & $86.40$ & $92.68$ & $81.59$ \\
\hline \hline
\citep{raffel2019exploring} & $83.28$ & $53.84$ & $92.68$ & $92.07$ & $88.92$ & $88.02$ & $87.94$ & $88.67$ & $91.56$ & $84.24$ & $84.57$ & $90.48$ & $76.28$ \\
ibid. stddev. & $0.235$ & $1.111$ & $0.569$ & $0.729$ & $1.019$ & $0.374$ & $0.418$ & $0.108$ & $0.070$ & $0.291$ & $0.231$ & $0.361$ & $1.393$ \\
\end{tabular}
}
\end{center}
\end{table}
\begin{table}[h]
\caption{SuperGLUE Language-Understanding Benchmark \citep{wang2019superglue} (dev).}
\label{tab:superglue}
\begin{center}
\vspace{-2mm}
\scalebox{0.75}{
\begin{tabular}{l|c|cccccccccccc}
& Score & BoolQ & CB & CB & CoPA & MultiRC & MultiRC & ReCoRD & ReCoRD & RTE & WiC & WSC \\
& Average & Acc & F1 & Acc & Acc & F1 & EM & F1 & EM & Acc & Acc & Acc \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReLU}$ & $72.76$ & $80.15$ & $83.37$ & $89.29$ & $70.00$ & $76.93$ & $39.14$ & $73.73$ & $72.91$ & $83.39$ & $67.71$ & $77.88$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GELU}$ & $72.98$ & $80.64$ & $86.24$ & \textbf{91.07} & $74.00$ & $75.93$ & $38.61$ & $72.96$ & $72.03$ & $81.59$ & $68.34$ & $75.96$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Swish}$ & $72.40$ & $80.43$ & $77.75$ & $83.93$ & $67.00$ & $76.34$ & $39.14$ & $73.34$ & $72.36$ & $81.95$ & $68.18$ & $81.73$ \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GLU}$ & $73.95$ & $80.95$ & $77.26$ & $83.93$ & $73.00$ & $76.07$ & $39.03$ & $74.22$ & $73.50$ & $84.12$ & $67.71$ & \textbf{87.50} \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GEGLU}$ & $73.96$ & $81.19$ & $82.09$ & $87.50$ & $72.00$ & \textbf{77.43} & \textbf{41.03} & $75.28$ & \textbf{74.60} & $83.39$ & $67.08$ & $83.65$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Bilinear}$ & $73.81$ & \textbf{81.53} & $82.49$ & $89.29$ & \textbf{76.00} & $76.04$ & $40.92$ & $74.97$ & $74.10$ & $82.67$ & \textbf{69.28} & $78.85$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{SwiGLU}$ & \textbf{74.56} & $81.19$ & $82.39$ & $89.29$ & $73.00$ & $75.56$ & $38.72$ & \textbf{75.35} & $74.55$ & \textbf{85.20} & $67.24$ & $86.54$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReGLU}$ & $73.66$ & $80.89$ & \textbf{86.37} & \textbf{91.07} & $67.00$ & $75.32$ & $40.50$ & $75.07$ & $74.18$ & $84.48$ & $67.40$ & $79.81$ \\
\hline
\hline
\citep{raffel2019exploring} & $71.36$ & $76.62$ & $91.22$ & $91.96$ & $66.20$ & $66.13$ & $25.78$ & $69.05$ & $68.16$ & $75.34$ & $68.04$ & $78.56$ \\
ibid. stddev. & $0.416$ & $0.365$ & $3.237$ & $2.560$ & $2.741$ & $0.716$ & $1.011$ & $0.370$ & $0.379$ & $1.228$ & $0.850$ & $2.029$ \\
\end{tabular}
}
\end{center}
\end{table}
\begin{table}[h]
\caption{SQuAD \citep{rajpurkar2016squad} v1.1 (dev).}
\label{tab:squad}
\begin{center}
\vspace{-2mm}
\scalebox{0.75}{
\begin{tabular}{l|ll}
& EM & F1 \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReLU}$ & $83.18$ & $90.87$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GELU}$ & $83.09$ & $90.79$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Swish}$ & $83.25$ & $90.76$ \\
\hline
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GLU}$ & $82.88$ & $90.69$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{GEGLU}$ & $83.55$ & $91.12$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{Bilinear}$ & \textbf{83.82} & $91.06$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{SwiGLU}$ & $83.42$ & $91.03$ \\
$\textrm{FFN}_\textrm{ReGLU}$ & $83.53$ & \textbf{91.18} \\
\hline
\hline
\citep{raffel2019exploring} & $80.88$ & $88.81$ \\
ibid. Standard Deviation & $0.343$ & $0.226$ \\
\end{tabular}
}
\end{center}
\end{table}
\section{Conclusions}
We have extended the GLU family of layers and proposed their use in Transformer. In a transfer-learning setup, the new variants seem to produce better perplexities for the de-noising objective used in pre-training, as well as better results on many downstream language-understanding tasks. These architectures are simple to implement, and have no apparent computational drawbacks. We offer no explanation as to why these architectures seem to work; we attribute their success, as all else, to divine benevolence.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 5,970 |
{"url":"http:\/\/isabelle.in.tum.de\/repos\/isabelle\/file\/9f90ac19e32b\/src\/HOL\/Library\/State_Monad.thy","text":"author haftmann Thu Jun 26 10:07:01 2008 +0200 (2008-06-26) changeset 27368 9f90ac19e32b parent 26588 d83271bfaba5 child 27487 c8a6ce181805 permissions -rw-r--r--\nestablished Plain theory and image\n 1 (* Title: HOL\/Library\/State_Monad.thy\n\n 2 ID: $Id$\n\n 3 Author: Florian Haftmann, TU Muenchen\n\n 4 *)\n\n 5\n\n 6 header {* Combinators syntax for generic, open state monads (single threaded monads) *}\n\n 7\n\n 8 theory State_Monad\n\n 9 imports Plain List\n\n 10 begin\n\n 11\n\n 12 subsection {* Motivation *}\n\n 13\n\n 14 text {*\n\n 15 The logic HOL has no notion of constructor classes, so\n\n 16 it is not possible to model monads the Haskell way\n\n 17 in full genericity in Isabelle\/HOL.\n\n 18\n\n 19 However, this theory provides substantial support for\n\n 20 a very common class of monads: \\emph{state monads}\n\n 21 (or \\emph{single-threaded monads}, since a state\n\n 22 is transformed single-threaded).\n\n 23\n\n 24 To enter from the Haskell world,\n\n 25 \\url{http:\/\/www.engr.mun.ca\/~theo\/Misc\/haskell_and_monads.htm}\n\n 26 makes a good motivating start. Here we just sketch briefly\n\n 27 how those monads enter the game of Isabelle\/HOL.\n\n 28 *}\n\n 29\n\n 30 subsection {* State transformations and combinators *}\n\n 31\n\n 32 text {*\n\n 33 We classify functions operating on states into two categories:\n\n 34\n\n 35 \\begin{description}\n\n 36 \\item[transformations]\n\n 37 with type signature @{text \"\\<sigma> \\<Rightarrow> \\<sigma>'\"},\n\n 38 transforming a state.\n\n 39 \\item[yielding'' transformations]\n\n 40 with type signature @{text \"\\<sigma> \\<Rightarrow> \\<alpha> \\<times> \\<sigma>'\"},\n\n 41 yielding'' a side result while transforming a state.\n\n 42 \\item[queries]\n\n 43 with type signature @{text \"\\<sigma> \\<Rightarrow> \\<alpha>\"},\n\n 44 computing a result dependent on a state.\n\n 45 \\end{description}\n\n 46\n\n 47 By convention we write @{text \"\\<sigma>\"} for types representing states\n\n 48 and @{text \"\\<alpha>\"}, @{text \"\\<beta>\"}, @{text \"\\<gamma>\"}, @{text \"\\<dots>\"}\n\n 49 for types representing side results. Type changes due\n\n 50 to transformations are not excluded in our scenario.\n\n 51\n\n 52 We aim to assert that values of any state type @{text \"\\<sigma>\"}\n\n 53 are used in a single-threaded way: after application\n\n 54 of a transformation on a value of type @{text \"\\<sigma>\"}, the\n\n 55 former value should not be used again. To achieve this,\n\n 56 we use a set of monad combinators:\n\n 57 *}\n\n 58\n\n 59 notation fcomp (infixl \">>\" 60)\n\n 60 notation (xsymbols) fcomp (infixl \"\\<guillemotright>\" 60)\n\n 61 notation scomp (infixl \">>=\" 60)\n\n 62 notation (xsymbols) scomp (infixl \"\\<guillemotright>=\" 60)\n\n 63\n\n 64 abbreviation (input)\n\n 65 \"return \\<equiv> Pair\"\n\n 66\n\n 67 definition\n\n 68 run :: \"('a \\<Rightarrow> 'b) \\<Rightarrow> 'a \\<Rightarrow> 'b\" where\n\n 69 \"run f = f\"\n\n 70\n\n 71 print_ast_translation {*\n\n 72 [(@{const_syntax \"run\"}, fn (f::ts) => Syntax.mk_appl f ts)]\n\n 73 *}\n\n 74\n\n 75 text {*\n\n 76 Given two transformations @{term f} and @{term g}, they\n\n 77 may be directly composed using the @{term \"op \\<guillemotright>\"} combinator,\n\n 78 forming a forward composition: @{prop \"(f \\<guillemotright> g) s = f (g s)\"}.\n\n 79\n\n 80 After any yielding transformation, we bind the side result\n\n 81 immediately using a lambda abstraction. This\n\n 82 is the purpose of the @{term \"op \\<guillemotright>=\"} combinator:\n\n 83 @{prop \"(f \\<guillemotright>= (\\<lambda>x. g)) s = (let (x, s') = f s in g s')\"}.\n\n 84\n\n 85 For queries, the existing @{term \"Let\"} is appropriate.\n\n 86\n\n 87 Naturally, a computation may yield a side result by pairing\n\n 88 it to the state from the left; we introduce the\n\n 89 suggestive abbreviation @{term return} for this purpose.\n\n 90\n\n 91 The @{const run} ist just a marker.\n\n 92\n\n 93 The most crucial distinction to Haskell is that we do\n\n 94 not need to introduce distinguished type constructors\n\n 95 for different kinds of state. This has two consequences:\n\n 96 \\begin{itemize}\n\n 97 \\item The monad model does not state anything about\n\n 98 the kind of state; the model for the state is\n\n 99 completely orthogonal and may be\n\n 100 specified completely independently.\n\n 101 \\item There is no distinguished type constructor\n\n 102 encapsulating away the state transformation, i.e.~transformations\n\n 103 may be applied directly without using any lifting\n\n 104 or providing and dropping units (open monad'').\n\n 105 \\item The type of states may change due to a transformation.\n\n 106 \\end{itemize}\n\n 107 *}\n\n 108\n\n 109\n\n 110 subsection {* Obsolete runs *}\n\n 111\n\n 112 text {*\n\n 113 @{term run} is just a doodle and should not occur nested:\n\n 114 *}\n\n 115\n\n 116 lemma run_simp [simp]:\n\n 117 \"\\<And>f. run (run f) = run f\"\n\n 118 \"\\<And>f g. run f \\<guillemotright>= g = f \\<guillemotright>= g\"\n\n 119 \"\\<And>f g. run f \\<guillemotright> g = f \\<guillemotright> g\"\n\n 120 \"\\<And>f g. f \\<guillemotright>= (\\<lambda>x. run g) = f \\<guillemotright>= (\\<lambda>x. g)\"\n\n 121 \"\\<And>f g. f \\<guillemotright> run g = f \\<guillemotright> g\"\n\n 122 \"\\<And>f. f = run f \\<longleftrightarrow> True\"\n\n 123 \"\\<And>f. run f = f \\<longleftrightarrow> True\"\n\n 124 unfolding run_def by rule+\n\n 125\n\n 126 subsection {* Monad laws *}\n\n 127\n\n 128 text {*\n\n 129 The common monadic laws hold and may also be used\n\n 130 as normalization rules for monadic expressions:\n\n 131 *}\n\n 132\n\n 133 lemma\n\n 134 return_scomp [simp]: \"return x \\<guillemotright>= f = f x\"\n\n 135 unfolding scomp_def by (simp add: expand_fun_eq)\n\n 136\n\n 137 lemma\n\n 138 scomp_return [simp]: \"x \\<guillemotright>= return = x\"\n\n 139 unfolding scomp_def by (simp add: expand_fun_eq split_Pair)\n\n 140\n\n 141 lemma\n\n 142 id_fcomp [simp]: \"id \\<guillemotright> f = f\"\n\n 143 unfolding fcomp_def by simp\n\n 144\n\n 145 lemma\n\n 146 fcomp_id [simp]: \"f \\<guillemotright> id = f\"\n\n 147 unfolding fcomp_def by simp\n\n 148\n\n 149 lemma\n\n 150 scomp_scomp [simp]: \"(f \\<guillemotright>= g) \\<guillemotright>= h = f \\<guillemotright>= (\\<lambda>x. g x \\<guillemotright>= h)\"\n\n 151 unfolding scomp_def by (simp add: split_def expand_fun_eq)\n\n 152\n\n 153 lemma\n\n 154 scomp_fcomp [simp]: \"(f \\<guillemotright>= g) \\<guillemotright> h = f \\<guillemotright>= (\\<lambda>x. g x \\<guillemotright> h)\"\n\n 155 unfolding scomp_def fcomp_def by (simp add: split_def expand_fun_eq)\n\n 156\n\n 157 lemma\n\n 158 fcomp_scomp [simp]: \"(f \\<guillemotright> g) \\<guillemotright>= h = f \\<guillemotright> (g \\<guillemotright>= h)\"\n\n 159 unfolding scomp_def fcomp_def by (simp add: split_def expand_fun_eq)\n\n 160\n\n 161 lemma\n\n 162 fcomp_fcomp [simp]: \"(f \\<guillemotright> g) \\<guillemotright> h = f \\<guillemotright> (g \\<guillemotright> h)\"\n\n 163 unfolding fcomp_def o_assoc ..\n\n 164\n\n 165 lemmas monad_simp = run_simp return_scomp scomp_return id_fcomp fcomp_id\n\n 166 scomp_scomp scomp_fcomp fcomp_scomp fcomp_fcomp\n\n 167\n\n 168 text {*\n\n 169 Evaluation of monadic expressions by force:\n\n 170 *}\n\n 171\n\n 172 lemmas monad_collapse = monad_simp o_apply o_assoc split_Pair split_comp\n\n 173 scomp_def fcomp_def run_def\n\n 174\n\n 175 subsection {* ML abstract operations *}\n\n 176\n\n 177 ML {*\n\n 178 structure StateMonad =\n\n 179 struct\n\n 180\n\n 181 fun liftT T sT = sT --> HOLogic.mk_prodT (T, sT);\n\n 182 fun liftT' sT = sT --> sT;\n\n 183\n\n 184 fun return T sT x = Const (@{const_name return}, T --> liftT T sT) $x; 185 186 fun scomp T1 T2 sT f g = Const (@{const_name scomp}, 187 liftT T1 sT --> (T1 --> liftT T2 sT) --> liftT T2 sT)$ f $g; 188 189 fun run T sT f = Const (@{const_name run}, liftT' (liftT T sT))$ f;\n\n 190\n\n 191 end;\n\n 192 *}\n\n 193\n\n 194\n\n 195 subsection {* Syntax *}\n\n 196\n\n 197 text {*\n\n 198 We provide a convenient do-notation for monadic expressions\n\n 199 well-known from Haskell. @{const Let} is printed\n\n 200 specially in do-expressions.\n\n 201 *}\n\n 202\n\n 203 nonterminals do_expr\n\n 204\n\n 205 syntax\n\n 206 \"_do\" :: \"do_expr \\<Rightarrow> 'a\"\n\n 207 (\"do _ done\" [12] 12)\n\n 208 \"_scomp\" :: \"pttrn \\<Rightarrow> 'a \\<Rightarrow> do_expr \\<Rightarrow> do_expr\"\n\n 209 (\"_ <- _;\/\/ _\" [1000, 13, 12] 12)\n\n 210 \"_fcomp\" :: \"'a \\<Rightarrow> do_expr \\<Rightarrow> do_expr\"\n\n 211 (\"_;\/\/ _\" [13, 12] 12)\n\n 212 \"_let\" :: \"pttrn \\<Rightarrow> 'a \\<Rightarrow> do_expr \\<Rightarrow> do_expr\"\n\n 213 (\"let _ = _;\/\/ _\" [1000, 13, 12] 12)\n\n 214 \"_nil\" :: \"'a \\<Rightarrow> do_expr\"\n\n 215 (\"_\" [12] 12)\n\n 216\n\n 217 syntax (xsymbols)\n\n 218 \"_scomp\" :: \"pttrn \\<Rightarrow> 'a \\<Rightarrow> do_expr \\<Rightarrow> do_expr\"\n\n 219 (\"_ \\<leftarrow> _;\/\/ _\" [1000, 13, 12] 12)\n\n 220\n\n 221 translations\n\n 222 \"_do f\" => \"CONST run f\"\n\n 223 \"_scomp x f g\" => \"f \\<guillemotright>= (\\<lambda>x. g)\"\n\n 224 \"_fcomp f g\" => \"f \\<guillemotright> g\"\n\n 225 \"_let x t f\" => \"CONST Let t (\\<lambda>x. f)\"\n\n 226 \"_nil f\" => \"f\"\n\n 227\n\n 228 print_translation {*\n\n 229 let\n\n 230 fun dest_abs_eta (Abs (abs as (_, ty, _))) =\n\n 231 let\n\n 232 val (v, t) = Syntax.variant_abs abs;\n\n 233 in ((v, ty), t) end\n\n 234 | dest_abs_eta t =\n\n 235 let\n\n 236 val (v, t) = Syntax.variant_abs (\"\", dummyT, t $Bound 0); 237 in ((v, dummyT), t) end 238 fun unfold_monad (Const (@{const_syntax scomp}, _)$ f $g) = 239 let 240 val ((v, ty), g') = dest_abs_eta g; 241 in Const (\"_scomp\", dummyT)$ Free (v, ty) $f$ unfold_monad g' end\n\n 242 | unfold_monad (Const (@{const_syntax fcomp}, _) $f$ g) =\n\n 243 Const (\"_fcomp\", dummyT) $f$ unfold_monad g\n\n 244 | unfold_monad (Const (@{const_syntax Let}, _) $f$ g) =\n\n 245 let\n\n 246 val ((v, ty), g') = dest_abs_eta g;\n\n 247 in Const (\"_let\", dummyT) $Free (v, ty)$ f $unfold_monad g' end 248 | unfold_monad (Const (@{const_syntax Pair}, _)$ f) =\n\n 249 Const (\"return\", dummyT) $f 250 | unfold_monad f = f; 251 fun tr' (f::ts) = 252 list_comb (Const (\"_do\", dummyT)$ unfold_monad f, ts)\n\n 253 in [(@{const_syntax \"run\"}, tr')] end;\n\n 254 *}\n\n 255\n\n 256\n\n 257 subsection {* Combinators *}\n\n 258\n\n 259 definition\n\n 260 lift :: \"('a \\<Rightarrow> 'b) \\<Rightarrow> 'a \\<Rightarrow> 'c \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<times> 'c\" where\n\n 261 \"lift f x = return (f x)\"\n\n 262\n\n 263 primrec\n\n 264 list :: \"('a \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<Rightarrow> 'b) \\<Rightarrow> 'a list \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<Rightarrow> 'b\" where\n\n 265 \"list f [] = id\"\n\n 266 | \"list f (x#xs) = (do f x; list f xs done)\"\n\n 267\n\n 268 primrec\n\n 269 list_yield :: \"('a \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<Rightarrow> 'c \\<times> 'b) \\<Rightarrow> 'a list \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<Rightarrow> 'c list \\<times> 'b\" where\n\n 270 \"list_yield f [] = return []\"\n\n 271 | \"list_yield f (x#xs) = (do y \\<leftarrow> f x; ys \\<leftarrow> list_yield f xs; return (y#ys) done)\"\n\n 272\n\n 273 definition\n\n 274 collapse :: \"('a \\<Rightarrow> ('a \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<times> 'a) \\<times> 'a) \\<Rightarrow> 'a \\<Rightarrow> 'b \\<times> 'a\" where\n\n 275 \"collapse f = (do g \\<leftarrow> f; g done)\"\n\n 276\n\n 277 text {* combinator properties *}\n\n 278\n\n 279 lemma list_append [simp]:\n\n 280 \"list f (xs @ ys) = list f xs \\<guillemotright> list f ys\"\n\n 281 by (induct xs) (simp_all del: id_apply)\n\n 282\n\n 283 lemma list_cong [fundef_cong, recdef_cong]:\n\n 284 \"\\<lbrakk> \\<And>x. x \\<in> set xs \\<Longrightarrow> f x = g x; xs = ys \\<rbrakk>\n\n 285 \\<Longrightarrow> list f xs = list g ys\"\n\n 286 proof (induct xs arbitrary: ys)\n\n 287 case Nil then show ?case by simp\n\n 288 next\n\n 289 case (Cons x xs)\n\n 290 from Cons have \"\\<And>y. y \\<in> set (x # xs) \\<Longrightarrow> f y = g y\" by auto\n\n 291 then have \"\\<And>y. y \\<in> set xs \\<Longrightarrow> f y = g y\" by auto\n\n 292 with Cons have \"list f xs = list g xs\" by auto\n\n 293 with Cons have \"list f (x # xs) = list g (x # xs)\" by auto\n\n 294 with Cons show \"list f (x # xs) = list g ys\" by auto\n\n 295 qed\n\n 296\n\n 297 lemma list_yield_cong [fundef_cong, recdef_cong]:\n\n 298 \"\\<lbrakk> \\<And>x. x \\<in> set xs \\<Longrightarrow> f x = g x; xs = ys \\<rbrakk>\n\n 299 \\<Longrightarrow> list_yield f xs = list_yield g ys\"\n\n 300 proof (induct xs arbitrary: ys)\n\n 301 case Nil then show ?case by simp\n\n 302 next\n\n 303 case (Cons x xs)\n\n 304 from Cons have \"\\<And>y. y \\<in> set (x # xs) \\<Longrightarrow> f y = g y\" by auto\n\n 305 then have \"\\<And>y. y \\<in> set xs \\<Longrightarrow> f y = g y\" by auto\n\n 306 with Cons have \"list_yield f xs = list_yield g xs\" by auto\n\n 307 with Cons have \"list_yield f (x # xs) = list_yield g (x # xs)\" by auto\n\n 308 with Cons show \"list_yield f (x # xs) = list_yield g ys\" by auto\n\n 309 qed\n\n 310\n\n 311 text {*\n\n 312 For an example, see HOL\/ex\/Random.thy.\n\n 313 *}\n\n 314\n\n 315 end","date":"2020-01-22 08:01:26","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 1, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.7845686674118042, \"perplexity\": 7748.3102056892785}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.3, \"absolute_threshold\": 20, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2020-05\/segments\/1579250606872.19\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20200122071919-20200122100919-00286.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
Q: Make java scrollbar start in middle of the scrolling content I have a horizontal scrollbar that controls a large panel (with a very large width, and a very small height, thus an horizontal panel).
I want the start of the scrollbar (when the knob is at max left) NOT to start at the beggining of the panel it is scrolling, but rather in a specific place that I dictate. The same for the end of the scrollbar (when the knob is at max right).
I find that the scrollbar is always bound to the panel it is scrolling, and I can't figure out how to change its behaviour.
EDIT:
As an example, picture a normal web-page: when at the top of the page, the scrollbar knob is also at the top. When at the bottom, the scrollbar knob is at the bottom. I want to define new limits for the content, such that when the scrollbar knob reaches the top or bottom, the page is showing the limit I defined, instead of the real top and bottom.
A: As shown in How to Use Scroll Panes, you can use the component's scrollRectToVisible() method to scroll to an arbitrary Rectangle. There's an example here.
Addendum: As a Container, a JPanel is fairly fungible even if it has considerable nested content. One reliable way to swap content at a given level is via CardLayout, shown here, here and here.
A: I solved the problem by using the JScrollbar method setValues(), which allows me to set at the same time the maximum, minimum, value and extent of the scrollbar. By setting the maximum and minimum to the values I want, the scrollbar behaves as I wanted/expected.
The problem was that I was only setting maximum and minimum values (setMaximum, setMinimum), and since there is a strict policy at the model that minimum <= value <= value+extent <= maximum, that estrategy did not work.
A: Would it be possible to keep the large panel as a backing store and copy the region of interest into a panel which is actually realized in the scrollpane. This way you don't have to fight the behavior of the scrollpane.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
} | 3,706 |
Building and Construction >
SEVERN TRENT BUILDING 2.4 MW FOOD WASTE AD PLANT AT SEWAGE WORKS IN WARWICKSHIRE
Severn Trent Water
Warwickshire, UK
UK water utility, Severn Trent Water, is investing £13 million to build a new anaerobic digestion plant that will produce biogas from food waste at its Coleshill Sewage Treatment Works in Warwickshire
According to the planning application the facility, which is currently under construction, will process and manage up to 48,500 tonnes of biodegradable organic waste per annum.
The plant will comprise a reception building, five digestate and storage tanks, a site office, weighbridge and two gas engine generators and ancillary equipment.
The proposed capacity at the AD facility will be met primarily from commercial and industrial waste sources within 40 miles of the site such as schools, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and food manufacturers.
The application said that the plant will also be capable of processing liquid wastes include compost leachate, waste cooking oils and drinks manufacturing waste.
Rainwater collected from on-site surface water attenuation and the harvesting of rainwater that falls on the roof of the reception building can also be used in the AD process.
Once complete it is anticipated that the plant will generate around 2.4 MW of renewable energy.
Mike Surrey, who's overseeing the project, explained why Severn Trent is investing in the plant: "Just in our region, there's 750,000 tonnes of available food waste every year."
"At the moment a lot of this just rots away in landfill, with no benefit to anyone. However, when we've built this new anaerobic digester we'll be able to generate electricity to power our sites and sell the extra back to the grid," he continued.
According to Surrey the biogas facility should be operational by the end of the year.
"And this is only just the beginning," alludes Surrey. "Once the digester at Coleshill is up and running, we have ambitious plans to roll out food waste plants across the Severn Trent region, and we're looking at where we're going to put the next two plants right now."
"Each of these plants is expected to generate around 2%t of Severn Trent Water's energy needs," he concluded. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
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The CS 5000 is one of the industry's most economical and effective walk-through metal detectors. Its microprocessor technology offers greater sensitivity for detecting weapons from the archway to the floor. It is constructed with attractive scratch and mar-resistant laminate with resilient end caps to endure high-volume security checkpoint usage.
Fully automatic 100 to 240 VAC, 50 or 60 Hertz, 14 watts; no rewiring, switching or adjustments required. Power supply meets UL, CSA, TUV and VDE standards.
100% sensor coil Faraday shielding; special Garrett built-in circuitry for noise suppression and ignoring x-ray monitor horizontal sync.
Multiple channels permit several CS 5000s and other Garrett detectors to operate simultaneously in close proximity.
Ready light indicates unit is operational; alarm lights and audible alarms are activated when the target amount of metal is detected; LED bar graph indicates amplitude of alarm signal. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 6,485 |
Doko ist ein Arrondissement im Département Couffo im westafrikanischen Staat Benin. Es ist eine Verwaltungseinheit, die der Gerichtsbarkeit der Kommune Toviklin untersteht.
Demografie und Verwaltung
Gemäß der Volkszählung 2013 des beninischen Statistikamtes INSAE hatte das Arrondissement 16.642 Einwohner, davon waren 7708 männlich und 8934 weiblich.
Von den 65 Dörfern und Quartieren der Kommune Toviklin entfallen neun auf Doko:
Weblinks
Doko auf toutbenin.com (französisch)
Einzelnachweise
Arrondissement in Benin
Toviklin | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 1,851 |
\section{Introduction}
It is often natural to model the joint distribution of a random vector $X=(X_1,,\dots,X_n)^T$ as a collection of noisy linear interdependencies. In particular, we may assume that each variable $X_i$ can be expressed as a linear function of the remaining variables and a stochastic noise term $\epsilon_i$,
\begin{align}
X_i=\sum\limits_{j\neq i}\lambda_{ji}X_j+\epsilon_i.
\end{align}
Models of this form are known as \emph{linear structural equation models} (SEMs). We often represent SEMs using graphical models, where each vertex corresponds to a random variable.
\subsection{Directed Mixed Graphs}
A \emph{directed mixed graph} is a triple $G=(V,\mathcal{D},\mathcal{B})$ where $V$ is a set of vertices, $\mathcal{D}$ is the set of directed edges ($\rightarrow$) and $\mathcal{B}$ is the set of bidirected edges ($\leftrightarrow$).
Edges in $\mathcal{D}$ are oriented whereas edges in $\mathcal{B}$ have no orientation.
A \emph{loop} is an edge joining a vertex to itself.
In this paper, we will only consider graphs without any loops, that is $i\to i\notin\mathcal{D}$ and $i\leftrightarrow i\notin\mathcal{B}$.
If $i\rightarrow j\in\mathcal{D}$, we say $i$ is a \emph{parent} of $j$ and $j$ is a \emph{child} of $i$. If $i\leftrightarrow j\in\mathcal{B}$, we say that $i$ and $j$ are \emph{siblings}.
A \emph{directed walk} of length $\ell$ is a sequence of $\ell+1$ adjacent vertices $v_0,\dots,v_\ell$, each connected by a directed edge $v_i\to v_{i+1}$.
A \emph{path} is a walk where all vertices are distinct.
A \emph{directed path} of length $\ell$ is a path of the form $v_0\rightarrow v_1\rightarrow \dots\rightarrow v_\ell$. Similarly, a \emph{bidirected path} of length $\ell$ is a path of the form $v_0\leftrightarrow v_1\leftrightarrow \dots\leftrightarrow v_\ell$.
A directed walk of length $\ell\geq 3$ is a \emph{directed cycle} if $v_0=v_\ell$ and all other vertices $v_j$ are distinct (for $0<j<\ell$).
An \emph{acyclic directed mixed graph} (ADMG) is a directed mixed graph without any directed cycles.
A \emph{directed acyclic graph} (DAG) is an ADMG without any bidirected edges.
\begin{dfn}
Let $i,j\in V$. If there is both a directed and a bidirected edge connecting $i$ and $j$, we say that $i$ and $j$ form a \emph{bow}. If a mixed graph has no bows, we say that the graph is \emph{bow-free}.
\end{dfn}
\subsubsection{Structural Equation Model}
Consider a directed mixed graph $G=(V,\mathcal{D},\mathcal{B})$ where the functional relations are linear and the error terms jointly Gaussian. This allows us to construct a structural equation model of the form
\begin{align}
\label{eqn: SEM}
X_i=\sum\limits_{j\in\mathrm{pa}(i)}\lambda_{ji}X_j+\epsilon_i,
\end{align}
where each $\lambda_{ji}$ is the regression coefficient of $X_j$ on $X_i$ and each $\epsilon_i$ is a (not necessarily independent) centered Gaussian random variable.
Let $\Lambda=(\lambda_{ij})\in\mathbb{R}^{|V|\times |V|}$ be the matrix holding the unknown coefficients, and $\epsilon=(\epsilon_i)$ be the random error vector. We can rewrite the system of structural equations as
$$X=\Lambda^T X+\epsilon.$$
We have now constructed a structural equation model from a directed mixed graph where $\lambda_{ij}=0$ if the edge $i\to j\notin\mathcal{D}$. This gives us a natural definition for a set containing all possible such $\Lambda$,
$$\mathbb{R}^\mathcal{D}:=\{\Lambda\in\mathbb{R}^{|V|\times |V|}:\lambda_{ij}=0\text{ if }i\to j\notin\mathcal{D}\}.$$
Let $\mathbb{R}^\mathcal{D}_{\text{reg}}$ be the subset of matrices $\Lambda\in\mathbb{R}^\mathcal{D}$ for which $(I-\Lambda)$ is invertible. Note that if $G$ is an ADMG, then given any topological ordering we have $\Lambda$ strictly upper triangular, hence $(I-\Lambda)$ is trivially invertible. Working on this subset, we obtain a unique solution to the structural equations: $$X=(I-\Lambda)^{-1}\epsilon.$$
Let $\Omega=(\omega_{ij})=\mathrm{Cov}[\epsilon]\in\mathbb{R}^{|V|\times |V|}$ be a covariance matrix of $\epsilon$ with $\omega_{ij}=0$ if $i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B}$. Similarly, we can define a set containing all possible such matrices $\Omega$,
$$PD(\mathcal{B}):=\{\Omega\in PD_V:\omega_{ij}=0\text{ if }i\neq j\text{ and }i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B}\}$$
where $PD_V$ is the cone of positive definite $|V|\times |V|$ matrices.
Hence, $X$ has the covariance matrix
\begin{align}
\label{eqn: main}
\Sigma:=\mathrm{Cov}[X]=(I-\Lambda)^{-T}\Omega(I-\Lambda)^{-1}.
\end{align}
By Cramer's rule \cite{artin2011algebra}, entries in the covariance matrix in (\ref{eqn: main}) are rational functions of the entries in $\Lambda$ and $\Omega$. We define the linear structural equation model given by a directed mixed graph $G=(V,\mathcal{D},\mathcal{B})$ to be the family of all multivariate normal distributions on $\mathbb{R}^{|V|}$ with covariance matrix in the set
$$\mathcal{M}(G):=\{(I-\Lambda)^{-T}\Omega(I-\Lambda)^{-1}:\Lambda\in\mathbb{R}^\mathcal{D}_{\text{reg}},\Omega\in PD(\mathcal{B})\}.$$
\subsubsection{Treks}
A vertex $i$ on a walk $\pi$ is called a \emph{collider on $\pi$} if the edges preceding and succeeding $i$ on the walk $\pi$ both have an arrowhead at $i$ (i.e. $\to i\leftarrow$, $\to i\leftrightarrow$, $\leftrightarrow i\leftarrow$, $\leftrightarrow i\leftrightarrow$).
A \emph{trek} from $i$ to $j$ is a walk from $i$ to $j$ without any colliders. Therefore, all treks are of the form
$$v^L_\ell\leftarrow v^L_{\ell-1}\leftarrow\dots\leftarrow v^L_1\leftarrow v^L_0\leftrightarrow v^R_0\to v^R_1\to\dots\to v^R_{r-1}\to v^R_r$$ or
$$v^L_\ell\leftarrow v^L_{\ell-1}\leftarrow\dots\leftarrow v^L_1\leftarrow v_0^{LR}\to v^R_1\to\dots\to v^R_{r-1}\to v^R_r,$$
where $v^L_\ell=i$, $v^R_r=j$. For a trek $\pi$, we denote $\pi^L$ to be the directed walk on the left hand side of the trek, containing all the vertices with superscripts $L$. For example, in the first case, we have $\pi^L=v^L_\ell\leftarrow v^L_{\ell-1}\leftarrow\dots\leftarrow v^L_1\leftarrow v^L_0$; whereas in the second case, we have $\pi^L=v^L_\ell\leftarrow v^L_{\ell-1}\leftarrow\dots\leftarrow v^L_1\leftarrow v_0^{LR}$. Similarly, we denote $\pi^R$ to be the directed walk containing all the vertices with superscripts $R$. A \emph{half-trek} is a trek with $|\pi^L|=0$. Note that the vertex $v^{LR}_0$ in the second case is a part of both $\pi^L$ and $\pi^R$. A set of treks $\Pi=\{\pi_1,\pi_2,\dots\}$ is said to have no \emph{sided intersection} if $\pi^L_i\cap\pi^L_j=\pi^R_i\cap\pi^R_j=\emptyset$ for all $i\neq j$.
Let $\mathcal{T}_{vw}$ be the set of all treks from $v$ to $w$. For a trek $\pi$ with no bidirected edges and a source $i$, we define the trek monomial as $$\pi(\Lambda,\Omega)=\omega_{ii}\prod\limits_{x\to y\in\pi}\lambda_{xy}.$$
For a trek $\pi$ with a bidirected edge $i\leftrightarrow j$, we define the trek monomial as
$$\pi(\Lambda,\Omega)=\omega_{ij}\prod\limits_{x\to y\in\pi}\lambda_{xy}.$$
\begin{thm}[Trek rule]
The covariance matrix $\Sigma$ for a mixed graph $G$ is given by
$$\sigma_{vw}=\sum\limits_{\pi\in\mathcal{T}_{vw}}\pi(\lambda,\omega).$$
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
Refer to Wright \cite{wright1934method} and Spirtes, Glymour and Scheines \cite{spirtes2000causation}.
\end{proof}
\subsection{Identifiability}
The properties of identifiability in SEMs is a topic with a long history. A review of the classical conditions of these properties can be found in Bollen \cite{bollen1989structural}. We shall start with the definition of \emph{global identifiability}.
\begin{dfn}
Let $\phi:\Theta\to N$ be a rational map defined everywhere on the parameter space $\Theta$ into the natural parameter space $N$ of an exponential family. The model $\mathcal{M}=\mathrm{im}\ \phi$ is said to be \emph{globally identifiable} if $\phi$ is a one-to-one map on $\Theta$.
\end{dfn}
In \cite{drton2011global}, Drton et al. explored some necessary and sufficient conditions for linear SEMs to be globally identifiable. Other recent works, such as those by Brito and Pearl \cite{brito2002new}, consider a weaker identifiability requirement of \emph{generic identifiability}.
\begin{dfn}
Let $\phi:\Theta\to N$ be a rational map defined everywhere on the parameter space $\Theta$ into the natural parameter space $N$ of an exponential family. The model $\mathcal{M}=\mathrm{im}\ \phi$ is said to be \emph{generically identifiable} if $\phi^{-1}(\phi(\theta))=\{\theta\}$ for almost all $\theta\in\Theta$ with respect to the Lebesgue measure.
\end{dfn}
As we seen in (\ref{eqn: main}), for linear SEMs, the model $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is \emph{generically identifiable} if the map $$\phi:(\Lambda,\Omega)\mapsto (I-\Lambda)^{-T}\Omega(I-\Lambda)^{-1}$$ is injective almost everywhere on $\Theta:=\mathbb{R}^\mathcal{D}_{\text{reg}}\times PD(\mathcal{B})$. If at most $k$ parameters are mapped by $\phi$ to the same $\Sigma$ almost everywhere on $\Theta$, then we say that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is \emph{$k$-identifiable}.
From the definitions, we see that all globally identifiable models are also generically identifiable. However, not all generically identifiable models are also globally identifiable as we shall see in the following example.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth,
hv/.style={circle, draw, thick, dashed, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (2) to[bend left] (3);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{The instrumental variable model}
\label{fig: IV}
\end{figure}
\begin{ex}
Consider the instrumental variable model in Figure \ref{fig: IV}. We can recover the observable $\Lambda$ from the observed $\Sigma$ using $$\lambda_{12}=\frac{\sigma_{12}}{\sigma_{11}},\qquad\lambda_{23}=\frac{\sigma_{13}}{\sigma_{12}}.$$
Note that the first denominator is always positive since $\Sigma$ is positive definite and the second denominator is zero if and only if $\lambda_{12}=0$. In particular, the map $\phi$ is injective on the set $\{\Lambda\times\Omega\mid\Lambda\in\mathbb{R}^\mathcal{D}_{\text{reg}}, \Omega\in PD(\mathcal{B}),\lambda_{12}\neq 0\}$. Therefore, while the instrumental variable model is generically identifiable, it is not globally identifiable as it is not injective on the whole of $\Theta$.
\end{ex}
The first class of graphs that were proven to be generically identifiable is the bow-free DAGs by Brito and Pearl \cite{brito2002new}. Foygel et al. \cite{foygel2012half} later introduced a new identifiability criterion known as HTC-identifiability and proved that all HTC-identifiable graphs are also generically identifiable. Note that HTC-identifiable graphs may contain directed cycles.
\begin{dfn}
A set of nodes $Y\subset V$ satisfies the \emph{half-trek criterion} with respect to $v\in V$ if
\begin{enumerate}
\item $|Y|=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$,
\item $Y\cap(\{v\}\cup\mathrm{sib}(v))=\emptyset$, and
\item there is a system of half-treks with no sided intersection from $Y$ to $\mathrm{pa}(v)$.
\end{enumerate}
\end{dfn}
\begin{dfn}
\label{dfn: HTC-identifiable}
We say that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is \emph{HTC-identifiable} if there exists a family of subsets $\{Y_v:v\in V\}$ of the vertex set $V$ such that for each node $v\in V$, the vertex set $Y_v$ satisfies the half-trek criterion with respect to $v$ and there is a total ordering such that $w\prec v$ whenever $w\in Y_v\cap\text{htr}(v)$.
\end{dfn}
Note that all acyclic bow-free graphs are HTC-identifiable as we can simply choose $Y_v=\mathrm{pa}(v)$, hence the result obtained by Foygel et al.\ implies the previous work by Brito and Pearl \cite{brito2002new}. Furthermore, it is also shown that HTC-identifiable graphs can be decided in polynomial time \cite{foygel2012half}. While all HTC-identifiable graphs are also generically identifiable, it has been shown through simulation that the converse is not true in general. In the original paper, Foygel et al. classify graphs into three classes: HTC-identifiable, HTC-infinte-to-one and HTC-inconclusive. For the purpose of this paper, we will consider both HTC-infinite-to-one and HTC-inconclusive graphs simply as `not HTC-identifiable'.
In this paper, we will explore the algebraic structure of HTC-identifiable graphs by introducing an identifiability criterion which we call \emph{linear identifiability}. Linearly identifiable graphs satisfy certain algebraic structures which could be used to recover $\Lambda$ from $\Sigma$ efficiently using linear algebra. We will then prove that linear identifiability and HTC-identifiability are equivalent, hence, we are not able to recover $\Lambda$ from $\Sigma$ using linear algebra from graphs that are not HTC-identifiable. In fact, we will give an example of an HTC-inconclusive graph that is generically identifiable in Example \ref{ex: HTC-inconclusive} and show that we have to solve a higher order polynomial equation in order to recover $\Lambda$.
\subsection{Constraints}
Consider two graphs $G$ and $G'$. If both $G$ and $G'$ are DAGs, then $\mathcal{M}(G)=\mathcal{M}(G')$ if and only if $G$ and $G'$ have the same d-separation relations \cite{geiger1990identifying}. However, this is only helpful in situations where all the variables are observed. If a graph $G$ has hidden variables, we can use the latent projection operation \cite{verma1991equivalence} to transform $G$ into an ADMG. In this case, the conditional independence relations on the observed vertices are no longer sufficient to describe $\mathcal{M}(G)$ in general.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth,
hv/.style={circle, draw, thick, dashed, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, right of=3] (4) {4};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (3) -- (4);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) to[bend right] (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (2) to[bend left] (4);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{The Verma graph.}
\label{fig: Verma}
\end{figure}
\begin{ex}
\label{ex: Verma}
Consider the Verma graph in Figure \ref{fig: Verma} where vertex 5 is a latent variable. The graph on the right, $G$, represents the latent projection of the Verma graph. In both graphs, there are no conditional independences involving only the observed variables $X_1, X_2, X_3$ and $X_4$. However, we do have a constraint on the corresponding covariance matrix $\Sigma$, in the sense that $\Sigma\in\mathcal{M}(G)$ only if
\begin{align*}
f_{\mathrm{Verma}}(\Sigma)&=\sigma_{11}\sigma_{13}\sigma_{22}\sigma_{34}-\sigma_{12}^2\sigma_{13}\sigma_{34}-\sigma_{11}\sigma_{14}\sigma_{22}\sigma_{33}+\sigma_{12}^2\sigma_{14}\sigma_{33}\\ &\qquad-\sigma_{11}\sigma_{13}\sigma_{23}\sigma_{24}+\sigma_{11}\sigma_{14}\sigma_{23}^2+\sigma_{12}\sigma_{13}^2\sigma_{24}-\sigma_{12}\sigma_{13}\sigma_{14}\sigma_{23}=0.
\end{align*}
\end{ex}
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth,
hv/.style={circle, draw, thick, dashed, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, below of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, below of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (4) {4};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (4);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) -- (2);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) -- (4);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (2) -- (3);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{The `gadget' graph.}
\label{fig: gadget}
\end{figure}
On non-parametric models, the graph decomposition result \cite{tian2002general} leading to Tian's algorithm \cite{richardson2017nested, tian2002testable} provides a method to find constraints in non-parametric graphical models. For instance, the constraint in Example \ref{ex: Verma} can be seen as the independence between $X_1$ and $X_4$ after fixing $X_2$ and $X_3$ (i.e. after removing all edges pointing into vertices 2 and 3). However, though non-parametrically complete, Tian's algorithm will fail to find the following constraint on the `gadget' graph in Figure \ref{fig: gadget}:
$$\sigma_{11}\sigma_{22}\sigma_{34}-\sigma_{13}\sigma_{14}\sigma_{22}+\sigma_{13}\sigma_{12}\sigma_{24}-\sigma_{23}\sigma_{11}\sigma_{24}=0.$$
Given any graph $G$, finding the vanishing ideal for $\mathcal{M}(G)$ remains an open problem despite various attempts, such as that of Drton et al. \cite{drton2018nested}.
In this paper, we are interested in finding the \emph{model ideal} $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$, such that all the equality constraints in the semialgebraic set $\mathcal{M}(G)\cap PD_V$ are generated by $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$. Note that the model ideal is different from the vanishing ideal $\mathcal{I}(G):=I(\mathcal{M}(G))$ considered in previous works since $I(V(J))\neq J$ in general. Since we are not working in an algebraically closed field, we cannot simply use the Nullstellensatz to recover the vanishing ideal.
In particular, we will find the set of polynomials that generate $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$ for any HTC-identifiable graph $G$ and prove that generating set is minimal for some subset of HTC-identifiable graphs.
\section{Linear Identifiability}
In this section, we will first define linear identifiability and then explore the properties of linearly identifiable graphs. In particular, we will show that linearly identifiable graphs are equivalent to HTC-identifiable graphs.
First, notice that equation (\ref{eqn: main}) can be rearranged into
\begin{align}
\label{eqn: rearranged}
(I-\Lambda)^{T}\Sigma(I-\Lambda)=\Omega.
\end{align}
By equating each entry in $(I-\Lambda)^{T}\Sigma(I-\Lambda)$ that corresponds to a zero entry in $\Omega$ (i.e. a missing bidirected edge), we obtain a system of equations in terms of the unknowns $\lambda_{ij}$ only.
Since $\Sigma$ is a covariance matrix, it is symmetric. As any matrix congruent to a symmetric matrix is also symmetric, $(I-\Lambda)^{T}\Sigma(I-\Lambda)$ is also a symmetric matrix. By assumption, $\Omega$ is a positive definite covariance matrix, and is hence symmetric with strictly positive diagonal entries. Therefore, it suffices to equate only the strictly upper or strictly lower triangular entries of both matrices.
Define the matrices $A=(a_{ij})=(I-\Lambda)^{T}\Sigma$ and $B=(b_{ij})=(I-\Lambda)^{T}\Sigma(I-\Lambda)$, where each entry is a polynomial in which the indeterminates are entries in both $\Lambda$ and $\Sigma$. Evaluating the matrix multiplication, we obtain
\begin{align}
a_{ij}&=\sigma_{ij}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(i)}\lambda_{\ell i}\sigma_{\ell j},\\
b_{ij}&=a_{ij}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(j)}\lambda_{\ell j}a_{i\ell}.\label{eqn: b_ij}
\end{align}
Observe that $a_{ij}\in\mathbb{R}[\Sigma,\Lambda]$ is the polynomial obtained by summing all the covariances for half-treks from $i$ to $j$, and $b_{ij}\in\mathbb{R}[\Sigma,\Lambda]$ is the polynomial expression for the bidirected edge between $i$ and $j$.
Equating each entry of both matrices in (\ref{eqn: rearranged}), we obtain $b_{ij}=\omega_{ij}$. Therefore, for each missing bidirected edge between $i$ and $j$, we have the equation $b_{ij}=b_{ji}=0$. We immediately have a necessary condition for generic identifiability.
\begin{prop}
If $G$ has more than ${|V|\choose 2}$ edges, then $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not generically identifiable.
\end{prop}
\begin{proof}
Each missing bidirected edge corresponds to an equation $b_{ij}=0$ while each directed edge corresponds to an unknown $\lambda_{ij}$. If we have more than $|V|\choose 2$ edges, then we have more unknowns than equations. Hence, $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not identifiable.
\end{proof}
We shall now provide the definition for a graphical model to be linearly identifiable.
\begin{dfn}
Let $G$ be a mixed graph. We say that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is \emph{linearly identifiable} if for each vertex $v$, we can find a system of $m=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ linearly independent equations for the indeterminates $\Lambda_{\mathrm{pa}(v),v}:=\{\lambda_{iv}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(v)\}$. Furthermore, each equation is of the form $b_{jv}=0$ (defined in (\ref{eqn: b_ij})) and is expressed as a polynomial (e.g. through substitution) in terms of $\Lambda_{\mathrm{pa}(v),v}$ with coefficients that are functions of $\Sigma$.
\end{dfn}
If a model is linearly identifiable, then we solve for $\Lambda$ (as polynomials in $\Sigma$) recursively using linear algebra. We can then recover $\Omega$ using equation (\ref{eqn: rearranged}). Hence, all linearly identifiable graphs are generically identifiable. We shall demonstrate linear identifiability with a few examples.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{subfigure}[b]{0.3\textwidth}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) to[bend left] (3);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{A linearly identifiable graph.}
\label{graph: identifiable}
\end{subfigure}
\hfill
\begin{subfigure}[b]{0.3\textwidth}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, below of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, left of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (4) {4};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (4);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend right] (2);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend right] (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend left] (4);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{A 2-identifiable graph.}
\label{graph: not solvable}
\end{subfigure}
\hfill
\begin{subfigure}[b]{0.3\textwidth}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend left] (2);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{A graph that is not identifiable.}
\label{graph: solvable but not identifiable}
\end{subfigure}
\caption{}
\label{fig:three graphs}
\end{figure}
\begin{ex}[A linearly identifiable graph]
Consider the saturated graph $G$ with three vertices in Figure \ref{fig:three graphs}(a). In this graph, the missing bidirected edges give us the equations
\begin{align*}
b_{21}&=\sigma_{12}-\lambda_{12}\sigma_{11}=0,\\
b_{31}&=\sigma_{13}-\lambda_{13}\sigma_{11}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{12}=0,\\
b_{32}&=\sigma_{23}-\lambda_{13}\sigma_{12}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{22}-\lambda_{12}(\sigma_{13}-\lambda_{13}\sigma_{11}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{12})=0.
\end{align*}
The vertex 2 has one parent and we have that the first equation is linear in $\lambda_{12}$. Solving this, we obtain $\lambda_{12}=\sigma_{12}/\sigma_{11}.$ The vertex 3 has two parents. Substituting $\lambda_{12}$ into the last two equations, we have a system of two linearly independent equations with unknowns $\lambda_{13},\lambda_{23}$ and coefficients in $\Sigma$. Hence, $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is linearly solvable.
\end{ex}
However, not all graphs have such a system of equations, which we shall see in next example.
\begin{ex}[A graph that is not linearly identifiable]
\label{ex: not solvable}
Consider the graph $G$ in Figure \ref{fig:three graphs}(b) with three bows. The missing bidirected edges give us the equations
\begin{align*}
b_{32}&=\sigma_{23}-\lambda_{13}\sigma_{12}-\lambda_{12}(\sigma_{13}-\lambda_{13}\sigma_{11})=0,\\
b_{42}&=\sigma_{24}-\lambda_{14}\sigma_{12}-\lambda_{12}(\sigma_{14}-\lambda_{14}\sigma_{11})=0,\\
b_{43}&=\sigma_{34}-\lambda_{14}\sigma_{13}-\lambda_{13}(\sigma_{14}-\lambda_{14}\sigma_{11})=0.
\end{align*}
$\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not linearly identifiable as we cannot express any subset of $\lambda_{12},\lambda_{13}$ or $\lambda_{14}$ linearly in terms of $\Sigma$. In fact, from the first two equations, we have
\begin{align*}
\lambda_{13}=\frac{\sigma_{23}-\lambda_{12}\sigma_{13}}{\sigma_{12}-\lambda_{12}\sigma_{11}}\quad\text{and}\quad \lambda_{14}=\frac{\sigma_{24}-\lambda_{12}\sigma_{14}}{\sigma_{12}-\lambda_{12}\sigma_{11}}.
\end{align*}
Substituting these into the third equation, we obtain the quadratic equation $a\lambda_{12}^2+b\lambda_{12}+c=0$ with
\begin{align*}
a&=\sigma_{11}^2\sigma_{34}-\sigma_{11}\sigma_{13}\sigma_{14},\\
b&=2\sigma_{12}\sigma_{13}\sigma_{14}-2\sigma_{11}\sigma_{12}\sigma_{34},\\
c&=\sigma_{12}^2\sigma_{34}-\sigma_{12}\sigma_{13}\sigma_{24}-\sigma_{12}\sigma_{14}\sigma_{23}+\sigma_{11}\sigma_{23}\sigma_{24}.
\end{align*}
Since $b^2-4ac\neq 0$, if $\Sigma\in\mathbb{C}^{|V|\times |V|}$ then $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not generically identifiable. In fact, if $\Sigma\in\mathbb{C}^{|V|\times |V|}$ and we have to solve a $k$th order equations without repeated roots, then $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is $k$-identifiable.
\end{ex}
However, determining whether a graph is linearly identifiable is not straightforward. For example, there are instances where the coefficient of one of the unknowns, $\lambda_{ij}$, is zero.
\begin{ex}
\label{ex: solvable but not identifiable}
Consider the graph in Figure \ref{fig:three graphs}(c). The missing bidirected edges corresponds to the equations
\begin{align}
b_{31}&=\sigma_{13}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{12}=0 \label{eqn: ex-solvable1},\\
b_{32}&=\sigma_{23}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{22}-\lambda_{12}(\sigma_{13}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{12})=0. \label{eqn: ex-solvable2}
\end{align}
At first glance, these equations might seem to suggest that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is linearly identifiable as we can use (\ref{eqn: ex-solvable1}) to solve for $\lambda_{23}$ and then substitute that solution into (\ref{eqn: ex-solvable2}) to solve for $\lambda_{12}$. However, the coefficient in front of $\lambda_{12}$ is precisely $b_{31}=0$. Hence, we cannot find an equation that is linear in $\lambda_{12}$, so $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not linearly identifiable.
\end{ex}
As linearly identifiable graphs are not straightforward to classify, we will first introduce a weaker definition that specifically excludes the case where the coefficients of the unknowns might be zero.
\begin{dfn}
Let $G$ be a mixed graph. We say that a vertex $v$ satisfies the \emph{quasi-linear condition} if we can find a system of $m=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ linearly independent equations of the form $b_{ij}=0$ for the indeterminates $\Lambda_{\mathrm{pa}(v),v}:=\{\lambda_{iv}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(v)\}$. Furthermore, each equation is expressed as a polynomial (e.g. through substitution) in terms of $\Lambda_{\mathrm{pa}(v),v}$ with coefficients that are functions of $\Sigma$ and $\Lambda_{\mathrm{pa}(k),k}$ where the vertex $k$ is a prior vertex that also satisfies the quasi-linear condition.
We say that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is \emph{quasi-linearly identifiable} if we could recursively define every vertex $v$ to satisfy the quasi-linear condition.
\end{dfn}
The main difference between quasi-linearly identifiable models and linearly identifiable models is in the former, we do not worry about the specific value of each $\lambda_{ij}$ at each iteration even if it might cause the coefficients of future unknowns to be zero after substitution.
\begin{ex}
In Example \ref{ex: solvable but not identifiable}, vertex 1 satisfies the quasi-linear condition as $|\mathrm{pa}(1)|=0$, and a system of zero equations is trivial. Furthermore, the vertex 3 satisfies the quasi-linear condition as (\ref{eqn: ex-solvable1}) is a system of $|\mathrm{pa}(3)|=1$ equation with indeterminates in $\Sigma$ that is linear in $\{\lambda_{i3}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(3)\}$. Finally, the vertex 2 also satisfies the quasi-linear condition as (\ref{eqn: ex-solvable2}) is a system of $|\mathrm{pa}(2)|=1$ equation with indeterminates in $\Sigma$ and $\lambda_{j3}$, where the vertex 3 also satisfies the quasi-linear condition, that is linear in $\{\lambda_{i2}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(2)\}$. Hence, the graph in Example \ref{ex: solvable but not identifiable} is a quasi-linearly identifiable.
\end{ex}
If a quasi-linearly identifiable model is also linearly identifiable, we could solve for $\lambda_{jk}$ symbolically for all $j\in\mathrm{pa}(k)$ and substitute this back into the equations $b_{\ell v}=0$ to obtain $|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ linearly independent equations in $\lambda_{iv}$.
\subsection{Properties of Quasi-linearly Identifiable Graphs}
Consider the equation
\begin{align}
b_{ij}&=a_{ij}-\sum\limits_{k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)}\lambda_{k j}a_{ik}\nonumber\\
&=\sigma_{ij}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(i)}\lambda_{\ell i}\sigma_{\ell j}-\sum\limits_{k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)}\lambda_{k j}a_{ij}.\label{eqn: b expansion}
\end{align}
Suppose that $v$ is the first vertex defined to satisfy the quasi-linear condition. Then, we want to have a set of $m=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ linear equations of the form
\begin{align*}
\sigma_{ij}-\sum\limits_{p\in\mathrm{pa}(v)}\lambda_{pv}\sigma_{hv}=0
\end{align*}
for some values of $i,j,h$, so we can solve for $\lambda_{pv}$ for all $p\in\mathrm{pa}(v)$.
We see that this can be achieved by picking $m$ equations of the form $b_{vj}=0$ (i.e. no bidirected edge between $v$ and $j$) such that the last summation in (\ref{eqn: b expansion}) is zero. This can be achieved if for all $k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)$, we have $a_{vk}=0$ (i.e. no half-trek from $v$ to $k$).
Writing this in terms of graph properties, we want to find a vertex $v$ and a set of vertices $S$ such that:
\begin{enumerate}
\item $|S|=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$;
\item $S\cap(\mathrm{sib}(v)\cup\{v\})=\emptyset$; and
\item for each vertex $j\in S$, for all $k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)$, there are no half-treks from $v$ to $k$.
\end{enumerate}
We can now define the quasi-linear properties above for all vertices recursively using the following algorithm.
\begin{algo}
\label{algo: quasi-linear}
\end{algo}
\vspace{-2.5mm}
\begin{algorithm}[H]
\KwIn{Mixed graph $G$.}
\KwOut{Set of recursively quasi-linear vertices}
{\bf Initialise: }$Q=\emptyset$\;
\While{$\exists v\in V\backslash Q$ such that we can find a set of vertices $S_v$ with properties
\begin{enumerate}
\item $|S_v|=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$,
\item $S_v\cap(\mathrm{sib}(v)\cup\{v\})=\emptyset$ and
\item For each vertex $j\in S_v$, either $j\in Q$, or for all $k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)$, there are no half-treks from $v$ to $k$.
\end{enumerate}}{$Q=Q\cup\{v\}$}
\Return $Q$.
\end{algorithm}
\begin{dfn}
\label{dfn: quasi-linear}
Suppose $G$ is a mixed graph. We say that a vertex $v$ is \emph{recursively quasi-linear in $G$} if it is contained in the output of Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear}.
\end{dfn}
\begin{lem}
\label{lem: redfn}
Suppose the first two conditions of Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear} are satisfied. Then, there are no half-treks from $v$ to $k$ for all $k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)$ if and only if there are no half-treks from $v$ to $j$.
\end{lem}
\begin{proof}
($\Leftarrow$) Suppose we have no half-treks from $v$ to $j$. Since $k$ is a parent of $j$, we will not have a half-trek from $v$ to $k$ since otherwise we can append $k\to j$ at the end of this half-trek to form a half-trek from $v$ to $j$.
($\Rightarrow$) Suppose that there are no half-treks between $v$ and the parents of $j$. By condition 2 of Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear}, $v$ is not a sibling of $j$. Hence, there are no half-treks from $v$ to $j$.
\end{proof}
\begin{thm}
\label{thm: linear-implies-solvable}
Let $G$ be a mixed graph. Then $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is quasi-linearly identifiable if and only if we have recursively defined that all vertices are recursively quasi-linear.
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
($\Leftarrow$) It suffices to show that if $v$ is recursively quasi-linear, then we can find $|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ equations that are linear in $\{\lambda_{iv}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(v)\}$. Suppose that for each vertex $v$ we can find such an $S_v$ satisfying the conditions in Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear}. From condition 2, for each $j\in S_v$, we have an equation of the form $b_{vj}=0$. Condition 1 states that we can find $|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ such equations. Expanding all such equations $b_{vj}=0$ into (\ref{eqn: b expansion}), if $j\in S$ is not recursively quasi-linear, condition 3 guarantees that the last summand in (\ref{eqn: b expansion}) is zero. If $j\in S$ is recursively quasi-linear, then by condition 3 the last summand in (\ref{eqn: b expansion}) is linear in $\lambda_{\ell i}$ with indeterminates in $\Sigma$ and $\lambda_{kj}$.
($\Rightarrow$) Suppose that a vertex $v$ is not recursively quasi-linear. If either of the first two conditions in Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear} fails, we no longer have $|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ linearly independent equations in any subset of $\{\lambda_{iv}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(v)\}$. Hence, $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not quasi-linearly identifiable.
Now, if the third condition fail, then by definition we have at least one other vertex that is not recursively quasi-linear. So we must have at least one other vertex that fails to satisfy the first two conditions in Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear}.
\end{proof}
\begin{ex}
In Example \ref{ex: solvable but not identifiable}, vertex 1 is recursively quasi-linear trivially. Furthermore, we have $S_3=\{1\}$ so the vertex 3 is also recursively quasi-linear. Moreover, $S_2=\{3\}$, so vertex 2 is also recursively quasi-linear. Hence, the graph is quasi-linearly identifiable.
\end{ex}
\subsection{Properties of Linearly Identifiable Graphs}
Previously, we found the necessary and sufficient conditions for a graph to be quasi-linearly identifiable. The following Theorem will determine when a quasi-linearly identifiable graph is also linearly identifiable.
\begin{thm}
\label{thm: quasi-linear to linear}
Let $G$ be a mixed graph such that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is quasi-linearly identifiable. Then $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is linearly identifiable if and only if for each vertex $v$, we have a set of vertices $S_v$ satisfying the half-trek criterion with respect to $v$ in addition to the three conditions in Algorithm \ref{algo: quasi-linear}.
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
Since $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is quasi-linearly identifiable, we have a system of $|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ linear equations in $\{\lambda_{iv}\mid i\in\mathrm{pa}(v)\}$ for each vertex $v$. We can rewrite the equations $b_{sv}=a_{sv}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(v)}\lambda_{\ell v}a_{s\ell}=0$ for some choice of $s\in S_v$ into the following matrix equation
\begin{align*}
\left[\begin{array}{ccc}
a_{s_1p_1} & \dots & a_{s_1p_m} \\
\vdots & & \vdots \\
a_{s_mp_1} & \dots & a_{s_mp_m}
\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}
\lambda_{p_1v} \\
\vdots \\
\lambda_{p_mv}
\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{c}
a_{s_1v} \\
\vdots \\
a_{s_mv}
\end{array}\right]
\end{align*}
where $S_v=\{s_1,\dots,s_m\}$ and $\mathrm{pa}(v)=\{p_1,\dots,p_m\}$. Note that the leftmost matrix is precisely $A_{S,\mathrm{pa}(v)}$. Hence the system of equations are linearly independent iff $A_{S_v,\mathrm{pa}(v)}$ is of full rank.
Now, if $A_{S_v,\mathrm{pa}(v)}$ has full rank, by Lemma 3 of Foygel et al. \cite{foygel2012half}, $S_v$ satisfies the half-trek criterion. On the other hand, if $S_v$ satisfies the half-trek criterion, then we have a system of half-treks with no sided intersection from $S_v$ to $\mathrm{pa}(v)$. Since each entry of $A_{S_v,\mathrm{pa}(v)}$ is a polynomial obtained from summing all the covariances for half-trek between $s_i\in S_v$ and $p_j\in\mathrm{pa}(v)$, $A_{S_v,\mathrm{pa}(v)}$ has full rank.
\end{proof}
\begin{ex}
In Example \ref{ex: solvable but not identifiable}, we have that $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is quasi-linearly identifiable. However, $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is not linearly identifiable since $S_2=\{3\}$ but there are no half-treks from 3 to 2, therefore $S_2$ does not satisfy the half-trek criterion with respect to 2.
\end{ex}
We now have the following necessary and sufficient conditions for linear identifiability.
\begin{dfn}
\label{dfn: linear-identifiability-criterion}
We say that a vertex $v$ satisfies the \emph{linear identifiability criterion} if there exists a set of vertices $S_v$ such that:
\begin{itemize}
\item For each vertex $v\in V$, $S_v$ satisfies the half-trek criterion with respect to $v$;
\item for each vertex $j\in S_v$, either $j$ satisfies the linear identifiability criterion or there are no half-treks from $v$ to $j$.
\end{itemize}
\end{dfn}
\begin{prop}
Let $G$ be a mixed graph. Then $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is linearly identifiable if and only if all we can recursively check that all vertices in $G$ satisfy the linear identifiability criterion.
\end{prop}
\begin{proof}
From Lemma \ref{lem: redfn} and Theorem \ref{thm: linear-implies-solvable}, a graphical model is quasi-linearly identifiable if and only if for each vertex $v\in V$, we can find a set of vertices $S_v$ such that
\begin{itemize}
\item $|S_v|=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$,
\item $S_v\cap(\mathrm{sib}(v)\cup\{v\})=\emptyset$ and
\item for each vertex $j\in S_v$, either $j$ is recursively quasi-linear or there are no half-treks from $v$ to $j$.
\end{itemize}
From Theorem \ref{thm: quasi-linear to linear}, a quasi-linearly identifiable graphical model is linearly identifiable if and only if the sets $S_v$ defined earlier further satisfies the half-trek criterion with respect to $v$ for each vertex $v\in V$.
\end{proof}
\subsection{Connection to HTC-identifiable Graphs}
Note that from Definition \ref{dfn: HTC-identifiable}, we can rewrite the definition of HTC-identifiability as follows.
\begin{dfn}
\label{prop: HTC-rewritten}
Let $G$ be an HTC-identifiable graph. Then, $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is HTC-identifiable if and only if for each vertex $v$, there is a total ordering $\prec$ such that we can find a vertex set $S_v$ satisfying both
\begin{enumerate}
\item $S_v$ satisfies the half-trek criterion with respect to $v$, and
\item For each vertex $j\in S_v$, either $j\prec v$ or there are no half-treks from $v$ to $j$.
\end{enumerate}
\end{dfn}
\begin{thm}
For any mixed graph $G$, $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is linearly identifiable if and only if $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is HTC-identifiable.
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
($\Rightarrow$) Define a total ordering on the vertex set where $j\prec v$ if we defined $j$ to satisfy the linear identifiability criterion before $v$ in the recursion. Hence, the conditions in Definition \ref{dfn: linear-identifiability-criterion} are the same as those in Definition \ref{prop: HTC-rewritten}.
($\Leftarrow$) We shall proceed by induction. First, let 1 be the first vertex in the total ordering $\prec$. Then for each vertex $j\in S_1$, there are no half-treks from $1$ to $j$, hence, $1$ satisfies the linear identifiability criterion.
Now, suppose that vertices $1\prec\dots\prec k$ satisfies the linear identifiability criterion. We want to show that the $k+1^{\text{st}}$ vertex in the total ordering $\prec$ also satisfies the linear identifiability criterion. Since $\mathcal{M}(G)$ is HTC-identifiable, there exists some $S_{k+1}$ satisfying the half-trek criterion with respect to $k+1$ and if $j\in S_{k+1}$, either $j\prec k+1$ or there are no half-treks from $v$ to $j$. But if $j\prec k+1$, by our induction hypothesis, $j$ satisfies the linear identifiability criterion. Hence, $k+1$ also satisfies the linear identifiability criterion.
\end{proof}
Linear identifiability can be used to explain the algebraic properties of HTC-identifiable graphs and graphs that are not HTC-identifiable.
\begin{ex}
\label{ex: HTC-inconclusive}
The graph in Figure \ref{graph: HTC-inconclusive} that is modified from Example \ref{ex: not solvable} with an additional vertex added.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, below of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=-7.5mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, left of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (4) {4};
\node[rv, right of=4, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (5) {5};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (4);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (4) -- (5);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend right] (2);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend right] (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend left] (4);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend left] (5);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{A generically identifiable graph that is not HTC-identifiable.}
\label{graph: HTC-inconclusive}
\end{figure}
This graph is not linearly identifiable as we cannot find an $S_v$ satisfying both conditions of Definition \ref{dfn: linear-identifiability-criterion} for any vertex $v$. Hence, it is not HTC-identifiable.
Suppose we have
$$\Lambda=\left[\begin{array}{ccccc}
0 & 0.25 & 0.5 & 0.4 & 0 \\
0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\
0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\
0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0.3 \\
0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0
\end{array}\right]\quad\text{and}\quad\Omega=\left[\begin{array}{ccccc}
1 & 0.1 & 0.1 & 0.1 & 0.1 \\
0.1 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\
0.1 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\
0.1 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 \\
0.1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1
\end{array}\right]$$
As we have seen in Example \ref{ex: not solvable}, equating $b_{32}=b_{42}=b_{43}=0$, we obtain a quadratic equation in $\lambda_{12}$. Solving this, we obtain $\lambda_{12}=0.25$ or 0.45. If we equate $b_{32}=b_{52}=b_{53}=0$ and solve the corresponding quadratic equation, we also obtain $\lambda_{12}=0.25$ or 0.45. However, equating $b_{42}=b_{52}=b_{54}=0$ and solving the corresponding quadratic equation, we obtain $\lambda_{12}=0.25$ or 0.354. Since only $\lambda_{12}=0.25$ is a common solution, this graph is generically identifiable, even though it is not linearly identifiable.
\end{ex}
\section{Constraints in Linearly Identifiable Graphs}
In this section, we will demonstrate some applications of our result by exploiting the algebraic properties of HTC-identifiable graphs to compute $\Lambda$ and the model ideal defined as
\begin{dfn}
An ideal $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$ is said to be the \emph{model ideal} of $G$ if it is generated by all the equality constraints of $\mathcal{M}(G)\cap PD_V$.
\end{dfn}
While algorithms for HTC-identifiable graphs for finding $\Lambda$ already exists \cite{foygel2012half}, our argument will be purely algebraic in nature. We will also prove that the generators we find for the model ideal are minimal for some subset of HTC-identifiable graphs.
\subsection{Generators of the Model Ideal}
Let $v$ be a vertex in a linearly identifiable graph $G$. Suppose $S_v=\{s_1,\dots,s_k\}$ and $\mathrm{pa}(v)=\{p_1,\dots,p_k\}$. Then,
$$
b_{s_iv}=a_{s_iv}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(v)}\lambda_{\ell v}a_{s_i\ell}=0
$$
for each $1\leq i\leq k$. We can rewrite this into a matrix
\begin{align}
\label{eqn: lambda-matrix}
\left[\begin{array}{ccc}
a_{s_1p_1} & \dots & a_{s_1p_k} \\
\vdots & & \vdots \\
a_{s_kp_1} & \dots & a_{s_kp_k}
\end{array}\right]\left[\begin{array}{c}
\lambda_{p_1v} \\
\vdots \\
\lambda_{p_kv}
\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{c}
a_{s_1v} \\
\vdots \\
a_{s_kv}
\end{array}\right].
\end{align}
By definition of linearly identifiability, each of the $a_{ij}$ can be expressed solely in terms of $\Sigma$ and the square matrix on the left is invertible.
Since linearly identifiable graphs are also HTC-identifiable, we have a total ordering on the vertices of the graph. This leads us to an algorithm to recover $\Lambda$, $\Omega$ and the generators for the model ideal $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$.
\begin{algo}
\label{algo: Lambda}
\end{algo}
\vspace{-2.5mm}
\begin{algorithm}[H]
\KwIn{HTC-identifiable graph $G$, the associated sets $\{S_v\mid v\in V\}$ satisfying the half-trek criterion wrt $v\in V$ and the total ordering $1\prec\dots\prec|V|$.}
\KwOut{Symbolic values of all regression coefficients as a matrix $\Lambda=(\lambda_{ij})$.}
{\bf Initialise: }$v=1$\;
\While{$v\preceq |V|$}{
\For{$s_1,\dots,s_k\in S_v$ and $p_1,\dots,p_k\in\mathrm{pa}(v)$\vspace{1mm}}{
Solve for $\lambda_{p_iv}$ for all $1\leq i\leq k$ using the equation:
$$\left[\begin{array}{c}
\lambda_{p_1v} \\
\vdots \\
\lambda_{p_kv}
\end{array}\right]
=\left[\begin{array}{ccc}
a_{s_1p_1} & \dots & a_{s_1p_k} \\
\vdots & & \vdots \\
a_{s_kp_1} & \dots & a_{s_kp_k}
\end{array}\right]^{-1}
\left[\begin{array}{c}
a_{s_1v} \\
\vdots \\
a_{s_kv}
\end{array}\right],$$
where $a_{ij}=\sigma_{ij}-\sum_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(i)}\lambda_{\ell i}\sigma_{\ell j}$.
}
$v=v+1$.
}
\Return $\Lambda=(\lambda_{ij})$.
\end{algorithm}
\vspace{2mm}
If we were given the numerical values of $\Sigma$, Algorithm \ref{algo: Lambda} could also be used to compute the values of $\Lambda$ numerically.
After obtaining either the numeric or the symbolic values of $\Lambda$, we can compute the values for $\Omega$ using the equation
\begin{align}
\label{eqn: recover-Omega}
\Omega=(I-\Lambda)^T\Sigma(I-\Lambda).
\end{align}
If both $\Lambda$ and $\Omega$ were computed symbolically, we could proceed to find the generators the model ideal.
\begin{ex}
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (2) {2};
\node[rv, below of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, right of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (4) {4};
\node[rv, below of=4, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (5) {5};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) to[bend right] (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (3) to[bend right] (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (3) to[bend right] (4);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (4) to[bend left] (5);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend left] (2);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (4) to[bend right] (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend right] (4);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (4) -- (5);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) -- (5);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{An HTC-identifiable graph with cycles.}
\label{graph: algo-ex}
\end{figure}
Consider the graph in Figure \ref{graph: algo-ex} with the total ordering $1\prec3\prec5\prec2\prec4$ and sets $S_1=\emptyset,S_3=\{1\},S_5=\{3\},S_2=\{3,5\},S_4=\{2\}$. Note that these sets satisfy the conditions in Definition \ref{prop: HTC-rewritten}.
Applying Algorithm \ref{algo: Lambda}, for the first vertex, there is nothing to do as $\mathrm{pa}(1)=\emptyset$ and hence we have no $\lambda$'s to solve for. For the next vertex, we have $\lambda_{23}={a_{12}}^{-1}a_{13}={\sigma_{12}}^{-1}\sigma_{13}$. Similarly, $\lambda_{45}={a_{34}}^{-1}a_{35}=(\sigma_{34}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{24})/(\sigma_{35}-\lambda_{23}\sigma_{25})=(\sigma_{12}\sigma_{34}-\sigma_{13}\sigma_{24})/(\sigma_{12}\sigma_{35}-\sigma_{13}\sigma_{25})$ and so forth.
\end{ex}
\begin{thm}
\label{thm: generators of I(G)}
For any HTC-identifiable graph $G$, the model ideal, over the invariants $\Sigma$, is generated by
$$\left\langle \sigma_{ij}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(i)}\lambda_{\ell i}\sigma_{\ell j}-\sum\limits_{k\in\mathrm{pa}(j)}\lambda_{k j}\left(\sigma_{ik}-\sum\limits_{\ell\in\mathrm{pa}(i)}\lambda_{\ell i}\sigma_{\ell k}\right)\ \middle|\ i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B}, i\notin S_j\text{ and }j\notin S_i\right\rangle,$$
where $\Lambda$ is understood to consists of rational functions in terms of $\Sigma$.
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
The equality constraints in $\mathcal{M}(G)\cap PD_V$ correspond to the polynomials $f(\Sigma)=0$ for all $\Sigma\in\mathcal{M}(G)\cap PD_V$. Equating entries in (\ref{eqn: rearranged}), we see that these constraints have to be of the form $b_{ij}=0$ for all $i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B}$. From Algorithm \ref{algo: Lambda}, we used the system of equations $\{b_{s_iv}=0\mid s_i\in S_v\}$ to solve for $\lambda_{p_jv}$ for all $p_j\in\mathrm{pa}(v)$. Hence if either $i\in S_j$ or $j\in S_i$, substituting these $\lambda$'s back into the polynomial $b_{ij}=0$ will result in a trivial equation $0=0$.
\end{proof}
In fact, we see that each missing bidirected edge is used either as part of a system of equations for $\Lambda$, or is a generator for the model ideal $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$. In particular, our choice for $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$ is generated by ${|V|\choose 2}-|\mathcal{D}|-|\mathcal{B}|$ polynomials. Note that the result of Theorem \ref{thm: generators of I(G)} is very similar to \cite[Theorem 1]{van2018algebraic} where it was proven that $b_{ij}\in\mathcal{I}(G)$ if $i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B}, i\notin S_j\text{ and }j\notin S_i$. Here, $\mathcal{I}(G)$ is the vanishing ideal of $\mathcal{M}(G)$. However, in Theorem \ref{thm: generators of I(G)}, we showed that these polynomials are in fact the generator for the model ideal $J(M(G))$.
\subsection{Minimality of the Generators}
Now that we can find the generators of $J(M(G))$ for any HTC-identifiable $G$, it is natural to ask if generators of the model ideal found in Theorem \ref{thm: generators of I(G)} are in fact the minimal generators in the following sense:
\begin{dfn}
\label{dfn: minimal generators}
We say that the polynomials $f_1,\dots, f_n$ are \emph{minimal generators} for $I$ if we have $\langle f_1,\dots,f_n\rangle=I$ but $\langle f_1,\dots,f_{i-1},f_{i+1},\dots,f_n\rangle\neq I$ for any $1\leq i\leq n$. In other words, the polynomials $f_1,\dots, f_n$ generate $I$ but if we remove any of the $f_i$ for $1\leq i\leq n$, the remaining polynomials no longer generate $I$.
\end{dfn}
First, we will define a subset of HTC-identifiability:
\begin{dfn}
The sets $\{S_v\mid v\in V\}$ in an HTC-identifiable graph has \emph{no subset cycles} if it satisfies the criterion in Definition \ref{prop: HTC-rewritten} and there do not exist vertices $v_1,\dots,v_n$ with $v_1\in S_{v_2},v_2\in S_{v_3},\dots,v_n\in S_{v_1}$.
\end{dfn}
\begin{lem}
\label{lem: add-edges}
Suppose that we have an HTC-identifiable graph $G=(V,\mathcal{D},\mathcal{B})$ with a collection of sets $\{S_v\mid v\in V\}$ that has no subset cycles. Further suppose that there exists vertices $i,j\in V$ such that $i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B}, i\notin S_j\text{ and }j\notin S_i$. Then, we can add the bidirected edge $i\leftrightarrow j$ to obtain another HTC-identifiable graph with the sets $\{S_v\mid v\in V\}$ unchanged.
\end{lem}
\begin{proof}
Firstly, we check that each $S_v$ still satisfies the half-trek criterion with respect to $v$.
\begin{enumerate}
\item $|S_v|=|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$ still holds as adding bidirected edges does not impact the number of parents of any vertex $v$ while each $S_v$ remains unchanged.
\item Since $S_i\cap(\{i\}\cup\mathrm{sib}(i))=\emptyset$, adding the bidirected edge $i\leftrightarrow j$ where $j\notin S_i$ preserves that equality. By symmetry, $S_j\cap(\{j\}\cup\mathrm{sib}(j))=\emptyset$. For any other vertices $w$, the equation $S_w\cap(\{w\}\cup\mathrm{sib}(w))=\emptyset$ is preserved as $\mathrm{sib}(w)$ and $S_w$ remains unchanged.
\item There still exists a system of half-treks with no sided intersection from $S_v$ to $\mathrm{pa}(v)$, as adding the bidirected edge does not impact half-treks.
\end{enumerate}
Recall that a graph is HTC-identifiable if $S_v$ satisfies the half-trek criterion with respect to each vertex $v\in V$ and $w\prec v$ whenever $w\in S_v\cap\text{htr}(v)$. For the second condition, it is equivalent to view the total ordering as a topological ordering on the directed graph $G'=(V',\mathcal{D}',\mathcal{B}')$ with $V'=V$, $\mathcal{D}'=\{w\to v\mid w\in S_v\cap\text{htr}(v)\}$, $\mathcal{B}'=\emptyset$. If the sets $S_v$ has no subset cycles, $G'$ is a DAG and a topological ordering exists. Therefore, leaving $S_v$ unchanged, the new graph satisfies both conditions of HTC-identifiability.
\end{proof}
\begin{thm}
\label{thm: minimal-ideal}
If $G$ is an HTC-identifiable graph with no subset cycles, then the generators of the model ideal $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$ found in Theorem \ref{thm: generators of I(G)} are minimal.
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
Suppose that $J(\mathcal{M}(G))=\langle f_1,\dots,f_n\rangle$ is not a minimal generator of $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$. Without loss of generality, suppose that the constraint $f_1$ corresponding to the missing edge between $v$ and $w$ is redundant such that $J(\mathcal{M}(G))=\langle f_2,\dots,f_n\rangle$. Now, consider the graph $G'$ obtained by adding the bidirected edge $v\leftrightarrow w$ to $G$. Note that $G'$ is also an HTC-identifiable graph by Lemma \ref{lem: add-edges}, with $J(\mathcal{M}(G'))=\langle f_2,\dots,f_n\rangle$.
However, since the constraint $f_1$ can be generated by polynomials generating $J(\mathcal{M}(G'))$, the bidirected edge $v\leftrightarrow w$ in $G'$ can only take one value $\omega_{vw}=0$, which is a contradiction.
\end{proof}
\begin{cor}
If $G$ is a bow-free acyclic graph, then the generators of the model ideal $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$ found in Theorem \ref{thm: generators of I(G)} are minimal.
\end{cor}
\begin{proof}
In a bow-free acyclic graph, we have $S_v=\mathrm{pa}(v)$. Since the graph is acyclic, these sets contain no subset cycles. The result follows from Theorem \ref{thm: minimal-ideal}.
\end{proof}
\begin{ex}
\label{ex: add-edges-fail}
If the conditions of Lemma \ref{lem: add-edges} fail, it is possible to create a graph such that adding a bidirected edge that is not HTC-identifiable.
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, right of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, right of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (4) {4};
\node[rv, right of=4, yshift=0mm] (5) {5};
\node[rv, below of=3, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (6) {6};
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (2) to[bend left=20] (3);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (3) -- (4);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (4) -- (5);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (4) to[bend left=20] (5);
\draw[<->, very thick, dashed, color=red] (4) to[bend right=40] (1);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (1) to[bend right] (6);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (6) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (6) -- (1);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (5) to[bend right=40] (2);
\draw[<->, very thick, color=red] (5) -- (6);
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{An HTC-identifiable graph that is not HTC-identifiable after adding the dotted edge.}
\label{fig: add-edges}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
Consider the graph in Figure \ref{fig: add-edges}. Before adding the bidirected edge $1\leftrightarrow 4$, we must have $S_5=\{3\}$. Now, for $S_3$, we can have either $S_3=\{1\}$ or $S_3=\{5\}$. However, if we pick the latter, we have $3\in S_5$ and $5\in S_3$ which is HTC-nonidentifiable \cite[Theorem 2]{foygel2012half}. Similarly, we have either $S_1=\{3\}$ or $S_1=\{5\}$ but by picking the former we have $3\in S_1$ and $1\in S_3$ which is HTC-nonidentifiable. Hence, the only choice is $S_1=\{5\}$, $S_3=\{1\}$ and $S_5=\{3\}$.
Now, we have $1\notin S_4$ and $4\notin S_1$. Adding the edge $1\leftrightarrow 4$, we obtain $1\in S_3\cap\text{htr}(3)$, $3\in S_5\cap\text{htr}(5)$ and $5\in S_1\cap\text{htr}(1)$. Hence, the resulting graph is no longer HTC-identifiable as we can no longer find a total ordering.
\end{ex}
\subsection{Time Complexity}
In this section, we will show that if $S_v$ is given for every $v\in V$, we are able to compute $\Lambda$ and $\Omega$ numerically in polynomial time. This is useful if we are working in graphs whose $S_v$ is known or easy to find, such as acyclic bow-free graphs where $S_v=\mathrm{pa}(v)$.
\subsubsection{Numerical Computations}
We first introduce a naive bound for the numerical complexity of the above algorithm based on the number of vertices of $G$. We shall also assume that our numeric values of $\Sigma$ do not result in any singular matrices in Algorithm \ref{algo: Lambda}.
\begin{thm}
Suppose that $G$ is HTC-identifiable, then the complexity of finding $S_v$ for each vertex $v$ is at most $O(|V|^2(|V|+r)^3)$ where $r\leq|\mathcal{D}|/2$ is the number of reciprocal edge pairs in $\mathcal{D}$.
\end{thm}
\begin{proof}
See \cite[Theorem 7]{foygel2012half}.
\end{proof}
\begin{prop}
\label{prop: complexity}
Suppose $G$ is HTC-identifiable and $S_v$ is known for each $v\in V$. Then the complexity of finding $\Lambda$ and $\Omega$ numerically is at most $O(|V|^4)$.
\end{prop}
\begin{proof}
The complexity of solving $k$ equations with $k$ unknowns using naive Gauss-Jordan elimination is $O(k^3)$. In our algorithm for finding the values of $\lambda_{ij}$'s, we first solve a linear equation with at most one unknown, then two linear equations with at most two unknowns and so on until we solved $|V|-1$ linear equations with at most $|V|-1$ unknowns. Since we this process is iterated $|V|$ times, the complexity of finding the values of $\lambda_{ij}$'s is at most $O(|V|^4)$. Finally, since the complexity of matrix multiplication is $O(|V|^3)$, we can compute both $\Lambda$ and $\Omega$ in $O(|V|^4)$.
\end{proof}
In particular, the bound of $O(|V|^4)$ is attained by a complete DAG.
Furthermore, in graphs where $S_v$ is known, Proposition \ref{prop: complexity} could be useful. Otherwise, if $S_v$ is unknown, the complexity is at most $O(|V|^2(|V|+r)^3)$.
One might notice that each unknown $\lambda_{ij}$ corresponds precisely to a directed edge in $G$. In a sparse graph where $|\mathcal{D}|$ is small, it might be beneficial to express the complexity in terms of $|\mathcal{D}|$ instead.
\begin{prop}
Suppose $G$ is HTC-identifiable and $S_v$ is known for each $v\in V$. Then the complexity of finding $\Lambda$ numerically is at most $O(|\mathcal{D}|^3)$.
\end{prop}
\begin{proof}
This follows from the fact that we have at least $|\mathcal{D}|$ equations with exactly $|\mathcal{D}|$ unknowns. Observe that each time when we apply the Gauss-Jordan elimination, we can solve for any subset of the $|\mathcal{D}|$ unknowns. Therefore, we obtain the following optimization problem:
\begin{equation*}
\begin{aligned}
& \underset{k_1,\dots,k_{|\mathcal{D}|}}{\text{maximise}}
& & k_1^3+\dots+k_{|\mathcal{D}|}^3 \\
& \text{subject to}
& & k_1+\dots+k_{|\mathcal{D}|} = |\mathcal{D}| \\
&\text{where}&& k_1,\dots,k_{|\mathcal{D}|} \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0},
\end{aligned}
\end{equation*}
where $k_i$ is the number of unknowns in the $i^{th}$ set of equations. Since the cubic term grows faster than the linear term, the maximum is obtained when $k_i=|\mathcal{D}|$ for some $i$ and $k_j=0$ for all $j\neq i$.
\end{proof}
\begin{cor}
Suppose $G$ is HTC-identifiable graph and $S_v$ is known for each $v\in V$. Denote $P=\max_{v\in V}|\mathrm{pa}(v)|$. Then the complexity of finding $\Lambda$ numerically is at most $O(|V|P^3)$.
\end{cor}
\begin{proof}
We use the Gauss-Jordan elimination at most $v$ times, solving for at most $P$ unknowns each time.
\end{proof}
\subsubsection{Symbolic Complications}
Now, we will show that our algorithm does not run symbolic calculations in polynomial time by providing a simple counter-example. Since finding the generators of $\mathcal{I}(G)$ requires symbolic computation, we can not compute $\mathcal{I}(G)$ in polynomial time in general.
Consider a complete DAG such as the graph shown in Figure \ref{fig: complete}.
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}
[rv/.style={circle, draw, thick, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth,
hv/.style={circle, draw, thick, dashed, minimum size=6mm, inner sep=0.5mm}, node distance=15mm, >=stealth]
\pgfsetarrows{latex-latex};
\begin{scope}
\node[rv] (1) {1};
\node[rv, right of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (2) {2};
\node[rv, below of=1, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (3) {3};
\node[rv, below of=2, yshift=0mm, xshift=0mm] (4) {4};
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (4);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (2);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (1) -- (4);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (2) -- (3);
\draw[->, very thick, color=blue] (3) -- (4);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{A complete DAG on 4 vertices.}
\label{fig: complete}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
Using our algorithm, solving for $\Lambda$ symbolically, we obtain
$$\lambda_{14}={\sigma_{14\cdot 23}}/{\sigma_{11\cdot 23}}, \qquad\lambda_{24}={\sigma_{24\cdot 13}}/{\sigma_{22\cdot 13}}, \qquad\lambda_{34}={\sigma_{34\cdot 12}}/{\sigma_{33\cdot 12}}.$$ In particular, the regression coefficient $\lambda_{ij}$ is precisely ${\sigma_{ij\cdot S}}/{\sigma_{ii\cdot S}}$ in a DAG, where $S=\mathrm{pa}(j)\backslash\{i\}$ \cite{pearl2000causality}. Recall that the conditional covariance matrix of a multivariate normal distribution is given by
\begin{align*}
\Sigma_{AA\cdot B}=\Sigma_{AA}-\Sigma_{AB}\Sigma_{BB}^{-1}\Sigma_{BA}.
\end{align*}
Now, there are $|B|!$ different terms in $\mathrm{det}(\Sigma_{BB})$. Since $\sigma_{ij\cdot V}\propto \mathrm{det}(\Sigma_{-i,-j})$ which has $(|V|-1)!$ terms, the number of terms in $\lambda_{ij}$ increases factorially with respect to $|\mathrm{pa}(i)|$. As Algorithm \ref{algo: Lambda} requires us to invert matrices with entries as functions of $\lambda$, we might not be able to solve for $\Lambda$ symbolically in polynomial time. However, the expression may in principle factorise, and therefore we might only have to deal with $O(\log(n!))=O(n\log(n))$ terms.
\section{Conclusion}
In this paper, we have defined a subset of generically identifiable graphs called \emph{linearly identifiable graphs}. Graphs are linearly identifiable if their model parameters can be recovered from the covariance matrix with straightforward linear algebra operations, given in Algorithm \ref{algo: Lambda} and (\ref{eqn: recover-Omega}). We have also proven that a graph is linearly identifiable if and only if it is HTC-identifiable.
Furthermore, we have shown that, for some graphs, there is a bijection between the generators of the \emph{model ideal}, generated by all equality constraints of $\mathcal{M}(G)\cap PD_V$, and the vertex pairs $\{(i,j)\mid i\leftrightarrow j\notin\mathcal{B},\ i\notin S_j\text{ and }j\notin S_i\}$. In graphs where the sets $\{S_v\mid v\in V\}$ has no subset cycles, the generators of the vertex pairs are minimal. To prove this, we utilise Lemma \ref{lem: add-edges}, which fails to hold in all HTC-identifiable graphs as demonstrated in Example \ref{ex: add-edges-fail}. However, we do conjecture that the generators we found are minimal for all HTC-identifiable graphs.
\begin{conj}
For any HTC-identifiable graph $G$, the generators of the model ideal $J(\mathcal{M}(G))$ found in Theorem \ref{thm: generators of I(G)} are minimal.
\end{conj}
Finally, we have shown that the complexity to recover the parameters of an HTC-identifiable graph $G$, given that we know $\{S_v\mid v\in V\}$ is at most $O(|V|^4)$. Meanwhile, it is known that the complexity of finding $S_v$ for each vertex $v$ given an HTC-identifiable graph is at most $O(|V|^2(|V|+r)^3)$ where $r\leq|\mathcal{D}|/2$ is the number of reciprocal edge pairs in $\mathcal{D}$. Unfortunately, we do not have an efficient algorithm to find the sets $S_v$ without subset cycles (if it exists).
\bibliographystyle{abbrv}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 4,407 |
namespace dart {
namespace bin {
void* Extensions::LoadExtensionLibrary(const char* library_file) {
return dlopen(library_file, RTLD_LAZY);
}
void* Extensions::ResolveSymbol(void* lib_handle, const char* symbol) {
dlerror();
return dlsym(lib_handle, symbol);
}
void Extensions::UnloadLibrary(void* lib_handle) {
dlerror();
int result = dlclose(lib_handle);
ASSERT(result == 0);
}
Dart_Handle Extensions::GetError() {
const char* err_str = dlerror();
if (err_str != NULL) {
return Dart_NewApiError(err_str);
}
return Dart_Null();
}
} // namespace bin
} // namespace dart
#endif // defined(HOST_OS_LINUX)
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 9,398 |
I was recently interviewed by the online art website Arts Illustrated, and am pleased to share the interview here.
Arts Illustrated celebrates and promotes the arts and provides a resource for artistic news and information. The creators aim to provide easy access to the growing community of artists and art lovers. Please check out their other great interviews and resources as well! | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 8,365 |
{"url":"http:\/\/api.geodigs.cloud.newmediaone.net\/page\/kronecker-product-calculator-7628e8","text":"kronecker product calculator\n\nAnswers to Questions. For $M_1=[a_{ij}]$ a matrix with $m$ lines and $n$ columns and $M_2=[b_{ij}]$ a matrix with $p$ lines and $q$ columns. 2.1.1 Basic Properties KRON 1 (4.2.3 in [9]) It does not matter where we place multiplication with a scalar, i.e. Tool to calculate a Kronecker matrix product in computer algebra. From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. Note: In mathematics, the Kronecker product, denoted by \u2297, is an operation on two matrices of arbitrary size resulting in a block matrix. edit close. New York: Dover, p.\u00a012, 1996. Write to dCode! Kronecker product has also some distributivity properties: - Distributivity over matrix transpose: $( A \\otimes B )^T = A^T \\otimes B^T$, - Distributivity over matrix traces: $\\operatorname{Tr}( A \\otimes B ) = \\operatorname{Tr}( A ) \\operatorname{Tr}( B )$, - Distributivity over matrix determinants: $\\operatorname{det}( A \\otimes B ) = \\operatorname{det}( A )^{m} \\operatorname{det}( B )^{n}$. How to multiply 2 matrices with Kronecker? Enhanced by many worked examples \u2014 as well as problems and solutions \u2014 this in-depth text discusses the Kronecker matrix product. b]. link brightness_4 code \/\/ C++ code to find the Kronecker Product of two \/\/ matrices and stores it as matrix C . Explore anything with the first computational knowledge engine. play_arrow. Schafer, R.\u00a0D. An The Kronecker product C=A B can be thought of as creating an algebra C from two smaller algebras A and B. If A is an m -by- n matrix and B is a p -by- q matrix, then kron (A,B) is an m*p -by- n*q matrix formed by taking all possible products between the elements of A and the matrix B. Unlimited random practice problems and answers with built-in Step-by-step solutions. If A and B represent linear operators on different vector spaces then A B represents the combination of these linear operators. I will disallow built-ins that directly calculate the Kronecker, Jacobi or Legendre symbols, but anything else (including prime factorization functions) should be fair game. a feedback ? Below is the code to find the Kronecker Product of two matrices and stores it as matrix C : C++. In Fortran 90, matrices are stored as 2-D arrays. It calculates C = a*C + b* (A kron B). An Practice online or make a printable study sheet. I'm not seeing any in-built commands that produce the Kronecker product. It is a generalization of the outer product (which is denoted by the same symbol) from vectors to matrices, and gives the matrix of the tensor product with respect to a standard choice of basis. Weisstein, Eric W. \"Kronecker Product.\" It contains generic C++ and Fortran 90 codes that do not require any installation of other libraries. Explore thousands of free applications across science, mathematics, engineering, technology, business, art, finance, social sciences, and more. Hints help you try the next step on your own. https:\/\/mathworld.wolfram.com\/KroneckerProduct.html. K = kron (A,B) returns the Kronecker tensor product of matrices A and B. kronecker,product,multiplication,matrix,tensor, Source : https:\/\/www.dcode.fr\/kronecker-product. The Kronecker product suport associativity : $$A \\otimes (B+ \\lambda\\ \\cdot C) = (A \\otimes B) + \\lambda (A \\otimes C) \\\\ (A + \\lambda\\ \\cdot B) \\otimes C = (A \\otimes C) + \\lambda (B \\otimes C) \\\\ A \\otimes ( B \\otimes C) = (A \\otimes B) \\otimes C \\\\ (A \\otimes B) (C \\otimes D) = (A C) \\otimes (B D)$$. \\$\\endgroup\\$ \u2013 \u2026 Collection of teaching and learning tools built by Wolfram education experts: dynamic textbook, lesson plans, widgets, interactive Demonstrations, and more. no data, script or API access will be for free, same for Kronecker Product download for offline use on PC, tablet, iPhone or Android ! For $M_1=[a_{ij}]$ a matrix with $m$ lines and $n$ columns and $M_2=[b_{ij}]$ a matrix with $p$ lines and $q$ columns. For example, the matrix direct product of the matrix and the matrix is given by the following matrix. The Kronecker product is also sometimes calle\u2026 A dyad is a special tensor \u2013 to be discussed later \u2013, which explains the name of this product. Join the initiative for modernizing math education. What are matrix Kronecker multiplication properties. Introduction to Nonassociative Algebras. The dot product of two vectors AB in this notation is AB = A 1B 1 + A 2B 2 + A 3B 3 = X3 i=1 A iB i = X3 i=1 X3 j=1 A iB j ij: Note that there are nine terms in the nal sums, but only three of them are non-zero. space tensor product of the original vector spaces. The matrix direct product gives the matrix of the linear transformation induced by the vector How to multiply 2 matrices with Kronecker? called their matrix direct product, is an matrix with elements defined by. More precisely, suppose that. The hadamard() command fails. The second kind of tensor product of the two vectors is a so-called con-travariant tensor product: (10) a\u2297b0 = b0 \u2297a = X t X j a tb j(e t \u2297e j) = (a tb je j t). Given an matrix and a matrix, their Kronecker product , also called their matrix direct product, is an matrix with elements defined by (1) where (2) (3) For example, the matrix direct product of the matrix and the matrix is given by the following matrix, (4) (5) The matrix direct product is implemented in the Wolfram Language as KroneckerProduct[a, b]. It may have to be created as an external command, or function. a bug ? Except explicit open source licence (indicated CC \/ Creative Commons \/ free), any algorithm, applet or snippet (converter, solver, encryption \/ decryption, encoding \/ decoding, ciphering \/ deciphering, translator), or any function (convert, solve, decrypt \/ encrypt, decipher \/ cipher, decode \/ encode, translate) written in any informatic language (PHP, Java, C#, Python, Javascript, Matlab, etc.) The matrix direct product is implemented in the Wolfram Language as KroneckerProduct[a, The #1 tool for creating Demonstrations and anything technical. The Kronecker product is a special case of tensor multiplication on matrices. Please, check our community Discord for help requests! Knowledge-based programming for everyone. Thanks to your feedback and relevant comments, dCode has developped the best 'Kronecker Product' tool, so feel free to write! The Kronecker product has a lot of interesting properties, many of them are stated and proven in the basic literature about matrix analysis ( e.g. https:\/\/mathworld.wolfram.com\/KroneckerProduct.html. Introduction to Nonassociative Algebras. [9, Chapter 4] ). The Kronecker product is noted with a circled cross \u2297 $M_1 \\otimes M_2 = [c_{ij}]$ is a larger matrix of $m \\times p$ lines and $n \\times q$ columns, with : $$\\forall i, j : c_{ij} = a_{ij}.B$$, Example: $$M=\\begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\\\ 4 & 5 & 6 \\end{bmatrix} \\otimes \\begin{bmatrix} 7 & 8 \\\\ 9 & 10 \\end{bmatrix} = \\begin{bmatrix} 7 & 8 & 14 & 16 & 21 & 24 \\\\ 9 & 10 & 18 & 20 & 27 & 30 \\\\ 28 & 32 & 35 & 40 & 42 & 48 \\\\ 36 & 40 & 45 & 50 & 54 & 60 \\end{bmatrix}$$, This product is not equivalent to the classical multiplication\">matrix product, $M_1 \\otimes M_2 \\neq M_1 \\dot M_2$. Thank you ! ffff* e# This is the important step for the Kronecker product (but e# not the whole story). Kronecker Product. The Kronecker product is a special case of tensor multiplication on matrices. [attachment=6953] In C++, matrices are stored as 'column major ordered' vectors. In mathematics, the Kronecker product, sometimes denoted by \u2297, is an operation on two matrices of arbitrary size resulting in a block matrix. an idea ? It is a generalization of the outer product (which is denoted by the same symbol) from vectors to matrices, and gives the matrix of the tensor product with respect to a standard choice of basis. 6. (\u03b1A)\u2297 B = A\u2297 (\u03b1B) = \u03b1(A\u2297B) \u2200\u03b1 \u2208 K,A \u2208 Mp,q,B \u2208 Mr,s. Walk through homework problems step-by-step from beginning to end. The Kronecker product is to be distinguished from the usual matrix multiplication, which is an entirely different operation. filter_none. Named after a 19th-century German mathematician, Leopold Kronecker, the Kronecker product is an increasingly important and useful matrix operation and an area of matrix calculus with numerous applications. Please note that the matricies in the example I provided are of differing sizes: a(4x4) and b(2x2), and produce an 8x8 Kronecker product. The order of the vectors in a covariant tensor product is crucial, since, as one can easily verify, it is the case that (9) a\u2297b 6= b\u2297a and a0 \u2297b0 6= b0 \u2297a0. It's an operator which takes two matrices e# and replaces each cell of the first matrix with the second matrix e# multiplied by that cell (so yeah, we'll end up with a 4D list of e# matrices nested inside a matrix). Given an matrix and a matrix , their Kronecker product , also 1.1.6 Tensor product The tensor product of two vectors represents a dyad, which is a linear vector transformation. 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\section{Introduction}
\label{Introduction}
The Universe is populated with galaxies spanning a range of sizes and masses: on the one hand there are gas--rich systems, ranging from small, amorphous dwarfs to grand--design spirals. On the other, we find from gas--poor objects, from dwarf spheroidals and ellipticals to massive cD galaxies. Their current morphology and composition contains fossil evidence regarding their formation and evolution \citep{fre02}. Accretion of small clumps of both baryonic and dark matter, falling towards more massive dark matter haloes, is now a well accepted scenario for the assembly of late--type galaxies \citep{nav95, spr05}. Discs form by cooling and the dissipative collapse of baryonic matter \citep[e.g.,][]{fal80}. During this process, infalling gas should preserve a large fraction of its angular momentum whilst settling into a disc. It has lately become clear that a realistic description of star formation and feedback are indispensable ingredients in numerical models if they are to match the observed properties of galaxies \citep{som99,som03,gov04,gov07,gov10,scann08}.
The formation and evolution of well--ordered systems such as spiral galaxies remains an intriguing process, raising many questions, one of them being the origin and evolution of low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies. Although initially this category was thought to consist predominantly of late--type spirals and dwarf irregular (dIrr) galaxies, we now know that they span the entire range of galaxy mass \citep{bot97}. They are thought to evolve more slowly, as suggested by their low surface brightness, low metallicities and low star formation rates when compared with High Surface Brightness (HSB) galaxies \citep[see][and references therein]{imp97,mih99,rah07}. This also means that LSB discs have consumed less of their gas and are therefore more gas--rich when compared to HSB discs \citep{mcg97,one04}.
An extreme category of LSBs is collectively known as that of `crouching giants' \citep{dis87} or `Malin\,1 cousins' after the giant LSB galaxy Malin\,1, discovered serendipitously by \citet{bot87}. It has one of the largest optical radial extents known for a spiral galaxy, out to a radius of $\sim 100$ kpc \citep{imp89} with an extrapolated disc central surface brightness of $\mu_0$(V) = 25.5 mag arcsec$^{-2}$. It is one of the most gas--rich galaxies known with an HI mass of $\sim 6.8 \times 10^{10}$\mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}\, and the neutral gas extending out to $\sim 120$ kpc radius \citep{pic97}. The discovery of Malin\,1 prompted searches for more of these giant LSB system resulting in F568--6 or Malin\,2 being found by \citet{bot90}, and 1226$+$0105 by \citet{spr93}. All these `Malin\,1 cousins' were found to be gas rich and have discs characterised by large scale--lengths and low central surface brightnesses as reported by \citet{spr95}, who increased the number of known LSB giant discs by a further eight objects. More recently, using the fact that giant LSB galaxies are rich in neutral gas, \citet{one04} produced a list of 38 additional giant LSB candidates, raising to roughly 55 the number of LSB galaxies with \textsc{H\,i} mass higher than 10$^{10}$\mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}. It should be noted, though, that spatially resolved imaging, in \textsc{H\,i} as well as in the optical, is needed to confirm which of these giant LSB candidates are indeed Malin\,1--type objects.
The formation and evolution of LSB giants remains puzzling and several explanations have been put forward. \citet{hof92} claim that rare $3 \sigma$ density fluctuations in a primordial Gaussian random field occurring in voids can lead to objects with the characteristics of a Malin\,1, i.e. a rather normal bulge and a low surface brightness disc. \citet{dal97} postulate that the initial mass and angular momentum of a protogalaxy determine the luminosity and surface brightness of today's systems, high angular momentum protogalaxies leading naturally to giant LSBs.
Rather than their characteristics being due to their initial conditions, some authors like \citet{nog01} suggest that the formation and strength of a bar in the disc of an HSB galaxy could result in the redistribution of matter, lowering the central brightness of the object and converting it into a giant LSB galaxy. More recently, \citet{map08} propose that giant LSBs might be the late stage evolution of a head--on collision, i.e. the late stage of a ring galaxy at $\sim 1.5$\,Gyr after impact.
In this paper we present NGC\,765, a galaxy which resembles the giant LSB Malin\,1 but is closer by a factor of 4--5 and hence provides us with an opportunity to study such an extraordinary system in more detail. We present NRAO\footnote{The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.} Very Large Array (VLA) D--array archival data of this galaxy. Section~2 provides an overview of archival and literature multiwavelength properties of NGC\,765. In Section~3 we briefly discuss the data reduction for the \textsc{H\,i}, radio continuum, optical, and X-ray data. We present our results in Section~4, where we focus on the morphology and kinematics of the gaseous disc and provide a brief discussion in Section~5.
\begin{table*}
{\footnotesize
\caption{General information on NGC\,765 and companion galaxies.}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{llllc}
\hline
\hline
& NGC\,765 & NGC\,765a & UGC\,1453 & Reference\\
\hline
Type & SAB(rc)bc & \ldots & Irr & 1\\
RA (J2000)\ &01h 58m 48s & 01h 59m 55.9s~$^3$ & 01h 58m 45.8s & 1\\
DEC (J2000)\ & 24\degr 53\arcmin 32.9\arcsec & 24\degr 58\arcmin 29.9\arcsec ~$^3$ & 24\degr 38\arcmin 34.6\arcsec & 1 \\
Distance & 72 Mpc & 72 Mpc $^3$ & 72 Mpc & 1\\
V$_{\mathrm hel}$ & 5118 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} & 4900 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}~$^3$ & 4897 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} & 1\\
R$_{25}$ & 62.6\arcsec & \ldots & $\sim$1.4\arcmin & 1\\
m$\rm _B$ & 13.6 & \ldots & \ldots & 1\\
$\rm L_B$ & $3 \times 10^{10} \mbox{${\rm L}_\odot$} $& \ldots & \ldots & 2 \\
Inclination & 21\degr & \ldots & 30\degr~$^4$ & 3\\
Position Angle & 251\degr& \ldots & \ldots & 3\\
H\,I flux\ & 38.3 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} & 0.53 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} & 1.54 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} & 3 \\
H\,I mass & $4.7 \times 10^{10}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} & $6.5 \times 10^{8}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} & $1.9 \times 10^{9}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} & 3 \\
\hline
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\label{properties}
}
\hspace{1cm}
\begin{flushleft}
Reference: 1 - Taken from NED; 2 - Derived using M$\rm _{\odot,B}=5.48$ and a distance of 72 Mpc; 3 - This study; 4 - Taken from LEDA.
\end{flushleft}
\end{table*}
\section{NGC\,765 archive properties}
\label{765 archive properties}
NGC\,765 (also known as UGC\,1455) is classified as a late-type SAB(rb)bc galaxy \citep{deVau91}, and presents the signature of a central bar. According to the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) it has a heliocentric recession velocity of 5118 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}. Throughout this paper we assume a distance of 72 Mpc based on H$_0$=72 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} Mpc$^{-1}$, which makes $1^{\prime\prime} = 350$\,pc. The galaxy has an extrapolated disc central surface brightness of $\mu$(0) = 22.27 in the $B$--band \citep{dejong96}, or only about 0.5 mag fainter than the \citet{free70} value and therefore brighter than the $\mu (0) \geq$ 23 limit usually adopted to define an LSB \citep{imp97}. The galaxy was included in a sample of (LSB) galaxies by \citet{schombert98}. The detection of nuclear emission of $\lbrack \rm N\,II \rbrack$, $ \lbrack \rm S\,I \rbrack $ and $ \lbrack \rm O\,I \rbrack $ lines suggests the presence of a low-luminosity AGN (hereafter LLAGN), which according to \citet{schombert98} are more likely to be found in \textsc{H\,i}--rich, large galaxies. This galaxy and its closest companion, UGC 1453, are thought to be part of a group of 14 galaxies [GH83]024 \citep{gar93}. In Table~\ref{properties} we summarise some basic information on NGC\,765 and its companion galaxies, stating in advance that NGC\,765a is an uncatalogued companion discovered in this study. Both NGC\,765a and UGC\,1453 are discussed in more depth in Section~\ref{Results}.
\section{Observations and Data Reduction }
\subsection{H\,I data reduction}
\label{HI data reduction}
The VLA D--array observations of NGC\,765 are in the public domain under project ID AS0625. The galaxy was observed in a set of 3 runs, on 1998 January 17, 18 and 19, over periods of 5 hours each on source. Both polarisations were recorded. All data reduction was performed using the 31DEC06 version of Classic AIPS. Table \ref{setup} summarises the observational setup.
\begin{table}
{\footnotesize
\caption{Observational setup for the NGC\,765 VLA data.}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{ll}
\hline
\hline
Parameter &Value \\
\hline
Object & NGC\,765 \\
Instrument &VLA \\
Configuration & D--array \\
Project ID& AS0625 \\
Primary calibrator & 3C48 \\
Secondary calibrator & 3C48 \\
Central velocity &5189 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} \\
FWHM of primary beam &32\arcmin \\
Total bandwidth & 3.125 MHz \\
Number of channels & 64 \\
Channel spacing &0.049 MHz \hspace{0.5cm} (11 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}) \\
FWHM of synthesised beam & 43.5\arcsec $\times$ 42.3\arcsec \hspace{0.35cm} ($\sim$ 15 kpc) \\
rms noise &0.2 mJy\,beam$^{-1}$ \hspace{0.03cm} (0.065 K) \\
\hline
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\label{setup}
}
\end{table}
3C48 was observed interspersed with the target source, in scans lasting 3 minutes. This calibrator was used both as primary calibrator (flux and bandpass) with an estimated flux of 16.50 Jy at 1395.29\,MHz as well as to determine the complex gain (i.e., as secondary calibrator). Antenna 12 was flagged in both polarisations in the first and last runs since visibility amplitudes deviated by approximately 30 percent relative to the average. Flagging and bandpass calibration were performed with standard tasks.
We deleted the first and last eight velocity channels due to sensitivity loss at the edges of the 3125 kHz wide band centred at a frequency of 1396.5 MHz. The {\em uv--}data of individual runs were merged into a single data set using the task \textsc{dbcon}.
The data cube was generated using {\sc imagr}. We employed a \textsc{robust=0} weight in order to obtain the best compromise between resolution and sensitivity. The cube was cleaned to a flux threshold of $2\sigma$. We separated real emission from noise following the conditional blanking method employed by \cite{wal08}. We convolved the cube to 70 arcsec resolution, storing in a masking cube regions of emission that were above $2\sigma$ over three consecutive velocity channels. Using the latter cube we then masked our original 43.5 $\times$ 42.3 arcsec cube. The \textit{zero} and \textit{first} order moment maps (total surface brightness and velocity field), were created with the task {\sc xmom}. Because of the modest angular resolution the channel maps could be cleaned down to the noise and therefore there was no need for residual flux scaling \citep{wal08}.
NGC\,765 was detected from 5015 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}\, to 5239 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}\, in velocity. Its integrated \textsc{H\,i} spectrum is shown in Figure~\ref{spectrum}. The corresponding channel maps are presented in Appendix~\ref{appendix-a}. In Fig. \ref{765_HI_FIELD} we present an \textsc{H\,i} column density map of NGC\,765 and its two nearby companions: UGC\,1453 to the South of NGC\,765, and to the North--East the uncatalogued small companion NGC\, 765a.
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\includegraphics[trim= 70 370 70 100, clip, width=12 cm ]{765_fig0.pdf}
\caption {Integrated \textsc{H\,i} spectrum of NGC\,765. Note that the integrated flux in each channel map is based on the blanked image cube, hence the flux being at exactly zero for those channels deemed without emission.}
\label{spectrum}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\includegraphics[trim= 100 150 70 250, clip, angle=-90, width=11 cm ]{765_fig1.pdf}
\caption {Total intensity greyscale \textsc{H\,i} map of NGC\,765. The greyscale ranges from 0 to 225 K km s$^{-1}$. The resolution is 43 $\times$ 42 arcsec and is indicated by the circle in the bottom left corner of the image. NGC\,765a and UGC\,1453 can be seen to the Northeast and South of the main galaxy, respectively.}
\label{765_HI_FIELD}
\end{figure*}
We constructed a radio--continuum map using the first five channels of the 48 available, which were thought to be free of line emission. These five channels were employed to perform the continuum subtraction of the above mentioned data cube. The \textit{uv} data of the channels were averaged in frequency using the task \textsc{avspc}, mapped and {\sc clean}ed with {\sc imagr} in a similar manner as described above. The 1$\sigma$ noise level corresponds to 0.15 mJy. In Fig. \ref{continuum}, we present the continuum emission contours at 1395.39 MHz.
We detect a source with a flux density of 2.16 mJy (L$\rm _{1.4\, GHz} = 1.3 \times 10^{21}$ W Hz$^{-1}$, for an assumed distance of 72 Mpc), coincident with the optical nucleus of NGC\,765. The NRAO VLA Sky Survey \citep[NVSS;][]{con98} at 1.4 GHz found no radio continuum emission associated with this galaxy (Stokes I at a 3 $\sigma$ rms of 1.5 mJy). The Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty--Centimeters (FIRST) VLA--survey \citep{bec95} does not cover this area. No continuum emission was detected for NGC\,765a and UGC\,1453. We found another 7 radio--continuum sources in the field of NGC\,765. For further details we refer the reader to the material in Appendix~\ref{appendix-b}.
\subsection{Optical data reduction}
\label{optical}
Optical observations of NGC\,765 were acquired with the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) on 2009 January 22, with the Wide Field Camera (hereafter WFC). The galaxy was observed in three exposures of 600 seconds in the Sloan $R$ filter at a central wavelength of 6240 \AA. Data reduction followed the standard Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit (CASU) pipeline. In Fig.~\ref{INT} we present the optical INT image of NGC\,765. The PSF is $\sim$ 1.3 arcsec or 0.45 kpc. The galaxy presents an inner bright core and what seems to be a bar oriented NNE--SSW. It is not clear if there is an associated stellar ring. Stellar arms, tightly wound around the core, indicate disc rotation in an anti--clockwise direction. Faint traces of at least two arms can be seen as far out as 45 kpc from the nucleus. Both arms seem to bifurcate in the outskirts. According to \cite{dej94} the optical diameter measured at 25 mag\,arcsec$^{-2}$ in the $B$--band is 62.6 arcsec (22\,kpc).
We produced an optical surface brightness profile based on elliptical isophote fitting using the projection on the sky as determined by our rotation curve fit (Sect.~\ref{Rotation curve analysis}). Obvious foreground stars were removed and replaced by 2--D interpolation using pixel values of an annulus surrounding the affected area. A 2--D second order spline was fit to remove the background. Although the background fit produced a remarkably good result, we could see some slight systematic offset due to the bright foreground star towards the south--east corner of the field, potentially affecting the area due South of the galaxy. We therefore restricted the radial profile, using only the northern half of NGC\,765, employing 3\arcsec\ radial bins.
The resulting profile is shown in Fig.~\ref{profile}. The INT data were not calibrated so we bootstrapped our radial profile to the one published by \citet{dej94}. Where our profiles overlap, agreement is excellent. Our data go deeper by almost 2 magnitudes in $R$, down to 26.5\,mag\,arcsec$^{-2}$, allowing us to follow the faint stellar disk out to about 50\,kpc in radius. We derive a scale length for the stellar disc between 5 and 25\,kpc of 7.8\,kpc in good agreement with \citet{dej94} who found values of 8.4\,kpc and 5.7\,kpc in $B$ and $K_\mathrm{S}$, respectively. The extrapolated central surface brightness at $R$--band is 20.9\,mag\,arcsec$^{-2}$ which, assuming a $B-R = 1.40 $ \citep[taken from][]{dej94} then agrees with their $B$--band value of $\mu_{\mathrm B}(0) = 22.27$.
Between 30\,kpc and 38\,kpc the profile shows a secondary maximum, beyond which, it declines again at the same rate. This feature can be traced to a faint, broad stellar arm, i.e., this is not an artefact or due to a problem with background subtraction.
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[trim= 10 80 10 50,width=7.0 cm,angle=-90]{765_fig3}
\includegraphics[trim= 65 -30 -10 100, width=7.4 cm,angle=-90]{765_fig3_1}
\caption{Optical image of NGC\,765 acquired with Wide Field Camera on the INT. On the left, we saturate the central core to bring out the low--luminosity spiral arms. On the right, we zoom in on the central region indicated by the box in the left--hand panel, to expose the central bright core and bar.}
\label{INT}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\includegraphics[trim= 80 350 60 60, clip, width=12.0 cm]{765_fig15}\\
\caption{Optical surface brightness profile of NGC\,765 derived from elliptical isophote fitting on the INT WFC $R$--band image. Only the northern half of the galaxy was used. We also shown the fit to extrapolate the central surface brightness.}
\label{profile}
\end{figure*}
\subsection{X--ray data reduction}
\label{Xray data reduction}
\citet{das09} present 0.5 arcsec resolution \emph{Chandra} X--ray observations of a small sample of Malin\,1--type galaxies, including NGC\,765. As they only refer to emission coming from its centre, we decided to retrieve the observations from the archive (project ID 7764) and independently reduce and analyse them. The data were obtained with the ACIS--S instrument (AXAF CCD Imaging Spectrometer) on 2007 July 11, for a total exposure time of 3.79 ks. Data reduction of the observations was performed using standard procedures included in the \emph{Chandra} Analysis of Observations package (\textsc{ciao} version 4.0). We ran \textit{wavdetect} with a 3$\sigma$ detection threshold in order to detect point sources in the NGC\,765 \textsc{H\,i} field. Six sources were detected above 3$\sigma$ and are shown in Appendix~\ref{appendix-c}, Fig.~\ref{xray_figure}. We confirm emission coincident with the galaxy nucleus at an X--ray luminosity in the 0.2--10 keV energy band of L$_{\rm X} 1.7 \times 10^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$, in agreement with \citet{das09}.
\section{Results}
\label{Results}
\subsection{NGC\,765 H\,I content and morphology}
\label{HIcontent}
We detect an \textsc{H\,i} integrated flux of 38.3 Jy km s$^{-1}$ which, assuming as usual optically thin emission, corresponds to a total \textsc{H\,i} mass of 4.67$\times 10^{10}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}. This is consistent with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (hereafter WSRT) wide-field survey \citep{bra03}, where it was derived to have a total \textsc{H\,i} flux of $39.7 \pm 0.66$ Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} (effective beam size of $ 50.3 \times 46.8$ arcmin) and a total \textsc{H\,i} mass of $ 4.6 \times 10^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$. Arecibo observations \citep{shu94}, with a beam of $3.3 \pm 0.1$ arcmin, gave an integrated \textsc{H\,i} flux of 11.1 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} \, which implies an \textsc{H\,i} mass of $ 1.4 \times 10^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$, but these observations were based on a single pointing at the centre and therefore missed a substantial part of the \textsc{H\,i} belonging to NGC\,765. The total \textsc{H\,i} mass derived for NGC\,765 exceeds by one order of magnitude the median \textsc{H\,i} mass in the LSB survey by \citet{one04}. It also exceeds by a factor of 3 the mean value obtained by \cite{rob94} for Sab--Sbc HSB spiral galaxies within the RC3-UGC sample. The \textsc{H\,i} mass to luminosity ratio for NGC\,765 is M$_{\rm HI}$/L$_{\rm B} \sim 1.6$, i.e., of the same order as the median M$_{\rm HI}$/L$_{\rm B} = 2.8$ found for LSBs by \citet{one04},
and 5--10 times larger than the median for HSB galaxies \citep{rob94}.
NGC\,765 has an extended \textsc{H\,i} distribution with a diameter of 240 kpc. In Fig.~\ref{765HI&OPT} (left) we present \textsc{H\,i} contours overlaid on the optical image, highlighting the disproportionately large \textsc{H\,i} disc compared to the optical. The \textsc{H\,i} structure shows an unresolved central depression with a size $\sim$ 50 $\times$ 30 arcsec, better seen in the right--hand panel of Fig. \ref{765HI&OPT} where we present the \textsc{H\,i} distribution, overplotted with velocity contours. The inner gas distribution follows the spiral arms. We can identify at least three of them: two to the East and one to the Southwest. The average \textsc{H\,i} column density out to 50 kpc, i.e., where the \textsc{H\,i} spiral arms dominate, is $5 \times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$. To the East the column density drops beyond that radius to reach a plateau at $2 \times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$, populated with \textsc{H\,i} clumps (see below).
The outer disc of NGC\,765 is asymmetrical or lopsided. This can be appreciated in Fig.~\ref{profiles}, where we present average surface brightness profiles along the major axis: one along the receding side of the galaxy (hereafter West profile) and the other along the approaching side of the galaxy (hereafter East profile). These were created using the ellipse integration task \textsc{ellint} available in \textsc{gipsy} \citep{vanhul92}. The profiles are derived from 30\degr \,wide sectors centred around the major axis and binned every 40 arcsec. This process has the advantage of compensating for the loss of signal--to--noise when moving to larger galactic radii by averaging over larger areas, allowing us to recover information all the way out to the periphery of the diffuse disc. In Fig.~\ref{profiles}, we plot column densities (in cm$^{-2}$) on a logarithmic scale as a function of linear radius (in kpc). Each side of the galaxy presents a different signature. Both profiles start out at the same level of $5 \times 10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$ and show a sudden drop near 50 kpc (2.5 arcmin). The eastern profile settles to a plateau of $2 \times 10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$ followed by a rapid decline near 100 kpc out to the last measured point at 120 kpc. The western profile declines smoothly from 70 kpc, extending also out to 120 kpc. Both halves together result in a total \textsc{H\,i} extent of 240 kpc, measured at a column density of $2 \times 10^{19}$ atoms cm $^{-2}$.
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\includegraphics[ width=8.8 cm, trim=0 0 30 0, clip]{765_fig5_v4}
\includegraphics[ width=8.2 cm ]{765_fig5_1.pdf}
\caption { Left: \textsc{H\,i} contours overlaid on the INT optical image. The contours are at a level of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 $\times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-1}$. Four compact \textsc{H\,i} regions are marked with asterisks and labeled A to D (see Sect.~\ref{HIcontent}). The horizontal stripe at a declination of approximately $24^\circ 50^\prime$ is due to bleeding of a bright foreground star along a CCD column (the original orientation of the CCD was rotated by $90^\circ$). Right: Velocity field of NGC\,765 overlaid on an \textsc{H\,i} surface brightness map. Contours are heliocentric velocities ranging from 5050 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}~to 5200 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}, in steps of 25 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} . The systemic velocity of 5125 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}~is shown as a thick black contour and a few contours are labeled with their velocity in \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}. The West side of the galaxy is receding (light grey contours). In both maps we represent the \textsc{H\,i} beam size in the bottom left corner.}
\label{765HI&OPT}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[trim= 80 350 80 80 , width= 8 cm]{765_fig8.pdf}
\caption{Radially averaged surface brightness profiles of NGC\,765 along the semi--major axis: the western profile (light grey dots) and the eastern profile (black dots). In both profiles the lines bracket the uncertainty in the profile.}
\label{profiles}
\end{figure}
The low surface density outer disc of NGC\,765 is populated by several unresolved or marginally resolved compact \textsc{H\,i} regions, notably in the North--East. They are prominent in the integrated \textsc{H\,i} map (Fig.~\ref{765HI&OPT}) as well as in the channel maps (Fig.~\ref{765_CHAN_1}). Spectra taken at their location are indistinguishable from neighbouring areas at the spatial and velocity resolution of the present data, except for their higher surface brightness. Integrated properties of several of these clumps are given in Table~\ref{HICOMPACT_TABLE} (\textsc{H\,i} masses, were derived using task \textsc{ispec}, which retrieves the flux of a region along individual velocity channels). The compact \textsc{H\,i} regions are labeled in Fig.~\ref{765HI&OPT}.
Given that they are at best marginally resolved, their physical sizes must be less than 10\,kpc; their masses are of order $10^8$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}. Together they represent $\sim$ 10 per cent of the total \textsc{H\,i} mass of NGC\,765. Their properties are comparable to those of the companion galaxies detected in our field: NGC\,765a and UGC\,1453 (see Sect.~\ref{companions}) and fall within the mass interval for \textsc{H\,i}--rich companions found by \cite{pis03}. The \textsc{H\,i} masses of the compact \textsc{H\,i} regions are, however an order of magnitude higher than the range quoted by \cite{wil01} for \textsc{H\,i} clumps in discs. In addition, regions A and C present optical counterparts (Fig.~\ref{blobs}). In both of these, the stellar counterparts and the \textsc{H\,i} gas are aligned but interestingly do not follow the spiral arms. Neither of the remaining compact \textsc{H\,i} regions coincides with an optical, radio--continuum or X--ray counterpart.
\begin{table}
\caption{Basic properties of \textsc{H\,i} compact regions}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{ccccc}
\hline
\hline
Name & $\alpha$ & $\delta$ & Flux & Mass \\
& J(2000) & J(2000) & Jy km s$^{-1}$ & 10$^8$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} \\
\hline
A & $01^h\, 59^m\, 04.6^s$ & 24\degr~53\arcmin~39\arcsec & 2.1 & 10.2 \\
B & $01^h\, 59^m\, 01.5^s$ & 24\degr~55\arcmin~49\arcsec & 2.2 & 10.5 \\
C & $01^h\, 58^m\, 51.6^s$ & 24\degr~56\arcmin~43\arcsec & 2.3 &9.2 \\
D & $01^h\, 58^m\, 38.1^s$ & 24\degr~50\arcmin~05\arcsec & 1.4 & 6.3 \\
\hline
\hline
\end{tabular}
\label{HICOMPACT_TABLE}
\hspace{1cm}
\begin{flushleft}
Notes: Column 1: Source name; Column 2 \& 3: Right ascension and declination; Column 4: Integrated flux; Column 5: \textsc{H\,i} mass.
\end{flushleft}
\end{table}
\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[ width=8 cm]{765_fig12.pdf}
\includegraphics[ width=8 cm]{765_fig12_1.pdf}
\caption { Close--up of compact HI regions A (top) and C (bottom) overlaid on the INT optical image.}
\label{blobs}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Velocity field and kinematics}
\label{Rotation curve analysis}
The velocity field presented in Fig.~\ref{765HI&OPT} (right) shows steeply rising rotation in the inner part (up to $\sim$ 40 arcsec in radius) that is basically unresolved by our beam and a flat rotation curve onwards. Between 2.5 $\leq r \leq$ 3.0 arcmin there seems to be a kink in the isovelocity contours, best seen on the North side. The position--velocity (PV)--diagrammes shown in Fig. \ref{pv_diagrammes} are taken along the major (PA$=256$\degr) and minor axis (PA$=166$\degr) of the galaxy (see below). We see that both Western and Eastern sides are fairly symmetric within the inner 3 arcmin, with velocities rising quite steeply to a flat level of rotation after just 40 arcsec, and a jump in velocity at $\sim$ 3 arcmin. The ellipse visible in the minor axis diagramme (Fig.~\ref{pv_diagrammes}, right) is a consequence of the presence of a bar, causing streaming motions in the central part, and our $\sim$ 43 arcsec beam: emission from both the receding and approaching sides enters the beam simultaneously.
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\includegraphics[angle=-90,trim= 0 50 0 0,clip ,width= 7 cm]{765_fig6.pdf}
\includegraphics[angle=-90 ,trim= 0 50 0 0,clip,width= 7 cm]{765_fig6_1.pdf}
\caption{ Position-velocity map along the kinematical major axis of NGC\,765 at a PA of 256\degr\ (left panel), showing the rotation of the galaxy. In the right--hand panel we show the position--velocity diagramme taken along the minor axis (PA of 166\degr).}
\label{pv_diagrammes}
\end{figure*}
We used the task \textsc{rotcur} in \textsc{gipsy} \citep{beg87} to model the velocity field of NGC\,765. \textsc{rotcur} treats the observed velocity field as a series of tilted rings. As already mentioned by \citet{beg87}, this task becomes increasingly unreliable for low inclination (face--on) galaxies. Given the low inclination of NGC\,765 our results should therefore be treated with some caution. Having said that, NGC\,765 provides a unique opportunity to probe its dynamical mass and hence the contribution from the Dark Matter halo out to an unprecedented distance.
It should also be noted that beam smearing will affect the derived rotation curve, mostly in the inner part. This is nicely illustrated in the case of Malin\,1 by \citet{san07} who reanalysed the VLA data obtained by \citet{pic97}, taking beam smearing fully into account. In the case of NGC\,765, with 12 independent beams across the galaxy, beam smearing will affect the derived rotation in the innermost region only and has no impact on our conclusions.
We used concentric rings with a width of 40 arcsec, matching the resolution of the integrated \textsc{H\,i} map. We fitted for each ring the systemic velocity, rotation velocity, position angle, inclination and central position. Starting values of the systemic velocity and centre position were taken from the optical properties presented in Table~\ref{properties}. The position angle of 270\degr\ was chosen after visual inspection of the data cube and velocity field. The inclination of NGC\,765 in NED is listed as 0\degr. The position velocity diagramme along the major axis shows a clear velocity gradient with a peak--to--peak range of about 150 km s$^{-1}$, arguing against NGC\,765 being nearly face--on. Neither the optical map nor the integrated \textsc{H\,i} map can be used to derive a reliable inclination based on the minor to major axis ratio. The central region of the optical image is dominated by the bar while the outer disc is of too low surface brightness; the \textsc{H\,i} map is clearly lopsided. We therefore decided to use as initial value 45\degr . After two iterations a systemic velocity of $\rm V_{sys} = 5125$ km s$^{-1}$ was obtained, consistent with the value retrieved from NED of 5118 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}.
We then proceeded to constrain the remaining free parameters. The major axis PV--diagramme shows a jump to slightly higher velocities around 2.5 arcmin radius, near where the \textsc{H\,i} column density drops to a plateau of $2 \times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$, and the galaxy takes on a decidedly lopsided look. Galaxy rotation curves are observed to be flat out to the last measured point and we therefore concluded that the outer \textsc{H\,i} disc must be slightly warped. Hence we fixed the rotation curve to a flat 160 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}\, beyond $\sim$ 100 arcsec, allowing for a smooth variation in position angle and inclination. We show in Fig.~\ref{rotcur1} (middle and bottom panels) the \textsc{rotcur} results for fits to each side of the galaxy separately. The inclination varies from a constant 21\degr\ in the inner, high \textsc{H\,i} surface brightness part to around 30\degr\, in the outskirts.
The dynamical mass of NGC\,765 was derived using the thin disc approximation \citep{moor82}:
\begin{equation}
\rm M_{\rm dyn} = 0.76 \frac{ \rm R_{HI}V^2}{\rm G}
\end{equation}
where R$_{\rm HI}$ is the radius of the last measured point of the rotation curve and V is the rotation velocity respectively. For NGC\,765, at a radius of 320 arcsec or 112 kpc and a velocity of 160 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}, we derive a dynamical mass of 5.1$\times 10^{11}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[trim= 80 320 320 20 , width= 6.8 cm]{765_fig7_v2.pdf}
\caption{Rotation curves for individual halves of NGC\,765 (top panel) with respective values of position angle (middle panel) and inclination (bottom panel) as a function of radial distance in kpc. The black dots represent the kinematically approaching (East) side of the galaxy whereas the light grey dots correspond to the receding (West) side. In the top panel, thin light and dark lines represent the uncertainties.}
\label{rotcur1}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Companions }
\label{companions}
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\mbox{
\includegraphics[ width=8.6cm,trim = 30 20 -90 50 ,angle=-90]{765_fig10.pdf}
\includegraphics[ width=7.4cm, trim = 65 -10 10 100,angle=-90]{765_fig10_1}
}
\caption {The left--hand panel presents \textsc{H\,i} contours of NGC\,765a overlaid on a DSS optical image. The contours are 0.5, 0.8, 1 and 1.5 $\times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$. The right--hand panel shows \textsc{H\,i} contours of UGC\,1453 overlaid on an INT optical image. The contours are at column densities of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 $\times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$.}
\label{765comp}
\end{figure*}
Fig.~\ref{765_HI_FIELD} includes two companions of NGC\,765 detected in \textsc{H\,i}: NGC\,765a and UGC\,1453. Both objects are seen across nine consecutive velocity channels towards the low-velocity edge of our bandwidth (4860 -- 4950 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}). In Fig. \ref{765comp} (left) we see NGC\,765a as \textsc{H\,i} contours overlaid on a DSS optical image. The positional accuracy of the DSS images are typically $1^{\prime\prime}$. A faint optical counterpart coincident with the \textsc{H\,i} peak can be seen. In the case of UGC\,1453, \textsc{H\,i} contours are overlaid on the INT optical image (Fig.~\ref{765comp}, right). It is possible to see faint flocculent, arm--like structure, typical of an irregular galaxy.
NGC\,765a is a newly detected \textsc{H\,i} source. It is marginally resolved. A gauss fit on the integrated \textsc{H\,i} map gives a deconvolved size of $13.8 \times 8.5$\,kpc for the assumed distance of 72 Mpc, at a position angle of 134\degr. We used {\sc aips} task {\sc ispec} to derive a flux of 0.53 Jy km s$^{-1}$, which translates to an \textsc{H\,i} mass of $6.5 \times 10^8 $ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}. The projected angular distance to NGC\,765 is 16.2 arcmin or 338 kpc and the radial velocity difference is 225 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}.
Whereas NGC\,765a is uncatalogued, UGC\,1453 is a known 17 mag irregular galaxy at a measured velocity of 4897 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} (NED). It has as an optical size of 1.5 $\times$ 1.3 arcmin. Like NGC\,765a, it is marginally resolved with our beam and we derive an intrinsic diameter for the bulk of the \textsc{H\,i} of 17\,kpc. We derive an integrated flux of 1.54 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}\ and an \textsc{H\,i} mass of 1.9 $ \times 10^9 $ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}. The mass falls within values typical for Sm or Im galaxies \citep{rob94}. Because the detection falls at the low-velocity edge of the band, we might be missing some of the integrated flux, given the 2.66 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$} \, value reported by \citet{gio86} and \citet{sch90} based on Arecibo neutral hydrogen observations. \citet{springob05} list 2.57 Jy \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}. This means that we might also be underestimating its \textsc{H\,i} extent. We derive a projected angular distance from NGC\,765 of 14.8 arcmin or 310 kpc and a radial velocity difference of 221 \mbox{km s$^{-1}$}.
\subsection{Nuclear activity}
NGC\,765 shows signatures of a bar, a structure that is capable of transporting gas from the inner regions of a galaxy to its nucleus. The presence of nuclear emission lines of $\lbrack \rm N\,II \rbrack, \lbrack \rm S\,I \rbrack $ and $ \lbrack \rm O\,I \rbrack $ and the detection of a compact low--luminosity radio--continuum source (Sect.~\ref{HI data reduction}), strongly suggests the presence of an LLAGN. This is further strengthened by the detection of the central X--ray source (Sect.~\ref{Xray data reduction}; Appendix~\ref{appendix-c}; \citealt{das09}). The X--ray luminosity (L$\rm _{X}$ $\approx$ 1.7 $\times$ 10$^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$) and radio--continuum luminosity (L$\rm _{1.4\,GHz} = 1.3 \times 10^{21}$ W Hz$^{-1}$) are typical of low-luminosity AGN \citep{Ho01,des09}.
The detection of AGN activity (in radio and X--rays) is quite common, with \citet{des09} quoting 20--25\% for late-type (Hubble types Scd--Sm) galaxies. \citet{fil06} found the same fraction for a sample of bright local galaxies taken from the Palomar survey of bright galaxies \citep{ho97}. As mentioned by \citet{das09}, very little is known about nuclear activity of LSBs, although those LSBs that have well--developed bulges, like NGC\,765, seem to follow the same evolutionary path as bulge--dominated HSBs.
\section{Discussion}
\label{Discussion}
\subsection{The extent and morphology of the H\,I disc}
The inner region (2--4 arcmin or 40--80\,kpc diameter) of NGC\,765 appears to have the normal morphology of a spiral galaxy, as shown in Fig.~\ref{765HI&OPT}. It has a central bar as do 70\% of disc galaxies \citep[e.g.][]{erw05}. The neutral gas distribution, as seen in in Figs.\,\ref{765_HI_FIELD} and \ref{765HI&OPT}, and as described in Sect.\,\ref{HIcontent}, reveals an \textsc{H\,i}--poor central region, which is common in cases of a bar. The \textsc{H\,i} spiral arms trace well their optical counterparts.
Based on its central surface brightness it is classified as an LSB, its $\mu_{\mathrm B}(0)$ of 22.27\,mag\,arcsec$^{-2}$ falling below the range of $21.65 \pm 0.3$\,mag\,arcsec$^{-2}$ of HSB galaxies \citep{free70}. This is further confirmed by its large 7.8\,kpc scale length for the exponential disk \citep[e.g.,][]{spr95}. NGC\,765 is unique, though, for the linear size of its \textsc{H\,i} disc. The fact that we can trace the neutral hydrogen out to 240 kpc in diameter, makes this the largest \textsc{H\,i} disc ever measured in a local spiral galaxy, on a par with the more distant Malin\,1. The total \textsc{H\,i} content of $4.7 \times 10^{10}$\,M$_\odot$ equally puts it in the category of giant LSBs \citep{one04}, as does the resulting
M$_{\rm HI}$/L$_{\rm B} \sim 1.6$.
There is a clear difference though when we compare NGC\,765 with some of the other well known Malin\,1 cousins in the sense that the radius of its \textsc{H\,i} disk compared to optical scale length is considerably larger. This is illustrated in Table~\ref{sizes} where we compare NGC\,765 with the \textsc{H\,i} radius--to--optical scale length of the four giant LSBs observed by \citet{pic97}.
\begin{table}
{\footnotesize
\caption{ R$_\mathrm{HI}$ to h ratios of some galaxies from the literature and NGC\,765}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{lrrr}
\hline
\hline
Object & R$_\mathrm{HI}$ & h\ \ \ \ & R$_\mathrm{HI}$/h \\
& (kpc) & (kpc) & \\
\hline
Malin\,1 & 100 & 82.0 & 1.2 \\
F568--6 (Malin\,2) & 90 & 18.3 & 4.9 \\
UGC\,6614 & 50 & 13.6 & 3.7 \\
NGC\,7589 & 39 & 12.6 & 3.1 \\
NGC 765 & 120 & 7.8 & 15 \\
\hline
\hline
\end{tabular}
\begin{flushleft}
Note: optical scale lengths were determined on $R$--band images except for Malin\,1, where the $V$--band was used.
\end{flushleft}
\label{sizes}
}
\hspace{1cm}
\end{table}
NGC\,765 can be divided into two regimes, inner and outer disk, with the transition at $\sim 50$\,kpc. At that radius the optical disk has become too faint to be traced any further, we find a jump in velocity in the major axis position--velocity diagramme which we interpret as being due to a modest warping of the disk beyond 50\,kpc, and at this same radius we find that the \textsc{H\,i} column density drops from a constant level of $5 \times 10^{20}$\,cm$^{-2}$ to a plateau of $2 \times 10^{20}$\,cm$^{-2}$.
The outer \textsc{H\,i} disc is asymmetrical, is at a lower column density, and is populated by compact \textsc{H\,i} regions. These regions typically measure $< 10$\,kpc and have \textsc{H\,i} masses of 10$^{8-9}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} \, (of the same order as those of dIrr galaxies). Discrete \textsc{H\,i} clumps lacking an optical counterpart have been found around galaxies, typically within 50\,kpc and 60\,km\,s$^{-1}$ \citep{wil01}, and represent perhaps the fossil evidence of the process of galaxy formation.
Hierarchical galaxy formation predicts the assembly of galaxies via a merger of smaller units. Indeed, there is observational evidence for major or minor mergers, in the form of interacting galaxies, accretion of dwarfs, \textsc{H\,i} clumps, or in the case of cold accretion, filaments or streams of material, as highlighted by \citet{san08} and \citet{van05}. The stellar counterparts present within the compact \textsc{H\,i} regions A and C as shown in Fig.~\ref{blobs} lend evidence that they could be fossil remnants of past mergers in a process similar to the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf galaxy discovered by \citet{iba94}, a tidal stream that is observed near the Milky Way \citep[][and references therein]{mar01}. Simulations performed by \citet{iba98} show that the Sagittarius dwarf with a mass of $\sim 10^9$\mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}, would survive several encounters with the Milky Way and produce distortions in the \textsc{H\,i} disc of the Galaxy. In addition, simulations by \citet{pen06} also point to the fact that an extended outer disc ($\sim$ 200 kpc) of an M\,31 size galaxy could be created via the merger of a dwarf companion with a mass of $\sim 10^9 - 10^{10}$\mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}.
Based on this, it is fair to speculate that over its lifetime, NGC\,765 has accreted \textsc{H\,i} through a series of merger events with dwarf galaxies with \textsc{H\,i} masses of the order 10$^{8-9}$ \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}, enlarging the size of the disc and acting as a reservoir of \textsc{H\,i} fuel for future star formation \citep{pis03,san08}. As pointed out by the referee, an additional argument in favour of this scenario is that density enhancements in the disc of the size of the \textsc{H\,i} clumps observed here, would loose their identity due to shear within less than 1 Gyr, unless they are fairly massive and hence accreted companion galaxies.
In support of this, NGC\,765 belongs to a galaxy group, [GH83]024 \citep{gar93} and the field contains two companions within $\sim$340 kpc, which have \textsc{H\,i} masses and sizes similar to the compact \textsc{H\,i} regions present in the outer disc of NGC\,765. The accretion scenario would also fit in with the kinematical and morphological lopsidedness of the \textsc{H\,i} disc. In their study of the spiral galaxy NGC\,6946, \citet{boo08} interpreted lopsidedness, signatures of sharp edges of the \textsc{H\,i} disc and wiggles in the velocity field as possible indicators of accretion. All these signs are present in NGC\,765. Besides, if gas is indeed being accreted, it does not necessarily start out in an orbit co--planar with the inner disc, which could explain why gas in the outer parts resides in a plane with a different orientation. Having said that, the fact that NGC\,765 belongs to a group increases the probability of it having suffered tidal interactions which are able to to produce lopsidedness or excite an oscillation in the z--direction.
\citet{san08} report that 25\% of galaxies with observational evidence of tidal interaction have clumps of gas with masses of order $10^{8-9}$\mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}, which corresponds to the \textsc{H\,i} masses of the compact \textsc{H\,i} regions of the outer disc of NGC\,765. \citet{pis03} show evidence that these companions are statistically in circular orbits, their masses are low, and therefore will not strongly affect the host's morphology. This is also corroborated by \citet{bou05}, who investigate via N--body simulations that mergers with mass ratios in the range from 20:1 to 7:1 will trigger significant lopsidedness in their hosts on time scales of at least a few Gyrs.
In our case, we estimate that NGC\,765a and UGC\,1453 could have been gravitationally bound to NGC\,765 over the past $\sim 9$ Gyr. If accreted, these would represent between 1 to 4 per cent of its \textsc{H\,i} mass.
There are two problems, though, with this scenario. One is that the amount of \textsc{H\,i} in NGC\,765 is considerable and that a large number of minor mergers would be required. The other problem is that the period of rotation in the outer disk is of order 4--4.5\,Gyr which makes for a very long relaxation time. So perhaps we are dealing with nature rather than nurture, the structure of NGC\,765 being defined more by the initial conditions of its formation \citep{dal97,hof92} and less by its merger history.
\subsection{Surface brightness profiles and SFR}
What remains intriguing about NGC\,765 is the disparity between the optical and \textsc{H\,i} discs. With such large amounts of \textsc{H\,i} both in the outskirts and spiral arms, why is the gas at large galactocentric distances not forming stars?
\textit{GALEX} observations (see Fig.~\ref{galex}) do not reveal any trace of a young stellar population in the outer disc, implying that the conditions are not conducive to star formation. \citet{sch04} quotes a minimum gas column density necessary for a transition from warm atomic to cold molecular gas of around 3 to 10 \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} ~ pc$^{-2}$, equivalent to 4 -- 12 $ \times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$, assuming a model of a self--gravitating disc containing dust and metals that is exposed to UV radiation. Similarly \citet{ler08} and \citet{big08} discuss the transition of \textsc{H\,i}--to--H$_2$ on sub--kpc scales making use of the THINGS high spatial and velocity resolution data. They point to an \textsc{H\,i} surface brightness limit of 9 \mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$} \, pc$^{-2}$ or $\sim 10^{21}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$ found in all THINGS galaxies, above which threshold molecular gas dominates and hence star formation readily occurs.
We find that column density peaks do not exceed $\sim 3 \times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$ across the NGC\,765 \textsc{H\,i} outer disc, suggesting that little, if any, gas will have made the transition from neutral atomic to the molecular phase, a condition encountered more generally in spiral galaxies beyond R$_{25}$. NGC\,765 is simply a more extreme case in the sense that the outer \textsc{H\,i} disc is much larger than in typical field spirals and resembles what has been found in other LSBs \citep{deblok98,auld06}.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[ width=8 cm ]{765_fig13.pdf}
\caption { \textit{GALEX} map smoothed to $10^{\prime\prime}$ resolution. In grey contours we represent the \textsc{H\,i} extent at a column density of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 $\times 10^{20}$ atoms cm$^{-2}$. The optical centre of the galaxy is marked by a cross. }
\label{galex}
\end{figure}
\section{Summary}
In this paper we present multi--wavelength observations of NGC\,765. We highlight the more important results of this study:
\begin{itemize}
\item NGC\,765 presents a large \textsc{H\,i} disc, 240\,kpc in diameter for an assumed distance of 72 Mpc. This is one of the largest \textsc{H\,i} discs reported for a late type galaxy.
\item Assuming an optical scale length of 7.8\,kpc, NGC\,765 presents an \textsc{H\,i}--to--optical ratio of 15. This is considerably larger than what has been found in other giant LSBs such as Malin\,1.
\item The \textsc{H\,i} disc morphology clearly presents two different regimes: an inner \textsc{H\,i} disk ($<50$\,kpc) tracing the spiral structure with the presence of at least three arms, and an outer, lower surface brightness plateau. This latter region is populated by several \textsc{H\,i} gas clumps of compact morphology.
\item The galaxy has two nearby companions: NGC\,765a, a previously uncatalogued companion, towards the Northeast. Towards the South we have UGC\,1453, an irregular galaxy. We report the detection of a faint optical counterpart for NGC\,765a.
\item The outer disc of NGC\,765 is slightly warped. It is populated with compact \textsc{H\,i} regions with sizes of $\sim 10$\,kpc and \textsc{H\,i} masses of $\sim 10^8$\mbox{${\rm M}_\odot$}. These are possibly remnants of past mergers events.
\item We detect 1.4 GHz radio--continuum emission from the NGC\,765 optical core. This emission is weak, with a flux density of 2.16 mJy and a luminosity of L$_{\rm 1.4\,GHz} = 1.3 \times 10^{21}$ W Hz$^{-1}$. No radio continuum emission is found related to the stellar or \textsc{H\,i} disc.
\item \textit{Chandra} X--ray data reveal emission coincident with the galaxy nucleus. We derive a luminosity of $\rm L_X$(0.2--10 keV) $\approx 1.7 \times 10^{40}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The radio and X--ray emission is compatible with the nucleus being powered by a weak AGN, as also suggested by its optical nuclear emission lines.
\item Star formation activity in NGC\,765 is low, with no star formation detected in the outer disk, suggesting the gas is well below the threshold for star formation.
\end{itemize}
Higher resolution \textsc{H\,i} observations will be needed to more fully understand the origin, structure, and expected evolution of this truly extraordinary \textsc{H\,i} disc.
\vspace{1cm}
\textit{Acknowledgments }
We thank the anonymous referee for comments which helped us to improve the current paper.
AP and PB are funded by a stipend from the University of Hertfordshire. AU has been supported via a Post Doctoral Research Assistantship and ED is funded through a studentship, both from the UK Science \& Technology Facilities Council.
The Digitized Sky Surveys were produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute under government grant NAG W-2166. The images of these surveys are based on photographic data obtained on the Palomar Mountain and UK Schmidt Telescope. The plates were processed into the present compressed digital form with the permission of these institutions. This research has made use of the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. We also acknowledge the usage of the HyperLeda database (http://leda.univ-lyon1.fr).
\bibliographystyle{mn2e}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 2,168 |
Who Was
Helen Keller?
By Gare Thompson
Illustrated by Nancy Harrison
Grosset & Dunlap • New York
To my mother, Irene Pine—G.T.
Text copyright © 2003 by Gare Thompson. Illustrations copyright © 2003 by Nancy Harrison. All rights reserved. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Published simultaneously in Canada. Printed in the U.S.A.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Thompson, Gare.
Who was Helen Keller? / by Gare Thompson; illustrated by Nancy Harrison.
p. cm.
Summary: A biography of the woman who, with the assistance of her devoted teacher Annie Sullivan, achieved success and fame despite being blind and deaf.
1. Keller, Helen, 1880–1968—Juvenile literature. 2. Blind-deaf women—United States—Biography—Juvenile literature. 3. Blind-deaf women—United States—Education—Juvenile literature. [1. Keller, Helen, 1880–1968. 2. Blind. 3. Deaf. 4. Sullivan, Annie, 1866–1936. 5. People with disabilities. 6. Women—Biography.] I. Title.
HV1624.K4T48 2003
362.4'1'092—dc22
2003017972
ISBN: 978-1-101-64000-5 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23
# Contents
Who Was Helen Keller?
Early Years
Dark Years
Helen Teaches Herself
A Ray of Hope
Annie Sullivan Arrives
Years at Perkins
Years in New York
Cambridge Years
College Years
All Grown Up
# Who Was
Helen Keller?
Born more than 100 years ago, Helen learned to speak and read and write. Those may not sound like great accomplishments. But Helen Keller was both deaf and blind.
Imagine that your ears are stuffed with cotton. You can't hear anything—not even someone shouting. A blindfold covers your eyes. You can't see anything, either. Your world is dark and silent. This was Helen Keller's world.
When Helen grew up, few deaf people learned how to speak. There were very few schools for deaf and blind children. Few blind people learned how to read and write. Helen Keller not only did both, but also did much more. She wrote several best-selling books. And she gave lectures around the world. She showed that her handicaps had not held her back. Above all, she gave hope to other people who, like her, could not hear or see.
# Chapter 1
The Early Years
Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Her father, Arthur Keller, had fought in the Civil War for the South. After the war, he went home to his farm. After his first wife died, he married a woman named Kate Adams. His two sons from his first marriage and his young wife called Arthur Keller "Captain." In addition to running his farm, Captain was also the editor of the local paper. He was a quiet, stern man.
The first girl in the family, baby Helen lit up a room. She laughed and cooed. Helen was the apple of her mother's eye. Her father adored her. Helen wrote about her early life. She said, "The beginning of my life was simple and much like every other little life... I came, I saw, I conquered, as the first baby in the family always does."
Helen was smart. She spoke early. Her first words were said to be "tea, tea, tea" and "wah-wah" for water. If she did not know the words for things, Helen made up signals to show her mother what she wanted. She learned to walk at an early age. Soon Helen was racing around the house.
Then before she was two years old, Helen became sick. Very sick. She ran a very high fever. At that time, there were few medicines to cure sickness. The doctor thought that Helen would die. Then, suddenly, the fever broke. Helen slept peacefully. Her family rejoiced. Their golden daughter was fine again.
But Helen wasn't fine. While Helen's mother was bathing her, she moved her hand in front of Helen's face. Helen did not blink. Helen's eyes stared straight ahead. Kate tried again. She hoped that she was wrong. But she wasn't. Helen was blind. And that was not all.
Every evening, a bell was rung to call the family to dinner. Everyone heard the loud, clanging noise. They stopped what they were doing and came to dinner. But Kate noticed that Helen no longer turned her head toward the sound. Kate called to the Captain and his sister Evelyn, who lived with them. They shouted at Helen. They spoke softly. They clapped their hands next to her ears. Helen did not react. Mrs. Keller's fear was true. Her daughter was deaf as well as blind.
Her parents took Helen to a doctor. The doctor checked her, but there was nothing he could do. _How_ , Mrs. Keller wondered, _would her smart, beautiful little girl learn to live in her silent, dark world?_
# Chapter 2
Dark Years
There were no days or nights in Helen's world. She could not see the sun rising each morning or the moon with its silver glow at night. She could not hear birds sing or crickets chirp. She lived in silent darkness. Imagine if you could not hear, see, or speak. How would you let people understand you? How would you "talk"?
Helen was smart. She followed her mother around everywhere. She clung to her skirts. Helen noticed different smells. She felt vibrations as people and things moved around her. Over time, Helen found ways to communicate. She made up signals to tell people what she wanted.
There were not many schools for deaf or blind children when Helen was little. There were none where she lived in Alabama. At schools for the deaf, children learned to make signs with their hands. The signs stood for words.
SIGN LANGUAGE
**LONG AGO, A GROUP OF DEAF PEOPLE IN PARIS, FRANCE, DEVELOPED THEIR OWN SIGN LANGUAGE. THEN, IN 1755, A TEACHER WHO COULD HEAR, ABBÉ CHARLES MICHEL DE L'EPÉE, LEARNED THESE SIGNS AND ADDED NEW ONES TO FORM A STANDARD SIGN LANGUAGE OF FRENCH. NOW HEARING AND NON-HEARING PEOPLE COULD COMMUNICATE! MANY OF THE FRENCH SIGNS FROM LONG AGO ARE STILL USED TODAY.**
By the time she turned five, Helen had made up over fifty signs of her own. She pulled at her mother or her father. That meant "come with me." She shoved them away when she wanted them to go. For "bread," Helen acted out cutting a slice and buttering it. To say "small," Helen pinched a small bit of the skin of her hand. Helen spread her fingers wide and brought them together to mean "large." Helen also had signs for everyone in her family. For Captain, or Father, Helen mimed glasses and for her mother, she pulled her hair into a knot at the back of her head.
The family tried to understand Helen, but it was not easy. She had a terrible temper. When Helen did not get her way, she threw a tantrum.
Helen knew that people talked with their lips. She tried moving her lips, but no sounds came out. She did not understand why. It made Helen so mad. She kicked and screamed with frustration. Her tantrums stopped only after she became too tired to scream anymore.
Helen's parents did not know how to handle her. Relatives told them that Helen should no longer live at home. She should be "put away." That meant putting Helen in a hospital or home for the blind and deaf. In the nineteenth century, people with handicaps were often sent away like this. Once they were sent away, their family often did not see them again. But Mrs. Keller did not want to do that to her daughter. She knew her daughter was smart. But how could anyone teach her?
# Chapter 3
Helen Teaches Herself
Even in her dark world, Helen had happy times. She loved to be outdoors. She'd feel her way carefully along the walls of the house. Helen loved to touch all the plants that grew around the house. She smelled the flowers. Soon she could tell plants apart by their feel and smell. This was how she got information.
Helen learned to do simple chores. She folded the clean clothes. She knew which clothes were hers. She also learned that when her mother put on her coat, she was going out. Helen tugged at her coat to go, too.
But for Helen everyday mishaps could turn into dangerous accidents. Once Helen spilled some water on her apron. She wanted it to dry. So she held her apron near the fireplace. She did not know how close she was to the fire. Her apron burst into flames. Quickly, her nurse used a blanket to put out the fire. It burned only Helen's fingers slightly and singed her hair. Helen had been very lucky.
As she grew older, Helen developed a sense of mischief. She liked to play tricks. One day, Helen found some keys. She knew that keys locked doors. Her mother was in the pantry getting something, and Helen was right outside. Helen took the keys and locked her mother in the pantry. Her mother pounded on the door. She yelled to be let out. Helen sat on the porch where she could feel the vibrations of her mother's pounding. Helen sat there and smiled. Mrs. Keller was locked in the pantry for three hours.
Helen and a young servant named Martha Washington often played together. Martha was a few years older than Helen. But Helen was the bossier of the two. One day, they were cutting out paper dolls on the porch. Helen soon grew tired of this. So she cut off all the flowers growing on vines near the porch. Still bored, Helen decided to cut Martha's hair. Martha said no at first, but then gave in. Few people said no to Helen. So Martha's hair soon lay at her feet. And, then, because she felt that it was only fair, Helen let Martha cut her own long, golden hair. Helen's mother was not happy with either child.
Helen's other friend was the family dog, Belle. Helen tried to teach the dog her signs. But the dog would just sleep or run off after a bird. Helen could not understand why Belle was such a poor student.
And so Helen passed her days.
Then, when Helen was five, her sister Mildred was born. Suddenly Helen's world changed. Someone else needed her mother's love. Someone else sat in her mother's lap. Helen became jealous of the baby who seemed to be taking her mother away.
One day, Helen discovered her baby sister sleeping in her doll's cradle. Helen grew very angry. Before anyone else could stop her, Helen pushed over the cradle. Mildred tumbled out. Luckily, Mrs. Keller caught Mildred before she hit the floor. Now, Mrs. Keller realized that Helen was not only a danger to herself. She was a danger to others. If Helen's mother could not control Helen who was still a young girl, what would happen when Helen got older? Helen had to change.
The Kellers took Helen to another doctor in Baltimore, Maryland. The doctor was an eye specialist. Again the Kellers heard the same words. There was nothing the doctor could do for Helen. But the doctor did tell Captain Keller about Alexander Graham Bell who lived in nearby Washington, D.C. Bell, who had invented the telephone in 1876, was also a former teacher of the deaf. Perhaps Bell might know someone to help Helen.
For the first time in a very long while, the Kellers felt a little bit of hope.
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
**TODAY ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL IS BEST KNOWN FOR INVENTING THE TELEPHONE. BUT HE ALSO WORKED ALL HIS LIFE TO HELP THE DEAF. HIS MOTHER WAS NEARLY DEAF. AS A YOUNG MAN, BELL TAUGHT DEAF CHILDREN. HE USED DRAWINGS TO TEACH THE DEAF HOW TO USE THEIR TONGUE, LIPS, AND VOCAL CHORDS TO SPEAK. ONE OF THE DEAF STUDENTS HE WORKED WITH WAS MABEL HUBBARD. SHE HAD LOST HER HEARING AS A RESULT OF AN ILLNESS AS A YOUNG GIRL. A BRIGHT AND EAGER GIRL, SHE MADE GREAT PROGRESS. IN TIME, THE TWO FELL IN LOVE AND MARRIED. BELL'S WORK WITH SOUND AND SPEECH HELPED HIM TO CREATE THE TELEPHONE IN 1876.**
# Chapter 4
A Ray of Hope
Accompanied by the Captain and her Aunt Evelyn, Helen went to see Dr. Bell. Her mother carefully curled Helen's hair before she left. Helen looked like an angel. She was about six years old now.
Helen walked into Bell's office, and the two became friends right away. Helen got on Bell's lap. The young child and the inventor felt at home with each other. Helen later wrote in her autobiography, "He understood my signs, and I knew it and loved him at once." Bell felt that Helen could learn. He thought she was a smart and sensible girl. He wanted to see her succeed. Maybe, just maybe, Helen Keller could lead a more normal life.
Bell gave Helen his watch to play with as he talked to Captain. He told Captain to write to the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts (later called Perkins School). Dr. Bell told Captain that forty years earlier a deaf-blind child, Laura Bridgman, had been taught to read, write, and talk with hand signals. He was sure that the Kellers could find a teacher for Helen there.
Once back at home, Captain wrote to the head of the Perkins School. Captain Keller wrote that he needed a teacher for his daughter. The Kellers waited anxiously for his reply.
Michael Anagnos, the head of Perkins, wrote back that he did have a teacher in mind. Her name was Anne Sullivan. The Kellers were thrilled. What they did not know was that Anne Sullivan still needed to be convinced to take the job.
Who was Anne Sullivan? Anne, or Annie as she was called, was an orphan who had had a very hard and lonely life. As a child, she had been partially blind.
She was sent to the Perkins School and later on, operations restored her sight. Annie graduated first in her class at Perkins. Like Helen Keller, she was very bright and also very stubborn.
At twenty, Annie had never been a teacher. She was not sure she could do the job, or even that she wanted it. Mr. Anagnos kept encouraging her. He felt that this lonely, intelligent young woman would be right for the job. And Annie did not have many other choices open to her. It was either the teaching job or a job in a factory. Annie decided to take the job with the Kellers.
Annie took two months to prepare for her new job. She had met Laura Bridgman. She learned the manual alphabet. She talked to Laura by spelling into her hand. Now she studied the different ways to teach the manual alphabet. Annie prepared the best that she could. But really she had no idea what lay before her or how her new job would change her life.
THOMAS HOPKINS GALLAUDET
**THOMAS HOPKINS GALLAUDET OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, WAS THE MAN WHO BROUGHT EDUCATION TO DEAF CHILDREN IN AMERICA. HE WANTED TO HELP HIS NEIGHBOR'S YOUNG DEAF DAUGHTER, ALICE COGSWELL. IN 1816, GALLAUDET WENT TO PARIS, FRANCE, TO STUDY AT A SCHOOL FOR DEAF PEOPLE. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, HE RETURNED TO AMERICA, DETERMINED TO START HIS OWN SCHOOL. HE BROUGHT A FRENCH SIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER BACK WITH HIM. IN 1817, GALLAUDET FOUNDED THE NATION'S FIRST SCHOOL FOR DEAF PEOPLE IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. SOON OTHER SCHOOLS FOR DEAF PEOPLE OPENED. THEN IN 1864 GALLAUDET'S SON FOUNDED GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.**
# Chapter 5
Annie Sullivan Arrives
It was March 3, 1887. Helen did not know that this was to be the most important day of her life.
Helen was aware that everyone in the family seemed excited. She could feel the tension in the air. Her mother bustled about the house. Things were cleaned and polished. Her mother and stepbrother dressed to go to the train station. Helen pulled her mother, wanting to go out with them, but her mother said no.
Finally, Annie Sullivan arrived in Alabama on the six-thirty train. Mrs. Keller greeted her in a soft voice, her blue eyes sparkling. A small crowd gathered to see the "Yankee girl who was going to teach the Keller child." Alone in a strange place, Annie looked anxious, pale, and tired.
On the way to the Keller farm, Annie sat in the back of the carriage and looked around her. The small town of Tuscumbia looked like towns in New England. This comforted Annie, and she relaxed. She was eager to meet her new pupil.
Helen stood on the porch. She felt the vibrations of the carriage coming down the lane. She stretched out her arms for her mother. Instead, a stranger walked into her arms and held her. Helen didn't like strangers. She refused to let Annie kiss her.
But Helen was curious about strangers, too. Helen felt Annie's face, dress, and bag. Then Helen opened Annie's bag. She expected to find the treats that company often brought for her. Her mother tried to stop Helen. Finally, Mrs. Keller had to rip the bag out of Helen's hands.
Helen grew very angry. Her face turned red. She clutched her mother's skirt and began to kick. No one did anything. Then Annie held her small watch against Helen's face. Feeling it ticking, Helen quieted down. The tantrum passed.
Helen followed Annie upstairs to Annie's room. Helen helped Annie remove her hat. Then Helen put the hat on and moved her head from side to side. Annie watched Helen and wondered how she would teach this beautiful young colt of a girl. She was not sure she could. Annie took a deep breath. But tomorrow, she would start trying.
The next morning, Helen was brought to Annie's room. Helen helped Annie unpack. There in Annie's trunk Helen discovered a lovely doll.
The doll was a gift to Helen from the children at the Perkins School. Laura Bridgman, the former deaf and blind student there, had made some of the doll's clothes. Annie spelled the word _doll_ slowly into Helen's hand. Helen thought that the doll was now hers. Whenever Helen wanted something, she pointed first to it, then to herself, and nodded. But Annie had no way of knowing this. She was trying to show Helen that _d-o-l-l_ meant _doll_ —that the word stood for something. Annie took the doll back. She was going to repeat the spelling of _doll_ in Helen's hand. But Helen grew furious. She thought Annie was taking the doll back after she'd given it to her.
Annie tried to take Helen's hand. Helen would not let her. Helen began to throw another temper tantrum. Annie tried to sit Helen in a chair. She wanted to calm Helen. She wanted to start the lesson over. No use. Helen got angrier and fought harder. Annie finally let Helen go.
But Annie was not giving up. She ran downstairs and got a slice of cake. She brought it to Helen. She spelled _c-a-k-e_ into Helen's hand while holding the cake under Helen's nose. Helen tried to take the cake. Annie spelled the word _cake_ again and patted Helen's hand. This time Helen spelled the word back. Annie gave Helen the cake to eat. Did Helen understand that _c-a-k-e_ meant _cake_? No, not really. Helen was just copying Annie. Helen did not know that if she went to Annie and spelled _c-a-k-e_ in Annie's hand that Annie would realize that Helen wanted cake.
Once more, Annie spelled the word _doll_ into Helen's hand. Helen spelled back _d-o-l_. Annie spelled the last " _l_ " and gave Helen the doll. Helen fled downstairs with the doll. "I did not know that I was spelling a word or even that words existed," Helen later wrote. "I was simply making my fingers go in monkey-like imitation."
Helen refused to have anything to do with Annie for the rest of the day. Annie sighed. Teacher and pupil had a long, hard road ahead of them.
The next few days did not go any easier. Helen stayed away from Annie. Would Annie be able to break down the wall that kept Helen in her silent world? She was not sure.
One day at breakfast, another battle began. Helen always ate from everyone's plate. She helped herself to food as she went around the table. No one in the family tried to stop her nor did anybody say anything. Annie was shocked. Helen was not going to eat from her plate!
Helen flew into a rage when Annie kept her plate away from her. She fell to the floor kicking and screaming. Annie continued to eat. Then Annie asked the Keller family to leave the room. Upset and confused, they left Helen with Annie, who locked the door behind them.
The war was on.
Annie returned to finish her breakfast. Helen tried to knock over Annie's chair. She failed. Helen began to quiet down. Then, she got up and felt around the table. She realized that only Annie was in the room. Helen was confused. She tried again to steal food from Annie's plate, but Annie would not let her. Finally, Helen sat in her place. Helen began to eat her breakfast with her fingers.
Annie put a spoon in Helen's hand. She threw it to the floor. Annie made Helen pick it up. Then Annie held the spoon in Helen's hand and made her eat with it. Realizing that Annie would not give up, Helen finished her breakfast using the spoon.
Next came the napkin. Annie wanted Helen to fold it. Helen threw the napkin onto the floor. She ran to the door. Finding it locked, Helen began to kick and scream again. Annie spent the following hour getting Helen to fold her napkin. When it was finally folded, Annie let Helen out. Helen ran outside far away from Annie. Worn out, Annie went to her room.
After a good cry, Annie felt better. Annie said of these battles, "To get her to do the simplest things, such as combing her hair or washing hands... it was necessary to use force, and of course, a distressing scene followed." The family could not stand these scenes. They tried to help Helen. Her father could not stand to see her cry. Their helping Helen did not allow Annie to teach her. So Annie came to a decision.
Annie realized that she had to live alone with Helen. Just the two of them. It was the only way Annie could break down Helen's dark, silent wall. Annie talked to the Kellers. She thought they'd say no, but they didn't. The Kellers would do anything to help Helen. So Helen and Annie went to stay in the cottage near the big house.
Annie did not want Helen to know that she was only a quick run from the house and her parents. So Annie had all the furniture moved around in the cottage. Then Annie and Helen went on a long ride in the carriage before arriving at the cottage. It worked. Helen thought she was in a new, strange place.
Helen and Annie had many battles in the cottage. Annie would not let Helen eat until she was dressed. Helen refused to get dressed.
Captain Keller watched through a window one day. He wanted to send Annie away, but the family talked him out of it. And it was lucky that they did.
Over the next two weeks, Helen slowly began to change. She began to obey Annie.
Then on April 5, 1887, a miracle happened. Helen was washing the dishes. Annie spelled the word _water_ in her hand. Helen did not react. The two went outside.
At the water pump. Helen held her mug under the tap. Annie pumped out the cold water and spelled _water_ in Helen's hand. Helen dropped the mug. A look of wonder filled her face. Helen spelled back _water_ several times to Annie. Now, at last, Helen understood that words stood for things!
Later in her autobiography, Helen wrote, "Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new thought."
Annie spelled many different words into Helen's eager hands. Finally, Helen asked what to call Annie. Annie spelled _teacher_. And so Annie became Teacher. At seven, Helen's world had opened at last. The wall had come down. Annie and Helen moved back to the main house.
Helen made rapid progress. Annie saw that Helen loved to be outdoors. So most of their lessons were outside. Annie used the world around them to teach Helen. By the river, Helen learned geography. They dug canals and built mountains. For science, they studied nature. Helen soon knew many different plants and how they grew. Helen loved words and language.
Helen memorized words easily. She learned nouns, verbs, and descriptive words. She began to understand abstract words, such as _think_. Helen could now "talk" to her family. Annie spelled what people said into Helen's hand. Then Helen replied. Mrs. Keller learned to speak with her fingers. Now she and Helen could talk. Even Captain learned to speak this way.
By June, Helen knew about four hundred words. Annie wrote to Mr. Anagnos. She told him of Helen's progress. Mr. Anagnos told the Boston newspapers about Helen. The papers ran stories about her. Readers wanted to know more about this deaf-blind child who was beautiful and smart.
Most children Helen's age could read and write. Annie decided that Helen would learn to read and write, too. Annie read books to Helen. She did this by spelling out the whole story in Helen's hand. Helen's world became filled with fairy tales, heroes, villains, myths, and legends.
Annie taught Helen to write. She used a wooden writing board that had grooves on it. A paper was placed over the grooves. Helen then guided her pencil to form letters. This is how blind people learn to write.
Helen had made great progress. She learned Braille, too. Braille is a system of writing for the blind. Soon Helen could read Braille books on her own. And so, another world opened for Helen.
Helen's life was much happier now. But she still had a temper. Helen had a name for herself when she lost her temper. She called herself "the Phantom." But her tantrums came less and less often. Helen now liked playing with her little sister, Mildred. Helen's mind was now free to learn and her heart was free to love.
BRAILLE
**MANY BLIND PEOPLE READ BY TOUCH INSTEAD OF SIGHT. THEY RUN THEIR FINGERS OVER PAGES THAT ARE PRINTED IN RAISED DOTS. DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS OF DOTS STAND FOR DIFFERENT LETTERS. LOUIS BRAILLE INVENTED THIS SPECIAL KIND OF WRITING.**
**LOUIS BRAILLE WAS BORN IN 1809 IN A SMALL TOWN IN FRANCE. HE BECAME BLIND AT THE AGE OF FOUR. MOST BLIND PEOPLE THEN COULDN'T READ OR WRITE. MANY HAD TO BEG TO MAKE A LIVING. BUT LOUIS WAS LUCKY. HE WENT TO A SCHOOL FOR BLIND BOYS. HE LEARNED TO READ LETTERS THAT WERE MADE BY PRESSING COPPER WIRE INTO A SHEET OF PAPER TO MAKE A RAISED SHAPE. LOUIS COULD READ, BUT HE STILL DID NOT KNOW HOW TO WRITE.**
**THEN, ONE DAY, A SOLDIER CAME TO THE SCHOOL. HE SHOWEDTHE STUDENTS A SYSTEM CALLED "NIGHT WRITING." IT HELPED SOLDIERS IN BATTLE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER IN THE DARK WITHOUT HAVING TO TALK. IT WAS BASED ON A SERIES OF RAISED DOTS.**
**LOUIS WAS VERY EXCITED BY THIS NEW KIND OF WRITING. HE SAW HOW USEFUL IT COULD BE. HE EXPERIMENTED UNTIL HE FOUND A SYSTEM OF USING SIX DOTS. BLIND PEOPLE COULD READ IT. AND THEY COULD ALSO WRITE IT. THEY USED A STYLUS (A POINTED PEN-LIKE TOOL) TO MAKE THE DOTS.**
**TODAY, BRAILLE HAS BEEN ADAPTED FOR ALMOST EVERY LANGUAGE AND IS USED ALL OVER THE WORLD.**
Mr. Anagnos asked Annie to write a paper about Helen. At nights when Annie was at her desk writing, Helen sat quietly beside her, writing her own letter to the blind children at Perkins. No one would have believed this quiet scene possible just four months earlier.
Mr. Anagnos shared stories about Helen and Annie. The Boston newspapers ran more stories about them. The papers began calling Helen the "wonder child." Readers wanted to meet her and know more about her. Some doubted if the stories could be true. Either way, Helen was becoming famous.
Annie and Helen continued their lessons unaware of their growing fame up North. Christmas was coming. It would be the first time that Helen understood the holiday and would be able to take part in it. Helen and Annie read Christmas stories. They made up their own Christmas stories. Helen got caught up in the excitement and joy of the holiday. She loved making gifts and then dropping hints as to what the gifts were. The Keller family had much to be thankful for this holiday. And so did Annie who, at last, had a home.
The new year, 1888, dawned full of hope. Helen would turn eight. But more important, Helen would leave home that year. Helen wanted to visit Perkins. And Annie was going to take her there. But first, Helen had to prepare for the trip.
Annie and Helen worked even harder at their lessons. Mrs. Keller worried that Helen was pushing herself too hard. Helen was often tired. She talked to Annie, but Annie said that she could not slow Helen down. Helen never wanted to rest. There was too much to learn.
By May 1888, Helen was ready to go. But an amazing thing happened that changed their plans. Helen and Annie were invited to the White House to meet President Grover Cleveland! Like so many other people, the president was amazed by how much Helen could do. Most people thought that blind people would always be helpless. Many thought that, just because they could not see or hear, blind and deaf people were not smart. Helen proved to the president of the United States just how wrong that was.
# Chapter 6
Years at Perkins
From Washington, D.C., Annie and Helen made their way by train to Boston. At Perkins, Helen met the now middle-aged Laura Bridgman. The meeting was a disappointment, however. Laura thought that Helen was too much of a tomboy. Helen sat on the floor. Laura did not approve of that. When Helen left, she bent to kiss Laura good-bye and stepped on Laura's toes. Laura cried out in pain. Helen felt like a clumsy schoolgirl.
Some people thought that Helen was too loud and laughed too much. But Annie did not agree. She knew that Helen was full of life. Annie wanted Helen to grab hold of life and not wait quietly for things to happen.
Helen spoke at the Perkins commencement. This was an important event. The Boston newspapers ran stories about the school and the children who graduated from it. Important and rich people came to this event. The governor of Massachusetts was there. The band played. Ten boys showed how well they could do arithmetic. Then came Helen.
Helen had been sitting patiently on the platform waiting for her turn. She smiled and glowed as she waited. She could feel the crowd's energy. Proudly Helen spelled a poem about birds into Annie's hand. Annie spoke the words as Helen spelled. The audience was spellbound.
When the school closed for the summer, Annie and Helen went to Cape Cod. For the first time, Helen went swimming in the ocean. She loved the feel of the cold salt water on her face. Cape Cod was to become Helen's most favorite place.
One day, when Helen was swimming, the strong waves pulled her under. She fought her way to the surface, swallowing water as she struggled. The waves tossed her onto the sand. Helen lay there in terror, not sure what had happened. Annie ran to her and hugged and comforted her.
Helen had courage. Two days later, she was back in the ocean, swimming. Helen had only one question. Who, she wanted to know, had filled the ocean with salt!
After Annie and Helen went home to Alabama, lessons and learning again filled their days.
As time passed, Annie thought about leaving Alabama. The local people stared at Annie and Helen when they went into town. Annie believed that Helen could learn more by living in the city.
So Annie asked the Kellers to let them both live at Perkins. Reluctantly, they agreed. They knew it was best for Helen.
In October, Annie and Helen returned to Perkins. Helen was not enrolled there. She was a guest. But she dove right into the schoolwork. She studied geography, botany (the study of plants), zoology (the study of animals), and arithmetic. Arithmetic was her least favorite subject.
Helen's time at Perkins passed quickly. Poetry became her passion. One time Helen visited Oliver Wendell Holmes, the great New England writer. Later, she read his poems to the blind children at Perkins. Helen sent him a letter. She told Holmes that she was sorry he had no little children to play with, but that he seemed happy with his many books. She went on to tell him what she was learning and asked if her little sister could meet him when she visited Helen. Holmes loved her letter. He published it in an important magazine called _The Atlantic Monthly_. After this honor, Helen began to take her writing more seriously.
In the spring of 1890, a teacher named Mary Swift Lamson returned to Perkins from Norway. While in Norway, she had heard about a deaf-blind girl who had learned to speak. Helen seized upon the idea. Learning to speak became Helen's dream. Annie tried to be realistic with Helen, for she did not want her to be disappointed. If a person cannot see people's faces, it is extremely hard—almost impossible—to learn to speak. But Helen would not give up.
Annie did not stand in Helen's way. She found a teacher for Helen. Helen had to touch her teacher's mouth as it moved when she spoke. Helen had to learn how lips and tongue moved to make words. At the end of the first lesson, Helen could say the letters _i, m, p, q, s_ , and _t_. Helen had visions of going home and talking with her family. Helen practiced continually with Annie. But her voice was never clear. It was something that would bother Helen the rest of her life. She felt that not being able to speak clearly made her different.
Now eleven, Helen wrote a story she called "The Frost King." She gave the story to Mr. Anagnos for his birthday. It was a lovely story, full of images and color. It was published in _The Mentor_ , the Perkins alumni magazine, in January 1892. People praised the wonderful story.
However, Helen had not created the story. A newspaper printed Helen's story side by side with a story by someone called "The Frost Fairies." Helen's story was exactly the same. Helen was crushed. Annie said that she had never read the story to Helen. No one ever remembered reading the story to Helen. But a copy of the book was in the house where Annie and Helen had stayed on Cape Cod. Somehow, Helen must have heard the story and forgotten it.
Helen was shattered. She hadn't been trying to trick anyone! She went to the Perkins School to defend herself. She appeared alone before a group of eight teachers and school officers. Half of the group was blind and half was sighted. Alone in a hot, stuffy room without Annie, Helen shook with fear. It was like she was on trial for her life. Later, Helen wrote, "The blood pressed about my thumping heart, and I could scarcely speak...."
The group showed no mercy. Again and again, they kept asking, "Who read you that story?"
Helen could not answer that question. She had no memory of it. In the end, most of the group believed Helen. Mr. Anagnos thought that it had all been a horrible mistake. But he felt he could no longer trust Helen or Annie. Their friendship with Mr. Anagnos ended. Helen's time at Perkins was over. Even worse, Helen was never again sure of her writing. Was she writing from her heart and mind or repeating something that she had heard? This fear stayed with Helen every time she picked up a pen.
Helen and Annie returned to Alabama. Helen was ill most of that summer. She no longer woke up hungry to learn. Helen retreated into herself. But gradually her spirits grew stronger. Now she had to make a decision. Was her education at an end? Or could she find another school?
# Chapter 7
Years in New York
The door of the Perkins School had slammed shut, but another door opened. Annie learned about a new school for deaf children. Two men—Dr. Thomas Humason and John Wright—started the school in 1894 in New York City and it sounded perfect for Helen.
But how would the Kellers pay for it? Helen's father had fallen on hard times. There was no money to spare. Fortunately, Helen had met many rich people, such as Dr. Bell, John D. Rockefeller, and John Spaulding. Spaulding offered to pay for Helen's schooling. So Annie and Helen left for New York.
They settled into a fine house close to Central Park. At the Wright-Humason School, Helen studied arithmetic (still her least favorite subject), English literature (which she loved), American history, French, and German. She also studied lip-reading and speech.
Helen's fame spread. A reporter from _The New York Times_ came to interview her. He thought he would meet a quiet, shy girl. But fifteen-year-old Helen amazed him. Throughout the interview, Helen laughed, joked, and flirted.
Helen and her class visited the Statue of Liberty. She climbed to the top. To Helen, the air at the top smelled cleaner. The smell of the ocean reminded her of Cape Cod. Another time Helen's class went to a dog show at Madison Square Garden. Helen loved it because dogs were her favorite animal.
One trip affected Helen greatly. Annie and Helen went to the Lower East Side. This is where many new immigrants lived. They lived in tiny, crowded apartments in buildings called tenements. As many as ten people lived in one small dark room.
Helen could not see the poverty. But she could feel it. The people's clothes felt rough and ragged as they brushed Helen and Annie in the street. Helen also smelled the machine oil, the sawdust, the street dirt, and the salted fish. She could tell just how different life here was from hers.
Many famous people lived in New York. At a party, Helen met Mark Twain. Twain had written _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ and _Tom Sawyer_.
Twain watched Helen read lips. They talked together at the party. When Helen left, she put violets in his buttonhole. The two became lifelong friends.
After school, Helen liked going to Central Park. On winter days, Helen went bobsledding. She took riding lessons. Helen was growing up. She was becoming a beautiful, interesting, young woman.
# Chapter 8
Cambridge Years
In the early 1900s, few women went to college. And no deaf-blind woman had ever completed college. But Helen was determined to be the first. And she knew just where she wanted to go: Radcliffe. It was the sister school of Harvard University, just outside Boston. Radcliffe was considered the top women's college in the United States. It would be an amazing accomplishment for Helen to become a student there.
Helen learned of a way that she could gain admittance to Radcliffe. There was a school, the Cambridge School for Young Ladies, that prepared young women for Radcliffe.
Annie went to see Arthur Gilman, the head of the Cambridge School. She pleaded with him to take Helen as a student. Surprised by the request, he said that he would think it over. Helen and Annie had no choice but to wait. His answer would determine Helen's future.
It was during this time that Helen's father died. Helen wanted to rush home for the Captain's funeral, but her mother wouldn't permit it. It was summer when many contagious diseases thrived in the South. Helen's mother did not want to risk Helen's health. So Helen had to stay in Massachusetts and grieve for the Captain.
Then, at last, Gilman gave his answer. Helen was accepted! For the first time, Helen felt afraid of going to school. What if she did not do as well as the other girls? What if she failed?
At first Helen seemed like any other student at the school. She and Annie lived in Howells House, one of the dorms. Helen made friends. Some of the girls learned the manual alphabet so they could talk to Helen. She joined them in games and took long walks with them. Helen studied English, history, Latin, and German.
But few of the textbooks were in Braille. Annie had to read each one to her. Annie also had to look up words Helen did not know, even if the words were in German or French.
Helen worked very hard. She studied day and night. Helen wanted to finish school in three years. Was she working too hard? Most students spent five years at Mr. Gilman's school. Stubborn as always, Helen refused to back down.
The constant studying took its toll. Helen became ill. Her sister, Mildred, now also attended the school. Mildred noticed that Helen seemed weak and was always tired. Mrs. Keller became alarmed. Was Annie pushing her daughter too hard?
Mrs. Keller met with friends of Helen's. Should she take Helen away from Annie? Mr. Gilman thought so. Helen and Annie had been together for almost ten years. Wherever Helen went, Annie did, too. Perhaps it was time for Helen to make a break with Teacher. Helen did not want Teacher to leave. Helen felt she would be lost without Teacher.
Mrs. Keller wavered. She was not sure. In the end, Mrs. Keller sided with Annie. Helen would remain with Annie. Helen withdrew from Mr. Gilman's school. She and Annie went to live in Wrentham, Massachusetts. There Helen worked with a private tutor. Nothing would stop Helen from entering Radcliffe.
In June 1899, Helen took the tests for Radcliffe. She was already nineteen years old. Many freshmen at Radcliffe were only eighteen. Helen was afraid that she had failed. But she passed with good marks.
Finally on July 4, 1899, the acceptance letter came. The fireworks for the holidays seemed to be just for Helen. But the dean of Radcliffe suggested that Helen wait a year before entering. To Helen that seemed like forever. In September 1900, Helen entered Radcliffe as a freshman. "In the wonderland of Mind," Helen said, "I should be as free as another." Helen's dream had come true.
# Chapter 9
College Years
So Helen began her college years. As hard as the Cambridge School had been, Radcliffe seemed impossible. There was never enough time. Annie spelled lectures into Helen's hand. Annie read the textbooks to Helen. It seemed as though they were on a treadmill. There was no time for rest or Helen would fall behind.
And Helen felt alone. She and Annie lived in a small house off campus. It was away from the girls in Helen's classes. The girls were friendly, but many did not know what to say or how to act around Helen. Others felt odd because Helen was famous. So with a quick handshake, the girls ran off.
And Helen was always working. She had no time to play, think, or daydream. She always had a paper due, a lecture to memorize, or a test to take. Helen's first year at college was hard and lonely.
In her second year, Helen began to write themes. The themes were stories of her life. An editor at the magazine _Ladies' Home Journal_ heard about the themes. He asked Helen if the magazine could publish them. He offered Helen the sum of $3,000! Helen was amazed. That was a lot of money. Helen agreed. And so she began "The Story of My Life."
Each month the magazine published a new chapter in Helen's story. The first one went fine. But Helen handed in the second chapter late. The story was much too long. Neither Helen nor Annie knew how to edit. What were they to do?
Friends told them about a fine editor named John Macy. John helped Helen edit the articles. The magazine loved the pieces, and so did the public. By the time the last "chapter" appeared in the August issue, the world was in love with Helen Keller.
John Macy thought that Helen's stories could be made into a book. John added Helen's childhood letters and a section describing how Annie taught Helen.
Helen's book, _The Story of My Life_ , became a hit. It is still in print today. It has been published in more than fifty languages. Now Helen had a career as a writer. No one could ever say that this was not her story. It was _her_ life!
In June 1904, Helen Keller graduated with honors from Radcliffe. Newspapers around the world reported the event. Helen had achieved what no other person with her handicaps had ever done. Now she had a college degree but what was she going to do with it?
Annie also had big questions to decide. She and John Macy had fallen in love. He wanted to marry her. But what, Annie wondered, would happen to Helen? Could she lead a more independent life? Annie wanted to marry John Macy, and so they did in 1905. Helen lived with them.
As for Helen, she kept on with her life, too. She published a second book, _The World I Live In_. It came out in 1908 and told of Helen's world. It described how she used her senses of touch, smell, and taste to make up for her two missing ones. The book also revealed Helen's wonderful imagination and how she pictured her world. The book was a hit. But Helen wanted to support herself. The money from the book was not enough to do that. How else could Helen make a living?
# Chapter 10
All Grown Up
Helen was asked to give a public speech. Helen gave her first speech in Montclair, New Jersey. Annie was with her. Still, Helen was scared. What if no one understood her? Helen spoke about her life. Her voice was not clear, but no one seemed to care. The audience loved her. Helen was asked to give more speeches.
So Helen and Annie went on a lecture tour. They toured different cities in the United States in 1913. She spoke about her life and her feelings and how she accomplished what she did. Annie introduced Helen and then spoke again at the end. Warm and heartfelt applause greeted Helen wherever she went.
Helen was so successful on stage that some people invited her to make a movie about her life and her feelings. Helen and Annie went to Hollywood and made the silent film _Deliverance_. Annie and Helen dreamed of the money they'd make from the film. They hoped to become rich and famous like movie stars. But the movie was not a success.
Disappointed, Helen and Annie returned to Wrentham. And now they had a new problem. Annie's eyesight was failing. And Annie and John had separated. Annie was hurt over the failure of her marriage. And she feared she would go blind. The two rested. Helen answered the many letters that she received. Helen was famous, but they were broke. Helen had to think of a way to earn money. Then an offer came.
New York vaudeville agents met with Helen and Annie. Vaudeville was a stage show made up of a series of different acts. The agents discussed whether the two women might do a twenty-minute act about Helen and her teacher. Annie and Helen's friends did not like the idea. Helen's mother hated the idea. People would come just to see a blind and deaf woman. But Helen didn't care. She thought that it would be fun. And, as always, once Helen decided to do something, there was no changing her mind.
The first performance was on February 24, 1920, at the Palace Theater in New York City. Teacher opened the act. In her Irish brogue, she told how she had first taught Helen. Music then filled the theater. Helen parted the curtains and walked on stage. Then they told of the "miracle," the day when Annie spelled the word _water_ and Helen realized what it meant.
At the end of their act, the audience exploded with applause. Helen had charmed them completely. Soon Helen and Annie were among the highest paid performers. They earned up to $2,500 per week. Annie began to worry that people came to see if Helen would fall off the stage or make some other mistake. Maybe some did. But most did not. They came because they admired Helen. And Helen loved vaudeville. She liked "talking" to the other performers. She loved the smells backstage. Helen said that she felt like part of a family.
In 1924, Helen started a new job, one that was to last the rest of her life. The American Foundation for the Blind asked Helen to work for them. She would meet people, talk about the blind, and raise funds. Helen accepted. She felt that here was a way to help the blind everywhere. And so Helen became the ambassador for the blind. She met kings, queens, and presidents. Annie went with her.
In 1925, Helen took a year off to write another book. Helen had been asked to write about the most recent years of her life. She wrote about her last years at Radcliffe, the Foundation for the Blind, and the people in her life.
In 1929, _Midstream_ was published. It, too, became a best-seller.
Nineteen twenty-nine was also the year that the stock market crashed. The Great Depression began. Millions of people in the United States lost their jobs and their money.
Annie became ill. Her sight grew worse and worse. Later, she lost her sight. Helen's heart broke for Teacher. She made sure that Teacher was well taken care of. A secretary named Polly Thomson began to fill in for Annie.
Then, in 1936, Annie Sullivan died. For nearly fifty years, Teacher had been the center of Helen's life. Could Helen live without her? Many people thought Helen would collapse or fade away. But she didn't. In her heart, Helen knew that she had to go on. She could not retreat from the world. Teacher never would have wanted that.
So Helen kept on working with just Polly's help. Helen continued to speak for the Foundation. She met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had had polio. He had braces on his legs and used a wheelchair. The two proved that people could overcome severe handicaps and achieve great things. Helen worked to pass laws to help the blind. The blind would receive money for school and job training. Funds were given to make talking books available in public libraries. These laws helped the blind live independently.
Helen toured Japan in the late 1930s. The Japanese people knew of Helen Keller, but many did not believe the stories about her. In Japan, the blind were treated very poorly. They received little schooling or help from the government. Helen's tour changed that. Knowing that Helen loved dogs, the Japanese people gave her a beautiful Akita dog. This gift showed how much they respected her. Helen then returned home.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
**FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT WAS THE 32ND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. WHEN HE WAS 39 YEARS OLD, HE CAME DOWN WITH POLIO. HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO WALK AGAIN WITHOUT THE AID OF LEG BRACES AND CRUTCHES. BUT HIS HANDICAP DID NOT STOP HIM FROM BEING ONE OF THE GREATEST PRESIDENTS. HE TOOK OFFICE DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND STARTED MANY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS THAT PUT JOBLESS PEOPLE BACK TO WORK. HE ALSO LED THE COUNTRY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THROUGH HIS RADIO APPEARANCES, KNOWN AS "FIRESIDE CHATS," PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT GAVE HOPE TO AMERICANS IN TIMES OF GREAT PERIL AND UNCERTAINTY. HE DIED IN 1945, NEAR THE END OF WWII. HE WAS ELECTED FOUR TIMES AND SERVED LONGER THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT.**
After World War II ended in 1945, Helen traveled all over the world once more. She met with blind soldiers. Helen inspired them. She gave them hope.
Helen continued to speak out for the handicapped for the rest of her life. She met with every president, from Grover Cleveland to John F. Kennedy.
In 1955, Helen published another book _Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy_. It was about the life of the person who had, in many ways, given Helen her life.
On Broadway a play called _The Miracle Worker_ opened in 1959. It, too, told the story of young Helen and Teacher. Later, the play was made into a popular movie.
Helen died on June 1, 1968. She was nearly eighty-eight. She had inspired millions. Her story continues to inspire us today.
# TIMELINE OF HELEN KELLER'S LIFE
1880 | — | Helen Keller is born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27th
---|---|---
1882 | — | Helen loses her sight, hearing, and speech
1887 | — | Annie Sullivan arrives at the Keller home
1888 | — | Helen visits Perkins School
1894 | — | Helen attends Wright–Humason School in New York
1895 | — | Helen attends Cambridge School for Young Ladies
1900 | — | Helen attends Radcliffe
1903 | — | Helen publishes _The Story of My Life_
1904 | — | Helen graduates with honors from Radcliffe
1905 | — | Annie marries John Macy
1914 | — | Helen hires Polly Thomson
1918 | — | Helen stars in the film _Deliverance_
1919 | — | Helen begins touring in vaudeville
1924 | — | Helen begins working for American Foundation for the Blind
1929 | — | Helen writes _Midstream_
1936 | — | Annie dies
1937 | — | Helen and Polly tour Japan
1955 | — | Helen publishes _Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy_
1968 | — | Helen Keller dies on June 1st
# TIMELINE OF THE WORLD
Thomas Edison invents the first practical light bulb | — | 1879
---|---|---
The first commercially successfd bicycle is invented | — | 1885
The zipper is invented | — | 1893
Walt Disney is born | — | 1901
Beatrix Potter publishes _The Tale of Peter Rabbit_ | — | 1902
A huge earthquake hits San Francisco | — | 1906
Henry Ford builds the first Model T | — | 1908
The U.S. enters World War I | — | 1917
Women win the right to vote in the U.S. | — | 1920
The television is invented | — | 1923
Charles Lindbergh makes the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean | — | 1927
The first movie with sound is released | — | 1927
The stock market crashes | — | 1929
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor; U.S. enters World War II | — | 1941
Jackie Robinson integrates Major League baseball | — | 1947
Elizabeth II becomes queen of England | — | 1952
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to orbit Earth | — | 1961
Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his historic speech "I Have a Dream" | — | 1963
Astronaut Neil Armstrong walks on the moon | — | 1969
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaBook"
} | 5,273 |
"""Multi-process runner for testing purpose."""
from __future__ import absolute_import
from __future__ import division
from __future__ import print_function
import collections
import contextlib
import json
import os
import signal
import sys
import threading
import time
import six
from six.moves import queue as Queue
from tensorflow.python import tf2
from tensorflow.python.compat import v2_compat
from tensorflow.python.distribute import multi_process_lib
from tensorflow.python.eager import context
from tensorflow.python.platform import test
from tensorflow.python.util import nest
# _ProcessStatusInfo contains process status information. When is_successful
# attribute is True, the subprocess has ended successfully, or if False, the
# exception stack trace info is stored in exc_info to pass on to parent process
# to be re-raised.
_ProcessStatusInfo = collections.namedtuple(
'_ProcessStatusInfo', ['task_type', 'is_successful', 'exc_info'])
# Process status queue is used by `multi_process_runner` internally for
# communication from subprocesses to the parent process.
PROCESS_STATUS_QUEUE = 'process_status_queue'
# Return value queue is intended to be used by users of `multi_process_runner`
# for the process function to return information to the caller of
# `multi_process_runner.run()`.
RETURN_VALUE_QUEUE = 'return_value_queue'
# Standard stream queue is used by `multi_process_runner` to collect
# information streamed to stdout and stderr to be reported back to the
# parent process.
STD_STREAM_QUEUE = 'std_stream_queue'
# Inter-process queue is used for communications between subprocesses.
INTER_PROCESS_QUEUE = 'inter_process_queue'
# Parent-to-sub queue is used for communications from parent to subprocess.
# Currently this is only used to terminate subprocesses.
PARENT_TO_SUB_QUEUE = 'parent_to_sub_queue'
class _LogCollector(object):
"""Tool to collect logs before sending them to std stream."""
def __init__(self, original_stream):
self.log = []
self.original_stream = original_stream
def write(self, data):
self.log.append(data)
self.original_stream.write(data)
def flush(self, *args, **kwargs):
self.original_stream.flush(*args, **kwargs)
class MultiProcessRunner(object):
"""A utility class to start multiple processes to simulate a cluster.
We need to use multiple processes to simulate a cluster in TF 2.0 tests
because TF 2.0 has some process-global data structures that have to be
separated by processes. We also need child processes to test out our fault
tolerance because shutting down a standard TensorFlow server within its
process is not supported.
Note: the main test program that uses this runner class must run main program
via `test_main` defined in this file. Using this runner in non-test binaries
is not supported yet.
This class is not thread-safe. Child processes will inherit TF2 behavior flag.
"""
def __init__(self,
proc_func,
cluster_spec,
rpc_layer=None,
max_run_time=None,
capture_std_stream=False,
grpc_fail_fast=False,
args=None,
kwargs=None):
"""Creates a multi-process runner.
Args:
proc_func: Function to be run on child processes. This will be run on
processes for all task types.
cluster_spec: Dict for cluster spec. The following is an example of
cluster with three workers and two ps's.
{"worker": ["worker0.example.com:2222",
"worker1.example.com:2222",
"worker2.example.com:2222"],
"ps": ["ps0.example.com:2222",
"ps1.example.com:2222"]}
rpc_layer: RPC layer to use. Default value is 'grpc+loas'.
max_run_time: If set, child processes is forced to exit at approximately
this many seconds after `start` is called. We achieve this through
`signal.alarm()` api. Note that this is best effort at Python level
since Python signal handler does not get executed when it runs lower
level C/C++ code. So it can be delayed for arbitrarily long time.
capture_std_stream: Boolean, whether the messages streamed to stdout and
stderr in subprocesses are captured.
grpc_fail_fast: Whether GRPC connection between processes should fail
without retrying. Defaults to False.
args: Positional arguments to be sent to functions run on processes.
kwargs: Keyword arguments to be sent to functions run on processes.
Raises:
RuntimeError: if `multi_process_runner.test_main()` is not called.
ValueError: if there are more than one chief in the `cluster_spec`.
"""
assert cluster_spec is not None
if 'chief' in cluster_spec and len(cluster_spec['chief']) > 1:
raise ValueError('If chief exists in the cluster, there must be at most '
'one chief. Current `cluster_spec` has {} chiefs.'
.format(len(cluster_spec['chief'])))
assert callable(proc_func)
if not multi_process_lib.using_context_manager():
raise RuntimeError('`multi_process_runner` is not initialized. '
'Please call `multi_process_runner.test_main()` '
'within `if __name__ == \'__main__\':` block '
'in your python module to properly initialize '
'`multi_process_runner`.')
self._proc_func = proc_func
self._cluster_spec = cluster_spec
self._rpc_layer = rpc_layer
self._max_run_time = max_run_time
self._capture_std_stream = capture_std_stream
self._grpc_fail_fast = grpc_fail_fast
self._args = args or ()
self._kwargs = kwargs or {}
self._outstanding_subprocess_count = 0
# Child processes should have the same v2 and eager behavior.
self._v2_enabled = tf2.enabled()
self._executing_eagerly = context.executing_eagerly()
@contextlib.contextmanager
def _runtime_mode(self):
if self._executing_eagerly:
with context.eager_mode():
yield
else:
with context.graph_mode():
yield
def _finish_process(self, process_status_info, return_value, stdout_collector,
stderr_collector):
"""Adds data to queues before program exits."""
# Clear the alarm.
signal.alarm(0)
# When chief exists in the cluster, there must only be one chief and it
# needs to reach this point before any other exits. The reason is chief
# would continue to ping ps/workers if ps/workers exit before chief does,
# and this results in connection error flakiness.
# TODO(rchao): Modify this mechanism so that parent sends out the signal
# to terminate the subprocesses to have better control over the cases where
# fault tolerance is being tested. After the start of such signal from the
# parent, the errors should be ignored.
if 'chief' in self._cluster_spec:
if process_status_info.task_type == 'chief':
# When executed by chief, for each task in the cluster, except for
# chief, add an item in the queue as a notification for those tasks to
# know they can continue to terminate the process.
for _ in range(len(nest.flatten(self._cluster_spec)) - 1):
self._get_inter_process_queue().put(True)
else:
# When executed by non-chief, they need to block until the signal from
# chief is received.
self._get_inter_process_queue().get()
if return_value is not None:
self._add_return_data(return_value)
if self._capture_std_stream:
# If stdout and stderr are to be collected, add them to std stream
# queue.
self._add_std_stream_data_flattened(stdout_collector.log)
self._add_std_stream_data_flattened(stderr_collector.log)
self._get_process_status_queue().put(process_status_info)
def _message_checking_func(self, task_type, task_id, stdout_collector,
stderr_collector):
"""A function that regularly checks messages from parent process."""
while True:
try:
message = self._get_parent_to_sub_queue().get(block=False)
# Currently the only possible message is termination.
assert message.startswith('terminate')
if message == 'terminate {} {}'.format(task_type, task_id):
break
else:
# If the message is not targeting this process, put it back to the
# queue.
self._get_parent_to_sub_queue().put(message)
time.sleep(1)
except Queue.Empty:
time.sleep(0.1)
self._finish_process(
_ProcessStatusInfo(
task_type=task_type, is_successful=True, exc_info=None), None,
stdout_collector, stderr_collector)
# `os._exit(0)` is used to more reliably terminate a subprocess.
os._exit(0) # pylint: disable=protected-access
def _proc_func_wrapper(self, proc_func, task_type, task_id,
per_process_cluster_spec, rpc_layer, *arg, **kwargs):
"""The wrapper function that actually gets run in child process(es)."""
if self._capture_std_stream:
# TODO(yuefengz): consider a lighter way of capturing std streams.
stdout_collector = _LogCollector(sys.__stdout__)
stderr_collector = _LogCollector(sys.__stderr__)
sys.stdout = stdout_collector
sys.stderr = stderr_collector
else:
stdout_collector = None
stderr_collector = None
# The thread will be dedicated to checking messages from parent process.
threading.Thread(
target=self._message_checking_func,
args=(task_type, task_id, stdout_collector, stderr_collector)).start()
os.environ['GRPC_FAIL_FAST'] = str(self._grpc_fail_fast)
tf_config_dict = {
'cluster': per_process_cluster_spec,
'task': {
'type': task_type,
'index': task_id,
},
}
if rpc_layer is not None:
tf_config_dict['rpc_layer'] = rpc_layer
os.environ['TF_CONFIG'] = json.dumps(tf_config_dict)
if self._v2_enabled:
v2_compat.enable_v2_behavior()
return_value = None
if self._max_run_time is not None:
# Register an sigalarm handler to exit the process when it reaches
# `timeout` seconds. A program reaching `timeout` doesn't necessarily
# indicate an issue.
def handler(signum, frame):
del signum, frame
self._finish_process(
_ProcessStatusInfo(
task_type=task_type, is_successful=True, exc_info=None), None,
stdout_collector, stderr_collector)
# `os._exit(0)` is used to more reliably terminate a subprocess.
os._exit(0) # pylint: disable=protected-access
signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, handler)
signal.alarm(self._max_run_time)
try:
with self._runtime_mode():
return_value = proc_func(*arg, **kwargs)
except Exception: # pylint: disable=broad-except
# Capture all exceptions to be reported to parent process.
self._finish_process(
_ProcessStatusInfo(
task_type=task_type, is_successful=False,
exc_info=sys.exc_info()), return_value, stdout_collector,
stderr_collector)
# Re-raise the exception in addition to reporting it to the parent
# process, so that even if `--test_timeout` flag is set and the
# error doesn't make it to be shown in parent process before bazel's
# timeout, the log would still show what happens in this subprocess,
# instead of silently suppressing the error due to early bazel
# timeout. Raising an error in the subprocess produces stack trace in
# the log, but the program continues running.
raise
self._finish_process(
_ProcessStatusInfo(
task_type=task_type, is_successful=True, exc_info=None),
return_value, stdout_collector, stderr_collector)
def start(self):
"""Starts processes, one for each task in `cluster_spec`.
If 'chief' job exists in the cluster, it is guaranteed that 'chief'
process exits before other jobs to prevent chief from continuing to connect
to them which causes error.
"""
for task_type, addresses in self._cluster_spec.items():
for task_id, _ in enumerate(addresses):
p = multi_process_lib.Process(
target=self._proc_func_wrapper,
args=(self._proc_func, task_type, task_id, self._cluster_spec,
self._rpc_layer) + self._args,
kwargs=self._kwargs)
p.start()
self._outstanding_subprocess_count += 1
def start_single_process(self,
task_type,
task_id,
proc_func=None,
updated_cluster_spec=None,
args=None,
kwargs=None):
"""Starts a single process.
This starts a process in the cluster with the task type, task id, and the
process function (`proc_func`). If process function is `None`, the function
provided at `__init__` will be used. If `updated_cluster_spec` is not
`None`, the cluster spec used by this subprocess will be updated.
TODO(rchao): It is meant that all subprocesses will be updated with the new
cluster spec, but this has yet to be implemented. At this time only the
newly started subprocess picks up this updated cluster spec.
Args:
task_type: The task type.
task_id: The task id.
proc_func: The process function to be run on the newly started
process. If `None`, the function provided at `__init__` will be used.
updated_cluster_spec: If not `None`, the cluster spec used by this
subprocess will be updated.
args: Optional positional arguments to be supplied in `proc_func`.
kwargs: Optional keyword arguments to be supplied in `proc_func`.
"""
self._cluster_spec = updated_cluster_spec or self._cluster_spec
proc_func = proc_func or self._proc_func
p = multi_process_lib.Process(
target=self._proc_func_wrapper,
args=(proc_func, task_type, task_id, self._cluster_spec,
self._rpc_layer) + (args or ()),
kwargs=(kwargs or {}))
p.start()
self._outstanding_subprocess_count += 1
def _queue_to_list(self, queue_to_convert):
"""Convert `queue.Queue` to `list`."""
list_to_return = []
# Calling `queue.empty()` is not reliable.
while True:
try:
list_to_return.append(queue_to_convert.get(block=False))
except Queue.Empty:
break
return list_to_return
def join(self, timeout=None):
"""Joins all the processes with timeout.
Args:
timeout: if set and not all processes report status within roughly
`timeout` seconds, a `RuntimeError` exception will be thrown.
Returns:
It returns a tuple. The first element is a list that stores the return
data added by subprocesses through `_add_return_data` or through normal
function return; The second element is a list of the messages streamed to
stdout and stderr in the subprocesses if `capture_std_stream` is True or
`None` otherwise.
Raises:
RuntimeError: if not all processes report status within `timeout` seconds.
Or the exception propagated from any child process.
"""
if not timeout:
if self._max_run_time:
timeout = self._max_run_time + 10 # add 10 seconds grace period
else:
timeout = float('inf')
start_time = time.time()
while self._outstanding_subprocess_count > 0:
while True:
try:
process_status = self._get_process_status_queue().get(timeout=10)
break
except Queue.Empty:
if time.time() - start_time > timeout:
# If none of those did, report timeout to user.
raise RuntimeError(
'One or more subprocesses timed out. Please use '
'`--test_arg=--logtostderr` bazel flag to inspect logs for '
'subprocess debugging info. Number of outstanding subprocesses '
'is %d.' % self._outstanding_subprocess_count)
self._outstanding_subprocess_count -= 1
assert isinstance(process_status, _ProcessStatusInfo)
if not process_status.is_successful:
six.reraise(*process_status.exc_info)
if self._capture_std_stream:
# TODO(yuefengz): we need to make sure elements match the same process in
# the two returned lists so as to not surprise users. Consider creating a
# `ReturnData` class.
return tuple(
self._queue_to_list(multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[queue_name])
for queue_name in [RETURN_VALUE_QUEUE, STD_STREAM_QUEUE])
else:
return (self._queue_to_list(
multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[RETURN_VALUE_QUEUE]), None)
def terminate(self, task_type, task_id):
"""Terminates the process with `task_type` and `task_id`."""
self._get_parent_to_sub_queue().put('terminate {} {}'.format(
task_type, task_id))
def _add_return_data(self, data):
"""Adds return data that will be returned by `join`.
The function provides a way for child processes to communicate with the
parent process. Data passed to `_add_return_data` will be available in a
Python Queue.Queue that is eventually returned by `join`.
Args:
data: data to be made available in the queue returned by `join`.
"""
# TODO(rchao): Incorporate the task type and id information in a data
# wrapper that becomes what is stored in the queue so we can tell where
# the data is from.
multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[RETURN_VALUE_QUEUE].put(data)
def _add_std_stream_data_flattened(self, data):
# TODO(yuefengz): currently the same queue is used by multiple processes. It
# is difficult for users to distinguish between logs from different
# processes.
std_stream_queue = multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[STD_STREAM_QUEUE]
for d in list(data):
std_stream_queue.put(d)
def _get_process_status_queue(self):
return multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[PROCESS_STATUS_QUEUE]
def _get_inter_process_queue(self):
return multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[INTER_PROCESS_QUEUE]
def _get_parent_to_sub_queue(self):
return multi_process_lib.get_user_data()[PARENT_TO_SUB_QUEUE]
def run(proc_func,
cluster_spec,
rpc_layer=None,
max_run_time=None,
capture_std_stream=False,
grpc_fail_fast=False,
timeout=None,
args=None,
kwargs=None): # pylint: disable=g-doc-args
"""Runs functions in local child processes.
It is a convenience method that creates a `MultiProcessRunner` object and
invokes `start` and `join` method. Please see these methods for detailed
documentations.
Returns:
A tuple returned from `MultiProcessRunner.join()`.
"""
runner = MultiProcessRunner(
proc_func,
cluster_spec,
rpc_layer,
max_run_time=max_run_time,
capture_std_stream=capture_std_stream,
grpc_fail_fast=grpc_fail_fast,
args=args,
kwargs=kwargs)
runner.start()
return runner.join(timeout)
def test_main():
"""Main function to be called within `__main__` of a test file."""
with multi_process_lib.context_manager():
test.main()
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 7,322 |
Every company has its own unique identity, and as such, Ronin advocates a customized approach that defines core competencies, behaviors, and attitudes that contribute to clients' goals and make the business distinctive to stakeholders.
Ronin adds value by helping clients prioritize and simplify what they want people to learn and master. Ronin focuses on how learning translates into the strategic action that supports the client's mission, vision and goals.
On-the-job effectiveness is measured by how one relates to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Ronin considers feedback and assessment critical to increasing an individual's awareness of his strengths and limitations. Assessment data can be generated from 360° feedback or other processes.
We develop learning experiences that reflect a complex view of performance. This approach leads trainees to accept responsibility for the impact they have on others and learn more rapidly. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 6,647 |
\section{Introduction}Pions are the first particles known to
mediate strong interactions between nucleons. After quark picture of
hadrons is established, they are degraded as effective
degrees--composite particles of quarks bound with gluons, and the
local field theories in terms of pions and other hadronic degrees
become low-energy effective field theories (EFT) of QCD with chiral
symmetry being spontaneously and softly broken that are only valid
in low energy processes characterized by scales well below the
broken scale of chiral symmetry: $\Lambda_{\chi}\sim1$ GeV. For
nuclear forces, however, the direct computation using QCD is in fact
impossible, where effective theories are extremely useful tools at
hand. In fact, since Weinberg's seminal work in 1990\cite{Weinberg},
there have been great progresses in applying EFT methods to nucleon
systems and nuclear forces in the last two
decades\cite{BBP,BvK,epelrev,EMRMP,EM_RP503,EM12}. In a sense, these
achievements have pretty laid down the field theoretical foundation
for nuclear physics. Intriguingly, there still remains an unsettled
issue that is concerned with the nonperturbative treatment of
pion-exchange potential\cite{NTvK,PVRA,EpelMeis,EpGg}. Two
prevailing choices are adopted in literature concerning this issue:
(1) Nonperturbative treatment\cite{EM,EGM} in numerical approach
using finite cut-off a la Lepage\cite{lepage} without modifying
Weinberg's power counting; (2) 'Perturbative'
treatment\cite{KSW,vK,BBSvK,NTvK,LvK,PV} with modified power
counting rules. The first choice is quite successful and efficient
in phenomenology. While the second choice is also appealing due to
its analytical tractability. The merits and discussions of various
approaches could be found in the review
articles\cite{BBP,BvK,epelrev,EMRMP,EM_RP503,EM12}. The open status
of this issue suggests that we are still elusive of some intricate
structures of the chiral effective theory for nuclear forces. So, it
is worthwhile to do further studies about the structures of the
pionfull theory.
Theoretically, it is easy to handle the pionless theory defined in
much lower momentum region of nucleon scattering with pions
integrated out and expanded into the contact interactions.
Previously, this pionless theory has been studied without direct
reference to the pionfull one as its adjacent 'underlying' theory.
(In fact, the renormalization of this theory could be readily
settled using a 'perturbative' scheme based on modified power
counting rules\cite{KSW}. Moreover, this pionless theory is also
tractable entirely within nonperturbative regime thanks to the trick
introduced by the Maryland group\cite{PBC} with general
parametrization of divergences\cite{PRC71,epl85,epl94,5537,JPA42}.)
Since it is an 'effective' theory of the pionfull one, it is natural
to inquire what could be seen from studying the detailed mapping
between the pionfull and pionless theories. Through such efforts, it
is desirable to trace or be informed of the intricacy of the
pion-mediated interactions and amplitudes somehow, at least some
useful clues might be found from this perspective for the intricate
contents and a satisfactory or efficient organization of the EFT for
nuclear forces. Therefore, we start from this report on to study the
issue through computing and analyzing the mapping or matching
between pionfull and pionless theories for nuclear forces. We should
remind that we are not attempting here at any new organization or
power counting of the pionfull theory for nuclear forces, but
looking at the intriguing issue from an alternative perspective that
might be helpful for a satisfactory solution. Thus we will mainly
work with conventional chiral effective theory in both relativistic
and non-relativistic formulations\cite{EM_RP503} to see how the
pionless contact interactions arise from the pion exchange diagrams.
One might have anticipated that only the $2N$-irreducible diagrams
be dominating such mapping into pionless EFT. As will be seen
shortly, such anticipation turns out not to be true due to IR
enhancement from the loop integrals appearing in the iterated
diagrams or convolutions. As a matter of fact, the scales involved
in low-energy $NN$ scattering are only modestly separated, any
enhancement due to convolution or loop integration may somehow twist
the scale hierarchy that is required for a lucid EFT description.
Thus, it is worthwhile to take closer looks at how such enhancement
mechanisms affect the structures of the pionfull theory.
As a byproduct, it is also interesting to see what kind of pionless
theory could be resulted from the various modified power counting
schemes of pionfull theory. Thus, apart from the conventional
prescription of pionfull EFT, we will also compute with the
prescription recently proposed by BKV\cite{BKV} to examine the
consistency of the KSW power counting for pionless EFT. Basing on
our closed-form solutions, we found that the empirical ERE
parameters for $S$-channels seem to favor a scenario hosting
conventional power counting\cite{epl85,epl94,5537}, while the
scenario with modified power counting seems to be dis- or less
favored by the PSA data. To this end, it is interesting to see which
or what scenario could be justified from the mapping of pionfull
onto pionless theory. Furthermore, it is also interesting to see how
the physical subset of prescription parameters $[J_{\cdots}]$ arise
from the pionfull theory via matching, which is a more challenging
task to be pursued in future. We feel that such perspective will
also be valuable for many physical issues that are suitable for
applying EFT in nonperturbative regime, especially non-relativistic
EFT's with the presences of nonperturbative divergences and of IR
enhancement from pinching non-relativistic poles. After all, for
each EFT one could at least find one most adjacent 'underlying'
theory that contains more high energy details.
This report is organized as follows. In Sec. 2, we set up the
conventional pionfull and pionless Lagrangians for our use. Then in
Sec. 3, we calculate the leading contact coupling induced from loop
diagrams in pionfull theory. Sec. 4 will be devoted to some general
discussions about our results, where the mapping using BKV
prescription will also be calculated and discussed. The summary will
be given in Sec. 5.
\section{EFT's for $NN$ scattering}
\subsection{Pionfull EFT}As a low-energy EFT that inherits the
chiral symmetry of QCD, the pionfull theory for nuclear forces could
be given in relativistic as well as non-relativistic formulation. We
will work with both in an interactive manner. The relativistic
Lagrangian we will use reads (following the notations of
Ref.\cite{EM_RP503})\begin{eqnarray}\mathcal{L}_{EFT(\pi)}&=&\mathcal{L}_{\pi
\pi}+\mathcal{L}_{\pi{N}}+\mathcal{L}_{NN}+\cdots,\\\mathcal{L}_{
\pi\pi}&=&\frac{1}{2}\partial_\mu\bm{\pi}\cdot\partial^\mu\bm{\pi}-
\frac{1}{2}m^2_\pi\bm{\pi}^2+\mathcal{O}\left(\bm{\pi}^4\right),\\
\mathcal{L}_{\pi{N}}&=&\bar{\Psi}\left(i\gamma^\mu\partial_\mu-M_N-
\frac{g_{A}}{2f_\pi}\gamma^\mu\gamma^5\bm{\tau}\cdot\partial_\mu\bm
{\pi}+\mathcal{O}\left(\bm{\pi}^2\right)\right)\Psi,\\\mathcal{L}_
{NN}&=&-\left(\bar{\Psi}\Gamma_\alpha\Psi\right)\left(\bar{\Psi}
\Gamma^\alpha\Psi\right),\end{eqnarray} with $\Gamma_\alpha$ being matrices
constrained by Lorentz and isospin invariance. The contact
Lagrangian for nucleons is as given in the pioneering work of
Weinberg\cite{Weinberg}. In non-relativistic formulation, the
Lagrangian reduces to the following form using heavy baryon
formalism\begin{eqnarray}\mathcal{L}_{\pi{N}}&=&\bar{N}\left(i\partial_0+\frac{
{\vec{\nabla}}^2}{2M_N}-\frac{g_{A}}{2f_\pi}\bm{\tau}\cdot(\vec{
\sigma}\cdot\vec{\nabla})\bm{\pi}+\mathcal{O}(\bm{\pi}^2)\right)N,\\
\mathcal{L}_{NN}&=&-\frac{1}{2}C_0\left(\bar{N}N\right)^2+\cdots.
\end{eqnarray} Here the contact couplings should assume the contributions from
heavy mesons, etc., and scale as:$$C_0\sim\frac{4\pi}{M_N\Lambda_{
(\pi)}},\ \cdots\quad(\Lambda_{(\pi)}\sim 4,5m_\pi)$$ with $\Lambda_
{(\pi)}$ being the upper scale of the pionfull EFT.
\subsection{Pionless EFT}After integrating out pions and the
processes above the scale of pion mass, one could further arrive at
a simpler effective theory with only non-relativistic nucleon
degrees and contact interactions among them:\begin{eqnarray}\mathcal{L}_{EFT(
\not\pi)}=\bar{N}\left(i\partial_0+\frac{\nabla^2}{2M_N}\right)N-
\frac{1}{2}C^{(\not\pi)}_0\left(\bar{N}N\right)^2+\cdots,\end{eqnarray} with
$\cdots$ representing other contact interactions. Now these the
contact couplings in pionless theory have incorporated contributions
from the pion-exchange diagrams in pionfull theory,\begin{eqnarray}{C}^{(\not
\pi)}_0=C_0+\hat{T}^{(\pi)}_{NN}(\bm{0},\bm{0}),\ \cdots.\end{eqnarray} As
pions are the lightest quanta for mediating strong forces between
nucleons, it is natural to anticipate that pion-exchange diagrams
should dominate the contributions to the pionless contact couplings,
e.g., $${C}^{(\not\pi)}_0\sim\frac{4\pi}{M_N\Lambda_{(\not\pi)}},\
\cdots\quad(\Lambda_{(\not\pi)}\sim m_\pi).$$ Below, we will study
the contributions of the pion-exchange diagrams to the pionless
couplings and hope that such efforts may shed some light on the
intricate structures of the pionfull theory for nuclear forces.
\section{Mapping into pionless EFT}In the pionfull theory, all the
diagrams for $NN$ scattering could be classified into
$2N$-irreducible and $2N$-reducible ones that are traditionally
defined as $NN$ potential with pion exchanges and scattering
amplitudes, respectively.
\subsection{2$N$-irreducible diagrams with pions: potential}The
$2N$-irreducible diagrams in pionfull EFT have been computed up to
next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order in literature, see Refs.\cite
{kaiser,EGM,empot,EM_RP503}. For our purpose below, it suffices to
demonstrate with the one-pion exchange (OPE) and two-pion exchange
(TPE) components\cite{kaiser}:\begin{eqnarray} V_{1\pi}(\bm{q})&=&-\frac{g_A^2}
{4f^2_\pi}\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2\frac{\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{q}
\ \bm{\sigma}_2\cdot\bm{q}}{q^2+m^2_\pi},\\V_{2\pi}(\bm{q})&=&\bm{
\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2W_C+\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{\sigma}_2V_S+\bm{
\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{q}\ \bm{\sigma}_2\cdot\bm{q}V_T,\\\label{Wc-TPE}
W_C&=&-\frac{1}{384\pi^2f^4_\pi}\left\{\left[4m^2_\pi\left(5g^4_A-4
g^2_A-1\right)+q^2\left(23g^4_A-10g^2_A-1\right)+\frac{48g^4_Am^4_
\pi}{w^2}\right]L(q)\right.\nonumber\\&&+\left[6m^2_\pi\left(15g^4_
A-6g^2_A-1\right)+q^2\left(23g^4_A-10g^2_A-1\right)\right]\ln\frac{
m_\pi}{\mu}\nonumber\\&&\left.+4m^2_\pi\left(4g^4_A+g^2_A+1\right)+
\frac{q^2}{6}\left(5g^4_A-26g^2_A+5\right)\right\},\\V_T&=&-\frac
{1}{q^2}V_S=-\frac{3g^4_A}{64\pi^2f^4_\pi}L (q),\end{eqnarray} where\begin{eqnarray}{L}
(q)\equiv\frac{w}{q}\ln\frac{w+q}{2m_\pi},\quad w\equiv\sqrt{4m^2_
\pi+q^2},\quad q\equiv|\bm{q}|,\quad\bm{q}\equiv\bm{p}-\bm{p}
^\prime,\end{eqnarray} with $\bm{p},\bm{p}^\prime$ being the external momenta
for a nucleon. Below, the renormalization-scale-dependent terms
$(\propto\ln\frac{m_\pi}{\mu})$ will be discarded (by putting
$\mu=m_\pi$) as in Refs.\cite{EGM,empot}, as the qualitative status
would remain the same. Besides this, the $W_C$ of TPE given in
Ref.\cite{EGM} only contains the term in the first line of
Eq.(\ref{Wc-TPE}).
Now, we perform the low-energy expansion to extract contributions to
the contact couplings in pionless EFT. We focus on $C_0$ (the
superscript '$(\not\!\!\pi)$' will be dropped henceforth), to which
OPE contributes nothing due to the derivative $\pi N$ coupling!
While the TPE's contribution differs a little across different
versions:\begin{eqnarray}\label{C_KBW}V^{(KBW)}_{2\pi}:&&C^{(KBW)}_{0\tau}=-
\frac{g^4_Am^2_\pi}{8\pi^2f^4_\pi},\quad\Lambda^{(KBW)}_{(\not\pi,
\tau)}\equiv-\frac{4\pi}{M_NC^{(KBW)}_{0\tau}}=\frac{32\pi^3f^4_\pi
}{g^4_AM_Nm_\pi^2},\\\label{C_EGM}V^{(EGM)}_{2\pi}:&&C^{(EGM)}_{0
\tau}=-\frac{g^4_Am^2_\pi}{12\pi^2f^4_\pi},\quad\Lambda^{(EGM)}_{(
\not\pi,\tau)}\equiv-\frac{4\pi}{M_NC^{(EGM)}_{0\tau}}=\frac{48\pi^
3f^4_\pi}{g^4_AM_Nm_\pi^2},\end{eqnarray} with the scale $\Lambda$ thus
extracted being of order $10^3$ MeV (see Table 2), much larger than
as the upper scale of pionless EFT that is of order $m_\pi$\footnote
{We only extracted the terms of order $g^4_A$ for qualitative
demonstration as $g_A>1.2$ and including the terms of lower $g_A$
power would not alter the magnitude order of our results.}.
According to the power counting rules of pionfull theory, the
constants given in Eqs.(\ref{C_KBW},\ref{C_EGM}) will be just the
leading contribution to pionless $C_0$ from $2N$-irreducible
diagrams or pion-exchange potential. Comparing with general
expectation about pionless $C_0$, this contribution is too small.
That means, the dominant contribution to the pionless coupling $C_0$
could not be from such irreducible diagrams. Therefore, the dominant
contributions from pions to pionless $C_0$ could only come from the
diagrams with iterations of pion-exchange potential, i.e., the
$2N$-reducible diagrams. The simplest case is the once-iterated OPE
diagram, which has been computed long ago by the Munich
group\cite{kaiser}. In this report, we will reanalyze it from the
mapping perspective through an 'interactive' use of
three-dimensional non-relativistic formulation and four-dimensional
relativistic formulation.
\subsection{$2N$-reducible diagrams with pions: 3-dimensional
non-relativistic calculation} We will basically adopt the
parametrization given in Ref.\cite{EM_RP503} in our calculations. In
non-relativistic formulation, the once-iterated OPE diagram reads
\begin{eqnarray}{T}^{(it)}_{1\pi}(\bm{p},\bm{p}^\prime)=\frac{g^4_A}{16f^4_\pi}
(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)\int\frac{d^3\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\frac
{\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{q}_1\ \bm{\sigma}_2\cdot\bm{q}_1\ \bm{\sigma
}_1\cdot\bm{q}_2\ \bm{\sigma}_2\cdot\bm{q}_2}{\left(\bm{q}_1^2+m^2_
\pi\right)\left(\bm{q}_2^2+m^2_\pi\right)\left(E_{N;p}-\frac{\bm{l}
^2}{M_N}+i\epsilon\right)},\end{eqnarray} with $\bm{q}_1=\bm{p}+\bm{l},\ \bm{
q}_2=\bm{p}^\prime+\bm{l},\ {E}_{N;p}\equiv\sqrt{\bm{p}^2+M^2_N}.$
To extract the contribution to $C_0$, we compute the following\begin{eqnarray}
&&{T}^{(it)}_{1\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})=-\frac{g^4_AM_N}{16f^4_\pi}(3-2
\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)I_4(\bm{0}),\\\label{I40def}&&{I}_4(\bm
{0})\equiv\int\frac{d^3\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\frac{\bm{l}^2}{E^4_{\pi;l}
},\end{eqnarray} with ${E}_{\pi;l}\equiv\sqrt{\bm{l}^2+m^2_\pi}$. In standard
dimensional and cutoff schemes, we have\begin{eqnarray}\label{I40}I_4(\bm{0})=
\left\{\begin{array}{l}\displaystyle-\frac{3m_\pi}{8\pi},\
($dimensional$)\\\\\displaystyle-\frac{3m_\pi}{8\pi}+\frac{\Lambda}
{2\pi^2},\ ($cutoff$)\end{array}\right. \end{eqnarray} As will be seen in
Sec.3.3, the linear divergence here is an artifact introduced by
non-relativistic approximation. So, we take that\begin{eqnarray}\label{Tit00}T^
{(it)}_{1\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})=\frac{3g^4_AM_Nm_\pi}{128\pi{f}^4_\pi}
(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2).\end{eqnarray} This is essentially what the
once-iterated OPE diagram contributes to the leading coupling $C_0$
in pionless theory, the contribution to $I_4(\bm{0})$ from pionless
region is negligible:\begin{eqnarray}{I}_4^{(\not\pi)}(\bm{0})\equiv\int_{(0,m_
\pi)}\frac{d^3\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\frac{\bm{l}^2}{E^4_{\pi;l}}=\frac{
10-3\pi}{16\pi^2}m_\pi=\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}I_4(\bm{0}),\quad
\left|\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}\right|=\frac{10-3\pi}{6\pi}\approx
3.05\times10^{-2}\ll1.\end{eqnarray} Obviously, the suppression of the
contribution from pionless range is due to the derivative
pion-nucleon coupling.
To be more accurate, one may exclude this 3 percent in identifying
the dominant contribution to $C_0$:\begin{eqnarray}&&C^{(it)}_0+C^{(it)}_{0\tau}
\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2\equiv{T}^{(it)}_{1\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})
\left(1-\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}\right)\\&&{C}^{(it)}_0=\frac{9g^4
_AM_Nm_\pi}{128\pi{f}^4_\pi}\left(1-\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}\right
),\quad{C}^{(it)}_{0\tau}=-\frac{3g^4_AM_Nm_\pi}{64\pi{f}^4_\pi}
\left(1-\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}\right),\quad\end{eqnarray} with the
superscript "$({it})$" indicating the contribution from the
once-iterated OPE diagram. Following the standard parametrization:
$C_0=\pm{4\pi}{M^{-1}_N\Lambda^{-1}_{(\not\pi)}}$, we have\begin{eqnarray}
\Lambda^{({it})}_{(\not\pi)}=\frac{512\pi^2f^4_\pi}{9g^4_AM^2_Nm_
\pi\left(1-\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}\right)},\quad\Lambda^{({it})}_
{(\not\pi,\tau)}=\frac{256\pi^2f^4_\pi}{3g^4_AM^2_Nm_\pi\left(1-
\varepsilon_4^{(\not\pi)}\right)},\end{eqnarray} which is of the order of pion
mass provided the popular choices for $M_N$, $m_\pi$, $f_\pi$ and
$g_A$ are made. In table 1 and table 2, the 3 percent deduction is
not included as it could not affect our conclusions.
\subsection{$2N$-reducible diagrams with pions: 4-dimensional
relativistic calculation}In relativistic formulation, the
once-iterated OPE diagram is contained in the following planar box
diagram:\begin{eqnarray}{T}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{p},\bm{p}^\prime)&=&\frac
{g^4_A}{16f^4_\pi}\int\frac{d^4l}{(2\pi)^4}\frac{1}{\left(q_1^2-m^2
_\pi\right)\left(q_2^2-m^2_\pi\right)}\bar{u}_1(\bm{p}^\prime)(-
\not\!\!q_2)\gamma^5\tau_1^b\frac{1}{\not\!k-M_N}\not\!\!q_1\gamma
^5\tau_1^au_1(\bm{p})\nonumber\\&&\times\bar{u}_2(-\bm{p}^\prime)
\not\!\!q_2\gamma^5\tau_2^b\frac{1}{\not\!k^\prime-M_N}(-\not\!\!q_
1)\gamma^5\tau_2^au_2(-\bm{p})\end{eqnarray} with momentum flows chosen as in
Ref.\cite{EM_RP503}: ${q}_1=(l^0,\bm{p}-\bm{l}),\ {q}_2=(l^0,\bm{p}
^\prime-\bm{l}),\ {k}=(E_{N;p}-l^0,\bm{l}),\ {k}^\prime=(E_{N;p}+l
^0,-\bm{l}).$
Again, we are interested in the situation when external momenta are
zero, namely,\begin{eqnarray}{T}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})=\frac{i
g^4_A}{16f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)\left[4M^2_NI_0-I_
2+16M^4_NI_{2+-}-4M^2_N(I_{2+}+I_{2-})\right],\end{eqnarray} where\begin{eqnarray}{I}_0
\equiv\int\frac{d^4l}{(2\pi)^4}\frac{1}{A_\pi^2},\ I_2\equiv\int
\frac{d^4l}{(2\pi)^4}\frac{l_0^2}{A_\pi^2},\ I_{2+-}\equiv\int\frac
{d^4l}{(2\pi)^4}\frac{l^2_0}{A^2_\pi A_+A_-},\ I_{2\pm}\equiv\int
\frac{d^4l}{(2\pi)^4}\frac{l^2_0}{A^2_\pi A_\pm},\quad\end{eqnarray} with
${A}_\pi\equiv l^2-m^2_\pi+i\epsilon,\ A_\pm\equiv l^2\pm2M_Nl_0+i
\epsilon$. Note that $I_{2+-}$ is definite, the rest carry at most
logarithmic divergence. In dimensional scheme, we have\begin{eqnarray}{I}_0&=&
\frac{i}{(4\pi)^2}\left[\Gamma(\epsilon)-\ell_{\pi}\right],\quad{I}
_2=\frac{im^2_\pi}{2(4\pi)^2}\left[\Gamma(\epsilon)+1-\ell_{\pi}
\right],\\I_{2\pm}&=&\frac{i}{4(4\pi)^2}\left[\Gamma(\epsilon)+1-
\ell_{N}+\frac{6\varrho+(3-4\varrho)\ln\varrho}{2\varrho^2}+\frac{
(3-10\varrho)\arctan\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}{\varrho^2\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}
\right],\\\label{I2+-}I_{2+-}&=&\frac{i}{4(4\pi)^2}\frac{1}{M^2_N}
\left[\frac{(1-\varrho)\ln\varrho}{\varrho}+2+\frac{(2-6\varrho)
\arctan\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}{\varrho\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}\right],\end{eqnarray} with
$\ell_{\pi}\equiv\ln\frac{m^2_\pi}{\mu^2},\ell_N\equiv\ln\frac{M_N^
2}{\mu^2},\varrho\equiv\frac{M^2_N}{m^2_\pi}$. Then, we have\begin{eqnarray}
\label{4dT-pb}T^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})&=&-\frac{g^4_
A}{128\pi^2f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)\left[\alpha_NM^
2_N+\alpha_{N\pi}M_Nm_\pi+\alpha_{\pi}m^2_\pi\right],\end{eqnarray} with\begin{eqnarray}
\alpha_N&\equiv&\Gamma(\epsilon)+3-\ell_{N},\quad\alpha_{N\pi}
\equiv\frac{(2-6\varrho)\arctan\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}{\varrho\sqrt{1-(4
\varrho)^{-1}}},\nonumber\\\alpha_\pi&\equiv&-\frac{\Gamma(\epsilon
)+1-\ell_{\pi}}{4}-3+\frac{8\varrho-3}{2\varrho}\ln\varrho+\frac{(1
0\varrho-3)\arctan\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}{\varrho\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}.\end{eqnarray}
Obviously, the third term '$\alpha_\pi{m}^2_\pi$' is what one would
expect for a standard TPE component of $NN$ potential. The second
term '$\alpha_{N\pi}M_Nm_\pi$' is a definite (or nonlocal) term that
comes from $I_{2+-}$, it will prove to be just the dominant
contribution to the pionless $C_0$ we are after, see below. However,
we are not ready yet to identify the above amplitude as
contributions to the pionless coupling $C_0$: There is an
'offensively' large local term '$\alpha_NM^2_N$' that is completely
out of control in the realm of pionfull EFT for $NN$ forces. To
resolve this problem, we first observe that the pionfull theory
actually lives in non-relativistic regime as $\Lambda_{(\pi)}$ lies
well below $M_N$. Then, after contour integration, $M_N$ activates a
division of loop momentum space into a low or non-relativistic
region and a high or relativistic region: In the low region where
non-relativistic regime is legitimately defined, expansions could be
safely done with all momenta and $m_\pi$ being smaller scales
against $M_N$; While in the high region, only external momenta and
$m_\pi$ are smaller scales that facilitate expansions, resulting in
local operators or terms of light degrees with large factors of
$M_N$. The high region and those large local operators are
automatically discarded in non-relativistic regime. Thus, '$\alpha_N
M^2_N$' comes from the high region where the pionfull EFT is no
longer valid and hence should be subtracted from the theory at all.
Let us illustrate with the definite integral $I_{2+-}$ that
interests us most. To enter non-relativistic regime, one first picks
up the low-lying poles at $E_{N;l}-M_N\approx\frac{\bm{l}^2}{2M_N}$
(nucleon) and $E_{\pi;l}$ (pion) in contour integration and then
expand the resultants in terms of $1/M_N$ in the low region. For
$I_{2+-}$, we have:\begin{eqnarray}\label{NR}&&\left.I_{2+-}\right|_{NR}\equiv
\left.\int\frac{d^3\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\left(\oint\frac{dl_0}{2\pi}
\frac{l^2_0}{A_\pi{A}_+A_-}\right)\right|_{NR}=\frac{i(4M_NI_{N}+I_
{\pi})}{64M^4_N},\\&&I_{N}\equiv\int\frac{d^3\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\frac
{\bm{l}^2}{E_{\pi;l}^4}=I_4(\bm{0}),\quad{I}_{\pi}\equiv\int\frac{d
^3\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\frac{m^4_\pi+4m^2_\pi\bm{l}^2-4M^2_NE^2_{\pi;l}
}{E_{\pi;l}^{5}},\end{eqnarray} with $I_N$ and $I_\pi$ denoting the outcomes
from the low-lying nucleon and pion poles, respectively. From
Eqs.(\ref{I40def},\ref{I40},\ref{I2+-},\ref{NR}), we could find
that, $I_4(\bm{0})$ actually comes from the following nonlocal term
in $I_{2+-}$:\begin{eqnarray}\frac{1}{64\pi^2M^2_N}\times\frac{(2-6\varrho)
\arctan\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}{\varrho\sqrt{4\varrho-1}}=\frac{1}{16M^3_
N}\left\{-\frac{3m_\pi}{8\pi}\left[1+o\left(\varrho^{-\frac{1}{2}}
\right)\right]\right\}.\end{eqnarray} Here, it is transparent that the linear
divergence in $I_4(\bm{0})$ is an artefact generated in the
non-relativistic treatment of a definite (nonlocal) term in
relativistic formulation, justifying our choice for its value in
Sec. 3.2. In the meantime, the following terms are automatically
discarded:\begin{eqnarray}\delta{I}_{2+-}=I_{2+-}-\left.I_{2+-}\right|_{NR}=
\frac{i}{4(4\pi)^2}\frac{1}{M^2_N}\left\{\left[\Gamma(\epsilon)-
\ell_{N}\right]\left(1-\varrho^{-1}\right)+2+2\varrho^{-1}+o\left(
\varrho^{-\frac{3}{2}}\right)\right\},\end{eqnarray} which are just the
outcomes of the nucleon poles at $E_N\pm M_N$ integrated over the
high region and some relativistic corrections. Collecting all such
'discarded' terms for $T^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})$, we
have\begin{eqnarray}\check{\Delta}T^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})=-\frac
{g^4_A}{128\pi^2f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)\left\{
\left(\Gamma(\epsilon)-\ell_{N}\right)\left(M^2_N-4m^2_\pi\right)
+3M^2_N+o\left(\varrho^{-1}M^2_N\right)\right\},\end{eqnarray} which obviously
includes the first term '$\alpha_NM^2_N$' of $T^{(\texttt{\tiny
pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})$, fulfilling our earlier statement about its
disposition. The above derivation makes it very clear that the
disposal of the large (local) terms of nucleon mass squared is
nothing but an inherent part of the operation for entering
non-relativistic regime, an interesting fact lending itself to
understanding the proposal for preserving the conventional power
counting in relativistic baryon $\chi$PT\cite{Gege-Scherer}.
Therefore, in non-relativistic regime, the box diagram decomposes
into $2N$-reducible and $2N$-irreducible components as below:\begin{eqnarray}
\left.{T}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})\right|_{NR}={T}^{(
\texttt{\tiny pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})-\check{\Delta}T^{(\texttt{\tiny
pb})}(\bm{0},\bm{0})=T^{(it)}_{1\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})+V^{(\texttt
{\tiny pb})}_{2\pi}(\bm{0}),\end{eqnarray} with\begin{eqnarray}{V}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}_
{2\pi}(\bm{0})=\frac{g^4_A}{128\pi^2f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm
{\tau}_2)m^2_\pi\left\{4-\frac{15}{4}\left[\Gamma(\epsilon)+1-\ell_
\pi\right]\right\}\end{eqnarray} being the (bare) $2N$-irreducible component:
part of the TPE potential\cite{kaiser,EM_RP503} as the crossed box
diagram is not included here. Obviously, ${V}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}
_{2\pi}(\bm{0})$ is the outcome of the pion pole while $T^{(it)}_{1
\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})$ is the outcome of the low-lying nucleon pole.
The divergence in $V^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}_{2\pi}$ is now
proportional to $m^2_\pi$ and could be subtracted using the
following chiral counterterms\begin{eqnarray}\delta{V}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}_{2
\pi}(\bm{0})=\frac{15g^4_A}{512\pi^2f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm
{\tau}_2)m^2_\pi\left[\Gamma(\epsilon)+1-\ell_\pi\right].\end{eqnarray}
Now we arrive at the finite contributions to the pionless coupling
$C_0$ from the planar box diagram that also decompose into two
components\begin{eqnarray}&&{C}^{(it)}_0+{C}^{(it)}_{0\tau}\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{
\tau}_2\equiv{T}^{(it)}_{1\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})=\frac{3g^4_AM_Nm_\pi}
{128\pi f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2),\\&&C^{(irr)}_0+C^
{(irr)}_{0\tau}\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2\equiv{V}^{(\texttt{\tiny
pb})}_{2\pi;R}(\bm{0})=\frac{g^4_Am^2_\pi}{32\pi^2f^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{
\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2),\end{eqnarray} with the ratio\footnote{The
prescription dependence of ${V}^{(\texttt{\tiny pb})}_{2\pi;R}$
should not affect this ratio materially.}\begin{eqnarray}\frac{C^{(it)}_0}{C^{
(irr)}_0}=\frac{3\pi}{4}\varrho^{\frac{1}{2}}=\frac{3\pi M_N}{4m_
\pi}\approx16.0324\gg1\end{eqnarray} demonstrates clearly the dominance of the
$2N$-reducible component within planar box diagram. In relativistic
formulation, there would be small relativistic corrections that will
not alter this dominance. The crossed box diagram contains no
contribution to $C_0$ except a $2N$-irreducible piece that belongs
to TPE\cite{EM_RP503}.
Here, some remarks are in order: (1) The dominant ingredient of the
coupling $C_0$ in pionless EFT actually comes as from a definite and
hence nonlocal item in the box diagram in relativistic form of
pionfull theory. The non-relativistic decomposition procedure could
at most bring about some sub-leading 'corrections'. The same might
also happen to higher pionless couplings. (2) Through 'interactive'
use of non-relativistic (lower) and relativistic (higher) theories,
we also identified the rationale for discarding 'offensively' large
terms present in the relativistic formulation by exploiting their
virtues. Recently, the virtue that relativistic formulation embodies
less UV divergences has also been exploited in Ref\cite{EG1207},
resulting in a modified Weinberg approach for nuclear forces where
former pathologies could be removed or diminished. (3) Therefore,
the following strategy is adopted in our derivations: a) In
relativistic form, we separate out and discard the high region
contributions to stay in non-relativistic regime\footnote{Discarding
such contributions and this high region entirely is in fact applying
a 'projection' operation to the relativistic formulation to single
out non-relativistic components for further treatment, not the
standard renormalization that leaves quite some ambiguities.}, the
rest will be chiral divergences ($2N$-irreducible diagrams) that
could be subtracted using counterterms of chiral effective theory;
b) In non-relativistic form, the new (power) divergences in the
$2N$-reducible diagrams are artefact of non-relativistic truncation
and hence treated with dimensional regularization, the
$2N$-irreducible ones fulfill standard chiral perturbation
subtractions.
The various contributions to the pionless $C_{0\tau}$ are summarized
in table 1 and table 2. In table 2, we also listed the scale
extracted for the isospin-independent coupling $C^{(it)}_0$ in the
last column.
\begin{table}[t]\label{various-C_0}
\caption{Various contributions to $C_{0\tau}$ and $\Lambda_{(\not
\pi,\tau)}$}\begin{center}\begin{tabular}{c|cccc}\hline\hline\\&$
\quad\quad$OPE$\quad$&$\quad$TPE(KBW)$\quad$&$\quad$TPE(EGM)$\quad$
&$\quad$ITERATION$_\tau\quad$\\\\\hline\\$C_{0\tau}$&$\quad0$&$
\displaystyle-\frac{g^4_Am^2_\pi}{8\pi^2f^4_\pi}$&$-\displaystyle
\frac{g^4_Am^2_\pi}{12\pi^2f^4_\pi}$&$\quad-\displaystyle\frac{3g^
4_AM_Nm_\pi}{64\pi f^4_\pi}$\\&&&&\\$\Lambda_{(\not\pi,\tau)}$&$
\quad\infty$&$\displaystyle\frac{32\pi^3f^4_\pi}{g^4_AM_Nm_\pi^2}$&
$\displaystyle\frac{48\pi^3f^4_\pi}{g^4_AM_Nm_\pi^2}$&$\quad
\displaystyle\frac{256\pi^2f^4_\pi}{3g^4_AM_N^2m_\pi}$\\&&&&\\
\hline\hline\end{tabular}\end{center}\label{C0}\end{table}
\begin{table}[t]\label{various-Lambda}
\caption{Values of $\Lambda_{(\not\pi,\tau)}$ (and $\Lambda_{(\not
\pi)}$) in MeV with $(f_\pi,m_\pi,M_N)=(92.4,138,939)$ MeV.}
\begin{center}\begin{tabular}{c|cccc}\hline\hline\\$\quad{g}_A
\quad$&$\quad$TPE(KBW)$\quad$&$\quad$TPE(EGM)$\quad$&$\quad$
ITERATION$_{\tau}$$\ $&$\ $ITERATION$\quad$\\&&&&\\\hline\\1.26&
1604.65&2406.98&200.18&133.45\\&($\sim11.63m_\pi$)&($\sim17.44m_\pi
$)&($\sim1.45m_\pi$)&($\sim0.97m_\pi$)\\&&&&\\1.29&1460.51&2190.77&
182.20&121.46\\&($\sim10.58m_\pi$)&($\sim15.88m_\pi$)&($\sim1.32m_
\pi$)&($\sim0.88m_\pi$)\\&&&&\\1.32&1332.20&1998.29&166.19&110.79
\\&($\sim9.65m_\pi$)&($\sim14.48m_\pi$)&($\sim1.20m_\pi$)&($\sim0.80m_
\pi$)\\\\\hline\hline\end{tabular}\end{center}\label{scaleinC0}
\end{table}
\section{Region division, enhancement and mapping}
\subsection{General reasoning}In relativistic formulation of any
EFT, loop momentum scale extends to infinity. However, the vast
region above the upper scale of EFT, $[\Lambda_{(\texttt{\tiny
EFT})},\infty)$, is actually superfluous. For theories with light
mass scales, the vast superfluous region is of no harm. Things
become complicated when an EFT actually lives in non-relativistic
regime: Offensively large terms have to be separated out and
subtracted to stay in non-relativistic regime and intricacies arise
due to the infrared enhancement in non-relativistic regime. In the
pionfull theory for nuclear forces, the pions mass facilitates a
further division of the low region '$U_{(\pi)}$' into pionless
region '$U_{(\not\pi)}$' and its complement '$\tilde{U}_{(\pi)}$':
\begin{eqnarray}{U}_{(\pi)}={U}_{(\not\pi)}\cup\tilde{U}_{(\pi)},\quad{U}_{(
\not\pi)}\equiv\left[0,\Lambda_{(\not\pi)}\right),\quad\tilde{U}_{(
\pi)}\equiv\left[\Lambda_{(\not\pi)},\Lambda_{(\pi)}\right).\end{eqnarray}
Intricacies actually lie in $\tilde{U}_{(\pi)}$, where low-lying
nucleon poles dominate the contributions to pionless couplings and
give rise to infrared enhancement at least in planar box
diagram\footnote{Literally, as high and low regions are separated by
nucleon mass $M_N$, an extra region $\delta{U}_{low}=[\Lambda_{
(\pi)},M_N)$ is implictly included in the loop integration in
non-relativistic decomposition. We are not clear yet the roles
played by this extra region.}. Of course, it remains to see how
higher diagrams behave in this region, especially how the low-lying
nucleon poles in these diagrams contribute to pionless couplings!
Technically, the dominance of iterated OPE over TPE (and of course,
OPE) is due to the dominance of $4M_NI_N$ over $I_\pi$, which in
turn comes from the fact that the low-lying nucleon poles tend to
pinch. We also need that the contribution from the pionless region
to $I_N$ is negligible, which is guaranteed by the derivative
coupling between pion and nucleons. Thus, for the anomalous
dominance of reducible diagrams to happen, we need: (1)
non-relativistic regime to make the low-lying nucleon poles tend to
pinch; (2) derivative coupling between pion and nucleons to suppress
the contributions from pionless region so that the pionfull region
$\tilde{U}_{(\pi)}$ holds the bulk contributions, (3) clear
separation of mass scales to make the enhancement materialize, i.e.,
$\sqrt{\varrho}\gg1$. Of course, there is a gross prerequisite here:
the large relativistic components must be entirely excluded or
discarded in the first place. Otherwise, the whole theory will be
overwhelmed by the high region, which is totally unacceptable.
Unless profound changes are made to substantially invalidate the
above three features or conditions, the dominance of iterated
diagrams is doomed to happen, right within the region $\tilde{U}_{(
\pi)}$\footnote{This is also reflected by the fact that the scale
$\sqrt{M_Nm_\pi}$ from infrared enhancement is close to half of
$\Lambda_{(\pi)}$:$\sqrt{M_Nm_\pi}\sim2.61m_\pi\sim\frac{\Lambda_{
(\pi)}}{2}.$}. So, in this perspective, the real issue with the
pionfull theory for nuclear forces stems from the low region of
$\tilde{U}_{(\pi)}$, not the high region that must be separated out
and discarded. Hence, one either works entirely in nonperturbative
regime to accommodate the dominance of iterated diagrams or
profoundly alters the organization of the theory right in the region
$\tilde{U}_{(\pi)}$ to remove or reduce the infrared enhancement.
In addition, our primary analysis using once-iterated OPE diagram
seems to support the conventional power counting rules for pionless
EFT given in Sec. 2.2. Of course, we could not make conclusive
statement yet before contributions from higher diagrams are
comprehensively studied. Below, we wish to see what could happen to
the pionfull-pionless mapping in BKV prescription.
\subsection{Mapping in BKV prescription}In BKV prescription, the
higher modes are separated out from OPE using the following means
\cite{BKV}:\begin{eqnarray}{V}_{1\pi}^{(\texttt{\tiny BKV})}(\bm{q})=-\frac{g_A
^2}{4f^2_\pi}\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2\left[\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm
{q}\ \bm{\sigma}_2\cdot\bm{q}\left(\frac{1}{q^2+m^2_\pi}-\frac{1}
{q^2+\lambda_{\texttt{\tiny BKV}}^2}\right)+\frac{\lambda_{\texttt
{\tiny BKV}}^2}{q^2+\lambda_{\texttt{\tiny BKV}}^2}\right],\end{eqnarray} with
$\lambda_{\texttt{\tiny BKV}}$ (set at 750MeV) being the separation
scale. Obviously, this 'OPE' contributes to the leading coupling:
\begin{eqnarray}{C}^{(\texttt{\tiny BKV})}_{0\tau}\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2=V
^{(\texttt{\tiny BKV})}_{1\pi}(\bm{0})=-\frac{g_A^2}{4f^2_\pi}\bm{
\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2\end{eqnarray} with '$\frac{4\pi}{M_NC_{0\tau}}$' being
close to $2m_\pi$, so it will be taken as the leading contribution
to $C_{0\tau}$ from pion-exchange potential as higher order
pion-exchange (TPE, etc.) should also be sub-leading in BKV
prescription.
In the meantime, the iteration of this 'OPE' gives ($\theta\equiv
\frac{\lambda_{\texttt{\tiny BKV}}}{m_\pi}$):\begin{eqnarray}{T}^{(it;\texttt
{\tiny BKV})}_{1\pi}(\bm{0},\bm{0})&=&-\frac{g^4_AM_Nm_\pi}{16f^4_
\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)\left[I_{4;(\texttt{\tiny BKV})
}(\bm{0})+\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{\sigma}_2I_{4\bm{\sigma};(\texttt
{\tiny BKV})}(\bm{0})\right]\nonumber\\&=&-\frac{g^4_AM_Nm_\pi}{16f
^4_\pi}(3-2\bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{\tau}_2)\left\{\frac{2\theta^2-
\theta+1}{8\pi(1+\theta)}+\frac{\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{\sigma}_2
{\theta}^2}{6\pi(1+\theta)}\right\},\end{eqnarray} from which we could find
(using $\lambda_{\texttt{\tiny BKV}}=750$MeV)\begin{eqnarray}\left|\frac{C^{
(it;\texttt{\tiny BKV})}_{0\tau}}{C^{(\texttt{\tiny BKV})}_{0\tau}}
\right|=\frac{g^2_AM_Nm_\pi}{16\pi f^2_\pi}\frac{2\theta^2-\theta+1}
{(1+\theta)}\approx2.5639g^2_A,\end{eqnarray} which moves from 4.07 to 4.47 as
$g_A$ varies from 1.26 to 1.32. In this case, $I_{4;(\texttt{\tiny
BKV})}$ still mainly comes from the pionfull region as $I_{4;(
\texttt{\tiny BKV})}(<m_\pi)/I_{4;(\texttt{\tiny BKV})}\approx15.6
\%$. Excluding the pionless region, the above ratio becomes
$\approx2.1632g^2_A,$ which moves from 3.43 to 3.77 as $g_A$ varies
from 1.26 to 1.32. In any case, the dominance of the iterated OPE or
$2N$-reducible diagram still happens, leading again to anomalous
mapping between pionfull and pionless theories. This is because that
derivative $\pi N$ coupling in BKV 'OPE' still controls the low or
pionfull region $U_{(\pi)}$, as the modification here is mainly
introduced to tame the UV behavior of OPE in triplet channels. That
means, the three conditions for dominance of iterated diagrams still
hold.
Here, we note in passing that the scaling of the dominant
contribution to pionless $C_0$ in BKV is approximately $C^{(it;
\texttt{\tiny BKV})}_{0\tau}\sim\frac{4\pi}{M_N\Lambda_{(\not\pi;
\texttt{\tiny BKV})}}$ with $\Lambda_{(\not\pi;\texttt{\tiny BKV})
}\approx\frac{1}{2}m_\pi$, quite a distance from the KSW scaling
$C_{0}\sim\frac{4\pi}{M_NQ}$ with $Q\sim35$MeV, thus the KSW scaling
for pionless EFT is not quite realized yet in the once-iterated
'OPE' of BKV prescription. Of course, further studies of higher
diagrams are needed for a conclusive judgement.
\subsection{Emergence of large scattering lengths}Our foregoing
derivation clearly demonstrated that the pionless coupling $C_0$
essentially comes from a definite item that assumes contributions
from the region $[\Lambda_{(\not\pi)},\Lambda_{(\pi)})$ in the
(underlying) pionfull theory. Therefore, loop integrations in
pionless EFT only make sense over the pionless region $[0,\Lambda_{
(\not\pi)})$ as contributions from $[\Lambda_{(\not\pi)},\Lambda_
{(\pi)})$ have been collected into the pionless couplings. In this
perspective, the pionless integrals would become definite items in
the (underlying) pionfull theory that collect contributions from the
pionless region $[0,\Lambda_{(\not\pi)})$ only. For example, in
${T}_0=\frac{C_0}{1-C_0I_{0;(\not\pi)}}$ generated by the pionless
$C_0$, the pionless integral$${I}_{0;(\not\pi)}\equiv\int\frac{d^3
\bm{l}}{(2\pi)^3}\frac{1}{E-{\bm{l}^2}/{M_N}+i\epsilon}=-J_0-i\frac
{M_Np}{4\pi}\quad\left(p\equiv\sqrt{M_NE}\right)$$ should collect
contributions from the region $[0,\Lambda_{(\not\pi)})$ in a
well-defined manner in pionfull theory, hence $J_0\sim\frac{M_N}
{4\pi}\Lambda_{(\not\pi)}$. Then large scattering lengths in $S$
waves would 'naturally' emerge provided $C_0\sim-\frac{4\pi}{M_N}
\Lambda^{-1}_{(\not\pi)}$:$$\frac{1}{a}=\Re\left[-\frac{4\pi}{M_NT_
0}\right]_{p=0}=-\frac{4\pi}{M_N}\left(\frac{1}{C_0}+J_0\right)=\pm
o\left(\epsilon^\sigma\Lambda_{(\not\pi)}\right),\ \left(\sigma\geq
1,\ \epsilon\sim4^{-1}\right)$$ which is true even after higher
couplings are included\cite{PRC71,epl85,epl94,5537}. That is, the
large scattering lengths arise from the 'cancelation' between
$C^{-1}_0$ and $J_0$ that are effective measures of certain
intrinsic properties of the pionfull theory. Hence, it is intriguing
to extract the pionless parameters like $J_0$ from pionfull theory
as we did for pionless couplings, i.e., to calculate $J_0$ from
mapping perspective. We will pursue such studies in future. The
above perspective for couplings and loop integrations in an EFT with
an upper scale should be generally true in EFT descriptions of many
systems and useful for renormalization in various EFT contexts.
\section{Prospective studies and summary} So far we have just
performed some primary analysis about the pionfull effective theory
in mapping perspective. Obviously, there are a lot more works to be
done in the future. (1) Generically, pionless couplings without
derivatives take the following form: $C_{0}+C_{0\tau}\bm{\tau}_1
\cdot\bm{\tau}_2+C_{0\sigma}\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{\sigma}_2+C_{0
\sigma\tau}\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot\bm{\sigma}_2\ \bm{\tau}_1\cdot\bm{
\tau}_2$ or $\tilde{C}_{0}+\tilde{C}_{0\sigma}\bm{\sigma}_1\cdot
\bm{\sigma}_2$ after using Fierz transformation. Firm conclusions
about the values of these constants could only be drawn after higher
loop diagrams are comprehensively studied. The same is true for the
rest contact couplings with derivatives. Moreover, it is also
interesting to study the extraction of the parameters like $J_0$ and
all that appear in pionless integrals from pion-exchange diagrams.
From such studies, we could learn more about the pionfull effective
theory for nuclear forces and pin down the scenario for pionless
theory as a byproduct. (2) It remains to see if the strategy for
renormalization suggested here that spares us from twisting the
chiral power counting rules could work out at higher orders and/or
in nonperturbative regime. In other words, it is interesting to see
if the observation that power divergences in non-relativistic
formulation are merely artefact from non-relativistic treatment
could be developed into a set of working rules in future for doing
calculations in non-relativistic regime in massive systems. In
particular, it would be interesting to see how this observation and
the mapping perspective could be applied to $3$N or multi-body
nuclear forces. (3) Enhancement in pion-exchange diagrams has
recently been exploited to study $N\bar{N}$ systems near production
threshold in Refs.\cite{JPMa} with an effective field theory similar
to that for $NN$ system being developed and employed there. It will
be interesting to explore the detailed mechanism in such effective
theories and related systems to gain further insights into pionfull
effective theories.
As far as OPE is concerned, the infrared enhancement inherent in the
iterated OPE diagrams is the main driving force for working in
nonperturbative regimes. It is also the driving force for developing
approaches that incorporate this enhancement to certain extent in
various manners. For example, infrared enhancement is at least
partially incorporated into the low-momentum effective potentials
constructed by integrating out modes above the scale $\Lambda
\approx2.1$fm$^{-1}$\cite{low-k V}, as this benchmark scale sits
right in the middle of the pionfull range $\tilde{U}_{(\pi)}$:
$\frac{m_\pi+\Lambda_{(\pi)}}{2}\approx3m_\pi\approx2.1$fm$^{-1}$,
it is also close to the enhancement scale $\sqrt{M_Nm_\pi}\approx
1.8$fm$^{-1}$. In this connection, it is interesting to see how the
enhancement is alleviated or affected through introducing other
degrees like dibaryons\cite{soto-dibaryon}. We will consider this
else where. Furthermore, if one wish to remove the infrared enhanced
items from iterated OPE, then: (1) The contact couplings in pionfull
theory must be promoted up to absorb such enhanced items; (2) The
iteration diagrams must be accordingly modified to avoid double
counting. Endeavors in this direction might lead us to a
'perturbative' approach that is similar to KSW's somehow. In short,
it is worthwhile to take an alternative look at the important issue
of pion-exchange potential in nonperturbative regime. For continuing
efforts being invested in the two popular choices mentioned in the
beginning, see, e.g.,\cite{LongYang,ZME}. Aside from what we
discussed above, there might be other sources of intricacy in
pionfull effective theory, to name one, the nature of sigma meson
\cite{return-sigma} and its couplings to pions and nucleons may also
play some unknown roles in the pionfull effective theory for nuclear
forces. In a sense, the intricacy met so far may imply that there
are still sophisticated structures of hadronic dynamics to be
uncovered besides the celebrated chiral effective field theory based
on chiral symmetry realized nonlinearly.
In summary, we performed a primary analysis of the mapping between
pionfull and pionless effective field theories for nuclear forces
through interactive use of non-relativistic and relativistic
formulations. The dominant contribution to the pionless coupling
$C_0$ is provided by the $2N$-reducible component of the planar box
diagram which becomes a definite item in relativistic formulation,
not from the $2N$-irreducible component. This anomalous mapping is
due to the enhancement generated by the low-lying nucleons poles and
also happens in the BKV modification of OPE. As a byproduct, a
simple strategy for renormalizing the pionfull theory surfaced from
our combined analysis in relativistic and non-relativistic
formulations. Prospective studies are addressed and related issues
discussed.
\section*{Acknowledgement}The author wishes to express his deep
gratitude to X.-Y. Li (ITP, CAS), F. Wang (Nanjing U), Y. Jia (IHEP,
CAS), H.-Y. Jin and G.-H. Zhu (Zhejiang U) for their encouragements
and supports. Helpful conversations with Dr. C. Wu (SINAP, CAS) on
related issues are also happily acknowledged. This work is supported
in part by the Ministry of Education of China.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 3,647 |
\section{First Section}
\subsection{A Subsection Sample}
Please note that the first paragraph of a section or subsection is
not indented. The first paragraph that follows a table, figure,
equation etc. does not need an indent, either.
Subsequent paragraphs, however, are indented.
\subsubsection{Sample Heading (Third Level)} Only two levels of
headings should be numbered. Lower level headings remain unnumbered;
they are formatted as run-in headings.
\paragraph{Sample Heading (Fourth Level)}
The contribution should contain no more than four levels of
headings. Table~\ref{tab1} gives a summary of all heading levels.
\begin{table}
\caption{Table captions should be placed above the
tables.}\label{tab1}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|}
\hline
Heading level & Example & Font size and style\\
\hline
Title (centered) & {\Large\bfseries Lecture Notes} & 14 point, bold\\
1st-level heading & {\large\bfseries 1 Introduction} & 12 point, bold\\
2nd-level heading & {\bfseries 2.1 Printing Area} & 10 point, bold\\
3rd-level heading & {\bfseries Run-in Heading in Bold.} Text follows & 10 point, bold\\
4th-level heading & {\itshape Lowest Level Heading.} Text follows & 10 point, italic\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\noindent Displayed equations are centered and set on a separate
line.
\begin{equation}
x + y = z
\end{equation}
Please try to avoid rasterized images for line-art diagrams and
schemas. Whenever possible, use vector graphics instead (see
Fig.~\ref{fig1}).
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{fig1.eps}
\caption{A figure caption is always placed below the illustration.
Please note that short captions are centered, while long ones are
justified by the macro package automatically.} \label{fig1}
\end{figure}
\begin{theorem}
This is a sample theorem. The run-in heading is set in bold, while
the following text appears in italics. Definitions, lemmas,
propositions, and corollaries are styled the same way.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Proofs, examples, and remarks have the initial word in italics,
while the following text appears in normal font.
\end{proof}
For citations of references, we prefer the use of square brackets
and consecutive numbers. Citations using labels or the author/year
convention are also acceptable. The following bibliography provides
a sample reference list with entries for journal
articles~\cite{ref_article1}, an LNCS chapter~\cite{ref_lncs1}, a
book~\cite{ref_book1}, proceedings without editors~\cite{ref_proc1},
and a homepage~\cite{ref_url1}. Multiple citations are grouped
\cite{ref_article1,ref_lncs1,ref_book1},
\cite{ref_article1,ref_book1,ref_proc1,ref_url1}.
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:introduction}
\input{introduction}
\section{Regular Relations for Infinite Strings}
\label{sec:wnsst}
\input{wnsst}
\section{MSO-Definable Regular Model Checking}
\label{sec:dec}
\input{decision}
\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 4cm, >= stealth]
\node[state,initial] (1) {$s_0$};
\node[state,accepting] (2)[right of = 1] {$s_1$};
\node[state,accepting] (3)[right of = 2] {$s_2$};
\path[->] (1) edge node[above] {$1 \begin{cases} x := \varepsilon\\ y
:= 0 \\z = 1 \end{cases}$} (2);
\path[->] (2) edge[loop above] node[above] {$1 \begin{cases} x:=x1
\\ y:= y0 \\z=z \end{cases}$} (2);
\path[->] (2) edge node[above] {$0 \begin{cases} x := xy1 \\
y:= \varepsilon \\ z=z \end{cases}$} (3);
\path[->] (3) edge[loop above] node {$0 \begin{cases} x := x0\\
y:= \varepsilon \\ z=z \end{cases}$} (3);
\end{tikzpicture}
\caption{An $\tn{$\omega$-SST}{}$ squaring a number with binary expansion of the form $1^n0^\omega$. The output at $s_1$ and $s_2$ is $x$. Notice that this function can not be expressed as a \tn{GSM}{}.}
\label{fig:sst-square}
\vspace{-2em}
\end{figure}
\section{Conclusion}
\input{conclusion}
\bibliographystyle{llncs/splncs04}
\subsection{MSO Definable Relations}
\label{subsec:transducers}
Strings may be viewed as ordered structures encoded over the signature $\S_A = \{(a)_{a \in A}, <\}$ and interpreted with respect to $A^*$ or $A^\omega$.
The domain of a string in this context refers to the set of valid positions in the string, and the relation $<$ in $\S_A$ ranges over this domain.
The expression $a(x)$ holds true if the symbol at position $x$ is $a$, and $x < y$ holds if $x$ is a lesser index than $y$.
Formulae in \tn{MSO}{} over $\S_A$ are defined relative to a
countable set of first-order variables $x, y, z, \ldots$ that range over individual
elements of the domain and a countable set of second-order variables $X, Y,
Z, \ldots$ that range over subsets of the domain.
The syntax for well-formed formulae is given as:
\begin{equation*}
\label{eq:mso-syntax}
\phi ::= \exists X.\ \phi \mid \exists x.\ \phi \mid \phi \wedge \phi \mid \phi \vee \phi \mid \neg \phi \mid a(x) \mid x < y \mid x \in X
\end{equation*}
\tn{MSO}{} transducers are particular specifications in this logic that define transformations between strings.
Intuitively, each such transducer copies each input string some fixed number of times and treats the positions in each copy as nodes in a graph, which are then relabeled and and rearranged in accordance with the formulae of the transducer to produce an output.
\begin{definition}
A deterministic \tn{MSO}{} $\omega$-string{} transducer (\tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{}) is a tuple
\begin{equation*}
\left( A, B, \mathsf{dom}, N, (\phi^n_b(x))^{n \in N}_{b \in B}, (\psi^{n,m}(x,y))^{n,m \in N} \right),
\end{equation*}
where $A$ and $B$ are input and output alphabets, $N = \set{1,\ldots,n}$ is a set of copy indices, $\mathsf{dom}$ is an \tn{MSO}{} sentence that defines an input language, the \emph{node formulae} $\left( \phi^n_b(x) \right)^{n \in N}_{b \in B}$ specify the labels of positions in the output, and the \emph{edge formulae} $(\psi^{n,m}(x,y))^{n,m \in N}$ specify which positions in the output will be adjacent.
\end{definition}
A \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{} operates over $N$ disjoint copies of the string graph of an input.
Each formula $\phi^n_b$ has a single free variable and should be interpreted such that if a position satisfies $\phi^n_b$, then that position will be
labeled by the symbol $b$ in the $n^{th}$ disjoint string graph comprising
the output.
Each formula $\psi^{(n, m)}$ has two free variables and a satisfying pair of
indices indicates that there is a link between the former index in copy $n$ and
the latter index in copy $m$.
Nondeterminism is introduced through additional set variables $X_1, \dots, X_k$ called \emph{parameters}.
Fixing a valuation---sets of positions of the input graph satisfying the domain formula---of these parameters determines an output graph, just as in the deterministic case.
Each possible valuation may result in a different output graph for the same input graph, and thus nondeterminism arises from the choice of valuation.
\begin{definition}
A nondeterministic \tn{MSO}{} $\omega$-string{} transducer (\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{}) with $k$ free set variables $\vec{X}_k = (X_1,\ldots,X_k)$ is given as a tuple
\begin{equation*}
\left( A, B, \mathsf{dom}(\vec{X}_k), N, (\phi^n_b(x, \vec{X}_k))^{n \in N}_{b \in B}, (\psi^{n,m}(x, y, \vec{X}_k))^{n,m \in N} \right),
\end{equation*}
where all formulae are parameterized by the free second-order variables in addition to the required first-order parameters.
\end{definition}
A relation between strings is a \emph{regular relation} if it is definable by a \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{}.
Since \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{}s can map each input to at most one output, the relations definable by \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{}s are called the \emph{regular functions}.
\begin{example}
\label{ex:msot}
We now describe a \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} capturing the relation given in \Cref{ex:first}.
Set $A = \set{a,b,\#} = B$, $N = \set{1, 2}$, and consider a single parameter $\vec{X}_1 = \set{X_1}$.
The domain of the relation is simply $A^\omega$, so we omit the formula.
For all symbols $\beta \in B$ and copy indices $n \in N$, the node formulae labels each position with the same symbol as the corresponding position in the input string: $\phi^n_\beta(x, X_1) \rmdef \beta(x)$.
In the interest of space, we defer formal specifications of the edge formulae to the appendix (cf. \Cref{sec:examples}) and describe the edge formulae informally.
The formula for edges from copy 1 to copy 1 connects adjacent non-$\#$ positions that belong to $X_1$ in the reverse order.
The formula for edges from copy 1 to copy 2 connects non-$\#$ positions to themselves when the predecessor position is not in $X_1$.
The formula for edges from copy 2 to copy 2 links the right-most sequence of positions in $X_1$ that preceed a $\#$ symbol and also connect all those positions coming after the final $\#$ if required.
Finally, the formula for edges from copy 2 to copy 1 links $\#$ symbols to the last position in $X_1$ occurring left of the subsequent $\#$.
Two possible outputs from the relation of \Cref{ex:first} are displayed in \Cref{fig:mso} which shows how the above \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} constructs an output string for two different valuations of $X_1$.
A 1 in the blue (resp. green) row signifies that the position at that column is an element of $X_1$, while a 0 indicates that it is not an element of $X_1$.
\end{example}
\begin{figure}[t]
\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{%
\centering
\tikzstyle{trans}=[-latex, rounded corners]
\begin{tikzpicture}[->,>=stealth',shorten >=1pt,auto,node distance=2cm,thick]
\node (B) {$a$} ;
\node at (2,0) (B0) {$b$} ;
\node at (4,0) (B1) {$b$} ;
\node at (6,0) (B2) {$b$} ;
\node at (8,0) (B3) {$\#$} ;
\node at (10,0) (B4) {$b$} ;
\node at (12,0) (B5) {$a$} ;
\node at (14,0) (B6) {$\#$} ;
\node at (16,0) (B7) {$a^\omega$} ;
\draw[trans] (B) -- (B0);
\draw[trans] (B0) -- (B1);
\draw[trans] (B1) -- (B2);
\draw[trans] (B2) -- (B3);
\draw[trans] (B3) -- (B4);
\draw[trans] (B4) -- (B5);
\draw[trans] (B5) -- (B6);
\draw[trans] (B6) -- (B7);
\node at (0, -1) (C) {$a$} ;
\node at (2,-1) (C0) {$b$} ;
\node at (4,-1) (C1) {$b$} ;
\node at (6,-1) (C2) {$b$} ;
\node at (8,-1) (C3) {$\#$} ;
\node at (10,-1) (C4) {$b$} ;
\node at (12,-1) (C5) {$a$} ;
\node at (14,-1) (C6) {$\#$} ;
\node at (16,-1) (C7) {$a^\omega$} ;
\draw[trans,color=blue] (C1) -- (C0);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (C2) -- (C1);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (C5) -- (C4);
\node at (0, -2) (D) {$a$} ;
\node at (2,-2) (D0) {$b$} ;
\node at (4,-2) (D1) {$b$} ;
\node at (6,-2) (D2) {$b$} ;
\node at (8,-2) (D3) {$\#$} ;
\node at (10,-2) (D4) {$b$} ;
\node at (12,-2) (D5) {$a$} ;
\node at (14,-2) (D6) {$\#$} ;
\node at (16,-2) (D7) {$a^\omega$} ;
\draw[trans,color=blue] (C0) -- (D0);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (D0) -- (D1);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (D1) -- (D2);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (D2) -- (D3);
\path[->] (D3) edge[trans,color=blue, bend right] (C5);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (C4) -- (D4);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (D4) -- (D5);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (D5) -- (D6);
\draw[trans,color=blue] (D6) -- (D7);
\path[->] (C2) edge[trans,color=black!25!green, bend right] (C1);
\draw[trans,color=black!25!green] (C1) -- (D1);
\path[->] (D1) edge[trans,color=black!25!green, bend right] (D2);
\path[->] (D2) edge[trans,color=black!25!green, bend right] (D3);
\path[->] (D3) edge[trans,color=black!25!green, bend left] (C5);
\path[->] (C5) edge[trans,color=black!25!green] (D5);
\path[->] (D5) edge[trans,color=black!25!green, bend right] (D6);
\path[->] (D6) edge[trans,color=black!25!green, bend right] (D7);
{\color{blue} \node at (0, -3) (E) {0} ;
\node at (2,-3) (E0) {1} ;
\node at (4,-3) (E1) {1} ;
\node at (6,-3) (E2) {1} ;
\node at (8,-3) (E3) {0} ;
\node at (10,-3) (E4) {1} ;
\node at (12,-3) (E5) {1} ;
\node at (14,-3) (E6) {0} ;
\node at (16,-3) (E7) {} ;}
{\color{black!25!green} \node at (0, -4) (F) {0} ;
\node at (2,-4) (F0) {0} ;
\node at (4,-4) (F1) {1} ;
\node at (6,-4) (F2) {1} ;
\node at (8,-4) (F3) {0} ;
\node at (10,-4) (F4) {0} ;
\node at (12,-4) (F5) {1} ;
\node at (14,-4) (F6) {0} ;
\node at (16,-4) (F7) {} ;}
\end{tikzpicture}
}
\vspace{-2em}
\caption{Two possible outputs of the relation given in \Cref{ex:first} constructed according ot the \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} from \Cref{ex:msot}.}
\label{fig:mso}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Nondeterministic Streaming String Transducers}
\label{subsec:wnsst}
\begin{definition}
A nondeterministic streaming string transducer $T$ over $\omega$-string{}s (\tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}) is a tuple $(A, B, S, I, \mathsf{Acc}, \Delta, f, X, U)$, where
\begin{itemize}
\item $A$ and $B$ are finite input and output alphabets,
\item $S$ is a finite set of states,
\item $I \subseteq Q$ is a set of initial states,
\item $\mathsf{Acc}$ is an acceptance condition,
\item $X$ is a finite set of string variables,
\item $U$ is a finite set of variable update functions of type $X \to (X \cup B)^*$,
\item $\Delta$ is a transition function of type $(S \times A) \to 2^{U \times S}$, and
\item $f \in X$ is an append-only output variable.
\end{itemize}
Such a machine is deterministic (a \tn{$\omega$-DSST}{}) if $|\Delta(s,a)| = 1$, for all states $s \in S$ and symbols $a \in A$, and $|I| = 1$; it is nondeterministic otherwise.
\end{definition}
On each transition $s_k \xrightarrow[u_k]{a_k} s_{k+1}$, the transducer
changes state and applies the update $u_k$ to each variable of $X$ in
parallel.
An \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} is \emph{copyless} if every variable in $X$ occurs at most once in the image $\im{u}$ of every update $u \in U$.
Alternately stated, an update $u \in U$ is copyless if the string $u(x_0)u(x_1) \ldots u(x_{n-1})$ has at most one occurrence of each $x \in X$, and an \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} is copyless if all of its updates are copyless.
A run of an \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} on an infinite string $a_1a_2\cdots \in A^\omega$ is an infinite sequence of states and
transitions $s_0 \xrightarrow[u_0]{a_0}
s_1 \xrightarrow[u_1]{a_1} \ldots$ where $s_0 \in I$ and $(s_{k+1}, u_k) \in \Delta(s_k, a_k)$ for all $k \in \mathbb{N}$.
Let $\runs{T}{w}$ be the set of all runs in $T$, given input $w$.
An update function $u : X \to (X \cup B)^*$ can easily be extended to $\widehat{u} : (X \cup B)^* \to (X \cup B)^*$ such that $\widehat{u}(w) \rmdef{} \varepsilon$ if $w = \varepsilon$, $\widehat{u}(w) \rmdef{} b\widehat{u}(w')$ if $w = bw'$, and $u(x)\widehat{u}(w')$ if $w = xw'$.
The effect of two updates $u_1, u_2 \in U$ in sequence can be \emph{summarized} by the function composition $\widehat{u}_1 \circ \widehat{u}_2$; likewise a sequence of updates of arbitrary length would be summarized by $\widehat{u}_0 \circ \widehat{u}_1 \circ \ldots \circ \widehat{u}_{n-1}$.
For notational convenience, we often omit the hats when the extension is clear from context.
Notice that if all updates in a sequence of compositions are copyless, then so is the entire summary.
A valuation is a function $X \to B^*$ mapping each variable to a string
value.
The initial valuation $\val{\varepsilon}$ of all variables is the empty
string $\varepsilon$.
A valuation is well-defined after any finite prefix $r_n$ of a run $r$ and is computed as a composition of updates occurring on this prefix: $\val{r_n} = \val{\epsilon} \circ u_0 \circ u_1 \circ \cdots \circ u_{n-1}$.
The output $T(r) \rmdef \lim_{n \to \infty} \val{r_n}(f)$ of $T$ on $r$
is well-defined only if $r$ is accepted by $T$.
Since the output variable $f$ is only ever appended to and never prepended, this limit exists and is an $\omega$-string{} whenever $r$ is accepted, otherwise we set $T(r) = \bot$.
The relation $\inter{T}$ realized by an \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} $T$ is given by $\inter{T} \rmdef \set{(w, T(r)) : r \in \runs{T}{w}}$.
An \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} $T$ is \emph{functional} if for every $w$ the set $\set{w' : (w,w') \in \inter{T}}$ has cardinality at most 1.
We consider both B\"uchi and Muller acceptance conditions for \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}s and reference these classes of machines by the initialisms \nbt{} and \nmt{} (\tn{DBT}{} and \dmt{} for their deterministic versions), respectively.
For a run $r \in \runs{T}{w}$, let $\Inf{r} \subseteq S$ denote the set of states visited infinitely often.
\begin{enumerate}
\item A \emph{B\"uchi acceptance condition} is given by a set of states $F \subseteq S$ and is interpreted such that a \nbt{} is defined on an input $w \in A^\omega$ if there exists a run $r \in \runs{T}{w}$ for which $\Inf{r} \cap F \neq \emptyset$.
\item A \emph{Muller acceptance condition} is given as a set of sets $\mathbb{F} = \set{F_0,\ldots,F_n} \subseteq 2^S$, interpreted such that a \nmt{} is defined on input $w \in A^\omega$ if there exists a run $r \in \runs{T}{w}$ for which $\Inf{r} \in \mathbb{F}$.
\end{enumerate}
\begin{proposition}
\label{thm:BMequal}
A relation is \nbt{} definable if, and only if, it is \nmt{} definable.
\end{proposition}
The equivalence of \nbt{} and \nmt{} -definable relations follows from a straightforward application of the equivalence of nondeterministic B\"uchi automata and nondeterministic Muller automata.
Equivalence of these acceptance conditions in transducers allows us to switch between them whenever convenient.
\begin{remark} \label{remark:output}
Observe that \dmt{}s and functional \nmt{}s, both of which were introduced in~\cite{AlurFiliotTrivedi12}, have a slightly different output mechanism, which is defined as a function $\Omega : 2^S \rightharpoonup X^*$ such that the output string $\Omega(S')$ is copyless and of the form $x_1 \dots x_n$, for all $S' \subseteq S$ for which $\Omega(S') \neq \bot$.
Furthermore, there is the condition that if $s, s' \in S'$ and $a \in A$ s.t. $(u,s') \in \Delta(s, a)$, then
(1) $u(x_k) = x_k$ for all $k < n$ and
(2) $u(x_n) = x_n w$ for some $w \in (X \cup B)^*$.
In contrast, our definition has a unique append-only output variable $f \in X$.
However, our model with the Muller acceptance is as expressive as that studied in~\cite{AlurFiliotTrivedi12}.
One can use nondeterminism to guess a position in the input after which states in a Muller accepting set $S'$ will be visited infinitely often.
The output function can be defined by guessing a Muller set, and keeping an extra variable for the output.
Upon making the guess, it will move the contents of $x_1 \ldots x_n$ to the variable $f$ and make a transition to a copy $T_{S'}$ of the transducer where $\mathsf{Acc} = \set{S'}$.
If any state outside the set $S'$ is visited, or the variables $x_1\ldots,x_{n-1}$ are updated, or the variable $f$ is assigned in non-appending fashion, then $T_{S'}$ makes a transition to a rejecting sink state. Alur, Filiot, and Trivedi~\cite{AlurFiliotTrivedi12} showed the equivalence of functional \nmt{} with \dmt{}.
This implies that the transductions definable using {\it functional} \nmt{}s or {\it functional} \nbt{}s (in our definition) are precisely those definable by \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{}.
\end{remark}
\section{Equivalence of \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} and \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}}
\label{sec:mso_nsst_eq}
Alur and Deshmukh \cite{AlurDeshmukh11} showed that relations over finite strings definable by nondeterministic \tn{MSO}{} transducers coincide with those definable by nondeterministic streaming string transducers.
We generalize this result by proving that a relation is definable by an \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} if, and only if, it is definable by an \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}.
We provide symmetric arguments to connect \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}, \tn{$\omega$-DSST}{} and \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{}, \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{}, resulting in a simple proof.
Our arguments use the concept of a relabeling relation, following Engelfriet and Hoogeboom \cite{EngelfrietHoogeboom01}.
A relation $\rho \subseteq A^\omega \times B^\omega$ is a \emph{relabeling}, if there exists another relation $\rho' \subseteq A \times B$ such that $(aw, bv) \in \rho$ iff $(a,b) \in \rho'$ and $(w,v) \in \rho$.
In other words, $\rho$ is obtained by lifting the letter-to-letter relation $\rho'$, in a straight-forward manner, to $\omega$-string{}s. Let
$\mathsf{Let}(\rho)$ denote the letter to letter relation $\rho' \subseteq A \times B $ corresponding to $\rho$
and let \tn{RL}{} be the set of all such relabelings.
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm:mso_nsst_eq}
$\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} = \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}$.
\end{theorem}
The proof of \Cref{thm:mso_nsst_eq} proceeds in two stages.
In the first part (\Cref{lemma:nsst-relab}), we show that every \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} is equivalent to the composition of a nondeterministic relabeling and a \tn{$\omega$-DSST}{}.
In the second part (\Cref{lemma:msot-relab}), we show that every \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} is equivalent to the composition of a nondeterministic relabeling and a \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{}.
These two lemmas, in conjunction with the equivalence of \dmt{}s and functional \nmt{}s~\cite{AlurFiliotTrivedi12}, allow us to equate these two models of transformation via a simple assignment.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lemma:nsst-relab}
$\tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} = \tn{$\omega$-DSST}{} \circ \tn{RL}{}$
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
We first show $\tn{$\omega$-DSST}{} \circ \tn{RL}{} \subseteq \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}$ by proving that for every \dmt{} $T \rmdef (B,C,S,I,\mathbb{F},\Delta,f,X,U)$ and nondeterministic relabeling $\rho \subseteq A^\omega \times B^\omega$, there is a \nmt{} $T' \rmdef (A,C,S,I,\mathbb{F},\Delta_\rho,f,X,U)$ such that $\sem{T'} = \sem{T} \circ \rho$.
As indicated by the tuple given to specify $T'$, the only distinct components between the two machines are their input alphabets and their transition functions $\Delta$ and $\Delta_\rho$.
The latter is given as $\Delta_\rho \rmdef{} (s, a) \mapsto \bigcup\limits_{(a, b) \in \mathsf{Let}(\rho)} \Delta(s, b)$.
The nondeterminism of $\rho$ is therefore captured in $\Delta_\rho$.
This results in a unique run through $T'$, for every possible relabeling of inputs for $T$.
Since the remaining pieces of $T$ are untouched in the process of constructing $T'$, it is clear that $\sem{T'} = \sem{T} \circ \rho$.
What remains to be shown is the inclusion $\tn{$\omega$-NSST}{} \subseteq \tn{$\omega$-DSST}{} \circ \tn{RL}{}$: for any \nmt{} $T \rmdef (A,B,S,I,\mathbb{F},\Delta,f,X,U)$, there exists a \dmt{} $T'$ and a nondeterministic relabeling $\rho$ such that $\sem{T} = \sem{T'} \circ \rho$.
From $T$, we can construct a nondeterministic, letter-to-letter relation $\rho' \subseteq A \times (U \times S)$ as follows:
$\rho' \rmdef{} \set{(a,(u,s')) : (u,s') \in \Delta(s,a)}$.
Now let $\rho \subseteq A^\omega \times (U \times S)^\omega$ be the extension of $\rho'$ as described previously.
The relation $\rho$ contains the set of all possible runs through $T$ for any possible input in $A^\omega$.
Next, we construct a \dmt{} $T' \rmdef (U \times S,B,S,I,\mathbb{F},\Delta_\rho,f,X,U)$ with transition function $\Delta_\rho \rmdef (s,(u,s')) \mapsto \set{(u,s') \::\: (u,s') \in \Delta(s,a) \text{ for some } a\in A}$.
Consequently, $T'$ retains only the pairs in $\rho$ which correspond to valid runs $T$ and encodes them as $\omega$-string{}s over the alphabet $S \times U$.
The \dmt{} $T'$ then simply follows the instructions encoded in its input and thereby simulates only legitimate runs through $T$.
Thus, we may conclude that $\sem{T} = \sem{T'} \circ \rho$.
\qed
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}
\label{lemma:msot-relab}
$\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} = \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT} \circ \tn{RL}{}$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
We begin by showing the inclusion $\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} \subseteq \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT} \circ \tn{RL}{}$: for any \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} $T$, there exists an \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{} $T'$ and a relabeling $\rho$ such that $\inter{T} = \inter{T'} \circ \rho$.
Nondeterministic choice in $T$ is determined by the choice of assignment to free variables in $\vec{X}_k$.
Alternatively, the job of facilitating nondeterminism can be placed upon a relabeling relation, thereby allowing us to remove the parameter variables.
Define a letter-to-letter relation $\rho' \subseteq A \times (A \times \set{0,1}^k)$ as follows: $\rho' \rmdef \set{(a, (a,b)) : b \in \set{0,1}^k}$, and let the relabeling $\rho \subseteq A^\omega \times (A \times \set{0,1}^k)^\omega$ be its extension.
This relabeling essentially gives us a new alphabet such that each symbol from $A$ is tagged with encodings of its membership status for each set parameter from $\vec{X}_k$.
Now, we can construct an \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{} $T'$ that is identical to $T$, apart from two distinctions.
Firstly, $T'$ is deterministic (i.e. it has no free set variables), and every occurrence of a subformula $x \in X_i$ in $T$ is replaced by a subformula $\bigvee\limits_{\substack{b \in \set{0,1}^k \wedge b[i] = 1}} (a, b)(x)$ in $T'$.
As a result of this encoding, the equality $\inter{T} = \inter{T'} \circ \rho$ holds.
The converse inclusion, $\tn{$\omega$-DMSOT} \circ \tn{RL} \subseteq \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}$, is much simpler.
Every relabeling $\rho$ in \tn{RL}{} is \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} definable: consider $\rho' = \mathsf{Let}(\rho) \subseteq A \times B$.
The $\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}$ specifying $\rho$ is similar to identity/copy, except that here we have that the output label is $b$ iff the input label is $a$ and $(a, b) \in \rho'$.
This can be implemented using second-order variables $X_{b}$ for all $b \in B$.
Let $\vec{X}_B$ represent this set.
Only a single copy is required to produce the output.
Node formulae are given by $\phi^1_b(x,\vec{X}_B) \rmdef \bigvee\limits_{a \in A} \bigvee\limits_{(a, b) \in \rho'} (a(x) \wedge x \in X_b)$, and the edge formulae by $\psi^{1,1}(x, y,\vec{X}_B) \rmdef x < y$.
It is known that $\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{}$ are closed under composition~\cite{CourcelleEngelfriet12}.
Thus, we conclude that any composition of a nondeterministic relabeling and a \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{} is definable by a \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} and that $\tn{$\omega$-MSOT} \circ \tn{RL} \subseteq \tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}$.
\qed
\end{proof}
In conjunction \Cref{lemma:nsst-relab,lemma:msot-relab} along with the results of \cite{AlurFiliotTrivedi12} allow us to write the following equation, thereby proving \Cref{thm:mso_nsst_eq}.
\begin{equation*}
\tn{$\omega$-NMSOT}{} = \tn{$\omega$-DMSOT}{} \circ \tn{RL}{} = \dmt{} \circ \tn{RL}{} = \nmt{} = \tn{$\omega$-NSST}{}
\end{equation*}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 4,715 |
package org.spongepowered.common.map.decoration.orientation;
import org.spongepowered.api.map.decoration.orientation.MapDecorationOrientation;
public class SpongeMapDecorationOrientation implements MapDecorationOrientation {
private final int orientationNumber;
public SpongeMapDecorationOrientation(final int orientationNumber) {
this.orientationNumber = orientationNumber;
}
public int getOrientationNumber() {
return this.orientationNumber;
}
}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 3,459 |
World Sport Chicago is excited to host the fourth annual Valor Games Midwest this August 20-22nd for injured, ill and wounded veterans and active duty service members!
The Valor Games Midwest serves as a regional, introductory competition that provides an opportunity for athletes to compete in field, cycling, rowing, archery and powerlifting. The goal of the event is to bring together veterans and service members of all eras in the spirit of friendly competition and to encourage veterans with disabilities to get involved in adaptive sport programs in their home communities.
Throughout the country, there are countless opportunities for people with physical disabilities to get involved in adaptive sport. This is especially true for veterans with disabilities, as it is a great way to heal physically and emotionally.
These organizations engage veterans with amputation/limb loss, PTSD, spinal cord injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairments and other physical disabilities to improve their lives through sport. Whether it is skiing, cycling, rowing or archery, sport participation can improve self-confidence, foster friendships, increase personal motivation and build a sense of community/team.
Since its creation in 2011, the Valor Games has expanded to locations throughout the country, including California (Valor Games Far West), Texas (Valor Games Southwest) and North Carolina (Valor Games Southeast). These events are critical to recruiting and engaging veterans with disabilities as well as bringing awareness to adaptive sports. We look forward to connecting with even more veterans, active duty service members and veteran sport programs in 2014!
Applications to compete in the Valor Games Midwest 2014 are now being accepted! Qualifying athletes may apply here. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 9,733 |
Home > Politics > Politics > 201902
Election 2008 r/o
Campaign For 2020 Begins — Ofosu Ampofo
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has said the overwhelming endorsement of former President John Dramani Mahama at the party's presidential primary is a reflection of the view of many Ghanaians that he needs to come back to power to rescue the country from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
Speaking moments after the declaration of Mr. Mahama as the winner of the primary with 95.23 percent, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo declared that the campaign for 2020 had begun and that the party would not relent until the expected victory was achieved.
"The 95 plus percent is a reflection of the will and wishes of the entirety of the Ghanaian people calling for the return of the NDC and the return of John Dramani Mahama.
"The journey to the Flagstaff House begins now, there is no turning back until January 7, 2021, when the new President (Mr Mahama) is sworn in", he said.
Mr Mahama garnered an overwhelming 213,487 votes, representing 95.23 percent of the 224,184 total valid votes cast to beat six other presidential aspirants who managed an aggregate of 4.77 percent of the votes.
Prof. Joshua Alabi, who came second, garnered 3,404 votes, representing 1.52 percent, with the third position going to Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, who had 2,301 votes, representing 1.03 percent.
Mr Goosie Tanoh, who came fourth, secured 2,091 votes, accounting for 0.93 percent, while Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah had 1,447 votes, representing 0.65 percent, to come fifth, with Mr. Sylvester Mensah getting 934 votes, representing 0.42 percent.
Alhaji Nurideen Iddrisu took the seventh position with 520 votes, representing 0.23 percent of the votes.
Unflinching support
Sounding philosophical to prove the worth of former President Mahama, Mr Ofosu Ampofo "said sometimes gold will have go to through the crucibles for it to refine and show its shine and how precious it is".
He has spoken with all the six aspirants and they had called to congratulate Mr Mahama and pledged to work together in unity to win the 2020 election.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo urged members of the party to close their ranks and unite their forces to realise the objective of winning the 2020 election.
He assured former President Mahama that the party was building strong winning machinery for the election.
"It is going to be strong from the branches to the constituencies, to the regions and the national level. We will work with you in the trenches to ensure that we win the 2020 election", he said.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo said it was about time for the NDC to change its slogan to: NPP, One Term; Nana Akufo-Addo, One Term, and Mr Mahama, he is coming back.
Touching on the legacy of Mr Mahama, Mr Ofosu Ampofo said former President Mahama put up a lot of infrastructure during his tenure.
He accused the government of leaving several of the unfinished projects, such roads to go bad.
"Several projects started under his tenure have been left under the vagaries of the weather. Two years of administration and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nothing to show Ghanaians in terms of infrastructure", he said.
Source: Graphic.com
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"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
} | 3,207 |
Le haut-commissariat du Canada en Australie est la représentation diplomatique du Canada en Australie et dans quelques autres pays du Pacifique. Ses bureaux sont situés sur l'avenue du Commonwealth, dans la capitale australienne Canberra.
Mission
Ce haut-commissariat est responsable, en ce qui concerne le Canada, des relations entre l'Australie et le Canada et offre des services aux Canadiens en sol australien. Sa mission s'étend aussi à plusieurs petits pays du Pacifique : la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, les Îles Marshall, les Îles Salomon, les Palaos, la Micronésie, le Vanuatu et Nauru.
Le Consulat général du Canada à Sydney, de son côté, offre des services pour les États de la Nouvelle-Galles du Sud, du Queensland et du Territoire du Nord.
Histoire
Les relations diplomatiques entre le Canada et l'Australie, sans l'intermédiaire du Royaume-Uni, sont établies en 1939 après la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Le haut-commissariat est inauguré le en présence du premier ministre australien Robert Menzies. Les locaux sont agrandis en 1994.
Hauts-commissaires
Voir aussi
Articles connexes
Relations entre l'Australie et le Canada
Représentations diplomatiques du Canada
Liens externes
Site officiel du haut-commissariat du Canada en Australie
Références
Australie | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 592 |
\section{Introduction}
A non-negligible number of Galactic globular clusters (GGCs) have shown
extended stellar structures around them \citep{carballobelloetal2012}.
For instance, an extended stellar halo surrounding the distant NGC\,5694 was discovered
by \citet{correntietal2011}, while an unprecedented extra-tidal, azimuthally smooth,
halo-like diffuse spatial extension of NGC\,1851 was found by \citet{olszewskietal2009}. \citet{p17c} also found a similar feature around 47\,Tuc. Other GGCs were found to be embedded in a diffuse stellar envelope extending to a radial distance
of at least five time the nominal tidal radius, like M\,2 \citep{kuzmaetal2016}; and
long tidal tails have been detected in the field of Pal\,5
\citep{odenetal2003}, Pal\,14 \citep{sollimaetal2011}, Pal\,15 \citep{myeongetal2017},
and NGC\,7492 \citep{naverreteetal2017}.
As far as theoretical developments are considered, some N-body experiments have shown
that the detection of extended envelopes around GGCs could be due to potential escapers
\citep{kupperetal2010} or potential observational biases
\citep{bg2017}, among others.
As far as NGC\,288 is considered, \citet{leonetal2000} used photographic photometry to claim that the cluster
has very important tidal tails extending up to 350 pc from its centre.
They noticed that NGC\,288 had been previously observed by \citet{grillmairetal1995},
who found tidal extensions on a field 200$\arcmin$$\times$200$\arcmin$
smaller than theirs, but with the same spatial resolution (16$\arcmin$).
\citet{leonetal2000} showed that their wavelet decomposition clearly reveals some wide structures missed by \citet{grillmairetal1995}, especially towards the south.
Particularly, they highlighted two main tidal tails, one running from
the cluster centre towards the south-east \citep[parallel to the cluster
proper motion vector, PA $\approx$ 51$\degr$;][]{dinescuetal1997} and another
one towards the Galactic centre (PA $\approx$ 140$\degr$). They also mentioned that
the photometric error at $B$ $\sim$ 20.0 mag is $\sigma$($B$) $\sim$ 0.2 mag
and that Abell galaxy clusters affect their surface densities built using a
{\it Gaussian} kernel of 16 arcmin, which is similar to the size of the cluster tidal radius
\citep{trageretal1993,grillmairetal1995,harris1996,miocchietal13}.
Later, \citet{grillmairetal2004} speculated on the existence of a long tidal tail of
8.5$\degr$ from the cluster centre towards the north-west -- that
\citet{leonetal2000} did not detect -- beside its counterpart tail of 8.5$\degr$ to the south-east.
They used 2MASS data that barely reaches the horizontal
branch of the cluster. According to \cite{go1997} and \citet{dinescuetal1999},
NGC\,288 has experienced disruption by tidal shocks more important than
by internal relaxation and evaporation, so that tidal tails should be
expected as debris from those interactions with the Milky Way (MW). Multiple tidal tails
from the interaction with the MW potential have also been recently predicted
from numerical simulations \citep{hk2015}, while \citet{bg2017} have pointed out that
NGC\,288 is one of the GGCs with the optimal detectability conditions
of tidal tails, namely, a low remaining mass fraction $\mu$ -which is a
measure of its stage of dissolution -, and a high orbital phase $\phi$. \citet{dinescuetal1999} listed other seven GGCs
with similar dynamical histories as NGC\,288, Pal\,5 being the only one with confirmed
long tidal tails \citep{odenetal2001,odenetal2003,erkaletal2017}. The other six clusters
do not show any observational
hints for such an structure \citep{chch2010}.
In this paper we show from deep wide-field photometry that NGC\,288
exhibits a single extra-tidal cumply structure, as commonly seen in other GGCs
\citep[e.g.][]{grillmairetal1995,chch2010,p17c}, no evidence of long tails is
detected. Section\,2 deals with the description of the database used, while
Sections 3 and 4 focus on independent approaches to produce the cluster stellar
density radial profile and a stellar density map of its outskirts. In Section 5
we discuss the outcomes to the light of previous results and pose further studies
that will be possible the address from upcoming releases of ongoing surveys. Finally,
Section 6 summaries the main conclusions of this work.
\section{Observational data}
In order to clearly identify and trace tidal tails in the field of NGC\,288,
we need to cover homogeneously a large sky area centred on the cluster with
deep photometry. For this purpose, we made use of the public
astrometric and photometric catalogue produced by
the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid response System
\citep[Pan-STARRS PS1\footnote{The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys (PS1) and the PS1 public
science archive have been made possible through contributions by the Institute for
Astronomy, the University of Hawaii, the Pan-STARRS Project Office, the Max-Planck
Society and its participating institutes, the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy,
Heidelberg and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching,
The Johns Hopkins University, Durham University, the University of Edinburgh,
the Queen's University Belfast, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Incorporated, the National
Central University of Taiwan, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX08AR22G issued through the
Planetary Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, the National
Science Foundation Grant No. AST-1238877, the University of Maryland, Eotvos Lorand
University (ELTE), the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation.}
;][]{chambersetal2016}. We downloaded positions (R.A. and Dec.) and $gr$ PSF
photometry for 316984 stars distributed in a box of 4$\degr$$\times$4$\degr$ centred
on NGC\,288. Aiming at illustrating this wealth of information,
Fig.~\ref{fig:fig1} depicts the intrinsic colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) of the inner
cluster region ($r$ $<$ 5 arcmin (12.9 pc)) and that of a same area star field located $\sim$ 1.5
degree towards the north-east. To derive intrinsic magnitudes $g_o$ and colours
$(g-r)_o$ we corrected the Pan-STARRS PS1 $gr$ magnitudes by interstellar
absorption using the $E(B-V)$ values of each individual star obtained from
\citet{sf11}, which is the recalibrated Milky Way (MW) extinction map of
\citet{schlegeletal1998}. The average colour excess for the whole surveyed field is
$E(B-V)$ = 0.014$\pm$0.001 mag. This means that the sky area used in this analysis
is affected by a low colour excess with no sign of differential reddening.
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig1}
\caption{Colour-magnitude diagrams of stars in the field of NGC\,288 ($r$ $<$
5; left panel) and in a same area MW field located $\sim$ 1.5 degree towards to
north-east (right panel). Errorbars are included at the left margin of each
panel (blue lines). The region used
to perform star counts is overplotted with a red contour line.}
\label{fig:fig1}
\end{figure}
\section{Star counts}
To trace the cluster stellar density radial profile and to build the stellar density map
of the analysed region, we considered stars along a strip of the
cluster main sequence (MS), from its main sequence turnoff (MSTO) down to 2 mags,
as is depicted with red lines in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig1}. It expands $g_o$
magnitudes and $(g-r)_o$ colours in the range (18.7,20.7) and (0.15,0.52), respectively.
Notice that the strip was traced using stars within 5 arcmin (12.9 pc) of the NGC\,288's
centre, where more of them are probably cluster members. This assumption
is particularly supported by the fact that the same region in the CMD for
any MW field located well beyond the cluster body does not seem to
contain so many stars (see Fig.~\ref{fig:fig1}).
The selected stars, because of their smaller masses, can be found far away
from the cluster main body
\citep[][and references therein]{carballobelloetal2012}, and have been used
previously for searching extra-tidal structures in different GGCs
\citep[see, e.g.][]{olszewskietal2009,sahaetal2010,p17c}. We decided to go as
deep as to be within 100 per cent of the photometry completeness; the
50 per cent photometry completeness being at $g$=$r$= 23.2 mag, determined with
PSF photometry of stellar
sources in the stacked images (Farrow et al., in preparation).
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig2}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig4}
\caption{Left: Observed (black) and background subtracted (magenta) stellar
density radial and profiles (open circles) with their respective errorbars. The
horizontal lines represent
the mean background level and its dispersion, while the curved black
and orange lines are the \citet{king62}'s and \citet{plummer11}'s models,
respectively, with $r_c$, $r_h$ and $r_t$ taken from \citet{miocchietal13}.
The dashed line represents a power law $\propto$ $r^{-2}$.
To convert angular to linear distances we used a cluster distance of 8.9 kpc
\citep{harris1996}. Right: same profiles as a function of the P.A. for
stars located closer and farther than 120 pc (0.8$\degr$) from the cluster centre.
}
\label{fig:fig2}
\end{figure*}
\begin{table}
\caption{Positions and covered areas of control fields. }
\label{tab:table1}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lccc}\hline
Method & Relative R.A.cos(Dec.) & Relative Dec. & size \\
& (deg) & (deg) & (deg$^2$) \\\hline
Star & -2.0 to 2.0 & 1.5 to 2.0 & 4.0$\times$0.5\\
counts & -2.0 to -1.5 & -2.0 to 1.5 & 0.5$\times$3.5\\\hline
& -1.75 & 1.75 & 0.5$\times$0.5 \\
CMD & 1.75 & 1.75 & 0.5$\times$0.5 \\
cleaning & 1.75 & -1.75 & 0.5$\times$0.5 \\
& -1.75 & -1.75 & 0.5$\times$0.5 \\\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
To count stars distributed throughout the surveyed region and within the
defined MS strip,
we first split the total analysed field in small adjacent boxes of
0.10$\degr$$\times$0.10$\degr$ that covered the entire area. Then, we counted
the number of MS strip stars inside them and computed the mean stellar
density as a function of radius by averaging the star counts in every box
placed within rings centred on the cluster of radius $r$ and $r$+$\Delta$($r$).
Thus, we also estimated an uncertainty in stellar counts due to stellar
fluctuations in each ring. We repeated this exercise with boxes of increasing
size in steps of 0.01$\degr$ per side, up to 0.20$\degr$$\times$0.20$\degr$.
On the other hand, we also considered that a star can fall outside the MS
strip because of its photometric errors (see errorbars in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig1}),
and thus change the total number
of stars within the MS strip. Notice that this is not an issue of
incompleteness in the photometry, since we decided to used stars brighter that the
magnitude at the 100
per cent of photometry completeness.
We then averaged all the generated individual stellar density radial profiles, and the
resultant one is depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig2} (left panel) with black open circles.
We have considered outer cluster regions
where the Pan-STARRS PS1 data set is at a 100 per cent completeness level.
The background level was estimated using a relatively large area embracing the
surveyed one (see Table~\ref{tab:table1}) from which we computed the mean and standard deviation values.
The resultant dispersion takes into account spatial variation of MW field stars
distribution in the MS strip. As can be seen in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig2} the MW field
is quite uniform at that high Galactic latitude (b=-89.38$\degr$), as judged by the small
separation of the dotted horizontal lines to the solid line which
represent the dispersion and mean values, respectively.
We then subtracted such a MW background level from the observed radial profile
to derive that of NGC\,288, which we overplotted with magenta symbols. Here, the
errorbars come from considering in quadrature the MW field stellar density
dispersion and that of the observed radial profile. For comparison purposes
we superimposed the \citet{king62}'s and \citet{plummer11}'s models
with black and orange curves, respectively, using core ($r_c$), half-light ($r_h$)
and tidal ($r_t$) radii derived by \citet{miocchietal13}. An \citet{eff87}'s model
with the above $r_c$ value and $\gamma$ = 3.9 agrees pretty well with
that of \citet{plummer11}. As can be seen, NGC\,288
contains a population of extra-tidal stars reaching $\sim$ 3.5 times its tidal radius.
At this point, it is not possible the assess whether that extra-tidal structure
reveals the existence of tidal tails. Indeed, some GGCs with a break in the radial
density profiles -- like the one observed in Fig~\ref{fig:fig2} (left panel) --
present tidal tails \citep[e.g., Eridanus and Pal\,15;][]{myeongetal2017}, while others
do not \citep[e.g., NGC\,1261 and NGC\,7089;][]{kuzmaetal2016,kuzmaetal2017}. In
order to address this issue, we investigated
whether the resultant stellar density radial profile may vary with the
orientation from the cluster centre. For that purpose, we repeated the above analysis distinguishing different position angles (PAs). We used angular sections of 45$\degr$ and performed two
star counts, one for stars closer than 120 pc (0.8$\degr$) from the cluster centre,
and another for stars farther than that distance. We obtained the results shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig2} (right panel). As can be seen, while the upper panel shows a variable stellar density as a function of the P.A., the lower panel suggests that
the excess detected above the \citet{plummer11}'s profile (see left panel of Fig.~\ref{fig:fig2})
is related to an excess of stars located towards the east of NGC\,288
(central P.A. $\sim$ 90$\degr$).
In the case of existing tidal tails, symmetrically collimated structures
should have been detected well beyond the cluster body, which are not seen in
the figure.
\section{CMD cleaning}
Because we aim at disentangling very faint stellar structures in the
surrounding region of NGC\,288, the intrinsic stellar density map
of the cluster must be built on the basis of cluster members distributed
over the surveyed region. Fortunately,
the cluster is located at a high Galactic latitude (b=-89.38$\degr$)
where variation of the MW field are mostly negligible (see Section 3).
In order to decontaminate the analysed area from the actual number of
MW field stars at any particular position, we decided to clean the MS strip
by statistically subtracting the MW stars that fall in that CMD region and that are
located far from the cluster region, but not too far as to lose the
local distribution in stellar density, magnitude and colour of MW stars.
Notice that this approach is different from that based on a spatial
filter analysis, and is advantageous because we dealt with intrinsic
cluster CMD feaures \citep{olszewskietal2009,p17c}.
The reference MW fields were chosen to be located to the north, east, south
and west from the cluster, at a distance of 2.5 degree and with areas of
0.5$\degr$$\times$0.5$\degr$ each (see Table~\ref{tab:table1}). From these regions, we built four CMDs
and generated a sample of boxes ($g_o$,$(g-r)_o$) centred on each MW field
star, with sizes ($\Delta$$(g)$,$\Delta$$(g-r)$) defined in such a way that
one of their corners coincides with the closest MW field star in that CMD.
This procedure to map the MW field CMD was developed by \citet{pb12} and
successfully used elsewhere \citep[see, e.g,][]{p17b,p17c,petal2017}. It has the
advantage of accurately reproducing the reference star field in terms of
stellar density, luminosity function and colour distribution.
Each of these four generated CMD box samples were superimposed to the
CMDs of regions of 0.5$\degr$$\times$0.5$\degr$ distributed throughout the
studied area around NGC\,288 and subtracted from them one star per box; that
closest to the box centre. The resultant cleaned CMD contains mainly
cluster members, although some negligible amount of interlopers can be expected.
Since we repeated this procedure four times, with reference MW fields
strategically distributed, we could assign photometric
cluster membership by counting the number of times a star kept unsubtracted. Thus,
stars subtracted three times have photometric membership probabilities $P$ = 25\%,
and mainly represent field populations projected on the cluster area;
those subtracted two times, $P$ = 50\%, which could
indistinguishably belong to the field or to the cluster; those subtracted once, $P$ = 75\%,
i.e., stars that are predominantly found in the cluster rather than in the star field population, and
those kept unsubtracted, $P$ = 100\%. We generated
stellar density maps of cluster members with $P$ = 25\%, 50\%, 75\% and
100\%, respectively.
Such density maps are depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig3}.
Notice that stars with a statistical low probability of being cluster members ($P$ = 25\%)
do not trace any extended stellar structure around the cluster as that
clearly visible in the $P$ = 100\% panel. There are small group of stars spread throughout the
entire field.
Particularly, an stellar excess located at (Relative R.A., Relative Dec.) $\approx$
(1.5$\degr$, 0.5$\degr$) -- most clearly seen in the $P$ = 50\% panel --
agrees with the excess observed in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig2}, namely, a stellar overdensity
that contributes to the extended cluster stellar radial profile at distances larger than
120 pc from the cluster centre (67.5$\degr$ $\le$ P.A. $\le$ 112.5$\degr$,
centred at P.A. = 90$\degr$).
We smoothed the star distribution with a $\sigma$=3.6$\arcmin$ Gausian kernel,
much smaller than the 16 arcmin of spatial resolution used by
\citet{leonetal2000}.
The resultant density map for $P$ = 100\% illustrates how the cluster
density diminishes with increasing
distances from its centre, and that a clumpy pattern with different mean densities
are seen
around it. It is in excellent agreement with the independent results found
of Section 3, i.e., NGC\,288 simply contains an extra-tidal structure;
no long tidal tails oriented in the direction of the orbital motion
(see proper motion vector in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig3})
as those claimed by \citet{leonetal2000} and \citet{grillmairetal2004}
could be uncovered. However, \citet{montuorietal2007}
and \citet{klimentowskietal2009} have argued from N-body simulations that tidal tails
near a cluster mainly point in the direction of the Galaxy centre (GC). For the sake of the
reader Fig.~\ref{fig:fig3} also illustrates the direction towards the GC. Seemingly,
it is not straightforward to link such a direction with the stellar excesses.
Nevertheless, some farther, few
isolated small structures could be related to the cluster, if we considered stars with
lower photometric membership probabilities.
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{fig3}
\caption{Stellar density maps with stars within different photometric
membership probability ranges, as indicated at the top-left margin of each
panel. The colourbars give the number of stars/deg$^2$. In order to highlight
the outer cluster regions, we cut off stars located inside $r_t$. The
arrows represent the cluster absolute proper motion vector \citep[pm;][]{dinescuetal1999,leonetal2000}
and that towards the Galactic centre (GC).
}
\label{fig:fig3}
\end{figure*}
\section{analysis and discussion}
Our both independent approaches lead to conclude that NGC\,288 is not a
tidally limited GGC, but one with an extended structure that reaches
$\sim$ 3.5 times its tidal radius \citep{miocchietal13} and
$\sim$ 2.5 times its Jacobi radius \citep[$r_J$ = 81.5 pc][]{baumgardtetal2010}. This could
suggest that the cluster MS stars located in the outermost regions are
experiencing, in some way, gravitational effects due to the MW potential.
Tidal tails as those
claimed by \citet[][hereafter L00]{leonetal2000} and
\citet[][hereafter G04]{grillmairetal2004} have not been
detected in this study.
In order to find some explanation for the present negative outcome we
revisited the photographic CMD used by L00 (see their Figure 4).
That figure barely reaches tenth of magnitudes below the cluster MSTO, with clear
sign of photometry incompleteness (the darken the Hess diagram the more
numerous the observed cluster star population along the cluster MS).
The error quoted by L00 at $B$ $\sim$ 20.0 mag is Pan-STARRS PS1 data set$\sigma$($B$) $\sim$ 0.2 mag,
which is nearly
seven times larger than that in the Pan-STARRS PS1 data set used in the
present work. On the other hand, L00 mentioned a not satisfactory background
subtraction, with residuals of Abell galaxies that mimic cluster stellar
excesses beyond the cluster main body. We think that these three main
factors affected the final stellar density radial profile and stellar density map
built by L00, and that the astrometric and photometric data set used here
largely supersedes that previous photographic work. An additional difference
between L00 and the present results is the derived slope $\alpha$ for a
power law $\propto$ $r^{-\alpha}$
of the stellar density as a function of the distance to the cluster centre.
While L00 obtained a value of 1.18, we derived $\alpha$ = 2 (see dashed
line in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig2}). Our value is in between those found in GGCs
with extended halo-like structures, e.g., NGC\,1851 and 47\,Tuc
\citep[][$\alpha$ = 1.24]{olszewskietal2009,p17c} and the abrupt fall
of the $r^{-4}$ law suggested by \citet{penarrubiaetal2017}
as a prediction of expected stellar envelopes of GGCs embedded in dark mini-haloes.
G04's results are also hard to reproduce, namely, the existence of two main tidal tails
of $\sim$ 8.5$\degr$ long that arise from the cluster centre towards to the north-west
and south-east, respectively. One of both main tails have not been detected by L00, nor
any of them in this work either. By revisiting the near-IR CMD used by G04 to claim such
a detection (see their Figure 1), we realized that that 2MASS photometry does not
reach the cluster MSTO, and that the CMD is largely more
contaminated by MW field stars than its counterpart in the optical regime
(see Fig.~\ref{fig:fig1}). Moreover, the cluster red giant and horizontal branches are
so far no visible in that $J$ versus $J-K$ CMD. Therefore, we are not aware of what
CMD cluster features were traced by G04. All in all, both L00's photographic photometry and
the Pan-STARRS PS1 data sets supersede that of 2MASS. Notice that GGCs with evidence of tidal
tails show a symmetric density pattern
\citep[see, e.g.,][]{odenetal2001,belokurovetal2006,noetal2010,sollimaetal2011,balbinotetal2011,erkaletal2017,naverreteetal2017,myeongetal2017},
not distinguished in Fig.~\ref{fig:fig3}, either.
Our observational evidence about the extended structure of NGC\,288 does not seem to be fully
in the line of those argued from a theoretical point of view
\citep{go1997,dinescuetal1999,bg2017}, in the sense that disruption by tidal shocks were more
important than internal relaxation and evaporation. \citet{dinescuetal1999} listed
eight GGCs (NGC\,288, 5139, 6121, 6144, 6362, 6712, 6769 and Pal\,5) with similar dynamics
supporting the existence of tidal tails; only Pal\, 5 having been confirmed. According to
recent works, NGC\,5139 \citep{fetal2015}, NGC\,6121 \citep{wvdm2017}, NGC\,4166, 6362, 6712 and 6779
\citep{chch2010} do not show evidence of tidal tails. NGC\,288, studied here, must now be included
in this list, since the present outcomes suggest that Galactic tidal interaction has been a relatively
inefficient process for stripping stars off the cluster.
At this point it would be interesting to derive accurate GGC proper
motions, for instance, from the next Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2) and to compute again their orbital motions and,
on the other hand, to derive stellar radial profiles in an homogeneous scale. Thus, it would be possible to
search for any relationship between extended structural features and orbital motions as to infer
whether GGC masses, or the number of passages near the Galactic centre, or any other orbital
parameter (e.g., eccentricity, inclination), or their birthplaces have to deal with the structural
features seen far away the clusters' centres.
\section{Conclusions}
The issue about the extended structures of GGCs has fueled a renewed debate with the advent
of large photometric surveys that allow us to cover homogeneously wider areas and
analysed them from deep photometry. GGCs show a wide
variety of extended structures, from those having no signature for such a feature
to those with long tidal tails, passing through those exhibiting extra-tidal stellar
populations more or less extended, azimuthally distributed or as clumpy features.
Up-to-date, there is not a clear consensus for their origins and contradict results have been published for some of them.
Here we performed a sound analysis of the external region around NGC\,288, claimed by
L00 and G04 to have visible tidal tails, and supported by studies of its orbital
motion as a very good candidate to have long tidal tails. For this purpose, we
took advantage of the Pan-STARRS PS1 data set for an area of 4$\degr$$\times$4$\degr$ around the cluster.
From the cluster CMD we defined
a strip along the cluster MS where we carried out stars count in order to construct the cluster stellar density radial profile and a stellar density map.
The MW subtracted stellar density radial profile shows an extra-tidal population of cluster stars that extends up to $\sim$ 3.5 times
the cluster tidal radius. This is a moderate extended structure, since other GGCs show
evidence of such a features up to nearly more than 6 times their tidal radii (e.g., NGC\,1851,
47\,Tuc).
The stellar density map built with stars that
have photometric membership probabilities equal or higher than 50 per cent reveals a
somehow clumpy structure around the cluster with different stellar densities, in
excellent agreement with the resultant radial profile. The detected extra-tidal component
is well matched by a power law with $\alpha$ = 2. None of both independent approaches
shed light on the possibility of the existence of tidal tails.
This points to the
need of more reliable orbital motions in order to constrain whether
the number of passages near the Galactic centre, the eccentricity, the birthplaces, the masses,
among other parameters are responsible for the wide variety of extended GGC's features seen until
the present.
\section*{Acknowledgements}
We thank C. Grillmair and D. Cassetti-Dinescu for reading the manuscript and making fruitful comments,
and the referee for the thorough reading of the manuscript and
timely suggestions to improve it.
\bibliographystyle{mnras}
\input{paper.bbl}
\bsp
\label{lastpage}
\end{document}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 2,447 |
from common.math.gcd import ExtendedGCD
class ModularInverse(object):
def __init__(self, modulus):
self.modulus = modulus
def value(self, a):
x, _, gcd = ExtendedGCD().value(a, self.modulus)
if gcd != 1:
# a and the modulus have to be coprime for the modular inverse
# to exist. If they are not, just return None.
return None
return x % self.modulus | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 1,056 |
Q: Qt5 opens multiple window I recently installed qt5 and ubuntu sdk and i use 13.04 . In welcome section when i click develop,example or tutorial tabs multiple windows open up and I am unable to close it.
How do i fix this.
I checked this page but is of no use
A: This is a know (annoying) bug. Delete /home/kknd/.config/QtProject/QtCreator.ini and disable the welcome plugin in QtCreator -> About -> Plugins, and it should work.
You can also try QtCreator 2.8.1, download the package here.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
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{"url":"http:\/\/nodus.ligo.caltech.edu:8080\/40m\/page117?attach=0&sort=Subject","text":"40m QIL Cryo_Lab CTN SUS_Lab TCS_Lab OMC_Lab CRIME_Lab FEA ENG_Labs OptContFac Mariner WBEEShop\n 40m Log, Page 117 of 344 Not logged in\nID Date Author Type Category Subject\n4962\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Jul 12 11:52:54 2011 Jamie, SureshUpdateLSCLSC model updates\n\nThe LSC model has been updated:\n\n### Binary outputs to control whitening filter switching\n\nWe now take the filter state bit from the first filter bank in all RF PD I\/Q filter banks (AS55_I, REFL11_Q, etc) as the controls for the binary analog whitening switching on the RF PD I\/Q inputs. The RF_PD part was also modified to output this control bit. The bits from the individual PDs are then combined into the various words that are written to the Contec BO part.\n\n### Channel mapping updated\/fixed to reflect wiring specification\n\nYesterday Suresh posted an updated LSC wiring diagram, with correct channel assignments for the RF PD I\/Q and DC inputs.\u00a0 Upon inspection of the physical hardware we found that some of LSC the wiring was incorrect, with I\/Q channels swapped, and some of the PDs in the wrong channels.\u00a0 We went through and fixed the physical wiring to reflect the diagram.\u00a0 This almost certainly will affect the EPICS settings for some of the input channels, such as offsets and RD rotations.\u00a0 We should therefore go through all of the RF inputs and make sure everything is kosher.\n\nI also fixed all of the wiring in the LSC model to also reflect the diagram.\n\nOnce this was all done, I rebuilt and restarted the LSC model, and confirmed that the anti-whitening filter banks in the PD input filter modules were indeed switching the correct bits.\u00a0 I'll next put together a script to confirm that the LSC PD whitening is switching as it should.\n\n1214\u00a0\u00a0 Fri Jan 2 18:49:54 2009 YoichiUpdateLSCLSC modulation frequencies adjusted\nI noticed that the IFO did not lock in the MICH configuration.\nThis was because AS166Q signal was too small.\nThe demodulation phase seemed not right, i.e. the I-phase signal was larger than Q.\nI suspected that the 166MHz modulation frequency was not exactly on the MC FSR, since I just\nrecovered the number written on the Marconi after the power failure.\nI measured the optimal frequency by the method explained in elog:752.\nIt was 165981500Hz, which is pretty close to the number Rob measured in elog:952, but significantly different from\nthe label on the Marconi.\nI set the frequencies of all the MARCONIs accordingly and updated the labels.\n\nAfter this, the AS166 demodulation phase was still not good enough (the Q and I signals were about the same).\nSo I rotated the phase by 45deg. In principle, this should set the demod-phase right for DARM too. Is it correct, Rob ?\nI also adjusted the PD offsets. After those adjustments, MICH locks stably with a slightly increased gain (20 as compared to 10 before).\n8729\u00a0\u00a0 Wed Jun 19 22:38:15 2013 JenneUpdateComputer Scripts \/ ProgramsLSC normalization sqrt_mon channels added to conlog\n\nSomething has happened that all of the C1:LSC-dof_NORM_SQRT_ENABLEs are disabled, but normally some are enabled and others are not.\n\nIn the hopes that miraculously this change happened after Jamie restarted the conlog this afternoon, I checked the conlog.\u00a0 These channels, however, were not recorded.\n\nUsing the instructions on the conlog wiki page, I added the _MON channels to the conlog list.\u00a0 The one snag I hit was that the medm screen referred to in the wiki isn't usable if you open it by hand using the medm gui, since it needs to know what IFO you're at to fill in the macro expansion variables.\u00a0 To remedy this, I changed the \"FE STATUS\" button on the sitemap to \"CDS\", and added the conlog screen to the list of options.\n\nNow I see that the conlog at least knows about these channels, for future reference.\n\n9868\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Apr 28 13:18:18 2014 JenneUpdateLSCLSC offsets script modified\n\n Quote: The weird jumps at the beginning of each TRX peak are due to the triggered switching between the Thorlabs trans PD and the QPD trans PD.\u00a0 Clearly we need to work on their relative normalizations.\u00a0 There are also little jumps after each peak as the triggering sends the signal back to the Thorlabs PD.\n\nI was unhappy with the discontinuities between the Thorlabs and QPD versions of our transmitted light powers.\u00a0 I realized that in the olden days, we just used the Thorlabs PD, and we set the no-light offset in the LSC version of the TR[x,y] filter banks.\u00a0 However, now that we have brought the QPDs back, we are setting the dark offsets in the end suspension models, so that the signal chosen by the trigger already has its offset taken care of before we send it to the LSC model.\n\nAnyhow, having the offsets script try to put a value in the C1:LSC-TR[x,y]_OFFSET was giving us an extra offset and then when we did the normalizations, the numbers came out all wrong.\u00a0 So.\u00a0 I have removed the C1:LSC-TR[x,y] filter banks from the offset list, since they were made redundant.\n\nI have redone the normalizations for both arms (after running the ASS scripts).\u00a0 I checked by watching the _OUT16 versions of the Thorlabs and QPD diodes before the triggering happens, and as I put offsets into the LSC servos to change the transmitted power, the diodes both change in the same way.\u00a0 So, we'll have to see if this holds true for more than just values 0-1 the next time we lock, but hopefully it won't need changing for a while.\n\n4644\u00a0\u00a0 Thu May 5 15:33:37 2011 steveConfigurationRF SystemLSC rack\n\nNew right angle PVC front panel with SMA bulkhead connectors are in place. The connections are still lose. It is ready for Suresh to finalise his vision on it.\n\n4768\u00a0\u00a0 Fri May 27 17:52:53 2011 steveUpdateLSCLSC rack cables strain relieved & labeled\n\nLSC rack 1Y2 cables are strain relieved and labeled. Spare and\/or obsolete cables are laid out on the top of the beam tube and on the outside of the rack.\n\nThe POY 110 MHZ demodboard has a very touchy position in the VME crate. Watch out for it! It has to be fixed.\n\n4957\u00a0\u00a0 Fri Jul 8 19:50:19 2011 SureshUpdateRF SystemLSC rack channel assignment\n\n[Jamie, Suresh]\n\nWe looked at the ADC channel assignments in the LSC model and wanted to make sure that the LSC rack wiring and the LSC model are in agreement with each other.\u00a0 So the plan is to wire the rack as shown below.\u00a0 I will also post this file on svn so that we can keep it updated in case there are changes.\n\n4540\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Apr 18 17:47:41 2011 kiwamuConfigurationLSCLSC rack's ADC cabling\n\nTo understand the situation of the ADC cabling at the LSC rack I looked around the rack and the cables.\n\nThe final goal of this investigation is to have nice and noise less cables for the ADCs (i.e. non-ribbon cable)\n\nHere is just a report about the current cabling.\n\n(current configuration)\n\nAt the moment there is only one ribbon-twisted cable going from 1Y2 to 1Y3. (We are supposed to have 4 cables).\n\nAt the 1Y2 rack the cable is connected to an AA board with a 40 pin female IDC connector.\n\nAt the 1Y3 rack the cable is connected to an ADC board with a 37 pin female D-sub connector.\n\nThe ribbon cable is 28AWG with 0.05\" conductor spacing and has 25 twisted pairs (50 wires).\n\n(things to be done)\n\n- searching for a twisted-shielded cable which can nicely fits to the 40 pin IDC and 37 pin D-sub connectors.\n\n- estimating how long cable we need and getting the quote from a vendor.\n\n- designing a strain relief support\n\n6749\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Jun 4 17:14:31 2012 JenneUpdateLSCLSC recompiled several times today\n\nAs of now, the regular LSC DoF triggers work, just as they used to.\u00a0 There is a problem with the filter module triggers that I haven't figured out yet.\n\nWe can't send integers (like control words for the filter banks) through Choice blocks, since those pass doubles by default.\u00a0 I fixed that by removing the choice block, but the triggering still isn't happening properly.\n\n4818\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Jun 14 18:12:34 2011 Jamie, KiwamuUpdateLSCLSC seems to be fully recovered\n\nWe are now locking the arms reliably, with reasonable transmitted power.\u00a0 We zeroed the LSC offsets with script, since they were apparently not being reset with either the overall burt restore or the arm restore scripts.\n\nWe have lost a bit of power through the mode cleaner.\u00a0 However, we have opted not to tweak it up just yet, so that we don't have to realign to the arms.\n\n10660\u00a0\u00a0 Sat Nov 1 02:13:11 2014 KojiConfigurationLSCLSC settings\n\nI'm leaving the iFO now. It is left with the IR arm mode.\n\nI pretty much messed up LSC configurations for my DRMI locking. If one needs to recover the previous setting, use burtrestore.\nI have all records of my LSC settings, so you don't need to preserve it. (Of course we can always use the hourly snapshots\nto come back this DRMI setting)\n\n9308\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Oct 29 16:51:31 2013 JenneUpdateCDSLSC test points were used up\n\nMasayuki was concerned that some LSC channels were giving him all zeros.\u00a0 After seeing the error in the terminal window running dataviewer (it said something like 'daqd overloaded'), I checked the lsc model, and sure enough, all the test points were used.\n\nSo, I found an entry by Jamie (elog 8431) where he reminds us how to clear the test points.\u00a0 I followed the instructions, and now we're seeing real data (not digital zeros) again.\n\n2111\u00a0\u00a0 Sun Oct 18 22:05:40 2009 kiwamuUpdateLSCLSC timing issue\n\nToday I made a measurement to research the LSC timitng issue as mentioned on Oct.16th.\n\n*method\n\nI put the triangular-wave into the OMC side (OMC-LSC_DRIVER_EXT) by AWG,\n\nthen looked at the transferred same signal at the LSC side (LSC_DARM_IN1) by using tdsdata.\n\nI have compared these two signals in time domain to check whether they are the same or not.\n\nIn the ideal case it is expected that they are exactly the same.\n\n*preliminary result\n\nThe measured data are shown in attached fig.1 and 2.\n\nIn the fig.1 it looks like they are the same signal.\n\nHowever in fig.2 which is just magnified plot of fig.1, it shows a time-delay apparently between them.\n\nThe delay time is roughly ~50 micro sec.\n\nThe surprising is that the LSC signal is going beyond the OMC signal, although the OMC signal drives the LSC !!\n\nWe can say it is \"negative delay\"...\n\nAnyway we can guess that the time stamp or something is wrong.\n\n*next plan\n\nTomorrow I'm going to measure the transfer-function between them to see the delay more clearly.\n\n( And I would like to fix the delay. )\n\n2113\u00a0\u00a0 Sun Oct 18 23:02:03 2009 KojiUpdateLSCLSC timing issue\n\nYou yourself told me that tdsdata uses some downconversion from 32k to 16k!\n\nSo, how does the downconversion appears in the measurement?\nHow does the difference of the sampling rate appears in the measurement?\nIf you like to understand the delay, you have to dig into the downconversion\nissue until you get the EXACT mechanism including the filter coefficients.\n\nAND, is the transfer function the matter now?\n\nAs far as the LSC and OMC have some firm relationship, whichever this is phase delay or advance or any kind of filering,\nthis will not introduce any noise. If so, this is just OK.\n\nIn my understanding, the additional noise caused by the clock jitter is the essential problem.\nSo, did you observe any noise from the data?\n\n Quote: *preliminary result The measured data are shown in attached fig.1 and 2. In the fig.1 it looks like they are the same signal. However in fig.2 which is just magnified plot of fig.1, it shows a time-delay apparently between them. The delay time is roughly ~50 micro sec. The surprising is that the LSC signal is going beyond the OMC signal, although the OMC signal drives the LSC !! We can say it is \"negative delay\"... Anyway we can guess that the time stamp or something is wrong. \u00a0 *next plan Tomorrow I'm going to measure the transfer-function between them to see the delay more clearly. ( And I would like to fix the delay. )\n\n2122\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Oct 19 23:14:32 2009 kiwamuUpdateLSCLSC timing issue\n\nI measured the noise spectrum of LSC_DARM_IN1 and OMC-LSC_DRIVE_EXC by using DTT,\n\nwhile injecting the sin-wave into the OMC-LSC_DRIVE by AWG.\n\nThe attached are the results.\n\nNo significant differences appears between OMC and LSC in this measurement.\n\nIt means, in this measurement we can not figure out any timing noise which might be in LSC-clock.\n\nIn addition there are the noise floor, whose level does not change in each 3-figures. The level is about ~4*10^{-8} count\/sqrt[Hz]\n\n(The source of the noise floor is still under research.)\n\n6735\u00a0\u00a0 Thu May 31 23:53:00 2012 JenneUpdateLSCLSC trigger update\n\nI modified the lsc model (after Jamie finished) to use a new triggering scheme.\u00a0 It HAS NOT yet been compiled and tested, since it's way past time for us to start beatnote-ing.\u00a0 I will compile, test, debug, etc. tomorrow. Don't compile the LSC model tonight.\n\nNow we also have (assuming no bugs.....) triggering capability for the filter modules in the filter banks.\u00a0 Yay!\u00a0 Testing, etc will commence tomorrow.\n\n6829\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Jun 18 16:23:59 2012 JenneUpdateLockingLSC trigger update\n\nThe LSC triggers for the individual filter modules in a filter bank now works.\u00a0 This is handy so that boosts can come on as soon as a cavity is locked, but will turn off when the cavity unlocks.\n\nYou choose which filter modules you want to be triggered, and which ones you want to be manually controlled.\n\nExample:\u00a0 LSC-YARM\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FM4 and FM5 should always be on, but FM2 and FM3 are controlled by the trigger.\u00a0 You can set the trigger thresholds for the filter modules independently of the main DoF enable trigger thresholds.\n\n13921\u00a0\u00a0 Wed Jun 6 14:50:25 2018 gautamUpdateGeneralLSC triggering\n\nI though that the \"C1LSC_TRIG_MTRX\" MEDM screen completely controls the triggring of LSC signals. But today while trying to trigger the X-arm locking servo on AS110 instead of TRX, I found some strange behaviour. Summary of important points:\n\n1. Even though the servo was supposed to be triggered on AS110, the act of me blocking the beam on the EX table destroyed the lock. I verified the correlation between me blocking the beam and the lock being destroyed by repeating the blocking at least 10 times at different locations along the beam path (to make sure I wasn't accidentally clipping the Oplev beam for example).\n2. Investigating further, I found that me turning off the TRX signal digitally also deterministically led to the X arm lock being lost. To be clear, the TRX DC element in the trigger matrix was 0.\n3. Confirmed that TRX wasn't involved in any way in the locking servo (I was checking for normalization of the PDH error signal by the DC transmission value, but this is not done). To do this, I locked the arm, and then turned all elements corresponding to TRX in the PowNorm matrix to 0. Then I disabled the locking servo and re-enabled it, and the lock was readily re-acquired readily.\n\nAll very strange, not sure what's going on here. The simulink model diagram also didn't give me any clues. Need's further investigation.\n\n4430\u00a0\u00a0 Wed Mar 23 09:54:46 2011 steveOmnistructurePhotosLSC visitors\n\nThe 40m lab was visited by\u00a0 ~ 30 LSC members\u00a0 the end of last week.\n\n8444\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Apr 11 11:58:21 2013 JenneUpdateComputersLSC whitening c-code ready\n\nThe big hold-up with getting the LSC whitening triggering ready has been a problem with running the c-code on the front end models.\u00a0 That problem has now been solved (Thanks Alex!), so I can move forward.\n\nThe background:\n\nWe want the RFPD whitening filters to be OFF while in acquisition mode, but after we lock, we want to turn the analog whitening (and the digital compensation) ON.\u00a0 The difference between this and the other DoF and filter module triggers is that we must parse the input matrix to see which PD is being used for locking at that time.\u00a0 It is the c-code that parses this matrix that has been causing trouble.\u00a0 I have been testing this code on the c1tst.mdl, which runs on the Y-end computer.\u00a0 Every time I tried to compile and run the c1tst model, the entire Y-end computer would crash.\n\nThe solution:\n\nAlex came over to look at things with Jamie and me.\u00a0 In the 2.5 version of the RCG (which we are still using), there is an optimization flag \"-O3\" in the make file.\u00a0 This optimization, while it can make models run a little faster, has been known in the past to cause problems.\u00a0 Here at the 40m, our make files had an if-statement, so that the c1pem model would compile using the \"-O\" optimization flag instead, so clearly we had seen the problem here before, probably when Masha was here and running the neural network code on the pem model.\u00a0 In the RCG 2.6 release, all models are compiled using the \"-O\" flag.\u00a0 We tried compiling the c1tst model with this \"-O\" optimization, and the model started and the computer is just fine.\u00a0 This solved the problem.\n\nSince we are going to upgrade to RCG 2.6 in the near-ish future anyway, Alex changed our make files so that all models will now compile with the \"-O\" flagWe should monitor other models when we recompile them, to make sure none of them start running long with the different optimization.\n\nThe future:\n\nImplement LSC whitening triggering!\n\n4915\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Jun 30 00:58:19 2011 KojiSummaryLSCLSC whitening filter test\n\n[Jenne, Koji]\n\nWe have tested the LSC whitening filters. In summary, they show the transfer functions mostly as expected (15Hz zerox2, 150Hz pole x2).\nOnly CH26 (related to the slow channel \"C1:LSC-PD9_I2_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\", which has PD10I label in MEDM) showed different\nphase response. Could it be an anti aliasing filter bypassed???\n\nThe 32 transfer functions obtained will be fit and summarized by the ZPK parameters.\n\nMethod:\n\nThe CDS system was used in order to get the transfer functions\n- For this purpose, three filter modules (\"LSC-XXX_I\", \"LSC-XXX_Q\", \"LSC-XXX_DC\") were added to c1lsc\nin order to allow us to access to the unused ADC channels. Those filter modules have terminated outputs.\nThe model was built and installed. FB was restarted in order to accomodate the new channels.\n\n- Borrow a channel from ETMY UL coil output mon. Drag the cable from the ETMY rack to the LSC analog rack.\n- Use 7 BNC Ts to split the signal in to 8 SMA cables.\n- Put those 8 signals into each whitening filter module.\n\n- The excitation signal was injected to C1:SUS-ETMY_ULCOIL_EXC by AWGGUI.\n- The transfer functions were measured by DTT.\n- The excitation signal was filtered by the filter zpk([150;150],[15;15],1,\"n\")\nso that the whitened output get flat so as to ensure the S\/N of the measurement.\n\n- For the switching, we have connected the CONTEC Binary Output Test board to the BIO adapter module\nin stead of the flat cable from the BIO card. This allow us to switch the individual channels manually.\n\n- The whitening filters of 7 channels were turned on, while the last one is left turned off.\n- We believe that the transfer functions are flat and equivalent if the filters are turned off.\n- Use the \"off\" channel as the reference and measure the transfer functions of the other channels.\n- This removes the effect of the anti imaging filter at ETMY.\n\n- Once the measurement of the 7 channels are done, switch the role of the channels and take the transfer function for the remaining one channel.\n\nResult:\n\n- We found the following channel assignment\n\n\u2022 The ADC channels and the PDs. This was known and just a confirmation.\n\u2022 The ADC channels and the WF filter on MEDM (and name of the slow channel)\n\n- We found that the binary IO cable at the back of the whitening filter module for ADC CH00-CH07 were not connected properly.\nThis was because the pins of the backplane connector were bent. We fixed the pins and the connector has been properly inserted.\n\n- CH26 (related to the slow channel \"C1:LSC-PD9_I2_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\", which has PD10I label in MEDM) showed different\nphase response from the others although the amplitude response is identical.\n\nSummary of the channel assignment (THEY ARE OBSOLETE - SEPT 20, 2011)\n\nADC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Whitening Filter CH\u00a0 PD\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 name in medm\u00a0\u00a0 related slow channel name for gain --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 00\u00a0 POY11I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD1I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD1_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 01\u00a0 POY11Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD1Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD1_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 02\u00a0 POX11I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD2I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD1_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 03\u00a0 POX11Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD2Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD1_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 04\u00a0 REFL11I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD3I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-POB1_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 05\u00a0 REFL11Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD3Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-POB1_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 06\u00a0 AS11I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD4I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD2_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 07\u00a0 AS11Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD4Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD2_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 08\u00a0 AS55I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 AS55_I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD1DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 09\u00a0 AS55Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 AS55_Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD1DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 10\u00a0 REFL55I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD3_DC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-POB1DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 11\u00a0 REFL55Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD4_DC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD4DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 12\u00a0 POP55I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD5_DC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD5DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 13\u00a0 POP55Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD7_DC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD7DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 14\u00a0 REFL165I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD9_DC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD9DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 15\u00a0 REFL165Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD11_DC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD11DC_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 16\u00a0 NC (named XXX_I)\u00a0\u00a0 PD5I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD2_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 17\u00a0 NC (named XXX_Q)\u00a0\u00a0 PD5Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD2_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS\n 18\u00a0 AS165I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD6I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD3_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 19\u00a0 AS165Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD6Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-SPD3_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 20\u00a0 REFL33I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD7I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-POB2_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 21\u00a0 REFL33Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD7Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-POB2_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 22\u00a0 POP22I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD8I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD3_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 23\u00a0 POP22Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD8Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-ASPD3_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 24\u00a0 POP110I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD9I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD9_I1_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 25\u00a0 POP110Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD9Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD9_Q1_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 26\u00a0 NC (named XXX_DC)\u00a0 PD10I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD9_I2_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 27\u00a0 POPDC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD10Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD9_Q2_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 28\u00a0 POYDC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD11I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD11_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 29\u00a0 POXDC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD11Q\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD11_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 30\u00a0 REFLDC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 PD12I\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD12_I_WhiteGain. VAL NMS 31\u00a0 ASDC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ASDC\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C1:LSC-PD12_Q_WhiteGain. VAL NMS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n4577\u00a0\u00a0 Wed Apr 27 21:19:25 2011 kiwamuUpdateLSCLSC whitening for PD1-4\n\nOn the back side of 1Y2 rack I found a cable, CAB-1X2-LSC_7, which is supposed to be connected to the whitening filter was disconnected.\n\nI plugged it back and confirmed that the whitening filter is under control of EPICS.\n\nNow all the gain sliders seem to be working because I can change the amplitude of signals with the sliders.\n\n(method)\n\nTo check if the gain sliders are working or not, I intentionally disconnected all the inputs to the whitening filter.\n\nThen I brought a gain slider of interest to the maximum. Due to the big gain I was easily able to see noise lying above ADC noise.\n\nAlso if the gain slider is 0 dB, which is the minimum value, the spectrum becomes just ADC noise.\n\nIn this way I checked all the gain sliders from PD1 to PD4. The picture below is just an example screenshot when I was doing this test.\n\nNote that each filer is designed to have two poles at 150 Hz and two zeros at 15 Hz.\n\n Quote from #4570 While checking whitening filters on the LSC rack, I found some epics controls for the whitening looked not working. So I powered two crates off : the top one and the bottom one on 1Y3 rack. These crates contain c1iscaux and c1iscaux2. Then powered them on. But it didn't solve the issue.\n\n8215\u00a0\u00a0 Sun Mar 3 22:16:46 2013 JenneUpdateLSCLSC whitening triggering started\n\n[Jenne, Annalisa]\n\nWe have started working on writing the c-code to parse the LSC input matrix, to see which PD is used for what degree of freedom, and to output a trigger for the PD.\u00a0 The code is in ....\/isc\/c1\/src, and there is a little block in the LSC code to the left of the triggering stuff.\u00a0 Right now, the output of the c-code just goes to some temporary EPICS channels, so that we can see if things are working before we actually implement it.\u00a0 At this time, there is no change to how the LSC model runs.\n\nI can't figure out a bug in my c-code though.\u00a0 Right now it's all commented out, so that the LSC model would start, but if I try to sum all of the elements in an array, the model compiles fine, but it won't start running.\u00a0 I'm going to ask Jamie about it tomorrow.\u00a0 I have a less-tidy backup plan if we can't get this figured out.\n\nIf I have time on the IFO to check that this works tomorrow, I expect another few hours of work (2?\u00a0 3?), and then we'll have whitening filter triggering.\n\n8217\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Mar 4 09:55:33 2013 ranaUpdateLSCLSC whitening triggering started\n\nHow about posting a logic flow diagram? Is the idea to trigger only on the power signals to determine the lock state? Is the hysteresis going to be done in the same way as the main filter bank triggers?\n\n8234\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Mar 5 18:36:27 2013 JenneUpdateLSCLSC whitening triggering started\n\nMore effort at debugging the LSC whitening.\n\nToday I tried moving things over to the c1tst model, which runs on the y-end computer, but I crashed c1iscey.\u00a0 I rebuilt the TST model to a known good state, then cycled the power on c1iscey, and the computer came back up fine.\n\nI have now backed off and am just writing the code inside a little wrapper script, so that I can just compile and test the code completely independent from the realtime system.\u00a0 Then once I get all the bugs out, I can try again installing on the actual system.\n\nStill, there are no changes to the functionality of the c1lsc model.\u00a0 There will not be until I get the c-code for matrix parsing debugged.\n\nThe logic, in non-diagram form (I'll make a diagram, but so you can read without waiting):\n\n*** C-code\n\n* Inputs is an array of degree of freedom triggers, the same schmidt triggers used for main LSC locking. (This means it also uses the same thresholds as main triggers.\u00a0 Side note, now that the WAIT command (see below) works, I want to change the filter module triggers to use the same main trigger, and then just wait a specified time before turning on.)\n\n* Parse the LSC input matrix (internal to the c-code).\n\n* This tells you which photodiode is being used to control which degree of freedom.\n\n* Multiply rows of the LSC input matrix by the degree of freedom triggers (the same trigger as the main LSC triggers, which is a schmidt trigger).\n\n* This gives a matrix, where non-zero elements indicate that a photodiode is supposed to be used for a degree of freedom, AND that DoF has been triggered (is locked or has flashed).\n\n* Sum along the columns of the matrix.\n\n* If a column has a non-zero element, that means that that PD quadrature is used, and has been triggered (by any DoF).\n\n* Apply OR to I and Q quadratures of each PD.\n\n* Since the phase rotation happens after whitening and dewhitening, if either I_ERR or Q_ERR is requested (used and triggered), we need to turn on the whitening for both channels.\u00a0 I am hopeful that this doesn't cause problems for cases when we want to use both quadratures of a PD to control 2 degrees of freedom, but I haven't yet put much thought into it.\u00a0 COMMENTS WELCOME on this point.\n\n*\u00a0 Output of c-block is array of PD triggers.\u00a0 So if either AS11I or AS11Q is triggered, output a \"1\" for the first element, which corresponds to AS11, etc.\n\n*** LSC model\n\n* Give GoTo\/From flag for each DoF trigger to the mux of inputs.\n\n* Go through c-code\n\n* Demux outputs into GoTo\/From flags, one per PD (one flag for AS11, one for AS55, and one for ASDC...DC elements count separately, even though they're derived from the same physical PD).\n\n* For each PD, trigger flag goes through WAIT c-code\n\n* This allows you to define a wait time, in seconds, with an EPICS variable.\n\n* Starts counting the wait time as soon as it receives a \"1\".\u00a0 Resets counter each time it receives a \"0\".\n\n* Output of wait function is ANDed with the current (non-delayed) trigger.\n\n* This allows for cavity to flash, but if it's not still locked after the wait time, don't actually flip any switches.\n\n* Use delayed ANDed trigger to flip the FM1 switch on both the I and Q filterbank for that PD.\n\n8462\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Apr 18 19:54:11 2013 JenneUpdateLSCLSC whitening triggering working\n\nI have implemented automatic triggered switching of the analog whitening (and digital dewhitening).\n\nThe trigger is the same as the degree of freedom trigger.\u00a0 On the LSC RFPD screen there is a space to enter the amount of time (in seconds) you would like to wait between receiving a trigger and actually having the whitening filter switch.\n\nThe trigger logic is as follows:\n\n* For each column of the LSC input matrix (e.g. AS11 I), check if there is a non-zero element.\u00a0 If there is a non-zero element (indicating that we are using that PD as the error signal for a degree of freedom), check if the corresponding DoF has been triggered.\u00a0 Repeat for all columns of the matrix.\n\n* If either the I or the Q signal from a single PD is being used, send a trigger in the direction of the PD signal conditioning \/ phase rotation blocks.\u00a0 (Since the whitening happens before the phase rotation, we want to have the whitening state be the same for both the I and Q signals coming from the demod boards.\n\n* Before actually changing the whitening state, wait for the amount of time indicated on the RFPD overview screen.\n\n* Switch the digital dewhitening.\u00a0 If the digital dewhitening is on, send a bit over to the binary I\/O to switch the analog whitening on.\n\nThis required changing the LSC RF_PD library part so that you can send the trigger to the filter bank from outside that part..\u00a0 This part is in use by all LSC models, so I'll make sure the LLO people are aware of this change before I commit it to the svn.\n\nWhile I was working on the LSC model, I also put in a wait between the time that the filter module trigger is received, and when it actually switches the filter modules.\u00a0 So far, this time is defined for a whole filter bank (so all filters for a given DoF still switch at the same time).\u00a0 If I need to go back and make the timing individual for each filter module, I can do that.\u00a0 This new EPICS variable (the WAIT) defaults to zero seconds, so the functionality will not change for anyone who uses this part.\n\nThese changes also require 2 pieces of c-code:\u00a0 {userapps}\/cds\/common\/src\/wait.c and {userapps}\/isc\/c1\/src\/inmtrxparse.c\n\n7184\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Aug 14 22:16:46 2012 JenneUpdateLSCLSC whitening triggers\n\nI'm ~30% of the way through implementing LSC whitening filter triggers.\u00a0 I think that everything I have done should be compile-able, but please don't compile c1lsc tonight.\u00a0 I haven't tested it, and some channel names have changed, so I need to fix the LSC screen when I'm not falling asleep.\n\nAlso, Rana pointed out that we may not want the whitening to trigger on immediately upon acquiring lock - if there are other modes ringing down in the cavity, or some weird transients, we don't want to amplify those signals.\u00a0 We want to wait a second or so for them to die down, then turn on analog whitening.\u00a0 Jamie - do you know how long the \"unit delay\" delays things in the RCG?\u00a0 Do those do what I naively think they do?\u00a0 I'll ask you in the morning.\n\n7188\u00a0\u00a0 Wed Aug 15 09:09:45 2012 jamieUpdateLSCLSC whitening triggers\n\n Quote: I'm ~30% of the way through implementing LSC whitening filter triggers.\u00a0 I think that everything I have done should be compile-able, but please don't compile c1lsc tonight.\u00a0 I haven't tested it, and some channel names have changed, so I need to fix the LSC screen when I'm not falling asleep. Also, Rana pointed out that we may not want the whitening to trigger on immediately upon acquiring lock - if there are other modes ringing down in the cavity, or some weird transients, we don't want to amplify those signals.\u00a0 We want to wait a second or so for them to die down, then turn on analog whitening.\u00a0 Jamie - do you know how long the \"unit delay\" delays things in the RCG?\u00a0 Do those do what I naively think they do?\u00a0 I'll ask you in the morning.\n\nThe unit delay delays for a single cycle, so I think that's not what you want.\u00a0 I'm not sure that there's an existing part to add delays like that.\n\nWe also need to be a little clever about it, though, since we'll want it to flip off if we loose lock during the delay.\n\n276\u00a0\u00a0 Sat Jan 26 22:00:03 2008 JohnUpdateGeneralLSC-TRY_OUT and ETMY-QPD\nIn the path from the ETM to the trans PD and QPD at the Y end I have replaced a BS1-1064-10-2037-45P with a polariser. The power falling on these diodes has been reduced. When the arm is locked in its nominal state the transmitted power is now less than 1.\n\nThis polariser should serve as an injection point for the auxiliary arm locking. I am attempting to use crossed polarisations to separate this loop from the main arm light.\n11515\u00a0\u00a0 Wed Aug 19 00:55:35 2015 IgnacioUpdateLSCLSC-YARM-EXC to LSC-YARM-IN1 TF measurement + error analysis\n\nYesterday, Rana, Jessica and I measured the Transfer function from LSC-YARM-EXC to LSC-YARM-IN1.\n\nThe plot below shows the magnitude and the phase of the measured transfer function. It also shows the normalized standard error in the estimated transfer function magnitude;\u00a0the same quantity can be applied to the phase, only in this case it is interpreted as its standard deviation (not normalized). It is given by\n\n$\\frac{[1-\\gamma_{xy}^2(f)]^{1\/2}}{|\\gamma_{xy}(f)|\\sqrt{2n_{d}}}$\n\nwhere\u00a0$\\gamma_{xy}^2(f)$\u00a0is the ordinary coherence function and\u00a0$n_{d}$\u00a0is the number of averages used at each point of the estimate, in the case here we used\u00a09 averages. This quantity is of interest to us in order to understand how the accuracy of transfer function measurement affects the ammount of subtraction that can be achieved online.\n\nSince this transfer function is flat from 1-10 Hz (out of phase by 180 deg), this means that we can apply our IIR wiener filters direclty into YARM without taking into account the TF by prefiltering our witnesses with it. Of course this is not the case if we care about subtractions at frequencies higher than 10 Hz, but since we are dealing with seismic noise this is not a concern.\n\nThe coherence for this transfer function measurement is shown below,\n\n2946\u00a0\u00a0 Tue May 18 14:30:31 2010 josephbUpdateCDSLSC.mdl problem found and fixed\n\nAfter having checked old possibilities and deciding I wasn't imagining the lsc.mdl file not working, but working as another name, I tracked Alex down and asked for help.\n\nAfter scratching our heads, we finally tracked it down to the RCG code itself, as opposed to any existing code.\n\nApparently, the skeleton.st file (located in \/home\/controls\/cds\/advLigoRTS\/src\/epics\/util\/) has special additional behavior for models with the following names: lsc, asc, hepi, hepia, asc40m, ascmc, tchsh1, tchsh2.\n\nAlex was unsure what this additional code was for.\u00a0 To disable it, we went into the skeleton.st file, and changed the name \"SEQUENCER_NAME_lsc\" to \"SEQUENCER_NAME_lsc_removed\" where ever it occured.\u00a0 These names were in #ifdef statements, so now these codes will only be used if the model is named lsc_removed.\u00a0 This apparently fixed the problem.\u00a0 Running startlsc now runs the code as it should, and I can proceed to testing the communication to the lsp model.\n\nAlex said he'd try to figure out what these special #ifdef code pieces are intended for and hopefully completely remove them once we've determined we don't need it.\n\n8553\u00a0\u00a0 Wed May 8 19:31:17 2013 JamieConfigurationLSCLSC: added new SQRT_SWITCH to power normalization DOF outputs\n\nThis removes the old sqrt'ing from the inputs to the POW_NORM matrix (was only on the POP110 I\/Q) and moves it to the DOF outputs.\u00a0 Koji wanted this so that he could use the DC signals for normalization both sqrt'd and not sqrt'd.\n\nThe POW_NORM medm screen was updated accordingly.\n\n8501\u00a0\u00a0 Sat Apr 27 00:29:40 2013 KojiUpdateLSCLSCoffset script fixed\n\nPrior to the locking trials...\n\nThis script spawns LSC\/offset3 in order to remove the dark offset from the channels.\nHow ever the offsets had been nulled every other PDs\n(i.e. The offsets REFL11 I&Q were nulled.\nThe offsets REFL33 I&Q had been left untouched\nThe offset REFL55 I&Q had been\u00a0nulled\nand so on.)\n\nI found that the script run many instances of \"offset3\" scripts in background.\nIt seemed that tdsavg did not like too many averaging channels at once.\n\nSo the \"&\"s in the LSCoffsets were removed and now the script runs much more slowly,\nbut works for all of the PDs listed.\n\nI think I have never seen the offsets in REFL33 and REFL165 nulled down to this level before.\n\n9063\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Aug 26 18:59:08 2013 MasayukiUpdateLSCLSCoffset script updated\n\nI made scripts\/LSC\/LSCoffsets2.py which is the script to zero the dark offset of all the LSC PD.\u00a0 The list of PDs is same as the list in scripts\/LSC\/LSCoffsets. New script average all outputs of PDs parallelly, so we can zero the offsets much faster.\n\nYou can define the averaging time, and you can choose the channel for getting the dark offset from INMON or OUT16. You should know that if you use OUT16 channel, the effect of the unwhite filter is not taken into account.\n\nExample usage (at scripts\/LSC):\n\n.\/LSCoffsets2.py -d 20 --out16\n\nyou can find the help by calling this script with option -h or --help\n\n9064\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Aug 26 19:13:38 2013 KojiUpdateLSCLSCoffset script updated\n\nWhat do you mean???\n\nWhat is the effect of the anti-whitening filter?\n\n Quote: You should know that if you use OUT16 channel, the effect of the unwhite filter is not taken into account.\n\n3062\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Jun 10 07:53:14 2010 AlbertoUpdatePEMLaTeXlabs\n\n Quote: BTW, latex launched this new thing for writing pdfs. doesnot require any installations.\u00a0 check\u00a0 http:\/\/docs.latexlab.org\n\nso cool!\n\n3063\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Jun 10 10:58:02 2010 KojiUpdateGeneralLaTeXlabs\n\nI could not dare to share my google doc with this site...\n\nQuote:\n\n Quote: BTW, latex launched this new thing for writing pdfs. doesnot require any installations.\u00a0 check\u00a0 http:\/\/docs.latexlab.org\n\nso cool!\n\n3064\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Jun 10 11:10:21 2010 AlbertoUpdateGeneralLaTeXlabs\n\nQuote:\n\nI could not dare to share my google doc with this site...\n\nQuote:\n\n Quote: BTW, latex launched this new thing for writing pdfs. doesnot require any installations.\u00a0 check\u00a0 http:\/\/docs.latexlab.org\n\nso cool!\n\n17110\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Aug 29 13:33:09 2022 JCUpdateGeneralLab Cleanup\n\nThe machine shop looked a mess this morning, so I\u00a0cleaned it up. All power tools are now placed in\u00a0the drawers in the machine shop. Let me know if there are any questions of where anything here is placed.\n\n17187\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Oct 13 14:46:34 2022 JCUpdateLab OrganizationLab Cleanup 10\/12\/2022\n\nDuring Wednesday\u2019s lab clean up, we made a ton of progress in organization. Our main focus was to tackle CDS debris from the ongoing upgrade. We proceeded with the following tasks.\n\n\u2022 Loop the OneStop Cables and mark \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018bad\u2019.\n\u2022 Clean materials from the PD testing table.\n\u2022 Removed the SuperMicro boxes from the lab\n\u2022 Vacuum area organization.\n\u2022 Remove old plastic containers from the laboratory.\n\u2022 Relocate Koji\u2019s electronics underneath Y-Arm\n\u2022 Arrange cabling to the TestStand and create clearance to the Machine Shop\/Laboratory exit.\n\nAttachment #2 shows that all the CDS equipment has been relocated behind Section X3 of the X-Arm.\n\n17188\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Oct 13 19:06:42 2022 KojiUpdateLab OrganizationLab Cleanup 10\/12\/2022\n\nI have moved the following electronics \/ components to \"Section Y10 beneath the tube\"\n\n\u2022 IQ Demod Spares D0902745 (Components)\n\u2022 Sat Box \/ HAM-A 40m parts D08276\/D110117\n\u2022 16bit DAC AI Rear PCB D070101-v3\n\u2022 D1900163 HV COIL DRIVER\n\u2022 Ribbon Cables for Chassis (Cardboard box)\n\u2022 Chassis DC Breaker Switches (Cardboard box)\n\u2022 Triplett HDMI displays (x3) \/ Good for portable CCD monitors \/ PC monitors. Battery powered!\n\u2022 ISC Whitening BI Config Boards D1001631\/D1900166\n\u2022 AA\/AI Untested D070081\n\u2022 WFS Interface \/ Soft Start D1101865\/D1101816\n\u2022 Internal Wiring Kit Cable Spools\n\u2022 ISC Whitening \/ Interface D1001530 \/ D1002054\n\u2022 Internal Wiring Kit (Large Plastic Box)\n\u2022 Front\/Rear Panels (Large Plastic Box)\n\u2022 HV Coil Driver Test Kit \/ Spare PA95s (Large Plastic Box)\n\n15629\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Oct 15 13:48:58 2020 anchalSummaryGeneralLab Entry Notification\n\nI entered 40m today at around 1:20 pm and left by 1:45 pm. I entered 104 through the machine shop entry. I did the following:\n\n\u2022 I took photos and videos of the PSL table with lights on.\n\u2022 I uncovered the AP table, took photos and video, and covered it back.\n\u2022 I went to the X End table and took a video without opening the enclosure.\n\u2022 Apart from flipping light switches, nothing else should have changed.\n15632\u00a0\u00a0 Fri Oct 16 19:44:41 2020 anchalSummaryGeneralLab Entry Notification\n\nI entered 40m today at around 1:10 pm and left by 1:50 pm. I entered 104 through the machine shop entry. I took top view single picture photos of ITMY, BS, AP, ITMX, ETMX and ETMY tables. The latest photos will be put here on the wiki soon.\n\n17135\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Sep 8 11:54:37 2022 JCConfigurationLab OrganizationLab Organization\n\nThe arms in the 40m laboratory have now been sectioned off. Each arm has been divided up into 15 sections. Along the Y arm, the section are labelled \"Section Y1 - Section Y15\". For the X arm, they are labelled \"Section X1- Section X15\". Anything changed or moved will now be updated into the elog with their appropriate section.\n\nBelow is an example of Section X6.\n\n17136\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Sep 8 12:01:02 2022 JCConfigurationLab OrganizationLab Organization\n\nThe floor cable cover has been changed out for a new one. This is in Section X11.\n\n3318\u00a0\u00a0 Thu Jul 29 12:31:09 2010 KojiSummaryGeneralLab Schedule\n\nJuly\n29 Thu BS chamber work: Move cable towers \/ green steering mirrors \/ (2 TTs with TT charactrization) \/ Put the heavy door by 5PM.\n30 Fri Pumping down\n31 Sat WFS work by Nancy\n\nAug\n1 Sun - 5 Thu WFS work by Nancy\n5 Thu PSL Table prep\n6 Fri PSL Table prep \/ Likely to shut down the PSL\n\n9 Mon PSL Table prep \/ shutting down of the PSL (optional)\n10 Tue PSL box Frame lifting\n12 Thu PSL table tapping\n\n16 Mon - 17 Tue concrete pouring preparation\n19 Thu - 23 Fri Tripod placement\n24 Tue - 26 Thu concrete pouring\n\n2496\u00a0\u00a0 Sun Jan 10 16:05:51 2010 AlbertoOmnistructureEnvironmentLab Thermostats Temperature Lowered by 1 deg F\n\nRana noticed that recently the temperature inside the lab has been a little bit too high. That might be causing some 'unease' to the computers with the result of making them crash more often.\n\nToday I lowered the temperature of the three thermostats that we have inside the lab by one degree:\nY arm thermostat: from 71 to 70 F\nX arm thermostat: from 70 to 69 F\nAisle thermostat: from 72 to 71 F.\n\nFor the next hours I'll be paying attention to the temperature inside the lab to make sure that it doesn't go out of control and that the environment gets too cold.\n\n2501\u00a0\u00a0 Mon Jan 11 10:01:06 2010 AlbertoOmnistructureEnvironmentLab Thermostats Temperature Lowered by 1 deg F\n\n Quote: Rana noticed that recently the temperature inside the lab has been a little bit too high. That might be causing some 'unease' to the computers with the result of making them crash more often. Today I lowered the temperature of the three thermostats that we have inside the lab by one degree: Y arm thermostat: from 71 to 70 F X arm thermostat: from 70 to 69 F Aisle thermostat: from 72 to 71 F. For the next hours I'll be paying attention to the temperature inside the lab to make sure that it doesn't go out of control and that the environment gets too cold.\n\nToday the lab is perceptibly cooler.\n\nThe temperature around the corner is 73 F.\n\n15657\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Nov 3 09:06:50 2020 gautamUpdateGeneralLab alarm tripped\n\nI got a call from Calum ~830am today saying some facilities people entered the lab, opened the south entrance door, and tripped the alarm in the process. I came to the lab shortly after and was able to reset the alarm by flipping the switch on the alarm box at the south end entrance to \"Alarm OFF\". Then, I double checked that the door is closed, and re-enabled the alarm. The particle count at the SP table is not unusually high and the lasers (Oplev HeNe and AUX X) were still on, so doesn't look like any lasting damage was done. The facilities people were apparently wearing laser safety goggles.\n\n16240\u00a0\u00a0 Tue Jul 6 17:40:32 2021 KojiSummaryGeneralLab cleaning\n\nWe held the lab cleaning for the first time since the campus reopening (Attachment 1).\nNow we can use some of the desks for the people to live! Thanks for the cooperation.\n\nWe relocated a lot of items into the lab.\n\n\u2022 The entrance area was cleaned up. We believe that there is no 40m lab stuff left.\n\u2022 BHD BS optics was moved to the south optics cabinet. (Attachment 2)\n\u2022 DSUB feedthrough flanges were moved to the vacuum area (Attachment 3)\n\u2022 Some instruments were moved into the lab.\n\u2022 The Zurich instrument box\n\u2022 KEPCO HV supplies\n\u2022 We moved the large pile of SUPERMICROs in the lab. They are around MC2 while the PPE boxes there were moved behind the tube around MC2 area. (Attachment 4)\n\u2022 We have moved PPE boxes behind the beam tube on XARM behind the SUPERMICRO computer boxes. (Attachment 7)\n\u2022 ISC\/WFS left over components were moved to the pile of the BHD electronics.\n\u2022 Front panels (Attachment 5)\n\u2022 Components in the boxes (Attachment 6)\n\nWe still want to make some more cleaning:\n\n- Electronics workbenches\n- Stray setup (cart\/wagon in the lab)\n- Some leftover on the desks\n- Instruments scattered all over the lab\n- Ewaste removal\n\nELOG V3.1.3-","date":"2022-11-27 16:23:41","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 1, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 3, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.4677307605743408, \"perplexity\": 4714.595861727305}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2022-49\/segments\/1669446710409.16\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20221127141808-20221127171808-00480.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
Q: Is "last two years ago, I was in a classical concert " a correct sentence? In my English class my Teacher said I cannot use "Last two years ago...", so what should I use correctly?
A: *Last two years ago is incorrect because it combines two constructions with different senses:
*
*Ago is a preposition which, unusually, follows its object. That object is a measurement of distance in time and designates a time point (though it may be a rather fuzzy point) at that distance in the past. It's used to designate the date or time at which an eventuality occurred:
Two years ago I answered a question about stative verbs. —that is, I answered the question in September of 2014. (It was actually on September 15, but as I said, the 'point' is fairly fuzzy.)
*The last (not bare last) are a determiner and an adjective†; when this group is attached to a nominal which designates a measurement of distance in time it designates a timespan of that length reaching from the past right up to the present. The entire noun phrase is used with a preposition such as in or for or since to designate the period during which one or more eventualities occurred:
In the last two years I have answered thirteen questions tagged perfect-constructions. —that is, during the period running from September, 2014 up to the present I answered thirteen questions.
Note that the noun phrase the last [TIME MEASUREMENT] can also be used without a preposition to designate the period itself:
The last two years have gone by very quickly.
Combining last and ago, your phrase tries to characterize two years simultaneously as both a time point and a time span. You have to pick one or the other.
† As Ahmad suggests, it is arguable that last* in temporal contexts should be considered a determinative, and the last a Determiner Phrase*—but that doesn't affect the point at issue here.
A: "ago" is used to specify a time point in the past when something happened. Before "ago" you need a time period like "two years" or "10 minutes" to specify how long ago it happend:
5 minutes ago
an hour ago
a long time ago
some time ago
two years ago
bare "last" without "the" is used as a determiner (opposite of next) to specify a time.
last year, last night, last week
last can also be used as an adjective to point to something that is at the end in a sequence.
the last person
the last chapter of the book
the last two years
the last year
Note, when you point to the last two years, you point to a specific time period ("two years") which is the last one. It spans from two years ago to the present and you usually use a "present perfect" tense with it
I have been learning English in the last two years.
This time period can also be used as the subject or object of the sentence.
The last two years have been very difficult for my family.
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Q: How to unmerge the features of a dataframe from one column into several single columns separated by "\" via pandas? More visually, I would like to move from this dataframe :
| A\B\C\D | Unnamed:1 | Unnamed:2 | Unnamed:3 | Unnamed:4 |
| --------| ----------|
0 | 1\2\3\4 | NaN | NaN | NaN | NaN |
1 | 1\2\3\4 | NaN | NaN | NaN | NaN |
2 | a\2\7\C | NaN | NaN | NaN | NaN |
3 | d\2\u\4 | NaN | NaN | NaN | NaN |
to this one:
| A | B | C | D |
| --------| ----------|
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
2 | a | 2 | 7 | C |
3 | d | 2 | u | 4 |
Thanks !
A: Try splitting the values first and then split the column name:
df2 = df.iloc[:,0].str.split('\\', expand = True)
df2.columns = df.columns[0].split('\\')
df2
result:
A B C D
0 1 2 3 4
1 1 2 3 4
2 a 2 7 C
3 d 2 u 4
A: You can use DataFrame constructor:
out = pd.DataFrame(df.iloc[:, 0].str.split('\\').tolist(),
columns=df.columns[0].split('\\'))
print(out)
# Output
A B C D
0 1 2 3 4
1 1 2 3 4
2 a 2 7 C
3 d 2 u 4
The question is: why do you have a such input? Do you read your data from csv file and you don't use the right separator?
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int mkdir(const char *path, mode_t mode) {
return mkdirat(AT_FDCWD, path, mode);
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The Feast Bowl
The Wordpress blog for the National Museums of Scotland
Making it personal for the Next of Kin exhibition
Posted by feastbowl under Exhibitions, National War Museum, Next of Kin, Partnerships | Tags: centenary, First World War, National War Museum, World War One |
By Jo Sohn-Rethel, Project Co-ordinator, Next of Kin
The Next of Kin touring project centres on revealing the personal experiences of Scottish families during the First World War as a way of commemorating the centenary of the conflict. Through the personal effects of the servicemen and women passed on to their families and down through generations, the exhibition provides unique insights into their poignant stories of separation and sacrifice. After the exhibition closes at the National War Museum next year, the display will travel to nine museums across Scotland and the objects from National Museums Scotland collections will be joined by artefacts and people associated with the local areas of each venue. Along with the object case displays, these stories will be incorporated into a digital interactive on display and community groups will create their own responses to the topic through an object handling box.
Embroidered postcard sent by Private George Buchanan to his sister.
As coordinator of the project, my first few weeks or so involved helping the team to prepare graphics and audio-visual content for installation at the War Museum. Much time was spent editing down original newsreel footage acquired from Imperial War Museum collections which are being shown in a recreated wartime cinema room. The aim is to convey how families would have found out about the experiences of their loved ones on the fighting fronts, albeit through carefully selected footage such as soldiers from the Black Watch regiment at a sports day and 'the wonderful organisation of the Royal Army Medical Corps'.
Still from 'The Wonderful Organisation of the R.A.M.C.' film, produced by the War Office, 1916, IWM 133, Courtesy of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum.
Another immersive audio visual element in the exhibition is a soundscape of voices taken from letter correspondence between family members and diary entries on display. Original archive artefacts make up nearly half of the objects on display, including a poignant postcard sent by Private William Dick to his wife, a letter from a German soldier to the family of Private James Scouller describing their son's last moments on the battlefield, and a letter from a Presbyterian Chaplain informing Mrs Buchanan of her son Private George Buchanan's death. Recordings of actors (and museum staff!) reading out this archive material helps to evoke the personalities and emotions of the protagonists in the stories.
You can hear the stories here:
Family photograph of Private George Buchanan in uniform.
Touring the exhibition to museums around Scotland presents other opportunities to incorporate family stories into object interpretation. Many partner museums are actively acquiring World War One related objects donated or loaned by local people who have developed a keen interest in their wartime family history due to the Centenary. Consulting these people about the personal value of these objects as tools for learning about and remembering their relatives will be an important way of discovering the continuing significance and impact of the conflict in Scottish families' lives. Furthermore, museum staff are keen on carrying out co-curation activities with local community groups to collect perspectives of community groups to existing artefacts in the collection. The key challenge will be devising ways of communicating these contemporary interpretations in physical and digital displays alongside the original personal accounts of troops and families during the war.
Find out more about the touring exhibition here.
Livingstone's legacy: our partnership with Museums of Malawi
Posted by feastbowl under David Livingstone, Partnerships | Tags: Chichiri, Malawi, Museums of Malawi |
By Jacqui Austin, Malawi Project Co-ordinator
Museums as Agents of Change is an 18 month partnership project between National Museums Scotland and Museums of Malawi, funded directly by the Scottish Government. The project was designed to deliver training in a variety of museum skills and to update exhibitions and displays at the National Museum in Malawi. In November 2012 I was appointed to run the project and it has been a fascinating experience.
In early 2013 I travelled to Malawi for the first time to meet our colleagues in Blantyre, Malawi. I was made very welcome and myself and my colleague, Phil Howard, our taxidermist, travelled with them all to Liwonde National Park to carry out our first workshops.
Phil Howard and students in Liwonde National Park.
In April 2013 four key staff from Museums of Malawi made the return trip to Edinburgh for two weeks of intensive workshops. However, they did get the chance to explore Scotland at the weekend when we visited the other Blantyre, birthplace of Dr David Livingstone, the man who started the special relationship that exists between Scotland and Malawi.
Museums of Malawi staff at the David Livingstone Centre, Blantyre.
After visiting the National Museums Scotland Dr Livingstone exhibition and his birthplace museum, on their return to Malawi the team started preparing for a new Dr Livingstone exhibition for their own museum. In September 2013 I travelled back to Malawi to assist with the installation.
This was the biggest display project the museum has undertaken since it was built in 1966 and the transformation has been remarkable. The exhibition was opened on Tuesday 17 September 2013 by the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife & Culture. The opening was also attended by the Deputy British High Commissioner and over 200 invited guests. We were treated to performances by cultural dance troupes, poetry readings and short plays by local schools. Visitor numbers at Chichiri Museum have increased by 35% in the 3 months since the opening.
The new exhibition at Chichiri Museum, Blantyre, Malawi.
Traditional musicians and dancers at the opening event.
After the exhibition opening it was back to work with some more training on collections care, looking at security and environmental monitoring. I was also fortunate to be invited to the City of Stars arts conference and festival in the capital, Lilongwe. This was an excellent opportunity for everyone working in arts and culture in Malawi to share experiences and ideas. As usual in Malawi, there was a large Scottish delegation including the National Library of Scotland, Scottish festival directors, film makers and musicians. After the conference and four weeks of hard work it was a luxury to enjoy the City of Stars music festival on Friday and Saturday nights. There was music from the Malawi Mouse Boys (who featured on our exhibition film), Scottish band Bwani Junction and a choir from the Tilinanu orphanage, as well as many others.
The last phase of our project was delivered in February 2014 when two colleagues and I returned to Malawi. Jennifer Reid was running more collections workshops, Phil Howard returned to finish his taxidermy training and I was helping update the natural history displays.
Jennifer was leading a workshop on care of natural history collections, which meant a week in the stores dealing everything from snakes in jars to elephant bones.
Staff carrying out an inventory of the collections in store.
The new taxidermy was installed in a refurbished showcase and the display enhanced by some hands-on interactives.
The new natural history display.
Skulls and horn hands-on interactives.
It has been a hugely successful project with staff from both organisations learning from and supporting each other. Although our project has come to an end, Museums of Malawi and National Museums Scotland continue to have a connection through our shared history and collections.
The Museums of Malawi and National Museums Scotland staff at the end of the workshops.
The final event in the formal partnership project took place on 31 March 2014 when the National Museum of Scotland hosted the Scotland Malawi Partnership Youth Congress. It was a fitting final event, with its theme of inspiring a new generation to get involved in supporting projects in Malawi.
Scotland Creates: a visit to the birthplace of Dolly the sheep
Posted by feastbowl under Internships, National Museum of Scotland, Objects, Partnerships, Scotland Creates | Tags: Dolly the sheep, Roslin Institute |
By Karyn McGhee, National and International Partnerships Intern
On Tuesday 24 September I joined the Scotland Creates Volunteers on a trip to The Roslin Institute (where Dolly the sheep was born!) Having no idea what to expect, the whole trip was enlightening, educational and all round good fun.
The volunteers are part of a project called Scotland Creates: A Sense of Place. They are working to curate an exhibition based on National Museums Scotland's Science and Technology collections, and have chosen Dolly the sheep as one of their objects to study.
The Scotland Creates group outside The Roslin Institute, with Karyn and Scotland Creates Project Officer Fiona Young (right).
We were greeted by Nicola, The Roslin Institute's Public Engagement Officer, who gave us a tour of the new and very flash building. We were then taught about the basic science of Dolly and genetic modification. This gave us an insight into the research taking place at Roslin, its importance and how it relates to present day issues.
The afternoon brought us to Dryden Farm. Here we were met by Chris Proudfoot, a research fellow at The Roslin Institute, and John Bracken. John was a key member of the Dolly the sheep team – he was the person who came up with her name! We toured the farm where we were shown genetically modified sheep and pigs.
My initial thoughts on genetically modified animals were unclear, as it's a subject I knew very little about. Visiting The Roslin Institute taught me that there are very important reasons behind their research, such as tackling diseases. Being able to modify animal's DNA could massively reduce the chances of major outbreaks of diseases such as Bird Flu.
Sculpture of Dolly the sheep on display in The Roslin Institute.
Karyn poses next to Dolly the sheep!
As a group, we discussed the display of Dolly in the museum. Some of the group found it difficult to grasp the concept of a natural history specimen being located in the Connect gallery, which focuses on science and technology. However, after visiting The Roslin Institute, a number had begun to fully appreciated her scientific significance and found it an appropriate place for her to be on display. The majority of the group liked her interpretation and the ethical questions it raises, along with the choice of touch screen display. The spinning motion of Dolly's display was hotly debated, with some members finding it expressive of her importance to science while others found it unsettling. Overall, after learning about Dolly's love of attention and natural curiosity for people, perhaps this is what Dolly would have enjoyed, observing everyone and being put on a pedestal.
Dolly the sheep on display in the National Museum of Scotland.
Dolly the sheep stars in one of three animated films developed by our Scotland Creates volunteers, which are showing show in our Science and Technology galleries at National Museum of Scotland from November 2013 – January 2014. Find out more at www.nms.ac.uk/scotlandcreates.
The weather's set fair for new Scotland Creates exhibition in Benbecula
Posted by feastbowl under Community engagement, Loans, Partnerships, Scotland Creates | Tags: Benbecula, Lewis, Museum nan Eilean, Outer Hebrides, Sgoil Lionacleit, Skerryvore |
By Jennifer Reid, Partnerships Officer
On 19 June I received a phone call from my manager asking whether I "would mind" going to Benbecula for two nights to celebrate the opening of an exhibition? Would I mind?! Let's just say it wasn't a difficult decision.
A week later I joined two colleagues from Learning and Programmes, Christine and Fiona, to board a (tiny!) flight to the Outer Hebrides. We were on our way to visit Museum nan Eilean, Sgoil Lionacleit, whose exhibition 'A Reir na h-Aimsir' was opening the following day. The exhibition was produced as part of a two year partnership project called Scotland Creates – A Sense of Place. A Reir na h-Aimsir was curated by young people from across the islands and includes objects from the collections of National Museums Scotland and Museum nan Eilean. It focuses on weather and the effect that changes in weather conditions can have on life on the islands.
Rain gauge in the exhibition.
I am ashamed to admit it, but prior to this trip I had never been to the Outer Hebrides before. This trip provided me the perfect opportunity to visit, as well as see the exhibition. Thankfully Fiona and Christine had both visited before, and knew their way around.
I was surprised the next day to pull up to a High School, but Fiona was quick to explain that the museum was in the High School! We had also arrived on the last day of term, and safe to say there was a feeling of" excitement" in the air – and not a great deal of work being done! We made our way through the crowds of school children, and into the exhibition space at the heart of the school building. And wow! What a wonderful job everyone at Museum nan Eilean had done. The team had been working with a group of 16-24-year-olds on the design, layout, text and photography for the exhibition, which has led to a creative and engaging exhibition. I particularly enjoyed the way they had incorporated stories, legends and sayings about the weather, and investigated whether or not any of these had any real basis in meteorology.
Scotland Creates volunteers Peter and Ruiridh.
Scotland Creates volunteer Peter shows Community Engagement Manager Christine McLean round the exhibition.
Jennifer (centre) chats to staff at the Museum. In the background is a Harris Tweed suit designed by Vivienne Westwood, on loan from National Museums Scotland.
At the opening event we were treated to a talk by Dr Eddy Graham, a renowned meteorologist based in Lewis, and a dance performance by pupils from the lower school. There was also an impressive supply of cake!
Weather inspired dance performed by pupils from the lower school.
The group has also been working with musicians from the band Skerryvore through Live Music Now to compose a piece of music inspired by the changing weather, which will be incorporated into the exhibition.
I would definitely advise checking out the exhibition if you are lucky enough to find yourself in the Outer Hebrides over the summer months, I am keeping my fingers crossed for another phone call…
You can find out more about one of the star objects in the exhibition, a green Harris Tweed suit designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood, in our feature, written by Scotland Creates volunteer Bethany Lane.
Pacific Collections in Scottish Museums – unlocking their knowledge and potential
Posted by feastbowl under National Museum of Scotland, National Museums Collection Centre, Pacific Review Project, Partnerships, Projects, World Cultures
By Eve Haddow, Assistant Curator, Pacific Collections Review
In April I joined the team in the Department of World Cultures here at National Museums Scotland as Assistant Curator. Over the next 18 months I will be working on a Pacific Collections Review project supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund.
What's the project all about?
This is an exciting partnership project between National Museums Scotland, Aberdeen University Museums, Glasgow Life, and Perth Museum & Art Gallery. Although I will be based at National of Museum Scotland, I will be visiting the partner museums to carry out work there too. One of the main aims of the project is to reconnect dispersed collections of Pacific material held in museums across Scotland. We know that there are connections between different Scottish collections and want to spend time exploring these relationships.
Pacific material from National Museums Scotland's collection (L-R): Drum from the Papuan Gulf, Papua New Guinea, 19th century; Rectangular wooden house panel, Ngati Porou Territory, New Zealand, c. 1870; Bride's shell necklace, Papua New Guinea, 20th century.
The Pacific collections at all four partner museums are largely from the period of the early nineteenth to the early twentieth century, when Scottish engagement with the Pacific peaked. At this time, many collections found their way into museums through local Antiquarian Societies. The early date of these collections means that many are of international significance, particularly to communities in the Pacific. It's also possible that some significant artefacts have still to be identified. We hope the project will have relevance not only for Scottish museums and the development of resources for those working with Pacific objects in their collections, but will also improve access for international scholars and source communities.
The four core project partners (clockwise from top left): National Museums Scotland, Aberdeen University Museum, Perth Museum & Art Gallery and Glasgow Life.
Once I have reviewed the collections, I will be creating Collections Level Descriptions which will be accessible online. Collections Level Descriptions, or CLDs, are exactly how they sound – descriptions of a group of objects, rather than in-depth descriptions of specific artefacts. The CLD will illustrate stories that emerge across the collections, such as historical associations with particular collectors. As the project progresses, I will also produce an introductory guide to Pacific Collections. I hope the result will be a useful tool for people working with Pacific collections in future who are unfamiliar with Pacific material culture.
So where is the Pacific?
One of the questions a lot of people have asked me since I started the project is 'What do you mean by The Pacific?' In the context of this project we mean the Pacific Island regions of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, located in the Pacific Ocean. For anyone not familiar with these places, visiting the Facing the Sea gallery in the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is one best ways to find out more.
Map showing Pacific Islands. Click on the image to see a larger version.
My first month or so has been a busy one and I anticipate this will continue! As is often the case when working on a project with tight deadlines, it's been important to hit the ground running and get stuck into things straight away. I have had the opportunity to spend time in the stores at the National Museums Collection Centre with Chantal Knowles, Principal Curator of Oceania, Americas and Africa, and Ross Irving, Assistant Curator for Oceania, Americas, and Africa and of Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology.
As well as familiarising myself with the general procedures and considerations when working in the stores, I've been learning about specific aspects of working with material from the Pacific. For example, it is believed that Maori carvings are imbued with ancestral spirits so it's important to thoroughly wash my hands after any handling as it could be dangerous for me. I have also visited each of the partner museums to meet my colleagues there and for an introduction to their collections and stores.
My first visit to the stores at Perth Museum and Art Gallery.
In the office, I have been researching other collections reviews and considering what would and wouldn't work for this project. I have also begun a review of the Hawaiian collection at National Museums Scotland. This will allow me to try out my review process and think about what can be modified to be more effective as the project continues. The Hawaiian collection numbers around 90 artefacts and is relatively small compared with those of other geographical regions covered by the Pacific collections here. The majority of objects show status and wealth, such as the feather cloak below.
Cloak, or 'Ahu'ula, of red and yellow feathers, Hawaii, Hawaiian Islands, Polynesia. The date of production is unknown but cloak was gifted in 1853.
You can find out more and keep up to date with the project as it progresses here.
Having a go at Egyptology
Posted by feastbowl under National Museums Collection Centre, Partnerships, World Cultures | Tags: Ancient Egypt, Egyptology, shabti |
By Jennifer Reid, National Partnerships Officer
Working at National Museums Scotland, no one day is the same. As part of my job as National Partnerships Officer I co-ordinate our Knowledge Exchange Programme. Through these training courses I get the opportunity to meet and work with some great people from museums all over Scotland, while at the same time learning lots about areas of museum practice – both things that I love!
Earlier this year, I worked with Margaret Maitland, Curator of the Ancient Mediterranean at National Museums Scotland, to put together and deliver a course to introduce our Egyptology collections and share knowledge on the care and identifications of Shabtis. As a child I loved reading about Ancient Egypt and its customs so I was particularly excited about the opportunity to arrange and attend the course and learn lots from Margaret.
"What are shabtis?!" I hear you ask! I thought the exact same thing when Margaret suggested them as a topic for the day. It turns out that they are small funerary figures used in Ancient Egypt, and they made for a fascinating knowledge exchange workshop. They are charming and stylistically complex objects which feature in a number of Scottish museums' collections. Some information and images of shabtis in National Museum Scotland's collections can be found here.
Curator Margaret Maitland showing some of the group objects in store.
The event kicked off down at the National Museums Collections Centre – our storage facility in Granton – with Margaret giving the group a tour of the Egyptology collections that are in store. This was a great opportunity for me to get behind the scenes and see some fab objects that I normally wouldn't have access to. We were treated to seeing some beautiful carvings and sarcophagi, as well as a lot of funerary material and – of course – some shabtis!
Margaret led us through the evolution of shabtis, their purpose, and stylistic and conceptual development. Then came the fun part – getting our hands on some actual shabtis! Prior to the group arriving, we had got some beautiful examples of shabtis out of their store and brought them down to the room. The group were kitted out with gloves and we dressed the table to make it suitable for handling. We split up into small groups and had a go at applying the skills we had developed in the morning to see if we could identify the figurines and read some inscriptions.
Reading hieroglyphics – Lucy (on the right) turned out to be natural!
Trying to identify characteristics on the figurines proved to be quite tricky!
We had a lot of fun trying to identify characteristics and inscriptions on the great range of shabtis that Margaret selected. Even a novice like me was able to identify the odd hieroglyphic! Attendees to the workshop brought along with them photos of shabtis from their own collections and Margaret and the group had a go at identifying them too.
The day was a great success – the group found lots of common ground in their Egyptology collections and we discussed the possibility of a project together in the future. Margaret and I are now putting together a workshop for later in the year to further develop the group's skills in reading hieroglyphics. For me, a particular highlight was getting to handle the shabtis and have a go at the identification. I am already looking forward to attending the next course and seeing if my childhood attempts at hieroglyph reading were any good – though something tells me I won't be giving up my day job just yet!
Me, looking very excited to be holding a shabti!
The mystery object: real or fake?
Posted by feastbowl under Learning and Programmes, National Museum of Scotland, National Museums Collection Centre, Partnerships, Scotland Creates, Volunteering | Tags: ceramics, Clyde pottery, Greenock, Inverclyde, McClean Museum |
By Klara Rohel, Volunteer with the Scotland Creates project
Our Scotland Creates volunteers are working with curators and other staff from National Museums Scotland to create an exhibition on the theme of Scotland Creates: A Sense of Place. Recently, the volunteers visited our storage facility at Leith Custom House to investigate some objects with curator Val Boa, from the McLean Museum and Art Gallery in Greenock, one of four partner museums taking part in the project.
Val Boa from the McLean Museum and Art Gallery in Greenock joined us in Edinburgh to look at National Museums Scotland's Clyde pottery collections at Leith Custom House. The Clyde Pottery Company, in Greenock, produced wares from 1816 to the early 1900s, and was an important industry in Inverclyde. McLean Museum has the largest collection of Clyde pottery in the world, and Val is an expert in the subject.
During the session, however, Val baffled us all with an intriguing object, which a member of the public had brought into the McLean Museum.
The mystery object.
This gargoyle-like owl stumped us all.
Klara with the stone owl.
Curator Lyndsey examines the mysterious object.
Earlier in the session, Val and Lindsey Mcgill, Assistant Curator of Scottish History, had talked us through the selection of Clyde pottery and showed us how to spot the real McCoy.
Curators Lyndsey Mcgill and Val Boa displaying items of Clyde pottery.
Artefacts of questionable authenticity were not uncommon it would seem, with museums often unwittingly acquiring fakes for their collections, though we are told these counterfeit objects are getting easier to tell apart from the real deals.
Val Boa explains how to spot fake Clyde pottery.
Val then presented her stone companion to Lindsey who – after some musings of her own – called upon the expert help of the Museum's resident archaeologists. After the initial fear that their brains would not be at our disposal due to the infelicitous timing of luncheon, hope was restored with the promise of a visit in ten minutes.
Fraser Hunter, Principle Curator of Iron Age and Roman Collections, arrived from the other end of the building, knowledge at the ready to vanquish our blundering preconceptions. We awaited his verdict in an atmosphere of piercing anticipation.
Fraser Hunter examines the stone owl.
Awaiting Fraser's verdict.
The conversation passes in a blur. 'Aha', 'yes that's right', 'really', 'a fake', 'well I did wonder', 'how fascinating' and so on.
As it turns out, the area from which the pottery comes was a hotspot for faked relics. Fraser believed it was one of a number of objects planted around a crannog in the Inverclyde area around a hundred years ago. So our little friend most likely belongs to that trend of forged objects.
Watch this space for more revealing behind the scenes stories…
Photographing the session.
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\section{Introduction} \label{s:intro}
Fundamental studies on metal/water interfaces \cite{henderson2002interaction,michaelides2003general, meng2004water,schnur2009properties} have attracted much attention because understanding the process of water reactions at the interface plays a central role in a wide variety of applications such as catalysis\cite{carrasco2012molecular} and fuel cells\cite{ogasawara2002structure}.
A recent experiment to investigate the electrochemical interface reportedly showed that the molecular structure of water strongly depends on the electrode potential \cite{utsunomiya2014potential}.
Furthermore, an experiment in which scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used found that the applied bias voltage affected the activation barrier of water diffusion on a Pt surface \cite{motobayashi2014adsorption}.
To further understand the water diffusion processes and reactions, it is necessary to clarify the extent to which water adsorption and diffusion on the surface depends on the bias voltage.
First-principles density functional theory (DFT) \cite{hohenberg1964inhomogeneous, kohn1965self} is a powerful tool for investigating the molecular adsorption and diffusion at the surface.
However, previous theoretical studies on water diffusion processes were mainly carried out without the bias-voltage \cite{ranea2004water, ranea2012potential, karkare2015ab, rawal2015adsorption}.
Generally, the electrode potential is related to the electron chemical potential ($\mu_\mathrm{e}$) of the electrode, and the difference in $\mu_{\rm e}$ between the two subjects defines the bias voltage.
Thus, for a system to which a fixed bias voltage is applied, the value of $\mu_{\rm e}$ of the electrode (or sample) surface must be constant.
Therefore, to control the bias voltage in the simulation, we need to control $\mu_\mathrm{e}$ \cite{lozovoi2001ab, tavernelli2002ab, schneider2014constant, benedikt2013modelling} beyond the constraint of a fixed number of electrons (constant-$N_{\rm e}$).
The quantum mechanical theory formulated under a grand-canonical ensemble is indispensable for a simulation with the fixed $\mu_{\rm e}$ (constant-$\mu_\mathrm{e}$)\cite{lozovoi2001ab, tavernelli2002ab, schneider2014constant, benedikt2013modelling}.
Two flexible simulation methods within the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ scheme have been proposed: The one is the fictitious charge particle (FCP) method developed by Bonnet et al. \cite{bonnet2012first}, and the other is the grand-canonical self-consistent field (GCSCF) method introduced by Sundararaman et al \cite{sundararaman2017grand}.
These grand-canonical methods based on DFT can be applied not only to the electrochemical interface \cite{sundararaman2017grand, ikeshoji2017toward, sundararaman2018improving, haruyama2018analysis, weitzner2020towards} but also to a system subjected to a bias voltage such as in the STM experiment.
In this study, we carried out a first-principles study of the adsorption and diffusion processes a water molecule undergoes on the surface of Al(111) by varying the bias voltage using the FCP and GCSCF methods.
To understand the dependence of water diffusion on the bias voltage, we computed the minimum energy path using the nudged elastic band (NEB) method \cite{mills1995reversible, henkelman2000climbing, henkelman2000improved} under constant bias voltage.
Specifically, in the case of aluminum, it is essential to understand the fundamental processes at the metal/water interface \cite{michaelides2004first,li2006symmetry,ranea2012potential}; thus, we used an aluminum electrode in our study.
The paper is organized as follows:
Section ~\ref{s:method} provides a brief description of the basic ideas of the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ schemes, their computational procedures, and the computational details for the DFT and NEB calculations.
In Sec.~\ref{s:results}, we discuss the results obtained by the NEB combined with the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ scheme.
Finally, the conclusions of our study are presented in Sec.~\ref{s:summary}.
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=75mm]{Model.eps}
\caption{\label{model}
(Color online). (a) Schematic view of the model under a bias voltage. The cyan, red, and pink spheres represent Al, O, and H atoms, respectively. The coordinate $z$=0 is defined as the center of the Al/H$_2$O system.
Two ESM regions with dielectric constants $\epsilon$=1 and $\epsilon$=$\infty$, respectively, are attached to the left and right ends of the supercell to represent vacuum and the counter electrode (metal).
(b) Adsorption sites on the Al(111) surface. The cyan, green, and blue spheres represent the first-, second-, and third-layer Al atoms, respectively, counting from the side of the counter electrode.
}
\end{figure}
\section{Methods and computational details} \label{s:method}
Here, we describe the computational methods and details.
First, we provide an overview of the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ method under the boundary condition of the effective screening medium (ESM) technique \cite{otani2006first}. The next subsection presents a discussion of the computational procedures of the FCP and GCSCF methods. Finally, we provide the computational details of the proposed method.
\subsection{Constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ plus ESM method}
First, we briefly describe the basics of the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ scheme combined with the ESM method \cite{otani2006first}.
The ESM technique, which was developed by Otani and Sugino, is a powerful tool for studying various material surfaces under repeated slab approximation.
Figure~\ref{model}(a) shows a model of a constant-$\mu_\mathrm{e}$ calculation combined with the ESM used in this study.
Two ESM regions with dielectric constants $\epsilon=1$ and $\epsilon=\infty$, respectively, are attached to the two ends of the supercell to represent the vacuum and the counter electrode (Metal).
The electrostatic potential at the counter electrode was set to zero as the reference potential. Thus, the ESM enables us to always compare the energies measured from the same reference level.
To achieve the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ condition, we use the FCP \cite{bonnet2012first} and GCSCF methods \cite{sundararaman2017grand}.
Both of these methods can be used compute the electronic structure and atomic geometry under the given target chemical potential $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$.
$\mu_{\rm t}$ is imposed by a potentiostat at a potential $\Phi_{\rm t}$, as shown in Fig.~\ref{model}(a), i.e. $\mu_{\rm t}=-e \Phi_{\rm t}$, where $e$ is the charge of an electron.
We can define the grand-potential $\Omega$, instead of the total energy functional $E_{\mathrm{tot}}$, as follows:
\begin{equation}
\Omega=E_{\rm tot}-(N_{\rm e}-N^{0}_{\rm e})\mu_{\rm t}=E_{\rm tot}-\Delta N_{\rm e}\mu_{\rm t},
\end{equation}
where $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ is a fictitious charge particle, which is the difference between the total number of electrons in the system $N_{\rm e}$ and that in the neutral system $N^{0}_{\rm e}$.
Then, we minimize the value of $\Omega$ for the atomic positions and $\Delta N_{\rm e}$, where $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ is not a constant but a dynamic variable during the entire minimization procedure.
Because both the FCP and GCSCF methods converge to the same physical state, we expect these two methods to yield the same results under the same computational conditions.
\subsection{Computational procedure of constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$}
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=140mm]{fcp.vs.gcscf.eps}
\caption{\label{flow}
(Color online).
Calculation flows for (a) FCP and (b) GCSCF methods. The green and blue shaded areas, respectively, indicate the calculation loops for the geometry optimization and self-consistent field.
Here, $H^{\rm KS}$, $\varepsilon_i^{\rm KS}$, and $\psi_i$ denote the Kohn-Sham (KS) Hamiltonian, KS-eigenvalue, and KS-wavefunctions, respectively.
The electron charge density is obtained by $n(\boldsymbol{r})=\sum_i f_i |\psi_i (\boldsymbol{r})|^2$, where $f_i$ is the occupation number for each state $i$. $\boldsymbol{F}_\alpha$ denotes the forces acting on each atom labeled by $\alpha$.
}
\end{figure*}
Here, we discuss the practical minimization procedure for $\Omega$ in the FCP and GCSCF methods.
Figure~\ref{flow}(a) and (b), respectively, show the flow charts for the calculations with FCP and GCSCF, where we show a series of flows for the DFT calculation with geometry optimization.
The SCF and geometry optimization loops show the blue and green shaded areas, respectively.
In the following two subsections, we discuss the FCP and GCSCF methods using these flows.
\subsubsection{FCP method}
The FCP employs a grand-canonical ensemble by the system connecting to the fictitious potentiostat, as shown in Fig.~\ref{model}(a), and minimizes $\Omega$ under the constraint of constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ in the loop in which the geometry is optimized, which is shown as the green shaded area.
In the SCF loop shown as the blue shaded area, the Kohn-Sham equation is solved with the fixed number of electrons.
Therefore, the system reaches constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ via simultaneously optimizing not only the atomic positions but also the total number of electrons $N_{\rm e}$.
To optimize $N_{\rm e}$, we define a fictitious force for $N_{\rm e}$ as
\begin{equation}
F_{\rm e}=-\frac{\partial \Omega}{\partial N_{\rm e}} = -\mu + \mu_{\rm t}, \label{omega}
\end{equation}
where, $\mu =\partial E_{\rm tot}/\partial N_{\rm e}$ implies the instantaneous $\mu_{\rm e}$, and yields the electrode potential as $\mu = -e \Phi$.
To obtain $N_{\mathrm{e}}$ for $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$, we minimize $F_{\mathrm{e}}$ using the quasi-Newton algorithm by using the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno minimization method \cite{broyden1970convergence, fletcher1970new, goldfarb1970family, shanno1970conditioning}.
This method is commonly used for geometry optimization in conjunction with DFT calculations.
In the geometry optimization with the quasi-Newton algorithm, the following equation updates all degrees of freedom for the atomic positions at the $k$-th iteration ($\boldsymbol{x}_{k}$), until all forces acting on the atoms become zero, as follows:
\begin{equation}
\boldsymbol{x}_{k+1}=\boldsymbol{x}_{k}+\boldsymbol{h}_{k}\boldsymbol{f}_{k}.
\label{eq:newton}
\end{equation}
Here, $\boldsymbol{f}_{k}$ and $\boldsymbol{h}_{k}$ denote the forces acting on the atoms and Hessian, respectively.
In conventional geometry optimization, the motion of $N$ atoms in three dimensions produces $3N$ degrees of freedom.
In the FCP, both $F_{\mathrm{e}}$ and $N_{\mathrm{e}}$ are included in $\boldsymbol{f}_{k}$ and $\boldsymbol{x}_{k}$, respectively.
Thus, we explore the solution of eq.~(\ref{eq:newton}) within the space of the $3N+1$-th dimension.
However, we cannot directly treat $F_{\mathrm{e}}$ and $N_{\mathrm{e}}$ on equal footing with $\boldsymbol{f}_{k}$ and $\boldsymbol{x}_{k}$ because the units of $N_{\mathrm{e}}$ and $F_{\mathrm{e}}$ are different from the atomic positions and forces.
To address this, we introduce the effective charge position ($N'_{\mathrm{e}}=\alpha N_{\mathrm{e}}$), where $\alpha$ is a scaling factor unit in bohr/$e$.
$F_{\mathrm{e}}$ is also scaled by $\alpha$ as follows,
\begin{equation}
F'_{\rm e} = (-\mu + \mu_{\rm t})/\alpha.
\end{equation}
Here, the definition of $\alpha$ is $\alpha=L_{\rm max}/V_{\rm max} C_0$.
$L_{\rm max}$ and $V_{\rm max}$ are the upper-bound of the change in the length and voltage at each step, respectively.
$C_0$ is the capacitance determined by the formula of the parallel-plate capacitor:
\begin{equation}
C_0 = \frac{1}{4\pi} \frac{S}{L}.
\end{equation}
Here, $S$ denotes the surface area.
Although the original definition of $L$ is the distance between the parallel plates of the capacitor, we approximately use the half-length of the unit cell in the z-direction for convenience.
In the FCP optimization, we add $N'_{\rm e}$ and $F'_{\rm e}$ to $\boldsymbol{x}_{k}$ and $\boldsymbol{f}_{k}$, respectively.
In eq.~(\ref{eq:newton}), $\boldsymbol{h}_{k}$ plays a role in determining the step width of not only the new atomic positions but also the new charge $N_{\mathrm{e}}$.
For the Hessian component of $N_\mathrm{e}$, we use the first derivative of $\mu$ with respect to the excess charge ($- \partial \mu / \partial N_{\rm e}$).
In the present implementation, we use the approximate inverse of the density of states (DOS) at $\mu$ for $-\partial \mu / \partial N_{\rm e}$ ($1/\rho(\mu)$).
Generally, for a large DOS system near $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$, $\mu$ gradually approaches $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$ because of the small Hessian for $N_{\mathrm{e}}$ evaluated by $1/\rho(\mu)$.
Thus, the convergence behavior of the FCP method depends on the DOS near $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$.
\subsubsection{GCSCF method}
Here, we briefly review the GCSCF method discussed in Ref.~\citenum{sundararaman2017grand}.
The GCSCF reaches constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ during the SCF loop, is shown as the blue shaded area in Fig.~\ref{flow}.
Because the formulation of GCSCF is simple, its calculation flow is essentially the same as that of the conventional DFT with geometry optimization.
However, in the GCSCF, $N_{\mathrm{e}}$ is a variable at each SCF step.
Generally, we can evaluate $N_{\rm e}$ by summing the occupied Kohn–Sham (KS) orbitals with the given $\mu_{\rm t}$.
However, such a simple method for evaluating $N_{\rm e}$ violates the numerical stability of the SCF \cite{lozovoi2001ab}.
Therefore, it is necessary to modify the numerical algorithms to determine the $i$-th transient Fermi energy ($\mu^i$) and update the electron density during the SCF loop.
Now, we explain the algorithm for determining the $\mu^i$.
In the GCSCF, we gradually approach $\mu^i$ to $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$ during the SCF as follows:
First, we evaluate the Fermi energy $\varepsilon^i_{\mathrm{F}}$ at the $i$-th SCF step by the total number of electrons at the $i$-th SCF step, using an ordinal method.
Second, $\mu^i$ is determined by simply mixing $\varepsilon^i_{\mathrm{F}}$ and $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$ as follows:
\begin{eqnarray}
\mu^i = \beta \mu_{\mathrm{t}} + (1- \beta) \varepsilon^i_{\mathrm{F}},
\end{eqnarray}
where $\beta$ is the mixing factor for $\mu_{\rm e}$ ($0<\beta<1$).
Then, the total number of electrons corresponding to $\mu^i$ is determined, and we finally update the occupation number and the electron density using $\mu^i$ and the total number of electrons.
Next, we discuss the charge mixing scheme using the direct inversion of the iterative subspace (DIIS) method \cite{pulay1982improved} within the GCSCF framework.
At the $i$-th SCF step, we update the electron density by solving the KS eq. with an input electron density $n^i_{\rm in}$, and then the updated electron density is used as a $n^{i+1}_{\rm in}$.
However, to obtain a more appropriate value of $n^{i+1}_{\rm in}$, the updated electron density is mixed with the electron density of the previous SCF steps.
To accelerate the convergence of the SCF, we usually use the optimized electron density obtained by the solution of the DIIS method as $n^{i+1}_{\rm in}$.
Usually, to stabilize the DIIS acceleration, the metric and Kerker preconditioning operators \cite{PhysRevB.23.3082} $\hat{M}$ and $\hat{K}$ are introduced, and the DIIS method updates the electron density without altering the term of $n(\boldsymbol{G}=\boldsymbol{0})$, where $\boldsymbol{G}$ is the reciprocal lattice vector.
In contrast, the GCSCF requires the total number of electrons to be updated in the SCF loop.
Therefore, to update $N_{\rm e}$, we introduce the dumping factor of $Q_{\rm K}$ ($>0$) to $\hat{K}$ and $\hat{M}$ as follows:
\begin{eqnarray}
\langle \boldsymbol{G} |\hat{K}|\boldsymbol{G} \rangle &=& \frac{|\boldsymbol{G}|^2+Q_{\rm K}^2}{|\boldsymbol{G}|^2+q_{\rm K}^2+Q_{\rm K}^2}, \label{kerker} \\
\langle \boldsymbol{G} |\hat{M}|\boldsymbol{G} \rangle &=& \frac{4\pi}{|\boldsymbol{G}|^2+Q_{\rm K}^2}.
\end{eqnarray}
Here, $q_{\rm K}$ is the original damping factor of the Kerker preconditioning operator.
When $Q_{\rm K}$ is set to zero, $\hat{K}$ and $\hat{M}$ revert to their original values.
By introducing $Q_{\rm K}$, $\hat{K}$, and $\hat{M}$ at $\boldsymbol{G}=\boldsymbol{0}$ becomes a finite value, and we can always update the total number of electrons in the SCF loop.
Once both $\Omega$ and $\mu^i$ have converged, the ordinal geometry optimization procedure provides the new atomic positions.
\subsubsection{NEB method combined with constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$}
Here, we briefly discuss the NEB method in combination with the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ methods.
The NEB method \cite{mills1995reversible, henkelman2000climbing, henkelman2000improved} describes the minimum energy path (MEP) for a chemical reaction by combining the images of the first and final states.
The MEP is determined by solving Eq.~(\ref{eq:newton}) until the forces acting on each image become zero.
Thus, in the conventional NEB method, we explore the solution of eq.~(\ref{eq:newton}) within the space of the $3N \times N_{\mathrm{im}}$ dimension, which corresponds to the motion of N atoms in three dimensions with $N_{\mathrm{im}}$ images of the MEP.
In the NEB combined with the FCP, eq.~(\ref{eq:newton}) is solved within the $(3N+1) \times N_{\mathrm{im}}$ dimension because we extended the optimization space, as discussed in the previous section.
In contrast, when used in combination with the GCSCF, the NEB does not require special modification of the optimization procedure for the conventional NEB framework because of its straightforward formulation.
In this work, we employ the Broyden method \cite{broyden1965class} as a quasi-Newton algorithm for determining the MEPs.
\subsection{Computational details}
Here, we provide the computational details of this study.
All calculations were performed using the \textsc{Quantum Espresso} package \cite{giannozzi2009quantum, giannozzi2017advanced}, which is a DFT code within the plane-wave basis sets and the ultrasoft-pseudopotential \cite{vanderbilt1990soft} framework. We implemented the FCP and GCSCF routines in combination with the ESM method in the package.
We used the five-layered slab model in the p($2\times2$) supercell to represent the Al(111) surface with a single water molecule, which corresponds to a 0.25~monolayer coverage, as shown in Fig.~\ref{model}(a)].
The two ESM regions with $\epsilon=1$ and $\epsilon=\infty$ are located at a distance of $\sim 8~\mathrm{\AA}$ from the outermost Al layers.
For convenience, the experimental lattice constant of the face-centered cubic Al bulk ($4.05\times 4.05 \times4.05~\mathrm{\AA}^3$) \cite{popovic1992lattice} was used to construct the surface slab.
The cut-off energies for the wavefunctions and charge density were 40~Ry and 320~Ry, respectively.
The exchange-correlation functional was the spin unpolarized version of Perdew--Wang 91 within the generalized-gradient approximation \cite{perdew1992atoms}.
$\boldsymbol{k}$-point sampling used a $5 \times 5 \times 1$ mesh in the surface Brillouin zone, and the number of electrons occupying the volume was determined by the Gaussian smearing method with a smearing width of 0.01~Ry.
We carried out the structural optimization until $\boldsymbol{F}_\alpha < 5.0 \times 10^{-4}$~Ry/Bohr with the bottom of three Al layers fixed at bulk truncated positions.
In the FCP calculation, the convergence thresholds for $\Omega$ and $F_{\rm e}$, respectively, are set to $1.0 \times 10^{-6}$~Ry and $1.0 \times 10^{-2}$~eV.
In the GCSCF calculation, we decrease the threshold of the convergence criteria for $\Omega$ to $1.0 \times 10^{-8}$~Ry, and used the Thomas--Fermi charge-mixing scheme\cite{PhysRevB.64.121101}.
The NEB \cite{henkelman2000climbing, henkelman2000improved} calculation under the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ condition, which enables the determination of the MEP between two stable endpoints, was carried out to determine the activation barriers and diffusion paths of H$_2$O molecules at the surface.
The NEB calculation was conducted with ten discrete images for the MEP with a path threshold of $0.03~\mathrm{eV/\AA}$.
The activation barriers and diffusion paths converged well for the number of images and path threshold.
\section{Results and discussions} \label{s:results}
Here, we discuss the results of water adsorption and diffusion on the Al(111) surface as calculated using the NEB method with constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$.
\subsection{Adsorption site of water-molecule on Al(111)}
First, we briefly discuss the adsorption energy and $\mu_{\rm e}$ at the neutral Al(111) surface with a H$_2$O molecule for adsorption sites, as shown in Fig~\ref{model}(b).
The calculation shows that the on-top sites are the most stable for H$_2$O adsorption, and the adsorption energy we obtained for these sites is 0.23 eV.
These results are consistent with the previous DFT result \cite{ranea2012potential}.
For the MEP, we considered H$_2$O diffusion from one stable on-top site to the next on-top site via a bridge site \cite{neb_note}.
To apply the bias voltage $U$, we measure $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$ from $\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ at the potential of zero charges (PZC), which was $-2.91$eV.
In this study, $U$ is defined as $U = (\mu_{\mathrm{t}} - \mu_{\mathrm{PZC}})/e$ \cite{U_note}, and the three values of $U$ are examined: $U=$ $0$V, $-1$V, and $+1$V, respectively.
Here, $\mu_{\mathrm{PZC}}$ is $\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ at the PZC.
For comparison purposes, we also carried out the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ calculations by evaluating the excess charges ($\Delta N_{\rm e}$) induced by the bias voltage. The results we obtained for $\Delta N_{\mathrm{e}}$ under $U=-1$V and $U=+1$V are $+0.033e$ and $-0.036e$, respectively.
The difference in the absolute values of $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ between $U=1$V and $-1$V implies that the response of surface electrons to the applied bias potential deviates from the linear response regime.
In the constant-$N_{e}$ calculation, we imposed the obtained $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ during the diffusion processes.
\subsection{Activation barrier of water-diffusion on Al(111)}
Table~\ref{tab_neb_E} presents the results of the activation barriers $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ obtained by the NEB with the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ and -$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ schemes.
First, we briefly compare the $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ obtained by the FCP and GCSCF methods ($E^{\mathrm{FCP}}_{\mathrm{a}}$ and $E^{\mathrm{GCSCF}}_{\mathrm{a}}$).
The results of $E^{\mathrm{FCP}}_{\mathrm{a}}$ are almost the same as those of $E^{\mathrm{GCSCF}}_{\mathrm{a}}$.
Because the FCP and GCSCF methods converge to the same physical state, this agreement between the methods is reasonable.
Hereafter, unless otherwise specified, we discuss the results of $E_{\rm a}$ using those derived with FCP as being representative of the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ scheme.
The result of $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ for the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ with $\Delta N_{\mathrm{e}}=0.000e$ is very close to that of the previous climbing image NEB\cite{ranea2012potential}.
In contrast, constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ with $U=0.0$V produces a much lower $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ compared to $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ by the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ with $\Delta N_{\mathrm{e}}=0.000e$.
Under $U=-1.0$V, $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ increases to 0.161eV, which is also smaller than the counterpart value of 0.184 eV obtained with the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ scheme with $N_{\mathrm{e}}=+0.033e$.
By switching the value of $U$ from $0.0$V to $+1.0$V, $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ decreases from 0.092eV to 0.024eV.
$E_{\mathrm{a}}$ with $U=+1.0$V is still lower than that determined by using the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ method with $\Delta N_{\mathrm{e}}=-0.036e$.
The above comparison between the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ and -$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ methods shows that although they yield similar trends for $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ either as a result of applying bias voltages or introducing excess charges, the results are quantitatively quite different.
Compared to the previous experimental data of H$_2$O-diffusion \cite{motobayashi2014adsorption}, our results of $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ by the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ are in good agreement with the observation that the $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ of water diffusion changes significantly with respect to the bias voltage.
Thus, the simulation with the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ method plays an important role in reproducing the experimental conditions for a constant bias-potential.
\begin{table}
\caption{\label{tab_neb_E}
The activation energies $E_\mathrm{a}$ (in eV) of
H$_2$O diffusion on the Al(111) under bias voltages of $U=
0.0$V, $-1.0$V, and $+1.0$V using the constant-$\mu_\mathrm{e}$ scheme.
The results of $E_\mathrm{a}$ for the constant-$N_\mathrm{e}$ scheme
with excess charges $\Delta N_{\mathrm{e}}$ are also listed.
The superscripts of $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ by the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ scheme, respectively, denote the results obtained by the FCP and GCSCF methods.
}
\begin{tabular}{rrrrr}
\hline
\multicolumn{3}{r}{constant-$\mu_\mathrm{e}$} & \multicolumn{2}{r}{constant-$N_\mathrm{e}$} \\
$U$ & $ E^{\rm FCP}_\mathrm{a}$ & $E^{\rm GCSCF}_\mathrm{a}$ & $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ & $ E_\mathrm{a}$ \\
\hline \hline
$0.0$ V & 0.092 & 0.091 & $0.000 e$ & 0.143 \\
$-1.0$ V & 0.161 & 0.161 & $+0.033 e$ & 0.184 \\
$+1.0$ V & 0.024 & 0.028 & $-0.036 e$ & 0.095 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\begin{figure*}[htb]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=140mm]{DiffusionPath.eps}
\caption{\label{mep}
(Color online). Consecutive views of the MEP (ten images) for water diffusion on Al(111): results of constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ scheme with bias-voltages of (a) 0.0V, (b) +1.0V, (c) -1.0V, and constant-$N_{\rm e}$ scheme with the excess charge of (d) $0.000e$, (e) $-0.036e$, and (f) $+0.033e$.
The cyan, pink, and red spheres represent Al, H, and O atoms, respectively.
The upper and lower panels show top and side views of the calculation cell, respectively.
}
\end{center}
\end{figure*}
\subsection{MEPs for water-diffusion on Al(111)}
Here, we discuss the results of the water diffusion path obtained by the NEB with the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ and -$N_{\rm e}$ schemes.
Figure~\ref{mep} (a)--(c), respectively, show consecutive images of the water diffusion along the MEPs at applied bias voltage of $U=0$V, $+1.0$V, and $-1.0$V, where we show the results obtained by the FCP as a representative example.
Among the ten MEP images of H$_2$O, we regard the first and last images as identical, and the water molecules are bonded to the surface Al atom via the O atom.
Along the diffusion path, the applied bias voltage drastically alters the dipole direction of the water molecule.
We can evaluate the change in the direction of the H$_2$O dipole by obtaining the tilt angle between the dipole normal and the surface ($\theta$).
For the first H$_2$O image, the values of $\theta$ under $U=0.0$V, $+1.0$V, and $-1.0$V are $76^\circ$, $85^\circ$, and $71^\circ$, respectively.
This result indicates that the changes in the adsorption structure of H$_2$O resulting from the bias voltage are small for the first images of MEPs.
However, the value of $\theta$ changes drastically in the intermediate images as a consequence of changes in the bias voltage.
The dipole direction near the bridge site at $U=0.0$V and $+1.0$V becomes nearly perpendicular to the Al surface, and the H atoms orientate themselves downward.
In contrast, the dipole directions for all images tend to be parallel to the surface at $U=-1.0$V.
Figure~\ref{mep}(d)--(f) shows the results obtained for the MEP with the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ scheme.
Here, the first and last images of H$_2$O in (d), (e), and (f) are the same as those in (a), (b), and (c), respectively.
However, the changes in $\theta$ in the intermediate images are much smaller than those in the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$.
Thus, we interpret the difference in the results of $E_{\mathrm{a}} $ between the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ and -$N_{\mathrm{e}}$, as presented in Table ~\ref{tab_neb_E}, as the difference in the MEPs.
Therefore, this dependence of the H$_2$O geometry along the MEP on the applied bias voltage indicates the importance of the interaction between the water dipole and external electric fields.
\begin{figure}[htb]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=85mm]{mu.vs.n.eps}
\caption{\label{neb}
(Color online). Changes in the (a) grand-potential $\Delta \Omega$, (b) total energies $\Delta E_{\rm tot}$, (c) introduced excess electrons $\Delta N_{\rm e}$, and (d) chemical potential $\Delta \mu_{\rm e}$ as a function of the H$_2$O diffusion path. The results of (a) and (c) are obtained under $U=0.0$V, $-1.0$V, and $+1.0$V, and the results of (a) and (d) are obtained with $N_{\rm e}=0.000e$, $+0.033e$, and $-0.036e$. The open circles and cross symbols denote the results obtained by the FCP and GCSCF methods, respectively. The results of constant-$N_{\rm e}$ are represented by diamond symbols. The solid and dashed lines are intended to guide the eyes. }
\end{center}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Details of H$_2$O diffusion along the MEPs}
Figure~\ref{neb} shows the results of the analysis with NEB.
Before discussing the details of the diffusion properties, we briefly discuss the results between the FCP and GCSCF methods shown in Fig.~\ref{neb}(a) and (c).
Overall, the results of changes in the grand-potential $\Delta \Omega$ and excess charge $\Delta N_{e}$ along the MEPs obtained by the FCP (represented by open circles) and GCSCF (represented by cross symbols) are the same within the computational accuracy.
These results indicate that we successfully implemented the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ methods.
The main difference between the FCP and GCSCF methods is the computational procedure discussed in Sec.~\ref{s:method}.
Because, as discussed above, we used the extended Hessian in the FCP method, the convergence behavior depends on the inverse of the DOS near $\mu_{\mathrm{t}}$.
In contrast, the GCSCF method directly optimizes $\mu_\mathrm{e}$ during a single SCF calculation.
Because these constant-$\mu_\mathrm{e}$ methods employ different optimization procedures, we need to consider a different strategy to develop the FCP and GCSCF methods to more efficiently reach the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ condition.
Figure~\ref{neb}(a) presents the results of the $\Delta \Omega$, where the black, red, and blue circles, respectively, denote the values under $U=0.0$V, $-1.0$V, and $+1.0$V.
In terms of the overall trend, the heights of $\Delta \Omega$ reach their respective maximum values in the intermediate images and decrease with increasing bias voltage.
This behavior indicates that $E_{\mathrm{a}}$ of the diffusion of water on Al(111) depends on the external electric field, as listed in Table ~\ref{tab_neb_E}.
For $U=+1.0$V, we found negative values of $\Delta \Omega$ at intermediate images of the diffusion path.
This result indicates that the stable adsorption sites of the H$_2$O molecules on Al(111) change from the on-top sites to sites in the vicinity of the bridge sites.
In contrast, the results of $\Delta E_{\mathrm{tot}}$ shown in Fig.~\ref{neb}(b) obtained by the constant-$N_{\rm e}$ scheme do not alter the sign of $\Delta E_{\mathrm{tot}}$ for any values of $N_{\mathrm{e}}$.
Therefore, a comparison of the results of the constant-$\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ and -$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ schemes would necessitate careful adjustment of the bias voltage to determine the stable adsorption site of H$_2$O on Al(111) in the STM experiments and at the electrochemical interface.
Figure~\ref{neb}(c) shows the results of $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ along the diffusion pathway. In the first images, the values of $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ are the same as those used in the constant-$N_{\rm e}$ calculations.
In the next few images, the value of $\Delta N_{\rm e}$ increases, and then it decreases in the intermediate images of the MEPs.
This result is the consequence of introducing excess charges from an external potentiostat to Al(111) to maintain a constant bias voltage.
The results obtained for $\Delta \mu_{\rm e}$ by using the constant-$N_{\mathrm{e}}$ scheme highly depend on the MEPs shown in Fig.~\ref{neb}(d).
Here, we define $\Delta \mu_{\mathrm{e}}$ as the difference between the $\mu_{\mathrm{e}}$s in the MEPs and that in the first image of the MEPs of the PZC.
Because the total number of electrons is fixed, this result originates from the charge transfer between the H$_2$O adsorbate and the Al electrode. This charge transfer alters the height of the dipole barrier for the substrate along with the MEPs.
Because the change in the surface dipole barrier alters the work function that is directly related to the electrode potential, $\Delta \mu_{\rm e}$ highly depends on the H$_2$O diffusion path.
Thus, these differences in the control mechanism of the surface charge between the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ and -$N_{\rm e}$ schemes provide the different MEPs for H$_2$O diffusion at Al(111), as shown in Fig.~\ref{mep}.
\section{summary} \label{s:summary}
In summary, we demonstrated the realistic simulation of the bias-dependent diffusion of H$_2$O on the Al(111) surface using NEB calculations within the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ scheme.
Our results showed that significant differences exist in the activation barrier energies and MEPs, and that this depends on whether the applied bias voltage is positive or negative.
A comparison of the constant-$\mu_{\rm e}$ and -$N_{\rm e}$ schemes also showed that the conventional constant-$N_{\rm e}$ scheme does not provide a good description of molecular diffusion under a bias voltage owing to the absence of strong interaction between the molecular dipole and the electric field.
In comparison, the FCP and GCSCF methods produced the same results within the computational accuracy.
We expect the proposed scheme to find a wide variety of applications in the simulation of STM experiments and electrochemical reactions under constant electrode potentials.
\begin{acknowledgments}
C.H. and M.O. thank Prof.~Osamu Sugino for valuable discussions.
This work was supported by MEXT as the
"Program for Promoting Research on the Supercomputer Fugaku" (Fugaku Battery \& Fuel Cell Project), Grant Number JPMXP1020200301.
The computations were performed using the supercomputers of Research Center for Computational Science (Okazaki, Japan), and
Institute for Solid State Physics and Information Technology Center at the University of Tokyo.
\end{acknowledgments}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 1,512 |
Drooling over Instagram photos and not sure how to capture your own? It's probably time for you to invest in a proper photoshoot for your Instagram business account. In order to get the most out of your session, it's important to plan and come prepared.
Whether you're taking photos to highlight your personality or showcase your products and services, it's important that you have high-quality photos that match your branding. You can use these photos in your feed and Instagram Stories.
In this blog post, I'll show how you to make the most of your professional photo shoot and the kind of photos you need to take, including how to kick your photos up a notch.
Simply put, personality photos are exactly like what they sound like. These photos are meant to show off your personality and show the face behind your brand.
If you're a brand or business that values one-on-one relationships with your customers, which really everyone should, personality photos should be part of your Instagram content strategy. What's so great about personality photos is that they provide a nice content break from typical product or service shots.
If you've seen either my business account, @TheInstagramExpert, or my personal account, @SueBZimmerman, you know that I love to share personality photos.
From enjoying my daily green juice to exploring my neighborhood in Boston, these photos don't necessarily showcase the classes or services that my business offers. But they do go a long way in connecting me with my followers, and helping to foster deeper relationships with my clients.
Sharing product or service photos are a must for any Instagram strategy, or even better, showing them in action, is an easy way to show how your clients utilize the things you're selling. Even if you're trying to get coaching clients, these photos can be really impactful.
Sometimes, it could be as simple as taking photos at your workspace. Are you working from a desk creating artwork? Or a fitness pro working in a studio? Put your followers in the moment by taking them where you spend most of your time.
For me, I'm always working on my phone or with my team on my computer. That's why a lot of my professional Instagram photos include show me using technology.
As you're planning your photoshoot, just remember to set reasonable expectations for yourself and the photographer. Prioritize the photos that are most important, and share what you envision with the photographer ahead of time.
Finally, there's no denying that props are a sure-fire way to kick up your photoshoot. If I'm at a speaking gig or hosting a workshop, there's a good chance that my hashtag signs are nearby.
Maybe you want to feature your colorful nail polish or a ton of bracelets. Or possibly you have airpods on your desk or in your ears because you're always on the go.
Remember, the key to planning a successful photoshoot is taking snapshots that capture what makes you unique and why you stand out in your niche.
Does this blog post have you buzzing with photo ideas, but you don't know where to start? Now that you know the kind of photos you want to capture, grab my FREE Photoshoot Planning Guide now to brainstorm and plan ideas for your next photoshoot. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 1,760 |
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.
This is always an exciting time for Children's Librarians and Teen Librarians around the country. I can't count the number of times I have pulled myself out of bed to either attend the announcements (held during the ALA Midwinter Conference in January each year) or at work or home to listen to the list of winners. When I served on the Batchelder and Odyssey Committees, it was especially exciting to call the winners on the phone first thing in the morning to let them know our decisions.
Most of us feel like we live in the Arctic right now as we enjoy the latest Polar Vortex activity in the lower 48. It's time to bring out a snack. This polar bear is yummy and easy-to-make. I made these for a library program about the Arctic. The kids ate 'em up. | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 8,760 |
{"url":"http:\/\/mathoverflow.net\/questions\/107389\/about-the-map-s-mathfrakg-g-rightarrow-s-mathfrakh-h-for-h?sort=votes","text":"About the map $S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * )^G\\rightarrow S(\\mathfrak{h}^ * )^H$ for $H < G$\n\nLet $G$ be a compact connected semisimple Lie group, $\\mathfrak{g}$ be its complexified Lie algebra and $\\mathfrak{g}^*$ its complex dual space. We can form the symmetric algebra $S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * )$ and its $G$-invariant subalgebra $S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * ) ^G$. For a closed connected subgroup $H< G$ we have the same construction and get $S(\\mathfrak{h}^ * )^H$.\n\nSince $\\mathfrak{h} \\hookrightarrow \\mathfrak{g}$ we get $\\mathfrak{g}^*\\twoheadrightarrow \\mathfrak{h}^ *$ hence $S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * ) \\twoheadrightarrow S(\\mathfrak{h}^ * )$. Take invariant subalgebra we get the map $$\\phi: S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * )^G \\rightarrow S(\\mathfrak{h}^ * )^H.$$\n\nNotice that $\\phi$ is not always a projection map. For example when $H=T$ is a Cartan subalgebra, then it is well-known that $S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * )^G \\cong S(\\mathfrak{t}^ * )^W$ is the invariant subalgebra under the Weyl group action and $S(\\mathfrak{t}^ * )^T=S(\\mathfrak{t}^ * )$ since $T$ is abelian. Therefore $\\phi: S(\\mathfrak{g}^ * )^G \\rightarrow S(\\mathfrak{t}^ * )^T$ is the embedding (injective but not surjective).\n\nMy question is: for which $H$, the map $\\phi$ is injective? We know that $H=G$ itself or $H$ is a Cartan subgroup makes $\\phi$ an injection. Are these the only cases?\n\n-\nHarischChandra HOMOmorphism en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Harish-Chandra_homomorphism not to be confused with HC isomorphism \u2013\u00a0Alexander Chervov Sep 17 '12 at 19:31\nIn arxiv.org\/abs\/q-alg\/9605042 Shifted Schur Functions Andrei Okounkov, Grigori Olshanski Section 10 \"Coherence property of quantum immanants and shifted Schur polynomials\" They discuss some properties of special generators of ZU(gl_n) mapped to ZU(gl_{n-1}) bassically claim is that everything is \"coherent\" \u2013\u00a0Alexander Chervov Sep 18 '12 at 12:48\n\nThe symmetric algebra can be viewed as polynomial functions on $\\mathfrak g$. The kernel of the map consists of $G$-invariant polynomial functions that vanish on $\\mathfrak h$. Thus the kernel is trivial when the $G$-orbit of $\\mathfrak h$ is Zariski-dense in $\\mathfrak g$, for instance, when the $G$-orbit of $H$ is Zariski-dense in $G$. This accounts for both the examples you gave.\nHere is a complete answer to this question: the map $\\varphi$ is an embedding if and only if the group $H$ contains a maximal torus of $G$. I'm assuming (as in the question) that all groups are complexified but originate from a compact group.\nThe map $\\varphi$ is injective if and only if no nonzero $G$-invariant function on $\\mathfrak g$ vanishes on $X:=G\\cdot \\mathfrak{h}$. This happens if and only if $X$ is Zariski dense in $\\mathfrak g$ (if $X$ is not dense then $f(X)=0$ for some nonzero invariant $f\\in S(\\mathfrak{g}^*)^G$ by an old result of Nagata). Since the original group was compact the group $H$ is reductive (as $H(\\mathbb{R})$ is anisotropic). Let $T_0$ be a maximal torus of $H$ and $\\mathfrak{t}_0={\\rm Lie}(T_0)$, a Cartan subalgebra of $\\mathfrak{h}$. As all maximal tori in $H$ are conjugate and the semisimple elements of $\\mathfrak{h}$ are dense in $\\mathfrak{h}$, the set $H \\cdot \\mathfrak{t}_0$ is dense in $\\mathfrak{h}$. So $\\varphi$ is injective if and only if $G\\cdot\\mathfrak{t}_0=G\\cdot (H\\cdot\\mathfrak{t}_0)={(G\\cdot\\mathfrak{h})}_s=X_s$ is dense in $\\mathfrak{g}$. Now $T_0$ is contained in a maximal torus of of $G$, say $T$, and it follows from the theorem of the dimension of fibres of a morphism that $\\dim X = \\dim G\\cdot \\mathfrak{t}_0\\le \\dim G+\\dim \\mathfrak{t}_0-\\dim T$. So $X$ is dense in $\\mathfrak g$ if and only if $T_0=T$ as claimed.","date":"2015-11-30 06:30:16","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.9619858264923096, \"perplexity\": 78.87149559476218}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": false, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2015-48\/segments\/1448398461113.77\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20151124205421-00059-ip-10-71-132-137.ec2.internal.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
""" This is auto-generated module containing Constants information. """
class NamingId:
METHOD = "method"
METHOD_SET = "methodSet"
AAA_AUTH_REALM = "aaaAuthRealm"
AAA_AUTH_REALM_FSM = "aaaAuthRealmFsm"
AAA_AUTH_REALM_FSM_STAGE = "aaaAuthRealmFsmStage"
AAA_CHANGE_SELF_PASSWORD = "aaaChangeSelfPassword"
AAA_CHECK_COMPUTE_AUTH_TOKEN = "aaaCheckComputeAuthToken"
AAA_CHECK_COMPUTE_EXT_ACCESS = "aaaCheckComputeExtAccess"
AAA_CIMC_SESSION = "aaaCimcSession"
AAA_CONSOLE_AUTH = "aaaConsoleAuth"
AAA_DEFAULT_AUTH = "aaaDefaultAuth"
AAA_DOMAIN = "aaaDomain"
AAA_DOMAIN_AUTH = "aaaDomainAuth"
AAA_EP_AUTH_PROFILE = "aaaEpAuthProfile"
AAA_EP_FSM = "aaaEpFsm"
AAA_EP_FSM_STAGE = "aaaEpFsmStage"
AAA_EP_FSM_TASK = "aaaEpFsmTask"
AAA_EP_LOGIN = "aaaEpLogin"
AAA_EP_USER = "aaaEpUser"
AAA_EXT_MGMT_CUT_THRU_TKN = "aaaExtMgmtCutThruTkn"
AAA_GET_AUTH_TOKEN_CLIENT = "aaaGetAuthTokenClient"
AAA_GET_KVMLAUNCH_URL = "aaaGetKVMLaunchUrl"
AAA_GET_NCOMPUTE_AUTH_TOKEN_BY_DN = "aaaGetNComputeAuthTokenByDn"
AAA_KEEP_ALIVE = "aaaKeepAlive"
AAA_LDAP_EP = "aaaLdapEp"
AAA_LDAP_EP_FSM = "aaaLdapEpFsm"
AAA_LDAP_EP_FSM_STAGE = "aaaLdapEpFsmStage"
AAA_LDAP_GROUP = "aaaLdapGroup"
AAA_LDAP_GROUP_RULE = "aaaLdapGroupRule"
AAA_LDAP_PROVIDER = "aaaLdapProvider"
AAA_LOCALE = "aaaLocale"
AAA_LOG = "aaaLog"
AAA_LOGIN = "aaaLogin"
AAA_LOGOUT = "aaaLogout"
AAA_MOD_LR = "aaaModLR"
AAA_ORG = "aaaOrg"
AAA_PRE_LOGIN_BANNER = "aaaPreLoginBanner"
AAA_PROVIDER_GROUP = "aaaProviderGroup"
AAA_PROVIDER_REF = "aaaProviderRef"
AAA_PWD_PROFILE = "aaaPwdProfile"
AAA_RADIUS_EP = "aaaRadiusEp"
AAA_RADIUS_EP_FSM = "aaaRadiusEpFsm"
AAA_RADIUS_EP_FSM_STAGE = "aaaRadiusEpFsmStage"
AAA_RADIUS_PROVIDER = "aaaRadiusProvider"
AAA_REALM_FSM = "aaaRealmFsm"
AAA_REALM_FSM_STAGE = "aaaRealmFsmStage"
AAA_REALM_FSM_TASK = "aaaRealmFsmTask"
AAA_REFRESH = "aaaRefresh"
AAA_REMOTE_USER = "aaaRemoteUser"
AAA_ROLE = "aaaRole"
AAA_SESSION = "aaaSession"
AAA_SESSION_INFO = "aaaSessionInfo"
AAA_SESSION_INFO_TABLE = "aaaSessionInfoTable"
AAA_SESSION_LR = "aaaSessionLR"
AAA_SHELL_LOGIN = "aaaShellLogin"
AAA_SSH_AUTH = "aaaSshAuth"
AAA_TACACS_PLUS_EP = "aaaTacacsPlusEp"
AAA_TACACS_PLUS_EP_FSM = "aaaTacacsPlusEpFsm"
AAA_TACACS_PLUS_EP_FSM_STAGE = "aaaTacacsPlusEpFsmStage"
AAA_TACACS_PLUS_PROVIDER = "aaaTacacsPlusProvider"
AAA_TOKEN_LOGIN = "aaaTokenLogin"
AAA_TOKEN_REFRESH = "aaaTokenRefresh"
AAA_USER = "aaaUser"
AAA_USER_DATA = "aaaUserData"
AAA_USER_EP = "aaaUserEp"
AAA_USER_EP_FSM = "aaaUserEpFsm"
AAA_USER_EP_FSM_STAGE = "aaaUserEpFsmStage"
AAA_USER_EP_FSM_TASK = "aaaUserEpFsmTask"
AAA_USER_LOCALE = "aaaUserLocale"
AAA_USER_ROLE = "aaaUserRole"
AAA_WEB_LOGIN = "aaaWebLogin"
ADAPTOR_CAP_QUAL = "adaptorCapQual"
ADAPTOR_CAP_SPEC = "adaptorCapSpec"
ADAPTOR_DIAG_CAP = "adaptorDiagCap"
ADAPTOR_DYNAMIC_CONFIG_CAP = "adaptorDynamicConfigCap"
ADAPTOR_ETH_ARFS_PROFILE = "adaptorEthArfsProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_COMP_QUEUE_PROFILE = "adaptorEthCompQueueProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_FAILOVER_PROFILE = "adaptorEthFailoverProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_INTERRUPT_PROFILE = "adaptorEthInterruptProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_NVGREPROFILE = "adaptorEthNVGREProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_OFFLOAD_PROFILE = "adaptorEthOffloadProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_BY_SIZE_LARGE_STATS = "adaptorEthPortBySizeLargeStats"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_BY_SIZE_LARGE_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEthPortBySizeLargeStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_BY_SIZE_SMALL_STATS = "adaptorEthPortBySizeSmallStats"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_BY_SIZE_SMALL_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEthPortBySizeSmallStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_ERR_STATS = "adaptorEthPortErrStats"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_ERR_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEthPortErrStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_MCAST_STATS = "adaptorEthPortMcastStats"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_MCAST_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEthPortMcastStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_OUTSIZED_STATS = "adaptorEthPortOutsizedStats"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_OUTSIZED_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEthPortOutsizedStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_STATS = "adaptorEthPortStats"
ADAPTOR_ETH_PORT_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEthPortStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_ETH_RECV_QUEUE_PROFILE = "adaptorEthRecvQueueProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_RO_CEPROFILE = "adaptorEthRoCEProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_VX_LANPROFILE = "adaptorEthVxLANProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETH_WORK_QUEUE_PROFILE = "adaptorEthWorkQueueProfile"
ADAPTOR_ETHER_IF_STATS = "adaptorEtherIfStats"
ADAPTOR_ETHER_IF_STATS_HIST = "adaptorEtherIfStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_EXT_ETH_IF = "adaptorExtEthIf"
ADAPTOR_EXT_ETH_IF_FSM = "adaptorExtEthIfFsm"
ADAPTOR_EXT_ETH_IF_FSM_STAGE = "adaptorExtEthIfFsmStage"
ADAPTOR_EXT_ETH_IF_FSM_TASK = "adaptorExtEthIfFsmTask"
ADAPTOR_EXT_ETH_IF_PC = "adaptorExtEthIfPc"
ADAPTOR_EXT_ETH_IF_PC_EP = "adaptorExtEthIfPcEp"
ADAPTOR_EXT_IP_V6_RSS_HASH_PROFILE = "adaptorExtIpV6RssHashProfile"
ADAPTOR_FAMILY_TYPE_DEF = "adaptorFamilyTypeDef"
ADAPTOR_FC_CDB_WORK_QUEUE_PROFILE = "adaptorFcCdbWorkQueueProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_ERROR_RECOVERY_PROFILE = "adaptorFcErrorRecoveryProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_IF_EVENT_STATS = "adaptorFcIfEventStats"
ADAPTOR_FC_IF_EVENT_STATS_HIST = "adaptorFcIfEventStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_FC_IF_FC4_STATS = "adaptorFcIfFC4Stats"
ADAPTOR_FC_IF_FC4_STATS_HIST = "adaptorFcIfFC4StatsHist"
ADAPTOR_FC_IF_FRAME_STATS = "adaptorFcIfFrameStats"
ADAPTOR_FC_IF_FRAME_STATS_HIST = "adaptorFcIfFrameStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_FC_INTERRUPT_PROFILE = "adaptorFcInterruptProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_OEIF = "adaptorFcOEIf"
ADAPTOR_FC_PORT_FLOGI_PROFILE = "adaptorFcPortFLogiProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_PORT_PLOGI_PROFILE = "adaptorFcPortPLogiProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_PORT_PROFILE = "adaptorFcPortProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_PORT_STATS = "adaptorFcPortStats"
ADAPTOR_FC_PORT_STATS_HIST = "adaptorFcPortStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_FC_RECV_QUEUE_PROFILE = "adaptorFcRecvQueueProfile"
ADAPTOR_FC_WORK_QUEUE_PROFILE = "adaptorFcWorkQueueProfile"
ADAPTOR_FRU_CAP_PROVIDER = "adaptorFruCapProvider"
ADAPTOR_FRU_CAP_REF = "adaptorFruCapRef"
ADAPTOR_FW_CAP_PROVIDER = "adaptorFwCapProvider"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ETH_IF = "adaptorHostEthIf"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ETH_IF_FSM = "adaptorHostEthIfFsm"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ETH_IF_FSM_STAGE = "adaptorHostEthIfFsmStage"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ETH_IF_FSM_TASK = "adaptorHostEthIfFsmTask"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ETH_IF_PROFILE = "adaptorHostEthIfProfile"
ADAPTOR_HOST_FC_IF = "adaptorHostFcIf"
ADAPTOR_HOST_FC_IF_FSM = "adaptorHostFcIfFsm"
ADAPTOR_HOST_FC_IF_FSM_STAGE = "adaptorHostFcIfFsmStage"
ADAPTOR_HOST_FC_IF_FSM_TASK = "adaptorHostFcIfFsmTask"
ADAPTOR_HOST_FC_IF_PROFILE = "adaptorHostFcIfProfile"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ISCSI_IF = "adaptorHostIscsiIf"
ADAPTOR_HOST_ISCSI_IF_PROFILE = "adaptorHostIscsiIfProfile"
ADAPTOR_HOST_MGMT_CAP = "adaptorHostMgmtCap"
ADAPTOR_HOST_PORT = "adaptorHostPort"
ADAPTOR_HOST_PORT_CAP = "adaptorHostPortCap"
ADAPTOR_HOST_SCSI_IF = "adaptorHostScsiIf"
ADAPTOR_HOST_SCSI_LUN_REF = "adaptorHostScsiLunRef"
ADAPTOR_HOST_SERVICE_ETH_IF = "adaptorHostServiceEthIf"
ADAPTOR_HOST_VNIC_HW_ADDR_CAP = "adaptorHostVnicHwAddrCap"
ADAPTOR_HOSTETH_HW_ADDR_CAP = "adaptorHostethHwAddrCap"
ADAPTOR_HOSTFC_HW_ADDR_CAP = "adaptorHostfcHwAddrCap"
ADAPTOR_ISCSI_CAP = "adaptorIScsiCap"
ADAPTOR_IP_V4_RSS_HASH_PROFILE = "adaptorIpV4RssHashProfile"
ADAPTOR_IP_V6_RSS_HASH_PROFILE = "adaptorIpV6RssHashProfile"
ADAPTOR_ISCSI_AUTH = "adaptorIscsiAuth"
ADAPTOR_ISCSI_PROT = "adaptorIscsiProt"
ADAPTOR_ISCSI_TARGET_IF = "adaptorIscsiTargetIf"
ADAPTOR_LAN_CAP = "adaptorLanCap"
ADAPTOR_LLDP_CAP = "adaptorLldpCap"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_BASE_ERROR_STATS = "adaptorMenloBaseErrorStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_BASE_ERROR_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloBaseErrorStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_DCE_PORT_STATS = "adaptorMenloDcePortStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_DCE_PORT_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloDcePortStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_ETH_ERROR_STATS = "adaptorMenloEthErrorStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_ETH_ERROR_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloEthErrorStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_ETH_STATS = "adaptorMenloEthStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_ETH_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloEthStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_FC_ERROR_STATS = "adaptorMenloFcErrorStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_FC_ERROR_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloFcErrorStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_FC_STATS = "adaptorMenloFcStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_FC_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloFcStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_HOST_PORT_STATS = "adaptorMenloHostPortStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_HOST_PORT_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloHostPortStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_MCPU_ERROR_STATS = "adaptorMenloMcpuErrorStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_MCPU_ERROR_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloMcpuErrorStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_MCPU_STATS = "adaptorMenloMcpuStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_MCPU_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloMcpuStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_NET_EG_STATS = "adaptorMenloNetEgStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_NET_EG_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloNetEgStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_NET_IN_STATS = "adaptorMenloNetInStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_NET_IN_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloNetInStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_QERROR_STATS = "adaptorMenloQErrorStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_QERROR_STATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloQErrorStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_QSTATS = "adaptorMenloQStats"
ADAPTOR_MENLO_QSTATS_HIST = "adaptorMenloQStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_NW_MGMT_CAP = "adaptorNwMgmtCap"
ADAPTOR_NW_STATS_MGMT_CAP = "adaptorNwStatsMgmtCap"
ADAPTOR_PROTOCOL_PROFILE = "adaptorProtocolProfile"
ADAPTOR_QUAL = "adaptorQual"
ADAPTOR_RSS_PROFILE = "adaptorRssProfile"
ADAPTOR_SAN_CAP = "adaptorSanCap"
ADAPTOR_UNIT = "adaptorUnit"
ADAPTOR_UNIT_ASSOC_CTX = "adaptorUnitAssocCtx"
ADAPTOR_UNIT_EXTN = "adaptorUnitExtn"
ADAPTOR_UPLINK_HW_ADDR_CAP = "adaptorUplinkHwAddrCap"
ADAPTOR_UPLINK_PORT_STATS = "adaptorUplinkPortStats"
ADAPTOR_USNIC_CONN_DEF = "adaptorUsnicConnDef"
ADAPTOR_VLAN = "adaptorVlan"
ADAPTOR_VNIC_STATS = "adaptorVnicStats"
ADAPTOR_VNIC_STATS_HIST = "adaptorVnicStatsHist"
ADAPTOR_VSAN = "adaptorVsan"
ALLBITS_FILTER = "allbitsFilter"
AND_FILTER = "andFilter"
ANYBIT_FILTER = "anybitFilter"
APE_ATTRIBUTE = "apeAttribute"
APE_BOOT_PNU_OS = "apeBootPnuOs"
APE_CONFIGURE_CMCLIF = "apeConfigureCMCLIF"
APE_CONTROLLER_CHASSIS = "apeControllerChassis"
APE_CONTROLLER_EEPROM = "apeControllerEeprom"
APE_CONTROLLER_MANAGER = "apeControllerManager"
APE_CREATE_HVVNIC = "apeCreateHVVnic"
APE_CREATE_SFISH = "apeCreateSfish"
APE_CREATE_VMVNIC = "apeCreateVMVnic"
APE_DCOS_AG_MANAGER = "apeDcosAgManager"
APE_DELETE_HVVNIC = "apeDeleteHVVnic"
APE_DELETE_SFISH = "apeDeleteSfish"
APE_DELETE_VMVNIC = "apeDeleteVMVnic"
APE_FRU = "apeFru"
APE_GET_ADAPTOR_CONNECTIVITY = "apeGetAdaptorConnectivity"
APE_GET_NEXT_ID = "apeGetNextId"
APE_GET_PNU_OSINVENTORY = "apeGetPnuOSInventory"
APE_GET_SERVER_FROM_IP = "apeGetServerFromIp"
APE_GET_SWITCH_APE_FRU = "apeGetSwitchApeFru"
APE_HOST_AGENT = "apeHostAgent"
APE_INJECT_STIMULI = "apeInjectStimuli"
APE_INSERT_NEW_CHASSIS = "apeInsertNewChassis"
APE_INSERT_NEW_FEX = "apeInsertNewFex"
APE_INSERT_NEW_RACK = "apeInsertNewRack"
APE_ISSUE_ADAPTOR_ID = "apeIssueAdaptorId"
APE_ISSUE_CHASSIS_ID = "apeIssueChassisId"
APE_ISSUE_FEX_ID = "apeIssueFexId"
APE_ISSUE_RACK_ID = "apeIssueRackId"
APE_LANBOOT = "apeLANBoot"
APE_LOCAL_DISK_BOOT = "apeLocalDiskBoot"
APE_MANAGER = "apeManager"
APE_MC = "apeMc"
APE_MC_GET = "apeMcGet"
APE_MC_GET_BIOS_TOKENS = "apeMcGetBiosTokens"
APE_MC_GET_PARAM = "apeMcGetParam"
APE_MC_GET_SMBIOS = "apeMcGetSmbios"
APE_MC_SET = "apeMcSet"
APE_MC_TABLE = "apeMcTable"
APE_MENLO = "apeMenlo"
APE_MENLO_VNIC = "apeMenloVnic"
APE_MENLO_VNIC_STATS = "apeMenloVnicStats"
APE_MUX_OFFLINE = "apeMuxOffline"
APE_NIC_AG_MANAGER = "apeNicAgManager"
APE_PALO = "apePalo"
APE_PALO_VNIC = "apePaloVnic"
APE_PALO_VNIC_STATS = "apePaloVnicStats"
APE_PARAM = "apeParam"
APE_READING = "apeReading"
APE_SANBOOT = "apeSANBoot"
APE_SDR = "apeSdr"
APE_SET_ADAPTOR_FIRMWARE_VERSION = "apeSetAdaptorFirmwareVersion"
APE_SET_APE_SENSOR_READING = "apeSetApeSensorReading"
APE_SET_FLEX_FLASH_CONTROLLER_FIRMWARE_VERSION = "apeSetFlexFlashControllerFirmwareVersion"
APE_SET_FLEX_FLASH_CONTROLLER_STATE = "apeSetFlexFlashControllerState"
APE_SET_FLEX_FLASH_VIRTUAL_RAID_INFORMATION = "apeSetFlexFlashVirtualRaidInformation"
APE_SET_SERVER_LIFE_CYCLE = "apeSetServerLifeCycle"
APE_SET_SWITCH_INVENTORY = "apeSetSwitchInventory"
APE_SET_VMEDIA_MOUNTS = "apeSetVmediaMounts"
APE_SWITCH_FIRMWARE_INV = "apeSwitchFirmwareInv"
APE_TRIGGER_SW_INV = "apeTriggerSwInv"
APE_UPDATE_APE_FIRMWARE_PARAM_TABLE = "apeUpdateApeFirmwareParamTable"
APE_UPDATE_BIOSFIRMWARE_VERSION = "apeUpdateBIOSFirmwareVersion"
APE_UPDATE_STORAGE_CTLR_FIRMWARE_VERSION = "apeUpdateStorageCtlrFirmwareVersion"
APE_VIRTUAL_MEDIA_BOOT = "apeVirtualMediaBoot"
BIOS_BOT = "biosBOT"
BIOS_BOOT_DEV = "biosBootDev"
BIOS_BOOT_DEV_GRP = "biosBootDevGrp"
BIOS_FEATURE_REF = "biosFeatureRef"
BIOS_PARAMETER_REF = "biosParameterRef"
BIOS_REF = "biosRef"
BIOS_SETTING_REF = "biosSettingRef"
BIOS_SETTINGS = "biosSettings"
BIOS_UNIT = "biosUnit"
BIOS_VIDENTITY_PARAMS = "biosVIdentityParams"
BIOS_VPROFILE = "biosVProfile"
BIOS_VF_ACPI10_SUPPORT = "biosVfACPI10Support"
BIOS_VF_ASPMSUPPORT = "biosVfASPMSupport"
BIOS_VF_ALL_USBDEVICES = "biosVfAllUSBDevices"
BIOS_VF_ALTITUDE = "biosVfAltitude"
BIOS_VF_ASSERT_NMION_PERR = "biosVfAssertNMIOnPERR"
BIOS_VF_ASSERT_NMION_SERR = "biosVfAssertNMIOnSERR"
BIOS_VF_BOOT_OPTION_RETRY = "biosVfBootOptionRetry"
BIOS_VF_CPUPERFORMANCE = "biosVfCPUPerformance"
BIOS_VF_CPUPOWER_MANAGEMENT = "biosVfCPUPowerManagement"
BIOS_VF_CONSOLE_REDIRECTION = "biosVfConsoleRedirection"
BIOS_VF_CORE_MULTI_PROCESSING = "biosVfCoreMultiProcessing"
BIOS_VF_DDR3_VOLTAGE_SELECTION = "biosVfDDR3VoltageSelection"
BIOS_VF_DRAMCLOCK_THROTTLING = "biosVfDRAMClockThrottling"
BIOS_VF_DIRECT_CACHE_ACCESS = "biosVfDirectCacheAccess"
BIOS_VF_DRAM_REFRESH_RATE = "biosVfDramRefreshRate"
BIOS_VF_ENHANCED_INTEL_SPEED_STEP_TECH = "biosVfEnhancedIntelSpeedStepTech"
BIOS_VF_ENHANCED_POWER_CAPPING_SUPPORT = "biosVfEnhancedPowerCappingSupport"
BIOS_VF_EXECUTE_DISABLE_BIT = "biosVfExecuteDisableBit"
BIOS_VF_FRB2_TIMER = "biosVfFRB2Timer"
BIOS_VF_FREQUENCY_FLOOR_OVERRIDE = "biosVfFrequencyFloorOverride"
BIOS_VF_FRONT_PANEL_LOCKOUT = "biosVfFrontPanelLockout"
BIOS_VF_INTEL_ENTRY_SASRAIDMODULE = "biosVfIntelEntrySASRAIDModule"
BIOS_VF_INTEL_HYPER_THREADING_TECH = "biosVfIntelHyperThreadingTech"
BIOS_VF_INTEL_TURBO_BOOST_TECH = "biosVfIntelTurboBoostTech"
BIOS_VF_INTEL_VTFOR_DIRECTED_IO = "biosVfIntelVTForDirectedIO"
BIOS_VF_INTEL_VIRTUALIZATION_TECHNOLOGY = "biosVfIntelVirtualizationTechnology"
BIOS_VF_INTERLEAVE_CONFIGURATION = "biosVfInterleaveConfiguration"
BIOS_VF_LOCAL_X2_APIC = "biosVfLocalX2Apic"
BIOS_VF_LV_DIMMSUPPORT = "biosVfLvDIMMSupport"
BIOS_VF_MAX_VARIABLE_MTRRSETTING = "biosVfMaxVariableMTRRSetting"
BIOS_VF_MAXIMUM_MEMORY_BELOW4_GB = "biosVfMaximumMemoryBelow4GB"
BIOS_VF_MEMORY_MAPPED_IOABOVE4_GB = "biosVfMemoryMappedIOAbove4GB"
BIOS_VF_MIRRORING_MODE = "biosVfMirroringMode"
BIOS_VF_NUMAOPTIMIZED = "biosVfNUMAOptimized"
BIOS_VF_OSBOOT_WATCHDOG_TIMER = "biosVfOSBootWatchdogTimer"
BIOS_VF_OSBOOT_WATCHDOG_TIMER_POLICY = "biosVfOSBootWatchdogTimerPolicy"
BIOS_VF_OSBOOT_WATCHDOG_TIMER_TIMEOUT = "biosVfOSBootWatchdogTimerTimeout"
BIOS_VF_ONBOARD_SATACONTROLLER = "biosVfOnboardSATAController"
BIOS_VF_ONBOARD_STORAGE = "biosVfOnboardStorage"
BIOS_VF_OPTION_ROMENABLE = "biosVfOptionROMEnable"
BIOS_VF_OPTION_ROMLOAD = "biosVfOptionROMLoad"
BIOS_VF_PCHSATAMODE = "biosVfPCHSATAMode"
BIOS_VF_PCISLOT_LINK_SPEED = "biosVfPCISlotLinkSpeed"
BIOS_VF_PCISLOT_OPTION_ROMENABLE = "biosVfPCISlotOptionROMEnable"
BIOS_VF_POSTERROR_PAUSE = "biosVfPOSTErrorPause"
BIOS_VF_PSTATECOORDINATION = "biosVfPSTATECoordination"
BIOS_VF_PACKAGE_CSTATE_LIMIT = "biosVfPackageCStateLimit"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_C1_E = "biosVfProcessorC1E"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_C3_REPORT = "biosVfProcessorC3Report"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_C6_REPORT = "biosVfProcessorC6Report"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_C7_REPORT = "biosVfProcessorC7Report"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_CSTATE = "biosVfProcessorCState"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_ENERGY_CONFIGURATION = "biosVfProcessorEnergyConfiguration"
BIOS_VF_PROCESSOR_PREFETCH_CONFIG = "biosVfProcessorPrefetchConfig"
BIOS_VF_QPILINK_FREQUENCY_SELECT = "biosVfQPILinkFrequencySelect"
BIOS_VF_QPISNOOP_MODE = "biosVfQPISnoopMode"
BIOS_VF_QUIET_BOOT = "biosVfQuietBoot"
BIOS_VF_RESUME_ON_ACPOWER_LOSS = "biosVfResumeOnACPowerLoss"
BIOS_VF_SCRUB_POLICIES = "biosVfScrubPolicies"
BIOS_VF_SELECT_MEMORY_RASCONFIGURATION = "biosVfSelectMemoryRASConfiguration"
BIOS_VF_SERIAL_PORT_AENABLE = "biosVfSerialPortAEnable"
BIOS_VF_SPARING_MODE = "biosVfSparingMode"
BIOS_VF_SRIOV_CONFIG = "biosVfSriovConfig"
BIOS_VF_TPMSUPPORT = "biosVfTPMSupport"
BIOS_VF_UCSMBOOT_MODE_CONTROL = "biosVfUCSMBootModeControl"
BIOS_VF_UCSMBOOT_ORDER_RULE_CONTROL = "biosVfUCSMBootOrderRuleControl"
BIOS_VF_UEFIOSUSE_LEGACY_VIDEO = "biosVfUEFIOSUseLegacyVideo"
BIOS_VF_USBBOOT_CONFIG = "biosVfUSBBootConfig"
BIOS_VF_USBCONFIGURATION = "biosVfUSBConfiguration"
BIOS_VF_USBFRONT_PANEL_ACCESS_LOCK = "biosVfUSBFrontPanelAccessLock"
BIOS_VF_USBPORT_CONFIGURATION = "biosVfUSBPortConfiguration"
BIOS_VF_USBSYSTEM_IDLE_POWER_OPTIMIZING_SETTING = "biosVfUSBSystemIdlePowerOptimizingSetting"
BIOS_VF_VGAPRIORITY = "biosVfVGAPriority"
BMC_SELCOUNTER = "bmcSELCounter"
BW_FILTER = "bwFilter"
CALLHOME_ANONYMOUS_REPORTING = "callhomeAnonymousReporting"
CALLHOME_DEST = "callhomeDest"
CALLHOME_EP = "callhomeEp"
CALLHOME_EP_FSM = "callhomeEpFsm"
CALLHOME_EP_FSM_STAGE = "callhomeEpFsmStage"
CALLHOME_EP_FSM_TASK = "callhomeEpFsmTask"
CALLHOME_PERIODIC_SYSTEM_INVENTORY = "callhomePeriodicSystemInventory"
CALLHOME_POLICY = "callhomePolicy"
CALLHOME_PROFILE = "callhomeProfile"
CALLHOME_SMTP = "callhomeSmtp"
CALLHOME_SOURCE = "callhomeSource"
CALLHOME_TEST_ALERT = "callhomeTestAlert"
CAPABILITY_CATALOGUE = "capabilityCatalogue"
CAPABILITY_CATALOGUE_FSM = "capabilityCatalogueFsm"
CAPABILITY_CATALOGUE_FSM_STAGE = "capabilityCatalogueFsmStage"
CAPABILITY_CATALOGUE_FSM_TASK = "capabilityCatalogueFsmTask"
CAPABILITY_EP = "capabilityEp"
CAPABILITY_FEATURE_LIMITS = "capabilityFeatureLimits"
CAPABILITY_MGMT_EXTENSION = "capabilityMgmtExtension"
CAPABILITY_MGMT_EXTENSION_FSM = "capabilityMgmtExtensionFsm"
CAPABILITY_MGMT_EXTENSION_FSM_STAGE = "capabilityMgmtExtensionFsmStage"
CAPABILITY_MGMT_EXTENSION_FSM_TASK = "capabilityMgmtExtensionFsmTask"
CAPABILITY_NETWORK_LIMITS = "capabilityNetworkLimits"
CAPABILITY_STORAGE_LIMITS = "capabilityStorageLimits"
CAPABILITY_SYSTEM_LIMITS = "capabilitySystemLimits"
CAPABILITY_UPDATE = "capabilityUpdate"
CAPABILITY_UPDATER = "capabilityUpdater"
CAPABILITY_UPDATER_FSM = "capabilityUpdaterFsm"
CAPABILITY_UPDATER_FSM_STAGE = "capabilityUpdaterFsmStage"
CAPABILITY_UPDATER_FSM_TASK = "capabilityUpdaterFsmTask"
CHANGE_CHANGED_OBJECT_REF = "changeChangedObjectRef"
CIMCVMEDIA_ACTUAL_MOUNT_ENTRY = "cimcvmediaActualMountEntry"
CIMCVMEDIA_ACTUAL_MOUNT_LIST = "cimcvmediaActualMountList"
CIMCVMEDIA_CONFIG_MOUNT_ENTRY = "cimcvmediaConfigMountEntry"
CIMCVMEDIA_EXT_MGMT_RULE_ENTRY = "cimcvmediaExtMgmtRuleEntry"
CIMCVMEDIA_MOUNT_CONFIG_DEF = "cimcvmediaMountConfigDef"
CIMCVMEDIA_MOUNT_CONFIG_POLICY = "cimcvmediaMountConfigPolicy"
CLASS_ID = "classId"
CLASS_ID_SET = "classIdSet"
CLITEST_TYPE_TEST = "clitestTypeTest"
CLITEST_TYPE_TEST2 = "clitestTypeTest2"
CLITEST_TYPE_TEST_CHILD = "clitestTypeTestChild"
COMM_CIMC_WEB_SERVICE = "commCimcWebService"
COMM_CIMXML = "commCimxml"
COMM_DATE_TIME = "commDateTime"
COMM_DNS = "commDns"
COMM_DNS_PROVIDER = "commDnsProvider"
COMM_EVT_CHANNEL = "commEvtChannel"
COMM_HTTP = "commHttp"
COMM_HTTPS = "commHttps"
COMM_LOCALE = "commLocale"
COMM_NTP_PROVIDER = "commNtpProvider"
COMM_SHELL_SVC_LIMITS = "commShellSvcLimits"
COMM_SMASH_CLP = "commSmashCLP"
COMM_SNMP = "commSnmp"
COMM_SNMP_TRAP = "commSnmpTrap"
COMM_SNMP_USER = "commSnmpUser"
COMM_SSH = "commSsh"
COMM_SVC_EP = "commSvcEp"
COMM_SVC_EP_FSM = "commSvcEpFsm"
COMM_SVC_EP_FSM_STAGE = "commSvcEpFsmStage"
COMM_SVC_EP_FSM_TASK = "commSvcEpFsmTask"
COMM_SVC_POLICY = "commSvcPolicy"
COMM_SYSLOG = "commSyslog"
COMM_SYSLOG_CLIENT = "commSyslogClient"
COMM_SYSLOG_CONSOLE = "commSyslogConsole"
COMM_SYSLOG_FILE = "commSyslogFile"
COMM_SYSLOG_MONITOR = "commSyslogMonitor"
COMM_SYSLOG_SOURCE = "commSyslogSource"
COMM_TELNET = "commTelnet"
COMM_WEB_CHANNEL = "commWebChannel"
COMM_WEB_SVC_LIMITS = "commWebSvcLimits"
COMM_WSMAN = "commWsman"
COMM_XML_CL_CONN_POLICY = "commXmlClConnPolicy"
COMPUTE_AUTOCONFIG_POLICY = "computeAutoconfigPolicy"
COMPUTE_BLADE = "computeBlade"
COMPUTE_BLADE_DISC_POLICY = "computeBladeDiscPolicy"
COMPUTE_BLADE_EP = "computeBladeEp"
COMPUTE_BLADE_FSM = "computeBladeFsm"
COMPUTE_BLADE_FSM_STAGE = "computeBladeFsmStage"
COMPUTE_BLADE_FSM_TASK = "computeBladeFsmTask"
COMPUTE_BLADE_INHERIT_POLICY = "computeBladeInheritPolicy"
COMPUTE_BOARD = "computeBoard"
COMPUTE_BOARD_CONNECTOR = "computeBoardConnector"
COMPUTE_BOARD_CONTROLLER = "computeBoardController"
COMPUTE_CARTRIDGE = "computeCartridge"
COMPUTE_CHASSIS_CONN_POLICY = "computeChassisConnPolicy"
COMPUTE_CHASSIS_DISC_POLICY = "computeChassisDiscPolicy"
COMPUTE_CHASSIS_QUAL = "computeChassisQual"
COMPUTE_CONSTRAINT_DEF = "computeConstraintDef"
COMPUTE_DEFAULTS = "computeDefaults"
COMPUTE_EXT_BOARD = "computeExtBoard"
COMPUTE_FW_SYNC_ACK = "computeFwSyncAck"
COMPUTE_GET_INVENTORY = "computeGetInventory"
COMPUTE_HEALTH_LED_SENSOR_ALARM = "computeHealthLedSensorAlarm"
COMPUTE_IOHUB = "computeIOHub"
COMPUTE_IOHUB_ENV_STATS = "computeIOHubEnvStats"
COMPUTE_IOHUB_ENV_STATS_HIST = "computeIOHubEnvStatsHist"
COMPUTE_INSTANCE_ID_QUAL = "computeInstanceIdQual"
COMPUTE_KVM_MGMT_POLICY = "computeKvmMgmtPolicy"
COMPUTE_MB_POWER_STATS = "computeMbPowerStats"
COMPUTE_MB_POWER_STATS_HIST = "computeMbPowerStatsHist"
COMPUTE_MB_TEMP_STATS = "computeMbTempStats"
COMPUTE_MB_TEMP_STATS_HIST = "computeMbTempStatsHist"
COMPUTE_MEMORY_CONFIG_POLICY = "computeMemoryConfigPolicy"
COMPUTE_MEMORY_CONFIGURATION = "computeMemoryConfiguration"
COMPUTE_MEMORY_UNIT_CONSTRAINT_DEF = "computeMemoryUnitConstraintDef"
COMPUTE_PCIE_FATAL_COMPLETION_STATS = "computePCIeFatalCompletionStats"
COMPUTE_PCIE_FATAL_PROTOCOL_STATS = "computePCIeFatalProtocolStats"
COMPUTE_PCIE_FATAL_RECEIVE_STATS = "computePCIeFatalReceiveStats"
COMPUTE_PCIE_FATAL_STATS = "computePCIeFatalStats"
COMPUTE_PCI_CAP = "computePciCap"
COMPUTE_PCI_SLOT_SCAN_DEF = "computePciSlotScanDef"
COMPUTE_PHYSICAL_ASSOC_CTX = "computePhysicalAssocCtx"
COMPUTE_PHYSICAL_FSM = "computePhysicalFsm"
COMPUTE_PHYSICAL_FSM_STAGE = "computePhysicalFsmStage"
COMPUTE_PHYSICAL_FSM_TASK = "computePhysicalFsmTask"
COMPUTE_PHYSICAL_QUAL = "computePhysicalQual"
COMPUTE_PLATFORM = "computePlatform"
COMPUTE_PNU_OSIMAGE = "computePnuOSImage"
COMPUTE_POOL = "computePool"
COMPUTE_POOL_POLICY_REF = "computePoolPolicyRef"
COMPUTE_POOLABLE = "computePoolable"
COMPUTE_POOLED_ENCLOSURE_COMPUTE_SLOT = "computePooledEnclosureComputeSlot"
COMPUTE_POOLED_RACK_UNIT = "computePooledRackUnit"
COMPUTE_POOLED_SLOT = "computePooledSlot"
COMPUTE_POOLING_POLICY = "computePoolingPolicy"
COMPUTE_PSU_CONTROL = "computePsuControl"
COMPUTE_PSU_POLICY = "computePsuPolicy"
COMPUTE_QUAL = "computeQual"
COMPUTE_RACK_QUAL = "computeRackQual"
COMPUTE_RACK_UNIT = "computeRackUnit"
COMPUTE_RACK_UNIT_FSM = "computeRackUnitFsm"
COMPUTE_RACK_UNIT_FSM_STAGE = "computeRackUnitFsmStage"
COMPUTE_RACK_UNIT_FSM_TASK = "computeRackUnitFsmTask"
COMPUTE_RACK_UNIT_MB_TEMP_STATS = "computeRackUnitMbTempStats"
COMPUTE_RACK_UNIT_MB_TEMP_STATS_HIST = "computeRackUnitMbTempStatsHist"
COMPUTE_RTC_BATTERY = "computeRtcBattery"
COMPUTE_SCRUB_POLICY = "computeScrubPolicy"
COMPUTE_SERVER_DISC_POLICY = "computeServerDiscPolicy"
COMPUTE_SERVER_DISC_POLICY_FSM = "computeServerDiscPolicyFsm"
COMPUTE_SERVER_DISC_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "computeServerDiscPolicyFsmStage"
COMPUTE_SERVER_DISC_POLICY_FSM_TASK = "computeServerDiscPolicyFsmTask"
COMPUTE_SERVER_MGMT_POLICY = "computeServerMgmtPolicy"
COMPUTE_SERVER_TYPE_CAP = "computeServerTypeCap"
COMPUTE_SERVER_UNIT = "computeServerUnit"
COMPUTE_SERVER_UNIT_FSM = "computeServerUnitFsm"
COMPUTE_SERVER_UNIT_FSM_STAGE = "computeServerUnitFsmStage"
COMPUTE_SERVER_UNIT_FSM_TASK = "computeServerUnitFsmTask"
COMPUTE_SLOT_QUAL = "computeSlotQual"
COMPUTE_STORAGE_BLADE_MB_TEMP_STATS = "computeStorageBladeMbTempStats"
COMPUTE_STORAGE_BLADE_MB_TEMP_STATS_HIST = "computeStorageBladeMbTempStatsHist"
CONFIG_CHECK_COMPATIBILITY = "configCheckCompatibility"
CONFIG_CHECK_CONFORMANCE = "configCheckConformance"
CONFIG_CHECK_FIRMWARE_UPDATABLE = "configCheckFirmwareUpdatable"
CONFIG_CONF_FILTERED = "configConfFiltered"
CONFIG_CONF_MO = "configConfMo"
CONFIG_CONF_MO_GROUP = "configConfMoGroup"
CONFIG_CONF_MOS = "configConfMos"
CONFIG_CONF_RENAME = "configConfRename"
CONFIG_CONFIG = "configConfig"
CONFIG_ESTIMATE_CONF_MOS = "configEstimateConfMos"
CONFIG_ESTIMATE_IMPACT = "configEstimateImpact"
CONFIG_FIND_DEPENDENCIES = "configFindDependencies"
CONFIG_FIND_DNS_BY_CLASS_ID = "configFindDnsByClassId"
CONFIG_FIND_HOST_PACK_DEPENDENCIES = "configFindHostPackDependencies"
CONFIG_FIND_PERMITTED = "configFindPermitted"
CONFIG_FIND_STORAGE_PACK_DEPENDENCIES = "configFindStoragePackDependencies"
CONFIG_GET_ESTIMATE_IMPACT = "configGetEstimateImpact"
CONFIG_GET_REMOTE_POLICIES = "configGetRemotePolicies"
CONFIG_GET_XML_FILE = "configGetXmlFile"
CONFIG_GET_XML_FILE_STR = "configGetXmlFileStr"
CONFIG_IMPACT = "configImpact"
CONFIG_INSTALL_ALL_IMPACT = "configInstallAllImpact"
CONFIG_INSTALL_STORAGE_ALL_IMPACT = "configInstallStorageAllImpact"
CONFIG_MANAGED_EP_IMPACT_RESPONSE = "configManagedEpImpactResponse"
CONFIG_MAP = "configMap"
CONFIG_MO_CHANGE_EVENT = "configMoChangeEvent"
CONFIG_REFRESH_IDENTITY = "configRefreshIdentity"
CONFIG_RELEASE_RESOLVE_CONTEXT = "configReleaseResolveContext"
CONFIG_RENEW_RESOLVE_CONTEXT = "configRenewResolveContext"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CHILDREN = "configResolveChildren"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CHILDREN_SORTED = "configResolveChildrenSorted"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CLASS = "configResolveClass"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CLASS_SORTED = "configResolveClassSorted"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CLASSES = "configResolveClasses"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CLASSES_SORTED = "configResolveClassesSorted"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_CONTEXT = "configResolveContext"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_DN = "configResolveDn"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_DNS = "configResolveDns"
CONFIG_RESOLVE_PARENT = "configResolveParent"
CONFIG_SCOPE = "configScope"
CONFIG_SET = "configSet"
CONFIG_SORTER = "configSorter"
DCX_FCOE_VIF_EP = "dcxFcoeVifEp"
DCX_NS = "dcxNs"
DCX_UNIVERSE = "dcxUniverse"
DCX_VIF = "dcxVIf"
DCX_VC = "dcxVc"
DCX_VIF_EP = "dcxVifEp"
DHCP_ACQUIRED = "dhcpAcquired"
DHCP_INST = "dhcpInst"
DHCP_LEASE = "dhcpLease"
DIAG_BLADE_TEST = "diagBladeTest"
DIAG_NETWORK_TEST = "diagNetworkTest"
DIAG_RSLT = "diagRslt"
DIAG_RUN_POLICY = "diagRunPolicy"
DIAG_SRV_CAP_PROVIDER = "diagSrvCapProvider"
DIAG_SRV_CTRL = "diagSrvCtrl"
DN = "dn"
DN_SET = "dnSet"
DOMAIN_ENVIRONMENT_FEATURE = "domainEnvironmentFeature"
DOMAIN_ENVIRONMENT_FEATURE_CONT = "domainEnvironmentFeatureCont"
DOMAIN_ENVIRONMENT_PARAM = "domainEnvironmentParam"
DOMAIN_NETWORK_FEATURE = "domainNetworkFeature"
DOMAIN_NETWORK_FEATURE_CONT = "domainNetworkFeatureCont"
DOMAIN_NETWORK_PARAM = "domainNetworkParam"
DOMAIN_SERVER_FEATURE = "domainServerFeature"
DOMAIN_SERVER_FEATURE_CONT = "domainServerFeatureCont"
DOMAIN_SERVER_PARAM = "domainServerParam"
DOMAIN_STORAGE_FEATURE = "domainStorageFeature"
DOMAIN_STORAGE_FEATURE_CONT = "domainStorageFeatureCont"
DOMAIN_STORAGE_PARAM = "domainStorageParam"
DPSEC_MAC = "dpsecMac"
DUPE_SCOPE = "dupeScope"
DUPE_SCOPE_RESULT = "dupeScopeResult"
EPQOS_DEFINITION = "epqosDefinition"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_DEL_TASK = "epqosDefinitionDelTask"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_DEL_TASK_FSM = "epqosDefinitionDelTaskFsm"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_DEL_TASK_FSM_STAGE = "epqosDefinitionDelTaskFsmStage"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_DEL_TASK_FSM_TASK = "epqosDefinitionDelTaskFsmTask"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_FSM = "epqosDefinitionFsm"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_FSM_STAGE = "epqosDefinitionFsmStage"
EPQOS_DEFINITION_FSM_TASK = "epqosDefinitionFsmTask"
EPQOS_EGRESS = "epqosEgress"
EQ_FILTER = "eqFilter"
EQUIPMENT_ADAPTOR_CONN_DEF = "equipmentAdaptorConnDef"
EQUIPMENT_ADAPTOR_DEF = "equipmentAdaptorDef"
EQUIPMENT_ADVANCED_BOOT_ORDER = "equipmentAdvancedBootOrder"
EQUIPMENT_BASE_BOARD_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentBaseBoardCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_BEACON_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentBeaconCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_BEACON_LED = "equipmentBeaconLed"
EQUIPMENT_BEACON_LED_FSM = "equipmentBeaconLedFsm"
EQUIPMENT_BEACON_LED_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentBeaconLedFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_BEACON_LED_FSM_TASK = "equipmentBeaconLedFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_BIOS_DEF = "equipmentBiosDef"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_AGLIBRARY = "equipmentBladeAGLibrary"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_AGGREGATION_CAP_REF = "equipmentBladeAggregationCapRef"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_BIOS_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentBladeBiosCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentBladeCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_CONN_DEF = "equipmentBladeConnDef"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_IOMCONN_DEF = "equipmentBladeIOMConnDef"
EQUIPMENT_BLADE_SWITCH_CONN_DEF = "equipmentBladeSwitchConnDef"
EQUIPMENT_BOARD_CONTROLLER_DEF = "equipmentBoardControllerDef"
EQUIPMENT_CATALOG_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentCatalogCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS = "equipmentChassis"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentChassisCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS_FSM = "equipmentChassisFsm"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentChassisFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS_FSM_TASK = "equipmentChassisFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS_STATS = "equipmentChassisStats"
EQUIPMENT_CHASSIS_STATS_HIST = "equipmentChassisStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_CIMC_VMEDIA = "equipmentCimcVmedia"
EQUIPMENT_DBG_PLUGIN_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentDbgPluginCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_DIMM_ENTRY = "equipmentDimmEntry"
EQUIPMENT_DIMM_MAPPING = "equipmentDimmMapping"
EQUIPMENT_DISCOVERY_CAP = "equipmentDiscoveryCap"
EQUIPMENT_DOWNGRADE_CONSTRAINT = "equipmentDowngradeConstraint"
EQUIPMENT_FAN = "equipmentFan"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_MODULE = "equipmentFanModule"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_MODULE_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentFanModuleCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_MODULE_DEF = "equipmentFanModuleDef"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_MODULE_STATS = "equipmentFanModuleStats"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_MODULE_STATS_HIST = "equipmentFanModuleStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_STATS = "equipmentFanStats"
EQUIPMENT_FAN_STATS_HIST = "equipmentFanStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_FEX = "equipmentFex"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentFexCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_ENV_STATS = "equipmentFexEnvStats"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_ENV_STATS_HIST = "equipmentFexEnvStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_FSM = "equipmentFexFsm"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentFexFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_FSM_TASK = "equipmentFexFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_POWER_SUMMARY = "equipmentFexPowerSummary"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_POWER_SUMMARY_HIST = "equipmentFexPowerSummaryHist"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_PSU_INPUT_STATS = "equipmentFexPsuInputStats"
EQUIPMENT_FEX_PSU_INPUT_STATS_HIST = "equipmentFexPsuInputStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_FIRMWARE_CONSTRAINT = "equipmentFirmwareConstraint"
EQUIPMENT_FLASH_LIFE = "equipmentFlashLife"
EQUIPMENT_GEM_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentGemCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_GEM_PORT_CAP = "equipmentGemPortCap"
EQUIPMENT_GRAPHICS_CARD_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentGraphicsCardCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_GRAPHICS_CARD_CAP_REF = "equipmentGraphicsCardCapRef"
EQUIPMENT_HDDFAULT_MON_DEF = "equipmentHDDFaultMonDef"
EQUIPMENT_HEALTH_LED = "equipmentHealthLed"
EQUIPMENT_HOST_IF_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentHostIfCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD = "equipmentIOCard"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_BASE_FSM = "equipmentIOCardBaseFsm"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_BASE_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentIOCardBaseFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_BASE_FSM_TASK = "equipmentIOCardBaseFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentIOCardCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_FSM = "equipmentIOCardFsm"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentIOCardFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_FSM_TASK = "equipmentIOCardFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_STATS = "equipmentIOCardStats"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_STATS_HIST = "equipmentIOCardStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_IOCARD_TYPE_DEF = "equipmentIOCardTypeDef"
EQUIPMENT_IMPLIED_STORAGE_ENCLOSURE_DEF = "equipmentImpliedStorageEnclosureDef"
EQUIPMENT_INBAND_MGMT_CAP = "equipmentInbandMgmtCap"
EQUIPMENT_INDICATOR_LED = "equipmentIndicatorLed"
EQUIPMENT_KVM_MGMT_CAP = "equipmentKvmMgmtCap"
EQUIPMENT_LOCAL_DISK_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentLocalDiskCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_LOCAL_DISK_CONTROLLER_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentLocalDiskControllerCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_LOCAL_DISK_CONTROLLER_CAP_REF = "equipmentLocalDiskControllerCapRef"
EQUIPMENT_LOCAL_DISK_CONTROLLER_DEF = "equipmentLocalDiskControllerDef"
EQUIPMENT_LOCAL_DISK_DEF = "equipmentLocalDiskDef"
EQUIPMENT_LOCATOR_LED = "equipmentLocatorLed"
EQUIPMENT_LOCATOR_LED_FSM = "equipmentLocatorLedFsm"
EQUIPMENT_LOCATOR_LED_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentLocatorLedFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_LOCATOR_LED_FSM_TASK = "equipmentLocatorLedFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_MANUFACTURING_DEF = "equipmentManufacturingDef"
EQUIPMENT_MEMORY_UNIT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentMemoryUnitCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_MEMORY_UNIT_DISCOVERY_MODIFIER_DEF = "equipmentMemoryUnitDiscoveryModifierDef"
EQUIPMENT_MGMT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentMgmtCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_MGMT_EXT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentMgmtExtCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_NETWORK_ELEMENT_FAN_STATS = "equipmentNetworkElementFanStats"
EQUIPMENT_NETWORK_ELEMENT_FAN_STATS_HIST = "equipmentNetworkElementFanStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_POST = "equipmentPOST"
EQUIPMENT_POSTCODE = "equipmentPOSTCode"
EQUIPMENT_POSTCODE_REPORTER = "equipmentPOSTCodeReporter"
EQUIPMENT_POSTCODE_TEMPLATE = "equipmentPOSTCodeTemplate"
EQUIPMENT_PCI_DEF = "equipmentPciDef"
EQUIPMENT_PHYS_DEVICES_PER_BOARD = "equipmentPhysDevicesPerBoard"
EQUIPMENT_PHYSICAL_DEF = "equipmentPhysicalDef"
EQUIPMENT_PICTURE = "equipmentPicture"
EQUIPMENT_PORT_CAP = "equipmentPortCap"
EQUIPMENT_PORT_GROUP_AGGREGATION_DEF = "equipmentPortGroupAggregationDef"
EQUIPMENT_PORT_GROUP_DEF = "equipmentPortGroupDef"
EQUIPMENT_PORT_GROUP_SW_COMPLEX_DEF = "equipmentPortGroupSwComplexDef"
EQUIPMENT_PORT_SW_COMPLEX_REF = "equipmentPortSwComplexRef"
EQUIPMENT_POWER_CAP_DEF = "equipmentPowerCapDef"
EQUIPMENT_PROCESSOR_UNIT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentProcessorUnitCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_PROCESSOR_UNIT_DEF = "equipmentProcessorUnitDef"
EQUIPMENT_PSU = "equipmentPsu"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentPsuCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_DEF = "equipmentPsuDef"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_FSM = "equipmentPsuFsm"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentPsuFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_FSM_TASK = "equipmentPsuFsmTask"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_INPUT_STATS = "equipmentPsuInputStats"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_INPUT_STATS_HIST = "equipmentPsuInputStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_OUTPUT_STATS = "equipmentPsuOutputStats"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_OUTPUT_STATS_HIST = "equipmentPsuOutputStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_STATS = "equipmentPsuStats"
EQUIPMENT_PSU_STATS_HIST = "equipmentPsuStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_RACK_FAN_MODULE_DEF = "equipmentRackFanModuleDef"
EQUIPMENT_RACK_UNIT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentRackUnitCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_RACK_UNIT_FAN_STATS = "equipmentRackUnitFanStats"
EQUIPMENT_RACK_UNIT_FAN_STATS_HIST = "equipmentRackUnitFanStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_RACK_UNIT_PSU_STATS = "equipmentRackUnitPsuStats"
EQUIPMENT_RACK_UNIT_PSU_STATS_HIST = "equipmentRackUnitPsuStatsHist"
EQUIPMENT_RAID_DEF = "equipmentRaidDef"
EQUIPMENT_SECURE_BOOT = "equipmentSecureBoot"
EQUIPMENT_SERVER_FEATURE_CAP = "equipmentServerFeatureCap"
EQUIPMENT_SERVER_UNIT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentServerUnitCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_SERVICE_DEF = "equipmentServiceDef"
EQUIPMENT_SHARED_IOMODULE = "equipmentSharedIOModule"
EQUIPMENT_SLOT_ARRAY = "equipmentSlotArray"
EQUIPMENT_SLOT_ARRAY_REF = "equipmentSlotArrayRef"
EQUIPMENT_STORAGE_CONTROLLER_SLOT_DEF = "equipmentStorageControllerSlotDef"
EQUIPMENT_STORAGE_DEV_BRIDGE_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentStorageDevBridgeCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_STORAGE_LIMIT_CAP = "equipmentStorageLimitCap"
EQUIPMENT_STORAGE_PROCESSOR_CAP = "equipmentStorageProcessorCap"
EQUIPMENT_STORAGE_PROVIDER_DRIVER_LIBRARY = "equipmentStorageProviderDriverLibrary"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_CAP = "equipmentSwitchCap"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentSwitchCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_CARD = "equipmentSwitchCard"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_IOCARD = "equipmentSwitchIOCard"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_IOCARD_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentSwitchIOCardCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_IOCARD_FSM = "equipmentSwitchIOCardFsm"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_IOCARD_FSM_STAGE = "equipmentSwitchIOCardFsmStage"
EQUIPMENT_SWITCH_TYPE_DEF = "equipmentSwitchTypeDef"
EQUIPMENT_SYSTEM_FRU_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentSystemFruCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_TPM = "equipmentTpm"
EQUIPMENT_TPM_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentTpmCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_UNIFIED_PORT_CAP_PROVIDER = "equipmentUnifiedPortCapProvider"
EQUIPMENT_UUID_FEATURE_CAP = "equipmentUuidFeatureCap"
EQUIPMENT_VERSION_CONSTRAINT = "equipmentVersionConstraint"
EQUIPMENT_XCVR = "equipmentXcvr"
ETHER_ERR_STATS = "etherErrStats"
ETHER_ERR_STATS_HIST = "etherErrStatsHist"
ETHER_FCOE_INTERFACE_STATS = "etherFcoeInterfaceStats"
ETHER_FCOE_INTERFACE_STATS_HIST = "etherFcoeInterfaceStatsHist"
ETHER_LOSS_STATS = "etherLossStats"
ETHER_LOSS_STATS_HIST = "etherLossStatsHist"
ETHER_NI_ERR_STATS = "etherNiErrStats"
ETHER_NI_ERR_STATS_HIST = "etherNiErrStatsHist"
ETHER_NIC_IF_CONFIG = "etherNicIfConfig"
ETHER_PIO = "etherPIo"
ETHER_PIO_END_POINT = "etherPIoEndPoint"
ETHER_PIO_FSM = "etherPIoFsm"
ETHER_PIO_FSM_STAGE = "etherPIoFsmStage"
ETHER_PAUSE_STATS = "etherPauseStats"
ETHER_PAUSE_STATS_HIST = "etherPauseStatsHist"
ETHER_PORT_CHAN_ID_ELEM = "etherPortChanIdElem"
ETHER_PORT_CHAN_ID_UNIVERSE = "etherPortChanIdUniverse"
ETHER_RX_STATS = "etherRxStats"
ETHER_RX_STATS_HIST = "etherRxStatsHist"
ETHER_SERVER_INT_FIO = "etherServerIntFIo"
ETHER_SERVER_INT_FIO_FSM = "etherServerIntFIoFsm"
ETHER_SERVER_INT_FIO_FSM_STAGE = "etherServerIntFIoFsmStage"
ETHER_SERVER_INT_FIO_FSM_TASK = "etherServerIntFIoFsmTask"
ETHER_SERVER_INT_FIO_PC = "etherServerIntFIoPc"
ETHER_SERVER_INT_FIO_PC_EP = "etherServerIntFIoPcEp"
ETHER_SW_IF_CONFIG = "etherSwIfConfig"
ETHER_SWITCH_INT_FIO = "etherSwitchIntFIo"
ETHER_SWITCH_INT_FIO_PC = "etherSwitchIntFIoPc"
ETHER_SWITCH_INT_FIO_PC_EP = "etherSwitchIntFIoPcEp"
ETHER_TX_STATS = "etherTxStats"
ETHER_TX_STATS_HIST = "etherTxStatsHist"
EVENT_EP_CTRL = "eventEpCtrl"
EVENT_HOLDER = "eventHolder"
EVENT_INST = "eventInst"
EVENT_LOG = "eventLog"
EVENT_POLICY = "eventPolicy"
EVENT_RECORD = "eventRecord"
EVENT_REGISTER_EVENT_CHANNEL = "eventRegisterEventChannel"
EVENT_REGISTER_EVENT_CHANNEL_RESP = "eventRegisterEventChannelResp"
EVENT_SEND_EVENT = "eventSendEvent"
EVENT_SEND_HEARTBEAT = "eventSendHeartbeat"
EVENT_SUBSCRIBE = "eventSubscribe"
EVENT_UN_REGISTER_EVENT_CHANNEL = "eventUnRegisterEventChannel"
EVENT_UNSUBSCRIBE = "eventUnsubscribe"
EXTMGMT_ARP_TARGETS = "extmgmtArpTargets"
EXTMGMT_GATEWAY_PING = "extmgmtGatewayPing"
EXTMGMT_IF = "extmgmtIf"
EXTMGMT_IF_MON_POLICY = "extmgmtIfMonPolicy"
EXTMGMT_MII_STATUS = "extmgmtMiiStatus"
EXTMGMT_NDISC_TARGETS = "extmgmtNdiscTargets"
EXTPOL_CLIENT = "extpolClient"
EXTPOL_CLIENT_CONT = "extpolClientCont"
EXTPOL_CONTROLLER = "extpolController"
EXTPOL_CONTROLLER_CONT = "extpolControllerCont"
EXTPOL_EP = "extpolEp"
EXTPOL_EP_FSM = "extpolEpFsm"
EXTPOL_EP_FSM_STAGE = "extpolEpFsmStage"
EXTPOL_EP_FSM_TASK = "extpolEpFsmTask"
EXTPOL_PROVIDER = "extpolProvider"
EXTPOL_PROVIDER_CONT = "extpolProviderCont"
EXTPOL_PROVIDER_FSM = "extpolProviderFsm"
EXTPOL_PROVIDER_FSM_STAGE = "extpolProviderFsmStage"
EXTPOL_PROVIDER_FSM_TASK = "extpolProviderFsmTask"
EXTPOL_REGISTRY = "extpolRegistry"
EXTPOL_REGISTRY_FSM = "extpolRegistryFsm"
EXTPOL_REGISTRY_FSM_STAGE = "extpolRegistryFsmStage"
EXTPOL_REGISTRY_FSM_TASK = "extpolRegistryFsmTask"
EXTPOL_SYSTEM_CONTEXT = "extpolSystemContext"
EXTVMM_EP = "extvmmEp"
EXTVMM_EP_FSM = "extvmmEpFsm"
EXTVMM_EP_FSM_STAGE = "extvmmEpFsmStage"
EXTVMM_EP_FSM_TASK = "extvmmEpFsmTask"
EXTVMM_FNDREFERENCE = "extvmmFNDReference"
EXTVMM_FABRIC_NETWORK = "extvmmFabricNetwork"
EXTVMM_FABRIC_NETWORK_DEFINITION = "extvmmFabricNetworkDefinition"
EXTVMM_KEY_INST = "extvmmKeyInst"
EXTVMM_KEY_RING = "extvmmKeyRing"
EXTVMM_KEY_STORE = "extvmmKeyStore"
EXTVMM_KEY_STORE_FSM = "extvmmKeyStoreFsm"
EXTVMM_KEY_STORE_FSM_STAGE = "extvmmKeyStoreFsmStage"
EXTVMM_KEY_STORE_FSM_TASK = "extvmmKeyStoreFsmTask"
EXTVMM_MASTER_EXT_KEY = "extvmmMasterExtKey"
EXTVMM_MASTER_EXT_KEY_FSM = "extvmmMasterExtKeyFsm"
EXTVMM_MASTER_EXT_KEY_FSM_STAGE = "extvmmMasterExtKeyFsmStage"
EXTVMM_MASTER_EXT_KEY_FSM_TASK = "extvmmMasterExtKeyFsmTask"
EXTVMM_NETWORK_SETS = "extvmmNetworkSets"
EXTVMM_NETWORK_SETS_FSM = "extvmmNetworkSetsFsm"
EXTVMM_NETWORK_SETS_FSM_STAGE = "extvmmNetworkSetsFsmStage"
EXTVMM_NETWORK_SETS_FSM_TASK = "extvmmNetworkSetsFsmTask"
EXTVMM_PROVIDER = "extvmmProvider"
EXTVMM_PROVIDER_FSM = "extvmmProviderFsm"
EXTVMM_PROVIDER_FSM_STAGE = "extvmmProviderFsmStage"
EXTVMM_PROVIDER_FSM_TASK = "extvmmProviderFsmTask"
EXTVMM_SWITCH_DEL_TASK = "extvmmSwitchDelTask"
EXTVMM_SWITCH_DEL_TASK_FSM = "extvmmSwitchDelTaskFsm"
EXTVMM_SWITCH_DEL_TASK_FSM_STAGE = "extvmmSwitchDelTaskFsmStage"
EXTVMM_SWITCH_DEL_TASK_FSM_TASK = "extvmmSwitchDelTaskFsmTask"
EXTVMM_SWITCH_SET = "extvmmSwitchSet"
EXTVMM_UP_LINK_PP = "extvmmUpLinkPP"
EXTVMM_VMNDREF = "extvmmVMNDRef"
EXTVMM_VMNETWORK = "extvmmVMNetwork"
EXTVMM_VMNETWORK_DEFINITION = "extvmmVMNetworkDefinition"
EXTVMM_VMNETWORK_SETS = "extvmmVMNetworkSets"
FABRIC_BHVLAN = "fabricBHVlan"
FABRIC_CARTRIDGE_PH_EP = "fabricCartridgePhEp"
FABRIC_CARTRIDGE_SLOT_EP = "fabricCartridgeSlotEp"
FABRIC_CARTRIDGE_SLOT_EP_FSM = "fabricCartridgeSlotEpFsm"
FABRIC_CARTRIDGE_SLOT_EP_FSM_STAGE = "fabricCartridgeSlotEpFsmStage"
FABRIC_CARTRIDGE_SLOT_EP_FSM_TASK = "fabricCartridgeSlotEpFsmTask"
FABRIC_CDP_LINK_POLICY = "fabricCdpLinkPolicy"
FABRIC_CHANGED_OBJECT_REF = "fabricChangedObjectRef"
FABRIC_CHASSIS_EP = "fabricChassisEp"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_MSLOT_EP = "fabricComputeMSlotEp"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_MSLOT_EP_FSM = "fabricComputeMSlotEpFsm"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_MSLOT_EP_FSM_STAGE = "fabricComputeMSlotEpFsmStage"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_MSLOT_EP_FSM_TASK = "fabricComputeMSlotEpFsmTask"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_PH_EP = "fabricComputePhEp"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_SLOT_EP = "fabricComputeSlotEp"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_SLOT_EP_FSM = "fabricComputeSlotEpFsm"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_SLOT_EP_FSM_STAGE = "fabricComputeSlotEpFsmStage"
FABRIC_COMPUTE_SLOT_EP_FSM_TASK = "fabricComputeSlotEpFsmTask"
FABRIC_DCE_SRV = "fabricDceSrv"
FABRIC_DCE_SW_SRV = "fabricDceSwSrv"
FABRIC_DCE_SW_SRV_EP = "fabricDceSwSrvEp"
FABRIC_DCE_SW_SRV_PC = "fabricDceSwSrvPc"
FABRIC_DCE_SW_SRV_PC_EP = "fabricDceSwSrvPcEp"
FABRIC_ENCLOSURE_PH_EP = "fabricEnclosurePhEp"
FABRIC_ENCLOSURE_SLOT_EP = "fabricEnclosureSlotEp"
FABRIC_EP = "fabricEp"
FABRIC_EP_MGR = "fabricEpMgr"
FABRIC_EP_MGR_FSM = "fabricEpMgrFsm"
FABRIC_EP_MGR_FSM_STAGE = "fabricEpMgrFsmStage"
FABRIC_EP_MGR_FSM_TASK = "fabricEpMgrFsmTask"
FABRIC_ETH_ESTC = "fabricEthEstc"
FABRIC_ETH_ESTC_CLOUD = "fabricEthEstcCloud"
FABRIC_ETH_ESTC_EP = "fabricEthEstcEp"
FABRIC_ETH_ESTC_PC = "fabricEthEstcPc"
FABRIC_ETH_ESTC_PC_EP = "fabricEthEstcPcEp"
FABRIC_ETH_FLOW_MON_LAN = "fabricEthFlowMonLan"
FABRIC_ETH_LAN = "fabricEthLan"
FABRIC_ETH_LAN_EP = "fabricEthLanEp"
FABRIC_ETH_LAN_FLOW_MONITORING = "fabricEthLanFlowMonitoring"
FABRIC_ETH_LAN_PC = "fabricEthLanPc"
FABRIC_ETH_LAN_PC_EP = "fabricEthLanPcEp"
FABRIC_ETH_LINK_PROFILE = "fabricEthLinkProfile"
FABRIC_ETH_MON = "fabricEthMon"
FABRIC_ETH_MON_DEST_EP = "fabricEthMonDestEp"
FABRIC_ETH_MON_FILT_EP = "fabricEthMonFiltEp"
FABRIC_ETH_MON_FILT_REF = "fabricEthMonFiltRef"
FABRIC_ETH_MON_LAN = "fabricEthMonLan"
FABRIC_ETH_MON_SRC_EP = "fabricEthMonSrcEp"
FABRIC_ETH_MON_SRC_REF = "fabricEthMonSrcRef"
FABRIC_ETH_TARGET_EP = "fabricEthTargetEp"
FABRIC_ETH_VLAN_PC = "fabricEthVlanPc"
FABRIC_ETH_VLAN_PORT_EP = "fabricEthVlanPortEp"
FABRIC_FC_ESTC = "fabricFcEstc"
FABRIC_FC_ESTC_CLOUD = "fabricFcEstcCloud"
FABRIC_FC_ESTC_EP = "fabricFcEstcEp"
FABRIC_FC_MON = "fabricFcMon"
FABRIC_FC_MON_DEST_EP = "fabricFcMonDestEp"
FABRIC_FC_MON_FILT_EP = "fabricFcMonFiltEp"
FABRIC_FC_MON_FILT_REF = "fabricFcMonFiltRef"
FABRIC_FC_MON_SAN = "fabricFcMonSan"
FABRIC_FC_MON_SRC_EP = "fabricFcMonSrcEp"
FABRIC_FC_MON_SRC_REF = "fabricFcMonSrcRef"
FABRIC_FC_SAN = "fabricFcSan"
FABRIC_FC_SAN_EP = "fabricFcSanEp"
FABRIC_FC_SAN_PC = "fabricFcSanPc"
FABRIC_FC_SAN_PC_EP = "fabricFcSanPcEp"
FABRIC_FC_VSAN_PC = "fabricFcVsanPc"
FABRIC_FC_VSAN_PORT_EP = "fabricFcVsanPortEp"
FABRIC_FCOE_ESTC_EP = "fabricFcoeEstcEp"
FABRIC_FCOE_SAN_EP = "fabricFcoeSanEp"
FABRIC_FCOE_SAN_PC = "fabricFcoeSanPc"
FABRIC_FCOE_SAN_PC_EP = "fabricFcoeSanPcEp"
FABRIC_FCOE_VSAN_PC = "fabricFcoeVsanPc"
FABRIC_FCOE_VSAN_PORT_EP = "fabricFcoeVsanPortEp"
FABRIC_FLOW_MON_DEFINITION = "fabricFlowMonDefinition"
FABRIC_FLOW_MON_EXPORTER_PROFILE = "fabricFlowMonExporterProfile"
FABRIC_IF = "fabricIf"
FABRIC_LACP_POLICY = "fabricLacpPolicy"
FABRIC_LAN_ACCESS_MGR = "fabricLanAccessMgr"
FABRIC_LAN_CLOUD = "fabricLanCloud"
FABRIC_LAN_CLOUD_FSM = "fabricLanCloudFsm"
FABRIC_LAN_CLOUD_FSM_STAGE = "fabricLanCloudFsmStage"
FABRIC_LAN_CLOUD_FSM_TASK = "fabricLanCloudFsmTask"
FABRIC_LAN_MON_CLOUD = "fabricLanMonCloud"
FABRIC_LAN_PIN_GROUP = "fabricLanPinGroup"
FABRIC_LAN_PIN_TARGET = "fabricLanPinTarget"
FABRIC_LAST_ACKED_SLOT = "fabricLastAckedSlot"
FABRIC_LOCALE = "fabricLocale"
FABRIC_MULTICAST_POLICY = "fabricMulticastPolicy"
FABRIC_NET_GROUP = "fabricNetGroup"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_COLLECTOR = "fabricNetflowCollector"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_IPV4_ADDR = "fabricNetflowIPv4Addr"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MON_EXPORTER = "fabricNetflowMonExporter"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MON_EXPORTER_REF = "fabricNetflowMonExporterRef"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MON_SESSION = "fabricNetflowMonSession"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MON_SRC_EP = "fabricNetflowMonSrcEp"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MON_SRC_REF = "fabricNetflowMonSrcRef"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MONITOR = "fabricNetflowMonitor"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_MONITOR_REF = "fabricNetflowMonitorRef"
FABRIC_NETFLOW_TIMEOUT_POLICY = "fabricNetflowTimeoutPolicy"
FABRIC_ORG_VLAN_POLICY = "fabricOrgVlanPolicy"
FABRIC_PATH = "fabricPath"
FABRIC_PATH_CONN = "fabricPathConn"
FABRIC_PATH_EP = "fabricPathEp"
FABRIC_POOLABLE_VLAN = "fabricPoolableVlan"
FABRIC_POOLED_VLAN = "fabricPooledVlan"
FABRIC_SAN_CLOUD = "fabricSanCloud"
FABRIC_SAN_CLOUD_FSM = "fabricSanCloudFsm"
FABRIC_SAN_CLOUD_FSM_STAGE = "fabricSanCloudFsmStage"
FABRIC_SAN_CLOUD_FSM_TASK = "fabricSanCloudFsmTask"
FABRIC_SAN_MON_CLOUD = "fabricSanMonCloud"
FABRIC_SAN_PIN_GROUP = "fabricSanPinGroup"
FABRIC_SAN_PIN_TARGET = "fabricSanPinTarget"
FABRIC_SUB_GROUP = "fabricSubGroup"
FABRIC_SW_CH_PH_EP = "fabricSwChPhEp"
FABRIC_SW_SUB_GROUP = "fabricSwSubGroup"
FABRIC_UDLD_LINK_POLICY = "fabricUdldLinkPolicy"
FABRIC_UDLD_POLICY = "fabricUdldPolicy"
FABRIC_VCON = "fabricVCon"
FABRIC_VCON_PROFILE = "fabricVConProfile"
FABRIC_VLAN = "fabricVlan"
FABRIC_VLAN_EP = "fabricVlanEp"
FABRIC_VLAN_GROUP_REQ = "fabricVlanGroupReq"
FABRIC_VLAN_PERMIT = "fabricVlanPermit"
FABRIC_VLAN_REQ = "fabricVlanReq"
FABRIC_VNET_EP_SYNC_EP = "fabricVnetEpSyncEp"
FABRIC_VNET_EP_SYNC_EP_FSM = "fabricVnetEpSyncEpFsm"
FABRIC_VNET_EP_SYNC_EP_FSM_STAGE = "fabricVnetEpSyncEpFsmStage"
FABRIC_VNET_EP_SYNC_EP_FSM_TASK = "fabricVnetEpSyncEpFsmTask"
FABRIC_VSAN = "fabricVsan"
FABRIC_VSAN_EP = "fabricVsanEp"
FABRIC_VSAN_MEMBERSHIP = "fabricVsanMembership"
FABRIC_ZONE_ID_UNIVERSE = "fabricZoneIdUniverse"
FAULT_ACK_FAULT = "faultAckFault"
FAULT_ACK_FAULTS = "faultAckFaults"
FAULT_AFFECTED_CLASS = "faultAffectedClass"
FAULT_HOLDER = "faultHolder"
FAULT_INST = "faultInst"
FAULT_LOCAL_TYPED_HOLDER = "faultLocalTypedHolder"
FAULT_POLICY = "faultPolicy"
FAULT_RESOLVE_FAULT = "faultResolveFault"
FAULT_SUPPRESS_POLICY = "faultSuppressPolicy"
FAULT_SUPPRESS_POLICY_ITEM = "faultSuppressPolicyItem"
FAULT_SUPPRESS_TASK = "faultSuppressTask"
FC_ERR_STATS = "fcErrStats"
FC_ERR_STATS_HIST = "fcErrStatsHist"
FC_NIC_IF_CONFIG = "fcNicIfConfig"
FC_PIO = "fcPIo"
FC_PIO_FSM = "fcPIoFsm"
FC_PIO_FSM_STAGE = "fcPIoFsmStage"
FC_STATS = "fcStats"
FC_STATS_HIST = "fcStatsHist"
FC_SW_IF_CONFIG = "fcSwIfConfig"
FCPOOL_ADDR = "fcpoolAddr"
FCPOOL_BLOCK = "fcpoolBlock"
FCPOOL_BOOT_TARGET = "fcpoolBootTarget"
FCPOOL_FORMAT = "fcpoolFormat"
FCPOOL_INITIATOR = "fcpoolInitiator"
FCPOOL_INITIATOR_EP = "fcpoolInitiatorEp"
FCPOOL_INITIATORS = "fcpoolInitiators"
FCPOOL_POOLABLE = "fcpoolPoolable"
FCPOOL_UNIVERSE = "fcpoolUniverse"
FEATURE_CONTEXT_EP = "featureContextEp"
FEATURE_DEFINITION = "featureDefinition"
FEATURE_DEFINITION_INSTANCE = "featureDefinitionInstance"
FEATURE_DEFINITION_REF = "featureDefinitionRef"
FEATURE_FRU_CAP_PROVIDER_INSTANCE = "featureFruCapProviderInstance"
FEATURE_FRU_CAP_PROVIDER_REF = "featureFruCapProviderRef"
FEATURE_PROVIDER = "featureProvider"
FEATURE_PROVIDER_INSTANCE = "featureProviderInstance"
FILTER_FILTER = "filterFilter"
FIRMWARE_ACK = "firmwareAck"
FIRMWARE_ACTIVITY = "firmwareActivity"
FIRMWARE_AUTO_SYNC_POLICY = "firmwareAutoSyncPolicy"
FIRMWARE_BLADE = "firmwareBlade"
FIRMWARE_BOOT_DEFINITION = "firmwareBootDefinition"
FIRMWARE_BOOT_UNIT = "firmwareBootUnit"
FIRMWARE_BUNDLE_INFO = "firmwareBundleInfo"
FIRMWARE_BUNDLE_INFO_DIGEST = "firmwareBundleInfoDigest"
FIRMWARE_BUNDLE_TYPE = "firmwareBundleType"
FIRMWARE_BUNDLE_TYPE_CAP_PROVIDER = "firmwareBundleTypeCapProvider"
FIRMWARE_CATALOG_PACK = "firmwareCatalogPack"
FIRMWARE_CATALOGUE = "firmwareCatalogue"
FIRMWARE_COMP_SOURCE = "firmwareCompSource"
FIRMWARE_COMP_TARGET = "firmwareCompTarget"
FIRMWARE_COMPUTE_HOST_PACK = "firmwareComputeHostPack"
FIRMWARE_COMPUTE_MGMT_PACK = "firmwareComputeMgmtPack"
FIRMWARE_COMPUTE_STORAGE_PACK = "firmwareComputeStoragePack"
FIRMWARE_CONSTRAINT = "firmwareConstraint"
FIRMWARE_CONSTRAINTS = "firmwareConstraints"
FIRMWARE_DEPENDENCY = "firmwareDependency"
FIRMWARE_DIST_IMAGE = "firmwareDistImage"
FIRMWARE_DISTRIBUTABLE = "firmwareDistributable"
FIRMWARE_DISTRIBUTABLE_FSM = "firmwareDistributableFsm"
FIRMWARE_DISTRIBUTABLE_FSM_STAGE = "firmwareDistributableFsmStage"
FIRMWARE_DISTRIBUTABLE_FSM_TASK = "firmwareDistributableFsmTask"
FIRMWARE_DOWNLOADER = "firmwareDownloader"
FIRMWARE_DOWNLOADER_FSM = "firmwareDownloaderFsm"
FIRMWARE_DOWNLOADER_FSM_STAGE = "firmwareDownloaderFsmStage"
FIRMWARE_DOWNLOADER_FSM_TASK = "firmwareDownloaderFsmTask"
FIRMWARE_FILE_UNIT = "firmwareFileUnit"
FIRMWARE_HOST = "firmwareHost"
FIRMWARE_HOST_PACK_MOD_IMPACT = "firmwareHostPackModImpact"
FIRMWARE_IMAGE = "firmwareImage"
FIRMWARE_IMAGE_FSM = "firmwareImageFsm"
FIRMWARE_IMAGE_FSM_STAGE = "firmwareImageFsmStage"
FIRMWARE_IMAGE_FSM_TASK = "firmwareImageFsmTask"
FIRMWARE_IMAGE_LOCK = "firmwareImageLock"
FIRMWARE_INFRA = "firmwareInfra"
FIRMWARE_INFRA_PACK = "firmwareInfraPack"
FIRMWARE_INSTALL_IMPACT = "firmwareInstallImpact"
FIRMWARE_INSTALLABLE = "firmwareInstallable"
FIRMWARE_PACK_ITEM = "firmwarePackItem"
FIRMWARE_PLATFORM_BUNDLE_TYPE_CAP_PROVIDER = "firmwarePlatformBundleTypeCapProvider"
FIRMWARE_RACK = "firmwareRack"
FIRMWARE_RUNNING = "firmwareRunning"
FIRMWARE_SPEC = "firmwareSpec"
FIRMWARE_STATUS = "firmwareStatus"
FIRMWARE_STORAGE_PACK_MOD_IMPACT = "firmwareStoragePackModImpact"
FIRMWARE_SYSTEM = "firmwareSystem"
FIRMWARE_SYSTEM_COMP_CHECK_RESULT = "firmwareSystemCompCheckResult"
FIRMWARE_SYSTEM_FSM = "firmwareSystemFsm"
FIRMWARE_SYSTEM_FSM_STAGE = "firmwareSystemFsmStage"
FIRMWARE_SYSTEM_FSM_TASK = "firmwareSystemFsmTask"
FIRMWARE_TYPE = "firmwareType"
FIRMWARE_UCSC_INFO = "firmwareUcscInfo"
FIRMWARE_UPDATABLE = "firmwareUpdatable"
FIRMWARE_UPGRADE_CONSTRAINT = "firmwareUpgradeConstraint"
FIRMWARE_UPGRADE_DETAIL = "firmwareUpgradeDetail"
FIRMWARE_UPGRADE_INFO = "firmwareUpgradeInfo"
FLOWCTRL_DEFINITION = "flowctrlDefinition"
FLOWCTRL_ITEM = "flowctrlItem"
FSM_DEBUG_ACTION = "fsmDebugAction"
FSM_STATUS = "fsmStatus"
GE_FILTER = "geFilter"
GMETA_CLASS = "gmetaClass"
GMETA_EP = "gmetaEp"
GMETA_HOLDER = "gmetaHolder"
GMETA_HOLDER_FSM = "gmetaHolderFsm"
GMETA_HOLDER_FSM_STAGE = "gmetaHolderFsmStage"
GMETA_HOLDER_FSM_TASK = "gmetaHolderFsmTask"
GMETA_POLICY_MAP_ELEMENT = "gmetaPolicyMapElement"
GMETA_POLICY_MAP_HOLDER = "gmetaPolicyMapHolder"
GMETA_PROP = "gmetaProp"
GRAPHICS_CARD = "graphicsCard"
GRAPHICS_CONTROLLER = "graphicsController"
GT_FILTER = "gtFilter"
HOSTIMG_POLICY = "hostimgPolicy"
HOSTIMG_TARGET = "hostimgTarget"
ID = "id"
ID_SET = "idSet"
IDENT_IDENT_CTX = "identIdentCtx"
IDENT_IDENT_REQUEST = "identIdentRequest"
IDENT_IDENT_REQUEST_FSM = "identIdentRequestFsm"
IDENT_IDENT_REQUEST_FSM_STAGE = "identIdentRequestFsmStage"
IDENT_IDENT_REQUEST_FSM_TASK = "identIdentRequestFsmTask"
IDENT_META_SYSTEM = "identMetaSystem"
IDENT_META_SYSTEM_FSM = "identMetaSystemFsm"
IDENT_META_SYSTEM_FSM_STAGE = "identMetaSystemFsmStage"
IDENT_META_SYSTEM_FSM_TASK = "identMetaSystemFsmTask"
IDENT_META_VERSE = "identMetaVerse"
IDENT_REQUEST_EP = "identRequestEp"
IDENT_SYS_INFO = "identSysInfo"
IMGPROV_POLICY = "imgprovPolicy"
IMGPROV_TARGET = "imgprovTarget"
IMGSEC_KEY = "imgsecKey"
IMGSEC_POLICY = "imgsecPolicy"
INITIATOR_FC_INITIATOR_EP = "initiatorFcInitiatorEp"
INITIATOR_GROUP_EP = "initiatorGroupEp"
INITIATOR_ISCSI_INITIATOR_EP = "initiatorIScsiInitiatorEp"
INITIATOR_LUN_EP = "initiatorLunEp"
INITIATOR_MEMBER_EP = "initiatorMemberEp"
INITIATOR_REQUESTOR_EP = "initiatorRequestorEp"
INITIATOR_REQUESTOR_GRP_EP = "initiatorRequestorGrpEp"
INITIATOR_STORE_EP = "initiatorStoreEp"
INITIATOR_UNIT_EP = "initiatorUnitEp"
IP_DNS_SUFFIX = "ipDnsSuffix"
IP_IPV4_DNS = "ipIPv4Dns"
IP_IPV4_WINS_SERVER = "ipIPv4WinsServer"
IP_IP_V4_STATIC_ADDR = "ipIpV4StaticAddr"
IP_IP_V4_STATIC_TARGET_ADDR = "ipIpV4StaticTargetAddr"
IP_SERVICE_IF = "ipServiceIf"
IPPOOL_ADDR = "ippoolAddr"
IPPOOL_BLOCK = "ippoolBlock"
IPPOOL_IP_V6_ADDR = "ippoolIpV6Addr"
IPPOOL_IP_V6_BLOCK = "ippoolIpV6Block"
IPPOOL_IP_V6_POOLED = "ippoolIpV6Pooled"
IPPOOL_POOL = "ippoolPool"
IPPOOL_POOLABLE = "ippoolPoolable"
IPPOOL_POOLED = "ippoolPooled"
IPPOOL_UNIVERSE = "ippoolUniverse"
IQNPOOL_ADDR = "iqnpoolAddr"
IQNPOOL_BLOCK = "iqnpoolBlock"
IQNPOOL_FORMAT = "iqnpoolFormat"
IQNPOOL_POOL = "iqnpoolPool"
IQNPOOL_POOLABLE = "iqnpoolPoolable"
IQNPOOL_POOLED = "iqnpoolPooled"
IQNPOOL_TRANSPORT_BLOCK = "iqnpoolTransportBlock"
IQNPOOL_UNIVERSE = "iqnpoolUniverse"
ISCSI_AUTH_PROFILE = "iscsiAuthProfile"
LE_FILTER = "leFilter"
LICENSE_CONTENTS = "licenseContents"
LICENSE_DOWNLOADER = "licenseDownloader"
LICENSE_DOWNLOADER_FSM = "licenseDownloaderFsm"
LICENSE_DOWNLOADER_FSM_STAGE = "licenseDownloaderFsmStage"
LICENSE_DOWNLOADER_FSM_TASK = "licenseDownloaderFsmTask"
LICENSE_EP = "licenseEp"
LICENSE_FEATURE = "licenseFeature"
LICENSE_FEATURE_CAP_PROVIDER = "licenseFeatureCapProvider"
LICENSE_FEATURE_LINE = "licenseFeatureLine"
LICENSE_FILE = "licenseFile"
LICENSE_FILE_FSM = "licenseFileFsm"
LICENSE_FILE_FSM_STAGE = "licenseFileFsmStage"
LICENSE_FILE_FSM_TASK = "licenseFileFsmTask"
LICENSE_INSTANCE = "licenseInstance"
LICENSE_INSTANCE_FSM = "licenseInstanceFsm"
LICENSE_INSTANCE_FSM_STAGE = "licenseInstanceFsmStage"
LICENSE_INSTANCE_FSM_TASK = "licenseInstanceFsmTask"
LICENSE_PROP = "licenseProp"
LICENSE_SERVER_HOST_ID = "licenseServerHostId"
LICENSE_SOURCE = "licenseSource"
LICENSE_SOURCE_FILE = "licenseSourceFile"
LICENSE_TARGET = "licenseTarget"
LLDP_ACQUIRED = "lldpAcquired"
LOGGING_SYNC_OCNS = "loggingSyncOcns"
LS_AGENT_POLICY = "lsAgentPolicy"
LS_BINDING = "lsBinding"
LS_CLONE = "lsClone"
LS_FC_LOCALE = "lsFcLocale"
LS_FC_ZONE = "lsFcZone"
LS_FC_ZONE_GROUP = "lsFcZoneGroup"
LS_INSTANTIATE_NNAMED_TEMPLATE = "lsInstantiateNNamedTemplate"
LS_INSTANTIATE_NTEMPLATE = "lsInstantiateNTemplate"
LS_INSTANTIATE_TEMPLATE = "lsInstantiateTemplate"
LS_ISSUES = "lsIssues"
LS_POWER = "lsPower"
LS_REQUIREMENT = "lsRequirement"
LS_RESOLVE_TEMPLATES = "lsResolveTemplates"
LS_SERVER = "lsServer"
LS_SERVER_ASSOC_CTX = "lsServerAssocCtx"
LS_SERVER_EXTENSION = "lsServerExtension"
LS_SERVER_FSM = "lsServerFsm"
LS_SERVER_FSM_STAGE = "lsServerFsmStage"
LS_SERVER_FSM_TASK = "lsServerFsmTask"
LS_TEMPLATISE = "lsTemplatise"
LS_TIER = "lsTier"
LS_UUID_HISTORY = "lsUuidHistory"
LS_VCON_ASSIGN = "lsVConAssign"
LS_VERSION_BEH = "lsVersionBeh"
LS_ZONE_INITIATOR_MEMBER = "lsZoneInitiatorMember"
LS_ZONE_TARGET_MEMBER = "lsZoneTargetMember"
LSBOOT_BOOT_SECURITY = "lsbootBootSecurity"
LSBOOT_DEF = "lsbootDef"
LSBOOT_DEFAULT_LOCAL_IMAGE = "lsbootDefaultLocalImage"
LSBOOT_ISCSI = "lsbootIScsi"
LSBOOT_ISCSI_IMAGE_PATH = "lsbootIScsiImagePath"
LSBOOT_LAN = "lsbootLan"
LSBOOT_LAN_IMAGE_PATH = "lsbootLanImagePath"
LSBOOT_LOCAL_DISK_IMAGE = "lsbootLocalDiskImage"
LSBOOT_LOCAL_DISK_IMAGE_PATH = "lsbootLocalDiskImagePath"
LSBOOT_LOCAL_HDD_IMAGE = "lsbootLocalHddImage"
LSBOOT_LOCAL_LUN_IMAGE_PATH = "lsbootLocalLunImagePath"
LSBOOT_LOCAL_STORAGE = "lsbootLocalStorage"
LSBOOT_POLICY = "lsbootPolicy"
LSBOOT_SAN = "lsbootSan"
LSBOOT_SAN_CAT_SAN_IMAGE = "lsbootSanCatSanImage"
LSBOOT_SAN_CAT_SAN_IMAGE_PATH = "lsbootSanCatSanImagePath"
LSBOOT_SAN_IMAGE = "lsbootSanImage"
LSBOOT_SAN_IMAGE_PATH = "lsbootSanImagePath"
LSBOOT_STORAGE = "lsbootStorage"
LSBOOT_USB_EXTERNAL_IMAGE = "lsbootUsbExternalImage"
LSBOOT_USB_FLASH_STORAGE_IMAGE = "lsbootUsbFlashStorageImage"
LSBOOT_USB_INTERNAL_IMAGE = "lsbootUsbInternalImage"
LSBOOT_VIRTUAL_MEDIA = "lsbootVirtualMedia"
LSMAINT_ACK = "lsmaintAck"
LSMAINT_MAINT_POLICY = "lsmaintMaintPolicy"
LSTORAGE_ABS_WINDOW = "lstorageAbsWindow"
LSTORAGE_ACK = "lstorageAck"
LSTORAGE_ARRAY = "lstorageArray"
LSTORAGE_ARRAY_AUTOCONFIG_POLICY = "lstorageArrayAutoconfigPolicy"
LSTORAGE_ARRAY_BINDING = "lstorageArrayBinding"
LSTORAGE_ARRAY_QUAL = "lstorageArrayQual"
LSTORAGE_BACKSTORE_BINDING = "lstorageBackstoreBinding"
LSTORAGE_BACKSTORE_POOL = "lstorageBackstorePool"
LSTORAGE_BACKSTORE_POOL_POLICY_REF = "lstorageBackstorePoolPolicyRef"
LSTORAGE_BACKSTORE_POOLING_POLICY = "lstorageBackstorePoolingPolicy"
LSTORAGE_BACKSTORE_QUAL = "lstorageBackstoreQual"
LSTORAGE_BACKSTORE_REQUIREMENT = "lstorageBackstoreRequirement"
LSTORAGE_CTRL_SERVICE = "lstorageCtrlService"
LSTORAGE_DAS_SCSI_LUN = "lstorageDasScsiLun"
LSTORAGE_DISK_GROUP_CONFIG_DEF = "lstorageDiskGroupConfigDef"
LSTORAGE_DISK_GROUP_CONFIG_POLICY = "lstorageDiskGroupConfigPolicy"
LSTORAGE_DISK_GROUP_QUALIFIER = "lstorageDiskGroupQualifier"
LSTORAGE_EXTENSION = "lstorageExtension"
LSTORAGE_INVICTA_REPLICATION_EXT = "lstorageInvictaReplicationExt"
LSTORAGE_ISSUES = "lstorageIssues"
LSTORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_CONFIG_REF = "lstorageLocalDiskConfigRef"
LSTORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_REF = "lstorageLocalDiskRef"
LSTORAGE_LUN_CLONE = "lstorageLunClone"
LSTORAGE_LUN_REPLICATION_PEER_EP = "lstorageLunReplicationPeerEp"
LSTORAGE_LUN_REPLICATION_POLICY = "lstorageLunReplicationPolicy"
LSTORAGE_LUN_REPLICATION_SERVICE = "lstorageLunReplicationService"
LSTORAGE_LUN_REPLICATION_TASK = "lstorageLunReplicationTask"
LSTORAGE_LUN_SNAPSHOT_POLICY = "lstorageLunSnapshotPolicy"
LSTORAGE_MAINT_POLICY = "lstorageMaintPolicy"
LSTORAGE_POOLABLE_BACKSTORE = "lstoragePoolableBackstore"
LSTORAGE_POOLED_ARRAY_VOLUME = "lstoragePooledArrayVolume"
LSTORAGE_PROCESSOR = "lstorageProcessor"
LSTORAGE_PROCESSOR_BINDING = "lstorageProcessorBinding"
LSTORAGE_PROCESSOR_FSM = "lstorageProcessorFsm"
LSTORAGE_PROCESSOR_FSM_STAGE = "lstorageProcessorFsmStage"
LSTORAGE_PROCESSOR_FSM_TASK = "lstorageProcessorFsmTask"
LSTORAGE_PROFILE = "lstorageProfile"
LSTORAGE_PROFILE_BINDING = "lstorageProfileBinding"
LSTORAGE_PROFILE_DEF = "lstorageProfileDef"
LSTORAGE_RECURR_WINDOW = "lstorageRecurrWindow"
LSTORAGE_REPLICATION_CONNECT = "lstorageReplicationConnect"
LSTORAGE_REPLICATION_SOURCE_EP = "lstorageReplicationSourceEp"
LSTORAGE_REPLICATION_SOURCES = "lstorageReplicationSources"
LSTORAGE_REQUEST_CTX = "lstorageRequestCtx"
LSTORAGE_SAN_SCSI_LUN = "lstorageSanScsiLun"
LSTORAGE_SHARED_CREDENTIAL = "lstorageSharedCredential"
LSTORAGE_SVC_SCHED = "lstorageSvcSched"
LSTORAGE_TARGET_IDENTITY = "lstorageTargetIdentity"
LSTORAGE_VIRTUAL_DRIVE_DEF = "lstorageVirtualDriveDef"
LT_FILTER = "ltFilter"
MACPOOL_ADDR = "macpoolAddr"
MACPOOL_BLOCK = "macpoolBlock"
MACPOOL_FORMAT = "macpoolFormat"
MACPOOL_POOL = "macpoolPool"
MACPOOL_POOLABLE = "macpoolPoolable"
MACPOOL_POOLED = "macpoolPooled"
MACPOOL_UNIVERSE = "macpoolUniverse"
MEMORY_ARRAY = "memoryArray"
MEMORY_ARRAY_ENV_STATS = "memoryArrayEnvStats"
MEMORY_ARRAY_ENV_STATS_HIST = "memoryArrayEnvStatsHist"
MEMORY_BUFFER_UNIT = "memoryBufferUnit"
MEMORY_BUFFER_UNIT_ENV_STATS = "memoryBufferUnitEnvStats"
MEMORY_BUFFER_UNIT_ENV_STATS_HIST = "memoryBufferUnitEnvStatsHist"
MEMORY_ERROR_STATS = "memoryErrorStats"
MEMORY_NV_DIMM = "memoryNvDimm"
MEMORY_NV_DIMM_BATTERY = "memoryNvDimmBattery"
MEMORY_NV_DIMM_CONTROLLER = "memoryNvDimmController"
MEMORY_NV_DIMM_ENV_STATS = "memoryNvDimmEnvStats"
MEMORY_NV_DIMM_ENV_STATS_HIST = "memoryNvDimmEnvStatsHist"
MEMORY_QUAL = "memoryQual"
MEMORY_RUNTIME = "memoryRuntime"
MEMORY_RUNTIME_HIST = "memoryRuntimeHist"
MEMORY_UNIT = "memoryUnit"
MEMORY_UNIT_ENV_STATS = "memoryUnitEnvStats"
MEMORY_UNIT_ENV_STATS_HIST = "memoryUnitEnvStatsHist"
METHOD_RESOLVE_VESSEL = "methodResolveVessel"
METHOD_VESSEL = "methodVessel"
MGMT_ACCESS_POLICY = "mgmtAccessPolicy"
MGMT_ACCESS_POLICY_ITEM = "mgmtAccessPolicyItem"
MGMT_ACCESS_PORT = "mgmtAccessPort"
MGMT_BACKUP = "mgmtBackup"
MGMT_BACKUP_EXPORT_EXT_POLICY = "mgmtBackupExportExtPolicy"
MGMT_BACKUP_FSM = "mgmtBackupFsm"
MGMT_BACKUP_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtBackupFsmStage"
MGMT_BACKUP_FSM_TASK = "mgmtBackupFsmTask"
MGMT_BACKUP_POLICY = "mgmtBackupPolicy"
MGMT_BACKUP_POLICY_CONFIG = "mgmtBackupPolicyConfig"
MGMT_BACKUP_POLICY_FSM = "mgmtBackupPolicyFsm"
MGMT_BACKUP_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtBackupPolicyFsmStage"
MGMT_CFG_EXPORT_POLICY = "mgmtCfgExportPolicy"
MGMT_CFG_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM = "mgmtCfgExportPolicyFsm"
MGMT_CFG_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtCfgExportPolicyFsmStage"
MGMT_CIMC_SECURE_BOOT = "mgmtCimcSecureBoot"
MGMT_CONNECTION = "mgmtConnection"
MGMT_CONTROLLER = "mgmtController"
MGMT_CONTROLLER_FSM = "mgmtControllerFsm"
MGMT_CONTROLLER_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtControllerFsmStage"
MGMT_CONTROLLER_FSM_TASK = "mgmtControllerFsmTask"
MGMT_ENTITY = "mgmtEntity"
MGMT_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM = "mgmtExportPolicyFsm"
MGMT_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtExportPolicyFsmStage"
MGMT_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM_TASK = "mgmtExportPolicyFsmTask"
MGMT_IPV6_IF_ADDR = "mgmtIPv6IfAddr"
MGMT_IPV6_IF_ADDR_FSM = "mgmtIPv6IfAddrFsm"
MGMT_IPV6_IF_ADDR_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtIPv6IfAddrFsmStage"
MGMT_IPV6_IF_ADDR_FSM_TASK = "mgmtIPv6IfAddrFsmTask"
MGMT_IPV6_IF_CONFIG = "mgmtIPv6IfConfig"
MGMT_IF = "mgmtIf"
MGMT_IF_FSM = "mgmtIfFsm"
MGMT_IF_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtIfFsmStage"
MGMT_IF_FSM_TASK = "mgmtIfFsmTask"
MGMT_IMPORTER = "mgmtImporter"
MGMT_IMPORTER_FSM = "mgmtImporterFsm"
MGMT_IMPORTER_FSM_STAGE = "mgmtImporterFsmStage"
MGMT_IMPORTER_FSM_TASK = "mgmtImporterFsmTask"
MGMT_INBAND_PROFILE = "mgmtInbandProfile"
MGMT_INT_AUTH_POLICY = "mgmtIntAuthPolicy"
MGMT_INTERFACE = "mgmtInterface"
MGMT_PMON_ENTRY = "mgmtPmonEntry"
MGMT_PROF_DERIVED_INTERFACE = "mgmtProfDerivedInterface"
MGMT_RESOLVE_BACKUP_FILENAMES = "mgmtResolveBackupFilenames"
MGMT_VNET = "mgmtVnet"
NE_FILTER = "neFilter"
NETWORK_ELEMENT = "networkElement"
NETWORK_IF_STATS = "networkIfStats"
NETWORK_LAN_NEIGHBOR_ENTRY = "networkLanNeighborEntry"
NETWORK_LAN_NEIGHBORS = "networkLanNeighbors"
NETWORK_OPER_LEVEL = "networkOperLevel"
NETWORK_SAN_NEIGHBOR_ENTRY = "networkSanNeighborEntry"
NETWORK_SAN_NEIGHBORS = "networkSanNeighbors"
NFS_EP = "nfsEp"
NFS_MOUNT_DEF = "nfsMountDef"
NFS_MOUNT_DEF_FSM = "nfsMountDefFsm"
NFS_MOUNT_DEF_FSM_STAGE = "nfsMountDefFsmStage"
NFS_MOUNT_DEF_FSM_TASK = "nfsMountDefFsmTask"
NFS_MOUNT_INST = "nfsMountInst"
NFS_MOUNT_INST_FSM = "nfsMountInstFsm"
NFS_MOUNT_INST_FSM_STAGE = "nfsMountInstFsmStage"
NFS_MOUNT_INST_FSM_TASK = "nfsMountInstFsmTask"
NOT_FILTER = "notFilter"
NWCTRL_DEFINITION = "nwctrlDefinition"
OBSERVE_FILTER = "observeFilter"
OBSERVE_OBSERVED = "observeObserved"
OBSERVE_OBSERVED_CONT = "observeObservedCont"
OBSERVE_OBSERVED_FSM = "observeObservedFsm"
OBSERVE_OBSERVED_FSM_STAGE = "observeObservedFsmStage"
OBSERVE_OBSERVED_FSM_TASK = "observeObservedFsmTask"
OR_FILTER = "orFilter"
ORG_ORG = "orgOrg"
ORG_RESOLVE_ELEMENTS = "orgResolveElements"
ORG_RESOLVE_LOGICAL_PARENTS = "orgResolveLogicalParents"
ORG_SOURCE_MASK = "orgSourceMask"
OS_ARPLINK_MONITORING_POLICY = "osARPLinkMonitoringPolicy"
OS_ARPTARGET = "osARPTarget"
OS_AGENT = "osAgent"
OS_CONTROLLER = "osController"
OS_CONTROLLER_FSM = "osControllerFsm"
OS_CONTROLLER_FSM_STAGE = "osControllerFsmStage"
OS_CONTROLLER_FSM_TASK = "osControllerFsmTask"
OS_ETH_BOND_INTF = "osEthBondIntf"
OS_ETH_BOND_MODE_ACTIVE_BACKUP = "osEthBondModeActiveBackup"
OS_ETH_BOND_MODE_BALANCED_ALB = "osEthBondModeBalancedALB"
OS_ETH_BOND_MODE_BALANCED_RR = "osEthBondModeBalancedRR"
OS_ETH_BOND_MODE_BALANCED_TLB = "osEthBondModeBalancedTLB"
OS_ETH_BOND_MODE_BALANCED_XOR = "osEthBondModeBalancedXOR"
OS_ETH_BOND_MODE_BROADCAST = "osEthBondModeBroadcast"
OS_ETH_INTF = "osEthIntf"
OS_IMAGE_DEFINITION = "osImageDefinition"
OS_INSTANCE = "osInstance"
OS_MII_LINK_MONITORING_POLICY = "osMiiLinkMonitoringPolicy"
OS_PRIMARY_SLAVE = "osPrimarySlave"
PAIR = "pair"
PCI_EQUIP_SLOT = "pciEquipSlot"
PCI_UNIT = "pciUnit"
PKI_CERT_REQ = "pkiCertReq"
PKI_EP = "pkiEp"
PKI_EP_FSM = "pkiEpFsm"
PKI_EP_FSM_STAGE = "pkiEpFsmStage"
PKI_EP_FSM_TASK = "pkiEpFsmTask"
PKI_KEY_RING = "pkiKeyRing"
PKI_LOCALE = "pkiLocale"
PKI_TP = "pkiTP"
POLICY_CENTRALE_SYNC = "policyCentraleSync"
POLICY_COMMUNICATION = "policyCommunication"
POLICY_CONFIG_BACKUP = "policyConfigBackup"
POLICY_CONTROL_EP = "policyControlEp"
POLICY_CONTROL_EP_FSM = "policyControlEpFsm"
POLICY_CONTROL_EP_FSM_STAGE = "policyControlEpFsmStage"
POLICY_CONTROL_EP_FSM_TASK = "policyControlEpFsmTask"
POLICY_CONTROLLED_INSTANCE = "policyControlledInstance"
POLICY_CONTROLLED_TYPE = "policyControlledType"
POLICY_CONTROLLED_TYPE_FSM = "policyControlledTypeFsm"
POLICY_CONTROLLED_TYPE_FSM_STAGE = "policyControlledTypeFsmStage"
POLICY_CONTROLLED_TYPE_FSM_TASK = "policyControlledTypeFsmTask"
POLICY_DATE_TIME = "policyDateTime"
POLICY_DIGEST = "policyDigest"
POLICY_DISCOVERY = "policyDiscovery"
POLICY_DNS = "policyDns"
POLICY_ELEMENT = "policyElement"
POLICY_FAULT = "policyFault"
POLICY_ID_RESOLVE_POLICY = "policyIdResolvePolicy"
POLICY_INFRA_FIRMWARE = "policyInfraFirmware"
POLICY_LOCAL_MAP = "policyLocalMap"
POLICY_MEP = "policyMEp"
POLICY_MONITORING = "policyMonitoring"
POLICY_POLICY_EP = "policyPolicyEp"
POLICY_POLICY_REQUESTOR = "policyPolicyRequestor"
POLICY_POLICY_SCOPE = "policyPolicyScope"
POLICY_POLICY_SCOPE_CONT = "policyPolicyScopeCont"
POLICY_POLICY_SCOPE_CONTEXT = "policyPolicyScopeContext"
POLICY_POLICY_SCOPE_FSM = "policyPolicyScopeFsm"
POLICY_POLICY_SCOPE_FSM_STAGE = "policyPolicyScopeFsmStage"
POLICY_POLICY_SCOPE_FSM_TASK = "policyPolicyScopeFsmTask"
POLICY_POWER_MGMT = "policyPowerMgmt"
POLICY_PSU = "policyPsu"
POLICY_REF_REQ = "policyRefReq"
POLICY_RESOLVE_NAMES = "policyResolveNames"
POLICY_SECURITY = "policySecurity"
POLICY_SET_CENTRALE_STORAGE = "policySetCentraleStorage"
POLICY_STORAGE_AUTO_CONFIG = "policyStorageAutoConfig"
POLICY_SYSTEM_EP = "policySystemEp"
POOL_RESOLVE_IN_SCOPE = "poolResolveInScope"
PORT_DOMAIN_EP = "portDomainEp"
PORT_GROUP = "portGroup"
PORT_PIO_FSM = "portPIoFsm"
PORT_PIO_FSM_STAGE = "portPIoFsmStage"
PORT_PIO_FSM_TASK = "portPIoFsmTask"
PORT_SUB_GROUP = "portSubGroup"
PORT_TRUST_MODE = "portTrustMode"
POWER_BUDGET = "powerBudget"
POWER_CHASSIS_MEMBER = "powerChassisMember"
POWER_EP = "powerEp"
POWER_GROUP = "powerGroup"
POWER_GROUP_ADDITION_POLICY = "powerGroupAdditionPolicy"
POWER_GROUP_QUAL = "powerGroupQual"
POWER_GROUP_STATS = "powerGroupStats"
POWER_GROUP_STATS_HIST = "powerGroupStatsHist"
POWER_MGMT_POLICY = "powerMgmtPolicy"
POWER_PLACEMENT = "powerPlacement"
POWER_POLICY = "powerPolicy"
POWER_PRIO_WGHT = "powerPrioWght"
POWER_PROFILED_POWER = "powerProfiledPower"
POWER_RACK_UNIT_MEMBER = "powerRackUnitMember"
PROC_DOER = "procDoer"
PROC_MANAGER = "procManager"
PROC_PRT = "procPrt"
PROC_PRT_COUNTS = "procPrtCounts"
PROC_STIMULUS_COUNTS = "procStimulusCounts"
PROC_SVC = "procSvc"
PROC_TX_COUNTS = "procTxCounts"
PROCESSOR_CORE = "processorCore"
PROCESSOR_ENV_STATS = "processorEnvStats"
PROCESSOR_ENV_STATS_HIST = "processorEnvStatsHist"
PROCESSOR_ERROR_STATS = "processorErrorStats"
PROCESSOR_QUAL = "processorQual"
PROCESSOR_RUNTIME = "processorRuntime"
PROCESSOR_RUNTIME_HIST = "processorRuntimeHist"
PROCESSOR_THREAD = "processorThread"
PROCESSOR_UNIT = "processorUnit"
PROCESSOR_UNIT_ASSOC_CTX = "processorUnitAssocCtx"
QOSCLASS_DEFINITION = "qosclassDefinition"
QOSCLASS_DEFINITION_FSM = "qosclassDefinitionFsm"
QOSCLASS_DEFINITION_FSM_STAGE = "qosclassDefinitionFsmStage"
QOSCLASS_DEFINITION_FSM_TASK = "qosclassDefinitionFsmTask"
QOSCLASS_ETH_BE = "qosclassEthBE"
QOSCLASS_ETH_CLASSIFIED = "qosclassEthClassified"
QOSCLASS_FC = "qosclassFc"
QUERYRESULT_DEPENDENCY = "queryresultDependency"
QUERYRESULT_USAGE = "queryresultUsage"
SOL_CONFIG = "solConfig"
SOL_IF = "solIf"
SOL_POLICY = "solPolicy"
STATS_CLEAR_INTERVAL = "statsClearInterval"
STATS_COLLECTION_POLICY = "statsCollectionPolicy"
STATS_COLLECTION_POLICY_FSM = "statsCollectionPolicyFsm"
STATS_COLLECTION_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "statsCollectionPolicyFsmStage"
STATS_COLLECTION_POLICY_FSM_TASK = "statsCollectionPolicyFsmTask"
STATS_HOLDER = "statsHolder"
STATS_RESOLVE_THRESHOLD_POLICY = "statsResolveThresholdPolicy"
STATS_SUBSCRIBE = "statsSubscribe"
STATS_THR32_DEFINITION = "statsThr32Definition"
STATS_THR32_VALUE = "statsThr32Value"
STATS_THR64_DEFINITION = "statsThr64Definition"
STATS_THR64_VALUE = "statsThr64Value"
STATS_THR_FLOAT_DEFINITION = "statsThrFloatDefinition"
STATS_THR_FLOAT_VALUE = "statsThrFloatValue"
STATS_THRESHOLD_CLASS = "statsThresholdClass"
STATS_THRESHOLD_POLICY = "statsThresholdPolicy"
STORAGE_ARRAY = "storageArray"
STORAGE_AUTH_KEY = "storageAuthKey"
STORAGE_BLADE = "storageBlade"
STORAGE_CLOUD = "storageCloud"
STORAGE_CLUSTER_ID_UNIVERSE = "storageClusterIdUniverse"
STORAGE_CONNECTION_DEF = "storageConnectionDef"
STORAGE_CONNECTION_POLICY = "storageConnectionPolicy"
STORAGE_CONTROLLER = "storageController"
STORAGE_CTRL_STORAGE_STATS = "storageCtrlStorageStats"
STORAGE_CTRL_STORAGE_STATS_HIST = "storageCtrlStorageStatsHist"
STORAGE_DEVICE_BRIDGE = "storageDeviceBridge"
STORAGE_DISK_ENV_STATS = "storageDiskEnvStats"
STORAGE_DISK_ENV_STATS_HIST = "storageDiskEnvStatsHist"
STORAGE_DISK_EP = "storageDiskEp"
STORAGE_DISK_GROUP = "storageDiskGroup"
STORAGE_DOMAIN_EP = "storageDomainEp"
STORAGE_DRIVE = "storageDrive"
STORAGE_ENCLOSURE = "storageEnclosure"
STORAGE_ENCLOSURE_DISK_SLOT_EP = "storageEnclosureDiskSlotEp"
STORAGE_EP_USER = "storageEpUser"
STORAGE_ETH_LIF = "storageEthLif"
STORAGE_ETHER_IF = "storageEtherIf"
STORAGE_FC_IF = "storageFcIf"
STORAGE_FC_TARGET_EP = "storageFcTargetEp"
STORAGE_FC_TARGET_IF = "storageFcTargetIf"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_CARD = "storageFlexFlashCard"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_CONTROLLER = "storageFlexFlashController"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_CONTROLLER_FSM = "storageFlexFlashControllerFsm"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_CONTROLLER_FSM_STAGE = "storageFlexFlashControllerFsmStage"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_CONTROLLER_FSM_TASK = "storageFlexFlashControllerFsmTask"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_DRIVE = "storageFlexFlashDrive"
STORAGE_FLEX_FLASH_VIRTUAL_DRIVE = "storageFlexFlashVirtualDrive"
STORAGE_ISCSI_INITIATOR_EP = "storageIScsiInitiatorEp"
STORAGE_ISCSI_TARGET_IF = "storageIScsiTargetIf"
STORAGE_INI_GROUP = "storageIniGroup"
STORAGE_INITIATOR = "storageInitiator"
STORAGE_INITIATOR_REF = "storageInitiatorRef"
STORAGE_IP_V4_POOLED_ADDR = "storageIpV4PooledAddr"
STORAGE_IP_V4_STATIC_ADDR = "storageIpV4StaticAddr"
STORAGE_ITEM = "storageItem"
STORAGE_LOCAL_DISK = "storageLocalDisk"
STORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_CONFIG_DEF = "storageLocalDiskConfigDef"
STORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_CONFIG_POLICY = "storageLocalDiskConfigPolicy"
STORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_EP = "storageLocalDiskEp"
STORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_PARTITION = "storageLocalDiskPartition"
STORAGE_LOCAL_DISK_SLOT_EP = "storageLocalDiskSlotEp"
STORAGE_LOCAL_LUN = "storageLocalLun"
STORAGE_LUN_COUNTERS = "storageLunCounters"
STORAGE_LUN_DISK = "storageLunDisk"
STORAGE_LUN_MASK_GROUP = "storageLunMaskGroup"
STORAGE_LUN_REPLICA = "storageLunReplica"
STORAGE_LUN_RESOURCE_SELECTION_LOG = "storageLunResourceSelectionLog"
STORAGE_LUN_SNAPSHOT = "storageLunSnapshot"
STORAGE_MEZZ_FLASH_LIFE = "storageMezzFlashLife"
STORAGE_NODE_EP = "storageNodeEp"
STORAGE_OPERATION = "storageOperation"
STORAGE_PARTITION = "storagePartition"
STORAGE_PARTITION_FSM = "storagePartitionFsm"
STORAGE_PARTITION_FSM_STAGE = "storagePartitionFsmStage"
STORAGE_PARTITION_FSM_TASK = "storagePartitionFsmTask"
STORAGE_PROCESSOR = "storageProcessor"
STORAGE_PROCESSOR_EP = "storageProcessorEp"
STORAGE_PROCESSOR_FSM = "storageProcessorFsm"
STORAGE_PROCESSOR_FSM_STAGE = "storageProcessorFsmStage"
STORAGE_PROCESSOR_FSM_TASK = "storageProcessorFsmTask"
STORAGE_PROCESSOR_RUNTIME = "storageProcessorRuntime"
STORAGE_QUAL = "storageQual"
STORAGE_RAID_BATTERY = "storageRaidBattery"
STORAGE_REPLICA_RESTORE_PROFILE = "storageReplicaRestoreProfile"
STORAGE_REPLICATION_PROFILE = "storageReplicationProfile"
STORAGE_SAS_EXPANDER = "storageSasExpander"
STORAGE_SCSI_DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR = "storageScsiDeviceDescriptor"
STORAGE_SCSI_LUN = "storageScsiLun"
STORAGE_SCSI_LUN_INST_REF = "storageScsiLunInstRef"
STORAGE_SCSI_LUN_MASK = "storageScsiLunMask"
STORAGE_SCSI_LUN_REF = "storageScsiLunRef"
STORAGE_SNAPSHOT_PROFILE = "storageSnapshotProfile"
STORAGE_STORAGE_STATS = "storageStorageStats"
STORAGE_STORAGE_STATS_HIST = "storageStorageStatsHist"
STORAGE_SYSTEM = "storageSystem"
STORAGE_SYSTEM_FSM = "storageSystemFsm"
STORAGE_SYSTEM_FSM_STAGE = "storageSystemFsmStage"
STORAGE_SYSTEM_FSM_TASK = "storageSystemFsmTask"
STORAGE_TARGET_IDENTITY = "storageTargetIdentity"
STORAGE_TARGET_NODE = "storageTargetNode"
STORAGE_TRANSPORTABLE_FLASH_MODULE = "storageTransportableFlashModule"
STORAGE_USAGE_COUNTERS = "storageUsageCounters"
STORAGE_VDMEMBER_EP = "storageVDMemberEp"
STORAGE_VIRTUAL_DRIVE = "storageVirtualDrive"
STORAGE_VIRTUAL_DRIVE_REF = "storageVirtualDriveRef"
STORAGE_VOLUME = "storageVolume"
STORAGE_VSAN_REF = "storageVsanRef"
SW_ACCESS_DOMAIN = "swAccessDomain"
SW_ACCESS_DOMAIN_FSM = "swAccessDomainFsm"
SW_ACCESS_DOMAIN_FSM_STAGE = "swAccessDomainFsmStage"
SW_ACCESS_DOMAIN_FSM_TASK = "swAccessDomainFsmTask"
SW_ACCESS_EP = "swAccessEp"
SW_CARD_ENV_STATS = "swCardEnvStats"
SW_CARD_ENV_STATS_HIST = "swCardEnvStatsHist"
SW_CMCLAN = "swCmclan"
SW_ENV_STATS = "swEnvStats"
SW_ENV_STATS_HIST = "swEnvStatsHist"
SW_ETH_ESTC_EP = "swEthEstcEp"
SW_ETH_ESTC_PC = "swEthEstcPc"
SW_ETH_LAN_BORDER = "swEthLanBorder"
SW_ETH_LAN_BORDER_FSM = "swEthLanBorderFsm"
SW_ETH_LAN_BORDER_FSM_STAGE = "swEthLanBorderFsmStage"
SW_ETH_LAN_BORDER_FSM_TASK = "swEthLanBorderFsmTask"
SW_ETH_LAN_EP = "swEthLanEp"
SW_ETH_LAN_FLOW_MON = "swEthLanFlowMon"
SW_ETH_LAN_FLOW_MON_FSM = "swEthLanFlowMonFsm"
SW_ETH_LAN_FLOW_MON_FSM_STAGE = "swEthLanFlowMonFsmStage"
SW_ETH_LAN_FLOW_MON_FSM_TASK = "swEthLanFlowMonFsmTask"
SW_ETH_LAN_MON = "swEthLanMon"
SW_ETH_LAN_PC = "swEthLanPc"
SW_ETH_MON = "swEthMon"
SW_ETH_MON_DEST_EP = "swEthMonDestEp"
SW_ETH_MON_FSM = "swEthMonFsm"
SW_ETH_MON_FSM_STAGE = "swEthMonFsmStage"
SW_ETH_MON_FSM_TASK = "swEthMonFsmTask"
SW_ETH_MON_SRC_EP = "swEthMonSrcEp"
SW_ETH_TARGET_EP = "swEthTargetEp"
SW_FABRIC_ZONE_NS = "swFabricZoneNs"
SW_FABRIC_ZONE_NS_OVERRIDE = "swFabricZoneNsOverride"
SW_FC_ESTC_EP = "swFcEstcEp"
SW_FC_MON = "swFcMon"
SW_FC_MON_DEST_EP = "swFcMonDestEp"
SW_FC_MON_FSM = "swFcMonFsm"
SW_FC_MON_FSM_STAGE = "swFcMonFsmStage"
SW_FC_MON_FSM_TASK = "swFcMonFsmTask"
SW_FC_MON_SRC_EP = "swFcMonSrcEp"
SW_FC_SAN_BORDER = "swFcSanBorder"
SW_FC_SAN_BORDER_FSM = "swFcSanBorderFsm"
SW_FC_SAN_BORDER_FSM_STAGE = "swFcSanBorderFsmStage"
SW_FC_SAN_BORDER_FSM_TASK = "swFcSanBorderFsmTask"
SW_FC_SAN_EP = "swFcSanEp"
SW_FC_SAN_MON = "swFcSanMon"
SW_FC_SAN_PC = "swFcSanPc"
SW_FC_SERVER_ZONE_GROUP = "swFcServerZoneGroup"
SW_FC_ZONE = "swFcZone"
SW_FC_ZONE_SET = "swFcZoneSet"
SW_FCOE_ESTC_EP = "swFcoeEstcEp"
SW_FCOE_SAN_EP = "swFcoeSanEp"
SW_FCOE_SAN_PC = "swFcoeSanPc"
SW_IP_ROUTE = "swIpRoute"
SW_NFEXPORTER_REF = "swNFExporterRef"
SW_NETFLOW_EXPORTER = "swNetflowExporter"
SW_NETFLOW_MON_SESSION = "swNetflowMonSession"
SW_NETFLOW_MONITOR = "swNetflowMonitor"
SW_NETFLOW_MONITOR_REF = "swNetflowMonitorRef"
SW_NETFLOW_RECORD_DEF = "swNetflowRecordDef"
SW_PHYS = "swPhys"
SW_PHYS_ETHER_EP = "swPhysEtherEp"
SW_PHYS_FC_EP = "swPhysFcEp"
SW_PHYS_FSM = "swPhysFsm"
SW_PHYS_FSM_STAGE = "swPhysFsmStage"
SW_PHYS_FSM_TASK = "swPhysFsmTask"
SW_SUB_GROUP = "swSubGroup"
SW_SYSTEM_STATS = "swSystemStats"
SW_SYSTEM_STATS_HIST = "swSystemStatsHist"
SW_ULAN = "swUlan"
SW_UTILITY_DOMAIN = "swUtilityDomain"
SW_UTILITY_DOMAIN_FSM = "swUtilityDomainFsm"
SW_UTILITY_DOMAIN_FSM_STAGE = "swUtilityDomainFsmStage"
SW_UTILITY_DOMAIN_FSM_TASK = "swUtilityDomainFsmTask"
SW_VIRT_L3_INTF = "swVirtL3Intf"
SW_VLAN = "swVlan"
SW_VLAN_GROUP = "swVlanGroup"
SW_VLAN_PORT_NS = "swVlanPortNs"
SW_VLAN_PORT_NS_OVERRIDE = "swVlanPortNsOverride"
SW_VLAN_REF = "swVlanRef"
SW_VSAN = "swVsan"
SW_ZONE_INITIATOR_MEMBER = "swZoneInitiatorMember"
SW_ZONE_TARGET_MEMBER = "swZoneTargetMember"
SWAT_ACTION = "swatAction"
SWAT_CONDITION = "swatCondition"
SWAT_EXAMPLE = "swatExample"
SWAT_GETSTATS = "swatGetstats"
SWAT_INJECT = "swatInject"
SWAT_INJECTION = "swatInjection"
SWAT_RESULTSTATS = "swatResultstats"
SWAT_TARGET = "swatTarget"
SWAT_TRIGGER = "swatTrigger"
SYNTHETIC_DIRECTORY = "syntheticDirectory"
SYNTHETIC_FSOBJ_INVENTORY = "syntheticFSObjInventory"
SYNTHETIC_FSOBJ_INVENTORY_B = "syntheticFSObjInventoryB"
SYNTHETIC_FILE = "syntheticFile"
SYNTHETIC_FILE_SYSTEM = "syntheticFileSystem"
SYNTHETIC_FS_OBJ = "syntheticFsObj"
SYNTHETIC_FS_OBJ_FSM = "syntheticFsObjFsm"
SYNTHETIC_FS_OBJ_FSM_STAGE = "syntheticFsObjFsmStage"
SYNTHETIC_FS_OBJ_FSM_TASK = "syntheticFsObjFsmTask"
SYNTHETIC_TEST_TX = "syntheticTestTx"
SYNTHETIC_TIME = "syntheticTime"
SYSDEBUG_AUTO_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET = "sysdebugAutoCoreFileExportTarget"
SYSDEBUG_AUTO_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET_FSM = "sysdebugAutoCoreFileExportTargetFsm"
SYSDEBUG_AUTO_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET_FSM_STAGE = "sysdebugAutoCoreFileExportTargetFsmStage"
SYSDEBUG_AUTO_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET_FSM_TASK = "sysdebugAutoCoreFileExportTargetFsmTask"
SYSDEBUG_BACKUP_BEHAVIOR = "sysdebugBackupBehavior"
SYSDEBUG_CORE = "sysdebugCore"
SYSDEBUG_CORE_FILE_REPOSITORY = "sysdebugCoreFileRepository"
SYSDEBUG_CORE_FSM = "sysdebugCoreFsm"
SYSDEBUG_CORE_FSM_STAGE = "sysdebugCoreFsmStage"
SYSDEBUG_CORE_FSM_TASK = "sysdebugCoreFsmTask"
SYSDEBUG_EP = "sysdebugEp"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_DESTINATION_FILE = "sysdebugLogControlDestinationFile"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_DESTINATION_SYSLOG = "sysdebugLogControlDestinationSyslog"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_DOMAIN = "sysdebugLogControlDomain"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_EP = "sysdebugLogControlEp"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_EP_FSM = "sysdebugLogControlEpFsm"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_EP_FSM_STAGE = "sysdebugLogControlEpFsmStage"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_EP_FSM_TASK = "sysdebugLogControlEpFsmTask"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_CONTROL_MODULE = "sysdebugLogControlModule"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_EXPORT_POLICY = "sysdebugLogExportPolicy"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM = "sysdebugLogExportPolicyFsm"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "sysdebugLogExportPolicyFsmStage"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_EXPORT_POLICY_FSM_TASK = "sysdebugLogExportPolicyFsmTask"
SYSDEBUG_LOG_EXPORT_STATUS = "sysdebugLogExportStatus"
SYSDEBUG_MEP_LOG = "sysdebugMEpLog"
SYSDEBUG_MEP_LOG_POLICY = "sysdebugMEpLogPolicy"
SYSDEBUG_MANUAL_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET = "sysdebugManualCoreFileExportTarget"
SYSDEBUG_MANUAL_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET_FSM = "sysdebugManualCoreFileExportTargetFsm"
SYSDEBUG_MANUAL_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET_FSM_STAGE = "sysdebugManualCoreFileExportTargetFsmStage"
SYSDEBUG_MANUAL_CORE_FILE_EXPORT_TARGET_FSM_TASK = "sysdebugManualCoreFileExportTargetFsmTask"
SYSDEBUG_TECH_SUP_FILE_REPOSITORY = "sysdebugTechSupFileRepository"
SYSDEBUG_TECH_SUPPORT = "sysdebugTechSupport"
SYSDEBUG_TECH_SUPPORT_CMD_OPT = "sysdebugTechSupportCmdOpt"
SYSDEBUG_TECH_SUPPORT_FSM = "sysdebugTechSupportFsm"
SYSDEBUG_TECH_SUPPORT_FSM_STAGE = "sysdebugTechSupportFsmStage"
SYSDEBUG_TECH_SUPPORT_FSM_TASK = "sysdebugTechSupportFsmTask"
SYSFILE_DIGEST = "sysfileDigest"
SYSFILE_MUTATION = "sysfileMutation"
SYSFILE_MUTATION_FSM = "sysfileMutationFsm"
SYSFILE_MUTATION_FSM_STAGE = "sysfileMutationFsmStage"
SYSFILE_MUTATION_FSM_TASK = "sysfileMutationFsmTask"
TOP_INFO_POLICY = "topInfoPolicy"
TOP_META_INF = "topMetaInf"
TOP_ROOT = "topRoot"
TOP_SYS_DEFAULTS = "topSysDefaults"
TOP_SYSTEM = "topSystem"
TRIG_ABS_WINDOW = "trigAbsWindow"
TRIG_CLIENT_TOKEN = "trigClientToken"
TRIG_LOCAL_ABS_WINDOW = "trigLocalAbsWindow"
TRIG_LOCAL_SCHED = "trigLocalSched"
TRIG_META = "trigMeta"
TRIG_PERFORM_TOKEN_ACTION = "trigPerformTokenAction"
TRIG_RECURR_WINDOW = "trigRecurrWindow"
TRIG_SCHED = "trigSched"
TRIG_TEST = "trigTest"
TRIG_TRIGGERED = "trigTriggered"
UUIDPOOL_ADDR = "uuidpoolAddr"
UUIDPOOL_BLOCK = "uuidpoolBlock"
UUIDPOOL_FORMAT = "uuidpoolFormat"
UUIDPOOL_POOL = "uuidpoolPool"
UUIDPOOL_POOLABLE = "uuidpoolPoolable"
UUIDPOOL_POOLED = "uuidpoolPooled"
UUIDPOOL_UNIVERSE = "uuidpoolUniverse"
VERSION_APPLICATION = "versionApplication"
VERSION_EP = "versionEp"
VM_COMPUTE_EP = "vmComputeEp"
VM_DC = "vmDC"
VM_DCORG = "vmDCOrg"
VM_EP = "vmEp"
VM_HBA = "vmHba"
VM_HV = "vmHv"
VM_INSTANCE = "vmInstance"
VM_LIFE_CYCLE_POLICY = "vmLifeCyclePolicy"
VM_LIFE_CYCLE_POLICY_FSM = "vmLifeCyclePolicyFsm"
VM_LIFE_CYCLE_POLICY_FSM_STAGE = "vmLifeCyclePolicyFsmStage"
VM_LIFE_CYCLE_POLICY_FSM_TASK = "vmLifeCyclePolicyFsmTask"
VM_NIC = "vmNic"
VM_ORG = "vmOrg"
VM_SWITCH = "vmSwitch"
VM_VIF = "vmVif"
VM_VLAN = "vmVlan"
VM_VNIC_PROF_CL = "vmVnicProfCl"
VM_VNIC_PROF_INST = "vmVnicProfInst"
VM_VSAN = "vmVsan"
VNIC_BOOT_IP_POLICY = "vnicBootIpPolicy"
VNIC_BOOT_TARGET = "vnicBootTarget"
VNIC_CONN_DEF = "vnicConnDef"
VNIC_DEF_BEH = "vnicDefBeh"
VNIC_DYNAMIC_CON = "vnicDynamicCon"
VNIC_DYNAMIC_CON_POLICY = "vnicDynamicConPolicy"
VNIC_DYNAMIC_CON_POLICY_REF = "vnicDynamicConPolicyRef"
VNIC_DYNAMIC_ID_UNIVERSE = "vnicDynamicIdUniverse"
VNIC_DYNAMIC_PROVIDER = "vnicDynamicProvider"
VNIC_DYNAMIC_PROVIDER_EP = "vnicDynamicProviderEp"
VNIC_ETH_CONFIG = "vnicEthConfig"
VNIC_ETH_LIF = "vnicEthLif"
VNIC_ETHER = "vnicEther"
VNIC_ETHER_IF = "vnicEtherIf"
VNIC_FC = "vnicFc"
VNIC_FC_GROUP_DEF = "vnicFcGroupDef"
VNIC_FC_GROUP_TEMPL = "vnicFcGroupTempl"
VNIC_FC_IF = "vnicFcIf"
VNIC_FC_LIF = "vnicFcLif"
VNIC_FC_NODE = "vnicFcNode"
VNIC_FC_OEIF = "vnicFcOEIf"
VNIC_IPV4_DHCP = "vnicIPv4Dhcp"
VNIC_IPV4_DNS = "vnicIPv4Dns"
VNIC_IPV4_IF = "vnicIPv4If"
VNIC_IPV4_ISCSI_ADDR = "vnicIPv4IscsiAddr"
VNIC_IPV4_POOLED_ISCSI_ADDR = "vnicIPv4PooledIscsiAddr"
VNIC_IPV4_STATIC_ROUTE = "vnicIPv4StaticRoute"
VNIC_IPV6_IF = "vnicIPv6If"
VNIC_ISCSI = "vnicIScsi"
VNIC_ISCSI_AUTO_TARGET_IF = "vnicIScsiAutoTargetIf"
VNIC_ISCSI_BOOT_PARAMS = "vnicIScsiBootParams"
VNIC_ISCSI_BOOT_VNIC = "vnicIScsiBootVnic"
VNIC_ISCSI_CONFIG = "vnicIScsiConfig"
VNIC_ISCSI_INIT_AUTO_CONFIG_POLICY = "vnicIScsiInitAutoConfigPolicy"
VNIC_ISCSI_LCP = "vnicIScsiLCP"
VNIC_ISCSI_NODE = "vnicIScsiNode"
VNIC_ISCSI_STATIC_TARGET_IF = "vnicIScsiStaticTargetIf"
VNIC_INTERNAL_PROFILE = "vnicInternalProfile"
VNIC_IP_V4_HISTORY = "vnicIpV4History"
VNIC_IP_V4_MGMT_POOLED_ADDR = "vnicIpV4MgmtPooledAddr"
VNIC_IP_V4_POOLED_ADDR = "vnicIpV4PooledAddr"
VNIC_IP_V4_PROF_DERIVED_ADDR = "vnicIpV4ProfDerivedAddr"
VNIC_IP_V4_STATIC_ADDR = "vnicIpV4StaticAddr"
VNIC_IP_V6_HISTORY = "vnicIpV6History"
VNIC_IP_V6_MGMT_POOLED_ADDR = "vnicIpV6MgmtPooledAddr"
VNIC_IP_V6_STATIC_ADDR = "vnicIpV6StaticAddr"
VNIC_IPC = "vnicIpc"
VNIC_IPC_IF = "vnicIpcIf"
VNIC_IQN_HISTORY = "vnicIqnHistory"
VNIC_LAN_CONN_POLICY = "vnicLanConnPolicy"
VNIC_LAN_CONN_TEMPL = "vnicLanConnTempl"
VNIC_LIF_VLAN = "vnicLifVlan"
VNIC_LIF_VSAN = "vnicLifVsan"
VNIC_LUN = "vnicLun"
VNIC_MAC_HISTORY = "vnicMacHistory"
VNIC_OPROFILE_ALIAS = "vnicOProfileAlias"
VNIC_PROFILE = "vnicProfile"
VNIC_PROFILE_ALIAS = "vnicProfileAlias"
VNIC_PROFILE_REF = "vnicProfileRef"
VNIC_PROFILE_SET = "vnicProfileSet"
VNIC_PROFILE_SET_FSM = "vnicProfileSetFsm"
VNIC_PROFILE_SET_FSM_STAGE = "vnicProfileSetFsmStage"
VNIC_PROFILE_SET_FSM_TASK = "vnicProfileSetFsmTask"
VNIC_RACK_SERVER_DISCOVERY_PROFILE = "vnicRackServerDiscoveryProfile"
VNIC_SAN_CONN_POLICY = "vnicSanConnPolicy"
VNIC_SAN_CONN_TEMPL = "vnicSanConnTempl"
VNIC_SCSI = "vnicScsi"
VNIC_SCSI_IF = "vnicScsiIf"
VNIC_STORAGE_ETH_LIF = "vnicStorageEthLif"
VNIC_USNIC_CON_POLICY = "vnicUsnicConPolicy"
VNIC_USNIC_CON_POLICY_REF = "vnicUsnicConPolicyRef"
VNIC_VHBA_BEH_POLICY = "vnicVhbaBehPolicy"
VNIC_VLAN = "vnicVlan"
VNIC_VMQ_CON_POLICY = "vnicVmqConPolicy"
VNIC_VMQ_CON_POLICY_REF = "vnicVmqConPolicyRef"
VNIC_VNIC_BEH_POLICY = "vnicVnicBehPolicy"
VNIC_WWNN_HISTORY = "vnicWwnnHistory"
VNIC_WWPN_HISTORY = "vnicWwpnHistory"
WCARD_FILTER = "wcardFilter"
class YesOrNo:
FALSE = "false"
NO = "no"
TRUE = "true"
YES = "yes"
class NamingPropertyId:
_ABORT_ERRORS = "AbortErrors"
_ABORT_ERRORS15_MIN = "AbortErrors15Min"
_ABORT_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "AbortErrors15MinH"
_ABORT_ERRORS1_DAY = "AbortErrors1Day"
_ABORT_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "AbortErrors1DayH"
_ABORT_ERRORS1_HOUR = "AbortErrors1Hour"
_ABORT_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "AbortErrors1HourH"
_ABORT_ERRORS1_WEEK = "AbortErrors1Week"
_ABORT_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "AbortErrors1WeekH"
_ABORT_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "AbortErrors2Weeks"
_ABORT_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "AbortErrors2WeeksH"
_CONTROLLER_FW_VERSION = "ControllerFwVersion"
_CONTROLLER_MODEL = "ControllerModel"
_END_POINT_DN = "EndPointDn"
_HDDMON_SUPPORT = "HDDMonSupport"
_IPV4_ADDRESS = "IPv4Address"
_IMAGE_NAME_DN = "ImageNameDn"
_MODULE_POWER = "ModulePower"
_MODULE_POWER_AVG = "ModulePowerAvg"
_MODULE_POWER_MAX = "ModulePowerMax"
_MODULE_POWER_MIN = "ModulePowerMin"
_PSU_TYPE = "PsuType"
_RWTYPE = "RWType"
_SQETEST = "SQETest"
_SQETEST_DELTA = "SQETestDelta"
_SQETEST_DELTA_AVG = "SQETestDeltaAvg"
_SQETEST_DELTA_MAX = "SQETestDeltaMax"
_SQETEST_DELTA_MIN = "SQETestDeltaMin"
_SLOT_OUTLET1 = "SlotOutlet1"
_SLOT_OUTLET1_AVG = "SlotOutlet1Avg"
_SLOT_OUTLET1_MAX = "SlotOutlet1Max"
_SLOT_OUTLET1_MIN = "SlotOutlet1Min"
_SLOT_OUTLET2 = "SlotOutlet2"
_SLOT_OUTLET2_AVG = "SlotOutlet2Avg"
_SLOT_OUTLET2_MAX = "SlotOutlet2Max"
_SLOT_OUTLET2_MIN = "SlotOutlet2Min"
_SLOT_OUTLET3 = "SlotOutlet3"
_SLOT_OUTLET3_AVG = "SlotOutlet3Avg"
_SLOT_OUTLET3_MAX = "SlotOutlet3Max"
_SLOT_OUTLET3_MIN = "SlotOutlet3Min"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS = "TimeoutErrors"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS15_MIN = "TimeoutErrors15Min"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "TimeoutErrors15MinH"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS1_DAY = "TimeoutErrors1Day"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "TimeoutErrors1DayH"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS1_HOUR = "TimeoutErrors1Hour"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "TimeoutErrors1HourH"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS1_WEEK = "TimeoutErrors1Week"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "TimeoutErrors1WeekH"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "TimeoutErrors2Weeks"
_TIMEOUT_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "TimeoutErrors2WeeksH"
_TYPE = "Type"
A_PARTIAL_ENUM = "aPartialEnum"
ABITMASK = "abitmask"
ABS_MIN_POST_POWER = "absMinPostPower"
ABS_QUANT = "absQuant"
ACCELARATED_RFS = "accelaratedRFS"
ACCESS = "access"
ACCESS_POLICY = "accessPolicy"
ACCESS_TYPE = "accessType"
ACCESS_VLAN_PORT_COUNT = "accessVlanPortCount"
ACCOUNT_STATUS = "accountStatus"
ACHAR = "achar"
ACHARBUF = "acharbuf"
ACK = "ack"
ACK_ACTION = "ackAction"
ACK_PROGRESS_INDICATOR = "ackProgressIndicator"
ACK_STATE = "ackState"
ACKED = "acked"
ACKED_BY = "ackedBy"
ACQTS = "acqts"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS = "acsViolationErrors"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS15_MIN = "acsViolationErrors15Min"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "acsViolationErrors15MinH"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS1_DAY = "acsViolationErrors1Day"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "acsViolationErrors1DayH"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS1_HOUR = "acsViolationErrors1Hour"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "acsViolationErrors1HourH"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS1_WEEK = "acsViolationErrors1Week"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "acsViolationErrors1WeekH"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "acsViolationErrors2Weeks"
ACS_VIOLATION_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "acsViolationErrors2WeeksH"
ACTION = "action"
ACTION_TYPE = "actionType"
ACTIVE_STATUS = "activeStatus"
ACTIVE_TIMEOUT = "activeTimeout"
ACTIVITY_NAME = "activityName"
ACTIVITY_TS = "activityTs"
ACTUAL_SIZE = "actualSize"
ACTUAL_WRITE_CACHE_POLICY = "actualWriteCachePolicy"
ADAPTER_ID = "adapterId"
ADAPTOR_EP = "adaptorEp"
ADAPTOR_FAMILY = "adaptorFamily"
ADAPTOR_ID = "adaptorId"
ADAPTOR_PROFILE_NAME = "adaptorProfileName"
ADAPTOR_SLOT_NUMBER = "adaptorSlotNumber"
ADAPTOR_SLOT_SPAN = "adaptorSlotSpan"
ADAPTOR_TYPE = "adaptorType"
ADATE = "adate"
ADATETIME = "adatetime"
ADDR = "addr"
ADDRESS = "address"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS = "addressParityErrors"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS15_MIN = "addressParityErrors15Min"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "addressParityErrors15MinH"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS1_DAY = "addressParityErrors1Day"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "addressParityErrors1DayH"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS1_HOUR = "addressParityErrors1Hour"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "addressParityErrors1HourH"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS1_WEEK = "addressParityErrors1Week"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "addressParityErrors1WeekH"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "addressParityErrors2Weeks"
ADDRESS_PARITY_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "addressParityErrors2WeeksH"
ADDRESS_WIDTH = "addressWidth"
ADMIN_ACTION = "adminAction"
ADMIN_ACTION_TRIGGER = "adminActionTrigger"
ADMIN_COMMITTED = "adminCommitted"
ADMIN_FPLOCK_STATE = "adminFPLockState"
ADMIN_HOST_PORT = "adminHostPort"
ADMIN_INBAND_IF_STATE = "adminInbandIfState"
ADMIN_LEADERSHIP = "adminLeadership"
ADMIN_MEMORY_STATE = "adminMemoryState"
ADMIN_NAME = "adminName"
ADMIN_PEAK = "adminPeak"
ADMIN_PEAK_NEW = "adminPeakNew"
ADMIN_POWER = "adminPower"
ADMIN_POWER_STATE = "adminPowerState"
ADMIN_PROP_MASK = "adminPropMask"
ADMIN_SLOT_NUMBER = "adminSlotNumber"
ADMIN_SPEED = "adminSpeed"
ADMIN_STATE = "adminState"
ADMIN_TRANSPORT = "adminTransport"
ADMIN_VCON = "adminVcon"
ADMIN_VIRTUAL_DRIVE_ID = "adminVirtualDriveId"
ADP_VIF_ID = "adpVifId"
ADV_BOOT_ORDER_APPLICABLE = "advBootOrderApplicable"
AFFECTED = "affected"
AFFECTED_OBJ = "affectedObj"
AFFECTED_SERVER = "affectedServer"
AFFECTED_SERVERS = "affectedServers"
AFLOAT = "afloat"
AGENT_POLICY_NAME = "agentPolicyName"
AGGR_PORT_ID = "aggrPortId"
AGGREGATION_CAP = "aggregationCap"
AIRFLOW_DIRECTION = "airflowDirection"
ALARM_DESC = "alarmDesc"
ALARM_SEVERITY = "alarmSeverity"
ALERT_GROUPS = "alertGroups"
ALERT_THROTTLING_ADMIN_STATE = "alertThrottlingAdminState"
ALIAS = "alias"
ALIGN = "align"
ALIGN_DELTA = "alignDelta"
ALIGN_DELTA_AVG = "alignDeltaAvg"
ALIGN_DELTA_MAX = "alignDeltaMax"
ALIGN_DELTA_MIN = "alignDeltaMin"
ALLOC_STATE = "allocState"
ALLOC_STATUS = "allocStatus"
ALLOCATED_SIZE = "allocatedSize"
ALLOWED_VNIC_TYPE = "allowedVnicType"
ALWAYS_USE = "alwaysUse"
AMAC = "amac"
AMBIENT_TEMP = "ambientTemp"
AMBIENT_TEMP_AVG = "ambientTempAvg"
AMBIENT_TEMP_MAX = "ambientTempMax"
AMBIENT_TEMP_MIN = "ambientTempMin"
AND_OPERATION = "andOperation"
ANENUM = "anenum"
ANIPV4 = "anipv4"
ANIPV6 = "anipv6"
ANSBYTE = "ansbyte"
ANSINT16 = "ansint16"
ANSINT32 = "ansint32"
ANSINT64 = "ansint64"
APASSWORD = "apassword"
API = "api"
APP_CONNECTOR_ID = "appConnectorId"
APP_TYPE = "appType"
APPLY = "apply"
ARANGE = "arange"
ARCH = "arch"
ARCSTRING = "arcstring"
ARRAY = "array"
ARRAY_NAME = "arrayName"
ARXSTRING = "arxstring"
ASIC = "asic"
ASSIGN_STATE = "assignState"
ASSIGNED = "assigned"
ASSIGNED_OWNER_DN = "assignedOwnerDn"
ASSIGNED_TO_DN = "assignedToDn"
ASSIGNED_VOLUME = "assignedVolume"
ASSIGNMENT_ORDER = "assignmentOrder"
ASSOC_PRIMARY_VLAN_STATE = "assocPrimaryVlanState"
ASSOC_PRIMARY_VLAN_SWITCH_ID = "assocPrimaryVlanSwitchId"
ASSOC_STATE = "assocState"
ASSOCIATION = "association"
ASTRING = "astring"
ATIME = "atime"
ATTRIB_TYPE = "attribType"
ATTRIBUTE = "attribute"
AUBYTE = "aubyte"
AUDITS = "audits"
AUINT16 = "auint16"
AUINT32 = "auint32"
AUINT64 = "auint64"
AUTH = "auth"
AUTH_DOMAIN = "authDomain"
AUTH_PORT = "authPort"
AUTH_PROFILE_NAME = "authProfileName"
AUTH_USER = "authUser"
AUTHORIZATION = "authorization"
AUTO_AQUIRED = "autoAquired"
AUTO_DELETE = "autoDelete"
AUTO_DEPLOY = "autoDeploy"
AVAILABILITY = "availability"
AVAILABLE = "available"
AVAILABLE_AVG = "availableAvg"
AVAILABLE_MAX = "availableMax"
AVAILABLE_MEMORY = "availableMemory"
AVAILABLE_MIN = "availableMin"
AVAILABLE_POWER = "availablePower"
AVAILABLE_POWER_AVG = "availablePowerAvg"
AVAILABLE_POWER_MAX = "availablePowerMax"
AVAILABLE_POWER_MIN = "availablePowerMin"
AVAILABLE_SIZE = "availableSize"
AWWN = "awwn"
BACKSTORE_DN = "backstoreDn"
BACKSTORE_ID = "backstoreId"
BACKUP_ABILITY = "backupAbility"
BACKUP_COUNT = "backupCount"
BACKUP_DATE = "backupDate"
BACKUP_ISSUE = "backupIssue"
BACKUP_STATUS = "backupStatus"
BACKUP_TRIGGER_STATUS = "backupTriggerStatus"
BAD_CRC_PACKETS = "badCrcPackets"
BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA = "badCrcPacketsDelta"
BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "badCrcPacketsDeltaAvg"
BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "badCrcPacketsDeltaMax"
BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "badCrcPacketsDeltaMin"
BAD_LENGTH_PACKETS = "badLengthPackets"
BAD_LENGTH_PACKETS_DELTA = "badLengthPacketsDelta"
BAD_LENGTH_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "badLengthPacketsDeltaAvg"
BAD_LENGTH_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "badLengthPacketsDeltaMax"
BAD_LENGTH_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "badLengthPacketsDeltaMin"
BANDWIDTH = "bandwidth"
BANK = "bank"
BASE_ADDR = "baseAddr"
BASE_CONTAINER = "baseContainer"
BASE_MAC = "baseMac"
BASEDN = "basedn"
BATTERY_TYPE = "batteryType"
BBU_STATUS = "bbuStatus"
BIOS_PROFILE_NAME = "biosProfileName"
BIOS_SETTINGS_SCRUB = "biosSettingsScrub"
BIOS_VERSION = "biosVersion"
BITMASK = "bitmask"
BLACK_LISTING = "blackListing"
BLADE_BUNDLE_NAME = "bladeBundleName"
BLADE_BUNDLE_VERSION = "bladeBundleVersion"
BLADE_ID = "bladeId"
BLKSIZE = "blksize"
BLOCK_SIZE = "blockSize"
BLOCKS = "blocks"
BOARD_AGGREGATION_ROLE = "boardAggregationRole"
BOARD_CONNECTOR_TYPE = "boardConnectorType"
BOARD_MANUFACTURER = "boardManufacturer"
BOARD_MFG_TIME = "boardMfgTime"
BOARD_PART_NO = "boardPartNo"
BOARD_PRODUCT_NAME = "boardProductName"
BOARD_SERIAL_NO = "boardSerialNo"
BOARD_TYPE = "boardType"
BOARD_VID = "boardVid"
BOOT = "boot"
BOOT_DEV = "bootDev"
BOOT_IP_POLICY_NAME = "bootIpPolicyName"
BOOT_MODE = "bootMode"
BOOT_ORDER_TYPE = "bootOrderType"
BOOT_POLICY_NAME = "bootPolicyName"
BOOT_POWER = "bootPower"
BOOT_TO_TARGET = "bootToTarget"
BOOTABLE = "bootable"
BORDER_AGGR_PORT_ID = "borderAggrPortId"
BORDER_PORT_ID = "borderPortId"
BORDER_SLOT_ID = "borderSlotId"
BORDER_VFC_ID = "borderVfcId"
BORDER_VLAN_PORT_COUNT = "borderVlanPortCount"
BREAKOUT_PORT_SPEED_GB = "breakoutPortSpeedGb"
BROADCAST_PACKETS = "broadcastPackets"
BROADCAST_PACKETS_DELTA = "broadcastPacketsDelta"
BROADCAST_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "broadcastPacketsDeltaAvg"
BROADCAST_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "broadcastPacketsDeltaMax"
BROADCAST_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "broadcastPacketsDeltaMin"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS = "bufferOverflowErrors"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS15_MIN = "bufferOverflowErrors15Min"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "bufferOverflowErrors15MinH"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS1_DAY = "bufferOverflowErrors1Day"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "bufferOverflowErrors1DayH"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS1_HOUR = "bufferOverflowErrors1Hour"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "bufferOverflowErrors1HourH"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS1_WEEK = "bufferOverflowErrors1Week"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "bufferOverflowErrors1WeekH"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "bufferOverflowErrors2Weeks"
BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "bufferOverflowErrors2WeeksH"
BULKED = "bulked"
BUNDLE_NAME = "bundleName"
BUNDLE_VERSION = "bundleVersion"
BURST = "burst"
BW_PERCENT = "bwPercent"
BYTES_RX = "bytesRx"
BYTES_RX_DELTA = "bytesRxDelta"
BYTES_RX_DELTA_AVG = "bytesRxDeltaAvg"
BYTES_RX_DELTA_MAX = "bytesRxDeltaMax"
BYTES_RX_DELTA_MIN = "bytesRxDeltaMin"
BYTES_TX = "bytesTx"
BYTES_TX_DELTA = "bytesTxDelta"
BYTES_TX_DELTA_AVG = "bytesTxDeltaAvg"
BYTES_TX_DELTA_MAX = "bytesTxDeltaMax"
BYTES_TX_DELTA_MIN = "bytesTxDeltaMin"
BYTES_EG = "bytes_eg"
BYTES_IN = "bytes_in"
C_TYPE = "cType"
CACHE_SIZE = "cacheSize"
CACHED = "cached"
CACHED_AVG = "cachedAvg"
CACHED_MAX = "cachedMax"
CACHED_MIN = "cachedMin"
CACHENOSPC = "cachenospc"
CAN_BE_FRUED = "canBeFRUed"
CAP_ACTION = "capAction"
CAPABILITIES = "capabilities"
CAPABILITY = "capability"
CAPACITY = "capacity"
CAPACITY_PERCENTAGE = "capacityPercentage"
CAPTION = "caption"
CARD_HEALTH = "cardHealth"
CARD_MODE = "cardMode"
CARD_PARAM_TYPE = "cardParamType"
CARD_STATE = "cardState"
CARD_SYNC = "cardSync"
CARD_TYPE = "cardType"
CARRIER_SENSE = "carrierSense"
CARRIER_SENSE_DELTA = "carrierSenseDelta"
CARRIER_SENSE_DELTA_AVG = "carrierSenseDeltaAvg"
CARRIER_SENSE_DELTA_MAX = "carrierSenseDeltaMax"
CARRIER_SENSE_DELTA_MIN = "carrierSenseDeltaMin"
CARTRIDGE_CIMCID = "cartridgeCIMCId"
CARTRIDGE_ID = "cartridgeId"
CATALOG_NAME = "catalogName"
CATALOG_POWER = "catalogPower"
CATALOG_VERSION = "catalogVersion"
CATEGORY = "category"
CAUSE = "cause"
CDP = "cdp"
CDP_LINK_POLICY_NAME = "cdpLinkPolicyName"
CENTRALE_MO_DN = "centraleMoDn"
CENTRALE_VNET_EP_DN = "centraleVnetEpDn"
CERT = "cert"
CERT_CHAIN = "certChain"
CERT_FILE = "certFile"
CERT_STATUS = "certStatus"
CH_RSRVD_POWER = "chRsrvdPower"
CHANGE_BY = "changeBy"
CHANGE_COUNT = "changeCount"
CHANGE_DETAILS = "changeDetails"
CHANGE_DURING_INTERVAL = "changeDuringInterval"
CHANGE_INTERVAL = "changeInterval"
CHANGE_MODE = "changeMode"
CHANGE_QUALIFIER = "changeQualifier"
CHANGE_SET = "changeSet"
CHANGED_MO_CLASS_ID = "changedMoClassId"
CHANGES = "changes"
CHANNEL_STATE = "channelState"
CHASSIS1 = "chassis1"
CHASSIS2 = "chassis2"
CHASSIS3 = "chassis3"
CHASSIS_CARTRIDGE_ID = "chassisCartridgeId"
CHASSIS_CIMC_ID = "chassisCimcId"
CHASSIS_COMP_IN_ACTIVATION_DN = "chassisCompInActivationDn"
CHASSIS_DEVICE_IO_STATE1 = "chassisDeviceIoState1"
CHASSIS_DEVICE_IO_STATE2 = "chassisDeviceIoState2"
CHASSIS_DEVICE_IO_STATE3 = "chassisDeviceIoState3"
CHASSIS_DN = "chassisDn"
CHASSIS_ID = "chassisId"
CHASSIS_IOM_ID = "chassisIomId"
CHASSIS_MAC = "chassisMac"
CHASSIS_PART_NO = "chassisPartNo"
CHASSIS_SERIAL_NO = "chassisSerialNo"
CHECK_POINT = "checkPoint"
CHECKPOINT_TRIG_TS = "checkpointTrigTs"
CHECKSUM = "checksum"
CHILD_ACTION = "childAction"
CHILD_CLASS_ID = "childClassId"
CIMC_ADAPTER_ID = "cimcAdapterId"
CIMC_ADDR = "cimcAddr"
CIMC_BACKUP_TRIGGER_STATUS = "cimcBackupTriggerStatus"
CIMC_HEARTBEAT_STATUS = "cimcHeartbeatStatus"
CIMC_IDS = "cimcIds"
CIMC_VERSION = "cimcVersion"
CIPHER_SUITE = "cipherSuite"
CIPHER_SUITE_MODE = "cipherSuiteMode"
CL_INST_TYPE = "clInstType"
CLASS_TYPE = "classType"
CLEANUP_MODE = "cleanupMode"
CLEAR_ACTION = "clearAction"
CLEAR_INTERVAL = "clearInterval"
CLEAR_ON_BACKUP = "clearOnBackup"
CLEAR_PWD_HISTORY = "clearPwdHistory"
CLEI = "clei"
CLI_ID = "cliId"
CLIENT_CONFIG_STATE = "clientConfigState"
CLIENT_MO_DN = "clientMoDn"
CLIENT_TYPE = "clientType"
CLOCK = "clock"
CLOUD = "cloud"
CLUSTER_STATE = "clusterState"
CMOS_RESET_SUPPORTED = "cmosResetSupported"
CMOS_VOLTAGE = "cmosVoltage"
COALESCING_TIME = "coalescingTime"
COALESCING_TYPE = "coalescingType"
CODE = "code"
COLL_INTERVAL = "collInterval"
COLLECTION_INTERVAL = "collectionInterval"
COLOR = "color"
COMMUNITY = "community"
COMP = "comp"
COMPLETENESS = "completeness"
COMPLETION = "completion"
COMPLETION_TIME = "completionTime"
COMPRESSION_TYPE = "compressionType"
COMPUTE_EP_DN = "computeEpDn"
COMPUTE_EP_VENDOR = "computeEpVendor"
CON_LOGIN = "conLogin"
CON_POLICY_NAME = "conPolicyName"
CONCUR_CAP = "concurCap"
CONF = "conf"
CONF_MODE = "confMode"
CONF_QUAL = "confQual"
CONF_STATE = "confState"
CONFIG_FAIL_REASON = "configFailReason"
CONFIG_ISSUE = "configIssue"
CONFIG_ISSUES = "configIssues"
CONFIG_MESSAGE = "configMessage"
CONFIG_PARM_MOD_SUPPORTED = "configParmModSupported"
CONFIG_QUAL = "configQual"
CONFIG_QUALIFIER = "configQualifier"
CONFIG_QUALIFIER_REASON = "configQualifierReason"
CONFIG_STATE = "configState"
CONFIG_STATUS = "configStatus"
CONFIG_STATUS_MESSAGE = "configStatusMessage"
CONFIG_WARNINGS = "configWarnings"
CONFIGURATION = "configuration"
CONFIGURED_MODE = "configuredMode"
CONFIGURED_WRITE_CACHE_POLICY = "configuredWriteCachePolicy"
CONN_PATH = "connPath"
CONN_PROTOCOL = "connProtocol"
CONN_STATUS = "connStatus"
CONNECTION_PROTOCOL = "connectionProtocol"
CONNECTION_TIME_OUT = "connectionTimeOut"
CONS_DN = "consDn"
CONS_TYPE = "consType"
CONSTANT_NAME = "constantName"
CONSTRAINT_TYPE = "constraintType"
CONSUMED_POWER = "consumedPower"
CONSUMED_POWER_AVG = "consumedPowerAvg"
CONSUMED_POWER_MAX = "consumedPowerMax"
CONSUMED_POWER_MIN = "consumedPowerMin"
CONT_CLASS_ID = "contClassId"
CONT_INST_ID = "contInstId"
CONT_INST_ID_PROP_ID = "contInstIdPropId"
CONTACT = "contact"
CONTAINMENT_METHOD = "containmentMethod"
CONTEXT = "context"
CONTRACT = "contract"
CONTROL_PLANE_MAC1 = "controlPlaneMac1"
CONTROL_PLANE_MAC2 = "controlPlaneMac2"
CONTROL_REQUESTS = "controlRequests"
CONTROL_REQUESTS_DELTA = "controlRequestsDelta"
CONTROL_REQUESTS_DELTA_AVG = "controlRequestsDeltaAvg"
CONTROL_REQUESTS_DELTA_MAX = "controlRequestsDeltaMax"
CONTROL_REQUESTS_DELTA_MIN = "controlRequestsDeltaMin"
CONTROLLER_HEALTH = "controllerHealth"
CONTROLLER_INDEX = "controllerIndex"
CONTROLLER_REPORTED = "controllerReported"
CONTROLLER_STATE = "controllerState"
CONTROLLER_STATUS = "controllerStatus"
CONVERTED_DN = "convertedDn"
CONVERTED_EP_REF = "convertedEpRef"
COOKIE = "cookie"
CORES = "cores"
CORES_ENABLED = "coresEnabled"
CORRECTABLE_ERRORS = "correctableErrors"
CORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA = "correctableErrorsDelta"
CORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA_AVG = "correctableErrorsDeltaAvg"
CORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA_MAX = "correctableErrorsDeltaMax"
CORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA_MIN = "correctableErrorsDeltaMin"
COS = "cos"
COS_VALUE = "cosValue"
COUNT = "count"
COUNT_BREAKOUT_PORTS = "countBreakoutPorts"
COUNTRY = "country"
CPU_ID = "cpuId"
CPU_LOAD = "cpuLoad"
CPU_LOAD_AVG = "cpuLoadAvg"
CPU_LOAD_MAX = "cpuLoadMax"
CPU_LOAD_MIN = "cpuLoadMin"
CPU_TYPE = "cpuType"
CRC = "crc"
CRC_DELTA = "crcDelta"
CRC_DELTA_AVG = "crcDeltaAvg"
CRC_DELTA_MAX = "crcDeltaMax"
CRC_DELTA_MIN = "crcDeltaMin"
CRC_RX = "crcRx"
CRC_RX_DELTA = "crcRxDelta"
CRC_RX_DELTA_AVG = "crcRxDeltaAvg"
CRC_RX_DELTA_MAX = "crcRxDeltaMax"
CRC_RX_DELTA_MIN = "crcRxDeltaMin"
CREATED = "created"
CREATION_DATE = "creationDate"
CREATION_TS = "creationTS"
CREATION_TIME = "creationTime"
CTIME = "ctime"
CTPASSWORD = "ctpassword"
CUR_REQ_POWER = "curReqPower"
CURR_CAPACITY = "currCapacity"
CURRENT = "current"
CURRENT_AVG = "currentAvg"
CURRENT_FSM = "currentFsm"
CURRENT_MAX = "currentMax"
CURRENT_MIN = "currentMin"
CURRENT_POWER = "currentPower"
CURRENT_TIME = "currentTime"
CURRENT_ZONE_PREFIX = "currentZonePrefix"
CUSTOMER = "customer"
DATA = "data"
DATA_PLANE_MAC1 = "dataPlaneMac1"
DATA_PLANE_MAC2 = "dataPlaneMac2"
DATA_PLANE_WWN1 = "dataPlaneWwn1"
DATA_PLANE_WWN2 = "dataPlaneWwn2"
DATA_SRC_APP_TYPE = "dataSrcAppType"
DATA_SRC_SYS_ID = "dataSrcSysId"
DATA_WIDTH = "dataWidth"
DATABASE_VERSION = "databaseVersion"
DATE = "date"
DAY = "day"
DBTXS = "dbtxs"
DC_NAME = "dcName"
DC_ORG = "dcOrg"
DECISION_TYPE = "decisionType"
DEEP_CHECKPOINT_TRIG_TS = "deepCheckpointTrigTs"
DEESCALATING = "deescalating"
DEF_DN = "defDn"
DEF_GW = "defGw"
DEF_INT_ID = "defIntId"
DEF_LOGIN = "defLogin"
DEF_QUANT = "defQuant"
DEF_ROLE_POLICY = "defRolePolicy"
DEFAULT_LEVEL = "defaultLevel"
DEFAULT_NET = "defaultNet"
DEFAULT_POLICY_NAME = "defaultPolicyName"
DEFAULT_SIZE = "defaultSize"
DEFAULT_VLAN = "defaultVlan"
DEFAULT_VLAN_NAME = "defaultVlanName"
DEFAULT_ZONING = "defaultZoning"
DEFERRED_NAMING = "deferredNaming"
DEFERRED_TX = "deferredTx"
DEFERRED_TX_DELTA = "deferredTxDelta"
DEFERRED_TX_DELTA_AVG = "deferredTxDeltaAvg"
DEFERRED_TX_DELTA_MAX = "deferredTxDeltaMax"
DEFERRED_TX_DELTA_MIN = "deferredTxDeltaMin"
DEFINED_IN_IDM = "definedInIdm"
DEL_FE_TS = "delFeTs"
DELETED = "deleted"
DEPLOY_ACTION = "deployAction"
DEPLOY_FLAG = "deployFlag"
DEPLOY_ON_UPDATE = "deployOnUpdate"
DEPLOY_STATE = "deployState"
DEPLOYMENT = "deployment"
DEPLOYMENT_MODE = "deploymentMode"
DEPRECATED = "deprecated"
DEPTH = "depth"
DERIVED_FROM_ID = "derivedFromId"
DESCR = "descr"
DESCRIPTION = "description"
DEST_IP = "destIp"
DESTINATION_IP = "destinationIp"
DESTINATION_IP_ADDRESS = "destinationIpAddress"
DESTINATION_NETMASK = "destinationNetmask"
DESTINATION_PORT = "destinationPort"
DETAIL = "detail"
DEV = "dev"
DEVICE = "device"
DEVICE_ID = "deviceId"
DEVICE_NAME = "deviceName"
DEVICE_RAID_SUPPORT = "deviceRaidSupport"
DEVICE_SLOT_OFFSET = "deviceSlotOffset"
DEVICE_TYPE = "deviceType"
DHCP_TIME_OUT = "dhcpTimeOut"
DHCP_VENDOR_ID = "dhcpVendorId"
DIAG_LLDP_TRANSMIT = "diagLldpTransmit"
DIE1 = "die1"
DIE1_AVG = "die1Avg"
DIE1_MAX = "die1Max"
DIE1_MIN = "die1Min"
DIFF_MEMORY = "diffMemory"
DIMM_BLACKLISTING_OPER_STATE = "dimmBlacklistingOperState"
DIMM_TEMP = "dimmTemp"
DIMM_TEMP_AVG = "dimmTempAvg"
DIMM_TEMP_MAX = "dimmTempMax"
DIMM_TEMP_MIN = "dimmTempMin"
DIRECTION = "direction"
DISC_TRIG_TS = "discTrigTs"
DISCARD_RX = "discardRx"
DISCARD_RX_DELTA = "discardRxDelta"
DISCARD_RX_DELTA_AVG = "discardRxDeltaAvg"
DISCARD_RX_DELTA_MAX = "discardRxDeltaMax"
DISCARD_RX_DELTA_MIN = "discardRxDeltaMin"
DISCARD_TX = "discardTx"
DISCARD_TX_DELTA = "discardTxDelta"
DISCARD_TX_DELTA_AVG = "discardTxDeltaAvg"
DISCARD_TX_DELTA_MAX = "discardTxDeltaMax"
DISCARD_TX_DELTA_MIN = "discardTxDeltaMin"
DISCOVERY = "discovery"
DISCOVERY_STATE = "discoveryState"
DISCOVERY_STATUS = "discoveryStatus"
DISK_DN = "diskDn"
DISK_SCRUB = "diskScrub"
DISK_SELECTION_ORDER = "diskSelectionOrder"
DISK_SELECTION_TS = "diskSelectionTs"
DISK_STATE = "diskState"
DISKLESS = "diskless"
DISR = "disr"
DISTRO = "distro"
DLLP_ERRORS = "dllpErrors"
DLLP_ERRORS15_MIN = "dllpErrors15Min"
DLLP_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "dllpErrors15MinH"
DLLP_ERRORS1_DAY = "dllpErrors1Day"
DLLP_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "dllpErrors1DayH"
DLLP_ERRORS1_HOUR = "dllpErrors1Hour"
DLLP_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "dllpErrors1HourH"
DLLP_ERRORS1_WEEK = "dllpErrors1Week"
DLLP_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "dllpErrors1WeekH"
DLLP_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "dllpErrors2Weeks"
DLLP_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "dllpErrors2WeeksH"
DN = "dn"
DNS = "dns"
DOM = "dom"
DOMAIN = "domain"
DOWNLOAD_DATE = "downloadDate"
DRAWER_STATE = "drawerState"
DRIVE_CACHE = "driveCache"
DRIVE_PERCENTAGE = "drivePercentage"
DRIVE_PERCENTAGE_AVG = "drivePercentageAvg"
DRIVE_PERCENTAGE_MAX = "drivePercentageMax"
DRIVE_PERCENTAGE_MIN = "drivePercentageMin"
DRIVE_STATE = "driveState"
DRIVE_TYPE = "driveType"
DRIVES = "drives"
DRIVES_ENABLED = "drivesEnabled"
DROP = "drop"
DROP_ACL = "dropAcl"
DROP_ACL_DELTA = "dropAclDelta"
DROP_ACL_DELTA_AVG = "dropAclDeltaAvg"
DROP_ACL_DELTA_MAX = "dropAclDeltaMax"
DROP_ACL_DELTA_MIN = "dropAclDeltaMin"
DROP_CMD = "dropCmd"
DROP_CMD_DELTA = "dropCmdDelta"
DROP_CMD_DELTA_AVG = "dropCmdDeltaAvg"
DROP_CMD_DELTA_MAX = "dropCmdDeltaMax"
DROP_CMD_DELTA_MIN = "dropCmdDeltaMin"
DROP_FC_LIF_INVALID = "dropFcLifInvalid"
DROP_FC_LIF_INVALID_DELTA = "dropFcLifInvalidDelta"
DROP_FC_LIF_INVALID_DELTA_AVG = "dropFcLifInvalidDeltaAvg"
DROP_FC_LIF_INVALID_DELTA_MAX = "dropFcLifInvalidDeltaMax"
DROP_FC_LIF_INVALID_DELTA_MIN = "dropFcLifInvalidDeltaMin"
DROP_FC_MULTICAST = "dropFcMulticast"
DROP_FC_MULTICAST_DELTA = "dropFcMulticastDelta"
DROP_FC_MULTICAST_DELTA_AVG = "dropFcMulticastDeltaAvg"
DROP_FC_MULTICAST_DELTA_MAX = "dropFcMulticastDeltaMax"
DROP_FC_MULTICAST_DELTA_MIN = "dropFcMulticastDeltaMin"
DROP_LIF_CFG_INVALID = "dropLifCfgInvalid"
DROP_LIF_CFG_INVALID_DELTA = "dropLifCfgInvalidDelta"
DROP_LIF_CFG_INVALID_DELTA_AVG = "dropLifCfgInvalidDeltaAvg"
DROP_LIF_CFG_INVALID_DELTA_MAX = "dropLifCfgInvalidDeltaMax"
DROP_LIF_CFG_INVALID_DELTA_MIN = "dropLifCfgInvalidDeltaMin"
DROP_LIF_MAP_NO_HIT = "dropLifMapNoHit"
DROP_LIF_MAP_NO_HIT_DELTA = "dropLifMapNoHitDelta"
DROP_LIF_MAP_NO_HIT_DELTA_AVG = "dropLifMapNoHitDeltaAvg"
DROP_LIF_MAP_NO_HIT_DELTA_MAX = "dropLifMapNoHitDeltaMax"
DROP_LIF_MAP_NO_HIT_DELTA_MIN = "dropLifMapNoHitDeltaMin"
DROP_NULL_PIF = "dropNullPif"
DROP_NULL_PIF_DELTA = "dropNullPifDelta"
DROP_NULL_PIF_DELTA_AVG = "dropNullPifDeltaAvg"
DROP_NULL_PIF_DELTA_MAX = "dropNullPifDeltaMax"
DROP_NULL_PIF_DELTA_MIN = "dropNullPifDeltaMin"
DROP_OVERRUN = "dropOverrun"
DROP_OVERRUN_DELTA = "dropOverrunDelta"
DROP_OVERRUN_DELTA_AVG = "dropOverrunDeltaAvg"
DROP_OVERRUN_DELTA_MAX = "dropOverrunDeltaMax"
DROP_OVERRUN_DELTA_MIN = "dropOverrunDeltaMin"
DROP_OVERRUN_N0 = "dropOverrunN0"
DROP_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA = "dropOverrunN0Delta"
DROP_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA_AVG = "dropOverrunN0DeltaAvg"
DROP_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA_MAX = "dropOverrunN0DeltaMax"
DROP_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA_MIN = "dropOverrunN0DeltaMin"
DROP_OVERRUN_N1 = "dropOverrunN1"
DROP_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA = "dropOverrunN1Delta"
DROP_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA_AVG = "dropOverrunN1DeltaAvg"
DROP_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA_MAX = "dropOverrunN1DeltaMax"
DROP_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA_MIN = "dropOverrunN1DeltaMin"
DROP_RUNT = "dropRunt"
DROP_RUNT_DELTA = "dropRuntDelta"
DROP_RUNT_DELTA_AVG = "dropRuntDeltaAvg"
DROP_RUNT_DELTA_MAX = "dropRuntDeltaMax"
DROP_RUNT_DELTA_MIN = "dropRuntDeltaMin"
DROP_SRC_BIND = "dropSrcBind"
DROP_SRC_BIND_DELTA = "dropSrcBindDelta"
DROP_SRC_BIND_DELTA_AVG = "dropSrcBindDeltaAvg"
DROP_SRC_BIND_DELTA_MAX = "dropSrcBindDeltaMax"
DROP_SRC_BIND_DELTA_MIN = "dropSrcBindDeltaMin"
DROPPED_RX = "droppedRx"
DROPPED_RX_DELTA = "droppedRxDelta"
DROPPED_RX_DELTA_AVG = "droppedRxDeltaAvg"
DROPPED_RX_DELTA_MAX = "droppedRxDeltaMax"
DROPPED_RX_DELTA_MIN = "droppedRxDeltaMin"
DROPPED_TX = "droppedTx"
DROPPED_TX_DELTA = "droppedTxDelta"
DROPPED_TX_DELTA_AVG = "droppedTxDeltaAvg"
DROPPED_TX_DELTA_MAX = "droppedTxDeltaMax"
DROPPED_TX_DELTA_MIN = "droppedTxDeltaMin"
DROPPED_PKTS_EG = "dropped_pkts_eg"
DROPPED_PKTS_IN = "dropped_pkts_in"
DSCP = "dscp"
DST_DN = "dstDn"
DUMPED_FRAMES = "dumpedFrames"
DUMPED_FRAMES_DELTA = "dumpedFramesDelta"
DUMPED_FRAMES_DELTA_AVG = "dumpedFramesDeltaAvg"
DUMPED_FRAMES_DELTA_MAX = "dumpedFramesDeltaMax"
DUMPED_FRAMES_DELTA_MIN = "dumpedFramesDeltaMin"
DUPLICATE_TARGET = "duplicateTarget"
DVS_DN = "dvsDn"
DVS_GEN_PORT_ID = "dvsGenPortId"
DVS_NAME = "dvsName"
DVS_PORT_ID = "dvsPortId"
DVS_SWITCH_ID = "dvsSwitchId"
DYN_REALLOC = "dynRealloc"
DYNAMIC_CON_POLICY_NAME = "dynamicConPolicyName"
DYNAMIC_ETH = "dynamicEth"
DYNAMIC_ID = "dynamicId"
DYNAMIC_PARAMS = "dynamicParams"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS = "eccMultibitErrors"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS15_MIN = "eccMultibitErrors15Min"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "eccMultibitErrors15MinH"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS1_DAY = "eccMultibitErrors1Day"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "eccMultibitErrors1DayH"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS1_HOUR = "eccMultibitErrors1Hour"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "eccMultibitErrors1HourH"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS1_WEEK = "eccMultibitErrors1Week"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "eccMultibitErrors1WeekH"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "eccMultibitErrors2Weeks"
ECC_MULTIBIT_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "eccMultibitErrors2WeeksH"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS = "eccSinglebitErrors"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS15_MIN = "eccSinglebitErrors15Min"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "eccSinglebitErrors15MinH"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS1_DAY = "eccSinglebitErrors1Day"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "eccSinglebitErrors1DayH"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS1_HOUR = "eccSinglebitErrors1Hour"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "eccSinglebitErrors1HourH"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS1_WEEK = "eccSinglebitErrors1Week"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "eccSinglebitErrors1WeekH"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "eccSinglebitErrors2Weeks"
ECC_SINGLEBIT_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "eccSinglebitErrors2WeeksH"
ECODE = "ecode"
ELEMENT_LOAD_FAILURES = "elementLoadFailures"
ELEMENTS_LOADED = "elementsLoaded"
EMAIL = "email"
ENABLE_HAFAILOVER = "enableHAFailover"
ENABLE_LLDP_TRANSMIT = "enableLldpTransmit"
ENABLE_NW_STATS_COLLECTION = "enableNwStatsCollection"
ENABLE_SSL = "enableSSL"
ENABLED_STATUS = "enabledStatus"
ENACP = "enacp"
ENC_ID = "encId"
ENC_KEY = "encKey"
ENC_PWD = "encPwd"
ENC_PWD_SET = "encPwdSet"
ENC_SECRET = "encSecret"
ENCAP = "encap"
ENCLOSURE_ID = "enclosureId"
END_PORT_ID = "endPortId"
END_TIME = "endTime"
END_TS = "endTs"
END_TS_M = "endTsM"
ENDS = "ends"
ENFORCE_VNIC_NAME = "enforceVnicName"
ENTITY_TYPE = "entityType"
EP = "ep"
EP_CLASS_ID = "epClassId"
EP_CLOUD_TYPE = "epCloudType"
EP_DN = "epDn"
EP_NAME = "epName"
EQ_TYPE = "eqType"
EQPT_CLASS_ID = "eqptClassId"
EQPT_INST_ID = "eqptInstId"
EQPT_INST_ID_PROP_ID = "eqptInstIdPropId"
EQUALS64 = "equals64"
EQUALS64_DELTA = "equals64Delta"
EQUALS64_DELTA_AVG = "equals64DeltaAvg"
EQUALS64_DELTA_MAX = "equals64DeltaMax"
EQUALS64_DELTA_MIN = "equals64DeltaMin"
EQUIPMENT_DN = "equipmentDn"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS = "errFatalErrors"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS15_MIN = "errFatalErrors15Min"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "errFatalErrors15MinH"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS1_DAY = "errFatalErrors1Day"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "errFatalErrors1DayH"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS1_HOUR = "errFatalErrors1Hour"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "errFatalErrors1HourH"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS1_WEEK = "errFatalErrors1Week"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "errFatalErrors1WeekH"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "errFatalErrors2Weeks"
ERR_FATAL_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "errFatalErrors2WeeksH"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS = "errNonFatalErrors"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS15_MIN = "errNonFatalErrors15Min"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "errNonFatalErrors15MinH"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS1_DAY = "errNonFatalErrors1Day"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "errNonFatalErrors1DayH"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS1_HOUR = "errNonFatalErrors1Hour"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "errNonFatalErrors1HourH"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS1_WEEK = "errNonFatalErrors1Week"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "errNonFatalErrors1WeekH"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "errNonFatalErrors2Weeks"
ERR_NON_FATAL_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "errNonFatalErrors2WeeksH"
ERR_VAL = "errVal"
ERR_VALUE = "errValue"
ERROR_CORRECTION = "errorCorrection"
ERROR_DESCR = "errorDescr"
ERROR_DETECT_TIMEOUT = "errorDetectTimeout"
ERROR_FRAMES = "errorFrames"
ERROR_FRAMES_DELTA = "errorFramesDelta"
ERROR_FRAMES_DELTA_AVG = "errorFramesDeltaAvg"
ERROR_FRAMES_DELTA_MAX = "errorFramesDeltaMax"
ERROR_FRAMES_DELTA_MIN = "errorFramesDeltaMin"
ERROR_TYPE = "errorType"
ERRORS_RX = "errorsRx"
ERRORS_RX_DELTA = "errorsRxDelta"
ERRORS_RX_DELTA_AVG = "errorsRxDeltaAvg"
ERRORS_RX_DELTA_MAX = "errorsRxDeltaMax"
ERRORS_RX_DELTA_MIN = "errorsRxDeltaMin"
ERRORS_TX = "errorsTx"
ERRORS_TX_DELTA = "errorsTxDelta"
ERRORS_TX_DELTA_AVG = "errorsTxDeltaAvg"
ERRORS_TX_DELTA_MAX = "errorsTxDeltaMax"
ERRORS_TX_DELTA_MIN = "errorsTxDeltaMin"
ERRORS_EG = "errors_eg"
ERRORS_IN = "errors_in"
ESCALATING = "escalating"
ETH_EFIVERSION = "ethEFIVersion"
ETH_EP_DN = "ethEpDn"
ETH_LINK_PROFILE_NAME = "ethLinkProfileName"
ETH_OPTION_ROM_VERSION = "ethOptionRomVersion"
ETHERNET_PORT_SPEED = "ethernetPortSpeed"
ETIME = "etime"
EVALUATION_METHOD = "evaluationMethod"
EVENT_READING_TYPE = "eventReadingType"
EVENTS = "events"
EXCESS_COLLISION = "excessCollision"
EXCESS_COLLISION_DELTA = "excessCollisionDelta"
EXCESS_COLLISION_DELTA_AVG = "excessCollisionDeltaAvg"
EXCESS_COLLISION_DELTA_MAX = "excessCollisionDeltaMax"
EXCESS_COLLISION_DELTA_MIN = "excessCollisionDeltaMin"
EXIT_SIGNAL = "exitSignal"
EXP = "exp"
EXPAND_TO_AVAIL = "expandToAvail"
EXPECTED_MEMORY = "expectedMemory"
EXPIRATION = "expiration"
EXPIRATION_WARN_TIME = "expirationWarnTime"
EXPIRED = "expired"
EXPIRES = "expires"
EXPORT_FAILURE_REASON = "exportFailureReason"
EXPORT_INTERNAL = "exportInternal"
EXPORT_STATUS = "exportStatus"
EXPORTER_SOURCE_MAC = "exporterSourceMac"
EXPORTER_STATS_TIMEOUT = "exporterStatsTimeout"
EXT_BROADCAST = "extBroadcast"
EXT_DEP = "extDep"
EXT_GW = "extGw"
EXT_IPPOOL_NAME = "extIPPoolName"
EXT_IPSTATE = "extIPState"
EXT_IP = "extIp"
EXT_IP_POOL_NAME = "extIpPoolName"
EXT_KEY = "extKey"
EXT_MANAGED = "extManaged"
EXT_MASK = "extMask"
EXT_MGMT_IP_ADDR = "extMgmtIpAddr"
EXTERNAL_RESOLVE_NAME = "externalResolveName"
FAB_EXT_ID = "fabExtId"
FABRIC = "fabric"
FABRIC_EP_DN = "fabricEpDn"
FABRIC_ID = "fabricId"
FABRIC_MGMT_ADDR = "fabricMgmtAddr"
FABRIC_NETWORK_NAME = "fabricNetworkName"
FABRIC_NWWN = "fabricNwwn"
FABRIC_PATH = "fabricPath"
FABRIC_PWWN = "fabricPwwn"
FAIL_OVER_STATE = "failOverState"
FAIL_REPORT_COUNT = "failReportCount"
FAILED = "failed"
FAILOVER = "failover"
FAILURE_ACTION = "failureAction"
FALSE_HITS = "falseHits"
FAN_CAPACITY = "fanCapacity"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET1 = "fanCtrlrInlet1"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET1_AVG = "fanCtrlrInlet1Avg"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET1_MAX = "fanCtrlrInlet1Max"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET1_MIN = "fanCtrlrInlet1Min"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET2 = "fanCtrlrInlet2"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET2_AVG = "fanCtrlrInlet2Avg"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET2_MAX = "fanCtrlrInlet2Max"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET2_MIN = "fanCtrlrInlet2Min"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET3 = "fanCtrlrInlet3"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET3_AVG = "fanCtrlrInlet3Avg"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET3_MAX = "fanCtrlrInlet3Max"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET3_MIN = "fanCtrlrInlet3Min"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET4 = "fanCtrlrInlet4"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET4_AVG = "fanCtrlrInlet4Avg"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET4_MAX = "fanCtrlrInlet4Max"
FAN_CTRLR_INLET4_MIN = "fanCtrlrInlet4Min"
FAN_MODULES_SUPPORTED = "fanModulesSupported"
FAST_TIMER = "fastTimer"
FAULT_MONITORING = "faultMonitoring"
FAULT_QUALIFIER = "faultQualifier"
FAULTS = "faults"
FC_FWVERSION = "fcFWVersion"
FC_OPTION_ROM_VERSION = "fcOptionRomVersion"
FC_ZONE_SHARING_MODE = "fcZoneSharingMode"
FCOE_ID = "fcoeId"
FCOE_STATE = "fcoeState"
FCOE_STATE_REASON = "fcoeStateReason"
FCOE_VLAN = "fcoeVlan"
FCP_ERROR_RECOVERY = "fcpErrorRecovery"
FCS = "fcs"
FCS_DELTA = "fcsDelta"
FCS_DELTA_AVG = "fcsDeltaAvg"
FCS_DELTA_MAX = "fcsDeltaMax"
FCS_DELTA_MIN = "fcsDeltaMin"
FE_OFFLINE_TS = "feOfflineTs"
FE_READY_TS = "feReadyTs"
FEATURE = "feature"
FEATURE_NAME = "featureName"
FEATURE_STATUS = "featureStatus"
FI_PORT_DN = "fiPortDn"
FIBRE_CHANNEL_PORT_SPEED = "fibreChannelPortSpeed"
FILE_DIR = "fileDir"
FILE_HOST = "fileHost"
FILE_NAME = "fileName"
FILE_PARSE_FAILURES = "fileParseFailures"
FILE_PASSWD = "filePasswd"
FILE_PATH = "filePath"
FILE_PORT = "filePort"
FILE_PROTO = "fileProto"
FILE_USER = "fileUser"
FILES_PARSED = "filesParsed"
FILL_PATTERN = "fillPattern"
FILTER = "filter"
FILTER_CLASS_ID = "filterClassId"
FILTER_PROP_ID1 = "filterPropId1"
FILTER_PROP_ID2 = "filterPropId2"
FILTER_PROP_ID3 = "filterPropId3"
FILTER_PROP_VALUE1 = "filterPropValue1"
FILTER_PROP_VALUE2 = "filterPropValue2"
FILTER_PROP_VALUE3 = "filterPropValue3"
FIRMWARE_STATE = "firmwareState"
FIRMWARE_VERSION = "firmwareVersion"
FIRST_INDEX = "firstIndex"
FIRST_NAME = "firstName"
FIRST_SLOT_IDX = "firstSlotIdx"
FLAGS = "flags"
FLAP_INTERVAL = "flapInterval"
FLASH_PERCENTAGE = "flashPercentage"
FLASH_STATUS = "flashStatus"
FLEX_FLASH_RAIDREPORTING_STATE = "flexFlashRAIDReportingState"
FLEX_FLASH_SCRUB = "flexFlashScrub"
FLEX_FLASH_STATE = "flexFlashState"
FLEX_FLASH_TYPE = "flexFlashType"
FLG_INITIAL_ACTIVE = "flgInitialActive"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS = "flowControlErrors"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS15_MIN = "flowControlErrors15Min"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "flowControlErrors15MinH"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS1_DAY = "flowControlErrors1Day"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "flowControlErrors1DayH"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS1_HOUR = "flowControlErrors1Hour"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "flowControlErrors1HourH"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS1_WEEK = "flowControlErrors1Week"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "flowControlErrors1WeekH"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "flowControlErrors2Weeks"
FLOW_CONTROL_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "flowControlErrors2WeeksH"
FLOW_CTRL_POLICY = "flowCtrlPolicy"
FLOW_EXP_PROFILE = "flowExpProfile"
FLOW_MON_COLLECTOR = "flowMonCollector"
FLOW_MON_PROTOCOL = "flowMonProtocol"
FLOW_MON_RECORD_DEF = "flowMonRecordDef"
FLOW_PROTOCOL = "flowProtocol"
FLOW_RECORD_DEF_NAME = "flowRecordDefName"
FLOW_TIMEOUT_POLICY = "flowTimeoutPolicy"
FLT_AGGR = "fltAggr"
FM_TEMP_SEN_IO = "fmTempSenIo"
FM_TEMP_SEN_IO_AVG = "fmTempSenIoAvg"
FM_TEMP_SEN_IO_MAX = "fmTempSenIoMax"
FM_TEMP_SEN_IO_MIN = "fmTempSenIoMin"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR = "fmTempSenRear"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_AVG = "fmTempSenRearAvg"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_L = "fmTempSenRearL"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_LAVG = "fmTempSenRearLAvg"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_LMAX = "fmTempSenRearLMax"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_LMIN = "fmTempSenRearLMin"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_MAX = "fmTempSenRearMax"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_MIN = "fmTempSenRearMin"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_R = "fmTempSenRearR"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_RAVG = "fmTempSenRearRAvg"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_RMAX = "fmTempSenRearRMax"
FM_TEMP_SEN_REAR_RMIN = "fmTempSenRearRMin"
FN_DEF_NAME = "fnDefName"
FN_NAME = "fnName"
FORCE_DEPLOY = "forceDeploy"
FORCE_UPDATE_VERSION = "forceUpdateVersion"
FORGE = "forge"
FORGE_MAC = "forgeMac"
FORM = "form"
FORM_FACTOR = "formFactor"
FORMAT = "format"
FORWARDING_FACILITY = "forwardingFacility"
FP = "fp"
FRAME_TX = "frameTx"
FRAME_TX_DELTA = "frameTxDelta"
FRAME_TX_DELTA_AVG = "frameTxDeltaAvg"
FRAME_TX_DELTA_MAX = "frameTxDeltaMax"
FRAME_TX_DELTA_MIN = "frameTxDeltaMin"
FREE_SPACE = "freeSpace"
FREQUENCY = "frequency"
FROM = "from"
FRONT_TEMP = "frontTemp"
FRONT_TEMP_AVG = "frontTempAvg"
FRONT_TEMP_MAX = "frontTempMax"
FRONT_TEMP_MIN = "frontTempMin"
FRU_CAP_DN = "fruCapDn"
FRU_ID = "fruId"
FRU_IDENT_TRIG_TS = "fruIdentTrigTs"
FRU_MAJOR_TYPE = "fruMajorType"
FRU_MINOR_TYPE = "fruMinorType"
FSM_DESCR = "fsmDescr"
FSM_FLAG = "fsmFlag"
FSM_FLAGS = "fsmFlags"
FSM_PREV = "fsmPrev"
FSM_PROGR = "fsmProgr"
FSM_RMT_INV_ERR_CODE = "fsmRmtInvErrCode"
FSM_RMT_INV_ERR_DESCR = "fsmRmtInvErrDescr"
FSM_RMT_INV_RSLT = "fsmRmtInvRslt"
FSM_STAGE_DESCR = "fsmStageDescr"
FSM_STAMP = "fsmStamp"
FSM_STATUS = "fsmStatus"
FSM_TRY = "fsmTry"
FTR_MO_CLASS_NAME = "ftrMoClassName"
FULL_PATHNAME = "fullPathname"
FUNCTIONAL_STATE = "functionalState"
FW_UPDATE_TIMEOUT = "fwUpdateTimeout"
FW_VERSION_HI = "fwVersionHi"
FW_VERSION_LO = "fwVersionLo"
FW_VERSION_OPER = "fwVersionOper"
FW_VERSION_OPR = "fwVersionOpr"
FWD_LOOKUP_NO_HIT = "fwdLookupNoHit"
FWD_LOOKUP_NO_HIT_DELTA = "fwdLookupNoHitDelta"
FWD_LOOKUP_NO_HIT_DELTA_AVG = "fwdLookupNoHitDeltaAvg"
FWD_LOOKUP_NO_HIT_DELTA_MAX = "fwdLookupNoHitDeltaMax"
FWD_LOOKUP_NO_HIT_DELTA_MIN = "fwdLookupNoHitDeltaMin"
GEN_NUM = "genNum"
GEN_NUM_SYNC = "genNumSync"
GENCOUNT = "gencount"
GENERATION = "generation"
GIANTS = "giants"
GIANTS_DELTA = "giantsDelta"
GIANTS_DELTA_AVG = "giantsDeltaAvg"
GIANTS_DELTA_MAX = "giantsDeltaMax"
GIANTS_DELTA_MIN = "giantsDeltaMin"
GID = "gid"
GLOBAL = "global"
GLOBAL_ASSIGNED_CNT = "globalAssignedCnt"
GLOBAL_DEFINED_CNT = "globalDefinedCnt"
GLOBAL_ID = "globalId"
GOOD_PACKETS = "goodPackets"
GOOD_PACKETS_DELTA = "goodPacketsDelta"
GOOD_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "goodPacketsDeltaAvg"
GOOD_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "goodPacketsDeltaMax"
GOOD_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "goodPacketsDeltaMin"
GRACE_PERIOD = "gracePeriod"
GRACE_PERIOD_USED = "gracePeriodUsed"
GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO9216 = "greaterThanOrEqualTo9216"
GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO9216_DELTA = "greaterThanOrEqualTo9216Delta"
GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO9216_DELTA_AVG = "greaterThanOrEqualTo9216DeltaAvg"
GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO9216_DELTA_MAX = "greaterThanOrEqualTo9216DeltaMax"
GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO9216_DELTA_MIN = "greaterThanOrEqualTo9216DeltaMin"
GROUP = "group"
GROUP_NAME = "groupName"
GROUP_POLICY_NAME = "groupPolicyName"
GUID = "guid"
GW_ADDR = "gwAddr"
GW_SUBNET = "gwSubnet"
HA = "ha"
HA_FAILURE_REASON = "haFailureReason"
HA_PEER_DN = "haPeerDn"
HA_READINESS = "haReadiness"
HA_READY = "haReady"
HA_STATE = "haState"
HAS_ERROR = "hasError"
HAS_LAST_DEST = "hasLastDest"
HBA_MODE = "hbaMode"
HEALTH = "health"
HEALTH_LED_STATE = "healthLedState"
HEALTH_LED_STATE_QUALIFIER = "healthLedStateQualifier"
HEAP_SIZE = "heapSize"
HEAP_SIZE16_GB = "heapSize16Gb"
HEARTBEAT_REQUEST = "heartbeatRequest"
HEARTBEAT_RESPONSE = "heartbeatResponse"
HEARTBEAT_STATUS = "heartbeatStatus"
HEIGHT = "height"
HIERARCHICAL = "hierarchical"
HIGHEST_SEVERITY = "highestSeverity"
HISTORY_COUNT = "historyCount"
HORIZONTAL_START_OFFSET = "horizontalStartOffset"
HOST = "host"
HOST_CONTROL = "hostControl"
HOST_FW_POLICY_NAME = "hostFwPolicyName"
HOST_ID = "hostId"
HOST_IF_DN = "hostIfDn"
HOST_NAME = "hostName"
HOST_NVRAM = "hostNvram"
HOST_NW_IOPERF = "hostNwIOPerf"
HOST_PORT = "hostPort"
HOST_REPORTED = "hostReported"
HOST_VISIBLE = "hostVisible"
HOSTNAME = "hostname"
HOUR = "hour"
HV_DN = "hvDn"
HV_TYPE = "hvType"
HV_UUID = "hvUuid"
HW_MODEL = "hwModel"
HW_REVISION = "hwRevision"
HW_VENDOR = "hwVendor"
HW_VERSION = "hwVersion"
HYSTERISIS_DOWN = "hysterisisDown"
HYSTERISIS_UP = "hysterisisUp"
I_SCSIVNIC_NAME = "iSCSIVnicName"
ID = "id"
ID_ASSIGNMENT_MODE = "idAssignmentMode"
ID_COUNT = "idCount"
IDENT_POOL_NAME = "identPoolName"
IDENT_TYPE = "identType"
IDENTITY = "identity"
IDLE_POWER = "idlePower"
IF_ROLE = "ifRole"
IF_TYPE = "ifType"
IGMP_RESEND_COUNT = "igmpResendCount"
IGNORE_CAP = "ignoreCap"
IGNORE_COMP_CHECK = "ignoreCompCheck"
IMAGE = "image"
IMAGE_DELETED = "imageDeleted"
IMAGE_FILE_NAME = "imageFileName"
IMAGE_NAME = "imageName"
IMAGE_PATH = "imagePath"
IMAGE_PRESENCE = "imagePresence"
IMAGE_SIZE = "imageSize"
IMG_LOC = "imgLoc"
IMG_NAME = "imgName"
IMG_POLICY_NAME = "imgPolicyName"
IMG_SEC_POLICY_NAME = "imgSecPolicyName"
IMPACT_ANALYZER_ID = "impactAnalyzerId"
IN = "in"
IN_PROGRESS = "inProgress"
IN_RANGE = "inRange"
IN_RANGE_DELTA = "inRangeDelta"
IN_RANGE_DELTA_AVG = "inRangeDeltaAvg"
IN_RANGE_DELTA_MAX = "inRangeDeltaMax"
IN_RANGE_DELTA_MIN = "inRangeDeltaMin"
IN_USE = "inUse"
INACTIVE_TIMEOUT = "inactiveTimeout"
INBAND_IF_GW = "inbandIfGw"
INBAND_IF_IP = "inbandIfIp"
INBAND_IF_MASK = "inbandIfMask"
INBAND_IF_VNET = "inbandIfVnet"
IND = "ind"
INDEX = "index"
INFRA_BUNDLE_NAME = "infraBundleName"
INFRA_BUNDLE_VERSION = "infraBundleVersion"
INI_NAME = "iniName"
INIT_NAME_SUFFIX = "initNameSuffix"
INIT_SEQ = "initSeq"
INIT_TS = "initTs"
INITIATOR = "initiator"
INITIATOR_DN = "initiatorDn"
INITIATOR_NAME = "initiatorName"
INITIATOR_POLICY_NAME = "initiatorPolicyName"
INLET = "inlet"
INLET1 = "inlet1"
INLET1_AVG = "inlet1Avg"
INLET1_MAX = "inlet1Max"
INLET1_MIN = "inlet1Min"
INLET_AVG = "inletAvg"
INLET_MAX = "inletMax"
INLET_MIN = "inletMin"
INLINE_GROUP_SEPARATION = "inlineGroupSeparation"
INLINE_GROUP_SIZE = "inlineGroupSize"
INLINE_OFFSET = "inlineOffset"
INO = "ino"
INPUT210V = "input210v"
INPUT210V_AVG = "input210vAvg"
INPUT210V_MAX = "input210vMax"
INPUT210V_MIN = "input210vMin"
INPUT_CURRENT = "inputCurrent"
INPUT_CURRENT_AVG = "inputCurrentAvg"
INPUT_CURRENT_MAX = "inputCurrentMax"
INPUT_CURRENT_MIN = "inputCurrentMin"
INPUT_MEGABYTES = "inputMegabytes"
INPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA = "inputMegabytesDelta"
INPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA_AVG = "inputMegabytesDeltaAvg"
INPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA_MAX = "inputMegabytesDeltaMax"
INPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA_MIN = "inputMegabytesDeltaMin"
INPUT_POWER = "inputPower"
INPUT_POWER_AVG = "inputPowerAvg"
INPUT_POWER_MAX = "inputPowerMax"
INPUT_POWER_MIN = "inputPowerMin"
INPUT_POWER_STATE = "inputPowerState"
INPUT_REQUESTS = "inputRequests"
INPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA = "inputRequestsDelta"
INPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA_AVG = "inputRequestsDeltaAvg"
INPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA_MAX = "inputRequestsDeltaMax"
INPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA_MIN = "inputRequestsDeltaMin"
INPUT_STATUS = "inputStatus"
INPUT_VOLTAGE = "inputVoltage"
INPUT_VOLTAGE_AVG = "inputVoltageAvg"
INPUT_VOLTAGE_MAX = "inputVoltageMax"
INPUT_VOLTAGE_MIN = "inputVoltageMin"
INST = "inst"
INST_TYPE = "instType"
INSTANCE = "instance"
INSTANCE_ID = "instanceId"
INSTANCE_MOD = "instanceMod"
INT_DEL = "intDel"
INT_ID = "intId"
INT_MAC_RX = "intMacRx"
INT_MAC_RX_DELTA = "intMacRxDelta"
INT_MAC_RX_DELTA_AVG = "intMacRxDeltaAvg"
INT_MAC_RX_DELTA_MAX = "intMacRxDeltaMax"
INT_MAC_RX_DELTA_MIN = "intMacRxDeltaMin"
INT_MAC_TX = "intMacTx"
INT_MAC_TX_DELTA = "intMacTxDelta"
INT_MAC_TX_DELTA_AVG = "intMacTxDeltaAvg"
INT_MAC_TX_DELTA_MAX = "intMacTxDeltaMax"
INT_MAC_TX_DELTA_MIN = "intMacTxDeltaMin"
INT_TYPE = "intType"
INTEGRATED = "integrated"
INTENT = "intent"
INTEREST = "interest"
INTERFACE_TABLE_TIMEOUT = "interfaceTableTimeout"
INTERNALPORTS = "internalports"
INTERVAL = "interval"
INTERVAL_DAYS = "intervalDays"
INTERVALS = "intervals"
INTF = "intf"
INTR_COUNT = "intrCount"
INV_TAG = "invTag"
INVALID_CRCCOUNT = "invalidCRCCount"
INVALID_CRCCOUNT_DELTA = "invalidCRCCountDelta"
INVALID_CRCCOUNT_DELTA_AVG = "invalidCRCCountDeltaAvg"
INVALID_CRCCOUNT_DELTA_MAX = "invalidCRCCountDeltaMax"
INVALID_CRCCOUNT_DELTA_MIN = "invalidCRCCountDeltaMin"
INVENTORY_STATUS = "inventoryStatus"
INVENTORY_VERSION = "inventoryVersion"
IO_POLICY = "ioPolicy"
IO_THROTTLE_COUNT = "ioThrottleCount"
IOCARD_TYPE = "iocardType"
IOH1_TEMP = "ioh1Temp"
IOH1_TEMP_AVG = "ioh1TempAvg"
IOH1_TEMP_MAX = "ioh1TempMax"
IOH1_TEMP_MIN = "ioh1TempMin"
IOH2_TEMP = "ioh2Temp"
IOH2_TEMP_AVG = "ioh2TempAvg"
IOH2_TEMP_MAX = "ioh2TempMax"
IOH2_TEMP_MIN = "ioh2TempMin"
IOM_EP = "iomEp"
IOPS = "iops"
IOPS_AVG = "iopsAvg"
IOPS_MAX = "iopsMax"
IOPS_MIN = "iopsMin"
IP = "ip"
IP_A = "ipA"
IP_ADDRESS = "ipAddress"
IP_B = "ipB"
IP_HASH = "ipHash"
IP_POOL_GUID = "ipPoolGuid"
IP_POOL_NAME = "ipPoolName"
IP_POOL_NAME_FABRIC_B = "ipPoolNameFabricB"
IP_POOL_TYPE = "ipPoolType"
IP_V4_ADDRESS = "ipV4Address"
IP_V4_MGMT_ADDRESS = "ipV4MgmtAddress"
IP_V4_STATE = "ipV4State"
IP_V6_STATE = "ipV6State"
IPMI_OVER_LAN = "ipmiOverLan"
IPV4KEYS = "ipv4keys"
IPV6 = "ipv6"
IPV6_A = "ipv6A"
IPV6_ADDR = "ipv6Addr"
IPV6_B = "ipv6B"
IPV6_TARGET1 = "ipv6Target1"
IPV6_TARGET2 = "ipv6Target2"
IPV6_TARGET3 = "ipv6Target3"
IPV6ADDR = "ipv6addr"
IPV6KEYS = "ipv6keys"
IQN = "iqn"
IQN_IDENT_POOL_NAME = "iqnIdentPoolName"
IQN_POOL_NAME = "iqnPoolName"
IS_ASSIGNED_LOCALLY = "isAssignedLocally"
IS_BOOTABLE = "isBootable"
IS_CARD_MISMATCH = "isCardMismatch"
IS_CHANGED_OBJECT_UPDATE = "isChangedObjectUpdate"
IS_CONFIG_SUCCESS = "isConfigSuccess"
IS_DEFAULT = "isDefault"
IS_DEFAULT_DERIVED = "isDefaultDerived"
IS_DELETE = "isDelete"
IS_DELETED = "isDeleted"
IS_FIRST_SYNC = "isFirstSync"
IS_FORMAT_FSMRUNNING = "isFormatFSMRunning"
IS_HOST_AGENT_PRESENT = "isHostAgentPresent"
IS_IMPORTABLE = "isImportable"
IS_NATIVE = "isNative"
IS_NET_BIOSENABLED = "isNetBIOSEnabled"
IS_PASSTHROUGH = "isPassthrough"
IS_PORT_CHANNEL_MEMBER = "isPortChannelMember"
IS_POWER_DEPLOYMENT_NEEDED = "isPowerDeploymentNeeded"
IS_PRESENT = "isPresent"
IS_RACK_PRESENT = "isRackPresent"
IS_SERVICE_TEMPLATE = "isServiceTemplate"
IS_SET_SNMP_SECURE = "isSetSnmpSecure"
IS_SUPPORTED = "isSupported"
IS_SYNC = "isSync"
IS_SYNC_ALLOWED = "isSyncAllowed"
IS_SYSTEM = "isSystem"
IS_VALID_CONFIG = "isValidConfig"
ISCSI_CONFIG_ISSUES = "iscsiConfigIssues"
ISONAME = "isoname"
ISSUES = "issues"
ITEM = "item"
ITEM_DN = "itemDn"
JOB = "job"
JOB_COUNT = "jobCount"
JUMBO_PACKETS = "jumboPackets"
JUMBO_PACKETS_DELTA = "jumboPacketsDelta"
JUMBO_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "jumboPacketsDeltaAvg"
JUMBO_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "jumboPacketsDeltaMax"
JUMBO_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "jumboPacketsDeltaMin"
KERNEL_NAME = "kernelName"
KERNEL_RELEASE = "kernelRelease"
KERNEL_VERSION = "kernelVersion"
KEY = "key"
KEY_DESCR = "keyDescr"
KEY_DN = "keyDn"
KEY_INST = "keyInst"
KEY_RING = "keyRing"
KEY_SET = "keySet"
KEY_TYPE = "keyType"
KS_STARTUP_VERSION = "ksStartupVersion"
KS_VERSION = "ksVersion"
KVM_MGMT_POLICY_NAME = "kvmMgmtPolicyName"
L2KEYS = "l2keys"
LABEL = "label"
LACP_FAST_TIMER = "lacpFastTimer"
LACP_POLICY_NAME = "lacpPolicyName"
LACP_SUSPEND_INDIVIDUAL = "lacpSuspendIndividual"
LAN_CONN_POLICY_NAME = "lanConnPolicyName"
LARGE_RECEIVE = "largeReceive"
LARGETXS = "largetxs"
LAST_BACKUP = "lastBackup"
LAST_CMD = "lastCmd"
LAST_DEADLINE = "lastDeadline"
LAST_ERROR = "lastError"
LAST_ERROR_CODE = "lastErrorCode"
LAST_EVT = "lastEvt"
LAST_EVT_TS = "lastEvtTs"
LAST_EXIT_CODE = "lastExitCode"
LAST_NAME = "lastName"
LAST_OPER_STATE_REPORT = "lastOperStateReport"
LAST_OPERATION = "lastOperation"
LAST_POLL_TS = "lastPollTs"
LAST_REPLICATION = "lastReplication"
LAST_RESTORE = "lastRestore"
LAST_SNAPSHOT_ID = "lastSnapshotId"
LAST_TRANSITION = "lastTransition"
LAST_UPDATE = "lastUpdate"
LAST_UPDATE_TIME = "lastUpdateTime"
LAST_UPDATED_TIME = "lastUpdatedTime"
LATE_COLLISION = "lateCollision"
LATE_COLLISION_DELTA = "lateCollisionDelta"
LATE_COLLISION_DELTA_AVG = "lateCollisionDeltaAvg"
LATE_COLLISION_DELTA_MAX = "lateCollisionDeltaMax"
LATE_COLLISION_DELTA_MIN = "lateCollisionDeltaMin"
LATENCY = "latency"
LATENCY_AVG = "latencyAvg"
LATENCY_MAX = "latencyMax"
LATENCY_MIN = "latencyMin"
LB_TYPE = "lbType"
LC = "lc"
LC_NAME = "lcName"
LC_TS = "lcTs"
LEADERSHIP = "leadership"
LEARN_CYCLE_REQUESTED = "learnCycleRequested"
LEARN_MODE = "learnMode"
LEARN_REQ_DROP = "learnReqDrop"
LEARN_REQ_DROP_DELTA = "learnReqDropDelta"
LEARN_REQ_DROP_DELTA_AVG = "learnReqDropDeltaAvg"
LEARN_REQ_DROP_DELTA_MAX = "learnReqDropDeltaMax"
LEARN_REQ_DROP_DELTA_MIN = "learnReqDropDeltaMin"
LEFT_DATA = "leftData"
LEFT_REAR_TEMP = "leftRearTemp"
LEFT_REAR_TEMP_AVG = "leftRearTempAvg"
LEFT_REAR_TEMP_MAX = "leftRearTempMax"
LEFT_REAR_TEMP_MIN = "leftRearTempMin"
LENGTH = "length"
LESS_THAN1024 = "lessThan1024"
LESS_THAN1024_DELTA = "lessThan1024Delta"
LESS_THAN1024_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan1024DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN1024_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan1024DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN1024_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan1024DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN128 = "lessThan128"
LESS_THAN128_DELTA = "lessThan128Delta"
LESS_THAN128_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan128DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN128_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan128DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN128_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan128DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN2048 = "lessThan2048"
LESS_THAN2048_DELTA = "lessThan2048Delta"
LESS_THAN2048_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan2048DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN2048_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan2048DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN2048_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan2048DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN256 = "lessThan256"
LESS_THAN256_DELTA = "lessThan256Delta"
LESS_THAN256_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan256DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN256_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan256DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN256_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan256DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN4096 = "lessThan4096"
LESS_THAN4096_DELTA = "lessThan4096Delta"
LESS_THAN4096_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan4096DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN4096_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan4096DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN4096_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan4096DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN512 = "lessThan512"
LESS_THAN512_DELTA = "lessThan512Delta"
LESS_THAN512_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan512DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN512_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan512DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN512_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan512DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN64 = "lessThan64"
LESS_THAN64_DELTA = "lessThan64Delta"
LESS_THAN64_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan64DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN64_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan64DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN64_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan64DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN8192 = "lessThan8192"
LESS_THAN8192_DELTA = "lessThan8192Delta"
LESS_THAN8192_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan8192DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN8192_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan8192DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN8192_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan8192DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN9216 = "lessThan9216"
LESS_THAN9216_DELTA = "lessThan9216Delta"
LESS_THAN9216_DELTA_AVG = "lessThan9216DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN9216_DELTA_MAX = "lessThan9216DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN9216_DELTA_MIN = "lessThan9216DeltaMin"
LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO1518 = "lessThanOrEqualTo1518"
LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO1518_DELTA = "lessThanOrEqualTo1518Delta"
LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO1518_DELTA_AVG = "lessThanOrEqualTo1518DeltaAvg"
LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO1518_DELTA_MAX = "lessThanOrEqualTo1518DeltaMax"
LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL_TO1518_DELTA_MIN = "lessThanOrEqualTo1518DeltaMin"
LEVEL = "level"
LEVEL_FLAG = "levelFlag"
LIC_GP = "licGP"
LIC_STATE = "licState"
LIC_VENDOR = "licVendor"
LIC_VERSION = "licVersion"
LIFE_CYCLE = "lifeCycle"
LIMIT = "limit"
LINE = "line"
LINK_AGGREGATION_PREF = "linkAggregationPref"
LINK_DOWN_DELAY = "linkDownDelay"
LINK_DOWN_TIMEOUT = "linkDownTimeout"
LINK_FAILURE_COUNT = "linkFailureCount"
LINK_FAILURE_COUNT_DELTA = "linkFailureCountDelta"
LINK_FAILURE_COUNT_DELTA_AVG = "linkFailureCountDeltaAvg"
LINK_FAILURE_COUNT_DELTA_MAX = "linkFailureCountDeltaMax"
LINK_FAILURE_COUNT_DELTA_MIN = "linkFailureCountDeltaMin"
LINK_FAILURES = "linkFailures"
LINK_FAILURES_DELTA = "linkFailuresDelta"
LINK_FAILURES_DELTA_AVG = "linkFailuresDeltaAvg"
LINK_FAILURES_DELTA_MAX = "linkFailuresDeltaMax"
LINK_FAILURES_DELTA_MIN = "linkFailuresDeltaMin"
LINK_SPEED = "linkSpeed"
LINK_STATE = "linkState"
LINK_STATUS_QUERY_TYPE = "linkStatusQueryType"
LINK_UP_DELAY = "linkUpDelay"
LIP_COUNT = "lipCount"
LIP_COUNT_DELTA = "lipCountDelta"
LIP_COUNT_DELTA_AVG = "lipCountDeltaAvg"
LIP_COUNT_DELTA_MAX = "lipCountDeltaMax"
LIP_COUNT_DELTA_MIN = "lipCountDeltaMin"
LLDP_MAC = "lldpMac"
LLDP_MAC_OFFSET1 = "lldpMacOffset1"
LLDP_MAC_OFFSET2 = "lldpMacOffset2"
LOAD = "load"
LOAD_AVG = "loadAvg"
LOAD_ERRORS = "loadErrors"
LOAD_MAX = "loadMax"
LOAD_MIN = "loadMin"
LOAD_WARNINGS = "loadWarnings"
LOCAL = "local"
LOCAL_DIR = "localDir"
LOCAL_DISK_POLICY_NAME = "localDiskPolicyName"
LOCAL_HOST = "localHost"
LOCAL_ID = "localId"
LOCAL_INTERFACE = "localInterface"
LOCALE = "locale"
LOCALES = "locales"
LOCALITY = "locality"
LOCATION = "location"
LOCATION_DN = "locationDn"
LOCATOR_BEACON_SUPPORTED = "locatorBeaconSupported"
LOGIN_TIME = "loginTime"
LOSS_OF_SIGNAL_COUNT = "lossOfSignalCount"
LOSS_OF_SIGNAL_COUNT_DELTA = "lossOfSignalCountDelta"
LOSS_OF_SIGNAL_COUNT_DELTA_AVG = "lossOfSignalCountDeltaAvg"
LOSS_OF_SIGNAL_COUNT_DELTA_MAX = "lossOfSignalCountDeltaMax"
LOSS_OF_SIGNAL_COUNT_DELTA_MIN = "lossOfSignalCountDeltaMin"
LOSS_OF_SYNC_COUNT = "lossOfSyncCount"
LOSS_OF_SYNC_COUNT_DELTA = "lossOfSyncCountDelta"
LOSS_OF_SYNC_COUNT_DELTA_AVG = "lossOfSyncCountDeltaAvg"
LOSS_OF_SYNC_COUNT_DELTA_MAX = "lossOfSyncCountDeltaMax"
LOSS_OF_SYNC_COUNT_DELTA_MIN = "lossOfSyncCountDeltaMin"
LOW_VOLTAGE_MEMORY = "lowVoltageMemory"
LP_INTERVAL = "lpInterval"
LS_DN = "lsDn"
LS_SERVER_NAME = "lsServerName"
LS_SERVER_TMPL_NAME = "lsServerTmplName"
LUN = "lun"
LUN_BUSY_RETRY_COUNT = "lunBusyRetryCount"
LUN_COUNT_IN_USE = "lunCountInUse"
LUN_COUNT_NOT_IN_USE = "lunCountNotInUse"
LUN_COUNT_ORPHANED = "lunCountOrphaned"
LUN_DN = "lunDn"
LUN_ID = "lunId"
LUN_ITEM_DN = "lunItemDn"
LUN_ITEM_NAME = "lunItemName"
LUN_MAP_TYPE = "lunMapType"
LUN_MASK_ID = "lunMaskId"
LUN_NAME = "lunName"
LUN_ORDER = "lunOrder"
LUN_REPLICA_COUNT = "lunReplicaCount"
LUN_SNAPSHOT_COUNT = "lunSnapshotCount"
LUNS_PER_TARGET = "lunsPerTarget"
M_SERIES_BUNDLE_NAME = "mSeriesBundleName"
M_SERIES_BUNDLE_VERSION = "mSeriesBundleVersion"
MAC = "mac"
MAC1 = "mac1"
MAC2 = "mac2"
MAC_ADDR = "macAddr"
MAC_ADDR_TYPE = "macAddrType"
MAC_ADDRESS = "macAddress"
MAC_ADDRESS_POLICY = "macAddressPolicy"
MAC_AGING = "macAging"
MAC_DISCARDED_PACKETS = "macDiscardedPackets"
MAC_DISCARDED_PACKETS_DELTA = "macDiscardedPacketsDelta"
MAC_DISCARDED_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "macDiscardedPacketsDeltaAvg"
MAC_DISCARDED_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "macDiscardedPacketsDeltaMax"
MAC_DISCARDED_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "macDiscardedPacketsDeltaMin"
MAC_LEFT = "macLeft"
MAC_OF_SHARED_IOMA = "macOfSharedIOMA"
MAC_OF_SHARED_IOMB = "macOfSharedIOMB"
MAC_OFFSET1 = "macOffset1"
MAC_OFFSET2 = "macOffset2"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB00 = "macOffsetSub00"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB01 = "macOffsetSub01"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB02 = "macOffsetSub02"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB03 = "macOffsetSub03"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB10 = "macOffsetSub10"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB11 = "macOffsetSub11"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB12 = "macOffsetSub12"
MAC_OFFSET_SUB13 = "macOffsetSub13"
MAC_OFFSET_VNIC_FROM = "macOffsetVnicFrom"
MAC_OFFSET_VNIC_TO = "macOffsetVnicTo"
MAC_POOL_NAME = "macPoolName"
MAC_REGISTER_MODE = "macRegisterMode"
MAC_RIGHT = "macRight"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET1 = "mainBoardOutlet1"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET1_AVG = "mainBoardOutlet1Avg"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET1_MAX = "mainBoardOutlet1Max"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET1_MIN = "mainBoardOutlet1Min"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET2 = "mainBoardOutlet2"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET2_AVG = "mainBoardOutlet2Avg"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET2_MAX = "mainBoardOutlet2Max"
MAIN_BOARD_OUTLET2_MIN = "mainBoardOutlet2Min"
MAINT_POLICY_DN = "maintPolicyDn"
MAINT_POLICY_NAME = "maintPolicyName"
MAJOR_OPT_TYPE = "majorOptType"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS = "malformedTLPErrors"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS15_MIN = "malformedTLPErrors15Min"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS15_MIN_H = "malformedTLPErrors15MinH"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS1_DAY = "malformedTLPErrors1Day"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS1_DAY_H = "malformedTLPErrors1DayH"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS1_HOUR = "malformedTLPErrors1Hour"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS1_HOUR_H = "malformedTLPErrors1HourH"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS1_WEEK = "malformedTLPErrors1Week"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS1_WEEK_H = "malformedTLPErrors1WeekH"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS2_WEEKS = "malformedTLPErrors2Weeks"
MALFORMED_TLPERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "malformedTLPErrors2WeeksH"
MANAGER = "manager"
MANAGING_DN = "managingDn"
MANAGING_INST = "managingInst"
MANAGING_INSTANCE = "managingInstance"
MAPPING_NAME = "mappingName"
MASK = "mask"
MASTER_SLOT_ID = "masterSlotId"
MAX_ACTIVE_SPAN_SESSION_COUNT = "maxActiveSpanSessionCount"
MAX_APP_POWER = "maxAppPower"
MAX_BONDS = "maxBonds"
MAX_BUS_ID_PER_SLOT = "maxBusIdPerSlot"
MAX_CAP = "maxCap"
MAX_CAPACITY = "maxCapacity"
MAX_CORES = "maxCores"
MAX_DATA_FIELD_SIZE = "maxDataFieldSize"
MAX_DEADLINE_TIMEOUT = "maxDeadlineTimeout"
MAX_DERIVABLE_WWPN = "maxDerivableWWPN"
MAX_DEVICES = "maxDevices"
MAX_ETH1G_PORT = "maxEth1gPort"
MAX_ETH1G_SLOT = "maxEth1gSlot"
MAX_ETH_PC_MEMBERS = "maxEthPcMembers"
MAX_ETH_PCS = "maxEthPcs"
MAX_FAIL_REPORT_COUNT = "maxFailReportCount"
MAX_FC_SPEED = "maxFcSpeed"
MAX_FCOE_PC_MEMBERS = "maxFcoePcMembers"
MAX_FILES = "maxFiles"
MAX_HITS = "maxHits"
MAX_ID = "maxId"
MAX_LOCAL_DISKS = "maxLocalDisks"
MAX_LUNS = "maxLuns"
MAX_PORT_ID = "maxPortId"
MAX_PORTS = "maxPorts"
MAX_PORTS_PER_NODE = "maxPortsPerNode"
MAX_POST_POWER = "maxPostPower"
MAX_POWER = "maxPower"
MAX_PRIMARY_VLAN_COUNT = "maxPrimaryVlanCount"
MAX_PROCS = "maxProcs"
MAX_RATE = "maxRate"
MAX_RETRIES = "maxRetries"
MAX_RETRY_COUNT = "maxRetryCount"
MAX_SEC_VLAN_PER_PRIMARY_VLAN_COUNT = "maxSecVlanPerPrimaryVlanCount"
MAX_SECONDARY_VLAN_COUNT = "maxSecondaryVlanCount"
MAX_SIZE = "maxSize"
MAX_SPEED = "maxSpeed"
MAX_SZ = "maxSz"
MAX_THREADS = "maxThreads"
MAX_UPLINK_PORTS = "maxUplinkPorts"
MAX_VER = "maxVer"
MAX_VIRTUAL_DRIVES_PER_SERVER = "maxVirtualDrivesPerServer"
MAXIMUM = "maximum"
MAXIMUM_POWER = "maximumPower"
MAXIMUM_RETRY_COUNT = "maximumRetryCount"
MAXIMUM_TEMPERATURE = "maximumTemperature"
MBPS = "mbps"
MBPS_AVG = "mbpsAvg"
MBPS_MAX = "mbpsMax"
MBPS_MIN = "mbpsMin"
MCAST_POLICY_NAME = "mcastPolicyName"
ME4308_SUPPORTED = "me4308Supported"
MEM_AVAILABLE = "memAvailable"
MEM_AVAILABLE_AVG = "memAvailableAvg"
MEM_AVAILABLE_MAX = "memAvailableMax"
MEM_AVAILABLE_MIN = "memAvailableMin"
MEM_CACHED = "memCached"
MEM_CACHED_AVG = "memCachedAvg"
MEM_CACHED_MAX = "memCachedMax"
MEM_CACHED_MIN = "memCachedMin"
MEMBER_STATUS = "memberStatus"
MEMBERSHIP = "membership"
MEMORY_REGIONS = "memoryRegions"
MEMORY_SPEED = "memorySpeed"
MEMORY_USAGE = "memoryUsage"
MEMORY_USAGE_AVG = "memoryUsageAvg"
MEMORY_USAGE_MAX = "memoryUsageMax"
MEMORY_USAGE_MIN = "memoryUsageMin"
MENLO_ETH_INDEX = "menloEthIndex"
MENLO_FC_INDEX = "menloFcIndex"
MENLO_MCPU_INDEX = "menloMcpuIndex"
MENLO_NET_INDEX = "menloNetIndex"
MENLO_PORT_INDEX = "menloPortIndex"
MENLO_QUEUE_COMPONENT = "menloQueueComponent"
MENLO_QUEUE_INDEX = "menloQueueIndex"
MESSAGE = "message"
MESSAGE_SUBTYPE = "messageSubtype"
MESSAGE_TYPE = "messageType"
METHOD = "method"
MEZZ_MAPPING = "mezzMapping"
MFG_DATE = "mfgDate"
MFG_ID = "mfgId"
MFG_TIME = "mfgTime"
MGMT_ACCESS_POLICY_NAME = "mgmtAccessPolicyName"
MGMT_DAUGHTER_CARD_SLOT_ID = "mgmtDaughterCardSlotId"
MGMT_FW_POLICY_NAME = "mgmtFwPolicyName"
MGMT_IF_IP_ADDR = "mgmtIfIpAddr"
MGMT_PLANE = "mgmtPlane"
MGMT_PLANE_VER = "mgmtPlaneVer"
MGMT_SERVICES_STATE = "mgmtServicesState"
MGMT_TRANSPORT = "mgmtTransport"
MIN_APP_POWER = "minAppPower"
MIN_BIOS_VERSION = "minBiosVersion"
MIN_CAP = "minCap"
MIN_CIMC_VERSION = "minCimcVersion"
MIN_CMC_VERSION = "minCmcVersion"
MIN_CORES = "minCores"
MIN_DRIVE_SIZE = "minDriveSize"
MIN_ID = "minId"
MIN_NORM_POST_POWER = "minNormPostPower"
MIN_PORT_ID = "minPortId"
MIN_POST_POWER = "minPostPower"
MIN_POWER = "minPower"
MIN_PROCS = "minProcs"
MIN_REQ_POWER = "minReqPower"
MIN_SZ = "minSz"
MIN_THREADS = "minThreads"
MIN_VER = "minVer"
MIN_VER1 = "minVer1"
MIN_VER2 = "minVer2"
MINIMUM_POWER = "minimumPower"
MINIMUM_SEND_NOW_INTERVAL_SECONDS = "minimumSendNowIntervalSeconds"
MINIMUM_TEMPERATURE = "minimumTemperature"
MINUTE = "minute"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS = "mirroringInterSockErrors"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS15_MIN = "mirroringInterSockErrors15Min"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "mirroringInterSockErrors15MinH"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS1_DAY = "mirroringInterSockErrors1Day"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "mirroringInterSockErrors1DayH"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS1_HOUR = "mirroringInterSockErrors1Hour"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "mirroringInterSockErrors1HourH"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS1_WEEK = "mirroringInterSockErrors1Week"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "mirroringInterSockErrors1WeekH"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "mirroringInterSockErrors2Weeks"
MIRRORING_INTER_SOCK_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "mirroringInterSockErrors2WeeksH"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS = "mirroringIntraSockErrors"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS15_MIN = "mirroringIntraSockErrors15Min"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "mirroringIntraSockErrors15MinH"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS1_DAY = "mirroringIntraSockErrors1Day"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "mirroringIntraSockErrors1DayH"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS1_HOUR = "mirroringIntraSockErrors1Hour"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "mirroringIntraSockErrors1HourH"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS1_WEEK = "mirroringIntraSockErrors1Week"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "mirroringIntraSockErrors1WeekH"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "mirroringIntraSockErrors2Weeks"
MIRRORING_INTRA_SOCK_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "mirroringIntraSockErrors2WeeksH"
MISMATCH_ERRORS = "mismatchErrors"
MISMATCH_ERRORS15_MIN = "mismatchErrors15Min"
MISMATCH_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "mismatchErrors15MinH"
MISMATCH_ERRORS1_DAY = "mismatchErrors1Day"
MISMATCH_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "mismatchErrors1DayH"
MISMATCH_ERRORS1_HOUR = "mismatchErrors1Hour"
MISMATCH_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "mismatchErrors1HourH"
MISMATCH_ERRORS1_WEEK = "mismatchErrors1Week"
MISMATCH_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "mismatchErrors1WeekH"
MISMATCH_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "mismatchErrors2Weeks"
MISMATCH_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "mismatchErrors2WeeksH"
MO_CLASS_ID = "moClassId"
MODE = "mode"
MODEL = "model"
MODIFIED = "modified"
MODULE = "module"
MODULUS = "modulus"
MON_TRAF_DIR = "monTrafDir"
MONITOR_MECHANISM = "monitorMechanism"
MOST_RECENT = "mostRecent"
MOUNT_PROTOCOL = "mountProtocol"
MSG_INTERVAL = "msgInterval"
MTIME = "mtime"
MTU = "mtu"
MULTI_COLLISION = "multiCollision"
MULTI_COLLISION_DELTA = "multiCollisionDelta"
MULTI_COLLISION_DELTA_AVG = "multiCollisionDeltaAvg"
MULTI_COLLISION_DELTA_MAX = "multiCollisionDeltaMax"
MULTI_COLLISION_DELTA_MIN = "multiCollisionDeltaMin"
MULTICAST_OPTIMIZE = "multicastOptimize"
MULTICAST_PACKETS = "multicastPackets"
MULTICAST_PACKETS_DELTA = "multicastPacketsDelta"
MULTICAST_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "multicastPacketsDeltaAvg"
MULTICAST_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "multicastPacketsDeltaMax"
MULTICAST_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "multicastPacketsDeltaMin"
MY_NWWN = "myNwwn"
MY_PWWN = "myPwwn"
N_OSCOUNT = "nOSCount"
N_OSCOUNT_DELTA = "nOSCountDelta"
N_OSCOUNT_DELTA_AVG = "nOSCountDeltaAvg"
N_OSCOUNT_DELTA_MAX = "nOSCountDeltaMax"
N_OSCOUNT_DELTA_MIN = "nOSCountDeltaMin"
NAME = "name"
NAME_SUFFIX = "nameSuffix"
NAMING_PREFIX = "namingPrefix"
NATIVE_NET = "nativeNet"
NATIVE_NET_DN = "nativeNetDn"
NATIVE_VLAN = "nativeVlan"
NEED_RECOVERY = "needRecovery"
NETFLOW_ACTIVE_TIMEOUT = "netflowActiveTimeout"
NETFLOW_INACTIVE_TIMEOUT = "netflowInactiveTimeout"
NETMASK = "netmask"
NETWORK_CONFIG_ISSUES = "networkConfigIssues"
NETWORK_TYPE = "networkType"
NEW_FE_TS = "newFeTs"
NEXT_DEADLINE = "nextDeadline"
NEXT_LEARN_CYCLE_TS = "nextLearnCycleTs"
NEXT_REQ_ID = "nextReqId"
NF_MON_EXPORTER_NAME = "nfMonExporterName"
NF_MONITOR_NAME = "nfMonitorName"
NF_VERSION_LO = "nfVersionLo"
NIC_DN = "nicDn"
NLINK = "nlink"
NO_BREAKDOWN_GREATER_THAN1518 = "noBreakdownGreaterThan1518"
NO_BREAKDOWN_GREATER_THAN1518_DELTA = "noBreakdownGreaterThan1518Delta"
NO_BREAKDOWN_GREATER_THAN1518_DELTA_AVG = "noBreakdownGreaterThan1518DeltaAvg"
NO_BREAKDOWN_GREATER_THAN1518_DELTA_MAX = "noBreakdownGreaterThan1518DeltaMax"
NO_BREAKDOWN_GREATER_THAN1518_DELTA_MIN = "noBreakdownGreaterThan1518DeltaMin"
NO_CHANGE_INTERVAL = "noChangeInterval"
NODE_ADDR = "nodeAddr"
NODE_WWN = "nodeWwn"
NOMINAL_POWER = "nominalPower"
NOMINAL_TEMPERATURE = "nominalTemperature"
NON_COMP_DESCR = "nonCompDescr"
NON_COMP_DNS = "nonCompDns"
NONKEYS = "nonkeys"
NORMAL_VALUE = "normalValue"
NOT_IN_USE = "notInUse"
NOTIFICATION_TYPE = "notificationType"
NS_SIZE = "nsSize"
NUM_CERTS = "numCerts"
NUM_DCE_PORTS = "numDcePorts"
NUM_DED_HOT_SPARES = "numDedHotSpares"
NUM_DRIVES = "numDrives"
NUM_GLOB_HOT_SPARES = "numGlobHotSpares"
NUM_GPU = "numGpu"
NUM_OF_ADAPTORS = "numOfAdaptors"
NUM_OF_CORES = "numOfCores"
NUM_OF_CORES_ENABLED = "numOfCoresEnabled"
NUM_OF_CPU = "numOfCpu"
NUM_OF_CPUS = "numOfCpus"
NUM_OF_DIMM = "numOfDimm"
NUM_OF_ETH_HOST_IFS = "numOfEthHostIfs"
NUM_OF_FC_HOST_IFS = "numOfFcHostIfs"
NUM_OF_LOCAL_DISK = "numOfLocalDisk"
NUM_OF_PHYS_SLOTS = "numOfPhysSlots"
NUM_OF_STORAGE_CONTROLLER = "numOfStorageController"
NUM_OF_THREADS = "numOfThreads"
NUM_OFADAPTOR = "numOfadaptor"
NUM_PEER_NOTIFICATIONS = "numPeerNotifications"
NUM_PORTS = "numPorts"
NUM_SLOTS = "numSlots"
NUMBER_OF_ARP_REQUESTS = "numberOfArpRequests"
NUMBER_OF_BLOCKS = "numberOfBlocks"
NUMBER_OF_FLEX_FLASH_CARDS = "numberOfFlexFlashCards"
NUMBER_OF_NDISC_REQUESTS = "numberOfNdiscRequests"
NUMBER_OF_PING_REQUESTS = "numberOfPingRequests"
NUMBER_OF_PORTS = "numberOfPorts"
NUMBER_OF_SERVER_UNITS = "numberOfServerUnits"
NUMBER_OF_SLOTS = "numberOfSlots"
NUMBER_OF_SLOTS_SPANNED = "numberOfSlotsSpanned"
NV_DIMM_HEALTH = "nvDimmHealth"
NW_CTRL_POLICY_NAME = "nwCtrlPolicyName"
NW_TEMPL_NAME = "nwTemplName"
OBJECT_CLASS_NAME = "objectClassName"
OBSERVED_DN = "observedDn"
OCCUR = "occur"
OEM_ID = "oemId"
OEM_NAME = "oemName"
OEM_PART_NUMBER = "oemPartNumber"
OFFLOAD_SUPPORT = "offloadSupport"
OFFLOAD_TYPE = "offloadType"
OLD_CENTRALE_MO_DN = "oldCentraleMoDn"
OLD_CENTRALE_VNET_EP_DN = "oldCentraleVnetEpDn"
OLD_INITIATOR_NAME = "oldInitiatorName"
OLD_IP_V4_ADDR = "oldIpV4Addr"
OLD_IP_V6_ADDR = "oldIpV6Addr"
OLD_PN_DN = "oldPnDn"
OLD_PROC_DN = "oldProcDn"
OLD_STR_TYPE = "oldStrType"
OLD_ZONE_PREFIX = "oldZonePrefix"
OLDADDR = "oldaddr"
OLDUUID = "olduuid"
OLDWWNN = "oldwwnn"
ON_BEHALF_OF_IDENT = "onBehalfOfIdent"
ON_BEHALF_OF_TYPE = "onBehalfOfType"
OOB_CONTROLLER_ID = "oobControllerId"
OOB_IF_GW = "oobIfGw"
OOB_IF_IP = "oobIfIp"
OOB_IF_MASK = "oobIfMask"
OOB_INTERFACE_SUPPORTED = "oobInterfaceSupported"
OPER_ADAPTOR_PROFILE_NAME = "operAdaptorProfileName"
OPER_AUTH_PROFILE_NAME = "operAuthProfileName"
OPER_BIOS_PROFILE_NAME = "operBiosProfileName"
OPER_BOOT_POLICY_NAME = "operBootPolicyName"
OPER_BORDER_PORT_ID = "operBorderPortId"
OPER_BORDER_SLOT_ID = "operBorderSlotId"
OPER_CDP_LINK_POLICY_NAME = "operCdpLinkPolicyName"
OPER_CODE = "operCode"
OPER_COMMITTED = "operCommitted"
OPER_CON_POLICY_NAME = "operConPolicyName"
OPER_CONFIG_ISSUES = "operConfigIssues"
OPER_CONN = "operConn"
OPER_DEVICE_ID = "operDeviceId"
OPER_DYNAMIC_CON_POLICY_NAME = "operDynamicConPolicyName"
OPER_ETH_LINK_PROFILE_NAME = "operEthLinkProfileName"
OPER_EXT_IPPOOL_NAME = "operExtIPPoolName"
OPER_EXT_IP_POOL_NAME = "operExtIpPoolName"
OPER_FPLOCK_STATE = "operFPLockState"
OPER_FABRIC_NETWORK_NAME = "operFabricNetworkName"
OPER_FLOW_EXP_PROFILE = "operFlowExpProfile"
OPER_FLOW_MON_RECORD_DEF = "operFlowMonRecordDef"
OPER_FLOW_TIMEOUT_POLICY = "operFlowTimeoutPolicy"
OPER_FN_DEF_NAME = "operFnDefName"
OPER_HOST_FW_POLICY_NAME = "operHostFwPolicyName"
OPER_HOST_PORT = "operHostPort"
OPER_IDENT_POOL_NAME = "operIdentPoolName"
OPER_INITIATOR_POLICY_NAME = "operInitiatorPolicyName"
OPER_IP_POOL_NAME = "operIpPoolName"
OPER_IP_POOL_NAME_FABRIC_B = "operIpPoolNameFabricB"
OPER_IQN_IDENT_POOL_NAME = "operIqnIdentPoolName"
OPER_IQN_POOL_NAME = "operIqnPoolName"
OPER_KVM_MGMT_POLICY_NAME = "operKvmMgmtPolicyName"
OPER_LACP_POLICY_NAME = "operLacpPolicyName"
OPER_LAN_CONN_POLICY_NAME = "operLanConnPolicyName"
OPER_LOCAL_DISK_POLICY_NAME = "operLocalDiskPolicyName"
OPER_LUN_ID = "operLunId"
OPER_LUN_ORDER = "operLunOrder"
OPER_MAC_POOL_NAME = "operMacPoolName"
OPER_MAINT_POLICY_NAME = "operMaintPolicyName"
OPER_MAINT_STATE = "operMaintState"
OPER_MCAST_POLICY_NAME = "operMcastPolicyName"
OPER_MGMT_ACCESS_POLICY_NAME = "operMgmtAccessPolicyName"
OPER_MGMT_FW_POLICY_NAME = "operMgmtFwPolicyName"
OPER_MIN = "operMin"
OPER_MOUNT_STATUS = "operMountStatus"
OPER_NAME = "operName"
OPER_NF_MON_EXPORTER_NAME = "operNfMonExporterName"
OPER_NF_MONITOR_NAME = "operNfMonitorName"
OPER_NW_CTRL_POLICY_NAME = "operNwCtrlPolicyName"
OPER_NW_TEMPL_NAME = "operNwTemplName"
OPER_ORDER = "operOrder"
OPER_PEAK = "operPeak"
OPER_PIN_TO_GROUP_NAME = "operPinToGroupName"
OPER_PORT = "operPort"
OPER_PORT_MODE = "operPortMode"
OPER_POWER = "operPower"
OPER_POWER_POLICY_NAME = "operPowerPolicyName"
OPER_POWER_REQUIREMENT = "operPowerRequirement"
OPER_PRIO = "operPrio"
OPER_PROF_METHOD = "operProfMethod"
OPER_PROP_MASK = "operPropMask"
OPER_PROTOCOL = "operProtocol"
OPER_PROVIDER_DN = "operProviderDn"
OPER_PROVIDER_GROUP = "operProviderGroup"
OPER_PWR_TRANS_SRC = "operPwrTransSrc"
OPER_QOS_POLICY_NAME = "operQosPolicyName"
OPER_QUALIFIER = "operQualifier"
OPER_QUALIFIER_REASON = "operQualifierReason"
OPER_REALM = "operRealm"
OPER_REPLICATION_POLICY_NAME = "operReplicationPolicyName"
OPER_SAN_CONN_POLICY_NAME = "operSanConnPolicyName"
OPER_SCHED_NAME = "operSchedName"
OPER_SCHEDULE_NAME = "operScheduleName"
OPER_SCHEDULER = "operScheduler"
OPER_SCRUB_POLICY_NAME = "operScrubPolicyName"
OPER_SNAPSHOT_POLICY_NAME = "operSnapshotPolicyName"
OPER_SOL_POLICY_NAME = "operSolPolicyName"
OPER_SPEED = "operSpeed"
OPER_SRC_TEMPL_NAME = "operSrcTemplName"
OPER_STATE = "operState"
OPER_STATE_DESC = "operStateDesc"
OPER_STATE_DESCR = "operStateDescr"
OPER_STATE_QUAL = "operStateQual"
OPER_STATE_REASON = "operStateReason"
OPER_STATS_POLICY_NAME = "operStatsPolicyName"
OPER_STATUS = "operStatus"
OPER_STORAGE_CONN_POLICY_NAME = "operStorageConnPolicyName"
OPER_STORAGE_FW_POLICY_NAME = "operStorageFwPolicyName"
OPER_STORAGE_PROFILE_NAME = "operStorageProfileName"
OPER_SUPPRESS_POLICY_NAME = "operSuppressPolicyName"
OPER_SVC_POLICY_NAME = "operSvcPolicyName"
OPER_TIMEZONE = "operTimezone"
OPER_UDLD_LINK_POLICY_NAME = "operUdldLinkPolicyName"
OPER_VCON = "operVcon"
OPER_VCON_PROFILE_NAME = "operVconProfileName"
OPER_VERSION = "operVersion"
OPER_VLAN_NAME = "operVlanName"
OPER_VM_NETWORK_DEF_NAME = "operVmNetworkDefName"
OPER_VMEDIA_POLICY_NAME = "operVmediaPolicyName"
OPER_VNET_DN = "operVnetDn"
OPER_VNET_NAME = "operVnetName"
OPER_VOLUME_NAME = "operVolumeName"
OPERABILITY = "operability"
OPERABILITY_QUALIFIER = "operabilityQualifier"
OPERABILITY_QUALIFIER_REASON = "operabilityQualifierReason"
OPERATING_MODE = "operatingMode"
OPERATING_VOLTAGES = "operatingVoltages"
OPERATION = "operation"
OPERATION_REQUEST = "operationRequest"
OPERATION_STATE = "operationState"
OPERATION_STATUS = "operationStatus"
OPERATION_TIMEOUT = "operationTimeout"
OPROM_BOOT_STATUS = "opromBootStatus"
ORDER = "order"
ORG_DN = "orgDn"
ORG_NAME = "orgName"
ORG_PATH = "orgPath"
ORG_UNIT_NAME = "orgUnitName"
ORIENTATION = "orientation"
ORIG_IQN = "origIqn"
ORIG_SEVERITY = "origSeverity"
ORIGIN_LUN = "originLun"
ORIGINAL_MAC = "originalMac"
ORIGINAL_NODE_WWN = "originalNodeWwn"
ORIGINAL_UUID = "originalUuid"
ORIGINAL_WWN = "originalWwn"
ORPHANED = "orphaned"
OUT = "out"
OUT_DISCARD = "outDiscard"
OUT_DISCARD_DELTA = "outDiscardDelta"
OUT_DISCARD_DELTA_AVG = "outDiscardDeltaAvg"
OUT_DISCARD_DELTA_MAX = "outDiscardDeltaMax"
OUT_DISCARD_DELTA_MIN = "outDiscardDeltaMin"
OUTLET1 = "outlet1"
OUTLET1_AVG = "outlet1Avg"
OUTLET1_MAX = "outlet1Max"
OUTLET1_MIN = "outlet1Min"
OUTLET2 = "outlet2"
OUTLET2_AVG = "outlet2Avg"
OUTLET2_MAX = "outlet2Max"
OUTLET2_MIN = "outlet2Min"
OUTPUT12V = "output12v"
OUTPUT12V_AVG = "output12vAvg"
OUTPUT12V_MAX = "output12vMax"
OUTPUT12V_MIN = "output12vMin"
OUTPUT3V3 = "output3v3"
OUTPUT3V3_AVG = "output3v3Avg"
OUTPUT3V3_MAX = "output3v3Max"
OUTPUT3V3_MIN = "output3v3Min"
OUTPUT_CURRENT = "outputCurrent"
OUTPUT_CURRENT_AVG = "outputCurrentAvg"
OUTPUT_CURRENT_MAX = "outputCurrentMax"
OUTPUT_CURRENT_MIN = "outputCurrentMin"
OUTPUT_MEGABYTES = "outputMegabytes"
OUTPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA = "outputMegabytesDelta"
OUTPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA_AVG = "outputMegabytesDeltaAvg"
OUTPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA_MAX = "outputMegabytesDeltaMax"
OUTPUT_MEGABYTES_DELTA_MIN = "outputMegabytesDeltaMin"
OUTPUT_POWER = "outputPower"
OUTPUT_POWER_AVG = "outputPowerAvg"
OUTPUT_POWER_MAX = "outputPowerMax"
OUTPUT_POWER_MIN = "outputPowerMin"
OUTPUT_POWER_STATE = "outputPowerState"
OUTPUT_REQUESTS = "outputRequests"
OUTPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA = "outputRequestsDelta"
OUTPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA_AVG = "outputRequestsDeltaAvg"
OUTPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA_MAX = "outputRequestsDeltaMax"
OUTPUT_REQUESTS_DELTA_MIN = "outputRequestsDeltaMin"
OUTPUT_STATUS = "outputStatus"
OUTPUT_VOLTAGE = "outputVoltage"
OUTPUT_VOLTAGE_AVG = "outputVoltageAvg"
OUTPUT_VOLTAGE_MAX = "outputVoltageMax"
OUTPUT_VOLTAGE_MIN = "outputVoltageMin"
OVERLAP_STATE_FOR_A = "overlapStateForA"
OVERLAP_STATE_FOR_B = "overlapStateForB"
OVERLAPPING_VLANS = "overlappingVlans"
OVERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS = "oversizedBadCrcPackets"
OVERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA = "oversizedBadCrcPacketsDelta"
OVERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "oversizedBadCrcPacketsDeltaAvg"
OVERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "oversizedBadCrcPacketsDeltaMax"
OVERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "oversizedBadCrcPacketsDeltaMin"
OVERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS = "oversizedGoodCrcPackets"
OVERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA = "oversizedGoodCrcPacketsDelta"
OVERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "oversizedGoodCrcPacketsDeltaAvg"
OVERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "oversizedGoodCrcPacketsDeltaMax"
OVERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "oversizedGoodCrcPacketsDeltaMin"
OVERSIZED_PACKETS = "oversizedPackets"
OVERSIZED_PACKETS_DELTA = "oversizedPacketsDelta"
OVERSIZED_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "oversizedPacketsDeltaAvg"
OVERSIZED_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "oversizedPacketsDeltaMax"
OVERSIZED_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "oversizedPacketsDeltaMin"
OWN = "own"
OWNER = "owner"
OWNER_NAME = "ownerName"
OWNER_POLICY = "ownerPolicy"
OWNER_TYPE = "ownerType"
OWNERSHIP = "ownership"
PACKAGE_VERSION = "packageVersion"
PACKETS_RX = "packetsRx"
PACKETS_RX_DELTA = "packetsRxDelta"
PACKETS_RX_DELTA_AVG = "packetsRxDeltaAvg"
PACKETS_RX_DELTA_MAX = "packetsRxDeltaMax"
PACKETS_RX_DELTA_MIN = "packetsRxDeltaMin"
PACKETS_TX = "packetsTx"
PACKETS_TX_DELTA = "packetsTxDelta"
PACKETS_TX_DELTA_AVG = "packetsTxDeltaAvg"
PACKETS_TX_DELTA_MAX = "packetsTxDeltaMax"
PACKETS_TX_DELTA_MIN = "packetsTxDeltaMin"
PAK = "pak"
PARENT_ADAPTOR_SLOT_NUM = "parentAdaptorSlotNum"
PARENT_ADMIN_STATE = "parentAdminState"
PARENT_CONTEXT = "parentContext"
PARENT_LUN_NAME = "parentLunName"
PART_NUMBER = "partNumber"
PARTITION_COUNT = "partitionCount"
PARTITION_END = "partitionEnd"
PARTITION_NAME = "partitionName"
PARTITION_START = "partitionStart"
PASS_THRU = "passThru"
PASSWORD = "password"
PASSWORD_STATE = "passwordState"
PASSWORDLESS_SSH = "passwordlessSsh"
PATH = "path"
PATH_NAME = "pathName"
PAUSE_PACKETS = "pausePackets"
PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA = "pausePacketsDelta"
PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "pausePacketsDeltaAvg"
PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "pausePacketsDeltaMax"
PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "pausePacketsDeltaMin"
PC_GLOBAL_ID = "pcGlobalId"
PC_ID = "pcId"
PC_LOCAL_ID = "pcLocalId"
PCI_ADDR = "pciAddr"
PCI_ENUM = "pciEnum"
PCI_FUNC = "pciFunc"
PCI_SLOT = "pciSlot"
PCI_SLOT_RAW_NAME = "pciSlotRawName"
PEER_ADDR = "peerAddr"
PEER_AGGR_PORT_ID = "peerAggrPortId"
PEER_CHASSIS_ID = "peerChassisId"
PEER_COMM_STATUS = "peerCommStatus"
PEER_DEVICE_TYPE = "peerDeviceType"
PEER_DIR = "peerDir"
PEER_DN = "peerDn"
PEER_ENCAP = "peerEncap"
PEER_ID = "peerId"
PEER_MAC = "peerMac"
PEER_PORT_ID = "peerPortId"
PEER_PRESENCE = "peerPresence"
PEER_REQ_CONFLICT = "peerReqConflict"
PEER_SLOT_EP_DN = "peerSlotEpDn"
PEER_SLOT_ID = "peerSlotId"
PEER_STATE = "peerState"
PEER_STATUS = "peerStatus"
PEER_TYPE = "peerType"
PEER_VOLUME = "peerVolume"
PER_DISK_CAP = "perDiskCap"
PER_PRIORITY_PAUSE_PACKETS = "perPriorityPausePackets"
PER_PRIORITY_PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA = "perPriorityPausePacketsDelta"
PER_PRIORITY_PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "perPriorityPausePacketsDeltaAvg"
PER_PRIORITY_PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "perPriorityPausePacketsDeltaMax"
PER_PRIORITY_PAUSE_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "perPriorityPausePacketsDeltaMin"
PERF = "perf"
PERM_ACCESS = "permAccess"
PERS_BIND = "persBind"
PERS_BIND_CLEAR = "persBindClear"
PERSIST = "persist"
PERSIST_TIME = "persistTime"
PF_DN = "pfDn"
PG_NAME = "pgName"
PH_SWITCH_ID = "phSwitchId"
PHONE = "phone"
PHS_ACCESS_AGGR_PORT_ID = "phsAccessAggrPortId"
PHS_ACCESS_CARD_ID = "phsAccessCardId"
PHS_ACCESS_PORT_ID = "phsAccessPortId"
PHS_BORDER_AGGR_PORT_ID = "phsBorderAggrPortId"
PHS_BORDER_CARD_ID = "phsBorderCardId"
PHS_BORDER_PORT_ID = "phsBorderPortId"
PHY_ID = "phyId"
PHYS_EP_DN = "physEpDn"
PHYSICAL_DRIVE_COUNT = "physicalDriveCount"
PID = "pid"
PIF_ID = "pifId"
PIN_GROUP_NAME = "pinGroupName"
PIN_TO_GROUP_NAME = "pinToGroupName"
PKTS_PER_SLAVE = "pktsPerSlave"
PKTS_EG = "pkts_eg"
PKTS_IN = "pkts_in"
PLACEMENT = "placement"
PLATFORM = "platform"
PLATFORM_TYPE = "platformType"
PLD_VERSION = "pldVersion"
PN_DN = "pnDn"
PN_POOL_DN = "pnPoolDn"
POISONED_TLPERRORS = "poisonedTLPErrors"
POISONED_TLPERRORS15_MIN = "poisonedTLPErrors15Min"
POISONED_TLPERRORS15_MIN_H = "poisonedTLPErrors15MinH"
POISONED_TLPERRORS1_DAY = "poisonedTLPErrors1Day"
POISONED_TLPERRORS1_DAY_H = "poisonedTLPErrors1DayH"
POISONED_TLPERRORS1_HOUR = "poisonedTLPErrors1Hour"
POISONED_TLPERRORS1_HOUR_H = "poisonedTLPErrors1HourH"
POISONED_TLPERRORS1_WEEK = "poisonedTLPErrors1Week"
POISONED_TLPERRORS1_WEEK_H = "poisonedTLPErrors1WeekH"
POISONED_TLPERRORS2_WEEKS = "poisonedTLPErrors2Weeks"
POISONED_TLPERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "poisonedTLPErrors2WeeksH"
POL_DN = "polDn"
POL_NAME = "polName"
POLICY_DN = "policyDn"
POLICY_LEVEL = "policyLevel"
POLICY_NAME = "policyName"
POLICY_OWNER = "policyOwner"
POLICY_TYPE = "policyType"
POLL_INTERVAL = "pollInterval"
POLL_INTERVAL_SECONDS = "pollIntervalSeconds"
POOL_DN = "poolDn"
POOL_NAME = "poolName"
POOL_ORG_DN = "poolOrgDn"
POOLABLE_DN = "poolableDn"
POOLED_ID = "pooledId"
POP_ERRORS = "popErrors"
POP_ERRORS_DELTA = "popErrorsDelta"
POP_ERRORS_DELTA_AVG = "popErrorsDeltaAvg"
POP_ERRORS_DELTA_MAX = "popErrorsDeltaMax"
POP_ERRORS_DELTA_MIN = "popErrorsDeltaMin"
POPULATED = "populated"
PORT = "port"
PORT_ATTRIBUTE = "portAttribute"
PORT_BANDWIDTH = "portBandwidth"
PORT_CAPACITY = "portCapacity"
PORT_DOWN_IO_RETRY_COUNT = "portDownIoRetryCount"
PORT_DOWN_TIMEOUT = "portDownTimeout"
PORT_FAMILY = "portFamily"
PORT_ID = "portId"
PORT_MAC = "portMac"
PORT_MODE = "portMode"
PORT_MODE_BEACON = "portModeBeacon"
PORT_NUMBER = "portNumber"
PORT_PROFILE_UUID = "portProfileUuid"
PORT_SPEED_GB = "portSpeedGb"
PORT_VALUE = "portValue"
PORT_VSAN = "portVsan"
PORT_VSAN_ID = "portVsanId"
POST_ACTION = "postAction"
POWER = "power"
POWER_AVAIL_STATE = "powerAvailState"
POWER_AVG = "powerAvg"
POWER_DEPLOY_STATE = "powerDeployState"
POWER_MAX = "powerMax"
POWER_MIN = "powerMin"
POWER_ON_DEPLOY = "powerOnDeploy"
POWER_POLICY_NAME = "powerPolicyName"
POWER_STATE = "powerState"
POWER_STATE_QUALIFIER = "powerStateQualifier"
POWER_USAGE = "powerUsage"
PPP_PACKETS = "pppPackets"
PPP_PACKETS_DELTA = "pppPacketsDelta"
PPP_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "pppPacketsDeltaAvg"
PPP_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "pppPacketsDeltaMax"
PPP_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "pppPacketsDeltaMin"
PRE_DISCOVERY_POWER = "preDiscoveryPower"
PREBOOT = "preboot"
PREF = "pref"
PREFIX = "prefix"
PRESENCE = "presence"
PRESENCE_PATH = "presencePath"
PRESERVE_POOLED_VALUES = "preservePooledValues"
PREV_ASSIGNED_TO_DN = "prevAssignedToDn"
PREV_CMD = "prevCmd"
PREV_EVT = "prevEvt"
PREV_OPER_STATE = "prevOperState"
PREV_SEVERITY = "prevSeverity"
PREV_VERSION = "prevVersion"
PRIM_DNS = "primDns"
PRIMARY_SLOT_NUMBER = "primarySlotNumber"
PRIMARY_VLAN_COUNT = "primaryVlanCount"
PRIMARY_VLAN_COUNT_STATUS = "primaryVlanCountStatus"
PRIMARY_VLAN_ID = "primaryVlanId"
PRIO = "prio"
PRIO_SHARE = "prioShare"
PRIORITY = "priority"
PRIORITY_FLOW_CTRL = "priorityFlowCtrl"
PRIV = "priv"
PRIV_PWD_SET = "privPwdSet"
PRIVPWD = "privpwd"
PROBLEMS = "problems"
PROC_BREAK = "procBreak"
PROC_CAP = "procCap"
PROC_TEMP = "procTemp"
PROC_TEMP_AVG = "procTempAvg"
PROC_TEMP_MAX = "procTempMax"
PROC_TEMP_MIN = "procTempMin"
PROCESSOR_COUNT = "processorCount"
PROCESSOR_DN = "processorDn"
PROCESSOR_THERMAL_STATE = "processorThermalState"
PRODUCT_ASSET_TAG = "productAssetTag"
PRODUCT_MANUFACTURER = "productManufacturer"
PRODUCT_NAME = "productName"
PRODUCT_PART_NO = "productPartNo"
PRODUCT_SERIAL_NO = "productSerialNo"
PRODUCT_VERSION_NO = "productVersionNo"
PROF_DN = "profDn"
PROF_METHOD = "profMethod"
PROFILE_DN = "profileDn"
PROFILE_ID = "profileId"
PROFILE_METHOD = "profileMethod"
PROFILE_NAME = "profileName"
PROFILE_RUN_TIME = "profileRunTime"
PROFILE_TYPE = "profileType"
PROFILED_BOOT = "profiledBoot"
PROFILED_MAX = "profiledMax"
PROFILED_MIN = "profiledMin"
PROFILING = "profiling"
PROGRESS = "progress"
PROM_CARD_TYPE = "promCardType"
PROP_ACL = "propAcl"
PROP_ID = "propId"
PROP_TYPE = "propType"
PROPERTY_NAME = "propertyName"
PROT = "prot"
PROT_PEER_ID = "protPeerId"
PROT_ROLE = "protRole"
PROT_STATE = "protState"
PROTECT_CONFIG = "protectConfig"
PROTECTION = "protection"
PROTO = "proto"
PROTOCOL = "protocol"
PROV_INT_ID = "provIntId"
PROV_SRV_POLICY_NAME = "provSrvPolicyName"
PROVIDER = "provider"
PROVIDER_GROUP = "providerGroup"
PROVIDER_LOAD_FAILURES = "providerLoadFailures"
PROVIDERS_LOADED = "providersLoaded"
PSU_CAPACITY = "psuCapacity"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET1 = "psuCtrlrInlet1"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET1_AVG = "psuCtrlrInlet1Avg"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET1_MAX = "psuCtrlrInlet1Max"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET1_MIN = "psuCtrlrInlet1Min"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET2 = "psuCtrlrInlet2"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET2_AVG = "psuCtrlrInlet2Avg"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET2_MAX = "psuCtrlrInlet2Max"
PSU_CTRLR_INLET2_MIN = "psuCtrlrInlet2Min"
PSU_FIRMWARE_VERSION = "psuFirmwareVersion"
PSU_INPUT_SRC = "psuInputSrc"
PSU_LINE_MODE = "psuLineMode"
PSU_STATE = "psuState"
PSU_TEMP1 = "psuTemp1"
PSU_TEMP2 = "psuTemp2"
PSU_TYPE = "psuType"
PSU_WATTAGE = "psuWattage"
PUB_NW_DN = "pubNwDn"
PUB_NW_ID = "pubNwId"
PUB_NW_NAME = "pubNwName"
PURGE_WINDOW = "purgeWindow"
PURPOSE = "purpose"
PUSH_ERRORS = "pushErrors"
PUSH_ERRORS_DELTA = "pushErrorsDelta"
PUSH_ERRORS_DELTA_AVG = "pushErrorsDeltaAvg"
PUSH_ERRORS_DELTA_MAX = "pushErrorsDeltaMax"
PUSH_ERRORS_DELTA_MIN = "pushErrorsDeltaMin"
PWD = "pwd"
PWD_CHANGE_COUNT = "pwdChangeCount"
PWD_CHANGE_INTERVAL_BEGIN = "pwdChangeIntervalBegin"
PWD_CHANGED_DATE = "pwdChangedDate"
PWD_HISTORY = "pwdHistory"
PWD_LIFE_TIME = "pwdLifeTime"
PWD_SET = "pwdSet"
PWD_STRENGTH_CHECK = "pwdStrengthCheck"
QOS_CONTROL = "qosControl"
QOS_POLICY_DN = "qosPolicyDn"
QOS_POLICY_ID = "qosPolicyId"
QOS_POLICY_NAME = "qosPolicyName"
QUALIFIER = "qualifier"
QUANT = "quant"
QUERIER_IP_ADDR = "querierIpAddr"
QUERIER_IP_ADDRS = "querierIpAddrs"
QUERIER_STATE = "querierState"
QUEUE_PAIRS = "queuePairs"
RACK_BUNDLE_NAME = "rackBundleName"
RACK_BUNDLE_VERSION = "rackBundleVersion"
RACK_SERVER_ADAPTER_ID = "rackServerAdapterId"
RACK_SERVER_ID = "rackServerId"
RAID_HEALTH = "raidHealth"
RAID_LEVEL = "raidLevel"
RAID_STATE = "raidState"
RAID_SUPPORT = "raidSupport"
RAID_SYNC_SUPPORT = "raidSyncSupport"
RATE = "rate"
RAW_TYPE_DESC = "rawTypeDesc"
RCV = "rcv"
RCV_DELTA = "rcvDelta"
RCV_DELTA_AVG = "rcvDeltaAvg"
RCV_DELTA_MAX = "rcvDeltaMax"
RCV_DELTA_MIN = "rcvDeltaMin"
RDEV = "rdev"
REACHABILITY = "reachability"
READ_ERROR_THRESHOLD = "readErrorThreshold"
READ_IOERROR_COUNT = "readIOErrorCount"
READ_IOPS = "readIops"
READ_IOPS_AVG = "readIopsAvg"
READ_IOPS_MAX = "readIopsMax"
READ_IOPS_MIN = "readIopsMin"
READ_MBPS = "readMbps"
READ_MBPS_AVG = "readMbpsAvg"
READ_MBPS_MAX = "readMbpsMax"
READ_MBPS_MIN = "readMbpsMin"
READ_POLICY = "readPolicy"
REALLOC = "realloc"
REALM = "realm"
REAR_TEMP = "rearTemp"
REAR_TEMP_AVG = "rearTempAvg"
REAR_TEMP_MAX = "rearTempMax"
REAR_TEMP_MIN = "rearTempMin"
REBALANCE = "rebalance"
REBOOT_ACTION_ON_DESTRUCTIVE = "rebootActionOnDestructive"
REBOOT_ON_UPDATE = "rebootOnUpdate"
REBOOT_POLICY = "rebootPolicy"
REBOOT_REQUIRED = "rebootRequired"
REBUILD_RATE = "rebuildRate"
RECEIVE_SIDE_SCALING = "receiveSideScaling"
RECORD_TYPE = "recordType"
RECOVERABLE = "recoverable"
RECOVERY_ACTION = "recoveryAction"
RECURSIVE = "recursive"
RECV_FLOW_CTRL = "recvFlowCtrl"
RECV_PAUSE = "recvPause"
RECV_PAUSE_DELTA = "recvPauseDelta"
RECV_PAUSE_DELTA_AVG = "recvPauseDeltaAvg"
RECV_PAUSE_DELTA_MAX = "recvPauseDeltaMax"
RECV_PAUSE_DELTA_MIN = "recvPauseDeltaMin"
REDIRECT_STATE = "redirectState"
REDUNDANCY = "redundancy"
REF_CONVERTED_DN = "refConvertedDn"
REF_DN = "refDn"
REF_NAME = "refName"
REF_OBJ_STATUS = "refObjStatus"
REF_OPER_STATE = "refOperState"
REF_POLICY_DN = "refPolicyDn"
REFRESH_PERIOD = "refreshPeriod"
REGEN = "regen"
REGISTRATION_STATE = "registrationState"
RELATIONSHIP = "relationship"
REMOTE = "remote"
REMOTE_ADDR = "remoteAddr"
REMOTE_DIR = "remoteDir"
REMOTE_EP_REF = "remoteEpRef"
REMOTE_FILE = "remoteFile"
REMOTE_HOST = "remoteHost"
REMOTE_INTERFACE = "remoteInterface"
REMOTE_IP_ADDR = "remoteIpAddr"
REMOTE_IP_ADDRESS = "remoteIpAddress"
REMOTE_PATH = "remotePath"
REMOTE_PORT = "remotePort"
REMOVABLE = "removable"
REMOVAL_CONDITIONS = "removalConditions"
REPAIR_STATE = "repairState"
REPLICA = "replica"
REPLICATE_IF_NO_CHILD = "replicateIfNoChild"
REPLICATION_PEER_EP_NAME = "replicationPeerEpName"
REPLICATION_PEER_NAME = "replicationPeerName"
REPLICATION_POLICY_NAME = "replicationPolicyName"
REPLICATION_STATE = "replicationState"
REPLICATION_STATUS = "replicationStatus"
REPLY_TO = "replyTo"
REPORTING_INTERVAL = "reportingInterval"
REQ = "req"
REQ_DN = "reqDn"
REQ_ID = "reqId"
REQUEST_SIZE = "requestSize"
REQUESTOR_OWNERSHIP = "requestorOwnership"
RES_PROB = "resProb"
RESELECT_POLICY = "reselectPolicy"
RESERVED_POWER = "reservedPower"
RESERVED_POWER_AVG = "reservedPowerAvg"
RESERVED_POWER_MAX = "reservedPowerMax"
RESERVED_POWER_MIN = "reservedPowerMin"
RESET = "reset"
RESET_ON = "resetOn"
RESET_ON_ACTIVATE = "resetOnActivate"
RESETS = "resets"
RESETS_DELTA = "resetsDelta"
RESETS_DELTA_AVG = "resetsDeltaAvg"
RESETS_DELTA_MAX = "resetsDeltaMax"
RESETS_DELTA_MIN = "resetsDeltaMin"
RESOLVE_REMOTE = "resolveRemote"
RESOLVE_TYPE = "resolveType"
RESOLVED_CLASS_TYPE = "resolvedClassType"
RESOURCE_ALLOCATION_TIMEOUT = "resourceAllocationTimeout"
RESOURCE_GROUPS = "resourceGroups"
RESTRICT_MIGRATION = "restrictMigration"
RESULT = "result"
RET_STATUS = "retStatus"
RETENTION_INTERVAL = "retentionInterval"
RETRIED = "retried"
RETRIES = "retries"
RETRY = "retry"
RETRY_COUNT = "retryCount"
RETRY_DELAY_MINUTES = "retryDelayMinutes"
RETRY_INTERVAL = "retryInterval"
RETRY_ON_MOUNT_FAIL = "retryOnMountFail"
REVERT_TIMEOUT = "revertTimeout"
REVISION = "revision"
REVISION_MODIFIER = "revisionModifier"
RIGHT_DATA = "rightData"
RIGHT_REAR_TEMP = "rightRearTemp"
RIGHT_REAR_TEMP_AVG = "rightRearTempAvg"
RIGHT_REAR_TEMP_MAX = "rightRearTempMax"
RIGHT_REAR_TEMP_MIN = "rightRearTempMin"
RIN = "rin"
RING_SIZE = "ringSize"
RMT_DISK_CFG_NAME = "rmtDiskCfgName"
RMT_ERR_CODE = "rmtErrCode"
RMT_ERR_DESCR = "rmtErrDescr"
RMT_RSLT = "rmtRslt"
RN = "rn"
ROLE = "role"
ROOTDN = "rootdn"
ROTATIONAL_SPEED = "rotationalSpeed"
ROUTE_IP = "routeIP"
RSLT_STATUS = "rsltStatus"
RULE = "rule"
RUN_POLICY_NAME = "runPolicyName"
RX = "rx"
RX_BAD_FRAMES = "rxBadFrames"
RX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA = "rxBadFramesDelta"
RX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA_AVG = "rxBadFramesDeltaAvg"
RX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA_MAX = "rxBadFramesDeltaMax"
RX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA_MIN = "rxBadFramesDeltaMin"
RX_BYTES = "rxBytes"
RX_BYTES_DELTA = "rxBytesDelta"
RX_BYTES_DELTA_AVG = "rxBytesDeltaAvg"
RX_BYTES_DELTA_MAX = "rxBytesDeltaMax"
RX_BYTES_DELTA_MIN = "rxBytesDeltaMin"
RX_DELTA = "rxDelta"
RX_DELTA_AVG = "rxDeltaAvg"
RX_DELTA_MAX = "rxDeltaMax"
RX_DELTA_MIN = "rxDeltaMin"
RX_DROPPED = "rxDropped"
RX_DROPPED_DELTA = "rxDroppedDelta"
RX_DROPPED_DELTA_AVG = "rxDroppedDeltaAvg"
RX_DROPPED_DELTA_MAX = "rxDroppedDeltaMax"
RX_DROPPED_DELTA_MIN = "rxDroppedDeltaMin"
RX_ERRORS = "rxErrors"
RX_ERRORS_DELTA = "rxErrorsDelta"
RX_ERRORS_DELTA_AVG = "rxErrorsDeltaAvg"
RX_ERRORS_DELTA_MAX = "rxErrorsDeltaMax"
RX_ERRORS_DELTA_MIN = "rxErrorsDeltaMin"
RX_FRAMES = "rxFrames"
RX_FRAMES_DELTA = "rxFramesDelta"
RX_FRAMES_DELTA_AVG = "rxFramesDeltaAvg"
RX_FRAMES_DELTA_MAX = "rxFramesDeltaMax"
RX_FRAMES_DELTA_MIN = "rxFramesDeltaMin"
RX_PACKETS = "rxPackets"
RX_PACKETS_DELTA = "rxPacketsDelta"
RX_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "rxPacketsDeltaAvg"
RX_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "rxPacketsDeltaMax"
RX_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "rxPacketsDeltaMin"
RX_PAUSE_CFC = "rxPauseCFC"
RX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA = "rxPauseCFCDelta"
RX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA_AVG = "rxPauseCFCDeltaAvg"
RX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA_MAX = "rxPauseCFCDeltaMax"
RX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA_MIN = "rxPauseCFCDeltaMin"
RX_PAUSE_PFC = "rxPausePFC"
RX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA = "rxPausePFCDelta"
RX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA_AVG = "rxPausePFCDeltaAvg"
RX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA_MAX = "rxPausePFCDeltaMax"
RX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA_MIN = "rxPausePFCDeltaMin"
SACL = "sacl"
SAN_CONN_POLICY_NAME = "sanConnPolicyName"
SCALED_MODE = "scaledMode"
SCALED_WT = "scaledWt"
SCAN_ORDER = "scanOrder"
SCHED_NAME = "schedName"
SCHEDULE = "schedule"
SCHEDULE_NAME = "scheduleName"
SCHEDULER = "scheduler"
SCOPE = "scope"
SCOPE_STATUS = "scopeStatus"
SCRUB = "scrub"
SCRUB_POLICY_NAME = "scrubPolicyName"
SEC_DNS = "secDns"
SEC_VLAN_PER_PRIMARY_VLAN_COUNT = "secVlanPerPrimaryVlanCount"
SEC_VLAN_PER_PRIMARY_VLAN_COUNT_STATUS = "secVlanPerPrimaryVlanCountStatus"
SECONDARY_KEY = "secondaryKey"
SECONDARY_VLAN_COUNT = "secondaryVlanCount"
SECONDARY_VLAN_COUNT_STATUS = "secondaryVlanCountStatus"
SECONDS_SINCE_LAST_RESET = "secondsSinceLastReset"
SECONDS_SINCE_LAST_RESET_DELTA = "secondsSinceLastResetDelta"
SECONDS_SINCE_LAST_RESET_DELTA_AVG = "secondsSinceLastResetDeltaAvg"
SECONDS_SINCE_LAST_RESET_DELTA_MAX = "secondsSinceLastResetDeltaMax"
SECONDS_SINCE_LAST_RESET_DELTA_MIN = "secondsSinceLastResetDeltaMin"
SECRET = "secret"
SECURE_BIOS = "secureBios"
SECURE_BOOT = "secureBoot"
SEEK_AVERAGE_READ_WRITE = "seekAverageReadWrite"
SEEK_TRACK_TO_TRACK_READ_WRITE = "seekTrackToTrackReadWrite"
SEEPROM_OPER_STATE = "seepromOperState"
SELECT = "select"
SELECTOR = "selector"
SELF_REQ_CONFLICT = "selfReqConflict"
SEND_FLOW_CTRL = "sendFlowCtrl"
SEND_NOW = "sendNow"
SENSITIVITY = "sensitivity"
SENSOR_ID = "sensorId"
SENSOR_NAME = "sensorName"
SENSOR_TYPE = "sensorType"
SEQ_ID = "seqId"
SEQ_NUM = "seqNum"
SEQ_PROTOCOL_ERR_COUNT = "seqProtocolErrCount"
SEQ_PROTOCOL_ERR_COUNT_DELTA = "seqProtocolErrCountDelta"
SEQ_PROTOCOL_ERR_COUNT_DELTA_AVG = "seqProtocolErrCountDeltaAvg"
SEQ_PROTOCOL_ERR_COUNT_DELTA_MAX = "seqProtocolErrCountDeltaMax"
SEQ_PROTOCOL_ERR_COUNT_DELTA_MIN = "seqProtocolErrCountDeltaMin"
SERENO_NETFLOW_SUPPORTED = "serenoNetflowSupported"
SERIAL = "serial"
SERIAL_NUMBER = "serialNumber"
SERIES = "series"
SERVER = "server"
SERVER_COMP_IN_ACTIVATION_DN = "serverCompInActivationDn"
SERVER_CONFIG_ISSUES = "serverConfigIssues"
SERVER_DN = "serverDn"
SERVER_ID = "serverId"
SERVER_INSTANCE_ID = "serverInstanceId"
SERVERS_POWER_STATE = "serversPowerState"
SERVICE = "service"
SERVICE_PHILOSOPHY = "servicePhilosophy"
SERVICE_PROFILE_DN = "serviceProfileDn"
SESSION = "session"
SESSION_ID = "sessionId"
SESSION_TIMEOUT = "sessionTimeout"
SESSIONS_PER_USER = "sessionsPerUser"
SET = "set"
SEVERITY = "severity"
SHARE = "share"
SHARED_FW_MANAGING_INST = "sharedFwManagingInst"
SHARING = "sharing"
SIDE = "side"
SIG = "sig"
SIGNAL_LOSSES = "signalLosses"
SIGNAL_LOSSES_DELTA = "signalLossesDelta"
SIGNAL_LOSSES_DELTA_AVG = "signalLossesDeltaAvg"
SIGNAL_LOSSES_DELTA_MAX = "signalLossesDeltaMax"
SIGNAL_LOSSES_DELTA_MIN = "signalLossesDeltaMin"
SIGNATURE = "signature"
SINGLE_COLLISION = "singleCollision"
SINGLE_COLLISION_DELTA = "singleCollisionDelta"
SINGLE_COLLISION_DELTA_AVG = "singleCollisionDeltaAvg"
SINGLE_COLLISION_DELTA_MAX = "singleCollisionDeltaMax"
SINGLE_COLLISION_DELTA_MIN = "singleCollisionDeltaMin"
SINGLETON = "singleton"
SITE = "site"
SIZE = "size"
SIZE_LIMIT = "sizeLimit"
SKIP_POWER_CHECK = "skipPowerCheck"
SKIP_POWER_DEPLOY_CHECK = "skipPowerDeployCheck"
SKIP_PROFILING = "skipProfiling"
SKIP_VALIDATION = "skipValidation"
SKU = "sku"
SLAVE_SLOT_ID = "slaveSlotId"
SLEEP_DELAY = "sleepDelay"
SLEEP_INTERVAL = "sleepInterval"
SLOT_ADMIN_STATE = "slotAdminState"
SLOT_ID = "slotId"
SLOT_NUM = "slotNum"
SLOT_NUMBER = "slotNumber"
SLOT_SPAN_ORIENTATION = "slotSpanOrientation"
SLOTS_PER_LINE = "slotsPerLine"
SMBIOS_ID = "smbiosId"
SMBIOSNAME = "smbiosname"
SME_VERSION = "smeVersion"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS = "smiLinkCorrErrors"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS15_MIN = "smiLinkCorrErrors15Min"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "smiLinkCorrErrors15MinH"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS1_DAY = "smiLinkCorrErrors1Day"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "smiLinkCorrErrors1DayH"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS1_HOUR = "smiLinkCorrErrors1Hour"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "smiLinkCorrErrors1HourH"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS1_WEEK = "smiLinkCorrErrors1Week"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "smiLinkCorrErrors1WeekH"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "smiLinkCorrErrors2Weeks"
SMI_LINK_CORR_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "smiLinkCorrErrors2WeeksH"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS = "smiLinkUncorrErrors"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS15_MIN = "smiLinkUncorrErrors15Min"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "smiLinkUncorrErrors15MinH"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS1_DAY = "smiLinkUncorrErrors1Day"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "smiLinkUncorrErrors1DayH"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS1_HOUR = "smiLinkUncorrErrors1Hour"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "smiLinkUncorrErrors1HourH"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS1_WEEK = "smiLinkUncorrErrors1Week"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "smiLinkUncorrErrors1WeekH"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "smiLinkUncorrErrors2Weeks"
SMI_LINK_UNCORR_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "smiLinkUncorrErrors2WeeksH"
SNAP_PERCENT = "snapPercent"
SNAPSHOT = "snapshot"
SNAPSHOT_ADMIN_STATE = "snapshotAdminState"
SNAPSHOT_COUNT = "snapshotCount"
SNAPSHOT_POLICY_DN = "snapshotPolicyDn"
SNAPSHOT_POLICY_NAME = "snapshotPolicyName"
SND = "snd"
SNOOPING_ENABLED = "snoopingEnabled"
SNOOPING_STATE = "snoopingState"
SOAK_INTERVAL = "soakInterval"
SOAKING_SEVERITY = "soakingSeverity"
SOCKET_DESIGNATION = "socketDesignation"
SOL_POLICY_NAME = "solPolicyName"
SORT_CLASS = "sortClass"
SORT_PROP = "sortProp"
SOURCE = "source"
SOURCE_ADDR = "sourceAddr"
SOURCE_CONNECTOR_ID = "sourceConnectorId"
SOURCE_DN = "sourceDn"
SOURCE_LUN = "sourceLun"
SOURCE_MO_DN = "sourceMoDn"
SOURCE_TYPE = "sourceType"
SOURCE_VLAN = "sourceVlan"
SOURCE_VLAN_DN = "sourceVlanDn"
SPAN_ID = "spanId"
SPARING_ERRORS = "sparingErrors"
SPARING_ERRORS15_MIN = "sparingErrors15Min"
SPARING_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "sparingErrors15MinH"
SPARING_ERRORS1_DAY = "sparingErrors1Day"
SPARING_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "sparingErrors1DayH"
SPARING_ERRORS1_HOUR = "sparingErrors1Hour"
SPARING_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "sparingErrors1HourH"
SPARING_ERRORS1_WEEK = "sparingErrors1Week"
SPARING_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "sparingErrors1WeekH"
SPARING_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "sparingErrors2Weeks"
SPARING_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "sparingErrors2WeeksH"
SPEED = "speed"
SPEED_AVG = "speedAvg"
SPEED_MAX = "speedMax"
SPEED_MIN = "speedMin"
SPURIOUS_RETRIES = "spuriousRetries"
SRC_FILT_DN = "srcFiltDn"
SRC_TEMPL_NAME = "srcTemplName"
SSH_AUTH_KEYS_CSUM = "sshAuthKeysCsum"
SSH_AUTH_KEYS_SIZE = "sshAuthKeysSize"
SSH_KEY_STATUS = "sshKeyStatus"
SSH_ROOT_PUB_KEY_CSUM = "sshRootPubKeyCsum"
SSH_ROOT_PUB_KEY_SIZE = "sshRootPubKeySize"
STAGE_SIZE = "stageSize"
STAGE_STATUS = "stageStatus"
START_EVENT = "startEvent"
START_PORT_ID = "startPortId"
START_TIME = "startTime"
START_TS = "startTs"
START_TS_M = "startTsM"
STARTS = "starts"
STARTS_WITH = "startsWith"
STATE = "state"
STATE_QUAL = "stateQual"
STATS_CLASS_ID = "statsClassId"
STATS_POLICY_NAME = "statsPolicyName"
STATS_PROP_ID = "statsPropId"
STATS_UPDATE_ID = "statsUpdateId"
STATUS = "status"
STATUS_CHANGE_TS = "statusChangeTs"
STATUS_DESCR = "statusDescr"
STDBY_VIF_ID = "stdbyVifId"
STEPPING = "stepping"
STORAGE_ARRAY_PROFILE_DN = "storageArrayProfileDn"
STORAGE_BLADE_ID = "storageBladeId"
STORAGE_BUNDLE_NAME = "storageBundleName"
STORAGE_BUNDLE_VERSION = "storageBundleVersion"
STORAGE_CLASS = "storageClass"
STORAGE_CONFIG_ISSUES = "storageConfigIssues"
STORAGE_CONN_POLICY_NAME = "storageConnPolicyName"
STORAGE_FW_POLICY_NAME = "storageFwPolicyName"
STORAGE_JBOD_MODE_SUPPORTED = "storageJbodModeSupported"
STORAGE_METHOD = "storageMethod"
STORAGE_OOB_CONFIG_SUPPORTED = "storageOobConfigSupported"
STORAGE_OOB_INTERFACE_SUPPORTED = "storageOobInterfaceSupported"
STORAGE_PROFILE_NAME = "storageProfileName"
STORAGE_SUBSYSTEM_STATE = "storageSubsystemState"
STPL = "stpl"
STR_SECRET = "strSecret"
STR_TYPE = "strType"
STRIP_SIZE = "stripSize"
STYLE = "style"
SUB_DEVICE_ID = "subDeviceId"
SUB_VENDOR_ID = "subVendorId"
SUBDEVICE = "subdevice"
SUBJ_NAME = "subjName"
SUBJECT = "subject"
SUBNET = "subnet"
SUBORDINATE_USED_QUANT = "subordinateUsedQuant"
SUBVENDOR = "subvendor"
SUCCESS_ACTION = "successAction"
SUCCESSFULL = "successfull"
SUFFIX = "suffix"
SUPORT_TYPE = "suportType"
SUPPL_ID1 = "supplId1"
SUPPL_ID2 = "supplId2"
SUPPL_ID3 = "supplId3"
SUPPL_ID4 = "supplId4"
SUPPORT = "support"
SUPPORTABILITY = "supportability"
SUPPORTED_ALGORITHM = "supportedAlgorithm"
SUPPORTED_BY_DEFAULT = "supportedByDefault"
SUPPORTS_DHCP = "supportsDHCP"
SUPPRESS_POLICY_NAME = "suppressPolicyName"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS = "surpriseLinkDownErrors"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS15_MIN = "surpriseLinkDownErrors15Min"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "surpriseLinkDownErrors15MinH"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS1_DAY = "surpriseLinkDownErrors1Day"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "surpriseLinkDownErrors1DayH"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS1_HOUR = "surpriseLinkDownErrors1Hour"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "surpriseLinkDownErrors1HourH"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS1_WEEK = "surpriseLinkDownErrors1Week"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "surpriseLinkDownErrors1WeekH"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "surpriseLinkDownErrors2Weeks"
SURPRISE_LINK_DOWN_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "surpriseLinkDownErrors2WeeksH"
SUSPECT = "suspect"
SUSPEND_INDIVIDUAL = "suspendIndividual"
SUSPEND_STATE = "suspendState"
SVC_POLICY_NAME = "svcPolicyName"
SVC_REG_IP = "svcRegIP"
SVC_REG_NAME = "svcRegName"
SVNIC_CONFIG = "svnicConfig"
SW_ABORDER_AGGR_PORT = "swABorderAggrPort"
SW_ABORDER_PORT = "swABorderPort"
SW_ABORDER_SLOT = "swABorderSlot"
SW_BBORDER_AGGR_PORT = "swBBorderAggrPort"
SW_BBORDER_PORT = "swBBorderPort"
SW_BBORDER_SLOT = "swBBorderSlot"
SW_BACKUP_VERSION = "swBackupVersion"
SW_COMPLEX_CAPACITY = "swComplexCapacity"
SW_COMPLEX_ID = "swComplexId"
SW_INT_ID = "swIntId"
SW_NAME = "swName"
SW_STARTUP_VERSION = "swStartupVersion"
SW_UUID = "swUuid"
SW_VERSION = "swVersion"
SWITCH_ID = "switchId"
SWITCH_PORT_MUX_OFFSET = "switchPortMuxOffset"
SWITCH_TYPE = "switchType"
SYMBOL = "symbol"
SYMBOL_DELTA = "symbolDelta"
SYMBOL_DELTA_AVG = "symbolDeltaAvg"
SYMBOL_DELTA_MAX = "symbolDeltaMax"
SYMBOL_DELTA_MIN = "symbolDeltaMin"
SYNC_LOSSES = "syncLosses"
SYNC_LOSSES_DELTA = "syncLossesDelta"
SYNC_LOSSES_DELTA_AVG = "syncLossesDeltaAvg"
SYNC_LOSSES_DELTA_MAX = "syncLossesDeltaMax"
SYNC_LOSSES_DELTA_MIN = "syncLossesDeltaMin"
SYNC_STATE = "syncState"
SYNC_TRIGGER = "syncTrigger"
SYS_CONTACT = "sysContact"
SYS_ID = "sysId"
SYS_LOCATION = "sysLocation"
SYS_NAME = "sysName"
SYS_STARTUP_VERSION = "sysStartupVersion"
SYS_VERSION = "sysVersion"
SYSID = "sysid"
SYSTEM_UP_TIME = "systemUpTime"
TAG = "tag"
TAGS = "tags"
TARGET = "target"
TARGET_ATTR = "targetAttr"
TARGET_DN = "targetDn"
TARGET_IP1 = "targetIp1"
TARGET_IP2 = "targetIp2"
TARGET_IP3 = "targetIp3"
TARGET_LUN = "targetLun"
TARGET_NAME = "targetName"
TARGET_PEER_DN = "targetPeerDn"
TARGET_STATUS = "targetStatus"
TARGET_WWN = "targetWWN"
TARGETWWPN = "targetwwpn"
TCP_HASH = "tcpHash"
TCP_RX_CHECKSUM = "tcpRxChecksum"
TCP_SEGMENT = "tcpSegment"
TCP_TIME_STAMP = "tcpTimeStamp"
TCP_TX_CHECKSUM = "tcpTxChecksum"
TECHNOLOGY = "technology"
TEMP = "temp"
TEMP_AVG = "tempAvg"
TEMP_MAX = "tempMax"
TEMP_MIN = "tempMin"
TEMPERATURE = "temperature"
TEMPERATURE_AVG = "temperatureAvg"
TEMPERATURE_MAX = "temperatureMax"
TEMPERATURE_MIN = "temperatureMin"
TEMPL_TYPE = "templType"
TEMPLATE_DATA_TIMEOUT = "templateDataTimeout"
TERM = "term"
THERMAL = "thermal"
THERMAL_STATE_QUALIFIER = "thermalStateQualifier"
THREADS = "threads"
THRESHOLD = "threshold"
THRESHOLD_LC = "thresholdLc"
THRESHOLD_LNC = "thresholdLnc"
THRESHOLD_LNR = "thresholdLnr"
THRESHOLD_UC = "thresholdUc"
THRESHOLD_UNC = "thresholdUnc"
THRESHOLD_UNR = "thresholdUnr"
THRESHOLDED = "thresholded"
TIME = "time"
TIME_CAP = "timeCap"
TIME_COLLECTED = "timeCollected"
TIME_OF_DAY_HOUR = "timeOfDayHour"
TIME_OF_DAY_MINUTE = "timeOfDayMinute"
TIME_OF_LAST_ATTEMPT = "timeOfLastAttempt"
TIME_OF_LAST_SUCCESS = "timeOfLastSuccess"
TIME_STAMP = "timeStamp"
TIMEOUT = "timeout"
TIMEZONE = "timezone"
TO = "to"
TOKEN = "token"
TOO_LONG = "tooLong"
TOO_LONG_DELTA = "tooLongDelta"
TOO_LONG_DELTA_AVG = "tooLongDeltaAvg"
TOO_LONG_DELTA_MAX = "tooLongDeltaMax"
TOO_LONG_DELTA_MIN = "tooLongDeltaMin"
TOO_LONG_RX = "tooLongRx"
TOO_LONG_RX_DELTA = "tooLongRxDelta"
TOO_LONG_RX_DELTA_AVG = "tooLongRxDeltaAvg"
TOO_LONG_RX_DELTA_MAX = "tooLongRxDeltaMax"
TOO_LONG_RX_DELTA_MIN = "tooLongRxDeltaMin"
TOO_SHORT = "tooShort"
TOO_SHORT_DELTA = "tooShortDelta"
TOO_SHORT_DELTA_AVG = "tooShortDeltaAvg"
TOO_SHORT_DELTA_MAX = "tooShortDeltaMax"
TOO_SHORT_DELTA_MIN = "tooShortDeltaMin"
TOO_SHORT_RX = "tooShortRx"
TOO_SHORT_RX_DELTA = "tooShortRxDelta"
TOO_SHORT_RX_DELTA_AVG = "tooShortRxDeltaAvg"
TOO_SHORT_RX_DELTA_MAX = "tooShortRxDeltaMax"
TOO_SHORT_RX_DELTA_MIN = "tooShortRxDeltaMin"
TOTAL = "total"
TOTAL_AVG = "totalAvg"
TOTAL_BYTES = "totalBytes"
TOTAL_BYTES_DELTA = "totalBytesDelta"
TOTAL_BYTES_DELTA_AVG = "totalBytesDeltaAvg"
TOTAL_BYTES_DELTA_MAX = "totalBytesDeltaMax"
TOTAL_BYTES_DELTA_MIN = "totalBytesDeltaMin"
TOTAL_CONFIGURED = "totalConfigured"
TOTAL_DATA_PROTECTION = "totalDataProtection"
TOTAL_FAULTS = "totalFaults"
TOTAL_MAX = "totalMax"
TOTAL_MEMORY = "totalMemory"
TOTAL_MIN = "totalMin"
TOTAL_PACKETS = "totalPackets"
TOTAL_PACKETS_DELTA = "totalPacketsDelta"
TOTAL_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "totalPacketsDeltaAvg"
TOTAL_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "totalPacketsDeltaMax"
TOTAL_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "totalPacketsDeltaMin"
TOTAL_PASSES = "totalPasses"
TOTAL_POWER = "totalPower"
TOTAL_POWER_AVG = "totalPowerAvg"
TOTAL_POWER_MAX = "totalPowerMax"
TOTAL_POWER_MIN = "totalPowerMin"
TOTAL_QUANT = "totalQuant"
TOTAL_REQUESTED = "totalRequested"
TOTAL_SESSIONS = "totalSessions"
TOTAL_VLAN_PORT_COUNT = "totalVlanPortCount"
TP = "tp"
TPM_REVISION = "tpmRevision"
TR_DN = "trDn"
TR_ID = "trId"
TRAFFIC_DIRECTION = "trafficDirection"
TRANSFER_STATE = "transferState"
TRANSPORT = "transport"
TRANSPORT_PROTOCOL = "transportProtocol"
TRANSVERSE_GROUP_SEPARATION = "transverseGroupSeparation"
TRANSVERSE_GROUP_SIZE = "transverseGroupSize"
TRANSVERSE_OFFSET = "transverseOffset"
TRAVERSAL = "traversal"
TRAY = "tray"
TRIG = "trig"
TRIG_TIME = "trigTime"
TRUE_HITS = "trueHits"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN = "truncateOverrun"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_DELTA = "truncateOverrunDelta"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_DELTA_AVG = "truncateOverrunDeltaAvg"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_DELTA_MAX = "truncateOverrunDeltaMax"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_DELTA_MIN = "truncateOverrunDeltaMin"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N0 = "truncateOverrunN0"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA = "truncateOverrunN0Delta"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA_AVG = "truncateOverrunN0DeltaAvg"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA_MAX = "truncateOverrunN0DeltaMax"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N0_DELTA_MIN = "truncateOverrunN0DeltaMin"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N1 = "truncateOverrunN1"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA = "truncateOverrunN1Delta"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA_AVG = "truncateOverrunN1DeltaAvg"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA_MAX = "truncateOverrunN1DeltaMax"
TRUNCATE_OVERRUN_N1_DELTA_MIN = "truncateOverrunN1DeltaMin"
TS = "ts"
TS_CREATED = "tsCreated"
TX = "tx"
TX_BAD_FRAMES = "txBadFrames"
TX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA = "txBadFramesDelta"
TX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA_AVG = "txBadFramesDeltaAvg"
TX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA_MAX = "txBadFramesDeltaMax"
TX_BAD_FRAMES_DELTA_MIN = "txBadFramesDeltaMin"
TX_BYTES = "txBytes"
TX_BYTES_DELTA = "txBytesDelta"
TX_BYTES_DELTA_AVG = "txBytesDeltaAvg"
TX_BYTES_DELTA_MAX = "txBytesDeltaMax"
TX_BYTES_DELTA_MIN = "txBytesDeltaMin"
TX_DELTA = "txDelta"
TX_DELTA_AVG = "txDeltaAvg"
TX_DELTA_MAX = "txDeltaMax"
TX_DELTA_MIN = "txDeltaMin"
TX_DROPPED = "txDropped"
TX_DROPPED_DELTA = "txDroppedDelta"
TX_DROPPED_DELTA_AVG = "txDroppedDeltaAvg"
TX_DROPPED_DELTA_MAX = "txDroppedDeltaMax"
TX_DROPPED_DELTA_MIN = "txDroppedDeltaMin"
TX_ERRORS = "txErrors"
TX_ERRORS_DELTA = "txErrorsDelta"
TX_ERRORS_DELTA_AVG = "txErrorsDeltaAvg"
TX_ERRORS_DELTA_MAX = "txErrorsDeltaMax"
TX_ERRORS_DELTA_MIN = "txErrorsDeltaMin"
TX_FRAMES = "txFrames"
TX_FRAMES_DELTA = "txFramesDelta"
TX_FRAMES_DELTA_AVG = "txFramesDeltaAvg"
TX_FRAMES_DELTA_MAX = "txFramesDeltaMax"
TX_FRAMES_DELTA_MIN = "txFramesDeltaMin"
TX_ID = "txId"
TX_PACKETS = "txPackets"
TX_PACKETS_DELTA = "txPacketsDelta"
TX_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "txPacketsDeltaAvg"
TX_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "txPacketsDeltaMax"
TX_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "txPacketsDeltaMin"
TX_PAUSE_CFC = "txPauseCFC"
TX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA = "txPauseCFCDelta"
TX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA_AVG = "txPauseCFCDeltaAvg"
TX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA_MAX = "txPauseCFCDeltaMax"
TX_PAUSE_CFCDELTA_MIN = "txPauseCFCDeltaMin"
TX_PAUSE_PFC = "txPausePFC"
TX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA = "txPausePFCDelta"
TX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA_AVG = "txPausePFCDeltaAvg"
TX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA_MAX = "txPausePFCDeltaMax"
TX_PAUSE_PFCDELTA_MIN = "txPausePFCDeltaMin"
TYPE = "type"
UCSC_GENERATION = "ucscGeneration"
UCSM_MO_DN = "ucsmMoDn"
UCSM_VNET_EP_DN = "ucsmVnetEpDn"
UDLD_ADMIN_STATE = "udldAdminState"
UDLD_LINK_POLICY_NAME = "udldLinkPolicyName"
UDLD_MODE = "udldMode"
UDLD_MSG_INTERVAL = "udldMsgInterval"
UDLD_OPER_STATE = "udldOperState"
UDLD_RECOVERY_ACTION = "udldRecoveryAction"
UI = "ui"
UID = "uid"
UMBILICAL_STATE = "umbilicalState"
UNCORRECTABLE_ERRORS = "uncorrectableErrors"
UNCORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA = "uncorrectableErrorsDelta"
UNCORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA_AVG = "uncorrectableErrorsDeltaAvg"
UNCORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA_MAX = "uncorrectableErrorsDeltaMax"
UNCORRECTABLE_ERRORS_DELTA_MIN = "uncorrectableErrorsDeltaMin"
UNDER_SIZE = "underSize"
UNDER_SIZE_DELTA = "underSizeDelta"
UNDER_SIZE_DELTA_AVG = "underSizeDeltaAvg"
UNDER_SIZE_DELTA_MAX = "underSizeDeltaMax"
UNDER_SIZE_DELTA_MIN = "underSizeDeltaMin"
UNDERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS = "undersizedBadCrcPackets"
UNDERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA = "undersizedBadCrcPacketsDelta"
UNDERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "undersizedBadCrcPacketsDeltaAvg"
UNDERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "undersizedBadCrcPacketsDeltaMax"
UNDERSIZED_BAD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "undersizedBadCrcPacketsDeltaMin"
UNDERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS = "undersizedGoodCrcPackets"
UNDERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA = "undersizedGoodCrcPacketsDelta"
UNDERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "undersizedGoodCrcPacketsDeltaAvg"
UNDERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "undersizedGoodCrcPacketsDeltaMax"
UNDERSIZED_GOOD_CRC_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "undersizedGoodCrcPacketsDeltaMin"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS = "unexpectedErrors"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS15_MIN = "unexpectedErrors15Min"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "unexpectedErrors15MinH"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS1_DAY = "unexpectedErrors1Day"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "unexpectedErrors1DayH"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS1_HOUR = "unexpectedErrors1Hour"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "unexpectedErrors1HourH"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS1_WEEK = "unexpectedErrors1Week"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "unexpectedErrors1WeekH"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "unexpectedErrors2Weeks"
UNEXPECTED_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "unexpectedErrors2WeeksH"
UNICAST_PACKETS = "unicastPackets"
UNICAST_PACKETS_DELTA = "unicastPacketsDelta"
UNICAST_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "unicastPacketsDeltaAvg"
UNICAST_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "unicastPacketsDeltaMax"
UNICAST_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "unicastPacketsDeltaMin"
UNIFIED_PORT = "unifiedPort"
UNITS = "units"
UNPLANNED_SHUTDOWN = "unplannedShutdown"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS = "unsupportedRequestErrors"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS15_MIN = "unsupportedRequestErrors15Min"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS15_MIN_H = "unsupportedRequestErrors15MinH"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS1_DAY = "unsupportedRequestErrors1Day"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS1_DAY_H = "unsupportedRequestErrors1DayH"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS1_HOUR = "unsupportedRequestErrors1Hour"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS1_HOUR_H = "unsupportedRequestErrors1HourH"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS1_WEEK = "unsupportedRequestErrors1Week"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS1_WEEK_H = "unsupportedRequestErrors1WeekH"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS2_WEEKS = "unsupportedRequestErrors2Weeks"
UNSUPPORTED_REQUEST_ERRORS2_WEEKS_H = "unsupportedRequestErrors2WeeksH"
UPDATE = "update"
UPDATE_METHOD = "updateMethod"
UPDATE_TIME = "updateTime"
UPDATE_TRIGGER = "updateTrigger"
UPDATE_TS = "updateTs"
UPDATE_TYPE = "updateType"
UPGRADE_PRIORITY_INFO = "upgradePriorityInfo"
UPGRADE_SCENARIO = "upgradeScenario"
UPGRADE_STATE = "upgradeState"
UPGRADE_STATUS = "upgradeStatus"
UPLINK_FAIL_ACTION = "uplinkFailAction"
UPLINK_PORT_ID = "uplinkPortId"
UPLINK_PORT_TYPE = "uplinkPortType"
UPLINK_TRUNKING = "uplinkTrunking"
UPTIME = "uptime"
UPTIME_DISR = "uptimeDisr"
URGENCY = "urgency"
URI = "uri"
USAGE = "usage"
USE2_FACTOR = "use2Factor"
USE_AES = "useAes"
USE_ALL_ARPTARGETS = "useAllARPTargets"
USE_PRIMARY_GROUP = "usePrimaryGroup"
USE_REMAINING_DISKS = "useRemainingDisks"
USED = "used"
USED_QUANT = "usedQuant"
USED_SIZE = "usedSize"
USER = "user"
USER_ACKNOWLEDGED = "userAcknowledged"
USER_ID = "userId"
USER_TYPE = "userType"
USNIC_COUNT = "usnicCount"
USR_LBL = "usrLbl"
UUID = "uuid"
UUID_SUFFIX = "uuidSuffix"
UUID_SUPPORT_MODE = "uuidSupportMode"
V3_PRIVILEGE = "v3Privilege"
V4_ASSIGNED = "v4Assigned"
V4_SIZE = "v4Size"
V6_ASSIGNED = "v6Assigned"
V6_SIZE = "v6Size"
V_STATUS = "vStatus"
V_SWITCH_ID = "vSwitchId"
V_SWITCH_NAME = "vSwitchName"
VALIDATE_STATUS = "validateStatus"
VALUE = "value"
VAR_NAME = "varName"
VAR_VALUE = "varValue"
VC_DN = "vcDn"
VCON_MAP = "vconMap"
VCON_PROFILE_NAME = "vconProfileName"
VDAS = "vdas"
VENDOR = "vendor"
VENDOR_DAEMON_PATH = "vendorDaemonPath"
VENDOR_EQUIPMENT_TYPE = "vendorEquipmentType"
VENDOR_ID = "vendorId"
VENDOR_TYPE = "vendorType"
VENDOR_UUID = "vendorUuid"
VER = "ver"
VER_RAW = "verRaw"
VERSION = "version"
VERSION_HOLDER = "versionHolder"
VERSION_MISMATCH = "versionMismatch"
VERTICAL_START_OFFSET = "verticalStartOffset"
VID = "vid"
VIF_CAPACITY = "vifCapacity"
VIF_ID = "vifId"
VIF_TYPE = "vifType"
VIRTUAL_DISK_ID = "virtualDiskId"
VIRTUAL_DRIVE_COUNT = "virtualDriveCount"
VIRTUALIZATION_PREFERENCE = "virtualizationPreference"
VIRTUALIZED_CESUPPORTED = "virtualizedCESupported"
VISIBILITY = "visibility"
VISIBLE = "visible"
VLAN_COMP_OFF_LIMIT = "vlanCompOffLimit"
VLAN_COMP_ON_LIMIT = "vlanCompOnLimit"
VLAN_COMPRESSION = "vlanCompression"
VLAN_FOR_BOOT = "vlanForBoot"
VLAN_ID = "vlanId"
VLAN_NAME = "vlanName"
VLAN_PACKETS = "vlanPackets"
VLAN_PACKETS_DELTA = "vlanPacketsDelta"
VLAN_PACKETS_DELTA_AVG = "vlanPacketsDeltaAvg"
VLAN_PACKETS_DELTA_MAX = "vlanPacketsDeltaMax"
VLAN_PACKETS_DELTA_MIN = "vlanPacketsDeltaMin"
VLAN_STATUS = "vlanStatus"
VLAN_TYPE = "vlanType"
VM_NETWORK_DEF_NAME = "vmNetworkDefName"
VM_RETENTION = "vmRetention"
VM_WARE = "vmWare"
VMEDIA_ENCRYPTION = "vmediaEncryption"
VMEDIA_POLICY_NAME = "vmediaPolicyName"
VMND_GUID = "vmndGuid"
VMND_NAME = "vmndName"
VMQ_COUNT = "vmqCount"
VNET = "vnet"
VNET_ID = "vnetId"
VNIC = "vnic"
VNIC_CONFIG_ISSUES = "vnicConfigIssues"
VNIC_DEF_TYPE = "vnicDefType"
VNIC_DN = "vnicDn"
VNIC_MAP = "vnicMap"
VNIC_NAME = "vnicName"
VNIC_ORDER = "vnicOrder"
VNIC_RETENTION = "vnicRetention"
VNTAG = "vntag"
VOLTAGE = "voltage"
VOLTAGE_AVG = "voltageAvg"
VOLTAGE_MAX = "voltageMax"
VOLTAGE_MIN = "voltageMin"
VOLUME_DN = "volumeDn"
VOLUME_NAME = "volumeName"
VOLUME_POOL_NAME = "volumePoolName"
VP_ACPI10_SUPPORT = "vpACPI10Support"
VP_ASPMSUPPORT = "vpASPMSupport"
VP_ADJACENT_CACHE_LINE_PREFETCHER = "vpAdjacentCacheLinePrefetcher"
VP_ALL_USBDEVICES = "vpAllUSBDevices"
VP_ALTITUDE = "vpAltitude"
VP_ASSERT_NMION_PERR = "vpAssertNMIOnPERR"
VP_ASSERT_NMION_SERR = "vpAssertNMIOnSERR"
VP_BAUD_RATE = "vpBaudRate"
VP_BOOT_OPTION_RETRY = "vpBootOptionRetry"
VP_CPUPERFORMANCE = "vpCPUPerformance"
VP_CPUPOWER_MANAGEMENT = "vpCPUPowerManagement"
VP_CHANNEL_INTERLEAVING = "vpChannelInterleaving"
VP_CONSOLE_REDIRECTION = "vpConsoleRedirection"
VP_CORE_MULTI_PROCESSING = "vpCoreMultiProcessing"
VP_DCUIPPREFETCHER = "vpDCUIPPrefetcher"
VP_DCUSTREAMER_PREFETCH = "vpDCUStreamerPrefetch"
VP_DDR3_VOLTAGE_SELECTION = "vpDDR3VoltageSelection"
VP_DRAMCLOCK_THROTTLING = "vpDRAMClockThrottling"
VP_DEMAND_SCRUB = "vpDemandScrub"
VP_DIRECT_CACHE_ACCESS = "vpDirectCacheAccess"
VP_DRAM_REFRESH_RATE = "vpDramRefreshRate"
VP_ENERGY_PERFORMANCE = "vpEnergyPerformance"
VP_ENHANCED_INTEL_SPEED_STEP_TECH = "vpEnhancedIntelSpeedStepTech"
VP_ENHANCED_POWER_CAPPING = "vpEnhancedPowerCapping"
VP_EXECUTE_DISABLE_BIT = "vpExecuteDisableBit"
VP_FRB2_TIMER = "vpFRB2Timer"
VP_FLOW_CONTROL = "vpFlowControl"
VP_FREQUENCY_FLOOR_OVERRIDE = "vpFrequencyFloorOverride"
VP_FRONT_PANEL_LOCKOUT = "vpFrontPanelLockout"
VP_HARDWARE_PREFETCHER = "vpHardwarePrefetcher"
VP_INTEL_HYPER_THREADING_TECH = "vpIntelHyperThreadingTech"
VP_INTEL_TURBO_BOOST_TECH = "vpIntelTurboBoostTech"
VP_INTEL_VTDATSSUPPORT = "vpIntelVTDATSSupport"
VP_INTEL_VTDCOHERENCY_SUPPORT = "vpIntelVTDCoherencySupport"
VP_INTEL_VTDINTERRUPT_REMAPPING = "vpIntelVTDInterruptRemapping"
VP_INTEL_VTDPASS_THROUGH_DMASUPPORT = "vpIntelVTDPassThroughDMASupport"
VP_INTEL_VTFOR_DIRECTED_IO = "vpIntelVTForDirectedIO"
VP_INTEL_VIRTUALIZATION_TECHNOLOGY = "vpIntelVirtualizationTechnology"
VP_LEGACY_OSREDIRECTION = "vpLegacyOSRedirection"
VP_LEGACY_USBSUPPORT = "vpLegacyUSBSupport"
VP_LOAD = "vpLoad"
VP_LOCAL_X2_APIC = "vpLocalX2Apic"
VP_LV_DDRMODE = "vpLvDDRMode"
VP_MAKE_DEVICE_NON_BOOTABLE = "vpMakeDeviceNonBootable"
VP_MAXIMUM_MEMORY_BELOW4_GB = "vpMaximumMemoryBelow4GB"
VP_MEMORY_INTERLEAVING = "vpMemoryInterleaving"
VP_MEMORY_MAPPED_IOABOVE4_GB = "vpMemoryMappedIOAbove4GB"
VP_MIRRORING_MODE = "vpMirroringMode"
VP_NUMAOPTIMIZED = "vpNUMAOptimized"
VP_OSBOOT_WATCHDOG_TIMER = "vpOSBootWatchdogTimer"
VP_OSBOOT_WATCHDOG_TIMER_POLICY = "vpOSBootWatchdogTimerPolicy"
VP_OSBOOT_WATCHDOG_TIMER_TIMEOUT = "vpOSBootWatchdogTimerTimeout"
VP_ONBOARD_SATACONTROLLER = "vpOnboardSATAController"
VP_ONBOARD_SCUSTORAGE_SUPPORT = "vpOnboardSCUStorageSupport"
VP_PCHSATAMODE = "vpPCHSATAMode"
VP_PCIE_SLOT10_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot10LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT1_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot1LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT2_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot2LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT3_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot3LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT4_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot4LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT5_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot5LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT6_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot6LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT7_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot7LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT8_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot8LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT9_LINK_SPEED = "vpPCIeSlot9LinkSpeed"
VP_PCIE_SLOT_HBAOPTION_ROM = "vpPCIeSlotHBAOptionROM"
VP_PCIE_SLOT_MLOMOPTION_ROM = "vpPCIeSlotMLOMOptionROM"
VP_PCIE_SLOT_N1_OPTION_ROM = "vpPCIeSlotN1OptionROM"
VP_PCIE_SLOT_N2_OPTION_ROM = "vpPCIeSlotN2OptionROM"
VP_PCIE_SLOT_SASOPTION_ROM = "vpPCIeSlotSASOptionROM"
VP_POSTERROR_PAUSE = "vpPOSTErrorPause"
VP_PSTATECOORDINATION = "vpPSTATECoordination"
VP_PACKAGE_CSTATE_LIMIT = "vpPackageCStateLimit"
VP_PATROL_SCRUB = "vpPatrolScrub"
VP_PORT6064_EMULATION = "vpPort6064Emulation"
VP_POWER_TECHNOLOGY = "vpPowerTechnology"
VP_PROCESSOR_C1_E = "vpProcessorC1E"
VP_PROCESSOR_C3_REPORT = "vpProcessorC3Report"
VP_PROCESSOR_C6_REPORT = "vpProcessorC6Report"
VP_PROCESSOR_C7_REPORT = "vpProcessorC7Report"
VP_PROCESSOR_CSTATE = "vpProcessorCState"
VP_PROCESSOR_MTRR = "vpProcessorMtrr"
VP_PUTTY_KEY_PAD = "vpPuttyKeyPad"
VP_QPILINK_FREQUENCY_SELECT = "vpQPILinkFrequencySelect"
VP_QPISNOOP_MODE = "vpQPISnoopMode"
VP_QUIET_BOOT = "vpQuietBoot"
VP_RANK_INTERLEAVING = "vpRankInterleaving"
VP_RESUME_ON_ACPOWER_LOSS = "vpResumeOnACPowerLoss"
VP_SASRAID = "vpSASRAID"
VP_SASRAIDMODULE = "vpSASRAIDModule"
VP_SATAMODE = "vpSATAMode"
VP_SELECT_MEMORY_RASCONFIGURATION = "vpSelectMemoryRASConfiguration"
VP_SERIAL_PORT_AENABLE = "vpSerialPortAEnable"
VP_SLOT10_STATE = "vpSlot10State"
VP_SLOT1_STATE = "vpSlot1State"
VP_SLOT2_STATE = "vpSlot2State"
VP_SLOT3_STATE = "vpSlot3State"
VP_SLOT4_STATE = "vpSlot4State"
VP_SLOT5_STATE = "vpSlot5State"
VP_SLOT6_STATE = "vpSlot6State"
VP_SLOT7_STATE = "vpSlot7State"
VP_SLOT8_STATE = "vpSlot8State"
VP_SLOT9_STATE = "vpSlot9State"
VP_SLOT_MEZZ_STATE = "vpSlotMezzState"
VP_SPARING_MODE = "vpSparingMode"
VP_SRIOV = "vpSriov"
VP_STATE = "vpState"
VP_TPMSUPPORT = "vpTPMSupport"
VP_TERMINAL_TYPE = "vpTerminalType"
VP_UCSMBOOT_ORDER_RULE = "vpUCSMBootOrderRule"
VP_UEFIBOOT_MODE = "vpUEFIBootMode"
VP_UEFIOSUSE_LEGACY_VIDEO = "vpUEFIOSUseLegacyVideo"
VP_USBFRONT_PANEL_LOCK = "vpUSBFrontPanelLock"
VP_USBIDLE_POWER_OPTIMIZING = "vpUSBIdlePowerOptimizing"
VP_USBPORT_FRONT = "vpUSBPortFront"
VP_USBPORT_INTERNAL = "vpUSBPortInternal"
VP_USBPORT_KVM = "vpUSBPortKVM"
VP_USBPORT_REAR = "vpUSBPortRear"
VP_USBPORT_SDCARD = "vpUSBPortSDCard"
VP_USBPORT_VMEDIA = "vpUSBPortVMedia"
VP_VGAPRIORITY = "vpVGAPriority"
VP_XHCIMODE = "vpXHCIMode"
VSAN_ID = "vsanId"
WARNINGS = "warnings"
WEAR_PERCENTAGE = "wearPercentage"
WEAR_PERCENTAGE_AVG = "wearPercentageAvg"
WEAR_PERCENTAGE_MAX = "wearPercentageMax"
WEAR_PERCENTAGE_MIN = "wearPercentageMin"
WEIGHT = "weight"
WIDTH = "width"
WINDOW_DN = "windowDn"
WORKING_DIRECTORY = "workingDirectory"
WRITE_CACHE_POLICY = "writeCachePolicy"
WRITE_ENABLE = "writeEnable"
WRITE_ERROR_THRESHOLD = "writeErrorThreshold"
WRITE_IOERROR_COUNT = "writeIOErrorCount"
WRITE_IOPS = "writeIops"
WRITE_IOPS_AVG = "writeIopsAvg"
WRITE_IOPS_MAX = "writeIopsMax"
WRITE_IOPS_MIN = "writeIopsMin"
WRITE_MBPS = "writeMbps"
WRITE_MBPS_AVG = "writeMbpsAvg"
WRITE_MBPS_MAX = "writeMbpsMax"
WRITE_MBPS_MIN = "writeMbpsMin"
WWN = "wwn"
WWN_REVERSE_MASK_A = "wwnReverseMaskA"
WWN_REVERSE_MASK_B = "wwnReverseMaskB"
WWNN = "wwnn"
WWNN_REVERSE_MASK_A = "wwnnReverseMaskA"
WWNN_REVERSE_MASK_B = "wwnnReverseMaskB"
WWPN = "wwpn"
XCVR_TYPE = "xcvrType"
XMIT = "xmit"
XMIT_DELTA = "xmitDelta"
XMIT_DELTA_AVG = "xmitDeltaAvg"
XMIT_DELTA_MAX = "xmitDeltaMax"
XMIT_DELTA_MIN = "xmitDeltaMin"
XMIT_HASH_TYPE = "xmitHashType"
XMIT_PAUSE = "xmitPause"
XMIT_PAUSE_DELTA = "xmitPauseDelta"
XMIT_PAUSE_DELTA_AVG = "xmitPauseDeltaAvg"
XMIT_PAUSE_DELTA_MAX = "xmitPauseDeltaMax"
XMIT_PAUSE_DELTA_MIN = "xmitPauseDeltaMin"
ZONE_COUNT = "zoneCount"
ZONING_STATE = "zoningState"
ZONING_TYPE = "zoningType"
class Status:
CREATED = "created"
DELETED = "deleted"
MODIFIED = "modified"
REMOVED = "removed"
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 8,953 |
Q: How would you remotely detect interaction of a beam of 1 GeV protons with an aluminum sheet? The inelastic interaction with an electron of the aluminum atom would knock them out of the atom, and would give rise to emission lines characteristic of aluminum when a free electron filled the vacant orbital.
There is also the interaction with the Al nucleus. What other radiation might be detected?
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
} | 3,540 |
\section{Introduction}
A lesson given by the history of cosmology is that the concept of
the cosmological term revives in the days of crisis and we have more reasons
than ever to belive that the cosmological term is the necessary ingredient
of any cosmological model.The possibility of adding
a cosmological vacuum energy density to the Einstein field equations raises the question
empirical justification of such a step. A positive cosmological constant helps
overcome the age problem, conected on the one side with the high estimates of the Hubble
parameters and with the age of the globular clusters on the other. Further, it seems that
in order to retain the cold dark matter theory in the spacially flat universe most of the
critical density should be provided by a passitive cosmological constant \cite{ref1,ref2}.
Observationnal data indicate that the cosmologial constant, if nonzero, is smaller than
$ 10^{-55} ~ cm^-2 $. However, since everything that contributes to the vacuum energy acts
as a cosmological constant it can not just be dropped without serious considerations.
Moreover particle physics expectations for $\Lambda$ exceeds its present value by the factor of
order $ 10^{120} $ ie in a sharp contrast to observations.
To explain this apparent discrepancy the point of view has been adopted which allow the
$\Lambda$ term to vary in time \cite{ref3}$-$\cite{ref11}. The idea of that during the evolution of
universe the energy density of the vacuum decays into the particles thus leading to the decrease of
the cosmological constant. As the result one has the creation of particles although the typical rate
of the creation is very small.
The creation of matter and entropy from vacuum has been studied via quantum field
theory in curved spacetime \cite{ref12,ref13}. Most cosmological models exhibit a
singurarity which presents difficulties for interpreting quantum effects, because all
macroscopic parameters of created particles are infinite there.This leads to the problem
of the initial vacuum.A regular vacuum for species of the created particles can be defined
in simple terms as a state where all mean values describing the particles, such as energy density,
number density, entropy etc are zero. But this simple condition is not achieved in many scenarios,
so that either one has to postulate an initial state beyond the singularity, or to assume that there
was a non-zero number of particles at the initial vacuum. One attempt to overcome these problems is
via incorporating the effect of particle creation into Einstein's field equactions. In the present study
I interpret the source of created particles as a decaying vacuum, described phenomenologically by a
time-dependent cosmological constant $ \Lambda (t) $.
There are significant observational evidence for the detection of Einstein's
cosmological constant, $\Lambda$ or a component of material content of the universe that
varies slowly with time and space to act like $\Lambda $. Some of the recent discussions
on the cosmological constant "problem" and on cosmology with a time-varying
cosmological constant by Ratra and Peebles \cite{ref14}, and Sahni and Starobinsky
\cite{ref15}, point out that in the absence of any interaction with matter or radiation,
the cosmological constant remains a "constant".However, in the presence of
interactions with matter or radiation, a solution of Einstein equations and the
assumed equation of covariant conservation of stress-energy with a time-varying
$\Lambda$ can be found. This entails that energy has to be conserved by a decrease in the
energy density of the vacuum component followed by a corresponding increase
in the energy density of matter or radiation (see also Carroll, Press and Turner
\cite{ref16}, Peebles \cite{ref17}, Padmanabhan \cite{ref18}).There is a plethora of astrophysical ev-
idence today, from supernovae measurements (Perlmutter et al. \cite{ref19}, Riess et
al. \cite{ref20}, Garnavich et al. \cite{ref21}, Schmidt et al. \cite{ref22}, Blakeslee et al. \cite{ref23}, Astier
et al. \cite{ref24}),the spectrum of fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background
(CMB) \cite{ref25}, baryon oscillations \cite{ref26} and other astrophysical data, indicating
that the expansion of the universe is currently accelerating. The energy budget
of the universe seems to be dominated at the present epoch by a mysterious dark
energy component, but the precise nature of this energy is still unknown. Many
theoretical models provide possible explanations for the dark energy, ranging
from a cosmological term \cite{ref27} to super-horizon perturbations \cite{ref28} and time-
varying quintessence scenarios \cite{ref29}. These recent observations strongly favour
a significant and a positive value of $ \Lambda $ with magnitude
$\Lambda\left(\frac{G\hbar}{c^3}\right)\approx 10^{-123}$.
The standard Friedman-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmological model
prescribes a homogeneous and an isotropic distribution for its
matter in the description of the present state of the universe. At
the present state of evolution, the universe is spherically
symmetric and the matter distribution in the universe is on the
whole isotropic and homogeneous. But in early stages of evolution,
it could have not had such a smoothed picture. Close to the big bang
singularity, neither the assumption of spherical symmetry nor that
of isotropy can be strictly valid. So we consider plane-symmetric,
which is less restrictive than spherical symmetry and can provide an
avenue to study inhomogeneities. Inhomogeneous cosmological models
play an important role in understanding some essential features of
the universe such as the formation of galaxies during the early
stages of evolution and process of homogenization. The early
attempts at the construction of such models have done by Tolman
\cite{ref30} and Bondi \cite{ref31} who considered spherically
symmetric models. Inhomogeneous plane-symmetric models were
considered by Taub \cite{ref32,ref33} and later by Tomimura
\cite{ref34}, Szekeres \cite{ref35}. Recently,
Senovilla \cite{ref36} obtained a new class of exact solutions of
Einstein's equation without big bang singularity, representing a
cylindrically symmetric, inhomogeneous cosmological model filled
with perfect fluid which is smooth and regular everywhere satisfying
energy and causality conditions. Later, Ruis and Senovilla
\cite{ref37} have separated out a fairly large class of singularity
free models through a comprehensive study of general cylindrically
symmetric metric with separable function of $r$ and $t$ as metric
coefficients. Dadhich et al. \cite{ref38} have established a link
between the FRW model and the singularity free family by deducing
the latter through a natural and simple in-homogenization and
anisotropization of the former. Recently Bali and Tyagi\cite{ref39}, Pradhan et al\cite{ref40}
obtained a plane-symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological
models of perfect fluid distribution with electro-magnetic field.
\par
The occurrence of magnetic fields on galactic scale is
well-established fact today, and their importance for a variety of
astrophysical phenomena is generally acknowledged as pointed out by
Zeldovich et al. \cite{ref41}. Also Harrison \cite{ref42} has
suggested that magnetic field could have a cosmological origin. As a
natural consequences, we should include magnetic fields in the
energy-momentum tensor of the early universe. The choice of
anisotropic cosmological models in Einstein system of field
equations leads to the cosmological models more general than
Robertson-Walker model \cite{ref43}.
Strong magnetic fields can be created due to adiabatic compression
in clusters of galaxies. Primordial asymmetry of particle (say
electron) over antiparticle (say positron) have been well
established as C P (charged parity) violation. Asseo and Sol
\cite{ref44} speculated the large-scale inter galactic magnetic
field and is of primordial origin at present measure $10^{-8}$ G and
gives rise to a density of order $10^{-35} g cm^{-3}$. The present
day magnitude of magnetic energy is very small in comparison with
the estimated matter density, it might not have been negligible
during early stage of evolution of the universe. FRW models are
approximately valid as present day magnetic field is very small. The
existence of a primordial magnetic field is limited to Bianchi Types
I, II, III, $VI_{0}$ and $VII_{0}$ as shown by Hughston and Jacobs
\cite{ref45}. Large-scale magnetic fields give rise to anisotropies
in the universe. The anisotropic pressure created by the magnetic
fields dominates the evolution of the shear anisotropy and it decays
slower than if the pressure was isotropic \cite{ref46,ref47}. Such
fields can be generated at the end of an inflationary epoch
\cite{ref48}$-$\cite{ref50}. Anisotropic magnetic field models have
significant contribution in the evolution of galaxies and stellar
objects.
\section{The metric and field equations}
We consider the metric in the form of Marder \cite{ref51}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq1} ds^{2} = A^{2}(dx^{2} - dt^{2}) + B^{2} dy^{2} +
C^{2} dz^{2},
\end{equation}
where the metric potential $A$, $B$ and $C$ are functions of $x$ and $t$.
The energy momentum tensor is taken as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq2} T^{j}_{i} = (\rho + p)v_{i}v^{j} + p g^{j}_{i} + E^{j}_{i},
\end{equation}
where $E^{j}_{i}$ is the electro-magnetic field given by
Lichnerowicz \cite{ref52} as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq3} E^{j}_{i} = \bar{\mu}\left[h_{l}h^{l}(v_{i}v^{j} +
\frac{1}{2}g^{j}_{i}) - h_{i}h^{j}\right].
\end{equation}
Here $\rho$ and $p$ are the energy density and isotropic pressure respectively and
$v^{i}$ is the flow vector satisfying the relation
\begin{equation}
\label{eq4} g_{ij} v^{i}v^{j} = - 1.
\end{equation}
$\bar{\mu}$ is the magnetic permeability and $h_{i}$ the magnetic flux
vector defined by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq5} h_{i} = \frac{1}{\bar{\mu}}~~ ^*F_{ji}v^{j},
\end{equation}
where $^*F_{ij}$ is the dual electro-magnetic field tensor defined
by Synge \cite{ref53}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq6} ^*F_{ij} = \frac{\sqrt-g}{2}\epsilon_{ijkl} F^{kl}.
\end{equation}
$F_{ij}$ is the electro-magnetic field tensor and $\epsilon_{ijkl}$
is the Levi-Civita tensor density. The coordinates are considered to
be comoving so that $v^{1}$ = $0$ = $v^{2}$ = $v^{3}$ and $v^{4}$ =
$\frac{1}{A}$. We consider that the current is flowing along the
z-axis so that $h_{3} \ne 0$, $h_{1} = 0 = h_{2} = h_{4}$. The only
non-vanishing component of $F_{ij}$ is $F_{12}$. The Maxwell's
equations
\begin{equation}
\label{eq7} F_{ij;k} + F_{jk;i} + F_{ki;j} = 0,
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq8} \Biggl[\frac{1}{\bar{\mu}} F^{ij}\Biggr]_{;j} = 0,
\end{equation}
require that $F_{12}$ be function of $x$ alone. We assume that the magnetic
permeability as a function of $x$ and $t$ both. Here the semicolon
represents a covariant differentiation. \\
The Einstein's field equations ( in gravitational units c = 1, G
= 1 ) read as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq9} R^{j}_{i} - \frac{1}{2} R g^{j}_{i} + \Lambda
g^{j}_{i} = - 8\pi T^{j}_{i},
\end{equation}
for the line element (1) has been set up as
\[
8\pi A^{2}\left( p + \frac{F^{2}_{12}}{2\bar{\mu}A^{2}B^{2}}\right) = - \frac{B_{44}}
{B} - \frac{C_{44}}{C} + \frac{A_{4}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{4}}{B} + \frac{C_{4}}{C}\right)
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq10}
+ \frac{A_{1}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{1}}{B} + \frac{C_{1}}{C}\right) + \frac{B_{1}C_{1}}
{BC} - \frac{B_{4}C_{4}}{BC} - \Lambda A^{2},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq11}
8\pi A^{2}\left( p + \frac{F^{2}_{12}}{2\bar{\mu}A^{2}B^{2}}\right) = -\left(\frac{A_{4}}
{A}\right)_{4} + \left(\frac{A_{1}}{A}\right)_{1} - \frac{C_{44}}{C} + \frac{C_{11}}{C}
- \Lambda A^{2},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq12}
8\pi A^{2}\left(p - \frac{F^{2}_{12}}{2\bar{\mu}A^{2}B^{2}}\right) = -\left(\frac{A_{4}}
{A}\right)_{4} + \left(\frac{A_{1}}{A}\right)_{1} - \frac{B_{44}}{B} + \frac{B_{11}}{B}
- \Lambda A^{2},
\end{equation}
\[
8\pi A^{2}\left(\rho + \frac{F^{2}_{12}}{2\bar{\mu}A^{2}B^{2}}\right) = - \frac{B_{11}}
{B} - \frac{C_{11}}{C} + \frac{A_{1}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{1}}{B} + \frac{C_{1}}{C}\right)
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq13}
+ \frac{A_{4}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{4}}{B} + \frac{C_{4}}{C}\right) - \frac{B_{1}C_{1}}
{BC} + \frac{B_{4}C_{4}}{BC} + \Lambda A^{2},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq14}
0 = \frac{B_{14}}{B} + \frac{C_{14}}{C} - \frac{A_{1}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{4}}{B} +
\frac{C_{4}}{C}\right) - \frac{A_{4}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{1}}{B} + \frac{C_{1}}{C}\right),
\end{equation}
where the sub indices $1$ and $4$ in A, B, C and elsewhere indicate ordinary
differentiation with respect to $x$ and $t$, respectively.
\section{Solution of the field equations}
Equations (\ref{eq10}) - (\ref{eq12}) lead to
\[
\left(\frac{A_{4}}{A}\right)_{4} - \frac{B_{44}}{B} + \frac{A_{4}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{4}}{B}
+ \frac{C_{4}}{C}\right) - \frac{B_{4}C_{4}}{BC} =
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq15} \left(\frac{A_{1}}{A}\right)_{1} + \frac{C_{11}}{C} -
\frac{A_{1}}{A}\left(\frac{B_{1}}{B} + \frac{C_{1}}{C}\right) -
\frac{B_{1}C_{1}}{BC} = \mbox{a (constant)},
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq16}
\frac{8\pi F^{2}_{12}}{\bar{\mu}B^{2}} = \frac{B_{44}}{B} - \frac{B_{11}}{B} +
\frac{C_{11}}{C} - \frac{C_{44}}{C}.
\end{equation}
Eqs. (\ref{eq10}) - (\ref{eq14}) represent a system of five
equations in seven unknowns $A$, $B$, $C$, $\rho$, $p$, $\Lambda$
and $\bar{\mu}$. For the complete determination of these unknowns
two more conditions are needed. As in the case of
general-relativistic cosmologies, the introduction of
inhomogeneities into the cosmological equations produces a
considerable increase in mathematical difficulty: non-linear partial
differential equations must now be solved. In practice, this means
that we must proceed either by means of approximations which render
the non-linearities tractable, or we must introduce particular
symmetries into the metric of the space-time in order to reduce the
number of degrees of freedom which the inhomogeneities can exploit.
In the present case, we assume that the metric is Petrov type-II
non-degenerate. This requires that
\[
\left(\frac{B_{11} + B_{44} + 2B_{14}}{B}\right) - \left(\frac{C_{11} + C_{4} + 2C_{14}}
{C}\right) =
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq17}
\frac{2(A_{1} + A_{4})(B_{1} + B_{4})}{AB} - \frac{2(A_{1} +
A_{4})(C_{1} + C_{4})}{AC}.
\end{equation}
Let us consider that
\[
A = f(x)\lambda(t),
\]
\[
B = g(x)\mu(t),
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq18}
C = g(x)\nu(t).
\end{equation}
Using (\ref{eq18}) in (\ref{eq14}) and (\ref{eq17}), we get
\begin{equation}
\label{eq19} \left[\frac{\frac{g_{4}}{g} -
\frac{f_{1}}{f}}{\frac{g_{1}}{g}}\right] =
\left[\frac{\frac{2\lambda_{4}}{\lambda}}{\frac{\mu_{4}}{\mu} +
\frac{\nu_{4}} {\nu}}\right] = \mbox{b (constant)},
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq20}
\frac{\frac{\mu_{44}}{\mu} - \frac{\nu_{44}}{\nu}}{\frac{\mu_{4}}{\mu} -
\frac{\nu_{4}}{\nu}} - \frac{2\lambda_{4}}{\lambda} = 2\left(\frac{f_{1}}{f} -
\frac{g_{1}}{g}\right) = \mbox{L (constant)}.
\end{equation}
Equation (\ref{eq19}) leads to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq21} f = ng^{(1 - b)},
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq22}
\lambda = m(\mu \nu)^{\frac{b}{2}},
\end{equation}
where m and n are constants of integration. Equations (\ref{eq15}), (\ref{eq18})
and (\ref{eq20}) lead to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq23} \left(\frac{b}{2} - 1\right)\frac{\mu_{44}}{\mu} + (b -
1)\frac{\mu_{4}\nu_{4}} {\mu \nu} = a,
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq24}
(2 - b)\frac{g_{11}}{g} + (3b - 4)\frac{g^{2}_{1}}{g^{2}} = a.
\end{equation}
Let us assume
\begin{equation}
\label{eq25} \mu = e^{U + W},
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq26}
\nu = e^{U - W}.
\end{equation}
Equations (\ref{eq20}), (\ref{eq25}) and (\ref{eq26}) lead to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq27}
W_{4} = Me^{Lt + 2(b - 1)U},
\end{equation}
where M is constant. From equations (\ref{eq23}), (\ref{eq25}), (\ref{eq26}) and
(\ref{eq27}), we have
\begin{equation}
\label{eq28}
(b - 1)U_{44} + 2(b - 1)U^{2}_{4} - 2bM e^{Lt + 2(b -1)U}U_{4} - ML e^{Lt + 2(b -1)U}
= a.
\end{equation}
If we put $e^{2U} = \xi$ in equation (\ref{eq28}), we obtain
\begin{equation}
\label{eq29} \frac{(b - 1)}{2}\frac{d^{2}\xi}{dt^{2}} - M
\frac{d}{dt}(e^{Lt}\xi^{b}) = a\xi.
\end{equation}
If we consider $\xi = e^{h t}$, then equation (\ref{eq29}) leads to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq30} \frac{(b - 1)}{2}g^{2}e^{h t} -
M\frac{d}{dt}(e^{Lt}e^{h b t}) = ae^{h t},
\end{equation}
which again reduces to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq31} h = \frac{L}{1 - b}
\end{equation}
and
\begin{equation}
\label{eq32}
a = \frac{L(L + 2M)}{2(b - 1)}.
\end{equation}
Thus
\begin{equation}
\label{eq33} U = \frac{Lt}{2(1 - b)}.
\end{equation}
Equations (\ref{eq27}) and (\ref{eq33}) reduce to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq34}
W = Mt + \log {N},
\end{equation}
where $N$ is an integrating constant. Eq. (\ref{eq24}) leads to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq35}
g = \beta \sinh^{\frac{2 -b}{2(b - 1)}}{(\alpha x + \delta)},
\end{equation}
where
$$
\alpha = \frac{\sqrt{2a(b-1)}}{(2 - b)}, ~~~~ \beta=\beta_{0}^{\frac{2 -b}{2(b - 1)}}
$$
and $\beta_{0}$, $\delta$ being constants of integration. Hence
\begin{equation}
\label{eq36}
f = n\beta \sinh^{\frac{b - 2}{2(b - 1)}}{(\alpha x + \delta)},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq37}
\lambda = m e^{\frac{Lbt}{2(1 - b)}},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq38}
\mu = e^{\frac{Lbt}{2(1 - b)} + Mt + \log{N}},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq39}
\nu = e^{\frac{Lbt}{2(1 - b)} - Mt - \log{N}}.
\end{equation}
Therefore, we have
\begin{equation}
\label{eq40}
A = f \lambda = m n \beta e^{\frac{Lbt}{2(1 - b)}}\sinh^{\frac{b -2}{2}}
{(\alpha x + \delta)},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq41}
B = g \mu = N \beta e^{\left(\frac{L}{1 - b} + 2M \right)\frac{t}{2}}
\sinh^{\frac{2 - b}{2(b - 1)}}{(\alpha x + \delta)},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq42}
C = g \nu = \frac{\beta}{N}e^{\left(\frac{L}{1 - b} - 2M \right)\frac{t}{2}}
\sinh^{\frac{2 - b}{2(b - 1)}}{(\alpha x + \delta)}.
\end{equation}
By using the transformation
\[
\alpha X = \alpha x + \delta,
\]
\[
Y = Gy,
\]
\[
Z = Hz,
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq43}
T = t,
\end{equation}
the metric (\ref{eq1}) reduces to the form
\[
ds^{2} = K^{2} \sinh^{b - 2}{(\alpha X)} e^{\frac{LTb}{1 - b}}(dX^{2} - dT^{2}) +
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq44}
\sinh^{\frac{2 - b}{b - 1}}{(\alpha X)} e^{\left(\frac{L}{1 - b}
+ 2M \right)T}dY^{2} + \sinh^{\frac{2 - b}{b - 1}}{(\alpha X)}
e^{\left(\frac{L}{1 - b} - 2M\right)T}dZ^{2},
\end{equation}
where $K = mn\beta$, $G = N\beta$ and $H = \frac{\beta}{N}$.
\section{Some Physical and Geometric Features}
The physical parameters, pressure $(p)$ and density $(\rho)$, for the model
(\ref{eq44}) are given by
$$
8\pi p = \frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b)^{2} \alpha^{2}}{4(b - 1)}\left\{1 + \frac{2 - b}{b - 1}
\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq45}
- \frac{L^{2}}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2}\Biggr] - \Lambda,
\end{equation}
$$
8\pi \rho = \frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq46}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda.
\end{equation}
In this case to find the explicit value of cosmological constant $\Lambda(t)$, one may assume that the fluid obey an
equation of state of the form
\begin{equation}
\label{eq47}
p=\gamma\rho
\end{equation}
where $\gamma(0\leq\gamma\leq1)$ is a constant.\\
Using equation (\ref{eq47}) in (\ref{eq45}) and then solving with(\ref{eq46}), we have
$$
8\pi (1+\gamma)\rho = \frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b)(b^2 - 2b +4) \alpha^{2}}{4(b - 1)^{2}}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq48}
+\frac{b(b-2)\alpha^2}{4(b-1)} - \frac{L^{2}}{2(1 - b)} - 2M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr],
\end{equation}
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=4.0in]{Fig1.eps}
\caption{The plot of energy density $\rho$ vs. time T with parameters $ b=0.5, m = 0.03,
n = 0.25, K = 0.2 ~ and ~ \gamma = 0.4 $}
\label{fg:Fig1.eps}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
Eliminating $\gamma$ from (\ref{eq46}) and (\ref{eq48}), we obtain
$$
(1+\gamma)\Lambda = \frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b)\left(b^2 - 4\gamma b +4(b+1)\right)\alpha^{2}}{4(b - 1)^{2}}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq49}
-\frac{(b-2)(2+2\gamma-b)\alpha^2}{4(b-1)} - \frac{L^{2}\left(\gamma(2b-1)+1\right)}{4(1 - b)^2} - (1-\gamma)M^{2}
+\frac{\gamma ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr],
\end{equation}
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=4.0in]{Fig2.eps}
\caption{The plot of cosmological constant $\Lambda$ vs. time T with parameters $ b=0.5, m = 0.03,
n = 0.25, K = 0.2 ~ and ~ \gamma = 0.4 $}
\label{fg:Fig2.eps}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
From (\ref{eq46}) and (\ref{eq48}), we note that $\rho(t)$ is the decreasing function of time and $\rho > 0$ for
all time. This behaviour is clearly shown in figure 1, as a representative case with appropriate choice of constants
of integration and other physical parameters using reasonably well known situations.
In spite of homogeniety at large scale our universe is inhomogenrous at small scale, so physical quantities
being position dependent are more natural in our observable universe if we do not go to super high scale.
This result show this kind of physical importance. In recent time theoreticians and observers draw high attention
on $\Lambda$ - terms due to various reasons.The non-trivial role of the vacuum in early universe generates a
$\Lambda$ that leads to inflationary phase. Obsevationally this term provides an additional parameter to accommodate
conflicting data on the value of Hubble's constant, deceleration parameter, the density parameters and the age of
universe \cite{ref54} and \cite{ref55}. Assuming that $\Lambda$ owes it origin to vacuum interactions, as suggested
in particular by Sakharav \cite{ref56}, it follows that it would in general be a function of space and
time co-ordinates, rather than a strict constant. In a homogeneous universe $\Lambda$ will be most time dependent
\cite{ref57}. In our case this approach can generate $\Lambda$ that varies both with space and time. In considering
the nature of local massive objects, however the space dependence of $\Lambda$ can not ignored. For detail discussion,
the readers are advised to see the reference (Narlikar, Pecker and Vigier \cite{ref58}, Ray and Ray \cite{ref59},
Tiwari, Ray and Bhadra \cite{ref60}).
From (\ref{eq49}), we see that cosmological constant $\Lambda$ is a decreasing function of time and it approaches
a small positive value at late time. This behaviour is clearly shown in figure 2. Recent cosmological obsevations
suggest the existence of positive cosmological constant $\Lambda$ with the magnitude
$\Lambda\left(\frac{G\hbar}{c^3}\right)\approx 10^{-123}$. These observations on magnitude and red-shift of
type Ia supernova suggest that our universe may be an accelerating one with induced
cosmological density through the cosmological
$\Lambda$-term. Thus the model presented in this paper is consistent with the results of recent observations.\\
The non-vanishing component $F_{12}$ of the electromagnetic field tensor is
given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq50}
F_{12} = \sqrt{\frac{\bar{\mu}}{8\pi}\frac{2ML}{(1 - b)}} G e^{\left(\frac{L}{1 - b}
+ 2M \right)\frac{T}{2}}\sinh^{\frac{2 - b}{2(b - 1)}}{(\alpha X)},
\end{equation}
where $\bar{\mu}$ remains undetermined as function of $x$ and $t$ both. \\
The scalar of expansion $(\theta)$ calculated for the flow vector $(v^{i})$ is given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq51} \theta = \frac{L(b + 2)}{2K(1 - b)} e^{\frac{LbT}{2(b -
1)}}\sinh^{\frac{(2 - b)}{2}} {(\alpha X)}.
\end{equation}
The shear scalar $(\sigma^{2})$, acceleration vector
$(\dot{v}_{i})$, deceleration parameter $q$, proper volume $V$
and Hubble parameter $H$ for the model (\ref{eq45}) are given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq52}
\sigma^{2} = \frac{(L^{2} + 12 M^{2})}{12 K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{(b - 1)}}
\sinh^{(2 - b)}{(\alpha X)},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq53}
\dot{v}_{i} = \left(\frac{1}{2}(b - 2)\alpha \coth(\alpha X), 0, 0, 0\right),
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq54} q = - \frac{4K^{2}(b + 1)^{2}}{81(b +
2)^{2}}\exp{\left(\frac{L b T}{1 - b}\right)}\sinh^{(b - 2)}{(\alpha
X)},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq55} V = \sqrt{-g} = K^{2} G H e^{\frac{L(b + 1)T}{(1 -
b)}}\sinh^{\frac{(b - 2)(b - 3)}{(b - 1)}} {(\alpha X)},
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq56} H = \frac{3L(b + 2)}{2K(1 - b)} e^{\frac{LbT}{2(b -
1)}}\sinh^{\frac{(2 - b)}{2}} {(\alpha X)}.
\end{equation}
From equations(\ref{eq51}) and (\ref{eq52}), we have
\begin{equation}
\label{eq57} \frac{\sigma^{2}}{\theta^{2}} = \frac{(L^{2} + 12
M^{2})(1 - b^{2})}{3L^{2}(b + 2)^{2}} = \mbox{constant}.
\end{equation}
The rotation $\omega$ is identically zero and the non-vanishing component of
conformal curvature tensor are given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq58} C_{(1212)} = \frac{1}{6K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{(b -
1)}}\sinh^{(2 - b)}{(\alpha X)} \left[b \alpha - \frac{L^{2}}{4b} +
3ML - 2M^{2}\right],
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq59} C_{(1313)} = \frac{1}{6K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{(b -
1)}}\sinh^{(2 - b)}{(\alpha X)} \left[b \alpha - \frac{L^{2}}{4b} -
3ML - 2M^{2}\right],
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq60} C_{(2323)} = \frac{1}{3K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{(b -
1)}}\sinh^{(2 - b)}{(\alpha X)} \left[- b\alpha + \frac{L^{2}}{4b} +
\frac{ML}{(1 - b)} + 2M^{2}\right],
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq61} C_{(1224)} =\frac{ML}{2K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{(b -
1)}}\sinh^{(2 - b)} {(\alpha X)}.
\end{equation}
The reality conditions (Ellis \cite{ref61})
$$
(i) \rho + p > 0, ~ ~ (ii) \rho + 3p > 0,
$$
lead to
\[
\frac{(2 - b)\alpha^{2}}{4(b - 1)^{2}}\left[(b^{2} - 2b + 4)\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
+ b(1 - b)\right] >
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq60} \frac{L^{2}}{2(1 - b)} + 2 M^{2} + \frac{ML}{(1 - b)},
\end{equation}
and
\[
e^{\frac{LbT}{(b - 1)}}\Biggl[\frac{(2 - b)(3b^2 -10b +12)\alpha^{2}}{4(b - 1)^2}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)} +
\frac{(2-b)(3b-4)\alpha^2}{4(1-b)}
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq61} + \frac{L^{2}(2b-4)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - \frac{ML}{(1 - b)} -4M^2
\Biggr] + 2K^{2}\Lambda \sinh^{(b - 2)}{(\alpha X)} > 0
\end{equation}
respectively.\\
The dominant energy condition is given by Hawking and Ellis
\cite{ref62}
$$
(i) \rho - p \geq 0, ~ ~ (ii) ~ ~ ~ ~ \rho + p \geq 0
$$
lead to
\[
e^{\frac{LbT}{(b - 1)}}\Biggl[\frac{(2 - b)\alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{(b^{2}
- 6b +4)}{2(1 - b)}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)} + \frac{b - 4}{2}\right\}
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq61} + \frac{L^{2}b}{2(1 - b)^{2}} - \frac{ML}{(1 - b)}
\Biggr] + 2K^{2}\Lambda \sinh^{(b - 2)}{(\alpha X)} \geq 0
\end{equation}
and
\[
\frac{(2 - b)\alpha^{2}}{4(b - 1)^{2}}\left[(b^{2} - 2b + 4)\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
+ b(1 - b)\right] \geq
\]
\begin{equation}
\label{eq62} \frac{L^{2}}{2(1 - b)} + 2 M^{2} + \frac{ML}{(1 - b)},
\end{equation}
respectively.
\section{Thermodynamical behaviour and entropy of universe}
From the thermodynamics \cite{ref63,ref64}, we apply the combination of first and second law of thermodynamics
to the system with volume V. As we know that
\begin{equation}
\label{eq63}
\c{T} dS=d(\rho V)+pdV
\end{equation}
where $ \c{T} $, S represents the tempreture and entropy respectively. \\
Eq. (\ref{eq63}) may be written as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq64}
\c{T} dS=d{\left[(\rho + p)V\right]} - Vdp
\end{equation}
The integrability condition is necessary to define a perefect fluid as a thermodynamical
syetem \cite{ref65,ref66}. It is given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq65}
dp=\frac{\rho + P}{\c{T}}d\c{T}
\end{equation}
Plugging eq. (\ref{eq65}) in eq. (\ref{eq64}), we have the differential equation
\begin{equation}
\label{eq66}
dS=\frac{1}{\c{T}}d{\left[(\rho + p)V\right]} - (\rho + p)V\frac{d\c{T}}{\c{T}^2}
\end{equation}
we rewrite eq (\ref{eq66}) as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq67}
dS=d{\left[\frac{(\rho + p)V}{\c{T}} + c\right]}
\end{equation}
where c is constant.\\
Hence the entropy is defined as
\begin{equation}
\label{68}
S=\frac{\rho + p}{\c{T}} V
\end{equation}
Let the entropy density be s, so that
\begin{equation}
\label{eq69}
s=\frac{S}{V}=\frac{\rho + p}{\c{T}}=\frac{(1+\gamma)\rho}{\c{T}}
\end{equation}
where $ p=\gamma\rho $ and $ 0<\gamma\leq1 $.\\
If we define the entropy density in terms of temprature then the first law of thermodynamics may be written as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq70}
d(\rho V)+\gamma\rho dV=(1+\rho)\c{T}d\left(\frac{\rho V}{\c{T}}\right)
\end{equation}
which on integration yields
\begin{equation}
\label{71}
\c{T}= c_{0}\rho^{\frac{\gamma}{(1+\gamma)}}
\end{equation}
where $ c_{0} $ is constant of integration.\\
From eqs. (\ref{eq69}) and (71), we obtain
\begin{equation}
\label{eq72}
s=\left(\frac{1+\gamma}{c_{0}}\right)\rho^{\frac{1}{1+\rho}}
\end{equation}
These equation are not valid for $ \gamma=-1 $. For the Zel'dovich fluid $ (\gamma=1) $, we get
\begin{equation}
\label{eq73}
\c{T}=c_{0}\rho^\frac{1}{2}
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq74}
s=\frac{2}{c_{0}}\rho^\frac{1}{2}
\end{equation}
$$ \Rightarrow s\sim \rho^\frac{1}{2}\sim \c{T} $$
Thus the entropy density is proportional to the tempreture.\\
Now the tempreture, entropy density and entropy of Zel'dovich universe is given by
$$
\c{T} = T_{0}\Biggl[\frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq76}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda\Biggl]^\frac{1}{2}.
\end{equation}
$$
s = s_{0}\Biggl[\frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq77}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda\Biggl]^\frac{1}{2}.
\end{equation}
$$
S = S_{0}\Biggl[e^{\frac{(b-2)LT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{\frac{(b-2)(2b-7)}{(b-1)}}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq78}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda\Biggl]^\frac{1}{2}.
\end{equation}
where $ T_{0}=\frac{c_{0}}{\sqrt{8\pi}} $, $ s_{0}=\frac{2}{c_{0}\sqrt{8\pi}} $ and $ S_{0}=s_{0}K $ are constant.\\
For radiating fluid $ (\gamma=\frac{1}{3}) $, we get
\begin{equation}
\label{eq79}
\c{T}\sim\rho^\frac{1}{4}
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq80}
s\sim\rho^\frac{3}{4}\sim\c{T}^3
\end{equation}
Thus the entropy density is proportional to cube of tempreture.\\
Now the tempreture, entropy density and entropy of radiating universe is given by
$$
\c{T} = T_{00}\Biggl[\frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq81}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda\Biggl]^\frac{1}{4}.
\end{equation}
$$
s = s_{00}\Biggl[\frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq82}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda\Biggl]^\frac{3}{4}.
\end{equation}
$$
S = S_{00} e^{\frac{L(b + 1)T}{(1 -b)}}\sinh^{\frac{(b - 2)(b - 3)}{(b - 1)}} {(\alpha X)}
\Biggl[\frac{1}{K^{2}}e^{\frac{LbT}{b - 1}}\sinh^{2 - b}{(\alpha X)}
$$
\begin{equation}
\label{eq82}\Biggl[
\frac{(2 - b) \alpha^{2}}{2(b - 1)}\left\{\frac{b}{b - 1}\coth^{2}{(\alpha X)}
- 1\right\}
+ \frac{L^{2}(2b - 1)}{4(1 - b)^{2}} - M^{2} -\frac{ML}{(1 - b)}\Biggr] + \Lambda\Biggl]^\frac{3}{4}.
\end{equation}
where $ T_{00}=\frac{c_{0}}{(8\pi)^{1/2}} $, $ s_{00}=\frac{2}{c_{0}(8\pi)^{1/2}} $ and
$ S_{00}=s_{0}K^2 $ are constant.\\
\section{Discussion and Concluding Remarks }
The present study deals the plane-symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological
model of electro-magnetic perfect fluid as the source of matter. FRW
models are appoximatly valid, as present day magnetic field is very
small. Maarteens \cite{ref67} in his study explained that magnetic
fields are observed not only in stars but also in galaxies. In
princple, these fields could play a significant role in structure
formation but also affect the anisotropies in cosmic microwave
background radiation [CMB]. Since the electric and magnetic fields
are interrelated, their independent nature disappears when we
consider them as time dependance. Hence, it would be proper to look
upon these fields as a single field - electromagnetic field.
Generally the model represents expanding, shearing, non-rotating and
Petrov type-II non-degenerate universe in which the flow vector is
geodesic. We find that the model starts expanding at $T = 0$ and
goes on expanding indefinitely. For
large values of $T$, the model is conformally flat and Petrov
type-II non-degenerate. Since $\frac{\sigma}{\theta} = $
constant, hence the model does not approach isotropy.
The value of cosmological constant is found to be small and pasitive
supported by recent results from the supernovae observations recently obtained
by High-Z Supernovae Ia Team and Supernovae Cosmological Project.The relation
between cosmological constant and thermodynamical quantities is
established and from eqs. (\ref{eq80}) and $(85)$,
it is clear that cosmological constant affect entropy.
The electromagnetic field tensor does not vanish when $L \ne 0$, $M \ne
0$, and $b \ne 1$. For large values of $T$ and $L + 2M(1 - b) < 0$,
$F_{12}$ tends to zero.
For $ b = 1$, we obtain singularity and model approach isotropy. $b
< 1$ and $b > 1$ imposed the restriction on the value of $M$ and $L$
which affect all the physical and
kinematical parameters of the model. \\
In spite of homogeneity at large scale our universe is
inhomogeneous at small scale, so physical quantities being
position-dependent are more natural in our observable universe if we
do not go to super high scale. Our derived model shows this kind of
physical importance. The expressions for deceleration parameter
($q$) and Hubble parameter ($H$) given by Eqs. (\ref{eq54}) and
(\ref{eq56}) respectively are functions of x and t as in the case of
inhomogeneous cosmological models. Obviously these two expressions
are different from that of FRW cosmological model.
The present study also extend the work of Yadav and Bagora \cite{ref68}
for inhomogeneous universe with varying $ \Lambda $ and clarify thermodynamics
of inhomogeneous universe by introducing the integrability condition and
tempreture. It is found that $s\sim \rho^\frac{1}{2}\sim \c{T}$ and
$ s\sim\rho^\frac{3}{4}\sim\c{T}^3 $, for Zeldo'vich and radiating fluid model respectively.
From these expressions it is clear that $ \rho $ is the function of tempreture and volume, thus
a new general equation of state describing the Zel'dovich fluid and
radiating fluid models as a function of tempreture and volume is found.
The basic equations of thermodynamics for inhomogeneous universe has been deduced
which may be useful for better understanding of evolution of universe.
\noindent
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 5,484 |
\section{Introduction}
Recent research showed that Rashba spin orbit coupling (RSOC) at the surfaces of metals can be enhanced by
the presence of heavy atoms \cite{Gambardella,Ast} and/or surface oxidation \cite{LaShell} in adjacent layers. This interfacial enhancement
enables significant RSOC effect to be manifested in ferromagnetic metals with small or moderate atomic number at room
temperature \cite{Miron}, whereas previously, strong RSOC effect is confined only to semiconductor heterostructures.
In this paper, we choose a typical ferromagnetic (FM) metal (Co) as the central conducting layer, sandwiched between
an oxide and a Pt layer, the latter supplying the heavy atoms [see Fig. 1(a)]. The electron accumulation which develops
in the FM layer in the presence of a charge (unpolarized) current is theoretically evaluated via the non-equilibrium
Green's function (NEGF) method in the ballistic limit. In the presence of $s$-$d$ coupling, the incoming charge current
becomes polarized by the FM moments in the central region. When this intrinsic polarization of current is coupled to
the RSOC, an inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) \cite{saitoh,Hankiewicz} will be induced. Thus, a Hall voltage is generated without the need
for spin injection from an external spin polarizing layer. By contrast, in previous works, the ISHE is experimentally
realized by injecting spin polarized current \cite{Valenzuela,Zhang} from an external FM electrode, or by the inflow of pure spin
current \cite{Hankiewicz,Saitoh1,Kimura,Xing,Li,Ando}, generated externally e.g. via spin pumping or non-local spin accumulation. In this work, we show
theoretically that Hall voltage can be generated when the FM moment in the central region is oriented perpendicular to
the plane, which persists at room temperature. Furthermore, the generated Hall voltage can be reversed symmetrically
when the FM moment is switched to the opposite direction. Thus, the charge current-induced ISHE signal can be used to
detect the polarity of the FM moment, and potentially serve as a read-back mechanism in memory applications.
\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=6.0cm]{ishe.eps}
\caption{(a) Schematic diagram of the proposed FM moment detector utilizing the ISHE phenomenon. (b) Lattice discretization of the device for tight-binding NEGF calculation (top view). The Hall voltage $V_t$ is the potential difference between the two strip electrodes running along the top and bottom edges of the central region. The covered area schematically shows the edge width which will be used for the Hall voltage calculation.}
\label{fige1}
\end{figure}
\section{Model Hamiltonian and Theory}
The schematic diagram of the FM moment detector is shown in Fig. 1(a); the central region comprises of a triple-layer structure for the enhancement of RSOC within the FM (Co) layer \cite{Miron}. Charge accumulation within the Co layer is calculated via tight-binding NEGF method \cite{Xing}. To perform the tight-binding calculation, the central region of the device is discretized into $(M\times N)$ lattice of points [see Fig. 1(b)]. The conduction electrons within the Co layer experiences the RSOC effect and the $s$-$d$ exchange interaction with the local FM moments $\textbf{M}(\theta,\phi)$. Thus, the Hamiltonian of the central region can be expressed as $H_{C}=H_{K}+H_{M}+H_{Rso}$, where $H_{K}$ is the kinetic term, $H_{M}$ the $s$-$d$ coupling term, and $H_{Rso}$ the RSOC term. The Hamiltonian can be expressed as \cite{Rashba}:
\begin{eqnarray}
H_{K}&=&\sum_{mn\sigma}[4td^{\dagger}_{mn\sigma}d_{mn\sigma}\nonumber\\
&-&t(d^{\dagger}_{m+1,n\sigma}d_{mn\sigma}+d^{\dagger}_{m,n+1\sigma}d_{mn\sigma}+\mathrm{h.c.})],\\\label{eq5}
H_{M}&=&\sum_{mn\sigma}\mathrm{sgn}[\sigma] M\cos(\theta)d^{\dagger}_{mn\sigma}d_{mn\sigma}\nonumber\\
& &+M \sin(\theta)e^{i\sigma\phi}d^{\dagger}_{mn\sigma}d_{mn\bar{\sigma}},\\\label{eq2}
H_{Rso}&=&\sum_{mn\sigma\sigma'}-it_{so}[(d^{\dagger}_{m+1,n}d_{mn}-d^{\dagger}_{m-1,n}d_{mn})\otimes\hat{\sigma}_{y}\nonumber\\
& &-(d^{\dagger}_{m,n+1}d_{mn}-d^{\dagger}_{m,n-1}d_{mn})\otimes\hat{\sigma}_{x}],\label{eq4}
\end{eqnarray}
where $M$ denotes the $s$-$d$ coupling strength, $t_{so}=\frac{\alpha}{2a}$ denotes the RSOC strength. Similarly, the Hamiltonian of the normal metal (NM) leads, and the coupling energy between the leads and central region can be expressed as:
\begin{eqnarray}
H_{L(R)}&=&\sum_{mn\sigma}[4ta^{\dagger}_{mn\sigma}a_{mn\sigma}\nonumber\\
&-&t(a^{\dagger}_{m+1,n\sigma}a_{mn\sigma}+a^{\dagger}_{m,n+1\sigma}a_{mn\sigma}+\mathrm{h.c.})].\\\label{eq6}
H_{T}&=&\sum_{n\sigma}[t'_{L}a^{\dagger}_{0n\sigma}d_{1n\sigma}+t'_{R}a^{\dagger}_{M+1,n\sigma}d_{Mn\sigma}+\mathrm{h.c.}].\label{eq7}
\end{eqnarray}
From the eigenvalue equation of
the total Hamiltonian and the definition of retarded Green's function, one can obtain an equation: $(E-H_{mn}+i\eta)G^{n,n}_{m,m}(\sigma\sigma)=I$. From this relation, one can obtain a series of linear equations involving $G^{n,n}_{m,m}(\sigma\sigma)$ by considering each spatial point $(m,n)$. For instance, within the central region, i.e. $1<m<M$, one obtains:
\begin{widetext}
\begin{eqnarray}
I&=&[E-4t-\sigma M\cos(\theta)]G^{n,n}_{m,m}(\sigma\sigma)-e^{i\sigma\phi}M \sin(\theta)G^{n,n}_{m,m}(\bar{\sigma}\sigma)
+t[G^{n,n}_{m-1,m}(\sigma\sigma)+G^{n,n}_{m+1,m}(\sigma\sigma)\nonumber\\
&+&G^{n-1,n}_{m,m}(\sigma\sigma)+G^{n+1,n}_{m,m}(\sigma\sigma)]+t_{so}[\sigma
G^{n,n}_{m+1,m}(\bar{\sigma}\sigma)-iG^{n+1,n}_{m,m}(\bar{\sigma}\sigma)-\sigma
G^{n,n}_{m-1,m}(\bar{\sigma}\sigma)+iG^{n-1,n}_{m,m}(\bar{\sigma}\sigma)].
\label{eq8}
\end{eqnarray}
\end{widetext}
Collectively, all these equations can be
expressed in matrix form: $(E[I]-[H])[G]^{r}=I$. The infinitely large matrix $[H]$ consists of sub-matrices denoting the
Hamiltonian of the central region ($[H_{C}]$) and the coupling
coefficients between the two leads and the central region separately
($[\tau_{L/R,C}]$). Following standard procedures in the tight-binding method, one then obtains:
\begin{equation}
(E[I]-[H_{C}]-[\Sigma]^{r}_{L}-[\Sigma]^{r}_{R})[G_{C}]^{r}=I,\label{eq9}
\end{equation}
in which the non-zero terms of the self energy are:
$[\Sigma^{n,n'}_{m,m}]^{r}_{L(R)}=[\tau]^{n,n}_{m,0(M+1)}[g^{r}]^{n,n'}_{0(M+1),0(M+1)}[\tau]^{n',n'}_{0(M+1),m}$. The retarded Green's functions of the isolated left(right) lead $[g^{r}]^{n,n'}_{0(M+1),0(M+1)}$ can be expressed as (for the left lead):
\begin{equation}
[g^{r}]^{n,n'}_{0,0}=-\frac{1}{t}\sum_{i}\chi_{i}(p_{n})e^{ik_{i}a}\chi_{i}(p_{n'}).\label{eq10}
\end{equation}
In the above, $k_i$ is the wave vector along the semi-infinite longitudinal direction, $\chi_{i}(p_{n})$ is the $\tilde{i}$th eigenfunction in the transverse dimension at site $(0,n)$ in the lead, which can be expressed as:
\begin{equation}
\chi_{i}(p_{n})=\sqrt{\frac{2}{N+1}\sin{\frac{i\pi n}{N+1}}}.\label{eq11}
\end{equation}
The retarded Green's function of the central region can then be solved by inverting Eq. \eqref{eq9}. Thus one can express the lesser Green's function $[G]^{<}$ via the Langreth formula: $[G]^{<}=[G]^{r}[\Sigma]^{<}[G]^{a}$, in which
$[\Sigma]^{<}=\sum_{\mu=L,R}([\Sigma]^{a}_{\mu}-[\Sigma]^{r}_{\mu})f_{\mu}$, with $f_\mu$ being the Fermi distribution function within lead
$\mu$. The total charge accumulation for a given cell at lattice coordinate $(m,n)$ with an area of $a^2$ is given by:
\begin{equation}
\tilde{\rho}_{m,n}=-\frac{ie}{2\pi}\int^{\infty}_{-\infty}Tr[G]^{<}_{mn,mn}(E)dE,\label{eq12}
\end{equation}
where the trace is over the spin degree of freedom. The surface charge density $\rho_{m,n}$ is then given by $\rho_{m,n}=\frac{\tilde{\rho}_{m,n}}{a^2}$.
The Hall voltage at longitudinal position $x=m$ ($V_{tm}$) is given, up to a proportionality constant, by
the difference in the surface charge density between the top and bottom edges corresponding to $x=m$, i.e. $V_{tm}\propto\Delta\rho_m=\rho_{tm}-\rho_{bm}$.
In calculating the charge densities $\rho_{tm}$ and $\rho_{bm}$, we consider a finite width of each edge. The values of $\rho_{tm}$ and $\rho_{bm}$ are averaged
over some number of rows ($W$) adjacent to the top and bottom edges, such that $Wa\approx$ 0.3 nm. Thus, the surface charge density difference along $x$-direction is given by:
\begin{equation}
\Delta\rho_m=\frac{\sum^{W}_{n=1}\rho_{m,N-n+1}-\rho_{m,n}}{W}.\label{eq13}
\end{equation}
In practice, the Hall voltage $V_t$ is given by the potential difference between the two electrodes. We assume that each electrode runs along the entire length of the edges (i.e., from $m=1$ to $M$). Thus, computationally, the Hall voltage $V_t$ is given by the surface charge density difference averaged over the longitudinal dimension, i.e.,
\begin{equation}
\Delta\rho_{av}=\frac{\sum^M_{m=1}\sum^{W}_{n=1}\rho_{m,N-n+1}-\rho_{m,n}}{M\times W}.\label{eq14}
\end{equation}
\section{Results and Discussion}
The following parameters are assumed in the numerical calculations: (i) The device is modeled at room temperature ($T=300$ K); the Fermi energy of the central FM
layer is set to $7.38$ eV, which is a typical value for Co \cite{Wawrzyniaka}. (ii) The lattice cell dimension is set to $a=0.045$ nm, which is
significantly smaller than the Fermi wavelength $(a\sim\lambda/10)$,
so that the lattice Green's function model can simulate a continuum
system to a good approximation. (iii) The coupling strength is
$t=\frac{\hbar^{2}}{2ma^{2}}=18.69$ eV, while for simplicity, the
coupling between the lead and the central region is set to
$t_{L/R}=0.8t$. (iv) The RSOC strength in Eq. \eqref{eq4} is given by
$t_{so}=\frac{\alpha}{2a}$. For a typical FM RSOC material, $\alpha$ lies between $4\times10^{-11}$ and $3\times10^{-10}$ eVm
\cite{Ast,Henk,Krupin}, which translates to a range of coupling parameter values of $0.4<t_{so}<3.3$ eV.
(v) The $s$-$d$ exchange energy is set to $|M|=0.85$ eV \cite{Wakoh}. (vi) The
electrochemical potentials of the two leads are set to
$\mu_{L}=-\mu_{R}=2$ eV. (vii) Finally, the central region is
discretized into a square lattice of $(M\times N)=(200\times 100)$ of unit cells. This corresponds to an actual dimensions of (9 nm$\times$ 4.5 nm) for the central region.
\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=4.0cm]{xyz200.eps}
\includegraphics[width=4.0cm]{xyz.eps}
\caption{(a) Distribution of $\Delta\rho_m$ along the longitudinal
$x$-axis. The FM moments in the central region are oriented along
the $\pm x$ (blue), $\pm y$ (red) and $\pm z$ (black) directions.
The corresponding electron density distributions are schematically
depicted in (b), (c) and (d), respectively. Fig (e) shows a possible
electrode configuration to detect the Hall voltage when FM moment is
along $\pm x$ directions. The following parameter values are
assumed: RSOC strength of $t_{so}=3$ eV, bias voltage of $V=4$ eV,
and $s$-$d$ coupling strength of $M=0.85$ eV. The central region is discretized into a
lattice of $(200\times100)$ unit cells.} \label{fige2}
\end{figure}
We first calculate the transverse charge density difference of
$\Delta\rho_m$ as a function of the longitudinal position $x$, when
the FM moments in the Co layer are separately oriented along $\pm
x$, $\pm y$ and $\pm z$ directions. The results are
plotted in Figure \ref{fige2}(a). Our results show that when the FM
moments are in the $y$-direction, the spatial charge distribution
$\rho_{m,n}$ is symmetric about the central longitudinal axis of
$n=(N+1)/2$, resulting in $\Delta\rho_m=0$. When the FM moments are
switched to $-y$ direction, the charge distribution $\rho_{m,n}$
remains symmetric about the central longitudinal axis, and hence
$\Delta\rho_m$ is still $0$ [see Fig. \ref{fige2}(b) for a schematic
representation]. Thus, when the FM moments of the Co layer are
aligned along $\pm y$, no Hall voltage would be observed. By
contrast, when the FM moments are oriented along the $x$-direction,
$\Delta\rho_m$ is symmetric about the central point
$(m,n)=((M+1)/2,(N+1)/2)$ [see Figs. \ref{fige2}(a) and (c)].
Furthermore, the sign of $\Delta\rho_m$ is reversed when the FM
moments are switched to the $-x$ direction. However, when averaged
along the entire edge, the surface charge density difference will be
$\Delta\rho_{av}=0$ due to the point symmetry. However, if the Hall
electrodes extend to only half the entire length of the top and
bottom edges [as shown schematically in Fig. \ref{fige2}(e)], a
finite Hall voltage can still be detected.
Of greater interest is the case where the FM moments are along the out-of-plane
$z$-direction. The charge density difference $\Delta\rho_m$ is symmetric about the
central vertical axis, i.e. $m=(M+1)/2$. Thus, a finite $\Delta\rho_{av}$, i.e., a Hall
voltage $V_t$ is generated [see Figs. \ref{fige2}(a) and (d)]. Since only charge current but not
spin current is injected into the system, the above can be regarded as a charge
current-induced ISHE in FM metal with RSOC.
\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=6.0cm]{cont.eps}
\caption{The spatial distribution of $\rho_{m,n}$ (in unit of
$\frac{e}{m^{2}}$). The longitudinal and transverse dimensions are expressed in unit of the lattice constant $a$. The $s$-$d$ coupling strength is $M=0.85$ eV, the RSOC strength is $t_{so}=3$
eV, the bias voltage is $V=4$ eV, the central region is a $(200\times100)$ lattice ($9$ nm $\times4.5$ nm).} \label{fige3}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=4.0cm]{up.eps}
\includegraphics[width=4.0cm]{dn.eps}
\caption{The detailed distribution of $\rho_{tm}$ and $\rho_{bm}$ (in unit of
$\frac{e}{m^{2}}$) at (a) the top, and (b) bottom edges of Fig. 3. The longitudinal and transverse dimensions are expressed in unit of the lattice constant $a$.} \label{fige4}
\end{figure}
In the following, we will investigate this charge current-driven ISHE in greater detail. The spatial distribution of $\rho_{m,n}$ is plotted over the central region when the FM moments are in the $+z$-direction [see Fig. 3]. For clarity, the detailed distribution of charge densities $\rho_{tm}$ and $\rho_{bm}$ are shown in Figs. 4(a) and (b). It is observed that the surface charge density is larger along the top edge, which will result in a finite Hall voltage or ISHE effect.
\begin{figure}[t]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=4.0cm]{200678.eps}
\includegraphics[width=4.0cm]{fs.eps}
\caption{(a) The oscillatory increase of $\Delta\rho_{av}$ with the RSOC strength $t_{so}$, for different edge width $W$ and FM moment orientations (solid lines for $z$, dashed lines for $-z$ ). The central region is discretized into a $(200\times100)$ lattice, with dimensions (9 nm$\times$4.5 nm). The $s$-$d$ coupling strength is $M=0.85$ eV, while the bias voltage is $V=4$ V. (b) The schematic diagram of the spin electron distribution due to Yang-Mills-like Lorentz force. The number of Hall deflection pairs increases with increasing RSOC strength.}
\label{fige5}
\end{figure}
Fig. \ref{fige5}(a) shows the dependence of $\Delta\rho_{av}$ on the RSOC strength $t_{so}$ for different edge width $W$. $\Delta\rho_{av}$, and hence the Hall voltage $V_{t}$ across the central region, show an increasing trend with the RSOC strength $t_{so}$, but in an oscillatory manner. The physics underlying this oscillatory increase can be understood in terms of the Yang-Mills-like Lorentz force arising from the RSOC gauge \cite{Tan,Shen}. Here, the FM moments $M$ merely play the role of sustaining a vertical spin polarization of current but do not contribute directly to the Lorentz force. The Lorentz force leads to the transverse separation of electrons of opposite spins [shown schematically in Fig. \ref{fige5}(b)], which we term as ``Hall deflection pair". Since there are unequal number of charges on the two transverse sides, each Hall deflection pair will contribute to a charge Hall voltage. For a fixed $M$, an increase in the RSOC strength results in an increasing number of Hall deflection pairs along the length of the device, as shown in Fig. \ref{fige5}(b). The charge imbalance in a Hall deflection pair coupled with the increase in the number of such pairs with the RSOC strength provide a heuristic explanation of the oscillatory increase of $\Delta\rho_{av}$ and the Hall voltage with the RSOC strength. The sign of $\Delta\rho_{av}$ can be reversed by switching the orientation of FM moment between $\pm z$. Furthermore, $\Delta\rho_{av}$ is not sensitive to the definition of edge, i.e. the general trend remains unchanged for the range of edge width $W$ considered in our calculation.
Previous work on RSOC in semiconductors has shown that when the surface charge density difference is in the order of $10^{12}e/\mathrm{m}^2$, the generated Hall voltage will be large enough for detection (0.1 mV) \cite{Li}. The electron density in our metallic FM RSOC device will be much higher than that in semiconductors, so that $\Delta\rho_{av}$ could attain a value of the order of $10^{16}e/\mathrm{m}^2$ and generate a sizable Hall voltage of $V_t\approx1V$. By selecting optimal $t_{so}$ which corresponds to the peak Hall voltage values (see Fig. \ref{fige5}), we conjecture that a reasonably large $\Delta\rho_{av}$, hence $V_t$ can be measured when the FM moments are oriented along the out-of-plane $z$ axis. The charge density difference $\Delta\rho_{av}$ switches in sign upon reversal of the FM moments to the $-z$ direction. The resulting large difference in the Hall voltage corresponding to the two FM orientations ($\pm z$) suggests that the ISHE can be utilized in a metal FM RSOC system for the sensitive detection of the FM moment orientation.
In summary,we have investigated the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) which is induced by the combination of RSOC and $s$-$d$ coupling to the FM moments. A Hall voltage is generated when the FM moments are oriented in the perpendicular-to-plane direction. The Hall voltage increases in an oscillating manner with the RSOC strength $t_{so}$. The polarity of the Hall voltage is reversed when the FM moment is switched to the opposite direction. This property suggests the utility of the ISHE in FM metals with strong RSOC effect for the detection of the FM moment direction, e.g., as a possible memory readback mechanism.
\begin{acknowledgments}
This work was supported by the ASTAR SERC Grant No.
092 101 0060 (R-398-000-061-331) and the NSFC Grant No. 50831002,
51071022.
\end{acknowledgments}
| {
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Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB (1967)
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Actors: Dan Natchsheim, David Munson, Joy Carmichael, Marvin Bennett, Ralph Stell
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\section{Introduction}
The very possibility of scientific investigation requires a universe satisfying a simple but fundamental symmetry: what we humans choose to call things cannot affect what is going on. The laws of Nature must not, in particular, depend on our designation, at any particular moment, of a ``system of interest'' to investigate. Whatever these laws are, they must be invariant under our various divisions of the world into ``systems'' and their ``surrounding environments''; without such invariance, there would be no sense in which Nature could be said to have laws. Moreover, objectivity, even in its most minimal sense of intersubjectivity among human observers, requires that the laws of Nature be invariant under changes in who is making the observations. If every observer inferred different laws from their observations, science would be impossible.
Let us call this fundamental symmetry ``decompositional equivalence'' and define it as follows: any system satisfies decompositional equivalence if and only if the laws governing its behavior are invariant under arbitrary decompositions of the system into subsystems. To say that the physical universe $\mathbf{U}$ satisfies decompositional equivalence is then to say that the laws of physics, or alternatively, physical interactions, are invariant under arbitrary decompositions of $\mathbf{U}$ into subsystems. It is, in particular, to say that the laws of physics are invariant under arbitrary decompositions of $\mathbf{U}$ into a system of interest $\mathbf{S}$, an observer $\mathbf{O}$ and a surrounding environment $\mathbf{E}$, where $\mathbf{E}$ is taken to include everything in $\mathbf{U}$ not included in either $\mathbf{S}$ or $\mathbf{O}$.
Decompositional equivalence can be viewed as a form of scale invariance. If the laws of physics are invariant under arbitrary decompositions of $\mathbf{U}$ into $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{E}$, then they are invariant under changes in the scales at which $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{E}$ are defined. Decompositional equivalence can, therefore, be rendered as the claim that there is no preferred scale of observation and hence no preferred class of observers. If $\mathbf{U}$ satisfies decompositional equivalence, the laws of physics in $\mathbf{U}$ are independent of what \textit{any} observer might choose to designate as the ``system of interest.''
It is shown here that the physical universe $\mathbf{U}$ satisfying decompositional equivalence is, when combined with Landauer's Principle that ``information is physical'' and hence has a finite free-energy cost of encoding \cite{landauer:61, landauer:99}, sufficient to generate quantum theory. It is, in particular, sufficient to generate standard, unitary quantum theory. Quantum theory is, therefore, the correct physical theory of a universe that satisfies both Landauer's Principle and decompositional equivalence. If quantum theory is false, then either Landauer's Principle is false and information needs not be physically encoded, or else decompositional equivalence is false and a scale-independent or observer-independent science is impossible.
Demonstrating this claim is surprisingly straightforward. The first step is to recognize that if $\mathbf{O}$ can be chosen arbitrarily, $\mathbf{O}$ cannot be assumed to encode any particular information about $\mathbf{S}$ prior to making observations. Therefore the only information about $\mathbf{S}$ that $\mathbf{O}$ can be regarded as encoding is information obtained by observation. As information is physical, obtaining information by observation requires physical interaction. Hence $\mathbf{O}$ can obtain information about $\mathbf{S}$ only through physical interaction. The second step is to note that the subsystem of $\mathbf{U}$ with which $\mathbf{O}$ interacts, which will be referred to as $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ for $\mathbf{O}$'s ``box,'' comprises both $\mathbf{S}$ and $\mathbf{E}$. Because $\mathbf{U}$ satisfies decompositional equivalence, $\mathbf{O}$'s physical interaction with $\mathbf{B_{O}}$, described formally by a Hamiltonian operator $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$, must be invariant under arbitrary alternative partitionings of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$. This invariance of $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$ under arbitrary alternative partitionings of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ renders $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ a \textit{black box} as defined by classical cybernetics \cite{ashby:56, moore:56}, a system with observable external behavior but an unobservable and hence unknowable interior. The third step is to show that if Landauer's Principle is assumed, the acquisition of information from a black box is described by unitary quantum theory. The three sections that follow make this demonstration precise. Its consequences for the physical interpretation of quantum superposition are then discussed, using the canonical double-slit experiment as an example. The paper concludes by raising the obvious question: if decompositions can be made arbitrarily, what explains the ability of human - or any - observers to agree about what they are observing? In a universe satisfying decompositional equivalence, this becomes a question for fundamental physics.
Before proceeding, however, it is worth noting that decompositional equivalence is in fact built into the formalisms of both classical and quantum physics. Both theories employ abstract vector spaces to represent physical states, the real configuration space in classical physics and the complex Hilbert space in quantum physics. Both spaces can be arbitrarily decomposed into subspaces using vector-space product operators, the Cartesian product $\times$ in classical physics and the tensor product $\otimes$ in quantum physics. These operators are both associative: for any decomposition of $\mathbf{U}$ into $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{E}$ and $\mathbf{O}$, the configuration space $\mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{U}} = \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{S}} \times \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{E}} \times \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{O}} = (\mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{S}} \times \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{E}}) \times \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{S}} \times (\mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{E}} \times \mathcal{C}_{\mathbf{O}})$ in classical physics, and the Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{U}} = \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{S}} \otimes \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{E}} \otimes \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{O}} = (\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{S}} \otimes \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{E}}) \otimes \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{S}} \otimes (\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{E}} \otimes \mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{O}})$ in quantum physics. Classical physics, however, violates Landauer's Principle by assuming the possibility of arbitrarily-precise measurements, and standard approximations and idealizations commonly employed within both theories violate decompositional equivalence either by assuming that physical laws change abruptly at system boundaries or by treating some system boundaries as objectively ``preferred'' over others. Alternatives to standard, unitary quantum theory that introduce a physical ``collapse'' process (e.g. \cite{ghirardi:86, penrose:96, weinberg:12}), in particular, violate decompositional equivalence at all scales at which the collapse process is permitted to occur. As will be shown, it is the ubiquitous presence of such ancillary, decompositional-equivalence-violating assumptions that renders even standard unitary quantum theory paradoxical. When decompositional equivalence is explicitly respected, nothing collapses, nothing decoheres and there are no ``multiple worlds''; in this case, the distinction between ``quantum'' and ``classical'' becomes a semantic distinction between physical dynamics, which must be represented using quantum theory, and observational outcomes, which are \textit{descriptions of} physical dynamics encoded by finite strings of classical bits. The paradoxes associated with ``collapse'' are replaced, in the present analysis, by deep empirical questions about the structure and functioning of observers, human or otherwise.
\section{Information can be obtained only by observation}
In a universe satisfying decompositional equivalence, how subsystems are defined or designated can make no difference to the laws of physics. How subsystems are defined or designated can, therefore, make no difference to the dynamics executed by the universe; hence the universal Hamiltonian $H_{\mathbf{U}}$ representing those dynamics must be invariant under arbitrary changes in the definition or designation of subsystems. This invariance is, once again, built into the formalism of both classical and quantum physics; in both theories, the Hamiltonian $H_{\mathbf{U}} = H_{\mathbf{S}} + H_{\mathbf{E}} + H_{\mathbf{O}} + H_{\mathbf{SE}} + H_{\mathbf{SO}} + H_{\mathbf{EO}} + H_{\mathbf{SEO}}$ for any arbitrary choice of $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{E}$ and $\mathbf{O}$, where $H_{\mathbf{S}}$, $H_{\mathbf{E}}$ and $H_{\mathbf{O}}$ are the self-interactions of $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{E}$ and $\mathbf{O}$ respectively and the higher-order terms are between-system interactions. The associativity of addition then guarantees decompositional equivalence.
If $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{E}$ and $\mathbf{O}$ can be defined or designated arbitrarily, the labels `$\mathbf{S}$,' `$\mathbf{E}$' and `$\mathbf{O}$' clearly can have no special meaning. Any subsystem whatsoever can be designated as the system of interest; similarly, any system whatsoever can be considered to be an ``environment'' or an ``observer.'' Any restriction on the kinds of subsystems labelled with these terms, e.g. any restriction on the Hamiltonians $H_{\mathbf{E}}$ or $H_{\mathbf{O}}$ beyond the requirement that $H_{\mathbf{U}} = H_{\mathbf{S}} + H_{\mathbf{E}} + H_{\mathbf{O}} + H_{\mathbf{SE}} + H_{\mathbf{SO}} + H_{\mathbf{EO}} + H_{\mathbf{SEO}}$, violates decompositional equivalence.
While trivial from a formal perspective, the arbitrariness with which $\mathbf{S}$, $\mathbf{E}$ and $\mathbf{O}$ can be chosen has important consequences for how the theory is interpreted and used. The first and most important of these is that observers cannot be assumed to have any special characteristics or to be in any particular special state at the initiation of observations. Observers cannot, in particular, be assumed to have any prior knowledge of the system being observed. If observation is characterized in Bayesian terms, the probability distribution over the states of the observed system prior to any observations being conducted must be assumed to be uniform.
The assumption that observers have no prior knowledge of the system being observed is often stated in discussions of both classical and quantum physics. Schlosshauer, for example, includes the idea that observers can be ``initially completely ignorant'' when describing classical observations:
\begin{quote}
``Here (i.e. in classical physics) we can enlarge our `catalog' of physical properties of the system (and therefore specify its state more completely) by performing an arbitrary number of measurements of identical physical quantities, in any given order. Moreover, many independent observers may carry out such measurements (and agree on the results) without running into any risk of disturbing the state of the system, even though they may have been initially completely ignorant of this state.''
\begin{flushright}
(\cite{schloss:07} p. 16)
\end{flushright}
\end{quote}
Ollivier, Poulin and Zurek employ similar language to operationally define \textit{objectivity} in a quantum-theoretic context:
\begin{quote}
``A property of a physical system is \textit{objective} when it is:
\begin{list}{\leftmargin=2em}
\item
1. simultaneously accessible to many observers,
\item
2. who are able to find out what it is without prior knowledge about the system of interest, and
\item
3. who can arrive at a consensus about it without prior agreement.''
\end{list}
\begin{flushright}
\cite{zurek:04} p. 1; \cite{zurek:05} p. 3
\end{flushright}
\end{quote}
Both of these statements, however, leave unmentioned and unaddressed a fundamental question: how do the many independent observers \textit{identify} the system being jointly observed? If they are \textit{completely ignorant} of the system, having \textit{no prior knowledge} about it, then they cannot know, for example, where it is located, what it looks like, its mass, or its velocity relative to their own. How then can they agree that they have observed the same system? Within the context of a formal, theoretical description of the situation, it can simply be stipulated that the observers are jointly interacting with one single system, just as the ancient proverb stipulates that the blind men are interacting with a single elephant. Any such stipulation, however, clearly begs the question of how the stipulating agent identified the system under observation and determined that it, not something else, was the system with which each observer was interacting (e.g. \cite{koenderink:14}). How is the situation to be described if this artificial, question-begging ``god's eye'' stipulation is removed?
If observers are arbitrarily chosen and cannot be assumed to have any prior knowledge of the systems to be observed, and if ``god's eye'' stipulations that \textit{this} observer is interacting with \textit{that} system are rejected as question-begging, what remains to be said is that an observer interacted with a system - some system or other - and received an observational outcome. The observational outcome(s) received constitute the observer's entire knowledge of the system.
\section{Observation is interaction with a black box}
A well-established, over half-century-old body of theory describes the situation in which an observer can obtain outcomes from an observed system, but can know nothing about the system beyond the outcomes that have been obtained. This is precisely the situation of an observer who interacts with a ``black box'' as described by classical cybernetics (e.g. \cite{ashby:56, moore:56}) or of an observer who receives signals, via a communication channel, from an unknown source as described by classical information theory \cite{shannon:48}. A black box is, by definition, a system with observable overt behavior but an inaccessible, unobservable and hence unknowable interior. Ashby \cite{ashby:56} and Moore \cite{moore:56} independently proved that, while observations of the overt behavior of a black box can clearly place a \textit{lower} limit on the complexity of the unknown mechanism inside the box, no finite set of observations of the box's behavior can place an \textit{upper} limit on its internal complexity. The very next behavior of any black box can be a complete surprise, one that indicates the existence of unanticipated internal degrees of freedom and unanticipated internal dynamics.
Consider now the behavior of a universe $\mathbf{U}$ that is arbitrarily partitioned into two components $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ as shown in Fig. 1. Decompositional equivalence requires that the partitioning has no effect of the dynamics of $\mathbf{U}$; therefore the self-interaction of $\mathbf{U}$ can be written as $H_{\mathbf{U}} = \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{O}} + \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{B_{O}}} + \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$, where the last term represents the interaction between the partitions. This interaction $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$ defines an information channel between $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{B_{O}}$; hence changes in $\mathbf{O}$'s state that result from this interaction can be considered to be recordings of observational outcomes obtained by interacting with $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ and vice-versa. The channel defined by $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$ is, moreover, the \textit{only} information channel between $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{B_{O}}$. In particular, $\mathbf{O}$ has no independent access to the internal dynamics $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$, just as $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ has no independent access to the internal dynamics $H_{\mathbf{O}}$ of $\mathbf{O}$. The system $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ is, under these conditions, a black box from the perspective of $\mathbf{O}$, just as $\mathbf{O}$ is a black box from the perspective of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$. Hence the nomenclature, ``$\mathbf{O}$'s box'' for $\mathbf{B_{O}}$.
\centerline{\includegraphics[width=18cm]{DE6-Fig1.eps}}
\begin{quote}
\textit{Fig. 1}: a) A system $\mathbf{U}$ is partitioned into two subsystems $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{B_{O}}$. b) The systems $\mathbf{O}$ and $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ have internal dynamics $H_{\mathbf{O}}$ and $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ respectively and interact via $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$.
\end{quote}
The system $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ being a black box from $\mathbf{O}$'s perspective has an immediate consequence of interest for any physical theory constructed by $\mathbf{O}$: since any further partition of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ is internal to $\mathbf{B_{O}}$, $\mathbf{O}$ can obtain no information about such internal partitions. This becomes obvious when the relevant interactions are examined. If $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ is further partitioned into $\mathbf{S}$ plus $\mathbf{E}$, the internal interaction $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ can be written as $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}} = \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{S}} + \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{E}} + \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{SE}}$. As $\mathbf{O}$ has no access to $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$, $\mathbf{O}$ can have no access to the internal self-interactions $\mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{S}}$ and $\mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{E}}$ or to the two-way interaction $\mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{SE}}$. Indeed decompositional equivalence guarantees that the interaction $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$ via which $\mathbf{O}$ acquires observational outcomes from $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ is entirely independent of arbitrary redefinitions of the $\mathbf{S}$-$\mathbf{E}$ partition and hence arbitrary redefinitions of the interaction $\mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{SE}}$. Hence in any universe satisfying decompositional equivalence, \textit{observers cannot ``see'' system-environment boundaries} and \textit{observers cannot characterize system-environment interactions}. Observers cannot, moreover, characterize the individual states of either system or environment. All observers can do is obtain outcomes, via $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$, from $\mathbf{B_{O}}$, the black box within which $\mathbf{S}$ and $\mathbf{E}$ are fully contained.
This limitation on the information actually obtainable by observers immediately implies that the assumptions made in standard environmental-decoherence calculations (e.g. \cite{schloss:07, zurek:03}) cannot be given anything other than a \textit{post-hoc} justification. Observers cannot, in particular, either identify the system-environment boundary at which decoherence is taken to occur or establish that the environmental state is sufficiently random that system-environment entanglement results in decoherence. While \textit{post-hoc} justifications of the assumptions required for decoherence calculations may be adequate in practical settings, they cannot support in-principle foundational claims; in particular, they cannot support the common claim that decoherence \textit{explains} the ``emergence of classicality'' from unitary dynamics \cite{fields:11, fields:14a, kastner:14}. To claim that decoherence explains the emergence of classical system boundaries when such a boundary must be assumed to perform a decoherence calculation is to beg the question. To claim that decoherence explains the emergence of classical system states (``pointer states'') when a classical state of the environment must be assumed to perform the calculation is also to beg the question.
\section{How to derive quantum theory}
The primary claim of this paper is that decompositional equivalence and Landauer's Principle are sufficient to derive standard, unitary quantum theory. Its secondary claim is that when quantum theory is seen as an inevitable result of decompositional equivalence plus Landauer's Principle, it ceases to be paradoxical. In particular, the need for a paradoxical ``collapse'' process or for ``multiple worlds'' disappears. Indeed, when it is seen as a consequence of these two principles, quantum theory appears to be simple and intuitively compelling.
To begin the derivation, consider an observer capable of receiving and recording only a one-bit outcome. Suppose, for example, that the observer is equipped with a horizontally-oriented meter stick that has been modified to produce a digital ``1'' signal if but only if it comes into contact with an object that is 1 m wide and to produce a ``0'' signal if it comes into contact with any object that is not 1 m wide. Suppose, moreover, that this observer is embedded in a world containing many different objects, some number $n \gg 1$ of which have a horizontal dimension of 1 m while $m \gg 1$ others have other dimensions. Figure 2 illustrates this situation, indicating by the observer's blindfold that \textit{only} the outcomes generated by the meter stick can be detected.
\centerline{\includegraphics[width=12cm]{DE6-Fig2.eps}}
\begin{quote}
\textit{Fig. 2}: A blindfolded observer equipped only with a horizontally-oriented meter stick, embedded in a world containing multiple objects, some but not all of which have a horizontal dimension of 1 m.
\end{quote}
As the observer explores this world, the meter stick occasionally produces a ``1'' signal indicating the presence of a 1 m wide object; at other times it produces a ``0'' signal indicating the presence of something else. Let us now invoke Landauer's Principle: recording each of these outcomes requires a change in the physical state of the observer. Each of these outcome-recording state changes must, moreover, consume at least $0.7 kT_{\mathbf{O}}$ of free energy, where $k$ is Boltzmann's constant and $T_{\mathbf{O}} > 0$ is the temperature in the vicinity of the observer $\mathbf{O}$. For simplicity, let us assume maximal efficiency, so that each state change requires exactly $0.7 kT_{\mathbf{O}}$. The observer can, therefore, be viewed as a \textit{counter} that executes a state change, thereby consuming $0.7 kT_{\mathbf{O}}$, each time an object is encountered.
Let us now further simplify the situation by assuming that these outcome-recording state changes are the \textit{only} state changes that $\mathbf{O}$ undergoes; we can imagine, for example, that $\mathbf{O}$ is fixed and unmoving, and that some external mechanism occasionally moves an object into contact with $\mathbf{O}$'s meter stick. In this case, $\mathbf{O}$'s state changes can be viewed as implementing a \textit{clock} that defines an observer-relative time coordinate $t_{\mathbf{O}}$. Let $\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}$ be the period of this clock. Since $\mathbf{O}$'s state changes \textit{only} when this clock ``ticks,'' the period $\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}$ can be defined as constant without loss of generality.
From $\mathbf{O}$'s perspective, the world is clearly a black box: in particular, $\mathbf{O}$ has no observational access to the mechanism that occasionally brings objects into contact with the meter stick. Letting $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ name $\mathbf{O}$'s world and treating the meter stick as a component of $\mathbf{O}$, the interaction $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$ implements the interaction between the meter stick and objects in the world and hence implements the transfer of information from the world to $\mathbf{O}$. The minimum action of $H_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}}$ is then:
\begin{equation}
0.7 ~kT_{\mathbf{O}}\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}} = \int_{\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}} \mathnormal{H}_{\mathbf{OB_{O}}} \mathnormal{dt_{\mathbf{O}}}.
\end{equation}
As decompositional equivalence allows $\mathbf{O}$ to be chosen arbitrarily, let us assume that $\mathbf{O}$ has been chosen in such a way that $0.7 ~kT_{\mathbf{O}}\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}$ is minimal across all two-way partitions of $\mathbf{U}$ into an observer and that observer's world. We can then define $h^{\prime} = 0.7 ~kT_{\mathbf{O}}\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}$ as the \textit{minimal action to receive and encode 1 bit} and call it a ``quantum'' of action. As one might expect the energy efficiency of biological photoreceptors to be optimized by evolutionary processes, it seems reasonable to estimate a numerical value of $h^{\prime}$ by considering such systems. For a molecule $\mathbf{m}$ of rhodopsin at $T_{\mathbf{m}} = 310$ K (i.e. 37 C, physiological temperature), $\Delta t_{\mathbf{m}} \sim 200$ fs \cite{wang:94}. In this case $kT_{\mathbf{m}} \sim 4.3 \cdot 10^{-21}$ J and the 1-bit information transfer action is $0.7 ~kT_{\mathbf{m}}\Delta t_{\mathbf{m}} \sim 6.0 \cdot 10^{-34}$ J$\cdot$s, a value remarkably close to that of Planck's constant $h \sim 6.6 \cdot 10^{-34}$ J$\cdot$s. We can, therefore, identify $h^{\prime}$ as $h$. Note that this is an entirely thermodynamic definition of $h$ that uses no ``quantum'' concepts and does not appeal to any distinction between ``microscopic'' and ``macroscopic'' objects or behaviors.
Let us now adopt an explicitly theoretical, ``god's eye'' perspective; indeed this perspective is already implicit in Fig. 2. From this perspective, the physical state of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ can be described as a spatial configuration of objects, some one of which may, but need not, be in contact with $\mathbf{O}$'s meter stick. Let $\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ be an abstract space of to-be-characterized structure that contains these states. The self-interaction $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ then includes the mechanism that occasionally moves an object into contact with $\mathbf{O}$'s meter stick. As this is the only mechanism that affects the state of $\mathbf{O}$, we can assume for simplicity that this is the only mechanism implemented by $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$.
What is of interest, however, is how the state space $\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ and dynamics $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ can be described from $\mathbf{O}$'s perspective, using only the information obtainable by observation to construct the description. This limited, observer's perspective, not the theoretical, ``god's eye'' perspective, is the one that is of interest because it is the perspective that we, as human observers, in fact experience. A theory inferred from this perspective is the only kind of theory that can be constructed on the basis of observational evidence. As we will see, a \textit{physical} theory inferred from this perspective has the formal structure of quantum theory.
As the only observational outcomes that $\mathbf{O}$ can obtain from $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ are the values ``1'' and ``0,'' $\mathbf{O}$ can attribute at most two distinct states to $\mathbf{B_{O}}$. Let us call these two states $| 1 \rangle$ and $| 0 \rangle$ and assume that, as mathematical objects, $|| 1 \rangle|^{2} = || 0 \rangle|^{2} = 1$. From $\mathbf{O}$'s perspective, then, the effect on these states of the self-interaction $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ can be represented by a two-component function $\{ E_{i} \} = \{ E_{0}, E_{1} \}$ where:
\begin{equation}
E_{0}: \mathrm{| 0 \rangle}, \mathrm{| 1 \rangle} \mapsto \mathrm{| 0 \rangle};
~\mathnormal{E_{1}:} \mathrm{| 0 \rangle}, \mathrm{| 1 \rangle} \mapsto \mathrm{| 1 \rangle}.
\end{equation}
The two components $E_{0}$ and $E_{1}$ of $\{ E_{i} \}$ are clearly orthogonal, and they clearly resolve the identity on $\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$.
What, however, can be said about $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ itself, and how can the two distinct states $| 0 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle$ be further characterized? Here it is necessary to return to the theorist's perspective. From this perspective, it is clear that the state designations ``$| 0 \rangle$'' and ``$| 1 \rangle$'' are highly ambiguous; both refer to multiple spatial configurations of objects that are distinguishable from a ``god's eye'' perspective but indistinguishable by $\mathbf{O}$. The state transitions $| 0 \rangle \rightarrow | 1 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle \rightarrow | 0 \rangle$ are similarly, from the theorist's perspective, implemented by multiple distinct changes in the spatial configuration of objects.
As $\mathbf{O}$ functions as a clock, the time coordinate $t_{\mathbf{O}}$ can be used to parameterize the state changes that occur in $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ and hence to parameterize the action of $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$. Each tick of this clock and hence the two endpoints of each interval $\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}$ correspond to some object being brought into contact, through the action of $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$, with $\mathbf{O}$'s meter stick. Hence $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ can be regarded as a periodic function of $t_{\mathbf{O}}$ with period $\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}}$. With respect to some arbitrarily chosen initial value $t_{\mathbf{O}} = 0$, one or the other of $| 1 \rangle$ or $| 0 \rangle$ is observed at each subsequent time $t_{\mathbf{O}} = \Delta \mathnormal{t}_{\mathbf{O}}$, $t_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathrm{2} \Delta \mathnormal{t}_{\mathbf{O}}$, $t_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathrm{3} \Delta \mathnormal{t}_{\mathbf{O}}$, etc. Whether $| 1 \rangle$ or $| 0 \rangle$ is observed after $N$ clock ticks, i.e. at $t_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathnormal{N \Delta t}_{\mathbf{O}}$ can, therefore, be viewed as determined by the values at $t_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathnormal{N \Delta t}_{\mathbf{O}}$ of two time-dependent phase angles $\phi_{1} (t_{\mathbf{O}})$ and $\phi_{2} (t_{\mathbf{O}})$. As $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ is unobservable by $\mathbf{O}$, these phase angles must be unobservable by $\mathbf{O}$. They must, therefore, be complex phases, i.e. there are real functions $\varphi_{1} (t_{\mathbf{O}})$ and $\varphi_{0} (t_{\mathbf{O}})$ such that $\phi_{1} (t_{\mathbf{O}}) = \imath \varphi_{1} (t_{\mathbf{O}})$ and $\phi_{1} (t_{\mathbf{O}}) = \imath \varphi_{1} (t_{\mathbf{O}})$. Hence the observed state $| \mathbf{B_{O}} \mathnormal{(t_{\mathbf{O}})} \rangle$ of $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ at $t_{\mathbf{O}}$ can be written:
\begin{equation}
| \mathbf{B_{O}} \mathnormal{(t_{\mathbf{O}}) \rangle} = \alpha_{\mathrm{0}} \mathnormal{e^{- \imath \varphi_{\mathrm{0}} (t_{\mathbf{O}})} | \mathrm{0} \rangle} + \alpha_{\mathrm{1}} \mathnormal{e^{- \imath \varphi_{\mathrm{1}} (t_{\mathbf{O}})} | \mathrm{1} \rangle},
\end{equation}
where $\alpha_{0}$ and $\alpha_{1}$ are real coefficients chosen so that $\alpha_{0}^{2} + \alpha_{1}^{2} = 1$. From the ``god's eye'' perspective, it is clear that the ratio $\alpha_{0}^{2} / \alpha_{1}^{2} = m / n$. One would, moreover, expect from this perspective that over a sufficiently long elapsed time, the probabilities $P_{0}$ and $P_{1}$ of observing $| 0 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle$, respectively, would be such that $P_{0} / P_{1} = m / n$, i.e. one would expect the usual Born rule of quantum theory to hold. Because $\mathbf{B_{O}}$ is a black box, however, the numbers $m$ and $n$ cannot be determined by observation, so the equation $\alpha_{0}^{2} / \alpha_{1}^{2} = m/n$ cannot be derived by $\mathbf{O}$. The ergotic assumption that the observed frequencies of $| 0 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle$ between $t_{\mathbf{O}} = 0$ and $t_{\mathbf{O}} = \mathnormal{N \Delta t}_{\mathbf{O}}$ for some large $N$ correspond to probabilities of future observations cannot be proved valid for any black box, as its validity would contradict the Ashby-Moore theorem noted earlier. The Born rule remains, therefore, a useful \textit{rule} for an observer, but it cannot be considered a theorem.
With the characterization of $| \mathbf{B_{O}} \mathnormal{(t_{\mathbf{O}})} \rangle$ given by Eq. 3, it is clear that the postulated $\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ is a (finite dimensional) Hilbert space, that $| 0 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle$ are basis vectors, and that $E_{0}$ and $E_{1}$ are von Neumann projections. The generalization from two basis vectors to any finite number is, moreover, straightforward. As any physically-implemented measurement device has finite resolution - infinite resolution would, by Landauer's Principle, entail infinite free-energy consumption - infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces are, as previously pointed out by Fuchs \cite{fuchs:10}, merely a convenience for performing calculations.
It remains now only to establish that the time-propagator $U_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ associated with $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ is unitary, from which the Schr\"odinger equation follows. The propagator $U_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$, however, is just the function:
\begin{equation}
U_{\mathbf{B_{O}}} (\mathnormal{t_{\mathbf{O}}}): | \mathbf{B_{O}} \mathnormal{(t_{\mathbf{O}} = N \Delta t_{\mathbf{O}})} \rangle \mapsto | \mathbf{B_{O}} \mathnormal{(t_{\mathbf{O}} = (N + \mathrm{1})} \mathnormal{\Delta t_{\mathbf{O}})} \rangle
\end{equation}
for any $N \geq 0$. Combining Eq. 2 and 3 to replace states by the operators that produce them, we have:
\begin{equation}
U_{\mathbf{B_{O}}} (\mathnormal{t_{\mathbf{O}}}) = \alpha_{\mathrm{0}} \mathnormal{e^{- \imath \varphi_{\mathrm{0}} (t_{\mathbf{O}})}} \mathnormal{E_{\mathrm{0}}} + \alpha_{\mathrm{1}} \mathnormal{e^{- \imath \varphi_{\mathrm{1}} (t_{\mathbf{O}})}} \mathnormal{E_{\mathrm{1}}}.
\end{equation}
As $E_{0}$ and $E_{1}$ resolve the identity on $\mathcal{H}_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$, $U_{\mathbf{B_{O}}} (\mathnormal{t_{\mathbf{O}}})$ must be unitary. The physical dynamics represented by $U_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ and $H_{\mathbf{B_{O}}}$ is, therefore, symmetric in $t_{\mathbf{O}}$. From the ``god's eye'' perspective, this time symmetry corresponds to reversibility of the mechanism that brings objects into contact with the meter stick. From $\mathbf{O}$'s perspective, it corresponds to $\mathbf{O}$'s inability to determine whether an apparently-random bit string is being read forwards or backwards.
\section{The physical meaning of superposition}
The expressions in Eq. 3 and 5 are clearly superpositions; the basis vectors $| 0 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle$ are superposed in Eq. 3 and the operators $E_{0}$ and $E_{1}$ are superposed in Eq. 5. The physicality of superpositions is widely regarded as one of the central mysteries of quantum theory. It is, therefore, worth reflected on what these expressions mean.
The first thing to note is that nothing is superposed in Fig. 2; indeed Fig. 2 depicts a perfectly ``classical'' layout of macroscopic objects. This classical layout is, however, merely a theoretical stipulation; it is drawn from a ``god's eye'' perspective that does not correspond to the perspective of the specified observer $\mathbf{O}$. As Fig. 2 assigns each object a specific position, considering this ``god's eye'' perspective to be the perspective of any observer would violate the assumption that any observer's world is, for that observer, a black box. Any observer's world being, for that observer, a black box is as we have seen a consequence of decompositional equivalence; it is decompositional equivalence that limits observers to only the information that can be transferred across the observer-box boundary by a well-defined observer-box interaction Hamiltonian. Attributing the ``god's eye'' perspective to an observer therefore violates decompositional equivalence.
The information that any observer \textit{can} obtain from the world is determined by the measurement devices that the observer can deploy. Landauer's Principle restricts any observer to a finite free-energy budget, so both the number of measurement devices and their measurement resolutions must be finite. What can be obtained from the world is therefore, for any observer, just a finite set of finite bit strings. Such finite sets of bit strings provide the only observational input into, and the only observational evidence for testing, any formalized model of the world.
In this situation, observers are faced with two unresolvable ambiguities. First, it is impossible, in principle, for an observer to distinguish changes in the state of a single system from the unobserved substitution of one system for another. In the world of Fig. 2, for example, $\mathbf{O}$ cannot determine whether a change in observed outcome from ``0'' to ``1'' reflects a change in the length of some single object that is in continuous contact with the meter stick, or a change in which object has been placed in contact with the meter stick. The states $| 0 \rangle$ and $| 1 \rangle$ are, therefore, ambiguous as to system; $\mathbf{O}$ cannot determine which system they are states of. Second, it is impossible, in principle, for an observer to determine whether a fixed state is the state of a fixed system. In the world of Fig. 2, the outcomes ``0'' and ``1'' are both ambiguous between many systems. These ambiguities characterize the outcomes obtainable by any observer of any black box, regardless of the number of measurement devices that can be deployed or their resolution, as long as both are finite, i.e. as long as Landauer's Principle is respected. The well-known ``no-go'' theorems of quantum theory, including Bell's Theorem and the Kochen-Specker Theorem, follow from these ambiguities about the provenance of observational outcomes \cite{fields:13a}.
Superpositions provide a natural mathematical representation of this in-principle ambiguity about the provenance of observational outcomes. While it is standard practice in presentations of quantum theory to treat the system as fixed and represent the system's states as superpositions, this practice has no formal basis and, as we have seen, implicitly violates decompositional equivalence. It is entirely equivalent, and intuitively far more natural, to treat the observed state as fixed and represent the system occupying that state as a superposition. It is, after all, the \textit{state} that is observed, as it is the state - being at this position, being this big, having this mass, moving this fast, etc. - that corresponds to the value(s) of one or more measurement outcomes.
When the ubiquitous superpositions in quantum theory are viewed this way, as superpositions of systems, not states, they cease to be so mysterious. While natural language expresses the conceit that ``systems'' are fixed and enduring things, we all know that this is not actually the case. The microstructures of all systems are in constant flux. Living systems obviously gain and lose material components, and hence become different \textit{physical systems}, on a daily if not hourly or even moment-to-moment basis; your own breathing provides an example. It is, moreover, just an item of faith, sometimes explicitly propped up by appeals to Occam's razor, that systems do not undergo more radical alterations or even substitutions of one for another while we are not observing them. The cognitive mechanisms underlying this item of faith are becoming better understood, largely by studying their points of failure \cite{fields:12, fields:13b, fields:14b}. Quantum theory reminds us that this inference of object identity through time is always just an \textit{inference}, one based on observational outcomes that cannot, even in principle, demonstrate the conclusion.
\section{Quantum theory in practice: The double-slit experiment}
Quantum theory was originally developed not by considering thought experiments such as that presented here, but by searching for a mathematical formalism that could explain the results of otherwise-mystifying experiments. Once it was understood that light behaved like a particle in the quantum domain, the already century-old double-slit experiment, which when performed by Thomas Young in 1803 had demonstrated that light behaved as a wave, became a mystery. Indeed Feynman, in an often-quoted passage, describes it as ``a phenomenon which is impossible, \textit{absolutely} impossible, to explain in any classical way, and which has in it the heart of quantum mechanics. In reality, it contains the only mystery'' (\cite{feynman:65} Vol. III, Sect. 1.1, emphasis in original).
The apparatus for the double-slit experiment is schematically illustrated, from the perspective of its designer, in Fig. 3a. A source emits particles or waves of some kind: photons, electrons, C$_{60}$ ``Buckyballs'' \cite{zeilinger:99} or even heavier molecules with masses up to 10,000 amu \cite{eibenberger:13}. These pass though a pair of slits, the implementation of which depends on the type of particle/wave passing through them, and are detected at some distance beyond the slits. These components of the apparatus are connected by a rigid structure that also isolates them, in darkness and under high vacuum, from the outside world. Observers employing the double-slit apparatus to make measurements do not, therefore, have observational access to the internals of the instrument. Observers interact, instead, with a ``user interface'' comprising controls that set the source intensity and the states, either open or closed, of the two slits, together with a display screen that shows the positions, on the $x-y$ plane perpendicular to the instrument's axis, of any detected particles. The state of the instrument from the observer's perspective is defined by the states of these interface elements, as shown in Fig. 3b.
\centerline{\includegraphics[width=20cm]{DE6-Fig3.eps}}
\begin{quote}
\textit{Fig. 3}: a) Schematic representation of the double-slit apparatus from the perspective of its designer, comprising a detection screen $\mathbf{S_{1}}$, slits $\mathbf{S_{2}}$, photon or ion source $\mathbf{S_{3}}$ and stabilizing structure $\mathbf{S_{4}}$. Real instruments may be substantially more complex, particularly in the implementation of the slits. The dashed arrows show classical trajectories used to collimate the apparatus. b) The double-slit apparatus from the perspective of an observer, comprising a knob for regulating the source intensity, a knob for determining which slit(s) to open, and a display screen on which detection events are recorded. The $x$ and $y$ coordinates of the display correlate with the $x$ and $y$ coordinates of the detector as shown.
\end{quote}
The phenomenology of the double-slit experiment is straightforward. If neither slit is open, nothing is detected on the screen. If only one slit is open, particles are detected in an approximately Gaussian distribution, elongated on the $y$ axis and centered on the $x-y$ position of the open slit. If both slits are open, an interference pattern appears along the $x$ axis of the display, with the interference peak and valley intensities indicated on the $y$ axis. These patterns are maintained even if the source intensity is set to just one particle per unit time. If, however, the detection screen is moved to be immediately behind the slits (for photons) or some means of detecting which slit a particle passed through is installed (for massive particles), the interference pattern disappears. The standard interpretation of this phenomenology is that individual particles, even individual large molecules such as the porphyrins employed by \cite{eibenberger:13}, act as waves, passing through both slits if both are open and subsequently interfering with themselves. Both this ambiguous wave-particle behavior and the fact that the interference pattern disappears if the particle's trajectory is ``observed'' by monitoring the slit it passed through are canonical ``quantum'' phenomena.
Let us consider this standard interpretation in somewhat more detail. If the source intensity is adjusted so that many particles are emitted per unit time, the resulting ``beam'' of particles illuminates the plate $\mathbf{S_{2}}$ in which the slits are cut. Some fraction of the ``beam'' passes through the slits and subsequently, the ``beam'' components that passed through the left slit interfere with the components that passed through the right slit. This situation is analogous to what happens when water waves encounter a breakwater barrier with two openings, as often demonstrated in laboratory exercises for beginning physics students. Hence the ``beam'' behaves like a classical wave. This classical analogy breaks down, however, when the source intensity is turned down to one particle per unit time. As the interference pattern persists, built up one detection event at a time, it must be assumed either that each particle went through both slits and subsequently interfered with itself, or else that the particles can interfere with each other across time, with the first assumption by far the most commonly chosen. In this case the trajectory of each particle can be thought of as comprising two components. First, the particle travels from the source to both slits; representing the $x$ coordinates of the slits as $l$ and $r$ and ignoring the other coordinates, this first part of the trajectory can be represented as $| l + (r - l)/2 \rangle$ (the $x$ coordinate location of the source) $\rightarrow (1/ \sqrt{2})(|l \rangle + |r \rangle)$. This first part of the trajectory has, in other words, a fixed starting point but a superposition of end points. The second part of the trajectory can then be represented as $(1/ \sqrt{2})(|l \rangle + |r \rangle) \rightarrow |x_{d} \rangle$, where $x_{d}$ is the $x$ coordinate of the detection event. Each particle is, therefore, considered to be in a superposition of $x$ coordinate states for its entire trajectory, excepting only its initial location at the source and its final location on the detector.
The $x$ coordinate of each particle is, however, \textit{observed} only at the detector. No aspect of its trajectory is observed other than its detection at $S_{1}$. Indeed, that the particle even has a trajectory is an interpretative assumption based on the designer's, not the observer's, perspective on the apparatus. What the observer can determine by observation is that the number of detection events correlates with the source intensity provided that at least one slit is open, and that the number of open slits determines the pattern - either Gaussian or interference - that is detected. By appeal to the classical theory of waves, the observer can infer that the slits are far enough from the detection screen for an interference pattern to develop whenever both slits are open. Where, however, is the source? It is consistent with the observed detection patterns that each slit is also a source; if a slit is open, it emits particles at the chosen intensity, but if it is closed it does not. The question: ``What is the source of a particle detected at time $t$?'' has, therefore, a determinate answer if only one slit is open, but if both slits are open, the answer is ambiguous. This ambiguity can be expressed by representing the source as being in a superposition $(1/\sqrt{2})(|l \rangle + |r \rangle)$ of positions along the $x$ axis, or following the reasoning in \S 5, representing the source as a superposition of systems $(1/\sqrt{2})(\mathbf{S_{3\mathnormal{l}}} + \mathbf{S_{3\mathnormal{r}}})$, where the notations ``$\mathbf{S_{3\mathnormal{l}}}$'' and ``$\mathbf{S_{3\mathnormal{r}}}$'' refer to left and right sources of particles. These alternative expressions equally capture what an observer can know about the source of an observed particle.
It is important to note that taking the apparatus apart to allow inspection of the internal components does not resolve the ambiguity. Once the instrument is disassembled, the interference pattern disappears. Indeed any attempt to determine whether the particle has a trajectory prior to encountering the slits disrupts the pattern, just as attempting to determine which slit has been traversed does. The source superpositions $(1/\sqrt{2})(|l \rangle + |r \rangle)$ or $(1/\sqrt{2})(\mathbf{S_{3\mathnormal{l}}} + \mathbf{S_{3\mathnormal{r}}})$, and the interference pattern they produce, can therefore be viewed as a consequence - perhaps even a side-effect - of the isolation and consequent unobservability of the internals of the apparatus. They are, in other words, consequences of the apparatus being a black box.
\section{Conclusion}
Decompositional equivalence is such a simple and fundamental symmetry that it is generally assumed without comment. Whenever we give the components of some composite object separate names, for example, we assume decompositional equivalence: we assume that our identification and naming of subsystems within the composite system does not change how the composite system behaves. From a formal perspective, we assume decompositional equivalence whenever we represent the physical states of an object as elements in an abstract space on which an associative product is well-defined. Without this assumption, any discussion of ``subsystems'' or ``parts'' becomes impossible; without decompositional equivalence, singling some part of an object out as ``of interest'' potentially changes the object's behavior in arbitrary ways.
What has been shown here is that this fundamental symmetry is, when combined with Landauer's Principle, sufficient to derive quantum theory. The derivation turns on a simple observation: if the decomposition of an object does not affect its overt behavior, then its overt behavior cannot determine its decomposition. Its overt behavior cannot, in particular, provide evidence for the existence of a ``preferred'' decomposition. By allowing any system to be arbitrarily decomposed without consequences, decompositional equivalence renders any supposed internal boundaries dynamically irrelevant. It renders all systems black boxes. What the formalism of quantum theory describes are the observational outcomes obtainable from a black box. The ubiquitous superpositions of quantum theory account formally for the in-principle ambiguity of outcome provenance with which observers of a black box are faced.
Because decompositional equivalence is generally implicit, assumptions that violate decompositional equivalence often go unnoticed. Any assumption that some subsystem boundaries, but not others, can be regarded as ``given'' by the laws of Nature violates decompositional equivalence. This very assumption is made, however, whenever it is assumed that multiple observers will identify the same subsystem boundaries as ``preferred'' and hence identify the same subsystems as ``systems of interest.'' It is also made whenever special physical processes, such as ``collapse'' or decoherence, are assumed to occur at some subsystem boundaries but not others. Such assumptions are, effectively, assumptions that some particular ``preferred'' subsystem boundaries are fixed by the initial conditions of the universe \cite{fields:14a}. The empirical success of quantum theory indicates that such decompositional-equivalence-violating assumptions are unjustified.
In place of the usual paradoxes of ``collapse'' or ``multiple worlds,'' a quantum theory that explicitly acknowledges decompositional equivalence presents us with deep empirical questions about the structure and functioning of observers. If ``preferred'' subsystem boundaries are not ``given'' by the laws of Nature, what explains the ability of human observers to agree about what constitutes a ``system''? How is communication by pointing possible, let alone communication by language? How are shared semantics ever developed? These are generally regarded as questions for developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Decompositional equivalence reveals that they are questions for fundamental physics as well.
\section*{Acknowledgements}
Thanks to Don Hoffman for encouraging me to think about 1-bit information transfers, and to The Federico and Elvia Faggin Foundation for financial support during the final stages of this work.
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{"url":"http:\/\/nmwatchman.com\/f6w2kjxl\/3-plane-intersection-calculator-bd5d91","text":"# 3 plane intersection calculator\n\nThe point (3, 0, 0) (3,0,0) (3, 0, 0) is on plane \u00ce\u00b1 \\alpha \u00ce\u00b1 but not \u00ce\u00b2, \\beta, \u00ce\u00b2, which implies that the two planes are not identical. Online calculator. Jaan In Arabic Translation, Your email address will not be published. Intersection with plane Choose how the plane is given. Intersection of 3 parallel planes Given three planes by the equations: x + 2y + z \u2212 1 = 0 2x + 4y + 2z \u2212 6 = 0 4x + 8y + 4z \u2212 n = 0 Determine the locations of the planes to each other in the case that n = 4 and second time n = 8. Given three planes: Form a system with the equations of the planes and calculate the ranks. And that's how it's done. - Now that you have a feel for how t works, we're ready to calculate our intersection point I between our ray CP and our line segment AB. This can be calculated using the formula rise over run, or y\/x. Linear transformations between vector spaces, rotations, reflections, scalings The intersection of 3 planes Volume of a parallelepiped (used in crystallography and xray diffraction). do. Practice, practice, practice. By equalizing plane equations, you can calculate what's the case. Here you can calculate the intersection of a line and a plane (if it exists). - Now that you have a feel for how t works, we're ready to calculate our intersection point I between our ray CP and our line segment AB. This is really two equations, one for the x-coordinate of I and one for the y-coordinate. Enter point and line information:-- Enter Line 1 Equation-- Enter Line 2 Equation (only if you are not pressing Slope) 2 Lines Intersection Video. 001. Where the plane can be either a point and a normal, or a 4d vector (normal form), In the examples below (code for both is provided).. Also note that this function calculates a value representing where the point is on the line, (called fac in the code below). These two equations are I sub x equals R sub x of t star, which equals one minus t star times \u2026 Or they do not intersect cause they are parallel. Linear-planar intersection queries: line, ray, or segment versus plane or triangle Linear-volumetric intersection queries: line, ray, or segment versus alignedbox, orientedbox, sphere, ellipsoid, cylinder, cone, or capsule; segment-halfspace Love enters the equation, ... Murat hatches out his plan, but Enver will not sit back and watch. Email: donsevcik@gmail.com Tel: 800-234-2933; SHARE. Could anyone help me to find the mistake? Find intersection line: plane \u00ce\u00a0 1: \u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a5\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a5+ 2\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a6\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a6+ 3\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a7\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a7= 5 and plane \u00ce\u00a0 2: 2\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a5\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a5\u00e2\u0088\u00922\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a6\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a6\u00e2\u0088\u00922\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a7\u00f0\u009d\u0091\u00a7= 2. Each new topic we learn has symbols and problems we have never seen. A: First checking if there is intersection: The vector (1, 2, 3) is normal to the plane. Plane Geometry Solid Geometry Conic Sections. _\\square The conditional probability of an event is the probability that an event A occurs given that another event B has already occurred. No. So we have three equations and three unknowns, I sub x, I sub y and t star. There are no points of intersection. Recall from the previous video that the slope intercept form of the line AB is y equals negative three x plus 11 and the parametric representation of the ray CP is the function R of t equals one minus t times C plus t times P. Different values of the parameter t locate different points on the ray. In a Euclidean space of any number of dimensions, a plane is uniquely determined by any of the following: If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. The line is contained in the plane, i.e., all points of the line are in its intersection with the plane. Determination by contained points and lines. If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. We solved for s and t using the equations for y and z. If A 1 x + B 1 y + C 1 z + D 1 = 0 and A 2 x + B 2 y + C 2 z + D 2 = 0 are a plane equations, then angle between \u00e2\u0080\u00a6 r = rank of the coefficient matrix. The calculator will display the intersection coordinates of those two lines. Isotonic Exercises For Lower Back, I can shift these planes along their normal by some value. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. How to calculate the intersection of two lines. There \u2026 An online calculator to find and graph the intersection of two lines. Episode 9 148m. The plane defined by the equation: ax + by + cz + d = 0, where: A = y1 (z2 - z3) + y2 (z3 - z1) + y3 (z1 - z2) B = z1 (x2 - x3) + z2 (x3 - x1) + \u2026 the two given points, Equations of a Parallel and If this is less than the radius of the circle - voila, we have an intersection! And how do I find out if my planes intersect? Free online 3D grapher from GeoGebra: graph 3D functions, plot surfaces, construct solids and much more! The relationship between three planes presents can be described as follows: 1. \u00e2\u0080\u00a6 \u05cd S + qb ! Say I have 3 orthogonal planes (one with a normal vector along the x direction, one along the y direction, and one along the z direction). Digg; StumbleUpon; Delicious; Reddit; \u2026 This online calculator finds the intersection points of two circles given the center point and radius of each circle. This web site owner is mathematician Milo\u0161 Petrovi\u0107. We can solve the system of equations by substituting the first two equations into the third to get an equation just in t star. On the other hand, I want to calculate all point intersections of all planes and store them in some structure. Find the point of intersection for the infinite ray with direction (0, -1, -1) passing through position (0, 0, 10) with the infinite plane with a normal vector of (0, 0, 1) and which passes through [0, 0, 5]. An online calculator to find the points of intersection of a line and a circle. 1\/2 t star equals negative three times two times t star plus 11. The 2 nd line passes though (0,3) and (10,7). Or the line could completely lie inside the plane. distinct since \u00e2\u0080\u00949 \u00e2\u0080\u00943(2) The normal vector of the second plane, n2 \u00e2\u0080\u0094 (\u00e2\u0080\u00944, 1, 3) is not parallel to either of these so the second plane must intersect each of the other two planes in a line This situation is drawn here: Examples Example 2 Use Gaussian elimination to determine all points of intersection of the following three planes: (1) (2) In vision-based 3D reconstruction , a subfield of computer vision, depth values are commonly measured by so-called triangulation method, which finds the intersection between light plane and ray \u00e2\u0080\u00a6 Representation. This type of probability is calculated by restricting the sample space that we\u00e2\u0080\u0099re working with to only the set B. Here's a screen shot: Three planes intersecting at a point Related Symbolab blog posts. Calculator will generate a step-by-step explanation. This calculator is helping me get up the learning curve and get my experiment under way. 110. Perpendicular Line, Equation of a Circle Through Three Points. Intersection of Three Planes To study the intersection of three planes, form a system with the equations of the planes and calculate the ranks. There is a consistent solution and hence, a point of intersection. An intersection point of 2 given relations is the point at which their graphs meet. Therefore the two planes are parallel and do not meet each other. \u00ce\u00a0. Right Triangle; Sine and Cosine Law; ... Find the intersection points of the circle $(x-2)^2 + (y+3)^2 = 17$ with the line $y = 2x - 1$. tangent plane to z=2xy^2-x^2y at (x,y)=(3,2) Extended Keyboard; Upload; Examples; Random; Compute answers using Wolfram's breakthrough technology & knowledgebase, relied on by millions of students & professionals. Point of Intersection Calculator is a free online tool that displays the intersection point for the given equations. x = 6 - 3 =? r = rank of the coefficient matrix \u2026 The intersection of the three planes is a point : Each plane cuts the other two in a line : Two Coincident Planes and the Other Intersecting Them in a Line : How to find the relationship between two planes. calculate intersection of two planes: equation of two intersecting lines: point of intersection excel: equation of intersection of two lines: intersection set calculator: find the equation of the circle passing through the point of intersection of the circles: the intersection of a line and a plane is a: if two lines intersect then \u2026 The new app allows you to explore the concepts of solving 3 equations by allowing you to see one plane at a time, two at a time, or all three, and the intersection point. The intersection point that we're after is one such point on the ray so there must be some value of t, call it t star, such that I equals R of t star. These two equations are I sub x equals R sub x of t star, which equals one minus t star times C sub x plus t star times P sub x. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. TI-89 Calculator - 31 - Finding Intersection Points with the TI-89 Calculator - Duration: 7:01. Here you can calculate the intersection of a line and a plane (if it exists). Example: Given are planes, P 1 :: - 3 x + 2 y - 3 z - 1 = 0 and P 2 :: 2 x - y - 4 z + 2 = 0 , find the line of intersection of the two planes. Just enter them into our free calculator\u00e2\u0080\u00a6 Find the equation of the line that passes through the point (-2,3,1) and is perpendicular to the plane 2x + 3y + z - 3 = 0 also find the intersection point and the distance of the point to the plane. Finding the intersection of an infinite ray with a plane in 3D is an important topic in collision detection. Task. Finding the intersection of two lines that are in the same plane is an important topic in collision detection. 2 - (-1) 3 = 3. These vectors aren't parallel so the planes . The best price. By using this website, you agree to our Cookie Policy. Now take either parameter and solve for the point of intersection. When 2 planes are intersected, it produces a line. A line equation can be expressed with its direction vector and a point on the line; . Please tell me how can I make this better. 9. Lines of Intersection Between Two Planes Fold Unfold. 7:01. en. To find the symmetric equations that represent that intersection line, you\u00e2\u0080\u0099ll need the cross product of the normal vectors of the two planes, as well as a point on the line of intersection. ... line-intersection-calculator. Intersection. Plane Geometry. If you want to contact me, probably have some question write me using the contact form or email me on I've started by substituting the \"y\" value in the circle equation with the straight line equation, seeing as at the intersection points, the y values of both equations must be identical. Most of us struggle to conceive of 3D mathematical objects. I designed this web site and wrote all the lessons, formulas and calculators. parametric equation: E: x = + r + s : Coordinate form: E: + + = Point-normal form: E: (x-)\u22c5 =0: Given through three points . Az Region Volleyball Facility, Author: Kathryn Peake, Andreas Lindner. angle. If two planes intersect each other, the curve of intersection will always be a line. Math can be an intimidating subject. Heres a Python example which finds the intersection of a line and a plane. You've Goi it Maid in newport Beach, CA is here with the best cleaning service. We can use the intersection point of the line of intersection of two planes with any of coordinate planes (xy, xz or yz plane) as that point. Intersection of Three Planes. Math and Science 25,882 views. You can also rotate it around to see it from different directions, and zoom in or out. parallel, perpendicular, slope, intersection, calculator-- Enter Line 1 Equation-- Enter Line 2 Equation (only if you are not pressing Slope) Example: find the intersection points of the sphere ( x \u2212 1) 2 \u29fe ( y \u2212 4) 2 \u29fe z 2 = 16 1. Donate or volunteer today! Now, find any point on the line using the formula in the previous section for the intersection of 3 planes by adding a third plane. The 1 st line passes though (4,0) and (6,10). 2016 TV-MA 3 Seasons TV Dramas. Added Dec 18, 2018 by Nirvana in Mathematics. Thanks. meet! 9.4 Intersection of three Planes A Intersection of three Planes Let consider three planes given by their Cartesian equations: : 0: 0: 0 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 + + + = + + + = + + + = A x B y C z D A x B y C z D A x B y C z D \u03c0 \u03c0 \u03c0 \u23aa The point(s) of intersection of these planes is (are) related to the solution(s) of the following \u2026 A basic check to verify if lapping area exists is to check if at least one intersection point between two circles lies inside the third circle, if this check is positive for any pair of circles (total 3 cases to check) then lapping area exists. Graphing lines calculator Distance and midpoint calculator Triangle area, altitudes, medians, centroid, circumcenter, orthocenter Intersection of two lines calculator Equation of a line passing through the two given points Distance between a line and a point Free Angle a Calculator - calculate angle between line inetersection a step by step This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Task. It also plots them on the graph. 1. Of course. Point on plane; Quadrangle calculator (vectors) Transforming plane equations; Vector intersection angle; Vector length; Stochastics ; Urn model; Basic arithmetics ; Addition; Dividing numbers; Multiplication; Subtraction; Mathematics for everyday ; Antiproportionalities; Interest calculation; Number systems ; Percentage; \u2026 Vision problem always made it difficult for me to visualize a 3 d matrix and make sense of the variable sequences. Trigonometry. Required fields are marked *. Find the point of intersection of two lines in 2D. Intersection Of Three Planes. 'D { MKu \u0391X8 R \u06f5\u0316 FAW0 ($I l g3i 3z DE F4 eu| @v C$ A \u04d4I q= ] L 1W1i2?g^ y? Table of Contents . Topic: Intersection, Planes. There are 9 calculators in this category . The intersection of a ray of light with each plane is used to produce an image of the surface. In the same way I sub y equals R sub y of t star, which equals one minus t star times C sub y plus t star times P sub y. 2 Lines Intersection Calculator. Ali Nejat gets an important phone call. 2. Equilateral Triangle. c) Substituting gives 2(t) + (4 + 2t) \u00e2\u0088\u0092 4(t) = 4 \u00e2\u0087\u00944 = 4. \u00e2\u0087\u0094 all values of t satisfy this equation. parallel to the line of intersection of the two planes. Thanks. Intersection queries for two intervals (1-dimensional query). Your email address will not be published. Do a line and a plane always intersect? Here are cartoon sketches of each part of this problem. This is really two equations, one for the x-coordinate of I and one for the y-coordinate. Before we continue get some experience using this kind of parametric function in the next exercise. person_outlineTimurschedule 2019-02-08 09:07:02. I calculate it manually and I know that result is this a point (0,0,0) I think this is the good way but when I try to access to value x,y,z of this calculated point it hasn't anything. x = 6 - s = 6 - 3 = 3 Mercedes E Class Review, They may either intersect, then their intersection is a line. Find the point of intersection of two lines in 2D. The direction vector of the line is perpendicular to both normal vectors and , so it is cross product of them; . The third to get 3 plane intersection calculator equation just in t star ( 3 ) organization... Of seconds each other email ; Twitter ; Facebook Share via Facebook \u00bb More... Share Page! 2 nd line passes though ( 4,0 ) and ( 10,7 ) conceive of 3D objects! The lessons, formulas and calculators of probability is calculated by restricting the sample space we\u00e2\u0080\u0099re. And radius of each part of this problem = ( 0,0,0 ) lines the. Of all planes and calculate the coordinate ( x, I want to calculate intersection... Academy is a free online tool that displays the intersection of three planes watch the consequences ( | )... And use all the lessons, formulas and calculators loading external resources our... Find out if my planes intersect each other the center point and radius of each circle formula rise over,... Two wealthy businessmen with car obsessions cross paths with an idealist pediatrician this is an calculator! And use all the features of Khan Academy is a consistent solution where these two.! Goi it Maid in newport Beach, CA is here with the plane each other 20, 2015 GRP... 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BrightWave Named Winner of Three 2018 Marketer Quarterly Marketing Awards >
Posted on December 12, 2018 by Amber Fawlkes
The Leading Email & eCRM Agency Continues to be Recognized as Elite Industry Leader
The 2018 Marketer Quarterly Marketing Awards, an awards program created by the renowned industry analyst group The Relevancy Group, have recognized BrightWave, the leading email and eCRM agency, as the winner of three major award categories: Best Loyalty Member Email/Offer – Restaurant, Best Offer – Retail, and Best Welcome Email/Email Series – Financial Services. All entries were evaluated by The Relevancy Group based on their relevance, strategy, creativity and utilization of data as well as other factors.
Specifically, Chick-fil-A's monthly newsletter for its tiered membership program, Chick-fil-A One, won the Best Loyalty Member Email/Offer – Restaurant award due to its highly personalized and relevant content. Also, Char-Broil's 70th anniversary sweepstakes campaign took home the award for Best Offer – Retail while Synovus' new checking account activation series achieved the Best Welcome Email/Email Series – Financial Services award.
"We are very proud of our business impact and resulting recognition that our team has generated," commented Brent Rosengren, BrightWave's Chief Client Officer. He added, "We appreciate The Relevancy Group citing our innovation and performance, and our team is honored by these awards as well as our clients' trust in BrightWave as a critical business partner."
David Daniels, CEO and Founder of The Relevancy Group, commented, "This is the fourth year we have done the MQ Awards and BrightWave has won an award every year that they submitted their work."
Other recent wins for BrightWave include Emarsys' 2018 Up & Coming Partner of the Year, a Top 10 Best Places to Work recognition and the Davey Awards' Email Marketing and Brand Strategy categories.
Moreover, BrightWave was honored to be named a best-in-class marketing agency in The Relevancy Group's 2018 Email Agency Buyers' Guide. The agency was awarded the most Client Satisfaction medals and highest Relevancy Ring scores, including a perfect score in Strategy and Data Management.
About The Relevancy Group
Founded in 2010, The Relevancy Group (TRG) combines market research with specialized advisory services to help marketers and marketing technologists operate more efficiently and effectively. TRG works with many of America's top vendors and brands as well as early stage companies, defining market requirements and driving thought leadership. TRG produces dozens of surveys, research reports and webinars annually, and publishes the digital magazine for marketers, by marketers, "The Marketer Quarterly." http://www.marketerquarterly.com/subscribe.
See the full press release here.
The BrightWave team has been extremely flexible. This is what makes BrightWave a critical partner. Our business changes quickly which causes sudden changes in direction that we must react to. BrightWave has done a great job of shifting resources to keep advancing the work.
Laura Inman, Senior Director, Audience Engagement at Cox Media Group | {
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2000 SV121 (asteroide 36848) é um asteroide da cintura principal. Possui uma excentricidade de 0.18858560 e uma inclinação de 8.53793º.
Este asteroide foi descoberto no dia 24 de setembro de 2000 por LINEAR em Socorro.
Ver também
Lista de asteroides
Asteroide da cintura principal
Ligações externas
Asteroides da cintura principal
Objetos astronômicos descobertos em 2000 | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
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El Coll d'Ardit és una muntanya de 254 metres que es troba al municipi del Perelló, a la comarca catalana del Baix Ebre.
Referències
Muntanyes del Perelló | {
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from nose.exc import SkipTest
from simplestack.exceptions import FeatureNotImplemented
from simplestack.hypervisors import mock
from tests.hypervisors.base_test_case import HypervisorBaseTest
import random
import unittest
class MockTest(unittest.TestCase, HypervisorBaseTest):
@classmethod
def setUpClass(clazz):
clazz.stack = mock.Stack(None)
clazz.vm_name = "TestVM:%f" % random.random()
clazz.vm = clazz.stack.guest_create({"name": clazz.vm_name})
@classmethod
def tearDownClass(clazz):
clazz.stack.__class__.guests = {}
@classmethod
def _stopVmClass(clazz):
pass
def setUp(self):
self.stack = self.__class__.stack
self.vm = self.__class__.vm
def _get_vm_id(self):
return self.vm["id"]
def _network_name(self):
return "Network 0"
def _stop_vm(self):
self.__class__._stopVmClass()
def _media_name(self):
return "cd"
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 5,963 |
Archive for the Whites Category
Texas Newspaper Destroys The Myth That Hillary Clinton Is The Lesser Of Two Evils!
Posted in 2016 Presidency, 2016 Presidential Election, 2016 Presidential Race, America's 2%, America's 98%, CNN, Democrat, Democrats, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Scam, GOD'S GRACE, God's love, God's Spirit, GOP Insanity, Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton For POTUS, HIllaryClinton2016, KKK, LGBT, Liar, Media, Michelle Obama, New York City, Obama Administration, Presidency 2016, President Obama, President Obama's Accomplishments, Republicans, Right Wing Extremists, Secretary of State, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Spiritual Strength, United States, White House, White House 2016, Whites, Women, Women's Rights with tags Elect Democratic House And Senate, Endorses Hillary Clinton, Experienced Hillary Clinton, Qualified Hillary Clinton, Stand With President Obama, Texas News Papers, Texas News Papers Hillary Is Not The Lesser Of Two Evils, Vote Hillary Clinton President on October 3, 2016 by sheriffali
A Texas newspaper hasn't just endorsed Hillary Clinton. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times destroyed the media created myth that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are equals, but that Clinton is the lesser of two evils.
[Politicususa] A Texas newspaper hasn't just endorsed Hillary Clinton. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times destroyed the media created myth that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are equals, but that Clinton is the lesser of two evils.
In their endorsement the editorial board of the Caller-Times Wrote:
She is not, as has been sold, a mere lesser of two evils. Her experience and intellect would make her a standout in any group of candidates. Like President Obama said and didn't need to be fact-checked, she's more qualified than him or her husband.
Being the only serious alternative is both Clinton's fortune and misfortune. It increases the likelihood of victory, but also of presiding over a nation with large groups of dissidents. While voting against her can be a statement of differing principle, voting for Trump would not rise to that level. It's not a vote for Republicanism. The Republican Party's principles and standards are beyond Trump's reach.
We perceive in Clinton the capability to bridge the divide — to define rather than exploit our problems and pursue intelligent solutions. Her "basket of deplorables" comment made the task more difficult but it was a rare lapse by an otherwise level-headed servant leader with a history of self-correcting resilience. The former senator's Republican colleagues remember her fondly as a middle-ground-seeking master of the art of deal-making. If there is to be a return to bipartisanship, she is the one to lead it.
It is rare to see an endorsement in this presidential election that focuses on why one candidate should be president instead of why her opponent is unfit to hold the office.
Hillary Clinton is not the lesser of two evils. She has never been. When one examines the facts, there is no contest between Clinton and Trump. Donald Trump has a real rap sheet that should disqualify him from being president. Hillary Clinton's "crimes" are conspiracy theories that have been cooked up by the conservative media's anti-Clinton conspiracy cottage industry that has spent decades as a robust source of profit for conservative authors and media.
The idea that Hillary Clinton is the lesser of two evils is a lazy media narrative that was created by corporate mainstream talking heads only interested in false equivalence to keep ratings and interest up during an election. It would take too much effort for the media to discuss the fact that Clinton's approval ratings are a byproduct of decades of Republican attacks on her last name combined with the extreme polarization of the electorate.
2016 isn't a lesser of two evils election. It is a base election that may turn into a rout because Republicans made the foolish decision to nominate a candidate with a closet full of evils to run against the most competent and qualified candidate to a major party's nomination in the modern era of American politics.
Twitter @sheriffali
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/10/02/texas-newspaper-destroys-myth-hillary-clinton-lesser-evils.html
Donald Trump: Thug Talking Gibberish; Lies; Cheats; Has Issues With Women; Lazy; Limited And Has The Attention Span Of A Nanosecond!
Posted in 2016 Presidency, 2016 Presidential Election, 2016 Presidential Race, 2016 White House, Bill Clinton, Blacks, Christianity, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Scam, HIllaryClinton2016, Kathy Perry, Media, Planned Parenthood, POLITICIANS AND THE NRA, Politics 2016, Poverty, Republicans, Rush Limbaugh, Secretary of State, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, United States, White House 2016, Whites, Women, Women's Rights with tags Bankruptcy Swindler, Bigot, CON MAN TRUMP, Deplorables, Fascist, Racist, Trump Pathological Liar, Trump Pays No Taxes on October 3, 2016 by sheriffali
[NYT] "Donald Trump is a thug. He's a thug who talks gibberish, and lies, and cheats, and has issues, to put it mildly, with women. He's lazy and limited and he has an attention span of a nanosecond. He's a "gene believer" who thinks he has "great genes" and considers the German blood, of which he is proud, "great stuff." Mexicans and Muslims, by contrast, don't make the cut.
He's managed to bring penis size and menstrual cycles and the eating habits of a former Miss Universe into debates for the highest office in the land. He's mocked and mimicked the handicapped and the pneumonia-induced malaise of Hillary Clinton. His intellectual interests would not fill a safe-deposit box at Trump Tower. There's more ingenuity to his hairstyle than any of his rambling pronouncements. His political hero is Vladimir Putin, who has perfected what John le Carré once called the "classic, timeless, all-Russian, bare-faced whopping lie."
This is a man who likes to strut and gloat. He's such a great businessman he declared a loss of $916 million on his 1995 Tax Return, a loss so huge the tax software program used by his accountant choked at the amount, which had to be added manually. His cohorts, including the former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, reckon this makes Trump a "genius" because he could offset the loss against many millions of dollars of income for years afterward and perhaps pay not a dime in taxes. All of which did a lot of good for the United States of America and all the working stiffs who did not know that losing about a billion dollars is a financial masterstroke.
And this man, with the support of tens of millions of Americans, is a hairbreadth from the Oval Office.
I am shocked — yes, shocked! — Trump's burbling about the Iran nuclear deal in the first presidential debate has received little attention. He called it "the worst deal I think I've ever seen negotiated," before suggesting "Iran has power over North Korea" and should use it, before saying Iran had been given $400 million and then $1.7 billion and then $150 billion, before saying "this is one of the worst deals ever made by any country in history!"
Of course, Trump has no idea what is in the agreement, since that would require reading it, and so he would not have an inkling that it has slashed and ring-fenced Iran's nuclear capacity until 2030, reversing the Islamic Republic's steady accumulation of centrifuges, and has also opened the way for Boeing to sell Iran 80 commercial passenger aircraft — just the sort of job-creating deal Trump professes to like.
And this man, whose meanness and petulance and childlike inadequacies have been on display for more than a year now, may become president next month."
Unite, Support And Vote Blue – Hillary Clinton President And Elect A Democratic Controlled House And Senate!
New York Times Article: http://nyti.ms/2cLWjNN
The Negro, even if he is President and has done what his predecessors have, is still challenged by some whites!
Posted in Blacks, Contradicting 150 years, Federal Courts, It is still about race for some, Limiting the black President, President Obama, Racism, Whites with tags current-events, federal appellate court, Politics, president ronald reagan, recess appointments on January 25, 2013 by sheriffali
Judges of the U.S. Court of appeals for the D.C. Circuit; Thomas B. Griffith, Karen LeCraft Henderson and David B. Sentelle; ruled;
That President Obama violated the Constitution when he made three recess appointments to the National Labor Board in January of 2012. The three federal judges who issued the ruling today, January 25, 2013 are all Republican appointees. The decision was written by David B. Sentelle, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan who is chief judge of the federal appellate court in Washington D.C.
This decision is unprecedented and contradicts One Hundred and Fifty [150] years of practice by Republican and Democratic Administrations. The only difference is that Obama's predecessors were "all" white and he, Obama, is "Half-White."
We have come a long way out of the pit of 2008 that the Bush Administration had tossed us into, however, we still have surmountable problems and a long way to recover from how far we fell. The stock market closed this week at a five year high; manufacturing are progressing and the unemployment is getting better, but overall, we have to continue to work together if we are going to see the "mountain top" again!
Over 390,000 followers @sheriffali [Twitter] | {
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Ecological selection (or environmental selection or survival selection or individual selection or asexual selection) refers to natural selection without sexual selection, i.e. strictly ecological processes that operate on a species' inherited traits without reference to mating or secondary sex characteristics. The variant names describe varying circumstances where sexual selection is wholly suppressed as a mating factor.
Ecologists often study ecological selection when examining the abundance of individuals per population across regions, and what governs such abundances.
Circumstances in which it occurs
Ecological selection can be said to be taking place in any circumstance where inheritance of specific traits is determined by ecology alone without direct sexual competition, when e.g. sexual competition is strictly ecological or economic, there is little or no mate choice, females do not resist any male who wishes to mate, all traits will be equally propagated regardless of mating, or the species is hermaphroditic or asexually reproducing, an ecological selection is taking place. For example, environmental pressures are largely responsible for the evolution of different life history strategies between the African honey bee, A. m. scutellata, and the European honey bee.
In sexually reproducing species, it is applicable mostly to situations where ecological pressures prevent most competitors from reaching maturity, or where crowding or pair-bonding or an extreme suppression of sexual selection factors prevents the normal sexual competition rituals and selection from taking place, but which also prevent artificial selection from operating, e.g. arranged marriages, where parents rather than the young select the mate based on economic or even astrological factors, and where the sexual desires of the mated pair are often subordinated to these factors, are artificial unless wholly based on an ecological factor such as control of land which is held by their own force.
In forests, ecological selection can be witnessed involving many factors such as available sunlight, soil quality, and the surrounding biota. During forest growth, tree seedlings in particular, are ecosystem pioneers, and different tree seedlings can often react to a number of members in their ecological community in completely different ways, thus providing a spectrum of ecological occupations. On the other hand, adult trees can heavily impact their ecological communities, reversing the roles of ecological selection. Elements of the soil are an extremely influential selective factor in forest growth. Throughout time, every species of tree has evolved to grow under specific soil conditions, whether it is dependent on the pH levels, the mineral contents, or the drainage levels. Each of these is a vehicle for ecological selection to do its work in the course of evolution. However, ecological selection can be much more specific, not only working within species but within populations, even populations in the same region. For example, scientists in Quebec recently examined how tree seedlings react to different nitrate levels. What they found was that areas with higher nitrate levels contained plants that could much more efficiently metabolize nitrogen. Such plants could perform photosynthesis and respiration at a much faster rate than their nitrogen lacking peers, and also had longer root lengths on average, giving them an evolutionary advantage for their habitat. Nitrogen levels that are unexpectedly too high could harm some tree species, but these particular specimens created a niche for themselves, and could outcompete others around them. A site of tree growth can also be influenced by slope, rockiness, climate, and available sunlight. Space is initially available to everything, but seedlings that can most quickly inhabit the soil and take advantage of the available nutrients are usually most successful. Generally, one of the first factors to control which species grow best in the soil is the amount of sunlight. Soil and water themselves are both very important (For instance, a dry hardwood such as a white oak will not grow in a swamp), but sunlight is the initial decider in forest succession. Shade intolerant trees can immediately grow impressively. They need the sunlight that is offered by an open canopy found in a bare environment. Selection weeds out the seedlings that can not handle full sun, thus tall, straight trees will eventually grow and develop a full, lush canopy. However, these behaviors will soon be reversed. Seedlings that were once removed by ecological selection now become favored, because the shaded forest floor has become ideal for such shade tolerant species. This is a great example of how ecological selection can create niches for different species by performing the same function with different outcomes.
Vs. sexual selection
In cases where ecological and sexual selection factors are strongly at odds, simultaneously encouraging and discouraging the same traits, it may also be important to distinguish them as sub-processes within natural selection.
For instance, Ceratogaulus, the Oligocene horned gopher, left in the fossil record a series of individuals with successively longer and longer horns, that seemed to be unrelated or maladaptive to its ecological niche. Some modern scientists have theorized that the horns were useful or impressive in mating rituals among males (although other scientists dispute this theory, pointing out that the horns were not sexually dimorphic) and that it was an example of runaway evolution. The species seems to have suddenly died out when horns reached approximately the body length of the animal itself, possibly because it could no longer run or evade predators—thus ecological selection seems to have ultimately trumped sexual.
It is also important to distinguish ecological selection in cases of extreme ecological abundance, e.g. the human built environment, cities or zoos, where sexual selection must generally predominate, as there is no threat of the species or individuals losing their ecological niche. Even in these situations, however, where survival is not in question, the variety and the quality of food, e.g. as presented by male to female monkeys in exchange for sex in some species, still influences reproduction, however it becomes a sexual selection factor. Similar phenomena can be said to exist in humans e.g. the "mail order bride" who primarily mates for economic advantage.
Differentiating ecological selection from sexual is useful especially in such extreme cases; Above examples demonstrate exceptions rather than a typical selection in the wild. In general, ecological selection is assumed to be the dominant process in natural selection, except in highly cognitive species that do not, or do not always, pair bond, e.g. walrus, gorilla, human. But even in these species, one would distinguish cases where isolated populations had no real choice of mates, or where the vast majority of individuals died before sexual maturity, leaving only the ecologically selected survivor to mate—regardless of its sexual fitness under normal sexual selection processes for that species.
For example, if only a few closely related males survive a natural disaster, and all are able to mate very widely due to lack of males, sexual selection has been suppressed by an ecological selection (the disaster). Such situations are usually temporary, characteristic of populations under extreme stress, for relatively short terms. However, they can drastically affect populations in that short time, sometimes eliminating all individuals susceptible to a pathogen, and thereby rendering all survivors immune. A few such catastrophic events where ecological selection predominates can lead to a population with specific advantages, e.g. in colonization when invading populations from more crowded disease-prone conditions arrive with antibodies to diseases, and the diseases themselves, which proceed to wipe out natives, clearing the way for the colonists.
In humans, the intervention of artificial devices such as ships or blankets may be enough to make some consider this an example of artificial selection. However it is clearly observed in other species, it seems unreasonable to differentiate colonization by ship from colonization by walking, and even the word "colony" is not specific to humans but refers generically to an intrusion of one species on an ecology to which it has not wholly adapted. So, despite the potential controversy, it may be better to consider all examples of colonist-borne diseases to be ecological selection.
For another example, in a region devastated by nuclear radiation, such as the Bikini Atoll, capacity to survive gamma rays to sexual maturity and (for the female) to term is a key ecological selection factor, although it is neither "natural" nor sexual. Some would call this too artificial selection, not natural or ecological, as the radiation does not enter the ecology as a factor save due to man's effort. Ambiguous artificial-plus-ecological factors may reasonably be called "environmental", and the term environmental selection may be preferable in these cases.
See also
Ecology
References
Ecological processes
Selection
Population genetics | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 7,610 |
{"url":"https:\/\/codereview.stackexchange.com\/questions\/66862\/count-bits-that-differ-between-integers-x-and-y","text":"# Count bits that differ between integers X and Y\n\nI'm trying to solve the following problem :\n\nYou are given two integers, X and Y. Calculate the number of bits that will be changed in order to convert integer X to integer Y.\n\nHere is my solution\n\nfunction findNumberOfBits(x, y){\nvar bitCount = 0;\nvar z = x ^ y; \/\/XOR x and y\nwhile (z !== 0){\nbitCount += z & 1;\nz = z >> 1; \/\/shift Z by 1 bit to the right\n\/\/console.log(\"bitCount \", bitCount);\n\/\/console.log(z);\n}\nreturn bitCount;\n}\n\nvar result = findNumberOfBits(12, 16);\n\n1. Is this correct? My tests seem to say yes, but just to make sure.\n2. Is this the most efficient way to write it in JavaScript?\n\nTo improve them, think about why you are doing what you are doing, and what the result represents. For example:\n\nvar z = x ^ y; \/\/XOR x and y\n\nRight, so ^ is bitwise xor. But why are you doing this? What is z after this operation?\n\nvar z = x ^ y; \/\/ set bits in z that are different in x and y to 1.\n\n\nThis is a bit more helpful (but you can improve on the phrasing if you want).\n\nMisc\n\n\u2022 Your indentation is off a bit.\n\u2022 remove debug statements\n\nIf you do this, your code might look like this:\n\nfunction findNumberOfBits(x, y) {\nvar bitCount = 0;\nvar z = x ^ y; \/\/ set bits in z that are different in x and y to 1.\nwhile (z !== 0) { \/\/ not all bits are 0\nbitCount += z & 1; \/\/ add least significant bit\nz = z >> 1; \/\/ iterate over z; set next bit as lsb\n}\nreturn bitCount;\n}\n\n\nThe comments might be a bit much (you can remove some if you want), but they are not just repeating the code.\n\nIs this correct? My tests seem to say yes, but just to make sure.\n\nLooks good to me.\n\nIs this the most efficient way to write it in JavaScript?\n\nIf your code should work platform-independent, probably. Otherwise, no. You need the xor, but to count the number of set bits in the result, there might be better approaches.\n\nWhat you are calculating is called the hamming distance, and here you can see some efficient implementations for the hamming weight (the count of set bits).\n\nYour solution seems good, but your comments aren't helpful (as tim stated). The explain the use of the ^ and >> operator. I think the intention is good, but these comments aren't helpful to you or to anyone that already knows what these operator do. You should remove them and assume the next developper who will go through your code will go check on internet to find the signification of these operators.","date":"2021-01-24 08:49:36","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 1, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.4588305950164795, \"perplexity\": 1118.1051102925164}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2021-04\/segments\/1610703547475.44\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20210124075754-20210124105754-00754.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
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<h1 class='fqn'><span class='in-band'>Trait <a href='../index.html'>core</a>::<wbr><a href='index.html'>ops</a>::<wbr><a class='trait' href=''>FnMut</a><wbr><a class='stability Stable' title=''>Stable</a></span><span class='out-of-band'><span id='render-detail'>
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<pre class='rust trait'>pub trait FnMut<Args> {
type Output;
extern "rust-call" fn <a href='#tymethod.call_mut' class='fnname'>call_mut</a>(&mut self, args: Args) -> Self::Output;
}</pre><div class='docblock'><p>A version of the call operator that takes a mutable receiver.</p>
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<h3 id='associatedtype.Output' class='method'><a class='stability Unmarked' title='No stability level'></a><code>type Output</code></h3><div class='docblock'><p>The returned type after the call operator is used.</p>
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Q: Implementation restriction: You can only perform queries of the form Id='' in Salesforce I am Using Salesforce SOQL query to get installed packages in an organisation. I tried the following SOQL Query
https://ap15.salesforce.com/services/data/v45.0/tooling/query/?q=Select+id,SubscriberPackage.NamespacePrefix,SubscriberPackageVersion.MajorVersion,SubscriberPackageVersion.MinorVersion+from+InstalledSubscriberPackage
This query is taking too long nearly 16secs.To optimise the query I tried to do join between InstalledSubscriberPackage and SubscriberPackage
https://ap15.salesforce.com/services/data/v47.0/tooling/query/?q=Select+SubscriberPackageId+from+InstalledSubscriberPackage+where+SubscriberPackageId+in+(+Select+id+from+SubscriberPackage+where+namespacePrefix+like+'test'+)
I am getting an SOQL Exception
Implementation restriction: You can only perform queries of the form Id='<some_value>' when trying to hit
| {
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\section{Conclusion}
\label{sec:conclusion}
We proved the correctness, linearizability and non-blocking behavior
of the C-IST data structure.
We furthermore analyzed the doubly-logarithmic complexity
of the basic C-IST operations.
An extended experimental evaluation suggest that
C-IST significantly improves upon the performance
of competitive state-of-the-art search data structures,
in some cases by up to $\approx3.5\times$,
and the current best-performing alternative by up to $50\%$.
In highly skewed workloads, C-IST loses some of its performance advantages
but nevertheless exhibits a similar performance
as the next best concurrent tree data structure.
Given the importance of Big Data workloads and very large databases,
we believe that the techniques used in the C-IST data structure
have the potential to trigger an intriguing line of future work.
\section{Concurrent Interpolation Search Tree}
\label{sec:algorithm}
\subsection{Examples and Overview}
\label{sec:examples}
We illustrate how concurrent interpolation search trees work using several examples.
Examine the first tree in the following figure.
Each inner node consists of a set of $d$ pointers to child nodes,
and $d - 1$ keys that are used to drive the search.
We say that the node's \emph{degree} is $d$.
The top node usually has the highest degree,
and the degree of a node decreases as it gets deeper in the tree
(explained precisely below).
The tree is \emph{external}, meaning that the keys are stored in the leaf nodes.
The illustration shows a subset of nodes --
the missing nodes are represented with $\cdots$ symbols.
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.27]{figures/insert-example-1.pdf}
\end{center}
Consider the task of inserting a key $k_m$,
such that $k_j < k_m < k_l$,
where $k_j$ and $k_l$ are existing keys in the tree.
The figure shows a tree in which $k_j$ is contained in a leaf node on the bottom.
Insertion finds the leaf corresponding to $k_j$,
such that $k_m$ is the successor of $k_j$,
and then allocates a new inner node that holds both $k_j$ and $k_m$.
Finally, the old pointer in the parent is atomically changed
with a §CAS§ instruction to point to the new node.
Without rebalancing,
the tree can become arbitrarily deep.
Therefore, insertion must periodically rebalance parts of the tree.
The following figure shows the tree after inserting an additional key $k_n$,
such that $k_i < k_j < k_m < k_n$.
The subtree at the bottom, which contains the keys $k_i$, $k_j$, $k_m$ and $k_n$,
is sufficiently imbalanced, and it should be replaced with a more balanced tree.
Rebalancing creates a new subtree that contains the same set of keys.
After rebalancing,
the subtree consists of a single inner node of degree $4$,
as shown on the right.
Note that deletions also periodically rebalance the subtrees.
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.27]{figures/insert-example-2.pdf}
\end{center}
There are several challenges with this approach.
First, concurrent modifications and rebalancing
must correctly synchronize so that all operations remain non-blocking,
while searches remain wait-free.
Second, the rebalancing of any subtree
must not compromise the scalability of the other operations.
Finally, concurrent rebalancing must,
when the probability distribution of the input keys is smooth~\cite{IST},
ensure that the operations run in amortized $O(\log \log n)$ time.
\subsection{Data Types}
\label{sec:data-types}
The concurrent interpolation search tree consists of the data types
shown in Figure~\ref{algo:data-types}.
The §IST§ data type represents the interpolation search tree
with the single member §root§, which points to the root node.
Initially, the root node points to an empty leaf node, whose type is §Empty§.
The §Single§ data type represents a leaf node with a single key and an associated value,
and the §Inner§ data type represents inner nodes,
as illustrated on the right of Figure~\ref{algo:data-types}.
\begin{figure*}[]
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct IST is
root: Node
struct Single: Node is
key: KeyType
val: ValType
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Inner: Node is
initSize: int
degree: int
keys: KeyType[]
children: Node[]
status: [int, bool, bool]
count: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Empty: Node is
struct Rebuild: Node is
target: Inner
parent: Inner
index: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.24\textwidth}
\vspace{0.1cm}
\includegraphics[scale=0.21]{figures/data-types.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\vspace{-7mm}
\caption{Data Types}
\label{algo:data-types}
\end{figure*}
In addition to holding the search keys,
and the pointers to the child nodes,
the §Inner§ data type contains the node's §degree§,
and a field called §initSize§,
which contains the number of keys
that were in the corresponding subtree when this node was created.
Apart from the child pointers, these fields are set on creation,
and not subsequently modified.
§Inner§ also contains two volatile fields,
§count§ and §status§, which are used to coordinate rebuilding.
The §count§ field holds the number of updates that were performed
in the subtree rooted at this node since it was created.
The §status§ field consists of an integer and two booleans --
it is initially zero,
and then changes to a non-zero value to indicate
that this node will be replaced during a rebuilding operation.
The §Rebuild§ data type contains information about a subtree-rebuilding operation.
It contains a pointer called §target§ to the root of the subtree to rebuild,
a pointer to its §parent§,
and the §index§ of the §target§ in the §parent§ node's array of child pointers.
The §status§ field and the §Rebuild§ type
are further explained in Section \ref{sec:partial-rebuild}.
To perform correctly, IST operations must maintain certain invariants --
informally, these invariants state that there must be a unique, acyclic path to any key,
and that the nodes cover disjoint key intervals.
They are formally defined below.
\begin{invariant}[Key presence]
\label{inv:presence}
For any key §k§ reachable in the IST §I§,
there exists exactly one path of the form §I§
$\overset{\texttt{root}}{\rightarrow}$ §n§$_0$
$\overset{\texttt{children[i$_0$]}}{\rightarrow}$
$(§n§_1 \enskip | \enskip §r§_1 \overset{\texttt{target}}{\rightarrow} §n§_1)$
$\overset{\texttt{children[i$_1$]}}{\rightarrow}$
$\ldots$
$\overset{\texttt{children[i$_{m-1}$]}}{\rightarrow}$
$(§n§_m \enskip | \enskip §r§_m \overset{\texttt{target}}{\rightarrow} §n§_m)$,
where §n§$_m$ holds the key §k§, §r§$_m$ is a §Rebuild§ node,
and $|$ is a choice between two patterns.
\end{invariant}
\begin{definition}[Cover]
\label{def:cover}
A root node §n§
\emph{covers} the interval $\langle -\infty, \infty \rangle$.
Given an inner node §n§ of degree $d$ that covers the interval $[ a, b \rangle$,
and holds the keys $k_0, k_1, \ldots, k_{d-2}$ in its §keys§ array,
its child §n.children[i]§ covers the interval $[ k_{i-1}, k_i \rangle$,
where we define $k_{-1} = a$ and $k_{d-1} = b$.
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}[Content]
A node §n§ \emph{contains} a key §k§ if and only if
the path from the root of the IST §I§ to the leaf with the key §k§
contains the node §n§.
An IST §I§ \emph{contains} a key §k§ if and only if the §root§ contains the key §k§.
\end{definition}
\begin{invariant}[Search tree]
\label{inv:search}
If a node §n§ covers $[ a, b \rangle$ and contains a key §k§,
then §k§ $\in [ a, b \rangle$.
\end{invariant}
\begin{invariant}[Acyclicity]
\label{inv:acyclicity}
There are no cycles in the interpolation search tree.
\end{invariant}
\begin{definition}[Has-key]
\label{def:has-key}
Relation $\haskey(§I§, k)$ holds if and only if §I§ satisfies the invariants,
and contains the key $k$.
\end{definition}
In the interpolation search tree,
the degree $d$ of a node with cardinality $n$ is $\Theta(\sqrt{n})$.
In an \emph{ideal IST},
the degree of a node with cardinality $n$
is either $\floor{\sqrt{n}}$ or $\ceil{\sqrt{n}}$,
and the number of keys in each of the node's subtrees is $\Theta(\sqrt{n})$,
more specifically, either $\floor{\sqrt{n}}$ or $\ceil{\sqrt{n}}$.
This ensures the $O(\log \log n)$ depth bound.
An example of an ideal IST is shown below --
the root has a degree $\Theta(\sqrt{n})$,
its children have the degree $\Theta(\sqrt[4]{n})$,
its grandchildren have the degree $\Theta(\sqrt[8]{n})$ and so on.
The interpolation search tree will generally not be ideal
after a sequence of insertion and deletion operations,
but its subtrees are ideal ISTs immediately after they get rebuilt.
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.24]{figures/ideal.pdf}
\end{center}
\subsection{Insertion and Deletion}
\label{sec:insertion-deletion}
As illustrated in Section \ref{sec:examples},
an insertion searches the tree for a §Single§ or §Empty§ node,
and then replaces this node with one or two new nodes.
An §Empty§ node is replaced with a new §Single§ node that contains the new key,
and a §Single§ node is replaced with an inner node.
To track the amount of imbalance in each subtree,
the standard IST increments the §count§ for all the inner nodes that lead to that leaf,
whenever a key is inserted or deleted at that leaf \cite{IST}.
Once some §count§ reaches a threshold, the corresponding subtree is rebuilt.
Our C-IST implementation avoids contention at the root
by using a scalable, quiescently-consistent multicounter~\cite{ABKLN} at the root.
Once rebalancing is triggered,
subsequent insertions and deletions in the corresponding subtree must fail,
and help complete the rebalancing before retrying.
To ensure this, the rebalancing sets the §status§ field of all the nodes
of the target subtree.
An insertion atomically checks the §status§ field of an inner node
while replacing a child of the inner node.
We accomplish this with an atomic double-compare-single-swap (§DCSS§) primitive,
which takes two addresses,
two corresponding expected values, and one new value as arguments,
and behaves like a §CAS§ that succeeds
only if the second address also matches its expected value.
§DCSS§ also provides the wait-free §DCSS\_READ§ primitive,
which can read the fields that can be concurrently modified by a §DCSS§.
Both are efficiently implemented using single-word
§CAS§es~\cite{Harris:2002:PMC:645959.676137,DBLP:conf/wdag/Arbel-Raviv017}.
\begin{figure}[!t]
\begin{lstlisting}[firstnumber=1]
procedure insert(ist, key, val)
path = [] °\hfill° // Stack that saves the path.
n = ist.root
while true
index = interpolationSearch(key, n) °\label{lst:insert-interpolation-search}° °\ap{This was here -- should we remove it? -> affectsChangeSum = true}°
child = DCSS_READ(n.children[index])
if child is Inner
n = child
path.push( [child, index] )
else if child is Empty | Single
r = createFrom(child, key, val)
result =
DCSS(n.children[index], child, r, n.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°])°\label{lst:insert-dcss}°
if result == FAILED_MAIN_ADDRESS
continue °\hfill° // Retry from the same n.
else if result == FAILED_AUX_ADDRESS
return insert(ist, key, val) °\hfill°// Retry from the root.
else
for each [n, index] in path
FETCH_AND_ADD(n.count, 1) °\label{lst:insert-fetch-and-add}°
parent = ist.root
for each [n, index] in path
count = READ(n.count)
if count >= REBUILD_THRESHOLD * n.initSize °\label{lst:insert-threshold}°
rebuild(n, parent, index)
break °\hfill°// exit for °\ap{Should we break as soon as you find the highest node for rebuild?}° °\ap{Can these 2 loops be fused into one? Seems like we can break as soon as we find a rebuild-point.}°
parent = n
return true
else if child is Rebuild
helpRebuild(child)
return insert(ist, key, val) °\hfill° // Retry from the root.
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{Insert Operation}
\label{algo:insert}
\end{figure}
\paratitle{Insertion}
Figure~\ref{algo:insert} shows the pseudocode for §insert§,
which traverses the C-IST starting at the §root§.
An interpolation search \cite{Perl:1978:ISL:359545.359557}
is done at each node to determine the §index§ of the next child pointer for the given §key§.
This search uses the linear interpolation between the node's minimum
and maximum keys to estimate the index (in the node's array of keys)
to which the specified key belongs,
and does a linear search thereafter.
Since the §keys§ array does not change after the creation of an §Inner§ node,
§interpolationSearch§ has a sequential implementation, not shown here.
Next, §insert§ checks the type of the §child§ node.
If §child§ is an inner node, then §insert§ continues the traversal,
and at the same time adds the §child§ to the list called §path§.
This list is used to update the counts, as explained shortly.
If §child§ is an §Empty§ or a §Single§ node,
then §insert§ replaces it with a new node §r§ with one or two keys, respectively,
allocated in the §createFrom§ subroutine.
The §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:insert-dcss} inserts the new node
by changing §n.children[index]§ from §child§ to §r§
only if §n.status == [0,§$\bot$§,§$\bot$§]§.
The §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:insert-dcss}
fails when §n.status $\neq$ [0,§$\bot$§,§$\bot$§]§,
and returns the §FAILED\_AUX\_ADDRESS§ value,
which indicates that the node is a part of an ongoing a rebuild.
In this case, §insert§ restarts from the root to find the §Rebuild§ node,
and help complete the rebuild.
The §DCSS§ could also fail if §n.children[index] $\neq$ child§,
indicating that another §insert§ or §delete§ or §rebuilding§ operation
modified the same location.
In this case, §insert§ restarts from the same §n§.
\tb{added rebuilding operation, because a pointer could be changed by a completed rebuilding operation...}
\ap{Agreed.}
If the §DCSS§ is successful,
then §insert§ increments the §count§ fields
with the §FETCH\_AND\_ADD§ in line \ref{lst:insert-fetch-and-add}.
\tb{maybe get rid of sampling}
\ap{I removed it.}
\ap{
How did we pick 1/4? Did we experiment with other values?
Showing insert/lookup performance curves for different values might be interesting.
}
Finally, the §insert§ searches the ancestors in §path§
for the highest node whose §count§ reached the threshold.
The threshold is checked in line \ref{lst:insert-threshold},
where §REBUILD\_THRESHOLD§ is set to $0.25$
(explained in Section 4 of the corresponding tech report~\cite{techreport-2020-c-ist}).
\tb{maybe get rid of sampling}
\ap{I removed the mention of $\epsilon$ and $q$.}
If such a node exists,
then §insert§ calls §rebuild§ to recreate the respective subtree.
As explained in Section~\ref{sec:partial-rebuild},
§rebuild§ inserts a §Rebuild§ node into the IST.
When other updates see this node,
they help complete the rebuild before proceeding.
\paratitle{Deletion}
The §delete§ either replaces a §Single§ node with a new §Empty§ node,
or does not change the data structure if the key is not present.
It is almost identical to §insert§ --
the main difference is that when §child§ is an §Empty§ node,
§delete§ simply returns §false§,
and when §child§ is a §Single§,
instead of calling §createFrom§,
the node is replaced an §Empty§ if the keys match.
The deletion does not shrink §Inner§ nodes --
while some §Empty§ nodes can accumulate in the tree,
then the rebuilding operations eventually remove them.
With our chosen threshold, at most $25\%$ of all nodes can be §Empty§.
\subsection{Partial Rebuilding}
\label{sec:partial-rebuild}
When insertion or deletion detects that a subtree rooted at a node $target$
(henceforth, the ``target subtree'') has become sufficiently imbalanced,
it rebuilds the subtree, as shown in Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}.
Rebuilding has four steps.
First, a thread announces the intention by creating a §Rebuild§ descriptor,
and inserts the descriptor between the $target$ and its $parent$.
Second, the thread does a preorder traversal of the subtree,
and sets a bit in the §status§ field of each node to prevent further updates.
Third, the thread creates an ideal IST (rooted at $ideal$)
using the old subtree's keys (rooted at $target$).
Finally, the old subtree is replaced with the new subtree in the parent.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
\begin{lstlisting}
procedure rebuild(node, p, i)
op = new Rebuild(node, p, i)
result = DCSS(p.children[i], node, op, p.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°]) °\label{lst:rebuild-dcss}°
if result == SUCCESS then helpRebuild(op)
procedure helpRebuild(op)
keyCount = markAndCount(op.target) °\label{lst:help-rebuild-mark}°
ideal = createIdeal(op.target, keyCount) °\label{lst:help-rebuild-create-ideal}°
p = op.parent
DCSS(p.children[op.index], op, ideal, p.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°])°\label{lst:help-rebuild-dcss}°
procedure markAndCount(node) °\label{lst:mark-declaration}°
if node is Empty then return 0
if node is Single then return 1
if node is Rebuild then return markAndCount(op.target)
// node is Inner
CAS(node.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°], [0,°$\bot$°,°$\top$°]) °\label{lst:mark-cas-0-1}° °\label{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}°
keyCount = 0 °\label{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}°
for index in 0 until length(node.children) °\label{lst:mark-loop}°
child = READ(node.children[index])
if child is Inner then
[count, finished, started] = READ(child.status)
if finished then keyCount += count
else keyCount += markAndCount(child) °\label{lst:mark-end-loop}°
else if child is Single then keyCount += 1
CAS(node.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\top$°], [keyCount,°$\top$°,°$\top$°]) °\label{lst:mark-cas-1-keycount}°
return keyCount °\label{lst:mark-end}°
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{Rebuild Operation}
\label{algo:rebuild}
\end{figure}
\paratitle{Implementation}
In the first step,
the §rebuild§ procedure creates the §Rebuild§ descriptor object,
and announces it with the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:rebuild-dcss}.
If this §DCSS§ is not successful,
then either there is another rebuild in some ancestor,
or another thread concurrently started the rebuild at the same node --
in both cases, the current thread can abort the rebuild.
If the announcement is successful,
rebuilding continues in the §helpRebuild§ subroutine.
If other threads need to update the respective subtree,
then they observe the §Rebuild§ node,
and help by also calling §helpRebuild§.
The call to §markAndCount§ traverses the subtree,
and sets the §status§ field of each inner node to $[0, \bot, \top]$
with the §CAS§ in line \ref{lst:mark-cas-0-1}.
At the same time,
§markAndCount§ counts the number of keys below each node,
and, once all the children are traversed,
it stores the total key count in the higher bits of the §status§ field
in line \ref{lst:mark-cas-1-keycount}.
The count allows computing the node degrees in the new subtree.
Note that, since the threads compete to set the same value in §status§,
the success of these two §CAS§es does not need to be checked --
exactly one thread succeeds.
The §createIdeal§ creates an ideal IST,
as defined in Section \ref{sec:data-types},
and ensures that the degree of each node is $\approx \sqrt{N}$,
where $N$ is the number of keys in that node's subtree.
We do not show its pseudocode,
since it involves no concurrency.
In the last step,
the old subtree is replaced with the new one
by the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-dcss}.
If this §DCSS§ fails,
then either another thread finished the rebuild,
or another rebuild started in some ancestor,
so no further action is necessary.
\section{Concurrent Interpolation Search Tree with Collaborative Rebuilding}
\label{sec:concurrent-collaborative-rebuild}
The basic rebuilding procedure, described in Section \ref{sec:insertion-deletion},
suffers from a scalability bottleneck when a lot of threads concurrently modify the IST.
Since multiple threads compete to mark the old subtree in the §markAndCount§ procedure,
and multiple threads create the same new subtree
in the §createIdeal§ procedure from Figure \ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild},
part of the work can be duplicated due to contention.
To address this, we designed and implemented a collaborative rebuilding algorithm,
in which threads mark and rebuild the subtree in parallel.
\begin{figure}[t]
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Rebuild: Node is
target: Inner
newTarget: Inner
parent: Inner
index: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.25\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Inner: Node is
initSize: int
degree: int
keys: KeyType[]
children: Node[]
status: [int, bool, bool]
count: int
nextMark: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\caption{Modified Data Types for Collaborative Rebuilding}
\label{algo:data-types-cr}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Fast Collaborative Rebuilding}
\label{sec:concurrent-rebuild}
To enable threads to perform rebuilding \textit{collaboratively},
we make several changes in the algorithm.
First, we replace the §markAndCount§ procedure with
a new procedure called §markAndCountCollaborative§,
in which helpers attempt to process different parts of the data structure
in parallel, and carefully avoid duplicating the work.
Second, we replace the call to §createIdeal§
inside the procedure §helpRebuild§
in Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild}
with a call to a new procedure §createIdealCollaborative§,
in which a new root of the subtree is first created
(which initially contains only §null§-pointers)
and \textit{announced}.
For this purpose, we add the §newTarget§ field to the §Rebuild§ data type,
as shown in Figure \ref{algo:data-types-cr},
to store the root node of the new subtree.
Each §null§-pointer in the new root of the subtree represents a ``job''
that a thread can perform by building the corresponding subtree
(and changing the §null§-pointer to point to this new subtree).
Of course, many of these jobs can be performed in parallel.
This way, until the new ideal IST is complete,
the §newTarget§ node serves as a sort of lock-free work queue.
Finally, we add the §nextMark§ field to §Inner§ nodes,
which is used in collaborative marking.
These subtlety of these changes is to distribute work
among threads while preserving lock-freedom,
which mandates that all work is done eventually,
even if some threads block.
The collaborative rebuilding algorithm is illustrated in Figure~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild},
which we explain in the following paragraphs.
\edef\lstMarkDeclaration{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-declaration}}
\edef\lstMarkEndOfPreamble{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}}
\edef\lstMarkStartOfPostamble{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}}
\begin{figure}[!t]
\begin{lstlisting}[
firstnumber=\lstMarkDeclaration
]
procedure markAndCountCollaborative(node) °\Suppressnumber°
// ... same as markAndCount until line °\textit{\ref{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}}°, but with
// recursive calls to markAndCountCollaborative ... °\Reactivatenumber{\lstMarkEndOfPreamble + 1}°
if node.degree > COLLABORATION_THRESHOLD °\label{lst:mark-cr-threshold}°
while true °\label{lst:mark-cr-loop}°
index = FETCH_AND_ADD(node.nextMark, 1)
if index >= node.degree then break
markAndCountCollaborative(node.children[index]) °\Suppressnumber° °\label{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}°
// ... same as markAndCount from line °\textit{\ref{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}}°, but with
// recursive calls to markAndCountCollaborative ...
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{The \texttt{markAndCountCollaborative} Procedure}
\label{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative}
\end{figure}
\paratitle{Collaborative marking algorithm}
Similar to the basic algorithm from Section~\ref{sec:algorithm},
the collaborative rebuilding algorithm starts by setting the §status§ field
of all the nodes in the subtree that must be rebuilt.
The main difference in the collaborative marking algorithm
is that it allows the helping threads to mark parts of the subtree in parallel.
The §markAndCountCollaborative§ procedure,
shown in Fig.~\ref{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative},
starts by setting the low boolean of the §status§ field,
and is the same as the basic §markAndCount§ from Fig.~\ref{algo:rebuild}
until line~\ref{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}.
If the number of children of the node is larger
than the §COLLABORATION\_THRESHOLD§ value (experimentally set to $48$),
the marking repetitively invokes the atomic §FETCH\_AND\_ADD§ instruction
on the §nextMark§ field, to get the index of the next free child
that can be recursively marked (line~\ref{lst:mark-cr-threshold}).
This allows multiple threads to concurrently mark the distinct children,
which reduces the memory contention.
The rest of the §markAndCountCollaborative§ procedure is exactly the same
as the §markAndCount§ procedure from Fig.~\ref{algo:rebuild}
after line~\ref{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}.
In particular, after executing the loop
in lines~\ref{lst:mark-cr-loop}-\ref{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}
of Fig.~\ref{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative},
collaborative marking does another pass through the node's §children§ array
to help the other threads that are slow.
In this second pass
(lines~\ref{lst:mark-loop}-\ref{lst:mark-end-loop} of Fig.~\ref{algo:rebuild}),
the thread recursively marks those children whose key-count was not yet computed.
This second pass is necessary to preserve lock-freedom --
if any of the other threads halts, the marking will complete in a finite number of steps.
\ap{
Trevor, could you please change 1-7 in the figure with the rebuilding to A-G?
I could not install latest 7.2.12 IPE on Ubuntu due to libjpeg62-turbo,
and after opening it in Wine, it seems that rebuild2.ipe is not the right version.
}
\paratitle{Collaborative marking example}
The collaborative marking is illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}.
The §Rebuild§ object is first announced in Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}A.
At this point, the §status§ fields of all the inner nodes in the §target§ subtree
are set to §[0,§$\bot$§,§$\bot$§]§ (shown in the rightmost box of each node),
indicating that the marking has not started in any of those nodes.
In Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}B, thread $p$ executed §FETCH\_AND\_ADD§
and decided to mark the child at index §0§,
while threads $q$ and $r$ are marking children at indices §1§ and §3§, respectively.
Thread $q$ has completed the marking
(indicated by the §[2,§$\top$§,§$\top$§]§ in the §status§ field of the corresponding child),
and can now help threads $p$ and $r$ to complete the marking
and set the key counts of their children.
In Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}C, all the threads have finished marking,
and the §target§ node has the §status§ field set to §[9,§$\top$§,§$\top$§]§.
At this point, no more concurrent modifications of the §target§ subtree are possible,
and §target§ can be traversed without synchronization
for the purposes of creating a new subtree.
\edef\lstMarkEnd{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-end}}
\Reactivatenumber{\lstMarkEnd + 2}
\begin{figure}[!ht]
\begin{lstlisting}[
]
procedure createIdealCollaborative(op, keyCount)
if keyCount < COLLABORATION_THRESHOLD then
newTarget = createIdeal(op.target, keyCount) °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-sequential}°
else
newTarget = new Inner( °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-new-inner}°
initSize = keyCount,
degree = 0, // Will be set to final value in line °\textit{\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-degree}}°.
keys = new KeyType[°$\lfloor\sqrt{\texttt{keyCount}}\rfloor$° - 1],
children = new Node[°$\lfloor\sqrt{\texttt{keyCount}}\rfloor$°],
status = [0, °$\bot$°, °$\bot$°], count = 0, nextMark = 0)
if not CAS(op.newTarget, null, newTarget) then °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-new-target}°
// Subtree root was inserted by another thread.
newTarget = READ(op.newTarget) °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-read-new-target}°
if keyCount < COLLABORATION_THRESHOLD then
while true °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-loop}°
index = READ(newTarget.degree)
if index == length(newTarget.children) then break
if CAS(newTarget.degree, index, index + 1) then °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-degree}°
if not rebuildAndSetChild(op, keyCount, index)
return newTarget °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-loop}°
for index in 0 until length(newTarget.children) °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-for-loop}°
child = READ(newTarget.children[index])
if child == null then
if not rebuildAndSetChild(op, keyCount, index)
return newTarget °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop}°
return newTarget
procedure rebuildAndSetChild(op, keyCount, index)
// Calculate the key interval for this child, and rebuild.
totalChildren = °$\lfloor\sqrt{\texttt{keyCount}}\rfloor$°
childSize = °$\lfloor$°keyCount / totalChildren°$\rfloor$°
remainder = keyCount
fromKey = childSize * index + min(index, remainder)
childKeyCount = childSize + (index < remainder ? 1 : 0)
child = createIdeal(op.target, fromKey, childKeyCount) °\label{lst:rebuild-and-set-create-ideal}°
if index < length(op.newTarget.keys)
key = findKeyAtIndex(op.target, fromKey)
WRITE(op.newTarget.keys[index], key) °\label{lst:rebuild-and-set-write-key}°
// Set new child, check if failed due to status change.
result = DCSS(op.newTarget.children[index], °\label{lst:rebuild-and-set-dcss}°
null, child, op.newTarget.status, [0, °$\bot$°, °$\bot$°])
return result != FAILED_AUX_ADDRESS
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{The \texttt{createIdealCollaborative} Procedure}
\label{algo:create-ideal-cr}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure*}[t]
\includegraphics[width=0.94\textwidth]{figures/rebuild3.pdf}
\caption{Illustration of the collaborative rebuilding algorithm.}
\label{fig:concurrent-rebuild}
\end{figure*}
\paratitle{Collaborative building}
After the §target§ subtree is marked, and the total key-count is known,
the algorithm allocates the root node of the new subtree.
Once again, if the key-count is below the §COLLABORATION\_THRESHOLD§,
the entire subtree is created without collaboration
with the call to the §createIdeal§ procedure,
in line~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-sequential}
of Fig.~\ref{algo:create-ideal-cr}.
If the key-count is above this level,
a new root node is allocated in line~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-new-inner}.
The size of the children array is set to the square root of the key-count.
Notably, the §degree§ field is initially set to §0§,
but it is later used in line~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-degree}
to enable threads to coordinate between the child slots that they work on,
and is set to the proper value by the time the rebuilding completes.
Once the root node of the new subtree is allocated,
threads compete to write it into the §newTarget§ field of the §Rebuild§ object,
in line~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-new-target}.
After the new root is announced,
threads atomically increment the §degree§ field to select a child index to work on,
in lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-loop}-\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-loop}.
Upon acquiring an index, a thread calls the §rebuildAndSetChild§ procedure.
This procedure calculates the interval of keys from the original subtree for the new child,
and then calls §createIdeal§ to create the child tree.
The §createIdeal§ procedure is not shown due to space reasons,
but it is a straightforward traversal of the original tree --
since the original is effectively immutable, no synchronization is necessary.
After the new child is created,
the thread runs a §DCSS§ in line~\ref{lst:rebuild-and-set-dcss}
to write the child into the array.
If §DCSS§ fails due to a change in the §status§ field,
then this means that another rebuild operation is ocurring higher in the tree.
In this case, §rebuildAndSetChild§ returns §false§ to the caller,
allowing it to stop rebuilding early.
Notably, the key is written non-conditionally into the §keys§ array
in line~\ref{lst:rebuild-and-set-write-key},
since potential helpers write the same value.
When the §degree§ gets equal to the length of the §children§ array,
it means that some thread had started creating a new child at every entry of the array
(moreover, some threads could have already created a new child,
and set an entry in the §children§ array to point to that new child).
To guarantee lock-freedom, if a thread cannot increment §degree§ further,
then it must help the slow threads complete their own children.
In lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-for-loop}-\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop},
a thread checks the entries of the §children§ array,
and helps rebuild the children at entries whose value is still §null§.
The rebuilding is completed once all the entries are non-§null§.
\paratitle{Collaborative building example}
The collaborative subtree rebuilding is illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}D-G.
After the §target§ subtree is marked, and is determined to have $9$ keys in total,
the threads compete to announce the root of the new subtree
with a §DCSS§ instruction in Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}D.
The newly announced node has $\sqrt{9}=3$ entries,
so each of its children will cover $9/\sqrt{9}=3$ keys.
In Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}E,
thread $p$ acquired the index $0$ of the §children§ array,
and determined that it needs to collect
the keys $k_1$, $k_2$ and $k_3$ of the original subtree (shown in gray).
Thread $p$ allocated a new child node of size $3$,
and used §DCSS§ to enter that child into the §children§ array.
In Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}F,
another thread had built and stored the child at index $2$ of the §children§ array,
while the thread $q$ is the only thread that is still working on the index $1$.
Helping threads can now enter
the lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-for-loop}-\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop}
of the pseudocode in Fig. \ref{algo:create-ideal-cr},
and can compete with the thread $q$ to populate the index $1$.
In Fig.~\ref{fig:concurrent-rebuild}G,
the rebuilding is completed, and the threads compete to replace the §Rebuild§ object
with the new, ideal subtree.
\ap{
Can we plot a graph that shows the relationship between performance,
and the value of COLLABORATIVE\_THRESHOLD?
}
\subsection{Lookups and Range Queries}
\label{sec:lookups-and-queries}
The §lookup§ subroutine, shown in Figure~\ref{algo:lookup},
is similar to the §insert§.
An interpolation search is repeated until reaching an §Empty§ or a §Single§ node.
If it reaches a §Single§ node that contains the specified key,
it returns §true§.
Otherwise, if §lookup§ encounters an §Empty§ node or
a §Single§ node that does \emph{not} contain the specified key,
it returns §false§.
If §lookup§ encounters a §Rebuild§ object,
it simply follows the §target§ pointer
to move to the next node, and continues traversal.
Unlike the §insert§ operation,
§lookup§ does not help concurrent subtree rebuilding operations.
Lookups do not need to help rebuilding to ensure progress,
and so they avoid the unnecessary overhead.
Apart from its use of DCSS\_READ and the handling of §Rebuild§ objects,
\textit{lookup} is effectively a sequential interpolation tree search.
\paratitle{Range queries}
In some applications it is useful to have access to
non-blocking \textit{range query} operations,
which return all of the keys in the data structure
that intersect some range $[low, high]$.
The IST could be augmented with support for range query operations using,
for example, the recently introduced methodology of
Arbel-Raviv and Brown~\cite{Arbel-Raviv:2018:HER:3178487.3178489}.
\begin{figure}[!t]
\begin{lstlisting}
procedure lookup(ist, key)
n = ist.root
while true
if n is Inner then
index = interpolationSearch(key, n)
n = DCSS_READ(n.children[index]) °\label{lst:lookup-dcss-read}°
else if n is Single then return n.k == key ? n.v : null
else if n is Empty then return null
else if n is Rebuild then n = n.target
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{Lookup Operation}
\label{algo:lookup}
\end{figure}
\section{Complexity Analysis}
\label{sec:complexity-analysis}
The complexity proof for C-IST follows the argument for sequential ISTs~\cite{IST},
with a few modifications -- most notably, it accounts for the fact that
at any time there can be up to $p$ threads that are concurrently modifying the C-IST.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:worst-case-depth}
Let $p$ be the number of concurrent threads that are modifying a C-IST.
Worst-case depth of a C-IST that contains $n$ keys is $O(p + \log n)$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Let §u§ be some node and §v§ be its parent.
In the worst case, all keys that were updated below the node §v§,
were also below its child §u§.
In our case, the rebuild threshold $R = 1 / 4$,
so there were at most $v.initSize / 4 + p_v$ such updates,
where $v.initSize$ is the initial size of the node §v§,
and $p_v$ is the number of concurrent threads
that are currently modifying the subtree below §v§.
We add $p_v$ because those threads possibly inserted the new keys,
but did not yet update the counts on the path to the root.
Since §u§ was an ideal tree at the time when its parent §v§ was created,
we have that:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:child-size-bound}
|u| \leq \sqrt{v.initSize} + v.initSize / 4 + p_v \leq v.initSize / 2 + p_v
\end{equation}
Next, consider the longest path $L$ from the root §r§ to some leaf.
On this path, the total number of concurrent updates
that have not yet updated the §count§ fields is $p_L \leq \sum_v p_v = p$.
The new nodes inserted by these $p_L \leq p$ updates, which we denote by $w_1, w_2, \ldots, w_{p_L}$ must be at the suffix of the path,
that is:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:longest-path}
L =
r \rightarrow v_1 \rightarrow \ldots \rightarrow v_{d_0} \rightarrow
w_{1} \rightarrow \ldots \rightarrow w_{p_L}
\end{equation}
Otherwise, if the nodes represented by those updates were moved elsewhere,
then a rebuild must have been triggered,
meaning that the §count§ fields \emph{had already been updated},
which is a contradiction with how we defined $w_{1}, \ldots, w_{p_L}$.
Therefore, these $p_L \leq p$ updates can only increase the depth by $p_L$.
Let us ignore them in the size consideration momentarily.
For the prefix $r \rightarrow v_1 \rightarrow \ldots \rightarrow v_{d_0}$ of the path $L$,
we have:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:root-size-bound}
r.initSize \geq 2 \cdot |v_1| \geq \ldots \geq 2^{d_0} \cdot 1
\end{equation}
Furthermore, $r.initSize \leq |r| \cdot (1 - R)^{-1}$
so the depth $d$ of the path $L$ is:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:init-size-depth}
d = p_L + d_0 \leq p + \log_2(r.initSize) \leq O(p + \log |r|)
\end{equation}
which proves the claim of the lemma.
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:amortized-cost}
The worst-case amortized cost of insert and delete operations,
without including the cost of searching for the node in the C-IST,
is $O(\gamma (p + \log n))$, where $\gamma$ is a bound on average interval contention.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Let us consider the execution at a node $v$ between two rebuilding phases.
We can split the work performed at the node itself and by operations which traverse it into three disjoint categories:
\begin{itemize}
\item Work performed to rebuild the node.
\item Work by operations which traverse the node $v$ but \emph{fail} in line 17 and restart from the root.
\item Work performed by \emph{successful} operations, which do not restart from the root.
\end{itemize}
First, note that the amortized cost of a single successful operation is no worse than the worst-case length of a root-to-leaf path, which is $O(p + log n)$,
by Lemma~\ref{lem:worst-case-depth}.
Second, notice that, by standard non-blocking amortization argument, a successful operation can be on average responsible for at most $\gamma$ distinct \emph{failed} operations, each of which has worst-case cost $O( p + \log n )$.
Third, notice that the work necessary to rebuild the subtree rooted at node $v$ is in the order of $nodes(v) \leq (1 + R) \cdot v.initSize + p$.
However, this rebuild process is triggered only when at least $R \cdot v.initSize$ operations have \emph{succeeded} in the subtree,
as only successful operations increment the counter and therefore trigger a rebuild.
We therefore obtain that the total amortized cost of a successful operation is upper bounded by
\begin{align*}
O( \gamma ( p + \log n ) + & ((1 + R) \cdot v.initSize + p) / R \cdot v.initSize) \\
= & O (\gamma ( p + \log n ) ).
\end{align*}
\end{proof}
To analyze the expected amortized cost of operations,
we introduce a concept of a $\mu$-random C-IST, identically to the sequential variant.
\begin{definition}
\label{def:mu-random}
Let $\mu$ be a probability density function on reals.
A $\mu$-random C-IST of size $n$ is generated as follows:
\begin{enumerate}
\item
Independently draw $n_s$ real keys according to the probability density $\mu$,
and use them to create an ideal IST.
\item
Do a sequence of updates $U_1, \ldots, U_m$,
with $i$ insertions and $d$ deletions,
so that $m = i + d$ and $n = n_s + i - d$.
An insertion picks a random key according to the probability density $\mu$.
A deletion picks a random key that is present in the C-IST,
according to a uniform probability density.
\end{enumerate}
\end{definition}
We will now establish some bounds on the expected size of subtrees in C-IST.
We will track two components of the C-IST size --
the size contribution due to the updates that are already completed,
and the size contribution due to slow updates due to straggler threads
that have inserted a node, but have not yet incremented the §count§ fields,
nor checked whether a rebuild is required.
We will assume a standard non-malicious \emph{oblivious} shared-memory scheduler,
whose actions are independent of the input distribution and of the threads random coin flips.
\begin{definition}
Let the \emph{initial size} of a node denote the node count of its corresponding subtree at the point where it was last rebuilt. Let the \emph{stable size} denote the number of keys that were inserted or deleted,
and for which the §count§ fields of the nodes on the respective paths were updated, up to the current node, at the current moment in time.
\end{definition}
We show that,
in a $\mu$-random C-IST, as long as nodes have size $\Omega(p)$, the stable size distributes evenly over the subtrees.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:square-root-child}
Let $\mu$ be a density function with finite support $[a, b]$,
let §v§ be the root of a $\mu$-random C-IST of initial size $n_0$, such that $n_0 R > p$, of stable size $n$ at the current point.
Let §u§ be a child of the node §v§.
Then, the stable size of the subtree rooted at §u§ will be $O(n^{1/2})$, at any future point in time until the next rebuild of node §u§
with probability $\geq 1 - O(n^{-1/2})$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
We start by noticing that, by the rebuild conditions, and since there can be at most $p - 1$ pending operations at any given point before the next rebuild, we have that $n \leq (1 + R) n_0 + p \leq (1 + 2R)n_0$.
Also, we know that there could have been at most $i \leq R n_0$ inserts into $v$ since it was last rebuilt.
At the time when §v§ was rebuilt, its child §u§ had the size $\sqrt{n_0} \pm 1$.
Let $X$ be a random variable that denotes the number of elements that were stored in §u§ since that time.
Using the result from Theorem A from sequential ISTs~\cite{IST},
the expectation and the variance of $X$ can be bounded as follows:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:expectation-inserts}
E(X) = \sqrt{n_0} \cdot \frac{i}{n_0 + 1}
\leq R \cdot \sqrt{n_0}.
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:variance-inserts}
Var(X) \leq E(X) \cdot (1 + \frac{i}{n_0 + 1}) \leq 2 \cdot R \cdot \sqrt{n_0}.
\end{equation}
We can therefore apply Chebyshev's inequality $P(|X - E(X)| \geq t) \leq \frac{Var(x)}{t^2}$
for $t = (1 + R) n_0^{1/2}$,
to bound the probability that $X$ exceeds the square root size
by a factor of $1 + R$:
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:probability-larger-than-square-root}
P(X \geq (1 + R) \cdot n_0^{1/2}) \leq \frac{2R}{(1 + R)^2} \cdot n_0^{-1/2}.
\end{equation}
Thus, the claim about the stable size follows.
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:amortized-expected-log-log}
Let $\mu$ be a probability density with a finite support $[a, b]$.
The expected total cost of processing
a sequence of $n$ $\mu$-random insertions and uniformly random deletions
into an initially empty C-IST is $O(n(\log \log n + p) \gamma)$,
where $\gamma$ is a bound on average interval contention.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
We proceed by defining the following token generation scheme for \emph{successful} operations:
we say that a traversal corresponding to an insert or remove operation generates a token at a node $v$ if it passes the node on its walk from the root to a leaf.
(Notice that this also counts the number of fetch-and-increment operations the walk will generate on its backward path.)
We can split such generated tokens into \emph{internal tokens}, which are generated at internal nodes, and \emph{leaf tokens}, which are generated at leaves.
Notice that the only way in which a walk can generate multiple leaf tokens is if it encounters additional concurrent operations.
We proceed to first bound the expected number of internal tokens generated by a successful root-to-leaf walk. If we denote this number of additional internal tokens generated by the successful update when starting from a node of stable size $m$ by $T(m)$, we have that, by Lemma~\ref{lem:square-root-child} and Lemma~\ref{lem:worst-case-depth},
\begin{equation}
T(m) \leq 1 + T(O(m^{1/2})) + O(m^{-1/2}) \cdot O(\log m),
\end{equation}
\noindent where the recursion has to stop at nodes of maximum initial size $p$. However, the number of tokens generated nodes below this size is at most $p$, and therefore, by the above recursion, we obtain that the expected number of generated internal tokens by a traversal can be at most $O( p + \log \log n )$.
We are therefore left with the task of bounding the number of \emph{leaf tokens} generated by the successful walk.
Since the operations are non-blocking, the average number of such tokens per walk is $O( p )$, which yields a total average token bound of $O( p + \log \log n)$.
Similarly to Lemma~\ref{lem:amortized-cost}, we notice that each token corresponds to a constant amount of work by some operation.
Therefore, the amortized cost of successful operations is $O( p + \log \log n )$.
Our argument so far has only taken into account successful traversals, which do not restart from the root. If we simply amortize each failed traversal against the successful one which caused it to fail, we obtain that each successful traversal $i$ can be charged for $O( \gamma_i (p + \log \log n))$ tokens, where $\gamma_i$ is its interval contention.
Therefore, we get that the amortized expected cost of an operation is $O( \gamma (p + \log \log n))$, as claimed.
We note that stronger bounds on amortized expected cost could potentially be obtained by attempting to leverage the structure of the distribution to bound the probability of a collision. However, this is not immediate, since the smoothness property does not imply a small upper bound on the probability of a key.
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:constant-time-interpolation-search}
Let $\mu$ be a smooth probability density,
as defined by Mehlhorn and Tsakalidis~\cite{IST},
for a parameter $\alpha$, such that $\frac{1}{2} \leq \alpha < 1$,
and let §v§ be the root of a $\mu$-random C-IST with parameter $\alpha$.
Then, the expected search time in the §v.children§ is $O(1)$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Since the §children§ array is immutable,
the proof is precisely identical to the one in the related work
on sequential ISTs~\cite{IST}.
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}
Let $\mu$ be a smooth probability density
for a parameter $\alpha$, such that $\frac{1}{2} \leq \alpha < 1$.
The expected search time in a $\mu$-random IST of size $n$ is
$O(\log \log n + p)$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
The proof follows from Lemma~\ref{lem:constant-time-interpolation-search} and the argument in Lemma~\ref{lem:amortized-expected-log-log}, and the bound of $\leq p$ on the size of a root extension before a rebuild is triggered from Theorem~\ref{thm:non-blocking}.
\end{proof}
\section{Related Work}
\label{sec:related}
Sequential interpolation search was first proposed by Peterson~\cite{Peterson},
and subsequently analyzed by~\cite{TwoYaos, Pearl, Gonnet}.
The \emph{dynamic} case, where insertions and deletions are possible,
was proposed by Frederickson~\cite{Fred}.
The sequential IST variant we build on is by Mehlhorn and Tsakalidis~\cite{IST}.
This data structure supports amortized insertions and deletions in $O( \log n )$ time,
under arbitrary distributions, and amortized insertion, deletion,
and search, in $O(\log \log n)$ time under smoothness assumptions on the key distribution.
To improve scalability, we augmented C-IST
with parallel marking (to prevent updates during rebuilding),
and a parallel rebuilding phase.
For \emph{concurrent} search data structures ensuring predecessor queries,
the work that is closest to ours is the SkipTrie~\cite{SkipTrie},
which allows predecessor queries
in amortized expected $O( \log \log u + \gamma )$ steps,
and insertions and deletions in $O( \gamma \log \log u )$ time,
where $u$ is the size of the key space, and $\gamma$ is an upper bound on contention.
The C-IST provides inferior runtime bounds in the worst case
(e.g., $O( \log n )$ versus $O( \log \log u )$ amortized);
however, the guarantees provided under distributional assumptions
are asymptotically the same.
We believe the C-IST should provide superior
practical performance due to better cache behavior.
We have attempted to provide a comparison of the C-IST
with an open-source implementation of the SkipTrie~\cite{skip-trie-github};
we found that this implementation had significant stability
and performance issues, which render a fair comparison impossible.
There is considerable work on designing
efficient concurrent search tree data structures with predecessor queries,
e.g.~\cite{Natarajan:2014, BrownPhD, Drachsler, Braginsky2012, ArbelRaviv2018GettingTT, DBLP:conf/swat/Brown14, DBLP:conf/opodis/BrownA12, DBLP:conf/opodis/BrownA12}.
The average-case complexity of these operations is usually logarithmic
in the number of keys.
For large key counts (our target application) this search term dominates,
giving the C-IST a significant performance advantage.
This effect is apparent in our experimental section.
Other work on concurrent search tree data structures
includes early work by Kung~\cite{Kung:1980:CMB:320613.320619},
Bronson's lock-based concurrent AVL trees~\cite{bronsonavl},
Pugh's concurrent skip list~\cite{pugh90conc},
and later improvements by Herlihy et al.~\cite{Herlihy_aprovably}
(which the JDK implementation is based on),
non-blocking BSTs due to Ellen et al.~\cite{Ellen:2010:NBS:1835698.1835736},
and the KiWi data structure due to Basin et al.~\cite{Basin:2017:KKM:3018743.3018761}.
The §DCSS§ and §DCSS\_READ§ primitives that we rely on
were originally proposed by Harris~\cite{Harris:2002:PMC:645959.676137}.
The §DCSS§ primitive needs to allocate a descriptor object to synchronize
multiple memory locations.
Our C++ implementation of §DCSS§,
due to Arbel-Raviv and Brown~\cite{DBLP:conf/wdag/Arbel-Raviv017},
is able to recycle the descriptors.
There are alternative primitives to §DCSS§ with similar expressive power,
such as the §GCAS§ instruction~\cite{Prokopec:2012:CTE:2145816.2145836},
used to achieve snapshots in the Ctrie data structure.
Many concurrent data structures use the technique of snapshotting
the entire data structure or some part thereof,
with the goal of implementing a specific operation.
The SnapQueue data structure~\cite{Prokopec:2015:SLQ:2774975.2774976}
uses a \emph{freezing} technique
in which the writable locations are overwritten with special values
such that the subsequent §CAS§ operations fail.
Ctries~\cite{EPFL-REPORT-166908,Prokopec2011,Prokopec:2012:CTE:2145816.2145836,Prokopec:200977}
use the afore-mentioned §GCAS§ operation to prevent further updates to the data structure.
Work-stealing iterators~\cite{iterators-7092728,Prokopec:196627},
used in work-stealing schedulers~\cite{Prokopec2014-wstree,10.1145/2491956.2462193}
for data-parallel collections~\cite{prokopec11-pc},
use similar techniques to capture a snapshot of the iterator state.
The core motivation behind C-IST is to decrease
the number of pointer hops during the key search.
The underlying reason for this is that cache misses, which are incurred during the key search,
are the dominating factor in the operation's running time.
The motivation behind the recently proposed Cache-Trie data structure,
a non-blocking Ctrie variant, is similar -- Cache-Tries use
an auxiliary, quiescently-consistent table to speed up
the key searches~\cite{Prokopec:2018:CCL:3178487.3178498,Prokopec2018,techreport-17-prokopec}.
Our implementation of the C-IST data structure
uses a scalable concurrent counter in the root node to track the number of updates
since the last rebuild of the root node.
In the past, a large body of research focused on scalable concurrent counters,
both deterministic and probabilistic variant
thereof~\cite{10.1145/210223.210225,10.1145/1639950.1639954,10.1145/185675.185815,10.1145/2851141.2851147,10.1145/2486159.2486182,ABKLN}.
Scalable counters are useful in a number of other non-blocking data structures,
which use counters to track their size or various statistics about the data structure.
These include non-blocking queues~\cite{10.1145/248052.248106},
FlowPools~\cite{prokopec12flowpools,EPFL-REPORT-181098,Schlatter:198208},
concurrent hash maps in the JDK~\cite{dougleahome},
certain concurrent skip list implementations~\cite{10.1145/2688500.2688501},
and graphs with reachability queries~\cite{10.1145/3288599.3288617}.
Our C-IST implementation is done in C++,
and it uses a custom concurrent memory management scheme
due to Brown~\cite{DBLP:conf/podc/Brown15,DBLP:journals/corr/abs-1712-01044}.
In addition, our implementation uses techniques that decrease memory-allocator pressure
by reusing the descriptors that are typically used
in lock-free algorithms~\cite{DBLP:conf/wdag/Arbel-Raviv017,DBLP:journals/corr/abs-1708-01797,DBLP:conf/ppopp/Arbel-RavivB17}.
\section{Evaluation}
\label{sec:evaluation}
\begin{figure*}[t]
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_9.png}
\caption{
Last-Level Cache-Misses, Lower is Better
(\crule[Gray]{2mm}{2mm} NM,
\crule[Bluish]{2mm}{2mm} BCCO,
\crule[BloodOrange]{2mm}{2mm} ABTree,
\crule[SunsetYellow]{2mm}{2mm} ISTree)
}
\label{fig:evaluation:llc}
\end{figure*}
We implemented the concurrent IST in C++,
and compared it against several state of the art concurrent data structures.
We ran the benchmarks on a NUMA system with four Intel Xeon Platinum 8160 3.7GHz CPUs,
each of which has 24 cores and 48 hardware threads.
Within each CPU, cores share a 33MB LLC,
and cores on different CPUs do not share any caches.
The system has 384GB of RAM, and runs Ubuntu Linux 18.04.1 LTS.
Our code was compiled with GCC 7.4.0-1, with the highest optimization level (\texttt{-O3}).
Threads were \textit{pinned} to cores such that
thread counts up to 48 ran on only one CPU,
thread counts up to 96 run on only two CPUs,
and so on.
We used the fast scalable allocator jemalloc 5.0.1-25.
When a memory page is allocated on our 4-CPU Xeon system,
it has an \textit{affinity} for a single CPU,
and other CPUs pay a penalty to access it.
We used the \texttt{numactl --interleave=all} option to ensure
that pages are evenly distributed across CPUs.
We compared our IST implementation (ISTree) to the leading non-blocking binary search tree (NM)
due to Natarajan and Mittal~\cite{Natarajan:2014}, Bronson's concurrent AVL
tree~\cite{bronsonavl} (BCCO), which is the leading blocking binary search tree, and a fast
non-blocking $(a,b)$-tree (ABTree) due to Brown (Ch.8 of \cite{BrownPhD}), which is a
concurrency-friendly variant of a B-tree. (\textit{We also compared with many other concurrent
search trees}, which are omitted here.
See Section 5 in the corresponding technical report~\cite{techreport-2020-c-ist}
for details.)
The goal of the evaluation section is to show
that the amortized $O(\log \log n)$ running time
induces performance improvements on datasets that are reasonably large.
We therefore evaluate the C-IST operations
against other comparable data structures in Section~\ref{sec:evaluation:basic-operations},
where we show, for 1 billion keys, improvements ranging from $15$-$50\%$
compared to the $(a,b)$-tree~\cite{BrownPhD} (the next best alternative),
depending on the ratio of updates and lookups.
To further characterize the performance,
we compare the average key depth and the impact on cache behavior
in Section \ref{sec:evaluation:average-depth-and-cache},
and we show a breakdown of the execution time
in Section \ref{sec:evaluation:time-breakdown}.
We conclude with a comparison of memory footprints
in Section~\ref{sec:evaluation:memory-footprint}.
\begin{figure*}[ht]
\includegraphics[scale=0.21]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_9_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.21]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_9_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.21]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_9_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.21]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_9_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\caption{
Execution Time Breakdown
(\crule[DarkBluish]{2mm}{2mm}~creating,
\crule[Greenish]{2mm}{2mm}~marking,
\crule[Bluish]{2mm}{2mm}~useless helping,
\crule[BloodOrange]{2mm}{2mm}~deallocation,
\crule[SunsetYellow]{2mm}{2mm}~locating garbage,
\crule[Gray]{2mm}{2mm}~other).
Bars are annotated with $f$, the number of times the \textit{root} (entire tree) was rebuilt.
}
\label{fig:evaluation:time-breakdown}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure}[ht]
\includegraphics[scale=0.24]{experiments/disable_collaborative_rebuild/exp4_disable_rebuild_helping_pivot__.png}
\caption{
Comparison of Rebuilding Implementations
}
\label{fig:evaluation:collaborative-throughput}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Comparison of the Basic Operations}
\label{sec:evaluation:basic-operations}
Figure~\ref{fig:evaluation:basic-operations}
shows the throughput of concurrent IST operations,
compared against other sorted set data structures,
for dataset sizes of $k = 2 \cdot 10^8$ and $k = 2 \cdot 10^9$ keys,
and for $u = 0\%$, $u = 1\%$, $u = 10\%$ and $u = 40\%$,
where $u$ is the ratio of update operations among all operations.
Plots for additional dataset sizes are shown
in Figure~10 of the corresponding technical report~\cite{techreport-2020-c-ist}.
In all cases, C-IST operations have much higher throughput than
Natarajan and Mittal's non-blocking binary search tree (NM),
and concurrent AVL trees due to Bronson (BCCO).
For update ratios $u = 0\%$ and $u = 1\%$, concurrent IST also has a higher throughput
compared to Brown's non-blocking $(a,b)$-tree.
The underlying cause for better throughput is a lower rate of LLC misses
due to IST's doubly-logarithmic depth.
For higher update ratios $u = 10\%$ and $u = 40\%$,
the cost of concurrent rebuilds starts to dominate the gains of doubly-logarithmic searches,
and ABTree has a better throughput for $k = 2 \cdot 10^8$ keys.
Above $k = 2 \cdot 10^9$ keys,
ISTree outperforms ABTree even for the update ratio of $u = 40\%$.
\subsection{Average Depth and Cache Behavior}
\label{sec:evaluation:average-depth-and-cache}
The main benefit of C-IST's expected-$O(\log \log n)$ depth
is that the key-search results in less cache misses
compared to other tree data structures.
The plot shown below compares the average number of pointer hops required to reach a key
(error bars show min/max values over all trials),
for dataset sizes from $2 \cdot 10^6$ to $2 \cdot 10^9$ keys.
While the average depth is $20$-$40$ for NM and BCCO,
the average ABTree depth is between $6$ and $10$,
and the average C-IST depth is below $5$.
\begin{wrapfigure}{l}{0.22\textwidth}
\vspace{-5mm}
\noindent\includegraphics[scale=0.17]{experiments/avg_key_depth/exp1_scaling_threads_avg_key_depth__.png}
\vspace{-10mm}
\end{wrapfigure}
The differences in average depths between these data structures
correlate with the average number of cache misses.
Figure~\ref{fig:evaluation:llc} compares the average number of last-level cache-misses
between the different data structures, for different update ratios $u$.
For the dataset size of $2 \cdot 10^9$ keys,
ISTree operations undergo $2\times$ less cache misses,
and slightly fewer cache misses than ABTree.
A detailed set of plots for different dataset sizes
is shown in Figure~11 of the corresponding technical report~\cite{techreport-2020-c-ist}.
\subsection{Breakdown of the Execution Time}
\label{sec:evaluation:time-breakdown}
A breakdown of the execution time is shown in Figure~\ref{fig:evaluation:time-breakdown},
which contains plots for non-collaborative and collaborative rebuilding,
update ratios $u = 10\%$ and $u = 40\%$, and the dataset size $2 \cdot 10^9$.
In the non-collaborative variant, and for higher thread counts,
the execution time is dominated by the useless helping operations.
Since the work performed by the helping threads is discarded,
this results in scalability issues as the update ratio $u$ grows.
In the collaborative variant, this problem does not occur,
and most of the rebuilding time is spent in creating new subtrees.
A more detailed set of plots is shown
in Figure~12
and Figure~13
of the corresponding technical report~\cite{techreport-2020-c-ist}.
\begin{figure}[t]
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_9.png}
\caption{
Memory Footprint Comparison
}
\label{fig:evaluation:memory-footprint}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Memory Footprint}
\label{sec:evaluation:memory-footprint}
Due to using a lower number of nodes for the same dataset,
the average space overhead is lower for the C-IST than the other data structures.
Figure~\ref{fig:evaluation:memory-footprint} shows
the different memory footprints for four different dataset sizes.
C-IST has a relative space overhead of $\approx$$30$-$100\%$,
whereas the overhead of the other data structures is between $\approx$$120$-$400\%$.
\subsection{Additional Experiments}
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=0.35\textwidth]{experiments/macrobench/exp1_macrobench_throughput_exp_theta_0_5.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.35\textwidth]{experiments/macrobench/exp1_macrobench_throughput_exp_theta_0_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.3]{experiments/macrobench/exp1_macrobench_throughput_legend.png}
\caption{YCSB database performance with different index data structures, and a skewed \textit{key access pattern}. (NM omitted because it is slower than BCCO.)}
\label{fig:experiments:ycsb}
\end{figure}
\paratitle{No-SQL database workload}
We study a simple \textit{in-memory database management system} called DBx1000~\cite{dbx1000},
which is used in multi-core database research. DBx implements a simple relational database,
which contains one or more \textit{tables}.
Each table can have one or more \textit{key fields} and associated \textit{indexes}. Each index
allows processes to query a specific key field, quickly locating any rows in which the key field
contains a desired value. We replace the default index implementation in DBx with each of the
BSTs that we study.
Following the approaches in~\cite{dbx1000, ArbelRaviv2018GettingTT}, we run a subset of the well
known Yahoo! Cloud Serving Benchmark (YCSB) core with a single table containing 100 million
rows, and a single index. Each thread performs a fixed number of transactions (100,000 in our
runs), and the execution terminates when the first thread finishes performing its transactions.
Each transaction accesses 16 different rows in the table, which are determined by index lookups
on randomly generated keys. Each row is read with probability 0.9 and written with probability
0.1. The keys that a transaction will \textit{access} are generated according to a
\textbf{Zipfian} distribution
following the approach in~\cite{Gray:1994}.
The results in Figure~\ref{fig:experiments:ycsb} show how performance
degrades as the distribution of \textit{accesses} to keys becomes highly skewed. (Higher
$\theta$ values imply a more extreme skew. A $\theta$ value of 0.9 is \textit{extremely}
skewed.)
\paratitle{Trees containing Zipfian-distributed keys} Since the performance of the ISTree can
theoretically degrade when the tree contains a highly skewed set of keys, we construct a
synthetic benchmark to study such scenarios. In this benchmark, $n$ threads access a single
instance of the ISTree, and there is a \textit{prefilling} phase followed by a \textit{measured}
phase. In the prefilling phase, each thread repeatedly generates a key from a Zipfian
distribution ($\theta=0.5$) over the key range $[1, 10^8]$ (picking one of 100 million
\textit{possible} keys), and inserts this key into the data structure (if it is not already
present). This continues until the data structure contains 10 million keys (only 10\% of the key
range), at which point the prefilling phase ends. In the measured phase, all threads perform
$u$\% updates and ($100-u$)\% searches (for $u \in \{0, 1, 10\}$) on keys drawn from the same
Zipfian distribution, for 30 seconds. This entire process is repeated for multiple trials, and
for thread counts $n \in \{24, 48, 96, 144, 190\}$ (with at least one core left idle to run
system processes).
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=0.35\textwidth]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_exp_u_0p,_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.35\textwidth]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_exp_u_1p,_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.35\textwidth]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_exp_u_10p,_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.3]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_legend.png}
\caption{Synthetic benchmark in which the \textit{set of keys stored} in a data structure is highly skewed.}
\label{fig:experiments:zipf}
\end{figure}
The results in Figure~\ref{fig:experiments:zipf} suggest that the ISTree
can remain robust even in scenarios where it contains a highly skewed distribution.
\paratitle{Artifact Evaluation}
All code is publicly available, and a working artifact is submitted as part of this work.
\section{Analysis}
\label{sec:analysis}
This section contains an outline of the correctness proofs and the complexity analysis
of the C-IST data structure.
For reasons of space, we only list the most important lemmas and theorems,
and keep the rest in the appendix.
\subsection{Safety, Linearizability and Lock-Freedom}
To prove correctness, we associate the C-IST and its operations
with the semantics of an abstract set $\mathbb{A}$.
\begin{definition}[Consistency]
An C-IST §I§ is \emph{consistent} with an abstract set $\mathbb{A}$
if and only if $\forall k \in \mathbb{A} \Leftrightarrow \haskey(§I§, k)$.
\end{definition}
By identifying the atomic instructions
at which the corresponding abstract set $\mathbb{A}$ changes,
we show that a C-IST operation changes the corresponding set exactly once.
At the same time, we identify instructions that change the state of the data structure,
but not the state of the corresponding abstract set.
The linearizability proof follows naturally.
\begin{theorem}[Safety]
\label{thm:safety}
An C-IST §I§ is always valid and consistent with some abstract set $\mathbb{A}$.
C-IST operations are consistent with the operational semantics of the abstract sets.
\end{theorem}
\begin{corollary}[Linearizability]
Lookup, insertion and deletion operations are linearizable.
\end{corollary}
To show lock-freedom of the modification operations,
we show that, for any C-IST,
only finitely many data structure changes occur
before the corresponding abstract set changes.
\begin{lemma}
There is a finite number of steps between any two C-IST modifications,
and there are finitely many consecutive modifications
that do not change the abstract set.
\end{lemma}
\begin{theorem}[Non-Blocking]
\label{thm:non-blocking}
Insertion and deletion are lock-free, and lookup is wait-free.
\end{theorem}
\subsection{Complexity}
The complexity analysis for C-IST follows the argument for sequential ISTs~\cite{IST},
with modifications due to the fact that
at any time there can be up to $p$ threads that are concurrently modifying the C-IST.
The complete arguments can be found in the additional material.
In particular, the worst-case depth bound is the following:
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:worst-case-depth}
Let $p$ be the number of concurrent threads that are modifying a C-IST.
Worst-case depth of a C-IST that contains $n$ keys is $O(p + \log n)$.
\end{lemma}
In turn, a standard amortization argument implies the following naive worst-case amortized bound:
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:amortized-cost}
The worst-case amortized cost of insert and delete operations,
without including the cost of searching for the node in the C-IST,
is $O(\gamma (p + \log n))$, where $\gamma$ is a bound on the average interval contention.
\end{lemma}
The above worst-case bound can probably be further tightened.
However, our main focus is on \emph{expected amortized} bounds,
which allow us to go below $\Theta(\log n)$.
The following holds for the expected amortized cost of updates:
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:amortized-expected-log-log}
Let $\mu$ be a probability density with a finite support $[a, b]$.
The expected total cost of processing
a sequence of $n$ $\mu$-random insertions and uniformly random deletions
into an initially empty C-IST is $O(n(\log \log n + p) \gamma)$,
where $\gamma$ is a bound on average interval contention.
\end{lemma}
We note that, for worst-case schedules, the value of $\gamma$ can be $\Theta(p)$,
although in practice we expect it to be lower.
For searches, the following holds:
\begin{lemma}
Let $\mu$ be a smooth probability density,
as defined Mehlkorn and Tsakalidis~\cite{IST},
for a parameter $\alpha$, such that $\frac{1}{2} \leq \alpha < 1$.
The expected search time in a $\mu$-random IST of size $n$ is
$O(\log \log n + p )$.
\end{lemma}
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:intro}
Efficient search data structures are critical in practical settings such as databases,
where the large amounts of underlying data are usually paired
with high search volumes, and with high amounts
of concurrency on the hardware side, via tens or even hundreds of parallel threads.
Consequently, there has been a significant amount of research on efficient
\emph{concurrent} implementations of search data structures.
For search data structures supporting predecessor queries,
which are the focus of this work, such as binary search trees (BSTs)
or balanced search trees, efficient implementations have been well researched
and are relatively well understood,
e.g.~\cite{BrownPhD, Natarajan:2014, Drachsler, Braginsky2012}.
However, these classic search data structures are subject
to the fundamental \emph{logarithmic} complexity thresholds (in the number of keys $n$),
even in the average case, which limits their performance for large key sets,
in the order of millions or even billions of keys.
In the sequential case, elegant and non-trivial techniques have been proposed
to reduce average-case complexity, by leveraging properties of the key space,
or of the key distribution. With one notable exception~\cite{SkipTrie},
these techniques are significantly less well understood for concurrent implementations.
This paper revisits this area,
and provides the first efficient, non-blocking concurrent implementation
of an \emph{interpolation search tree} data structure~\cite{IST}, called the C-IST.
The C-IST is \emph{dynamic}, in that it supports concurrent searches,
insertions and deletions.
Interpolation search trees, presented in the next section,
have amortized worst-case $O( \log n)$ time for standard operations,
but achieve $O( \log \log n )$ expected amortized time complexity for insert and delete,
and $O( \log \log n)$ expected time for search,
by leveraging smoothness properties
of the key distribution~\cite{IST}.
Our concurrent implementation preserves these properties with high probability.
To ensure correctness, non-blocking progress, and scalability in the concurrent setting,
we introduce several new techniques relative to sequential ISTs.
Specifically, our contributions are as follows:
\begin{itemize}
\item
We describe the first non-blocking concurrent interpolation search tree (C-IST)
based on atomic compare-and-swap (CAS) instructions
(Section \ref{sec:algorithm}), with expected lookup time $O( \log \log n + p)$,
and expected amortized $O( \log \log n + p)$ time for insert and delete.
\item
We design a \emph{parallel}, \emph{non-blocking} rebuilding algorithm
to provide fast and scalable periodic rebuilding for C-ISTs
(Section \ref{sec:concurrent-collaborative-rebuild}).
We believe that this technique is applicable to other concurrent data structures
that require rebuilding.
\item
We prove the correctness, non-blocking and complexity properties of the C-IST
(Section \ref{sec:analysis}).
\item
We provide a C-IST implementation in C++, and compare its performance against
concurrent $(a,b)$-trees~\cite{BrownPhD},
Natarajan and Mittal's concurrent BSTs~\cite{Natarajan:2014},
and Bronson's concurrent AVL trees~\cite{bronsonavl} (Section \ref{sec:evaluation}).
We report performance improvements of $15\%-50\%$
compared to $(a,b)$-trees (the best-performing current alternative) on large datasets,
and improvements of up to $3.5\times$ compared to the other concurrent trees,
depending on the proportion of updates.
We also analyze the average depth and cache-miss behavior,
present a breakdown of the execution time,
show the impact of the parallel rebuilding algorithm,
and compare memory footprints.
\end{itemize}
\iffalse
\dan{just an outline, feel free to ignore}
\begin{itemize}
\item There has been a tremendous amount of research studying efficient concurrent search data structures.
We now have a good understanding of BSTs, as well as balanced search trees.
\item However, in the sequential case, there are several non-trivial techniques which circumvent the logarithmic bound without rebalancing, for example by making assumptions on the key distribution.
\item These techniques are less well understood in the context of concurrency, with the SkipTrie being the only known proposal in this space.
\item This paper revisits these techniques, and provides the first concurrent implementation of a dynamic interpolation search tree.
The implementation guarantees logarithmic amortized worst-case bounds w.h.p., and $O( \log \log n )$ amortized cost for all operations \dan{again, fix the contention factor!} under distributional assumptions.
\item New techniques.
\item Cover the experimental results.
\end{itemize}
\fi
\section{Evaluation}
\label{sec:evaluation}
\subsection{Basic Experimental Evaluation}
\label{sec:original-evaluation}
This section summarizes the experimental setup,
and the results reported in the related work
that proposes and describes C-IST in detail~\cite{c-ist-ppopp2020}.
We implemented the concurrent IST in C++,
and we ran the benchmarks on a NUMA system with four Intel Xeon Platinum 8160 3.7GHz CPUs,
each of which has 24 cores and 48 hardware threads.
Within each CPU, cores share a 33MB LLC,
and cores on different CPUs do not share any caches.
The system has 384GB of RAM, and runs Ubuntu Linux 18.04.1 LTS.
Our code was compiled with GCC 7.4.0-1, with the highest optimization level (\texttt{-O3}).
Threads were \textit{pinned} to cores such that
thread counts up to 48 ran on only one CPU,
thread counts up to 96 run on only two CPUs, and so on.
We used the fast scalable allocator jemalloc 5.0.1-25.
When a memory page is allocated on our 4-CPU Xeon system,
it has an \textit{affinity} for a single CPU,
and other CPUs pay a penalty to access it.
We used the \texttt{numactl --interleave=all} option to ensure
that pages are evenly distributed across CPUs.
The goal of this section is to show
that the amortized $O(\log \log n)$ running time
induces performance improvements on datasets that are reasonably large.
We therefore evaluate the C-IST operations
against other comparable data structures in Section~\ref{sec:evaluation:basic-operations},
where we show, for 1 billion keys, improvements ranging from $15$-$50\%$
compared to the $(a,b)$-tree~\cite{BrownPhD} (the next best alternative),
depending on the ratio of updates and lookups.
To further characterize the performance,
we compare the average key depth and the impact on cache behavior
in Section \ref{sec:evaluation:average-depth-and-cache}.
We conclude with a comparison of memory footprints
in Section~\ref{sec:evaluation:memory-footprint}.
\subsubsection{Comparison of the Basic Operations}
\label{sec:evaluation:basic-operations}
Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:basic-operations}
shows the throughput of concurrent IST operations,
compared against other sorted set data structures,
for dataset sizes of $k = 2 \cdot 10^8$ and $k = 2 \cdot 10^9$ keys,
and for $u = 0\%$, $u = 1\%$, $u = 10\%$ and $u = 40\%$,
where $u$ is the ratio of update operations among all operations.
In all cases, C-IST operations have much higher throughput than
Natarajan and Mittal's non-blocking binary search tree (NM),
and concurrent AVL trees due to Bronson (BCCO).
For update ratios $u = 0\%$ and $u = 1\%$, concurrent IST also has a higher throughput
compared to Brown's non-blocking $(a,b)$-tree.
The underlying cause for better throughput is a lower rate of LLC misses
due to IST's doubly-logarithmic depth.
For higher update ratios $u = 10\%$ and $u = 40\%$,
the cost of concurrent rebuilds starts to dominate the gains of doubly-logarithmic searches,
and ABTree has a better throughput for $k = 2 \cdot 10^8$ keys.
Above $k = 2 \cdot 10^9$ keys,
ISTree outperforms ABTree even for the update ratio of $u = 40\%$.
\subsubsection{Average Depth and Cache Behavior}
\label{sec:evaluation:average-depth-and-cache}
The main benefit of C-IST's expected-$O(\log \log n)$ depth
is that the key-search results in less cache misses
compared to other tree data structures.
The plot shown below compares the average number of pointer hops required to reach a key
(error bars show min/max values over all trials),
for dataset sizes from $2 \cdot 10^6$ to $2 \cdot 10^9$ keys.
While the average depth is $20$-$40$ for NM and BCCO,
the average ABTree depth is between $6$ and $10$,
and the average C-IST depth is below $5$.
\begin{wrapfigure}{l}{0.22\textwidth}
\vspace{-5mm}
\noindent\includegraphics[scale=0.17]{experiments/avg_key_depth/exp1_scaling_threads_avg_key_depth__.png}
\vspace{-10mm}
\end{wrapfigure}
The differences in average depths between these data structures
correlate with the average number of cache misses.
Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:llc} compares the average number of last-level cache-misses
between the different data structures, for different update ratios $u$.
For the dataset size of $2 \cdot 10^9$ keys,
ISTree operations undergo $2\times$ less cache misses,
and slightly fewer cache misses than ABTree.
\begin{figure}[t]
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/static_tree_mem_usage/exp2_memory_static_pivot_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_9.png}
\caption{
Memory Footprint Comparison
}
\label{fig:evaluation:memory-footprint}
\end{figure}
\subsubsection{Memory Footprint}
\label{sec:evaluation:memory-footprint}
Due to using a lower number of nodes for the same dataset,
the average space overhead is lower for the C-IST than the other data structures.
Figure~\ref{fig:evaluation:memory-footprint} shows
the different memory footprints for four different dataset sizes.
C-IST has a relative space overhead of $\approx$$30$-$100\%$,
whereas the overhead of the other data structures is between $\approx$$120$-$400\%$.
\subsection{Extended Experimental Evaluation}
\label{sec:appendix:experiments}
In this section,
we show additional experimental data that did not fit
into the main body of the paper.
\paratitle{Excluding data structures from graphs}
As we mentioned in Section~\ref{sec:original-evaluation}, we also compared ISTree with many
other concurrent search trees, including the external lock-free BST
of Ellen et~al.~\cite{Ellen:2010:NBS:1835698.1835736} (EFRB),
the internal lock-free BST of Howley and Jones~\cite{Howley:2012} (HJ),
the partially external lock-free BST of Drachsler et~al.~\cite{Drachsler} (DVY),
the internal lock-free BST of Ramachandran and Mittal~\cite{intlf} (RM),
the external lock-based BST of David et~al.~\cite{David:2015} (DGT),
and the external lock-free BST (BER), lock-free relaxed AVL tree (RAVL),
and lock-free Chromatic tree (Chromatic) of Brown et~al.~\cite{BrownPhD}.
\begin{figure}[t]
\includegraphics[width=0.42\textwidth]{experiments/other_data_structures/exp8_full_comparison_throughput_exp_u_1p,_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.42\textwidth]{experiments/other_data_structures/exp8_full_comparison_throughput_exp_u_40p,_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.25]{experiments/other_data_structures/exp8_full_comparison_throughput_legend.png}
\caption{Full comparison of basic operations for all (non-failing) data structures, higher is better}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:excluding-data-structures}
\end{figure}
Unfortunately, the implementations of HJ and RM (which we obtained
from ASCYLIB~\cite{David:2015}) failed basic validation checksums.
Even after attempting to fix the implementations as much as possible,
the failures were persistent.
Since the implementations are not correct, it does not make sense to benchmark them.
The remaining implementations, EFRB, DVY, DGT, DER, RAVL and Chromatic
were all consistently outperformed by BCCO and, hence, merely obscured the results.
To give a sense of what the full data looks like,
Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:excluding-data-structures}
compares the implementations that do not fail checksum validation
using the same experimental setup as Section~\ref{sec:evaluation:basic-operations}.
(RAVL and Chromatic perform similarly to BER and are excluded.)
Thus, we decided not to include any of these data structures in our graphs.
\begin{figure*}[t]
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.25]{experiments/throughput/exp1_scaling_threads_throughput_legend.png}
\caption{Comparison of Basic Operations, Higher is Better}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:basic-operations}
\end{figure*}
\paratitle{Throughput}
Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:basic-operations}
shows the throughput of the different concurrent data structures
for different update percentages ($0\%$, $1\%$, $10\%$ and $40\%$),
and dataset sizes ranging from $10^6$ to $10^9$.
\begin{figure*}[t]
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_0p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_1p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_10p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_6.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_7.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.165]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_exp_u_40p_k_2x10_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.25]{experiments/llc_misses/exp1_scaling_threads_LLC_misses_legend.png}
\caption{Summary of Last-Level Cache Misses, Lower is Better}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:llc}
\end{figure*}
\paratitle{LLC misses}
Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:llc}
shows the average count of last-level cache-misses
for different update percentages ($0\%$, $1\%$, $10\%$ and $40\%$),
and dataset sizes ranging from $10^6$ to $10^9$.
\begin{figure*}[ht]
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_6_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_7_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_8_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_9_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_6_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_7_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_8_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_9_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_6_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_7_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_8_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_9_sequential_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\caption{
Breakdown of Time Spent, when Using Non-Collaborative Rebuilding
(\crule[DarkBluish]{2mm}{2mm}~creating,
\crule[Greenish]{2mm}{2mm}~marking,
\crule[Bluish]{2mm}{2mm}~useless helping,
\crule[BloodOrange]{2mm}{2mm}~deallocation,
\crule[SunsetYellow]{2mm}{2mm}~locating garbage,
\crule[Gray]{2mm}{2mm}~other).
Bars are annotated with $f$, the number of times the \textit{root} (entire tree) was rebuilt.
}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:non-collaborative-rebuilding}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure*}[ht]
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_6_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_7_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_8_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_1p_k_2x10_9_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_6_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_7_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_8_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_10p_k_2x10_9_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_6_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_7_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_8_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.20]{experiments/rebuilding_time_breakdown/exp6_rebuilding_time_time_breakdown_exp2_u_40p_k_2x10_9_collaborative_time_breakdown_Chart_4.png}
\caption{
Breakdown of Time Spent, when Using Collaborative Rebuilding
(\crule[DarkBluish]{2mm}{2mm}~creating,
\crule[Greenish]{2mm}{2mm}~marking,
\crule[Bluish]{2mm}{2mm}~useless helping,
\crule[BloodOrange]{2mm}{2mm}~deallocation,
\crule[SunsetYellow]{2mm}{2mm}~locating garbage,
\crule[Gray]{2mm}{2mm}~other).
Bars are annotated with $f$, the number of times the \textit{root} (entire tree) was rebuilt.
}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:collaborative-rebuilding}
\end{figure*}
\paratitle{Collaborative rebuilding}
Figures~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:non-collaborative-rebuilding}
and \ref{fig:appendix:experiments:collaborative-rebuilding}
show the breakdown of the execution time,
with non-collaborative and collaborative rebuilding, respectively.
Plots in Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:non-collaborative-rebuilding}
show that, as the ratio of updates grows beyond $10\%$,
the execution time quickly becomes dominated by rebuilding.
In fact, most of the rebuilding time is spent in helping operations
in which a created subtree ends up being discarded.
The proportion of discarded subtrees grows with the number of threads.
Plots in Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:collaborative-rebuilding}
show that, when using collaborative rebuilding,
almost no time is spent in discarding the subtrees.
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[scale=0.3]{experiments/disable_multicounter/exp3_disable_multicounter_pivot__.png}
\caption{Effect of Using a Multicounter in the Root Node}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:multicounter}
\end{figure}
\paratitle{Using a multicounter in the root node}
Our concurrent IST implementation uses atomic fetch-and-add instructions
to implement update counters in inner nodes,
but uses a multicounter in the root node to reduce contention.
Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:multicounter}
compares the throughput of a concurrent IST with a multicounter
against an IST with a simple fetch-and-add-counter in the root node,
when using $190$ threads.
In the variant that uses a simple fetch-and-add-counter in the root,
throughput is reduced to $15\%-33\%$ compared to the multicounter variant.
\paratitle{No-SQL database workload}
We study a simple \textit{in-memory database management system} called DBx1000~\cite{dbx1000},
which is used in multi-core database research. DBx implements a simple relational database,
which contains one or more \textit{tables}.
Each table can have one or more \textit{key fields} and associated \textit{indexes}. Each index
allows processes to query a specific key field, quickly locating any rows in which the key field
contains a desired value. We replace the default index implementation in DBx with each of the
BSTs that we study.
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{experiments/macrobench/exp1_macrobench_throughput_exp_theta_0_5.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{experiments/macrobench/exp1_macrobench_throughput_exp_theta_0_9.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.5]{experiments/macrobench/exp1_macrobench_throughput_legend.png}
\caption{YCSB database performance with different index data structures, and a skewed \textit{key access pattern}. (NM omitted because it is slower than BCCO.)}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:ycsb}
\end{figure*}
Following the approaches in~\cite{dbx1000, ArbelRaviv2018GettingTT}, we run a subset of the well
known Yahoo! Cloud Serving Benchmark (YCSB) core with a single table containing 100 million
rows, and a single index. Each thread performs a fixed number of transactions (100,000 in our
runs), and the execution terminates when the first thread finishes performing its transactions.
Each transaction accesses 16 different rows in the table, which are determined by index lookups
on randomly generated keys. Each row is read with probability 0.9 and written with probability
0.1. The keys that a transaction will \textit{access} are generated according to a
\textbf{Zipfian} distribution
following the approach in~\cite{Gray:1994}.
The results, which appear in Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:ycsb}, show how performance
degrades as the distribution of \textit{accesses} to keys becomes highly skewed. (Higher
$\theta$ values imply a more extreme skew. A $\theta$ value of 0.9 is \textit{extremely}
skewed.)
\paratitle{Trees containing Zipfian-distributed keys} Since the performance of the ISTree can
theoretically degrade when the tree contains a highly skewed set of keys, we construct a
synthetic benchmark to study such scenarios. In this benchmark, $n$ threads access a single
instance of the ISTree, and there is a \textit{prefilling} phase followed by a \textit{measured}
phase. In the prefilling phase, each thread repeatedly generates a key from a Zipfian
distribution ($\theta=0.5$) over the key range $[1, 10^8]$ (picking one of 100 million
\textit{possible} keys), and inserts this key into the data structure (if it is not already
present). This continues until the data structure contains 10 million keys (only 10\% of the key
range), at which point the prefilling phase ends. In the measured phase, all threads perform
$u$\% updates and ($100-u$)\% searches (for $u \in \{0, 1, 10\}$) on keys drawn from the same
Zipfian distribution, for 30 seconds. This entire process is repeated for multiple trials, and
for thread counts $n \in \{24, 48, 96, 144, 190\}$ (with at least one core left idle to run
system processes).
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_exp_u_0p,_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_exp_u_1p,_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_exp_u_10p,_k_2x10_8.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.5]{experiments/zipf/exp9_zipf_throughput_legend.png}
\caption{Synthetic benchmark in which the \textit{set of keys stored} in a data structure is highly skewed.}
\label{fig:appendix:experiments:zipf}
\end{figure*}
The results, which appear in Figure~\ref{fig:appendix:experiments:zipf}, suggest that the ISTree
can be surprisingly robust in scenarios where it contains a highly skewed distribution.
\section{Correctness}
\label{sec:correctness}
In this section, we formalize the concurrent IST,
and prove that the operations are safe,
linearizable and non-blocking.
We begin by introducing the concept of an abstract set,
and then define the correspondence
between the abstract set and the concurrent IST.
\begin{definition}[Abstract set]
An \emph{abstract set} $\mathbb{A}$
is a mapping $\mathbb{A} : \mathbb{K} \rightarrow \{ \top, \bot \}$,
where $\mathbb{K}$ is the set of all keys,
and which is true ($\top$)
for keys that are present in the set.
The abstract set operations are:
$\lookup(\mathbb{A}, k) = \top \Leftrightarrow k \in \mathbb{A}$,
$\insertion(\mathbb{A}, k) = \{ k' : k' \in \mathbb{A} \vee k' = k \}$,
and
$\deletion(\mathbb{A}, k) = \{ k' : k' \in \mathbb{A} \wedge k' \neq k \}$.
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}[Validity]
An IST §I§ is \emph{valid} if and only if the Invariants
\ref{inv:presence},
\ref{inv:search} and \ref{inv:acyclicity} hold.
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}[Consistency]
An IST §I§ is \emph{consistent} with the abstract set $\mathbb{A}$
if and only if $\forall k \in \mathbb{A} \Leftrightarrow \haskey(§I§, k)$,
(as per Definition \ref{def:has-key}).
The IST §lookup§ operation is consistent with an abstract set $\lookup$
if and only if $\forall k, §lookup(I,k)§ = \lookup(\mathbb{A}, k)$.
The IST §insert§ and §delete§ operations are consistent
with the abstract set $\insertion$ and $\deletion$
if and only if for all keys $k$ and initial states §I§
consistent with some abstract set $\mathbb{A}$,
they leave the IST in a state §I§',
consistent with some abstract set $\mathbb{A}'$,
such that $\insertion(\mathbb{A}, k) = \mathbb{A}'$
or $\deletion(\mathbb{A}, k) = \mathbb{A}'$, respectively.
\end{definition}
\begin{theorem}[Safety]
\label{thm:safety}
An IST §I§ that uses non-collaborative rebuilding from Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild}
is always valid and consistent with some abstract set $\mathbb{A}$.
IST operations are consistent with the abstract set semantics.
\end{theorem}
We prove safety inductively -- it is easy to see that the newly created IST
is consistent with the empty abstract set.
For the inductive case, we must show that after each mutation,
the IST remains valid, and that it either remains consistent
with the same abstract set $\mathbb{A}$,
or becomes consistent with some other set $\mathbb{A}'$,
according to the abstract set semantics.
After that, we extend the proof to the IST variant
that uses collaborative rebuilding.
\begin{lemma}[Freezing]
\label{lem:freeze}
After §markAndCount§
in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-mark} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild} completes,
all the nodes in the corresponding subtree have §status§
different than $[0, \bot, \bot]$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Consider the §CAS§ in line \ref{lst:mark-cas-0-1} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}.
Exactly one thread will successfully execute this §CAS§.
After this happens, none of the entries in the §children§ array will be modified,
since all the §DCSS§ invocations are conditional on §status§ being zero.
Assuming that the statement holds inductively for the children,
when a thread reaches the §CAS§ in line \ref{lst:mark-cas-1-keycount},
all the inner nodes in the corresponding subtree have a non-zero §status§.
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}[End of Life]
\label{lem:end-of-life}
If the field §status§ of an inner node §n§ is $[0, \bot, \bot]$ at $t_0$,
then the node §n§ is reachable from the root at some time $t_0$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
Assume the converse -- node §n§ is unreachable at $t_0$
and it has §status§ set to $[0, \bot, \bot]$.
The only instruction that makes inner nodes unreachable
is the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild},
which is executed on §n§'s parent.
This instruction is executed after
§markAndCount§ in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-mark} completes,
so the inner nodes in the corresponding subtree
must have a §status§ value different than $[0, \bot, \bot]$, by Lemma \ref{lem:freeze}.
\end{proof}
\begin{lemma}[Cover stability]
\label{lem:cover-stability}
If a node §n§ covers the interval $[ a, b \rangle$ at some time $t_0$
(as per Definition \ref{def:cover}),
then §n§ covers the same interval $\forall t > t_0$,
as long as §n§ is reachable at the time $t$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
We prove this inductively.
For the base case, the statement trivially holds for the root.
Next, assume that it holds for the parent of some node §n§.
If §n§ is reachable at some time $t$,
then so is its parent, whose cover did not change.
Since the cover of §n§ is defined based on the cover of its parent
and the contents of the immutable §keys§ array
(as specified in Definition \ref{def:cover}),
the cover of §n§ also does not change after its creation.
\end{proof}
\begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem \ref{thm:safety}]
We consider all execution steps that mutate the data structure,
and reason about the respective change in the corresponding abstract set.
Consider the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:insert-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:insert}.
If this §DCSS§ succeeds at $t_0$,
then the §status§ field of the corresponding §node§ must be $[0, \bot, \bot]$,
and the node is reachable at $t_0$, by Lemma \ref{lem:end-of-life}.
Before $t_0$, the tree is inductively valid and consistent with some set $\mathbb{A}$.
After $t_0$, the new node (created in the §createFrom§ subroutine)
becomes reachable from the root.
The new node contains the new key,
and (if §child§ was non-§Empty§, and its key different than the new key)
the old key from §child§.
Therefore, this change is consistent with the abstract set semantics.
Furthermore, Invariants \ref{inv:presence},
and \ref{inv:acyclicity}
are trivially preserved.
To see that Invariant \ref{inv:search} holds,
note that all the nodes on the path from the root to §node§ are reachable,
since §node§ is reachable by Lemma \ref{lem:end-of-life}.
Each of those nodes covers exactly the same interval
that it covered when §interpolationSearch§ ran
in line~\ref{lst:insert-interpolation-search} of Figure~\ref{algo:insert},
by Lemma~\ref{lem:cover-stability}.
The node that was created by the §createFrom§ subroutine
also respects Invariant~\ref{inv:search}.
Therefore, the new key is inside the intervals covered by those nodes,
and the search tree property is preserved.
Next, consider the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}.
After the §markAndCount§ call in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-mark} completes,
that §DCSS§ cannot succeed, by Lemma~\ref{lem:freeze}.
Thus, there will be no further updates of the §children§ arrays in that subtree,
so the corresponding subtree is effectively immutable.
All §createIdeal§ calls occur after the subtree becomes immutable,
and each such call will create a new subtree
that corresponds to the same abstract set as the old subtree,
so the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:help-rebuild-dcss}
does not change the consistency or the validity of the IST.
It is easy to see that
the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:rebuild-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}
changes neither the validity nor the consistency of an IST,
since it only inserts up to one §Rebuild§ node between some two §Inner§ nodes.
Finally, neither the §CAS§ instructions
in lines \ref{lst:mark-cas-0-1} and \ref{lst:mark-cas-1-keycount}
of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild},
nor the §FETCH\_AND\_ADD§ in line \ref{lst:insert-fetch-and-add}
of Figure \ref{algo:insert},
affect validity or consistency of the IST,
since these properties are independent
of the §status§ and the §count§ fields.
\end{proof}
Next, we need to show safety for the collaborative IST variant.
The crux of the proof is to show that the procedure §markAndCountCollaborative§
and the procedure §createIdealCollaborative§ have the same semantics
as their non-collaborative variants.
\begin{lemma}[Collaborative Freezing]
\label{lem:collaborative-marking}
After the procedure §markAndCountCollaborative§
from Figure~\ref{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative} completes,
all the nodes in the corresponding subtree
have §status§ different than $[0, \bot, \bot]$.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
After lines~\ref{lst:mark-cr-threshold}-\ref{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}
of §markAndCountCollaborative§ complete,
some subset of the nodes below the target §node§
will have their §status§ different than $[0, \bot, \bot]$,
due the CASes in lines~\ref{lst:mark-cas-0-1} and \ref{lst:mark-cas-1-keycount}.
This is not necessarily for all of the nodes below the target §node§,
since some threads might still be processing their subtrees
at the time when the current thread exits the loop
in lines~\ref{lst:mark-cr-threshold}-\ref{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}.
Nevertheless, the loop from Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild}
in lines~\ref{lst:mark-loop}-\ref{lst:mark-end-loop},
which also appears in §markAndCountCollaborative§
(after the loop in lines~\ref{lst:mark-cr-threshold}-\ref{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}),
ensures that each descendant node has their §status§
set to a non-$[0, \bot, \bot]$ value before the procedure ends,
so the proof is similar to that of Lemma~\ref{lem:freeze}.
\end{proof}
\begin{corollary}[Collaborative End of Life]
\label{cor:collaborative-end-of-life}
Lemma~\ref{lem:end-of-life} holds when
the §markAndCount§ procedure is replaced with
the call to §markAndCountCollaborative§.
\end{corollary}
\begin{lemma}[Collaborative Ideal Tree Creation]
\label{lem:collaborative-tree-creation}
Let §T§ be a subtree below the §target§ node,
which corresponds to some abstract set $\mathbb{S}$,
and on which §markAndCountCollaborative§ completed.
Once the §createIdealCollaborative§ completes,
either the tree §T§ gets replaced with a new ideal tree §T'§
that corresponds to the same abstract set $\mathbb{S}$,
or the status of the §target§ node changed to a non-$[0, \bot, \bot]$ value.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
First, not that the tree §T§ is effectively-immutable
by Lemma~\ref{lem:collaborative-marking} and
Corollary~\ref{cor:collaborative-end-of-life},
so the entries in its §children§ arrays never change.
The case in which the §keyCount§ is below the threshold creates
an already-complete ideal tree §newTarget§.
In the other case, local variable §newTarget§ is set to an empty root node
for the new ideal tree.
If the CAS in line~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-new-target} succeeds,
then §op.newTarget§ points to this new root.
Conversely, if that CAS fails, then §op.newTarget§
points to a new root created by another thread,
which, due to the effectively-immutable §T§ based on which it was created,
must be structurally identical to the node in the local variable §newTarget§
(but is a different memory object in the heap).
Thus, all threads that move beyond the line~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-read-new-target},
have the pointer to the same root node in their §newTarget§ variable,
which corresponds to the pointer in the §op.newTarget§ field.
Next, consider the case in which the §status§ field of the §op.target§ node
never changed to a non-$[0, \bot, \bot]$ value.
In this case, the §DCSS§ in line~\ref{lst:rebuild-and-set-dcss}
of the §rebuildAndSetChild§ procedure can never fail
due to a change in the auxiliary address.
Therefore, in this case, §rebuildAndSetChild§ always returns §true§,
so the §createIdealCollaborative§ cannot return early
in lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-loop} or \ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop},
and both loops must finish before §createIdealCollaborative§ returns.
Consider the loop in lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-loop}-\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-loop}.
After any thread exits this loop,
an entry $i$ of the §newTarget.children§ array
contains either §null§,
or the $i$-th child of the ideal tree corresponding to $\mathbb{S}$.
Moreover, after any thread exits this loop, it must be true that
§newTarget.degree§ is equal to the length of the §newTarget.children§ array.
Next, consider the loop
in lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-for-loop}-\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop}.
After any thread exits this loop,
it must be true that every entry $i$ of the §newTarget.children§ array
contains the $i$-th child of the ideal tree corresponding to $\mathbb{S}$.
Moreover, $i$-th entry of the §newTarget.keys§ array
contains the $i$-th key of the ideal tree corresponding to $\mathbb{S}$
(due to the write in line~\ref{lst:rebuild-and-set-write-key}).
Therefore, if the §status§ field of the §op.target§ node
did not change to a non-$[0, \bot, \bot]$ value,
then the procedure §createIdealCollaborative§ returns
an ideal tree corresponding to $\mathbb{S}$.
Finally, consider the case in which the §status§ field of the §op.target§ node
did change to a non-$[0, \bot, \bot]$ value.
Here, the claim trivially holds.
\end{proof}
\begin{theorem}[Collaborative Safety]
\label{thm:collaborative-safety}
An IST §I§ that uses collaborative rebuilding from
Figures~\ref{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative} and \ref{algo:create-ideal-cr}
is always valid and consistent with some abstract set $\mathbb{A}$.
IST operations are consistent with the abstract set semantics.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Similar to the proof for Theorem~\ref{thm:collaborative-safety},
using Lemma~\ref{lem:collaborative-marking}
and Lemma~\ref{lem:collaborative-tree-creation}
to show that the §DCSS§ in line~\ref{lst:help-rebuild-dcss}
does not cause a change in the abstract set.
In particular, if the §createIdealCollaborative§ returns prematurely
due to a non-$[0, \bot, \bot]$ value in the §status§ field,
then the §DCSS§ in line~\ref{lst:rebuild-dcss} in Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild}
will fail and cause a restart from the root,
due to a rebuild operation in one of the ancestors.
\end{proof}
Linearizability follows naturally from the safety proofs,
since all the state-changing execution steps occur at the atomic operations.
\begin{corollary}[Linearizability]
Lookup, insertion and deletion operations are linearizable,
in both the non-collaborative and collaborative variant
of the concurrent IST data structure.
\end{corollary}
\begin{proof}
For insertion and deletion,
this follows immediately from the proofs of Theorems~\ref{thm:safety}
and \ref{thm:collaborative-safety},
since the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:insert-dcss} is the linearization point.
The linearization point of a lookup is
the last §DCSS\_READ§ in line \ref{lst:lookup-dcss-read}
of Figure \ref{algo:lookup}
that was done on a node whose §status§ field was $[0, \bot, \bot]$.
\end{proof}
We first state the non-blocking properties of the non-collaborative IST variant.
After that, we extend the proof to the collaborative variant.
\begin{theorem}[Non-Blocking]
\label{thm:non-blocking}
In the non-collaborative IST variant,
insertion and deletion are lock-free,
and lookup is wait-free.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
By Invariant \ref{inv:acyclicity}, every path in the IST is finite.
The §lookup§ subroutine in Figure \ref{algo:lookup}
executes a finite number of steps in each loop iteration
before advancing to the next node on the path.
At any point, there can be up to $p$ insertion threads
that are racing to extend this path.
The §lookup§ operation can potentially race
with these inserting threads
(for example, if they are all repetitively extending the same leaf node).
However, after a finite number of steps,
each of these $p$ threads will increment the §count§ field beyond a threshold
and trigger the rebuild of the enclosing subtree.
At that point, the path can no longer be extended,
and the §lookup§ observes a §Rebuild§ node,
and terminates in a finite number of steps.
Therefore, §lookup§ is wait-free.
For the insertion and deletion,
identify all the instructions that do not change the abstract state $\mathbb{A}$,
but can fail an instruction that is a linearization point.
We call these instructions \emph{housekeeping}.
The §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:rebuild-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}
and the §CAS§ in line \ref{lst:mark-cas-0-1} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild},
are the only such housekeeping instructions.
These instructions can be executed only finitely many times
before some instruction changes $\mathbb{A}$.
To see this, define the \emph{pending count} of an inner node §n§
as the value of its field §count§ increased by the number of threads $p$
that are currently preparing to increment §n.count§
(note: each such thread can increment §n.count§ at most once
without changing $\mathbb{A}$).
Next, identify all nodes whose pending count crossed the threshold for rebuilding,
and call them \emph{triggered}.
Define an abstract variable $\mathbb{V}_0$
as the triggered nodes that are directly
pointed to by the §children§ array.
Define $\mathbb{V}_1$
as the total number of inner nodes in the subtrees of all triggered nodes
whose §status§ field is $0$.
Note that $\mathbb{V} = \mathbb{V}_0 + \mathbb{V}_1$ is finite.
Furthermore, as long as $\mathbb{A}$ stays the same,
housekeeping instructions can only strictly decrease $\mathbb{V}$.
When $\mathbb{V}$ is $0$,
neither the §DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:rebuild-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}
nor the §CAS§ in line \ref{lst:mark-cas-0-1} of Figure \ref{algo:rebuild},
can succeed, so they cannot fail an instruction
that would cause a linearization point.
To complete the proof, note that two invocations of the
§DCSS§ in line \ref{lst:insert-dcss} of Figure \ref{algo:insert}
are distanced by a finite number of steps,
by the same argument as for the §READ§s in the §lookup§ subroutine.
\end{proof}
In the collaborative variant, the §lookup§ operation is wait-free by the same arguments.
To prove that insertion and deletion are also non-blocking,
we need to show that the §markAndCountCollaborative§ procedure,
as well as the §createIdealCollaborative§ procedure,
both complete in a finite number of steps.
\begin{lemma}
\label{lem:wait-free-collaborative-rebuild}
The §markAndCountCollaborative§ procedure
and the §createIdealCollaborative§ procedure are wait-free.
\end{lemma}
\begin{proof}
First, it is easy to see that helper procedures, such as §createIdeal§,
finish in a finite number of steps (because the tree is finite).
Next, note that the loops
in lines~\ref{lst:mark-loop}-\ref{lst:mark-end-loop} of Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild},
and the lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-for-loop}-\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop}
of Figure~\ref{algo:create-ideal-cr},
both make progress in each iteration, and finish within a finite number of execution steps.
The same is true of the loop in lines~\ref{lst:mark-cr-loop}-\ref{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}
of Figure~\ref{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative} --
after every iteration of the loop, the §nextMark§ field is strictly increased.
Thus, §markAndCountCollaborative§ is wait-free.
The loop in lines~\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-loop}-\ref{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}
of Figure~\ref{algo:create-ideal-cr}
contains a §CAS§ on the §degree§ field that makes progress when successful.
However, that §CAS§ fails only if another thread successfully executes the same §CAS§
on the §degree§ field, incrementing it by $1$.
Therefore, an iteration of that loop makes progress in both cases,
and completes in a finite number of iterations.
This proves that the §createIdealCollaborative§ procedure is wait-free.
\end{proof}
\begin{corollary}
\label{cor:non-blocking-collaborative}
In the collaborative IST variant,
insertion and deletion are lock-free,
and lookup is wait-free.
\end{corollary}
\begin{proof}
Follows from Theorem~\ref{thm:non-blocking}
and Lemma~\ref{lem:wait-free-collaborative-rebuild}.
\end{proof}
\section{Conclusion}
\label{sec:conclusion}
We presented C-IST, the first concurrent
implementation of a dynamic interpolation search tree.
C-IST is non-blocking and scalable,
and it preserves the desirable complexity properties of the original data structure
with high probability.
Experimental results in C++ suggest that
C-IST significantly improves upon the performance
of classic search data structures with similar semantics,
by up to $\approx3.5\times$,
and the current best-performing alternative by up to $50\%$.
These findings suggest that concurrent data structure designs can be improved
in non-trivial ways by exploiting input-specific techniques developed in the sequential case.
We see this as an interesting line of potential future work.
\section{Evaluation}
\label{sec:evaluation}
We implemented the concurrent IST in C++,
and compared it against several state of the art concurrent data structures.
We ran the benchmarks
on a NUMA system with four Intel Xeon Gold 6150 3.7GHz CPUs,
each of which has 18 cores and 36 hardware threads.
Within each CPU, cores share a 24.75MB LLC,
and cores on different CPUs do not share any caches.
The system has 512GB of RAM,
and runs Debian Linux 4.9.82-1 with kernel 4.9.0-6.
Our code was compiled with GCC 6.3.0-18,
with the highest optimization level (\texttt{-O3}).
Threads were \textit{pinned} to cores such that
thread counts up to 36 ran on only one CPU,
thread counts up to 72 run on only two CPUs,
and so on.
We used the fast scalable allocator jemalloc 5.0.1-25.
When a page of memory is allocated on our four-processor Xeon system,
it has an \textit{affinity} for a single CPU,
and other CPUs pay a penalty to access it.
We therefore used the \texttt{numactl --interleave=all} option to ensure
that pages are evenly distributed across CPUs.
We compared our IST implementation to the leading non-blocking binary search tree (BST)
due to Natarajan and Mittal~\cite{Natarajan:2014}
and a fast non-blocking $(a,b)$-tree (ABTREE) due to Brown~\cite{BrownPhD},
which is a concurrency-friendly variant of a B-tree.
\subsection{Lookup}
We implemented a synthetic microbenchmark
in which $n$ threads access a single shared data structure.
We used different thread counts
($1$, $18$, $36$, $72$, $108$ and $144$)
and tree sizes
(1 million, 10 million, 100 million and 1 \textit{billion} keys).
For each data structure, thread count and tree size, we ran five timed \textit{trials}.
In each trial,
the desired number of keys was inserted into the data structure.
Then, for 10 seconds,
all threads repeatedly performed lookups
on randomly chosen keys,
so that there is a $50\%$ probability of finding the key.
\paratitle{Results}
We show the results in Figure~\ref{fig:bench-lookup-comparison-cpp},
where we plot the total number of lookups per microsecond versus the number of threads,
for each tree size.
Variance was very low at each data point, less than 1\% of the mean.
The results show a substantial performance advantage of the IST:
up to $2\times$ speedup compared to the ABTREE,
and $5\times$ compared to the BST.
\begin{figure}[t]
\small
\centering
\makebox[0.4\linewidth]{\textbf{1 million key set}}
\makebox[0.4\linewidth]{\textbf{10 million key set}}
\includegraphics[width=0.48\linewidth]{experiments/xeon-gold-6150-x4/line_2m.PNG}
\includegraphics[width=0.48\linewidth]{experiments/xeon-gold-6150-x4/line_20m.PNG}
\makebox[0.4\linewidth]{\textbf{100 million key set}}
\makebox[0.4\linewidth]{\textbf{1 billion key set}}
\includegraphics[width=0.48\linewidth]{experiments/xeon-gold-6150-x4/line_200m.PNG}
\includegraphics[width=0.48\linewidth]{experiments/xeon-gold-6150-x4/line_2b.PNG}
\vspace{1mm}
\includegraphics[width=0.3\linewidth]{experiments/xeon-gold-6150-x4/legend.PNG}
\vspace{-3mm}
\caption{Lookup Comparison with Similar Data Structures (C++, Xeon Gold 6150)}
\label{fig:bench-lookup-comparison-cpp}
\end{figure}
Interestingly, IST is much faster in the case where the trees contain 1 million keys,
but less compared to the ABTREE with 10 million keys,
and then gradually regains its advantage as the trees grow larger.
To explain this,
we used the C PAPI 5.4.1.0 library
to measure the number of LLC misses for each data structure and size.
Figure~\ref{fig:bench-cpp-l3misses} summarizes the results.
\begin{figure}
\small
\centering
\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node at (0,0) [
minimum width=1.5mm,
minimum height=1.5mm,
fill={rgb:red,1;green,4;blue,5},
] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
IST
\quad
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node at (0,0) [
minimum width=1.5mm,
minimum height=1.5mm,
fill={rgb:red,1;green,3;blue,1},
postaction={
pattern color=white,
pattern=north east lines,
},
] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
ABTREE
\quad
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node at (0,0) [
minimum width=1.5mm,
minimum height=1.5mm,
fill={rgb:red,5;green,1;blue,1},
postaction={
pattern color=white,
pattern=north west lines,
},
] {};
\end{tikzpicture}
BST
\end{center}
\input{experiments/xeon-gold-6150-x4/llc.tex}
\vspace{-3mm}
\caption{Comparison of LLC misses per lookup (C++, Xeon Gold 6150)}
\label{fig:bench-cpp-l3misses}
\end{figure}
With 1 million keys,
IST fits almost entirely in cache, incurring only 0.09 LLC misses per lookup,
while ABTREE incurs 1.5 misses per lookup,
and BST incurs 3.5 misses per lookup.
IST has such a large advantage in this case
because it almost never accesses main memory.
With 10 million keys,
IST no longer fits in cache,
and IST and ABTREE have a similar number of LLC misses per lookup
(6.0 vs. 6.6).
However, as the number of keys continues to grow,
the number of LLC misses incurred per lookup increases much more slowly for the IST,
than for the ABTREE and the BST.
In the 1 billion key case, the IST incurs only 13.1 misses per lookup,
compared to 19.0 for the ABTREE, and 33.2 for the BST.
\subsection{Insert and remove}
TODO: Add the evaluation of concurrent rebuilding.
\subsection{Approximate counters}
TODO: Add the evaluation of C-IST without approximate counters.
\section{Non-Blocking Interpolation Search Tree}
\label{sec:algorithm}
\subsection{Data Types}
\label{sec:data-types}
Non-blocking IST consists of the data types shown in Figure~\ref{algo:data-types}.
The main data type, named §IST§, represents the interpolation search tree.
It has only one field called §root§, which is a pointer to the root node of the data structure.
When the data structure is created,
the §root§ field points to an empty leaf node of type §Empty§.
The data type §Single§ is used as a leaf node
that has a single key and an associated value.
The data type §Inner§ represents inner nodes in the tree.
The relationship between these node types is shown
on the right side of Figure~\ref{algo:data-types}.
\begin{figure*}[]
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct IST is
root: Node
struct Single: Node is
key: KeyType
val: ValType
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Inner: Node is
initSize: int
degree: int
keys: KeyType[]
children: Node[]
status: [int, bool, bool]
count: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Empty: Node is
struct Rebuild: Node is
target: Inner
parent: Inner
index: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.24\textwidth}
\vspace{0.1cm}
\includegraphics[scale=0.21]{figures/data-types.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\vspace{-7mm}
\caption{Data Types}
\label{algo:data-types}
\end{figure*}
The §Inner§ data type contains the search keys, and the pointers to the children nodes.
In addition to that, the §Inner§ data type has the field §degree§,
which holds the number of children of that inner node,
and a field called §initSize§,
which holds the number of keys
the corresponding subtree had at the moment when this inner node was created.
Apart from the pointers in the §children§ array,
all of these fields are written once when the inner node is created,
and are not modified after that.
Finally, §Inner§ contains two more volatile fields, called §count§ and §status§.
These two fields are used to coordinate the rebuilding process.
The §count§ field contains the number of updates that occurred
in the subtree rooted at this inner node since this inner node was created.
The §status§ field contains an integer and two booleans.
When the inner node is created, it is $(0, \bot, \bot)$.
It changes to a non-zero value when this inner node
must be replaced with its copy during a rebuilding operation
(more on that later).
The §Rebuild§ data type is used when a subtree needs to be rebuilt.
It has a field called §target§, which contains a pointer to the root
of the subtree that needs to be rebuilt.
It also has the field §parent§, which contains a pointer to the §Rebuild§ node's parent,
and the §index§ of the §target§ in the §parent§ node's array of pointers to children.
These two fields are sufficient to replace the §Rebuild§ in the parent
once the rebuild operation completes.
The §status§ field and the §Rebuild§ type are explained in more detail later.
To work correctly, the operations of the C-IST
must maintain the following invariants.
\begin{invariant}[Key presence]
\label{inv:presence}
For any key §k§ reachable in the IST §I§,
there exists exactly one path of the form §I§
$\overset{\texttt{root}}{\rightarrow}$ §n§$_0$
$\overset{\texttt{children[i$_0$]}}{\rightarrow}$
$(§n§_1 \enskip | \enskip §r§_1 \overset{\texttt{target}}{\rightarrow} §n§_1)$
$\overset{\texttt{children[i$_1$]}}{\rightarrow}$
$\ldots$
$\overset{\texttt{children[i$_{m-1}$]}}{\rightarrow}$
$(§n§_m \enskip | \enskip §r§_m \overset{\texttt{target}}{\rightarrow} §n§_m)$,
where §n§$_m$ holds the key §k§, §r§$_m$ is a §Rebuild§ node,
and $|$ is a choice between two patterns.
\end{invariant}
\begin{definition}[Cover]
\label{def:cover}
A root node §n§
\emph{covers} the interval $\langle -\infty, \infty \rangle$.
Given an inner node §n§ of degree $d$ that covers the interval $[ a, b \rangle$,
and holds the keys $k_0, k_1, \ldots, k_{d-2}$ in its §keys§ array,
its child §n.children[i]§ covers the interval $[ k_{i-1}, k_i \rangle$,
where we define $k_{-1} = a$ and $k_{d-1} = b$.
\end{definition}
\begin{definition}[Content]
A node §n§ \emph{contains} a key §k§ if and only if
the path from the root of the IST §I§ to the leaf with the key §k§
contains the node §n§.
An IST §I§ \emph{contains} a key §k§ if and only if the §root§ contains the key §k§.
\end{definition}
\begin{invariant}[Search tree]
\label{inv:search}
If a node §n§ covers $[ a, b \rangle$ and contains a key §k§,
then §k§ $\in [ a, b \rangle$.
\end{invariant}
\begin{invariant}[Acyclicity]
\label{inv:acyclicity}
There are no cycles in the interpolation search tree.
\end{invariant}
\begin{definition}[Has-key]
\label{def:has-key}
Relation $\haskey(§I§, k)$ holds if and only if §I§ satisfies the invariants,
and contains the key $k$.
\end{definition}
In the C-IST data structure (and in the traditional, sequential IST as well),
the degree $d$ of a node with cardinality $n$ is $\Theta(\sqrt{n})$.
An example of an C-IST is shown in the figure below.
The root has a degree $\Theta(\sqrt{n})$,
its children have the degree $\Theta(\sqrt[4]{n})$,
its grandchildren have the degree $\Theta(\sqrt[8]{n})$ and so on.
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[scale=0.24]{figures/ideal.pdf}
\end{center}
An \emph{ideal C-IST} is a C-IST that is perfectly balanced.
In such a C-IST, the degree of a node with cardinality $n$
is either $\floor{\sqrt{n}}$ or $\ceil{\sqrt{n}}$,
and the number of keys in each of the node's child subtrees is
either $\floor{\sqrt{n}}$ or $\ceil{\sqrt{n}}$.
This property ensures that depth is bound by $O(\log \log n)$.
The interpolation search tree will generally not be ideal
after a sequence of insertion and deletion operations,
but its subtrees are ideal ISTs immediately after they get rebuilt.
\subsection{Insertion and Deletion}
\label{sec:insertion-deletion}
An insertion operation first searches the tree
to find a §Single§ or §Empty§ node that is in a location corresponding to the input key.
Then, the resulting node is replaced with either one or two new nodes.
An §Empty§ node gets replaced with a new §Single§ node that contains the new key.
A §Single§ node gets replaced either with a new §Single§ node
in case of finding an exact key match,
or otherwise with a new inner node that contains two single child nodes,
which contain the existing key and the newly added key.
To be able to decide when to rebalance a subtree,
C-IST must track the amount of imbalance in each subtree.
To achieve this,
whenever a key is inserted or deleted at some leaf,
the sequential IST increments the value of the §count§ field,
for all the inner nodes on the path from the root to the leaf that was affected~\cite{IST}.
Once the §count§ field reaches a threshold at some inner node,
the subtree below that inner node gets rebuilt.
The concurrent variant, C-IST, uses a similar technique to track the amount of imbalance,
but it avoids the contention at the root, where the contention is most relevant,
with a scalable quiescently-consistent multicounter~\cite{ABKLN}.
After rebalancing gets triggered in some subtree,
the subsequent modification operations in the corresponding subtree must fail,
and help complete that rebalancing operation before retrying themselves.
To ensure that this happens,
the rebalancing operation sets the §status§ field of all the inner nodes
in the subtree that is being rebuilt.
When replacing a child of the inner node,
a modification operation, such as insertion,
atomically checks the §status§ field of that inner node.
To achieve this, C-IST relies on an atomic double-compare-single-swap (§DCSS§) primitive,
which takes two addresses, two corresponding expected values, and one new value as arguments,
and behaves like a §CAS§, but succeeds
only if the second address also matches the expected value for that second address.
§DCSS§ is bundled with a wait-free §DCSS\_READ§ primitive,
which reads the fields that can be concurrently modified by a §DCSS§ operation.
This §DCSS\_READ§ operation is used by the C-IST operation whenever the value
of an inner node's children array needs to be read.
\begin{figure}[!t]
\begin{lstlisting}[firstnumber=1]
procedure insert(ist, key, val)
path = [] °\hfill° // Stack that saves the path.
n = ist.root
while true
index = interpolationSearch(key, n) °\label{lst:insert-interpolation-search}°
child = DCSS_READ(n.children[index])
if child is Inner
n = child
path.push( [child, index] )
else if child is Empty | Single
r = createFrom(child, key, val)
result =
DCSS(n.children[index], child, r, n.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°])°\label{lst:insert-dcss}°
if result == FAILED_MAIN_ADDRESS
continue °\hfill° // Retry from the same n.
else if result == FAILED_AUX_ADDRESS
return insert(ist, key, val) °\hfill°// Retry from the root.
else
for each [n, index] in path
FETCH_AND_ADD(n.count, 1) °\label{lst:insert-fetch-and-add}°
parent = ist.root
for each [n, index] in path
count = READ(n.count)
if count >= REBUILD_THRESHOLD * n.initSize °\label{lst:insert-threshold}°
rebuild(n, parent, index)
break °\hfill°// exit for °\ap{Should we break as soon as you find the highest node for rebuild?}° °\ap{Can these 2 loops be fused into one? Seems like we can break as soon as we find a rebuild-point.}°
parent = n
return true
else if child is Rebuild
helpRebuild(child)
return insert(ist, key, val) °\hfill° // Retry from the root.
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{Insert Operation}
\label{algo:insert}
\end{figure}
Figure~\ref{algo:insert} shows the pseudocode of the §insert§ operation.
The §delete§ operation is similar to §insert§.
The main difference is that it either replaces a §Single§ node with a new §Empty§ node,
or does not change the data structure if the key is not present.
The deletion does not shrink the §Inner§ nodes.
This allows for some §Empty§ nodes to be accumulated in the C-IST,
but the rebuilding operations eventually occur, and remove such empty nodes.
\subsection{Partial Rebuilding}
\label{sec:partial-rebuild}
When an insertion or deletion operation
observes that a subtree rooted at some inner node $target$
(henceforth, we call that subtree the ``target subtree'')
has become sufficiently imbalanced,
it triggers the rebuild operation on that subtree,
which is shown in Figure \ref{algo:rebuild}.
The rebuilding operation occurs in four steps.
First, a thread announces its intention to rebuild the target subtree
by creating a descriptor object of the type §Rebuild§,
and it inserts this descriptor between the $target$ and its $parent$ with a §DCSS§ operation.
After the first step, other threads can cooperate on the rebuild operation.
Second, this thread must prevent further modifications in the target subtree,
so it does a preorder traversal to set a bit in the §status§ field
of each node of that target subtree.
After the second step, no key can be added or removed from the target subtree.
Third, the thread creates an ideal IST (rooted at a new inner node called $ideal$)
using the old subtree's keys (rooted at the target subtree, i.e. $target$).
Finally, the thread uses a §DCSS§ operation to replace the target subtree
with the new ideal subtree in the parent.
All other threads can compete to complete second, third and the fourth step.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
\begin{lstlisting}
procedure rebuild(node, p, i)
op = new Rebuild(node, p, i)
result = DCSS(p.children[i], node, op, p.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°]) °\label{lst:rebuild-dcss}°
if result == SUCCESS then helpRebuild(op)
procedure helpRebuild(op)
keyCount = markAndCount(op.target) °\label{lst:help-rebuild-mark}°
ideal = createIdeal(op.target, keyCount) °\label{lst:help-rebuild-create-ideal}°
p = op.parent
DCSS(p.children[op.index], op, ideal, p.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°])°\label{lst:help-rebuild-dcss}°
procedure markAndCount(node) °\label{lst:mark-declaration}°
if node is Empty then return 0
if node is Single then return 1
if node is Rebuild then return markAndCount(op.target)
// node is Inner
CAS(node.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\bot$°], [0,°$\bot$°,°$\top$°]) °\label{lst:mark-cas-0-1}° °\label{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}°
keyCount = 0 °\label{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}°
for index in 0 until length(node.children) °\label{lst:mark-loop}°
child = READ(node.children[index])
if child is Inner then
[count, finished, started] = READ(child.status)
if finished then keyCount += count
else keyCount += markAndCount(child) °\label{lst:mark-end-loop}°
else if child is Single then keyCount += 1
CAS(node.status, [0,°$\bot$°,°$\top$°], [keyCount,°$\top$°,°$\top$°]) °\label{lst:mark-cas-1-keycount}°
return keyCount °\label{lst:mark-end}°
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{Rebuild Operation}
\label{algo:rebuild}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Collaborative Rebuilding}
\label{sec:concurrent-collaborative-rebuild}
When a lot of threads concurrently attempt to modify the C-IST,
the rebuilding procedure described in Section~\ref{sec:partial-rebuild}
suffers from a scalability bottleneck.
For example, since many threads compete to mark
the old subtree in the §markAndCount§ procedure,
multiple threads will typically try to set the §status§ bits of the same nodes.
Similarly, multiple threads attempt to create the ideal version of the same target subtree
in the §createIdeal§ procedure from Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild},
so part of the overall work gets duplicated.
To reduce contention, a collaborative rebuilding algorithm is used,
which allows threads to mark and rebuild different parts of the subtree in parallel.
\begin{figure}[t]
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.22\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Rebuild: Node is
target: Inner
newTarget: Inner
parent: Inner
index: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[t]{0.25\textwidth}
\begin{lstlisting}[numbers=none]
struct Inner: Node is
initSize: int
degree: int
keys: KeyType[]
children: Node[]
status: [int, bool, bool]
count: int
nextMark: int
\end{lstlisting}
\end{minipage}
\caption{Modified Data Types for Collaborative Rebuilding}
\label{algo:data-types-cr}
\end{figure}
The previous rebuilding algorithm from Section~\ref{sec:partial-rebuild}
is changed in several ways to allow threads to perform rebuilding \textit{collaboratively}.
First of all, the §markAndCount§ procedure,
responsible for setting the §status§ bits in a subtree,
is replaced with a new §markAndCountCollaborative§ procedure.
In this new procedure, helper threads attempt to process different parts
of the target subtree in parallel.
They carefully avoid duplicating the work by picking a different initial index
for traversing the children of the current node: each thread atomically increments
a special field called §nextMark§ to decide on its index.
This is shown in Figure~\ref{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative},
in which we note the changes to the old §markAndCount§ procedure.
Second, the call to §createIdeal§,
inside the procedure §helpRebuild§
in Figure~\ref{algo:rebuild},
is replaced with a call to a new procedure §createIdealCollaborative§,
in which a new root of the subtree is first created
(whose §children§ array initially contains only §null§-pointers)
and then announced to the other threads, as before.
For this purpose, the §newTarget§ field is added to the §Rebuild§ data type,
as shown in Figure~\ref{algo:data-types-cr},
to store the root node of the new subtree.
Each §null§-pointer in the new root of the subtree represents a ``subtask''
that a thread can perform by building the corresponding subtree
(and then changing the corresponding §null§-pointer to point to this new subtree).
Note that many of these subtasks can be performed in parallel.
Until the new ideal IST is complete,
the §newTarget§ node effectively
acts as a lock-free work pool of tasks that the threads compete for.
Note that the afore-mentioned §nextMark§ field in the §Inner§ nodes is set to zero,
so that it can be used for collaborative marking during the next rebuild operation.
The subtlety of these changes is to distribute work
between the threads while at the same time retaining the lock-freedom property,
which mandates that all work is done after a finite number of steps,
even if some threads block.
The collaborative rebuilding algorithm is shown in Figure~\ref{algo:create-ideal-cr}.
\edef\lstMarkDeclaration{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-declaration}}
\edef\lstMarkEndOfPreamble{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}}
\edef\lstMarkStartOfPostamble{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}}
\begin{figure}[!t]
\begin{lstlisting}[
firstnumber=\lstMarkDeclaration
]
procedure markAndCountCollaborative(node) °\Suppressnumber°
// ... same as markAndCount until line °\textit{\ref{lst:mark-end-of-preamble}}°, but with
// recursive calls to markAndCountCollaborative ... °\Reactivatenumber{\lstMarkEndOfPreamble + 1}°
if node.degree > COLLABORATION_THRESHOLD °\label{lst:mark-cr-threshold}°
while true °\label{lst:mark-cr-loop}°
index = FETCH_AND_ADD(node.nextMark, 1)
if index >= node.degree then break
markAndCountCollaborative(node.children[index]) °\Suppressnumber° °\label{lst:mark-cr-end-loop}°
// ... same as markAndCount from line °\textit{\ref{lst:mark-start-of-postamble}}°, but with
// recursive calls to markAndCountCollaborative ...
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{The \texttt{markAndCountCollaborative} Procedure}
\label{algo:mark-and-count-collaborative}
\end{figure}
\edef\lstMarkEnd{\getrefnumber{lst:mark-end}}
\Reactivatenumber{\lstMarkEnd + 2}
\begin{figure}[!ht]
\begin{lstlisting}[
]
procedure createIdealCollaborative(op, keyCount)
if keyCount < COLLABORATION_THRESHOLD then
newTarget = createIdeal(op.target, keyCount) °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-sequential}°
else
newTarget = new Inner( °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-new-inner}°
initSize = keyCount,
degree = 0, // Will be set to final value in line °\textit{\ref{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-degree}}°.
keys = new KeyType[°$\lfloor\sqrt{\texttt{keyCount}}\rfloor$° - 1],
children = new Node[°$\lfloor\sqrt{\texttt{keyCount}}\rfloor$°],
status = [0, °$\bot$°, °$\bot$°], count = 0, nextMark = 0)
if not CAS(op.newTarget, null, newTarget) then °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-new-target}°
// Subtree root was inserted by another thread.
newTarget = READ(op.newTarget) °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-read-new-target}°
if keyCount < COLLABORATION_THRESHOLD then
while true °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-loop}°
index = READ(newTarget.degree)
if index == length(newTarget.children) then break
if CAS(newTarget.degree, index, index + 1) then °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-cas-degree}°
if not rebuildAndSetChild(op, keyCount, index)
return newTarget °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-loop}°
for index in 0 until length(newTarget.children) °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-for-loop}°
child = READ(newTarget.children[index])
if child == null then
if not rebuildAndSetChild(op, keyCount, index)
return newTarget °\label{lst:create-ideal-cr-end-for-loop}°
return newTarget
procedure rebuildAndSetChild(op, keyCount, index)
// Calculate the key interval for this child, and rebuild.
totalChildren = °$\lfloor\sqrt{\texttt{keyCount}}\rfloor$°
childSize = °$\lfloor$°keyCount / totalChildren°$\rfloor$°
remainder = keyCount
fromKey = childSize * index + min(index, remainder)
childKeyCount = childSize + (index < remainder ? 1 : 0)
child = createIdeal(op.target, fromKey, childKeyCount) °\label{lst:rebuild-and-set-create-ideal}°
if index < length(op.newTarget.keys)
key = findKeyAtIndex(op.target, fromKey)
WRITE(op.newTarget.keys[index], key) °\label{lst:rebuild-and-set-write-key}°
// Set new child, check if failed due to status change.
result = DCSS(op.newTarget.children[index], °\label{lst:rebuild-and-set-dcss}°
null, child, op.newTarget.status, [0, °$\bot$°, °$\bot$°])
return result != FAILED_AUX_ADDRESS
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{The \texttt{createIdealCollaborative} Procedure}
\label{algo:create-ideal-cr}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Lookup}
\label{sec:lookups-and-queries}
The §lookup§ subroutine is shown in Figure~\ref{algo:lookup}.
Similar to §insert§, it starts with an interpolation search,
and repeats it at each inner node until reaching an §Empty§ or a §Single§ node.
If it reaches a §Single§ node that contains the specified key, it returns §true§.
Otherwise, if §lookup§ encounters an §Empty§ node or
a §Single§ node that does \emph{not} contain the specified key, it returns §false§.
If §lookup§ encounters a §Rebuild§ object,
it can safely ignore the rebuild operation --
lookup simply follows the §target§ pointer
to move to the next node, and continues traversal.
Unlike the §insert§ operation,
§lookup§ does not need to help concurrent subtree-rebuilding operations.
Lookups do not need to help to ensure progress,
and so they avoid the unnecessary slowdown.
Apart from the use of the §DCSS\_READ§ operation,
and checking for the §Rebuild§ objects,
\textit{lookup} effectively behaves in the same way
as the sequential interpolation tree search.
\begin{figure}[!t]
\begin{lstlisting}
procedure lookup(ist, key)
n = ist.root
while true
if n is Inner then
index = interpolationSearch(key, n)
n = DCSS_READ(n.children[index]) °\label{lst:lookup-dcss-read}°
else if n is Single then return n.k == key ? n.v : null
else if n is Empty then return null
else if n is Rebuild then n = n.target
\end{lstlisting}
\caption{Lookup Operation}
\label{algo:lookup}
\end{figure}
\subsection{Summary}
We presented the C-IST data types and operations precisely,
but without lengthy explanations of the pseudocode.
For a more descriptive discussion and concrete example scenarios,
we refer the readers to related work~\cite{c-ist-ppopp2020}.
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:intro}
The recently proposed non-blocking interpolation search tree (C-IST)
improves the asymptotic complexity of the basic tree operations,
such as insertion, lookup and predecessor queries,
from logarithmic to doubly-logarithmic for a specific class of workloads
whose input key distributions are \emph{smooth}~\footnote{
Intuitively speaking, this property bounds the height of the "spikes"
in the probability density function of the input key set.
The work on sequential interpolation search trees
defines smoothness more precisely~\cite{IST}.
}.
For arbitrary key distributions, C-IST operations
retain standard logarithmic running time bounds.
While C-IST was proposed and described in detail in related work~\cite{c-ist-ppopp2020},
this paper analyzes the C-IST data structure
from the correctness and an asymptotic complexity standpoint.
This work furthermore extends the experimental analysis
of the runtime behavior and performance of a concrete implementation of C-IST,
and compares C-IST to a wider range of data structures.
After summarizing the C-IST data structure and its operations in Section~\ref{sec:algorithm},
we put forth the following contributions:
\begin{itemize}
\item
We prove that the basic C-IST operations
are correct, linearizable and non-blocking
(wait-free lookup, and lock-free modifications)
in Section~\ref{sec:correctness}.
\item
We analyze the asymptotic complexity of the C-IST algorithm
in Section~\ref{sec:complexity-analysis}.
In particular,
we show that the worst-case cost of a lookup operation is $O(p + \log n)$,
where $p$ is the bound on the number of concurrent threads
and $n$ is the number of keys in the C-IST;
and we show that the worst-case amortized running time
of insert and delete operations is $O(\gamma (p + \log n))$,
where $\gamma$ is a bound on average interval contention.
Furthermore, we show that, when the input key distribution is smooth,
the expected worst-case running time of a lookup operation is $O(p + \log \log n)$;
and the expected amortized running time
of insertion and deletion is $O(\gamma (p + \log \log n))$.
\item
We present an extended experimental evaluation of our C-IST implementation
in Section~\ref{sec:evaluation}.
The evaluation includes a performance comparison against seven
state-of-the-art concurrent tree data structures,
a measurement of last-level cache misses between C-IST and best-performing competitors,
a breakdown of execution time across different key-set sizes,
parallelism levels and update rates,
the impact of using a multi-counter in the root node,
and a performance evaluation on a No-SQL database workload,
and a Zipfian distribution workload, at different skew levels.
\end{itemize}
The paper ends with an overview of related work in Section \ref{sec:related},
and a short conclusion in Section \ref{sec:conclusion}.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 3,202 |
{"url":"http:\/\/mathhelpforum.com\/peer-math-review\/174870-even-power-cosine-double-factorial.html","text":"# Thread: Even power of cosine and double factorial\n\n1. ## Even power of cosine and double factorial\n\nThe first elementary paper i'm publising here\n\n2. Originally Posted by DSYEAY\nThe first elementary paper i'm publising here\nNice little integral. I looked over your methods and they were good. But I found it simpler to integrate by parts and that method was not mentioned at all.\n\n-Dan\n\n3. Originally Posted by DSYEAY\nThe first elementary paper i'm publising here\nThe paper is essentially correct, but there are some careless misprints. For a start, in the result at the start of the paper, the indices k and n are confused. The result $\\displaystyle\\int_0^{k\\pi}\\!\\!\\!\\cos^{2n}\\theta\\,d \\theta = \\frac{(2k-1)!!}{(2k)!!}(k\\pi)$ should read $\\displaystyle\\int_0^{k\\pi}\\!\\!\\!\\cos^{2n}\\theta\\,d \\theta = \\frac{(2n-1)!!}{(2n)!!}(k\\pi)$.\n\nNext, in the statement of Lemma 1, $A_k$ has not yet been defined. You should always define your notation before starting to use it.\n\nFinally, in the section Proving the theorem by Mathematical Induction (First case of Finite Induction), the integral should be equal to $\\frac12\\pi$, not $\\frac12.$\n\n4. Hi Opalg!\n\nI will correct those mistake that i've made. I will also try to define those terms that i've used. Probably include a short abstract and talk also about second finite induction.\n\n_______________________________________\n\nHi Dan","date":"2016-09-28 12:01:57","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 5, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.9480611681938171, \"perplexity\": 1017.9467760792654}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2016-40\/segments\/1474738661367.29\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20160924173741-00293-ip-10-143-35-109.ec2.internal.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
\section{Introduction}
Supervised learning has achieved great successes over the years and has a significant impact on practice in a growing variety of predictive tasks. In many settings, however, labels for training instances are not readily available, but can be acquired from different labelers at different costs; often, different labelers may exhibit varying labeling accuracies, and a given labeler can have different labeling accuracies across different instances, possibly as a result of experience or prior knowledge. Given this setting and a model induction algorithm, it is important to understand how to best select labelers and instances they will label so as to induce a model with the highest generalization performance for a given labeling cost. In practice, such challenges arise in important applications, where scientists, medical professionals, or crowd of lay workers can be used to label a possibly large number of instances. In recent years, large-scale crowdsourcing and online labor market platforms, such as Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT), have emerged to offer unprecedented scalability towards such tasks. Nevertheless, in the settings we consider here, selecting labelers' (and corresponding costs and accuracies) and the instances they will label to produce the best model at a given cost remains an open problem.
Traditional active learning ~\cite{lewis1994sequential,gal2017deep,tang2019self} has received significant attention, and considers the problem of selecting instances for labeling when a single labeler produces labels at the same, fixed cost and with perfect labeling accuracy. Because labels of all instances are assumed to have the same accuracy and cost, traditional active learning frameworks aim to identify the most informative training instances from which to induce a model. However, in many real settings, acquiring labels from labelers presents greater complexity. AMT, for example, offers access to workers from around the world, with different expertise and varying costs. Indeed, prior social science research has shown that different payments lead to different qualities of work, and that different relationships between payment and quality can arise at different times or for different tasks ~\cite{mason2009financial,kazai2011search,kazai2013analysis}.
More recent work considered multiple noisy workers, yet assumed that either all labelers exhibit the same quality ~\cite{ipeirotis2014repeated,lin2014re,donmez2010probabilistic}, or that all labelers have the same cost per label and that the labeling quality is independent of the instance being labeled ~\cite{donmez2009efficiently,yan2011active,yan2014learning}. The closest work to the problem we consider here is by ~\citet{huang2017cost}, where instance difficulty, labeler expertise, and varying costs across labelers are considered. ~\citet{huang2017cost} use a different criterion to select labelers and instance than the one we develop here; as we discuss below, in the most common setting in practice, where labelers are not adversarial ~\cite{ipeirotis2014repeated,yan2011active,lin2014re,donmez2009efficiently}, this criterion appears to be prone to consistently choose low payment options, even when the labeling quality is poor and such choices undermine learning significantly.
In this paper, we propose a novel criterion utilizing generalization bound of learning with label noise to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of labeler-instance pair. The criterion we propose is motivated by the goal of directly minimizing the generation error of the classifier. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to use generalization bound for guidance of selecting labeler-instance pairs in this setting. We empirically evaluate the effectiveness and robustness of our method for settings with different cost-accuracy trade-offs reported in prior work to arise in crowdsourcing markets, and for five UCI datasets and a real crowdsourcing dataset. Our results show that our approach offers state-of-the-art performance across settings.
\section{Related Work}
Active learning has been studied extensively and is getting more important with the emergence of modern artificial intelligence. Most active learning research has considered settings where there is only one perfect labeler. Active learning algorithms for these settings thus aim to select the most informative training instances to label, so as to reduce the number of instances. However, when crowdsourcing platforms are used to acquire labels, annotation is done by multiple noisy annotators, whose labels can be acquired at different costs and who may exhibit different levels of accuracies. Recently, there is some more research on learning from noisy labelers. ~\citet{donmez2009efficiently} and ~\citet{zheng2010active} estimate the accuracy rates of labelers and then selects for annotation labelers with high accuracies. ~\citet{zhao2011incremental} actively select instances for labeling, but do not select labelers. All these works assume that a labeler exhibits the same accuracy for all instances they label. Yet, in practice, different workers may have different expertise or prior experience and can consequently exhibit different accuracies when labeling different instances. ~\citet{yan2011active} propose a probabilistic framework to estimate workers' accuracies and select the worker estimated to be the most accurate for a given instance. ~\citet{fang2014active} and ~\citet{ambati2010active} consider the different expertise of workers and aim to match instances with different worker with varying accuracies in the task domain; yet, these works do not consider varying labeling costs may be incurred by different labelers. ~\citet{geva2019more} consider labelers with varying accuracies and costs using estimated error reduction but do not consider selecting instances for labeling. The most closely related work is by~\citet{huang2017cost}: the proposed method estimates workers' labeling accuracies based on a small set of ground-truth data, and then estimates the value of acquiring the label for a given instance from a given worker as the weighted labeling accuracy divide by worker's cost. As we discuss in more detail below and reflected in our empirical evaluations, in the most common setting in practice, when labelers are not adversarial~\cite{ipeirotis2014repeated,yan2014learning}, this heuristic criterion is prone to select low payments.
Some prior work considered the cost-effectiveness of majority voting by multiple labelers for same instance as compared to singly-labeled data. These works considered workers who exhibit the same accuracy and cost. ~\citet{ipeirotis2014repeated} shows how in some cases majority voting can improve the performance of given classifier for a given cost, and ~\citet{lin2014re} demonstrates how the optimal choice depends on the dataset, classifier, and labeling accuracy. Yet, these works do not address how to effectively trade-off performance and cost. Importantly for this work, the trade-off between acquiring a single or multiple labels per instance can also be viewed as a special case of having multiple labelers of varying costs and accuracies. Hence, a method that can effectively select amongst different labelers of accuracies can also apply to select whether or not to acquire multiple labels for a given instance.
Other research explored the generalization error bounds for learning with label noise. ~\citet{simon1996general} and ~\citet{aslam1996sample} study the error bounds for learning from noisy labels for PAC-learnable concepts. ~\citet{kearns1998efficient} develop a bound for concepts that are Statistical-Query-learnable. We rely on these theoretical results and propose a novel criterion to select instance-labeler pairs that minimize the generalization error
and achieve state-of-the-art results.
\section{Problem Statement}
Suppose we have a dataset $D = \{x_i,y_i\}_{i=1}^N$, concept $\mathcal{C}$, an unlabeled set $\mathcal{U} = \{x_i\}_{n_l + 1}^{N}$, and a set of labelers $\mathcal{A} = \{a_1, \dots , a_n\}$ , who exhibit costs $\{c_1,\dots,c_n\}$ and label accuracies $\{\rho_1,\dots,\rho_n\}$, respectively. In addition, suppose that an initial labeled dataset is available with ground-truth labels $\mathcal{L} = \{x_i,y_i\}_{1}^{n_l}$ that have also been labeled by each of the labelers in $\mathcal{A}$. We assume the most common settings where labelers are not adversarial, i.e. their labeling accuracy rates are higher than 50\%~\cite{ipeirotis2014repeated,yan2011active,lin2014re,donmez2009efficiently}.
Further, labelers can have different expertise for different instances. Thus, for example, in an image classification task, Amy may be an expert at identifying species of flora while Bob excels in identifying fauna. We illustrate this notion in Figure \ref{fig:prob_stat}, where labelers, $L1$, $L2$, and $L3$, have diverse expertise across different image categories. If each image category has the same number of samples, the overall labeling accuracies for $L1$, $L2$, $L3$ are 0.83, 0.73, 0.66 respectively. Yet, each labeler exhibits higher (and lower) labeling accuracies on some of the categories. Empirical work ~\cite{kazai2011search,kazai2013analysis,mason2009financial} show that labelers with higher labeling accuracies often incur higher costs. We follow the setting considered in prior work, and for simplicity assume the price levels of 3, 2, and 1, for labelers $L1$, $L2$, and $L3$, respectively.
Finally, we consider an iterative setting, where at each iteration, a labeler from $\mathcal{A}$ is selected for labeling a selected instance from $\mathcal{U}$. Given a limited budget $B$, we aim to acquire labels from labelers for certain instances so as to induce a classifier with the best generalization performance. Thus, an algorithm for selecting labelers and instances ought to decide from which labelers and for what instances to acquire labels so as to yield the best generalization performance with a given budget; for example, it ought to determine whether it would be more cost-effective to acquire flora labels from the more accurate (and pricier) L1 than acquiring lower accuracy labels for 3 different flora images from L3, thereby compiling a larger training set for learning at the same cost.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.3in]{fig/mv_ps.png}
\caption{Diverse labelers' performance on different image categories: Flora, Fauna and Cars. Labels L1, L2, L3 demonstrate different labeling accuracies on different category, and their overall accuracies are 0.83, 0.73 and 0.66, respectively (assuming equal numbers of instances in each category).}
\label{fig:prob_stat}
\end{figure}
\section{Algorithm}
Recall that our approach aims to select instance-labeler pairs so as to improve the generalization performance for a given labeling budget. Below, we first discuss briefly how we quantify instance usefulness. Because the closest work to the contributions we present here is by~\citet{huang2017cost}, we then outline the main elements of the CEAL algorithm \cite{huang2017cost} and then describe how our algorithm builds on this contributions.
\subsection{Instance Usefulness}
There are many algorithms that propose various criteria for selecting instances for labeling; the more prominent measures include: uncertainty sampling that uses the posterior
probability of predicted class~\cite{gal2017deep,lewis1994sequential}, model expected change that selects the sample the affects the model most~\cite{freytag2014selecting} and data diversity that chooses the data that helps labeled pool better represent the underlying population~\cite{sener2017active,nguyen2004active}. In general, any measure for quantifying instance usefulness can be used in our approach. In this paper, our main focus is on a cost-effective selection of labelers, we simply follow the setting in ~\cite{huang2017cost} and use uncertainty sampling as shown in Equation \ref{eqn:uncertainty}. $P(y|x_j)$ is the posterior probability predicted by the classifier trained at current iteration.
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:uncertainty}
r(x_j) = 1 - \max_{y\in \mathcal{Y}} P(y|x_j)
\end{equation}
\subsection{CEAL ~\cite{huang2017cost}}
CEAL estimates annotators' labeling accuracies of given instance $x_j \in \mathcal{U}$ based on the accuracy of labelers' respective responses on the labeled set $\mathcal{L}$ with ground truth labels. Specifically, the accuracy of labeler $i$ for instance $x_j$, $\rho_i(x_j)$ is a weighted mean of labeling accuracy, weighted by the similarity between $x_j$ and each of its nearest neighbors $x_k \in \mathcal{N}(x_j)$, as shown in Equation \ref{eqn:accuracynn} where $0\leq s(x_k, x_j) \leq 1$, $\mathcal{N}(x)$ represents that nearest neighbors of $x$ in $\mathcal{L}$ and $\sum_k s(x_k, x_j) = 1$.
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:accuracynn}
\rho_i(x_j) = \sum_{x_k \in \mathcal{N}(x_j)} s(x_k, x_j)I[y_k == \hat{y}_{ik}]
\end{equation}
The final instance-labeler pair is selected by Equation \ref{eqn:ceal} and \ref{eqn:selceal}. At each iteration, the product $q_i(x_j)r(x_j)$ is computed for every instance-labeler pair $(x_j,a_i), x_j\in \mathcal{U}, a_i \in \mathcal{A}$ pair, and the pair with maximum product is selected for labeling. As a result, CEAL will select samples that are quite useful and have labelers that are good enough but cheap.
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:ceal}
q_i(x_j) = \frac{\rho_i(x_j)}{c_i}
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:selceal}
(x^\star, a^\star) = \underset{a_i, x_j}{\arg\max} q_i(x_j)r(x_j)
\end{equation}
However, this heuristic tends to select instance-labeler pairs that maximize \textit{labeling} accuracy per cost, it does not assess the implications of different labeling accuracies and costs on generalization performance. To illustrate how CEAL prioritizes amongst different labelers, suppose we have five labelers whose labeling costs are 1,2,3,4,5 respectively. We further suppose labelers are not adversarial~\cite{ipeirotis2014repeated,yan2011active,lin2014re,donmez2009efficiently}, thus $\rho_i(x_j)$ is greater than 0.5 for all $i$. When a low cost labeler offers near-random accuracy, while all others offer perfect accuracy, it is easy to see that CEAL will always prefer the least costly labeler with near-random labeling accuracy.
\begin{equation}
\frac{\rho_i(x_j)}{1} \geq \frac{0.5}{1}\geq\frac{\max \rho(x)}{2} = \frac{1.0}{2} > \frac{1.0}{3} > \frac{1.0}{4} > \frac{1.0}{5}
\end{equation}
Similarly, in the example shown in Figure \ref{fig:prob_stat}, given all labelers' accuracies are above 0.5, CEAL will select the labeler with the lowest cost.
\subsection{Proposed Algorithm}
As we discussed above, in CEAL, the value of a labeler is quantified by the ratio between the labeler's labeling quality and cost, and as such does not necessarily reflect the impact on generalization performance. We seek to develop an algorithm that aims to address this to identify labeler-instance pairs that would have the greatest benefit to generalization performance per cost.
However, generalization error is intractable in most supervised learning problems. There are some prior works that explore different ways to estimate it. In the context of traditional active learning,
~\cite{roy2001toward} proposes to use (empirical) Estimated Error Reduction (EER) as an estimation to the generalization error reduction to select useful training instances for labeling.
~\cite{settles2008multiple,freytag2013labeling} maximize Expected Model Change (EMC) by evaluating expected changes in model parameters, but this approach lacks a theoretical connection to error reduction.
~\cite{freytag2014selecting} proposes to use expected model output change as an upper bound to generalization error. While it gives no guarantee when we are interested in maximization, it shows good performance in active learning problems.
However, all these approaches consider settings with a single and perfectly accurate labeler, and it is unclear how they can apply in our setting when multiple noisy workers are present.
Meanwhile, research on generalization error bound for different concepts when learning from noisy labels, provides an upper bound on the decreasing speed on the generalization error of concept classes of interest ~\cite{simon1996general,aslam1996sample,kearns1998efficient}, but is rarely used in empirical research. The upper bound of the generalization error can also be thought as incorporating uncertainty of the classification error. Inspired by the notion of guiding acquisition by expected error reduction, we propose a novel criterion that utilizes the theoretical results on generalization bound for learning with noisy labels to select cost-effective labelers. Based on the generalization bound proposed in Theorem \ref{thm:gbound}~\cite{simon1996general,aslam1996sample}, our algorithm combines theoretical analysis into active learning to select the labeler that minimize error as shown in Equation \ref{eqn:selcriterion}, where $\hat{\rho_i}$, and $n_i$ denote the estimated label accuracies and number of samples labeler $i$ can purchase under a fixed budget. Noted VC dimension of a classifier measures the size of the largest finite subset of X that it is capable of classifying correctly (shatter). A higher VC dimension corresponds to weaker inductive bias. For simplicity, we treat the fail probability term as a constant since VC dimension is not known.
\begin{theorem} ~\cite{simon1996general,aslam1996sample}
\label{thm:gbound}
PAC learning a function class $\mathcal{F}$ with Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension $\text{VC}(\mathcal{F})$ in the presence of classification noise $\rho$ and fail probability $\delta$ requires a sample of size
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:gbound}
\Omega\Big(\frac{\text{VC}(\mathcal{F})}{\epsilon(2\rho - 1)^2} + \frac{\log(1/\delta)}{\epsilon(2\rho - 1)^2}\Big)
\end{equation}
\end{theorem}
\begin{align}
i^\star & = \underset{i}{\arg\min} \frac{1}{(2\hat{\rho_i} - 1)\sqrt{n_i}}\\
\label{eqn:selcriterion}
& = \underset{i}{\arg\max} (2\hat{\rho_i} - 1)\sqrt{n_i}
\end{align}
The cost-normalized benefit to generalization performance from selecting labeler $i$ to label instance $x_j$ can thus be captured by the term in Equation \ref{eqn:expm}.
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:expm}
q_i(x_j) = \frac{2\rho_i(x_j) - 1}{\sqrt{c_i}}
\end{equation}
However, recall that we aim to select labelers that lead to lowest generalization error. We should therefore consider the expected \textit{cumulative} accuracies for all options so far. Also, importantly, ~\cite{lin2014re} shows how more accurate labels may be preferred early on the learning curve, while cheaper and noisier labels may be more cost-effective for learning when number of samples are sufficiently large. Methods such as CEAL and Equation \ref{eqn:expm} neglect this; hence, we propose a second, adaptive criterion shown in Equation \ref{eqn:curem}, where $\rho_0,n_0$ is the estimated accuracy and number of instances so far, and $b$ denotes the unit budget we consider for estimating the future expected generalization error.
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:curem}
q_i(x_j) = (2\frac{\rho_0 n_0 + \rho_i(x_j)\lfloor\frac{b}{c_i}\rfloor}{n_0 + \lfloor\frac{b}{c_i}\rfloor} - 1)\sqrt{n_0 + \lfloor\frac{b}{c_i}\rfloor}
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:efffectiveness}
E(a_i, x_j) = r(x_j)q_i(x_j)
\end{equation}
\begin{equation}
\label{eqn:choice}
(x^\star, a^\star) = \underset{a_i, x_j}{\arg\max} E(a_i, x_j)
\end{equation}
Similar to CEAL, we estimate labelers' accuracies using Equation \ref{eqn:accuracynn}. At each iteration, we calculate Equation \ref{eqn:efffectiveness} for each instance-labeler pair and select the pair with the highest value, as in Equation \ref{eqn:choice}; after the label from the chosen labeler for the instance is acquired, the labeled instance is added to current training set, and next iteration begins. The acquisitions continue until the budget is exhausted. The complete Generalization Bound based Active Learning (GBAL) algorithm based on the criterion in Equation \ref{eqn:expm}, and for Adaptive GBAL (AGB)\footnote{Code is availble in \url{https://github.com/ruijiang81/AGB}} are shown in Algorithms \ref{alg:gceal}, \ref{alg:gbal}.
\begin{algorithm}[h]
\caption{Generalization Bound based Active Learning \textbf{(GBAL)}}
\label{alg:gceal}
\begin{algorithmic}
\Require \\
$L$: a small labeled set \\
$U$: the pool of unlabeled data for active selection \\
$A$: all possible labelers \\
$\hat{Y}$: the labels given by all labelers in $A$ on $L$
\Repeat
\For { each $x_j \in U$ and labeler $a_i$}
\State calculate the uncertainty for $x_j$ in Equation \ref{eqn:uncertainty}
\State calculate expected generalization bound as in Equation \ref{eqn:expm} or \ref{eqn:curem}
\State calculate the effectiveness as in Equation \ref{eqn:efffectiveness}
\EndFor
\State Select the pair $(x^\star, a^\star)$ in Equation \ref{eqn:choice}.
\State Query the label of $x^\star$ from $a^\star$, denoted by $\hat{y}^\star$.
\State $L = L \cup (x^\star, \hat{y}^\star)$; $U = U \setminus x^\star$.
\State Train classifier on $L$ and test it on test set.
\Until {the budget is used up}
\end{algorithmic}
\end{algorithm}
\begin{algorithm}[h]
\caption{Adaptive GBAL \textbf{(AGB)}}
\label{alg:gbal}
\begin{algorithmic}
\Require \\
$L$: a small labeled set \\
$U$: the pool of unlabeled data for active selection \\
$A$: all possible labelers \\
$\hat{Y}$: the labels given by all labelers in $A$ on $L$ \\
$b$: unit budget for estimating Equation \ref{eqn:curem}
\Ensure \\
$\rho = 1$
\Repeat
\For { each $x_j \in U$ and labeler $a_i$}
\State calculate the uncertainty for $x_j$ in Equation \ref{eqn:uncertainty}
\State calculate the the expected generalization bound as in Equation \ref{eqn:curem}
\State calculate the effectiveness as in Equation \ref{eqn:efffectiveness}
\EndFor
\State Select the pair $(x^\star, a^\star)$ in Equation \ref{eqn:choice}.
\State $\rho = (\rho n + \hat{\rho}_\star(x_j))/(n + 1)$
\State Query the label of $x^\star$ from $a^\star$, denoted by $\hat{y}^\star$.
\State $L = L \cup (x^\star, \hat{y}^\star)$; $U = U \setminus x^\star$.
\State Train classifier on $L$ and test it on test set.
\Until {the budget is used up}
\end{algorithmic}
\end{algorithm}
\section{Experiment}
We compare our methods with four baselines:
\begin{itemize}
\item \textbf{ALC:} ~\cite{yan2011active} ALC selects the most uncertain sample from the unlabeled set and use the most accurate labeler for annotation at each iteration.
\item \textbf{CEAL
:}
~\cite{huang2017cost} CEAL selects instance-labeler pair that maximize Equation \ref{eqn:ceal}.
\item \textbf{All:} Select the most uncertain sample and use majority voting based on all labelers annotations for the sample at each iteration.
\item \textbf{Random:} Select the most uncertain sample and randomly choose a labeler from the set of all labelers to annotate the sample at each iteration.
\end{itemize}
The main goal of the evaluation is to compare the effectiveness of labelers (costs and accuracies) chosen by different algorithms. We therefore do not consider methods that randomly select a sample from unlabeled set. The effectiveness of uncertainty sampling has been established in prior work~\cite{huang2017cost,lewis1994heterogeneous,gal2017deep}. Algorithm \ref{alg:gceal} and \ref{alg:gbal} are referred to as \textbf{GB} and \textbf{AGB} in this section.
\subsection{Label Simulation}
We use the publicly available UCI datasets, and therefore we simulate the labels produced by different labelers for these datasets. The label generating process we use is similar to that in ~\cite{yan2011active}. Specifically, in order to create diverse labelers, we first create 30 clusters using KMeans~\cite{jain1999data} for each dataset. In addition, as in ~\cite{huang2017cost}, we simulate five labelers with cost levels: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 which are associated with overall labeling accuracies from high to low, respectively. Each labeler is an `expert'' in some random set of clusters by exhibiting a high probability of correctly labeling instances from the corresponding cluster. In particular, the probabilities that a labeler correctly labels instances in her ``expert'' clusters are 0.95, 0.925, 0.9, 0.875, and 0.85; these probabilities for ``non-expert'' clusters are 0.61, 0.585, 0.56, 0.535, and 0.51 respectively. The resulting overall worker accuracies on UCI datasets are shown in Table \ref{tab:uciworker}. This process produces a diverse label distribution, where different labelers also incur different costs. As demonstrated in Table \ref{tab:uciworker}, given the KMeans produce different clusters for different datasets, a labeler of a given cost can yield different overall labeling accuracy across different datasets -- this allows us to explore the robustness of our proposed algorithm under a wide variety of price-accuracy trade-offs.
\begin{table}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c|c|c}
\hline
Labeler& W1 & W2 & W3 & W4 & W5 \\\hline
Pen Digits & 0.90 & 0.79 & 0.70 & 0.62 & 0.56 \\\hline
Audit & 0.94 & 0.91 & 0.71 & 0.67 & 0.66 \\ \hline
Mushroom & 0.92& 0.82& 0.76& 0.68& 0.61\\ \hline
Spambase & 0.95 & 0.81 & 0.79 & 0.71 & 0.58 \\ \hline
German & 0.93 & 0.87 & 0.74 & 0.68 & 0.57 \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Worker Label Accuracy on UCI Datasets}
\label{tab:uciworker}
\end{table}
\subsection{UCI Dataset}
\begin{table*}[h]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c|c|c}
Methods & Audit & Pen Digits & Spambase & German& Mushroom\\ \hline
CEAL& 1.04& 1.01 & 1.01 & 1.03&1.01\\\hline
Random& 3.01& 3.01& 3.04& 3.01&3.03\\\hline
ALC& 4.53& 4.63&4.59& 4.54&4.40\\\hline
GB&2.97& 3.14& 1.50& 2.68&2.30\\\hline
AGB&3.26&4.12& 2.57& 3.59&3.67\\\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Average cost on UCI Datasets of different methods}
\label{tab:uci_cost}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c|c|c}
Methods & Audit & Pen Digits & Spambase& German& Mushroom\\ \hline
CEAL& 0.67& 0.51 & 0.67 & 0.59&0.57\\\hline
Random& 0.81& 0.70& 0.76& 0.74&0.71\\\hline
ALC& 0.95& 0.94& 0.93 & 0.92&0.79\\\hline
GB&0.91& 0.82& 0.81& 0.82&0.73\\\hline
AGB&0.93&0.88&0.88 & 0.85&0.77\\\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Average Label Accuracy on UCI Datasets of different methods}
\label{tab:uci_la}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c|c|c}
Methods & Audit & Pen Digits & Spambase & German& Mushroom\\ \hline
CEAL& 194.8& 200 & 200 & 195.4 & 200\\\hline
Random& 68.3& 68.2& 67.8 & 68.1 & 67.4\\\hline
ALC& 46.0& 44.7&45.3& 45.6&47.3\\\hline
GB&69.4& 66.4& 136.7& 77.2&91.8\\\hline
AGB&63.4&50.2& 81.5 & 57.5&57.4\\\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Average Number of Queries on UCI Datasets of different methods}
\label{tab:uci_query}
\end{table*}
We evaluated our approach using the following datasets: \textit{German, Mushroom, Pen Digits, Spambase, Audit} from UCI Machine Learning Repository ~\cite{bache2013uci}. The statistics of these five datasets can be found in Table \ref{tab:uci}.
\begin{table}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c}
& \#Instance & \#Feature \\\hline
German & 1000& 24\\\hline
Mushroom & 8124& 117\\\hline
Pen Digits & 10992& 16\\\hline
Spambase& 4601& 57\\\hline
Audit & 776& 24\\\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Statistics of five UCI Datasets}
\label{tab:uci}
\end{table}
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{cccc}
\includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{fig/mv_german.jpg} &
\includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{fig/mv_mushroom.jpg} &
\includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{fig/mv_pd.jpg} \\
\text{(a) German} & \text{(b) Mushroom} & \text{(c) Pen Digits} \\[6pt]
\end{tabular}
\begin{tabular}{cccc}
\includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{fig/mv_spambase.jpg} &
\includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{fig/mv_audit.jpg} \\
\text{(d) Spambase} & \text{(e) Audit} \\[6pt]
\end{tabular}
\caption{Cost-Accuracy Curves for Active Learning on UCI Datasets: we report accuracy after each iteration and X-axis represents cost so far in active learning. We can see AGB consistently outperforms other baselines. Results are averaged over 20 runs.}
\label{fig:uci}
\end{figure*}
We divide each dataset into initial, train and test set, consisting of 5\%, 65\% and 30\% of the data, respectively. The algorithm's performance will be better if the size of initial set is larger, but more data with ground truth is also harder to acquire. Logistic Regression is used as classifier in our experiments. We report classification accuracy on test set after each acquisition iteration.
The results shown are averages over 20 runs.
Our main results are shown in Figure \ref{fig:uci}. We also report the average cost, query numbers and label accuracies in Tables \ref{tab:uci_cost}, \ref{tab:uci_la}, and \ref{tab:uci_query}, respectively. As we discussed in the previous section, our results show that CEAL often selects the cheapest labelers,
and the resulting noisy annotations yield poor generalization error. ALC tends to select many expensive (and accurate) labelers and yields the highest label accuracy amongst all methods. These results also demonstrate that the most accurate labels may not be the most cost-effectiveness to acquire. A similar conclusion is also drawn in ~\cite{khetan2017learning,snow2008cheap}. The costs incurred by AGB and GB are relatively higher than the cost of random, but lower than the cost of ALC. This allows the AGB and GB methods to compile a larger number of instances with sufficient labeling accuracy to produce good generalization performance. AGB and GB perform quite well in all the tasks, and AGB outperforms all other methods in all datasets, suggesting that an adaptive estimate can offer a better estimation of the expected benefits of different labelers.
\subsection{Real Dataset}
In addition to the simulated UCI datasets, we also performed experiment using a real crowdsourcing dataset. We use a sentiment analysis dataset, introduced in ~\cite{rzhetsky2009get}, and that includes 1000 sentences labeled by five \textit{real} crowdsourcing workers. The annotators labeled each sentence along three dimensions: Focus, Polarity and Evidence. However, given the overall accuracies of the five labelers along the Polarity and Evidence labels are all very high and thus not very diverse, we only use the Focus dimension where labelers exhibit diverse accuracies. We henceforth refer to this as the Focus data set. We binarize the response variable and use bag-of-words features for training the model. After removing stopwords, the feature set consists of 292 features. The overall labeling accuracy of each real labeler is shown in Table \ref{tab:real}. We simply set a labeler's cost to be the same as the labeler's accuracy in Table \ref{tab:real}. As before, Logistic Regression is used as classifier and dataset is randomly split into 5\%, 65\% and 30\% as initial, train and test set, respectively. Result on Focus, averaged over 30 runs, are shown in Figure \ref{fig:real}.
\begin{table}[h]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c|c|c}
\hline
Labeler& W1 & W2 & W3 & W4 & W5 \\\hline
Label Accuracy & 0.82 & 0.931 & 0.892 & 0.904 & 0.641 \\\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Label Accuracy on Focus Dataset}
\label{tab:real}
\end{table}
Since the price levels of Focus dataset are too close (very close to 0.9) besides W5, the performance of AGB is similar to ALC and random (Considering when all price options are same and workers' accuracies are similar, all methods will have the same effect.), but from Figure \ref{fig:real}, we can still see AGB outperforms all other methods. The result is consistent with our results on UCI datasets above.
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.3in]{fig/mv_real_focus.jpg}
\caption{Cost-Effective Active Learning on Real Dataset
, Results are averaged over 30 runs
}
\label{fig:real}
\end{figure}
\section{Conclusion}
In this paper, we propose that the generalization bounds from theoretical analysis for settings with noisy labels can be effectively used to address the cost-effective active learning task with labelers of varying expertise and costs. We examine the shortcomings of existing algorithms proposed for this and other similar settings, and empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithms on various datasets. It is worth noting that our proposed algorithm can also apply to choose between singly labeling and the acquisition of multiple labels per instance for majority voting strategies, which we leave for future work. However, the optimal instance-payment selection ought to account for domain, concept class, and price-accuracy tradeoffs. We use a particular generalization bound as an upper bound which allows us to account for these elements through a model-data free criterion, though clearly not optimally. We leave the design for
a more complex model-data dependent algorithm for future work.
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 1,217 |
{"url":"http:\/\/www.gamefront.com\/files\/listing\/gamingfiles\/Battlefield_1942","text":"## Battlefield 1942\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Multiplayer Demo (Wake Island map)\n\nbf1942_mp_demo.exe | 130.19 MB\n\nother war in history. Battlefield 1942 brings the Second World War to your computer, and lets you fight historical battles in different parts of the world on your computer. A brand new game engine capable of dynamic models and landscapes, ground, sea and air physics, and a fully 3D sound system allows Battlefield 1942 to bring you an unparalleled feeling of immersion. [b]Note:[\/b] This is the MULTIPLAYER demo. [file=5002]Click here[\/file] to get the SINGLE Player Demo. [b]Tip:[\/b] RTFM: Read the readme.txt and don't ask everybody in-game \"how do I do this etc.\" unless you like being called a n00b ;)\n\n#### Battlefield 1942: Full Client Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_patch_v1.6.19.exe | 267.82 MB\n\n1.5-1.6 Full Windows Server 1.6 Incremental Windows Server 1.5-1.6 Full Linux Server 1.6\n\n#### Official BF1942 Client Patch 1.6 to 1.61b\n\nbattlefield_1942_incremental_patch_v1.6_to_v1.61b.exe | 6.41 MB\n\nLuigi Auriemma. Many thanks go to Luigi for identifying and reporting the issue. We encourage the community to report exploits to BFHQ@ea.com\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.7 - 1 of 3\n\nforgotten_hope_v0.70_1_of_3.exe | 688.81 MB\n\nForgotten Hope 0.7.\n\n#### Zombie Mod\n\nzombie_modversion_1.2_fl.rar | 73.63 MB\n\npatch that adds bots. (Not required to run the mod)[\/url]\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.7 - 2 of 3\n\nforgotten_hope_v0.70_2_of_3.exe | 685.73 MB\n\nForgotten Hope 0.7.\n\n#### DCX 0.9 Full Client Install\n\ndcx.9_install.exe | 523.96 MB\n\n#### Tank\\'s BF1942 PunkBuster Update Final\n\n82pb_update.zip | 10 MB\n\n#### BattleField 1942 Theme MP3\n\nbf1942theme.zip | 3.76 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.7 - 3 of 3\n\nforgotten_hope_v0.70_3_of_3.exe | 693.67 MB\n\nForgotten Hope 0.7.\n\n#### Desert Combat\n\ndesertcombat0.7fullinstall.exe | 591.28 MB\n\n#### AI Enhancement Mod 1942\n\naie42.zip | 12.77 MB\n\n#### Attack on Pearl Harbor\n\nattack_on_pearl_harbor.rar | 6.96 MB\n\nleast 20 zeroes fighting. If you wont they might in the other side of the middle island. enjoy you will!!!\n\n#### Merciless Texture Packs for Road to Rome\n\nmerciless_rtr_1.61_fixed.exe | 49.99 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1861 0.11 Coop\n\nbf1861_011_full.exe | 34.84 MB\n\ndc_final_client.exe | 361.04 MB\n\n[b]Desert Combat 0.7[\/b] in order to play it. You can get DC 0.7 by clicking [b]HERE[\/b] Enjoy DC Final! See ya on the battlefield!\n\n#### BF1942 Map Editor 1.2\n\nbf1942mapeditor_1.2.msi | 869 KB\n\nManaged DirectX (click here to download) For more, See his website: http:\/\/www.flashbots.co.uk\/madbull\/ Mind you, all the pictures you see are rendered in real-time, the water flows and everything, this program is going to revolutionize mapping!!!!\n\n#### Battle of the Philippine Sea\n\nbattle_of_the_philippine_sea_v1.0.exe | 14.16 MB\n\nwhen I saw this one and gave it a try. The map is a small chain of islands, reminiscent of Invasion of the Philippines crossed with Coral Sea...not a bad mix at all :D. I fired up a coop server with 40 bots as recommended, joined the US team, and spawned on the carrier. I waited around a bit on deck to get my hands on the good ol\\' SBD (the bots spawn directly in the aircraft and landing craft as usual). Just as I envisaged, the 4 control points around the edges of the islands got taken first, 2 for each side. Then the fight bogged down on the center flag, with jeep runs, tank battles, and planes roaring overhead trying to blow you to pieces. On the ground, I ran out of ammo pretty quick and I couldn\\'t find many ammoboxes near the middle during the hectic battle, so I had to keep knife-killing the bots and taking their Engineer kits to lay down more landmines. Because of the narrow roads and bridges leading to the central point, landmines are one of the most effective assets in this map, and I got a good number of jeeps, tanks, and APCs that way. On the technical side, the map is flawless. I couldn\\'t find any bugs whatsoever, I had no crashes and it ran very smoothly. View\/fog distance is just right for dogfighting, and in Coop mode the bots are very good at doing their job. They\\'ll land quickly on the beaches, cap the flags, and charge the central area while the planes overhead either dogfight, strafe infantry or bomb the tanks and APCs. And as you\\'ll see from the screenshots, the map looks absolutely beautiful. All in all, a top-notch map from Fizzy. I recommend EVERYONE download this and play it - it\\'s an absolute stunner.\n\n#### BF1942 Unreleased Soundtrack Content\n\nbf1942collection.zip | 94.37 MB\n\nme. http:\/\/www.joeleriksson.com\/\n\n#### Battlefield Combat Assault 1942\n\nbf_combat_assault_1942.zip | 21.48 MB\n\nrevamped #All weapons have static crosshair #Ammo carried increased #More mags #Weapons damage increased but not balanced so individual weapons keep own characteristics #Russian kit Removed Bar1918 for Sg44 #British Kit Removed Bar1918 for Thompson #Grenade blast radius slight increase + more damage #Rpg, Bazooka velocity increase #Tank main gun velocity increase #Air vehicle guns velocity increase #Hand held weapons reload quicker on weapons that required it #Recoil reduced on hand held and vehicle weapons #Overheating removed from stationary weapons and vehicles #Medics slightly quicker heal time #Some textures updated #Some new sounds added #Tanks: reduced hit points #Vehicle wrecks no longer stay (Bots do not recognize wrecks so this will help them to stop getting stuck) #Sherman projectile added to Bazooka and Rpg That\u2019s a quick list of the huge bundle of tweaks and improvements included.\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.7 Dedicated Server Files\n\nforgotten_hope_v0.7_dedicated_server.zip | 193.5 MB\n\n#### Parallel World\n\nparallelworld061.zip | 8.53 MB\n\ncollision meshes and reduced lag. - Added blood effect. - Fixed collision mesh of Vespa. - Stinger doesn't detonate by running infantry. - APLandmine works like 30sec time bomb, because it doesn't detnate by infantry on Battlefield ver 1.4. For more info, check the readme!\n\n#### Battle of Sky\n\nbattle_of_sky.zip | 7.44 MB\n\n#### Merciless Texture Packs for Road to Rome\n\nmerciless_rtr_1.61.exe | 49.99 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942: Incremental 1.5 -> 1.6 Client Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_patch_v1.5-v1.6.19.exe | 145.22 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope MapPack #6 - Client Files\n\nfh_fanmappack_6.zip | 482.7 MB\n\nutility to unpack them before installing. If you do not have one, you can get winrar New and old users alike, will need the latest version, v0.7, of Forgotten Hope for Battlefield 1942\u2122 before playing. If not yet installed you might check the download section for the links to grab it. But be aware -- this will be a huge download. It is definitely worth the effort, though!\n\n#### Merciless 1942 1.6\n\nmerciless_1942_1.6bg.exe | 657.45 MB\n\nVersion 1.6.\n\n#### DCR Final Full\n\ndcr_final_install.exe | 200.34 MB\n\n#### Merciless Road to Rome Single Player\n\nmc_rtrsp.zip | 81.95 MB\n\n#### NB Pearl Harbor 2\n\nnb_pearl_harbor_2.zip | 19.52 MB\n\nBUG FIX = Fixxed Ship Sounds for Allied Destroyer Guns and Number of Airfiled Airplane Spawns (was set to only spawn 2 planes) NB_Pearl_Harbor.rfa created by NBrigade|V\u00aass (aka Alex Koziol) Thanks to: Daveski my mentor, Liquid(the mother f\\'ing shit times 100), g8 for help with testing this map on a closed server, Twitch with top secret shit, Scissors and Stinky for helping alpha test this map and the whole clan of Northern Brigade during the maps beta testing phases..I would also like to thank the BF42.com forum for helping make this map happen! Using perfectionist\\'s tutorials and Applesauce\\'s light mapping tutorial the shadows came into place :) Theme: Pacific Theatre, Japanese vs. US ... Conquest, CTF and TDM gameplay Map Specific Notes: US had 3 destroyers and a sub, Japs have 2 destroyers and 2 Aircraft Carriers. The destroyers have a maximum of 2 spawned per map (i.e. allies get 6 destroyers, axis get 4). The axis carriers and allies sub only spawns once per map so use them wisely!!!!! Only one Japanese carrier is mobile it is the \\\"Yama\\\"(middle carrier), but it is much weaker then the stationary \\\"Kami\\\" Carrier(left carrier). The Japaneese introduce a new zero that spawns on the stationary \\\"Kami\\\" Japanese Carrier, it is in camo colors. Goddies: Custom Sounds, New Zero Skin, Plenty of Axis planes and a sub base!!!!! Installation Instructions: Extract NB_Pearl_Harbor.rfa into: \\\"C:\\\\Program Files\\\\EA Games\\\\Battlefield 1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels\\\" directory (assuming you installed the game using the default locations) Contact Info: Nbrigade|V\u00aass \\\"nbvass@hotmail.com\\\" http:\/\/www.northernbrigade.com [\/quote]\n\n#### RFA Extractor v1.1\n\nrfa_extractor_v1.1.zip | 12.08 KB\n\n#### Battlefield 1918\n\nbf1918_3.0_finalfinal.zip | 1.2 GB\n\nfor Cantigy - one of the maps where the Doughboys engage the German fortification. This map is a classical trench warfare map. Enjoy! Members of the development team will most certainly show up! Oh, and you need of course the MR 3, so how about downloading it? [i]This is a full client and therefore [u]not[\/u] a patch. That means that you [u]must delete any older version of Battlefield 1918, before you run the installer[\/u]![\/i]\n\n#### D-Day\n\nd_day.rfa | 130.66 MB\n\nbehind the lines to meet up with the Army and form a continuous beachhead.\n\n#### Battlefield: High Definition v1.0 Client & Server\n\nbattlefield_high_definition_1_0_client_and_server_full.zip | 44.02 MB\n\n#### Omaha Charlie Sector 1944 - Coop\/Singleplayer\n\nfh_charlie.rar | 6.84 MB\n\n#### CIS:BHD Client Files\n\ncisbhd_finalclientv1.0.rar | 361.04 MB\n\n[url=\"http:\/\/cisbhd.bf1942files.com\/forums\/\"]forums[\/url].\n\n#### Merciless 1.6 Single Player\n\nmerciless_1.6_sp.rar | 59.38 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Secret Weapons of WWII Demo\n\nbattlefield_1942_secret_weapons_of_wwii_demo.exe | 164.83 MB\n\nhave BF 1942 installed!\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Single player Demo (Tobruk map)\n\nbf1942_sp_demo.zip | 133.25 MB\n\nwar in history. Battlefield 1942 brings the Second World War to your computer, and lets your fight historical battles in different parts of the world on your computer. A brand new game engine capable of dynamic models and landscapes, ground, sea and air physics, and a fully 3D sound system allows Battlefield 1942 to bring you an unparalleled feeling of immersion. [b]Note:[\/b] This is the SINGLE Player demo. [file=5003]Click here[\/file] to get the MULTIPLAYER Demo.\n\n#### 73 Easting Map (Desert Combat)\n\n73_easting.zip | 4.86 MB\n\n#### BattleField 1942 Intro MP3\n\nbf1942_intro_music.zip | 2.2 MB\n\nwas 20MB!!!\n\n#### Blood Patch\n\nbloodpatch_retail.zip | 13.82 KB\n\nalso perfect if you just want to see people bleed, you sick puppy. Now go get it before someone gets hurt.................and you can't tell. :D Note: the blood patch will work in Single Player and Multiplayer and does not require that the server you're on have the patch as well. [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/bloodshot.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### Oahu The Pearl Harbor Project\n\no_ahu_pearl_harbor_project.zip | 22.25 MB\n\n#### B-17 Singleplayer Mod\n\nb-17_singleplayermod.zip | 755.74 KB\n\nonly in one single player map for some reason, although it is in several of the multi-player maps. I\\'m not sure why EA\/DICE made this choice in the final game, as the B-17 is really fun in the single player maps as well, and the whole point of single player is to practice for MP, right? The bots will eagerly fly the B-17 and bomb away - I like to jump on as gunner, when I\\'m not carpet bombing, that is. I\\'ve tried to use default multiplayer locations for the B-17, except in the Midway and Iwo Jima maps, where it isn\\'t in the multi games. The B-17 replaces a Torpedo or Dive Bomber in these maps, and only spawns when the Allies have the control point. I added it to the Midway map because historically B-17\\'s were used in one of the initial attacks on the Japanese fleet IIRC on my history. You also get the battleships added in this Midway mod as well, what can I say, I like big bombs and guns ;-) Iwo Jima gets the B-17 as a surrogate for B-29\\'s, which flew in to the airbase shortly after it\\'s capture. The Corsair that normally spawns at the Iwo airbase when it is under Allied control is replaced with a Mustang, which flew in with the B-29\\'s as escort and did operate from Iwo on missions to Japan the last few months of the war. The Mustang pilots had to fight off Japanese soldiers attacking their sleeping quarters at one point - the island hadn\\'t even been fully captured when they were flying in. The Corsair still spawns at the carrier. I also tried to get the B-17 into the Wake Island map, just for the heck of it, but there just isn\\'t enough runway space to take off without hitting a building, tree or something else.[\/quote]\n\n#### Untold War Stories\n\nuwsv1.3fullinstall.rar | 128.93 MB\n\n#### Battle For Agedabia\n\nbattle_for_agedabia_v1.0.exe | 42.66 MB\n\n#### Official BF1942 Server Patch 1.6 to 1.61b\n\nbattlefield_1942_server_incremental_patch_v1.6_to_v1.61b.exe | 3.16 MB\n\nLuigi Auriemma. Many thanks go to Luigi for identifying and reporting the issue. We encourage the community to report exploits to BFHQ@ea.com\n\n#### 21CW Berlin Airborne Operation\n\n21cw_berlin_airborne_operation.rar | 2.89 MB\n\n#### Battlecraft 1942 Map Editor 2.1\n\nbc4221.1full.exe | 65.35 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942: Full Linux Server\n\nbf1942_lnxded-1.6-rc1.run | 103.13 MB\n\n1.5-1.6\n\n#### AirBorne Ops\n\nabo_42.zip | 10.68 MB\n\n#### Bastogne\n\ndantaylors-bastogne.zip | 38.34 MB\n\n#### Toujane, Tunisia\n\ntoujane_tunisia_v1.1.zip | 9.96 MB\n\n#### XWW2 V2.6 Client Install 1 of 2\n\nxww2_2_6_install_1_of_2.exe | 518.75 MB\n\n#### Gazala Two\n\nbf1942_gazala_two.rar | 7.9 MB\n\n#### BF1942 Match Mappack V1.0\n\nbf1942_match_mappack_v1.0.exe | 94.91 MB\n\nall four maps added something unique to the game, be it in the form of custom objects, layout, setting or over all feeling, without loosing the original game play that is associated with Battlefield series. With these goals in mind, we sat down and looked through all the original maps, trying to figure out what types of map we thought were missing. It was in this process that the four maps started to take form. For Faid Pass we felt we wanted to create an allround map in Africa that added the US Army to this theater. In Operation Forager we wanted to create an infatry based map in the Pacific theater that would also feature the PT boats from Invasion of the Philippines. We also wanted to create a more gloomy feel for this map, deviating from the high blue skies and white sands found in the other pacific maps. The Great Pursuit fullfilled our wishes to create a tankbased map for the East European theater and also create an assault styled map instead of the head-on game style. Finally, with Remagen we wanted to bring into play a classic battle from WW2 that we felt should rightfully have a place in the Battlefield 1942 universe.\n\n#### Norway Singleplayer\n\nnorway_singleplayer.zip | 20.56 MB\n\nJoin the Axis and drive Tigers, JU88s, stukas, fighters - nose n reargunner. This level is a mixture of Iwo Jima and Berlin, but the Allies are more determined and better armed. There\\'s two allied landing zones so there\\'s an allied pincer action. Allies n Axis usually come together at the Fountain base in the town. Watch out for the Brownings and MGs dotted around the town. Own 4 flags and the opponents points start going down.\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 1 of 2: Main Installer\n\nforgottenhope0.6install1of2.exe | 698.66 MB\n\npatch! ALL 3 files are needed for you to be able to install and play FH 0.61. The 3 Files are: 1) Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 1 of 2: Main Installer (this page) 2) [file=\"24238\"]Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 2 of 2: All Maps[\/file] 3) [file=\"24239\"]Forgotten Hope 0.6 to 0.61 UPDATE[\/file] [i][b]And Finally Note:[\/b] Yes FH .6 has been out since march 16th but due to a lot of crazy and messed up events of the past 9 days, we\u00b4ve had A LOT of downtime. So sorry for the inconvenience :([\/i] --- Forgotten Hope 0.6 will bring you two new armies: The French and Italian Forces. But there are also new weapons for the Germans and British armies planned, and later on also other new nations will make their way into the mod. [b]Forgotten Hope 0.61 features:[\/b] - 130 vehicles - Over 40 maps!!! - Atlantic - Crete - Zielona Gora - Battle of Valirisk - Battle of Orel - Gazala (Original map usable by Forgotten Hope) - Kharkov Winter (redone Kharkov map) - Karelia - New Sounds and Textures - New Gameplay - New Graphics - New Damage System - 15 New Weapons --- Having problems installing? Be sure to check out the FAQ on the Official Forgotten Hope Forums: http:\/\/www.gamingforums.com\/showthread.php?t=115233\n\n#### Operation Anubis\n\ninstall_operation_anubis.exe | 154.82 MB\n\nspread on 3 maps, Mactan Island (US vs.Japan) Bornholm (Germany vs. Russia) and Capadocia (UK vs Germany) [\/quote]\n\n#### Iraq Map Update\n\niraqupdate_setup.zip | 6.63 MB\n\nof hell! Control the Chemical Factory, secure outposts and mass forces to take over the town. Don\u2019t forget the abandoned Iraqi airfield for that bomber\/A10 Go on - change a regime TODAY!!! Iraq.rfa- Standard iraq.rfa with updated DC3 weapons and vehicles. By popular demand the map now contains less planes. Iraq_week2.rfa- Both allied and axis forces have now secured the various outposts- A tank battle begins to develop. Map is still focused on taking control of the town. Iraq_week3.rfa- Allied forces now control the town and destroyed all of the opposition\\'s air support. Defend the control points from the Iraqi offensive! NOTE- the allied base is now takeable! **New custom skies included in week2 and 3!** IRAQupdate_setup.exe - installs the Desert Combat files that are required IraqREADME.txt - this file TECHNICAL Tested on BF1942 latest patch and Desert Combat. Runs great on our 2200\/1800\/1300 processors with 512mb on ATI video cards 8500 and 9700. If you have a FPS problem turn off lightmaps\/shadows as some areas of the map have loads. IMPORTANT NOTE: This map is only for multiplayer conquest running a DC3 server. Do not attempt to run it otherwise. You do not have permission to alter and distrubute these files without my consent. Thanks for downloading and enjoy! Major Load {\/quote] *** Iraq Map http:\/\/www.bf1942files.com\/file.info?ID=11547\n\n#### Iraq Map\n\niraqmap.zip | 37.92 MB\n\nDESCRIPTION A Battlefield 1942, Conquest Map, including Desert Combat RFA. Attack Iraq!!! Someone\u2019s gonna do it \u2013 why not you? Allied and Iraqi forces collide in an abandoned town and stir up all kinds of hell! Control the Chemical Factory, secure outposts and mass forces to take over the town. Don\u2019t forget the abandoned Iraqi airfield for that bomber\/A10 Go on - change a regime TODAY!!! Go get em\u2019!!!!![\/quote]\n\n#### BFMod\n\nbfmodv3.zip | 230.59 MB\n\nwho like and play SP\/COOP modes.\n\n#### Urban Desert Combat (Client Files for Windows)\n\nudcv0.0.3fullwinclient.exe | 122.25 MB\n\nDesert Combat takes place in urban America. A few of the mods features include a completely new menu, in-game hud, several new maps, many new buildings, many new static objects, new building textures to give existing DC buildings more of an American look, suicide cars, stormy weather, and much more. As a reminder, this is an add-on mod so you will also need Desert Combat version 0.7 for this mod to work. Please visit the website of the Desert Combat developers at http:\/\/www.DesertCombat.com to download their awesome mod.\n\n#### Landing Beach\n\nlanding_beach_v1.3sp.zip | 7.13 MB\n\n#### The Road To Rome Support for Forgotten Hope 0.7\n\nfh_rtr_0.80beta.rar | 86.59 MB\n\n================================================================== # Battlefield 1942 # Battlefield 1942 The Road To Rome # Battlefield 1942 current patch (1.6) # Battlefield 1942 v1.61b hotfix # Forgotten Hope 0.7 Mappacks # Forgotten Hope Fanmappack 5 # Forgotten Hope Fanmappack 6 # AtlanticMappack for FH0.7 The Minimod is ready to 80% The Minimod is Copyright (by) Hui_Bui ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ==================================================================\n\n#### CartoonField\n\ncartoonfield01.rar | 29.71 MB\n\npeople have tried making the looks of BF1942 a bit more cartoon\\'ish lately. That\\'s mainly because of BF-Heroes I guess, well, anyways, I did this in around 30 minutes, this mod still has a few bugs but if you guys like it I will make another version, enjoy![\/quote]\n\n#### Take the Island\n\ntake_the_island_rc.zip | 8.59 MB\n\nor bottom left corner (Japanese) where each side has a small island with two patrol boats and an AA gun. There is also an island near each carrier with AA and a Defgun. Get scouts to spot the island and use these defguns to pound it, while the AA gun holds off any bombers.\n\n#### Battle of Desert\n\nbattle_of_desert.zip | 9.48 MB\n\nis the only factory which produces unlimited amount of heavy tanks (Tiger & M10) and airplanes (BF-109 & Spitfire). Attention: Your heavy technique (Tiger & M10) is limited to 6 peaces for each team and don't respawn. Only light tanks and Self Propelled Gun will respawn. SPECIAL: Victory can be achieved by taking all flags. The map is designed for CONQUEST as well as CTF.\n\n#### Battlefield Pirates\n\nbfpirates_final_fp.exe | 366.6 MB\n\nplunder with loads o' new content, redesigned gameplay an' lush realistic environments t' make any land lubber get their Yarr' on!\"\n\n#### DCFX: Joint Arsenal Client Files\n\ndcfxpatch1c.exe | 128.45 MB\n\nwith coop support, extensive submode support and many new tools, the battles are endless! You must have the following items prior to playing DCFX: - Battlefield 1942 - 1.6 Patch - 1.61b Patch - Desert Combat 0.7 - Desert Combat Final 0.8 - Desert Combat Extended 0.9 - DCFX 1a (Full)\n\n#### Galactic Conquest Extended 5.3a\n\ngcx_v53b_1june.exe | 9.97 MB\n\nyou enjoy\n\n#### FH D-Day Omaha Coop\n\nfh_d_day_omaha_coop.rar | 3.29 MB\n\n#### FH Omaha Beach\n\nfh_omaha_beach.rar | 476.12 KB\n\n#### Galactic Conquest V5 Full\n\ngalacticconquestr5_setup.exe | 864.06 MB\n\nguns. Air support have he who occupy and preserve this hill. Warning: russian can forfeit all flags! Germans attacking and russian defending.\n\n#### 21CW SP Mappack2\n\n21cw_spmappack2.rar | 2.61 MB\n\n#### Airbase For DCF and BF1942\n\nairbasefordesertcombat_final.rar | 6.78 MB\n\nBC1942-dont like prehistoric Maps.\n\n#### Secret Weapons Files For BattleCraft\n\nswlst.zip | 3.79 KB\n\nvechicles.[\/quote]\n\n#### Snow El Alamein\n\nsnow_el_alamein.exe | 29.45 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 Full Client: 2 of 5\n\nbg42_1_7_part2_of_5.exe | 577.68 MB\n\nthat have been integrated into the mod. So overall what does this bigger better version of Battlegroup42 contain? Well on top of all the content that we had before we have added 26 new vehicles\/static guns with many more reworked or with minor changes, 22 new maps with many minor changes and bug fixes to the existing maps, 12 new handweapon models, 6 new ships models, 4 new plane models and one complete new army!\n\n#### Amel Gate\n\namel_gate.zip | 16.87 MB\n\nbefore the Germans can secure it. Additional Skins by: Gumby, Jeff, CoyotePete, St0rm, Killah and Jingo.\n\n#### Red Sky\n\nred_sky.zip | 38.29 MB\n\nAdditional Skins by: Azag-Thoth, Lt. Nagy, zmatt, Th3 Dic3ma, takiwa, AFF|Razor and Jingo.\n\n#### Die Sturmgewehr\n\ndie_sturmgewehr.rfa | 89.47 MB\n\nnew type of weapon. Its production must be stopped at all cost.\n\n#### Pearl Harbor\n\npearl_harbor_v1.1.zip | 6.5 MB\n\n#### Woodland Skirmish\n\nwoodland_skirmish_v1_rc.zip | 6.41 MB\n\nGerman radio from a farm they crashed next to, and using that radio called for help. A team of Allied paratroopers were dropped into the area to find the American bomber crew. Naturally, all this activity made the German units nearby curious, so they moved in on the crash site. The map is five control points, four creating a diamond shape around the perimeter of the map with one in the center. To trigger ticket bleed, you must either: a) Capture and hold both starting bases (\\'Mill\\' and \\'Barn\\') b) Capture and hold one starting base and at least two other control points (either \\'Mill\\' or \\'Barn\\', plus two of \\'Ruins\\', \\'Farm\\', or \\'Armoury\\') And here\\'s a bonus: you can also play this in Road to Rome and Secret Weapons. The only changes are the vehicles and the teams that participate in the battle, however, it\\'s still a fun change (the Grant\\'s top gun is great against infantry because it\\'s powerful and doesn\\'t overheat). There are also a few jetpacks in the SW versions, and in RTR the German Assault pickup kits will have an Italian Breda LMG as a change to the SG44. See the installation instructions for more information. Forgotten Hope 0.7 support is also on its way. Also, when playing in the Vanilla version, on the spawn screen the Sniper kit has been replaced by an alternate assault kit with a SMG (Thompson or MP40) replacing the standard weapon. However, Scout kits can still be picked up from around the map. And one last thing. The M8 Greyhound. It was in the Secret Weapons map Raid on Agheila as a special vehicle. It was fast, lightly armoured, and had a fast-firing, low powered cannon. I needed a nice light tank for the SW version and the Greyhound fit the role perfectly. The model and most of the coding is by DICE, but I did do a slight reskin to change the desert tan colour to a more appropriate greenish colour, and had to recode the AI for it a lot as they were treating it like a jeep.\n\n#### Merciless Creations - Secret Weapons of WWII\n\nmcsw_setup.rar | 96.93 MB\n\n(as always) is to make everything feel as real as possible - and that includes the hidden Nazi UFO! Original features Go to war like never before with your choice of up to 16 new experimental vehicles, including: Horton HO 229 \\\"Flying Wing\\\" Sherman tank with a T-34 Calliope rocket launcher T95\/T28 Super Heavy Tank The Sturmtiger -- featuring a naval gun mounted atop a Tiger tank The American AW-52 advanced fighter The Wasserfall guided anti-air missile The Natter rocket plane Top secret German prototype Rocket Pack -- fly and fight at the same time Seven new weapons include throwable one-shot-kill knives, the Bren light machine gun, the Auto 5 shotgun, and the Mauser K98 grenade rifle Eight new World War II campaigns, including combat missions at a V2 research facility and Hitler\u2019s hideaway, The Eagle\\'s Nest All-new locations offer unique Battlefield experiences, ranging from nightfall in Prague to a winter battle in Norway Introducing British Commando and German Elite troops Merciless features All new textures for all maps, vehicles, uniforms and weapons Hand designed custom loader screens for all Secret Weapons of WWII maps Realistic sounds for all new weapons and vehicles Note: This mod requires the official \\'Secret Weapons of World War II\\' expansion pack to be installed.\n\n#### Western War\n\nwesternwarv1.rar | 160.15 MB\n\n#### Battleaxe Cold War\n\nbattleaxe_cold_war.rar | 10.25 MB\n\n#### Norwegian Resistance Client Install\n\nnorwegianres_v0.85_client.exe | 301.87 MB\n\nthe Norwegians and the Germans. Historically speaking Norway was about to be an important part of Hitler third reich in the spring of 1940. The germans were planning a massive invasion of Norway. The plan was to invade the country from its major cities and then proceed to capture the north. Norway was a country of great importants, its strategical position for attacking the convoys and the Russian border made it one of Hitlers prime targets. If the German troops could occupy Norway, they would gain a much greater chance of stopping the allied convoys who supplied England and Russia throughout the war.\n\n#### Liberation of Caen\n\nliberationofcaen.zip | 624.82 KB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Full Client Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_patch_v1.45.18.exe | 107.41 MB\n\n#### GC EL Alamein\n\nel_alamein.zip | 75.98 KB\n\nhave GC_bot_ready when adding any GC stuff in a map for coop, untill someone adds bots in for Hoth people can start playing with the original maps for now Note:go ahead and fix this up if theres anything wrong with it, i made it quickly just to make some people at least have some bots in the mean time, if noone gets bots in Hoth by the time i get back from canada, i\\'ll prolly do it myself\n\n#### Real Plane Mod\n\nrealplane.zip | 67.25 KB\n\nhigh. Where information was available, real weapon loadouts were incorporated in the mod. All of the planes have updated physics and proprietary new and significantly enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) behavioral routine settings, so that the ai bots can fly the planes properly. I have also incorporated single player ONLY (will work in Co-op as well) modified maps that feature the B-17 and other changes to enhance the single player game experience. Now includes new eye candy effects designed to emulate US and German gun camera footage. This version also fixes a number of issues with other aspects of the single-player game. - There are now totally separate AI bot behavioral thought processes for ground soldiers, pilots and tankers, instead of the standard games one-size-fits-all approach. All are much more aggressive. AI bot ground soldiers will get knife kills - these guys are now cold blooded killers. - Bazooka\/Panzerschrek soldiers only use these weapons on armor, not on other soldiers. They will switch weapons as required to take out other soldiers. - AI soldiers don\\'t throw grenades at tanks anymore. - Fixed the cool new 1.4 patch Russian MP assault rifle, that appears to have been released by DICE firing blanks. - Fixed another bug in 1.4 patch - the airplane code included invalid vehicle numbers that causes random game crashes.[\/quote]\n\n#### 3Makeovers\n\n3makeovers.zip | 26.39 MB\n\n#### BF1942 Realsounds\n\nbf1942_realsounds.zip | 1.87 MB\n\n3rd person) Browning MG (One Sound for 1st and 3rd person) MG42 (One Sound for 1st and 3rd person) No 4 Lee-Enfield (1st and 3rd person) Mauser Kar 98 (1st and 3rd person) Breda Modella 30 (One sound for 1st and 3rd person) Sten SMG (1st and 3rd person) Grenade Explosion Walther P38 (1st and 3rd person) Other Add-Ons: That External Soldier View Thingy is included. F9- First Person F10- The \\'Ass\\' Cam F11- Front Chase F12- Cinematic Camera Easter Egg- Keep hitting \\'C\\' to get to a 5th view that puts inside your guy\\'s head, but at the same time outside! Try it, you\\'ll see. Notes: This will work in Single Player and on ANY MULTIPLAYER SERVER! THE SERVER DOESN\\'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THIS MOD! OH YEAH! I HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!!!!!!! Want sounds for a new mod or sounds for something else? Email me I got a library of over 500 sounds! Fluffyinsanity99@aol.com[\/quote]\n\n#### Midway - Capture the Flag\n\nmidway-ctf.zip | 789.5 KB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Multiplayer Demo Patch\n\nmp_demo_client_patch_1.1.zip | 12.14 MB\n\nfile. ;) Also, if you plan on running a server at some point, be sure to snag the [url=http:\/\/www.bf1942files.com\/file.info?ID=5193]1.1 Dedicated Server[\/url] file. Now get out there and ENJOY, soldier! For user feedback? problems? enter the forums http:\/\/forums.filesnetwork.com Also take the time to vote for us, afterall we did provide some goodies :D\n\n#### Doug\\'s Weapon and Tank Mod\n\ndougs_weapon_and_tank_mod.zip | 421.94 KB\n\nModtools for my BF Vietnam game) but it saves people the trouble of doing it themselves.\n\n#### Operation Bagration\n\noperation_bagration.rfa | 59.39 MB\n\nany piece of soil on which they set foot.\n\n#### Forgotten Hope: Secret Weapons\n\nfhsw025client.zip | 1.08 GB\n\nfantasy). Couldnt find a readme in english, but i did find this on their site. its not the best english(the mod team is japanese) [quote]'Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon' (FHSW), it is mini- MOD for second next great war type real MOD' 'of popularity online shooting game 'Battlefield 1942 Forgotten Hope'. You did not complete to termination of war, or it is possible to try the numerous \" secret weapon \" which does not have the fact that it is mass-produced. With this MOD, US military battlewagon Pershing and medium tank [chinu] of the Japanese military, not only the famous new weapon like the [kugeruburitsutsu] anti-aircraft tank of the German troop, you record also the kind of weapon which, many people such as 14TP tank and Wz38m automatic rifle of the Polish troop and black prince infantry tank of the English troop view for the first time to many. In addition, also type of aircraft has increased to be large. With FHSW being anew the F8F bear cat fighter plane, the antitank attack plane such as hurricane MkIID and Yak-9T and enormous, the He111Z bomber of the strange form and the fuselage which changes [ente] model fighter plane \" shaking electricity \" of feature and so on soar in the sky. And lastly, in field of enormous weapon the battleship lion, also the monster weapon like overland battleship [rate] which even aircraft carrier Lexington, and the fortress which moves can be said appears. In FHSW, the various elements are included other than the new weapon. When riding the weapon, the present way not only the number of bullets, it can know the type of armament and bullet. In addition, it probably is to be able the machine gun of the aircraft use the high-explosive shell or the armor piercing bomb, as for the terrestrial infantry in explosion of that 20mm high-explosive shell to fear. Furthermore, also the production which such as new effective sound the appearance impression and vibration when shelling improves is included. Bodily sensation the enormous impact of the enormous battleship Yamato 46cm gun it is possible to do probably will be.[\/quote] [b][u]The Password To Install The Mod Is blazing_night[\/b][\/u]\n\n#### DCM AirWolf Modded MapPack\n\ndcm_airwolf_modded_mappack.rar | 301.59 MB\n\ntexture,helicoptors,and mods.This map Is a DC-Final pack.\n\n#### Supply Line\n\nsupply_line_v2.1.exe | 25.18 MB\n\n#### Factory\n\nbfmap_factory_v2.rar | 13.13 MB\n\nof vehicles and weapons, so they must capture some other factories. Russia is perfect target. German ground army entered into the russian forests. They are trying to capture one of these factories. But Russia will fight. Who wins?\\\" In this map is one base and three control points -> Lumbermill, Deposit, and Factory! If you want win, you must have all three control points !\n\n#### Operation Merkur\n\nmc_merkur_setup.exe | 32.78 MB\n\nwork-over. Note: Merciless 1.6.1, Merciless RtR and the official Road to Rome-Xpack are required.\n\n#### BF1861 Client\n\nbf1861.rar | 31.01 MB\n\nclose-quarters battle. There are no planes and no vehicles, except ironclads and horses. There are plenty of stationary cannons however. Civil War guns fired 1-ounce bullets that were usually of around .57 caliber and were made of soft lead that flattened on impact. As you can imagine, these did horrendous damage to the human body. In the mod, head and chest shots are a 1-shot kill with all rifles and carbines. Revolvers and pistols are a 1-shot kill to the head or 2 shots to the chest.\n\n#### Merciless Road to Rome Map Pack\n\nmc_rtr_zara.exe | 111.28 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope Realism 2.0\n\nfhrealism_2.0.exe | 142.45 MB\n\n#### Lou Pings Isle\n\nlou_pings_isle.zip | 9.96 MB\n\n#### Merciless Creations 1.6.1 Update\n\nmc_1.6.1_update.exe | 80.68 KB\n\n#### Aberdeen For Enhanced DC Mod\n\naberdeenforenhanced_dc_mod.rar | 1.81 MB\n\n#### DC Black Hawk Down\n\ndc_black_hawk_down.zip | 40.36 MB\n\nearlier attempts at a Black Hawk Down map. not to insult the makers of those maps, but in my opinion they did not put enough effort into truly bringing scenes if the movie into their maps (for instance putting ural tankers, stingers, and a bunch of those white lostvillage houses on their map - just didnt make sense to me what they were thinking when they made it). Im not sure they understood what was really goin on logistically in the movie. This map is as close to the movie as i could possibly manage. flag areas and city sites were constructed using screenshots and video clips i took of the movie (using Fraps). Gameplay has been significantly changed from normal DC as well to reflect the movie style of combat. With this map, I also wanted to explore bf mapping-which can be a tricky business at times. in addition i think this map stands as something of a tribute to a great movie. a true fan of the movie i think will truly enjoy this, while the novelty will no doubt be lost on some. a lot of work went into this, so enjoy it as much as you can, at the end of the day - you dont lose anything.\n\n#### Recruit Snyders Modification\n\nanthology.rar | 116.27 MB\n\nsay more? Take a look at the readme and the screenshots, and then download it soldiers! See ya on the battlefield!\n\n#### The Battle of Kasserine Pass (re-visited)\n\nkasserine_pass.exe | 47.53 MB\n\ncampaign rotation), I decided to re-make it, and change a few things, like the heightmap and CP vehicles spawns, vehicle coding, skins, and textures, as well as 4CentShy of Merciless adding SP support. I hope you all enjoy it more now.\n\n#### Dead Cities Mod 1.2 Patch\n\nFragging Everyone!\n\n#### WaW Forgotten Hope Map Pack\n\nbfewaw.mappack.exe | 91.14 MB\n\nof Berlin, Tundra, Battle of Rome, Weserbung, and Russian Country. Many of you may recognize these maps. Well, you should. These are those same great maps that we have edited and converted for use with the Forgotten Hope Mod. While we have edited these maps for use with the FH mod and work better for our tournament; they are still the work of the original map creators and we at WAW would like to give these mappers a big thank you for giving us these excellent maps that have entertained us for many, many, many hours of hardcore BF\/FH battle. Or reason for converting these maps to FH and releasing them to the public is not to take away from their work in any way, but to allow more players to use and enjoy such superb mapping efforts.[\/quote] These look like awsome maps!\n\n#### G.I. Joe Mini Mod Full Install\n\ngi_joe_mini2.exe | 98.24 MB\n\nserver should not longer crash during CO-OP games. Also some of the hand weapons damage has been tweaked a bit. We have also change some setting on the fang and the AWE to make them more network friendly. There have also been a few things that have been fixed on Cobra Island.[\/quote] If you want the patch click here\n\n#### Tundra\n\ntundra.exe | 36.81 MB\n\ncold! There is a resonable variety of armour and each side gets a few planes each, there are only 2 capturable bases and 2 uncapturable home bases so the fighting should be feirce! This map is playable in both Multiplayer Conquest and Single Player\/Co-Op Modes.\n\n#### Walk Like An Egyptian\n\nwalklikeanegyptian076_bf1942_dc_map.rar | 12.01 MB\n\n#### Hill 112 - *REVIEWED*\n\nhill112.zip | 34.83 MB\n\ntrue mission, codenamed Epsom. The basic aim of Epsom was to sweep round to the west and south of Caen and reach the main Caen-Falaise road. This would almost encircle the German defenders around Caen.[\/quote] MadModder's Review Active 9 brings us another quality map in \"Hill 112\". From the axis base camp fires and burning street lamps to the sounds of Hitler's impassioned speeches on the radio, there is enough detail here to impress for many bloody rounds of combat. Great lighting effects, new sky textures, new building skins (inside and out) and what appear to be some new house models are just some of the features within. The train station is a particularly nice touch and capturing some of the CP's will be difficult without falling to your death. I was a bit disappointed in the ground textures themselves as they seem a bit drab, but it is really only noticable from the air. Active 9's attention to ambient effects and visual details sets them apart from the average mapper. They keep getting better and better. I highly recommend the download.\n\n#### M1 Garand Alpha\n\nm1garand_alpha.zip | 711.46 KB\n\nmake one. If you are interested in making one, E-mail me at Rigups@aol.com.[\/quote]\n\n#### Hanomag Anti-Aircraft\n\nhanomag_aa.zip | 1 MB\n\npics: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/hanomag1.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/hanomag2.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/hanomag3.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/hanomag4.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### Makin Atoll Redux\n\nmakin_atoll_redux.zip | 6.51 MB\n\n#### Offline\n\nrc_offline_bf42.zip | 8.63 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 Full Client: 5 of 5\n\nbg42_1_7_part5_of_5.exe | 507.74 MB\n\n#### RC's Super Mappack\n\nrc_superpack.zip | 206.05 MB\n\n#### FHSW Coop Mappack\n\nfhsw_0.4_coop_mappack.zip | 4.85 MB\n\nmode. The list of maps: Battle of Angaur FHT Battle of Mareth Line Ilomantsi-1944 Kushira Manchuria-1945 The Bridge On The River Kwai Transcarpathia-1944. INSTALLATION: place all .rfa files from this archive in your FHSW levels folder, for example: C:Program FilesEA GAMESBattlefield 1942ModsFHSWArchivesbf1942levels NOTE: bots are not very clever. I made them as clever as I could. If you have questions or problems, contact me: e-mail: artemziba@mail.ru icq: 455965126 Have fun :) ziba128\n\n#### Operation_Yugoslavia_Rise_and_Fall.exe\n\noperation_yugoslavia_rise_and_fall.exe | 22.23 MB\n\nunits: Chinese partisans, Holland Resistance, French Resistance, British expeditionary forces, allied missions in Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav partisans. Mod Operation Yugoslavia Rise and Fall, just follow the battle on the southern front, it is the battle with the Yugoslav partisans who have already demonstrated in the previous mod.\n\n#### Africa Islands\n\n52africa_island.rfa | 1.19 MB\n\n#### Interstate 1.8 Full Client\n\ninterstate18full.exe | 404.16 MB\n\nfile was re-uploaded due to a corrupt installer Be sure to grab the Interstate 1.81 patch as well Interstate community, custom maps, and further support found at [url]www.is82.com[\/url]\n\n#### Sandsturm\n\nsandsturm.rfa | 26.54 MB\n\nthis vantage point.\n\n#### Map Pack for BattleFeel 1942 Anthology v1.01\n\nbattlefeel1942anthology_mappack_v101_20090101.zip | 78.43 MB\n\nCoral Sea - Final Voyage Coral Sea - Last Trip Coral Sea - Operation Homecoming Hope you enjoy them, thanks!\n\n#### Sunrise Harbor\n\nsunrise_harbor.zip | 16.92 MB\n\nThere are five Carriers and five Destroyers engaged over two control points that make up the Harbor. Additional Skins by: Takiwa and Poopy Pants\n\n#### Operation Sealion SP\n\noperation_sealion_sp.zip | 15.91 MB\n\nthanks to GenRommel, now you got the chance to experience this fictional battle first hand.\n\n#### King of the Island\n\nking_of_the_island.zip | 3.3 MB\n\n#### Homefront 42\n\nhomefront_bf42_v1_5.rar | 176.68 MB\n\nupon himself to update the Halo inspired HomeFront42 mod. Now with robust new bot support, along with other great changes, HomeFront42 for BF1942 is ready to wage galactic war once more. [\/quote]\n\n#### Corregidor\n\ncorregidor_bf1942_map.rar | 7.77 MB\n\n#### FinnWars Final Extended - Client\n\nfwfinalextended.exe | 770.19 MB\n\ngot a little carried away though and as a result we added some new features. There are plenty of new maps and kits. The gameplay of older maps has been improved and new kits have been added as well. More specific details are listed below. Now we will focus on our first stand-alone game, Battlegrounds of the West. FinnWars Final Extended client version (Including Single player) New Maps: * Murmansk Railroad (Objective map) * Road to Petroskoi * Last stand at Viipuri * Tienhaara * Syv\u00e4ri * Rajam\u00e4ki (Objective map) * Teikari Island * Command Bunker * Donner Und Blitzen * Olonets Karelia * Viipuri\n\n#### The Bridge\n\nthe_bridge.rar | 18.49 MB\n\nThere is also a small wooden footbridge that spans the river for an alternate route by infantry. At either end of the main bridge there is a small town which hosts a capturable control point. Between the base and the bridge on both sides of the river there is another capturable control point situated in a village.\n\n#### Merciless Creations - MC 1.6.1 Texture Update\n\nmc_1.6.1_texture_update.zip | 3 MB\n\n[img]http:\/\/screenshots.filesnetwork.com\/21\/files2\/60164_6t.jpg[\/img] Aichi Val for Invasion of the Philippines [img]http:\/\/screenshots.filesnetwork.com\/21\/files2\/60164_3t.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/screenshots.filesnetwork.com\/21\/files2\/60164_4t.jpg[\/img] Type 38 Torpedo Boat for Invasion of the Philippines [img]http:\/\/screenshots.filesnetwork.com\/21\/files2\/60164_1t.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/screenshots.filesnetwork.com\/21\/files2\/60164_2t.jpg[\/img] Download Now\n\n#### DCX 0.8 Full Client\n\ndcx8_client_install.exe | 459.96 MB\n\n#### DCR 1.0 Final Beta\n\ndcr10_install.exe | 202.33 MB\n\n#### DC Realism Final V.81\n\ndc_realism_v81.exe | 216.15 MB\n\ncloser to how the real equipment behaves. It is a continuation of the previous Tanelorn Realism Mod under new leadership. We have not created this mod to rival the DC team. More, to appeal to hard-liners and prior service, or just players looking for greater levels of realism and a sterner approach to game balance. It improves immersion by making the equipment behave more closely to what you would expect from real world counterparts. We *HAVE NOT* taken a truly realistic posture, as we all know how superior US equipment is to third world counterparts. *** INSTALLATION *** THe self-installer should automatically detect your install directory and install the mod. It belongs in your Battlefield1942\/mods\/ directory To create a shortcut to this mod, I suggest duplicating your Desert Combat shortcut, and in the target field: replace +game DesertCombat with +game DC_Realism *** end installation *** *** VALID MAP LIST *** >>>>>> DCR DOES NOT SUPPORT CO-OP PLAY\n\n#### DC Extended\n\ndcx5l.1.exe | 48.67 MB\n\n(www.DesertCombat.com) - Some common sense to properly install and set up.\n\n#### Action Battlefield Client\n\naction_battlefield_1150_client.zip | 261.29 MB\n\nyour perfect balance of fun and realism. It will raise the fun factor and boost the replay value of the original game. Not by adding extra stuff you don't really need, but by giving to you what you really like in a game : -Better gameplay, new weapons that YOU people requested and others that are FUN and important to use strategy-wise. Current vehicles modified for more fun and possibilities. -Better soldiers that can jump higher, throw further and make dangerous moves without taking damage easily! -Enhanced special FX for current and new weapons\/vehicles. -Modified maps for better teamplay and more intense battles. New maps to be included. -Role-based soldiers classes : your team will need all of the different classes as they play an important role on every battle. Scout for reconnaissance and flag capture, Assault for effective attack against soldiers, Anti-tank for effective attack and defense against armored vehicles, Medic for immediate and long term medical assistance as well as smoke grenade assistance and finally Engineers for their destruction power and ability to build bunkers and AAguns. Action Battlefield will test your skills to the limit! --Sir. MoonQuake [\/quote]\n\n#### XWW2 V2.6 Client Install 2 of 2\n\nxww2_2_6_install_2_of_2.exe | 567.38 MB\n\n#### DCX Skin Pack\n\ndcx_skinpak.zip | 32.24 MB\n\n#### Galactic Conquest 5.3 Client Patch\n\ngalacticconquest53patch.exe | 50.88 MB\n\n#### Operation Wolf\n\noperationwolf.rar | 21.88 MB\n\nadvice: If you want to get from one end of the map to the other, don\\'t walk.\n\n#### DCF Basrah Stuntday\n\ndcf_basrah_stuntday.rar | 8.01 MB\n\ngenerally having a good laugh with ya mates. It's a modded version of DC Basrahs Edge ... but with 2 MASSIVE jumps, 2 MASSIVE tall towers, loads more vehicles, all car like vehicles have rocket speed (similar to nitro), pickups and ladas have carbombs.. Plays in conquest (though you probably wont want to be bothering yourselves with playing it like conquest.\n\n#### 21CW Norway SP\n\n21cw_norway_sp_player.rar | 2.77 MB\n\n#### Berlin Airborne Operation\n\nberlin_airborne_operation.zip | 4.98 MB\n\n#### 21CW SP Mappack1\n\n21cw_spmappack1.rar | 3.36 MB\n\nrequired in the BF1942 levelfolder\n\n#### Airbase For BG42\n\nbattlegroup42_airbase.rar | 5.68 MB\n\nfolder This Map is a stand alone, install and play!! Converted by Hamburger Hill All Credits by the Original Authors + EA\/DICE Have fun Hamburger Hill\n\n#### Fall Of Berlin\n\nfall_of_berlin_v2.0.zip | 5.56 MB\n\nRussian Forces will be assaulting Berlin through the Tiergarten on the West side of the city. Knowing this, the Germans are racing to set up defenses around the city. The Russian forces need to push back the Germans and take control of the city in order to succeed in starting the Fall of Berlin.\n\n#### Coral Sea - Coop\n\ncoop_coral_sea.zip | 3.04 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat Final Secret Weapons Addon\n\ndcf_sw.zip | 584.95 KB\n\n#### RealPlane Modification\n\nrealplane_version_1.65.zip | 16.23 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942\u2122: Attrition\n\nbfa_installer.exe | 39.64 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 2 of 2: All Maps\n\nforgottenhope0.6install2of2.exe | 499.76 MB\n\npatch! ALL 3 files are needed for you to be able to install and play FH 0.61. The 3 Files are: 1) [file=\"24237\"]Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 1 of 2: Main Installer[\/file] 2) Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 2 of 2: All Maps (this page) 3) [file=\"24239\"]Forgotten Hope 0.6 to 0.61 UPDATE[\/file] [i][b]And Finally Note:[\/b] Yes FH .6 has been out since march 16th but due to a lot of crazy and messed up events of the past 9 days, we\u00b4ve had A LOT of downtime. So sorry for the inconvenience :([\/i] --- Forgotten Hope 0.6 will bring you two new armies: The French and Italian Forces. But there are also new weapons for the Germans and British armies planned, and later on also other new nations will make their way into the mod. [b]Forgotten Hope 0.61 features:[\/b] - 130 vehicles - Over 40 maps!!! - Atlantic - Crete - Zielona Gora - Battle of Valirisk - Battle of Orel - Gazala (Original map usable by Forgotten Hope) - Kharkov Winter (redone Kharkov map) - Karelia - New Sounds and Textures - New Gameplay - New Graphics - New Damage System - 15 New Weapons --- Having problems installing? Be sure to check out the FAQ on the Official Forgotten Hope Forums: http:\/\/www.gamingforums.com\/showthread.php?t=115233\n\n#### Bush War\n\nbushwar01.zip | 101.11 MB\n\nis even though its just the 0.1 release! Be sure and check this out, i know there are no servers running it but check it out anyways and drop the team a line with some suggestions \/ ideas or your general thoughts!\n\n#### Desert Combat Extended\n\ndcxsetup.7.1.exe | 156.23 MB\n\nenemy player steps into your home spawn, he gets damaged. So no more barret-camping-monkeys inside your spawn, taking you out as you go for a plane or a helo. Also, it tweaks some vehicles a bit, making them more realistic. Have fun ;)\n\n#### Battlefield 1942: Full Windows Server (1.6)\n\nbattlefield_1942_server_v1.6.19.exe | 110.57 MB\n\n1.6\n\n#### Battlefield 1942: Incremental 1.5 -> 1.6 Server Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_server_v1.5-v1.6.19.exe | 15.01 MB\n\n#### King of the Sea\n\nking_of_the_sea.zip | 12.02 MB\n\nonly! -------------------------------------------------------------- Description: You must fight for the control of the Sharky Base and Old Heaven wich is located in the middle of the map! Your only vehicles are the assault boats and some defguns to defend your base! * 8 assault boats on each side * New textures -------------------------------------------------------------- Installation: Put the King Of The Sea.rfa into your MODS\\\\BF1942\\\\ACHIVES\\\\BF1942\\\\LEVELS folder. -------------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONNAL NOTES: This map is compatible with the new 1.5 patch Please do not copy\/reproduce\/modify this map without my authorization For comments or anything please contact me to this address: swat_cqb@yahoo.ca[\/quote]\n\n#### DC Invasion of the Philippines\n\ndcinvasion_of_the_philippines.zip | 8.33 KB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 v1.5 FULL Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_patch_1.5.exe | 143.55 MB\n\nhere[\/file]! [b]CLIENT FIXES[\/b] No more swapping CD's. Any installed Battlefield 1942 expansion pack or community mod can be played using any Battlefield CD. Fixed an issue that would cause severe lag when going from a vehicle ladder directly into a vehicle position. This was especially prevalent with the MG positions on Destroyers. Fixed Omaha Beach ammobox-bunker exploit.[b]NEW FEATURES:[\/b]New map - Invasion of the Philippines, complete with all new Patrol Boats. A new US Marines skin replaces the USA army skin in the Pacific theatre. US Marines Engineer is equipped with the M1 Garand. Japanese Engineer has been retrofitted with the Type 5 semi-automatic rifle. Kubelwagen replaced with the Black Medal Scout Car for the Japanese forces. Hanomag replaced with the Ho Ha APC for the Japanese forces.Enjoy :thumbsup:\n\n#### Battlefield 1982 Interstate\n\ninterstatevera1.exe | 200.98 MB\n\ndrive around on four maps, Highway, Survivor Arena, Canyon Race and Death Race. In the first release they have included nine cars armed with things like dual MG's, rockets, 20 MM cannons and nitro.[\/quote] Shelby Cobra Daytona 1964 ' MG 360\u00b0 turret \/ Mines Chevrolet Camaro Z28 1979 ' Dual MG \/ Nitro Renault Alpine A110 1968 ' Rockets \/ Vertical propulsor Chevelle Corvette TTop 1969 ' 20 MM canon \/ Mine Detomaso Mangusta 1967 ' Rockets \/ Vertical propulsor DMC Delorean 1981 ' Dual M \/ Nitro Ferrari 250 GTO 1963 ' 20 MM canon \/ Nitro Mustang Fast Back GT 1970 ' 20 MM canon \/ Mines Lancia Stratos 1972 ' Vertical propulsor \/ Nitro **** NOTE **** If you are having problems read this quote from the BFInterstate82 Site: [quote] ]-If you have problem with installing the EXE try opening it with Winrar -Be sure you extracted the file in your \"Battlefield 1942Mods\" folder -Only map with the I82 icon are supported (highway, survivorarena, CanyonRun, deathrace) -the mod work best at 24 players maximum -It's not a Wargame, play fair, play cool See u on a road [\/quote]\n\n#### NightFighter .1 Public Alpha\n\nnf_alpha_01.exe | 51.26 MB\n\ntoo. Maps: All Maps with the Nightfighters Icon are playable in SP and MP! Note: Bots have Problems with some Vehicles! The following Vehicles are in this Alpha: USA: Comanche B2 F117 F22 RST EC: EFA Tornado JAS39 EuroCopter Marine Assault Hovercraft (MAH) Story: In the year 2006 there is a war between the USA and the Union of European States as the EuropeanCommunity (EC). A attack on the German chancellor at the opening of the FIFA World Cup in Germany was the cause for the war. The attack was executed by an American secret agent. While the Germans gave the USA an ultimatum, all European States awarded Germany their alliances. At expiration of the ultimatum the EC declared war on the USA. The USA started with an attack wave of their ultramodern bombers, while the EC tried to intercept these with their hunters... [\/quote] Now drool at those screenshots (Courtesy of Mr. Greg), and download this mod!\n\n#### Submarine Bot Support V2\n\nsubs_and_bombers.zip | 27.2 KB\n\n#### Dune Mesiah\n\nduneclient.zip | 34.01 MB\n\nbattles would be incredable. The flag bases are set to 50 and as soon as one team takes the other teams flag the tickets go racing down. This map is as much about defence as it is offence, and team work will always be a winning component. It takes a long time for any and all vehicles to respawn, so you have to protect them. Here's a link to my Dune_Mesiah thread BF42.COM'S mapping forums. http:\/\/forums.bf42.com\/showthread.php?s=091bec0d415f7f137147d3fda6d9cf6c&threadid=12583 [\/quote]\n\n#### ME109Flak\n\nme109flak.zip | 3.02 KB\n\n#### vonManstein's Realistic Small Arms Mod (SP)\n\nvonmansteins_realistic_small_arms.zip | 14.58 KB\n\nmods: vonManstein's Realistic Troop Kits Mod (SP) vonManstein's No Bazooka Mod (SP) These mods will probably work online, but only with client\/servers both having them.\n\n#### DoD Sound Pack v2.0\n\ndodsounds-v2.zip | 1.15 MB\n\nof Defeat, for all hand weapons, mounted guns (excepting aircraft), and more. This is the second public release, offering generally improved quality over the first.[\/quote] Just the thing for anyone who's been a little disappointed with the default Battlefield audio or simply prefers the sounds from Day of Defeat more. Update: Pvt_Parts has converted his DoD 2.0 Sound Pack into a single .rfa file for quick and easy installation. If you want to get rid of that hefty Sound folder, download the [file=6612]DoD 2.1 Easy Install[\/file].\n\n#### Make RFA *BETA*\n\nmakerfabeta.zip | 6.98 KB\n\nversion, it is not guranteed to work in all situations.\" So as with the RFA extractor you need the .NET Framework to run this application. You can get a basic set of components which will allow you to run .NET applications at the following link http:\/\/msdn.microsoft.com\/downloads\/default.asp?url=\/downloads\/sample.asp?url=\/msdn-files\/027\/001\/829\/msdncompositedoc.xml This program also isnt very user friendly and can take a very long time to make a RFA. Please view the read me and make sure you know what your doing.\n\n#### Makin Atoll\n\nmakin_atoll_final.rar | 4.11 MB\n\n#### Skin Pack\n\nlolol.rar | 2.29 MB\n\nRead ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ !Anyway install and have fun! -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- (\")(-.-)(\")\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Mod Launcher\n\nbf92_modlauncher.rar | 876.66 KB\n\nright in the mod!, No clicking CustomGame-Whatever, and also no useless desktop shortcuts!\n\n#### Battlegroup42 Full Client: 1 of 5\n\nbg42_1_7_part1_of_5.exe | 597.88 MB\n\nthat have been integrated into the mod. So overall what does this bigger better version of Battlegroup42 contain? Well on top of all the content that we had before we have added 26 new vehicles\/static guns with many more reworked or with minor changes, 22 new maps with many minor changes and bug fixes to the existing maps, 12 new handweapon models, 6 new ships models, 4 new plane models and one complete new army!\n\n#### Battlegroup42 Full Client: 3 of 5\n\nbg42_1_7_part3_of_5.exe | 701.02 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 Full Client: 4 of 5\n\nbg42_1_7_part4_of_5.exe | 659.97 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42: Server Files\n\nbg42_full_server_1_7.rar | 161.34 MB\n\n#### DC Global Front\n\ndcgf_0.2a.zip | 469.66 MB\n\nmaps have been renamed and reworked to better suit the GF environment. Global Front features a series of maps that depict individual scenarios that may or may not be connected to the other maps. There is no overall story line to connect everything together. GF is intended to be played in coop game mode (due to limited players with such an old game) but Conquest and Objective fully supported. This is the first public release of Global Front and it is, unfortunately, still in a Beta form. There are many WIP\/unfinished elements that our small team wishes to finish. We intend to continue and improve Global Front; adding to the build so long as players want new content and the team is enthusiastic to continue our hobby. You will need the following to play DC Global Front: A CLEAN install of both: Battlefield 1942 v. 1.61 Desert Combat v. 0.7\n\n#### Battle of Prozor\n\nbattle_of_prozor.rar | 8.53 MB\n\nthree times by partisans. Battle for the window is still known in the history of the Battle of the wounded. The best-known orders of Josip Broz Tito was: Prozor this night must fall. Battle of Prozor 1.01 Our map is based on true events happened in Yugoslavia during Second World War. The story is about the fourth enemy offensive or fourth anti-partisan offensive took place in January - April, 1943. In our map are featured British Army only, no partisans in our map, if someone wants partisans to fight a real, authentic and historic war he need to download our mod Operation Yugoslavia or Operation Yugoslavia:Rise and Fall. This map is made for Battlefield 1942 Expansion Pack The Road to Rome. Units\/Commanders\/Control Points included Units:German Army\/SS Prinz Eugen Division-British Regular Army. Commanders:General Lorgins\/Marshall Josip Broz Tito or British General Montgomery in The Road to Rome version of Map. Control Points:Level contains seven or nine control points:six capturable, three bases and german armoured column commanded by Colonel Kranzer one Control Point. Objective of the mission is to destroy two german fortified artillery guns and bunkers near the town of Prozor (in todays Bosnia and Herzegovina near the bridge of Neretva, this battle was featured in the movie \"Battle of Neretva\". Allied team must after the destruction of artillery fortifications push harder onward toward the city of Prozor, where are stationed Italian Forces, and they waiting the Partisan\/British Troops for a final battle and outcome of the battle and who will control the town. After Capturing or losing the town Allied must fight against Colonel Kranzers armoured column with molotov cocktails and a few hand grenades, secondary mission is to advance to the enemy artillery position and try to severe it, last mission is to destroy or capture german airfield (or force back germans to general Lorings Headquorters and force him to surrender (divide into two groups: first division attacks the city, the second division is going to fight against Colonel Kranzers Armoured Column of 50 Tiger Tanks, but the 3rd division will start attacking the bridge with the partisan engineers (the 3rd divison is not featured in our map it will be featured in map \"Battle of Neretva\" for mod Operation Yugoslavia or Mini-Mod Operation Yugoslavia:Rise and Fall, or you can see the movie for better tactics and fighting\/killing improvements) to blow up the bridge and then again to cross that bridge and begun encirclement of the collaborationist forces. Allied Armaments:Air Support possible, 10 captured german tanks, 6 captured german APC, Allied Mission Support give you a B-17 Strategic Bombing in the Area (player has only 4 B-17 planes), Pak 40 Howitzers and Artillery German\/Axis Armaments:Air Supremacy\/they controlling the sky and entire skies of Balkan, Full artillery support, Full anti-tank support, reinforcments, two anti-tank bunkers\/fortified defenses\/ anti-aircraft artillery flak 38\/flak 88, Tiger and Panzer IV tanks, minefield in a forest, anti-tank obstacles, anti-tank concrete defenses, Stuka Bombers, Forest Specialist Vehicles, Jeeps, Wirbelwind, Mobile Artillery. Scout and Radar\/Airforce positions including Radar Systems, barbed wire. How to install: Place this map in default directory of the game Battlefield 1942\/xpack1 C:Program FilesEA GAMESBattlefield 1942ModsXPack1ArchivesBf1942Levels, thats all. Author:torpedobomber25 George_Taylor_Cro John_Johnson_America SAS_19 Team from Croatia!\n\n#### Raid on Drvar\n\nraid_on_drvar.rar | 59.32 MB\n\nmove\"), was an attack by the Waffen-SS and the Luftwaffe that aimed to disrupt the command structure of the Yugoslav Partisans by eliminating their Supreme Headquorters, and capturing their Commander, Marshall Josip Broz Tito. The offensive took place in April and May 1944. The operation is generally known as the Seventh anti-Partisan Offensive, or the Seventh Enemy Offensive in Yugoslav Sources. Despite the name, \"Raid on Drvar\", the offensive was much wider than the airborne assault\/raid on the HQ, as it also included a combined Axis attack on Partisan positions in Bosnia designed to take advantage of the command disruption. This attack included local collaborationist forces, the Independent State of Croatia and the Chetnik movement. The Partisan General Staff Headquorters were in the hills near Drvar, Bosnia at the time (in todays Bosnia and Herzegovina).Representatives of the Allies were also present.Sir Randolph Churchill (son of Sir Winston Churchill) and Evelyn Waugh (famous British Writer) were at Titos Headquorters at the time of the attack. Result: Partisan Victory, raid commenced at 5:00 AM. Partisan Commander and his Allied Guests were allready escorted to the (or on) British Destroyer HMS Blackmore. My Map\/Level Raid on Drvar! In my map are shown three allied armies: Russian Army, British Army, U.S. Army (three maps). But in my new mod \"Operation Yugoslavia\" (not Operation Yugoslavia:Rise and Fall) are inserted the Yugoslav partisans and many Armies (Allied and Axis).There are three military bases: German military airport, the German tank base and Partisan headquarters in the mountains, there are also three control points: German airborne assault, German Mobile HQ, Partisan\/Allied\/British\/Russian airfield. Units\/Armies\/Command\/Vehicles\/Air Support! Units:Werhmacht, Waffen SS, U.S Army, Red Army, British Commandos\/Army. Armies:German Army,U.S Army, Red Army, British Army. Command:Kurt Rybka (commanding only the special forces, one control point), Partisan Commander Tito(one control point). Vehicles:30 Tiger Tanks, 25 Panzer IV, 1 T-34, 2 Shermans, 6 captured Apc (German Apc), AA artillery, Ground Artillery and Howitzers. Air Support: Ju 52, C-47 Dakota, Yak-9, Spitfire, B-17, BF109, JU-87, JU-88. Singleplayer-CO-OP support is not ready, will be made later, or will be placed in a mod.\n\n#### Maginot_Line_for_BG42-1.61\n\nmaginot_line_for_bg42_1.61.zip | 21.57 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup_Secret_Weapons_of_WWII\n\nbattlegroup_secret_weapons_of_wwii.exe | 32.73 MB\n\ndestroyer or cruiser, fly with the bomber-type B-17 and begin to bomb factories and laboratories of the German heavy water plant or missile V-1 and V-2.Get bombed places by name Peenemude Rocket Factory, Germany or Telemark heavy water factory in Norway. Mod by SAS_19 and torpedobomber25. ChangeLog 1.01 -new vehcles:sherman Duplex Drive (Sherman DD), Wirbelwind on all maps, 2nd SS Tiger Tank with 54 round Shells, Katyusha from WW2. -new stationary weapons:mg42 from ww2, flak 38, stationary rocket launcher nebelwerfer. -new ships:aircraft carrier with full marine and airforce support (the task force), seaplane kingfisher(air recon aircraft), USS Texas. -new weapons:the original real-time gunsight for all rifles, desert colt, desert mine camo, desert wrench camo, FG 42 german paratroopers rifle. -new maps:huertgen forest, juno beach, the battle for rhine, project america(in new york-the hun for german intelligence officers-V-3 rocket), SS Hideout Austria\/German UFO Aircraft, Mimoyecques, Peenemunde, Telemark, Doolittle Raid\/Express.\n\n#### Operation Rolling Barrage\n\noperation_rolling_barrage.rar | 106.81 MB\n\n& COOP made by Hamburger Hill ============================================== This Map is a conversation of BFV's Map \"Lang Vei\" The story of Operation Rolling Barrage: The Allied superiority human and material added to the Wehrmacht destructive losses. Despite the hopeless situation, units of the SS attempts a reconquest of lost outpost with a concentrated mechanical thrust. Because of material shortages, a further increase of vehicle stock can be achieved only by booty vehicles. The allies must take the Hill occupied by the Germans as quickly as possible to prevent the other feed of material. Good luck Soldiers, Yes we can! Take a Look at the Screens!!!! Supported gamemodes: SP, COOP, CQ, Have Fun with the machine_gun and enjoy this Map,:-) ==== Hamburger Hill ====\n\n#### BFMod\n\nbfmod_v2.0.zip | 133.62 MB\n\nBFMod also uses content from both official expansion RTR and SWoWWII. Again, This is a SP\/COOP mod. See the readme for more info.\n\n#### Cliffs of Insanity\n\ncliffs_of_insanity.rfa | 73.84 MB\n\nBritish Isles, so a special unit of American Rangers has been deployed to counter the situation. Speed will determine the winner of the battle on this harsh and unforgiving terrain.\"\n\ncover their armored divisions' advance into the city.\n\n#### Brest\n\nbrest.rfa | 86.1 MB\n\nthe city of Brest. An artillery battery of heavy coastal guns has been turned around to fire inland on the advancing troops. This is a strategic position and must be taken by the allies at all cost. Once they have control over the city, they must neutralize the coastal guns, in order to eliminate any further enemy threat.\n\n#### Fragfield (Installer)\n\nfragfield1942_v02_installr.zip | 48.24 MB\n\nsupport is included on all the new maps in case you don't have enough human players to fill in or you want to practice on your own.\n\n#### Firefly Mini_mod\/Map Pack Part 1\n\nphoenix1942.part1.exe | 155 MB\n\nfamous jetpack *Fuel System in planes and most ground vehicles . No Refuel *Booster System in planes (Waco Glider) , and some jets, this one can be refuelled with ammo *Destroyable structures *Night Maps\n\n#### -=AAGJC=- BF 1942 map\n\naagjc_bf1942_map.zip | 9.07 MB\n\nrivercrossing on the whole river. The Germans however have destroyed the main bridge so the Allies have build an Bailey bridge next to the destroyed one. For more info about -=AAGJC=- vistit: www.freewebs.com\/aagjc-1942\n\n#### BF 1942 Co-oP supported Fan mappack\n\nbf_1942_coop_mappack.zip | 24.05 MB\n\n#### The Way it Was Meant to Be MOD + MAPS\n\ntwiwmtb.zip | 79.67 MB\n\nintended for single player \/ cooperative game modes. Makes the game more intense by adding extremely powerful weapons to vehicles and foot soldiers alike. modified vehicles and weapons via scripting the Objects.Rfa Modified most Axis and allied vehicles as well as kits for both sides not many modifications on the russian and japanese side yet.\n\n#### FH 0.7 Fan Mappack (Installer)\n\nfh_fanmappack_client.exe | 285.41 MB\n\n[url=\"http:\/\/battlefield2.filefront.com\/file\/FH_07_Fan_Mappack_NonInstaller;85121\"]HERE[\/url].\n\n#### Forgotten Honor\n\nfhtmod.rar | 1001.89 MB\n\nspite of how long and hard the road has been, making this mod, we have finally been able to release this expansion. Forgotten Honor includes 25 new maps, new vehicles, new weapons and even a new country! (Holland) From the Blitzkrieg invasion of France, to the deep jungles of Burma this mod will take you to new battlefields, as we have highlighted some conflicts overlooked in most other WWII games. The mod comes with a 50 pages field-manual that describes the various features, weapons and maps that the mod contains.[\/quote]\n\n#### DC Final Airwolf Mod\n\nairwolf.rar | 23.03 MB\n\n#### Transformers Mod v2.0 Server Files\n\ntransformer_server_files_2.rar | 41.77 MB\n\nmaps that will be included in tomorrow's release (6\/22\/07). In the first map to introduce is Olympus Station where the heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons duel to gain control of this space station. The second map displayed is The Sky is The Limit. This map has a very unique and exciting game play unlike any other. The melee battle consists of various levels of narrow ramps connecting extremely tall buildings. Watch your step, because if you fall you will die; however, don't take your eye off the enemies in front, below, or above you. The next map you see is Uncharted Waters. This is a naval battle where the Decepticons are attempting to steel precious oil from an ocean drilling site and it's up to the Autobots to stop them. The last map is Valley of Death. After battling the Decepticons in space, the Autobots make a crash landing in a mountain range on earth. The Decepticons will not stop until all of the Autobots are eradicated; however, the Autobots are not ready to give up the fight. The mod consist of many more maps including Sword maps and Unlimited maps. Sword maps is pretty self explanatory. Every player class has a sword and that's it. Unlimited maps have special features such as everyone having low gravity kits. You'll enjoy the pleasure of shooting other robots out of the air while flying in robot mode. If you stumble upon a Matrix Kit you can pick it up ('g' key default). By doing so it will turn you into a new transformer with different weapons, features, abilities, and\/or transformations. Speaking of transformations, the recharge times have been significantly reduced in version 2.0. Also, by fans request, all vehicles that shot bullets, now shoot lasers.\n\n#### DCM Alamaniya\n\ndcm_alamaniya.exe | 56.87 MB\n\n#### Merciless Creations Secret Weapons Single Player Mod\n\nmerciless_swsp.exe | 177.7 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 40k Client Files\n\nbf40k.zip | 345.11 MB\n\nunofficial. Armies include the Space Marines and Chaos, use weapons such as the bolter, flamer, and frag grenades, play on a multitude of new maps, singleplayer and online!\n\n#### The Siege of Moscow\n\nthe_siege_of_moscow_fh.zip | 47.44 MB\n\nwork with the original BattleField 1942 game, it\\'s Forgotten Hope only. I recommend that, for in case you already have this map for the original BF1942, you delete the original map because of problems you might encounter.\n\n#### KotF European City\n\nbf1942_kotf_european_city.zip | 2.61 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1918 - Full Client Files\n\nbf1918_2.6_full.exe | 896.9 MB\n\nwon't be the last patch.\n\n#### Winter Storm - Secret Weapons\n\nwinter_storm_xpack2.zip | 9.63 MB\n\nto take advantage of the winter skins.\n\n#### Kelly\\'s Heroes\n\nkellys_heroes.rar | 17.85 MB\n\nopposite side of the map from the train yard which hosts the German uncapturable point and also the town square point which is capturable. In between the town and the train yard you have open ground and there are two capturable points here: the farm and sawmill.\n\n#### Stargate BFM Full Install\n\nstargate_bfm_0.25_full_install.exe | 280.9 MB\n\n#### DCFX\n\ndcfx1a.exe | 535.55 MB\n\nwith coop support, extensive submode support and many new tools, the battles are endless! You must have the following items prior to playing DCFX: - Battlefield 1942 - 1.6 Patch - 1.61b Patch - Desert Combat 0.7 - Desert Combat Final 0.8 - Desert Combat Extended 0.9\n\n#### DC Realism Final\n\ndc_realism_final.zip | 214.76 MB\n\n#### DC Realism 0.81\n\ndc_realism_81.zip | 38.03 MB\n\n#### Western War Patch\n\npatch_westernwar_v1.1_to_1.2.exe | 213.86 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Extended\n\nbf1942x.rar | 102.22 MB\n\nbecause I want this to feel as if DICE made it. So people can enjoy that official feel and security (hey I know some people prefer it)\n\n#### Marshall City\n\nmarshall_city_final.zip | 12.12 MB\n\n2005. He will be sorely missed, dearly remembered and he will remain in our hearts forever. Frank always had a kind word, was helpful above and beyond the call of duty and has raised a fine son in [TLB]tater salad. He\\'s our little brother (well not so little anymore) and we have welcomed him into our TLB Honorary Corp indefinitely. Proud to have you with us my friend. If you look closely in the overhead map view of the city, you will see Frank\\'s initials make up the main streets of the city. Marshall Texas is where he was from, hence the name of the map is Marshall City.\n\n#### Western War Patch\n\nwestern_war_patch1.1.rar | 47.99 MB\n\nout! This is a patch so Western War 1.0 is required. Download 1.0\n\n#### Caribbean Inferno\n\ncaribbean_inferno.zip | 10.51 MB\n\n#### Mansion of The Snake\n\nmansion_of_the_snake.zip | 22.58 MB\n\ntroops through the area. The Mansion is located at a strategic cross point which binds a bridge to a main road. The map features custom sound and is set in an atmospheric autumn environment. The Allies are the attacking force in this map and their objective is to conquer all Control Points, the Axis need to defend the Control Points until the Allies tickets reach zero.\n\n#### GAUS DC Mappack v2\n\ngaus_dc_mappack_v2.zip | 113.84 MB\n\nmappack also contanse an updated version of a map from their first map pack, [i]Sulamaniya 2[\/i]. GAU runs a server that you can play their costum maps on however you will also need the maps from their first map pack which you can get [url=\"http:\/\/battlefield1942.filefront.com\/file\/GAUs_DC_Mappack_V1;39758\"]here.[\/url] IP: 212.112.224.52:14567 Slots: 64 You can find more information at their website [url=\"http:\/\/www.gau-pc.de\/include.php?path=start.php\"]here.[\/url]\n\n#### DCF Lost Palace\n\ndcf_lostpalace.rar | 19.27 MB\n\nauthor has definatly put some good effort in this, the scenery and atmosphere of the map were pretty well done. So check this out, you won\\'t regret it ;)\n\n#### DCF Argon Forest\n\ndcf_argon_forest.rar | 1.1 MB\n\none has yet to fix the camouflage in DCF so we can change to a woodland pattern for maps like this. Awesome none the less.\n\n#### Rostov\n\nrostov.zip | 31.86 MB\n\nthe way to File Planet. I think its a Co-op map....\n\nAmericans and Germans. This is Gamling\\'s first map, but I hope we can see more from him someday.\n\n#### FH Argon Forest\n\nfh_argon_forest.rar | 5.54 MB\n\n#### FH Battle of Pavlov\n\nfh_battle_of_pavlov.rar | 7.26 MB\n\n#### FH El Volcano\n\nfh_el_volcano.rar | 2 MB\n\n#### Apache Wars for Desert Combat\n\napache_wars_for_dc.zip | 28.3 MB\n\ntrying to take credit for there mod, I just wanted to make something for all of you Heli loving maniacs out there. Sure there is no historical signaficance, and no way have any realism, but hey if you want that...look elsewhere :D I got this idea while playing dc the other night ========== What it is ========== I have taken Tobruk and changed all vehicles to Ah-64 Apaches!!! NO Anti Air!!! (except usual soldiers) Even the guns in the buildings are now apache +++warning due to some interfernce of helicopters hitting buildings..some may blow up if not gotten into right away (not a glitch) +++[\/quote]\n\n#### FH Theme V1.2 Installer\n\nforgottenhopetheme_v12.exe | 4.89 MB\n\nepic & powerful!! The new version includes: - Alternate beginning - Some changes in the original score - New instruments added (percussion most of them) - Completely remixed (lower snare volume, etc.) - New EQ & reverb efects has been aplied. As you know this original epic song has been composed with the objetive to be part of Forgotten Hope mod. Only professional classical orchestral instruments have been used to arrange this exclusive FH theme. This songs will replace the \\\"Elk hunt\\\" song during the loading map screen. If you want to know more about \\\"Forgotten Hope Theme\\\", and read\/write comments about it go to FH official forums here: http:\/\/forums.filefront.com\/showthread.php?t=176785\n\n#### DCF Fallujah\n\ndcf_fallujah.zip | 6.94 MB\n\neliminte the insurgents,goodluck soldiers,watch your backs...\" insurgents come out of all alleyways to get you...goodluck and enjoy ingame map is odd because i removed unnecessary tex files and it is perfect just looks odd.. health is limited...protect the humvees...ammo is there ,you just have to find it just unzip to a folder and use the easy to use map installer...4 screenshots included in zip file... thanks for playing my maps and enjoy this one and many more to come..\n\n#### DC Urban Siege Coop\n\ndc_urban_siege_coop_desertcombat.zip | 27.8 MB\n\nfrom co-op because of CTD........now depending on your system will determine how many bots you can use because of the city and all the buildings...this has a easy to use installer,just unzip to a folder and use the self installer....this will overwrite the origional DC urban siege......map credit goes to Desert Combat....co-op added by GREENBUD\n\n#### 21CW Gazala Day 2\n\n21cw_dcf_gazala_day2.rar | 5.12 MB\n\n#### DCF Dark Jungle\n\ndc_dark_jungle.rar | 5.58 MB\n\n#### 21CW Snow El Alamein\n\n21cw_snow_el_alamein.rar | 911.84 KB\n\nmap to play. http:\/\/battlefield1942.filefront.com\/file\/;11420\n\n#### 21CW Berlin Under Siege\n\n21cw_dc_berlin_under_siege.rar | 4.21 MB\n\n#### Fort Meigs\n\nfortmeigs.zip | 8.87 MB\n\n#### Movie World V.20 1 of 2\n\nmovieworld_v0.20_setup1of2.exe | 756.89 MB\n\n#### 21CW SP DC Coral Sea\n\n21cw_coral_dc2.rar | 10.16 MB\n\n#### Nuenen Coop\n\nbleibringer_s_nuenen_coop.zip | 11.73 MB\n\n#### Airbase - Base Ware EoD\n\nairbase_basewareod01.31.rar | 7.11 MB\n\n#### France Hills\n\nfrance_hills.zip | 11.01 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat Final Server Files\n\ndc_final_server.exe | 14.71 MB\n\norder to use it. Thanks!\n\n#### Battlefield Pro\n\nbfpro70.exe | 342.02 MB\n\npacks a punch with new maps, features, and more. So download it now and have some fun! See ya on the battlefield soldiers!\n\n#### Recruit Synder's Mod Collection PLUS\n\nmcpgamma.zip | 95.72 MB\n\ndrive, to play expansion pack maps.) The amazing Recruit Snyder has proven once again he's a one man all star mod developer. As he himself realised, there's just simply so much content to his mod....attempting to describe it with words could easily prove to be a small novel. >_< You really should check out [url=http:\/\/www.mokingen.com\/MCRTR1.43Gallery\/]his website[\/url] for the massive display of screenshots. I suggest you wear a bib first, as the drool factor is off the scale. :) [b]NOTE: You MUST have BOTH the Road to Rome and Secret Weapons expansion packs installed to use this mod!![\/b]\n\n#### BF1942 Mod Manager\n\nbf1942_mod_manager.exe | 1.15 MB\n\n#### Eastern_Front Map\n\nbf1942easternfront.zip | 9.01 MB\n\nrussian front. The Germans have to fight against a strong russian army while retreating back to germany. German forces tried to build a last defence line in the open fields near a town in polland. They have artillery battery for support, but only few heavy tanks left. The Russians have air support and strong tank forces, but they will have to fight in the open field. Tactics: In the beginning, Germans hold 5 control points, russians hold 2 control points. In order to win, either army will have to capture at least 4 of 7 control points. Game Modes: This map should be playable in multiplayer mode, there is no singleplayer support, sadly. Known Issues: This map is not completely finished! i have done at least 90 percent work, but stoped because of lack of time. I still like the overall idea and want to hand it to the public. Anyone who wants to do some improvement - feel free to alter this map in any way. I know, that the russian skins are not right, some are american. There is no menue mini-picture and no comment text when the map is loaded. The russian city is not completely finished. This map is made with battlecraft and now other tools, because i got no skills in programming. Contact: I like to hear any kind on comment on my work, please contact: spam@borntogrill.de Have fun playing! [\/quote]\n\n#### El Alamein JU 88 Bomber\n\nel_alamein_ju88_bomber.zip | 1.42 MB\n\n#### Island airstrip\n\ndc_island_airstrip.rar | 9.46 MB\n\n#### Piti_Final\n\npiti-final.zip | 5.04 MB\n\nan island with 5 control point to take and 6 landing zones for the landing craft. It supports Single Player, COOP, TDM and Conquest. Capture the flag is untested, but should work. To install: Open the zip file \"piti-20040104.zip\". Extract Piti.rfa into Battlefield's bf192 mod levels folder. It should be in: \/Mods\/bf1942\/Archive\/bf1942\/levels Please report any problems to me: William Murphy glyph@intergate.com This level features the island of Piti (not really, Piti looks nothing like this one), a childhood favorite of mine. It's a nice place to visit and a beautiful place. Have fun tearing it up. I don't know if any battles at all took place there, but since I grew up in the islands and have seen all the pill boxes (Japanese strong points). I suspect there may have been. I designed this level just to see if I could solve the AI landing craft problem. I don't think anyone, outside of EA GAMES has gotten them to work yet. I did. Have fun.\n\n#### DC Desert Strike\n\ndc_desert_strike.rar | 6.48 MB\n\n#### Operation Moose\n\noperation_moose.rfa | 57.51 MB\n\n#### Cherbourg (1.4)\n\ncherbourg_ver1_4.zip | 3 MB\n\nthis map was found at: http:\/\/www.army.mil\/cmh-pg\/books\/WWII\/utah\/utah.htm *** This map is designed for skilled conquest players. The germans is to defend the occupied Cherbourg and the allied will by surprice conqure the control points one by one. It contains a loot of various tactical openings from both sides. The main battle will probably be won by the skill of assults and anti tank soldiers. The houses in Cherbourg can be used for both attacking and defending and the team that have the best aim will gain the victory. There is also the poweful destroyer on allied side and two fast luftwaffe planes on german side. This battle have the variation for all players and requests well trained soldiers to win. *** Features: - Ballanced to provide various of tactical battles. - Ammo and mediclockers spread out in the map to provide fun soldier to soldier battles. - Various of gaming on land, at sea and in the air. - Enclosed map with all details presented. Requirements: - A PC with Bf1942 game. - Orginal Dice maps installed. - Unzip the Cherbourg.rfa map file in: BF1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels Thanks to all editing tools for making this possible: - Madbull Mapeditor1.2: http:\/\/www.flashbots.co.uk\/madbull\/ - Editor 42: http:\/\/bfed.3dmax.org\/ - RFA Extractor and Grapics MakeRFA Beta 3 - BF1942 UK Map Editig forum: http:\/\/www.battlefield1942.co.uk\/forums\/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=20 (special tanks for support from Perfectionist and Uncle Sam) Any comments please mail me at - mail@densloe.net - Hope you enjoy this map. 1st Lt Densloe, Sweden [\/quote]\n\n#### BattleGroup42 - New Debrecen Map Video (Exclusive)\n\ndebrecen.wmv | 8.21 MB\n\n#### DC Fear and Loathing\n\ndc_fear_and_loathing.ace | 9.98 MB\n\nhuge lakes, boats and aquatic action, and of course air war.[\/quote]\n\n#### GC Market Garden\n\ngc_market_garden.zip | 420.96 KB\n\nwheels:) and all weapons,uniforms,and flags, now does this map not sound fun or what. Note: Required [file=\"17293\"]GC Bot Ready[\/file]!\n\n#### DC RTR Fix ver.1.1\n\ndc_rtr_fixed_ver1.1.zip | 1.74 MB\n\nreally, dialup don\\'t realy count in me books lol.\n\n#### Corridor to Bastogne\n\ncorridor_to_bastogne.zip | 7.97 MB\n\n#### ChasersIsland\n\nchasersisland.rar | 6.98 MB\n\n#### Battle for Tarawa\n\nbattle_for_tarawa.zip | 15.53 MB\n\n#### Air Combat *REVEIWED*\n\nair_combat.zip | 11.3 MB\n\nThere is 1 capturable flag somewhere between the bases, as well as a stopping point a bit farther off in case someone actually wants to drive one of the 3 ground vehicles parked near the graveyard. So whats so different about that you might ask? Well somewhere out in the middle of the desert is a \"nugget\". I wont say what it is, someone else can post it, but it was something that I was pleasantly surprised to find in a DC map:) ****************************************************************************** THE MAP ACRODING TO SOT WELL ITS AN OK PLANE MAP WITH ONE SPAWN I N THE MIDDLE. THE ONLY PROMBLEM IS YOU RUN OUT OF ROOM TO QUICK ON THE MAP WHILE FLYING. YOUR JUDGEMENT IS 2.5 OUT OF 5 PIES. ITS OK.\n\n#### Nasiriyah\n\nnasiriyah.rar | 12.02 MB\n\nseem a little out of place in this map, but who doesnt enjoy a good forklift joust every now and then?\n\n#### CSAB Map Pack - *reviewed*\n\ncsabmappack1.zip | 33.29 MB\n\nassault. The scenery as I flew over Eagles Nest was spectaculer! What are you waiting for? Go and get em now!\n\n#### Battlecraft 1942 (Map Editor)\n\nbattlecraft_1942_beta_v1_0.zip | 11.49 MB\n\nv1.4[\/file] [file=\"14958\"]Also, check out the samples that are a must![\/file] The readme.txt that comes with this zip file is \"corrupted\" because it doesn\u00b4t break the lines to start a new line, you can copy and paste it from below or you can download it seperately by clicking [file=\"15015\"]here[\/file].\n\nfeedback, as this is the first mainstream release and there are many issues that need addressing. [\/quote]\n\n#### Battle of the Atlantic\n\nbattle_of_the_atlantic.zip | 1.13 MB\n\nthe bitter cold waters of the North Atlantic against the German forces. In a hard-fought and intense struggle to cut off Britain's maritime supply lines, Germany naval and air forces attacked Allied merchant shipping. The British, Canadian and American allied naval and air forces were deployed to defeat the German forces. Objectives: Battle Of The Atlantic takes place at night in the North Atlantic. The British and German naval forces' objective is take and hold both flags and to totally eliminate the opposing forces. Installation Instructions: To use just extract the file Battle_Of_The_Atlantic.rtf into your bf1942 levels folder. Normally: C:\\Program Files\\EA GAMES\\Battlefield 1942\\Mods\\bf1942\\Archives\\bf1942\\levels Uninstall Instructions: To uninstall simply remove the file Battle_Of_The_Atlantic.rtf from your bf1942 levels folder. Normally: C:\\Program Files\\EA GAMES\\Battlefield 1942\\Mods\\bf1942\\Archives\\bf1942\\levels Change Log: 1.0.0 05\/07\/2003 - Initial release Any help in completing with the above changes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks: - Ryan Foss moseley@ga.prestige.net for MakeRFA and RFA Extractor Utilities - MoonQuake simxmoonquake@hotmail.com for Wake Evening Level - http:\/\/forums.bf42.com for hosting Battlefield 1942 Editing Forums - DICE and EA for Battlefield 1942 Game Feedback: Feel free to send your comments and suggestions to mjgoya@yahoo.com. [\/quote]\n\n#### Benghazi 11\n\nbenghazi_11.zip | 33.45 MB\n\nVehicals in a map no mod required! Jeeps with Machine Gun\\'s and Aircraft that fire rockets instead of bombs Each side has a base with 2 AA guns 6 Jeeps 2 MG 3 seater Jeeps Rocket armed aircraft (3 Stuka\\'s\/ 2 SBD\\'s) as the SBD is flys better than the Stuka 1 Halftrack 1 Self Propelled Gun 4 Light Tanks The centre base has 4 AA guns 2 Light Tanks 2 Jeeps The Eastern and Western bases contain 1 AA guns 1 Jeep 1 MG 3 seater Jeep 1 Self Propelled Gun 1 Light Tank [\/quote]\n\n#### Desert Combat Sound (0.3n)\n\ndesert_combat_sound_detail.zip | 69.1 MB\n\n#### Aberdeen CTF\n\naberdeen_1.0.zip | 10.88 MB\n\n#### Coral Sea for Desert Combat\n\ncoral_sea_for_dc.zip | 9.34 MB\n\nfor balance.[\/quote]\n\n#### Navy Sherman\n\nnavysherman.zip | 32.67 KB\n\n#### Mobile Anti-Aircraft Gun\n\naam3a1.zip | 60.94 KB\n\nCareful though, to balance out the devastation small firearms will do some damage to the vehicle and tank shells will pretty much rip you apart with one shot. Strategic use of this M3-AA gun is your best bet, going Rambo on an enemy base isn't. :p Note: While this is classed as a single player mod, it should be possible to play online with it installed as long as the server has the same mod files.\n\n#### Dj\\'s Bloody MP44\n\ndjsbloodymp44.zip | 318.15 KB\n\n#### --==Killah==--'s Waffen SS\n\nkillahs_waffenss.zip | 448.06 KB\n\n#### AfriKa Tank Battle\n\nafrika_tank_battle.zip | 1.99 MB\n\ndont know how well the bots respond to the changes yet... Check it out for yourself. [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/6352_germanbase.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### Realism Mod (SP)\n\nswr-realism-mod.zip | 1.38 MB\n\nof changes: Grenades do far less damage to tanks Bazooka and Panzershreck splash damage against infantry slightly increased All weapon strength increased. Tanks have more splash damage against infantry All guns have faster moving bullets Planes bomb loads have been changed. B-17 can now do real carpet bombing.\n\n#### SP vs SV mappack(Brothers wars)\n\nsp_vs_sv_mappack.rar | 80.5 MB\n\nscenario. the maps are: 1:Episode 1 2:Episode 2(Wrath of sp) 3:Episode 3(Black ops) 4:Episode 4 5:Episode 5(Berlin at siege) +bonuses. To understand some basic thinks before read any story here are some explanations: SP is the good guy.The American General of his great army.His company. SV is his old brother.He is an American but he joined the Nazis. Berlin City is the city next to Essen.SV is hiding there and he has gathered his whole army. Mission 1 is at France. Mission 2 is at France too. Mission 3 is on the Alps. Mission 4 + 5 are both in Berlin.(Berlin map disappointed me.I cant but in bots sorry)ill upload it separate. Long and prototype scenario hope you will like it.Download and comment.\n\n#### GREECE\n\ngreek_battle.rar | 4.05 MB\n\ninclude a skin made by me witch it represents the British and the American flag with a form of a Greek flag and it also has a Bulgarian flag representing the German nazi flag.The loading screen is from Google earth.\n\n#### French_Algeria_Beach\n\nfrench_algeria_beach.zip | 5.95 MB\n\nneeded.\n\n#### Sniper\\'s Cove\n\nsnipers_cove.rfa | 4.87 MB\n\ninvolves two land masses converted by two bridges and a canyon at the bottom with a river in it.\n\n#### DC_Silo_Valley for DC7\n\ndc_silo_valley.rfa | 142.6 MB\n\nmap has been designed with elements of the famous mods EOD and combat desert. Here are some screen shots. You can download it and come play on our server. Game Server: 178.32.72.38 : 14567 Site: http:\/\/WWW.SWATKLAN.FR Here the link for download the map with installer: [url]http:\/\/www.swatklan.fr\/index.php?file=Download&nuked_nude=index&op=do_dl&dl_id=25[\/url]\n\n#### Championship Aberdeen\n\nchampionship_aberdeen.rar | 24.54 MB\n\nconfrontation between armored, giving no strategic choice to stay in the area of the flag, making camping. Wins the best strategy in a limited terrain.\n\n#### BF1942\n\nfixed : vehicles have now the desert color.\n\n#### Bloody Chapel\n\nbloody_chapel.zip | 34.14 MB\n\n#### The Village\n\nthe_village.rar | 15.55 MB\n\nthe entirety of this map. Man to man fighting is the key here, the catch is no grenades, expack and only one Medlocker.\n\n#### BattleCity\n\nbattlecity.zip | 21.36 MB\n\n#### Berlin Last Night\n\nberlin_last_night.rar | 17.65 MB\n\nmapfolder (Battlefield1942\/Mods\/bf1942\/archive\/bf1942\/levels\/) I thank the support of the Fizzy.\n\n#### Kursk\n\n96kursk_nbc.exe | 8.41 MB\n\n!!! :) Visit the forum for more info on this map and on the Firefly 1942 Mod www.bf1942.com.br\/forum\n\nno idea how to make these Medium tanks. Changed: Longer Cannons Damaged are not changed but it's very accurate (almost not affected by gravity). Install: You will need WinRFA to install this or another program that supports .RFA format. Theres a lot of programs that supports .RFA in any way of installing (install this mod in the way that your program do). Bugs: You may encounter some bugs which i didn't encounter Patch and Expansion pack problems: My game is in patch 1.06.101 it may not work on lower versions of the game. I haven't tested it on expansion packs (Road to Rome and Secret Weapons of WW2). Credits: Dice for making the game\n\n#### Commandos Corps\n\ncommandos_corps.exe | 38.15 MB\n\nof Stategic Services, 2nd Ranger Battalion. Mod by SAS_19 and torpedobomber25 from Croatia. ChangeLog 1.01 What's new in mod? -new sounds: the machine gun-better historical accuracy, rifles, pistols, bayonets, grenades, hand grenades. -new uniforms: Allied commando (SAS, White Eagles-101st Airborne Division, SAS desert uniform, SpetzNas and NKVD) and the Axis (Japanese naval intelligence agency, Abwehr) -new camo vehicle:Sherman Marines, 3rd Army Sherman, Sherman snow-winter, 1st Armored Division Sherman, Sherman 101st airborne division support guns, Russian 3rd Tank Corps, carrier SAS, C-47 carrier platform camo, desert camo wespe artillery, wespe winter, priest and tiger modified shell-54 round. -new units: SAS, NKVD, SpetzNas, OSS, Pentagon: Office for Strategic Operations (not OSS), the British Commandos Corps, Red Devils, Wingate s Own Desert Taxi Desert Commando Unit SAS, Abwehr. Maps produced by torpedobomber25, mod made SAS_19.\n\n#### Operation Yugoslavia: Rise and Fall\n\n2operation_yugoslavia_rise_and_fall.exe | 27.05 MB\n\nleave your mark in the war in the Balkans!\n\n#### Operation Yugoslavia Rise and Fall\n\nbf1942_operation_yugoslavia_rise_and_fall_.rar | 23.36 MB\n\narmies and units: Chinese partisans, Holland Resistance, French Resistance, British expeditionary forces, allied missions in Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav partisans. Mod Operation Yugoslavia Rise and Fall, just follow the battle on the southern front, it is the battle with the Yugoslav partisans who have already demonstrated in the previous mod. I did not put the maps, but you can download from the site filefront Aditional mappacks or my maps. (because of size of the mod)his mod into\n\n#### Wittenberg\n\nwittenberg.zip | 14.95 MB\n\nGerman Feldgendarmerie guarding the town.\n\n#### Maginot_Line_for_bg42_1.6\n\nmaginot_line_for_bg42_v1.6.zip | 21.13 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup 42 Version 1.6 Server Files\n\nbg42_full_server_1_6.rar | 141.4 MB\n\n#### Interstate 82 Custom Map Pack\n\nis82mappack2of3_fixed.rar | 871.81 MB\n\n#### Jasiko Marsh\n\njasiko_marsh.zip | 5.65 MB\n\nmap but, the ticket bleed is is purely man-to-man.\n\n#### BFMod\n\nbfmod.zip | 191.29 MB\n\nweapons have custom reticules, some new sounds and ammo amounts(nothing unrealistic or extreme). Added vehicles and other content from RTR and SWoWWII.(mostly vehicles) Added 5 new custom maps(green dot in map list)I designed using BattleCraft42, Botinator and GenPaths tools. 1.CrossRoads 2.Desert Airfield 3.Foresta Sherdan 4.Holy Ground 5.Tunis Added alternate version of Aberdeen and Tobruk. Added C47 mobile spawn to El Alamein and Gazala. Note on custom Textures - The textures are not my own. They are several textures I have collected over time from various sites and belong to their prospective owners\/creators. So, big thank you to them for their hard work. They know who they are. Lastly, this is not a realism\/accuracy mod nor is it historically correct. It's just meant for fun and again, SP\/COOP ONLY.\n\n#### D-Day Omaha Beach\n\nd_day_omaha_beach.rfa | 8.63 MB\n\nand i hope you enjoy it. Thank you!\n\n#### WWIIAustrailianTroop's Custom Weapon Mod\n\nstandardmesh.rar | 15.95 MB\n\nrocket. I added simple things on the rifles such as bayonet and edited.fixed sights. I also changed the sights on the thompson and made them more wider, because the ones before in the original BF1942 were horrible!!!. I also added a double mag to the thompson and added a shield on the panzerschreck. Any suggestions or recommendations, EMAIL ME!! I hope you enjoy it. -Matt Stone\n\n#### Great Bridge\n\ngreat_bridge.zip | 1.32 MB\n\nYamato, and some other ships) and the Allies start with only 1 flag. The Allies start with the same land vehicles but the ships are their US counterparts. An interesting layout, but leaves a good bit to be desired with flag placement and usefulness. ~Sent\n\n#### FHSW 0.3b2\n\nfhsw030beta2clientfull.zip | 1.88 GB\n\n#### DAGL Bridge Nights\n\ndagl_bridge_nights.rfa | 13.06 MB\n\ncan visit dagl at www.daglgaming.com xfire: brandondoom27\n\n#### BattleFeel 1942 Anthology\n\nbattlefeel1942anthology_patch_v101b_20090401.zip | 37.53 MB\n\n#### Island\n\nisland.rfa | 4.79 MB\n\n#### BattleFeel 1942 Anthology\n\nbattlefeel1942anthology_patch_v101a_20090201.zip | 36.74 MB\n\n#### FHSW \"Ratte\" Heavy Tank Wallpaper\n\nfhsw_ratte.zip | 397.06 KB\n\n[URL=http:\/\/www.fhsw-connection.forenking.de\/]HERE![\/URL] - Teuvo\n\n#### Beach Party\n\nbeachparty_v1_rc.zip | 7.18 MB\n\n#### Outpost II\n\noutpost_ii.zip | 27.28 MB\n\nplayed on my clan server (194.54.188.90:14567). I encourage you to give it a try ;) More info in readme file.\n\n#### BattleFeel 1942 Anthology\n\nbattlefeel1942anthology_v101_20090101.zip | 23.41 MB\n\n#### Hilltop Outpost\n\nhilltop_outpost_xpack2_rc.zip | 4.12 MB\n\nwith Jetpacks.\" So, here you get to do a spinning paratrooper thing onto some random snow-covered island out in the middle of an ocean. Nobody seems to be able think of a cool backstory for this one, but if you have one, please post it. You'll need to capture and hold both of the points on this map to get some ticket bleed happening. The main camp has 2 jetpacks lying around for your enjoyment, while the guard tower has 1.\n\n#### Tankers Hell FH\n\nfh_tankers_hell.zip | 9.86 MB\n\n#### BattleFeel1942 - Final Voyage\n\nbattlefeel1942_finalvoyage_20081101.zip | 4.93 MB\n\ninstructions, see readme. ****** This map converts from CareyBear's Coral Sea Co-op Support Patch map (v0.12). It features the HMS Prince of Wales and two IJN Carriers (Shokaku and Zuikaku, not precisely historical... ). It needs the BattleFeel 1942 mod to run, which you can find Here: http:\/\/battlefield2.filefront.com\/file\/BattleFeel_1942;94261\n\n#### Ziggurat\n\nziggurat.zip | 2.98 MB\n\nculminating in a last-stand battle at the top of the ziggurat. Best play in Coop with 40-50 bots, Axis:Aliies ratio 10:1\n\n#### Firefly Mini_mod\/Map Pack Part 2\n\nphoenix1942.part2.rar | 145.43 MB\n\nRome and Secret Weapons , including the famous jetpack *Fuel System in planes and most ground vehicles . No Refuel *Booster System in planes (Waco Glider) , and some jets, this one can be refuelled with ammo *Destroyable structures *Night Maps *Most maps have protected bases against base camping and the maps are made in a way that teamplay is always necessary to win .\n\n#### CQB Training\n\nrc_cqb_practice_bf1942.zip | 3.38 MB\n\n#### Joes Summer Map Pack\n\njoessummermappack.zip | 71.25 MB\n\nin the Ascidera Valley. This map has 6 captureable flags. Nazaire: British commandos run rampid in occupied France while the Germans attempt to drive them back into the sea. This map has 7 captureable flags. Note: (Old Mole must be free of defenders first) Wanda Ridge: Russian armor divisions enter the Wanda Mountains to destroy the Japanese Army. This has 6 captureable flags.\n\n#### Hellfires Gargle Flash\n\nhellfires_gargle_flasht.zip | 6.04 MB\n\nmap. Hope you like it. MADE BY HELLFIRE999\n\n#### Hellfires M9\n\nhellfires_m9.zip | 67.02 MB\n\nersten Projecte die ich nach und nach Hochloaden werde. added new Interritor for Sd.Kfz. 4\/1 (Panzerwerfer 42) added new textures in - Kharkov Outskirts 1943 - Operation Goodwood 1944 - Operation Nordwind 1944 - Prokhorovka 1943 System Requirements : - Battlefield 1942 1.61b - Forgotten Hope 0.70 - Forgotten Hope Secret Weapons 0.27 Ich hoffe es gef\u00e4hlt euch. PS . Das n\u00e4chste Project was ich Hochladen werde, ist ein neues men\u00fc mit diversen Neuerungen.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction 1942 part 3 of 3\n\neod_080_installer.d02 | 245.54 MB\n\n#### Eve of Destruction 1942 Part 2 of 3\n\neod_080_installer.d01 | 650 MB\n\n#### Eve of Destruction 1942 Part 1 of 3\n\neod_080_installer.exe | 650 MB\n\n#### Berlin: Hitler\\'s Bunker\n\nberlin_hitlers_bunker_v1.2.zip | 7.19 MB\n\n#### FH 0.7 Fan Mappack (Server Files)\n\nfh_fanmappack_server.rar | 22.14 MB\n\n#### Berlin: Hitlers Bunker\n\nberlin_hitlers_bunker_v1.1.zip | 7.33 MB\n\nkilled himself and his wife.\n\n#### Kuril\n\nkuril.zip | 5.77 MB\n\nislands- the factory, prison camp, and the airfield (note: the airfield is the only cp whith aircraft, + it has a village).\n\n#### Frontline\n\nfrontline_v1.1.zip | 5.2 MB\n\n#### Railway\n\nrailway_rc_xpack1.zip | 4.49 MB\n\nalso supported. Includes a rain effect, thunder\/rain ambient sounds, and new skins for some of the weapons.\n\n#### Frontal Assault Bunkers On Top\n\nfrontalasseultbunkersontop.zip | 3.47 MB\n\nassault bunkers on top. About the war in the Alps. Only playable in conquest mode. We Will Win this, the Axis shout. It is a fantasy map![\/quote]\n\n#### Transformers Mod Open Beta Client Files\n\ntransformers_v2003b_full_b.zip | 272.67 MB\n\nbattle in \\\"Transformers The Movie\\\" - Channels: Be sure your flight stick is calibrated! - Lithone: Based on the first planet Unicron devoured. - Titan: A space battle near Saturn\u2019s moon Titan. Destroy the enemy ship to win. New Vehicles include: - Thunderbolt - SF38a Defender - SF38b Annihilator - SF38c Decimator Trailer video http:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=7tL8itF2UPg For more information about this build or the mod visit the official Transformers Mod website http:\/\/www.resemblesreality.com\/TFMod\/ Play this mod on the Nerves Of Steel (NOS) game server. Visit the official Transformers mod game server\\'s website to learn more. http:\/\/www.resemblesreality.com\/NOS\/\n\n#### Joe's Next Map Pack\n\njoesnextmappak.zip | 104.39 MB\n\nCherbourg. this map has 7 capture-able flags. Pripit Road: Using the cover of night, Russian units attempt to flank The German center line. They soon are outguned in a nightmare battle with Tigers. this map has 7 capture-able flags. Zero Hour: The Americans are losing an Island airstrip to a Japanese assault with air cover. this map has 6 capture-able flags. Volgua Heat: A Russian armor division attempts to recapture a town across the Volga River. this map has 6 capture-able flags. Divine Wind: The Japanese sweep west and engage the British in the Indian Ocean. this map has 2 carrier bases, 2 capture-able sea flags.\n\n#### Battlefield Pirates 1 Anniversary Mappack\n\nanniversarymappack.exe | 56.78 MB\n\nlot has changed since then in BFP for BFP1. That is until now! We have brought together some of the BFP Final mappers and some of our own mapmakers from within The Scurvy Dogs clan to produce this Mappack which we hope will further your enjoyment of BFP1 and help keep the pirates tradition going. A lot of hard work has been put in from some dedicated pirate mappers and testers, so thanks to all involved. This pack contains 19 maps, we hope to see you on the battlefield! Map list and creators. Assault on Port Porpoise - Muad\\'Dib Blasted Shores - Brutus Bridge too far - Muad\\'Dib Cave Raid - Brutus Cliffhanger - Muad\\'Dib Defender - Archimonde Flushed Away - Muad\\'Dib Isle Of Remore - Stealth Isle of Woe - Brutus Lolrus Creek - Cap\\'n Pugwash Lost and Confused - Muad\\'Dib Paradise Isles - The Fornicator Pirates Playhouse - Brutus Rum Runner Temples - Archimonde The Crossing - Cap\\'n Pugwash Timberment - Stealth Trauma - Cap\\'n Pugwash Two Castles - Muad\\'Dib Visby Ruins - Cap\\'n Pugwash\n\n#### Forgotten Hope: Secret Weapons Incremental Patch\n\nfhsw026patch.zip | 3.03 MB\n\n#### Joe\\'s Map Pack\n\njoesmaps.zip | 70.11 MB\n\n#### ACMod\n\nbf1942_acmod_v1_0.rar | 397.5 KB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope Map - Breakthrough at Vienna\n\nfh_breakthrough_at_vienna.zip | 22.63 MB\n\nPlayer -Capture The Flag -Conquest -Team deathmatch\n\n#### Reichskanzlei-1945\n\nreichskanzlei1945.rar | 28.73 MB\n\n#### Airfield Assault\n\nairfield_assault_3_v1.zip | 7.68 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope Map: The Hill\n\nrfa_thehill_french.zip | 9.52 MB\n\n#### Escape\n\nescape.rar | 5.5 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope Map: German Town\n\ngermantown.rar | 3.03 MB\n\n#### Fiji_Islands 1942 Conquest Map\n\nfiji_islands.zip | 7.26 MB\n\ncapture, but only one where you can spawn. Two of the flags are located in the water, and the other flag is an airfield where the only dive bombers are. When a team has captured two flags the other team will lose tickets very fast so they need to quickly take at least one flag back.\n\n#### Kaz Map Free For All\n\nkaz_map_free_for_all.zip | 6.63 MB\n\n#### Lost Soldiers\n\nlost_soldiers_mappack.rar | 136.09 MB\n\nyou can win by racing to the defgun at shore and bombard your enemy. * Action Town - A small complex in the north African hillside is being raided by german and US troops. Sneak under the town in the underground sewer systems and attack your enemy in the rear! * Deserters Island - a plane has crashlanded in the south sea. On-board were a platoon of the army of Canada on way home after fighting the war in Europe. The island they crashlanded on however, showed to be home to a platoon of insane deserters from the US army! The Canadians are ordered to capture and control the island, and to take out the americans.\n\n#### B-17 Paraspawn\n\nb17paraspawn.zip | 403.17 KB\n\nit, you spawn off to one side. About halfway. The spawn point you see is the b17 flying around. just make sure its high enough when you spawn. Dont forget to activate your parachute. As when you spawn it doesnt open. The SBD Enhancement Mini-Mod is included with this mod.[\/quote]\n\n#### Storm of Steel\n\nstorm_of_steel.zip | 65.91 MB\n\nRegiments of the 216th Division has blazed through the area but has now reached the massive defences the russians have set up to stop the agressors before they reach Kursk. The Soviet positions, containing six defensive belts, were strong and deep. In front of each belt of strong points are vast mine-fields averaging 5,000 mines per mile of front. To aid their breakthrough attempt, the Wurttemburgers are reinforced with assault guns and heavy tanks. In the morning hours of the 5th, the Germans began to rumble forward in a storm of steel...\n\n#### BattleGroup 42 Server Files\n\nbg42_.server_all_131_full.zip | 150.72 MB\n\n#### Gallipoli - 1942\n\ngallipoli.rfa | 20.76 MB\n\n1942. To install, simply add the Gallipoli.rfa file to the standard bf1942 maps folder (Default is C:\\\\Program Files\\\\EA Games\\\\Battlefield 1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels)\n\n#### Winter Storm Small - Secret Weapons\n\nws16_xpack2_rc.zip | 4.64 MB\n\nenemy tickets to rapidly decrease.\n\n#### FinnWars Final Extended - Server\n\nfwe_dedicated1.2.zip | 197.89 MB\n\n#### BattleGroup 42 - Client Files 1 of 3\n\nbattlegroup42_version1_3.exe | 683.59 MB\n\nanti-virus software that may be running! Feel free to scan the files before installation. Place all three files into the same directory and start the EXE installer. From the BG42 crew...Enjoy! (And watch your six!!!)\n\n#### Island of Horror\n\nisland_of_horror.zip | 21.72 MB\n\nit quickly. In the crash the Canadians are slightly injured and start the round bleeding tickets.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction - Face to Face\n\nwhoopu2_face_to_face.zip | 11.61 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1918 2.5 Final - Client Files\n\nbf1918_2.5_final.zip | 891.91 MB\n\n#### Winter Storm\n\nwinter_storm_rc.zip | 9.86 MB\n\n#### Merciless Creations 1942 Historical Addon\n\nmerciless_1942_v.4.1.4.zip | 364.2 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat Dedicated Windows Server\n\ndesertcombat_0.5l_full_server_install.exe | 34.52 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat\n\ndesertcombat_0.5l_beta_full_install.exe | 541.56 MB\n\n#### DC_Extended\n\ndcxsetup4j1.zip | 22.26 MB\n\nare fully supported by DC_Extended. We've also added support for the DCTextures mod. Although DC_Extended has it's own theme and map based skin switching, many people requested that DC_Extended be compatible with DCTextures to avoid duplicating files in DC_Extended folders.[\/quote]\n\n#### BF1918 1.5 Patch\n\nbf1918_update_1_5_eng.exe | 11.37 MB\n\nofficial 1918 servers will be adapted to the new version during the day, one of them featuring Deulemont exclusively until further notice. With this small update we hope to while away your waiting time for Major Release 2 and wish you much fun with the new version.\n\n#### BF1918 V1.51 Full Client\n\nbf1918_1_51.exe | 379.46 MB\n\nwith Battlefield 1918. Bot support is included so you guys can go and practice, if you need to at all that is. Changelog: Battleaxe included Charkov included Tobruk included All 3 Maps are bot-supported. Both of our official servers should be getting updated during the evening. One of these servers will be set to only run these new converted maps for the time being. We hope that this patch can hold you over until our Major Release 2. Have fun!\n\n#### Battlefield 1918 Major Release 2 Client Files\n\nbf1918_mr2.exe | 836.88 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1861 0.11 patch\n\n011patch.zip | 106.65 KB\n\n#### Factory\n\nfactory_bfmapv.1.0.zip | 9 MB\n\n#### Holding the Line - Forgotten Hope\n\nholding_the_line.rar | 37.52 MB\n\nrails at the rail yard, and now, they have to capture the city before the supply train gets back behind the Russian lines.\n\n#### Who Dares Wins Full Install\n\nwhodareswins023client.exe | 424.51 MB\n\ntheir other projects.\n\n#### Secret Island\n\nsectret_island.zip | 7.05 MB\n\n#### BattleCraft 42 Kit Support\n\nbc42kitsupport.zip | 564.33 KB\n\nthem, only bf1942. Also, if you\\'ve made changes to bf1942.lst you may want to back it up as this overwrites it.\n\n#### Mansion of the Snake Singleplayer AI Files\n\nmansion_of_the_snake_singleplayer_ai_files.zip | 2.74 MB\n\ntroops through the area. The Mansion is located at a strategic cross point which binds a bridge to a main road. The map features custom sound and is set in an atmospheric autumn environment. The Allies are the attacking force in this map and their objective is to conquer all Control Points, the Axis need to defend the Control Points until the Allies tickets reach zero. This is only an add-on for the existing map which you can find [url=\\\"\/file\/;52677\\\"]here[\/url].\n\n#### Western War\n\nwestern_war.rar | 100.21 MB\n\n#### NZSAS Berlin Outskirts Final (FH.7)\n\nnzsas_berlin_outskirts_final_fh7.rar | 8.54 MB\n\n#### BF1942 PolderBattle V2\n\npolderbattlev2.zip | 5.55 MB\n\n#### BF1942 Panzer War\n\npanzerwar_by_sjulimann.rar | 2.36 MB\n\n#### BF1942 Pacific Battle Final\n\npacific_battle_final.zip | 33.26 MB\n\n#### DCF Oil Grounds\n\nnew_dcf_oil_grounds.rar | 17.98 MB\n\nis now moving in to take the city and a near by fort.\n\n#### Marshall Islands\n\nmarshall_islands.zip | 17.29 MB\n\nIslands from the Japanese. This will not be an easy task.\n\n#### VXF DC Fly Zone\n\nvxf_dc_fly_zone_ii_22_august.exe | 17.57 MB\n\nunder. Just check out the Video below for a small taste of this kick ass map.\n\n#### DCX Port Authority\n\nport_authority_dcx.zip | 36.57 MB\n\n#### Throw Mod\n\nthrow_mod.zip | 20.85 MB\n\nthe confusion about the file size. Basically in this mod you play from a very minimized view, and instead of using your normal arsenal of weapons you have to use about every vehicle avaible in the original game. It is really a funny mod, a server for it was already set up under the following IP: 80.220.93.214.14567 (thanks to Teuvo for the info). So have a lot fun with it, you won't regret it. :) [b]Note:[\/b] The readme files are completly in Japanese so they don't get posted here, same is for the official mod website. Pille\n\n#### Mission Island\n\nmission_island.zip | 24.57 MB\n\nbecause there are PT boats in it. Check the screens.\n\n#### DCF Twin Cities\n\ndcf_map.zip | 8.17 MB\n\nthe wrong maps.\n\n#### MGS2 EDC Sound Pack\n\nmetal_gear_solid_2_edc_sound_pack.zip | 3.53 MB\n\n#### Lone and bsfoltz Map Pack\n\nlone_and_bsfoltz_map_pack.zip | 4.52 MB\n\nHill.\n\n#### Enemy At The Gate\n\nenemy_at_the_gate.rar | 21.14 MB\n\nplayers online since the house battles gave my friends and me a lot of fun there, but in case you can\\'t play this online the map also features bot support. So check this baby out, it\\'s definatly worth it :P\n\n#### DCF Giza\n\ndcf_giza.rar | 6.71 MB\n\n#### FH Giza\n\nfh_giza.rar | 3 MB\n\n#### FH Gazala Two\n\nfh_gazala_two.rar | 5.78 MB\n\n#### Fun Racing Mod V0.2\n\nfun_racing_0.2.exe | 147.26 MB\n\nrespawn after some races. A checkpoint is in fact two flags: one for the axis and the other for the allies. Each flag and the direction of the following race is indicated by a pannel. At the end a flag must be taken and it will reduce the number of tickets of the other team. However this flag can be taken by the other team at any moment contrary to the checkpoints. Every weapons and every vehicles are the same that in Battlefield 1942 or they were taken in different mods with their agreement. Some vehicles of Battlefield 1942 have been modified by HeRbE and Naimbus. During the development many tests have been made and they showed that nobody can cheat and pass one race.\n\n#### 1\/9AirCav\\'s DCF Map Pack\n\n_ss1_19aircav_dcf_map_pack.rar | 138 MB\n\nover the maps and their individual history: [b]Libertation of Harlingen v.2[\/b] [quote]This map was created to represent the fall of German occupied Harlingen, Holland, by Canadian troops, on the march to liberate Amsterdam. The town fell to the Canadians on 5 May 1945. Although this battle was a minor battle compared to the fighting taking place inside Germany by Patton and the Russian army, every battle is major to the soldiers involved in the fighting. During my research on the battle I found little usable information on this battle as far as loadout and vehicles however, the city is mapped to be an accurate, if out of scale representation of the actual city.[\/quote] [b]Slovenian Alps DAY 2[\/b] [quote] Slovenia is a small mountainous country comprised mostly of farms & villages located between Italy and Hungary. Un-improved roadways and heavy summer rains make travel difficult. In 1941 during WWII Slovenia, ruled by Yugoslavia\/Russia was overtaken by German & Italian troops then split up between them and Hungary. After the war Slovenia returned to Yugolsavia\/Russia control. This map is a loose representation of the battles that took place during that time.[\/quote] [b]Slovenian Alps v.2[\/b] As \\\"Slovenian Alps DAY 2\\\" this map is meant to represent the battles in Slovenia between the Russian\/Yugoslavian and German\/Italian troops for this small country between Hungary and Italy. [b]Yakima Firing Center v.3[\/b] [quote]Y.F.C. is a military reservation located in central WA. State,USA. It\\'s weather & terrain make for a perfect desert training area. Still used today it serves as a unique chance for military personnel from Yakima itself, FT. Lewis & McChord AFB (just a few hours drive) to sample desert life & train with a variety of live ordinance in large open ranges.[\/quote] Well guys, I myself had a lot fun during the testing matches, and I\\'m pretty sure you\\'re gonna like this map pack too. This definatly belongs into the cathegory \\\"MUST-Download\\\". :)\n\n#### FH VIllage Assault\n\nfh_village_assault.rar | 4.97 MB\n\n#### FH Tundra\n\nfh_tundra.rar | 2.45 MB\n\n#### Carcassonne\n\ncarcassonne.rar | 49.47 MB\n\n#### DCR Beta 0.85\n\ndcr85.zip | 55.54 MB\n\n#### FH Der Bocage Revisited Two\n\nfh_der_bocage_revisited_two.rar | 1.51 MB\n\nstatic problems) and I gave the map a new name because too many things are changed. - Converted for Forgotten Hope - Bots now back again - More vehicles (Land, air, sea) - Changed closed houses against open houses Many thx to EA\/DICE\/FH_Modteam & [TG] Mr. Joshua the author of the MP_Map Bocage_revisited Installation: take the Map file into Your RTR_level folder Have fun with the machine_gun Hamburger_Hill[\/quote] This is a very nicely made map i think, hope you all enjoy. this is the FH version, get the RTR version if u have RTR.\n\n#### Sebstinator's Death-Bubble Maps\n\nsebstinators_death_bubble_maps.rar | 37.41 KB\n\nMost people ask, do clients have to download the maps? No! These maps are all server side, just upload them in the levels directory of your server and you're set! No more worries about kicking base campers! Instead, you can laugh at them when they die! Please note that nothing in the maps has really changed (other than flags being added in Kursk and a plane being added on Bocage), the only thing these modded maps are for is to kill base campers.\n\n#### FH Kharkov Tankbattle\n\nfh_kharkov_tankbattle.rar | 5 MB\n\nForgotten_Hope Modteam. Installation: take the mapfile into Your FH_Levelfolder much fun with the machine_gun, Hamburger Hill\n\n#### FH Battle of the Sheldt 1944\n\nfh_battle_of_the_sheldt1944.zip | 8.47 MB\n\nmen. Hindered only by the build up of german guns, that prevented allied shipping from reaching Antwerp. Located just out of range from British forces prompted the need for a full scale attack on the Sheldt Estuary, the First Canadian Army was assigned the task, although this map is *based* on historical fact, it is merely my rendition of the battle, the map is *not* historicly accurate. go to \\\"http:\/\/www.vac-acc.gc.ca\/remembers\/sub.cfm?source=history\\\" for more info on Canada\\'s role in the Second World War. :D CANADIAN Army!!\n\n#### RM PearlHarbour2\n\nrm_pearlharbor2.rar | 29.21 MB\n\n#### GAU\\'s DC Mappack V1\n\ngaus_dc_mappack_v1.zip | 217.06 MB\n\nStandoff Slovenian Alps Basrah Stuntday Sulamaniya Desert Strom Gothic Line Dark Jungle DC Lost Jungle 2 GFH 1st Push Linux\n\n#### FH Afrika Tank Battle\n\nfh_afrika_tank_battle.rar | 2.71 MB\n\n#### Solomon Islands SP\/Coop\n\nbf1942_solomon_islands.rar | 141.33 KB\n\n#### Battle BFSS\n\nbattlebfss.zip | 10.35 MB\n\nand other essential useful objects. Allied make their parachute assault into the city after a long period of bombing strikes. Their mission is to secure the checkpoints, and elliminate all enemy threats. Both teams have strategical advantages in this map. Allied with their ability to spread fast while parachuting, and Axis with land vehicles, and the ability to shoot down the Allied before they hit the ground.\n\n#### Norwegian Resistance Battle Of The Bulge\n\nnorwegianres_battle_of_the_bulge.rar | 512.35 KB\n\n#### FN Soviet Airbase\n\nfh_soviet_airbase.rar | 6.78 MB\n\n#### SS Airbase\n\nfh_ss_airbase.rar | 6.12 MB\n\nsupported by a hidden Japanese Admiral \\\"Fujikodak\\\", the SS have a leasing contract for a mutsuki destroyer from him...LOL. The US_Forces have to find them and to destroy the bad man in black.\n\n#### DCX Industrial Harbour\n\ndcx_industrial_harbour.rar | 5.05 MB\n\n#### DC No Fly Zone Day 3\n\ndc_noflyzone_day3.zip | 2.69 MB\n\ntarget buildings to defend\/destroy: 2 hangars, the control towers and the radar stations. All the soldier, bot and most of the jet spawns are tied to your buildings so don\\'t lose them. This map is an air combat only map; the only vehicles on the map are planes and anti-air weapons. NO PARACHUTES!!\n\n#### Light of the Rising Sun v.45\n\nlotrisingsun.exe | 86.1 MB\n\nJapanese, US, and Commenwealth military eqipment as well as custom maps. Everything from the massive H8K Flying Boat to a Katana. Custom maps include a battle for the famous bridge over the river Kwai, island assaults, and much more.\n\n#### FH Rk_Bocage\n\nfh_rk_bocage.rar | 2.43 MB\n\ninto YOur FH_levelfolder, thats all to have fun with the machine_gun Your Hamburger Hill\n\n#### NFA All Out War\n\nnfa_all_out_war.zip | 8.07 MB\n\n#### DCF Kuwait Harbor - Coop\n\ndcf_kuwait_harbor.zip | 5.78 MB\n\nalso...so the best of both worlds....anyway this is for DCFinal...co-op,conquest playable...just unzip to a folder and use the easy to use self installer...screenshots included....enjoy all.....\n\n#### DC Jungle River Mappack\n\njungle_river_mappack.zip | 32.92 MB\n\nrhib\\'s and watch for enemy movements from the air or just get in the thick of things beating through the foliege to defeat your enemy!\\\" This is revamp of the map I made about a year ago, among the upgrades I\\'ve done I have improved the textures (not the usual BC detail.dds), added a custom sky (from BFV), added environment sounds, changed the vehicle spawns around a little, changed the fog settings, and added 3 more game modes (The original only had conquest) This map now works in Conquest, CTF, TDM, and Co-op.\n\n#### Battlefront Bulge\n\nbattlefrontbulge.zip | 26.23 MB\n\n#### DCF Sea Rig Standoff\n\ndc_searig_so.zip | 10.92 MB\n\nbombardment and destruction... the centre bridge has partially collapsted, towers are crooked, debrit and floating junk all over the place. Ive gotten rid of the interior rig flag points (always got lost down there!) and instead have new flags on the crippled tanker(added), and under the bridge. Lots of snipering potential... lots of places to hide...\n\n#### DCF City Streets\n\ncity_streets_for_dcf.zip | 5.71 MB\n\nonly available with the iraqi brdm2 only...ammo is spaced around the map...tight fighting in alleyways...vehicles are limited to were they can be used...goodluck soldiers.. map made and co-op added by GREENBUD as with any map with alot of buildings there is always a possibility of lagg depending on your system specs...adjust bot count accordingly unzip to a folder and use the easy to use installer...screenshots also included in zip file... thank you...\n\n#### Remagen V2\n\nremagen_v21.0.rar | 19.46 MB\n\nany suggestions of how i can improve the map, email me at zerstorer_fubar@hotmail.com\n\n#### Hon Mo Guai\n\nhon_mo_guai_bf42_map.zip | 3.37 MB\n\nallys) And one point in the Middle wich is the point to fight for. For suggestions and suggestions send a mailt to christian@zockerfreunde.de or visit www.zockerfreunde.de Over the map now to install simply into your Battlefield listing and with Mods\/bf1942 klicen so long to you in \\\"levels\\\" the file arrived and then thereby..... with me sees simply pure the path so from >D:\\\\Spiele\\\\Battlefield 1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels so then times much fun and please all improvement suggestions to me....... Sorry, but my English is not so good....\n\n#### NFA Mappack\n\nnfa_map_pack.zip | 65.26 MB\n\n#### German Production Facility\n\ngerman_production_facility.zip | 4.47 MB\n\nyou might see a stuck bot or 2 because this was real fun pathmapping because pf all the objects...unzip to a folder and put in your bf1942\/levels folder....this map was made by \"J3rkfish...co-op added by GREENBUD...thanks.. visit my bf1942 map editing tutorial sites at http:\/\/www.jwest3.20megsfree.com http:\/\/www.bf1942modsandmaps.20megsfree.com\n\n#### DCF El Alamein\n\ndcf_el_alamein.zip | 34.05 MB\n\nbase. You know what I\\'m talking about. Not being able to get out of the US main base to even attempt to capture a flag.\n\n#### GCX GC MOD\n\ngc_gcx_mod.rar | 28.97 MB\n\ndramatic tweaks to just about all of the object files, fixed many things and applied all of it to the original BF1942 maps..for SINGLEPLAYER ONLY.\n\n#### Havoc FH Maps\n\nhavoc_fh_maps.zip | 102.35 MB\n\n#### GFH Knife Island Linux\n\ngfh_knife_island_v1.0.zip | 11.83 MB\n\nthanks to GrimShadow. This map has had all weapons other than the knife disabled. So sharpen your blades and bring your skill because that is what it will take to leave GFH Knife Island. You can play this on our server at 66.102.113.41\n\n#### GFH Knife Island Windows\n\ngfh_knife_island_v1.0.exe | 10.48 MB\n\nthanks to GrimShadow. This map has had all weapons other than the knife disabled. So sharpen your blades and bring your skill because that is what it will take to leave GFH Knife Island. You can play this on our server at 66.102.113.41\n\n#### Enhanced DC Battle of Britain\n\nenhanced_dc_battle_of_britain_666.rar | 1.61 MB\n\n#### DCF Coop Mappack\n\ndc_final_sp_coop_mappack.rar | 4.41 MB\n\nDay2 - Dersert Shield - Coral Sea\n\n#### 21CW Winterland\n\n21cw_winter_land.rar | 6.12 MB\n\n#### 21CW Oil Fields Day2\n\n21cw_dcf_oil_fields_day2.rar | 3.35 MB\n\n#### 21CW Gazala HC\n\n21cw_gazalahc.rar | 2.79 MB\n\n#### Ballistik DCX .8\n\nballistik_dcx_01.8.rar | 478.81 KB\n\n#### Starwars In GC Part IV\n\nsw_in_gc_part_iv.zip | 16.66 MB\n\nmight play the Galactic Conquest mod. However for those already playing the mod, have fun and espect more ! Oh and if I where you don\\'t close the file once you read a familiar line at the end of this part. For at every part from Star Wars in Galactic Conquest will be 5 seconds preview of the next episode.\n\n#### Sengoku 5.1 Full\n\nsengokufull5_1.zip | 48.25 MB\n\n#### City Fight\n\ncity_fight1.zip | 4.97 MB\n\nfor this map. This map took about 3 weeks of building and testing and was made using Battle Craft42.Hope you have a fun time playing it. Julian Redman\n\n#### DC Market Garden\n\ndc_market_garden.zip | 2.4 MB\n\nMODES: DC_Market_Garden supports Conquest, Coop, and Single Player modes. It has been tested with and will run on a dedicated server.\n\n#### BF1942 Snow El Alamein\n\nbf1942_snow_el_alamein.rar | 446.9 KB\n\n#### BRECOURT\n\nbrecourt.zip | 3.85 MB\n\nartillery installation at Brecourt Manor, a few kilometers north of Ste. Marie-du-Mont.\\\"\n\n#### Official BF1942 Linux Server Patch 1.6 to 1.61b\n\nbf1942update1.61.tar.gz | 7.41 MB\n\nexploit that was reported to EA by community member Luigi Auriemma. Many thanks go to Luigi for identifying and reporting the issue. We encourage the community to report exploits to BFHQ@ea.com\n\n#### BF1942 Berlin Under Siege\n\nbf1942_berlin_under_siege.rar | 4.26 MB\n\n#### DC Bridgemon\n\ndc_bringemon.zip | 14.58 MB\n\nplaying it now so I\\'m getting it out there for you to try. Hope you like it. I don\\'t think it will ever be finished ... This is my first map. Please forward constructive criticism to chopperschool@hotmail.com. Simply copy the .rfa file to the DesertCombat levels folder and it will work for all these mods: Desert Combat DC_Final DC_Realism DC_Extended\n\n#### 21CW Wintersturm\n\n21cw_wintersturm.rar | 609.86 KB\n\n#### DC Norway SP\n\ndc_norway_sp_player.rar | 2.9 MB\n\n#### DCF Norway SP\n\ndcf_norway_sp_player.rar | 2.77 MB\n\n#### iets\n\niets.rar | 3.57 MB\n\nmap. it has 5 spawn points (3 can be captured) it has a desert, hill and a village ______________________________________________________ to instal place into (normal) C:\\\\Program Files\\\\EA GAMES\\\\Battlefield 1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels made by: damn, e-mail: ps2cgxb@hotmail.com (for comments)\n\n#### Mine Shaft\n\nmine_shaft.zip | 4.07 MB\n\n#### Movie World V0.20 Part 2 of 2\n\nmovieworld_v0.20_setup2of2.exe | 580.78 MB\n\n#### Haguenau\n\nhaguenau.zip | 9.75 MB\n\nGermans start off with the only capture point, thus counting down the tickets of the Allies. Not only are the allies forced to capture that outpost, but they must cross a river with almost no cover. Since the Allies are at such a disadvantage, it is suggested that the team ratio be 2 Allies per 3 Germans or even 3 Allies per 4 Germans\n\n#### FH Airbase\n\nfh_airbase.rar | 5.72 MB\n\nnow it\u2019s time for Forgotten Hope. SP+COOP Support. Take the airbase.rfa into the FH Levels folder. This is a stand alone map, You don\u2019t need the original map. Map author: Schwebepanzer Converter: Hamburger Hill Thx, Your Hamburger Hill\n\n#### Hell Town\n\nhell_town.rar | 16.02 MB\n\nlet the US the option to paratroop into town.\n\nXWWII Levels folder Attention: You need the BF1942_Map_Pacific_Railroad!!! Converted by Hamburger Hill All Credits by the Original Authors + EA\/DICE Have fun Hamburger Hill\n\n#### XWW2 Airbase\n\nxwwii_airbase.rar | 5.66 MB\n\nLevels folder Attention: You need the BF1942_Map_Pacific_Railroad!!! Converted by Hamburger Hill All Credits by the Original Authors + EA\/DICE Have fun Hamburger Hill\n\n#### Gaus 8 Race\n\ngaus_8_race.rar | 1.02 MB\n\n#### Basewar for Enhanced DC\n\nbasewar_for_enhanced_dc_mod.rar | 2.36 MB\n\n#### Convoy V3\n\nconvoy_ver3.zip | 5.88 MB\n\ntake place in the mittle of the valley. But be aware of soldiers sneaking by in the hideouts with bazooka or as snipers.\n\n#### Eagles Nest - Vanilla\n\neagles_nest_ver1.zip | 20.85 MB\n\nbefore BF2 enters the shops. And for all of you thet want to have a really good map and want to try Secret Weapons this is the map! Enjoy it and if you like it buy Secret Weapon Expansion for full features of winter effects, brand new viechles such as \\\"Sturmtiger\\\" and the powerfull Sherman with rockets, motorcycles and other weapons for infantry. This Vanilla version also ONLY supports conquest play. Xpack2 supports single, coop, CTF and Objective mode.\n\n#### Cherbourg V5\n\ncherbourg_ver5.zip | 6.07 MB\n\nwas found at: http:\/\/www.army.mil\/cmh-pg\/books\/WWII\/utah\/utah.htm *** This map is designed for skilled conquest players. The germans is to defend the occupied Cherbourg and the allied will by surprice conqure the control points one by one. It contains a loot of various tactical openings from both sides. The main battle will probably be won by the skill of assults and anti tank soldiers. The houses in Cherbourg can be used for both attacking and defending and the team that have the best aim will gain the victory. There is also the poweful destroyer on allied side and two fast luftwaffe planes on german side. This battle have the variation for all players and requests well trained soldiers to win. If one team hold 3 flagpoint it start ticketdrop for the enemy.\n\n#### Fly or Die Mappack\n\nfly_or_die.zip | 59.36 MB\n\n#### Fort Meigs V2\n\nfortmeigsv2.zip | 8.87 MB\n\n#### Aberdeen Redux Day3\n\naberdeen_redux_day3_v01.exe | 11.09 MB\n\n#### Final Battle: Liberation\n\nfinal_battle_liberation.zip | 32.5 MB\n\n#### Beach Assault - Dieppe\n\nfinalbattle.zip | 5.18 MB\n\n#### Divided Assault\n\ndivided_assault.zip | 7.54 MB\n\n#### Eternal Forest\n\neternal_forest.zip | 7.49 MB\n\nrepair!!! Trenches,artilery,sniping are the main part of this map, but the other classes are precious too!\n\n#### Desert War\n\ndesertwar.zip | 8.82 MB\n\ndesk german: die allierten haben eine basis die man nicht einnehmen kann und die achsen auch. es gibt 3 capture ponts: SecretFactory,Center,Village die teams haben einen flughafen und ein paar panzer in the base an den punkten respawnen ein paar fahrzeuge. allys und achse haben einen h\u00c3\u00bcgel mit einen radio bunker und darin ein medic kasten ein sessel und ein tisch noch auf dem h\u00c3\u00bcgel eine flak\n\n#### Forgotten Battle\n\nforgotten_battle.zip | 15.43 MB\n\n#### Dog Town\n\ndog_town.rfa.zip | 6.44 MB\n\nflag. Whomever gets that forces the other team back into the streets to fight thier way out of a hole.\n\n#### Foggy Conflaguration\n\nfoggy_conflagration.zip | 3.83 MB\n\n#### Enclave Ammo\n\nenclavealamo.zip | 8.75 MB\n\n#### Embryo Island\n\nembryo_island.exe | 14.87 MB\n\n#### Hell Comes to Frogtown\n\nfrogtown.zip | 34.85 MB\n\n#### Fragsville\n\nfragsville.zip | 10.01 MB\n\n#### Frozen Gorge\n\nfrozen_gorge.zip | 22.42 MB\n\n#### Merderet\n\nmerderet.rfa | 42.54 MB\n\nmen isolated on Hill 30. The mission was to clear the Carquebut-Eturville area. That night the 8 of june 1944 they crossed the river of Merderet.\n\n#### BFPro 7.1 Full Install\n\nbfpro0.71fullclient.exe | 259.58 MB\n\ninstaller. 2) To add some well tested custom maps. 3) To make Road to Rome fun again with patches. The stock BF1942 maps can be played with the BFPro gameplay changes, and the BFPro maps can be played in stock BF1942.\n\ntexture for a blood-drenched battle field at the edge of the trenched area to the east, while to the west of Garron's Cradle blown bridges prevent access, making a slow and easily targeted trek.\n\ndcfrtr.zip | 519.56 KB\n\n#### DC_Umm_Qasr_Harbor\n\ndc_umm_qasr_harbor.zip | 44.35 MB\n\n#### DC_Waterhill\n\ndc_waterhill.zip | 29.25 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat Final Server Files\n\ndc_final_server.run | 23.04 MB\n\nenjoy! See ya on the battlefield! NOTE: Desert Combat Final is a MINI MOD! You will need Desert Combat 0.7 already on your server in order to use it. Thanks!\n\n#### DP Boot Camp\n\ndp_bootcamp.zip | 39.64 MB\n\nSee ya on the battlefield! ( Screenshot courtesy of Planetbattlefield )\n\n#### Chapezzo Forest\n\nchapezzo_forest.zip | 3.55 MB\n\n#### Danube Blues\n\ndanube_blues_v2.0.zip | 27.73 MB\n\n#### Mass Destruction\n\nmassdestruction.zip | 14.51 MB\n\n#### Chilled Corpse Cemetary\n\nchilledcorpsecemetary.zip | 9.53 MB\n\n#### BF Duel\n\nbfduel.zip | 1.05 MB\n\nPretty neat! Download it now and give it a go. See ya on the battlefield!\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.65 1\/3\n\nforgotten_hope_v065_install_1_of_3.exe | 635.38 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.65 2\/3\n\nforgotten_hope_v065_install_2_of_3.exe | 630 MB\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.65 3\/3\n\nforgotten_hope_v065_install_3_of_3.exe | 404.56 MB\n\nget the full mod. Here are the links: File 1 of 3: [b]CLICK HERE!!![\/b] File 2 of 3: [b]CLICK HERE!!![\/b] We hope that you enjoy Forgotten Hope! See ya on the battlefield!\n\n#### Galactic Conquest Full Client\n\ngalacticconquestr4setup.exe | 640.19 MB\n\n#### Danube Blues\n\ndanube_blues_v11.0.zip | 27.94 MB\n\nconquest-headon map. + The Unusable defgun represents the citadel on the hill. + this map is optimised for conquest\/CTF.\n\n#### DC Coastal Hammer\n\ndc_coastal_hammer.zip | 32.88 MB\n\n#### Recruit Snyders Anthology Server Files\n\nanthology_server.rar | 10.28 MB\n\n#### Remagen v1.0\n\nremagen_v11.0.zip | 20.06 MB\n\n#### Silent Heroes Server Package\n\nsilentheroes1.beta.0.40.digitalsoftware.server.package.rar | 18.09 MB\n\nsoldiers!\n\n#### DC essential files 1.5\n\ndc_essential_files_v1_5.zip | 2.07 MB\n\n#### IS82 Client 1.8 -> 1.81 Patch\n\ninterstate181patch.exe | 46.04 MB\n\njumper -Improved performance for streetrace and streets. -Improved overall server performance. -Removed the ability to flip back our cars on wheels once on the roof to avoid exploit. If you're a real fan. you can't miss downloading this ;)\n\n#### Battle_Of_Kingman_Reef\n\nbattle_of_kingman_reef.zip | 1.87 MB\n\n#### Carentan Alpha1\n\ncarentan_alpha1.rar | 3.61 MB\n\n#### Behind Enemy Lines Remake\n\nbehind_enemy_lines_remake.rar | 87.51 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat Realism Mod\n\ndcrealisminstall.exe | 15.83 MB\n\n#### The Great War\n\ntgw01.15full.exe | 119.91 MB\n\n#### 21st Century Warfare\n\ncenturywarfare.zip | 37.82 MB\n\n#### My Pirate\n\nmypirate.zip | 10.04 MB\n\nluck on other maps.\n\n#### Skinning Tutorial\n\nbf1942v1.3_skinning_tutorial.zip | 316.31 KB\n\ncan visit Www.lightningbrigade.org and visit the forums where I post as =TLB=PolishTHUNDER. Otherwise feel free to email me, Foreu2env@comcast.net You can either play the swf on its own, or open the HTML file. he HTML file is suggested because it enlarges everything a bit. Flashplayer is required. Created by Steve Brozowski, Feb 18, 2003.\n\n#### Forgotten Hope 0.6 to 0.61 UPDATE\n\nforgottenhope0.6to0.61update.exe | 44.83 MB\n\npatch! ALL 3 files are needed for you to be able to install and play FH 0.61. The 3 Files are: 1) [file=\"24237\"]Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 1 of 2: Main Installer[\/file] 2) [file=\"24238\"]Forgotten Hope 0.6 - File 2 of 2: All Maps[\/file] 3) Forgotten Hope 0.6 to 0.61 UPDATE (this page) [i][b]And Finally Note:[\/b] Yes FH .6 has been out since march 16th but due to a lot of crazy and messed up events of the past 9 days, we\u00b4ve had A LOT of downtime. So sorry for the inconvenience :([\/i] --- Forgotten Hope 0.6 will bring you two new armies: The French and Italian Forces. But there are also new weapons for the Germans and British armies planned, and later on also other new nations will make their way into the mod. [b]Forgotten Hope 0.61 features:[\/b] - 130 vehicles - Over 40 maps!!! - Atlantic - Crete - Zielona Gora - Battle of Valirisk - Battle of Orel - Gazala (Original map usable by Forgotten Hope) - Kharkov Winter (redone Kharkov map) - Karelia - New Sounds and Textures - New Gameplay - New Graphics - New Damage System - 15 New Weapons --- Having problems installing? Be sure to check out the FAQ on the Official Forgotten Hope Forums: http:\/\/www.gamingforums.com\/showthread.php?t=115233\n\n#### Battlefield Vietnam Dedicated server files\n\nbattlefieldvietnamdedicatedserverv1.0.exe | 109.95 MB\n\nvisitors of this site i will not sleep until i have fragged 1000 peeps in BFV now lets get it on!!!\n\n#### BF Dust\n\nbfdustver1.zip | 2.52 MB\n\nme why anyone would want to make a CS map for BF...maybe it seems like a good idea? Meh, i\\'ll let you be the judge ;). [quote]BF Dust - A Battlefield 1942 Counterstrike Replica *** This is a retro map made for all Counterstrike players out there. This map can be played in Conquest or CTF mode. I wanted to create an replica with orginal battlefield 1942objects. If you want an exact copy you should play CS instead. Also I did not want to ad the BF1942 spices as trees and tanks etc. This really shows the diffrens betwen the 2 games. A perfect 4 on 4 map or a retro challenge for all fraggers. *** Features in version 1: - Verifyed with patch 1.6. - Ballanced for good Conquest or CTF play. - Only medic and ammo at the main bases to prevent grenade spam and force a good play. - One takable flag. Gets grey on 3 sec and is won in 8 sec to keep the heat up. - Only soldiers fighting. No tanks, planes or boats what so ever. This is fragging assult fights. ***[\/quote]\n\n#### Bullet-Time 0.4\n\nbulletmod_01.4.zip | 580.52 KB\n\nwill have a great time with this mod, and i\\'m speeding up for .45 wich will feature sunglasess!! :D[\/quote]\n\n#### DC .7 Map Fix\n\ndc1.7mapfix.zip | 2.23 MB\n\nproblem when trying to manually switch to vanilla DC converted maps when using DC .7. Most people are getting a \\\"game mode not supported\\\". This fixes all of the vanilla and stock DC maps in DC .7. There are 2 fixes one for windows dedicated servers and one for linux dedicated servers. They both contain the exact same fix just one is zipped the other is tarballed and gzipped. A readme is included. The fix is serverside only and has been tested and confirmed to work. This fix has no effect on running Punkbuster. MD5 checksums : 8b71ad8420544e12948729c51cd8f2f8|dc.7mapfix.zip 2770e3a346a889c208e308834a1a3691|dc.7mapfix.tar.gz My nick on your forums is *SSP*DemonJester, email is Demon_Jester@comcast.net, website is http:\/\/silentshadow.net If you have any questions just let me know via email. Regards *SSP*DemonJester [\/quote] Well, if you want some updated and smoother running maps then you better get to downloading this eh? Thanks Jester and we will be sure to check this out! Thanks!\n\n#### Black Bag ops\n\nblackbagops4.0.zip | 777.65 KB\n\nmuch to say about this software if you run a server you should be using this nuff said!\n\n#### Cherbourg\n\ncherbourgver3.zip | 3.46 MB\n\n#### Convoy -Valley of Death-\n\nconvoyver1.zip | 4.06 MB\n\nallied shall gather a big convoy and defeat the germans. The main battle will probably take place in the mittle of the valley. But be aware of soldiers sneaking by in the hideouts.[\/quote]\n\n#### Invasion of Okinawa\n\ninvasion_of_okinawa.zip | 28.69 MB\n\nthis out!\n\n#### Holland 44\n\nholland44_by_a_war_moose.zip | 18.13 MB\n\n#### Basrah nights\n\ndc_basrah_nights_coop.rar | 2.44 MB\n\n#### The Hill\n\nthehill.zip | 9.71 MB\n\n#### Artillery training 101\n\nartillery_trainingmap.zip | 13.12 MB\n\nmore people obviously one for arty and one for scouting. All in all great effort i recommend it for those perfectionists out there! The 4 types of arty are: 1. SdKfz.124 Wespe 2. M7 Priest 3. BM-13N Katyusha \\\"Stalin Organ\\\" 4. DefGun\n\n#### Ominos Archipelago\n\nominos_archipelago.zip | 2.83 MB\n\nnaval force and an Axis naval force. Each team must sink their opponent\\'s entire navy to be considered victorious. Each side (Axis and Allies) has a fleet comprised of one aircraft carrier (which spawns up to four fighters and up to two level bombers, each armed with torpedos), two battleships, four destroyers, and two submarines. The landing craft on the carriers and the battleships have been replaced with torpedo boats. Once a ship is sunk, it does not respawn; this means that the only way to ensure a victory is to sink your foe\\'s entire naval force. There are seven control points. The central islands each serve as a control; holding all five will cause the enemy team to start bleeding tickets. There are also control points in the northwest and southeast corners of the map; holding both will also cause the enemy team to start bleeding tickets. Note that this means both teams can be bleeding tickets at the same time! Although each side has a very large number of tickets, bleeding occurs very quickly on this map and can cripple your team if you\\'re not swift in getting a foothold in the enemy\\'s territories. The northwest and southeast islands both have one anti-aircraft gun. The southwest and northeast both have one defgun. The central has two defguns and two anti-aircraft guns, as well as a few buildings where you will be able to take cover. The central island is completely impossible to land on by landing craft, and it is very difficult (but still possible) to land on any of the other islands - the easiest way to get onto the islands (and the only way to get onto the central island) is to parachute in by plane. Expect to take these control points mainly by use of your naval forces.\n\n#### Jungle River DC\n\njungle_river_dc.zip | 14.31 MB\n\n#### Bergvagen\n\nbergvagen.zip | 4.42 MB\n\n#### Hell in the philippines\n\nhell_in_the_philippines.zip | 13.49 MB\n\nairfield. Japanese forces still control the Southern Isle and have a harbor to which they are still able recieve supplies from Japan. Allied forces will haft to conquer the bridge that connects to to isles and then lay siege to the Harbor. While Japanese forces will force there way across the Bridge through the jungles and siege the Allies airfiled.\n\n#### Experience World War II\n\nxww2_version_2.4_beta.zip | 171.61 MB\n\n#### Homefront client side\n\nhomefront.zip | 202.38 MB\n\n#### Desert Combat windows server side only\n\ndesertcombat_0.6f_server_patch.exe | 12.17 MB\n\n#### DESERT COMBAT CLIENT PATCH\n\ndesertcombat_01.6f_patch.exe | 239.52 MB\n\n#### Silent Heroes\n\nsilentheroes.beta.0.30.digitalsoftware.exe | 211.38 MB\n\nnormal security in the main cities and the uprising amongst the Kurds in the north puts strains in the relationship between the US-installed government and the NATO country Turkey. With Bush putting Syria on top of the 'Axis of Evil' list, the US government sends an additional 50 000 soldiers in preparation of a third invasion in the Middle East. The sheer number of NATO forces tied up in the region makes it clear to military analysts that other large campaigns will be delayed or made impossible due to lack of resources. At the same time a group of high ranking military personnel in the Swedish High Command bring out a secret plan laid out in the beginning of the 20th century and begins to update it to modern standard. A misty Sunday morning in the year 2007, five helicopters drop units from the secret elite special ops group SSG near a base at the border, while a battalion of tanks from regiment P7 enters the country, all according to plan. The Invasion of Norway is under way![\/quote] Hey cool huh? Anyways Snozzy found the descrip for me:D and again thanks to Pro for uploading this to FTP for me so I could do the easy part;)\n\n#### Easter Island\n\neaster_island.zip | 28.86 MB\n\n#### German Camp\n\ngerman_camp.zip | 10.39 MB\n\n#### Battlecraft 1942 v. 2.0\n\nbc42_20.zip | 18.72 MB\n\n#### Spyd3rs DC Camo Skinpack\n\nspyd3rcamo.zip | 2.37 MB\n\nM-16 --->Desert Ranger Skin --->Secret Weapons gloves (for that tactical feel)[\/quote]\n\n#### Canyon Fodder\n\ncanyon_fodder.rar | 38.36 MB\n\ntested!!) Canyon Fodder takes place somewhere in Europe, yup it aint based on any real battle!. In a rugged terrain the Germans & British have established air bases, north and south, respectively. The object is simple, take control of as many of the control points as possible, remembering to hold onto them as well, thus dropping your enemy\\'s tickets! There are a range of vehicles to help each team, ranging from heavy bombers, fighters, tanks and jeeps to spare kits, for when you really wish you were carry anti-tank weapons instead of infantry! Watch out for barrels, they may be containing fuel, so a few stray shots and BOOM!!!!!!!!!! Map contains custom textures and skins. Enjoy! Control points are - -------------------- North Airfield - (Germans) South Town - (British) Island - (Neutral) North Town - (Neutral) Church - (Neutral) Lumber Mill - (Neutral) Windmill - (Neutral)[\/quote]\n\n#### Aachen Germany Map\n\naachen_germany.rfa.rar | 1.89 MB\n\nbattlefield 1942. Does not work in single player mode, any other mode should be fine. Just place in C:\\\\Program Files\\\\EA GAMES\\\\Battlefield 1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels Axis are on the verge of defeat in the fatherland. Allies are advancing, they have complete air control. The only hope for Axis victory is a Blitzkrieg. Any modification to this map is fine with me. Any one who knows how to convert this to desertcombat please contact me @ apps175@ameritech.net[\/quote]\n\n#### Canyon Combat\n\ncanyoncombat.zip | 4.91 MB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 v1.45 to 1.5 INCREMENTAL Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_patch_1.45_to_1.5.exe | 45.87 MB\n\nhere[\/file]! [b]CLIENT FIXES[\/b] No more swapping CD\\'s. Any installed Battlefield 1942 expansion pack or community mod can be played using any Battlefield CD. Fixed an issue that would cause severe lag when going from a vehicle ladder directly into a vehicle position. This was especially prevalent with the MG positions on Destroyers. Fixed Omaha Beach ammobox-bunker exploit.[b]NEW FEATURES:[\/b]New map - Invasion of the Philippines, complete with all new Patrol Boats. A new US Marines skin replaces the USA army skin in the Pacific theatre. US Marines Engineer is equipped with the M1 Garand. Japanese Engineer has been retrofitted with the Type 5 semi-automatic rifle. Kubelwagen replaced with the Black Medal Scout Car for the Japanese forces. Hanomag replaced with the Ho Ha APC for the Japanese forces.Enjoy :thumbsup:\n\n#### Desert Oasis\n\ndesert_oasis.rar | 9.98 MB\n\n#### Battlefield Grand Prix Mod\n\nbfgp22client.exe | 133.08 MB\n\n#### Berlin Under Siege\n\nberlin_under_siege.zip | 5.16 MB\n\nwhole new area! This map is not 100% jungle. In fact, it's 50% jungle now. I have added a whole new section to the map, changed the sky, changed the ground, and most of all, extended the map area.[\/quote] You can download the DC version [file=\"15019\"]here[\/file].\n\n#### Benghazi\n\nbenghazi_145.zip | 28.64 MB\n\nVehicals in a map no mod required! Jeeps with Machine Gun\\'s and Aircraft that fire rockets instead of bombs Each side has a base with 2 AA guns 6 Jeeps 2 MG 3 seater Jeeps Rocket armed aircraft (3 Stuka\\'s\/ 2 SBD\\'s) as the SBD is flys better than the Stuka 1 Halftrack 1 Self Propelled Gun 4 Light Tanks The centre base has 4 AA guns 2 Light Tanks 2 Jeeps The Eastern and Western bases contain 1 AA guns 1 Jeep 1 MG 3 seater Jeep 1 Self Propelled Gun 1 Light Tank[\/quote]\n\nit can also be played in CQ & CTF - it\\'s a small map (for 2-16 players) made for \\'close commbat\\' -----------------------------------------------------------[\/quote]\n\n#### Kharkov Winter\n\nkharkov_winter4battlegroup42.zip | 31.91 MB\n\nemplacements on the russian bank.. you will depend mainly on the strength of the tiger div operating out of the main base..there are a few sstk panzer 1v ...but the allies will spawn kv2 at the base and kv1 ..kv1 s at the outposts\\'s ...if they are allowed to advance ..you have to rely on the tanks as once over the bridges ..capturing the ridgetop aa is important and ultimately you want to be in control of the hilltop 88 ....so use the supply vehicles to repair your equipment and men..[to rearm soldiers you must still enter the vehicle ].. NB:this version has: there were no t34-85 at this stage of the war.. you want the kv1 ..kvs1 and kv2 superheavy tanks ..panzer 1v_F special and the F_h..and the awesome 88 to kill planes and tanks..that were there ..well here they are.. supported modes ..conquest. ..and coop bot support: thanks to \\\"ghurki\\\" who recoded the bots to be much more aggresive..they will use all spawn points and equipment ..including the far bridge and will attack your home base...its up to you to break back out.. some vehicle spawns had to be moved from dice original as the bots do not use them otherwise.. known bug: i once observed a line of axis standing in the big shed ..just toss a couple of grenades in and kill those loafers.. and theyll be away again.. the bots do run over the odd object as they try to do battle all over the map..usually they\\'ll extricate themselves.. i tested the map witha 64 bot coop and it ran fine for me..[ my systems L337 tho :p] vehicle values and damage systems: i owe all this to panzamans 1\/3rd historic muzzle velocitys..of course the red twilight who originally made this map conversion and the BattleGroup 42 have combined..they also have incoperated \\\"weapons of war [wow] and the mod \\\"real plane\\\" youll love the bg42 version :..here.. the russians can counter the tigers with the superheavy kv2 and have the oppourtunity to capture the 88 on the hilltop and use it against the ..also russians can spawn kv1..kv1s..andas well as the base t34\\'s[\/quote]\n\n#### Kharkov Winter\n\nkharkov_winter4bf.zip | 27.34 MB\n\nemplacements on the russian bank.. you will depend mainly on the strength of the tiger div operating out of the main base..there are a few sstk panzer 1v ...but the allies will spawn more t34 ...if they are allowed to advance ..you have to rely on the tanks as once over the bridges there is only artillary unless you can capture enemy vehicles....so use the supply vehicles to repair your equipment and men..[to rearm soldiers you must still enter the vehicle ].. NB: there were no t34-85 at this stage of the war..if you want the kv1 ..kvs1 and kv2 superheavy tanks ..panzer 111 and the 75mm version..and the awesome 88 to kill planes and tanks..that were there then play bg42 and use that version of this map.. supported modes ..conquest..ctf..tdm ..and coop bot support: thanks to \\\"ghurki\\\" who recoded the bots to be much more aggresive..they will use all spawn points and equipment ..including the far bridge and will attack your home base...its up to you to break back out.. some vehicle spawns had to be moved from dice original as the bots do not use them otherwise.. known bug: i observed a line of axis standing in the big shed ..just toss a couple of grenades in and kill those loafers.. and theyll be away again.. the bots do run over the odd object as they try to do battle all over the map..usually they\\'ll extricate themselves.. i tested the map witha 64 bot coop and it ran fine for me..[ my systems L337 tho :p] vehicle values and damage systems: i owe all this to panzamans 1\/3rd historic muzzle velocitys..of course the red twilight who originally made this map conversion and the BattleGroup 42 have combined..they also have incoperated \\\"weapons of war [wow] and the mod \\\"real plane\\\"[\/quote]\n\n#### Battlefield Dogfight Mod\n\nbfdf004-0045.zip | 10.71 KB\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Full Server Patch\n\nbattlefield_1942_server_v1.45.18.exe | 101.65 MB\n\nregrouping of his forces -- recaptured Kharkov. Elation of in the High Command led to an ambitious operation -- \\'Zitadelle\\'. This was a plan to eliminate the salient around Kursk. From March to June the Germans built up their reserves and brought in more tanks. The Russians took the opportunity to build eight concentric circles of defence and by the time the offensive was launched, they had a numerical superiority over the Germans in both tanks and men. The battle began on the 5th of July with the Ninth Army under General Kluge attacking from the north and the Fourth Panzer Army under von Mantein\\'s attacking from the south. In the north, the Ninth Army penetrated a mere 10 km and lost 25,000 men (killed), 200 tanks and 200 aircraft. In the south, Manstein\\'s army penetrated 40 km, but also with great losses ; 10,000 killed, 350 tanks destroyed. On July 12th, the Russians launched a counter-offensive in the north agaisnt Orel and by July 23rd, the Germans were back where they had started. Manstein withdrew against orders to the Dniepr. This battle is known as the greatest tank battle of the war and it involved two million men, 6000 tanks and 4000 aircraft. It stopped the pattern of successful German offensives followed by Russian winter counter-offensives, from that point the German armies were in retreat.[\/quote\n\n#### DC Black Hawk Down\n\ndcblackhawkdown.zip | 1.82 MB\n\nchanged, as have all the buildings. In addition, the Iraqi soldiers have been reskinned to look Somalian. The game starts with the US controlling the building targeted by the raid and their base. The somalis control the Blackhawk crash sites, which have the burning UH-60 Wreck static object from the DC Battle of 73 Eastings map. The gaming style of this map is a lot like Berlin. That means, a no-holds-barred, take no prisoners, fast-paced meelee, all in a 3-dimensional urban environment! (Where Battlefield really shines) Take cover behind rubble and buildings, watch out for snipers and the US blackhawk, and hit \\\"Cover me\\\" and \\\"Take Cover!\\\" alot! Tickets bleed kinda fast, so don\\'t lose your CP\\'s! There are 4 capturable Control Point\\'s, including the US (formerly Russian) base. Control Points are: US_Convoy (US Control): 1 Blackhawk 3 Hummers Crash_Site_1 (Somali Control) Crash_Site_2 (Somali Control) 2 Ural Trucks 1 BRDM-2 Target_Building (US Control) New Textures: The Iraqi faces and hands have been darkened to an African complexion. Unfortunately, this makes the US soldiers have white faces and black hands. It looks like they\\'re wearing gloves, though. I had to do this because, to be blunt, a black guy with white hands looks a lot worse than a white guy with black hands. The clothes have also been changed to a civillian style. In addition, the Iraqi flag is now a somali flag.[\/quote]\n\non all sides, the Allies are using every last piece of equipment to defend their base.[\/quote]\n\n#### Huertgen Forest\n\nhuertgen_forest_xww2.zip | 10.77 MB\n\nbetween Germany and Belgium and is about 10 by 20 miles. The Siegfried Line passes through the forest along the German border. The Siegfried Line is composed of 2 belts of fortifications, the Scharnhorst Line and Schill Line, which together make up the Siegfried Line. A total of 5 US infantry divisions, 2nd Ranger Battalion, elements of the 5th armored division and few other units such as the 1171st Engineer Combat Group participated on the American side. Opposing them were four German divisions, the 116th Panzer division and parts of the 12th and 272nd Volksgrenadier divisions.\n\n#### BattleGroup Operation Barbarossa\n\nbg-operation_barbarossa0501.zip | 713.15 KB\n\noriginal Operation_Barbarossa to be installed to the BF1942 levels directory. It adds in the BG42 \\'Easter Egg\\' - the KV2 superheavy tank (one of which stopped a German division for two days during the real Barbarossa) while retaining all the unique elements of the original Operation_Barbarossa map such as APC spawn points (in Conquest mode), exploding propane tanks and mooing\/bleeding cows (see original readme below). It is recommended that it is run on at least the 22kHz sound setting to appreciate the map\\'s ambient sounds (singing in church, crackling fires, ringing telephone, wildlife, etc.). This BG42 conversion, like the original map, can be used in all modes: conquest, coop, team deathmatch and capture the flag (it has bot support that works well enough for coop play but is not recommended for singleplayer games).[\/quote]\n\n#### BattleGroup Battle of Britain\n\nbg-battle_of_britain0501.zip | 389.26 KB\n\nconversion, like the original map, can be used in conquest and coop modes.[\/quote]\n\n#### Dog Green Sector\n\ndog_green_sector.zip | 3.32 MB\n\nMG42\\'s ready 4 some action, AA guns in sand bunkers, an airport with 2 BF109\\'s ready for some strafing, and of course the allies have their LCVP\\'s and a sherman tank ready 2 do some bunker bustin\\'. Ride the LCVP\\'s to the shore and get ready to dodge strafing messerschmitts and wild mg fire. [\/quote]\n\n#### Cuttyhunk\n\ncuttyhunkv1.zip | 19.48 MB\n\nGermans Vs. United States with two Aircraft Carriers a couple of apc's, tanks, and a bunch of Turbo Golf Carts. Made for fun. [\/quote]\n\n#### GC Death Rally\n\ngc_deathrally.zip | 31.88 MB\n\ntraining facility is and are setting up an attack.[\/quote]\n\n#### Hoping On Places\n\nhop.zip | 1.79 MB\n\n#### GC Frozen Planet\n\nfrozen_planet.rar | 32.88 MB\n\n#### Destroy The Imperium\n\ngcmod-destroy_the_imperium.rar | 26.26 MB\n\nthey have in there army. But the rebels dont know that the imperalist have a joker. Darth Vader, who is obsessed from the dark side of the power, send imperal probe droids out to scout. So he knows about the rebels attack und inform his army. The war beginns! Destroy The Imperium\n\n#### Flag Football\n\nflag_football.zip | 7.27 MB\n\n#### Brecourt Manor\n\nbrecourt_manor.zip | 23.07 MB\n\na flodded area directly behind the beach and to protect the invasion\\'s western flank. Numerous factors caused the paratroopers to miss their drop zones and become scattered across the Norman countryside. However, throughout the night and into the day the airborne troops gathered and organized themselves and went on to accomplish their missions. At dawn, some elements of the 101st Airborne were at Le-Grand-Chemin preparing the assault to Ste-Marie-Du-Mont when the sound of four Germans 105mm cannons started. The US intelligence did not know that, in a large farmhouse called Brecourt Manor, a mile or so north of Ste. Marie-du-Mont, the German 6th Parachute Division had dug four pits into which they each placed a 105mm gun. This gun battery was perfectly placed to fire shells onto Utah beach. On the morning of 6th June 1944, the US 4th infantry division landing on Utah Beach was receiving heavy fire from the four german cannons and the invasion was compromised. The \\'E\\' Company, 506th PIR, 101st airbone division, led by Lt. Winters, received the order to put the battery permanently out of action.\n\n#### Galactic Conquest\n\ngcmod0.1a.exe | 293.71 MB\n\nClasses: Sniper Light Infantry Heavy Infantry Anti Armour Support Rebel Alliance Weapons: Knife DL-44 Blaster Pistol DH-17 Blaster Pistol Kylan 3 A295 Blaster Rifle Dressilian Sniper Rifle Tracker 16 Repeating Blaster Golan Arms Flechette Launcher E-web Deployable repeating blaster Landmine Medipack Hydrospanner Rebel Alliance Vehicles: Incom T47 Air Speeder (Snowspeeder) YT-1300 Corellian Freighter (Millenium Falcon) Anti vehicle Turret Anti Personnel Turret Imperial Weapons: Knife Sorosub QS25 Blaster Pistol Epel Jaken Razor Series E-11 Sniper rifle E-11 Blaster Rifle TL-21 Light repeating blaster Golan Arms Flechette launcher E-web Deployable repeating blaster Landmine MediPack Hydrospanner Imperial Vehicles: Seiner Fleet Systems TIE bomber All terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST) Original Weapon, Radio, Vehicle and player sounds Complete new background and ingame menu Complete new HUD to fit the Star Wars theme\n\n#### Death Factory\n\ndeath_factory.zip | 3.1 MB\n\nCannot be captured by axis forces, and the start of the allied push through Hurtgen Forest. Hurtgen Forest: Main outpost off centred in the forest aka \\\"Death Factory\\\". Old Bunker: A Destroyed bunker remains from earlier attempts to distrupt the axis forces. Axis Base: Contains 2 wespes to unleash hell on the forest.[\/quote]\n\n#### Border War Final - *REVIEWED*\n\nborder_war_final_version_21_07_03.rar | 16.89 MB\n\nit two flags. On the map there are two airplanes on each of the two pages. You must take at least three flags, so that the other team loses points.\n\nexpanded version of Berlin\/Stalingrad, but that sure isn't a bad thing. This map is definetly up to par with BF1942's Eastern Theatre maps. It even has gunshot and explosion echos in the background! One of the best custom BF1942 Maps that I've ever had the joy of playing, and definetly worth a download.\n\n#### Operation Tandem Thrust Single Player\/Co-Op Add-on\n\noperation_tandem_thrust_singleplayer.zip | 89.5 KB\n\nCUSTOM Co-Op mode for bf1942. DC_73_Eastings uses a modified version of the Kursk AI, and most others use other modified versions of DiCE written Ai, whereas this is completely written from scratch, and and all strategies that the bots use are custom written to the map, and it is far better off for it. [b]You need to also have the Full version of the Operation Tandem Thrust map installed, this is only an addon file. You can get it here: http:\/\/www.bf1942files.com\/file.info?ID=15683 [\/b] [b]Arc' and I would especially like to thank all beta testers for their valuable feedback.[\/b]\n\n#### ABF Windmill\n\nabf_windmill.zip | 10.58 MB\n\nit back to your base. Sounds easy? Well it\\'s not! Strong teamplay, skilled flag carriers and good snipers are the key to sucess. If you do not play as a team, you will meet defeat many times.\n\n#### Belgian Village\n\nbv1.zip | 5.58 MB\n\ntiger tank that\\'s it. I haven\\'t had a chance to test this map with alot of people so I\\'m not sure how good it will be, so any feedback would be great. Belgian Village is simply a name and that\\'s it. This map is total fiction, just for fun. Conquest only [\/quote]\n\n#### Le mur de l' Atlantique\n\nmur-atlantique.zip | 31.37 MB\n\nthere is a village with no closed houses which help german to stop Allies advance [\/quote] * It should be noted that due to the file posters inability to speak French, the screen shots below may, or may not belong to this map. :confused:\n\n#### Real Midway\n\nrealmidway.zip | 176.27 KB\n\nforce. The U.S fights back with their own powerful Navy and B-17s stationed on the island. Also has Bot AI support for the vehicles included submarines!\n\n#### DC Battle of Britain\n\ndcbattle_of_britain1.zip | 2.46 MB\n\n#### Arab Voices DC\n\narab_voices_dc.zip | 14.13 MB\n\nThey have been treated in the same way and fit nicely with my full sound mod for DC .38. These aren\\'t set up as a different language, they replace all the voices so coalition sounds arab as well. I spent some time trying to get the different languages to co-exist but got stuck with the local messages only (simply changing the language for the soldier didn\\'t work), so it\\'s all or nothing until someone figures it out.[\/quote]\n\n#### Battle of Britain - Standalone Server version\n\nbf1942_battleofbritain_standaloneserver_map.zip | 6.32 MB\n\n#### BF1942 Gold Beach Map\n\nbf1942_gold_beach_map_1.1.exe | 7.13 MB\n\n#### Fort Irwin\n\nfort_irwin.zip | 10.11 MB\n\ninfantry battles.[\/quote]\n\n#### island to far - *REVIEWED*\n\nisland.zip | 5.29 MB\n\n#### King Of The Mountain\n\nking_of_the_mountain.zip | 11.32 MB\n\nmountain top and two other control points to start Winning points. Heavy, medium and light tanks, jeeps, apc are used on land, and much fun blowing The enemy of the top of high places, boats take a part in gaining control Of the north river control point, and makes a good river war with the odd tank Falling from above. Set in a high hilly area with a beautiful view it would make a nice holiday[\/quote]\n\n#### Incursion\n\nincursion.zip | 20.38 MB\n\n#### Modesto\n\nmodesto.zip | 3.89 MB\n\nbe difficult and snipers can be in any one of them.[\/quote]\n\n#### Canyon Siege\n\ncanyon_siege.zip | 25.12 MB\n\nflags to wage war over and all game types are supported. I suggest giving TDM a try, it is extremely fun. [\/quote]\n\n#### Ile de Crainte\n\nile_de_crainte.zip | 5.08 MB\n\nby the USS Enterprise launched a raid on the former French island of Ile de Crainte, in the South Pacific. A small American base was established on a nearby island for support, and American bombers and naval artillery soon barraged the tough coastal defences of the small island. A small group of Japanese ships arrived to help, but it was too late. American Marines had landed...[\/quote]\n\n#### Mountain Village\n\nmountian_village.zip | 8.07 MB\n\ntested well at LAN partys.[\/quote]\n\nare available, but the main idea of this map is to get in some quality time shooting your friends from the sky.\n\n#### Frozen Flame\n\nfrozen_flame.zip | 18.34 MB\n\nwater of the river 1 unit. 2. Added approxiamtely 850 trees all over the map for scenery. 3. Added more ammo Boxes. 4. Added medical lockers to the hospitals. 5. Kept the plane for both teams. 6. Changed the SkyBox for better atmosphere. 7. Added 2 Def-Guns for both teams. 8. Added Ladders for some buildings. [\/quote]\n\n#### Utah Beach\n\nutahbeach.zip | 7.15 MB\n\nUtah\\'s soil to gain more control over hitlers rule. US and Germany faught for many hellish days but in bf1942\\'s case... you\\'ll only have to fight for a few minitues. hehe... 1st capture point--- Utah Beach 1 sherman 1 m3a1 (APC) 1 willy (Jeep) 2nd Capture point--- Bunkers 1 m10 1 Sherman 2 willys (Jeeps) 1 m3a1 (APC) Mounted Machine Guns 3rd Capture point--- Mortar Station 2 willys (Jeeps) 7 Mortars 4th Capture point--- city 4 Shermans 2 m3a1s (APCs) 2 willys (Jeeps) Mounted Machine Guns Goodluck soldier.. See you on the battlefield ;) [\/quote]\n\n#### Canyons\n\ncanyons.zip | 6.31 MB\n\n#### Border War Alpha 0.25\n\nborderwaralpha0.25.zip | 12.68 MB\n\n#### Densloe Training Map V2\n\ndensloe_practice2.zip | 2.36 MB\n\nin version No 2 to minimize the lag problem. The first version was overloaded with fun stuff and got laggy. Remember this is basically a clan practice map meant for approx 8 vs 8 players rather than 64 vs 64. The BF map engine do not support too many objects without a enormous server and really huge clients ;-)[\/quote]\n\nCombat mod that takes place in a parallel universe, where Saddam has travelled back in time along top members of his regime, his weapons of mass destruction, and 100,000 Republican Guard soldiers to conquer the Earth in 1942 with vastly superior weaponry. Saddam1942 is a marriage of Battlefield 1942 and Desert Combat, where \\\"Lion of Babylon\\\" T-72s smash Sherman tanks like cardboard boxes and Yak9s fall from the sky like rain from the missiles of merciless MiG29s. Yes, it is unfair -- which is why the Axis\/Allied team ratio should be set to at least 2:1. You can choose to be the Iraqi butcher who can slaughter the Americans and British behind a T-72 and get 120 kills, or you can be the clever GI who can cheer and then mock the Iraqis after shooting down a MiG29 Fulcrum with a P-51 Mustang. However, it still takes teamwork to win on either side. The full story, which I wasted time writing off the top of my head, is included in the mod folder. As you can probably tell, I\\'m an avid reader of Weekly World News. Desert Combat is copyright Trauma Studios, BF1942 is copyright DICE, etc. [\/quote]\n\n#### Benghazi DC\n\nbenghazi_dc.zip | 844.88 KB\n\nbut if your into desert combat you wont care! [\/quote]\n\n#### [ACW] Stunt Video\n\nacw-lan-waltershausen.zip | 28.25 MB\n\nLoopings and ohter nice things. It was created on a LAN-Party in Germany. Greetz to: Killerschnuffel, Sabine, Chrisu, [ACW]Jo-B, [ACW]Friedl, [ACW]Hai-K.O., -|PBF|-knarf, Rayman17, Major Klingone, OTL Neo, Sch\u00e4fchen, marquis, br\u00f6tchen Kulturfabrik Waltershausen Special thanks to: DICE for this NICE game The Desert Combat Mod Team for the best BF Mod i\\'ve ever played. Watch & enjoy this Video [ACW]Wall-D [\/quote]\n\n#### MCRTRDIRTY\n\nmcrtrdirty.zip | 6.53 MB\n\nday US forces took over Saddam Intl Airport. Way to go boys :D - Have not yet baked lightmaps - Temp removed indoor airport terminal access - Textures are not final! This is beta. - Please send all bugs and ideas to support@espklan.com UNINSTALL Simply delete Baghdad_Intl_Airport.rfa from your Desert Combat levels folder. THANKS Much props go out to Perfectionist and Rexman.. for if it was not for them, you would not be installing this map right now. Also, thanks to the thousands or men and women who are putting their lives on the line so that I can sit here freely and make this map for you. GOd Bless America :D [\/quote]\n\n#### Operation Razor\n\ndcm_operation_razor.zip | 14.22 MB\n\n#### Hopeless\n\nhopeless.zip | 19.92 MB\n\nreinforced with two heavy armored vehicles and one jeep. Maintain control of flagged areas to gather more reinforcements. The force that controls Rouen will have an advantage for the coming battles for Europe.[\/quote]\n\n#### LCVP Berlin2.1 PATCH\n\nlcvp_berlin21patch.zip | 2.07 MB\n\nYak9 plane on runway []Spawnpoint on runway []Fixed some Network.con files. Hopefully now it will play multiplayer with >1 people.[\/quote]\n\n#### Submarine Bot Support\n\nsubs.zip | 14.17 KB\n\nit makes midway,and guadal canal look like what there supposed to in multiplayer only on coop. Plus it adds bot support for the subs now im not sayin there awesome in it but they can use it now which is cool. Also fixed a type in the sherman weapons.con file which made it to where it didnt fire its main gun at infantry. [\/quote]\n\n#### Black Fortress\n\nblack_fortress.zip | 20.28 MB\n\nsuppress enemy armor. Special thanks to NB|DaveSki for his assistance and patience.[\/quote]\n\n#### Mountain Battle\n\nmountain_battle.zip | 19.53 MB\n\n#### LCVP Berlin2.0\n\nlcvp_berlin20.zip | 8.47 MB\n\nadd some MG's into some buildings, and set the sky to night, and changed the fog settings to more \"nighty\" settings. I also added a paratrooping spawnpoint for the Russians... from about 200 meters up! But that's not the fun in this map. This map includes the \"LCVP Deluxe,\" which is the product of some childish imagination. The [LcvpDx] (as it is shown in-game) still has the six seats of a normal LCVP, but there is no more machine gun, and the second and sixth seat are switched. The sixth seat is now a Katyusha-type rocket launcher. It's time for some explosive fraggin...[\/quote]\n\n#### Aberdeen Map (EA) * Reviewed *\n\nbattlefield1942aberdeenmap.exe | 15.86 MB\n\nboth outpost points, and the points surrounding the central town to claim victory. Similar to Coral Sea in design, Operation Aberdeen combat focuses on one particular vehicle type -- tanks. That isn't to say you won't find an artillery piece or two of course. [\/quote]\n\n#### Blitzcreek Map\n\nblitzcreek.zip | 7.63 MB\n\ntextures. Thanks From, www.LANCLAN.com [\/quote]\n\n#### NB_BOB\n\nnb_bob.zip | 20.74 MB\n\nless. ******************************************** This is not a mod. It goes in the same directory as your other BF maps. NB_BoB does only works in Conquest mode, and is intended for Online play. As it is not an original map, most of the hard work was already done. Thanks EA and Dice. Have fun and enjoy my beefed up rendition of Battle of the Bulge. NB_BoB adds more tanks to both sides, a few more jeeps, medic boxes, two more spawn points and planes, with working runways for re ammo. The fuel depot is no longer capable, and the respawns times on the tanks have been shortened. Well enough about it....play it to see for yourself.[\/quote]\n\n#### Big Omaha Beach 1.1\n\nbig_omaha_beach_1.1.zip | 9.55 MB\n\n#### 2nd SS Division (late war uniform)\n\n2nd_ss_div_late_war_uniform_1.0.zip | 826.27 KB\n\nmodeler, thanks to both Tamiya corp (1\/35 models) and the internationally celebrated modeler Fracois Verlinden. When I discovered that it was possible to make custom skins for BF1942, I figured out that it would be a good thing to post a SS unit that could be ACCURATELY used on most of the European fronts availables in Battlefield 1942: - KHARKOV - KURSK - OMAHA - BOCAGE - OMAHA - BATTLE OF THE BULGE Could also be used with MARKET GARDEN, but definitely NOT in BERLIN Das Reich division fought in Poland, France, Russia, France (1944) and ended it\\'s operations in Eastern Europe: \\\"SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich was formed Oct 1939 from the Deutschland, Germania and Der F\u00fchrer regiments. It took part in the campaign in the west 1940 and after spending some time guarding the border with Vichy France it was transferred to the Netherlands. It took part in the campaign in the Balkans where a small detachment led by SS-Hauptsturmf\u00fchrer Klingenberg managed to get the mayor of Belgrade to surrender the city without a fight. Das Reich took part in the invasion of the USSR and fought on the frontlines until Aug when it was withdrawn from refitting. It was sent back to the front Sep and a few months later it took part in the failed offensive against Moscow. It was transferred to France Mars 1942, with the exeption of a small kampfgruppe, where it was upgraded to a panzergrenadier division. It was sent back to the Eastern front Jan 1943 where it took part in the capture and recapture of Kharkov as well as fighting at Kursk (...) It took part in the heavy fighting in Normandy before retreating into Germany. It later took part in the fightin in the Ardennes, Hungary and Austria\\\".[\/quote]\n\nare of vital significance for the entire front::The high command makes it incumbent on you not to spare your health and life and not to stop ANY sacrifice in order to defend Stalingrad,\\ and crush the enemy:::::::message ends. such was the situation on the russia front in late 1942 that Stalingrad was going to be a cauldron of horror and suffering... hi there Pokerchip again and this time as promised I deliver \"STALINGRAD\" upgraded. As before-this is a SP map only and has been tested only on version 1.2 ,I naturally can't guarantee that this will work with version 1.3 or 1.31 :) but it should I guess, anyho here's a list of the changes.... ..new scenery and more SFX ...1 all-new Russian Control point WITH spawnpoints that can also be captured by the germans,plus to heat up the battle I've given the Russian base by the river a browing MG and top that off the base is now takeable..... ...The new Russian CP also comes with 1 LendLease Sherman and a browning MG ...NEW equipment Axis Forces----3 Panzer IV's. 1 Sturmgeschutz 1 APC and 1 Pak 40 ATgun (RTR required) for base anti-tank defense Soviet Forces---2 T-34's 2 LendLease Sherman's (use russian skins) 1 LendLease APC (use russian skins ) and 1 AT25 Anti-Tank gun (RTR required) ..new thumbnail for the SP menu ..modified AI strategies for more agressive tactics on both sides WATCH OUT ..and a modified height map....on that score big thanks to MAD BULL for the Heightmap Editor v1.11, without which this mod would have taken several weeks to achieve... [\/quote]\n\n#### Jingo\\'s Italian Skin Pack (R2R)\n\njingos_italian_skin_pack_rtr.zip | 3.43 MB\n\ncarro armato,Wespe,Hanomag and Kuebelwagen. The helmet of the paratroopers(sadly not the historicly correct one) still carries the black \\\"Bersaglieri\\\"feather,I simply didn\\'t how to get rid of it!(If someone knows,tell me.)The rest of the uniform is quite close to the original.I added the division insignia on the backpack.The vehicle camos are similar to the Germans,using different shades of the classic green,brown and dark jellow.The Wespe has got a royal Italian flag on top. the Italian forces of ww2 suffered heaviest under the hybrid visions of Benito Mussolini,who tried to lead his country to old Roman glory.As a mass army the \\\"Regio Esercito\\\"(royal army)was overstrained with the\\\"Duce\\\"\\'s expansionist dreams. In North-Africa the Italian troops got quickly surrounded by the British but were saved by the arrival of Fieldmarshal Rommel and the Africa Korps.But credit must be given to the extraordinate bravery of the paracadutisti,the soldiers of the 185th airborne division \\\"Folgore\\\"(Lightning).Fighting for every inch at El Alamein,even with bayonnet charges,they were driven back deep in the desert and eventually surrendered,after having no more water or ammunition. The remaining core regiment of the \\\"Folgore\\\"build up and trained the 183rd \\\"Nembo\\\"(Storm)parachute division.They fought in Yugoslavia against partisans,then Sicily,being driven back when armistice came.In large numbers the paratroopers didn\\'t switch sides, but joined the German 1st Fallschirmjaeger Corps and kept fighting the allies at Anzio.The \\\"Nembo\\\" was the one of last Italo-German units that surrendered on May 1945. These files are dds and if you don\\'t have a texture folder or MC3.7,use MakerRfa to reconvert them. Thx again to all my loyal fans and everybody who enjoy my work,make suggestions(I need your input,folks!)or fairly critisize me.So stay tuned,there\\'s more to come! E-mail:Getaway30@hotmail.com\/Sulaco@onlinehome.de \\\"Reason separates man from animals.\\\"[\/quote]\n\nheightmap editor Chimaera\\'s object placer T2 - texture generating program Photoshop and notepad of course =) Btw, the reason the zip is so small, is the use of low-res terrain textures. * Description: This map is designed to be fun, not to be overly realistic. Citadel Isle is the central island. It has got two outposts, one at the beach and one at the top of a high hill, being the citadel. From the citadel you can make insane take-overs off the lower base. Drive a jeep off the cliff in direction of the lower base, and jump off and parachute in mid-air! The hillbase hangar is quite original. There is no airfield, just a vertical drop into the see =). One idea I had when I started this map was to make use of landing boats, and designed map as such. I\\'ve also modified their speed so they go more than twice as fast now. They have also got a little boost on their armor, so they won\\'t get shot down by the planes so easily. * Installation Put the *.rfa in x:\\\\\\\"your bf folder\\\"\\\\mods\\\\bf1942\\\\archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels Easy! * Contact\/Suggestions\/Bug report\/Gifts: ulf.hammarqvist@telia.com www.warg.tk\n\n#### ME263 Mini Mod\n\nme263.zip | 2.22 MB\n\nof the old ones.[\/quote]\n\n#### Omaha Beach Single Player\n\nomaha_beach_sp_map_mod.zip | 477.6 KB\n\nthe Omaha_Beach.rfa file and put in you favorite mod under the bf1942\\\\(fav mod)\\\\archives\\\\bf1942\\\\levels >there are also now 2 Pak40 antitank guns on the map one protecting the first base and the other in the village. BEWARE >>there are also more ammo boxes and medical lockers located in assorted bunkers >>the spawnpoints for the first axisbase are now located above ground but still close to the base >>I\\'ve also laboured to add new scenery never before seen in Omaha. >>new sniper nests and Mg42 positions >>a new vehicle repairbay for the main axisbase >>the Germans also now start with 4 flagpoints including 2 whole new points bringing the total to 5 !! >>tank-wise the US gets 4 Sheman\\'s ,1 on the beach and 3 more when they capture the first GermanBase.The German\\'s get 2 PanzerIV\\'s ,3 HanomagAPC\\'s ,2 Kubelwagons for getting about quickly and 2 Sturmgeschutz tank-hunters there\\'s more but that\\'s enough to whet your appetite yes? this is what I think the original Omaha_Beach released should have been like god speed and goodluck soldier pokerchip emailme about his mod if you wish at tinsel@eisa.net.au [\/quote]\n\n#### Operation Market Garden Single Player\n\noperation_market_garden_sp.zip | 297.05 KB\n\nMarket_Garden.rfa file and deposit it in a folder something like this.. e.g battlefield 1942\/Mods\/(your favourite mod)\/Archives\/bf1942\/levels\n\n#### Coral Sea - COOP - Single player\n\ncoraldc2_with_single_coop_ctf.zip | 10.75 MB\n\n#### battlefield_1942_v1.3_-_1.2_sound\n\nbattlefield_1942_v1.3_-_1.2_sound.zip | 886.13 KB\n\naround, but it fails to replace the Thompson Sub-Machinegun sound with the old one. So I hastily uninstalled BF1942 and extracted all the old sounds and replaced the new ones with the old Personally I don\\'t like the new ones, they seem a little too wimpy, especially on high-end speakers. Enjoy! -Explicit[\/quote]\n\n#### Berlin Single player\n\nberlin_sp_level_mod.rar | 695.87 KB\n\nAxis forces,to that end I\\'ve added more PanzerIV\\'s to control point 3.SEE screenshot..[\/quote]\n\n#### Chaos Wake Map\n\nchaoswake.zip | 33.07 MB\n\nJeeps - 10 Def Guns - 5 Battle Ships - 3 Carriers - 1 Hanger - And much, much, more!!![\/quote]\n\n#### Manhatten Project v2.1\n\nmanhatten_project_2.1_by_fastlight.zip | 37.73 MB\n\nthrough everything to make this mod more than just a giant deathmatch. Well okay it still is :D Anyways there are a ton of new features, and changes made. First off id like to point out, if your looking for realism, go somewhere else, its not here :) But if you enjoy goofing around everyonce in a while, well look no further. ========== Whats NEw ========== NEw SCORCHED EARTH EL ALAMEIN!! I kinda made up a game for the 2.1 patch to go along with everything I have done. Basically the goal of the Allies is to Win by destroying everything in sight with the nuke. Then the axis has been beefed up so that they can win by (A).destroying the bomber with their cooler modified planes, or (B) win by capturing the flags, seeing as all axis should be allies on a one on one confrontation. All new load up screens for all maps!!!!!!!!!!!!! ====== Fixes ====== Allied Attributes: B-17 in now 25% faster, but has less hitpoint than my previos mod B-17 nuke has less radius damage(wont spread as far) B-17 has new skin. Done graciously by Com. Rommel Axis Attributes: Axis Fighter Planes are now faster. The machine gun for the planes now have increased ammo, rate of fire, velocity, and do more damage. All axis vehicles have been beefed up ;) Including ammo, rate of fire, velocity, and do more damage. All axis handguns have been beefed up ;) Including ammo, rate of fire, velocity, and do more damage. ===== Maps ===== B-17 now in many board for mp and sp conquest boards. Scorched Earth El Alamein Battleaxe Guadalcanal Market Garden Gazala TObruk!!!!!!!!!!! ITs tight but you can get it out to fly;) [\/quote]\n\n#### MoHAA Sound Pack - 22Mhz\n\nsoundeffects22khz.zip | 6.26 MB\n\n1942\\\\Mods\\\\bf1942\\\\Archives\\'\n\n#### Waffen SS Skinmod v1.0 (1.2)\n\nwaffen-ss.zip | 8 MB\n\n#### Sea Battle\n\nsea_battle.zip | 9.73 MB\n\n#### Damage Sounds Pack V1.1\n\ndmg-sounds-pack-v1.1.exe | 4.89 MB\n\nchanges to be heard\n\n#### Merciless Crosshair Selector v1.0\n\nmc1942-crosshair.zip | 413.51 KB\n\n#### Schwebepanzers Mappack\n\nmapppackneu.zip | 34.84 MB\n\n#### Coral Insomnia\n\ncoral_insomnia_by_moonquake.zip | 12.98 MB\n\n#### Merciless Creations Historic addon v3.7 (FINAL)\n\nmerciless1942-v3-7.zip | 34.04 MB\n\nour Installation FAQ's.\n\n#### All13875 Mod (1.2)\n\nall13875.zip | 3.57 MB\n\ngeared towards reducing the emphasis on automatics and to knock down the almight assault class. Automatics were rare in WW2, and will be rare and carefully used in this mod. Nearly all troops will have the basic rifle, which will hopefully closely approximate WW2 conditions. I was satisfied playtesting this with 36 bots on Battleaxe, and was pleased to see \\\"squads\\\" of infantry carrying rifles, not SMGs or ARs, and watching infantry charges. Every change in this mod has historical rhyme or reason, and very few changes \\\"just\\\" for gameplay balance. Please read the enclosed readme.txt\n\n#### Pacific Isle\n\npacific_isle_by_jeeper.zip | 3.31 MB\n\ncarrier - 32 Planes in total. **Watch out for those Planes Spawning on the Carriers**\n\n#### Mod Collection by Recruit Snyder (1.2)\n\nmod_collection1.2_by_recruitsnyder.exe | 17.38 MB\n\ntanks plus added Artillery Halftrack. Axis have added HanomagAT 75 and one added captured Artillery truck (my Katyusha truck with three layers of AA rockets, German markings). Two Bf 109, two German Zeros and one StukaG Kanonenvogel plus my default Stuka w\/ 8 cannons and bombs (*changed, balanced). El_Alamein_MultiTank_MOD: DaCrappers famous tank mod map, I've only modified spawnpoints, details and the terrain. Various new tank types for both sides, Allies get additional APC types, Axis four captured Artillery trucks. Planes: 2 Mustangs, one Corsair, 2 Spitfires, one SBD plus the B-17 for Allies, Stuka, StukaG, Bf109 and Zero for Axis. Some hidden goodies may be on these maps ...\n\n#### Merciless Creations BloodFX v1.0 Standalone (FINAL)\n\nmerciless-bloodfx.zip | 482.49 KB\n\n#### Wirbelwind AA-Vehicle\n\nwirbelwind_aa_by_erich_hartmann.zip | 219.05 KB\n\n#### Bullet Mod (v1.1)\n\nbullet_mod_v1.0_by_springsteen.zip | 25.23 KB\n\nyou to see where you bullet went and enemys to see bullets, Its really cool when you are running and you see bullets fly by you and you know there getting closer, me and my brother where haveing a sniper round with the mod and i saw him and he saw me, and he shot and you could see the bullet come at you and hit you, pretty neat! Without Further ado...\\\"\n\n#### Planes Update\n\nplanes_update.zip | 67.75 KB\n\n#### The Flying Tigers\n\nthe_flying_tigers_by_brew1.zip | 523.04 KB\n\nwas assigned to the 74th fighter squadron, 23rd fighter group. So I made this skin in honor of my Grandfather. [\/quote]\n\n#### SS Skin (Residuum)\n\nss_skin_residuum.zip | 470.11 KB\n\n#### TruckerAA\n\ntrucker_aa.zip | 122.87 KB\n\n#### Stuka AntiTank\n\nstuka-antitank.zip | 119.15 KB\n\n#### immolator_mkII\n\nimmolator_mkii.zip | 128.63 KB\n\n#### Unofficial SDK 2\n\nunofficial_sdk_2.zip | 605.45 KB\n\n#### BF1942 Anthem\n\nbf1942_anthem.zip | 6.8 MB\n\n#### M3A1 Ambulance \/ Ammo Carrier\n\nm3a1_ambulance.zip | 1.05 MB\n\nmeters!! [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/USHT_Ambulance.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/USHT-MagicMedic.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### Unofficial Bug Fix\n\nunofficialaibugfix.zip | 2.14 KB\n\nwhen they see enemy infantry. Explained in the Readme. [\/quote]\n\n#### Kevin Lockitt\\'s Dedicated Server Manager\n\nbfservermanager.zip | 259.69 KB\n\nusefull!! Server: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-server.jpg[\/img] Game: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-game.jpg[\/img] Maps: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-maps.jpg[\/img] Voting: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-voting.jpg[\/img] Misc: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-misc.jpg[\/img] About: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-about.jpg[\/img] Options: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/klds-options.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### HanoMag AT 75mm - RFA\n\nhanomagat75_rfa.zip | 1.01 MB\n\ninspiration: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/hanomagalt.jpg[\/img] and some general screenies: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/hanomagteaser.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/hanomagafrica.jpg[\/img] a real nice one, pick it up!!\n\n#### M3A1WP\n\nm3a1wp.zip | 7.79 KB\n\nTri-gun, and double side guns... [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/M3A1WP1.jpg[\/img] The tri-gun in action [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/M3A1WP2.jpg[\/img] The Rear Gun, although it didn't extend outside the vehicle so aiming was hard, but it lends to some sweet suprise attacks... [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/M3A1WP3.jpg[\/img] Here are the double side guns... [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/M3A1WP4.jpg[\/img] You may not be used to it, but when you see an APC coming toward you, your gonna have to run!!!\n\n#### Action BattleField 1942\n\naction_bf_by_moonquake.zip | 510.55 KB\n\nout!!! [quote] ____________________________________________ 1 -- ACTION BATTLEFIELD 1942 FEATURES -- ____________________________________________ - More accurate, fast paced and well balanced BF 1942 gameplay! - Some patch 1.2 corrections included (you'll \"feel\" them when you play...) - Faster, more powerful vehicles and soldiers! - More efficient helpers (medic and engineer) - Loaded weapons (more ammo, new \"action\" way of using weapons!) - Some modified weapons : the \"Permanent zoom sniper rifle\", the \"1-2-3 rocket launcher\" and the \"nervous knife\"! - Bomb raid with the B-17 with more bombs and 2 extra passengers with 2 extra turrets! - 6 passengers jeeps also equipped with machinegun!!! (axis and allies) - Frightening tanks with a new hiding position on gunner turrets! (that's right you can get down in turret and look upward!) - Completely wreck ships and tanks with the new fast and more aggressive planes! (prepare for intense dogfights!) - ALL B-17 and APCs\/Hanomags are now also acting as \"moving\" respawn points! That's right! You can respawn on them... on all maps! - New custom soldier views, including the 3rd person view... and more... (great for action plans and screenshots!) - More intense explosions and FX! - Modified crosshair : gives you a better idea of your accuracy. - New optimised chat colors - The Icons flashing on the in-game map when requesting something from your team will flash longer now. Giving you more time to see who's asking for help! :) [\/quote] Pics: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/actionbfscreen1.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/actionbfscreen2.jpg[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/actionbfscreen4jpg[\/img]\n\n#### 10th Batallion Artillery\n\n10ba.zip | 2.2 MB\n\ncomplete my 10th Batallion set.[\/quote] Piccy: [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/10BA.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### Rockets For Planes Mod\n\nrockets_for_planes.zip | 4.31 KB\n\nthe MGsand the velocity of the bullets,MG have 9999 bullets and rockets unlimited ammo(it\\'s for dogfight,not real gameplay!!). If you don\\'t like it you can extract this .rfa-file,change the .con-files and make yourself a new .rfa with less ammo for planes....[\/quote]\n\n#### Plane Guns\n\nplaneguns.zip | 82.58 KB\n\n#### Hanomag Anti-Tank\n\nhanomag_at.zip | 1.11 MB\n\nII). I've reduced the Hanomag features a bit for game balance reasons (see Readme). Also two new skins (decals and a new top) for Africa and Europe[\/quote]And, of course, you can use the Hanomag AT to give enemy planes what-for as well. :D\n\n#### Allied Mobile Anti-Aircraft\n\naa_alliesmob.zip | 330.65 KB\n\nput the tracks from the M10 to the AA gun and it turned out quite well. Better watch out pilots...[\/quote]Not to mention it just looks cool too. :cool:\n\n#### External Soldier View\n\nexternal_soldier_view.zip | 890 B\n\nthe views has a tendency to put the camera in your head, but other than that the file works great in multiplayer as well as singleplayer modes.[quote]Some people may consider this as CHEATING! So therefore if you play on a server where they tell you not to use this DONT.[\/quote]Take that to heart, folks. Don\\'t be lamers\/llamas\/smacktards etc. Tony humbly asked me to credit this file as a collaboration of the BF1942.com General Editing Community - but that\\'s a bit long for the Developer nickname so you get the listing as author, Tony. :p\n\n#### vonManstein's Realistic Troop Kits Mod (SP)\n\nvonmansteins_realistic_troop_kits.zip | 4.17 KB\n\nand try to get some servers using these ;) vonManstein's Realistic Small Arms Mod (SP) vonManstein's No Bazooka Mod (SP) These mods will probably work online, but only with client\/servers both having them.\n\n#### vonManstein's No Bazooka Mod (SP)\n\nvonmansteins_no_bazooka_mod.zip | 21.77 KB\n\nmap, this will not work with it as the changes are made to the maps and not the classes themselves. The anti tank classes are replaced by engineers. Check out these other two mods by vonManstein: vonManstein's Realistic Small Arms Mod (SP) vonManstein's Realistic Troop Kits Mod (SP) These mods will probably work online, but only with client\/servers both having them.\n\n#### Tank Weapons Mod (SP)\n\ntank_weapon_mod.zip | 4.19 KB\n\nthey do :\\\\ As with most objects mods this will only work offline.\n\n#### --==Killah==--'s 101st Airborne\n\nkillahs_101st_airborne.zip | 509.37 KB\n\n#### DoD Sound Pack v2.1\n\ndodsounds-v21.zip | 3.44 MB\n\n#### D!LL!NjA's Weapons Pack\n\ndillinjas_weapons_pack.zip | 1.1 MB\n\nbandwidth-friendly collage of the 5 weapons for your viewing convenience or you can click on the picture for a larger full view. :)\n\n#### Aircraft Midway\n\naircraftwake_midway.zip | 104.11 KB\n\nmore important, than the battle at sea. Full details can be found in the readme. You may experience some framarate problems though, as lots of planes take up lots of computer power. All in all, a great alteration :) [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/aircraftwake_midway.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### Jeep Mod (SP)\n\nmgunjeeps.zip | 1.25 MB\n\nbit. [i]NOTE:[\/i] This zip contains the ENTIRE Objects.rfa file. If you already have it extracted, and dont want to overwrite your other mods, get the light version [url=http:\/\/www.bf1942files.com\/file.info?ID=6276]here![\/url] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/files_extra\/_jeepgun.jpg[\/img]\n\n#### DOD Sound Pack\n\ndodsounds-v1.zip | 1.12 MB\n\ntheir own. As far as i know this is the first weapon sound mod, so give it a run and see if ya like it ;)\n\n#### Colt 45 and KAR98 Skins\n\nsw-14skins.zip | 422.81 KB\n\nit should as the gun is made of wood. Check pics below, i recommend you check this file out otherwise, you dont ;) New\/Old[img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/newcolt.gif[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/oldcolt.gif[\/img] New\/Old[img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/newkar.gif[\/img] [img]http:\/\/www.gamingfiles.com\/screenshots\/21\/others\/oldkar.gif[\/img]\n\n#### Battlefield 1918 v3.1 teaser (2012)\n\nbattlefield_1918_v3._teaser_2012.wmv | 36.73 MB\n\nhttp:\/\/forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl\/viewtopic.php?t=2767\n\n#### THE FLACKTOWER\n\nthe_flacktower.rar | 11.71 MB\n\n#### H10s Photos screenshots\n\nh10s_photos.rar | 24.35 MB\n\n#### SP vs SV footage(Trailer release)\n\nsp_vs_sv_footage.rar | 18.59 MB\n\nargue about their believes about who will win the following war.They were SP and SV.So SV decided to change side.He went to Germany and cooperated with Hitler and the rest of his generals.So he became a high rank nazi general.When americans took place in europe SP wanted to attack a small town in france in order to clear the route to Caen. SVs army was close.He did not left his brother go away he wanted to prove the power of his mighty nazi army and he attacked SP in a deserted area.The town was hauntish and despite it was in france,it was a desert terrain........................] THIS STORY IS RIGHFULLY MINE AND I GIVE NO PERMISSION TO STOLE IT!!!!!!!! Well 5 maps, great battles, enjoy the pics(pictures). The mappack will contain 5 maps some soundtracks for each one (from other games)and a bounus foilder.In less than one week ill try to finish it.OK it wont be perfect but it will do.;)bye wish me good luck.\n\ncontrol point on the map: the radar. now with coop from H10 hamentsios10\n\n#### Greek Flag\n\nit might has influence to the other flags comment if you want.\n\n#### Training Grounds (Beach)\n\ntraining_grounds_beach_.rfa | 6 MB\n\n#### Makin Atoll\n\nmakin_atoll.rar | 5.38 MB\n\n#### Tank\\'spbupdate\n\npb_update.zip | 3.78 MB\n\n#### Tiger Ace\n\ntiger_ace.rar | 12.64 MB\n\n#### Kill_Em_All\n\nkill_em_all.rar | 31.7 MB\n\nquite a lot of armor, two dive bombers on German side (Not enough room for a airstrip for Allies)and a torpedo boat(So you can easily access the town center).In DC there are choppers on both side. Not really a mass murder map, it rather needs some strategies to be successful. Recommended to play on the Axis side. Known bugs and things that should not be: Because my BattleCraft random vegetation creator makes every tree double, so i decided to place them manually so they sometimes wont look that natural. Because of the limit of objects the edges of the map are little blank but it does not matter that much cause the main action is in the center of the map. In DC some allied bots are trying to capture the Axis not capture able control points. I hope you like it and PLEASE LEAVE FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS MAP. Any recommendations, questions or ideas are welcome too, on the comments section or on my email...\n\n#### For.whom.the.bell.tolls\n\nfor_whom_the_bell_tolls.rar | 6.02 MB\n\non it. I had luck this time. The concept of this map is basically a hill with a spiral roads. 4 capturable CP-s with plenty of armour. When you are at Allies side its quite though to get uphill so i recommend You to set the team ratio to normal or easy. Vehicle respawn rate is very low so be careful. For the Megadeth signs, they are my favourite band and I\u00c2\u00b4m trying to advertise them as much as i can. I hope You can find it enjoyable.\n\n#### Ambush\n\nrc_ambush_bf42.zip | 11.59 MB\n\nclear them out, while the Canadians will need to use the advantage of high ground to hold off the German counterattack.\n\n#### Fy Pool Day\n\nfy_pool_day.rar | 1.17 MB\n\nsudden death Option: Only knife,TDM and CTF. This can be used as long as credit is given, thank you very much.\n\n#### Fy_Imperial Palace\n\nfy_imperial_palace.rar | 3.61 MB\n\n#### BF Aztec\n\nbf_aztec.rar | 5.78 MB\n\n#### Russian Special Ops\n\nrussian_r_by_atom_bombs.zip | 421.27 KB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 1.61 Patch\n\nbg42_1_61_client_patch.exe | 328.87 MB\n\n#### Interstate - The Crater\n\nthe_crater.zip | 10.59 MB\n\nyou enjoy the map.\n\n#### Coal Locomotive Set\n\nlocomotiveset.rar | 2.28 MB\n\nenjoy and make some cool stuff out of this! More stuff by Smig gonna come soon :) Pille\n\n#### Goats Realism Mod 1.99999\n\ngoats_realism.rar | 100.9 KB\n\ndamage values for all Infantry Weapons -clip size for colt 1911 smaller by one shot(realistic value) -no4 rifle is now 10 shots per clip -no4 and kar98k both kill in one shot(for both sniper and engineer version) -thompson clip(30 rounds) was replaced by the more commonly used 20 round clip -tiger is all powerful -the m10 is now what it was made to be, a tank destroyer, not a tank -plane mg's damage tanks -all splash damage from tank\/artillery shells is lethal to infantry -grenades don't damage tanks or other armored vehicles -grenades are lethal to infantry -Has merciless addon texture support and blood support Any comments, questions or concerns, email me at Traumatized_Goat@adrico.com[\/quote]\n\n#### Battlefield 1918 V3.0 Teaser\n\nbattlefield_1918_v3.0_trailer.wmv | 27.9 MB\n\nhttp:\/\/www.fl18.de\/bf1918\/ Mod news (English): http:\/\/en.inside1918.net\/ Mod news (German): http:\/\/www.inside1918.net\/ Mod news (Dutch): http:\/\/forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl\/viewtopic.php?t=2767 You need Battlefield 1942 V1.61b to play Battlefield 1918 and you don't Need an older version to play Version 3.0! [i](*** = There will be soon a new version! If you want to know which version the current version is, visit the movie at [url=http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2p3fyJMSkek]Youtube[\/url] and you will find the current version in the movie screen or description!)[\/i]\n\n#### DGS Omaha beach\n\ndgs_omaha_beach.zip | 21.93 MB\n\n#### Sink The Bismarck\n\nsink_the_bismarck.zip | 528.52 KB\n\nNOT PUBLISH THIS AND TAKE CREDIT BUILD TIME 3 Days kyleanthonysmith@gmail.com\n\n#### Battle of Neretva\n\nbattle_of_neretva.rar | 8.63 MB\n\npaf_f16c.zip | 1.26 MB\n\ncolors,so now this one is a Pakistani one-9th Squadron PAF \"Griffins\" *works online!*\n\n#### Bar 1918\n\nbar1918.rar | 1.04 KB\n\n#### Operation Frostbite\n\noperation_frostbite_v1.0.exe | 22.89 MB\n\ntaken,you will need six flags to create ticket bleed for your enemy. The idea was to create a map that really looks like it's cold and frosty and all the: Troops, Vehicles, Buildings and Trees are covered in frost, I do hope you all enjoy it. The map is fictional so don't read into the name too much.\n\n#### M42 Machete\n\nmachete.rar | 1020.1 KB\n\nthat replaces the Allies knife. I made both the model and texture, please don't judge my UV map. I do not know much about UV maps, just modeling. Anyways i hope you enjoy. Thank you. -Matt\n\n#### Forgotten Hope Battlecraft files\n\nforgotten_hope_battlecraft_files.zip | 13.36 KB\n\nwriting the files!\n\n#### Eve of Destruction Server Files\n\neod_classic_210_server.zip | 151.48 MB\n\nEve of Destruction updated to v2.10. New maps include Operation Bribie, Search & Destroy, and Quang Tri City.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction (3\/5)\n\neod_classic_210_client_3of5.exe | 685.24 MB\n\nseveral new maps, this is the latest version of classic Battlefield 1942 modification Eve of Destruction updated to v2.10. New maps include Operation Bribie, Search & Destroy, and Quang Tri City.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction (1\/5)\n\neod_classic_210_client_1of5.exe | 690.2 MB\n\nseveral new maps, this is the latest version of classic Battlefield 1942 modification Eve of Destruction updated to v2.10. New maps include Operation Bribie, Search & Destroy, and Quang Tri City.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction (4\/5)\n\neod_classic_210_client_4of5.exe | 686.78 MB\n\nseveral new maps, this is the latest version of classic Battlefield 1942 modification Eve of Destruction updated to v2.10. New maps include Operation Bribie, Search & Destroy, and Quang Tri City.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction (5\/5)\n\neod_classic_210_client_5of5.exe | 95.45 MB\n\nseveral new maps, this is the latest version of classic Battlefield 1942 modification Eve of Destruction updated to v2.10. New maps include Operation Bribie, Search & Destroy, and Quang Tri City.\n\n#### Eve of Destruction (2\/5)\n\neod_classic_210_client_2of5.exe | 690.93 MB\n\nseveral new maps, this is the latest version of classic Battlefield 1942 modification Eve of Destruction updated to v2.10. New maps include Operation Bribie, Search & Destroy, and Quang Tri City.\n\n#### Battlefield 1918 V3.1 News update\n\nbattlefield_1918_3.1_update_2.wmv | 11.29 MB\n\n#### Operation Desert Eagle\n\noperation_desert_eagle_v1.zip | 20.94 MB\n\nthrough capturing the CPs and some soldier kits also available.\n\n#### VXF Gazala\n\nvxf_gazala.rar | 41.07 MB\n\non 174.99.113.251:14567 which is hosted by the http:\/\/www.unitedgamersociety.com\/\n\n#### VXF Stunts 1\n\nvxf_stunts_one.rar | 8.21 MB\n\non 174.99.113.251:14567 which is hosted by the http:\/\/www.unitedgamersociety.com\/\n\n#### DC Battle of Britain\n\ndcbattleofbritain.zip | 6.27 MB\n\n#### BattleaxeSupercharged - Night Version- With Jetpack\n\nbattleaxesupercharged.rar | 46.12 MB\n\n. Several new vehicles R75 Bike , Hdxa Bike New tanks like the t95 and the flak panzer ,greyhound , sturmtiger and others . Flettner Helicopter - Dice Model . Modified Code . The map is made to prevent base camping , the airfield are in the corners of the map and the bases have artillery and controlled gates for defense . The main goal here is to take control of Fort Capuzzo . Credits Rdc_Firefly map design , coding and building Dice For All they have done . Visit www.bf1942.com.br\/forum for other maps and news about a server for this and other maps . The site also have alternate links .\n\n#### Patch 1.20\n\npatch_1.20.exe | 33.97 MB\n\nCorps, General Patton Mod, WW2 Battleship Mod. Changelog 1.20 Patch Version -new bullet sounds: mg42 deadly historic sound accuracy, No. 4 Lee Enfield historic gunpoint (sight,scope) and new sounds, Bar 1918 historic sound, Colt 45.Cal M1911A APC, Tiger Tank gun sound and mg 42 sound, Sherman sound, artillery vehicle wespe and priest new sounds, aircraft engine sound btter accuracy and aircraft bombs or bombing better sound accuracy, ship bombardment better sound, b17 strategic bombing sound. -new weapon fixes:gunsight or target sight fixed, sniper scope better military accuracy gunsight, thompson gunsight fixed, new turret and new 54 rounds magazine for tiger tank, Artillery modernized and fixed, Priest 7 (is now looking on some maps like in the bf2, use your binoculars to call and artillery strike on an enemy target) now fire 60 round shells, Prince of Wales is now USS Texas with more deadly accuracy of guns, aircraft carrier now has a lift and torpedo tubes. -new uniforms:2nd SS Panzer Division Uniform, SAS Uniform with Red Beret, British Green Berets-Royal Marines and Marine Commandos, Royal Airforce Skins for British Pilots, Seaman Uniforms Civialian Merchant Navy, War Navy Uniforms, Tankman Uniforms, Special Forces and Commando Suit, MI 5 and OSS Green Camo for France-Burma-Yugoslavia-sicily. -new tanks: Matilda, sherman heavy tank and experimental T-28 for multiplayer combat.\n\n#### Spacehoshi_RTR_airbornePack.zip\n\nspacehoshi_rtr_airbornepack.zip | 60.91 MB\n\ngive it a try ;) critics allways welcome\n\n#### Prison Escape Map\n\nprison_escape.rfa | 8.44 MB\n\n#### WW2 Battleship Mod\n\n57ww2_battleship_mod.exe | 35.6 MB\n\nJutland and St.Nazaire, it's all a myth. This is the scene of fighting Goliath and super powers made of pure steel and fire rings called Gun caliber 480 mm. Jutland in the First World War, and Trondheim in the Second World War, and now the myth of one time and hope. Pacific new nightmare, the Prince of Wales and Repulsa sunk by Japanese aircraft carriers, and they are also a myth, and artifact of one time.\n\n#### General Patton Mod\n\ngeneral_patton.exe | 23.6 MB\n\ninvasion of Germany. Use the new camouflage clothing for snow, desert, Italian front, Normandy and Germany. New types of tanks such as: Sherman, Matilda, M7 Priest, Stuart, Locust M20, M26 Pershing, Sherman DD Tank, Sherman Tank Mine clearance, etc. New types of aircraft: A-26, B-17G, C-47 carrier supply, C-47 Dakota, B-25H with a 450kg bomb in the form of torpedoes, rockets, with Spitfire, Mustang with rockets, with Thunderbolt missiles, Russian Tupolev with bombs \/ missiles \/ torpedoes, etc. U.S. Engineer looks like Patton (a uniform, face, helmet, gun, boots, still in development and released in the next upgrade or patch), a British engineer looks like Montgomery (still under construction), etc.\n\n#### Codename Enigma Rising - World War Two: World at War\n\ncode_name_enigma_rising_world_war_two_world_at_war.exe | 30.84 MB\n\ncommando Department for espionage\/ commando operations, or American Ranger in the service of OSS. If you want to be part of an elite German SS or Wehrmacht service for special operations. All these units are fighting for supremacy in secret and guerrilla war, using the destruction, elimination of enemies, assassinations, guerrilla warfare, espionage and destruction of enemy headquarters, largely secret war. Ensure for your side safe and delicious victory.\n\n#### Operation_Overlord\n\noperation_overlord.exe | 42.92 MB\n\nthe country.Start operations as Allied or German soldier. The fight is began Soldier. Forward march.\n\n#### Operation Pacific\n\noperation_pacific.exe | 31.49 MB\n\nJapanese imperial soldier, and made a hell on earth. Handled anti-aircraft gun on an aircraft carrier at Midway, and especially take part in the defense of Pearl Harbor or landing on Sands of Iwo Jima. Start your War No.1 in four campaigns in the Pacific: Japanese conquest of Asia, Singapore, Corregidor, Philippines, Pearl Harbor, Burma: Forgotten Front, the South Pacific: Guadalcanal, Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Designer: George_Taylor_Cro SAS_19 xfire:torpedobomber25 from Croatia and John Johnson from United States of America.\n\n#### The Merville Gun Battery\n\nbf1942_operation_overlord_merville_battery.rar | 16.5 MB\n\nhope to make a stand. The Germans are throwing an entire armoured division at the British, who plan to dig in at a town and small airstrip as their final stand. The Germans have superior armour, but the British still have control of the skies and will have close air support available to strengthen their defence.\n\n#### STALAG\n\nstalag.zip | 4.19 MB\n\n#### bf1942_Operation_Overlord_Mod_Map_Vierville_Sur_Mer_1944.rfa\n\nbf1942_operation_overlord.rar | 1.01 MB\n\ninfiltration, and spoofing the enemy, and especially espionage, is a great darkness, midnight before D-Day, the right time for the black uniforms (special forces, commandos, parachutists) and camouflage clothing. Group of British-American commando was sent to six hours (0100hours) prior to the Navy and Marine assault on the Normandy beaches, to destroy guns that look at Utah and Omaha beach, and to infiltrate a nearby factory and destroy the plant for the production of steel and especially ammunition and fuel . British SAS and American Rangers have in the final: to destroy, kill all the German soldiers and crew of the nearby airport and factories, to raise the coastal artillery in the air and keep the enemy until morning and wait for allied reinforcements, especially the tanks from Sword beach. If the allies manage to complete all of this win, and axis must defend and protect the position of its findings and move away from the target of allied commandos. Long live the parachute, black camouflage uniforms and D-Day, slogan of the map. Type of map: Mission Objective Conquest or Conquest Map-Team Death Match Map Objective. All copy and paste in mod Path including the Archives and Init.con files.C:Program FilesEA GAMESBattlefield 1942Mods(Mod)\n\n#### shi no numa\n\nshi_no_numa.rfa | 1.29 MB\n\nFILES I NEEDED FOT THE FRAGFIELD BATTLECRAFT FILES AND VERY IMPORTANT DO NOT I MEAN DO NOT EDIT THIS MAP UNLESS I COME OUT WITH A V2. FH_LutenitFoley ANY BUGS REPORT TO ME AT MY E-MAIL\n\n#### Pacific Oasis\n\npacific_oasis.rfa | 468.94 KB\n\ninstalled but the US fleet got destroyed and now there stranded until renforcements arrive still need my permission to edit map but be careful i used over 1500 objects in it so have fun This map is made for friends to have fun on together \/very improtan\/ theres 2 mg that are to far in ground and are not usable and theres an armory in the middle of the island for anyone but the germans spawn there\n\n#### Operation Snowy Nights\n\noperation_snowy_nights.rfa | 899.96 KB\n\ndock you can see the edge of the map so dont tell me that i tested and it works fine and A-ok\n\n#### Desert fortress\n\ndesert_fortress.rar | 2.09 MB\n\nstrategies). Map size: small Vehicles: Tiger, Wespe, hanomag, m10, priest You can use this map in any way without my permission, just give credits of me. Any problems, questions or suggestions email me at martin9353(at)hotmail(dot)com\n\n#### Island-64\n\nisland64_bf42_v1.zip | 9.51 MB\n\n#### Operation Luttich\n\noperation_luttich_v1.0.exe | 19.74 MB\n\nMortain and Hill317,and Axis have 5 flags, Axis Main Base, Church, South West Village, South East Farm, South Village,these flags surround Hill 317... Allies must hold Hill317 at all costs as it is the only flag that creates ticket bleed, In SinglePlayer and Co-Op each side has one uncapturable flag Allies have: Mortain and Axis have: Axis Main Base.... all other flags are Neutral and you will need 5 flags to create ticket bleed.\n\n#### Battlegroup 42 Version 1.6 Clientfiles 3\/3\n\nbg42_1_6_part3_of_3.exe | 1005.13 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup 42 Version 1.6 Clientfiles 2\/3\n\nbg42_1_6_part2_of_3.exe | 937.59 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup 42 Version 1.6 Clientfiles 1\/3\n\nbg42_1_6_part1_of_3.exe | 872.19 MB\n\n#### FH Toolbox\n\nfh1_toolbox11155_setup.rar | 12.01 MB\n\n#### Interstate 82 Custom Map Pack\n\nis82mappack3of3_fixed.rar | 467.43 MB\n\n#### Standoff\n\nstandoff.zip | 11.28 MB\n\nsome game play adjustments. join my website \"Battlefield 1942 Forever!\" at http:\/\/bf1942.ath.cx.\n\n#### Ryham's FH Mappack #1\n\nfhmappack_ryham.rar | 573.95 KB\n\n#### DC Rush Hour\n\ndc_rush_hour.zip | 10.04 MB\n\n#### Interstate 82 Custom Map Pack\n\ninterstatemappack_1of3.rar | 829.76 MB\n\n#### Khirosha\n\nkhirosha.zip | 7.94 MB\n\ncamp established in the area and the USMC is searching for it. The two small river villages work together as kind of co-centerpoints. Keep in mind, they will be key to a win for either side. Enjoy\n\n#### Crossfire\n\nbf42_crossfire_v1.zip | 11.93 MB\n\nis a lot more packed-in yet it suits a larger number of players because of the way in which the flags are spread out. Both teams will need to secure their side of the river and then try and push across either the two bridges or try their luck with swimming the river and climbing the stairways on either side. Each team has a jeep, two light tanks and a heavy tank at their base. You'll also be able to find a handful of pickup kits, including a type of kit that combines the Medic's submachine gun and healing ability with the Expacks and wrench of the Engineer class - quite useful for if you want to keep your tank alive as long as possible then slug it out on foot if it's destroyed. Custom weapon skins and a new skybox are also included. Most skins by me with the exception of the MP40, which was made by Dr Tempura.\n\nand have to capture either the central island plus one other or take all 4 islands around the outside. The central island is a great place to hold out as it has a lot more cover than the others plus medical and ammunition resupply. To get between islands you'll have to run through shallow water without any sort of cover, so you need to make damn sure there's no sniper waiting to blow your head off on the island you're headed towards. If this sounds like as much fun to you as it does to me, check it out.\n\n#### Kwai River\n\nkwai_river.zip | 7.88 MB\n\ninfantry fight. No vehicles or stationary weapons around.\n\n#### A2GReVeNgE's Skin Pack\n\nskins.rar | 1.04 MB\n\nand Motion blurred it) It is never a yellow clear ball And loads more Oh yeah,added metallic to knife (+ a bit of blood) On kit allied Scout (Which you find on floor when people have died) There is a bit on the gun that says allies (was bored) Made MG42 look new some more stuff too\n\n#### Donner\n\ndonner.rfa | 53.63 MB\n\nDefeat map of the same name.\n\n#### Donner\n\ndonner_airfield.rfa | 25.9 MB\n\nDefeat map of the same name.\n\n#### Forgotten Hope on a MAC\n\nforgotten_hope_on_a_mac.wmv | 8.44 MB\n\ntransfered it onto my MAC. Then, when I put the BF1942 disk into the MAC, I made a copy of the BF1942 file folder, (because the disk has the data on it and you cannot insert files), onto my desktop. Then, I put the FH folder in my mods folder inside the BF1942 folder and the instead of clicking the icon when you insert the disk, click the icon in the BF1942 that you copied.[\/quote] The maker has also stated his intention to eventually make a tutorial. If this interests you, check it out.\n\n#### Operation Desert Falcon\n\noperation_desert_falcon.zip | 18.08 MB\n\nspawning, I'll fix these in a later version. This is my work and if you would like to use it, please give credit and contact me before using this material. HAVE FUN!\n\n#### Stuka Attack\n\nblitskrieg_aanval.mp3 | 3.35 MB\n\n#### Eve of Destruction 1.10 Server\n\neod_110_server_patch.zip | 55.69 MB\n\n#### Eve of Destruction 1.10 Client\n\neod_110_client_patch.exe | 381.87 MB\n\n#### The Battle of Australia\n\nthe_battle_of_australia.rfa | 3.75 MB\n\ncontrol points in the map. The Japanese are trying to invade the Australian home front! Any suggestions or reccomendations, email me fhweapons@yahoo.com. Have fun!!\n\n#### Cuba\n\ncuba.exe | 19.58 MB\n\n#### Grasslands (Not Super Mario)\n\ngrasslands.rfa | 4.65 MB\n\n#### River\n\nriver.exe | 5.47 MB\n\ntree! (3) do not edit it!\n\n#### Town\n\ntown.exe | 14.37 MB\n\n#### Qom\n\nqom.rfa | 9.35 MB\n\n#### Happy Saint Patrick's Day Map\n\nhappy_saint_patrick_s_day.rfa | 2.82 MB\n\n#### Villagelife\n\nvillagelife.rar | 13.24 MB\n\nsupports SP\/Coop.\n\n#### Sonic The Hegehog Fun\n\nsonic_s_level.rfa | 5.22 MB\n\n#### The Winter Battle\n\noverlord.rfa | 2.64 MB\n\nabilities but keep in mind I' am a beginer and this is my first ever custom map made in Battle craft 42. I hope you enjoy this map and if you have any suggestions or recomendations,PLEASE EMAIL ME fhweapons@yahoo.com. Thank you! -Matt\n\n#### Hill 500 revisited\n\nhillfivehundredaz.zip | 9.09 MB\n\ndidn't name it \"hill 400\". The layout is the same as the original, but I rebuilt it from the ground up(literally) and included the all important Single Player option to boot. I admit I am no master of SP mode, but play these guys on the \"impossible\" setting and be prepared to watch bots do everything a player would do, including basecamp. heh heh.\n\n#### BattleFeel 1942\n\nbattlefeel1942_v10_20090301.zip | 3.02 MB\n\n#### bf42mappack_spacehoshiV1\n\nspacehoshi_bf42_mappack1.zip | 55.61 MB\n\nfind the following maps. Der_Bauer Der_Bauer_winter Kall_Trail Malaria sm_zweit and one Road to Rome map RTR_Ost additional instructions for installation are included in every levelfolder. hope you guys will enjoy the mappack. a second one will follow. :)\n\n#### Fragfield (Non-Installer)\n\nfragfield1942_v02_noninstr.zip | 66.59 MB\n\nsupport is included on all the new maps in case you don't have enough human players to fill in or you want to practice on your own.\n\n#### The Island\n\nthe_lake.rfa | 24.98 MB\n\n#### Grand Prix\n\ngrand_prix_install.exe | 2.67 MB\n\n#### Woodbury CT\n\nwoodbury_ct_updated_installation.exe | 243.6 KB\n\n#### Super Mario World\n\nsuper_mario_world.rfa | 478.17 KB\n\n#### SnipeCat94'mulriplayer demo mod\n\nmod.zip | 1.01 MB\n\n#### Rolling Thunder\n\nrollingthunder_v1_rc.zip | 14.7 MB\n\n#### Custom Berlin #2, screen shot\n\npic_1.jpg | 227.2 KB\n\n#### Joes Reinforcements\n\njoesreinforcements.zip | 21.76 MB\n\nto much fun to let die. The First is France Hills by Lynnx, and the Huertgen forest by Rex McLachlin. I have made a few changes to enhance play with bots, but tried to keep the original as pure as possible. Because these are not addons(001) or Mods I have renamed them so the originals will not be overwritten. These maps are for Standard BF1942 These maps support Single Player and COOP\n\n#### Need For Speed 3: Home Town\n\nhometown_need_for_speed_three_.rfa | 3.25 MB\n\nJaja68\n\n#### Woodbury CT\n\nwoodbury_conectucut.rfa | 203.67 KB\n\n#### Custom\/realistic Berlin map\n\nberlin.rfa | 5.33 MB\n\nhope you like it, it is my first file on Battlefield files.com and my first custom map. if you have any recomendations or ideas please email me at Fhweapons@yahoo.com Thanks! -Matt\n\n#### Custom\/realistic Berlin map\n\nberlin_video.wmv | 21.04 MB\n\n#### Vanawatu\n\nvanawatu.rfa | 5.01 MB\n\n#### TLB Air Race mod\n\ntlb_air_race_mod.zip | 36.14 MB\n\nwhich take about 2 seconds to capture if they're not gray, so fly slow! This map appears very interesting, if flying (or speed\/racing within the Battlefield series) is your thing, give this a try. It also looks as if it may be good for aircraft based stunts. The main change from the original is that this version has the flags where they can be captured and left without turning neutral. (In the old version, if you captured a flag and flew away for a while, it would automatically go neutral)\n\n#### TLB Knife Fight map\n\nknife_fight.zip | 7.01 MB\n\nknife matches and jeep racing. Have fun![\/quote] Sounds like all we need now is some popcorn and the Mortal Kombat theme. :P\n\n#### Xmas on the Battlefield\n\nxmas_on_the_battlefield_v1.1_spcoop.rar | 9.69 MB\n\nnoobs. [b] Have fun with it though! Merry Christmas and Happy hunting! [\/b]\n\n#### Mobius F-15 & MiG-29\n\nmobius_dc_skins.zip | 1.26 MB\n\nwas. The legendary Mobius 1.\n\n#### BattleFeel 1942 Anthology\n\nbattlefeel1942anthology_v10_20081201.zip | 57.51 MB\n\nacknowledge: times will be needed to find out or learn what experience this mod can bring to you. So please post your experiences with this mod. To those fans who always have unfailing loyalty for a revolutionary FPS game, we hope this mod can fulfill your wishes. Thanks! [b] Note: The former BattleFeel 1942 mod is NOT REQUIRED this time. But if you already installed it, there is no need to uninstall it, it will not influence BattleFeel 1942 Anthology, please don't get confused between them. [\/b]\n\n#### BattleGroup 42 Client Patch\n\nbg42_1_5_to_1_51_client_patch.exe | 308.01 MB\n\nbrightness that is v1.51, not only will this fix bugs, it will also add new content to your game. To see the full list of new features, look at the changelist below. If you have BattleGroup, and enjoy it, then this download is ESSENTIAL. As we have come to expect from the BG42 crew, this file is made with the same professionalism and skill that brought is v1.5. So, if BG42 is your thing, hunker down, grab a drink, and brace yourself for the next installment of this amazing mod! [b] Note: To install this patch you MUST already have v1.5 installed. [\/b]\n\n#### CUSTOM BF1942 REAL IWO JIMA\n\niwo_jima_cudtom_bf1942_2_video.wmv | 15.75 MB\n\nBF1942 Iwo Jima map, that was very bad and did not look realistic\n\n#### Battlegroup 42 Full Client (Part 3 of 3)\n\nbg42_1_5_part3_of_3.exe | 811.59 MB\n\nalso brings us some new weapons and a healthy supply of new vehicles. As you all probably know, BattleGroup takes place during World War 2, and covers all theaters of that war. It is known by many to be one of the best, as well as most extensive and comprehensive, mods for Battlefield 1942. [b] NOTE: This mod needs all three parts of the installer, installed in the correct order to work correctly. The correct order is, of course, part 1, then part 2, followed by part 3. NOTE: Delete\/uninstall all previous versions of this mod before installing this one. [\/b]\n\n#### Battlegroup 42 Full Client (Part 2 of 3)\n\nbg42_1_5_part2_of_3.exe | 828.38 MB\n\nalso brings us some new weapons and a healthy supply of new vehicles. As you all probably know, BattleGroup takes place during World War 2, and covers all theaters of that war. It is known by many to be one of the best, as well as most extensive and comprehensive, mods for Battlefield 1942. [b] NOTE: This mod needs all three parts of the installer, installed in the correct order to work correctly. The correct order is, of course, part 1, then part 2, followed by part 3. NOTE: Delete\/uninstall all previous versions of this mod before installing this one. [\/b]\n\n#### BattleGroup 42 Full Client (Part 1 of 3)\n\nbg42_1_5_part1_of_3.exe | 848.31 MB\n\nalso brings us some new weapons and a healthy supply of new vehicles. As you all probably know, BattleGroup takes place during World War 2, and covers all theaters of that war. It is known by many to be one of the best, as well as most extensive and comprehensive, mods for Battlefield 1942. [b] NOTE: This mod needs all three parts of the installer, installed in the correct order to work correctly. The correct order is, of course, part 1, then part 2, followed by part 3. NOTE: Delete\/uninstall all previous versions of this mod before installing this one. [\/b]\n\n#### BattleGroup 42 Full Server\n\nbg42_full_server_1_5.rar | 113.45 MB\n\nnew weapons and a healthy supply of new vehicles. As you all probably know, BattleGroup takes place during World War 2, and covers all theaters of that war. It is known by many to be one of the best, as well as most extensive and comprehensive, mods for Battlefield 1942. [b] NOTE: You do NOT need to download this file unless you are going to run a server using this mod. [\/b]\n\n#### Tanker's Hell\n\ntankers_hell.zip | 14.6 MB\n\ncaptured, the ticket bleed starts. A pair of PaK40 anti-tank guns and stationary MGs will spawn to help you defend the outpost. You won't be able to spawn at the outpost if you capture it, so do your best to stay alive. Flanking plays a vital role in this map. You can sneak around the outside of the island and move in behind the enemy if they're mostly inland, or you can sneak a tank onto one of the hills and use the trees as cover so you can ambush passers-by. Despite the map being so simple, there's a lot of different methods for securing a victory. Actually, that's probably because it's so simple - the freedom of being able to use most of the map to attack a single point. Re-skins are abundant here. Most of the hand weapons get a new look, as do all of the tanks. US tanks are a more mottled sand\/green, while the Germans have a splinter pattern on their sand\/grey tanks. In addition, the maker swapped the No.4 in the US Engineer kit for the M1 Garand.\n\n#### Metzich\n\nmetzich.zip | 16.97 MB\n\npositions near Damascus. There are four main control points and two Battle control points with no Spawn locations. Additional Skins by: Gumby, Takwa, Jingo, Jesus and Lord Wilding\n\n#### Cheesy's Fiery Germans\n\ncheesys_fiery_germans.zip | 842.05 KB\n\nwith it. Any constructive criticism is welcome.\n\n#### Acme`s Matilda Mk2 mod\n\nacms_matilda_mod.zip | 10.62 MB\n\n#### Jutland Atoll\n\njutland_atoll.zip | 12.7 MB\n\nvillage in the Channel Islands. There are six control points around 3 main Islands. Fighter planes aid in this attack. Additional Skins by: Afront, Allied Forces, L3_dOg and Gsus\n\n#### In The Hell Of Bocage - Coop\/SP\n\nrc_fh_hellofbocage_coop.zip | 94.07 KB\n\n#### Urban Desert Combat (Mac Client Files)\n\nurban_dcv0.0.3fullmaccliet.zip | 141.07 MB\n\n#### Urban Desert Combat Server Files\n\nurban_dc_v0.0.3_server.zip | 39.28 MB\n\n#### FH1 Campaign Maps\n\nfhcampaignmaps.zip | 1.12 MB\n\nStalingrad and Iwo Jima, sounds funny but it makes sense. They're fun to use for LAN matches or if you want a meaningful campaign with some bots. They don't do anything, its just to keep track of your campaign progress and whatnot depending on how you want to use them. I like to LAN with my cousin and we have a very complex way of keeping track of divisions, territories, etc. and we use these maps for our campaigns. Like i said, nothing great, don't get mad at me if you're disappointed. it marks every map of forgotten hope and each map has lines to other maps showing where one can attack from there. its only for tracking purposes but it took 2 hours to make. Just use MSpaint to mark the map for your campaigning pleasure. use\/modify\/distribute however you like, just at least say in your readme or whatever that I made the original : ) Cheers, Schutze. BTW this is for FH1, not FH2. ill make one for FH2 when they have enough maps to make it worth while.\n\n#### Operation Omaha\n\noperation_omaha.exe | 21.68 MB\n\nof map from my Phoenix 1942 Mod.\n\n#### Valley Crossing\n\nvalley_crossing.zip | 6.41 MB\n\n#### BattleFeel1942 - Last Trip\n\nbattlefeel1942_lasttrip_20081001.zip | 4.95 MB\n\nneeds the BattleFeel 1942 mod to run, which you can find [URL=http:\/\/battlefield2.filefront.com\/file\/BattleFeel_1942;94261]Here.[\/URL]\n\n#### BattleFeel 1942\n\nbattlefeel1942_beta1_20080925.zip | 8.5 MB\n\n#### Parcours Challenge\n\nparcours_challenge.zip | 16.61 MB\n\nthe original author, maehnaebteheu (it's on the loading screen), and he gave his consent for this file to be uploaded. -Sent\n\n#### Cipher F-15C\n\nrc_f15c_cipher_acz.zip | 652.45 KB\n\n#### WinsumV1.1 for Forgotten hope\n\n0forgotten_hope_winsum_map_v1.1.rar | 12.81 MB\n\nweapon kits for you to find. ---------------- The Winsum FHSW version is playable 24\/7 on =S*o*D= FH Server 82.192.78.114:14567 Have Fun!\n\n#### The Gauntlet (FH0.7)\n\nrc_gauntlet_fh07.zip | 4.76 MB\n\n#### The Gauntlet\n\nrc_gauntlet_bf1942.zip | 6.37 MB\n\n#### Incoming Storm\n\nincoming_storm.rar | 4.67 MB\n\n#### StG44 Splinter Camo\n\nstg44_splinterdigital_rc.zip | 128.37 KB\n\n#### Palm island\n\npalm_island.rar | 4.14 MB\n\nit.\n\n#### The Way It Was Meant To Be Mod\n\ntwiwmtbbeta.zip | 92.19 MB\n\nmultiplayer compatible modded most vehicles in the game and added tons more. some minor hud and texture changes\n\n#### Snowy dock SP\n\nsnowy_dock.rar | 1.74 MB\n\n#### Op.Camel\n\nop.camel.rar | 1.72 MB\n\nmap.\n\n#### DC_Final_C130_Assault\n\nc130_gunship_assault.zip | 3.38 MB\n\ncapture any Village CPs... This map is Co-op, Single player, and conquest ability. (it's fun too...)\n\n#### Mayhem & Afrique Maps42\n\nmaps.zip | 22.54 MB\n\ndesert map with an tropical environnement at the middle with flags.\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Desert Combat Wallpapers\n\nbattlefield_1942_desert_combat_wallpapers_by_dunk999999.zip | 4.59 MB\n\nfor you to pretty up your desktop.\n\n#### Battlegroup42 v1.4 Client Files Part 1\n\nbg42_1_4_part1_of_3.exe | 758.79 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 v1.4 Client Files Part 2\n\nbg42_1_4_part2_of_3.exe | 720.87 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 v1.4 Client Files Part 3\n\nbg42_1_4_part3_of_3.exe | 732.48 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 v1.4 Full Server Files\n\nbg42_full_server_1_4.zip | 117.86 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 v1.40 to v1.41 Server Patch\n\nbg42_server_patch_141.rar | 71.11 MB\n\n#### Battlegroup42 v1.40 to v1.41 Client Patch\n\nbg42_client_patch_141.exe | 519.41 MB\n\nFixes\/Changes: - fixed the aipathfinding.con of 4411-huertgen_forest - fixed the controlpoints on guadalcanal (CPs on both hills need TWO soldiers to be captured) - some minor fixes made to liberation_of_caen - changed the airfield on market_garden to neutral, can only be captured by the british - fixed the controlpoints on 4504-crossing_the_spree (spelling errors) - changed the beach controlpoint on 4409-operation_stalemate to be captureable by team 2 only - lowered sandbag at eastern fence on 4202-tracking_the_wolves - moved the soldierspawn inside the pushcage on 4412-noville outside of the pushcage - fixed pushmode on 4301-velikye_luki - fixed spawntime of pushcages on 4207-kokoda_path - added BG42 Objective Mode to battle_of_britain - changed heightmap for 4106-halfaya_pass (Conquest mode only) - fixed spawntimes for pushcages on 4106-halfaya_pass - added the missing lightmaps on 4504-seelow_heights - removed the parachutes because of constant bailing to capture flags from: 4004-narvik 4005-grebbeberg 4201-rabaul 4205-operation_ironclad 4306-operation_corkscrew 4307-prokhorovka 4408-mont_st_michel 4409-hells_highway 4503-paderborn 4701-antarctica Code Fixes\/Changes: - fixed the Panzer III projectile position - fixed the targeter of the Flakvierling - increased the maximum elevation of the dual Oerlikon to 80 degrees - reactivated exhaust effects on all ships - increased speed and maneuverability of the Mosquito - changed \"M3ScoutCar\" to \"White M3 Scout Car\" in lexiconall.dat - added missing entries in lexiconall.dat - fixed Wirbelwind gun sounds - increased the rudder rotation on LCTs - fixed wrong seat animation on Sherman Calliope\n\n#### M14, M21 and M21 Camo Models\n\nm21_and_m14.rar | 361.03 KB\n\nmodels are un-skinned but they work in game (Desert Combat). Do not edit these models and release them without my permission. Cheers from Lutefisk\n\n#### Winsum for Forgotten Hope\n\nwinsumdone_.rar | 3.06 MB\n\nthe map doesn\\'t look like my town :P the Americans attack a small village in a dense wood, while the German forces lie and wait in ambush. this is a infantry map, but there are also tanks included. there are numerous pickup kits located in the map.\n\n#### Eve Of Destruction Client Files\n\neod_081_installer.exe | 366.01 MB\n\n#### Eve Of Destruction Server Files\n\neod_081_server_patch.zip | 17.02 MB\n\n#### RFA Manager For The Mac\n\nrfa_manager0.1.1.zip | 3.3 MB\n\n#### BF1942 Mod Launcher\n\nbf1942modlauncher10.rar | 74.1 KB\n\nlaunches any mod without doing the long process of starting up the game, then activating the mod.\n\noffer both land and sea combat, on a smaller scale.\n\n#### Fizzys Mosquito Skins\n\nfizzys_mosquito_skins_v1.0.zip | 2.23 MB\n\nEuropean theater of war and the other is for the African theater of war.\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Wallpapers (Complete)\n\nbattlefield_1942_wallpapers_complete_by_dunk999999.zip | 8.4 MB\n\nwill be the DC loadscreens so keep an eye out for them.\n\n#### Weapon Reskin Pack\n\ncommie_bf42_skinpack.zip | 1.61 MB\n\n#### HellFires Desert Combat Skins\n\nhellfires_desert_combat_skins.zip | 62.77 MB\n\nfor this skin pack to work . Hope you like it! MADE BY HELLFIRE[\/quote]\n\n#### Battlefield 1942 Wallpapers\n\nbattlefield_1942_wallpapers_part2_by_dunk999999.zip | 1.65 MB","date":"2014-09-16 01:02:47","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 1, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.19501404464244843, \"perplexity\": 12602.441824361595}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2014-41\/segments\/1410657110730.89\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20140914011150-00155-ip-10-196-40-205.us-west-1.compute.internal.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
Carriera
Club
Cresciuto nel settore giovanile del , nell'agosto 2019 viene prestato all' con cui debutta fra i professionisti il 23 agosto in occasione del match di Ligue 2 vinto 1-0 contro il .
Rientrato al club biancorosso, gioca alcuni mesi con la squadra riserve prima di passare a titolo definitivo allo .
Nazionale
Ha giocato nelle nazionali giovanili francesi Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19 ed Under-20.
Statistiche
Presenze e reti nei club
Statistiche aggiornate al 14 ottobre 2021.
Collegamenti esterni | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 3,299 |
THE BLOOD SERIES
A Blood Series compilation
Blood Singers
Blood Song
Blood Chosen
New York Times Bestselling Author
TAMARA ROSE BLODGETT
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2014 Tamara Rose Blodgett
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
www.tamararoseblodgett.com
TRB Facebook Fan Page
Edited suggestions for Blood Singers provided by Red Adept Editing.
Edited suggestions for Blood Song & Blood Chosen provided by Stephanie T. Lott
# CONTENTS
Works by Tamara Rose Blodgett and Marata Eros
Marata Eros NEWS
TRB News
BLOOD SINGERS
BLOOD SONG
BLOOD CHOSEN
Acknowledgments
About the Author
# Character Index:
Blood Singers/talent:
Julia- Queen of the Singers; Telekinetic/telepath
Scott- Royal Singer Blood; Deflector/Combatant
Brendan- Tracker/pyro
Michael- Illusionist
Jen- Telekinetic
Cyrus- Healer
Paul- Negator/amplifier
Angela- Feeler
Marcus- Region One
Jacqueline- Royal Singer Blood; Region Two Leader
Victor- Region Two/Combatant- Boiler
Cynthia Adams/rogue- Healer
Northwestern Were Pack:
Lawrence- Packmaster
Emmanuel "Manny" - Beta to Lawrence
Anthony "Tony" Daniel Laurent- Second to Lawrence
Adrianna "Adi"- Alpha female
Southeastern Were Pack:
David- Packmaster
Alan Greene- Alpha male
Lacey Greene- sister and female Were to Alan
Buck "Slash"- Alpha male
Karl Truman- former Homer detective
Ford- Alpha male/ FBI agent
Southeastern Vampire Kiss:
Merlin- Coven leader
Northwestern Vampire Kiss:
Gabriel- Coven Leader
Claire- Cousin to William
William- Runner/shifter/Singer blood
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# Works by Tamara Rose Blodgett and Marata Eros:
Tamara Rose Blodgett
The BLOOD Series
The DEATH Series
The REFLECTION Series
The SAVAGE Series
Shifter ALPHA CLAIM
Vampire ALPHA CLAIM
Final Enforcement Vampire ALPHA CLAIM
&
Marata Eros:
A Terrible Love (New York Times bestseller)
A Brutal Tenderness
The Darkest Joy
Club Alpha
The DARA NICHOLS Series
The DEMON Series
The DRUID Series
Road Kill MC Serial
The SIREN Series
The TOKEN Serial
Final Enforcement Vampire ALPHA CLAIM
Shifter ALPHA CLAIM
Vampire ALPHA CLAIM
The ZOE SCOTT Series
Click HERE for Download Links for your Retailer.
Never miss a new release! Subscribe:
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# Marata Eros NEWS
And/or
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# TRB News
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
Exclusive Excerpts!
Comedic Quips
Win FREE stuff!
A sub-species of human beings...
Twenty-year old Julia Wade, a young woman tragically widowed, is in the middle of a bizarre bid between two mythical species who are vying for the unique properties she offers; her blood. The vampires need her to balance the food load of the human species and give them their coveted "Lightwalkers." The Were wish to be moonless changers; a Rare One can make that a reality.
Julia wants to belong to herself.
Can she free herself and begin a new life?
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# BLOOD SINGERS
A Blood Series Novel
Book 1
New York Times Bestselling Author
TAMARA ROSE BLODGETT
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2007-12 Tamara Rose Blodgett
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
www.tamararoseblodgett.com
TRB Facebook Fan Page
Edited suggestions provided by Red Adept Editing.
Cover Design: Claudia McKinney
Photographs: DepositPhotos
Photography: Oleg Gekman
DEDICATION:
The girls that keep me Sane on Shelfari (and otherwise): Beth and Dianne
I love you guys~
Once they had eliminated the impossible, whatever remained, however improbable, must be the truth.
~Sherlock Holmes
Prologue
Julia pressed her nose to the glass, the trees a sea of green as they rushed outside her window, her momma and daddy's voices a low and pleasant drone from the front seat.
She hated the belt. It pressed across her neck in an uncomfortable place, itchy and suffocating.
"Momma," Julia whined.
Her mother's chocolate eyes appeared over the front seat, such a contrast to the auburn hair held in her customary ponytail.
"What is it?"
Julia worked her small finger under the belt. "I hate, hate this stupid strap! I want to take it off!" She crossed her arms, huffing.
Momma sighed, unlatching her belt, and turned in the front seat to adjust the neck-restraint portion of Julia's seatbelt. At once, Momma's scent assaulted her where it intimately combined with the perfume she always wore.
Daddy said from the front, "Amber, sit back down. The belt's latched. She's just going to have to deal with it for another ten minutes."
Julia's eyes narrowed to slits. Daddy was so stubborn. His belt didn't bite into his neck because he was a Big Man! Ugh. Julia fumed.
Momma smiled and began to turn, and Julia saw Daddy's face in profile, watching to make sure she sat down safely.
He only took his eyes off the road for a moment.
It was long enough.
Twin beads of light bore down on their car as an impossibly large grill came to eat them, the chrome winking in the late-afternoon light.
Daddy made a correction to the right, but that threw Momma on top of him, imprisoning their bodies in a macabre dance, the steering wheel sandwiching them together.
As if in slow motion, Momma looked at Julia's father.
The knowledge of their impending death appeared on their faces like an unspoken promise.
Julia screamed as the truck slammed into the car, and the belt that she hated so much whipped against her neck and slammed her against the back seat with such force that the breath left her small body.
She watched as her parents were crushed together in a final embrace.
The metal colliding was an earthquake in her ears, and something wet and warm hit her face. She opened her eyes and her parents were... everywhere, their blood like a blanket that coated her skin and hair.
Her brain howled, refusing to accept what was happening. Her vision clouded. Her neck and head throbbed, and her lungs were a burning inferno with a need to scream.
The last thing she remembered was her mother's hair entwined in the steering wheel like so much spun copper.
#
CHAPTER ONE
Ten Years Later
Julia stuffed her wool cap down more firmly on her head and waded through the icy puddles on the way to her 1977 Chevy Blazer. Fall had edged into early winter, and the dampness of the rain had solidified into a dangerous sheet of ice.
Julia had been prepared, and instead of wearing the latest Ugg fashion boots, she'd pulled on her XtraTufs. They had an unparalleled ugliness but did the job. She might keep her ass in the air instead of pegged to an ice puddle by wearing her trusty boots. She threw her backpack over one shoulder and balanced a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. When Aunt Lily had asked about the contents of the mug, Julia had lied through her teeth. Her aunt seemed to think caffeine was the devil's drink. Julia smiled at that. She was done growing, and besides, coffee was a mainstay of Alaskan existence. She shuffled to the driver's side and gripped the handle. Then her feet lost some of their purchase, and she slid to the right, her coffee sloshing out of the slit in the travel mug's lid.
"Shit!" Julia said as a couple of hot drops landed on her wrist, scalding her.
After grappling with the handle, she jerked the door open and slammed the palm of her free hand against the driver's seat, steadying herself until she could heave her backpack inside.
But her breath stilled in her lungs when she saw what waited for her: a single rose, its delicate form in a beautiful, ethereal tangerine color, lay inches from where her reddened and chapped hand had slapped down.
She'd almost destroyed it while saving her sliding butt from falling.
A smile stole over her face, and she carefully put her travel mug in the cup holder between the seats and picked up the flower. There was no note, but she knew who had laid it there: her fiancé, Jason. Their relationship was a secret. Aunt Lily would have ten different kinds of cows if she knew how serious she and Jason really were.
She looked around, her breath coming in white puffs in the crisp air. The snow having not committed itself to falling yet, the promise still hung in the air. It would be like him, Julia thought, to pop up just as she discovered his present and grab her from behind, twirling her around.
But he wasn't there.
Huh. She turned the keys and jacked up the heat all the way. In five minutes, she'd hit the road, head to Homer High. She was spoiled. Usually Jason picked her up, but today she had to head over to the DMV and get a stupid emissions test. It was amazing they even allowed her to drive her gas-guzzling truck. She sighed. Soon, she'd be with Jason.
*
School
Julia tore off her multi-colored, itchy hat as she waltzed into the school. The familiar smell of kids, books, and lunch wafted across the air, the chill of late fall left outside the doors.
She fluffed her champagne-colored hair, hoping to eradicate the hat head she'd tagged herself with on the way over.
"Hey, bestie!" Cynthia cried.
Julia laughed. Hadn't she just spent all day and a night last weekend with Cyn? She acted as though they'd been separated for months.
"Hey Cyn," Julia said, slowing down to let her catch up.
As usual, Cyn was dressed to the nines: high heels, ridiculously tight-ass pants, and the latest off-the-shoulder top with a crazy zebra pattern. It made Julia dizzy looking at it.
"What?" Cynthia looked at Julia's face.
"Your top. It's like some kind of optical illusion or something."
"I know, right? It's hot, hot, hot." She snapped her fingers after each word for emphasis. Julia rolled her eyes. There was no cure for Cynthia's Fashion Awareness.
Julia considered herself fashion challenged. Yessiree. Irrefutably. Getting everything to match and be comfortable was of utmost importance.
Of course, once Julia mentioned the zebra shirt, Cyn was honor-bound to give her the once-over, scanning from the top of Julia's head and working her way down. Julia had almost escaped the wrath when Cynthia's gaze landed like a lead weight on her boots.
"Argh!" she shrieked in horror. "You wore your Tufs to school again! And don't give me any of that horseshit about how we're seniors and absolved of everything." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Fashion is the exception. And those"—she waggled her fingers at Julia's offending footwear—"are for... for..."
"Gardening," Jason interjected smoothly, his arm sliding around Julia's waist. He'd heard the XtraTufs speech before.
"Don't you defend her, either!" Cynthia said.
Jason, all mock innocence said, "Who me?" his hand to his chest.
Cynthia's eyes narrowed to slits. "You're no help, Jason Caldwell. She could wear a shapeless sack over her whole body, and you'd still think she was gorgeous."
"Guilty." He pecked Julia's head, which was still fuzzy from the hat.
Julia leaned back against his chest, her head tucking comfortably underneath his chin, and sighed. This is where she'd wanted to be from the moment she opened her eyes—against him, soaking up his warmth, letting it seep into her bones and chase the coldness of the morning away.
Cyn snapped her fingers in front of Julia's face. "Snap out of it, Jules!"
Jason laughed. Julia was known to mentally wander. It had become an annoying theme lately.
"Cranky witch!" Julia teased, taking a swipe at Cyn with her woolen hat.
She ducked smoothly, accustomed to Julia's abuse. "Okay... so, did you finish that English paper we started on Friday?"
Julia dug around in her backpack until she found a crumpled piece of paper at the bottom. She turned and slapped it against her locker, smoothing it with her other hand. Jason's big hand was a warm presence on her shoulder, kneading it softly.
"Are you kidding? Terrell will never accept that mess," Cynthia said, throwing out one hip and putting a hand on it.
Julia shrugged a shoulder. "It's a rough draft. Besides, keeping the standard low like I do ensures that I get gravy when I turn something in."
Julia smiled at her own awesome logic. School just didn't appeal. It was something she would survive until she could graduate. Jason was the one who would go to University of Alaska Anchorage. He was set with a full ride.
Mr. Basketball. Julia turned to look at him and wondered for the millionth time why he'd want her. He was so gorgeous and she was so... her. It didn't matter that Cyn thought she was pretty. Cyn was her BFF, and that was what best friends did: cheerlead for each other.
Julia still didn't have a plan. She knew she couldn't wait to get out of Aunt Lily's place and begin a life with Jason.
Cynthia gave an elaborate roll of her eyes and caved in to Julia's reasoning. "You can try all your down-home, weasel-like charm on Terrell while Jason and I turn in real papers. Unwrinkled papers." She cocked her brows up to her hairline.
Looping her arm through Julia's, Cyn dragged her to her first class, the dreaded Language Arts. Everyone knew there was nothing artful about it. Jason laughed as the three of them trudged to class, arms linked.
CHAPTER TWO
After Jason
Julia's chin touched her chest, lank strands of hair swirling around her face, her arms chained above her head. Her hands had lost feeling hours ago. A cloak of numbness stole over her, and her mind screamed. Her body aching for food.
But she'd be damned if she'd take it from her captors.
The Murderers.
The creature came to her, his teeth gleaming in the low light.
She looked at him, her eyelids at half-mast. Its piercing silvery irises bored into her. Julia felt the weight of their desire fill her mind, pressing without mercy against the fragility that was there.
Forcing his will.
"You must eat, Julia. You will eat," he said in a fierce whisper.
"Why don't you... go... to... hell!" she rasped as loudly as she could. Weakened by lack of food, her voice held all the emotion that she couldn't release in a scream. The air had grown pregnant with contained frustration and violence—against her.
"Let me convince her," the one named Pierce said, his stare covering her body like decaying liquid.
The leader, William, turned and stood in one fluid movement. "I have seen your methods with other Blood Singers. We will not use that here with this one."
Pierce smirked. "You grow attached. She is a vehicle for our needs—nothing more. She is human."
William took Pierce by his collar and pulled him until their faces nearly met. "She is much more than that. What if she is the one? Look at the sign upon her head." He shook Pierce in disgust and pushed him away. Pierce reared back and opened his mouth, and something burst from the flesh as he hissed his displeasure.
Fangs.
Julia swallowed. She felt as though she were in a nightmare she couldn't escape from. She protected herself by dwelling in her memory bank. It was full. In that space, Julia felt rich. The new reality couldn't intrude on her memories.
William and Pierce looked at her quickly. "She pulls away inside herself again! Fool! I almost had her!"
It was as if Julia could see through a glass, though darkly. Black water covered her vision, and the horrible creatures that had torn her away from a future of love and contentment, and toward one of terror and uncertainty, rushed at her. She let the water cover her consciousness.
The creatures were dim orbs of pale flesh as they sprinted to her side. She fell back into the well of her mind, the liquid forming a barrier between them and her memories.
For now, the memories won.
****
Senior Year, Springtime
Cyn bent her head over the textbook and then, looking up, scowled at Julia. "This is simple. You're overthinking the stuff."
Julia was beyond frustrated. She'd flunked lame-ass Algebra II when she was a junior and, on the eve of graduation, was still struggling with the concepts. Cyn, at her elbow, ramming it down her throat, wasn't helping.
Julia glowered. "I don't get it! They put the alphabet in math, and now it's a big jumble of nothing!""
"How in the righteous world did you pass Algebra I?"
Julia gave her a sheepish look.
"You cribbed off of Jason? You're kidding me, right?"
"When am I gonna use this worthless crap?" Julia said, throwing her pencil down.
"You're not! That's not the point, Jules. The point is getting the grade. We're American. We're not supposed to be the intellectual global force. We just get the degree then go on to college and get that degree." She shrugged.
Julia crossed her arms underneath her breasts. "You don't see what's wrong with that picture?"
"Doesn't matter what I think. I just work the system."
"So, we're nothing but a bunch of sheep, manipulating a broken system."
"Speaking of manipulating," Cyn said, a contemplative expression crowding her features.
"Ah—no. I am not going to dress up."
"Listen, we're almost done with this math cram..."
"It's a cram all right," Julia said.
"Anyway," Cyn said, drawing the word out dramatically, "this is your last final before graduation. Prom is coming. Let's get you hot and sexy for your man-toy."
Maybe Julia shouldn't have told Cyn about the secret engagement. But as she'd said to Jason, if she didn't tell someone, she'd burst. And now she had an endless barrage of teasing from Cyn.
"Jason's not a ʻtoy,' Cyn."
She scrunched her face. "Ooh, touchy. Okay, calm yourself."
Julia blew a stray hair away from her forehead. She had to give in to Cyn, or she'd be after her until she chose a dress.
"Okay!" Julia threw up her hands. "I'll go."
"That's not good enough. Tell me what I need to hear. Otherwise, you might go and watch me pick out a dress and worm out of everything." She gave Julia steady green eyes.
Damn. She had her there.
"Okay, I'll try something on and choose a dress for prom. Happy?"
"Repeat after me: It will not be a sack," she said in her droll way.
Julia fumed. Did she really think she'd pick out some shapeless sheath?
"I do," she said.
"Hey! I didn't say—"
Cyn made a circling motion with her index finger alongside her head. "Saw your wheels turning."
Julia repeated the sack thing, and Cynthia smiled.
Onward and upward.
*
Jason
Jason poked the stick into the fire, mercilessly stabbing the coals, trying to decide if he should add another piece of driftwood on or not. He looked at Jules, who was talking animatedly with Cyn and Kev away from the fire. Jason smiled. The hell with it—he'd put on another chunk. She'd wander over to him eventually and would be colder than a block of ice.
He couldn't have his girl getting cold. That was against guy code. Keep your chick warm, fed, and most of all, protected. He let his gaze linger on her. He couldn't believe she'd be his soon. They'd graduate and then get married. His parents would be steaming pissed, but they'd get over it. So far, he had always done what they wanted. He'd been the good boy. He'd played basketball until his body still felt as though it was on the court when he lay down on his bed each night. He'd sucked up the grades, played his ass off, and helped his girl limp through Math and Science. He smiled, thinking of how much Jules hated the Math-Science grind. He took in her profile: blonde hair that wanted to be red, that damn wool cap covering some of it, her legs encased in jeans that dragged along the sand, and her bright-red puffy coat. Above the collar of her jacket was her face, which Jason's eyes stroked with love.
Her face. He knew Julia was the one the moment she moved to Homer, when she was almost nine. Sullen and alone, living with her aunt, she'd been new to the area and had no friends. He'd been a gangly and awkward nine. He'd started as her champion then and never looked back.
Now and forever.
As if sensing his thoughts, Julia turned to look straight at him, and a smile broke, her amber eyes like glittering jewels in a face caressed by firelight. She looked at him with a questioning expression, and he gave a slight shake of his head to convey that it was nothing. She turned away, the ghost of a smile still playing on her lips. Then she burst into laughter at some dumb thing Kevin said.
He looked away from her and added two more chunks to the fire. It burned brightly and became hot.
*
Cyn
Cynthia watched the two of them jammed together like sardines and smiled. She was happy for Julia and Jason. They'd been two peas in a pod since fourth grade, and Jules had had it tough. She deserved happiness. They made a cool couple. Jason was six foot two and towered over Jules. She was only five-four, but she had never seemed short. Cynthia had never met anyone more alive, more independent. Her Aunt Lily had taken her in after Jules's parents passed. Cynthia had to admit that Lily rankled her ass sometimes too. She was so strict on Jules, as if she'd ever do anything. Hell, Jules was a secret prude. She hadn't even done the deed with Jason. They'd been dating three years, and nada.
There's willpower for you!
Cynthia looked up through her mascaraed eyelashes at Kevin, her steady and at-hand prom date, and sighed. He was absolutely hot. She wasn't letting him get away. Cynthia had all the titillating details to share with Jules later. She'd act bored and then listen raptly while Jules talked about her love life.
She frowned as a thought occurred to her: she'd have to ride Jules's ass about going to Soldotna and picking out a prom dress. Jules was insisting on Vegas for the wedding and was sure to get out of getting a dress for that. Cynthia did a mental eye roll. But Jules wasn't getting out of going to the prom.
Cynthia had tried to talk Jules out of marriage for shit's sake. I mean, she's been eighteen for, what, six months? What's the rush? Cynthia thought it had something to do with both her parents being killed when she was young. That event had really scarred her friend. Jules wanted something to hang on to, something tangible and real.
Cynthia wasn't sure getting married at eighteen was the answer. But even she had to admit Julia couldn't do wrong with Jason. He worshiped her. Cynthia looked at the two of them together as she snuggled in next to Kevin. Jason touched Jules, cupping her face like a fragile egg as they began to kiss.
"Looks like they've got the right idea, Cyn," Kevin said, waggling his eyebrows.
Cynthia gave him a mock punch. "You just want to get lucky!"
"There is that," Kevin replied, only half joking.
"Uh huh. That's what I was talking about."
He dipped his head and gave her a peck on the lips, and she turned on the rough driftwood log where they were perched, the warmth of the fire beating against her back, and drew him against her. His mouth found hers, and they twined themselves around each other. The sky lingered above them, black velvet with stars sprinkled about it.
*
Dress-Up
Julia thought she'd slit her wrists if she had to try on one more dress. She paced the room. She should have never said yes. Cyn had dress-napped her the instant they came into the boutique. Of course, everything looked good on fashion-aware Cyn. With her tall, lanky frame, she could get away with anything. She'd chosen a shell-pink, full-length, gauzy dress that made her look like a princess.
Or, a queen, judging by the way she was beating the hell out of Julia with her scepter.
"Come on, Jules. One more?"
"NO! I promised I'd try on dresses—for you—and I have! What is this, number fifteen?"
Cyn had the grace to look ashamed and flashed both hands twice.
"Twenty!" Julia all but shrieked.
"Right. Well... you're totally hard to find something for! I mean, who has your coloring anyway?"
Julia huffed, her eyes taking in the piles of gowns growing in the corners like obscene shrouds. "Okay—one more. Then we pick whatever from the pile!" Her palm struck out at the material as though it were alive.
"Okay. But if you're only trying on one more dress, it's going to be green."
Julia groaned. She hated green.
Cyn brought out her hands in supplication. "I know you hate green, but just trust me, okay?
*
Cyn
Cynthia insisted on she and Jules going together to prom so they could make their grand entrance and blow the dudes away. She'd also taken the initiative and ragged Julia's ass until she caved and let Cynthia do the make-up and hair for both of them. She wasn't letting her bestie into prom with anything resembling hippie chic. Julia was going to look put together and polished if it was the last thing Cynthia did.
Cynthia dug around in her huge purse until she found her makeup bag and dragged it out, throwing it on Julia's vanity with a resounding smack.
Julia eyed it warily. Pointing to it she asked, "what's all that crap in there?"
"Make-you-beautiful-stuff."
The corners of Julia's mouth turned up. "That's a technical term, right?"
"Hell yeah!" Cynthia winked.
Julia sighed. She knew she'd look like a French whore by the time Cyn was done with her, but she'd released the reins and left Cyn firmly in charge of prom fashion. Julia wondered what Jason was up to. Definitely not this.
"Woman up, Jules! I'm not taking a skin graft or something. Seriously, you act like you've never worn makeup before."
There was a significant silence.
"Okay, that was sorta lame. You, the makeup queen."
Julia slouched and Cyn poked her in the back. "Posture, princess."
Then she set to work. Foundation, powder, eyeliner... false eyelashes.
False eyelashes!
"No way! I am not putting that crap on my real eyelashes." Julia stared at Cynthia in horror.
"How about just a few on the outer edge? It'll make your eyes look bigger."
"They're big enough." Julia thought that if they were any bigger, she'd be a toad.
"They're ginger colored! You can hardly see them," Cyn wheedled.
Julia shook her head. "No. Just put the brown mascara on, and be done with it."
Cynthia sighed, defeated. She still made it a point to spend a ton of time on each eye, finally swiveling Julia around in her chair to look at her reflection.
Julia stared.
And stared some more.
A slow smile spread on Cynthia's face. "See, Jules? You're a goddess. Who knew?"
Julia couldn't believe the transformation. The mossy green of the dress set off her hair, making the red in it look like molten champagne. Her eyes sparkled like gold topaz gems in a pale face with shimmering lips that were a pouty apricot. She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
"You can tell me now," Cyn said, smug.
Julia turned from her reflection and scowled at Cyn.
Cynthia waited.
Well, hell. "You're the greatest."
Cynthia grinned. "I know, doll face."
Julia rolled her eyes. What was Jason going to think of her in this getup? With the makeup and everything? Julia rolled her glossed lip into her teeth and nibbled anxiously.
*
Jason waited impatiently for Julia to arrive. He knew he should have nixed the lame plan of the girls—the four of them going together. He'd let Kevin convince him it was easier not to fight Cynthia.
"Listen man, just let them. I don't want to deal with Cyn when she gets a head of steam about girl shit, you feel me?" Kevin had said.
"What's so flaming-ass important that I can't pick Jules up?"
"I told you—they're putting the masks and garb on."
"What?" Jason asked, confused. He was already feeling gay in a tux, and the bow around his neck was a slowly tightening noose. He tugged at it again.
"Hey! Don't dick with that, it screws up the gig."
"What's a gig?" Jason asked, messing around with the stupid noose.
"It's—damn, man! Leave it alone!" Kevin slapped his hand away. He took either side of the corners of the bow tie and aligned them with Jason's Adam's apple.
There, Kevin thought. He wondered if his ass-hat friend could leave it alone for the next two hours.
Probably not.
"It's a military term... it means to keep all your accessories in line with the middle of your body," Kevin said in a matter-of-fact way.
"That's great, Kev. I'll sleep better knowing your ramrod dad gave you a few pointers."
"Hey jag-up, Dad served our country and has a few pearls of wisdom once in awhile."
"Along with some colorful vocabulary."
"No shit, right?" Kevin said, totally missing the irony.
Jason smiled and shook his head as they hopped into Kev's car.
They made their way to the last dance they'd ever attend.
*
Jason
Kevin elbowed Jason, and they looked at the girls as they entered the gymnasium, where fake acrylic stars danced above their heads like wayward diamonds.
Jason couldn't take his eyes off of her. The breath left his body in one, exhaustive rush.
Jules was drop-dead gorgeous. He knew that people said that all the time about chicks and sometimes even about dudes. But Julia floated inside the auditorium on a cloud of emerald vapor, her dress the color of green kissed by autumn...... and stunned him into silence.
Her hair looked almost red, its normal gold color boosted by the pine of the dress, her eyes a sparkling gold. They took up half her face.
He still couldn't look away.
She walked toward him slowly, and Jason noticed the dress showcased how curvy she was. She wasn't a twig, and she wasn't heavy. Jason took in a shaky breath, his eyes on her hourglass figure.
Then he noticed all the other guys were staring at her too, and frowned.
Julia reached him just as he put his hands out for her, and he relaxed.
He pulled her closer and leaned down until his jaw brushed her temple. "You're beautiful," he whispered against her fragrant skin.
He could tell by Julia's expression that she knew she looked beautiful even without him saying it.
They moved out to the dance floor, their hands knotted together, their gazes locked. Jason wanted her so damn bad. It wasn't just sex—he could have tapped any mindless alley cat in the school for that. She was his, and he was hers. Jason knew Jules was the one he wanted from the moment he saw her.
*
Julia waited in her bed with bated breath. Jason had dropped her off from prom and promised to sneak in her bedroom window later.
Much later—Aunt Lily had the irritating habit of checking in on her before she went to sleep.
Julia clutched her cell in one hand so she could text Jason the instant she was done checking.
She lay on her side for what felt like ten hours in her pajama bottoms and a camisole. Her hair was still loose and curled from prom, the makeup still on. Finally, Lily opened the door a crack and, seeing that Julia appeared asleep, closed it softly behind her.
Julia let a long breath out while texting Jason.
He was waiting outside her house like a good stalker-boyfriend, and she helped him stumble through the window.
"Damn! I won't miss that anymore. No more nut-cruncher windowsill for me!"
Julia cocked and eyebrow. "We wouldn't want your, ah, nuts crunched. No, that wouldn't do," Julia said in a low, teasing voice.
"Come here and kiss me," Jason said, "You're killing me. And aren't you supposed to take all that crap off your face when you go to bed?"
She scrunched her nose in that way he loved and said, "Nah, pillowcase will get rid of it."
"Really?" Jason asked, grinning. He walked over to her, his eyes registering her post-prom glory with an expression of approval.
"The dance turned out okay, Jules." He bent to kiss the hollow between those sexy bones that intersected her neck.
She nodded, a little breathless, as his breath moved over her pulse. She wound her arms around his neck, and his lips traveled up to her jaw then made its way to her forehead. He began peppering her face with butterfly kisses, his lashes brushing her skin. Her breathing became shallower, and Jason picked her up and carried her to the bed.
They lay together, head to hip, the heat of their bodies one hot line. He moved against her, his hands on her ribs, kneading her flesh as she wound a leg around his hip, their mouths moving against each other.
His hands traveled, and Julia pulled away.
"Jason," she whispered.
"What?" he said, never breaking from his sensual assault.
She could hardly breathe. She just wanted... she wanted to finish what they'd started. But she wanted forever more.
She thought of her parents, long gone, their loss a thread that tied the fabric of her being together.
He paused and pulled back to look at her, a sliver of moonlight a pale slash across his eyes. Then he pressed his forehead against hers.
"I know," he moaned.
"I'm sorry," Julia whispered. "It's not that I don't trust you."
"I know," he repeated against the skin of her forehead.
A lone tear escaped her eye, and Jason caught it, staring with eyes that had looked into hers for a decade.
"I want to be married. It's what my parents would have wanted," she said and Jason felt her tremble against him. He silently promised to make her first time extra special. It'd be perfect if it killed him.
"You still miss them." he said, tightening his hold on her.
"Every day," she replied through a sheen of tears.
He leaned down and kissed her on her forehead, where her scar was—a crescent-shaped scar.
Jason could wait forever if it meant being with her.
They lay together in each other's arms until dawn shattered the darkness into a million pieces of golden orange, rose, and scarlet, flinging the colors about the room like so much broken glass.
CHAPTER THREE
Present Day
Liquid lapped Julia, and the water parted, ice replacing the subtle undulation of comfort she'd been under.
She came to the surface of her consciousness in a nauseating wave. She became aware that she was drowning.
She was drowning in hunger and weakness. She didn't have the strength to move. Loud voices assailed her. They floated around her, stabbing at her consciousness until she finally understood where she was.
If she'd had the strength, she would have wept.
The creatures that had stolen her life away were arguing about her again.
"I am phoning him. Gabriel must be made aware of what is happening here!"
Julia cracked open her eyes, wide and grainy. Her mouth felt like the Sahara Desert. She was so thirsty her bones ached. How long had she been out?
"She is killing herself," the one named William said. His fists were clenched, and anxiety tightened his already stark features.
"Call him. Ask him what we must do. If she is as important as you hypothesize, it is necessary, no?" Pierce asked.
Julia lay perfectly still, but they heard a change in her breathing and turned their silvered eyes to her.
She had just enough energy to lift her forearm and cover her eyes. She would not look at them.
"Just kill me," she said listlessly. Without Jason, why go on? She couldn't bear to think of all of it right now. The shards of that nightmare would not be a memory she would look at any time soon, if ever.
She didn't hear them approach, but an icy hand clamped around her forearm gently and moved it off of her eyes, which ran with tears. Her mind was so beleaguered with grief she could hardly breathe. Why didn't they just kill her?
After all, that's what they were good at: killing.
*
William tapped his cell to hibernate and pocketed it inside his jacket. He breathed an elaborate exhalation. They took a chance implementing this protocol. If they did not follow it to the letter, they would lose her.
This girl. The Blood Singer from the Book of Blood.
The Rare One.
He gave Pierce a full look as they walked together toward the girl.
*
Julia watched them come, one dark and one light. Angels. They looked like angels.
Angels of death.
Her arms had long ago been released, but she lay there, unable to move a muscle. Only her eyes rolled in their sockets, tracking the approach of the creatures.
*
William crouched down, touching the hollow on the underside of her wrist where a thready pulse beat. "She is close, it is a near thing."
Pierce nodded. "It must be you. You are the one with Singer heritage coursing through your veins. Maybe you can bring her back."
William had hoped that she would come around these past months. But they could tarry here no longer. The Were drew near, circling like sharks in bloody water. This coven grew restless with her presence. Blood Singers were a stick to stir the cauldron of trouble. He had already waited too long. She was weak, compromised.
Julia looked up at him with eyes of liquid gold, and he breathed through his mouth, hoping the scent of her would not impede what he must do.
It was a risk he must accept.
*
Julia saw William look at her intently and kept her eyes open with effort. Something was building. It thrummed deep in her bones like a call. Julia whimpered. She hated to be weak but knew what they were capable of. She watched as his eyes drank in the sight of her. Then his fangs elongated, escaping his mouth. She opened her own to scream and nothing came out.
His eyes tightened at her expression, and he tore into the flesh of his own wrist. Black blood began oozing out of his damaged forearm and flowed down, dripping onto her neck. The droplets splattered like hot candle wax on her skin.
"Drink," William said, lowering his wrist down to her mouth.
She shook her head, and with her ebbing strength, she clamped her lips together.
William's eyes flicked behind her, and he grunted, frustrated.
"Hold her." His voice was filled with regret.
Large hands clamped onto either side of her head, and she was helpless to move in their hold.
Julia seethed with frustration.
The poison of his body poured into her mouth in a steady stream and she fought, trying to move her head, but steel bands of flesh held her in position.
He pressed his forearm onto her mouth, and with his other hand, he pinched her nostrils together. She sucked the blood down into her throat as she began to clamp her teeth around his arm.
He didn't react they way she thought he would. He dragged her against himself. Pierce released her in surprise. Her mouth on William's arm, Julia bit down with everything she had.
His eyes dilated, the silver disappearing to be replaced by deep crimson. He pressed her against him, his fangs completely extended.
"William! Control yourself!" Pierce yelled.
Julia hung on for dear life as she watched those black eyes look at her with such longing and loneliness. As he reared to strike a fist crashed into the side of his temple.
Her mouth was torn off his forearm, her body sliding off his lap onto the floor.
Julia lay in a small heap on her side as a fire burned inside her. It became a delicious roar. She was being consumed by heat. It burned and itched. She melted into the intense warmth, her consciousness narrowing.
As her mind dimmed, she saw Pierce check on William, whose black eyes were shut.
Pierce looked in her direction.
Julia knew what else he was: a vampire.
She fell into a deep abyss of grayness, her mind shielding her from what she couldn't handle.
She floated swiftly down her memory pipeline, grateful for the escape it gave her.
*
Last Day
Jason had his fingers entwined in Julia's. Their last day of school was finally here, and they had plane tickets for Vegas. They were going to do it. She looked up at him and smiled. He looked into the light-gold depths of her gaze and almost stumbled. She always had that affect on him. He'd been drawn to her from the beginning. A small furrow lay between her brows. Julia's hand lifted to her temple and rubbed.
Jason pulled her over to the side of the hall, the sea of bodies and backpacks jostling past, an excited buzz thrumming around them. He slid his palm underneath her honey-colored hair and wrapped the back of it on her neck, gently kneading the soft skin.
"Is it the headaches again?"
Jules had been having these bone-crusher headaches. Jason thought it was the stress at home. Trying to plan a secret elopement could take its toll on a girl. He smirked.
"Huh, you really care!" she said, giving him a mock-scowl and putting her hands on her hips.
Her luscious hips.
"No! Uh... I was just thinking all the super-secret spy moves you're pulling around Lily are getting kinda old." He cocked an eyebrow.
She nodded. "Actually..." Julia looked down at her hands, which had found their way to Jason's hips, and she couldn't look away. A blush came over her face.
Jason put a gentle finger under her chin and raised it until their eyes met. "What is it?"
She shoved her erotic impulses away and concentrated on his question instead, the blush still staining her cheeks.
The high color marking her cheekbones a delicate pink made Jason wonder what she'd been thinking about. He opened his mouth to repeat the question, and she interrupted, "It's the dreams. I'm having them again."
"Oh," Jason said, pulling her in against his body. He hadn't liked the dreams. He wasn't going to tell her, but he'd begun having some of his own, and they were goddamn doozies.
"Get a room!" Kevin yelled, walking by, arm slung around Cynthia. Jason gave Kevin the finger, and Julia grabbed it in the air.
"Don't," she hissed, giving him a scowl.
Jason threw up the other hand and flipped him another bird.
"You're impossible!" Julia said sternly. Then she smiled.
She began laughing, and convulsed into a stream of irrepressible giggles.
"That's so helpful, Jules. You're so on it," Kevin said.
Jason was standing there, in full view of the world, giving Kevin the double-finger send off.
Oh my God. Julia clutched her sides, howling.
She was bent over until she noticed a pair of hot-pink boots come into her line of sight.
She grabbed Cyn's sweater and hauled herself up.
"Hey asswipe—you're not sensing any adults around?" Kevin asked.
Jason dropped his hands as one of their teachers made his way toward them in a huff of righteous adult indignation.
Terrell.
Great. Instead of calming them down, Terrell's approach had the opposite effect, and Julia continued laughing, tears streaming down her face.
*
Terrell lurched up to the group. He dismissed the Wade girl, who was doubled over in fits of hysterical giggling. It was the basketball boys who caught his attention. He didn't care if the Caldwell boy had got an A in his class—there was something fishy about them.
He got right up in Caldwell's face, momentarily nonplussed that the kid had him by four inches. "Listen here, Caldwell. I don't give a lick about how great you think you are, or that it's your last day here. This isn't the court. You don't own the school, the halls, anything. Act like an adult, and maybe, just maybe, you'll become one someday."
*
Terrell had sobered Julia up, and she didn't like how he was talking to Jason. Big surprise: she didn't like Terrell that much. She and Cyn had their arms crossed, and Kevin loomed over Terrell.
He didn't seem intimidated, and Julia suddenly remembered a term that Lily had used: little man's syndrome. Maybe he has a dose of that.
"We clear?" Terrell wasn't really asking. He was commanding. He wanted a certain kind of response.
Please don't get nailed on the last day, Julia thought, seeing Jason's fists clench and loosen. She watched him notch down his anger at Terrell, and her shoulders relaxed. It looked like things were going to settle down.
Then Terrell looked at her. Really looked at her, starting at her head and ending at her feet, sweeping over her private parts with a lingering look.
Gross!
"Hey perv!" Cyn squeaked. "Why don't you go die somewhere?"
But it was Jason who knotted his teacher's collar in his fist and dragged him close. "Don't you look at her," he said in a low voice, violence swirling beneath the surface.
Kevin was prying his fingers off of Terrell. "Don't. He deserves it, but don't. He's pushin' ya."
Their eyes met, and Jason released Terrell, pulling Julia behind him protectively.
Terrell looked smug. "I knew you'd mess up. This is all I needed to get you where I want you."
*
Jason was confused. He'd seen the perv look at Julia and some of the other girls, but what did it have to do with today? Why had he been so overt with Julia? His eyes narrowed on the teacher.
Jason planted his legs apart, hands on his hips, looking around once to make sure Julia was behind him and safe. This guy had lost it.
Kevin hit him in the arm, and Jason's face whipped back toward Terrell as Cyn gasped. Jason focused on the gun that was naked in Terrell's hand.
What the hell is this? Jason retreated, Julia a warm presence at his back.
She wasn't laughing anymore. Kids around them, who had just been gloating how much trouble Jason was going to be in, scattered like beetles out of a jar, screaming as they ran down the hall.
*
Julia's headache slammed into her uncontrollably, spearing into her temple at a fever pitch. But it was the frenzied gaze of the teacher that she couldn't look away from. His beady hazel eyes shifted between the three kids, seeking.
Finally, he looked at Julia behind Jason and said, "It's you. If you were not here, then I could... stop having this pain. The pain would stop." He brandished his gun. Kids slammed themselves onto the hallway floor.
Julia felt something integral fall into place as the pain slipped away and became a burning mass.
"Hey, whack job!" Kevin said, going for the gun at the same time that Jason did. It wasn't choreographed, and as their bodies moved, a gap opened, and Terrell pointed the barrel—at Julia.
An intense focus and a warm liquid pain that she'd buried came to her in a sliding push. With nothing but raw emotion, she looked at the black hole of the gun and mentally shoved as the hammer pulled back.
It clicked.
Time slowed down, Jason batting the gun away even as the bullet rushed toward Julia, Cyn screaming in the background and Kevin landing on Terrell, their bodies crashing to the floor.
Julia moved as the bullet entered the curtain of her hair instead of the fragile bones of her face, its course veering at the last moment and she fell sideways away from the trajectory. Hitting Cyn, they both stumbled into the lockers.
"Julia!" Jason hollered, sprinting to her side, kicking the gun away as he came. His eyes frantically took in her body, checking for damage. He looked relieved.
She was unscathed—miraculously.
As sirens wailed in the background, Jason turned around, leaving Julia in Cyn's arms, and grabbed a fistful of Terrell's hair. Using the teacher's head like the dull side of a hammer, he picked it up and slammed it into the floor again and again.
Cops came and pulled him off, but the damage was done. Terrell lay in a pool of his own blood, which spread into the soles of all who had gathered.
CHAPTER FOUR
"Julia," a voice whispered to her as if through a tunnel. She came awake in stages, still feeling as if she were in the school hallway, watching Jason beat Terrell's head into the floor until it split open like an egg.
She opened an eye and looked into silvered, reflective ones.
Julia flinched to see her captors.
The vampires.
Once she'd thought the existence of such creatures was a myth, but now, through hard evidence and even harder experience, she believed in them.
Even as his eyes clenched at her reaction of revulsion, the vampire's expression showed cautious relief, and he stroked a wisp of hair away from her temple.
Julia found her voice. "Don't touch me."
His hand paused, then finished the movement. He stood and Julia looked around, taking in the room for the first time. She'd never allowed herself to care about her surroundings. The one named Pierce loomed into view and she shrank back.
"We will not harm you—"
"Right, you guys are so harmless," Julia said in a voice husky with disuse.
William and Pierce looked at each other. Finally, William said, "We did—I did what I had to in order to pull you out of your dreamscapes. If I had not done that"—he shrugged impossibly broad shoulders—"you would have buried your psyche there forever, until there was no feeding you or hydrating you..."
"Until you ceased to exist," Pierce finished for him.
Julia tried to sit up and succeeded, barely. She felt better, actually. Who were they to play God anyway? Maybe she didn't want to exist. Had they thought about that?
They watched her warily. She swung her legs off the bed she'd been lying on. She tentatively put her feet on the rough wooden surface and stood. The blood rushed to her head, and her vision swam in streamers of dull colors before her eyes.
She commanded her legs to hold her even as they folded.
A cloud of gray reached her, and she was swooped up in the arms of the hateful vampire, William.
"You're too weak to walk," he said in a voice that reverberated through her breastbone, melodic and low. It affected her. She didn't know why, but his nearness frightened her, and she saw the reflection of that fear etched on his face. He looked pained.
"Let me down," she whispered.
"Pierce, get Susan again."
In her peripheral vision, she saw a blur of color and heard a far-off door open then shut.
Julia stared at the vampire.
"Why am I here?" she asked, resisting the deep pull that emanated from her body to his. She didn't know what it was, but it was organic.
Needy.
Liquid fingers sank into her, through her skin, deep in her marrow, clinging to her consciousness like cobwebs.
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she opened them, William gave her his steady regard. "You are safe within this coven."
"I am not safe with you. I will never be safe again."
*
William flinched, knowing that she could not separate their acquisition of her with the violence that had surrounded it. She was lumping the groups together, the Were and Vampire. Now was not the time to correct her misapprehension—not when the Were's rancid breath was upon their doorstep and when the whole coven was in a chasm of blood lust from her months with them. The fragrance of her rarity permeated every nook and cranny that the haven provided. Even the most immune amongst them, of Blood Singer descent themselves, were itching with need. The time was ripe for William to make haste to his home kiss—the coven where he had always been.
Just thinking of the city and what lay underneath it made his sluggish heart beat faster, primal adrenaline surging through his limbs.
Julia responded to his physicality, taking a sharp inhalation, her body tingling in reaction to his thoughts.
"It's the blood share. It will pass," he said.
"Put me down."
William gently put her on her feet, his hand gripping her bony elbow, which had become like a twig since they had taken her.
*
Julia longed to tear it away from him but knew that she could hardly stand. She fumed, trying not to think about the blood she'd drunk from her husband's murderers.
The memory encroached on her mind ruthlessly, and she shut it down like all the others she didn't want to see, biting the inside of her cheek. Blood welled inside her mouth like sour copper, and she made a slight noise. William looked at her sharply, sucking in his breath, and began to breathe through his mouth.
Julia smiled genuinely for the first time since her ordeal had begun. A terrible idea took shape in her mind.
She knew how to escape.
Just when she thought she'd press her advantage, a large woman burst through the door, and Julia's heart skipped a beat, racing inside her rib cage. She swayed, and William pulled her gently against him.
She didn't resist. There was no use. But she would soon permanently resist.
Oh, so permanently.
*
Caregiver
Susan looked at the Blood Singer that the runners had acquired some months past. It was the first time that the girl hadn't been half-unconscious throughout the countless bowls of soup, water poured down her throat, sponge baths, and dressings she'd shared with the girl.
But the Blood Singer looked at Susan as a stranger—for she was. The trauma surrounding the acquisition had been so overwhelming the girl had yet to recover. When she was finally dying, William had been beside himself with worry, and been given the green light to save her.
Blood share.
He had done it. Even with the potential for scrambling the wires of his quarry, he had done it.
Now she stood—now she looked as if she might survive.
Even Susan could see beneath the dishevelment and scrawny physique to the healthy girl she had been. She would be well again, Susan vowed.
She had to be well again.
Julia was the Rare One. Susan's eyes flicked to the pale, moon-shaped scar on the girl's head.
She approached Julia and took her gently from William's arms, his hands trailing reluctantly from her body. Susan glanced at William and could sense the feral vestiges about him still.
"You'd do well to leave us for a time," she said, and William nodded. Heaven knew he had to push his limits with her fresh blood a darkly blooming fragrance in the room, suffocating his reasoning, his directives.
William walked away, the pull of his blood in Julia's body beating in time with his heart. It felt like warm taffy swimming upstream. He moved to the door, and his hand landed on the doorknob.
*
Julia watched the vampire turn the knob, stiffen and quickly slip through.
The large woman breathed a sigh of relief when the vampire had left. Julia tried to pull away, but the woman gripped her upper arm, her fingers encircling the whole of it.
Julia glared at her. "Take your hands off me."
The woman smiled. "Listen to me," she began, her eyes boring into Julia's. "I am not like them. But you know that, don't you?"
Julia didn't answer. She was not going to cooperate with any of this.
"I am human," the woman said.
"Yeah, whatever. You work for them. That's all the info I need."
"Who do you think got soup down your throat? Bathed you? Put clothes on you?"
Julia looked at her in dawning horror. The woman had touched her when she was unconscious. Julia studied her closely. There was something almost familiar about her.
Memories assaulted her in a torrent. Being in a tub and floating. This woman washing her... ugh. Julia thought of the intimacy that entailed and wanted to throw up. She remembered the food that she'd been spoon-fed. She'd wanted to die.
She still did.
The woman looked at her and nodded. "You remember."
"Yes," Julia replied through clenched teeth.
"Not a very grateful sort, are you?"
Julia tore her thin arm free, her legs trembling. "I didn't ask for anyone to care for me," she said in a fierce voice, the first, hot tears falling. "You should have let me die. That's all I want. I want to die."
*
Susan was moved with compassion. This waif with such bottled-up emotion and aggression had lost too much. They would have to start from nothing with her.
Ground zero.
The older woman crossed her arms and stared at Julia, who glared back, raising a hand to move her tangled hair behind her ear.
"Well, my dear, you're not going to die—on the contrary. My job is to get you living and healthy for transport."
Despite her commitment to be contrary, Julia heard herself ask, "Transport where?" Her lip quivered, on the brink of crying harder.
"Seattle. You were acquired by that coven."
The girl's eyes lost their focus, and she began to fall. Susan screamed, "William!"
*
Suddenly, Julia was held in arms of warm steel. Her heart slowed, and her body calmed, its chemistry lulled by his closeness. Just before she crossed the threshold into unconsciousness, her mind told her what she feared most.
Blood share. Her body was a traitor to her mind.
Somehow, she was connected to her captor, whether she wanted to be or not.
Julia faded, the tailspin of knowledge following her down into the spiral of her dreams of earlier times.
CHAPTER FIVE
Consequence
Truman looked from one to the other of them and sighed. "Listen, kids." He ripped a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I believe you tried to do the right thing, but Caldwell..." He spread his palms away from his body.
Jason dropped his eyes, his hands gripping Julia's. He hadn't meant to kill Terrell, but when he saw him shoot at Julia, something profound and primitive had kicked in. All he could think of was eliminating the threat.
Eliminating Terrell.
So he did. Terrell was going to kill her. A red veil had descended, clouding his vision, clouding his mind. It hadn't lifted until the cops had pulled him off Terrell.
Four cops.
At least they'd let him wash off—wash Terrell off him. He'd had blood splatter and gore wrist deep. His stomach churned a little with the memory.
Now he and Julia were in the police station, making noise about self-defense. The cop might look like a rumpled dishrag, but his eyes were sharp, like those of the majestic bald eagles that flew outside the windows. They tracked him, equal parts wise and aware, missing nothing.
"You're of age, son. It doesn't matter that you were still technically a student. We know you're over eighteen. Hell, you're almost nineteen, aren't you?" When Jason nodded, he continued. "So, is your girl here." His gaze went to Julia, and Jason tensed.
*
The cop took in the kid's reaction—if he could be called a kid—wondering about his extreme protectiveness for his girlfriend. It struck him as noteworthy. Jason looked like a man, all height and muscle mass. A jock.
The girl was the opposite. She had a sullen and fiery cast to her, but she was a tiny thing, different coloring, all champagne and... those eyes. He repressed a shudder. They were spun gold, like a cat's eyes. They followed him with an intensity that was unsettling.
He cleared his throat. "As you know, the teacher was the one who brandished and fired a weapon. You may be able to get off with counseling. But your reaction wasn't typical, and there will be some accountability for that."
Jason nodded, and Julia stifled a sigh.
Detective Truman asked, "Is there some reason Terrell would commit violence against you, Julia?"
Her face shows her confusion. She clearly didn't know why the teacher had targeted her. Truman would do some digging and see what was what, try to make sense of the senseless.
His eyes flicked to Jason. "Your parents have made your bail. And"— he waggled a finger—"I wouldn't skip town, pal."
*
Jason almost laughed to think anyone would imagine he would skip town. Like I'd leave Julia.
Ever.
He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. He stood to leave, pulling her with him.
His last thought as he left the building was that their elopement plans were screwed. With a grim face, he pulled Julia behind him, his parents' car parked in front of the broad concrete steps of the precinct.
The storm on his dad's face told him what the next few days would be like. The barometric pressure was dropping.
It was a tense drive on the way to Julia's house. His parents were glancing back at them in the rear view mirror surreptitiously. Rather than worry about a lecture from his parents, he wanted to comfort Julia and forget that he'd almost been killed himself. He'd protected Julia... and maybe other kids. But it was all about image, and he had tarnished his and Julia's. He was so mad he could spit. It'd be so great once he and Julia were safely in Anchorage, married and beginning their life together. His parents could piss up a rope. He'd accomplished everything they wanted, and they needed to give him credit for that.
Julia interrupted his thoughts with a small noise, and he looked down at her, a small bundle in the cradle of his arms. He was instantly alarmed and felt a delayed shock from the events of the last few hours.
Great timing. They were just pulling up to her front door, her Aunt Lily waiting on the top step, wrapping a thin cardigan around herself, her hands fisting the material in a death-clench. She skipped down the stairs, making a war path for their car.
Before Jason could properly shield Julia, Lily had torn open the door, putting her hands on Julia.
"Don't, Lily," Jason said, meeting her tense and angry eyes.
"You don't tell me what to do. I almost lost my niece today. The one that you were taking care of." She said that last like an accusation, and it made Jason's heart clench. He had taken care of her the best he could. He didn't need this right now.
Julia didn't need it.
He looked down at Julia. Her skin was clammy and pale, her breathing rapid.
"What's wrong with her?" Lily asked in a panic.
"She's in shock," Harold Caldwell said.
Jason sighed. "Please move. I'll carry her into the house and get her in a lying-down position."
Fortunately, she backed away, and Jason unfolded his body outside the car, swiveling Julia as he went, swinging her up into his arms.
"Jason," she said, her eyes fluttering open and widening. "They're coming... the wolves and... the blood... blood..."
"What is she saying?" Shelia Caldwell asked.
Jason shook his head, puzzled. "I don't think it's anything. She's in shock. Getting her lying down is key here, Mom." Jason's eyes left the loose group of adults, and he strode to the house, toeing open the unlatched front door. He picked the first sofa he saw and brought a still and pale Julia to it, laying her down gently. He swiped a hair from her forehead and kissed it. She felt cool. He wasn't leaving until she was okay. She is far from okay.
"Stay away from here, Jason," Lily yelled, huffing into the room.
"I don't think this is helping things," his mom said, her hands fluttering helplessly in front of her.
Lily gave her a withering look of such contempt that his mom took a step back. "Don't tell me what is helpful or what is not. What would you even know about suffering, challenges, anything?"
Shelia had a helpless expression on her face.
Lily nodded. "That's what I thought. Go home to your fancy house and your comforts, and leave me and my niece alone."
*
Harold Caldwell looked down his nose at Lily Wade. She was beneath him. He had suffered the relationship between Julia and Jason, knowing it was a high school sweetheart thing. Jason would see that Julia was all wrong for him and dump her when he was attending college. But this incident with the teacher might prove to be the perfect break for the relationship.
It put Harold in good spirits. Magnanimous spirits.
"We understand, Lily. Of course we'll leave you in peace to comfort Julia." He smiled the first genuine smile of the day since hearing the wretched and humiliating news of his son's involvement in the shooting. He began to back out of the house when he caught sight of Jason moving back toward the couch. He pursed his lips into a thin line.
"Jason," he commanded in a low tone.
Jason didn't even turn. "What?" His eyes were fixed on Julia's pale face. Julia's lips were tinged blue.
"Let's go."
"No," Jason said, looking up at his father.
*
Lily's head snapped up. "Your family has some nerve. How dare you try to bulldoze your way into my home?" She picked up the nearest phone, her finger hovering above the number nine. "Don't make me call the police," she threatened Jason in a low voice.
Jason couldn't believe what was happening. The hell with this! He walked right back over to the couch and scooped Julia up in his arms, her soft moaning twisting something inside his chest.
"Put her down, Jason!" his dad yelled. Their eyes met again.
"No. I don't give two shits and an eff what you guys do. I'm an adult and everyone needs to back right the hell off."
He'd never talked to his dad that way. It was long-past due.
Lily stabbed the numbers in the phone and Shelia tore it out of her hand and jammed it into the receiver. "Please," her voice trembled, "let's discuss this."
Lily looked at them as if they'd gone insane.
Harold planted his hands on his hips and stared at Jason. "Listen here, Jason. I posted your bail. I am responsible for you until that hearing. You'll be found innocent, but until then, don't jeopardize this with your he-man stunts. Leave that girl where she belongs. Now."
A loud ticking from the clock on the wall reverberated around the room, the moment swelling unbearably around them, the tension a living breathing thing.
Jason wanted to scream so badly his eyes burned with unshed tears. He turned away from them, blinking fiercely, feeling as if he were betraying her.
Betraying Julia.
He laid her back down on the couch. Her eyelashes were like soot against chalky cheeks. He wrapped her up against him one more time and then, saying nothing, he stalked out of the house, shouldering past his dad and almost knocking him over.
Jason looked up as the cold air struck his bare arms. The clouds were roiling above him, the look of their charcoal anger exactly matching his.
CHAPTER SIX
Existing
If Julia was honest with herself, she had to admit that Susan was a saint. But she was not there to make friends. Every day she thought of how she could get away. Each day she wanted away from William and, to a lesser degree, Pierce.
At least she finally had answers. William was deliriously complacent with her presence here. He thought he had it under control. Well, he had another thing coming. Julia was waiting for the best opportunity she could find to leave permanently.
William had expounded on her importance, making her desire to leave even more acute. He said that Blood Singers were rare. They were critically needed in the human population. The vampires looked at the humans like cattle. Blood Singers were just a fraction of the human population—one-tenth of one percent, to be exact.
Julia had listened to his speech silently. William and Pierce were "runners." Their express purpose was the acquisition of Blood Singers. The Blood Singers balanced the vampires' "food load." The quality of their blood made the vampire population able to sustain its existence on the ordinary human population's blood
Whatever, Julia thought, remembering his words.
*
"So, you see how essential you are?" William had tried to appeal to her sense of importance when he'd first spoken to her about Blood Singers. He spread his palms out on either side of his body, his coal-black hair shimmering with blue in the subdued glow of the dining hall. His silver eyes bored into hers. A sudden memory of those eyes shifting to a red so deep it was nearly black, as he'd almost struck her flesh, caused her heart to speed up. She rode it out. He could probably hear her blood course through her veins. That was the last thing she needed. Julia would never be able to help herself if he was anticipating all her moves, especially as weakened as she'd become.
"Why take me? It sounds like you need us out in the populace," she restated, genuinely puzzled.
"We're reconnaissance. We seek the Rare Ones."
"Okay." Julia threw up her hands, her soup forgotten. William frowned when she pushed the bowl away. "I give up. Who are the Rare Ones?"
William stared at her, and she held his gaze. "You are a Rare One, Julia."
She shrugged. So? She wasn't sure how that differed from what he had already told her. As far as she could tell, the Blood Singers of the human race were the purebred cattle of homo sapiens.
Wonderful.
He took in her expression. "Maybe you have not asked the right question. It is quite simple, actually."
Julia thought about it. It slowly came to her. "Why do you have that name for us—Blood Singers?"
He smiled at her as if she were a prized pupil, and he looked achingly human for that one moment. Then his face fell into the handsome but otherworldly lines she was becoming accustomed to. "Do you not feel it?" He placed his fist to his chest, where his heart would beat.
Or would it?
They stared at each other, and Julia felt a pull to him. She fought the pull. It was like ignoring one voice amongst many. She tried to think in those terms, tuning out that one strand so that it seemed like a distant bell. She silenced it with an effort.
His hand slowly fell from his breastbone. "That is the call of the blood. I have shared mine with you. It now calls to yours."
"Why?" Julia asked, deeply creeped out.
"Because I have shared blood with you."
"No, you forced your blood inside of me!" She raised her voice at him, crossing her arms as heat seeped across her cheekbones.
William's eyes narrowed. "True. So that you might live, I gave you my blood. I have Blood Singer ancestry." Julia cocked an eyebrow. The conversation was becoming more confusing by the moment. What he said next made her forget her curiosity suddenly, as if she'd fallen off a precipice. "How do you think we found you? Found... Jason?"
His name fell like a stone in the room, the horrible memory threatening the edges of her consciousness. She shut her eyes tight against the images assaulting her.
William continued as if the oxygen had not been forcibly torn from the room. Julia felt as though an elephant had sat on her lungs. "Your blood calls to us. It sings to us. We follow it like a melody on the wind. All roads lead to the Blood Singer."
Julia opened her eyes. A startling revelation was blossoming in her mind. "Jason was... he was a Blood Singer?" she asked in a breathless whisper.
William nodded.
Julia jumped off the bench and flung herself at William, beating against him with her fists. Her hair flailed wildly about her. It felt like beating a brick wall—stony and cold. "You killed him! You had no right!" she wailed. "You killed him." She sobbed as he grabbed her wrists. "Why didn't you kill me instead?" Julia asked in a sorrowful moan as she sagged against him, fainting from exhaustion.
*
William had carried Julia up in his arms, the burden of her weight no more than a feather. His pain at watching hers was unmatched by anything he had ever known.
He carried Julia back to her room, his soul as heavy as a ton of lead.
*
Julia
William had been fairly quiet since the scene in the dining hall the week before, and Julia was glad. She thought the ache for him would never end. But fortunately, day by day, it lessened. She didn't want to be tied to the blood drinker. That was what he was—all he was.
He and Pierce lingered in the hall, speaking in covert whispers as she dabbed at the corners of her mouth, bread half-eaten in front of her.
The dreams had started again and, with them, her long-lost friend, headache. She sighed, rubbing her temples.
William and Pierce were suddenly beside her. "Are you ill, Julia?"
She glared up at the pair. A prudent girl with half a brain would have been scared of the vampires—they were deadly and menacing. But she didn't care about her welfare anymore, or her future. She wasn't interested in being taken anywhere with vampires.
"No, I'm fine." She looked at them impassively.
Pierce stared a moment more then turned to William. "Perhaps her awakening has begun."
Julia had thought she was about done with the revelations.
"Possibly," William said thoughtfully.
"What?" Julia asked, standing, hugging herself to stay warm. She looked up at the pair, such a contrast to each other. They were huge men—vampires, Julia self-corrected. She gulped back a sudden stab of fear.
"Rare Ones go through a..." William struggled for just the right word.
"Transition?" Pierce supplied.
Julia's brows jacked down over her eyes and she said, "Haven't you two kidnapped Blood Singers before?"
William's expression darkened at her terminology. But Julia remained steadfast. It was what it was.
"We have acquired some of Rare One lineage but never a pureblood. Never once," Pierce said.
"Adolescence!" William said triumphantly, remembering the word.
William's expression darkened at her terminology. But Julia remained steadfast. It was kidnapping, no matter what they called it.
What the hell? "Look guys," she said, and they turned their simultaneous attention unnervingly on her.
Julia stepped back, but realizing it made her look weak, she moved back toward them again. "I am clearly a woman. Fully grown, guys." She ran a hand down the front of her body, and the vampires tracked it. She was immediately embarrassed but bottled it up before they noticed. She rushed on before they could comment. "What I'm saying is I went through adolescence years ago. I am done with all that," Julia said waving away their weird ideas with a hand.
Pierce shook his head, and William said, "No. The Rare One comes of age much later than one that is just a Blood Singer. The purer you are, the greater the manifestation of your latent talents."
Julia's eyes shifted back and forth between the two of them. "What talents?" she asked slowly.
William paused then dropped the bomb. "Paranormal talents."
Julia's hand whipped out and gripped the table that stood behind her. The hell with not appearing weak. She backed up until her thighs pressed against the bench.
Insane vampires. It wasn't enough that there were such things as vampires. These ones were crazy-ass-loon vampires.
It just kept getting better and better.
Julia despaired.
"Are you having headaches?" Pierce pressed.
"Precognitive dreams?" William asked silkily.
Julia's head snapped up and she locked into William's silver gaze. She shook her head. She would not be their stupid Blood Singer messiah or whatever the hell they were looking for. She redoubled her determination to escape.
Soon.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Graduation
It was cool, the air holding none of the heat that would be found in other parts of America. Here at latitude fifty-nine, late May meant maybe sixty degrees. Maybe.
Today the temperature was a cool fifty-eight. Intermittent clouds floated overhead, and the breeze from the Homer Spit had made its way to the high school, slowed but not beaten.
Julia looked away from the valedictorian, who was expounding on the benefits of altruistic endeavors.
It was all bullshit, spoken through the bullhorn of what she could gain by making a good impression on whoever was listening. Julia swung her leg restlessly until Jason stilled her with a hand on her knee. He looked at her. "It'll be okay. Just today, and then we're free."
The girl droned on. The guys got a fine sheen of sweat over their brows—all that satiny polyester was causing a greenhouse effect.
Finally, the staff herded them through the line, and they shook hands, stood for pictures, and ate the celebratory cake. It was anticlimactic.
It only served to underscore that uneasy feeling Julia had—as if she were waiting. She'd had this feeling ever since the Terrell incident.
Death, she corrected herself.
She had felt a portent, a feeling of impending doom. It felt like a ticking time bomb. Her sleep was leaving her these days and nightmares were taking up residence in its absence.
She was exhausted. Jason said he was worried about her.
If that weren't enough, there was the impending trial. If a jury of Jason's peers found him not guilty in the death of Terrell, then he was free. Unfortunately, because of the nature of how he had... killed Terrell, he had a mandatory six weeks of anger-management classes. And of course, he was angry about the classes.
Total irony.
The Caldwells had not really forgiven Jason for making them look "bad" by killing Terrell. Even Detective Truman had defended Jason, saying he'd saved lives. Of course, what the Caldwells weren't telling Truman was that Julia's life was not that important to them. It hurt, but Julia had to stay focused on her future with Jason.
When the lame reception was over, they drove to Julia's house so she could change. Soon, they'd head to the beach with Kevin and Cyn.
Julia opened the door, Jason behind her. He'd been so quiet in the car. She knew something was on his mind.
Seeing that Lily wasn't home from work yet she walked to her room. She tore open her closet door and chucked out her beach jeans, T-shirt, and the faded, battered Salty Dawg Saloon hoodie. It was her most beat-up one, but she loved it. She'd bribed a tourist one summer to go in there and get one for her. It was a Homer landmark, a cabin from 1897 that had grown into a rough and tumble tavern.
She pressed the hoodie against her face, inhaling the fragrant laundry soap Lily used, and a pang of homesickness struck her. I'm really going, she thought, a little forlorn. Just six short weeks until Vegas.
Jason came up behind Julia and wrapped his arms around her, the graduation gowns wrapping and mingling together around their legs. "It's not like she's gonna die. You can come back and visit her, Jules."
Julia nodded silently. She understood that. She did.
But there would be no one, no family to see her get married, no one to appreciate her husband. Just Lily. And Lily was bitter—Julia knew that. Lily had gotten saddled with her brother's kid, and that had been a stain on her heart, spreading and filling her with resentment.
Jason kissed Julia's temple, his lips hovering above her skin like butterfly wings, fragile but present. She leaned back against him. He turned her and slowly lifted the gown, the rasping of the satin catching on the fine strands of hair that had escaped the clasp she'd secured it in. He tossed it aside and tore his gown off, letting it fall to the floor at his feet.
He gathered Julia in his arms and kissed her, pressing his lips to hers with heat. His lips moved over hers with pressure and longing, combining in a succulent pull. Julia's mouth opened, and her arms slid around his broad shoulders, the muscles bunching as he pressed her closer. She gave a little moan, and he moved them backward, where they fell softly on her bed. He broke the kiss when they landed, his elbows braced on either side of her body.
"I can't wait to make you mine, Julia," he said, dipping to kiss her temple again. His lips slid from that point, making a blazing trail down her jaw, then a sideways path to her mouth.
He lingered there, scooping her long hair from where it was pinned underneath her, fanning it out behind her. Jason slid her farther on the bed, falling to the side of her. He cupped her face and pecked her lips again. Searching her face, he saw the lingering anxiety there. "Lily'll come around. You'll see."
"She may not. But even though she took me in and saved me from the system, it wasn't her choice."
Speak of the devil.
Julia heard Lily buzz into the house and start clanking around in the kitchen—supper preparation. Julia wasn't that interested. Eating hadn't been a big priority since Terrell. She'd never been an emotional eater. When stuff got intense, food lost its appeal.
"Come on." Jason kissed her again then kissed her once more on that tender spot between her earlobe and her collarbone. She smiled, a little breathless. She knew some guys would have been trying to attack the obvious, but not Jason. He really loved her. He wanted her, but he wanted her for the right reasons.
Jason was the man for her.
*
Later
Right away, Julia knew she should have worn a puffy over the top of her hoodie. She sighed, stepping out of Jason's big truck, the lift kit making the whole thing a hike to get in and out of.
She gave a scoot and a hop and got out before Jason could meet her on the other side.
He came around and closed the door for her. "You should have waited for me. I'd have gotten you down." His lips turned up.
"I bet you would, pervert!" Julia teased as Cyn and Kevin walked up.
Kevin smirked, "I hear ʻpervert.' Must be Caldwell here."
"Thanks for the support, Kev," Jason said.
He grinned, shrugging. "Welcome."
Cyn smiled at Julia, taking in the XtraTufs and hoodie uniform. Cynthia was wearing her Ugg boots. Stylish to most, ugly to Julia.
"Well, I see you are consistent," Cyn said in her droll way.
"Don't start. I didn't want to suffer through any more unwanted clothing."
Cyn rolled her eyes. "I did see you barely making it through the ceremony. Couldn't you have faked it?"
"Hell no! I didn't like any of the teachers, and after the Terrell thing..." She immediately felt terrible. Her friends had been there, too, and here she was bringing it up.
"Sorry guys," Julia mumbled, bowing her head a little and letting her long hair form a curtain to hide her expression.
That had been beyond stupid. She could have kicked her own ass. Miss Sensitive.
Jason put a finger underneath her chin, tilting it so their eyes met. "Don't be sorry, Jules. All of us were there. It was me that killed him," he said in a low voice. "Ask me if I feel bad?"
She swallowed, her mouth dry. "Do you feel bad?"
He shook his head, solemn. "No."
"Hell, Jules. You were in that psycho's crosshairs. Caldwell had to do it." Kevin spread his arms away from his body. He wore a T-shirt that read, Zombie Bait.
Cynthia looked at Julia with sympathy. They'd been friends for years. Cyn understood that Julia didn't want to feel responsible for any accidents, especially after her parents.
Especially that.
Cyn reached out and put a chunk of hair behind Jules's ear. "Don't sweat that creeper, Jules. It wasn't your fault that he died. Just because someone dies when you're around, doesn't mean you have to take the death on as your fault. That's crap and you know it." Cyn dipped down a little until she was eye level with Julia. "Are you hearing me?"
"Yeah," Julia whispered. She was so lucky to have these guys. Unshed tears burned the back of her eyelids. Tears were for sissies. She sucked it up, hugging Cyn with one arm and flinging the other around Jason, her hand finding the middle of his back. It was where she could reach him. He cuddled her as they did an awkward shamble to the bonfire that Kevin had built. The heat washed over her like a wave of comfort and serenity that was too brief.
Her peace was too brief.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Seattle
Pierce and William had deemed her ready. Ready for travel, ready for the final leg of their journey.
They were headed to William's home coven in Seattle.
Julia was ready too. She only had the smallest amount of guilt. After all, if Julia were to face her memories, she'd have to wallow in them, explore them, and reconcile herself to the fact that it was not William and Pierce who'd killed Jason. Those two had been too late to stop it from happening.
She would not let sentiment cloud her plan. But the memory began to play out like the nightmare it was. Julia felt the heat begin at her toes and roar up her body as if she were a lone tree in a forest on fire. Her heart was beating rapidly, her palms sweating, and her breath coming in great whoops. She had to calm down before she had a full-blown panic attack. That always got the complete attention of the vampires.
She didn't want their attention ever again.
Julia slowed her breathing, shoving the horrible memory down in the well of her subconscious. It would come again—it always did, in the silent and unguarded moments of her wakefulness. It would surge forward like the tide to shore. She waited until her hands had only a fine tremble then picked up her bag.
Turning, she looked one more time at her temporary home. She sighed, closing the door behind her. Julia suddenly realized what day it was.
Over a year had passed since her precious Jason had been ripped from her life—torn from her soul, leaving it shredded within her body.
She moved down the hall, seeing the two runners who waited so still against the exit.
Waiting for her—their prize.
But not for long, Julia thought, working hard to suppress a smile.
She moved forward and they fell into step beside her, leaving the house behind them forever.
*
Imagine the logistics of traveling with vampires. If it hadn't been her reality, Julia would have thought it was funny as hell.
But it wasn't funny.
They had driven up the highway to the Anchorage Airport, gotten on the plane—"red-eye flight" taking on new meaning—and flown the lonely journey to Seattle.
Once in Seattle, she had a small window of time in which to escape the runners. They were already in the city where the coven was located, but she didn't know how she would shake them before they arrived. Especially when William's blood was still in her body—diluted but there, like a pulse. It would be a navigation tool.
Julia caressed her bag. The hair dye and change of clothes were hidden inside. She smiled. It might work, but only if Pierce was the one nearby. If William was there, all hope was lost. She had another lapse of guilt, thinking back to her conversation with William.
*
On the plane, William had looked at her, and Julia had become interested in her hands.
"You seem tense," he'd said. Pierce looked up at them sharply and then glanced away.
At least the two of them hadn't insisted on sandwiching her in between them. That would have been awful. Julia deliberately loosened her hands and laid them flat on her thighs. The last thing she needed was for William to detect something.
She met his eyes, which were the palest gray—striking against all that black hair. He gave a little smile, and she realized she'd been staring. Her palms dampened, and she resisted the urge to rub them on her pants. "I am tense," she answered honestly, knowing it would ring of the truth. "I mean, I've been with you for a year, and now I have to be with a bunch—" She looked around the tight confines of the airplane. "Of you," she finished in a whisper.
William's eyes narrowed, and Julia didn't squirm. She wasn't one to just keel over because someone had an emotional reaction to something she'd said. She could hack it. "We have gone over this many times, Julia. They will welcome you. You shall be safe, protected. No more running, no more mystery."
Julia understood what he'd said. She even felt that he believed it. But she'd been there that day on the beach, and she'd seen how they were with each other and with her.
The Were.
She shuddered, thinking of something else.
Anything else.
He reached out and placed his hand over hers, and Julia let him. She'd learned early on that her resistance brought a barrage of questions and concern. It was better to pretend.
It'd make escape easier.
Turning her hand over, he rubbed a thumb over the pulse in her wrist, which beat frantically like a trapped bird. His pupils dilated, and he licked his bottom lip as her breath came shorter, his eyes darkening, the gray beginning to disappear like imagined smoke.
"William," Pierce said in a low voice. William looked across the aisle at him, his brow furrowed. Pierce looked pointedly at the contact between them, and William removed his hand from hers, the lack of his touch leaving her disturbingly empty. What was wrong with her? It must have been because of her nervousness about the execution of the plan. She felt a stabbing pain for Jason in that moment. He'd have known what to do. But not anymore—now it was up to her.
Julia had to be her own savior.
William waited until he seemed to get control of himself then said, "You will see. My home coven will be a place of respite."
Fat chance, Julia had thought.
Before, she'd been too weak to think of escaping. But as they made their way to Seattle, her bereavement over the loss of Jason and the others had been at the forefront of her mind, pressing her forward into the unknown.
She was in charge of her own destiny. Not the vampires. Not the werewolves—only she, Julia.
*
Escape
They exited before the other passengers. Only first class for vamps, she thought sourly. Julia had never flown first class. Actually, she'd only been on a plane for a single trip—to fly to Alaska from her home state, where her parents had been executed on the highway. She gulped at the memory. She gave herself a mental push forward as the chaos of the airport swirled around them. The vampires tracked the people around them.
The cattle.
She turned to William, willing her pulse to slow. "I need to change and use the restroom," she lied smoothly, her pulse sluggish. Why it was cooperating now, when in the plane it had been fluttering uncontrollably while he'd been touching her? Julia didn't know, and didn't care. She was that close to freedom. She wasn't blowing it for anything.
Pierce waited, and William ran his hand through his inky hair, making it spike. Turning that smoldering intensity to Julia, he said, "All right, but Pierce will need to stand guard outside of the bathroom until I can get our comrades here to escort you to the car."
Comrades. Translation: vampires.
Julia lifted an eyebrow. Smart of him. He was going to leave her with good old Pierce while he got a few more of the vampire crew up here so the precious Blood Singer couldn't get away.
Real circumspect, guys. They thought they were so smart. Well, the element of surprise was the only thing she had, and she was using it.
"Where am I gonna go?" Julia pointed out.
William's eyes narrowed on her, and Julia held her breath. He seemed to really deliberate until Pierce broke the swollen moment. "Just go. I will stand guard, and you will return with the additional runners." He rolled his broad shoulders in a dismissive shrug.
William palmed his chin. "Fine." He turned to Pierce. "Be sharp, be vigilant. Even now, they may be about."
Julia looked around, expecting gnomes, trolls or both to pop up around her.
"The werewolves," Pierce clarified in a low voice.
True—there was that to consider.
Pierce took her elbow and she walked to the restroom with him. When she glanced over her shoulder, William's form was a speck down the choked corridor.
*
Julia threw the bag on the bathroom-floor stall, kicked off her flip-flops, and dragged out the skirt, boots, and shirt she'd cropped the night before. It would bare some skin, but she'd brought a jacket for coverage. She grabbed the box of black hair dye she'd nabbed from underneath the vampires' bathroom sink. She rushed to the sink and began to chop her long, ginger-colored hair to shoulder length.
Another girl beside her leaned back and said, "Uh, what are you doing?" She snapped gum, watching as the hair piled at Julia's feet in a heap of spun honey.
Julia met her eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "What does it look like?"
The girl's eyes narrowed. "Butchering your hair like a dumbass."
Julia smiled—she couldn't help it. Yeah she was. But it was necessary.
The girl took a hard look at Julia. Then, shaking her head, she walked away, giving Julia a last look that said, Crazy bitch.
Yeah, that was her all right. The plastic scissors didn't help with that. She couldn't bring the real ones on the plane. She stopped up the sink and mixed the black dye. Lathering it in, she watched as her hair—almost blond with a hint of red—became a mass of black. It utterly changed how she looked.
The boots made her five-seven instead of five-four. She was taller, wearing different clothes, and had black hair that was eighteen inches shorter than when she'd entered the bathroom.
She had the money she'd had on her the day that she was taken. Julia opened her palm and looked at the lonely thirty dollars, five dimes, and one penny.
She made a fist with her hand and stuffed the change back in the pocket of her skirt. She grabbed her toiletry bag as if it were a purse, and made her departure when there was a pair of women exiting the bathroom.
Julia dipped her head and walked out, the hair still wet underneath and clinging to the nape of her neck like cold fingers.
*
Julia kept her head down and her legs moving, her heart racing far beyond the effort she was expending. She clutched her toiletry bag under her arm and kept walking.
She was exiting security just as William and the runners were passing through. Julia could hear his voice, and she didn't turn. But she swore she felt a hesitation in his speech and a scorching gaze that she did not see but felt pass over her.
And then she was outside in the drizzle, the clouds making shapes across a full moon, twenty cabs in sight.
Julia hailed the first one. Closing the door behind her she said, "Get me to the closest bus depot."
The cabby turned around to look at her. "To where?" he asked, his voice accented, a turban on his head. Julia tried not to stare.
"Away."
"Humph!" He slammed the flag that started the meter at two bucks.
They pulled away from the curb, and Julia hazarded a look behind her.
Her mind recoiled in terror as she saw William and Pierce and, beside them, two runners.
Vampires.
Their noses were in the air, scenting it.
Searching for her.
CHAPTER NINE
Vegas
Julia and Jason were kind of arguing. He thought Elvis was classic, and she thought he was... well, creepy.
"Listen Jules. Everyone who comes to Vegas has to get married in front of Elvis. I'm just saying." He spread his hands as if to say you see my logic.
Actually, she didn't. She looked up at the rendering of the oversized, pudgy singer. Elvis, with his clown-red mouth and tassels and studs on a grotesquely distended belly was not the image she wanted at her wedding—even if they were in cheesy Vegas. Even if they had stolen away to get married.
Jason planted his hands on his hips. "Okay. I can see you don't see that Elvis is the symbol of vegas." His eyebrows rose, and Cyn giggled.
"I think he looks pretty gay, Jason," Kevin said, smoothly siding with Julia.
"Thanks for the love, you ass," Jason said.
Kev barked out a laugh. "Anytime, pal."
Beaten, Jason looked over the small pamphlet of chapels, finding a few more on the list. His eyes—hazel with flecks of green in the brown—shifted to Julia. "The only thing you don't want is him?" He jerked his thumb toward icky Elvis.
Cynthia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Jason. No chunky monkey in white polyester. It's a no-go."
He glared at her, and Julia said, "Yeah, that."
Jason sighed. He and Kevin put their heads together as Cyn gave Julia, a look from head to toe. "Glad I could get you out of those fugly boots, Jules."
Julia smiled, Cyn had outdone herself. Julia didn't look great in white, but Cyn had explained, "You've earned white, virgin princess, but let's work with the weirdness that is your complexion." Julia had rolled her eyes, letting Cyn transform her.
Julia caught sight of herself in what could only be described as a fun-house mirror. Her long dress grazed the floor, spiky ivory heels peeking out from underneath the hem, a platform gracing the bottom. Cyn had pinned her hair in an elegant updo, leaving a few wisps hanging down.
A row of creamy pearls with a champagne-colored wash encircled the base of her throat. They'd been her mother's.
A lump gathered in her throat, and she looked away from the reflection of her sweetheart neckline, satin and lace colliding in a fine webbing that cradled her breasts.
The absence of her parents on this important occasion was best left to future reflection.
Like, never.
Jason had dressed in a deep-navy suit, his tie a subtle crimson, a slash of color against his shirt.
Julia thought it looked a little like blood against the backdrop of white, and she shivered as a subtle feeling of foreboding stole over her. It was shattered when Jason flashed his smile, stabbing the pamphlet with his finger. "Found it, babe!"
Julia leaned forward, and he drew her in next to his body. She looked at the page he was pointing to.
"Gnome Chapel."
She cocked her brows. "Really, Jason?" He smiled, nodding.
"That's just switching out one creepy audience member for another," Cynthia said with revulsion.
"Nah, baby," Kevin said, pulling her tight against him and pressing a kiss to her temple, almost crushing the bouquet of lavender flowers she held.
"Hey! Watch the flowers, graceless." Cyn giggled.
Kevin grabbed the bouquet, jerking it up over his head and slamming his lips against hers, his free arm coming around her back and pressing her harder against him.
Julia had agreed that gnomes were creepy, too. She'd looked up at the bigger-than-life-sized Elvis statue and sighed.
Choices, choices. But anything is better than Elvis.
****
Now
Julia leaned her head back against the scummy seat of the cab, fingering the fine chain at her neck, the sterling sliding with her restless stroking. The chain held a ring.
Tears threatened to fall as Julia thought of the symbol of eternal love. Jason had insisted on buying the rings. He had purchased bands of indestructible tungsten—a metal made of carbide, gunmetal gray and polished to a mirrorlike shine. He had said it couldn't be scratched, dented or bent.
Like their love.
"Perfect," he'd said, squeezing her as he had slipped it onto her finger. Their clergy in the Chapel of the Gnomes had been smiling at them, his mouth full of missing teeth.
Vegas, a class act.
She didn't want a big diamond. She just wanted him. He'd said that later, after they got settled, he'd get her something to go with the plainness of the band.
He would never have the opportunity to make good on that promise.
The cabbie stopped a scant five minutes after they'd left the terminal.
"I let you off here. Eight dollars," he said without verbs.
Julia frowned. Don't speak English, fine by me. But be civil. She handed him a twenty, and he gave her the change.
She slid out of the taxi and found herself on a cement sidewalk surrounded by a wall of people. She didn't make eye contact with anyone but went to the first bus she saw and showed the driver her five bucks, six dimes and one penny.
"How far?" she asked.
He searched her face. "How far do ya need to go?" he asked, kindness in his eyes.
Julia paused, aware of a line forming behind her. "As far as this will get me," she said, leaving it in his hands.
He nodded. "Let's play it by ear, okay miss?"
She nodded, so grateful for the unexpected kindness that she felt her eyes glisten again. She had turned into an absolute crybaby. All it took was him saying that one phrase Aunt Lily had used, and Julia's home, which was so far away, came to the forefront of her consciousness. She swiped at the wetness on her cheeks and gave him a watery smile as she moved to the back of the bus.
She sank down in the seat, putting her knees up on the seat in front of her, and looked out the window. As she gazed through the filthy glass, the bus pulled away in a plume of noxious exhaust, leaving the depot for parts unknown.
Julia shut her eyes, remembering.
*
Jason had kicked open the door of their hotel room, and it had slammed against the wall. Julia had shrieked laughter as he crossed the threshold, her dress swirling around their bodies. He slapped the door closed behind them and dumped her on the bed.
She almost bit her tongue—she was laughing so hard—but managed not to by a slim margin.
They'd used fake IDs and had had quite a bit to drink, and Jason was stubbornly hanging on to the notion that they could wait one more night until they were in their new apartment in Anchorage.
"I don't want our first time to be in a seedy motel in Vegas, Jules," he said, dragging his lips down her neck in a path to her collarbone then pressing them against her mouth again. The pearls getting in the way of his mouth, he moved them aside with a finger and lavished her with his attention.
Julia didn't care that it was seedy. She pulled him down into the cradle of her body.
Her husband.
The word had a surreal quality. She tried to grab onto the newness of it, but it slid through her mind like smoke.
He smiled down at her, his tie askew, his muscular arms pressing her to him.
He nuzzled her neck, "No," he whispered. "We wait until we are in our home." Jason wanted everything to be perfect for her and said she was worth it. At home, there would be no booze to muddle their thoughts, and they'd be in their own digs.
Julia sighed with frustration. "I had awesome lingerie!"
He raised an eyebrow. "Cyn?"
Julia caved. "Yeah, it was her idea." She smiled sheepishly.
"But you still bought it?"
She nodded, blushing. Just thinking about the skank ensemble Cyn had approved made her flush with embarrassment.
"Wow, it must be hot, judging by that look." He searched her face, running a tender finger over her cheekbone.
"We have the rest of our lives. Let me hold you next to me all night. That'll be a first, along with a ton of other stuff."
They grinned at each other.
Julia had thought she could live with that plan. Patience, she thought.
But they hadn't had the rest of their lives. It was her biggest regret: she'd never been with Jason even once.
*
Julia woke with a start, darkness all around her. She was completely disoriented and swallowed the scream that rose in her throat as someone leaned over her, gently shaking her shoulder.
It was just the bus driver. Her memories came flooding back.
Escape.
No money.
Going nowhere.
"We're here," he said softly.
Julia rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?" she croaked, her voice rusty after sleeping so hard.
He looked at the humungous watch on his wrist. "Straight up five o'clock." He looked at her, straightening. "My shift's done, and we've traveled my whole route. Twice. This is the end of the road."
Julia looked up at the sign that read, "Valley Bus Transport. Welcome to Kent."
"Where is this?"
He looked around. "It's Kent," he pointed to the sign. "Outside Seattle."
Julia had familiarized herself with the Seattle region and understood immediately the driver had just kept her safe and warm in the bus while she slept part of the night away, driving in a big circle.
She stood, looking at him. "Thank you."
He nodded. "You got a place to go?"
She shook her head.
"I can give you a ride to a women's shelter."
Women's shelter? Is that what he thinks I need?
He watched as emotions ran through her, and he slowly nodded. "Yeah, I think you're running. I think you're running from a man."
No, not a man. But it was close enough.
He didn't want to know what she was really running from.
"It's a deal," she said, deciding to take her chances with the human.
It was better than the alternative.
She walked out of the bus with him.
CHAPTER TEN
William
William took in the filth of the air, his acute senses filtering the smells that did not concern him.
There were many, but amongst those, there was a faint taste on the air.
Julia's.
He swiveled his head in Pierce's direction, his nostrils flaring as they transitioned from scenting to anger. Pierce had been a dolt, letting her slip by. His anger rode him hard, making his body tenser—even more than was typical for him.
Every moment she was alone left her vulnerable to attack. By the pungency of her aroma—and the scent of his blood, still in her to the slightest degree—he judged she was within a fifty-mile radius and east of their current position.
He opened the door to the SUV, leaving the bus depot behind them without a backward glance.
"East," William commanded to the runner who had met them. His eyes met Pierce's in the rear view mirror.
They sped off, the blackness of the SUV melting into the night.
*
Julia
Julia wasn't the hugging kind of girl, but she gave a big one to the man who had let her sleep for hours on his bus—Alfred.
He gave her an awkward pat on her head and told her to take care of herself.
She turned as she heard the engine roar in his pickup truck and then soften as he pulled away. Julia looked around. The moon was full, its brightness and the yellowish glow of the streetlight making Julia feel strangely vulnerable, on display. She clutched her toiletry bag tighter and moved toward the building.
Julia walked through the door, passing under a sign at the threshold of the that read, "Freedom Affirmed." Once inside, she found a receptionist on duty. Her hair was in a severe bun, glasses perched on the end of her nose. It was her eyes, full of knowledge gained from hard experience, that finally relaxed Julia.
Eyes that were seasoned tended to ease her.
"Hello dear," the receptionist said in a pleasant voice, her birdlike eyes taking in Julia's appearance. Julia was aware of all her odd look—her dyed hair, the crazy getup, the lack of luggage. She guessed she was pretty much fitting whatever stereotype there was.
"Hi."
The woman raised an eyebrow as she came around the desk to greet Julia. "I'm Shirley." She stuck her bony hand out and Julia took it, giving it a gentle shake. Shirley's eyes searched hers and finally she said, "I guess you need a place to stay for the night?"
Julia nodded. Only one night? Crap. She'd have to figure it out day by day.
Shirley must have seen how dejected she felt. "We offer transitional services. We will help you find a job, another residence."
Julia sighed. She was terrified of William and Pierce finding her. It wasn't rational. After all, once she got on the bus, her trail disappeared.
Or that was what she told herself.
But Julia had been with the vampires for almost a year, and their five senses were beyond normal human capacity. Julia remembered how easy everything was for them. William was a runner, chosen specifically for tracking.
He was engineered to find her.
Julia shuddered, and Shirley gave her a look of sympathy, misinterpreting it completely. She took Julia's arm, and they walked together to her room.
*
Shelter
Julia was as settled in as she was going to be. She looked around the room. Actually, it was a shared room, hardly more than a closet. The bathroom served two rooms with two women in each. The girl she shared with was at her new job and poised to leave the facility the next morning. Julia looked longingly at the bathroom. She was dying for a shower.
She went through the clothes that Shirley had provided. There were enough for a week. A plain, black duffel had been provided, courtesy of a sponsor of the shelter.
The clothes were simple but comfortable and fit well—a miracle. Julia was heavier than she'd been when the vampires had thought they'd lose her from malnourishment. But as Julia caught sight of herself in the harsh reflection of the florescent lighting that rode the top of the vanity mirror, she blanched. Even to herself, she looked hideous. Large bruise-type circles held court underneath her large, golden eyes. Her hair was a startling black, the ends hacked unevenly about her shoulders. It was her ribs—each one countable and her collarbone standing at attention—that let her know how desperate she still looked.
How had she looked before? Julia didn't want to know. She turned away and cranked on the hot water for the shower, the needles slamming into her hands, which were still cold from the outside. The tingling of the warmth woke her skin up as she pulled the stopper, and the spray rained down, beating the porcelain tub below. Julia stepped in, parting her lips, letting the water fill her mouth and run down her chin. The warmth and privacy made her want to cry with relief.
She hadn't realized how intrusive her lack of privacy had been when Susan had been her caretaker or how oppressive William and Pierce's presence was. She was so grateful she could hardly stand herself.
Julia almost shrieked when she glanced down while rinsing the shampoo out of her hair and saw the tub filled with black.
What the hell?
She quickly toweled off and ran to the mirror. She swiped her forearm across the middle, and there she stood, her wet hair like dark gold, a black wash hanging on but mostly gone.
Shit. There went her great disguise. Julia sighed. It figured that she would have grabbed the wash-out-gradually dye. She turned away in disgust. Jerking on the nightclothes, which consisted of panties and an oversized shirt, she slammed her body into the bed. She was certain she would fall right to sleep.
But she didn't. Instead, thoughts of Jason filled her head the way they always did before sleep took her.
*
Then: Fire and Ice
They'd flown down on the small plane from the Anchorage Airport. Julia was stoked, knowing they would touch down in Homer soon. The only small glitch was that Jason wanted to meet up with Kevin and Cyn one more time at their spot on the beach. Kevin was likely burning the hell out of the driftwood as they flew.
Julia wanted Jason all to herself.
He laughed as she cuddled closer, his finger alternately tracing and swirling her wedding band. "It's a sendoff, Jules. Don't get your hot panties in a twist."
Julia rolled her eyes. "They are super-cute panties, buster. Not that you'd know!" She gave him a playful elbow. He retaliated, tickling her without mercy. She shrieked in the confines of the plane, and some of the other passengers gave the pair stern looks.
They offloaded and ran to the parking lot, the mountains a backdrop behind Jason's car, the stubborn snow clinging to some of the nooks and crannies at the top.
Julia sucked in a lungful of the freshest air in the world, happier than she'd ever been. Vegas had been an assault on all her senses—filthy, noisy, dirty, and everything that wasn't home.
Jason opened the door for her, she climbed in, and they roared off to the spit. Cyn and Kevin were waiting, and she could see the fire from the beginning of the spit, the flames rushing up to kiss the darkening sky.
It had been an omen.
Julia's mind protected her from touching the memory that lay next—the one she couldn't bear to think of, the one that was stealing her breath, robbing her of life, and making her heart pause in her throat.
Julia finally fell into a fitful sleep as the vampires closed in around her.
*
Vampire
The four of them surrounded the human cattle, eyes glittering darkly at their prey. They could not afford to be circumspect. All four would need to be well fed when they finally came upon Julia. William signaled to Pierce, and they flanked the victim.
A pleasure to dispatch, William thought, remembering how they'd come upon him abusing the woman who Robert now eased into thrall as they moved toward the human scum. William licked the tips of his fangs as they tore through the tender flesh of his mouth.
The smell of blood wafted to their nostrils.
"Listen scary dudes," the man said, defensively, "that bitch wanted it. I was only givin' her what she was beggin' for... you get my meaning." He grabbed his crotch in an obscene gesture.
"Yes," Pierce mused, "the abuse of her face tells us of her joy."
William hissed, moving toward the man with sure footing. Stalking closer, he jerked the foul human next to him until his rancid breath filled the intimate space. "The innocent do not defend their actions. "
"Thou dost protest too much," Pierce added, the ghost of a smile riding his lips as he moved toward their prey.
The other runner, Andrew, allowed his talons to tear through the tips of his fingers and used them like the small daggers they were, piercing the tender flesh of the man's back.
The human's gurgled response matched the widening of his eyes. "What are you?" he whispered, his eyes bulging and distended as Andrew kept him skewered like a shish kabob.
"Death," William answered, his fangs lengthening. He reared and then struck true, as did Pierce, and Andrew's talons accentuated the holes caused by them.
Robert left the female in thrall, dazed and uncomprehending. In a blur of speed, he was at the male's side, and he dropped to his knees beside him. Working to the inside of his thigh, he tapped the vein with a vicious push of his fangs, piercing even the thick denim the human wore. He rolled his eyes up and met those of his comrade, Andrew, who shared the foul meal. The blood was delicious, its host lowly.
The vampires fed, and two miles away, Julia lay sleeping—but not peacefully, never that.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Julia never actively thought about the day Jason died. She did everything within her power not to.
That was probably why her subconscious took over and made her dream about him, attempting to excise the memory like a wound that would never heal.
She was too exhausted to fight it anymore. Julia was not in the vampires' clutches, and she'd had a shower and even a little food. It made sense to sleep.
She needed to sleep.
Julia felt her body slide off into that strange midway point between true wakefulness and that of deep slumber. Her mind floated, circling the last things she had thought about. As she slipped into REM sleep, her body jerked as if it were falling, landing about where she'd left off in wakefulness.
Julia knew where she was going and began to struggle toward consciousness again, as if she were at the bottom of a lake, swimming to the surface.
But sleep was victorious, sucking her back underneath the waters of her dreams.
*
Then
She and Jason had been almost to the spit when he'd gotten the text from Kevin.
Jason turned to Julia. "That's not their fire, babe."
She arched her brow, looking at the blaze far down on the terminus of the spit, a glowing beacon. "Who else would start that monster?"
He laughed. "They want to go to that spot by the woods. More private." Jason waggled his brows.
Right. Translation: let's make out. But now that they were married, she was going to do more than that—and without an audience, thank you very much.
She sighed. Some wedding night. She folded her arms across her chest, brooding.
"Listen, hun. It'll be fun. It won't get light until—when? One a.m.?"
The land of the midnight sun, Julia thought. He wrapped his hand around her neck, massaging away the stiffness of the travel, catching little glances when he could, driving with one hand.
Julia guessed she'd forgive them. He was giving up his apartment, after all. Tonight was their last night before heading up to Anchorage. Just thinking about facing Aunt Lily the next day filled her with dread. Even knowing Lily would be relieved to see her go didn't make it better.
Jason looked at her with concern then swung his attention to the road ahead of them. He took the turn for the small stretch of beach where they liked to hang out. Only the four of them knew about how to find it.
He squeezed the back of her neck, and she felt the strength of his hands, which had always been gentle with her. Julia thought of Terrell. These were the same hands he had used to murder their teacher—and to defend her.
"Jules, stop thinking about what Lily's gonna do. It'll be fine—you'll see." He looked at her quickly then parked the car above the slope that led to the beach.
The beach lay below a steep ravine lined with spruce trees that camouflaged the fire. They didn't need anything special to get down there, but it would be a bad fall if they didn't watch it.
Jason had taken her carefully by the elbow and they'd used the rigid and deeply grooved soles of their boots to assure their footing as they descended to the rocky beach.
*
Vampire
Andrew and Robert paired as did William and Pierce—silently. They'd worked together as a quad before. They scented Julia easily. William never went anywhere without his quarry's scent. In this case, he possessed a scrap of an original piece of clothing, never laundered. He allowed his runners a deep whiff before they picked up the faintest scent coming from their current position.
"I say one-point-two-four kilometers," William said, lowering his face.
Pierce laughed. "So literal, William."
William gave him a look, and Pierce's amusement faded.
They studied him, and he looked at each of their faces in turn. "Follow me."
They ran, staying to the border of the buildings' flanks. The shadows embraced them soundlessly, the peppering of blood on their garments invisible in the dark.
*
Before
The dusk lingered in Alaska for what felt like forever. Summer nights were one long siege of twilight. Julia hadn't minded. The veil of false darkness provided the perfect backdrop for a sky the color of bruised violet with a sprinkling of the brightest stars flung about. Venus hung like a shimmering anchor at the horizon.
She had planted her bony butt on a huge piece of driftwood Kev and Jason had hauled to a safe proximity to the blazing inferno.
Cyn had been naughty and brought champagne. Julia would have loved to protest but couldn't.
After all, they were celebrating her nuptials.
Hard as they tried, it was inevitable that Lily would come up into the conversation.
"I'm just saying you're not obligated to give a big defense, Jules," Cyn said, her legs crossed at the ankles, resting her back against Kevin. The wash of the firelight warred with the sun burning low in the horizon, making a fiery halo around them.
Julia shrugged. Cyn wouldn't understand. She felt that she owed Lily. Taking in her eight-year-old niece had never been Lily's goal. Actually, Julia wasn't sure what had been her goal. She'd made it abundantly clear it wasn't raising her brother's daughter or having a surprise family.
Jason kissed the top of her head, and she buried her toes—already encased in woolly socks—into the sand, which had been warmed by the fire. Her XtraTufs were thrown to the side.
"She's got a point, Jules," Jason breathed against her temple.
"I know she does. But Lily did take me in when my grandma couldn't. She was the only one that could. Other than a foster family."
Cyn shuddered. "That's like goddamn Russian Roulette."
Kev nodded. Everyone knew that foster care could land a person with some shit family. "Yeah, Jules. I heard about some girl who was like Cinderella in her family. They made her label every scrap of food like she was gonna steal it or something. Big-time lame. They just wanted the government money every month."
"See?" Julia said, looking at Cynthia. "It could've been worse."
Cyn shook her head, her huge hoops catching the light that swirled around them, a mix of burnt orange from the sky and fire mingling together in an eerie wash. "If you say so. I still think she was a big-time troll with you!"
She kinda was. But Julia still wanted to remember Lily in the best light she could. "She's got all my stuff, too."
Cyn's face broke into a grin. "Now, that's worth some suck-up, Jules."
They laughed and then Cyn said, "I'm sorry your grandma isn't here anymore."
Julia was sorry, too. Summers at her grandma's place had been the only break from the grind of living with Lily. Grandma had taught her things she'd never forget.
"Didn't she have your name?" Kev asked.
Julia smiled. "Actually, I had her name."
Kev shrugged. "That's what I said." The little details of things like that sailed right over his head.
They smiled and made plans for the next day. Julia and Jason would go by her house and see if they could charm their way in after their hasty elopement and zero communication. That is so not going to happen.
Cyn broke a mood that had slid far away from celebratory by jerking the champagne glasses out of her backpack. Kevin got the champagne out of his beat-up cooler, the ice rattling and clinking.
Cyn put a cube in each plastic cylinder. The glasses had been made to look like cut glass and winked as though they were on fire from the light of the blaze. Julia smiled. Cyn had thought everything through to the last detail.
"Nice glasses," Julia said.
Cyn smirked. "I know, right? I couldn't let us be déclassé even at the beach!" Kevin filled Cyn's to the brim, and she plopped a full strawberry on the top, where it floated like a jewel inside the glass. The bubbles in the golden liquid mesmerized Julia.
Everyone's glasses fizzing with champagne, they lifted them, and the four flutes met in a clink of celebration. They took sips, eyeing each other above the rims.
Cyn did an obscene job of tonguing her strawberry in full view of Kevin, moving it back and forth in her mouth while twirling the stem like a provocative handle in her capable fingers.
"Come here," Kev said in a growl, grabbing Cyn around her slender waist and pressing her against him. He put his lips to the half of the berry that lay between her teeth then jerked the stem with his teeth and spit it onto the pebbled beach. He met her lips with his, eating the berry as he sucked the kiss right out of her.
Cyn groaned and flung her arms around Kev's neck, and the two of them staggered over to their log of driftwood, oblivious to Jason and Julia. Kevin threw his arm behind him so they wouldn't topple, but as they sat down in a heap, he fell backward on the sand anyway. Jason and Julia laughed at their friends' lust-ridden dance.
It would have been better if Kevin had not been on his back with his girlfriend when the werewolf had appeared.
*
Vampire
Stealth was the order of the night. He eyed the building carefully, taking in the name: Freedom Affirmed.
William's lips curled. They wouldn't understand real freedom if it introduced itself with a handshake.
He spoke in a voice that could not be heard by humanity. The decibel level was too high for humans.
In the distance, a stray dog lifted its ears and whined softly then took off in the opposite direction of the disturbing tones of the unnatural. Canines had instinctual reactions. This one recognized the threat for what it was and ran in the direction of safety.
The other runners whipped their heads in the dog's direction, responding in kind. They made their way to the structure, converging at roughly all four corners. Their progress was deliberate and insidious. They would not make a spectacle of their presence.
William had the barest sense of unease. He hoped that Julia's abilities continued to lie dormant. If they awoke during her acquisition, that would change things dramatically.
Such a change would be very bad for all. Blood Singers were unpredictable at best. At worst, they were dangerous.
He hoped that Pierce and the others would heed his warning:
"Be vigilant. Be aware. They may have scented her hours ago. They may already be in the area. Werewolves."
*
Julia's eyes rolled wildly beneath lids that were clenched in horror.
She was watching what had happened that fated evening as a movie before her.
Her subconscious replay unrolled, unbidden and uninvited, and she watched.
*
The werewolf had moved into full view of the teenagers, not in a crouch but as a half-man, half-wolf creature, only partially changed. His advantage as a soldier of the Were was his form.
He and the other soldiers of his race were aptly suited for the acquisition of Rare Ones. For that task, he would need to subdue the others. His keen sight, albeit only in shades of gray and black, assisted him in his forward motion.
Immediately, he allowed his senses to take in the threats. His night vision allowed him to acclimate automatically, dismissing the glow of the fire. His nostrils flared, bringing the myriad of scents necessary for successful acquisition.
If he had been in human form, he would have laughed. One of the males might have posed a problem if he had been coupled with his comrade, who stood beside the target. But he lay prone beneath a human female. A female clearly in heat, the werewolf scented.
He would dispatch him first then move on to the primary target—the mate of the Rare One.
This assessment took mere seconds.
From Julia's perspective, the werewolf's attack had taken hours.
As if in slow motion, the creature had leaped forward in one long stride. The muscles underneath the dove-gray fur were a ripple of sinew and tendon, perfectly synchronized—and uniquely suited for harm and brutality.
Cynthia screamed when she looked up at the muzzle of the strange beast. Yellow eyes blazed out of its face as it flew through the air, body seemingly suspended. She tried to scramble off of Kevin, but he was already reacting, pushing her away.
And then Kevin was buried underneath a monster—a thing of legend come to life, the heat of the fire at his back. He tried to roll the creature off of him, using the thing's momentum against it, but it was steel and fur with Kevin pinned underneath it.
Kevin looked desperately at Cyn, and he yelled at her to run. And then his head was severed from the column of his neck, blood spouting out in a spray that splattered Cynthia, who lay on the sand behind him. She closed her eyes as the droplets of copper splashed her face. Then she opened them and looked at Julia, stunned, vomit dribbling from her mouth. Julia screamed for her friend.
Then Jason was there. He rammed the twisted metal rod they used for marshmallow roasting into the creature's side, and it reared back from Kevin's body with a howl, backhanding Jason as if he were as insubstantial as a feather.
Jason grunted as he landed on the sand six feet or so behind the creature. Then the werewolf was on him, and he shouted, "Julia, run!" before the beast sank its talons his neck with its talons, squeezing.
Julia felt her bladder spasm even as she ran to Jason's side, ignoring his directive. He was her husband.
The thing with fur, standing over seven feet tall on its hind legs, had a hand that was half paw and all talons, encircling the delicate flesh of Jason's neck. His other hand rose in a high arc, readying to deliver the killing blow, claws like spears poised.
"No!" Julia screamed.
Its eyes shifted to hers as she ran to Jason. It seemed to pause.
Then the hand swept down, the nails like knives glinting in the dying light of the fire.
In a blur of light gray, something barreled into the werewolf.
But not before a second mouth of gore opened in Jason's throat, blood welling and falling as his neck was opened in a deep slash of crimson.
Julia ran to her husband, sliding in the sand on her knees as she crumpled beside him. Tearing off her jacket, she ignored the rawness and finality the wound represented, crushing the soft material against it in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.
She could hear the creature fighting. She didn't know who or what it was fighting against, but she dared not look behind her. The sound of meaty flesh being battered was all around her. The lapping of the waves did nothing to silence the music of their violence.
Her eyes met Jason's. She saw his death in them.
"Run," he said out of his ruined esophagus.
Tears ran down her face in a stream, never stopping. "Shh... don't... talk, Jason." Her voice trembled so badly she could hardly speak.
His eyes urged her to escape even as she stayed. Cyn wailed something in the background, but Julia couldn't make out the words. She realized belatedly that shock was settling in like an old friend, and she recognized it. Oh yes, she did.
It was hauntingly familiar.
She thought of the crash that had stolen her family.
Julia heard a sound and looked up.
A man met her gaze, his hands buried wrist deep in the bowels of the creature that had attacked Jason. The gore splatter reached his shoulders, and his hands were entwined in the thing's entrails, which were like bloody worms that pulsated and glowed pearlescent in the firelight. Julia swallowed, his deep-cranberry gaze the last thing she saw as she turned her face away, heaving the contents of the airplane food as far away as she could from Jason's body. Her quaking hands pressed the cloth against his wounded throat.
Julia felt heat coalesce, rising from her feet and eclipsing at the roots of her hair, and she collapsed in a dead faint next to her fallen husband.
*
The Rare One's hands fell away from the wound, and the blood came alive again, soaking the cloth of her hoodie, turning it from gray to black.
The full moon rode the sky over them, a cruel governess.
The vampire runners closed in and scooped up the limp body of the Rare One.
The acquisition had been a success.
They left in stealth, as they had arrived.
*
Julia's eyes snapped open, her mouth clamped to stifle the scream that had almost erupted. Tears that had dried in sticky lines on her cheeks were the evidence of a dream she had hoped to never face.
A nightmare.
She was so tired she ached. Looking at the glowing red numbers of the clock, she saw that she'd only been asleep for a few hours. It read 2:16 a.m.
She held her body still and listened. The sense of unease she had felt earlier deepened. Julia knew that something was wrong when she heard the barest noise in the hall. But it was the primal alert sounding off inside her breastbone that told her what had found her.
Vampires.
They had come. She had to get out of the building.
She rose, shoving her feet into her shoes. She didn't even put on pants. She ran to the window and lifted it silently, the breeze ruffling the hem of her nightshirt, raising goose flesh on her skin in a rush. She looked down. The lawn was at least fifteen feet below her. She didn't think it was jumpable.
But as her skin began to itch in warning, she knew that it was a matter of time before they had her. She surveyed her room quickly. If she survived tonight, she could return in the daylight, when the vamps would have to rest, and retrieve her things.
She fingered the ring on her neck like a talisman.
Julia looked down again and, closing her eyes, crouching on the windowsill, she shoved off. She sailed through the air, preparing herself for the landing, her hair unraveling behind her.
As the ground rushed toward her, Julia tried to brace her fall but landed hard, rolling on her ankle as she fell. She screamed deep in her throat as ribs were bruised and her ankle sprained. Her head had landed on the soft ground with an impact that would have crushed it had it been a hard surface.
Driven by fear, Julia leaped to her feet, swaying while her vision remained in triplicate. Her ankle shrieked in protest as she began a hobbling run. Her goal: the woods that bordered the back of the property. She made the tree line, her lack of adequate clothing making her shiver just shy of having her teeth chatter. She didn't want that.
They would hear.
Julia entered the forest, dragging her leg behind her, clutching her ribcage as she jogged in an ungainly lurch.
*
William palmed the lock on the door, thankful that it was of vintage origin. Those almost always yielded to his influence. The tumblers shifted against one another smoothly and unlocked at his behest. He opened the door and was greeted by the sight of gauzy curtains, like taunting fingers, waving their mocking salute to him and the other runners.
"She is gone," Pierce said.
"She could not have gone far," Andrew said for only the vampires to hear.
Robert shrugged. "We track her. It is not difficult—she is but a girl."
William turned glittering eyes to Robert, a newer runner. "I am sure that is what the Were are considering, even as we speak it." He made his way to the window that Julia had escaped from. As he gazed down, he estimated the distance as perhaps five meters—too great a fall for one of her stature and disposition.
Blood Singer or no, she was but an evolved human swathed in fragility.
He turned in profile, the moonlight chiseling his features like marble. "She will be injured. Slow. Let us make haste. Moonlight is wasting."
The runners converged at the window. William leaped from inside the small room, exiting the portal with lithe grace, crouched in midair. He landed with the barest hop, his nose skyward.
His head snapped down, and his face turned to look behind and away from the building.
The woods stood in unrelieved black, jagged points meeting the sky scape. William felt the vampires land at his back, fully fed, energized to pursue. He thought of Julia, precious and vulnerable. Alone.
He hovered over the possibility of the Werewolves' presence. Without turning, William took the lead, running headlong, following the Rare One's scent like a moth to a flame, her fragrance a bell ringing like a clear chime for him to hear.
Only him.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Were
Joseph used his eyesight in the gloom as the tool it was, piercing the darkness like a laser. He searched for their salvation. Lost over a year ago to a number of blunders, she would not be unrecovered again. With five Were, they had the upper hand since the vamps generally traveled by quad.
And they were closing in fast.
The girl was crashing through the brush. They waited for her to stumble into the meadow where they stood.
She would fall into their arms like a ripe plum. Joseph restrained a howl, turning his luminescent gaze to his first, Anthony, who nodded back, his muzzle lifting slightly, revealing teeth honed for tearing, biting, and killing.
The other three Were flanked them, partially obscured by trees. They blended so well that it would take one of the supernaturals to see them without night-vision goggles or some such.
Joseph growled softly. "The blood drinkers draw close, as well."
Tony snorted. "Let them come." His paws tightened into cruel fists, his talons still short but battle lust imminent.
Joseph's primary enforcer was fearless and not nearly as controlled as himself. He'd need to dig deep within himself for control once he was faced with a Rare One. Such beings brought out the very basest primal urges with the Were. Tony had scoffed when they'd told him that. But he had never been on the acquisition of a Rare One—only Blood Singers. It was not the same. The comparison could be made that it was like an appetizer of crackers as opposed to caviar.
They waited.
As the breath stilled in their bodies, Julia burst out of the haven of the woods, the fingers of the branches reluctantly releasing her from their care.
Her injuries assaulted the acute olfactory senses of the Were, alerting and arousing them simultaneously. They advanced toward her position.
*
Julia
Julia rushed forward, her foot tangling on a root as she ran and she fell, her palms biting into the dirt. The needles and branches scraped her palms without mercy. She threw herself into running again, the fir boughs whipping her as she tore through, the smell of cedar filling her nose.
Her lungs burning, Julia could see through the gaps in the trees. An open meadow was just ahead. She ran toward the clearing. If she could just get out of these woods, she'd be free.
She threw herself past the tree line, her breathing ragged, her ankle a throbbing stump she dragged along. Julia was met by five werewolves. This time, she knew exactly what they were.
Their eyes bored into hers, and she felt something integral shift inside her and the open, a flicker of emotions assailing her.
It took Julia but one confused moment before she understood that she was tuning into one of the Were soldiers within the tight group, whose emotions were leaking on her like a wayward radio signal.
She felt lust, power, and greed—not in that order. She turned to run back into the safety of the woods and was met by William and his team.
Trapped.
They walked out of the forest's border at a smooth and unhurried gait.
Julia felt her bowels hiccup. Her palms instantly glazed with sweat, her throat threatening to close. She felt a fear so profound she couldn't breathe.
The runners didn't look at her. Rather, they looked beyond her to the Were.
Julia began to shake. She had nowhere to go and could feel anger from the vamps and a primal surge of adrenaline from the Were. The emotions collided, with her in the middle of them.
She was their emotional sandwich.
Overwhelmed, she collapsed to her knees, a pain in her chest. She met William's eyes. They flicked to hers then locked back onto the Were. She began to crawl away, tears dropping to the grass that was already drenched with dew. The wetness soaked her knees and the hem of her nightshirt. Julia was suddenly struck with the fact that she was out in the middle of nowhere in a strange place with nine creatures of legend, and she was half-naked.
She flipped over and, in one motion, pulled the shirt over her knees to the tops of her feet. Her teeth did chatter then. Her ankle throbbed with the beat of her heart.
Julia watched one of Were step forward. She knew instinctively that he was their leader. William circled him. Their talons, almost identical, slid out from the tips of their fingers. In the moonlight the vampire's looked black and the werewolf's a light sable.
"Save yourself, Blood Drinker. No one need know that you released the Rare One this night," the Were ground out, the timbre of his voice sounding full of gravel.
William smiled. "We would never let this one go. We lost sight of her for one moment." He spread his hands, feigning reason, and continued. "She is our salvation."
"Ours as well. We can breed her. What do you offer?" The Were asked this as a statement, his teeth revealed in a snout that was almost human except for the teeth like ivory razors—ready to close at the least provocation.
"It is an impasse, then?" William asked, already crouching.
The Were backed away, swishing his tail as a command.
With a gnashing of teeth, the Were sprung on the vampire, and a war of fang and claw began.
Julia watched in horror as the vampires began to fight for their lives, outnumbered five to four.
She was the prize they fought over, an injured and sodden mess, huddled in a ball with fear riding her like a shroud of mist as an uncertain dawn approached.
*
William
William sprang, fangs unsheathed, launching himself at the leader of the Were. Wrapping himself around the torso of the beast like a steel vise, he sank his fangs deep, the foul taste of its flesh like acid in his mouth. He hung on tenaciously.
Even as Joseph sank all ten talons along his vulnerable flank, William worried the Were's shoulder, grinding his teeth closer to the vulnerable bone that lay beneath.
Joseph stifled a howl of rage. He launched his claws into the vampire's side, digging deep. He lifted William into the air, as if he were lifting a flagon by its handle, and flung him away, releasing and retracting his claws as he did. The vampire landed with a practiced roll and sprang upright, blood trails leaking everywhere.
Like ten minigeysers, they flowed, the blood resembling black oil in the moonlight.
*
Joseph howled in triumph—the drinker was wounded quite badly. But the Were was distracted as one of his soldier's head's flew by in his peripheral vision like an errant bowling ball. His nostrils flared, and he was stung by the awful smell of another drinker quite close. Joseph gave an instinctual evasive lean as claws missed his exposed throat by millimeters. He reacted even as he leaned, swiping his right paw in an upward arc, releasing the full length of his claws as he did. The talons sprang from the stubs of his fingers and gutted the vamp as he leaped to finish the swipe that had not been true.
The second vampire's face had a surprised look as Joseph held him suspended, midleap. Joseph retracted his claws, and the vamp fell at his feet on the long grass of the meadow. With his left hand, he made the final cut to sever the head.
That bastard drinker could have healed a disembowelment. He can heal nothing without a head, Joseph thought with brief satisfaction.
The head rolled to join the fallen Were, and Joseph turned in the melee, blood spray and gore littering the pathway as he began to move toward the girl. Belatedly, he realized that Tony had already made his way to her against express orders.
Joseph was the only Were allowed to touch the girl.
Already, Joseph could smell Anthony's unshakable lust, riding an unstoppable urge. He would crush the girl if he reached her first.
The sharp claws of Joseph's feet sprung from the pads, spearing the soft earth beneath him. He spun, using his finely honed balance. On the balls of his feet, he surged forward, each paw landing, gripping, and shoveling a spray of dirt behind him.
Even with his incredible speed, he could see he wouldn't reach the girl in time. For the first time as a soldier of the Were, he experienced an emotion he had only heard about: fear.
And underneath that, panic.
*
Julia
Julia thought she'd known terror. She thought she'd tasted it.
She had not.
Sheer horror took hold of her now. Something even scarier than William approached, though not at a dead run. The creature advanced with purpose, a light in eyes that glowed in the pale moonlight like a cat's.
They were fixed on her with a look she couldn't recognize. Finally, as he was almost upon her, she could read his face and knew what his expression meant.
He looked as if he wanted to consume her.
Julia gave in to her intense fear, screaming so loudly her voice left her, and then hoarse shouts were all she could give out.
She scooted backward on her haunches with an energy she didn't realize she possessed. Her modesty forgotten, she scuttled back like a spider, using just her hands and feet.
Still, he came.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
William
William's sides burned as if on fire. The wounds inflicted by the Were were deep, the poison released from Were talons flowing through his system, weakening him.
He needed blood.
And his group was outnumbered. Andrew was gone.
He heard a hoarse voice, hysteria riding it like fine wine. Normally, a scream like that one would have incited a tornado of blood lust but not tonight.
The girl at the source of the screaming was his to protect with his life—by any means necessary.
William shifted into the form that would allow him to travel faster. That ability was his only gift, the single thing that separated him and identified him as having the blood of a Singer running through his veins.
His injured body fought the change. William forced it upon himself, his body losing shape and molding into that of a raven. It was twice the size of the majestic bald eagle.
His eyes remained deep cranberry, a color not found in nature. His ebony wings unfolded to a span of nearly ten feet. He rose, partially healing as he lifted from the ground, his clothes in a shredded pile at his feet. Lack of blood, coupled with injury, made William sway in the air. His focus sharpened when he was greeted with the image of Julia struggling in the brutal embrace of the Were.
The creature was clearly in the grip of breeding lust.
William pointed his sharp beak at the pair. Folding his huge wings against his body, he sailed down like an onyx torpedo.
*
Julia
Julia sprung to her feet just as Tony grabbed at her. She did a move that surprised both of them: using her elbow—the hardest part of her body—as a weapon, she jerked it up into the half-human face that was so close to her. Tony unknowingly helped by leaning into her just as she jabbed it forward.
Her elbow connected with his jaw, and it stunned him for a moment.
Julia spun and began to run. Her ankle screamed, and she ignored it. Something grabbed her hair from behind and lifted her off the ground, making her scalp shriek and burn. Torquing her neck, the Were wrapped hands around the strands and drew her against his body, almost tenderly. She could feel the strength in those hands, and she knew they could crush her windpipe.
The Were's other hand tore her nightshirt collar to hem, using only the tip of one claw.
It fell at their feet in a pile, and he moved his hold from her neck to wrap her upper arms.
"I will breed you, Blood Singer," it growled out between impossibly long teeth.
Julia was fully panicked now. Looking down, she saw the part that made him male in full view. She used her hand like a weapon, clawing at his face and kicking out. He shook her so hard her teeth rattled, and she saw stars, her head lolling about on the stem of her neck like a fragile flower.
Out of her trembling side vision, Julia felt air rush past her, and another of his kind bore down on the first, making him release his hold. The claws slid away without purchase. Julia fell to the grass, her knees bending under her like a folding chair.
As she gazed up at the night sky, the sounds of tearing flesh, along with growling and yipping, reverberated in her ears, and a great black shape appeared above her.
Julia lay there, the wetness of the grass soaking through her panties and camisole.
She saw that the shape was a great bird, whose eyes watched her as it hovered overhead in ebony glory, revealed in outline by the full moon.
She didn't even scream when its talons pierced her shoulders, lifting her into the air. The pain was a numbing horror as unconsciousness washed over her body.
The last thing Julia remembered was an unearthly howl of anguish.
Then there was only blackness, the pain in her shoulders a trail that beat after her.
*
Joseph
Joseph closed his muzzle with a snap, the howl echoing in the openness of the clearing. The small body of the Rare One was clutched to the drinker like a dark token in the sky.
One Were and one vampire lay in bloody heaps, his first on the ground, heaving from exertion and in the throes of shaking off the breeding lust—with difficulty.
The fool.
The remaining vampires bled back into the forest seamlessly, their bodies melding so closely with the shadows that their forms were indecipherable.
Another failed mission.
He looked at Tony with unveiled disgust. Maybe it would have gone similarly without this transgression. He did not know. What he did know was the drinker had shifted. Joseph's intel had not discovered that skill amongst the runners. He must have Singer blood running in his veins.
The rat bastard.
They needed that Singer badly—before a fully blooded vampire could breed her, a practice the Were had heard about as rumored legend only.
Joseph was beginning to wonder if there was some truth to it.
He jerked his head at the three remaining Were, indicating their dead comrade.
They hefted the body. The vampire's remains lifted in the light breeze like a pile of ash at the mercy of the wind.
Joseph and the others turned to go, Tony bringing up the rear, his hand buried in the hair of the fallen Were, carrying the head like a macabre purse. He felt Tony's unfriendly stare on his back, malice taking shape behind him like slow-moving poison, insidious and progressive.
*
The Kiss of Seattle
Burning.
On fire.
Julia was on fire.
Her eyes popped open and she wanted to scream. Instead, out of a mouth so parched her lips were cracked, she moaned. Her shoulders were one burning mass of flesh.
She cracked open an eyelid and saw fuzzy shapes moving silently around the room in filtered ambient light.
A presence came close to her, and she flinched. "Shh, you're safe," a female voice said.
Right, Julia thought in exhaustion. She hadn't felt safe since the day Jason died.
Another blurry person— a male who made Julia feel a sense of comfort— came to stand next to the female.
"We will have to put that shoulder back."
Julia watched as they looked at one another, her vision doubling.
She felt a gentle hand at her wrist and a bulging piece of cloth placed in her armpit. A fist was wedged up underneath it, and as Julia's arm was pulled, the fist punched upward. She shrieked. The pain was at once piercing and awful.
Julia sank back into unconsciousness with a hitching sob.
*
William looked down at her, his hand sliding from its placement underneath her shoulder. The joint was back in its rightful place, and the pinched look she had worn since her arrival was gone.
He breathed out.
"She is so frail," Claire said.
William took in Julia's bizarre hair color, the paleness of her skin, the touch of blue in her nostrils and lips.
"You will need to give her more blood." Claire's eyes searched his, troubled.
"Every drop I give her binds us tighter."
"Perhaps, but if you don't, she will heal humanly slow. In agony." Her eyes moved over the telltale mark on the girl's forehead.
William scowled. Claire seemed to know things that she should not. She knew what his life's goal had been.
What it had always been. His hope was written in the Book of Blood—the vampire equivalent of the Bible. A Rare One would save the race from the brink of extinction. A union between a vampire of Singer descent and a Rare One would bring the tenuous hope of offspring.
William wanted that quite badly—children who were as strong as vampires, possessing all the abilities but without the need to drink blood, living feral in the cover of darkness. Yes—who would not wish for that and long for it?
Julia bore the mark. A half-moon-shaped scar like a small kiss of flesh hovered at her temple. It was the symbol of the Rare One. It looked very much like the moon—pure white.
William's hands balled into fists, guilt sweeping over him as he took in the gauze dressings, already discolored by Julia's blood.
He had almost torn her shoulders off in flight. When she'd fainted, well... it had been a near disaster. Her dead weight had hung like meat off a hook. He held his eyes closed, willing the image of her broken body to disappear. He had brought her into the bowels of the underground—the forgotten city that lay beneath Seattle.
The lair of his kiss.
He looked above him, watching the feet of the passing pedestrians as they walked over glass that was a foot thick. Scuffed and cloudy, it had a vague purple hue, garnered by a century of sunlight he would never behold.
He sighed and looked at Claire, who had stubbornly folded her arms across her chest. The granddaughter of a Rare One, she should have been renamed Stubborn One.
William came by his own tenacious streak honestly: Claire was his cousin.
His fangs elongated, and he placed the twin points against his wrist. Sweeping sideways, he made a clean cut like two, razor-thin lines, and blood welled, almost black.
Squeezing his wrist to prompt the flow, he used his other hand to massage Julia's throat. As the drops fell, her full lips parted, and the first trembling drop held itself suspended for a moment like a glittering gem then fell.
As the blood found its way inside her mouth, she stirred, her throat convulsing and swallowing. Without waking, her hands moved to the offered forearm, small and like carved ivory against even his pale flesh. her grip was weak as a kitten's.
William leaned closer, the pull of her mouth against his flesh an erotic tether that bound him to her.
She drank, and William resisted his impulses.
They were many.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Julia awoke naturally, her body aching. As she became aware incrementally, her internal system didn't hum with fear but with a subtle calmness.
She never felt calm.
Her eyes snapped open and were met by a stare that matched her own. She had never known anyone to have eyes the same shade as hers and was momentarily speechless.
Julia tried to sit up, and the room spun. The arm of the woman who that stare belonged to rose and pressed her back against the pillows that were stacked behind her.
She opened her mouth to speak, and the woman stood, leaning forward. She pressed a cup with a straw against Julia's chapped lips. "Drink. You're dehydrated."
Julia drank. It was the best water she'd ever had. It was refreshingly chilled, and it coated her parched throat like the first spring rains in the desert.
She tried to gulp, but the woman took the cup away when Julia would have had more.
"Small sips. We don't want that stomach of yours giving up the blood inside you."
Julia's expression changed, and the woman saw it. "Don't even start, Julia."
Julia narrowed her eyes, and the woman said, "The only reason you're not on that bed writhing around in pain is because of the blood William gave you." She cocked an eyebrow.
"I'll bet," Julia croaked out, her voice raw from screaming.
"He didn't want to." The woman stood. "I forced him. It's bad enough for you to transition into our coven. We don't need an injury slowing that assimilation. "
She looked at Julia. "I'm Claire."
Julia nodded in greeting. Claire obviously knew who she was.
Julia felt a comfort in her presence, true. But she had reason to distrust her. She could sense what was around her: vampires.
And not a few. They were legion.
*
Joseph
Maggie fussed over Tony. Joseph would have left his small injuries alone. Let him deal with them. He continued to seethe as she ministered to the long gashes that crisscrossed Tony's torso. She was disinfecting the open wounds.
Vampire venom was poisonous. Joseph smiled, thinking of the one he'd speared with his claws. The vampire would be feeling some serious pain. Delirium would be his friend as he flew with the Rare One. A troubling thought occurred to him: what if that vampire had injured the Singer in his pain-induced stupor?
Maggie stood back, critically looking at the dressed wounds. "I think you may live another day." She clucked like a mother hen.
Joseph looked at her, his anger softening. It was not her fault that he was pissed at Tony. She was doing her job—attending to the Were soldiers. There was one less tonight. His headless body cooled in a shed on the Were compound. Lawrence would want a full report, and then a ceremony for the fallen comrade would be arranged.
It fell to Joseph to explain to Colton's widow the news that her mate was gone. Joseph hung his head.
After a long moment of reflection, he planted massive hands on his jean-clad thighs. Standing, he stared at Tony, waiting until Maggie bustled out of the room. He watched her walk away and turned to Tony, stabbing a finger in his direction. "I have duties to attend to, but you will answer to Lawrence. Our Packmaster will be made aware of what you elected to do—allowed yourself to do. It is you who jeopardized this mission."
"You can't blame me for everything," Tony said with derision, his upper lip curling back slightly.
Joseph came forward, and Tony sprang to his feet. They crashed into each other, knocking a lamp off an end table. As it slammed to the floor, shards flying everywhere, Joseph took the six-foot-three Tony down in an armlock that drove his elbow into the other man's sternum, the windpipe compromised. Joseph felt the change hovering in a dim corner of his brain, and his vision changed, his facial bones rearranging in a disconcerting claylike movement that had the room filling with the sounds of their shifting and tendons popping into their new arrangement.
But it was just his face and hands that changed. The rest of Joseph remained as it was. He slowly removed his arm from the throat of the soldier who had acted on impulse. Joseph replaced it with his transformed hand—a claw nearly a foot long in variegated and mottled browns, creams, and tans.
"I can, and I will blame you," Joseph said on a growl, his throat partially changed, his teeth gleaming with killing intent in a mouth that now had a muzzle covered in gray fur.
His gold eyes, round and large in his wolf form, peered at Tony. "You were without control so near the Singer. You begged me for this assignment but refused to be desensitized."
"I would not harm her!" Tony growled back, mindful of his own change, which bore down on him enough to make sweat bead on his upper lip. The restraint he employed made him ugly.
"Rape is harm!" Joseph barked at Tony.
"We are meant to breed her!" Tony said, exasperated.
"Not without the ceremony. Not without the proper testing. She cannot be with any wolf. She must be properly matched, properly mated. Do you not see?"
Tony did not. He narrowed his eyes on his Alpha. He would give anything to be the Alpha. He could not think for the scent of the Singer. How had Joseph stood it?
One day the position would be his—by whatever means necessary.
There was a noise by the door, and Adriana rushed in, landing a solid kick to Joseph's side with her full werewolf strength. His rib bruised instantly, robbing him of some of his breath.
"Goddammit! Adriana! It's not what it looks like!" Joseph said, removing the threatening claw from Tony's throat and leaping to his feet, one hand on his rib.
"Oh! You aren't over-disciplining one of our wolves?" His sister yelled at him from a foot shorter. Her eyes flashed, and her small hands were planted on her hips. "Get rid of that ridiculous half-wolf face you're sporting, and get your ass to Lawrence's chamber this instant!"
Tony smirked, and Joseph whipped his head in Tony's direction and gave a low growl. Tony's smile faded.
"Ugh. You dummy! Why don't you just pee on him and get it over with? That's not how you do it. Watch me—you know, your smarter sibling."
Adriana turned to Tony, who she was not nuts over, but fair was fair. "Tony, would you please go to Lawrence within the next half hour and give him a full report of what happened on the mission?"
Tony struggled to his feet, giving as neutral a look to his Alpha as he could manage. "Happy to." His stare spoke volumes.
Joseph sighed, his ribs squawking with the movement. "Adriana, you weren't there. You didn't participate in the mission..."
Her ponytail bobbed as she nodded her head. "Right, because I am a lowly female!" Her face reddened.
There was no way that Joseph wished to engage in this tired argument again. If she had been male, she would have been Packmaster. As it was, she practically ran the den.
Their father had made him promise to watch over her. It was essentially a full-time job. And she was vaguely nose-blind. His nose was the keener of the two, and he wished that she'd trust him. She let her emotions run her actions sometimes—such as now.
"Adi—" he began.
"No." She stomped her foot. "Tony is injured." She swung her palm toward Tony, who was all but healed. After she turned back to Joseph, Tony grinned.
Sometimes wolves needed to sort things out physically. Too bad the females were not seeing that necessity. Joseph was the Alpha, so he saw it.
He regretted what he had to do. He opened his jaws wide and latched them onto her vulnerable neck, growling low in his throat.
"Argh," Adriana yelped. Joseph was careful not to break the skin. As she thrashed around, he subtly followed her movements so her skin would not tear. She grew still.
He unclamped his muzzle, regarding her with eyes like spun gold, his gaze gentle but stern. "Let me be Alpha, sister."
She rubbed her throat, where many small red indentations marred the creaminess of it.
Tony was silent, letting the two siblings hash it out.
"This is how an Alpha operates," Joseph said. "You are Alpha as well—it should not come as a surprise."
"Ugh! You're so unreasonable! Such a he-man! Hate it!" She flung her arms up in the air and stomped off.
That went so well.
Joseph sighed, making his ribs twinge.
"Move, soldier." He pointed ahead of him, and Tony walked that way.
Joseph followed the blazoned path his sister had scorched on her way out, moving to the Packmaster's chamber for debriefing.
What a joyous occasion would be had by all, he thought, as his face and hands melded back into their human mask.
*
Homer, Alaska
Detective Truman was crouched down on his haunches, letting pewter sand run through his fingers. It was a year later, and he still couldn't get the scene out of his mind. The blood, the body... the aftermath.
They were still no closer to solving the crime than when they first began. Truman stood, looking out over the vast ocean, the snow-capped mountains of the Kenai Fjords in ominous grace, a backdrop to a tousled sea that had whitecaps everywhere he looked. He sighed, standing and kicked a large pebble. It bounced off a large piece of driftwood. The stains of blood that covered the wood had come to look like so much spilled coffee with the passage of time.
He'd go by the girl's apartment. He liked to visit Cynthia Adams.
She never got angry at his questions—unlike the Caldwell family. He couldn't force their cooperation, but he would have thought they'd want to find out who took their daughter-in-law. But they didn't want to know. They no longer had a son, they'd said. And they'd certainly never considered Julia Wade part of their family.
Technically she was his wife. The marriage license had been validated and duly noted.
She was Julia Caldwell now, wherever she was.
If she was even alive.
Detective Karl Truman hiked up the small ravine, swiping branches aside. Some of the larger ones were broken off at the trunk, sap covering their amputated stumps. He didn't pause in his climb to wonder what might have snapped a branch the size of a man's wrist off at the base.
The police looked for rational explanations to murder and disappearance.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Julia was working into a routine of sorts, steering clear of the vampire that had "saved" her. Her arms were functioning again, and she had full rotation. The scars from the talons were almost gone.
She looked in the mirror, running a finger over the shiny pink wounds. They faded each day. Julia would brush her teeth, and her eyes would move back to the reflection of them in the glass like a magnet to steel.
She knew more than she had before, and she wished she didn't.
There was no escaping this place. She felt the inevitability of her circumstances closing in around her, and it gave her an almost suffocating feeling of claustrophobia.
Julia tapped the toothbrush on the edge of an old-fashioned pedestal sink, shedding the remaining water from the bristles. She turned the spigot sharply to the left, and the water dried up, a shaky drop falling and hitting the basin with a dull plop. She skewered one of the four holes in the toothbrush holder— attached to the wall—with the base of the brush, and without looking at her reflection again, she walked away.
Julia knew the routine. Claire would knock as she entered the room. They'd have breakfast together. Julia would fight panic attacks, and Claire would lend some of that calm she had in abundance, and Julia would live another day.
But she was just existing. She was good at inhaling and exhaling. She'd become an expert at that since Jason had died.
The vampires were biding their time. Julia knew they were grooming her, and she knew what she was now—she was some prophesied genetic key that would unlock the prison of their existence. She was the answer to them not being vampires anymore. Julia didn't really think it was that damn simple, but they fed her what they wanted her to know, their version of what was happening.
To listen to Claire explain it, it was some kind of honor. But she'd heard one of the vampire guards discussing humans.
Humans were cattle to them.
Food load. Without humans, the vampires would starve to death.
The Blood Singers were an essential element to the genetic diversity of the humans' blood. Without this superior faction, intermixed with the regular population, the blood quantum, the quality of the blood quantum would be compromised.
In essence, Blood Singers brought the quality of the blood to a level that made all human blood palatable to the vampires.
While vampires were ruled by blood and darkness, the Were were ruled by the moon. She was a jealous mistress, governing their changes at her whim. And that whim was when she was full. No more, no less.
Julia's lessons had begun. Through Claire, Julia began to understand her role and why she never would have been allowed to live with Jason as a spouse.
Blood Singers did not intermarry. The purity of their blood was needed to balance the precious blood quantum. Mating with each other would upset that balance.
Singers were so rare that it was typically not a problem. Claire had mentioned a figure: one one-hundredth of a percent of the global population. That meant Blood Singers numbered around nearly seven hundred thousand souls. That seemed like a lot to Julia, but spread over the seven continents, it was barely sustaining the vampires. They existed in greater numbers.
That was why the two factions had converged on their group at the beach. They would never have allowed the union. She and Jason had married in secret. But the vampires had been watching, and they accelerated their plan because of Jason and Julia's elopement.
Julia guessed the plan hadn't included Jason's death.
Claire had explained Julia's parents—in detail. Both Blood Singers, they had been taken before they could have more children.
It hadn't been an accident, but providential.
As it happened, the one child they did produce was a daughter.
The manifestation of their combined recessive genes was Julia.
She was the Rare One, the unique female, promised to change the face of the races, able to produce Lightwalkers. If bred to the Were, their offspring would be moonless changers. The moon's control would be gone after several generations, the compulsion to be her slave no longer there—bred out.
Julia felt like the prized mule.
Then there were the supposed abilities. Supernatural abilities. She thought about the conversation she'd had with Claire the previous day.
*
"How can you stand it? Living here... with them?" Julia had asked, her arms folded across her chest, rubbing her skin as if she were cold. She wasn't cold, just freaked out and unhinged. Everything Claire had told her reverberated around in her skull like a pin ball.
Rare One? Blood Singers? One of hundreds of thousands of people?
"I have little choice. This is the place that I have come to belong. I've been here many years."
"What about my parents? Were they expendable? And Jason?" Julia spoke in a low voice, her arms by her sides, trembling slightly in her anger.
Claire lifted a shoulder. "It is not typical. One in ten thousand is a Singer. That your parents found one another... that you found and married a Singer..." She looked at Julia. "It's unprecedented."
Wonderful. Julia's parents were dead. Jason was dead. And all because vampires wanted their food all pretty and tasty.
Fancy cattle. That was all the Singers were to all of them, vampires and Were alike. Julia told Claire that.
She shook her head. "We are more. The quality of our blood and the fabric of our genetics are not the only things we have to offer, Julia." Her eyes searched Julia meaningfully. "Have you ever had flashes of intuition? Feelings of a precognitive nature?"
Julia sucked in her breath. She'd always known who was phoning as soon as her hand touched the receiver. What the next song would be on the radio. When there'd be a pop quiz in school. Now that everyone sent texts, she'd get a vibration before it rang—not from the cell but from within her body. She'd always just chalked it up to one of those things.
It sure as hell was one of those things. It just wasn't the thing she'd been thinking.
*
Can you hear me? Claire asked. Her lips weren't moving. Icy fingers brushed inside her head and Julia shivered. The feeling of an itch not quite being scratched hovered in her brain.
"What did you say?" Julia asked out loud, sure that she was imagining things. People didn't have telepathy.
Can you do this? Claire asked, her voice breathing through Julia's mind.
I don't know, Julia replied, aiming her thoughts at Claire like a well trained archer.
She must have hit the bull's-eye because Claire smiled. I thought it might be possible. It is spoken that the Rare One will come to possess all the talents for our people.
Julia backed away, stunned. It was too much to take in. A wave of calmness stole over her, making her feel slightly numb, drugged.
"Stop doing that!" Julia yelled.
"I only wish to help. I'm part of you. We all are," Claire said, her rich chestnut hair falling around her shoulders as she came at Julia.
Julia stumbled, falling backward. She felt something well inside of her, rushing to the surface like a bubble of oxygen sliding to the surface of a pool of water. She allowed it to leave her, bursting on Claire.
Julia hadn't meant to hurt her.
Claire looked as if an invisible ripple had plowed into her, and she slammed into the wall just inches from the hearth that boasted an old fireplace. It was full of jagged rock.
Claire slid down the wall, stunned. Julia got up off the floor, rubbing her arms again, her body flushed, her head light. She began to move toward Claire when the door slammed open, and William was there, glancing at his relative leaning against the wall where she'd been thrown. Julia hopped over the back of the couch where she'd been sitting, and he was flying over it and underneath her before she could jump to the ground.
She screamed, and he crushed her to him.
Her chest tightened painfully. The proximity to him unbearable.
She could feel it like silken tentacles pulling taut: the call of her blood to his.
The consumption of his blood was a pulsating thread that bound them—like a song, a blood song.
While the guard at the door watched, the vampire Julia hated held her against himself as if she were the most precious treasure in the world. And she knew that to him, she was.
*
Julia
Julia was goddamn done with the coven. She was considered a flight risk.
Gee, ya think?
So, they had her guarded all the time, day in and day out. There were humans, called "intimates," who were the day slaves of the vampire underworld. They guarded her when the vampires slept. While awake, the vampires guarded her.
Julia was frustrated. She wanted to leave her room. It didn't matter that it was beautiful and all her needs were met. So what? She was little more than a bird in a gilded cage.
She and Claire had come to an uneasy truce. She would teach Julia to harness her abilities, and Julia would not use them against her. It should have been simple, but it wasn't. Julia was already planning on honing said skills and getting the hell out of the coven. She wasn't stupid, though. Julia knew that learning what those abilities were and practicing them with someone that also had them... well, it made sense. She decided to bide her time. Not that there is a plethora of options, she thought dejectedly.
Claire came to her one day with the news that she had been there a month, and it was time to meet the leader of the Seattle Coven, Gabriel.
He was Claire's brother, a Rare One.
If Julia had thought the odds of running into one of her kind slim, meeting another Rare One was even slimmer. Claire had explained that out of the almost seven hundred thousand people who were potential Singers, only one percent of those were the coveted Rare Ones.
Wonderful. Julia didn't think that her blood status had helped her in the slightest. It had just gotten the people she cared about dead. A tightening of her chest came on the heels of that marvelous revelation.
The vampires were old-school. Claire told her there would be a ball, of sorts, like an old-fashioned "coming out." Julia would be the guest of honor—their stolen prize, the blue-ribbon winner, the prize Heifer.
They didn't need to milk her, just breed her. But to whom?
She'd never let one of the bloodsuckers touch her. It was only afterward that Claire told her William had "blood shared," saving her indescribable agony from the wounds he'd inflicted and allowing her to heal quickly.
Not my problem. If they hadn't chased her, he wouldn't have had to use everything he had to get her here. Julia thought of the feeling of the talons piercing her flesh, her bone the next layer beneath the biting claws, and shuddered at the memory.
It was William's fault she was here.
*
Debutant
William studied his reflection, securing the matching cufflinks on his custom-made button-down. It was burgundy silk, woven against the grain to produce a slight sheen with movement. Claire said it brought out his eyes. The eyes that met his reflection were the deepest shade of red, just shy of black, his pupils inky dots in their center. But they were not always so. Depending on the circumstance, they could appear reflective and silver. He lowered his sleeves after adjusting the links just right. Sterling squares with a beveled and scalloped edge were pierced with a starburst that held a brilliant blue sapphire chip in its core—an heirloom from his father.
He sighed. Sometimes the pomp and circumstance of these ceremonies weighed heavily on him.
William thought of what Claire had told him. Julia was resistant, distrustful. In her youthful naivety, she thought that she could fool Claire into thinking she was compliant.
William had warned her this was not so. Julia had a steely resolve, never forgetting a wrong enacted upon her.
That was why those whiskey-colored eyes followed him with indifference.
Julia was not immune to the fire that burned in their veins from the blood share. Her blood called to him. She had tasted of his, so now she had a fraction of the feeling of the song that he held within himself for her.
She listened to his blood as a melody.
Her blood to him was a symphony.
There really was no comparison.
William turned from his reflection, forbidding his despair to take over. This was the Greeting Ceremony. Aside from Gabriel, there had not been one in his kiss for three centuries. That was rare indeed.
He slipped quietly out of his chamber, hesitating outside her door, apprehension at her proximity making his step falter. He drew himself together. He could not abide a slip of a girl commanding a warrior of the vampire.
William strode off, never glancing back, his desire behind him, his plan ahead.
*
Julia
Julia turned her head in midstroke of the hairbrush when she felt the familiar tightening inside her breastbone.
"What is it?" Claire asked, locking her gaze with Julia's in the mirror's reflection.
Julia unconsciously rubbed her chest as she stared at the door, her breath held in her throat. "I don't know," she whispered.
But she did know. William stood outside the door. She was deathly afraid he'd come in.
She was even more afraid because she wanted him to.
Her body crawled with the need to be near him, the chemical aspects of the blood in her body more than they had been. Twice now, he'd given her his blood. Each time, it had been life saving. It was the quantity that mattered. When the amount of his blood in her system reached critical mass, she would be left with no choice.
Claire had explained it was part of the mating process. The fact that he had given her blood twice drove them closer to being mated, whether he was right for her or not—and whether she wanted it or not.
"After the greeting ceremony is over, then there will be a courtship within the circle of eligible vampires."
Julia couldn't believe how ridiculous it all sounded. A little more than a year ago, she'd been a high school senior, secretly engaged and then married. It had been pretty unforgettable.
She'd been on a path of life so different from this one she could never reconcile the two, however much she thought about it.
Now, she would be handed over to the best mate in the vampire contingent—the one with whom she could produce the most desirable offspring.
"The sooner you accept your placement here, the better off you'll be," Claire said, admiring Julia's gown.
Though trying to hide her scowl at Claire's words, even Julia had to admit it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever worn.
It was the palest champagne, almost a soft tangerine. Her ginger-colored hair shone above it. Claire had seen to it that her hair had been expertly cut around her shoulders, where it curled softly.
"We keep your hair down for the greeting. No need to be provocative this first time. It will be hard enough for them as it is."
Right, Julia thought. The blood lust.
*
Murmured voices reached Julia's ears as she swept in with Claire, the vampire guard and Clarence, trailing behind them soundlessly.
The voices stopped instantaneously, an ominous silence filling the cavernous space. Julia looked up, not being able to help noticing a central strip of ambient light that was perfectly spaced. Large grid-like skylights lined the ceiling of where she stood. Rectangular in size, they housed many thick glass circles. Dark spots would appear above them with regularity. It was mesmerizing.
The vampires stared at her as she brought her gaze down from the ceiling peppered with glass.
A man came forward, and instantly Julia felt her body respond. It was not sexual. It was synchronicity. This man was kindred to her. She felt more related to him than she'd ever felt to her flesh-and-blood aunt.
He smiled, and it was sun breaking through clouds. For the first time since her arrival, she felt something slide into place—something that felt like home.
He was tall, and she had plenty of time to assess him as he came toward her, his copper hair slicked back and tied in a navy silk band at the nape of his neck. He had a slight accent when he said, "You are Julia." He formed it as a statement although it was truly a question.
She nodded, the hair sliding around her bare shoulders. Her nervousness felt like a caged animal yearning for release.
"Welcome!" he said in a booming voice that echoed against the stone walls. Julia fought not to jump as she looked around and faced the crowd of vampires.
There were so many they lined the walls, some lingering in the tall, bricked archways, two feet thick, at the threshold. Julia's eyes searched the crowd. Many faces were expressionless, and a few held contempt. Julia swallowed.
The neutral faces lost that expression as they tracked the small movement of her throat like vultures circling a dying meal.
Gabriel continued, "Here is the one our warriors have brought to us—the first Rare One in three centuries, here now for the prophesied continuation of our race. It will be she who allows daywalking. And so much more."
He turned those golden eyes—so much like Claire's, so much like Julia's—to hers.
"Please welcome Julia Wade into our kiss." He stepped back with a flourish, and Julia sat there pegged, feeling like a butterfly pinned to a board. Examined. Scrutinized. It was beyond awkward.
She wasn't anyone's savior. Julia was herself. That was all she was.
She stepped forward. Brave beyond measure, or foolish—she didn't know which—Julia said, "It's Caldwell. Julia Caldwell."
At that moment, she met William's eyes, and there was anger in them. Julia was sure that he wanted her to move on with her life. The husband she loved had been dead for over a year, the relationship never consummated. Well, there's more to love than having sex. Otherwise,, there'd be a ton of people married to more than one person.
She was still married to Jason in her heart. Dead or alive, he still held it in his hands.
Warm and beating.
Her guts clenched thinking about being here. She swung her head to the leader, Gabriel.
He seemed to read her emotional barometer at that moment. "Caldwell, then. Please"—he looked over the crowd, who had begun to whisper to each other at her correction—"make Julia feel welcome amongst us."
She sighed, giving one more glance to William, and moved to Gabriel's side, resigned but not beaten.
Never beaten.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Everywhere Julia looked, she saw blood.
It filled the elaborately cut crystal punchbowl in the center of a table, which was easily twenty feet long. Stemmed glasses of every configuration stood around it like sentinels. The color wash cleverly hid what the glasses would contain once they had been filled: blood—human blood.
The goblets looked as if they were on fire, backlit from the sconces, which lined the stone walls at a man's height—or in this case, a male vampire's.
There were not just male vampires at the event but female, as well. Not many, but they were there.
She could feel their discontent like a weight on the nape of her neck, her skin crawling with it. They were not happy with Julia's presence.
Well, neither was she. They could rein in their attitude because she didn't want to be there any more than they wanted her to be.
William came to Julia, taking her elbow, and it felt as if a match had been touched to flame, the heat of his contact with her bare arm igniting it neatly. It drove up her arm in a fine line of warmth, reaching the middle of her chest where it burst like a bubble. She gasped, catching her breath, and watched William's jaw flutter as he clamped down on his reaction.
"Let go of me," Julia hissed quietly.
William turned to her, hissing back, "I will not coddle you." Her eyes narrowed on him, and he continued. "I did what I had to in order to protect you. I am so sorry you do not see what is beneath your nose." His crimson eyes searched hers with neatly contained rage.
"I want you to at least accept that I was doing my duty. Your acquisition was something I was tasked to accomplish. It was not personal. I did not kill your husband. That was the Were's interference and was typical of their kind—no planning, just reactive brutality in the heat of passion. They could not do a job done with finesse if a gun barrel were pressed to their collective heads."
Julia ripped her elbow out of his grasp. It made her madder when she realized he could have kept her wherever he wanted. She thought of what had happened with Claire. She immediately wanted to do the same with William. To him. But through the stone wall.
She smiled at her thoughts.
William looked at her and smiled back grimly. He could almost feel her intent, the blood union singing between them. Her thoughts were not known to him, but her emotional signature was loud and clear.
William removed his hand as if scorched. "Fine." He leaned into her face from inches away. "Know this, Blood Singer. Everything I do, I do for you. If it were for me, it would be so different." He ran a finger down her jawline, and Julia shivered involuntarily.
William turned on his heel and stalked off. He left Julia just inside the threshold of one of the archways with vampires everywhere. She did not know any of them, and she suddenly felt that she'd been a little too dismissive of him. She glanced around uneasily, noticing Clarence of the guard was within ten feet.
He was ghosting her movements. He'd follow her into the bathroom if she let him.
Julia wanted to tear her hair out. There was no privacy—nothing but living in a fishbowl.
Gabriel approached. He gazed at her intently for a moment, looking almost dashing in his navy suit. A crisp shirt in warm white was accented with a soft tangerine tie. Julia recognized the color immediately. It was the same as her dress. They matched.
Great.
Gabriel watched her with such tenderness that Julia dropped her eyes. She was determined to not make friends. She wanted to belong to herself.
Julia felt his finger before it touched the underside of her chin and lifted it to his gaze. "I know how you feel. I understand."
She moved her face away as his hand fell to his side and whispered, "You don't know how I feel. Claire told me that my parents and Jason were taken because Blood Singers can't intermarry. It was only a matter of time before they would've broken Jason and me up!" Julia tried to be quiet, but many of the vampires turned their faces to her and Gabriel, the conversation ringing in their ears.
"I do not wish for this to be the place for this conversation," he said, deftly swinging the conversation away from the heat of her anger.
Fine. So convenient for him.
Gabriel took Julia out of the archway of the pass-through. She looked behind her at a long corridor filled with many wooden doors like the one that that kept her prisoner in her chamber—thick and impenetrable.
I'll leave this place. She straightened her spine and walked away with Gabriel. He took that as acquiescence and looped her arm through his.
Julia schemed as they approached a circular group of vampires.
She plastered a phony smile on her face, hoping William would not be among the crowd. Hopefully, he was off sulking somewhere, licking the wounds she'd inflicted on him.
Julia's smile turned genuine.
*
Were
Lawrence was beyond displeased. They'd had two failed missions. The reacquisition of the Rare One would need to be executed with the utmost stealth. And the vampires would be extra vigilant after the first two attempts.
"It matters not that Tony behaved rashly. Ultimately, it was your responsibility as acting Alpha, Joseph."
"I know that," Joseph said.
"I don't want to see Tony receive discipline, Packmaster."
Lawrence's nostrils flared, and his eyes changed from their standard brown to a liquid gold—the eyes they all had when the heart of the wolf beat inside their bodies.
"You speak true," the Packmaster intoned, his eyes becoming the flat, human brown they usually were. "But he must be desensitized before the next mission." He looked at Joseph and Tony. "Which will be soon."
Lawrence stood straight, aware of his lean body, tall and graceful. He ran a hand through his unruly hair, and he made it worse by combing it with his fingers. He pulled a map of sorts from his desk drawer and used his tapered fingers to smooth it out.
"Come," he told them.
They did, bending over to see what lay before them.
Joseph's face whipped up in shock. "This is where the coven is located? In the middle of downtown?"
Lawrence slowly nodded, tapping his nose. "As it has been since the great fire of 1898."
He sighed. "My grandsire trained me when I was but a wee wolf." Lawrence indicated a height of a human toddler. "He told me, ʻLawrence, you must know where your enemies hide.'" He looked as serious as Joseph had ever seen him.
"But we don't fight them, Packmaster," Joseph said impatiently, stating the obvious. "What is our actual plan of action?"
Tony laughed at Joseph's statement.
Joseph growled softly in his throat, heat infusing his esophagus. The change hovered, as it always did at the moon's zenith.
"We do not challenge, Alpha," Lawrence corrected, giving Tony a growl that echoed Joseph's. Tony's eyes slid away from the both of them in a submissive response.
With a satisfied expression on his face, Joseph turned his attention back to Lawrence.
"There is a difference. You ken to what it is, eh?" Lawrence said.
Joseph nodded. "I do, but I think we'll have to beat them at their own game." He looked at his Packmaster's face for a lingering moment then continued, "I have wolves that can gather intel and return to us with a method of acquisition for Julia Caldwell before they know what hit them." Joseph punched a balled fist into his open palm, the sound of it filling the small space.
"Excellent. But first, you may be cognizant of the numbers."
"We need at least fifteen strong. We outnumbered them by one and still they escaped," Tony elaborated, speaking out of turn.
But he's right, Joseph thought. "Our numbers matter not. The one vampire had Singer blood. He shifted as an evasive tactic!"
Lawrence's brows shot to his hairline. "You would have captured her without this unexpected... event?"
"Abso-fucking-lutely," Tony said, and Joseph frowned.
Lawrence chuckled, looking Tony square in the eyes. "We cannot afford to lose even one soldier." He turned his attention to his Alpha. "You are in charge of desensitizing your wolves. Do it, and do it quickly. We need to be ready for the soonest opportunity. Reconnaissance at the lair of the blood drinkers is essential. Establish time lines for their habits. Follow their intimates."
"Yes, Packmaster," Joseph said, but he continued to eye Tony suspiciously.
The two werewolves strode out side by side. The Packmaster watched the pair, sensing the rancor between them. He knew he had struck a match to their tempers.
That was the way of it. Tony was volatile, but if he felt he was wolf enough to take Joseph in a fair challenge, let it happen. Lawrence would not cripple his unit of soldiers because the Alpha used caution as a shield. He would force their innate aggressiveness to the forefront.
Besides, Tony was obviously wanting a higher position in the pack.
Lawrence could smell it. And his nose never lied.
*
Vampire
Julia allowed herself to be led by Gabriel's arm to the small group of vampires, their dark eyes tracking her like falcons. She could feel the material of her long gown swirl around her legs as she moved toward them, light and shadows giving their expressions a similarity to one another.
"These are your potential suitors, Julia," Gabriel said, not even bothering to offer the introduction in a softer light.
He may as well have said, Take your pick of breeding stock.
Julia crossed her arms underneath her breasts. She was vaguely aware that the posture moved her hair away from her bosom, offering the expansive creaminess of her skin as a delicacy before the vampires who were already looking at her as though she was their favorite meal. One gasped in response to her subtle movement.
Gabriel chuckled, waggling his finger at the group. "I have said that when a female came amongst you, you would have to sit on your fangs." He chuckled at his own joke.
Julia scowled at his words.
Not funny.
"Now, now, Julia. Don't look like that—I was simply lightening the mood."
Julia's attention returned to the loose circle. There were five of them, all dressed similarly. One of them stood in the shadows, but then he came forward, and the ambient light from the strange glass windows of the ceiling cast light like the moon on his face, and she took a step backward. It was William.
William saw her sharp inhalation and how she retreated a step. Was he so abhorrent? Wasn't their blood share supposed to feel good to a Singer? He fought not to tighten his fists and tried to appear relaxed—even as his warrior brethren sniffed at her like the dogs of the Were. He swallowed the anger that threatened to engulf him.
Julia turned to Gabriel. "I will never consent to anyone here." She whipped her hand around at the vampires. "I don't want to be bred. I don't care if you boys never walk in the light. Maybe there's a good reason you don't." She looked at each face, with perfectly chiseled features made out of the same mold. Only William looked different—more human. She shoved that thought aside.
Gabriel's patience was thinning. "These are the vampires who possess the blood of a Singer in their lineage—although, you may breed with any vampire, or be mated with any. A Rare One may beget a child with any vampire. But it is the blood of a Singer that will allow the recessive genes to intermingle and produce the life blood of our coven."
"What?" Julia nearly yelled.
"Light Bringers," Gabriel said.
Tears threatening, Julia said, "You can't force me to do this! Why would you want to? You're a Rare One too!"
"I am not female," he said with a logic that made her want to slap his face.
She looked around for a face that understood, finally landing on William's. His held compassion, but she didn't want that. Not from him.
She whirled away from the group, hiking the skirt up, the material a silken bunch in her fist, and ran for the archway. She slapped the first door she saw and entered a bathroom, small and private, with a love seat just inside the door. She sank down on it. She cried into her hands and abandoned all hope.
Julia didn't know what to do or how she'd escape.
She made her sobs quiet. She wouldn't give the vampires in the hall the satisfaction of hearing her sadness.
They were the cause of it.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Julia dried her cheeks with a vicious swipe. Disgusted with herself and her feelings of hopelessness, she stood and walked over to the mirror. Julia looked at her red and swollen eyes, the tracks from her tears making streaks where makeup had been. Claire had insisted on that makeup.
Her hands gripped the rolled porcelain edge of the sink basin, the coolness a contrast to her body's heat.
Her head hung almost to her breastbone. How many times had Jason held her up when she felt as though she couldn't live another moment with Aunt Lily. When her constant nagging and distrust were more than Julia could bear?
Resolve took hold within Julia. She needed to get through each day here and formulate a plan. One day at a time. If she could gain their trust, even by some small measure, maybe she could find a way to escape—especially as her powers grew. Without actually causing her harm, how would they stop the advancement of her abilities?
Claire was the one who had told her she was entering her adolescence as a Blood Singer. Almost twenty seemed too old for that, but Singers lived longer.
They were immortal in some cases. Julia had not asked the burning question—the one that had trembled on her lips: Was she immortal?
Would she live forever?
It still seemed surreal. She kept going back in a mental circle to her last point of reference of a year ago, when the biggest plan was getting married to her high school sweetheart. And now she was faced with paranormal powers, vampires... werewolves. The enormity of it all was overwhelming. If the reality weren't staring her in the face, she'd believe she was crazy.
Her skin began to crawl, prickling.
Julia jerked her head up and met the stare of a female vampire in the reflection a heartbeat before she struck, her fangs sinking into Julia's shoulder, the tips meeting her collarbone. Julia cried out, the pain greater than even the effect of William's claws had been.
"Hold her, Edna," a male voice said casually.
The pain burned like liquid fire. Acid in her flesh.
Julia was trying to scream around the fangs as, with bulging eyes, she saw the male walk toward her. The scream died in a mouth that had become dry with fear.
He had been one of the males in the group of "choices," she realized wildly, on the verge of hysteria.
"The female doesn't want you, fragile human. She hates you," he said, his eyes liquid pools of silver, reflecting like dull nickels. Those eyes tried to suck her under, but Julia felt the pull slide off harmlessly.
"Thrall will not work, dolt," another male said, meeting her eyes in the mirror. Julia saw that the bloodied wound was leaking into the bodice of her tangerine dress, turning it red. An evil sunset bloomed on the gauzy fabric.
The other male's eyes widened, and he bent over her shoulder, lapping at the blood like a cat with cream. "Ahh," he crooned. Lap, suck, gulp. Julia watched as the male's throat convulsed. He licked at her skin while the other one watched. "Her blood is exquisite. I have never tasted the likes of it." His eyes rolled to meet hers in the reflection, in a shade of silver so light they looked glacial.
They were going to take Julia's blood where she stood, Edna the vampire anchoring her throbbing shoulder to force her placement.
They would feed.
The other male moved in, eyeing her throat as if mesmerized, his body one tight line of tension.
Julia became desperate. She had next to no training, having about bashed Claire's brains in the other day in a reaction so pure, so unexpected the vampires had been pacing themselves since. Panicked, Julia tried to remember what it felt like to engage that telekinetic ability. It was so new to her she didn't even know where to begin—especially with her heart in her throat from sheer terror. Julia felt disjointed and lacking the cognitive reasoning for an adroit attack.
When the vampire who'd licked at her met her eyes, Julia let out all her bottled-up rage and emotions, focusing them like a spear. The hell with finesse.
Choke, she thought with a mental shove.
She launched a counter strike at vamp number one. When he staggered back, blood spewing out of his mouth, she turned her attention to number two.
Feeling an elemental push that echoed the first strike, Julia used that seething momentum and blasted the neck biter just when he would have sunk fangs into her erratically beating pulse. His head had reared back, twin spiked fangs shining like creamy pearls, prepared for the strike.
She saved herself by seconds.
The female latched onto her shoulder harder. Julia's arm went numb to the wrist and she couldn't suppress a whimper as the female gave Julia a smile around the fangs that were buried in the flesh of her shoulder.
There was a commotion outside and the door slammed open.
William's frantic eyes met hers and in a moment of profound weakness, blood covering her upper body, the loss of it more than she could adequately fight, Julia whispered, "Help me."
*
William
William looked around for Julia. Ah—there she went, stalking off to mope in the restroom. He sighed. He told himself for the hundredth time that she was but an infant. Still, her behavior took some getting used to. She did not see William as the protector he was. If she would but allow it, he thought, clenching his jaw.
He looked a moment longer to make sure that Clarence was a discreet distance from the restroom and went back to his conversation with Gabriel.
"Give her time, William," the coven leader said.
"I have watched her this past year. I fear she cares not for her own life. She still mourns the husband who is no longer." Just saying those words made William angry. He was determined to speak his mind to Gabriel. "I think she uses his death as a crutch. He has been gone for one year past. She has been told the facts of his death. The Were delivered the death blow—not vampire. She would not have been allowed the union in any event. Two Blood Singers together!"
Ridiculous.
Gabriel nodded in agreement, his expression mirroring William's own. There could not be inbreeding amongst Singers because of the negative impact on the blood quantum. And more importantly, to waste a Rare One in that way, to squander it? Not during his reign.
He clapped William on the back. "She will understand more as time goes on. Julia will come to understand that she is too rare a jewel to wander about, taking her chances in the outside world. It is here that is her destiny. Here is her safety. Also"—he looked into William's eyes—"now that her adolescence is upon her, every Were and vampire from here to the ends of the earth would smell it on her. Her childhood afforded her some protection. No longer." Gabriel made a severe cutting gesture with his hand at the exact moment that William felt pain pierce the highest area of his shoulder.
He stood so quickly the chair that he had sat upon turned over and fell, the wood hitting the cobblestone floor with a resounding crack, echoing in the space.
William met the eyes of his fellow vampire, their faces without expression. He whipped his head in the direction of the restroom.
A lone foot could be seen sticking out of the dark corridor.
Clarence's.
Julia was no longer under guard.
William sprinted in a burst of speed that made its own breeze, lifting the tablecloth that held the crystal and blood.
He burst through the door, the wooden frame bending under the force of the swing.
He was greeted by Julia's whiskey-colored eyes, strained and wide in her paling face. William was struck by the tears that streamed down her cheeks and the terror on her face.
William's eyes fell first on Edna, a viperous female then found the two that would have vied for the position of mate to Julia.
Two fewer contenders. He picked out the head off the interloper whose fangs were bared before Julia's exposed throat, venom for the strike dripping off them as he prepared to strike.
The moment seemed to pause. Julia looked into his eyes with what he had longed for, had been beyond hoping for: fear filled their depths... as well as longing. She wanted him. In that moment, she gave in to the blood bond between them, and her terror made her raw to it.
He answered with a look that took mere seconds to convey.
It was her voice, though, that struck his soul like a bell that chimed.
"Help me," she gasped out, her eyes deep pools of drowning amber.
He did not hesitate.
William punched his right hand into the back of Edna, talons extended. In gasping from the entry wounds, she inadvertently released her fangs from Julia's shoulder. Julia slid to the floor, using the pathway of the female vampire like a helpmate, her hands grasping the female's gown.
Julia rolled over onto her back, the blood from the wound running backward, pooling in the hollow of her collarbone, and dripping to the floor where her burnished red hair lay like a fan atop the stone.
William hesitated, hating to kill a female of the vampire, but she had proven to be without scruples. He tore his talons from her back, and she fell to his feet, gasping, all five nails having punctured her lungs in a most grievous manner.
William let Edna lie on the stone floor like a gasping fish. He turned his attention to the vampire whose hands were around his throat in the universal choking gesture.
What was this?
The male was choking on the blood he had consumed.
William swung his gaze to Julia, the fragrant smell of her blood filling the space, making him almost light headed with bloodlust, his throat tightening painfully.
And he was a quarter Singer.
The others would never be able to abstain from her as she lay vulnerable and bleeding.
There would be a blood riot.
The evidence of such was at his feet. The vampire he had beheaded, lying as a pile of ash and blood, was the eighth slayed.
Never having been exposed to a Rare One, they were virtually helpless before the song for her blood.
Hearing noise at the door, William turned, simultaneously moving toward Julia.
The vampires moved as a unit, talons extended, fangs sprung free of their houses of flesh.
They came to where the delectable smell of fresh blood was released—a quality without compare. It was as if a thousand-year-old bottle of wine lay breathing—on a cold stone floor mere paces away from consumption.
*
Julia
Julia looked up and saw a monster with fangs the size of her pinky fingers dripping a clear fluid tinged with red. Talons as long as her forearms stood at deadly attention.
And then, like small swords, they began to slice whoever drew near.
Their motion in a blur of darkness was too fast for her to follow. Julia became aware of moisture falling on her bare skin like rain.
She opened her eyes and a head fell beside her shoulder with a meaty thump. The dead eyes, once gray, turned into a collapsing wall of flesh and bone. As she looked on in horror, it began to disintegrate into a mass of ash.
It was the eyes she'd never forget.
Or the creature William had become, fighting the vampires that would have killed her.
They came, one after another, as blood drenched her gown and she lay helplessly at his feet.
William slashed and stabbed as injuries were rained down on him, and then five overcame him. Julia whimpered, having never envisioned herself dying that way.
At that moment, Julia realized she wanted to live—had always wanted to live.
Her eyes met William's, pleading.
She knew she didn't deserve his help.
But she was sorry. She didn't want this life, this existence.
Nevertheless, he was dying to defend her.
*
William was overcome. He had dispatched fifteen, losing all hope of the guards helping him through the crowd of rabid vampires overrun with blood lust.
The higher functioning of their cerebral cortex was gone.
When the five overcame him, he saw Julia torn from beneath his feet by two fanged brethren. One held her as the other prepared to strike, losing his grip twice as her body was slick with the blood of the massacred.
She was weak as a kitten—any fool could see—her wound not closing up. The blood-clotting properties of the vampire saliva were not working.
Of course, Edna would have not used hers willingly.
Julia was bleeding out.
William was struggling against the vampires, beyond reason and rationale when he heard her soft whimper like a plea—bereft, hopeless.
Her eyes met his again, the blood bond reverberating in his body, pressing him to take action beyond his capabilities.
William did, smashing two of the vampires' heads together hard enough for their brains to splatter against the inside of their skulls and leak out their ears. He threw himself on his feet and launched to Julia's side in a fluid, gymnastic movement, his fist punching out as he did.
The vampire who had fangs a millimeter away from her throat lost them from the impact of William's fist even as William's talons swung to take the head of the one who restrained her.
*
Julia
Julia saw William come. A shaky exhalation escaped her as she lay in the arms of one vampire while the other prepared to chew her throat out.
The one who held her dumped her head on the floor so hard she saw lights twinkle above her.
And then William was there.
Their heads fell on either side of her body, and heat suffused her. Julia knew she would pass out and had but moments to express herself.
William crouched above her protectively, and she raised her arm weakly. She clutched his clothing.
He glanced at her then looked away, tensing his body for the next onslaught.
She tugged again.
"Julia, lie still. You have lost much blood."
"Thank you," she whispered on her final breath. Her vision dimmed to a pinpoint.
The last coherent image was William—whose face she didn't hate anymore.
His mouth moved, but she couldn't hear him. An enveloping softness encased her as she floated away like a dandelion seed on the wind.
Julia slept in a pool of her own blood and that of others—many others.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Den of the Were
One Month Later
"Do you see her?" Joseph asked impatiently.
"Yes," Tony responded, dropping the night-vision binoculars.
"It is easy to make her out, Joseph. She is so much smaller than the blood drinkers."
Right. Joseph knew that. But his anxiety was full tilt. It had been a month since their orders from Lawrence to execute reconnaissance on the vampire kiss. They had done that.
It had been troubling to smell injuries on the Rare One.
When they had first begun their covert stakeout, they could smell fresh wounds. They were concentrated on the female, but also one other, the vampire that who could turn into a raven. He had been injured, as well.
It was only speculation, but Joseph felt something terrible had happened within the coven—something that allowed a freedom that was almost brazen in its disregard to her safety.
Although, they did flank her five deep on either side.
Joseph was still sticking with the number fifteen.
Fifteen of his entire soldier contingent should be enough to bring her home.
The Rare One would assimilate into his den. She would not automatically be his. But he would butcher any Alpha who took challenge.
Joseph would be victor.
He must.
The whelp of the Were had to evolve, or the race would be lost.
He squeezed his hands into fists, mourning the moon's shape.
It was waxing—two weeks yet until they could bring the change.
Joseph and Tony watched the small female figure bounce as she ran, with the huge blood drinkers looking to the four corners of the earth.
Joseph growled low in his throat. The vampires were unaware of the sound, but Tony heard and answered.
It would have been a howl had the moon been full.
*
Julia
Julia's lungs burned—but in a good way. What had started out as nightly walks when the city slept had turned into jogging.
Now she ran. Her vitality returned incrementally, night by night.
She shuddered, thinking about how her life had almost ended that fateful night on a floor of ancient cobblestone built for humans and infiltrated by vampires.
Claire had had to provide blood to save her life. William could not give it.
The third blood share would have mated her to William—whether she wanted it or not.
Forever is a long time to hold a grudge. But she was immortal only if she had blood quantum. Too much blood loss, and her life would be gone.
Julia wasn't sure she believed them. There was no such thing as immortality, right?
Then her mind burdened her with the discoveries of the past year, such as the existence of werewolves and vampires. As if that isn't crazy as hell.
Julia wiped sweat from her brow and glanced at William, who didn't sweat, of course. He never broke stride.
Neither did the other nine who ran with her—or rather, jogged. They could run, but she could only do what she was doing now. It was hopelessly slow. She was a foot shorter than them, and not vampire.
"Are you well?" William asked.
She smiled shyly. He was beyond solicitous. Julia had allowed herself the barest crack in her plan. As she had begun to figure it, with all that time recuperating to help with her decisions, she had two evils: the one she knew and the one she did not. The vampires had come clean—or as clean as they ever would—by explaining to her what her options were. Her alternative of escape seemed so remote—and so potentially unsuccessful. Julia couldn't help but feel defeated, beaten down. Her chances of survival if she were to get away would be slim.
For starters, there was no camouflaging the scent of what she was. That was by far the largest obstacle standing in the way of her freedom—or, at least, her true freedom.
Secondly—and this was a terrifying prospect—the Were searched for her just as hard as the vampires would. If she did escape, the likelihood of her being reacquired by another coven or den of the Were was high. She literally could not find sanctuary.
Her heart grieved for Jason. Her pragmatic nature instructed her thought processes, and she moved toward survival. And it seemed she had many years to survive.
She'd been off a million miles away and finally answered William. "Yes, I'm fine."
He looked at the others and gave them a command outside the decibel range of human hearing. Then he took her by the elbow, and they slowed.
She still felt slightly weak but nothing like the way she'd felt when they had taken the first shuffling steps into the outside air. The smell of it had been cloying, foul—and rich and wonderful.
Freedom had a smell, and Julia had breathed deeply of it.
So long, she'd been underground, held captive in the original thirty-one blocks of Seattle's great city. While the cattle walked overhead, their predators living underneath their feet.
Julia thought about what Claire had told her over a month ago.
*
Julia had awoken and met Claire's stare.
She'd never felt so weak, not even when she had refused to eat for months and when she had to be bathed like a baby by Susan.
She felt cold to her marrow.
"You've lost a tremendous amount of blood from the attack," Claire had said in her calm way.
Julia looked at her, willing her lips to move, but they didn't cooperate.
Claire smiled and stood. She brought a cup with a bendy straw in it.
As Julia sucked on the plastic tube, cool, clean water saturated her mouth and tongue, which was swollen from lack of use and circulation anomalies.
Finally, when she'd had her fill she asked Claire, "What happened?"
Claire looked away for a moment, a blush of pink lighting on her cheekbones. Her skin was as fair as Julia's. Julia realized she was embarrassed.
"Things got out of hand. A few of the contenders... could not control their bloodlust." She looked at Julia, who returned the stare without expression, willing her silently to go on. After a pause, she did. "We did not foresee it. But they were quite premeditated. Gabriel and I—"
Julia huffed at the leader's name, immediately begrudging his authority. As Julia saw it, he had no authority over her. After all, he was nothing more than a glorified kidnapper, using the weapons at his disposal to manipulate the vampire outcome—for their benefit, she thought sourly, not hers. His weapons of choice were... the vampires, of course.
Claire continued through Julia's insolence as if it didn't exist. "We thought there'd be sufficient protection because of their Singer lineage, but it wasn't enough." Claire looked at the hands that were wringing themselves in her lap. When she raised her eyes, Julia she saw they were glistening, the tears unshed. "There are so few vampires that are capable of breeding with a Rare One." She gulped and struggled forward. "Now, there are fewer."
So what? Julia thought. It wasn't as if those were such great guys who had assaulted her. Whatever. She said as much to Claire, and she nodded reluctantly.
"We know this now. It had been centuries since a female Rare One had entered the coven for this purpose. We didn't anticipate the pull."
Julia crossed her arms again as she looked up at the shadows that passed across the glass skylight of her room. Why was sunlight allowed to penetrate their lair if it were such a problem?
Claire followed her gaze, smiling. "We have our technologies."
Julia's eyebrow cocked in question.
Claire gave a little shrug. "They cannot live outside the confines of this space during the day. But we have one that formulated a chemical wash for the glass." She threw a palm in the direction of the only window in the room.
"So..." Julia's sudden realization of what the shadows were struck her almost dumb.
"Those are people? They are walking over our heads?" she asked incredulously.
Claire nodded. "They do not know of our existence. It is like being hidden in plain sight. You understand this concept, no?"
Julia did. She'd had a babysitter, before her parents were killed, who would hide everyday objects in plain sight. Julia remembered at one point how the babysitter had hidden a sewing thimble on the top of an old TV antenna, and it had been an hour before she'd spied it—metal on metal, almost invisible.
She couldn't suppress a small smile at the memory, nodding at Claire.
Claire returned the smile, although she couldn't have known its origin.
"It affords the kiss the greatest protection."
Julia looked at the shadowed feet, crossing the glass with a foot's separation between their life and death. They never knew.
Julia shivered.
"The solution blocks the UV rays."
"Couldn't that clever guy make a sunblock or something?" Julia asked, a little bit of snark creeping into her tone.
Claire's smile faded. "That was unsuccessful."
Julia didn't press, but judging by the expression on Claire's face, there'd been a few vampire torches.
Julia withheld her smile. An image of William on fire came to her mind. Just a few days ago, that visual might have given her a lot of satisfaction. Now... her heart had shifted. And while she did not hate him anymore, she wasn't sure what she felt. She thought of flying over the meadow, leaving the Were that had attacked her behind, the claws bound to her shoulders like excruciating hooks. She thought of his fierce expression as he fought the vampires who would have bled her dry.
Julia was ashamed. He was what he was—a freak of biology. As she was. Jason was gone, forever.
It was in that moment that Julia decided for neutrality with William. He had not shown her harm. On the contrary, he had shown much more.
His yet unknown role made her uncomfortable, but that couldn't be held against him.
In the end, William had been right. Jason had been killed by the Were, not vampires.
Julia had sighed, looking once more above her head.
The cattle had moved across their concrete pasture, unaware of the vampires below.
*
The Present
William smiled down at Julia. Cautious hope took hold of his soul—if a vampire had such.
She looked infinitely better than after the attack. He was right as rain in less than a fortnight. But Julia's tenuous situation was held in the fragile balance of the twilight of death. It took much to kill a Rare One. But the two who had been in the race for betrothal might have ruined it by hurting her.
Forget that notion, William thought. They'd almost killed her. He could hardly bear to think upon it. He had already claimed Julia in his heart. He had not the right. But love chose its own pathway, mindless of the change.
Love hath no master.
He took in her lush mouth, the pulse that beat at the hollow of her throat more attractive than any show of flesh could ever have been. He swallowed, reining in his emotions. William had had two centuries to perfect his lack of expression.
He'd found that a year and some days with Julia had undone it all. The careful procedure of schooling one's expression in the way of the vampire was lost. He thought it might never be regained.
His heart seized with panic as a scent wafted through the night air.
In an instant, he pulled Julia against him, scenting their surroundings, her water bottle hitting the ground with a thud, the water leaking out over the black pavement like a crystal well.
Broken.
*
Julia
Julia's heart slammed into her ribcage. William's hands wrapped around her arms like steel bands, cool against her fevered skin, which was still warm from the run.
"What is it?" Julia asked.
Pierce lifted his nose to the air. "Wolves, William?"
"I do not know. But"—he looked at the nine that were gathered together, his eyes glittering in the weakness of the lights that illuminated the street where they stood—"it is the only moment of my existence wherein I wish for their sense of smell."
There was uneasy laughter even as the vampires looked around them for the perceived danger. A few tense moments passed, and William's shoulders finally dropped into a more relaxed posture.
"Well?" another vampire asked—Robert, Julia remembered.
William shrugged, his eyes tight. "I do not know what it was, but I very much wish to head back."
They agreed, but Julia protested. "They would never think to find me here."
William looked down at her, his face cut marble in the whitish-blue light of the streetlamp. "It is that mentality that will hasten your taking from our kiss. We do not underestimate the dogs. Their passion makes them dangerous." He looked into her eyes then elaborated. "Sometimes I will have a moment of..." William deliberated on his wording. He finally settled on, "intuition."
Julia looked at him. "Is that because of the Singer blood?"
He nodded. "The shifting to raven is the single most powerful element I gained from my genetics. Sometimes, although it is not always trustworthy, the moments of intuition have made me a better fighter."
"How?" Julia asked, allowing herself to be tugged along as they made their way back to the underground city.
"Instinctive."
"You fight with... training or...?"
He glanced her way then looked around again, still slightly tense. "I use what has been given to me. I know because of my Singer heritage that I can shift to raven form, and sometimes I anticipate."
Julia had to ask. With nine other sets of vampire ears to the ground, honing in on her words, she forged ahead. "Anticipate what?"
He stopped, looking down at her for a moment. His gaze uncomfortably intense, he answered, "Danger."
Oh. She looked around, sensing nothing.
"Let us be gone from this place."
*
The Were's sense of smell allowed a great distance to be maintained while still triangulating the vampire position.
The Were came upon the plastic bottle that had been dumped.
It was too perfect to believe. The vampires had been sloppy by allowing anything she touched to be discarded by any means other than fire.
Of course, vampires did not like fire. A grim smile overcame Joseph's face.
He reached to pick up the discarded bottle, scenting it for the Rare One.
Julia Caldwell's scent floated around the mouth of the bottle like the most exquisite fragrance imaginable. He held the bottle triumphantly while motioning with his hand for the four other Were to gather round him.
They did, each scenting the bottle, familiarizing themselves with her smell.
The scent of the Rare One, the Mistress over even the moon.
As her unique signature filled their flared nostrils, five pairs of eyes spun to gold in faces that were no longer quite human.
Joseph lifted his face to gaze at the moon, whose mocking form was halfway to full.
As small yips of excitement broke out in the circle of men, the tone changed to a quality that made the pigeons flee their roosts.
The noise caused the fear-and-flight reaction as surely as a primal alarm going off.
The Were returned to their den, an empty bottle as so much trash, carried in the fist of the Alpha.
Joseph clutched it tighter as he ran.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Two Weeks Later
Julia stretched until every vertebra cooperated by popping. Ah, so much better. She wasn't happy yet. But for the first time since Jason's death, she felt a form of contentment. She was sure it had a lot to do with the daily runs. Her body was knitting itself stronger each day, and she was thankful.
William had not pressed his advantage when it would have been easy to, and Julia had noticed.
William and she had lunch together each day now. Actually, she ate lunch, and he drank blood. It was an uneasy alliance, but he had to receive nourishment too. And she couldn't negate what he had done for her.
With his blood.
It was yesterday's lunch that rolled around in her mind. She couldn't believe what he'd told her—the revelation that Claire was his cousin. William was one-quarter Blood Singer. His ancestry lent him the paranormal stripe that allowed him to shape-shift, to have those little moments of awareness that were other.
Julia had been curious, picking at the meal before her—salad and salmon. The coven provided only the finest meal for their trophy. Julia squelched the thought even as it formed. She needed to think of the coven as her benefactors, or she'd never achieve any happiness.
She sighed, and William's eyebrows rose in question.
"It's about Claire." She looked at him—stared, actually, trying not to notice how handsome he was, how well built, how... everything. Heat rose to her face, and she knew without a mirror that she was blushing.
"Well, she is my cousin." He dropped the bomb as though it was of the least consequence.
"Are you kidding?" Julia nearly shouted.
He shook his head, the corners of his mouth already turning up.
"You are!" she huffed, folding her arms across her body.
"I promise, I'm not having you on. It is true."
Julia searched his eyes for the joke, and finding none, went on. "How is that? She looks like she's ten years older than me?"
William paused then said, "Once a Singer mates a vampire, if there is enough blood quantum, she takes on some of the properties of her mate. In this case"—his eyes met hers—"immortality."
Julia thought about it, almost stunned into speechlessness. "So, Claire's like... hundreds of years old?"
"Technically, that is accurate."
"Just tell me, William."
"She is three hundred and six."
Julia gasped. That makes William...
"I am only two hundred and twenty."
So young, Julia rolled her eyes, stifling a giggle.
William laughed from his gut. Though he was usually serious, Julia found that she was able to lighten him.
"Yes, Claire is quite wise."
Julia turned her fork over and under, over and under until William put his finger on the tines. He met her gaze. "What are you thinking?"
"I wonder why we look a little alike, Claire and I?"
William leaned back in his chair, drumming his tapered fingers on the bare wood of the table, thinking. He seemed unaware that he smoldered at her, in her. The blood share's tenacious grasp still clung like reluctant glue.
"Gabriel has said there is a common region that the Singers hail from in antiquity."
Julia waited.
William shrugged. "It is just a hypothesis. But it may explain the similarities in their looks." He looked at her briefly. Then, glancing at her half-eaten plate, he finished his thought. "Blood Singers are generally fair complexioned with some degree of red hair. But not all of them. Some can be quite dark."
"How do you know this?" Julia was thinking that Jason hadn't had that coloring.
"It was a cross-checking method we employed as runners. If the scent did not convince us, the coloring, as it were... well, it was almost fool proof."
Julia was fascinated, remembering her mother's hair ablaze with copper fire. She recalled it perfectly. Memories of the accident crowded the inside of her skull in a dull press, but she shoved them away forcefully.
"Gabriel is originally from Scotland."
Ah. Julia had wondered about that brogue he spoke with.
"Have you heard of Stonehenge? Located in England?"
She nodded. It was pretty famous. In high school, they'd studied it briefly in World History.
"That is where the biggest concentration of Singers reside. They fan out in many directions, but it is there that they proliferate."
Julia smiled, not withholding her sarcasm. "Then why don't you guys do a road trip and net them all?"
William's smile faded, and he shook his head. "In concentrations as big as the one at Stonehenge, they become powerful." His eyes were serious again.
"So, they can bring a can of whoop-ass?"
William smiled at her vernacular. "Yes, they can bring whatever they please. That is why we concentrate on mostly immigrants, diluted by centuries of outbreeding. Sometimes, as in your case, we strike a pureblood. Any Singer over half-pure is worth acquisition."
Julia thought about all that he'd said. "So, why am I not... psychic or some other cool thing like that?"
William chuckled, crossing his legs at the ankle. "You will be many things." He shrugged. "It is different with each Singer. A Rare One is an anomaly—hard to find, and more difficult to speculate about."
"What can Gabriel do? He's the coven leader. He's a Rare One," Julia said, thinking he may have mojo. A buttload of it.
Julia watched William think about his words and was struck anew by how very deliberate he was with his thoughts. He never just blurted stuff out. The way she did.
She smiled unconsciously, and he returned her grin, his fangs hidden.
"He is male." William looked down to his long-stemmed glass, the bagged blood distributed inside the glass as an affectation. Like a beer out of a frosted mug as opposed to straight out of the bottle.
She waited, and he continued. "He has some paranormal talents... but it is the females who possess all of what a Rare One could offer. Eventually, you will be many things. Manifest many things."
Julia looked at him. "Besides being able to make vampires choke on my blood and heave helpful people against walls, what else is there?"
She was only half joking. Julia wanted to know what to expect.
William shrugged a muscular shoulder, the button-down shirt hiding nothing. She'd give vampires this: they were all pretty spiffy to eyeball.
"It has been some time since a Rare One has been in residence. It will be all conjecture at this point. But... there have been things in legend. Those are telekinetic ability, telepathy, super-human strength." He finished, ticking off each ability on his fingers then resting his hands on his thighs.
Julia liked the last one and smiled.
He chuckled, guessing her transparent thought process. "That's usually reserved for males."
Oh.
"Limited healing. And of course, there are the genetic properties of the Rare Ones. They will allow the supernaturals to become more, better." William leaned forward, all intensity. "Just think of the ramifications of being vampire but not ruled by bloodlust, by the night." He swung his palm to encompass their immediate area.
Julia watched an internal fire ignite in his eyes and realized the vampires felt trapped by their existence. That what made them other also stifled them in isolation.
It made Julia profoundly uncomfortable to realize two factions thought of her as a savior. But she hadn't asked to be a Rare One. Instead, she had just wanted a normal life.
She looked in William's earnest eyes and sighed. At least she hadn't been taken by the Were. From what William told her, they cared very little for the Rare One's comfort. He had told her about this on one of their many runs before she'd been able to do much but shuffle along.
*
William
On one of those early runs, William had looked down with tenderness at the top of Julia's head. He'd allowed himself that luxury when she was not aware of his regard. She'd looked up, and he'd instantly schooled his expression into one of neutrality and adopted a teaching tone.
"You ask of the Were. They also find the Blood Singers critical. Even a Singer who has as little as one-quarter blood quantum can give them additional days to make the change. They cannot aspire to be moonless changers. But they can have more days to use her call." He kicked a random pebble, and Julia stopped, turning to look at him.
The streetlamp reflected off the damp patches of asphalt, the city still humming all around them. The deadest hour of the night had the least people but cars were still rushing past, dim noise and the smells of a city that never quite rested a backdrop to their hushed conversation.
She crossed her arms and huffed out a breath while the other vampires formed a loose circle around them, maintaining an ever-vigilant protective perimeter. "So, what you're saying is that vampire and Were compete? They run around, gathering up the purest of the Singers—to what? Make sure they have more power?"
William thought it sounded dire when she put it like that. "It is for the betterment of both. We think their methods are heathen. But the consequence is identical. What they gain, what we gain..." He let his sentence trail off.
"What do we gain, William?" Julia asked, her eyes searching his, her palm on the center of her chest.
He held her gaze but with effort. There was little that the Singer gained except that her mate would be devoted. There was additional protection. He sighed, raking a distracted hand through his hair, frustrated.
"You have the security and protection of the coven," he finally answered.
Julia snorted. "Oh, yeah! That's worked so well. I could tell how secure I was when those fangs sank into my collarbone—on top of my scars from your raven claws. I feel so protected."
William gripped her shoulders, cupping them firmly in hands that wrapped them front to back. "There will always be rogue vampires. There will always be vampires among our kind who take, who do not follow rules or hierarchy. You do understand that? Is it not the same in the human population?"
"It's true," Julia responded, squirming a little in his grasp. "But if I'm so special, why did they try to hurt me? Believe me, it hurt."
William knew. He had been barred from giving blood a third time. As her kind said, the third time would have been the charm. It would bind her to him without choice, without consent. A union filled with resentful compliance was not acceptable.
Not to him.
In the end, she had been given a transfusion. She smelled off for two weeks afterward. He had told her that she smelled like someone else until her body's natural cycles and rhythms had righted themselves.
"I'm so sorry that I didn't smell tasty for a week or two," she'd said, rolling her beautiful eyes at him. William had smiled.
"It is better for me. Not your pain and suffering at their transgression," he added quickly to avoid confusion as her brows came together in a frown. "But because their attack on you proved my mettle. You know the man I am."
Julia shook her head in correction. "You are not a man. You're something else."
William said sadly, "I am more man than you could ever know."
Julia had looked into his face, and William had not been able to mask the sincerity of his feelings—or his desire.
She'd shifted her gaze from his as they walked away together, the vampire guard swarming around them.
*
Taking
Joseph gave Tony a subtle flick of his tail, but it was scent, not motion, that let Tony know to flank the group of vampires. One among the Were remained unchanged.
A new threat faced them. They had smelled what threatened during their last reconnaissance.
The Rare One was entering her awakening. She would be dangerous. One of his wolves would nail her with the gun—a gun that had a dart filled with a sedative. It could stop an ox. In this case, it would stop the Singer from using what made her unique against them. That she stayed willingly with the kiss of drinkers was worrisome. Very worrisome.
She was unmated. Joseph knew that. Her smell told him.
They moved toward the group stealthily. They were sure and confident—ready for combat.
*
Julia
Julia was nervous. She was usually anxious now. Gone was the easygoing nonchalance of her former life. Knowing what she was had stripped her of that. Not knowing what her future held, or knowing the expectation others had for her future had cloaked her as surely as the warm puffy coats of her Alaskan existence before.
William watched her pace, her unease a contagious thing. Finally, he could bear it no more. "What is it? What is troubling you?" His arms were crossed, his face in shadows as he leaned against the wall in her chamber. She took in his form—his athletic build accentuated by the casual attire and his tight black T-shirt stretched across a broadly muscled chest. Black sweatpants hugged hips and legs that were finely honed by exercise and the perfection of what he was.
Julia stopped. She felt the pull there between them like a rope of warm taffy, always taut, never breaking. She felt dumb explaining it. "I know that the exercise is good." His expression encouraged her, and she realized she was starting to care a little for William. She didn't know how she felt about it, but after almost eighteen months, he and Claire were really all the contact she had.
She went on, stumbling over the next part. "Before the thing... happened." Julia flicked her eyes to his. He would know what she meant. He waited in pregnant silence.
She swallowed. "I felt a sense of..."
He arched his eyebrows. "Foreboding?"
She nodded, relieved he understood. "Yes."
He straightened. "You sense that now?"
She nodded again. The foreboding was a vibration in her body, humming in an ominous way she hated. And the headaches were back.
Turning, she walked closer to him voluntarily for the first time.
*
William
William watched her move, a graceful, slow-burning flame with eyes and hair a liquid gold that ignited a torch within his soul. He stuffed his emotions deep inside, giving her his pleasantly neutral face. It was something that was now a daily challenge. Before, it had been made easier by her indifference. He did not feel that from her right now, in this moment.
Julia came very close to him. Reaching out, she placed a small hand on his arm, and he stifled the gasp that tore from inside him as their flesh connected. Her eyes moved to his. "I'm not afraid of you anymore. I don't know how I feel, but I know you'd protect me."
It took every ounce of willpower not to touch her back—caress the face he had caressed mentally a thousand times before. How badly he wished to do it with his hands. Instead, he forced them against his side, remaining unmoved.
"Today, I'm afraid. Even this near, this protected. I don't want to be with the Were." Julia knew however bad this new life was, that the alternative with them would be worse.
William stiffened. "We would never allow that. They have tried for you twice, and failed. They would never succeed."
She shook her head, the ginger of her hair sliding over shoulders encased in the smooth nylon material of her exercise gear. He watched the silken strands and wanted to run his fingers through them. The low light of the skylight made it glow a soft red. William suddenly wished he could see it in the sun. He imagined it would be quite red.
"They may succeed," she said.
He looked down at her as she looked up at him. "No," he said fiercely, his emotion overwhelming his sense. He wrapped both his hands around her forearms. "It cannot be precognitive. If that were so, they would have tried for you months ago, when you were more vulnerable."
William felt her watching him, and it took every bit of willpower to hold himself back. His nerve endings were on fire.
*
Julia stared at him. He didn't believe her. She'd be given her nightly exercise, regardless of her misgivings. Maybe she had a case of nerves.
Maybe her unbearable loneliness was in the way. She felt the heat from her body emanating toward his. Still, that small space separated them. She noticed his hands encasing her arms, and suddenly her eyes were on his lips.
Julia's mind trembled at the possibility. Her emotions and intellect warred in a heated battle.
Julia felt him holding back, waiting for her to act. She would have to decide if she wanted him. William would not make that decision for her.
Julia felt her emotions—her guilt over Jason, his death, their unconsummated marriage—unraveling. Missing him felt like misery in the pit of her stomach. She knew that what she was beginning to feel for William was wrong. But she could only go on so long with the constant loneliness. William was right: he had proven himself. She was the one who needed to move on.
Her decision made, Julia stood on tiptoe. Using lips that hadn't kissed in almost two years, she brushed a featherweight's press over the softness of his mouth.
Julia's eyes were closed, one hand on his chest for balance. She didn't feel his response, and her skin flushed with embarrassment. She began to draw away.
Then she felt his hands move off her arms and snap around her body, jerking her against him. His mouth moved over hers with a barely contained hunger, eating at it until she opened it for him.
He lifted his mouth just long enough to say, "I will always protect you, Julia."
"I know—" she began, but his mouth came down on hers again, and she twined her arms around his neck. The heat that moved between their embrace felt overwhelmingly natural.
Too natural.
Julia pulled away just as there was a knock on the door, and William's arms released her reluctantly. She watched William's face. He followed the progress of her hand as it touched her mouth, swollen from his kiss—bruised from his affection.
Guilt assailed her. "Come in," she said, relieved for the interruption.
Pierce entered the room. "It's time." He looked from William to Julia. The broken tension lay dangerously all around them like shards of glass.
*
William
William was angry at the knocking. The sweet scent of Julia filled his nose and his senses wailed to take her, to make her his. Their first contact was more overwhelming than even he could have imagined. That she initiated it, that their blood share was all but washed away, made it all the sweeter.
He looked upon her as she pulled away, guilt and desire mixed up in her features. He had a pang of regret then shoved it away. He had not taken what she'd loved away from her. It was the Were that had stolen her husband's life. In their haste to acquire her, they'd killed a Singer unnecessarily. It had been a long time, almost two years of patience and frustration. If he could finally be joined with her, if she would possibly be open to a courtship, he would not dissuade her. And his competitors were fewer.
Actually, the horrible attack of Julia had tightened things up considerably in the coven.
He glanced at Pierce, coming to his senses as if emerging from a fog. He shook off the lethargy of his desire with difficulty. Gabriel wished for Julia to exercise, to be away from the coven. Even William had to admit that she was progressing better with the exercise.
But her words of disquiet were troubling. William did not make assumptions. He wished to be as confident as possible, but to discount a Rare One was not prudent.
William considered himself pragmatic—and ruthless.
Always ruthless.
He turned to Pierce. "Let us take an additional five runners."
Pierce's brows came together.
William answered his unspoken question. "Their presence will ease Julia."
He turned and smiled at her. She gave him one of her rare genuine smiles. He loved seeing it on her face and smiled back.
*
Julia looked at William and was instantly relieved. He had not discounted her warning. He was more than a protector now. She wasn't sure what he was becoming, but in that moment, a small space in her heart softened and a fissure formed, allowing William in.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Run
Julia wiped sweat off her brow, running with a thousand vampires at her side—or at least, that was what it felt like.
She'd told William that the Were were sniffing around, and so far, they had seen nothing.
Julia was feeling foolish. She decided to tell him so.
She knew that they didn't need fifteen anymore. Five was probably enough. He smiled and kissed her forehead casually, calling off the vampires for the following evening's run. Her sense of impending doom lessened.
It had been a full week since she'd mentioned her uneasy feelings to William. It was so similar to what she'd felt before Terrell went madder than a March hare—as Aunt Lily would have said—that she'd felt compelled to speak. Now, she just felt like a dumbass, getting the vampires wound up because she had an emotional hiccup. Julia needed to be stronger.
She smiled at William. Julia thought there would be a ton of awkwardness between them, but he'd been solicitous, touching her subtly day by day. A slow bridge of small intimacies—one on top of the other— was building.
She came to find herself looking forward to the subtle touches and glances, anticipating them. If anyone had told her that she was going to be crushing on a vampire two years ago, she would have written the letter to have that person committed.
Yet there she was. She hadn't forgotten Jason, but the pain was less acute.
Julia was also not certain of her path. She knew in her mind that Jason was gone, and that this weird new life, however much she hadn't wanted it, was what she had now. Julia realized she needed to move on. A vision of Jason's face, once so clear, had turned fuzzy at the edges. She felt herself all at once profoundly sad again. It was not just losing him in reality but also the memory of him slipping away day by day that tore at her heart.
*
William stood, watching the myriad of emotions play over her face. Having made a study of humanity in the past two hundred years, he knew some of what the issues she was reconciling herself to.
Damn the Were, William thought for the hundredth time. She would have been separated from her husband regardless. However, his death had marked her. Even now, she struggled.
"Julia." William looked at her, the sadness clinging to her like greedy fingers and thought that she looked so fragile and small standing there. The hopes of his race depended on a young woman barely more than a girl.
Julia swung her face to Pierce and the other three and nodded. She was ready. She focused her considerable will on the moment, not on the past.
*
They were deep into the run, her body singing in muscular tension and heat. The vamps were barely on a jog. Julia felt as though she was practically sprinting. They climbed the steep hills of the city as if they were the Swiss Alps. An occasional car sputtered by, the gears grinding together in the ascent. When they reached the area of the famous Nordstrom's, they stopped, the loneliest part of the night embracing them as they stood in a loose group.
William grabbed the water bottle from a small backpack that hung between his shoulder blades. He handed it to Julia, and she gulped a few swigs, admiring the building. Cyn would have died ten deaths to go shopping there. Julia's melancholy stole its way inside her again. Her face tilted to take in the vertical sign. It was completely black except for the letters in ivory. She noticed it was lit from the sides, the characters softly illuminated.
Julia grappled for a life that was no more until Williams interrupted her thoughts. "Let us go back."
She nodded and was struck dumb with a pain so acute, so widespread that she gasped and fell to her knees.
The five vampires took their eyes from their posts to assist her.
As Julia lay sideways on the concrete sidewalk, the sign poised above her head like a guillotine, she saw the Were slide out from the dark corners the city provided.
There were many.
Julia whispered through her pain, which she now recognized as an alarm come too late, "Werewolves..."
*
Joseph and Tony watched, alongside the remaining nine Were, as the small group of vampires allowed Julia Caldwell to rest.
Six long days they had waited for the vampires' complacency to reestablish itself—for their perfect moment of opportunity.
Finally, it had come.
Joseph took in the sight of her. Her golden hair was swept back in a ponytail, and the navy athletic gear looked black to his wolf vision but was so soft a color in the darkness he knew it was blue. Watching her drink water, he felt her awareness of him before she did.
"She will know we are here soon. Be ready." He gave Tony a significant glance, and Tony raised the dart gun in acknowledgment.
"I'm not gonna fuck this up. I told you," he said in a growl.
Joseph turned his snout to Tony, and their golden eyes locked on each other. "See that you don't. We won't get another opportunity like this one." Their eyes held for two heartbeats more until Tony broke the stare, his status in the group firmly set. Not Alpha.
Joseph swept his eyes among the other Were soldiers, and they gave him the subtle eye contact he required. The affirmation that let him know they were ready to battle the vampires.
On his scent command, they released their bodies from the shadows and stepped out into the open.
*
William knelt beside Julia, stifling his rising panic. The first thing that flooded his mind was her warning, nary a week old, in which she had told him of her unease. He had listened, acted. But now he saw the alarm on her face and realized that the Were had chosen their time, and it was now.
William tenderly brushed the hair that had come undone away from Julia's temple.
He stood and readied himself for what the Were would bring.
The four who were with him spread and flanked his position. With a last glance at Julia, he stepped in front of her. The look blazing in her eyes scorched a path in his mental imagery and made his insides clench.
Trust.
Julia trusted him.
As he gazed out and counted eleven of the enemy, he hoped that the sentiment was not misplaced.
*
Julia reclaimed tenuous control of her body and stood on shaky legs. She was fatigued by the run and numb with fear. She backed away from the vampires who were in front of her, and her eyes met the Were that stood beyond them.
One in particular captured her attention: the rapist.
Julia backed away until her butt collided with the travertine façade of the building.
The night was as dark as they came, the streetlights illuminating the Were in patches then disappearing as the dark embraced them again.
Julia didn't take her eyes off the one. He was the biggest, the most intense. She immediately understood that he wasn't the leader. Then she saw it. In his hand he held something—a gun.
What? They were here to kill her? Julia was utterly confused. The two groups were not, however. As she held herself up against the wall they wordlessly charged each other, the Were making excited yips as their supple muscles flexed and bunched, readying to spring against the vampires.
Julia thought she'd just slip away while they fought. She couldn't be taken by the Were—her mind shuddered at the possibility. She began to feel her way along the building's smooth contours, until her hand curved around the corner. She turned her face into an alley so dark she couldn't see where it ended or how high the sides were.
She stepped into the darkness, the war behind her raging in a clash of supernatural strength and will.
*
William advanced on the leader, swiping with talons that sprung from his fingertips in a blur of motion faster than anything he had mastered before, the pulse of his feelings for Julia a thing that beat in his brain independently of his heart. The need to protect her was instinctive.
He saw one of the runners fall in his peripheral vision, a gaping wound in his body. Still, he would heal, William thought as he leaned away from a strike and simultaneously punched a hole of his own in the chest of the nearest Were.
Fear gripped him. Julia was no longer a warm presence at his back. At the same time, he saw one of the largest of the dogs break from the group and lope off to the side, a spider gait with fur, pursuing something—or someone.
William turned in the direction of the lone Were just as Joseph used his half-wolf paws in a swinging arc, bringing them down across William's back, knocking him forward into a rough patch of cobblestone, revealed by damaged asphalt. William's hands bit into the unforgiving street as two more of the Were assailed him. They pummeled him into submission.
Before he lost consciousness, he tore the head from the neck of one, and warm blood sprayed his face. He gulped without thinking, the grievous wounds inflicted by the Were repairing as he drank the arterial spray of the enemy. His death repairing the worst of William's injuries, a cycle of rejuvenation that was as old as time.
*
Joseph saw the vampire leader take the head off his third and howled. Before Joseph could kill the vampire covered in blood at his feet, his second growled, "Tony."
It was enough. Joseph shot away from the vampire, his soldiers tearing the other vampire limb from limb, and humanity slumbered.
While humans slept peacefully, the battle ran in the city street, painting it with inky blood.
*
Julia ran alongside the wall, more tired than when she'd been running for exercise. The terror at the possibility of being taken poured an adrenaline nightmare into her body, making her extremities numb with it.
She clipped her ankle on a pallet that was standing upright before she could see it and yelped softly.
She heard a noise behind her, the softest scrape, and put on a burst of speed, her hand leaving the wall.
Julia sprinted, the heat and lack of air in her lungs whistling a tune as she tore forward. Up ahead, she could see a tall fence. Without a backward glance or thought, she grabbed onto the smooth, circular metal fencing and jumped the first row, digging her shoe into the hole and climbing.
Julia didn't hesitate when the first piercing sting of something in her shoulder twanged and bounced.
When the second bit her in her upper thigh as she climbed, tears began to run down her face, the fence design in sharp contrast to the streetlamps beyond. The holes from the fence made shapes on her face, circles of light spearing her as she climbed.
She realized with soft horror that she had begun to climb more slowly.
Julia told her hands to grip the cold metal. Her foot missed the next hole and slipped.
The tears came harder, dripping off her jaw and falling to the ground before her.
She stopped seven feet above the ground with three more yet to finish. The razor wire at the top formed a spiral of hopelessness she couldn't overcome.
Julia's vision began to dim, the grayness of the night encroaching on her. She clung to the fence, her body no longer climbing. Pressing herself against it, she hung on for all she was worth.
As her legs folded beneath her, and her fingertips slipped away, she fell in a graceful arc to the concrete below—to her death, she knew.
Julia didn't react when she heard the excited yelps and yips of the Were beneath her.
Jason was dead.
William was gone.
She was in the same position she had been when she'd started: sole protector of herself.
Julia didn't land on the unforgiving concrete below but in a steel cocoon lined with fur and muscle. She looked up into eyes that shone like liquid gold. Her vision dimmed as she threw up her arm to defend herself in the last way she could before she faded into drug-induced oblivion.
*
Joseph had stared at Julia during the moment of wakefulness she'd had before she sank into the sleep of the drugged. His stony heart had squeezed in response to her weak attempt to defend herself against him. Did she not know that she could not and that there was no need? Joseph gave the signal to move out of the area even as he tightened his hold on the Rare One. They needed to exit. The blood drinkers would come en masse when the others didn't return with the Singer. Their margin for error this night was slim to none.
He ran, the burden of the girl negligible.
Tony ran beside him, managing to carry out the task without a hitch—perhaps a first.
As they passed where they'd warred, Joseph saw the ash and blood lifting in the wind as a light rain began to fall, cleansing the proof of their battle. One troubling thing remained: a single vampire lay undisturbed, covered in his werebrother's blood.
Joseph faltered, debating on whether or not to return and finish him. His experience whispered at the possibility that this one would be a problem in the future. Then he looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. He clutched her tighter. Better to fight the devil that you know rather than the one you do not.
He renewed his fast gait, smoothly leaving the city behind for the mountains beyond. They would address that worry if and when it came.
For now, the Rare One would become part of the pack.
The den would be balanced once again.
Joseph would have smiled as a human.
As a Were in his half-wolf form, he lifted his partial snout to the sky and howled a baleful note.
It resonated in the city as they left the buildings of concrete behind, the other Were a symphony in chorus with him.
They ran to the den—to freedom from their warden, the moon.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Underground Seattle
William's abused body struggled to heal even as he debriefed Gabriel and Claire. Their eyes and bodies were dread-filled.
But not as much as he was.
William was so full of self-recrimination he could hardly breathe. A thousand what-ifs swirled in his mind—not the least of which was the elaborate plan the Were had executed. The instant he had stood down and allowed fewer runners for the daily exercise, the Were had pounced.
As it was, when the runners had been sent to find the ones who hadn't returned, only William had been left. Four runners were dead. Only two of the Were had been killed.
They had woefully underestimated the cunning of the Were. They thought them without the intelligence for strategy.
They had been quite wrong. And now, because of assumptions, the Were had Julia.
William had needed the blood of three humans to help him recuperate. Even with that much, a gorge-worthy amount, William was still not at his peak.
Gabriel paced in front of him, wearing a frenetic path in the floor of William's chamber. "It does no good at this point to place blame. It is I who wished for Julia's exercise, for some semblance of normalcy."
Claire placed a hand on his shoulder, and he stopped. "None of us could have known this would occur," she said. She pleaded with him to see reason, to not blame himself.
Easier said than done.
"Julia knew," William said quietly. "She knew what was about. But she was so young in her ability, so new to trust..." He let that last trail off.
It was her newfound trust that cut deepest for William. They'd had a mere week of moving toward the end that he had envisioned all along. And now she faced a situation that was not ordered, but rather, unprotected and unfit. The Rare One would be treated without regard, her abilities and genetic makeup used as a tool to further the dogs.
Of course, she had originally seen the vampires in a similar light. Not that William blamed her—yet. He had never been forthright enough about his feelings for her. He had thought it too soon to regale her with his regard. He'd only hinted at it. Now he wished he had been more bold. He startled Gabriel and Claire as he punched one fist into his open palm in anger, sitting up from his hunched position in the seat of his room.
Nausea and dizziness swirled around him, but he hung on. He would not succumb. He would keep his focus on the rescue of the Singer.
Julia.
His future bride.
*
Julia
Julia woke up slowly, feeling as though she'd been run in the washing machine on the spin cycle.
Like, a hundred times.
She sat up, and her head spun and throbbing pain latched into her temples immediately.
Julia felt like hell, her mouth a sandpaper legacy with a chaser of dragon breath. God, yuk. She slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. She was so disoriented she forgot where she was for those few seconds, the pain of her head and acute thirst the distractions that called her attention.
That didn't last long.
The thing that greeted her as the memories of yesterday crashed into her consciousness like a train without a brake was a large pane of glass. A forest beyond stretched without end. Huge Western Red Cedars stretched as far as the eye could see, filling her vision, the sweep of their emerald-green branches caressing the ground with an unseen wind that lifted and moved them in a soundless dance.
Julia looked down at her body. The tracksuit was gone. Instead, she wore a camisole and pajama bottoms. In one of the most surreal moments of her life, she noticed that there were sparkly unicorns covering the material in the palest blue and silver.
Huh. She was being held by werewolves who had dressed her in unicorn pajamas.
A single tear escaped her eye and made a pathway down her face. The weirdness of her life was making her so claustrophobic she wanted to go back to sleep and never wake up.
A knock came at the door, and Julia ripped the sheet from the bed up to her chin, turning to face the door at the same time.
A girl came through the entrance, maybe about her age but oh, so different.
She wasn't human.
How did Julia know? It had to be those spinning golden eyes, their slow rotations screaming other—or otherworldly.
Julia just stared. It was rude, but at this point it didn't matter. She was tired. She ached so badly that she felt as if she'd been beaten. She waited quietly.
"Hey," the girl said.
Julia sat there, saying nothing.
The girl fumed and finally sighed. "Listen, I know my brother put the he-man moves on you. I tried to tell them it was the wrong way to do it." She flung up her hands and started pacing the room. "He's such a pain in the ass! Alpha this, Alpha that. Well, eff that." She spun on her heel and faced Julia.
Julia leaned away.
She waved her hand in front of Julia. "You don't need to worry about me." She plunged her hand against her chest earnestly.
Right, Julia thought, doing an internal eye roll. That's what all the supernaturals said. Not worrying had worked out so well in the past.
The girl shoved her hand out for Julia to shake. "My name's Adriana. I already know who you are, of course," she said rolling her eyes. Julia put a tentative hand out to shake, and Adriana pumped it vigorously.
"This is awesome. Finally, they will quit talking about battles, acquisitions, and all that happy horseshit. I'm so completely sick of all their chest-beating bullshit I could puke."
Julia did a slow blink, gradually taking back her hand.
She thought Cyn might have been reincarnated in Adriana. Or they were secret cousins or something.
She didn't think Adriana had a filter. No, Adriana didn't have any internal alarm that pinged when she'd said to much or was about to. And... Julia was certain that Cyn hadn't been a werewolf.
Julia ignored all the really important questions, and gulping, she asked, "Are these"—she lifted some of the loose pajama material in her hand and met Adriana's eyes, which were brown for the moment—"yours?"
Adriana nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. You were in some hot-ass jogging getup, so I thought you should be in something more comfortable after being nailed with the juice."
"The juice?"
"Yeah, that crap they stuck you with that makes you conk out." She looked at Julia, waiting for comprehension to dawn. Then she frowned and went on.
"Here's the deal. They pegged you with the mega-tranquilizers to get you away from the vamps, right?"
Julia nodded, slightly dazed at the force that was Adriana.
"So, now you've got a colossal headache, and you're so thirsty you could die, right?"
"Yes," Julia nodded, her thirst roaring back to life at the mention of it.
"You can borrow those as long as you want, and I've got water." From behind her back, she brought a water bottle. She gave it to Julia, who uncapped it and started to chug it down.
"Whoa, pony. No gulping. My brother'll have my ass if you start doing the psychedelic yawn all over the place."
Julia gave her wide eyes.
Adriana chuckled and began mimicking what must have been her brother. "I need you to be as disarming as possible, Adriana. Do not do your normal"—she mimed choking herself and went on in his presumed voice—"energetic behavior. The Rare One needs time to transition."
She whipped her palm around dismissively. "Blah, effing blah. You'll be fine, right?"
Was there another option?
Adriana stared at Julia, taking in her attire, the wild hair, God knew what else.
"Huh. Well, let's get you cleaned up. You look like ass."
But tell me how you really feel.
Julia followed Adriana as she pushed open the adjacent bathroom door. Definitely like Cyn.
*
Were
Lawrence, Tony, and Joseph were in a heated debate. As usual, Tony was the one questioning each decision.
"I took the Rare One down. She was escaping!" Tony said, his teeth bared in his human form, the wolf peeking out around the edges.
Well, goddamn—bring it, Joseph thought as the muscles of his neck and shoulders corded and bunched in response to the subtle posturing.
"Enough!" Lawrence roared. The Packmaster's face was etched with grim lines of fury
He glared at the Alpha and his first as minutes passed. The moment swelled awkwardly, a palpable pressure building until it was on the verge of bursting. The Packmaster broke it. "Save it for the ritual. That is the time to fight for the Rare One. Right now"—he swung his direct look to Joseph, tense with the fighting instinct—"your sister is with Julia Caldwell?"
Joseph gave a terse nod, thinking of all that could mean. His sister was... willful.
Tony grunted.
They looked at him, and he threw his muscular arms up in the air. "She is not the best at being welcoming. She is the most Alpha of all the females." He had a look on his face as though to say, Clearly, she is the least mild choice.
"But she is female. That is what the Singer needs—reassurances. Another female will bring her a measure of comfort," Lawrence said.
Joseph winced. He wasn't sure if Maggie wouldn't have been a better choice. Too late now. Adriana had roared in there like a flaming inferno, singeing everything in her path. He shook his head.
Lawrence shrugged, looking at the two men. "She will not intimidate. That is what the goal is here."
"She will still hold us responsible because of the dead Singer," Tony clarified.
Lawrence palmed his chin, thinking. "She may hold us to blame, even if our soldier had not attacked her mate. But much time has passed. Perhaps her love for him fades." He shrugged. "It does not matter. She is here now, she has not been claimed by the vampire."
Tony and Joseph exhaled sighs of relief. That would have been an unbreakable bond, her relationship with a vampire negating her abilities to assist them. It had been a near thing. The entire pack knew it.
Lawrence looked from one to the other of them. "She has one month. Even now I smell her readiness—her becoming."
They nodded. Her presence was at once exciting and unbearable. Lawrence didn't know what it had been like for the blood drinkers, but she was a heady thing amongst the pack.
"Yes, Packmaster," Joseph said, and Tony chorused the goodbye simultaneously.
They walked away together, their shoulders touching. Soon, it would be fists in the ring, a fight between them and others bringing the den closer to the reality of a moonless tide.
A lone howl broke the stillness of the woods where the den thrived. Joseph and Tony gave a wary look in the direction of the call. Then they turned away, neither commenting on the sound or its origin. It was the call of the feral.
*
William
A handful of days had gone by, and William felt himself again, sparring with some of the other runners. The ones lost in the battle with the Were created a void in the ranks that would not be easily filled. Especially Pierce. He had been a true warrior, responsible for the deaths of two during the siege that ripped Julia from their hands.
William lunged forward, his hands meeting in a destructive vee aimed at the vampire runner who grappled with him. He was met with impervious resistance as their arms collided like flesh-encased steel, the smack of the hit resounding in the acoustics of the underground space. The brick and mortar of the cavernous accommodations echoed hollowly.
Vampires normally took one breath to a human's four, but that was not the case when fighting. Both runners' actions and speed created a blur of muted color as they swung at each other underneath the ambient glow of the skylights that acted as a fractured ceiling of light. The humans that walked the surface lived unaware of the predators that fought below.
"Again!" William shouted as the runner tried to beg off another round. William lost his temper, grabbing his comrade around the throat and jerking him against him, his fists like clamps of unbreakable titanium, buried in the folds of the shirt he wore, tearing it as he pulled.
Suddenly, Gabriel was there, and William straightened. He turned to the runner. "Go."
The runner left.
Gabriel looked at William, whose chest was heaving, his fists clenched like battle-ready hammers. "Enough. Beating your fellow runners into the ground will not return her to you." He began pacing, the shadowed feet of the humans above them throwing speckles of darkness over his face as he moved.
*
Gabriel stared at William, half in shadow. He glanced upward at the skylight where the humans walked all day, and sighed. He knew what the loss of Julia meant to the kiss. He could not imagine what the loss meant when love was twisted inside it.
"I understand the loss of Julia may be more—"
"You do not," William said in a hiss, his hand planted on his hips, his breathing finally settling into the normal rhythms of his kind. "You cannot. I waited for her. I was patient," he seethed. "And now this!" William threw up his hand. "She is with the dogs now. Being subjected to..." William's expression was thunder contained.
Gabriel strode to William until their chests almost touched. "We will reclaim her."
"When?" William asked, his brows falling heavily over his eyes.
"Before the moon comes full again."
They both understood the significance of the moon's cycle.
The dogs would try for her, the ritual coming full circle. There would be no choice for Julia in their world. The Alpha—whichever wolf killed the other—would be her mate. It was their way.
Uncivilized mongrels.
*
The Feral
The meat appeared again like clockwork, his tortured mind dismissing its grief for the greater need of sustenance. He leaped forward just as the arm retracted through the hole—the only source of light and air in the place where they kept him.
He growled low in his throat. Talons leapt free of his fingertips, and he plunged them into the prey that squirmed on the end of the knife-like tips, which were as sharp as finely honed razors. He cut its throat with his dominant left hand and caught the lifeblood as it sprayed from the death slice. When the creature's life hung from a string, he sliced the body open, neck to crotch. The steaming entrails became his next feast.
He fed.
Satisfied, he flung the corpse in the pile in the corner of the metal room.
The food settled and began to work its magic on his body, his senses springing to life, his sense of smell the most keen of all.
A dim memory was upon him, and he felt compelled to move. He did, as dropping to the ground, he reversed his wolf into his human form again. His hands bit the ground, and he allowed his body to assume a plank-like position. He raised and lowered himself until he lost count, and the rivulets of sweat ran off his face and pooled beneath him.
*
When the female returned to collect his dead meals, their eyes met, and she looked away. He was above her. Even he understood that. She was behind a partition that was made of a clear substance.
His mind knew from somewhere before that it was called acrylic. It was two feet thick. Even he couldn't overcome its strength.
He was very strong now. He smelled the fear on the female through the holes that were drilled like Swiss cheese in the clear wall.
When he lifted his nose to scent her, he caught another scent, very faint.
It caused the wolf that rippled underneath his human flesh to roar to the surface in a grinding purge that blew his body apart, skin and tendons tearing in a sickeningly painful mesh of wolf and human flesh.
His half form emerged, seven feet tall and covered with a deep wine-colored coat of fur. In the light of day, it would have looked like the sun had set on his back.
He howled. The scent of the female was one he knew.
He despaired.
He rushed the partition, his talons scraping the acrylic where deep grooves appeared like quartz scars on its surface.
The female backed away. Soon, she would run outside the door and close the bolt that barred entry—and escape.
The werewolf howled and bayed until his voice box no longer cooperated.
The female covered her ears and ran away, hot tears beating a burning trail down a face that held but one expression: shame.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Julia undressed and stepped into the shower, the hot spray hitting her body, the aches lessened but the headache remaining.
There was absolutely no peace as Adriana kept talking while she bathed. Thank God for opaque glass.
"You're probably wondering why I can't be somewhere else while you're de-scuzzing."
Actually, Julia totally was wondering that.
"Gotta keep an eye on you. The boys are all frothing at the mouth about you escaping. Like that's even remotely possible. Duh." Julia could feel Adriana rolling her eyes.
Julia rinsed her hair and body, eyeing the razor. She'd have loved to do a full groom. Now wasn't the time, though. How could she even give a crap about shaving when a pack of werewolves were sniffing around? Julia guessed that she was getting used to her strange life.
It made her want to cry again.
Just as she thought she might lose it, a skinny arm stuck a towel through the shower curtain.
"For your hair," Adriana said.
Hmmm. Julia wrapped her head in the towel and stepped out, naked.
Adriana tossed a second towel into her hand, walked to the vanity, and busied herself with getting the necessities out: toothbrush, paste, floss, comb.
Julia patted dry and wrapped herself in a towel that had been washed with the same detergent Aunt Lily used. She bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying again, the taste of copper filling her mouth.
She widened her eyes to keep the tears from falling.
Adriana turned with a grin. It dropped like a sack of stones when she saw Julia's expression. "You're not gonna start bawling or something? Like, right now? Because I'm not equipped for female sniveling."
That stopped Julia's tears and made her grin despite herself.
"Good. You had me worried."
Julia said, "You don't seem very..."
"Werewolfy?" Adriana asked with a sarcastic lilt to her voice.
Julia nodded. "Yeah, that."
"Well, what did you expect anyway? All shaggy mutts howling at the moon or some shit like that?" Her hand held her hip and eyebrows rose to her hairline. She was ready to fight.
She is hell on wheels. "I didn't know. I just woke up." She shrugged. It was impossible to explain.
Adriana smiled. "It's okay. You'll get used to me. It's the boys you'll have to keep an eye on. You're like their bitch in heat."
So subtle, too. Hell.
Adriana saw her expression. "Nah, it's not that bad. Can't you feel her?"
"Feel who?"
"The moon, silly. She's not full. You're safe till then." Her eyes became warm, the brown fading to a molten chocolate, and Julia saw the wolf underneath her human flesh.
It was disconcerting as hell.
Julia knew she shouldn't ask. She did anyway. "Ah, what happens then?"
"Nothing special. My brother and a bunch of other wolves will fight to the death to mate with you."
Julia's hand flung out and grabbed the vanity to steady her sudden vertigo. The other hand clamped onto the knotted towel at her breast.
"Are you okay?"
No. I am definitely not okay. She started a slow stagger that led to falling.
The wisp of a werewolf caught her and looked down on her with a flicker of compassion. Just as Julia was sucked into unconsciousness, she heard Adriana say, "We're gonna have to toughen you up."
Julia's eyes fluttered closed, and she slept dreamlessly and deep.
*
Were
They looked down at Julia as she slept. New jammie bottoms had replaced the others, which were dirty.
"How'd she do?" Joseph asked his sister, resisting the urge to tuck her dark-blonde hair behind her ear the way he'd done when she was a whelpling.
She wouldn't appreciate it. He smiled at his reflection.
Adriana looked up at him and scowled. "Obviously, great! She fainted when I glossed over the mating ritual."
"Glossed over?" Tony asked.
She waved her hand around. "I just mentioned, y'know, you guys were gonna fight to the death over her and she'd be with one of ya. No. Big. Deal." Adriana put her hands on her hips, daring them to contradict her logic.
Tony's mouth opened and closed and Joseph put his a palm on his forehead and scrubbed his face.
"What?" she all but shrieked.
Julia turned, moaning in her sleep.
"See! She's gonna be fine. Better to have radical honesty, guys. You should try it sometime. Works like a charm with the chicks."
"Yeah, I see that!" Tony said, clearly pissed.
Joseph knew it had been a mistake to have his sister be the first one who greeted the Rare One.
*
Julia opened her eyes and saw two men standing over her bed. She scuttled into the corner where the wall met one side of the headboard. She clutched the sheet and hoped for some handy telekinesis. And why the hell hadn't that come when she needed it last night as the tranquilizer darts flew? She winced where she'd bitten the inside of her cheek to keep from crying.
No worry over tears right anymore. She was pissed instead.
"Who are you?" Julia ground out, her voice hoarse, her body tensed.
Adriana grinned. "See? She's just fine. You jackasses got off on the wrong footing, and now you're gonna have to romance her," Adriana finished, supremely satisfied with herself.
Julia and the two werewolves glared at Adriana from separate corners.
"Fine!" she fumed. "You guys can figure it out on your own. Good luck with that!" Adriana took a look at Julia, shook her head, and marched out the door, slamming it off its hinges on the way out.
The one who seemed to be in charge, who looked a little like Adriana, cringed when the wood slapped together with a resounding thwack.
"That, ah..." he began.
"Nice family," Julia said.
The larger werewolf laughed. Julia looked at him, and his smile faded.
She was acutely aware of being in a bedroom, wearing nothing but a cami and jammie bottoms, with two men she knew to be werewolves. She pulled the sheet up higher, clutching it underneath her chin.
The first man—probably Adriana's brother—watched when she moved into the corner defensively. He seemed distressed about it.
"Julia," he started and then abruptly stopped. "Let's get some food."
"Yeah, okay. Just as soon as you gents get out of this room and let me get dressed." Her eyes searched theirs, the one that hadn't said much giving her pause. He was a big guy even without being a werewolf. Julia was guessing he had a foot and over a hundred pounds on her. There was something in his eyes—the predator never really left them, she decided. She was going to keep him—all of them—in her sights, for sure.
They left the room, and Julia ran over to the door and slid the bolt to lock it. Like that's going to be any help. She took her hand away. It had a slight tremor.
Julia spied some clothes on a lone chair in the corner and pulled the drape as she passed in front of the window, shutting the forest from sight.
Her head snapped up a few seconds later when a plaintive howl sounded.
It pierced her gut. There was something so sad about it. Tears actually flooded her eyes at the mournful call.
What was wrong with her? She shook it off with difficulty.
Julia dressed. She moved toward the door and put the flat of her palm against the wood, calming her wildly beating heart. She pressed her forehead to the wood for a moment, closing her eyes tight, her mind touching on William and just as quickly shoving the thought away.
He couldn't help her now.
She slid the bolt back, opened the door, and walked out of the sanctuary into the unknown.
*
He knew the routine and would bide his time. They assumed that he was crazy. They were right. But he was also determined. He had something worth escaping for. He now knew so much more than he had, the memories of others a part of the fabric of who he was now, centuries of genetic thought processes and experiences crowding his skull.
They kept him in this holding cell to study him. They fed him, allowed him to kill, and forced him to exercise and maintain a standard of hygiene.
Not that he cared.
He had died that night.
Now he waited to be reborn.
The feral watched the lock turn, and three of his kind came inside. They came in greater numbers than before, since he had taken the head of one of them.
"Time for your bath, feral," the larger of the three said without compassion.
That would be the first of them he would kill, he thought with satisfaction. His patience had become its own force to be reckoned with. Soon, they would taste it. He repressed a low growl, some of it escaping like a breeze in the quiet room.
*
Joseph looked at the feral warily, his eyes flicking to Tony's. "It's not helpful to call him ʻferal,' and you know it. He can't help what he is any more than you can. Now, let's herd him in there and get it over with. And be careful." Joseph eyed the wolf in front of them. While big in human form, he was huge as a wolf and was one of the rare reds. It was a shame that he couldn't be part of the pack. But he'd been turned, not born. That branded him other in the pack's eyes. He had all the benefits of the Were but without the protection of the den at his back. He was an anomaly—and feral. His mind was nearly gone.
Who could blame him?
Tony snorted a laugh. "He is not Alpha to me!" He rolled his big shoulders in a muscular shrug of irritation that would have been impressive, but next to the huge red wolf, it just wasn't.
"Are you sure?"
Tony looked at the rare red Were that stood in front of him, spinning emerald eyes laying an unspoken challenge at his feet. He thought he was Alpha enough, those eyes said. Tony flicked a glance at his Alpha. He wasn't sure, but he sure wanted to test the theory—sooner rather than later.
Instead, Tony threw a palm out at the large walk-in shower meant to accommodate all things not human.
The feral allowed his shape to melt into human form again with so seamless a transition that Joseph sighed.
He and Tony looked at the feral with envy.
The moon did not rule his Change—only theirs.
*
Julia
Julia let her legs swing back and forth as she pushed scrambled eggs around on a plate with big blue flowers on it. The cook, or mom-of-everyone, started to chatter again but Julia was only half-listening.
"Eat up now, hun. Keep your strength up!" She busied herself, wiping her practical hands—toughened by a thousand meals cooked and ten thousand dishes cleaned—off on her apron. She plopped her elbows on the breakfast bar opposite Julia. "Dontcha like what I made you?"
Julia did like the food, but her appetite wasn't top-notch—not by a long shot. Let's recap, Julia thought. Husband killed almost two years ago. Best friend gone. Taken by crazy vampires because I'm some kind of genetic prodigy. Check. Then kidnapped by crazier werewolves.
Please eat and exchange pleasantries.
Riggghhht.
She was so into that.
Not.
But she made small talk anyway. "I do... like it. I'm just a little tired after the whole getting kidnapped thing. That'll make hunger..." She trailed off, and Maggie picked up the thread of her thoughts easily. "Unimportant?"
Julia quirked her eyebrows.
Maggie smiled.
"Oh, right. Yeah, I guess." Julia forced another bite in her mouth, everything tasting the same.
Adriana stalked in and grabbed a couple of grapes from a fruit bowl, popping them inside her mouth. Chewing vigorously, she said, "Hey Maggie, what's for breakfast?"
Maggie slapped her hand as she went for more fruit. "Good for you, but you need some protein in your craw. You know the routine."
Adriana glared at Maggie and she glared right back.
Interesting dynamics with the werewolves, Julia thought, remembering how civilized everything was with the vampires. With the Were, everyone was passionate, yelling, and boisterous, hitting each other... different.
Julia thought about it more. She had almost forgotten the bloodletting episode with the vampires.
That hadn't been civilized. She repressed a shudder. Julia watched the girl and the older woman circle each other warily, and she resisted the urge to push away from the bar and get out of the way.
"Sit your rear end down and stuff some breakfast down your pipe before the men come. They'll clean everything out, you know."
Adriana parked her butt next to Julia's, sullen. "Okay."
"Humph!" Maggie said, ladling a plate with twice as much as she'd given Julia and sliding it across to Adriana.
She dug in with gusto. When half the plate of food was put away, Adriana caught Julia staring.
"What?" she asked, shoveling in more food.
"It's just... so much food..." Julia began, looking at her own barely eaten breakfast.
She shrugged a slender shoulder. "Gotta fuel up. Eat more as the moon waxes."
Julia cocked a brow.
"You know—" slurp, gulp, "—getting bigger?" She looked at Julia as if she were mildly retarded.
"I understand what a waxing moon means," Julia said, insulted despite herself.
"Well, thank God. I was starting to really worry about you!" she said, giving Maggie a significant look. Maggie nodded back.
What? She wondered if they thought she was dumb or something. Julia frowned as the two werewolves from before came into the kitchen.
Julia did get up then. She backed up against the wall closest to the door she had used to enter the kitchen.
Their eyes flicked to hers, and she did not miss the subtle flare of their nostrils.
That was a creepiness factor of about one thousand.
They were scenting her.
Her eyes met Adriana's, and she smirked then added, as if Julia needed clarity, "Bitch in heat, baby, bitch in heat."
Nice. Julia flattened herself even harder against the wall.
Adriana's brother glared, and Adriana blithely ignored him, gulping some more orange juice and stabbing a sausage that was impaled on the tines of her fork.
While the one werewolf smoldered at Adriana, the other stared at Julia, his eyes boring into hers.
She shifted uncomfortably underneath that gaze.
His eyes weren't right.
*
Tony watched the Rare One with barely contained ownership. She'd have to bow to him. He would be Alpha to her. He didn't care what Lawrence said. Maybe he was Alpha enough to take him, but the Packmaster didn't get to play in the sandbox. Tony's lips curled in a predatory smile. The bitch Rare One would free him of his status in the pack. He would be able to change at will, the moon nothing to him. No pull, no more domination. He could taste the freedom that she'd provide. And all that bullshit about honoring Singers? That was for the old ways.
It was going to be his way.
Tony looked at her again and saw that she interpreted some of what he was thinking from the expression in his eyes. He hooded his gaze and looked away. Better not to let her in on my plan. As it was, Joseph was Alpha enough to understand what he wanted.
Tony hated looking away from her first. He didn't want to give her the impression that her gaze was dominant to his.
After all, she was a weak female. She was of rare blood, but female nonetheless.
*
Julia backed farther against the wall. The look the big Were gave her scared her. She saw Adriana catch the glance between the two and shoot her arm out in a sucker punch that landed expertly in Tony's solar plexus.
He issued a satisfying grunt that caused his gaze to swing away in anger toward Adriana.
*
Tony felt the swing a moment too late, his gut unprepared. That bitch Adriana swung at him and landed a nice one in his breadbasket, stealing most of his breath.
Embarrassment washed over him instantly, and before he knew what he was doing, he was after her—with his Alpha, who was also her brother, in the room.
Tony saw red. A lesser wolf and a female had humiliated him in front of a potential mate of the most important order.
Tony would crush her.
*
Julia responded without thinking, watching the wolf's huge hand ball into a fist as it rose above the mouthy Adriana.
The power that was not harnessed correctly—without finesse, without will—came to the surface in a surge of brilliance, bursting inside her in a flash of interior light. Without thinking, Julia directed it at the large wolf. He spun where he stood, as though an invisible wood plank had been leveled at his raised fist, and swung hard, making brutal contact.
He staggered against the breakfast bar and away from Adriana, his back slamming into the fridge, a storm of magnets clattering to the floor like hail.
His eyes snapped up and met Julia's. She knew the remnants of what she'd done stood in the room between them. Hell, even she could feel an almost static energy zooming and ricocheting around them, pinging off the walls.
"Holy shit! That rocked! You clocked Tony's ass!" Adriana said, jumping up and raising her fist into the air triumphantly.
Adriana's brother was on Julia before she could move, sweeping her behind him as Tony fell in the spot where she'd been standing.
Julia screamed, held against one Were while the other's jaws snapped around him to get at her.
She saw Tony's face between the sliver of the other one's arm and the wall that he stood against.
Tony had changed, the eyes luminescent and golden in a face that had elongated into a snout with silver fur and many teeth.
He was like a crocodile—one that didn't crawl on the ground and was nearly seven feet tall.
"She's shown defiance!" Tony roared, drool and spittle flying out of a mouth filled with teeth the size of her pinky finger.
Adriana yipped behind him, and he whirled on her. She was pathetically small compared to Tony, all white with silver-tipped fur, her eyes an unnerving glacial color, gold blazing through them like lightning.
"Adriana, no!" The other wolf went for his sister in protection even as he left Julia there in the doorway threshold—vulnerable and unprotected with a half Were's anger directed at her.
*
Tony turned and saw his opportunity to subdue this female—now, before she embraced ideas of superiority. Her fragility was attractive. He would not crush her, but she would feel the sting of his superiority.
Oh, yes.
He sprung from clawed feet that missed purchase on the tile floor of the kitchen, and as he slipped, he regained his balance at the last moment and leaped for her.
*
Julia saw that muzzle coming for her and couldn't get whatever telekinetic power she possessed to work. It was as though she was out of gas. She turned and ran.
The wolf's hot breath on her neck, her fear tightened her bladder and made the food she'd just eaten rise in a tide of gorge.
*
He paced the cage they kept him in, and when his acute hearing detected raised shouts, he allowed his nose and facial alignments to shift to wolf. Only those. That was all he needed to gain an answer for what was happening outside the confines of this place.
His nose became a snout, and many layers of scent came to him instantly. He pressed his new wolf snout against one of the many holes in the wall, and fear touched him.
Female fear.
He knew the flavor of it.
He knew who was frightened.
The wolf burst out of his human form, the force of his change spraying what he had been moments before around the room in a splattering gunk of flesh and bone. The blood mixed with the liquid that had facilitated the change landed against the clear wall and slipped down to pool at the ground.
He howled a warning of such rage and power that the birds roosted in the trees in midday, avoiding whatever had made that sound by seeking refuge at the highest point of the forest.
*
Julia heard a howl of rage that made her steps falter just as clawed hands that were now half paws as big as her head wrapped her upper arms and jerked her back against a body that emanated an impossible heat. It blazed against her back as she struggled to get away.
Then the other Were stood in front of her.
Joseph, the brother of Adriana, she thought with random wildness.
"Let her go!" Joseph growled out.
*
The need to mark the Rare One pounded a steady beat in Tony's head. He could hear nothing else. He knew the Alpha had spoken, but the fragrance of the Singer had sunk its talons into his soul, and the call of the wolf was on him. He couldn't shake it and began to tremble with his needs.
They were many.
He opened his jaws wide to take her throat into his mouth. She must submit.
The pain was immediate. He felt something strike him in the back of his head, and his hands loosened on the Singer. Tony tried to take her to the ground with him, but as he fell sideways in slow motion, the Alpha grabbed her and pressed her against himself.
*
Adriana held the cast iron skillet in delicate hands that were half-wolf. With grace, Adriana had skipped up behind the werewolf twice her size, swung the pan above him as she jumped vertically, and landed the skillet soundly on the crown of his head.
Tony began to slip, his hold coming away from the Rare One's arms, and Joseph grabbed her when she would have fallen with Tony to the floor.
He pressed Julia to his chest and murmured the things people said to soothe when there wasn't a hope of it.
*
Julia met Adriana's wide eyes and thought maybe she'd bitten off more than she could chew.
Hardy-har-har. She pressed her eyes shut, smelling the male aroma of the wolf:; pine, earth, and the faint smell of cinnamon.
But it was the haunting shout of another wolf that echoed in her mind, the sound of it still following her thoughts. Somehow, he had interfered with Tony hurting her.
It had sounded so sure—like a warning.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Adriana pointed to a semi-conscious Tony. "Bull's-eye!"
Julia looked at her, amazed, and Adriana laughed. "He gets kinda enthusiastic and needs a slow down."
Yeah, a cast iron skillet would do it.
Joseph slowly released Julia and turned her to face him. She was immediately struck by his eyes, which were an impossible hazel, at once gold, green, and a rich root-beer brown. Rainbow eyes.
She realized she'd been staring and cast her eyes down. Joseph chuckled. "You're not afraid of me?"
Julia shook her head. Oh yeah, she was afraid. But given that he'd just rescued her from enthusiastic Tony, she guessed he was okay.
He looked at his sister, his hands leaving Julia's arms with a caress, and she shivered, as though a goose just walked over her grave. It was a creepy sensation but also like an itch on her back that had just been scratched. Totally weird.
"That'll be a hell of a thing to smooth over, Adi," he said, exasperated. Tony was writhing around on the floor. Joseph watched him and scrubbed his face again.
Julia had an idea he did a lot of that when it came to his sister.
Adriana smiled at him. "He was outta control, and your ass was too slow so... Adriana to the rescue!" she shouted to the rooftops.
Julia stood awkwardly between them in the kitchen, a werewolf at her feet, one beside her, and a possible female ally.
Funny how life works.
*
One Week Later
Moonlight streamed through the skylights, shattered pieces like broken glass on the cobblestone floor of the underground of the Seattle kiss. William looked at the pass-through, which led into one of the long halls, the bricked archway perfectly framing Gabriel.
He had an abiding scowl planted on his face—for good reason. William was busy packing and readying himself to reacquire Julia. It was but one week from the full moon. They were not yet ready for acquisition, but each moment they drew closer to the moon's fullness, their enemy grew stronger—and on their territory, no less.
No, the time was now. He and Gabriel had argued. But as the leading runner, William had pull, and his thoughts held weight.
And as Julia's potential mate, he had even more pull. Claire had sided with him as well.
Gabriel pushed away from the brick and walked over to where William stood, shouldering a small backpack. "You do this at your own peril. You realize how closely guarded she will be?"
William nodded. "I do. Even now, kept by the mongrels, day by day they grow closer to their heathen ceremony. No"—he shook his head at the multiple visions that greeted him—"she will not have that end. Not Julia."
Not his Julia.
*
Julia
Julia was in her room again at the Were compound. That was how she saw it. Her routine was the same every day, and it reminded her eerily of the vampire. Except for William. She found she missed him. At first, he'd been nothing but a captor. But he became someone she had grown to care about and to have an easy friendship with. She was acutely aware that she'd grown to depend on his protection. She had not felt that sense of security since Jason.
Her chest got tight, and Julia took deep breaths. Her capture and his death were combined in a memory of unbearable agony.
One bright spot was Adriana. Julia liked Adi, so she called her by her nickname. She remembered the conversation exactly.
*
"You can call me Adi too, y'know," she'd said, putting some clothes away in the drawer, her eyes doing a peripheral check of Julia's reaction.
"Okay, thanks."
"Do you... do you always go by Julia?" Adi had asked.
Julia looked down, feeling sad. Finally, she shook her head. "No. I had a friend..."
Julia covered her mouth with her cupped hand for a moment, and Adi broke the sadness with, "No waterworks, just tell me your nickname."
Her whiskey-colored eyes met Adi's brown ones. "Jules. That's what my friends called me."
"Tell me about them."
It was the first time someone had actually given a crap about Jason, Cyn and Kev.
She told Adi all of it. How cool they'd been, how much she missed them, how she and Jason had gotten married in the Gnome Chapel. That brought an instant smile.
"Really? That's a no-shitter." Adi had thought for a moment, her chin planted in her palm. Then she brightened. "At least it wasn't in that creepy Elvis Chapel." She grimaced and Julia laughed until her sides hurt and tears were streaming down her face.
Adi looked at her with curiosity, her palms spread at her sides. "What the hell, Jules? Doesn't everyone think there's something alarming about a dude in white polyester and tassels? And the man tits? Ugh!" She hissed in emphasis.
That made Julia laugh harder. When she had some semblance of restraint, she held up a finger and replied, "That was my only requirement." She wiped the tears.
"What?" Adi asked, confused.
"I didn't want to get married at that damn chapel with The King in attendance."
"King my ass," Adi muttered.
"Cyn didn't like him either."
"Was she pretty cool?"
Julia nodded, their gazes locking. "She was the best," she replied wistfully.
*
Homer
Truman slapped the file against his thigh as an officer approached him. "Detective Truman!"
He shifted his weight in the large chair that swiveled behind his desk.
"Yeah?" Karl Truman asked, looking at the disheveled beat cop. The name on his tag read, Daugherty.
Truman had sent him on a last-ditch wild goose chase. The seasons were changing, and after almost two years, the weather was finally cooperating for his purposes. Truman had thought of something that had been missed when the Caldwell scene was canvassed two years ago. Well, almost two years.
Those trees.
The trees stood on either side of the rugged path that led down to the beach. He'd seen them a thousand times, but the dream he'd received last night had been a revelation, the break he hadn't been able to get from returning to the scene of the Caldwell murder a hundred times.
Daugherty jerked up the evidence bag like a prize won at the carnival. It was clear, inside it were three or four long hairs.
Truman didn't know it then but they weren't left by a bear.
They weren't human.
That dandy little footnote would be inscribed later.
The first real smile of the day broke over Truman's weathered face and the beat cop smiled in return, relieved beyond words that his boss wasn't gonna chew his ass.
Today.
They beamed at each other, and Karl reached for the bag, its precious cargo so light but oh, so heavy.
*
Three Months Prior
The talons stroked Cynthia's throat, and she shuddered. She'd been asleep in her bed on the day that the cop—Turner, Tucker, whatever his name was—had come by to visit her and ask questions again about Jason's murder. And Jules's disappearance.
Her answers were always the same. The visits from the creatures were always the same.
The day after Jules had been taken, they'd come inside her bedroom window and silenced her immediately.
They said things—terrible things. But she believed them when they told her if she said anything about what really happened, she would get the same fate as her boyfriend.
Now this one came again.
Cynthia didn't care what it said. She thought it liked causing her pain and fear.
Her only consolation was that if they had Julia—really had her—they wouldn't be so worried about discovery.
Cynthia wasn't the same girl she'd been before. She didn't care about fashion or fun. She wanted to escape from Homer and move somewhere new.
Somewhere they couldn't find her.
As she lay pinned on her bed by the creature that ground out its demands, its filthy half paw wrapped around her throat, its fetid breath encasing her in rot, it instructed her on what to say.
"Keep to the story. Repeat what it is," it growled at her. At least it was only the one this time.
"I... it was a bear attack." Her eyes flicked to the beast, whose eyes were golden and spinning in an immense head with fur the color of the sea on a stormy day. "That's why there was so m-much... bl-blood," Cynthia said, her voice trembling from the memory of the blood, the carnage, and her boyfriend's decapitated body, paces from where she lay.
He squeezed her throat and the breath wheezed out of it. "And...?" the werewolf that held her on the bed asked, giving her a teeth-rattling shake.
He released the pressure so she could utter the final lie. "I passed out from the shock. I never saw what happened," Cynthia recited mechanically.
It smiled a grin filled with teeth meant to maim, tear, and kill. It suddenly released his grip, and her hand went to her throat automatically. The tears fell in rivulets, dampening her pillow.
Cynthia had seen everything that happened—all of it.
She didn't like slasher flicks anymore.
She knew horror was real.
Cynthia watched the Were leave through the window as it had before.
She made a promise to herself in that moment. She'd move to where they couldn't find her, somewhere different, anonymous, big.
Like Seattle.
Perfect.
She'd forget what had happened in a fresh environment, Cynthia told herself.
She studied her meager belongings in her studio apartment. She rose from her bed and began to pack at three o'clock in the morning, long past the witching hour.
*
Julia
Adi and Julia ran.
They had no privacy of course, but they ran anyway. It felt so like the exercise Julia had taken with William and the other runners. But the Were could keep up in their human form.
Julia hated having Tony at her back because she knew, deep down, that he really didn't have her back. William had been open about his intentions, about the history, and the Book of Blood.
The Were had been covert, not that it helped—Adi told Julia everything she wanted to know and things she didn't. She was a treasure. If Julia had met her in other circumstances, they could have been friends.
But even now, Julia planned her escape.
She ran on a dirt path, made wide by use, the dappled shade from the trees making the ground look like a puzzle of light. Julia felt the heat of the sun even through the trees and thought about how different it was from Alaska. There was a distance in that part of the world as if the sun held its rays back, stingy with its warmth. Here in Washington, the kiss of its heat was all around them, and she reveled in it.
She'd miss it.
Julia didn't care if she was important. She wanted freedom. She'd stayed awake these past few nights thinking about that one one-hundredth of a percent of Rare Ones who breathed the air on this earth. Why couldn't she belong to them?
Why couldn't she belong to herself—free to choose her own path, her own destiny? There was no one to give her any council. They all wanted a piece of her blood—a song that rivaled all others, a genetic match of perfection to balance their needs.
They had no regard for her needs.
They drove up the last hill, their legs pumping furiously, Adi barely breathing as she whispered to Julia, "You know that swine Tony?"
Julia huffed, her legs grinding up the incline. "Yeah?"
"He put me in the dog house and now I'm off babysitting your precious ass," she said, sprinting ahead.
Oh shit.
Julia poured on the speed and caught up, running alongside her. "What do you mean? He scares me," she said quietly, mindful of the ears pricked behind them.
"He's made me give a squirt of pee on occasion," Adi said dryly. "But not without payback, if you feel me." She gave a smug smile, and Julia nodded. She felt her. She'd only been a couple of weeks in the den, but already, she wondered why Adi wasn't in charge. She sure thought she was, but Adi hadn't gotten the memo.
But in reality, Julia had grudging respect for Joseph. He was stern and gentle and supervised the pack with great fairness. The Packmaster... he was a different story. Julia hadn't liked him much better than Tony. Julia remembered their brief meeting.
*
Lawrence had circled the Rare One and was surprised at her. Hardly more than a girl, she had looked no different than any other female.
But for her smell, she could have been any college-aged student, roaming around.
But her smell was like the most rare perfume, small in quantity and potently lethal.
Agitating. Julia Caldwell drove under his skin and stayed there. The moon as his witness, he would be most glad when the Ritual of Luna and the mating were finished. He would lose one of his wolves and gain a legend. Freedom was within their grasp. Having a Rare One would solidify their leadership in the Pacific Northwest region forever.
A self-satisfied smile had curled his lips as he met Julia.
He saw that she regarded him with distrust. No matter—hers had been an easy life.
*
Julia had watched him assume everything about her in a glance and knew that he might be Packmaster, but to her, he was presumptuous, as well as just plain wrong. She had a trick or two up her sleeve. They thought her awakening powers were not fully formed. They assumed that when she'd heaved Tony against the fridge, she had been too much of a novice to do anything further to defend herself.
They were wrong. Julia was executing the equivalent of push-ups when she was alone in her room, levitating herself and all that was in her space.
She'd become quite good at it and had developed finesse, pushing herself for control in the short time she'd been there.
Claire would have been proud. Julia gulped against the lump that formed in her throat.
She glanced at Adi, who nodded back. Time to turn around. They turned where a great log had fallen, its form caved in with a secondary seedling growing out of the decomposition. Julia looked beyond it, into the deeper woods.
It was there that her escape lay.
As Julia and Adi ran, the werewolves fell in beside them, and Julia could feel the emotions around her. There was no way to block it out. She could not gain one ability without others showing up.
She had never wished for anything more in her whole life: another one like her.
A Blood Singer.
*
Four Days
He heard them as they came back from exercise and pressed his snout against the acrylic partition, which was made of a vile material that smelled like rotting plastic to his most sensitive organ. He smelled the female of his kind that fed him and the other.
He would know her fragrance anywhere. But it had changed. Something about that familiar scent was altered.
It didn't matter. Soon enough, when the moon was ripe and full, he would escape this place. He mourned what would be done to see it through.
But in the end, it would be worth it.
*
One Day
Adriana slipped into the kennel where the feral was kept and instantly felt the guilt grip her.
She hated seeing him.
He was the most beautiful of the Were she'd ever seen, with a coat so deep a red it was like wine, eyes so green they shimmered like emeralds. In fact, Adi didn't think there were jewels that looked as good as his eyes. But she'd been there the day he'd knocked off the head of her whelpmate.
He was dangerous—and crazier than a June bug, as her grandpa would say.
She had extra feral duty because she'd walloped that shitwad Tony in the head with the pan. No thanks that I saved the precious Rare One from a mauling. Oh, no. It's, "Adriana, Tony is superior. You need to show deference..." Blah, effing blah. Deference, my ass. Tony was a pain in all their butts. She figured she'd done everyone a favor. He had a very small brain, and after she'd thwacked his head, she hoped that maybe the swelling would enlarge it enough so he'd think.
Nah. Fat damn chance of that. He was back to asshat status as soon as he woke up.
The dick. Why he was even in line for the Ritual was beyond her. None of the men could see his cruelty. He wasn't good with the whelplings. He had to remind them constantly that he was dominant. Yeah? So what? They knew that. They didn't need their asses handed to them day in and day out.
Adi fumed inside the kennel, which was really a huge outbuilding. Her eyes went at once to the feral. He was in human form and she thought that unusual. He could partially change at will and didn't need the moon. However, he was invincible when it was full. Nobody entered then, unless there were three or more of them.
They'd learned that the hard way.
Adi felt guilty that he didn't get food or water one day a month. Actually, she didn't agree with keeping him like a zoo animal. Just because he was turned didn't mean that he was inferior to them.
*
He watched her approach him warily, very small for a female of his kind but wily, yes... very clever.
*
In his human form he stood six foot two with athletic build and sandy-blond hair. But the eyes were not green. She didn't know why they were not gold during the Change like everyone else's.
The Packmaster didn't know why he was a red. There were so few.
Adi had a speculation about it. The Alphas weren't keen on listening. Her brother would though. She would tell him tonight.
Adi looked behind her for a moment, thinking of Julia. What if...? No, it was too weird for words. It was impossible.
Sacrilegious.
She went forward with the food. It squirmed and whimpered in her clasp, its fate etched in its eyes.
*
He began to salivate before she pushed it through the slot with her wrist and part of her forearm vulnerable to injury.
The man sprung forward, scooping the prey out of her grasp, and lightly scratched her with his talon as she withdrew.
Their eyes met for a moment as she snatched her arm back through the narrow distribution slot. She cradled the arm against her chest, the blood from the scratch soaking her T-shirt beneath.
*
Adi had never been gladder for the two-foot-thick partition. She knew who would be the victor between the two of them if he escaped.
He was more Alpha than any she'd ever known. For the first time in her life, Adriana was scared of another wolf.
And she didn't scare easily.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
William did not have the kiss at his back. Gabriel wanted Julia back but not at any cost. It was a conditional desire.
William's was not. She would be his. Not the dogs', not some other hapless runner with Singer ancestry. His.
He waited in the woods, the night but a promise, his brazenness in the darkest part of the forest a testament to his desire to retrieve her from the clutches of the mongrels, for tonight was their ritual. When the moon wept her fullness on the Were, they would change. They planned to feed and to consummate their hold on the Rare One. But for as long as William took breath, they would not succeed.
*
Blood Singers
Brendan
The Singer looked in both directions and turned to his sister. "I smell a vamp in these here parts!"
Jen rolled her eyes. Not everything was a joke! "Shut up, they'll hear you." She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a look as if to say, Are you kidding me?
Brendan chuckled, grabbing Jen in a bear hug that left her without enough oxygen. "Knock it off!" she hissed. "This is serious!"
Brendan nodded soberly then went off in a fit of hysterical laughing.
Jen stalked off.
Brothers. She had three of them, all Singers, all with plenty of air between their ears. She was the only sane one in the family.
Brendan followed behind her. "Don't be mad. It's just—" He shrugged. "The intel says we've got a ʻbig deal' Singer wrapped up with the Were, but they've been wrong before." Brendan made a bunch of noise kicking a stone that sat in a nest of leaves.
*
William turned his head, hearing a small sound not of nature half a mile east from his position. He stood, trapped in the shadows, the sun a dangerous heat, high and bright above the safety of the forest's canopy.
Had it been night, he would have discovered who made the racket. But because it was daytime, he had to remain where he was, steeped in frustration and anxious for the next step. His nemesis, the sun, rode above him.
All thoughts lead to one: Julia.
*
"Would you stop being so loud? If you know there's a vamp around, why would you provoke him?"
Brendan grinned, even though she took all the fun out of his antagonizing. "He'll fry like a tiki torch, sis. I want a front seat for that performance." He smiled wistfully, and Jen rolled her eyes again. Her brothers had a death wish!
He saw Jen's face and laughed. "Nah. He'll have to park his ass in the woods or some skulk position like that until twilight comes. There's no moving until then. I'm just yanking his undead chain." Brendan stretched his long body, and tight muscles corded and flexed with the movement.
Jen wanted to punch him. She had a two-part reason for this. One, he was just that sure of himself. Two, he could eat enough food for five people and still look like a GQ model. She scowled at him, and he grinned wider, his teeth flashing white in the semi-gloom of where they stood in the woods.
"You remember I've never been wrong before, right, smart-ass?"
"Ooh, language!" Brendan warned, the smile still plastered on his arrogant mug.
Jen contained herself with effort. "Listen here, buster. I'm part of that ʻintel' you blithely discounted. I'm precog—"
Brendan muttered under his breath, "A hell of a lot more than that."
"Huh?" Jen said, narrowing her eyes on his.
Brendan threw his hand against his chest, fingers splayed. "What? I didn't say anything."
Right, Jen thought.
There was a noise down low from their position, and Jen caught the flare of Brendan's nostrils just as he swung his head toward where the Were poured through a wide pathway, opposite their position, with two females.
The siblings crouched down simultaneously, peering through the thick foliage hugging the base of fir and cedar trees that grew like mighty companions. The fragrance was thicker than the air around them. Their eyes stayed trained on the enemy.
"What are they?" Jen asked in the softest voice, barely above a whisper.
"Were. And..." Brendan extended his neck, lifting his chin, nose in the air. "All Were but one of the females. She's Singer."
Jen smirked in triumph. No kidding? Singer, huh? Like I said.
Brendan caught her self-satisfied look but ignored it. "There's something more."
But when they looked again, the group had disappeared inside the compound.
"Damn!" Brendan said, pounding a fist on his jean-clad thigh. "Almost had it."
"Had what?"
"What flavor she was," he said, grinning again.
"Girls aren't ice cream!" Jen protested.
Brendan's smile widened. "News to me."
Jen punched him a good one in the arm.
She used her knuckles the way he'd taught her. He leaped back as she swung. It was a glancing blow, but she'd made him flinch.
That felt good. She felt like a tiger on the prowl.
Brendan looked at her, rubbing the red spot she'd made, and smiled.
****
The Ritual of Luna
Adriana looked at Julia and thought she cleaned up pretty well. She eyed her critically, taking in the all-white ensemble. She couldn't help but connect the dots of symbolism. Virginal lamb led to slaughter. Actually, she didn't really know about Jules's background except she was still sort of hung up on her husband. The guy had been dead how long? For freakin' ever. Like, get over it yesterday. But Julia had hardly been able to get through talking about him to tell Adriana her story. Even she had to admit Julia hadn't had the greatest life. Parents dead at eight. Sent to live with crappy and resentful relative. Soulmate husband bled out by rogue Were.
That was troubling to Adriana. Why had the Were taken out the Singer? It was an amateur's move. She couldn't understand why he'd been a target at all. Any idiot whelpling knew that a werewolf could subdue a human without killing him. Hell! One of the Were could subdue four humans. It puzzled her. Something smelled funky, and she'd have loved to find out the cause of it. Of course, Adriana knew from experience that when she started sniffing around, her nose got slapped.
That pissed her right the hell off.
"Adi?" Julia asked.
Huh?" Adriana jerked her head up. She'd really been a million miles away.
"What were you thinking about?"
Lots of secret speculation. "Just distracting crap." Partial truth.
*
Julia had the distinct impression that Adi had been thinking about something interesting. She turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror and couldn't help but think of Cyn. She'd have died to see Julia wearing white. It just wasn't her color.
She'd been told it was symbolic.
The dress had been made for her. Actually, it had been a standard size and altered to fit her. The bodice was simple and crossed underneath her breasts, leaving the tops exposed, and narrowed to her waist where the full skirt flared at the hip and fell to what Aunt Lily had called "ballerina length." Thanks to Cyn, she knew that meant just above the ankle. The material was some kind of chiffon, filmy and light, opaque and lovely.
Julia wasn't nervous about their ritual. Her plan had been the same all along. She had her telekinetic skills down. When the werewolves were distracted by their fighting, she'd split. The chiffon getup was as retarded as they came for a badly hatched escape plan, but she'd spied keys, and she would use them. Could she hop in a car and drive away in princess white?
Yeah, she could.
She'd miss Adi. It figured that she'd bonded with a female werewolf in the den of iniquity. Geez.
She turned away from her reflection but couldn't help asking Adi, "You promise your brother will... beat Tony?"
Adi nodded her head enthusiastically. "He'll kick his ass."
Julia gulped. "What if he kills him?"
Adi shrugged. "No loss for me. Besides, if he thinks he's Alpha enough to fight the big dogs, he can get all froggy and jump on the lily pad."
Julia smiled. Adi was so like Cyn it made her heart ache. She turned away before Adi could see her expression.
*
But Adriana did see Julia's expression.
She frowned as she followed Julia outside toward the pavilion. Unease was forming in her mind.
Something was wrong.
Adriana would be watchful. But first, she had one final chore to screw with after she settled Julia in her position within the ring of the pavilion.
*
William
William stayed upwind of the mongrels and prayed for the breeze to stay as it was. He watched the sun sink low in the sky, washing the branches a sunset color.
The trees looked as if they were weeping, crying tears of blood. The visual analogy made William's smile.
Time grew short.
He was ready.
*
Julia stood by herself as people began to fill a great open gazebo. It was actually ancient in its composition. Great pillars held the roof above it, a hammered copper so green that not an ounce of its original bronze color showed through. The pillars had been made of marble, and the materials used were the most incongruous she'd ever seen. Here, in the middle of an old forest full of trees more than one hundred years old, stood a structure that would have been more at home in Rome.
She looked at the scarred marble tiles at her feet, streaked with veins of gray and speckles of gold. The grout must have been some shade of white at one time, but now had a dove-gray hue from age.
All eyes were upon her when Lawrence approached. Julia took a step backward. His physical presence was so overbearing, his personality the same. Mega creeper, Julia thought, and not for the first time. Goose flesh broke out on the skin of her arms, which were bare to the weather. It was warm enough for what she wore, but in the presence of the Packmaster, she felt cold.
The chill of death sank its bite into her bones.
He ignored her unease and turned Julia in the direction of the crowd like a prize breeding mule. How flattering.
Julia had an excellent view of the seating built in a circle all around her. It rose out of the ground as an integral part of the pavilion, each seat a curved unit higher than the last. None of the faces were friendly. All were somber.
Julia guessed that some were not happy with the fighting and death.
Or with her.
She'd never been popular.
*
Tony and Joseph watched the fragile beauty of the Rare One, who was showcased in her rightful position in the pavilion, the Ritual of Luna nearly begun.
Their faces turned to the sun sinking behind the mountains—night and day balanced on the finest scale.
Finally, it tipped to night, and the moon winked its pale face into existence.
The glory of her fullness exerted an irresistible pull, and the men changed into their otherness in unfurling brutality. Flesh and bone burst, shifted, and sloughed onto the ground at their feet.
Their snouts came together, five in all, the challenge in their eyes unmet for a few moments more.
They trod out to the pavilion, to their destiny.
*
Julia watched them come, and her arms gripped the side rails of the great chair the Packmaster had forced her into as though she were royalty or something.
She guessed she was to them.
Soon, she thought.
Soon.
*
The feral heard the fight begin just as the female entered his prison. He swung his head in her direction as she looked around in confusion, obviously distracted.
*
Normally, full moon duty on the feral would have gone to someone else—or several someones because of the danger—but Adriana had gotten nailed with it because of her stunt. It'd been worth it. Adi entered through the heavy door, her eyes sweeping the cage.
She panicked. Where had the feral gone? Oh no! He escaped? Without thinking about anything—her safety, protocol, anything—Adi slapped the slot open and felt around for the alarm, and a steel band of screaming pain latched on to her wrist.
Her arm was pulled through the slot with such viciousness that it dislocated her shoulder. Adi howled in warning and pain, her voice reverberating in the cloistered space.
No one came.
The wolves were fighting in the ritual. No werewolf was within range to assist her.
Adriana opened her eyes as tears ran down her face for the first time in her life.
She grimaced and stared into the green eyes of the red wolf.
"Sorry," he ground out, snagging the code card off her neck with a jerk. It snapped the tether, and he stood, pressing the slick thinness of it into the locking mechanism.
The door slid away with a whisper, and he stepped through.
*
The feral glanced down at the female Were and hesitated. He hated that he'd hurt a female. It had been frighteningly easy—and very wrong.
But another female he knew lay beyond that point.
He turned and followed the scent of fighting, the moon—all of it—lending her energy to him.
It thrummed through his body and made his muscles align for finer dexterity in motion, preparing him for fighting.
His form became all wolf seamlessly, a rare transition of speed and smoothness.
He growled low in his throat.
He was ready.
William stepped out of the tree line at the same time that a great red werewolf, one he had never seen in battle or otherwise, appeared.
They stood opposite each other, and their gazes locked for a swollen moment of consideration.
William sprinted to the pavilion just as the feral rushed toward the exact point.
Neither noticed the pair of Singers who calmly walked toward the stage—where blood ran like a river, dripping down steps that had been white marble but moments before and veins that had run gray now ran crimson.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Two of the werewolves lay dead in a pile of their own gore with wounds so deep their bodies had been eviscerated, while three others circled each other, swiping and surging forward in a dangerous game of avoidance that no one could win.
It isn't a game, Julia wailed inside her head, feeling shock eat away at the edges of her mind.
Joseph was wounded and Tony more so. The third Were had rolled into a submissive posture when Tony went toward his throat, merciless and opportunistic. He stilled as if halted by an invisible hand and turned as Joseph did. Their noses alerted them to the new danger at hand.
Julia was turning to look at what could distract them from the important task of killing each other when the scariest creature entered the stage. He was bigger than Tony.
Bigger than life.
Julia gasped and got up from the chair, unsteady from the trauma of the fight. Watching it play out in front of her like a surreal movie had been almost more than Julia could stand.
But she had stood it.
Joseph yelped a plaintive command. "Adi!" Even in his half-wolf form, the worry for her was apparent.
Tony spared him a glance, and knowledge filled eyes that were only half-wolf. Both Were stood nearly seven feet tall on their hind legs. In pose, they mirrored the giant red Were who faced them.
Julia skittered behind the tall chair, her hands gripping the back until they turned white and grew numb.
The huge wolf looked at her, and Julia felt something stir deep within her and the fear melting away as they continued to gaze at each other. She was on the edge of an epiphany when the Packmaster yelled, "The feral! I call total rights!"
What? Julia thought, her hands having fallen away from the chair.
She'd actually taken a step toward the great creature, the emerald eyes sucking her in, when she heard a voice she knew so well.
"Julia!"
William. Relief poured through her, suffusing her body with renewed energy.
She snapped her head in the direction of that voice, finding his eyes of reflective silver staring her down.
At that moment, pandemonium erupted all around her, the melee closing in with the sureness of the cycle of the moon.
*
Singers
Brendan saw the wolves tearing into each other and thought that for all their fierce strength, they weren't the brightest bulbs in the shop. He and Jen had waltzed into the pavilion hardly noticed, thanks to the rabid Were and the loner vamp.
Interesting combo, those two.
Brendan was scenting the area, counting what the odds were, when he hit on a scent he could not identify. Puzzle pieces of scent recognition sifted through his massive storage banks of finer scents.
Then he knew.
His gaze fell on Julia. Brendan felt as if he'd been hit between the eyes with a two-by-four, sucker-punched. All thoughts ground to a screeching halt.
His head swiveled to look at Jen. She didn't know.
Brendan said, "She's the one." His hands trembled with the knowledge.
"What?" Jen shrieked over the noise. "We don't have time for his melodramatic crap. We need to get the Singer and get out!"
Jen looked into his eyes and grabbed his forearm. A pathway of emotion flowed between them, and her eyes widened, her head snapping in the direction of the girl in white.
"No way," she breathed.
Brendan nodded. "Way."
"Shit, we needed more back up."
"Yeah," Brendan agreed. He didn't correct her on her language.
They moved toward Julia, the rarest of them all—the one who'd been prophesied to lead their people to autonomy and freedom.
The visual of the small girl in white didn't match the version of fairy tales they'd been raised with.
A powerful Singer will be revealed. A woman. Our queen.
Brendan gulped, thinking about how many of the enemy were around them. He would have to bring out the big guns.
*
Julia took everything in, and then her chest tightened, and she searched the faces even as wolves circled the great red Were she had been mesmerized by. William came for her as wolves attempted to restrain him. It was impossible, with the distraction of the feral wolf, the vamp... and then Julia saw the pair. A girl with strawberry-blond hair and freckles and a man with bronze hair, deep-brown eyes, and dusky skin that was striking against the deep red of his hair. But it wasn't those things that caused her breath to hitch. She knew what they were instinctively.
They were Singers.
Like her.
Julia moved toward them. It felt as if she were coming home.
*
William had a moment's regret that he would need to dispatch the pair of Singers, obvious relatives of each other. He stabbed a Were in the middle of its Change, and the blood of the fallen made the marble slick at his feet.
He went for the Singers, who had almost reached Julia. She moved to meet them.
That would be very unfortunate if they were to touch one another.
*
Julia's eyes widened as she saw William sprint for the backs of the Singers who advanced in her direction, just seconds from reaching her. She called out a warning, loyalties torn. She cared for William, but these were her people, and she couldn't let William hurt them.
*
Brendan scented the vamp and turning casually, almost too late. He flung his hand out at the soles of the vampire's feet as he sprinted for them.
His intent was clear: he aimed to kill.
Fire leaped and drove its heat up the legs of the vamp. That'd get his full attention. Brendan turned dismissively, his eyes already searching for the Singer.
Blood Singer royalty.
That was when the feral Were barreled into him, knocking him off his feet and crashing into one of the marble columns. There was no give to stone, Brendan realized, his bell soundly rung.
Using the last of his consciousness, he lit this dude up too.
Nothing happened. He saw the Were flung away but not before he'd scented him.
The recognition of what he was caused Brendan to halt in surprise, everything else falling away.
It can't be.
But it is.
Jen hollered, "Come on! That's the best I can do. I can't hold that sucker!" She had a hand wrapped around the Singer's wrist. Huge amber-colored eyes in a small, oval-shaped face stared up at him.
Holy hell, Brendan thought. Maybe it's love.
He was drowning in a sea of gold.
"Snap out of it!" Jen shrieked.
Right.
The vamp was on fire, and the red Were was struggling against ten of his own.
The two wolves who worked hardest to restrain the feral were tracking Brendan with their eyes.
Time to shake and bake.
*
Joseph broke away from the feral and bounded after Julia and the two others of her kind. But he was in full wolf form, and his paws slipped on the gore of the marbled surface of the pavilion. He fell twice then finally gained purchase. He was almost upon them when the other Singer flicked her palm at him, and he was thrown backward against one of the pillars of the pavilion. A fissure formed, running from the impact spot of Joseph's body up to the roof.
*
Julia ran, the manacle of the girl's hand hurting her wrist. What hurt more was the lone howl from the pavilion.
It made Julia's heart ache. She closed her eyes tight and felt strong arms come around her, picking her up even as they jogged. The girl's hand released her.
Julia didn't look back. Visions of William on fire and the red Were struggling to get to her kept swirling in her head. She didn't know why it mattered, but it did.
She gazed up into the face of the person who held her, seeing only a strong jaw and eyes trained straight ahead. She felt the heat rise from her toes and let it overwhelm her, consciousness slipping away like a leaf on the wind.
*
Brendan felt the Singer's weight change as it went from live to dead weight, and he grunted with the stress as he jogged. He was profoundly strong, as all post-puberty Singers were. But an almost full run with dead weight? That was challenging.
"Don't fuss, brother," Jen said, sprinting with him to keep up, a smile locked into place. "We've got company."
Jen said it as if there were some flies that needed swatting instead of fifteen Were chasing after them.
And gaining.
Brendan redoubled his efforts, sprinting. His lungs were a burning inferno, begging him to stop. But this was where it counted. This was what he'd trained for, and he wasn't going to give back this precious cargo. She was the final hope for his people.
The brush crashed behind them as they reached their transport. The night's coolness had moved in, and he could scent the exhaust that plumed into the air like a spiral of smoke before he saw it. Brendan instantly identified it as their transport.
The door was already flung open. Michael screamed, "They're up your ass!"
Thanks for the clue, braniac! Brendan reached the open door, slid open to accommodate the Singer, shoved her into waiting arms, and turned, a downward arc of talons making a breeze next to his face.
Hell! That was close. There would be no fighting at close range unless Brendan had the element of surprise.
He didn't. That was long gone. A big monster was coming for him now, a half-wolf form with all the dexterity of a full human shape but the strength and speed of pure wolf.
He was up shit creek. But then Jen was there. Her face covered in sweat and her palm straight out in front of her body, her arm plank stiff.
She held back the first siege of the Were by her will alone. Her body trembled with the effort, sweat gliding down her neck and soaking her shirt.
"How long?" Brendan shouted beside her, trying to light as many on fire as he could. They all got nailed at the feet. It was a temporary measure at best. He was a Tracker, not a Pyro. The secondary ability was awesome sometimes for deflection.
Like now, when we need a mondo distraction.
"Get in!" she hissed.
"Okay." Hell... so touchy.
He saw around ten more burst out of the woods. As he got into the vehicle, he grabbed Jen around the waist and hauled her against him then slammed the door closed. He banged on the roof with his fist. "Go!"
Rafael floored it even as the van rocked with the first Were hitting the side with enough force to partially lift the wheels off the trail.
Shit! Brendan looked down at Jen, who was swiping hair away from her temple. She was totally spent.
"Can she?" Michael asked, an unconscious Singer in his lap.
"Nah!" Brendan shouted over the gnashing of teeth and talons on the exterior of the van. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard of metal. "She's totally gassed!"
"Dammit!" Michael laid the Singer on the blanket at his feet and got busy. He threw himself into the front seat, his face mired in concentration... and ten vamps appeared in front of the van.
Rafael had laid on the gas, but the wheels were spinning without purchase. The Were crawled over the vehicle like ants on an anthill. He hissed in a breath, "What the hell?"
"It's okay. It's me," Michael said. "Just drive!"
Rafael did, as the Were slid off the van to deal with the perceived threat of their primary enemy.
The Were attacked the vamps, which the van slid through as if they were ghosts. Because that was what they were. Michael had executed his tactical advantage to perfection.
He was one of their best Illusionists.
The van screamed out of the Were stronghold, spinning up dirt as it roared off with the four Singers and their treasure, who was barely hanging onto tenuous liberty.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Singers
Julia felt as though she'd been run over by a truck—a couple of times. She cracked open one eyelid, feeling the heat of the sunlight before it fell on where she lay. She looked around at yet another bedroom, her surroundings different than those of the vampire or the Were.
She was in a funky-shaped space. The bed stood in a portion of room that jutted out, where three windows faced the outside, her headboard against the central one. She rolled over, gazing at the window. She moved a gauzy white curtain aside, and sunlight struck her like a weapon. Julia squinted.
Rolling hills and green-carpeted valleys that kissed a faraway forest greeted her stare. It was beautiful. A pond shimmered in the distance, swans floating on the surface like feathered jewels.
Julia sat back on her haunches, her heels digging into her butt. She looked down at what she was wearing and was beyond thrilled to see that she was still wearing the white gown. So... they'd dumped her in a bed with the dress on and the whole deal.
Perfect.
She swung her feet over the bed and stood on a wood floor that had planks five inches wide and very red in color. Her gaze swept the room, and she noticed two doors. Julia guessed one led to a bathroom. As she approached them, she chose door number one and turned a crystal knob, faceted like a large diamond. Slightly loose in its brass housing, it turned smoothly and swung open.
A tall narrow window with jewel-toned stained glass let in sunlight broken by colored patterns. The light cast on the floor looked like a shattered rainbow. Julia spied the commode, a pedestal sink, and a sinfully large claw-foot tub.
Awesome.
She used the facilities and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grimaced. That was when she noticed an army of trolls had marched through her mouth and longed for a toothbrush. More than that, though, she wanted to know where she was. For the first time, she was happy to be somewhere new.
These were her people.
Julia had finally come home.
Jen folded her arms across her chest. "You're not going up there."
They could hear the girl walking around, using the bathroom, exploring. Brendan shrugged. "Why not? Don't want me to hog your find?"
They'd been arguing all morning, which wasn't too atypical because she was so goddamn stubborn. Brendan was busy seething when Michael breezed in.
"Is hotness awake yet?" he asked, rooting around in the ancient fridge for something to snag. "I'm so hungry that I'm pretty sure I'm digesting my own spine." Michael's whole head was in the fridge when Jen replied, "None of you doofuses need to go hassle her. She's new. We—heck, we kidnapped her! Maybe she needs time to... acclimate or something."
Michael jerked his head out of the fridge, banging it hard on the top. He grimaced, looking at the dent from the one hundred and twelve times he'd hit his head in the same spot.
"Listen." He held up a finger. "We saved her precious ass so she better be grateful. I say socialization is in order. And who'd want to do the Were-bride routine?" Michael rolled his eyes and gulped juice out of the carton.
Brendan narrowed his eyes on his brother. "Listen, I got dibs. I did all the hard work. You just poofed some vamps to distract the Were. I ran with her!"
Brendan's keen sense of smell alerted him too late.
The girl had appeared in the doorway, the most forlorn and sad expression he had ever seen covering her face.
Shit.
They all started to talk at once, but she stopped all conversation with, "I'm sorry. You rescued me. I thought that you... that I was wanted..." She burst into tears.
Jen glowered at her brothers.
God! They were so inept! And Brendan was the big-deal Tracker. He couldn't scent her fast enough to curb his words?
Idiots. Jen popped off the kitchen stool, punching Michael as she walked past.
"Hey!" he mock-yelled at her.
The girl looked up, tears shimmering in those eyes. They were like gold topaz, Brendan noted a little dreamily.
Jen grabbed the hands that the girl was trying to use to cover her face. It had to be embarrassing to be where that she wasn't wanted in the ridiculous white dress, her hair six ways to Sunday.
"No, no," Jen crooned, throwing a dirty glance at the two guys, who stood behind her looking contrite. "Don't listen to my stupid brothers." She looked up at the girl earnestly. "They always sound dumb."
"Yeah, that's us. Dumb," Brendan said dryly.
"Yeah, that," Michael agreed, swinging his longish dirty blond hair out of his eyes.
The girl gave a small smile. "So, you guys... do you want me to leave?" Her lip trembled again. "Because I can't go back there," she said in a low voice.
Brendan, looking alarmed, approached her too quickly. She backed up, and he stopped. "No. You don't—we don't want you to go back to the Were... or the vampires. We're all about sucking you into our world. It's where you belong."
Michael nodded. "Why would you think that we wouldn't want you?"
The girl shrugged. "You sounded like you were kinda mad."
Jen shook her head. "Nah! That's the way they always sound."
"Like smart-ass meets anger management?" The girl was definitely okay now, a smile breaking through her tears as though they'd never been.
Jen smiled in return. "I'm Jen," she said, sticking her hand out, and the girl shook it.
Brendan and Michael came forward. "And these are the dummy duo, who you've had the misfortune of meeting already," Jen said, but the humor in her voice took away the sting.
"We're not always dumb," Michael said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze then dropping it.
"I wouldn't know how to be dumb." Brendan winked, but he didn't shake her hand. Instead, he drew her into a hug that pressed her against his body, melding her form to his. He said against her hair, "We've been looking for you for a long time." He drew away, the happiness radiating from every pore so hot that even Jen could feel it.
"Me?" the girl asked, putting her hand to her chest.
They nodded.
"Why? I mean, I don't know you guys." She looked at them expectantly.
"It's not who you are—it's what you are," Michael said.
The girl folded her arms. "Okay, I give up. What am I?"
They looked at each other uneasily, and the girl asked again, "Come on, spill the secret! I know I'm a Singer..." She threw out her hands. "I know I'm theʻRare One.' I've known that for a while." Her hands dropped against the fabric of the dress after the air quotes.
"Rare One?" Michael shook his head. "I don't know what that is, but you're not that to us."
Jen said, "You're more than that."
The girl looked at them. She opened her mouth to speak, but Brendan cut in. "You are Queen."
The girl staggered back a step. "What?" she asked dully. "Queen of whom?"
"The Singers. You are Queen of the Blood Singers."
Her eyes rolled and her knees started to buckle, but Brendan caught her easily.
He looked down at the girl who had fainted into his arms and felt his heart clench. He hated feeling weak.
She already had a piece of his heart. It beat slower for the loss of that chunk.
Brendan didn't even know her name—not that it mattered. Love was an errant master, choosing its object without reason or rationale.
****
Pack
Adriana screamed at her brother—for him and at him.
"Hold still, Adi!" He jammed his leg into her armpit and wrenched the arm back in before she could stiffen up more than she already had.
Tears of pain rolled down her face, and Joseph swiped them away with the pad of his thumb. "Shhh. It's okay," He gathered her against his chest.
"It's not okay, Joseph, and you fucking know it!" Tony paced, and Joseph's face shifted. That was automatic when an Alpha felt challenged. The Change asserted itself subtly beneath his skin.
Adi saw her brother's face shift.
"It is at your feet where the fault lies. You insisted that Lawrence give her the worst punishment!" he responded, his anger roiling underneath his skin with weight, with purpose.
Tony turned to face him, his posture wary and tight.
Joseph carefully untangled himself from Adriana, shifting her weight against the acrylic wall that had held the feral.
He faced Tony, walking toward him on a slow prowl.
Adi watched as her brother's body shifted to bursting, the moon's power waning but not nearly enough.
"Me? She is the one who pushed the boundaries! It's always her. And she is always coddled. Now, the Rare One has escaped with the Singers, the feral has escaped, and that vamp runner killed five of us! Five!"
Tony's scathing stare burned a pathway across Adriana, and she growled low in her throat. She didn't care that he outmatched her by a hundred pounds and a foot of height. She hated Tony.
He smelled bad.
She smacked her uninjured palm against the clear wall and boosted herself to standing. "I will take responsibility for the feral. I panicked. I thought he'd already escaped. But"—her stare gave dominant weight to her words, and she watched Tony visibly bristle at its significance—"I will not accept the strange shit that went down while I was injured—substituting for you, so you could fight my brother and also stick me with that chore on the full moon!" Her eyes shifted from one to the other. "I am not a ʻfavorite,'" Adi said, using air quotes. "I was pressed to do the worst chore at the worst time because I let my alligator mouth overload my canary ass."
Joseph barked out a laugh. "She's right."
The tension in the empty holding cell slipped down a notch.
"Like any one of us could have known a vamp was skulking around, all Lone Ranger and then the coincidence of the feral escaping. Oh!" she yelled into the strange acoustics of the room, "let's not forget the darling Singers who waltzed in during the bloodiest and most distracting ritual ever conceived and snatched Jules right from underneath our very noses." She seethed, the fingers of her index and thumb a hair's breadth apart.
They'd been that close to holding on to Julia.
"And—" she continued to rant.
Tony crossed his muscular arms, rolling his eyes. "Shut up and listen!" Tony growled. "This female never knows when to shut up. Someone should teach her a lesson."
Adi's lips pulled away from her teeth, another growl reverberating between them.
"Enough!" Joseph roared, startling them both. His eyes landed on his sister. "Finish now, then we go to Lawrence. This whole incompetent mess will need to be explained."
"I was just going to say that fifteen of our wolves trailed the Singers, and still... we didn't get her back," Adi said.
"So?" Tony said with derision.
"So, I think they're more powerful than we've been trying to convince ourselves."
"Ha! Bullshit. They're human, and they can do some parlor tricks. It's not real strength. Who do they call leader?" Tony's words echoed into the silence.
Adi rolled her eyes. He was such a goddamn know-it-all.
"What of the Book of Luna?" Joseph asked.
Tony didn't bother with reading that old crap. It was the new order. The only thing he'd wanted was to become a moonless changer. That he'd believed in plenty. And now the little Singer had slipped between his claws like water through a sieve. But she would be within his grasp again.
Adi nodded. "They are a force of their own. You know that! Look what happened a few hours ago? They fooled you, Tony!"
Tony glowered at her. He'd almost had that male Singer, but it was as if the Singer had eyes in the back of his head. Tony shook his head, thinking about it.
"Yeah," he ground out. "Don't know how. I almost had him." He smacked his fist into his opposite palm, his dark eyes flashing.
"Scent Tracker," Joseph said in a flat voice.
Tony whipped his head in Joseph's direction, his eyebrows hiking.
Adriana nodded. She and Joseph had both been trained in the precepts held within the Book.
Tony threw his hands up. "I give up. Drop this secretive shit. Just. Tell. Me." He pegged his hands on his powerful hips, frowning at them.
"A sense of smell a thousand times more powerful than ours," Joseph said.
"Impossible," Tony breathed out, thinking of his multilayered scent awareness. It was so overwhelming he had trained himself to tune out most scents. It was too much. But one thousand times more sensitive? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. He scoffed at the possibility.
"I know, right? It's—" Adi began.
"Unbelievable!" Joseph agreed, nodding.
"Yeah. Okay. Whatever. But what about the ten vampires that just flashed into existence and were ghosts when we attacked?" Explain that, Tony thought.
Adriana laughed, and the men turned to her. When she finally stopped, she said, "Vampire mirage."
Joseph sighed. "Not helpful."
"What exactly was it?" Adi asked.
Joseph shook his head. "I'm not sure. But it had been a superb deflection on their part. Too good."
"Well, it was pretty fucking effective!" Tony said. "I could smell the vamps. Smell them," he said through clenched teeth.
Joseph gave a sound low in his throat. "No, that was the Tracker, assisting... the other one."
"They can work in tandem?" Adi asked, a look of amazement on her face.
Joseph nodded. "Looks like." Then he paused. "But a more likely reason for the two is family."
"What?" Tony narrowed his eyes.
"I speculate for that pair to work as seamlessly together as they did, they'd have to be family."
"What about the bitch with them?" Tony asked. He conjured up an image of her in his mind: small, pixie-like features, hair blondish—though it had been hard to know for sure in the moonlight. It silvered everything.
Except the red Feral.
His fur had shone like blood spilled.
"Her too," Joseph said.
Tony's nose was unaffected by his sight. He'd know the Singer female the next time he smelled her. Hell, he'd know them all. Tony's fists curled. "I'd love to have another chance at those three."
"Soon," Joseph promised.
"What about the female?" Adi asked suspiciously.
"Especially her," he said with barely contained desire.
Joseph scowled at him just as another Were entered the holding pen.
"Lawrence is waiting," he said, shyly glancing at Adriana.
Adi rolled her eyes and flounced out, pushing by the Were. He watched her as she disappeared.
Joseph followed, and Tony came last.
As he passed the other Were, slightly younger than himself, he whispered, "You don't want her."
The Were leaned back with a puzzled expression. There were few Were females, and she was a good-looking one, too. "Why?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Untrainable," Tony said, stalking off behind the siblings.
****
The Feral
The feral lifted his head from the fragrant entrails of the deer, the meat a fresh and tasty smell that permeated his olfactory senses, stirring a deep and profound hunger.
He howled and then fed.
The moon, on the wane, hung above him in a blanket of velvet, the stars like diamonds. They glittered as the moon supervised her charge.
When at last he finished, his body demanded rest. He dug out a place of safety in the deepest part of the forest. The feral burrowed underneath his self-made nest. He needed to ready himself for the next leg of his journey. Finally satisfied with his sleeping place, he lay down. Sleep came for him, and just as he slid into the embrace of unconsciousness, he thought of her.
The female.
He had to have her and she, him.
He was certain when they had connected under the roof of the great structure that she'd felt it, too—the pull of one to the other.
They were meant to be together.
Forever.
He slept, the moon keeping her own counsel.
*
The Pavilion
William screamed inside his head as the Were held him, their talons biting into his dead flesh. He saw the Singers tear Julia out of his grasp and that of the Were.
Hope slid away like rain on a tin roof.
William Changed were he stood, his raven form protecting him, assuring his survival.
The Were let go in surprise, not ready for the smallness of his form. They rushed to grab him at the same time he rose with a sharp caw, circling above their position. His eyes, many times sharper than in his vampire form, tracked the Singers. And he watched the pursuit of them by the Were.
He followed, his blackness the perfect camouflage against the night sky. He saw all: when Julia fainted in the arms of the Singer as he ran.
When the fetid breath of the Were caressed the back of the one who held her.
When ten of William's kind suddenly appeared then vanished as if they had never been.
Defeated, William flew to a safe distance then Changed back into the form that would return him to the kiss with the least effort.
Even as he ran, his mind turned over his next move.
If he had been one to play chess, his sight would be set on one piece and one alone: The queen.
*
Julia
Julia opened her eyes and was instantly met with melted chocolate.
His eyes. Her thoughts were still muddled and fuzzy.
Oh, wow. I fainted a second time. This is becoming a trend. She wanted to find a rock and crawl underneath it.
"Hey you," Brendan said, pushing a stray hair away from her temple.
"I feel beyond stupid."
"Well, we're even then," he said, his lips curling up at the corners.
She smiled at him, and he grinned back.
Suddenly, Jen's face showed beside his. "You're okay. Big shock is all."
Yeah, that. Biiiigggg shock. Two hunky dudes, also Singers, had kidnapped her and taken her away to... where the hell was she anyway?
Michael said from the foot of her bed, "You're somewhere in the Olympic Peninsula."
Julia frowned. "Kinda cagey."
"Kinda cautious," Michael quipped.
Brendan patted her head as if she were a small dog, and stood. "Gotta keep things secure. Nobody knows anything. That's how we like it."
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, we like it, uh-huh, uh-huh," Michael said, swiveling his hips in a distracting way.
"God... ewww. I hope that's not actual singing you're attempting?" Jen asked, looking mortified.
"Oh yeah, I can do Karaoke with the best of them," he said with a hip thrust and hop. Julia giggled.
Brendan frowned. "Are you okay, asshat? 'Cause..."
He looked expectantly at Julia.
"Julia," she said, and he smiled and gave her a wink.
"Julia is not impressed by your" —he swung his palm around—"gyrations and attempts at singing."
"I don't know..." Julia began in a drawl.
All eyes went to her.
"For pure entertainment value, it's about a seven."
"Out of what?" Michael asked hopefully.
"Fifty, retard!" Jen yelled, punching him in the arm again.
"Ow!" Michael raged then turned to Julia. "Did you see that abuse?"
Julia nodded cooperatively and grinned.
Jen grabbed the boys and dragged them out of the room. "Get ye out!" she yelled, shoving them outside and turning the lock.
"Sheesh!" Jen fumed. "They're so... so..."
"Funny?" Julia asked.
Jen sighed then gave her a sidelong glance. "Maybe. But if you tell them I said so, I'll poke your eyes out. Their heads are already so fat they wouldn't get through doorways if you stroked their egos even the tiniest bit."
Julia smiled. "I promise—no fathead air pumps allowed."
"Right!" Jen said, stabbing the air with a finger.
"Now"—she looked at Julia critically—"can we deposit the dress in file thirteen?"
"Huh?" Julia asked, bewildered.
Jen laughed. "Sorry. I have some strange expressions."
She sure did.
"Trash. Let's throw it away." She looked at Julia. "Unless you want to keep it for some reason?"
Julia looked down at the soft folds of pure white. "No." But as she said it, she was reminded of Adi and felt a stab of guilt and sadness. She sure would have liked to have said goodbye to her.
She was relieved not to have to be in some whacked-out forced union with the Were, but... she missed having Cyn around. She missed Adi.
Shit. I just put out an engraved invitation for a pity party and RSVP'd myself.
Dammit.
Jen seemed to pick up on her mood. "Hey!"
Julia turned to look at her, the melancholy riding her like an unwanted friend. "Get out of the getup and get a shower. We'll suck up some grub and walk around the complex some. I bet you've got a ton of questions." Jen looked at her expectantly.
That sounded good. "Sure." Julia walked to the bathroom, and Jen handed her some clothes.
"You'll have to wear my stuff until we figure some clothes out for you." She looked up at Julia. "I guess my pants will be capris on you," she said, winking.
Then she was gone.
Julia stood under the spray, taking the longest shower of her life, the windowpanes casting puzzle pieces of color across her body as she washed.
Julia cried, the rain from the showerhead washing away her tears. She cried for everyone.
William.
Cyn.
Adi.
But the heaviest tears were for Jason—always him.
*
"Did you get a good cry?" Jen asked Julia.
She thought about lying. For about three seconds. "Yeah."
"Good," Jen said, clapping her on the back. "Let's have a look-see, okay?"
After a breakfast of fruit and scrambled eggs, they walked outside. There were so many places to look Julia didn't even know where to begin. Julia turned around and immediately located where her bedroom was.
The house was breathtaking.
It looked like a house of gingerbread but on a big scale. It was Victorian, maybe turn of the last century. Julia knew because she'd lived in an old house—before, when her parents were alive. She waited a moment to let the grief dissipate then returned to studying the structure.
It rose like a brightly colored wooden jewel, the forest an emerald backdrop behind it. On the extreme left was a turret that rose from ground to roof. Three windows formed a bay of sorts. Each one was eight feet tall. The glass, wavy from age, looked as if water coated its surface. At the turret's peak spun a weather vane, the arrow pointing in whatever direction the breeze blew.
"Wow," Julia breathed reverently.
"Ah! That old thing," Jen said, unimpressed.
Julia swung her head in Jen's direction. "What? That's like the most gorgeous house ever! And I have the best room in the house," Julia noted. She couldn't believe she was actually there when just yesterday she'd been with the Were. Julia shook her head, freeing the remaining cobwebs of her memories, her life.
"Maybe that's true. But the house? Ugh! Nothing works—it moans, it moves, it creaks!" She threw up her hands. "I think it needs to be razed, and we need to get something in here so when my brother flushes a commode my shower doesn't scorch my butt off!"
"Noooo! I love it!" Julia said as she felt Jen pull her arm, leading her away from the stately home. "Forget it. Look on your own time at the rust bucket. For now, let's go to the paranormal school."
Julia stopped, tugging her arm back. "What?"
Jen looked at her. "You know. It's where us Singers train, learn, etcetera." She put her hands on her hips, staring at Julia, waiting for the light bulb to go on.
Wait a second, Julia thought. "Train, for what?"
"To nail the vamps and shifters. They can't tame our rears. We're independent."
Julia was getting that part.
"To ʻnail the vamps and the shifters?'"
Jen nodded impatiently.
"And beyond that?" Julia asked, feeling a point of clarity may have slid by her unnoticed.
"To rule the world, of course," Jen said, winking.
Of course. Julia followed Jen to a large building that had once been a barn. She didn't think she wanted to be queen of that—or queen of anything.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Cynthia
Cyn stepped off the plane into the well of people flowing from one destination to another and felt instantly lost like a bottle in the ocean. The current traveled in whatever direction it pleased, and she was its captive.
Get a grip, Cynthia. Her breathing was finally getting under control. She looked around, and someone jostled by her. Cynthia's backpack swung, and she moved alongside one of the great, cylindrical concrete columns, pressing her pack and herself against it.
There, she was out of everyone's way—for the moment.
She'd left everything behind. The backpack weighed about a thousand pounds with the things she couldn't part with—such as the wedding photo. Cynthia gulped back the lump in her throat. Tears ran down her face. She was vaguely aware of people staring at her, but she didn't care.
She missed Jules so much it hurt to breathe. She couldn't even think about Kev and Jason. With them gone, she felt as though a limb had been amputated
Cyn swiped her face, surprised at the wetness she found there. She tore off in the direction the sign pointed to, toward the bus depot.
She arrived at the fork in the great corridor, people flowing past her on either side, and chose the town that sounded the simplest.
Actually, she remembered vaguely that it was a city.
Kent.
*
Truman
Karl Truman went through the studio apartment in the seediest part of Homer, kicking the thrown drawers and papers as he went through. The whole fucking place had been tossed by someone. Or many someones. He turned to the beat cop. "Daugherty!"
The cop jumped as though he'd been goosed. "Yeah, Detective!" His eyes were bulging fish bowls in his face.
Truman frowned. Good kid, but not too bright. "Is our team here yet?"
He scratched his head. "Yeah. I called it in."
Truman was getting a head of steam and had just opened his mouth to let Daugherty have it when the forensic team came through. The first specialist lifted the yellow tape and scooted under it. His name badge, crooked, read Alexander. Turning, he lifted it for the others to pass underneath.
"Whatcha got, chief?"
Hell. Truman hated being called chief. He wasn't a damn Indian, for cripe's sake! He neutralized his expression with an effort.
He beckoned the Alexander over, and the specialist joined him, squatting down at the windowsill height. His eyes flowed over the deep gouges that ran the length of the sill. "Holy shit," he breathed.
"Yeah." Truman leaned into him expectantly.
"I don't know what did this!" Alexander said.
"Bear, right?"
Alexander snapped his plastic gloves on, the powder coating wafting up to Truman's nostrils, the familiar smell resonating from a thousand crime scenes, the memory trigger the same: it was time to work.
Alexander put a fingertip across the groove. His eyes met Truman's, and he shook his head no. "No way. This is something..." His eyes went to the groove again and then lit with excitement. "Wait!" He rummaged in his toolbox and took out a tool that looked like an instrument for cleaning teeth but wasn't.
He began carefully scooping the groove. Finally, Truman thought, watching the process as if it was an archeological dig. Alexander brought out the smallest sliver of something.
"What is it?" Truman asked as the two other members of the forensic team huddled around them as if they were getting ready for a football play.
"Claw," Alexander said, his eyes meeting his team.
"From what?" Truman asked, eying the shard, which was twice the size of a pinhead.
"Don't know. But I've never seen anything like it." He met Truman's eyes. "Not a problem! We'll type this puppy and get the results back to you." Alexander smiled.
One of the other forensics specialists said, "Nah, let's not type it. There's no blood or other fun here." He looked around at the trashed apartment. There was not a shred of evidence to support violence of the human variety. "Besides, what can it be anyway? Bigfoot?"
They all laughed at that.
Yeah, fucking hilarious, Truman thought then said out loud, "That's horseshit. Any idiot knows there's no such thing as Sasquatch and that other happy crap!"
The specialist laughed again, carefully collecting samples to type for DNA.
Truman sighed. He figured it was a long shot. There'd probably been some spoiling meat in here somewhere, and it was as simple as a pack of wolves trying to get an easy meal. He gazed outside through glass so filthy it was gray. The forest mocked him, stretching into eternity. Hell, it could have been anything.
Truman knew animals tried to get into the apartment. But who had gone through every nook and cranny of this dump? What had they been searching for?
And more importantly, where the hell had Cynthia Adams fled to?
Because she had fled. He was sure of it. Like she was escaping something. Running. There was too much stuff just left behind, abandoned.
But why?
Truman stared out the window, gnawing on the tip of his ballpoint pen.
Answers—he needed answers.
Like, yesterday.
****
William
Claire repeated herself. "Hold your temper! I didn't say that I could locate her, only that it was possible."
William paced. He had returned empty-handed, and Gabriel had not been surprised. Because Claire was a Precognitive, she had simply known that his quest was impossible. At the time, William had thought it was strange that Gabriel was not pressing other runners into service to assist him.
Gabriel laughed from his gut. "It is not as if you were prone to listening. I told you not to go. We knew the location of the dogs' stronghold. Yet still, you would not listen. Your own cousin, a known Precog—"
William strode to Gabriel, who straightened, knowing the tenor of the vampire he faced: volatile, fresh, angry. "No. She could give nothing of substance. It was all vague." He threw his arm out. "I would never be content with that as Julia's end. Ambiguity? No!"
"But William, I knew she would be safe," Claire said.
William nodded. "Oh yes! She is quite safe... with the other Singers. How long do you think it will be before one of them recognizes Julia for who she is and what she is to them?"
There was no response from them. William faced Claire. "We have no evidence of where the Singers may be? It has always been our policy to not interfere in the balance. But now, that scale has been tipped. And not in our favor, I may add."
He lifted his brows in question, and Gabriel sighed. "All right"—he lifted his palm up—"you've made your point. We will call in a Locator."
William was surprised. He did not think there was a Locator in their kiss.
"We will have to." He looked at Claire. "I have not been amongst their kind... my kind. What is the contemporary vernacular for asking to borrow?"
Claire nodded her understanding. "Call in a favor."
He nodded. "Yes!" He snapped his fingers. "That's it. We will call in a favor to our sister kiss and borrow one of their Singers who locates. That will help us find the Rare One."
"And what will they ask in return?" William asked.
Gabriel sharpened his gaze on William. "I do not know. But rest assured it will be something."
William nodded, knowing that vampires did not solicit favors. They took what they wanted, needing no one—an autonomous group unlike any other.
Except the Were.
There was always the Were.
"Yes. It will be that," William agreed.
Claire nodded. "There is always recompense."
The question was what and how much they would expect in payment.
Not a pound of flesh—no, not that.
But payment by blood would suffice very well.
*
Julia
Julia had spent a lot of time that morning with her mouth hanging open while the boys—as she thought of the brothers—Brendan and Michael—and their spunky sister, Jen, gave her a tour of her newest home.
The barn looked like a red stop sign in a field of green. Fresh and iconic, it stood like a stoic anchor about ninety yards from the Victorian house. It seemed innocuous from the outside, but when they went through the small doorway, she entered another world. It was as if they remained hidden in plain sight. The floor was white, as well as the walls, the desks... it was weird.
Then Jen spoke. "Weird huh?"
Julia nodded without speaking. Then she couldn't help herself and asked, "What's with the monochromatic thing?"
"Helps us batten down the mental hatches, girlie!"
Girlie? Julia laughed despite herself. "Really?"
Brendan joined in. "Yeah. Keep everything one color, no distractions. Helps with training." Michael nodded in agreement.
There were partitions that separated the "rooms." One of the rooms wasn't quiet, and its mats weren't white. They were blue and red. Blue in color... and red with blood.
Julia stopped. There were three guys fighting, and they were really going at it. One man had an open cut above his eyebrow like a second mouth, and it was splattering blood everywhere. "Wait a sec—" Julia began.
"Training," Brendan interrupted.
Julia's face turned sharply to his. "Is this what you do? I mean—" Julia hesitated, "—to each other?" Just as she asked the question, the instructor, whose back had been facing her, turned. Julia was instantly sure he was one of the brothers—the missing one because Jen had said she had three. He looked a little like Brendan, but the hair wasn't red at all. It was black, and he was clearly the eldest. He was tall, broad, and built like an ox. He'd have fit right in with the wolves.
Julia assimilated these details in seconds. And in the next second, those thoughts were driven from her mind when he grinned at her and charged.
Fear surged through Julia's body, beginning at her gut and throwing a tingling shot of what felt like electricity into her extremities. Her fingers and toes prickled uncomfortably when her telekinetic power flowed out of the hole that the fear had made, hitting the man as he advanced toward her at a dead run.
Julia felt the wall of her power slam into him while he walked through it as if it had been mist. Next thing she knew, Brendan had barreled into her, smoothly rolling her out of the way of his locomotive relative.
"Knock it off, Scott!" Brendan yelled even as he came for them again. Julia didn't even think. She jerked fifteen feet into the air, taking Brendan with her. She wasn't sure which part was better, Brendan's face or his brother's.
"Well, I'll be damned!" Scott said with a laugh. "Maybe she's not a useless figurehead after all!"
"Hey! Mannerless! Way to go on the introductions!" Jen said, smacking his beefy arm.
"What? It's my job to assess new talent," he said innocently.
"She's our queen, asshat," Michael said in a droll way.
Scott paused. Julia and Brendan were still suspended in the air, and it was taking its toll. Julia was shaking in Brendan's arms.
In Brendan's arms!
Julia was suddenly acutely aware of being held by a guy she'd just met who was überattractive. Julia lost the tenuous grip on her ability, and her focus shattered. They fell, and she yelped, bracing for impact.
Before they hit the hard concrete floor, which was painted an obscenely bright white, their progress was halted in a sickeningly explosive lurch. Julia looked around as she was gently lowered the remaining half foot to the ground.
Jen's arms were out, power emanating from them.
But she was looking only at Scott. "You stupe! Really? Look what almost happened? How would I have explained to Marcus that our queen's guts were strewn around the ground because you were ʻassessing?'" She hit him again and folded her arms across her chest, stewing.
Jen huffed then noticed that Julia watching her.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I mean, about the guts and brains part."
"It's okay," Julia said, scooting away from Brendan and standing. She gave a wary look at Scott, and he looked back with steady eyes, so brown they looked black.
"You know," Julia said, "if there's any truth to this royalty thing, I'm demoting your ass first."
Scott threw back his head and howled laughter. Finally, when he could speak, he said, "I think I like her."
"Not that it matters!" Jen said, still pissed.
Brendan and Michael looked at their brother. Michael asked, "Don't you have someone's ass to kick or something? Stop stomping all over Julia, and get over there and train!"
Scott walked over to Michael until their faces were inches apart. "Whatcha gonna do about it if I don't?"
Suddenly, there was a ten-foot stack of cow shit, and Scott was in the middle of it with only his head peeking out of the top. "Michael!" he roared.
Brendan, Jen, and Michael started to walk away, but Julia couldn't get past Scott howling and buried in a pile of manure that smelled so bad that Julia had to breathe through her mouth, her hand covering her nose. "Hey!" Julia called after them, and all three turned. "Aren't you going to... you're going to leave him like that?" She didn't know whether to laugh or help him out of his predicament.
They nodded, grinning. "Yeah, he'll be free in about twenty seconds." Michael said.
"Too bad it couldn't last longer," Jen muttered to herself just loud enough for Julia to hear.
"Let him sing in his own shit for a minute," Brendan said.
Julia followed as Scott bellowed, "Payback's a bitch!"
When they had walked to the end of the building, Julia turned. And there Scott stood, the manure gone. Not a speck of it remained. But the eyes that had bored into her back had not been friendly, and they weren't friendly now.
Julia suppressed a shiver.
Turning her back to Scott, she followed the friendlier part of the family, leaving the discomfort of the encounter behind her—for the time being
*
Introspection
Julia watched the swan paddle on a small lake then shifted her eyes to the Olympic Mountains. They reminded her of home, a little. There were a few rocks that acted like small boulders that rimmed the shore. It was heavily pebbled with smaller rocks, not sand, but wonderful all the same. What was especially delicious was the time alone. It had been overwhelming to see and learn all the new information about herself, but she needed a breather. Julia got the distinct impression they had kept the walking tour short for her benefit.
There were so many classifications of abilities she had stopped trying to memorize them after the first ten. There were main abilities and all their subabilities. It was too much. Her head had buzzed with the sheer wealth of knowledge. One thing she did understand was that Scott, the brother who didn't like her, was a Deflector and a highly skilled martial artist, as well. He could cancel out another Singer's ability. As with his brother Michael, it was powerfully effective but only for a half-minute or so. Then there was Jen. She was telekinetic but in a different way than Julia—or maybe not different, just much better. Then there was the post-puberty strength that came into play.
That ability was only for the males. But God was just, and the female Singers' abilities were usually stronger or, at the very least, longer lasting. So, the males and females were pretty evenly matched.
Julia skipped one of the flat stones, and the swan startled, flying a few feet and craning its elegant neck to give her a disdainful look. Could swans be angry? She sighed and sat down on the boulder again then picked up a stick and twirled the water, her chin in her palm.
Then there was Michael. She felt her whole face break into a grin. That scene with the shit had been priceless. Beyond funny... even if Scott hadn't been laughing.
Payback's a bitch.
Julia threw the stick in the water and stood. She began to pace the shore, thinking about Brendan. He'd been the one to carry her from the Were. How had he found her? He said simply that he was a "Tracker." It didn't fully explain things. He also said he had a crossover ability. Pyrokinetic. Julia was reminded of that Stephen King novel, Firestarter. She'd mentioned it to Brendan who'd laughed and said, "Nah, that's some trashy fiction story."
Right.
The novel's plot hadn't seemed so implausible when the feet of ten werewolves were on fire. That had seemed pretty legit to her.
Her mind landed on William. He'd been trying to free her, too. But the more Julia thought about it, the less "free" it felt. She cared for him... but the reality was she'd be the bird in the gilded cage again. She almost was a bird in a cage of the Were, as well. It wouldn't have been gilded though. Julia thought of Tony and shuddered to think there was even a slim chance that she'd have been forced into a union with Tony. She understood instinctively that he'd been bad, evil maybe. And it hadn't just been Adriana's misgivings. Julia had had plenty of her own. She sighed. She felt as though she was shuffling a deck of cards, afraid to cut the deck.
Julia heard a noise and turned, her hand at her heart, startled. She smiled when she saw who it was.
Brendan.
He walked toward her, his bronze hair a low-burning flame with the sun lighting it from behind, his eyes like onyx with the sun at his back. The mountains framed his silhouette as he approached, and Julia felt heat rise to her face, seeing the evidence of his combative training on every square inch of his body.
He waved at her as he drew closer, and she lifted her hand in return.
Julia already felt more at home with him than she had a right to.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The feral saw the two beside the lake and could hardly contain his territorial urges over the female.
She was his, and another was beside her, putting his hands on her.
That male would die.
The feral would enjoy tearing at the soft flesh of his neck, the hot spray from the blood coating his muzzle in a satisfying spray of fragrance.
With an effort that was almost painful, he retreated into the depths of the forest, his snout scenting their whereabouts. He would be cautious. The male who was with her had an advantage that the feral recognized and wished to cripple if he could.
The male was something other than human. The feral did not know how he knew this, but when he had been near the male and the small female, their kinship had been apparent, easy to scent. But the feral's chest had tightened uncomfortably with a sensation he could not identify.
When he had the male in his grip, he would ascertain what that enigmatic detail was.
*
Brendan
Brendan watched Julia from a safe distance. She wore her discontent readily, he thought. Brendan sighed. He couldn't contain the fam, and knew not to even try. It was obvious Julia felt off-kilter, unsettled. Who wouldn't? First the vamps took her then the Were. He didn't know much about her past. They'd find out more later. After all, she was their queen. Marcus had raised them on the legend, as his father had before him. He'd demand to know more.
She didn't look very queenly. She was slim and of average height for a female. Her coloring was different. Brendan slowed his pace, studying her. Julia had a unique, soft golden-red hair color. But it was her eyes that took his breath away. They matched her hair, depending on the light. They were amber in indirect light, but in the sun, they rivaled the orb's brightness.
He walked toward her, and she jumped as if he'd startled her. He gave a short flick of his fingers, sort of an unconscious waving of the white flag. She waved back, and he smiled, walking the rest of the way toward her. He was puzzled by the expression on her face.
For a moment there, she looked as if she was assessing him. Taking his measure as a man.
Brendan's smile widened into a grin. Now, that he kind of liked.
When he reached her, and she didn't seem resistant, he took Julia into his arms, giving her a brief hug then releasing her. She smelled like a ripe piece of fruit, and he instantly wondered if it was the shampoo or her. Brendan stepped back, reluctantly letting her go, his fingers trailing lightly down her arms, causing goose flesh to rise where their contact had been.
Then it hit him: a smell so strange he couldn't name it. But it was familiar. Brendan swung his head in the direction of the woods that bordered the opposite side of the lake.
*
Julia leaned into the hug that Brendan gave her and sighed. She allowed herself that moment's peace then stepped away. Her chest tightened horribly. Her loneliness constricted her heart. She was desperately alone. At least, it felt that way.
As a matter of fact, in only a few more days, it would be two years since Jason died. Tears threatened at the thought of that anniversary, but they were chased away by the sudden expression of wariness that washed over Brendan's features.
Julia looked around, frightened. They'd said she was safe! She whirled on Brendan just as he grabbed her.
"Let's get outta here!" he said, dragging her after him.
"What is it?" she asked, half jogging. But he didn't answer until they had traveled the short distance to the house. When they bounded up the wide, wooden steps and were nearly at the front door, he turned and took her shoulders. "There's something in the woods!" His eyes searched hers, the grip cupping her shoulders almost painful.
"What?" she cried. Was it vampire? Were? What the hell... trolls? Could there be more mythological creatures springing to life to kidnap her away from the one group that she actually belonged to?
Jen stepped out the front door, letting the screen crack back against the wood frame. The noise of it reverberated everywhere. She took in Brendan's expression. Her eyebrows came together. "What's wrong?" Jen looked from Julia to Brendan.
Julia said, "How did you know there was something wrong?"
Jen flicked her eyes at Julia. "It's a sib thing."
Julia waited. Finally Brendan said, "It's that Were from the compound."
Jen rolled her eyes. "Thanks for clearing that up, bro! What, there's like, a hundred or something?"
They looked at each other, and Julia watched their expressions. Jen spoke first. "You mean that giant red one?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that's him."
Julia remembered almost going to him—the connection had been so strong. What could it mean?
Jen looked at her. "This is some of the awful crap that can happen." She sighed and looked at Brendan again. His eyes turned away from hers. They were trained on the woods beyond the lake.
At that moment, Scott and Michael came walking from the big barn that acted as Training Facility for Singers. There wasn't a laugh or smile on their faces. Not that she'd expected one from Scott, but Michael had been downright jovial in the two days since she'd been with them.
Julia looked at all of them. "Okay, I give up. What's lurking around in the woods that has everyone's collective underwear in a wad? You guys are scaring me!"
Brendan said, "We think—" Jen glared at him, and he shook his head, resigned. "I think that we have a Singer who's been turned."
Julia stepped forward. "I don't get it. Turned how?"
Michael shook his head. "Not how—what."
Julia sat there and let the idea take shape, blooming in her head like an ugly flower. Her eyes snapped to Brendan's. "Wait a second. You're telling me that we've got someone out there that was one of us, and now some Were or vamp has... changed them?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah, that's about it." He folded his muscular arms across a barrel chest.
Jen turned to Brendan. "You're sure, Bren?"
"Werewolf," he said tersely, and Jen's shoulders drooped. "They're the worst."
"What's with all this? It can't be saved?" Julia asked.
Brendan shook his head. "It's a he."
It was a man. A Singer like herself, turned. Her gaze swung back to Brendan's. "Did he want to be a werewolf?"
Scott answered, "Doubtful. The attacking Were would've known he was a Singer. Don't know why they'd do a Singer. After all, they need Singers to produce"—he lifted his fingers in sarcastic air quotes—"a Rare One." His eyes met hers. They were filled with loathing and derision. Somebody wasn't happy with her status. Like I can goddamn help it!
What the hell had she done to piss in his Wheaties? The putz. Julia felt her eyes narrow as angry heat suffused her face. He glared right back at her.
"What's your problem?" Julia asked.
Scott met the challenge in her words and stalked toward her as Brendan put her behind his back. "What are you doing, Scott?" Brendan ground out.
"It's her fault! He's after her!" His eyes found all of theirs and then went back to Julia. Well, she wasn't going to hide behind Brendan. She came from behind him, and Brendan said in a low voice full of threat, "Don't you hurt her."
"Our queen?" he asked mockingly, putting his hand to his chest and looking at Julia as if she were a piece of garbage on the bottom of his shoe. "Never! She is safe as a sleeping babe in the cradle of her mother's bosom!" he snarled, barely contained rage making his face more handsome, not less.
"Stop it, Scott!" Jen hissed.
"No!" he yelled back, and Jen flinched.
Julia got right up in his personal space, defying common sense as he was at least six foot three and built like a brick shit house, all brawn and anger. "I can't be that safe because I don't have a mother." She poked his solidly muscled chest with her finger for emphasis, and he didn't move a centimeter. "I don't know what I did to get on the top of your shit list, but I assure you it wasn't on purpose!" Julia was shaking with rage but continued. "I watched my husband die." Their eyes widened while Scott's narrowed. "My best friend is gone forever, my parents dead. I was with the vampires, then the Were, and now I'm with you. I have to be queen? Of the Blood Singers? Maybe I don't want the job!" And with that last comment, she pushed him in the chest, but it came out more like a slap, harder than she meant it to be, like hitting a tree. Her anger overrode even the pretense of self-restraint.
He wrapped his huge hands around her small wrists and jerked her into his body. The siblings were too late to help or to stop it.
The moment Scott touched her, the branding fire of his flesh on hers was complete. Neither expected it.
Neither welcomed it.
Julia's soul bound to Scott's in one earth-shattering moment of clarity, as natural as the breath she took. She felt their beings knitting together, and she gasped. It was almost painful.
He breathed out, "No." Even as he staggered back, his hands went for her again, but Brendan was there. "What's wrong with you, Scott? What are you doing?"
Jen and Michael looked at each other then at Julia. She was breathing shallowly, her body a throbbing mass of unquenched desire, longing, and absolution.
Her eyes never left his.
Julia didn't even like Scott.
Then Marcus, their leader, was there. He looked from one to the other of them, instant understanding riding his face, their unity a thing that sizzled in the air all around them.
"Soul mates!" he proclaimed.
Julia looked from the leader and obvious father of the family as she leaned weakly against Brendan's chest, her back pressed against his warmth and comfort, her eyes fixed on Scott's.
His were filled with anger and hate directed at her.
They couldn't be soul anything. It was obvious Julia wasn't someone he wanted, respected, or liked.
She tore herself out of Brendan's arms and ran inside the house. Taking the steps two at a time, she rushed into the bedroom they'd given her and slammed the door, using the old-fashioned skeleton key to lock it. She backed away until her thighs pressed against the bed. Julia sank down into the mattress, the firmness of it a temporary cradle to her sadness.
Could things get any more screwed up if she'd wished for it? She put her face in her hands and cried, while off in the distance, she heard a howl.
*
Singers
"Tell me," Marcus said, his eyes like slits on his grown children. "And it better be good."
Everyone began talking at once. Finally Michael took the conversational reins. "Brendan came back with news of a Singer turned Were."
"What?" Marcus roared, his eyes casting a wide net at the surrounding area.
Brendan shook his head. "It's in the woods for now. But it will find its way here. Soon."
"Male?" Marcus queried.
They nodded. Marcus looked at Scott. "I understand your sentiments about the Queen—that you've never adjusted to the idea of it."
Jen rolled her eyes. "Adjusted, Dad? Try anarchy! That'd be more like it." She looked at her oldest brother. He was so sure of himself. Nothing ever bothered him. He fought with a skill unmatched by any other Singer in their quadrant. He was the number one Deflector of their band of Singers and then one female Singer—the Queen—came to them, and he lost his status of independence. That was what a soul-meld would do. The irony wasn't lost on Jen. She felt a little sorry for Scott. It would suck hating his soul mate but being bonded to her anyway. And Julia impressed Jen as independent. She felt a smile curl her lips.
"And now I'm bound to her!" Scott roared, his lip curling with distaste.
*
Above them, Julia listened from the window that was ajar. It was fine that Scott didn't want her. He was stubborn and mean and—ugh! Julia didn't even like him! She'd do better on her own. She felt confident enough with her telekinetic ability to get by.
Julia didn't want to be queen. And she didn't care if there was some "soul-meld" or whatever. She couldn't get out of being a Blood Singer or a Rare One. But she didn't have to be in this place with someone who hated her.
She looked around her room. A profound melancholy slipped through her, her being still tingling from the encounter with Scott. Julia shoved away how painfully right it had felt to be in his arms for that one moment.
He hated her anyway, so it didn't matter.
Julia grabbed the only coat in the room and slipped out quietly, heading down the staircase that exited the back of the house. It had once been a little-used servant's staircase. She used it now with circumspection.
Julia slipped away without listening to the rest of the conversation.
*
Marcus looked at his eldest son and sighed. Scott had excelled at everything, his training, his ability, his... conquests. But stubbornness was his biggest flaw. Scott had fought long and hard to let the legend of the Queen of the Blood Singers die a natural death. She did not exist, he'd argued—it was only legend. But Marcus remembered the reverent way that his father had discussed her Coming. He knew that Julia was the Queen.
If her scent was not sufficient confirmation, she had the mark of the moon branded on her forehead, as foretold. The pearly crescent shone at her temple, a testament to her position among them.
Scott could deny it until he was blue in the face. But Brendan was one of their finest Trackers.
His nose never lied.
Then there was the soul-meld. His eye's met his son's. Only Singers of royal blood could soul-meld. It was a double confirmation.
"Hate her if you will, but remember this"—Marcus spoke to all of them but directed his words at Scott—"she has been through many traumas. We don't know what or how many. What did she tell you?"
Jen told him what Julia had said to Scott.
Marcus threw up his hands. "So what we have here is a Singer who lost a husband."
"Infant bride," Michael muttered, and Marcus's brow cocked.
"Nothing," Michael said but couldn't hide a smile.
"And she was held by both factions, Were and vampire?" When Marcus looked for confirmation, Brendan nodded.
"Then"— he began to pace the wooden planks of the covered deck, and some squeaked with age as he passed—"she is kidnapped by her own people, told she is queen, and treated abominably by my eldest son."
"Twice," Marcus said, looking at Scott, who glowered back, the barest hint of shame creeping into his expression.
*
Scott folded his muscular arms across a chest that proved his time on the mat. "Okay, I guess I could have handled it better," he said, still trying to stop his guts from churning. His entire body yearned to get back to her. He hated the loss of his independence.
"Uh... duh!" Jen said. He glanced at her, and she continued. "Unless anyone objects, I suggest you get your dumbass up there and apologize!"
Marcus scowled at Jen but let it go. "From all accounts, Scott behaved badly. And to a female Singer—the Queen, no less! It could hardly have been worse."
Scott said, "I hate feeling trapped. She made me feel..."
"Complete?" Brendan asked with just a hint of envy.
Scott thought about it. Yeah, he guessed she had, but she'd blindsided him. He'd been totally—no, completely—unprepared for a soul-meld. But dammit, he had reveled in his independence, refused to go on the wild goose chase of an acquisition for another Singer. Let his hotdog brothers and sister do it.
And look what the cat had dragged home.
He looked up at the window of her bedroom, feeling miserable. How could he fix it? Did he want to? He realized belatedly he may have misjudged her. Badly. Scott remembered those huge amber eyes looking up at him in anger, wounded by his careless words. He'd fallen right into them—as soon as she was inside the circle of his arms, he couldn't think of anything but her—and the protection of her. He sighed and began to walk toward the front door.
"Wait," Marcus said, and Scott turned, a question on his face.
"She needs extra protection from this Were."
Scott's siblings turned to look at their father. When he had their full attention, he resumed. "You understand how dangerous a turned Singer is. The Queen will be like a homing beacon."
Brendan nodded, understanding. "He'll be a problem, all right."
Scott's heart began to speed, his intuition kicking in. Already, his thoughts were on Julia. Where was she at this very moment? He was instantly pissed that he gave a rat's ass. He felt as if his mind were tearing in two. His intellect rebelled against what his soul was compelled to execute... and feel.
Julia, it screamed. Where is Julia? Scott shook his head to clear it from the fuzziness of the duality of his nature.
"Why?" Scott heard himself asking despite himself.
Michael hadn't paid attention to this part of his training and shrugged, but Jen had been an apt pupil like Brendan, and she said, "It breaks the mind of a Singer turned. His mind is gone. He'd want to belong with us but wouldn't know how."
"He'd hurt Julia if he got his hands on her," Brendan said. "Those Singers that have been turned are crazy as hell."
Marcus nodded. "As descriptions go, that's a good one."
Scott's hand clenched the solid brass knob of the screen door, and it creaked in protest under his abusive grip. "So, let me get this straight. This... feral werewolf was once a Singer, got nailed by a Were attack, and is now scenting after Julia."
"Yeah," Brendan said.
Scott scoffed. "Let it try. I'll rip its paws off and scratch his own ass with them!"
Michael laughed.
"What's so damn funny?" Scott asked, his eyes narrowing.
"A couple of things, I'm guessing," Brendan said.
"Enlighten us, please," Marcus said in his droll way.
"First"—Brendan held up a finger—"Scott didn't give two shits and an eff about Julia—hated her, as a matter of fact." Brendan waited for a dissenting comment or grunt. When none came, he continued. "Second, the visual of you tearing off the paw of the Were that we saw at the compound and scratching its..." Brendan shook his head. "No, pal. Sorry. He's big-time feral in his pants."
"And just big-time!" Jen agreed. "He's the biggest Were we've ever seen. Red, different."
Scott frowned. So?
"In other words, it may take more than your pissed-off attitude to subdue this fella!" Michael said.
"Ah—" Marcus began, and they all looked at him. "That's where you're wrong." he said slowly. "When a soul mate's partner is threatened, there may be more in the arsenal than what the Singer was bestowed with at birth."
Scott's hand dropped from the knob. "What do you mean, Dad?"
"I mean that it is your singular purpose to protect and nurture her." Marcus's eyes speared Scott's. "She is in the gravest danger right now, at her most vulnerable. Until this feral is caught and disposed of, he will not stop until he has her."
"Will he kill her?" Jen asked.
"I do not know," Marcus said. "But ask yourself this." They leaned forward to hear his last words. "Does anyone want to find out?"
Hell no! A primal yell sounded from deep within Scott, and against every intellectual imperative, his feet strode through the doorway and flung him up the stairs toward her room—toward Julia.
*
Julia threw branches away as they scraped past her. She crashed through the brush that threatened to stab her viciously. She was furious. The more she walked, the angrier she became.
It was useless, though. Being angry didn't matter. Letting go of the Singers and what she was did matter. Every step she took was a greater distance between she and Scott, and in her mind, she was happy.
But her heart grieved. She felt a little the way she had after Jason had died. But how could that be? She didn't even know Scott! In fact, he'd made a point of being an ass!
Julia rounded a stand of trees, and she stopped in her tracks. A massive Were stood in front of her, his green eyes pegging her intensely. She hauled in a lungful of air to scream, and he was on her, his hand that had talons twice the length of her fingers wrapping her mouth and tickling her ears.
Julia's vision grew dim, her fear making her bladder burn for release. As her world faded to gray, the last thing she saw were those emerald eyes staring at her.
*
The female lost consciousness, and the feral pressed her light body to his. He turned and ran, covering more ground than she could have on her own, his half-wolf form perfectly suited to the dense conditions of the forest. The burden of the female was an abiding comfort. It was the only time he had felt a sense of peace since he'd become... whatever he was now.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Scott put his hand on the multi-faceted knob, the crystal a solid weight under his palm, and turned it. The five-panel door swung inward on its own momentum. His eyes swept the sunlit room, missing nothing.
Julia was gone.
His heart thudded to a stop, the words he'd spoken crashing back into his mind with the weight of the ages. He found the flaw in the room: the window was open a crack, maybe two inches. The white curtains, like billowing fingers of smoke, fluttered with the breeze.
He walked to the window, his siblings entering Julia's room behind him. He stood at the window, the low sill pressing against his upper shins. Scott could clearly hear the voices of various people from a distance, the strange acoustics of the oddly formed bay accentuating the noises and amplifying them.
Julia would have heard everything he had to say about her down below—including his tone of hate and disrespect.
Scott hung his head, curling his hands into tight fists. He understood that she must have left before he had wrestled his emotions into some kind of basic order and prepared to right his wrong and give her some neutral deference.
Now she was gone and possibly in danger.
Grave danger.
Scott turned his back to the window. He spied something of hers and picked it up. It was a hoodie. He crushed it to his nose, inhaling the scent of Julia, his chest tightening with soul recognition.
His deep brown eyes flashed to those of his siblings and father.
"She's gone." Guilt rode him mercilessly.
"Great," Jen said.
"You pushed her away," Brendan accused.
"You think?" Scott's eyes were twin holes of burning fury—at himself. "I screwed up. I got that. But now's not the time for talk." He speared his brother with a look. "Can you find her?"
"Absolutely," Brendan said then paused for a heartbeat. "The better question is: has he found her?"
They were all quiet for a moment with silent agreement. Then they turned and rushed out the door. Julia's hoodie was gripped in Scott's fist like a lifeline. He had never been so focused in his life. He needed to find her. All the bullshit legends of his childhood that he'd discounted—Singer royalty, soul-melding, all of it—was no longer legend.
It was his new reality.
They ran down the back stairs, the very ones Julia had used a mere hour before. Bursting out of the back door, Brendan tracked Julia to the forest's edge. His grave stare focused on Scott.
"What?" Scott asked. For the first time, terror sank its teeth into his psyche. Scott had never had need of fear. It was an alien emotion for him.
Until now.
"The feral's in these woods," Brendan said, using the very words that Scott had not wanted to hear.
"Does he... has he...?" Scott's grip on Julia's sweatshirt made his knuckles turn white.
Brendan gave a single nod.
Scott yelled.
The feral's sensitive ears picked up a rage-filled bellow. He swiftly widened the breach between the Singers and himself. He picked up his pace, the girl in his arms unaware of who carried her.
Or who followed.
****
Were
Adriana felt as though her ass had been handed to her—as usual. She always felt that way when she was done "visiting" with Lawrence. She kicked a rock on the way out of his chamber. The word "chamber" wasn't really accurate. His quarters, as she preferred to think of them, were huge. She'd never been in his actual bedroom. They always met in his cavernous library, his great desk was like a mighty wooden ship in the center of a sea of books. She always felt like her own ship was sinking.
This time, he'd reamed her up one side and down the other. Tony had come up smelling like a rose—as always. It really rubbed Adi the wrong way that she was every bit the fighter he was, but when it came down to talon-to-talon, he'd best her. Her fists tightened. She had twice the heart that he had. But he was just that much bigger than she. If skill and training were equal, someone with all those pounds and muscle would be victor. It was the opposite of fair.
Sometimes she hated being female. Adi liked the one thing she had over him, though.
Ironically, it was her gender.
Tony was destined to mate with a female Were. He was second to her brother, Joseph, the most powerful Alpha in their region. Because of his station within the werewolf hierarchy, she should have looked at Tony as top on the list of potentials. That was how he'd looked at her until she made it clear she thought he was a Loser with a capital L. Now, his mate options were limited to females other than her. But Tony didn't really want a mate. He wanted a female Were trophy to parade under the snouts of all the other male Were that couldn't be mated to a female Were. There were too few. She smiled.
Adi enjoyed bristling Tony's fur every chance she got. He was so full of himself. Like today. He'd painted his role in the escape of the feral in such a way it made it sound as if she'd been irresponsible. That was not the truth. The truth was that he'd passed off a difficult chore to a female at the worst point of the month. And the feral had shown her a kind of mercy, tearing her shoulder out of its socket yet not killing her. Not so crazy after all.
Then there was the other question about the feral: who was he really?
Why the interest in the Rare One? Because no one could convince Adi differently: if he'd wished for escape earlier, he could have had it. No. He'd wanted Jules. Adi would have staked her life on it.
Tony followed her out with a smirk, whistling.
The asshole.
Then Joseph came, casting a look her way. She waited, and he walked over to her.
"You know, if you'd be a little"—he rolled his eyes skyward, searching for the perfect word—"softer with Tony, he'd cut you some slack." He shrugged.
"No," she responded shortly. "He can kiss my ass!" Adriana folded her arms across her chest. "I'll never suck up to him. Besides"—she looked at her brother again—"did you see how he made me look in front of Lawrence? He never does or says the right thing. Every verbal angle he plays is uttered for his benefit, never anyone else's." Couldn't her brother see that?
Joseph said, "Tony is self-centered. But he's my second and an excellent fighter. It doesn't matter that you can't get along with him. You two will just have to reach some kind of mutual understanding to coexist."
"Whatever!" Adi responded in a loud voice. "I'll just avoid his obnoxious carcass and try for civility." She rolled her eyes then nailed Joseph with a solid stare. He raised his brows in question, and she plowed forward, changing tactics. "Who is the feral?"
Joseph sucked in his breath. "I can't say, Adi. I've been sworn to secrecy. You know that. We've been over it and over it—"
"It's for the safety of the pack," she interrupted. "Blah, blah. Yeah, whatever. I gotcha. But I want to know why we would even keep a feral." Her eyes shifted to his, searching, and a wild idea began to form. It couldn't be... "Does he have something to do with Jules?"
It was the barest flicker, but Adi caught it and snapped her fingers. "Tell me!"
Joseph sighed, holding up a palm. "We thought that if the Rare One needed... encouragement, we could use the feral."
Adi scrunched her brows together. That didn't make sense. They stared at each other for several moments. She knew that Joseph could see her confusion.
"How? How could he coerce...?"
Joseph told her. It took almost a half hour, and when he'd finished, only the birds in the trees could be heard in the deafening silence that his revelation had left behind.
Her slap against his skin rang out, startling the birds, which perched on high branches to exchange the safety of the trees for that of the sky.
"How could you?" Her voice shook with contained rage.
Joseph let her slap him, hanging his shoulders in helpless guilt. "I should have fought harder against it."
Adi's eyes narrowed on him. "Whose idea was this?"
Joseph didn't answer. His eyes were answer enough.
Of fucking course.
Adrianna stalked off in search of Tony. Joseph tried to grab her arm to stop her, and she tore it away from him, turning on him like the wolf she was. "Don't touch me! It was unforgivable." Her eyes locked on to him. "You know what? It's good that the Singers took Julia. Maybe somebody can treat her like a human being instead of something to be manipulated. We don't deserve her."
She strode off in search of Tony.
Joseph watched her go, his self-loathing a solid weight in his body.
In his soul.
****
William
William was hopeful. He clapped the Locator on his back as he left the kiss with a thank-you and the blessing of their lightwalker, Gabriel. A huge favor in the future was his collateral. It would hang over the coven's head. But if he could regain Julia, it would not matter. Their kiss's prosperity and importance would be solidified forever.
The Locator turned, giving William his steady regard. "You have the map?"
William nodded, and the vampire gave the barest smile of acknowledgment. "I wish you the best fortune in locating your Singer."
They both knew that Julia wasn't just any Singer. But neither said it openly. They had put their competition aside for the moment, but a sister kiss trying for the Rare One was not beyond the scope of possibility. William was keen on not forgetting that basic fact.
He closed the door behind him and strode to where Claire and Gabriel waited. Gabriel looked up as William drew closer. His finger stabbed the map. "The Singers have powerful blocking in place from our location. But"—his eyes met William's—"the Locator was quite sure that this is the general region." They all studied the area.
It was mountainous and densely wooded.
Perfect cover for retrieval by vampires.
William assembled runners. They packed their gear and went out on their last mission. If they could not retrieve Julia this time, he knew that his window of opportunity would have closed to nothing.
Once she was in the womb of the Singers, it would be an impossibility to get to her.
They afforded formidable protection that even his will and determination could not combat.
He imagined she would be important to them, as well, though perhaps not labeled "Rare One" as she was with the vampires and werewolves. Maybe for them she was something else entirely.
Julia would be royal among their kind, William decided. She would be like a queen.
*
The Feral
The feral swept the hair that had fallen across the face of the female away from her eyes and studied her. It made a sweet longing like the finest blood rise unbidden within his wolf form. It was almost enough to make him slide back into his human shape. But not yet. His strange, half-human form was the one he instinctively realized was best for the distance he needed. Even now, he could feel his kind chasing after them. They wanted the female.
He clutched her tighter to his body. Soon, he would need to feed and would have to leave her unconscious and unprotected for a time. He scowled.
He moved smoothly with the tiny female in his arms, a sense of rightness and purpose propelling him naturally. He searched until he was satisfied, finding the perfect den in which to hide her. Then he tucked her inside the small rock crevice. He backed away, his hunger a gnawing monster in his belly. Before he could compromise his strength further by lingering over her, he fled in search of prey. That would keep him busy for longer than he liked.
*
Julia woke up with darkness all around her and was chilled to the bone. She had a coat, but the damp coolness of her environment had sunk into her bones and weighed her down. She put her hands out in an exploratory movement and hit something solid. All around her, Julia could feel solid weight. She smelled the earth surrounding her.
The space felt like a tomb. Julia panicked, scraping the confines of the dark cave, whimpering in fear. But before she lost it totally, her memory slid into place, and she realized what had happened.
She remembered the great red werewolf. Actually, his fur was like wine. Not that it mattered. She closed her eyes tightly. What was she doing here? Where was he? What had he put her in?
Calm thyself, Julia!
Her lips set in a determined line, Julia lifted her head as high as she could without hitting the ceiling. Ambient light reached her eyes, and she could just make out her toes like twin hills in the distance. Julia thought that she might have been stuffed in some kind of hole.
For safekeeping.
She gulped, trying not to think of what that meant. Maybe a tasty meal for later? Julia shuddered at the thought. She needed to get the hell out of there! She experimented, wiggling around, and discovered that the only place of escape was where her feet were. Well... she couldn't move at all. She had maybe six inches on all sides.
It didn't matter. She'd never been more scared since that night—since Jason—but she wasn't going to give up yet.
She began to wiggle her butt like an inchworm, bunching her muscles then scooting forward, inch by inch. Julia knew when she made headway because she could see better. Finally, her legs were free of the hold, and she was able to bend her knees and drag her body farther, stabbing her heels into the dirt at her feet and pulling herself out incrementally. In less than five minutes, she was free. Even the dappled sunlight through the canopy of trees was bright and full of glare after the utter darkness of the hole she'd been in. Julia turned, squinting, and looked at where she'd been. It was a narrow slot at the base of a natural rock formation, barely more that a crevice.
No one would have ever seen her unless they knew she was there.
Julia stood, and the pins and needles of returning blood flow almost brought her to her knees. But she persevered, breathing slowly in and out. She was tired of fainting, being kidnapped, and being told who she was and what she was going to be and do.
She was Julia, and she was going to be okay.
Julia turned and walked away, casting a glance behind her as she went. She didn't have the vaguest clue where she was, but she was going somewhere. She headed west, where the sun rode above the mountains. At least she had a direction.
Julia hoped it was not the same one the Were had used.
****
Homer
The phone buzzed shrilly beside his ear, and he snatched it up, his irritation rising like the tide beyond the window of the police station. "Truman," Karl answered in his gruff voice.
"It's Alexander," the chief forensic specialist said.
"Hello! Sing me the tune I like to hear."
"Okay. Well, I don't know if it's what you want to hear, but it's what I have."
Confusing, but okay, Karl thought. "All right. Lay it on me."
"I've got the sample DNA typed, but it's broad because I can't get a specific on it."
"Cut the cryptic shit, and just give it to me straight."
"Canine genome."
All right—just as he'd figured. No big surprise there. "Okay, wolves then."
Silence. Karl could almost hear the static on the normally clear lines.
Alexander cleared his throat.
"Listen, this is going to sound completely insane."
Karl waited.
"But the classification is not entirely accurate."
"What are you saying, Alexander?"
"I'm saying you've got yourself a new class of canine here."
"What, Bigfoot?" Karl gave a short bark of a laugh.
Alexander didn't laugh. "No. Not Bigfoot."
"Then what?" This is crazy!
"Something else. Something so different we don't know where to put it."
Karl leaned forward, his chair creaking under his weight. "Okay, give me what you know."
"Okay, more insanity. Ready?"
"Hell yeah." Karl tapped his ballpoint on the desk, listening. When Alexander was finished, he whistled low in the back of his throat, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his face. Finally, he said, "A guy could lose his reputation over what you're postulating."
"Yeah, no shit."
"So, what's the plan?" Karl asked.
"Well, first off, I think the larger question is what are these things? Listen Truman, meet me back at the scene. With some additional measurements, I may have more answers. Who knows?"
"Like, what kind of measurements?"
"Size, for starters," Alexander said.
"And?"
"Intelligence."
They were quiet for a full minute, the line buzzing between them.
"You're not suggesting these things are the same ones that tossed that dump, are you?"
"I am," Alexander said.
"Holy shit," Truman breathed out.
"Yeah."
*
Cyn
The driver looked as the forlorn girl entered his bus. When she told him where she wanted to go, he was somehow reminded of that waif of a girl a few months back—the one with the whiskey eyes and phony black hair dye. He wondered how she was doing.
The girl said, "Kent."
He nodded. "I know just where to take you."
"Good." She turned away and headed to the back of his bus. His eyes followed her in the rear-view mirror. She wore some funky boots. They looked like hard-core fisherman boots, reaching to her calves. Ugly suckers, shit-brown in color. Huh. They didn't really seem to go with the rest of her.
He shifted his eyes back to the road, putting the great bus into gear. It ground out of park and into first gear, a plume of exhaust hailing its departure.
*
Cynthia leaned back, pushing her knees against the seat in front of her. She let her legs dangle, and right before she closed her eyes, she caught sight of Jules's boots on her feet. She smiled through her tears.
I'll never forget you, Julia.
After a few moments, Cynthia fell asleep, exhaustion taking the reins for her, the tears drying on her cheeks as she slept.
*
The bus driver drove his route twice, the same way he had with that other waif, giving the girl time to rest. When he was a couple blocks away from the women's shelter, he stopped.
This is as good a place as any. He jerked the lever, and the bifold door opened with a burst of compressed air.
Cynthia's eyes snapped open, and she noted that she was the sole person on the bus. Her eyes met those of the bus driver. She stood, her eyes flicking to the name embroidered on his uniform: Alfred.
When she came to the front, she lowered her head and peeked out the bus door at a building a couple of blocks away. She could just make out the sign: "Freedom Affirmed."
She looked back at Alfred. "Where am I?"
His kind eyes remained steady on hers. "Kent."
She nodded. "Right, okay." Cynthia began to descend the short bus steps as she heard the driver's voice behind her. "That place up there will give you a couple days' peace."
There is no peace for me, Cynthia thought. But she turned anyway and looked into his kind eyes. "Thanks. I'll check it out."
Alfred smiled and nodded, pushing the lever, the bus door closing with a snap and an air-driven hiss. Cynthia watched the bus glide away. The only proof it had ever existed was the exhaust cloud in its wake.
Turning, she headed for the building.
It's as good a place as any.
Cynthia quickened her pace toward the building and a new life.
*
Julia
Julia walked quickly and made progress. However, she grew thirsty, her tongue swelling like a tumor in her mouth. She became so parched it was all she could think of. Shading her eyes, she looked up at the sun. Julia guessed it was well past noontime.
As she hiked, the sun would move behind clouds, casting deep shadows in the forest. Julia's mind played tricks on her, and she felt alone and scared... and foolish.
Mostly just scared, she decided. Finally, Julia thought she heard the tinkling sounds of moving water, and when the forest floor grew greener and the topography of the ground at her feet began to slope away and downward, Julia figured she'd hit the jackpot. She grabbed branches to steady herself as she finessed her way down a short but steep ravine toward the sounds of a small stream. It was probably a river in Washington, but by Alaska standards, it was a creek. She knelt by the crystal-clear water and made a cup with both hands, letting the slow-moving water run over the top then capturing the refreshing goodness in her already cold flesh. Ignoring her intellect, she gulped greedy sips.
After she'd drunk her fill, Julia stood, wiping her hands off on her jeans. She turned and carefully made her way up the small ravine, refreshed and rejuvenated.
She abandoned the tree cover and entered an open meadow, stopping for a moment as the sun came from behind the clouds, beating its warmth into her as she stood in the open. Julia closed her eyes, lifting her face to the sun, and reveled in the stolen moment of warmth. When the first pain began to pierce her guts, she gasped, folding her arms across her belly protectively.
What is this? She groaned out loud, holding herself.
Julia felt the water she had drunk not thirty minutes before churn in her stomach like curdled milk. A chill rolled over her skin, and she began to shiver. Goose flesh rose, and she trembled again. Julia looked around, feeling ill. Maybe she drank too much at one time?
This was the worse possible time to get the flu or some other crap. No worries—just the big bad wolf after me.
She didn't think being Little Red Riding Hood was very funny.
Zero amusement.
Julia pressed forward, clutching her stomach as she walked. Her eyes searched the dim forest. She might have to find someplace to hide until her insides felt better.
She moved into the soothing coolness of the forest as the first cramp tore into her, and pain rode her like a wave coming to shore.
*
William
William and his five runners made haste. As soon as twilight had dropped its veil of protection over the city, they had left the shelter of the kiss.
The cattle parted like the Red Sea. Even in their ignorant stupor, there was some biological imperative that kicked in, a primal alert of sorts. When the vampires evacuated their lair, the steps leading to the street a yawning concrete hole of uncertainty and darkness, the humans moved aside unconsciously, giving the vampires a wide berth.
William moved quickly, Gabriel's words ringing in his head. Do not engage a large group of Singers.
He had asked, "What is too many?"
There had been a pregnant pause, and then Gabriel had responded with a question. "How many is too many at the Were stronghold?"
William had understood. Had it not been for the feral Were, he might have stood a chance, even with the pair of Singers. He was not certain. He shrugged the thought away. Julia and he were connected, and William had Singer ancestry. He had alliance and blood-share in his favor. However small a portion his Singer ancestry was, it would cast weight to the positive for him.
He swiped Gabriel's words away with a dismissive mental shrug. Gabriel did not fully understand battle reasoning. The Were, for all their flaws, did. In the heat of battle, decisions were made, some lacking in any rational foundation. Nevertheless, they were deemed critical then, in that moment. There might be a moment that arose in just that way in the next few hours, and William would be reactive. It was the only thing he had not allowed himself in prior instances.
He had thought it a luxury. Now he recognized it for what it was: necessary. If he wanted Julia, he would have to use his emotions as his barometer, not his rational mind. This was not the time for mental negotiations.
It was the time for action.
Their noses were on keen alert as they made their way toward a remote spot on the Olympic Peninsula. William had chosen the runners for ancestry instead of warrior prowess with the ability to shift.
They all shift now.
To the casual observer, they would look like black wings and bodies, flying against the backdrop of the night sky.
Only the eyes would give an observer pause. They were crimson, like blood.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Catalyst
Julia rolled over onto her side, her body shuddering in response to the movement.
She realized she'd made the gravest, most novice mistake in the world. She had drunk water from a creek untreated. Did her Alaskan upbringing teach her nothing?
Dumb!
She had beaver fever. Julia had consumed a ton of creek water, and now it felt as though someone was taking her insides out with a spoon. Worse, she wasn't throwing up or... the other. But a fine fever was there, securing a good foothold. And climbing higher.
Julia remembered that when she was young, her mother had said she was a "burner," one of those kids who got rid of being sick by jerking her core temperature up to an insanely dangerous level.
Julia shivered, crawling back into the crevice of an old log. The wooden embrace was full of sodden leaves and God knew what else. She flung her arm out, bending it at the elbow to fit inside the tight space. She shuddered, as she put the bare skin of her forehead against the cold wetness of her jacket, dampened by her environment.
Julia fell into a fitful doze, her body intermittently shaking from exhaustion and sickness. She was completely vulnerable and alone.
The cougar had scented its prey in the meadow. It followed the female back to where she lay inside a downed log in the forest. The cougar slunk closer, knowing that the prey was weakened—and safely inside the cougar's territory.
The animal prowled toward the log.
It scented danger too late.
*
The werewolves moved in with typical stealth, tearing the cat's large head off its shoulders even as it turned to swipe. They executed the maneuver with precision and accuracy. Wasting nothing, they feasted on the most delicate part of their kill, leaving the remainder for possible consumption later. They were wary. Many scents were all around them—that of the enemy... and others.
What lay within the folds of the log was too precious to be dispatched by the dumb creature of the forest, a lowly cat.
They moved to the log and peered inside.
*
Vampire
The ravens lit upon the branches of the trees. They had not discovered the scent of the Singer but that of the dogs. Circling the position, spying the group of four Were with the sharpness of their raven eyesight, they settled on the highest branches. William sent out an alert to the others, a single cawing tone of specific meaning. They fell to the ground as a well-oiled machine, from thirty of forty feet of height, their wings melting into deadened flesh and bone as they dropped. It was a beautiful symphony of purposeful landing that began with feathers and ended with feet, which touched the earth with a silent hop.
*
But the ravens were not silent enough.
The Alpha amongst the Were snapped his head up, his senses on full alert. His snout swung toward the three he'd brought with him, and he turned to his first, giving a snort. The other Were scooped the girl out of the log. The Alpha scented her sickness and paused. She was very ill. He breathed deeper. Maybe not permanent? It didn't matter. The time to move was now.
He went in the opposite direction of the scent that had accompanied the soft noise.
Vampires.
They would not recapture his precious cargo.
The Were began to move away in battle formation, the Alpha at their back, his half-formed hands at the ready, the Rare One in the arms of his second.
*
The Feral
The feral moved from his discovery with precision and energy, the meal he'd consumed affording him the speed and agility that would be necessary to find the female.
He knew he should never have left her. She had escaped him. Judging by the tracks in the rock cave, she had wiggled out. Her small frame had allowed maneuverability.
The feral ran hard, smoothly evading every obstacle, his form perfectly suited for the environment in which he traveled.
He hit upon her scent and stopped short. It had changed.
She was sickened by something. He scented deeper. She had drunk water and had the sickness that humans were susceptible to. It was not possible for him to be affected. He moved forward, scenting the many nuanced odors ahead of him.
He welcomed the challenge of their presence. There would need to be many to keep him from the female.
Mine, his mind said.
Mine.
****
Scott
Scott stopped suddenly. His hands went to the hard planes of his stomach. "What is it?" Jen asked, her breathing labored. They'd been nearly running since they'd discovered Julia's disappearance.
Scott felt a dull pain in his guts and bowels and a burning in the back of his neck. He described it to Marcus.
"She's sick, and that's what you'd feel." His father's tone was ominous, knowing.
Scott wanted to get moving, but Marcus explained briefly, "A soul-meld is more than a pairing of Singers. It's an awareness of each other." He made his hands collide, the fingers lacing together. "She has encountered"—he waffled his hand back and forth—"something, and she is ill."
Scott's teeth clenched together. This was just getting better and effing better.
"Well," Brendan began. "She's sick, all right, and the Were have her again."
Scott's eyes locked with Brendan's, sweat running down between his shoulder blades, chilling as his skin dampened in the cool night air. Then Brendan said the thing that made Scott's blood run cold. "The feral is out there"—he lifted his nose to the air, pushing a good amount of an invisible fragrance right underneath his nose with his palm—"vampires and werewolves."
"Wait! Flag on the play!" Jen yelled, throwing a flag on an imaginary football field.
They all turned to her. Jen planted her hands on her hips. "What, more werewolves? The feral?"
Brendan nodded. "Yeah, I'd recognize wet dog anywhere. And the red feral—he's his own tomato. The vampires—well, we know what they smell like."
"Shit," Scott responded definitively and began jogging in the direction they'd been heading, impatient to get to her.
"Scott!" Marcus yelled after his son.
Scott whirled around. "No! I'm not waiting another second. It's already been too many seconds."
The siblings all looked uneasily at each other but followed him.
He couldn't think until he had Julia safe. His change of heart was breathtaking in its completeness.
*
Julia
Julia moaned, the constant rocking motion waking her. She wished she hadn't awoken. She looked up into a pair of eyes she hoped to never see again.
Tony. It didn't matter what form he was in, she'd recognize his stench anywhere.
She swore he grinned when he saw recognition dawn on her face.
Julia tried to struggle in his grasp but was too weak by far to do anything.
"Stay still," he said in a low growl. "You're sick."
Julia felt hot tears she couldn't afford to lose run down her face.
Helpless again. Grief crashed into her like an earthquake. It shook the very foundation of her soul, and nothing but despondency remained.
*
Tony looked down at the flushed face of the Rare One. He could scent her displeasure at being held by him coming out of every pore of her body. Even if she'd been well, she couldn't have fought him. Except for her gifts, she was helpless. She was helplessly female and ill in an intoxicating mix that made his perverted heart speed. He could feel the presence of the Alpha at his back and didn't care.
Tony had never been one to follow rules.
He'd have her, squirming and fighting. It'd be amazing. He crushed her against himself, and she made a pained sound and beat at his chest weakly.
*
Scott felt a great hopelessness well up inside him that was so foreign to his nature he interpreted it for what it was: Julia.
And on the top of it all, he felt fear, discomfort, and pain.
Someone was hurting her as she succumbed to illness. Scott's hands tightened into fists of rage. His fists knew how to deliver punishment, and they would do it soon.
Scott increased his pace to a sprint. His Singer strength, endurance, and speed were on a par with the Were as well as the vampires. His siblings and parent followed in a rainbow blur of colors, their hues mixing inexplicably as they drew closer to Julia. Their familial footprint as they advanced into battle was formidable.
Dangerous.
*
William and the others chased the trail left by the Were as they ran, Julia's scent mingled with the wolves'. Her scent was off. Now that he had shifted back from raven form, William's senses seemed almost dulled, even though he knew they were a hundred times more sensitive than those of humans.
He sped with every thought, every fiber of his being trained to overtake them and rescue Julia.
*
The feral watched those of his kind take the female. She was sickened and unable to defend herself from the one Were he hated most, the one who had taunted him. That Were had given him hose showers that had bruised his skin with the force of the spray and had given him prey that was spoiled or infirm.
Yes, the feral would know his foul odor anywhere.
A tingling rush of fighting adrenaline surged through him.
The feral charged from the left, crashing out of the brush, as a thought came to him.
They are nearly nose-blind to have not scented me this close.
His step faltered for one half a second when he recognized the female Were he'd harmed in his pen. She traveled with them. A moment's peace touched him as he realized she was whole and well again.
That peace fled as he barreled into the Were who led. The feral's talons sliced the neck as he launched a counterstrike, one against four.
Joseph spun too late as the assault came at his third from the front. He couldn't believe he hadn't scented another Were this close. It was completely unexpected. He growled at his sister, "Run!"
She would be crushed by the red. Every protective instinct Joseph possessed punched to life, his reaction automatic.
*
Adi ignored her brother and ran toward where Tony held Julia, the feral having ripped three holes in the leading Were's vulnerable neck. As he dropped from the killing blow, his blood blanketing the forest with crimson, Adriana leapt. Her arms were outstretched. Tony casually tossed Julia toward the ground.
She landed in Adi's embrace, and they fell together on the soft forest debris.
The feral met her eyes for one moment, and she cringed backward, scooping Julia closer in her arms.
Her brother and Tony circled the red. His coat shone like fire burned down to embers, and she knew they would kill him.
It made her chest tight to think it. Adi shook it off. What was wrong with her? He was feral.
He had hurt her.
But deep within, something stirred and responded to him against every precept and instinct.
Adriana did not wish for his death.
She turned her attention to Jules. She was burning up, moaning and thrashing. Adriana forced her human form to return. As difficult as it was to change to half wolf, it hurt more to go back to human so quickly, a brutal energy siphon. But she didn't want Jules to see her and be afraid.
Adi held Jules in her arms, and the feral and werewolves circled each other just as the vampires entered the glade, and a troop of Singers broke out of the forest opposite them.
Oh shit! Adi thought. We'll never make it out of here alive.
Julia opened her eyes just then, and her fevered stare latched onto Adriana. "Adi," she said weakly.
"I'm here, Jules," she said, wiping sweaty strands of hair out of her face.
"Don't let them... hurt me."
Never, Adi thought, rolling the small bundle that was Julia into a hug and standing without effort.
After all, she was a werewolf.
She faced off with the vampires and Singers, her grin making her look like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Reckoning
Scott stared at the female werewolf who held Julia.
Their queen.
His. He growled. He didn't know where that primitive utterance had come from, but he rolled with it instinctively. He saw the vamps at the same time the werewolves went after the big red guy.
Lots to do here. Scott was always game, his body practiced and ready for violence.
It moved forward of its own volition.
William saw the group of Singers and paused. His nostrils flared, and he recognized something about the one that led—his scent was slightly different. William was a runner. He was bred to recognize the Rare Blood in Singers. Julia was pure. But this one had enough quantum for William to respond. Every tracking instinct tingled inside him even as Julia was in his sights.
Who was this Singer?
The one William stared at launched himself with the speed of a Singer who was trained, seasoned, and in the prime of his life. He hurtled toward Julia.
*
Julia rose to consciousness as if swimming from the bottom of a pool but without the benefit of alertness. She was in a fog, the fever stealing her cognitive reasoning, making her slow and thick feeling.
She watched the scene unfold from the cradle of Adi's arms.
*
Scott came toward Julia in a flash of brilliance, The tailwind of colors behind him she intuited as being the rest of his family. From Julia's left, William and the vampire tore toward her, the feral howling in misery. The tone of it told her all she needed to know.
He drove to get to her, kept at bay by Tony and Joseph.
But maybe not for long.
*
Julia made the most difficult decision of her life, but she knew it would solve the current problem instantly. Her mind sought what it needed, and when she found it... the metal flashed in the gloom of the forest, making its way to her as if by invisible strings.
She grabbed the hilt of the stolen weapon, her telekinetic ability bringing it to her in a rush of surprise to all. The supernaturals in the forest stilled their movements.
The desired effect was instantaneous.
Marcus watched his utility knife, which he routinely wore at his hip, come unlatched and spin away from his body, lurching toward Julia hilt first.
Julia caught it in her hand, flicked it open, held it to her own throat, and screamed hoarsely, "Stop!"
Adi looked down at Julia. "No!"
"Let me down, Adi." Her voice was steady.
Adriana did as she was asked, and Julia slid down the front of her body and swayed on her feet, her head swimming with pain and vertigo.
Julia looked at William, who stood as still as a statue. "Do not," he whispered. "None of us wish for this end, Julia. This is not the answer."
*
Scott stopped breathing when he saw the metal gleaming against the pale throat of the Queen of the Blood Singers. The fibers of his being pulled taut to the breaking point while his soul shrieked inside him. He made a move to step forward, and Julia's gaze shifted to his. "Don't even try it. I know you hate me," she hissed, her strength ebbing, her hand shaking from the strain of keeping it steady.
The fibers of his being cinched tighter in discomfort. Her safety was in jeopardy by her own hand. Scott stood poised to launch himself at her the moment her attention wavered, the pain of not touching her unbearable. It was unlike anything he'd ever known. Every bruise, every battle wound—nothing compared.
Julia backed away from all of them, her back touching the trunk of a tree. They stood, all eyes tracking her progress, knowing that a false move could end her life. Then what would they have? What would she be?
Dead.
As the tears began to flow, Julia realized that nothing good had happened to her since Jason's death. Her lower lip trembled, and her hand shook as she determined that this was the best answer for her after all. She was tired.
So tired.
Joseph and Tony saw her expression first as they were the closest. But it was the feral who acted, his half-wolf form slipping off him like water sheeting off glass.
He sprang forward, human again for that moment.
The moment of truth.
Julia saw him, and her heart stalled in her chest.
She dropped the knife, all thought of death forgotten. The knife speared the earth at her feet, and she staggered forward without thinking.
****
Kent
Cynthia thanked the nice lady with the sad eyes for the room, nodding in all the right places when she said it was but a transitional respite. Blah, blah, blah. Cynthia got it. A place to lay her head on a pillow, none of the creatures in sight. They couldn't have followed her all the way to the outskirts of Seattle. She breathed a sigh of relief for the first time in what felt like forever.
She opened the door to the dark room and saw a bunch of plaster repair and the evidence of damage all over the place. The lady turned to her, the chain that hung off her glasses catching the light. "Don't mind the mess. We're doing a touch of remodeling."
Cynthia looked around her. Looks like more than a touch. The window looked the worst. She walked over to it, seeing the remnants of hand-blown glass, wavy and warped, encased in a solid wood frame. Hairline fissures scattered about the center were taped so they couldn't splinter further. She turned her head and saw the old lady's face in profile. "What happened?"
The woman shrugged her shoulders, hauling the shawl she wore more firmly around her hunched shoulders. "We're not sure. But there was a young woman who stayed here a few months past." She looked down at her sensible shoes and the pantyhose, which were an unnatural tan color. She suddenly looked up with guilt and muted horror. "She, uh... we think she was taken."
Not much of a shelter! Cynthia thought, looking at the damage of the room more closely. She asked, "By whom?"
The woman shrugged, backing carefully out of the room, giving her a nod as she left, and closing the door softly behind her. Conversation closed.
Cynthia looked at the windowsill more closely.
Her chest tightened in a clutch of pain, her breath leaving her body.
She traced the marring left in the wood of the sill with a hand that shook so badly she grabbed it with its mate to steady it. She gave a shaky exhalation.
It wasn't who took the girl but what.
Cynthia snatched her hand back. She looked outside, beyond the glass and the unkempt yard below to the forest. It was dark and quiet.
A perfect hiding place—for them.
Cyn backed up until her legs hit the mattress and sat down. She stared at the window. It looked as though she might have escaped one horror for another.
Breaking her stupor, she rummaged in her backpack until she found what she was looking for. She lay down on her back, her finger running over her one photo, a habit of comfort these almost two years past. She never missed a night without looking at them.
It was Vegas. Just the four of them: she and Kev, Jason and Jules.
Before.
Jules was dressed up for once, Jason's arm slung comfortably around her shoulders as if it belonged there. Cynthia's eyes stung with unshed tears, hot and unwelcome, as she looked at Kevin. When they ran down her face, she didn't wipe them away but pressed the photo against her chest.
Her heart.
She missed them so much she felt as though her heart would never stop breaking. That was why her chest hurt so damn much all the time.
Her heart was broken in shards inside her.
Cynthia covered the photo with both hands and put her head to the side of the pillow, stifling her sobbing from the other inhabitants of the women's shelter.
*
Truman
Truman looked at Alexander, their eyes meeting a final time. "I can't believe this. I know you're telling me all this but I can't..." Karl tapped his head.
"Wrap your head around it? Yeah, tell me about it!" Alexander responded, nodding.
Karl Truman fought the urge to take his small note pad out of its home in the upper pocket of his button-down and clasped his hands together instead. "So they're..."
George Alexander nodded. "They're big suckers, standing on hind legs." He made his palm flat and put it a foot above his head. "That makes these guys about seven feet tall."
Truman whistled. "So, they're dexterous?"
"Very. They had no difficulty pawing through this apartment, turning knobs, unlatching windows. No..." He paused, not a hint of humor in his voice, giving Truman the full weight of his eyes. "They used the doors and windows. They have higher reasoning, no doubt." George tapped his temple.
Truman thought about his words instead of blurting just anything out. "How high?"
Alexander paused for a beat. "Maybe like us... maybe." He scratched his head and turned his back on Truman, pacing off to the window, gazing at the forest that stretched interminably beyond their position. "They are something else."
"What are you saying, George?" Truman walked up to him, getting right in his face. He was going to make Alexander spill this info if it killed him. The specialist's green eyes met Truman's.
"I'm saying we have real-life werewolves."
Truman staggered back a step. "No," he said, getting a physical reaction of heat climbing his body uncomfortably. His mind had spun around the possibility of it but had eventually dismissed it as too unreal.
Alexander paced toward him, ticking off the facts on his hand. "Canine genome, DNA match, size, aggression, higher reasoning..." Then after a pause, he let the final bomb drop. "The saliva tells us the final piece."
Real enough.
Truman leaned forward despite not wanting to, his heart in his throat, the evidence warring with his disbelief over anything that was not concrete, normal, sane.
"Human genome," George Alexander said quietly.
Truman stared at Alexander, and he returned it. The moment swelled with portentous knowledge, belief solidifying.
Half human, half wolf.
Werewolf.
Alexander was reminded of one of the first precepts he had learned in med school: "When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don't expect to see a zebra."
In this case, that was all he heard—zebras.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Jason.
Maybe her eyes deceived her, but Julia's heart knew.
She had watched as the feral melted away and a nearly naked Jason ran to her, fending off her killing blow.
She crashed into him, her arms snapping around him. His body felt at once shocking familiar and foreign in her embrace.
In a moment, she knew something was wrong as pandemonium broke loose all around her. The different factions came together at once in a collision of claws, talons, and speed.
Julia was prone before she could move or breathe. Jason's now-human hands encircled her throat, her feverish skin burning against his cooler flesh. She frantically searched eyes that didn't know her. They were crazed and full of heat and hate.
Who is he now? Julia shrieked inside her mind.
Her head swam, and she began to grow dizzy, her stomach cramping as Jason—her husband from another life, another time—began to choke her to death.
*
Scott saw the feral return to his human state and launch himself at Julia. Scott bounded toward the feral werewolf just as he began to strangle Julia. The feral's mind was obviously broken.
*
William understood who it was the instant the red Were changed into human form. He had seen photos of Julia's former husband. But this was no longer the husband she knew. His mind was gone, the wolf in control even while he was human. Few Singers could overcome the transition to Were or vampire. It was never attempted. The results at this moment a confirmation of the dangerous consequence, the theory borne to fruition.
William charged Jason Caldwell at the precise moment as Joseph and Tony.
*
The vampires and Were collided, and the forest grew still except for the sounds of flesh tearing and the battering of one against the other. Scott landed on the back of the Singer, aiming a blow to stun him. The vamps and Were fought behind him while his siblings formed a protective wall around him.
*
Jason felt the blow on the base of his neck, numbing in its accuracy and force. He began to slide away from the woman whom he'd been strangling.
He recognized her too late.
Jason fell beside her, meeting her eyes.
Puzzle pieces of memories came from a blizzard that twirled without pattern to a solid stream of consciousness.
This was not any female.
This was his wife.
Julia.
What had he done? He moved to get up, and one of his kind leaped on his chest, knocking the wind out of him—but not before her eyes had met his, and Jason saw the one who had hit him pick Julia up as the Were and vampire beat each other into the forest floor, blood covering everything under five feet high in a spinning tornado of gore.
Black and red ran together like a poisonous lake. He watched the blood of his kind and that of his enemy run together, his consciousness slipping away, the blow successful in its intent.
Jason's last memory was Julia being taken from him by the arms of a large man while others like him surrounded them in a cocoon of protection, the vampires and Were dying all around him.
He turned his head and looked at the female Were above him as his eyes closed, exhaustion from the Change and the revelation of what he'd done and who he was dropping him like a stone into a tumultuous sea of nothingness.
*
Jason fell away from her, and Julia sucked in a lungful of precious air, a hitching sob the next sound that escaped her, her abused throat on fire.
Jason had tried to kill her! It was worse than his death. He'd lived, but it wasn't him.
Two palms cradled her face and forced her to focus on the one who had saved her from certain death, first by her own hand, then by the hands of one who had once loved her.
The electric shock of Scott's hands against Julia's skin instantly cooled the fever and stopped the internal turmoil of her stomach. She felt him lift her from the ground, strong arms wrapping her against his body, and he turned. A silent command rose from him like a sigh, and the others gathered around him like soldiers.
Julia's head burrowed against his chest, her eyes just clearing his strong arm where they met the stare of Tony, dead vampires at his feet. William was nowhere to be seen.
Joseph was dead, and Tony was the new Alpha.
Fear rose in her instantly. Scott ran in the opposite direction, and the group they left behind became smaller in her vision. Jason and Adi were on the forest floor together, Jason unconscious and unaware, his head held by Adi.
Adriana's eyes were all for Tony, the victor over the vampires, whose sights were solely set on Julia.
Tony threw his head back and howled into the still air of the forest, his rage filling Julia's ears, reverberating inside her soul like a discordant note of music.
*
Scott's arms pulsed around Julia, tightening with protection.
He picked up his pace. The mongrel would never touch her again.
He'd stake his life on it.
––––––––
THE END
Julia has been ripped from the escape she'd planned for herself. When she awakens to discover that her reality has shifted to include a supposed soul-meld with a man she hates, and who hates her... she rebels. Julia doesn't want to be captive in a gilded cage.
Broken from the horrific events surrounding her friends, Cynthia migrates to the very city that Julia resides, determining to find her as the police follow the bread crumbs she's left in her wake.
The Feral has come full circle and must begin a new life from the shadow of the old. His placement in the hierarchy of the pack is uncertain when he finds that he has an integral enemy and a pack member to protect.
Can the vestiges of Julia's former life be restored so she might reunite with her one true love or has that door closed forever because of supernatural circumstances beyond their control?
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# BLOOD SONG
A Blood Series Novel
Book 2
New York Times Bestselling Author
TAMARA ROSE BLODGETT
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2012 Tamara Rose Blodgett
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
www.tamararoseblodgett.com
TRB Facebook Fan Page
Edited suggestions provided by Stephanie T. Lott
Cover Design: Claudia McKinney
Photographs: DepositPhotos
Photography: Oleg Gekman
DEDICATION:
Cameren
Who pressed me to finish, Blood Singers, back in 2007—when it was only a dream. Without his encouragement, this work would not have come to fruition.
William and Julia:
She listened to his blood as a melody.
Her blood to William was a symphony.
There really was no comparison....
~Blood Singers
CHAPTER 1
The pain was beyond what she could easily deal with, her guts twisting without mercy. Julia dry heaved into the commode for the twelfth time as Jen held her hair away from her face.
Jen stabbed a wet washcloth in front of her and Julia grabbed it, swabbing the inside of her mouth.
"You're gonna need some food and water..." Jen began to nag.
Julia held up her hand like a stop sign, "No water," she whispered, her hair falling forward again in limp strands.
Jen rolled her eyes. Can we have some GD self-preservation already? she wondered.
"Listen, Julia... we have regular tap water here, ya know, you're not gonna get the shats," Jen said, straightening.
Julia groaned, gripping her stomach with her hands. "Listen," Jen's voice softened, "let our Healer have a look."
"I'll be okay," Julia shuddered as someone began to pound on the door.
"Yeah... ya look so good," Jen agreed sarcastically, noticing how pale Julia was, how her hands trembled as she pushed her hair behind her ears. Shock, dehydration and lack of food covered her like a well-worn coat.
"Hey!" Scott shouted from the other side of the door. "What's going on in there!" The door shuddered under the assault of his fist.
Julia rolled over on her back, the cool hexagon-shaped tile pressing against her feverish cheek as she threw her forearm over her eyes. "Tell him to take a hike!" Julia hissed.
Jen grinned. If it weren't for the circumstances this would be truly wonderful. She had never thought she'd live to see the day when her asshat brother would get all flustered and brought to heel with a soul-meld.
Bliss.
The door shuddered again from his pounding. "Julia!" Jen heard the frantic note in his deep voice and walked to the door.
"Quit it! She's okay," Jen said through the door, loving his discomfort in a way that was barely legal.
"Let me in, sister," Scott delivered with quiet menace.
Fine, she thought, sighing. Jen wrapped her hand around the glass knob and it rattled as she turned it.
Jen swung the door open and Scott roared past her into the bathroom where Julia lay on the floor.
Scott had sat on his hands all morning, worried about Julia, hating it. Hating her.
She'd irrevocably changed his life and it didn't matter that Julia was his, the whole thing had been thrust on him. But Scott couldn't stop thinking about her. He could feel an echo of her pain, her emotions.
It was kinda suffocating.
She was ill and his body moved to where she was like a satellite come to orbit. Where Julia was Scott needed to be. His emotions didn't really matter.
The loss of choice is what got on Scott's last nerve.
Though that riot of emotion began to slip away when he saw the Queen of the Blood Singers on the floor, looking pale and fragile, her warm blond hair acting as a silken rug around her. Julia was so weak she didn't even acknowledge his presence, her face in profile, one cheek pressed against the bathroom floor.
Scott could feel her indifference, as Julia could feel his contrary emotions.
Soul-meld stuff.
But it was her plight that spurred Scott to move to her side, his big frame folding beside her.
Julia looked up at Scott and fought the soul-meld, even as their insides came together in a perfectly synchronized mesh of relief. Their parting was not a natural situation.
Their unity was.
She watched his hand move to brush a hair away from her face and Julia said, "Don't," in a low voice.
"Why?" Scott asked, frustration creeping into his tone.
"Because I know you don't want to," she replied, still lying on her back.
"Julia... don't look at me like that." His eyes bore down on hers with care, concern and anger.
Julia hiked herself up, glaring at him when he moved to help her, his hand falling away. When she was upright she said, "I'll look at you any way I want. After all," she cocked her head and pegged him with her bourbon eyes, smoldering with heat, hatred, "soulmates, right?" she spat with derision.
Jen sucked in the oxygen that remained in the room.
It wasn't much.
"Actually, it's soul-meld," Jen stated unhelpfully.
Julia gave her a withering look.
"Feeling better, pet?" Jen asked with sarcasm.
"No!" Julia said. Then glared at Scott harder. Just having him close to her had regulated her body. The illness from her creek episode was there but his nearness eased her physically.
She effing hated it.
Scott's eyes narrowed on her, Julia's body language clear and resolute. How could he be bound to her? He was definitely not the committing type.
He didn't choose this path.
Julia read his expression. "Don't worry about it Scott. You were the Big Ass Protector. You've done your Boy Scout Duty, you can dump my ass now."
"Julia," Jen threw up her hands, feeling sorry for her brother against her will.
No... nothing was stopping him, Scott thought, his eyes roving her angry features, those golden eyes flashing at him inside her pale face. He could feel how sick she was but more than sickness, Julia was stubborn.
His body ached to make hers right, Scott's hands clenched at his sides in the effort not to touch her.
It wasn't about choice. Fate had chosen for them. Through blood. Through destiny.
They were blood chosen.
And Julia was his.
His to protect, his to take care of.
Eventually, his to love.
It was a mandate from deep in the fiber of his being, inexplicable... irrefutable. As Scott looked at the thunderous expression on Julia's face... so obviously against her will.
"She won't see the healer," Jen told Scott.
"The hell she won't," he stared at Julia and she glared back.
"You can't make me!" she yelled, two feet away from his face.
"Well, sweetheart," Scott said, placing his palms on either side of her hips and leaning into her personal bubble, he loomed over her, "we're not in Kindergarten anymore and You. Will. Be. Healed," he roared at her, the fine hairs by her temple moving with the power behind his voice. Shame washed over him when he felt her response as a hiccup of fear.
Julia was scared of him.
Scott backed away as she continued to stare at him.
"Argh!" Scott grunted in frustration to her anxiety, raking his hand through his hair, her eyes holding something more than her irritation.
Fear. Fear of him.
Scott stalked off, slamming the door behind him and Julia collapsed on the cold tile again, the hot tears she shed warming the coolness beneath her, the small energy she'd received from Scott's presence departing like smoke through a crack, and with it, her vitality.
Julia fell asleep where she lay, in a small heap on the bathroom floor, tears sticking to fevered flesh. Her dreams played like a sick nightmare she couldn't escape from.
*
Scott
Scott paced in front of his father, Marcus, the leader of Region One of Blood Singers.
He threw up his hand, the energy from his anger racing around the office inside the Learning Compound and pinging back to the pair like a blazing boomerang of emotion.
Marcus stood, his coal black hair so like the son's. Scott charged back and forth in the small space like a bull with a red cape waved in front of him.
"Calm down!" Marcus roared in a voice full of command, authority. Marcus did not need to yell to be heard. As a point of fact, he knew that authority was not about control gained through violence and shouts, but respect through experience.
Scott stopped, his chest heaving, his hands buried in the front of his jean's pockets, his jet-black brows dropped like a brick over eyes that were so dark a brown they were like chocolate ink.
"Why?!" Scott shouted. "I was fucking fine without this," he ripped his hands out of his jeans and flung one toward the house where Julia was.
Still ill. Her sickness pressed on him like a weight he couldn't bear. It was all he could do to not be next to her.
Taking care of her.
"Language, Scott," Marcus said.
"Dad... come on."
"You are twenty-five years old and can use whatever colorful metaphors that come to mind. But bear in mind there are many here now who look to you as an example." Marcus spread his hands away from his body, imploring his eldest to see reason.
It would be the plow against a tough field. Of all his offspring, Scott was the most stubborn.
"They're not here now and I don't stand as an example before you."
"Good habits begin now, Scott," Marcus stated.
Scott bowed his head, reining his anger in. When a full two minutes had passed he locked gazes with his father.
"Did you know?" Scott looked at him with a dumbstruck expression. "Did you know this was real? That I would be a part of this dumbass destiny equation?"
Marcus stared at him. He deliberated, but in the end he decided the time had come to tell Scott the truth.
Scott watched his dad fold his hands behind his back and many things happened at once: Julia took a turn for the worse, he could feel his sister coming for him and his father had a look that said that there was a grave secret.
Scott literally felt like a fist was clenching in his guts. Julia, his soul whispered.
He was helpless; Scott did the only thing he could.
He went to her.
*
William
William felt his jaw flutter from clenching it so tightly and slammed his fist down on the table that had stood in the same position for the hundred years he had been part of this coven. It shook beneath his rage, rattling.
"How can you just..." he waffled his hand from side to side, Gabriel's glower telling him of his apathy, "let her go," William finished in a low voice.
Gabriel stood, as tall as William at six foot one and as their noses nearly kissed, Gabriel turned the tables on William with, "How many must perish for one?"
Damn, he's got me there, William thought.
William shoved the black hair from his gray eyes, his gaze darkening to pewter. "She is a Rare One. We must sacrifice much for her," William argued logically, his eyes searching Gabriel's, praying for a break, a flicker of anything that might advance him toward another rescue attempt.
"William, I do know how you feel about Julia," Gabriel began but William interrupted him.
"You do not," William warned in a voice warmed by raw emotion. As if the hundreds of years he had lived as vampire without emotion had suddenly caught up and come crashing down on him at once.
Gabriel sighed in frustration. He did not wish to give her up any more than William. But her presence within the coven had already cost them over thirty vampires. Soon, there would not be enough left for her prophesied abilities and traits to help their species. Julia Caldwell had become a liability.
Claire came forward and touched her cousin's arm. William stared at her; he found the intrusion unwelcome.
As Claire began to speak the males listened, William the most reluctantly. When she was done William's head hung.
"I refuse it." William looked from one to the other of them. "She is part of me." He put a fist to his heart. "Do you not see it?" he asked, looking at Claire who had tried to reason him out of going after Julia again. Loving her.
He could not be reasoned with.
William would not.
"Do you not feel it?" he asked, his vampiric voice reverberating in the enclosed space, stone walls all around them, the sound beating Gabriel and Claire's eardrums like a subtle weapon. Claire covered her ears, wincing and William inclined his head in apology. "I am sorry, but I cannot be governed by numbers. Julia is not a number to me." His gaze pierced them like lasers beams that tore the skin aside, seeking marrow. "Her blood is a chorus of voices that sing to my soul." William locked gazes with the leader of his kiss.
"I will never be in harmony as long as she is not with me."
William stalked out of the room, banging the solid wood door behind him with a resounding shudder.
"It is the blood-share," Claire said mournfully. "He is lost because of her blood."
"It is much more than that," Gabriel said as he slipped a most modern device out of the pocket of the black slacks he wore.
Claire gave him a quizzical look and he shushed her with a look.
Gabriel had a plan.
William would eventually forgive him.
Someday.
*
Northwestern Pack
Lawrence was at a complete loss. His primary Alpha, Joseph, had been killed during the failed acquisition of the Rare One, his sister was out of her mind with grief, and he had the Feral and Anthony at each other's throats.
Literally.
Sometimes, he wished for any job other than the one he held.
Instead, he showed up and executed his position as Packmaster of the Northwestern den. Even if it killed him.
Which it almost certainly would someday.
His morbid joke notwithstanding, it was time to establish order in the pack once again.
He looked at Adrianna, the most Alpha female he had ever met and felt a pang of sympathy. Normally, her abrasive nature was so punishing on his senses he was fine with his brusque treatment of her in return. But two things stood in the way of his usual tactics with her.
One, she was the most eligible female wolf in the den. Two, her brother had just died before her eyes. Murdered by their most grievous enemies.
Brutally.
Then, as females went, she had lost the Rare One and now had a double loss to contend with there. Moonless abilities aside, the Rare One had almost been more trouble than she was worth.
Almost.
Lawrence's gaze flicked to the Feral.
Right, he self-corrected, Jason, his mind restated. Yes, the Singer's husband.
Unconsummated. He and Tony had an intimate discussion on smells. And as the case may be, now that Tony had a firm grasp on both the Feral's scent and that of the Blood Singer, Julia, he was beyond certain they did not co-mingle.
Lawrence was not privy to the intricacies of their relationship. Only that they had not allowed the circle of their vows to close. This was a crucial detail to the Were.
Lawrence thought, not for the first time, how terrible it had been that Julia had been taken on the eve of the Ritual of Luna. If they could have just....
Ah! He shook his head, his thoughts turning to the mess at hand. The arguing before him a sure distraction.
It was Tony and the spry Alpha female (as usual), Adrianna- Adi. Lawrence sighed, flicking another glance at the Fer... Jason. His body was stock-still and his deep hazel eyes were hooded. They were distant and... contemplative.
Lawrence shouted above the two, "Enough!"
Adi turned, "I will not be under Tony!" she huffed, folding her arms underneath her breasts.
"Yes you will," Tony said in a voice so low she could barely make it out. Lawrence did not hear the softly spoken dark promise he made. Jason did, his eyes shifting to Tony, still Jason kept his own counsel.
He wasn't talking about hierarchy, the dick hole, Adi knew. He was talking about putting it to her.
"You'll never touch me, with your dick or anything else!" Adi yelled at him, frustrated. She knew that Lawrence hadn't heard the sexual threat. But she had. It had been meant for her.
"Adi!" Lawrence roared, pegging her with his gaze. "Stop this behavior. He is your dominant. You must understand that now that Joseph is... gone," he swallowed over the awkward wording, "that there must be another to replace him. It is the way of it. As it has been for millennia." Lawrence's gaze softened and Adi responded, switching tactics for once and trying to be a female instead of an Alpha.
It wasn't a simple transition.
"Please... Packmaster," her eyes flicked to Tony's, "he means me harm."
Lawrence scoffed, foolish female, he thought, but he schooled his expression for her benefit. Adi saw the flicker of the emotion on his face and knew she'd lost before he uttered his next words, "He would never harm a female Were, Adi. Think on it." Lawrence searched her face, waiting. Finally, when she didn't reply out of sheer disbelief and stubbornness, Lawrence added, "There are too few of you to ever trifle with your safety or protection. As it was, your brother did not show good judgment when he took you along on the raid for the Singer." Lawrence met Tony's eyes. "It is a mark in Anthony's favor that you were returned unharmed."
Adi seethed in frustration, her wolf roiling dangerously close beneath her skin, stretched taut to bursting. Tony would be him and Lawrence would allow it with Joseph no longer serving as a buffer. Adi turned to the Feral and his nostrils flared, picking up her scent change. And she suddenly remembered when he had awoken in her arms only to be knocked into Timbuktu by Tony, who was only too happy to do it.
They couldn't have him popping her arm off like his favorite drumstick again.
Although, Adi didn't have the sense of that anymore. His desperation to escape and be feral had slid away, she thought. Adi studied Jason Caldwell in human form with his borrowed jeans and a T-shirt that read, When there's no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the earth. It didn't nail her funny bone in the slightest: A) there were no such thing as zombies and it was the lamest thing on the planet to consider it B) she was spoiling for a fight. Her good humor had deserted her. He stared blankly back. Jason made no effort to speak, having ignored everyone and everything. Including her. He was almost robotic.
Where the hell was he in there? she thought, searching those brooding eyes.
Why did he go after Julia? Wasn't he in love with her? Adi would never forget the look on her face when she told Adi about their romance, their secret marriage.
That horrible night when he was attacked and apparently killed by the Were.
Presumed dead.
But not. No, now he was a rare red Were. One of very few. Of course, it wasn't every damn day when Singers got turned into other. Whether it be drinker or claw.
Adi would never forget the look on Julia's face when he decided to choke her to death either.
Where was she now? And who in the blue fuck were those crazy-ass Singers that had shown up, kicked ass and taken names?
What was their fairy tale story?
Lots of questions, not enough answers.
Story of her damn life.
CHAPTER 2
Merlin surreptitiously wiped the bead of sweat that slid down his skin and dampened the collar of his long sleeved button down. He had met Gabriel, as requested, in the outdoor eatery where the cattle grazed in their concrete pasture. Pioneer Square was the backdrop to their covert meeting. Even with the shade of the umbrella above the table and using sunblock with the highest zinc count, a light smolder played across his skin. It was microscopic, humans would not ken to it but it would have been obvious to a supernatural.
It was obvious to him; he was experiencing mild discomfort due to the slow broil of his body.
Yes, as the leader of the Southeast Kiss he was part Singer, part vampire. He could tolerate daylight, but it was a near thing. An almost allergic reaction would settle on his body and he itched for the night, the relief it afforded him.
Not that Merlin would admit that to the Rare One before him. Impervious to the time of day, he could do all that vampire could, even more as a point of fact. However, he did not need to drink blood. It was a shame that the male Rare Ones were sterile in their breeding potential with other vampires. It was the females that were so precious.
And the Northwestern Kiss that Gabriel presided over had procured one.
Then lost it. Most puzzling.
Gabriel lightly drummed his fingers and looked at the pale leader opposite him and realized that the politics of their meeting had already begun. He steepled his fingers, his shoulder length hair sliding forward in golden waves, framing startling eyes that were the deepest amber. He pierced Merlin with his shocking golden gaze and said what he hoped would end it, repay their coven.
"I have come to offer recompense for your assistance with the location of the Rare One."
Merlin cocked a pale blond brow, his Singer heritage lending him a fair complexion. He would have traded that in an instant for tolerance to full sunlight. Alas, it was not so. The only advantage he was afforded was the echo of humanity of his outward shell. But his internal composition was creature of the night. The human façade served as a wonderful window dressing for many things, he supposed. Merlin came back to the comment at hand. It would not do to become distracted while dealing with another coven leader.
"And what do you offer, blood?" Merlin guessed, disgruntled.
When Gabriel outlined the payment and what Merlin would need to accomplish that task, Merlin thought on it for a long moment, his stare never breaking from Gabriel.
Finally, he replied, "Agreed."
"When?" Gabriel asked.
"Soon."
"How do you plan to execute this?"
Merlin gave the first smile of the day, "Carefully, old friend."
Gabriel said what he thought, "We are not friends." His whiskey stare lanced Merlin as those eyes traveled the Singer vampire. Merlin spread his hands harmlessly away from his body. "But we are not enemies."
Gabriel grinned unexpectedly. "True."
"Will this be a gentleman's promise? Will this relieve my coven of recompense by blood or other?"
A formal question asked in the old way. It caused a valley in the conversation.
Merlin's eyes became hooded. "You have my word of honor."
"I will take it," Gabriel said, sticking his hand out. Merlin slipped the coolness of his inside Gabriel's grasp and for one moment their flesh pressed together in promise.
However dark.
It was done.
*
Cyn
She handed the voucher to the manager of the Red Robin restaurant she was applying at, holding her breath. This was the fifth place she'd stopped at. Everyone had ready excuses for their inability to hire her.
But what Cynthia saw in their eyes was condemnation.
They thought she was some kind of loser. One of those women that stayed in an abusive relationship. Weak. Too stupid to function Without the Loser. Well, she wasn't that. Cynthia wasn't too sure if that was always the case with the stereotype. In the space of two days in the shelter there wasn't one chick she'd met that fit the "weak woman" mold.
The battered woman, yeah. But not weak. Fear didn't mean weak. In her mind, the women there had been the smart ones.
So why was everyone treating Cynthia like she was lesser?
It rubbed her the wrong way.
"Yeah, I think I've got something for you." The manager nailed her with a level gaze, though not unkindly, "It's not going to pay your bills though. You'll have to get a low income spot on a list..." he trailed off, but not before digging around for a pen and paper. He wrote down a name and slid it across the restaurant booth's table. She looked into his eyes, "Why are you helping me?"
He shrugged, looking uncomfortable as a dull brick red climbed up his neck to suffuse his cheeks with heat. "My sister, yeah..." he scrubbed his face and finally finished, "she had some trouble with this guy...."
"I gotcha," Cynthia interrupted, nodding. This dude had firsthand experience. That's why he'd blown past her voucher from the women's shelter. He'd had some experience.
It made him compassionate. Cynthia wanted to cry, the tears burned the back of her eyelids, begging for release. She bit the inside of her cheek instead, the pain bringing her back to center.
The manager stabbed the name and cleared his throat, "Call that guy, he'll have something temporary for you until... until I can give you more hours."
"Tell me your name again," Cynthia asked as a statement.
"Alan. Alan Greene," he replied, a smile making the corners of his eyes crinkle in a pleasant way.
Cynthia stood and held out her hand, he shook it in his much larger one and she swallowed hard. Suddenly she was missing Kev.
He studied her and she blurted out, "Did it work out? I mean, the thing with your sister?"
He looked at her a moment longer then responded, "Yeah."
She caught something in the universal language of his body, a tenseness. "Is she okay?"
Alan nodded.
Cynthia stood there, the busboys, waitresses and customers swallowing their conversation in the din of the peripheral noise, "What about the asshat?" Cynthia asked.
He grinned at her suddenly and it was sun breaking through the clouds, she instantly noticed he had an open face, an attractive one.
"He won't be bothering anyone again," Alan finished on an ominous note.
It rang with finality.
Cynthia released the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
Cynthia walked out with a job and a sense of closure. She had escaped the weirdness of Alaska and she was safe here. She wondered where Julia was? She thought back on the old woman from the shelter, Shirley. Cynthia fingered the scrap of paper with the name on it. Could it be?
Nah, it was too wild to even exist as a possibility in her brain.
Yet... it circled around in her mind, finally coming full circle.
Could Julia be alive?
Here.
Right in this very place that she lived now?
Somehow, Cynthia didn't think that she was dead. If Jules was dead she'd know it.
Wouldn't she?
Cynthia walked up to the bus depot and plunked down on the bench, chin in hand. Lost in thought.
While only a half mile away, a lone scout of the Were stood poised, the scent he'd been given to track within his grasp.
The girl had been located.
*
Anchorage
Karl Truman stuffed his considerable girth into the tin-can accommodations of the coach seating in the airplane and grunted uncomfortably in his seat.
He hated traveling.
Especially on the department's dime. However, when the top brass had heard the findings, there'd been no expense spared. They'd booked the flight before he could take his next breath.
Retrieve Cynthia Adams. Like yesterday.
She was a loose cannon and they needed to get a hold of her before she ran her mouth about her nocturnal visitors.
It had come to his attention that it was a national security issue. The government wouldn't want the public panicking.
About creatures roaming the same streets as them. Creatures that were violent, strong, dangerous... fast.
Mostly, everyone was nervous because of their intellect.
Chief forensic specialist, George Alexander, had blown the lid off all their hopes. Mainly, point and shoot. Hell, now they were relegated to rounding them up like brilliant humans with fur.
Truman shoved the bullshit politics out of his mind. He needed to stay focused on the the task at hand.
Cynthia Adams. If he found her, he'd get answers. He'd beg for silence. If begging didn't work there were other methods.
They'd been relayed in glaring detail to him by the higher ups. Oh yes indeedy. He'd been given a stern talking to. He had one directive and only one: bring the girl in.
Somehow, chasing after a twenty year old girl that was innocent of any wrongdoing just to put the squeeze on her seemed wrong to Truman. It rang a bell of alarm.
He scrubbed his face, raking a hand over his cue ball head, a few wisps of hair remaining to mar the shiny dome it was; he was so close to mandatory retirement he could taste it. Hell, after this assignment was wrapped, he'd essentially be done.
Why he had to keep poking at the snake with his stick was beyond him. He should have just accepted Caldwell's death unquestionably. Instead, he'd dug and rifled until an ugly and vital truth had been unveiled.
Werewolves. As if that wasn't enough of a shocker, if those existed what other things went bump in the night? Truman wondered.
Truman's train of thought was derailed when the blinking light and annoying buzz sounded.
He buckled in, heaving another sigh.
He'd be in Seattle in four hours, hotel booked. The local police had an APB out on the Adams girl. He'd scoop her up in no time. Then what happened after he safely ensconced her in the bosom of Homer PD wasn't really his problem.
At least that's what Truman told himself.
Never underestimate the power of denial.
Truman had never been great at self-delusion. And it was no different now. He popped a couple of Tums in his craw, grinding his teeth against the powdery false sweetness.
He closed his eyes to ride out the red-eye, an uneasy sleep falling over him.
Only his eyes restlessly rolling underneath his lids gave away his disquiet.
*
Julia
Julia moaned, laying on the floor. After Scott left, her condition had worsened. Now, she tried to sit up with thoughts of hauling her body to the bed crowding her head. When Jen saw how weak Julia was she said, "Okay, you're just being stubborn now. I'm getting the Healer!"
Jen began to stomp away then turned, "Has anyone ever told you how stubborn you are?"
Julia looked at her from her hands and knees, head hung low.
Her question didn't really need a response but Julia gave her one. It was in her head but she shot it at Jen like a cannon through the fog of her fever.
About a hundred and two times, she thought at Jen.
Jen paused at the door. "What did you say?" she whispered, her shocked eyes wide.
Julia sat back on the tile, slapping her hands by her hips. "Did ya hear me?"
"A hundred and two times?" Jen asked, feeling ridiculous.
Julia slowly nodded. "Yeah, that's it."
"Oh my gawd, you're a telepath!?" Jen asked, jumping up and down, clapping.
"Apparently," Julia said in a sullen voice, the bathroom spinning while she hung on by a thread.
Jen's expression fell suddenly. "Julia... hey! Julia!"
But Julia didn't hear her, she'd fallen over onto the tile, her head smacking the surface.
Scott tore toward the main house, the Victorian rising up in his vision like an ominous jewel. If he'd been less graceful he'd have smacked right into Jen. Instead, he grabbed her by the arms.
"What's wrong?!" Scott asked. "I can't feel her!"
Jen shook her head. "I don't know, she passed out, she needs a Healer!"
"Damn," Scott seethed, "she's so effing stubborn."
"Yeah, well, she's that and she's unconscious so let's get her some treatment, dumbass."
Scott left Jen in his dust and ripped up the steps two at a time, propelling himself by way of the thick wooden banister to get Julia help.
If she'd have it.
The hell with it. Even if she wouldn't.
Scott threw the door open and spied her on the bathroom floor. He was instantly by her side, scooping her small body against his much larger one. Her skin scorched him and her eyelids fluttered open. Scott pushed a stray hair out of her face, his hand so large against it he nearly palmed the entirety of it.
"Jason," she said in a whisper.
It was like a slap to Scott, it caused a physical reaction, his gut clenching. Why would she ask for her husband? That fucker who had tried to choke her? What was she thinking?
Scott grit his teeth together and stood with her in his arms. Her body had grown thin, her skin too pale. Jen rushed into the bathroom.
"I got the Healer, he's on his way."
"Thank God," Scott said.
Julia opened her eyes and saw that Scott had her. He went to stroke her cheek and she screamed, "Jason!" Her delirium was in control, her consciousness mixed with the past, the present mingling with a reality that no longer existed.
The beach scene unrolled in her memory; it became real to her again as she relived it.
And in that moment, Julia was in anguish, her inhibitions stripped by her illness.
The call went out and was heard.
By many.
The one she intended and others she did not.
*
Jason
Jason's head jerked up and he stood. He'd felt that horrible sense of tearing in his chest, like an open wound that wouldn't close.
It felt like salt had been rubbed in the most tender spot of his chest. The throbbing ache intensified for a moment then faded.
He couldn't help but think about Julia. Somehow, the feeling had that taste to it.
The feel of her was all over it, coating it in her smell, her memory.
His shame.
Because that's what he had. A boatload of it.
No matter how many times he rolled it over in his head, it still came back the same. He saw it all in technicolor: his shift to human in response to her threatening her own life. Then, he had some kind of confusion when she had touched him and he was back on that beach, reliving the attack and all he could see, all he could feel was the pulse of: kill, kill, kill.
When he'd come around and seen it was Julia, his wife, it was too late. He'd been hit from behind and he'd watched helplessly as she was taken by that black haired son of a bitch. The one that had eyes like inky dots, soulless. He'd given those eyes to Jason and in them he'd seen the threat that lay there.
If he wanted to ever have Julia, he'd have to go through that guy.
He'd tear though that arsehole like melted butter, his wolf whispered inside his brain without pause, without conscience.
Well... if Jason could forgive himself for what he'd done to Julia, he would sure as hell find his way back to her.
Back to where he belonged.
By her side.
*
Vampire
William felt the tug of the blood-share jerk through the musical instrument that he was connected to. The melody of Julia's blood was known to him by memory.
By his heart.
It sung to him and he triangulated her position instantly. Their bond was but a whisper now, not a screaming symphony but a note now heard during his waking hours.
And when he slept.
William moved toward the location. Without the backing of his coven, without runners to support him. One objective in mind: Julia.
He didn't waste time, there was an undercurrent to the binding... as if it was compromised.
That was not exactly it but a closer idea did not present itself. Somehow, she was in physical jeopardy.
William redoubled his pace, moving through the miles without slowing.
Toward that weak pull. When a ripple of agony drove William to his knees he recognized the summons for what it was:
A call for assistance.
I'm coming, Julia, he responded in his mind.
*
Scott
Scott looked down in horror as Julia screamed for Jason, her cry a hoarse plea even to his own ears.
Like Scott was the enemy. Like he'd hurt a hair on her golden head.
Brendan rushed into the room. "Why is she screaming?" he asked, scanning the room for threats.
"She's delusional... the fever," Jen shrugged just as the Healer came into the room and Scott tramped down his temper with an effort that was ugly.
Cyrus looked at Julia, eyes only for her. "Why wasn't I called earlier?" he asked logically, his pale green eyes sweeping the siblings. Jen ducked her head under the scrutiny. "She didn't want anyone helping her," she responded a trifle defensively.
Cyrus put his hands on her torso and Julia whimpered, trying to bat his hands away.
"Don't touch her," Scott growled out.
"Are you shitting me, Scott? What's wrong with you?" Cyrus' level stare penetrated Scott.
Scott didn't even know, but another male touching her was un-effing-acceptable.
Brendan barked out a laugh. "Hey He-man, why don't you piss off and let Cyrus get her better?"
In a flash, Scott had Brendan against the wall and Jen was there, pandemonium breaking out in the room, Julia groaning at the commotion.
Michael strode in and took in Scott laying their brother out against the wall asked, "Do you need to be in another pile of shit, bro?"
Jen said, "Yeah! This is so not helping brother!"
Scott only saw red, when he heard Julia moan he lit off after Cyrus and Jen whipped out her hand, jerking, literally, the rug out from underneath him.
Scott pinwheeled his arms and fell, landing on his back on the unforgiving wood floor, the air whooshing out of his lungs.
Cyrus shook his head then looked at Jen, noticing Scott was moving a little slower. That'll happen every time ya can't breathe, he thought. It wasn't often Scott was taken down a peg. It was about damn time. Even the mighty shall fall. "I heard. Soul-meld, huh?" he chuckled.
Jen didn't think it was very funny right now, giving Scott a nervous glance. Six foot three inches of very pissed off Singer male. Ah... yeah. Zero comedy factor.
"Territorial-much, right?" Michael said from the door, ready to whip up a handy Illusion at the slightest sign that Scott would beat on Cyrus.
"Keep him at bay, would ya?" Cyrus asked, his pale hands moving over Julia's torso and he sucked in a breath as Scott got onto his hands and knees like a raging bull, shaking his head from side to side, Jen expected him to start foaming at the mouth or something.
"She's quite ill. She..." he looked puzzled then he straightened. "What did she do?"
Jen told him that she'd gulped down half the creek and he shook his head. "That is mostly it but she's got a tie... and it is making her sick."
The room grew quiet.
It was Scott who asked the question, his voice hard. "What tie?"
"To a blood drinker," Cyrus said in a flat voice. His eyes looked at each sibling in turn. "There's not much good news to this. But," he paused in the deafening silence of the room, "at least she doesn't have enough for a permanent binding."
Scott had calmed down enough through her physical assessment that he could ask the question, "Who?"
Cyrus shrugged. "Does it matter? She's been given blood, regardless of the reason, and it has allowed a blood-share to establish."
"Okay, so?" Micheal said, taking a resounding chomp out of the apple he held, the crack of it reverberating in the space. Brendan rolled his eyes.
"What?" He shrugged. "I'm hungry."
Scott glared at him.
Cyrus grinned, the siblings got along so well, he thought. He continued, "Well, the inherent trouble here is that it's like a homing beacon. The deliverer of said blood, could in theory, find her."
"Let him come," Scott said. "No one will hurt her again," he said as Julia slept comfortably, his spirit soothed by the worst of her acute agony being gone.
"It's not about hurting her Scott," Cyrus' steady gaze locked with Scott's as a dawning horror came over him.
Jen said, "The third time is the charm, right Cyrus?"
He nodded.
"That sucks ass," Brendan said, stating the obvious.
Cyrus folded his hands and his head sunk a little.
They looked at him in silence.
Finally, he said, "There's more."
"Oh, happy day," Jen said dryly.
"Do you know if she was," his eyes searched theirs, "exposed to a Were?"
"No!" Scott nearly shouted and Julia squirmed on the bed. He knelt by her side and put his hand on her cheek and she nuzzled against it in her sleep, giving a contented sigh and Scott's heart squeezed. When she wasn't awake to fight it, she wanted him.
She felt the rightness of them.
"No," he quietly said again.
"Well, she has been exposed. She is not Were but she has a blood-binding with a Were."
"You can tell all this how?" Brendan asked.
Cyrus scoffed, "I am a Blood Singer, ya dunce. It is what I do as Healer. The blood tells me its secrets. Nothing is hidden," he finished in a matter of fact way. It was rudimentary to him.
It was shocking to the siblings, each for different reasons.
Here was their precious Queen, prophesied to return to reign on high with an apparent soul-meld to Scott.
Julia was also bound to a mystery Were and a vampire. A blood bind was a serious thing amongst Singers. What would it mean for a pureblood? A rare Queen?
Where were these elusive supernaturals now?
Would they come for her?
Those questions plagued the group, but none more strongly than Scott.
Let them come, he thought again.
They would meet their deaths.
CHAPTER 3
Tony walked toward the Feral. He would always be the Feral. It didn't matter fuck on ditty that Lawrence was forcing his integration within the pack.
Tony would never welcome him. He'd been partially responsible for the loss of the Rare One. Pulling that fucked up episode at the last... strangling her? Why Lawrence had forgiven that stunt was beyond Tony.
But integrate him he did.
Tony remembered the conversation exactly.
"It is our fault that he was turned. Our sister den in Alaska sent the wrong soldier for a sensitive task. He ignored the obvious, tried to kill the Rare One's mate..."
"Not mate, Packmaster," Tony corrected neutrally.
Lawrence inclined his head in acknowledgment. "True, unconsummated but following the laws which govern the humans."
"Let us speak plainly," Tony gave him steady eyes, "she's not been bred to any male. She is mated to no one."
Lawrence sighed. "In any event, he was attacked, then before the Were could rectify it by ending him, the vampire came and left that one for dead."
"Then we had to come in and save their stupid asses. Their incompetence... argh!" Tony said, fisting his hands. That had been a colossal cluster fuck.
Their gazes held and Lawrence said, "So you see, my new Alpha, we cannot turn him away, making him rogue, simply because you're uncomfortable with his origins. He was not meant to live. Now he does and he will have a place in the pack. And," Lawrence lowered his voice, "he faces enough prejudice because of his lineage, he does not need the new Alpha to stir the pot."
Yes, Tony thought, the fabled Red. That was also in The Book of Luna.
"Are you thinking about the Book?" Tony asked.
"I am."
"It is legend," Tony scoffed, dismissing the tale like he did every tradition of the Were. It was bullshit. He needed to be the biggest and baddest, taking everything that was rightfully his.
That was pretty much everything he wanted. Case closed. His logic was irrefutable. Tony thought he made a perfect wolf. Their species was all about the strong prevailing.
He was all about that program.
Lawrence gave a low growl, filled with menace and Tony's wolf slammed up to the surface. If the moon had been full, he would have burst form right there in the office.
"It is not legend. It is coming to fruition. The history is now. The legend is becoming, Anthony."
Tony had skimmed over every history of the Were he could. He'd bullied his whelpmates into letting him crib notes while his instructors were none the wiser.
Now he was struggling to have a point of reference.
Fucking marvelous.
Lawrence smiled. "Being Alpha is not always about brute force."
That was news to Tony, who had had fantastic luck with just that method in the past.
Lawrence continued, "It is about embracing our history, keeping our traditions and safeguarding our females so that we may continue. You would do well to begin that if you have a hopes of succeeding me one day."
Oh yes, Tony had every intention of doing that. And the hell with the history. Fuck chance, fuck hope, you make your own future.
It was a precept that Tony was ruled by.
"The Book foretells the Rare One, and how one such as she is drawn to her like a magnet, a perfect puzzle piece finding its mate. It speaks of a red that will come, bound to the Rare One, but sent to save our race. And the Blood Raven."
Tony's eyes flicked to his Packmaster's. "Tell me of this raven."
"Blood Raven."
Tony huffed in impatience.
Lawrence closed his eyes in a long blink then quoted from the Book. Even Tony recognized the Old Language:
"He that holds the blood of the Singer and seeks the night by wing, will share the song that binds with the Rare One. The Blood Wolf, a rival of no small means; mingled blood of both running in her veins."
Holy hell, Tony thought. It's that damn Red Were and that freakin' vamp that can switch into a raven. Somehow, they threatened the future.
His future.
Tony knew how to take care of that. Like he had a million times before.
Lawrence studied Tony's face as the words soaked in.
Tony lifted a massive shoulder, toned from years of training. To kill. Tony was very good at that.
Killing.
"So?" he asked without expecting an answer.
Lawrence frowned. Perhaps Tony was not keen enough intellectually to understand the significance? "The book has chronicled the Rare One. She has come. She is connected to the Red. Jason." His eyes stabbed Tony's. "Further, the vampire who has enough Singer blood to bring on the change? He is somehow bound to her as well."
Tony gave him a blank look.
"She is the key. Julia Caldwell. We acquire her, and set her to be with the Red. Once she is mated, no others will vie for her. She will be ours, a Singer transformed, A Rare One mated to a Red. The circle of blood will be complete."
Tony did an internal eye roll. Whatever. He'd see to whatever needed to happen, and get that effing Singer. Heat roiled around underneath his skin just thinking about her escape. He'd been that close to nailing her. At least Joseph was out of the way. He smiled. He'd made that work to his advantage. Hopefully, his part in that would never be discovered.
"What about those Singers that took Julia?" That was really the only detail that he hadn't ironed out, made sense of. He was undaunted, as usual. He'd just ramrod through everything and have his way.
Also per usual.
Lawrence paused for so long Tony opened his mouth to repeat his question again.
"He has been mentioned in the foretelling as well."
That damn book again, Tony thought, seething.
"It says: There will be one that is a true pairing, borne of the same ilk, traversed by lineage, blood rite and power."
"Huh?"
Tony hated the old language. Just Spit. It. The. Fuck. Out.
"It means that there is a Singer that is her equal, a male that hails from a blood line that complements hers; a soul-pairing if you will."
Now that was a brand of shit he didn't hear very often.
He played nice for Lawrence though. "Right, so how do we deal with this?"
"It's simple, you befriend the Red, take a contingent of our finest reconnaissance and reacquire the Rare One."
Tony liked that plan, minus a Were.
A red.
He'd take care of him like he took care of Joseph: permanently.
"You can count on me," Tony said, looking the Packmaster right in the eye. Because, to Tony, it was a reality he believed in. Therefore it was truth.
The delivery would be different but the results the same.
That Singer would submit to him. His will. His dominance. He was so not done with that bitch.
Not by a long shot.
Lawrence smiled, relieved. It was most excellent that he had an Alpha willing to do the dangerous missions without faltering.
He just wished that his nose didn't smell the scent of lies in the room. Which of those that he'd spoken were truths were not known to Lawrence but his disquiet deepened.
He was unsure how safe the rare Red would be on a mission with Tony.
Lawrence was a fatalist. He would allow destiny to assert itself. Whatever would be, would be the choice of the fates, not his.
And he had deliberately left the most important scripture from the book out of the retelling to Tony:
"The Rare One, in a force of blood union, will bring those that seek unity together, as they were meant to be from time immemorial."
That was better left to the ignorance that Tony excelled at.
Jason watched Tony come toward him with wariness. He had treated him like shit when he was holed away in that pen they'd kept him in. Now he was welcome? Yeah, he'd believe that when he saw it.
Besides, he'd seen what he'd done to the other Alpha in the woods. He thought he'd gotten away with something. A coward's win, at best. Jason, unlike Tony, had been perusing the great hall which held the history of the Were.
His people now.
His heart constricted in his chest. His other life was so thoroughly gone. Kev dead. Cyn... God knows where and his Julia... no longer his.
He stared at the approaching Were and knew he slept amongst enemies. In fact, the only one that had been even vaguely welcoming was that hell-cat, Adi. Jason couldn't help but feel a little protective over her. It's like she antagonized everyone, keeping them at arm's length.
He was familiar with that modus operandi. It reminded him a little of Jules. She'd kinda done that. After her parents' death, she'd shut down the part of herself that trusts.
Hopes.
Jason liked to think that he'd given her back some of what she lost. He knew that if they'd been able to continue on the path they'd chosen, she'd have experienced joy. Release. True happiness.
Now, she was...? He absently rubbed his chest. Somewhere.
Tony scented the Red. Dammit, he loathed his ass. He was just different enough in his genetics, his line, that Tony couldn't get a bead on him. He took a deep, calming breath. He needed this pudwhacker. He needed him to come, feel like he was a part of it. Then, when the timing was perfect, he'd bleed him out like so much bad meat. At least, that was the loose plan for now. Tony was nothing if not adaptable.
Jason felt Tony try to scent something on him and could smell his frustration. Maybe he was just different enough from Tony that there was something that was inhibiting his sense of smell.
Tony's eyebrows lowered. The Feral's Singer lineage was blocking him. It sucked to be nose-blind, he wasn't used to it and it fouled his mood even more.
"Listen," Tony began, raking a hand through dark hair. His brown eyes held no warmth, no expression. Whatever Tony felt never reached those merciless eyes. He was robotic in a way that creeped Jason out.
"It's been, what, a couple of weeks since the Rare One was taken by the Singers..."
"Julia," Jason said in a low voice that was at once soft and filled with authority.
Tony stared at him. "Yeah. Anyway," he glared at Jason. "We need to train for reacquisition."
Jason's heart leapt in his chest. Then crashed. He spoke carefully, with deliberation, "I do want her with me. But," he spread his palms out, "because of my confusion... I don't think she'll go anywhere with any of us. And she was here before. She wasn't happy. Adi told me." Jason hadn't come up with a plan to fix his unfixable blunder. He didn't think force was it though.
"It doesn't matter. She belongs with us," Tony said in exasperation, like that bitch Adi had anything to say about it.
"Jules needs to be where she's safe, happy," Jason said like it was the most obvious conclusion in the world.
Tony gave him an incredulous expression. Two heartbeats went by, then about three more, the silence rolling out. "You're a fucking pussy, Feral."
Jason reacted before intellect could warn him, his snout bursting out of a face that had been human seconds before, moments before.
With talons sprung he leapt at Tony.
Tony met him in a kiss of smacking flesh and they rolled on the ground together. Jason wrapped his taloned fingers with sure finesse around Tony's thick neck, his wolf eyes, spinning wheels of green came within a dizzying inch of Tony's face.
"I'm not a fucking pussy," Jason said, his voice sounding like falling gravel. He lifted Tony's head and slammed it on the floor for emphasis, "Don't you see? You selfish prick! I love her!" Jason screamed in Tony's face then stood, his chest heaving, a fine layer of hair like climbing fire sprung from his skin, looking like crimson fuzz.
"I love her!" he repeated in a low bellow of agony, his palms out by his side, his head thrown back, the many teeth that lined his snout glowing as his words morphed into a mournful howl.
Tony looked at him from the ground, mesmerized. What wouldn't he do if he could partially change without the moon. That's when that female bitch, Adi, came running in and he smiled. His thoughts turned to depravity on a dime.
The first thing he'd do was nail her. Oh yeah. He'd force breed her. His smile turned into a grin with the thought of it. With any luck she'd get pregnant with his pups. Life was good.
Adi screamed into the open barn where Jason spent so much of his time before and skidded to a stop when she saw that dipshit, Tony, sitting on the ground with a stupid grin on his face. There was something creepy about it, she thought, but was distracted from dissecting the idea when she saw Jason's half-wolf, half-human form in front of her.
"What?!" she yelled at no one and everyone.
Jason turned that fiery green gaze at her. She watched as he melted back into his human form, the wolf features sliding into the sandy-haired hazel-eyed, six foot two inch guy that she'd come to know. Seeing his half-wolf form had brought back the memories of that day when he'd done the rubber band on her arm. Her fear flared briefly, then receded as Jason gave her a small smile of comfort. It left his face when his gaze shifted to Tony.
There was an awkward silence. Then Jason ended it. "I'll go."
He stalked out of the training barn, leaving Tony on the floor with that considering smile on his face.
When Adi turned on her heel and followed Jason out Tony grinned in triumph. It had been handled expertly. Jason was too weak to assert dominance over Tony, but he'd pressed all the right buttons to position the Feral right where he wanted him. Under his thumb.
Perfection.
*
Julia
Julia awoke, feeling well and perfect. She met deep eyes that were nearly ebony, full of concern and conciliation.
"Hey," Scott said softly by way of greeting.
"Hey," Julia croaked, her mouth like a desert.
Scott placed a bendy straw in a cup with a lid, and she gave him a look and he laughed, it was like musical stones (if there were such a thing) and she took that in. There were new feelings awakening in her like a slow trickle. Trusting him, she bent over the straw to sip water that was pure, uncontaminated.
"Ah," Julia moaned with pure bliss, the cool water chasing the dry mouth to a distant memory.
"Good?" Scott asked, a dimple asserting itself next to white teeth, full lips and... Julia blushed. His nearness, coupled with what she knew, was... overwhelming in the extreme.
"Hey," he raised a massive palm in mock-truce. "Do you think we can go a minute or two without fighting?"
Julia didn't really know. She'd give it a shot.
Her lips quirked up. "I think so," she said dubiously.
Scott chuckled and took her hand in his. He was a big guy, Julia noticed, her small hand disappearing in his mammoth one. Scott didn't know he was intimidating. He was just him. Scott was accustomed to his size, taking charge, making things happen. He was a package deal, the physique matching the psyche.
Scott was at a loss with Julia. This small woman had turned his existence upside down. His anger was spent. Scott was seeing things a little more clearly.
Julia had been through a lot. She hadn't had the convenience of a huge ass family at her back or training about who she was from the beginning. The reality had been different for Scott. He'd always known he was a Blood Singer. His role had been laid out perfectly for him, his path absolute. Scott knew what he was and what his life held.
Or, he thought he had.
Now, as he held the hand of their reluctant Queen, he realized that role was changing. Whether they liked it or not. And now was the time to help someone else. In this case, Julia. She needed him. She didn't need his uncertainty and anger.
Julia deserved more.
Her needs pulsed in a direct pathway to his soul. She didn't have to speak, he felt what she wanted, what she'd never had.
Scott determined he would give it.
Or die trying.
Hope. That's what Julia wanted.
Scott could do that.
He grinned at her and after a moment, she gave a tremulous smile in return.
CHAPTER 4
Lawrence looked at his second and waited. Finally, he said, "That is most excellent."
Emmanuel smiled in return. He was not the keenest fighter but his nose was unparallelled amongst their den. He'd found the girl in less than a day. When their sister pack from Homer had communicated her departure the entire national Allegiance of Were was put on point. She was but one female, unless she traveled through Canada, Seattle was the logical stopping point. It was common for the good of the pack that a background check was done on all persons of interest. She was no exception and simply knew too much. However, in having uncovered her dire financial situation and ascertaining that she did not have the means to have traveled further than where she currently resided, they had discovered an interesting fact.
There was a sizable nest of Blood Singers in the Homer region.
Of which she was unknowingly a part.
Cynthia Adams had Singer blood. It was almost too convenient. Their Alaskan counterparts had done some digging and there was a more than random concentration of the rare human sub-species. The why of it all was not certain, but it did give the supernaturals pause. It was no wonder that a Rare One would crop up with so many in that region. Then, of course, it was most logical that they would gravitate toward one another.
"What have you discovered?" Lawrence asked Emmanuel.
Emmanuel told him.
It took a half hour and when he finished there was a full silence, almost pregnant. It filled the great library of the history of his species. Finally, Lawrence asked, "Do the Homer Were understand what is all around them? The treasure?"
Emmanuel's brows drew together in a frown. "What are you asking?"
"Not asking, Manny, planning."
The light bulb burst on inside his head with a shouting leap of brightness that blinded the interior of his skull, chasing all other thoughts from his brain.
"You propose what? To force their change?"
Lawrence nodded, he loved dealing with Manny. Most pleasant. Unlike his Alpha, who was all about brute force and making things mold into his personal agenda, Manny thought things through carefully. That was why he was sent on this sensitive mission after the Adams girl.
"I do. After seeing what the Feral is... I think we could capture the region if we had command of ones as powerful as turned Singers."
"Yes," Manny began, thinking it through furiously, "however, you remember what Jason Caldwell was for months. He was untrainable, brought down to his basest instincts. Like a house stripped to the studs."
"Ah... but the foundation was there for him from the beginning. The trigger was the Rare One."
Emmanuel palmed his chin thoughtfully. True... but, "What if they do not desire the change?" he asked logically.
"Since when do the Were consider free will? We take. That is what we do. We are a species ruled by instinct. Let the vampire intellectualize their existence to death," Lawrence gave a low chuckle at his own pun. "See where that gets them. While they are embracing their ambivalence, we shall be molding our future to benefit the Were." He closed his open hand in a fist in front of Emmanuel's face.
"Cynthia Adams will be the first amongst many. You will pick our finest warriors, journey to the north, scoop up as many Singers as you can scent. When they return, we will make them ours. Absorb them into the pack. Just think," Lawrence's eyes took on the sheen of zealotry, "what if there were more like Caldwell?" He rubbed his hands together, thinking of the spoils a Singer turned Were would grant them.
Emmanuel did not bring up the point that it was expressly against the precepts for the Book of Luna that a Singer be deliberately turned. After all, they were a part of the chain of beings on this earth, to alter that natural occurrence by force seemed sacrilegious to Manny.
Dangerous.
"We do need the Rare One, but why not accelerate the benefits that she would give us by the inclusion of more of her race? It is too precious by far to not grab while we can."
Manny was not sure. It could be that once a large enough percentage of their pack possessed turned Singers, there would be other complications to deal with.
"And the females," Lawrence breathed.
That was the best point of all to Manny. The other points of power and taking needed to be weighed carefully; he himself favored caution. For a Were, that mindset was rare. Possibly he was second to Lawrence because of his temperament. It was the polar opposite of Tony. He was all brash and in the moment.
"Yes," Emmanuel conceded with a sigh. "It would be a huge benefit to have female Were."
Lawrence nodded, his face setting into grim lines. "Our ratio, as you know, is four to one. Alphas are killing themselves in the annual Mating Rite. There would be much less death...."
"Yes," Manny agreed. "We might abolish the rite entirely if there were sufficient females."
Lawrence inclined his head. "I remember the days when mating was arranged between families..."
"When Were were not forced to mate with human females of mixed Were heritage," Manny finished for him.
They looked at each other. Finally Manny said, "When?"
Lawrence thought about it, opening his wolf to the moon, still distant, halfway to full. "Two weeks. Let us give the Singers the best opportunity for change that we can offer."
Emmanuel nodded. He was not thrilled with kidnapping the girl, elaborating on what she was, frightening her worse than she'd already been terrorized in Homer. He glowered, thinking about the Alaskan pack. They were near-renegade. Their packmaster led with a volatile hand. Manny was not impressed. He knew what tactics they'd employed on the girl. He also knew them to be a sloppy bunch.
As if to bring that point home, Lawrence's next comment confirmed his worst supposition.
Emmanuel began to leave the room when Lawrence stopped him with his next comment, "The human police track her as well."
Manny stopped, turning. "No," he said, his spirit slumping. Human involvement always greatly complicated things. Usually it necessitated more casualties. Of that, there was no doubt.
"Yes. Oh yes," Lawrence said. "Furthermore, we have reason to believe the Alaskan Pack has been neglectful in their efforts. It seems they may have left some proof of our existence."
That was the worst of news.
Emmanuel knew what that meant for him.
"I will take care of that, Packmaster."
"Include Anthony," Lawrence directed.
Manny paused, schooling his expression with an effort. He tried to never work with Tony unless forced. As he was at present.
"Yes, Packmaster."
Lawrence smiled in relief. Between his chief enforcers he would see the human police dispatched and a Singer female added to the ranks of the pack while diversifying the lineage.
Though the real feather in his cap would be the capture and future mating of the Rare One with the Feral. Jason Caldwell, he reminded himself. It was hard to shake his initial impression of the wolf. He was other, so foreign to Lawrence, he couldn't even scent him for Moon's sake.
"Excellent. Be well, Emmanuel," the Packmaster said.
"Be well," Manny replied, his expression changing as he turned his back, bracing himself for the conversation he knew he must have with Tony.
He dreaded it.
*
Scott
Scott was careful not to touch Julia, that seemed to make everything so much worse for her.
For him.
When he touched her, it was like a great sucking energy engulfed them both and suddenly he found himself with his environment melting away.
Yeah, he'd ease them into this incrementally.
Julia moved slowly for her. She was so ravenous she could hardly think, whatever they had in that huge kitchen of theirs that wasn't nailed down she called dibs.
Scott hid a smile, so many of her basic emotions were leaking all over the top of him. He didn't have too much trouble clamping down on the urge. Mainly because she was starved and walked beside him like a fragile golden shadow. He looked her over as she was slightly ahead of him and she didn't notice his scrutiny. She was so young yet as a Singer. Her Awakening had just begun. Julia didn't sense him near to the degree he did her. Though she would soon. With training, she would Become.
So much more.
He took her elbow, careful to touch her where the clothes covered her skin. She started a little and looked up at him. "Sorry, jumpy," Julia said, letting the curtain of her hair cover her profile, hiding her from Scott.
"Understandable," he replied.
Scott ignored her posturing and instead strode to the fridge as she eased onto a stool at the breakfast bar. The whole kitchen had been gutted and remodeled extensively. It actually resembled a commercial kitchen now. It was the only thing that made sense with this many people living at the compound. He got out the fixings for making a sandwich and balancing the whole load in his arms, smacked his head on the top of the fridge.
"Damn!" he howled, the pickle jar slipping from his grasp.
Then just as suddenly, it hovered in midair and Scott's eyes flicked to Julia.
"Seems like there's a lot of hard heads here," she said, a trifle smug. Scott straightened, kicking the fridge door closed with his foot. As he did, the jar floated to the surface of the counter and with the barest tap, settled on the ocean of granite.
"Yeah," Scott said and grinned.
And just like that, it was okay. They had a moment of looking at each other that was comfortable.
They weren't fighting.
He wasn't saving her.
She was safe. With him.
Scott kept grinning, far beyond when he should have stopped, hope replacing uncertainty.
It was a good day.
*
betrayal
William watched the sister coven's soldiers surround him and knew that he had been betrayed even as his mind denied it. He could not accept that for a bit of politics and numbers he would be derailed from what he sought.
Julia, he intoned, despair engulfing the only tender spot he guarded in his heart. And guard it he did. For it was all he had to offer her once she was within reach.
However, now was not the time for reflection.
William crouched, hissing.
They came.
He readied. He was a warrior in his own right.
Singer and vampire both.
Let them come.
*
Sea-Tac Airport
Karl Truman exited the plane with as much speed as a lumbering guy his size could manage, running a hand over his bald head as he was thrust into the terminal with the throng of people.
They didn't notice him standing there, instead the herd jostled by him, clipping him with their parcels, purses and carry-ons. Karl opened his mind to that instinct that always drove him. The one that had made him top in the state for closing cases. It was almost beyond chance.
Almost.
He checked his paperwork after throwing his coat and carry-on into the nearest hard ass chair at the gate. He ran his finger down the geographical possibilities and finally settled on Bellingham or Kent. He had a sense of Cynthia Adams. Before the Caldwell Incident (as Truman thought of it) she had been quite a little fashion girl, a wanna-be socialite. She'd want to get lost in a big city. After Seattle, which Truman dismissed as too big (she was a Homer girl and that was its own breed there. Actually, that was true of Alaskans). He was left with the other cities that were still large but not the biggest. After dragging his ballpoint over Tacoma and marking it off the list, he had narrowed it down to two. Bellingham was looking less likely because it was two-plus hours north of Sea-Tac. But Kent... he let that city's name roll around in his head, pinging back and forth until it began taking shape. Was it possible? Truman felt like he was almost standing in front of the state map with a push pin in one hand and his eyes closed.
Like pin the tail on the donkey. In this case, it was more like pin the location on the map.
Mind made up, he hefted his crap in one arm and with his normal vigor and determination huffed to the car rental carousel. He'd go through that hassle first, then he'd hole up where he thought she'd go.
Kent.
Yeah, he liked the sound of it. There was that thread of something there. Enigmatic, steadfast. Some cops called it gut instinct. Whatever it was, it had always worked for Karl. His mom used to tell him when he was a little runt that he was a sensitive kid. He could always find stuff. Being a cop was a natural thing for him. Like breathing. That's why this Caldwell thing wouldn't let go. It had been swimming in his head for two years. When it came together he had been relieved.
His gut never lied.
Truman followed that now, without a plan, with his nose leading him by mental scent alone. It was one that only Truman could smell and he alone.
He got in his cheap, police-provided rental and drove to the city he'd circled in red sharpie on the map, getting stuck behind a big bus on the way.
Truman followed behind the stinky sucker for a time and while he looked at it, he saw its route listed on the back light up sign: East Hill, Valley, West Hill, Scenic Hill.
Something lit like a match to a striker and his mind circled around the almost-epiphany.
Buses.
No money.
Desperation.
That was it! Truman smacked the wheel with a meaty fist, the steering column shuddering under his enthusiasm.
She'd used the buses.
Truman grinned, his cheeks making a noise with his sudden facial switch.
He'd nail the bus drivers. How many had that circular route through that city? Probably a handful. He knew deep down that the Adams girl would have taken a bus that was just going to Kent. Not Renton, Covington or even Federal Way. That significantly narrowed his search. It was a long shot but he was going to throw a strike, not a gutter ball.
He could feel it. The rightness of his chain of thoughts coming together neatly. That's how it always was when he caught the scent he was searching for.
Suddenly the long plane ride and the shitty travel receded and all he could feel was the pulse of the chase.
Here I come, Truman thought, here I come.
*
Cyn
Alan squeezed her shoulder as he walked by and she shot him a grateful smile. Cynthia had been at the restaurant a week and felt like she was just now getting her bearings.
She'd called the guy he'd recommended, and well... the place was kinda ghetto but it was clean and she felt safe. For once.
Cynthia shoved away thoughts of Kev and her former life. The only personal item she'd brought with her was the wedding photo. Well, that and a few well-loved books. Like Twilight. She loved that book. Cynthia gulped, thinking about how the novel had been better before she'd found out that werewolves were real. She gave a small shiver like a goose had walked over her grave.
Cynthia came back to the conversation at hand, her feet hurting at the end of her eight hour shift. She'd already gotten more hours from Alan, but thirty hours a week wasn't going to get her into a real apartment. Oh well.
"Miss, I'd like that ranch on the side and the burger on a plate," Mr. Frump commanded. She kinda wanted to jam her pencil up his ass and restrained herself with an effort. Unfortunately, once she'd committed the words into her head they were like a giant TV screen in her brain and the visual of Frump running around with that unpleasant leaden wedgie wouldn't leave her. Cynthia's Mona Lisa smile turned into a grin.
Frump frowned and she laughed.
God it felt good. She hadn't given a genuine laugh... in like forever.
"You bet, sir," Cynthia said, lightly chewing on her pencil to keep from bursting into inappropriate guffawing.
And just like that she thought of Jules again. She had a damn knack for making everyone crack up and get in trouble.
Then Cynthia realized something as she walked away from the booth, order in hand; she'd thought of Jules without crying, the happy memory being just that.
Happy.
Maybe she'd be okay after all.
A fragile seed of hope began to germinate in her heart. If not for the possibility of actually seeing Jules again, but maybe of remembering her without the crushing sadness.
Cynthia put in her customer's order and then one for herself on the spinning circle of tickets. The discounted meal was all she was allowing herself to eat. Money was tight, she'd deal with the hunger until she had more money. She began to salivate thinking about the rich Banzai burger and fries that Sherry the cook would whip up, her last order of the day was her last customer, the only table left. Cynthia sighed with relief. Tomorrow was her day off and she intended to make the most of it.
First stop: Freedom Affirmed. She was going to talk to Shirley. Maybe she could verify if Julia had stayed there. It was such a slim chance, Cynthia knew.
Cynthia latched on to that small hope that bloomed inside her, holding on for dear life.
She wasn't going to let go.
No matter what.
*
Truman
Truman hadn't needed to lean on the local fuzz too much. They'd gotten the word from Alaska.
Full cooperation.
He was getting a lot of yeses and that's how he liked it.
His nose was literally twitching with excitement. He'd buzzed through all the drivers and was down to the last one.
The driver was a pudgy guy with thick hair that had once been black and had now edged its way into the pewter category. Truman picked up on his nervousness right away, it was in the set of his hands as he twisted his cap in his thick hands.
"I'm Karl Truman, Homer PD," he stuck out his hand and swallowed the bus driver's in his own.
Firm grip, nervous but not a pussy. Truman liked him immediately. Seemed like a good sort.
"Good to meet ya," the guy said. "I'm Alfred," he elaborated, giving Truman a solid pump then letting his hand fall.
Truman pegged him with his gaze and when Alfred didn't waver, drop his stare and met his eyes full on- the twitching became a buzz.
He took the picture of Julia Caldwell and Cynthia Adams out of his billfold. It was a graduation shot, their heads covered with caps, the tassels captured in mid-swing, the cold Alaskan sunlight lending a halo effect.
Truman put it in front of Alfred's snout. Alfred squinted at it. Finally giving up, he extracted some eyeglasses and put them on. He leaned in and peered at the photo for a long moment.
Too long, in Truman's opinion. He opened his mouth to tell him to get the lead out when those eyes flicked to Truman's; he noticed they seemed kind.
"Yeah, I seen that girl," he pointed at the photo.
Truman turned around and indicated Cynthia Adams with a finger flick. "Her," Truman said, satisfied like a clam at high tide.
Alfred gave a slight frown and shook his head to the negative. "Nah, her." With his pointer finger, he carefully pressed it to the shorter girl in the photo. Her golden hair shone almost red in the weak sunlight typical at the beginning of the Alaskan summer, a stray ray exactly falling across her eyes, lighting them in her delicate face.
Lion's eyes, Truman thought, the startling amber an unforgettable shade.
Truman's eyes snapped up to Alfred the bus driver.
"Her?" Truman almost screamed in his face, stabbing the photo.
Alfred cowered back at his tone but Truman didn't care. He'd been looking for one girl and found the other. He ignored the bus driver's vehement nodding, his thoughts already on the revelation at hand.
Julia Caldwell, presumed dead.
But that was wrong.
She was here, and apparently, very much alive.
CHAPTER 5
Blood Singers Region One
Julia swung low, sweeping her leg toward Scott's for the strike he taught her, geared at numbing the largest muscle of the leg. He caught her foot, twisting it and she flipped, falling to the floor and slapping the flat of her palms on the mat, the sound echoing in the cavernous training barn. She'd almost face-planted and flipped over on her back, chest heaving from exertion, her strength was definitely not fully back.
Julia hated Scott.
He was a Punisher.
She grinned at his expression of contained guilt. He wore gloves so he could train her for hand-to-hand combat. Not an easy task with a soul-melded partner. Scott was having to go against his primal nature to protect her while he taught her defense, he didn't need the additional challenge of skin-to-skin contact.
"Nice, Scott!" Michael sung, striding by the mat and never breaking pace, "Beating up our Queen. Terrific form, pal, keep it up."
Scott's face took on that tomato color that looked so funny with a man with dusky coloring like his. He was just shy of olive-skinned with an almost Mediterranean skin tone. He looked nothing like the other Singers, who were primarily fair-complected. His huge hands curled into fists and giving a guilty glance at her on the floor he stuck a hand out to her.
Gloved, of course.
Julia stood with his help and those inky eyes, like smooth stones of the finest honed ebony gazed down into hers. Whiskey met black and he gave another glance at his brother, who flipped him the bird.
Julia was getting a little more accustomed to the sibling interaction but much of it seemed like rivalry to her. Scott began to go after Michael and she forgot their promise to not touch each other and put a staying hand on his muscular forearm, the striated muscles rippling under her fingertips.
In a tingling rush of almost electric proportions, Scott gasped, groaning.
"Julia!" he said in a low voice, charged with emotion and restraint.
"I'm sorry," she apologized and withdrew her hand but Scott was helpless with the sensation of skin-to-skin contact and wrapped her against him.
Hard, with almost brutal contact he wrapped his hand in her hair and kissed her forehead, then her nose, then found her mouth and pressed his lips to its softness.
Julia squirmed against the intimacy even as she began to press forward. It was almost like a witch's spell, cast by genetics, directed by fate.
Using a restraint Scott didn't know he possessed, he put Julia away from him at arm's length. She was flushed, her vivid coloring reasserting itself as the hiatus of recovery that had spanned this last week had given her vitality back. Scott knew that the flush wasn't from health, but from desire. It burned in her eyes, deepening them to a fine amber.
He didn't need to look to know that his eyes mirrored hers.
"Sorry," he whispered.
Julia gave a shaky laugh. "It's okay. I just..." she paused then continued, "I didn't want you to pummel Michael."
"I'm trying to give us time. You know what Marcus said..."
Julia did and she was embarrassed. She lifted her eyes, their bodies straining for contact, two feet of separation feeling like ten miles.
She stayed where she was, looking at the gloves he wore so he could train her. It had been Marcus' idea. When Scott had tried to train her for self-defense, he'd executed his first throw against her and gone and barfed up the breakfast they'd shared.
Scott found that he could not touch her in a move that might cause her harm without a physical reaction.
In essence, it hurt him to instigate any move or intent that had potential to harm her. Marcus thought it was all part of the fabric of their soul-meld.
Of course, he didn't want to hurt her, Julia knew this. She had insisted. Julia didn't want to ever feel weak again. Unprotected.
Scott was the highest ranked Singer in the tri-state region for his ability: Deflection. So far, he had no sub-ability like Brendan did (Tracker and to a lesser extent Pyro, as it was affectionately referred to). As Marcus had explained, those secondary abilities could manifest at any time. There was always a primary ability and in the instance of a secondary, it was considered an "overlap" or "crossover," talent. In Singer terminology whatever a Singer possessed was their "talent." So Julia had spent the first true week at Region One's compound getting quizzed on her "talents." So far, her primary was the telekinesis and it appeared she had a low-level telepathy. However, it seemed to work only with other Singers, sporadically at best and was not very powerful. As Julia had discovered, it wasn't uncommon, if a Singer concentrated hard enough, they could communicate mind to mind with other Singers.
In fact, Julia wasn't sure why she'd be the pick for Queen. She just wasn't seeing why she "had it."
Scott looked at Julia for another frozen moment then straightened from the semi-slouch he'd adopted to hold her. Julia was really overwhelmed by Scott's size. When he was training her, it took every ounce of her internal fortitude to remind herself: he would not hurt her.
The soul-meld thing made it doubly awful. It was like she hovered around synchronicity; it was just out of reach. And, of course, she was desperate to touch it.
"Let's go ahead and take a break, I can feel how thirsty you are," Scott said with a small smirk.
He had a devilish sense of humor. Julia wasn't sure if she'd warmed to it or not. But she dished back what she took. It was squaring up awesomely for her. In fact, Julia found it lightened her to banter with him.
Scott knew that Julia wasn't as sensitive to his basic needs and it peeved her that she didn't know if he was hungry or thirsty. He couldn't hide his desire though. That smoldered in his gaze, his body, his mannerisms. She couldn't escape that dark knowledge. Sometimes she wished she didn't have it.
Scott certainly couldn't help it.
Didn't want to.
He held out his hand to her and she took it. He cupped her small hand and looked down at the crown of her head, the golden red hair halfway down her back, a cascade of liquid sun. Scott wanted to touch it so bad his chest tightened.
Instead he said, "After we get a drink, let's go by and see Marcus."
Julia turned and looked up at him, way up. Scott was nearly a foot taller. "Why?"
Scott walked for a few more paces and replied, "He's got some big ass revelation about me. I need to know." He glanced at her and the weak ambient light that worked its way through the canopy of trees pierced her face just right.
God, Scott thought, it's like she's captured the sun inside her.
"Scott?" Julia asked.
Scott startled, he'd been openly gawking at her and felt heat rise to his face again. This damn soul-meld shit was a force to be reckoned with. He gulped.
Hard.
"Yeah," he chuckled, softly towing her after him. He grinned and said, "He'd been about to tell me a big secret," he lowered his hands from airquotes and continued, "then you were sliding down the sick slope and I took off to help you. I've been so consumed by that I haven't had a chance to get back to it. But I know it's important," Scott said with certainty, mentally distracted by all the possibilities of what the information could be.
Julia stopped walking and Scott felt her fingers leave his gloved ones and a form of grief took residence where they'd been.
"What?" his eyes searched her face.
"I don't want to burden people," Julia said, her eyes clear and level on him.
"No," Scott said, moving into her personal space, uncomfortably close. It would have been more natural for them to touch. However, they both knew that it caused... problems.
Scott put a piece of hair that floated in the breeze of the woods they were traveling through behind her ear, allowing himself that at least.
It was a short path between "the barn" and the Victorian where his family lived, the deepness of the woods their only audience.
He cupped her face, the tips of his fingers at her temple and his palm easily capturing her small chin, a fragile egg he held in his palm. "It's not you. You're not a burden. I was just..."
So damned worried I barely slept, ate, breathed, Scott remembered but said, "I was assuring your safety, Jules."
"Please don't call me that." She stepped backward, a frosty silence inserting itself between them, her face closing down. The openness of the moment vanishing.
Fuck. Double-fuck, Scott thought. That nickname was off-limits. It's what her friends had called her.
From before.
Scott's hands fell at his sides and they stared at each other. How could he repair it? He knew Julia needed to talk about the attack against her by her husband. Even thinking about someone other than himself mated to her made his skin crawl and adrenaline pump through his body. He squelched it without mercy.
"What do you want me to call you?"
"Julia," she said in a huff, crossing her arms across her narrow body, her full breasts cradled by the movement and he looked at them presented before him like delicious fruit then raised his eyes to Julia.
She saw his assessment of her as a woman and laughed. He grimaced, caught.
The smile stayed in her eyes and she repeated, "Julia," more softly and without the force of her earlier answer. Then she looked up at him through her ginger-colored lashes, "Besides, I like the way it sounds when you say it."
She pivoted in the opposite direction, walking ahead on the well-worn trail.
Had she just flirted with him? Nah... impossible, Scott thought. But as he watched her walk away, all his female navigation skills going up in smoke when it came to her, he thought maybe she had.
Hope sprung to life.
Scott grinned, following her small feminine form, the flame burning brighter as he did.
While in the deepest part of the woods, vampires slept under cover of forest debris.
Waiting.
*
battle
William took the first two easily, gutting one with a well-placed talon, his entrails getting wrapped in the process. He slung the pearly rope of flesh against his mate's neck, and pulled with about half his strength, spearing the vampire in the fleshiest part of his jaw as he fell forward.
William tore the talons out of his victims, flying over their bodies and colliding midair with the next vampire who engaged him.
There were many.
They overwhelmed William. A puzzling trend emerged, they fought talonless, he had single-handedly brought down ten when the remainder held him.
No one was more surprised than he when their leader pulled out a weapon that William had never seen used before in any battle in which he'd participated.
A gun.
The leader lifted it, leveling it on William's chest while a vampire weighed down each of his limbs, and pulled the trigger. It pierced his chest with a meaty thwack and William felt himself go liquid and boneless as he lay there. A strange floating euphoria descended on him and he was paralyzed.
"Finally, damn. Gabriel said to take twenty and I almost dismissed his numbers." William heard their voices casually discuss him as he lay there, frozen by a paralytic drug of epic proportions. Much would be needed to freeze a vampire into paralysis combined with consciousness.
The leader stepped over William and raised his fist high above William, the shadow of his bunched hand like a small moon above him. "This is a closed discussion, runner." With that comment, he struck, hard and quick.
William's consciousness slipped away and blackness replaced his thoughts.
The vampires took him, his limbs swinging and flopping uselessly as he was carried over the shoulder of one of the survivors.
*
perseverance
William blinked awake, the stone that his body lay on was cold even to his vampiric indifference. He knew where he was even as he willed it not so.
Torture chamber.
William looked around the dank stone walls and his eyes came to rest on the male in partial shadow in the corner. He stepped into the crude light that made its way inside the stained and foul-smelling room William found himself in, his mask hiding his identity. No surface remained unstained by the gore of others. Their struggles. In vain.
No matter.
He was vampire, with vampire strength and speed.
And ingenuity.
William was in grave danger.
"Why?" he asked the vampire who was his brother in arms, from different covens, with the same precepts as his own.
The vampire rolled massive shoulders into a shrug, and in a voice like polished rock replied, "It is nothing personal, Singer."
"I am not fullblood. I am just a runner. It is them I seek."
"Yet, you found her." The eyes in the mask bored into William's. "You are the one that discovered the Rare One. Made her partially yours with the blood-share."
A horrible terror gripped William. It was Julia. They would weaken her through him.
"I see that you understand our objective."
"Do not do this!" William growled in a low voice, jerking the chains of silver that held him fast against the slab.
His torturer gave a grim smile. "You will heal, my friend. We will gain a prize. One day, you will forgive us this transgression."
"Never," William promised, his gray eyes turning into a storm in his face. He felt burning hatred for his home kiss, having made William the sacrificial lamb and it was unlike anything he had ever known.
"We shall see," the torturer said, moving forward with blurring speed, the barbed whip striking William in the chest, tearing his flesh to the bone in a blinding and skin-tingling shock of pain so acute and numbing William was silent in the aftermath of the strike, his words stolen.
His breath.
The next thirty strikes put him under.
When the icy water struck his face, William wished for death. Prayed for it.
If God watched over his kind, he remained silent witness to William's pleas.
For they remained unanswered.
His blood ran red, dripping into shallow copper-lined troughs that ran the perimeter of the stone slab that he lay upon.
It was collected.
Every drop.
And taken elsewhere, for use on the Singer.
Julia's fragile connection to William had been discovered and turned into her Achilles' heel.
She remained unaware, but not for long.
*
Northwestern Pack
Adi grinned at Manny when he walked by but his expression remained solemn, her presence unnoticed. She chased after him, tugging on his sleeve. He turned, his face lighting up when he saw her.
"Hey, got any good gossip?" she grinned.
He shook his head. Adi was quite a handful. But she was a wonderful female alpha. He regarded her. Manny knew that it would take a formidable male to appreciate someone like her. Just as he thought it, Tony strode into the narrow hall that traveled between the great library and the gathering hall, where meals, socializing and yes... gossip transpired.
Not that male, Manny thought. In fact, he was the most eligible wolf in the pack but the females shied away from Tony.
Adi didn't. Unfortunately, she enjoyed needling him. Foolhardy and provocative at best, dangerous at worst.
Manny stepped slightly in front of Adi and Tony's eyes tracked the subtle gesture. Tony smiled, looking at the second.
Tony thought Manny was a sucker for the old ways. Treasure the female wolf, guide her, protect her.
Blah fucking blah.
How about a good domination and plundering? Tony thought. Now that was what he was talking about.
His eyes narrowed in consideration of the Packmaster's second.
Maybe it'd be a twofer? Possibly he'd get rid of two pesky rivals in one fell swoop.
Tony wasted a moment self-congratulating. He always came up with the best ideas.
"What do you have?" Tony asked in a brusque tone, giving Adi a once over that made her blush.
Not with embarrassment over his brazen lust, but with anger.
She'd love to give him a go. It just rankled her ass he could kick hers. Adrianna wished she had a defender. Adi gave an internal shrug; that'd take all the fun out of it. She was just bloodthristy enough to want to feel his bones crunch under her fists, his skin shift and split by her own assault. Wipe that stupid grin off his face.
Along with a couple of teeth.
Some of what Adi felt must have shown on her face because he stepped nearer to her.
Manny didn't even try for subtlety. "Tony," he said in a low voice that was full of command, fueled by integrity.
Tony flicked his eyes to Emmanuel's, then Adi's. He'd felt that bitch's battle lust like an invitation.
Tony made a promise to himself then and there. When Adrianna had no one around to defend her, he would take his chance with her.
He would take her.
Tony wouldn't stop with her either, his mind touching on the Rare One.
Julia Caldwell was the ultimate for him. Nothing would keep him from her, not even that red Feral cocksucker. Once he mated Julia, there would be nothing anyone could do to reverse the process once begun.
Her willingness was not a prerequisite, Tony thought.
The Packmaster could delude himself into an early grave if he thought that Tony would allow that Feral to get his red paws on the Rare One. It was a joke. Tony knew that Manny would uphold whatever stupid one thousand year old law the Were possessed. He was such a fucking choir boy.
Tony would be careful, he stepped down with an effort. Emmanuel's posture relaxed when he saw Tony back down.
Emmanuel glossed over his odd behavior toward Adi but noted it for future reflection. "We train one week for the mission, traveling the week after for the strike."
Tony gave a curt nod, then turned to Adi. "Will you train, little wolf?" he goaded her with a gleam in his eye.
She used werewolf speed, latching onto his nutsack, exerting just enough pressure to let him know she was serious, but not enough to maim.
The restraint Adrianna used was not pretty.
Tony grunted, his eyes widening in surprise and Emmanuel looked down and away, trying to contain his laughter with an almost painful effort.
"You bet your hairy ass," she said, leveling unhealthy dominant eye contact, and gave a subtle squeeze that made his eyes tear up.
He met her stare, his most tender area held in her small hands.
Tony's anger became rage, his earlier promise to himself becoming a vow.
Soon, he seethed, the ember of the eternal flame of his ferocity permanently stoked.
CHAPTER 6
the blood
Region One
Marcus watched the two come and although they would not see it or consider it, just their mere physical presence was a study in contrast. He gazed through the old glass window pane, their images wavering as they drew nearer, Julia all golden light and fragility, his son all dark towering menace. Marcus sighed. He knew that the aborted conversation from a few days past would need to be finished.
How did he reveal the secret he'd hidden from his own children? It had been a necessary falsehood but as he watched his son draw closer, a Singer warrior, he knew the truth would not be well-received. It didn't matter. Scott needed to understand what was behind the soul-meld. It wasn't just chance.
It was providence.
Marcus noticed that Scott had worn his gloves. Good.
They walked inside and it was with a lightness that Marcus had not noticed from his eldest in some time. He realized it was the benefit of the soul-meld. Even if Scott would not admit that he was more complete with Julia than without, it was so.
"Father," Scott began.
Julia's smile faded and Marcus hated to see it go.
"We need to finish our talk," Scott said simply and briefly squeezed Julia's shoulder, stripping off his gloves afterward. Scott sat on the overstuffed parlor furniture that went with the age of the house but hurt his ass. Julia sat in the loveseat opposite him, hesitated, then moved somewhat closer to his position in an adjacent chair. The cabbage roses of the material were a true burnt tangerine, the color exactly matched the deepest tone of her hair.
"Scott?" Marcus raised a brow, watching his focused eldest become distracted with just her presence. He was slightly relieved that he was free of soulmate status. It would be quite something to combat.
Or just give into.
Marcus felt the latter would be the better of the two.
He paced, folding his hands behind his back carefully, while their eyes followed him.
Finally, he turned to face them. "Scott, you are a Singer from a special bloodline."
Julia almost groaned out loud. If she heard "blood" one more time, she was going to slit her own wrists. It seemed that it was the only thing that mattered to anyone. Couldn't they just... she didn't know, talk about anything else?
Apparently not, she thought, watching Marcus' grim face.
"I know what blood line I'm descended from," Scott said in a flat voice, nonplussed.
Marcus shook his head. "No. You know what I've told you. Or in this case, the truth by omission."
Julia thought this was sounding bad.
Marcus suddenly smiled. "I know that Singer Studies wasn't your strong suit."
Scott barked out a laugh, he could have given a shit about school. He was always too active to want to sit and learn. Now fighting skills, combat training? That's what he'd gravitated toward.
"There's a reason why you're the top Singer defender in our region." Marcus' eyes met Scott's. "You are a descendent of The Combatant."
Scott's mind seized. "Wait a sec, Dad... that can't be..."
"It is."
"They're extinct!" Scott roared in obvious denial.
"Obviously not," Marcus gave him a significant look.
Marcus knew the instant Scott understood what he was. What his purpose was. Before Scott could answer, Marcus quoted scripture out of the Book of Singers:
The circle of The Combatant will close around the most guarded treasure of Singers, one that holds the sun in her hand, the moon as her guard.
"I'm a Combatant?" Scott asked incredulously. All the puzzle pieces and differences that had been so stark as he matured came to the surface of his consciousness, at once making sense.
At last.
It was troubling. It was a relief. It was all of that.
Julia jumped in, "Wait a sec, guys," she began. When she had their attention she continued, "First, what's the Combatant? Second, why do you guys both look like a flock of ghouls have landed in the yard?" She gave that more thought. Maybe she shouldn't say that like it wasn't possible? After all, there were vampires and werewolves... and her. Before she could give it too much introspection, Scott answered her, "It was legend. That there was a special...," he waved his hand out, still dismissing what he obviously hadn't believed. Like her as Queen, he thought suddenly. Then continued, "group of warriors, The Combatant. They would come from the four corners of the world to protect the prophesied Queen of the Singers. They would all have royal blood," Scott said, making airquotes.
Julia still didn't really see the conflict. "So, they're all Rare Ones?"
Marcus clarified her speculation with, "They're all of royal descent."
"Wait a minute," Julia began again, crossing her arms, "shouldn't I be a Combatant? I've got the same lineage that Scott has...?"
"No," Scott said in disbelief. "You're female, you need the protection of all male Singers. The Combatant is made to protect you."
Julia jabbed him in his ribs with her elbow. Men.
Scott glared at her, so stubborn, he thought, hiding a smile.
Marcus said, "No. There is one Queen every few hundred years. It's the way it has always been."
Marcus met Scott's eyes. "Your mother was a direct granddaughter of the last Queen."
Scott shook his head. "I knew Mom, before she... died." Julia noticed a deep flutter in his jaw as he mentioned his mother's name.
"She was not your mother, Scott."
The silence had its own tangible weight in the room, Julia's eyes acting like a ping pong ball between father and son. Scott's darkened from rage. "Why was I not told the truth?"
Marcus spread his arms away from his body. "There was no point in telling you of your true biology unless the need arose."
"So," Scott stood, jamming his huge hands on his hips, "you were going to just let me go on in ignorance if the whole Queen thing hadn't happened?"
Marcus gave a slow nod. "The Combatant is not put into force until a true Queen begins her Awakening. When that occurs, there is no force, except death, that will keep the remainder of The Combatant from coming to close the circle." Marcus made a perfect circle with his two hands together.
A vein in Scott's temple pulsed in time to the beat of his heart. He was connecting every dot that his father put forward.
And ones he hadn't.
"What about me?" Julia asked, her look going between the two men. "What are they protecting me from? What does this 'circle' mean?"
"It is a circle of blood protection. A blood rite."
Julia gasped, standing. "Like that thing the Were was going to do? A mating thing?"
"Not exactly," Jen said from the door.
"Nice way to bring it, Dad," Michael said from behind her.
Julia met Jen's eyes. "What does 'not exactly' mean?"
Brendan walked in. "It means that once the Guard of the Queen, their circle of protection is in place, no...."
"Force," Marcus interrupted.
"Great or small," Jen added.
"Shall harm the treasure of the Singers," Brendan finished.
Julia felt a little light-headed and sat down with a light plop in the stiff loveseat, her hands gripping the ornately carved sides. She was some kind of weird Singer Messiah. But she couldn't be! She was just her. Julia looked at Scott and he gazed back at her, his eyes steady.
He wasn't denying it.
Shit, she was in trouble here. It felt like the four corners of the house were closing in around her.
"I always knew you were weird, Scott," Michael said, licking his fingers after his foray into the chip bag. Scott scowled.
Marcus said to his other children, "He is still your brother."
They looked at Scott. The boys especially. Brendan and Michael had the classic Singer complexion whereas Scott was dark.
"Who was my mother?"Scott asked.
"It was an arranged... pairing," Marcus said carefully.
"Who was she?" Scott asked in a low voice.
"Jacqueline," he answered in a tight voice.
"What?" Jen nearly shrieked. "The Jacqueline?"
Marcus nodded and Scott blanched. "That bitch-on-wheels is Dear Old Mom?"
"Careful, Scott. Much of what you are is predicated by your blood."
"You mean her blood," Brendan said.
Marcus inclined his head. "I do."
"So, this mystery bio-mom is like, what? A Rare One too?"
Marcus nodded at Julia. "But... she's not like 'a Queen'," Julia asked with an airquote.
"No. She is not a pureblood. We were chosen to pair because it was thought that the mix of our genetics would have a high probability to produce a Combatant."
"What? Like a stud horse?" Jen asked and Julia thought she had it about right.
"All Singers of Rare blood are required to produce one offspring with a male of Rare lineage," he shrugged like it was the simplest thing in the world.
"So what about Ruth?" Scott asked, crossing his muscular arms across his broad chest, the workout gear he wore showing every muscle in stark relief.
"Ah, the woman you knew as mother was one I took for love. When you were born, she accepted you as her own. She was raised in the old ways and understood the Law."
Julia began pacing where Marcus had been just minutes before. The siblings and Scott watched her like a group of hawks.
"Scott's not special. He's one of a bunch of other what, warriors? Who will come here at some future point, to protect me and do some elaborate blood ritual?" Julia directed her question at Marcus. "And I'll ask again: what are they protecting me from?"
"Once the circle is complete, there is no... supernatural group that can hurt you. They can hunt, try, search...."
"Flail about," Michael added with a well-timed smirk.
Brendan nodded. "It is the most invincible protection the Singers have at their disposal."
Julia was confused. "I thought there was the big soul-meld thing?" Julia said and Scott's face got that soft flush of red again.
"Come on guys, spit it out. Why do you all look like someone died or something?" Julia asked, getting tired of the slow answers.
Scott's hands became fists of frustration at his side. "Because when the remainder come, your blood will choose."
"What? Choose what?" Julia asked, that feeling of acute suffocation deepening.
"Your one true mate, the King to your Queen," Jen said emphatically.
Julia thought of Jason and how he'd been her husband. The memory of the attack caused a fresh wound on her heart that was slowly bleeding out.
She thought of William, and the growing feelings she'd had for him. Even though much of his motivation to be with her did nothing for Julia, gained nothing for anyone but his coven.
Julia looked at Scott, her supposed soulmate and realized that he was but one contender amongst other Combatants that may vie for position.
Marcus shattered her thoughts with his statement, "Blood chosen, Julia."
Julia looked at him uncomprehendingly.
"It is what it means to be Singer. The blood knows all. Your specialness will allow the one Combatant that is meant to rule stand out from them all."
"I thought I was meant to be with..." Julia couldn't say it, she gave a small gesture toward Scott. It was all too new to articulate, too powerful to dwell on.
"You will have a measure of blood-recognition with any Combatant, but it is the one that manifests a special trait that will conclusively tell everyone who witnesses that he will be a King, not just a foot soldier. Although," he cautioned with a raised finger, "there is no shame in being in the circle and not sharing the treasure, but guarding it."
Julia's mind whirled with all the information. She was like... gold bullion or something lame like that.
"What trait?" Scott asked, the tension on a tight wire. His body a hard line of stress, pulled taut to breaking.
Julia had put stuff together. "How old are you, Marcus?" There was something so off about him, especially the way he spoke.
Two full minutes passed before he would answer, finally he said, "Three hundred six."
Julia gaped at him. "How... how it that possible?" she whispered, stunned.
"Singers do not age as humans do." His eyes fairly sparkled with intensity. "Rare Ones, slower still. What gave me away?"
"The way you talk," Julia answered then looked at the others. "Are you guys old too?"
Michael raised a hand, some chip dust on the ends. "Guilty."
Jen looked embarrassed. "Yeah."
"Uh-huh," Brendan said.
Scott elaborated, "We're taught modern vernacular."
"So you guys can speak like him and speak like me?"
"None so well as Michael. He is flawless in his speech," Marcus gave the compliment without emotion but Michael swelled up like a peacock at the praise.
"Don't get excited, putz," Brendan snorted, "Dad's giving you a compliment on that because we can all kick your ass."
"Guys!" Jen yelled. "Notch the testosterone down a peg, K?"
They looked at Julia and she stared back.
"I don't want to know," she said in a slow voice. She asked the other question that needed a response, "Who's this Jacqueline?"
"She is my counterpart. She resides in a different region," Marcus responded. "She is not well."
"Yeah, she's freakin' mental," Michael said.
"Deranged," Brendan agreed.
"Why did you..." Julia asked.
Marcus gave a small shrug, his eyes meeting hers. "These things are arranged since our infancy. It is a pairing based on potential, not love. She was not well then. She should not govern anything. The Singers are generally matriarchal."
Ruled by women, Julia thought.
"But that's one chick who shouldn't lead," Jen said with a shudder.
"Why? Why is she so bad?" Julia asked giving a hasty look at Scott. She had not forgotten this was his actual mom. It didn't matter to her that he had never known who she was. She was apparently a person of ill repute. Yet, she had this role in Scott's life he was helpless to change. Julia walked to him and laid her hand on the middle of his broad back and over his tight tee. He exhaled a breath, relaxing under her comforting touch. Then she looked at the rest of the siblings, her eyes landing last on Marcus.
"This is Scott's mother," she began, nailing each one of them with angry eyes. "You're discussing it in front of him like he doesn't matter! You're discussing him like he's just a switch flicked, put into play. His feelings don't matter. That this insane leader, wherever she is, was just an egg donor!" Her eyes narrowed on all of them. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. He's your flesh and blood. He's one of you."
Scott put his hand on the crown of his small defender's head and gave a slight smile. He knew what she was trying to achieve and it caused a tenderness toward her that was almost painful but he now knew his place in the Singer hierarchy. And he was being treated exactly like what he was.
He was indifferent, aloof and physically superior for a reason. It was not personality, it was the traits of a Combatant.
"I am a Combatant, Julia. Nothing more, nothing less. They're not being unkind. It's actually an honor," Scott said, letting how he felt about her defending him show in his eyes a little. Julia was so fierce in her constitution. She'd been through so much, yet Julia persevered.
His smile broadened.
Julia's anger turned to defiance. "You know what? I don't need a... whatever the hell it is!" She pulled away from Scott and the others.
"Combatant? Defender? Warrior?" Marcus asked, blatantly stalking toward her like a lion on the prowl.
"No! I don't need all that." Her eyes searched his. Standing her ground. "I need to be me. Defend myself. I won't," she viciously swallowed the tears that threatened in a painful lump in her throat, "have those things happen to me again. Ever," she finished the last word with a hoarse ringing finality. Her tone was one of command, strength and certainty.
"You might not have a choice, Julia," Marcus began gently.
She ignored him, going on, "Stop belittling Scott. Stop telling me all these 'truths'," she said. "I don't want anyone taking chunks out of someone I care about." Julia didn't realize she had declared how she felt for Scott to the room at large. She didn't even know it was true until she spoke it out loud.
Julia's eyes blazed like twin suns out of her face, her body was resolute, her stature not diminishing her sincerity, her intelligence.
Her will.
"Spoken like a Queen," Marcus said with a note of irony.
Julia shook her head. "No, spoken like a human being."
She walked out, leaving five Singers staring after a Queen that was beginning to rule and was utterly unaware of it.
CHAPTER 7
Sea-Tac
Truman lay on the cheap hotel mattress, the thing mainly built like a rock but with strategic lumps and bumps. Like dead rats had been stuffed in there to remind the guests not to get too comfortable with their stay.
His right hand held the cigarette loosely, the spiral of smoke making its lazy way up to the ceiling, coating it with its hundredth layer of yellow nicotine. The events that led up to this moment floated inside his head exactly like the smoke that hovered near the dingy ceiling.
Karl knew that he was missing a critical piece. Alfred the bus driver had laid the revelation of the last two years at his feet once again, the entire investigation coming full circle.
Julia Caldwell lived. That bus driver had made the circuit in his route twice while she'd slept the ride away. Finally he'd let her off at the woman's shelter in Kent, Freedom Affirmed.
That's where Truman was headed. He hoisted himself up to a sitting position, his squat legs dangling off the end of the lumpy mattress, taking a last long drag. He stabbed the glowing end of his cigarette out in the glass ashtray that screamed the motel logo at him from its center. He stood, scratching his slightly protruding Buddha belly through his thin cotton underwear tank and shuffled to the shower, stripping his clothes as he went. He could hear the rhythmic drip from the faucet as he stepped inside the shower stall and cranked the lever to as hot as he could stand it. Truman robotically went through the motions of cleaning, completely distracted by his thoughts.
After completing his three Ss (shower, shit and shave) he used his handy GPS gadget to find the street names for this place in Kent, jamming another cigarette in his mouth as he did and stabbing the auto window feature. The glass slid down and disappeared as he hung his beefy arm out the window, waiting for the GPS to triangulate his position. Huh, Truman thought, he was actually quite close to the place. But as he looked around him at the traffic, he realized it might take longer because of it. What a fucked up road system here, he thought. It was like the infrastructure hadn't caught up with the population.
Or, maybe he was just spoiled because he was from the Last Frontier. Yeah, it was probably that. He flicked his cig with a practiced movement of thumb and index finger and watched as it littered the wet pavement, a constant drizzle soaking the streets, laying gloom everywhere it touched.
Depressing state, Karl thought, pulling away from the dump of a hotel.
*
Cyn
Cynthia was deciding what to wear. The weather was weird here. It was September but hotter than hell. September held the promise of autumn firmly in Alaska. Here in Washington, they called it Indian Summer. Whatever that meant. What it meant to her was high 70s and summer clothes. Today though, there was the miserable Seattle drizzle to contend with. Screw doing her hair. Her spiral iron that she'd remembered to jam in her pack wouldn't hold in this slop, her flat iron would straighten her hair but it would just frizz later.
The hell with it, messy bun it was. The humidity was startling, she wasn't used to it yet, it was so damn damp.
Cynthia smiled, throwing on American Eagle low rise jeans, and with a sad little sigh, she put on light wool socks and Jules' Xtra Tuffs. They were the dumbest boots but when she was feeling down, nothing perked her up like those fugly boots Jules had loved.
Gawd, two years ago she would've died before she'd worn these.
But times had changed, hadn't they? She sucked back the horrible burning of her eyes, the need to cry pressing in on her from all sides and stuffed her foot into first one boot, then the other.
She checked her make-up in the mirror, pursing her lips then rolling them together to expertly spread the colored gloss she wore.
And some things never changed.
Cynthia left her cramped room that cost her two hundred fifty dollars month to month, closing the cheap door behind herself and not bothering to lock it. There was nothing to steal anyway. And the horrible wolf things were in Alaska. Cynthia ignored the creeping little voice in the back of her head that whispered that where there were some, there may be more.
Cynthia shoved it deep down inside herself and went to the bus depot across the street.
She was going to get some answers and begin the long journey of finding Jules. Cynthia was sure she was alive.
She'd seen that thing kill Kev.
She'd seen it swipe half of Jason's neck away. Cynthia swallowed hard, trying not to let the awful memory swell and take hold like it so often would.
But Jules had been untouched. Did that mean they'd spared her? Hell, they'd spared Cynthia. She wasn't sure why and it suddenly struck her as odd. Why didn't they just kill her too? They could have taken her off somewhere and done her in. Why warn her? She felt like the answer to those questions were just out of reach, tantalizing her without closure.
The stinky bus rolled up and she recognized the driver right away.
What was his name? Cynthia wondered, biting her lip. Oh yeah! Alfred, she remembered with a smile, thinking that he'd been the first kind person she'd met here. Well... then there was Alan.
She got on the bus and knew something was wrong when he gave her a curious glance, then she could see the light bulb snap on in his face. He gave a slow blink and said almost absently, "I said the wrong girl."
"What?" Cynthia asked, confused. People shifted behind her impatiently and she moved to the side, their coins clattering in the change holder beside Alfred.
"The cop from Haller, Honner...." he scratched his head, making his pewter hair stand up straight.
Cynthia stared at the errant strand, her stomach dropping in an uncomfortable lurch. "Homer," she whispered.
He snapped his fingers in joy. "That's it!" he said, pleased.
"Can ya get a move on?" one of the passengers asked, clearly irritated.
Alfred flicked his eyes in his wide mirror that showed the bus' passengers and said, "Keep your pants on, we're going," he said popping the clutch and Cynthia grabbed the bar that ran along the ceiling to steady herself. The bus swung away from the curb with a stagger, the cloud of fumes pouring out of the back.
"What did he want?" she asked loudly, over the noise of the bus.
"Showed me a photo of your graduation...."
Cynthia's heart leapt in her chest. "What photo?"
Had to be Truman, Cynthia thought. Gawd, he was like a damn bloodhound.
Alfred shifted gears and the bus made the smooth transition to third gear. He flicked his eyes to hers and said, "You and that other girl. The one with the eyes."
Julia, Cynthia knew, excitement thudding inside her chest with a staccato beat.
He gave her a second or two of steady eyes then answered the hope that sung in her heart like a melody. His next comment made it a song.
"Yeah, I identified your friend, not you," he said sheepishly, feeling foolish he'd forgotten her face. His expression lit up and he added, "But he seemed real excited that I'd seen your friend."
Well hell yeah, Cynthia agreed mentally. She was beyond excited herself; she was ecstatic.
She sunk down in the seat right behind him and thought.
When Alfred pulled up at the depot in the valley, Cynthia saw the women's shelter just two blocks away. It looked so different during the day, not so terrible, ominous. Of course, it made a difference that terror wasn't riding on her back like an ill-behaved monkey.
She stepped out of the bus and turned to look up at Alfred.
"You in trouble again, missy?"
She shook her head, giving him the second genuine smile she'd had since she moved here. "Nah, not anymore. In fact," her smile widened, becoming a grin, "I think everything's going to be okay now."
Then a cloud passed over her consciousness. "What did he want, do you think?"
Alfred shrugged. "Don't know," he said, staring through his grimy windshield, his face in profile. "Couldn't be good, though, eh?"
She nodded slowly. "No, it couldn't be."
"Let's go, driver!" a passenger squealed like a pig in a pen behind him and Cynthia scowled in their direction, wanting badly to give them a manicured middle finger. She restrained herself with an effort.
"Better go," Alfred said, jerking his chin in the general direction of the dissenter.
Cynthia nodded then said as she walked away, "Thanks, Alfred."
He grinned, his crooked teeth making his homely face endearing to her. "You betcha, for what?" he asked, his hand on the knob for the door closure.
"Hope," she said simply and walked away before he could respond.
*
Freedom Affirmed
"Listen, I'm not the bad guy here, Ms. Collins," Karl Truman said, peeved. The old bat. Didn't she realize they were after the same objective? He wanted to find the Caldwell girl. Hell, he wanted to find the Adams girl. His nose told him he was on the right trail but he was getting stonewalled by this old broad.
She wrinkled her nose, completely unintimidated. Not that Truman was going for that. But at six foot three and an even three hundred pounds, he was a big guy and accustomed to leaning on folks and they caved. This scrawny bird wasn't one of those.
Atypical. Stubborn. A Pain In His Fat Ass.
He huffed, she scowled. "Okay, let's start over," Truman said, rasping a hand over his stubble. He put the photo under her nose again and she studied it. Finally she looked up and said, "Even if I did recognize these girls, I wouldn't confirm or deny anything. You need a subpoena. Even with your police credentials, it would have to be a federal mandate. And my understanding is you hail from Alaska, correct?" she asked her rhetorical question like firing a gun.
Shit, let's major in the minors, Truman thought.
Her expression softened and she added, "Let's say, in theory," she paused and he nodded like go on.
Hell, he'd take any bread crumb she'd fling his way if it would get him closer to finding the girls, or young women, his mind corrected. They were twenty now. Her eyes pierced him through her grandma glasses which perched on the end of her pointy beak of a nose. "Let's say that there was a girl like that one," her eyes flicked to Julia Caldwell's image, "who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Ones which could not be explained. Ones which required extensive remodeling."
Truman's heart stuttered in his chest. What the hell? His whole being came on point. She had been here.
Julia Caldwell had been here.
"Show me this... room."
"It's off the record," she said as a statement. "As theory."
He nodded, following her.
She led the way up the winding staircase, the steps creaking under his weight and when she reached the door he saw that the building had been an old turn-of-the-century dorm of some kind. Many doors were five panel solid fir with crystal knobs and old-fashioned housings leaning precariously from their attachments.
She went to the room whose knob appeared like it'd been replaced.
There was a modern knob retrofitted to the old fashioned box lock. "This has never worked since our phantom guest left."
She swung the door inward and Truman stepped into the room. He paused, giving his senses time to catch up. He always worked like this. Truman thought of it like getting the flavor of the room. The crime scene. Because that was what this was. Something had happened here. Something violent. His eyes strayed to the window where three whole panes lay intact inside their sashes, the fourth broken, a cut piece of plywood installed where the glass had been.
He heard Shirley Collins sigh behind him as she waved a hand toward the window. "It's the final repair. Not many folks cut glass to fit this age of window anymore."
Yeah, Truman thought. There weren't many buildings of this age where he came from.
After another moment, Truman walked over to the windowsill and looked at the wood there. It was punky with age, soft. He squinted at it. There, just on the interior edge, were scratches.
Like something had used it as a perch for a moment. Something with... claws.
His eyes snapped to hers. Then they instinctively fell on the glass, and the unkempt yard beyond, the whole of it rolling like an endless green sea toward the forest's edge.
And there, just at the border, a lone figure slipped into the woods.
Truman would have dismissed the person immediately.
But the boots gave her away.
Nobody wore those in these parts.
She was Alaskan. He'd stake his life on it.
As fast as somebody his size could get down the steps and out of the building, he ran. His body was now an ungainly bundle of raw size. But Truman had been an athlete in his youth. His body remembered those demands.
They came to the forefront now, his body graceful in its pursuit of the ghostlike figure he chased after at a jog, his gun belt smacking and rubbing his side uncomfortably.
It didn't matter, Shirley Collins' yell as he jogged to the edge of the forest went unheeded.
She'd been protecting the girl all along; distracting him with the room while his quarry got away.
Well, she wasn't going to get away this time.
He ran harder, the embrace of the branches as he sailed into the gloom of trees rough against his clothing, tearing at him like ghostly fingers.
Sharp and insistent.
*
an hour earlier
"Why hello, Cynthia," Shirley Collins greeted the tall slim girl in the funny boots with the haunted eyes.
"Hey," Cynthia said sweeping her glance to the old woman's gaze in a nervous dance before it flitted away, moving on to the rest of the interior.
"What can I do for you?"
"Yeah, I uh..." she looked at Miss Collins and shuffled her feet, the boots uncomfortably hot for the climate, "I wanted to know if this girl has been here?"
Cynthia pulled out an old photo of Julia. She was only sixteen in the shot but it looked pretty close to the way she did when Cynthia had last seen her. A pang shot through her. At least, that's what she had looked like. Who knew what she looked like now? She'd be twenty. Older... like Cynthia was now.
Shirley looked at Cynthia and a moment of awkward silence settled over the two. Cynthia could hear a clock ticking, some distant faucet was turned on and then off. Miss Collins opened her mouth, then shut it. "You know that each resident has a right to their privacy."
Cynthia nodded. "I know, Miss Collins. For their safety. But I'm not a threat to Julia. Actually, the same problem was threatening us both. I'd like to find her, somehow. I need your help." Cynthia gave her earnest green eyes, ones that had dark circles underneath them where none had been before.
Shirley deliberated then finally nodded her head. "We're not sure what happened but that room that you just occupied?" Cynthia nodded. "It is where it happened." Cynthia watched her shiver and didn't think she was aware she had.
Shirley Collins' eyes looked off in the distance and then she looked back at Cynthia. "I'm a practical woman, Cynthia."
No shit? Cynthia thought, like she'd would've never got that.
"But what I saw that night. What I thought I saw?" she paused. "Defies explanation."
Cynthia figured she'd hit paydirt. After the weirdness that was her new reality, she was ready to believe anything. "When I heard the ruckus from her room I raced up there, thinking it was a Domestic."
Her eyes glazed and she spoke, remembering:
Shirley clutched the phone in a bony hand, her finger lightly covering the speed dial for 911. They had the pipeline to Freedom Affirmed and the nearest squad car would detach on her summons, she knew.
When she rounded the corner and saw the last of the creatures fling themselves out of the window, a primal alarm sounded.
A deep and abiding warning from way down where her humanity had begun just as a spark, and that instinctive warning had been triggered. It had laid dormant until needed.
Like now.
She raced to the window. Though Shirley had been quick, she wasn't quick enough, she was only in time to see several pale forms move toward the forest in a blur that was against nature. Against all things.
When a face turned to look at her as she stood in the window, it was as if the three hundred feet that separated them did not exist. An exquisite sense of calm stole over her, those red eyes glowed into hers, seeing her.
Not that it was possible to see her well.
Yet, she knew it had. For it wasn't human. It was other.
Shirley came away from the window, the face turned and in a breath, disappeared forever. Behind someone.
Following someone.
Shirley looked at Julia's things on the bed that had been left behind and suddenly she knew. The girl had jumped out the window. Escaping those horrible things.
Attempting to escape.
Shirley shivered. Whatever brave things she'd martyred herself to long ago slipped away in a fear so acute, so breathtaking, she did something she never thought possible. She succumbed to apathy.
She let her cowardice cloak her in indifference. She allowed Julia Caldwell to deal with whatever lurking threat came after her in a wave of terror and retribution and did nothing.
Said nothing.
Both women had tears streaming down their faces, one old, one young, the crying for different reasons. Still, in the end, they both cried for Julia.
"So you see, I can't talk about it to anyone. I am guilty of not helping. Of not reporting it."
Cynthia laid a comforting hand on her frail arm. "It's okay, Miss Collins," Cynthia said, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "There's nothing you could've done."
Shirley gave a small lift of her shoulders.
"I'll tell you why," Cynthia said and Shirley waited.
Cynthia told her everything. The attack, the nocturnal visits from the werewolves. Her fear. Her misery.
Her escape. Cynthia pressed on even when Miss Collins' face showed a range of emotions. It was a compulsion. Cynthia just had to get it out. She'd told no one. And this might be the one person that'd believe her.
"Now you know why I ran. If you're a coward, then I'm a bigger one."
Shirley Collins shook her head. "No, sometimes there's larger issues at play than the right or wrong choice. Sometimes, survival plays a part," she finished significantly.
She gave a watery smile through her tears, her shock at Cynthia's story on every line of her face.
Which Shirley utterly believed. Maybe because it validated hers.
Whatever the case may be, she asked Cynthia to wait while she retrieved something.
"Here," the old woman said, thrusting a bag in Cynthia's hands.
Cynthia opened it and saw Jules' stuff in there. Not much. Just her pathetic make-up bag and a few other things. But one item caught her eye. It was the final picture of them together on the spit. Champagne glasses raised high, a deep twilight edging in around them in the land of the midnight sun.
Cynthia noticed the champagne didn't look golden like she remembered.
It looked like blood against the setting sun.
CHAPTER 8
Region Two of the Singers
Jacqueline watched her advisor with narrowed eyes. "So, you're telling me that you cannot avail yourself to send a scout on the mere pretense of an errand?"
She knew that Victor was capable of whatever deception she was. Why he was hesitant was anyone's guess.
Victor raked a frustrated hand through his already mussed hair, crossing a muscular leg over the other, his ankle dangling over its perch on his knee. He leaned forward, in a last attempt to convince his ruler of the need for caution. "Jacqueline, it would be unseemly to send a courier with any news other than that of the annual Gathering." He settled back against the uncomfortable Victorian furniture in the huge mansion his region used as headquarters. However, it was Jacqueline's tastes that predicated the décor. And who was he to bitch? His place was in the field, carving out their place in the Singer Hierarchy. They were the most powerful region. Well, nearly so. Marcus had a formidable battalion. And now Marcus and Jacqueline's offspring was coming into his own.
A Combatant after all.
Jacqueline fingered the courier's note which stated simply:
Dearest Jacqueline,
Our progeny has ended his Awakening and has manifested as a Combatant.
As agreed, you are now informed in writing.
Yours, Marcus
"He was never mine," Jacqueline seethed, standing in a huff.
Knowing a rage was likely, Victor endeavored to head the manic ranting off at the pass.
"Now, Jacqueline..."
"Shut up, Victor," she said, crumpling the deeply embossed note on ivory stationery, the scarlet wax seal breaking and crumpling into bits at her feet.
Victor shut up. But it cost him. He sometimes wondered why most regions were ruled by females, they were entirely too volatile for their position of importance. Look at this livid bitch he followed. Still stinging over a two-hundred year old dismissal. Jacqueline had never gotten over the rejection of Region One's leader, Marcus.
Who had married for love.
When his mate died a strange end, Jacqueline had rejoiced upon her death in a way that had strained the bounds of civility.
Even for her.
In the end, the matriarchal rule of Singers was mandated by blood. As were all things with the Singer. Blood was sovereign.
Blood ruled.
In the case of royal blood, the females were the bearers of royal blood that could yield a queen if the pairings were assembled with forethought and predetermination. As, obviously, hers and Marcus' had been.
Another male Singer had been identified as Combatant. Their son by blood, not by a loving union. Their coupling had been arranged according to the old Law of Blood.
Victor's eyes shifted to the desk that was like a huge wooden anchor in the room where they met. Brass, wood, high ceilings and ten inch moldings graced the formal parlor.
As did nine other embossed ivory notices like the one Jacqueline had crumpled in her hand. Sitting in a portentous heap on top of the desk, a huge glass paperweight magnified the old-fashioned script like a seeking eyeball.
"You know what this means as he is the last!" she hissed up at Victor, her rule having nothing to do with size. She was small, like so many Singer females, but powerful. Her royal blood assured an array of different talents.
All of which she'd mastered expertly. To use against others, of course. Jacqueline ruled with tyranny instead of mutual respect.
Victor sighed, knowing the day had come and dreading it with every fiber of his being. He nodded. "A Queen has Become."
"A true Queen or the circle would not be complete." Jacqueline crossed her arms underneath breasts that still retained the bloom of youth, her age notwithstanding, she appeared mid-thirties but was actually over three hundred years.
Victor tried for reason where none prevailed, "It is prophesied that the true Queen will bring peace and unity to all species, she will herald the coming together of Claw, Fang and Blood."
Victor held his breath for a moment, hopeful. For he saw a spark of reason in the fervent light in her dark eyes. Then it dimmed, to be replaced with her typical lust.
Lust for power, lust to be the only one.
The only queen.
But she could not be. The circle did not congregate for her protection, but for another. The true Queen, Victor thought.
The blood knew, foretold.
The blood chose.
Julia took a walk, the Singer guards on duty trailing behind her at a discreet distance and she sighed, annoyed.
She shouldn't have been and she recognized this basic principle. She was a Big Deal who needed to be Protected.
Julia kicked a pebble and it bounced off the bark of a tree and winged into the bushes as she walked, the sounds of the forest a white noise to her. She was surprised by how fast she'd gotten used to the sounds of nature again and it made her a little homesick. Julia needed to get over that and pull up her big girl panties. It had been two years since Homer. Alaska had become a distant dreamlike memory.
Jason's attack hadn't been a dream. She walked over to a boulder and sat down, turning her back so that's all the two fellow Singers saw and plopped her chin in her palm, balancing her elbow on her knee.
Julia closed her eyes and remembered those hands on her throat, the eyes that had been hazel as a human, now spinning green orbs, the hands like fleshy steel.
Blocking her airway.
The numbness in her fingertips woke her out of the fog of her memory. Her wet cheeks testified to the grip her love for Jason still had on her.
Did she care for Scott? Well sure... she had some unnatural soul-whatever going down. But, according to Marcus, she'd have some weird soul-shit with nine other Singers too. The Combatant.
Wonderful.
Had she cared for William? Yes, her mind whispered. But maybe it was kidnappee's love, better known as Stockholm Syndrome. After all, she'd lost everything and there'd he'd been, picking up the broken pieces of her life. Julia didn't want to mistake gratitude for love. As she thought of William she felt a terrible pain in her gut. Her hands flew to her stomach. What was this?
Just as quickly as it was there, it disappeared. Odd as hell, Julia thought, puzzled.
However, when it came to Jason, she had loved him. She had.
Past tense.
Julia found that she couldn't continue to love someone who tried to kill her, call it self-preservation. Sadness threatened her but behind it was determination. She needed to move on. He was a Were.
Very likely a Were with the pack that Adi belonged to. If he still lived. Julia thought of Tony and wondered what would happen now with Joseph gone, Adi by herself. Now, maybe Jason in the mix.
When the pain came again she staggered to her feet, feeling like her guts were being ripped out.
She ran to the guards, their faces in comical twin expressions of pinched surprise. Julia fell to her knees, giving a low groan.
The guards came to her side.
But it was Scott that shoved them away and scooped her up into his arms.
"No," she said, batting at him.
"Yes," he smirked, looking down, his face a false mask of gaiety but the worry lurked underneath it all.
"Are you still..." he asked, striding toward the house.
She shook her head, embarrassed to be held by him. By anyone.
Another pain wracked her body and she bit her tongue to hold in the shriek.
Scott yelled at the guard, feeling an echo of it in his own body, "Get the Healer."
He ran to get Cyrus.
Scott took the steps two at a time, thinking that they'd just gotten over one chaotic event only to have another rear its ugly head.
*
William
William let the stringy blood trail down from his broken fang, which even now was repairing itself, the calcified bone knitting itself as he hung there like a limp dishrag.
Of course, they were feeding him all the blood in the world to keep him awake and conscious for the torture.
William held his intestines inside the cavity of his body with one hand while the other supported his weight on the bloodied and gore-soaked floor. The pain was such a constant that he was building tolerance. Unfortunately, the one that he'd shared blood with was meant to take the burden of his pain. When his cup became full, it flowed over its bounds, spilling to the other person.
In this case, Julia.
As close as William could manage it, he determined that today was probably the first day that he could not stifle spillage. It had breached his boundaries, the open hole of his body being the worst injury yet.
When Merlin strode in and looked at him without mercy, William understood that things had not deteriorated as much as they could.
"He heals?" Merlin queried of the one who wielded the barbed whip.
The torturer nodded, wiping the sweat off his brow. It was obvious that torturing was hard work. He had exerted himself in the stripping of flesh, the beating of William's face, and the partial evisceration evidenced in his bulging intestines.
Already the swelling that had shut his eye was lessening and William cast a look of such withering contempt that Merlin laughed. "Yes, runner, loathe me if you will, but blame your kiss' leader. It is Gabriel that knew what would be your fate."
"Why?" William asked.
Merlin waved his hand around dismissively. "He does not wish the liability of the Rare One in his kiss. He has said she had been... damaging."
William frowned then winced as the cut above his brow reopened. "It is not she which troubles him, but his status as overlord. She well and truly threatens his leadership. So he will sweep her to another coven. Making it your problem."
"We can handle the female, runner," Merlin said, his eyes narrowing on William.
William smiled and Merlin frowned.
As if the unworthy male could dream of what it would be like to hold a Rare One in the coven. Did he not even understand their basic history? Had he even studied the Book of Blood as required for a leader of their species?
"More," Merlin said, turning.
William's torturer shrugged huge shoulders, the barbs dull from use, from strikes against his flesh. "There is not a surface without wounds, Merlin."
Merlin opened his mouth in a hiss, "Do it. Make it as deep and vile as possible. We need that Rare One. We will make them come to us."
His head swiveled in William's direction. "Does she ail, runner?"
William could feel that his pain was less. And it was not all his exceptional healing, aided by his Singer heritage.
"I do not know," William lied.
Merlin threw back his head and laughed. "You care for her," he said in surprise.
William stared at the wretched excuse of a vampire, mired in deception, married to greed.
"This is actually amusing. I shall watch your degradation," he paused in his antagonizing, giving William a steady look, "so you know, I gave my word of honor that I would not torture you, that it would be a superficial consequence."
"It is no surprise then, that you partake in the pleasure of my pain, that a promise made to my leader would be broken. If Gabriel is power hungry, then you are drowning in a decadence which is nameless," William said in a low voice gone thick with rage and blood. He spit it out onto the stone, straightening to his knees, his entrails now held by new skin, his hand that had caused them not to spill, dropping to his side. His gray eyes met Merlin's. "Julia is not a trifle. You may retrieve her but if the circle has come, she will be immune to anything and everything that you bring. All that you bring."
Merlin's eyes narrowed into slits then he turned to Whip-bearer and nodded.
The weapon slung behind his massive shoulder and whistling through the air, tore into William's chest, a thousand burning bee stings hitting the area that had just healed an hour before.
William flinched, holding the pain in the deepest part of his soul.
Yet, no vampire was invincible and the agony escaped, flying on the blood-binding he shared with Julia, going off on a path that led only to her.
*
Jason
Jason sat straight up in his bed, gasping. He clutched his hand to his chest as if a hole had opened there.
Holy shit, what the hell was that? He looked down at his chest, feeling the smooth walls of muscle over unblemished and perfect skin and hesitated as another burning pain hit the same area and he winced.
What the eff did this mean?
He got out of the bed and padded across his room, absently stroking his sternum, the burning like heartburn with a kick and looked out at the woods, the moon casting her shine on everything, causing it to look blanketed in a silver that illuminated everything.
A cloud moved across the moon, tearing the luminescence away and when it passed Tony stood outside his window.
Jason jumped in his skin and Tony smiled.
That fucker, Jason thought, instantly feeling his wolf roil under his skin in a tortuous pull of heat and hatred. The wolf wanted out and the moon's weight and fullness encircled them both, calling to Jason.
Summoning him.
Jason resisted but it was not without an effort that was an ugly, unnatural feeling. What would have felt right would have been to burst his skin like a bird taking flight. But he wasn't a bird, it would have been his wolf. And he didn't want to be labeled Feral.
He wouldn't be, ever again.
Jason came to himself and slowly raised his hand, popping the bird at the bastard. Tony's smirk fell off his face like a brick landing and Jason closed the curtain to block his rotten ass from sight.
The lurking dickhead. What the hell was he up to anyway? Skulking around the compound. Jason knew it wasn't his security detail shift. But there he was, being a prick. Seemed a natural skill for him.
Jason threw himself back on the bed, crossing his ankles and folding his arms behind himself. His mind went right to Julia, as it did every day. He sat stewing as he remembered his conversation with the Packmaster from yesterday.
Lawrence steepled his fingers, regarding his newest wolf, a natural Alpha and sighed. There were no good explanations, there was only Pack Law.
"The Rare One is the obvious complement to you, Jason. You are both Singers, you have turned, you are a rare Red..." he spread his hands by his sides then leveled Jason with a hard stare. "I believe it is you in the prophesy of the Book of Luna." Lawrence recited the exact scripture he had quoted to Tony not long ago. But unlike Tony, this wolf was keenly intelligent and not rash. Jason mulled it over, Lawrence could almost see his thoughts washing over his face like a page turned.
"That would mean that she is bound to a blood drinker and a Were!" Jason said in a loud voice that was without hope.
"And the Singer who chooses her blood."
Jason threw up his hands. "She is my wife," he enunciated like Lawrence was a little stupid, his voice a vibrating weapon before use.
Lawrence stared at Jason, reining in his impatience. "That is not the way of it for supernaturals. She has consummated nothing. Chosen no one."
"She chose me."
Lawrence nodded. "Yes, in your prior human existence, under the human's rules, the laws which govern their species, she was your female." His eyes met Jason's. "That is no more. Now you are ruled by the moon, by your wolf. She is ruled by her blood."
Jason pounded his fist into his open palm. "It's not fair!"
Lawrence nodded again. He was starting to look like a bobble head, Jason thought uncharitably. "How did she get my blood? I didn't break her skin with the... attack," Jason muttered the last under his breath, the shame infusing him with discomfort.
Lawrence palmed his chin, thinking. Suddenly he touched on a thought and asked, "Do you think that she may have consumed or touched some of your blood when you were attacked? It wouldn't take much if it entered a Singer as rare as she."
Jason thought about that horrible night on the beach, how he'd yelled, or tried to yell, for her to run, his throat a bloody ruin. How she'd come over, sliding in tight next to him and shoving her hands against the wound. He'd coughed.
Had the blood gotten in her mouth? Her hands?
"Do you see? It would only have taken a microscopic amount at the time of your change. You were already Becoming. It was fate. You were meant to be a wolf, the instant the attack transpired, you were turning. She touched you, consumed some of your essence through blood." Lawrence shrugged.
When Jason said nothing Lawrence let his last comment ring in the room like a damning proclamation, "She is a Blood Singer. It is what she is. Their Blood governs them. It always has. It always will."
They stared at each other.
Jason asked the one thing he needed to know, he was going crazy not knowing. "Can I get her back?"
Lawrence nodded. "If you wish for her to be your mate, you will have to break the bonds that she has with the others."
"How?" Jason asked, already hating the answer.
Deep down, he knew what it was.
Lawrence smiled. Jason found it to be the thing they accused him of being only weeks before: feral.
"I think you know the answer to that, wolf."
Jason did.
He walked out, knowing his future, but not embracing it.
Never that.
CHAPTER 9
Region One
Cyrus met Scott's eyes and shook his head. "This is deliberate, Scott."
Scott beat his fist onto the molding that surrounded the door. Dammit, just when they were making headway some other fucktastrophe came along and he had to buck up to the challenge. Hell, he was all about manning up. That was his life, actually. As the first born son of the leader of Region One, he was fine on-diddy with manning up.
If he knew what the hell he was up against.
But Julia writhing around with phantom pain was un-effing-doing him. Scott tore a hand through his hair and finally said, "What do we do?" His eyes nailed Cyrus, demanding resolution.
"This is the blood-binding working its magic."
"Which?" Scott asked in a terse voice.
Cyrus shrugged, understanding the entire question in the one word. "I'm guessing vamp." His eyes met Scott with a cautionary but stamped in them.
Scott stilled. "And?"
"The Were is going to know. He'll get psychosomatic symptoms as well."
"Well hell, isn't this a fuckburger," Michael said from the corner and Scott glared at him. "You," he pointed at Michael, "shut up."
While his brother dreamed of conjuring a fine illusion for him he turned his attention to Jen. "I'm ready for opinions from the peanut gallery."
Jen looked at Cyrus who gazed back. "She needs to reunite with this vampire, break the blood tie," he said emphatically.
"But why is this happening?" Jen asked, using her palm to indicate Julia's pain.
"My best guess is he's being tortured to get to her."
The room fell into a heavy silence, Brendan finally broke it, "You mean, this vamp is laying around while someone takes chunks out of him?"
Cyrus chuckled. "No. It may not be as simple as that."
"Like he's not a volunteer," Jen stated.
"I'll volunteer. I'll take chunks out of him," Scott said. "For free. Hell... for fun," Scott ground out.
"No," Julia whispered, her eyes rolling to his. "He hasn't done anything."
Scott nodded his head in a quick angry jerking motion. "Oh yeah, he's so innocent. Those vampires, such an honest bunch."
"Come on Julia! Think. They are after power, just like the Weres." His eyes bore down on hers and Julia squeezed hers tight against the condemnation in his.
"I understand." Her eyes snapped open, searing a line of heat on every place they fell. Scott swallowed against the wash of emotion, a backlash of her agony struck him like a whip dipped in acid. "However," and she looked at each sibling, her gaze landing on Marcus as he entered the doorway, "the Singers don't seem much different to me. You need someone who cares about uniting everyone. So these wars will stop." Her eyes flared at him then she turned away, both hands laid against her chest.
Scott ached to touch her and on Cyrus' nod came forward. "Will it help?" he asked, hating the helpless feeling in his guts. Cyrus nodded then added a cautionary, "I won't lie, it will hurt. You will share in it."
Scott shrugged, his eyes flicking to Marcus' who nodded and answered for Scott. His father used the very words that he'd been thinking. "It is his job as Combatant. To protect the Queen."
Julia groaned and muttered something under her breath.
"What?" Jen asked and gave a laugh, thinking she'd heard her just fine.
"I said, bullshit," Julia repeated.
Scott knelt beside her and met her eyes. Julia noticed how black his were and shut her own against what she saw there. "Okay," she said without opening them. The pull against her chest felt unbearable. The urge to cry was a weight she hated but bore, just barely.
When she felt the softest touch of his hand on her arm, gloveless, a shuddering exhale left her body and she gave a soft sob of relief. Her whole body unknotted. The pain had been so great, building to a screaming crescendo, that until some of the weight of it was lifted, she didn't know how bad it had become.
Julia opened her eyes and saw the tightness in Scott's. His hand trailed fire on her skin as he stroked her arm. When his hand stopped he wrapped his palm around her forearm, his fingers touching. She fell into his eyes, so grateful for the reprieve from the river of pain that was now dammed another hitching sob escaped her.
"Julia, shhh... I'm here," Scott crooned to her, using his other hand to cup her cheek, his fingertips grazing her temple and she nuzzled into his palm, the contact sucking more pain away.
When his lips came for her mouth like sleeping beauty waking from a bewitched slumber her lips parted in readiness, her eyes shutting.
Heat and silk touched her mouth, moving with the barest touch, the horrible pain sliding away like melting candle wax, an unbearable memory put away.
Scott pulled away, feeling the bite of what she felt, the thud of an instrument of torture like an excruciating echo of pain across a psychic distance where space didn't matter before blood.
He flinched with the rhythm of it and Julia's eyes widened. "No, Scott. Put it back," she said, grabbing his hand and clenching it to her chest.
"No problem," he said as the abuse kicked up a notch.
Scott turned to Cyrus, never taking his touch away from Julia. "How long?"
Cyrus shrugged. "It depends on the healing prowess of the vamp. If he's a good healer. Even now he might be healing it all."
"Wait a sec," Michael said, tearing a Blow Pop out of his mouth. Scott would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't been dying about then. "Why are they torturing this dude? They're all vamps, right?" He stabbed the sucker back in his mouth.
"I can answer that." A young woman came through the door and Brendan said, "Angela?" She looked at Marcus and he nodded.
"I've sensed... the presence of the blood drinkers."
"Vampires 'R Us, huh?" Michael asked, sticking the lollipop back in his mouth, but not before everyone got a load of his blue tongue.
Gross, Julia had time to think before Scott gave her hand an involuntary squeeze, his eyes tightening from whatever was being done.
To William.
Scott gave her a quick glance and getting the basic emotion he whispered, "Don't you dare feel sorry for him."
Julia wanted to take her hand out of his but he held on. "No," he shook his head. "If I let go, it will all come back to you."
"Do something, Cyrus. It's a circle until the torture of this vamp stops," Brendan said.
"He can't, Bren," Angela said.
All eyes fell on hers but Marcus'. He knew what she would say. "He can't repair what doesn't happen. It's all here," she touched her head, then let her palm sweep her own body, head to toe. "It is in the blood, a blood-binding is impossible to break from a distance."
"So, he gets the treatment and so does bro and Queenie?" Michael asked the general crowd.
Marcus intervened when Scott stood, his hand tenaciously clinging to Julia's. He put a palm up to stay Scott and gave a look to Michael. "If you choose not to be helpful, leave."
Michael shrugged, leaning against the wall.
"She'll have to go to the vamps, won't she?" Jen asked in a whisper.
Marcus nodded.
"No effing way," Scott said through gritted teeth. He couldn't believe Julia had been bearing this. He rolled his shoulders, trying to shrug off the agony.
It clung like a scent.
Angela came to stand before Scott. "There is no choice. They'll never stop, Scott."
"Goddammit!" Scott roared into the room, Julia flinching with the sound of his anger. He looked his apology to her but turned to the others. "What the hell do they want?"
Marcus sighed. "Julia, son. They want her."
"Well, they're not going to have her. Over my dead carcass."
"They'll probably be happier than hell to arrange that," Brendan said.
As it happened, that was the truth of it.
As the Singers despaired over Julia and Scott's situation. Merlin's troop of runners closed in on the Singer compound, the kiss of night having fallen softly on the woods, the grounds.
"They're here," the Feeler said. Angela's eyes grew wide as more of their intent became known.
"Ha!" Michael said. "Let 'em try. We're going to kick some undead ass."
"Don't hurt William," Julia said.
Scott looked down at her, seething because of her sympathy.
"Why, Julia? Why should I give... should we give two shits about this guy?"
"Because he saved me."
"From what?" Scott asked, his eyes searching hers, frustration and pain a mix that made him hold her hand too tightly. He loosened his grip.
"The others," she whispered.
Angela, Region One's Feeler, put her eyes on Julia's and gasped, her hand covering her mouth. And Scott shifted his gaze to her. "What?"
"They plan a terrible end for her."
"What end?"
"An arranged mating. She'll have no choice. None."
Scott gave a vehement shake of his head, gathering Julia against his chest, raising her effortlessly into the cradle of his arms.
He was struck by how he'd hated Julia in the beginning, just a short week ago. Or hated what she had represented, a fine line that he'd had difficulty recognizing. She seemed like an intrusion on Scott's freedom, his independence. And in time Scott had come to realize his independence was merely a hiatus from what destiny deemed his future.
Julia was his future.
Scott wanted her as his soulmate; he knew that now as he stood there, shouldering the pain from a distant vampire as he was tortured so they could get to Julia. As he looked at his father, Scott recognized that at the very least he was her protector. Along with nine other soul-meld candidates. That part he hated.
"Where are the others?" Scott asked him.
"They come. They draw nearer to complete the circle."
Julia said, "Let me down."
"No," he said quietly and she did the only thing she could think of. Using her God-given Singer ability she jerked out of his grasp and flew through the open window into a night embraced by vampire, fueled by the power of her mind.
Pain slammed into Julia as soon as the connection was broken with Scott and light flashed before her eyes. There was no getting used to the pain. It was its own relentless force, barreling into her without mercy, the buffer of Scott gone.
Her concentration shattered under the brutality of it. She was falling and landed against something... someone.
Julia opened her eyes and met crimson ones. Ones she knew.
Vampire.
Then there were Singers everywhere, vampires battling her kind. As a wash of pain lanced her. The vampire that held her dropped her as a male Singer swung a fist at him, fire rolling off his forearm like a wrecking ball, the sunset flames hitting the vampire in the chest and he shrieked into the night, beating his own chest to put out the flames.
Another swooped in to grab her and she did as Scott had taught her, the training he gave her in the infant stages but it was enough. She lashed out with her foot, giving a solid kick to his knee and he hissed in pain, his fangs bursting out with a fleshy pop.
Julia immediately thought of that night with the vampires in the bathroom and fear bloomed where anger at Scott had been.
She'd been played a fool. Then Julia realized that the pain was gone. She scuttled away on all fours as the vampire blurred to her in a rush of speed and she used his momentum against him as she shoved her power at him and he slammed into another vampire.
Bowling pins, Julia thought wildly, giving a hysterical giggle as she beat a hasty retreat to the house.
She got to the first step of the house and a vicious tug on her head kept her in place as a strong arm like warm steel curled around her waist and lifted her off the ground.
Julia gave in to her terror, screaming for all she was worth, her throat feeling like something important tore as she did.
Julia felt a crunch and the grip loosened and she began to fall, throwing her arms out in front of her.
She knew it was Scott before she smelled him, saw him.
Their blood coursed in synchronicity and Julia resisted what she felt even as she did: safe.
Scott made her feel safe. It scared Julia. She didn't want to feel safe. She didn't trust safe. Safety was something to be stolen.
Then she looked up into his face and gasped in shock. Eyes of black ink, rimmed by red looked at the vampires who approached them.
Ten deep.
Brendan, Michael and her Singer guards flanked them. But it was Scott who held her attention.
Holy shit, Julia thought, stunned despite the circumstances she found herself in, he's like the Incredible Hulk.
And he was.
Scott set Julia down and she watched as his six foot three frame stretched by inches, his muscles bulging and tearing the black fabric of the tee that he always wore.
With an inhuman roar he launched himself at the vampire. His hand touched the first and as he did, he pulled the limb off in sickening twist of tearing flesh, even as two sunk their fangs into his arms. Scott howled, using the arm of the vampire as a club, he heaved the ball joint of the shoulder into the vampire like a battering ram, cracking his jaw like an unhinged gate. His face hung askew as Brendan and Michael went to work, Brendan setting a fire at many feet, but it was the faces that Julia would never forget.
The faces of the vampires as they wailed and their skin melted off as she stood there watching.
The smell of burning flesh, flesh that had long-since been dead, speared the air and as her nostrils filled with it Julia tipped like a spinning top, her hands biting into the ground, the fresh air that lay right above the vegetation not enough to stop her from puking where she crouched.
Julia's eyes burned with the acrid smell. Jen was there patting her back, coughing into the back of her hand. Julia was reminded of Adi as her nose and eyes ran, the little bit of food she'd consumed decorating the weeds.
Out of her peripheral vision she saw Scott, an impossibly changed and brutal Scott, become a tornado of violence, tearing the vampires limb from limb as Michael distracted them with his illusions and Brendan lit them up like tiki torches.
Julia rocked back and sat on her butt watching the battle unfold. Marcus was amongst the throng, using a sword as long as her torso, his supernatural strength aiding in its use. Julia watched him strike the vampires as they came, nearly as fast as they and she closed her eyes against the violence, repulsed.
"What... are we?" Julia began, still watching the images behind her eyelids of the killing like a movie she couldn't turn away from.
It was awful. It was necessary.
Julia couldn't go back to them.
She couldn't stay here. Julia knew that now.
Everyone wanted a piece of her. She had to get the hell out of here before these other guys... the Combatants showed up. If she didn't, she'd be royally screwed. No pun on that, she thought bitterly.
Scott stopped, his chest heaving, his mind no longer powering his body, his arms were covered in vampire gore, their dead flesh clinging in a mix of blood, sinew and the finer things that held bodies together, dead or alive.
In this case, no longer.
The undead lay all around Scott like discarded marbles, their pieces scattered around. The battle was over.
Scott didn't trust it. His eyes flicked to his father and he tried to speak and found that he couldn't. What the hell was wrong with him?
He began to move toward Julia (he'd never lost that sense of where she'd been during the entire battle), then stopped. He lifted his hand and it was as if it belonged to somebody else. It was gigantic. Scott was used to being a big guy, at almost six foot four and nearly two fifty, he used his size and natural grace to his advantage in sparring. But this!
Scott kicked the vampire parts out of the way and an errant leg hit the trunk of the tree like it weighed five pounds instead of forty, denting the bark and causing leaves to flutter down in blurry shapes scattered by gloom.
Julia screamed at Scott's approach and his step faltered, her terror at his image halting him in his tracks. What was she seeing? He was still himself inside, regardless of what his shell looked like.
What she saw was a six foot eight, nearly three hundred pound man that moved like a mountain of muscle, eyes so black they were like ground coal with crimson rims of rage.
Scott ran to her, his gait slowed not at all by his size. It was as if he was more graceful in this form, not less.
Julia sprung to her feet, turning and he grabbed her. "It's me, Julia. Scott!" he said, finding his voice when he needed it, thank fuck he thought in relief and she swung around hitting him on a chest that felt like heated stone. "Don't touch me!" she screamed, beating on his pecs like a drum.
He held her head against his chest and as he did, the battle lust receded and Scott felt himself shrink in a painful sucking pull of flesh and bone. He groaned against the pain, suddenly aware of the absence of the psychic torture that had begun it all.
Scott didn't let go, even when tears soaked his shirt.
"I've got you, I've got you, Julia," he said, stroking her hair.
Julia knew this, the false warmth of their blood union swirling around her like a fog of comfort.
A comfort she didn't trust.
Julia didn't know if she could ever trust it.
She let Scott hold her in that mind-numbing fog and her eyes met those of the Feeler's, Angela, and Julia knew that the girl had a sense of Julia's mindset.
It made Julia even more determined to get away from this place.
She didn't want to belong to anyone.
Julia didn't want to be Queen of anything. William was somewhere being tortured, there were nine other Singer warriors coming, Combatants she reminded herself. And, Jason was no longer hers.
He was lost.
And so was she. But Julia knew one thing she could control. That she would control.
Her future.
Julia let herself be held. Plotting her escape in the arms of a man who had been born to protect her.
Maybe even love her.
She resisted on the grounds of experience. Love wasn't real. It was a myth.
Love died.
It always had. It always would.
CHAPTER 10
Manny
Manny watched the Singer weave through the forest where the capture of the Rare One had been attempted and subsequently failed. Actually, it was less with his eyes and more with the senses he possessed as wolf.
His nose rose above his head as he scented the cop that trailed her.
Detective Karl Truman would have made an excellent wolf, he thought offhandedly.
A low growl tickled around the edges of his mouth and Tony nodded in readiness, flanking his position. There was no need for circumspection. Truman was fully aware of their race. As a point-of-fact, Emmanuel was certain that he did not possess altruistic designs on Cynthia Adams, but plans which included a silence.
Her silence.
She had now been flagged as a valuable asset to the pack. Inextricably linked to the Rare One and of Singer heritage herself. The nest of Singers were thick in the region she hailed from. A mystery to solve for exploit. Or at least that was the end toward which Lawrence endeavored.
Manny moved forward as a twitchy Adi fell into the vee formation of acquisition. If Anthony so much as laid a claw on the Adams girl, Emmanuel was sure that Adrianna and the other male warrior who accompanied him would be sufficient to subdue even one such as he.
Manny hoped for that end. But knew it was unlikely. Tony was many things, but at the height of the list was self-preservationist.
He was not one to endanger his own hide.
They moved into the open meadow just as Cynthia Adams pushed the last of the dense foliage aside and stepped into the unprotected space opposite them.
Cynthia moved toward an open area that was just beyond her reach. It was obvious that Kent was a large city and she was surprised that these pockets of forestland still existed in thick belts, tying the suburban areas together like green ribbons of fir and cedar trees. At that moment, it was alder branches she pushed through like weapons as they tore back and whipped her when she passed. She climbed up a rough and narrow path, Jules' horrible boots gripping the loose dirt and small pebbles expertly and she grunted in a laugh, thinking that the dumb things were actually practical. Not that it ever mattered. Beauty is pain, Cynthia thought, the only mantra she still believed in.
As she crested the small knoll the branches thinned and she plowed through the last of them and walked out into a wide and treeless field. It contained a sea of long grass, wheaten in color, bleached by the end of summer and the approach of fall. It nearly covered her boots as she stepped through it, parting it as it hissed when it struck her boots in passing.
Cynthia saw them immediately and her heart sped up. Normally, there was nothing wrong with passing by a few peeps you didn't know. But this group held a stillness; an anticipatory readiness that put Cynthia on alert. Of course, she was more self-aware than the average bear. Nocturnal brushes with werewolves would do that to a chick every time.
She took a step back into the gloomy border of the woods and they mirrored her pace, taking a step forward.
Fuck, Cynthia thought, adrenaline beginning a slow and sickening surge in her body, her bloodstream lighting up with the fight and flight response.
Truman followed his nose, which in turn, found the girl.
And the people. Check that: werewolves.
Karl Truman heaved himself out of the woods and looked to his left. And there, in the border of where the thickest part of the woods met the pastureland, stood Cynthia Adams, her skin a pale ghostlike sheet, her eyes wide and shocky. Chest heaving, he followed her gaze and swallowed hard.
Before he knew it his hand was not empty, but held his forty-five semi-auto, his grip relaxed and at ease. Only the fine sweat which beaded his upper lip spoke to his nervousness.
That was bound to happen with four half-turned, whatever the hell these were.
Truman watched the skin on the three melt away and a fine downy coat of fur replaced it, but a thin layer, like someone had taken a salt shaker of fur and spread it liberally. It was the eyes that nailed Truman to the spot. All four had spinning orbs of gold and ebony, save one.
One had green, like discs of emerald fire, his fur was a deep, burnished red. Truman couldn't take his eyes off him.
He wouldn't dare.
Without looking away, Truman spoke to the girl, "Cynthia, come over here now, nice and slow."
Cynthia felt ill. She heard the detective's voice like it was coming from a well. She knew who he was but didn't ask herself how the Alaskan cop had found her.
How they'd found her.
As Cynthia watched, they began to lope toward the unlikely pair: the cop and the young woman.
Cynthia's paralysis broke and she turned to run toward the cop.
Truman raised his gun and leveled it on the fucking Sasquatch that was closest. "Come on," he whispered, "make my day," he said, quoting Clint Eastwood at the unlikeliest moment.
Cynthia jogged toward him and he reached out his left hand, his right tight on his pistol grip.
She flung herself the last two feet and his warm palm, dry and strong, clasped hers and with a mighty jerk, she was against his body and she gave a shuddering sob of such abject relief that Truman responded as all males who protect females do.
He put Cynthia Adams behind his body and used himself as a shield. They'd have to plow through him to get to her. He could feel the fear thrum through her body to his.
"Stay put," he told her.
She nodded then realized he couldn't see her and said, "Yes," against his broad back.
One of her eyes peeked around him, seeing what came and she knew that these were the same kind, species, whatever... that had threatened her in Homer. Though they were not the same group. There were four, one much smaller than the others, but no less fierce.
Female, Cynthia thought.
The lead werewolf had an inky black coat, matching eyes, and silver tips on the fur, giving it an almost glittery appearance. He moved with purpose and a smoothness that screamed leader. Her eyes roved over the one that was a deep chocolate, his eyes a pale gold, the same color as the female. There was a hardness in him that was absent in the others.
It was the red werewolf, in a form that she knew too well that captured and held her attention. He moved with a lithe grace, together but separate from the others, his eyes never leaving hers.
Cynthia fought a dizzying sense of déjà vu, origin unknown.
The troop stopped, awkwardly standing in front of Truman, a fine tremble had begun in his gun hand. Holding a weapon steady was a fine thing for about five minutes, any longer and even the steadiest hand became compromised.
"Detective," the leader ground out and Cynthia shuddered at the cadence of the deep gravelly speech, her body recognizing it and instinctively recoiling from the memory, the connotation of what it meant to hear those tones.
Terror, threats, and brutal paws on her: pinching and poking her into compliance. That's what filled Cynthia's mind. The memories evoked an immediate response from her body, a light sweat breaking out all over her.
The brown wolf's nostrils flared. Like he could scent her fear, the female giving Cynthia a sharp glance. The inky black one stopped in front of Truman and continued his speech, the woods a claustrophobic background, closing in, making Cynthia's throat tighten. "Walk away. We will take the girl and you don't have to be hurt. Be smart," it growled.
"Be safe," Adrianna added, looking from the big cop to the scared girl behind him. Adi knew who she was and gave her a curious head to toe. This was Jules' bestie. The friend that she'd said Adi reminded her of. Adi scented fear and underneath that like fine wine, aggression. Interesting mix.
It was the red wolf that cinched it for Cynthia. "You can't run, Cyn. Come with us. We'll get Jules. If it's the last thing I do," he said, his massive hands that tapered to short claws fisted in emphasis and Cynthia's mind struggled to set the pieces of what he'd said to rights.
He'd called her Cyn.
He'd referenced Julia.
Cynthia tried to come around the detective and get an up close and personal but Truman blocked her path with a beefy arm. "No," he said in a final way.
Cynthia ducked and moved forward as the red werewolf came toward her and a knowledge, low and primitive sung through her. A tingling awareness began as Truman surged forward to haul her back. The red one wrapped a hand that was more paw than palm around her forearm and their eyes met.
Cynthia knew instantly who he was. He was seven feet tall and built like a giant red brick shithouse, the bones of his face grown long in the parody of a snout. He held his body a certain way, his expression echoed with breathtaking familiarity.
Jason, her mind told her even as her eyes denied what stood in front of her.
He'd died. Cynthia had watched his throat vanish under claws that struck deep.
Cynthia jumped at the report of the gun firing, high and wide, it hit the red Were just below his collarbone in a meaty thunk of flesh and she yelped, her ears ringing from the sound, his body spinning backward. An arm swung over her head, the speed of its passing causing Cynthia's hair to lift around her face. The chocolate colored werewolf with the hard face backhanded the cop almost casually, his three hundred pound body flying backward like it weighed nothing.
"Enough," growled Manny, eyeing the girl. Sensing her next move he came forward and heat rose from her feet to her head in a sickening rush of nausea. The information that was so vital, so mind altering being discovered in a life-sized werewolf that was now shot was too much to accept.
Cynthia felt herself go under, crumpling.
As she folded like a deck of cards, the small female caught her. Adi's bottom lip spread, revealing pearly and deadly teeth, as a low growl sounded, the brown wolf slowed his approach. "Don't try it, dipshit."
Cynthia heard his comment even as unconsciousness edged in around her like a whirlpool closing.
"Watch your tone, female."
Then Cynthia knew no more, the gray of her mind becoming black.
Adi heaved the Singer on her shoulder, her half-Were form easily shouldering the burden. Manny jogged in his half-human, half-Were form to where the detective lay. He scented the detective, his nostrils flaring once, twice. He met their eyes. "He lives." Emmanuel paused, registering something else, then dismissing it. His eyes swept the group, Adi defiant with their Singer prize, Tony glaring at her. Finally, his glance encompassed the red Feral... Jason.
Already his recuperative abilities were taking over. His blood was drying and his flesh pushing out the foreign plug of the bullet. As he watched, Jason's magnificent physique expelled the misshapen hunk of metal and it fell out onto the grass with the barest plop. Jason scooped down to pluck it out of the tall grass and Manny's eyebrows popped.
"Evidence," Jason growled. "Remember," he tapped an inky black claw, retracted for the moment, against his temple, "I was under his thumb before."
"Ah yes," Manny agreed, then narrowed his eyes on the girl, temporarily out like a light. "Let us go," he said.
"It's pretty fucking convenient that she fainted," Tony said with a smirk, it sat awkwardly on his half-wolf face, his deep voice sounding like rough stones rubbing together. He reached out with a claw and lifted a piece of her blond hair.
"Don't touch her, perv," Adi said, jerking her away from his touch. Tony smiled. "I'll be touching her plenty in the future, you can take that to the bank, princess."
Jason moved on the wind, one minute he held a bullet in his hand, the next he'd tossed it at Adi who caught it and lunged at Tony. They smacked together in midair and Jason landed in a smooth roll, taking Tony with him. He used the momentum he'd gained and straddled him, a talon bursting against the side of Tony's throat.
"You're not gonna touch her," Jason said, pressing the tip until the skin broke; a drop of blood rolling down his neck to cling to the dark fur that lay there.
"You're just pissed because you didn't get to bang your wife," Tony said and no one saw Jason's hand hit Tony's face until blood sprayed, landing like crimson rain on the tall grass, speckling it with violence.
Manny rushed the pair, scenting the aggression like thick smoke. He put his mouth on the back of Jason's neck and bit down, just shy of breaking the skin. Emitting a low growl he gave the most primitive of commands.
Emmanuel hoped that it worked. They needed to return to the den, with the girl, leaving the cop here to awaken without their presence.
Jason couldn't think. All he wanted... wished for was to end the wolf under his claw. He could feel the life flow underneath him.
Then Tony used his hesitation as invitation to buck him off as Emmanuel released his teeth from Jason's neck. They simultaneously backed away from the red.
Jason stood, giving equal attention to both. Emmanuel he respected, Tony, the miserable fuck, absolutely not.
It was Adi who summed everything up perfectly. "You just have to say the wrong thing every time." She looked at Manny. "You're gonna have to tell Lawrence about his King Asshat routine."
Emmanuel sighed then said, "Tony, take the girl, don't touch her inappropriately, and keep your yap shut."
Tony looked at Jason. "We're gonna go, you and I."
"Bring it, dickhead," Jason ground out.
Emmanuel strode to the two. "Listen to me. If he wakes, we will have to kill him. And killing innocent bystanders goes against Were law."
"Yeah, Manny. You're so perfect, so moral," Tony spit out.
"Somebody has to be," Adi said, then flipped him the bird as a soft drizzle began to fall.
Tony's face flushed a deep red and Jason smiled. There would be a perfect time to deal with this jerk. And it'd be soon.
Emmanuel gave Adi the nod and she carefully transferred Cynthia to Tony who smiled and used every opportunity to paw her as he placed her in the cradle of his arms, her face pressed against his chest.
Jason hated that he outranked him. It wasn't fair that Tony had the flesh of one of his own against his body. He had an instinctive dislike for Tony. Who he knew had been dead set on the Ritual of Luna. Its outcome all for him.
Tony had been bound to fight the wolves for Julia.
But she was Jason's wife. Jules belonged to him. Were law be damned. It was too new to stick, if struck false. It was Vegas that counted, the memory of their vows still fresh in his head.
His heart.
A tightly coiled disquiet unfurled as he touched on the memory of his attack against Julia. What if she couldn't move past that?
What if he couldn't? Who could? he thought morosely.
Jason watched Tony curl a paw around Cynthia possessively and Adi huffed into position. Jason was enjoying the fact that the wound he'd given Tony would be human-slow to heal since it was inflicted by another Were.
They began to move, speeding off into the woods. The strips of green that connected suburbia also connected to each other. Where there was forest, they ran, where they ran, the small creatures all around halted their lives of survival as the werewolves made way through the path of nature they foraged in.
The Were were the very top of the food chain and the animals of the forest knew it, deferring to their entry.
As they ran for the compound that housed their den, the detective that had been unconscious awoke. One word formed in his brain.
Pursuit.
CHAPTER 11
William
William slapped the palms of his hands together, Julia's fear, no- he corrected internally, her terror- fueled his strength. His finesse as a vampire warrior came to the forefront with a stinging clarity that shattered the skull of his torturer quite neatly, if bashed in brains could be considered such.
He had planned and executed the move perfectly.
When there were no runners to back him. Whilst Torturer was so certain of William's frailty his complacency drove him forward to mockery.
William was ready and leapt as Torturer leaned forward to whisper his sweet nothings in William's ear.
He never heard anything again, his ears mashed with the remains of his brain, unrecognizable to all that would have noticed.
None were there at present.
William gave a grim smile as he stepped over his sodden corpse, jerking the chain that was attached to his body which held the iron keys to relieve his cuffs of burning silver. The cool metal slid down the bare flesh of his forearms and his fangs pushed out sluggishly in response to the horrible stinging pain. His energy was so depleted that his fang response was the least of his worries. It would take special blood to relieve the stress of his healing. He needed to feed, and soon.
William heard the footsteps even though they made no sound and blurred behind the massive door as it swung inward and Merlin stepped through it. William didn't think, he reacted, as he had been trained for hundreds of years. He stabbed his talon when it burst the confines of his fingertip, simultaneously punching it through the slots of metal that crisscrossed through the airhole that was head height in the wood door.
It pierced the skull at the other side.
Unfortunately, Merlin was centuries older and twisted away, the hole at his temple beginning to close the wound. William slammed the door viciously against him as he entered. It splintered on impact and he moved around the door as Merlin was pinned against it, his eyes wide, struggling to move through the shattered material. William felt his fangs lengthen and all talons burst simultaneously, the last of his energy catching the scent of ancient vampire blood that coursed through Merlin. It ignited the flame of his survival instinct.
Ready for consumption.
Merlin flung the door off himself and slashed at William.
For all his age, Merlin was not a warrior, trained in strategy, hardened in battle. William parried with his talon, striking in a two punch dual hit, thrusting with the lead talon on his right hand and slashing as he did with his left.
Merlin's throat burst like a water balloon and William fell on the geyser that sprayed black blood like an oil strike. Merlin, the coven leader for the Southeastern Kiss, struggled against William at his throat but the battle was over before it had began.
William fed until Merlin's flesh and blood grew cold, his body exsanguinated. He stood, observing the corpse indifferently. With a final glance William turned to walk away, his body thrumming with the stolen energy.
Then he changed his mind, coming back to the corpse.
William gave a slow blink then struck the dead vampire in the face with his booted foot, breaking the skull open at the jaw. What was left of what had made Merlin vampire spilled out to join the remnants of the vile room of torture.
There, William thought, that is for costing me precious time to find Julia.
William left, metaphorically wiping his feet behind him.
When in reality the coven now belonged to him.
The Southeastern Kiss was his. Won by violence, beget by treachery.
*
Region One
The brothers were arguing and Julia stood wearily listening to them joke about the battle. Brendan and Michael stacked the vampire parts on a huge pyre, Brendan lighting small patches ablaze with his mind while Michael teased about what parts to burn first.
"I say light up their gonads, pal," he said, raising a fist in the air in triumph.
"Shut up, Michael," Jen said, trying unsuccessfully to give him the signal that maybe it had been a Long Night and he oughta cool it. Michael wasn't one for subtlety and he elaborated, of course, "Ya know, Jen, you're kind of a male-hater, I was thinking their torched dicks would work for you." His brows popped and Scott gave a chuckle.
"I don't hate guys. Well," she debated for a moment and Julia couldn't help but grin, "smart ones are immune to my assessment."
Michael frowned and said, "Yeah, what I said earlier."
"You agree then?" Jen asked innocently.
"Chick trap!" Brendan said, casually lighting the sightless head of the one that had tried to tackle Julia. She gulped as his face disappeared underneath the blaze.
"Goddammit! Where's the Negator?" Michael asked suddenly, dismissing the dis on his intellect, his hand covering his nose as he breathed through his mouth. "These vamps smell like ass and puke!"
"Here!" a red-headed guy said, awkward and skinny.
"Okay pal, can you do something about the smell?"
He frowned at Michael. "Hold on to your drawers, doofus."
"Doofus?" Michael opened his mouth and Marcus said, "Enough." His eyes met those of the red-head. "Paul," he inclined his head.
The smell was the worst that Julia had ever known. Not because it was Eau de Burning Vampire but because it was close enough to the smell that permeated the air at the site of where her parents were killed that she stumbled away as the air got thick with it.
Still with death, heavy with rot.
Julia backed away and bumped right into a hard chest. She whirled around as Paul worked his magic on the smell and the air filled with jasmine and honeysuckle, though those scents weren't in season right now. Her nose deceived her, the vampires burned but the scent of garden blooms filled the air. Sweat ran down Paul's face, the concentration necessary for the falsehood was obvious.
Scott's arms snapped around Julia and she fought their connection, images of his battle lust and changed physique rising up in her mind. "I'm fine, let me go."
Scott reluctantly did and they stood, staring at each other as Singers bustled around them in waves. "I can't help you when you resist everything Julia," he said. Julia was struck by how helplessness was not an easy emotion on Scott. His frustration and lack of control were unraveling him moment by moment, even she could see it and she didn't know him that well.
All the more reason for her to leave. If she were gone, they could all move on.
Julia could move on.
But as Julia watched Scott search her face, she wondered how much of her basic emotions the soul-meld allowed through.
How much did he know?
Maybe too much.
Julia turned to go into the house and felt a warm hand on the back of her neck and comfort with a chaser of feelings of such perfect rightness bled through that simple touch that she shivered underneath it. Julia could feel him like a line of heat behind her. Every hair stood on end and it was everything she was, everything Julia could do, not to turn into him and climb him as he stood there. However inappropriate the urge was, it was there. It was real. Her intellect fought with her instincts.
Something was going to win and she wasn't taking bets on what it'd be.
Scott thought again of all that Julia was wrapped up in that fiery package. Their connection flowed from her to him in that closed circuit that he'd never get used to. It ran through his body like an electrical conduit. Scott fought himself not to pull her against him and hold her.
He could feel the ghost of it from her as well.
Scott opened his mouth to ask her why she fought the pull. Was it Jason Caldwell? Was he still between them after two years and an attack that almost took her life? Or was it the vampire that had first acquired her that she had begun to care about at the very end?
Or was it both things, or neither? Was it the blood-binding of the two that made her flicker like an uncertain candle flame?
He tightened his grip on the back of her neck, the tiny bones biting into his palm when Angela said, "They're here."
"Excellent," Marcus said but not like he meant it.
Silent as a tomb three black SUVs pulled up in the great circular drive that had seen horses and carriages in the day but now served modern day vehicles. The flames of the burning vampires cast shadows against the vehicles that danced across the surface in an ominous pattern of disjointed shapes.
Julia turned, the warmth of Scott's hand lending her that false sense of security, making her itch to throw it off, itch to hold it.
When she saw who got out of the vehicles a small voice whispered that things had just gone from bad to worse.
Then a real voice confirmed her worst nightmare.
"Jacqueline," Marcus gave the barest incline of his head in acknowledgment.
"Marcus," Jacqueline smoothly unfolded herself from the first vehicle and strode forward, her outfit clinging to every feminine curve she had. She looked over the siblings, who had grown as still and quiet as Julia had ever seen them.
She put slim hands on full hips, blooming and ripe and Julia had to remind herself that this was Scott's bio-mom. Of course, one look at her and she would have known their relation to each other. Jacqueline had his dusky coloring, inky black hair and eyes that glittered like polished ebony in the light of the burning dead. "Where is the Queen?"
Marcus frowned. "I have sent you the notice we agreed on, it is all that I was required to provide."
She stomped her foot and the troop of huge men came to stand behind her, their expressions varied. One in particular looked almost bored. She cocked her head and Julia moved back closer to Scott even though she'd promised herself to maintain distance.
Jacqueline intimidated her. Julia wasn't sure why. She was vaguely threatening somehow. "I want proof."
"Jacqueline," Marcus began, spreading his heavy palms away from his body in obvious supplication, "the manifestation of the ten Combatants is enough."
She shook her head. "Perhaps she is but a high blood?"
"She is not, Mother," Scott said and Julia cringed as those dark eyes found her.
Jacqueline began at Julia's head and worked down her body until she reached Julia's toes then worked back up again.
"This is she?" Jacqueline asked, aghast.
"Yeah," Micael said, grinning evilly.
Jacqueline's eyes narrowed on him, expecting his deference and his grin broadened.
"Michael," Marcus warned.
Michael rolled his eyes, huffing and folded his arms over his muscular chest, he was truly only in his element when he could make fun of others.
Julia found she wasn't complaining.
Jacqueline moved forward like a cat on the prowl and Julia stood her ground, the woman who approached filled with a confidence honed by centuries of living. The light from the fire caused an orange glow to move with her as she neared and the only thing that made Julia feel vaguely better was that Jacqueline probably wouldn't kill her at this moment.
Because Julia could see that she wanted to.
Oh yes, it was plain in her eyes.
For some reason, her fabled Queenie status wasn't a good thing for Jacqueline. Not. At. All.
They stared at each other and when Jacqueline was an uncomfortable foot and a half away, her eyes found a point near Julia's temple and the frown of concentration turned into a scowl.
Without turning she said, "She bears the mark," in a flat voice.
"Yes," Marcus said.
The men that had exited the sleek black vehicles came forward, each one a similar size and breadth to the male at her back.
And Julia had thought she was physically intimidated by Scott.
There were nine other men that stood, towering over Jacqueline and she stood amongst them, unafraid.
Utterly unruffled.
The one who had seemed indifferent leaned toward Julia and Scott's grip tightened for a painful moment on her neck and the man's eyes shifted from hers to Scott's. "You're hurting her."
Scott lightened his grip and Julia could breathe again. She knew he'd just reacted to the other guy but hell, that'd hurt.
"What mark?" Julia asked the group. What in the hell were they talking about now? Her head spun with a new possibility. She didn't want any newness. She was about goddamned done with it. Like a hot dog. Like stick a fork in her done.
He recited in a solemn voice, "She will be bound by fang, claw and blood, the kiss of the moon on high against where she lays to sleep. The queen shall bear the mark of the peacekeeping Singer...."
"A queen to unite all with her blood..." Jen whispered.
"With our bodies we shield thee, with our minds we honor thee," the quiet voice of the male continued where Jen left off, but it was Scott that finished. Julia listened in a daze of comprehension.
"And one shall close the circle of protection as her mate." It had been said as neutrally as possible but it sounded like a challenge to Julia's ears.
"Singer blood shall reign forever," Marcus finished into a great silence.
Awkward didn't even begin to cover it.
As Jacqueline's eyes narrowed to slits, Julia's hand rose and she touched the smooth, crescent-shaped scar she still bore from the accident so long ago. How many times had she absently stroked the smooth, white surface and thought of her parents?
How many times had Jason kissed it?
All the while it had been a mark put there by fate.
As dozens of sets of eyes looked at her, Julia knew it was going to get harder and harder to get out of this mess she was in.
She wanted to escape now more than ever. As she looked into Jacqueline's death glare, she thought it was escape or die. Not a matter of if but of when. Julia thought this woman was up to making it seem like it happened by accident.
A tragic reality.
Of Jacqueline's making.
*
Region One
Marcus had hoped that Jacqueline would not feel that she had to make an appearance. As usual, her timing was impeccable, she arrived just as the vampire pyre was in a hot tangle, Paul offsetting the smell with whatever floral combination he normally used for offensive scents.
Of course, it wasn't typical to wage vampire battles on the Blood Singer grounds. Where there were some supernaturals, there would surely be more.
Jacqueline looked at the fire burning robustly. "Who is masking the dead?"
Paul threw up a pale hand, his face still locked down in a mask of stern lines.
"Why did you receive vampires here? Where are your guards?"
Good question, Julia thought. She was more than a little relieved that the melting vampires were enough of distraction to keep Jacqueline's focus off her.
For the moment.
Marcus sighed and looked at Julia's two Singer guards. The ones that had followed her into the edges of the forest. Suddenly, Julia understood that if it'd been night, the two would not have been sufficient to keep her from harm. Those vamps would have had her.
And where was William? Julia wasn't feeling the pain any more. She knew that Scott wasn't either. She shoved the empathetic connection away for the tenth time that day, her eyes looking over the newcomers.
The Combatant. Her Singer guard. There was one in there that would be her real soulmate. That was something she didn't want to stick around to find out who.
It could be Scott. What had Marcus said? Oh yeah, The blood chose. Julia looked down at the lace-like bluish veins on the underside of her own wrist, the pulse pushing the skin up in a steady rhythm. From the outside, it looked like everyone else's skin, veins.
Julia knew now that it wasn't. She was something else. Someone else. Prisoner of a destiny she didn't want.
"They came for her," Jacqueline said, throwing a palm in Julia's direction, then jerking her head toward the fire.
"They did. She has a blood-binding to a vampire."
"Magnificent, Marcus. When were you planning to reveal that? The Blood Rite cannot be rushed. It must take place when she is at the perfect juncture of her Awakening."
Yeah, if I lived that long, Julia thought.
Julia looked at Jacqueline then gave Marcus a narrow glance. She just loved the hell out of finding out important information like this. If anyone could just tell her everything at once, she could sort it out as she went. Instead, Julia had to hear it from Scott's semi-crazy egg donor parent.
Great.
Who obviously was a Big Julia Fan. As evidenced by all the warm greetings.
A huge guy came up behind Jacqueline and said, his eyes on the darkest corner of the forest's edge, "Jacqueline, let us move this discussion somewhere private." Victor's eyes sweeping the Singers that filled the yard, there were so many that the crowd of them almost touched the small lake where Julia had watched the swans only a week ago.
It seemed like forever ago when she was taken and subjected to... all that she had been through, her mind recoiling from the events of the recent past.
Marcus sighed, he'd hoped this day would never come. Yet, it had. Here were mother and son, the Combatant offspring manifested in the very outcome they'd hoped for when the coupling had been arranged. Marcus knew that in Scott's heart, Ruth was the only mother he'd ever known. That his cold natural mother from Region Two would not be someone he would be close to. If it had been allowed, Marcus would have bowed out. The arranged matings were archaic and dehumanizing.
Of course, Singers weren't exactly human. That had been made abundantly clear when Marcus had made mention of his discomfort with the event.
It had been soundly dismissed.
He looked at Scott standing in front of Julia like a looming human shield of protection, thinking of how he'd morphed into Combatant form during the battle with the vampires and hoped for everyone's sake that her blood chose him. Marcus didn't think that Scott would have the stomach to watch her with another. It was the height of irony that Scott had abhorred the idea of a union, a connection that would rob him of his perceived freedoms. But now, looking at the possessive way he stood behind Julia, he presumed that way of thinking had seen a complete turnaround.
There had not been a Combatant manifestation in Marcus' lifetime and he'd only heard of the Coming of the Circle from his father. However, now it was here, in the present and real time, he could see it was not a light and simple thing.
When Victor took Julia's hand and she reacted, Marcus understood the circle would not close without strife.
Julia could see that she'd be a part of some kind of weird receiving line of sorts and stood there as the huge Singer warriors filed past. It was unnerving at best. At worst, it was embarrassingly awkward.
She could sense Scott trying not to growl at her back.
Out of everything she'd ever experienced, up to and including her parents' death, this was the weirdest thing of all.
They treated her formally, also strange as hell.
The Combatant were trained, nervous of the small female that stood before them. She was the peacekeeper of the Singers. Their future, the one who might be responsible for unifying the species. So there would be no more war nor strife.
It was a lot for Julia to take in: as the vampire burned in a bonfire, nine Singer warriors took her hand and lifted it to their mouths, pressing her small hand against their lips. Not against the back of her hand but at the inside of her wrist.
Where her blood flowed and her pulse beat.
When the ninth lifted her hand to bring it to his mouth, his eyes met hers and there was a brief flare in his. Then his mouth was against her wrist and the world tilted, heat rising from her feet to a tingling crescendo of warmth that made the hair lift on her head.
Julia felt like she was on fire.
The man jerked as if stung, dropping her hand and rubbed his own against his slacks.
He didn't look like a warrior, he looked like a GQ model. All chiseled jaw with deep eyes and long sooty lashes, eye color unknown, the gloom sucking away the finer details of coloring.
Julia hugged herself, trying to get over the sensation that bordered on a static charge. And she was the plug. She shivered and Scott drew her in against him.
Julia let him while never taking her eyes off the newcomer.
Jacqueline smiled. It looked cruel on her face. Julia wondered if there was any other expression that she owned. So far, Julia had only seen varying degrees of the one in front of her.
Jacqueline pivoted to Marcus, triumphant and sure. "You saw?"
Marcus nodded, his heart giving a sickening lurch.
Victor's face took on a dawning look of horror.
"Perfection. Victor... you are more than advisor." Jacqueline looked at him slyly, loving the moment, Julia could tell. She was waiting for Jacqueline to jump and down, shouting and clapping with glee. Julia suddenly knew what Cyn would have thought of her: Royal Bitch. She was royal alright. Just not the way she thought of herself. Julia hid her smirk with difficulty.
"My advisor is also Combatant," she finished in a purr.
"It looks like that's not all he is," Michael announced in a sullen tone.
"Yeah," Jen agreed forlornly. Even she felt bad for Scott. Of all the Combatants to manifest... why did it have to be Victor? Pretty boy Advisor to the ice queen. It was a terrible outcome. Jen gave Scott a sympathetic look.
Scott held Julia while he wanted to scream his frustration. His horrible natural mother, who governed with a control that bordered on abuse and was certainly on the soft side of sane, had somehow managed to put a Combatant in place as her right hand man. Had she suspected? Had Victor been aware?
Scott stared Victor down and he returned the glare with one of his own.
It didn't matter. Scott was holding what mattered. No other male was going to get a hold of Julia.
No Were.
Or Vampire.
Singer.
No one would have Julia but him.
If destiny had pulled the rug out from underneath him, then he'd pick up the pieces that belonged to him.
In this case he knew what belonged to him.
Julia.
––––––––
CHAPTER 12
Cyn
Cyn awoke with her mind a cluttered, cobwebby attic of confusion. She'd been... she struggled through the mess, and the memories came crashing into her. Her eyes popped open as she watched a ceiling fan do its lazy circuit above her.
Mesmerized she sat up, the sheet falling to her waist. Cynthia jumped, grabbing at herself. A long breath of relief shuddered out of her when she realized she was still in her clothes from yesterday.
The cop.
The Weres.
Cynthia hopped out of the bed and threw her hand out to steady herself as the blood rushed from her head.
Holy smokes, Cynthia thought, where in the blue blazes was she?
"Hey," a flat voice said from the dimmest corner of the room.
Cynthia staggered back, hand to her chest, her heart trying to escape. "Who the hell are you?"
"Adrianna."
Cynthia couldn't make her out very well but was pretty much ready to tackle her unknown ass if that's what it took. She'd effing had it.
Adi came out of the corner, her posture sullen to even the least observant person.
Cynthia was not. She noticed the finest details, always had.
Cynthia looked her over: she was a small chick, sturdy, short and athletic. Cynthia narrowed her eyes, then sticking a hip out and planting her fist there she asked, "Well?"
A reluctant smile formed on Adi's face. She couldn't help but admire Cyn. She was all that Jules had told her she'd be. Here they'd kidnapped her and she was unfazed. She was addressing Adi. No-demanding that she be told who she was speaking with.
Adi liked her on principle.
Not that it mattered. Jules was gone. A dangerous reconnaissance was being planned so that Jason- the Feral, could retrieve her and reinstate the Ritual of Luna before the Singers claimed her irretrievably.
"Okay... Adrianna," Cynthia responded with tempered suspicion.
Adi laughed. "Call me Adi. Jules did."
Cynthia sucked her breath in a gasp. "Where is she?" Cynthia asked, her loose hand becoming a small fist of hope above her heart.
Adi lifted her shoulder dismissively. "North of here. With her people."
"People?" Cynthia asked, thinking the scenario just kept getting stranger and stranger.
"Yeah, she's a Blood Singer. Actually," Adi looked down at her sneakered hot pink All-Star feet, "a Rare One."
"Whoa, pony..." Cynthia said, raising a palm.
"It's actually wolf," Adi corrected.
"No shit?" Cynthia asked, gulping as she unconsciously took a step backward.
Adi grinned. "I shit you not."
"Huh. That's kinda bad for me."
"Nah. We're not asshats like the Homer Pack," Adi said.
"Oh great, I'm so relieved," Cynthia said in a droll voice. She was so on board with believing that- not.
"Listen, Blondie...."
"Bite me," Cynthia said.
"Don't tempt me, dollface."
"Hey girls," Tony said, having smoothly interrupted them after listening in for a few moments.
They whirled to face him, a common enemy identified.
Cynthia scooted back to where the front of the bed was. She was only a few feet from the girl.
The girl werewolf, Cynthia reminded herself. She'd take Smart Ass behind her rather than square off with the big dude in front of her. Cynthia guessed in another circumstance he would have been a hottie. But in the current one he left her cold.
Like ice.
His face was hard, his complexion dark. It was his size that was so scary. He was six-four if he was an inch. And Cynthia wasn't a shrimp of a girl. She was five-eight in her stocking feet.
Cynthia watched Adi tear over there and look up at him, her expression fierce.
Hell, Cynthia thought, she postures like a guy.
Cynthia took another cautious step backward. She was going to give these guys a wide berth to beat the everlovin' shit out of each other if that's what needed doin'. Uh-huh.
Sans her presence.
"Way to warm up the new capture, Adi," Tony said, looking down at her, a smug grin on his face. He did have an eye on Cynthia and that's when she remembered him from the field. He'd been the dark brown wolf. The one that had hit the cop, Truman.
Cynthia moved back until her butt hit the wall, her breath coming faster. She was going to have to calm down or she'd hyperventilate. Seeing that small girl take on the much larger male scared the shit out of her.
"Oh, and you're so smooth? Who's the one that decked the cop, douchebag? Huh?"
Tony put his hands on her that fast, Cynthia hadn't even seen those massive palms of his move and Cynthia yelped.
In sympathy, for Adi.
He had her by the shoulders and Cynthia held her breath but Adi had it. She watched the female do the unexpected. Any fool could see from casual observation she loathed the dark werewolf but she got closer, fast, then lifted her knee to his groin.
Cynthia covered her mouth and gasped as the big male grimaced and grabbed his privates, a low growl boiling out of his mouth.
"First. Fuck off," Adi said and pushed him as he was staggering away, those big hands holding his nuts.
"Second, I got this," she said in a low voice full of barely contained anger and she pushed him again, hard, with the flat of her palms.
His hand snaked out and he latched onto her wrist, jerking her off her feet and on top of him as he fell.
She went with him.
Adi's eyes widened and it was then that Cynthia knew she wasn't a big one for planning. She was a stick of dynamite with a short fuse and this big sucker must light it every time they got around each other.
He whipped her over on her back, smacking her loudly on the floor, his knee shoving up between her legs to press against her crotch and said in a low hiss, "Not so clever now, are ya bitch?"
Oh crap.
Cynthia was going to stay out of it, she really was. After all, this was some Werewolf brawl, right?
Cynthia felt her feet move forward. Next thing she knew, she was jogging over there like the dumbass she was.
Cynthia landed with a plop on Tony's back, bronco-style and latched onto his hair with both her hands and pulled, using her body weight.
All her anger from the abuse of the Were from Alaska rolled over her in a warm surging tidal wave of rage and she tore out a chunk of his hair and he yelled, flinging her off with ease.
It was enough distraction for Adi to extricate herself from her supine and vulnerable position beneath him.
Like an enraged bull he surged to his feet, head swinging, huge hands in fists of violence at his side.
Oh shit, Cynthia thought, that wasn't my finest decision.
Then he came for her and she turned her head away, bracing for a pounding, no exit in sight. It was worth it, she thought, shutting her eyes tightly.
A noise made Cynthia snap her eyes open.
There, from the doorway, came a flash of colors and a bowling ball of human flesh, no more than a muted blur of color as it slammed into the thug above her, rolling them into the wall, plaster giving way in a cloud of dust and powder.
"Holy shit, Cyn! Move. Your. Skinny. Ass!"
Cynthia gave Adi an almost comical look of sheer terror and surprise and scrambled to her feet, she grabbed onto the hand that Adi held out and the smaller girl tore Cynthia behind her.
She was stronger than she looked, as Cynthia's feet lifted off from the surface.
"Come on," Adi yelled, sprinting while Cynthia stumbled after her in an ungainly jog.
"Hold on!" Cynthia shouted. Adi skidded to a stop.
"What the hell is going on?" Cynthia asked, flinging her hands out.
Adi huffed. "I may have been a little overzealous with Tony." Adi looked a little shamefaced.
"Oh effing terrific," Cynthia said and Adi nodded, properly chastised. Cynthia belatedly wondered if such a thing was possible.
Cynthia looked over her shoulder and flinched when a lamp in the bedroom shattered.
"Listen," she pointed a finger at the smaller woman, albeit much stronger, "I will not be a willing mushroom, kept in the dark and fed shit. Tell me what the hell is going on."
Adi's shoulders slumped. "Well, Tony's a prick."
Gee... shocker, Cynthia thought.
"So? You can't kick every guy that's a jerkoff in the nuts. We'd have half the male population with a permanent limp."
The corners of Adi's mouth turned up and Cynthia started to smile back. "Ya know, you're okay. I see why she liked you."
Cynthia's smile faded and she got back on track. "Anyway, is he like... a threat?" Gawd, what a stupid question. Obviously! He'd nailed the cop, probably been the one to steal her... the list was long.
"Yeah. I mean... I think so but no one will listen. Our Packmaster..."
"Who?"
"Lawrence," she met Cynthia's eyes and went on, "he thinks Tony's this great soldier and everything."
"Is he?"
"Yeah," Adi conceded reluctantly. "But he's not a good soldier in the old way. He's brutal and underhanded. He wants power and control and he'll do anything to get it." Adi's eyes stood in a fierce face, her eyes melting to gold around the edges.
Oh hell, did this mean she was going to go all wolf-girl on Cynthia's ass? Like right now?
Cynthia took a step back and Adi laughed. "It's okay, I'm not gonna like... burst my skin or anything."
"You looked a little... wolfy there for a sec."
"Yeah. Strong emotion can do that. The eyes, right?" she asked, her human color bleeding into the gold like spilled chocolate milk.
Cynthia nodded her head.
The noises of fighting stopped and an ominous silence came from the house they'd left. Cynthia glanced away from the house and noticed a great pavilion, marble and veined silver, like a wedge of ancient Rome plunked down in the middle of a forest. It rose like a polished alabaster stamp of antiquity.
"What's that?" Cynthia asked, pointing to the marble structure.
Adi opened her mouth and a voice to the right of them said. "It's where Jules was taken."
Cynthia looked at Jason. For the first time in over two years.
Jason Caldwell was very much alive. But his eyes were different.
Ancient.
She ran. Cynthia didn't think that her feet even touched the ground as she flung herself into his arms. She buried her face in his chest, tears pouring out of her eyes.
"Oh my God! Jason... I thought," she began.
"That I was dead?" he finished, putting her slightly away from him but not letting go.
Cynthia nodded her head, her green eyes searching his face, looking, hunting. Finally, she asked, "What? What is it?"
Jason didn't say anything, but he let his hands trail down her arms and stepped away. "It's good to see you, Cyn."
Cynthia stepped back. "It's good to see me? What the hell, Jason? I watched Kev die. I watched a fucking creature..."
"Hey," Adi barked.
Cynthia cocked a brow at Adi then dismissed her. "A shithead Were come in and tear your throat out." More tears threatened and Cynthia ruthlessly held them in check, her eyes feeling buggy and swollen, burning. "And Jason... they took Jules." Her eyes searched his face and not seeing what she expected she went on, "I've come all this way, first to escape the effers in Homer, and then," she flicked her eyes to his and gave him a level stare, "I found her trail. She's alive, Jason. Alive," Cynthia said in a fervent whisper.
"He knows, Singer," Tony said from behind them and the girls jumped.
Adi opened her mouth to say something flippant and Emmanuel, his lip busted up with a cut above his eye held up a finger. "No- Not. One. Word, Adrianna."
Crap, Adi sulked, her ass was definitely grass. Not that watching this effed up little reunion wasn't funtastic and all... but. She gave another look at Manny and he narrowed his eyes on her.
Well shit. She clamped her lips together with a supreme effort.
Manny looked away from the spitfire female Alpha with a sigh. She would face discipline. Whether or not she liked it, Adi was not dominant to Anthony. If Emmanuel had not chosen to intercede, things might have escalated in a direction that would have been quite bad.
Quite.
He looked at the scene in front of him and lamented it. Adi had not handled things well with Tony but seemed to have done well by the newest, weak-blooded Singer. Well... not so weak. Now that the smells of humanity were far-removed in this place, he flared his nostrils, he could smell her blood quantum. She was of fuller blood than they had realized. Excellent, Lawrence would be most pleased. He'd hoped for answers and her Singer ancestry was simply gravy, as the humans were apt to say.
Jason and Tony's eyes clashed in a disharmonious glare. Cynthia looked from one to the other and then she gave Jason the full weight of her stare. "What is he talking about? Where is Jules?"
Emmanuel coughed and Cynthia ignored him. "Where is your wife?"
"She is not his mate, Singer," Tony said.
"The name's Cynthia Adams you... goddamned butt munch!" Cynthia said and got a stab of satisfaction when his gaze darkened on her as Cynthia heard a snort come from Adi's direction. "Stop calling me, Singer... or whatever." She looked at Jason. Stared at him.
"The attack turned me," Jason said.
Cynthia nodded. "No shit, Sherlock."
Jason scowled at her, raking a hand through his longish sandy colored hair. "God, Cyn, do ya have to bust my chops here?"
She nodded again. "Totally. Now spill it."
"This... den," he gave Manny and Tony hard eyes then shifted his gaze back to Cynthia, "kept me penned up like an animal until they kidnapped Julia..."
When Jason finished his story Cynthia stood there in shock. The worst news wasn't that he was a bona fide werewolf. It was the attack on Julia. That somehow, in his confusion of the moment, he'd lost who she was and now she was out there thinking he wanted her... dead.
"Hell, she thinks. She's gotta think..." Cynthia began.
"Yeah, I know." Jason met her accusing stare. "Don't you think I'd do anything to take it back? Fuck, it's all I think about!" he yelled, stalking in a loose circle, pacing.
"Can't take back the deed, man," Tony said unhelpfully.
Cynthia looked at Tony. And making the most immediate character assessment of her life replied, "You're ten different kinds of dicks, aren't ya?"
Adi barked out a laugh in the background with startled awe. She could totally see why Jules had dug Cyn. Adi looked at the flushed red of Tony's face with barely suppressed joy, it was almost painful. Her smile turned into a grin as Tony knotted his hands into fists at the female that dared to call him on his behavior.
Cynthia Adams dared. And Adi thought there'd be a helluva lot more where that came from.
Cynthia and Jason stared at each other, Tony stewing in the background with Manny's hand a staying force against that big shoulder, the tension in the meadow outside the house was breathable, it had weight, substance.
Tony glared at the new Singer. Now he had two bitches to teach a lesson. Fine, he was all about the numbers. His gaze went to Adi and he knew that he'd deal with that nut-cruncher first. She was a female Alpha. But he was male. She needed one supreme lesson. Tony knew just when to give it. Then he looked at Cynthia Adams, checking her out from head to toe. She was fine tail, that one. She'd submit too. He could be very persuasive.
Finally, he looked at Caldwell. The sentimental prick. Tony would end him. That would effectively end the sap's torture over his faux pas with the Rare One. What Tony had never told him (he never would) was that being Feral, being a turned Singer had crossed his wires so badly it was actually a miracle he hadn't killed Adi when he nearly tore her arm off. That he hadn't killed a human when he first escaped... well, it was a level of finesse that many in his shoes could not have managed and the very reason Julia still lived.
Just another reason to hate Caldwell's steaming guts. Yeah.
Cynthia looked at Jason, dismissing that dickhead behind her for the moment. "You make me sick, Jason."
Cynthia's lip trembled and she turned away, shooting a withering glance toward the two Were as she passed them. If looks could have killed, they'd be pushing up daisies.
As Adi followed Cynthia she heard Jason say softly, "I make me sick too."
Adi turned around and walked backwards, catching his eye, I'll talk to her, she mouthed and headed off before she could see his expression.
It was bereft.
CHAPTER 13
Truman
Truman opened his eyes, the bald sky full of fluffy clouds moving swiftly in the wind as they greeted him from his supine position. He sat up with a groan and touched the knot on the back of his noggin.
He looked around and gauged the time based on the position of the sun. The damn place was so gloomy he had to hunt for the light. There, he saw it and figured around three in the afternoon, the cover of trees from the border of the forest shadowing where he lay. Hell, who wore a watch anymore? Now Karl almost wished he had. Who knew where his cell was? A collection of shit had flown out of his pockets when that werewolf had laid him out.
Werewolf, Truman said to himself, letting the oddness of the word roll out inside his mind. It was beyond bizarre.
Karl Truman didn't know what he'd been expecting. He'd envisioned big dogs the size of ponies.
These guys hadn't been anything like that. In fact, not that he had a Handle on Lycanthropy but he was betting they'd been in some kind of blended form. He couldn't wait to talk to George. Yeah, Alexander would know more. He barked out a laugh that returned to him hollowly from the open meadow and closed his mouth with a snap as he tasted stale blood, his big ass sitting at the edge of a field having been cold-cocked by a myth. He'd have to come up with some defensive strategy. Understatement of the century.
They seemed unstoppable, plucking Cynthia Adams away from him like a ripe fruit ready to fall. God only knew what they were doing to her. What they'd already done to Julia.
Could she be? Truman couldn't finish the thought, shoving it away.
It came back like a boomerang, smacking him upside the head.
Could Julia Caldwell be a werewolf? Was that small werewolf he'd seen in the meadow where he sat on his keister... could that be her?
There were more questions than answers. As Truman got unsteadily to his feet he determined to find out what they were. He'd been tasked with the Adams girl's return and he was a dog with a bone. No pun intended. He'd get it if he had to search every back yard to find it.
Hell, he was great at digging.
Truman got moving, collecting his cell, keys and coins where they sparkled all around him in the smashed pasture grass like scattered bird seed.
He collected it all with a handkerchief and there, on the corner of his cell was a nice fat print.
He wondered if the werewolves had a record?
He knew it wasn't one of his. Too big. It took up three times the size of a regular print.
Truman studied the whirls of the fingerprint.
Patterns were one-of-a-kind. If the one that had pawed through his stuff had a record, he'd find out.
After all, what was a federal pass for if not to grant him access?
Truman whistled as he left, stuffing the cell in his pocket as he went.
You can run, but you can't hide, Karl thought.
*
Julia
Julia had never felt this level of awkwardness in her entire life. Victor, advisor to Scott's natural mother, and Scott of the soul-meld stood staring at each other. The tension was so thick you could have cut it with a knife.
Finally, Marcus broke the fat silence, "Let us go inside with the Combatant." He looked at Jacqueline significantly and she gave an incline of her head and they walked off together.
Julia noticed they had a personal bubble that was wider than most.
Frosty.
She didn't wait for Scott, she didn't need to, Julia could feel him behind her. She could also sense the Combatant behind her and suddenly wondered when her life got so weird.
Oh yeah, when Jason died.
But then, he wasn't really dead, was he? Julia let her mind wonder where he was for a moment, then just as quickly let the thought float away. She had bigger things to think about. Like independence.
Julia climbed the broad porch steps of the old Victorian and the group made their way into the foyer and ended up in the large, formal parlor. The furniture looked off. It was all comfortable and the colors complemented one another but they were not the age of the house, Julia noticed in her typical, off-handed way but it was Jacqueline who commented, "I see you have not kept the original furniture. I imagine it was..." she waffled her hand as if she couldn't remember a name.
"Ruth," Scott said from behind her and even Julia could her the irritation in his voice. Julia watched Jacqueline as she studied what was clearly a décor blunder. Although there was a parlor in the house too small to use with all these people that did have the old and uncomfortable settees that would have been perfect, a century earlier. She seemed so offended by their absence in this larger and less formal parlor.
"Yes, Ruth. Of course, silly of me to forget her," Jacqueline stated in the most false voice imaginable.
Marcus frowned. "She thought the trappings of that era stiff and formal."
"However elegant," Jacqueline finished.
"This is so relevant. This yakking about furniture, but let's talk about Julia and the Combatant and the Closing of the Circle," Michael said and hearing no dissent from Marcus he looked at his other sibling and Jen added, "By blood."
The murmurings began and Julia didn't know where one person's voice began and another ended until Marcus held up a hand and said to the general room, "Julia has been with us a mere week. We have not had proper time to train her, test her progression in her own Awakening..."
Julia held up her hand like she was back in school. Instead of being bored in class and giving half her attention, they had all of hers.
The room fell silent and Julia stood firm, even against the unflinching stare that wasn't the least bit friendly by Jacqueline.
"How long will this 'Awakening' take? I mean, I have telekinesis... but I was supposed to have more...?" Julia hesitated, not sure what the proper term was to insert there.
"Cool skills?" Brendan supplied and she gave him a wan smile.
Julia nodded. "Yeah, that's about right."
One of the Combatants came forward, jeans and a tee shirt not hiding the ripped physique underneath the casual attire, made that way through combative training.
He didn't take his eyes off her, Julia found it unnerving but two years with the vampires had hardened a steely core inside of her. She used that now to help her remain unintimidated. Actually, her whole life had been a trial of sorts and she was done being scared.
"Some of us knew we were Combatant. For you, you have just learned your place amongst the Singers. For us," he put a fist above his heart, "we have always known what our place was in the order."
It left Julia speechless. And more than a little bit ashamed. Here she was, plotting and scheming an escape and all these people wanted was someone to unite the three supernatural groups. But, they could theorize all they wanted. The reality was different. Julia knew the reality, she'd lived it.
The vampires and werewolves were not really human beings. Humanity had been left behind eons ago. They only knew war, power and control. Those were the very laws they were built on. Their precious books spoke to that, hell, that their ultimate goals were kind of alike underscored that peace wasn't possible.
Julia looked into the guy's eyes, so earnest, forthright.
"Listen," she began, "you're right, I am new here and I've been through a lot." Survived more, she added internally.
Images of Jason flashed in her mind, splintered fragments of memories shuffled in a haphazard collision that she pushed away.
Julia womaned up, going on, "I've been there, lived amongst these groups. They're not like us."
"Nonsense, they are supernaturals. That they shift, consume blood? It is of no consequence. They will be brought to heel like the animals they are," Jacqueline said dismissively.
Julia didn't roll her eyes. Cyn would have been proud. "I don't think you understand." Julia said slowly, like she was speaking to a small child, "Their basic nature is animalistic but they intellectualize very well. Never mistake what they can do for who they are."
Jacqueline gave a sharp cackle and Julia felt Scott stiffen behind her. "You say you are new, yet you speak as if you hold omniscience in the palm of your hand," Jacqueline said strolling in a prowl toward Julia.
The Combatant moved forward and paced her. Jacqueline slowed, finally stopping in front of Julia, then studied the nine men at her back. "Look at how they shadow me as if I hold a threat to our Queen," she said, making the name queen sound like a loathsome thing.
"Tell me, Julia Caldwell, do you feel threatened?"
Julia narrowed her eyes on Jacqueline. "Always."
Jacqueline gave a secret smile and turning away said, "Your caution is good, it will make the Combatant's job easier until you Awake." Jacqueline turned her face so Julia only saw it in profile. "And Awake you will... soon."
Julia watched her graceful departure and knew that Jacqueline was toying with her, her cryptic comments adding to the feeling of unease. Julia's eyes swept the siblings, Marcus and finally they fell on the Combatant. They were her Singer contingent. For all intents and purposes, her guard. However, the circle remained open. The uncertain timeline of her Awakening prevented its closure. The blood-bindings with both Jason and William impeded everything. Jacqueline's presence was a thorn in the side of all.
What was she going to do?
Julia thought that if she was tired of everyone and everything orchestrating her life she'd have to take charge of it or leave.
In that moment she had the first true epiphany of her young life. She could choose, she was not a bottle in destiny's ocean, the violent current taking her wherever it wished. She was the master of her own fate. Maybe Julia would end up at the same end, but she could choose how she lived it.
She met the eyes of the Combatant, Victor's specifically and said, "I don't know what I have to do to be... Queen," Julia self-consciously rolled her lip, nibbling on it and Jen came to stand beside her, lending her strength, Scott's warm energy that synced with hers so well an abiding comfort behind her. "But I do want to... learn."
Marcus smiled and came forward. "I know that it has been quite a bit to take on."
Julia almost laughed and he saw her expression and smiled in response, subtly acknowledging the understatement of his words. "However, timing is critical and I have not lived all this time to lose sight of the instincts of our enemy."
Julia gave him a sharp look.
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair in a nervous gesture. "They will come. Both the vampire and your... husband."
"She is wedded?" Victor asked incredulously.
Oh boy, Julia thought. She so didn't want to explain this whole thing. Again. Or ever.
Scott came forward and before she could shut that whole conversation down he said, "He was turned into a Were."
"He was a Singer...." Marcus began and Victor's gaze fell on Julia with weight. "You married a Singer?"
"Can't we?" Julia countered and his gaze darkened.
"I didn't know about any of this," Julia swung her arm around her, indicating the general compound she found herself in. Region One, they'd told her.
"I see," Victor said but clearly acted as if some fault rested with her. Well screw that.
She walked to where he stood. Just paces away and poked him in the chest.
He didn't move, he was a literal mountain of muscle.
Julia didn't care.
"Don't you dare blame me. I didn't know what I was, I didn't know what he was. We were just a couple of high school sweethearts trying to carve out some existence on this blue marble we call earth. When every stinking weird-ass scenario came into play and bit us in the ass," Julia said, her body shaking with her anger, her memories, her voice ending on a low note of keening ineffectual rage.
Victor's expression softened and he grasped the finger she pointed at him and that flame between the two of them flared to life. Before she knew what had happened, his massive hand was pressed against the small of her back and was pulling her near, his face buried in the crown of her head.
"I have waited an eternity for our true Queen, I would never lay false blame at your feet, Julia."
Oh. Dear. Baby Jesus, Julia prayed, this could not be happening to her.
Mayhem broke out and she had Jen pulling at her. A knife flashed in the light and then she heard Victor grunt. Julia cried out, "No!" on a low command, torn from her heart, from her soul.
If she was a part of more bloodshed, more violence, Julia truly didn't know if she could manage it.
The tip of Scott's blade lay buried in the underside of Victor's jaw, a stream of blood cascading down.
Julia got pissed, turning on Scott. "Put that away! He is one of ours, Scott! What is your stupid problem?"
"His fucking hands on you," Scott ground out.
"Scott," Marcus said in warning.
Julia didn't think, her anger propelling her ability, she hit the blade in a sharp thwack. Not with her body, with her mind. It spun, embedding behind them inside of the ornate molding that surrounded the doorway, making an unpleasant twang when it landed.
Scott's eyes widened.
"That's right bucko!" Julia said, stabbing him with the same finger she'd just nailed the misbehaving Victor with who was currently being restrained by two other Combatants. "Nobody gets to stab each other! Especially over me!" Julia huffed, her chest heaving. "I'm not that important," Julia began and when four mouths opened to protest she put up a palm to stop their protestation.
"I get it. I'm the Queen," Julia dropped her fingers from the airquote at the title that still sounded so awkward it hurt. "But I'm just a woman. I haven't had enough time to become accustomed to the idea and I will certainly not be fought over."
"Yeah, I'm on board with that," Michael said from the corner with a laugh. Julia smiled gratefully at him, his attempt at levity was welcome in the emotionally charged atmosphere.
Jen rolled her eyes and Scott glared at his younger sibling's attempt at lightening the tense situation.
"If what you're telling me is true, we have two dangerous groups coming to stake their claim on me," Julia put her palm on her chest, her eyes steady on those gathered. "If our Combatant is fighting each other then they can't protect me from anything. You guys will be so busy beating the crap out of each other that they will get all stealthy and I will be gone." She lifted her hand and fluttering her fingers, mimed her spirit floating away in the breeze.
Julia looked at Marcus next and leveled her stare on him, never wavering. "You know the Singer history, right?"
He smiled like of course.
"Well, let me tell you about theirs. They have their own Books. Their own laws. And their own rituals." Her eyes did the circuit and captured each person's eyes until they found Marcus' once again. "You must know that just because I'm not a vampire, I'm not a werewolf... it doesn't matter to them. I have a value to them and the future of their races. With me," she paused significantly, "with my blood, they have a chance to break the bonds of the moon, the sun."
Victor nodded, giving Scott a look of disdain. Scott's returning glare was just as fierce. When he spoke, Julia was struck by how different the two males were from each other. Where Scott was concise and to the point, rash and virile, Victor was cultured and elegant. But there was no masking the underlying fierceness of the two. They were cut from the same genetic cloth, born to fight, born to protect.
Born for her.
"She is quite right. If they get their hands on our Queen, it will be more than losing her to another supernatural group. It will give them the advantage that goes beyond nature." His eyes grew grave and more solemn with each word. "There is a reason why the Were may only change with the moon's fullness. There is a purpose for the vampire, that they only roam the night, when the sun is hidden. If they steal our Queen and through rites of their own, capture her essence and evolve through using this unnatural process..." Victor spread his hands wide.
"It could mean the end of humanity as we know it," Marcus said.
"The precarious balance of all the species," Victor continued, lacing his strong and tapered fingers together, "irrevocably upset. And make no mistake," his eyes took on the room at large, "we may mimic humans but we are not. We are Blood Singers. We are more."
Julia smiled. Victor had made her point for her. "So boys," she began and the intense eyes of the Combatant drilled her to the spot, "let's play nice."
They stared for another moment then gave her a salute that seemed almost choreographed.
Their right hands were fisted and held in the center of their chests and it looked like a vow.
When they spoke the words she wasn't surprised but she was moved beyond words of her own.
For Singers, for hope, the Combatant fight for peace through blood and sacrifice, may our hearts align with yours and beat as one.
They closed their mouths, all the males pounding their feet in unison on the soft wood with a mighty thud, the beat of it startling Julia.
Waking her.
In a burst of heat and energy, Julia's Awakening morphed, taking her breath, stealing motion.
Witnessed by all.
CHAPTER 14
Cyn & Jason
Cynthia stalked back inside the house she'd fled under the imminent threat of violence, so pissed she couldn't see straight.
Jason's apathy about Julia made her seethe. She wanted to kill him herself. Didn't he give a shit about her? Why wasn't he racing to her known location and insisting they like... have a Do Over? What the hell?
She walked into the bedroom, with the debris from the skirmish all around and stood at the bay window, the whole of the compound spread before her. Cynthia wasn't really seeing it, she was zoning out, her mind in another place and time. She thought that if she ever saw Jules again she'd be stoked like a chimney on fire.
Cynthia was stoked alright.
She folded her hands over her chest, huffing. The deep emerald beauty of the woods was completely lost on her.
When Adi's voice came from behind her, Cynthia didn't turn, she just continued to stare ahead.
"Ya know, it could've happened to any of us," Adriana began.
"What? Spouse abandonment?"
Cynthia heard the female werewolf sigh and huffed a frustrated sigh herself.
"He is a Singer, it's amazing he even thinks now. Singers aren't meant to be turned. It's unnatural."
Cynthia turned at the tone in her voice, finally facing her.
"What's this 'Singer' thing," Cynthia asked, unconsciously coming forward.
"They're supernaturals like the Were and vampire."
"Vampire?" Cynthia said in a whisper.
"Oh... my bad," Adi said without apology, "listen Cyn, there may be even more... supernaturals. But those are the two other groups besides the Were that I know about."
Cynthia's mind was reeling. Okay, she had seen the werewolves first hand. She got that. But vampires? That sounded like horseshit to her.
Of course, werewolves did too. Until you saw them dismember your boyfriend. That was a real convincer.
She shuddered and Adi smiled, misinterpreting the gesture.
"Yeah, they're effing creepy."
True, Cynthia thought but she'd been shuddering because... well sensory overload for sure. Blood suckers and wet dog.
Yuk.
Great mix. "Okay, so what are Singers?" Cynthia asked, dismissing the vampire revelation for the moment. Gawd.
Adi rolled her eyes. The finer stuff of the groups was just boring. As long as she was included in battles and wasn't made to mate Tony the Asshat, that's all she really cared about. But as Cyn stared at her, she recognized that Cynthia hadn't been raised with all this stuff as normal.
"Well, all you humans, you're not all the same. There's a percentage of you that have special blood, genetics. And the vamps need you guys to like, breed with the general population and make their food more yummy."
"It is an issue of sustainability for the vampire race," Emmanuel interrupted from the doorway.
"You're fine where ya are," Cynthia said, eyeing him up.
"I do not pose a threat," Manny said in a vaguely insulted voice.
"Yeah, uh-huh. You guys were non-threatening back in Kent, and were very non-threatening a few minutes ago when you destroyed this room. Yes. Very non-threatening." Cynthia looked at him, pale blonde brows hiked in disbelief as Adi snorted in the background.
She looked at the werewolf and decided he was kinda hot. Well, when he wasn't all wolfy. But he was hotter over there than closer to her. Yup.
Manny restrained a growl. Very ungrateful girl. Would she have preferred he allowed Tony, of the lack of preemptive thought, to have gotten a hold of her? Manny thought not. He glared at her. It certainly did not help that she was quite pretty, if awfully pale to be a Singer.
He turned a hard look to Adi, who had not paid attention to the Werewolf lore of his people. He sighed, raking a hand through his nearly black hair and turned all of his attention to Cynthia Adams. Adi was not prepared to fully explain things in their true light to the Singer.
"What Adi says is essentially true," he gave her a look and continued, "however, there are degrees of blood quantum." Emmanuel raised a brow, allowing her to pose a question if she couldn't follow.
"I'm blonde but I do have a brain," Cynthia said, crossing her arms across her chest, clearly pissed.
Manny felt embarrassment heat his face. This young woman made a klutz of him and he was keenly aware of it. It was a foreign emotion.
"I didn't suggest... I," Manny began.
Adi did a slow grin. She'd never seen Manny get all boxers-in-a-wad. "Can it, Manny. She's just sayin' she's got it," Adi said.
Emmanuel silenced her with a look. "Okay... geez. Chill out."
"Adrianna," Emmanuel warned.
"Argh! I give up!" she huffed, stalking over to one of two things not wrecked and flopped herself down on the bed.
Cynthia kept her smile hidden with an effort. Adi seemed to get the males all wound up like spinning tops. A violent group, it was kinda funny really.
"In any event, it is a very small percentage of the human population that manifests these properties and we are in a constant search for fullbloods and..."
"Blah, blah, blah! Manny, tell her about the powers," Adi said, flopping back down on the bed.
Emmanuel glared at the Tasmanian devil that laid on the bed and went on, "The Blood Singers are a group who possess some extraordinary abilities."
"Me?" Cynthia asked, putting everything together instantly. Remembering she'd been referred to as Singer a few times since she'd been taken.
He nodded. "I do not know how much. But enough for us to scent. Actually, we were on reconnaissance to get you for answers and intel of Julia. That you were also of Singer descent was a bonus. As a point of fact, their seems to be a substantial nest in your region."
What? Like a flock of gulls or something? Cynthia didn't like being the bonus. It creeped her but she didn't let on. Instead she posed a question. "Okay," she said thoughtfully, "how do Jules and Jason figure into all this?"
Adi lifted her head enough to meet Manny's eyes and he looked at Cynthia. "Julia Caldwell is quite rare. In fact, she is the prophesied Rare One. She who will free the Were from the call of the moon."
Cynthia couldn't help it, she guffawed, right then, right there in front of the two werewolves.
She was gasping and they were glaring. "You guys..." she howled helplessly, clutching her sides, "you're slaying me with this. I know Jules! She's... I don't know, her! You know: Ordinary." Flunker of Math, Wearer of Atrocious Shoes....
"She is not, Singer. She would be a queen amongst your people. She is a pure blood. It would not surprise me if her parents had been eliminated for the sole purpose of manipulating her future."
That sobered Cynthia up in a hurry. He couldn't know about Jules' parents.
Manny smiled at her shock. "Did I hit upon it then?"
Cynthia nodded dumbly .
"Who... I mean... Jules thinks it was an accident," Cynthia said lamely.
"Yet, she bears the mark of the Rare One," Emmanuel said.
"What? Where?" Cynthia asked.
"She's got that crescent-shaped scar at her temple," Adi said, tapping her own to emphasize the point.
Oh my God, Cynthia thought. She knew that scar, she'd seen it a thousand times, covered it with make-up. Cynthia never thought about it before but it was the shape of a moon.
Cynthia sat there for a few heartbeats, assimilating the info. "Okay. So let's say Julia is the 'Rare One'," Cynthia paused. "So? I mean, why is there all this fuss. Why did those psycho wolves kill Kev? Why did they tear Jason's throat out and do the sacrilegious changeamatic? Huh? Why do they give two shits about Julia... you guys aren't vampires."
Emmanuel hated to showcase how the Were were like a franchise, it was a point he'd never liked. They were all Were but governed very individually. Each pack had a packmaster who was different from one pack to the next. The Alaskan pack had always acted independently from the Northwestern pack that Lawrence presided over.
"The Alaskan pack are asshats."
"Adrianna," Emmanuel started then realized she was ultimately correct. "What she says is true, if crude."
"I can take crude," Cynthia said, meeting his stare.
Emmanuel let a growl percolate from deep in his throat, her rude dominance something his wolf could not tolerate.
"Ooh... I like this," Adi said. "She got ya by the tail, Manny?"
"What's the problem?" Cynthia asked, not looking away.
"Drop your eyes, female," Emmanuel commanded.
"No," Cynthia said and popped him the bird, her middle finger up like a stiff flag.
He flashed to her and Cynthia yelped. "Do not force me to subdue you. I am trying to be civilized but my wolf feels no such compunction."
"Well, Try. Harder," Cynthia said, staring into eyes that were so much spun gold, the orbs utterly not human, a color found in nature but absent in humanity.
Emmanuel dipped his head against the exposed throat of the female Singer and wondered how he'd slid down the hill of barbaric. Had he not, just moments ago been explaining a heritage she was unaware of?
"Hey Manny!" Adi yelled. "You're making the Alaskan wolves look pretty good right now."
He moved his nose away from her intoxicating scent. She smelled like vanilla and cinnamon. Scents he could stand forever.
Straightening, he put her away from him with an effort that bordered on ugly.
"Ah... why did I get the wolf treatment? Control issues-much," Cynthia said, her guts knotting.
"He's losin' it 'cuz of your Singer blood!" Adi chortled.
Emmanuel glared at Adi. "Deny it, big guy," Adi teased and he found that he could not refute it.
"If there be enough blood quantum, it causes a Were's blood to heat. Emotions surface that would otherwise lay dormant."
"I guess so," Cynthia said, trying to put this whole event in a box for later reflection. Of course, it was a shade of weird that wouldn't fit so it just kept staying weird instead. Wonderful.
"To answer your question, if Julia completed the Ritual of Luna she would, by her mere presence, free many of us of the moon's summons."
"Ah, what does this ritual thing entail?" Cynthia asked.
"A bunch of Alphas fight to the death and then she mates with the winner, has a litter of pups and they grow up to be fully moonless changers."
Emmanuel shook his head at Adrianna's recital of the facts and added his bit, "Perpetuating their unique genes for many generations to come," he added, hoping to balance Adi's starkness.
Cynthia backed up until her ass hit something solid and sat down, staring at the two.
"Hey," Adi snapped her fingers and Cynthia gave her a sluggish stare. "Earth to Cyn."
"Yeah?" Cynthia asked, dazed.
"Do ya get it?"
Cynthia nodded. "I get that I'm being held by a bunch of crazy-ass werewolves that want to make my friend have puppies."
"It's not so bad, Cyn. You can have puppies too," Adi said in an excited note.
Cynthia felt the world tilt, heat infusing her feet and rising to the top of her head. "Oh shit, I think she's gonna faint! Manny, do something!"
Emmanuel rushed over to the Singer, her pale skin like a sheet of parchment and put her head between her legs as she perched on the only piece of furniture, aside from the bed, that still remained intact.
Cynthia felt better. From between her legs, she could feel the heat of the male werewolf on her nape and asked, "Do I have to have puppies?"
Silence met her question and she slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes met Tony's. The Prick of the Pack, Cynthia was guessing.
"Yes. Every eligible female for the Were will be paired with the ideal mate."
Cynthia stood, Emmanuel a solid presence beside her.
"Well, I'm just going to say the words: we're not a very good match, hair ball. I mean, fur ball."
Tony's expression darkened and he replied, "That's okay, toots. I got my eye on another prize." His gaze slid to Adi and she met his stare head on.
Cynthia noticed she never dropped her eyes.
Not once.
*
Truman
Truman tapped his foot, waiting for the call from his liaison. The feds were being oh-so-helpful and it was killin' them. They hated working with a statie. Especially from the renegade north. There was just something about being Alaskan that made people think that they were a separate country or something.
Truman raised his hand and felt around in his shirt pocket, paused then let his hand fall. He'd given up smoking years ago, having caved only one time recently. But when the stakes got high, he found himself missing it like an old lover. The memory better than the reality.
His cell vibrated and he jerked it out of the front pocket of his blazer.
"Truman," he barked and the forensic guy answered in a blasé voice, "It's Tom Harriet."
Karl grunted an affirmative and that was enough to get Harriet blabbing. Actually, with as unfortunate of a name as the guy had, he did okay, shooting details to Truman like bullets.
"Listen, detective, I have to say I've never seen anything like this."
Right, and he probably never would again, Truman thought.
"You're the fed's boy, right?" Truman asked by way of answering.
"If you mean that I work as lead forensic for this jurisdiction, yes."
"So, you know what we're dealing with here?"
There was a silence so long Karl opened his mouth to end it when Harriet spoke, "This is not a secure line. I have been asked to give you a message and a contact name."
Well, well, Truman thought, the cloak of secrecy. His hand wandered to his front shirt pocket again and he forced it down with an effort.
"Okay, shoot," Truman said, going to the same pocket again and plucking out a small notepad and his Bic.
"Anthony Daniel Laurent."
"He the perp?" Truman asked.
"He's the one," Harriet confirmed.
"Give me this guy's stats."
"We have him on file from a fluke. He was pulled over in 1979 for a speeding ticket and when all the records were switched over after the computer age came online," he chuckled at his own pun and Truman suffered through it, "they transferred it there."
"A print for a speeding ticket?" Truman scoffed, disbelief creeping into his voice.
"No, there was a warrant for rape."
Ah, Karl Truman paused, his mind shuffling through the memories of the werewolves in the field. The one who had been hard, that had cleaned his clock with one swipe. He was the violent sort, no surprise there.
Against women. Real charmer.
"Did the vic press charges?"
"That's the funny thing. He had a big family. They all showed at the pre-trial, it's here in the notes. And when the girl showed, she recanted her testimony."
Truman could almost feel his shrug over the phone but it started a dull chime sounding. He didn't know how it mattered but it did.
This fucking psycho had the Adams girl for starters.
It was connected, vital. He could sense it.
And he didn't look old enough to have been a man in '79. Hell Karl had been a couple years from graduating himself. That'd make this Laurent fruitcake fifty-something.
Truman thought of the huge and virile creature that didn't look a day over twenty-five, even in his wolfen from or whatever the hell it was.
How long did these shitbags live anyway?
Too long, he rationalized.
Harriet was talking and he realized he hadn't been listening. Shit.
"Yeah?"
Harriet sighed, irritated by his inattentiveness. "Go to the Starbucks on Benson Street on the East Hill. Do you know where that is? I know you're not from around here."
Truman bristled. "I've got a spinning weathervane in my head. Damn man, I'm from Alaska. That's like an essential instinct."
Harriet gave his fake chuckle like he got it. He didn't. They were soft Outside. It's just the way it was.
This guy couldn't scent a turd if it was under his nose. Damn if Truman didn't want a cig.
Truman played nice. "Thanks for your help. And, my contact will have the addy? And the plan of attack?" Now that was funny, Karl thought.
Tom Harriet didn't laugh and Truman had become astute at reading pauses in conversation. He didn't like the feel of that one. It deepened his sense of unease.
"Yes, he will."
"Gotcha. Three o'clock, I'll be there."
"Thank you for your assistance, Detective Turman."
"It's Truman," Karl corrected. But he was holding an empty line. Tom Harriet had hung up.
Huh- chump, Truman thought, heading off for a burger at McDonald's. He checked his cell and it was only one o'clock. The hell with it, he'd go to Red Robin and hit up that manager, what's his nuts? Karl wondered, trying to remember.
He flipped through his notepad until he found it, tapping it with the tip of his finger.
Alan.
Yeah, he'd pump him for some info on the girl and he'd have just enough time to get there and meet the highfalutin' fed.
Great timing.
*
Karl's sharp eyes took in the general circus atmosphere of the best burger joint since forever. It wasn't a fine dining experience but it was a tasty one. His basket came and he asked the waitress for a plate. He always felt like eating out of the basket was a little trough-like and rebelled in his small way.
She fetched the plate, dime-sized gauges weighing down perfectly good earlobes, tiger eye stone or some other shit winking in a distracting way which notched down his substantial appetite. Not an easy thing to do.
"Doesn't that hurt?" Karl asked, pointing to her earlobe.
She looked at him like he was old and crazy (probably a little too close for comfort) and smacking her gum she wrenched the gauge out of her earlobe where it then became a dangling and deflated flesh sack, making Karl's stomach heave in a roll. "These?" she asked nonchalantly while Truman gulped a lump the size of his fist down his throat. "No way! They're the boss. Hotness!" she expounded.
Karl could see two dead bodies and eat a Big Mac afterward but this was just wrong on about a hundred levels.
She pushed it back through her earlobe, or what was left of it, just as Alan the Manager came walking up. He gave a cursory look at the waitress, whose name was Starr, Truman read on her crooked nameplate and smiled at Truman.
Sharp guy, Truman thought. Sharp enough to know there was a strange episode before he appeared but not smart enough to be more discerning with his hire.
Alan sat down across from Truman. Karl took his time salting his bottomless fries with the special seasoning and dipped a couple in his side of ranch. He slammed them in his craw and chewed, all the while studying Alan.
Alan stared back.
Not the nervous sort, Truman thought, mildly gratified by that. Finally, he broke the silence. "Cynthia Adams. What can ya tell me about her?"
Alan frowned thoughtfully. "Five-eight, blonde hair, green eyes, slim, rocking hot bod. Scared, desperate. A no-show..." Alan spread his hands out to the side.
Truman waited then shifted gears. "Heard you've been through some domestic stuff."
Alan's eyes became wary. "Yeah. So?"
"Heard they never found the perp that beat your sister."
Alan stared at Karl. The seconds turned to moments.
"You know anything about that?"
Alan shrugged. "Nope. But," his eyes drilled Truman. Hazel ones. Honest eyes. "Good riddance. I hope his dick falls off."
"Nice sentiment, Alan."
He shrugged. "You ever have anyone hurt by violence?"
Karl nodded. "Yeah. Can't escape it with what I do."
"Fair enough. Now tell me, no bullshit. Where is Cynthia Adams?"
Truman opened his mouth to lie. But in the end, he told the truth. He was so tired of lying. He just couldn't bring himself to tell another.
"Taken."
"By who?"
Not who, what, Truman corrected.
He kept that part to himself.
CHAPTER 15
Julia
Julia opened her eyelids and two sets of eyes met hers. The plaster ceiling lay beyond their stare and she shut her eyes again.
She was on her back, her body tingling like she'd laid in a vat of liquid fire.
"What happened?" she croaked.
"Give her some room, gents," Jen said, shoving at Scott and Victor.
Suddenly Jen was there, her eyes were the palest shade of grey as they looked deeply into Julia's. "A little much for you?" she asked with just a trace of sympathy.
Julia allowed Jen to pull her into a seated position. And here Julia thought she'd licked the old faint at the drop of a hat thing.
Apparently not, she grumped internally.
"Whoa Nelly," Jen said when Julia thought to get up.
"I'm not a horse Jen," Julia said, not amused.
"I didn't say you were," she replied, a look of pure confusion on her face.
Julia looked at Marcus.
Then all the voices of the group ground into her brain and she covered her ears. "Argh!" Julia grunted. "I can't stand this, it's so loud."
Scott reached out and grabbed her arm and blessed silence filled her head where a discordant symphony had been.
"Deflector, remember?" he soothed and she nodded.
"That was no fainting spell," Marcus said, palming his chin. Then he looked at the door where Jacqueline had but moments before passed through.
He laughed, more to himself than anything. "She knew," he said, tapping his head.
"Knew what?" Victor asked, his gaze narrowing like a laser on Marcus.
"She knew that Julia would Awaken. Remember," he popped his brows, "she is Precognitive."
Victor gave a small lift of the shoulder. "It is the least of her skills."
"But enough of one to predict that Julia was gaining more in her Awakening," Marcus said with certainty.
All eyes fell on Julia. Scott stuck out his palm and she took it. That was better. Well, kind of. They were all eight feet tall but there was something less good about being on her ass than on her feet.
Yeah.
"Do you feel different?" Brendan asked.
"Yes," Julia said in resignation. "I don't want to. I want to be me." She realized how that sounded, her whining. She couldn't take it back but clarified, "I mean, I know that this is my calling or whatever but I don't think I'm right for the job. I'm not prepared," she ended on a lame note.
"First things first, Julia," Marcus said. "We'll have the Negator," and at his title Paul stepped into Julia's view. Huh, he'd been there the entire time but she'd been so absorbed by the Combatant she'd never even thought about him since he made the torched vamps smell like a bouquet of flowers. Julia gave a small laugh and everyone gave her an odd look.
Well, shit was strange. Sorry if she was trying to put it in a box that nothing would fit in.
Paul didn't give her an odd look, maybe being a Negator wasn't so hot. Nothing was as fun as her new job description but there were probably jobs in the Singer hierarchy that were the equivalent of flippin' burgers or collecting trash.
"I'm Paul," he said.
Julia smiled, it was freaky as hell. Let's just introduce ourselves with the burning vamps outside, the crazy Region Two psycho wandering around God knew where and oh yeah, for specialness squared, let's help the queen!
Julia covered her mouth with her hand, she was so near a hysterical meltdown she bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. She knew once it began it might not stop, ever.
"I can give you a zap," he said with finger quotes around the last word, "that'll notch down the ESP fun for a time." He looked at Julia and when she stared blankly at him he expounded, "You won't hear all those voices."
"No psychic friends network," Michael enthused from his corner.
Right. Out loud Julia said, "That'd be great. It's a little..."
"Much?" Jen said and Julia nodded. Then suddenly she thought of something. "Wait... what else can I do?"
Marcus gave her steady eyes. "Eventually, if legend is accurate: everything."
Julia stood there like a statue while Paul came forward and with a palm up he silently asked for permission to touch her, his eyes first going to the Combatant's then moving on to her own.
"Don't look at them," Julia said, thinking about gaining powers like changing underwear each day. Marvelous.
"I have to. If I touched you now that they're assembled," he shrugged his shoulders helplessly, "I think they'd hand me my ass."
Marcus sighed. "I believe the dialect training has been embraced a little too strenuously."
Michael snorted in the background and Julia smiled as the voices receded to a dull roar. Now it was just white noise in her head, static.
She blinked and when she opened them Paul's stark freckles and carrot hair stood out against his pale skin, stranded there. "Better?" he asked, taking both hands from her shoulders.
"Much," she let out a shaky breath. "But it's a band-aid. I need to get training. I can't live with all your thoughts in my head."
"Not all," Victor said quietly.
Julia arched a ginger brow at him in question and he replied, "The Combatant is always silent to the Queen."
Julia probed his mind, like the slim tendrils of an octopus she sought, gently touching and retreating until she had gone over every place she could feel, every texture that throbbed with his thoughts.
"No," she said, "I can't." She looked at Scott and he smirked.
The same.
"Why?" Julia said, then threw out her palms like a ward, "Not that I'm complaining!"
"One will be your mate, Julia. You cannot have a truly open relationship if there is absolute telepathy," Marcus said.
"But..." Julia thought about it, "sometimes I would hear a thought from Jen?"
Marcus inclined his head. "Yes, a random thought here and there is not unheard of. But this..." he put his own palm out and indicated herself, "this is a full telepathy. During sleep, while awake. Not easily shut down. However, you will learn control. It will take some training and hard work but you can accomplish it."
"Not with the crew here?" Julia clarified and gave a look at all those guys standing there looking expectant.
For what she didn't know. Though Julia thought that their purpose was simple: guard and defend. She thought they'd be handy at that.
He smiled and shook his head. "No," he said simply. "Although, the Book does tell of you being able to communicate with them in some way, especially while under duress."
Julia felt fatigue like a hand on her, weighing her down. Even by her own crazy last two years it had been a Big Day.
She looked around her and said what was in her heart, "I think I need to hit the hay, guys. It's been... overwhelming."
That was the best she could do. Julia couldn't enumerate all the things that had happened that were doing a world class universe tilt on her but she'd had it.
Paul said, "I'll be right next door, Julia."
"Proximity?" she guessed.
"Yeah. I'm gonna pretty much be your shadow until you get a handle on this."
"Okay," she said, trying for not sounding sullen about more freedoms being stripped and missing it by a mile.
"Hey," he said and she met his green eyes, "It's not forever."
"I know," Julia said, taking a look around her and a last look at Scott as she left the room.
It felt a little like an escape.
*
William
William watched the dying embers of the vampires, his mortal enemies burning on the Singer's land and smiled. Technically he ruled them now and thought it most good that they had foolishly tried for Julia amongst her own kind while his torture had alerted them and who knew what else.
He knew that his pain had transferred to Julia, which, in turn had given them a course to follow. Merlin's blood had fueled William for part of his journey until he ran across some human scum (there were heavy pickings of the criminal element about) and fed deeply. Satiated, William was prepared.
Even now, as night lay as a black cloak he could feel Julia. Her change. It was as his kiss had predicted. Her Awakening was upon her and she was not yet mated. When the final part of her Awakened, he would need to be there, in her presence.
Not that he could complain, however, what were they waiting on? Foolish of the Singers, William thought. Of course, how old were they? Did they have any true elders from whom to procure wisdom? Perhaps not.
William used his form that few Singers had and shifted to his raven. The merciless grinding of tendon and bone realigning without smoothness, breaking and mending together to mold to that of a large bird, only his eyes remained. If he had been fully Singer, it would not have been as painful. However, he was not. Pain was his penance.
He flew, hoping the Singers did not possess a shifter that was his natural predator. If they did, William would be unable to see his objective through.
*
Julia
Julia was ecstatic about the momentary solitude as she lay on her bed, lost in thoughts of Before. Before she was a Queen. When she was a regular chic from Alaska with a stubborn streak of hippie.
Tears that she could shed in private rolled down her face. She wanted Cyn so bad she could taste it. What Julia wouldn't do to see her friend again. How was she? Probably still hunting for shoes and handbags, scoping the next hot dude at some college.
Or maybe not? Dark thoughts pressed their way inside of Julia and she couldn't help but wonder that maybe, Cyn hadn't moved past the whole thing. After all, Kevin was killed in front of her, Julia and Jason were taken from her as well. Julia lost all three, but so did Cyn. Of course, Julia knew where Jason was. Not really... more like, she knew what he was.
And that he was a threat to her now.
Julia curled up in the fetal position on her side while Singers roamed, lived, talked and thought all around her.
Julia lay in her bed, as lonely as she'd ever been, surrounded by people, knowing none of them, their voices like the low drone of a hive of bees inside her head.
Her friends had been her home.
Jason had held her heart like a great fireplace in the center of that home.
Now Julia was someone but she didn't know who.
Julia fell asleep as a dark shape hovered then landed on the deep windowsill of her bedroom window. Its crimson eyes found her in the gloom easily. It sent thoughts of comfort to her as it sensed the duress that her subconscious could not hide.
For the blood-binding was very strong this close.
Julia stirred in her sleep, heaving a heavy sigh that sounded very much like relief.
*
Northwestern Were
"Use the girl," Lawrence said, spinning the world globe with a strong and tapered finger, his back to Tony. "She will be excellent leverage. Not only will she be a fine instrument of manipulation with the Rare One, she may even provide some incentive to keep our Feral in line."
"You don't think of him as Jason Caldwell?" Tony asked, loving the possibility of the tide turning against his rival.
Lawrence turned. "Ah yes, I do. However," his eyes were as serious as Tony had ever seen them. "He is a rare red and Singer to boot. No. The reds are renowned for their wildness..."
Tony laughed.
Lawrence put up a hand. "I understand, all Were are intrinsically wild. It is our very essence. Yet," he stared off into space, "this is different. They have a tenacious streak governed by emotion. Whether or not that emotion be valid, it is real to them and thereby something they feel justified acting on."
"So," Tony put up his large hand and began to tick off all the points that Lawrence had made to his Beta on his fingers, "one, take Cynthia Adams. Two, make sure she's used to keep both Jason and Julia in line and what about Adi? She's a pain in my ass."
Lawrence stopped the endless spinning of the globe and gave him knowing eyes. He'd seen deeply and knew who Tony was, what he was. Tony fought not to squirm under the knowledge in that gaze.
"Yet you want her?"
Tony's heart sped, his adrenaline kicking up a notch and answered, "Hell yeah." Tony knew how few fullblood Were females there were. Adrianna was Alpha besides. Yeah, she sure as shit would be his.
Lawrence grimaced a little at the wording but pressed past it.
"It is a pact of sorts that you want?"
Tony gave a terse nod. "I get the Rare One, regardless the cost and I get Adrianna. No negotiations." Tony gave his Alpha a stare that made the more powerful wolf shift in a slide of liquid flesh.
Where a human face had been and eyes that were a dull brown, bloomed a snout that surged forward into a muzzle with teeth and eyes that were so pale a gold they shone like the sun.
Those eyes were inches from his face as the teeth of that great mouth held Tony's massive neck between jaws of steel and fur.
They pressed against the flesh of his throat, just shy of breaking the skin and Tony did a tap out. Lightly affirming his submissiveness to his Alpha by a finger on his flank.
Lawrence released him and Tony rubbed his neck where all those teeth had just been.
Fuck, Tony thought, I'll be checking my drawers for shit later.
"You do not tell me what you will and will not do. I am Alpha," Lawrence said from a human face with wolf-gold eyes, his voice retaining the rasp of his wolf. Lawrence had made his point. Though Tony wasn't sure if he'd get what he wanted.
Lawrence's eyes were hooded, receding to the human brown when he said. "Yes. Regardless the cost, bring the Rare One. Bring me Julia Caldwell. She will be the one that tames the Feral." He gave Tony a sharp look.
Tony thought about it, finally shaking his head. "No. Let Caldwell have her. They will strengthen the pack and by their closeness I will benefit," he said, closing his hand into a huge fist of triumph, he could rectify all inequalities later. He liked the sound of a wolf harem. That was more his speed. One in which Lawrence wasn't around to worry about. He kept his ruminations to himself. Keeping his own council had never hurt Tony.
"What if our Adrianna does not wish for a mating with you?" Lawrence asked as if he didn't know that Adi loathed Tony. "Further, what if Julia Caldwell does not wish to truly be the spouse of Jason both by the human laws and those of the pack?"
Tony smiled. "When has that ever mattered?"
"Too true, my second, too true. Our days of democracy when the females had choice are over. There are too few for us to mate indiscriminately. Matings must be arranged with careful deliberation."
"You're right," Tony agreed easily, he had always instinctively understood this.
"I know. That is why I am Alpha," Lawrence said, full of his own importance as he gave Tony the subtle reminder of his station within the pack.
Tony hated that. However, until he could take him, he must submit. When he and Adi were mated, they would be a dangerous Alpha pair. Lawrence was without a mate, he would be weakened by the lack of a partner.
Tony thought he was expert at exploitation.
Tony had learned that there was always someone better, faster, stronger. In the case of himself, Tony had never deluded himself on the strength of his intellect. He knew that Lawrence was smarter.
Sometimes cunning masqueraded as intelligence being creative.
Tony thought he had that down; it was called strategy with a chaser of patience.
He would bide his time.
And that time was coming.
CHAPTER 16
Cyn
Cynthia hoisted the small pack on her back and centered it where it fell neatly between her shoulder blades. Kevin used to call them weapons of destruction. Tears stung her eyes. It was these unguarded moments when grief found a home, slamming into her when she was least prepared, a crashing wave against the bulkhead that eroded at her spirit, her fortitude.
Then she caught sight of Jason walking toward her and hardened right up. He put steel into her spine she didn't know she had. The traitorous prick.
"Hey, Cyn," he said cautiously, his sandy hair swinging out of his eyes with a flick of his head.
Cynthia turned away and he sighed, Adrianna walking up beside the pair, the silence heavy between them, laden with discord.
Tony entered the open area that was the entrance to their den, a simple meadow with an outcropping of stones that looked natural but were, in fact, arranged in an ancient order of salutation that would signal to other Were a warning, or in the case of the Northwestern Pack, a welcome.
"Glad to see everyone's getting along," Tony chuckled like the asshat he was and Cynthia turned to him, pissed. He was a colossal dick. Figures she'd have to go with these chumps. Jason the chameleon and Tony the troll.
Perfect.
She opened her mouth to enlighten him with a snarky retort and Emmanuel was there. Cynthia's cheeks reddened as he gave her a steady look. He was different and she didn't know how but he made her uncomfortable.
"That is not helpful, Anthony," Manny said, giving him the look he deserved.
Tony smirked. Whatever irritated people and got them spun up... well, that was an easy source of amusement to him. When the pain came at his side he whirled, prepared to backhand the offender, as was the way of the Were.
It was Adi.
"Hey pal," she said, a smirk breaking into a grin, her hand lowering from the covert jab she'd nailed him with.
Tony's hands curled into his fists, instantly pissed, the testosterone surge through his body ten times that of a human male, tempered only by the sure knowledge of his future ownership of her. All of her. The thought of that eventuality made his scowl turn to a smile and he let his look speak for him, using his eyes to undress her, he began at the top of her honey colored head and lingered on all the parts he'd own.
Adi was not easily embarrassed but after Tony gave her that smile, chock full of creep with a clear undertone of lasciviousness she backed away a little, her smile slipping as his brightened.
That dickwad had something up his sleeve Adi saw. But what? It spooked her, whatever it was.
"Cut the theatrics," Manny told the group at large. "We need to be ready. The drinkers will be. The Singers as well." His eyes met those of the patchwork quilt of compatriots. He looked at Lawrence's Beta, knowing as Alpha he would not have chosen Anthony, yet Manny was not Alpha. Then he looked at the Feral, a rare red, Jason. Finally he gazed at the skinny blonde Singer, her sad eyes held the fire of her spirit and against his very soul, he was drawn to this one. His soldier's discipline reasserted itself, remembering the directive from his Alpha, he let that command that still rung in his ears slide through his mind again as he looked at Cynthia Adams with barely contained longing.
He locked down his expression with difficulty.
"You must complete this mission, Emmanuel," Lawrence's mud brown eyes held his, not a hint of his wolf in sight.
Emmanuel sighed, he knew that. But, Singers of enough blood quantum were breedable, mateable. Any wolf with sufficient Alpha as part of their make-up wished to mate. And mate with another female wolf or just as well, a Singer. Singers produced pups that were moonless in some cases. Not bound to Her Call. Only the weak succumbed to a mixed-blood wolf. Or worse, one that was full human. Manny shuddered at the thought of choosing that desperate avenue. A human mating was a dangerous dilution of the Were. Absolute, permanent; taking the wolf out of the human and leaving nothing behind.
Perhaps the call of all Singers was similar but he'd not felt this way with the Rare One who had been captured and caused the entire den to become salivating madmen. Insane wolves reigning supreme.
"I wish to seek a mating with the Singer, Cynthia Adams," Manny said, as serious a request as he'd ever made.
Lawrence gave a small smile and said, almost to himself, "This is a day for requests, I think."
"What?" Emmanuel asked, puzzled.
"Nevermind, wolf," Lawrence said, waving a dismissive hand to his voiced implication. "You will have to fight for that right. Are you prepared?"
Manny gave a low growl. "Who else desires her? Tony?" Emmanuel asked in disbelief but already his wolf clawed for release, the moon but a memory. However, Emmanuel was Alpha enough to be struck by the emanations of change, even though they could not occur this far from the moon's fullness. Emmanuel's war to suppress his wolf showed and Lawrence's lips opened in a responsive growl of his own which followed Manny's, the challenge obvious.
Emmanuel struggled with his wolf, it had never been so difficult as it was now. Where females were involved, it was a near thing. It was as if his wolf was always right underneath the surface.
"No. Tony is interested in someone else entirely."
"Who? The Rare One?" Manny snorted in disdain. As if a crude wolf like that one should lay a claw on the likes of the purest of all Singers? He thought not.
Lawrence gave a secret smile and answered, "No, it is not her he wants."
Emmanuel opened his mouth, made thick with his wolf's proximity and Lawrence made a slicing gesture with his hand, effectively cutting off the question that had hovered on his lips.
"It does not concern you. I am just thankful my right and left wolf do not desire the same female."
As Manny was, giving his Packmaster a nod of deference to be so named.
"I am counting on you to remain neutral until the successful return of Julia Caldwell." Lawrence locked gazes with Emmanuel, hammering his point home with his next statement, "You will be favored in mating with Cynthia Adams if you but keep your intentions to yourself." His Packmaster spread his palms out at the side of his body. "I have given the same expectations of protocol to Anthony as well."
It was settled then, Emmanuel determined. Cynthia would be his in due time. He must complete this mission, then he was first in line to be mated with a Singer with potential. Potential for many things. His nose told him chemistry was the highest on that list.
Now to seek her and hope that she would choose him as well.
Cynthia watched the handsome wolf look at her with neutral speculation and found herself feeling embarrassed, an alien emotion for Cynthia. So, she reacted like she hadn't been caught noticing him looking at her.
She shifted her attention to Adi. "Are we ready?" she asked, effectively dismissing both Jason and Emmanuel from her thoughts.
And that jerkoff, Tony. Cynthia had already figured it was in her best interests to keep that chump in her sights.
Adi nodded slowly, her mind still on Tony when three other Were approached. One was part of the original Rite of Luna ceremony. Hardened by soldiering for the Were, he had a long scar that bisected his face, a cruel pathway that traversed his eyebrow and came across the bridge of his nose in a jagged snarl of scarred flesh. It had always looked like a lightning bolt to Adi.
His name was Buck but they all called him Slash. When she was a whelpling he'd held her on his lap and told her of the wars that he'd fought with the male Were and drinkers while Adi had raptly listened. Never knowing that it was he that had planted the first seed that became the warrior that grew within her.
Now, Adi was one of few female wolves that battled. She was a rare female pureblood Were, she was also a soldier. However, her days were numbered. She must breed when she came of age. And that time was drawing near. No matter how much she avoided it, the signs were there. Too soon for the males to take notice but it would only be a matter of time. Then she'd choose a mate.
Or they'd choose one for her.
It always got Adi riled up to think about it. Not that it mattered. There were quality males in the pack. Unfortunately, a female couldn't help what she was and because Adrianna was Alpha, only an Alpha could be her mate. And those were fewer in number. And what about love? It was discounted in the packs dwindling numbers, arranged matings favored instead.
As Adi thought on these disturbing realities, Tony's eyes found hers and she involuntarily scowled at his skulking ass.
Gawd how she hated him.
He grinned and she flipped him the bird.
"Adrianna," Emmanuel began then silenced her by saying his next comment in a reprimand that pierced her like a weapon, "what would Joseph wish?"
Cynthia watched the younger girl's face crumple and she looked at Emmanuel with clear anger radiating out of every pore, the paleness of her green eyes deepening to emerald fire.
Emmanuel's heart stuttered to see that anger directed at him. He hated leading sometimes: you simply could not please everyone. As a matter of fact, usually there were more people angered than gratified. He stared at the Singer and she returned dominant eye contact. He'd moved before he knew it, the beat of his instinctive need to dominate this female overwhelming. Manny was nearly lost to it when Adi said into Cynthia's ears.
"Drop your eyes!"
He was almost on the Singer when those green eyes fell and the anger and need to subdue her cooled to something resembling management.
"Control issues-much?" Tony sneered and Adi sighed, folding her arms across her chest.
"Don't touch her," Jason warned Emmanuel and they growled at each other, Emmanuel's ending in a clear snarl.
"Don't bother, loser. I didn't ask for your help," Cynthia told Jason, her eyes cast to her feet.
Jason stopped like someone had slapped him and turned on his heel, walking away from the group but in the direction of their mission.
Emmanuel took a deep, calming breath, swaying slightly as her scent undid him further. He needed distance.
He moved away from her as Tony gave him a considering look.
Dammit, Emmanuel lamented, that's all he needed, that sadistic wolf to suspect his feelings or intentions for Cynthia.
Wolves were known for searching for weakness. Manny did not wish for Tony to know his.
Tony watched the Second to the Packmaster follow after the red Feral in an unnatural and jerky gait.
Like his body was doing something against his will.
Tony's eyes snapped to the Singer, then shifted to the retreating back of Emmanuel.
Interesting, he thought, Manny was hot to screw the Singer. Of all the wolves, he was the coolest cucumber of them all. But not about this.
That could prove useful, Tony decided.
Very.
He followed, the three soldiers and Adi trailing behind. A disgruntled and agitated Cynthia in accompaniment.
Slash took the last position.
He liked to have his own back. He was also happier than hell to have Tony forward of his position, let him be point.
He didn't trust that miserable fuck as far as he could throw him.
*
Region One
"Can I trust you, Victor?"
"In all things, you know this, Jacqueline," Victor replied, even as a curl of disquiet unwound inside his chest. The directive of the Combatant became more insistent minute by minute. He was even now struggling with the simplest things. Ones that would have been automatic now went through an internal cross-check. It was always the same since the Queen had began her Awakening, sparking the closing of their circle.
All thoughts led to the question: Would it bring harm to She who Reigns? It was not a conscious deliberation but one by default, instinctive.
Jacqueline narrowed her gaze upon Victor, her eyes searching his expression, trying to gauge the truthfulness of his words. Satisfied, she straightened. Her dark complexion smoothed into the deep neutrality she wore like a mask at all times.
"She cannot be Queen," his leader vowed, slamming the back of a slim hand against the fragile crest of the chair that was stationed in front of an oversized mirror in a corner of the old room. Victor wondered if the quarters were chosen with Jacqueline in mind? She did love to gaze upon her likeness.
Some of what he thought must have shown on his face and she gave him a sharp look. "What are those thoughts I see on your face?" Her eyes sharpened on him like a falcon.
"I am not sure how I will respond to the girl. I am lost to the protection of her," Victor said, throwing his hands to his sides. "Even now I feel a compulsion to be near her in a bid to assure her safety."
Jacqueline frowned. This was so much more real and difficult than she anticipated. Unconsciously, her hand found the sack buried inside the interior fold of the slacks she wore and her anxiety came down a notch. She needed time and circumstance and then all would be well.
Jacqueline intimately understood the old ways. Where a true Queen perished in the presence of a female of royal lineage, certain things put in motion could not be stopped. In simplest terms, the momentum of the Combatant would not halt because of the death of the true Queen. Once awakened, the Combatant would defend the new Queen, despite the method of her ordination.
By fire, by stealth, unfair or not, Jacqueline would be Queen.
Her own flesh and blood would be honor bound, willing or not, to defend her and a slave to her soul would bind to her and obey her in all things. It was really quite perfect. If it were not for the formidable will of the girl. Jacqueline had tasted of her mind when the girl sat unprotected by their savvy Negator. Something, or many things had shaped the girl into a great enemy. Jacqueline had presumed the young Queen to be a wallflower, pampered, with an absent intellect. Instead she sensed a beautiful lamb with the heart of a lion. Julia would not be cowed.
However, she could be poisoned. That Jacqueline could manage. And manage it she would. She patted the slight bulge from the package hidden in a secret compartment inside her pants and smiled.
"Do not fret, Victor." She looked up into his eyes, struck suddenly with how beautiful of a man he was. As all the Combatants were. Even her own son, who resembled her, he was the most handsome of all. He would be hers soon enough. Fully. As soon as her wretched nemesis was disposed of they would all be hers. Even her wayward flesh and blood. Who currently looked upon her with barely contained disgust.
It would remain her secret. And very soon she would implement her plan. For soon, Julia would be immune to poison and a host of other things. As Queen, once her Awakening was complete, she would be virtually immortal, once begun, the Awakening would not stop until it was complete.
Jacqueline couldn't have that.
Victor watched that neutral expression have a fleeting look of greed and his unease deepened, his face unconsciously seeking the Queen. He could feel her close by and her proximity quieted his spirit even as his loyalties were torn.
Was this the call of the Combatant? To be loyal to his leader but care nothing about anything unless it involved the protection of the Queen? Victor excused himself and compulsively went to where Julia lay sleeping, his leader's eyes boring holes into his back as he did.
Soon, Jacqueline thought as she watched his retreating back, soon.
*
Julia
Julia struggled through layers of sleep, eyes following her as branches tore at her clothing, slowing her as she sprinted through the forest, unseen threats all around her.
Julia burst into a clearing and it was with the deepest sense of déjà vu she'd ever experienced that she slowed at the sight that greeted her, stunned, expectant. There stood Jason, a great red wolf, his green eyes swirling in a slow twirl, spinning languidly in a face she knew, yet didn't. Beside him was perched a giant black raven, three times the size of the bald eagles that were so prevalent where she'd grown up in the outskirts of the Alaskan wilderness. Its crimson eyes rested on her body intently.
Cyn suddenly appeared, standing in front of both. She beckoned to Julia. Julia began to move toward her, Cyn like a salve to her soul, beseeching.
Julia was sure Cyn had something she was saying, Julia could see her lips moving but couldn't make out the words. The pair of creatures that Julia knew instinctively were William and Jason flanked her position, slightly behind Cyn, the wolf and the raven, red and black.
They looked to be waiting for something.
Julia kept her forward progress even as ten warriors stood in front of Cynthia, taking form in the mist that had rolled in at her feet. Instead of appearing startled by their appearance, she began to try to fight through the wall of muscled flesh and Julia ran toward the group, driving toward Cyn, coming home.
She saw Cyn scream a warning at something from behind Julia and she turned, facing Jacqueline. Or what was Jacqueline in her dream state.
Jacqueline was a beautiful creature. She wore a gown covered in small jewels that sparkled in the deepening twilight of Julia's dream. Her ebony eyes caught the amber of Julia's easily.
Julia heard the stampede from behind her of the ones who would protect her from this perfection and every instinct Julia possessed screamed for her to run.
Yet she was glued to the spot, her feet leaden, her will held captive by another, mesmerized.
Jacqueline smiled then said, "Sleep."
It was said in a silken whisper as Jacqueline raised her palm, where something lay cupped. Shimmering white powder, like iridescent glitter lay in a little pile in the graceful curve of her palm. Jacqueline pursed those beautiful lips and blew a kiss at the twinkling pile toward Julia. It wafted toward her, carried on an invisible wind, seeking Julia like due north on a compass.
Julia's senses awoke and she became aware of Cyn screaming behind her, the flap of bird's wings were sounding a roar in her ears, warm fur pressed against her body, muscled arms hauled her against a massive body and all the while the glitter fell over Julia like a blanket.
Of snow.
Blown by a mouth so red it looked like blood.
Julia closed her eyes.
And slept.
While her protectors wept.
CHAPTER 17
Truman
Karl Truman gave a hard glance to his right, then left. The sounds of the noisy Benson Street more than a white noise backdrop. And, of course, the effing street wasn't Benson anymore, but just good old 104th. That told him Harriet was a local boy, never bothering to update his internal map, but having it permanently arrested in the 70s or whenever he'd lived in the area.
Truman spotted the Suit right away. The guy screamed fed and Karl walked toward him, his mind still with the Red Robin manager, Alan Greene. The bottom line was, he hadn't met a person yet in this town that didn't make his nose twitch. His instincts were screaming for him to stand up and take notice. Those instincts had saved his keister on more than one occasion, he always listened.
His nose told him that something was up.
The man that approached him was shorter than Truman but built like a brick shithouse, his fed-regulated Men in Black suit fitting awkwardly across the shoulders. The guy saw gym time and it had put him out of range for off the rack clothes. A mirror-lover, this one.
Marvelous.
They shook hands and took the measure of each other through the handshake like men do. Truman's still came up on the high end and only the tightening of the younger man's eyes told Truman that he'd been surprised by the force Karl could still put out. He wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.
Their hands dropped and the agent said, "Let's do this outside."
Right, Truman thought. Out loud he said, "Good idea." He gave a palm for the fed to proceed him out of the coffeehouse and the agent gave a small pause then gave him his back as he walked out. Karl gave no man his back. The agent had been smart to hesitate. Karl might look like a slightly overweight middle-aged guy (he was) but he knew how to carry himself.
Against human men anyway.
The agent turned as soon as the noise of the street numbed the ears of those few bystanders close enough to hear.
"So Truman..." the agent, whose name was Ford, like the trucks, spread his palms out at either side of his body to show how harmless he was. Should've been, him being the liaison to the feds for Karl's statie ass but Truman doubted it. He could almost see the hammer fall.
"Tell me what your thoughts are."
Truman did. He wasn't sold on giving this smug young pup what he'd beaten the pavement for but they were supposedly sharing info. When he wrapped with the meeting he'd just had with Alan the restaurant guy, the agent covered his eyes with his black wraparounds. Securing his expression as anonymous.
He stood from his perch at the outdoor bistro chair and table configuration and so did Karl. "So, we think that we have enough to move forward independently."
Karl blinked. What the blue hell was this? "What do you mean, 'independently'?"
Ford stared back at him, his eyes like alien orbs of unreadable blackness. Truman got a sudden and almost painful urge to tear those sunglasses off his face and pistol whip him with them.
Ford gave a small chuckle and Truman felt his neck muscles bunch with tension. "We now have a bigger problem on our hands. What we thought was a rare, isolated group to contain... well, it's more widespread than originally presumed."
These dumb asses had known about the werewolves long before he came on the scene. They'd used him like a piece of ass to find the lair and now they would discard him. His purpose served.
Truman called bullshittery on that.
"Listen to me," Karl said, stepping into Ford's grill, who held his ground, "I am not going to be dismissed like some errand boy while one of my homegirls is out there with this rabid pack of dogs, suffering God-knows-what indignities." His eyes bored holes in Ford, who stared back unflinchingly. "You don't care about the girl that was taken, you care about containment and hiding what's out there from the citizens of our great nation. You make me sick."
The silence engulfed the men, the people, cars, buildings and other things melting away. Karl watched the short dark hair on Ford's head lift slightly in the breeze, his large hands, no doubt calloused from weight lifting, planted on his hips.
Finally, Ford spoke, "You're out, Truman." He said the words as a statement, a neat dismissal of execution from the inner sanctum.
"You goddamned putz," Karl Truman seethed, utterly sloughing off the end of their partnership. Which, he realized now, had been more exploitative than cooperative.
Ford shrugged in the breeze. "The FBI would like to thank you for your investigative efforts, but they are no longer needed. Further, this cooperative relationship is also no longer necessary. A letter, reiterating the points I've just made, will be sent to your superior and copied to yourself."
Ford turned smartly in the direction of his car and Truman jogged after him. When he reached out to grab the fed's arm, Ford turned smoothly and covertly sucker punched him. Truman was not prepared. People of honor usually aren't. They think from their own perspective, eschewing others' mindsets for the one they embrace as individuals.
It nailed him deep, robbing his breath. Karl choked on his own spit. The young agent dipped beside his ear as Karl clutched his gut. "Go away, Truman. Don't go away mad, just go away."
He straightened, Truman eyeing him from his bent position as Ford adjusted his suit like he'd just shrugged it on instead of having punched a fellow law officer in the gut.
Karl stood, his hand palming his gut and watched the young agent fold himself into the black SUV, the one that matched his suit, the reflection of the glass the same as his lenses. With a mocking salute, he drove off, the window sliding to seal the fed in his car, the motivations and secrets of the FBI driving off with him.
They didn't know Karl Truman very well. That well-placed directive, sealed with a punch, would be summarily ignored. If anything, it put the flag before the bull.
Karl saw only red.
*
Julia
Julia's eyes popped open and she sat straight up in bed like a movie-zombie, plank straight with a gasping mouth, minus the rot.
She was greeted by... oh, the entire world and she blushed to the roots of her hair, the dream still pulsing in her brain in HD detail.
It was Victor that sat at the edge of her bed and she fought tears, her fear as great as any she'd ever known. The remnants of the dream had a precognitive feel to it, jarring her insides like the aftermath of a crash. Julia had always had flashes of precognition. But didn't everyone? Until this crazy Blood Singer stuff had been launched around for her to consider she'd just chalked it up to one of those things.
Yeah right.
Julia knew better now. Way better.
Scott looked down at her, his arms folded across his chest, glaring at Victor, his would-be rival. The truth was, Julia was the real culprit. It was her blood, and hers alone, that would choose a soulmate out of the ten. However, it had been clear to all that had paid attention that the two that had gotten early responses from her had been Victor, and of course, there was Scott.
Who right now looked like he wanted to tear Victor's arm off and beat him with it.
However, Jen saved the day, shoving aside the Combatant like big trees made of flesh. She got to her brother and stabbed a finger in his chest. "Listen, he-man, take a hike." He opened his mouth and she instructed in the tone of Riled Sibling, "Now."
Scott's mouth snapped shut and he glowered at her, his eyes shifting between her and Victor. He sighed and stood from the bed, laying palms flat down the front of his perfect pants, a replica of tyrant Jacqueline. Julia thought they looked like twins. She tried to banish the uncharitable comparison but couldn't quite do it.
Julia swung her bare feet over the side of the bed as Paul walked into the room full of Singers.
"What's going on? Is there some problem?"
"No," Julia said in a flat voice. "Everybody out!" She shooed the huge men out, grumbles and muttering all around. Julia was dressed only in jammie bottoms and a cami, her hair... well, ouch. "They were just leaving Paul," Julia explained, being careful not to touch anyone's skin. Julia was still feeling the residual weirdness of her Awakening and she'd like to not manifest some other crazy thing while the Combatants were all crammed inside her room like sardines.
Scott allowed himself to be herded then when he was nearly out the door he shut it with the flat of his palm and Julia ran to the bathroom, slamming the door in his face. He hit the door with his fist and it shuddered underneath the impact.
"Julia," Scott said in a low voice, full of command, ownership. Which just made Julia feel less like discussing anything with him.
Julia felt the pull of him through the two inches of one hundred year old wood and pressed her forehead against the thick panel which had held against his fist.
"We need to talk," Scott said, placing his huge hand, fingers spread against the opposite side and Julia unconsciously mirrored his action with her own hand.
"No. I need some time by myself. I've had... a lot to take in Scott. I appreciate all that you've done for me but I have, I need... to get my head on straight."
Jen huffed in the background. Brothers! Men! They just had to press. Jen couldn't even imagine being Julia right now. Almost killed in the meadow, getting sick, the vampire skirmish. Finding out she was essentially the blood messiah of the Singers. It was amazing to Jen that she was even coherent. Then there was the added issue of the worst leader of the thirteen regions making an unannounced visit. Yet, Jen felt for her brother. He'd been independent with his life plan well-laid in front of him. Now he wanted someone he'd never have chosen. Blood ruled all. It was as simple as that.
Jen touched Scott's back and he stiffened.
"She won't listen," he growled at her, his forehead still pressed against the wall.
"Try not pushing, Scott," Jen said gently.
He turned, his palm sliding off the wood as Julia stepped away from the other side and then someone began pounding on the door which led into her room.
"Can it, asshole!" Scott bellowed unreasonably and Jen shook her head. He was so pig-headed that his very nature might be wrong. How could he lead with all that anger?
Julia heard Scott yell and her chest tightened with his simmering rage. How could she be linked to this hothead? Why did she give a care that he was angry, frustrated with her inability to be decisive? Julia didn't know exactly but before she explored all of the blood ties, there was one thing that was getting her full attention.
The dream.
It meant something. Julia needed to talk with someone that could possibly interpret it. That could free her from the wolf and vampire that were tied to her by blood. Julia knew her liberty would never be secure until that was terminated. Somehow, that dream was speaking to that.
What was it saying?
*
Cyn
Cynthia would have killed for a shower, the traipsing across the country was the suckiest enterprise she'd ever undertaken. Of course, she was from Alaska and hiking was something where your parents laced boots on your feet in toddlerhood and chucked your chubby ass out the door with the directive: walk.
Everyone did and it was ingrained. However, Cynthia had never really taken that to heart, instead embracing her girlie side. In this instance, she missed not being a traditional Alaskan chic. Jules would have kicked ass on this journey. Cynthia sighed, struggling not to become a whining bitch.
Adi gave her a light tap on the arm, fresh as a damn daisy and Cynthia fumed. "Tired?" she asked, cocking a golden brow, her tanned face speaking to her time in the outdoors.
Cynthia was betting werewolves didn't get wrinkles, bags and other unattractive crap. It put Cynthia in a funk. "Yeah, beat. These Wereguys can trudge to the ends of time but I need some ass planting time."
Adi smiled, whistling. "Hey guys, princess here is tired."
"Thanks, sweet thing, that gets them so ready to like me," Cynthia said.
"Oh... they like ya. That's isn't the problem," Adi said without a trace of humor.
Great, Cynthia thought, just great.
The men walked back to where Cynthia stood and it was then that she noticed how other they seemed. When they weren't together you didn't notice that almost buzzing, contained energy that radiated just beneath their skin, present but unnoticed.
In a group, they sung with it. A vibrating electricity poured over her as they neared and she swayed with the force of it.
"Hey!" Jason yelled, reaching for her and Cynthia jerked away from his hand.
And fell against Emmanuel.
Emmanuel grabbed the exhausted girl against him, meaning only to catch her and his wolf burst over the top of them both, his change smacking into her like a wall of sodden flesh. Cynthia fell from the impact, landing on her back and took a front row seat to his Change. Brought on by the moon, not full but near enough. But mainly brought on by her touch. Singer called to Wolf, and there Emmanuel stood, in his wolfen form, half-human, half-Were. Seven feet of muscled fur.
Cynthia looked around and every male fell to the call.
Oh happy day, Cynthia thought in a random fog, like dominoes falling, every male Changed.
And Adi as well. Skin sloughed, flesh and bone snapped and reconnected in a noisy chorus of wet sucking and repositioning that Cynthia closed her eyes against, her mind rebelling the visual onslaught in defensive protection.
Suddenly, instead of two girls and six males it was a pack of werewolves and one Singer on her back, exhausted and now pretty damn scared.
When Emmanuel reached for her, she cringed away, throwing up her hands in a final defensive gesture.
The memory of the last werewolf burned into the deepest recesses of her mind. The horror of that moment came alive in a single sweep of terror that caused every part of Cynthia to freeze. She couldn't think, breathe... move.
She was utterly convinced she would die now.
*
William
"Tell me, Singer," William instructed and Jen's glazed eyes held his gray gaze.
He tilted her neck to the side then let her chin fall, her body very still against his touch.
"She rebels," Jen answered robotically.
"And?" William prompted.
"She dreams of you... and her husband."
William frowned thoughtfully. That was not good. He could feel her Awakening. He must complete the blood-share or there would be no chance of a union. As it was, he was now the de facto leader of Merlin's Southeastern Kiss of vampire. Yet, what good was that if he did not have a mate to share it with? With whom he could perpetuate a new order. Daywalking vampire, fueled by Singer blood, his progeny. His and Julia's.
And with the exception of Claire, there would be another coven to bring to heel, for what had been brought against him.
William returned his attention to the Singer. His thirst was ravenous but he must not overindulge. William needed to be sharp, but was one day out without blood. He eyed this one, strongly telepathic and used what little he had to drill his commands home.
Do not leave her side, lure her to an area where the ones who guard her are not near.
He watched the Singer flinch. Thrall always had that effect when the one compelled was instructed to do things not of their choosing. Which was often of course. Thrall was almost never used on the willing.
Unbutton your sleeve, William instructed mentally, cringing a little when the girl's eyes stood with heavy accusation on his.
He stepped forward, as hungry as he'd ever been except during Merlin's torture, and gripping her small forearm he struck deep, the blood of the Singer a coursing melodious roar in his body, nourishing him at the cellular level, his eyes going red in their sockets as he pulled from her.
Not common human stock, but pure blood, oxygenated and perfectly balanced for the vampiric body. When her blood reached his deepest core, it burst and combined with their mutual genetics, causing deep wounds from the torture and forced shapeshifting changes to heal instantly, a blanket of soothing rightness cast, binding his body together more strongly than ever before.
William lifted his mouth off her forearm and gave her a look of deep respect, his heart heavy when he saw the tears of frustration she shed, her every fiber begging for escape. Yet there she stood, rooted by thrall, laid by a vampire with enough Singer heritage to accomplish such a thing against another.
Jen knew in her heart that she was a traitor to Julia.
To all Singers. Her Queen trusted her and she would betray that trust because of a damned vampire. Who now held her blood.
And the blood of their Queen.
Jen's soul shrieked as the vampire stared at her, whispering directions to snare Julia.
She nodded acquiescence.
Jen had no choice.
She closed the sleeve to hide his feeding and walked away with stiff purpose.
It was a death sentence, the Combatant would kill her.
They would kill anyone who threatened the Queen of the Singers.
It was Blood Law, absolute and merciless.
Final.
CHAPTER 18
Southeastern Pack
"He's on to us," Alan Greene said with resignation. His hazel eyes, rimmed by dark lashes, glared at the Southeastern Packmaster in frustration.
David nodded, that's what he'd been afraid of. Their relations with the Northwestern Pack were strained after the problem with their sadistic Were. David would always regret that they'd not taken action when Alan's sister had been attacked by the rogue.
Sometimes, avoiding war had a cost that was not felt immediately but well afterward, like endless ripples in a lake after a stone was skipped.
"I figured it was a matter of time before someone clever enough connected the dots..." David gave Alan a hard look and continued, "what about our guy at the courts?"
"Hard drive trail." Alan considered briefly, then, "That mongrel attacked Lacey before computers so there was a small amount of records that were input by hand."
"Dammit," David swore softly. "And after we've tried so hard to assimilate in mainstream society."
"Yeah," Alan agreed.
"And Cynthia Adams?" David asked.
"Slash has it," Alan said and watched blatant relief wash over his Packmaster's face.
"Well thank the moon for small favors." David palmed his chin thoughtfully. "What about the cop from Homer?"
Alan laughed. "He's pretty sharp. In fact, he'd make an awesome wolf. He sure has the nose for it."
"Stop dreaming, you know the rules..."
Alan nodded, the smile fading. "I do. I'd bank on him having wolf blood in there somewhere though."
They looked at each other for a swollen moment. "That region has a plethora of Singers. Where there's that many Singers..."
"There is Were," Alan added.
"And drinkers," David finished on a somber note.
Always them, Alan thought with distaste.
David gave a small shrug. Small for a male that was as big as he. "There's a lot of mixed blood in Alaska."
"Too much," Alan ground out. It was well known how the packs from the last frontier were managed. Badly.
David waggled his finger. "Now, now... don't be an elitist, Alan."
Alan rolled his eyes skyward. "It is not my intent, Packmaster," giving the natural deference accorded his leader. "You of all Were understand the trouble with the mutts. They contaminate everything."
"But a mixed-blood Singer is fine," David reminded.
"Yes," Alan said as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.
David narrowed his eyes on his first. "Just so we're clear, Julia Caldwell is not up for acquisition."
Alan nodded sagely. "Too many fingers in that pie."
David smiled. "We don't need the Rare One. But having the one who is close to her is a very powerful position as well. It is no surprise that she was from Alaska. That everyone who surrounded her was of Singer heritage."
"Yes, no surprise there," Alan agreed thinking of the unconscious magnet a Rare One would be to others of her kind and waited on the Packmaster's thoughts.
David deliberated. "What intel do you have from Slash?"
"He nears Region One of the Singers."
David gave a low whistle, heard only by certain creatures. "So the danger draws near."
Alan thought about Cynthia traveling with that abuser with only Slash as guard and a light sweat broke over him. It had taken every fiber of his control not to Change and go charging after her when she was taken. Rather, allowing the kidnapping to occur after her initial arrival in Washington. It had killed something inside him not offering her his instinctive protection.
Cynthia was Singer enough to warrant it.
He was Alpha enough to seek it.
Alan gave a low contemplative growl and his Packmaster smiled in grim agreement, intuiting the exact nature of his feelings. Patience was not a strong suit of the Were. To implement it was always a tenuous thing at best.
As was the case at the moment.
*
Truman
Karl Truman loved to dig. When he was digging, as he was now, he was truly in his element. When he stumbled across the tidbit before it was erased forever he was overcome with joy. His nose hadn't lied. Everything was connected.
Every damn thing. The details of his investigation came together in a rush of perfection and everything made sense.
Karl hadn't been looking for the connection but that shred of memory was enough to give him pause:
Lacey Greene was the woman attacked by the perp Anthony Daniel Laurent in the late 70s.
She was also the sister of the good old boy manager at Red Robin, Alan Greene. All of this almost forty year old bad blood was a convoluted mess to be found by just the right person.
Truman was that guy.
He dismissed the commonality of their names because of dates. When in reality, he should have been thinking outside the box on this one. They didn't age like humans. Period.
The manager was almost certainly one of the werewolves and he'd been underneath Karl's nose the entire time. No wonder it'd been twitching.
Karl thought about it. Werewolves in Homer murder the Caldwell kid, his buddy Kevin and take Julia Caldwell, leaving Cynthia Adams untouched. Then, another group of werewolves hire her at the local burger joint when she arrives in Kent, the very place Julia was taken. Finally, two years later, werewolves kidnap the Adams girl, best friend of Julia.
Truman didn't believe in coincidence of this magnitude. Actually, Karl wasn't much of a believer in coincidence of any degree.
However, Alan Greene had seemed almost cavalier about the sudden absence of Cynthia Adams, nonchalant with her missing in action status. He'd even asked Karl where he thought she was. The bastard knew, Karl would stake his life on it.
He just might.
Truman stewed, thinking about every angle, turning each one over in his mind carefully, dismissing the absurd, finally embracing a facet that made sense.
There was some cooperative thing going down between wolf packs or whatever the hell they were called. He nodded to himself, that was it.
Cynthia Adams was relatively safe. He speculated she was being used like a pawn on a chessboard, an elaborate game played between the packs.
Truman was guessing they didn't get along. Not a big leap of logic there. How was Anthony Laurent tied with Alan Greene besides the assault against his sister? Was he one of the wolves that had torn Cynthia from Karl in that meadow? And why would Alan Greene stand by and allow his sister's attacker to take another female? It made no sense. But the truth was there; buried and waiting. He knew it.
Karl tapped in one last thing on the anonymous computer at the local King County Library: last known address for Anthony "Tony" Daniel Laurent.
A spinning hour glass moved for almost thirty seconds while Karl restrained both the urge to grab a phantom pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket and to give the big monitor a whack with his palm. Damn thing.
Then the hit came back: Gig Harbor.
It couldn't be that easy, Truman thought, they'd have covered their tracks better than that. Of course, nearly forty years ago, they might not have had reason to. In current times, with technology as it was, the wolves had more incentive.
Like with cops that had a keen sense of smell. Truman's face broke out in a grin.
Hot damn, a genuine lead. He grabbed his lightweight jacket and took off, the door grazing his butt as he exited.
*
Slash
Slash went for the throat of Emmanuel, his imperative to protect the female Singer the only one which mattered. His packmates, which was a misnomer as he belonged by blood ties to another, had Turned and the Singer was in danger.
Emmanuel had wrapped the Singer's fragile forearm in his hand, long since springing talons and was immediately blasted in the side by Slash.
They rolled in a tide of bristled fur and swiping claws to the left of Cynthia's position.
Tony moved in and Adi plunged her mouth into his flank as he bashed her with his half-formed hand, retracting his claws on the backswing so he wouldn't hurt her.
Too badly.
Adi rolled on the forest floor, dazed by the blow. She was an excellent fighter, but so was Tony, pound for pound, squaring off with him was suicide with their uneven weight and muscle distribution. She lay on the ground, panting, her objective met: distraction.
Jason grabbed Cyn and she yelped, stopping the momentum of fur that had erupted in a frenzy of slashing claws and battering hands, with deadly knives flashing like weapons of bone.
Jason bellowed in an ear-splitting wail, "Stop!" He backed up, holding a nearly catatonic Cyn, Adi on her side, clutching a gash to her wolfen face while Tony came for him.
Bring it, Jason thought. Tony had been begging for an ass-kicking from day one and Jason was happy to deliver.
It was one of the other Were who stopped the fighting in a low voice, "They're close."
Tony whirled to face him, his coat so deep a brown it was almost black. "Who?"
The other wolf, as different from Tony as night and day, his coat matching the whitish gray of Adi's said, "Does your anger hold you prisoner so that you no longer scent danger?" the other asked without a trace of sarcasm, his eyes straying to the injured female wolf at his feet.
Tony scowled, the expression almost comical on his snout. He lifted his face into the air and noticed the smell almost too late.
"Drinkers," Tony growled.
Emmanuel and Slash rose from the mess they'd made of each other, blood wounds closing, haphazard gashes reversing their depth, new flesh filling in like bright pink water, plumping the holes as Cynthia watched, slightly nauseous from the sight.
Gawd these guys were gross, she thought in a daze.
Jason stepped forward, dragging a swaying Cynthia behind him as he scooped up the female that had been beaten by that loser Tony. He wasn't up on Were politics but he was thinking that beating a female, werewolf or not, was frowned upon.
He was right in his supposition, the other males circling Tony.
"You hit the female," Slash accused, his eyes shifting to Cynthia briefly, Jason caught it and thought it was weird but assumed he was making sure she was okay.
Manny growled at Tony, he'd had about enough of his abuse against females. How many times would Lawrence cover his indiscretions before the Were were disciplined or discovered because of them? He didn't care if Tony was a pureblood, who his parents had been or how great of a soldier to the Were he proved to be. In Emmanuel's eyes, he was a liability, a ticking time bomb.
Set to detonate at any moment.
"She drew first blood," Tony said as a weak excuse, indicating his side where a row of perfect puncture marks were even now filling in.
Manny gave a disgusted snort and drilled Tony with his eyes. Any male knew that a female was of no concern. Adrianna was barely humored in her war with the Were. It was a well-guarded secret that they allowed her to fight to secure her compliance. Alpha females were a difficult group to corral. Adi was no different. When she was fully grown, she would breed. That is what her true value was. It was callous but factual. However, Tony's mistreatment of a valuable female werewolf would not be tolerated, they were a rare treasure to be safeguarded, not harmed. Emmanuel's opinion was shared by the others as they growled, a prelude to a group attack against an Alpha that needed pack reprimand.
Again the gray wolf spoke, "They are but ten miles due north and approaching."
It broke the spell of the impending fight, an uneasy truce brought on by enemies of merit, Tony allowed a stay of execution.
For now.
Jason uttered a swearword that was almost too low to hear and Cynthia offered an olive branch saying, "I heard that Caldwell."
He gave a small smile and she looked up at him. "Maybe you can redeem your sorry ass?"
"That's what I'm trying to do, if you'd have listened to me, Cyn," he said, trying not to get too hopeful that she'd forgive, that she'd help his hopeless cause to get Julia back at his side where she belonged.
"Let us go," Emmanuel said, allowing no uptick or rapport to develop between the two. He would stake his claim subtly and wherever he could.
Jason gave Emmanuel a small frown, he'd been one of the Were that he'd actually liked and now he was peeing in corners, marking his metaphorical territory. Jason deliberated whether he should make a stand. But one thing he knew, when it came to females, any female, unless he had a romantic interest in one, he stayed the hell away. He sure didn't have one inkling of romantic interest in Cyn, she was... like a sister or something. And of course, there was Julia.
Jason gave a neutral expression, if such a thing was possible with his half-human face but it worked and Emmanuel relaxed his tense posture. Jason also knew that it was all about subtleties in the world of Weres. Little physical gestures packed a punch when it came to communication.
Tony smirked. Saved by the blood drinkers, he thought, an unlikely event. Ah... he led a charmed life. He looked at Adi, marking her with his dominant eye contact. His eyes delivered the message clearly: mine.
Adi glared back at him. Her eyes responded in kind: piss off.
Twice.
They held their stare of animosity for a moment, breaking it only when Jason said for all, "I will carry Cyn."
Protestation broke all around, mainly words delivered in a growling mutter.
Emmanuel put up an taloned-hand in silence. "She cannot run and speed is needed. The Singers will have established a form of protection that will be in place as the vampires circle from the east and we position from the south. Let us group near their Region and plan our attack based on timing." He then looked at Tony significantly and added, "Instead of reactive emotion."
Tony glared at Manny and they all turned and faced north. In only a few hours, they would cover enough ground to put them into attack position. There would be no repeat of the earlier conflict resulting in the near-death of the Rare One.
An untenable loss.
They ran as the vampires that were now tied to William came from the east. Summoned by him, their loyalties now shifted from Merlin to their new leader, put there by blood and death.
By providence.
*
Julia
"Please, sit," Marcus indicated with a palm, looking at Julia carefully, dark circles underneath her whiskey eyes, her expression anxious.
The Combatant were everywhere but inside the room, Julia could vaguely feel Scott and to a lesser extent, Victor. Their presence was softened by Paul. Who, true to his word, had kept the voices of the other Singers to a muted roar.
"You had a dream," Marcus prompted.
Julia nodded, sitting in an overstuffed chair that faced the massive desk Marcus sat behind. "Jen told you?"
"Yes... she said you wanted to have someone interpret it."
Julia nodded and Marcus added, "I know it is a lot to assimilate, that you are young and have been through a series of traumas. Many of which are quite recent."
Well that about summed stuff up, Julia thought.
"And many dreams of Singers are prophetic."
Great, Julia thought.
Julia told him about it, the entire thing.
Marcus leaned back in his chair, very like a throne, behind his huge desk, one of very few pieces of furniture that matched the age of the house and steepled his fingers. After the ticking of the clock marked two minutes of silence after she had finished, Marcus said, "Everyone is represented. That is what is noteworthy," he commented thoughtfully.
Julia's expression grew puzzled, then troubled as she began to wearily make possible connections. Marcus interrupted her internal deliberations.
"The wolf will come, as will the vampire. Those two come into the play of your freedom from the blood-binding. Without them relinquishing you through blood, you will not be free of them, and therefore, cannot reign as you were meant to."
"Jason will kill me," Julia said, proud that her voice didn't tremble with fear, or with the other emotions she associated with the attack: grief, loss, denial and acceptance. Julia knew that William would not harm her. She had enough time in his presence coupled with firsthand knowledge to know that she was too critically important to harm. The vampires were all about self-preservation. And deep inside, Julia knew that he'd actually cared for her. A subtle thread of memory, like a slice of comfort came to her, almost like a dream and she struggled to capture it but it floated away when Marcus answered her statement.
"No," Marcus said with certainty. Julia gave a little gasp of surprise. He had been there, Marcus had seen what Jason did to her. There was no doubt that if he hadn't lost consciousness at just the right moment she would've been toast. "He is Singer and from the looks of his wolf, a rare type of Were. There is no precedence. I take his actions toward you for confusion during the upheaval of his change in combination with your proximity..."
"You're saying... what? That he got bowled over by his emotions, went on sensory overload and momentarily forgot I was his wife?" Julia asked, her voice raised.
Marcus flinched but gave a satisfied look toward Julia, thinking not for the first time, how very astute she was for having only lived twenty years. "That's exactly what I am saying."
Julia leaned back in shock. Could it be possible? That Jason was not acting rationally but instead, his wolf and human sides had jumbled at exactly the wrong time and in that sideways moment he'd acted without true thought? It shed light on the event in a whole new perspective.
Now what was she going to do? Legally she was married to Jason. Hell, she sure had been married to him in her heart. Things had changed though. He was no longer human but a Were, she had ten protectors in place because she was some kind of royalty for the Singers. Topping that off was a whacko visiting leader who blew poisoned snow at her in dreams and was the biological mother of a possible soulmate that had anger management issues.
Julia was screwed six ways to Sunday.
She furiously thought about all of it. Finally, she asked Marcus the biggest question that begged an answer, "What can save me from this mess?"
Marcus smiled, pleased again by her intellect. She would make a fine leader. If they could get her through to the other side of the Circle of Protection, he thought with a pang of trepidation.
"Your blood. It is your blood that holds they key. If we can but protect you a little longer, when you finally Awaken fully... then all hope is not lost."
Julia stared at Marcus, so unlike Scott, but with a similar intensity and said in a low tone, reluctant to voice the obvious, "And if I don't 'Awaken' soon enough?"
"Then you are horribly vulnerable until that time."
Wonderful news, Julia realized, feeling a little hopeless.
Marcus expounded, "This is why the Combatant stays close. They're protecting you until such time as you Awaken. And I will say this: the vampire and Jason, who is now more Were than any other thing, human or Singer, will come. It is compulsion. You carry their blood and as supernatural beings, that is what binds."
Julia sighed.
"The Blood sings and calls to all that carry its counterpart. They will come and we shall be ready."
You hope, Julia thought, leaving the room with more questions than answers.
Story of her life.
CHAPTER 19
Truman
Truman flipped his notepad closed. He left the small convenience store in a subdivision of greater Gig Harbor. The bell tinkled over his head as he exited, the sign missing a T as it swung in the slight breeze above his head. It should have read Arletta Stop & GO! Instead, it read, Arleta Stop & GO! The exclamation mark was a mere suggestion after sixty years of weather and sun. Karl took a look around, finally heading to the spot where he thought there'd be some People of Interest.
Or in the case of his perps: werewolves.
He leaned hard on the checker, the granddaughter of the people that had owned the convenience store when it was a wide spot in the road. In fact, her family had homesteaded the area back at the turn of the last century, when a felled Douglas Fir could trim a whole house.
The conversation had been an interesting one. Karl had the feeling like the hard-miler broad had been waiting for the other shoe to fall and when Truman walked in, it did.
At first she put up the typical fight of feigning ignorance but Truman's nose had caught the scent and he was a literal bloodhound.
Irene had told him that there was a religious sect that lived in the center of a hundred mile forested patch of land.
Religious his ass. They were religious all right, religious about hiding, he figured.
Truman remembered what she hadn't said, and how that had sharpened his speculations to a razor's edge.
"They don't bother nobody," her shadowed eyes landed on Truman's significantly. "And nobody bothers them, leastways locals," she said in a true smoker's grate. Truman was almost jealous as the smoke from her cig curled to tease him, the cloud of gray between them like a lover's caress.
God he missed smoking.
She had given him a subtle warning to get lost but he wasn't going to bite. He was made of sterner stuff.
Irene took a long, hollow-cheeked drag of her menthol and with a practiced flick, landed the one inch ash in the glass ashtray with uncanny precision. Truman noticed the ashtray had a special molded pouch for a matchbook. Old-fashioned.
"You got official business with 'em?" she asked, blowing a puff into the air where it joined the general fog of smoke from a thousand other smokes, the ceiling gone from true white to a dim gray. Karl watched the smoke lift and filter along the ceiling, transfixed.
He came back to himself with a start. "Yeah, I do. There's a missing girl and we have reason to believe...."
"Say no more." She paused, holding her cig like a joint and took that last, lung-singeing draw before stabbing it out in her ashtray in a vicious crush of ember and tobacco. "Just don't sing about me. 'Cuz I'll be the one that pays, not y'all."
Truman frowned. "I don't think you have to worry about retribution from my official police visit ma'am."
Irene looked at him for a moment, weighing his words carefully while lighting another cigarette with her trusty Bic. "Yeah, I gotta worry. I live here. My family's always lived here. We'll live here after you stir up that hornet's nest and they need somebody to sting. Who do ya think that'll be? Eh?"
Truman's excitement over the bone being found gathered a sense of unease at the edges. He'd take all the heat that could be dished but he didn't want to share the entree of danger with innocents.
He stared at a bedraggled Irene, rode hard and put away wet, long miles and time etched on her face like an unfortunate roadmap of land-locked isolation in a community that harbored danger.
"Don't worry ma'am, the trail won't lead back to you. I give you my word."
Karl Truman remembered her words with a ringing clarity now, they'd wormed into the fabric of his memories perfectly.
"It could be more than your vow, officer. Much more." Irene had not said those words in a thoughtful way.
She'd uttered them like a certain promise.
Karl shook his misgivings away like a wet dog sloughing water and jammed his key into the ignition, belting up. He drove toward the vague directions Irene had given him, his mind's eye conjuring that waffling cigarette smoke like a prop in the telling.
He drove.
When Truman reached the long dirt road that wound to nowhere, he parked. Popping the trunk, he dumped his cop shoes for Xtra Tuffs. That'd do anywhere in a pinch. If the terrain had mud, muck or snow, bring it... he was prepared.
The wolves who watched his methodical progress were as well. The forward sentry racing to the den.
Alerting the pack to the stranger who smelled.
Scenting the trouble his presence signified on the wind.
*
Southeastern Kiss
There were no vampires of strong enough Singer blood to Shift. Even if there were sufficient blood quantum to be had, it did not guarantee that knack for shifting that William was lucky enough to possess. Yet, there was one vampire who approached that had enough Singer's blood to offer something else of use.
Merlin's former second-in-command, Mason, moved through the silent folds of the forest as a panther, his eyes reflective in the darkness. William turned slightly as he neared and caught the subtle flash of white fangs as he smiled and then it was gone.
He was a huge male, as many of Singer blood were bound to be.
Mason inclined his head and William answered his unspoken question. "It is done. The female Singer will lure Julia to our preordained meeting point."
Mason appeared thoughtful, his shock of carrot hair blazing even in the night that had fallen around them. "This is our sacred prophesy playing out before us my brother."
William just nodded. The next few hours would seal the fate of all supernaturals.
"I can scent the dogs," Mason said almost offhandedly.
William could not, he would need to be in raven form and then he could scent and sight them with ease. How he wished his sight matched that of his other form. Mason was extremely fortunate to have the dual ability that some Singers possessed. He had the Tracking ability, smelling everything for miles. It had been instrumental in William's capture. However, in the end, it was William's sharp intellect which had saved him from the tender mercies of the Southeastern Kiss.
Which was now his. William was linked to every vampire who had blood-share with that kiss, the blood of their leader beating within his body, the control of the kiss was now William's by default, by usurpation via the death of their former leader.
"How far?" William asked softly.
"They approach from the south." Mason lifted his nose, a pale beacon in the air, his nostrils flaring once then responded, "perhaps ten miles..." he inhaled deeply, bringing air with a coaxing gesture of his hand to his nose, "and they slow."
William nodded, his battle strategy, employed throughout the centuries were assisting his speculations handily. The Were would erect a camp then wait. Timing was crucial. Perhaps there be one in charge of the dogs who was a worthy opponent. Or worse, one with all that violent passion the wolves possessed but driven by strategy, in sync with himself. It was unlikely but William could not dismiss the potential. After all, they were after the Rare One as he was. The Packmaster would have selected those he trusted with such an errand. William opened himself to that faint pulse that marked where Julia was, and even underneath the call of her blood to his, William could feel the tenor of her emotions.
What he found troubled him. The fragility of Julia was wound in a knot of anxiety. Almost as if... she waited for something.
A bloated portent.
Could she be closer to fully Awakening than even he knew?
*
Julia
Julia had her knees tucked underneath her chin, her fingers tracing errant patterns in the pebbles that bordered the lake, the swans long-gone, no water creature in sight, a light breeze disturbing the surface slightly. She had one arm wrapped around the bend of her knees, her mood pensive. She could feel the Combatant at her back, actually Julia could feel their presence like a wall of solid, unreadable blank spots in her head. Where there was the incessant whispering of voices, dulled slightly by Paul there were holes of silence in that vast space.
It was where the Combatant dwelt.
Her protectors were blanks in her telepathy. Julia thought she should be thankful, instead, she found it vaguely disturbing.
Julia picked up a pebble and spun it into the water.
Then she pinged three with her mind, smacking them into each other like stone pellets, where they crashed into the surface, shattering the stillness in different directions. It made a mess of the water.
It was a reflection of how she felt.
She found her mind incessantly circling Marcus' words from before. That Jacqueline was not a threat, that all prophetic dreams were not to be taken as a literal translation. Well, he hadn't been there and it seemed as though Jacqueline was the catalyst for the dream. Yet, logically it couldn't be her that was a problem. Hell, Jacqueline's advisor was a Combatant. Of course, his mind couldn't be read but his actions could.
Like now.
Julia felt him at her back and that warmth began where he stood, the wall of heat that perfectly fit his body shape pushing her from behind, enveloping her, like a slow burning ember.
"Julia," he said.
"Yes, Victor?" she answered, rising.
"You knew it was I?"
She faced him, nodding. Julia looked up at Victor. It was a stretch, like all the Combatant, they were giants, a foot or more taller than herself. It was his eyes that took Julia back. Seeing him in the nighttime did not do them justice. She'd thought them a dark color, as Scott's were, like black velvet, as his natural mother's were. But no, they were a deep shade of blue, like midnight kissed with navy. His hair was a glossy sand color, wishing to be blond but having that warm hue that comes from brunette.
Julia realized she'd been staring and blushed. He had the same effect on her that Scott did.
That sobered her. The soulmate crap. Just thinking about it chased away those soft warm feelings of connection that apparently were part and parcel to her lovely lineage. Blood born ties.
Victor moved to touch her and she stepped back and his hands dropped by his sides, his clothes were perfection and it suddenly reminded her of Cyn. She was like his fashion slave twin and it made Julia giggle in the middle of the situation and she laughed harder.
Victor looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "What is so funny?"
Julia held her side, helpless at the ridiculous thought, the sharp eyes of the Combatant drilling her. Julia ignored them. Finally, she was able to calm down enough to respond, "My friend Cyn..."
"Whom?" Victor asked.
"Oh yeah... Cynthia Adams. We just," Julia gulped her emotion like a bitter pill, "called her Cyn like a nickname."
"She does have a proper name then," Victor said, the ghost of a smile on his lips, giving Julia a jab of subtle humor which pleased her. She'd thought he was as humorless as his leader. Humorless people needed to go, Julia thought randomly.
"Yes." Julia smiled then explained further, "She was very... concerned about fashion," she finished as diplomatically as possible.
"And how is that humorous?" Victor pressed.
"'Cuz you're a poster boy for fashion," Michael interrupted them and Julia took another step away from Victor, who frowned at the added distance, turning his displeasure on the other man.
"You tread where even angels fear, my friend."
Michael cocked a fair brow, and made like he had two wings on either side of his body and flapped them in a highly annoying parody of the heavenly beings. "Yeah? I'm not much of a poetry fan, pal."
Julia muffled a low groan.
"Yes, I gathered that by your general lack of manners," Victor said, his body going suddenly still.
Uh-oh, Julia thought, watching Michael get That Look. The same look all his brothers got and Scott had in spades when their Jimmies were good and rustled.
"Let's take a chill pill fellas, we don't need any testosterone surge here with the world showing up for fun soon."
They looked at her and she nodded. "Marcus told me what the deal was. And I, for one... don't want inner sanctum squabbles."
"Nothing would prevent or distract the Combatant from protecting the Queen," Victor said by rote.
"Ha!" Michael snorted in dismissal.
Wonderful, Julia thought, sensing the wounded male pride that would need to be assuaged.
The rest of the Combatant came trooping up and Julia's heart sank. Michael grinned like the Cheshire cat and gave them a come hither look. Julia knew what he would do before Scott yelled out a warning.
It was his wink that told the story for Julia.
Suddenly the Combatant were neck deep in stinking piles of manure and Julia was in hysterics, Scott's face an unbecoming purple color. She had always had trouble with the need to laugh at inappropriate times and this was no exception.
"Hey guys!" Michael said as he ran at Julia. "I think she'll be okay while you guys brew in a pile of shit for thirty seconds."
"Oh Michael... that is so wrong on about fifty different levels," Julia barely got out, the laughter giving her an unladylike case of hiccups that wouldn't quit.
"Lighten up guys, that's what queenie here needs. You're all brimstone and fire and she needs a break from your meathead asses."
This is bad, Julia thought, seeing the Combatant's faces, Scott and Victor seemed especially pissed. Michael grabbed Julia's hand and dragged her up the small hill and away from some very angry protectors as they struggled to get out of the mess he'd put them in.
"She isn't safe," Scott bellowed from his pile of excrement.
Julia covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Thirty seconds?" she asked, horrified.
Michael flushed a deep red and Julia cocked a brow. "It might be a tad longer," he said with mock innocence with his thumb and forefinger a hairsbreadth apart to show how much longer.
Julia stopped and looked up at him. "How long?"
"I got a boost from Paul."
Well shit, Julia thought.
"He's a Negator but his secondary is Amplifier."
Julia's hand dropped as laughter burst and she would have replied but Jacqueline walked out and saw the two of them. It corked their humor as effectively as having their tongues cut from their mouths.
"I'll let ya go," Michael said, winking.
"Thanks," Julia said in a droll way, loving him abandoning her for Jacqueline's presence.
Loving it.
She turned to Jacqueline and hoped she didn't see the Combatant's stinking temporary prison and missed her minute stroking of something in her pocket. "Walk with me, my Queen," Jacqueline said.
Tendrils of unease that had swirled before wrapped Julia instantly and her disquiet swelled and overflowed, hinting at terror, the dream's portentous warning ringing a dismal alarm.
It made Jason of the Were stifle a howl, his hackles standing up at bristled attention not far from where Julia stood with her enemy beside her. From the opposite direction William burst from the protective cover the leaves had provided him from the sunlight that still rode above the canopy of the forest. His mouth opened and he hissed involuntarily; his mind set on Julia.
She was in danger, his blood hummed with it.
It was not from the source he would have surmised it would be.
Mason met his eyes and whispered the word to William, twilight was hours away from their rescue of her.
Betrayal, he spoke decisively.
It was not the wolves that would threaten the woman he needed, the woman he'd vowed to protect, to love.
It was a viper in their midst. A Singer of royal constitution and mental instability. In the sure grips of power hunger. In the case of this one: starvation.
Frustration sunk its talons into William, his fangs and claws simultaneously punching out of their flesh houses, readying him for protecting something so vulnerable, so precious... and so far away.
He hit the ground with his fists, the tremor like a small quake, rousing the small creatures of the forest to flee.
Alerting the Were of his anger in a primitive pop of smell and sound.
The vampire of the Southeastern Kiss broke from their slumber to assemble, awoken from their light sleep by the tightrope sprung by the emotions of their new leader.
Jason growled, feeling the turmoil of the enemy, the reason for it was even more damning.
Julia was in danger.
This time, it would not be from him.
Jason would use what he had become to save her.
Then they would be together again.
It was meant to be.
CHAPTER 20
Truman
Karl Truman had walked a solid mile in, the pathway narrowing in a way that screamed that he was lost, his eyes telling him to go back to the car even as his nose spurred him on.
Hell, his nose was in a constant state of tremor, forget twitching. That was long past, in favor of a small earthquake of potential discovery.
When he reached the jagged boulders, a light sweat covered him. His chest rose and fell like it used to when hiking was fun and not a chore, Karl saw the symbol and his nose grew still.
He'd found the metaphorical bone.
Chiseled into an outcropping of large stones, a sandy apricot in color, washed by countless eons of rain an inscription read: Lobo de Luna.
It was absent of color, if Truman hadn't been looking, he would have missed it. Around the words were the faintest marks, almost tribal in their look, Celtic. He traced a finger over the deep etching. A light buzz traveled up his arm, shooting to his armpit and a bursting heat radiated from the contact. He jerked his hand back like it had been scorched.
Truman didn't even flinch when a low growl sounded, unsurprised. He turned slowly and curled his fists in a defensive posture that was as automatic as breathing.
They might take him, but he wouldn't be the easiest human they'd ever found.
However, it was not what he thought it would be, the next words the strangest of his life.
"Welcome home, wolf," the Packmaster of the Northwestern Pack said in a growl as his humanity left him in a sliding melt of flesh as fur flowed over his body like a match to flame.
When the werewolf sunk its teeth like small daggers into Truman's shoulder he didn't even feel it, the numbness descended over him instantly.
He felt the bite of the wolf as some would have felt the sting of the black widow. Silent, poisonous.
Final.
And in the case of Truman, welcome.
When the half-breed lost consciousness Lawrence released him and the worn human fell to his side, blood flowing freely and dampening the cool moss of the forest floor underneath where he lay.
Lawrence's Change reversed itself seamlessly and his human form reasserted itself, the moon full in one day hence.
He turned to his front sentry with a smile. "The plot thickens, Ford."
The FBI agent, or the man that Truman had met, gave a nod of deference to his pack leader. "It does."
"You did well."
"You mean, Packmaster, that my nose did."
Lawrence laughed. "Yes, you are right. However, it was you that scouted him as more than just police."
Ford shrugged, his bulging form no longer hidden by a suit not made for the human form a werewolf held. "It was the way he asked questions of the Southeastern first, the way he dug," he gave a low chuckle of grudging admiration.
"It will be interesting to see what line he manifests," Lawrence said thoughtfully, palming his chin. Only an Alpha could bring a human to wolf. Impossible if that human did not possess the blood of a Were. Which this human did. He had nearly been too old to turn, having seen almost a half century of the moon's phases.
Ford seemed to read his leader's mind. "It was a near thing. His age."
Lawrence nodded, watching the blood slow and begin to congeal against the torn flesh of his upper shoulder, the cop's body twitching as the blood of the Were awoke to the summons his bite had began.
Both Were looked to the heavens, a sliver of the sky clearly visible as darkness crept in.
The moon would be nearly full this night.
Karl Truman would Become. His nose had found more than a clue for him as a police officer, but the call of his brethren.
Enough blood to scent the den of wolves where he belonged.
Though he did yet know it, Karl Truman's body convulsed in a change from human to wolf. Brought on by circumstance, engineered by fate.
*
Julia
Julia kept a careful distance between herself and Jacqueline, the leader of their sister Region, true mother to a contender for a royal pairing and walked. Julia understood politics, just enough to know she wasn't a fangirl.
Really? She was completely the antithesis of who they should be grooming for the role Julia now found herself in.
Jacqueline laced slim fingers behind herself as she walked slightly ahead and to the right of Julia. The silence was awkward and thick and Julia allowed its discomfort to roll out between them. Julia was not bothered in the least. She had enough to worry about with all that was here, with all that was coming. This leader's apparent pettiness was small enough to be easily dismissed. Again Julia thought of Cyn and felt a small smile curl on her lips. It was truly wonderful to think about Cyn with happiness instead of that abiding loss. Sometimes, the memories of what had been were powerful enough to affirm a person in the present.
Sometimes.
"I am royal as well," Jacqueline said by way of breaking the ice.
"I know," Julia replied levelly.
"Then you must understand how much it would benefit the thirteen Regions that someone who possesses both royal blood and the wisdom of centuries behind them... should also lead here, with the Combatant as guard." She cocked an inky black eyebrow at Julia and she was struck by the same sardonic expression that Scott had used on her. Julia struggled not to superimpose the two people for a moment. The vertigo shattered as Julia righted the two in her mind with an effort.
Scott didn't even like his real mom. She'd basically been bred to Marcus to produce a potential Combatant.
"That really works for me Jacqueline," Julia said and watched her carefully made up face contort in an expression of surprise. Julia knew that people with evil intent assumed the same mindset as their own with others. It was comical: Jacqueline thought that Julia must want the position of power as much as she. Of course, Jacqueline was dead wrong. "I don't want to be queen of anything. I don't want to be in some genetic-induced spell of 'love'," Julia said, dropping her fingers from airquotes before adding, "There's just one problem."
Jacqueline's brows rose in her imperious face. "And what might that be?" As if Julia could not have an independent or creative thought unless it came from Jacqueline.
Surprise, surprise, Julia thought with her usual sarcasm.
"How are you going to be the queen if your own son is a Combatant?" Julia was thinking that incest angle was out. Right? Sort of a no-brainer, Julia reasoned.
Jacqueline gave her a glare that spoke to how stupid she presumed Julia to be, "Don't be silly. The blood is sovereign. Any of the Combatant that are not blood-related would be a contender for me as King."
"Then there should be no deliberation. Why do I have to be Queen if you're so hot for the job?"
Jacqueline smiled. "Because it is not about choice my dear."
"What is it then?" Julia asked, exasperated by her beating around the bush.
"Death," Jacqueline said, capturing Julia's gaze, their eyes meeting in a tangle of misunderstanding, objectives and purpose.
Time stilled, suspended.
Then Julia asked, knowing she shouldn't, "Whose?"
"Yours," Jacqueline said, throwing her hand out of the pocket gracefully, her fingers splaying in a perfect card toss.
Julia gasped and felt the powder enter her lungs like frozen ice and slipped into a paralysis, falling like a statute, the agony of not being able to brace her fall as the ground gave her body the hardest kiss of her life, knocking the wind out of her.
Jacqueline bent down next to her ear, the lips of her mouth a kiss of heat against Julia's skin. "No one can protect you from this. You will awaken too late... my Queen," she said, the title uttered as a mockery.
Julia lay there on the ground, her eyes the only part of her body that could move, the numbing paralysis of whatever Jacqueline had thrown at her slowly hardening every part of her body.
However, Julia had been taught the tools of survival through hard life experience and she used that now, shrieking in her mind to any that could hear her mental alert.
The one thought that she had was that however much she hadn't wanted to fulfill her role as leader, the demented Jacqueline could not be allowed as a replacement.
Then, as Julia's breathing slowed inside the confines of her body Jacqueline whispered something that would damn Julia forever, the memories of what had transpired so long ago, forever changed.
"Soon you will meet your parents. Where you should have gone from the beginning. You know what they say about the best laid plans..." she cackled and with a tender finger she stroked Julia's cheek, giving it a painful pinch before she walked away with a pleased sway to her stride.
Abandoning Julia on the forest floor. Vulnerable to all that would seek her.
They did.
As she lay there, the Northwestern Pack and Southeastern Kiss closed in on her position.
*
Jen
Jen crammed her hands against her head when she heard the mental directive.
The time has come, Singer, William thought at her.
Jen walked out of the door, dropping what she'd been working on. Her consciousness fought his command robotically, even as she used her minor telepathic skills to locate Julia. She was not powerful like a true Locator would be but she knew Julia's signature and found her easily enough.
Jen was greeted by the still and snow white form of Julia. Her lips a pale red, her skin like polished ivory where golden hair laid around her like spilled honey. As Jen approached she saw glittering tears falling out of eyes that swam with golden fire.
With resolve.
Julia was dying.
Jen felt something inside her give, tearing inside her brain and the thrall was released in an explosive rip that brought her to her knees. She didn't even bother to get closer to Julia.
She ran for safety: Julia's.
Jen sprinted for the Combatant.
*
darkness falls
William burst the trap of the earth as twilight gave way to darkness and the internal grip he had on the Singer broke from the hysteria she succumbed to upon discovering Julia.
Even now the song of her blood grew weak and William raced toward her location.
He did not feel the pain as he Changed in the middle of his bid to get to her. The call of her blood drove his actions in an automatic response he was incapable of ignoring or resisting.
He came to her.
Wait for me, he intoned, hoping she would be cognitive enough to catch it.
*
Julia
Oxygen flowed into Julia, the heavy hand of weight that'd been on her chest like an hippo had landed was momentarily lifted and she gulped in life-saving air just as in her periphery, like a dream become real, Cyn appeared.
Julia blinked.
Surely her addled brain played tricks on her? The substance spun like a deadly web for Julia to breathe her last, muddling her thoughts.
Her vision.
Julia's purpose was growing dim.
The Were burst out from their position as Jen ran for the Combatant and Jason let Cyn down from the cage-like hold he'd had her in to get them to Julia.
Not a damn moment too early, Jason saw.
Marcus came from the other direction and they circled Julia, the Combatant on one side and the Were on the other.
When a huge raven, concealed by cover of night flew overhead no one looked up.
No one ever does.
However, Julia saw the wings above her as she lay on her back and her breathing improved as he neared.
It was William.
She was suffocating a moment before and now she breathed as Cyn screamed her name.
It was the dream, yet not.
*
Cyn
Cynthia saw the dearest friend she'd ever known laying in front of her- found. She ran from Jason and the Were that had taken her, dismissing the group of people who stood on the opposite side of where Julia lay and slid as she got close to Julia, wrecking her pants forever, Jules' fugly boots giving her added traction as they clung and released the unevenness of the forest bed.
"Jules," Cynthia said, eyeing the pale face and bright gold eyes, so like a cat's and she cried tears of relief, lifting a cold and limp hand in hers.
What the fuck was wrong with her? Cynthia squeaked. Had she found Jules only to lose her?
There was no way in hell, Cynthia decided easily.
Cynthia looked away from Jules and searched the crowd of weirdos, her gaze finally locking on Jason.
"Well what are you dipshits waiting for? The second coming? Get over here and Fix. My. Friend!" Cynthia yelled at them, her eyes shooting daggers.
"I like her," Michael said and Scott took a swing at him. "You stupid asshole," Scott seethed as he strode out of the line of Combatants, "It's because of you that she's like this."
Michael looked up from where he'd landed on his ass and shook his head. "Nah, you guys needed to sing in your own shit. Besides, I think it was Mommie Dearest that rode this thing home. Right, Victor?"
Victor gave a look of contained terror as the eyes of the nine other Combatant landed on his.
"Where is Jacqueline?" Marcus asked quietly, keeping the small but lethal group of Were in his sights.
"I am here," Jacqueline said in a ringing voice, filled with her own self-importance.
Julia gave a low moan and Cynthia heard it. They stared at each other for a moment and Cynthia frowned, a low hum starting near her sternum. As if under a compulsion she did not understand Cynthia got closer to Jules and took both her hands.
Heat poured out of her as soon as she made contact with more than just a handshake, both her hands gripped around Julia's.
William landed near the women, giving a single caw that could be felt in the chests of all that stood.
Calling the other vampire like a dinner bell.
Jason felt his skin slip and his wolf burst free when the raven landed a few feet from Cyn and Jules.
He ripped forward, his claws digging into the earth and spitting dirt as he ran for the women, a bird the size of a small pony edging closer.
When its crimson eyes glanced at Jason, he knew.
This was the vampire.
He ran faster.
The raven reached Julia and laid a wing against her head as the wolf pulled her limp body against his.
The three pressed the Queen against their bodies. The goal of the trio identical, called by blood, by friendship.
By love.
Jacqueline was the first to realize what it meant and that her plan had backfired miserably.
That destiny could not be denied. That it would reassert itself despite the efforts of the vigilant. The greedy.
With a last effort at subterfuge she screamed, aiming ruthlessly at the Combatant, "They're killing her!"
As Scott reached forward to wrest the raven away, the wings melted into arms and he got a handful of air.
Cynthia Awakened instantly, forcefully; the Queen's blood igniting hers in a panicked wildfire like tumbleweeds used as kindling.
Cynthia gasped and didn't question the unspoken request of her body. She knew what she was.
Cynthia knew what she must do.
She squeezed Jules' hands tighter.
CHAPTER 21
healer
Cynthia felt everyone melt away as tingling heat filled her body and poured out in a perfect channel of electric fire that surged from her hands to Jules'.
Jules was siphoning her energy as fast as Cynthia could make it and she watched it bow her back, Julia's long golden hair illuminated from an internal light that shone as the two women were locked together in a harmony of healing.
Marcus approached, then with a look behind him at the Combatant two stepped forward and captured Jacqueline's spindly arms. "Let me go!" she screeched.
"No," one of the warriors growled next to her ear, his massive hand encircling the entirety of her upper arm.
Marcus gave a low grunt of satisfaction and the next words on his lips were, "By blood they shall save the Queen. By will they shall free her. One of blooded fang and wing, claw, and the hands of Healing: so shall she be freed."
William glanced sharply at the Singer Elder and then looked down at Julia. Finally, his eyes met those of the wolf's, the green orbs held emotion they should not have possessed. Deliberation not found in nature but in humanity.
Julia's husband by human laws cradled her head and making the hardest decision of his life he lowered his snout to her shoulder as William's fangs elongated in readiness.
They struck simultaneously: the Were and vampire taking what had been given in error, the Healer neutralizing the damage as it was laid.
When the Combatant whose blood was called strongest laid his hands on the Queen of Singers, light burst from the huddle of supernaturals, casting a brightness like the sun that none could look upon.
Every being save one threw an arm over their eyes against the glare.
Julia's Awakening culminated in that moment: healed, freed from her blood-binding as she became fully Singer and Queen in a rushing torrent of magic and power, bringing every nearby living creature to their knees.
Jacqueline had easily escaped with the distraction of the three and was well out of range by that time and sought cover. She was unaffected by the supernatural phenomena that was foretold hundreds of years earlier in the sacred book of the Singer, just out of range. She had tried to circumvent prophesy and failed.
*
Queen
The Circle of the Combatant closed in an ear-shattering pop of power and light, the Singer warriors immediately coming to stand near Julia.
Jason, William and Cynthia fell away and a huge hand opened next to Julia. She looked at it and smiled, sliding her small hand into his large one and stood. Her Awakening had brought Julia full circle, her role clear.
And with whom she would share it.
The fissure that had started in Jason's heart opened wider, a chasm causing it to break as Julia stepped into the circle of another man's arms.
William stood as Julia's true mate took possession of her, dwarfing her by his size, his manner staking a claim that no words could have done.
He gnashed his fangs as they retracted and the sounds of Jason's howl reverberated in the ears of the gathered.
Cynthia wiped the chilling sweat off her brow and gazed at the couple in the moonlight, perfectly compelling in their rightness together, one dark, one golden and a tear slid down her cheek as she watched Jules slip away into parts unknown.
Had she come all this distance only to lose the best friend she'd ever had?
Scott held Julia's jaw like a fragile egg and saw the acceptance he'd been wishing for there in her eyes.
He lowered his head to hers, their lips brushing softly in a kiss so chaste it was air and skin. When Scott lifted his head, his gaze was met by the three groups and he knew what must be done.
He spoke and Were, Vampire and Singer lent an ear.
*
Were
Alan ran with the Northwestern Pack seamlessly, a rare red moving amongst them.
He was familiar with Karl Truman.
Before his Change.
Alan Greene moved alongside the former policeman like brethren, his half-human/wolf form lengthening in graceful strides. The same lineage as the Feral who had been captured two years prior in a botched Alaskan acquisition. It had been pivotal in starting the whole miserable ball rolling that they now found themselves steeped in.
Alan had known he'd make an excellent wolf.
Unfortunately, he was Alpha, as was the case with many Reds. Alan kept his pleasure tightly veiled from Lawrence and Ford, who had received disturbing communique of a possible treaty of sorts with Region One of the Singers.
They would acquire Julia Caldwell before the vamps did. Before the Singers put the whole Region in lockdown. Lawrence had bemoaned the news.
A treaty was not the way of the Were.
War was.
The group tore toward the Singer Compound, pouring on speed, the wind a taste of flavors on their tongues.
Alan's thoughts briefly touched on the Alpha from the pack they had aligned themselves with and hoped that there was a way to end him.
Lacey would always need Alan's protection until such time that an Alpha male could capture her trust. If that could ever happen, he thought, his sister was broken.
Yes, Alan determined, he would use cover of the Singer uprising as a perfect camouflage for the demise of the one that had thought to injure a female Were. That Anthony Laurent had risen as high as Beta in the pack reflected poorly on the Northwestern Den.
The fool.
Alan had simply been biding his time until everything came together in a perfect position to play his hand.
Like now.
*
Northwestern Kiss
Gabriel raised his head from the sentries who'd whispered the disturbing news.
Dual and deadly.
William had been subjected to the most severe torture that Merlin could dispatch, Gabriel's worse fear. He'd meant to waylay him, delay the acquisition of the volatile Rare One. Gabriel could not afford the losses she'd inadvertently brought on his head. The top of his kiss to the bottom, flooded with loss and death because of her presence. Julia Caldwell had not strengthened the position of his kiss as he had hoped but left it weakened.
What was even more disturbing was the news of Merlin's death.
From the account of his spies, buried deeply within Southeastern's ranks, his guts had been found in a twine about his neck. He had slowly suffocated on his own entrails. His blood level nonexistent.
Gabriel paced, his tall body stiffly moving within the cavern-like confines of his gigantic meeting area that was more than living quarters but much like a small house. Because of his Rare One status, no form of sunlight bothered him and his vampiric powers without the need for blood were always at his disposal. That is why Gabriel stood bathed in natural light as the one hundred year old skylights of muted violet glass cast circular shadows on the cobblestone ground beneath his feet.
That is where Claire found him when she entered without knocking.
She strode to him, arresting his stride as if she called out to him and slapped his face with a ringing that bounced against the walls and back at them in an echo.
"You heathen!" Claire yelled, a light layer of spittle beaded on her parted lips, her passion unrestrained.
Gabriel grabbed her wrists and held them with a brutal clamp that was instantly painful and she gasped.
Then he took her by the shoulders and gave her a hard shake, yelling into her upturned face, "It was not my intent for William to be injured! It was Merlin that broke the bounds of our gentleman's promise, Claire!" His fair complexion instantly gave way to ruddy color, his eyes searching hers intently for understanding.
"Yet he suffers! And what of Julia?" she asked, glaring as he released her shoulders and she rubbed her wrists where he'd held them, trying to take away the pain he'd laid there.
Gabriel gave her his back. "She is a liability. Let another kiss deal with what she brings."
"You disgust me. It is the vampire that needed discipline in their actions against the Rare One. It was not for William to take on as an individual crusade with not one vampire at his back. Now he is amongst enemies yet again... faced with a Rare One who may..."
"He is now the leader of the Southeastern Kiss."
A deep hush fell over the room that lasted minutes.
"Oh no," Claire said sadly.
"Yes," Gabriel said in a low voice.
"William will seek retribution against this kiss."
"He will be within his rights to do so."
"If he is in command of Julia, then we will never... we will not have a chance."
He turned, his face in profile and Claire watched him, waiting with her breath held within a breastbone grown frozen with anxiety and cold knowledge.
"You are quite right. We need to be ready, as a kiss. For he will come."
"Maybe he can forgive us. Forgive you?" Claire asked hopefully.
"I would not," Gabriel said with finality.
Claire hung her head.
It was worse than she feared.
*
Tony
Tony felt like the time was nearly perfect and grabbed Cynthia as she stood despondently, watching her best friend become united with another Singer.
Tony was nothing if not the most opportunistic of his kind and recognized right away that the Rare One was out of reach. Combining his natural inclination to stealth with his lack of morality he gave a blow to the Singer, who had the handy ability of Healer he'd noted. It caused her to slump bonelessly. His fellow Were and the rest of the contingent were held as a captive audience by the Rare One and the male Singer.
He caught her neatly and placed her limp form behind a tree.
Tony smiled with satisfaction at the pussy Feral who was all sissified over the bitch that had chosen another.
Tony knew how he'd handle that. Yesiree. Easy as pie.
Death to challengers.
He figured Jason Caldwell was a slow learner. Or maybe he simply was not wolf enough to do what needed doin'.
That was great for Tony, while Jason was distracted, there was no one that was keeping an eye on his activities.
Adi turned, that phantom instinct that someone was behind her just a second too late as she'd slid to human form, her wolf quiet inside her body.
Tony did not, keeping his half-formed shape for just the advantage he laid against her in that moment.
She gave the softest growl as his elongated paw struck her. Adi went down, the blow making her vision gray and her last glance giving her the knowledge of her dismal future.
And that of Cynthia Adams.
Slaves of a Were of ruthless intent.
Adrianna watched as her vision diminished to a pinhole and Tony scooped up an unconscious Cyn.
Then he came for her.
She could see Tony smile in the moonlight as he did.
Then her consciousness turned like the night.
Black.
*
Jason and William looked at each other, stepping away from the glowing couple as Scott spoke.
His wolf clawed to take action, nearly tearing out of his now-human form.
It screamed that his female was being marked by another.
Yet he stood there.
Because his Julia was no longer his. As Jason listened his anger did not melt, his vehement need to consummate their barely-there marriage didn't diminish.
His clarity deepened.
"As many of you may be aware, what has transpired here was foretold inside the Book of Blood..." Scott began, Julia tucked underneath his arm, his heartbeat in sync with her own.
When Marcus broke in Scott allowed it gratefully, formality had never come easily to him. He wanted nothing more than to take his new mate and get to know her.
Scott smiled at his thoughts.
Julia thought at him, I hear that!
Oh crap, Scott heard himself think.
Yeah, that, Julia thought back.
Scott locked down his emotions, thoughts. He knew how, he was classically trained for all that.
Julia wasn't and he got a tongue-lashing while his father went on.
Scott realized he probably deserved it.
Marcus ignored the obvious internal conversation between the newly soulmated couple and turned to the crowd; usually and at all times enemies, frozen for a rare moment in time. Perhaps with some well-chosen words, he could gain their attention and the final prophesy of the Book of Blood would come to fruition.
Unity between the species.
It had been foretold. Perhaps these three groups would come together and a treaty of sorts could begin. One that would be far-reaching, encompassing all the groups and spreading to the four corners of the earth. Peace had always been Marcus' hope.
He spread his palms away from his body in a universal sign of non-aggression. "Julia and Scott have been united in the Old Way. Through blood sacrifice and ritual healing, their union has begun, their path laid. A royal pair will come together upon the Awakening of the Queen and the Circle of the Combatant shall close for the protection of the Queen."
Jason's face closed down. There'd never been a chance. It didn't even matter that he'd been injured, become a werewolf. All that mattered for shit. His wife.
His wife for shit's sake.
She stood in the arms of her supposed centuries portended soulmate and he had to sit there and take this?
Jason's wolf dismissed the words of the Singer leader, his nose scenting the dim relation to the huge male that held Julia.
Jason counted three heartbeats before he Changed as he rushed them.
No male would steal his female, his wolf howled. Jason was buried in there somewhere... but the wolf had taken over and it didn't understand reason.
It only understood dominance.
The Combatant were too far away and only Scott was close enough to protect his mate. Unconsummated but his.
Given to him by fate.
Gifted by destiny.
As the husband of Julia came in a ripple of scarlet muscle and fur Scott stepped in front of her. His body was a living shield, while skin and flesh sloughed off during Jason's charge like a snake shedding its skin.
Julia saw red water flow over Jason and his humanity left and a raging blur of crimson came for them and she screamed, Scott using that incredible strength and speed that all Singer males possessed to protect her.
But Julia knew this time that Jason wasn't after hurting her.
She had Awakened and did what being Queen had given her.
Julia held her hand out and as if an invisible wind could be harnessed, she deflected Jason's progress seamlessly, veering him off course like a sail boat without a rudder.
He rolled and crouched in readiness and Julia said in a low voice, full of command, "Enough." The moment strangled her in the surreal. Reality slipped as she watched the man she had loved in her life before become something different, something alien.
Jason howled his frustration and leapt.
Julia was startled, having pulled back her power when he'd fallen. She'd thought it was over, reason and logic reasserting itself.
She was so wrong.
He wrapped his half-formed hand around her small forearm and jerked, bringing Scott with him, his fist connecting with Jason's snout.
Julia in the middle.
When her arm broke the scream of pain was torn from her throat like a siren wail and the Combatant moved in. The events that transpired had lasted only seconds.
Three held the great red wolf down and a fourth got ready to deliver a blow that would have killed him when Julia said, "Stop," in a low moan of determination laced with pain.
The fist held, raised like a boulder of death above the wolf.
They faced each other and Julia gazed into the face of the man who was technically her husband. "Stop hurting me, Jason. Just leave me alone..." she said, the first tears of many leaking out of her eyes.
Emmanuel came and took in the scene, keeping enough distance to keep the alert of Singer warriors off him. He knew theirs was a lost cause, the Feral having put the whole of everything in jeopardy.
Jason opened his mouth and the fist raised higher, he snapped his jaws back together with a teeth grinding clink.
"Get him out of here," Scott said, then added, "before I kill him myself." He gathered Julia into his arms, carefully taking her broken arm into both hands.
Marcus jogged to the pair and looked into his son's volatile eyes. "You can heal her now, Scott. She is your blooded soulmate. It is but one benefit, use it now."
Scott did, knowing instinctively how to react. He had been raised with the Singer training his entire life and used those lessons that he'd not ever embraced before. He used them now.
Gathering Julia close he breathed onto the wounded arm as Jason struggled against Emmanuel, the Combatant releasing him to the Were while keeping a watchful eye on him.
"It hurts," Julia whimpered, her eyes trying to find Jason.
Jason saw what he'd accidentally done to Julia and was beyond pissed at himself.
It was the sadness he felt when he saw her fear of him that killed his spirit. He stopped struggling as the man that should have been him healed her as she writhed in his grasp, the pain Jason had caused gradually lessening, a healing sleep overtaking her as he watched.
Jason breathed easier when he saw color return to her pale cheeks, her eyelashes fluttered closed as she began to breathe easier, a slow deep rhythm began. He couldn't contain the growl as the huge male scooped her up, cradling her against his chest tenderly. Jason watched as he tucked her uninjured arm inside his own so it wouldn't dangle and walked off. As he passed Jason he paused, pegging him with a gaze that measured him and found him wanting.
"Don't even try it. Julia is mine now. The sooner you get that, the better off you'll be. 'Cuz there's only one other result, wolf."
"Yeah? Because in my book she's still married to me," Jason said in a voice filled with certainty, ownership.
Scott bristled and the Combatant responded to their new King's emotional signature, stiffening in preparation.
For whatever may occur.
Scott got nose to nose with Jason, their precious cargo the only barrier between them and Jason got a lungful of Julia's fragrance and his soul cried out as his anger flared to life more strongly than ever. The male in front of him was the ignition to the fire of his emotions as a match was to timber.
"Not anymore, pal. Man-up. You're in the supernatural world now. We don't play human. Get. Over. It."
Their eyes locked for a moment more then Scott moved away, the cascade of Julia's golden hair swinging back and forth like a pendulum out of rhythm.
Jason smiled. Supernaturals, huh? Well, the Singer had played that all wrong. It was the first rule of male anything. Don't drop your eyes from your opponent.
First.
Jason had not. And in his new world, that meant he was first.
First in battle.
First in rights.
Julia would be his. Soulmate or not.
Jason could play supernatural. Hell yeah he could.
CHAPTER 22
William
William felt the eyes of his liege on him and smiled. All hope was not lost. Even as he thought it he felt more of the Were approach to add numbers to those that were in attendance at present.
His eyes easily found Julia as she was carried off by the male Singer and he gave a telepathic order that was simple: Follow them.
And with that, the ten vampire who had belonged to Merlin, slid through the seams of the night, following the one who would change their lives. Bringing sunlight to darkness. A living sun to vampire.
Liberty for the Were.
Peace for Blood Singers.
Julia lay sleeping in the arms of the man that was meant for her as enemies closed in from all sides and dreamed about her future with the one male that truly protected her.
Yet, she did not know it.
Julia slept in her soulmate's arms and dreamed.
Her dreams were not of peace but of war.
EPILOGUE
Cyn & Adi
Cynthia groaned and rolled over, her stomach coming up through her throat in a acidic firehose of whatever she ate last. She emptied the entire thing on the dampened moss that had been her pillow moments before. When her vision cleared she took the time to open her eyes and look around. She went to move and her arms were tethered behind her back, shoulders numb to the wrist.
That was an alarm clock that the puking hadn't been.
Gawd, Cynthia thought, that freak wolf, the pig of a guy, had cold cocked her and here she was.
No Jules, no escape, just his dumb ass as company.
Cynthia should have been terrified. Yet, she wasn't, she was done. The long battle to escape, buy freedom and safety and eventually find Jules had been for nothing.
Instead, she found herself trussed up like a turkey for Thanksgiving.
When her eyes landed on Adrianna a spark of hope ignited. That was beyond awesome, maybe between their smart asses they could figure a way out.
Adi had a similar reaction but kept her lunch down with a swallowing effort that was as effective as it was gross. Her dirty blond hair hung in lank strips, her clothes covered with dirt.
Cynthia glared when she saw the smaller girl's lips had been cut by Tony's hand.
Tony came through the trees and saw the girls rousing from the hurt he'd put on them.
There was more where that came from, he thought.
Cynthia saw Tony slide through the trees, so comfortable with the surroundings her stomach fell. He was a huge guy, six-three at least, his muscles constituting their own damn zip code.
Cynthia didn't have the problems of denial that Jules had. She instinctively used the gift that Jules had given her in return when they'd come together just hours ago.
She healed herself.
Then before Tony could get to Adi, Cynthia reached out and grasped Adi's ankle with one of her long ass lanky arms.
Cynthia had never been so glad about her stature as she reversed the damage that had been vested against Adi.
Tony was incensed when the blonde Singer bitch tried to help out a female Were that needed a goddamned attitude adjustment.
In fact, he was just the Were to do it. He was no stranger to giving females what they needed to keep them in line. His thoughts touched on that sweet piece of ass he'd had when he was barely out of whelphood.
What had her name been? Tony wondered, remembering as he rushed toward the bound women.
Oh yeah, Lacey.
Tony smiled at the memory, she'd been a fighter, that one.
Adi's eyes widened as Tony's fist crashed into her temple and Cynthia, who still held fast to her ankle, puked out blood as the wound disappeared from Adi's head.
Cynthia was absorbing the injury as he caused it.
Tony couldn't have that.
"Heal this, bitch!" Tony said, giving her a brutal punch in the gut as he tore the clothes from Adi's body.
She couldn't help it, she Changed, her wolf in a panic to get away from another Were with intent to harm her. It was immediate, instinctual.
Desperate.
Adi tore the bindings from the tree, shaking the leaves from the branches as they landed like green rain on Tony as he tried to subdue Adi with the age-old trick.
Violence.
Cynthia could not stand by while this insane dickhead raped Adi. She swung her leg up and in a lucky strike that should have never found purchase, she did. The heel of her sneaker struck him in the temple as he fumbled with his own clothing, not in the least deterred by the half-formed wolf Adi had become.
Her talons, small and deadly, sprung from her fingertips and she stabbed him high and deep in his ribs.
"Let me go!" Adi said, the sound of her voice like pebbles of stone rubbing together.
Cynthia did, the healing touch unable to transfer to Tony. Adi heaved him off and tore Cynthia's bindings.
Cynthia took a step back, looking up at a girl that was now standing at just over six foot of light gray muscle and teeth.
"Shake it off, Cyn! Let's go... can ya run?" Adi asked her and Cyn stood there in semi-shock. Adi's face scrunched up, her delicate snout rippling with the movement and Cyn burst out laughing as Tony flipped over on his back, groaning.
Healing.
Adrianna turned, landing a rib-shattering kick on top of the stabbing wound.
Tony howled and Adi grabbed Cynthia. "We've go to go, this turd will wake up... and then we're in deep shit!"
Adi got down on her hands and knees like a small horse and yelled at Cynthia, "Get on! Hang on to my fur..."
This is weird as hell, Cynthia thought, leaping unsteadily onto the back of Adi.
The weregirl.
Cyn gave a giggle and realized that hysteria was the next step and clamped her damn mouth shut. She had to survive this effing mess. She pressed her face against her friend's neck and Adi leaped, running. Fueled by fear, propelled by the healing energy that Cynthia had fed her.
They ran into the deepest part of the woods.
As Tony woke he staggered to his feet, whipping his face around.
Dammit! He screamed silently, his side a throbbing nightmare. He would need to hunt. Unlike that bitch Singer, he couldn't heal shit without meat.
And blood.
He would hunt.
Then Tony would find those female dogs and cut them down. Using methods unique to him.
He smiled as he scented the wind for what would give him energy.
*
Jacqueline
Jacqueline smiled, she'd found a wonderful old homestead, falling apart but with an adequate roof and plopped down onto a dusty mattress that was not to her liking but would do until she was able to procure more suitable accommodations.
With a flick of her graceful fingers she began a fire from nothing in the deep masonry fireplace that was centrally located in the cabin, enjoying the heat made by her abilities.
Which were many.
The Region One Singers had been foolish to dismiss her so readily. After all, she had enough royal blood to be something to reckon with on her very own.
If things had gone her way just to the smallest degree, Julia Caldwell would have been unable to Awaken before the killing dust could be laid. She would have expired, as planned, and the Combatant and all of the Regions would have been under her power. Now, Julia was in a cocoon of security laid by blood magic that even Jacqueline, with all her scheming could not undo.
However, there might be one little loophole that she could yank that would upset that delicate balance before it was fully realized.
If she could but stop the mating of her biological son and Julia, if she could halt the inevitable, then the mating of their souls would not occur, but remain unfinished.
They needed to meld body and soul.
Jacqueline knew that the consummation of their union had not yet taken place, the soul almost always melded first, then the body followed.
There was the slimmest margin of opportunity for usurpation remaining.
What to do in the ninth hour when her most trusted advisor was now in the protective grips as a Combatant? Jacqueline tapped her fingers against the dusty metal-like cage that held the mattress.
When the crashing of bodies moved through the forest Jacqueline commanded the door of the old cabin to open, the hinges squeaking in violent protest to the slamming of the wood against them.
Jacqueline saw the new Singer upon the back of the Were, her pale blond hair a horizontal flag behind her, the color standing out like a beacon against the earthen tones of the forest.
She rolled a fallen long in the path of the graceful she-wolf, nothing more than a streak of silver and at the last moment it glanced at Jacqueline, giving her eyes that were somehow like the Queen's, gold fire.
Then Adi rolled into a broken heap of pewter fur, landing with a hard thump against a trunk of a old growth fir, its sentinel gaze having seen centuries of creatures, this one no different.
Cynthia was held in the protective arms of Adi even as she hit the tree and was flung to the side.
She sobbed, crawling over to the wounded Were who had become her friend, her lungs crushed, ribs broken.
Cynthia reached out and gave her what she had.
And found her energy had dried up. Cynthia snapped her head up, looking around and found dark eyes on her face, a hand straight out and pointed at herself.
What bitch was this? Cynthia thought.
Jacqueline smiled as she smoothly Deflected the Healer's ability with the she-wolf.
It was not only the gift of her beauty that she had given Scott, but his Deflector ability as well.
She used the secondary ability now, trying to contain the Healer's raw skill. New and untrained, wild like a river running without a course.
Cynthia turned when she heard what approached from behind their position.
Tony bounded through the low brush, circumnavigating the fallen trees with ease.
Jacqueline saw him come and stopped him with a flick of her hand, her primary ability more powerful than almost all Singers.
She used that telekinetic discharge with precision and expertise, arresting his forward motion easily.
"Well, well..." Jacqueline said, shifting her gaze from the blonde Singer struggling to heal the grievous injuries Jacqueline had caused to the Were before finally appraising the huge male Were.
This was most excellent, Jacqueline thought in excitement. Look at how the pawns on her chessboard had arrived.
She was ready to play.
The time was now.
*
Slash
Slash broke the spell cast by the Rare One, shaking it off with difficulty. He had a job to do and just because she had Awoken, found her blood... whatever, didn't affect his mission.
He was to guard Cynthia Adams. It had been a directive from the First of his Packmaster.
Slash didn't get distracted by females. In fact, as unions between packs were not allowed, the one female that he wanted was untouchable anyway.
Adrianna could never be his.
He had watched her from afar since she was a whelpling, assured of her protection in part because of her brother, Joseph. But now that he'd died (under mysterious circumstances in Slash's opinion) she was vulnerable. Very. An alpha female Were was highly sought after. Fought over.
Slash knew that he'd have to suffer as one claimed her. And it wouldn't be him, that was for damn sure.
He looked around casually for the Singer, scoping for her, unconsciously looking for the pale hair. It was generally easy if he let his eyes bleed to wolf. Which he did. It would show as the palest grey, almost white to his limited spectrum of colors.
A slow panic formed as he saw no hair that came close to that almost platinum color she held.
What deepened his disquiet to a true panic was Adi being gone as well.
He began to run, dropping his clothes as he went when he noticed the one Were missing that caused his chest to constrict painfully.
Anthony Laurent was MIA.
That could mean one thing and one thing only. He was making some fucking power play. Like he had once before.
With Lacey Greene.
Slash gave a low growl as he burst his skin and became fully wolf. No half-wolf for him. He needed the moon to guide him as the night gave way to day. Finding his ward was critical.
Finding Adi would ease his heart.
If that pervert Were harmed a hair on her coat he'd kill him.
Slow, like Slash liked. Torture a familiar pastime to those who deserved it.
He came by his nickname honestly. So many thought it was because of his face.
Some knew it was his skill.
He ran toward the scent of the women, Adi's fear filling his sensitive nostrils, his wolf's spirit cringing in natural response to a female Were in peril.
He became a streak of deep chestnut, his coat having a vague red hue as the early dawn speared the forest. A streak of his red lineage calling for vengeance.
The Red Wolves were the natural warriors of the Were.
It only took a drop or two to tilt the scales in his favor.
*
Were
Lawrence stopped suddenly, a spray of dirt spreading around the claws of his feet, his chest heaving.
"What is that?" he growled.
Alan lifted his nose. "Singer... Were."
Lawrence shifted his golden gaze to the First of another. "Which Were?"
"I don't know," Alan said back. "One female... ah, maybe two males."
"A female? One of ours?" Lawrence asked, eyebrows gone in his partially turned face, his snout bunching in a look of consternation.
Alan nodded once, his snout going in the direction of the former cop.
He lifted his snout at him in question and the Red wolf that had been human a few hours before growled then responded, knowing that the three would gang up on him.
That was the new order, Truman realized, all reason set aside for kicking each other's asses.
Interestingly enough, he was down with that. God knew, he'd had to hold back a temperament that was ill-suited in some respects for leading the life of cop.
When these wackjobs had changed him forever he'd felt like he was coming home.
Karl Truman also found how much he detested being told what to do.
But now a scent filled his nose that he knew.
He'd been scenting it for months.
"Cynthia Adams is the Singer," he said in a voice that sounded so deep it was a low roar of gravel to the others. Recognizable but unique. Primitive.
Lawrence's wolf eyes became slits. "You know this how?"
"Remember, he was after her?" Alan asked.
Lawrence gave a sharp bark of acknowledgment.
"Alright, so we have the Singer we're after and a female Were and two other males." Lawrence looked at the other males for confirmation.
"Cynthia Adams is there," Truman said, pointing a muscular arm covered in a light coating of red fur in the direction Alan had just scented.
Alan gave a mighty shrug, his coat undulating with the movement. "They are there."
"It must be Adrianna," Lawrence guessed, an unguarded female Were nearly out of the question in the woods.
The two wolves became troubled by the implications.
Truman interrupted, begging for reprimand and not giving a tin shit, "So what? What's the big damn deal?"
Lawrence was just suddenly there. "My first is unpredictable. A thing of beauty in battle, a problem with... certain circumstances."
Karl Truman's excellent mind spun with thoughts, slowly putting together what the leader had said. Finally, unbelievably, he touched upon it. "Don't tell me that Anthony Laurent is out there, with one of your females?" He stepped closer to the pair of Weres, looking from one to the other. "That Cynthia Adams is near that... goddamned rapist?"
Alan flinched and Truman caught it. He growled.
Damn, he was loving this wolf thing. Karl felt like a new man. Or whatever the hell he was now.
"Slash is guarding Cynthia," Alan said defensively and Karl laughed. It came out sounding like a harsh cough out of his changed body.
"Yeah, this guy's been allowed a long leash... for years," Karl emphasized, pacing.
"I say we euthanize him," Truman said then gave another sharp barking laugh. "Yeah, I like the sound of that guys," he said and Lawrence gave a growl of warning.
"No Packmaster. I won't keep my yap shut. You chose this criminal as your right hand man. A proven female hater. This mess ultimately falls on your head."
Lawrence wasn't used to having his flaws laid out before him so handily and went for the throat of his newest wolf.
It took every bit of strength to subdue this Alpha.
Lawrence recognized the mistake he'd made as he bit down on the slightly bigger Were.
Don't bite off more than you can chew.
Karl Truman was going to be a problem. As Jason Caldwell would most likely be.
Now he had females to secure and a rogue Were that had probably, no definitely, lost sight of his objective.
The mistakes were piling up and as Lawrence let go of the cop's throat and those pale orbs of green landed on his face as he saw what lay in them.
The new Packmaster.
And ultimately, his own death.
Brought on by his complacency and arrogance.
They began to walk toward the scent of the Singers and mixed Were; the walk became a trot, then the wolves pressed into the speed of the true wolf, like mixed colored bullets of fur, speeding toward war.
*
Julia & Scott
Julia opened her eyes and was met by Scott's black ones and her insides shifted in tune to his, the rhythm of their heartbeats matching in synchronicity.
He pressed his palm against her cheek and she leaned into the strength there. "I didn't know," she whispered.
"Me either," Scott said in a laugh. He pulled her into a small ball on his lap and pushed her head against his chest, his heartbeat reverberating against her face. Scott held her there for a long moment then Julia pulled away.
They laced their hands together and she briefly touched his forehead with her own.
"You had to fully Awaken for us to complete the soul-meld," Scott said, briefly pulling away and gazing into Julia's eyes. "I thought I was gonna kill Victor."
Julia burst out laughing. "I don't think it was meant to be..."
"No. And your husband," Scott growled and Julia put a finger to his lips. "Shh... nothing is the same now," Julia said, looking down at their knotted hands. "Everything is different now. I mean... I can't help what's happened here."
"Or how effed up my family is," Scott said, thinking of his mother trying to poison the woman that was meant for him. The bitch.
Julia unhooked one hand and stroked his cheek, the heat of the contact driving through both of them like a warm sweet fire without end. Scott groaned when the fragile tie that bound them tightened inside his body, chasing his emotions into the depths of Julia, and her eyes widened, his feelings for her laid bare, nothing hidden.
"Don't worry about your mother, or Jason or... whatever else. For the first time, I feel safe."
Scott wrapped his arms around her. He would protect her with everything he had, everything he was.
Scott would cherish her.
Julia felt the promise flow from him to her, no words were necessary.
Julia decided that it wasn't time to ruin her newfound joy and security with talking about the dream she'd just had.
William and Jason had stepped down, Cynthia had found her and Julia's bond with her new soulmate was solidifying as they sat in each other's arms.
Her dreams didn't come true anyway. Jacqueline's plan of taking over the Regions had failed. Jason and William had saved Julia and given her up. She didn't have to live in fear anymore now that the Circle of the Combatant had closed. Leaving her with Scott.
Julia sunk into the warm comfort of Scott's strong arms, thinking how weird it was that this male she'd fought since the day she met him was the one she now recognized she couldn't live without. Her Awakening had taken care of her lingering doubts. Being with Scott was as natural as drawing breath.
Scott felt Julia relax against him and gathered her small body against his massive one, a warrior's body. Now a king.
Julia shooed away the unease of her dream easily, lulled into a false respite by the proximity of her soulmate. His protection of her formidable.
Yet, not absolute.
As the precognitive warning was ignored and the war closed around the Singer compound with a surety that would have taken her breath away had Julia looked deeply enough, they stayed where they were.
Together and unaware of the danger that neared.
––––––––
THE END
Julia has Awakened and in so doing bound herself to her one true soulmate, the king to her queen. The blood-binding, which was foretold between fang and claw, ultimately rescued her from certain death and the Circle of Protection is now complete.
Yet, another would-be queen vies for the position of ultimate ruler and believes she has found an ancient loophole that will upset the new balance of potential peace that has been put into play by Julia's prophesied reign. Jacqueline will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, even using the dreaded Were to further her victory.
Cynthia and Adrianna form an unlikely alliance to survive against an enemy that now has help for her madness to take shape. Emmanuel, the Feral and Truman find themselves drawn to defend and protect a new order with a past that haunts their efforts.
Can Julia and her one true mate bring peace to the species and rescue the ones they love? Will the Blood Singers fulfill their destiny to unite three groups of sworn enemies to come together as one?
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# BLOOD CHOSEN
A Blood Series Novel
Book 3
New York Times Bestselling Author
TAMARA ROSE BLODGETT
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2013 Tamara Rose Blodgett
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
www.tamararoseblodgett.com
TRB Facebook Fan Page
Edited suggestions provided by Stephanie T. Lott.
Cover Design: Claudia McKinney
Photographs: DepositPhotos
Photography: Oleg Gekman
DEDICATION:
My readers, who don't want "easy, uncomplicated, or generic...."
Warning! Contains spoilers.
Character Index:
Blood Singers/talent:
Julia- Queen of the Singers; Telekinetic/telepath
Scott- Royal Singer Blood; Deflector/Combatant
Brendan- Tracker/pyro
Michael- Illusionist
Jen- Telekinetic
Cyrus- Healer
Paul- Negator/amplifier
Angela- Feeler
Marcus- Region One
Jacqueline- Royal Singer Blood; Region Two Leader
Victor- Region Two/Combatant- Boiler/Flame of Blood
Lucius- Combatant
Cynthia "Cyn" Adams/rogue- Healer
Heidi- Reader
Trevor- Deflector
Northwestern Were Pack:
Lawrence- Packmaster
Emmanuel "Manny" - Beta to Lawrence
Anthony "Tony" Daniel Laurent- Second to Lawrence
Adrianna "Adi"- Alpha female
Southeastern Were Pack:
David- Packmaster
Alan Greene- Alpha male
Lacey Greene- sister and female Were to Alan
Buck "Slash"- Alpha male
Karl Truman- former Homer detective
Ford- Alpha male/ FBI agent
Reagan- Moon Warrior, Daughter of Lacey
Southeastern Vampire Kiss:
Merlin- Coven leader (now deceased)
William- new coven leader
Northwestern Vampire Kiss:
Gabriel- Coven Leader
Claire- Cousin to William
William- Runner/shifter/Singer blood
Unseelie fey:
Queen Darcel- Sidhe
Tharell- mixed Sidhe warrior
Cormack- Sidhe warrior
Domi- Sidhe warrior
Rex- Sidhe
Kiel (key-ale)- dragon shifting Sidhe
Celesta- Sidhe warrior
Delilah- Vampire, third to Julia, half-sister to Scott
FEDS:
Tom Harriet
Tai (tie)Simon
CHAPTER ONE
Slash/Buck
Buck scented the dawn as it broke the canopy of the trees with columns of light that appeared washed by blood. His claws spit dirt behind him in a spray, racing toward the scent of a female who could never be his.
And another he was tasked to protect.
He was the go-to dog, used for his stealth, and his I don't give a shit attitude.
Slash had nothing to live for, there were no matings on the horizon for him, his face was a ruin from battle and his position of Alpha undermined by Alan Greene. He did not hold it against Greene. It was what it was.
There could be only one successor. It was the way of the Were and their distant cousin, the wolf. Were weren't picky: if Packmaster was what you sought, you must kill to obtain it.
Death didn't bother Slash... but for what? However, want and genetics were two different beasts. The first was intellect; the latter was about biology.
And Buck's biology was asserting itself in one fell swoop of animal preordainment.
His wolf wanted Adrianna, lone Alpha female of the Northwestern den. His wolf didn't give two shits if she was unobtainable or off limits. There were four subspecies of Were: gold, black, gray and red. Buck knew that his grandsire had been a fullblood red. Depending on how one surveyed circumstance, it gave Slash unfortunate proclivities. Wonderful in war, a detriment in interaction within his den. There might be some logic in the natural counter-evolution of the dwindling red Were population. Perhaps nature strove to eradicate that which was self-destructive.
In this case, Slash needed every ounce of red blood he owned. He knew that Tony had taken Cynthia Adams, newly manifested Singer healer and Adi of the Northwestern Pack. That intel was all the motivation Slash needed to pursue their scents.
It could be he wasn't alone as a cross scent moved over his path and his paws punched the ground as he straightened to semi-upright, his flesh and bones bleeding into his half-wolf form.
Slash lifted his snout. Immediately he found the scent of his packmates. And one other, whom he did not recognize.
Slash knew what the unknown Were was in every fiber of his being.
Red.
Like himself. His human-looking brows lowered over a prominent brow ridge, where green eyes spun languidly, with keen intelligence.
And bravery, a common default of that particular variety of wolf. Or stupidity. Slash thought bravery and stupidity were very close railroad ties in his parallel universe.
A faraway scream shattered the stillness of his hesitation in the forest. Slash swiveled toward that unnatural sound in the wood full of creatures.
It was not the sound of an animal but a female.
One who was in peril.
Slash ran, and to the east a small pack of Were ran to intercept him. Lawrence, the Northwestern Packmaster and Karl Truman, who had been turned by David's bite of the Southeastern and brought by the blood of the red wolf that was already part of the fabric of his genetics.
They too had felt the pull of the Were in one area. They veered off their premeditated course to the Region One Singer compound and instead, made their way to the cloistered and mixed group.
*
Cyn
Holy smokes, Cyn thought, watching as the snake in the grass leader, Jacqueline, made her way toward them at the same time as Tony.
Her wary gaze locked with Adi's as Cyn poured her newfound healing energy into the female Were. When the damage made from the telekinetic fall caused by that bitch reversed itself, Cynthia decided right then if they survived this next mess, she was going to hurt them.
Permanently.
Cyn loved Jules, she did. But where Julia was soft and thoughtful, Cyn was decisive and pragmatic. That translated to: don't fuck with me. Or, better: don't mess with anyone I care about. Cyn didn't know where her fierce loyalty stemmed from and understood on some level it was unreasonable.
But things just were what they were, unchangeable like the sun rising and setting.
Cyn stood from her crouch next to Adi, the leaves crunching under her feet. She felt rather than saw Adi stand as well, the fur gone, replaced with features that looked heartbreakingly young in the unforgiving light of dawn. The ethereal colors of pink, orange and red covered them as Adi and Cyn backed away from the advancing pair.
Adi glanced at Tony and Jacqueline as they drew nearer. "Oh... shit sandwich," she said in a shaky voice. Cyn barked out a laugh brought on by pure adrenaline and nervousness.
Tony got closer, scanning their faces and said, "You bitches are mine."
Gawd, Cynthia thought, he's like a B-rated movie or something. Some of her dismissal of his lack of intellect must have shown because his brows dropped above his eyes, casting them in shadow and hiding them from the first light of the day.
She thought he was a dumb ass and didn't mind him knowing it. But, Cynthia flicked her eyes at Adi, then her gaze slid to Jacqueline; poisoner of her bestie, and she felt a frown darken her face.
Jacqueline smiled at Cyn but it never reached her eyes. That wench didn't have a legit bone in her body.
"Well, well... what do we have here?" Jacqueline asked like she was inquiring about the weather.
Tony's gaze shifted to her. "Shut up, Singer bitch."
Jacqueline turned that laser beam of cruelty on Tony and he fell to his knees, hands at his throat. The universal sign for choking was as obvious as if he'd said the words I can't breathe.
Adi and Cyn began to back away. Cyn didn't know Adi's exact thoughts but she figured if psycho one and two wanted to go at it, they could. Without Adi and her in attendance.
Tony plunged to his hands and knees, his fingers clawing at the forest floor.
"Are you going to be a good dog?" Jacqueline asked in a cultured murmur.
Tony's body trembled. To be brought low by a female Singer... or any female was a blow to his considerable ego. But as the oxygen left his body and blackness began to eat at the edges of his consciousness, he gave a nod of his head, very like the tap out so popular in cage fighting.
Survival was paramount to Tony.
When he felt her hand in his hair he cringed, gasping, though there was no breath to relieve him as he hung there—suspended between consciousness and not. His palms slapped the decomposing earth at his sides. The two females he hoped to denigrate were but a dim memory.
Tony was so aware his life hung in the balance.
Jacqueline scratched behind his ear, then petted his head. "There, there... you will do as I say... or die," she warned softly.
Sweat beaded under Tony's nose and a low mewling sound broke the seal of his lips, robbing him of even more precious oxygen.
"Comply or die," Jacqueline repeated, her fingers tightening in his hair, jerking his head back with a strength borne of her lineage. Royal blood, mixed with age, gave Jacqueline power she otherwise would not have possessed.
The cords on Tony's neck stood out, his face turning purple. His hands beat the damp earth, fingers involuntarily clenching into the dew-kissed soil. Finally, moving against her brutal hold, he gave another stiff nod.
His eyes met hers, black meeting black and Tony knew... that he'd met a female who matched him. Who was maybe more than he was. Tony hated it. It also made him terribly aroused, violence and sex were inextricably linked inside him. When death swirled around him, instigated by this Singer bitch, he wanted her.
It made no sense, compulsions never did. But it made perfect sense for Tony to embrace it.
"I smell your desire, Wolf," Jacqueline stated. "And I do not rut with dogs like a bitch Were... you stupid creature." She released Tony abruptly and he fell, the invisible steel band that had been around his sternum instantly gone.
He gagged, alternately coughing and sucking greedy lungfuls of oxygen.
After his coughing fit settled down into breathing sans choking, Tony looked up. His eyes sought Jacqueline's but her's lay elsewhere.
During their power play, the quarry had fled.
Tony didn't have to wonder if Jacqueline had wanted the Singer and female Were. He would have. And in that, Tony assumed, they were much alike.
Maybe in other ways as well.
He smiled. "Nice going... the females have fled," he spat.
Jacqueline lifted one small shoulder in dismissal and replied, "It is of no importance—I have you," she said, her eyes drilling into Tony's, the black depths like dimly lit obsidian marbles. "And you will use that keen nose of yours to retrieve them."
He stood, coming to her side and showed his neck.
Jacqueline laughed. "You need not show me your subservience. I know that I have it," she said, giving a low chuckle, her hand lifting in the air and closing tightly in a fist at her last few words.
Tony frowned, looking down at her. He could crush her; wanted to. He also wanted her in the other way as well. Those two warring impulses were cross-wired in his brain. They always had been.
He cocked his head. "Tell me, pure Singer," he began with thinly veiled sarcasm, "do you have Were in your lineage?"
Jacqueline was instantly offended, though her gaze skipped away like a rat that couldn't find its hole. "There are no mongrels in my ancestry."
Tony could smell her lie. "Uh-huh," Tony responded, and scented of her deeply, his nostrils flaring wide. What he found gave him pause. She might not know, he thought. If that were the case, she was not all that she seemed.
"Come... Were," Jacqueline began to walk away, her body showing that that path of conversation was clearly over.
Tony gave a great exhale then followed.
"I suppose you have some plan, Singer?" Tony asked in a low voice, the growl of his kind threaded through it as they moved through the forest, the smell of the woods overwhelming to his sensitive nose.
Jacqueline didn't feel warned; he could do nothing. Only a certain type of Were was a danger and this Were of the black posed no threat. Less than a threat, if the truth were known. But Jacqueline was all about the tools at her disposal. And that is what Tony was to her.
A tool. Jacqueline buried a snicker, though she was quite sure he could scent some of the emotion behind it. However, with her Tracker abilities, she could scent as well. The advantage was hers. After all, he knew not what she possessed and his skill set was an open book.
Perfection. "I do have a plan as a point-of-fact," Jacqueline replied.
Tony stilled, grabbing her thin arm. She quirked a brow, looking at his hand on her like it was something filthy.
"Bite me," he said with a smirk.
Jacqueline flushed with anger and opened her mouth to deliver a scathing quip when he put a finger to his lips. "They come from the east."
Jacqueline could sense nothing, smell nothing. "Who comes?" she asked instead of the retort she had planned.
Tony growled low in his throat. "The Packmaster of the Northwestern den... and one that my nose doesn't recognize."
They stood for a few moments in a wood gone still. The small animals hid as the unnatural predators closed in around them. Jacqueline wondered why she couldn't sense them while Tony wondered what could be done. Their thought processes were not known to each other but were eerily the same.
"Ah!" Jacqueline hissed.
"Yeah," Tony agreed.
Jacqueline swiveled to him, her skirts swirling and getting caught in the debris of the forest, her eyes flashing like black fire. "Tell me you can do something."
"I can't..." he reluctantly admitted. "What about you? You're this tight-ass Singer..."
His airway began to close and his palm flew up in supplication, the bitch stole his breath... and not in a good way. "I didn't mean it as a dis...."
It opened with a gasping release.
"Jacqueline," she said in way of off-handed introduction.
Tony nodded as he made his hand stay by his sides instead of going to his throat. He wouldn't give the bitch the satisfaction.
"I simply meant maybe you could sense something."
"No," she said curtly.
Well, damn- chop my nuts off, Tony thought.
Jacqueline paced, a ripple of disquiet building as the scent of the pack grew stronger.
Suddenly, Jacqueline knew what to do.
"I'll cover our tracks while you squire us away."
"How?" he scoffed.
"Is the how of it really important?" she asked, crossing her arms in impatience.
Tony could smell the other Were. They'd take them and for some reason, the Singer bitch's skills were down for the count. Too bad she was all up his ass. Why couldn't she have a blank spot with him?
His fucking luck.
Jacqueline didn't ask his permission and he remained silent. Of course he wanted to know what kind of Singer mojo she had going on. But it was obvious she had the upper hand.
For now.
He watched Jacqueline's symmetrical features distort in concentration. When Tony's sense of smell left him, he felt blind. He was so used to the million different scents that had always been a part of his existence.
"What have you done?" he whispered.
"I have the ability to Negate others'... talents."
"I can't fucking smell my own ass. I'm nose-blind," Tony growled, his fists bunching by his sides.
She smiled. "Good. As I don't want to be party to you partaking in an orifice fest."
He scowled at her. "Good? Hell no, we're goddamned blind..."
Jacqueline folded her arms again underneath her breasts and Tony's eyes dipped down to take in the sight. She stared at him for a pregnant moment. "You're a crude beast...," she stated as fact.
Because it was.
"Tony," he said in a delayed introduction.
"Well, Anthony..." Jacqueline said slowly as she circled him. "I do not have a highly refined mastery as Negator so... the best I could do was blanket a five mile radius. If it were my primary skill, I could have left you in a 'scent bubble' that encapsulated you and left everyone else senseless. Alas, I cannot." She looked into his eyes and he glowered back at her.
Tough broad, he thought with the beginnings of grudging admiration.
"Fine," he said. "Get on."
He burst his skin and it slid off like a snake's. The gunk, blood and sloughed marrow pooled into the absorbent forest floor, dampening it with his transition.
Jacqueline tensed at the harsh speed of the change, then went to him. She grimaced as her clothing became ruined with the residue of the change, her hem six inches deep in his human cast-offs.
"Where?" he asked in a voice filled with gravel, pained by the rapid change he'd forced on himself.
She bent and whispered into his ear. Tony's smile was worn strangely by the face of his wolf.
His admiration for Jacqueline grew. She was diabolically clever.
Tony might spare her after all... if she could be bent to his agenda.
*
Cyn and Adi stopped running, their hands on their knees, chests heaving. Cyn had a killer stitch in her side, putting both hands on her side, bending over at the waist as she did. This sucked.
Adi stood first. "That blew goats."
Cyn laughed. "Yeah... totally."
"Who is that bitch?" Adi asked, her nose involuntarily moving toward where they'd just come and finding her usually deft senses dulled. She gave a frown, her dark blonde hair falling forward and hiding half her face.
Cyn shrugged. "She's the one who hurt Jules."
Adi frowned. "How do ya know?" Her root beer brown eyes earnest.
Cyn squirmed from the question. She was gonna sound like a tard. "Well... here's the thing. I just became... something. That Singer thing you were talking about? Yeah, that." Cyn stood, her breathing still irregular. "And now... well when I healed Julia there was a..." Cyn stopped, her pale green eyeballs rolling upward, thinking. "A... taste to the poison."
"Poison?" Adi asked, her frown deepening to a scowl.
Cyn nodded. "Oh yeah, it was poison and somehow, the bearer of the shit leaves their mark."
"Like a signature?" Adi asked.
"Yeah. Good call, mutt."
"Huh," Adi said, head bent, her face speculative. It wasn't a good look.
"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it," Cyn said, backtracking.
Adi met her eyes, ignoring the dig. "I screwed up, big time. I should've..."
"What? That whack job... she mowed you over with her head," Cyn said, tapping her temple. "There's nothing you could have done, Adi," she said, looking down at the much shorter girl.
"Yeah," Adi agreed like she didn't believe it, still looking at her feet. For all her bravado, she sure takes a lot of the responsibility on her shoulders, Cyn thought.
The girls stood quietly for a time then Adi said, "It's time to make our way back."
Cyn shook her head. "No, they'll be expecting that. It's not safe."
"It's safe," a voice said from out of the forest.
"Holy shit!" Cyn yelped, stumbling backward and Adi grinned with relief.
"What's so damn funny?" Cyn asked, insulted. "I think a drop of pee came out!"
"They're Were... and I know them." Adi's confidence returning in one fell swoop.
"Friendly?" Cyn asked, putting a tree trunk in front of her like a shield. Not that it'd do a damn bit of good. She'd seen a Were throw another halfway through a tree, felling it as smoothly as an ax. Yup, things were so not okay if they weren't friends.
Then several things happened at once.
Two large males moved into the open patch of forest between stands of trees.
They were in half-wolf form, which was creepy as hell, but Cyn was getting used to it. Which was its own slice of weirdness. She recognized the first one instantly and was relieved. The second one Cyn recognized seconds later.
They were kinda naked so strong eye contact was advised. The answer to the age old question was: no, fur doesn't cover everything. Still, it was like when you knew you weren't supposed to scratch, it made ya itch with wanting to. Cyn realized it was pervy but when a bunch of half-werewolf men were walking around with their macho commando action... well...
Then after several heartbeats of scrutiny she began to realize that the third was Karl Truman from Homer. Cyn blinked slowly.
Truman stepped forward as she took a step back.
"Cynthia Adams," he growled and Adi cocked a pale brown eyebrow at Cyn in surprise.
"Nice to meet you," Cyn said, adding, "again." It just couldn't get any stranger.
He dipped his chin in a parody of a greeting and it was too much for Cyn, she simply sat down on her ass where she stood. They could figure out what to do with her but there were too many freak-outs presently.
Her restaurant manager was a Were.
Fucktastic.
The cop from Homer who had been hot on her trail was now a Were.
They were naked half-werewolves.
Weirdness squared.
Truman was the same as Jason, his body covered by a shadow of scarlet fur, his eyes were orbs of green in his head... spinning, always spinning.
What did it all mean?
For her.
For them?
For Julia.
CHAPTER TWO
Julia
Julia couldn't get enough of Scott. She woke up in his arms, fully awakened.
Their soul-meld complete.
Or nearly so.
He gazed down at her with a similar expression. His eyes, so nearly black they swallowed his pupil, framed a face that was far too serious.
"What?" she asked softly, smoothing the hair off his forehead.
Scott searched her face, knowing full-well he should tell her. He wasn't sure if the knowledge would improve things between her and the people they were now in charge of leading. Probably not.
Julia's hand dropped. "Okay, I know what that look means."
Scott smiled. Busted. Hard to hide things from your soulmate, though their bond was fragile, untried.
He lay back down on the bed and Julia rolled over so she was slightly above and on top of him, pushing the fringe of short black hair off his forehead. Her own caramel-colored hair swept forward, tickling his face and he tucked it behind her ear.
"Tell me," Julia said.
"Is that a command, my Queen?" Scott asked.
Julia's soft smile melted away. "Does it need to be?" Steel taking the place of the golden warmth inside her eyes.
He shook his head, looking into those large golden, cat-like eyes. Eyes that changed color according to her mood. "No," he answered softly. "It's not over." There, he'd finally said it.
"What? Which part?" Her eyes darkened at the implied threat in his words.
Scott closed his eyes against the raw look he saw in hers. "The Were and... your former husband... relinquished their hold on you by simultaneously giving you their essence, thereby giving yours back to you..."
"I understood that..." Julia said slowly, a furrow formed between her eyes. "What's this about?"
His eyes opened, piercing her. "It's been so long since we've had a Rare One that... some of the finer words have gotten lost in the bolder ones."
Julia huffed.
"You have been prophesied about. And, in some of the oldest scrolls..."
"Like... as in 'dead sea'?"
Scott cocked a brow, nodding at her comparison. "It's not much different from the human's Bible... however, we're not ..."
"Human," Julia stated and Scott nodded.
"Not entirely. We mimic them but it's not enough. Not nearly enough to claim true kinship. As long as you are truly my mate, the Combatant will be necessary."
"And how would they not... be necessary?" she asked. Then she clarified her question, "What would need to happen so they could just flounce around and do their thing."
Scott chuckled, but his laughter died, his face bleeding to a solemn expression. He paused so long Julia thought he might not answer. She opened her mouth to ask again.
His face became pained, his voice a low growling whisper, "You would have to be mated with the vampire and Were as well."
Julia sat up in the bed, shoving away from him like he was a hot coal. "No!" she squeaked, flapping her arms in agitated denial.
He gave such a slow nod it looked painful.
"I will never do that," she said with conviction, folding her arms across her chest. Scott watched the bright pink color spread across her cheekbones. Agitated and angry. And underneath that, embarrassed.
Scott sat up, scooping her against himself. "It might not be a matter of want." He paused. "It might be a matter of unifying the species. The Were and vampire will never take a Singer pair seriously as leader unless she is tied to them in more than treaty alone."
Julia tried to let that sink in.
Essentially, three husbands. She shook her head, her hair flying around with her physical denial.
She'd had a husband- Jason, and he tried to harm her. She'd had a vampire but... no. And then there was Scott... who she felt like one body with, but it was all tied to the meld.
Scott caught her tear as it fell, with a sweep of his thumb across the soft skin of her flushed cheek. His eyes bored into hers. "You don't have to even consider this, Julia. I did need to tell you. To keep it from you," Scott felt his eyes tighten, "would not be fair... to keep you in the dark because of my feelings." His dark eyes captured hers in his intense gaze as he gave a small shake of his head. "The Combatant are in place so that you have that security... and choice," Scott said.
Julia could hear the sharp click of Scott's throat when he swallowed. Dear God, this was a mess. She searched for something, anything at all that could undo those words that Scott had uttered. But that was the thing about words, they couldn't be unsaid. "Why didn't Marcus mention this little tidbit to me?" she finally asked and realized she couldn't keep the despair out of her voice, no matter how much she wanted to. And maybe Julia didn't.
Scott sighed. "We hoped it wouldn't come to this..."
Julia put the falling pieces of the puzzle back together. "You mean... you thought they'd die and it would be a non-issue?"
He nodded, not bothering to lie.
Julia got off the bed, feeling like she'd been had, the bond tightening uncomfortably around her, responding to her emotions.
"This is all sorts of disgusting... just sayin'."
Scott stood as well, hands on his hips. "You don't think I hate the idea of anyone..." He paced, tearing his hand through his hair... "God, being with you?" He turned to face her. "I do. I can't effing stand it. However, the warrior in me wants to keep you safe. You're basically immortal if you take the vampire and Were as mates," he finished in a low, distressed voice, the words torn out from his soul, chunks of himself falling to the ground, irrevocably broken like crystal being shattered as she watched.
Julia crossed her arms, her eyes momentarily flicking to sounds that were bursting around them in the yard, then returning to his. "I thought the Combatant was my contingency?"
Scott hung his head, his chin nearly grazing his chest and exhaled sharply. "They are. But we are mortal. We have flaws and weaknesses. We're long-lived but not infallible."
Julia stared at him.
He moved toward her and like a sunflower seeking that great ball of fire in the sky, Julia unerringly moved to meet him. She could be mad about it all, but she was tied to Scott and he to her.
They met in the middle and Scott pressed her head against his chest. "I won't lie, I want you to be with only me. But it isn't my call. It's yours."
He tilted her chin so their eyes met, her cheeks wet with tears of anger... and resignation. Julia realized that she had the illusion of choice but it wasn't true choice as one thought of it.
Actual choice meant the implication of freedom... liberty. What was being offered here were two choices, one of ultimate safety and unification as foretold in the Book of Singers, the other was a gamble about unifying the species as foretold but being with her one true soulmate and having the Combatant with no life but safeguarding hers. As Julia saw it, they were suck ass choices. Pretty consistent as her life went.
Scott's head swiveled away from hers, his eyes scanning the yard. They widened. "What is this?" he asked in a voice laced with soft menace. Julia came to stand behind him, her hand on his back. No matter what happened in their future, she was grateful for Scott. And it was no small matter that when he took a breath, she knew it. Felt it.
"Vampires," Scott hissed.
Julia peeked around his torso and saw bodies swarming with one kind of speed: vampiric.
Julia backed away from the window that captured the scene just as Victor slammed the door open, the glass knob striking the wall and shattering like a torpedo meeting its target.
"We have been infiltrated with Vampire... again," Victor said, his eyes roving Julia's form, ascertaining harm meted. Finding none, his eyes sought Scott's.
"How many?" Scott asked in a terse reply.
Victor hesitated and Scott snorted. "Can't take back the pause, pal."
Right, Julia thought. Already she felt that prickling heat on her skin, adrenaline replacing her jumbled emotions from moments before. The static of the vampire's minds was a harsh white noise. Wherever Paul was, it was too far away; her mind buzzed with them like an angry hive of wasps.
"Too many," Victor answered softly as glass shattered in the lower floor. Julia jumped when she heard the falling pieces, as many feet carried themselves over the glass in a dismissive rush.
Vampires felt pain but healed so quickly it didn't matter.
They were coming for her.
"Where are the others?" Scott asked, subtly moving Julia even further away from the window. She was so close behind him, her nose was practically planted in the valley between his shoulder blades.
"They are below, fortifying the ranks of Region One."
Scott's eyes flew to Victor's. "It's just you and me, then?"
"It would appear so."
The first vampire appeared in the open doorway and Victor's eyes swept its body as it hissed and launched itself directly at Julia.
She pinwheeled backward from Scott and suddenly the vamp staggered in a slow-moving forward plow, batting his hands around his neck.
Victor smiled, moving nearer as the wretched thing hit the wood floor with a commanding thunk of forehead to wood. He flipped over like a fish seizing out of water, grabbing at whatever was nearby. Finding nothing, he beat his fists on the wood.
Julia regained her balance, stepping closer as the vampire writhed on the ground like a drowning serpent.
"No, stay back," he cautioned Julia, his eyes went to Victor. "Are you what I think you are?" he asked over the shrieking vampire.
Julia watched loose tendrils of steam spiral out of every hole the vamp had.
Yeah, even that one.
He yelped and convulsed like the Exorcist on steroids, his butt popping off the ground.
Victor nodded, sweat beading on his upper lip. "I am." He put his palm out and the vampire who lay five feet underneath it arced his back, bowing it toward the hand that was causing his death.
Julia watched the mouth open fully, fangs extended as its dying hiss sounded like escaped steam from a kettle. The male vampire collapsed in death, its body taking on a rubbery look.
"What the hell was that?" Julia asked in a shaky voice. The whole event had taken seconds but it felt like an hour.
"He's a Boiler," Scott said with reluctant admiration.
Victor gave an indignant huff. "Let us go... we can squabble about monikers once we've eliminated the threat." He looked back at Julia and Scott, her arm still tender from being broken by Jason... her husband. The whole thing was like brain freeze without the milkshake.
They headed downstairs, where it looked as if a rainstorm of glass had just struck.
"Holy shit," Scott said, grasping Julia's hand. Peace crept into her from the contact, the calm a product of their meld, the result a relief.
The reality was quite different.
A maelstrom of glass flew everywhere the eye could see. Glass on the floor, deadly and glittering rain spinning in front of her eyes.
Julia could make out Brendan, his chin kicked their way as he used his Tracker abilities and made their scent amongst a myriad of... creatures.
Julia saw them all.
William.
Jason.
The Combatant, wading through the glass, had cuts appearing like small mouths on their flesh as the whirlpool of small shards spun.
Scott stopped moving, pulling her behind himself and his stillness gave away what he was about to do. Then the sweeping storm of glass stopped, falling like a crystalized deluge to drop suddenly on the floor. The clinking of it tore at Julia. She threw her hands to her ears to soften the grinding assault of sound.
Scott was a powerful Deflector and he'd just negated someone else's ability.
Jen jumped from the kitchen. "Scott," she yelled. "Why'd ya do it?"
Scott swung his head out of the way as a vampire laid claim to his arm, talons sinking in. "Kinda busy!" he yelled back and Jen smiled, landing a butcher knife in the gut of the next.
"God, they're like roaches or something," Michael said, waving a palm in front of the next onslaught, a large hole appeared between he and two vampires heading straight for him, fangs too large to close their mouths. "Whatever, come at me..." Michael invited. When they leaped over the hole in the floor, they lost their balance as it was no more than a handy illusion.
"Nice," Jen cackled, jerking the blade out of the vamp and wiping it clean on her jeans. "Can't use this for sandwiches anymore," she muttered as William came through the door. He was a statue for a breath of time.
Then the vampire retreated, their movements like a movie playing backward, arms coming back in against their bodies as their bowed heads followed their bodies out the shattered windows and bent doorframe.
The Combatant circled William.
Julia remembered what he'd done for her. Tried to do. Persevering through his torture so they couldn't locate her quickly, his sacrifice stalling their appearance. His blood-letting gave her a chance to live after the poison episode with Jacqueline. Her murder of Julia barely thwarted.
William turned too slowly as the knife Jen had flung with her mind into one of the vampires, now plunged between his shoulder blades.
"No!" Julia screamed, sinking to her knees, a deep ache in her back.
Their eyes met. Then Scott was hauling her up, none too gently.
"Jen..." Julia said in a whisper... "not him, don't kill William."
"Why the hell not?" she said in a sneer. "Isn't this the one who caused all the trouble to begin with?"
Julia nodded. That was true... but she couldn't just execute him after he'd rescued her from a future without choice, sparing her again.
These wars had to stop.
Jen cursed with disgust, jerking the blade out for a second time in a matter of moments, and shoving her heel into William as she put him on his back. His wounds from the battle, though not grievous, were many.
Julia tore her arm away from Scott. It felt like a small death. She did it anyway. Each step dragged more than the last as she made her way to William and away from her soulmate.
"Julia," William croaked, blood welling everywhere she looked.
She knelt beside him.
"I'm sorry," she said. The ache in her back worsened in sympathetic response.
William frowned through his pain, trying to sit up.
"No, just... stay still," she begged, her eyes searching his stormy charcoal gaze.
"Are they yours now?" she asked.
He nodded. "When I was tortured by Merlin's Kiss..."
Julia gulped, sucking in a breath, blinking her eyes closed seconds longer than necessary.
William continued, "And I escaped on the tail of his demise, there was no choice but to appoint me their new leader."
Julia covered her mouth. "Then why are they attacking?"
"They attack no longer," he clarified quietly, giving a deep hacking cough. Julia's eyes pegged the drops of blood that sprayed from that forceful exit from his lungs.
"You're dying," she said.
His lack of response was answer enough.
Julia turned to Jen with accusing eyes. "Help him."
"No!" she said. "He put me in thrall to get you in a position to... God knows what."
Julia whipped back around just as Scott's hand landed on her shoulder.
"It is true. I meant to have you... even still," William conceded.
"But you didn't. I mean, when push came to shove, you decided to release me from the blood bond...." Julia's golden eyebrows shot up.
William just nodded, his sooty eyelashes closing around the gray eyes that she'd held on more than one occasion.
Eyes she'd trusted.
Still trusted.
Julia turned to Scott. "We can't just let him die."
"Yeah we can," Jason said from the door, arms folded across his chest, a Combatant on each side.
Julia's heart lurched inside her chest. Scott put both hands on her shoulders.
"Go near her and die, wolf..." Scott said.
Jason smirked, his eyes moving to Julia's. He took a long lingering look, head to toe. "I'm not gonna kill, Julia... Singer," he said with derision.
"You've been giving it the old college try," Michael noted.
Jason scowled, balling his fists.
"Do not," Victor said. "You are here by our sufferance alone." His gaze swung to the barely conscious vampire at Julia's feet. "And the same can be said for this Machiavellian drinker at our Queen's feet." Victor shook his head. "No, I believe we like you where you stand."
"You're a Singer," Jen noted.
Jason scoffed. "Was, dollface," Jason said, dismissing her as his eyes shifted back to Julia and she flinched at what she saw there.
Accusation. Betrayal. Rage.
She understood those feelings. Julia had them herself, she just didn't have the option of luxuriating in them.
"This isn't accomplishing dick," Michael said and the Combatant turned to him. "Whoa, guys... dial it back."
"You," Michael said, pointing at Jason, "need to figure out how to protect our Queenie here instead of jonesing for doing her in every time you're hanging around."
Jason pursed his lips into a thin line of anger.
"Eh-uh. No." Michael put his finger up, swishing it back and forth. "Don't get your boxer's in a twist or I'll put ya in a pile of shit."
Jason's chin jerked back like he'd been slapped, his face knotted up in a pretzel.
"He'll do it too. He's just that much of a putz," Jen said with a straight face.
"Singers," Marcus said in a commanding voice.
All eyes turned to him. "Stop this, we have more pressing things than baiting the local Were contingent."
"Like... where the hell are the rest of them?" Scott said.
Julia searched Jason's neutral expression as it turned belligerent. Where was the man she fell in love with? She couldn't find him in the middle of all that rage.
"Or... how about William bleeding out?" Julia asked, absently stroking that tender part of her arm.
Brendan offered quietly, "Let me get Cyrus."
Thank you, baby Jesus, Julia thought, someone who was reasonable.
A minute passed that felt like a year, then Cyrus came, trailing behind a contrite Brendan.
"What?" he asked when he saw William's blood pooling underneath him, as still as a statue, whiter than even a vampire should be.
"Is this a joke?" Cyrus looked at each Singer in turn and Julia sighed.
"No," she looked Cyrus straight in the eye and he raked a hand through his salt and pepper hair. The soul patch underneath his bottom lip was a solid pure white.
"So," his eyes shot to Marcus', "I need to waste my ability on this drinker." His brows shot up his forehead in consternation.
"Just this one, there's a bunch of dead ones out in the yard," Michael said casually and Cyrus smirked.
"I saw that," he drawled in happiness, moving to William's other side. Cyrus put his hand on William's chest, a look of distaste settling in. "I forgot how cold these suckers are."
"What does he need?" Julia asked, guilt overwhelming her.
"You didn't really just ask that, Jules," Jen said in disbelief.
"Blood, bright one," Michael said.
Julia's face heated with her embarrassment. She'd been too stressed to think of the obvious.
"Shut the fuck up or I'll knock your teeth down your throat," Scott told Michael.
"Boys," Marcus warned.
Julia was suddenly glad she was an only child. "Stop," she said, looking at Michael. "I've had a nasty little shock, you turd, so just... give me some damn time, will ya?"
"Yeah, give her time so she can save his carcass," Jason reiterated.
Julia threw a look his way, which he ignored with a small smile. He was stupidly mean and unhelpful.
She exhaled, inhaled... calming herself. Scott's quiet presence stood like a warm reassuring line of heat behind her.
She could do this.
Cyrus gave her a serious look, his watery blue eyes seeming to float in his pale face. "If you want this vamp to live, you're going to give him blood. Your blood."
Julia felt Scott tense behind her.
"Is there any other way?" Julia asked, knowing if there were then he wouldn't have suggested it. But she knew it was like lighting a powder keg around here.
He shook his head. "He's too far gone," Cyrus said, dropping the wrist he'd been feeling for a pulse. The hand landed with a dull echo on the bloody wood floor, that glass clinking around it.
"Won't this put me in the same place... I was before?" Julia asked Marcus. She didn't want a deepening of any blood ties. Things were complicated enough without volunteering for more problems.
Before he could respond Jason piped in from between the two Combatants, whose names escaped her at the moment, "You like us being in that place. Holding your special magic over us so we're your little slaves."
Julia stood, looking at Jason from ten feet away.
It might as well have been ten miles, so much distance separated them. She was so sick of his attitude.
"How could I have ever loved you?" she asked, William momentarily forgotten.
"I don't know... wife," he said, his gaze level on her face. Jason's anger vibrated through the room like a bullet that ricochets. The flecks of green in his irises burned like emerald sparks with his thinly kept rage.
It was crazy, Julia knew it, but he made her feel guilty for everything, which just made her irritation more. I guess ya can't feel guilt unless you own it, she thought.
Julia turned her back on her husband; her soulmate steps away. She ignored everyone but Cyrus and William, who lay on the floor, more dead than alive.
"What do I do?"
Cyrus laughed. "That's easy, just put your wrist above his nose."
Julia's brows came together, her golden hair slipping forward as she began to reach out with her arm but she hesitated. "What'll happen?"
Cyrus' smile faded, his expression turning serious. "Biology," he said simply, just as Julia's arm grazed the tip of William's nose.
With a choking roar, William's back bowed, his mouth opening to reveal fangs that sprang from the flesh that held them like ivory hooks now set free.
William scooped Julia tight against his body and sunk those deadly fangs into her arm before her next breath, her fear a tangible thing. It was razors in her skin, the ice of them burned as he fed.
Julia gasped as he gulped her blood.
For the second time inside a twenty-four hours.
Jason and Scott came forward. For all his words, Jason's face held the same expression that Scott's did.
Fear.
Not for themselves.
For Julia.
CHAPTER THREE
Julia felt in perfect balance, the pulls from William's mouth felt... right, good. Then she opened her eyes and two sets of angry ones met hers; one impersonating true black, the other hazel-green.
Both possessed indignation and anger in equal amounts. A sure recipe for violence if Julia's experience had anything to do with it.
Everything would have been fine had Jason not grabbed the back of William's head as he fed from Julia.
William released her with a hiss, his arm wrapping around her waist as he stood and flung his hand out almost casually as it flicked a path across Jason's cheek.
Julia watched it split, the blood from the strike flying in a shimmering scarlet arc even as his skin slipped from his body for the change.
"Fuck," Scott said in a miserable hiss as a chain reaction of cross-cultural testosterone spun out of control.
Julia looked at her husband as he shed his skin like a snake as blood ran down her forearm where William had taken from her. Large flakes of sloughed skin came away in chunks, blood and other nasty bits plopping to the ground in a wet pile. Large drops of her own blood ran down her palm, pausing on her middle finger to finally land on the war-torn ground.
Scott dragged Julia back from the Were, tossing out a command to William as he did, "Close the wound, drinker." The sound of Jason's change continued to be heard, the great meaty sounds of ligaments realigning, tearing and forming the new pathways of a shape wholly inhuman.
William turned Julia and she trembled as his skin pulled taut against a face that was all hollow-eyes and cheekbones, pinched tight with need. Anger and some other emotion she couldn't name, swam within the constraints of his aching expression of want.
Jason approached, his head three feet shy of the ten foot ceilings of the large parlor. Julia cowered against William, Scott at her side. Sometimes it was choosing the lesser evil. Jason had proven, even if accidentally, he could hurt her. William had not.
Some emotion slid across Jason's face then was gone, like a shadow chased back by true darkness.
"She fears you wolf," William said as he dipped his head to lick the wound closed that he'd caused, his eyes never leaving those of Jason's wolf. When he finished, William lifted his head from Julia's arm. "It is I that takes blood from her veins, yet it is you she fears."
Her wound was already closing, a shaky exhale of relief escaped.
Julia's eyes met Marcus' and he shrugged. "If left to your own devices, you will heal all but the most grievous of injuries." Compliments of becoming, she assumed. Julia held her breath as Jason approached her and William.
"Don't touch her," Scott warned, coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with William.
Jason swung a face that was decidedly wolfen in Scott's direction, giving a snort that had the thread of a bark through it. "Oh yeah, so you throw her at the vamp so he can suck her dry. You're such a great protector," Jason said the last word sarcastically, making a grab for the considerable maleness that hung between his legs and continued, "if you had more of this then she wouldn't be near him."
Julia studiously kept her gaze averted. She had never been more intimate with anyone than with Jason, though they had never technically consummated their relationship. Julia clenched her eyes against the memories of those intimacies they'd shared. They were powerful... real. This image of him as part-werewolf obviously didn't agree with what she knew.
When she opened them, his spinning green eyes blazed with the memories Julia was trying so hard to ignore, to forget because they couldn't be like that anymore. Dammit. He wasn't going to make it easy.
Julia rolled her eyes above her shoulder to Scott, meeting his solid gaze. "You can't be serious... he hates me now."
Scott shook his head, his words for Julia, his eyes flicking to Jason. "Hate is not the opposite of love, indifference is." Scott stared at Jason. "And this," he swept his palm at Jason, his seven feet of contained violence, a breath away from a full change, vibrating through the room, "is not indifference. There is only passion in strong emotion. Hate... and love."
Jason made a low sound in his throat gone half to wolf, lowering a face that had a stub-like muzzle. "She smells like you," Jason said, his nostrils flaring.
"Yes," Scott said simply.
"She's my wife," he answered.
"Haven't they already gone over this?" Michael asked the obvious.
"Let me go," Julia said and William did, reluctantly. William, Scott and the remaining Combatant waited to see what Jason would do, how he'd react. Hell, so did she.
Julia walked to where Jason stood, keeping the tremble off her body with an effort. After all, Jason had gone from loving husband to strangler and limb-breaker. So sue her, Julia was a little gun-shy.
"I smell your fear, Julia," he said in a quiet growl.
She nodded. Julia couldn't hide it... so she didn't bother with a lie. "Yes."
His fists clenched, the short talons digging into palms covered with a gauzy blanket of short crimson hair. "I won't hurt you," he ground out and she dropped her eyes. Julia wasn't sure she believed him.
He gave a disgusted exhale. "I mean... shit. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Yeah," Julia replied, that she heard as the truth.
"She knows," Marcus said as a statement.
Julia met his gaze and Marcus sighed when he saw her nod.
"Okay," Jason said as his body began to quake. The threat to Julia was over, and his body began to flow back into his human form. To Julia it almost looked like melting candle wax of red bleeding to human flesh. Or what passed for human.
Jason gave a deep shudder, swaying a little then his eyes went back to hers as he took great, steadying breaths. Just hazel, no longer the spinning green of his half-wolf form.
When he could speak he asked, "What the hell is going on?"
Julia told him, his glare including William in the conversation.
As she spoke, Julia watched Jason's expression shut down more and more until the last words fell from her mouth. The silence was deafening inside a foyer that had always felt large but was now choked with her awkward announcement.
Jason smirked again. An expression Julia was getting used to and not liking in the least. She hated to see it back on his face. "So," he began, pegging a finger at first Scott then William, "this supernatural bullshit has been explained to me. They've tried to make it seem reasonable..."
"They?" William asked, brow cocked.
"The pack... drinker," Jason answered shortly.
"Just clarifying, dog."
Jason's eyes narrowed on William, "Wanna go?"
William said nothing but his face said it all, his lips pulling back from fangs which lengthened as Julia watched.
God, they never quit. She couldn't believe Scott thought to suggest it. She shot a glance his way and Julia had a thought; maybe.... "You meant for them to go at it..." she accused Scott and he had the grace to look vaguely embarrassed.
"It has its upside," Scott replied hopefully.
"He thinks we're a couple of slack jaws who will pummel each other into meat tenderizer and then he'd get Julia," Jason reasoned.
Scott didn't like the way Caldwell worked through things so well.
"He already has me," Julia reminded Jason, her voice quiet. Hating to say it, needing to say it.
Jason gave her a withering look. "Wrong, babe. You are still my wife, my lawful wife."
Everyone was quiet at this pronouncement.
Julia said nothing. There was nothing she could say.
"If it was explained to you, you wouldn't say that. Those human laws and cultural traditions do not apply to the supes," Michael said nonchalantly.
Jason looked at him and Michael threw his hands up. "Remember about the shit... that's all I'm saying." Julia felt her lips twitch as Jen gave a small chuckle. Julia was thankful for his intercession.
"I don't give a good goddamned who they apply to," his eyes went to Julia's and he pointed a finger in her face, his words for everyone and anyone. "She was my wife, she married me. She belongs to me."
"I belong to Scott now," Julia said, but not like she was entirely sure. Or, that it was entirely what she wanted.
Jason laughed from his gut, throwing his head back. "Yeah, you sound like you're so on board." He looked at the gathered, taking stock of the five of the Combatant, Scott's siblings, William and the other assorted supernaturals in attendance. "You all have your collective titties in a twist because for your 'Queen'," he dropped fingers from his airquotes, "to really stop these turf wars..."
"They are more wars of dominance than territory," Marcus clarified.
Jason gave an angry lift of his shoulders whatever, that move said, then continued, "You call the Were—dogs, you guys are the ones peeing in every corner that you can and hiding behind what you think is superior ideology by using Julia as a shield." He put his hands on his hips and snorted in disgust. "You think you're protecting her," he used his palm to indicate a silent Julia. "You're a bunch of users." Julia flinched and his eyes roamed the group, spending a few seconds longer on both Scott and William. "No," Jason continued in a low voice, "I'm way past indifference... way past rationalizing my behavior." He stood there, legs spread, arms folded over his chest. "I don't need to share what's mine, but neither did I say I wanted her anymore..." his eyes moved up and down Julia like she was beneath him and she felt stripped bare, vulnerable and lesser... diminished.
"I'm sure as hell not going to share her to what?" he threw up his hands, palms out, "unite these messed up groups?" He made a disbelieving sound in the back of his throat, it came out like a stunted laugh.
"I haven't forgotten who I am," Jason said, his hand going to his pec, thumb pressing deeply into the muscles of his bare chest as tattered denim barely clung to his lower body, a semblance of modesty in place. "She has," he said, pointing a finger at Julia and she lost it.
It was the last accusation of how awful, incompetent, ungracious, and uncaring she intended to put up with. His rant hit low and deep, tearing something apart inside her that she didn't know she had.
Julia strode to Jason, five feet four to his six feet two and open-palmed slapped him without breaking stride. The ringing of her flesh on his filled the silence with the sharp echo of her anger. It made her palm burn and her wrist ache. "Don't you tell me how wrong I am, how much I suck, and how you don't give a shit about me. I get it." Julia's eyes struck his like a patch of searing sunlight. "Oh and... FYI, I didn't ask for this." Her lip trembled with the need to cry and Julia held back, biting the inside of her lip to do it.
Jason's eyes blazed as he reclaimed the stride she'd given up, looming above her, the imprint of her palm an angry smear of red on his face.
Julia was simply too pissed to be scared, her anger at everything over the past two years was coming to an ugly head. Jason put a tender hand on her skull, smoothing over her hair from the crown to the soft roundness before it dipped to her spine. "I hate you, Jules," Jason whispered as he began to pull her closer and she nodded, tears rolling despite the blood that filled her mouth to stop it.
"I know," she replied softly.
He wrapped her tightly in his arms and kissed her, his breath sucking in as that drop of blood inside her mouth burst between them like a gem of inception. His lips moved away from her mouth as he pressed soft kisses all over her face and Julia gasped and cried, clinging to him and kissing him back. Her hands moved up to link together around his neck and he buried his face into her neck, half picking her up.
"I love you," Jason said against her neck before he allowed himself to be torn away by Scott.
Julia watched that slice of vulnerability race like a fleeting cloud across his face. "I know," Julia whispered for only his ears to hear.
Brendan burst back into the parlor, taking one look between Julia and Jason as Michael piped in with a laugh, "Good timing- mucho awkward, bro."
"Right," he said, dismissing the obvious and looked at a grim Marcus. "We've got another problem."
The Combatant that remained inside came forward.
"We've got a sighting of the rogue Were..."
Tony, Julia thought and couldn't hold in the shudder.
Brendan looked to Scott, "and Jacqueline."
Scott shrugged, his eyes still on Jason, his possessive nature in full throttle. He'd wanted to pry Caldwell's toenails off with a set of pliers.
Slowly.
He didn't care if the earth opened up and swallowed that conniving bio-mom of his. In fact, he'd welcome it. Sometimes Scott had mixed feelings about her but that wasn't happening right now. "Yeah?" he asked in terse question.
"Don't shoot the messenger," Brendan said and Scott took a deep breath. Walking over to Julia, he put his arms around her shoulders, feeling the tenseness seep out of her. He caught sight of Caldwell's expression. It mimicked his own, hard and tight.
Scott lifted his chin at Jason, dismissing the intimacy he'd just witnessed. He knew he couldn't have it both ways. Julia knew the truth. She had tough decisions to make and he wasn't certain he could help her. Judging by what he'd seen between her and Caldwell, he had his doubts. It was obvious to everyone but Caldwell—that he was still in love with her. Scott knew about deep denial, did he ever. "What can you tell us about this rogue?"
"Okay, so we're not gonna talk about the pink elephant in the room?" Jason asked, flicking his cool eyes in Julia's direction.
Scott shook his head. "No, one disaster at a time. First, we eliminate the threat, then we address...
"The weirdness," Michael said and Marcus frowned.
"It's not weird," Jen began and everyone looked at her. "Well kinda but really, it's about our futures... and what's right for everyone."
No one said the obvious: that what might be the right choice for most, would still hurt some.
"Anyway," Brendan said in a drawl, "Scott's right, we need to attend to this..." he waffled his hand back and forth...
"Security breach," Victor said, his bright eyes were on Jason like a hawk's.
"Yeah, what he said," Michael said and Julia actually watched Marcus roll his eyes and suppressed a giggle in the middle of everything that was happening. Michael saw her small smile and tipped an imaginary hat their way.
"Scott and the rest of the Combatant will eliminate the threat," Marcus said.
Scott whipped around, his arm falling away from Julia in reactionary protest. "Victor will remain here, along with the vampire and Were."
Scott's expression was thunder contained. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
"Temper," Marcus warned. "I am still the leader of Region One. We cannot have the Rare One outside our fortress."
"It is not as fortified as you suppose," William said in a dry voice. Marcus turned to look at him, a staring contest no one would win.
"True, vampire," Marcus conceded after several seconds of awkward silence passed.
"I am called William."
Marcus nodded and returned, "Marcus."
"Isn't this all amicable and everything," Jason began, "but you don't know what you're getting into with Tony. I don't know this Jacqueline..."
"Bitch-on-wheels," Jen said then quickly looked at Scott. "No offense."
"None taken, I want her head on a lance for what she did to Julia," Scott replied.
"She is my sovereign," Victor answered, his voice holding his anger like a warm bath.
Scott shook his head. "No, it's Julia now. If you can't make the switch, pal, you're not staying here. There can only be one Queen." Scott's eyes pegged his father's. "In fact, I am the natural choice. Her blood has chosen mine."
Marcus nodded. "That is true. But you can't take a breath around the others without a fight ensuing."
"Can you blame me?" Scott asked Marcus, incredulous.
"No," Marcus said simply. "That is why you must go."
"Julia knows what choices lay before her. She does not need her soulmate here to cloud the issue. Let her make a clear decision, without fear of reprisal, my eldest."
Scott stood, a hard line of muscle and anger, so pissed he could hardly breathe. His eyes lifted and were met by hers. He could feel Julia's heartbeat.
It was his own.
"What if the Were tries to hurt her again?" Scott asked like it was the most obvious threat.
Marcus gave a direct look at Jason. "It didn't look like you were hurting her a few minutes ago, yes?"
Jason gave a sharp exhale, showing Marcus his back. "No," he said in an explosive word.
"The Were will burn if he tries to harm her," Victor said softly.
Jason slowly turned, cocking his head to the side as a muscle jumped in his jaw. "What does that mean?"
"He's a Boiler," Scott said, his voice happier than it should have been.
Jason looked at the others as Michael whistled low. "That'll do it."
Victor gave a delicate sniff. Marcus looked suitably impressed.
"A dangerous talent, Combatant," Marcus noted.
"Yeah, internal combustion squared..." Michael added and Scott gave him a look.
"Okay, give it up..." Jason said in exasperation.
"I have the Flame of Blood talent."
"What the hell?"
"He can make your blood boil inside of your body. Y'know, human torch time." Michael smiled, pleased with himself.
Jason's face showed shock. "Really?"
"Yes."
"Can you control it?" he pressed.
Victor gave an amused chuckle. "I have a high degree of finesse."
"Huh," Jason said, giving Victor a considering look.
"Maybe you're not so fast... after all, they tell me I'm a red. We're special. Capable... lightning quick."
"Yes," Victor agreed, nodding at Jason. He narrowed his eyes. "Do not test me in this."
Jason's stare didn't drop. "Don't interfere," he returned.
"Don't think this is a great idea, Dad," Scott said.
"I will moderate," William added, his pale gray eyes honest.
Julia rolled her eyes. "I think I'll stay in my room." All eyes went to her. "Just call me after you're done duking it out."
Brendan looked at Julia with more than a little empathy. Her heart beat faster at that expression. Reading any flavor of grief was second nature to her. "What?"
Brendan hesitated, the least volatile of the siblings and even she could see he didn't want to give further news. "There was another sighting..."
"Who?"
Silence edged in like heavy air, constricting her chest.
Julia strode to him, her heavy hair a swinging weight between her shoulder blades. She felt like she was moving through mud. "Cyn?" Her eyes widened in expectant hope, her breathing quickened.
He nodded.
Julia sighed, tears of relief burning her eyelids. It was nice to have tears that weren't linked with sadness for once.
"And Adrianna... from your pack," Brendan said, looking at Jason. "Looks like Tony was a part of it. And now a Were from the other den has pursued them all." He looked at everyone. "The scarred one," he added.
Julia and Jason looked at each other.
The news just kept getting better and better.
Out of the frying pan and right back into the fire, Julia thought.
CHAPTER FOUR
Were
Slash watched from his spectator's view on the opposite side as the werewolves came into view with his usual trepidation. However, in moments, aided by the change of the wind's direction he'd be exposed.
There was only one that he didn't know.
His Packmaster and Alan were present but they had been easy to scent.
As were Adi and the newest of Singer ancestry, Cynthia.
He stepped out from the denseness of the trees, like an oasis of fur and wildness, a lone island as Were. The others turned to Slash as one, in his half-wolf form. His nose swung to the newcomer, a soft growl slipping out through his teeth as Slash trotted to where the females stood. The newcomer smelled as he did: red.
His wolf eyes saw all, his nose warned, alerted and simultaneously enlightened him of the genetic makeup that matched his own. Slash took note of the ticking flesh of the females elevated heartbeats underneath the delicate skin of their throats, though he didn't allow his thoughts to dwell on Adi. For in this moment, circling the new Were was primary.
It did not matter that his Packmaster and Alan were in close company.
Slash was autonomous for a reason. There was something thrilling and natural about remaining in the background, coming when needed, not drawing attention to oneself. It had always served him well in the past.
Now he must know if the new Were was a threat.
"Slash," Alan greeted him in the gravely rumble that all male Were possessed while in between.
Slash gave an awkward nod with his snout. He was not a believer in changing to the lesser shape or his human form when there was an unfamiliar.
"It's okay," Cynthia said in a low voice. "I know him."
Slash gave a low growl at her opinion, dismissing her. What could a Singer possibly know with their dulled senses? If she were not a Tracker, her observations and knowledge couldn't help him.
But it was Adi who spoke, "It's okay, Slash," she said, approaching him warily. The new Were suddenly moved forward and Lawrence gave a shrill half-bark of reprimand. "Don't!" he said but it came out like a hoarse cough, a negative shouted from the guttural depths of a throat no longer human but somewhere in the middle.
Slash was suddenly in front of Adi, his large head low to the ground, every fang in full relief.
Truman backed off, his eyes on the female that stood beside the Were's flank. There was a primal alert that was ringing a warning deep within Karl. He flicked his eyes to Cynthia Adams and knew that she was hanging on by a thread. He backed away and the other Were relaxed infinitesimally. The female Were, who was in human form, had her hand buried in the luxurious multi-colored fur of the one who faced off with him.
Was she his? Karl's wolf wondered, the thought as alien to him as his new form. It didn't matter, this whole scenario just got stranger and stranger. Days before, a night before, he'd been a cop.
Now he was one of them. Thinking like them. Posturing like them.
The two natures were superimposed in a discordant layering on his psyche and Truman felt almost ill with the vertigo of it. He'd adapt, he always did. Or he hoped he'd adapt. Karl thought there was not a lot of patience from the Were with newcomers. Just a feelin'.
"Slash," Lawrence said, "Back down... he is a convert."
Slash straightened, reluctantly drawing away from the hand that offered only friendship and could never be more. He knew that he now matched the form of the two from his pack and... the new one.
A red.
Slash and the new Were gazed at each other from perhaps twenty feet away. "Welcome," Slash said.
"Some hospitality... thought you were gonna bust my gonads, pal," Truman said in a light gravely tone.
Slash's sudden grin hung strangely on his in between shape, it never translated the full range of human expressions he would be capable of in full human form. Not that Slash thought much of showing emotion. Ever. It was overrated.
He turned to Adi. Her human form held the bruises of the last several hours. They were many.
"Who's done this...?" he asked her, then his gaze encompassed the female Singer as well, his question now posed to both. He didn't need the answer, he could feel his brows dump above his eyes, narrowing them in anger. The lightning strike of the scar that bisected his face was a red slash across the dusting of fur. "Tony?"
Cynthia nodded. "Yes, king dick Were, that'd be him."
Slash smirked and it looked like a grimace on a face with a snub snout, the light chestnut fur like reddish-gold fuzz all over his body.
More naked wolf-guys, Cynthia thought. Wonderful.
"Anthony Laurent?" Truman offered and Cynthia looked at him curiously.
"Yeah, how'd ya know?" Her eyes searched his, the revolving green warring with whatever his human color was. However, Cynthia realized with a start that the memory she had of him was dim. All she could see was the once fifty-year old Homer detective was now some kind of mondo-Were.
A ripple of contained agony crossed his face as he bled back to human.
So it's not pain-free, Cynthia noticed. Interesting.
Cynthia couldn't stop the gasp and she covered her mouth.
Truman felt the frown form between his eyes but answered her question regardless of how strangely she reacted. Cynthia Adams would recognize him now, she'd know she was safe. "Laurent was my primary lead. He had a really old conviction. It was floating around in the wrong place; pre-computers."
"Yeah," Cynthia said softly.
"What is it?" Adi asked just as quietly.
Cynthia shook her head, her blonde hair floating in strands. "This dude," she pointed at Karl Truman, "he's a cop from Alaska."
The two wolfen males, Alan and Lawrence, nodded. "We know..." the rough voice of the Packmaster agreed but she held her hand up for silence and he glowered at her, the fur rippling in an unpleasant stripe down the center of a face that held a snout.
The image gave her pause but she plowed forward at her own peril—the hell with it. "This is not the Karl Truman I remember."
"I wasn't a werewolf, Miss Adams." It was clear from his expression that it was as surreal to him as it was to her.
Good thing they agreed on something, she thought. Cynthia folded her arms in exasperation. "Ya think? Brilliant no-shittery there, Truman."
"Wait a damn minute... sassy-ass." Truman stepped forward and Adi gave a giggle, slapping her thigh and his gaze slid to her. "What?"
"You get a pass because you're new... but you do know you're naked as a jay bird, right?"
Heat flared on Truman's face. Suddenly, all he could think about was his dick hanging out in front of two young women. It was, in a word... awful. If balls could shrivel (and Truman felt that was a certainty) his were walnuts.
Alan moved in front of him and immediately Adi's eyes made contact with his own. "He stepped into the middle of everything and got changed."
"Sacrilege!" Slash roared. His eyes flashed and the trembling energy of his change to full form lay like heat above his skin, hanging in that precarious balance between forms. Adi gasped, and like sympathy, her own wolf rose up through the mists of her humanity, begging for release, for escape.
"Don't," she whispered to Slash. He would bring her wolf and she didn't want to change in front of males she didn't know, it was too vulnerable for words.
He quelled the need, his anger and wolf so closely linked they breathed the same air, ate the same food. His wolf and his human were interlocked in a way most Were envied. The speed of his change a mere thought, intent- then it happened.
It was not enviable now.
Adi took a deep trembling breath, stilling that roiling heat that had risen to meet his. She gave him troubled eyes and he confirmed the trouble.
"It is Tony who made these marks on your body." Slash stated it as fact, ignoring the new Were, his body tense until he got answers. Answers enough to know how to proceed.
"Yeah, it would have been more too if he could have made it longer but the Queen bitch of the east flew in on her broomstick and screwed his plans," Cynthia said and Adi laughed.
"What she said." Adi hooked a thumb in Cynthia's direction and Cyn looked at Alan. In the eyes, because the swinging genitalia was kinda distracting. "Hi Boss."
Alan scooped up a pair of shorts off the ground, an open small pack lay on the forest floor as his form fell like a sliding rain of flesh all around him and he sunk into how she remembered him. It might seem all natural to them but to Cynthia, it was the damn oddity of a lifetime. Cyn knew if she dwelled on it too long, she'd go crazy.
So she didn't. She watched Alan's ass muscles clench and bunch as he threw on athletic shorts over his nakedness. She fought not to cover her eyes. The more she told herself not to look the more she wanted to. Then he faced her. "Hi."
Cynthia took a deep breath, trying not to glance where she shouldn't, making sense of this as her boss from the restaurant, the dude who'd given her a break, stood as a human, but had just been a werewolf or something. Some break. Cyn wasn't stupid enough to think that Alan hadn't known what she was all along. Who she was.
"You knew, you cheese whiz," she started in, walking right into the wall of his muscled chest and poking him with the tip of her badly chipped acrylic nail.
"Yeah," Alan admitted, looking down into her face. Cynthia was tall, five feet eight-ish, but Alan stood near six feet two. He'd been almost seven feet even, she figured... when he was wolfing it up.
Spanktastic. Yet again.
She hit him with the finger a second time. "You could have," stab, slap... "effing let me in on the fun." Cynthia pushed him with the flat of both palms and he didn't move a centimeter. "When I first worked for you!" she yelled, her palms becoming fists and beating on him.
Alan grabbed her small wrists, easily controlling them. "We hoped it wouldn't come to this."
"Well it fucking did!" Cynthia yelled in his face.
"Cyn!" Adi said, grabbing her shoulder and Alan released her wrists. She fought not to rub them where they ached from his restraint.
Lying prick.
Cynthia backed away, laying her accusation all over the top of him with her gaze.
Alan sighed as Lawrence came to stand beside him and Karl Truman as well.
Lawrence held up a hand that was talon tipped moments before and Cynthia swallowed hard, looking from one to the other of them.
"Karl Truman walked onto land owned by the Southeastern Pack and the decision..."
"Bad decision," Adi interjected.
"Perhaps..." Lawrence agreed as his eyes slid from Adi's and back to rest on Cynthia. He continued, "At any rate, the decision was made to turn Truman."
"Why?" Cynthia mourned, her palm sweeping Truman. "He was human before... living his life. Werewolves are nothing but a pack of sadistic manipulators with fur." She turned to Adi. "There's some exceptions."
Adi huffed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, no offense or anything."
"David of the Southeastern didn't realize the wound would not be a killing one. He thought he was defending his den from an astute interloper."
Cynthia looked at him. "So..." she began slowly, tapping her bottom lip with her damaged nail, "David, the wolf-whatever, was just gonna do his ass—a cop," she gave him narrow accusatory eyes, "then, he surprised everyone by turning."
There were embarrassed looks between Alan and Lawrence but surprisingly, it was Truman who spoke, "I'm glad they did it. For the first time... I feel right in my own skin."
Cynthia threw up her hands. "When ya have it!" Her eyes were fierce when she met Truman's. "Now you have to follow their weird pack law and crap. This entire supernatural thing blows." Cynthia ignored Adi snickering in the background.
"I think we're way off task here," Slash interrupted, having quietly turned into his human form. Cynthia was glad to see him, scarred scary face or not, ginormous presence or not: when things had gotten hot as they went to Julia, he'd protected her. "Alan and myself are on loan from the Southeastern for the express task of guarding Cynthia. And now, part of that might loop to Adrianna's protection as well."
Adi grunted in displeasure.
"Because of Laurent?" Truman said, making the same intuitive leap of logic as a Were that he would've made as a cop. In his heart, he was still a digger. A digger of clues, one of truths as well. God, he'd kill to have a cig. Of course, that could all change... he'd only had hours to acclimate to what he was. It was weird how natural he felt now. Like his other, human form had been a costume and this was his real self.
"Yes," Slash replied. His eyes moved to Cynthia. "Tell us," he commanded of her, "and leave nothing out."
Her eyes swept to Truman, then Adi... then finally they landed on Slash.
Cynthia told him. How Tony had brazenly taken both women from the semi-safety of the Region One Singer compound, then their luck had allowed them to slip out from underneath him—literally. Jacqueline had tried to cripple Adi, Cynthia had healed her... then while the two enemies had gone after each other, they'd escaped the noose entirely.
There was a weighty silence that Slash broke, "Sloppy," he remarked. This was his area: strategy. Jacqueline might have been accustomed to sitting behind her gilded desk, as leader of Region Two, and merrily delegating her nefarious deeds to her underlings. But when faced with an unpredictable Were of criminal motivation... she had met her match. As vile as Tony was, he was a welcome distraction at just the time they'd needed it.
"What?" Cynthia asked. "Are you kidding me? That's all you have to say...? Gawd!"
Slash's lips twitched. Willful thing. "I missed you being taken, that fault will always remain with me. However," he paused and she looked back at him, the scar bisecting the ink of his brow as he cocked it, "I was charged with your protection and was almost upon your position when I picked it up elsewhere... with them." It was a speech for Slash, though Cynthia didn't know how truly reticent he was.
Cynthia crossed her arms as Adi came to stand beside her. "Cyn... normally, I love an alpha male ball bust..." Cyn's brows rose and Adi nodded her head. "Truly... however, these guys... I can vouch for them." Her brown eyes moved to Slash. "I've known Slash since I was a whelpling and he was always good to me... and Joseph," she whispered that last. No way was she going to think about her brother's death.
Slash stayed where he was when every fiber of his being screamed to be with the female, her sadness a tangible thing between them. God help them if there were ever a rite... which was a real thing. A thing in which the wolves chose each other's mates; not the humans. Then different dens be damned. Males would fall to mate with an alpha female. Age was immaterial, as once Weres were of age, their maturation was slow. Slash was early twenties when Adi referenced the early relationship they shared when she was a whelp. Now that she was entering her wolf's early adulthood, she would be of breeding age, while Slash remained forever looking thirty. He was not, but closer to forty in years walked on this earth. It was the contrary nature of supernaturals, females would look even younger. He allowed his eyes to rove Adi's form, so small, so determined... so keenly unaware of her own beauty. Was there such a thing as an ugly alpha female? Slash hadn't encountered one. But Adi was special. One such as she could never love a hardened battle-scarred Were from another pack. Slash turned away, shrugging off his internal monologue. He gave the full heat of his gaze to Lawrence, Alan, and the newest member of his pack, Karl Truman.
"How long have you been Were?" Slash asked him.
"I don't know, about a day..." Karl said with a chuckle. A furrow formed between Slash's brows, damn fast assimilation in the pack. It was troubling that David and Ford were not here. Of course, it was not smart to have both Packmasters gone from their respective dens. Sister dens were vulnerable if leaderless simultaneously. His gaze went to Truman, who was clearly an alpha. Only the strongest could be turned in one day, and behave as if they still had their head about them.
Slash looked at the other Were. Then he swung his gaze back to Truman. "Does he know what he looks like?"
Truman's gaze sharpened on Slash.
Cyn knew exactly what the scarred alpha was asking. She came forward, digging in her back pocket. She extracted: lip gloss, a non-working cell, and finally, a small compact that was part compartment and part mirror. The deep blue enamel of the top had an eight point star etched on the top.
"Amazing you can pack all that shit in your back pocket with how tight those jeans are," Alan said in a voice that struggled to be neutral and Cynthia raised the middle finger of her free hand.
"Sit and spin, ya lying jackass," she replied. Ignoring him, she approached Truman as a glowering Alan stepped back from her.
Smarter than he looks, she thought. "Look at yourself," Cyn said and then glanced at Slash for confirmation and he nodded. Yeah, she thought that was what he meant. He better know what he really was, the whole tamale, not just the good stuff.
Karl took the makeup thing from Cynthia Adams and looked at his reflection.
Truman prided himself on being a flinty sort- unflappable. Nothing much rocked his boat. But when he got a good look at himself, he staggered back, almost dropping the compact.
He was saved from falling on his ass by the Packmaster of the Northwestern den, his arm falling on Truman's with its hefty weight. They probably thought he was getting ready for a hysteria fit.
"It is sometimes thus when someone has been changed late in their cycles," Lawrence said almost apologetically.
"What the blue hell does that fancy turn of phrase mean?" Truman asked, raising the mirror again. He walked his fingers over skin now smooth and tight, eyeballing his tight jawline. Un-fucking-real, Truman thought.
The gaze of a much younger man was reflected back. Eyes that held the wisdom of ages like a promise, a face that had lived perhaps thirty years.
It was a face he hadn't seen in two decades.
Truman wordlessly handed the thing back to Cynthia, who shoved it back in her pocket.
"It means that you have the blood of the Were inside you or the bite from our Packmaster would have been the last thing you knew on this earth," Alan stated.
"You have the blood of the red running in those veins," Slash added and Lawrence nodded.
"And you just slipped underneath the radar for turning," Adi said. "How old were you when David chomped on ya?"
Truman felt a small smile form on his face at those words. "I was closer to fifty-one than fifty," he admitted.
Adi gave an appreciative whistle, turning to Slash. "Has anyone ever...?" Her pale brown brows rose slowly.
Slash shook his head. "If anyone's ever been changed after fifty, I've not heard of it."
"What does it mean?" Cynthia asked, looking between them all.
"He's more red than we speculated..." Slash said.
Lawrence was back to looking at Truman, who backed away from everyone. What did his lineage of red matter?
"Is that a bad thing?" Cynthia asked Truman's internal question out loud, one eye on Truman, who was the only link to her past besides Jason and Julia.
"It could be..." Slash said.
Lawrence's gaze went from curious to speculative in an instant. "Very."
CHAPTER FIVE
Julia
"I can't leave you," Scott said, his forehead pressed against Julia's. When he stood next to her like this... touching, he couldn't conceive of leaving her. Not with the two he told her she'd have to consider marrying.
Besides himself.
And of course, technically she was already married to Jason. That just bit his ass about a hundred different ways.
William and Jason were just beyond the bedroom door, the jagged glass doorknob winking its displeasure in the sunlight. Its fractured presence was the only audience to his goodbye.
Julia felt like someone was amputating a body part without a tool, just a slow and painful rendering of flesh and bone.
Instead of the million things she wanted to accuse him of, she asked instead, "How long?"
Scott closed his eyes against the warm breath of her words at his neck, sick to his stomach at the next hours without her. But a bright spot appeared and he smiled, because some facts couldn't be altered. No amount of deceit and manipulation would work. "Not long. Now that we've melded, to be separated longer than a few days will cause a problem. It goes against everything we know as Combatant to endanger the Queen."
Julia pulled away, her hand coming to his jaw and he grabbed it, holding it against the stubble that peppered it, the cleft at his chin a shadow below his smile.
"Then why go? It's stupid. Jason hates me and William... well, that won't work."
"Jason doesn't hate you. But he needs to get his shit in one sock and stop beating you up every time he's near you. I think William," and he looked straight at Julia, "I hate it- hate." His intense brown eyes darkened like a storm finally arrived. "I believe he would do anything but cause you harm. He manipulated my sister... took blood from a Singer under thrall... to get to you. No," Scott shook his head, "he's Singer enough to cast thrall on one of us, Singer enough to breed with and now sovereign over the Southeastern Kiss?"
Julia felt like crying. "I don't have to do this. I can just be with you. Only you." Though Julia felt the tug of her heart that was still Jason. The meld swept her love for him aside like an errant current but it didn't erase the memories.
Scott gripped her face inside his hands, the length and breadth palming it. "I don't want you to be with anyone but me. That's why I have to let you go... it isn't want, it's what's right."
"What—what is right?"
Scott buried his lips against Julia, the brutal kiss at once tender, deep and savage. Julia responded like a flame to a struck match, wrapping her arms around his neck and he picked her up, arms twining around her waist.
Julia came up gasping for air, her skin flushed from the effects of their meld and mutual desire. She gazed down at him, her hair falling forward and touching his face like a spiderweb of silk.
"Choice."
Julia stilled in his embrace, searching his serious eyes.
"You need to have choice. It's been robbed from you too many times. And your safety is foremost. It must be. I am your Singer soulmate but as the Combatant is charged with your safety, until that is assured, I can't let my selfishness take control." He feathered kisses on the jaw that was exposed above him. "However damn much I want to. I love you too much to let harm come to you." The kisses went lower, heat and air along her skin like the shiver of butterfly's wings.
Scott let Julia slide down his body and she felt how much he wanted her; it was in his eyes, against her body in rigid desperation, the heat of his hands at the small of her back, the harsh breaths he contained from the force of his will alone.
Julia wanted him back.
He knew it. Sensed it. Groaned from the lack of consummation.
Carefully... oh so carefully, Scott put Julia away from him.
"I don't know if I can do this..." Julia said. "I've been brave, I've survived. I thought Jason was dead, now he's worse than dead, he's some kind of crazy werewolf that's got mixed feelings about me... and, we're still married!" she cried, hands covering her face.
Scott closed his eyes. When he opened them, he moved another step away from her. Julia's hands fell from her tear-stained face as her eyes tracked his escape.
If he didn't leave now, Scott knew he never would. He spun on his heel, wrenching the door open and the remnants of the shattered knob fell on the floor and rolled on behind him.
It didn't entirely chase the sound of Julia's crying from him.
*
Julia didn't know how long she laid on that bed. Her heartbeats slowing to her own rhythm, not Scott's but her own.
She didn't eat. Didn't care.
Jen came wordlessly in to check on her, then out again. The sun moved in her room like a dial. Pie shaped wedges of sunlight moved relentlessly through the room until only a sliver remained.
Finally, Julia sat up and looked at the door, the hole where the knob used to be gaped back at her like a missing eyeball. She walked to the bathroom, shut the door and leaned against it. Julia looked at the shower then shucking her clothes as she walked to the stall, gave the faucet a vicious twist and went beneath spray so hot it nearly scalded her skin. When Julia had washed the grime and guilt from her body she toweled herself off and glided over to the mirror on the river of her sadness. She swiped the ornate mirror's surface using her forearm and the sense of déjà vu was strong as the image stared back. A little older now, a little more raw. Her eyes moved to the crescent-shaped scar that had everyone in a stupid lather and Julia had a moment of wanting so badly to break that reflection. Shatter that tether to the past with her fist.
Her hand hovered above the surface expectantly. Julia slowly lowered it; seven years bad luck and all. Besides, it wouldn't undue anything, or help her where she was now.
Julia turned away from her image, her belly griping about its emptiness. Julia moved out of her room and the entire household was buzzing with activity. The litter of glass was gone from the battle with the vampires. Workers had tables of plywood set up on sawhorses while one cut the glass to fit the hole in the pane, the other installed and glazed it. They were like a well-oiled machine. By tomorrow, it would be as if it never happened.
Paul approached her in the hallway and she gave him a grateful smile. It was amazing what a shower could wash away. Not everything, but enough to eke out another day of pretending to feel human.
Paul held out his hand, his carrot colored hair flopping with his enthusiastic pump of her hand. "Thanks." She cocked her head, releasing his hand. "You're the one who's keeping it all at a dull roar."
He nodded. "I figured you'd be kind of a wreck with Scott taking off and all."
Julia dropped her chin, her eyes cast at the ground. "Yeah."
"What a dipshit I am!" Paul slapped his forehead. "I shouldn't have reminded you. Cyrus said three days max anyway."
Julia snapped her eyes to his. "What? That's as long as we can be separated?" She took a stab at guessing.
Paul gave a small roll of his eyes. "Kinda unprecedented, Julia. One," he put the index of his right hand and tapped his left with it, "you're the Rare One—big upset." His light blue eyes met hers and she smiled despite herself. "Two, you have the big Soul Meld with the most volatile Singer at our compound."
Julia's smile became a grin. "Yeah."
"He hated you in the beginning remember?"
She did. Interesting phenomena: Jason hated her, Scott had hated her... now it was William's turn. She sighed.
"Listen, I'd be a crappy Negator if I didn't dial back your telepathy and lessen the discomfort while he's away."
Julia looked at him. "This isn't going to work, y'know."
Paul grinned, his pale skin and flaming hair made him look almost like a living cartoon. He waggled those orange brows, "Which part?"
Gawd. "Pick one," Julia said, entering the kitchen. She opened the fridge, saw nothing of interest then closed it again.
"Nah, this is how you do it," Paul walked forward and opened the fridge, flashing the contents, then closed it. He repeated it two more times then said on the third try, "It's three times open, that's the charm."
Julia laughed, walked forward and opened the fridge for the second time.
Then a third. Suddenly, she spotted a container, hidden in the very back of the fridge filled with mixed fruit. She snatched it, popped the lid, took a whiff and decided it was good enough.
"Gross..." Paul wrinkled his nose at her selection, "but see how that works?" Paul asked.
Julia smiled and nodded. She grabbed a fork and dug in as she leaned against the edge of the granite countertop, watching the men replace all the missing panes of glass. Paul looked at her, then turned and opened the fridge. He grabbed a slice of two day old pizza and ate it cold.
"Now that's gross... ick."
Paul took a huge bite and grabbed a bottle of orange juice and chased the whole load down the food pipe. "Awesome, more like. You don't know what you're missing."
"I don't, do I?" Julia asked in coy disdain, grinning. Suddenly, Paul stuffed the pizza into her open mouth and she squealed, dropping the fruit where it conveniently landed upside down in a colorful splatter on top of the polished wood floor.
Julia began to choke, laughing around the slice and tried to fight Paul off as he merrily crammed it in and she landed against the fridge, trying not to pee her pants. She needed the levity, she did.
Too bad it was a short term thing.
There was a sudden pressure against her body then it was gone, Paul was airborne behind her, slamming into the wall. Julia's half a slice of mashed pizza fell from her open mouth, landing on top of the floor as two large palms smacked beside her on the fridge and she screamed.
Those eyes that had once been hazel were now a swirling vibrant green, the green grass of Easter basket shavings.
So green.
They spun and she whimpered when talons as long as rulers slid against the side of her face. One slithered to the center of her throat where the hollow lay, her heartbeat pushing the tip of it up and down in a staccato rhythm of fear.
"Are you hurt?" Jason growled.
Julia tried to speak, "N-"-couldn't. She cleared her throat. "No," she whispered. Then, "Please... Paul..." she remembered, her eyes moving to where Paul had slid down the wall, out cold. "Oh my God, you've hurt Paul!" Julia said, finally finding her voice.
Jason had his wife caged with his arms, only his hands were changed. But he could see by Julia's expression that maybe a little of his wolf had bled through in his eyes.
His scent was sharpened, maybe a little snout as well he thought. Jason could taste her fear. His own lust and anger brought every emotion to the forefront. Jason hated that he loved her. Julia tried to move and he wrapped his hand around her nape and dragged her against himself. She molded to him perfectly- as she always had.
"Let me go," Julia said, her fear a metallic taste in her throat like spoiled pennies.
"Do it... or I will cook you until your entrails boil within your body," Victor said from the doorway.
Jason stepped away from Julia, letting his talons slide back into his fingertips, his scent receptors going dull, his eyes—normal normal. It was that fast. One moment, his wolf rose, then he blinked and he was just Jason again.
Keeping Julia at his back, he spun around to the one Combatant that faced him. Victor gave him a chilly little smirk and walked in.
Victor flicked a casual glance at Paul as he walked by his slumped figure on the floor then put the kitchen island between the two of them. "Why are you threatening Julia?" he began in a low voice.
"Pfft," Jason said in a dismissive hiss. "I haven't threatened her. Why, didn't ya get the memo, Vic? She's my wife. What kind of husband do you think I'd be... to resort to violence?"
Julia looked around Jason's body, trying to subtly scoot out from behind him and his hand snaked out, latching onto her wrist and she yelped. Victor moved without thinking, answering as he swung his body over the top of the granite slab, "A desperate one."
Victor's feet plowed into Jason and he stumbled back as Julia slid to the side and the fridge door collapsed around the impact of Jason's body.
Julia ran to where Paul lay. He was coming around, the sounds of the two of them fighting a meaty charge Julia wished she wasn't privy to. "Wake up," Julia said, giving Paul a light slap on the face.
"Wha—what?" Paul's eyes focused on hers, then to a point behind her shoulder. "Julia!" Paul yelled and Julia turned around just as familiar arms took hold of her. William ripped her from the floor and blurred them both to the front porch before Jason and Victor could take their next breath.
Memories crushed Julia: William's mouth on her wrist, taking her blood, William saving her from his own people. William.
Always William.
But night had fallen and the vampire was at his strongest, his Singer blood thrummed through veins where enough of it ran to allow shapeshifting. Now the master of his own coven, William was but looking for opportunity. There would be a score to settle with the Seattle Kiss but that would wait until he and Julia could discuss their options.
Is that not why Scott had left his soulmate and prophesied Rare One in their tender care? If not to explore her immortality... the unity that could bridge the groups?
He would but speak with her and once he found out what he needed then he would bow out.
Or not, as the case may be.
*
William
He flung himself onto the porch, Julia in his arms, dizzy from the speed of his acquisition of her as the Combatant charged the porch. William forced his change with a speed that even he didn't know he was capable of. Black feathers unfurled like soft water, wrapping Julia inside a blanket of heat. William jumped into the air, his talons lightly plucking at her clothing. He did not wish for a repeat of the devastating injuries of their last transport. He sped into a night that was like a gift presented just to him, the squall of Combatants storming after him. He heard weapons leaving their complacent sheathing, shouting and even a hand brushed his talon as he lifted Julia to safety and privacy.
"William," Julia yelled over the rush of air through his wings.
The lights from the old grand Victorian glowed from beneath them and Julia felt how chilly it was this high in the sky as the scenery blurred beneath them.
"Not yet," William said, circling an area about two miles north of the compound. Her weight swung like a pendulum beneath him as the ground rushed up to meet them and he slowed his descent.
William settled Julia on the ground beneath him and perched on a large stump, clear cut a century before Julia's birth.
"They'll come... all of them." Her voice was furious in its fear.
He cursed as his bones and tendons slid back into position. Talons retracted, the sharp beak of his face melted into the familiar features of false humanity he normally maintained. His eyes would be last, glowing red in a pale face framed by hair that blended with the night.
William shook off the fatigue he was normally saddled with after the transition, catching his breath. "I know, but in this, I have solitude but for a few moments." William straightened painfully, then took one step toward Julia. Then another.
She met him in the middle with a sob caught in her throat as she gripped the remaining tatters of clothing. "I don't feel him, William."
"The Singer?" he asked, holding her, his hand gripping the back of her silky hair. He felt her nod soundlessly against him.
"He's gone after the primary threat and left you to your own devices. He knows that no force, no principality, no matter how great, shall have you." William put her away from himself, smelling the salt of her tears and if there was ever one that he could ache for, it would be she. William placed a cool finger underneath her chin and lifted it until their eyes met. "He has placed you in good hands, Julia. He knows..." William took his eyes away from hers then felt them unerringly move back to hers. "He knows that I love you."
Julia moved against him again, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I care about you. But love?" She stepped away again, holding her arms away from her small body. "I don't know how I feel about anything anymore. Confused doesn't cover it," she said, and a shaky, hysterical laugh broke from her throat.
William grasped her hands. "Know this: we want you safe, the Singer, myself... even the renegade Were."
Julia snatched her hands away. "Jason doesn't want me safe." She turned away from him. "He just threw Paul... our Negator, against the wall."
"I awoke as it transpired... Marcus has been most gracious in allowing me to stay at the compound. We vampire are usually burned on sight," he commented in a droll voice as he paced away from Julia.
Julia felt her mouth quirk but would not be deterred. "You're different. Scott... he said you could stay."
"Ah," William said, lacing his hands neatly behind his back as he stalked toward Julia again. "But for how long and at what cost? It might be that I am tolerated until you come to some decision and then I shall be cast out or worse."
Julia's head whipped in his direction. His gaze locked with hers. "No... they wouldn't do that."
William hesitated to crush Julia's naïveté. He hesitated, then gave her his thoughts, "Yes, they most certainly would."
"Then why bother with the principle of having the Rare One if she can't do the damn job!" Julia hissed her frustration.
"That is the biggest question. One I think your Region Two disappeared monarch was quite practical about."
Julia stared at him. "Jacqueline?" she asked, shocked.
He nodded. Then William wrapped his arms around her. "Say that you feel nothing and I will go... I will not press the advantage of our time together, the blood connection we've shared nor hold the leverage of saving the world above your head." He said it all with perfectly straight delivery. Only William could say the unthinkable and make it sound plausible.
Gee, thanks for that, Julia thought. But as she looked into eyes that had left crimson behind and moved to the familiar gray storm she remembered- she found no guile. Only one uncomfortable emotion was left in those drowning pools of gray.
Love.
Julia stood on tiptoe, the palms of her hands on the fullness of the muscles that covered William's chest. She would kiss him, in friendship- in thanks. William was her anchor in this sea of uncertainty. Her sadness at Scott's abandonment receded before them.
Their lips brushed, his were cool ice against her fire and then it became more. Like a whirlpool sucking the debris inside, Julia fell against him and William was there to capture her in the strength of his arms.
William groaned and buried his hand in her hair with a gasp of desire that was part anguish and part relief. As if he thought he would never touch her again.
"Well isn't this fucking sweet," Jason said.
Their lips parted like resistant taffy and Julia covered her mouth with her hand while her husband raked his cold eyes over her body.
"You'll just do anyone now, won't you?" Jason said, stalking like a predator toward Julia and William slid his arms around her, hauling her against his chest.
"Do not, Were," William warned.
"Ya pissed... that I interrupted your little tryst in the woods?" Jason gave an angry nod at William, agreeing with his own presumptions.
His face turned to Julia and he got close to her, their noses almost touching. "You've become a cheating whore in the time I've been away. How many supernaturals have you been with since I 'died'?" he asked in a voice gone low in rage.
"William, let me go."
"Are you sure?" he asked, giving Jason a look of warning.
She nodded and he let her go. Julia slid out of a grasp that should have been cold because it was a vampire who held her. But it had been strangely warm.
Julia guessed some of it depended on who held you.
Her eyes found Jason. His stare was like the frigid glaciers of Alaska. The flakes of green in his hazel eyes were the floating ice. Julia met him, standing inches from him as she craned her neck to meet his angry eyes. "You can't be a virgin and a whore," she stated as fact.
She moved away from him, William their silent witness, and Jason looked like he'd been sucker punched.
Julia nodded, turning to stare at him over her shoulder. "That's right. You can't have it both ways, Jason. I'm either a whore or I'm not; I can't be both."
Julia walked off, the two mile trek a welcome balm to the vampire who confused her and the Were whose self-hatred warred with his love for her.
Julia was afraid the two would never meet.
CHAPTER SIX
Tony & Jacqueline
Tony's chest heaved, his change to human form wreaking havoc. It was always fucked up when he had to move between his wolf and human forms too frequently. This close to the moon, all but the least of the Were could change at will. But it was only the alphas who could recover the humanity on that one day per month that the moon eased them, without falling into a stupor. Still, his body protested the changing.
He scanned the surroundings of the new place to which they'd escaped. His eyes moved to Jacqueline; Queen bitch. She was peeling the remnants of his change off her decidedly less fine wardrobe. Tony smirked. It was awesome how the little things could mean so much. And degradation toward someone who felt, that through their existence alone, they were somehow more- was especially sweet.
Jacqueline as a Singer was just like any female, but for her telekinetic talent she'd been under his thumb, and maybe, his body.
"Do not look at me like a piece of raw meat with a tasty bone in its center," Jacqueline said impassively, plucking off great chunks of mummified flesh like shed snakeskin with a puckered look of distaste.
Tony threw his head back and guffawed with relish. Oh... life was good.
"I am so glad that in your reality you are so funny."
Tony grinned and replied, "I am. But it's you that's really a riot. Here you are," Tony did a slow twirl in the middle of the wilderness, "tossed out on your ass from the Singer compound because you tried to kill that little bitch Rare One. That's rich."
Jacqueline's dark eyes were shadowed in warning, which he ignored. Tony could barely close his legs for the brass balls he held there. He knew it even if she did not. Jacqueline would eventually know, he vowed.
She moved toward him, her long skirt ill-suited to the environment. Jacqueline stopped so suddenly in front of him that her skirt wrapped his ankles and Tony became acutely aware of two things: she was female and dangerous. A tandem combination he didn't ordinarily encounter.
It was hot as fuck.
He just didn't know how to handle it. How could you control a snake as its rattles shake? Tony didn't know but he was jonesing to find out.
"It would do you well to remember that I am the one who holds the strings here, Were. It is only our mutual objectives that bring us together."
He grabbed his package, giving it a definitive squeeze and she snorted in disgust. "Yeah... but you need me, bitch."
The ring of her slap echoed in the open meadow of the forest and he grabbed her small wrist, subtly grinding those fragile bones together. "Don't start things you can't finish," Tony warned, jerking her against himself.
"You are a foul creature, Tony of the Were," she stated softly, the proof of his arousal like a rigid pole between them.
"Yeah I am. You might want to remember that." He cocked his head, pegging her with eyes as dark as her own. "I don't notice you hitting me over the head with your talent to get me to stop." He smirked in condescension, knowing his superiority- owning it. He jacked her arm up behind her back and she made a small pain noise and it amped his shit up even more.
Jacqueline did the opposite of what he thought she'd do and that unpredictability was the very thing that Tony should have anticipated. Instead of struggling to get away, she allowed Tony to keep her pressed against him, her arm shrieking behind her, as she leaned deeply into his space. So deeply he could smell the soap she had used that morning.
"There are other ways," Jacqueline murmured against the shell of his ear and every fiber of his being relaxed, thinking that she symbolically offered her throat. That was always the trouble with Tony; sex scrambled his signals and his instincts misfired.
She lifted her knee into his groin with a deft impact that caused instant nausea to roll in his gut, unfolding into a heated lump that roared up his throat. Jacqueline stepped back, sending him into a staggering sprawl to the forest ground with a perfectly executed flat-palmed shove dead-center in his sternum.
Tony felt his fingers bite into the damp fragrant earth, comprised of coniferous needles, the rotting undergrowth of leaves and moss. The organic reek became the catalyst for what happened next. His vomit joined everything beneath him as he heaved his guts, his nuts crawling to safety underneath his cock.
And all the while Jacqueline stood cackling in the background.
That cunt would pay. And if it be with more than her life, that was just fine by Tony.
*
Jacqueline left the Were where he lay, the imbecile. Cunning though he may be, and necessary... horribly necessary; Jacqueline could barely abide their acquaintance. If she could but gain free passage, she could bring to Marcus the words from the Book of Singers that would exempt her. Then he would be forced to acquiesce.
For the Rare One had not consummated. With her biological son, nor with the two that she must to close that loop Jacqueline desperately wished to remain open. Until such time, there was a fracture in the perfection of Julia's future rule. The Singers would lift her up, but Jacqueline's bid for her throne should have underscored that damning fact that, if it had not been for the Were and Vampire, she would be a dead Queen. Julia's indecision made her vulnerable. And where vulnerability lay, the Singers would never realize unity and freedom from the supernatural wars.
Not that those things were a remote concern to Jacqueline. Power was.
She strolled over to where Tony lay. His hands were latched onto his considerable nethers and she crouched down beside him, tucking her skirts underneath in an unconsciously ladylike gesture. Some things remained automatic. Bold as always, the hem of her skirt brushed the tense muscles of his arms.
"Do we have an understanding, dog?" she inquired in a light mocking tone.
Tony nodded. His reaction was all yes... but within those eyes something very like hate and plotting lurked. Jacqueline knew that their alliance would be tenuous at best... at worst- she would die by his hand.
She straightened. "Let us come to terms then."
"You fucking kicked my nuts around my ears, lady... I think it'll be a minute before I can manage moving."
Jacqueline's lips curled. "As you were then."
She walked off as the eyes of someone who wished her the finest degree of harm followed Jacqueline into the shadow of the trees.
*
Julia
Julia had felt despondent in the past... but still—there had been hope. Now she had turned her back on two familiar comforts. Jason, who had once been her rock and was now... someone who held nothing but scorn for her.
Whore. His words came back like horse bites on her body, liquid quick, painful... and devastating.
Fuck him, Julia thought, and the wolf he rode in on. She kicked a rock out of the way as she moved toward the compound, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her jeans, at least they'd been smart enough not to come after her.
She didn't look up when the cavalry arrived. In all, it had been maybe ten minutes. They ran.
That meant the Combatant had run five minute miles. Or maybe that was jogging for them.
She looked up and met Victor's gaze. "My Queen."
Shit. "Yes," she whispered.
"Are you hurt?"
Julia glared up at him. "No. I am not hurt, wounded, compromised or anything else."
Victor gave her despondent eyes and Julia wanted to scream. Instead, her eyes moved over the Combatant, minus Scott and she felt oppressed. Julia knew that it was her new duty to accept the title, see tasks and obligations through because of her new role.
But Julia yearned for normalcy.
She took a deep, cleansing breath and walked to stand beside Victor and he tucked her against his body. "You know that it is your safety that I must secure."
It wasn't his fault, anymore than her being the Rare One was hers. Julia nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
However, Victor had the uncanny ability to speak for her. "All will be well, Julia. The vampire and the Were will come to terms that all can live with."
"I don't think so," Julia said and he drew her away from himself enough to see her face.
"I know that you do not." His eyes met hers and she noticed again how beautiful he was. If a man could be called beautiful, it would be Victor. He gave her a small shake and it cleared her head. "But the Were is angry at circumstance... the vampire must fight his nature to be selfless. At the end of the day, it is you that they wish to have... to protect."
"Jason has a crap way of showing it."
If Victor was alarmed at how she expressed herself he didn't show it and she felt herself relax against him in stages as they walked back to the compound, a protective arm around around her shoulders.
The others in the Combatant, having kept a loose circle around them, tensed, and Julia knew that Jason had caught up with them.
Victor and Julia turned and faced him.
It was a hard thing to describe, the expression on Jason's face was shut down, guarded. There were bruises on the face she had kissed, had loved.
Did she still love him? Julia wasn't sure... now there was Scott and when they were together there was no one else. But she had loved him. What a mess, she thought.
"Jules..."
Julia put up her hand. "Let's get back to the compound," she caught his eyes with her own, "and I'll see how Paul is doing. Then maybe we'll talk about what happened. Because as it stands right now, I don't know you anymore. And you sure as hell don't know me. That was clear with the things you said earlier."
Jason snapped his mouth shut, taking in her close proximity to Victor and stalked off, brushing by Julia so closely she could feel that energy that he possessed just below the surface of his human shell.
Because she wasn't deluding herself on that.
Neither one of them were really human.
*
Cyn
Cynthia crossed her arms. There was her boss, Alan Greene.
Werewolf. Check.
Former Alaskan cop Karl Truman, now rare red werewolf.
Check.
Weirdness on a new level. Check.
Cynthia sighed. "So..." she said slowly, "we've escaped tyrannical Tony and his bitch sidekick..." she put a fingernail to her lip, a habitual nervous habit, and thought about it all.
"Jacqueline," Adi supplied and Cyn snapped her fingers.
"Yeah, her." Cynthia looked at the group and her eyes went from Alan, who she was having big time trust issues with because he'd always been wolfy around the edges. Then Truman. Gawd... where to begin with him.
Her eyes found him and she was relieved to note he'd thrown on a modicum of clothing. It was shredded but his male bits were in hiding for now. Happy day. "Okay... so, tell me what's doin' Truman."
Karl dipped his head, taking a deep breath. Finally, he looked at Cynthia. "I was tasked with finding you and hauling your skinny butt back to Homer." He raked a hand through his hair, a hand without age spots and wrinkles, a hand that was once again nimble and perfect. "Now... well things are different. I got nailed by David and now I belong to a pack of..." Truman gave a sputtering laugh, "werewolves."
Cynthia crossed her arms and he raised his eyebrows.
"Y'know how ridiculous it all sounds?"
She smiled and laughed. "Totally. But I guess we have to believe in it to survive it."
"Hell yeah," Truman said. "If someone told me last week I'd get bit by a werewolf, become one and reverse the aging process by twenty years I would've told them to pack sand."
"And now?" Adi asked, her intense eyes never leaving his.
His unflinching gaze went to her. "Now I've jumped in with both feet. But I can't just disappear without repercussion. The boys in blue will wonder what happened to me." His eyes went to Cynthia. "To her."
"We don't worry about human law," Lawrence spoke for the first time.
Truman nodded. "You can not worry about it all ya want. But it's going to worry about you. One of our people found proof because your boys got overzealous with Miss Adams and left evidence."
"Asshole Homer den," Alan remarked and Cynthia could tell it was an old argument, an old sentiment.
Adi gave a look to Lawrence. "Yeah, about Tony, Packmaster."
Lawrence's expression went from one of interest to cool indifference.
"Yeah..." Cyn elaborated. "His ass needs to be euthanized. Like yesterday."
Truman snorted in the background and Lawrence's eyes narrowed on the Singer. "It is not your place to tell me how to handle my wolves, Singer."
"Well your 'wolf'..." Adi said, "is a rapist."
Every male stilled but only one looked surprised. Adi looked from one to the other. "What. The. Hell?"
Cynthia studied their faces and said, "You knew. This sadistic prick has done it..." She couldn't say it.
"... before," Adi finished in the soft horror of realization, her mind touching on every instance of creeper behavior Tony had manifested in the past. It all made perfect sense now.
"Yes, he has," Truman said, giving Lawrence a level look.
A full look.
Lawrence hissed and Alan asked with soft anger lacing his voice, "Should I tell them?"
Lawrence shook his head, opened his mouth. Closed it. "I was a new Packmaster, trying to lead the den by example in those days." His eyes found the girls. "I overcame Tony as successor. It was a narrow win... between the two of us." His eyes looked off in the distance to a point in his memory only he saw. "Tony was the obvious choice for second... an ideal enforcer. So when there was trouble in the Southeastern I sent Tony. I knew that he'd shore up their defenses." His hard eyes found theirs. "We were sister dens so it made sense."
"What happened?" Adi asked softly, though I think they all knew, could all guess where this particular story would end. The truth was a river of boiling sludge, heard but not seen.
"Lacey was in the heat of her adolescence... headstrong and determined to do whatever she pleased."
"That's no excuse..." Alan threatened and Lawrence nodded.
"You're right, of course," he agreed in a low voice and the two males looked at each other for a moment that swelled, fighting between forever and brief.
Lawrence looked at Adi and Cynthia. "Tony showed interest and she shut him down. There were a few alphas in the pack who wished to fight for her, as all males do for an eligible female alpha and she conceded their call. But Tony... well, you know how he comes across."
Cynthia did. He was ten thousand kinds of dickness.
"When one of the alphas fought in the rite... and won Lacey... won her acceptance, they were to be mated."
"But Tony couldn't stand another winning legitimately and took her... by force," Alan grated out, his voice harsh, his hands in fists by his side.
Cynthia turned to him. "What did you do?"
Alan turned eyes which blazed with his wolf, his energy like small fire ants that trembled between them. "I made him wish for death." His fist came up in a great boulder of flesh above his head and his voice trembled with the next word, "Wish."
"What about Lacey?" Cynthia asked, knowing that it was her that had been the wounded one he'd referenced. No matter how much he'd lied, he hadn't about her.
"She never mated... but, took much time to heal from what he did to her."
"Why, Packmaster?" Adi cried, her voice vibrating with her contained rage. "Why was he not put to death for harming a female?" Her angry eyes widened. "That is what you extoll: how precious we are. It's all talk!"
"I had no one else! Our pack was a young one and we could not afford to lose an enforcer of his caliber and compromise our den... weaken it when it was just beginning."
"So justice for Lacey was sacrificed for..."
"Everyone else," Lawrence finished in a slow ache of words.
Truman broke the silence. "That was then. Now he's not needed. If he did this to a female of his own species, nothing will stop him. I've seen this again and again." His eyes met each of theirs. "Laurent will never quit." He let the eye contact continue. "Unless there's a permanent solution, he won't stop."
Alan gave Truman a speculative look, his eyes scanning his features. "How permanent?" Alan had turned over a plan for that bastard's death a thousand times inside his mind.
Truman laughed without humor, a throat clearing, belly rumble of a laugh.
"Let's kill the fucker," Adi seethed then she walked over to Lawrence and shoved the much larger male in the chest. "I renounce you as Packmaster."
The silence fell like a great weight. "Adrianna, you don't know what you're saying," Lawrence began.
Slash watched the girl he loved wallow in sorrow and rage and could offer nothing. Do nothing.
Adi swiped tears of anger off her cheeks and gave a single hard nod. "I do so... I very much know what the hell I'm saying. You sacrificed a female to that sadistic pervert. So you know what that told him? That he could do it again."
"A precedence," Cynthia said and all eyes went to the Northwestern Packmaster.
"Damn straight," Adi said, giving Cyn a grateful look.
"I find my conscience is on holiday since I've become a werewolf," Truman said randomly but oh so succinctly.
Alan gave Karl a sharp glance. "What does that mean?"
Karl looked at the group at large. "That I'm no longer a sworn officer of the law. Justice is a whole other flavor folks."
Cyn met his eyes and they smiled in complete understanding.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Scott
Scott moved toward the voices. He knew when they ceased that the mixed group ahead of them had discovered their presence.
It was not an easy thing to sneak up on a pack of Were... or any supernaturals.
It was only himself and Emmanuel of the Northwestern pack that had sought out Tony and Jacqueline. Sadly, his duties seemed dim when compared to Julia's abandonment at the Region One compound. Scott understood that he'd be an absolute obstacle if he were there. But no amount of intellectual justification could take away his primal need to be with his soulmate, to dwell on the two males that would secure her immortality, her reign... that he'd share her with if Julia chose it.
It was untenable.
Yet... the Combatant in him liked it. The soulmate did not. If he had not been one or the other, maybe it could've been easier for him. But he was.
"They know that we arrive," Emmanuel commented as they wove through the thinning forest that rolled smoothly into an open glen. Scott gave him a considering look. He liked the Were. Even though war and strife had punctuated over a century of conflict, Julia's presence had brought an uneasy, albeit temporary, alliance to the groups. Securing William's cooperation for the Southeastern coven had been a boon. He was their new leader by default now that he'd killed Merlin, who had been a cruel enemy of the Singers.
There was hope. But there was also uncertainty. Scott did badly with living in limbo.
They moved as one to where the Were and Singer stood. Scott released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when he laid eyes on Cynthia. It'd wreck Julia even more to have her one friend from before hurt... or worse.
How they came to escape Tony was a story Scott needed to hear.
"Packmaster," Manny said by way of greeting and Scott moved to a flanking position, the new red wolf and one with a lightning strike of a scar across his face tracked his progress. Scott couldn't remember his name. Buck, he thought. No, that wasn't it.
"Emmanuel. Please, regale us with tales," Lawrence enthused with a come hither hand gesture.
Manny sighed then looked at the Singer female and swallowed. She looked damaged. He lifted his nose, dull in his human form but much better than human. He scented blood, bruises, and sweat motivated by adrenaline. He surmised she'd done much to escape Tony.
"Tony is rogue," Manny began with Scott warily watching the two Weres, who stood like wary sentinels beside the Packmaster. The quiet Were stood slightly behind the others.
"Well that's a no shit, Manny," Adi exclaimed as Cyn hid a smile. Adi was amazing at picking up only the colorful vocabulary, Cynthia noticed.
Manny's eyes narrowed. "I fully anticipated having to trade my life for yours if it came to that, Adrianna," he stated as a reminder. His deep eyes looked into hers and shame caused her gaze to fall to the forest floor, a rare event.
"I'm sorry... but that Singer bitch..." Adi's eyes swept up to Scott's in hesitation and when he shrugged, she went on. "Jackie-baby was working with him. And, she's a telekinetic, so she swarmed my ass and I went into a free fall in a full sprint."
Ah... that was why the Singer was so battered, Manny thought. Taking a rolling tumble off a werewolf at top speed will bang a person up.
Adi narrowed her gaze on Manny. "I see what you're thinking. I didn't let her go, I took the impact."
Manny felt his brows rise. Adriana was harder on herself in a way he could never be. It would have been a certain death if Adi had not taken the brunt of the fall. "Where are they now?"
Cynthia shrugged then gave a weary smile. "I know it shouldn't be funny, but it's funnier than hell: we escaped because they were fighting," she said, crossing her arms across her chest and Emmanuel fought not looking at her as a female. He found himself losing that battle. Damn.
Scott gave a derisive snort. "Figures."
"What the hell am I missing, boys?" Truman asked.
Scott looked uncomfortable, then plowed forward. "My biological mother is Jacqueline, ruling monarch of Region Two."
All fell silent.
Finally, Truman shattered the silence, "No shit?"
Scott kicked his chin up. "Obviously, wolf... I can't help who I'm related too. She tried to kill Julia through poison..."
"Caldwell?" Truman asked, stunned.
He nodded. "Has anyone told him what's going on?"
Adi raised her hand and Slash, who had remained silent all this time said, "Stories can be told later. Because," he paused, the brutal mark of his face rippling with his expressions, "Tony and Jacqueline have found each other. And they will be looking to seek vengeance... gain power and control."
The usual reasons people are rotten. "Spoken like a soldier," Cynthia commented thoughtfully.
Alan looked at his packmate. "That is all that Slash is."
Adi looked at Slash, who she'd always thought was a hottie male and didn't agree; he was more than just a soldier. Her brown eyes met his from the space that was so near but yet so far and she sighed. The simple truth was he was a good man. A good Were. Built like the rest of the Were, six and a half feet plus, with chestnut hair in the right light and pure black in the darkness. It begged to be swept off his brow that held eyes that were a slate blue, deepening to gray when he was angry, Adi knew. Her gaze shifted to the scar that bisected his face and Adi remembered when she'd asked him if she could touch it when she was a whelp and now she was sorry for that because he was self-conscious of it. She could close her eyes and remember the flat, smooth texture as it carved its way across his face. She'd been just old enough not to ask how it happened. If only he knew Adi never saw it; it was a part of who he was, it was just Slash. Sometimes Adi would fantasize that she could be with a warrior like him. But because of what had happened between Lacey and Tony, cross-den mating was forbidden.
Adi had never known the reason but now that she did, her hatred for Tony burned more brightly than before.
*
Slash
Slash drew upon his inner strength, curtailing his relief in finding Adrianna unharmed. He wasn't going to let his emotional bullshit leak all over the top of her. He noticed her studying him and when he felt the intensity of her gaze on his scar, he turned away from that burning stare. He'd felt the heat to his marrow and gave himself a mental shake. He knew what his face looked like. "Let us return to the compound. I thought it would be a rescue mission but now that Cynthia and Adrianna are out of harm's way, we should move to a more secure location."
Lawrence lifted a palm in pause. "We are not a number that can defend if Region One doesn't receive us with open arms."
The group became quiet and Scott stepped forward. "I can vouch for Manny and Slash." He jerked a thumb at Truman and Lawrence. "I don't know the red and Lawrence's den has never been on friendly terms with Region One until most recently."
Lawrence bowed his head. Finally he lifted it, locking gazes with Scott. "I think the time has come for us to suspend our rancor and engage in a treaty. There is now hope that our three species may coexist."
Scott raised a brow.
"Word has made way that there needs to be one male of each to offer true unity and immortality to your Rare One through a true binding." His hands came together at the center of his body, lacing tightly. The symbolism wasn't lost on Scott nor was the fact that damn, gossip traveled fast. Lawrence's words had been mild, but what he said made Scott want to tear off his head and shit down his throat. The burn was: Lawrence was right. Julia would spend the rest of her life, however long that may be, under threat of insurgence. But, if she could just align with fang, claw and whatever other supe, she would have everything. He didn't like the method but the result made his Combatant's heart beat solidly and without fear. The meld was another story. The proposal of the three husbands went against the very fiber of their meld.
Adi spoke before Scott could respond and maybe... that was a good thing. In fact, he thought, it was. "What about that dick hole, Tony?"
Slash grinned, he couldn't help himself, she was persistent as hell. It's what was so intriguing about an alpha female. Feminine packaging encased a core of steel. At least, that's what he thought she was made of: silk covered steel. His eyes moved over her in a visual caress then slid away before she was aware.
"Yes... what about him." Cyn turned to Adi. "Of course, you're assuming he has one?"
Adi laughed. "Yeah, ya got me there."
"Girls," Truman said. They both turned to him. "Let's get back as..." He looked at Slash. "...the enforcer suggests and we'll think of a way to dominate his ass."
Adi's fist rose in the air. "And that bitch he's with."
Scott said nothing because there was nothing to add. His bio-Mom was a bitch. A conniving, murderous, greedy soul who would be better off dead.
Scott didn't know why it hurt to feel that way. It did. Even with her attempt on Julia's life, Jacqueline was technically his mother.
It sucked gorilla balls.
*
Jacqueline
"This is fucking idiotic," Tony said.
Jacqueline gave him a condescending look and murmured. "If you have not ascertained my need for self-preservation at this point, you're even more intellectually impaired than I imagined."
"Listen bitch..." Tony began and became short of breath. His wide eyes rolled to hers.
"You are a slow learner, Were."
Jacqueline had him by the short hairs and she knew it.
"Sorry," he squeaked out. Goddamn... how he wanted her... his mouth salivated with it, though he suspected she wouldn't like what he'd do.
Jacqueline released him and he took a great whooping inhale, starving for it.
Jacqueline's beautiful dark eyes focused in on the edges that she could see of Region One, ignoring him. "They already know I am here. The Combatant will detain me on sight."
"How do they know?" Tony asked, rubbing his tortured throat. "Tracker?" His brows popped.
Jacqueline nodded slowly. "Perhaps. If they operate One like I run Two then they will employ a Feeler, Intuitive, and Tracker. All three or at least one."
"We're so fucked," he announced, letting his hand fall.
Jacqueline rolled her eyes. "You... you- are really the number one enforcer for the Northwestern?"
Tony allowed a slow, shit-eating grin to emerge. "Yeah, if you'd stop busting my balls and let me fight it out, you'd see how much of a groove I've got."
"Indeed," Jacqueline said. She didn't sound like she believed it.
Tony frowned.
The silence swelled and he filled it, "Alright, whatever. They're going to have all the freak supes out to play. I'll just kill them."
"No, you will not." Her eyes met his. "We cannot have two leaders. Only one must lead."
"I will lead," Tony said as if she were crazy to suggest there was a choice in the matter.
"I shall lead so that you might survive."
Now it was Tony's turn to roll his eyes heavenward.
"We have come to terms. These Singers are my people. If I bring the sacred words to Marcus, he must acquiesce. He will have no choice. It forces the hand of his Queen. If she will not reign as she was meant to—then I will."
Tony smirked. "Yeah, that means you have to shack up with a Were, a vamp and some Singer."
Jacqueline prowled towards him. Watching her come caught his breath and made things deep within his body tighten in response. He didn't know what she was underneath all that tightly held Singer genetics but whatever it was brought him like a siren's call.
When she was inches from him and everything was like a bungee cord strung taut, Jacqueline rose on tiptoe, placing the flat of her palm against his chest. "Do you think that is a sacrifice?" She cocked her head to the side as if considering, and added, "That I lay with three species to gain the throne?"
"I don't know," Tony managed in a choked voice, the heat of her breath against his neck, the fragrance of her female secrets tickling his nose.
"It is not," Jacqueline said, turning her head and gave a sharp bite to his earlobe, his cock throbbed once painfully.
"No..." he breathed.
"Oh yes, wolf," she whispered, the heat of her breath bathed him just before she bit down, drawing blood.
His hands clenched around her upper arms, lifting her body off the ground and he groaned, releasing inside his pants. She'd brought him with a deft bit of violence and whispered inference and he growled against her.
Her words chilled what had spilt from him like a glacier cleaved. "It is the least of what I will do...."
Tony did not have thoughts of winning.
But those of surviving.
Thoughts of the enigma who he gripped in front of him.
*
Angela
Angela tripped on a root, caught herself on the dry needles that littered the forest floor and sprung to running again. She'd abandoned her post without a second thought.
She burst through the front door of the Victorian mansion where the royals lived. Or those she thought of as royal. There was truly only one Queen and the one who had tried to murder Julia had reappeared.
Angela would recognize her black aura at a thousand paces.
The Combatant who manned the door captured her easily. "Whoa... what's going on?" Concerned eyes searched hers.
"Lucius... she's returned."
Lucius looked down at the small Feeler female. He knew the grounds intimately, though he hailed from Region Four. She was north sentry. It could only mean one of two things.
A known threat, which he hoped was not the case, or that of an unknown.
He closed his blue eyes, shutting out the potential, then voiced it regardless, "Jacqueline?" Lucius opened his eyes and drilled her with the intensity of his stare.
Angela gave a single nod, her delicately pale coloring belying her hardiness. She looked fragile but was not, Lucius knew through their short acquaintance. She was an interesting Singer in looks. Many had redhead's coloring. But Angela was a rare platinum blonde, her hair almost white, her eyes a shade of light gray that was so clear it looked like dirt on glass, a fine true brown ring lined the outside of her irises.
He broke the stare. "Fine." He turned to the other Combatant beside him. "Who amongst you is Deflector enough to take on one such as she?"
They all shook their heads.
Damn. If ever there were a time that a Deflector were needed it would be now. However, the one who was sorely needed was away and eliminating the threat that had now returned. Somehow, Scott had scouted for Jacqueline and they had just missed each other. That was the trouble when there simply were not sufficient numbers of each talent. In this case, Region One could have stood to have more Negators and Trackers. The trouble was, they could not leave themselves so unfortified here that their defenses were too thin to keep One safe.
Lucius straightened his spine. They would do all they could. After all, they were Combatant. "Follow me."
They moved through the maze-like halls of the old home, the floor worn where a million footfalls had preceded theirs. Lucius had only to let go of the urge to be close to Julia to know where she was, his blood sought hers like all the Combatants'. The tendrils of their connection, he of the Combatant, and she the one benefitting from his protection, were second only to her soul meld with Scott.
He broke into a room that hung heavy with the weight of the tension they'd introduced by arriving. Julia was lying on a fainting sofa, thick and bright with damask floral as its main fabric. His eyes flicked to the vampire and Were who stayed in opposite corners from each other. Marcus stood in the middle.
Lucius felt his eyes slide to Marcus. He spoke without preamble, "Angela has felt Jacqueline's presence, Marcus. Seen the black smoke of her aura like a trail of vileness in her wake."
Marcus said nothing but gave a long sigh. His finger trailed along the papers that were neatly stacked as Julia rose from her reclining position.
"What is wrong with Julia?" Lucius asked, taking in the general pallor of her skin.
"She sickens," the vampire named William volunteered.
"Ah," Lucius replied in understanding.
"It's that soul bullshit," the Were added. Jason, Lucius remembered. A disagreeable sort. As all the werewolves were known to be. He contained his face with difficulty.
William looked at him and Jason grinned back in challenge. "Tell me I'm wrong."
"You are not wrong, but your delivery of the circumstances when it is Julia's cross to bear, borders on a lack of sensitivity that is repugnant to the nth degree."
"Is he for real?" Jason asked, his thumb jabbing toward William.
"Stop," Julia said in a low voice, her forearm flung over her eyes. She lowered it to her side and raised weary eyes to Lucius. She remembered to pronounce his name properly before she spoke, Loo-c-i-us. "Lucius, thank you." He nodded. Her eyes sought Marcus. "Okay, come clean. What have you not told me? Or Scott?"
Marcus opened his mouth at the same time that Jacqueline and Tony moved into the threshold.
William and Jason dropped all pretense of nonchalance or hatred for one another, moving as one person, they stepped in front of Jacqueline, barring her entrance.
But Jacqueline ignored them... her eyes seeking Marcus.
Marcus rounded the desk that separated them.
She smiled and it was triumphant. Marcus looked sick. Julia's eyes went between their expressions like a wayward Ping-Pong ball. This couldn't be good.
William hissed and Jason's face and hands changed to those of his wolf, his snout and talons slipping his skin like a knife through softened butter. Julia pushed between them. If she were to die, then it might be amongst those who were her staunchest defenders. The time to cower had long since passed for her as she rode the wave of her anger easily and can came to stand in front of her murderer.
Scott was not here. Not here for her to touch one more time, to say goodbye. Julia swallowed her emotions like a bitter pill, Jacqueline's next words falling like ice cubes down her spine. There wasn't time for introspection. Julia was simply reduced to the moment.
"I seek asylum for the right to the throne," she announced, for once without ceremony.
"No..." Julia said, looking from Jacqueline to Marcus. Finally, her eyes took in Tony, who was covered head to toe in the blood of others and some of his own. He smiled when Julia noticed him, his teeth a smear of white in all that red. She shuddered between the protection of William and Jason.
Jacqueline turned to her. "There is a deeper magic than what is told in the Book of Singers... as Marcus is aware." Her eyes flashed at him like black water caught by the light of the moon. "If the Rare One should not take Fang, Claw and Singer into her body, another of royal descent shall reign in blood in her stead."
Marcus stayed silent.
Julia's eyes left him and she turned her stare to Jacqueline instead. "You can't do this." Julia's voice trembled with her rage. It was fine and clear, a burning wick without end.
"Oh but I can," Jacqueline answered.
"How?" Julia could feel her eyes in her head, wildly rolling from one to the next of those who surrounded her.
"She cannot do anything if she were dead," William said in a quiet voice. The very lack of inflection said more clearly what he was thinking than if he'd uttered it.
Jacqueline put up her hand. "It will not work, you take away what she is if you were to kill me." She laughed. "I have invoked the sacred words and I have the royal blood to do it."
Julia whipped her head to Marcus, feeling sick to her stomach. The absence from Scott, the fighting between Jason and William—all of it, added to her general malaise. But this? It was like a cherry on top of a rotten cake. "Is this true? Because, I'm not getting this. Make me understand it. She tried to Kill. Me."
Gold eyes met brown. "I had hoped that you would choose the three and bind them to you. Then Jacqueline's subterfuge would be moot." His eyes apologized while his matter of fact words burrowed like well-placed claws in her chest, seeking her heart.
"But I haven't," Julia said softly.
"No," Marcus said. For it was all he could, regret would not erase the moment.
There was a sudden commotion behind them and Scott's presence flooded Julia's senses before he entered the room. She felt the heat of his love, his rightness for her and it straightened her spine as she walked forward to Jacqueline.
She swung her arm back, moving her entire body with it and visualized her fist going through Jacqueline's face as Scott had taught her to strike when they first met.
Julia wondered why it hurt so damn bad to hit someone.
Jacqueline staggered before she fell on her elegant ass, her hand going to the corner of her mouth that was now bleeding.
"No one is Queen but me," Julia said, bolstered by Scott lending his strength from a distance measured only in yards, their eyes locking for a fleeting moment. And some of that strength was all hers.
"That's it bitch!" Adi squealed loudly from the corner of the threshold.
Jacqueline looked up at the Queen of the Singers, the younger woman's death hung like a promise in those black eyes. "We shall see." She dabbed at the tender corner of her mouth, her black eyes like a flame on Julia. Burning, burning.
"You got that right," Julia said, and felt the wave of Scott's comfort before his hands landed on her.
Julia would survive.
She already had.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Julia
Julia likened the reappearance of Jacqueline to an out-of-body experience.
She watched as Tony was escorted out the front door, none-too-gently, as he had bloodied two of the Combatant upon entering the mansion. It was only fair that the rest escorted him out of here. Julia couldn't think with him skulking around.
Julia's eyes met Cyrus' as he had a palm on each fallen Combatant, speeding the already natural healing capabilities inherent to their station. He gave the barest of nods as Julia walked by and she nodded back, his eyes like pale water swept her for damage and seeing none, he broke his gaze away and went back to healing her guard. Scott's hand was firmly in hers as they made their way out into the open. There was no staying in an enclosed space with that many who regarded each other as enemies at best, at worst—friendship was absent.
Julia felt William somewhere behind her, the soft twilight was causing him discomfort. Singer enough to withstand the light, vampire enough to be in pain. Yet, there he was... literally at her back. Julia couldn't feel Jason but given their charged relationship of love-hate, she had no doubt that he remained a constant. Hating to be away from her, hating to be near her. There was no winning there.
It was Marcus who stood in the very center of the two groups, his collective presence the heaviest of all.
But it was Scott who broke the silence, "What is this bullshit?" he began, throwing his hand out to encompass his mother- the murderer. He said the very thing Jason had said and Julia felt her mouth pop open in surprise.
Jacqueline curled her lips, noting Victor's presence with a look and sniff as greeting. "I have invoked the sacred words of blood and announced my bid for the throne."
"Oh horse shit," Michael said with a disdainful snort.
Julia looked around, noting the presence of all the siblings gathered: Jen, Brendan, and Michael stood behind their father; their eyes moving over Jacqueline, Tony and, warily, over the new Were who had appeared. Julia stared at him, narrowing her eyes. What was it about him that rang a bell? Her memory whispered to her but then Jason stepped forward, one hand in the air and the nagging fragment flitted away. "I'm going to claim ignorance on this. But... it seemed like the vamp and I just saved Julia and this conniving..."
"Don't say it," Julia said quietly.
Jason nodded to her slowly, controlling his words. "This conniving shrew tried to kill my wife." His eyes swept the Singers, Were and lone vampire present. "Your Queen," he added in emphasis. "And yet, for some unfathomable effed up reason, we should consider her psycho request. I say fuck that."
"Twice," Adi piped in and he looked at her, nodding when he saw she was in agreement with his comment, the corner of his mouth giving a small upwards twitch.
"But you are Were..." Marcus said, somewhat puzzled by his comment.
Jason's eyes narrowed, green leaking through the hazel as he spoke, "And by your own admission... I'm plenty Singer too."
Lawrence, Manny and Slash exchanged uneasy glances.
"What?" Truman asked, looking from one to the other. And Julia's nose scrunched, she stared hard at the new Were. His voice... his manner. Who was he?
"Sacrilege," Slash stated baldly.
Jason looked at Julia, then back to the Were with the scar. He folded his arms across his chest. "Explain."
Marcus put his hands out. "This can come later. It is the matter of Jacqueline vying for the throne that must be addressed."
"Father," Scott said. "This..." He looked at his mother then gave a grunt of disgust, "woman... no one can accept her as ultimate ruler. Our Rare One has been anointed, the Combatant has formed the circle, she is blood chosen—there are no others."
Marcus was quiet for so long Scott opened his mouth to say more. "Silence!" Marcus hissed, giving tired eyes to the group as Jacqueline continued to smirk in triumph. "Every mating that happens between Singers who possess the blood quantum to produce what Julia has become... they might also be placed on the throne if the heir apparent does not, for whatever reason, solidify their calling." His eyes met Scott's. "Even if the Rare One is meant to rule."
Julia stood there for a moment, taking in those damning words. "So there never was a choice." Julia's low pitched words were flung out at the crowd, the Singer's broken hearts in their eyes as they gazed back at her. Finally, Julia's eyes fell to Jacqueline.
Hers held the certainty of her calling as an absolute.
Julia was resolved. With her soulmate at her back and two males of different supernatural species standing behind her, she made her choice.
"You won't be Queen, because I will do what it takes to fulfill my birthright." Julia felt Scott stiffen behind her and it was all she could do, all that she was... to not touch him, skin to skin and offer what she could to make this horror of a decision less. But there was nothing but soldiering on. Julia ignored what the reality meant for her, powering through the consequence.
"I won't," Jason said. "This is... bullshit." He looked out at all the people who stood gathered, then Scott and finally, William. "I know I was a Singer but that Were lit into me in Homer and left me for dead. There was no concern about how wrong it was for him to attack me, that I'd turn, die—whatever. So don't shove us newbies around. I have a point. I was human, I had a wife." His eyes blazed at Julia like fire on her skin, scalding her. "And she's right fucking there." Jason pointed to Julia, her face in grim lines of resignation. Each word he spoke hit her like a wound.
"You were never human, you know that now," Truman said quietly. "Hell... I know it," he added, skimming his palm over his changed body.
It finally clicked into place. He's Karl Truman, Julia realized in wonder. Somehow, he looked the way Truman would if he were young. Her thoughts were shattered suddenly and her head snapped to the noise.
It was Tony who began to clap loudly, his palms cracking together in a slow, rhythmic slap that made those who stood near him flinch and the guards that flanked him draw closer in expectation of what he could do next.
Except William. He didn't flinch but narrowed his eyes on the Were.
"Stop that, Were," Marcus warned, continuing, "you are standing covered in the blood of my Combatant. I cannot kill you for fear of retaliation from the local Were den." Marcus' voice said clearly that the thought had occurred to him. He slid a glance toward Lawrence, who gave him neutral eyes in return. "However, if you had killed the Queen's guard... it would have been within my rights to do."
"A pleasure to do, I imagine," William added, his eyes like slits of a storm.
Tony stopped clapping and looked at the vampire. "Y'know, you're beginning to get on my last nerve, drinker."
William's lips curled in disgust, a hint of fang showing. "Which part insults you most? That you seek a violent end for its own sake? That you manipulate all for your own gain?"
Tony grinned at William, baring his teeth. "Your existence for starters. And yeah, I never said I wanted to lead—I want to rule."
"So my decision stands," Julia interrupted the posturing.
Jason looked at her incredulously. "I don't give a crap if you want to mate two other guys while you're married to me and you think you can throw me a bone..."
Adi laughed in the background and Jason looked at her again and she clapped a hand over her mouth. The irony of his last comment wasn't lost on her.
He continued, "... by allowing me to be one of the three. No. What self-respecting dude would say yes to that messed up option?" He made a sound in the back of his throat and paced a few angry strides away from the main group.
William came forward. "I will take what Julia offers. Only the young and foolish, who have never been tested, would dismiss that which needs a unique solution—based on rash emotion alone." His pewter eyes flashed in the paleness of his face. It glowed by the moonlight that had come to pierce the dense growth of forest. Bare patches of burnt ground lay proof to the deaths of many all around them like tortured islands of singed grass, the night air not allowing the scent of the undead to dissipate completely. "If it means saving Julia... because she means her death," William said, pointing an elegant finger at Jacqueline. "Then I will comply."
"Everybody wants a piece of Rare One pie," Tony laughed, his hands on his hips. Suddenly, he mimed an obscene hip thrust and guffawed. Raking a hand through his hair, he swiveled his hips into the open air, "Give. Me. The. Whole. Slice!" he yelled and Scott launched himself at the Were.
Julia yelled but it was too late. Scott had a target for his frustration and anger. He was tired of having Julia stolen from him. Though he knew it would ultimately save her he felt like he was relegated to the position of cuckold.
The Were was equal size to Scott, both trained to fight, both fearless but for opposite reasons of the spectrum.
But Tony did not have Scott's anger.
Jacqueline sent Scott off in a spinning leap before he could lay hands on Tony that sent him against a porch post. It cracked, the wood splitting up the center and Scott slid down, his ass landing on the butt end of the boards.
Like an enraged bull he shook his head and Julia yelled a second time, "No Scott... don't!"
"I can't seem to help myself...," he said, moving toward Tony again and Julia ran at him. Leaping into his arms, she wrapped herself around him, winding her legs around his waist. Scott had no choice, he held her slight frame against his large one and put his face in her hair.
Scott had never wanted to cry in his life. But his eyes burned with it now and he gulped his sorrow over Julia's choice down so deeply, it was like a grave inside his soul.
"Don't," she whispered, all heat and fragrance against his throat and Scott was lost. Lost to the meld, lost to his nature as Combatant.
Still, he felt his eyes find Tony of the Were over Julia's shoulder.
The heat of his anger was cooled, but it lay like a hidden spring under the earth, waiting to escape to the surface.
*
"This is an outrage!" Jacqueline sputtered. "I will not be cast out to the nether regions of the compound like a dog set to punishment."
"You shall." Marcus leveled an expression of contained rage at her. "You have allowed your greed to overcome all integrity."
Jacqueline whirled away from him. "If you were not such a weak leader you could have a Queen who was seasoned... not this unsure girl."
"Wow... you're just a bitch. Nobody would follow you anyway," Adi said in her normal unfiltered way.
Jacqueline's eyes narrowed on the female Were, marking her and Adi gave her a smile in return. "You can stare at me like that all day long and it doesn't make you more powerful... or more anything," Adi said, her brows arched.
"Don't," Scott warned, his eyes narrowed at his mother.
Jacqueline turned to him. "I could kill her for her disrespect."
"You could try, ya wench."
Slash stepped forward. "It doesn't sound like you're in much of a position to negotiate any terms but the meager ones you managed from some ancient text." He'd said it logically, but with bite. It didn't seem to Slash that this Singer understood subtlety. That she needed a more overt method. That worked; Slash was great at delivering.
"I don't have to be old to be fair. I don't want to control people, Jacqueline," Julia said quietly. "If I'm to go through with this... then it will be the first of many selfless steps I'd make for our people. What are you willing to do?"
Jacqueline remained quiet. Finally, she replied, "I'll choose to do things that you would be unwilling to do. You hope to gain the regard of our people through kindness and love." Jacqueline made a small sound of dismissal in the back of her throat, discounting the speculation of a rule that Julia had yet to begin. Jacqueline moved closer to Julia and the Combatant circled her like sharks as if she were bleeding. Jacqueline stopped before she was detained.
"What is wrong with leading through love? When kindness and honesty can be honored," Julia asked the woman who'd tried to poison her.
Jacqueline leaned forward. "You simpleton. Do you think it will be enough? Have you not paid any attention to what we can do? Love will not do it... there will be those, there always is, who challenge your authority."
"So what would you have me do?" Julia asked rhetorically but Jacqueline answered anyway.
"You?" Jacqueline gave a seductive laugh of pleasure. "It is me. What would I do."
"Yes, what would you do if not to rule through compassion."
"Fear," she replied easily, instantly.
"Fear?" Julia asked, her stomach in knots.
Jacqueline nodded. "When reason doesn't work, then fear is a fine substitute."
They stared at each other until Marcus said, "Take her away... along with him."
Tony growled low in his throat and out of all the men, Julia was surprised when it was Victor who caught the Were's jaw with his fist. It was unexpected and executed perfectly.
"There," Victor commented, shaking out his hand with a smile of satisfaction. "His commentary is no longer needed or wanted."
Lawrence looked as if he'd raise an objection, but with thirty pair of Singers eyes looking at him, he chose to remain silent. It was bad enough that Tony had taken Adi and the Singer female. But to have aligned with the vile murderous cum throne candidate? It was a delicate position. And some didn't know of his past.
"You'll be sent to the guest cottages at the edges of the property," Marcus said.
"Wait," Julia said. "Why is she here at all?"
Marcus met her eyes. "You have three days from the time she uttered those words of blood, to..." he didn't finish the sensitive information.
He didn't need to; Julia extrapolated it perfectly.
"The guys have to be willing..." Jason said. His eyes met hers. "I'm not sharing you... with anyone. In fact," his eyes drilled hers. "I don't know if I want you at all. The Singer gig isn't mine. Being Were is a curse." His eyes bled to his wolf's, green like fresh summer grass. "Why can't everything be like it was?" he asked everyone and no one.
"Yeah," Julia agreed so softly no one heard her.
"Don't be a dick, Jason," Cyn spoke for the first time, walking over to him, her eyes on Julia. "Think about someone else besides yourself."
Julia gasped out loud as her heart soared, Cyn was here and safe. Thank God. Then she looked back at Jason who turned his back on her, hands on his hips, saying nothing. It stole some of the joy of seeing Cyn safe and sound.
Cyn met Julia's eyes. "I say go for it." Cyn suddenly grinned and Julia heard Adi mutter, "Here it comes."
Cyn's eyes went to Jacqueline, a thin arm in the mighty hands of the Combatant, an unconscious Tony thrown over the shoulder of another.
"Hell, I'd do it for the sheer joy of pissing Jacqueline off. That alone would be worth it."
Julia smiled. It was so good to have Cyn here. It was as if a piece of her that'd been broken was getting fixed.
It faded with Jacqueline's words, "But you are not the Rare One, are you?"
There was no answer for that particular truth.
Cyn's eyes narrowed on their common enemy, tolerated for ancient scripture that seemed to provide a loophole for her to stall... and maybe more.
Julia walked to where Cyn stood and silently took her hand as they watched the Combatant drag Jacqueline away.
Julia felt the weight of that black stare like a physical weight long after Jacqueline was gone.
CHAPTER NINE
Jason
Jason watched the retreating backs of Tony (perched over the shoulder of a Combatant) and Jacqueline as she gave an angry wrench of her arm, staring up at the Combatant who held her and he glared back. But he allowed her to walk ahead of him.
Jason couldn't blame Lucius' wariness or desire to distance himself from the scheming troll. Jason would've loved to be the one to put a foot in her ass and watch her fly. Maybe she'd land in a big pile of shit like the one that Singer brother of Scott's was always yakking about.
She couldn't play her bag of parlor tricks when every Negator at Region One was assigned as her guard. They were taking shifts so she couldn't try for Julia again, or otherwise ambush any other Singers as collateral damage.
By Jason's measure, the dumb bitch should have been put in Singer prison, if there was something like that—or executed.
Apparently, when you had royal blood, that was not an option.
He saw the same thing in the eyes of Scott and William—They wanted to kill her ass. Nice to have company. Even Scott, who was her blood relation... didn't look to be satisfied with her "soft" imprisonment.
Jason had killed before he was Were, for Jules. The teacher that had gone apeshit... and now, whatever impulse of civility that he'd had before had been dosed with a layer of I-give-less-of-a-shit.
Yeah.
He felt someone approach from behind and knew it was Cyn before she spoke. One of the many benefits of the Were, heightened senses. Like hearing, sight... and especially, smell.
Jason didn't turn, remembering the bite of her earlier words. "Don't start," he said, arms folded across his muscular chest in the classic defensive stance.
"Okay, I won't."
That made Jason turn and Cyn's light brown brows rose, her eyes shadowed by the night that had crept in around them.
They stared at each other, then Jason gave an explosive exhale. "What?" he asked.
Cyn pointed her finger at him. "Listen, Bucko. You've been an asshat."
Jason opened his mouth and her palm lifted, effectively saying, shut it. "Close your yap for a sec and let me tell ya a few things."
Jason controlled the growl that came as naturally as breathing. With all this strong emotion, it was just there- superficial, constant. He put his palms out like lay it on me. Not that he wanted to deal with her shovel of shit on his head but when it came to Cyn, it was better to just take your licks like a good boy. Or dog.
"First, Julia doesn't need our pity."
That wasn't what he expected to hear from Cyn. When his semi-shocked silence continued she went on, "She needs us, Jace." Her eyes searched him. Probably looking for a scrap of who he used to be. Keep looking, that guy is long gone, he thought.
"Nah... she needs what I represent." His last word came out clipped.
Cyn smiled and it never reached her eyes, it sat- shitty and false on her face. "Do you think that you're the only Were that she has to pick from? Look at you..." she asked in disdain. "You think because you had the wedding and you're married in the human world that somehow that makes you The One? Have you been paying attention, Jason?"
Yeah, actually, he had. He glared at Cyn, his fingers digging into his biceps.
"No... it doesn't." Cyn gave him serious eyes. "I spoke to the big wig," and Jason gave her a look. "Scott's dad, Marcus. And he said it just needed to be a Were, a Vamp and the soulmate guy."
Scott, Jason's mind supplied even as his emotions rallied against accepting it.
"Great!" Jason said sarcastically, throwing his arms up in the air. "See? Julia doesn't need me."
It was Cyn's turn to fold her arms across her thin chest. "Oh? So you're okay with her choosing another Were?"
Fuck no. Jason felt his canines lengthen in his mouth at the thought. His wolf swam to the surface, his body containing it with an effort that was ugly.
"I feel it," Cyn said softly and his eyes moved to hers, every pore on her skin in stark relief with only the moonlight to see by. That's when Jason knew that he was not looking at her with his human eyes, but with those of his wolf. That, and every color had disappeared from the environment, it was all just many shades of gray.
"What?" His voice came out like a growl, even to him.
"Your wolf," she replied quietly.
It couldn't have been better timing but his wolf smelled its mate before she came within twenty feet of him and he turned suddenly to where she stood in the shadow line of the forest. Pale, only the heat of her hair, the natural golden-caramel, now silvered in the pale light and the vision of his wolf, signaled her identity to Cyn.
Jason gave a growl in frustration, his human and wolf sides mingling uncomfortably. His wolf knew who it was tied to. His humanity fought it.
Jules walked toward him and every part of his body tensed, every part growing hard and he was caught between embarrassment and resignation. His wolf didn't have the trouble he was having with the decision. It knew Julia belonged to him, regardless of the terms.
She stood in front of him. "Are you going to hurt me?"
He stared down at her, so small... so everything. Jason hated how he felt. "No," he growled. But he wanted to. He wanted to stomp and rant and blame her. But neither of them were to blame. He looked over her shoulder and could just make out the silhouettes of those who protected the Rare One. Close, but not suffocatingly so. Jason scented the air and counted seven different signatures. Scott was not one of them. Interesting. "Where's Scott?" Jason asked her without really wanting to know.
"He's speaking with Marcus."
The silence beat against the three of them.
"Wow, über-awkward," Cyn commented helpfully.
"Yeah... thanks, Cyn," Julia said but offered a small smile.
Jason had finally gained a measure of control over his wolf. "I don't know if I can do this for you, Jules."
"Can't or won't?" she asked softly.
He sighed. "Both, I think."
Julia took both his hands. "I forgive you."
It squeezed the soft underbelly of his heart that he'd sheltered. The only part that still beat. The rest was dead. Dead from being the Feral for months- hopeless. Dead from hurting Jules twice because of a coincidence of life that he never could have anticipated.
"I can barely stand the idea of," Jules cast her eyes down to the forest floor, her hands still held by his, "doing this. Being this messiah to the Singers. I'm not even twenty-one. But... it's me or it's her."
Cyn huffed. "They can't be effing serious. I mean... she's a hundred different levels of psychotic."
Cyn was spot-on, he couldn't see the Singers preferring Jacqueline over Julia, the Rare One.
"How come you can't just... be with one?" Jason let Jules' cold hands drop and walked away from her before he enveloped her like he'd been itching to do since she appeared. Instead, he put necessary distance between them.
Jules stared at him, a fat tear sliding out of her eye. He watched it track down her face in a hot line of sadness. Then Jules began to nod quickly. "It can be. But then there will always be this cloud of violence hanging around me, the Combatant will have to always guard me, I'll be vulnerable to death, I won't reign.... I'll be a figurehead, not unifying the species like I'm supposed to."
Jason looked at her. "You don't want it?"
"Gawd, you're kinda thick, Jace," Cyn said and he ignored her.
"If I could go back to that night on the beach in Homer and erase this I so would," Jules said with a hiccup to stop the tears. It didn't, it made her just shy of sobbing. She looked up at him, across the imposed distance he'd made between them. "But I can't. I'm here now. This is my new life, my new reality and I have to deal. I can't stuff my head in the sand and ignore the consequence of what's happened."
"And neither can you," Cyn said softly.
"I won't force you," Jules said.
"I don't feel like I have a choice," Jason replied.
Jules shook her head. "Oh no, it's me that can't choose shit. It doesn't have to be you."
Jason looked at the glittering pathway of her grief. Grief for giving up everything she could have had, having to accept all that she must—none of it for herself.
He held his hand out. She moved tentatively closer to him until just her fingertips brushed the tips of his own.
He pulled her roughly against himself. " 'Til death do us part."
Jules laid her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat, the heat of his skin bleeding through the thin cotton of his shirt. It had the familiar rhythm it'd always had. "Yeah," she finally replied.
Jason looked into the face he loved and realized the hate he'd felt for her was all for their circumstances and not for her personally. He'd just needed time to reconcile himself. It still sat on him like a pair of ill-fitting shoes that he hoped to break in. Maybe he never would. "I didn't know it was you at first... I didn't know." He cradled Jules' face and sucked in a breath when the touch was so familiar and yet... he'd never thought he'd feel her again in his hands. Not like this.
"I know that now... but in the woods, when you tried to—kill me..."
"Just kiss and make up already," Cyn said in a droll voice.
And then they did, his lips pressing against hers as Julia molded herself to her husband.
That's how Slash found them, the Combatant standing as silent witnesses to the possible one third of their future royalty. An unprecedented moment of history taking place before their eyes.
Jason smelled the Were before he spoke and pulled Julia behind him.
Slash's eyes held no condemnation, but anxiety and Jason frowned as Cyn came forward.
"What is it?" she asked.
"We've got bigger problems than you mating three supernaturals."
Jason didn't know what those could be. The entire scene was straight out of a bad soap opera.
"And... now this amps up the mess with Tony."
Cyn snorted. "He just needs to be put down already."
"You keep saying that... and kinda a bad pun, Cyn," Jason said as his lips lifted.
"Tell me it's a bad idea," she snorted in reply.
No one did.
"Lacey Greene has arrived."
Cyn, Jason, and Julia just stared blankly back, their expressions saying the name meant nothing to them.
Slash tore a hand over his short hair and lifted his mouth in a smile that appeared more like a grimace, the edge of the scar across his face ending at his cupid's bow like a kiss of flesh, the upside down small heart-shape of puckered skin exactly in the center. It rippled when his expression changed. "Tony attacked her."
Julia frowned, stepping forward and Jason stayed her progress. She gave him a questioning look, but stopped. "When?"
"Figures," Cyn commented.
"Years ago."
"Okay... so, some Were chick who was a victim of that sadist is here because what? She's going to be around for the fun when they off him?" Cyn asked logically.
Slash gave her a look of sympathy.
"What?" she asked, stalking toward Slash, who stood ten inches taller than her five feet eight. But one of Cyn's faults and one of her strongest points was her lack of entertaining fear. It just wasn't part of her make-up. "You're telling me that Tony the assclown kidnaps Adi and me, tries to force himself on her as Jacqueline stands by like a sideshow observer and he has a history of female hating.... and they'll let that douchebag live?" Cyn's mouth hung open and Julia could see her shock even in the dark; eyes wide, she looked at Slash for answers he didn't have.
"It's Were politics...." Slash began.
"Ha! I call bullshit on that. Tony's a misogynist perv..."
"There's more to it than that," Julia intuited, her eyes searching Slash's.
Guarded eyes met hers. "She has a whelp that is becoming."
"Oh God," Julia said, putting it all together instantly.
Cyn looked from Slash to Julia. "You mean... she's a product of the attack?"
Slash just nodded.
Effing swell, Jason thought as he watched the wheels of her mind turning furiously, a freaking certifiable Were criminal. Just what the doctor ordered. Cyn's emotions flowed over her face like water. "Okay...? So he raped this poor girl, she got pregnant and now the child..."
"Woman," Slash said in a flat voice.
Cyn's brow arched. "Woman... is?"
"Becoming," Jason said.
"Becoming what... spit it out guys, I'm dying here." Cyn folded her arms again, impatiently waiting for the rest.
"The Singers are not the only ones who have a prophesied Rare One. Though it is not called such in our history. It is foretold there would be a great female, borne of violence that will aid an alliance between the species..."
"That's what I'm supposed to do..." Julia said and frowned, her hand perched on her chest in confused realization.
"Wait a minute..." Cyn said, understanding dawning on her face in soft horror. "That means there's three Jules."
"Nope," Julia said, fluttering her fingers, "just one of me."
Cyn laughed in the face of the serious tone of the conversation. "No silly, I mean... there's three." Cyn gave serious eyes to the group. "So... like a jack-in-the-box, we should have some queenie vamp popping up to share the spotlight."
Slash rolled his shoulders into a shrug. "I don't know all the other supernaturals' histories. But now that the Rare One has become and she exists to unite the three: claw, fang, and Singer, it stands to reason that there would be more than just she."
"Ya mean," Cyn began, aghast, "like there's for sure three different women..."
"Females," William interjected and Slash looked his way. For women were human by the very definition.
"A little warning please," Cyn said, rolling her eyes and spinning her finger. "No vamp jumping out of the box. It's effing creeper status, pal."
"My apologies," William replied, the ghost of a smile riding his lips as his skin glowed under the moonlight.
Cyn shivered. "Yeah, okay. So... Tony's daughter is here and she's some kind of super-Were and she's gonna save the day?" Cyn asked and Slash chuckled.
"I wish it were that simple..."
Julia looked at Slash. "Y'know, I can use all the help I can get."
Jason's eyes narrowed on Slash. "Okay, why do I feel like there's a but coming."
"A big fat, stinky one," Cyn added and Julia smiled.
Slash sighed, biting the inside of his cheek, a nervous gesture, Julia supposed. "Tony remains unaware."
"Well good! He's not going to be anything to her. He attacked her mother, we don't need his happy ass making more problems. He's on a need to know basis..."
"And he doesn't need to know dick," Jason said.
"Yeah, that," Cyn echoed.
"It might be too late for silence," William stated and looked at Slash.
"He's right. Any Were with half a nose will smell what she is. The Southeastern's been aware and sequestered her since whelphood for the express purpose of any claim."
"What? McFly," Cyn said, smacking her forehead, "are you trying to tell me Tony can do anything? That's lame as hell... he's- a criminal."
"Definitely," Jason and Julia agreed simultaneously, layering their meaning together and he took her hand again under the watchful gaze of William.
"As the father of our version of the Rare One, he would have certain rights, regardless of the circumstances of her conception."
"What about Lacey Greene?" Cyn asked. "What about her rights?"
Slash looked down and inhaled deeply, hands planted on his hips. "He will be shunned by the Southeastern but we can't kill him. We can't murder the sire of the Moon Warrior."
"Warrior?" Cyn asked.
Slash nodded solemnly.
"She's not some weak female type?"
A slice of white appeared in the moonlight, Jason saw it was Slash's teeth in a fierce grin. "No—she is not." He could hear the humor in the male's voice and was instantly curious about this supposed Moon Warrior.
"I'll take it from here, Slash," a female voice drifted to them in a slap of power. Jason's face snapped to where the sound came from as a woman slid out from the veil of forest to stand before them. He felt a little dull around the edges he hadn't scented her.
All eyes were on her. She gave a slight nod. "I am Reagan of the Southeastern Den."
They all stood there mutely and she smiled, it was somehow more fierce than Slash's had been.
Her eyes scanned everyone who stood amongst the trees and they fell on Julia, weapons dripping off her body like wayward jewelry. "I have come to join with the Rare One. It is time... past time."
There was a swollen silence which Cyn broke. "Well... aren't you a bad ass."
Reagan looked at the Singer, a tall woman with light blonde hair and not nearly enough meat on her bones and said, "I can be."
Julia broke away from Jason and went to the new woman standing before them, her harsh face more striking than beautiful. Julia noted at once that her uncanny resemblance to Tony stopped at the eyes. They were remarkable, a pale unwavering gold, not whisky-colored, like her own but even in the moonlight, Julia could tell they were unique. Another thing that she had not inherited from Tony: an utter lack of guile. She stood before Julia, inquisitive... strong.
Fearless.
It's what they needed right now, Julia thought. A little less fear. Or what she needed.
"Okay... nice to meet ya... but," Cyn looked at William and said, "I'm waiting for a nice girl vampire to come on the scene now."
"As am I," William answered.
If possible, things had just become more complicated than before. Jason didn't have the first clue how the sudden appearance of the Were's version of the Rare One would change things.
He did know that it was an unmitigated clusterfuck.
Story of his life.
CHAPTER TEN
Jacqueline
She paced in front of the divided light window. Four panes of wavy glass distorted the pastoral view that connected the mansion to the ground. It seemed to float, suspended like a colorful jewel from a bygone era. An era of which Jacqueline had been so much a part. She remembered when the mansion was constructed, it was only a half lifetime ago for her.
Jacqueline stewed in her own juices while two of the Combatant were within sight.
Her own son, a Deflector of worth, who easily topped all regions for his talent, stood at the end of the walk, his broad back to her. Jacqueline smiled, and had Jacqueline seen her own reflection she might have schooled it, for it utterly stole her beauty. Jacqueline was too vain by far to embrace expressions that made her look ugly to any degree.
Tony sat in the chair behind her and watched her watch Scott; so beautiful in her anger. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder and Tony very much liked what he saw in Jacqueline. A faceted mirror of himself. Unpredictable, unconcerned with conscious or ethics. If she wasn't such an untamed bitch, they'd be a match made in heaven.
"He hates you," Tony stated in his easy and loathsome manner.
"Say something that I am unaware of, wolf," she replied without turning.
"Use what you are against him," he stated simply.
Anthony had finally said something interesting and she turned to face him, noting his languid ease in the deep and broad chair that stood in the corner of the small cottage they were imprisoned in.
Jacqueline was very bright and thought she understood his crude plan immediately. "Ah," her eyes narrowed on him in appreciation, "perhaps I've underestimated you."
His eyes met hers. "Well hell yes you have. You were too busy busting my chops to give me a chance to show you how versatile I can be."
Jacqueline gave a lingering gaze over his large body, very like those of the Combatant, sprawling in the lightly floral damask chair. He looked so contrary; contained violence inside a dark husk of masculinity against all the delicate antiquity that Jacqueline smiled.
"What?" he asked, certain she was having a joke at his expense. Tony was nearly humorless unless it was someone else who suffered, then it was funny as hell.
"I was just thinking how odd it is to see you thus," Jacqueline said, throwing her palm out at the contradiction he manifested in repose.
Tony scowled. "Whatever," he tossed out, bouncing out of the chair and looming over her.
She craned her neck to look up at him and her expression conveyed her boredom with his methods. "I remain unimpressed, Anthony." Her tone was droll, the heat in her eyes was not.
His eyes searched that careful mask, thinking about what lay beneath. "That's so hot," he said, looking down at Jacqueline like a snake he wanted to pet but didn't dare.
"You will be useful, but mind me in this: keep your disgusting innuendos to yourself." Her expression gave lie to her words.
Tony gave a slow smile then answered, "When it suits me."
Jacqueline huffed and began to walk away, and with the quickness of the Were, his hand snaked out in a blur she couldn't see but felt as his hand closed around her upper arm. "I can make that son of yours give a shit." His eyes, the brown of the iris nearly swallowing the pupil, were as serious as she'd seen them in their brief but volatile acquaintance.
Jacqueline did not pull away, instead she cocked her brow, allowing the bruising force of his grip to continue. "He is soulmate to the Rare One, his biological connection to me is not strong. My behavior, though for an end I would love, was not a path that he wished."
"Yeah, you trying to do in the Rare One kinda pissed him off." He smirked.
Jacqueline fought the impulse to struggle, instead she asked, "What do you propose, you vile excuse for a Were?" Her tone was mild, her eyes again- were not. They held the promise of many things in them.
Tony smiled, his instincts firing and leaned toward her as she rose on tiptoe to meet him. Though no one was around to hear them, he whispered inside her ear and she balanced against him, hand to chest.
Tony's grip tightened on her arm and a small sound of pain broke the seal of her lips. When he was finished she lowered herself down and his hand dropped from her.
They smiled at each other.
Like water, evil always sought its own level.
*
Reagan
Reagan thought Region One was in chaos, as were most of the other species of supernaturals in her opinion. And the Rare One, a slip of a female who looked like she couldn't lead her way out of a paper bag, was to be ruler.
The whole thing was shit. And of course, Reagan was aware that she was one of three destined to fix it. Reagan knew that a female from each group would bring the species together. And like a bunny out of a hat, Reagan waited for the vampire female to appear. Destiny was simply revelations choosing their timing. Assuring the survival of the Singers' Rare One was certainly critical but tactically, it could be managed without that tri-mating talk she'd heard bandied about.
Males, she thought, giving an internal eye roll.
She stalked to the old house they used as the main headquarters as she kept pace with Slash. For a male Were he was normal-sized, most who were male stood in the six and a half feet range. But she was a rare female warrior and unlike the small Singer females and the one female Were of the their sister clan- Adrianna, Reagan stood at an even six foot. Tall for a female but short compared to the males. But not lesser, never that.
Reagan tolerated the lecture from the Were she'd fought alongside.
"You really could have given them some warning, rather than just springing out of the woods...."
"No. I am tired of hiding who and what I am."
Slash stopped walking, the Victorian their only witness, though Slash could smell twenty Singers within shouting distance.
"I cannot fathom that David would have given his blessing to your timing."
She had the presence of mind to look ashamed.
"You did not," Slash said in his trademark emotionless voice. A clue to his anger.
Reagan nodded.
"Ah!" Slash spun on his heel and began to stride away.
There were few that Reagan regarded with respect but he was one. "Slash!" she yelled, "Wait!"
He turned on her with that blinding speed the Were possessed, jerking her tight, their noses brushing with the closeness, and she watched his eyes bleed to that deep green, an obvious nod to his Red heritage. "Do not defend coming here without making our Packmaster aware, endangering yourself on the way... dear Luna!" Slash said in a disgusted tone, giving her a small shove. "You could have been killed, captured or worse."
Neither elaborated on the worse part. They were so very aware of the potential for harm against her.
Reagan hugged herself as if cold although it was a warm summer night. "I felt her."
Some of Slash's anger was brought on by stress through worrying for the females he was tasked with guarding—and now the headstrong Reagan paused. "Whom?" Though he was afraid he knew who.
"The Singer."
Slash caught her scent before she appeared and turned.
"It's just me," the Rare One said with a small unassuming smile.
Slash nodded. The Singers were an odd faction of humanity, like sticking your toe in water to see if it was too hot; so the Singers stuck their collective toe in the pool of humanity, destined to never enter.
"I heard your greeting," Reagan said blandly. Those piercing eyes stung Julia, moving over her—twice.
"What do you see?" Julia asked, her chin high.
"Someone else I have to defend."
You don't owe me anything, Julia whispered through her mind.
"Don't pull that Singer crap on me," Reagan said, her anger a flash in those liquid gold eyes. "Just because your existence calls to me, doesn't mean we have to be BFFs or something."
Julia felt her face heat. But she wasn't going to be undone by the rejection, God knew, she'd had plenty.
"Where's your soulmate?" Reagan asked, changing the subject.
"He's guarding Jacqueline," Julia returned neutrally, not rising to the bait.
Reagan smiled. "I could do so much to help this along if somebody would let me."
Slash sighed, turning to Julia. "I'm sorry. Reagan doesn't think much of following orders." Or tact, he added mentally.
Julia smiled. "We'll get along better than you think."
Reagan shrugged noncommittally. "Whatever you say."
Julia frowned. "You came to me. To this place. If me being alive was enough to bring you for some," she palmed her chin and rolled her eyes toward the sky, thinking, "higher purpose... then don't take a turd on my head about it."
Reagan strode to the smaller woman and Julia stood her ground while the Combatant leaked out of the forest, one being as close as the corner of the house.
"Stand down, boys," Reagan said with a laugh then looked down at Julia. "You're spunkier than you look."
Julia didn't miss a beat. "I'm a lot more than I appear."
"That's a no-shitter," Michael said, the screen door slapping the jamb as he came out onto the front porch.
Julia couldn't suppress her grin.
"Who is this?" Reagan demanded.
"My soulmate's brother."
"Kind of a wise ass," she noted but not like it mattered. It seemed very little moved Reagan.
"Yeah, it's a sib thing, sweetheart," Jen said from behind him.
"How many siblings does Scott have?" Reagan asked thoughtfully, her eyes moving over the group, assessing. She'd followed protocol when arriving, introducing herself to the Region One leader, Marcus, first. But as far as his children went, she'd entirely missed them. That was okay, they seemed to largely be a pain in her ass.
Julia raised three fingers.
"Hmmm." She turned away from the staring group. "Let's talk strategy."
Julia couldn't keep the surprise off her face. "What strategy?"
"Delaying the inevitable."
"Oh," Julia answered. "You heard?"
Reagan nodded. "I have. And it's okay"
Julia's eyes narrowed. "Which part."
"The part where you have to cozy up with three dudes to keep the magic."
Julia sighed then laughed. "You remind me a little of Cyn."
"Who?" Reagan asked.
"My friend..." Julia began to explain.
"The skinny blonde with a fat mouth?"
Julia nodded, controlling her expression; it was a fair description. Some of it must have leaked through because Reagan frowned. "I'm not a stick model."
Julia looked at the strong warrior female who seemed to be a little older than herself. Every muscle showed but she was curved as a woman should be. Not slight, athletic.
"And... the mouth?" Julia asked in a light tone.
Slash made a sound low in his throat and Julia caught the look she gave him.
"It is your manner," Slash qualified to soften that which wasn't.
"Hmmm," Reagan sounded off and glared at them all.
Julia broke the long silence, "I think what we really need to think about is Tony's presence."
The very lack of expression on her face spoke volumes to Julia and she was suddenly afraid.
"Anthony Daniel Laurent is not my father. He is the rapist of my mother. And but for the law of the moon, should be executed."
"Why can't he be?" Julia asked, though she knew she was inciting rather than helping. She wasn't loving a violent solution but if the deed matched the consequence....
"Because of what I am."
"What is that?" Julia asked, voice breathy.
"Moon Warrior," Tony said from his shackles, his nostrils flaring at her scent. Then, "Female of my loins."
It happened that fast. One minute, Reagan was beside Julia, the next: five crimson lines bloomed on Tony's chest where she struck him with her talons. No one had seen her move, Reagan's unnatural speed the apparent privilege of her station.
"Do not!" Slash roared.
Tony smiled at his daughter while he bled, the rain of her violence splattering the ground at his feet, he wallowed in his own pain, using it like food—as he did in battle.
"Like father, like daughter," he whispered and she tipped her head back to the moon and howled her frustration.
"I but mark you," Reagan said in the old language.
"Because you beg for my death does not mean you will see it," Tony answered, returning the ancient words of his kind back to her, his typical modern vernacular bowing to the language of their kind.
Jacqueline stood slightly behind him and to his left. "This is your daughter?" she asked, taking in the imposing Were... female, yet hardened like a male fighter. Her eyes tagged his bleeding chest and she raised a casual brow in response. This appearance was most interesting, Jacqueline thought. Her love of chaos notwithstanding, having Tony's spawn here might complicate matters.
Tony nodded, his eyes never leaving Reagan's as he studied her. "I didn't know I'd left any mistakes behind."
"I'm not a mistake..." Reagan said and hated the defensive tone in her voice.
"Sperm donor," Adi said. "We'll add that to the list of shit head names we can call you."
"It's crass, but it'll do," Scott said, coming to stand beside Julia, looking between the two reunited Weres. It wasn't his fight. Julia's protection was all that mattered. These two could fight it out.
Tony gave a smile of fierce triumph. "None of you can kill me, now that my daughter has been revealed as the Moon Warrior." He looked at all of them with cheerful disdain. While they'd been all politically correct, thinking about how to get rid of the bad doggy, his daughter had shown up and screwed their plans six ways to Sunday.
They fell silent under the doctrine that all must obey by ancient law. Laws that superseded the Book of Singers, Luna, and even the ancient law of Vampire. They could not deny his lineage.
The shackles were released from his ankles, his hands still bound and Tony, as pleased as a peacock unfurling its multi-colored tail like a graceful fan, posed and preened in front of eyes that landed on him like stones of hate. The wounds on his chests began to scab on their way to healing.
"Hate me all you want," he said to those at large, but his gaze was all for Reagan. "But you can't kill me."
"He speaks true," Marcus added slowly from his position alongside his children, it was if the words were torn from him.
Reagan got up close to him, her nose reached his chin and she stared into his eyes, giving him all kinds of unhealthy eye contact. "Who said your death was what I wanted?" she whispered.
Tony's eyes widened but she took only a half-step backward and came at him not as he would have expected; but in a way he would not.
DNA was a strange enterprise. They were more alike than either realized.
She behaved like the wolf she was and as Tony tried to cover his groin with a twist of his legs she smiled and it was a wolf in front of an exposed throat, seeing the vulnerability.
And taking it.
She ignored his crotch and jabbed her fingers into the tender underside of his Adam's apple and he gave a choking wretch, his bound hands trying in vain to save his throat. With a snapping hand, Reagan hit his face, the sliver of cheekbone exposed splitting like a ripe fruit under the blow. And like an expert dancer, she moved into his injured body when he thought she'd move away and stomped on the instep of his foot with her heel.
Tony howled and bent over, the chains clanking from his bound hands. Even Jacqueline, normally impervious to the suffering of others, gasped at the brutality of the beating.
Hissing, he balled his bound fists and landed them as one on her jaw as he came up for air in a sucking roar of rage.
"You seek to avenge your whore of a mother? Who begged me to take her..." He slapped Reagan's face with his hands still laced together with zip ties and Slash moved forward even as her eyes slid to his in a silent plea. A plea not to interfere, regardless the cost.
Which, moment by moment, became mightier than the last.
*
Reagan's claws sprung from the tips of her fingers and she gutted Tony even as he came for her. The powerful muscles of her forearms drove the force of the bone-like material of her talons into the deepest cavity of his body and he grunted as if he'd been punched.
"She is not a whore, but a survivor!" Reagan bellowed into his face as she twisted her claws inside him like so much scrambled egg and he shoved her with his hands tied in the way of a battering ram, effectively tearing himself up in the process as her talons were jerked out of his churned guts. Reagan staggered backward, gained her footing and with a swinging press of limb, steadied her left leg like an anchor and swung her right leg in a roundhouse kick that took him high in the head.
Tony crumpled in a heap on the ground as he held his entrails inside himself with hands bloody from his wounds.
"Don't kill him," Jacqueline murmured into the silence of the forest, every person held still by the raw violence of the space of seconds becoming minutes.
"No," Reagan said in slow grudging agreement, sparing her not a glance. "But I will make him wish for death." She moved forward and fell on Tony, her claws put away for the moment, meaty sounds of her small but effective fists pummeling flesh that gave way... bones which broke.
A life which hung by a thread.
When Tony lay broken and bleeding at her feet, when bubbles of blood burst from the nose she had broken, she stood. Gore rose like reverse water to her elbows and Reagan spoke in a whisper that trembled with her rage, "No one will hurt those I love. No one," she repeated.
Julia looked at Reagan, no less regal covered in blood, then her gaze shifted to who had been a part to bring her into the world and hated what she represented. Violence. But Reagan was necessary, a part of some whole that Julia swam in. Her eyes swept over Jacqueline, a quiet and angry presence. Finally, her gaze fell to Tony.
The most evil of males, who even now healed the injuries vested upon him by a daughter beget of violence. They were not Julia's words but those of William, she realized. Julia could almost hear them in her head and she looked at the vampire and saw his eyes were all for her.
Reagan was violence personified. A different brand than her father, but still dangerous.
Julia watched Reagan step over Tony's healing body and turned to her. "Let me clean the stink of him off me and then we talk."
Julia could only nod. If there were three that would oversee the supernaturals, if she was the light... then Reagan was the dark. The moon when it was new and unseen.
Who would be the third?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Scott
Scott took Julia by the elbow, his eyes daring William and Jason to interfere. He could feel her bone tiredness like it was his own as well as the emptiness of her belly. Instead of going to meet Reagan he steered her straight to the kitchen. She needed to be away from a torn and bleeding Tony. He wasn't too won over by Reagan either. He loved that she'd kicked Tony's ass but he could feel how sick Julia was over the violence.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"You're eating, I can feel you starving when I touch you," Scott said and wrapped the hand that had been on her elbow around her nape.
"Okay," Julia said but she added, "I can't say I have a great appetite right now. I mean... Reagan." Scott nodded in understanding. They moved through the house silently; most of the other Singers were in the yard in various stages of assessing Tony.
"Did you know about Reagan?" Julia asked him as he settled her onto a stool. He'd been prepared to answer when William and Jason entered the kitchen like a pair of shadows that needed no sun, because Julia was there. Scott felt his shoulders tense as he searched the fridge for food. Smelling a container of leftover chicken with mashed potatoes he slid the whole glass dish into the microwave and hit the timer.
"No," Scott finally replied.
"I know of the writings," William supplied and Scott glared at him. The vampire pissed him off. Well... Jason pissed him off too. Couldn't make up his mind which one pissed him off more. Scott guessed it was whoever was closest. Or spoke.
Or existed.
Which, right now, was the both of them in the kitchen, staring at Julia. The timer beeped and he set the food down in front of Julia, who began shifting the steaming pile around with a fork.
Her hunger beat along the inside of his skull. "Please, Julia, you're killing me, eat."
Julia smiled at him. "You can feel I'm hungry?" Her eyebrows arched, a fork full halfway to her mouth, frozen.
"Yeah, it's driving me crazy, now shovel."
"She was always a shitty eater," Jason commented and Scott felt his face go hard.
Jason studied Scott, sensing and seeing his irritation. "Y'know, you're gonna have to simmer down, Singer. We were married... we were close."
Julia took a cautious bite of food, studiously avoiding memories of Tony's beating so she could keep food down while ignoring the rising testosterone. Easier thought than done. Scott set a glass of milk in front of her and after a long moment of staring at it she took a sip as her eyes went from a glaring Scott to a satisfied Jason.
"You were married but a day or two," William stated.
"Don't discount me knowing her," Jason said, turning on the vampire while Scott began to grin. Wasn't this entertaining as hell.
"I know her as well, you dolt. She was the one who cried and bled for two years without you. Who ran to escape the many who would claim her against her will."
Julia felt the food she'd eaten slide down in a solid lump to a stomach that had begun churning. She pushed her plate away.
"Can we talk about Reagan?" she asked as the vampire and her... husband argued about who was the most intimate with her.
William stood seething at Jason for a moment, then like melting ice, his former irritation slid off his face and it was the one she knew so well: controlled, hard, and worthy. Fierce intelligence lay in the deep gray of his gaze as he peered out at them.
"The Singers have their ancient text: the Book of Singers." His eyes touched on Jason, "yours is Luna... and for Vampire, it is Blood." He said that last as if it was the most elemental of comments. "The deepest magic of all that will come to pass is doing so in this moment. We are but witnesses to history being made, in this time..." he swept his palms together, clasping his hands in a clap that caused Julia to flinch. His eyes went to Julia and they gentled from the flinty steel he gave the other men. "To answer your query: I do not know who the vampire female will be, or when it shall come to pass. Reagan seems to authenticate the prophesies of all three text. However," his eyes grew solemn, "you may reign with help but your life is still bound by the rules that you choose in the next three days. You must bind yourself to the three of us or be faced with a life of constant guard. And certain mortality is the reality for your future."
Scott stood behind Julia, his hands on her shoulders.
William's eyes held compassion and Jason's customary anger swam in his gaze. "I'll do it for her. Because it's the only way to release the Combatant and the constant guard, because she'll be safe and live forever, apparently. But don't expect me to live with her, love her. I'll do whatever..." Julia watched his hand rake through his sandy longish hair, his hazel eyes blazing out of his face like chipped ice. "I might have to seal the deal, but I'm not going to be her husband after—afterward."
William turned to look at him. "So you would punish her because of circumstance beyond her control. Because you could not live the life you envisioned for the two of you?"
"You make me sound like an ass when you say it like that," Jason said and Scott barked out a laugh. Jason glared at him, carefully avoiding eye contact with Julia. "You stay out of it."
"No," Scott said in a clipped word. "I'm so far in I don't have a choice. Does the words soul meld mean anything? Even if I wanted to chuck her nine miles away from me I'd die first. Hell, I manifested the crazed form when she was in danger and the vamps showed up. My ship is sunk, pal. So deal."
Julia let the tears fall. She felt like she'd been crying for over two years. She was tired of being sad. Of disappointment and disappointing. "Does anyone want to be with me just because?" she asked to the room at large.
Everyone was quiet.
She stood. "Yeah, thanks for the grub, soulmate," Julia said and Scott came forward.
"I'm sorry, Julia... you know I love you."
"'Cuz you have to." Julia nodded at him and moved away, her body growing colder without his beside her. Julia's mind swam with her destiny in a swamp of sadness, the sludge of her thoughts leaving a trail of murk that could never be erased, cleansed- eased.
Her eyes found Jason's and she saw the spark of who she'd known before he covered his expression with indifference. He didn't try to touch her.
That was probably for the best.
William laid his hands on both of hers. His were like softened ice that melted against the heat of her touch. He laid his cool lips against her forehead. "I care... most ardently."
"I believe you, William," she whispered against his face, feeling like she didn't have an advocate in the world.
He released her just when he should have and Julia left the house.
They let her go. So many words left unsaid.
So many still lingering in the air, the wounds of them laid open for all.
*
William
"Fools," William hissed in displeasure as soon as Julia was out of hearing range.
Jason scoffed, "I only have to play nice to get the deed done then I can escape this bullshit and do what I want with who I want."
Scott's fists clenched and he moved forward. "You talk about her like she is a chore, a duty. If it is so bad, then let another of the Were take your place so that he can love her. You're too full of your own crap to see you're taking chunks out of her."
"She is fragile, Jason. Everyone empathizes with your turning. It was not ethical; should not have been done. A Were or Vampire should be born of that blood union, not forced. Yet, it is done." William gave a sudden smile and the two men gave him puzzled expressions back. "Did I tell you it was two years before Julia kissed me... willingly?"
Jason was at his throat even as William held him off. "Did you force yourself on her?" Jason asked, talons at William's neck.
"I am not interested in such things, Were," William answered as if five would-be knives were not pressed against his throat. If he could have, William would have smiled; Jason's self-denial was painfully obvious to anyone who looked.
"Then what do you mean?" Scott asked as he moved closer.
Jason dropped his hand from William's throat as he laid fingers on the tender skin. "You do not behave as if you do not care..."
Jason made a dismissive noise. "Explain," he barked.
William stepped back from the advancing pair. "Do not unleash your anger at circumstances on me. You both need me for Julia, so listen with your minds instead of your raging testosterone."
"You're a guy, even though you're a vampire..." Jason said.
William smirked. "I am male, but the burden of that part of humanity is easily contained."
"Right," Scott said like he didn't believe it.
William leveled a look at the Singer then began, "Julia came to me so wounded, so grief-stricken she would not take nourishment. We had to force feed her, revive her. She buried herself in memories that were what she lived for, lived amongst. We feared for her life. I had to give her blood- twice."
"I bet that sucked for you, being a vampire and all," Jason said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable, but his face was troubled by the revelation.
William scowled, swiping at him with a palm. "Silence."
"Let the vamp finish," Scott said.
"Yeah, because what he's saying is so riveting," Jason said.
They stared at him.
"Fine," Jason replied.
"In any event, but a night before she was taken by the Were she came to me of her own volition and that was when I knew."
"Knew what?" Scott asked, planting his fists on his hips, bracing himself for words he hoped would not come. Knowing they would anyway.
"That I loved her. That I love her like the moon loves the stars... with a jealous persistence that borders on obsession. So if it be that you do not, I have enough love for Julia for the two of you as well."
"You just can't wait to be with her," Jason grated out.
William shook his head. "You are pathetic. If you think sharing sex with Julia is all that I wish, then you know nothing, have been listening... to nothing."
Scott looked from one to the other of them. "I want the whole package. I'm not trying here, I have no choice, I'm wired to love her. Of course... I do want her that way, I'm a guy... but I'm not going to put her mind at risk. As a Combatant her emotional protection is just as worthy as the physical."
William gave him a nod of agreement. "After all," he spread his palms away from his body, "an emotionally compromised person can't rule anything, for their feelings rule them."
Jason's breath exploded in an exhaustive exhale. "You guys are just so goddamned reasonable." He folded his arms across his chest, trying to engage in the conversation, obviously not wanting to be there- talking to them.
"How will it help Julia if we are not?" William countered, his eyes nailing Jason, cornering him with logic.
Jason stared at him then heaved another sigh of disgust, his eyes drilling the Singer and vampire. "I don't want to share her."
"You don't even want to be with her. You just got done telling us you want to just do the initial ceremony and be done with it." Scott shoved his hands in his pockets, brows raised, leaning forward as his gaze locked with Jason's. He was shelving his anger and his natural possessiveness for the sake of argument, and her future safety.
"Yes, extolling your feelings on the subject is not something you shy from," William added.
"Don't you understand?" Jason asked, his anger flaring as he flung his hands away from his body, "that if I have her, as a man has his wife... even once... I won't be able to live with her like we were supposed to?"
"Can't live with her..." Scott began, loving that his turmoil wasn't exclusive to him.
"And you cannot live without her," William finished.
"Finally... fuck," Jason said, plowing his fingers through his hair in irritation, "... you two brainiacs have figured it out."
"What could she have seen in you?" William asked. For as far as he was concerned, Jason of the Were was as loud-mouthed, profane, and insensitive man as they came. Putting Julia with him made William's head hurt and his teeth ache. It was like placing fine china in front of a raging bull.
Jason laughed low and without humor. "I think the Were could let you in on the why of what I am now. But let's put it this way: I was a Singer that wasn't supposed to be turned. I did. I survived and I'm a "red" which is doubly shit... and now the girl I married, protected... and yeah, drinker, loved—is some Queen of the freaks I didn't know about and ready to enter a marriage with two other guys instead of just me. So I'm. Kinda. Pissed. Off. Right. Now," he said in slow enunciated anger.
"Okay," Scott said, raking his fingers through his short black hair in a direct mimic to Jason's irritation moments before. "I feel your pain..."
Jason opened his mouth and Scott held a palm up. "Let me finish. I didn't even like Julia when I met her."
Jason's face showed surprise.
"Truly?" William asked, searching his face for deceit and Scott gave an uneasy chuckle at his expression.
"Yeah, I thought Julia was some prima donna thrust on us by the Book. That as the Rare One she'd have all the power without being raised in the Regions. She just fell into it. Julia shows up looking all fragile and..." He met their eyes, "beautiful. And I'm pissed," he banged his own chest with his fist. "Because goddammit, every male instinct I had wanted was to protect her, and I was attracted to her..."
"So you fought this?" William asked.
Scott just nodded.
"What happened?" Jason asked, despite himself.
"We accidentally touched and... well, the meld happened and changed everything. My body already knew, it was that one touch... and it was over."
"Her blood chose you," William murmured.
Scott gave a single stiff miserable nod.
"So you didn't want her either?" Jason asked, incredulous.
"No, I did... but somehow, I feel like my choice has been stolen. Then you mix in you two." He made a stirring motion with his finger and shrugged. "It kinda sucks."
Jason smiled and it never reached his eyes. "I guess we're in the same boat."
Scott's serious face swung to his. "Not even close."
Jason's smile vanished like it had never been, his hands dropping to his sides. "How do ya mean?"
"I mean, I love her. I can't be poetic about it like... William," Scott said, naming him reluctantly. "But I do. And I don't know if she'll want to do it if you just... use her."
Jason got a sick look on his face. "I'd never do that. I'm not some dick nozzle."
William smiled, the tip of his fangs showing. Or maybe they'd gotten longer as he smelled the discord and his vampire nature responded to it like a match struck. "She is untried, Jason. Surely you, of all people, are aware."
Jason gave him a dark look, full of warning. "Careful what you say next, vamp."
William inclined his head in acknowledgment. "You cannot deflower a woman you have made human vows with, then leave her because you cannot stand what your new life has become, might become. Julia does not carry a casual spirit. She's a woman whose heart will follow once she gives her body. In fact, despite your accidental violence, she remains in love with you. If you cannot respect her vulnerability and trust, then you should bow out and let another take your stead. So that Julia may have opportunity for that husband to genuinely love her."
Jason was still and silent for so long that Scott and William thought he'd leave without speaking. He began to walk away but turned at the last moment. His eyes took in the two males, both black haired, one with pale skin and gray eyes, the other with eyes so black they were like stamps of coal in his face. Scott looked brutal as a constant, only tender when Jules was near.
"It's not the loving that's the problem," Jason said with slow conviction.
"Then what is it?" William asked. "So that we might help you and in so doing, help Julia."
He looked at them both and inhaled sharply. "It's not that I don't love her." His tortured gaze locked with theirs. "It's that I love her too much." Jason held their gazes for a long moment, then turned and walked out, his broad back disappearing around the corner.
It was the identical problem for them all.
Loving Julia is not the issue, William thought. It was sorting through the love that was.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Julia
Julia had that tight feeling of wanting to escape her skin, of a spoiled fruit before it bursts the confines of its flesh. The hot breath of it lingered and boiled across her like unseen vapor, the press of it almost suffocating.
Julia folded into herself again, at once angry and resigned. A single shaky breath escaped her as someone fell into step beside her and she glanced to her left.
It was Reagan. Julia wasn't sure if that was an improvement to her mood. After what she'd done to Tony... Julia wasn't sure that keeping company with a woman as violent as Reagan was such a swell idea. Especially when she was in such a poisonous mood.
"Hi," Reagan said, her long arms behind her back, hands knotted.
Julia gave her a sidelong glance. "Hey."
"I think we got off on the wrong foot," Reagan said and Julia couldn't help the soft chuckle.
"Maybe. I mean, the whole beating the snot out of your bio-dad was kind of a wow."
Reagan said nothing for a moment, but the small smile gave her away. "He's a father by genetics only...."
Julia stopped and looked up at the taller woman. She was struck by her intense vitality. Even when Reagan stood there so still, somehow- she still moved. It was almost a microscopic energy that she harnessed, a lot of it seeping out without her being aware.
"I'm not sure what capacity you're going to... be," Julia said.
"My role?" Reagan asked, black brows raised.
Julia nodded.
Reagan grinned. "You're going to be the Queen bee and I'll be... like an advisor drone."
Julia laughed. "So you're not going to be..." Julia waffled her hand back and forth, smiling at the hive analogy.
"Kind of pervy," Reagan commented, but her eyes were smiling.
Julia blushed to the roots of her hair. "I... wow. This is beyond awkward."
Reagan nodded. "Better you than me," she pointed out.
Julia frowned up at her. "Gee, thanks."
Reagan shrugged. "I am glad not to be the Rare One, I'm not suited for it."
"No shit," Cyn said from behind them and Julia turned, throwing her arms around the other girl. "God, am I glad to have you back."
"Yeah, since I saved you," Cyn said as she pressed Julia against her. It was the best feeling. After two years of grief and turmoil, Jules was back. She was back.
They pulled away and laughed simultaneously, hugging a second time.
Reagan glanced at the two women then let her eyes wander the forest as the Combatant skulked in the shadows. Reagan supposed she should feel bolstered by their presence. She didn't. They were warriors like herself, but of another ilk. Reagan didn't trust easily. Life had been a fine teacher of that lesson.
"So," Cyn began, taking Julia's hand and meeting the gold of her eyes.
"So?" Julia answered, searching her friend's face, so glad Cyn had escaped Tony there were no words.
"Jason's being a dick," she finished without preamble.
"Oh... I like her," Reagan enthused, her concentration sliding from the depths of the wood to the women again.
Julia's face fell a little but she shored up. "Kinda. I mean," she squeezed Cyn's hand, "he's different than he was. I think he still cares about me but..."
"He hates you too," Reagan intuited and Julia nodded.
"He's just mixed up Jules... he'll come around."
There was a minute sound and Reagan turned, a weapon in her hand. It was a blur of speed, one moment it wasn't there and the next, Julia's eyes picked up the glint of the metal against her palm.
"Or not... and if he does not, you will have to find another Were on short notice," Jacqueline said from the distance that separated them.
Great. "Thanks for reminding me," Julia said, her eyes on the greatest enemy of her life. Julia didn't vie for power, she wanted what was best for both herself and the Singers. She didn't think Jacqueline would be taken seriously. Even if scripture gave the illusion of choice, there really wasn't any. The bottom line was that if Julia did not have a true inter-species marriage, her protection would be vulnerable and Jacqueline could worm her way into the hierarchy by a loophole of default by non-consent. The Combatant would not be sufficient. They were meant to protect until the power structure solidified- not indefinitely. She understood that now.
Julia didn't want Jason to go through the ceremony out of obligations that he no longer felt. She didn't want Scott to be with her because of chemistry. And William was too old-school to let go of her.
Jacqueline watched the kaleidoscope of emotions move across Julia's face. "So conflicted... so undecided. That is most excellent."
"Shut your yap, Singer," Reagan said. "I don't feel the least bit charitable toward you. You see what my anger has done to your companion?" she asked in clear warning.
Jacqueline tried to raise a shoulder but her hands were bound behind her back, so her feigned nonchalance lost some of its bite. The Combatant tightened his grip on her upper arm and she went on as if unaffected, "Anthony... your werewolf sire? Yes, he is most useful. And for all your violence against him, he heals even now."
"Your point?" Reagan asked like she didn't care, her lithe and muscular arms folded across her body. Reagan's weapon was sheathed for the moment, but at the ready should the need arise.
"Have you not asked yourself why he did not defend himself more strongly?" Jacqueline queried.
Reagan hesitated, her mind skimming the memory of beating Tony. Had he only gotten two strikes on her? Three? "He was bound," Reagan said, and even to her ears it sounded more like an evasive defense. She gave Jacqueline more of her attention, not less. She bore watching. Of that, Reagan was sure.
"No," Jacqueline commented softly, "if he were bent on hurting you, even now you would lay bleeding."
They looked at each other.
"How does she matter?" Cyn asked, a confused look on her face as she swept her palm at Jacqueline. Then she answered her own question, "Right.... she doesn't matter. That's it!" Cyn half-yelled, throwing a finger straight up at the sky. "We were all listening to you like your bullshittery mattered. Doesn't. Matter- Just sayin'."
Reagan smiled.
Jacqueline focused her eyes on Cyn. "You are a very new Singer, so I will let your rude ignorance pass."
"Oh horseshit. You don't have a choice. You're bound, you're 'jailed'," Cyn said, giving Jacqueline eyes that were dead serious, her voice pleasant when she explained, "You tried to kill Jules and should be euthanized, just like Tony."
Reagan laughed. "That's awfully harsh, Singer." But there was a smile hidden in her voice.
Cyn nodded as Jacqueline regarded her. "It's fair. The Rare One is here, ready to take over and this arrogant wench tries to pull out the scripture that no one probably gives a ready shit about just so she can have a chance at the throne. Nevermind that she tried to murder the true future ruler, and myself!" Cyn splayed her fingers on her chest, drilling everyone in the eyes with her logic. "Why don't they just kill her ass?"
"They cannot," Jacqueline purred. "For I have royal blood. What if the Rare One were to die of accidental causes? And the Combatant has already formed the circle." She tsked Cyn like she was an idiot.
Cyn huffed, crossing her arms and muttered, "Accidental causes my ass."
Reagan nodded at Cyn. "Tick tock," she said and Jacqueline gave her a sharp look.
"You grasp things very well for a Were," Jacqueline said as an insult.
"I am a Moon Warrior. I am more than a Were, half-breed."
Jacqueline gritted her teeth, her dark eyes spilt ink in the cast moonlight of her face. "You do not tell me from whence I came, bastard child."
"Do you know what it means to be Moon Warrior?" Reagan asked softly and Julia watched the women look at each other like two opponents in a match to the death, their only weapons were the words from their mouths.
"I do not concern myself with dogs when I can occupy my thoughts on the rightful and primary species."
Julia felt embarrassed, though Jacqueline's words couldn't be owned by her, she was a Singer. Her representation was so selfish and condescending it made Julia want to crawl underneath a rock.
"So you presume," Reagan stated in reply.
"I gotta hear this," Cyn said and moved closer to Julia. Julia also wanted to hear what they knew about each other. It was a great distraction from the difficult choices she had to make.
"I do not presume, mongrel—I know."
Julia's heart beat a single time and Reagan was suddenly inches from Jacqueline, who never moved, the Combatant stiffening beside Jacqueline. It was interesting that he wasn't sure what Reagan would do either. Even after she'd seen what Reagan was capable of, she stood, unruffled and with an utter lack of concern.
"Gawd she's a ballsy broad," Cyn said and Julia could only nod in agreement.
"Yeah."
Reagan ran her nose inches over the shorter woman, dragging deep of her scent and when she leaned back there was an expression of triumph on that starkly beautiful face. "You smell of wolf, and something else. If you are pure blood then I am a male." Reagan stepped back as the two Combatant who held Jacqueline chuckled.
Julia gasped and Jacqueline's face turned to hers. "I am as I said I was: a pure blood. I do not have mongrel or any other in my line."
"My nose can't lie," Reagan stated as fact, completely unruffled.
"So what does it matter?" Cyn asked, looking from one face to the other. "So she goes bow-wow at the full moon? Or could... whatever." She threw up her hands in irritation.
"It is not 'whatever'," William said as he walked into the loose circle of prisoner and Combatant, his eyes finding and resting on Julia. He was glad to see her expression resolved. Not unaffected but resolute. William swung his gaze away from her to fall on Jacqueline. "If it be that you are not of pure Singer lineage, you cannot claim title to the throne. You know this." William was actually familiar with the other supernaturals' histories. He felt it was part and parcel of being a victor in all things. Know thine enemy.
"The responsibility of proving this outrageous claim falls on all but me," Jacqueline said, her eyes running over the growing crowd.
Julia would have claimed Jacqueline was nervous if she knew her better.
"What is Jacqueline saying?" Marcus asked as he strode up to the group, concern on his face... but something else as well- hope.
The circle had broadened to include Jason and Scott, who kept their distance from Julia. Both felt, in their own way, they might have abused her emotions enough for one day. Cyn looked over at them and away. Her expression said more clearly than words, back off.
Scott turned his sour expression on his real mother, hating her presence, knowing she was here to stay. If not at their Region, then going back to Region Two with nothing more than a slap on her wrist for trying to kill the one chosen for him. He guessed when their ancient laws were written, there'd been no concept of someone this treacherous.
William gazed at Jacqueline with thoughts which echoed Scott's. If everything went as it should, Julia would become so powerful that Jacqueline's nefarious machinations against Julia would be like an irritating gnat as opposed to the sting of a wasp. It was the interim that concerned William most. Jacqueline was a threat. Her very existence was a problem as William saw it, in addition to her try for Julia's throne. He thought and voiced it in the growing silence, "If a vampire were to take blood, he or she would know instantly where your ancestry lies."
The silence grew deeper, it had a taste to it, a weight.
"I love that," Cyn said. "Anything to get the wicked witch of the east out of here."
Scott agreed. "Yeah, let William sink fang and then we'll know."
Marcus palmed his chin. "It amazes me, that if it were true, that we had a son that is Combatant." His eyes were steady on Jacqueline. "Of course, you would never have revealed a mixed lineage to the council. It would have impeded your bid for power. Obscuring your ancestry is tricky but..."
"Doable," Adi guessed, coming to stand next to Cyn. Cyn looked at her and they gave each other a high five.
"No drinker will pierce my flesh," Jacqueline seethed.
"Only Julia could show you that bit of mercy, Jacqueline."
Jacqueline's eyes met Julia's. There was no softness, no pleading. But if there had been, Julia would have ignored it. She tried to kill her. Julia didn't want to be cruel but if it would give her time, then she would do it. Fleshing out the damn truth sounded pretty good about now.
Julia met William's eyes. "Do it."
Jacqueline actively struggled as William glided closer while Marcus remained silent. "If he pierces my vein and finds nothing I claim recompense!" she yelled in a clear and ringing voice.
Marcus nodded once. "Granted."
"I hear and obey," one of the Combatant at her elbow responded.
Jacqueline screamed, a full-throated desolate shriek of rage and frustration. Her eyes glittered on William's, and Scott fought not to stop it. Though he hated what Jacqueline had done, some scrap of their combined genetics forced a response from deep inside him that he couldn't shut down.
Julia felt a tug of grief and uncertainty from somewhere behind her and knew it was Scott. She felt rather than saw his feet move before she realized she'd moved and he opened his arms as she walked into them. It was perfectly coordinated though neither had planned it.
"It's okay," Julia soothed. "He won't hurt her."
"It's not okay," Scott said. No drinker had the right to touch a Singer. He squeezed his eyes shut for a long moment, thinking about Julia with William. Thinking about Jacqueline trying to poison his soulmate. They were owed the right to know the truth.
Julia tipped her face back, studying this man who felt so right it was as if he was part of her body. Some of what he felt bit at the edges of her mind and she studied him a little more thoroughly. "I would have killed her if I had caught her trying to murder you," he stated in a flat voice and Julia nodded. She knew he was telling the truth. "But I can't watch her be used by the drinker."
"It's William," Julia reasoned and he gave her a small shake, turning her around and forcing her to watch William.
Scott bent down next to her ear and whispered. "He is vampire, Julia. He is always that first. Everything else comes second."
Julia watched as Jacqueline startled like a deer caught in headlights, falling into his gaze, stilling. "Do not," she gave as a final plea and it sounded to Julia very much like what it was- begging. She watched as one by one every Singer turned their backs on Jacqueline and faced away.
"It will be only pain... or you can allow me to soften it for you," William said, giving her the choice.
"I want the pain," Jacqueline answered.
"Very well," William replied.
Julia watched him grip her shoulders as the Combatant's hold fell away, only Scott, Jason, Cyn and Adi watched. The Singers held silent communion with the forest. Their gaze was on the lush vegetation that surrounded the Region instead of the scene at hand.
Jacqueline tensed before he struck and one of William's hands went to her jaw, bringing her chin up, lengthening her neck and his fangs grew to fine points before his head jerked back minutely, then moved forward with a blur of color. To Julia it looked like a watercolor painting smeared, superimposed as his mouth landed on her neck and Jacqueline wailed the injustice into the air and Scott tensed beside Julia as she put her hand on his arm. "We have to know... it could change everything."
"I know," he said, his expression of passive guilt never changing.
William's lips lay at her neck for an impossibly short time that seemed also long... stretched out like a rubber band about to break.
Finally, he lifted his mouth from flesh that had the puncture wounds of his kind imprinted on her throat and the Combatant moved in. Her face was shut down, white with blood loss and an anger that simmered without energy, much of it stolen from the unwanted bloodletting.
Marcus stepped nearer as did Julia. "What?"
William looked at the group but it was Marcus he answered. "Vampire."
That one word meant so little and so much. "What do you mean... what are you saying, William?" William looked from Julia and back to Marcus. "The Moon Warrior is correct, Jacqueline is Were." Reagan gave a fierce smile of triumph, tapping her nose once as if to say, See? I was right all along.
Marcus hadn't taken his eyes off William, the ring of Singer blood circled his mouth and Julia watched him lick it off and shivered while Scott's hands became fists. His eyes flitted to Jacqueline, slumped between the two Combatant's and the vampire that would take blood from a Singer then proclaim her Were.
The next words made all who gathered turn back to look, turn back in shocked silence.
"Jacqueline, ruler of Region Two, has been hiding a great many things." When William captured the focus of all who had gathered he stated what he'd found, "She is Singer, this is true- very pure. But she is also Were and... vampire."
Marcus spoke into the well of stunned silence that ensued, "That is not possible. We were united and Scott was a product of that. He is Combatant and blood chosen of Julia."
William nodded. "I cannot dispute those facts. Nevertheless, she is also other."
"Okay... so what? This is the best damn news this century!" Cyn yelled, clapping her hands together. Julia looked around her at the serious faces.
"Wait a sec," Julia looked at Cyn then Marcus. "Why does everyone look like their puppy died?"
Marcus put his hands on his hips and looked at Scott. "You are not pure Singer, you are many things. And if it be that there is vampire, and also Were... what else might there be?"
"I don't understand how this changes things?" Julia asked. "I mean, my blood chose him so everything is still a go. And she can't..."
"Do the dumb ass overthrow..." Adi said and Julia gave a slow nod. That was it- crude, but the truth.
"No she cannot," Marcus agreed.
"But?" Julia asked, waiting for the other shoe to fall.
"There is the question of the third," Marcus replied.
Julia's mind turned over the facts. Reagan had appeared and would become an advisor of sorts as foretold, in a deeper magic than anyone had dreamed of coming to fruition. There would be one more, a female vampire. When all the pieces were in place the puzzle would be complete. The question now was when. Julia was perplexed over how Scott's lineage mattered. "What's wrong? So what if Scott's mixed?"
"It adds uncertainty for the future. The vampire female has not been identified, until she presents herself, it is akin to..." Marcus paused and surprisingly, it was Jason who responded, "An engine without all the parts."
William nodded. "Precisely," he replied in a tone that held surprise. The two men looked at each other and Jason expounded, "I'm pissed, not stupid."
"Okay... still not seeing the issue," Cyn said, flipping her palm out.
They looked at Jacqueline who gave a small dazed smile. "If it be that the female is tied to me, then my relation would be in the inner circle... I would still be victor."
Even in her stupor she's scheming, Julia was amazed to note.
"The chances of the one component needed to settle this... being a relation of yours?" Reagan scoffed, "is nil on the odds, Singer."
"But not impossible," she said in an abbreviated cackle.
"William?" Julia asked and hated that her voice sounded like a plea.
He shook his head. "It is unlikely." She saw his reluctance to continue but knew he would. "But possible."
"What a disaster," Jason said.
Scott agreed. He'd had several nasty ass revelations in the last few weeks and this was definitely one of the worst. Not only was he soulmate of Julia, he was now of unknown Were and vampire lineage.
Drinker ancestry flowed in his veins. He turned his head and watched the expressions of his siblings. Half siblings.
They were empty. As empty as he'd ever seen them.
Scott looked at Jacqueline and she smiled.
He gathered Julia closer against himself. A storm was coming, he could taste the rain in the air. The question was, would they survive it?
Could they?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Alan
He took his sister's hands within his own and stopped the tremble that had been there.
"Does he know?" Lacey asked, looking at him through the veil of her black lashes.
Alan shook his head and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"He hasn't asked and I haven't felt the need to tell him. As a matter of fact, Reagan took care of him in a most satisfactory way."
He watched his sister shudder at the reference to Anthony Laurent and he wanted to kick Tony's ass until his foot fell off. Instead he gathered Lacey closer. Alan stroked her hair and murmured, "He knows who she is now, Lace. There's nothing we can do about that." Alan carefully avoided mentioning Tony by name. It never failed to illicit a flinch from his sister. There was enough tightness around her light brown eyes without the mention of that bastard.
"He will know that his life is spared as long as Reagan lives." Her voice sounded desolate, like a desert that hadn't had a drop of water in a year—bare and dry.
"Yeah, goddammit," Alan exhaled in an exhaustive push.
Lacey turned in his arms and laid her small hands on his shoulders. "What about me? Can he... will he...?"
She couldn't finish but Alan did, putting his finger on her lips to silence her words. "He will not. The pack didn't protect you enough when it happened..."
"It's alright Alan, you were a whelp."
Alan's hands became fists at his sides. "It doesn't matter.... I should've done something!" he exploded. Sorrow laced with anger vibrated through his words, the heat of his wolf rising, squeezing the air between them like an unseen noose.
Lacey's hands made their way to his face. "Look at me, brother." He did, reluctantly. Her soft eyes, like crushed milk chocolate, pierced his with their love, their understanding. "It is not your fault, it is his." Lacey's gaze moved to the knotted hands in her lap. "He bears my mark against him... forever."
Alan put a finger underneath her chin and lifted her face until their eyes met. "It's the one consolation."
She nodded. "He is cursed from mating."
Alan's lips curled. "He doesn't know."
Lacey shrugged. "I didn't know either until Reagan became."
He met her eyes again. "Then we all knew. A fitting justice."
Lacey nodded in agreement, once. "I suppose..." she took in a deep breath, "...that is vengeance enough."
Alan shook his head. "It can never be enough for what he did to you."
They sat there inside the Region One guest quarters and simply held each other, saying nothing.
While Reagan dreamed of avenging her mother.
*
Julia
"Tell me," Julia said. And it wasn't a question but her first demand from the female Were who would be her advisor.
Reagan walked in contemplative silence and thought of all the things she could not say, of what she planned, of an alliance that might not work and sighed.
"Do you trust me?"
Julia frowned, stopping mid-stride. "No."
A laugh burst out of Reagan. "That's so honest it hurts."
Julia sighed. "I don't mean to be an ass... but, I've been shuffled around between three groups, none of which really offer me anything but choices that are varying degrees of bad."
Reagan felt her lip curl. "You know... some women might think having three gorgeous supernatural men at their beck and call for eternity sort of a fringe benefit of ruling this little posse."
Julia felt her ire rise and turned, opening her mouth to say something scathing, then thought better of it. A visual of a bleeding Tony silenced the worst of her protests. Instead, Julia tried for reason. "Look, Jason is my husband..."
"Truly?" Reagan asked in shock.
Julia nodded, giving Reagan the barest amount of information. She shortened the story to just the facts and still Reagan shook her head like it was full of mothballs. "So... the Alaskan Were bit off more than they could chew."
"Don't joke about this mess. Jason's best friend died during the attack, Cyn was left alone," Julia looked down at her feet and breathed deeply, evenly. When she looked up, her amber-colored eyes met golden ones that were calm, patient. Nothing like the blazing twin suns that had flashed on Tony as she beat him into submission at her feet. "I was taken by the vamps before I knew what happened to Jason... but, his neck..."
Reagan touched her own throat. "He survived a killing blow," she phrased it like a question.
Julia nodded. "Then, the vamps had me for over a year. A year of thinking my husband was dead, my friends- gone."
"What did you do when you were held by them?" Reagan asked as she began walking again. They made their way down to the small lake, the swans absent from the still water. Reagan could smell the Combatant not too far away and increased her pace, distancing them from the protective collective of fighters.
"I survived," Julia said in a flat voice, almost devoid of emotion.
Reagan sat on a rock that laid close to the shore, its base buried in silty sand bordering areas that wanted to be a marsh but weren't quite there.
"And now Jacqueline..."
"Your accused murderer."
Julia nodded. "Now she's some kind of royal Singer mixed with Were, mixed with vampire."
"It changes nothing. She has tried to eliminate you. She is mother to your soulmate, yes?"
Julia inclined her head in the barest nod and Reagan went on, "It is a sticky pile of excrement." She winked. Julia laughed, she couldn't help herself. Reagan had a habit of mixing old and new language together in a unique way. A way that summed up the bullshit of the moment perfectly.
After a time of silence, Julia remarked, "There was another Rare One..."
Reagan's surprise flowed over her face, giving instant expression to the usual stoic blandness of her features. Julia laughed, tucking her legs underneath her on the soft sand, still warm from the day. "Your face! It's so funny... he was male," Julia said, looking up into the taller girl's eyes, now shadowed by the deepening twilight.
"Oh," she said softly, her eyes filled with understanding. "So you would have been for their coven."
Julia nodded. Her loyalties torn. "But, it's like a franchise..."
"What? Like McDonald's?" Reagan chuckled.
Julia nodded. "Not exactly but it'll do pig."
"What?" Reagan's brows drew together.
Julia waved the movie reference away. "Each coven is different. With William's involvement... it would have been different. Gentler. And remember, I thought Jason was dead."
Reagan looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "Did you...?" Reagan asked without judgment.
Julia shook her head, grateful for small favors. "No, but it was moving in that direction. I mean, I had no one. Well, there was William's cousin, Claire. But that's not the same thing we're talking about here, is it?"
Reagan shook her head. "But just their little underground hole in the wall and your role as what... Singer cum breeder?"
Julia nodded reluctantly, remembering the battles within the kiss. How she was like those old-fashioned Gumby dolls, pulled in all directions. "The Vampire are very deliberate with all that. They see a Rare One as a way to solidify a thousand years of interbreeding that will give them daywalkers. They're very practical."
Reagan grunted. "Slavery." That one word was a derisive drop of noise in the stillness by the water, like a pebble landing in a pond. The barest breeze lifted the word and threw it around them. It's meaning lingering like an unheard echo.
"I think William wanted something different for me. For us," Julia whispered.
"Hey," Reagan called.
Julia tilted her head to look at Reagan, so still on the boulder, the full moon caressing her skin, burnishing it to a dull ivory. Her eyes were like liquid holes in the deepness of her face. Julia knew they looked like spun gold in the daytime but with just the moonlight they lay like pockets of dark secrets. "It's not your fault that this went down the way it did. Any more than it's my fault that my mom was brutalized by Tony..."
Julia watched a smile turn up the corner of her lips, it wasn't a nice expression. "What? What is that look on your face for?" Julia would have killed to have one more moment with her own mother. Nothing seemed amusing here, but she didn't offer an explanation for her sour memory.
"I think Tony will get his comeuppance. And I'll be there to celebrate, to revel in it."
Julia didn't press but wanted to know what that would be. What more could she do? She'd already beaten him. Of course, he was alive. Tony still existed because of Reagan. The circle of those thoughts hurt Julia's head. If he hadn't attacked Lacey Greene, then Reagan would not exist. Since she did, he couldn't be executed, yet she'd kicked his nasty ass around. However, without those shackles, it might have not gone her way. Julia didn't say any of this. She didn't think Reagan would listen anyway. Just a feeling.
Julia folded her hands, the night holding the women in a comfortable silence. Julia was surprised how at ease she felt with Reagan already, especially with their abrasive and shaky introduction. Again, a consequence of fable and genetics. But how did Jacqueline fit into it all? Would Julia always be looking over her shoulder at an enemy that couldn't be killed? Jacqueline was back under guard now. Sleeping off the effects of the blood loss that was now energizing William.
Reagan broke the quiet with, "So what are you going to do?"
Julia said nothing.
Reagan looked down at her. "It's not a fate worse than death, you know."
Talking with Reagan wasn't like talking with Cyn. She wasn't her bestie... but she would be a powerful person in Julia's life and she couldn't discount that. And she was a supernatural, whereas Cyn had just slid into her Singer abilities. Though, now that Julia thought about it, Cyn seemed to be accepting her new role much better than Julia had. Maybe because Cyn hadn't had the extra drama of being kidnapped, running, being captured, and running again. Julia had resisted. In some ways, she still did.
Julia sighed and said, "It's not that... maybe I could get over my squeamish sensibilities..." Reagan gave a soft chuckle at her words and Julia returned her humor with a wan smile. "But... my husband has accidentally hurt me twice and made it very clear that he's happy to... consummate," Julia clenched her eyes shut, "... our relationship but that's it. Just a ritual of being together then he moves on."
Reagan frowned, flipping the thick tail of her braid over one shoulder. "I see. He's going to sacrifice himself to be with you and blood bind with you for your immortality and protection- but he won't act as he should on a permanent basis."
Yeah, that about summed it up. Julia cocked an eyebrow at her and shoved her hair behind her ears, noticing her expression. "What?"
"I know more than most." Reagan crossed her legs at the ankle, bracing her arms behind her on the stone and Julia watched the muscles on her arms play and dance subtly underneath her skin. She gave Julia a sharp look. "When I became..."
"Like me?"
Reagan shook her head. "No, our puberty comes earlier. You Singers..." she shook her head. "Late bloomers."
Julia smiled and gave a small nod.
"Anyway, I became and then they knew I was the Moon Warrior.
"How did they know?" Julia asked.
Reagan moved her nearly black hair, loosely bound, away from her temple and even in the insufficient light, Julia could see a crescent-shaped scar.
Like hers.
"Familiar... Julia," Reagan commented.
"But... I got mine in the accident..." she began to explain, her fingers brushing the small crescent of her own scar.
Reagan nodded solemnly. "Yes, but what is ordained is tied," she said, lacing her fingers together. "We are bound in many ways."
Julia didn't want to be bound to any more people. As it was, she was bound to Scott, who she cared about- even loved. That was the lie of the soul meld, though it felt like a truth. But there was the complication of the ceremony, if she wanted to entrap the Combatant forever by taking only Scott. Or she could commit the ultimate sacrifice and marry all three, ensuring immediate unity of the groups, immortality, and free the Combatant from their obligation to protect her. It was almost too much to take in.
Reagan didn't know Julia's thought process and continued, "Suddenly," she clapped her hands together and Julia jumped out of her skin. "I needed to become a scholar on the histories."
"Whose?" Julia asked, leaning forward, putting her chin on her knees, scooping cooling sand between her fingers and letting it slowly trail out.
Reagan stood, stretching. "Yours, mine... the drinkers."
Julia stood as well, wiping the granules away like dark sugar. "William is a vampire."
"Drinker" was a negative term for vampires and Julia found herself offended, though her people had burned them in the flames of a war that had spilled into Region One. William had taught her they were not all alike.
"Yes." Reagan waited for Julia to elaborate. But she didn't. Reagan's eyes narrowed. "What's his story?"
"Well," Julia began, looking at her hands instead of the woman in front of her, "He was tortured so Merlin's people could get to me, then he massacred the Southeastern kiss and is now their leader."
Reagan gave a low whistle. "He gets after it, doesn't he?"
Julia just looked at her. "You have no idea. William can be savage when he's been tested- when we've been tested."
"He has Singer blood?"
"Yeah. And he can shift to a raven."
"Well... that's very interesting." Reagan put her hands behind her back again, thinking. "That is rare even for a Singer?"
"Yes. But a lot of vamps who have Singer ancestry can do some... unusual stuff."
"I bet," Reagan said. "Makes the whole lot of them more dangerous."
"Kinda," Julia said and blew a hair out of her face, "depends on who you ask. William is a different guy... sophisticated... deliberate."
"How old is he?"
"Three hundred years give or take." Julia laughed at how ridiculous it sounded. "That sounds so weird," she said out loud.
"It's normal to me but for you... you weren't raised as a Singer?"
"No," Julia said. "In fact, I didn't even know what I was until I was taken."
"What a disaster. But being a Rare One is random. You must have manifested late."
Julia nodded. "I did. I've 'become'," Julia said, her fingers making little airquotes. "And now I have all this crap I have to instantly decide. Because, let's hear it for all kinds of life experience to lead people. Nope. I just have to because I got stuck with the perfect blood." Julia began to walk beside Reagan and they made their way back to the house.
"It wouldn't be so bad if all the guys just... I don't know, made it simpler."
"And they say women are complicated," Reagan commented with a snort.
"Who the hell are 'they'?"
"Somebody that doesn't have to be in this situation."
"Exactly," Julia said.
A noise caused Reagan to tense and then she saw him coming.
Slash.
Reagan released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Julia watched each of the Combatant bleed out of the woods.
What was happening now? Julia wondered, stress sinking its familiar claws deep.
"She's arrived," Slash said, his chest heaving from the sprint.
"Who?" Reagan asked, a furrow creasing between her brows.
"Delilah," Julia breathed.
They turned to her.
"Yes," Slash looked at her curiously. "How did you know?"
Julia tapped her head. "Telepath." She had to only search and that new signature bleeped on her radar.
"Ah," Slash said. Then he gave Julia a look that might have been sympathetic.
Paul could only soften so much of the thoughts of other people's minds.
But not hers.
Julia heard Delilah like a summons and it was Julia who led the three of them to the house.
The Combatant followed, pacing the Rare One.
*
Julia heard the arguing even as far away as she was from the huge mansion and hesitated. Her life was so filled with strife already, she didn't know if she wanted another entanglement.
There was no decision about it though, as once she heard Scott her insides tightened painfully, his emotional signature overlapping onto hers and she waded into the fray of emotions. She didn't have to be a telepath to feel the snarled mess of his thoughts.
Scott was angry... and- he was afraid.
Julia came at a jog, Reagan easily matching her stride with a fighter's gait.
"You knew this entire time and didn't tell anyone!" Scott's voice exploded into the night. "You thought you'd what- kill Julia, take over the Regions, one by one, then secure your little lackey and rule with ultimate power."
"She must have the blessing of those who would support her," Reagan said as she walked into the yelling match without pausing and Julia looked from a screaming Scott to a smug Jacqueline. Then her eyes came to a young woman with looks so much like Scott's it made Julia's step falter.
She was vampire, but she was also something more.
Delilah turned cool eyes to Julia and she fought to remain impartial, though she knew that the advisors were now complete. The triumvirate.
Jacqueline laughed, her hands now free. "I am still royal."
"Your attempt on Julia's life will not be without consequence, Jacqueline. Your lies of lineage have been uncovered. You shall not rule here," Marcus announced. "Anywhere," he finished.
Julia stepped forward and Jacqueline's hawkish eyes trained on her with unerring accuracy, no light needed, though the moon lent plenty.
"No," Reagan said, "allow me." Reagan circled the older woman warily. "You have no honor. I would never follow where you lead. There is no contest."
"You would be brought to heel like the dog you are," Jacqueline replied easily.
"I am many things but 'dog' is not one, Singer bitch." Reagan let the barest of growls slip out from between her teeth.
"Stop. You're right, Reagan, you won't follow her because she won't be in a position to lead," Alan Greene said and Reagan gave a hard look at her uncle. He had been glaringly absent, attending to Lacey as soon as they'd arrived at Region One.
"You're so wrong," Jacqueline said and Julia began to worry when a smile as venomous as the poison Jacqueline had used overtook her face. She never took her eyes off Julia and called out, "Anthony."
Julia watched the energy swirl around the Were before he was illuminated. A veil of red, like a halo of blood, began to radiate all around him. Julia stumbled back and she felt Scott come from behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "What is it?"
"He's red... he's all red."
Delilah smiled at Julia. "Aura reader," she said and hissed with her delicate fangs peeking out. The Combatant swarmed around her and William said, "Leave her, she will not fight you all," he indicated, swinging an elegant hand in her direction.
"Not yet," she replied, nodding in his direction.
"Delilah, my delicate flower," Jacqueline began and Delilah gave her scathing eyes, interrupting her, "I am no one's flower."
"You will be."
"You are a master at self-delusion, Jacqueline."
Tony stepped up beside Jacqueline and the color that burst around her body was like a flame that's come back to life, a bright violet, almost black.
"Do you see colors around them?" Scott asked in quiet confirmation.
Julia nodded slowly, it was like fireworks had just gone off, a pure sensory overload as colors swirled and whipped around each supernaturals' body.
Marcus came forward. "You see their life's colors?"
"I guess... I think so," Julia replied, her throat suddenly dry.
"She does," Delilah said.
"How do you know, Delilah?" Slash asked, hands folded as he cautiously studied the newcomer.
"For I am as well," Delilah said with a smile. "I have Singer blood, thanks to the blood whore who stands in our midst."
Julia watched all the purple bleed out of Jacqueline's aura, leaving it like ink.
They all looked at Delilah, then Jacqueline.
"What color am I?" Julia asked her as a pale blue like the distant Alaskan fjords moved with her body as she came closer to Julia, like icy mist.
"Why white, of course, Rare One- white."
"No," Jacqueline breathed.
"Yes," Delilah answered.
Jacqueline's face became a mask of rage and she clasped her hand around Tony's. Julia looked between the two of them and was suddenly afraid down to her toes.
"You cannot punish the sire of the Moon Warrior... or- his mate," Jacqueline announced and Julia thought she sounded entirely too happy about it.
Julia felt the silence rather than heard it. It was a great absence of sound like a black hole had opened, in this moment rather than some distant point in space.
"Jacqueline, don't do this," Marcus warned.
"Do not?" she railed. "I will... I must."
It was interesting how the force of her personality stole her beauty, leeching it from every plane of her face. "What's happening?" Julia asked.
"I am protecting what's most important," Jacqueline said.
"What?" Julia asked.
"Me," she replied.
Julia looked from a healing Tony to Jacqueline.
It was like a stone of portentous understanding fell, without ever landing.
But it would land, of that, Julia had no doubt.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Karl
Truman looked around him and surveyed the supes with a passive-aggressive grunt. He loved his new body. It no longer lumbered along. He'd been big before, the former athleticism of his youth propelling him through his middle-aged years without too much trouble, but aches and pains had begun to awake in him and he'd known his time on the job was limited.
He'd been a good cop, and now he was a werewolf. And, according to David, his Packmaster, he was now one of the count-on-one-hand Reds. Truman took another long drag on his cig and blew a smoke ring into the night sky while the supes argued and screamed at each other. Let them have at it, Truman decided easily. His quarry had been found, the riddle solved- the girls, and Caldwell, safe.
"That'll kill ya," Cynthia Adams said from behind him. He knew it was her- couldn't stop the sniffer for his life.
"Not anymore," he remarked, scraping the butt of the cig on the sole of his boot and stuffing it in his pocket. His hand moved to the pocket of his shirt and found half a pack had survived the last thirty hours of his life. It was a beautiful thing.
Cynthia shrugged. "So..." she began, looking over at Julia, Jacqueline and the newcomer, Delilah. "What do you think of all this?"
Truman looked at the girl. "I think I'm out of a job and I'm in the middle of something that doesn't have a place for me."
Cynthia nodded. "Yeah, I hear that." Then she smiled, sweeping a palm toward him. "I guess you got the good end of the stick. Nobody would recognize you."
"Not true. I'm so goddamned old that there's a few people who would remember me this way."
"Did you..." Even though the light was dim on the porch, Karl could see her blush.
He felt himself frowning. "Spit it out."
"Did you really look this good back then?"
It was Truman's turn to feel the heat rise on his face. "I don't know, what kind of a dumb ass question is that?" Christ, he had to get out of here. Grab a walk, some space, whatever it took. Watching the drama of Julia Caldwell unfold from thirty feet away was too close for Truman.
"Shit- sorry. Don't take it personally," Cynthia said, rolling her bottom lip into her mouth and nibbling it with small white teeth.
"Okay, listen," Truman said, raking fingers through his hair then realizing he had hair to rake. Disconcerted, he let his hand drop. "You've had a couple of years to get used to this weirdness. Me," he jabbed a thumb in his chest, "I was a cop a couple of days ago, minding my business, doing the job and – bam!" He threw his fists together in a collision of flesh and Cynthia gave a startled yelp. Karl didn't know what to do with that so he ignored it. "Some ancient werewolf... a werewolf for cripe's sake, takes a bite out of me and now I'm... one of them."
Cynthia approached him, her hair a strange color between silver and gold, the illumination of the porch light and the moonlight at the edges of the deck fighting with each other. "Seems to me that it beats being a human. Seems to me that you found Julia and me. And Jason." She threw up her palms and narrowed her eyes on him. "Don't pity yourself, Detective Truman."
"No, Miss Adams. I'm not some pansy who needs false sympathy from people to get off. I mean, I don't have anything to identify with. I was a cop, and now I'm some kind of mythical creature that I didn't know existed until last week. Coming to terms and all that happy ho-ho shit." He watched her face pale at the revelation and lit up again. Felt good to be back to smoking. Too bad the damn Singers weren't smokers. He'd have to figure that out. His one vice was back to stay.
"What about the politics? Do you see what's happening here?" Cynthia asked, her eyes searching his face and not liking what she saw there.
Truman shrugged. "Not my problem anymore. They've got a whole boatload of guys poised to take out the first person who harms Julia. I'm an accessory. I'm not needed. And believe me," his eyes drilled hers, "I'm low man on the totem pole. They made that crap clear from the get go. Pudwackers," Truman added in a mutter.
Truman's nostrils flared and he straightened, Cynthia looked at his face and turned, automatically stepping back from where he stared into the blackness just off the porch.
"Truman," Jason greeted and beside him Emmanuel nodded to the newer Were.
Truman faced them, his back to the porch deck that intersected the wall. He didn't want anyone having access to his back. His eyes flicked to the Adam's girl, as he thought of her. Actually, he noticed that she was a woman now. She was watching the Were from the other pack...
"Truman," Manny acknowledged.
"Hey...." Truman didn't bother to feign not remembering, he dug his third cigarette out of the pack and lit it, the red glow springing to life like a firefly in the gloom. "Manny," he supplied. His dark eyes never left Truman. Who now understood that was dominant eye contact. Karl didn't drop his gaze. Instead he nodded as neutrally as possible. "Thanks, I'm not great with names."
Cynthia gave him a sharp look. "I doubt that."
He didn't look at her. "It's a recent development." The Weres all looked at each other.
After a few moment's Cynthia said, "Gawd, I can cut the testosterone with a knife!"
Jason laughed and Manny kept looking at Truman, who stared back. "Maybe your policeman friend is so newly turned he doesn't understand what staring at another Were means."
"I know," Truman said.
Manny came forward, his hands curling into fists.
"Oh for shit's sake," Cynthia muttered.
They ignored her.
"Do you want to offer something further, Red?"
"If you want to see who's the bigger dog, that works."
"Stop," Marcus said in a low voice and both Were turned to him, their eyes reflective in the gloom.
But it was Jason who said, "It was just getting interesting."
Marcus frowned. "We don't encourage violence for its own sake but rather, for a purpose."
"Could've fooled me," Cynthia commented.
Marcus' frown turned into a scowl. He moved that gaze to Truman. "You might wish to see this."
Karl felt his heart rate pick up. He was too new to have anyone take notice of him. Well... until he wouldn't back down from another Alpha. As a point of fact, Truman hadn't been much for that even before becoming a werewolf. Imagine that.
"Alright," Truman said and gave a look to Manny; Alpha to keep an eye on. He walked into the fancy-pants parlor and took stock of his surroundings. The Singers looked to have robbed a few banks along the way, he thought. Every surface gleamed in the old place, highly polished floors met with huge baseboards of Douglas fir, which were at the feet of plaster walls that ran to twelve foot ceilings. Truman's eyes roamed the newly repaired scars like a broken spider web that ran all over those walls. Then he saw replacement glass in panes yet to be glazed and knew that something violent had occurred here.
Marcus swung his arm out to precede him, his dark eyes and elegant manner contradicted what Truman had already figured out about these people.
Dangerous: The Singers looked human but Truman knew that was camouflage.
He moved ahead of the male leader of Region One. The fine hairs of his neck rose and Truman turned.
Manny and Jason had moved into the room. Truman felt crowded.
"Give the good officer some space," Marcus said, moving to a large flat screen television that hung on the wall and with a smooth hand he grabbed the remote and turned it on in one motion.
Truman ignored the Were at his back, he figured he was safe enough for the moment. He spread his legs, folded his arms across his now firm and muscular chest and waited for the next revelation.
He wasn't disappointed.
A pansy newscaster checked the knot of his tie nervously, tightening it like a noose before he said in an ominous voice that was just shy of yelling, "Breaking news!"
Truman watched his bright eyes and a grim slash of lips outline who the man hunt was after.
Of course, it was Detective Karl Truman. Fuck a duck.
The newscaster shuffled papers self-importantly and seemed to look through the TV and directly at Truman.
"Detective Karl Truman of the Homer Alaska Police Department, has been missing forty-eight hours. He was last seen in the Gig Harbor area of Washington State."
A shitty picture of Truman flashed across the screen. God, do I look that old? Truman wondered. Then his mind answered for him, not anymore.
"Truman was on an interstate search for the missing twenty-one year old Cynthia Adams, who is the lone survivor of a triple murder in Homer from two years ago. Jason and Julia Caldwell along with Kevin Lancaster, also of Homer, are now presumed dead. We turn our attention to lead forensic specialist from the HPD who was on-scene for the aftermath."
Truman's eyes followed the camera as it made a sickening lurch to a wooded area that rose from the charcoal-colored beach and Truman felt his gorge rise. It was the crime scene that started this whole mess, the place where he couldn't find those kids. It had led him here. The question was: were they better off? Were any of them? A squirrely looking guy in a lab coat stood there with another newscaster and Truman squinted out of habit, then realized his vision was the best of his life. No need to squint.
He knew that doctor, George Alexander. And he knew too much. Alexander had evidence that would blow the whole Were pack out into the open. But right now, it wasn't about that. They were on Karl's tail. That could be a nightmare.
His attention was jerked back to the boob tube when Alexander began speaking, "Detective Truman was lead investigator on this triple homicide..."
No shit Sherlock, Truman thought.
"Is there any chance that one of the three, whose bodies were never recovered, has survived and that even now there is hope that Truman has located one of the missing teens?"
Alexander's hands went into the pockets of his white lab coat as the breeze from the nearby ocean lifted the hair off his forehead. The gray skies of Homer were the backdrop for his perfectly framed somber expression and Truman had an unexpected sharp pang of homesickness. "They would be young adults now..." Alexander corrected, "and there was... too much blood for anyone to have survived." His eyes were distractingly real in that moment.
Liters of blood, was what he didn't say, Truman knew.
The microphone was suddenly crammed underneath Alexander's nose a little deeper. "What do you speculate has happened to the lead investigator in this case, Karl Truman? What about the fourth victim? Cynthia Adams survived this tragedy and has since left the state."
Truman saw Alexander's face shut down and knew, with a deep an abiding certainty, that he'd had a special little chat with somebody. Or several somebodys because he answered, "I can't comment on the ongoing investigation. I can only comment that there are three people who died here over two years ago and one who survived and that the lead investigator is now missing. You may extrapolate anything you wish from those facts. But they remain only that- facts."
"Is there anything of merit, anything unusual that you've found in a forensic capacity that might shed light on why the investigation would be ongoing for over two years, or why... it happened?"
Alexander actually smiled, his jimmies not even vaguely rustled, Karl noted. "I am not a profiler. I am a small town forensic specialist. I do not speculate; I am a scientist." Then his eyes seemed to bore through the television again. At Karl. "I can't comment on evidence. But I will say that this was the most unusual case I've worked on. And if there is any way that Detective Truman can hear me now, then I beg for him to reach out and make contact with me."
"Why?" The newscaster was clearly ready to have a convulsion but maintained his decorum by a thread. "Is this a hidden message for Detective Truman? Does he, or something he was investigating, pose a threat to public safety?"
Alexander ignored him and looked at the screen, his pale green eyes caught like a net, a trick of pale sunlight capturing them as they seemed to blaze out of his face. "It's not what we think, Detective Truman. If you're out there, please, contact me, day or night."
The camera stayed on George Alexander for another heartbeat then they panned away, striking the crime scene, and the image of brown splatter on the driftwood didn't go away even when Truman closed his eyes.
Tie man adjusted his wardrobe again and said, "You heard it here on Channel Thirteen News, and across our affiliates; Detective Karl Truman is to be reached at any cost." The newscaster pressed his earbud deeper into the hole of his ear and put a finger up as America waited with bated breath. Or at least the rest of America. Truman could have waited forever and been happier than a pig in shit.
"This just in; the FBI has just put out a one hundred thousand dollar reward for information leading to the whereabouts of the missing Detective from the small fishing town of Homer, Alaska. Call the following toll free number with tips, sightings, and...."
The newscaster and his smiling sidekick began to thank each other and move on to the next tidbit but the TV went dark before he even turned.
Marcus gave him serious eyes. "What did you discover in Homer, Detective Truman?"
Truman looked from one to the other who had crowded into the small parlor. Empty eyes met his.
He sighed. "Some of the Homer Were were sloppy in Cynthia Adams' residence." He shrugged and noticed again that there was no shoulder twinge. He ignored that bit of weirdness and went on, "They left behind trace evidence. Evidence of what they were."
"They'll kill whoever knows," Manny stated.
"Did ya hear the death doc, there, chippie?" Karl asked, pegging his tough cop eyes at Manny. Those had survived his transition. There was more to a man than what he looked like. What he was, who he was... had survived. It showed in his eyes. And to the observant, he wore his humanity as he always had- for everyone to see. Truman thought of himself as a simple man, with simple needs and thoughts.
"You are out of your league here, Red," Manny said with absolute conviction. But Truman didn't believe in certainty anymore. He'd never been a big fan before the change anyway.
Karl shook his head. "No, I don't think I am. But one thing I do know, I need to get a hold of Alexander."
"No, don't... we break all ties from our lives before... before you were turned. You are dead to that now," Slash explained, the scar on his face a flash of puckered pink skin like a lightning strike of flesh. Truman's eyes looked at his packmate. Truman liked the guy, he did things right. He'd answer him before the other Were.
"If he says, on a national broadcast, that it is not what I think, it's a warning. That means those hairs were left on purpose, or we're dealing with something different."
"I've got an idea," Julia said from the corner of the room.
Truman picked up that two of the Combatant were stationed on that bitch... what was her name? Oh yeah, Jacqueline. Good to keep her scheming ass in sight.
All eyes turned to Julia. "I think that if there are Singers, if there are Were and vampires," Truman watched Julia and was struck again by how she seemed to be the sun in the room, and the others were just planets that spun around her orbit. "Then there are other things. Maybe that is what Detective Truman should consider."
"What are you saying, Jules?" Jason asked; for once, without his usual shitty demeanor. Truman couldn't believe these two were married. They fought like dogs and cats but Truman watched the kid's eyes follow her with an intensity that bordered on zealotry.
"I think you're going to call this guy and it's going to be bad news." Julia looked directly at him.
"I know it's going to be bad news," Karl said.
"Better to know than not," Cynthia said, her head a valley between the male hills that were Jason and Emmanuel.
Karl paced back and forth and stopped at her voice. "You're right."
He looked at Marcus. His hand went to the palm of his chin. He wondered. "Why did you bring this to my attention?"
Marcus sighed but answered, "This will come to our doorstep Were, it is inevitable. We must protect the Rare One at all costs. For the Singers, Were and Vampire."
Julia looked around the room, the quiet interrupted only by the ticking clock. "And whatever else is out there," she said.
Karl noticed no one told her she was wrong. And the calculating Jacqueline, standing in the corner of the room, just kept that infernal smile plastered to her face.
It never reached her eyes.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Delilah
"So what? Vamps are just cool now...?" Scott asked. "Correct me if I'm wrong... father. But, didn't we just have a vampire barbeque out in the back yard?"
"We did," Michael enthused, dragging a lollipop in an out of his mouth, a red stain like blood appearing and disappearing as he worked the red orb over.
Julia sighed, but she held Scott's hand, and just that small gesture made her calmer, less agitated. She tried not to stare at the newest part of the triangle that they would become, but it was almost impossible.
Delilah was reclining on a fainting couch in the parlor as if in repose. However, she was alert, her eyes moving endlessly over the people who packed the small room, made even tinier by their clustered presence.
"Do not disparage me, your own kin know why I've come," she said, partially answering both brothers. Julia didn't know how she did it, that bored tone. She wished she was as adept at emulating boredom.
Jacqueline nodded. "Is it not interesting...."
"No," Adi replied.
"Nothing you say is interesting, it's all lame as hell," Michael finished.
Jacqueline looked at them like they were bugs to be squished.
"Enough." Marcus looked at his two children. "Jacqueline will pay for her crime against Julia."
"The attempted murder," Truman corrected and Julia gave him a look. He narrowed his eyes on Marcus. "Where I come from, poisoning someone is immediate grounds for jail time." It seemed like trouble followed the Caldwell girl wherever she went.
Marcus looked at Truman, then at Jacqueline. "It is more complicated than that, Wolf."
"Seems simple to me," Truman commented and Julia gave a small smile. He didn't look like Truman anymore, but he sounded so much like him it made Julia's heart ache for Alaska- her past. Karl Truman, the hard-nosed cop from Homer, had survived the change with who he was- intact. It could be done. If you kept sight of who you were.
"Jacqueline is of royal blood," Marcus began to explain.
"And a bunch of other crap too," Adi said and Slash hid a smile with his hand.
Truman crossed his arms. "Have you talked to the girls? The Were and... Cynthia Adams?"
Marcus correctly interpreted what Truman was steering toward and intercepted the pass like a quarterback. "I know that Anthony Laurent attacked Adrianna... and absconded with our newest Singer, Cynthia."
Karl's brows popped to his hairline. "Okaaayyy... so, what do we do about it?" Karl thought his question was logical.
"We?" Marcus asked, his tone full of the autonomy of his station. "That is entirely the wrong pronoun. Anthony Laurent is a Were, as is Adrianna. However heinous his deed, it is pack business and doesn't fall under my purview." He pushed his perfectly black hair away from his forehead and looked Truman full in the eyes. "It is you who shall take action." Then he sighed. "It cannot be his death. For he is the sire to your own Moon Warrior."
Julia frowned. She could see why a Rare One was needed. Nobody gave a crap about each others' groups. It was all for themselves. And that was why there was a problem.
"Okay... I'm just a tad confused, so sue me. But," Truman swept his palm at Reagan, noting her resemblance to the criminal who was her father, "she is the product of a rape. I saw the evidence on the old microfiche. Before computers, people—there was this. Some was erased but not all. He's a thug that happens to be a werewolf. Period, end of story. Who gives a rat's ass if he's supernatural or not. He needs to be held accountable for his crime."
"How can we protect our people if every bad guy gets a pass?" Michael added and Truman inclined his head in tacit agreement.
"Would we kill everyone?" Julia asked softly and Jacqueline laughed at her. Julia glared at Jacqueline. "How can you find any humor in this? Haven't you hurt me enough? Hurt the Singers—your own people."
"I grabbed what is rightfully mine. I, and I alone, have the fortitude to see a reign of this magnitude through. You are a weak link."
Julia felt it was all about perspective and for Jacqueline, hers was the only one who counted.
"She is blood chosen," Scott reminded in a flat voice. It begged for confrontation from its very emptiness.
"And now both my son and daughter, Singer and vampire, preside closely with the Rare One." She said Rare One as a curse instead of the honor Julia knew it was supposed to be.
"Strength isn't about dominating, its about doing what's needed no matter how ugly, how frightening, how sacrificial. Being a leader is holding up those who can't hold up themselves," Julia said.
Many eyes went to Julia's face as the passionate sentiment dropped from her mouth. It wasn't hard for people to sense what was genuine and what was false.
"And therein lies the difference," William said to Jacqueline. "You will live in a Region, ostracized by the very people you wished to rule because you could not contain your greed. It has come wonderfully full circle."
Julia watched Jacqueline's eyes narrow to slits, aimed at William. Probably because he was making sense, she thought.
"She cannot truly be punished," Delilah broke into the perfect silence that followed William's truth and everyone looked at the newcomer.
"And you would punish me?" Jacqueline scoffed, her voice holding her disdain, her disbelief.
"No. It is punishment enough that you lay with the vampire who was my sire and pimped your royal Singer blood in a bid to bear children who would later hold court to you. But we will not. For as willful as you are, we are more so."
Julia just stared at Delilah, so smart that she cut the very air they breathed with her intellect. It was something to see another being as smart as William. Julia wondered if Vampire were underestimated for their intelligence. Maybe that was a mistake.
"You speak for me, drinker?" Scott asked and Julia's hand tightened around his.
"I do... brother," she replied, while a mocking smile ghosted her lips as she spoke that last word.
"From another father," Michael chortled and Julia couldn't help it, she laughed out loud in a surprised bray.
"Shut up, Michael," Scott said and gave a small frown at Julia even as he tucked her against himself.
"You have to admit how weird all this is, Scott," Jen began, "there's all these... relatives, crawling out of the woodwork."
Julia put up her hand, having put a lid on her humor. "I have a lot of stuff to say. But the main points are as follows," Julia put the tip of her index finger against the opposite one, "Tony is dangerous. He's proven that, and needs to be treated with as much caution as what I've heard they had with Jason when he was the Feral." She'd captured everyone's full attention and went on, "Jacqueline can't be allowed anywhere near me. I understand we can't do anything," Julia moved her hand back and forth, "too extreme ... as a punishment, but the hands of the Combatant are tied if she makes a play for me again, because they can't defend me with say- deadly force." Julia's eyes came to rest on Jacqueline. "And finally, I won't be forced into a union with three men based on a loophole in the Book. I would do it because it was a sacrifice worth making, for the good of everybody. Not because Jacqueline screams the 'royal' card."
"Maybe I underestimated you," Jacqueline noted coolly.
"Yeah... maybe you did. While you've been busy being pampered your entire life, which I know is long, I've been making my way without back up, no parents and two years of running and hiding. Only to find out that there is no escape. This is what I am. Where I need to be." Her eyes glowed with the truth, amber shot through by the sun, though the night lay like a blanket of black all around them. "Maybe- whatever higher power, God, or whatever everyone believes in, knew what He was doing when He allowed these powers to manifest and blood to choose. Maybe He didn't want it easy. Maybe He wanted it right," Julia finished to the stunned silence of the room.
"I stood behind you Jules," Jason said quietly in the wake of her words.
Cyn raised her hand. "Ah, hello? Forgetting me already?"
Julia looked at them both. "I could never forget you guys. But there were two years when I believed I was alone. I didn't know Cyn had never given up on Jason and me... I didn't know Jason was held in the hope he'd someday be... okay." Julia felt her lip tremble and she bit the inside of it hard. "I didn't know. So I was alone."
"And now?" Scott asked from her side and she looked up at him and shook her head in the negative.
"Not anymore." Julia knew it was all false, that her blood hummed in synchronicity to the man beside her. But, it was still her reality. He was blood chosen of her and his very presence eased her. After so long of not belonging and strife, she'd take it.
"Marcus, you know what the Book of Singer states. That once the Combatant is assembled, one such as she must take the leadership of all regions. We also know the triad of advisors will form, that if she takes a true mate from each species, then, and only then, will true harmony fall on the supernaturals."
Julia watched the colors of everyone in the room mingle, auras touching and swirling with others and thought it was time for her to have some crazy ear thing manifest. First, it was telepathy, now her sight was all screwed six ways to Sunday with this aura stuff. And let's not forget the untrained telekinesis. It wasn't like her to get distracted but she'd had almost all she could take of this circular argument. Jacqueline needed to be banished and Tony as well. Then she could have time to get used to the idea of being with all three men. If she even could.
If she ever could.
Marcus looked at Scott.
"Oh no. Please, don't tell me that there's some other clause I have to deal with. I don't want to know."
"She has put a claim on Tony."
"Yes, I have put a claim on Tony," Jacqueline repeated, looking as pleased as the proverbial Cheshire cat.
"I don't get it? They're perfect for each other," Adi said like so what?
Marcus put his hands on his hips and glared at Jacqueline in blatant accusation, his head swinging back to look at the female Were. "It protects them both. The Were suddenly unites with a Singer royal, and she unites with the sire of the Moon Warrior. Apart, they are nothing, together, they afford themselves much protection."
"Protection from what?" Julia asked slowly, knowing she had to ask for an answer she wouldn't like.
Marcus' silence spoke volumes. Finally when he did speak, the murmurs of the crowd died. "There is a role for every supernatural. There are roles within each group. In the case of a joining, some of these roles overlap within the groups."
Julia glanced at Jacqueline and saw that her smile couldn't get any wider. This could not be allowed. There's no way that Jacqueline and Tony uniting could help anyone but them and Julia didn't think they needed any aid in their goal to screw everyone over.
"Let me get this straight," Adi began. "Jacqueline's going to mate with Tony, the rapist, to solidify her power base within two groups. And she can do this? How? How does she almost kill Julia then hook up with Tony and suddenly... she's what? Absolved?"
Julia nodded. Adi was completely able to say her thoughts aloud.
Marcus gave a serious expression. One that Julia wouldn't have wanted directed at her. "She will never be absolved and there will be a fitting punishment. Like the human judicial system, she will be brought to a trial of sorts." Marcus looked at Julia. "However, I can't stop what she has begun. Not even for you, not for all the Singers within all the Regions."
"She's screwed the pooch and sold the pups," Michael said and Jen punched him in the arm.
"Ouch!" he replied, rubbing the spot she'd hit.
"Shut. Up," Jen hissed, her fair complexion coming to life in an angry flush as she folded her arms across her chest.
Marcus sighed and Scott smiled.
Then he gently let go of Julia's fingers and circled Jacqueline. "You hate Tony." Scott's words were hard, his eyes narrowed. His voice—certain.
Julia watched Jacqueline straighten the long-sleeved cuffs of her blouse, picking imaginary lint off her clothing. "I tolerate him," she replied, never rising her eyes to his. Scott slapped the table beside her, rattling a glass paperweight shaped like a sphere on the delicate antique tabletop.
Her eyes rose and coolly met his.
"Having tried to kill Julia was not enough. You've got to stick your nose in everyone's shit, and maneuver and manipulate every scrap of our blood history against your own people."
"Scott," Marcus warned in a low voice. "This is not helpful."
Scott stood straighter, as he'd been looming over Jacqueline and the disgust was plain in his voice. "What are you going to do, father?" he asked, his hand flinging in Jacqueline's direction.
Marcus let the silence roll out like the tide in the ocean, as silent as its progress. "Exile," he said and Jacqueline stood, trembling with rage.
"No."
"Do you want me to dig for deeper magic, Jacqueline, monarch of Region Two?"
They faced off and Marcus stalked her like a panther who knew it had time to toy with its prey. Jacqueline held her ground, only the ebony of her eyes reflected her rage like dark glass, her true emotions laid bare in that black gaze.
"Wait." All eyes turned to Slash. Adi saw his discomfort in speaking in front of everyone. Adi knew Slash, it might not be obvious to the rest. "Every Were, regardless of what pack they hail from, will know if they are true mates, or if this Singer engages in a sham, for some future plan on her part."
Scott folded his arms and Julia asked Marcus, "How long? How long will Jacqueline be somewhere else so I don't have to worry about the next bomb she'll ignite."
Marcus paced, palming his chin then stopped abruptly in front of Julia. "There is a place... near here." Jacqueline stiffened and Julia swept her eyes back to Marcus', nearly as dark as Scott's. "It is a void. None of our powers work there. It's as if..."
"We were human," Jen said and Marcus nodded.
"I thought we were just a sub-species, but still human," Julia said, looking at the assembled Singers peppered throughout the confines of the formal parlor.
"We are." Scott looked at her and suddenly she knew.
"We're like some kind of X-Men thing?" Julia asked.
Michael laughed. "I wish. No, it's just..." he looked for help and it was Brendan who expounded. "We think that more humans will evolve into Singers as time passes. As it stands, we're still rare. But necessary," he finished, his eyes touching on the Were and William, who stood not too far from Delilah.
"If we were not meant to be what we were and be interconnected, then I would not be here and neither would she," Delilah said, sweeping her hand to Reagan, who flanked Julia. "Vampire and Singers have been enemies for so long they have forgotten what caused it. Now they are enemies because it has always been."
"But no more?" Julia asked, feeling one brow rise in question.
Delilah shook her head, her black hair like a curtain of ink as it slithered over her shoulders. "No. It will continue, but, as our respective prophesies all compel us to believe: we are meant to unite."
"Why?" Julia asked, feeling like she was circling a yet unrevealed truth.
"What would compel three species of paranormals, known for warring for centuries, to lift up arms together?" Victor asked and Julia was startled to hear his commentary, as was Jacqueline, who visibly flinched at his voice.
He was Julia's now. Jacqueline had lost him when the circle of the Combatant had formed and she knew it, her already hard heart turning to stone within her.
Jason pushed away from the wall, his eyes flicking to Julia then away. "There is a threat. A threat that we can't meet unless we unite- all of us." He didn't say it as though he liked the idea, only that it might be the answer.
Victor and Slash smiled, seemingly satisfied by his spoken thought.
Jacqueline gave a sharp look at Marcus and he nodded. "Yes, Jacqueline. There might be something more important than your pursuit of the crown. Something that rings strongly of survival."
"Then you need us. Tony and I," she queried. But her eyes spoke of winning.
"No," Scott said and looked at Marcus.
"Jacqueline cannot be of critical importance even if your postulation proves correct," William echoed and Julia thought he sounded hopeful; Hopeful that Jacqueline would be taken out of the picture.
"Whose?" Adi asked.
"Jason's," Julia replied quietly. My, wasn't he a fast learner to have seen the pawns on the chest board and known what the next move might be.
"There is but one way to find out what battle we might face," Marcus said. "Before Julia weds her soulmate, or chooses to wed all three supernaturals to give true protection to herself and provide peace for our people, there is one thing we must accomplish."
"You're going to summon the Reader, father?" Jen asked, breath held.
He gave a single nod.
"What, or who, is that?" Julia asked because everyone seemed grim about it.
"A future teller," Brendan said and William scoffed, "And what good will that do but alert us to what we do not wish to know?"
Marcus gave a nod of acknowledgment to William. "You are right. A Reader is only born to Singers once in a millennium, a complement to our Rare One, if you will. They are sequestered for what they are, their identity guarded. But now, we must know why there is a drawing of three. A number of power," Marcus said.
"No one wishes to know the hour of their death," Victor stated logically and Julia couldn't fault it. Mortality shouldn't be an equation to be solved.
"Or what remains of their life," Reagan added and they looked at each other in perfect understanding.
"Then we're asking the Reader because we want to breach that?" Julia asked. "Didn't you just say that we should never make contact with the Reader?"
Marcus nodded. "We have a Deflector who resides within one mile of the Reader and in that way... some of her needs are met."
"Her?" Julia asked and fought empathetic tears, thinking about a stranded Singer. Who lived on a metaphorical island not of her choosing, with only one Deflector to ease her loneliness.
Suddenly, murmurs rose and fell in a wave of distressed noise.
Julia turned and got what was the equivalent to a slap in the face.
A woman entered, one who looked so much like Julia it made her heartbeat stutter.
"I didn't know," Scott said before Julia took her next breath. Jason and William looked at Julia as she staggered to the wall, her gaze never wavering from the female figure who appears as a living and breathing mirror image of herself.
"Who are you?" Julia whispered, her eyes roving the woman head to toe. Then again.
The woman who looked so much like herself smiled beatifically at Julia. "I am your sister."
The room began to spin so Julia sat on her butt in the middle of the rug while Jacqueline stared in awestruck wonder at a relative Julia hadn't known existed before that moment.
"I am Heidi, the Reader."
"We were coming for you," Marcus said, his eyes moving between Heidi and Julia.
"I know," she said simply, her gaze never leaving Julia's shell-shocked form.
Scott gathered Julia close and she felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as it fell into line with hers, it felt like the only solid thing she had right now. "I don't have a sister," Julia managed from Scott's embrace.
Heidi smiled and walked toward Julia, wrapped in the arms of her soulmate.
Safe.
For now.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Heidi
The room seemed to hold its breath. The silence had presence as if it were no longer inanimate, but a living thing. Julia took a giant sucking inhale, trapping that unseen energy inside her lungs as she peered at the woman who shared her gene pool.
Heidi stopped when she was at arm's length from Julia. "You have many questions?"
"Double-duh," Cyn said, rolling her eyes and Heidi looked at her in a measured way. "I come peacefully, as I am meant to. I don't appreciate your sarcasm, Singer."
"Okay- you're a Reader? Read this," Cyn said, popping first one middle finger, then slowly letting the second one rise. The audience of mixed supernaturals shifted nervously at Cyn's show of disrespect.
"Well ... damn," Adi said, staring at the two.
"It's okay, Cyn, I've got this," Julia said, frowning at Cyn, her tone apologetic if a bit shaky.
"You don't sound like you've got anything but a case of hemorrhoids brought on by suprise-a-twin here."
Heidi sighed, pushing back hair that was intricately braided away from her face, the plaits like linked gold dipped in carmel. "I cannot help what I am, what I mean to our Region. My appearance here is necessitated by my visions of the future, the drawing of the three ...."
"Six," Michael said around his sucker.
Julia lifted her head off the safe, solid warmth of Scott's chest where she'd been clinging like a lifeline. "How?"
"How did I come to be? Or how is it that I am here at the precise moment that my people need the answers to their questions?"
"Both, maybe," Jason spoke, his suspicious eyes taking in the new woman who was identical in every detail to his wife. He didn't trust it, something felt off.
Heidi looked an unspoken question to Marcus who nodded, sweeping his hand out as if to say you've got the floor.
"I am not a very strong Reader, in a broad sense," Heidi began, giving Cyn a look to which a snort could be heard in response. "My area of foresight is for royalty alone." Her gaze moved past everyone and landed on Jacqueline. Then it touched on Scott, his siblings, and finally- Marcus. "I knew when Julia had arrived. I was acutely aware of the hour she would arrive, yet ... I waited." Heidi gazed, seemingly sightless, into the small crowd gathered inside the parlor. "I wish that I came bearing better news."
Julia held up a palm, stepping a little away from Scott, her eyes holding back tears of shock and frustration. "Wait. Before you drop the bomb..."
"What?" Heidi asked, her brow wrinkling.
"To unveil a shocking and negative piece of information," Marcus elaborated.
"Right," Julia said. "I'd like to know your history."
Heidi inclined her head. "Very well. I am your sister."
Julia saw Adi roll her eyes in the periphery. "Clearly."
Julia frowned at Adi and she shut up. "That's evident. Did you? How did you come..."
Heidi smiled. "I was given up when I was just past weaning age. It was the concession our parents made ... so that they might keep one of us."
She pushed the loose hair that had come escaped from her braid away from her temple, and there, on the opposite side of from where Julia's lay, was the same scar.
Julia unconsciously touched her own scar. "I got that in my accident."
"That is what you were told." Heidi let her hand drop from the glossy white crescent-shaped scar that kissed her temple. "However, it is not true. It has always been a part of you. Consider it, if you will, a birth mark."
Julia's mind churned furiously to understand all the half-truths she'd been fed since she was a child. By her Aunt Lily. She gazed at Heidi as if she was an apparition. They looked identical but this girl spoke differently, like some of the older Singers, her mannerisms were off, her clothing, hair... none of it was similar to Julia. Of course, it could all be chalked up to disparate upbringing, since hers had been isolated and sequestered. Julia's eyes snapped to Heidi's. "My aunt?"
Heidi shook her head to the negative. "She is not a blood relation."
Julia exhaled a sigh of surprised relief. It made a sort of terrible sense, but logic seldom came disguised, but as a great rushing storm, sweeping away all other thought but what it forced you to acknowledge.
"No shocker there," Cyn said. "She was always a bitch on wheels to you." Jen and Brendan turned to Cyn.
"True," Jason defended with a shrug.
"Your guardian was an unkind steward?" Marcus asked and Julia thought about it. Remembering the fights, the strictness that had seemed unwarranted. And finally, Lily's aversion to Jason. She nodded.
"Yes." She looked at Marcus curiously. "Guardian?"
Before he could respond, Heidi answered, "They do not know how your upbringing was handled. Only the guardian, our parents and myself were aware. You had growing up to do, maturing. Your purpose was on a timeline of destiny's making."
"Did you know our parents died?" Julia asked quietly, still disbelieving the Reader, her sister. It was too surreal for Julia to capture as a reality.
"I did. I also know that the fey warrior who guarded you has gone missing."
Fey? Julia's tenuous grasp of that new reality slid perilously close to ending, the superimposed images of her aunt with that of mythical guardian combining in dizzying imagery.
"Julia," Scott said softly, running the back of his fingers down her face.
"Yes," she answered in a whisper, her eyes never straying from Heidi, a telepathic blank to her. She grabbed Scott's stroking fingers like they were the last solid thing in the world and felt her heart slow to a more normal rhythm.
"Are you okay?" he asked against her ear, no doubt wondering why his fingers were getting crushed.
"No," Julia answered honestly and Scott wrapped his arms around her as she released his hand and clung to him. She met Jason's guarded eyes over his shoulder and she couldn't read the expression. Was he as blown away by the last half an hour as she was?
"Don't tell me the legends are real?" Michael asked with scorn as his face jerked backward in a disbelieving scowl.
Marcus was silent.
Jacqueline gazed at the newcomer. "I know why the Reader is sequestered," she said but no one asked her to elaborate. They did not want to hear what she had to say. Not that it would stop Jacqueline.
"You know only of what gains you power," Heidi told her
Adi laughed. "She's smart."
"Yes," Slash agreed in a troubled voice, adding, "Very."
"If you wish to know the minute ... the second you shall take your last breath, invite me to tell you. Otherwise, remain silent," Heidi instructed in a droll tone and Julia felt her eyes widen.
Jacqueline and Heidi stared at each other, the test of wills zinging like a too-tight wire. In the end, Jacqueline must've not wanted to know her fate.
"The fey are not legend. They are real- dangerous," Heidi said and Julia frowned at her comment, her eyes automatically moving to Marcus, who seemed similarly disturbed by Heidi's pronouncement.
The Combatant, who lingered close by, shifted uneasily with news of this possible new threat. A threat that had been implied only moments before Heidi's appearance. Hadn't they all been discussing why the drawing of the three was happening at this time? Why the battles between the three groups of supernaturals would necessitate an ending to the centuries of strife? Maybe there was something large enough that any one group couldn't combat it, couldn't stop it.
"Why would the parents of the Rare One agree to have... fey guardianship?" Marcus asked his face drawing into clear lines of puzzlement.
"Yes," Julia said, that.
"It is because they knew their lives were marked—numbered. To be in control of the Rare One's fate is to know death. So they chose the fiercest of them all to guard you until you became." It was unnerving to have her own eyes trained on her face. Julia shook off that sense of strangeness with difficulty and felt herself do a slow blink. She knew that vampires, werewolves and Singers couldn't be it. All of it. There had to be some other mess waiting around the next bend. And of course, there was.
"They knew they would die? So they give me to a fey—what?"
"Unseelie warrior. She would have died to defend you. Yet, you went undetected until your becoming became known to the Were of the Alaskan den."
She'd always known that Jason was a Singer, Julia supposed. Because Aunt Lily had simply not been what she seemed.
"The most evil of the fey was guarding Julia?" Victor asked and Heidi nodded.
"Why would they take that chance?" Slash asked, forcing the gooseflesh down that rose with the mention of the Unseelie fey within spitting distance of the Rare One. After all, the legends of the Unseelie were frightening, even to the Were. Immortals of all shapes and sizes, of various degrees of evil. They ruled The Host.
"It takes evil to stop evil," said Delilah cryptically, and William gave her a sharp look, his brow knotting at her comment.
Heidi spread her hands away from her body. "It was the best choice amongst bad ones."
Marcus was pacing, his chin inside his cupped palm, thinking her words through. He stopped suddenly. "So what of it? The fey, who played relative, has now vanished and Julia is safe, here in the bosom of Region One."
Julia gave a sharp look at Brendan, whose nose flared at Heidi. Once. Hard.
"Not so safe," Jacqueline said.
Heidi's spooky golden gaze settled on Jacqueline. "Soon," Heidi's voice cracked like a whip in Jacqueline's direction and she flinched.
"Well that's a slice of happy," Cyn said. She loved that Jacqueline would be out of the picture. She liked Heidi better for keeping her word about telling Jacqueline when she would die. Soon couldn't come soon enough.
"That's a relative term," Victor said thoughtfully and Jason nodded.
"They live by the old magick. They will come," Heidi said as Brendan moved closer to her and Julia frowned. What was going on?
"Why? Why must they come? How do these legendary creatures hide in the dark recesses of our consciousness and become nightmares in the flesh just when we think there is a respite in sight?" Victor asked in frustration. William's eyes found Victor and a silent communion of agreement passed between the two.
Heidi sighed, her eyes lighting on Brendan as he drew nearer and she took a step away. "They come for the same reason all who are present are here. The Rare One has become, the Combatant is assembled and her advisor and guardian are present." Heidi looked from Scott then to William and lastly, Jason. "I am sorry to bring this news but it will change everything for us all. The Unseelie fey are an evil but necessary balance in the world of blood that Singers navigate. Those waters have dangerous currents. The Rare One is but one tool, though mighty, in our arsenal of defense."
"How long?" Marcus asked.
"Yes," Lawrence gave a sharp look at the leader of Region One. "How long before our potential for peace is destroyed?" he spoke for the first time.
"Not long. I have seen the death of someone important. It cannot be avoided. But that is all I know. And," her eyes met Julia's, "you cannot be claimed by anyone if you wed the three."
Julia broke from Scott's embrace. "What do you mean? That I ... that there's some pointy eared, green skinned winged something out there that thinks I'd make a great wifey?"
Heidi's brows rose while she translated the unfamiliar slang. "If you mean that you could be mate to the fey, why yes, that is possible. You see, you are a neutral entity: not human, but with the blood of all, the blood of neutrality. A pure blood."
Great, Julia thought, kinda like O positive. Such a flattering analogy.
"Only consummation of the three will negate their challenge to your authority. Even the deep magick of the fey cannot penetrate your alliance with your chosen trio of mates."
And here we go again, Julia thought, back to the three husband thing. There was no escaping the eventuality, it was like a cruel wheel that kept spinning.
Jason was shaking his head. "I don't know. There's something that doesn't make sense here."
Heidi looked at him calmly. "I but come for the benefit of warning those of royal blood. My job is singular: I must keep the royal line from dying out. If my warning of the future aids in that? So much the better."
Jason didn't look convinced. And even though she and Jason were on shaky terms, it made her uneasy to see his suspicion. Julia supposed it made some sense. After all, it's not every day that your wife's twin shows up claiming that Julia's aunt was a fey warrior. Kinda unbelievable.
William recapped and Julia was grateful that he was talking instead of her, "So you are here as a failsafe of sorts." His eyes bored into hers and Heidi nodded. "You but confirm that the best course of action is for Julia to marry the three," William clarified.
Heidi nodded slowly as if they were all rather dull. But that wasn't it, not exactly. It was as if she thought they were all dumb and was slightly superior about it all. She might look like Julia but like Julia noticed earlier, that's where the similarity ended.
William palmed his chin, his gray eyes like the pewter of a coming storm. He glanced at Jason, who raked a hand through his sandy hair. "I'm not really on board. I want to 'save Julia'," Jason said and Julia pressed her face harder into the comfort of Scott, who glared back at Jason. The warning be careful was clear. Jason ignored him. "But this seems like too much pressure, even for the Singers ... who are Coercion Central."
Cyn barked out a laugh. "No shit."
Emmanuel walked in and shook his head. A female that needed taming to be certain. It was almost more bite than he could chew. But therein lay the attraction. Manny understood the irony of desire steeped in the unobtainable. It was a bitter tea indeed.
"Yeah, I'm with Jace. Let's see some proof that Julia has to marry the world. Maybe she can just take her chances?" Cyn's face puckered in consternation.
"Yes, by all means... please do," Jacqueline muttered in her cultured voice. Julia shifted a bitter look her way. She was sick to death of Jacqueline. The very rules of the Singers constrained true justice in Julia's opinion.
"Just because our Reader comes and announces the importance of my nuptials," Julia glanced at Jason, "my Singer wedding," and she was rewarded with a small smile, "does not in itself mean that I will have to make that choice."
"It is just as well. I said those things only to ascertain if it was indeed, a reality."
Marcus' brow screwed up in a frown. "Reader... Heidi." It was clear her words were puzzling.
She gave him calm eyes and Julia felt a shiver like melting ice slide down her spine, a portent. "Yes?"
"What reality? You have told us what is happening, what will happen if Julia does not marry."
Heidi nodded happily. "Yes, however, I kept aside one exquisite detail until the very last. Especially for this moment."
Julia stood very still, her eyes seeking Paul. She found him and they gazed at each other, a perfect understanding passing between them. "Paul," she called out and the noise that had been only background became a crashing roar. The thoughts of those around her had a flavor. Singers felt a certain way in her mind, likewise, vampire and Were had their own "feel" to their brain signatures. Julia began to strip the voices in her head to identify the one that didn't feel like the others.
Alien. It slid like grease inside her mind, coating her brain in foreign slime. Julia's eyes flicked to Brendan as Jason glanced about uneasily at the mix of expressions, then his nostrils flared, his gaze shifting to Heidi and narrowing. Suddenly, all the Were who were present looked at Heidi. Julia heard the faintest growl rumble, tickling its way out of Jason's mouth.
"You're not my sister," Julia said in a voice of conviction and Paul's eyes widened in belated understanding. By giving her full telepathy back to her, Julia had found out the greatest truth of all. Julia watched Heidi give a brief, full glance and tense like a coiled spring as Julia opened her mouth to warn them all. Heidi's image shimmered before her, something lying underneath the excellent façade. Julia swung her face to Paul and he let the reins of her telepathy go entirely. Heidi shoved her hands in the pockets of a long skirt that swept the ground, her fingers disappearing into the multiple folds of creamy fabric.
A sense of foreboding swept Jason like a shroud of needles. Poking, biting. "Stop her!" Jason growled, leaping forward and Marcus moved at the same time that the Were and Brendan, the ones with sensitive noses, leaped forward.
Heidi threw out her arms, her elegant fingers splayed as they flung dust like iridescent dandelion seed. It swirled from the expert toss of her fingers.
Heidi no longer resembled Julia. Those fingers that had so elegantly thrown a weapon broad enough to affect everyone, no longer matched Julia's.
But belonged to an entirely different person.
The group of supernaturals: Singers, Were and the two vampire moved toward the imposter through the cloud of glittering dust, ignoring the storm.
His dark face broke into an easy smile. "Sleep," he intoned like wind incarnate.
And they did, dropping to the ground like cut flower stems. Even Jacqueline's stubborn evilness was not sufficient to withstand the magick of the fey. Magic that was eerily similar to that which she'd used before.
Julia knew that he could not be anything other than fey. It all made sense now; the strange telepathic signature, the knowledge of the fey's doings- the uncanny likeness. It had all been smoke and mirrors to get close to her. She took in the figure of a man, like a bruised plum, his hair a deeper violet that was almost black. His eyes filled her vision before she slumped to the ground.
The one who did not drop to the artificial somnolence was Scott. He shook his head like a dog shedding water. Scott looked up at the six feet and a half tall fey, skin like black oil on watered violets and managed to croak out, "Don't hurt her," before his forehead hit the floor.
Tharell bent down, scooping up the unconscious Rare One off the body of her soulmate.
He stood like a silent statue in a room full of dangerous supernaturals, his disguise lay at his feet, a costume of dead skin. He held the girl and opened his mind to those that could not change form and lay about the outskirts of the Region, undetected.
I have the Rare One.
And what of the Reader? Cormack asked, his hint of humor clear, though it was technically unspoken.
She has been subdued.
They all sleep?
They do.
Bring her, Cormack said, the telepathic command was clear in his voice.
Yes.
Tharell moved between the fallen supernaturals, stepping in the holes left between their bodies, his eyes skipping from one to the other like a flat stone upon the water.
Such bounty wasted.
Then Tharell looked upon the sleeping young woman again. Perhaps not so wasted, he thought.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sidhe
Tharell made haste, the lowest of the great Sidhe warriors, his mixed lineage allowing many things, but not prestige, never that. Kidnapping the Rare One, after twenty years of careful planning, was nothing more than another errand given to the watchdog of the fey.
Tharell was a clone shifter, dangerous to all, used in the severest way by the Unseelie Sidhe. A sadness prevailed in his heart that beat no more. It would not beat for another thousand years. It mattered not. He was born to serve, no more. Tharell did not hold to ideals that he could not obtain. It was foolishness.
And Tharell was no fool.
He made his way toward the temporal door that led to the fey mound, the portal that would take him to the Unseelie court.
Tharell wove between trees with the speed of smoke on the wind. His form shimmered with his speed, only the young woman in his arms remained a solid thing. To an outsider, it would have appeared as if a large humanoid shape, a soft black shadow, raced through the forest with a woman whose golden hair floated on the wind in muscular arms like opaque mist.
His internal guide, a thin ribbon, not of corporeal reality, but of the fey, lured him toward the mound. It became more solid as Tharell flew toward it on feet that barely stroked the earth beneath them.
Finally, he reached the entrance and he pressed the girl's body against the golden door. He aimed his breath upon the inscribed crest. His breath warmed the intricate design of a dragon's tail twined around an egg. The image began to heat, turning to a scalding tangerine, an ember too hot to touch and Tharell stepped back, the door swinging open as he entered. He knew what would happen.
Still, Tharell entered.
He closed his eyes, waiting for the bite of the briar. The thorns always found him, liking the taste of his mixed blood, not enough fey to move through them imperviously. He heard the dull clank of the door sealing him within the mound of the Unseelie and sighed, tense and waiting for the thorny teeth to set into his flesh.
When they did not he opened his eyes and his pupils grew large, sucking in what light they could find from the gloom. The briar that normally gave him tearing kisses of welcome, ripping and searing pain—parted before him.
It was the Rare One. She provided a hiatus from their dark attentions.
Tharell sucked in a deliciously pain-free breath and walked forward, the briar picking up its thorny branches, caressing the girl as he walked through an artificial pathway made by the soldiers of thorns. Not one thorn bit, the branches turning so the thorn missed her skin. Tharell frowned, only the purest of the Sidhe could boast a thornless entry.
The briar was the first defense of the Unseelie mound. Like skin on a human, it was the first barrier to penetration. Those who possessed little or no blood of the fey would die within their razor's embrace. They lived only to kill, to take blood of those without permission to enter.
And they thirsted.
The warriors were there to greet him inside the cavernous tunnels of the only home Tharell had ever known. He looked about the familiar carved passageways of lava and other trace minerals. Oil from lamps set in the stone burned darkly against walls that Tharell easily blended against.
The Rare One did not blend, her coloring reminding Tharell of fool's gold, veins of false purity set against ebony. She lay as a dead weight against his body, her soft warmth bringing unbidden images of what he could never have. He schooled his thoughts to those of duty, rites and necessity.
"Tharell," Domiatri greeted, his eyes scanning the girl for injury or other.
Tharell felt his ire rise, bristling. "She is well, Domi- there is no need for concern."
Domi snorted. "Just doing the job Tharell, you worry overly."
In Tharell's experience, it was best to anticipate. Expect the worst and if it be better, then he was rich in his relief for a time.
"She is nothing to us, that Queen Darcel would waste the better part of a youngling's childhood on the pursuit of a myth is beyond the pale," Cormack stated in a droll voice.
"Your words are bold this far from the throne, Cormack," Tharell stated.
"Aye, I am Sidhe enough to worry not," Cormack replied in that smug way of his.
Tharell stood in the hollow left by those words, the echo still ringing from the last time he'd heard them uttered. He remained stoically silent, as he always did around the pure bloods.
"You are a colossal ass, Cormack," Domi said, his gaze on the Sidhe warrior, his defense all for Tharell.
"Yes, what of it?"
"Gods, you never get it, do you?" Domi asked and Cormack stepped into the other fey's space, six feet and a half of muscled warriors, close enough to kiss, too intimate to raise arms, though their swords lay naked in their hands. Clenched. Ready.
"You would raise your sword against me for this mongrel, a servant amongst the fey?" Cormack stated in his haughtiest voice.
How Tharell longed to cut him down. Beginning with his tongue. A fine tremble crept over his body and he fought for stillness, using the girl like a shield so his rage would not show.
"This mongrel, as you call him, is the finest warrior, he is part Sidhe, Cormack- and finer than you could ever hope to be," Domi said through gritted teeth, his fist bleeding to white around the hilt of his sword.
Tharell shifted his weight, the Singer's body going from the dead weight of true sleep to that of wakefulness.
"She wakes," Tharell said in the middle of their fight.
They looked at him, startled, one with navy blue hair, a stripe of purest black running from temple to the ends that brushed his shoulders. Cormack was gold. All gold. His skin like that of a finely piece of polished jewelry, his eyes a flat low black. The most coveted of the colors of the fey. Tharell's own skin was so deep a purple it was almost black, his hair streaked violet and black. It was neither coveted nor not, but considered neutral. Whereas Cormack's deep eyes showed an utter lack of emotion, Domi could not help that his emotions shone in the silver of his irises. At present, they glittered with his anger.
Domi stepped back cautiously from Cormack. "We will discuss this later."
"I do not wish to entertain the same old boring argument time and again. There are those who matter..." his eyes fell on Tharell's and he kept his chin high, "and those who do not."
It was the girl who broke the tension between the three warriors, looking from one to the other, having been quietly listening to their interchange. "Sounds like a conceit problem."
Tharell balked. He could not believe the Rare One could silence three warriors of the Sidhe.
Yet, she had.
*
Julia
Julia let the comment sit there in the new place she found herself in. Let them chew on that, she thought as she looked around at the rough-hewn walls made of some kind of dark gem.
She looked up at the huge man who held her. Who had fooled them all, she reminded herself. Julia scraped up the shreds of bravery that remained and knit them together in a shield. They obviously were not keen on killing her, so she'd take her chances. "Please, put me down."
Shouldn't she feel the effects of being away from Scott? What had he said; they might have three days before incapacitation from lack of proximity. Another thing to worry about besides the wonderful kidnapping.
Again.
She gazed at the three curiously, the two who had almost come to blows were shocking. Julia knew she should stop being surprised by the events in her life, but they kept cropping up. The weirdness. Every time Julia thought she finally had a grasp, another strange group or event transpired.
They looked like men; big men. But one had skin the color of Easter egg grass and navy hair, so deep a cobalt it looked almost black. But Julia had the walls of the cave for comparison. His was a rich blue that caught the muted light and flung it back like midnight kissed by the sea. His eyes were like silver dimes stuck in a face with aristocratic planes and angles- hard, but ending in full lips that were almost red but not quite. Julia heard Cyn's voice in her head, kinda like a hot Christmas elf. And he was... but there was the sword in his hand, and his very presence screamed dangerous. Her face swung to the gold one and she kept her jaw from dropping with an effort. He was like a low burning flame with two ebony jewels for eyes. But for all the hot coloring... his stuck up attitude made him less beautiful. If he would have just stood there and said nothing, he would have been beautiful. But he'd spoken and his words made him ugly. Not that their looks were important. Julia's thoughts already turned on how to get out of this latest disaster.
But it was the man who stood beside Julia that caught her attention. After all, he was strong enough to carry her from Region One to...
"Where are we?" Julia asked to the three. If she knew more, then she could figure out a way to get out. After all, she'd escaped the vampire coven.
"We are within Unseelie territory," Tharell said.
"Huh, that explains so much, thanks." His brow quirked at her words and brilliant blue eyes with violet rings around the outside, blazed out of his dark face. It would have been easy for Julia to classify him as African American. But he wasn't human. He was other. And his skin was truly violet. She had never seen a purple that dark on anything. Julia studied his face and found his eyes kinder than those of the gold fey.
"Okay... so you guys are the fey?" Julia asked the obvious and the gold one replied, "Yes." He looked down on her. Not just from his height, but in his bearing. "You will be taken to meet our Queen momentarily. I am Cormack."
Julia's hands popped onto her hips, ignoring the introduction entirely. "Here's the thing." They looked at her with surprise and curiosity. "Cormack. I'm kinda done being abducted by every group on the planet." Julia put her finger to her chin, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. "Actually, I'd like to know if there's any other group I need to know about because I'm all ears."
"I was not told she was rebellious," Cormack admitted, flustered.
Julia was glad to see it. She wasn't in the business of playing nice when she was kidnapped. It usually ended badly and it looked like Cormack wasn't used to being dismissed.
Tharell hid a smile at the assertive Singer's comment and Domi grinned outright. "We only know how she was before the initial abduction... this," Domi palm-swept her body, "is not what our human intel gave us."
"The last two years of being kidnapped and held prisoner will change a girl." Julia stared at them. If they knew so damn much, they should certainly know about what she'd been through. The fey knew where to find her and went through a lot of deceit and preparation to get her.
Tharell laughed, a deep rumbling sound like a loud purr and Julia jumped at the sound. It was like velvet on the air. "Precious!" Tharell said, grinning.
Cormack scowled at him and Julia took notice again of all the problems within the group. If she could find a weakness, Julia would use it. Being part of the Singer mess was preferable to this unknown. Anything was.
"Why am I here?" Tharell's grin remained and Julia smacked her captor in the arm and it was like hitting stone. Tharell's grin widened, his teeth a white slash in his face. "You mean to hurt me, little one?"
"Hell yes!" she stomped her foot. Yeah, childish. Julia didn't care. "You pretended to be some long lost sister, and made everyone fall asleep. That was a chode move."
"Chode?" Domi asked.
"Dick head," Julia responded. "Actually, it's a great 'all-encompassing' term. Chump, dick hole, putz, butt munch, douche..."
"Ah, your American slang, so charming," Cormack said. She could tell he was less than amused.
Screw him and the horse he rode in on. Julia wanted to go home. Even if it was ten shades of screwed up and dysfunctional, it was hers.
Tharell put his large hands on her shoulders and gave her one hard, brisk shake, his humor gone. "You will come before our Queen and she will dispel this notion of returning that you have. There is no return from the Unseelie fey." His bright eyes gazed into hers. "And the Queen is less... inclined to humor than the three of us."
His eyes were no longer kind... but weary.
And he thought they had a great sense of humor? This Queen must be a laugh a minute and that made Julia began to feel frantic. She pivoted, trying to go back the way she assumed they came and dove into a thicket of thorns. They pierced her flesh and Julia yelped at the thorns as they set into her body. "Ah!" Julia shrieked as the fey warriors waded into the branches. Julia twisted in the thorny-filled arms of the plants and watched them whip and tear at the men as they came for her. Bloody mouths from the wounds of the thorns opened on their arms, legs... faces.
They were trying to get to her and the thorns were trying to keep her.
As soon as Tharell touched her the branches lifted, but continued to wrap the other warriors, the long branches bending to become vines around the limbs of the warriors.
"Stop!" Julia moaned in a voice laced in pain and fear, a command she was unaware of held within her voice. The branches shivered at the word, carefully lifting out of her skin and she slumped into Tharell's arms, relieved. Julia watched as they tore holes out of the other men without any of the care they'd given her.
"I am Tharell," he said above her ear and Julia could only nod as she watched the macabre scene play out in front of her.
"Get me out of here," she whispered.
Tharell lifted her easily out of the nest of thorns, their tips soaked in the blood of the fey, and the purest blood of all. Ultimately, it was the Rare One's blood that had quieted the sentry of thorns.
The briar could not be subdued except by blood.
Tharell had a thrill that hummed in his bones. He had not believed that the Rare One would revitalize his people.
But the briar as the Unseelie's first defense was formidable indeed. If they had not been here to capture Julia Caldwell, she could have commanded her escape and the thorns would have bowed to her.
Her blood.
*
Heidi
"Wake," Trevor whispered anxiously, his lips hovering over those of the Reader. Then, "Please wake," he begged.
Heidi opened her eyes with a great, whooping inhale and on her next breath she whispered, "Julia."
Trevor sat back on his ample ass and broke out in a fiery wave of relief. "Thank God."
Marcus gave a single curt nod and straightened, wondering yet again, if Trevor had been too fine a Deflector. He had kept the Reader's talent so under wraps that she must not have had sufficient time to warn the Region when the fey infiltrated.
"She doesn't look a thing like Jules," Cyn reflected.
"Yeah, duh, Cyn," Jason said and Scott scowled.
"What now?" Scott asked and Marcus looked at the genuine Reader, the only subject he hadn't met. The one he regretted not making acquaintance with. For if he had, Heidi would not have been a stranger to him and he would have known it was deceit when they fey weaved his lies. But who could have presumed the fey were a real entity? No one he'd encountered had ever made mention of the fey except as a bedtime tale.
"Heidi will tell us the outcome and then..."
"You decide what course of action to take," Manny intuited.
Scott shook his head. "That's a negative pal. Julia is mine. And currently, I'm not getting anything... not a bleep on the screen."
Jason cleared his throat.
"Buzz off, you don't want her—really," he responded to Jason's nonverbal grunting.
"Bullshit," Jason disagreed in a growl.
"Yeah? Well, now that she's been taken, a-fucking-gain, you suddenly want to play ownership? Hero. No. Suck it."
"How is this helping get Julia back?" William asked quietly. Then, "The fey are formidable, if legend speaks true. What's more... they have a prison of a territory. One must be fey to enter, the tale goes."
"Shit! Fuck! Shit!" Scott roared into the closed space of the Reader's room. He whirled on William, "How can you be so stupidly calm, drinker?"
William's bald gaze met Scott's. "One of us needs to be. It is not you. And the Were, who claims wedded ties to Julia, cannot decide if he wants to shit or get off the pot."
Scott blinked at the first crude phrasing he'd ever heard William utter and was left speechless.
William nodded elegantly, in an unpracticed gesture. "Yes, I too can ape like a human thug. However, I generally choose not to. You heard and understood that bit though? Did you not?"
Scott's eyes narrowed on William. "This thug, as you so aptly named me, will see this through to the end. By any means necessary. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I think we do finally understand each other."
"Well you two dipshits go ahead and talk about whether or not I care about Julia—while I find her," Jason said. "First come, first serve."
"Oh?" William arched a perfectly black brow. "And how might you find her with the fey that so brilliantly put us all into a magic-induced coma?"
There was a few seconds pause. "He does not have a ready answer," Jacqueline pronounced. And Tony, fully healed from the beating from Reagan, smirked at Jacqueline's side.
Cyn groaned, those two.
"Oh... and you do?" Jen asked with disbelief.
"And who among you are fey?" Jacqueline queried. All remained silent. "As I thought." She laughed, pleased.
"Don't tell us? Your criminal, murdering ass is fey," Cyn said in a tone of resignation, flapping her hands on either side of her body in a parody of wings.
Jacqueline made a show of smiling and answered, "I am."
Adi groaned and Slash grimaced.
"You need me," Jacqueline stated as fact.
And for once, no one could refute her. It was on the tips of all their tongues, bitter and eager to escape their lips, but they remained silent.
Jacqueline was vile, but oh so necessary.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Queen Darcel
The sickness raged as usual, but Darcel mastered her expression effortlessly, a benefit of her time in the Unseelie court, where emotion was viewed negatively- as a telltale weakness. It would not do to have others see that she was in pain. Darcel had thought she was beyond being distracted by anything. That nothing could cause the pain she weathered to become background to the constant agony.
Darcel was wrong.
The young blood Singer walked in, dwarfed by Darcel's finest guard, the half-breed, Tharell. They were quite the opposite of each other, one dark and one light. It had always pained Darcel that Tharell was not pure Sidhe. For if he had been, he would have been first on her list to call to her bed. As it were, she still might. In secret. Perhaps all of his luscious burgundy skin underneath her hands could make her forget the sickness for a moment.
The girl was beautiful for a human. It must be the Singer blood, Darcel mused. The purest of all bloods. Julia Caldwell was very fair, the hair that fell to her waist was too gold to be platinum and too light to be dishwater blonde. It rode that fine line of hay in color but with such variegated shading it didn't appear lifeless, but teemed with depth and shine. However, it was her eyes that were her most arresting feature, like the spun gold of Cormack's skin with a hint of fine whiskey. Lion's eyes.
Those eyes met her own in a bold and inquisitive stare. Darcel tramped down on her irritation. How dare Julia Caldwell behave as if she were equal to the Queen of the Unseelie? Darcel seethed, but it would do no good. She needed the Rare One. She was not fey and certainly no Sidhe. Yet, that was of little consequence. For the girl possessed the rarest blood to have made an appearance in this last one thousand years.
Darcel rose, the pain of the sudden movement grinding her innards into a churning hot nest of agony, causing her vision narrow to a pinpoint as the girl filled that small focus.
Tharell stilled, the Queen's pain was obvious to him, but not to those who were pure Sidhe. It was a minor talent he had, Discerner. He knew what ailed others. Not always, but usually. He knew what ailed his Queen, though she did not know he was privy. It might have gone quite wrong for him if she had. Tharell saw the way Queen Darcel looked upon the girl.
It would not end well.
It was the Rare One's blood, you see. Her blood would be needed to heal their Queen. And perhaps Julia Caldwell need not be alive for the properties it held to work against the sickness that all Sidhe feared. However much they enjoyed the prestige of their pure royal blood, it was not without cost. The desire of the Sidhe to interbreed for purity sake, had caused some distressing recessive genes to manifest. But in keeping with their need to appear better than all, like gods, those failings of exclusivity were not mentioned. Now their own Queen suffered the disease of worms.
It was a crude nickname, but apt. The worms stood for intestines. A normally immortal being died slowly due to its own lack of genetic diversity. Essentially, her guts were eating themselves. No amount of food nourished her body as the process went wild, never digesting but cannibalizing itself and ignoring outside nourishment. In the human world, they could claim insanity when cousins married cousins. Here, in the Unseelie court, Sidhe were beginning to fall to their choice to stay pure.
At the cost of their own immortality. Tharell knew all this as he released Julia's elbow. He understood her special blood might mean her death. For much would be needed to save the Queen's life.
"Come," Darcel said and unconsciously brushed a hand across her concave abdomen with a small grimace. The Queen kept a brave face on the turmoil her existence caused her.
Julia looked at Tharell, his hand having just fallen away from her and gazed at the Queen. If she'd been easily impressed with beauty, then she'd be blown away. Because the Queen of the Unseelie fey was easily the most beautiful person Julia had ever seen- not female or male, just person. Or supernatural. Julia thought the Queen was tall but wasn't sure because she stood on a dais, which was by its very nature was raised. She watched as the Queen stepped down to stand in front of her.
Julia looked up, way up. She'd thought the guards were tall, and they were, but the Queen was nearly six feet, she estimated. Everyone towered over her, she was used to it by now.
Her skin was a white so pure it appeared almost gray, like a fine polished marble. And that was not exactly right. If Julia thought about it, it would be like the lightest tone of a gray pearl. Translucent, luminous. Darcel's skin seemed to shine from within. And her eyes matched that ethereal quality, they were a deep but pale green, as if somehow you could drown in them. Like the sea dwelled in those small circles in a face that would have been lovely if it weren't so chilly in its expression.
"So, you are the Rare One?"
Julia almost smiled, thinking of about ten different kinds of smart-ass responses but in the end, with this unknown group, she decided to keep it simple. "Yes." After all, she had been kidnapped.
"Excellent." She whirled, looking at the many fey. Julia also looked at each one briefly. They all resembled the queen. Beautiful, artificial... she decided she didn't like the Unseelie court. Julia wasn't much for artifice. It seemed like that's all this place was. It was a great distraction from the obvious: what they wanted from her. Because Julia was sure they did. There wasn't a group yet that hadn't.
"Behold, your new Princess," Queen Darcel announced and Julia inhaled deeply in shock, looking around for a handy chair so she could sit down and put her head between her knees. Julia was so blown away she didn't have time to be scared.
Tact, Julia, tact, she told herself. "Actually... I'm not really up for the job. And, I'm sort of already a Queen somewhere else. In fact," Julia held up a finger in her defense. "They're probably freaking out about now that I'm not there. Y'know, that whole, put everyone to sleep and steal me thing has probably made everyone pretty mad."
One of the beautiful people stood from their posed peacock perches that flooded down and away from the dais. They were all mini-thrones, carved and elegantly appointed and finished in colors which flattered those who sat on them. "Queen Darcel," called one, her face pinched in irritation, swung away from Julia and landed on him. There was a beat of caged silence then she barked at him, "Speak, Rex."
"She is a blood Singer." Julia watched Queen Darcel roll her eyes as if bored. Rex twisted his dandy hat in hands that were so tense his knuckles were colorless. "She is not Sidhe and as such, should not be allowed a seat in the royalty." Julia thought he was the plainest of all of them. But that was saying something because he was so handsome he hurt to look at. She couldn't believe these people. Oh... fey, she meant. They certainly didn't look human. They had noses, eyes... mouths. But everything about them was so different.
Rainbow people. "That's okay, really," Julia began, helping the guy. After all, she hadn't signed up for this detail. "Anybody can have the job. I'm needed elsewhere."
Darcel's head whipped back, her eyes pegging Julia's like a bird catching sight of a delicious fat worm. "You are needed where I tell you," Darcel said slowly, and in a tone that expected compliance.
She reminded Julia of Jacqueline. Like the world needed two of them? Yeah.
Julia heard Cormack make a low chuckle and she was suddenly tired. Here was another group that wanted her, but only for what they could get from her. Not Julia, just her blood. Of course, very consistent, Julia thought, heaving out a sigh.
Rex the fey stated the obvious and Julia could have kissed him. "Queen Darcel... please," he simpered, "the girl does not want to be here, she is not Sidhe, but... a human."
"Nope. Not really, but go ahead," Julia said, her shock making her bold with her comments.
Queen Darcel gave a small smile and inclined her head toward Julia. "And the girl makes my point for me, she is not truly human. That means, she can wed any Sidhe she wishes, and the offspring will throw pure. Without any of the... issues that have laid siege to our kind."
Oh no, Julia was so not cleaning up the fey gene pool. What was with everyone? And she thought the Singers were messed up? Ah—no. Clearly, messed up supernaturals were not exclusive to Singers.
"I think we should hold a vote," Rex said and Julia did smile then. Nice to know he was so determined to get rid of her foul "human" existence at any cost in that wonderful, scheming way of the fey. She could already see how they operated. Wonderful.
"Rex, Rex," Queen Darcel shook her head as if chastising him and looked at Cormack. "Cormack, Rex needs a lesson in obedience, talking out of turn and finally, believing he is the sole monarch." Darcel's gaze narrowed down on him. "If even for a moment." Her eyes held his and he looked like a horse startled, primed to bolt. "The Unseelie fey, as you are very well aware, is not a democracy, Rex."
Rex's eyes flitted to the large and dangerous figure of Cormack.
He licked his suddenly dry lips. "No... Queen Darcel, I thought..."
"You thought you had choice," she said softly and he smiled in relief that she'd come to her senses.
"Why yes, that's true," he said, nodding too quickly and Julia's stomach began to churn. Something bad was going to happen, she knew it and didn't have to be a Singer to feel the foreboding tremor in the air.
"But, it is not." She held out her hand and Cormack put his palm into hers, raising it to his mouth, his golden hair sweeping forward. "I await my Queen's pleasure."
"Discipline Rex."
Cormack's eyelids lowered halfway as he met her upturned face over the curving swell of her arched hand. "To what extent?" His words breathed over her skin, his gaze glittering in anticipation and Julia wanted to be sick.
They stayed like that, wrapped in a moment of deliberating violence, and finally, Darcel whispered, "He will heal, for he is Sidhe."
Oh no, Julia thought. And the fey, his lovely sky blue skin raising in gooseflesh—turned and ran. Julia had an idea of what might happen next, but like a train wreck, she was helpless not to watch what came next. However, to see it unfold made her cry out. Julia hadn't seen Cormack move, he was that fast, almost vampiric in his speed. One moment he held the Queen's hand and the next he was straddling a squirming man as large as him, but soft.
So very soft.
Julia could only watch as Cormack took the small dagger from its sheath. With a whistling whine of leather and metal he sunk it hilt-deep into the belly of the offending Rex.
Julia jumped backward, then backed up until she ran into someone. She turned as blood leaked all over floors that were veined in black, their surface a swirled dove gray, now red. Tharell looked down at her and covered her open mouth with his finger, giving a very small shake of his head. Julia braced herself, turning around to face the destruction of someone who would stand up to the Queen.
Jacqueline had tried to kill Julia. But it would have been a gentle death compared to the violence that Queen Darcel offered in the Unseelie court. Being a Princess sounded worse by the moment. Julia watched Cormack twist and grind the knife while his victim gurgled underneath him and her gorge rose. She swallowed quickly, holding back being sick as the sound of meat being rendered reached her ears. The tang of metal rising in the air like copper fumes made Julia sway where she stood.
Suddenly, she felt the warmth of Tharell's breath on her face before he spoke. "He will heal," he whispered.
Julia swallowed hard, feeling suddenly very alone.
The Queen stared at Julia while Darcel's guard gutted her subject and Julia could only stare back.
She had escaped one nightmare only to fall prey to another.
*
Jacqueline
Oh how the glorious chips may fall! Jacqueline chortled to herself, delighted by the turn of events. She led the group, the trail of fey dust easy for her to follow. It was like a melody in her blood. If only they understood how truly powerful it was to be of mixed lineage. She was happy to hide who she really was no longer. It had brought her many advantages while she pretended to be a pure blood Singer. Marcus was such a prude, prattling on about how their royal blood would die out because of her deceit. Really? She sniffed at that. It had not been a concern when he rutted above her in the hopes of a Combatant offspring. Which he now had, and one who was soul mate to the Rare One? He should stop his petulance before she thought of something distasteful to do to him.
Jacqueline glanced to her left and there Anthony was beside her. The brute trudged along without complaint. My he is a tough sort, Jacqueline thought, having been rendered twice immobile. Once by herself, this caused a smile to form on her hawkish face, then by his own offspring. Jacqueline would be able to keep him distracted enough with coming events that he might not assault other women while in her charge. We shall see, she thought to herself. It was very hard to retrain the demented.
She would know. Jacqueline's secret smile widened.
"Jacqueline, how much further?" Marcus inquired, wondering upon her strange expression. How she could find humor in a possible fey takeover and rescue attempt for their true Queen was beyond him. Her confidence in the unknown was unsettling.
She sighed in annoyance. Could they not see the mound? It was as her great-grandmother had told her it would be. In secret. For the farce of pure royal Singer blood would be maintained against everything.
"Just ahead," she responded lightly.
Tony leaned beside her. "Is this a ruse, Singer?"
"Always, but they know nothing yet."
"How can I stay safe?" he asked.
Good question, Jacqueline wondered. Then she remembered a fragment of a tale her grandmother had read to her at bedtime.
She spoke in a low voice but Anthony heard it easily. "There be a terrible thistle of thorns, which comes alive and tears at those who mean wrong doing, or who are not fey."
"Swell news, Jacqueline. Tell me something useful."
Jacqueline wrinkled her nose. "Dolt." Insufferable fool. "Stay close to me and we shall pass them by."
Tony nodded in understanding as they came before the mound. When Jacqueline stretched her hand out to touch the door, it appeared to the others and the symbol Julia had watched burn like a torch hours ago, came to life. It was so hot and bright it hurt to gaze upon it for those who were closest to the mound.
Slash turned to Adi. "Adi, stay by me."
She rolled her eyes. "It'll be fine, Slash."
"It most certainly will not be fine." Slash allowed his wolf to come to the surface of his skin. It might be that when things went wrong, as they were bound to do, being in animal form might prove to be safest.
Slash turned, seeing the other faces, those of his den, two vampires, a handful of Singers and the hateful but necessary pairing of Tony and Jacqueline. If they hadn't been as desperate as sin, there'd been no way that they would've used that viper of a royal.
One minute, Slash saw Jacqueline raise her arm to touch something he couldn't see in thin air. And the next, a small symbol of a dragon guarding an egg began to fill their sight, the brightness of it made the wolf inside him shy from the surface and he nudged it back deep inside himself.
Slash didn't need his wolf right now. His eyes flicked to Adi. Her false bravado had become a trembling thing. Good, she was too cavalier about the unknown.
Jacqueline looked behind her at Marcus. "Come, follow me."
"Be of care," Marcus said to Scott and he nodded once.
Jason, Truman, Manny, Adi, and Slash brought up the rear. Cyn came along unwillingly with Reagan at her side. She was sure it was a trap. It had that feel to it. Of course, her entire life felt like it now had the word trap tattooed on it. What a screwed up deal this is, Cyn thought as she passed through into the bowels of the mound, the door to the Unseelie territory shut behind her with an echoing clank. It was as dark as a tomb, she thought, gazing around at a dark interior tunnel, her eyes scanning with minimal light, her sense of sight dulled by the murky ambience. Then the screaming began and Cyn threw her arms up in a defensive posture.
The briar came alive and they began to fight for their lives. Reagan bellowed, "Swords!" Slow and thick with panic, Cyn fell to the ground, the hard stone unforgiving underneath her as the thorns grabbed at her clothing, seeking her flesh. She mewled in terror, making herself as low as she could while the sounds of metal met nature. Howls and the wet sucking tears of skin rent asunder was the horrible music that made Cyn cover her ears. She found herself laying on a damp bed of cobblestones as Manny fell over her body to protect her from the worse of it.
Scott tore the limbs of thorns away while his mother escaped them, Tony by her side, as the piercing barbs wrapped his arms and legs in a fierce vise, tripping him.
He struggled inside them and as he turned his face he saw Delilah. A look passed between them just as the thorns lifted from their bodies.
They were enough fey after all, he and his half-sister of the undead. She gave a fierce smile of sharp teeth and fangs, hissing her triumph into the still air of the passageway. The sister he'd just met turned back to help the others even as his treacherous mother and Tony raced headlong to find Julia.
Scott plunged through the razors wire that was the briar. He and Delilah only needed to touch each person and their touch alone allowed them to come free.
When the last person was rescued they flung themselves in a bleeding group outside the snare of the briar and made their injured way toward Julia and the unknown.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Breeching the Mound
Karl felt the blood drip down from the tender nape of his neck to pool at the base of his spine, soaking the denim band of his jeans. Wasn't this a fine clusterfuck, Truman thought as he tore through the thorn bullshit. He stomped on the last stubborn branch while swiping at it with his scraped arms and swore under his breath. He couldn't believe this new little catastrophe he found himself in. That and the actual human cops were looking for him. Nevermind me guys, just lurking around in fairy mounds. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. It was unbelievable even to him and he was living it.
Karl didn't have his wits about him or he would have seen the sword coming. Some tattered sixth sense, a holdover from a week ago when he was a cop, relying more on instinct than was pretty, made him duck at the precise moment his head was meant to be loped off.
"Cripes on a crutch!" Karl hollered, his fist driving into the hard gut of whoever was trying to decapitate him. It was instantaneous and instinctual. His new body obeyed Karl's subconscious commands perfectly. His resistance was met with a pummeling of fists in the kidney from behind. Fuck. "A little help!"
Scott swung his head to the Were and saw the male struggling between two warriors, and his step staggered on the way to assist. He'd never seen colored flesh outside human norms before. And these two were not only colored, they were so odd that Scott hesitated from sheer shock.
"Come on stud, stop gawking and get the ball rolling," Cyn blurted beside him. Scott shook it off, moving forward. He thought to Deflect everything magical, and found his magic worked here just as well—when one of the warriors, his orange eyes blazing like flames in his face, plunged his hands into a hanging sack at his hip, throwing spiked dust at his face. Meant to be inhaled like whirling faceted razors. Scott pushed his own power back at the fey and the dust crystalized into ice, dropping harmlessly at his feet. Those fiery eyes widened and Scott dropped into a crouch, ready to spring on Flame-boy. Then Truman plugged his fist, now clawed, through the center of a body that was covered in red skin. There was a roar of rage and the fey turned into the damage taking his hands and lacing them together, he brought them down on Truman's head.
"Ah!" Truman said, slumping as Scott and Slash reached the other fey.
"Kill the Singers!" Flame boy yelled to his fey buddy and Scott kicked the wound in his side where Truman had churned the guy's guts. There was a satisfying thud when his foot found its mark.
Truman roused himself enough to mumble, "Got my bell rung..." he crawled on all fours, shaking his head back and forth, trying to clear it.
"Stay down, cop," Jason said, moving into the mess of multi-colored limbs, a pissed off Singer and two Were. "Just... shit, overwhelm these assholes," Jason persisted, using his fists on the wounded red fey.
The fey was adept at hand to hand, ignoring what would have been grievous wounds for a human, he used his laced hands as a ready weapon and sprung them apart, slapping them on either side of Jason's head. He shrieked from the cuffing, dropping to his knees.
Reagan looked down at Jason as she passed. "You were saying?" she murmured, moving behind the red one and using the bony talons of the Were, they tore through the flesh of her fingers, the pain at once burning and sharp, she ignored it and with a jerking shove, she pushed them through the fey like a shish kabob.
"Come on!" Reagan screamed behind the skewered fey, his arms finding their way to her head. She tried to jerk back but couldn't avoid him as he latched on, both of her hands buried in his back and used her hair like a rope, jerking her into the back of his skull. The impact had her seeing stars. Good Moon, the fey were strong.
"Let me, daughter," Tony said with typical arrogant sarcasm and flung his hand out, delivering a ringing slap to the fey's cheek and tearing off the first layer of skin. It accomplished what he aimed- to surprise.
With a howl the fey released the female Were behind him and focused on the stink of the dog before him. Kiel opened his mouth and burned the flesh off the face of the one who stood in front of him. High, piteous shrieks came from Tony as his hands went to the melting horror of his face.
"Oh hell," Adi yelled, "he's some kind of dragon!" Slash moved in front of her and she hit his back with her hand. "I'm fine, Slash!" He ignored her as the fire fey sprayed everything within a five-foot circle with the flames of his breath.
As if conjured from her statement, scales like slick glass began to flow over the fey's body, until he appeared to be a mass of undulating molten lava. His tale flicked, the damage inflicted by Truman and Reagan forgotten by his shift to dragon form, effectively healing the injuries.
It stopped the group in their tracks. William and Delilah dragged the Were to safety and Scott scuttled backward on all fours, standing when they were far enough away.
"You will die. You cannot win," the dragon fey stated as certain fact.
Truman looked up at the dragon and should have been frightened. After all, the words came out of a mouth that breathed steam, they were on fire. But he figured, if it could breathe, it could die. Karl stood, his natural defiance lending him strength.
"Let's not put that to the test, fella," Truman said and Cyn hid a nervous laugh behind her hand as the beast cocked his head, clearly puzzled. "What gibberish do you speak, son of the moon?"
Huh, Truman thought, not gonna be easy. Truman put his thick hands on his hips and stared, the other fey moved up beside his partner, the warrior dwarfed by the dragon. "Kiel, let them explain...," the warrior said in a light tone.
Truman's eyes widened at the sound of her voice and he looked closer, rubbing the back of his neck and his hand coming away with blood. God almighty, it was a woman. Truman flushed, he didn't realize they'd just tried to beat up a woman. This just got better and better.
Reagan saw his face. "Don't go soft on me now, Truman." She looked away, winking at Jason and he grimaced, coming to his feet as well.
They were at a stalemate. Two powerful fey warriors against their group could probably grapple indefinitely, but would anyone really win? Truman wondered.
The female fey frowned at them all, wiping sweat and blood off her brow. "Kiel..." she said again.
Truman noticed her bell-like voice as she pronounced his name like key-ale.
"He, we...," she looked at him and the dragon gave an awkward nod.
"Gawd, this is Twilight Zone weird," Cyn said.
"Shush," Manny said, holding his arm in the other like a pseudo sling. Cyn thought he'd have to shift to heal it up.
"Protect the Unseelie. You have entered without invitation. Though there be two of you that have enough fey to get past the briar." Her eyes touched on Scott and Delilah. "However, one that is undead cannot be abided, the other we consider neutral."
Delilah moved forward and the female fey's gaze became slits of low-burning blue fire. "Do not come closer, lover of the dead."
Delilah's head fell back and she laughed, deep from her belly, flicking a dismissive look at the dragon. "I think not. I am fey enough, dead as I may be, to enter here. You can claim I have no passage, but the truth is: I have the same rights as anyone with fey blood, or do the legends lie? Or is it your prejudice speaking?" Delilah's dark eyes widened in understanding. "Or could it be... fear? The Reader said there would be a Trojan among us. Someone who would be the foil of the fey. Could it be this mixed supernatural brings true death to the fey?"
That was it, Truman thought, watching the female fey's eyes flinch at the vampire's words.
"That's it!" Adi said, nearly clapping her hands. "You guys get chomped and it's," she made a slashing gesture across her throat, "curtains."
"Love that," Cyn said and Adi high-fived her.
"You have no mercy," the female fey stated.
"And you've shown us so much," Scott replied with a curt laugh. He was tired of this crap. They could philosophize to death when Julia was safe. "Let us through, our cultural differences can wait. We're here to get a Singer that one of your kind took from our compound, pretending to be someone we knew." Scott didn't mention how clever the kidnapper had been, disguising himself as the twin of Julia, knowing enough about her background to feign a knowledge he didn't have.
"Tharell."
"I don't know and I don't give a good goddamn, just let us get her and go."
"No." Her eyes stayed on him like lead.
Scott hadn't even felt himself move forward when his father's hand lay on his forearm. "Do not, the fey will incinerate you."
Scott's gaze shifted to the nostrils of the creature, where lazy spirals of steam rose.
Damn. "You can't burn us all. Those of us who can heal, will. Just the two of you—you and Flame boy?"
She screwed her face up in puzzlement and Adi laughed.
"I am a warrior of the Sidhe, I am named Celesta. I do not take orders from lessers."
"Oh yeah?" Cyn said, keeping one eye on the dragon. "Who's lesser?"
Celesta smiled. "Everyone who is not Sidhe."
Cyn rolled her eyes and asked slowly, "Oh really?"
"Yes."
"Listen up, wench," Adi said and Slash blanched. "Adi..."
"No, Slash. This stuck up witch..."
"I am not Wicca or a practitioner of any kind."
"Right- gawd, these guys are so literal."
"Clearly, they don't get out of the mound much," Cyn decided.
"Enough!" Celesta roared into the echoing space. Her gaze took in the injured motley crew, hurt but not beaten. "Julia Caldwell seeks audience with Queen Darcel."
"I doubt that," Jason said.
Celesta raised a shoulder in dismissal. "I care not what you doubt. It is the truth. The fey do not break their word."
"I have a feeling you guys bend the truth a lot," Truman said and she gave him a sharp look.
"And what truth do you think I am not telling?"
Truman paused for a heartbeat. "Pretty much all of it."
Celesta opened her mouth at the same time a man whose flesh was such a deep shade of violet he looked black, jogged to her side. Every male in the room tensed in recognition, and Reagan, who had let her weapon hang loose, tightened her grip.
"Tharell," Celesta said in greeting, keeping her eyes on the supernaturals.
Truman studied the newcomer and instinctively understood him to be the most dangerous of the three. More than the dragon, maybe more than everyone. He turned those azure eyes on their group, scanning each face before going to the next. He was quiet and unaffected, different from the other two fey. He bent down on one knee in front of Celesta, and Karl's brow knotted. What was this?
"Celesta," he said softly, kissing the top of her bloodied hand. He stood. "What would you have of me?"
"They have come to take the Rare One."
Tharell's expression did not change. "The Queen is holding court with her right now."
Truman saw some emotion wash over Celesta's face; he wasn't sure what it was but his money was on only one.
Fear.
"Holding court" must mean something different to these guys, Truman thought.
"Wait a sec," Scott began as Jason and William moved up beside him. "What does 'holding court' mean exactly?"
Truman guessed he wasn't the only one who could read faces.
Celesta looked down as Tharell, his skin so dark it appeared to blend with the surrounding walls, stared them down. No emotion. No reaction. Truman studied Celesta in the silence before she answered and noticed she was nearly as tall as the males, but fashioned delicately. The muscles that held those small bones together were lithe rather than bulky, her skin was a soft coffee color, arresting eyes, the same color as her skin, took up her heart-shaped face....
"Wake up, don't stare at her," Reagan said.
"Why?" Truman asked in a voice that had become foggy.
"You'll be addicted."
Truman dumped his chin to his chest and took several deep breaths. Finally, when he felt he was in control of himself, he looked back up.
She seemed to stare at him, only him. Cripes, he mentally hissed, looking away.
"Queen Darcel does not abide interruptions," she stated simply. Then she looked at the dragon. "Kiel," she called to him, "it is time."
They watched as the crystal-like scales seemed to melt off the fey and sink into his skin like water in reverse, his deep scarlet skin becoming smooth again. He gave Celesta his hand.
Truman noticed it was the one without the sword. "There are no terms that can be negotiated with our Queen. It will be as she wishes, nothing more, and nothing less." Kiel's words burned his hearing. Maybe it was because he was a werewolf now and more sensitive, or maybe this guy being a real live flame-breathing dragon did the trick.
"Unless you get the chomp," Adi reminded and he frowned at her.
"I bring death to Unseelie," Delilah stated, not bothering to hide the implication. Kiel studied her and nodded. "You are but one amongst many of the Sidhe. You are a small threat."
"Insignificant," Celesta agreed.
But Tharell said nothing. Truman thought his eyes held humor.
Humor at the other's expense.
*
Julia
Julia had seen some very bad things in the two years since she'd been taken. But nothing rivaled this slow, deliberate torture.
Tharell had left without her even noticing. The Queen had a vaguely empty smile on her face while Cormack carved up the hapless Rex underneath him. His wet pleas, out of a throat thickened with blood and other things, went unheeded.
Julia must have made some small sound of distress because Darcel turned to look at her, then gave a sharp command, "Enough, Cormack."
And just like a light switch flipped, the warrior stood, his arm soaked to the elbow in the other man's blood. With a flick of his wrist, most of the blood fell away in a striking spatter pattern on the marbled floor.
Julia swallowed the bile down. Gone was any thought of being a smart ass, feeling confident. Escaping. Her only thoughts were those of survival in this funhouse of horrors.
Cormack left the fallen Rex where he lay, coming to his Queen's side as two people burst into the court and Julia yelped, slapping a hand over her mouth.
Oh my God, Julia noticed, Jacqueline and Tony have come to play. Then, on the heels of that thought, Julia couldn't help the relief that swept her. Maybe the insane fey would pay attention to those two while she made herself scarce. Could she be so lucky?
"Do... come in," Queen Darcel said to the party crashers. Julia watched a decidedly un-fresh Jacqueline take in the scene, smoothing down her rumpled skirts and giving Queen Darcel an assessing look, which Darcel returned.
"I am Jacqueline, Ruler of Region Two of the Singers," Jacqueline announced, straightening her spine importantly. Tony let a soft growl break from his lips.
Time to go. Julia began to inch toward the door. Slowly, ever so slowly.
"I know who you are. I know what you are," Queen Darcel replied, her gaze unwavering on Jacqueline.
Julia didn't have time to get off on the fact that Jacqueline had met her match, bit off more than she could chew, was choking on the entire tamale. Julia would use their ill-timed entrance to make her exit. Let crazy Jacqueline deal with the truly insane
Someone at the court watched her slink toward the door, their lips lifting cruelly. Please, Julia thought, don't say anything. And of course, they didn't, their hate of her was more than their desire to get on the crazy Queen's good side.
"Welcome home, Jacqueline of the Sidhe."
Her words gave Julia pause. Oh great, like Jacqueline needed anything to make her head fatter. She wasn't just fey but that Sidhe that everyone seemed so concerned with. Julia moved again, reaching behind her, the brass knob warming the inside of her palm as she turned it behind her.
Cormack heard the latch disengage from the striker, his eyes flipping to her jackrabbit posture. Julia didn't wait, but fell backwards through the door at the same time she kicked it closed. She heard the dull thud of a body smacking into it and automatically shoved her telekinesis into holding the door secure, emptying all of her power, a void in her mind like someone had taken a spoon and scooped out her talent, leaving her bereft of it.
And she was happy.
Julia turned to flee and ran right into Jason's chest. His warm hazel eyes met hers, his strong hands on her upper arms. She took a shaky breath and did something she couldn't have done in the court, when every eye was on her and she didn't know the next minute of her future.
Julia burst into tears.
Jason wrapped his strong arms around her. "Jules, I'm here babe," he rumbled against her wet cheek.
Julia gave a great, hitching sob that squeaked out from her very core and he pressed her head tightly against himself. He smelled like home. And she found she was so sick for it. So homesick for what had been and was no more.
The fey beat against the door while Julia's relief soaked Jason's shirt. Finally, she lifted her head and met the eyes of two fey she didn't know and one she did. The pounding grew louder, a thundering background.
Julia caught sight of Scott who stared back. She felt nothing... for him. What was going on?
Scott shook his head, obviously bewildered. "I don't feel it either," he said, interpreting her expression.
Marcus looked between the two of them. "What has happened?"
"The soul-meld, it's like it never was," Scott explained, confused. He could still feel his compulsion to protect Julia as Queen... but the meld. It felt... severed.
Tharell broke in, "Soul magic does not work in Faerie."
All eyes turned to him.
"Why?" Julia asked from Jason's arms, that sense of the surreal returning with a vengeance.
His dark eyes met hers, the whites like newly fallen snow in the purpled ebony of his face. "The fey have no souls."
"Everyone has a soul," Cyn said softly.
Tharell shook his head, eyes grave. "Immortals do not."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Pursuit
Tom Harriet slipped his sunglasses on, though the day was gloomy. The door to the worn mom and pop convenience store rattled behind him as it shut inside its crooked jamb.
He turned back. Damn thing, he muttered to himself, lifting and pushing the corner so it closed properly.
Harriet liked things that worked. Closed. Finished.
That's why the loose string of Karl Truman's vanishing act had the FBI agent in a frothing lather.
Simon approached him, his suit jacket flapping back in the wind, revealing his piece, a sleek black outline revealed by the breeze. Simon saw Harriet's eyes shift and buttoned the jacket with the brisk efficiency most feds are known for. However, on this case, like when Harriet received the phone call from Detective Truman of the Homer Police Department, he felt like a loose cannon without a target. He had fed Truman to this very spot through Ford, but without knowing the why.
Harriet's superiors were stringing them along. As usual, Harriet wanted to know what the fuck was going on. And as usual, it was a need to know basis. Why was it that he never needed to know but he needed to see it though? Huh? Jag-ups.
Simon jerked a thumb at the Arletta Stop & Go! The sign was lackluster and withered, swinging on its rusty chain. "Did ya get what you needed?"
Harriet sniffed his coat jacket, the lingering smell of the chain-smoking nut job inside still clinging to his thousand dollar suit. "Yes." He began walking away from the store.
He and his partner, Tai Simon, moved toward the unmarked black SUV. Which to Harriet, screamed fed. He sighed, hitting the lock and slipping into the driver's seat.
He turned on the air conditioning, letting the thing idle. Effing Seattle, he thought, so damp.
Simon tapped long fingers on his knee, waiting. Finally, he asked, "What?"
Harriet put the car into gear and began driving down Ray Nash Drive, a winding ribbon of asphalt that could eventually take them from Gig Harbor to Purdy, Washington. They weren't really in Seattle; they were to the southwest. The weather was somehow cool but damp at the same time. Shitty. But today, they'd only drive a couple miles to what he'd been told was Karl Truman's last destination.
Of course, that much he already knew.
"It's not what, it's who," Harriet said, flicking his eyes to Simon. "Something had that broad Irene spooked, and spooked solid."
His eyes pegged Tom with a hard stare. "Did she say where Truman went?"
Harriet sighed and nodded. "Yeah."
"Why am I pulling hen's teeth, ya pain in my ass."
Harriet smiled, he liked Tai, funky name aside, pronounced like tie. "Because we're here already so stop whining, lame ass."
Tai gave a rough exhale as they turned off Ray Nash and began to ascend a steep hill, the car crested, gravel crunching underneath their tires. The road continued on and on, taking a gradual descent. The trees of the forest narrowed on the shoulders of the soft dirt, the western red cedars weeping against the top of the vehicle, the branches whispering ominously against the roof.
"Creeping fucking place, I'll give it that," Tai said.
Harriet said nothing, the trees continuing to thicken as the road narrowed. It was day, and gloomy as hell, but felt like soft twilight amongst the depths of the forest. Harriet unconsciously ducked his head, trying to see the way ahead as though through a tunnel. It had been awhile.
"It's too thick Tom."
He nodded, putting the SUV in park and killing the engine. "Yeah, let's hike it."
Tai groaned. "Swell, do you have our gear?"
"Of course," Harriet said, exiting the vehicle and making his way to the double doors at the back of the rig. He popped them open, extracting a plastic Rubbermaid tote, balancing it against his hip and jerked the lid off. He pulled out tall camouflage boots that were waterproof with zippered fronts that climbed the shins. He took off one expensive loafer, pointing his toe into the long boot and repeated the process with the other. Simon did the same and they looked at each other. Two feds in expensive suits and hunting boots.
It was apropos, as the whole thing had the feel like a wild goose-fucking-chase, Harriet thought. "Ready?" Harriet asked and they left the car unlocked, trudging through the woods, following their noses, though one of their senses was a sight more dull than those who watched the men from the sanctuary of the trees.
*
Julia
Julia looked at the man who'd kidnapped her and had a hard time believing anything the fey said about soul magic being negated simply because they were now in faerie—or by his say so. After all, the fey had taken her, like everyone else had before them, there was no room for instant trust left in Julia. But feeling was believing. And her feelings for Scott were those of friendship in this place. Julia didn't know whether to be relieved or horrified.
She found her gaze moving to Jason. It didn't seem to matter where she was: inside a coven, region, pack or here in faerie:
Julia loved him.
She knew that she had no right. Julia forfeited their love when she became bound to Scott, though unintentionally, and had decided to go through with marrying the three. Julia understood that the fate of three species of supernaturals rested on her narrow shoulders.
But love was a strange thing, it struck hard, leaving scars of consequence and was also a thief; stealing reason, robbing a person of choice.
Julia felt that choice was presenting itself now, and without the soul meld riding her, could it be... maybe, that she could be with just him, her Jason?
She looked at Scott again, reaching out and finding... nothing. Julia found herself searching Jason's face. The better question: would he still want her? Would Scott and William help or would they press her to go through with the "marriage" of the three? Would her female warrior and vampire advisor remain?
And Jason, though he was her husband, he was a werewolf but also a Singer. Circumstances had changed so much since their Vegas wedding it wasn't quantifiable. She couldn't wrap her head around where they'd been with what and who they were now. But their love had been real. A perfect, clear-as-a-bell truth in her life then. Julia only hoped it could also be true now.
All these thoughts passed through her mind in a nanosecond, the emotions seen by the others looked like a kaleidoscope of sadness, guilt and restraint. Then Julia's expression began to morph into a cautious hope.
She looked at Scott and he gave a small nod and Julia looked back at Jason. He brushed the tears that trailed down her face with a tender stroke of his thumbs, his eyes never leaving hers. He'd seen the looks pass between her and Scott, he'd heard what Tharell said about the soul meld. "What is it, Jules? Tell me." His gaze said so many things to her, asked so many things. The main one being that he dared not hope. She glanced at Scott again, who gave her a look of protective neutrality. He would let her think, choose. Scott was still her protector, still a part of the Combatant formed out of thin air, genetics, and fate. Finally, William locked his gaze with hers. And there, though she searched for it, Julia couldn't find the condemnation she was sure was hers to own. To bear.
Julia opened her mouth to respond to Jason, her bottom lip trembling with her emotional decision, when the door she'd so cleverly shut with her talent... swung wide. Suddenly she found herself behind Jason, his body covering hers in protection.
"There you are, Rare One," Queen Darcel purred. "Look who's arrived to celebrate your coronation."
Oh my God, Julia thought, facing the insanity that was Queen Darcel.
Darcel swept her palm at Jacqueline and Tony, the scars from the burns giving him an almost comic look of raw meat everywhere but his eyes. Those had been spared by whatever had been done to him and Julia couldn't help but flinch at the sight of his partially healed and melted flesh.
"Coronation?" Jason asked, puzzled, wrapping his arm tighter around Julia's shoulders and pressing her into the crook of his body.
Cormack came to flank Darcel. "Yes, our Queen is convinced that she," his nostrils flared in apparent dislike of Julia, "and she alone, possess the purity of blood to revive the Unseelie."
Marcus held up his hand and Darcel responded, "What say you, pure blood?" No one asked how she knew Marcus was a pure blood Singer.
Marcus did not falter. "I am Marcus, ruler of Region One of the Blood Singers."
Queen Darcel inclined her head. "And I am Queen Darcel of the Unseelie Sidhe."
She narrowed her gaze at him, her silver hair, streaked with white glinted in the low light of the torches piercing the stone walls. "How is it that you broke through the briar?"
"Jacqueline." Marcus moved his eyes to rest on her then back to the level gaze of Darcel. "She is part fey. Jacqueline found the mound, breeched the briar and those who are descended from her moved past them as well." He marveled at the healing of the fey warriors who stood by her side. The damage from the altercation earlier was tossed away as they spoke.
"Ah," Darcel said slowly, knotting slim hands behind her back. She dipped her head and Marcus swore he saw the wheels of her mind turning with her scheming. Darcel looked back at him. "Who are these who accompany you?"
Marcus hesitated, then decided the longer they could keep the lines of communication open, then peace could be possible. Or so he dared to hope. He listed William and Delilah, the undead were obvious to the fey, who gave them eyes that held healthy respect. The vampire were the kryptonite of the fey. They, and they alone, could steal fey immortality with a bite. That was what legend told them. Further, it had been confirmed from the mouth of Celesta. It made Marcus feel better knowing it. However, it was not certain how loyal either William or Delilah would be to the Singers.
He listed his son and Cynthia, and the Were whom the Reader had insisted be present: Adrianna, Slash, Jason, Emmanuel, Reagan, and the former police detective, Karl Truman; the Packmaster had been left behind. Jacqueline and Tony were already known to Queen Darcel.
When the introductions were finished, Queen Darcel, in turn, introduced Kiel, Celesta, Cormack, and Tharell, who they'd made acquaintance with, in the most violent of circumstances. A fey with deep blue hair and a green body jogged into the entry hall, the rocks rising so high that the ceiling appeared black, though this portion of the mound before entering the court was well lit. He casually tossed out his name as Domi, and seemed to be close to Tharell, who did not look exactly like the other royal Sidhes.
An awkward silence followed Domi's appearance and Marcus filled it, "Your guard, Tharell, entered our territory, poisoned us with a magical sleep, after first deceiving us that he was a member of our own region." He paused for effect. "Then, we were fortunate enough to have one amongst us that possessed enough blood of the fey to use it as a homing device of sorts, and find the nest of fey. When we arrived, your briar nearly had us bleeding to death." Marcus hated including Jacqueline in any way that was positive or tied to the Singers. Her treason was of the highest order against Julia. Yet, her royal standing had spared her miserable life and Jacqueline's deceit of her true lineage had aided in finding the Rare One. He focused on that rare turn of fortune.
Darcel listened impassively while Marcus gave the history of the last day's events, then said something that was unexpected, "We are not birds." She chose to reference how Marcus had referred to the fey as a nest and Jacqueline's homing. The greater message appeared lost. Not a good sign.
Jacqueline spoke for the first time, "He understands, Queen Darcel." Julia knew that Jacqueline was placating the Queen, not defending Marcus.
Darcel looked at her for a protracted moment. "Then why does he speak like he does not?"
"They want the Rare One back," she answered. Julia's eyes narrowed. Jacqueline would never help her.
"But you do not want that. It is your heart's desire that Julia Caldwell remain here within the bosom of my tender mercy, and that you... return to rule their Region One in her stead."
Jacqueline had been a busy bee, squealing like a pig and bending the sadist Queen's ear with all their Singer secrets. Julia's heart began to pound in a fierce rhythm inside her chest. She could not stay here. Darcel was a proven torturer. She knew, deep in her heart, that Darcel had only told her the things she wished for Julia to know. And like an iceberg, there was a ton of crap under the surface that she couldn't see. But Julia would see it all if she stayed.
Marcus tensed, insisting, "We must come to an understanding, Queen Darcel."
"Why?" Queen Darcel asked, her brow cocked.
Marcus seemed to pause there, unsure. "We are a peaceable people."
Queen Darcel threw her head back and laughed. It sounded like tinkling crystal being shattered, everyone flinched at the horrible music that laugh made. "That is a bald-faced lie. Our intelligence says that you routinely decimate any kiss of vampires that crosses your boundaries."
It was interesting that they had intelligence on the Singers yet the Singers had thought the fey to be legend only. Marcus had the regret of ignorance heavy on his psyche this day. When they survived this, he could beat himself to death over not knowing that the legend was real. A terrible reality of surprise and strength. Right now, it was a matter of seeing his people through this event alive. His eyes fell to Julia, the Rare One. Without her, all their efforts were for naught. "Yes," Marcus answered. "We will defend what we must but will not draw first blood."
"Interesting... you have two vampire in your charge this day."
Marcus nodded.
"To what end?" she asked like a verbal trap.
Marcus explained, in an extremely succinct way, the drawing of the three, the need for a marriage to unite the groups. Julia cringed at his wording. Finally, he mentioned the soul meld and Darcel laughed again. The grinding against Julia's ears felt like it could draw blood and Jason's fingers curled around her shoulders.
"None of what I have relayed is humorous," Marcus commented quietly.
"Oh but it is, Singer... it is." The Queen narrowed her gaze on him and he felt the first stirrings of foreboding. "Firstly, our magick breaks all other magicks which are not of faerie. Such as soul melds," she began, her distaste for soulmates evident in her tone of voice. "It will not hold against the natural talents within the blood of your group. It cannot cause a shifter to not change if they will it. However, the Sidhe are dominant within faerie and Singers, though they be of pure blood, are not Sidhe. We of the Unseelie are separate from supernaturals who live amongst humankind. We are fey. We are other."
"Permanently?" Scott asked, his eyes on Julia.
"Soulmates no more," Queen Darcel replied, intuiting his question.
Julia and Scott stared at each other.
"Wow," Cyn said. "Just... wow."
Darcel continued to look at Scott. "I feel your energy, the nature of your relationship with the Rare One is to protect her. And that could continue," she paused, "here in fairy."
That wasn't really a choice of returning, Julia thought, knowing things were going to end badly. There was no other way to look at it.
All eyes went to Scott. His gaze switched from the Sidhe warriors to the Queen, then to the small Were pack, Cyn, his father, and finally, the vampire. And always, his eyes glanced at Julia. Because she was under his protection. The soul meld might have been broken, but his role as Combatant had been there since birth, merely waiting for Julia to awaken the circle. Faerie couldn't take that away. He met William's eyes and knew what he saw there. They had both lived too long to not know it when it stared them in the face.
War.
But Scott had to be sure before he owned the bloodshed that was sure to follow. He couldn't kill unless he knew it was for a purpose.
"Julia," he called out, his voice ringing for her ears alone.
Julia gulped, tears burning the back of her eyelids to hear him say her name without the warmth of the meld, but with the caution of the Combatant. "Yes." came her trembling reply.
"Do you know this Queen?"
Julia rolled her bottom lip into her mouth, nibbling nervously as she thought about his question carefully. Scott was asking far more than just that one question.
Julia met his eyes. She knew what he asked. "I know that the Queen wants to use me to save her people."
"How?"
Julia looked at Queen Darcel and saw her fate in those depthless seawater eyes.
"By blood," Julia replied softly, but her voice carried to all those who were gathered. Scott's decision was made.
Then all hell broke loose.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
War
Julia watched Cormack swing first, a knife in each hand. Though, from Julia's perspective, it was a curved dagger and a long sword. If its tip met the ground, it would be waist high.
He wielded it as if it was light as a feather. The metal bit into flesh effectively, like a stroke of a heated blade through soft butter. He knew who his real enemies were as the court of the Sidhe poured out behind the warriors like flies to an accident scene.
However, this was no accident... he strode toward William, swinging as he moved and Julia had just enough time to yell in warning, "William!" but William anticipated the danger and was already changing shape into a melting pot of black. Feathers sprouted, lifting him towards the twenty foot ceiling. His blood-red eyes took in the Sidhe warrior as he switched direction, going for Delilah next. His gaze refocused from the escaped vampire turned raven, to the female.
She hissed, "Your aura is as blood, Sidhe."
"And you soon will be covered in it, death bringer," he responded as he planted his feet wide and swept the arced blade upward, going for a true evisceration and Julia gasped when Delilah disappeared into thin air.
"What in the blue hell?" Jason whispered in shock, pressing Julia against the wall as his facial bones made the wet snapping of breaking apart to reform. Julia felt the downy coat of his hair fill the gap between his skin and her fingertips, her hands gripping his forearms. When those grew too large to grasp, she let go. Julia pressed her palms flat against the coolness of the stone wall and could only watch as a shimmering wave of light and movement appeared before she struck. Then Delilah came into being like a falling star captured before them in the murky stillness of the cave, the sound of fighting the only noise. She lunged even as she appeared, latching onto Queen Darcel by the exposed throat. The Queen's shriek of, "Kill the death bringer!" was summarily dispatched into a choked gurgle.
Fangs like delicate tips of white icicles had appeared in Delilah's mouth as her eyes met Julia's when she moved out from behind Jason's body. Delilah was vampire, but she was also part of Julia's people. She was Singer enough to advise, Were enough for the sharpest of senses, and Vampire enough to kill without remorse when the need was strongest.
As she did now.
Julia did what she could, casting her telekinesis like a clumsy net, her skills not fine-honed but enough to cause the Sidhe warriors, Celeste and Domi, to stumble.
But it was enough, the Were advancing from the opposite side in their wolfen form; to keep the Sidhe at bay while Delilah sucked the immortality out of the veins of their ruler.
Julia could feel something old, pressed against her, making her bones ache. "Magic," she breathed, knowing that the Sidhe of the court were trying to use their magic to kill the Singers, the Were... and the precious vampire who gave them a fighting chance against the Queen's agenda. Julia hadn't known the feel of actual magic, because it was a different flavor from the inborn talents of the Singers. Different than the shifting of the Were and having nothing to do with the undead. It was a fey ability but she could feel it working all around her like the air she breathed.
Delilah's face came away from the neck of Queen Darcel, her lips a bloody circle like a clown's mouth.
The magic intensified into a narrow spear, hurting so badly, in a way- it bordered pleasure for Julia. It burst out like a bubble popped and the air was shattered by it.
But the supernaturals didn't fall.
The queen had been struck down in a pool of blood. Julia looked at the hilt that had landed the killing blow, while Delilah drank at her throat.
It was Rex, the Sidhe who had dared to speak against the Queen, the remnants of his torture by Cormack all over his body in bloody half-healed welts, punctures, and slashes. His long white robe, belted in a braided gilded tie, was now splattered with royal blood that mingled with his own. His eyes met Julia's. "She will meet true death this day, Rare One."
The magic had gone along with the Queen's life. Julia stood stunned, her troubles over.
Or just beginning.
Jason, Manny, Truman, and Slash, who'd held the other Sidhe, dropped their hands and the warriors, Domi and Celesta, came to Julia, beaten but not defeated. Jason remained slightly in front of her, his features having bled back to his human face. He'd deferred to the rest of the Were pack to keep the Sidhe from hurting her. Jason had sacrificed the part of the battle that would have necessitated him leaving her side.
They knelt before her and the first hot flush of embarrassment washed over Julia in a slick glide of heat. She swallowed it back with an effort, and the green hand of Domi latched onto hers, pulling it down to his mouth, where he kissed it gently. "Thank you, Rare One."
For what? Julia thought.
Celesta must have seen the question on Julia's face because she answered the question she saw there, "For freeing us."
There was a rustle of cloth, a whisper of movement that was in Julia's periphery and she turned to face it.
"She must die," Cormack said and came for her just as a shriek like an animal in the throes of death struck her ears.
Julia realized she was amazingly alone when Jason had stepped back as the fey had bowed at her feet. Scott was now closer and broke for her, changing into the form he had once before when she'd been so close to meeting death up close and personal. But it would be too late.
Much too late. Cormack's rage and intent were etched lines of violence in his beaten and war struck face that was now focused solely on her.
She braced herself, knowing her novice telekinesis wouldn't be fast or accurate enough to stop him before he could act.
And Julia was still mortal. To have survived all this strife and war, to be at the chasm of real leadership, freedom and a decision she could live with- robbed by this Sidhe warrior. She closed her eyes, ready for the blow.
Julia heard the flap before she saw it, felt the wind from them against her face as Cormack's sword whistled above her head in a metallic roar, the metal glinting in the weak torchlight. The Sidhe slid to the left, their eyes on the roof. Scott's enraged face came into view before it was blocked by a pure and perfect darkness. Julia looked up as soft feathers enveloped her body like silken heat. William's raven pressed against her, chest to breast, in a cocoon of down. The profile of his beak lay cold against her cheek.
Julia could feel the sword when it landed. The impact pushed William closer and her gaze locked with his dark crimson eyes, the tip of the blade brushing her chest as it slid through his heart.
The cold steel begged for entry, his body proof against it entering hers.
William's red eyes held so much emotion suspended within the blood of his irises.
So much pain.
Though mainly, that gaze was saying goodbye and... I love you.
I've always loved you.
It was all there like a raw message in the windows to his soul. It made Julia's chest burn and eyes well with tears in a surge of understanding and grief that was truly breath-taking.
Those scarlet eyes fluttered closed and the ebony blanket of feathers slipped away as Cormack's head rolled, the arterial spray from Scott wrenching it from his neck flinging the evidence of his injury against the black walls, the light of the torches hissing on contact.
Julia stood there numbly, covered in William's blood while Delilah gave a delicate hiss and launched on the headless Sidhe warrior even as his hands came to find her body in a macabre embrace. The truly immortal could still live without their head. Truman and Slash ripped his arms to the ground and put their body weight against his.
Delilah drowned in the blood of the royal fey warrior, drinking so much she vomited it around his body and dipped to begin again. Julia watched his head, those glittering obsidian eyes sliding closed... dying.
When the light in them was gone, Julia said, "Stop." Her voice quaked with the command but she couldn't stand another drop of killing and still want to live.
Delilah pulled away, leaning against the wall in a drunken stupor. Drunk by blood consumption, a potent cocktail of Sidhe royalty.
Julia ignored the horror for the moment, dropping to her knees beside William. His body lay broken and bleeding. Those beautiful gray eyes gone forever. Did she do this? Were her thoughts of separatism and wanting to be only with Jason... somehow, a self-fulfilling prophesy? That if she thought hard enough it would come true? Her knuckles slid across a face gone slack in death, the blood a smooth conduit for her post-mortem caress and she took her trembling hand back against her chest, cradling it.
Julia hung her head, her hair sweeping over William's form on the unforgiving stone and wept. She felt pieces of her heart break away as the tears fell, mixing with her hair, William's blood.
When Julia could lift her head, she looked at Scott and he'd shrunk back into his normal Singer form. Was he next to die a martyr's death? Was it a coincidence of faith that Julia wanted out of the triangle of matrimony she'd thought she was railroaded into? Or had she predetermined this event through some skill she was yet unaware of?
She swiped at her wet cheeks, pushing the strands of hair behind her ears. Julia's head spun with the different branches of her life. Of cause and effect, or predestination and coincidence. Exhausted, she dropped her wet face on William's chest, his skin going from the normally cool temperature of vampire, to the ice of the truly dead.
Julia barely felt Jason's arms hold her as she cried.
She wept for William, the vampire who'd truly loved her.
Julia wept for them all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The Sidhe parted like a great glimmering sea, their long robes, in jewel toned fabrics, swept the cool marble beneath their feet. Julia tried not to dwell on what their hems glided over, the decoration of battle scarred on its surface. Except for Rex, who was also decorated in his Queen's blood.
They moved to let her pass.
Julia walked by habit only, her feet landing one foot at a time in front of her, William's death was a wild and frightening grief she couldn't embrace. Couldn't face. Her captor of the past had become her friend.
Jason and Scott walked beside Julia as she sat at the base of the royal dais, using the former Queen's velvet footstool as a perch. When she faced the fey and her own people, which she felt included the Were and the lone vampire, her eyes began to swim with tears.
Cyn sat beside her. "Jules..." she said, brushing a strand of her soft golden hair behind Julia's ear as she kept her eyes wide so the tears wouldn't fall. "You don't have to say anything," she said quietly. "Let's just get the hell out of here." Julia's eyes scanned the expressions of all the expectant fey and Cyn added in a whisper, "Let them clean up their own back yard." Julia felt her friend's eyes on her and her gaze swung back to Cyn. "We have plenty of fiascos back at the old home turf."
Of course, Cyn was right; she'd always had a way of summing things up quickly. It wasn't gracefully stated but it was the truth. Sometimes lies were prettier but that's not what Julia needed right now and Cyn knew it.
"No kidding," Adi mumbled in agreement.
Julia's eyes turned to the marbled floor beneath her feet, breathing in and out silently. I will not cry, she commanded herself. She felt so lost. William was gone, the soul meld obliterated by a magic she had just met. It's absence was a relief. It was also a shock and a loss.
The silence wore on. Finally, Tharell spoke. His deep rumbling voice resonated inside her breastbone, "It is done. The reign of Queen Darcel has been stopped by the bite of true death." Julia looked up, noticing his glance was all for Delilah. But it returned unerringly to Julia. Her breath caught.
"We cannot keep you, Queen of the Singers. However... I think I might speak for the Sidhe warriors who remain...," Domi and Celesta's silence allowed him to continue, "They would wish that those of your people, who desire," Julia's grief wasn't so complete that she couldn't see his struggle for delicacy, "to wed," he finally spit out, "those of the fey," he hesitated in the ponderously awkward silence then continued, "it would strengthen the line of the Sidhe and begin an alliance between our peoples."
Julia looked around at the small court, many faces beautiful, all were haughty. The real question was: Did she want to help these people? After their ruler had almost forced her into being a part of their dysfunction against her will?
Julia wasn't sure if she was up to being clever and sighed, though her eyes remained steady on the mixed-blood Sidhe.
Tharell read her mind, his deep purple skin's wounds like black slashes against the bruised sky of sunset. "She is no more, Julia Caldwell. We would not have her ghost rule here. Yet rather, a real monarch. One without cruelty, one who seeks fairness, regardless of who needs it." Julia met his serious gaze, his words so much more than what he'd uttered. Tharell wanted equality, a very human desire and Julia realized these supernaturals, for all their powers, wanted many human ideals. As she gazed around the room, she thought that would take time. Many of the faces showed they didn't agree with his stance. Not everyone would welcome the mixing of the fey and Singer. His vote was one drop of water in a bucket of uncertainty, of prejudice.
Julia didn't answer, instead she asked a question, "Who will... lead your people now that Queen Darcel is gone?"
"Dead," Tharell corrected and couldn't hide his joy in the clear flash of his brilliant blue eyes. A slash of white appeared against his deep violet skin in a fierce grin of sheer pleasure. Julia had a recent memory of how Darcel dealt with her people. And Rex had been one of the perfect Sidhe she'd extolled. How would she have handled her half-breed guard? Judging by his expression, Julia thought badly, very badly.
Julia waited for his answer as if the world held its breath.
"Would it be too much to ask that you rule here?" Tharell finally asked softly and Julia stood amongst the mumblings of the fey. It sounded like discordant dissent. Cyn stood beside her, not touching, just quietly offering her strength.
Julia took a deep breath, steadying herself. "It would," she said in a tone of regret. "I'm sorry, but I have something that's more important than ruling, than healing... than anything." She wasn't dismissing Tharell; she was just being honest. For the first time, she would be honest with herself because she finally could be. Julia turned to Jason and he looked down at her, their eyes falling into each other and Scott moved away so that Julia could do what she needed to do.
Julia couldn't have cared for Scott more than she did in that moment. He was giving her the ultimate freedom: choice. After what they'd been through together, she recognized it for the gift it was. She knew it hadn't been given without sacrifice.
In front of the fey and the most important people in their world, while the Were stood as witness, her known enemies, Jacqueline and Tony, and her unknown amongst the fey—Julia declared herself to her husband. Hope etched its spell in the very air they breathed.
"I'm sorry, Jason," she began and he cupped his large palm against her face, having stood quietly by since William's death, since Tharell's words. The coarseness of his skin was exactly as Julia remembered, the smell of him equaling the footprint of those poignant memories exactly.
Some things remained the same; her guts clenched with the things that might have irreparably changed.
"Me too, Jules," he answered in a whisper against the side of her mouth.
She steeled herself. Then, "Would you marry me?" she asked and Jason pulled his head back, a slow grin spreading across that face she knew so well.
"I thought we already were?" That nasty lapse of love-hate that had clung to them for months was now like a smear that left no stain. Gone, to be replaced with the love he'd held at bay. Out of fear of unrequited love.
Julia realized that he couldn't have been with her while she was also with others. Because what they'd had was true love and sometimes it didn't conquer all, but cannibalized itself until it disappeared from a person's life, the flames eating at each other until only embers remained.
In their case, Julia had caught the thread of it and wound it up tightly in her heart, until she found she could call it back.
Call Jason back. But would he answer?
William's death hadn't been for nothing. The collapse of the soul meld with Scott had been a blessing in disguise. Something good coming from tragedy.
Their love had survived the smoldering ashes of the battle of the fey. William's death eased the decision she'd already made and the meld had disappeared like smoke on the wind.
Gone but yielding to what now stood before them.
Their love was a blazing fire come full circle to consume them.
Jason bent low, putting his other hand up to cradle her face and Julia shut her eyes as those lips she knew so well, kissed her tears away and stroked her mouth until Julia kissed him back as if no time had passed.
Joy replacing the sorrow.
Hope taking the place of all.
*
Leaving
Julia moved through the door of the fey mound to the outside, Tharell's escort unnecessary but welcome. She'd been loaned a garment of the Sidhe, her blood soaked clothing no longer wearable, and too sad to consider it. It had been explained in great detail, that Darcel's reign had been filled with tyranny and the fey were hopeful for a new order. Julia wasn't sure over a thousand years of tradition could be expunged just because the nutcase ruler was absent. Maybe those long-held beliefs would prove stubborn. She still felt the echo of William's thoughts... his words, moving through her mind and it made the tender parts of her ache with the loss. He'd improved her life and now he was gone.
Julia learned that Queen Darcel had been dying a slow and painful death. Death that would never come but yet consume her slowly, in agony. She'd hoped to farm Julia's blood in a desperate attempt to relieve herself. And also relieve Julia of her life. Killing Julia to save herself. If Julia had lived through that cultivation, she would have been a brood mare for the Sidhe.
A role that was always riding on the periphery of her new life as a supernatural.
The briar behaved themselves as the line of fey wove between the branches, though some "tasted" of the non-fey who passed, the Sidhe touching the cold steel of their blades against the offending branches as they played a game of tug of war between blade and branch.
When Julia took her first breath of fresh air she clutched William's ashes tighter to herself, confused by her conflicted emotions. She was so blessedly glad to be alive, to have a chance with Jason. So sad to have lost William. And in some ways, the utter devotion of Scott. It was true that the soul meld had been too stifling for her, but conversely, there'd been a strange comfort of knowing her feelings weren't her own, but predestined.
Now the magic of faerie had broken those velvet ties and Scott walked beside her as Combatant rather than soulmate. He still cared, but it was a different care.
Tharell stopped her. "Julia."
She turned, her hair stirring in the breeze, the dappled sunlight through the trees before them like fallen puzzle pieces. It softened Tharell's almost-black skin to a sparkling lavender haze that rode him like an iridescent layer in a glimmering cloak of flesh. Tharell saw her as a liquid gold apparition, her hair curling at her waist. The gilded cord on the blood red Sidhe's garb became her. The color was bold against her delicate coloring, matching the woman within.
"When can we expect you?"
Julia now understood a promise made to the fey was a serious one; she had been instructed. Oath breakers would be punished, even her. Jason held one of her hands, stroking the knuckles almost absently.
"Don't promise what you can't keep," Jason reminded her gently, his abrasive defense long gone.
Julia didn't miss it. "I won't." He squeezed her hand.
She looked at Tharell, and like the Combatant, his size was intimidating. But it was the rawness of not belonging to anyone that struck a resonating chord with Julia. "Soon... before the end of the year."
"Our time runs differently in faerie. Our magick," Tharell reminded her.
Julia clarified. "In three more human months."
"We will use the world's time instead of faerie as a marker," he said as a partial question.
Julia nodded. "It's the only time I know."
Tharell smiled. "For now."
Julia's lips lifted at the corners. "Yes- for now," she agreed. "Goodbye, Tharell." Her eyes went to the Sidhe warriors who remained. Who no longer fought for an insane ruler. Possible future allies. They nodded back and Tharell echoed her goodbye, "Until we meet again, Julia of the Singers."
She went to walk away, then thinking of something critical she called to Tharell and he replied, his bound hair whipping around his body like an errant tail. "Yes, Queen Julia?"
She hated the title but pushed forward. "Thank you for... helping with Jacqueline and Tony."
"You are most welcome."
There was such a thing as a jail made of fey magic. It was strong enough to hold Jacqueline until the mess of royalty could be sorted out. Julia needed time, and the fey had given her that by incarcerating Jacqueline and Tony. It'd be enough for a while. But not forever.
They left the mound behind, jailers of the woman who would murder her and Tony, a violent offender. They deserved each other, Julia thought.
But it was Adi who summed it up perfectly as the distance grew between them and faerie. The space now looked like any small knoll in the middle of open land between patches of forest. "Queen Wench and King Jackass are where they belong."
Julia couldn't rouse a smile at Adi's humor but peered over her shoulder at Reagan, thinking she looked sad too. Maybe it was anticlimactic? Reagan impressed Julia as someone who took their vengeance very seriously.
Julia shook it off. She couldn't heal the wounds of everyone. There were several that still oozed the blood of the last two years of her life.
Julia wanted healing. Needed it.
Jason kept her hand in his and Scott took the urn with William's remains as they traveled to Region One, his look contemplative, serious. But he stayed by her side.
They traveled the long journey in relative silence.
All of them locked within the recesses of their own thoughts.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Were
Harriet put his arm out in front of Tai. "Hold up."
Tai stopped walking, the soft ground thick and squishing between the deeply patterned soles of his boots.
"What?" Tai scanned the deep woods, every shadow looking the same and he inhaled, the sharp scent of cedar and Douglas fir filling his lungs. He was irritated, exhaling the smell of forest in a rush. A worthless hike in the middle of bum-fucked Egypt wasn't his idea of solid investigative work. Tai Simon wanted done with this. Hell, he wanted a cold beer.
A smile flashed across Tom Harriet's face and was gone. "Y'know, if you weren't such a pansy you'd think of this as an adventure."
Tai sighed again, Harriet had always been a strange ranger. "Yeah, I'm sure you're yukking up, all Mr. Nature and whatnot."
Harriet laughed, looking at his partner, more at home playing chess than in the outdoors. "You got that. That broad's cigarette marathon burned my nose hairs." Literally, he thought.
Tai put his hands on his hips, looking deeper into the vast pockets of the forest. "Didn't you say you were from the Colorado wilderness or some survivor's crap like that?" That's when Simon caught sight of it. Brown, solid. Rocks.
"No," Tom replied, his nostrils flaring in recognition. Close, very close.
"Where then?" Tai asked absently, moving toward the outcropping of nutmeg-toned boulders.
Tom Harriet watched the broad back of his partner move toward the entrance to the Northwestern Den and felt a hard smile form on his face as he answered, "Alaska."
Tai turned suddenly back to Harriet, his tone sounding a primal alert as Ford appeared behind him.
*
"Not yet," Harriet said and Ford backed further away from Simon.
Tai turned. "What the fuck." His eyes narrowed on Ford then they skirted to Tom Harriet, his partner of two years.
"What the fuck is going on Tom?" Simon asked in a low voice. It was mainly inquiry but suspicion had leaked in there as well.
Tom held up his cell. "I'm sorry Tai, I've been given orders." His eyes met his partner's with regret. "And they don't include you. Or, they could...?"
The hell with this, Tai thought as his gun cleared its holster as fast as Harriet knew it would and he put up his hands. "Listen... Tai, don't make us kill you. It doesn't have to be this way."
"He's not going to make a good gopher, Tom, you gotta know that," Ford said, his outfit no longer that of a FBI agent but one of someone who was a serious outdoorsman. Or of someone who had an agenda to journey for a time outside.
"Stay where you are," Simon said, his gun hand steady. Harriet knew that it wouldn't stay that way. There was only so long a person could hold a weapon steady until gravity had its way with you.
"Put the gun up Tai, and we'll talk." Harriet raised an inoffensive palm, speaking in a soothing way.
"Don't play me, Tom." Tai gave Harriet cool eyes. Weirdness aside, he was getting his game back on.
Harriet shrugged, letting his hand fall as he continued, "We have a proposition you can't refuse." What he really meant was an offer Tai shouldn't refuse. Simon heard all of that in one sentence.
Simon's hard eyes met Harriet's. "Fuck that and the Trojan your ass rode in on, partner."
He said partner like dick.
Tom sighed. Shit. He flicked a glance at Ford, his liaison for the pack. "Show him."
Simon added a second hand to the grip of his piece, the barrel unwavering from Ford, who was currently performing a striptease.
No reason to ruin perfectly good clothing, Harriet thought.
"Whatever you're going to do- don't. I Will. Fucking. Shoot," Tai said.
Harriet knew he meant it.
He didn't shoot in time though. Ford burst his skin in a hurricane of skin and the gore that makes people human, flinging his change at Tai. The shot went high as Ford's talons caught the gun and hooked it into a skating dance of speed and air where it sailed harmlessly into the forest.
A male screaming wasn't a typical sound. People are so accustomed to the idea of a female screaming or being threatened but a man in true fear for his life. A hard man like Tai?
It was something to behold.
He wailed in a pure mix of surprise and terror as Ford's snout got within striking distance of Tai.
"Wait," Harriet said and it was painful to watch Tom's power arrest the movement of the less alpha Were, Ford. He growled, trying to shake off the neck-tightening rush of energy that laid over him like a chokehold. But he couldn't, Tom was alpha and that was all.
Tom strode to where Tai Simon lay on the ground, his expensive suit ruined by the change of Ford, bits of his human body shed all over Simon. Tai's best feature, those blue eyes that had gotten more conquests into the sack than Harriet could count, were so wide the whites had overcome the blue.
"Tom!" Tai shrieked, wrestling under the five hundred pound black Were, his fur glistening like a wet shadow in the ambient light of the woods.
"Quiet and listen up, Tai." A few soft huffs of breath from the Were and those shocky eyes went to Tom's. He paused, letting Tai think about his options.
None.
Finally realizing his conundrum, Tai asked in a breathy voice, "What?"
"I am a werewolf." Tom smiled; sometime telling was showing. "We are seeking some naughty, runaway people of the blood. Karl Truman is the key."
Tai looked at the Were, whose breath warmed his neck, then back at Harriet. "Okay..." he choked out, "seeing is believing. But what do I have to do with it." Tom watched his partner's eyes fill back with a semblance of logic, his humanity reasserting itself and he was glad Tai wasn't going to lose it over the show.
Harriet smiled. "I've always liked you, Tai." Tai Simon looked at him like he was a liar and Tom supposed he deserved that. Harriet frowned. "This is straight reconnaissance, Tai. You help us retrieve Truman and a few supernaturals who were missed in our initial acquisition, and you can become one of us as a reward."
Tai looked at Tom, then his eyes moved to the Were above him, the paws driven into his chest. The crushing weight only relieved because his haunches were on the ground. "I think being one of you sounds like a bad plan."
Ford's form bled until he was wolfen and Tai took a deep breath, trying to find the steady in his new reality and grasping onto nothing. All the straws of logic were firmly out of reach. There was a half-wolf, half-man hanging over him. He could feel himself slipping.
Harriet waggled his finger at Tai, "Ah-no. Don't lose your balls now, Simon. Keep it together."
Ford growled, "It is help now or die."
Tai breathed deeply, summoning whatever courage remained. Gunless, on the ground, and between two creatures of legend, he wasn't doing too bad, everything considered. "Shit choices, Tom," he finally said.
Harriet shrugged.
"Alright," Tai said slowly. "I guess I'm on board."
Harriet jerked him up by the hand and they looked at each other. He almost upended him. "Why didn't you just... I don't know, tell me." He took his hand back as if burned, glaring at Harriet.
Ford looked at him, his hair stuck together by dried gunk from the change and Tai couldn't help but stare back. Especially disconcerting where the werewolf's package, holy fucking crow. "Like what you see, Simon?" the thing named Ford asked.
Simon gulped. "Blown away, more like." His eyes went to Harriet. His former partner. Because they sure as hell weren't anymore. Tai didn't know what they were.
"We thought it was a botched acquisition and we'd live with the dens of the south getting a hold of that Blood Queen. But then Karl Truman got involved and everything went to hell in a hand basket." Harriet was oh, so reasonable.
They're certifiable, Tai thought, backing up a little. Space was better. He couldn't breathe with that thing up his ass and now Harriet was an unknown. Tai was looking at surviving, one moment at a time. The creature had been on his weapon before he could fire. Hell, it'd been almost before he could think to fire. His piece was somewhere in the shadowed ground of the forest now. Damn. Disarmed and fucked. What a hot mess this was.
"The Packmaster of the Southeastern tried to kill Truman," Harriet announced.
Ford was suddenly human and it made Tai jump a foot. Whoa... shit, Tai thought, backing up further. More space.
"David bit him and he was a red." Harriet gave Simon only what he needed to know. "He had Were genetics, and a roll of the damn dice... he's a Red."
"Wait!" Tai said and they looked at him. "So this cop from Homer, traces these... blood people," he stabbed at his own memory for the naming and they nodded. "And he gets this close," Simon made his index and thumb almost touch, "and you try to off him?" He spread his palms out wide from his body, saw the gunk on them and wiped them on his ruined- beyond-repair suit.
"I'm a plant for the Alaskan den." Tai looked at Harriet and he gave a small bow. "I am not from this pack. Those Blood Singers escaped our region when a Were botched the taking of the Blood Queen. Now, we're stuck in a political conflict of regaining control of our blood population through whatever means necessary."
Tai stood there for a moment, his mind touching on a hundred questions but stalled on the most important one. "What means?" His eyes searched Tom's.
Harriet laughed. "What other means? We travel to where the blooded people live, take what's ours and acquire Truman. We don't want any rogue Reds in this region. Too much of a wild card."
"The Packmaster of the Northwestern and Southeastern don't know about Ford here." Harriet jerked his thumb toward Ford, a tough man, low to the ground, hard and brutal in his bearing.
"This is a lot to take in," Tai said, buying time. He didn't know how long or well that would work, after all, Tom Harriet would intimately anticipate Tai. They'd been partners for going on two years.
"We'll fill you in more on the way. I had to make sure Ford would follow through before we worked together," Harriet said. Ford grinned but all Tai could see was the way his other mouth had looked minutes ago and shuddered.
Tai stood straighter, warming to his new role of survival. It was the only choice. Death wasn't a good one. "What's the plan?"
Tom Harriet smiled, pleased. He knew Tai would come around. Some wouldn't have been able to wrap their head around it. "We move north, to where the blooded people dwell. I now have the complete loyalty of Ford and he can identify the other Reds. We'll take them and whatever witnesses there were to the night the pack tried to acquire the blood Queen."
"Who?" Tai asked, he couldn't help himself. It was too weird not to ask.
"Julia Caldwell," Harriet hesitated then Ford nodded. "Cynthia Adams and Jason Caldwell."
Tai's brows rose in surprise. "It was my understanding that they were dead and Miss Adams missing."
Tom shook his head. "No. Truman wouldn't stop digging around and sticking his nose in where he shouldn't have."
"And now he's been... turned."
"As you will be," Tom added.
Tai stepped backwards. "Nah... I know I'm not one of those," he said, pointing at Ford who stared calmly back, not offended in the least by his disgust.
Harriet laughed. "That's where you're dead wrong." Tai Simon searched his partner's eyes again, not liking his wording one little bit.
"How's that?"
"I don't make a practice of partnering with males who do not have pack ties."
Tai Simon whispered, "No." Being dumb wasn't a flaw of his. Making leaps of logic had been one of his best things. It is one of his best things. He didn't like this connect-the-dot he'd just completed in his mind. Tai prayed he was wrong.
"Oh yes, my friend. Somewhere back there, there's a wolf in the woodpile."
Nope, not wrong. Heat drove from his feet, flushing through his body to reach his head last. He'd finally reached critical mass and there was just so much the human mind could embrace before it overloaded. Tai Simon didn't hear anymore, because he'd slumped to the ground in a dead faint.
Tom shook his head, they'd been through things together but he'd just taken in more than most human minds could bear. It was a nasty little shock, he thought with a grim smile. "He's a tough man."
Ford grunted a second time, partly with the slight weight of the man
over his shoulder and partly in disbelief, "He better be a sight better as a Were," he muttered as he walked to the unmarked SUV, a mere speck of black amongst the filtered gray shadows of the woods.
Tom Harriet followed. Tai would be fine.
Harriet had a nose for talent.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
It was morbid relief, but relieved she was.
Jen looked at the urn and made a face. "I know... the vamp..." Julia looked at her. "William meant a lot to you but do we have to, I don't know, have a shrine or something?"
Julia caressed the alabaster urn. "It's not a shrine, but he saved me. And by saving me he really died."
"True death," Victor said from the corner of the parlor where he'd been leaning against the wall. Julia turned away from the mantle where William's ashes sat and agreed simply, "Yes."
Marcus sat behind his desk. Scott, Jason, and a handful of Singers lounged against door frames and couches, in the general vicinity but they were no longer on alert. Jacqueline and Tony were under magical lock and key for a three month hiatus, the Discerner of the fey having easily "made" the intent of both of them, validating Julia's request for jailing of the two. Her promise to return to the Unseelie mound in three months' time was one she intended to keep. It bought Julia time to decide a lot of things. The main thing would be what to do with them. In the here and now, she was thinking about Jason.
About Scott.
She tried not to think about William. It was too heart-wrenching for words. But there wasn't any time for grieving. There never seemed to be for her. It was surviving one turmoil to the next. But finally, there was a chance to live normally, with her first choice. A normal choice made before all this happened, before Julia knew just how much her life had been manipulated from birth.
She looked at Jason and he gave a slight smile back, moving into her arms and pressing a kiss on the crown of her head. Then, too low for anyone to hear he whispered in her ear, "'Til death do us part, Jules." She leaned back to search his eyes and replied, "Yes." She tried not to cry, really she did, but it was so beautiful to see that expression back in Jason's eyes that a few tears struggled out. He caught them with his thumbs, sweeping them away with a practiced flick. Then his mouth found hers, in the lightest press of lips they'd ever shared. Full of promise, matching that look in his eyes.
Love.
Julia reluctantly took a step back, swallowing all that swelling emotion. She had something she wanted to do. It was important. She needed to start leading her people, beginning with the most important person.
Scott came to her and she took his hand. "I'll be back," Julia said to Jason and the trust was there. Just back where it belonged and she was beyond glad.
They walked out together, the Combatant standing down when they saw Julia with Scott.
She hesitated at the bottom of the porch steps, the lake in the distance.
"What?" Scott asked, squeezing her hand.
Julia laughed, feeling silly for that cool brush she felt inside her head. "It's nothing... just, feeling a little rattled."
Scott smiled. "Understandable. A lot of shit went down, we're all feeling like we barely escaped the guillotine."
Julia frowned, hating the visual. It didn't quiet her unease, but intensified it. She glanced at the Combatant behind her, counting five on the porch alone.
She shrugged her misgivings away, and smiling at Scott, they walked toward the lake together.
*
Jason
Cynthia watched Julia and Scott walk down toward the lake and turned to Jason. "You okay with that?"
Jason's eyes followed the pair and he slowly nodded. "I wouldn't slap an 'okay' on it, more like... tolerable. Barely."
Cyn let out a breath she'd been holding. "That soul-meld was some creepy-ass shit."
"Yeah it is. Scott is an okay dude, he's just..." Jason didn't know how to word it.
"He was panting after your lady," Cyn said with a wink.
"So not funny, Cyn. Bad pun."
Cynthia giggled. "Yeah, kinda. I like it though. With all this weird supernatural crap, we need some comic relief. Better to laugh than cry, true?"
Jason nodded, watching the pair make their way to that small lake in the valley of Region One. "Jules needs closure."
Cyn looked at him in surprise. "Did you come up with that?"
He grinned. "Hell no, just repeating what she said."
Cyn laughed. "I was gonna say." They were quiet for a minute then Cyn asked, "Now what happens?"
He made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat. "Marcus said that we could have a Singers hand-fasting?" Jason said like he wasn't sure that was the term.
"I guess the human marriage wasn't good enough?" Cyn said with a snort.
Jason shook his head. "No." Then he gave her a level look, his hazel eyes narrowing as he folded his arms across his broad chest. "Actually, it's enough for me, and I think Jules would agree."
"But not for them." She looked up at him.
"No."
"Huh," Cyn said, kicking a pebble out of the way. The porch was behind them, the Combatant and the occasional Singer would stroll by, making their way between the training center, the mansion and their houses.
Cyn gave a little jerk of her chin and Jason got the hint, following her a little out of the way. "Yeah?"
"So the Combatant studs stay in place, Julia stays here, doesn't age as fast and...? What, a Red Were becomes king of the Singers?"
"It's not what they want, there isn't that third supe to act like... I don't know- a go-between or something."
"There's Delilah. They're just gonna have to roll with it."
"That's what I thought. Julia's in charge, Jacqueline's been put under fey arrest..." He grinned and Cyn smirked.
"For now," Cynthia reminded and Jason nodded.
He looked toward the lake, searching for those vague forms of Julia and Scott and didn't immediately see them and his heart lurched in his chest. It's okay, he calmed himself, Scott was one of the Combatant, they're all right. Must've gone into that little valley as it dipped to the shore.
Cyn smacked him and he frowned down at her. "Lighten up Jace, she's fine. She's with Super Stud down there."
"Right," he said uneasily, his eyes flicking away from that empty vision of the lake to who approached.
"Hey!" Cyn's hand rose as she sent a casual greeting to the cop and Adi, Slash tight on her heels.
That guy is one scary Were, Jason thought. A good guy though. He looked at the little female in front of him, spitfire should be her name, he thought with a laugh. She turned those serious brown eyes to him and he swallowed his humor. Jason got the feeling she wouldn't appreciate his thoughts.
"What's doing?" Truman asked.
"Hey cop," Jason said and he scowled.
Karl scowled. "I guess I'm forever a cop."
"Well..." Cyn said, holding up her hands, "you did tag our asses for two years?"
Truman felt the heat rise to his face and cursed his fair complexion for giving away his discomfort. It was too damn strange. He knew he looked like he was closer in age to these guys than his true age, but he was still almost fifty-one in his head, not the good side of thirty like he looked. Hell, it'd only been a day and a night since the faerie fun and he'd spent a half hour this morning in front of the mirror, touching every square inch of his face.
The reflection didn't lie. His brain hadn't caught up with his youthful looks. His hair was all there, his dark slate blue eyes bright. It was beyond weird.
Karl answered her question that was more a statement, "Yeah. But, it's not like that life matters anymore."
"Did Marcus not say that the human police were searching for you?"
This from Victor, the GQ cover model of the Combatant and Jacqueline's lackey. Truman gave him a reluctant answer. He wasn't sold on him yet. "Yeah. But they're not gonna find me. Where's their resources? Nah," he shifted with a newly balanced and strong physique, "they'd need a psychic to figure out where you were. Where we are." He almost bleated out a laugh at the irony of that statement but held it in with an effort.
Victor's eyes became thoughtful. "You did, Karl Truman. You did."
Karl paused. A thought struck him and he said slowly, "I followed it to Gig Harbor and then got nailed by the sister pack there." He shrugged.
Victor's brow furrowed and he held up an elegant finger. Of course, Truman knew that he could be savage in battle, the elegance was a persona he slipped on and off when needed. It made him more dangerous in Karl's book, not less. "I think, it is plausible that if you found that trail, someone might have followed it at least to that point."
Jason chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Vic," Jason said, who had even less love for the Combatant than Truman. "I've lived in the pack for awhile, and believe me, it's pack business. If they find Truman, we'll deal with it or his Packmaster will." He looked to Slash and Adi for confirmation and Slash nodded. "He's right." But his face looked troubled.
"What?" Jason asked, glancing again at the lake. No Julia. Fuck. A prickling riptide of nerves slid across his skin, raising it to pebbled gooseflesh. Did he need to get his ass down there?
"It's just..." Adi began and put a hand on Slash's arm and Jason saw that brutal face soften.
Shit, that dude had it bad for the female. Jason looked at the shore again and saw a speck of gold. Julia's hair. He tension lifted. Not all the way but some.
"... that Slash is Red. Truman is Red. And so are you, Jason," Adi said.
"So what?" Jason asked, wanting to end the conversation and get his ass down to the lake. He shouldn't have let Jules wander down there with just Scott. Lame.
"Reds are the lost royalty of the Were. They carry... there's a possibility that they're all rulers. That they can separate into different packs."
Jason was trying to track the conversation despite the distraction of Julia. "What? Each Red splinters from the pack and becomes their own."
Slash looked at Adrianna and sighed. "It's true. But it's more than just leadership. We're seen as a threat."
Truman frowned. " 'Kay, how? Because I like knowing these little details so I can stay alive in the new hierarchy."
Slash's sharp eyes went to Karl's. "It's not good to have this many Reds in one area. It's dangerous. We'll be a target. If we're spread out, other dens don't feel threatened, not enough of us to form an alliance..."
"To do what?" Manny asked from the corner of the porch, jumping lightly over the baluster to the ground beneath as Cynthia moved back.
"Is it true? Can they just make dominant packs from Reds?" Cyn asked and Manny nodded. "They are true moonless changers with the right blood ties."
This was getting interesting, Jason thought, his eyes moving back to the group. "With who?"
"It's not just alpha females, rare though they are, that can throw pure Weres, though only the Rare One can guarantee the moonless. It is the Singer female, just as the fey noted, that has the neutral blood needed to breed true."
Cyn gave a nervous laugh. "Seriously? Are you freaking joking?" she asked, her hand to her chest. "Because this girl isn't laughing. Gawd, duh." Jason thought he heard her mumble, effing perv or something and chuckled. Then his eyes went to the lake and the laughter died. Seeing nothing.
Fuck it.
He looked back to the group. "Listen, I... I want to check on Jules," he said and didn't care if it made him sound paranoid or jealous. He didn't give a rat's ass. He turned and began striding to the glistening black water, no moon in sight. His eyes didn't need the light, he could see just fine.
Lucius called out from the porch, "Jason!"
He turned halfway, his body's movements already committed in the opposite direction.
"Julia is with Scott," he said like that closed the potential to problems.
He paused, then, "Just gonna check anyway..."
"We have sentries at every directional point, Were." Lucius' eyes met his and Jason nodded once and thought, good for them.
"Yeah, okay." He turned his back on them and continued on his merry damn way.
"Wait up!" Adi yelled and they followed. Jason didn't turn. His tread was heavier than his heart as he made his way.
He'd feel a shit ton better once he had Jules in his arms.
Jason walked faster.
*
Julia
The stars were the only light that lit their way but Scott knew the route to the lake so well he could have made it with his eyes closed. Julia had taken this lake trail herself, with many different people but it was the first time her heart had been light.
Hope stood at the center of it.
She released Scott's hand and sat on the familiar boulder. Autumn was coming so the stone's heat was no longer there and Julia gave a small shiver.
Scott stood beside her and she craned her neck to look at him, his face silvered in the starlight, so bright out here in the country, with only the mountains and forest, the sky was utterly absent of the artificial lights of human neighbors. "I'm sorry," Julia said quietly.
Scott didn't say anything for a full minute and Julia's heart bled a little at his silence. It hurt. "Don't," Scott said. "I can't be the big person here."
Julia's face screwed up in a puzzled expression and he laughed. "I mean, I care, I'm your guardian. But I have lost something Julia." He turned to face her and pulled Julia up by her hands. They stood like that for a long moment, each searching the other's face. "If there was no Jason, I would have grown to love you the old-fashioned way. You've got to know that. Believe it."
Julia stared up at him, thinking about their time together and she finally nodded. "I can't say that's impossible."
Scott sighed. "But we'll never know, the soul-meld is broken, you're already married to Caldwell so it's a done deal."
Julia put her hand on his face, only able to reach his lower jaw, he was so tall, her eyes meeting his. "Hey..." she began softly, "you didn't even like me at first, remember?" He nodded but Julia thought it looked less like agreement and more like sadness.
"I'll get over you. It won't be easy but I'll step aside for your chance of happiness. And for what you'll be for our people. But one thing... just do one thing for me." His fingers buried themselves along her temple, each holding the other's face.
How could she deny him? His last request before she and Jason finally made good on their union. "Yes," she said.
Scott lowered his face until his mouth was a sliver of warmth above her lips. "Kiss me... one last time."
Julia's lips parted and she rose on tiptoe. His other hand came around her, his large palm spreading and tightening at the small of her back as he dragged her against him. Julia molded her body to his, parting her lips and he took them in a heated touch of desperate finality.
One moment they were lost and the next Scott stiffened. Julia pulled away and his eyes were wide- surprised. His big body shuddered against her. "Run," he whispered. His large hands clung to her and in the stark light of shadow and starlight she saw the needle sticking out of his shoulder.
He dropped his palms from her body and Julia turned to run, throwing her telekinetic power behind her blindly- wildly. A dart with a very long needle shivered past her, tearing through the canopy of hair that streamed behind her.
She crested the hill that rose from the lake, the ornate chimneys on the mansion like spikes of safety in the distance. Jason saw her running and went from a brisk walk to a full on sprint.
"No!" she yelled. "Go back!" she motioned with her arm even as she ran toward him.
It was enough.
Her small focus of telekinetic talent wavered from the distraction and the second dart struck home, sinking deep into her shoulder blade.
Julia ran, then slowed.
She plunged to her knees as Jason slid into the front of her, his strong arms wrapping her tightly against him.
"Jules!" he said in a hoarse shout, searching her body for harm.
But Julia didn't hear him, the unconsciousness of drugged sleep sucked her down.
*
"Julia!" Jason roared, seeing her scream in warning, then stagger, falling to her knees in the tall grass, becoming brittle from autumn's first bite.
He ran so fast the wind was behind him and his legs gave way five feet from her as he slid home, cradling her slight frame against his body. Jason's hand tore the offending dart from her body and threw it aside.
His nose flared as Julia's eyes fluttered closed into the sleep induced by whatever shit they'd pumped her with and he threw his head back, howling long and deep, raising the hackles of the Were that faced him over her shoulder.
They numbered only three.
Then a fourth came from behind them, a female. One he recognized and his stomach dropped.
Lily. The treacherous fey steward of Julia. The supposed Aunt that had been all about protecting Julia until she became. Until the Unseelie's preordained meeting would transpire. He'd never trusted her.
Jason stood, Julia's body in his arms as the others surrounded him.
"Harriet," Truman whispered from behind him, the rest of the small group having caught up with Jason.
Tom Harriet shrugged. "Yeah," he said, and shot Truman in the shoulder.
"Fuck!" Truman yelled, diving for Cynthia and grabbing her in a rolling fall as she yelled "What are you doing?"
"Giving you a chance," he said in a low voice filled with drowsiness. When his teeth found her arm they bit down, the venom of his kind burrowing deep, the blood of the Singer a conduit to this new supernatural intrusion and she gave a full-throated scream that pierced the air around them.
When the dart found Cynthia, it could not undo what had been started.
"Dammit all!" Harriet bellowed, striding to where Truman lay beside Cynthia. Fucking Reds, he thought.
Slash moved forward, two darts in his mighty chest, Adi was slightly behind him when his talons hit Ford, bursting through his torso. Adi moved to flank him, her claws out as the wind of a needle's passage missed her exposed throat by inches.
"Bastards!" she yelled.
"Yes," Lily agreed as Ford sent a casual slap Adi's way, catching her jaw and rolling her into a stunned heap.
Slash roared at her abuse, ripping his claws out of the Were. Ford grunted at the jerking agony and looked to Harriet.
Lily came over to stand above Adi and she breathed, "Change."
Adrianna howled at the tearing pain and burst her skin as Harriet shot her with a dart during her most vulnerable time. It arrested the change, her body slumping into the drug-induced sleep.
"Thanks," Harriet said.
Lily smiled and replied, "The fey do not require thanks."
Tom ignored her and shot the next Were that showed up. Harriet's face jerked up toward the mansion in the distance, his ears pricking. Blooded warriors on the move. "Tai..." he looked at a bleeding Ford, his guts held in by his hand and sighed, taking notice of his partner. "Pull it together Ford. Get the Weres." Damn. He turned to Simon like get moving.
Tai looked at the six unconscious people, three men and women. Then the man by the lake. "Who?"
Goddammit, did he have to spell the shit out? Apparently. "Drag them to the car," Harriet instructed.
"Allow me," Lily said and allowed her fey form to manifest, the glamor she used to keep the humans appeased dissipating to nothingness. They stared at her. "This is why I appear plain. My true form is distracting."
Tom Harriet swallowed hard. "Fine, if you're going to help, go ahead."
Lily of the Sidhe hauled the females by the collars of their shirts, two in her left hand and the Blooded Queen in her right. "Watch my back," she said behind her shoulder as she dragged the women to the idling all-terrain vehicle. She grimaced as she fought her way inside the metal contraption; it weakened her. Lily hated the taste of steel, its existence. Magick-stealer, that.
Tai struggled with the scarred man and Ford held his intestines in while heaving himself inside the front seat.
Harriet carried Truman, setting him inside the roomy back of the oversized vehicle.
The smell of the Combatant lay thick in the air. Tom hit the hood of the vehicle with the flat of his palm and it roared off.
He moved behind two trees where the SUV had been parked moments before and straddled his dirt bike.
Let them outrun this. His boot bit down on the throttle and the thing shot out of the woods and down the trail to the main road.
He didn't bother to glance more than a moment at the fallen female sentry as she lay sleeping at her post.
Angela opened one eye at the noise of his passage, fighting the sedative with the last of her willpower, committing his face to memory, his aura imprinted in her brain forever.
It was a most unusual color, was her last thought before sleep took her for the second time in a handful of days.
Moments later, Lucius found her sleeping the dreamless sleep of the drugged in the glade. He gathered her into his arms, his eyes unconsciously sought the empty trail of the one who had disarmed the Combatant and taken the Rare One.
The payment for taking the Blood Singers Queen would be steep and paid in only one way.
Their death.
––––––––
THE END
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DEATH WHISPERS
A Death Series Novel
Book 1
New York Times Bestselling Author
TAMARA ROSE BLODGETT
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2010-11 Tamara Rose Blodgett
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
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––––––––
CHAPTER ONE
Pre-Biology sucked, but the subject was mandatory in eighth grade. I walked in and slumped into my seat. We were going to be dissecting frogs, and I wasn't excited about it.
John sat down next to me with two pencils up his nose.
"Hey, Caleb."
"Hey. Did ya make sure the erasers were in there first?" I asked him.
"Yeah, duh." The pencils bounced as he spoke. For a smart guy, he had some weird ideas about self-entertainment.
"You still buzzing?" he asked.
"Yeah, it's on and off." I felt kind of defensive about that and didn't really want to talk about it.
"I've been thinking about that," he said.
I wondered briefly how he could think with pencils up his nose. A mystery. "Yeah?"
"I think you have the undead creeper, like that Parker dude," John said.
That would be bad. "He's the one that could corpse-raise, right?" I asked.
I had just been thinking about how much that ability sucked. However, the rareness of corpse-raising might come in handy. But that being my ability wasn't likely. Mr. Collins went to the whiteboard and started to explain how to pin down the frogs.
"Government took him. Bye-bye... gone." John made a fluttering motion with his hand like a bird flying away. The pencils kept bouncing in a distracting way.
I'd heard about that. Corpse manipulation was rare. Jeffrey Parker was the only recorded case.
"Are you shitting me? Why do you think? Dead people? Come on." I got an image of zombies with M-60s. I was interested for a change. Sometimes John would lose me in a tech rant, and it was all over.
"No, think about it. They could get people raised and force them to do stuff. From a distance, they'd look like they were alive, important people." He raised his eyebrows.
"Presidents?"
"Rulers or whoever," John said. "He was a five-point. He could do the whole tamale. I think the government exploits whatever they can; using whoever they can."
I laughed.
"What?" he asked.
"I can't take you seriously. You look like a dumb-ass." The pencils dangled indignantly inside each nostril, humiliated.
John pulled them out, checking the ends for gold.
I'd been wondering why my head was buzzing. I tried to remember when the it'd started. I had no idea what triggered it. I wondered if John could be right?
"Okay, people," Collins said. "Zip up here and pick up your trays. Your sterilized utensils should already be at your desks."
John went for our trays, minus the attractive pencils. I stared out the window, the rain rivulets that looked like gray streamers marring the glass.
I shook my head, clearing fuzziness. I couldn't get rid of the buzzing, a dull noise that ebbed and flowed. As soon as I had entered the classroom, it had increased. It was starting to sound like people whispering.
"Here. One frog for the both of us." John plunked down a frog that had once been green but was now a bone-gray. The pins staking it to the board gleamed under the LEDs.
Suddenly, I felt as though the earth was swiveling on its axis with me at the top. The whispering grew in volume then images of a marsh flooded my head. A frog, in the bloom of its life, shiny with amphibian iridescence, leapt to a log, hoping to fool a water moccasin.
Right behind you! I shouted.
But the frog didn't seem to hear me.
A motor boat was closing in on the frog. A man leaned out, getting ready to take capture the frog with a loose net on the end of a long metal pole. I heard the frog's thoughts: Strange predator. Must seek cover... noise... hurts...
No! No!
More visions came. With every cut my classmates made, I saw stuff from other frogs' lives. I realized through some dim sense that I was lying on the floor. I think I might have passed out for a few minutes.
"He bit it over a frog? Seriously?" Carson yelled.
Brett, not to be outdone, caterwauled, "He's a total girl!"
Collins was moving his hand in front of my face, holding up fingers, but I was caught in the grip of the death memories absorbing my consciousness. My vision grayed at the edges. A pin point of black expanded in the center, and I knew no more.
*
Trees surrounding the cemetery danced in the languid breeze of the mild spring night. Headstones glimmered like loose teeth, and the whispering was like a steady thrumming of white noise in my head. My hands grew clammy.
I looked behind me at my two friends who'd come to support me. They had discovered my secret: that I could hear the dead. Proving to Carson and Brett that I had Affinity for the Dead—or AFTD—wouldn't keep them off my back completely, but it'd notch down their stupid to something me and my posse could manage.
"Caleb, show them you're not a frickin' poser," Jonesy said.
"I don't pose."
I took a step through the Victorian-style gate, my foot touching its reluctant toe on hallowed ground.
The feeling of being forced pressed uncomfortably against my mind.
As I crossed the threshold, the whispering turning into voices. One whispered stronger than the others. As if an invisible string pulled me along, I was drawn toward one of the gravestones. The marker stood sentinel near the middle of the cemetery, glowing softly in the moonlight. I stopped in front of it.
"Clyde Thomas, born 1900, died 1929."
"Wake me..." someone whispered.
"What?" I asked.
"Wake me..."
"Caleb, who are you talking to?" John asked.
I swung my head in slow-motion, as if moving it through quicksand. Blood rushed in my ears, and my heart beat thick and heavy in my chest. Everything became crystallized in that moment. John's frizzy hair and freckles stood out like measles. A microscopic chip lay like an imperfect shadow on the headstone, a shining stark contrast to the white marble.
Something... something... was building, rising up as if underwater and rushing to the surface. I was supposed to finalize something, but what? John's mouth was moving but no sound was coming out. He was arguing with Jonesy and flailing his arms as he spoke. The whispering of the corpse in the earth was so loud it drowned out his words.
Jonesy's hand suddenly connected with my face. My teeth slammed into my tongue, and the taste of copper pennies filled my mouth. I leaned over, and a drop of blood hung tremulously on my bottom lip, before falling to the grave like a black gem.
Everything clicked into place, vertigo spinning the graveyard on its side as if it had been waiting for that moment. The ground rushed toward my face, and I threw out my hands to brace my fall. My fingers bit into the damp earth. A hand broke through the ground like a spear through flesh and grasped my wrist. The vise-like grip and intense coldness of the grave lingering on its dead flesh made my breath catch in my throat.
The head of the corpse broke free of the ground, then the hand released me. I scooted backward and got to my feet, swaying, overcome with some unidentifiable emotion. I had done it, but I didn't know how to undo it.
The corpse moved toward me with purpose, using the undisturbed ground for leverage. When it reached my feet, another drop of my blood landed with a dull plop on the corpse's forehead. Jonesy ran out of the cemetery and stood at a "safe" range from what the ground had disgorged.
The zombie's gaze fixed on me. It put a hand on its knee and began to push itself upright. Dull, lank strands of hair hung loosely from a scalp of rotten sinew. "Why have you awoken me?" The words sounded garbled.
I stared at it. "You asked me to."
John was standing at my right, trying to mask a fine, all-over tremble. His freckles stood out from his pale face like beacons of fright.
"What the hell is this?"
I turned and gave him a duh look.
The zombie's eyes rolled wetly in their sockets.
"Why have you awoken me?" it repeated, shambling a little closer.
The smell... wow. It rose like a torrent of rotting garbage. John clapped his hand over his nose and backed up a bit.
The corpse took another step closer to me.
"Got any brilliant suggestions?" I asked John, keeping my eyes on the zombie.
"Sorry. I don't have the Zombie Handbook handy," John said.
Not helpful.
The corpse tilted its head. "You're just a boy. For what purpose have you disturbed my slumber?"
"I, um... I didn't... uh, mean to... um, wake you up." I wasn't usually so tongue-tied, but meeting a corpse in the flesh—ha, ha—seemed to have stolen my ability to speak coherently.
"You do not know what you would have of me? You use your life-force to awaken me and without purpose? Put me back." His clothes hung in tatters, and the smell was definitely old, dark coffin, not that I knew what that smelled like.
John's look clearly said, Do something! What I hadn't told my friends was that I had never thought that I could actually raise the dead. But there the dead guy was, standing before me in all his rotting glory.
"To whom much is given, much is expected. Put me back," he said.
Adults were all the same, even dead ones; lecture, lecture.
"How?" I asked.
"You are the necromancer, boy, not I."
"I'm a what?" I felt surprisingly calm. For the first time, there were no whispers. Perfect, blessed silence filled my head. Talking to the dead seemed like the most natural thing in the world. I could still taste the blood from my busted lip. Its eyeballs were inky marbles staring back with uncanny devotion.
"A necromancer. A diviner of the black arts," he replied.
I thought about that for a minute. Things had only gotten über-weird when Jonesy had smacked me. I looked back at the corpse, no longer feeling that sense of swimming power just beneath the surface. I needed to regain that essence—fast.
"Ah... hang on a minute," I told the corpse. I turned to John.
"John, give me your blade."
"What the heck, Caleb? What are you planning to do with that"—John pointed at the patient corpse, "...thing?" Who was as immobile out of his grave as in.
"I figure my blood made it jump out of its grave, so now I need some to put him back. And you're going to help me."
John's face got even paler. "Ah, we're good friends and all, but no, not a good plan! We don't know that for sure anyway."
John needed to ante up the blood, or it was going to be a long night. I tapped my foot on the disturbed mess of the grave. "Here's the deal. Let's do a little 'friendship blood bank' just for the sake of putting the dead guy back in his grave, eh? Just give me your arm."
John took a deep breath. "Okay, but you're going to owe me big time." He held out his arm.
I placed the blade on his forearm then made a thin slit in the skin. John let out a little gasp. When crimson oozed out, I repeated the process with my own arm then pressed my arm against John's.
A vibrating tuning fork of trembling power welled up inside my body. A strange mixture of fear, dread and excitement paralyzed me. My teeth throbbed with the intensity of it. The zombie's hand snaked out and curled around my arm. Its skin felt cold against my warm flesh, like iced tentacles. I swabbed a blot of blood with the fingers of my other hand and dabbed it on the zombie's forehead like war paint.
The dead guy rolled those empty eyes up at me, its dead bones clinging to my fingertips.
We shared a suspended moment in time, a terrible beauty of precariously balanced control.
"Go back and rest," I said, feeling that I was choosing for both of us.
The zombie reluctantly let go of my arm, sand through a sieve, then lay down on the disturbed ground. His grave encased him in a shroud of earth.
John and I stared at each other over the grave for a swollen minute, his face showing a mixture of sympathy and dread. I was a corpse-raiser—one of only two in existence—and that was not a safe thing to be. John knew what that would mean for me in the world we lived in.
I was shaking from the intensity of the experience and thoughts of the future. This was not the same as Biology experiments and roadkill, this was real, huge. Looking outside the cemetery perimeter at two enemies and one friend, I knew it was time to swear the group to secrecy. A trickle of sweat slithered down my back and pooled at the waistband of my jeans, instantly chilling my fevered skin. I didn't want the same future as Parker. That loss of freedom was so not a part of my plan.
John and I headed out of the cemetery in a wave of uncertain promise.
CHAPTER TWO
I smacked my alarm. Just five more minutes, I thought, dozing off.
"Caleb!" Mom yelled from downstairs.
I sat up. "Yeah?"
"School!"
I stumbled out of my bed and looked at the clothes on the floor. Hmm, what to wear that wasn't too wrinkled.
I picked up a pair of jeans and a shirt and took an experimental whiff. Good enough. I jerked on the jeans with a hop and a zip. I opened my sock drawer—a couple of socks, not matched but clean. Happy day.
I trudged downstairs to the kitchen. I sat at the table. "You cookin' today?" I asked, hopeful.
"No, but you're eating."
Eating in the morning blows. I was that lazy. I'd open the fridge, nothing. Then the freezer, repeat. I usually ended up cramming a yogurt down.
She opened the fridge. "What flavor?"
"Do we have blueberry?" That was the only non-barf fruit I could think about eating that early.
She handed me the yogurt container. "Last one."
"Where's Dad?"
"He is working on that new project."
Great. Hopefully not anything new for kids to rant about. Mom and Dad were on the opposite end of the spectrum. She was free-spirited and thought the mystery of life and choice were taken away when the puzzle of the genome mapping was solved. Since my dad was an integral part of the team who achieved that accomplishment, we had an interesting family life.
"Does that mean he'll be home for supper tonight? I've got something to talk to him about." I wisely didn't mention the whole corpse-raising episode. Dad was logic and fairness mixed. He'd know what to do. This... I might need some help on.
"Yes, he will, you know how important meal time is," Mom said.
Maybe, maybe not. Science was important to Dad.
After I wolfed down the yogurt, I made a two-point shot at the trash can. Swish! No mess, but that didn't stop the frown from forming on Mom's face.
I moved quickly to grab my backpack, but she blocked my way, and I was forced to look up at her. Every girl in the world was taller than I was, even my own mother.
She brushed the hair out of my eyes, but it immediately flopped back down. "You need a haircut."
"No, Mom." A time sucker was all a haircut was, and I had more important things to do.
I slung my pack over my shoulder and left. I wanted to reconnoiter with the dudes, get things straight in my head from last night. Once outside, I slowed to a walk. I'd still be there early, and I was feeling lazy.
The canopy of trees allowed the morning light to filter through, speckling the ground with sunspots. My head began the familiar thrumming, a buzz seeping into the crevices of my mind as I walked toward the school.
I stopped. The buzzing became whispering. My heart rate sped up, my breath quickened, and my palms dampened.
The voices of the dead had arrived.
The whispering grew louder. The dull roar of the insidious voices was like a magnet, pulling me toward the forest. I followed it and was rewarded with even higher volume.
At the edge of the tree line, a crumpled body, lay beside a ditch. The head was canted at an awkward angle. My hands trembled as the whispering gave way to images flooding my head like a pulse-screen.
Headlights burst like twin spots before the cat's eyes as she tried to escape them. Rushing forward, she sprinted across the street. She didn't time the advance properly, and the twin orbs bore down on her.
Pain. Intense pain and blinding light.
The cat thought of her litter, her people... then, she was no more.
My breath returned in a paralyzing rush. I stood next to her small body. She had shared the last moments of her life with me.
I remained there, taking it in and realizing that life as I knew it was never going to be the same. I wasn't going to breeze through being a teenager.
Snapping back to reality I realized I was the Pied Piper of road kill.
Great. Definitely my life-goal.
I thought of the frogs in biology. There had been so many that I hadn't been able to camouflage what happened to me.
I wished I could develop something righteous like pyrokinesis. That would be tight. At least only Brett and Carson knew the corpse-raising part. Getting them to cooperate with silence was another deal. People were going to get suspicious.
I trudged toward school, my limbs heavy and my head swimming with the heaviness of an undead moment. I lifted my hands. The fine shaking was almost gone. I wiped the sweat off my face with the back of my hand. I needed to get a hold of myself. I was on it.
The familiar doors to my daily prison came into view. I walked the rest of the way with my head down and went inside the school. I spotted the "cemetery group" right away.
John and Jonesy stood apart from the others. Almost five-ten with a shock of frizzy, carrot-colored hair and pale blue eyes, John looked a little freakish, but he was my main dude, my go-to guy when things went sideways. In stark contrast, Jonesy had short, nappy hair and teeth that stood out like white Chiclets in his dark face. He was taller than I was, but built stocky. They'd been my friends since kindergarten.
Standing a few feet away from my friends was the rest of the group. They were a mixed bag, didn't feel solid. It would take some clever conniving to get promises of secrecy from the rest. Brett Mason and Carson Hamilton. They had identical white-blond hair and were about the same height, making them hard to tell apart. They'd been in my class since kindergarten too, but not in a good way.
Edging through the throng of kids, I made my way to John and Jonesy. Jonesy leaned against the locker, arms crossed. John seemed ready to explode, not a typical look for him.
Jonesy nodded at me. "Sorry about the bludgeoning."
"Yeah... what the hell?" I asked.
"Your face sorta got in the way."
"Oh... really?" Gee, hadn't noticed that.
"It was an accident, John and I were discussing—"
John broke in. "Arguing."
Jonesy glared at him. "I changed my mind is all."
I raised my eyebrows, Jonesy never switched gears.
"About the merit of them knowing," John finished.
I glanced at Bret and Carson. Too late. The milk was spilled and dripping on the floor. They walked over to us.
"I wasn't pulling a hypo in Biology," I told them, "and now Aptitude Testing is coming up."
Brett smirked. "Yeah. You have your dad to thank for that."
I caught sight of a grape-sized bruise the color of pale chartreuse at the base of Brett's neck. His smirk faded as he shifted his shoulder to make his shirt cover the mark.
Jonesy straightened. "Shut up. It's Caleb's ass on the line." He jabbed his thumb at my chest. "You know what happens when you hit the radar as a corpse raiser. He'd be a government squirrel, like that Parker dude."
"Nobody wants to have their life planned by somebody else," John said.
"My dad didn't have anything to do with that," I pointed out.
"But thanks to him, everyone's tested now because of the mapping. All the do-gooders want to 'realize our full potential.'" Brett made air quotes as he said the last phrase. "What an ass-load of crap that was."
Carson nodded. "So even if we don't want to be mathematicians or scientists, we're on that freight train until it reaches the depot."
His murky-green eyes burrowed into mine.
It was an old argument. Kinda like being the preacher's kid, I got blamed for everything my dad did... or didn't do.
"You dickface..." Jonesy pointed at Carson. "Yeah you. It isn't Caleb's fault that his dad started that ball rolling with the mapping. If it hadn't been him, it would've been someone else."
Carson clenched his hands into fists and looked as though he might take a swing at Jonesy. He didn't like being told the obvious. Probably shouldn't have opened his mouth and crammed a foot in there until he choked. Kinda brain dead—kinda consistent.
"Listen, guys," I said. "This isn't helping. It's the now we need to figure out. I don't want to pop a five-point AFTD on the APs. They're only a week away? My dad"—I saw Carson roll his eyes, but I ignored him—"says that puberty is when they test because scientists have proven that abilities come on then, sometimes for the first time." Not for me, I added silently.
The first bell gave its shrill beckon. I looked at Brett and Carson. "I need you guys to cover for me. At least until after the testing."
"You can't force us, Hart," Brett said.
Carson nodded. "Yeah, just because Daddy's famous doesn't give you clout."
So much for that.
"How about doing it because it's the right thing to do?" Jonesy asked.
"Because it's the human thing to do," John interjected.
"He's not human." Carson said, stabbing a finger toward my chest.
"You got that right," Brett agreed.
They turned and moved into the multicolor sea of kids.
"Did ya see that bruise necklace Brett was wearing?" I asked.
"It's the dad," John answered.
Jonesy turned his liquid eyes to me. "Feel sorry for him, Caleb? Don't go soft on me, bro. You're always giving jackasses the benefit of the doubt."
My conscious teetered on the balance of right and wrong. Brett had it bad, but he chose to act the way he did.
Jonesy clapped me on the back "Yeah, my cup of care is empty too."
CHAPTER THREE
The Js and I went to shop class. I was making my mom a heart-shaped box, though my heart was definitely not in it.
After talking to the ass-monkeys, I couldn't get the genome out of my head.
The mapping of 2010 happened under pressure from President O'Llama. Desperate for health care reform, the government wanted to activate "markers" for the population. Mapping the human genome was the key to identifying potential for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and even alcoholism and drug addictions. If the people wanted government health care, they would have to be mapped, and have a microchip implanted that contained their genetic codes. Refusal of the microchip meant no health care. The program had been expanded, and disease markers weren't the only things on those chips.
The teacher, Mr. Morginstern, approached our table with a cheery "Good morning, fellas!"
It was criminal that he was so happy. Didn't he know the Monday-is-hateful-rule?
"Hey," I mumbled, as Jonesy and John gave Morginstern the nod.
Morginstern was excited about teaching and we were excited about... school ending for the day.
"So how was your weekend? Do anything interesting?"
Yeah.
I imagined a conversation like: Ah no problem, Mr. Morginstern, just creeping around illegally in a graveyard, raising a corpse, enemies seeing the blow-by-blow... real interesting.
Instead, I shrugged and said, "It was okay."
Jonesy looked to be choking back a laugh. I gave him a don't-blow-it look.
John was unflappably silent as usual, controlling a sly grin with effort, the anchor to our madness.
Morginstern seemed to accept our weird responses, and he went over the whole process of our boxes again. Adults were painfully redundant.
We got to decide what kind of box to make. Heart shaped was the hardest, but I was a masochist. I got out my sandpaper—one-twenty grit, extra fine.
A fine dust fell from the interior arc of the heart onto the work table. The sanding from the three of us served as an excellent conversation concealer.
John whispered, "So what's the plan?"
"I don't know yet," I replied. "I gotta think about it more. I'm not ending up like Parker."
"Ask your dad," Jonesy said. "He's the genius."
"Quiet, smack attack."
Jonesy ducked his head. "I'm sorry, bro."
I grinned. "Gotcha. Just wanted to see what you'd say."
"Oh man! Don't do that, dude!" Jonesy threw his sandpaper at me.
I deflected it with my arm, and the paper landed on John, getting embedded in his hair.
Morginstern gave us a warning glare. "Caleb Hart! Jonesy, John, no throwing supplies."
"Stop screwing around," John hissed. "This is serious."
As serious as a heart attack. I struggled not to laugh. "I'll talk with my dad tonight. He'll have ideas."
"He's got resources, right?" Jonesy asked.
I smiled. "Using your big-boy words Jonesy?"
We all laughed and agreed to meet up at my place.
I had every class with John except PE. Jonesy was in my PE class, though. I was never without a J. Jonesy and I liked PE because we got to check out the girls. There was one in particular that I liked a lot.
When we got to the gym, Jonesy said, "I want to play dodge ball today."
"Yeah, that'll happen. 'No head shots, no body shots above the waist, no leg shots.'" I said, imitating Miss Griswold's annoying voice.
I sighed. Dodge ball rocked, but Griswold was a joy sucker.
Then Jade LeClerc walked by. I tracked her with my eyes. Her jet-black hair gleamed like a curtain of silk waiting to be touched. She had the greatest eyes, green like a cat's. A memory shimmered just out of reach—a red shirt, concrete, and dirt.
Jonesy gave me a strategic elbow to the side, and the image slipped away like a vapor.
"Ow!" I turned to him. "What was that for?"
"Stop staring," Jonesy said. "Why do you like her anyway? She's kinda emo."
"No she's not, she just wants people to think she is. Keeps them away," I said, trying to recapture that fleeting shard of the past.
"Oh, and you're such a girl expert. Right!" Jonesy laughed.
I scowled at him. "I've watched her. She doesn't make a move to be anyone's friend, but there's something cool about her."
"She's too weird. Pick someone else. Look at them all." He spread his arms to include the bounty of girls.
My eyes strayed back to Jade. She just looked unique. "I'm gonna talk to her."
"You've had English and pre-Biology with her, what, almost two semesters? We're in fourth quarter, and you still haven't said anything. Besides, what's she gonna think when she finds out about what you can do? She saw you pass out, right?"
I couldn't deny his reasoning there. Who hadn't seen me bite it? Maybe once I had a plan on how to hide what I was, I could say hey.
"Maybe she doesn't need to ever know."
Jonesy arched one eyebrow, the whites of his eyes wider in his brown face. "You can't cover forever, bro." He shrugged.
I figured, but I liked to fantasize.
Miss Griswold blew her whistle, and we lined up for warm-ups. We were in alphabetical order, so Jonesy wasn't close to me, and neither was Jade. But I was next to Carson Hamilton.
"Hey, Hart. Thinking about any ghosts?"
Carson-the-Clever. Yeah, right.
I ignored him and started doing jumping jacks with the others. "Switch drill!" Griswold shrieked.
We went down to our knees for push-ups.
I finally responded, "Don't be a tard, Carson. You and Brett said that I was faking shit. I wasn't. I proved I'm AFTD." I huffed out five more.
"Switch drill!" Griswold's irritating voice rallied for the final insult.
We stood up for jumping power lunges. I hated those. I put out one foot and lunged so my knee didn't pass my toe then, up, jump, other side. Talking was almost impossible.
Carson managed. He had a lot of hot air.
"AFTD is so rare only freaks have it. That's why they took Parker away. The military wanted to quarantine his ass to protect everyone else."
Carson dropping another pearl of wisdom. Like I care.
Hop. Switch legs.
"Stop!" Griswold yelled.
Panting, I turned to Carson. "Nobody'll believe you. You didn't believe until the cemetery." He'd look like an idiot if he told people I was a corpse raiser (like we were running around in droves). Carson was all about image.
He looked thoughtful; Carson was a rock with lips.
"Maybe I won't tell anybody, but me and Brett might want something."
He looked down at me and smirked.
We glared at each other until Griswold waddled over to stand in front of us. I wondered how teachers always seemed to know just when something was going down.
Griswold put her hands on her considerable hips. "Problem here, boys?"
"No problem, Miss Griswold," Carson said.
I said the obligatory, "No, Miss Griswold."
Just as she moved out of hearing range, Carson said, "Hag."
Griswold turned around and yelled, "Time for dodge ball! Pick your teams."
The guys gave a collective groan, and the girls didn't look any happier. At least I got to look at Jade, the highlight of PE.
Jonesy gave me a questioning look from across the gym, Carson and Brett were fast moving from irritating to becoming a problem—one that I planned to contain, creatively.
Jonesy would scheme, John would deliberate and I would definitely do.
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"Love sears the heart immortal
The embers burnt down to the token which remains ...."
# ~ Prologue ~
"You're dying," Dr. Matthews says.
Two words.
Final.
Complete.
Desolate.
I feel my fingers clench the armrests of the chair underneath me, but the rest of my body remains numb.
If his words aren't enough to convince me, I see my silence is a prevailing annoyance in his day.
Dr. Matthews walks stiffly, making his way to the softly glowing X-ray reader.
I flinch when he slaps the photo of the soft tissue of my brain against the magnetic tabs of the lit surface.
The light glows around the tumor, immortalizing the end of my life like an emblazoned tool of disregard.
Just the facts, ma'am.
I sway as I stand, gripping the solid oak of his desk. It's very large, an anchor in the middle of his prestigious office full of the affectations of his career.
I walk toward Matthews. His hard face is edged by what might be sympathy. After all, it's not every day he tells a twenty-two-year-old woman she's got moments to live.
Actually, I do have time—months.
It's just not enough.
I look at the mess that's my brain, at the damning half a golf ball buried in a spot that will make me a vegetable if they operate. My eyes slide to the name at the bottom. For a split second, I hope to see another name there. But my own greets me.
Mitchell, Faren.
I back up and Matthews reaches to steady me.
But it's too late.
I spin and run out of his office as his voice calls after me. The corners of my coat sail behind me as I slap the metal hospital door open and take the cement steps two at a time.
I see my car parked across the street and race to it. My escape, my despair, is a thundering initiative I can't deny.
I miss the hit as if it happens to someone else. Only the noise permeates my senses as light flashes in my peripheral vision, mirrors against sunlight. I tumble in a slow spin of limbs. My body heaves and rolls, hitting the asphalt with a breath-stealing slap.
I lie against the rough black road. My lungs beg for air, burning for oxygen, and finally I take a sucking inhale that tears through my lungs.
The wet road feels cool against my face as I watch someone come into my line of sight. My body burns and my head aches. My arm is a slim exclamation point from my body, my fingers twitching. I can't make them stop. I can't make anything stop.
Powerless.
The doctor is too late with his condemning words. I've already died. I know this because the man who approaches is an angel. A helmet comes off hair so deep auburn it's a low-burning lick of flame. He swims toward me like a mirage, walking in a surreal slow motion. I blink, and my vision blurs. I try to raise my arm to wipe my eyes and whimper when it disobeys my command.
My angel crouches down, his eyes a deep brown, belying the dark bronze of his hair. "Shhh... I got you." His voice is a deep melody.
I sigh. Safe.
I try to focus on him but the helmet he parks next to his boots becomes three as my vision triples.
There's a scuffle and I try to move to see what all the commotion's about. The angel wraps his warm large hand around my smaller one and smiles. "It's going to be okay."
That's when I know I'm not in heaven.
That's what people say when nothing is okay.
# ~ 1 ~
One month prior
I flex my hand, grab my isometric handgrip, and do my hundred reps. So fun—a little like flossing my teeth. I put on the kettle with my good hand and turn the burner on high.
Flex, squeeze, release, flex again.
I get to a hundred and switch hands. As I go through my daily ritual, I flip open my Mac and browse my emails.
Faren, can you cover my shift? Faren, can you come in a half hour early? Faren, can you bring the main dish for the office pot luck?
Delete, delete, delete.
I'll say yes because it's hard for me to say no. Tough lessons in life have taught me that.
I put my handgrip on the corner of the end table, glancing at my left pinky and frowning. It's almost straight. Almost. No one can tell unless they're looking for it. No one ever looks that hard. Humanity glosses over shit.
I leave my laptop open and walk back to the stove. Depression-era jadeite salt and pepper shakers stand dead in the middle of a 1950s pink stove. The combo reminds me of an Easter egg. The kettle insists it's ready, bleating like a sheep. I lift it carefully, deliberately, using all the muscles of my hands as I've been taught.
As I teach others to do.
I pour the hot water over the tea bag and sigh, forcing my bad hand to thread through the loop of the tea cup handle. My dexterity is returning. I've pushed myself so hard that my hand rebels, willfully abandoning its hold on the cup.
The porcelain shatters, and shards fly on the wood floor of my tiny apartment above the main street where I live in deep anonymity. The pieces splinter in all directions, and I sigh. I want to chop off my hand.
I want to cradle it against my chest because it still works. Just not perfectly.
Like my life.
*
"Another headache?" Sue asks.
I nod, my hands falling away from my temples as I reach for my patient folder. I grip it with both hands and scan who's up first.
Bryce Collins. Pain. In. My. Ass.
I grin. I love the tough nuts to crack. They make it all worth it. I stride to my torture chamber, pushing the door open with my hip and search through the sea of work out equipment and hand held physical therapy implements to meet the sullen gaze of a seventeen-year old athletic prodigy.
A prodigy with a chip on his shoulder so wide I could drive a truck through it. Well I have my own dings and dents. We can compare later.
Right now, it's all about the work.
"Hi, Bryce."
He mumbles a reply as I hand him the first merciless task. The huge rubber band fits around the pole in the center of the room. Mirrors line the wall and toss back our struggles.
And our triumphs.
I watch as he half-heartedly goes through the motions of his straight leg kicks. When he reaches twenty I scoop my hand down and latch onto his hamstring and he groans at my touch. "Bend your knee a little," he does while giving me a look that could kill. I stare neutrally back until his gaze drops and he finally digs in.
An hour later, shaking and sweating, Bryce's huge and muscled body lumbers outside my door. He pauses as he opens it, looking at me with pissed off brown eyes.
"I hate you, Miss Mitchell," he says and means it.
I smile back. I totally get it. Bryce needs to hate me to get better. It beats hating himself. I nod. "I know."
He walks out, and I run my finger down the patient appointments for the day. Kiki makes her loud entrance, and my lips twist. She balances chai tea in both hands, staggering in too-tall heels that sink into the nearly bald carpet.
"Gawd!" she huffs as she winds her way through the ellipticals, weight machines, and treadmills. She leans against the walking bars that run like railroad tracks for those with dual injuries. Like both legs not working.
I swallow and force my smile back in place.
"Take your tea, you ungrateful bitch," she squeals, handing me my tea.
I blow on it. A touch of honey and ginger rise through the vapor, and I grin over the rim of the cup as I sip through the little slot.
"So?" I ask in a purr.
Kiki is pure drama. It's only Monday, so we have the entire week to build up to a crescendo. Mondays are usually sedate, so I brace myself. I have thirty minutes until my next client arrives to be tortured into wellness. Kiki smirks, sets down her tea, and moves to the pole. I give a furtive glance around the gym, hoping no one comes in.
"Got a..." She wraps around the pole and slides down it seductively, letting her butt cheeks split as she wiggles and bounces at the bottom. She springs up, the front of her hoohah a hairsbreadth from the cool metal. "Ginormous tip this weekend from a richie!"
She thrusts forward, wrapping one slender leg around the pole, and I groan. She does a little mock-hump against it and grins at me.
Kiki is so inappropriate I could die. But she's my drug and I'm hers. We fit together because we're so different. She's an exotic dancer who's also a senior at Northwestern State.
She makes great money, and she also does serious gym time, packing in an hour six days a week. It's important to not look too striated, Kiki claims. No "guy-look." Just tits, ass, and curves with definition. I designed the workout for her because I'm intimately familiar with the human body. I didn't set out to be, but life had other plans.
The sins of the past become the direction of our future.
Kiki pouts, leaves the pole, and saunters toward me. "You're no fun."
I roll my eyes. "Okay... I know I've got to ask the burning question or we'll get nowhere."
She perks up. "You got it, sister."
"Who was it?"
Kiki always takes stock of clients. Men think they know so much, but women could rule the world if we came together. I sigh. Kiki notices regulars, high tippers, newcomers and flags the creeps. She's scary uncanny. I came to watch a set at the prestigious strip club, Black Rose, and went away shocked.
Shocked by the clientele, shocked that Kiki could dance that well for such a short time, and shocked by the moolah.
"The owner," Kiki whispers as if we have a secret.
I shrug. "So?"
"It's Jared-effing-McKenna, baby!" Kiki is offended by my deliberate ignorance. Her brows rise to her hairline, and her dark eyes are wide with clear disdain.
Mine are steady with indifference.
The wheels of my memory spin. Oh yes. Jared McKenna. The Jared McKenna. Greek god. Adonis incarnate. Hercules. Playboy, womanizer, money mogul.
I slowly nod. Let's add "strip club owner" to the repertoire. I remember the detail of why he has so much money and want to forget as soon as I do.
Kiki pouts and tears off the lid of her tea. "Anywho... he was with someone, and his pal tipped me big time." She sips her cooling tea, gazing at me with "cat that ate the canary" eyes.
"Okay, the foreplay is killing me. How much?" I take a small slurp of tea, and she tells me. The tea sprays out of my mouth, and Kiki grins at my klutzy-ass move.
"Five hundred dollars!?" I choke some more, and tea dribbles down my chin.
"It's okay, baby... it is a mind-blower. I mean," her hands go to her ample chest in patent disbelief, "my nipples got hard and he didn't even touch me," she says sincerely and I burst out laughing. My headache is gone for the moment, my Monday morning lethargy lifting.
Five hundred bucks is an assload of cash, especially for one night of dancing half naked. It's more than I take home every week. Just one tip. My schooling is done, my career path set partly because of circumstance. Kiki is high on drama, but doesn't always say things without a purpose and I narrow my eyes at her.
"Spill it," I demand.
Kiki's lips twitch and she chucks her empty cup in the trash. "This type of gig could be the thing to get you out of that dump in downtown."
I scowl. I like my downtown dump.
"Faren!" she wails.
I shush her before Sue comes in thinking someone died. Of course, with all the sounds of torment she's heard since I began working here last year, nothing should faze her.
Kiki relents and switches to a softer tone. "You could own something. Something nice."
I know this. I've been to her condo overlooking Pike Place and Puget Sound. Her view of downtown is magnificent. And expensive. It had to set her back five hundred K. I rent my death trap for nine hundred per month, and it's a studio in one of the tortuously small cobblestone-lined alleys of Seattle. At least it's on the fifth floor. The stairs are murder, but if I want two windows that actually face outside, that's what I can afford. Sometimes the freight elevator works; otherwise, it's exercise. The location allows me to walk to my upper-scale rehabilitation clinic. No need to use my beater car. That much.
"You don't have to give this up," Kiki says quietly. She knows I won't budge on that, and she of all people knows why.
Rehab's not a well-paying profession. But there's more than money, sometimes the soul needs edification.
I look at what Kiki has and what I don't. I shove those thoughts away. She's my best friend. She's seen me through everything. Dark shadows press in, and my headache returns with a throbbing vengeance.
Kiki frowns. "Another headache?"
"Yeah."
"I don't want to argue, Faren. You've got to know that." Her root beer eyes peg me to the spot. The sweep of her dark hair lays like chocolate silk past her full breasts. "But with your looks"—she throws her manicured hands in the air—"you could shake your booty a little and work a side job. Get a place in your same area... you could own something."
It's an old argument. Her penthouse is nearly paid for while mine's a rental with a landlord that cares more about the rent than maintenance.
Her eyes swim with knowledge, and I set down my tea. It's too cold to drink anyway. Her words put the last nail in the coffin of my resistance. "Something secure," she adds in a whisper and I let her hug me. I cling to her and try to believe my financial troubles and dark secret can be erased by taking off my clothes for strangers
Kiki loves me more than I love myself.
She loves me enough for us both.
*
Sue glances up when I click off the light off. The sky is darkening as I slide my last patient folder through the glass partition. She has that look in her eyes and pushes a business card through the slot.
It bears a doctor's name: Dr. Clive Matthews.
I give Sue a sharp look, and she shrugs, giving my hand a maternal pat. My eyes burn with tears from the spontaneous gesture.
Sue notices my emotional struggle and ignores it. "He got rid of my migraines. Miracle worker, I say." She nods and glances at the card significantly.
I notice the appointment time and sigh.
Sue doesn't drop her gaze. "How much longer are you going to struggle through those bone crushers?"
I don't answer, and she nods in her knowing way. "That's what I thought, Miss Mitchell. You'd have just come in suffering worse than your own patients."
Sue's right. She knows it, and I do too.
I take the card and stuff it in the pocket of my smock, Dr. Seuss cats cover it in a smear of red and blue.
"Thanks," I say grudgingly while I grab my coat.
"Welcome," she shoots back in triumph as I hear the door whisper closed behind me.
I look at the card again as the cars, people, and city noise encapsulate me in the comforting rhythm of downtown. The smell of fish, food, and sea mingle, and I begin the short trek to the dank alley with the entrance to my apartment.
I have two weeks to prepare myself to go back into a hospital. I hate hospitals. They're all about death.
The thought of returning is almost enough to get a proper panic attack going.
Almost.
# ~2~
I tenderly brush the hair off her forehead, though she doesn't feel it. She never knows when I'm with her. The rain coats the window, distorting the outside world and making this room a bubble of reality. The space is dim. That's a must, since too much light causes her to thrash. On some level, she rebels. It's my deepest regret that her rebellion couldn't have been sooner, when it could have saved her.
It's a good day when I don't cry when I visit.
Today my eyes are dry but the next time they might not be. I squeeze her hand, speaking softly. I lean forward to press a kiss on the tissue-thin skin of her forehead. It's translucent, the body inside, still and soft from lack of movement.
Life.
My mother lives but not as she should.
I rise like I have hundreds of times and move to the door of the clinic that takes care of catatonic, high-needs patients.
I have a new job.
I do cry then.
No one notices my tears anymore. They're used to them, and I don't bother to see their sympathy.
I have a date with Kiki.
*
Kiki swivels in front of her makeup table and smirks at me. My trench coat drips water onto the floor.
"Gawd!" Her full lips pout as she swipes another layer of sparkly crap on her lips. "You look like a drowned rat."
Her face softens. "See your mom?"
I nod. Kiki knows it always sucker punches me to visit. It kills me not to. I face the evil I can bear.
"Well, let's get you in the slut suit, baby." Kiki moves through the hanging costumes until she gets to my size, and she frowns slightly. "I don't know how I'm going to stuff that gazelle body in the average getup." She taps her nail against her glossy lip and scowls when some of her handiwork comes off.
"Damn," she swears softly, making the hangers move with an angry swish of her hand.
"No." A blue outfit sails to the end of the size eight rack.
"No." A glossy green spandex number with a painful looking strip of butt floss floats past.
Her eyes narrow to slits as a beige '20s flapper-style dress with cut outs at the nipples appears. "Fuck no!"
I laugh, and Kiki glares at me. "It's not funny, bunny. You need to look spanktastic this first time out of the gate."
She's so serious I giggle again. "I'm not a damn horse!" I hold my sides as laughter peels out of me, and I feel closer to normal. I'm so grateful for the levity she brings that I don't know what to say. Even if I'm about to strip down to nothing in a roomful of strangers, Kiki makes it better.
She finally grins as her eyes light on something red.
I mouth no, and she says, "Hell yes!" She tears it off the rod.
I don't think it's a real outfit. Actually, it's more air than cloth.
"I can't wear that!" I stutter, backing away as if it's the plague instead of a skimpy costume.
Kiki's brows come together in an adorable frown. "Ah... we had this discussion dollface. You won't be wearing this for long." Those perfect brows rise and I blow out a frustrated huff.
Right. No clothes. Well, this is a "classy" club, so only titties. No frontal nudity down there. They can't touch, and I have to wear stockings for some reason. City ordinance. So basically my butt and boobs will be bare to the world, but somehow that's okay because a small triangle of cloth will cover my front and some super-sheer stockings will encase my legs. Yeah.
Kiki pats the stool in front of a huge mirror, lit all around its square perimeter with Hollywood bulbs. Big ones. They glare at my pinched and pale face. Her mocha arm comes around my front and she begins to scoop and fix my hair. It is neither blonde or brown, but a rich honey color. It's never been dyed or bleached. I just didn't want any more attention when I was at home.
My idea of girly-ness is wearing a pair of high heels, tight jeans, and a top with sleeve cut-outs. I watch, mesmerized, as Kiki hikes my thick hair into a loose topknot, anchoring it with about a hundred bobby pins. She pulls a few tendrils loose to cascade halfway down my back. No matter what anyone says, long hair is easier than short. However, Kiki convinced me to take off five inches before I met with the manager a few days ago.
So far, meeting Ty has been the creepiest part. I remember exactly how he'd looked at me. It was eyeball rape.
"Hi, Faren," Ty said, shaking my hand.
His large dark hand engulfed my smaller one. I'm surprised. I have long fingers that match my height. My hand never feels swallowed by a man's.
"Hi," I said.
His eyebrows rose, and he spread his arms as he stepped back. "Kiki told me you know what to expect."
I did. I felt like crying, but I took off my clothes. The heat of my embarrassment crawled across my skin.
My skirt pooled at my feet. My high heels and thigh highs don't impede its crumpled slither down my legs.
Next, I unbutton the scarlet blouse Kiki had picked out, revealing an inky bra and panty set. The bra is demi-cupped and holds my full Cs high and tight, my pink nipples hidden by a strategic strip of ebony satin.
I made the mistake of looking at Ty. He licked his lips, his hooded eyes roving my body like a starving man. My palms begin to sweat.
"Turn," he said quietly, and I do. He'd been looking at my bare ass, only a strip of lace bisecting my butt cheeks.
I felt the heat climb higher, infusing my neck to the roots of my hair. I count inside my head, praying for it to end.
"Walk," he said.
I do, knowing I'm naturally graceful and balanced. The deep lace of my stockings whispers as I move away from him. Grace is the one thing that has never been taken from me, and I'm grateful for it now.
"Turn," he said. I don't miss that his voice is somewhat hoarse.
I pivoted in a smooth motion, and I can't help but notice I've affected him. Shame flares anew, riding high to mortified.
"Walk."
I inhaled deeply and draw nearer. I stop about three feet from him, and we stare at each other. I'm so tense I could've screamed.
"You'll do," Ty said in a sarcastic drawl.
I looked into his dark eyes and see desire there. I swallowed so hard my throat clicks. Silence fills the space uncomfortably. "So when can I start?" I hate how timid my voice sounds.
Ty smirked as though he understands how desperate I am. I know Kiki didn't tell him my reasons. He assumed a lot. It must come with the job. "Tomorrow."
"Okay." With shaky fingers, I'd put on my clothes, fighting tears so hard that my eyelids burned with the need to cry. My mind filled with all my defenses. I'm a respectable girl. I pay my bills. I don't party, have boyfriends, goof off... I'm a physical therapist, for God's sake! But when I get the last button done, the words die. Ty sees me as commerce, and I sighed, feeling defeated. I can't even make the proper ending salutation.
I made my silent way to the door and almost escape before he'd asked "Have you ever had sex?"
I turned slowly, my heart hammering. What kind of effed up question is that? I gathered my courage, knowing I could lose this chance to clean up my fiscal problems with the wrong words.
"That's none of your business." I'd hated myself, but I had to ask anyway, "Why? Why does that matter?"
Ty walked around his desk and shifted papers, his interest in me clearly waning. He'd been silent so long I opened the door and began to walk through it.
His words caught me before I closed it, "Because you walk like a whore."
I stiffened. The tears that threatened earlier? Yeah... those fall.
I had softly closed the door and moved through the crowded, dark hallways of the strip club. My coat is secured around the outfit that'd cost me almost a week's pay.
I hated what Ty said.
I hated it because it felt true.
Kiki shatters the foul memory of meeting Ty when she asks, "You ready?"
I look back at the girl in the mirror that's me. Her eyes are so pale a gray they would look almost white if it weren't for the lightning strikes of bronze that streak the irises, a warm brown ringing the outside. Right now, they're wide and ghostly in my even paler face and Kiki stares back at me in the mirror. Her darker skin and complexion contrasts with mine in the reflection. She draws me in as I lean back against her.
"You don't have to, Faren." She gives me an out as I stare at her dark arms wound around my neck in an embrace of solace.
But we both know why I have to.
I nod. "Yeah I do."
She kisses my coiffed hair and backs up. I slip into the ruby red heels and try not to take that final glance in the mirror.
A tall slim girl stares back at me. Her hair looks like caramel, eyes like ice. Her creamy skin looks like milk against the deep red of the outfit. A glittering mask that is part of the act. It surrounds my silver eyes in secrecy. I'm glad for the anonymity. The glittering v between my full breasts needs only an inch to reveal my nipples. The waistband is Velcro.
Meant to be torn.
Kiki does a little spin, hump-hips, and throws her head back, keeping a death grip on the doorjamb. "Every time you come down the pole, 'kay?"
I nod as the music begins for my set.
"Use your good hand, hon," she reminds me.
There's no way I could use the bad one. It'll be the wrist for balance and faking using both.
I don't fall apart until it's over. Then I'm at the commode throwing up my meager lunch.
I don't notice anyone watch as I race out of the club.
# ~ 3 ~
The hundreds fan out like a deck of perfect cards, and I move as though I'm in a dream. I scoop them up from Ty's desk, and he stays my hand by wrapping my wrist with his large hand. My eyes skitter up to his, and I blink.
"What?" I feel filthy every time I'm near him. He seems to know it by some pervert instinct and capitalizes on it by treating me like dirt whenever our paths cross.
I'd tried to tell Kiki, and she flung her hands up dismissively. "No touchie!" she said and sashayed off. It's easy for her to say because he doesn't watch her.
But he touches me now.
It's easy for her to say because I don't see him watch her.
He tightens his hold to just shy of bruising, and I fight my natural urge to pull away.
Ty has a hold of my bad hand, and anything can happen. As it is, my heart tries to escape my chest. I can't stand for a man to touch me. Every time it has happened in the past, it ended one way.
His eyes linger on mine then scan to where my coat is cinched at my waist. "There's more where that came from." His eyes hold some kind of question I don't understand. I don't want to.
I ignore the overt innuendo. "Let me go." All I want to do is whimper like a scared little girl. Because I am. I'm so scared. I've been doing this job for a week. The money I hold is enough to pay for half of my mom's care for the month. The entire month. It sits in my bad hand. My pinky finger pokes straight out, unable to bend correctly, and sweat dampens the dirty money.
"No," he says
He squeezes imperceptibly harder, and a low sound of pain escapes my throat.
He smiles, and I realize he's a predator. Like my stepfather. The saliva in my mouth disappears as my breathing picks up.
The door opens, and he drops my hand as if it burns. The money floats to the floor because my hand can't hold it.
Ty says loud enough for whoever walks in to hear, "You're such a graceful dancer, but you can't hang onto your money." He chuckles at his joke.
I don't think it's funny. I scoop up the money with my good hand, and the bad one throbs where it's been held too hard. Too long. I know from experience it won't work well for a solid hour.
"Hey, boss." Ty sounds nervous, and that makes my heart lighter.
"What's happening here?" a man asks, his voice a deep rumble. Melodic. It vibrates through my body though my bare knees are planted on the plush carpet. My bones thrum with it as though it's a tune that sings without permission inside the recesses of my soul.
I don't lift my face. I don't want anyone to witness my misery as I stuff the bills in my purse. I begin to rise as a large hand cups my elbow. Warmth leeches through my thin coat and flows through my body from his touch. I gaze at the beautiful leather shoes that shine in the soft light. My eyes rise to his wrist. Vintage cuff links wink back, a sapphire the only witness to my insecurity. My desperate need for indifference.
However fleeting, however untouchable.
I turn without offering thanks or a reply. His hand releases me, and I grow cold from its absence. I nearly run from the office, but I hear Ty comment about how strange I am, how all dancers are.
The only reply I hear before that burning gaze leaves my back is, "Shut up, Ty."
The door clicks and I leave as quickly as I came.
The heat from that stare follows me.
*
Kiki's curls dance as she moves her head to the music in her ear buds. She looks like a duck, her head jutting and retracting to some awesomeness only she can hear. Her long nail scrolls down the screen of her cell.
I plop down across from her and heave a sigh of relief. I heft my bag across my legs and against the corner of the seat of my favorite diner. I don't branch out much. So sue me, I love the view. That's a bit of the reason why I live where I do, why I shell out nine hundred bucks a month on a studio dive. Well, that and Mom's terribly expensive care center is blocks away, like my job.
Both jobs, actually.
Kiki catches my eye and smiles big, her grin infectious. I smile back. She pops an earbud out, and I hear the singer, Sully Erna. Hottie. I feel heat fill out the cool paleness of my skin.
Kiki lights up at my expression, never one to lose out on an easy excuse to tease me. "Sully Erna's coming to town. Saw him when he was touring with Godsmack. He's dee-lish, baby!"
Kiki gives a little hip gyration on the seat as the waitress comes up, pen poised. She looks at Kiki with clear amusement and gives me a knowing smile. The that girl can't be contained look passes between us before we look back at Kiki.
"What?" she asks, laughing. Her hand sails out dramatically, her tips bright red this month because Christmas is coming. God knows, she can't not celebrate something.
I look at my own bitten fingernails and put my elegant hands with their stubby tips on my lap.
Arlene takes our order and saunters away, no doubt chalking up our goofiness to our age. I'm not goofy, but it's part of her charm I siphon.
"So tell me what's going down, girl," she says without preamble. Now that she's here I don't know if I can say it all.
My hands sweat, and I fight to keep them on my lap. Arlene comes over and slaps two waters on the table. Her eyes flick to mine briefly, see something that makes her pause, but she must think better about getting involved because she leaves us to our conversation.
Kiki knows I owe money for my mom's care. I take a deep breath then another. I meet her eyes. "It's fifty K, Kiki."
Her eyes bug comically, and her hand flies to her chest. "Jeee-sus! Faren..." she exhales in a contrite burst.
We stare at each other while Arlene delivers our coffees. She looks from Kiki to me, probably wondering what stole my friend's good cheer. One guess.
She leaves and Kiki leans forward, her hair sweeping in a black veil that brushes dangerously close to the steaming coffee. I calmly add cream and sugar, making it something that's not coffee anymore. She searches my face for the Swiss cheese of emotions leaking out and I nod. "Yeah, it's that bad," I say.
She gives a low moan of outrage. "That bad? So fucking bad!" Kiki hisses. "No wonder you finally caved about shaking your tail."
My shoulders slump a little at her words. An image of Ty's hand on my wrist like a vise bubbles up. I let it pop inside my mind, hoping it'll evaporate and knowing it won't.
"How long will it take me to work off that debt?"
Kiki's face smoothed out, her thinking face set into motion and I can tell she's adding stuff up. "Well... to be honest, most good nights you can make up to five hundred..."
We're doing the math, and I'm hearing years. My soul can't take it. The pole and the men... it's already eating at me. Then there's Ty. I want months. Hell, weeks.
A moment around him is a lifetime.
Kiki reads my face and sighs. She lowers her eyes and stirs her coffee. "I wasn't going to tell you, but there's another option. It's kinda risky. It's not like the Black Rose."
"What could be worse than dancing at the Black Rose?"
Kiki sighs. "Listen, BR is the classiest of these types of establishments. The men have to behave themselves, not touch the girls and you don't have to show your kitty."
I'm so grateful. I give her an exaggerated eye roll. "What about Ty? He's like some kind of pimp!"
Kiki rolls her big eyes, her false eyelashes nearly reaching her brows. "Ty is Ty. He's great at sniffing out innocent girls, and he thinks you're skittish. He wants to scare you a little. No big thing." Her eyes meet mine. "Listen, he's all bark. Don't let him spook you."
Right. I feel I'm a good judge of bark versus bite, but I say nothing.
The food comes, and I look at the chef's salad with fresh salmon and wonder if I can eat it. My stomach's in knots. I feel the beginning of a fresh headache come on. I rub my temple before taking a small bite.
Kiki grabs a greasy fry and swirls it in some ketchup while taking a sip of Coke. No burger. She lives on about a thousand calories per day. I don't know how she stays alive, but she explains that she's not doing drugs to stay thin like the other girls. The whole scene makes me want to cry.
Then I go visit Mom and go right back to the pole anyway.
Kiki dips another fry and meets my eyes. It hangs there like a limp noodle, dripping ketchup that reminds me of blood.
I swallow. "How long?"
She stares at me for a heartbeat then beheads the fry. She talks through the food, "What are you willing to do?"
Oh gawd... Nothing more. Instead, I say, "A lot."
She nods, gives a sad little shake of her head, and tells me. There's a cavernous silence as the last word drops out of her mouth. I know she hates herself for telling me.
I know she loves me more.
––––––––
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NOOSE
A Road Kill MC Novella
Volume 1
New York Times Bestselling author
MARATA EROS
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2016 Marata Eros
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
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Cover art by Willsin Rowe
Editing suggestions provided by Red Adept Editing.
Whores
A smorgasbord of sweet butts, one for every taste.
Noose has a sweet tooth that won't quit, and a clubwhore to suit his every need.
Being a part of the Road Kill Motorcycle Club isn't a hard choice for Noose. A former Navy Seal and expert knotter, he's seen realtime choices—in circumstances most never do.
It's killing road. Women and freedom are the benefits of being a one percenter.
Until Rose Christo comes along and slams the brakes on his outlaw existence.
Murderers
Rose Christo knows death.
Murder stole her sister, and gave her a son that's not hers.
Love doesn't come in neat packages; it comes in the form of a five-year-old boy.
Love is packaged in a man that tears out her heart with a brutal sexuality that strips Rose of her most sacred vow.
Never count on a man.
Never love.
Never.
When her sister's murderer comes calling, demanding his property, who does Rose trust?
# 1
Noose
I grab Crystal's hair, fisting it tightly against the scalp, and drive into her hard from behind.
She squeals, and I suck up the noise like a starving man.
Sweet butts are all the same. They want to be taken.
I want to take.
I love bareback, but rubbers are key. This pussy has had more dicks than I can count, and it's like fucking another man if you're not wearing a raincoat.
Even when it's not raining.
I'm done being introspective. I don't have to be anymore. I just fuck. I wear a rubber so I can fuck and not think.
Perfection.
Like the knots I make. Like the ones I've made to murder with.
Crystal moans.
I thrust harder and start swirling my dick high in a semi-circle. She screams, her cunt squeezing my dick in big deep pulses.
My balls get ready for lift-off, and I come from my toenails, emptying the double barrel right on target.
My head tips back, and I give an exhausted exhale.
When I finally come down, I slap her tight ass and withdraw, stripping the spent rubber from the top and rolling it off as I walk. Chucking the limp sheath in the trash can, I turn around. She's still there, tits still mounded on the tabletop I pushed her on, pussy all bright pink and plump.
Splayed for the next guy. If any were dumb enough to enter my lair. I smirk. They sure as fuck shouldn't be.
An exhale drives out of me, and I tear calloused fingers through my hair, wanting a smoke bad.
I glance again at Crystal's slit. It's a shame when a perfectly good pussy isn't leaking cum. I shake my head in partial regret.
Can't have it all.
Her head pops off the table, and she moves to the side, her natural large rack sort of rolling toward the tabletop. Crystal puts her head in her palm, studying me.
I admire the view as I hop into my jeans. Commando. I'll figure out underwear when she's outta here and I can grab a shower. For now, I just want to get my ass covered and have my post-coital drag.
I rummage through shit on the top of my battered chest of drawers and spy the hard box of cigs underneath a pair of clean underwear.
Snapping open the lid, I give the pack a wrist flick, and three cigarettes slide out. I open my lips and nip one out.
After flipping the lid closed, I toss the pack back on the dresser. I grab the lighter out of my jeans pocket and light up. Cupping my hand around the flame, I take the first drag then shoot a smoke ring toward the peeling paint of the graying ceiling.
Relief washes over me. I got off, time for a kick back, then I go back to work. I'm already hashing shit out for the day in my head when Crystal starts talking.
I'd forgotten she was there.
Her lips purse. Some girls think pouting is cute. I know it's the cue for a potential mega-rant in my near future.
Not having that noise.
She runs her hand through her bleached-blond hair, puffing it out on the side that was mashed against the tabletop.
My lips quirk. Her effort to be sexy is sort of fun, like free entertainment.
"Hey, baby, let me stay for a while," she says in a voice that tries too hard for bedroom smooth, finger trailing over her tit and tweaking the nipple.
Nice. I clamp the cig between my lips and shake my head. "Nope. Out." My thumb slings toward the bedroom door.
The big pout ensues, full bottom-lip treatment. "But"—she sits up, tits jiggling, and starts to walk fast after me—"I thought we could—"
"Nope," I repeat, flicking ash toward the ashtray as I stride toward the bathroom. Most of the inch-long ash lands in the glass bottom that reads Road Kill MC. How's that shit for propaganda? The Prez believes in the club like the Holy Grail.
I do too. It's all there is for us one percenters.
It's the road. The bike. And the women. Not always in that order. I don't need anything more than that. I never have.
I turn around fast, and Crystal bounces into my chest. My hand rests against the doorjamb leading into the bathroom. "Listen, you're cute." I give her chin a little chuck. "But I'm not looking for anything long-term." I lift my shoulder, blowing another lazy oval toward the ceiling.
Crystal looks ready to cry. God damn.
I stuff my cig in the ashtray, mashing it in half. Spirals of smoke curl upward. Grabbing my wallet off the nightstand beside the door, I jerk out two twenties and a ten.
I shove them at Crystal.
"Go buy yourself something hot. Something that shows tits and ass." Chicks like to shop. What do they call it? Oh yeah—retail therapy.
She grabs the money, looks down at it for a second, then throws it in my face. "I'm not a whore!"
I wince. The green bills floats to the worn carpet. Act like a whore, look like a whore...
"You're a sweet butt. And you were sweet." Not so much now. "But it's time for you to take off."
Her face reddens. "You're a jerk, Noose."
I've been called worse.
I step into the bathroom. I don't look at the sweet butt picking up the crumpled cash.
I kick the door closed behind me then give a hard turn to the faucet.
When the entire bathroom is steaming, I get inside the shower.
She'll be gone when I get out.
They always are.
*
I should have done my sets before I showered.
But no way was I going to have Crystal around while I work my shit out.
Tonight I'll do pushups, twisted sisters, and burpies until the cows come home.
There's always the punching bag. Nobody's ever using it when I come in. My fists will tire me out.
Fucking insomnia. The witching hour is officially mine. I own it.
I owned it over in Afghanistan too. Can't sleep when you know someone might kill you.
Or you might have to be the one doing the killing.
I move through the club with a lot of stealth, considering my size. It's part of why I was never a jumper in the military. Big guys get fucked up fast.
Six feet, four and two hundred twenty pounds of male has all kinds of potential for getting broken to bits. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall" has new meaning in a parachute.
That's why hands-on assassinations are so much more appealing.
Knots.
When I'm stressed out, my mind does them. My hands are restless to feel ropes under my fingertips—the abrasive kind or the slick new style that knots faster than my mind can think it.
I pass the kitchen, a hangman's knot wrapping my thoughts. The loop's perfectly symmetrical, winding and wrapping until there's a little loop, then I pull through—
"Noose!"
A rough hand claps my back, and I frown. 'Bout had that knot. My favorite. Hence the namesake, I guess.
My team would know why, even though the club guys don't. They're probably under the impression it's a tough name or that it's cool.
It's not. Noose has meaning. But to those of us who fought side by side, we don't talk about obvious shit.
Our time just was.
I give a broad smile. Lots of us brothers have similar names.
Take Snare, the guy who's just put his hand on me. He gets out of those—traps, close calls, the works. The dude's got nine lives.
Nothing like a cat, though.
He lifts his fist, and I bump my knuckles with his. "Hey, man."
"Saw Crystal go outta here in a huff." His eyes, a blue so pale that they're the color of frozen water, hold humor. Snare's about three inches shorter than I am, but he's built like a brick shithouse.
I shrug at his words.
"How was she?" His eyes are hooded. He's probably thinking about the platter of pussy we have strutting around all the time. He hasn't sampled the Crystal hors d'oeuvre yet.
I lift my shoulder. "Same as the rest."
His eyebrows jerk in surprise. Snare's got some Native American in him. His hair's jet black. White folk never get hair that dark without help. The mix of light-blue eyes and black hair is striking—or so the ladies seem to think.
My hair is shit dishwater. Can't make up its mind between brown and blond. That doesn't matter; I keep the sides short and the top long. When it gets in my way, the whole load gets tied down.
Since I'm on the back of the bike half my waking hours, hair's tied down a fuckton.
I even have a little invisible hair tie for the beard. I keep that long and square. It's darker than the hair on my head, with a touch of ginger. Had a sweet butt ask me last month if I was Scottish.
Fuck if I know.
I guess I'm American, for what that's worth.
I'm a mad bastard, I told her. Then I went to town on her twat. That shut up the questions in a hurry. Just a lot of moaning and shit after.
That's how I like it—don't ask me for history.
"Come on, Noose, she's always pining for you. I haven't had a crack at her."
I chuckle. "Nice choice of words, bro."
He flings his muscular arms wide. "Not just another pretty face." Snare winks.
His face is not pretty. Snare got some blade time and a close call that almost took out his eyeball. The twisted scar tissue bisects one eyebrow, narrowly misses his eye, and travels in a hooked line that ends at the cleft of his chin.
Some girls are shy about Snare.
I think scars add character, though. It makes him look bad ass, which, in turn, freaks out the chicks. Love/hate thing. Not bad for the sack.
I exhale. "Crystal doesn't pine. She whines."
"Now who's the poet and they don't know it?" Snare asks, glacial eyes widening.
I flip him the bird. "Ass."
He nods. "Yup. But put in a good word for me anyways."
I give a lopsided grin. "I don't think Crystal's gonna think any of my words are good after our interlude."
Snare whistles, walking outside with me.
Brilliant sunlight belts me in the face, and I flick my sunglasses open. They're high-end and polarized. I don't like glare when I ride.
I slide them on my face, loving the anticipation of the wide-open ribbon of black asphalt.
"Interlude?" he asks in disbelief.
I throw up a hand and waffle it around. "Pelvic grind, hip bump, pipe lay..."
Snare grunts. "You ever done anyone twice, Noose?"
I narrow my gaze at him behind my dark glasses. "Nah."
"Figured."
Our attention turns to our rides. The windshields glint in the sun like sleepy, winking eyes.
"Let's ride," I say.
Snare doesn't need another invitation.
# 2
Rose
It's my break.
I'm allowed to look at my text messages. I have to.
Charlie will send me pictures. He always does. The sweetheart.
I move through the breakroom, my hip hitting the countertop of the little kitchenette.
I grimace but hardly notice. A ping sounds, and an image fills my cell screen.
It's a Lego tower. A perfect, brilliant work of art.
For a five-year-old.
I smile like I just saw an original Picasso. Love swells my chest, and pride tightens it.
He's done so well.
"Hey, Rose," one of the other tellers greets me as she walks by.
"Hey, Naomi," I reply absently, brushing away a stray hair that's come loose from my topknot. My eyes are all for the new little creation my boy made during his first week of kindergarten.
My heart flutters. I cried ten gallons of tears last week when I had to send him off. My sadness had been evil.
I guess all mothers feel that way. I don't know for sure. I'm not really a mom.
I'm an aunt.
But his real mom's dead. So I'll have to do.
I bite my lip, rolling the plump flesh inside my mouth and gnawing at it. My finger runs over the colorful blocks with a loving touch, my screen magnifies, and I see his left hand clutched over the top. A tower almost as tall as he is threatens to topple, but not before the teacher got the pic.
I text back rapidly. "Beautiful."
There's no return text.
I glance at the time on my cell. Naptime.
My heartbeat regains its slow rhythm. I try to overcome the panic at not immediately hearing back from him. I'm sort of a gloom-and-doom type.
I haven't seen Charlie's father in a year. The fucking loser.
Time feels pregnant with potential, swollen with his promise of getting his son back.
Over my dead body.
"Rose."
I know that voice and sigh. I lift my chin, meeting his gaze.
My boss stands there, his eyes steady on the clock over my left shoulder.
One minute past break.
Ned's about ten years older than I am. That puts him around thirty-four. He's married. Not that the little fact of his status as taken stops him from making passes at me whenever he can.
Ned found out fast that I don't date.
Ever.
I sure as hell don't date married men who are my boss.
Some of the girls don't care that he's married. They rise in the ranks faster for blowing him in his office. I've been a teller at this bank since high school graduation. My first boss died of a heart attack last year. Orville was a good man.
Now Ned's here.
He smirks, obviously enjoying the discovery of my minor transgression.
I slide off the stool, realizing I missed having a snack. Not great for the old hypoglycemia. Stupid, Rose. Oh well, maybe I can pop an M&M or two at my station.
He leans down next to my face as I pass him, his hot breath singeing my temple. "Don't let it happen again."
Sacrificing my body's natural aversion to a man, I try not to jerk away. I feel an expression of disgust seat itself on my face as I regard him.
His beady brown eyes slim on me with a hate that I don't deserve. Just because I say no doesn't mean I suck.
But to Ned, my lack of interest means exactly that.
I turn away quickly, trying to pretend those interchanges don't bug me or make me nervous.
That's crap, of course. Anxious sweat stings my palms and breaks out underneath my armpits. I hate feeling stressed where I work. My fingers curl around the cell.
I have Charlie.
I have a job. I have a hell of a lot to be thankful for. Crying over my perv boss like a scared little bitch won't solve it.
I just won't be late anymore. Even a minute. A second. I don't want to give the jerk anything to have over me.
I scoot my stool with the rolling wheels underneath the counter and lift my sign that says Next Window.
I'm ready to take money now.
*
I hate my boobs.
Other women think I've got it made or something. I fill out clothes nice, sure. But I have to wear two sports bras so the girls don't drive me crazy with bouncing. Besides, it kind of hurts if I don't.
Like now.
I jog around nine-minute miles most days. On the weekends, I go a little nuts and do around six-mile runs, then I'm a true jogger, slowing down too just under tens. During the week, between my job and Charlie, I can only manage around three times a week. I take Sundays off. That's Charlie's day.
My day.
I swear I live at Scenic Park. Rumor has it we had a mayor back in the 1970s who was out of control for parks and threw one in everywhere there was land.
Kent needs it. The city's a little armpit bedroom community to Seattle now. Infrastructure was not well thought out, and the traffic is a rat's nest of too many cars in clogged arteries. The roads of Kent have cholesterol, and there's not a damn thing we can do to stop the impending heart attack.
The valley bisects the east and west hills of the city. Kent's got long fingers of ownership that travel all the way to Federal Way to the west, cutting a path through that town and still claiming a narrow swath that belongs to the City of Kent.
I don't care about the impractical parks that could have been made into more roads or wider ones. I just like to jog the paths of Scenic Park and have a free, safe place to hang with my nephew.
The ritual of running erases my mind's problems and takes me on a journey of the soul without introspection. I cannot think for that hour I'm pounding paths that wind through trees.
I don't think about my creeper boss. I don't think about Charlie's real dad, my sister's murderer.
I just run.
Charlie loves the park. If the wind's strong, we fly kites that get caught in the Douglas fir trees, tails like rainbow arcs toss their color in the deep blue of summer that comes late in the Pacific Northwest.
A wave of light-headedness washes over me, making my stride stutter.
Dammit.
My little waist pouch taps my hip softly as I run. I hate stopping the rhythm I set when I run. My sports watch says I was doing high eights. That's pretty fast for my slow ass. A tight smile stretches my lips. Just one more quarter mile, and my car will be in sight.
I can make it.
I take the last bit of my run hard, seeing what I've got left.
When my little Smartcar comes into sight I slow to a walk, cruising right past the shiny white toaster.
I'm begging to puke if I just stop and hop in. Nope. First, it's the ten-minute cool-down walk, then it's stretching.
First things first. I spring a Jolly Rancher candy free of my little pouch, tear off the wrapper, and stuff it inside my mouth, striding back and forth.
I probably look like a crazy pacer. I suck hard through my nose and breathe out my mouth, controlling my air. Sweet and sour apple flavor explodes inside my mouth as I suck on the candy, willing it to settle me and ground my fuzzy brain.
Being tied to protein and ready sugars gets old, but it could be worse. Oh well.
My tongue rolls the candy around in my mouth, my heartbeats slow, and my shakiness subsides.
I plant my hands at my hips, elbows out, and walk with my head down.
Back and forth, back and forth. I don't see, hear, or think.
I crunch my candy and cool down. That's probably why I didn't notice him at first.
Drake moves into my path.
I stop as if I just walked into an invisible wall. It sure feels like I did.
The wings of my elbows fold, and that heartbeat I had under control riots inside a chest that suddenly doesn't feel like taking in air.
"Hello, Rose."
He's just as I remember him from last year. Huge. Greasy. Sinister.
Dangerous.
I don't reply, pivoting quickly. I move to my car.
He's so fast, his hand is on the handle before I touch it.
I make a little noise of distress.
God, please.
Please.
His smile is cruel as he grits out, "We're gonna talk, bitch."
My heart flies up my throat. I try to reply but can't.
His hand grips my bicep, fingers biting the tender flesh just above the elbow.
"There's witnesses, Drake." I'm so proud of the evenness of my voice.
He nods. "I know that. We're gonna talk. Here. Now."
I swallow, craning my neck to get a good look at him. He's over six feet to my five feet, seven. His biker gang tats are all over him. The only tat-free space on his big body is his face. He reeks like body odor and ashtrays. Underneath that is pure evil.
I shudder.
His smile widens. He's so pleased by the effect he has on me, and I'm helpless to not react. Drake is the most repugnant man I've ever met in the flesh.
He drops my arm as though it burns him. I know that's not the case. He's told me I look as good as my sister. When he said that, tears burst from my eyeballs. Not a few. A flood.
He laughed.
The leather of his motorcycle jacket creaks when he shifts his weight. "Hearing's coming up."
I know that. I've lived knowing that.
My feet take me a few steps out of his reach. "I know."
"They're going to give me my boy back." A slow, false grin spreads on his face.
I shake my head, my lips thinning. "They'll take one look at you and give me another five years."
"You fucking bitch. Give me visitation rights."
I swallow my fear, as his hands become flesh hammers at his side.
"What rights?" I whisper in a choked voice, my fingers splaying over my heart. "What rights did Anna have?"
"She stepped out on me," Drake says, crossing his arms over his steroid-muscled chest.
"She walked out on you. Big difference. But if that helps you sleep at night..."
His eyes slim down on me. "I sleep like a baby." He puts a V around his lips and his tongue punches out. Wagging at me.
Disgust ripples through me. "What are you? Twelve?"
I shake my head, turning to walk back to my car. Defeated.
I have to see this maniac again in a week. I should have known he couldn't wait until then.
He reaches out, snagging my wrist. He grinds the small bones together. "You will say you're willing to give me visitation, or I'll make it so you wished you had."
A whimper slips out.
Drake likes the noise. His hold tightens slightly, then he drops my arm.
I fight not to rub my wrist.
I feel tears burn my eyes, knowing what my sister went through before she died. A taste of Drake's abuse is enough to last me a lifetime.
"You can't force me. Charlie's all I have of Anna. He's a human being, not a pawn for your control."
His thumb hits his chest. "He's my fucking kid. Unless that crack was fucking someone I don't know about?" His dark eyebrows twitch upward.
I wish she had.
But Charlie is all his. Anna had only just started dating another guy when she was murdered. Who knows if she ever slept with him? Charlie was already here, so it's a moot point.
Drake was the only man Anna slept with, as far as I know.
I shake my head.
He lifts his shoulders hard, driving them to his ears. Heavy gauges distend the lobes. They're jet black, like his clothes.
Like his heart.
"I'll be there." I jerk the handle up and heave myself inside, slamming the door.
Drake strides to the window and gives a single hard rap of his knuckles against the glass.
I flinch.
Starting the car, I crack the window.
"It's not you being there that matters. It's you vouching for me, cunt."
I hate that word. It's so dirty from his mouth.
I'm more than the sum of my parts. Ineffectual rage blossoms like a dark flower inside me, swarming my body with heat.
His lips twist savagely. "Yeah. I see how you are. What you'd like to do to me. But you can't. I'm in control, see?"
I do see, but I won't be manipulated. This won't stop. If I cave to Drake's demands, he won't stop there. He'll want more.
He won't stop until he has Charlie.
I can't let that happen.
His grimy fingers curl over the window rim.
I slam the gear in reverse and take off.
Drake snatches his hand away.
His glare haunts me even after he's out of sight.
# 3
Noose
"Fucking Kent."
"Yup." Snare squints up at the sky, taking in the Indian summer weather. "Don't really feeling like being errand boy today. Could be eating road."
"Killing road," I say.
He turns to me with a grin.
We bump fists again.
Good day to be alive.
I hit the kickstand with the toe of my boot, and it clicks into place. I let the Road King settle to the side, its engine ticking as it cools.
I'm the only brother with a King. I love the smoothness. Of course, I've had every thing under the sun done for speed. The pipes are bigger than a woman's waist.
Well, maybe not that big.
I grin, striding toward the bank where the club's money gets stowed. The manager's dirty.
He'll hold anything for the right price. Road Kill MC always pays the right price for the job. He's a cowardly little simp. But as long as green greases his palm, he's our dog on a leash. Works for us.
There's lots of gang trash thinking they'll move into our territory and infringe on the club's rights. Road Kill will keep killing to maintain what's ours. Got to be proactive with disease, no matter what form it takes. Gangs. Drugs. Trafficking. Whatever. Cancer spreads.
Money that can't be laundered gets its own security net.
I look up at the sign. A big key logo hovers over the top, imposing and trying for that secure vibe. We're actually kissing distance to Covington. It's not quite the shithole Kent's become, but it's vying for second position.
I shake my head with my normal disdain. Nothing's secure.
I move through the entrance, and Snare scans the exits and living, breathing scenery. A good sergeant-at-arms will always tally ins and outs, potential threats.
This bank is new for us. The one in Tacoma changed hands, and now we have to dick with the newest lackey.
The Prez wants it done, so we go to Kent for the new account. Little intro. It's the right city size to cover shit—big, but not so big that we lose sight of our vitals.
Vince, aka Viper, has been President of the Road Kill MC since before I was voted in five years ago, and his intuition rivals my own. We make a good team.
Same as Snare and I do.
Instincts will keep a man alive. Not brains. Not education. Not attitude. That's all show. Living by your gut sees a long life. Men tied to their primal side survive.
He gives a low whistle that only I can hear, and I tense.
"What?" I offer in a voice just above a hiss.
"Check out that broad."
I stifle an eye roll. I'm all business. Get this money hustle out of the way and eat road. I already had pussy for breakfast.
Then I see her, and time slows to a crawl.
My dick hurts at just a glance. It's not just one thing about her, but a million things.
Yeah, she does have some tits. But I've seen tits—dozens of cum-on-them tits. I'm not a piece man; I'm a package man. This chick's got that going in spades: exotic doe eyes so brown that they're almost black and dark-blond hair that's blonder than my own, but rich like honey.
I imagine her pouring over my body like the sweet condiment.
"Right?" Snare pants with full-on lust.
I jab him in the ribs.
He huffs. "Fuck you, Noose."
"Come on."
I pick up one boot after another.
I'm never nervous around chicks. They're just a place to park my prick.
I lick my lips, wondering for the first time in forever what I threw on to cover my body today.
Well, my cut, for starters.
Snare and I stand at the silken twisted rope. I read the sign. Please wait for next available teller.
A text pings, and I slip my phone out of my jeans.
It's the simp manager, Ned.
Go to teller number three.
Cryptic fuck.
I don't text back. Guess who's teller number three? You got it—dark, dainty, and delicious.
She's like a fucking chocolate eclair. My tongue darts out and runs over my lip again, betraying my thoughts.
She looks up.
My balls lift. Holy fuck.
"May I help you?" she asks.
Hell yes.
She's got one of those low contralto voices to match the package. Her words burn through me.
Snare puts an elbow in my side.
I move forward. "Yeah."
Her caramel eyebrow arches, and my eyes run all over her body, starting at the rack.
She's not some slut. She's built better than any girl I've ever seen, but she's modestly dressed. Christ on a crutch, she looks like she just graduated high school.
Finally, my eyes hit her face again. Those eyes.
Oh yeah, she's trouble.
A fine blush runs across her cheekbones.
I've embarrassed her. I don't care. She's just some banker chick.
My spine straightens.
Ned sidles up behind her, placing a familiar hand at her shoulder. A finger slides up the skin of her neck, and I watch her fight to not shrug it off.
My lust moves right into anger. Handy. The emotion chases my fog to the shore of my mind. I can think again. Thank fuck.
"Rose," Ned says, "these are the special clients I told you about."
Rose, my mind whispers like a prayer.
Fear edges her eyes as she takes me in the way I just did her.
My eyes tighten. Must be the tats. Or the cut. Or me.
Probably me.
I give a sideways look to Snare. His eyes are glued to the tiny bit of cleavage peeking out her fire-engine-red blouse.
Dick.
"Yes, thank you, Ned."
I sort of hear, Fuck off, Ned. Maybe it's wishful thinking. He appears to give her an affectionate squeeze, and she shivers.
Pleasure?
A look of distaste moves across her features and is gone almost before I notice.
Nope. Revulsion.
I glare at good old Ned, and he shrinks away. I watch him until he disappears into his glass-walled office.
"I can help you," she says quietly.
I reach into the flat leather satchel I have and slide a zippered and locked bag across the countertop between her and me.
Rose's fingers tremble as she takes it, careful not to touch me.
Her fear pisses me off. I would never hurt a woman, even if she begged me to. I'm not one of those sadist fucks.
Why do I give two shits if Rose is scared of me? We're the Road Kill MC; lots of people are scared of us.
I look at Rose, her dark honey-colored head bends over the money as she puts it in an automatic currency counter. I don't like her being afraid of me.
That makes me even more pissed.
She's just a woman, like any other woman. They all have vaginas. They are good for fucking. That's it.
My dick throbs. And I'm back to goddamned thinking again. How'd that nasty little habit rear its head again?
She finishes and looks up. Eyelashes like amber lace sweep down, fanning over the soft-pink color of her cheeks. She looks up from beneath them, and my breath stutters.
Her lips move, and I think about kissing them.
"What?" I say in slow motion.
She's clearly flustered at having to repeat herself. "I have your receipt."
I nod and hold out my hand. She hands me the square piece of paper. I glance at the figure.
Correct.
My fingers wrap hers, and the transaction receipt crinkles between us.
I can feel her heartbeat through my hand.
Our eyes lock.
"Thank you," she says quietly. Her features tighten.
"Welcome," I manage, releasing her hand.
She sits there, stunned.
Stunning.
I pivot to walk away, and Snare follows, smart enough to keep his trap shut.
I stuff the receipt inside the security bag and throw it in the satchel that diagonally crosses my body.
Snare punches open the door ahead of me, and I move through first.
I've been in combat, and taken lives. I've brushed death so closely, I could taste rot on my tongue.
But today I've been undone by some bank teller.
I'm fucking losing it.
"What the fuck was that?" Snare asks, eyes roaming the parking lot.
No thugs leap out of their possible hiding places. My shoulders ease down.
"What?" I ask, purposely misunderstanding. I hate explaining shit I can't. To myself. To others.
"The fucking chick back there." He yanks his head back at the doors we just passed through. "Your brains were leaking out your ears. And," he says, voice going low, "you scared the fuck outta her. Nice, Noose. Way to turn on the charm."
"Not all of us can be beautiful."
Snare snorts. "It's not that, you fucking clown. It's that you were all intense and didn't talk, then we deposit a hundred grand? Real circumspect, is all I'm saying."
"Uh-huh. Stop using the big words, Snare. Makes my brain hurt."
"Not as bad as your dick, apparently."
I turn on him, pointing. "Listen, it's no big thing. I'm just distracted."
Snare nods, unconvinced. "You're never distracted, Hoss."
He knows me.
We hop on our rides. I open my trunk and toss the empty moneybag in there. I tap my fingers on my thigh.
Snare waits. I turn around, unable to make her out through the dark glass.
Maybe Rose sees me looking. Maybe she's watching me. The thought of her watching makes me want to jerk off.
"Gee-zus. Just go in there and make a play, Noose. What do you have to lose?" His large hands slap jean-clad thighs. His exhale is frustrated.
Nothing. I don't have anything to lose because I'm not going to try. Rose is a classy chick. Sluts are easy—and not just for sex. They've got one thing that interests me. And that's enough.
I shake my head, and Snare takes me at my silent word. We hit our kickstands and roll out.
Just as we're making the turn out of the parking lot a, Fat Boy cruiser turns in.
Chaos Rider.
Hate those bastards.
I peer hard at the guy, who seems sort of familiar. Not sure how. Road Kill knows every club in Washington and the states that surround it. This dude doesn't rep them great. He looks unkempt, like a shower is a wish never granted.
As we pull out, I don't like the way it makes me feel to leave the bank, knowing a biker from a rival club will go in there and feast his eyes on Rose.
Heat rolls over me in a hot tide of anger.
Fuck.
I'm already thinking of Rose as mine. But that's for brothers who want that ball and chain. Need it.
And that's the problem with that. She's not mine.
I don't want to own anyone.
Click to READ MORE
***Please read on for more TRB dark fantasy....
THE PEARL SAVAGE
A Savage Series Novel
Book 1
New York Times Bestselling Author
TAMARA ROSE BLODGETT
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © 2010-11 Tamara Rose Blodgett
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
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# Prologue
1890
Samuel lay on his back, gasping for air like a fish out of the sea. They had done all they could. Now the burden rested with their descendants. His gaze lingered on the house he loved, covered in ash, the sun no longer a bright orb in the sky, but shrouded in gray. A hush fell over the pewter wasteland. Cold seeped into his marrow inch by insidious inch. Many would enter the spheres constructed by the Guardians. Their saviors spoke of selective population, which rang false to Samuel, or true, as the case might be. His grandchildren were safe and beyond the pale of this time, this world he was leaving.
He let his head roll limply on its side, where his gaze captured Mae, also prone with a strange contraption with hand-hammered copper and a complex, inky black netting covering the greater part of her nose and mouth. Leather straps braided and wrapped her skull, pushing strands of hair around like lost silver. She made odd, whistling noises as she breathed.
"Samuel, wear it." Mae's voice was distorted as she lifted the matching mask the Guardians had fashioned in the preceding months.
"No, Mae. I wish to enjoy this fore-night without the chains of their advances."
Samuel knew his stubbornness would cost him his life. The Guardians, who were equal part savior and bearer of terrible news, had made concessions for the elders. But those who survived would be the strongest, most virile, agile, and smartest among them. Samuel and Mae both understood at their advanced age of sixty and one years that they would be excluded from the mercies of the sphere.
With blurred vision, Samuel saw a familiar figure approach.
"Father! Why do you not take rest in your own bed?" Stella's comely face was a salve in his approaching death. Her wool skirts swirled as she knelt and set an illuminated candle, hissing steam from its seams, beside him.
Raising his hand, he cupped the loveliness of her face, knowing the time had come for her to enter the sphere the Guardians had constructed for the select. Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Papa, the Guardians have told you that you might survive... All is not lost."
Samuel put a finger to her lips. "Silence now, child. This is your place now. Do not forget the things you have been taught. Take this, Dear Heart. Hold it safe to your breast. Guard it. It is our history." Samuel handed her a slim leather book bound with a black silk tie.
Stella pressed it to her chest, tears overflowing down unprotected cheeks. Mae's eyes met hers. "Go now, Stella-girl. Take the opportunity you have been given."
Her knuckles whitened as Stella clutched the book. Misery etched its path on her countenance. "It will never be the same without you both."
A clear bell-tone pealed, reminding Stella of duty, her duty to leave her parents behind. The knowledge of her future, the safe environment of the sphere, was a burden on her heart.
Stella turned to look at the sphere shimmering in a watery iridescence like a giant cloche. But people were not plants. Their future safekeeping was a promise of a life with a family fractured by separation.
Stella bent to kiss Samuel and Mae goodbye. Gently unwinding the facemask the Guardians had constructed, she placed a kiss, soft as butterfly wings on the woman who had nurtured her. The skin gave way like tissue-thin silk under the pressure of her lips. Turning to her father, she saw his pale blue eyes watering. She cradled his head while she pressed a kiss to his forehead. She lowered his head and took a last lingering look, knowing this was the final time she would view her parents in this realm.
Lifting her skirts, she pivoted away, dropping them as she walked—no, as she ran—brushing tears from her cheeks, the book clutched tightly in her other hand, the candle hanging from its copper loop in her squeezed finger. Approaching the doorway to the sphere, she was the last select to be ushered inside. Casting one final glance, she saw her parents' supine forms, their clasped hands held tightly, her mother's mask forgotten beside her.
Stella whirled toward the entrance, losing hold of the book, dropping it on the ash-laden earth. She picked it up, her last gift from Father. Seeing the title, she peered closer: Asteroid: A History of When the Rocks Fell.
Stella moved forward as the hole closed behind her. A fierce idea bloomed in her consciousness to remember who they had been. An indeterminate future stretched before her.
# CHAPTER 1
One Hundred Forty Years Later
Clara beheld the shrouded exterior as she did each morning, her hands pressed against the pliable interior of the sphere. Her fingers sank into its surface, stopped before breaching the Outside. The yearning was the same. She wished to experience the Outside.
Sighing, Clara turned from the misty view outside the molded window. Her petticoats swept together, wrapping her bare legs, as she found the stockings laid out for her on the bed.
Olive knocked on the door. "Mistress, may I enter your chamber?"
"Yes."
She entered with scads of rich turquoise steam-pressed clothing draped over her arm. Clara hated it, hated it all.
"Princess." Olive inclined her head.
Clara recognized she was penalizing Olive unfairly. Who truly wished to celebrate her Day of Birth? Utter nonsense.
Olive peered at her Princess from under her lashes. She was a formidable young lady with aquamarine eyes that flashed with energetic temper, deep mahogany hair cascading to her waist—very handsome but uncooperative when it came to dressing.
"Please, Princess, they await your appearance."
"Does my mother?"
Olive knew that the Queen was deep in her cup, and it was not yet midday. "Our Queen has begun her own celebration."
No surprise.
Clara's people wished to see her adorned in her finery (a loathsome pursuit) to be reminded that she was their Princess, the one who saw to their happiness, unlike her mother, the Queen, who failed them at every turn.
Olive interrupted her musings. "My lady, please employ the bedpost."
Grabbing the stays that bound the corset, Olive took up the slack. Reaching the end, she pulled with all her might. Clara gasped. "Must it be so tight? I cannot breathe properly."
"It must be hand-span."
Finally, Olive bent to use the shoe hook on Clara's high heels, each button a luminescent mother-of-pearl.
"Do you not think you are agreeable, mistress?"
Clara gazed at her image. Creamy expanses of pale skin met the weak light from the sphere window climbing up to a heart-shaped face with high cheekbones and strange-colored blue eyes, a dark fall of hair that was fiery red in a certain light, brushed her hips where they swelled. Her mother would be pleased, she supposed. But Clara wanted to change into the waistcoat and linen skirt she wore when she visited the oyster fields.
She turned to Olive. "I look comely enough to satisfy the Queen."
"And Prince Frederick."
Yes, she must not forget her upcoming nuptials to the Prince. The thought brought a searing tide of resentment, coiling painfully under her breastbone.
Clara sat at the vanity while Olive wove pearls into her hair. A rainbow of shimmering colors winked in the plaiting. "Do you wish to wear it all up, your highness?" She indicated the back of Clara's head.
She wished to not attend her Day of Birth celebration.
"No, Olive, just the forward section... leave the remainder down."
Olive swept the forward part of Clara's hair off her face in an elaborate coil, twining at the top, back of her head and weaving around it like a crown. Then arranged and rearranged Clara's hair until she was satisfied.
"There. That will do," she said with satisfaction.
Clara stared at her reflection. He eyes gazed back, huge in her small face. Pearls shimmered in the low light.
She stood, giving Olive a gracious nod. "You are most clever with your ministrations."
Olive gave Clara a deep curtsey, which she bore as she did her other royal obligations.
Clara wandered over to her window again, pressing her face almost to the sphere barrier, its soft but impenetrable surface her prison.
"Princess?"
"Yes, Olive," Clara said without turning.
"I implore you. Do not stand so close to the window. You have heard the reports of savages, have you not?"
Yes, she had. Again Clara thought of how she longed to explore, to see for herself what lay beyond her world, the Kingdom of Ohio.
"Yes, I have heard and it aggrieves me mightily. If some have survived the bounds of this place," Clara stretched out her hand to encompass the sphere, "who are we to feel disinclination? Should we not welcome others?"
"It is not safe, my Princess."
"And who has such musings?"
"The Record Keeper, my lady."
Clara's full lips thinned into a line of distaste. She detested the idea that one individual held the history and direction of so many.
"Please... make my excuses for another half hour hence."
Olive hesitated, thinking of the Queen's displeasure. "Yes, Princess."
"You are not to be blamed. Tell the Queen that I was obstinate, as is typical." Clara's mouth curved into a smile. It pleased her that Queen Ada would suffer irritation and keep the dreadful Prince Frederick waiting. A bigger pompous ass the spheres had never seen.
Clara turned to face Outside again. Olive slipped out the door and closed it quietly behind her. Tension slipped out of Clara's shoulders. She felt relieved to own another moment of time before the abhorrent celebration began.
She stood watching the wind (as she had been told that was what it was), caressing the Forest of Trees. As she turned away, she saw movement. She pressed her face to the sphere's interior, her nose pushing in the softness. Outside her window, a great male stood, partially obscured by trees. On his face lay a fierceness. Arrows were slung over a shoulder corded with muscle. He had a bow in one hand and strange clothing covering only part of his body. A shocking expanse of skin showed.
He was fascinating and most assuredly a savage.
Without warning, he flew the stand of trees that Clara had been admiring since her childhood, rushing straight for the window she leaned against. Clara clenched her teeth, holding her position, knowing that the sphere was impenetrable, but stale fear flooded her mouth as she watched the huge male advance at an incredible speed. Clara's heart thumped painfully in her chest. When a hair's breadth remained between the sphere and Clara, he stopped.
*
Bracus looked at the female behind the sphere that the Evil Ones had constructed in his grandfather's grandfather's time. He had watched the female for months and had seen her supervising workers in the fields of sea creatures that yielded shimmering jewels.
He also knew she was beautiful. He wanted her.
She was unlike any of the females he had seen. In his clan, females were rare, highly prized, and safeguarded. His eyes caressed her face, the skin like cream from the cow, her eyes like the sea near his cousin's clan, hair the color of fire burnt down to embers. Bracus looked around warily, knowing he must leave. He was too exposed without the trees at his back. He gave a last look at the female. Her expression seemed indecipherable. He felt vulnerable that he had revealed himself after his careful months of hiding. Turning, he climbed up the hill toward the stand of trees, his long and powerful strides eating up the ground. Reaching the forest, he looked back at the window where the female watched him. He turned back toward the clan.
*
Clara released the breath she'd been holding, letting it out in a rush. Light-headed, she sat on the fainting couch and put her head between her knees. Between the strange episode with the savage and the absurd corset, she could not regain her breath. This is how Olive came upon her when she returned to escort her to the celebration.
Olive rushed to her. "Princess, what ails you?"
Although not her favorite transgression, it was effective, and she lied smoothly to Olive. "I think my stays may need loosening."
"Oh! For the love of the Guardian! Please... forgive me." Olive rushed around to loosen the corset, but Clara knew that would just lengthen the horror of the event and incur additional wrath from the Queen.
"Never mind. It matters not, Olive... hand-span it shall be."
"As you wish, Princess."
As she walked to the doorway, she turned, giving one look back to the window, where the savage had looked at her so intimately. He had been so alive, so vital. She knew one thing she had seen would distract her during the entire celebration.
The savage had gills.
Clara made her way to the door, swinging it open to the hallway which led to the Gathering Room, a place of joy. But not for her... not today.
# CHAPTER 2
Clara entered with Olive, her lady-in-waiting, who she also called friend, at her heels. Royalty was a lonely role and every friendship sacred. Clara searched the crowd for Charles. Surely he was somewhere around the room. Nowhere... drat.
Her eyes scanned the Gathering Room, taking in the rich tapestries lining the walls. "Walls" was a misnomer. There was no puncturing the interior of the sphere. The tapestries had been hung from scaffolding with copper fasteners. The huge Gathering clock donged, chiming three hours past noon. Clara loved the enormous timepiece. Ten feet in diameter, it had a symmetry that gave one pause, its beauty striking as sure as the chime she felt reverberating in her chest. The steam-powered gears moved and clanked, clearly seen through a layer of crystal. Hot vapors rose to the highest apex of the sphere, flowing through unseen air portals, which fed to a central ventilator.
Relief swept through Clara as she saw Charles moving toward her. He had finished his studies one year ago and begun to work in the fields. He would stay by her, understanding that she would have to spend a good portion of her time in the presence of her betrothed.
She noticed that he wore his clothes with grace and charm. He looked dashing, his hat a shining wonder topping soft black hair, his time piece tucked safely in the front pocket of a smartly striped brocade vest. His soft velvet pants were charcoal, tucked into tall boots that rose to the knee. His deep black coat lined in scarlet swirled mid-thigh.
Charles bowed. "Princess Clara." His eyes twinkled. The sod knew very well how she hated the title.
Clara automatically returned a perfunctory curtsy. "I see you are in good spirits."
"Ah yes, a Day of Birth celebration for my dearest friend, what must I feel badly about?" Charles raised a brow, tapping a finger on his head as if confused.
Olive giggled behind them. She found Charles amusing. Clara did as well, but not so much this day.
Charles examined her expression. "Clara." He lowered his voice. "There is no alternative. You must persevere."
His sadness cloaked her. Charles would rather slay himself with his own sword than have her married to Frederick.
Clara felt shame redden her cheeks. He was her dear friend and as constrained by rules as she. Taking his hand, she squeezed it, and he leaned down, whispering in her ear, "That is the Clara I know, brave heart. Take my arm, Princess."
Clara slipped her arm through Charles's, noticing how tall he had become. The top of her head brushed his chin. His dark eyes regarded her solemnly. It was time to greet Queen Ada, her mother.
They approached the throne upon its circular dais. The steps leading to her throne shone in the warm light of the steam-chandeliers, their crystal orbs casting a golden glow directly over the dais, spreading like molten water over the floor.
The Queen regarded them with thinly veiled disdain, her tapered finger eternally running up and down the crystal stem of her shimmering emerald wine goblet.
"Daughter of mine," Queen Ada said with silken menace encasing every syllable, "what reason have you for being late to your own Day of Birth celebration? Leaving"—she gave a slight incline of her head— "Prince Frederick in a most unescorted plight." Her gaze bored through Clara.
She allowed herself to look at Prince Frederick, whose thunderous expression told her that her mother was not the only one from whom she would have to assuage temper.
"Do not look at Prince Frederick," Queen Ada roared, causing the crowd to gasp. "Address your Queen!"
Charles moved behind Clara, putting his hand at the small of her back.
Queen Ada's razor stare turned to Charles. "She is not to be coddled."
Charles hand fell away from Clara's back, and she stood, vulnerable and seemingly alone, before Ada.
Clara took a stoic breath, bracing herself, knowing the shock wave she would send through the crowd. "I have a tale of great magnitude." Every eye was upon Clara. A feeling of great excitement stole around her heart, squeezing it. "I have seen a savage."
The gasps were as one, loud in their combined softness.
Queen Ada stood, her goblet temporarily forgotten. Elvira, her lady-in-waiting, swooped forward to steady it. Clara watched Ada regain her balance, swaying only a little.
"You lie." She stood in her swirling gown of deep purple, her favorite color, with a long, sensuous rope of black pearls looped and knotted, reaching her knees. Samuel's pearls, only the rarest for Ada. Clara never thought of her mother as such. It was always Ada, or the Queen.
"I do not. I was taking my leave before this celebration." Clara turned to the many faces, some of which she was close enough to reach out and touch, and spoke to them, giving her back to Ada, a brave thing. "I saw him at the border of the Forest, which lays Outside."
More gasping. The sightings of the savages had increased in number, along with the sentries at the critical sphere passages between kingdoms.
Charles grasped her elbows, turning her to face him. "You say you saw one? How close, Cla... Princess."
"I ask the questions here, not you." The Queen turned her fearsome expression to Clara. "Perchance, you use this ridiculous story as a ruse to win you my mercy for the disrespect you show us by your lateness." She looked at Clara, for all her drink, brightly and with a keenness that Clara knew very well.
Clara ignored the question, hoping to distract with her tale.
"He ran with great speed to my window." Many voices began at once, and Clara was forced to stop.
"Silence!" Queen Ada bellowed, and the crowd's voices faded.
Ada swung her attention to Frederick. "What say you? Does my daughter bear tales?"
As if he would have a fig's reckoning about her state of mind.
Frederick glared down at Clara. She a terrible but necessary inconvenience, one he would obtain to further his wealth. She was but a pawn on his kingdom's chessboard.
Frederick sat slightly lower and to the left of Ada, the King of Kentucky to Ada's right. It was he, not Frederick, who answered. "If I may, I feel disinclined that Princess Clara would falsify such a tale at a time when these savages are unveiling their presence."
Clara gulped back her anxiety, eternally thankful for King Otto, who inadvertently paved the way for her next comment. "I may know why they survive Outside." The silence was that of a tomb, but Clara continued. "The male had..." Clara gestured to the slender column of her neck, and the many faces of the crowd followed her motion. "...gills. They appear to aid in his breathing."
Excited conversations exploded all around Clara, and she hazarded a look at Queen Ada, who looked as if her breath had been stolen, sitting down in a very un-royal heap upon her throne.
Charles studied Clara, his hand still encircling an elbow when Prince Frederick was suddenly there. "Unhand my betrothed, Mr. Pierce."
Charles stared at the Prince with an unwavering gaze, his brown eyes steady, his fingers loosening then falling away. Clara looked at Charles, her eyes warning him. She saw in his eyes a wish to maim, which would not do. It would not do at all. Her gaze traveled, finding the Prince's guards.
"Come, Clara." He said her name with an intimacy he would never earn. "Sit beside your future king."
Clara would rather drown in the oyster fields than be near him. She turned to look at Charles, and he mouthed, I will be here.
Clara lifted her skirts to assure her footing as she climbed the dais and sat in the small, gilded throne at Ada's left, sandwiched between the loathsome Prince and her drunken mother, the one who would prostitute her for free grapes, giving up their precious legacy of pearls for her love of the cup.
# CHAPTER 3
Clara's gaze fell upon the crowd, so deeply engaged in the titillating news of a close sighting of a savage. Not a glimpse, no, but an entirely intimate appraisal. She felt the uncomfortable presence of Prince Frederick at her back. He had made it clear that she was not suitable for him. With her very unfeminine desire to work the oyster fields, he had been quite vocal in his dislike of her duties.
His irritation pleased her.
It was well known, at least in her sphere, that the Kingdom of Kentucky was ill managed. Prince Frederick acted not in the least concerned for his people's prosperity. There had been rumors of poverty, which included starvation, unheard of in most spheres.
A hand gripped her collarbone painfully, and Clara checked her expression so the pain would not show. "Smile, my dear, let them all know how happy you are that I have deigned to show my affection for you," the Prince whispered, his breath so like rotten fruit that Clara stifled a gag. She plastered a false smile on her face, which immediately alarmed Charles. Clara gave a minute shake of her head, stay there, the look said. She was stuck as a butterfly with a pin through its wing. The Prince abused her in a multitude of subtleties. She could guess what a marriage with him would entail. He released her, and the numbness where his hand had been faded, replaced with throbbing that kept pace with her heart.
Ada leaned forward. "You will explain this later, my daughter. In detail."
"Yes, my Queen."
Ada placed her hand at the back of Clara's neck and squeezed hard, her favorite tender spot to abuse. At every vantage point, she was higher than Clara, as tall as most men, and always higher on the dais, always. Clara struggled not to whimper at the double abuse from the Prince and the Queen. It was a near thing and difficult to hide from her people.
Ada and King Otto had their heads pressed together in royal commune, which suited Clara very well. It meant that the Queen's attention lay elsewhere. Finally, amongst the noise of the people's conversation, King Otto clapped his hands three times, causing Clara to flinch, which amused Frederick. The crowd quieted.
"Hail the People of the Kingdom of Ohio. On this day, it is not just a Day of Birth Celebration, but also a day of exciting news." A somber expression rode his face. "Your Princess claims to have seen one of these savages near at hand and will now explain them to us."
Once more, all eyes were on Clara. As unprepared as she felt, she knew the violence that would meet non-compliance, so she began. "He seemed of rugged countenance but not a danger."
A person from the crowd shouted, "How can that be? We know they are to be feared."
Clara's eyes narrowed, taking in the speaker's stance.
"That is what we have been told by the Record Keeper." A disquieted silence fell. "And this may be, but this savage offered no violence. It is my belief that he was... curious about us."
"About you, Princess." This came from one of the men who captained the pungy boat in the oyster fields.
"Mayhap of me, or it could be happenstance that I stood by the window at just the right moment."
Olive spoke next. "Tell us, your highness, what did it look like?"
The group leaned forward to catch her words. "He was of huge body and limb, with long hair to here," Clara indicated her shoulders, "and of fierce expression." Clara did not indicate clothing, as it would be an embarrassment in front of the People, his nakedness scandalous.
The great timepiece chimed four times, its deep timber reverberating inside the Gathering Room like a quaking of the earth. Steam rose to the sphere's apex, the hissing vapors seemingly disappearing.
The Queen broke through the questions with a final, "Enough of the supposed savage. Let us celebrate my daughter's Day of Birth."
Clara knew Queen Ada wished to know everything in private, an interrogation she would not escape.
Servants came forward with laden plates of grapes, cheese, and all matter of meats and pastries for the last course. A great cake was piled four tiers high. It was an absurd extravagance, more appropriate for a Wedded Joining than a birthday. They laid the feast at the foot of the royal dais on tables that had been arranged for the buffet. Another table was piled high with lavishly packaged gifts from her people.
Clara stood on feet shaky from stress. "Thank you all most kindly for your presence at my Day of Birth Celebration. I am most grateful for your allegiance and loyalty."
Ada waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, yes Princess Clara, they understand that." Her eyes narrowed.
Clara thought that might be the case but felt the words were most important to say. The Queen cared not, but Clara knew loyalty was an uncertain thing, cultivated through decent treatment, not fear. A lesson her mother did not ascribe to. A lesson taught by her father, King Raymond, long-since passed.
Someone she would never forgot.
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# Acknowledgments
I published both The Druid and Death Series, in 2011 with the encouragement of my husband, and continued because of you, my Reader. Your faithfulness through comments, suggestions, spreading the word and ultimately purchasing my work with your hard-earned money gave me the incentive, means and inspiration to continue.
There are no words that are sufficiently adequate to express my thankfulness for your support.
I truly feel connected to my readers. It is obvious to me, but I'll say the words anyway for clarity: a written work is just words on pages if they are not read by my readers. As I write this I get a lump in my throat; your enjoyment of my work affects me that deeply.
You guys are the greatest, each and every one of ya~
Tamara
xoxo
Special Thanks:
You, my reader.
My husband, who is my biggest fan.
Cameren, without who, there would be no books.
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# About the Author
www.TamaraRoseBlodgett.com
Tamara Rose Blodgett: happily married mother of four sons. Dark fiction writer. Reader. Dreamer. Home restoration slave. Tie dye zealot. Coffee addict. Digs music.
She is also the New York Times Bestselling author of A Terrible Love, written under the pen name, Marata Eros, and over ninety-five other titles, to include the #1 international bestselling erotic Interracial/African-American TOKEN serial and her #1 bestselling Amazon Dark Fantasy novel, Death Whispers. Tamara writes a variety of dark fiction in the genres of erotica, fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi and suspense. She lives in the midwest with her family and three, disrespectful dogs.
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Drei Schwestern steht für:
Drei Schwestern (Berg), im Rätikon an der Grenze Liechtenstein-Österreich
Drei Schwestern (Ackerbau), Pflanzenkombination im indianischen Landwirtschaftssystem
Drei Schwestern, Serie von Riesenwellen, siehe Monsterwelle #Stand der Forschung
Drei Schwestern (Tallinn), denkmalgeschützter Gebäudekomplex in Tallinn, Estland
Drei Schwestern (Antarktika), Nunatakker im ostantarktischen Viktorialand
Werktitel:
Die drei Schwestern, Märchen der Brüder Grimm (1812)
Drei Schwestern (Drama) von Anton Tschechow (1901)
Drei Schwestern (Oper) von Péter Eötvös (1997)
Drei Schwestern (1977), ungarischer Film von István Darday und György Szalai
Drei Schwestern (1984), deutscher Fernsehfilm von Thomas Langhoff
Drei Schwestern (1997), israelischer Dokumentarfilm von Tsipi Reibenbach
Drei Schwestern (2015), französischer Fernsehfilm von Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
Siehe auch:
Three Sisters
Tři sestry, tschechische Rockband | {
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\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:intro}
Suppose that $f_X : \mathbb{R}^p \rightarrow [0,\infty)$ is a
probability density function that is intractable in the sense that
expectations with respect to $f_X$ cannot be computed analytically.
If direct simulation from $f_X$ is infeasible, then classical Monte
Carlo methods cannot be used to explore $f_X$ and one might resort to
a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method such as the data augmentation
(DA) algorithm \citep{tann:wong:1987,liu:wong:kong:1994,hobe:2011}.
To build a DA algorithm, one must identify a joint density, say $f:
\mathbb{R}^p \times \mathbb{R}^q \rightarrow [0,\infty)$, that
satisfies two conditions: (i) the $x$-marginal of $f(x,y)$ is $f_X$,
and (ii) sampling from the associated conditional densities,
$f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y)$ and $f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$, is straightforward. (The
$y$-coordinate may be discrete or continuous.) The first of the two
conditions allows us to construct a Markov chain having $f_X$ as an
invariant density, and the second ensures that we are able to simulate
this chain. Indeed, let $\{X_n\}_{n=0}^\infty$ be a Markov chain
whose dynamics are defined (implicitly) through the following two-step
procedure for moving from the current state, $X_n=x$, to $X_{n+1}$.
\vskip .2truecm\hfill \hrule height.5pt \vskip .2truecm
\vspace*{2mm}
\noindent {\rm Iteration $n+1$ of the DA Algorithm:}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Draw $Y \sim f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$, and call the observed value $y$
\item Draw $X_{n+1} \sim f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y)$
\vspace*{-3.5mm}
\end{enumerate}
\vskip -.1truecm\hfill \hrule height.5pt \vskip .4truecm
\bigskip
\noindent It is well known and easy to establish that the DA Markov
chain is reversible with respect to $f_X$, and this of course implies
that $f_X$ is an invariant density \citep{liu:wong:kong:1994}.
Consequently, if the chain satisfies the usual regularity conditions
(see Section~\ref{sec:ot}), then we can use averages to consistently
estimate intractable expectations with respect to $f_X$
\citep{tier:1994}. The resulting MCMC algorithm is known as a DA
algorithm for $f_X$. (Throughout this section, $f_X$ is assumed to be
a probability density function, but starting in Section~\ref{sec:ot} a
more general version of the problem is considered.)
When designing a DA algorithm, one is free to choose any joint density
that satisfies conditions (i) and (ii). Obviously, different joint
densities will yield different DA chains, and the goal is to find a
joint density whose DA chain has good convergence properties. (This
is formalized in Section~\ref{sec:DA} using $\chi^2$-distance to
stationarity.) Unfortunately, the ``ideal'' joint density, which
yields the DA chain with the fastest possible rate of convergence,
does not satisfy the simulation requirement. Indeed, consider
$f_{\perp}(x,y) = f_X(x) \, g_Y(y)$, where $g_Y(y)$ is any density
function on $\mathbb{R}^q$. Since $f_{\perp}(x,y)$ factors,
$f_{X|Y}(x|y) = f_X(x)$ and it follows that the DA chain is just an
iid sequence from $f_X$. Of course, this ideal DA algorithm is
useless from a practical standpoint because, in order to simulate the
chain, we must draw from $f_X$, which is impossible. We return to
this example later in this section.
It is important to keep in mind that there is no inherent interest in
the joint density $f(x,y)$. It is merely a tool that facilitates
exploration of the target density, $f_X(x)$. This is the reason why
the DA chain does not possess a $y$-coordinate. In contrast, the
two-variable Gibbs sampler based on $f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y)$ and
$f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$, which is used to explore $f(x,y)$, has both $x$
and $y$-coordinates. So, while the two-step procedure described above
can be used to simulate both the DA and Gibbs chains, there is one key
difference. When simulating the DA chain, we do not keep track of the
$y$-coordinate.
Every reversible Markov chain defines a self-adjoint operator whose
spectrum encodes the convergence properties of the chain
\citep{mira:geye:1999,rose:2003,diac:khar:salo:2008}. Let $X \sim
f_X$ and consider the space of functions $g$ such that the random
variable $g(X)$ has finite variance and mean zero. To be more
precise, define
\[
L^2_0(f_X) = \bigg \{ g: \mathbb{R}^p \rightarrow \mathbb{R} :
\int_{\mathbb{R}^p} g^2(x) \, f_X(x) \, dx < \infty \;\;\mbox{and}\;\;
\int_{\mathbb{R}^p} g(x) \, f_X(x) \, dx = 0 \bigg \} \;.
\]
Let $k(x'|x)$ be the Markov transition density (Mtd) of the DA chain.
(See Section~\ref{sec:DA} for a formal definition). This Mtd defines
an operator, $K: L^2_0 \rightarrow L^2_0\,$, that maps $g(x)$ to
\[
(Kg)(x) := \int_{\mathbb{R}^p} g(x') \, k(x'|x) \, dx' \;.
\]
Of course, $(Kg)(x)$ is just the expected value of $g(X_1)$ given that
$X_0=x$. Let $I: L^2_0 \rightarrow L^2_0$ denote the identity
operator, which leaves functions unaltered, and consider the operator
$K-\lambda I$, where $\lambda \in \mathbb{R}$. By definition,
$K-\lambda I$ is \textit{invertible} if, for each $h \in L^2_0$, there
exists a unique $g \in L^2_0$ such that $((K-\lambda I)g)(x) = (Kg)(x)
- \lambda g(x) = h(x)$. The spectrum of $K$, which we denote by
$\mbox{Sp}(K)$, is simply the set of $\lambda$ such that $K-\lambda I$ is
\textit{not} invertible. Because $K$ is defined through a DA chain,
$\mbox{Sp}(K) \subseteq [0,1]$ (see Section~\ref{sec:DA}). The number of
elements in $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ may be finite, countably infinite or uncountable.
In order to understand what ``good'' spectra look like, consider the
ideal DA algorithm introduced earlier. Let $k_{\perp}$ and
$K_{\perp}$ denote the Mtd and the corresponding operator,
respectively. In the ideal case, $X_{n+1}$ is independent of $X_n$
and has density $f_X$. Therefore, the Mtd is just
$k_{\perp}(x'|x)=f_X(x')$ and
\[
(K_{\perp}g)(x) = \int_{\mathbb{R}^p} g(x') \, f_X(x') \, dx' = 0 \;,
\]
which implies that
\[
((K_{\perp}-\lambda I)g)(x) = -\lambda g(x) \;.
\]
It follows that $K_{\perp} - \lambda I$ is invertible as long as
$\lambda \ne 0$. Hence, the ``ideal spectrum'' is $\mbox{Sp}(K_{\perp}) =
\{0\}$. Loosely speaking, the closer $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ is to $\{0\}$, the
faster the DA algorithm converges \citep{diac:khar:salo:2008}.
Unfortunately, in general, there is no simple method for calculating
$\mbox{Sp}(K)$. Even getting a handle on $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ is currently difficult.
However, there is one situation where $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ has a very simple
structure. Let ${\mathsf{Y}} = \big \{y \in \mathbb{R}^q : f_Y(y) > 0 \big \}$,
where $f_Y(y) = \int_{\mathbb{R}^p} f(x,y) \, dx$. We show that when
${\mathsf{Y}}$ is a finite set, $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ consists of a finite number of elements
that are directly related to the Markov transition matrix (Mtm) of the
so-called conjugate chain, which is the reversible Markov chain that
lives on ${\mathsf{Y}}$ and makes the transition $y \rightarrow y'$ with
probability $\int_{\mathbb{R}^p} f_{Y|X}(y'|x) \, f_{X|Y}(x|y) \, dx$.
In particular, we prove that when $|{\mathsf{Y}}|=d<\infty$, $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ consists
of the point $\{0\}$ together with the $d-1$ smallest eigenvalues of
the Mtm of the conjugate chain. We use this result to prove that the
spectrum associated with a particular alternative to the DA chain is
closer than $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ to the ideal spectrum, $\{0\}$.
DA algorithms often suffer from slow convergence, which is not
surprising given the close connection between DA and the notoriously
slow to converge EM algorithm \citep[see e.g.][]{vand:meng:2001}.
Over the last decade, a great deal of effort has gone into modifying
the DA algorithm to speed convergence. See, for example,
\citet{meng:vand:1999}, \citet{liu:wu:1999}, \citet{liu:saba:2000},
\citet{vand:meng:2001}, \citet{papa:robe:skol:2007},
\citet{hobe:marc:2008} and \citet{yu:meng:2011}. In this paper, we
focus on the so-called sandwich algorithm, which is a simple
alternative to the DA algorithm that often converges much faster. Let
$r(y'|y)$ be an auxiliary Mtd (or Mtm) that is reversible with respect
to $f_Y$, and consider a new Markov chain,
$\{\tilde{X}_n\}_{n=0}^\infty$, that moves from $\tilde{X}_n=x$ to
$\tilde{X}_{n+1}$ via the following \textit{three-step} procedure.
\vskip .2truecm\hfill \hrule height.5pt \vskip .2truecm
\vspace*{2mm}
\noindent {\rm Iteration $n+1$ of the Sandwich Algorithm:}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Draw $Y \sim f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$, and call the observed value $y$
\item Draw $Y' \sim r(\cdot|y)$, and call the observed value $y'$
\item Draw $\tilde{X}_{n+1} \sim f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y')$
\vspace*{-3.5mm}
\end{enumerate}
\vskip -.1truecm\hfill \hrule height.5pt \vskip .4truecm
\bigskip
\noindent A routine calculation shows that the sandwich chain remains
reversible with respect to $f_X$, so it is a viable alternative to the
DA chain. The name ``sandwich algorithm'' was coined by
\citet{yu:meng:2011} and is based on the fact that the extra draw from
$r(\cdot|y)$ is sandwiched between the two steps of the DA algorithm.
Clearly, on a per iteration basis, it is more expensive to simulate
the sandwich chain. However, it is often possible to find an $r$ that
leads to a substantial improvement in mixing despite the fact that it
only provides a low-dimensional (and hence inexpensive) perturbation
on the ${\mathsf{Y}}$ space. In fact, the computational cost of drawing from
$r$ is often negligible relative to the cost of drawing from
$f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$ and $f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y)$. Concrete examples can be
found in \citet{meng:vand:1999}, \citet{liu:wu:1999},
\citet{vand:meng:2001}, \citet{roy:hobe:2007} and
Section~\ref{sec:app} of this paper.
Let $\tilde{k}(x'|x)$ denote the Mtd of the sandwich chain. Also, let
$\tilde{K}$ and $\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$ denote the corresponding operator and
its spectrum. The main theoretical result in this paper provides
conditions under which $\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$ is closer than $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ to the
ideal spectrum. Recall that when $|{\mathsf{Y}}|=d<\infty$, $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ consists
of the point $\{0\}$ and the $d-1$ smallest eigenvalues of the Mtm of
the conjugate chain. If, in addition, $r$ is idempotent (see
Section~\ref{sec:improve} for the definition), then $\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$
consists of the point $\{0\}$ and the $d-1$ smallest eigenvalues of a
\textit{different} $d \times d$ Mtm, and $0 \le \tilde{\lambda}_i \le
\lambda_i$ for all $i \in \{1,2,\dots,d-1\}$, where
$\tilde{\lambda}_i$ and $\lambda_i$ are the $i$th largest elements of
$\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$ and $\mbox{Sp}(K)$, respectively. So $\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$
dominates $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ in the sense that the ordered elements of
$\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$ are uniformly less than or equal to the corresponding
elements of $\mbox{Sp}(K)$. We conclude that the sandwich algorithm is
closer than the DA algorithm to the gold standard of classical Monte
Carlo.
One might hope for a stronger result that quantifies the extent to
which the sandwich chain is better than the DA chain, but such a
result is impossible without further assumptions. Indeed, if we take
the auxiliary Markov chain on ${\mathsf{Y}}$ to be the degenerate chain that is
absorbed at its starting point, then the sandwich chain is the same as
the DA chain.
To illustrate the huge gains that are possible through the sandwich
algorithm, we introduce a new example involving a Bayesian mixture
model. Let $Z_1,\dots,Z_m$ be a random sample from a $k$-component
mixture density taking the form
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:mix}
\sum_{j=1}^k p_j h_{\theta_j}(z) \;,
\end{equation}
where $\theta_1,\dots,\theta_k \in \Theta \subseteq \mathbb{R}^l$,
$\{h_\theta(\cdot) : \theta \in \Theta \big \}$ is a parametric family
of densities, and the $p_j$s are nonnegative weights that sum to one.
Of course, a Bayesian analysis requires priors for the unknown
parameters, which are ${\boldsymbol{\theta}} = (\theta_1, \theta_2, \dots, \theta_k)^T$
and ${\boldsymbol{p}} = (p_1, p_2, \dots, p_k)^T$. In typical applications we have
no prior information on $p$, and the same (lack of) prior information
about each of the components in the mixture. Thus, it makes sense to
put a symmetric Dirichlet prior on the weights, and to take a prior on
${\boldsymbol{\theta}}$ that has the form $\prod_{j=1}^k \pi(\theta_j)$, where $\pi:
\Theta \rightarrow [0,\infty)$ is a proper prior density on $\Theta$.
Let ${\boldsymbol{z}} = (z_1,\dots,z_m)$ denote the observed data. It is well known
that the resulting posterior density, $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$, is intractable
and highly multi-modal \citep[see, for
example,][]{jasr:holm:step:2005}. Indeed, let $E$ denote any one of
the $k!$ permutation matrices of dimension $k$ and note that
$\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi(E {\boldsymbol{\theta}}, E {\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. Thus, every local maximum of
the posterior density has $k!-1$ exact replicas somewhere else in the
parameter space.
The standard DA algorithm for this mixture problem was introduced by
\citet{dieb:robe:1994} and is based on the following augmented model.
Assume that $\{(Y_i,Z_i)\}_{i=1}^m$ are iid pairs such that $Y_i=j$
with probability $p_j$, and, conditional on $Y_i=j$, $Z_i \sim
h_{\theta_j}(\cdot)$. Note that the marginal density of $Z_i$ under
this two level hierarchy is just \eqref{eq:mix}. Let ${\boldsymbol{y}} =
(y_1,\dots,y_m)$ denote a realization of the $Y_i$s. The so-called
complete data posterior density, $\pi(({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}),{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$, is just the
posterior density that results when we combine our model for
$\{(Y_i,Z_i)\}_{i=1}^m$ with the priors on ${\boldsymbol{p}}$ and ${\boldsymbol{\theta}}$ defined
above. It is easy to see that
\[
\sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} \pi ( ({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}),{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}} ) = \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \;,
\]
where ${\mathsf{Y}}$ is the set of all sequences of length $m$ consisting of
integers from the set $\{1,\dots,k\}$. Hence, $\pi(({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}),{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$
can be used to build a DA algorithm as long as it is possible to
sample from the conditionals, $\pi(({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ and
$\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}),{\boldsymbol{z}})$. We call it the mixture DA (MDA) algorithm.
Note that the state space for the MDA chain is the Cartesian product
of $\mathbb{R}^{kl}$ and the $k$-dimensional simplex, but $|{\mathsf{Y}}| = k^m
< \infty$.
The MDA algorithm often converges very slowly because it moves between
the symmetric modes of $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ too infrequently
\citep{cele:hurn:robe:2000,lee:mari:meng:robe:2008}.
\citet{fruh:2001} suggested adding a random label switching step to
each iteration of the MDA algorithm in order to force movement between
the modes. We show that the resulting Markov chain, which we call the
FS chain, is a special case of the sandwich chain. Moreover, our
theoretical results are applicable and imply that the spectrum of the
operator defined by the FS chain dominates the spectrum of the MDA
operator. To illustrate the extent to which the label switching step
can speed convergence, we study two specific mixture models and
compare the spectra associated with the FS and MDA chains. The first
example is a toy problem in which we are able to get exact formulas
for the eigenvalues. The second example is a normal mixture model
that is frequently used in practice, and we approximate the
eigenvalues via classical Monte Carlo methods. The conclusions from
the two examples are quite similar. Firstly, the MDA chain converges
slowly and its rate of convergence deteriorates very rapidly as the
sample size, $m$, increases. Secondly, the FS chain converges much
faster and its rate does not seem as adversely affected by increasing
sample size.
The remainder of this paper is organized as follows.
Section~\ref{sec:ot} is a brief review of the operator theory used for
analyzing reversible Markov chains. Section~\ref{sec:DA} contains a
string of results about the DA operator and its spectrum. Our main
result comparing the DA and sandwich chains in the case where
$|{\mathsf{Y}}|<\infty$ appears in Section~\ref{sec:improve}.
Section~\ref{sec:app} contains a detailed review of the MDA and FS
algorithms, as well as a proof that the FS chain is a special case of
the sandwich chain. Finally, in Section~\ref{sec:examples}, the MDA
and FS chains are compared in the context of two specific examples.
The Appendix contains an eigen-analysis of a special $4 \times 4$ Mtm.
\section{Operator Theory for Reversible Markov Chains}
\label{sec:ot}
Consider the following generalized version of the problem described in
the Introduction. Let ${\mathsf{X}}$ be a general space (equipped with a
countably generated $\sigma$-algebra) and suppose that $f_X: {\mathsf{X}}
\rightarrow [0,\infty)$ is an intractable probability density with
respect to the measure $\mu$. Let $p(x'|x)$ be a Mtd (with respect to
$\mu$) such that $p(x'|x) f_X(x)$ is symmetric in $(x,x')$, so the
Markov chain defined by $p$ is reversible with respect to $f_X(x)$.
Assume that the chain is Harris ergodic, which means that it is
irreducible, aperiodic and Harris recurrent
\citep{meyn:twee:1993,asmu:glyn:2010}.
Define the Hilbert space
\[
L^2_0(f_X) = \bigg \{ g: {\mathsf{X}} \rightarrow \mathbb{R} : \int_{\mathsf{X}} g^2(x)
f_X(x) \mu(dx) < \infty \;\;\mbox{and}\;\; \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x) f_X(x) \mu(dx)
= 0 \bigg \} \;,
\]
where inner product is defined as
\[
\langle g,h \rangle = \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x) \, h(x) \, f_X(x) \,
\mu(dx) \;.
\]
The corresponding norm is given by $\norm{g} = \sqrt{\langle g,g
\rangle}$. The Mtd $p$ defines an operator $P: L^2_0(f_X)
\rightarrow L^2_0(f_X)$ that acts on $g \in L^2_0(f_X)$ as follows:
\[
(Pg)(x) = \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x') \, p(x'|x) \, \mu(dx') \;.
\]
It is easy to show, using reversibility, that for $g, h \in
L^2_0(f_X)$, $\langle Pg,h \rangle = \langle g,Ph \rangle$; that is,
$P$ is a self-adjoint operator. The spectrum of $P$ is defined as
\[
\mbox{Sp}(P) = \Big\{ \lambda \in \mathbb{R}: P - \lambda I \;\,\mbox{is
not invertible} \Big\} \;.
\]
There are two ways in which $P - \lambda I$ can fail to be invertible
\citep[][Chapter 4]{rudi:1991}. Firstly, $P - \lambda I$ may not be
onto; that is, if there exists $h \in L^2_0(f_X)$ such that there is
no $g \in L^2_0(f_X)$ for which $((P-\lambda I)g) = h$, then the range
of $P-\lambda I$ is not all of $L^2_0(f_X)$, so $P-\lambda I$ is not
invertible and $\lambda \in \mbox{Sp}(P)$. Secondly, $P-\lambda I$ may not
be one-to-one; that is, if there exist two different functions $g, h
\in L^2_0(f_X)$ such that $((P-\lambda I)g) = ((P-\lambda I)h)$, then
$P-\lambda I$ is not one-to-one, so $P-\lambda I$ is not invertible
and $\lambda \in \mbox{Sp}(P)$. Note that, if $((P-\lambda I)g) =
((P-\lambda I)h)$, then $Pg^* = \lambda g^*$ with $g^*=g-h$, and
$\lambda$ is called an eigenvalue with eigen-function $g^*$. We call
the pair $(\lambda,g^*)$ an eigen-solution.
Let $L^2_{0,1}(f_X)$ denote the subset of functions in $L^2_0(f_X)$
that satisfy $\int_{{\mathsf{X}}} g^2(x) \, f_X(x) \, \mu(dx) = 1$. The
(operator) norm of $P$ is defined as
\[
\norm{P} = \sup_{g \in L^2_{0,1}(f_X)} \norm{Pg} \;.
\]
A simple application of Jensen's inequality shows that the nonnegative
quantity $\norm{P}$ is bounded above by 1. The norm of $P$ is a good
univariate summary of $\mbox{Sp}(P)$. Indeed, define
\[
l_P = \inf_{g \in L^2_{0,1}(f_X)} \langle Pg,g \rangle \hspace*{7mm}
\mbox{and} \hspace*{7mm} u_P = \sup_{g \in L^2_{0,1}(f_X)} \langle
Pg,g \rangle \;.
\]
It follows from standard linear operator theory that $\inf \mbox{Sp}(P) =
l_P$, $\sup \mbox{Sp}(P) = u_P$, and $\norm{P} = \max \big\{ -l_P, u_P
\big\}$. Consequently, $\mbox{Sp}(P) \subseteq \big[ -\norm{P},\norm{P}
\big] \subseteq [-1,1]$. Another name for $\norm{P}$ in this context
is the \textit{spectral radius}, which makes sense since $\norm{P}$
represents the maximum distance that $\mbox{Sp}(P)$ extends away from the
origin. The quantity $1-\norm{P}$ is called the \textit{spectral
gap}.
It is well known that $\norm{P}$ is closely related to the convergence
properties of the Markov chain defined by $p$
\citep{liu:wong:kong:1995,rose:2003}. In particular, the chain is
geometrically ergodic if and only if $\norm{P}<1$
\citep{robe:rose:1997}. There is an important practical advantage to
using an MCMC algorithm that is driven by a geometrically ergodic
Markov chain. Indeed, when the chain is geometric, sample averages
satisfy central limit theorems, and these allow for the computation of
asymptotically valid standard errors for MCMC-based estimates
\citep{jone:hara:caff:neat:2006,fleg:hara:jone:2008}. We note that
geometric ergodicity of reversible Monte Carlo Markov chains is
typically not proven by showing that the operator norm is strictly
less than 1, but rather by establishing a so-called geometric drift
condition \citep{jone:hobe:2001}.
If $|{\mathsf{X}}|<\infty$, then $P$ is simply the Mtm whose $(i,j)$th element
is $p(j|i)$, the probability that the chain moves from $i$ to $j$. In
this case, $\mbox{Sp}(P)$ is just the set of eigenvalues of $P$ \citep[see
e.g.][]{mira:geye:1999}. The reader is probably used to thinking of 1
as an eigenvalue for $P$ because $P$ satisfies the equation $P {\bf 1}
= {\bf 1}$, where ${\bf 1}$ denotes a vector of ones. However, the
only constant function in $L_0^2$ is the zero function, so $(1,{\bf
1})$ is not a viable eigen-solution in our context. Furthermore,
irreducibility implies that the only vectors ${\bf v}$ that solve the
equation $P{\bf v}={\bf v}$ are constant. It follows that $1 \notin
\mbox{Sp}(P)$. Aperiodicity implies that $-1 \notin \mbox{Sp}(P)$. Hence, when
${\mathsf{X}}$ is a finite set, $\norm{P}$ is necessarily less than one. In the
next section, we return to the DA algorithm.
\section{The Spectrum of the DA Chain}
\label{sec:DA}
Suppose that ${\mathsf{Y}}$ is a second general space and that $\nu$ is a
measure on ${\mathsf{Y}}$. Let $f: {\mathsf{X}} \times {\mathsf{Y}} \rightarrow [0,\infty)$ be a
joint probability density with respect to $\mu \times \nu$. Assume
that $\int_{{\mathsf{Y}}} f(x,y) \, \nu(dy) = f_X(x)$ and that simulating from
the associated conditional densities, $f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y)$ and
$f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$, is straightforward. (For convenience, we assume
that $f_X$ and $f_Y$ are strictly positive on ${\mathsf{X}}$ and ${\mathsf{Y}}$,
respectively.) The DA chain, $\{X_n\}_{n=0}^\infty$, has Mtd (with
respect to $\mu$) given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:Mtd}
k(x'|x) = \int_{{\mathsf{Y}}} f_{X|Y}(x'|y) \, f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \;.
\end{equation}
It is easy to see that $k(x'|x) \, f_X(x)$ is symmetric in $(x,x')$,
so the DA chain is reversible with respect to $f_X$. We assume
throughout this section and the next that all DA chains (and their
conjugates) are Harris ergodic. (See \citet{hobe:2011} for a simple
sufficient condition for Harris ergodicity of the DA chain.) If the
integral in \eqref{eq:Mtd} is intractable, as is nearly always the
case in practice, then direct simulation from $k(\cdot|x)$ will be
problematic. This is why the indirect two-step procedure is used.
\citet{liu:wong:kong:1994} showed that the DA chain satisfies an
important property that results in a positive spectrum. Let $K$
denote the operator defined by the DA chain. For $g \in L^2_0(f_X)$,
we have
\begin{align*}
\langle Kg,g \rangle & = \int_{\mathsf{X}} (Kg)(x) \, g(x) \, f_X(x) \,
\mu(dx) \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{X}} \bigg[ \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x') \, k(x'|x) \, \mu(dx')
\bigg] g(x) \, f_X(x) \, \mu(dx) \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{X}} \bigg[ \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x')
\, \bigg[ \int_{\mathsf{Y}} f_{X|Y}(x'|y) \, f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \bigg] \,
\mu(dx') \bigg] g(x) \, f_X(x) \, \mu(dx) \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{Y}} \bigg[
\int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x) \, f_{X|Y}(x|y) \, \mu(dx) \bigg]^2 \, f_Y(y) \,
\nu(dy) \ge 0 \;,
\end{align*}
which shows that $K$ is a \textit{positive operator}. It follows that
$l_K \ge 0$, so $\mbox{Sp}(K) \subseteq [0,\norm{K}] \subseteq [0,1]$ and
$\norm{K} = \sup \mbox{Sp}(K)$.
In most applications of the DA algorithm, $f_X$ is a probability
density function (with respect to Lebesgue measure), which means that
${\mathsf{X}}$ is not finite. Typically, when $|{\mathsf{X}}|=\infty$, it is difficult to
get a handle on $\mbox{Sp}(K)$, which can be quite complex and may contain
an uncountable number of points. However, if $K$ is a compact
operator\footnote{The operator $K$ is defined to be compact if for any
sequence of functions $g_i$ in $L_0^2(f_X)$ with $\norm{g_i} \le 1$,
there is a subsequence $g_{i_j}$ such that the sequence $Kg_{i_j}$
converges to a limit in $L_0^2(f_X)$.}, then $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ has a
particularly simple form. Indeed, if $|{\mathsf{X}}|=\infty$ and $K$ is
compact, then the following all hold: (i) the number of points in
$\mbox{Sp}(K)$ is at most countably infinite, (ii) $\{0\} \in \mbox{Sp}(K)$, (iii)
$\{0\}$ is the only possible accumulation point, and (iv) any point in
$\mbox{Sp}(K)$ other than $\{0\}$ is an eigenvalue. In the remainder of
this section we prove that, if $|{\mathsf{X}}|=\infty$ and $|{\mathsf{Y}}|=d<\infty$, then
$K$ is a compact operator and $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ consists of the point $\{0\}$
along with $d-1$ eigenvalues, and these are exactly the $d-1$
eigenvalues of the Mtm that defines the conjugate chain. It follows
immediately that the DA chain is geometrically (in fact, uniformly)
ergodic. Moreover, $K$ has a finite spectral decomposition that
provides very precise information about the convergence of the DA
chain \citep{diac:khar:salo:2008}. Indeed, let
$\{(\lambda_i,g_i)\}_{i=1}^{d-1}$ denote a set of (orthonormal)
eigen-solutions for $K$. If the chain is started at $X_0=x$, then the
$\chi^2$-distance between the distribution of $X_n$ and the stationary
distribution can be expressed as
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:cs}
\int_{\mathsf{X}} \frac{\big| k^n(x'|x) - f_X(x') \big|^2}{f_X(x')} \,
\mu(dx') = \sum_{i=1}^{d-1} \lambda_i^{2n} g^2_i(x) \;,
\end{equation}
where $k^n(\cdot|x)$ is the $n$-step Mtd; that is, the density of
$X_n$ given $X_0=x$. Of course, the $\chi^2$-distance is an upper
bound on the total variation distance \citep[see, for
example,][]{liu:wong:kong:1995}. Since the $\lambda_i$s are the
eigenvalues of the Mtm of the conjugate chain, there is some hope of
calculating, or at least bounding them.
Let $L^2_0(f_Y)$ be the set of mean-zero, square integrable functions
with respect to $f_Y$. In a slight abuse of notation, we will let
$\langle \cdot,\cdot \rangle$ and $\norm{\cdot}$ do double duty as
inner product and norm on both $L^2_0(f_X)$ and on $L^2_0(f_Y)$. We
now describe a representation of the operator $K$ that was developed
and exploited by \cite{diac:khar:salo:2008} \citep[see
also][]{buja:1990}. Define $Q: L^2_0(f_X) \rightarrow L^2_0(f_Y)$ and
$Q^*: L^2_0(f_Y) \rightarrow L^2_0(f_X)$ as follows:
\[
(Qg)(y) = \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x) \, f_{X|Y}(x|y) \, \mu(dx) \hspace*{6mm}
\mbox{and} \hspace*{6mm} (Q^*h)(x) = \int_{\mathsf{Y}} h(y) \, f_{Y|X}(y|x) \,
\nu(dy) \;.
\]
Note that
\begin{equation*}
\begin{split}
\langle Qg,h \rangle & = \int_{\mathsf{Y}} (Qg)(y) \, h(y) \, f_Y(y) \,
\nu(dy) \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{Y}} \bigg[ \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x) \, f_{X|Y}(x|y) \,
\mu(dx) \bigg] h(y) \, f_Y(y) \, \nu(dy) \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x) \bigg[
\int_{\mathsf{Y}} h(y) \, f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \bigg] f_X(x) \mu(dx) \\ & =
\langle g,Q^*h \rangle \;,
\end{split}
\end{equation*}
which shows that $Q^*$ is the adjoint of $Q$. (Note that we are using
the term ``adjoint'' in a somewhat non-standard way since $\langle
Qg,h \rangle$ is an inner product on $L^2_0(f_Y)$, while $\langle
g,Q^*h \rangle$ is an inner product on $L^2_0(f_X)$.) Moreover,
\begin{align*}
(Kg)(x) & = \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x') \, k(x'|x) \, \mu(dx') \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{X}}
g(x') \bigg[ \int_{\mathsf{Y}} f_{X|Y}(x'|y) \, f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \bigg]
\mu(dx') \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{Y}} \bigg[ \int_{\mathsf{X}} g(x') \, f_{X|Y}(x'|y) \,
\mu(dx') \bigg] f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \\ & = \int_{\mathsf{Y}} (Qg)(y) \,
f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \\ & = ((Q^*Q)g)(x) \;,
\end{align*}
which shows that $K = Q^*Q$. As in Section~\ref{sec:intro}, consider
the conjugate Markov chain whose Mtd (with respect to $\nu$) is given
by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:Mtdy}
\hat{k}(y'|y) = \int_{{\mathsf{X}}} f_{Y|X}(y'|x) \, f_{X|Y}(x|y) \, \mu(dx) \;.
\end{equation}
Obviously, $\hat{k}(y'|y)$ is reversible with respect to $f_Y$.
Furthermore, it is easy to see that $\hat{K} = QQ^*$, where $\hat{K}:
L^2_0(f_Y) \rightarrow L^2_0(f_Y)$ is the operator associated with
$\hat{k}$.
Now suppose that $(\lambda,g)$ is an eigen-solution for $K$; that is,
$(Kg)(x) = \lambda g(x)$, or, equivalently, $((Q^*Q)g)(x) = \lambda
g(x)$. Applying the operator $Q$ to both sides yields,
$(Q((Q^*Q)g))(y) = \lambda (Qg)(y)$, but we can rewrite this as
$(\hat{K}(Qg))(y) = \lambda (Qg)(y)$, which shows that $(\lambda, Qg)$
is an eigen-solution for $\hat{K}$. (See \citet{buja:1990} for a
similar development.) Of course, the same argument can be used to
convert an eigen-solution for $\hat{K}$ into an eigen-solution for
$K$. We conclude that $\hat{K}$ and $K$ share the same eigenvalues.
Here is a precise statement.
\begin{proposition}
\label{prop:same_evs}
If $(\lambda,g)$ is an eigen-solution for $K$, then $(\lambda,(Qg))$
is an eigen-solution for $\hat{K}$. Conversely, if $(\lambda,h)$ is
an eigen-solution for $\hat{K}$, then $(\lambda,(Q^*h))$ is an
eigen-solution for $K$.
\end{proposition}
\begin{remark}
\citet{diac:khar:salo:2008} describe several examples where the
eigen-solutions of $K$ and $\hat{K}$ can be calculated explicitly.
These authors studied the case where $f_{X|Y}(x|y)$ is a univariate
exponential family (with $y$ playing the role of the parameter), and
$f_Y(y)$ is the conjugate prior.
\end{remark}
The next result, which is easily established using minor extensions of
results in \pcite{reth:1993} Chapter VII, shows that compactness is a
solidarity property for $K$ and $\hat{K}$.
\begin{proposition}
\label{prop:same_compact}
$K$ is compact if and only if $\hat{K}$ is compact.
\end{proposition}
Here is the main result of this section, which relates the spectrum of
the DA chain to the spectrum of the conjugate chain.
\begin{proposition}
\label{prop:same_spectrum}
Assume that $|{\mathsf{X}}|=\infty$ and $|{\mathsf{Y}}|=d<\infty$. Then $K$ is a
compact operator and $\mbox{Sp}(K) = \{0\} \cup \mbox{Sp}(\hat{K})$.
\end{proposition}
\begin{proof}
Since $|{\mathsf{Y}}|<\infty$, $\hat{K}$ is a compact operator. It follows
from Proposition~\ref{prop:same_compact} that $K$ is also compact.
Hence, $\{0\} \in \mbox{Sp}(K)$, and aside from $\{0\}$, all the
elements of $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ are eigenvalues of $K$. But we know from
Proposition~\ref{prop:same_evs} that $K$ and $\hat{K}$ share the
same eigenvalues.
\end{proof}
\begin{remark}
\pcite{liu:wong:kong:1994} Theorem 3.2 states that $\norm{K} =
\norm{\hat{K}}$ (regardless of the cardinalities of ${\mathsf{X}}$ and ${\mathsf{Y}}$).
Proposition~\ref{prop:same_spectrum} can be viewed as a refinement
of this result in the case where $|{\mathsf{Y}}|<\infty$. See also
\citet{robe:rose:2001}.
\end{remark}
In the next section, we use Proposition~\ref{prop:same_spectrum} to
prove that the spectrum of the sandwich chain dominates the spectrum
of the DA chain.
\section{Improving the DA algorithm}
\label{sec:improve}
Suppose that $R(y,dy')$ is a Markov transition kernel on ${\mathsf{Y}}$ that is
reversible with respect to $f_Y(y)$. Let
$\{\tilde{X}_n\}_{n=0}^\infty$ be the sandwich chain on ${\mathsf{X}}$ whose Mtd
is given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:extra}
\tilde{k}(x'|x) = \int_{{\mathsf{Y}}} \int_{{\mathsf{Y}}} f_{X|Y}(x'|y') \, R(y,dy') \,
f_{Y|X}(y|x) \, \nu(dy) \;.
\end{equation}
Again, routine calculations show that the sandwich chain remains
reversible with respect to the target density $f_X$. Moreover, if we
can draw from $R(y,\cdot)$, then we can draw from $\tilde{k}(\cdot|x)$
in three steps. First, draw $Y \sim f_{Y|X}(\cdot|x)$, call the
result $y$, then draw $Y' \sim R(y,\cdot)$, call the result $y'$, and
finally draw $X' \sim f_{X|Y}(\cdot|y')$.
Note that $\tilde{k}$ is not defined as the integral of the product of
two conditional densities, as in \eqref{eq:Mtd}. However, as we now
explain, if $R$ satisfies a certain property, called idempotence, then
$\tilde{k}$ can be re-expressed as the Mtd of a DA chain. The
transition kernel $R(y,dy')$ is called \textit{idempotent} if
$R^2(y,dy') = R(y,dy')$ where $R^2(y,dy') = \int_{{\mathsf{Y}}} R(y,dw) \,
R(w,dy')$. This property implies that, if we start the Markov chain
(defined by $R$) at a fixed point $y$, then the distribution of the
chain after one step \textit{is the same} as the distribution after
two steps. For example, if $R(y,dy')$ does not depend on $y$, which
implies that the Markov chain is just an iid sequence, then $R$ is
idempotent. Here is a more interesting example. Take ${\mathsf{Y}} =
\mathbb{R}$ and $R(y,dy') = r(y'|y) \, dy'$ with
\[
r(y'|y) = e^{-|y'|} \Big[ I_{[0,\infty)}(y) I_{[0,\infty)}(y') +
I_{(-\infty,0)}(y) I_{(-\infty,0)}(y') \Big] \;.
\]
It is easy to show that $\int_{\mathbb{R}} r(y'|w) \, r(w|y) \, dw =
r(y'|y)$, so $R$ is indeed idempotent. Note that the chain is
reducible since, for example, if it is started on the positive
half-line, it can never get to the negative half-line. In fact,
reducibility is a common feature of idempotent chains. Fortunately,
the sandwich chain does not inherit this property.
\citet{hobe:marc:2008} proved that if $R$ is idempotent, then
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:need}
\tilde{k}(x'|x) = \int_{{\mathsf{Y}}} f^*_{X|Y}(x'|y) \, f^*_{Y|X}(y|x) \,
\nu(dy) \;,
\end{equation}
where
\[
f^*(x,y) = f_Y(y) \int_{\mathsf{Y}} f_{X|Y}(x|y') \, R(y, dy') \;.
\]
Note that $f^*$ is a probability density (with respect to $\mu \times
\nu$) whose $x$ and $y$-marginals are $f_X$ and $f_Y$. What is
important here is not the particular form of $f^*$, but the fact that
such a density exists, because this shows that the sandwich chain is
actually a DA chain based on the joint density $f^*(x,y)$. Therefore,
we can use the theory developed in Section~\ref{sec:DA} to analyze the
sandwich chain. Let $\tilde{K}: L^2_0(f_X) \rightarrow L^2_0(f_X)$
denote the operator defined by the Mtd $\tilde{k}$.
\pcite{hobe:marc:2008} Corollary 1 states that $\norm{\tilde{K}} \le
\norm{K}$ \citep[see also][]{hobe:roma:2011}. Here is a refinement of
that result in the case where $|{\mathsf{Y}}|<\infty$.
\begin{theorem}
\label{thm:ordering}
Assume that $|{\mathsf{X}}|=\infty$, $|{\mathsf{Y}}|=d<\infty$ and that $R$ is
idempotent. Then $K$ and $\tilde{K}$ are both compact operators and
each has a spectrum that consists exactly of the point $\{0\}$ and
$d-1$ eigenvalues in $[0,1)$. Furthermore, if we denote the
eigenvalues of $K$ by
\[
0 \le \lambda_{d-1} \le \lambda_{d-2} \le \cdots \le \lambda_1 < 1 \;,
\]
and those of $\tilde{K}$ by
\[
0 \le \tilde{\lambda}_{d-1} \le \tilde{\lambda}_{d-2} \le \cdots \le
\tilde{\lambda}_1 < 1 \;,
\]
then $\tilde{\lambda}_i \le \lambda_i$ for each $i \in
\{1,2,\dots,d-1\}$.
\end{theorem}
\begin{proof}
Since $R$ is idempotent, both $k$ and $\tilde{k}$ are DA Markov
chains. Moreover, in both cases, the conjugate chain lives on the
finite space ${\mathsf{Y}}$, which has $d$ elements. Therefore,
Proposition~\ref{prop:same_spectrum} implies that $K$ and
$\tilde{K}$ are both compact and each has a spectrum consisting of
the point $\{0\}$ and $d-1$ eigenvalues in $[0,1)$. Now, Corollary
1 of \citet{hobe:marc:2008} implies that $K - \tilde{K}$ is a
positive operator. Thus, for any $g \in L^2_0(f_X)$,
\[
\frac{\langle \tilde{K} g,g \rangle}{\langle g,g \rangle} \le
\frac{\langle K g,g \rangle}{\langle g,g \rangle} \;.
\]
The eigenvalue ordering now follows from an extension of the argument
used to prove \pcite{mira:geye:1999} Theorem 3.3. Indeed, the
Courant-Fischer-Weyl minmax characterization of eigenvalues of
compact, self-adjoint operators \citep[see, e.g.,][]{voss:2003} yields
\[
\tilde{\lambda}_i = \min_{\mbox{dim}(V) = i-1} \; \max_{g \in V^\perp
\,, g \ne 0} \frac{\langle \tilde{K} g,g \rangle}{\langle g,g
\rangle} \le \min_{\mbox{dim}(V) = i-1} \; \max_{g \in V^\perp \,, g
\ne 0} \frac{\langle K g,g \rangle}{\langle g,g \rangle} = \lambda_i
\;,
\]
where $V$ denotes a subspace of $L^2_0(f_X)$ with dimension
$\mbox{dim}(V)$, and $V^\perp$ is its orthogonal complement.
\end{proof}
Theorem~\ref{thm:ordering} shows that, unless the two spectra are
exactly the same, $\mbox{Sp}(\tilde{K})$ is closer than $\mbox{Sp}(K)$ to the
ideal spectrum, $\{0\}$. In fact, in all of the numerical comparisons
that we have performed, it has always turned out that there is strict
inequality between the eigenvalues (except, of course, when they are
both zero). When the domination is strict, there exists a positive
integer $N$ such that, for all $n \ge N$,
\[
\int_{\mathsf{X}} \frac{\big| \tilde{k}^n(x'|x) - f_X(x') \big|^2}{f_X(x')} \,
\mu(dx') < \int_{\mathsf{X}} \frac{\big| k^n(x'|x) - f_X(x') \big|^2}{f_X(x')}
\, \mu(dx') \;.
\]
Indeed, let $\{(\tilde{\lambda}_i,\tilde{g}_i)\}_{i=1}^{d-1}$ denote a
set of (orthonormal) eigen-solutions of $\tilde{K}$. Then, according
to \eqref{eq:cs}, the $\chi^2$-distance between the distribution of
$\tilde{X}_n$ and the stationary distribution is given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:ics}
\sum_{i=1}^{d-1} \tilde{\lambda}_i^{2n} \tilde{g}^2_i(x) \;.
\end{equation}
Now, fix $i \in \{1,\dots,d-1\}$. If $\tilde{\lambda}_i = \lambda_i =
0$, then the $i$th term in the sum is irrelevant. On the other hand,
if $0 \le \tilde{\lambda}_i < \lambda_i$, then, no matter what the
values of $g_i(x)$ and $\tilde{g}_i(x)$ are, $\tilde{\lambda}_i^{2n}
\tilde{g}^2_i(x)$ will be less than $\lambda_i^{2n} g^2_i(x)$ for all
$n$ eventually.
In the next section, we provide examples where the sandwich chain
converges \textit{much} faster than the DA chain, despite the fact
that the two are essentially equivalent in terms of computer time per
iteration.
\section{Improving the DA Algorithm for Bayesian Mixtures}
\label{sec:app}
\subsection{The model and the MDA algorithm}
\label{sec:bmm}
Let $\Theta \subseteq \mathbb{R}^l$ and consider a parametric family
of densities (with respect to Lebesgue or counting measure on
$\mathbb{R}^s$) given by $\big \{h_\theta(\cdot) : \theta \in \Theta
\big \}$. We work with a $k$-component mixture of these densities
that takes the form
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:l}
f(z|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \sum_{j=1}^k p_j h_{\theta_j}(z) \;,
\end{equation}
where ${\boldsymbol{\theta}} = (\theta_1,\dots,\theta_k)^T \in \Theta^k$ and ${\boldsymbol{p}} =
(p_1,\dots,p_k)^T \in S_k$, where
\[
S_k := \Big\{ {\boldsymbol{p}} \in \mathbb{R}^k: p_i \in [0,1] \; \; \mbox{and} \;\;
p_1+\cdots+p_k=1 \Big\} \;.
\]
Let $Z_1,\dots,Z_m$ be a random sample from $f$ and consider a
Bayesian analysis of these data. We take the prior for ${\boldsymbol{\theta}}$ to be
$\prod_{j=1}^k \pi(\theta_j)$, where $\pi: \Theta \rightarrow
[0,\infty)$ is a proper prior density on $\Theta$. The prior on ${\boldsymbol{p}}$
is taken to be the uniform distribution on $S_k$. (The results in
this section all go through with obvious minor changes if the prior on
${\boldsymbol{p}}$ is taken to be symmetric Dirichlet, or if ${\boldsymbol{p}}$ is known and all
of its components are equal to $1/k$.) Letting ${\boldsymbol{z}} = (z_1,\dots,z_m)$
denote the observed data, the posterior density is given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:post}
\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{(k-1)! \, I_{S_k}({\boldsymbol{p}}) \Big[ \prod_{j=1}^k
\pi(\theta_j) \Big] f({\boldsymbol{z}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})}{m({\boldsymbol{z}})} \;,
\end{equation}
where
\[
f({\boldsymbol{z}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \prod_{i=1}^m \Bigg [ \sum_{j=1}^k p_j
h_{\theta_j}(z_i) \Bigg] \;,
\]
and $m({\boldsymbol{z}})$ denotes the marginal density. The complexity of this
posterior density obviously depends on many factors, including the
choices of $h_\theta$ and $\pi$, and the observed data. However, the
versions of $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ that arise in practice are nearly always
highly intractable. Moreover, as we now explain, every version of
this posterior density satisfies an interesting symmetry property,
which can render MCMC algorithms ineffectual.
The prior distribution on $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$ is exchangeable in the sense
that, if $E$ is any permutation matrix of dimension $k$, then the
prior density of the point $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$ is equal to that of
$(E{\boldsymbol{\theta}},E{\boldsymbol{p}})$. Furthermore, the likelihood function satisfies a
similar invariance. Indeed, $f({\boldsymbol{z}}|E{\boldsymbol{\theta}},E{\boldsymbol{p}})$ does not vary with
$E$. Consequently, $\pi(E{\boldsymbol{\theta}},E{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ is invariant to $E$, which
means that any posterior mode has $k!-1$ exact replicas somewhere else
in the space. Now, if a set of symmetric modes are separated by areas
of very low (posterior) probability, then it may take a very long time
for a Markov chain (with invariant density $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$) to
move from one to the other.
We now describe the MDA algorithm for exploring the mixture posterior.
Despite the fact that this algorithm has been around for many years
\citep{dieb:robe:1994}, we provide a careful description here as this
will facilitate our development of the FS algorithm. Consider a new
(joint) density given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:aug_model}
f(z,y|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \sum_{j=1}^k p_j I_{\{j\}}(y) h_{\theta_j}(z) \;.
\end{equation}
Integrating $z$ out yields the marginal mass function of $Y$, which is
$\sum_{j=1}^k p_j I_{\{j\}}(y)$. Hence, $Y$ is a multinomial random
variable that takes the values $1,\dots,k$ with probabilities
$p_1,\dots,p_k$. Summing out the $y$ component leads to
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:latent}
\sum_{y=1}^k f(z,y|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \sum_{j=1}^k p_j h_{\theta_j}(z) \;,
\end{equation}
which is just \eqref{eq:l}. Equation~\eqref{eq:latent} establishes
$Y$ as a latent variable. Now suppose that $\{(Y_i,Z_i)\}_{i=1}^m$
are iid pairs from \eqref{eq:aug_model}. Their joint density is given
by
\[
f({\boldsymbol{z}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \prod_{i=1}^m \Bigg [ \sum_{j=1}^k p_j
I_{\{j\}}(y_i) h_{\theta_j}(z_i) \Bigg ] \;,
\]
where ${\boldsymbol{y}}=(y_1,\dots,y_m)$ takes values in ${\mathsf{Y}}$, the set of sequences
of length $m$ consisting of positive integers between 1 and $k$.
Combining $f({\boldsymbol{z}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$ with our prior on $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$
yields the so-called complete data posterior density given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:ap}
\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{(k-1)! I_{S_k}({\boldsymbol{p}}) \Big[
\prod_{j=1}^k \pi(\theta_j) \Big] f({\boldsymbol{z}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})}{m({\boldsymbol{z}})} \;.
\end{equation}
This is a valid density since, by \eqref{eq:latent},
\[
\sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} f({\boldsymbol{z}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = f({\boldsymbol{z}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) \;,
\]
which in turn implies that
\begin{equation}
\label{eq::key}
\sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \;.
\end{equation}
In fact, \eqref{eq::key} is the key property of the complete data
posterior density. In words, when the ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ coordinate is summed out
of $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$, we are left with the target density. Hence,
we will have a viable MDA algorithm as long as straightforward
sampling from $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ and $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ is possible.
Note that the roles of $x$ and $y$ from Sections~\ref{sec:intro},
\ref{sec:DA} and \ref{sec:improve} are being played here by $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$
and ${\boldsymbol{y}}$, respectively.
Now consider sampling from the two conditionals. First, it follows
from \eqref{eq:ap} that
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:lgee}
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \prod_{i=1}^m \Bigg[ \frac{\sum_{j=1}^k p_j
I_{\{j\}}(y_i) h_{\theta_j}(z_i)}{\sum_{l=1}^k p_l
h_{\theta_l}(z_i)} \Bigg] \;.
\end{equation}
Therefore, conditional on $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$, the $Y_i$s are
independent multinomial random variables and $Y_i$ takes the value $j$
with probability $p_j h_{\theta_j}(z_i)/\big( \sum_{l=1}^k p_l
h_{\theta_l}(z_i) \big)$ for $j \in \{1,\dots,k\}$. Consequently,
simulating from $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ is simple.
A two-step method is used to sample from $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$.
Indeed, we draw from $\pi({\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ and then from
$\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}|{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. It follows from \eqref{eq:ap} that
\[
\pi({\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \propto I_{S_k}({\boldsymbol{p}}) \prod_{j=1}^k p_j^{c_j} \;,
\]
where $c_j = \sum_{i=1}^m I_{\{j\}}(y_i)$. This formula reveals two
facts: (i) given $({\boldsymbol{z}},{\boldsymbol{y}})$, ${\boldsymbol{p}}$ is conditionally independent of
${\boldsymbol{\theta}}$, and (ii) the conditional distribution of ${\boldsymbol{p}}$ given
$({\boldsymbol{z}},{\boldsymbol{y}})$ is Dirichlet. Thus, it is easy to draw from
$\pi({\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$, and our sequential strategy will be viable as long as
we can draw from $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}|{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. Our ability to sample from
$\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}|{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ will depend on the particular forms of
$h_\theta$ and the prior $\pi$. In cases where $\pi$ is a conjugate
prior for the family $h_\theta$, it is usually straightforward to draw
from $\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}|{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. For several detailed examples, see
Chapter 9 of \citet{robe:case:2004}.
The state space of the MDA chain is ${\mathsf{X}} = \Theta^k \times S_k$ and its
Mtd is given by
\[
k({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \,
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \;.
\]
Since $|{\mathsf{Y}}| = k^m$, Proposition~\ref{prop:same_spectrum} implies that
the operator $K:L^2_0 \big( \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \big) \rightarrow L^2_0
\big( \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \big)$ defined by $k({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$ is compact
and
\[
\mbox{Sp}(K) = \{0,\lambda_{k^m-1},\lambda_{k^m-2},\dots,\lambda_1\} \;,
\]
where $0 \le \lambda_{k^m-1} \le \lambda_{k^m-2} \le \cdots \le
\lambda_1 < 1$, and the $\lambda_i$s are the eigenvalues of the $k^m
\times k^m$ Mtm defined by
\[
\hat{k}({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) = \int_{\Theta^k} \int_{S_k} \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \,
\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, d{\boldsymbol{p}} \, d{\boldsymbol{\theta}} \;.
\]
As far as we know, there are no theoretical results available
concerning the magnitude of the $\lambda_i$s. On the other hand, as
mentioned in Section~\ref{sec:intro}, there is a great deal of
empirical evidence suggesting that the MDA chain convergences very
slowly because it moves between the symmetric modes of the posterior
too infrequently. In the next section, we describe an alternative
chain that moves easily among the modes.
\subsection{Fr\"{u}hwirth-{S}chnatter's algorithm}
\label{sec:ls}
One iteration of the MDA chain can be represented graphically as
$({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow ({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}')$. To encourage
transitions between the symmetric modes of the posterior,
\citet{fruh:2001} suggested adding an extra step to get $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})
\rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}}' \rightarrow ({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}')$, where the
transition ${\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}}'$ is a random label switching move that
proceeds as follows. Randomly choose one of the $k!$ permutations of
the integers $1,\dots,k$, and then switch the labels in ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ according
to the chosen permutation to get ${\boldsymbol{y}}'$. For example, suppose that
$m=8$, $k=4$, ${\boldsymbol{y}}=(3,3,4,1,3,3,4,3)$, and that the chosen permutation
is $(1324)$. Then we move from ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ to ${\boldsymbol{y}}'=(2,2,1,3,2,2,1,2)$.
Using both theory and examples, we will demonstrate that
\pcite{fruh:2001} Markov chain, which we call the FS chain, explores
$\pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ much more effectively than the MDA chain.
To establish that the results developed in Section~\ref{sec:improve}
can be used to compare the FS and MDA chains, we must show that the FS
chain is a sandwich chain with an idempotent $r$. That is, we must
demonstrate that the Mtd of the FS chain can be expressed in the form
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:represent}
\tilde{k}({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}}) = \sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} \sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}}' \in
{\mathsf{Y}}} \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}',{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) \, \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}})
\;,
\end{equation}
where $r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})$ is a Mtm (on ${\mathsf{Y}}$) that is both reversible with
respect to
\[
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \int_{S_k} \int_{\Theta^k} \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \,
d{\boldsymbol{\theta}} \, d{\boldsymbol{p}} \;,
\]
and idempotent. We begin by developing a formula for $r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})$.
Let $\mathfrak{S}_k$ denote the set (group) of permutations of the
integers $1,\dots,k$. For $\sigma \in \mathfrak{S}_k$, let $\sigma
{\boldsymbol{y}}$ represent the permuted version of ${\boldsymbol{y}}$. For example, if ${\boldsymbol{y}} =
(3,3,4,1,3,3,4,3)$ and $\sigma = (1324)$, then $\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}} =
(2,2,1,3,2,2,1,2)$. The label switching move, ${\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}}'$,
in the FS algorithm can now be represented as follows. Choose
$\sigma$ uniformly at random from $\mathfrak{S}_k$ and move from ${\boldsymbol{y}}$
to ${\boldsymbol{y}}' = \sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}$. Define the \textit{orbit} of ${\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}$ as
\[
O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}} = \big\{ {\boldsymbol{y}}' \in {\mathsf{Y}} : {\boldsymbol{y}}' = \sigma {\boldsymbol{y}} \;\; \mbox{for some
$\sigma \in \mathfrak{S}_k$} \big\} \;.
\]
The set $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$ simply contains all the points in ${\mathsf{Y}}$ that represent
a particular clustering (or partitioning) of the $m$ observations.
For example, the point ${\boldsymbol{y}} = (3,3,4,1,3,3,4,3)$ represents the
clustering of the $m=8$ observations into the three sets:
$\{1,2,5,6,8\}$, $\{3,7\}$, $\{4\}$. And, for any $\sigma \in
\mathfrak{S}_k$, $\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}$ represents that same clustering because
all we're doing is changing the labels.
We now show that, if ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ is fixed and $\sigma$ is chosen uniformly at
random from $\mathfrak{S}_k$, then the random element $\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}$ has
a uniform distribution on $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$. Indeed, suppose that ${\boldsymbol{y}}$
contains $u$ distinct elements, so $u \in \{1,2,\dots,k\}$. Then, for
any fixed ${\boldsymbol{y}}' \in O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$, exactly $(k-u)!$ of the $k!$ elements in
$\mathfrak{S}_k$ satisfy $\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}} = {\boldsymbol{y}}'$. Thus, the probability
that $\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}$ equals ${\boldsymbol{y}}'$ is given by $(k-u)!/k!$, which does not
depend on ${\boldsymbol{y}}'$. Hence, the distribution is uniform. (Note that this
argument implies that $|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}| = k!/(k-u)!$, which can also be shown
directly.) Therefore, we can write the Mtm $r$ as follows:
\[
r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) = \frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}|} I_{\{O_{\boldsymbol{y}}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}') \;.
\]
Since the chain driven by $r$ cannot escape from the orbit
(clustering) in which it is started, it is reducible. (Recall from
Section~\ref{sec:improve} that reducibility is a common characteristic
of idempotent Markov chains.)
A key observation that will allow us to establish the reversibility of
$r$ is that $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi(\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ for all ${\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}$ and
all $\sigma \in \mathfrak{S}_k$. Indeed,
\[
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{(k-1)!}{m({\boldsymbol{z}})} \int_{\Theta^k} \Big[ \pi(\theta_1)
\cdots \pi(\theta_k) \Big] \Bigg\{ \int_{S_k} \prod_{i=1}^m \Bigg[
\sum_{j=1}^k p_j I_{\{j\}}(y_i) h_{\theta_j}(z_i) \Bigg] d{\boldsymbol{p}} \Bigg\}
d{\boldsymbol{\theta}} \;.
\]
Let $\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}} = {\boldsymbol{y}}' = (y'_1,\dots,y'_m)$. Now, since $y'_i =
\sigma(j) \Leftrightarrow y_i=j$, we have
\[
\sum_{j=1}^k p_j I_{\{j\}}(y'_i) h_{\theta_j}(z_i) = \sum_{j=1}^k
p_{\sigma(j)} I_{\{j\}}(y_i) h_{\theta_{\sigma(j)}}(z_i) \;.
\]
Hence,
\[
\pi(\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{(k-1)!}{m({\boldsymbol{z}})} \int_{\Theta^k} \Big[
\pi(\theta_1) \cdots \pi(\theta_k) \Big] \Bigg\{ \int_{S_k}
\prod_{i=1}^m \bigg[ \sum_{j=1}^k p_{\sigma(j)} I_{\{j\}}(y_i)
h_{\theta_{\sigma(j)}}(z_i) \bigg] d{\boldsymbol{p}} \Bigg\} d{\boldsymbol{\theta}} \;.
\]
The fact that $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi(\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ can now be established
through a couple of simple arguments based on symmetry.
We now demonstrate that the Mtm $r$ satisfies detailed balance with
respect to $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$; that is, we will show that, for any ${\boldsymbol{y}}, {\boldsymbol{y}}'
\in {\mathsf{Y}}$, $r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) \, \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = r({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{y}}') \, \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. First,
a little thought reveals that, for any two elements ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ and ${\boldsymbol{y}}'$,
only one of two things can happen: either $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}} = O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'}$ or
$O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}} \cap O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'} = \emptyset$. If $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}} \cap O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'} =
\emptyset$, then $I_{\{O_{\boldsymbol{y}}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}') = I_{\{O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}) = 0$, so
$r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) = r({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{y}}') = 0$ and detailed balance is satisfied. On the
other hand, if $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}} = O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'}$, then $I_{\{O_{\boldsymbol{y}}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}') =
I_{\{O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}) = 1$ and $1/|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}|=1/|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}'}|$, so $r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) =
r({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{y}}')$, and the common value is strictly positive. But ${\boldsymbol{y}}' \in
O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$ implies that ${\boldsymbol{y}}' = \sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}$ for some $\sigma \in
\mathfrak{S}_k$. Thus, $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}})$, and detailed
balance holds.
Finally, it is intuitively clear that $r$ is idempotent since, if we
start the chain at ${\boldsymbol{y}}$, then one step results in a uniformly chosen
point from $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$. Obviously, the state after two steps is still
uniformly distributed over $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$. Here's a formal proof that
$r^2({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})=r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})$. For ${\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{y}}' \in {\mathsf{Y}}$, we have
\begin{align*}
r^2({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) & = \sum_{{\boldsymbol{w}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{w}}) \, r({\boldsymbol{w}}|{\boldsymbol{y}}) \\ & =
\sum_{{\boldsymbol{w}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} \frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{w}}}|} I_{\{O_{{\boldsymbol{w}}}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}')
\frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}|} I_{\{O_{\boldsymbol{y}}\}}({\boldsymbol{w}}) \\ & = \frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}|}
\sum_{{\boldsymbol{w}} \in O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}} \frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{w}}}|} I_{\{O_{{\boldsymbol{w}}}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}') \\ & =
\frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}|} I_{\{O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}\}}({\boldsymbol{y}}') \sum_{{\boldsymbol{w}} \in O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}}
\frac{1}{|O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}|} \\ & = r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) \;,
\end{align*}
where the fourth equality follows from the fact that ${\boldsymbol{w}} \in O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}
\Rightarrow O_{{\boldsymbol{w}}} = O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$.
We have now shown that the Mtd of the FS chain can indeed be written
in the form \eqref{eq:represent} with an appropriate $r$ that is
reversible and idempotent. Hence, Theorem~\ref{thm:ordering} is
applicable and implies that the operators defined by the two chains
are both compact and each has a spectrum consisting of the point
$\{0\}$ and $k^m-1$ eigenvalues in $[0,1)$. Moreover,
$\tilde{\lambda}_i \le \lambda_i$ for each $i \in
\{1,2,\dots,k^m-1\}$, where $\{\tilde{\lambda}_i\}_{i=1}^{k^m-1}$ and
$\{\lambda_i\}_{i=1}^{k^m-1}$ denote the ordered eigenvalues
associated with the FS and MDA chains, respectively.
Interestingly, in the special case where $m=1$, the FS algorithm
actually produces an iid sequence from the target distribution.
Recall that $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi(\sigma {\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$ for all ${\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}$ and
all $\sigma \in \mathfrak{S}_k$. Thus, all the points in $O_{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$
share the same value of $\pi(\cdot|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. When $m=1$, ${\mathsf{Y}}$ contains
only $k$ points and they all exist in the same orbit. Thus,
$\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = 1/k$ for all ${\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}$. Moreover, since there is only
one orbit, $r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})=1/k$ for all ${\boldsymbol{y}}' \in {\mathsf{Y}}$; i.e., the Markov
chain corresponding to $r$ is just an iid sequence from the uniform
distribution on ${\mathsf{Y}}$. In other words, the label switching move
results in an exact draw from $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. Now recall the graphical
representation of one iteration of the FS algorithm: $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})
\rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}}' \rightarrow ({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}')$. When
$m=1$, the arguments above imply that, given $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$, the
density of $({\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{y}}',{\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}')$ is
\[
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) r({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}',{\boldsymbol{z}}) =
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}',{\boldsymbol{z}}) \;.
\]
Thus, conditional on $({\boldsymbol{\theta}},{\boldsymbol{p}})$, ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ and $({\boldsymbol{y}}',{\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}')$ are
independent, and the latter has density
\[
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}',{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}',{\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}}) \;.
\]
It follows that, marginally, $({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}') \sim \pi({\boldsymbol{\theta}}',{\boldsymbol{p}}'|{\boldsymbol{z}})$, so
the FS algorithm produces an iid sequence from the target posterior
density. When $m=1$, $|{\mathsf{Y}}| = k^m = k$. Thus, while the spectrum of
the MDA operator contains $k-1$ eigenvalues, at least one of which is
strictly positive, the spectrum of the FS operator is the ideal
spectrum, $\{0\}$.
In the next section, we consider two specific mixture models and, for
each one, we compare the spectra associated with FS and MDA chains.
The first example is a toy problem where we are able to get exact
formulas for the eigenvalues. The second example is a normal mixture
model that is frequently used in practice, and we approximate the
eigenvalues via classical Monte Carlo methods.
\section{Examples}
\label{sec:examples}
\subsection{A toy Bernoulli mixture}
\label{sec:toy}
Take the parametric family $h_\theta$ to be the family of Bernoulli
mass functions, and consider a two-component version of the mixture
with known weights both equal to $1/2$. This mixture density takes
the form
\[
f(z|r,s) = \frac{1}{2} r^{z} (1-r)^{1-z} + \frac{1}{2} s^{z}
(1-s)^{1-z} \;,
\]
where $z \in \{0,1\}$ and ${\boldsymbol{\theta}}=(r,s)$. To simplify things ever
further, assume that $r,s \in \{\rho,1-\rho\}$ where $\rho \in
(0,1/2)$ is fixed; that is, the two success probabilities, $r$ and
$s$, can only take the values $\rho$ and $1-\rho$. Hence, $(r,s) \in
{\mathsf{X}} = \big\{ (\rho,\rho), (\rho,1-\rho), (1-\rho,\rho), (1-\rho,1-\rho)
\big\}$. Our prior for $(r,s)$ puts mass 1/4 on each of these four
points. A simple calculation shows that the posterior mass function
takes the form
\begin{equation*}
\pi(r,s|{\boldsymbol{z}}) =
\frac{I_{\{\rho,1-\rho\}}(r) I_{\{\rho,1-\rho\}}(s) (r+s)^{m_1}
(2-r-s)^{m-m_1}}{2^m \rho^{m_1}
(1-\rho)^{m-m_1} + 2^m \rho^{m-m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_1} + 2} \;,
\end{equation*}
where ${\boldsymbol{z}}=(z_1,\dots,z_m) \in \{0,1\}^m$ denotes the observed data,
and $m_1$ denotes the number of successes among the $m$ Bernoulli
trials; that is, $m_1 = \sum_{i=1}^m z_i$. While we would never
actually use MCMC to explore this simple four-point posterior, it is
both interesting and useful to compare the FS and MDA algorithms in
this context.
As described in Subsection~\ref{sec:bmm}, the MDA algorithm is based
on the complete data posterior density, which is denoted here by
$\pi(r,s,{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. (The fact that ${\boldsymbol{p}}$ is known in this case doesn't
really change anything.) Of course, all we really need are the
specific forms of the conditional mass functions, $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}})$ and
$\pi(r,s|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. It follows from the general development in
Subsection~\ref{sec:bmm} that, given $(r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}})$, the components of
${\boldsymbol{y}}=(y_1,y_2,\dots,y_m)$ are independent multinomials with mass
functions given by
\[
\pi(y_i|r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{I_{\{1\}}(y_i) r^{z_i} (1-r)^{1-z_i} +
I_{\{2\}}(y_i) s^{z_i} (1-s)^{1-z_i}}{r^{z_i} (1-r)^{1-z_i} +
s^{z_i} (1-s)^{1-z_i}} \;.
\]
Furthermore, it is easy to show that, given $({\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$, $r$ and $s$ are
independent so $\pi(r,s|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi(r|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, \pi(s|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. Now,
for $j \in \{1,2\}$ and $k \in \{0,1\}$, let $m_{jk}$ denote the
number of $(y_i,z_i)$ pairs that take the value $(j,k)$. (Note that
$m_{10} + m_{11} = c_1$ and $m_{11} + m_{21} = m_1$.) Then we have
\[
\pi(r|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{I_{\{\rho\}}(r) \rho^{m_{11}} (1-\rho)^{m_{10}} +
I_{\{1-\rho\}}(r) \rho^{m_{10}} (1-\rho)^{m_{11}}}{\rho^{m_{11}}
(1-\rho)^{m_{10}} + \rho^{m_{10}} (1-\rho)^{m_{11}}} \;,
\]
and
\[
\pi(s|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \frac{I_{\{\rho\}}(s) \rho^{m_{21}} (1-\rho)^{m_{20}} +
I_{\{1-\rho\}}(s) \rho^{m_{20}} (1-\rho)^{m_{21}}}{\rho^{m_{21}}
(1-\rho)^{m_{20}} + \rho^{m_{20}} (1-\rho)^{m_{21}}} \;.
\]
The state space of the MDA chain is ${\mathsf{X}} = \big\{ (\rho,\rho),
(\rho,1-\rho), (1-\rho,\rho), (1-\rho,1-\rho) \big\}$, which has only
four points. Hence, in this toy Bernoulli example, we can analyze the
MDA chain directly. Its Mtm is $4 \times 4$ and the transition
probabilities are given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:mtm_b}
k(r',s'|r,s) = \sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}} \pi(r',s'|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}})
\;,
\end{equation}
where ${\mathsf{Y}} = \{1,2\}^m$. We now perform an eigen-analysis of this Mtm.
Note that $\pi(r',s'|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ and $\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}})$ depend on ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ only
through $m_{10}$, $m_{11}$, $m_{20}$ and $m_{21}$. If we let
$m_0=m-m_1$, then we can express the transition probabilities as
follows:
\begin{align*}
k(r',&s'|r,s) = \sum_{i=0}^{m_1} \sum_{j=0}^{m_0} \binom{m_1}{i}
\binom{m_0}{j} \Bigg[ \frac{I_{\{\rho\}}(r') \rho^i (1-\rho)^j +
I_{\{1-\rho\}}(r') \rho^j (1-\rho)^i}{\rho^i (1-\rho)^j + \rho^j
(1-\rho)^i} \Bigg] \times \\ & \Bigg[ \frac{I_{\{\rho\}}(s')
\rho^{m_1-i} (1-\rho)^{m_0-j} + I_{\{1-\rho\}}(s') \rho^{m_0-j}
(1-\rho)^{m_1-i}}{\rho^{m_1-i} (1-\rho)^{m_0-j} + \rho^{m_0-j}
(1-\rho)^{m_1-i}} \Bigg] \frac{r^i (1-r)^j s^{m_1-i}
(1-s)^{m_0-j}}{(r+s)^{m_1} (2-r-s)^{m_0}} \;.
\end{align*}
Now, for $k=0,1,2$ define
\begin{align*}
& w_k(\rho) = \\ & \sum_{i=0}^{m_1} \sum_{j=0}^{m_0} \binom{m_1}{i}
\binom{m_0}{j} \Bigg[ \frac{\rho^{k(m_0-j+i)} (1-\rho)^{k(m_1-i+j)}}
{\big( \rho^i (1-\rho)^j + \rho^j (1-\rho)^i \big) \big(
\rho^{m_1-i} (1-\rho)^{m_0-j} + \rho^{m_0-j} (1-\rho)^{m_1-i}
\big)} \Bigg] \;.
\end{align*}
Using this notation, we can write the Mtm as follows:
\[
k = \left[ \begin{array}{cccc} \frac{\rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0}}{2^m}
w_0(\rho) & \frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) & \frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) &
\frac{\rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) \\
\rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0} w_1(\rho) & w_2(\rho) & \rho^m
(1-\rho)^m w_0(\rho) & \rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1} w_1(\rho) \\
\rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0} w_1(\rho) & \rho^m (1-\rho)^m w_0(\rho)
& w_2(\rho) & \rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1} w_1(\rho) \\
\frac{\rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) & \frac{1}{2^m}
w_1(\rho) & \frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) &
\frac{\rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) \\
\end{array} \right] \;.
\]
We have ordered the points in the state space as follows:
$(\rho,\rho)$, $(\rho,1-\rho)$, $(1-\rho,\rho)$, and
$(1-\rho,1-\rho)$. So, for example, the element in the second row,
third column is the probability of moving from $(\rho,1-\rho)$ to
$(1-\rho,\rho)$. Note that all of the transition probabilities are
strictly positive, which implies that the MDA chain is Harris ergodic.
Of course, since $k$ is a Mtm, it satisfies $k v_0 = \lambda_0 v_0$
where $v_0 = {\bf 1}$ and $\lambda_0 = 1$. Again, $(v_0,\lambda_0)$
does not count as an eigen-solution for us because we are using
$L^2_0(f_X)$ instead of $L^2(f_X)$, and the only constant function in
$L^2_0(f_X)$ is 0. For us, there are three eigen-solutions, and we
write them as $(v_i,\lambda_i)$, $i \in \{1,2,3\}$, where $0 \le
\lambda_3 \le \lambda_2 \le \lambda_1 < 1$. Note that the first and
fourth rows of $k$ are identical, which means that $\lambda_3=0$. The
remaining eigen-solutions follow from the general results in the
Appendix. Indeed,
\[
\lambda_1 = w_2(\rho) - \rho^m (1-\rho)^m w_0(\rho) \;,
\]
and the corresponding eigen-vector is $v_1 = (0, 1, -1, 0)^T$.
Finally,
\[
\lambda_2 = \frac{g(\rho)w_0(\rho)}{2^m} - g(\rho)w_1(\rho)
\]
and $v_2 = (\alpha, 1, 1, \alpha)^T$, where $g(\rho) = \rho^{m_1}
(1-\rho)^{m_0} + \rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1}$ and
\[
\alpha = \frac{g(\rho) w_0(\rho) - 2^m}{2^m g(\rho) w_1(\rho)} \;.
\]
(The fact that $\lambda_2 \le \lambda_1$ actually follows from our
analysis of the FS chain below.) We now use these results to
demonstrate that the MDA algorithm can perform quite poorly for the
Bernoulli model.
Consider a numerical example in which $m=10$, $\rho=1/10$ and the data
are $z_1=\cdots=z_5=0$ and $z_6=\cdots=z_{10}=1$. The posterior mass
function is as follows:
\[
\pi(\rho,\rho|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = \pi(1-\rho,1-\rho|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = 0.003
\hspace*{3mm}\mbox{and}\hspace*{3mm} \pi(\rho,1-\rho|{\boldsymbol{z}}) =
\pi(1-\rho,\rho|{\boldsymbol{z}}) = 0.497 \;.
\]
So there are two points with exactly the same very high probability,
and two points with exactly the same very low probability. The MDA
chain converges slowly due to its inability to move between the two
high probability points. Indeed, the Markov transition matrix in this
case is:
\[
k = \left[ \begin{array}{cccc}
0.10138 & 0.39862 & 0.39862 & 0.10138 \\
0.00241 & 0.99457 & 0.00061 & 0.00241 \\
0.00241 & 0.00061 & 0.99457 & 0.00241 \\
0.10138 & 0.39862 & 0.39862 & 0.10138 \\
\end{array} \right] \;.
\]
Suppose we start the chain in the state $(\rho,1-\rho)$. The expected
number of steps before it reaches the other high probability state,
$(1-\rho,\rho)$, is quite large. First, we expect the chain to remain
in the state $(\rho,1-\rho)$ for about $1/(1-0.99457) \approx 184$
iterations. Then, conditional on the chain leaving $(\rho,1-\rho)$,
the probability that it moves to $(\rho,\rho)$ or $(1-\rho,1-\rho)$ is
about 0.89. And if it does reach $(\rho,\rho)$ or $(1-\rho,1-\rho)$,
there is still about a 40\% chance that it will jump right back to the
point $(\rho,1-\rho)$, where it will stay for (approximately) another
184 iterations. All of this translates into slow convergence. In
fact, the two non-zero eigenvalues are $(\lambda_1,\lambda_2) =
(0.99395,0.19795)$. Moreover, the problem gets worse as the sample
size increases. For example, if we increase the sample size to $m=20$
(and maintain the 50:50 split of 0s and 1s in the data), then
$(\lambda_1,\lambda_2) = (0.99996,0.15195)$.
Figure~\ref{fig:figure_ev} shows how the dominant eigenvalue,
$\lambda_1$, changes with sample size for several different values of
$\rho$. We conclude that, for fixed $\rho$, the convergence rate
deteriorates as the sample size increases. Moreover, the (negative)
impact of increasing sample size is magnified as $\rho$ gets smaller.
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1\linewidth]{Figure_ev}
\caption{The behavior of the dominant eigenvalue for the MDA chain in
the Bernoulli model. The graph shows how the dominant eigenvalue of
the MDA chain changes with sample size, $m$, for several different
values of $\rho$, in the case where half the $z_i$s are 0 and the
other half are 1. (Only even sample sizes are considered.) The
red, blue, brown and green lines correspond to $\rho$ values of
$1/10$, $1/5$, $1/3$, and $9/20$, respectively.}
\label{fig:figure_ev}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
Now consider implementing the FS algorithm for the Bernoulli mixture.
Because the mixture has only two components, the random label
switching step, ${\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}}'$, is quite simple. Indeed, we
simply flip a fair coin. If the result is heads, then we take ${\boldsymbol{y}}' =
{\boldsymbol{y}}$, and if the result is tails, then we take ${\boldsymbol{y}}'=\overline{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$,
where $\overline{{\boldsymbol{y}}}$ denotes ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ with its 1s and 2s flipped. The
Mtm of the FS chain has entries given by
\[
\tilde{k}(r',s'|r,s) = \frac{1}{2} \sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}} \in {\mathsf{Y}}}
\pi(r',s'|\overline{{\boldsymbol{y}}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}}) + \frac{1}{2} \sum_{{\boldsymbol{y}}
\in {\mathsf{Y}}} \pi(r',s'|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, \pi({\boldsymbol{y}}|r,s,{\boldsymbol{z}}) \;.
\]
It follows that
\[
\tilde{k} = \left[ \begin{array}{cccc} \frac{\rho^{m_1}
(1-\rho)^{m_0}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) & \frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) &
\frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) &
\frac{\rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) \\
\rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0} w_1(\rho) & \frac{w_2(\rho) +
\rho^m (1-\rho)^m w_0(\rho)}{2} & \frac{w_2(\rho) +
\rho^m (1-\rho)^m w_0(\rho)}{2} & \rho^{m_0}
(1-\rho)^{m_1} w_1(\rho) \\ \rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0}
w_1(\rho) & \frac{w_2(\rho) + \rho^m (1-\rho)^m
w_0(\rho)}{2} & \frac{w_2(\rho) + \rho^m (1-\rho)^m
w_0(\rho)}{2} & \rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1} w_1(\rho) \\
\frac{\rho^{m_1} (1-\rho)^{m_0}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) &
\frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) & \frac{1}{2^m} w_1(\rho) &
\frac{\rho^{m_0} (1-\rho)^{m_1}}{2^m} w_0(\rho) \\
\end{array} \right] \;.
\]
Note that this matrix differs from $k$ only in the middle four
elements. Indeed, the $(2,2)$ and $(2,3)$ elements in $k$ have both
been replaced by their average in $\tilde{k}$, and the same is true of
the $(3,2)$ and $(3,3)$ elements. The matrix $\tilde{k}$ has rank at
most two, so there is at most one non-zero eigenvalue to find. Using
the results in the Appendix along with the eigen-analysis of $k$
performed earlier, it is easy to see that the non-trivial
eigen-solution of $\tilde{k}$ is $(\tilde{v}_1,\tilde{\lambda}_1) =
(v_2,\lambda_2)$. So, the effect on the spectrum of adding the random
label switching step is to replace the dominant eigenvalue with 0!
(Note that Theorem~\ref{thm:ordering} implies that $\lambda_2 =
\tilde{\lambda}_1 \le \lambda_1$, which justifies our ordering of the
eigenvalues of $k$.) Consider again the simple numerical example with
the 50:50 split of 0s and 1s. In the case $m=10$, the result of
adding the extra step is to replace the dominant eigenvalue,
$0.99395$, by $0.19795$. When $m=20$, $0.99996$ is replaced by
$0.15195$. This suggests that, in contrast to the MDA algorithm,
increasing sample size does not adversely affect the FS algorithm.
More evidence for this is provided in Figure~\ref{fig:figure_ev_S},
which is the analogue of Figure~\ref{fig:figure_ev} for the FS
algorithm. Note that the dominant eigenvalues are now substantially
smaller, and no longer converge to 1 as the sample size increases. In
fact, based on experimental evidence, it appears that, for a fixed
value of $\rho$, $\lambda_2$ hits a maximum and then decreases with
sample size. It is surprising that such a minor change in the MDA
algorithm could result in such a huge improvement. In the next
section, we consider a mixture of normal densities.
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1\linewidth]{Figure_ev_s}
\caption{The behavior of the dominant eigenvalue for the FS chain in
the Bernoulli model. The graph shows how the dominant eigenvalue of
the FS chain changes with sample size, $m$, for several different
values of $\rho$, in the case where half the $z_i$s are 0 and the
other half are 1. (Only even sample sizes are considered.) The
red, blue, brown and green lines correspond to $\rho$ values of
$1/10$, $1/5$, $1/3$, and $9/20$, respectively.}
\label{fig:figure_ev_S}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
\subsection{The normal mixture}
\label{sec:normal}
Assume that $Z_1,\dots,Z_m$ are iid from the density
\[
f(z|\mu,\tau^2,p) = p \frac{1}{\tau_1} \phi \Big(
\frac{z-\mu_1}{\tau_1} \Big) + (1-p)\frac{1}{\tau_2} \phi \Big(
\frac{z-\mu_2}{\tau_2} \Big) \;,
\]
where $p \in [0,1]$, $\mu = (\mu_1,\mu_2) \in \mathbb{R}^2$, $\tau^2
= (\tau^2_1,\tau^2_2) \in \mathbb{R}^2_+$, and $\phi(\cdot)$
denotes the standard normal density function. The prior for $p$ is
$\mbox{Uniform}(0,1)$, and the prior for $(\mu,\tau^2)$ takes the
form $\pi(\mu_1,\tau^2_1) \, \pi(\mu_2,\tau^2_2)$. As for $\pi$,
we use the standard (conditionally conjugate) prior given by
\[
\pi(\mu_1,\tau^2_1) = \pi(\mu_1|\tau^2_1) \pi(\tau^2_1) \;,
\]
where $\pi(\mu_1|\tau^2_1) = \mbox{N}(0,\tau^2_1)$ and $\pi(\tau^2_1)
= \mbox{IG}(2,1/2)$ \citep[][Section 9.1]{robe:case:2004}. By $W \sim
\mbox{IG}(\alpha,\gamma)$, we mean that $W$ is a random variable with
density function proportional to $w^{-\alpha-1} \exp\{-\gamma/w\}
I_{\mathbb{R_+}}(w)$. In contrast with the Bernoulli example from the
previous subsection, the posterior density associated with the normal
mixture is quite intractable and has a complicated (and uncountable)
support given by ${\mathsf{X}} = \mathbb{R}^2 \times \mathbb{R}^2_+ \times
[0,1]$.
The MDA algorithm is based on the complete-data posterior density,
which we denote here by $\pi(\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. Again, the
development in Subsection~\ref{sec:bmm} implies that, given
$(\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}})$, the elements of ${\boldsymbol{y}}$ are independent multinomials
and the probability that the $i$th coordinate equals 1 (which is one
minus the probability that it equals 2) is given by
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:mps}
\frac{p \frac{1}{\tau_1} \phi \Big( \frac{z_i-\mu_1}{\tau_1}
\Big)}{p \frac{1}{\tau_1} \phi \Big( \frac{z_i-\mu_1}{\tau_1}
\Big) + (1-p) \frac{1}{\tau_2} \phi \Big(
\frac{z_i-\mu_2}{\tau_2} \Big)} \;.
\end{equation}
We sample $\pi(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ via sequential sampling from
$\pi(p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ and $\pi(\mu,\tau^2|p,{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. The results in
Subsection~\ref{sec:bmm} show that $p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}} \sim
\mbox{Beta}(c_1+1,c_2+1)$. Moreover, it's easy to show that, given
$(p,{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$, $(\mu_1,\tau^2_1)$ and $(\mu_2,\tau^2_2)$ are
independent. Routine calculations show that
\[
\mu_1|\tau_1^2,p,{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}} \sim \mbox{N} \bigg( \frac{c_1}{c_1+1}
\overline{z}_1, \frac{\tau^2_1}{(c_1+1)} \bigg)
\]
and
\[
\tau_1^2 |p,{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}} \sim \mbox{IG} \bigg( \frac{c_1+4}{2}, \frac{1}{2}
\Big( s_1^2 + \frac{c_1 \overline{z}_1^2}{(c_1+1)} + 1 \Big) \bigg)
\;,
\]
where $\overline{z}_1 = \frac{1}{c_1} \sum_{i=1}^m I_{\{ 1 \}}(y_i)
z_i$ and $s_1^2 = \sum_{i=1}^m I_{\{ 1 \}}(y_i) (z_i -
\overline{z}_1)^2$. Of course, the distribution of
$(\mu_2,\tau^2_2)$ given $(p,{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ has an analogous form.
The results developed in Section~\ref{sec:DA} imply that the spectrum
of the operator associated with the MDA chain consists of the point
$\{0\}$ and the eigenvalues of the Mtm of the conjugate chain, which
lives on ${\mathsf{Y}} = \{1,2\}^m$. Unfortunately, the Mtm of the conjugate
chain is also intractable. Indeed, a generic element of this matrix
has the following form:
\[
\hat{k}({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}}) = \int_0^1 \int_{\mathbb{R}^2_+} \int_{\mathbb{R}^2}
\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, \pi(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, d\mu \,
d\tau^2 \, dp \;.
\]
This integral cannot be computed in closed form. In particular,
$\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}})$ is the product of $m$ probabilities of the
form \eqref{eq:mps}, and the sums in the denominators of these
probabilities render the integral intractable. However, note that
$\hat{k}({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})$ can be interpreted as the expected value of
$\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}})$ with respect to the density
$\pi(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$. Of course, for fixed ${\boldsymbol{z}}$, we know how to
draw from $\pi(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$, and we have
$\pi({\boldsymbol{y}}'|\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}})$ in closed form. We therefore have the
ability to estimate $\hat{k}({\boldsymbol{y}}'|{\boldsymbol{y}})$ using classical Monte Carlo.
Once we have an estimate of the entire $2^m \times 2^m$ Mtm, we can
calculate its eigenvalues.
The same idea can be used to approximate the eigenvalues of the FS
chain. The results in Section~\ref{sec:improve} show that we can
express the FS algorithm as a DA algorithm with respect to an
alternative complete-data posterior density, which we write as
$\pi^*(\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{y}}|{\boldsymbol{z}})$. The eigenvalues of the operator
defined by the FS chain are the same as those of the Mtm in which the
probability of the transition ${\boldsymbol{y}} \rightarrow {\boldsymbol{y}}'$ is given by
\[
\int_0^1 \int_{\mathbb{R}^2_+} \int_{\mathbb{R}^2}
\pi^*({\boldsymbol{y}}'|\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, \pi^*(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}}) \, d\mu \,
d\tau^2 \, dp \;.
\]
It is straightforward to simulate from $\pi^*(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$,
and $\pi^*({\boldsymbol{y}}'|\mu,\tau^2,p,{\boldsymbol{z}})$ is available in closed form.
To use our classical Monte Carlo idea to estimate the spectra
associated with the MDA and FS chains, we must specify the data, ${\boldsymbol{z}}$.
Furthermore, the Bernoulli example in the previous subsection showed
that the convergence rates of the two algorithms can depend heavily on
the sample size, $m$. Thus, we would like to explore how an
increasing sample size affects the convergence rates of the MDA and FS
chains in the current context. To generate data, we simulated a
random sample of size 10 from a 50:50 mixture of a $\mbox{N}(0,.55^2)$
and a $\mbox{N}(3,.55^2)$, and this resulted in the following
observations:
\begin{align*}
{\boldsymbol{z}} & = (z_1,\dots,z_{10}) \\ & = (0.2519, 2.529, -0.2930, 2.799,
3.397, 0.5596, 2.810, 2.541, 2.487, -0.1937) \;.
\end{align*}
We considered 10 different data sets ranging in size from $m=1$ to
$m=10$. The first data set contained the single point $z_1 =
0.25192$, the second contained the first two observations $(z_1,z_2) =
(0.25192, 2.5287)$, the third contained $(z_1,z_2,z_3) = (0.25192,
2.5287, -0.29303)$, and so on up to the tenth data set, which
contained all ten observations. For each of these 10 data sets, we
used the classical Monte Carlo technique described above to estimate
the Mtm for both the MDA and FS algorithms. In particular, for each
row of the Mtm we used a single Monte Carlo sample of size 200,000
(from $\pi(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ for DA, and from
$\pi^*(\mu,\tau^2,p|{\boldsymbol{y}},{\boldsymbol{z}})$ for FS) to estimate each of the entries in
that row. We then calculated the eigenvalues of the estimated Mtms
and recorded the largest one. The results are shown in
Figure~\ref{fig:norm1}, which has some interesting features. Note
that the dominant eigenvalues of MDA chain are much closer to 1 than
the corresponding dominant eigenvalues of the FS chain. Even at
$m=5$, the dominant eigenvalue of the MDA chain is already above 0.99.
As in the previous example, the convergence rate of the MDA chain
deteriorates as $m$ increases. It is not clear whether the FS chain
slows down as $m$ increases. It may be the case that the FS
eigenvalue would eventually level off, or perhaps the FS chain would
eventually begin to speed up, as in the Bernoulli example. Note that,
as proven in Subsection~\ref{sec:ls}, when $m=1$, the FS eigenvalue is
0. (To ascertain the accuracy of our estimates, we repeated the
entire classical Monte Carlo simulation 6 times, with different random
number seeds, and based on this, we believe that our eigenvalue
estimates are correct up to three decimal places.)
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1\linewidth]{Figure_norm1}
\caption{The behavior of the dominant eigenvalue for the MDA and FS
chains in the normal model. The graph is based on the first
simulated data set and shows how the dominant eigenvalue changes
with sample size, $m$, for the MDA algorithm (red line) and the FS
algorithm (blue line).}
\label{fig:norm1}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
In the case where all 10 observations are considered, the dimension of
the Mtms is $1024 \times 1024$, and each element must be estimated by
classical Monte Carlo. Thus, while it would be very interesting to
consider larger sample sizes (beyond 10), and even mixtures with more
than 2 components, the matrices become quite unwieldy.
We simulated a second set of 10 observations from the same 50:50
mixture and repeated the entire process for the purpose of validation.
The second simulation resulted in the following data:
\begin{align*}
{\boldsymbol{z}} &= (z_1,\dots,z_{10}) \\ & = (0.6699, 3.408, 0.1093, 3.289,
-0.1407, 3.525, 2.454, 0.2716, -0.7443, 3.570) \;.
\end{align*}
Figure~\ref{fig:norm2} is the analogue of Figure~\ref{fig:norm1} for
the second simulation. The results are nearly identical to those from
the first simulation.
\begin{figure}[h]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1\linewidth]{Figure_norm2}
\caption{The behavior of the dominant eigenvalue for the MDA and FS
chains in the normal model. The graph is based on the second
simulated data set and shows how the dominant eigenvalue changes
with sample size, $m$, for the MDA algorithm (red line) and the FS
algorithm (blue line).}
\label{fig:norm2}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
\section{Appendix}
\label{sec:appendix}
Consider a Mtm of the form
\[
M = \left[ \begin{array}{cccc} a & b & b & c \\
d & e & f & \frac{cd}{a} \\
d & f & e & \frac{cd}{a} \\
a & b & b & c
\end{array} \right] \;,
\]
and assume that all of the elements are strictly positive, so the
corresponding Markov chain is irreducible and aperiodic. Note that
both of the Mtms studied in Subsection~\ref{sec:toy} have this form.
Routine manipulation shows that $M$ is reversible with respect to
$(\pi_1, \pi_2, \pi_3, \pi_4)^T$ where $\pi_1=ad/(ad+2ab+cd)$,
$\pi_2=b\pi_1/d$, $\pi_3=\pi_2$ and $\pi_4=c\pi_1/a$. In the
remainder of this section, we perform an eigen-analysis of the matrix
$M$.
Of course, since $M$ is a Mtm, it satisfies $k v_0 = \lambda_0 v_0$
where $v_0 = {\bf 1}$ and $\lambda_0 = 1$. Furthermore, since the
first and fourth rows are equal, there is at least one eigenvalue
equal to zero. Indeed, $M v_3 = 0$, where $v_3 = (c, 0, 0, -a)^T$.
We now identify the other two eigen-solutions of $M$. Let $v_1 = (0,
1, -1, 0)^T$ and note that
\[
M v_1 = (e-f) v_1 \;,
\]
so $\lambda_1 = (e-f)$ is an eigenvalue. If $e=f$, then the middle
two rows of $M$ are equal and the rank of $M$ is at most 2. (Note
that $\lambda_1$ could be negative, implying that the operator defined
by $M$ is not always positive.)
Now, let $v_2 = (\alpha, 1, 1, \alpha)^T$, where $\alpha$ is a
constant to be determined, and note that
\[
M v_2 = \left[ \begin{array}{c}
\alpha a + 2b + \alpha c \\
\alpha d + e + f + \alpha \frac{cd}{a} \\
\alpha d + e + f + \alpha \frac{cd}{a} \\
\alpha a + 2b + \alpha c
\end{array} \right] \;.
\]
If $v_2$ is an eigenvector with corresponding eigenvalue $\lambda_2$,
then the first element of $M v_2$ must equal $\alpha \lambda_2$; that
is,
\[
\alpha a + 2b + \alpha c = \alpha \lambda_2 \;.
\]
Now, using the fact that $2b=1-a-c$, we have
\[
(\alpha-1)(a+c)+1=\alpha \lambda_2 \;,
\]
and it follows that
\begin{equation}
\label{eq:lambda_2}
\lambda_2 = \frac{(\alpha-1) (a+c) + 1}{\alpha} \;.
\end{equation}
Again, if $v_2$ is an eigenvector with corresponding eigenvalue
$\lambda_2$, then the second element of $M v_2$ must equal
$\lambda_2$, or
\[
\lambda_2 = \alpha d + e + f + \alpha \frac{cd}{a} \;.
\]
Now, using the fact that $e=1-d-f-\frac{cd}{a}$, we have
\[
\lambda_2 = \frac{d}{a}(\alpha-1)(a+c)+1 \;.
\]
Setting our two expressions for $\lambda_2$ equal yields:
\[
\alpha d(\alpha-1)(a+c) + a \alpha = a (\alpha-1)(a+c) + a \;.
\]
This quadratic in $\alpha$ has two roots: $\alpha=1$ and
\[
\alpha = \frac{a(a+c-1)}{d(a+c)} \;.
\]
The second solution is negative and corresponds to a nontrivial
eigenvector. The corresponding eigenvalue is
\[
\lambda_2 = \frac{1}{a}(a+c)(a-d) \;.
\]
If $a=d$, then the sum of the middle two rows of $M$ is equal to twice
the first row.
\section*{Acknowledgments}
The third author spoke at length with Professor Richard Tweedie about
the convergence rate of the MDA algorithm during a visit to Colorado
State University in 1993. Although the present work is not directly
related to those conversations, the third author wants to acknowledge
here his admiration for Professor Tweedie's insights and his gratitude
for his support. The first author's work was supported by NSF Grant
DMS-08-05860. The third author's work was supported by Agence
Nationale de la Recherche (ANR, 212, rue de Bercy 75012 Paris) through
the 2009-2012 project ANR-08-BLAN-0218 Big'MC. The first author
thanks the Universit\'{e} Paris Dauphine for partial travel support
that funded visits to Paris in 2008 and 2009. The second author
thanks the Agence Nationale de la Recherche through the 2005-2009
project Ecosstat for support that funded a visit to Paris in 2008.
Finally, the authors thank three anonymous reviewers for helpful
comments and suggestions.
\input improve_r1.bbl
\end{document}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 376 |
Die Villa ten Hompel ist eine Gedenkstätte für Verbrechen von Polizei und Verwaltung in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus im westfälischen Münster. Als Geschichtsort erinnert sie an die Aufgabe, Verfolgte des Nationalsozialismus zu entschädigen und arbeitet präventiv gegen Rechtsextremismus und für Demokratie.
Geschichte
Rudolf ten Hompel, Großindustrieller
Die Villa wurde ab 1924 vom münsterschen Industriellen Rudolf ten Hompel gebaut. Ten Hompel war einer der reichsten Bürger der Stadt Münster und Miteigentümer des zu dieser Zeit in Deutschland größten Konzerns von Zementwerken, den Wicking-Werken, außerdem von 1920 bis 1928 Reichstagsabgeordneter der Zentrums-Partei.
Das Haus, gelegen am Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring, und sein weitläufiger Garten waren dementsprechend häufig Ort von Festen und Empfängen und dafür recht luxuriös ausgestattet.
In der Weltwirtschaftskrise und den folgenden schwierigen Zeiten Anfang der 1930er Jahre brach auch ten Hompels Zementimperium zusammen. Im Jahre 1935 wurde der ehemalige Generaldirektor ten Hompel vor dem Landgericht Münster wegen Veruntreuung, Konkursvergehen, Vermögensverschiebungen und Urkundenfälschung angeklagt und zu drei Jahren Gefängnis sowie einer Geldstrafe von 22.000 Reichsmark verurteilt. 1939 ging die Villa schließlich in den Besitz des Reichsfiskus über. Rudolf ten Hompel zog nach München, wo er 1948 starb.
Die Villa ten Hompel im Besitz der Ordnungspolizei
Ab April 1940 übernahm die Ordnungspolizei die Villa als Hauptquartier für den Wehrkreis VI, der das ganze heutige Nordrhein-Westfalen mitsamt der Region um Osnabrück und Teilen Belgiens umfasste. Während des Krieges wurden aus der Villa ten Hompel über 20 Polizei-Bataillone in das besetzte Europa geschickt, auch wurden Wachmannschaften für Deportationen und Aufsichtspersonal für Arbeitserziehungslager organisiert, außerdem wurden Fremdarbeiter und Kriegsgefangene von dort überwacht.
Von dort hatte der Befehlshaber der Ordnungspolizei (BdO) Befehlsgewalt über fast 200.000 Mann. Im April 1940 wurde Generalmajor der Polizei Heinrich Lankenau zum BdO ernannt. Lankenau wurde im Dezember 1942 von Generalmajor d.P. Otto Schumann abgelöst, auf den im September 1943 Generalmajor d.P. Kurt Göhrum folgte. Im Herbst 1944 folgte diesem schließlich Generalleutnant d.OP. Reiner Liessem, der das Amt bis Kriegsende innehatte. Liessem verlegte Ende 1944 das Hauptquartier des BdO nach Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth.
Die Villa als Teil der Landespolizei
Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg diente die Villa ten Hompel als Hauptsitz für die Landespolizei sowie ab Frühjahr 1946 auch der Kriminalpolizei, die im Oktober aber mit der Düsseldorfer Kripo zusammengelegt wurde und sich aus der Villa zurückzog. Bis 1953 war außerdem die Wasserschutzpolizei des Bereichs Westdeutsche Kanäle hier stationiert, dann wurde sie nach Duisburg verlegt. In der Villa blieb bis 1965 eine Personalstelle der Wasserschutzpolizei.
Entschädigungszahlungen aus der Villa ten Hompel heraus
Ab 1954 war das Dezernat für Wiedergutmachung der Bezirksregierung in der Villa ansässig. Als solches war es dafür verantwortlich, Entschädigungszahlungen an Opfer des Nationalsozialismus und deren Hinterbliebene zu leisten. 12.000 Menschen stellten in den Jahren bis 1968 einen Antrag auf Entschädigung, an diese wurden 100.000.000 D-Mark ausgezahlt.
Die Villa als Geschichtsort
Ende der 1990er Jahre kaufte die Stadt Münster die Villa, um hier eine Gedenkstätte einzurichten, die sich dem Polizei- und Verwaltungshandeln widmete. Am 13. Dezember 1999 eröffnete Oberbürgermeister Berthold Tillmann in Anwesenheit von NRW-Ministerpräsident Wolfgang Clement und dem Präsidenten des Zentralrates der Juden in Deutschland Paul Spiegel die erste Ausstellung. Seit 2005 waren die beiden Dauerausstellungen "I.m A.uftrag" und "Wiedergutmachung als Auftrag" zu sehen, die sich um die Themen Kriegsverbrechen im Nationalsozialismus, Entschädigung für NS-Unrecht, Polizei- und Behördengeschichte drehen. 2005 wurde die erste Ausstellung zur Geschichte der uniformierten Polizei im Nationalsozialismus auf europäischer Museumsebene mit einer Auszeichnung prämiert. Die Villa arbeitet in der Seminar- und Bildungsarbeit eng mit der Universität, Schulen und der Polizei zusammen. Die Fachhochschule Münster unterstützt die Ausstellung der Villa in Fragen des Designs. Seit Oktober 2008 ist die Stadt Münster Trägerin eines von fünf Mobilen Beratungsteams gegen Rechtsextremismus in NRW. die "Mobile Beratung im Regierungsbezirk Münster – Gegen Rechtsextremismus, für Demokratie" ist der Villa ten Hompel angegliedert. Im März 2015 wurde die neue Dauerausstellung eröffnet. Die Villa gibt eine Schriftenreihe heraus und fördert Publikationen, Projekte und Veranstaltungen.
Sammlung und Dokumentation
Die Villa ten Hompel ist als Geschichtsort nicht nur ein Museum, sondern ermöglicht als Dokumentationsstelle auch die Recherche in historischer Primär- und wissenschaftlicher Sekundärliteratur. Viele Privatleute haben bereits Nachlässe und historische Funde in der Villa hinterlegt, die nicht nur die "große" Geschichte, sondern auch das Leben "einfacher Menschen" nachvollziehbar machen.
Personal
Erster Geschäftsführer und Gründungsdirektor war von 1996 bis 2003 Alfons Kenkmann. Ihm folgte zunächst kommissarisch und seit 2009 als Leiter der Historiker Christoph Spieker. Ehrenamtliche Helfer, Praktikanten und ein Förderverein unterstützen die angestellten Mitarbeiter.
Weblinks
Offizielle Website der Villa ten Hompel
Schriften der Villa ten Hompel
Zum Design der Ausstellung bis 2015 beim Fachbereich Design an der FH Münster und als Hinweis auf die neue Dauerausstellung
Villa ten Hompel aktuell
Onlinerecherche zu den Beständen in der Villa ten Hompel
Einzelnachweise
Hompel
Museum in Münster
Geschichte (Münster)
Gedenkstätte für NS-Opfer
Erbaut in den 1920er Jahren
Ordnungspolizei
Wohngebäude in Münster | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaWikipedia"
} | 1,793 |
package task
import (
"bytes"
"encoding/gob"
"encoding/json"
"errors"
"fmt"
"github.com/golang/glog"
"github.com/qorio/maestro/pkg/pubsub"
"github.com/qorio/maestro/pkg/zk"
"io"
"os"
"os/exec"
"runtime"
"strings"
"sync"
"time"
)
var (
ErrBadConfig = errors.New("bad-config")
ErrStopped = errors.New("stopped")
ErrTimeout = errors.New("timeout")
)
type Runtime struct {
Task
zk zk.ZK
status chan []byte
stdout chan []byte
stderr chan []byte
stdin chan []byte
options interface{}
done bool
ready bool
lock sync.Mutex
error error
stdoutBuff *bytes.Buffer
stdinInterceptor func(string) (string, bool)
}
func (this *Task) Copy() (*Task, error) {
var buff bytes.Buffer
enc := gob.NewEncoder(&buff)
dec := gob.NewDecoder(&buff)
err := enc.Encode(this)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
copy := new(Task)
err = dec.Decode(copy)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
return copy, nil
}
func (this *Task) Validate() error {
if this.ExecOnly {
switch {
case this.Id == "":
return ErrBadConfig
case this.Cmd == nil:
return ErrBadConfig
default:
_, err := exec.LookPath(this.Cmd.Path)
if err != nil {
return err
}
}
return nil
}
// If we are in Orchestration mode then a lot more needs to be set
switch {
case !this.Info.Valid():
return ErrBadConfig
case !this.Status.Valid():
return ErrBadConfig
case len(this.Success) > 0 && !this.Success.Valid():
return ErrBadConfig
case len(this.Error) > 0 && !this.Error.Valid():
return ErrBadConfig
case this.Cmd != nil:
_, err := exec.LookPath(this.Cmd.Path)
if err != nil {
return err
}
}
return nil
}
func (this *Task) Init(zkc zk.ZK, options ...interface{}) (*Runtime, error) {
if err := this.Validate(); err != nil {
return nil, err
}
task := Runtime{
Task: *this,
zk: zkc,
}
if len(options) > 0 {
task.options = options[0]
}
task.status = make(chan []byte)
if task.Task.Stdout != nil {
task.stdout = make(chan []byte)
}
if task.Task.Stderr != nil {
task.stderr = make(chan []byte)
}
// Default interceptor
task.stdinInterceptor = func(in string) (string, bool) {
return in, strings.Index(in, "#bye") != 0
}
now := time.Now()
task.Stat.Started = &now
if task.zk != nil && task.Info != "" {
err := zk.CreateOrSet(task.zk, task.Info, task.Stat)
glog.Infoln("Info=", task.Info)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
}
return &task, nil
}
func (this *Runtime) Stop() {
this.lock.Lock()
defer this.lock.Unlock()
if this.done {
return
}
if this.stdout != nil {
this.stdout <- nil
}
if this.stderr != nil {
this.stderr <- nil
}
this.Log("Stop")
this.status <- nil
this.done = true
}
func (this *Runtime) StdinInterceptor(f func(string) (string, bool)) {
this.stdinInterceptor = f
}
func (this *Runtime) Stdin() io.Reader {
if this.Task.Stdin == nil {
return os.Stdin
}
if c, err := this.Task.Stdin.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
return pubsub.GetReader(*this.Task.Stdin, c)
} else {
return nil
}
}
func (this *Runtime) PublishStdin() io.Writer {
if this.Task.Stdin == nil {
return os.Stdin
}
if c, err := this.Task.Stdin.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
return pubsub.GetWriter(*this.Task.Stdin, c)
} else {
glog.Warningln("Error getting stdin.", "Topic=", *this.Task.Stdin, "Err=", err)
return nil
}
}
func (this *Runtime) CaptureStdout() {
this.stdoutBuff = new(bytes.Buffer)
}
func (this *Runtime) GetCapturedStdout() []byte {
if this.stdoutBuff != nil {
return this.stdoutBuff.Bytes()
}
return nil
}
func (this *Runtime) Stdout() io.Writer {
var stdout io.Writer = os.Stdout
if this.Task.Stdout != nil {
if c, err := this.Task.Stdout.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
stdout = pubsub.GetWriter(*this.Task.Stdout, c)
} else {
glog.Fatalln("Error getting stdout.", "Topic=", *this.Task.Stdout, "Err=", err)
return nil
}
}
if this.stdoutBuff != nil {
stdout = io.MultiWriter(stdout, this.stdoutBuff)
}
return stdout
}
func (this *Runtime) Stderr() io.Writer {
if this.Task.Stderr == nil {
return os.Stderr
}
if c, err := this.Task.Stderr.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
return pubsub.GetWriter(*this.Task.Stderr, c)
} else {
glog.Fatalln("Error getting stderr.", "Topic=", *this.Task.Stderr, "Err=", err)
return nil
}
}
func (this *Runtime) Log(m ...string) {
if this.done {
return
}
source := ""
_, file, line, ok := runtime.Caller(1)
if ok {
source = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", file, line)
}
s := strings.Join(m, " ")
this.status <- []byte(s)
glog.Infoln(source, m)
}
func (this *Runtime) Running() bool {
return !this.done
}
func (this *Runtime) ApplyEnvAndFuncs(env map[string]interface{}, funcs map[string]interface{}) error {
if this.Task.Cmd == nil {
return nil
}
this.lock.Lock()
defer this.lock.Unlock()
applied, err := this.Task.Cmd.ApplySubstitutions(env, funcs)
if err != nil {
return err
}
this.Task.Cmd = applied
return nil
}
func (this *Runtime) set_defaults() {
if len(this.Task.Success) == 0 {
this.Task.Success = this.Info.Member("success")
}
if len(this.Task.Error) == 0 {
this.Task.Error = this.Info.Member("error")
}
if len(this.Status) > 0 {
if this.Task.Stdout == nil {
t := this.Status.Sub("stdout")
this.Task.Stdout = &t
}
if this.Task.Stderr == nil {
t := this.Status.Sub("stderr")
this.Task.Stderr = &t
}
}
}
func (this *Runtime) Start() (chan error, error) {
this.set_defaults()
if _, _, err := this.start_streams(); err != nil {
return nil, err
}
this.Log(fmt.Sprintf("****,[,%d,%s,%s", time.Now().Unix(), this.Task.Name, this.Task.PrintPre))
if err := this.block_on_triggers(); err == zk.ErrTimeout {
return nil, ErrTimeout
}
// Run the actual task
if this.Task.Cmd != nil {
return this.exec()
}
return nil, nil
}
func (this *Runtime) block_on_triggers() error {
if this.Cmd == nil {
return nil
}
if this.Trigger == nil {
return nil
}
// TODO - take into account ordering of cron vs registry.
if this.Trigger.Registry != nil {
trigger := zk.NewConditions(*this.Trigger.Registry, this.zk)
// So now just block until the condition is true
this.Log("Waiting for trigger.")
return trigger.Wait()
}
return nil
}
func (this *Runtime) exec() (chan error, error) {
cmd := exec.Command(this.Cmd.Path, this.Cmd.Args...)
cmd.Dir = this.Cmd.Dir
cmd.Env = this.Cmd.Env
if this.Task.Stdin != nil {
sub, err := this.Task.Stdin.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
stdin, err := sub.Subscribe(*this.Task.Stdin)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
wr, err := cmd.StdinPipe()
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
go func() {
// We need to do some special processing of input so that we can
// terminate a session. Otherwise, this will just loop forever
// because the pubsub topic will not go away -- even if it's a unique topic.
for {
m := <-stdin
if l, ok := this.stdinInterceptor(string(m)); ok {
fmt.Printf(">> %s", l)
wr.Write([]byte(l))
} else {
wr.Close()
return
}
}
}()
}
cmd.Stdout = this.Stdout()
cmd.Stderr = this.Stderr()
process_done := make(chan error)
go func() {
cmd.Start()
// Wait for cmd to complete even if we have no more stdout/stderr
if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
this.Error(err.Error())
process_done <- err
return
}
ps := cmd.ProcessState
if ps == nil {
this.Error(ErrCommandUnknown.Error())
process_done <- ErrCommandUnknown
return
}
glog.Infoln("Process pid=", ps.Pid(), "Exited=", ps.Exited(), "Success=", ps.Success())
if !ps.Success() {
this.Error(ErrExecFailed.Error())
process_done <- ErrExecFailed
return
} else {
this.Success(this.GetCapturedStdout())
process_done <- nil
return
}
}()
return process_done, nil
}
func (this *Runtime) start_streams() (stdout, stderr chan<- []byte, err error) {
this.lock.Lock()
defer func() {
this.error = err
this.lock.Unlock()
}()
if this.error != nil {
return nil, nil, this.error
}
if this.ready {
return this.stdout, this.stderr, nil
}
if this.done {
return nil, nil, ErrStopped
}
go func() {
for {
m := <-this.status
if m == nil {
break
}
if c, err := this.Task.Status.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
c.Publish(this.Task.Status, m)
} else {
glog.Warningln("Cannot publish:", this.Task.Status.String(), "Err=", err)
}
}
}()
if this.stdout != nil {
glog.Infoln("Starting stream for stdout:", this.Task.Stdout.String())
go func() {
for {
m := <-this.stdout
if m == nil {
break
}
if c, err := this.Task.Stdout.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
c.Publish(*this.Task.Stdout, m)
} else {
glog.Warningln("Cannot publish:", this.Task.Stdout.String(), "Err=", err)
}
}
}()
this.Log("Sending stdout to", this.Task.Stdout.Path())
}
if this.stderr != nil {
glog.Infoln("Starting stream for stderr:", this.Task.Stderr.String())
go func() {
for {
m := <-this.stderr
if m == nil {
break
}
if c, err := this.Task.Stderr.Broker().PubSub(this.Id, this.options); err == nil {
c.Publish(*this.Task.Stderr, m)
} else {
glog.Warningln("Cannot publish:", this.Task.Stderr.String(), "Err=", err)
}
}
}()
this.Log("Sending stderr to", this.Task.Stderr.Path())
}
this.ready = true
return this.stdout, this.stderr, nil
}
func (this *Runtime) Success(output interface{}) error {
defer this.Log(fmt.Sprintf("****,],%d,%s,%s", time.Now().Unix(), this.Task.Name, this.Task.PrintPost))
if this.zk == nil {
glog.Infoln("Not connected to zk. Output not recorded")
return nil
}
if this.done {
return ErrStopped
}
switch output.(type) {
case []byte:
err := zk.CreateOrSetBytes(this.zk, this.Task.Success, output.([]byte))
if err != nil {
return err
}
case string:
err := zk.CreateOrSetString(this.zk, this.Task.Success, output.(string))
if err != nil {
return err
}
default:
value, err := json.Marshal(output)
if err != nil {
return err
}
err = zk.CreateOrSetBytes(this.zk, this.Task.Success, value)
if err != nil {
return err
}
}
this.Log("Success", "Result written to", this.Task.Success.Path())
now := time.Now()
this.Stat.Success = &now
err := zk.CreateOrSet(this.zk, this.Info, this.Stat)
if err != nil {
return err
}
this.Log("Success", "Completed")
return nil
}
func (this *Runtime) Error(error interface{}) error {
defer func() {
if this.Task.PrintErrWarning {
this.Log(fmt.Sprintf("????,],%d,%s,%s", time.Now().Unix(), this.Task.Name, this.Task.PrintErr))
} else {
this.Log(fmt.Sprintf("!!!!,],%d,%s,%s", time.Now().Unix(), this.Task.Name, this.Task.PrintErr))
}
}()
if this.zk == nil {
glog.Infoln("Not connected to zk. Output not recorded")
return nil
}
if this.done {
return ErrStopped
}
switch error.(type) {
case []byte:
err := zk.CreateOrSetBytes(this.zk, this.Task.Error, error.([]byte))
if err != nil {
return err
}
case string:
err := zk.CreateOrSetString(this.zk, this.Task.Error, error.(string))
if err != nil {
return err
}
default:
value, err := json.Marshal(error)
if err != nil {
return err
}
err = zk.CreateOrSetBytes(this.zk, this.Task.Error, value)
if err != nil {
return err
}
}
this.Log("Error", "Error written to", this.Task.Error.Path())
now := time.Now()
this.Stat.Error = &now
err := zk.CreateOrSet(this.zk, this.Info, this.Stat)
if err != nil {
return err
}
this.Log("Error", "Stop")
return nil
}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 5,924 |
«И́кс-Фа́ктор» — украинская версия британского проекта The X Factor — музыкального шоу талантов, основной целью которого является поиск и развитие песенного таланта конкурсантов. Все конкурсанты выбираются путём публичных прослушиваний.
По 2014 год кастинги проходили в крупнейших городах Украины: Днепропетровске, Львове, Донецке, Одессе, Харькове и Киеве; затем — только в Киеве. Предкастинги также проходили в Полтаве, Луганске, Запорожье, Симферополе, Николаеве, Черновцах, Ужгороде, Луцке и Ровно.
Шоу стартовало на канале СТБ 4 сентября 2010 года.
Формат
Именно британский проект The X Factor, созданный в 2004 году известным английским продюсером Саймоном Кауэллом (Simon Cowell) и компанией FremantleMedia, основал международную The X Factor серию. Адаптированные версии шоу были показаны более чем в двадцати странах мира. К этому времени проект «Икс-Фактор» стал одним из самых популярных песенных талант-шоу в мире, а его победители непременно стали яркими фигурами в шоу-бизнесе в своих странах.
«X-Фактор» — слово-идиома: черта характера, которая не имеет чёткого определения и пояснения; талант. В контексте данного шоу — «икс-фактор» — часть «звёздности» в человеке, «звёздный» талант.
Кастинги
Шоу прежде всего заинтересовано на идентификации певческого таланта, но яркая индивидуальность, раскованность на сцене и хореографические умения тоже важные элементы выступления, которые могут заинтересовать судей. Конкурсанты делятся на четыре категории: девочки возраста от 14 до 24 лет, мальчики от 14 до 24 лет, старше 25 лет и коллективы.
Отбор участников делится на четыре этапа:
Этап 1: Предкастинг, или Кастинг продюсеров (эти прослушивания дают возможность выступить перед судьями);
Этап 2: Телекастинг (прослушивания перед судьями и зрителями, судьи выбирают лучших исполнителей);
Этап 3: Тренировочный лагерь (конкурсанты исполняют задания судей, судьи отбирают 12 исполнителей — по 3 исполнителя каждой категории);
Этап 4: Прямые эфиры.
Прямые эфиры
Прямые эфиры состоят из двух шоу: в первом конкурсанты исполняют песни, а в другом объявляются результаты зрительского голосования.
Во время первых прямых эфиров каждый из конкурсантов исполняет только одну песню перед аудиторией в студии и судьями, обычно все конкурсанты поют вживую под записанную музыкальную фонограмму. Некоторые выступления сопровождаются хореографическими постановками и живым оркестром. После выступления каждого конкурсанта судьи комментируют его номер, судья защищает своего конкурсанта от критики судей-соперников. Линии для голосования открываются сразу после выступления всех конкурсантов. Формат выступлений меняется, когда в соревновании остаются 4 или 5 участников. Тогда каждый из конкурсантов исполняет две песни. Так продолжается, пока только три участника остаются в шоу, эти трое становятся финалистами. В Финале определяются два суперфиналиста, в конце эфира открывается недельное голосование за победителя. В суперфинале это голосование закрывается, и объявляется победитель программы.
Результаты
Перед объявлением результатов предыдущего шоу, на сцену приглашается известный человек из мира шоу-бизнеса со своим выступлением. Далее объявляются прошедшие конкурсанты, кроме тех двух, которые набрали самое маленькое количество голосов. Эти двое исполняют ещё одну песню; выступление откровенно обсуждается судьями, и они решают, кто покинет шоу. Если каждый из двух номинированных конкурсантов получают одинаковое количество голосов от судей, утверждается результат зрительского голосования, и тот из двоих, за которого зрители отдали самое маленькое количество голосов, покидает программу. Фактическое количество голосов никогда не оглашается, пока не выбрали победителя (во втором сезоне после оглашения победителя количество голосов не было опубликовано).
Когда проходит половина программы, конкурсант, который набрал наименьшее количество голосов покидает шоу автоматически; с 5 сезона те двое, которые набрали наименьшее количество голосов (после того кто уже покинул шоу) попадают в номинацию, и затем шоу покидает ещё один участник.
Судьи
Постоянный судья
Приглашенный судья
Ведущие
Очерк сезонов
Команда Сергея Соседова
Команда Ёлки
Команда Серёги
Команда Игоря Кондратюка
Команда Ирины Дубцовой
Команда Нино Катамадзе
Команда Ивана Дорна
Команда Андрея Хлывнюка
Команда Андрея Данилко
Команда Юлии Саниной
Команда Антона Савлепова
Команда Константина Меладзе
Команда Дмитрия Шурова
Команда Насти Каменских
Команда Олега Винника
Команда Оли Поляковой
Сезон 1
Первый сезон украинского X-Фактора начал выходить в эфир 4 сентября 2010, ведущей шоу стала Оксана Марченко. Судьями первого сезона были шоумен Игорь Кондратюк, певица Ёлка, рэпер Серёга и музыкальный критик Сергей Соседов.
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место (победитель) — Алексей Кузнецов (Ёлка) — Макеевка, 19 лет
2 место (суперфиналист) — Мария Рак (Игорь Кондратюк) — Бородянка, 22 года
3-4 место (финалист) — Александр Кривошапко (Ёлка) — Мариуполь, 18 лет
3-4 место (финалист) — Владимир Ткаченко (Сергей Соседов) — Днепропетровск, 27 лет
5-6 место (полуфиналист) — Ирина Борисюк (Сергей Соседов) — Тернополь, 33 года
5-6 место (полуфиналисты) — Группа Дети Капитана Гранта (Серёга) — Харьков
7 место — Дуэт Павлик и Семёнов (Серёга) — Киев, 26 лет и 31 год
8 место — Татьяна Зотова (Игорь Кондратюк) — Харьков, 18 лет
9 место — Дуэт Монатик и Сафаров (Серёга) — Луцк, Дружковка, 24 года и 16 лет
10 место — Дмитрий Скалозубов (Ёлка) — Марганец, 22 года
11 место — Мария Стасюк (Игорь Кондратюк) — Киев, 15 лет
12 место — Юра Богуславский (Сергей Соседов) — Днепропетровск, 42 года
Сезон 2
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место (победитель) — Виктор Романченко (Серёга) — 33 года, Херсон
2 место (суперфиналист) — Олег Кензов (Игорь Кондратюк) — 23 года, Полтава
3 место (финалист) — Владислав Курасов (Игорь Кондратюк) — 16 лет, Краснодар (Россия)
4 место (полуфиналисты) — Дуэт Аркадий и Малика (Ёлка) — 22 и 19 лет, Ковель, Одесса
5 место — Роман Веремейчик (Игорь Кондратюк) — Торез, 21 год
6 место — Светлана Винник (Сергей Соседов) — Днепропетровск, 21 год
7 место — Анна Охрицкая (Серёга) — Харцызск, 29 лет
8 место — Владимир Куликов (Серёга) — Днепропетровск, 71 год
9 место — Женя Тарайкович (Сергей Соседов) — Полтава, 16 лет
10 место — Трио «Максимум» (Ёлка) — Винница
11 место — Валерия Локтенко (Сергей Соседов) — Донецк, 15 лет
12 место — Группа «АКВА» (Ёлка) — Екатерина Кащаева, Юлия Карабут, Анастасия Либер, Алена Луцкая, Донецк
Сезон 3
Третий сезон шоу начался 1 сентября 2012 года. В прослушиваниях приняли участие более 40000 человек. Состав жюри изменился: вместо Ёлки появилась Ирина Дубцова. В суперфинал шоу вышли подопечные Игоря Кондратюка, а победила в шоу Аида Николайчук.
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место (победитель) — Аида Николайчук, Одесса, 30 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
2 место (суперфиналист) — Евгений Литвинкович, Жодино (Белоруссия), 31 год (Игорь Кондратюк)
3 место (финалист) — Алексей Смирнов, 23 года (Серёга)
4 место (полуфиналист) — Дмитрий Сысоев, Львов, 22 года (Серёга)
5 место — Группа «D-Версия»/ Вячеслав Ефремов, Даниил Клягин и Назар Хассан, Луганск/Донецк/Львов (Ирина Дубцова)
6 место — Юлия Плаксина, 20 лет (Сергей Соседов)
7 место — Яков Головко, Ялта, 49 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
8 место — группа «3D»/Александра Прилепская, Светлана Легенькая, Анна Шут (Ирина Дубцова)
9 место — Жанна Перегон, 19 лет (Сергей Соседов)
10 место — Илья Ефимов, 21 год (Серёга)
11 место — дуэт «Виолетта и Анатолий» (Ирина Дубцова)
12 место — Мелен Эстель Валентина Пасса, 20 лет (Сергей Соседов)
Сезон 4
Старт четвёртого сезона состоялся 31 августа 2013 года. Состав жюри остаётся прежним. Оценивать вокальные данные участников будут: Игорь Кондратюк, Серега, Ирина Дубцова и Сергей Соседов. В этом сезоне судьи решили изменить категории: «Младше 18», «Парни (любого возраста старше 18)», «Девушки (любого возраста старше 18)» и «Коллективы»
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место (победитель) — Александр Порядинский, село Гнединцы, Черниговская обл., 15 лет (Ирина Дубцова)
2 место (суперфиналист) — Коллектив «Триода», Тернополь (Игорь Кондратюк)
3 место (финалист) — Сергей Гладыр, Львов, 34 года (Сергей Соседов)
4 место (полуфиналист) — дуэт «Two voices» (Игорь Кондратюк)
5 место — Дарья Ковтун, Одесса, 22 года (Серёга)
6 место — Михаил Мостовой, 34 года (Сергей Соседов)
7 место — Даниил Рувинский, 14 лет (Ирина Дубцова)
8 место — Мария Кацева, Екатеринбург, 29 лет (Серёга)
9 место — Никита Ломакин, 15 лет (Ирина Дубцова)
10 место — «Клей Угрюмого» (Игорь Кондратюк)
11 место — Анастасия Рубцова, 24 года (Серёга)
12 место — Евгений Шпаченко, 19 лет (Сергей Соседов)
Сезон 5
Старт пятого сезона состоялся 23 августа 2014 года. Ведущей проекта осталась Оксана Марченко, а вот в составе жюри произошли существенные изменения. Теперь оценивать вокальные данные участников будут: неизменные Игорь Кондратюк и Сергей Соседов, коллегами по судейскому столу в 5 сезоне также будут: грузинская певица Нино Катамадзе, а также украинский певец Иван Дорн. Категории участников 5 сезона будут такими же, как в первых трёх сезонах: «Девушки, 14-25 лет», «Парни, 14-25 лет», «Старше 25 лет», «Коллективы». Впервые в истории шоу, судьи с первого прямого эфира не имеют права голоса. Участники выбывают исключительно по решению телезрителей (Судьи — 0 %, Телезрители — 100 %)
Специальный гость финала: Сара Коннор с хитом «From Sarah with Love».
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
1 место — (победитель) —Дмитрий Бабак, город Петровское, 22 года (Нино Катамадзе)
2 место — (суперфиналист) —Трио «Экстрим» (Станислав Панькин, Эльдар Кабиров, Сергей Юрченко) (Сергей Соседов)
3 место — (финалист) — Кирилл Каплуновский, 20 лет (Нино Катамадзе)
4 место — (полуфиналист) — Валерия Симулик, 14 лет (Иван Дорн)
5 место — (полуфиналист) — Олеся Матакова, 23 года (Иван Дорн)
6 место — Ирина Василенко , 28 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
7 место — Владислав Павлюк , 25 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
8 место — Владислав Ульянич , 26 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
9 место — Санта Данелевича , 22 года (Иван Дорн)
10 место — Артур Логай, 21 год (Нино Катамадзе)
11 место — Дуэт «ТиПаЖи»(Денис и Максим Захарченко) (Сергей Соседов)
12 место — RAY BAND (Платон Левитов, Артём Гожий, Игорь Шеремет, Антон Гожий)(Сергей Соседов)
Сезон 6
Старт шестого сезона состоялся 22 августа 2015. Ведущая шоу — Оксана Марченко, судьи шоу — Сергей Соседов, Нино Катамадзе, Андрей Хлывнюк, Игорь Кондратюк. Нововведениями в этом сезоне являются участие музыкальных коллективов с одним вокалистом и «Золотая кнопка», которую могут нажать каждый из судей один раз и участник, выступающий на кастинге, может попасть сразу на последнее испытание перед прямыми эфирами, минуя тренировочный лагерь.
Победил в шестом сезоне Костя Бочаров, подопечный Игоря Кондратюка.
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место — (победитель) — Костя Бочаров, Одесса, 18 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
2 место — (суперфиналист) — Богдан Совык, 35 лет (Сергей Соседов)
3 место — (финалистка) — Алина Паш, Закарпатье, 22 года (Нино Катамадзе)
4 место — (полуфиналистка) — Наталья Папазоглу, 32 года (Сергей Соседов)
5 место — (полуфиналист) — Біла Вежа (Максим Иващенко, Андрей Эйсмонт, Андрей Томашенко, Сергей Иванов, Ярослав Гравицкий, Евгений Скоценко) (Андрей Хлывнюк)
6 место — Epolets (Павел Вареница, Александр Решетарь, Андрей Головерда, Игорь Смирнов) (Андрей Хлывнюк)
7 место — Андрей Инкин, Полтава, 22 года (Игорь Кондратюк)
8 место — Кристине Мартиашвили, 27 лет (Сергей Соседов)
9 место — Нини Нуцубидзе, 15 лет (Нино Катамадзе)
10 место — Sparkle (Ани Чхеидзе, Нини Гвелисиани, Саломе Меребашвили) (Андрей Хлывнюк)
11 место — Татия Кобаладзе, 23 года (Нино Катамадзе)
12 место — Бесо Немсадзе, 24 года (Игорь Кондратюк)
Сезон 7
В седьмом сезоне произошла полная замена состава жюри. Судейские кресла заняли продюсер и композитор Константин Меладзе; артист, автор и композитор Андрей Данилко; фронтвумен группы The Hardkiss Юлия Санина и экс-лидер Quest Pistols Show солист группы «Агонь» Антон Савлепов. Также впервые в украинской адаптации проекта концерты вели двое ведущих. К неизменной ведущей проекта Оксане Марченко присоединился Андрей Бедняков. В этом сезоне категории отменены.
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место — (победитель) — Севак Ханагян, Ереван, 29 лет (Антон Савлепов)
2 место — (суперфиналист) — «DETACH», Киев (Алексей Веренчик, Денис Фандера, Максим Стадник, Руслан Войтович, Евгений Астафьев), (Юлия Санина)
3 место — (финалист) — Mountain Breeze Band, Полтава (Александр Беляк, Илья Беляк, Мирослав Щербак), (Андрей Данилко)
4 место — (полуфиналист) — Витольд Петровский, Москва, 30 лет (Константин Меладзе)
5 место — (полуфиналист) — THE HYPNOTUNEZ, Винница (Гера Луидзе, Владимир Линник, Олег Прокопчук, Сергей Суздальцев, Тимур Ахматов), (Джокер)
6 место — Алексей Кудрявцев, Тавда, 23 года (Антон Савлепов)
7 место — Дарья Соколовская, Житомир, 17 лет (Юлия Санина)
8 место — Павел Пигура и Виталий Сычак, Львов, (Юлия Санина)
9 место — Без обмежень, Киев (Сергей Танчинец, Александр Адаменко, Андрей Радько, Антон Выхристюк), (Антон Савлепов)
10 место — Руслана Кирющенко, Одесса, 16 лет (Константин Меладзе)
11 место — Константин Битеев, Санкт-Петербург, 23 года (Константин Меладзе)
12 место — Ирина Бровкина, Киев, 55 лет (Андрей Данилко)
13 место — Александр Юпатов, Киев, 24 года (Андрей Данилко)
Сезон 8
Восьмой сезон начинается с 2 сентября 2017 года. Ведущий шоу — Андрей Бедняков. Новыми судьями стали Анастасия Каменских, Олег Винник и Дмитрий Шуров. С прошлого состава возвращается Андрей Данилко. Так же, возвращается этап «прослушивания в домах судей», а этап со стульями объединён с прослушиваниями в тренировочном лагере.
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место — Михаил Панчишин, Львов, 19 лет (Дмитрий Шуров)
2 место — «Yurcash», Киев (Андрей Данилко)
3 место — Дарья Ступак, Киев, 22 года (Настя Каменских)
4 место — Елена Зуева, Лиман, 32 года (Олег Винник)
5 место —«Каблуками по брусчатке», Киев (Андрей Данилко)
6 место — Николай Ильин, Мелитополь, 32 года (Олег Винник)
7 место — «KAZKA», Харьков/Киев (Андрей Данилко)
8 место — Анна Трубецкая, Могилёв, 18 лет (Настя Каменских)
9 место — Алена Романовская, Киев, 52 года (Олег Винник)
10 место — Иван Варава, Хмельницкий, 20 лет (Дмитрий Шуров)
11 место — Остап Скороход, Астана, 22 года (Дмитрий Шуров)
12 место — Ксения Попова, Кривой Рог, 21 год (Настя Каменских)
13 место — Вета Козакова, Киев, 24 года (Настя Каменских)
Сезон 9
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Участник выбыл только по результатам голосования телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место — «ZBSband», Киев (Анастасия Каменских)
2 место — Дмитрий Волканов, Бердянск (Андрей Данилко)
3 место — Ольга Жмурина, Киев (Олег Винник)
4 место — Марк Савин, Киев (Дмитрий Шуров)
5 место — «Duke Time», Одесса (Анастасия Каменских)
6 место — Петр Герасимив, Бортники, 26 лет (Андрей Данилко)
7-8 место — Palina, Минск, 24 года (Олег Винник)
7-8 место — Иван Ищенко, Миргород, 20 лет (Андрей Данилко)
9-11 место — «Jazzforacat», Винница (Анастасия Каменских)
9-11 место — Маргарита Двойненко, Киев, 29 лет (Олег Винник)
9-11 место — Ольга Цепкало, Белогородка, 38 лет (Дмитрий Шуров)
12 место — Александр Илюха, Киев, 24 года (Андрей Данилко)
13 место — Александр Рябенко, Киев, 38 лет (Дмитрий Шуров)
Сезон 10
Финалисты
Цветовой ключ:
— Победитель
— Суперфиналист
— Финалист
— Полуфиналист
— Участник выбыл только по голосованию наставника
— Участник выбыл только по голосованию телезрителей
— Участник выбыл по голосованию судей и телезрителей
1 место — (победитель) — Элина Иващенко, Бровары, 17 лет (Игорь Кондратюк)
2 место — (суперфиналист) — Георгий Колдун, Минск, 43 года (Оля Полякова)
3 место — (финалист) — Антон Вельбой, Грунь, 19 лет (NK)
4 место — (финалист) — Мария Стопник, Тернополь, 21 год (Игорь Кондратюк)
5 место — (полуфиналист) — ROMAX, Киев (Андрей Данилко)
6 место — (полуфиналист) — Анна Иваница, Винница, 32 года (Оля Полякова)
7 место — Артем Забелин, Запорожье, 28 лет (NK)
8 место — «Furman Trash Polka Band», Киев (Андрей Данилко)
9-12 место — Людмила Базелюк, Дубовые Махаринцы, 47 лет (Оля Полякова)
9-12 место — Юрий Каналош, Павлово, 25 лет (NK)
9-12 место — Юлия Бордунова, Днепр, 22 года (Игорь Кондратюк)
9-12 место — Чудесные, Винница/Белая Церковь (Андрей Данилко)
Визиты к судьям
Гости 1-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — Лара Фабиан
Второй прямой эфир — Валерий Меладзе
Третий прямой эфир — Океан Эльзы
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Дима Билан
Пятый прямой эфир — Би-2
Шестой прямой эфир — Город 312
Седьмой прямой эфир — Патрисия Каас
Восьмой прямой эфир — Эмма Шаплин
Девятый прямой эфир — Лолита Милявская
Десятый прямой эфир — Мария Шерифович, Тина Кароль, Александр Рыбак, Алессандро Сафина
Одиннадцатый прямой эфир — Ёлка, Серёга
Гости 2-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — Кайли Миноуг — «Get Outta My Way», «Can't Get You Outta My Head», «All The Lovers», «I Should Be So Lucky»
Второй прямой эфир — Уматурман — «В городе дождь», «Я так ждала тебя, Вова», «Проститься»
Третий прямой эфир — Бонни Тайлер — «It's A Heartache», «Total Eclipse Of The Heart», «Holding Out For A Hero»
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Сплин — «Выхода нет», «Романс», «Моё сердце»
Пятый прямой эфир — Шер Ллойд — «Swagger Jagger», «With Your Love»
Шестой прямой эфир — Лорен Кристи — «The Color Of Nights», «I'm With You», «You Read Me Wrong»
Седьмой прямой эфир — Глория Гейнор — «Never Can Say Goodbye», «Just No Other Way», «I Will Survive»
Восьмой прямой эфир — BB Brunes — «Lalalove You», «Dis-moi»
Девятый прямой эфир — Несчастный случай — «Что ты имела в виду», «С 1 по 13», Мария Рак — «Зима»
Десятый прямой эфир — Крейг Дэвид — «Walking Away» (в дуэте), «Insomnia», Александр Градский — «Как молоды мы были» (в дуэте), «Гори-гори, моя звезда», Николай Носков — «А на меньшее я не согласен» (в дуэте), «Снег»
Одиннадцатый прямой эфир — Ёлка — «Около тебя», Сергей Соседов — «Верни мне музыку», Мария Рак и Алексей Кузнецов — «Believe»
Гости 3-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — Тото Кутуньо
Второй прямой эфир — Олег Кензов — «Просто останься»
Третий прямой эфир — Дима Монатик — «Терроризирует»
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Артём Семёнов — «Сильная женщина»
Пятый прямой эфир — группа «Люмьер»
Шестой прямой эфир — Виктор Романченко и Ирина Дубцова — «Живи»
Седьмой прямой эфир — Аркадий Войтюк
Восьмой прямой эфир — Ирина Борисюк
Девятый прямой эфир — Владислав Курасов
Десятый прямой эфир — Крис Норман, Аль Бано, Jamelia
Одиннадцатый прямой эфир — Ирина Дубцова, Сергей Соседов, Владимир Герасименко, Юлия Кувшинова, Виктор Романченко
Гости 4-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — Brainstorm — «Maybe», «Ветер», «Выходные»
Второй прямой эфир — Друга Ріка — «Назавжди»
Третий прямой эфир — С.К.А.Й.
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Артём Семёнов, Хор Galart
Пятый прямой эфир — Наталья Могилевская — «Відправила message», «Гении», «Любила»
Шестой прямой эфир — Александр Пономарёв
Седьмой прямой эфир — Евгений Литвинкович
Девятый прямой эфир —Тина Кароль — «Ніжно», «Пупсик», «Жизнь продолжается»
Десятый прямой эфир —Лолита , Боссон, Елена Ваенга
Одиннадцатый прямой эфир — Серёга
Гости 5-го сезона
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Нино Катамадзе
Седьмой прямой эфир —Сара Коннор , Гару, Олег Скрипка.
Восьмой прямой эфир — Нино Катамадзе
Гости 6-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — Hurts /Wonderful Life, Some Kind of Heaven, Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us, Stay/
Второй прямой эфир — ONUKA /Around Me, Time, Misto/
Третий прямой эфир — Brunettes Shoot Blondes /Bittersweet, Knock Knock, You're Broke My Heart/
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Один в каноэ /Небо, Човен/
Пятый прямой эфир — The Erised /Pray, In My Car, It's Over/
Шестой прямой эфир — Мария Чайковская /Лифты, Вітер, Зорi/
Седьмой прямой эфир — Джамала /Заплуталась (в дуэте), Иные/, Джеймс Артур /Impossible (в дуэте), You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You/, Бонни Тайлер /If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man) (в дуэте), Total Eclipse of the Heart/
Восьмой прямой эфир — /Networked Life, Sunbeam Girl/
Гости 7-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — АГОНЬ /Каждый за себя, Революция, Радио «Ночь»/, The HARDKISS /TONY, TALK!, Rain, Part of Me/
Третий прямой эфир — Антитіла /Одинак, Люди, як кораблi, Танцюй/
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Pianoбой /Родимки (в дуэте)/, ROZHDEN /Знаешь (в дуэте), Роса/, Александр Пономарёв /Варто чи нi (в дуэте), Світ твоїх очей/, Alyosha /Sweet People (в дуэте)/, SunSay /Love Manifest (в дуэте)/, Олег Скрипка /Країна мрій (в дуэте)/, Виктор Павлик /Ти подобаєшся мені (в дуэте)/, Lama /Знаєш, як болить (в дуэте)/, АГОНЬ /Он рядом (в дуэте)/
Пятый прямой эфир — O.Torvald /Вирвана, #нашілюдивсюди, Киев днём и ночью/
Шестой прямой эфир — ALEKSEEV /А я пливу, Пьяное солнце/, Артисты шоу «Параллельные миры Ромео и Джульетты», СТБ
Седьмой прямой эфир — LOBODA /К ЧЕРТУ ЛЮБОВЬ (в дуэте), Твои глаза/, Софи Эллис-Бекстор /Catch You (в дуэте), Come With Us/ , Kadebostany /Castle in the Snow (в дуэте), Joy & Sorrow/
Гости 8-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — Настя Каменских «Это моя ночь» / LP «Other People», «When We're High», «Lost On You»
Третий прямой эфир — «Без обмежень» «Тону», «Най»
Четвёртый прямой эфир — «Pianoбой» «Полуничне небо» / Евгений Хмара «инструментальная музыка»
Пятый прямой эфир — Полиграф ШарикOFF «Харизма» и «У меня есть всё»
Шестой прямой эфир — Олег Винник «Вовчиця», «Кто я» и «Возьми меня в свой плен»
Седьмой прямой эфир — Лиз Митчелл «Sunny» (в дуэте) и «Bahama Mama»/ Натан Гошен «Thinking About It» (в дуэте) и «Home»/ O.Torvald «Крик» (в дуэте) и «#Ракамакафо»
Восьмой прямой эфир — MELOVIN, Mountain Breeze
Гости 9-го сезона
Второй прямой эфир — MELOVIN «З тобою, зі мною, і годі», «Under the Ladder»
Третий прямой эфир — Олег Винник «Нино» / KAZKA «Плакала»
Четвёртый прямой эфир — Михаил Панчишин «Вода ледяная», «Baby»
Пятый прямой эфир MONATIK / Алекс Клэр / Мелани Си / Верка Сердючка
Шестой прямой эфир Дмитрий Шуров и Pianoбой / NK
Гости 10-го сезона
Первый прямой эфир — «Зорі запалали», «Не мовчи»
Второй прямой эфир — «НеАнгелы» // Melovin // Оля Полякова
Третий прямой эфир — NK // Onuka
Четвертый прямой эфир — Сергей Бабкин // Олег Винник // Оля Полякова // Макс Барских
Пятый прямой эфир — Верка Сердючка // Monatik // Alyona Alyona // Alekseev // «Антитела» // Саша Кривошапка // Pianoбой // Джамала // Тина Кароль
Примечания
Ссылки
Официальный сайт
См. также
The X Factor (Великобритания)
Фактор А
Телепередачи СТБ
Телепередачи Украины
Телепередачи, запущенные в 2010 году
Шоу талантов
Интернациональные телепроекты
X-Фактор (Украина) | {
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// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Atlas Engineer LLC
// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
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TODO_METHOD(context, history, search);
TODO_METHOD(context, history, getVisits);
TODO_METHOD(context, history, addUrl);
TODO_METHOD(context, history, deleteUrl);
TODO_METHOD(context, history, deleteRange);
TODO_METHOD(context, history, deleteAll);
jsc_value_object_set_property(
jsc_context_evaluate(context, "browser", -1), "history",
jsc_context_evaluate(context, "history", -1));
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{"url":"https:\/\/math.stackexchange.com\/questions\/1500909\/finitely-generated-torsion-abelian-group","text":"# Finitely generated torsion abelian group\n\nI am trying to solve the following problem:\n\nGiven is a finitely generated abelian group $G$. Show that: $G$ is torsion group ($T(G)=G$) if and only if $G$ is a finite group.\n\nThe $\\Rightarrow$ direction: Let $S=\\left \\{ g_{1}, \\dots,g_{r} \\right \\}$ be a set of generators of $G$. According to the definition of finitely generated abelian group (namely that $\\langle S \\rangle=\\left \\{ g_{1}^{e_{1}}\\cdot \\dots \\cdot g_{r}^{e_{m}}\\mid e_{i}\\in \\mathbb{Z} \\right \\}$ ), i can write the elements of $G$ in the following form $\\left \\{ g_{1}^{e_{1}}\\cdot \\dots \\cdot g_{r}^{e_{r}}\\mid e_{i}\\in \\mathbb{Z} \\right \\}$. Since $G$ is a torsion group, then every $g_{i}$ must have a finite order, let's say $n_{i}$ for $1\\leq i\\leq r$. Then it follows that $G=\\left \\{ g_{1}^{e_{i}}\\cdot ...\\cdot g_{r}^{e_{r}} \\mid 0\\leq e_{i}\\leq n_{i} \\right \\}$ for $1\\leq i\\leq r$. So $\\mid G\\mid < \\infty$.\n\nIs it correct? Can somebody help me with the other direction of the proof, where i have to show that every finitely generated abelian group of finite order is a torsion group i.e every element of $G$ must have finite order? Thank you in advance! I appreciate any hints and comments.\n\n\u2022 The other direction is the easy one: every element of a finite group is torsion. \u2013\u00a0Qiaochu Yuan Oct 27 '15 at 22:50\n\u2022 As Qiaochu says, you're already mostly done. You can quote lagrange's theorem if you really want to tie it in a bow \u2013\u00a0Adam Hughes Oct 28 '15 at 0:16\n\nIn what you've done, you even may suppose $$0\\le e_i.\nThe other way, observe that, if a group $$G$$ contains a non-torsion element $$g$$, the subgroup $$\\langle\\,g\\,\\rangle$$ is isomorphic to $$\\mathbf Z$$, hence $$G$$ contains an infinite subgroup.","date":"2021-06-25 11:05:24","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 6, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.9123325943946838, \"perplexity\": 85.05875204102335}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2021-25\/segments\/1623487630081.36\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20210625085140-20210625115140-00266.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
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Tawhidul Alam Sabuz is a Bangladeshi footballer who plays as a forward. He currently plays for Bashundhara Kings in Bangladesh Premier League
International goals
Olympic Team
Senior National Team
Bashundhara Kings
References
1990 births
Living people
Bangladeshi footballers
Bangladesh international footballers
Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players
Farashganj SC players
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club players
Abahani Limited (Chittagong) players
Association football forwards
Bashundhara Kings players
Footballers at the 2010 Asian Games
Asian Games competitors for Bangladesh
South Asian Games gold medalists for Bangladesh
South Asian Games medalists in football | {
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{"url":"https:\/\/zbmath.org\/serials\/?q=se%3A2985","text":"## Journal of Applied Mathematics and Computing\n\n Short Title: J. Appl. Math. Comput. Publisher: Springer, Berlin\/Heidelberg; Korean Society for Computational & Applied Mathematics, Seoul ISSN: 1598-5865; 1865-2085\/e Online: http:\/\/link.springer.com\/journal\/volumesAndIssues\/12190 Predecessor: The Korean Journal of Computational & Applied Mathematics\n Documents Indexed: 2,086 Publications (since 2002) References Indexed: 2,085 Publications with 47,417 References.\nall top 5\n\n### Latest Issues\n\n 68, No. 3 (2022) 68, No. 2 (2022) 68, No. 1 (2022) 67, No. 1-2 (2021) 66, No. 1-2 (2021) 65, No. 1-2 (2021) 64, No. 1-2 (2020) 63, No. 1-2 (2020) 62, No. 1-2 (2020) 61, No. 1-2 (2019) 60, No. 1-2 (2019) 59, No. 1-2 (2019) 58, No. 1-2 (2018) 57, No. 1-2 (2018) 56, No. 1-2 (2018) 55, No. 1-2 (2017) 54, No. 1-2 (2017) 53, No. 1-2 (2017) 52, No. 1-2 (2016) 51, No. 1-2 (2016) 50, No. 1-2 (2016) 49, No. 1-2 (2015) 48, No. 1-2 (2015) 47, No. 1-2 (2015) 46, No. 1-2 (2014) 45, No. 1-2 (2014) 44, No. 1-2 (2014) 43, No. 1-2 (2013) 42, No. 1-2 (2013) 41, No. 1-2 (2013) 40, No. 1-2 (2012) 39, No. 1-2 (2012) 38, No. 1-2 (2012) 37, No. 1-2 (2011) 36, No. 1-2 (2011) 35, No. 1-2 (2011) 34, No. 1-2 (2010) 33, No. 1-2 (2010) 32, No. 2 (2010) 32, No. 1 (2010) 31, No. 1-2 (2009) 30, No. 1-2 (2009) 29, No. 1-2 (2009) 28, No. 1-2 (2008) 27, No. 1-2 (2008) 26, No. 1-2 (2008) 25, No. 1-2 (2007) 24, No. 1-2 (2007) 23, No. 1-2 (2007) 22, No. 3 (2006) 22, No. 1-2 (2006) 21, No. 1-2 (2006) 20, No. 1-2 (2006) 19, No. 1-2 (2005) 18, No. 1-2 (2005) 17, No. 1-2 (2005) 16, No. 1-2 (2004) 15, No. 1-2 (2004) 14, No. 1-2 (2003) 13, No. 1-2 (2003) 12, No. 1-2 (2003) 11, No. 1-2 (2003) 10, No. 1-2 (2002)\nall top 5\n\n### Authors\n\n 30 Argyros, Ioannis Konstantinos 24 Ge, Weigao 24 Sun, Shurong 19 Han, Zhenlai 19 Wang, Jinrong 18 Agarwal, Ravi P. 18 Noor, Muhammad Aslam 17 Feng, Enmin 16 Ashrafi, Ali Reza 15 Pal, Madhumangal 14 Liu, Fawang 14 Liu, Guizhen 14 Xia, Zunquan 13 Ding, Ren 12 Liu, Yanpei 12 O\u2019Regan, Donal 11 Akram, Muhammad 11 Chen, Haibo 11 Jiao, Jianjun 11 Liu, Sanyang 10 Cai, Shaohong 10 Cao, Chongguang 10 Chen, Lansun 10 Sun, Min 8 Gao, Jian 8 Hilout, Sa\u00efd 8 J\u00f8rgensen, Palle E. T. 8 Liu, Yuji 8 Natesan, Srinivasan 8 Pitchaimani, M. 8 Wei, Zhongli 8 Zhang, Xian 7 Ahmad, Bashir 7 Debnath, Lokenath 7 Jun, Young Bae 7 Ntouyas, Sotiris K. 7 Oh, Seyoung T. 7 Ou, Yigui 7 Qin, Xiaolong 7 Song, Xinyu 7 Tian, Yu 7 Wei, Xianglin 7 Yun, Jae Heon 7 Zheng, Bing 6 Fu, Fangwei 6 Guo, Qiang 6 Kumam, Poom 6 Kumar Upadhyay, Ranjit 6 Li, Zhaoxiang 6 Liu, Jing 6 Liu, Zhijun 6 Lu, Chun 6 Nelakanti, Gnaneshwar 6 Shin, Jun Yong 6 Song, Guangjing 6 Tamilselvan, Ayyadurai 6 Tan, Shangwang 6 Wang, Lianwen 6 Xu, Zhaoliang 6 Yang, Bo 6 Yang, Zhongpeng 6 Zhang, Xingqiu 6 Zhang, Zhenguo 6 Zhao, Chuanli 6 Zhao, Zhong 6 Zhou, Haiyun 6 Zhu, Detong 5 Anh, Vo V. 5 Cho, Yeol Je 5 Feng, Guanghui 5 Gao, Shujing 5 George, Santhosh 5 Grace, Said Rezk 5 Guenda, Kenza 5 Gupta, Dharmendra Kumar 5 Kar, Tapan Kumar 5 Lepovi\u0107, Mirko 5 Li, Limei 5 Li, Tongxing 5 Liang, TaChen 5 Liu, Hongwei 5 Liu, Jian Guo 5 Liu, Wenbin 5 Liu, Zaiming 5 Luo, Zhixue 5 Mohyud-Din, Syed Tauseef 5 Nitaj, Abderrahmane 5 Ryoo, Cheon Seoung 5 Saker, Samir H. 5 Samanta, Guru Prasad 5 Shi, Xiangyun 5 Song, Caiqin 5 Stanimirovi\u0107, Predrag S. 5 Stevi\u0107, Stevo 5 Sun, Taixiang 5 Tiwari, S. P. 5 Verma, Amit Kumar 5 Wang, Jibo 5 Wang, Lingshu 5 Xu, Changjin ...and 2,881 more Authors\nall top 5\n\n### Fields\n\n 598 Ordinary differential equations\u00a0(34-XX) 506 Numerical analysis\u00a0(65-XX) 298 Biology and other natural sciences\u00a0(92-XX) 276 Operations research, mathematical programming\u00a0(90-XX) 264 Operator theory\u00a0(47-XX) 215 Combinatorics\u00a0(05-XX) 211 Partial differential equations\u00a0(35-XX) 132 Calculus of variations and optimal control; optimization\u00a0(49-XX) 123 Linear and multilinear algebra; matrix theory\u00a0(15-XX) 121 Information and communication theory, circuits\u00a0(94-XX) 101 Probability theory and stochastic processes\u00a0(60-XX) 93 Computer science\u00a0(68-XX) 92 Difference and functional equations\u00a0(39-XX) 71 Systems theory; control\u00a0(93-XX) 69 Dynamical systems and ergodic theory\u00a0(37-XX) 62 Real functions\u00a0(26-XX) 60 Number theory\u00a0(11-XX) 53 Integral equations\u00a0(45-XX) 50 Game theory, economics, finance, and other social and behavioral sciences\u00a0(91-XX) 45 Statistics\u00a0(62-XX) 43 Fluid mechanics\u00a0(76-XX) 31 Global analysis, analysis on manifolds\u00a0(58-XX) 29 Group theory and generalizations\u00a0(20-XX) 27 Approximations and expansions\u00a0(41-XX) 25 Mathematical logic and foundations\u00a0(03-XX) 20 Functional analysis\u00a0(46-XX) 19 Special functions\u00a0(33-XX) 18 Convex and discrete geometry\u00a0(52-XX) 17 General topology\u00a0(54-XX) 16 Order, lattices, ordered algebraic structures\u00a0(06-XX) 16 Harmonic analysis on Euclidean spaces\u00a0(42-XX) 13 Mechanics of deformable solids\u00a0(74-XX) 13 Optics, electromagnetic theory\u00a0(78-XX) 13 Quantum theory\u00a0(81-XX) 12 Classical thermodynamics, heat transfer\u00a0(80-XX) 11 Functions of a complex variable\u00a0(30-XX) 10 General algebraic systems\u00a0(08-XX) 9 Associative rings and algebras\u00a0(16-XX) 8 Algebraic geometry\u00a0(14-XX) 7 Sequences, series, summability\u00a0(40-XX) 7 Integral transforms, operational calculus\u00a0(44-XX) 6 Measure and integration\u00a0(28-XX) 6 Mechanics of particles and systems\u00a0(70-XX) 6 Geophysics\u00a0(86-XX) 5 Commutative algebra\u00a0(13-XX) 5 Category theory; homological algebra\u00a0(18-XX) 5 Statistical mechanics, structure of matter\u00a0(82-XX) 4 Topological groups, Lie groups\u00a0(22-XX) 4 Differential geometry\u00a0(53-XX) 3 Field theory and polynomials\u00a0(12-XX) 3 Manifolds and cell complexes\u00a0(57-XX) 2 General and overarching topics; collections\u00a0(00-XX) 2 Nonassociative rings and algebras\u00a0(17-XX) 2 Abstract harmonic analysis\u00a0(43-XX) 2 Geometry\u00a0(51-XX) 1 Potential theory\u00a0(31-XX) 1 Astronomy and astrophysics\u00a0(85-XX) 1 Mathematics education\u00a0(97-XX)\n\n### Citations contained in zbMATH Open\n\n1,439 Publications have been cited 7,703 times in 6,428 Documents Cited by Year\nTime fractional advection-dispersion equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01068.26006\nLiu, Fawang; Anh, V. V.; Turner, I.; Zhuang, P.\n2003\nImplicit difference approximation for the time fractional diffusion equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01140.65094\nZhuang, P.; Liu, Fawang\n2006\nDynamical behaviors of fractional-order Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model and its discretization.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01327.34084\nElsadany, A. A.; Matouk, A. E.\n2015\nConvergence theorems of a modified hybrid algorithm for a family of quasi-$$\\varphi$$-asymptotically nonexpansive mappings.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01203.47091\nZhou, Haiyun; Gao, Gailiang; Tan, Bin\n2010\nThe fundamental solution of the space-time fractional advection-dispersion equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01086.35003\nHuang, F.; Liu, Fawang\n2005\nMultiplicity of high energy solutions for superlinear Kirchhoff equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01295.35226\nLiu, Wei; He, Xiaoming\n2012\nOn the recursive sequence $$x_{n+1}=\\alpha+\\frac{x^p_{n-1}}{x_n^p}$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01078.39013\nStevi\u0107, Stevo\n2005\nDynamical analysis of a fractional-order predator-prey model incorporating a prey refuge.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01377.34062\nLi, Hong-Li; Zhang, Long; Hu, Cheng; Jiang, Yao-Lin; Teng, Zhidong\n2017\nA new hybrid iterative method for solution of equilibrium problems and fixed point problems for an inverse strongly monotone operator and a nonexpansive mapping.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01220.47102\nKumam, Poom\n2009\nDynamic behaviour for a nonautonomous heroin epidemic model with time delay.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01210.93040\nSamanta, G. P.\n2011\nOn positive solutions of a reciprocal difference equation with minimum.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01074.39002\n\u00c7inar, Cengiz; Stevi\u0107, Stevo; Yal\u00e7inkaya, Ibrahim\n2005\nFractional partial differential equations and modified Riemann-Liouville derivative new methods for solution.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01145.26302\nJumarie, Guy\n2007\nExistence of solutions for fractional differential equations of order $$q \\in (2,3]$$ with anti-periodic boundary conditions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01216.34003\n2010\nOn asymptotic behaviour of the difference equation $$x_{n+1} = \\alpha+\\frac{x_{n-1}^p}{x_n^p}$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01052.39005\nEl-Owaidy, H. M.; Ahmed, A. M.; Mousa, M. S.\n2003\nA characteristic difference method for the variable-order fractional advection-diffusion equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.65114\nShen, S.; Liu, Fawang; Anh, V.; Turner, I.; Chen, J.\n2013\nExistence of solutions for nonlinear fractional three-point boundary value problems at resonance.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01225.34013\nZhang, Yinghan; Bai, Zhanbing\n2011\nAnalysis of a stage-structured predator-prey model with Crowley-Martin function.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01222.34054\nShi, Xiangyun; Zhou, Xueyong; Song, Xinyu\n2011\nSome results on fuzzy Banach spaces.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01077.46060\n2005\n$$m$$-step fuzzy competition graphs.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01316.05104\n2015\nHopf bifurcation in a three-species system with delays.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01209.92058\nMeng, Xin-You; Huo, Hai-Feng; Xiang, Hong\n2011\nStability and error of the variable two-step BDF for semilinear parabolic problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01082.65086\nEmmrich, Etienne\n2005\nADI-Euler and extrapolation methods for the two-dimensional fractional advection-dispersion equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01146.76037\nChen, Shi Ping; Liu, Fawang\n2008\nOn Hadamard fractional integro-differential boundary value problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01328.34006\n2015\nA singular boundary value problem for nonlinear differential equations of fractional order.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01191.34006\nKosmatov, Nickolai\n2009\nA new iterative algorithm of solution for equilibrium problems, variational inequalities and fixed point problems in a Hilbert space.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01225.47100\nKatchang, Phayap; Kumam, Poom\n2010\nSome inequalities and convergence theorems for Choquet integrals.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01210.28028\nWang, Rui-Sheng\n2011\nExistence and uniqueness of positive solutions for three-point boundary value problem with fractional $$q$$-differences.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.39004\nLiang, Sihua; Zhang, Jihui\n2012\n$$E_\\alpha$$-Ulam type stability of fractional order ordinary differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.34035\nWang, Jinrong; Li, Xuezhu\n2014\nOscillation of second-order delay dynamic equations on time scales.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01180.34069\nSun, Shurong; Han, Zhenlai; Zhang, Chenghui\n2009\nGlobal dynamics of a modified Leslie-Gower predator-prey model with Crowley-Martin functional responses.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01300.34104\nAli, N.; Jazar, M.\n2013\nThe space-time fractional diffusion equation with Caputo derivatives.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01085.35003\nHuang, F.; Liu, Fawang\n2005\nStability by Lyapunov like functions of nonlinear differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01361.34064\nAgarwal, Ravi; O\u2019Regan, D.; Hristova, S.\n2017\nNumerical computations and mathematical modelling with infinite and infinitesimal numbers.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01193.68260\nSergeyev, Yaroslav D.\n2009\nQualitative analysis of a SIR epidemic model with saturated treatment rate.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01211.34062\nZhonghua, Zhang; Yaohong, Suo\n2010\nVariational methods to fourth-order impulsive differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01218.34029\nSun, Juntao; Chen, Haibo; Yang, Liu\n2011\nExistence of solutions of two-point boundary value problems for fractional p-Laplace differential equations at resonance.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.34029\nTang, Xiaosong; Yan, Changyuan; Liu, Qing\n2013\nAn $$H^1$$-Galerkin mixed finite element method for time fractional reaction-diffusion equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01319.65097\nLiu, Yang; Du, Yanwei; Li, Hong; Wang, Jinfeng\n2015\nPeriodic BVP for integer\/fractional order nonlinear differential equations with non-instantaneous impulses.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.34036\nWang, Jinrong; Li, Xuezhu\n2014\nFractional Green function for linear time-fractional inhomogeneous partial differential equations in fluid mechanics.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01134.35093\nMomani, Shaher; Odibat, Zaid M.\n2007\nApproximation by $$q$$-Durrmeyer operators.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01198.41008\nFinta, Zolt\u00e1n; Gupta, Vijay\n2009\nImplicit peer methods for large stiff ODE systems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01295.65079\nBeck, Steffen; Weiner, R\u00fcdiger; Podhaisky, Helmut; Schmitt, Bernhard A.\n2012\nA uniformly convergent hybrid scheme for singularly perturbed system of reaction-diffusion Robin type boundary-value problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01299.65153\nDas, Pratibhamoy; Natesan, Srinivasan\n2013\nAsymptotic properties of a stochastic predator-prey model with Crowley-Martin functional response.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01325.92073\nLiu, Xian-Qing; Zhong, Shou-Ming; Tian, Bao-Dan; Zheng, Feng-Xia\n2013\nTwo-step iterative algorithms for hierarchical fixed point problems and variational inequality problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01223.47106\nYao, Yonghong; Liou, Yeong-Cheng; Marino, Giuseppe\n2009\nThe ($$\\frac{G'}{G})$$-expansion method and its applications to some nonlinear evolution equations in the mathematical physics.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01180.35023\nZayed, E. M. E.\n2009\nA wide neighborhood infeasible-interior-point method with arc-search for linear programming.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01338.90248\nYang, Ximei; Zhang, Yinkui; Liu, Hongwei\n2016\nProjection iterative methods for extended general variational inequalities.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01190.49036\n2010\nThe spectral method for solving systems of Volterra integral equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01295.65128\nSamadi, O. R. Navid; Tohidi, Emran\n2012\nParallel and sequential hybrid methods for a finite family of asymptotically quasi $$\\phi$$-nonexpansive mappings.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01325.47128\nPham Ky Anh; Dang Van Hieu\n2015\nThe third and hyper-Zagreb coindices of some graph operations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01330.05139\n2016\nNumerical solution of singular boundary value problems using Green\u2019s function and improved decomposition method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01300.34036\nSingh, Randhir; Kumar, Jitendra; Nelakanti, Gnaneshwar\n2013\nGlobal analysis of multi-strains SIS, SIR and MSIR epidemic models.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01298.34079\nBichara, D.; Iggidr, A.; Sallet, G.\n2014\nExistence of solutions for fractional Langevin equation with infinite-point boundary conditions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01360.34015\nLi, Bingxian; Sun, Shurong; Sun, Ying\n2017\nBioeconomic modelling of a three-species fishery with switching effect.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01050.92055\nSamanta, G. P.; Manna, Debasis; Maiti, Alakes\n2003\nA solution method for semivectorial bilevel programming problem via penalty method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01297.90131\nZheng, Yue; Wan, Zhongping\n2011\nOn the oscillation of second-order Emden-Fowler neutral differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01368.34077\nLi, Tongxing; Han, Zhenlai; Zhang, Chenghui; Sun, Shurong\n2011\nDetermination of a time-dependent diffusivity from nonlocal conditions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01293.35367\nLesnic, D.; Yousefi, S. A.; Ivanchov, M.\n2013\nFractional Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the optimal control of nonrandom fractional dynamics with fractional cost function.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01111.49014\nJumarie, Guy\n2007\nEfficiency conditions in vector control problems governed by multiple integrals.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01391.49043\nMititelu, \u015etefan; Trean\u0163\u0103, Savin\n2018\nIntuitionistic fuzzy finite state machines.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01058.18002\nJun, Young Bae\n2005\nModeling the virus dynamics in computer network with SVEIR model and nonlinear incident rate.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01377.34066\nUpadhyay, Ranjit Kumar; Kumari, Sangeeta; Misra, A. K.\n2017\nConvergence analysis for proximal split feasibility problems and fixed point problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01318.49019\nShehu, Yekini; Ogbuisi, Ferdinard U.\n2015\nHerd behavior in a predator-prey model with spatial diffusion: bifurcation analysis and Turing instability.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01404.35454\nDjilali, Salih\n2018\nOscillation theorems for fourth order functional differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01188.34085\nGrace, Said R.; Agarwal, Ravi P.; Graef, John R.\n2009\nOscillation theorems for second order nonlinear dynamic equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01198.34194\nGrace, Said R.; Agarwal, Ravi P.; Kaymak\u00e7alan, Bill\u00fbr; Sae-Jie, Wichuta\n2010\nOn a class of nonlinear inhomogeneous Schr\u00f6dinger equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01183.35097\nChen, Jianqing\n2010\nOptimal combining quota-share and excess of loss reinsurance to maximize the expected utility.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01232.93100\nLiang, Zhibin; Guo, Junyi\n2011\nOn sampling and Dirac systems with eigenparameter in the boundary conditions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01234.34017\nAnnaby, M. H.; Tharwat, M. M.\n2011\nOn solutions of matrix equation $$XF-AX=C$$ and $$XF-A\\widetilde{X}=C$$ over quaternion field.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01291.15009\nSong, Caiqin; Chen, Guoliang\n2011\nBoundary value problems for fractional differential equations involving Caputo derivative in Banach spaces.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.34032\nWang, JinRong; Lv, Linli; Zhou, Yong\n2012\nExistence and global exponential stability of pseudo almost periodic solution for SICNNs with mixed delays.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01303.34052\nCh\u00e9rif, Farouk\n2012\nCaputo type fractional differential equations with nonlocal Riemann-Liouville integral boundary conditions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01300.34013\nAhmad, Bashir; Ntouyas, Sotiris K.; Assolami, Afrah\n2013\nInfinitely many solutions for fractional differential system via variational method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01346.34016\nZhao, Yulin; Chen, Haibo; Zhang, Qiming\n2016\nFibonacci lengths involving the Wall number $$k(n)$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01083.20031\nDoostie, H.; Hashemi, M.\n2006\nIntuitionistic fuzzy finite switchboard state machines.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01084.18002\nJun, Young Bae\n2006\nInterval-valued fuzzy ideals generated by an interval-valued fuzzy subset in semigroups.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01083.20063\nNarayanan, Al.; Manikantan, T.\n2006\nA modified Leslie-Gower predator-prey model with prey infection.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01205.34061\nZhou, Xueyong; Cui, Jingan; Shi, Xiangyun; Song, Xinyu\n2010\nFitted mesh method for singularly perturbed reaction-convection-diffusion problems with boundary and interior layers.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01109.65068\nShanthi, V.; Ramanujam, N.; Natesan, S.\n2006\nExistence of periodic solutions for a class of second order differential equations with deviating argument.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01160.34064\nGuo, Chengjun; Xu, Yuantong\n2008\nExplicit determinantal representation formulas for the solution of the two-sided restricted quaternionic matrix equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01396.15014\nKyrchei, Ivan I.\n2018\nOn finite groups with a certain number of centralizers.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01066.20028\nAshrafi, Ali Reza; Taeri, Bijan\n2005\nOn the recursive sequence $$x_{n+1}=\\alpha-(x_n\/x_{n-1})$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01068.39030\nYan, Xing-Xue; Li, Wan-Tong; Zhao, Zhu\n2005\nFlow shop scheduling jobs with position-dependent processing times.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01077.90032\nWang, Ji-Bo\n2005\nAnalysis of a delayed predator-prey model with ratio-dependent functional response and quadratic harvesting.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01298.34157\nFeng, Peng\n2014\nThe Adomian decomposition method with Green\u2019s function for solving nonlinear singular boundary value problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01298.34032\nSingh, Randhir; Kumar, Jitendra\n2014\nPairwise compatibility graphs.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01180.68204\nYanhaona, Muhammad Nur; Hossain, K. S. M. Tozammel; Rahman, M. Saidur\n2009\nExtremal ranks of submatrices in an Hermitian solution to the matrix equation $$AXA^{*}=B$$ with applications.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01194.15014\nLiu, Yonghui; Tian, Yongge\n2010\nA Leslie-Gower Holling-type II ecoepidemic model.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01209.92060\nSarwardi, Sahabuddin; Haque, Mainul; Venturino, Ezio\n2011\nNo-wait or no-idle permutation flowshop scheduling with dominating machines.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01138.90400\nWang, Ji-Bo; Xia, Zun-Quan\n2005\nPseudo-almost periodic solutions of a class of semilinear fractional differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01368.34008\nAgarwal, Ravi P.; Cuevas, Claudio; Soto, Herme\n2011\nOn discrete analytic functions: products, rational functions and reproducing kernels.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01295.30107\nAlpay, Daniel; Jorgensen, Palle; Seager, Ron; Volok, Dan\n2013\nHow many Fourier samples are needed for real function reconstruction?\u00a0Zbl\u00a01296.42001\nPlonka, Gerlind; Wischerhoff, Marius\n2013\nPositive solutions for nonlinear Caputo fractional differential equations with integral boundary conditions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01306.34017\nYang, Wengui\n2014\nGlobal stability analysis of HIV-1 infection model with three time delays.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01362.93134\nPitchaimani, M.; Monica, C.\n2015\nAnalysis of a smoothing method for symmetric conic linear programming.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01132.90353\nLiu, Yong-Jin; Zhang, Li-Wei; Wang, Yin-He\n2006\n$$C^{*}$$-algebras generated by partial isometries.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01167.46033\nCho, Ilwoo; Jorgensen, Palle\n2008\nThe existence of solutions for a second-order discrete Neumann problem with a $$p$$-Laplacian.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01156.39009\nTian, Yu; Ge, Weigao\n2008\nA two-grid discretization scheme for the Steklov eigenvalue problem.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01220.65160\nLi, Qin; Yang, Yidu\n2011\nDynamics of a delay-diffusion prey-predator model with disease in the prey.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01057.92054\n2005\nOn fractional programming containing support functions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01077.90071\nHusain, I.; Jabeen, Z.\n2005\nOn the existence of the solution of Hammerstein integral equations and fractional differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01490.45007\nYounis, Mudasir; Singh, Deepak\n2022\nImpact of social media advertisements on the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 pandemic in India.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007534917\nRai, Rajanish Kumar; Khajanchi, Subhas; Tiwari, Pankaj Kumar; Venturino, Ezio; Misra, Arvind Kumar\n2022\nExponential-sum-approximation technique for variable-order time-fractional diffusion equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007534930\nZhang, Jia-Li; Fang, Zhi-Wei; Sun, Hai-Wei\n2022\nAn inertial Halpern-type CQ algorithm for solving split feasibility problems in Hilbert spaces.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007532901\nMa, Xiaojun; Liu, Hongwei\n2022\nTwo sufficient descent three-term conjugate gradient methods for unconstrained optimization problems with applications in compressive sensing.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007532905\nLiu, Yufeng; Zhu, Zhibin; Zhang, Benxin\n2022\nIterative algorithms of generalized nonexpansive mappings and monotone operators with application to convex minimization problem.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01491.47067\nMaldar, Samet\n2022\nDNA codes over two noncommutative rings of order four.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007532915\nKim, Jon-Lark; Ohk, Dong Eun\n2022\nOn relations between Sombor and other degree-based indices.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.05067\nWang, Zhao; Mao, Yaping; Li, Yue; Furtula, Boris\n2022\nDecidability of the minimization of fuzzy tree automata with membership values in complete lattices.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007534936\nGhorani, Maryam; Moghari, Somaye\n2022\nOn GSOR-based iteration methods for solving weakly nonlinear systems with complex symmetric coefficient matrices.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.65037\nWu, Hui-Ting; Qi, Xin; Xiao, Xiao-Yong\n2022\nControllability results for fractional semilinear delay control systems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.93064\nShukla, Anurag; Patel, Rohit\n2021\nBounded positive solutions of an iterative three-point boundary-value problem with integral boundary condtions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01486.34126\nCheraiet, Soumaya; Bouakkaz, Ahl\u00e8me; Khemis, Rabah\n2021\nGlobal asymptotic dynamics of a nonlinear illicit drug use system.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.92009\nAkanni, John O.; Olaniyi, Samson; Akinpelu, Folake O.\n2021\nNew results on symmetric division deg index.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01476.05031\nGhorbani, Modjtaba; Zangi, Samaneh; Amraei, Najaf\n2021\nSome weighted statistical convergence and associated Korovkin and Voronovskaya type theorems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.40007\nBraha, Naim L.; Srivastava, H. M.; Et, Mikail\n2021\nSplitting preconditioning based on sine transform for time-dependent Riesz space fractional diffusion equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65015\nLu, Xin; Fang, Zhi-Wei; Sun, Hai-Wei\n2021\nA novel numerical scheme for a time fractional Black-Scholes equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01479.91446\nShe, Mianfu; Li, Lili; Tang, Renxuan; Li, Dongfang\n2021\nTwo strongly convergent methods governed by pseudo-monotone bi-function in a real Hilbert space with applications.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007534987\nMuangchoo, Kanikar; ur Rehman, Habib; Kumam, Poom\n2021\nConvergence of $$\\lambda$$-Bernstein operators via power series summability method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.40006\nBraha, Naim L.; Mansour, Toufik; Mursaleen, M.; Acar, Tuncer\n2021\nInertial iterative algorithms for common solution of variational inequality and system of variational inequalities problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435176\nSahu, D. R.; Singh, Amit Kumar\n2021\nA novel approach for the numerical approximation to the solution of singularly perturbed differential-difference equations with small shifts.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65057\n2021\nDynamical analysis of a fractional order eco-epidemiological model with nonlinear incidence rate and prey refuge.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92248\nMoustafa, Mahmoud; Mohd, Mohd Hafiz; Ismail, Ahmad Izani; Abdullah, Farah Aini\n2021\nPreconditioners for all-at-once system from the fractional mobile\/immobile advection-diffusion model.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65049\nZhao, Yong-Liang; Gu, Xian-Ming; Li, Meng; Jian, Huan-Yan\n2021\nOn the numerical solution of integral equations of the second kind over infinite intervals.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435207\nRahmoune, Azedine\n2021\nA limited memory $$q$$-BFGS algorithm for unconstrained optimization problems.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65040\nLai, Kin Keung; Mishra, Shashi Kant; Panda, Geetanjali; Chakraborty, Suvra Kanti; Samei, Mohammad Esmael; Ram, Bhagwat\n2021\nA unified study on superconvergence analysis of Galerkin FEM for singularly perturbed systems of multiscale nature.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65053\nSingh, Maneesh Kumar; Singh, Gautam; Natesan, Srinivasan\n2021\nApproximation of fixed point and its application to fractional differential equation.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.54030\nKhatoon, Sabiya; Uddin, Izhar; Baleanu, Dumitru\n2021\nAdjacency matrix and Wiener index of zero divisor graph $$\\varGamma (Z_n)$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05043\n2021\n$$\\mathbb{Z}_p \\mathbb{Z}_p[v]$$-additive cyclic codes are asymptotically good.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435243\nHou, Xiaotong; Gao, Jian\n2021\nCacti with maximal general sum-connectivity index.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05112\nZaman, Shahid\n2021\nDetermination of the time-dependent thermal grooving coefficient.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01479.35942\nCao, Kai; Lesnic, Daniel; Ismailov, Mansur I.\n2021\nAn analysis of diagonal and incomplete Cholesky preconditioners for singularly perturbed problems on layer-adapted meshes.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65018\n2021\nA computational procedure for exact solutions of Burgers\u2019 hierarchy of nonlinear partial differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435183\nObaidullah, U.; Jamal, Sameerah\n2021\nAn approximate wavelets solution to the class of variational problems with fractional order.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34008\nRayal, Ashish; Verma, Sag Ram\n2021\nMathematical modeling of COVID-19 spreading with asymptomatic infected and interacting peoples.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92223\nSerhani, Mustapha; Labbardi, Hanane\n2021\nA class of constacyclic codes and skew constacyclic codes over $$\\mathbb{Z}_{2^s}+u\\mathbb{Z}_{2^s}$$ and their gray images.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435206\nKumar, Raj; Bhaintwal, Maheshanand\n2021\nThe locating number of hexagonal M\u00f6bius ladder network.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05056\n2021\nA novel approach for the solution of BVPs via Green\u2019s function and fixed point iterative method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435209\nAli, Faeem; Ali, Javid; Uddin, Izhar\n2021\nNovel neighbourhood redefined first and second Zagreb indices on carborundum structures.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01479.05069\nShanmukha, M. C.; Basavarajappa, N. S.; Usha, A.; Shilpa, K. C.\n2021\nA compact quadratic spline collocation method for the time-fractional Black-Scholes model.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435217\nTian, Zhaowei; Zhai, Shuying; Ji, Haifeng; Weng, Zhifeng\n2021\nNumerical solution of a fractional-order bagley-torvik equation by quadratic finite element method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435218\nAli, Hazrat; Kamrujjaman, Md.; Shirin, Afroza\n2021\nImpact of awareness on environmental toxins affecting plankton dynamics: a mathematical implication.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92245\nMandal, Arindam; Tiwari, Pankaj Kumar; Pal, Samares\n2021\nDynamical study of quadrating harvesting of a predator-prey model with Monod-Haldane functional response.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.37090\nKaur, Manpreet; Rani, Reenu; Bhatia, Rachna; Verma, Govinder Nath; Ahirwar, Satyaprakash\n2021\nApproximate solution of singular IVPs of Lane-Emden type and error estimation via advanced Adomian decomposition method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65218\nUmesh; Kumar, Manoj\n2021\nStationary distribution and extinction of a stochastic model of syphilis transmission in an MSM population with telegraph noises.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.92203\nZhou, Yaxin; Zuo, Wenjie; Jiang, Daqing; Song, Mingyu\n2021\nA common solution of generalized equilibrium problems and fixed points of pseudo-contractive-type maps.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435234\nNnakwe, Monday Ogudu; Okeke, Chibueze Christian\n2021\nRepresentations and properties for the MPCEP inverse.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01490.15005\nMosi\u0107, Dijana; Kyrchei, Ivan I.; Stanimirovi\u0107, Predrag S.\n2021\nBifurcation phenomena in the peristaltic transport of non-Newtonian fluid with heat and mass transfer effects.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01490.76008\nHosham, H. A.; Hafez, N. M.\n2021\nSolving nonlinear monotone operator equations via modified SR1 update.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.65063\nAbubakar, Auwal Bala; Sabi’u, Jamilu; Kumam, Poom; Shah, Abdullah\n2021\nModeling the effect of population pressure on the dynamics of carbon dioxide gas.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.92063\nMisra, A. K.; Jha, Anjali\n2021\nSelf-dual and LCD double circulant and double negacirculant codes over $${\\mathbb{F}}_q+u{\\mathbb{F}}_q+v{\\mathbb{F}}_q$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007534978\nYadav, Shikha; Islam, Habibul; Prakash, Om; Sol\u00e9, Patrick\n2021\nFractional methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection model under Caputo operator.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007534982\nAcay, Bahar; Inc, Mustafa; Khan, Amir; Yusuf, Abdullahi\n2021\nOligopolistic competition among the wireless Internet service providers of Malaysia using fuzzy soft graphs.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01487.91073\n2021\nKarush-Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions and duality for convex semi-infinite programming with multiple interval-valued objective functions.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.90124\nTung, Le Thanh\n2020\nOscillation criteria for a class of even-order neutral delay differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34053\nMoaaz, Osama; Park, Choonkil; Muhib, Ali; Bazighifan, Omar\n2020\nThe effect of the defensive strategy taken by the prey on predator-prey interaction.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01485.92103\nSouna, Fethi; Lakmeche, Abdelkader; Djilali, Salih\n2020\nA fourth-order numerical scheme for singularly perturbed delay parabolic problem arising in population dynamics.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65069\nGovindarao, L.; Mohapatra, J.; Das, A.\n2020\nCompetition graphs under complex Pythagorean fuzzy information.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01477.05147\n2020\nAlgorithmic aspects of Roman domination in graphs.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05137\n2020\nOn impulsive coupled hybrid fractional differential systems in Banach algebras.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34010\nYou, Jin; Sun, Shurong\n2020\nVisco-elastic dampers in structural buildings and numerical solution with spline collocation methods.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01490.74071\n2020\nStudy of the NIPG method for two-parameter singular perturbation problems on several layer adapted grids.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65058\nSingh, Gautam; Natesan, Srinivasan\n2020\nAllee effect can simplify the dynamics of a prey-predator model.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.92135\nMandal, Partha Sarathi; Kumar, Udai; Garain, Koushik; Sharma, Rakhi\n2020\nA multi-region discrete time mathematical modeling of the dynamics of Covid-19 virus propagation using optimal control.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92200\nKhajji, Bouchaib; Kada, Driss; Balatif, Omar; Rachik, Mostafa\n2020\nSDFEM for singularly perturbed boundary-value problems with two parameters.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65060\nAvijit, D.; Natesan, S.\n2020\nResistance distance-based graph invariants and the number of spanning trees of linear crossed octagonal graphs.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05114\nZhao, Jing; Liu, Jia-Bao; Hayat, Sakander\n2020\nWeak Galerkin finite element method for solving one-dimensional coupled Burgers\u2019 equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65125\nHussein, Ahmed J.; Kashkool, Hashim A.\n2020\nA note on the minimum edge dominating energy of graphs.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05105\n2020\nDynamical analysis of a fuzzy phytoplankton-zooplankton model with refuge, fishery protection and harvesting.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92246\nMeng, Xin-You; Wu, Yu-Qian\n2020\nFinite-time stability of fractional-order bidirectional associative memory neural networks with mixed time-varying delays.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34042\nYang, Zhanying; Zhang, Jie; Niu, Yanqing\n2020\nMeshless singular boundary method for two-dimensional pseudo-parabolic equation: analysis of stability and convergence.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65154\nAslefallah, Mohammad; Abbasbandy, Saeid; Shivanian, Elyas\n2020\nExplicit solutions and numerical simulations for an asymptotic water waves model with surface tension.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01481.76045\n2020\nOptimized low-dispersion and low-dissipation two-derivative Runge-Kutta method for wave equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65051\nKrivovichev, Gerasim V.\n2020\nStability of a delayed competitive model with saturation effect and interval biological parameters.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01484.92070\nChen, Siyu; Liu, Zhijun; Wang, Lianwen; Hu, Jing\n2020\nDynamical complexities and pattern formation in an eco-epidemiological model with prey infection and harvesting.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435122\nRaw, S. N.; Tiwari, Barkha; Mishra, P.\n2020\nLeast energy sign-changing solutions for fourth-order Kirchhoff-type equation with potential vanishing at infinity.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01480.35238\nZhang, Hua-Bo; Guan, Wen\n2020\nMathematical analysis and optimal control applied to the treatment of leukemia.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92081\nKhatun, Mst. Shanta; Biswas, Md. Haider Ali\n2020\nThe influence of vaccination on the control of JE with a standard incidence rate of mosquitoes, pigs and humans.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01483.34062\nBaniya, Vinod; Keval, Ram\n2020\nOn a population model with Allee effects and environmental perturbations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.92129\nJi, Weiming\n2020\nA stochastic analysis for a triple delayed SIQR epidemic model with vaccination and elimination strategies.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92191\nEl Fatini, Mohamed; Pettersson, Roger; Sekkak, Idriss; Taki, Regragui\n2020\nAn interior point method for $$P_*(\\kappa)$$-horizontal linear complementarity problem based on a new proximity function.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.90109\n2020\nPhilos-type oscillation criteria for impulsive fractional differential equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34028\nFeng, Limei; Sun, Yibing; Han, Zhenlai\n2020\nMathematical modeling and dynamic analysis of anti-tumor immune response.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92049\nPang, Liuyong; Liu, Sanhong; Zhang, Xinan; Tian, Tianhai\n2020\nProximal method of solving split system of minimization problem.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.90057\nGebrie, Anteneh Getachew; Wangkeeree, Rabian\n2020\nA note on the convergence of fuzzy transformed finite difference methods.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.65059\nVerma, Amit K.; Kayenat, Sheerin; Jha, Gopal Jee\n2020\nModeling the effects of insects and insecticides on agricultural crops with NSFD method.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92258\nMisra, A. K.; Jha, Navnit; Patel, Rahul\n2020\nMathematical analysis of a time delay visceral leishmaniasis model.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92192\nGandhi, Velmurugan; Al-Salti, Nasser S.; Elmojtaba, Ibrahim M.\n2020\nMathematical model of the immune response to dengue virus.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92047\nG\u00f3mez, Miller Cer\u00f3n; Yang, Hyun Mo\n2020\nBlood flow analysis in tapered stenosed arteries with the influence of heat and mass transfer.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92053\n2020\nOrdering of $$c$$-cyclic graphs with respect to total irregularity.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.05030\nGhalavand, Ali; Ashrafi, Ali Reza\n2020\nCategories of quantale-valued fuzzy automata: determinization and minimization.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435118\nDubey, M. K.; Tiwari, S. P.; \u0160ostak, Alexander\n2020\nEpidemic SIS model in air-polluted environment.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01484.37113\nTuong, Tran Dinh\n2020\nFixed-time synchronization for competitive neural networks with Gaussian-wavelet-type activation functions and discrete delays.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.93485\nZhou, Jie; Bao, Haibo\n2020\nA new full-Newton step interior-point method for $$P_*(\\kappa)$$-LCP based on a positive-asymptotic kernel function.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.90130\nZhang, Mingwang; Huang, Kun; Li, Mengmeng; Lv, Yanli\n2020\nAnalysis of a vector-borne disease model with human and vectors immigration.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34041\nTraor\u00e9, Ali\n2020\nAn efficient class of iterative methods for computing generalized outer inverse $${M_{T,S}^{(2)}}$$.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435155\nKaur, Manpreet; Kansal, Munish\n2020\nOn the global asymptotic stability of a predator-prey model with Crowley-Martin function and stage structure for prey.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435158\nHoang, Manh Tuan\n2020\nComparative studies on a predator-prey model subjected to fear and Allee effect with type I and type II foraging.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01478.92155\nHalder, Susmita; Bhattacharyya, Joydeb; Pal, Samares\n2020\nStability region of fractional differential systems with Prabhakar derivative.\u00a0Zbl\u00a01475.34002\n2020\nGlobal extended Krylov subspace methods for large-scale differential Sylvester matrix equations.\u00a0Zbl\u00a007435253\n2020\n...and 1279 more Documents\nall top 5\n\n### Cited by 8,264 Authors\n\n 563 Journal of Applied Mathematics and Computing 337 Advances in Difference Equations 331 Applied Mathematics and Computation 162 Abstract and Applied Analysis 140 Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics 130 Computers & Mathematics with Applications 112 Boundary Value Problems 110 Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society 101 Journal of Inequalities and Applications 98 Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 91 Computational and Applied Mathematics 73 International Journal of Applied and Computational Mathematics 70 Mathematical Problems in Engineering 70 Fixed Point Theory and Applications 69 Applied Numerical Mathematics 63 Journal of Function Spaces 59 Numerical Algorithms 59 International Journal of Computer Mathematics 58 Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications 57 Applied Mathematical Modelling 56 Applied Mathematics Letters 51 Mathematics and Computers in Simulation 51 Journal of Applied Mathematics 51 AIMS Mathematics 50 International Journal of Biomathematics 45 Filomat 45 Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation 44 Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences 36 Journal of Computational Physics 36 International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos in Applied Sciences and Engineering 35 Mediterranean Journal of Mathematics 35 Journal of Applied Analysis and Computation 34 Physica A 34 Complexity 33 Nonlinear Analysis. Theory, Methods & Applications. Series A: Theory and Methods 32 Nonlinear Dynamics 32 Soft Computing 32 Bulletin of the Malaysian Mathematical Sciences Society. Second Series 31 Journal of Mathematics 29 Optimization Letters 29 Afrika Matematika 28 Acta Applicandae Mathematicae 28 Journal of Difference Equations and Applications 27 Information Sciences 27 International Journal of Nonlinear Sciences and Numerical Simulation 27 Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering 27 Journal of Industrial and Management Optimization 27 Journal of Nonlinear Science and Applications 26 Turkish Journal of Mathematics 26 Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems 25 Optimization 25 Nonlinear Analysis. Real World Applications 24 Discrete Mathematics 24 Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications 24 Linear Algebra and its Applications 24 Fractional Calculus & Applied Analysis 24 Nonlinear Analysis. Modelling and Control 24 Journal of Fixed Point Theory and Applications 22 Journal of Scientific Computing 22 Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems. Series B 22 Discrete Mathematics, Algorithms and Applications 22 Advances in Mathematical Physics 22 International Journal of Differential Equations 21 Applicable Analysis 21 Discrete Applied Mathematics 21 Journal of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems 20 Journal of the Franklin Institute 19 Numerical Functional Analysis and Optimization 19 Annals of Operations Research 19 Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, F\u00edsicas y Naturales. Serie A: Matem\u00e1ticas. RACSAM 18 Advances in Applied Clifford Algebras 18 Asian-European Journal of Mathematics 17 Communications in Algebra 17 Linear and Multilinear Algebra 17 International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences 17 Results in Mathematics 16 Journal of Mathematical Chemistry 16 Symmetry 15 Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations 15 Journal of Global Optimization 15 Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements 15 Journal of Biological Systems 15 Iranian Journal of Fuzzy Systems 15 Journal of Applied Mathematics & Informatics 15 Journal of Applied Nonlinear Dynamics 15 Open Mathematics 14 Journal of Mathematical Physics 14 Calcolo 14 Mathematical and Computer Modelling 14 Communications in Statistics. Theory and Methods 14 European Journal of Operational Research 14 Journal of Biological Dynamics 14 Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems. Series S 14 Numerical Algebra, Control and Optimization 14 S$$\\vec{\\text{e}}$$MA Journal 13 Rocky Mountain Journal of Mathematics 13 Fuzzy Sets and Systems 13 Acta Mathematicae Applicatae Sinica. English Series 13 Graphs and Combinatorics 13 The Journal of Analysis ...and 494 more Journals","date":"2022-09-25 10:59:13","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 0, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.4854069948196411, \"perplexity\": 7391.451293398135}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2022-40\/segments\/1664030334528.24\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20220925101046-20220925131046-00643.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
Embertide and Ember Days are an ancient and necessary practice of the Church, however, this topic can be very confusing to many Catholics.
In this video, I present a very simplified and easy-to-understand explanation of Embertide and Ember Days.
Do also check out REASONS TO LOVE BEING CATHOLIC and be sure to subscribe to the Traditional Catholic Femininity YouTube Channel.
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"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
} | 9,000 |
{"url":"http:\/\/tex.stackexchange.com\/questions\/19191\/tikz-arrow-starting-exactly-in-the-center","text":"# Tikz arrow starting exactly in the center\n\nI have the following problem. I am using the tikz package to draw figures. I am drawing some sort of a data structure. This includes having nodes and lines which connect nodes. Sometimes, a line has to start with a dot and end with an arrow. I have the following code (using arrows and patterns tikz libraries):\n\n\\documentclass{article}\n\n\\usepackage{verbatim}\n\\usepackage{tikz}\n\\usepackage{pgfplots}\n\\usetikzlibrary{patterns}\n\\usetikzlibrary{arrows}\n\\begin{document}\n\\begin{figure}[h]\n\n\\begin{tikzpicture}\n[internal\/.style={rectangle,draw},\nbmp\/.style={rectangle,draw,pattern=north east lines},\n]\n\\node(root) at ( 0.00, 0.00) {\\verb=root=};\n\\node(in1) at ( 0.00,-0.60) [internal,minimum width=3mm,label=left:I1] {};\n\\draw[-stealth](root)--(in1);\n\n\\node(cn1) at ( 0.00,-1.2) [internal,minimum width=6mm,label=left:C1] {};\n\\node(cn1bmp) at (-0.15,-1.2) [bmp,minimum width=3mm] {};\n\\node(cn1arr1) at ( 0.15,-1.2) [internal,minimum width=3mm] {};\n\\draw[*-stealth](in1.mid)--(cn1);\n\n\\node(k1) at ( 0.50,-1.8) {$k_1$};\n\\draw[*-stealth](cn1arr1.mid)--(k1);\n\n\\node(cas) at ( 0.8,-0.20) {\\verb=CAS=};\n\\draw[->, shorten >=2pt](cas)--(in1);\n\n\\node(lab) at (-0.70,-1.80) [internal] {C};\n\\end{tikzpicture}\n\n\\caption{Trie examples}\n\\label{f-tries}\n\\end{figure}\n\\end{document}\n\n\nThis yields the following picture:\n\nNow, as you can see, the arrow pointing to k1 (corresponding to \\draw[*-stealth](cn1arr1.mid)--(k1);) starts a little bit to the right. When I have more arrows, this looks nasty - they all seem to have offsets in various directions.\n\nIs there any way to force the arrow to start in exactly the center (cn1arr1.center doesn't work - it puts it too low)?\n\nThanks!\n\n-\nCould you edit your question to make the sample code a complete working example, starting from \\documentclass and including all the libraries necessary? That makes it a lot easier for everyone who wants to try out the code. \u2013\u00a0Jake May 27 '11 at 9:16\nYou're right, I should do that. I'm on it. \u2013\u00a0axel22 May 27 '11 at 9:16\nYou shouldn't use \\verb to get tt font, simply use \\texttt{..} instead. \u2013\u00a0Martin Scharrer May 27 '11 at 9:17\n@Martin Scharrer: Should that be so in general, or just in figures? The LNCS styleguide says that I should use the verbatim package for code examples. \u2013\u00a0axel22 May 27 '11 at 9:22\n@axel22: For source code you should use verbatim, but it isn't required for normal words. \u2013\u00a0Martin Scharrer May 27 '11 at 9:52\n\nSimple solution: Use the shorten < = <length> syntax, which will move the arrow tip (the circle in your case) a specified length along the path. Using\n\n\\draw[*-stealth,shorten <=-2.5pt](cn1arr1.center)--(k1);\n\n\nworks quite well in this case.\n\nA more correct way would be to define a new arrow tip using \\pgfdeclarearrow{start name}{end name}{extend code}{arrow tip code}, where the extend code (which moves the arrow tip along the line) is left empty. Here's an implementation that is based on the original * arrow tip code, so the circle diameter will be identical to the original one, but it will be centered on the start of the line:\n\n\\makeatletter\n\\pgfarrowsdeclare{new*}{new*}{}\n{\n\\pgfutil@tempdima=0.4pt%\n\nInteresting - I would have thought that shorten shortens the line in the direction it is pointing to. However, what it does is, it just lifts it directly up a little bit, when its starting point is set to center. Thanks! \u2013\u00a0axel22 May 27 '11 at 9:35\n@axel22: You're right, shorten does move the tip along the line. Try setting a large positive value to see it move, and also to see that the actual line starts at the specified point (actually it doesn't start exactly at the specified point because the line is shortened a bit by the arrow tip command, but it's pretty close). \u2013\u00a0Jake May 27 '11 at 9:46","date":"2015-11-25 14:48:48","metadata":"{\"extraction_info\": {\"found_math\": true, \"script_math_tex\": 0, \"script_math_asciimath\": 0, \"math_annotations\": 0, \"math_alttext\": 0, \"mathml\": 0, \"mathjax_tag\": 0, \"mathjax_inline_tex\": 1, \"mathjax_display_tex\": 0, \"mathjax_asciimath\": 1, \"img_math\": 0, \"codecogs_latex\": 0, \"wp_latex\": 0, \"mimetex.cgi\": 0, \"\/images\/math\/codecogs\": 0, \"mathtex.cgi\": 0, \"katex\": 0, \"math-container\": 0, \"wp-katex-eq\": 0, \"align\": 0, \"equation\": 0, \"x-ck12\": 0, \"texerror\": 0, \"math_score\": 0.9100537896156311, \"perplexity\": 1450.2328946514292}, \"config\": {\"markdown_headings\": true, \"markdown_code\": true, \"boilerplate_config\": {\"ratio_threshold\": 0.18, \"absolute_threshold\": 10, \"end_threshold\": 15, \"enable\": true}, \"remove_buttons\": true, \"remove_image_figures\": true, \"remove_link_clusters\": true, \"table_config\": {\"min_rows\": 2, \"min_cols\": 3, \"format\": \"plain\"}, \"remove_chinese\": true, \"remove_edit_buttons\": true, \"extract_latex\": true}, \"warc_path\": \"s3:\/\/commoncrawl\/crawl-data\/CC-MAIN-2015-48\/segments\/1448398445208.17\/warc\/CC-MAIN-20151124205405-00031-ip-10-71-132-137.ec2.internal.warc.gz\"}"} | null | null |
\section{Introduction}
Our goal in this paper is to to demonstrate a technique for identifying and discarding voxels that introduce error in Distribution-to-Distribution point cloud registration. In order to discuss our proposed method we must first introduce the current state of the art in point cloud registration, provide insight into some of the challenges associated with this task, and discuss how they relate to our proposed approach.
Distribution-to-Distribution methods represent clusters of points as probability density functions and use Maximum Likelihood Estimation to find the transformation that best aligns the two PDFs \cite{Biber, D2DNDT}. The accuracy of a LIDAR point cloud registration is a function of both the quality of the sensor and the geometry of the scene in which the data is recorded.
Analytical techniques permit the direct calculation of error bounds for solution covariance by considering the cost function at convergence \cite{censi, D2DNDT} or directly via a least-squares analysis of the PDF occupying each voxel \cite{2DICET}. While these registration techniques boast impressive accuracy prediction on static scenes, motion of the ego-vehicle can introduce systemic bias through range-shadowing \cite{sphericalICET}, self-occlusion \cite{behindTheCurtain}, and ''rolling shutter'' motion distortion \cite{KITTI_distortion}. For scan registration algorithms to be useful in real-world applications, they must maintain robustness in the presence of these forms of bias.
Deep Learning methods can achieve superior accuracy to D2D techniques by relaxing some of their assumptions and forfeiting solution interpratability.
Deep Neural Network (DNN) based point cloud registration can be broadly divided between correspondence-free methods, in which a DNN directly estimates a transformation in an end-to-end manner, and correspondence-based methods, which alternate between identifying corresponding features in each scan and minimizing distances between correspondences \cite{DNNsurvey} similar to the early \textit{Iterative Closest Point} (ICP) algorithm \cite{ICP}.
Correspondence-based methods can use a DNN to identify keypoints in each frame before estimating correspondences analytically \cite{dmlo} or can identify correspondences using an additional network \cite{deepvcp}.
Generally, correspondence-based methods achieve higher accuracy registering larger point clouds (such as full LIDAR scans) while correspondence-free methods excel on clouds sampled from individual objects or small portions of a LIDAR scan \cite{DNNsurvey}. One common approach is to subdivide large LIDAR scans into voxels and apply a single end-to-end network to each cell simultaneously as a batch operation \cite{PointNetLk, voxelnet}. Some batch methods also aggregate local estimates to gain additional contextual information about the scene \cite{pointnetvlad}.
Partial overlap between point clouds, which occurs in regions subject to range-shadowing and self-occlusion, presents a problem for registration.
Range-shadowing tends to inject systemic bias across a large swath of voxels in a constant direction normal to the edge of each shadow \cite{sphericalICET}, while perspective shift bias is highly localized on the surfaces of objects that appear different from various angles \cite{behindTheCurtain}.
Geometric strategies exist to reduce the bias of range-shadowing in D2D algorithms, either through ground plane removal \cite{lego, GP-ICP} or through a spherical coordinate representation \cite{KITTI_distortion, sphericalICET, hassani2021new}, however, error introduced by self-occlusion is significantly more complex.
One approach to mitigate self-occlusion is to train a network to fill in occluded regions of point clouds before registration is attempted.
In \textit{MaskNet}, the authors directly estimate inlier points from one scan using candidate points from the other \cite{masknet}. Self-supervised methods overcome partial overlap by jointly learning geometric representations, keypoint detection, and correspondence \cite{prnet, NDT_transformer}.
\textit{BTCdet} augments preliminary estimates from a backbone network by filling in points on occluded surfaces using a network trained \textit{a priori} on commonly encountered object shapes \cite{behindTheCurtain}.
Although there is a significant body of literature on both Machine Learning-based and Distribution-to-Distribution point cloud registration methods, there is limited work in the context of leveraging ML to improve distribution-based approaches.
Tang et al. use Gaussian Process Regression to reduce bias in NDT by directly estimating a correction factor to add to their preliminary registration \cite{biascorrection}. While their strategy is capable of reducing registration error, allowing an uninterpretable model to directly adjust odometry estimates negates much of the safety benefits of NDT. Our proposed solution differs from this form of mixed method in that the uninterpretable component solely exists to down-sample data that is likely to introduce bias to the geometric registration routine.
Crucially, the reduction of total information due to the down-sampled point cloud can be accounted for in the optimization routine, automatically adjusting the solution error covariance prediction component of the registration algorithm as problematic voxels are removed from a scan.
Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) is a general statistical tool for outlier removal \cite{RANSAC}, and has been used for ground plane segmentation in NDT \cite{RANSAC_ground_plane}. Kanhere and Gao also use measurement consensus to improve computational efficiency in NDT, and to devise a metric for quantifying localization reliability \cite{kanhere2019lidar}. Other approaches assume the magnitude of residuals at a converged solution will be normally distributed and simply discard any voxels that produce residuals more than a few standard deviations away from the mean \cite{magnussonThesis}. Unfortunately, classical outlier routines rely on a large plurality of voxels in a scene being well-conditioned. This can lead to these approaches excluding voxels with accurate solution contributions if they are outnumbered by voxels with consistently biased estimates. The density of the points within a voxel is inversely proportional to the distance of the voxel from the origin, so the regions of a scan that are most susceptible to perspective shift bias (close to the origin) are also on average the most populated and heavily weighted.
Moving objects within the frame also present additional challenges for scan registration. A fine voxel gird will automatically discount small objects moving at high speed if they do not occupy the same cell at the converged solution.
While our strategy of considering per-voxel registration to identify bias from occlusion does not directly suppress moving objects, it allows the rejection threshold of our moving object detection routine to be raised to to the point that its only function is to discard obviously moving objects.
In section 2 we provide more detail on the detection theory underpinning our filtering process. In section 3 we describe our network structure and training procedure. In sections 4 and 5 we introduce and share the results of two experiments to validate our method; a detection analysis where we demonstrate how our approach is used to identify and exclude biased voxels, and a demonstration on various KITTI datasets where we show how our filter preforms on real LIDAR data. In section 6 we provide further discussion into our results. Lastly, in section 7 we summarize our findings and provide insights for future work.
\section{Filtering}
Our approach is to test for bias in an estimate without having access to the true solution, introducing a secondary estimation technique and considering the difference between the two. If there is agreement between the two uncorrelated estimates, it is unlikely that either is significantly flawed. If the two estimates differ by a sufficient magnitude, however, one of the two registration techniques is likely biased and the points inside the offending voxel should be ignored.
As long as the errors between D2D and DNN remain uncorrelated, pruning voxels where the two methods disagree provides the flexibility of a learned registration scheme while retaining statistical robustness.
Because the translation errors from DNN and D2D solutions in the $x$, $y$, and $z$ components are all independent and normally distributed (as we will demonstrate in the following section), the overall magnitude of error in the translation vector for each method relative to the ground truth forms a chi-square distribution with three degrees of freedom. This relationship is described by equation (\ref{eq:ChiSquare1}), where $x$, $y$, and $z$ represent the true translation solutions about each axis and $\hat{x}$, $\hat{y}$, and $\hat{z}$ represent the associated estimates output by each technique.
\begin{equation}\label{eq:ChiSquare1}
Q_{3} \sim (x - \hat{x})^2 + (y - \hat{y})^2 + (z - \hat{z})^2
\end{equation}
When constructing our monitor statistic, however, we require a single metric to summarize the spread of residuals between the DNN and D2D solutions. It is convenient to difference the two measurements in vector space before unifying solution components into a single chi-square distribution
as the sum of two normally distributed random variables is also normal, while calculating the difference of noncentral chi-square distributions is nontrivial.
Here, the vector difference between D2D and DNN estimates (and consequently, the difference between their errors) is represented as $\Delta$. The distribution of these errors for a given voxel registration is then defined as $Q_{3, \Delta}$:
\begin{equation}\label{delta}
\begin{split}
\mathbf{E}_{DNN} = \mathbf{X}_{DNN} - \mathbf{X}_{true} \\
\mathbf{E}_{D2D} = \mathbf{X}_{D2D} - \mathbf{X}_{true} \\
\Delta = \mathbf{E}_{D2D} - \mathbf{E}_{D2D} \\
Q_{3, \Delta} = | \Delta |
\end{split}
\end{equation}
Figure (\ref{fig:falseAlarm}) displays the distribution of $Q_{3,\Delta}$ for two cases. The top plot demonstrates the spread of $Q_{3,\Delta}$ when neither the D2D or DNN approach is systemically biased for a particular test sample (such as the wall inside voxel \textit{b} in Fig. (1)). The bottom plot in Fig. (\ref{fig:falseAlarm}) illustrates an alternate case of $Q_{3, \Delta}$ on a test sample that produces significant systemic bias in the D2D solution, as would be the case in the presence of heavy shadowing or self-occlusion such as the partially occluded human model inside voxel \textit{a} in Fig. (1). In Fig. (\ref{fig:falseAlarm}), the shaded region within each plot represents the areas in which the monitor statistic fails to correctly characterize the behavior of the system. This demonstrates the trade-off between false alarms and missed detection when selecting a threshold for the alert limit. The alert limit in figure (\ref{fig:falseAlarm}) is set to produce a 5\% chance of false alarm (shown in the top plot) where the DNN incorrectly excludes an unbiased D2D solution estimate. At this threshold, the lower plot represents the associated risk of missed detection for test sample where D2D registration is biased by 5cm. In this example, the selected threshold value produces a significantly higher level of false negatives than false positives.
Framing outlier rejection as a regression problem, rather than one of binary classification, allows rejection criteria to be tuned after training depending on the desired characteristics of the system.
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.4in]{graphics/missedDetectionV2.JPG}
\caption{Trade-off between false alarms and missed detections}
\label{fig:falseAlarm}
\end{figure}
For both cases in Fig. (\ref{fig:falseAlarm}), it is apparent that relying on differences between two solutions misses a large portion of the useful information. If the geometic approach was prone to uniformly distributed errors for any scene, there would be no reason to employ an alternate registration technique (and thus lose useful info). As is discussed in \cite{sphericalICET, behindTheCurtain}, however, certain geometric properties in a scene violate the assumption of a static scene significantly enough to introduce systemic bias. This highlights the inherent tradeoff between solution accuracy and solution integrity. It may be acceptable for a noisy filter to reject a large portion of the voxels in a well-conditioned scene, thereby slightly reducing average registration accuracy, if the filter is also likely to reject significant bias in other scenes that would otherwise prevent convergence altogether.
\section{DNN Structure}
Our network is constructed as a variant of \textit{Iterative PCR-Net} \cite{sarode2019pcrnet}, which leverages \textit{PointNet} \cite{PointNet} encoding to directly estimate the transformation that best registers two point clouds. Here, input point clouds are concatenated and passed through feed-forward layers with shared weights before a Max-Pooling symmetric function is applied to produce a feature vector, which is then passed through a series of simple feedforward layers.
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.3in]{graphics/DNNstructure.jpg}
\caption{DNN structure}
\label{fig:DNN}
\end{figure}
The purpose of our network is to either validate or reject the per-voxel D2D solutions, so we limit the network output to a similar solution space and only estimate translation within each voxel.
Removing rotation from the solution vector prevents the network from having to contend with any forms of rotational ambiguity (i.e. when attempting to register an isolated cylinder) that may detract from the training process.
Linearizing each voxel to a translation-only estimate is consistent with other registration algorithms such as the \textit{Lucas \& Kanade} (LK) algorithm \cite{LK}, and its application to the point cloud registration task with a global PointNet in \textit{PointNetLK} \cite{PointNetLk}.
A side benefit of applying our network on a per-voxel basis is that any out of distribution behavior is compartmentalized to the offending region of the frame.
Like other local point cloud registration techniques, an initial estimate within the basin of attraction is required to begin the scan matching process. This can be achieved using an estimate from another sensor, such as wheel odometry, a dynamic vehicle model, or simply by zeroing out initial transformation and attempting a coarse-to-fine approach with large voxels.
In our implementation, a preliminary solution estimate is first achieved by allowing D2D registration to converge before sampling points to feed to the DNN.
\section{Experiments}
We validate our method of bias mitigation in distribution-based scan matching through two experiments
\subsection{Per-voxel accuracy}
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{graphics/airplane.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=0.8in]{graphics/humanLidar.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{graphics/kittiVoxel.jpg}
\caption{100 point keyframe clouds for uniformly sampled \textit{ModelNet40} object (top), simulated LIDAR scan recorded from from \textit{ModelNet40} object (middle), and voxelized KITTI (bottom)}
\label{fig:experiment1clouds}
\end{figure}
Our first experiment seeks to quantify the differences in registration accuracy between the two approaches.
Here, we compare solutions from our PointNet against the distance between the means of each sub-cloud, which is the basis for the D2D registration contributions for each voxel.
The first two trials of this experiment test simple point clouds generated from objects in the popular \textit{ModelNet40} dataset \cite{modelnet40}, and represent cases where each voxel completely encapsulates a single object with no ground plane or external-occlusion present. The first is an unrealistic case where clouds are formed by uniformly sampling points on the surface of each object. The second repeats this process, but generates more realistic point clouds from the \textit{ModelNet40} objects by randomly transforming each model and simulating LIDAR scans from the visible surfaces. This test provides a middle ground between the unrealistic point clouds in the first trial and real world data in the following trial.
In the third trial we consider the per-voxel registration accuracy of sub-clouds sampled from voxels in the \textit{KITTI} dataset. Here, we gather training data from each scan using spherical voxels as described by \cite{sphericalICET} to mitigate the effects of range-shadowing. Eliminating range-shadows in the training data greatly reduces the need to share information between cells. For all cases we train the network on point clouds containing 100 points from each scan per voxel, a value tuned to align with the optimal minimum number of points required for D2D registration \cite{sphericalICET, GP-ICP}.
Training on small sections of larger point clouds requires additional considerations, which are discussed in detail in the following section.
\subsection{Improving Total Error with Filter}
Our second experiment makes use of real LIDAR data, again taken from the KITTI benchmark dataset. Here, LIDAR data contains shadowing, occlusion, and non-returns. Surfaces in this test also extend beyond the limits of each cell. Estimating local registration solutions with no consideration of the larger context can hinder training, as the information present within a cell is often insufficient to properly estimate translation \cite{2DICET, shimojo1989occlusion}. Generally, the spread of points in the direction normal to a surface is randomly distributed due to sensor noise, while the spread of points tangent to the surface tends to be more uniform and structural, following the underlying shape of the object, rather than the properties of the sensor.
Since distributions are cut arbitrarily short in surface-aligned directions by the voxel grid, attempting to align centers of these "overly extended" directions provides no useful information, and in fact, can negatively impact solution accuracy \cite{2DICET}.
For that reason, we integrate a process of ambiguous axis suppression into our loss function when training the registration network using equation (\ref{eq:DNNpruning}).
As shown in Fig. (\ref{fig:compactProjection}), the our filter is also constructed to only count components of residuals normal to compact directions of each scan.
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{graphics/LUT_v5.jpg}
\caption{Overhead view of a voxel containing partially partially overlapping sections of the same wall captured in two LIDAR scans. The true translation to align the clouds is drawn in yellow, however, there is insufficient information to constrain solutions in the direction aligned with the surface of the wall. The reduced-dimension ground truth obtained using using Eq. (\ref{eq:DNNpruning}) is shown in purple. }
\label{fig:compactProjection}
\end{figure}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:D2Dpruning}
{}^{(j)} \textbf{x}_{D2D} = {}^{(j)}\textbf{L}\: {}^{(j)}\textbf{U}^T ({}^{(j)}\Bar{\textbf{x}}_r - {}^{(j)}\bar{\textbf{x}}_n)
\end{equation}
Equation (\ref{eq:D2Dpruning}) describes the process of projecting the vector representing the reference and new scan means $\bar{\mathbf{x}}_r$ and $\bar{\mathbf{x}}_n$, respectively for each voxel $j$ into a reduced dimension residual vector.
Here, $\mathbf{U}$ is the rotation matrix (obtained via eigendecomposition of the covariance of the points in voxel $j$) that aligns the principal axis of distribution $J$ relative to the world frame, and $\mathbf{L}$ is an truncation matrix.
\begin{equation}\label{eq:DNNpruning}
{}^{(j)} \textbf{x}_{DNN} = {}^{(j)}\textbf{L}\: {}^{(j)}\textbf{U}^T {}^{(j)}\hat{\textbf{x}}_{DNN}
\end{equation}
Equation (\ref{eq:DNNpruning}) represents the process through which extended components of the residual vector estimated by the DNN are excluded. Here, ${}^{(j)}\hat{\textbf{x}}_{DNN}$ represents the raw translation estimate output by the network for voxel $j$.
It is important to note how this process also makes use of the same $\mathbf{U}$ and $\mathbf{L}$ matrices as equation (\ref{eq:D2Dpruning}). This means that the shape of the keyframe distribution (that has already been calculated in the classical distribution-to-distribution routine) is used to inform the pruning matrix which components of the DNN residual are important to consider, because they likely represent a true offset between surfaces, and which components are merely due to a structural spread of points. The total offset, ${}^{(j)}\Delta\mathbf{x}$, between useful components of the D2D and DNN solution is then calculated as follows
\begin{equation}
{}^{(j)}\Delta\mathbf{x} = \abs{{}^{(j)}\mathbf{x}_{DNN} - {}^{(j)}\mathbf{x}_{D2D}}
\end{equation}
If ${}^{(j)}\Delta\mathbf{x}$ is larger than a threshold $T$, all points located inside voxel $j$ are excluded and the associated contributions to the overall solution vector from voxel $j$ are ignored. When constructing our DNN, we achieved best results by applying the projection and dimension reduction matrices inside the loss function, rather than as distinct input parameters passed to the network. This allows us to train using data from both KITTI, as well as simulated LIDAR scans of objects in the ModelNet40 dataset.
In Experiment II we validate our strategy on three KITTI datasets. The first contains 160 sequential LIDAR point clouds recorded from a vehicle moving between 3 and 7 $\frac{m}{s}$ in a busy urban setting. The second dataset contains 194 sequential frames where the vehicle moves between 11 and 22 $\frac{m}{s}$ on a highway through a dense forest. The third dataset contains 800 sequential LIDAR frames recorded while moving through a forested residential neighborhood at 8 $\frac{m}{s}$.
\section{Results}
\begin{table}[h]
\caption{Experiment I: Per Voxel RMS Translation Error (cm)}
\setlength{\tabcolsep}{0.3\tabcolsep}
\begin{tabularx}{0.48\textwidth} {
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
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| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X | }
\hline
& DNN (ours) & D2D \\
\hline
ModelNet40 ~\small{(uniformly sampled)} & 5.48 & 3.61 \\
\hline
ModelNet40 (shadowed) & 5.82 & 15.29 \\
\hline
KITTI & 9.79 & 14.04 \\
\hline
\end{tabularx}
\label{tab:experiment1}
\end{table}
\begin{figure*}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=1.7in]{graphics/unshadowedModelNet40Results.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=1.6in]{graphics/shadowedModelNet40Results.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=2.in]{graphics/KITTIRegistrationError.jpg}
\caption{D2D and DNN results produce similar levels of error on uniformly sampled ModelNet40 data (left). DNN achieves significantly higher accuracy than D2D on shadowed ModelNet40 point clouds (center). DNN acheives higher accuracy than D2D on KITTI data (right)}
\label{fig:Experiment1Results}
\end{figure*}
\begin{figure*}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=1.9in]{graphics/D2DvsDNNuniform.PNG}
\includegraphics[width=1.8in]{graphics/DiffVSD2DModelNet40.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=1.8in]{graphics/D2DvsDNNKITTI.png}
\caption{Correlation between Magnitude Difference between D2D/DNN estimates and unobservable error of D2D estimate for uniformly sampled ModelNet40 data (left), simulated LIDAR sampled ModelNet40 data (center), and real LIDAR data from KITTI dataset (right)}
\label{fig:covarianceOfMonitor}
\end{figure*}
\begin{table}[h]
\caption{Experiment II: RMS Forward Translation Error (cm)}
\setlength{\tabcolsep}{0.3\tabcolsep}
\begin{tabularx}{0.48\textwidth} {
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X
| >{\centering\arraybackslash}X | }
\hline
& no voxel rejection & 2$\sigma$ rejection only & 2$\sigma$ \& PointNet rejection (ours) \\
\hline
Scene 1 ~(city) & 1.47 & 1.32 & 1.34 \\
\hline
Scene 2 (forest) & 5.09 & 4.63 & 4.45 \\
\hline
Scene 3 (residential) & 3.70 & 2.75 & 2.60 \\
\hline
\end{tabularx}
\label{tab:experiment2}
\end{table}
The first trial of Experiment I compared the two methods on uniformly sampled point clouds generated from ModelNet40 objects. In this trial, the D2D method outperformed the DNN solution. Interestingly however, the DNN achieved almost the same accuracy in the simulated LIDAR data as in the uniform sampling, while the D2D estimate performed significantly worse when attempting to register partial point clouds. In the third trial, our DNN outperformed the D2D again, though by a slightly smaller margin.
In Experiment II, the city, forest, and residential trials all used the same network and NDT parameters. For each scene, we compared root-mean-square error of the global NDT registration against a GNSS/INS baseline. Our first test case consists of the raw NDT registration with no rejected voxels. We then consider the commonly employed strategy of removing any voxel with a local D2D residual greater than two standard deviations from the mean residual distance after a preliminary convergence, as prescribed by \cite{magnussonThesis}.
Finally, we consider the case where our filter is used in conjunction with the 2$\sigma$ rejection criteria. For the city test scene, our proposed method achieved slightly worse accuracy than the 2$\sigma$-only rejection criteria by roughly 1\%. The raw baseline does worse than either, presumably because moving objects are preventing the registration algorithm from converging on the correct solution. In the forest scene, however, our PointNet + 2$\sigma$ combined approach does better than the 2$\sigma$-only method by a margin of roughly 4\%. Similarly, our DNN based approach outperforms the 2$\sigma$-only rejection method in the residential dataset by a margin of over 5.5\%.
Furthermore, because the errors reported in Table (\ref{tab:experiment2}) are relative to an imperfect baseline
the true odometry error is likely lower in all cases, making the true percentage reduction in error from our proposed method even more significant.
\section{Discussion}
The results in Table (\ref{tab:experiment1}) and Fig. (\ref{fig:Experiment1Results}) demonstrate our PointNet-based registration network achieves significantly better accuracy than a simple D2D registration on realistic point cloud data, but slightly worse than the D2D strategy on the unrealistic uniformly sampled \textit{ModelNet40} data. The D2D method performed very well in the first trial due to the high degree of symmetry in the data, but performed far worse on the subsequent trials. Our DNN performance, on the other hand, remained relatively insensitive to using full or partial point clouds, achieving similar accuracy between trials 1 and 2. This is likely because the feature vector formed by our PointNet can infer the contours of an object without requiring total overlap between the two scans.
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.4in]{graphics/KITTI0005.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=3.4in]{graphics/KITTI0027.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=3.4in]{graphics/KITTI03.jpg}
\caption{KITTI Raw 0005 (top), KITTI Raw 0027 (center), and KITTI Odometry 03 (bottom) }
\label{fig:KITTI1vs2}
\end{figure}
The results in Table (\ref{tab:experiment2}) demonstrate that performance enhancements provided by our DNN filter are highly dependant on the driving environment. For the urban case, there is little benefit to removing voxels with our network, while the forest and residential scenes achieve substantial benefit from our proposed technique. This is possibly due to the fact that in urban settings, the influence of self-occlusion prone surfaces on constraining translation in the forward direction is dwarfed by other large, highly-localizable surfaces, such as the sides of buildings. The 2$\sigma$ rejection method does a good job of identifying moving objects when surfaces are well defined (such as in the city trial) because the global standard deviation of residuals at convergence is small. In more ill-defined situations (such as those containing lots of dense foliage), the standard deviation of residual error at a converged solution is so large that it is unable to reject obviously biased voxels.
\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.2in]{graphics/KITTI0005overhead.jpg}
\includegraphics[width=3.2in]{graphics/KITTI0027overheadv3.jpg}
\caption{Sequential point clouds from the city (top) and forest (bottom) trajectories registered by our algorithm. Occupied spherical voxels drawn containing distributions from the keyframe scan. Voxels identified as containing moving objects (via the 2$\sigma$ rejection filter) are highlighted in yellow. Voxels flagged as biased by our DNN filter are highlighted in purple.}
\label{fig:KITTIoverhead}
\end{figure}
The scanning noise normal to surfaces (either due to time of flight error from the sensor or surface roughness) also plays an important role in the performance benefits of our proposed bias mitigation strategy. In our testing, we noted that the "fuzzier" the surfaces, the more beneficial our bias mitigation procedure became. Recall, D2D registration techniques use the mahalanobis distance to weigh residuals between corresponding distribution ellipsoids \cite{D2DNDT}. Scenes with higher surface normal noise lead to situations where flat surfaces (such the side of the building in Fig. (\ref{fig:KITTI1vs2}) are not oblate enough to sufficiently resist the influence of high perspective shift bias in other regions of the frame. The surfaces that tend to produce the highest perspective shift error are either concave or convex, and thus generate distribution ellipsoids that are far less oblate (and therefore weighted less) than their well conditioned counterparts, by virtue of a gaussian's poor ability to characterize a non-planar surfaces. When overall noise is low, these features are heavily deweighted. On the other hand, higher overall noise effectively raises the lower bound on compactness for any distribution of points, thereby deweighting the contributions of flat, well-conditioned surfaces and allowing the biased portions of the scan to dominate registration.
Bias from self-occlusion is also highly dependant on vehicle speed. This is because sequential point clouds are recorded from further away from one another as the vehicle speeds up. At large distances between frames, small objects close to the vehicle are observed from different angles-- capturing different faces of the same object violates the assumption of a static scene and can cause the voxel to incorrectly attempt to register non-corresponding parts of the object. This effect is particularly exaggerated in the forest experiment.
Fig. (\ref{fig:KITTIoverhead}) presents a visualization of two pairs of point clouds and highlights the voxels flagged as potentially biased. In the forest scene, the flagged voxels are primarily aligned close to the sides of the vehicle and normal to the direction of travel. This is where perspective shift bias is most severe-- the fact that these voxels are being suppressed explains the performance benefits of our network in forested scenes.
In the city scene, however, the voxels flagged for removal are fewer in number and spread much more uniformly throughout the frame. It is likely a large number of these identified voxels are false positives rather than systemic error so removing them from the registration estimate ignores a small amount of useful information, which explains the slight decrease in solution accuracy. Trading solution accuracy in well structured environments for solution integrity in unstructured and novel environments is useful for safety critical applications. Furthermore, future work in increasing the accuracy of the registration network can decrease the number of erroneously removed voxels.
The implementation demonstrated in this paper makes use of a simple registration network trained on a relatively small dataset using a single NVIDIA RTX 3090. Our network structure only considers the cluster of points inside each voxel, ignoring any potential queues from their context in the larger frame. Despite these limitations, our method manages to reduce error in D2D scan registrations in unstructured forest and residential scenes, and does not significantly impact accuracy when applied in a well-structured city environment. Future work in enhancing network structure, especially aggregating contextual information between voxels has the potential to further increase overall registration accuracy.
\section{Conclusion}
In this paper we discussed a new method for reducing bias in Distribution-to-Distribution scan registration. Our proposed technique removes portions of LIDAR scans that violate the assumption of a static scene by identifying and discarding voxels that locally disagree with a PointNet-based registration network. Our method achieves results similar to existing classical outlier rejection techniques on well structured city scenes and outperforms existing techniques in unstructured forest and residential environments. Compared to other machine learning-based bias mitigation techniques, our strategy is unique in that it does not directly provide a correction factor, and instead merely removes data from the classical optimization routine that is likely to introduce error. This allows the registration algorithms to adjust estimates for solution error covariance as data is removed from the frame, and allows the scan matching process to remain fully interpretable.
{\small
\bibliographystyle{ieee_fullname}
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaArXiv"
} | 2,129 |
from os.path import normpath
from urllib import urlencode
from urllib2 import urlopen
from urlparse import urlparse, parse_qs
import re
YT_BASE_URL = 'http://www.youtube.com/get_video_info'
#YouTube quality and codecs id map.
#source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#Quality_and_codecs
YT_ENCODING = {
#Flash Video
5: ["flv", "240p", "Sorenson H.263", "N/A", "0.25", "MP3", "64"],
6: ["flv", "270p", "Sorenson H.263", "N/A", "0.8", "MP3", "64"],
34: ["flv", "360p", "H.264", "Main", "0.5", "AAC", "128"],
35: ["flv", "480p", "H.264", "Main", "0.8-1", "AAC", "128"],
#3GP
36: ["3gp", "240p", "MPEG-4 Visual", "Simple", "0.17", "AAC", "38"],
13: ["3gp", "N/A", "MPEG-4 Visual", "N/A", "0.5", "AAC", "N/A"],
17: ["3gp", "144p", "MPEG-4 Visual", "Simple", "0.05", "AAC", "24"],
#MPEG-4
18: ["mp4", "360p", "H.264", "Baseline", "0.5", "AAC", "96"],
22: ["mp4", "720p", "H.264", "High", "2-2.9", "AAC", "192"],
37: ["mp4", "1080p", "H.264", "High", "3-4.3", "AAC", "192"],
38: ["mp4", "3072p", "H.264", "High", "3.5-5", "AAC", "192"],
82: ["mp4", "360p", "H.264", "3D", "0.5", "AAC", "96"],
83: ["mp4", "240p", "H.264", "3D", "0.5", "AAC", "96"],
84: ["mp4", "720p", "H.264", "3D", "2-2.9", "AAC", "152"],
85: ["mp4", "520p", "H.264", "3D", "2-2.9", "AAC", "152"],
#WebM
43: ["webm", "360p", "VP8", "N/A", "0.5", "Vorbis", "128"],
44: ["webm", "480p", "VP8", "N/A", "1", "Vorbis", "128"],
45: ["webm", "720p", "VP8", "N/A", "2", "Vorbis", "192"],
46: ["webm", "1080p", "VP8", "N/A", "N/A", "Vorbis", "192"],
100: ["webm", "360p", "VP8", "3D", "N/A", "Vorbis", "128"],
101: ["webm", "360p", "VP8", "3D", "N/A", "Vorbis", "192"],
102: ["webm", "720p", "VP8", "3D", "N/A", "Vorbis", "192"]
}
# The keys corresponding to the quality/codec map above.
YT_ENCODING_KEYS = (
'extension', 'resolution', 'video_codec', 'profile', 'video_bitrate',
'audio_codec', 'audio_bitrate'
)
class MultipleObjectsReturned(Exception):
"""
The query returned multiple objects when only one was expected.
"""
pass
class YouTubeError(Exception):
"""
The REST interface returned an error.
"""
pass
class Video(object):
"""
Class representation of a single instance of a YouTube video.
"""
def __init__(self, url, filename, **attributes):
"""
Define the variables required to declare a new video.
Keyword arguments:
extention -- The file extention the video should be saved as.
resolution -- The broadcasting standard of the video.
url -- The url of the video. (e.g.: youtube.com/watch?v=..)
filename -- The filename (minus the extention) to save the video.
"""
self.url = url
self.filename = filename
self.__dict__.update(**attributes)
def download(self, path=None):
"""
Downloads the file of the URL defined within the class
instance.
Keyword arguments:
path -- Destination directory
"""
path = (normpath(path) + '/' if path else '')
response = urlopen(self.url)
with open(path + self.filename, 'wb') as dst_file:
meta_data = response.info()
file_size = int(meta_data.getheaders("Content-Length")[0])
print "Downloading: %s Bytes: %s" % (self.filename, file_size)
bytes_received = 0
chunk_size = 8192
while True:
buffer = response.read(chunk_size)
if not buffer:
break
bytes_received += len(buffer)
dst_file.write(buffer)
percent = bytes_received * 100. / file_size
status = r"%10d [%3.2f%%]" % (bytes_received, percent)
status = status + chr(8) * (len(status) + 1)
print status,
def __repr__(self):
"""A cleaner representation of the class instance."""
return "<Video: %s (.%s) - %s>" % (self.video_codec, self.extension,
self.resolution)
def __cmp__(self, other):
if type(other) == Video:
v1 = "%s %s" % (self.extension, self.resolution)
v2 = "%s %s" % (other.extension, other.resolution)
return cmp(v1, v2)
class YouTube(object):
_filename = None
_fmt_values = []
_video_url = None
title = None
videos = []
_signature_re = re.compile('\w+\.\w+')
# fmt was an undocumented URL parameter that allowed selecting
# YouTube quality mode without using player user interface.
@property
def url(self):
"""Exposes the video url."""
return self._video_url
@url.setter
def url(self, url):
""" Defines the URL of the YouTube video."""
self._video_url = url
#Reset the filename.
self._filename = None
#Get the video details.
self._get_video_info()
@property
def filename(self):
"""
Exposes the title of the video. If this is not set, one is
generated based on the name of the video.
"""
if not self._filename:
self._filename = safe_filename(self.title)
return self._filename
@filename.setter
def filename(self, filename):
""" Defines the filename."""
self._filename = filename
@property
def video_id(self):
"""Gets the video ID extracted from the URL."""
parts = urlparse(self._video_url)
qs = getattr(parts, 'query', None)
if qs:
video_id = parse_qs(qs).get('v', None)
if video_id:
return video_id.pop()
def get(self, extension=None, res=None):
"""
Return a single video given an extention and resolution.
Keyword arguments:
extention -- The desired file extention (e.g.: mp4).
res -- The desired broadcasting standard of the video (e.g.: 1080p).
"""
result = []
for v in self.videos:
if extension and v.extension != extension:
continue
elif res and v.resolution != res:
continue
else:
result.append(v)
if not len(result):
return
elif len(result) is 1:
return result[0]
else:
d = len(result)
raise MultipleObjectsReturned("get() returned more than one "
"object -- it returned %d!" % d)
def filter(self, extension=None, res=None):
"""
Return a filtered list of videos given an extention and
resolution criteria.
Keyword arguments:
extention -- The desired file extention (e.g.: mp4).
res -- The desired broadcasting standard of the video (e.g.: 1080p).
"""
results = []
for v in self.videos:
if extension and v.extension != extension:
continue
elif res and v.resolution != res:
continue
else:
results.append(v)
return results
def _fetch(self, path, data):
"""
Given a path, traverse the response for the desired data. (A
modified ver. of my dictionary traverse method:
https://gist.github.com/2009119)
Keyword arguments:
path -- A tuple representing a path to a node within a tree.
data -- The data containing the tree.
"""
elem = path[0]
#Get first element in tuple, and check if it contains a list.
if type(data) is list:
# Pop it, and let's continue..
return self._fetch(path, data.pop())
#Parse the url encoded data
data = parse_qs(data)
#Get the element in our path
data = data.get(elem, None)
#Offset the tuple by 1.
path = path[1::1]
#Check if the path has reached the end OR the element return
#nothing.
if len(path) is 0 or data is None:
if type(data) is list and len(data) is 1:
data = data.pop()
return data
else:
# Nope, let's keep diggin'
return self._fetch(path, data)
def _get_video_info(self):
"""
This is responsable for executing the request, extracting the
necessary details, and populating the different video
resolutions and formats into a list.
"""
querystring = urlencode({'asv': 3, 'el': 'detailpage', 'hl': 'en_US',
'video_id': self.video_id})
self.title = None
self.videos = []
response = urlopen(YT_BASE_URL + '?' + querystring)
if response:
content = response.read()
data = parse_qs(content)
if 'errorcode' in data:
error = data.get('reason', 'An unknown error has occurred')
if isinstance(error, list):
error = error.pop()
raise YouTubeError(error)
#Use my cool traversing method to extract the specific
#attribute from the response body.
path = ('url_encoded_fmt_stream_map', 'url')
video_urls = self._fetch(path, content)
#Get the video signatures, YouTube require them as an url component
path = ('url_encoded_fmt_stream_map', 'sig')
video_signatures = self._fetch(path, content)
self.title = self._fetch(('title',), content)
for idx in range(len(video_urls)):
url = video_urls[idx]
if isinstance(video_signatures, basestring):
signature = video_signatures
else:
signature = video_signatures[idx]
signature = self._signature_re.search(signature)
if signature is not None:
signature = signature.group(0)
else:
continue
try:
fmt, data = self._extract_fmt(url)
filename = "%s.%s" % (self.filename, data['extension'])
except (TypeError, KeyError):
pass
else:
#Add video signature to url
url = "%s&signature=%s" % (url, signature)
v = Video(url, filename, **data)
self.videos.append(v)
self._fmt_values.append(fmt)
self.videos.sort()
def _extract_fmt(self, text):
"""
YouTube does not pass you a completely valid URLencoded form,
I suspect this is suppose to act as a deterrent.. Nothing some
regulular expressions couldn't handle.
Keyword arguments:
text -- The malformed data contained within each url node.
"""
itag = re.findall('itag=(\d+)', text)
if itag and len(itag) is 1:
itag = int(itag[0])
attr = YT_ENCODING.get(itag, None)
if not attr:
return itag, None
data = {}
map(lambda k, v: data.update({k: v}), YT_ENCODING_KEYS, attr)
return itag, data
def safe_filename(text, max_length=200):
"""
Sanitizes filenames for many operating systems.
Keyword arguments:
text -- The unsanitized pending filename.
"""
#Quickly truncates long filenames.
truncate = lambda text: text[:max_length].rsplit(' ', 0)[0]
#Tidy up ugly formatted filenames.
text = text.replace('_', ' ')
text = text.replace(':', ' -')
#NTFS forbids filenames containing characters in range 0-31 (0x00-0x1F)
ntfs = [chr(i) for i in range(0, 31)]
#Removing these SHOULD make most filename safe for a wide range
#of operating systems.
paranoid = ['\"', '\#', '\$', '\%', '\'', '\*', '\,', '\.', '\/', '\:',
'\;', '\<', '\>', '\?', '\\', '\^', '\|', '\~', '\\\\']
blacklist = re.compile('|'.join(ntfs + paranoid), re.UNICODE)
filename = blacklist.sub('', text)
return truncate(filename)
| {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
} | 3,128 |
Tim Duncan, 5-time NBA champion, retires after 19 seasons
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Tim Duncan (21) of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates after defeating the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2014 NBA Finals at the AT&T Center on June 15, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas.</p>
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan is finally calling it a career.
Duncan announced his retirement on Monday after 19 seasons, five championships, two MVP awards and 15 All-Star appearances. It marks the end of an era for the Spurs and the NBA.
Duncan was the No. 1 overall pick out of Wake Forest in 1997 and teamed with Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili to make the Spurs the most enduring success story in modern American sports. His reserved demeanor and game built on fundamentals more than athleticism served as the backbone for the franchise's unparalleled run.
Duncan was a three-time NBA Finals MVP and was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times in his career. He is fifth on the NBA's career list in blocks, sixth in rebounds and 14th in scoring.
Tim Duncan Career Earnings vs. League Averages | PointAfter | {
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
} | 683 |
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