A/N: this is the edited version! I'm hoping you like the changes. If your new to the story, WELCOME!!! I hope you like it. 

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An explosion shook the ground, thundering through the quiet of the night. The tall, auburn haired man stopped and turned to look as fire swept over the building that held his lab. He knew he had to move quickly if he wanted to get away without anyone noticing. If everything worked out, they would all think he was dead.

He climbed onto the waiting motorcycle and looked towards the building again. A figure was emerging from the flames, details of the figure were hard to make out, silhouetted against the flames, just a long, lanky frame and hair as black as squid ink. The man on the bike pulled on his helmet quickly and drove away from the burning building, into the night.

***2 Years Later****

A motorcycle pulled to a stop in front of a Queen Anne Victorian House. The house was large, three stories. He could see a porch that wrapped around part of the front and onto the side. A second story balcony was there as well. A circular tower was on one side of the building. The top floor of the tower was clearly a room with windows all around it and he could see someone moving around there. The house was pulled back and raised from the main road surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Large trees covered the area giving the already secluded house an even greater feeling of isolation. The neighborhood may have been inside the town, but the large houses all seemed secluded on their own plots of land. The entire town felt like its own private world, carved out in a high, quiet area of the wooded mountains.

The motorcycle’s rider took off his helmet as he got off the bike, revealing short, wavy auburn hair. His dark green eyes scanned the area cautiously. He grabbed his phone off the mount on his bike and frowned at it.

“Either this is the place, or the GPS doesn’t like the mountains.” He mumbled to himself walking toward the house. As the man got closer to the gate, he spotted a metal sign on the fence ‘Lawson’s Tattoo and Piercing’ was embossed there, in bold raised letters. “Guess this is it.”

As he continued toward the house his dark green eyes were filled with curiosity. He wondered why the owner would run a shop out of a house, a secluded house at that, instead of in the busier parts of town.

He stepped into the house, his eyes taking in his surroundings. The door opened into an entryway with an open nook where people could hang coats if needed, dark hard wood flowed across the floor leading him into a large open room set up as a cross between office and a living room. To his left he noticed a large old-fashioned staircase next to a swinging door and a closed pass thru that must lead to a kitchen.

“Hi there!” A bright chipper voice came from his right, he looked over to see a smiling woman behind a tall desk that came up to his waist. She was sitting on a tall chair, her legs curled under her. She wore a graphic shirt that had been tied up the sides, tight jean shorts and gladiator sandals.

A large, slouching beanie held most of her hair that had been dyed a shocking shade of blue. The lenses of the circle rimmed glasses she wore were also a shade of blue, but softer and lighter, like her eyes.

“You here for an appointment Hun?” Her voice was bright and chipper. Her enthusiasm and perky manners were infectious.

“Actually I am.” He smiled back at her, “For Steinson with Lawson.”

“Great!” She pulled out a clipboard with release forms on it, “If you can just fill these out Mr Steinson, I’ll get you taken care of.”

“Please call me Hammer, no one calls me Mr Steinson.” Hammer pulled the forms toward himself and began filling in information and signing his name.

“Perfect! I’m Francesca, everyone calls me Franny.” Franny unfolded herself from her chair, “I’ll get Lawson for ya.”

Hammer watcher her practically bounce from behind the counter and up the stairs, chuckling at her enthusiasm. He stepped away from the counter and over to the large picture windows, looking out into the forest. He inhaled deeply, working to calm his mind. This was the last step, after today he could breath a little easier. He didn’t know if they were looking for him, but after this he knew they’d have a much harder time finding him.