"Sorry." Taylor said at last.
"For what?" Walker asked.
"For losing it like that. I didn't mean it."
"Ahh, it's all that coffee you've been drinking Tay." Zac joked. "All that caffeine... it's not good for you man."
Taylor shook his head in amusement.
Taylor, Zac and Walker were determined to stay up until Isaac and Oscar came back. But the hours passed and they all ended up falling asleep where they were, as did Rocky and Trinity.
**********
Zac was the first to wake up the next morning. He got up quietly to get his breakfast. Not long thereafter the other started waking up and one thing was plainly evident:
Oscar was not back yet.
However, Oscar did come back not long after everyone realised he wasn't back yet.
"I hate flying this time of day." He grumbled, preening his feathers. "Fortunately there's not a lot of people out and none of them looked up."
"Where's Ike?" Taylor demanded.
Oscar was silent for a moment.
"I couldn't find him. That's why I took so long to come back, I was looking for him. I searched the entire street, inch by inch!"
"Do you think The Goblin has him?" Zac asked.
"It's possible." Trinity said.
"Doran wasn't planning on doing anything more than just leaving him there." Taylor said. "I know, I read his mind- and you know that. He had spoken to The Goblin. She told him to infiltrate us and learn stuff. She said if he mimicked anyone of us not to kill them - they may come in useful later. I know he's alive!"
"Who's alive?"
They turned and stared. There, coming down the stairs was Isaac - the real Isaac.
"Isaac!" Taylor cried rushing over and hugging him. "Where were you?"
"Where was I? When? Hey Zac you're here!"
"Hi Ike!"
"Yesterday, where were you? What happened?"
"I went out with some friends to watch a movie. We went by the cafe on the way back. Then we're done there right? And went I leave I realise that I've left my wallet at the cafe, so I go back to get it. Anyway, so I'm heading back to Roy's car, but some moron mugged me. And I mean moron. He just knocked me out but he didn't take any of my money." Isaac rolled his eyes and rubbed his head. "Hurt too, though, I haven't found a lump or anything yet. Can't quite pin point the spot... but anyway, Roy came looking for me and saw me knocked out. He was about to call an ambulance when I came to, so he just drove me down to the hospital and had it checked out. They didn't find anything either, so Roy drove me home. It was really late by then and I decided to go in by the window so I wouldn't wake anyone up."
"Ike? That wasn't a mugger. That was a mutant named Doran."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, he's a shape shifter too!" Zac said.
"No, he's not." Taylor and Trinity said together.
They looked at each other and laughed.