You see, Sedona had acquired these enemies through no fault of her own. She has acquired these enemies because of a birthmark on her chest. A birthmark that separates her from the human race. The mark of 'I.'

"It was the strangest thing," Sedona said to Leslie Tiu-Yun-Chen as the pair walked to school. "I was walking home last night and I heard someone being attacked. I went to investigate and it was Silas being attacked by some 'cat woman."

"What's so strange about that? We do live in Transverse," Leslie responded.

"She's not telling the truth," Grandfather's ghost whispered. "She left before Silas. She should have been home long before him."

Leslie glared at him but didn't speak.

"That wasn't the strange part," Sedona replied. "When I attacked her I got dizzy and weak."

"That is strange."

"Not really. She should have been home in bed," Grandfather insisted.

Leslie waved her hand in a somatic gesture and the ghost of her Grandfather was silenced. He moved around in front of her. His arms were crossed and his right foot was tapping silently indicating his displeasure. Leslie walked by indicating she didn't care.

"I'm beginning to think our battle with the Troglodyte may have made me sick," Sedona continued.

"That is possible," Leslie agreed. "It did have a foul smell. I know I was sick afterwards."

Suddenly, Grandfather leapt in front of her once more waving his arms in warning. Once again Leslie ignored him and continued walking. Little did she know that an enemy was lingering nearby.

Sitting in a tree, watching Sedona was the woman Tygra. For little did she know that the woman Tygra had experienced a similar sensation of weakness. One she had never experienced before and she knew it was tied to this girl. This enemy she had just met.

So as I was saying Sedona makes enemies easily. All she did after all was defend a friend (if you can truly call him that). Yet it really doesn't matter. It is far easier to make an enemy than it is to make a friend as Duane Barclay is about to find out.

A bell sounded on his computer, and a message popped up on the side of the screen.

'The eggs thrive in a cool, damp environment.'

Duane was confused. Who would send him a message out of the blue like that?

'Who are you?' he replied.

'A potential buyer.'

'Buyer of what?'

'I'll buy your eggs.'

'What eggs?'

'Stop playing games with me. I know you have the Troglodyte eggs. I have a lot of money to offer.'

'I'm sorry, I'm not interested in your offer.'

As Duane waited for a reply, he began to trace the messages.

'Those eggs will be mine. If you don't sell them to me, I'll come get them another way!'

The trace finished, and Duane scribbled down the address on his notepad. He then closed the message window and did a search on the address.

The search engine listed only one item: Transverse University science department.

You see Duane has made a new enemy and he has done is refuse to sell an item that he doesn't currently possess. Yet he is not the only one making new enemies as we shall see at Ariana Helsington's apartment later that evening.

"Just what makes your situation so important?" Sedona inquired.

"Do you think that woman was just some random attacker?" Silas stormed. "That was an assassin sent to kill me."

"So what did you do to deserve an assassin?" Torrance Angus asked. "Forget to return your overdue library books?"

"Good one, Thor," Duane snickered.

Silas turned to Torrance with a sinister glare. "Don't even think you can imagine the life that I have lived, boy."

"That's enough!" Ariana growled, stepping between them. "Duane," she continued, "can you feed her description into the computer and she if you can find anything?"

"Sure." Duane nodded. "I'd have a better chance at home than with Ariana's antique here."

"Can't you connect with your network at home?" Silas asked almost pleading.

"I don't know." Duane returned sarcastically. "Can you put a Model-T engine in a Mustang and still expect it to do ninety?"

"Look the rest of us can't do anything sitting here," Daniel Ketch stated. "Let's hit the streets and see what we can find."

So you may wonder did Torrance just buy himself an enemy. Can one's friend become your enemy? That's one thing about living in Transverse. You're never certain who your friends and your enemies are.

"I don't think so," Torrance responded. "There are too many uncertain factors running around right now."

"Let's not forget what happened to Gerald,*" Leslie added. "We should really rely on strength in numbers right now."

*(issue #3)

"We should probably start where Silas was attacked," Torrance decided. The others nodded in agreement. "After you," he replied to Sedona indicating that she should lead and soon they were on their way.

"You're going to have to be patient," Duane returned. "I'm dealing with this snail of modem."

"I don't have time to be patient," Silas hissed.

Then the apartment door burst open. With lightning reflexes Tygra entered the room and knocked Silas to the floor.

"You don't have any time at all," she boasted.

Then she surveyed her surroundings and with a leap and a jump she incapacitated the other two apartment occupants. With expert precision she tied them up and waited.

"Why don't you finish me?" Silas spat.

"Because I'm waiting on your little guardian," she replied.

Then she turned her back to him to peer out the window. As she turned Silas noticed a mark on her back. The mark of 'I'. It took all of his self control to hide his excitement. An heir of Jehovah was in his presence. If only he weren't incapacitated.

Meanwhile, Duane glared at his captor. His eyes never left her. However his mind was far from her. Carefully with his hand tied behind his back he reached to the computer's speaker and turned the volume all the way down. Then he moved his hands to the mouse and through the corner of his eye he located the Phone tools icon on the desktop and clicked it. Carefully he reached the number pad on the keyboard and dialed Leslie's cell phone number.

I can do this stuff with my hands tied behind my back. he thought triumphantly.

"I told you she was not being entirely truthful," Grandfather's ghost insisted.

"Not now," Leslie said under her breath. This statement was masked fortunately by the ringing of Leslie's cellphone.

"Leslie," she answered. The only she response she heard was breathing. "Hello?" she offered. There was no response.

"Who is it?" Sedona asked.

"Prank call," she returned as she switched the phone off. Then it rang again.

"Leslie here," she responded. Then the voice came across the line.

"What are you going to do with us?" she heard Duane say.

"The same thing I do with all witnesses," Tygra purred in response.

A look of fear crossed Leslie's face and she switched off the phone. "There's trouble at Ariana's place." She replied and started running in that direction. The others followed her without question.

"That would make sense," Leslie replied. "Duane was definitely trying to make us aware of another presence."

"Geekboy probably just got bored," Sedona mused. "Hand me the phone."

Leslie complied and Sedona dialed Ariana's number.

"Hello," Sedona began. "Is this the little lost kitty I found last night?" she taunted. "I'm waiting outside."

As Sedona continued her grapple hold the nausea was replaced by discomfort and then a blinding pain. Still Sedona held strong. Soon the pair were screaming in agony and Sedona still refused to release her captive. Tygra struggled furiously but was unable to break free. Then the struggling stopped. Sedona finally let go.

"Here," Torrance said, offering to assist Sedona to her feet.

"I can get up on my own," Sedona hissed. Then she attempted the feat and found that she could not. Reluctantly she reached up and took his hand.

Meanwhile, Dan grabbed his rope and proceeded to tie their unconscious opponent. It was then that Sedona noticed the birthmark on Sedona's back. Her eyes grew wide with recognition and she absentmindedly fingered the mark on her own breast.

"Hey guys!" Dan called as he noticed the necklace around Tygra's neck. "What do you make of this?"

Leslie eyed the piece of jewelry and turned to her Grandfather. The ghost only shrugged. "Let's show it to Ariana," she suggested.

"Let's go make sure they're still alive," Dan returned and rushed toward the stairs. Leslie followed and Torrance was behind her until he realized that Sedona hadn't moved. Cautiously he approached her and offered his assistance. She favored him with a look of contempt but still reached around his shoulder and accepted his help.

"Sedona!" Torrance said in alarm. "Your hair!"

"What about my hair?" she said in disgust. "I just fought a battle it can't possibly stay perfect."

"It's not that," Torrance defended. "It's changed. There's a white streak in it."

As the pair entered the building, a figure materialized from the shadows. Cole October shook his head in disappointment as he lifted Tygra's unconscious body and melted back into the shadows.

"Yes I do," Silas commented. "It is the symbol of the Dark City."

Sedona and Torrance entered the room at that moment and Sedona eyed the necklace and Silas suspiciously.

"Where is the woman?" Silas demanded suddenly realizing she wasn't present.

"She's tied up in the street," Dan replied.

"Will you please bring her up?" Silas requested pleasantly. "I'd like to speak to her."

Torrance and Dan complied to the request and ran to the street below. A few moments later the sound of stomping feet erupted from the hallway. Torrance burst through the door.

"She's gone!" he cried out in disbelief. "It's like she vanished into thin air."

"Or shadows . . . " Silas muttered.

As he made this comment, Sedona turned and watched him through the corner of her eye.

So you may ask what is the measure of Sedona Wade's strength. For we have met some of her enemies. Yet only time will tell if we've met them all and only time will tell the true measure of her strength. However at this moment as Sedona watches the man known as Silas Androvich we are reminded of another saying about enemies. Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.