Listening quietly, and cataloguing every word, vocal characteristic, and body language, Trinity could not believe what she was hearing; and she had heard a lot of unbelievable things in her life. 1
Kessar, the head Gallu himself, sat across the table from her, telling her in great detail his plans for his kind, and for the world in general. There was no reason for him to tell her, unless he planned on using her to deliver some sort of message. She only hoped it would be a bite-free one.2
“Why?” she asked, interrupting him.3
“Why what?”4
“Why do you want to kill humans?” she fidgeted in her seat slightly, trying to ignore the feeling that she really needed to use the bathroom that was in her little cell. 5
He looked slightly confused, which she could tell was an act. “Humans created us…well, actually some gods did…but it was to protect their humans from a threat that never really existed.” He paused. “Are we really to be blamed when we continue to do what we were created for?”6
“Yes.” She stared at him, looking for any telltale signs of deceit. “Why don’t you kill Daimons?” His eyes squinted ever so slightly, and she and to clamp down on the smile that threatened.7
“Daimons are our old enemy.”8
“Then kill them, and leave humans alone.” Her leg started bouncing. If she wanted to be a complete bitch, she would just relieve herself right then and there, but there was no way in hell she wanted to walk around in urine. God only knew what it would take to push one of these demons over the edge and attack her. With her luck, it would be the charming stench of pee. Although she doubted it, since the whole area reeked of decay and death.9
Kessar watched her discomfort, then smiled slightly. “I will show you back to your accommodations so you can rest. It is my hope that by having one understanding human, that maybe we can make this transition as painless as possible.”10
Standing, Trinity waited until the door opened, then she breezed out like she was Gallu Queen and the man with her was just some insignificant peon. So intent on annoying Kessar, she missed the fanged snarl he directed at her back.11
Once in her small ‘accommodations’, she waited for the demon to walk away before she nearly ran to the small alcove at the back of the cell.12
Kessar paused around the corner from the human’s cell and snarled. He hated having to be nice to such an insignificant being, and hated it even more because she had the audacity to treat him like dirt. 13
With the knowledge he was giving her, he knew she would be like putty in his hands in a few days. Reacting to the mention of Daimons had been a slip up on his part, but it showed him that she knew about Daimons. Yes, as he suspected, his Gallu had snatched someone very valuable, and he planned on exploiting that to the hilt. 14
~~~~~~~~~~~~~15
The warmth from her body caressed him as he held her, her backside pressed against his left hip as his arm encircled just above her chest. She felt so warm, so inviting…so forbidden, and so undeniably taboo. 16
She smiled at him, making his breath catch in his throat. This was not the smile that he usually received from women, a smile that told him that they wanted nothing more than to claim him for themselves. No, this was a smile that hinted at forbidden promises and of asking nothing in return. 17
Suddenly, he was alone. Confusion surrounded him, accompanied by an anger and grief so intense that it brought him to his knees.18
Ash jerked awake, and looked around. The feeling from the dream was still with him, and it took a lot of will power not to scream out with the anger he felt. Leaning over, he put his head in his hands and inhaled deeply. 19
Shaking off the feeling, he stood, realizing for the first time that he was standing in Tria’s living room, the laptop open on the low coffee table in front of him, and papers every where. Last thing he remembered was searching through government web sites as he studied their satellite images for traces of a metallic black Corvette StingRay. 20
He had had no luck with it, even after looking through nearly every inch of Nevada. Time was against them, and quickly running out. Calculating things, he knew that if Trinity had been bitten when she was taken, then she would be a Gallu by now.21
His mind slipped back to his dream, which he immediately forced out of his mind. Last thing he needed was to be consumed by a little erotica when he should be concentrating on the Gallu. Then again, a little flesh for fantasy seemed like a far better thing to be thinking about than a bunch of killers. Luckily Artemis was barred from contact with him at the moment. She would have a freak-out of royal proportions if she ever felt that he was dreaming of other women in a less than platonic way.22
Shaking his head in annoyance, he settled back down in front of the computer and checked his e-mail…which was overflowing…big surprise there. Good thing he had unlimited space in his inbox, but at times a limit to how many letters he could get appealed to him. 23
Running through them quickly, firing off replies, he also sent a message off to Zoe, who he had planned on visiting the following week. With the situation here, it didn’t feel right in leaving until it was settled. He knew that Zoe would be ‘completely heartbroken’ that he wouldn’t be able to make it…all sarcasm intended. 24
He felt Tria’s presence even before he heard the door to the basement bedroom opening. Turning on the couch so that she wouldn’t be behind him, he watched as she shuffled into the living room and fell onto the couch on the other side of the coffee table. Rolling over so that she was on her back, she stared at the ceiling. 25
Leaning back in his seat, he took a good look at Tria. Her usually neat hair was pulled back into a haphazard ponytail, with more than a few multicolored tendrils escaping. Her clothes, which usually bordered on deliciously indecent, were now a basic brown sweater that hugged her curves, and a plain pair of blue jeans. Even her footwear was muted from its usual look. “Get any sleep?”26
“Nope.” She glanced at him, then back at the ceiling. “Find anything?”27
“A few things,” he admitted, “but nothing overly helpful.”28
“What few things?” she asked as she sat up and pushed the sleeves of her sweater up her arms. 29
“Cell phone was used in Nevada last night, and her car was automatically ticketed by a camera going through a red light.” He paused. “Plus, the woman I offed this morning matches the description of a missing person, last seen in Vegas on vacation.”30
“Vegas…home of the Gallu.” Standing with a sigh, Tria linked her hands together and bringing them over her head, gave a full body stretch.31
Ash’s sliver eyes darted back to the computer screen. “Sin and the other Vegas Hunters are looking for her.” 32
Sitting back on the couch, Tria ran her hands over her face as she took the information in. She had been up all day thinking, and after a few hours of yelling, screaming and basically throwing enough things around to destroy her bedroom, she had finally come to the realization that Trinity was dead, and if not dead, a demon. Tria had basically known that already, but hadn’t wanted to admit it. To her, admitting was the same as giving up, and she didn’t want to do that either. 33
Eventually, reality kicked its way into her tantrum, and forced her to take a good, hard look at the events and work through them logically. Picking her computer up from the floor, and surprised that it still worked, she logged into dark-hunter.com, and went through every single piece of information in the secured area that contained the word ‘Gallu’. 34
“When do you think she’ll be back?”35
Ash’s eyes flicked to her again. “Back?”36
“This wasn’t by chance,” she said. “Well, maybe Trin was taken by chance, but the whole thing feels…set up.” Rubbing her hands together, she tried to explain. “The Gallu from the other night… one escapes, and tells Kessar that you’re here. They send someone else out to get you, and grab Trinity since that couple on the corner saw her talking with you.37
“They grab her, since she’s alone, and infect her so that she’ll come back. She’ll have her basic memories, which is why you said I had to change the security codes, and she’ll know where to find you.”38
“And if I’m not here?” he asked, slightly fascinated at her deductions.39
“Then she infects me, and most likely I’ll know where to find you. If not, then there’s a Gallu Dark-Huntress running around.” She gave him a quizzical look. “Would the Gallu conversion make me able to walk in the sun?”40
“Uh, no,” he replied slowly. “First hint that a Hunter’s been turned, and I fry their ass right down to nothingness.”41
“So, once bitten, twice dead?”42
“I would hope that any Hunter would have the sense to cauterize any bites, and spare me the trouble of having to destroy them.”43
Tria blinked slowly, then stood and walked into the kitchen. “Coffee?” she asked. “You do eat or drink, don’t you?”44
He didn’t, really, except for his nourishment form Artemis... although he did enjoy an occasional beer from time to time. “Coffee’s fine,” he said, not even knowing why he bothered. “Black.”45
~~~~~~~~~~~~~46
Standing on the beach, surfboard in hand, Savitar stared out at the waves as he waited for a good one to ride. He was alone, yet again, Aiden having returned back to her home for a while to tend to some personal issues with her Patria. 47
Ever since he bought her building and gave it to her, the Were-Eagles had been trying to get back into her good graces. He could see how sleazy they were, and only hoped that Aiden wouldn’t buy into their insincerity. Her future was laid out before him, and if she let them back in, then that would open the door for more problems for her. And although he tried to deny it, Savitar knew that he would do anything to keep her from harm. 48
Hopefully the Gerakian Regis that wanted to talk with Aiden showed up when Fury Kattalakis was there. One-time antagonists, Aiden and Fury had become friends, and helped each other come to terms with certain things in their pasts. Fury, the Katagaria Lykos Regis, was somewhat protective of his friends, and would not stand for anyone, especially an Arcadian patria leader, intimidating someone he cared for. 49
Besides, if she was able to hold her own ground against those wanting to get to her, Aiden would eventually be the one who would introduce Fury to his mate, and allow the wolf to live his own version of ‘happily ever after’. 50
Happily ever after…three simple words that should be available to anyone willing to take the chance on love, but usually unattainable to all but the heartiest. Savitar’s mind switched back to the dream that had plagued him for the past few days. 51
Ash. One of the extremely limited few beings that Savitar would never deny, and never purposely hurt. Unfortunately, with the knowledge Savitar possessed, he couldn’t help but hurt those he cared for from time to time. That was one of the reasons he didn’t care for others. But there were a few that managed to make it past his defenses, and he would literally destroy all to make sure that they were safe. 52
Savitar suddenly wondered what it would have been like if someone other than Ash had ended up being the first Dark-Hunter. Going the distance, he wonder what it would have been like if he himself had the position. Although, he couldn’t see it ever happening, since he wasn’t stupid or needy enough to have fallen in love with Artemis, nor would be have perished by Apollo’s hands. Savitar was far too selfish and self-absorbed to even care if those two perished or not, and it would have been Mr. Sunshine-Ass that ended up dead, and with him, the ultimate Bitch Goddess, and then the earth. 53
Besides, Savitar was the god that no one fucked with, and he knew it. Although Ash was a god himself, he barely had a fraction of the arrogance the surfer had… which was probably extremely lucky for the human race.54
After all Ash had been through in his human life, then as a Dark-Hunter, he deserved to be happy. Not just the happiness that came from having friends, or knowing that a job was well done, but the deep down happiness that came from loving someone on a mental and physical level. 55
Sometimes, though, happiness had to be paid for first with the cruelest fee imaginable; hope. Faith may take a beating, and dreams could be quashed, but hope was the one thing that kept a being like Ash going. Hope that what he was doing was making a difference, and saving humanity from a fate far worse than death. 56
Looking up from his thoughts, Savitar frowned as a perfect wave crested on its way to the beach. Annoyed that he was wasting time concerned about other things than his own wants and needs, he teleported himself and the surfboard out to the water in anticipation of another wave he knew was coming.57
~~~~~~~~~~~~~58
“Who is Tria Cavanaugh?”59
Trinity slowly looked at the Gallu that had spoken. “Who?”60
Kessar forced himself to be calm. “The woman who called your cellular phone the evening you arrived here,” he told her. “That name showed up on call display.”61
“Debt collector?”62
“I am getting fairly tired of these little games you play,” he said, his patience close to ending. “We know who you are and what you are. Now, who…is…she?”63
“You…tell… me,” Trinity ground out, not really caring if it pissed him off or not. 64
“She’s a Dark-Hunter.”65
Trinity laughed out loud. “A what?” 66
Slamming his hands down on the table top, Kessar pushed himself up, stalked to her side of the table and glared down at her. Before Trinity could move, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. 67
“Get off me,” Trinity said as she tried to get out of his grasp. She punched with her free hand, landing a few good hits on his face, which he ignored. 68
“You will play this my way,” he hissed, a moment before yanking her arm up and sinking fangs in just above her elbow. 69
Screaming in disbelief, she managed to jerk her arm away, and spun, kicking out at the same time. Her foot made contact with his head, whipping it back as blood spurted from his nose. Deciding she had nothing to lose, Trinity launched herself at the demon, driving him to the ground in surprise, where she pummeled him with fists, elbows, feet, knees and more than a few head butts before hands grabbed at her and yanked her off.70
“You stupid fucker!” she yelled at him as she was being dragged from the room. 71
Kessar stood from the floor, wiping blood from his face as he heard her cursing continue while she was being pulled down the hall. 72
Trinity stumbled to the floor when they shoved her into her cell, and immediately headed for the small bathroom when her captors walked away. Searching for something to cauterize her wound, her eyes fell on a small stone sticking out of the wall. Kicking at it, she managed to break some of it off, and scoped it up, along with two other stones.73
Pulling a blanket off the bed, she ripped thin strips out of the material, and made a small pile. Taking two of the stone in her hands, she flicked them together over the cloth pile, hoping to make at least one spark. Her hands started to shake after a few minutes of trying, and she was forcing herself not to panic. 74
Suddenly, and as if in answer to a silent prayer, a small spark flew to the cloth and slowly started to burn. She immediately placed the rock she had kicked from the wall on the smoldering cloth, and gently blew on it. Within a minute, she had a pitiful fire going, and hoped that no one would smell it and take away her one chance to help herself.75
Hoping the rock in the fire was hot enough, she wrapped one small end in a cloth and brought it up to her arm. Inhaling, she set the stone against the bite, and clenched her teeth to keep from yelling out in pain. The smell of burning flesh curled around her, and she snorted the odor out of her nose to keep herself from being sick. When the rock cooled, she placed it back in the flames to reheat, then took it again to place it on another part of the bite.76
When she was finished, she doused the flames, and crawled to the bed to rest. Not sure if she had been able to cauterize in time, or if she had even burned it adequately, she settled back to wait and pray for the best.77
“This is fucking insane,” she whispered to herself.78
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~79
The office in the Squire’s building was, as usual, full of activity and voices trying to be heard over each other. Since it was officially listed as a ‘Computer Tech’ call center to throw off anyone suspicious, there were always people around. Some actually answered phones and questions, but usually shunted all non-Hunter related calls through to a real call center. 80
Far back in one hallway, offices assigned to the squires held higher security and only those permitted were allowed. Ash and Tria sat in one of he offices, while a squire looked through information sent to him from the Las Vegas squires. 81
“The missing woman you…killed… was named Beth Winston. Originally from Miami, and in Vegas on vacation. She was last seen in the company of a Charles Parker…” the squire paused for a moment. “Who is also listed as missing.”82
“Picture?” Ash asked. 83
The squire pulled up a picture from the missing persons files of the Las Vegas police. “This is him. There’s also some casino security footage that shows him with a woman.” He typed in a few things and a grainy image appeared on the screen. 84
They watched as the man, Charles, approached a woman sitting at a bar, and started chatting with her. From appearances, it appeared to be the ‘Beth’ they were interested in. 85
“Neither one is Gallu,” Tria said, motioning to the mirrors that lined the back of the bar. Reflections of both showed two good-looking humans. “This is really getting no where, and unless someone wants to look at too many friggin’ hours of security footage, then I would like to suggest another course of action.”86
“And what would that be?” the squire asked in a frosty tone.87
Tria’s black eyes flashed for a brief moment. “Gee, I don’t know. What would squires do when one of their own goes missing?” She stopped and held up her hand. “Never mind. Apologies. I’m pissed off, but…”88
The squire nodded once. “Have you been assigned a new squire?”89
Ash closed his eyes briefly at the insensitivity of the squire. He took a look at Tria, instantly gauging the look in her eyes, and decided that a preemptive option was needed. 90
“Take a break,” he told the squire, his voice leaving no room for refusal. Watching as the squire left, he used his powers to close the door, then flicked off the computer screen.91
“New squire,” Tria whispered. “I don’t want a new squire. I want Trinity.” She looked at Ash, giving him a half-hearted smile that hit him harder than it should have. “Guess that’s not very professional.”92
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “We all have things that affect us on certain levels.”93
“Things affect you?” she asked, suspicious. 94
“I’m just better at hiding it,” he said honestly as his cell phone rang. He pulled it out and turned slightly away to talk. 95
Tria picked a pen up from the desk and spun it around in her fingers as she looked around the office. It was so much like Trinity’s at the end of the hall that it was slightly disconcerting. Since she was officially listed as missing in action, her office was now closed off while Blood Rite Squires went through her things. 96
Just thinking of that pissed Tria off, since the Blood Rites were the ones that executed anyone that betrayed their world. To her, their investigating was as good as saying that Trinity had turned on them.97
She continued to look around, catching glimpse of Ash’s reflection in the tall window. He seemed to fill it complete, and her eyes traveled up his imposing reflection, from his motorcycle boots, tight leather pants, long leather jacket to his black hair with a nearly neon blue front stripe.98
When she got to the reflection of his face, she paused. It looked like he was staring directly at her from the window, his silver eyes eerie as he continued to talk on the phone. He paused for a moment, and his eyes flicked to some other spot in the room.
Figuring it was just her imagination playing tricks on her, Tria sighed as she sat in the chair in front of the desk, leaned back and placed her feet directly on a pile of papers that was there. Moving her legs slightly, she smiled in contentment as she succeeded in messing up the papers and sending a few to the floor. She knew it was petty, but it served her needs at the moment.99
Ash listened as the person on the other end of the phone spoke, his attention traveling around the reflection of the room behind him. At times, he had a bad habit of staring at things without realizing it, and he had caught himself staring at Tria while he talked. Not wanting to make the Huntress any more troubled than she already was, he tried to avoid looking at her…which he found surprisingly hard to do. 100
Focusing on the conversation he was having, and not liking the news he had just heard, his eyes closed behind his sunglasses, and he closed the phone to conclude the call. 101
“Trinity’s car was found in the desert,” he said in a low voice, not wanting to deliver the rest of the news. “Burned-out, but the plates match. There was a body in the vehicle… they’re going to try for an identification.”102
Tria stared at him for a moment as she slowly stood, a look of confusion on her face. “It’s not Trin.”103
“I know it’s hard-“104
“No,” she cut him off. “This time, you don’t know.” Turning, she walked out of the office, slamming the door behind her.105
Ash closed his eyes in annoyance, and opened his phone to make another call. He was willing to let her go and deal with it in her own way, knowing from experience that anything he would say would be met with scorn and misdirected hostility. 106
He had just sat on the corner of a desk for the call when the Oracle part of himself pulled up a vision that caused him to jerk. 107
~~~~~~~~~108
Stalking out of the building, Tria set off in a random direction, not really caring where she was going. She didn’t really want to be out patrolling at the moment, but needed the walking and air to clear her mind. 109
She was right, and Ash was wrong. That’s all there was to it. Although a part of her hoped that her squire was dead to spare her becoming Gallu, Trinity was not the body in the car, and tests would prove it. After all she had read about Gallu, and Kessar in particular, it just didn’t fit. They infected people, or killed them outright, sure, but to kidnap someone like that, only to dispose of the body just didn’t ‘feel’ right. 110
If they didn’t want to keep her or convert her, then why drive all the way to Vegas to get rid of the body? Gil Grissom, where are you when we need you, she thought sarcastically, knowing that the fictitious CSI crew could solve this. 111
Stopping as a familiar sensation crept through her mind, her eyes slid to an alleyway to her left, and a predators smile graced her lips.112
Daimons. 113
Just good plain ol’ Daimons. Something that was kind enough to just vanish when she staked them. No having to cut off heads, or burn bodies, or any other desecration… just a pure satisfaction from seeing them go ‘poof’. 114
Slinking into the alley, the smile grew when she counted six of them standing together. Looking around for the other two, since they usually traveled in packs of four, she spotted them keeping a watch at the opposite end of the alley, surprised to see a third with them.115
“Should have watched this end,” she said loudly, sighing in delight when all nine heads turned her way. “First, I would like to thank all of you. I’m in the mood to kick multiple asses tonight, and…well…whose first?”116
The Daimons looked at each other, then back at her. None of them moved, which made her take a better look. There, on the ground was the unmoving body of a man wearing a long coat, the black leather a shade or two darker than his skin. Mosi, the Dark-Hunter who was a magnificent Swahili warrior at one time, looked alive, but not for much longer if the Daimons had their way.117
“Just in time to witness an execution,” one of the Daimons sneered. “This Dark-Hunter,” he paused to kick the man on the ground, “killed eleven of us before we bought him down.”118
“It takes twenty Daimons to get one Hunter?” Tria asked, putting as much confusion into her voice as she could. “And he only left nine for me? How rude!”119
Moving fast, she motioned to the end of the alley, sending three fireballs at the Daimons, dissolving them on the spot, before sprinting into action and running at the six that were standing around Mosi. Spinning when she drew close enough, she pulled a knife out of her pocket and drove it straight into the center chest of the nearest Daimon, piercing his black mark and seeing him to dust. Her momentum carried her into two more Daimons, who grabbed her arms and attempted to hold her still while another one ran at her with an ax.120
Calling on the anger that she had in her at being touched, Tria broke free easily, and kicked one back while stabbing the other. The remaining four regrouped, and forgetting the body on the ground, focused on her. Tria could feel her strength lessen slightly, which meant that Mosi was still alive… that in itself a great thing, but not so good since she needed all her strength. 121
Needing to finish this quickly, and before the Daimons could summon help, or use one of the axes they held, she pulled another knife from her pocket, then ran at the four, pausing long enough to launch herself into a cartwheel that scattered the Daimons. Hoping she timed it right, she kicked out with her foot, satisfied to feel the wall as she pushed herself back in the direction she came from. A quick stop, and lunging with both arms, and she was down to two adversaries. 122
“Well, well,” she said, trying not to pant as the exertion tried to catch her. “Doesn’t look like it’s your night to lessen the Hunter population.”123
“We’ll see,” one said, turning and hoisting the ax into the air. He was on the downswing, straight to Mosi’s neck when the body on the ground suddenly rolled out of the way. Tumbling forward, the Daimon landed straight on the knife that was held up by the Swahili warrior. 124
A quick fireball to the chest disposed of the remaining Daimon. Tria leaned over, placing her hands above her knees as she panted. “What the hell were you waiting for?” she asked. “An engraved invitation?”125
Mosi sat up slowly and tried to focus on her, his black eyes full of pain. “Not necessary,” he mumbled. “Perhaps a loan of your phone so I can contact my squire, though.”126
Tria closed her eyes at the sudden ache that brought to her chest. I don’t’ have a squire anymore. Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket, she tossed it to him, and waited while he called for a pick up. “What did you do to piss off so many Daimons?”127
“Besides being a Dark-Hunter?” he asked as he tossed the phone back to her. “No idea. I chased four in here after they tried to attack a couple walking home from a bar, and the little bastards were everywhere.”128
“And what’s the big idea in leaving only nine for me?” Tria asked.129
“Eight,” he replied seriously. “I did get that one trying to behead me.” He smiled, his handsome face showing he was actually relieved to still be alive… or, at least not dead for a second time. “Thank you for your aide.”130
“Anytime,” she said and straightened. “Need a hand getting up.”131
“Save your strength,” he said. 132
She looked up as headlights pulled into the alley, and someone got out of the car. 133
“Mosi?” a male voice called out.134
“Here,” he called, and waited while his squire approached and helped him to his feet. He gave a slight wave to Tria before turning and limping painfully to the car. 135
“That could have ended badly.”136
Tria spun at the deep voice, automatically sending out a fireball, which the person caught in his hand before tossing it back at her. Tria waved the fire away and sighed. 137
“Stop scaring the hell out of me, okay!”138
Ash stared at her from behind his dark sunglasses. “I’ll try not to do it again,” he said, watching as the car carrying the injured Mosi drove away. “Thank you for coming to the aide of another Hunter. It’s never pleasant when one leaves us.”139
Feeling more tired than she could ever remember being, Tria could only nod.
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Please tell me what you think
Comments
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ash notices everything...
yeah, im back in the storywrite scene! and here to stay... i have so much catching up to do, especially with you you crazy chain-novelist!
oh good times reading about my ash and looking forward to the next chapter. i have to say very subtly, and no so subtly, sexy chapter. -
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Great to have you back reading!!!!
If you've read "Acheron" then some things in this will seem out of character... but, will make sense in the next couple novels.
Even if you haven't read it, some things seem out of character.... but people act different when around certain people. 
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Ash's dream?
'bordered on deliciously indecent' .. Ash notices things like that???
And Savitar again! *silent yeeehhh!!!, since I'm in the library* Him thinking of Artemis
Burn that poison out!
hmmm... okay.. no more comments... must read.... except to add... fight scene!
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Yes, Ash notices things like that
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