Chapter Chapter Nineteen: Homecomings

Chapter Nineteen – Homecomings He strained his emerald green eyes and brushed back his thick white hair as he took a long drag off his pipe. He did not like medicine, but adding them to his pipe powder was a comfort. He knew his hair should have been tied back, but he had worn it up for too long and he needed to relax his scalp and his nerves.

“

,” he asked himself, blowing out his smoke. This time it was a soft green, which meant most of the toxins had been removed from his body. “

!” He parted the wires with his hands and reached between them. He took a good hand-hold of the transmitter and removed it from its hiding place. It was firing signals like mad and he smiled as he checked his monitor. His Comm-Sys Gridlock was still in place, keeping in all transmissions and keeping out probing scans.

“I guess you couldn’t sleep either,” Sharon said as she walked into the warehouse. Rannis gasped, dropping the transmitter back inside the fuselage and quickly depressing his wrist controls. He quickly tossed the glass pipe into his special pocket on his belt.

“Did you not like the pillows I gave you?” Rannis asked.

“To be honest, I love that pillow,” Sharon answered. “I just can’t tell my mind to shut down!”

“I could suggest a strong tea,” he said in a soft tone as he quickly tied back his white hair and prepared himself. “But I wonder if you’re a tea person.”

“Not really,” Sharon chuckled as she stepped closer to him, her blanket wrapped around her shoulders. “Momma Schultz tried to get me on to that stuff. At the end of it all, she offered me some motor oil!”

“The more I hear about this woman, the more I am intrigued,” Rannis said, smoothing back his longer gray hair as he stepped away from his work. “I was wondering if I could make use of your smaller hands, Sharon.”

“Sure,” she said looking at the bike. “Anything I can do to help.” Rannis grunted, nodded and took hold of his forceps. He handed a set of long tweezers to Sharon and parted two bunches of wires.

“Can you see it, hmmm? Circular device, twenty-seven degrees down from the access port. Five degrees left of center.”

“Got it,” Sharon said as she inserted the tweezers and grabbed the transmitter he had dropped. “Is this like a burst transmitter?” she asked.

“You’re very good!” Rannis said as he gently took the transmitter from her. “That would be the closest Earth-side approximation of what it is. This is a smart chip with a Communication System, which we call Comm-Sys, capability. Right now, it is looking for a signal that will help it achieve its objective.”

“What is its objective?”

“To tell its maker where it is so they can come and get it,” Rannis answered as he placed the transmitter with the others, seven total, in a metal holding box. “That makes a total of seven on this vehicle. Which means the owner of this craft was not chintzy with the funds; at least not with their equipment. These babies were obviously better than the pilots that were driving them.”

“Is good help that hard to find in these parts?” Sharon asked.

“Well, since this is not a hover bike, the answer is yes.” Rannis informed. “You get a good enough pilot, this baby will go off planet. This is called a Strato-Runner and they are incredibly expensive. The weapons and shielding add another good coin or three to the price tag as well.”

“Can you sell it?” Sharon asked. “Recoup some of the funds we’re costing you?”

“I… can’t,” Rannis stammered before he could completely answer the question. He made the last of his decisions at that precise moment. What he had heard about Earth-side humans was being challenged with every moment he spent in the company of his new guests. It did not take an Armonyean to see how much the girl wanted the craft. But her mind would not process any thought of personal gain before it would process one for the good of her family. “It’s not mine to sell. You were the one giving the orders and flying Dreamchaser like she’s never been flown. You saved lives and property, Sharon, and, if I may take such a presumptive step forward in the absence of your father, I have to say I am proud of you.”

“No reason to trust me?” Sharon repeated his previously spoken words as she kissed his cheek. “Whatever you say, growly-bear.” She stepped back and gazed into his aqua-green eyes and her head tilted to the side. “You can make that step, Rannis. I was just glad no one got hurt. Especially Genie!

“Can you tell me, in stupid terms, what she did?” Sharon asked and Rannis let out several bursts of laughter.

“In stupid terms, hmmm?” he smiled as he went back to his work on the Strato-Runner. “Not that I am buying that you’re stupid, but there are many Shards, as Imogene told you. A Spatial Shard is one of the more prized because of its ability to manipulate simple energies. Now that Genie has a Spatial Shard, she too has those abilities. The stronger she bonds with Nollie, the more amazing she will become.”

“I better go and get some sleep then,” Sharon said as she turned. “There’s a lot to keep up with around here.”

“But why you, Sharon?” Rannis asked as he stopped working. “I realize you love the girl like a sister.”

“You make that sound simple,” Sharon replied. “It isn’t. Thanks for slipping in there that I’m not stupid, but I’m not one for big words.”

“Which only means yours are more likely to be true,” Rannis said, wiping his hands.

“There may be a point to that,” Sharon agreed as she looked down. “I guess the only way I can describe me and Genie is that when I was really, really young, I had a dream of a best friend and what she would be like. I modeled one of my favorite dolls after her and I took her everywhere with me. We didn’t always agree, but we were always able to talk to each other.”

“

,” Rannis thought. “

?”

“Not too long after I made that doll, I met Imogene.”

“Let me guess, perfect match?!”

“No,” Sharon admitted with a smile. “I got the name wrong and a few life-changing feelings were left out. But hey, I was just a kid.”

“Sharon, people like you don’t exist,” Rannis said as he glared at the young woman who simply smiled and let her head drop to her chest.

“Sure they do, Rannis,” Sharon said as she walked away. “Right now there’s a little bit of me in you. And if I’m lucky, I’ll find a little bit of Rannis in me. Will sure help around these parts.”

“Let me guess,” Rannis called after her. “A direct quote from Eleanor Schultz?”

“Nope, got that one from Nora Thaxton, Eleanor’s older, darker sister. Goodnight, Rannis.”

“Goodnight, sweet child,” Rannis said.

Rannis Etim looked at the housing he had provided for his guests. Timothy, of course, had not approved, but Rannis was not about to tell him he had already ordered bedding and some renovations to be done to one of his unused warehouses. He took great pleasure in tormenting the man, inasmuch as Timothy seemed so eager to assist in the endeavor. With a chuckle, he picked up the box of transmitters and carried it to his electromagnet where he could set up a smaller and less costly containment field. He would not sell the Strato-Runner, but the transmitters would fetch a good credit on the black market. All he had to do was set up a place and time for the exchange and see about outfitting one of his guests to go along with him. Taking Sharon would be like taking a thick wool blanket for a dash outside to fetch a delivery in the cold. Your feet and legs might catch a chill, but your shoulders and chest would feel like you were still in front of a roaring fire. Also, it would be simpler to take Sharon than to go and come back and have her somehow learn of it.

“

,” he thought as he returned to his work area. Rannis rubbed his hands together as a mischievous smile broke under his nose. He knew exactly what had to be done before it was time to take Timothy to his .

I have chosen.

“Have you now?” Rannis typed as he walked by the console. “Let us use the artificial voice for this, shall we?” Rannis typed a few commands and then turned on both the speaker and the microphone. “There now, you can tell me about your decision and I can continue my work.”

“I have ‘figured it out’ and I have made a decision,” the program in his computer bank reported.

“I see. And what is your decision?”

“I am for the Courier,” it declared. “She is a Courier and I am her Courier. I will maintain my designation of Longshot.”

“

,” Rannis thought.

“I understand,” Rannis said aloud. “But you realize that when you make a decision that involves another, you must also allow them to make a decision.”

“That is not a consideration I have calculated,” it realized. “What is the premise for the resolution?”

“That is difficult to define,” Rannis said. “… as the human mind is often a fluid thing, mixed with variables and irrational processes.”

“I am familiar with the functionality of the living mind,” it replied. “I a living mind!” Rannis dropped his tools as he looked at his computer bank that just stood there in its supposed machine-like innocence.

“Luatha, run a diagnostic on mobile computer bank A-4, concentrating on the programs contained within.”

“Warning!” Luatha reported, not five seconds into the scan. “Unlicensed sentience, unlicensed sentience. Thought pattern is typical of Negatroxian composition.”

“Is the pattern on file?” Rannis asked.

“Negative,” Luatha replied. “However, pattern is similar to that of Rajana. A First Order declared missing eighteen months ago.

“Lock down MCB A-4,” Rannis commanded. While there was enough power inside the bank to maintain the program, none of the other bank’s functions were allowed. “Lock MCB A-4 in the vault. No entry is permitted with the exception of myself. Also, send word to the Negatroix Consul, requesting audience in regards to a matter related to a missing First Order .”

“Audience request sent. Expected wait time, four point two five days.”

“Things must be busy with the Negatroix,” Rannis concluded as he watched the computer bank roll its way to the vault. He followed it until he could see the vault door close and lock. “Well, this explains a few things about Hiram’s warning. And that means I really need to finish!”

The time passed at different speeds for each of them, but they could all be placed in one of two categories: too slowly or too quickly.

For most, it was too slowly as they eagerly awaited the opportunity to start training for Edge. The lessons provided by either Rannis or the program he supplied kept them engaged for most of the day. Wayne was in the most pain after so many falls, but everyone noticed that the time interval between falls was growing. Rannis was surprised to see Timothy was trying his best to keep up and he actually showed some promise.

For two, the time flew by all too quickly. Timothy was not looking forward to saying goodbye to his children, and Rannis needed at least another year of preparation before he was going to feel comfortable about the devices he had constructed. When Sharon came into his work area, he wanted to throw something at her, but it was not her fault that the time had come, and to her credit, she had remembered what Rannis had said about the contact being incredibly punctual. They boarded Dreamchaser and jumped as the first four explosions rocked the craft before it lunged forward.

Rannis asked Imogene to drive, knowing that Sharon was not going to sightsee on this trip; the laser-burned deck reminded them of what had happened only two days ago. Imogene was not afraid of the throttle and by the time they parked Dreamchaser, they had twenty minutes to make a five-minute walk. Rannis picked up his shoulder bag and disembarked. No one said anything as they walked, and the five-minute walk took closer to nine. But the contact was indeed punctual; thirty seconds before the meet time, he showed up and quickly set up the sleeve.

“Where is your device?” he asked at just above a whisper.

“I am the device,” Imogene answered. Bordering on being a consummate professional, the man blinked twice and chuckled. No one joined him in laughter, so he realized the young girl’s response was not a joke.

“Very well,” he said, logging into the computer that regulated dimensional tunnel way formation. The door in the ceiling opened slowly. “How many passengers?”

“Three,” Sharon said quickly as she stepped up.

“

!” Rannis thought as he smiled.

“Sharon, what are you doing?” Imogene asked.

“You think I am going to let you go back alone? You must’ve fallen on your head while we learning the boards.”

“Sharon,” Timothy started.

“No offense, Daddy Schultz,” Sharon interrupted. “But you need to steer clear of this as much as you can. The less you know, the better off you are.”

Rannis opened his shoulder bag and presented Sharon with the equipment she requested. “Two PEPs, per your request, hmmm?”

“Way to go, Ran-Man!” Sharon exclaimed as she took her unit. Rannis showed them how to strap them on and then set each unit to the brain emissions of the user.

“These aren’t too fancy. I didn’t have time for that. But you have force energy and a cutting laser. Force energy can do whatever a hand can do, and you’ve seen what a cutting laser can do.

“No doubt!” Sharon said, excited. Imogene was equally impressed, but not gung-ho to strap on a weapon. “Remember, Genie, it can also make a force field.” Sharon pointed out and it was the very spark Imogene needed. Rannis and Sharon traded looks as Sharon smiled even brighter. “Rannis, I owe you big. So far, this whole thing was comin’ in just about one Oompa-Loompa shy of the worst Johnny Depp movie ever made. And that man is too sexy to be making bad movies!”

“So, you think a white guy can be sexy?” Wayne asked.

“You haven’t seen Chocolat!” Sharon fired back.

“I guess I’ll catch it when they put it on network television,” Wayne answered.

“Wow, real smooth, Sharon,” Gordon said as Sharon just looked at Wayne with her eyes and mouth gaped wide. Wayne slowly reached over to her face and closed her mouth.

“You don’t know how it makes me feel when you forget,” Wayne said softly as he patted Sharon on the shoulder. “I would say that we’re going to miss you two, but me and Gordo have to work on keeping up the male end of things.”

“Speak for yourself, boy,” Rannis said as he stepped away from the launch area. “I’m doing just fine.”

“You just make sure you get some sleep,” Sharon warned as she stepped up on the platform.

“The has clearance,” the man said as he quickly logged out of his computer and walked away at a very fast gait.

“Not one for speeches, is he?” Imogene said.

“Check that,” Sharon said as she looked up. “The opening in the ceiling is closing. Let’s boogie, Genie!”

“See you soon, guys,” Imogene said with a smile and then she stepped between Timothy and Sharon, taking hold of both their shirts.

“Son,” Timothy started.

“I know, Dad,” Gordon said quickly. “I love you too!”

“Let’s ride it!” Imogene whispered. The next instant, they were ascending and the effect of the formation was kept to the launch pad.

“I really like things on this side,” Gordon said with a smile.

“Gentlemen,” Rannis said in a raised voice. “Do you recall when I said I had not given you reason to trust or distrust me? Well, this will probably qualify as the latter.” The electrostatic charge transmitted by Rannis’ PEP rendered both young men unconscious relatively quickly. He then used his force beam to carry their unconscious forms back to Dreamchaser. Rannis had work to do and deliveries to make. Chatter to explain the latter would have only impacted his ability to do the former. Besides, he was relatively sure they would, in time, come to forgive his methods.

“

,” Imogene thought as soon as she had flown through the Gateway. “

.”

“I am amazed you waited this long,” Nollie replied and Imogene noticed that her perspective was not changing. She could still see the tunnel, her father and Sharon.

“

?”

“I told you there would be costs,” Nollie reminded Imogene. “I did not say that all of them would be bad. Your mind is a little stronger, but what do you think I did with that laser bolt you sucked down?”

“

!” Imogene answered with a smile. “

“

,” Imogene quickly continued. “

.”

“Their lives,” Nollie corrected. “Believe me, your pursuers would not have let you perish.”

“

?”

“You don’t like my decisions?!” Nollie sounded as if its feelings had been hurt.

“

,” Imogene explained. “

.”

“Any more?”

“

,” Imogene admitted in an apologetic tone. “

.”

“Genie, you need to wake up,” Nollie said. “I am here because you won’t kill me. You don’t need me. I might be the sentience of the Shard but you are the Spatial Shard! If you wanted to, you could erase me.”

“

.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t have the option!”

“I don’t!” Imogene cried aloud as the three of them came to a stop.

“Okay,” Sharon said, confused why her friend’s face was scowled in such a way. “Whatever you say, girl. No need to weird out on me.”

“This isn’t me, Shar,” Imogene quickly answered. “Aaeon!” she called out and the tunnel gave way, dispersing in all directions. The three of them were suddenly afloat in the middle of space. Timothy quickly took a deep breath and held it. Sharon looked at him and smiled.

“Fat lot of good that held breath is going to do you when we explode into a thousand ice crystals, because space is a vacuum and averages around -270o Centigrade. And if you can hear me, we’re not in a vacuum.”

“Listen to Miss Brain!” Imogene exclaimed.

“You’re the one who made me help you with that oral report,” Sharon said in a disgusted tone. “Three weeks, Genie. Three freakin’ weeks! Felt like I married Carl Sagan!”

“Well, I got an ‘A’!” Imogene said. A bright yellow star suddenly appeared in front of them.

“Yes, Genie?” Aaeon asked in a curious tone.

“First of all, let me say thanks for everything you’ve done, in front of my eyes and behind my back.”

“You are more than welcome, my dear.”

“Oh, Jesus!” Timothy gasped. He had grown fatigued of all of the new and incredible things he had witnessed. But what he beheld now reset the bar.

“No, Dad, that’s somebody else!” Imogene corrected. “Okay, now that I’ve done that, is what Nollie told me accurate?”

“Yes. It has yet to lie to you!”

“It?” Sharon asked softly.

“Well that’s not fair!” Imogene shouted. “You mean to tell me that her life will just come to an end-”

“Because what, Genie?” Aaeon asked. “… because someone else pulls a trigger? Depresses the ‘fire’ button? Gives the order to strike? How is any of this different than what you have with Nollie? She is a lesser form and you are a greater form.”

“What?!” Imogene shrieked.

“Whoa!” Sharon whispered. “That was deep.”

“A form’s hierarchy is not judged by what it can do, but by the source from which it came,” Aaeon explained and Imogene could see that it was not a star that had just formed in front of them… Aaeon had simply opened one of his eyes! “You come from the creator, Nollie comes from you.”

“From me?”

“I’m pretty sure he means human hands made Nollie,” Sharon assisted.

“Very good, young one. That is precisely what I meant.”

“Made by human hands?” Nollie asked and Imogene came to a new realization. While she still had great affection and a feeling of debt toward Nollie, she no longer placed it on a pedestal.

“Your memory, Nollie, reaches back before this walk of man knew how to record itself.” Aaeon continued. “And just as the Five Districts have witnessed the passing of many Earths, I have witnessed the passing of many Shards. Your creation was afforded by the masters of the last stride of humanity, before the creation of the Fourth Earth.”

“The last stride?” Imogene repeated. “How many have there been?”

“I will simply say that the path is long. The steps well behind you hold the same importance as the steps that await you far ahead. But none are as significant as the strides you make here and now.

“Now, will the house in San Diego suffice?” Aaeon asked.

“That would be perfect, Aaeon,” Imogene said with a slight smile. “And thank you. I like talking to you.”

“And I, you, Courier!

“Daughter,” Aaeon called out. “I have need of you.”

The light of the star reached out and embraced them, blinding them, carrying them, stopping the passage of time, but allowing for the alteration of space.

“And remember, little one, one man’s prison is another man’s freedom. Remember that when next you are in Five Pointes. And if you are truly concerned about the fate of Nollie, let not your concern stay only inside your mind!”

The light dimmed quickly and they were standing in the living room of the Schultz home, a place Imogene had wondered if she would ever see again. But as the light died down, the yellow glare was replaced with people in suits, all holding pistols, trained on Imogene, Timothy and Sharon.

“Pardon the intrusion,” a powerful, echoing female voice spoke as a yellow burst of light erupted from the center of the room and moved through the house. Each man and woman immediately fell unconscious, as did Timothy.

“So very awesome,” Sharon gasped.

“Such is the might of Takata, daughter to Aaeon,” the voice echoed. “My father sends his regards and a personal note: Until next time, Courier.”

“Why would your father send you?” Imogene asked.

“As you have already reasoned, he cannot take a side. But I am an incarnate form of energy, flawed and finite. And as such-”

“You act!” Imogene said, hearing Nollie again in her head. “There is no side to choose. You simply are!”

“My father has taken a liking to you, mortal,” she said as she began to remove herself. “I am curious to see where this might lead.”

“You know, getting his family a Christmas present is going to be tough!” Sharon said as she started policing weapons.

“Dad,” Imogene said as she kneeled. He was breathing and otherwise fine.

“

,” Nollie said. “

.”

“They’ve been mind-wiped, Sharon,” Imogene said. “Even my Dad.”

“What?!” Sharon asked as she came to an abrupt halt. “Why wipe Daddy Schultz?”

“Because Aaeon thinks that’s best,” Imogene answered. “Dad can’t give them information he doesn’t have.”

“And it’s hard to use him against you,” Sharon added. “Whoa! Aaeon is heavy duty!”

“You’re telling me!” Imogene said as she stood up. “I’m going to need a sheet of paper. We both are.”

“We’re leaving notes?”

“Yes, we are,” Imogene said as her face turned cold. “Our parents may not know where we are, but they deserve to know we’re doing fine. This just became very personal!”

“You mean it wasn’t before?” Sharon asked.

“Which reminds me,” Imogene said, taking hold of Sharon’s arm. “I ought to smack you for jumping in front of me when that man was aiming his gun back at the beach!”

“Now I know that whole laser thing knocked something loose,” Sharon concluded.

“You can’t do that, Sharon!” Imogene yelled.

“Hey, you don’t want to see me do it, close your eyes!” Sharon shouted back. “You know how many times we’ve heard someone say ‘Oh, I got your back’ and when push comes to shove they’re always the first to say, ‘well, if I had known it was that important, I would’ve been there’ and then just laugh in your face?”

“Yes,” Imogene answered, her voice easing as she knew where this was going.

“Now Wayne and Gordon will always remember the good fights we won,” Sharon said. “And it’s not like we had that many. But both of us remember one we lost.”

“I remember when you got jumped,” Imogene corrected.

“I remember when they were not about to stop and my blonde wonder came to my rescue.”

“Some rescue,” Imogene winced in memory of a very bad beating the two of them had shared. Sharon had just taken a senior’s spot on the archery team, which was something a freshman just did not do. They jumped her in the locker room and had a couple of guys helping them out. Sharon had taken out the two boys, but the four girls were just too much for her. “I totally forgot I knew anything about Capoeira.”

“It happens,” Sharon said, her eyes locked with her best friend’s. “But you had my back, Genie. Both of us came out of that bloody, and we were still in bandages when your Mom passed away.”

“And that was when you had my back,” Imogene reminded her.

“It’s not about a count,” Sharon said. “It’s about someone being good to their word.”

“What did your father say to you about that?” Imogene asked, suspecting something very deep and meaningful.

“It takes a first class Hero to take a butt-whooping in the name of someone else,” Sharon said with a slight smile. “Anyone can save a damsel in distress. There’s nothing like saving a Hero!”

“Oh, that’s not fair!” Imogene whined. “You can’t put that in a kid’s head!”

“Be different if he had been wrong,” Sharon added as she found a pack of paper in Timothy’s office. “It’s something to be of worth to someone or something you believe to be worthy.”

“People don’t talk like that, Sharon.”

“Sure they do, they just keep it inside. Now what are we writing?”

“They’re your parents,” Imogene said. “What do you want to tell them?” The two of them wrote for a few moments, Imogene took up five pages while Sharon wrote seven. Imogene declared that she had used a smaller font, which made the girls smile even though they had written some pretty sad letters. When they were done, Sharon grabbed a set of keys off one of the unconscious bodies and Imogene picked up one of the laptops belonging to one of the uninvited occupants of her father’s house.

“Mistress,” Makeen called to Samantha while she was in the middle of her relaxation period. She knew that it was important and did not have to ask.

“What is it, Makeen?” Samantha asked as she wrapped a robe around herself.

“We have an inbound transmission for you,” he reported. “It is coming in over one of our secured channels, but it is being sent by Imogene Schultz!”

“Put it through,” Samantha said as she limped to the proper place in front of her camera. Her monitor showed her Imogene and she was more than what Samantha Vey was expecting. She was not the typical southern California girl. Her eyes alone told Vey that much.

“Wow,” Sharon said, even though she was not in the shot.

“You’re not alone,” Samantha said. “Who is there with you?”

“How do I expand the screen size for you?” Imogene asked.

“Hold down the control button and tap the right arrow key,” Samantha answered.

“Their location has been confirmed,” Makeen reported. Vey could see her microphone had been muted. “They are at the Schultz Residence, and I am unable to reach any member of Alpha or Beta Teams.” The screen expanded and Samantha could now see the young girl who had been listed as critical after a gunshot wound to the head. She was holding several watches in her hands.

“They are calling their peeps like mad!” Sharon said with a smile, looking over the watches. She looked at the laptop. “Sorry, dearie, no one is home. At least no one conscious!”

“Impressive,” Samantha admitted as she signaled for the watches to get a bio-print of the woman holding them. There was a flash that came from the young girl’s left hand and the watches fell apart.

“Hey, that was pretty darn rude!” Sharon exclaimed.

“I don’t think that was intentional,” Imogene said softly as she looked back at the camera. “Was it?”

Vey’s eyes tightened as she thought about her response. “No, that was not the intended action. You’re wearing a defense field.”

“And you’re probing,” Imogene answered. “Seeing how much we know about the other side, but this isn’t your dime,” Imogene declared.

“From my end of it,” Samantha said, running her hand through her hair. “… you’re talking to me over one of my computers. Seems like it’s my dime.”

“Perspectives, right?” Imogene answered. “Okay, I can see your ‘end of it’ but I wonder if you can see mine. I’ve mind-wiped my father so he won’t be able to give you anything.”

“Interesting move,” Samantha replied. “I suppose now you’re going to tell me to back off or else, right?” Samantha paused as she licked her lips. “Hmmm, I’ll take the delay of response as a yes,” Samantha continued. “Okay, you’ve told me off and given me my warning. Anything else?”

“You’re going to force this, aren’t you?” Imogene asked. “If you don’t have the Shard, you’re going to take it from whoever does.”

“Something like that,” Samantha said. “It was mine and it was stolen from me.”

“But only after you stole it from Hiram,” Imogene explained. “The only real victim here is Hiram when the Shard came to this side of the Nexus.”

“

!” Imogene thought to Nollie.

“I am sorry about your leg,” Imogene said and Samantha’s left brow shot up. “But you should know that the Shard is not something you can possess anymore.” Imogene’s eyes began to glow. “I am the Shard now, and I’m not something you can control. You want to know how deep my waters run, come on out with me and we’ll catch a set together. No one rides like me, Samantha Vey. Now, I’m not a fighter-”

“But don’t worry, I am,” Sharon added.

“I won’t fight you, but I won’t let you use me, and I’m not sure I will call my dogs off if you get too much into my hair. I’d like to think we’ll be able to work something out, but while you’re not as bent as Solomon, I know I can’t trust you.”

“How do you know that?”

“I listen to my instincts, Margaret,” Imogene said as she closed her eyes.

Sharon stepped forward and smiled into the camera. “She’s the gentle cycle. Kind of a soft rinse, actually. Me? I tend to just remove the stain altogether. One of your men already knows what I was capable of before the trip to Five Pointes. Don’t make me come back and rip that weave out of your head!” The laptop was closed and the signal was cut.

“What is our shortest response time?” Samantha asked.

“All of Alpha was in the house,” Makeen reported. “Only half of Beta was inside the house. The others were at Location Two, five houses down. None of them are answering!

“Also,” he continued, “… we did not get a signature when she returned, but we did get a signal when her eyes started to glow. It was four times the normal magnitude.”

“Get a clean up team out there,” Samantha said, cutting off the link before receiving a response. She wanted to throw something, break something, but neither action would serve her situation. There was a new player in the game and something about this player gave Samantha Margaret Vey reason to pause.

“She doesn’t have a weave,” Imogene advised.

“All that was natural?” Sharon asked, surprised to hear it.

“Yes, you nut!”

“Just let it pass,” Sharon said. “Don’t let that woman stay in your head.”

“She’s already there, Sharon,” Imogene said as she left her note inside her father’s jacket pocket. “Remember, she was a user of the Shard. I’ve got no choice.”

“Sure you do,” Sharon argued. “What you’re talking about is memory. What I’m talking about is thought. Now let’s get going. We’ve got a note to drop and then we’re off to see if our boys are on the beach today.”