Archive of Our Own ^beta

". . . Now we have Chet Updike with the weather: Chet . . ."

Ch. 6: Bad Weather

Jennifer turned off the news and checked the book Professor Steel gave her when she was in D. C. She was right; there was a pattern. She collected her research and went outside in the backyard.

In the last four days, Gloria kept Duke on a strict recovery regiment, which he obeyed. However, Gloria understood that Duke didn't like being cooped up, so she allowed Duke to go outside to exercise . . . under her supervision. Sometimes Duke spent his time 'sparring' with Nathan, so he could get used to his new werewolf form.

So when Jennifer got to the backyard, she wasn't surprised to see Nathan and Duke on all four paws, circling each other. Audrey was watching them, with Gloria was keeping a close eye on Duke while Professor Steel was using Gloria and Audrey as models for his painting.

'Show me what you got, Nathan,' Duke said, as he paced around the werewolf.

Nathan charged at him and attempted to throw Duke. However, Duke moved out of the way, and got behind Nathan, jumping on his back, and forcing him to the ground. Duke then positioned his fangs around his neck.

'Got you,' Duke said, as he lifted up his head and got off Nathan. 'You've got to stop thinking like a human. You have new skills! Use them!'

"You call them new skills, I call it lowering my standards," Nathan said as he got up.

'No, it's called expanding your horizons,' Duke said.

Jennifer stepped forward and everyone saw her. Duke smiled when he saw her and he and Nathan changed back into to human forms.

"Hey, Duke . . . uh . . ." Jennifer blushed and turned away. Duke looked behind him, and saw the reason for Jennifer's blushing.

"Maybe I am rubbing off on you," Duke said with a small smile, seeing that Nathan forgot to concentrate on rematerializing on his clothes . . . again.

Nathan frowned and hid behind a potted plant, seeing he had an 'audience.'

"I'm not used to it," he shot back.

"Give him this," Professor Steel said, handing out a set of clothes, not looking up from his work. "You're lucky I was bored and decided to work on some extra projects."

Duke got the clothes and handed them to Nathan. He then walked up to Jennifer as she looked at him.

"What's up?" he asked, as Nathan got dressed.

"Remember what Michael Elliot said about 'after the Goddess of Love shows herself the brightest, The Seal shall weaken again?'" Jennifer said, getting everyone's attention, as they gathered around her. She showed them her notes. "Venus is going to be the brightest three days from now, and in the past, next day, some state has some major weather or natural disaster."

"That does sound like The Corrupt," Audrey said.

"What's even stranger, during these disasters, townspeople survive with only minor casualties; however, a child disappears," Jennifer said.

"So what's The Seal?" Nathan asked.

Jennifer glanced at Gloria and Professor Steel who gave her encouraging looks. Jennifer took a deep breath before she spoke.

"The Seal is the weakest area that separates worlds," Jennifer explained recalling the information from the Book. "A special kind of Corrupt called a Gathering can use The Seal to escape into our world every 46 years. They can construct weather or natural disaster to hide their presence."

Gloria and Professor Steel proudly smiled at Jennifer.

"She's a sharp little thing, isn't she?" Gloria remarked.

"She was sharp even before she was Gifted," Duke said proudly, going over to her. He looked so much better today if you didn't know he had been near death (for the third time) four days ago, you would never have guessed it. His injuries had faded to pinkish marks on his skin, and Gloria had told her, that by tomorrow evening, you wouldn't be able to see them at all.

Jennifer couldn't wait. Duke's enforced confinement would end then, and he'd promised to show her the other gift he'd been given. She smiled to herself when she thought that she had a gift of her own that she planned to show him. 'But work first,' she thought.

"Any notion on where we are to travel to next?" Audrey asked.

"Actually there are two places," Jennifer spoke. "One is Greenbrier, Kansas - there's a pretty big storm cell forming in the area."

"It is that time of year for that area to experience bad storm cells," Nathan said.

"This one's going to be pretty massive - capable of spawning multiple tornadoes in one area," Jennifer replied. "The other is Mackinaw Island, Michigan - there's a pretty big storm brewing over the Great Lakes."

"Have you tried the book yet?" Professor Steel asked, not looking up from his painting.

Jennifer thought of it, and the book he'd given her appeared in her hand. Of her new gifts, being able to cause things she needed to appear was proving to be her favorite - although so far she hadn't tried on Duke yet, she reflected, glancing at him.

'Flirt,' he teased mentally, and Jennifer smiled.

She opened the book, and the word LIGHT appeared on the page.

"Light? That's it?" she asked. No further words or instructions appeared, and she sighed and closed the book.

"It just says 'light'," she told them.

"It will tell you, when the time is right," Professor Steel told her.

"Are you controlling this book?" Duke asked suddenly, and the elder man looked startled at him.

"Me? Oh, no, no," he chuckled. "The book does not have a controller."

"Sometimes, I think it'd be easier if it did," Gloria put in, dropping her pose of a Grecian model.

"You two talk as though that book was alive," Nathan said.

"It is not technically alive," Professor Steel told him. "But it is sentient."

"The book thinks for itself," Audrey said dubiously, and the professor nodded.

"If a book can make a person think, then why could it not in turn think for itself?"

"Why not indeed," Duke grinned at it.

"So one of these storm fronts has to be The Corrupt and the other is real," Audrey stated. "How do we figure out which one is real?"

"I'm against splitting up to check," Nathan said. "We're going to need everyone ready to fight this Corrupt, including help from our newest member."

Jennifer blushed when he looked at her.

"So what do we do? Flip a coin?" Duke asked.

"I think Jennifer has a clue," Gloria said, looking at her.

Jennifer blushed again before she spoke, unused to being the center of attention. "I think The Corrupt will appear in Kansas."

"What makes you say that?" Nathan asked.

Jennifer showed them her research. "This particular weather patterns which occurs every 46 years is heading for Kansas."

"Nathan?" Audrey asked, looking at him.

"Kansas it is, then," Nathan said, then looked at Professor Steel. "Can—"

"Yes, your vehicle still retains the ability to travel great distances," Professor Steel said, adding the finishing touches to his painting. "I believe you will make it in time."

"Let's get ready then," Nathan said, and they went inside.

"Oh, Jennifer, I have something for you," Professor Steel said, stopping her.

Jennifer went over to Professor Steel and he gave her a parcel.

"Well, open it," he said.

When she unwrapped the parcel, inside was a pretty white sundress.

"That dress will shrink to fit you," Professor Steel explained. He then indicated a spool of white thread on top of the dress. "I know there will be times where you can't wear this dress, so tie this thread around your wrist, and the sundress will appear when you shrink."

Jennifer thanked Professor Steel and hugged him before she went inside to pack.

As Jennifer reached the top of the stairs, a muscular arm snaked around her wrist, and drew her off to the side, where Duke kissed her tenderly and passionately before he broke away, nuzzling her face.

"I only have a few more minutes before Warden Verrano makes me change back," he murmured. "But tomorrow is day seven, and then I can be human as long as I want." He caressed her cheek.

"Then you can show me what you talked about before," Jennifer smiled. "And I can show you my gift."

"You make it sound so naughty," he teased, then sobered.

"It's not naughty," Jennifer smiled. "But it is...interesting."

"Mm," Duke grumbled, low in his chest. He moved in for another kiss, but Gloria's voice from below interrupted.

"He's in his true form - right, Jennifer?"

Jennifer glanced back at Duke, to find her silvery-eyed cougar staring back at her, and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes, he is," she called down. She leaned in, and kissed Duke between his eyes, and headed into her room to pack.

Out on the balcony, Nathan and Audrey were having their own tete-a-tete. Or they would be, were they not kissing one another.

"I think the next place you choose, everyone needs their own room," Audrey smiled when they parted.

"I was thinking the same thing," Nathan replied. "Be nice to have a place to retreat from HIM."

"I don't know why you two clash so much," Audrey told him. "You and Duke share a lot of similarities."

"Name one."

"You're both stubborn and pigheaded, for one," she retorted. "And two - you both chose to stay and fight. You both do what's right - even if you choose different ways of doing it."

"Mm," Nathan grumped. "If you say so, Audrey."

"I do say so. Now I have to get packed. Why don't you two try to bury the hatchet? And preferably not in each other's heads," she grinned, going into she and Jennifer's room, where she found Jennifer just trying on her dress that Professor Steel had given her.

"Have you tried your powers yet?" Audrey asked.

"I was just about to," Jennifer replied, smoothing the skirt of her dress. "Will you stay with me while I try?"

"Of course," Audrey beamed. "Just focus - and let your other self emerge."

Jennifer closed her eyes, and thought intently about her other self. Instantly, her body changed, becoming translucent, her shimmery wings unfurling behind her. As she gathered her energies, she opened her eyes, and suddenly Audrey seemed to grow at an alarming rate, a giantess in a monstrously large room, and Jennifer realized that Audrey wasn't growing; SHE was shrinking!

The room seemed to stretch out into infinity and Giant Audrey watched, smiling as the now hummingbird-sized Jennifer flew upwards, and landed on her outstretched palm.

'I did it!' Jennifer cheered mentally, happy she he found she could communicate telepathically in her smaller form.

'You did,' Audrey answered proudly. 'Are you going on your maiden flight?'

'No,' Jennifer replied, flitting off Audrey's hand and focused on returning to her full size, and then back to her true form.

"Why not?" Audrey asked aloud. "If I could fly, I would be everywhere."

"Since Duke hasn't really been able to try his own wings yet, I wanted to wait to do it with him," Jennifer said shyly. "Is that stupid?"

"No, it's not," Audrey answered warmly. "I think it's very sweet - and I think he will too," she whispered. "But we need to get packed so we can be ready to go tomorrow."

Downstairs, Professor Steel and Gloria were both bent over a cauldron, peering intently into it, frowning.

"This will not be an easy one," Steel muttered.

"None of it's been easy for any of them so far," Gloria replied. "And now that they've switched sides, so to speak, it will only get progressively worse."

The next morning after breakfast, Professor Steel and Gloria said good-bye to the four when the Bronco was packed. Professor Steel gave each one kind, yet insightful words with wishes of luck. Gloria reminded Nathan to concentrate on his clothes when he changed back to his human form because she wasn't going to mail him replacement clothes. She told Duke to take it easy at first, but yes, he could try flying. Her advice to Audrey was to keep the men in line. When Gloria came up to Jennifer, she handed her a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Jennifer asked.

"My phone number," Gloria said. "If Duke is annoying you, give me a call; I have a lot of 'embarrassing stories' to share."

Jennifer softly laughed and hugged Gloria. Then it was time to leave for Kansas.

The one thing about Kansas Jennifer observed was that it was flat. Seemingly endless prairies stretching out as far as the eye could see, little towns dotting the map as they drew closer and closer to the place they were headed - Greenbrier.

They could already see the dark clouds beginning to gather, and by that evening, as they pulled up to the two-story farmhouse they would be staying in, there was already little sporadic rain showers taking place.

Audrey gestured at the cabinets, making sure they would have enough food to hold them over, and also that they would have emergency supplies, should they find themselves hurt, or lost electricity and water.

Jennifer wandered out onto the porch, feeling the cooler air as the rain came softly down.

'This is only the beginning of the storm,' she thought, listening to the weather forecast that Nathan had turned on inside the house.

"...The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning with possible multiple tornado activity for the La Crosse, Great Bend, Ness City and Greenbrier area," the weather man was saying. "We have a massive storm cell brewing over the area and you know that never spells out good news."

He went on to talk about taking precautions, but Jennifer wasn't listening - she had her eyes on the overhead skies, which were steadily growing darker.

Duke came out onto the porch with her. They were far enough out of town so that he could be in his true form without detection.

'What's wrong?' he asked.

'Just watching that storm cell brewing,' she replied. She looked back at him.

"I want to fly up to it tonight," she said. "I want to see what's on the other side of it - but I don't think you can go that high up."

'I bet I can,' Duke said with a wink and a smile

She took his pand in hers. "But I wanted you to fly with me tonight. It'll be my first flight - outside of testing my wings with Audrey there."

'Mine too,' Duke said. 'I've been looking forward to it. It was always one of my fondest wishes as a kid was to be able to fly - maybe that's why Professor Steel gifted me with wings.'

"He did say we choose the forms we occupy, on some level," Jennifer answered out loud. "But will you go with me as far as you can?"

'Of course,' Duke told her, and nuzzled her. 'As of seven o' clock tonight, my curfew ends.'

Nathan came out onto the porch.

"Dinner's ready," he said. He glanced up at the skies, frowning.

"Weather station says it's going to be a massive storm cell," he went on. "Said it's one of the biggest they've had in almost fifty years. Seems you were right, Jennifer."

"I was kind of hoping I wasn't," she said softly. They hadn't told her anything; but Jennifer had seen the concern in Gloria and Professor Steel's faces. They knew this mission was going to be a long, hard fight for the little group, and in the back of her mind, Jennifer also knew that there was the possibility that one . . . or all of them . . . might not survive it.

They went inside, and Audrey was just placing the roasted chicken on the table.

"Nathan and I are going to go into town after dinner, to take a look around," she said, and looked to Duke, who was making his transition to human. "You want to come with us, or stay here?"

"I was thinking I'd stay here," he replied. "I want to make a short test flight, since we're pretty isolated out here."

"Same here," Jennifer spoke quickly. "Besides, we don't have to stay together all the time, do we?"

"No, we don't," Nathan answered, grateful that they hadn't wanted to come along. It'd be the first time he and Audrey would really get to spend time alone together, and he was actually looking forward to the scouting trip.

They washed up, and as they were leaving, Duke caught Nathan's arm.

"Take her out for ice cream or go catch a movie or something while you're in town," he said in a low voice. "Tell Audrey how you feel about her."

"I don't feel-" Nathan began, but Duke shot him a look.

"Total strangers know how you feel about her," he said, not unkindly. "But girls do like to hear it from you in person," he winked, and Nathan shuffled a bit.

"I do like Audrey - a lot."

"Then tell her that before somebody else does," Duke whispered, and went into the living room.

Nathan gathered his jacket and went outside, opening Audrey's door first.

"So what was he saying? Don't hurry back?" she grinned.

"Something along those lines," Nathan answered. "He suggested movies or ice cream."

"I could do ice cream," Audrey replied. "But work first."

Greenbrier was a nice enough little place; quiet little neighborhoods, small homegrown businesses along the main street, kids on bicycles, and older folks lined up along the little stone wall out in front of the courthouse. As Audrey and Nathan walked, they could hear a group of older men talking about the weather.

"H'aint seed a storm like this since I was knee high to a grasshopper," one was telling the others. "I 'member back in '69, I'd just come back home from my tour in 'Nam when that storm cell come rippin' through here; had one twister that almost a mile wide."

"I remember that," another man said. "Crazy thing was, as bad as that twister was, the casualties were low."

"'Cept that Anderson boy disappeared," another man spoke. "Never did find any trace of him."

Nathan and Audrey glanced at one another.

They reached the ice cream parlor, and had just settled down into their booth to enjoy their ice cream, when a man walked past the place. He was tall and balding, the hair on the sides of his head was a mixture of gray and brown, and he had brown eyes. He looked into the shop and appeared to noticed Nathan and Audrey. He smiled at them; his mouth was filled with small, but sharp razor-like yellow teeth. He then walked away.

"That Alvin Linoge always creeps me out," one woman said.

"You said it; I don't like the way he looks at my children," another woman said. "And he always says strange stuff: 'Be nice or I won't try to save you.' He's full of himself!"

"Bad stuff seems to happen around him," a man said. "I heard he blackmailed some higher ups, and the last three people who talked to him committed suicide."

Audrey glanced at Nathan. She'd seen the look on his face when Alvin Linoge walked passed their table.

"He's a Corrupt," Nathan said, his fangs briefly appearing.

"I think he's an Overlord, but not quite," Audrey said. "Something in-between an Overlord and a regular Corrupt."

"Could he be connected to the storm?" Nathan asked.

"We can think later," Audrey said and smiled. "Let's enjoy our ice cream."

Nathan agreed and smiled at Audrey; no Corrupt was going to ruin his time with her.

At the farmhouse, the rain had stopped for now, the waxing moon peering through the gathering clouds, and Duke and Jennifer looked up into the night sky, seeing a few stars winking at them here and there.

"I wanted to jump from the roof," Duke said, making Jennifer stare at him. "But maybe for our first flight, we'd better start from the ground."

Jennifer smiled and nodded. They both concentrated, and Duke's large gray wings unfurled themselves, spreading wide over his shoulders.

Jennifer's wings started small, but were rapidly growing larger. They resembled butterfly's wings, but transparent. Although they appeared as fragile as glass, upon touching them gently, Duke found that they were actually quite sturdy.

"You make your wings grow," Duke said, his smile growing wider. "They're beautiful - just like you," he finished, and leaned in and gave her a gentle peck on the lips.

"Kiss for luck," Jennifer smiled. She stepped back, and lifted off the ground, her wings moving at almost a blur.

"Hey, wait for me," Duke grinned, and spread his wings, getting airborne rapidly. "Is it tiring for you, flying so fast?"

"No, not at all," Jennifer answered. While Duke's wing motion was slower than hers, he had no difficulty in keeping up with her.

She stole a glance at his face while they flew; Duke's eyes were bright with excitement, and he smiled at her, seeing her own joy at being able to do something they had only dreamed of doing as children.

They circled low around the fields and buildings at a lower altitude first, and then Duke launched himself into the sky, eager to really see what he could do, and Jennifer followed suit, the landscape rapidly dwindling to doll-size below them.

He stretched his hand out to her, and Jennifer clasped it in her own as Duke pulled into a nosedive, gracefully pulling himself out of it before they flew into the barn, and out the other side before touching down on the ground, laughing.

"Whew, that was a workout," Duke said, puffing slightly.

"Do you feel okay?" Jennifer asked. Her hair was slightly mussed and sweaty, and Duke pushed a strand from her eyes. She put her arms around him, and they kissed there under the moonlight.

Jennifer pulled away first as both their wings retracted back into their bodies.

"I need a shower," she said.

Duke swallowed his disappointment, and nodded his understanding as she turned to walk into the house, before she glanced back over her shoulder at him.

"I was hoping you might join me," she purred, and Duke wasted no time in chasing her into the house.

Nathan and Audrey decided to end their evening with a stroll in the local park, where they saw that peculiar man, Alvin Linoge again. He was talking to a flock of pigeons, tossing them crumbs, the winged vermin pecking frantically around his feet, but he paid them no heed as he rambled on at them.

Nathan hid their presence from him, and they drew closer to hear what he was talking about.

"Nobody looks at us as important, do they?" he said. "We're an annoyance, a nuisance, they say. Well, they'll change their tunes tomorrow, oh yes, indeedy, they will all sing a new song tomorrow." He looked up, and they could see his eyes gleaming yellow in the night. "But it'll just be too bad for those who didn't listen to me."

'Tomorrow's the night after Venus shines the brightest,' Nathan radiated to Audrey, using his newfound ability.

'Hopefully Jennifer's book will be more conversational before then,' she answered. 'Or we're going to be as much in the dark as ever.'

'Dark,' Nathan blurted. 'Audrey, what did the book say?'

'Light,' she gasped. 'Do you think whatever's going to happen involves darkness?'

'I don't know,' he said. 'But we should get back home and let Duke and Jennifer know what's going on.'

Jennifer nestled next to Duke, feeling her body still humming.

"That was a great shower," she cracked, and Duke chuckled, pulling her closer.

"Mm," he agreed. "Maybe next time we should try it with water."

Jennifer turned over, and took the book from her nightstand, opening it again.

"Anything different?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No - it still says 'Light.' What does that mean?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "But we'll figure it out together."

They heard Nathan's Bronco pulling into the driveway, and they hurriedly made themselves decent.

"So . . . how was it?" Jennifer asked, trying to sound casual.

"Well, we had ice cream and took a stroll," Audrey said.

"We ran into another Corrupt," Nathan sardonically added, getting Duke's and Jennifer's attention.

"Is it—" Duke began.

"We don't know if he's part of the Gathering . . . he's something in-between an Overlord and a regular Corrupt," Audrey explained.

"Does your book say anything?" Nathan asked.

Jennifer went to get it; and when she returned she had a concerned look on her face.

"How are we supposed to stop a storm?" she asked. "Plus, how do we go about disposing of The Corrupt now?"

Nathan glanced at Audrey and Duke.

"Hadn't thought of that," he muttered. "Better give Gloria and Professor Steel a call and see if they have any ideas."

"No, wait," Audrey said, thinking something over. She took out a sphere, and concentrated on it intently for a moment, and then vanished into thin air.

"Wh-where'd she go?" he began to ask, but by the time he had reached 'go,' she was back. "All right, where did you go?" he questioned.

"I found I can still access Howard's little diner," Audrey said.

"Audrey, that was dangerous," Nathan protested. "Was Howard there?"

"No. Place was dark and deserted," she replied. "I think they just used it for window dressing when they first drew us in. But the important thing is that the portal is still accessible," she went on. "We'll use it as a holding cell until we can figure out something more. We don'thave to go in there ourselves," she added, heading off Nathan's protests. "Just chuck the rotten little beggars in the door and let William and Howard deal with them."

"They can't get out?" Duke asked.

Audrey shook her head. "I'll make sure they can't escape back into this world - it'll be like when Nathan tried to leave - out one door, and right back in through another one."

"Well, that's something at least, even if it is temporary," Nathan said. "Now on to the more pressing problem - how DO we go about stopping a storm?"

"Jennifer - you can manifest yourself into air, right?" Audrey said.

"I haven't yet, other than my first time, but I was planning on flying up to the storm clouds, to see what was going on," Jennifer replied. "We just wanted to have a . . . test flight, first."

"Understandable," Nathan said evenly, giving Duke's hickey a side-eye. "But now might be a good time to do so."

"I'd go with you, if I could," Audrey said. "Duke, I don't suppose you can achieve that altitude, can you?"

"I could – provided I wasn't worried about being able to breathe," he pointed out. "Jennifer can, but I can't. And I don't think Jen's strong enough to carry you either."

"Well, I had thought of that," Audrey answered. "But Jennifer would have to be willing to do it."

"I trust you, Audrey," Jennifer said without hesitation. "You guys have saved me more than once - I feel like I owe you one. What do you need me to do?"

"You don't owe me a thing," Audrey told her, smiling. "But, I do have a very large favor to ask of you."

"What's that?"

"May I borrow you for a little while?"

"Borrow me?" Jennifer squeaked, looking puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I think she means that she wants to switch with you," Duke answered, getting the picture. "Audrey wants you to change bodies with her so she can see what's going on up there. Right?" he asked Audrey.

"Yes, that is what I mean. It would only be temporary - no more than half an hour," Audrey promised. "It will not hurt, and you will take over my body while I'm in yours. But you have to be willing to do it, or it won't work."

"It would be the best way to know what we're up against," Nathan spoke. "But if you don't want to, we'll find another way," he finished, with Audrey nodding assent.

"I'll follow her up as high as I can go," Duke promised. "I won't let anything happen to her while she's you."

Jennifer nodded, secretly relieved that she would not have to fly up into the gathering storm clouds. She glanced outside, seeing lightning streaking through them.

"Just don't get hit by lightning, okay?" she exhaled, and Audrey smiled.

"I won't - I'll be air," she grinned.

"Then make sure HE doesn't get hit then," Jennifer chuckled.

"That I can do," Audrey promised. "If you're ready," she said, drawing nearer to Jennifer. "Then change into your new form," she went on, her own transformation taking place.

Jennifer smiled seeing Audrey's new form. She was still reeling from William's surprised appearance that she didn't really take in how beautiful Audrey was in her new true form. Her ears remained elf-like and she was still blue, but now a lighter shade. Most of her skin was covered with beautiful designs. Her hair was now a lighter color, almost white and her eyes were a lighter shade of blue as well.

They faced one another, and Audrey held the sphere out before her.

"Lace your fingers through mine," she instructed. "We both must hold the sphere." She smiled. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Jennifer exhaled.

Audrey nodded, and then inhaled a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

"Show me what I wish to see through the eyes of another," she intoned, and both she and Jennifer jerked slightly, and then looked at one another with stunned expressions.

"You're me!" Audrey, or rather Jennifer in Audrey's body, said.

"I am," Audrey said in Jennifer's body replied. "How do you feel?"

"A little taller," Jennifer smiled. She looked to Duke, who gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Audrey said, and she and Duke headed outside.

Once they had taken off, Jennifer and Nathan looked at one another.

"So...what was that Corrupt thingamajig like?" she asked as she changed back into human form.

"Looks like a slightly seedy man named Alvin Linoge," Nathan replied. He'd been a part of some strange occurrences since he'd become part of this little group, but Alternate Audrey was definitely in the Top Ten of Weirdness.

Duke flew towards the huge cloud bank. He couldn't see Jennifer . . . Audrey, but he could sense she was close.

As he flew through the clouds, he saw them moving, forming into different shapes. Some looked like dinosaurs, others looked like giant insects. There was one cloud that looked like an army of rotting corpses ridding skeletal animals. There were a couple of clouds that looked like large horned demon faces . . . looking directly at them.

When a huge crustacean claw, attempted to snip Duke in half, they both decided it was time to return to the farmhouse.

Audrey reformed back into a physical body as Duke retracted his wings. They went inside to see Nathan and Jennifer anxiously waiting for them.

"Well?" Nathan asked as Jennifer and Audrey returned to their original bodies.

"We're going to need a bigger diner," Duke answered.

Nathan swallowed nervously.

"That bad?"

"That bad."

"What did you see?" Jennifer asked.

"They're massing the first invasion up there," Audrey told them. "I'm guessing they're using the storm to break through into this world."

"Can we stop them?" Nathan asked.

"I'm not sure," Audrey said slowly. "But we can sure try."

"I'm afraid what you saw wasn't even their entire force," Jennifer said, making everyone look at her. "Michael said that after Venus shines the brightest, the Seal will be at it's weakest . . . so tomorrow, there will be even more."

"Can we do something?" Duke asked, exasperated.

"Does the book say anything new?" Audrey asked and Jennifer opened her book.

Jennifer flipped through the pages, hoping to find something that would tell her how to combat Linoge. Upon turning to the page, she found it still said light; but now there was another word: AURA.

"Aura light?" she said, puzzled.

"What do you mean, aura light?" Duke asked. "You mean an aurora, like the Northern Lights?"

"No, it says AURA light," Jennifer sighed.

"When Venus shines its brightest, it will create a kind of glow, or aura around it," Audrey pointed out. "Maybe we're supposed to channel that, somehow."

"I don't know," Jennifer said, feeling more stressed than she had when she'd accidentally hit DELETE and wiped out 40 pages of revisions two days before they were due at the publishers. "I . . . just...don't know," she finished in a small voice.

She felt a strong arm encircle her waist, and Duke pulled her back against him, his arms closing around her.

"It's okay," he murmured. "We're all in it together. We'll figure it out - together. Right?" he asked.

"Right," Nathan answered.

"Absolutely," Audrey smiled. "It's okay to feel frightened, Jennifer," she reassured her. "I'm scared too. Those things were-"she shook her head. "They were like something out of an H. P. Lovecraft novel."

"Do you know anything about Linoge, what kind of Corrupt he is?" Nathan asked. "You've been given the catalog of them as part of your gift. What is he, exactly?"

Jennifer closed her eyes, hearing Duke's mental instructions on slowing her breathing, and focusing. She complied, and in a few moments, the answer came drifting up in her consciousness.

"He's a Trafficker," she said, opening her eyes. "Where Gaunt was a consignor-type, meaning he traded items for his victim's souls, the Traffickers are like slavers - they gather and capture masses of souls against their wills, and then picks through for the one or ones they want, or demands the victim be delivered in payment before the captured souls are released. They tend to return to their same hunting grounds repeatedly."

"If it works, don't fix it," Nathan observed. "They extort their victims to choose one of their own for sacrifice."

Jennifer nodded. "They return every four or five decades, to exact their payment. They're cunning, exceptionally cruel, and like all Corrupt, completely without remorse," she finished, the extent of her knowledge on Traffickers spent.

"I don't suppose you know if he has a weakness," Nathan said cautiously.

"They cannot resist bargaining," Jennifer answered.

"Too bad my mother's not here," Duke grinned. "She could out-bargain anybody at a yard sale or flea market."

"Well, we'll bear that in mind," Audrey replied, sitting down. "I don't see how this could get any worse."

But Audrey was wrong.

Howard came into the room, and the gathered four people turned to face him.

"How are the accommodations?" he asked. "Have you found everything you needed, Kirk?"

"Very comfortable," the dark-haired man said. "And yes, I think we can manage it."

"How about you, Jordan?" Howard questioned. "Are you - adjusting to your new life?"

"Better than I thought that I would," the black-haired woman said. "It's been more than I ever dreamed it would be."

"I'm glad," Howard half-smiled. "Because your new-found powers are going to be put to the test within the next 24 hours."

"So what are we going to do now?" Duke asked.

Nathan sighed. "No one is going to like this idea, but it's the best way to combat this kind of Corrupt: we have to wait to tomorrow, when all of the Gathering come together, that way we leave no stragglers. Linoge is going to use the Gathering to his advantage. When the storm begins, we head into town and see we can stop Linoge before he makes his move. Then hopefully we can stop the Gathering before they start."

Everyone reluctantly agreed and went to bed. Even though there was a lot on their minds, they each found sleep.

Audrey woke from her nightmare, wringing wet with sweat. She'd been back in the water, struggling to breathe, to free herself, getting herself entangled in the sheets before she finally woke.

She heard a faint knock at her door, and Nathan's soft: "Audrey - are you all right?"

"Yes," she answered, and Nathan opened the door.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," she sighed, rubbing her eyes, and Nathan drew near and sat down on the edge of her bed.

Audrey observed him. He was more reserved than Duke, that much was for certain. But he had such an innate honest quality about him that appealed to her immensely, the proverbial boy-next-door, and he gazed at her with those china blue eyes.

"I had that drowning nightmare again," Audrey said softly, and gazed at him. "Do you . . . relive . . . your last moments as a human, Nathan?"

"No," Nathan answered. "It wasn't drawn out like that for me - I didn't even realize Elliot had hurt me as bad as he did till Dwight was leaning over me telling me not to die."

He put his arm around her protectively, and Audrey leaned into him.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"For what?"

"For being here."

"Audrey - I'd do anything for you," Nathan said solemnly. "I-" he hesitated, and then decided to go for broke. "I think I'm in love with you, Audrey. A-and if you don't feel the same way, I understand completely, I-"

"Nathan," Audrey answered tenderly.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up," she smiled, and leaned in and kissed him.

Up on the roof, Duke was meditating, trying to calm his thoughts. He was scared; scared for Audrey and Nathan, scared for himself, but mostly he was afraid of something happening to their little dark-eyed friend.

He opened his eyes, and stretched his neck from one side to another, glancing up into the sky.

As he did so, he caught a glimpse of a shape darting through the clouds. It was too large to be a bird, and wasn't an aircraft. He half-feared it was a Corrupt getting an early start on the attack, when the shape emerged from a lower cloud bank, and he shifted into enough into his true form to be able to use his high-powered sight to see what it was.

It was a dark-haired woman with wings as blue-black as a raven's, streaking past the clouds. She glanced down, and seemed to see him, but rather than coming closer, took off for the horizon, and disappeared.

Duke thought of giving chase; but he didn't want to leave without letting the others know about what he'd seen. She hadn't looked like a Corrupt; they were always hideously ugly. But from the little he'd seen of the winged woman, she'd been quite beautiful.

'Could she be - like us?' he wondered. 'What if Gloria and Professor Steel's sent us reinforcements? Or is she something we haven't seen before?'

Duke knew he wasn't going to get his answers sitting here on the roof, so he willed his claws to come forward, and climbed back down the side of the house to Jennifer's room, and gently knocked on her window. This was the gift he'd shown her the previous night before their flight - that he could partially change himself, no longer fettered to being either his true self or a human, but a hybrid of both, if he so wished. And it was proving to be useful.

Jennifer roused at his second knock, and looked startled at him before she raised the window, allowing him inside.

"Morning," he greeted, receiving a small kiss.

"Morning," she yawned. "You're up early."

"For once I'm glad I was," he said, and proceeded to tell her what he'd seen.

Jennifer pondered over what Duke said, but the sound of thunder broke her thoughts; as if it was a bugle for the Gathering to ready their troops.

They got dressed and found Nathan and Audrey already downstairs with breakfast already prepared. They could hear the storm outside building as they ate.

Jennifer checked her book again and the words TRUE, PURE, ALIVE were now written, but she still had no idea what they meant.

Nathan had finally made it past the WELCOME TO GREENBRIER, KANSAS sign when they noticed the wind had picked up as thunder and lightning filled the sky. Nathan had to drive carefully as mist covered the road, making it hard to see. The Gathering was preparing to strike.

Looking through the windshield, they could see the sky had turned a greenish color, and the air turned colder, making Jennifer shiver involuntarily, Duke's reassuring hand on hers.

"Look!" Duke cried out, pointing upward.

Nathan glanced up, and could see the tail end of a funnel beginning its descent, and the sounds of sirens began to fill the air, people running in all directions, shuttering their houses, climbing down into storm cellars.

"Where do we go?" Jennifer practically had to shout over the sound of the wind.

"We ask," Nathan said. "Excuse me, sir! We're not from around here - do you know where we can take shelter from the storm?" he shouted at a man closing up a shop.

"If you don't have a house to go to, go to the high school!" he yelled. "That's the town's emergency storm shelter!"

Nathan nodded his thanks and took off in the direction the man pointed.

The wind was increasing, strong enough now to knock over the newspaper vending machines, sending one sliding out into the road in front of the Bronco, and Nathan swerved to avoid it, narrowly missing a parked vehicle.

He managed to park the Bronco in the cafeteria's loading docks, and they made their way into the school, teachers directing students and townspeople alike through two large double doors at the end of the hallway.

The wind was so loud now it sounded as though a locomotive was bearing down on them, the roar making conversation impossible, but they held onto each other's hands, and finally managed to get into the storm cellar. After they ran inside, the football players and their coach slammed the heavy doors shut behind them.

"Everybody group together inside, stay calm," the principal, whose ID card read Cornell Stamron called out. "There's no need to panic - this building's been rebuilt to withstand a Class Five twister, so just keep calm."

"Don't let him lie to you," they heard a voice call out, and Alvin Linoge stepped out into the middle of the room. Duke turned away so the townsfolk didn't notice his silver eyes. "You're all going to die here today. Unless you do exactly as I say."

"Why should we listen to you?" a female teacher asked.

"If you don't believe me, take a look out the window," Linoge casually said.

Serval people gathered around a window and peeked out. The saw a man running towards the shelter, only to have a mass of tentacles grab him and carry him back into the mist. A Corrupt resembling a harpy screeched as she tried to pry the windows open with her talons.

"What is that? What's going on?" the townsfolk asked, now truly frighten.

"That is The Gathering - they've come for you all," Linoge calmly said. "But I can make them go away . . . for a price."

"What price?" a male teacher asked.

"Hand me one of your children," Linoge asked. "Just one, that's all I ask. Give me one of your children, and you will all live."

"What if they don't want to?" Nathan said, stepping forward.

Linoge looked a little shocked, but then smiled. "Is this the best they have to fight against me? A selfish martyr, a childless mother, the lonely man, and an unexperienced storyteller? Very well, I shall humor you; I have another offer."

"Which is?" Cornell asked, somewhat nervous.

"Her," Linoge said, pointing at Jennifer. "Give me her instead and you can keep your children, and be spared."

"I don't think so," Duke snarled at him, getting in front of Jennifer.

The storm grew more intense, and upon looking outside, they could see the twister had made landfall, the large Victorian house at the end of the block disintegrating into toothpicks as it savagely slammed into it, the explosions of exposed gas lines and spraying water everywhere.

"It's headed right for us!" a woman screamed.

Audrey, Duke, Nathan and Jennifer stared in horror at the twister. What the townspeople couldn't see was The Corrupt riding within the twister, brandishing assorted weaponry, gleefully snatching helpless townspeople into the maelstrom as they bore down on a course straight for the school.

Linoge headed over towards them, and Nathan squared his shoulders back.

"Go on," Linoge grinned at him. "Show them your true forms, if you dare." He looked at Jennifer. "Except you are in your true form already, aren't you dear?" He reached a hand out to touch her, but Duke slapped it away.

"Back off," he said in a low voice.

The building shook hard, as though something was being slammed into it.

People began screaming as what looked like a giant armored Pachycephalosaurus was being ordered to ram into the wall.

"Make it stop!" one man yelled. "Just give her to him!"

"No!" Audrey shouted. "We know what you are, Alvin Linoge," she said, pointing at him. "You're a Trafficker in souls, returning every 50 years or so. We can stop him here today," she went on, looking at the townspeople. "You won't have to lose another child to him! He won't make them leave!"

"Have I EVER lied before?" Alvin asked the crowd. "Did I not keep my word the last time I was here - Eleanor?" he asked an older woman with red hair sitting on the bleachers. Her grandchildren put their arms protectively around her. "You were there the last time I came. You remember, don't you?"

The elderly woman was trembling, her blue eyes filled with terror.

"You remember," Alvin said softly, coming towards her. "You were among the children then."

"I remember," Eleanor whispered.

"And when the choice was made, I took my prize and I left, didn't I?"

Eleanor nodded, tears streaking her face.

"We need to talk to her," Nathan whispered in Audrey's ear.

"Granted," Audrey replied. "But how do we get her alone?"

Duke however, seemed to have something in mind.

"Hey - Limburger," he called.

"It is LINOGE," the strange little man corrected coldly.

"Yeah, whatever," Duke said dismissively. "How about you quit picking on old ladies and we take up this conversation in private?"

"Do you really think you can defeat me?" Linoge chuckled. "I have untold ARMIES awaiting my signal. One word from me and they will tear this place apart."

"Just give her to him!" one woman cried, her arms around two children. "My grandma told me the stories about The Grinning Man. He can't have my babies!" she sobbed, her children clinging to her. "Just let him take her and go!"

"Why do you want Jennifer so bad? What's in it for you?" Duke asked, ignoring his threats.

"You know why we want her. That hasn't changed, even if you have," Linoge answered.

"What are you all talking about?" Stamron questioned. "Who ARE you people?"

Audrey stepped forward quickly.

"Sleep," she gestured, and the gathering of frightened people all slumped to the ground.

"I need them awake, so they can make their choice," Linoge said, and prepared to reawaken them.

"We'll choose for them," Nathan replied.

"You can't," Linoge taunted. "You're not from here - they have to choose. And I have a feeling that if we wake them up, they're going to choose your little friend," he grinned, and held out his hand. "Such is human life: willing to sacrifice a stranger to save all they coveted; I can't believe you are willing to save these greedy lifeforms. She can also choose herself to come with, and my army will pack up and go away - for GOOD this time."

"No, you won't," Audrey said sternly, transforming herself, Duke, Nathan and Jennifer following suit. "You want her to open the gates to allow your hordes into this world."

"Audrey, please," Duke soothed. "Mr. Linus-"

"LINOGE," he seethed, his teeth grinding together.

'What are you playing at, Crocker?' Nathan thought at him.

'Patience,' Duke answered, but aloud he said, "Linoge here is obviously a man of his word. Miss Eleanor had no reason to lie."

Linoge nodded, pleased.

"And we could certainly all fight together, but what would that accomplish?" Duke went on, backing down to his human form. "A lot of innocent people would be hurt or killed, not to mention ourselves."

"Are you saying that you want to give Jennifer to him?" Nathan practically screeched.

"In a way - yes," Duke replied, and Linoge smiled, moving forward to Jennifer, but Duke held a finger up.

"Provided-"

"Provided?" Linoge asked politely.

"The terms are right," Duke finished.

Linoge got a crafty look on his face.

"Are you suggesting that we bargain for the lady?" he questioned, his tone unctuous. "You give her to me in exchange for-"

"Information," Duke said.

"About?"

"Whatever we choose to ask you about."

"You should know, Mr. Crocker, that I am a MASTER bargainer," Linoge bragged. "I almost feel badly for you, because you, poor boy, are hopelessly, pathetically outmatched against me."

"Well, we'll see, won't we?" Duke replied.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Nathan growled under his breath.

'So do I,' came Duke's mental reply.

Jennifer's phone rang then, surprising everyone, including Linoge. She saw it were the Teague brothers calling her.

"I, uh, should get this . . ." Jennifer said.

"We're not done," Linoge stated.

"Surely we can do something while she's on the phone?" Duke said. "Something that could help both of us."

Linoge smiled and looked at Nathan and Audrey. "Yes, a good idea; you two are going to choose the child who's going to be mine. We'll . . . shop while she's on the phone."

Nathan and Audrey agreed, hoping that whoever was calling Jennifer had an answer as they followed Linoge.

Jennifer went to a corner to answer her phone, while Duke stood protectively in front of her.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer? Ha-ha! We did it!" Vince cheered.

"What's going on?" Dave asked.

"Um, this is not—" Jennifer then realized something. "Wait, you asked Professor Steel to give me the book . . . are you . . ."

"Short answer: yes," Vince said. "We'll explain later; has the book showed you how to stop the Gathering?"

"All it says is: 'Light', 'Aura', 'True', 'Pure', and 'Alive'," Jennifer said.

"Oh, dear; the electromagnetic interference from the storm must be scrambling the book," Vince said.

"No! It has to be the air pressure!" Dave said.

"Air pressure is not a factor!"

"It is! When—"

"Guys!" Jennifer said, quickly glancing at Linoge who was describing each child to Nathan and Audrey. "How do we stop the Gathering and Linoge?"

"We can help you with Linoge," Vince said. "Traffickers need a human host to survive; they prefer children so they can live longer."

"What the book was trying to tell you is that you need pure living light to drive back the Gathering," Dave said.

"Where do I—" Jennifer paused and looked at her friends. "Audrey?"

"You tell us," Dave said. "Now, is Linoge with you?"

"Yes."

"Get him; put us on speaker," Vince said.

"Um . . ." Jennifer said, trying to get Linoge's attention. "It's for you."

As everyone gathered around, Jennifer put her phone on speaker and placed it on a box.

"Hello?" a woman's voice said.

Duke looked like he was going to faint. "MOM?!"

"Who is this?" Linoge demanded, as Jennifer sneaked over to Audrey and whispered to her.

"My name is not important, but you may call me Marie," Marie Crocker said over the speaker.

"Judging by Mr. Crocker's reaction, you are his mother," Linoge grinned at it. "He needs his mother to bargain for him? This was not part of our arrangement-"

"Duke said any questions WE may ask of you," Marie interrupted. "He did not give specifics as to whom would be asking."

"I naturally assumed-"

"You assumed wrongly," Marie answered briskly.

"I would prefer a face-to-face meeting," Linoge said.

"Fair enough," Marie replied. "Audrey, are you there?"

"Y-yes," Audrey said.

"Would you be so kind as to make the arrangements?"

Duke visibly staggered and Jennifer put her hand in his.

"Is that really your mother?" she whispered.

"It certainly sounds like her."

"She is . . . dead, you said."

"Oh yes - she's been gone six years this past May," he answered, looking to where Audrey was using a sphere. It began to glow faintly, growing brighter, and then a dark-haired, dark-eyed woman appeared, dressed in a long white eyelet dress as Jennifer's phone turned itself off. There were streaks of gray in her hair, and she glanced sharply at Linoge, and then turned her gaze to Duke, who was drawing near to her.

He reached out to touch her, his hand passing through.

"Hello, my love," Marie smiled at him. She made to wipe away the tear traveling his face, but, not being solid, could not do so. She gave Jennifer a reassuring smile, and then turned back to face Linoge.

"You failed to disclose that you were dead," Linoge snapped.

"You failed to ask," Marie answered.

"I don't bargain with the dead, they have nothing to offer."

"So you forfeit then," Marie observed. "There were no terms set as to the state of being of the bargainer."

"That's my mummy," Duke whispered to Jennifer, who suppressed a smile.

"Absolutely not!" Linoge said. He could see that though she was deceased, Marie Crocker was not to be underestimated. "Living or dead, I can still out-bargain you."

"You don't seem to be faring too well against her so far," Duke remarked.

Linoge glared at him then back at Marie.

"Okay, since you're their appointed diplomat, let's get started," Linoge said, and indicated the Gathering outside. "I will tell them to stop, if you choose a child for me. However, if you don't want to do that, then give me her and him!"

Marie's eyes grew wide. "My son—"

"You played your trump card, now it's my turn," Linoge said with a sinister smile, then looked at Duke. "I always wanted a pet. Now, what's your answer?" '

Marie thought for a moment, and then spoke.

"As neither my son nor Jennifer are no longer children, the choice is theirs, not mine, to make," she told Linoge.

"Stalling, stalling," Linoge panted, pacing around. He knew the army was growing impatient - even now he could hear the angry howls of the troops, and the building shook again as the armored Pachycephalosaurus rammed against it, failing to break through due to Audrey's magic. "All this talking in circles won't get you out of the choice," he ranted. "Choose NOW; or I shall."

"I choose me," Audrey stated, stepping forward.

"Audrey, don't," Nathan protested.

"Ah, the valiant self-sacrificial lamb," Linoge sneered. "That is very brave of you, I must admit. But I'm afraid you won't do, my dear." He turned back to face Duke and Jennifer.

"So - since you two are ADULTS," he said snidely, seeing the anguish in Marie's eyes. "What is it to-"

"So you're turning down the chance to obtain the Light of Virtue," Audrey said behind him, and Linoge paused with his mouth hanging open as her words sank in.

"WHAT did you say?" he asked.

"I said nothing," Audrey replied.

"No, no," Linoge cut in, walking towards her. "You just made a most interesting proposition regarding a HIGHLY-sought after prize," he went on.

"You mean the Light of Virtue," Audrey said.

"Yes, that is what I mean. Do you have it?"

"No."

Linoge made a disparaging sound, and went to turn around.

"But I can get it." That made him face her again.

"Well now, that IS a different matter," Linoge smiled. "Give me it. Now."

"I don't have it with me. I have to go and get it," Audrey told him.

"Very well," Linoge replied. He made a motion at Jennifer and Duke, and two cages with thick metal bars appeared around them.

Nathan went to it, and put his hands on the bars, and found himself on the floor clear on the other side of the room.

"Those are reinforced against your kind," Linoge told him.

"Why?" Nathan grunted. "You haven't won the day yet."

"Just think of the cages as a little insurance policy - to make sure that you don't try to double-cross me," Linoge said. "If you fail to return with the Light, they both come with me."

"And when I do return with it?" Audrey demanded. "What guarantees do we have you will go?"

"Once we have the Light, I will no longer need a human host's body," Linoge said. "I can create my own true form. You have one hour's time," he continued, seeming to pull a large hourglass from his pocket, and set it on the floor, the red sands within trickling steadily down through the glass. "If you have not returned by the time the last granule of sand falls, then I have the key - and a new pet," he said, gesturing at Duke, driving him down into his true form, a thick heavy collar forming around his neck.

Duke roared, and clawed at it, with no success.

"Hee-hee," Linoge clapped, watching him. "You won't get that collar off so easily, kitty. Now - go, and get the Light. Swiftly, dear," he admonished. "You only have 58 minutes left."

Audrey glared at him; and then walked toward the doors.

"You have to let me out to do so," she said.

"Of course; how stupid of me," Linoge gestured, and the heavy doors swung open, revealing the full extent of the armies that awaited them on the doorstep.

"You are making a wise choice," he called after her. "You four couldn't possibly have hoped to conquer all of them."

Audrey looked behind her. She saw Nathan, his eyes full of fear for her safety, and Marie's anguished expression at the distinct possibility of losing her son forever. She looked to Jennifer, who gazed back, tears streaking her face, but nodded to her, and Duke, whose silvery eyes focused on her intently.

"Is this all of your army?" Audrey asked. "We could take this ragtag lot, easily."

"Ah, you wish to see them all?" Linoge grinned. "Very well then; show yourselves to the young lady!" he shouted, and the rest appeared, seemingly endless squadrons of creatures, each more horrifying than the next, and Audrey closed her eyes.

"The sight too much for you, my dear?" Linoge asked sweetly.

Audrey opened her eyes again, and Linoge saw that they were gleaming white, and he realized that he'd been had.

"You-" he began as Audrey turned back to face the demonic horde before her, as she began to glow brightly.

The Corrupt in front screamed their agonies as the brilliant white light hit them, turning them to dust instantly, the glow intensifying as Audrey focused, remembering the feeling of the loss of her own child, directing her sorrows into her energies. She thought of her friends, who were depending on her; of Nathan, who loved her. Of Duke, whose unselfish acts had brought him to the brink of death twice; and of Jennifer's kind heart.

She could hear Linoge screaming behind her as he tried to attack, but Nathan was keeping him at bay as her light grew ever stronger.

The Corrupt Army began to try to attack, and Audrey quickly realized that the storm itself was the way to beat them, and she focused her attention on the whirling vortex, infusing the black winds with it, until it became white with her energy.

The Corrupt shrieked anew as their one means of escape was cut off and they were left stranded.

Linoge could not maintain his magic and fight as well, and his cages surrounding Duke and Jennifer crumbled. Duke ripped the collar from his neck and joined in with Audrey, fighting the creatures as they tried to attack her as Jennifer came up to him.

Audrey could see a great lumbering creature in heavy armor coming toward her, looking like the demon from Night of Bald Mountain from Fantasia, wounded, but still very much capable of fighting. But instead of coming at Audrey, he approached Linoge.

"You lied," it rumbled at him with a voice deeper than a chasm. "You promised an easy victory."

"We can still win the day," Linoge told him. "And I will have my prize," he snarled, coming at Jennifer, who flew away rapidly.

"You lied - you broke your word," Jennifer called out and flew around the Gathering. "A Trafficker has broken his word!"

The remaining Corrupt began mumbling among themselves, and Linoge actually looked frightened for the first time.

"A Trafficker who breaks his word once can NEVER be trusted again," Jennifer called out.

"She speaks the truth," The Corrupt leader said. "And as such, the Trafficker must be punished."

"No, No!" Linoge cried as The Corrupt general grabbed hold of him. "We can still beat them! We-" he only had time to squeak before Audrey's twister sucked both he and The Corrupt general into the skies, and the rest of the army vanished.

Audrey's glow faded, and she sagged, Nathan's strong arms around her.

"I gotcha, I gotcha," he whispered, holding her closely.

"You did it, Audrey," Duke smiled at her.

"We did it," Audrey answered weakly. "We worked together as a team. We did it."

Duke looked up as everyone returned to their human forms, and saw his mother slowly beginning to fade away, and he ran to her.

"Don't go," he begged. "Please stay."

"I can't," she smiled. "You know I can't."

"There's so much I want to say," he told her. "So much has happened. Wade-"

"I know - the Teagues told me of what he did to you," she replied, her own brown eyes brimming over. "But they told me that you were chosen to be resurrected for a reason. You still have work to do," she finished, growing fainter. "You all do."

"I love you," Duke choked, his tears falling at last.

Marie smiled.

"I love you too," she answered. "Always have, always will."

She was nearly gone now, and Duke stared at her, wanting to remember every detail of her face, her smile, the way the ends of her ponytail curled around her neck, and Marie called to him once more. "Duke?"

"Yes?"

"I approve of her," she smiled at Jennifer, and then she was gone.

Behind them, Audrey could hear the faint moans and groans of the townspeople as they began to awaken from Audrey's sleep-spell, surveying the damages caused by the storm.

"Is anyone hurt?" he heard Principal Stamron call out. "Teachers, take a head count, I want every student accounted for."

Nathan scooped Audrey into his arms and went over to Duke and Jennifer, who was consoling Duke.

"Let's get out of here before people start asking questions," he muttered.

"I'm with you," Duke replied. He glanced back once more to the spot he'd last seen his mother, and he dried his eyes one last time.

"Time we were getting on the road. Is Linoge's hold on this place broken?" Nathan asked.

"Yes," Audrey said, feeling quite comfortable in Nathan's arms. "When he broke his word to The Corrupt, he voided his contract with them. Greenbrier is now safe from The Grinning Man for good."

William threw his book across the room.

"ARE YOU FRACKING KIDDING ME!?" he shrieked. "THEY BEAT AN ENTIRE BATTALION!? That's it, that is IT!" he raged, storming around the office. "The gloves are off! No more Mr. Nice Guy from now on!"

Howard nodded agreement.

"I believe your new hires are ready to work," he said.

"You do?"

"I'll do anything for you."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"Then kill my father."

"What?"

"If you love me, then kill my father . . . for me."

Ch.8: End of Desire

Jennifer stirred, nestling deeper into Duke's shoulder.

"Hey - wake up," he prodded her gently. "We're almost there."

Jen sat up fully, and looked out the window, seeing New Orleans gleaming in the early morning light as they came over the Causeway Bridge.

She'd always wanted to visit New Orleans; 'a ghost-story paradise', Vince had called it, and it was true; it seemed for every square of inch of The Crescent City, there was a ghost story to go along with it.

Nathan turned the Bronco downtown, driving along Canal Street.

"The townhouse is on Royal Street," Audrey told him, scanning along the streets at the densely-packed buildings.

They found it easily enough, a smallish mansion on the upper end of Royal Street, painted white with blue and black trim, surrounded by a wrought-iron fence with matching rail-work on both the upper and lower porches.

"Beautiful," Jennifer breathed.

They went inside, and it was even more beautiful, with a stunning crystal chandelier that hung in the foyer, catching the morning light and casting thousands of rainbows over the spacious living room.

"Who owns this place?" Nathan asked.

"A friend of Professor Steel's; he travels a good deal, so he's never here," Audrey answered.

They heard a noise coming from the kitchen, and Nathan sniffed the air.

"Someone's here," he muttered, and crept down the hallway to find a stout little woman, busily cooking.

"Hello," he said from the doorway, making her jump a foot.

"Lordy, y'all scared me!" she got out, a hand on her heart. "Mr. Baudelaire said y'all were coming in today, and he said for me to fix y'all somethin' ta eat for ya firs' night here," she went on cheerfully. "I'm Adele Proussard," she introduced herself. "I'm Mr. Baudelaire's cook, housekeeper and substitute Mama," she chuckled. "And he said that if y'all want, I can take care of y'all too while you're stayin' here. If not, that'll be all right too."

"Well, we kind of like looking after ourselves," Audrey explained kindly.

Adele smiled.

"I know y'all are - special folk," she replied in a quieter tone. "Mr. Baudelaire, he's special too, like Miss Gloria and the nice Teague brothers."

"Oh," Audrey answered, unsure what to say next, but Adele just chuckled.

"Y'all's secret is safe with me," she reassured them. "So if ya'll want, go pick you out a room, an' lunch should be ready by the time y'all get all settled in."

Nathan smiled and started to say 'Thank You' when he noticed a copy of The Advocate: "LOVER'S TIFF TURNS DEADLY," the headline read.

Adele saw what he was looking at, and she frowned.

"Ain't that just awful?" she asked. "Two women, they were friends since kindergarten an' fell out over some man so bad that one shot and killed the other."

"Talk about extremes," Jennifer commented as she scanned the article.

"Maybe this is the reason why we're here," Duke said.

"Maybe," Nathan said. "But first let's unpack."

The others agreed, and picked out their rooms. Jennifer felt like her childhood dream of living in a castle fit for a princess came true when she entered the bedroom. After she unpacked, she had to try out the bed and let out a small laugh, feeling how comfy it was.

"Someone made themselves at home," Duke said, coming in and joined Jennifer, lying on top of the bed. He then kissed her. "What do you think you're going to write about?"

"Actually . . . zombies," Jennifer said.

"Zombies?" Duke asked, sounding a little disappointed. "I thought you were more creative than to go with the clique."

Jennifer playfully slapped his arms. "It's more about the origin on the myth of zombies and why they're so popular now."

"Oh," Duke said. "Now that sounds more interesting to read."

Jennifer laughed again and kissed Duke.

"Do you really think the reason why we're here is related to the headline in the newspaper?" Jennifer asked.

"You said the book said 'obsession,' and that sounds like a lot what happened," Duke said and he sat up. "What else did the book say?"

Jennifer brought her book next to her and checked it as she sat up as well. "'Marigny Water Works;' what does that mean?"

"I don't know," Duke replied. "Maybe Adele does."

"She seems really nice," Jennifer smiled.

"She does . . . but there's something . . . off . . . about her," Duke replied.

Jennifer's smile faded. "You don't think she's Corrupt, do you?"

"No, nothing like that; she . . . doesn't smell like a human. But she doesn't have a scent like us either."

"We have a scent?" Jennifer asked, surreptitiously sniffing herself, and Duke laughed.

"Every living being has a scent. And for the record, yours is quite nice," he grinned, pulling her to her feet. "Now let's eat - I'm starved, and whatever Adele's cooking down there is about to drive me crazy."

They headed back downstairs, to find Audrey and Nathan already seated in the breakfast nook, about to dig in.

"Thanks for waiting," Duke cracked.

"Sorry, hunger's got the better of us. That cheese danish was four hundred miles ago," Nathan said, watching as Adele ladled a rich sauce laden with bits of andouille sausage and crawfish over fluffy white rice. She smiled and moved aside so that Duke could sit down.

It was then that Duke noticed that she hadn't stepped around the chair; she'd gone through it.

"You're a ghost," he blurted. "How can you . . . and you . . ."

Adele grinned at him.

"Yes, I am a spirit," she said. "I was Mr. Baudelaire's housemaid back in the Forties. He was very fond of me, and I of him. I'd gone out to make groceries, and wasn't paying attention and got myself knocked down by a streetcar. Mr. Baudelaire hated to lose me, and I wanted to stay," she finished. "So he restored me to a more solid state."

"So you're like us," Audrey said.

"Not quite, Miss Audrey," Adele replied. "I'm bound to the house - I'm part of the house, I guess. I take care of it and Mr. Baudelaire, and he takes care of me. So when I said y'all's secret was safe with me, I meant it."

"Are you trapped in this house, Adele?" Jennifer asked.

"Lordy, no, Miss Jennifer," Adele chuckled. "Mr. Baudelaire says when I'm ready to go, all I have to do is go. Sometime I think about it," she mused. "Maybe when Mr. Baudelaire passes on, I will. But he's pretty spry - I don't think he's goin' to be goin' anyplace no time soon."

"Do other people . . . see you?"

"If they do, nobody's said nothing," Adele said. "Eat up - it's going to be gettin' cold, and then ya'll can go exploring."

"Oh, I also wanted to ask you," Jennifer put in quickly. "Does Marigny Water Works mean anything to you?"

"N-no," Adele said. "Well, there's Marigny's Miracle Tonics - that flavored fancy water that folks like to drink these days," she continued.

"Marigny's Water Works wouldn't be their slogan, would it?" Duke questioned.

"Yes, that's it! They're always playing their commercials on the TV set," Adele said. "And don't they all think they're just so high-hat," she grumbled. "Family's always gettin' into scrapes with the law one way or another, but they always come out smelling like a rose - particularly that Marcus Deroulard."

"Isn't their name Marigny?"

"No, no. It's just called that 'cause that's where the bottling plant is," Adele answered. "Now I got washing to do but if you need me, call out and I'll be right there," she finished, and vanished into thin air.

Jennifer blinked. "That's new."

"What's with 'Marigny Water Works'?" Nathan asked as Jennifer and Duke began eating, enjoying Adele's food.

"Those words appeared in Jennifer's book; so something has to be happening there," Duke said.

"Agreed . . . um, Adele?" Nathan called out.

"Yessir?" Adele asked, suddenly appearing in front of them.

"Do you know where we can find Marigny's Miracle Tonics?" Nathan asked.

Adele smiled and got out a map from a shelf. She then began giving them directions.

"Ooh! There's a library nearby! I can do some research!" Jennifer said and saw Nathan staring at her. "I mean . . . after we checked the place out."

They almost made it to Marigny's Miracle Tonics bottling plant, when they saw the building was surrounded by police cars and news vans. Nathan pulled into an alley. They exited the Bronco and observed what was happening.

"Police have just arrested Mary Inglewood for the murder of Herman Deroulard, CEO of Marigny's Miracle Tonics," a woman reporter said into the camera. "Reasons are still unknown why she did this . . . here she comes right now!"

They saw two policemen dragged out a cuffed frantic-looking woman. Mary dug in her heels and looked back.

"Did you see it, Marcus? I did it! You see, I love you! I love you more than the others! Now you know how much I love you!" Mary cried out to the man stepping out of the building.

The policemen then escorted her to their car as the media swarm around the man.

"Marcus Deroulard, are the rumors true? Did Mary kill your father because you asked her too?" a reporter asked.

"Sadly, one night I was so frustrated and was venting about my dad; Mary must have misunderstood me . . . I didn't know she was capable of doing this . . ." Marcus said.

"I can't tell if he's a Corrupt from this distance, but I can you he's a rich spoiled loser," Duke said, grinning at his own joke.

Nathan almost rolled his eyes, but stopped and looked at Marcus again.

"Marcus Deroulard . . ." Nathan thought out loud. "Wasn't that the name of the man from the article about a lover's quarrel?"

"Yes, it was," Audrey said. "We need to—" she trailed off, watching a delivery truck driving by. DELIVERY DRIVERS WANTED, it said on a square paper that had been pasted onto the truck.

"Looks like you two just found your next jobs," she gestured at the sign, and both Duke and Nathan nodded.

"What about you and Jennifer?" Duke said.

"Well, Jennifer can continue her research and maybe I could find an office job here," Audrey replied. "But I think her book is right; wherever our next encounter with The Corrupt will be, it's going to involve this place."

They walked past the front of the bottling company, where the reporter was finishing up her story as Marcus made his way back into the building.

"So there you have it, the latest developments in the murder of Herman Deroulard," she was saying. "Mary Inglewood, former personal assistant to Marcus Deroulard, guns down the CEO, allegedly to give his son leadership of the company out of her love for him. We will continue to follow this story as more of this strange tale unfolds." She gestured to the camera, and he lowered it.

"So this Mary was Deroulard's assistant," Nathan muttered. "There's your next job, Audrey."

"I guess it is," Audrey said. "Let's go."

As they walked further up toward the library, a grey vintage Rolls-Royce came rolling past them, and Duke stopped to watch it, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. As it rolled by, the license plate DLRLRD-1 could be seen on it.

"That's a nice piece of change for one of those," Nathan remarked.

"I get the feeling they can afford it," Duke replied, watching the Rolls turn into the driveway of a mansion that took up almost the entire block, and even through the smoky lenses of his sunglasses, Nathan could see the gleam of the silver of Duke's eyes.

Jennifer looked up from her research from the library to see Audrey sitting next to her.

"How did it go?" Jennifer asked.

"I think I have my job," Audrey said with a small smile.

"Have you heard from Nathan and Duke?" Jennifer asked.

Audrey nodded. "They have to learn the routes; they'll be here in about 15 minutes. Do you need any help?"

"Maybe you can find these books," Jennifer said and jotted down a small list of books on a scrap of paper, then gave it to Audrey, who smiled back.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Deroulard; may I help you?" a librarian asked as Marcus walked passed the front desk.

"No, but thank you; I'll let you know if I have any trouble finding anything," Marcus said and walked into an area.

Jennifer, who was half-hidden behind a stack of books, nudged Audrey.

"There's your soon-to-be new boss," she whispered.

"I wish Nathan and Duke would hurry up and get here, so they can see if he's the one," Audrey whispered back. She departed to go and find Jennifer's books, and ran straight into Marcus as he rounded the corner.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he smiled, bending down to retrieve the book Audrey had dropped. "Why, it's Miss . . .Parker, isn't it?" he asked politely, turning on the charm. "THE ORIGINS OF VOODOO IN NEW ORLEANS," he read the title aloud. "Taking up voodoo, Miss Parker?" he teased. "New Orleans must be growing on you."

"Oh, no, I was getting it for a . . . friend, Mr. Deroulard," Audrey said.

"Call me Marcus, please," he answered smoothly. "I was most impressed with you at your interview today."

"Thank you . . . but I don't think your sister much cared for me, however," Audrey said, thinking on her interview with the three Deroulard children. There was Isabella, the sister who'd regarded Audrey with cold disdain; Killian, the oldest, who spent most of his time undressing her with his eyes, and Marcus, who'd been all charm and smiles. "But in light of your family's bereavement, it's understandable that her nerves are frayed."

"I think that frayed is my sister Izzy's natural state of being," Marcus said. "And before you think that we're tearing out hair out in grief over my father's death, please bear in mind that we were fighting him in court for control of the factory. He wasn't making sound decisions any longer, and just refused to give up the reins." He shook his head. "But never in a hundred thousand years did I think that Mary would just lose her reason and do such a thing."

He regarded Audrey. "You must think me a monster to speak so callously about my father."

"Family is family, but business is business," Audrey answered evenly, and Marcus smiled, nodding.

"My sentiments exactly," he smiled. "I'll tell you what, Miss Parker-"

"Audrey."

"Audrey," he corrected himself. "Why don't you report to my office at nine am tomorrow, and we'll go over your duties," he told her, and extended his hand. "Welcome to our little family."

"Thank you," Audrey smiled, shaking his hand. Was it her, or were his eyes really so green that they resembled twin emeralds?

"I'll be there tomorrow morning, Mr. Del - I mean, Marcus," she hastily amended, seeing his look of protest.

"Then I will see you tomorrow," Marcus smiled once more. "Have a good evening, Audrey."

"You too," Audrey answered, watching him disappear around the corner.

Once he was out of sight, Audrey shook it off, and made her way back to Jennifer, to find that Nathan and Duke had joined her by now.

"So how'd your interview go?" Nathan asked softly, as they were in a library.

"I just ran into Marcus here . . . he just hired me," Audrey said, and they smiled.

"Great," Duke stated, drawing Jennifer's book closed. "Now how about we get out of here and go celebrate being newly employed."

"But not too late - I have to be in at nine am," Audrey replied.

"Lucky you - we have to be in at six," Nathan grumbled. "But it leaves us the afternoon and evenings free."

Marcus departed the library, and made his way back home to the sprawling mansion where he found his sister Isabella pacing, waiting anxiously for him.

"Where have you been?" she demanded.

"I went to the library," he told her. "I ran into Miss Parker while I was there. I hired her."

"I don't like her," she sniffed.

"You don't like any pretty woman," Marcus stated.

"There's something about her," Isabella said. "I don't know what, but there's something about her that doesn't sit well with me."

"Well, no matter," Marcus replied, smoothing his hair in the mirror's reflection. "I think she'll prove to be our most valuable asset - once she gets with our program."

"So how did ya'lls day go?" Adele asked as she served them dinner.

"We made some progress," Nathan said after he thanked Adele for the meal.

"Well, ya'll let me know if you need some help," Adele said.

"Perhaps have breakfast early," Nathan said. "Duke and I need to be at work at six."

"Can do," Adele said, nodding. "Now ya'll eat up, but not too much; I want each of you to try my cake for dessert."

Duke nodded his thanks, then noticed Jennifer, who was sitting next to him, looking a little disappointed.

"What's the matter, Little Flower?" Duke asked, making her look at him.

"I . . . want to help out more," Jennifer said. "I know I can research for my book, but there has to be something else I can do."

"Well, if we need a spy who can make herself tiny, we know just the girl to ask," Nathan smiled.

"Hmph," Jennifer snorted.

"So what happened with ya'll today?" Adele asked, bringing out a two-layer cake that was decorated with tiny icing flowers.

"Well, Duke and I both got hired on as delivery drivers with Marigny's Miracle Tonics," Nathan said. "And Audrey got a job as Marcus Deroulard's new assistant."

Adele's smile faded.

"You please be careful 'round him, Miss Audrey," she warned gently. "There's somethin' 'bout him that ain't natural," she went on. "Women just seem to lose their reason with him. They say that his last assistant killed his daddy 'cause he asked her to. And he's had two other women kill themselves over him when he dumped them and another one shot and killed another woman 'cause she was jealous of her. Please be careful with him, Miss Audrey," Adele pleaded.

"What can you tell us about the other two Deroulard children?" Duke said. "Do you know anything about them?"

"Isabella, she's a real piece of work, that one," Adele told them. "I'm friends with a spirit in their house. She practice voodoo, Miss Isabella does, an' supposedly, she pretty good at it too. Mister Killian - he likes building puzzles and traps. He got a spirit trap in the house, that's why none of the spirits I know go 'round there. They're an evil lot - ya'll do best to keep ya distance from them."

"Is their mother still living?" Audrey questioned.

"She is; but they got her locked up in her own wing in the house. Supposedly, she lost her mind. Ain't nobody seen Miz Elizabeth in person in about ten years now."

"Haven't the police ever investigated?"

Adele hooted with laughter. "Them people, answer to the law? "Y'all can tell you ain't from around here," she chided them. "The Deroulards do what they want, when they want, where they want and to who they want, and never lose a minute of sleep worrying about the consequences. Somehow, they always seem to slip out of trouble like a greased-up eel."

"For instance?" Nathan prodded. They hadn't expected their ghostly housekeeper to be such a font of information.

"For instance like that little gal that up and vanished when Mr. Killian was in college," Adele said. "Rumor had it she had evidence against them. She tried to unionize the factory workers, and then poof, overnight she was gone, never to seen again. And like I said, nobody's seen their Mama in years, and yet nobody's ever investigated to see if she was still alive. Every now and again, the police will ask about her, the Deroulards will tell them she's just fine, and they take their word for it."

"Money talks," Duke muttered.

"Oh, they rich, that's for sure - but I think it's more than just that," Adele replied. "I think they got a juju man or woman workin' for 'em. Whoever or whatever they got, it's powerful stuff." She brightened again. "So how do y'all like my cake?"

"It's amazing," Jennifer answered, devouring another forkful of the moist cake. "What is it?"

"It's called hummingbird cake," Adele said.

"The most amazing cake I've ever had," Audrey declared, and Adele smiled bigger.

"It's Mr. Baudelaire's favorite cake," she told them.

"Will we get to meet Mr. Baudelaire?" Nathan questioned.

"I don't know when he'll be in again, but I'm sure he'd be delighted to make your acquaintances," Adele answered. "Well, I'm off to wash up and then I will see y'all in the morning," she finished, and vanished once again.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that," Duke said, and heard faint laughter echoing down the hallway.

Before she went to bed, Jennifer checked her book to see if there was any new information and there was.

TO UNDO BEING BLINDED BY LOVE, SEE A TRUTH she read from the book.

Jennifer didn't know what it meant, but she soon put it out of her mind as she fell asleep and dreamt of Duke in his human form and her cuddling together as they rested on a giant leaf in a field of flowers and she was making him purr.

The next day, Duke and Nathan took their break together after they finished their morning deliveries.

"Have you noticed something strange with half of the drivers?" Nathan asked, as they watched a group of them walk off.

"You mean besides they don't take breaks and their skin is sort of greyish?" Duke said.

"They smell . . . not quite alive," Nathan said.

"Yes, I noticed," Duke answered. "It's...weird. I know New Orleans is a strange place, but they're really strange."

"We need to find out what goes on behind closed doors around here," Nathan muttered. "So I think maybe we need to get Jennifer to come back after-hours tonight."

"I don't think-"

"Duke, she can transform herself. She can shrink herself down small enough and she won't be seen on the surveillance system," Nathan pointed out. "And maybe she can help keep an eye on Audrey too. Something's the matter with her."

"Yeah, that was a little odd," Duke grumbled. "I know she's trying to keep up a facade, but she was a little too harsh on you in the meeting this morning. All right, I'll ask Jennifer if she'll do it."

"Thanks. Well, we better get back to work," Nathan said, tossing his burger wrapper into a trash receptacle. "I'll see you at the house afterwards."

Duke waved goodbye, and climbed back into the truck. He made his next two deliveries without incident, but when he came to the last stop at a small grocery story set further back in the French Quarter, he encountered an older woman as he unloaded the three cases of Marigny's Miracle Tonics.

"Shouldn' be sellin' dat poison," she told the owner.

"Now, Miss Maisie, it's all natural ingredients, there's nothing bad about it," the store owner told her, but the elderly woman shook her head. She glanced at Duke, and his brought his eyes up to meet hers.

"You know it too, doncha boy?" she asked him.

Even from where he was, Duke could feel the aura radiating from her. Whoever she was, she had control of some very powerful magic. But it wouldn't look very good if the store owner were to phone up the company and complain that one of their drivers was badmouthing the company, so he gave her his most disarming smile.

"I think it's fine," he fibbed. "Like the lady says, it's all natural, ma'am."

"You drink it?" the old woman demanded.

'I wouldn't drink this stuff on a bet,' Duke thought, but aloud he said, "On occasion, yes, I do."

The old woman's side-eye almost made him laugh, but hearing her voice in his mind nipped that in the bud.

'That stuff evil. You know it too or you wouldn' be here,' she radiated at him. 'I know what you are. You ain' no human man.'

'Who are you?' Duke asked.

'Come see me tonight: 464 St. Ann. I tell you what you wanna know,' she told him mentally, and then gathered up her little grocery bag.

"If you say so, boy," she said aloud. "If you say so," she finished, making her way out of the store.

"Don't let her bother you," the store owner said. "Miss Maisie thinks most everything is evil and bad for you," she chuckled. "You should hear her theories on Hubig's Pies sometime."

"I'll take your word for it," Duke grinned, and got her to sign his paperwork so he could turn in his truck for the day and go home.

Audrey was gathering her things to head for home, when she was stopped by Marcus.

"Oh, Audrey, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," he began.

"Of course," Audrey smiled. She liked him; he was charming and pleasant, greeting most everyone he encountered with a smile or a kind word, those green eyes of his sparkling, full of life.

Even Isabella had begun to warm up to her, and Killian was still giving her covert looks, but he was polite and maintained his distance.

"I was wondering, would you mind dropping some forms by our other office on your way home? They need them first thing in the morning," Marcus said. "That is, if it's not out of your way."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Audrey replied. Marcus smiled, and touched her arm, making her skin tingle. His eyes lingered on her face, and she felt her skin warming under his gaze.

"Thank you, Audrey," Marcus smiled again. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Of course," she answered, feeling her heart quicken at the thought of seeing him again.

On their return home, Duke and Nathan laid out their plan for Jennifer to investigate the Deroulards.

"I just feel like I'm spying on Audrey," Jennifer protested.

"You're not spying," Nathan told her. "There's - something strange going on with Audrey. She acted very out of character this morning at the driver's meeting. And she spends nearly every moment at work practically glued to Marcus' side."

"She is his personal assistant," Jennifer replied. "And we did say that we were supposed to pretend that we don't know each other."

"I know we all agreed to act like we don't know one another, but it was a bit overboard," Duke admitted, seeing the concern on Jennifer's face.

"All right," Jennifer grudged. "I still feel like I'm spying though."

On the way to the office, Duke remembered his encounter with Miss Maisie and told the others. Nathan's reaction was to slam on the brakes.

"Could you have told us before we left?" Nathan asked and sighed. ""Okay, after Jennifer takes a look around, we'll all visit this Miss Maisie."

Nathan soon parked the Bronco and they all got out. Duke gave Jennifer a kiss for good luck and she transformed and shrank herself. She then flew off and scanned the building. She found a window partially opened and flew inside. Jennifer was now in Isabella's office. She saw Isabella at her desk looking through a jewelry catalogue. Soon Killian entered, looking annoyed.

"Isabella, can you please move your zombies somewhere else? I can't get any work done hearing them constantly bumping into each other," Killian said.

"Fine, fine," Isabella said, putting down the catalogue, then got up and left the room.

Killian was about to follow her, when he noticed something small and sparkly on the windowsill. He took out a special bottle and carefully walked closer.

Jennifer saw him coming closer and flew off before Killian could nab her.

"What are you doing?" Isabella asked from the doorway.

"There was a fairy here," Killian said, glancing out the window before he looked back at Isabella. "Do you know how much power you can harvest from a fairy?"

"What would a fairy be doing here?" she said skeptically.

"I don't know – but I'm going to definitely be keeping a close eye out for it again," he told her.

Jennifer flew down to where Nathan and Duke were waiting for her.

"There's definitely something weird there," she said, going back to her full size.

"You're shaking," Duke said, putting his arms around her. "What happened?"

"I almost got caught! That Killian has eyes like a hawk - he saw me and he almost caught me with one of his trap things, but I got away," Jennifer began. "But what's really weird is he came into her office and told her that she needed do something with her zombies!"

"I knew there was something weird with those drivers," Nathan muttered.

They saw Audrey approaching, and Nathan smiled, stretching his arms out to her.

"How was your day?" he asked, after she gave him a perfunctory hug and kiss.

"Fine, it was fine," she replied.

Nathan, Duke and Jennifer exchanged worried looks.

"So . . . how do you like working for Marcus?" Jennifer asked.

Audrey's face lit up at the mention of his name.

"He's wonderful!" she enthused. "He's the best boss I ever worked for."

Nathan's expression grew even more serious.

"Audrey . . . I don't think you should work for him anymore," he said cautiously. "I think he's . . . affecting you."

"Why? Nathan, you're just being jealous, and you don't have any reason to be," Audrey told him sternly. "He's my boss, and that's all, and really, you need to just stop acting like a schoolboy already," she fumed and stormed off, climbing into the Bronco and slamming the passenger door.

For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Nathan cleared his throat, avoiding Duke's gaze.

"We need to go see this Miss Maisie," he uttered, and got behind the wheel.

'I see what you mean,' Jennifer thought to Duke.

'Yeah,' he answered, and they got into the back of the Bronco.

"Nathan, I need to drop some papers off at the other office, so could you swing by there first, please?" Audrey said as Nathan started the vehicle.

"Audrey, we need to go see this woman that Duke met today," he answered. "She-"

"It won't take but a minute," Audrey said politely, but Nathan could see her temper building, and he relented.

"All right," Nathan answered. "Whatever you say, Audrey."

"Thank you," she answered.

"Audrey, we're just worried about you," Duke said tenderly. "We think you're just . . . working too hard. Why don't you take a couple of days off, and we'll get out of New Orleans for a day or so."

"Thank you for your concern, Duke, but I can't right now. Marcus needs me," Audrey replied, and Duke and Jennifer exchanged very worried looks, while Nathan merely tightening his grip on the steering wheel till his knuckles were white with tension.

They pulled up to the building, and Nathan noted the gray Rolls-Royce parked outside, and sure enough, Marcus Deroulard could be seen inside the building.

"Now why would he want you to bring the paperwork here if he was going to come here himself?" Nathan wondered aloud.

"Maybe he got called over here for an emergency," Audrey said. "He does run the factory now, you know."

She got out, and went into the building. Nathan watched with narrowed eyes as he noticed how animated she was with him, the way he touched her arm as they talked, and after a few moments, they both emerged from the building.

"Guys, something's come up at the office," Audrey told them. "I have to go back to work for a little while."

"I'll be glad to give Audrey a ride back home, fellas," Marcus said. "I promise not to keep her too long."

Nathan fought down the urge to punch Marcus Deroulard in his smug face, and Duke practically had to hide himself behind one of Jennifer's notebooks to prevent Marcus from seeing his silvery eyes.

"No problem," Nathan ground out, willing himself not to change into his true form and rip Marcus's throat out in front of Audrey.

"I'll see you at home, okay?" Audrey smiled at him, and Nathan's frost melted.

"All right; don't be too late," he answered, and started the Bronco up again, watching as Audrey climbed into the Rolls with Marcus.

"I'm gonna kill that guy before this is all over," he said, as his fangs appeared and his face briefly took on canine proportions.

"Well, before you do that, let's go and see Miss Maisie and see what she has to say. Maybe she knows a way to defeat them," Duke answered. "Cause I'll tell you, Nate - that guy's Corrupt is intense. And then there's the other two. We have to find a way to stop them."

"We have to find a way to save Audrey before it's too late," Nathan said. "If it isn't already."

"Maybe Miss Maisie knows what's happening to her," Duke said as Nathan followed Duke's directions.

"Actually, last night, I checked the book, and there was something," Jennifer said, and the guys looked at her. "'To undo being blinded by love, see a truth.'"

Nathan drove up to 464 St. Ann. It was rather dilapidated, and not in the best part of the Quarter, but they summoned their courage and knocked on the door.

A man answered it.

"Yeah?"

"Is - Miss Maisie here?" Duke asked cautiously.

"Who wanna know?"

"Tell her the guy she talked to at the grocery store today. She asked me to come and see her."

"Hold on a minute," the man answered, and shut the door. A few moments later, he returned.

"Miss Maisie will see you now," he said, ushering them inside.

Inside, the house was a hodgepodge of décor - they could see that much of the furnishings were genuine antiques, and large swirling designs decorated the walls.

"Protection veves," the man said, seeing what they were looking at.

"Vee-Vees?" Nathan questioned.

"Vee-Vays," Jennifer replied. "They're used in voodoo rituals to invoke various spirits."

They entered a larger room, where they found Miss Maisie sitting on an elaborately carved wooden chair.

"Visitors, Miss Maisie," the man told her.

Miss Maisie turned, seeing them, and gave Duke a small smile.

"I figured you'd bring the others 'long," she said.

"How did you know there would be others?" Duke asked.

"Always are," Miss Maisie chuckled. "Hunters travel in packs. But you ain' one a' dem, tho', are ya, girlie?" she grinned at Jennifer.

"Ya got powers, but ya ain' like dem two." She glanced around them, as though she were expecting someone else. "Where's de other one?"

"Other who?" Duke asked, and then quickly realized she meant Audrey.

"That's part of why we wanted to come and talk to you," Nathan put in quickly.

"Well, don' jus' clutter up ma doorway, come an' sit down, be comfortable," Miss Maisie gestured to the loveseat and chair opposite her.

Nathan seated himself in the chair, and Duke and Jennifer settled on the loveseat.

"You're right, Miss Maisie, there is one other person in our group. Her name is Audrey," Nathan began. "But she's recently gone to work for Marcus Deroulard."

"Oh, boy, ya need ta get her away from him, or ya lose her for sure," Miss Maisie warned.

"We think we may already have," Duke replied, seeing Nathan's dirty look. "He asked her to run an errand for him tonight, and when we got to where he wanted her to go, he just so happened to be conveniently there, that 'something had come up at work' and she needed to go back with him."

"Every time she looks at him, she looks like a lovesick calf," Nathan told her. "It gets worse every minute."

Miss Maisie looked grim, and shook her head.

"Dem Deroulards ain' nothin' but trouble," she said. "He possessin' her - dat's how he do it, little by little, ever' hour, he draws 'em in a little bit more 'til dey do anything he tell 'em to do."

"So he really did tell his last assistant to kill his father," Nathan stated flatly.

Miss Maisie nodded solemnly. "Daddy wouldn' hand over de reins, so he hadda go."

"Why did he want control of the company so bad?" Duke asked.

"So dey can keep doin' what dey doin', boy!" Miss Maisie said. "When I tol' ya dat stuff was poison t'day, I meant it. People dat drink dat stuff, it make 'em - change, somehow," she went on.

Duke, Nathan and Jennifer all looked at one another.

Marcus and Audrey were just pulling up to the front door of the house.

"Thank you for staying and helping me tonight," Marcus said as he walked her to the door.

"You're welcome," Audrey replied.

Marcus glanced at the house. "Looks like your boyfriend and his buddies haven't made it home yet," he remarked.

"They're probably still out at dinner," Audrey said.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Marcus apologized profusely. "I didn't realize you hadn't eaten yet. Let me take you out to dinner."

"No, it's okay," Audrey smiled, but Marcus stepped closer.

"I would appreciate it if you'd accept my invitation. I feel terrible making you miss dinner," he told her softly. He studied her a moment, his green eyes locked on hers.

"What?" Audrey asked.

"I was just realizing what a truly beautiful woman you are, Audrey," Marcus replied quietly. He slid his arms around her waist, and drew her closer to him. "Very beautiful indeed," he finished, and pressed his mouth to hers.

Audrey started to push back, but found she didn't have the strength to do it. Too late, she realized that Nathan had been right, that Marcus had been wearing down her resistance little by little, she had to fight him, she HAD to do SOMETHING - but...

'No, I-' she thought, but it was swept away in a moment as she pressed herself against him, feeling her heart pounding in her body as their kiss deepened. She never wanted it to end, this feeling of euphoric ecstasy of being in Marcus' arms, and all thought of Nathan, Duke and Jennifer abandoned her completely. There was only Marcus Deroulard now.

Marcus broke away, and nuzzled her face.

"Now then," he said a little more conversationally.

"Yes, Marcus?" Audrey asked, her eyes fixed on his face, and he gave her a little smile.

"I think you're definitely with our program now," he noted, and Audrey gave him a gentle smile. "Now then, I want you to come to dinner with me," he told her, taking her arm in his, Audrey following along like a lovesick puppy. "And you can tell me all about you - and your friends."

"How do you know so much about the Deroulards?" Nathan asked. "Do you use a crystal ball or something?"

Miss Maisie politely laughed at Nathan's naïveté and nodded to the man, who left. A short time later, he came back with an old photo album. Miss Maisie opened to a particular page and showed the others black and white photographs of two young girls.

"Dis here is Daisy," Miss Maisie said indicating one of the girls. "My twin sister; we always knew we were different – dat's why we both became Mamalois."

"Mama . . . lois?" Nathan questioned.

"Mamalois," Jennifer explained. "Voodoo priestesses."

Miss Maisie smiled proudly at Jennifer. "Ya'll got a wise woman with your group. Isabella invited Daisy over ta stay at her big fancy mansion afta she lost her house ta Katrina, offered her de guesthouse, an' made her a prisoner. Dey treat her well 'nough, but she can't leave. Dat's how I know dey secrets; Daisy and I share a psychic link."

"What do they want with Daisy?" Duke asked as Miss Maisie put away the album.

"Daisy told me Isabella wants her ta strength her power," Miss Maisie said. "But dey magic ain't nothin' she's seen or heard before. She can't escape; she doesn't have dat kind of power . . . not like ya'll . . . I know if I told Daisy help is coming, she's help ya'll."

"Wait, what does their water do?" Jennifer asked.

"As I said, dat water dey bottlin' makes people change," Miss Maisie told them. "Makes a good man go bad, make a bad one worse. An' dat water's like liquor - more dey drink, de more dey want it."

"They could be using some form of The Corrupt," Nathan said, thinking of The Infect that had made them all ill. "We know that some are so small they can't be seen with the naked eye."

Duke and Jennifer nodded agreement.

"But what can we do about our friend in the meantime?" Nathan questioned.

Maisie took a small medallion from around her neck, and placed it around Duke's, Duke lowering his head.

"You show dat ta Daisy," she told him. "An' she'll-" Maisie paused in mid-sentence, as though she were listening to something. She reached out, clutching Duke's arm, and he could hear a voice that sounded remarkably like Maisie's talking inside his head.

"Marcus brought a woman home. He got her under his spell," he could hear the woman saying. "He making her tell him all about her and some other folk."

"Is that Daisy?" he whispered.

"Sh," Maisie hissed. "What she do?" she asked aloud.

"She changed herself! She magic!" Duke heard, and he gasped.

"Audrey," he got out.

"What about Audrey?" Nathan pounced.

Maisie let go his arm, and walked into the next room, where they could hear her rummaging through drawers.

"What did you hear?" Nathan pressed.

"Daisy - I guess that was Daisy . . . I . . . heard - said Marcus came home with a woman that he'd dragged under his spell. She said she transformed herself - that she was a magic woman," Duke said lamely. "I'm guessing she means Audrey."

"We gotta go," Nathan blurted.

"Go where, Nathan? If Audrey's told them about us, we'll just be walking right into their hands!" Duke argued. "Audrey's right on one point, Nate - you've got to stop acting like a lovesick kid, or you're going to get us all killed!"

"Guys, stop!" Jennifer cut in, and gestured towards the door, where Maisie was standing.

"If y'all are done arguin', I'm gon' tell ya how ya can defeat 'em," Maisie said. "But ya frien' right on one count, boy - ya got ta let 'em take ya prisoners firs'."

"Wait . . . excuse me . . . let them take us prisoner?" Duke asked incredulously. "Uh . . . no way! I'd rather walk around their mansion naked than be taken prisoner! Besides how's us being taken prisoner help us? How does it help Daisy? How does it help Audrey?"

"I do agree with Duke," Nathan said, however he glared at Duke. "And I am not acting like a lovesick school boy."

Maisie drew them nearer to her.

"As she done told dem all 'bout ya, mos' likely, dey gon' tell her ta call for ya, dat she's in trouble," Maisie said.

"How do you know that?" Duke questioned.

"Because dat is what Daisy tol' 'em ta do in order ta catch ya," Maisie explained. "So go ta her when she call ya. Let dem take ya. Don' make it too easy now," she warned. "Let 'em fight ya, but let dem win. Make dem put dey guard down."

Duke swallowed nervously, and glanced at Nathan, who was looking at his buzzing phone.

"It's Audrey," he said.

"Put it on speaker," Duke told him.

Nathan hit the button. "Hello?"

"Nathan?" Audrey asked over the line. She sounded nervous and upset, and Maisie nodded at him.

"Audrey, what's wrong?" Nathan said.

"Nathan, I – I think I'm in trouble," she answered. "Marcus - he's done something to me...I can't fight him anymore. Nathan, I'm scared," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Please come. I'm being held at the Deroulard mansion, I tried to leave, but I can't."

'If Maisie hadn't warned us, we'd have bought Audrey's story hook, line and sinker,' Jennifer thought to Duke.

'I know. My problem is I think Nathan still believes her,' Duke answered, his face grim. 'I hate to say this, but right now, we can't trust anything that Audrey may tell us. She's been compromised.'

He linked his fingers with hers, and Jennifer gazed at him.

'Just promise me that if that guy tries to sway you too, you'll fight him as hard as you can,' Duke told her. 'Stay linked with me.' He glanced at Nathan's face, a study in anguish as he reassured Audrey that he would be there as soon as possible, that they were all coming, all the while knowing she was drawing them into a trap.

'I don't think I could bear it if you looked at me the way Audrey looked at Nathan today,' Duke's thought echoed in Jennifer's mind, and Nathan hung up the phone.

"Well, you all heard what I heard," he said. "Is there anything you can do, Miss Maisie?"

"Dey magicked dat place but good," Maisie told them. "I keep tryin' from here. I find a way ta help out, I let him know," she gestured at Duke. "Long as he keeps his connections open ta me."

"I'll do my best," Duke promised solemnly, fingering the pendant Maisie had given him.

"Ya show dat ta Daisy - she'll help ya," Maisie told him. "Good luck an' good huntin' ta ya - 'bout high time somebody brought dem Deroulards down a peg or three."

Nathan parked the Bronco outside of the Deroulards mansion and they walked up to the locked gate. Jennifer shrank herself and flew inside the mansion and opened the gate for the guys. Nathan and Duke then saw men with grey skin walking over to them . . . zombies.

'See if you can find Audrey, Jennifer,' Duke said as he and Nathan transformed into their true forms. 'We'll take care of them.'

Duke and Nathan charged at the small zombie army . . . and after five minutes, there were no more zombies. Duke noticed that the pendant Miss Maisie gave him, didn't change. It was then both Nathan and Duke felt something hit them, and Duke pulled out a dart as they collapsed on ground, feeling exhausted.

Isabella and Killian soon came out and saw them.

"Oh! Look, Killian! A werewolf! Can we keep him? Mommy never let me have a dog; she said I wasn't responsible enough for one," Isabella said.

"Yes, I wonder what power you can harvest from a werewolf," Killian said, eyeing Nathan. Isabella pouted.

"No fair! You have your fairy! Marcus has one; I want one too!" Isabella exclaimed.

"How about a cat then?" Marcus said, indicating Duke. "I have a feeling you can teach that one lots of tricks."

As Isabella cheered, Duke noticed Killian taking out a glass bottle out of his jacket, and inside the bottle was Jennifer, trying to escape.

"Let her go!" He wanted to scream, but all that came out of his mouth was a small mew.

"What's wrong with you?" Nathan whispered.

"I just feel . . . weak," Duke finally got out. He then tried their empathic conjoining. 'Jennifer . . .'

'Duke? Oh, Duke!' Jennifer said when she saw them. 'You don't look good, neither does Nathan . . . you look vulnerable.'

'I feel vulnerable,' Duke said. 'They shot us with something . . . well, at least we're prisoners now . . . yay . . . .'

Marcus soon entered with Audrey hanging off his arm, wearing an expensive looking revealing gown. Nathan looked up when he saw her.

"Audrey . . ." he meant to say, but it came out as a whimper, which made her look at him.

"Audrey, do you still want to be with your friends or become part of my family?" Marcus asked her. Audrey scanned them.

"You, Marcus," Audrey said and kissed him. Nathan wanted to rip Marcus apart, but he could only whine and whimper now.

"Nice catch, bro," Killian commented. "You should marry her; she's the best one so far."

"Isabella?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah . . . I'm starting to like her," Isabella said.

"Well . . . marriage is a serious subject; I think Audrey and I need some private time to discuss this," Marcus said. "Don't you agree?"

"Yes, Marcus," Audrey said, as Nathan whined.

"Then let's take a walk through the gardens," Marcus said, and looked at his siblings. "Killian, have fun with your fairy . . . as for those two . . . take them to Daisy . . . she's always wanted some company."

Killian left into the mansion, while Isabella ordered her zombies to put leashes on Nathan and Duke. To make this even more undignified for Nathan and Duke, they didn't have the strength to stand upright, so they had to walk on all four as Isabella and her zombies led them to the guesthouse.

The zombies led Nathan and Duke into a caged enclosure in the back yard that connected to a small house.

Nathan was suddenly so tired he could no longer hold himself upright; and he collapsed to the ground, noticing that the same had occurred with Duke. He fought to keep his eyes open, but whatever he and Duke had been tranquilized with was too much for him, and the last thing he saw was a pair of feet approaching them before he slipped into unconsciousness.

In the mansion, Killian set the jar with Jennifer trapped inside on his desk.

"Now, little miss, what is your name?" he asked.

Jennifer merely glared at him, doing her best to regain her size, but the bottle wouldn't let her.

"I had a feeling that you were able to alter your size," he told her. "That bottle will ensure that you will stay your tiny self. I don't need you larger in order to drain off your power."

"I don't have that much power!" Jennifer tried to tell him. "I'm not a real fairy, I'm a human!"

"Do I look like a fool to you?" Killian questioned. "Fairies are notorious liars. You are no human," he chuckled.

Jennifer did her best to not be scared, and tried to focus on Duke.

'Duke? Duke, are you there?' she radiated, but received no answer. She pondered for a moment, and then tried 'Maisie?'

'I ain' Maisie, my name Daisy,' came an answer. 'I heard ya callin' fa ya friend.'

'Is he-?' she thought, tears filling her eyes.

'No, he safe, but asleep; dey drugged him an' de other one. Dey sleep awhile, but he safe; rest yaself.'

'Can you help us, Daisy?' Jennifer thought.

'I try. But firs' we got ta cure ya friend. Marcus got her wrapped pretty tight 'round his little finger. But I think we can still help her,' came Daisy's reply. 'But rest ya mind; ya friend is safe fa now.'

Out in the garden, Marcus and Audrey walked, hand in hand.

"So will you help me then?" he asked, caressing her hand in his own.

"You know I will," Audrey smiled. "Anything for you, my love."

"All right," Marcus beamed. "You help me strip the three of their power, and then-" he leaned in and kissed her slowly and passionately.

"And then?" Audrey asked when the kiss ended.

"And then you just might find yourself being Mrs. Marcus Deroulard," he promised. He'd thought it over; and he'd decided that for once, Killian might be onto something when he'd suggested that he marry Audrey.

Audrey gasped as he slid a massive rock onto her finger.

"Oh, Marcus," she smiled. "It's beautiful."

"I think you and I would be very good together. But first, we relieve those three of the last drop of their power," he finished. "You think you could do that for me, my angel?"

"I could," Audrey said. "It shouldn't be too difficult at all."

"I knew it wouldn't be for a special lady like you," Marcus smiled, and kissed her cheek.

Nathan shook his head, groaning. He tried to transition back into his human form; but found he could not. He also felt a large heavy collar fastened around his neck, and could see one around Duke's neck as well.

He stretched, yawning, and batted Duke with one paw, who grunted, opening his eyes.

"Dey won' let y'all change back. Get ya power from ya easier in ya true forms," a voice told them.

"You are Maisie's sister, Daisy," Nathan said, seeing the woman who was an exact match for the woman they'd spoken to a few hours earlier, and she nodded.

Duke sat up, shaking his own head to clear the cobwebs. He still felt weak, but at least he was conscious.

"Daisy," he rasped. "Maisie gave me this to give to you," he began, feeling for the pendant, but it was gone.

Daisy held up the pendant.

"I took it off yuh before dey showed up an' put dem collars on ya, or dey'da took it from ya," she said.

Duke tugged violently at the collar, but it refused to budge. It was on too tightly to get his head through, and he couldn't claw his way through it.

"Dat won' come off less dey want it to," Daisy sighed. "I done tried ta get 'em off."

"Then how do we get out of this? Maisie told us to let ourselves be taken prisoner, although I have to say they didn't have to try exceptionally hard," Nathan said.

"Dat's 'cause ya friend tol' 'em what to do to defeat ya," Daisy answered solemnly. "But don' be too hard on her; Marcus got her all wrapped up in dat love spell he works, he's got her ta where all she think 'bout is him. She'da tol' him de combination ta Fort Knox if he'd asked her for it."

Nathan's face fell, and he blinked hard a few times; and Daisy seemed to understand.

"Ya love her, doncha?" she asked.

Nathan hesitated, and then: "Yes, I do; very much so."

Daisy smiled, and patted his paw.

"Den dat's gon' be all our salvation," she smiled.

"Wait! Where's Jennifer?" Duke asked, looking around.

"Is she the one who tried to contact ya?" Daisy asked, as she poured water into two wide bowls, then placed them in front of the guys. "I heard her tryin' to; callin' out for 'Duke.'"

"That's me," Duke said with a feline smile. "He's Nathan; is Jennifer okay?"

"Killian has her, tryin' to unlock her power, but she's safe for now," Daisy said. "Now drink up, I know dat drug in your body makes ya'll thirsty."

Duke and Nathan had to agree and began lapping up the water.

"How are we going to escape?" Nathan asked once he and Duke were through.

"I am cookin' a special stew for ya'll; it should undo what dey did to ya, maybe even stronger for a bit," Daisy said and left to check her stew.

"We need to save Audrey," Nathan said.

"Plus Jennifer," Duke said. "And stop acting like a lovesick school boy."

"I am not," Nathan said, defensively.

The guys looked up to see that Daisy had entered the room, chuckling.

"Are you sure about dat? Check yaself," Daisy said.

Nathan looked at the water in the basin and to his surprise his reflection changed into what he could describe as a young werewolf pup.

Duke snickered. "Told you."

"Wha-? Why did I change like that?" Nathan asked.

"Because that's how you're acting," Duke told him, pacing on all fours.

Daisy looked out her window, and saw Audrey and Marcus approaching.

"Dey coming," she hissed at them. "Ya friend an' Marcus! Now you lissen ta me," she told Nathan, pulling his head so he would face her.

"She gon' ask ya if ya love her. Tell her 'no.' Tell her dat de woman ya loves would NEVER do what she done ta her friends."

"I don't know if I can," Nathan protested.

"Ya don' an' we all at dey mercy fa de rest a' our days," Maisie said. "Ya tell her dat."

"'To undo being blinded by love, see a truth,'" Duke said, remembering what Jennifer's book had said.

"Dat's exactly so," Daisy agreed. She heard the key in the lock.

"It's okay, Nathan," Duke whispered.

Marcus swung open the door, taking in the scene.

"Well now, Daisy, how are you enjoying your company?" he asked.

"Dey a little groggy," she told him.

"Well, it'll wear off in a while," Marcus said dismissively. "But Audrey here needed to speak to them before the ceremony takes place."

"Duke," Audrey began, stretching a hand out to him, but Duke snarled and swatted at her, missing by a mile, but his message was clear, his eyes narrowed as his ears flattened back.

"Traitor," he hissed at her.

A look of hurt crossed her face for a split second before she smirked at him.

"Naughty kitty," she scolded. "You could've scratched me. Now Nathan, on the other hand," she went on, coming over to him, "wouldn't greet me in that fashion, would you, Nathan?"

Duke didn't know where Nathan had found it, but Nathan issued a low growl in his throat and snapped at them.

"Nathan loves me - don't you, Nathan?" she asked tenderly, a hand on his head. "Like a puppy," she smiled. "A faithful and loyal friend to the end."

Nathan wanted so badly to believe her words; but he recalled what Duke said of what Jen's book had told her: 'To undo being blinded by love, see a truth,' and he growled low in his throat.

"No, I do not love YOU," Nathan uttered. "The woman I love would have never betrayed her friends for a cheap love affair."

This time, the look of hurt on Audrey's face lingered a few moments more, and she withdrew her hand.

"Come, my dear," Marcus said hastily, grabbing Audrey's arm. "We have a lot to do before the ceremony. We do have a WEDDING to plan also," he added, and Nathan felt like someone had stuck a knife in his heart.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," Nathan threw in as they departed and this time the look of hurt was unmistakable on Audrey's face as they closed the door. Nathan sank down, his heart aching, hoping he hadn't just screwed up the one thing in his life . . . well, afterlife . . . that he cherished. He also noted that his paws had returned to his normal size.

"Ya done good - REAL good," Daisy told him. She was ladling something from a stockpot into two large bowls. "Now I think I got de timin' on dis stuff jus' right," she continued, setting the bowls before them. "It should kick in right 'round de time dey get goin' on dat ceremony, if all go right."

"Nathan, it's okay," Duke assured him, a pand on his shoulder. "I know you still love her - and it may not look it right now, but deep down inside, Audrey does too - or she wouldn't have looked hurt. You reached her, Nathan - the real Audrey, not this love-struck version of her."

"I hope you're right," Nathan said gruffly as he began to eat his stew. "Or they might as well go ahead and kill me."

"I passed de message on ta ya little friend as well," Daisy told them, and pressed a button on an intercom.

"Yes?" they heard Isabella's voice.

"I was wonderin' if we could see Mr. Killian's fairy he got," Daisy said. "Dey worried 'bout her - dey wanna see her."

"I'll ask him," Isabella said, and a few moments later, she came back on. "He's on his way out with her."

"Let him know if I can perhaps see the fairy," Daisy said. "I never saw a fairy before."

"I'll let him know before he leaves," Isabella said and hung up.

After a couple of minutes, Daisy looked out the window and saw Killian walking towards the house.

"Pretend to be still sleepin'; Killian loves to brag when he sees his inventions works," Daisy said as she hid the half-finished bowls of stew. "An' when he brags, he lets secrets slip."

Nathan and Duke lay down and closed their eyes as they heard the door unlock and Killian walked in.

"Isabella said they were asking about my fairy," Killian said when he saw Nathan and Duke.

"Den dey felt sleepy again an' now dey in dreamland. Ya made dat drug of your'n very strong," Daisy said.

"Yes, I did," Killian said, his voice full for of pride, and took out the bottle. "So you want to see my fairy before she's gone?"

'Try to bring him close to me,' Duke said to Daisy and Jennifer hid her smile, relieved to see Duke was all right. 'I promise I'll not rip his eyes out.'

"Um . . . could ya bright her closer to this light? My eyesight is not what it was," Daisy asked.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Killian said before he put the bottle in his back pocket. "Too bad I cannot keep her, but I will be happy with power the ceremony will grant me."

"What's dis ceremony ya'll are talking about?" Daisy asked, trying to distract Killian, as she saw Duke trying to reach for the bottle with his prehensile tail.

"Well . . . you should be aware of the changes . . ." Killian said. "Marcus is going to ask his elf fiancée to strip these three of their powers and give them to us."

"She could do dat?" Daisy asked, as Duke's tail wrapped around the bottle.

"She can . . . we already agreed on who's power to have," Killian said. "Isabella is going to take the fairy's power, I'm going to have the cat's, and Marcus is to be given the werewolf's."

"I . . . see."

"Yes, now if you excuse me, I have some new plans I would like to draw out," Killian said and with that, he left.

When Killian was gone, Nathan and Duke stood up, and Duke handed Daisy the bottle. Daisy opened it and Jennifer flew out and returned to her human form. Duke circled her legs, rubbing her, purring loudly. Daisy just chuckled and got of the bowls of stew so the guys could finish them.

"Now who's acting like a lovesick school boy? Maybe we should check your reflection," Nathan said, and noticed his reflection returned to his regular werewolf self.

"What are you talking about? Why aren't you both human? What's with the collars?" Jennifer asked, as Duke rubbed her more, happy to hear Jennifer's questions again.

"The collars are to keep us like this," Duke answered. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Well, not for long," Jennifer said nervously. "You heard what they plan on doing. Audrey - she's flipped out."

"Maybe not," Duke replied. "Marcus brought her by here a while ago to brag, basically," he went on, casting a glance at Nathan's stormy countenance. "I think we might have put a crack in those rose-colored glasses Marcus has her wearing. But you have to keep it up," he told her.

"How can I do that?" Jennifer asked.

"In de house, Isabella's got a secret source a' her power; it's her Mama's power, dat she stole from her. She keeps it in a bottle on her dresser. If'n you can knock dat off an' break it, her Mama's power will return ta her, an' Isabella will be powerless. De other two will try ta counter any attacks from dey Mama, an' when dey do, Marcus is gonna hafta relax his hold on ya friend. Dat is where you show her what she has wit' him," she gestured at Nathan. "Remind her dat her bein' wit' him is real love, not what she got wit' Marcus. An' Maisie an' I will side up wit' Miz Elizabeth. We git ya'll free," she smiled, cupping Jennifer's cheek. "Now, get y'self back in dat bottle 'fore Killian gets back," she finished. "An' de boys an' I will be along shortly."

Duke nodded his assurance at her, and Nathan put a gentle paw on her shoulder.

"We're going to get her back," he told her. "One way or another."

Jennifer bobbed her head, signaling she understood, and shrank herself down once more, flying back inside the bottle.

Daisy had just finished securing the cork back in it, and Nathan and Duke were sleepily rubbing their eyes, when Killian opened the door.

"I see they've finally started coming around," he commented and saw Daisy holding the bottle. "It must have dropped out of my pocket; I'm glad you were smart enough not to open it. She's a pretty little thing, isn't she?"

"My hands aren't strong enough," she said. "She is very pretty; she's so tiny, but very powerful."

"How do you mean?" Killian asked.

"If I was you," Daisy said slowly, handing Jennifer back to Killian. "I don't know as I'd want Isabella to have all that power. Maybe it should be in better hands dan hers."

"Mm," Killian answered, narrowing his eyes. "We'll see."

He went back out of the door, and Duke and Nathan rose to their feet once more.

"Jennifer doesn't have all that power," Duke said.

"I think Daisy's sown the seeds of discord," Nathan put in, getting a wink from Daisy.

"You're buying us time," Duke said. "Something we could really use."

"That voodoo witch doesn't know what she's talking about," Killian said as he looked at Jennifer. "You're magical, not powerful."

'Oh, yes I am!' Jennifer said, making Killian stop in his tracks.

"You're . . . telepathic?" Killian asked, staring at Jennifer.

'Yes! I can do a lot more!' Jennifer said. 'Daisy is right! You're getting a bad deal! All you'll do is change into a cat, and that's all! If Isabella gets my power, she'll be stronger than you and even Marcus!'

"I knew she wasn't telling us everything!" Killian said and marched into the mansion. He pushed opened the door to Isabella's room when he got there.

"Killian! I told you to knock if you want to come in!" Isabella exclaimed.

"Oh, you tell me how to behave, but not the whole truth of what she can do!" Killian shot back and practically slammed the bottle down on a nearby nightstand.

"What are you talking about?"

"You need to have another conversation with your brothers," Killian said, grabbing Isabella's arm and pulled her out, and she closed the door behind her.

Jennifer couldn't believe her luck; she could see the bottle Daisy described on the dresser . . . except there was one problem.

She was still trapped in the bottle.

Jennifer pushed against the bottle, hoping to tip it over. It wobbled, but she couldn't gain enough momentum to knock it completely over.

She wanted to cry; but Nathan and Duke were depending on her, and she tried just once more, and this time, she managed to push the bottle off onto its side.

Feeling like a hamster in a wheel, she rolled it towards the edge of the nightstand, and it wasn't until it was about to fall over the edge that she realized that she was in for quite a drop in her tiny form if she didn't do something, so she quickly transformed herself into air as the bottle fell, hitting the stone floor and breaking.

Jennifer reformed herself, returning to her real form, acting swiftly, and reached for the bottle on the dresser, seizing it. She tugged in vain at the stopper, and finally in desperation, threw it at the floor, where it broke, releasing a sort of blackish-blue swirling cloud that formed itself into the shape of a woman in front of her. The cloud seemed to smile its thanks at her, and then vanished as Jennifer heard rapid footsteps approaching the room.

The door opened, and the four of them entered the room, their eyes sweeping over Jennifer in her full size.

"The fairy - catch her!" Killian shouted, and Audrey transformed as she extended her hand, readying a sphere to recapture Jennifer.

'Audrey,' Jennifer called, reconnecting with her mentally. 'Marcus is lying to you; you don't love him, and he doesn't love you,' Jennifer told her.

'Marcus loves me. He promised to marry me,' Audrey answered.

'It's a lie. If he thought he could take your power too, he would. NATHAN loves you, Audrey,' Jennifer stated. 'Nathan's love is real; remember it,' she continued, sending a barrage of memories that they'd shared to Audrey: Nathan holding the door for her; Nathan trying to save her from Lester Gaunt; Nathan, who beside her for hours keeping her warm when she was freezing to death because of The Infect, and Marcus' spell over her weakened.

"Jennifer!" Audrey gasped, seeing things clearly now.

'Duke, Daisy, now!' Jennifer radiated, and suddenly the whole house seemed to shake under their feet.

"What's happening?" Isabella screeched.

At the end of the hallway, the double doors that led to the locked part of the house seemed to stretch outwards, as though something very powerful were trying to break through.

"Mama," Marcus gasped, his face white. "We need to get out of here! NOW!"

The three turned to run down the stairs, to find Nathan and Duke, back to their full strengths, coming through the front door and Daisy was behind them.

"We still have control over them," Marcus said. "They can't attack so long as those collars are on!"

For answer, Duke reached up and ripped his collar off, Nathan doing the same with his.

"You were saying?" Isabella answered, clinging to her brothers as the double doors finally buckled under the strain, and an older woman, her long gray hair trailing down past her shoulders emerged.

Isabella and Killian ran downstairs, but Marcus ran back upstairs.

"I always knew you were the stupid one!" Isabella shouted and she and Killian reached the ground floor.

Marcus grabbed Audrey, and before she could react, kissed her.

"Please help me," he begged.

"Of course," Audrey said and reached for Jennifer, but she shrank and flew to Duke.

"Audrey!" Nathan called out and ran upstairs.

Zombies then entered the main floor, and Isabella smiled. However, Daisy raised her hand and the zombies stopped. They then grabbed Isabella.

"What's going on?" Isabella demanded as the zombies restrained her.

"Dey recognized real power," Daisy said as the remainder of the zombies knelt down, bowing to her.

Killian attempted to capture Jennifer, but Duke grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"You and I need to have a little talk on how to treat women," Duke said. He then looked at Daisy. "If it's okay . . ."

"But of course . . ." Daisy said, smiling, and the zombies parted so Duke could have access to the other room as Jennifer returned to her real form.

"Thank you," Duke said and nuzzled Jennifer's face. "Be right back."

Duke dragged Killian into the room and locked the door behind him.

"Now ya found yaself a good man," Daisy said, as she and Jennifer heard the sounds coming from the room and Jennifer proudly smiled.

Meanwhile, Nathan reached the top of the stairs to see Marcus using Audrey as a human shield to protect himself from his mother.

"Audrey!" Nathan exclaimed, making them look at him.

"Does she still matter to you? I thought you had given up on her," Marcus said.

"Just . . . let her go . . . and take my power instead," Nathan said. Marcus stared at Nathan and released Audrey.

"You're serious," Marcus said as he walked closer to Nathan. "You do realize if I strip your powers, you will be no longer be alive . . . just a wandering spirit."

"I rather be that than to see Audrey under your control," Nathan said.

"Then . . . sit, boy," Marcus said and Nathan obeyed.

Marcus was about to lay his hand on Nathan's head when he felt someone tapping his shoulder. He turned around to be punched in the face by Audrey. She then threw Marcus's ring on the floor. Nathan got up and hugged Audrey, knowing that she was truly free of Marcus's power.

"Excuse me," a polite female voice said.

Audrey and Nathan stepped aside so Elizabeth could speak with her son.

"You have been extremely naughty," Elizabeth said to him. "And your new friends are even naughtier."

Elizabeth gestured, and the curtain cords came alive, tearing themselves from the heavy draperies in the living room and parlor, and snaked their way towards Elizabeth, where she gestured at her children, securing them tightly in the drapery cords.

"Mother!" Isabella cried. "How could you do this to us? We're your children!"

"YOU have the nerve to ask ME how I could do this to YOU!? Who's been a virtual prisoner in her own home for ten years while you lot plundered the coffers and ran amuck!?" Elizabeth asked, hands on her hips.

"Mother, please," Marcus pleaded, but Elizabeth gestured again, and Marcus' head snapped back as though he'd been slapped.

The front doors blew open suddenly, and Maisie walked in. She smiled when she saw her sister, and they hugged; reunited after ten years apart.

Behind them came a very tall, pale gentleman dressed all in black, with a large broad-brimmed black hat.

"Mrs. Deroulard," he said in a soft voice. "I am glad to see you are well."

"Mr. Baudelaire - Edmund," Elizabeth answered, coming down the stairs to greet him, taking his hands in hers. "You cannot imagine how truly happy I am to see you. I'm afraid that things are in quite a state of disaster around here," she finished ruefully.

"So I have been told," he replied. He glanced towards the three. "I came to see to my house guests."

"We're all right now," Nathan replied, his arms around Audrey, who clung to him tightly as they came down the stairs.

"So I see. Well, now that Maisie and Daisy have been reunited, I think it time that we deal with the children," he stated, glancing over pince-nez glasses at them. "You've been very, very naughty," he toned. "If you would be so kind as to bring them into the parlor, we'll get rid of the little...pest problem Mrs. Deroulard has been having."

"Wait, where is Killian?" Elizabeth asked looking around. "Did he escape?"

"Um, no . . . Duke is . . . lecturing him in the other room," Jennifer said, indicating the crashes sounds behind the locked doors.

A minute later, Duke opened the doors, dragging an unconscious Killian behind him by his ankle.

"Sorry for making you wait," Duke said to Jennifer, then noticed Elizabeth and Mr. Baudelaire. "Um . . . hi . . . I don't think we've met."

"Duke, this is Mr. Baudelaire – he owns the house we're staying at," Jennifer introduced. "And this is Elizabeth Deroulard – the . . . matriarch of the house."

"A pleasure to meet you," Elizabeth said. "Could you please take my son into the parlor? I don't think I need to restrain him thanks to you."

"No problem," Duke said with a polite smile as Nathan came back downstairs carrying Marcus and Audrey escorted Isabella into the parlor.

Audrey, Duke and Nathan deposited the Deroulard children in front of their mother, Maisie, Daisy and Mr. Baudelaire.

"If Audrey would be so good as to join us, we'll send The Corrupt that inhabits them packing," Mrs. Deroulard said. "And then we can decide what to do from there."

"Mummy, please don't do this," Isabella pleaded, even managing to squeeze out a few tears, but Elizabeth seemed unmoved.

"You may sound like my daughter - but you're not," she told her. "Unfortunately, I did not figure that out until it was too late to stop you."

Instantly, Isabella's face changed, her eyes black, a mouth full of sharp pointy teeth as she hissed at her mother.

"Foolish mortal," she growled, Marcus and Killian following suit.

"Our plan is already in motion - you cannot stop it - none of you can stop it," The Corrupt controlling Marcus taunted.

"If you are referring to that strain of The Infect that you've been bottling, I hate to disappoint you," Mr. Baudelaire answered smoothly. "I made a slight detour on the way here. Marigny's Miracle Tonics is now nothing more than plain old flavored seltzer water."

"An' I done started on a cure fa de people ya turned," Maisie said.

"Doesn't matter," The Corrupt in Killian answered in a deep hoarse voice. "You will all find yourselves in a whole new world very soon."

"Blah, blah, blah," Duke interrupted in a bored tone. "Get rid of 'em already."

The five around the three raised their hands, and a circle of white flame surrounded the Deroulard children, who shrieked and screamed, yet were untouched by the fire.

"To the next world, we sentence you," Nathan said, and the flame swept upward over the three, pulling The Corrupt free of them, leaving three unconscious people in the center of the circle, as Audrey handed Nathan the sphere, her hand staying his arm, her hand resting on his, her eyes lingering on his face.

"I'll be back soon," Nathan whispered.

"I'll be waiting," Audrey smiled. "We have a lot to talk about."

Nathan smiled, and nodded, vanishing into the portal opened behind him. Duke, Audrey, and Jennifer left the parlor before the Deroulard children woke up. After Duke and Audrey changed back into their human forms, Jennifer indicated that the Deroulard siblings had woken up and they too had transformed.

"M-Mom?" Marcus asked. He looked vastly different than the Marcus of before - this version was pale and rather pudgy, with a receding hairline, while Isabella had stringy hair and a skinny body, and Killian wore thick glasses, his red curls so tight on his head they resembled mattress coils. "Mom? Where've you been?" he asked. "Who are all these people?" He looked down at himself. "And why are we all tied up?"

"One question at a time, Marcus," Elizabeth sighed. "Suffice it to say, we have both been . . . away . . . for a very long time."

Nathan then returned in the same room his friends were in and also changed back into his human form.

"Um, can we go home now?" Jennifer asked. "I haven't eaten yet."

Duke chuckled as he wrapped his arm around Jennifer's shoulders and kissed the side of her head. "Good idea; I don't think they need us anymore."

"Sorry; I'm not going anywhere in this ridiculous outfit," Audrey said. "I need to change."

"If you allow me, I believe I could help," Mr. Baudelaire said, entering with the reunited sisters. Mr. Baudelaire made a small gesture with his hand and the dress Audrey was wearing changed into clothes she usually wore. Audrey checked her outfit and thanked Mr. Baudelaire.

"Um . . . does anyone know what to do with an unemployed zombie army?" Jennifer asked, seeing the zombies just standing in the hallway.

"We shall take care of dem," Maisie said and she and sister raised their hands and chanted. The zombies marched out of the mansion and they then exited the mansion.

When they were outside, Maisie and Daisy hugged the four.

"Thank ya for saving my sister," Maisie said.

"Thank ya for rescuing me," Daisy said. "If Mr. Baudelaire says it's okay, well drop by later."

They thanked the sisters for their help, then entered the Bronco and drove home.

They arrived back at the Baudelaire mansion, where Adele had put on a spread fit for royalty.

Everyone eagerly sat down.

"Where's Mr. Baudelaire?" Nathan asked. "It'd be rude not to wait for our host."

"I heard from him," Adele told them. "He says he had to take 'The Missys' home, and then he'd be here, but for y'all to go on and dig in."

Duke, Nathan, Audrey and Jennifer wasted no time in taking her up on her offer, and eagerly dug into the meal.

About halfway through, Mr. Baudelaire arrived.

"My apologies for being late," he smiled. "I had to take the sisters Dupree back home again, and then there was the matter of the zombies."

"What'd you do with them?" Duke asked.

"We put them back where they belonged," Mr. Baudelaire smiled. "So, how have you been enjoying New Orleans so far?"

"Well, it's had its moments," Audrey said.

"I thought that might be the case," Mr. Baudelaire said. "So I have arranged for the four of you to have a night on the town, and see the hospitality that we're so famous for here. The ladies will find suitable garments in their rooms, as will the fellows," he went on, glancing at an antique pocket watch. "Your carriage should be here in about an hour, so you don't have a lot of time to get ready."

"A carriage ride around the city?" Jennifer smiled.

"To wherever the four of you would like to go," Mr. Baudelaire smiled. "I think you've earned a night out after the few days you've experienced." He studied them. "Still feeling well? No ill effects from The Infect Corrupt?" he questioned gently.

"Now how did you know about that?" Duke asked. Was it him, or did Mr. Baudelaire appear to be . . . changing?

"No, we've felt fine," Audrey grinned, shaking her head, "Mr. Baudelaire . . . or should we say, Professor Steel?"

"You know, for an old guy, you sure get around," Duke remarked as Edmund Baudelaire fully changed himself into Professor Eric Steel. "How are Gloria and the vineyard doing?"

"Both are doing quite well," Steel told him. "Now, finish up, and get ready. I would recommend The Blue Room tonight," he confided to Duke. "There's a young lady performing there this evening by the name of Keiko Lee."

"Are you kidding me?" Jennifer gasped. "Oh, Duke, please, please can we go?"

"How can I resist you?" Duke said, and kissed her nose gently. "Little Flower."

After they ate and bathed, they each found the outfits laid out for them on their beds. Nathan and Duke waited downstairs as the woman got themselves prepared. Nathan wore a dress shirt and vest in different shades of light blue, black pants and shoes. Duke decided to go with a more traditional route and wore a black three-piece suit and tie with a purple handkerchief with silver Fleur-di-Lys on it tucked neatly into his breast pocket.

Audrey and Jennifer soon came downstairs, making both Nathan and Duke gasp with surprise.

Audrey had put her hair into a swept-up style, her pale complexion set off to perfection by the deep blue dress she was wearing, her smoky eyes and red lips smiling at Nathan.

Duke's heart melted at the sight of Jennifer, her swingy dark bob brushed to a high sheen, her Kohl-rimmed eyes shining as he smiled at her.

"Do you like it?" she asked, modeling her dark purple dress. It was in an off-the-shoulder style, and Duke kissed one exposed shoulder tenderly.

"Love it," he answered, smiling.

"Audrey, you look so amazing tonight," Nathan finally said after he'd stopped gawking at her.

"You guys clean up pretty good too," Audrey replied. "Are we ready?"

"Ladies, you look enchanting," Professor Steel said, bowing elegantly to them. "Your carriage awaits."

They went to the front door, finding a white carriage drawn by a gray horse parked out front.

Nathan and Duke helped Audrey and Jennifer into the carriage and then climbed aboard themselves.

"Where to, folks?" the driver asked.

"The Blue Room," Nathan answered.

The driver nodded. He clucked at the horse, and they set off into the night.

A short ride later, they arrived at The Blue Room, where they were shown to a table.

Just as they sat down, the MC came on stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Keiko Lee," he said.

The audience clapped as she entered. She then signaled to the band and they started playing. Duke then got up and offered his hand to Jennifer, who smile and took his hand, and they walked to the dance floor. Audrey and Nathan looked at each other, smiled, and they also walked to the dance floor.

Keiko Lee started singing, as the two couples began dancing.

Wind chimes whispers, soft and sweet
Thought there's not a hint of a breeze
Moonlight dancing on the garden wall
As it gently drifts through the trees

Romance takes flight, on this perfect night
While all of the world lays sleeping
Find this heat as we feel the Moment of Love

Drowning

Drift asleep with your hand in mine
Underneath the blanket of stars
Some bird singing in a distant place
As we share the world of the dawn

During the instrumental break, Duke threw in a few fancy dips and spins, making Jennifer softly laugh as she smiled.

'Having fun?' Duke asked as they danced.

'Wonderful!' Jennifer said as when they dancing closer. 'Evi was right; you are a great dancer!'

'So are you,' Duke said, making Jennifer smile again, and they kissed.

Even though Audrey said she and Nathan had a lot to talk about, they just spend their time being close to each other, and perhaps that was all that was needed to be said. Soon, they kissed.

Keiko Lee began singing again.

Romance takes flight, on this perfect night
While all of the world lays sleeping
Find this heat as we feel the Moment of Love

Drowning

Drift asleep with your hand in mine
Underneath the blanket of stars
Some bird singing in a distant place
As we share the world of the dawn . . .

The next morning, they bade their goodbyes to Adele and Professor Steel.

"Y'all take care now," Adele smiled. "I packed a basket for y'all, in case you get hungry."

"You've spoiled us with your cooking," Nathan said. "We're going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too," Jennifer smiled. "I don't think my waistline will, though," she frowned, and Duke grinned.

"More of you to love," he chuckled, putting his arms around her.

"Take care, and remember, if you need us-" Professor Steel began.

"We just have to call," Duke finished. "Thanks for everything."

They set off, and Jennifer opened her book.

The words COME TO THE CIRCUS appeared in the book before her.

"What's it say?" Duke questioned.

"Come to the circus," Jennifer puzzled.

"I like circuses," Duke grinned.

"I don't," Audrey shuddered.

"Why not?" Nathan asked, surprised. "I thought everybody loved the circus."

"I . . . it's stupid," Audrey trailed off.

"No, what?" Duke asked, concerned. "Were you almost kidnapped from one as a kid?"

"No, nothing like that," Audrey muttered. "It's just - I'm afraid of clowns, okay?" she blurted. "Like really, really afraid."

"That's not uncommon," Nathan said kindly. "I knew a guy who just absolutely freaked out once when one ran up to him in a St. Patrick's Day parade; tried to kill the poor guy."

"I'm not quite that bad, but it's a - thing I have," Audrey replied. "But I'm willing to face my fear if that's the next place we have to go."

Ch.9: The Strangest Show on Earth

Nathan stopped the Bronco in Gruyere, Wyoming. It was certainly a change from the balmy climes of New Orleans; the weather had definitely begun turning cooler here, and Audrey had secured lodgings and work for them in a ranch run by a young widow named Vanessa Stanley, who'd inherited the ranch after her husband had been killed in a freak accident.

"So you and Nathan are gonna punch cows, huh?" Jennifer grinned as they shopped in the little general store.

"I don't know about punching them, but we're going to be ranch hands," Duke replied, securing a shearling jacket for himself. Fortunately, he'd had experience with riding horses in his previous existence, but he had to admit that watching a 'city boy' like Nathan learn to rope and ride was going to be fun.

"Audrey said she's going to cast a spell so that both you and Nathan look like you've done cowboy stuff for years," Jennifer told him.

Toward the front of the store, they heard the bell ding and the store owner's enthusiastic greeting of "Hello, Reverend! I just wanted to tell you Henry and I enjoyed your sermon so much last evening!"

"Well, thank you, Estelle," Duke heard the deep rumble of a man's voice, and Jennifer saw the faint flicker of silver around the edges of Duke's eyes. "My little group and I came to try some of that chicken pot pie you have on special today. I hear you're quite famous for it."

Duke and Jennifer peered out around the corner of the shelving, taking in the sight of this Reverend.

He was older, maybe in his late fifties to mid-sixties, with mussed dark brown hair, a stubbly chin, a hard face, but it was his eyes that really caught one's attention - a sharp, piercing blue that seemed to bore straight into you. Even when he smiled at the shopkeeper, his face didn't seem to register warmth or humor.

"You folks back there doing okay?" Estelle called out to Duke and Jennifer.

"Oh, yes, fine," Jennifer answered back, seeing Duke's eyes still registering faint traces of silver.

"Is he Corrupt?" she whispered.

"I don't think so," he answered. "But he's had exposure to them."

The door dinged again, and a feminine voice greeted Estelle. "Good morning, Mrs. Sorenson."

"Oh, hello, Miss Cogan," Estelle answered. "I have to say, we enjoying your singing so much."

"Well, thank you," the woman replied, and Jennifer gasped, getting a strange look from Duke.

"She's the lady I saw in the swamp!" she whispered. "The one that knew what The Infect were!"

"Well, we can't stand back here and hide all day," Duke replied, gathering the last of their supplies, and stepped out into the aisle. "Time we met the second string, don't you think?"

"You're sure about that?" Jennifer asked, a little nervous. "What if they try to attack us, like Jordan and Kirk did?"

"I don't think they want to ruin their 'public image'," Duke said, and held Jennifer's hand protectively.

Duke then walked into their line of sight.

"Reverend Driscoll," the blonde woman said, getting the older man's attention. Driscoll turned to see Duke and Jennifer.

"Well, it seems we have met the prodigal son," Driscoll said. "And the harlot that led him astray."

"What did you say?" Duke said, as his fangs grew. The blonde woman stepped in-between them.

"I'm sure people are going to take your side attacking a reverend," she said.

"Thank you for being the voice of reason, Arla," Driscoll said. "I see why we were chosen to do this righteous mission."

Jennifer wanted to protest, but she had a feeling Driscoll and Arla were not going to believe her.

"I will turn the other cheek, but do not interfere with our mission," Driscoll said. "I can defeat you without lifting a finger."

Arla and Driscoll made their purchases and left.

"I need a drink," Duke said as they finished their shopping and went into a check-out line.

"I may join you," Jennifer said as they walked out of the store. "By the way, why did your eyes change colors with them? I mean, if they're the replacements . . . and your eyes never changed color when Audrey or Nathan were close . . . why now?"

Duke was about to answer when they saw a small crowd forming around a group of performers. There were about ten people in this group, ages ranging from 14-16. Half of them were performing while the other half were handing out flyers and advertising.

"Come one, come all, to the most amazing show on earth!" a teenage boy with brown eyes called out as he passed out flyers. His hair was long and pulled back, like Duke's was; except his hair was a lighter shade of brown and he also had bangs.

"We promise you will have fun and forget all your troubles," a teenager girl with blue eyes said as she danced, and her streamer trailed behind her. Her blonde hair was done in two braids.

"We invite you all to witness wonders you never seen before," a teenage boy said with blue-green eyes and light blonde hair said, as he juggled knives.

"You won't be disappointed or your money back, guaranteed," a teenage girl with black eyes and dark red hair pulled into a ponytail said, giving the crowd a wink as she worked several Hula-Hoops around her body, swirling them gracefully.

A teenage boy with black hair pulled back in a rat's tail and black eyes stepped forward, carrying a thin torch. He then swallowed the fire, giving the crowd a deadpan look when he was done.

"Oh, a circus!" Jennifer smiled, seeing the performance.

Duke was still fuming over his encounter with the reverend, and he could see him and Arla coming out of the store, and he spotted Jordan and Kirk as well. Even with his super-hearing, he couldn't hear the conversation, but he guessed that he and Jennifer were the topic of conversation, judging by the expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?" Nathan asked as he and Audrey exited another store and joined them at the Bronco.

"We met the rest of our replacements," Jennifer said.

"Yes; I tried out a spell so we now we have names to go with faces," Audrey spoke. "The blonde is named Arla Cogan, the dark-haired guy is Kirk Bauer, Jordan McKee, Nathan's old - friend," she went on, indicating the raven-haired woman, "and the preacher is Reverend Edmund Driscoll."

"What's he like?" Nathan asked.

"Oh, he's such a sweetheart," Duke deadpanned. "He called Jennifer a harlot."

"What?" Audrey protested. "Jennifer's about as much of a harlot as June Cleaver."

"Thanks, I guess," Jennifer grinned.

"Time and place for everything," Duke winked, putting his arm around her.

"Won't you come to the circus?" the red-haired girl asked, handing Jennifer a flyer, and Duke turned his back quickly, shielding his eyes, an action that did not go unnoticed by the four just up the street.

"So the circus is our target," Jordan said coolly, observing the teenage performers as they did tricks and handed out flyers to their circus. "Should be fun."

"But what do we do about them?" Arla asked the Rev.

"So long as they stay out of our way, we keep our distance," he answered.

"I don't think that's-" Jordan began angrily, but the Rev lifted his hand, and she fell silent.

"Now is not the time to pursue personal vendettas," he placated her. "First, we deal with these - creatures," he gestured at the performing troupe. "And then we'll send those four to the other side to be dealt with."

While the others were loading their purchases, Jennifer was having a discussion about the circus with the blonde hair boy, who was still juggling his knives.

"You must spend hours practicing that," Jennifer said, amazed.

"Yes . . . I spend time honing my craft," the boy said, blushing a little. "Our matinee is tomorrow! Half-price off!"

"Hey, Quill, time to get packing! 'Nanny' wants us back for rehearsals!" the boy with the long hair called out, as the rest of the troupe began packing up.

"Be right there, Dexter!" the blonde boy said as he stopped judging as caught each of his knives perfectly, without cutting himself. He then looked at Jennifer. "Oh . . . Yes . . . my name is Quillon, but my friends call me Quill for short."

"Hurry up! Or else I'm telling Cassandra you're flirting with an older woman!" Dexter teased, indicating the blonde girl in braids. Jennifer then noticed the troupe entering a large van and there was a harsh-looking heavy-built woman standing next to the driver's side.

"Hey! No fair!" Quill exclaimed. He quickly said good-bye to Jennifer and ran to the van. Jennifer then got into the Bronco.

"Didn't your book say something about a circus?" Audrey asked as they drove.

"It did," Jennifer remembered, feeling embarrassed that she forgot and she was so friendly to the troupe. "Could The Corrupt control someone that young?"

"The weird thing was I didn't sense any Corrupt with them," Duke said. "It was coming from that woman next to the van."

"Do you think the kids are being...held captive or something?" Jennifer asked.

"I don't know," Duke replied. "But maybe we should go to the circus and check it out."

"Well, first we have to get settled in at the ranch," Audrey said. "We're supposed to meet Vanessa in an hour, so let's go."

They finished loading their purchases into the Bronco, and set out towards the edge of town for the Evenstar Ranch.

They began seeing the fencing before they actually saw the ranch, dotted here and there with red cattle.

"Akaushi beef," Duke explained.

"What's the difference between regular cows and these?" Nathan asked.

"Akaushi beef is the about the best beef you can eat," Duke explained. "It has a richer fat marbling and it's the good fat, the kind your doctors want you to eat. And very, very tender and expensive," he went on. "No wonder she has such high fences."

They pulled up to a rambling ranch-style house, and a lovely red-haired woman in glasses emerged from the front, along with an older man.

"Hi, you must be Mrs. Stanley," Audrey smiled, shaking hands with her. "I'm Audrey Parker, your new office manager."

"Oh, just call me Vanessa. We're not big on formalities around here," Vanessa smiled.

"Vanessa," Audrey answered. "This is Nathan Wuornos and Duke Crocker," she introduced the pair, who both shook hands politely. "Nathan grew up on a ranch, and Duke's retired from the rodeo circuit, so these guys know their way around. And this is Jennifer Mason, one of the best cooks you can find," she finished.

"Pleased to meet y'all," the man answered, extending his hand. "I'm Hank Grayson, I'm the foreman," he told them. "So you were a rodeo rider, huh?" he asked Duke. "What'd you do?"

"Steer wrestling," Duke replied, hoping it sounded macho enough.

Hank nodded approval. "You'll be a good hand to have around when it's branding time then," he commented. "What'd y'all raise on your ranch?" he questioned Nathan.

"Oh, we raised Jersey cows . . . it wasn't a ranch, it was a dairy farm," he got out. "But I was around cattle since I was knee-high to a grasshopper," he finished, and Duke suppressed a smile. It was going to be fun indeed watching Philadelphia Nate try to work his way around a ranch.

"Ain't nothin' wrong with that," Hank said. "Just tells me that you'll know what to look for when one of the cows gets sick. An' believe me, with as much as these cows are worth, we need to know when one of 'em's ailin', so we can get the vet, stat. You fellers grab your gear and I'll get you situated in the bunkhouse. Ray's out on the range right now, but he should be back before sundown. He's quiet, but he's a good man."

"Audrey, Jennifer, I'll show you guys your rooms," Vanessa answered, and they set out.

Nathan watched them go into the house, and Duke prodded him.

"Hey, c'mon - Hank's waiting for us," he whispered.

They walked a short distance from the house to a long, low building with smoke coming out of the chimney atop it.

"I take it y'all are a couple, you and Audrey," Hank commented to Nathan.

"Yes," Nathan replied.

"Jennifer and I are also dating," Duke put in.

"Not so unusual, ranch help datin' each other. I had a wife, but she's passed on, God rest her. Ray's got a woman back in his village on the reservation, so your gals are safe enough here. Now in the summer, I don't know as I could make that promise, we take on some extra hands, and it's hard to get good help these days."

"Don't we know it," Nathan muttered.

There were six sets of bunk beds in the bunkhouse, so Duke and Nathan both got to pick top bunks, and stashed their gear into the wardrobes.

"Well, now that y'all are settled, we can head on out to the corral," Hank said.

"Oh?" Duke asked. "What's going on there?"

"You didn't think I was just gonna take your word for it that you know what you're doing, did you?" Hank asked, laughing. "I wanna see it fer myself just what kinda cowboys you two are."

"Um . . . sure . . . let us get changed first," Nathan said.

"Of course; met me by the corral next to the stable," Hank said and left them.

After the guys changed into more appropriate riding attire, they headed to the corral next to the stable. Inside the corral was Hank with two horses, tied to a fence post. Vanessa, Audrey, and Jennifer were watching from under a tree.

"Okay, let's see you tact up these horses and ride them once around," Hank said, once the guys entered the corral.

"Sure," Duke said, as he gathered the equipment. Nathan looked at the items with a confused expression and Duke noticed.

"What's wrong, Nathan? The only horse you're familiar with is your Bronco?" Duke whispered.

"Man, it was sure nice to go out and stretch our legs," Dexter said, as he entered the 'lounge tent,' where his friends were at. He then found a duvet and plopped himself on it.

"I was going to sit there," the boy with the rat tail said.

"Yeah? What are you going to do about it, Logan?" Dexter said.

"I can set your hair on fire," Logan said in a serious tone.

"Oh, don't listen to him, Dexter! Come sit by me, Logan," the girl with the red hair said, patting a seat on the couch. "I can make it smell like incense just in case Dexter takes off his shoes."

"Very funny, Victoria," Dexter said, closing his eyes.

"Do you think we'll have a packed audience tomorrow?" a girl with dyed green hair clipped back and green eyes asked as she contorted her body into an impossible shape.

"Well, we drew quite a crowd in town, Juno," a girl with light brown hair done in half braid and blue eyes said as she made a pack of cards appear in her hand.

"We'll just have to see, Lena," Quill said, as he made his knives float around his hand. "I just hope we can help a lot of people."

"Have you ever wonder about the people they helped?" a boy with hazel-green eyes and dark brown hair with long bangs asked as he picked up a book and climb up a pole as if he walking down the sidewalk. "All we hear is that they helped them, and nothing else."

"It's not our place to question them, Trent, remember?" a girl with black hair done up in a bun and black eyes said, looking up as Trent, who seated himself comfortably on the top of the pole. She then cleared her throat and sounded exactly like Nanny. "Your job is to gather the masses; our job is to help people remember to be happy: no questions asked."

"You're getting good, Pamela!" Cassandra said as she levitated a foot in the air.

"Besides," a boy with short brown hair and blue eyes said as he entered the tent. "We owe them, if not for them, each of us would have remained in the gutter."

"It's just an observation, Harlan," Trent said, looking up from his reading. "Nothing more."

"Yeah, so calm down," Dexter said, seeing objects fly around Harlan. "O, fearless leader."

"Shut up," Nathan muttered.

Audrey, who was watching from where she was situated atop the fence around the corral, made a surreptitious gesture with her hand, and whispered a few words.

"What are you doing?" Vanessa asked, spotting her actions.

"I was just making a wager with Jennifer about which one's the better rider," Audrey answered.

"Well, my money's on Duke," Vanessa observed, watching him tighten the cinch on the saddle before putting the stirrup down and swinging into the saddle effortlessly.

After a second, Nathan suddenly went from Greenhorn Tenderfoot to Clint Eastwood in the blink of an eye, quickly following suit with Duke's actions and he too was up in the saddle, doing his best to hide his amazement, and he shot Audrey a grateful look as he cantered past her on the fence.

Hank put them through their paces, even to herding a couple head of cattle, and Duke found that he actually could put a steer down on the ground.

"Well, you boys sure know your stuff," Hank said at the end of it. "Welcome to the Evenstar Ranch; we hope y'all will stay awhile."

"Thanks," Duke puffed, walking his horse around to cool it down, limping slightly.

"You all right?" Nathan grinned at him.

"Yeah. Just been a while since I've been in the saddle," Duke grimaced, and Vanessa laughed.

"I know that feeling," she said meaningfully. "If I don't ride for two, three days, I hurt so bad the next day after I do; it's all I can do to stand the next day." She leaned toward him. "You did very well," she smiled.

"Thanks," Duke answered, seeing her smile.

"You remind me a lot of my late husband, Terry," she told him.

"What happened? If you don't mind my asking," Duke said.

"He got killed in a flash flood last year."

"I'm sorry," Duke replied sincerely, and Vanessa smiled again, touching his shoulder gently.

"Thank you," she answered, gazing back at him directly, and Duke felt his face warm.

'Is she hitting on me?' he wondered, and then saw the gathering storm clouds in Jennifer's face.

'Yes, she is,' Jennifer thought back at him.

Hank nodded. "All right, I'm gonna let you boys put the horses away and then get washed up for supper."

"Oh - I haven't even had a chance to see the kitchen yet," Jennifer blurted, and Vanessa laughed.

"It's all right. For today, I put on a big pot of chili this morning, so it should be ready now," she reassured her. "But tomorrow morning, breakfast has to be on the table by six; ranch days start early."

'Didn't realize they started that early,' Duke radiated at Jennifer, and she smiled.

"No problem," she replied. "I like early starts."

About then Nathan noticed a tall slender man riding towards them.

"Oh, there's Ray," Vanessa said. "Ray! Come and meet our new ranch hands!"

Ray rode closer, and dismounted his horse.

"Beautiful Paint," Duke told him, admiring the horse Ray was riding.

Ray nodded, gauging him, and like he had with Miss Maisie, Duke could sense a great power lurking behind the calm facade of the man in front of him.

"Ray Littlecloud, this is Duke Crocker, Nathan Wuornos, Audrey Parker and Jennifer Mason," Vanessa introduced all round. "They came to help us out."

"Pleased to meet you all," Ray replied in a low voice, his eyes darting towards Audrey. "I look forward to working with you all," he said politely, but Duke heard a different reply in his own head.

'You are all in terrible danger,' he heard Ray tell him mentally.

'Can you tell me why?'

'I cannot. But I can help you to discover the answer. We will speak again.'

"Duke," Nathan called, and Duke snapped out of his trance.

"What?"

"We need to put the horses up."

"Oh – sorry; sure thing," he brightened.

"I will show them where," Ray offered. "We will be along shortly."

"Mind if we come along too?" Audrey asked suddenly. "I'd like to see the barn and the horses."

"Sure thing," Vanessa said. "See y'all in a bit."

Once Vanessa and Hank were out of earshot, Ray turned to them.

"You told me we were in danger here," Duke said. Ray nodded.

"Yes."

"You said that you couldn't help, but you would show us how to help ourselves," Duke said. "How?"

Ray glanced at Duke, and Duke understood.

"He's going to take us on a medicine walk," Duke replied.

"What's a medicine walk?" Jennifer asked then looked at Duke. "And how do you what it is?"

"I know what it is, because I went on one once, when I was alive," Duke told her. "It's a spiritual journey."

"What's that going to entail?" Nathan asked suspiciously.

"It's different for everyone," Duke said. "What works for one person might be completely wrong for someone else."

"What are we supposed to discover?" Audrey questioned.

"You are all in grave danger here," Ray told them.

"So you know what we are," Nathan replied. "Like the women we met in New Orleans."

"Yes. Beings like yourselves are sacred guardians to my people," Ray explained as he helped them put the saddle tack away. "You've each been given a great power - on this walk, you will truly learn how to use them."

"We're aware of what our powers are," Nathan said.

"But there is a great deal more than what you know," Ray replied. "These other – beings – like you know their full power. They were not sent here for the same purpose as you. They were sent here for evil."

"We were like them, once," Duke muttered. "We believed we were averting a war between good and evil, but we weren't."

Ray nodded. "But your true guardians helped you to see through the deception. On your medicine walk, you will gain full understanding of your powers."

"Well, when do you want to do this?" Audrey asked.

"The next full moon would be best."

"When's that?" Jennifer inquired.

"In four days," Nathan said. "Until then, let's work on the circus assignment."

"I wish you good luck," Ray said, and headed for the house.

Before dinner, Nathan gathered the others into another room, and asked Jennifer if her book had written anything new.

"It says 'indebted, uninformed, children,'" Jennifer read from her book. "I guess the book is saying the kids aren't Corrupt."

"But why are the kids with them?" Audrey asked.

"I guess we'll find out," Jennifer said and took out the flyer advertising the circus. "Their opening day is tomorrow."

They made their way back to the house, and after feasting on Vanessa's incredible chili, they felt full to bursting.

"Oh, I could hurt myself on this chili," Duke groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Are you the state champion at all the chili cook-offs?"

"No," Vanessa laughed. "But I have placed a few times."

"So, Vanessa," Jennifer began. "You ever hear of any good ghost stories around here?"

"Oh, Hank tells a doozy of one," Vanessa replied.

"That needs a campfire to be told around," Hank shrugged. "But I reckon I could make do with the fire pit out on the patio."

"I can make us cocoa," Jennifer offered.

Vanessa and Hank agreed, and went out to go start the fire while Nathan and Audrey chatted for a bit, and Duke helped Jennifer with the cocoa. He could see that something was weighing on her mind, and after a few moments of silence, she spoke.

"Why did the reverend call me a harlot?" Jennifer asked him. "Was there someone before me?"

"No," Duke said. "You know my story with Evi. That was all over with when I met you. There wasn't anything or anyone after."

This time, it was his turn to ponder for a few moments. "When I was - recruited, I guess that's what you would call that - Howard told me - told us - that we would be a sort of avenging angel, taking out The Corrupt that were causing harm. But the longer it went on, the more we began to have misgivings about what we were doing. And then we met you," he smiled, touching her nose gently. "And I saw that there was more to my existence than just fighting The Corrupt," he told her, drawing her to him. "You made me feel alive again, Jennifer," he whispered, nuzzling noses with her. "You've made me see that I'm not a monster - or anyone's puppet."

He exhaled and let out a long sigh. "But I'm sure William and Howard's probably given the new bunch this whole we-gave-them-the-best-years-of-our-lives-and-this-is-how-they-repaid-us spiel," he cracked wryly. "So don't listen to anything they say. You're no harlot," he lectured sternly, but was smiling.

"Well, not here, anyway," Jennifer grinned wickedly.

Duke didn't answer, he merely scooped up the mugs of cocoa and headed out to the patio, but even in the dim light of the house, Jennifer could see he was smiling.

Vanessa and Hank were impressed with all the hard work they did, so Vanessa told the four to take the afternoon off, once the cattle had been attended to, and Jennifer had the brisket slow-roasting in the oven for dinner. The four thanked Vanessa and Hank and then set off for the circus.

They brought their tickets and looked for good places to sit. Jennifer then saw Quill talking to a boy with brown hair and blue eyes. Quill soon saw Jennifer and gave her a small wave. Jennifer waved back and smiled. The other boy turned around and saw her, then studied her a bit before he left. Quill waved again before he exited.

The spotlights began to sway over the arena, and the band began to play.

"Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, welcome to The Circus Nocturne," the ringmaster boomed. He looked like the stereotypical ringmaster from days of old, the top hat, the frock coat, jodhpurs, knee boots, oiled-down black hair and a thin waxed mustache that turned into two perfect curls on either side of his lips. "We have bone-chilling thrills, death-defying stunts, serendipitous delights and mysterious marvels that will dazzle the young and bewitch and befuddle even the most cynical curmudgeons," he toned on through his old-fashioned megaphone, yet everyone in the audience could hear him quite well. "And now, without further ado, allow me the privilege of introducing our performers!" he gestured grandly, the red curtains drawing back, revealing the kids who had come into town dancing, whirling and twirling, playing to the audience, who was clapping and whistling wildly.

"Presenting Harlan the Amazing," the ringmaster called. "The king of telekinesis, able to lift objects with his mind," he continued as Harlan passed by the crowd, bowing, and paused to show a grouping of candy apples in his hand. He tossed them into the air, the apples spinning around him slowly before sailing out into the audience to land gently in the hands of the amazed children.

"Trent, the Earl of Equilibrium - he can balance himself on almost any object! And Quillon, Master of Magnetism," he gestured as the boy who had been friendly with Jennifer came around the edge of the arena.

"And Logan, the Fire-Eater!" the ringmaster said grandly, as the dark-haired boy came round with flaming torches, and put each one into his mouth, extinguishing them for a moment, and then opened his mouth and spit fire at each torch, relighting them, making the audience gasp.

"These are not regular circus people," Nathan whispered. "Nobody can do this stuff - not even Cirque du Soleil."

"I notice," Audrey answered back.

"Presenting Juno, the Human Pretzel!" the ringmaster called, and the green-haired twirled her way into the center of the ring, and launched herself into a backbend, placing her feet atop her head before she untwisted herself and trotted out of the arena.

"And Cassandra and Lena, Mistresses of Magic!" the ringmaster said, the two girls coming out and bowing deeply.

"And all other acts sure to thrill, chill and amaze you! We guarantee it or your money back, no questions asked!" the ringmaster boomed. "I am Winston DeVille, your humble ringmaster, and I and my troupe sincerely hope that you will enjoy our show!" he finished as the band blared up again, all the kids passing around the arena once more before exiting through the curtains.

"No clowns so far," Nathan smiled, and Audrey seemed to relax.

"And now, our Masters of Mirth, Doogal and Dudley!" the ringmaster called and two rather creepy-looking clown emerged, pushing a large wooden box between them.

"I don't get it: kids with powers, a circus . . . what's their goal?" Jennifer asked.

"We now present out protégé acrobats! Dexter, Pamela, and Victoria!" the ringmaster announced, as two girls and a boy entered the arena. "After their performance, we will have a slight intermission. Just to let you know, after to show, some members of our troupe will be around to answer questions and sign autographs; no extra cost! We hope we will help you forget your problems."

"Well, we can ask them ourselves," Duke said.

The circus proved to be dazzling indeed, the crowd oohing and aahing at each spectacular stunt the performers did, impossible feats that would mean serious injury or death to a 'normal' performer, but the four of them knew by now that these were not ordinary kids.

Audrey had since calmed down from the experience of Doogal the clown running into the audience to gather up a 'pretty lady' and had chosen the woman right next to Audrey; it had been all she could do to keep from shrieking in terror. And now, throughout the circus performance, she had quietly been observing the crowd. They all seemed to be in some sort of trance, she noticed. The teenage performers could have been playing hopscotch and the crowd would have roared with approval.

The show was ending now, and the kids all gathered in the center ring, holding hands in a circle, facing outward as they bowed deeply, their faces a mix of fatigue and euphoria as the audience applauded them wildly.

"Thank you for taking us into your hearts and making your day brighter," Winston beamed. "You have certainly made ours brighter. Good evening and safe journeys to you all, and we hope to see you again next year!" he finished, the band continuing to play as the crowd thinned out of the tent, chattering excitedly among themselves until only a few people remained in the tent, and the four rose to their feet, heading not for the exit, but for the performers' tents.

"I think it's time we found out what goes on around here," Audrey whispered. "Jennifer, would you mind taking a look around? But make sure you're in your air form," she warned. "We don't want what happened with Killian to happen here."

"No, we don't," Duke agreed, giving Jennifer a kiss for luck before she evaporated into thin air.

Ahead, they could hear the excited chatter of the kids' voices, the clattering of plates and realized that it must be their mess tent.

The three made their way into the tent, finding all the kids either eating or getting food.

Nathan glanced around, and saw neither the woman they'd been with in town or the ringmaster, and he spoke.

"You guys were really amazing," he said.

"Oh, thanks," came a chorus of voices.

"Did you want to get an autograph or pictures?" the boy, Harlan, questioned.

"No, actually," Audrey said. "We wanted to talk to you - about your guardians."

"Um, you want us to find Nanny?" Dexter asked, after scooping a spoonful of food in his mouth.

"No, we just want to talk to you," Nathan said.

"Are you from child services?" Logan asked. "I can tell you up front you will find nothing incriminating here."

"Right! Like that lady from . . . where we were . . . Texas? Yes, Texas," Pamela said. "In fact, she looked much happier after she talked to Mr. Deville."

"Okay . . . let's try a more direct approach," Nathan said and nodded to Duke, who checked the outside of the tent.

"All clear," Duke said.

The kids were getting a little suspicious and nervous, until Nathan created a small illusion of a flower in his hand. They then gathered around the adults.

"You're . . . you're like us . . ." Lena finally said.

"What can you do?" Juno excitedly asked them.

"We all have - different abilities," Audrey replied. She created a sphere, and tossed it up, creating a miniature fireworks display within the tent to the amazement of the gathered children.

"Can you do other illusions too?" Lena asked Nathan, blushing when Nathan looked at her.

"I can do other things as well," Nathan said.

"How about you, Slim?" Cassandra asked, with a flirtatious wink at Duke.

"My powers are a little different," Duke dodged evasively.

"Aw, you probably don't have any powers," Dexter said.

"Well, what have we here?" Winston the ringmaster spoke from behind Duke, and Duke's eyes flared, turning intensely silver.

"Wow! That was awesome!" Quill said, delighted as Duke averted his face. "Do it again!"

"Sorry, only one show a day," Duke muttered, willing himself to stay human in the presence of such an intense evil.

"What's this? New friends?" Winston smiled, moving into the tent. "And such charming company as well," he directed to Audrey, and kissed her hand delicately. "Winston DeVille, at your service, milady."

He spotted Nathan glaring at him, and dropped her hand gently.

"Audrey - Parker," Audrey answered. "We were just coming to tell you all how much we enjoyed the show today. They're all so very talented. We were surprised - and enchanted," she finished.

"We think so," Winston beamed, looking around the tent at the cluster of children. "But why were you surprised?"

"They're all so very young to be performing professionally," Nathan said. "Are you their father?"

"A guardian, after a fashion," Winston said urbanely. "Nanny . . . or rather Elizabeth Van Der Vere and I . . . have custodial guardianship of the children. I could show you the papers, if you would like to see them," he gestured toward the tent flap.

"No, no," Audrey put in quickly, remembering Pamela's reference to the social worker who was 'happy' when she left.

'Magicked, more than likely,' she thought. 'We will have to question them without Winston or this 'Nanny' person around.' But aloud she said: "We only wanted to stop by and say how much we enjoyed the show. And it's very good of you to look after the kids," she added to Winston, who smiled broader.

"We're so glad you enjoyed it," he answered, and gestured, with tickets appearing in his hand.

"Tomorrow night's performance is invitation-only," he told them. "We would deem it an honor if you would join us again."

"We'll . . . be glad to attend," Nathan said, taking the tickets. "Thank you."

"Oh! You should see—" Victoria began, but Nathan had a feeling what she was going to say next, and created an illusion of crash which got Winston's attention. Winston politely excused himself to check on the sound.

'Jennifer?' Duke asked through his link.

'Yes, Duke?' she responded.

'Did you find anything?"'

'I believe so.'

'Meet us at the mess tent; I think we're going to need all the help we have to explain The Corrupt to the kids.'

Jennifer soon flew in, a tiny bright spark, and quickly became full-size.

"I KNEW there was something special about you!" Quill smiled. "You guys should join us!"

Jennifer resumed her human form, smoothing her skirts.

"No, we can't join you," Audrey began. "We showed ourselves to you because we're concerned about you. This Nanny and Winston people aren't human at all."

"We know that," Harlan interrupted.

"You do?" Audrey asked, startled.

"Yes - they're like us, with unique powers."

"Oh. Well, not quite like you," Audrey replied. "We believe them to be creatures called The Corrupt - they're - well, there's no other way to explain it, and you're not babies, they're evil. They are not here for good. We don't believe that they're using you to make people 'happy' either," she went on.

"How do we know you are who you say you are?" Harlan demanded, the others nodding. "You've showed us a few little tricks that several of us could do - how do we know you're not the evil people?"

Audrey glanced at Nathan, who nodded.

"They have a valid point," he said, and looked at the little group. "Then we'll show you," he finished, and transformed himself, Audrey and Duke following suit, the wide eyes and open mouths telling them they had just made true believers out of the kids.

"These are our true forms," Audrey told them. "We were once alive, and then resurrected for what we thought was for the right reasons, but they weren't. Fortunately, we found out in time." They returned to normal.

"How come you didn't change?" Quill asked Jennifer.

"Because I am an actual human," Jennifer replied. "I have powers, but not quite like theirs." She came closer to the kids. "Are Winston and Nannie keeping you prisoner? Don't you want to go back home?"

"You seem to be operating under the impression that we have homes," Harlan spoke. "There's where you're wrong!"

"NO! I don't want to go back! Don't make me leave!" Pamela screamed and burst out crying. Victoria rushed over to her and held her tightly.

"Don't worry, Pamela; nobody is going to force you to leave," Victoria said in a comforting tone, as she patted Pamela's back.

The four adults looked at each other a little confused.

"Did it ever cross your mind why we joined them?" Harlan asked. "They gave a better life, a safer life."

The four looked shocked.

"Tell them, Pamela," Victoria said, frowning at Nathan and Audrey. "Tell them what happened."

Pamela wiped her eyes and stepped forward. "M-m-my Dad made me sleep with him; I didn't like it. H-he told me he'll kill me i-if I told anyone. Then one day when I was coming home from school . . . a circus van pulled up in front of my house. They told me they'll free me from Dad, and I accepted. Dad came out screaming, b-but the Low Men in Yellow Coats, t-took him away and . . . punished him . . . I think . . . now I'm surrounded by friends and my new family."

"Want more proof? I was a victim of bullying. No matter what, the bullies kept after me, until one day I discovered my power; I threw a trophy against his skull, leaving him comatose. I thought people will look at me as a hero, but instead they looked at me in fear," Harlan said. "I was ostracized, almost lynched, until the circus van came."

"I was just living with my father; I never knew my mother," Trent said. "He was addicted to gambling and couldn't pay off his debts. To survive, I stole. I was almost arrested until the circus rescued me."

"I had to survive by going into prostitution," Juno said.

"I . . . was part of a human trafficking ring," Cassandra said. "I was so terrified when then circus brought me, but soon I was grateful they saved me."

Quill took Cassandra's hand and smiled at her and she gave him a tiny smile in returned. He then looked at the adults. "I . . . grew up in a cult. I thought everything was normal, until I heard my parents talking about my marriage to four wives later that month and being part of the 'master race' . . . that's when I decided to run away and ran into the circus."

"I was in the foster care system, and somehow always ended up in an abusive family," Victoria said. "I protective those younger than me, and that just made my foster parents angrier; one time I was sent to the hospital. However, the circus came to pick me up."

"I was raised in a church orphanage," Dexter said. "My favorite nun was Sister Hester; she was a mother to me. One day, some gunmen stormed the church to steal their valuables. They took Sister Hester hostage. I tried to stop the man . . . and that's when I found out my power . . . sucked the life right out of him. You can probably guess the church wasn't pleased when they heard what happened." Dexter paused and fiddled with the rosary beads tied around his wrist. "Sister Hester said it was a godsend that the circus found me and took me in."

Dexter then looked at Logan. "Hey, Logan, tell them your story."

"No."

"Come on, it will make you feel better."

"No."

"Then I will tell them."

"Fine; my mom was what you called a 'tiger mom,' however she was . . . extreme with her methods," Logan said. "When I got a 'C,' she refused to feed me. Luckily, one of my teachers called child services; however the circus came to my house instead and took me."

"Oh, yes . . . I actually came from a rich family," Lena said. "However, my parents lost their wealth to a Wall Street scam. They . . . threw me out into the streets, saying they couldn't afford me. Just when I was about to enter a homeless shelter, the circus van came and gave me a home."

"So tell us," Harlan said, looking at the four adults. "Why should we leave the home that saved us?"

Audrey and Nathan looked aghast at one another. They had been operating under the assumption that the children had been kidnapped or were being coerced into performing, not that their home environment might be ten times worse than the conditions at the circus.

Duke seemed to be thinking something over, and then Jennifer spoke up.

"I think I can convince you that Nathan and Audrey are right," she told the kids.

"Even if we left, where would we go?" Logan said. "And that is a very big IF."

"Duke, anything to put in here, or are we boring you?" Nathan asked snappishly, seeing Duke's facial expression.

"Maybe; Audrey, may I borrow that compass that Professor Steel gave you?" Duke asked.

Puzzled, Audrey took it from around her neck, and handed it to Duke, who fiddled with it and promptly disappeared.

"When the going gets tough," Nathan grumbled, and Audrey surreptitiously pinched him.

"He must have had a reason to leave," she whispered. "Jennifer, did you find anything you want to show us?"

Jennifer nodded motioned for them all to be quiet, and Nathan cast an illusion to hide them, including the kids, as they followed Jennifer as she made her way to a tent, where they could hear voices.

"But the children are so happy here, and they are well-cared for," they could hear Winston say.

"The question is not whether the children are happy or not, it is the environment that we must consider," they heard Jordan say. "They are not in school; they're not being monitored properly."

"At the orphanage, we offer many fine programs for at-risk and disadvantaged youth," they heard Reverend Driscoll speak up. "But either way, the children cannot remain in your charge."

Lena began to protest, but Audrey and Nathan hustled them all back to the mess tent on the double.

"Winston can take care of those do-gooders in nothing flat," Juno told them.

"Not these so-called do-gooders he won't," Audrey answered. "These beings are like us too - only we're not quite on the same side."

Duke reappeared at that moment.

"Okay, I'm back," he said brightly. "Sorry to have kept you-" he trailed off, seeing stormy faces. "What'd I miss?"

"The Rev and his gang are here too," Nathan said.

"Then I guess we should go then," Duke answered briskly. He took out a larger compass. "Now, everybody hold hands - we don't want anyone getting lost in the ether, now do we?"

"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked, as the kids all began to gather together.

"Nathan, they're coming," Audrey urged. "Whatever we're going to do, do it now!"

"Everybody hold on tight," Duke said, and pressed the button, taking everyone in the tent with him just as the Rev and Arla reached it.

"They're gone," Arla spoke, looking around the tent.

"So I see," the Rev replied. "Fan out, find them. They can't have gone far."

Audrey felt a bump, and opened her eyes, finding herself standing in the middle of what was once Duke's home when he was alive.

"Well, that was quick," she heard Gloria say.

"We had to get a move on - bad people were coming," Duke answered.

"Where are we?" Quill said, looking around. "Who lives here?"

"Well...after today, you all do, if you like," Duke replied. "I came out here to have a chat with Gloria and Professor Steel."

"Hi, kids," Gloria answered dryly. "Thought they'd be younger; thank God you're not," she went on in her acerbic tone. "They're all housebroken, right?" she asked Duke, getting a giggle from Dexter and Juno.

"I believe so, yes," Duke answered. "Group, this is Gloria Verano, and somewhere or other is Professor Eric Steel," he introduced. "This is Harlan, Trent, Dexter, Quillon, but he likes to go by Quill, Logan, Juno, Pamela, Cassandra, Victoria and Lena," he finished, pointing to each teen as he went around the room.

"Why did you bring us here?" Trent demanded.

"Because the people coming to the tent weren't there for a social visit; I would imagine they've gathered Nanny and Winston by now. If we'd left you there, they would have gathered you too," Duke said sternly. "Because they don't care if you're kids - they will see you just like they see Nanny and Winston - as Corrupt."

"We're not Corrupt," Cassandra said.

"No, you're not," Audrey put in. "But we thought you were at first too - until we could feel that you weren't. Because Gloria and Professor Steel gave us the ability to see when someone is just being used by a Corrupt, not controlled by it. But Reverend Driscoll and the others don't have that ability."

"You've heard the phrase 'Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out?'" Duke asked. "That's how they operate. So I thought, 'why couldn't we turn you over to two people who will really look out for your best interests?' So I came here to talk to Gloria and Professor Steel about it."

"And what did you come up with?" Audrey asked, smiling.

"We came up with this is a six-bedroom house, big enough to house a group of rather specially talented teenagers," Duke gestured around them. "Plus room enough to convert a couple of unused spaces into bedrooms as well."

"You mean - we'd each have our own room, if we wanted?" Victoria asked, walking around, looking at the house.

"I thought you gave Gloria and Evi the vineyard," Nathan said.

"I did. But this was our house, we didn't press the grapes in the cellar," Duke grinned.

"Professor Steel can home-school you," Gloria spoke. "But here, you wouldn't have to perform, and we won't make you work for nothing. You'll have household chores, but nothing extreme."

"And we can help you to hone your abilities as well," Duke's father said from the painting over the fireplace, seeming to climb out of it and turning into Professor Steel in front of the awestruck children.

"Like something out of Harry Potter," Victoria, a huge Potter-head, said.

"Greetings, everyone," Professor Steel said. "I am Professor Steel, if you follow me, I have some questions for you."

The kids look at each, then at Harlan. Harlan soon nodded and they followed Professor Steel into another room.

"So, besides finding a circus run by The Corrupt how are you doing?" Gloria asked them.

"We're working on a ranch," Audrey said.

"Oh, and in two nights we're going on a medicine walk," Jennifer said.

"Really? Who's your tour guide?" Gloria asked.

"Ray Littlecloud," Jennifer answered and Gloria smiled.

"Ray's working on a ranch? Great!" Gloria said, pleased.

"Wait, how do you know him, unless . . ." Duke started to say, but Gloria waved a finger in front of his face, however she smiled.

"I'll tell you want happened, later," Gloria whispered to Duke, making him smile.

A minute later, Professor Steel returned.

"I left the children to explore the place; don't worry I sealed the areas they shouldn't enter yet," Professor Steel said.

"What did you find out?" Gloria asked, as Professor Steel took out a small notepad.

"First, each child's talent," Professor Steel said, going over his notes. "Then, what kind of Corrupt are we dealing with; quite interesting . . . never heard of these two kinds working together before . . ."

"So . . . what are they?" Audrey asked.

"Nanny is a Farmer," Professor Steel said. "They grow supernatural seeds; their favorite 'crop' are seeds of discord . . . hence, where humans came up with the phrase. Seeds of discord can only grow in the bodies of 'special' children. The sad thing is the children are unaware that the seeds are maturing inside of them. When the time is right, the seeds bloom, spreading paranoia and mistrust among the population, while the host child is unaware the whole time."

"What happens to the children?" Jennifer asked.

"The seeds use the child's life-force as . . . I don't know how to say this politely . . . fertilizer to grow," Professor Steel said. "A child who has a seed if discord planted into their body lives for about 10 months after the seeds bloom."

"Oh . . . what about the other one?" Nathan asked, seeing Jennifer's worried face.

"Ah, yes; the ringmaster is a Speaker," Professor Steel said. "Speakers are incredible hypnotists. It appears the ringmaster hypnotizes people to forget about their problems and they do. The major side-effect of being hypnotizes by a Speaker, is decreased awareness which could lead to accidents."

"So what do we do?" Audrey asked.

"Well . . . no one is going to like this idea, but I need to say it," Duke said. "Can we leave our 'rivals' to deal with The Corrupt, fight each other and hope they both lose?"

"Um, excuse me," Pamela asked, as she and her friends walked into the room. "Ah . . . I have a question for . . . Mrs. Verano."

"Call me Gloria," Gloria said. "So, what's your question?"

"May I . . . May I call you Aunt Gloria?" Pamela shyly asked.

"Of course, Pammy. Any more questions?" Gloria said.

"Can we get our stuff from the circus? I-I know we don't have much, but-" Cassandra began.

"We'll get it for you," Audrey told her. "We were just about to head back there. But you guys stay here. You'll be safe enough," she finished, glancing at Professor Steel.

"I'll see you off - on the patio," Professor Steel directed. "And since we interrupted your lunch, if you children will all follow Gloria, she can fix you right up."

"Of course," Gloria answered, baring her teeth at Professor Steel, who shrugged at her, trying to look innocent as the kids all crowded into the kitchen.

The professor accompanied the four out to the patio.

"We must try to figure a way to destroy the seeds of discord in the children without destroying them as well," Professor Steel said. "It will not be an easy task - I will need both you and Jennifer's help, Audrey. And you boys as well - once the seeds come out, sometimes they have activated, and will, well, defend themselves."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.

"Ever see Little Shop of Horrors?" Professor Steel asked and Duke blanched.

"They're like an Audrey Two?" he questioned.

"Sometimes . . . so I will need you both at the ready should that occur."

"We'll be ready," Nathan said. "But right now, we need to get back to the circus."

"Good luck to you all," Professor Steel replied, and then was gone in an instant, the canvas walls of the circus tent reappearing around them.

Jennifer immediately changed herself into air and drifted around the grounds. The circus seemed deserted; there was no one around anywhere, and the eerie silence was making her nervous.

She went back to the tent where she'd heard Winston talking with Reverend Driscoll and Jordan. The tent was a shambles, and showed evidence that a huge fight must have taken place there.

Quickly, she flew back to the mess tent to find the others and reformed.

"There's nobody here," she said.

"Any sign of our replacements?" Nathan questioned.

Jennifer shook her head. "There's nobody here. It's like they all just - vanished."

Audrey took a sphere out, finding a blank stretch of canvas in front of them.

"Turn back the hands of time," she chanted. "Show us the events that occurred in this place half an hour ago."

The sphere lit up, and they witnessed exactly what had happened an hour ago. They saw the Rev and Arla capturing Winston and Nanny as they had figured, While Kirk and Jordan rounded up the rest of the performers in the circus.

"They sent them all over," Audrey gasped as she watched. "Even the humans."

"What happens to living humans when they get sent over to the other side?" Jennifer asked nervously.

"I don't know - that's why I want to make sure they never get their hands on you, Little Flower," Duke said, putting his arms around her.

Audrey found the sleeping quarters, and quickly cast a spell, drawing the kids' possessions into a sphere.

"I can't transport their things and us too," Audrey said. "I'll be back in a second," she told them, and vanished.

Nathan was about to say something when his ear twitched. He could hear voices - and they were approaching this tent.

"You don't think they'd be stupid enough to come back here, do you?" they heard Kirk say.

"Nathan Wuornos is a human Dudley Do-Right," Jordan answered. "He doesn't like loose ends. They'll be back."

Nathan, Duke and Jennifer looked at one another. Since Audrey had returned with the kids' belongings, they were effectively stranded - with no backup plan.

"Now what?" Jennifer asked as the footsteps got closer.

Soon Kirk and Jordan entered the tent and saw them.

"Told you; now pay up," Jordan said. "Once again, we cleaned up your mess."

"Well, not all of it," Kirk reminded as he placed 10 dollars in Jordan's hand. "There are still the missing kids."

"We're not going to let you hurt them!" Jennifer suddenly exclaimed.

"Don't be stupid; Driscoll was going to make sure those kids were properly cared for," Jordan said and rolled her eyes.

"You have to forgive Jennifer; she didn't want the same thing happen to the kids after we saw what you did to the ordinary humans," Duke said.

"What are you taking about?" Kirk asked.

"Didn't anyone tell you that there were regular humans in the circus as well?" Nathan said. "Or were you having too much fun watching them panic?"

"Shut your mouth!" Kirk said, pointing accusingly at Nathan. "No one was innocent!"

"Wait," Jordan said, seeing that Kirk was about to suck out the oxygen around their 'rivals.' "Nathan never lied."

"Don't get soft on me!" Kirk said.

Jordan glared at Kirk and dragged him out of the tent. Nathan went after them, but when he went outside, they had disappeared.

Audrey reappeared, much to the relief of the others.

"Talk about good timing," Duke said. "Come on; let's get out of here before they come back yet again."

"Who comes back?" Audrey asked as Nathan returned.

"Kirk and Jordan were here. Thought we were done for a second there - but Jordan backed off," Duke told her.

"Why?"

"Because of Dudley Do-Right there," Duke grinned at Nathan. "Apparently, he never tells lies."

"I suppose you're a paragon of virtue," Nathan grumbled.

"I'm truthful - as much as the next person, unless it's you, apparently," Duke shot back.

"Look, the kids are situated, they're safe. We need to get back to the ranch," Audrey told them. "Let's get out of here before they decide to come back again."

As they reached the Bronco, there was a sort of POP! noise, and the entire circus was gone in the blink of an eye.

"What if we'd been in there still?" Jennifer gasped.

"I don't want to think about it," Duke answered. "Let's get out of here."

No one slept very much that night, and they knew their faces must have shown it as they reported for work the next day.

"You guys must've stayed all day at that circus," Hank noted Duke and Nathan's drawn expressions.

"It was . . . fun," Nathan replied, stifling a yawn.

Ray cast a look at the pair that said he clearly didn't believe a word of it, but said nothing as they headed out to feeding and herding duties.

The day passed uneventfully, and the dinner table was lively enough, with Vanessa telling them of her experience in town with this mysterious new reverend that was running the revival tent outside town.

"He's got something, that's for sure," she was telling them. "He seemed to just almost be able to read my mind," she gushed. "He spoke so eloquently about love and loss, it was as though he knew how I was feeling about losing my husband," she went on. "Anyway, I was so impressed that I invited him and his workers to dinner tomorrow night."

Duke barely restrained himself from doing a classic spit-take in Nathan's face, and Jennifer got choked on her forkful of potatoes.

"Did you say you invited him here?" Audrey asked.

"Yes," Vanessa answered, puzzled. "I didn't think you would mind."

"No, no, it's fine," Nathan said quickly.

"Actually, Mrs. Stanley, we were going to check fence lines out towards the Bluffs. We were planning on camping out there, and bring the herd back the next day," Ray spoke.

"Oh," Vanessa said, a little crestfallen.

"But there's no reason that you and Hank can't entertain the Reverend and his followers," Audrey soothed, grateful that Ray had just saved their bacon. "He's your guest - by all means, invite him to dinner."

"I'll fix up everything - the dining room, the meal, all you'll have to do is set it out," Jennifer promised. She bit her lip. "Audrey and I wanted to go along too, if that was all right. I've never gotten to see a prairie at night."

Vanessa smiled. "Of course it's all right. And you guys are going to love it - once you get away from the lights of town, there is nothing like a prairie sky. It's like - black velvet, smothered with diamonds, as far as you can see," she told them, a wistful expression on her face. "Go ahead and go - it'll be fine."

"If you're sure," Audrey replied, putting up the best pretext she could.

"It's fine. Just make sure you don't let any of the herd fall off the bluffs while you're stargazing," she warned, smiling.

"We won't," they all chorused, and the conversation relaxed after that.

A little later, Audrey and Nathan were saying goodnight out by the barn.

"Dodged yet another bullet today," he said meaningfully. "I can't believe she invited him out here."

"He probably sought her out in town," Audrey replied. "It's not exactly a secret that we're out here working for her."

"You don't think they'd hurt her and Hank to get to us, do you?"

"No. They don't want to draw any more attention to themselves other than they're a church group," Audrey said. "When Jennifer and I go into town tomorrow, I will make sure to tell Shirley at the bakery that he's coming out here for dinner."

"Telegraph, telephone, tell Shirley," Nathan grinned, and kissed Audrey tenderly. "The whole town will know by the end of the day."

"That's the idea," Audrey whispered, and kissed Nathan once more.

"And you're fine that Driscoll altered your orders?" Howard asked as William read the report.

"Hey, at least they got the job done." William casually said. "Don't tell me you care what happened to the humans."

"I do not," Howard stated. "I do not want a repeat of the last group."

"I have the feeling we picked the right ones," William said. "None of them can sense The Corrupt like Duke. Come to think of it, Duke is the only one who could sense The Corrupt . . . we should look into that . . . make a note."

Howard nodded. "And the humans?"

"Take them to R & D," William calmly said. "How are they doing, by the way?"

"They have finished the prototype," Howard said and placed a small black sphere on William's desk. "We call it Aether . . ."

"Cool," William marveled, holding it between his thumb and forefinger, squinting at it closely. "You tried it out yet?"

"Not yet. We needed a test subject first."

"Well, you've got yourself six humans to choose from," William grinned at him. "So pick one and get started."

"I already have - the human called Dudley," Howard answered. "It seems he had a rather interesting piece of information concerning our former spellcaster."

"Oh? Which is-" William prodded.

"She has an unreasoning fear of jesters."

"Audrey's afraid of clowns?" William chuckled. "That could prove to be interesting indeed."

The next morning, while on their morning errands run, Audrey made sure to mention to Shirley while they picked up the Italian cream cake that Reverend Driscoll and his entourage were coming to dinner out at 'the Widow Stanley's' place that evening.

They didn't see any of them in town, until they were ready to leave for the ranch.

Jennifer had gone into the post office to mail her latest batch of souvenirs for Vince and Dave when she felt someone behind her, and turned to see Kirk. She felt her heart beat faster, but kept her calm.

"All alone?" Kirk asked softly.

"Go away," Jennifer ordered him. Kirk just laughed, and grabbed her arm, reeling her in to him.

"Oh, the big bad little human," he mocked. "You're out of your depth here, girlie. Maybe I should show you," he told her.

Jennifer felt it getting harder to breathe, glancing toward the counter, where the postman seemed to be having a hard time breathing also, and converted herself to air, slipping his grasp.

Kirk snarled and made to turn his power up, and jerked in pain as Audrey nailed him in the kidneys with an electrical charge, dropping him to the ground, grunting in pain.

"Next time, pick on someone your own size," she told him, seeing the elderly postman beginning to breathe again. "Jennifer, you okay?"

"Yes," Jennifer replied, returning to normal, feeling proud of herself for resisting the urge to kick Kirk in the ribs. She stepped over him and exited the post office quickly as they heard the man who'd come past them say, "Hey, are you okay, buddy?"

"There's going to come a time when we're going to run out of lucky breaks when it comes to them," Audrey commented as they drove back to the ranch. "And then we're going to have to stand and fight."

"How can we fight against someone who can pull the air away from you?" Jennifer questioned. "And Duke said Jordan's touch hurt, like really, really bad. We don't even know what that Arla girl or the Reverend Driscoll can do either."

"Maybe Ray has some answers for us tonight," Audrey said.

"Maybe," Jennifer repeated softly, watching out of the window. 'You're out of your depth here, girlie,' Kirk had said to her. And Jennifer knew, deep in her heart, in some ways, he was absolutely right. As Barbossa had said to Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, "You're off the map, mate – here, there be monsters."

'If he only knew how right he was,' she thought grimly.

"Are you all right?" Duke asked when he saw Audrey's and Jennifer's expressions as they walked up to Nathan and him.

"I ran into Kirk in the post office," Jennifer said. "He almost killed a postman just to be rid of me."

"He did what?!" Duke exclaimed as his fangs and claws briefly appeared.

"Luckily, Audrey saved me," Jennifer said, giving Audrey an appreciative smile. "Thank you."

Duke went over to Jennifer and pulled her into a hug.

"Duke, what are we going to do?" Jennifer asked, looking up at him.

"We'll get back to that later," Nathan said after he checked his phone. "Professor Steel somehow contacted me and said they're ready to remove the seeds of discord from the kids."

"Well, Ray's ready to leave with the herd," Duke said. "So, we'll let him know what's going on. Maybe he can give us some advice on how to be two places at once."

"Maybe I can cast a spell on the cattle, so they don't run off," Audrey thought aloud. "But yes, we'll talk to Ray about it."

A short time later, Duke and Nathan were on horseback, and Jennifer and Audrey were in the Bronco with the camping supplies.

"All set?" Vanessa asked.

"Let's move 'em out!" Duke called out in his best John Wayne imitation, and Nathan shook his head.

"Good luck, fellers!" Hank waved back as they got the herd moving forward.

Once out of sight of the ranch, Audrey cast her spell - she connected with the lead bull, instructing him to lead the herd safely, and they would follow him obediently, giving Nathan and Duke instructions to talk to Ray.

"Ray," Nathan began. "Can you drive them - by yourself? Gloria kind of needs us right now."

He explained the situation, Ray's face intent and listening, and at the end of Nathan's narration, he spoke.

"Go, if she needs you," he said. "Audrey's spell has ensured that there will be no stragglers or runaways." He glanced at the herd. "The children are more important. Tell Gloria I said hello - and to call me sometime," he grinned. "Stargazing is more fun with two people rather than one."

"So you and Gloria-" Duke prodded.

"Is between him and Gloria," Nathan finished. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"I will have everything ready when you return," Ray told them.

They left the horses with Ray, gathered together in a circle as Audrey withdrew the compass pendant, and in an instant, found themselves in Gloria's kitchen.

Professor Steel met them, his face grave.

"What's the matter?" Audrey asked.

"The children have all fallen ill," he said. "Gloria is tending them, but the seeds have reached maturity. This will be a long, hard fight."

"Oh, dear," Audrey sighed. "Then we'd better get to it then."

They followed the professor into a long room that had been Built to house the kids. Each lay in bed, their faces drawn and haggard.

"When did this start? They were fine last evening!" Nathan blurted.

"First Trent, then Lena, and then the rest quickly followed," Professor Steel told them. "I think after you took them, The Corrupt must have pushed harder to force the Seedlings to blossom quicker."

Gloria came into the room, dressed in a long flowing robe, and carrying a large book beneath her arm.

"All right, kids," she began wearily as she handed the book to Jennifer. "Audrey, we will need ten spheres - one for each kid. I think Pamela, Quill, Cassandra and Logan will be the easiest, their seeds aren't that mature. Then we'll do Juno, Victoria, and Dexter, they're the next worse, and then we'll have to get out the big guns for Harlan, Trent and Lena. There's a force field around them, so their Corrupt seedlings can't spread," she finished. "So - let's get ready."

Audrey changed into her true form while Jennifer changed into her Sylph form then they joined Gloria in the circle, while Duke and Nathan transformed into their true forms joined Professor Steel, watching as the three women successfully removed the first four seeds successfully, with little effort. They moved on to the next three, and this time, Professor Steel joined in with the ladies, while Nathan corralled the one they extracted from Juno.

"Okay," Gloria said, catching her breath. "You guys ready?"

"Gloria, you should rest," Professor Steel warned gently.

"I can't. These things are draining these kids dry," Gloria protested. This time, she cast a force field over the cured children.

"To make sure these things don't jump ship for a new host," she told them. "All right - Trent first, then Lena, and then Harlan."

Audrey raised her sphere, and Gloria began the incantation again, Jennifer holding the book tightly.

The Seed attached to Trent came loose, snapping and biting, and in fact, did resemble an Audrey Two, shooting out tentacle-like tendrils, trying to grasp hold of anyone or anything before it was pulled screeching into the sphere.

"One down, two to go," Gloria said, and moved on to Lena. This Seed was larger, and more violent, and Nathan mentally cringed at the thought of what they were going to pull out of Harlan in a few minutes.

The Seed snapped at them, a giant Venus Flytrap with long, sharp teeth that glistened with some sort of oily substance, and almost bit Nathan before it too was finally subdued.

"One more," Audrey got out. She too looked exhausted, and Nathan worried if they would be able to pull the last Seed from Harlan. The kid looked as though he were near death, his face pale, his eyes sunken, but once more Gloria stepped up to the book, and Audrey readied the last sphere.

The Seed broke loose from Harlan once freed, and bolted out. Nathan could see what appeared to be seeds, like those of a sunflower in large clusters under its pod-like head, and it seemed to be puffing itself up.

"Don't let it exhale!" Professor Steel warned. "It's trying to expel its seeds!"

Duke ran swiftly, landing on the Seedling's back like he was riding a bucking bronco, digging his claws in, wrapping his tail around; the pair thrashing around as he ripped at the plant-like creature with his claws.

The Seedling finally succeeded in throwing him off, and began to charge at Duke, but stopped, as though it were thinking something over, then leaned in closer to Duke, its tendrils touching his face, and he jerked away.

"I know of you," it hissed, and then screeched as Nathan grabbed hold of it, he and Professor Steel successfully wrangling it as Audrey brought the sphere up once more.

"To the next world, we sentence you!" she intoned and the Seedling vanished in a flash, the group sagging to the ground with exhaustion.

"Mm-Gloria?" they heard a faint voice.

"What is it, Pammy?" Gloria asked, going over to the girl. "You're looking better," she smiled wearily.

"I feel better," she replied. "I'm hungry."

Gloria smiled faintly. "Thought as much - chow will be around shortly. Try to get some rest, okay?"

"'Kay," Pam answered, sinking back into the bed and closing her eyes as the four adults changed back.

Duke, however, looked puzzled.

"What did that thing mean?" he asked.

"What thing?" Nathan questioned.

"That Seedling - it told me it knew of me," Duke said. "Why would it say that?"

"It probably was just trying psychological warfare," Professor Steel told him, but there was something in his answer that Nathan felt didn't ring quite true. There was something different about Duke. Nathan didn't think he'd been infected with a Corrupt - but there was some faint underlying something about him that was different from himself and Audrey and Jennifer.

After a short rest, the group gathered to return to Wyoming.

"Thank you for your help," Gloria said, hugging each of them.

"Let us know if you need any more of it," Audrey told her. "I imagine ten teenagers keep you jumping."

"They do at that," Gloria chuckled. "But they're a breath of fresh air in these oldster's lives. Evi likes them too. She said she thinks that Duke would have liked his house being used as a safe haven for kids."

"Will the kids be all right now?" Jennifer asked.

"Oh, I think so," Professor Steel said. "Some rest and some TLC should put them as right as rain. Well, good luck to you, and I will try to find out some more about the people you say have replaced you. This Driscoll fellow sounds familiar - I'll telephone Vincent and David later on, to see what they can find out."

"Thank you," Audrey answered, and then found themselves back at a campsite with a large tent that Ray had set up. But they soon realized that it wasn't exactly a tent; it was a sweat lodge.

Ray emerged from the lodge, bare-chested, his face and body painted with black, white and red markings.

"I see you were successful," he said.

"Yes," Nathan replied. "The children are safe from harm now."

Ray nodded, smiling slightly. "That is good. That will please the spirits, to know that you have vanquished evil and aided the innocent. They will be circulating among you tonight as you take your spirit walk."

"So what do we have to do?" Nathan asked.

"First, we strip," Duke said.

"I don't think so," Nathan grumbled.

"Believe me, you'll want to once you get in there," Duke gestured at the sweat lodge. "We can all leave our underwear on, since you're so uncomfortable being au naturel."

"It will be best unclothed," Ray advised.

"It's okay, Nathan," Audrey told him. "I'm not afraid," she smiled slyly, unbuttoning her shirt.

"Me either," Jennifer piped up, feeling emboldened by Audrey's actions, and followed suit, stripping down to her underwear, glad she'd worn her matching bra and panties set.

Nathan exhaled heavily, and unbuckled his jeans, stripping his undershirt and flannel shirt off in one swoop, and then noticed that Duke hadn't undressed.

"What's your problem? Usually you're the first to get naked," he growled.

"Well, that's just it," Duke grinned. "I'm kind of . . . commando-ing it today."

"Dammit, Duke, you knew we were doing this today," Nathan said.

"I know, I know -I just didn't expect we were going to have to rush off to Gloria's either," Duke protested. "But I'll rig up a loincloth or something so I won't offend your delicate sensibilities."

"Duke is unafraid to be as The Great Spirit made him," Ray commented. "I think his walk will be of the most beneficial."

"Well, whenever you're ready, let's get the show on the road," Nathan said, and ducked inside.

When Duke's situation was taken care of, they all sat in a circle, while Ray chanted and beat a drum.

Soon Jennifer felt someone or something else had entered the tent, and she saw she was right. Semi-transparent spirit creatures began appearing around them. A flock of birds circled around Audrey as shadows of elf people surrounded her. A pack of wolves sat around Nathan, looking at him as if he was part of their pack. A puma walked up to Duke while a pronghorn antelope came closer. A ferret made itself comfortable in Jennifer's lap as small balls of light floated around her. She then thought she heard laughing from them.

'These are real Sylphs!' she realized.

Nathan noticed a large wolf in the pack get up and come toward him, and then nudged him with its nose.

'He wants me to follow him,' he thought, and they walked toward the exit of the lodge.

When he folded the blanket back, he found he was not at the campsite, but instead he was back in Duke's house...but it was different. The furniture, the decor looked to be either late 1970's-early 1980's, and he saw Marie Crocker emerge from a bedroom, and cross over to a concerned Simon. Nathan could hear her crying as Simon caressed her back.

"He's just not getting better," she sniffled.

"The doctors are doing everything they can for him," he heard Simon say.

Curious, Nathan came up to them.

"Hello," he said. Neither of them acknowledged he was there, so he soon realized he was seeing a past event. He then walked into the room he'd seen Marie exit, and found a boy, around ten or eleven years old, lying in bed, his leg in a cast, his face pale, an IV in his arm.

'I'm seeing Duke as a kid,' he thought. 'Why?'

Almost as if in answer to his question, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. There appeared to be something crawling out of the mirror on Duke's bureau, and it made its way across to the bed.

"Noo," he heard kid Duke mumble as the thing crawled onto the bed, and Nathan watched, horrified as the thing began to withdraw a bluish light from him.

"That's why Duke was so sick as a kid," he said to no one. He noticed the thing seemed to have sated itself, and it crawled back to the mirror.

Outside the room, he heard Simon and Marie talking to someone, and he went to investigate.

"I don't know what you can do for him, Gloria," he heard Marie telling her. "We've had specialists take a look at him; they don't know what's going on." She put her arms around Gloria. "But I'm glad that you're here."

"I'm sorry I've been away so long," Gloria told them. "I'm just going to go and see how he's doing." She put a sympathetic hand on Marie's cheek. "Why don't you try to rest for a while? I'll stay with him."

"Yes, try to get a little sleep," Simon urged his wife. "You're not doing Duke any favors by exhausting yourself."

"Gloria, stop talking and help Duke," Nathan said.

Simon walked Marie down the hall to a room, and Gloria went inside the room with Duke.

"I know you're in here, you little monster," she said aloud. She gave Duke a cursory glance. He looked worse than before, and Nathan worried that she might be too late. She looked into his eyes, a hand on his face.

"Poor little kid," she muttered. "He's all but drained the life out of you. Well, we're going to put a stop to that tonight." She set her bag down, opening it. She poured a liquid that seemed to melt into the wood around the windows, then applying it to the door, the vent on the floor, the closet, and was about to make her way to the bureau when there was a thump from it.

"There you are," she growled, and lunged forward, plunging her hands into the mirror, withdrawing the snarling, screeching Corrupt from it. She slapped it, hard, making it screech again, and then held it down to the floor with one hand and her knee on its chest, materializing a large hypodermic needle with the other.

"You're all done here," she told it, plunging the needle in and withdrawing a blackish substance from it as the thing squealed.

Nathan didn't see how Simon and Marie didn't come running at the commotion, but neither appeared; and he realized that Gloria had probably put them to sleep temporarily so she could work on Duke. He glanced back at the bed. Duke hadn't moved once during all the ruckus, and was so still that Nathan worried that he'd died, but on closer inspection, he could see his chest still rise and fall.

Gloria had finished getting her blood sample from The Corrupt, and flung it back into the mirror, sealing it shut with the oil before she leaned on the bureau, catching her breath.

"Well, that's done," she grunted. "That'll keep that one from coming back." She walked back over to the side of Duke's bed, and sat down on it, holding his hand in hers. "But the problem is, they're just going to keep on seeking you out," she went on. "They know you're a Channeler - they feel that intense energy you can control. So we're going to try a kind of preventive medicine. This is an extreme and dangerous method - if you were anyone else, I would never do this to you," she told him, taking up the hypodermic with the blood she'd withdrawn from The Corrupt, and introduced the needle into the IV port, slowly releasing the plunger.

'She injected Duke with Corrupt blood!' Nathan thought. 'Does he know that?' he wondered as the scene in front of him dissolved. 'And why show me?'

'Sister!' the Sylphs said, circling around her. 'Come join us!'

Jennifer smiled and changed; she then flew after the Sylphs. She found herself in an office. She saw a man with brown and grey hair and brown eyes scribbling formals on the walls, mumbling to himself.

"No, no, no . . . NO!" he exclaimed, throwing down his pen, and banged against the walls. Professor Steel soon entered the office.

"Galileo, please rest; you worked so hard today," Professor Steel said, as he came up to the other man. "You must take a break before your knowledge turns into madness."

"There has to be an answer . . . there has to be . . ." Galileo said and indicated the formals. "The first Channeler who has appeared in a millennium in that dimension is going to be killed unless we . . . I do . . . something. . ."

"How about some tea?" Professor Steel kindly offered.

Galileo sighed. "Yes, tea does sound good."

Professor Steel smiled and left. Galileo looked at his formals again.

"Wait . . ." Galileo said. "If a new key is going to be born, then . . ."

Galileo laughed as he worked on a new formal.

"What's a Channeler?" Jennifer asked. "And what does that have to do with a key?"

'Black and white, day and night, yin and yang,' the Sylphs chorused. 'One can't exist without the other.'

"If I'm a key - then who is a Channeler?" she asked as the scene changed. "No, wait, come back!" she shouted.

Audrey also found herself back in Duke's home - but this time, she was watching Wade nudge Duke, who was collapsed on the floor, and she realized she was seeing the night of his murder. Duke lay on the floor, lifeless; his eyes open as Wade paced nervously around the room.

She saw another person enter the room and realized it was Howard!

Howard walked over to Duke's body, examining him.

"That was quick," he remarked, looking up at Wade. "Did you not get the memo about making sure he'd still be alive when I got here?" he asked sarcastically.

"I didn't realize how fast that stuff would work," Wade, or rather his Corrupt, said. "He hasn't been dead very long."

Howard exhaled. "Well, it isn't like we can bring him back now, is it?"

"I'm sorry," Wade quavered, and Howard looked at him, before smiling slightly.

"Well, mistakes happen," he shrugged; taking out a sphere that was eerily similar to those that she herself used, and held it over Duke's chest. "At least I thought enough ahead take precautions against something like this happening - I had our people make sure he'd be body-bound just in case he did die before I arrived. What I want is still there."

He pointed his finger at Wade. "But you must follow my next instructions to the letter."

"Are you gathering him for feeding?" Wade asked.

"Are you insane?" Howard exclaimed. "You lot aren't getting hold of this soul, not by a long shot. I have plans for this one. Big plans," he went on, a silvery-bluish light emerging from Duke's body and entering the sphere.

Howard stood up, holding it out in his hands as the light emanating from within shimmered along the surface of the sphere.

"One of the purest I've ever seen," he remarked. "Turning you will not be an easy task; but in the long run, I think it will be well worth the effort."

"So beautiful," Wade murmured, practically salivating.

"Down, boy," Howard said in a snarky tone. "Now listen carefully. Call the paramedics - we have to observe some kind of protocol," he began. "When they get here, make it seem as though you are trying to revive him, make it look good. You will not be able to; neither will they," he went on, pocketing the sphere. "After they pronounce him dead, get on the mortuary and inform the mortuary and tell them that you wish to have him cremated immediately after his viewing, ASAP. After you receive his ashes back, scatter them." He frowned. "His Guardian will do her utmost to try to restore him. I want to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Anything else, sir?"

"Try not to screw up any more than you already have," Howard said, and the scene vanished in smoke.

Audrey could feel her heart pounding. 'Were we all done like he was?' she thought. 'Or am I seeing this in order to know what may be coming? Is Duke really some kind of sleeper Corrupt?'

Duke found himself in a forest, but it was much greener and it felt more . . . natural than any forest he'd ever visited. The tree trucks were thicker and the flowers were much bigger.

He then heard a man singing, and walked to the sound. He then saw a man with brown and grey hair putting on a song-and-dance act for a small audience of child mythical beasts.

'His performance helps him recover,' a kind and wise voice said in Duke's mind.

Duke turned around to see a creature walking up to him that looked like a cross between a stag and a horse. It had black and white fur, a medium-sized tail, about 10 feet tall, and walked on the tips on its golden hooves. Its mane floated around its face and on top of its head were a wide rack of antlers that resembled branches of a tree. Its face was shaped more like human's and had beautiful green eyes.

'I am Durrell,' the creatures said. 'He is Galileo; he was Professor Steel's partner. Galileo had great knowledge, trying to prevent The Corrupt from murdering humans who are special. However, he sacrificed his sanity to gain information. I invited him to my dimension to recover. One century he will be back.' Durrell seemed to smile at Duke. 'After all this time, I finally meet a Channeler.'

"Me?" Duke asked.

'Follow me, please,' Durrell said and lead Duke to the base of a waterfall. 'Look and see.'

Duke peered into the water and saw Galileo making calculations, Gloria injecting him with The Corrupt's blood, and Howard talking with Wade.

'Before you begin yelling, ask yourself these questions,' Durrell said, sensing Duke's anger, as the scenes vanished. 'When could Gloria have explained her actions to you? Would you have believed her if she had told you when you still lived as a human?'

Duke opened his mouth and closed it. Durrell softly chuckled, amused at Duke's reaction.

"Gloria did it to protect me," Duke said.

'You were a child, you could not have fought The Corrupt,' Durrell said and a bowl formed beneath him. The bowl floated to the waterfall, then hovered in front of Duke. 'You are a child no longer, have fought The Corrupt, and have friends who fight by your side; friends who care about and for you; who love you,' he smiled gently at Duke. 'If you drink this water, The Corrupt's blood will be expelled. However, I will not force you to drink; this is your choice, Duke. If you have questions, I will answer them. Be warned you may not like my answers or I may answer in a way that will make you think.'

Duke studied the bowl in his hands.

"Is that why I can sense The Corrupt?" Duke questioned Durrell. "Because it's - they're - part of me also?"

'I believe so,' Durrell replied.

"If I expel the blood, I won't be as useful to our group," Duke explained.

'That may well be true; however, it is . . . as you humans say . . . a two-edged sword,' Durrell told him. 'While your ability is useful to you and your companions, it also means that you are more susceptible to being controlled by The Corrupt.'

"What do you mean?"

'You saw what happened the night you died.'

"You mean they could make me turn into one of them," Duke said.

'There is that possibility also,' Durrell answered. 'But the choice is yours to make.'

Duke didn't know what to do. On the one hand, he didn't want any part of The Corrupt, he'd been through all that with William. But would he still be able to save Jennifer if he surrendered his ability?

Duke drank deeply from the bowl, and fell to the ground, feeling like his insides were being twisted around a spaghetti fork, and he cried out in pain.

'It will pass soon,' Durrell advised.

"W-what if it d-doesn't?" Duke gasped. It felt like it was getting worse. 'Did they have that big a hold on me?' he thought wildly, thinking of all the possibilities he'd put his group in danger, and resolved that he was going to have a very, very long talk with Gloria when next he saw her.

The pain passed, and Duke felt something wet on his face, and realized his nose was bleeding, thick blackish blood running out of his nostrils, and he made to stanch it, but Durrell stopped him.

'Let it run,' he said. 'It is The Corrupt blood, not yours. It will stop soon.'

True to his word, the last of the black blood ran out of his nose, and Duke rinsed his face at the edge of the pool. He drew a few breaths, and then stood up.

"Let's talk," he said to Durrell.

'Agreed,' Durrell said, nodding. 'But first, a test.'

Reality seemed to tear opened for a moment, and poking out from the rip, were tentacles. Duke eyes flashed silver and transformed into his true self. However, before Duke could make a move, the rip repaired itself.

'We have our answer,' Durrell said and Duke changed back to his human form.

"Wait, you said that the reason I could sense The Corrupt was that they were a part of me," Duke said.

'I said 'I believe so,'' Durrell said. 'I did not say 'yes.''

'First One!' a new voice exclaimed. Duke looked up to see a grey dragon circling the sky. 'The—'

'Be at peace, Sagan,' Durrell said. 'It was me; I'll explain everything later.'

The dragon nodded and flew off.

'Let us walk,' Durrell said and Duke followed him. He noticed when they passed other creatures, some of them bowed or nodded as acknowledgement to Durrell.

"You seem to have a fan club," Duke had to comment.

Durrell softly chuckled in response. 'They know I try to bring peace and understanding to our world; I also try to protect our world from invasive forces.'

"Like The Corrupt," Duke said as they reached a clearing.

'I have shielded our dimension from them; as long as I live, they shall not enter,' Durrell said. 'Yes, we could fight, but we could lose. If The Corrupt ever conquered our dimension, they could use our power to completely destroy your universe, even the dimension where Gloria comes from.'

Duke nodded as they stopped onto a small grassy hill. Durrell knelt down.

'Sit with me, Duke,' Durrell said. 'Ask your questions.'

Duke sat down on a small hill, crossing his legs beneath him.

"What dimension does Gloria come from?" he asked.

'Gloria, Galileo, Professor Steel, and the Teague brothers are from a race of very scientifically advanced beings,' Durrell explained. 'Some are issued as Guardians to special beings, such as yourself.'

"Next question - why am I so special? Nathan and Audrey's powers are greater than mine," Duke protested. "I can't create illusions or capture Corrupt - I can, technically, but I can only hold onto them while Audrey subdues them." He frowned. "Best I can do is fly, fight, and try to make sure we keep Jennifer out of their hands."

'You are so much more than that,' Durrell told him. 'You simply haven't realized your full power yet. To paraphrase a movie from your realm: Energy makes up everything. It flows around all of us; we are part of it, and it is part of us. The entire universe is made of energy.'

"You're going to get all Yoda on me now?" Duke grinned, and Durrell smiled back, before he looked serious.

"You are an extremely rare creature, in that you can control the flow of this energy. Every so often, a Channeler is born. When you were a child, you were injured,' Durrell said as he gestured with his hooves.

"I broke my leg," Duke said.

'The break was severe, was it not?'

"Yeah, it was a compound fracture - my shin bone was sticking out. It was gross."

'When that happened, a Corrupt detected your scent. A minor cut or scrape would not have drawn its attention, but with the exposure of your marrow, the deepest tissue in your body—'

"I rang the dinner bell, so to speak," Duke finished. "That's why I stayed so sick? They were feeding on me?"

'Yes. A Reflector Corrupt was using the mirror on your bureau that your mother bought as a portal to enter your realm. Once it had tasted of your life force, it made sure not to kill you, in order to keep you alive.'

Duke shuddered involuntarily, thinking back on the 'nightmares' he would have when he was sick of a grayish goblin thing that would come out of his mirror and sit on his chest; and the fact that it was not a nightmare but had been a very real monster made him feel sick to his stomach.

'Fortunately, Gloria intervened,' Durrell said. 'By injecting The Corrupt's blood into your veins, it put them off your scent. If she had not, even if she had gotten rid the Reflector Corrupt, it would only have been a matter of time before another would seek you out.'

"She vaccinated me against The Corrupt," Duke answered dubiously.

'In a manner of speaking, yes, I suppose she did,' Durrell said. 'Do you have a final question?'

"A final question? I have about a half million more questions!" Duke protested.

'Time grows short, and you will have to return,' Durrell told him kindly. 'Ask your question.'

"Will I be able to keep Jennifer safe from The Corrupt?" Duke asked, point-blank.

'No,' Durrell said. 'Nathan, Audrey and the others will help keep her safe. Do not think protecting Jennifer is your duty alone; trust in others to protect Jennifer too. She will protect you as well, Duke.'

"Me?" Duke asked.

'Though you are no longer susceptible being changed into a Corrupt, they can now sense you are a Channeler,' Durrell said. 'They will either hunt you down themselves or sent others after you.'

"Why are they interested in me?" Duke asked, hoping Durrell had time to answer that question.

Suddenly, all four of them opened their eyes, and found themselves in the sweat lodge once more.

"You won't believe what I saw," they all chorused.

"Duke, Gloria injected you with Corrupt blood when you were a kid," Nathan blurted. "That's what I keep sensing about you!"

"Wait - Duke, Howard collected you the night you died," Audrey put in.

Duke held his hands up. "Easy - one at a time," he smiled. "One, yes, I know what Gloria did. There was a reason for it."

"You're a Channeler," Nathan said.

"Yes, apparently, I am."

"The Sylphs told me that a Key and a Channeler were like yin and yang - that one needed the other," she said, putting her hand in his, and he smiled, nuzzling her ear.

"But what about The Corrupt blood thing?" Nathan questioned. "Do you think it's possible that they could be controlling you?"

"If they were, they're not anymore," Duke told them. "My Corrupt blood has been expelled - or at least it was in my vision."

"Do we need to do that in real life too?" Nathan asked.

"No," Ray spoke. "As it was in the vision, so it is in life also. Duke no longer has ties to The Corrupt. They cannot control him now."

"Unfortunately, it also means that my cover is blown. They'll know I'm one of these Channeler things now," Duke said. "They're going to come crawling out of the woodwork."

"Great," Nathan groaned. "That's just what we need."

"No, what we need is for Duke to learn how to use this power he has," Audrey pointed out. "So we are all going to try to help him learn - and to protect him - and each other," she finished, looking at Nathan. "With these – rivals - of ours, we're going to have to circle the wagons until we either deal with them once and for all, or manage to convince them they're on the wrong side."

"So - now what happens?" Jennifer asked Ray.

"Now - you go on to your next task," Ray told them.

The following morning, they finished packing, and they made their goodbyes to Vanessa and Hank.

"Thanks so much for covering until our guys could get back to watch the herd," Vanessa said, huddled up in her coat as the wind whistled and nipped at their cheeks and noses, the first snowfall imminent.

"It was our pleasure," Audrey smiled. "You take care of yourself. And you take care of her," she directed at Hank.

Vanessa and Hank looked at one another, and Hank shyly held her hand in his.

Jennifer hugged Vanessa goodbye.

"He's a good catch - don't let him get away," she whispered in her ear, and gave her a conspiratorial wink.

Vanessa winked back, and smiled, she and Hank waving goodbye as they climbed into the Bronco and set out for their next destination.

They'd been on the road for two hours, when the snow began to fall heavier, making the roads treacherous.

"We need to stop and get snow chains on," Nathan told them.

"Stop where? There's nothing around here," Duke replied.

"Hey, there's a house, or hotel or something just ahead," Audrey pointed through the windshield. "Maybe we can ask to use their garage for an hour or so."

Nathan pulled in, and found that it was indeed, a very small bed-and-breakfast. He climbed out, going up to the door and rang the bell, which was soon answered by a kindly-looking older woman.

"Oh, come in out of the cold," she exclaimed. "You poor people must be nearly frozen solid out there in that blizzard."

"Thank you," Nathan said, Audrey, Jennifer and Duke coming in behind him. "We don't mean to put you out, but I was wondering if I could use your garage to get our snow chains on."

"Oh, of course; but why not wait until it lets up a little? I just made a fresh pot of coffee, and there's stew for dinner," the woman wheedled.

"Stew sounds wonderful," Jennifer smiled, sniffing the delicious aroma emanating from the kitchen, and she spied a little girl, perched on the landing, watching them somberly.

"Annie - come say hello to our guests," the woman said. "Oh, I'm Helena Campbell, and this is my little granddaughter, Annie," she introduced the solemn little girl. "Say hello, Annie."

"Hi," Annie said. She was clutching a rather ugly doll that was giving Audrey the creeps. It seemed to be glaring at them, she noted, and she felt the slightest trace of unease around it.

"Well, I'm going to go check on my stew, and Annie, you entertain our guests," Helena said, and bustled off down the hall.

"So, Annie," Audrey began brightly. "How old are you?"

"Eight," came Annie's reply, and she glanced at Jennifer. "Are you a fairy?"

Jennifer looked startled at the others, who were now closely paying attention to Annie.

"Why would you ask that?" Jennifer smiled.

"My friend said you were."

"Who's your friend?" she asked.

"His name's Mr. Glob. He says you're all special," Annie told them. "He says that you should stay and play with me."

"Well, we would - but we have to be somewhere else," Duke said as gently as he could. Annie's doll was giving him the serious heebie-jeebies, and he would be glad when they were back on the road again.

Annie's face clouded, and she looked angry when Duke's eyes flashed silver.

"No! Mr. Glob says you have to stay and play with me!" she shouted. "So stay!" she finished, and suddenly the room around them changed, and Nathan and Duke disappeared.

Helena came back up the hallway, and smiled at Annie.

"Are your new friends going to stay?" she asked.

"Yes," Annie beamed. "Forever and always."

Annie Campbell walked down the sidewalk, pulling her little red wagon full of toys behind her. She almost made it home, when she bumped into someone.

"Sorry," she politely apologized, looking up. To her horror, it was Seymour, the fat boy who liked to bully her, and his two lackeys, Baxter and Mervin.

"Look, it's the girl whose head is always in the clouds," Seymour said and cruelly smiled at her as he pushed her back. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Let me go," Annie pleaded as Baxter and Mervin grabbed her. "You're going to make Mr. Glob angry!"

"Oh, right, your so-called 'friend,' Seymour said as his friends laughed. "If Mr. Glob is your 'friend,' where is he?"

"Right here," a new voice said as a huge shadow covered the children.

All the boys screamed as Baxter and Mervin released Annie. The shadow descended upon them and the boys ran.

"Two of them escaped. Do you wish for me to go after them?"

"No," Annie said. "Thanks for saving me, Mr. Glob."

"Of course, Annie," Mr. Glob said and looked in the direction where the boys ran. "Yes, we shall leave them be so they shall spread the word. Then no one will hurt you again."

Annie nodded and picked up the jester doll where Seymour once stood. She then sighed.

"What's the matter, Annie?" Mr. Glob asked. "Why are you sad?"

"Sometimes I wish I had friends, like the other girls do," Annie said and placed the doll into the wagon.

"Is that all?" Mr. Glob said and looked up at the sky. "Then I have good news for you. Three days from now, you will have new friends; very special friends."

"Really?" Annie asked, as her face brightened up.

"Oh, yes. When the snow falls, they will come to your grandmother's bed-and-breakfast," Mr. Glob said, smiling at Annie. "Would you like to know more?"

"Yes, please!" Annie said, smiling as she started walking again, listening to Mr. Glob.

"Well, one of them is a fairy princess . . ."

Ch. 10: Welcome to the Dollhouse

Present day, present time . . .

Audrey was stunned for a few moments, and then came to her senses. There was a doll with wings like a fairy, wearing a stereotypical fairy princess dress, that looked remarkably like Jennifer, and then in horror, she realized the doll was Jennifer! She glanced down at herself, seeing that she herself was now doll-sized, also wearing a girly princess dress; the hotel furniture towering over them.

"A-Audrey? What happened?" Jennifer asked, staring at her.

"She's turned us into toys," Audrey said. "Duke? Nathan?" she called out, her voice not carrying very far. The women glanced towards where the pair had stood, and saw a pile of clothing that both had been wearing, seeing movement beneath the piles.

Nathan's jacket lifted up, and a small wolf puppy crawled from beneath the clothing, black with silvery gray tips on its fur, its blue eyes looking around wildly. Audrey noted its front paws, curved similarly to hands, and knew that he and Duke had been converted too, as a silvery-gray kitten with white spots, silver eyes, black tufted ears, tiny pands, and a black-tipped tail, emerged from the pile of Duke's clothing.

"A kitten and a puppy!" they heard Annie exclaim with delight, gathering the pair up.

'Audrey, what's happening to us?' she heard Nathan's mental call as he was picked up. 'Help!'

"Annie changed us," she said. She tried to raise her arms, but found that her movements were extremely limited. "And I can't . . . she's turned Jennifer and I into dolls," she gasped. "I-" she struggled to say something else, but the world went dark.

The first thing Jennifer saw when she regained consciousness was Nathan and Duke, still . . . smaller, sitting in front of a toy table. Both of them were wearing bow ties; Nathan was wearing a small fedora, while Duke was wearing a small top hat. Nathan looked uncertain while Duke looked frustrated. Jennifer scanned around; it appeared they were in some sort of play room. Annie soon came in, carrying her toy tea set and cookies.

"Now since we're all dressed up, let's invite the princesses for the tea party!" Annie happily said.

Audrey tried to move, and found that she couldn't, as Annie bounced over to the toy shelf and picked up Jennifer and Audrey, setting them down in doll chairs.

'Audrey, are you all right?' Nathan asked. Or at least Audrey THOUGHT it was Nathan; his voice now sounded like that of a child.

'Well, he is a pup just now,' Audrey thought then radiated to Nathan. 'Yes, I'm all right for now.'

"Will you take sugar in your tea, Princess Rosehannah?" Annie asked Audrey, who tried to answer.

"I'm sorry," Annie apologized. "You may speak now, Princess."

Audrey found herself suddenly demobilized and she addressed Annie.

"Annie, we can't stay and play with you here," she began. "Your friend, Mr. Glob-"

"Mr. Glob says that you like to make up stories," Annie told her. "So until you behave, no tea for you," she finished, and Audrey was once again rendered immobile.

Nathan whined, and Annie patted his head. She gave him a cookie on his plate, and then turned her attention to Jennifer.

"Now, Princess Esmeralda," Annie addressed Jennifer, "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please," Jennifer squeaked, playing along, trying to assess the situation. It wasn't good, that much she could tell - there was some gargantuan pink confection of a dollhouse that she and Audrey were probably going to be housed in, and she noted other toys around the nursery table, all with unhappy expressions, and she guessed that they probably used to be people too.

"Will Mr. Glob be joining us for tea also?" Jennifer questioned in her squeaky doll's voice.

"No, he's shy," Annie chatted happily, pouring out the tea in cups, and then put a cookie on Duke's plate. "Now, now, Mr. Whiskers, you have to leave your hat ON," she scolded Duke, who was trying to nudge the top hat from his head. "And you and Roveroo are just going to have to learn to get along," she continued. "They had a fight," she confided to Jennifer.

"No," Jennifer exclaimed. "How very naughty of them!"

"Yes, it was," Annie replied.

"If . . . if Audrey - I mean, Princess Rosehannah promises to behave, will you unfreeze her? Please?" Jennifer asked sweetly. "She's my friend. She'd like to be your friend too."

"She didn't act like she wanted to be friends," Annie pouted.

"But she does! She's just scared - we're all scared," Jennifer told her.

Annie looked sad. "Why are you scared, Esmeralda?"

"Because we're afraid of your friend, Mr. Glob."

"Mr. Glob? He wouldn't hurt you, not even a little teensy bit!" Annie told her.

Suddenly, Jennifer saw a shadow creep across the floor, stretching over Annie, and suddenly the little girl's whole demeanor shifted, her face growing darker, and her eyes turned black.

"You'll not escape this prison," Mr. Glob said through Annie, and gave her an evil smile. "Welcome to the dollhouse."

Mr. Glob then whispered something to Annie and slid away.

"Mr. Glob says after we have our tea party, we should play School next, so that's what we'll do!" Annie said. "I'll go get the school supplies ready!"

"Wait," Jennifer said as Annie stood up. "Can you unfreeze Aud . . . Princess Rosehannah, please?"

Annie looked at Audrey, who gasped, able to move once more. "Princess Rosehannah, would stop making up stories?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I did that," Audrey apologized.

Annie smiled and left the room, closing the door behind her. Audrey got up and walked next to the wolf puppy.

"Nathan, is that really you?" Audrey asked.

The pup nodded. 'I don't know what happened! As soon as Duke and I got into this room, we both sounded like we kids again! We can't even speak! Duke, show them!'

Duke opened his mouth and softly meowed as the top hat slid over his eyes. Nathan let out a gentle bark.

'When Annie left to get you, Duke and I tried to change back to our humans forms, but we couldn't! We couldn't even change into our true forms!' Nathan exclaimed, then looked sad and whined. "What happened to us, Audrey? I don't want to grow up again.'

Audrey just patted Nathan's face, hiding her concern. For a moment, Nathan didn't sound like himself, more like . . . a scared little boy.

'Would someone take this stupid hat off of me?'

"Who said that?" Jennifer said, looking around. Whoever spoke sounded like a young boy.

'It's me, Jennifer! Duke!'

"Duke?" Jennifer said. He too sounded like a little kid.

Jennifer reached over and managed to push the hat back up over Duke's eyes.

"I'm not strong enough to knock it off," she apologized.

'It's okay,' Duke answered. 'I don't imagine it's very easy for you to move.'

"It isn't," Audrey spoke for her.

'Are you all right?' he asked Jennifer.

"For now," she answered.

"Why were you two fighting?" Audrey asked.

'For the record, Duke and I did not have a fight, she made that up,' Nathan stated.

'You bit my tail,' Duke pouted.

'You were trying to scratch her! Who knows what she'd do to us if you'd done that?' Nathan argued.

'Any ideas on how to get out of here?' Duke asked.

"You don't," came a reply from the end of the tea table. There sat a rather bedraggled doll dressed as Bo-Peep, and it turned its head toward them. "I've been trying to find a way out of here for six months. If this Glob character tells her to make you her new friend, she turns you into a toy. I would've never believed this could happen," the doll went on.

"What's your name?" Audrey questioned.

"Marian Caldwell," the doll replied. "She calls me Bo-Peep. I guess she was really into nursery rhymes at that time," she shrugged. "Glob tells her to lock the dollies in the dollhouse every night, otherwise, we'd escape. The only real chance you'd have of getting out of here would be if she left you out in the dollhouse at night. You can move on your own at night, when she's asleep or out of the room."

'Glob must not be able to control her as well when she isn't here in the room, so he's using something in here as a portal between worlds,' Nathan observed, looking around them carefully.

"Marian, have you ever seen where Glob comes from?" Audrey inquired, then quickly sat back into her place as Annie came back with books and papers, with a pair of pretend glasses on her face.

"Now then, class, school's in session," she stated, putting down pencils and notebooks. "Today, we're going to draw pictures of your favorite things. What do you like, Princess Esmeralda?"

'Duke, normal and human-sized,' she thought, hearing Duke's chuckle in her head. But aloud she said, "I like ice cream sundaes."

"Ooh, me too!" Annie enthused. "Would you like me to show you how to draw one?"

"Yes, please," Jennifer answered.

Annie gently put Jennifer on her lap, and held her hand in hers. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as bad as Jennifer thought it was going to, judging from the way Marian had cringed. But from the looks of things, it appeared as though Annie had gained plenty of practice, playing with dolls who used to be people.

Seeing Annie was busy teaching Jennifer how to draw, Nathan jumped down to the floor. He was disappointed to find out he couldn't stand upright, but he didn't let that stop him and he examined Annie's play room. He was busy studying a doll dressed as Jack Be Nimble, looking longingly at Marian, when he heard something behind him. He turned around to see Duke, holding their cookies.

'What are you doing?' Nathan asked.

'Thought I could help,' Duke said and offered a cookie to Nathan, who looked at it incredulously. 'They're just plain butter cookies. Come on, Nathan, we have to keep our strength up to get out of here.'

'If we do get out of here, we can't leave in this weather,' Nathan said, as he accepted the cookie and looked at the falling snow through the window. 'We'd be able to survive if we were in our true forms . . . as adults, but not like this.'

Duke nodded. 'Why we weren't changed into dolls . . . I mean, I'm glad we didn't, but why did we . . . regress . . . instead?'

'We have to figure out what kind of Corrupt Glob is,' Nathan said, his detective's mind actively working. Duke briefly left and returned with the 'tea,' which was actually water in toy tea cups. 'He knew we're not regular people and he has to be powerful to change people like . . . us.'

"Very good, Princess Esmeralda," they heard Annie say.

"Thank you, I had a very good teacher," Jennifer said.

"What do you like, Princess Rosehannah?" Annie asked.

"Oh . . . I like flowers," Audrey quickly said. "I like how they're all . . . different."

'I think Jennifer's on the right path,' Duke said after he drank some water. 'We have to be nice to Annie and gain her trust; maybe she'll tell us more about Glob. And let's not placate her, I have a feeling she knows the difference.'

'Agreed,' Nathan said, and quickly glanced at Annie, who was teaching Audrey how to draw different types of flowers before he finished his cookie. 'There are so many unanswered questions: Where are Annie's parents? What about her grandmother? Doesn't she wonder where Annie's dolls come from? I mean, how's she going to explain us to Helena? Wouldn't Helena find it suspicious finding two piles of men's clothing in the hallway?'

"Mr. Whiskers? Roveroo? Where are you?" Annie called out.

Nathan and Duke immediately ran towards Annie and put on their best 'innocent animals' faces when she saw them and smiled.

"There you are; where did you go?" Annie asked them and put away her pretend glasses. Duke gave Jennifer a quick message.

"Mr. Whiskers' and Roveroo's feelings are hurt," Jennifer explained

"Really? How come?" Annie asked, looking over the animals.

"I think they wanted to draw as well, and felt left out," Jennifer said. Duke wanted to kiss Jennifer right now.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Annie said and took off the hats and bow ties to give them proper pats on their heads. "Next time you should tell me if you want to play as well."

Nathan sat down and gave a small howl. In other circumstances, Audrey would have found baby Nathan werewolf howling adorable, but he'd told her what he and Duke had been discussing.

"Aww, Roveroo, what's the matter?" Annie asked. "Do you want another cookie?"

"No," Audrey said. "He and Mr. Whiskers miss their mommy and daddy. Do you miss your mommy and daddy? Where are they?"

"My Mommy went away," Annie replied. "My Daddy's someplace else too."

"Well, you have your grandma," Jennifer answered kindly. "She seems like a nice lady."

"Oh, she's not real-" Annie began, and then covered her mouth. "I'm not s'posed to tell," she whispered. "It's a secret."

"We won't tell," Audrey said, and drew a cross on her chest with her finger. "Cross our hearts and hope to die."

Jennifer leaned in closer. "I'll tell you a secret if you tell me one."

"What kind of secret?" Annie asked

"A really, really, really, super-secret-y secret," Audrey said in hushed tones, catching on. "It's so secret, you couldn't even tell Mr. Glob."

"But Mr. Glob's my friend. I have to tell him," Annie told her, hurt. "He says I have to tell him everything my friends tell me."

"Oh," Audrey replied sadly. "Then, I'm sorry, Annie, but I can't tell you our secret then."

Annie bit her lip, thinking it over, and then nodded her head.

"Okay. I promise not to tell - not even Mr. Glob."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Annie repeated. Audrey and Jennifer motioned for Annie to come closer, and they crept up to her ears.

"You want to know our secret?" Audrey asked again.

"Yes," Annie whispered. "Please tell me."

"The secret is-" she dragged it out for maximum effect. "Mr. Whiskers is a magic cat."

"A magic cat?" Annie asked, wide-eyed, and Jennifer made shushing motions. "A magic cat?" she stage-whispered.

"Uh-huh," Jennifer put in, glancing at him. "He can talk."

"No, he can't," Annie giggled. "Mr. Whiskers just says 'miaow'."

"If you listen, very, very carefully, you can hear him - in here," Audrey told her, touching Annie's temple, hoping that she had enough magic in her smaller form to be able to allow them to 'tap' Annie's brain to be able to hear Glob when he came to the little girl.

"So be very quiet and still, and listen really hard, okay?" Audrey asked, and Annie situated herself in her little chair, her eyes screwed tightly shut, listening intently.

Audrey nodded at Duke, who focused his attention all on Annie.

'Hello, Annie,' he called. 'Can you hear me? This is Du - Mr. Whiskers,' he got out, glaring at Jennifer.

Annie's eyes flew open in surprise. "I heard him!" she said. "He said 'hello,' didn't you, Mr. Whiskers?"

Duke meowed an affirmative, and rubbed against her leg.

Annie bent down and scooped Duke up, rubbing her nose against his.

"You're the most amazing, most magical kitty ever!" Annie enthused, cradling Duke against her, who looked at Audrey and Jennifer, giving them a wink.

Audrey summoned all her energy, and cast the spell that would temporally psychically join Duke and Annie. Now they would know when Glob came calling again, and maybe, just maybe, find a way out of their predicament.

"What else can you do, Mr. Whiskers?" Annie excitingly asked when she put him down.

'Well . . . um, I'm not the only magical one,' Duke said. 'Do you want to know another secret?' Annie eagerly nodded. 'Nat – Roveroo is a magical puppy.'

"Really?" Annie asked. Annie was about to burst with joy. Mr. Glob was right; she now had really special friends!

'Yup. He can talk, just like me,' Duke said.

Annie repeated the same actions she did with Duke, and Nathan cleared his throat.

'Hi, Annie; I'm . . . Roveroo,' Nathan begrudgingly said.

Once again, Annie happily opened her eyes and picked up Nathan, dancing.

"What do you want to play next?" Annie asked, once she put Nathan down.

'We were . . . hoping to draw as well,' Nathan said.

"Can you draw?" Annie asked.

'Yes; remember we're magic,' Duke said. 'Look at Roveroo's and my paws; don't they look a little like hands?'

Annie carefully inspected their front paws and agreed, nodding. She then handed Nathan and Duke drawing equipment. Once Nathan and Duke were settled in front of the desk, they began to sketch.

"What are you drawing?" Annie asked, watching them work.

'My favorite car,' Nathan said. 'See? It's blue.'

"Yes, it is," Annie said and looked at Duke. "What are you drawing, Mr. Whiskers?"

'My . . . fairy godmother; her name is Gloria,' Duke said, and covered his drawing. 'Don't peek, it's a surprise.'

"Aw," Annie said, disappointed.

'I have an idea,' Duke said. 'Since we're friends now; let's exchange drawings. I'll share my picture of Gloria and you can show me a picture of . . . Mr. Glob.'

"Okay!" Annie happily agreed and began drawing.

"There, I'm finished," Annie said proudly. "Now you have to show me your picture, Mr. Whiskers."

Duke slid the paper across the desk and received Annie's rendering of Mr. Glob as his friends gathered around to see. He resembled a rather large white lop-eared rabbit, with big pink eyes and buck teeth, with a long coat and appeared to be wearing yellow rain boots. Instead of a fluffy cotton tail, Mr. Glob had a dragon-like tail. She'd drawn him smiling, but Jennifer could still see through the silly clothes as to what really lay beneath.

"An Orator," Jennifer gasped, using her power on the catalog of The Corrupt that had been given her. "They work through children to gain control over the adults in their lives. They can also give the child immense powers of their own."

"That must be what this one's done with Annie," Audrey whispered.

"What are you two princesses whispering about?" Annie questioned. "It's very naughty to whisper at the table."

"We're sorry - we were just saying how cute Mr. Glob is," Jennifer said brightly. "He looks like a big cuddly bunny rabbit."

"Oh, he is - he's my best friend," Annie enthused. "He sings to me and he tells me stories, and he tells Gramma Helena to make me anything I want for dinner."

"Does your grandma see Mr. Glob too?" Jennifer questioned. Annie nodded.

"Mm-hmm; she likes him a lot too. She says that he brings the people to the hotel so that I can have new friends to play with."

Nathan thought about how the snowstorm had seemed to worsen the closer they'd gotten to the hotel; that it was the only place to stop for miles and miles, and he wondered just how many other poor souls were now trapped here as well.

Duke felt a sudden chill pass over him, and he realized that it meant one thing - Mr. Glob was coming.

"Why are your eyes glowing, Mr. Whiskers?" Annie asked. "And why is your tail all puffy as well?"

'I . . . uh . . . thought I saw a cockroach,' Duke said. 'And you know cats' eyes glow in a certain light, right?'

"Oh, yeah," Annie said.

"Annie, are you still in there? I have a message for you," Mr. Glob said, from the other side of the door.

"Sure, Mr. Glob! Come in!" Annie happily said.

Mr. Glob opened the door, appearing in his physical manifestation. His head almost hit the ceiling.

"Are you having fun, Annie?" Mr. Glob asked.

"Uh-huh. You were right, Mr. Glob! They're great! They're so sweet and kind! Thank you!" Annie said and hugged Mr. Glob.

"I'm happy you're happy," Mr. Glob said, after the hug. "Your grandma has dinner prepared. Are you ready to eat?"

Annie nodded. "Can Mr. Whiskers and Roveroo join us?"

Mr. Glob blinked his eyes, as if he was caught off guard.

"Um, not yet, Annie," Mr. Glob said. "They're too little and may get lost; for now, they'll have to stay in here. After you eat, you can bring them dinner."

"Okay," Annie said. "Maybe they can join us for dessert!"

"Yes, maybe," Mr. Glob said. "Now let's go, we don't want to keep your grandma waiting."

Annie nodded and took Mr. Glob's hand as they exited the room. Mr. Glob looked back at the group and glared at them; Nathan and Duke gulped, feeling very inadequate in their current forms, as Mr. Glob closed the door behind him.

'Could someone tell me how we're going to defeat THAT?!' Duke exclaimed.

"Well, Orators are easy to defeat . . . kind of . . ." Jennifer said as they looked at her. "Orators thrive on belief; the more someone believes in them, the more powerful and stronger they become. If that person loses faith in the Orator, they lose power."

'How are we going to explain to Annie that Mr. Glob is a big, fat, liar?' Duke asked. He then noticed the pensive expression on Nathan's face. 'Anything you would like to add, Nathan?'

'Why does Mr. Glob want Helena to see him?' Nathan asked.

'Maybe he looks like Robert Redford to Helena,' Duke guessed.

'No, no,' Nathan said, mulling things over. 'Any normal adult would have noticed four people disappearing; two of them leaving their clothes in a pile on the floor, and yet she hasn't been up here once to ask Annie anything about it.'

"That is strange," Audrey murmured. "Helena did seem a little too - chipper when we met her. We just asked to borrow her garage and she offers us coffee and dinner. I wonder . . ." she mused.

'Wonder what, Audrey?' Nathan asked.

"I wonder if Helena is actually a real person. Remember Annie's slip? She said she's not real . . . something. I thought at first she was going to say she's not really her grandma, like she was a babysitter or something. But I don't think that was the case. I don't believe Helena is a real person."

"You mean she's like Adele?" Jennifer questioned.

"No, Adele was a spirit. Helena's real enough, but she's like - a shell - a puppet."

"Or a Drone," Jennifer said as the knowledge came to her.

'What's a Drone?' Duke spoke.

"Drones are entities created by Corrupt to do menial work. They don't think for themselves, they're given their orders, and they carry them out. Helena may a Drone supplied by this Glob character to help keep Annie fed and cared for, and curious adults away - a little girl who parents are gone, but lives with her grandmother, no one would look twice."

'Where's the kid's parents, I want to know,' Nathan groused.

"I know," said a male voice from the shelf, and they turned to see Jack Be Nimble, sit up a little straighter.

"This is Conrad Brauer," Marian introduced. "He's been here the longest, I think."

"How long have you been here, Conrad?" Audrey asked as they gathered underneath him.

"I don't know," he said. "I came out here to do some work on this place; Annie's parents were here then. And then they just up and disappeared the next day I came out, and this Helena woman was here instead. I thought it was strange, because Annie's parents aren't the type to just up and go on vacation without their daughter," he went on.

'How did you get trapped?' Nathan asked.

"I liked to carve with wood, and I made her a little wooden dancing figure. She asked me if I would be her friend, and the next thing I knew, here I was," he gestured at himself. "I don't know how long ago that was. But anyone that either crosses her path or she likes, she makes you like we are."

He studied Nathan and Duke. "But you're the first people I've ever seen that's she's turned into animals," he commented. "Why's that?"

'We're trying to figure that one out ourselves,' Duke remarked.

'Conrad, do you have any idea what happened to Annie's parents?' Nathan asked.

Conrad paused to think before he spoke. "I was checking the flooring in the room which was converted into Helena's bedroom, when I noticed a strange glass case. Before I could take a closer look, Helena came in and said she didn't need my assistance anymore. However, I did catch a quick glance what was inside: there were two dolls; they vaguely looked like Annie's parents."

The four looked at each other and ran to the door.

"We have to see that glass case for ourselves," Audrey said.

"How?" Jennifer asked, as they looked up at the closed door.

"Do you think you can fly that far up, Jennifer?" Audrey asked.

"I don't know," Jennifer answered and looked back at her wings. "Even if I could, I don't think I have the strength to open it."

'Let me try,' Duke said and concentrated on his wings. It took a little longer than usual for them to appear, but when they did, his wings looked . . . underdeveloped.

'What's wrong with your wings?' Nathan asked and sniffed them.

'Nothing,' Duke said, feeling insulted, and took a step back.

He then flapped his wings, finding it harder to lift himself up. Duke made it about two feet off the ground until his wings gave out and he dropped to the floor.

"Duke!" Jennifer exclaimed, rushing up to his side and stroked his cheek. "Are you okay?"

Duke just nodded, then looked back at his wings and sighed.

'Well, that's not going to work,' Nathan said.

'No, it isn't,' Duke replied, sighing heavily as his wings retracted. He sat down in front of the closet door, and shivered. He thought a moment, and then turned to face the door.

'There's a draft here,' he remarked.

'So move away from the door,' Nathan answered.

'No, I mean, it's a pretty big draft, Nathan,' Duke argued, sticking his pands under the door and tugging on it.

Curious, Nathan joined him, and after a while, Conrad, climbed down from the shelf to help them. After a little effort, they managed to get the door open enough for them to slip inside.

'Hey, there's a piece of plaster missing in the ceiling in here,' Duke told them.

'How do we get there? You can't fly that high,' Nathan pointed out.

'No, I can't; but I'm a cat, I can climb,' Duke grinned, and latched onto the long heavy coat hanging in the closet.

'I'll come too,' Nathan said, but was unable to climb even with his small furry hands.

"I'll go," Conrad put in. "Can you carry me on your back? I know the house pretty well; I was helping Annie's dad restore the place."

Duke slid back down the coat, and Audrey and Jennifer quickly made a harness for Conrad out of a pair of shoestrings so that he could hold on as Duke climbed.

'Ready?' Duke asked.

"All set," Conrad answered.

"Good luck, guys," Audrey said as Marian smiled at Conrad.

"Stay connected to me, Duke," Jennifer spoke, looking anxious.

"Duke?" Conrad said. "That's your human name?"

'My human name's Duke Crocker, not Mr. Whiskers,' Duke replied. 'And Roveroo's real name is Nathan Wuornos.'

'Introductions later,' Nathan said. 'Just get up there and see if you can find a way out of here.'

Duke scampered back up the coat and then clawed his way onto the shelf over the clothes rack. The hole was still a few feet out of reach, but Conrad spied a toy xylophone, and they wedged it into a corner, using it as a ladder to climb to the hole.

"Wish we had a light," Conrad whispered.

'I see very well in the dark,' Duke replied. They were in a small space between the second floor and the first, and they crept along, peering down through the various cracks in the plaster, or where the light fixtures were wired into the ceiling.

"House was built in the 1860's," Conrad murmured. "Jeff- Annie's father - and I were friends; we were working on his and Susan's 'dream home' here. It was a real fixer-upper, he said," he grinned. "I remember coming out here with them when they were looking to buy this place. Told 'em it needed a LOT of work - but the bones were good," he remembered. "Annie was just a little thing back then, two, maybe three years old."

'So you've known her most of her life,' Duke said. 'Has she always had . . . special powers?'

"Annie . . . I guess you could say she's a sensitive. She sees spirits," Conrad replied. "But last winter, she began talking to her imaginary friend, Mr. Glob. Jeff and Susan didn't think anything of it; little girl, all alone in a big house, they put it down to an active imagination. But then - I came out the day of Annie's birthday with her present, and they were nowhere to be seen, and this Helena woman was here," he finished. "I asked Annie where they went, and she said she'd always lived with her grandma. I wanted to question Helena, but - this happened," he gestured at himself. "I've always-"

'Sh,' Duke interrupted, peering intently down through where the chandelier was wired into the ceiling. 'Is that them?'

They were looking into a bedroom, nicely furnished in a Victorian style. There was a big four-poster bed, a fire going in the fireplace, and on the mantel sat a glass case, just as Conrad had described it.

Inside, Duke could indeed see two dolls, a man and a woman, standing side by side. But they didn't appear to be like the toys in the nursery; the pair stood motionless, frozen in place.

Conrad slid down from Duke's back and gazed through the hole.

"Yes," he said quietly. "That's Jeff and Susan. That's Annie's parents."

"Mr. Whiskers?" they heard Annie's call from the playroom. "Where are you?"

Duke and Conrad looked at each other, then Conrad quickly got on Duke's back, and he ran back to the play room.

"Maybe I should get Mr. Glob; he said to call him if I can't find Mr. Whiskers or Roveroo," Annie said.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary, Annie; we're playing hide-and-go-seek," Jennifer said. "I'm 'it,' Mr. Whiskers is still hiding."

"Okay, I'll help you look," Annie said.

Duke soon slid down the coat and Conrad got off his back. He looked out to see Jennifer was leading Annie to the opposite side of the room. Duke walked out and meowed, getting Annie's attention.

"Look, Princess Esmeralda! There he is!" Annie said. "He was hiding in the closet!"

"Who would have thought?" Jennifer said.

Annie then picked up two small bowls of stew and gave them to Duke and Nathan.

Duke and Nathan ate the stew with good appetite. The butter cookies hadn't been very filling, and it had been hours since they'd had breakfast.

There was a knock, and Helena came into the nursery.

"Did they like the stew?" she smiled.

"Oh, yes, Gramma, they ate it all up," Annie beamed. "Cause you're such a good cook."

"Aw, I try," Helena smiled. "Just a little more playtime, and then it's time for bed."

"Can Roveroo and Mr. Whiskers sleep in my room?" Annie asked.

"No - I made them a nice warm place in the laundry room," Helena replied. "Mr. Glob said they would be very comfortable there on that old baby blanket of yours."

'But we want to stay with you, Annie,' Duke said, and Nathan did his best puppy dog eyes expression, as Duke made himself cute.

"Please, oh, please, can't they sleep in my room? They'll be all alone - and afraid," Annie pouted, but Helena shook her head.

"No. They'll be just fine - and waiting for you in the morning when you get up," Helena smiled. She bent down, and picked up Nathan, who struggled a bit. She stroked his head, but he could feel her fingers tightening on his body, and he stopped fighting.

"I'll tell you what," Helena told Annie. "Why don't you come downstairs with Mr. Whiskers and you can help me put them to bed. And then bath time and bed; all right?" she smiled benignly.

"Okay," Annie sighed. "Come on, Mr. Whiskers - time to go nighty-night."

Duke reached out, catching his claws in Jennifer's princess dress, hoping to bring her along, but Helena took Jennifer and placed her on a couch in the doll house. Duke looked after her sadly, but kept silent as Annie carried him in her arms downstairs.

Helena opened the door to the laundry room. It was warm and cozy inside, but Nathan and Duke eyed the large kennel cage that was situated in the middle of the room, and Helena opened the door.

"There, see?" she told Annie. "They'll be as safe as houses in there. Mr. Glob didn't want them to run off or get lost or hurt."

'I bet he didn't,' Duke thought bitterly as Annie kissed his head and put him inside the kennel.

"Good night, Roveroo," Annie said, kissing Nathan's head.

'Good night, Annie. Sweet dreams,' came Nathan's answer.

Helena closed the kennel door, locking it, and then gently shooed Annie out off to her bath, turning out the light.

'Well - now what?' Nathan asked. 'What did you and Conrad see on your excursion?'

'We saw Annie's folks, just like he described,' Duke answered. 'But they're not animated, they're just dolls. I think it may be the case they're in keeping them that way.' He thought. 'He also said that Annie doesn't remember them. I think it's part of Glob's powers - removing those that truly love her and that she loves from her memories, so she's dependent on him and Helena.'

'How do you know that? Did Jennifer tell you?' Nathan questioned.

'No, I . . . I FELT it, Nathan,' Duke said slowly. 'I've been experiencing - I don't know what I'd call it ... impressions, feelings - whatever,' he shrugged. 'I can feel the energy of things past in a room.'

'Do you think your Channeler's powers are starting?' Nathan grunted, struggling to work the latch on the kennel.

'I don't know,' Duke replied. 'I can't make it happen - it just does.'

'Well, we're not going to get out of here tonight,' Nathan sighed, giving up on the latch. 'It's just out of reach, and it's got one of those twist and turn latches.'

Duke yawned, feeling incredibly sleepy, and he noticed Nathan yawning as well.

'I think Helena might have slipped us something in that stew,' Nathan muttered, collapsing to the blanket on the floor of the kennel, and Duke lay down next to him, curling up into a silvery-gray ball.

'I think you're right,' Duke said. He was going to say something else, but he fell asleep instead.

Upstairs, Mr. Glob had joined Annie in the playroom.

"And now it's time for all good little dollies to be in bed," he told her. "I'll help you round them up."

Annie picked up Marian, and then Conrad, and Mr. Glob picked up Audrey.

'In case you were thinking of escape, the dollhouse is sealed against you being able to leave it when it's closed,' she heard Glob's taunt in her head.

'Why are you doing this?' Audrey fired back mentally.

'Because Annie's belief in me has energized me,' Glob said. 'I was half dead, sick and starving when she and her family moved in here. Once I found out she could see and hear me, I wasted no time in becoming her new best friend. Now I supply her with all the friends she could ever want; and they in turn supply me with their life-force,' he finished. 'You and your little friends should give me more than enough to sustain me for years.'

'We'll beat you,' Audrey answered fiercely, and she could hear Glob's harsh laughter in her head.

'I severely doubt it. Annie's faith in me is unshakable. Good night, PRINCESS Rosehannah,' he finished, and placed her roughly down on a dolly bed.

Annie tucked a satin handkerchief over her, and kissed her finger, putting it on Audrey's face.

"Good night, Princess Rosehannah. Good night, Princess Esmeralda," she said.

"Oh, Annie?" Audrey asked. "Would you put Mari - I mean Bo-Peep over with Jack-Be-Nimble?"

"Why?" Annie questioned.

"He's her boyfriend," Audrey smiled. "But it's a secret."

Annie giggled, and moved Bo-Peep next to Jack-Be-Nimble on the opposite sofa from Jennifer, and for the first time, she saw a faint smile cross his expression.

A few minutes after she was tucked into bed, Annie decided to sneak back downstairs to set up a night light for Roveroo and Mr. Whiskers. She smiled seeing how ADORABLE Mr. Whiskers and Roveroo were cuddled up, sleeping together. However, she tripped a little when she reached the bottom step, waking the two animals up.

'Annie?' Duke groggily said and saw he was next to Nathan. 'Why am I sleeping with you?'

'Never mind,' Nathan said and yawned, trying to fight whatever Helena drugged them with. 'Annie . . . we need . . . the princesses . . .'

"Why?" Annie asked, curious.

'Sleeping Spell . . . they know how to cure us . . .' Nathan said as Duke fell asleep again. 'Hurry . . .'

Annie ran upstairs, and crept back into the playroom.

Audrey was still lying on the bed, trying to will herself to move. Glob had been right about the fact that the dollhouse was sealed; once Annie had closed it up, they had all been rendered fully immobile.

There was a click, and Audrey sighed with relief when Annie opened the house again, her face worried.

"Mr. Whiskers and Roveroo are sick," she whispered.

"Please take Jen - Princess Esmeralda and I to see them, please," Audrey pleaded. "We won't try to run away, promise."

Annie tucked Audrey and Jennifer into her robe and she hurried them downstairs to the laundry room.

"Na – Roveroo - Mr. Whiskers," Audrey called to the two sleeping forms in the kennel.

'Audrey,' Nathan sent mentally as lifted his head up a little. 'Helena's given us some high-powered drug. Can't...stay awake,' he got out, falling over.

"Roveroo," Annie gasped. "What's the matter with my puppy? And my kitty?"

She set Audrey and Jennifer down, and wrestled with the kennel door, finally managing to get it open.

"Take us all upstairs again," Audrey told her. "We're going to do a magic spell to help them."

"Just like in the fairy tales?" Annie gasped. She felt as though she were living in a Disney movie.

"Just like the fairy tales," Audrey promised. "But we have to hurry. They're getting sicker."

Annie gathered Duke and Nathan, their little bodies lolling limp in her arms, and Audrey and Jennifer held onto them as she sneaked past the dining room and back up the stairs to the playroom.

She laid them down on the little rug near the fireplace.

"Roveroo, Mr. Whiskers, wake up," she said tearfully, shaking each of them gently. "Help them, Princess Rosehannah!"

"'I will, Annie. But I'm going to need some help from you . . . and from Mr. Whiskers' fairy godmother," she said. "I need you to call her. You're very special, Annie. You have magical powers too."

"Do you want me to call her on the phone?"

"No. You and I and Princess Esmeralda are going to call her together. Now, take the picture that Mr. Whiskers drew," she directed, Annie quickly retrieving the picture and setting in on her artist's easel. "Close your eyes, and picture her in your mind."

Annie did as she was told, and soon a soft blue light filled the room.

"What's that?" Annie gasped. "I'm scared."

"Don't be," Jennifer soothed. "That's just Gloria coming."

The blue light got brighter, and Audrey quickly telegraphed the situation to Gloria, who reluctantly agreed, and materialized dressed as a fairy godmother might be, all flowing robes and sparkling wings.

Annie gasped again. "You're a real fairy godmother!"

"Yes, I am," Gloria managed a smile. "I'm here to help you and your friends. Can you bring me a mixing bowl? We have to make a potion to help your little friends."

"I know where they are! I'll get one!" Annie blurted, and dashed from the room.

Gloria looked down at herself, and then down at the doll-sized Audrey and Jennifer, and baby-animals Duke and Nathan.

"Oh, I can't WAIT to hear this one," she cracked.

"Later; Duke and Nathan are drugged," Audrey said.

That got Gloria's attention and she went over to Duke and Nathan. She picked up Duke, who blinked his eyes open.

'Gloria. . .? Why are you wearing that silly outfit?' Duke said then yawned and went back to sleep. Gloria chuckled.

"Never thought I'd hear that voice from him again," Gloria said and placed him down next to Nathan. She looked at Jennifer and Audrey. "Don't worry, I've hidden our presence from The Corrupt; they believe the kid is in her room sleeping."

"Her name is Annie. She calls Duke Mr. Whiskers and Nathan's Roveroo," Jennifer said. "And I'm Princess Esmeralda and Audrey's Princess Rosehannah."

Gloria was still laughing when Annie returned with a mixing bowl.

Gloria and Annie set to work, while Audrey and Jennifer stayed with Nathan and Duke. Audrey was terribly worried - Nathan had fallen so deeply asleep, even violent shaking couldn't rouse him.

Duke was a little better off, his immunity to Corrupt poisons and potions at least letting him wake when they asked him to.

'How's Nate?' he asked Audrey, yawning.

"Not good," she answered.

Duke heard the distress in her voice, and roused himself enough to go over to her, and lay down next to Nathan, as Jennifer was busy informing Gloria what happened to them.

'We'll make him okay,' he told her. 'I promise. Nathan's tough, you know that.'

"I know," she sniffled, dabbing her eyes to hide her tears from Annie. "But what are we going to do about Annie?"

'Well, we've already made headway with her. She likes and trusts you and Jennifer. She likes us, that's for sure,' Duke remarked. 'But Conrad and I discovered that Annie's parents are being held in a glass case in Helena's bedroom. Glob must have put them into kind of a state of suspended animation - - the case is keeping them that way.'

"How do you know that?" Audrey gasped.

'Nathan thinks my Channeler powers are beginning to surface,' Duke replied. 'I can't control it, though.'

"We have to get out of here, soon," Audrey murmured. "If your powers take hold, Glob will never, ever let us out of here. I think if he did find out about you, he'd get rid of the rest of us and just keep you."

"All right, Annie," they heard Gloria say. "Now we say the magic words, and then we're going to give to potion to Mr. Whiskers and Roveroo."

"But Roveroo's asleep, how are we going to give the potion to him?" Annie asked.

Gloria gestured, and a long glass eyedropper appeared in her hand. She touched it to the surface of the potion, and carefully filled it.

"Now hold Roveroo's head still for me, okay?" Gloria told her.

Annie cradled Nathan in her arms, keeping his head perfectly still as Gloria gently opened his mouth, inserting the eyedropper, and squeezed its contents into Nathan's mouth. She tilted his head back, rubbing his throat until she felt him swallow.

Almost immediately, Nathan's eyes flew open.

'Huh? Where am I?' he asked, and then spotted Gloria. 'Why are you dressed-' he stopped, seeing Audrey's warning expression.

"Nightwanderer's powerful stuff," Gloria told them, refilling her eyedropper so she could dose Duke with it.

"How'd you know what it was? And what is Nightwanderer anyway?" Jennifer asked.

"Nightwanderer's an herb that grows in another dimension. A little ensures a peaceful night's sleep. They were given enough to put them out for the winter," Gloria told her. "And I knew what it was because I could smell it on their breath - it smells a little like anise," she finished, deftly administering a dose of the antidote to Duke, who sputtered and coughed.

"Roveroo, Mr. Whiskers, you're okay again," Annie smiled, hugging them both to her.

'Thank you for saving us, Annie,' Duke told her, and gave her nose a sandpapery lick. 'Would it be okay if I talked to my fairy godmother for a few minutes?'

"Sure," Annie said, handing him to Gloria.

"What's up - Kitten?" she asked, smiling at him, when they found a place to talk privately. "Why don't you guys fight back against her?"

'It's not so much her as this character, Mr. Glob. He's an Orator and has a Drone acting as her grandmother,' Duke began, his mind connected with Gloria's.

'A Drone? What happened to her folks, or dare I ask,' Gloria replied.

'They're alive - they've been changed into dolls too, they're imprisoned in a glass case in the Drone's room. I . . . felt what happened to them, Gloria. I think-I think my Channeler's abilities are beginning to appear.'

'I think you're right. When you guys get out of here; go to New York, to Vince and Dave. Vincent's one of the best teachers I know - he can help you get a handle on things.'

She stroked his head, making Duke purr.

'You guys need some help?'

'No, we've got this. If we don't break this Glob's hold on Annie, she's just going to go on and on doing this to people,' he gestured at himself. 'She's a sweet kid - but she's so terribly lonely.'

'Kid's massively psychic,' Gloria told him. 'I don't know if her folks know that or not. See if you can't get Annie to free them from the case. If they can speak to her, she may restore everyone to their human forms.'

'That's another thing - why didn't Nate and I turn into dolls? Why . . . baby animals?' Duke questioned.

'Most children love puppies and kittens. Annie has probably always longed for both, so when she met you two, and you two being what you are, she changed you two into a puppy and a kitten. But I agree with you - handle Annie gently; however, you have to break Glob's hold on her. You break her belief in him, and you'll beat him. But above all, I would not let him know that you're a Channeler. I can sense it in you a little, because I know. But he's going to start taking an interest in you real soon if you don't get out of here.'

'I understand that, Gloria; thanks for everything,' Duke said, and looked at himself. 'Hopefully, next time we meet, I'll grow up.'

Gloria softly chuckled and she placed Duke down. Then she motioned for the others to gather around her while Annie was busy checking her dolls.

"As soon as I leave, Mr. Glob is going to know Annie's not in her room; you better act quickly," Gloria said. The others agreed and thanked Gloria.

"Thank you for saving Mr. Whiskers and Roveroo," Annie said, hugging Gloria. "Can you stay to meet Mr. Glob?"

"I'm afraid I can't, kiddo," Gloria said. "There's a fairy godmother's union meeting in a few minutes."

"Oh," Annie said. "It was nice to meet you."

"Same here." Then in a flash of light, Gloria was gone.

"Annie, we need to show you something in your grandma's room," Audrey's said, taking a step forward.

Just then, Duke's eyes flashed silver.

'Glob's coming,' he told the others. 'Hide!'

Duke and Nathan scurried behind the bookshelf, and Annie quickly tucked Audrey and Jennifer back into the dollhouse just as Mr. Glob opened the playroom door.

"Why, Annie," he said. "I thought that you were asleep. What are you doing in here?"

Annie began to speak, until she saw Audrey raise her finger to her lips.

"The princesses had a nightmare," she said. "I told them there were no monsters under their bed."

"I see," Glob said, his smile a little forced. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Annie? We're friends, right? Best friends."

"Of course you're my friend, Mr. Glob," Annie said.

"So then - what were you doing up and out of bed?" Mr. Glob asked, still smiling, but Audrey could sense the growing undercurrent of anger. She didn't want to see Annie hurt, and she glanced toward the bookshelf.

Suddenly, Duke darted out, hissing and spitting at Mr. Glob.

"Why, Annie!" Glob said, more than a little surprised to see Duke was still awake. "You brought Mr. Whiskers up here!"

"I just wanted to sleep with him on my bed," Annie said sadly. "He's my friend too."

"Well, I understand how you feel, Annie - but your grandma wants Mr. Whiskers and Roveroo to sleep in the laundry room," Mr. Glob told her unctuously. "So, I'll tell you what - why don't we take them back downstairs, and then you can go and get them first thing in the morning, okay?" he went on, reaching for Duke, but Duke was too quick for him, and lashed out, scratching Glob's outstretched hand.

"Mr. Whiskers, no! Bad kitty!" Annie cried, gathering him up in her arms.

"Little monst-" Glob began, and then stopped, realizing Annie was watching.

"It's all right, Annie," Glob assured her, a forced smile on his rabbity face. "Mr. Whiskers is just trying to protect you. Don't worry, little kitty," he went on, stroking Duke's head. "I won't hurt you," he said, a surprised look on his face as he made contact with the silvery-gray kitten. "I wouldn't hurt you for all the world."

While Duke carried on with Glob's little charade, Nathan, Audrey and Jennifer stealthily made their escape from the playroom.

"Maybe I should stay, in case Duke needs help," Audrey said. "You and Jennifer try to find Helena's bedroom. If you can, find a way to get Annie's parents out of that case. We need their help."

"We should have asked Duke for directions," Jennifer said, looking back at him.

"Now, Annie, you go to bed, while I'll take Mr. Whiskers into the laundry room and tuck him in," Mr. Glob said, reaching for Duke.

'I want you to take me there, Annie,' Duke said.

"Can I take Mr. Whiskers to the laundry room?" Annie politely asked.

"You should go to bed, Annie; I promise your kitty will be safe with me," Mr. Glob said, reaching for Duke again.

'Duke is going to owe me for this,' Nathan said and told the women to meet him further down the hall. Nathan then jumped in the doorway, barking, getting their attention.

'Annie, follow us!' Nathan said and ran down the hall.

Before Glob could react, Annie ran outside, still carrying Duke. When they reached Audrey and Jennifer, Duke jumped out of her arms.

'Get the princesses and follow me!' Duke said and ran to Helena's bedroom, with the others behind him.

'I hope you know where you're going, Duke,' Nathan said, catching up to the kitten.

"Mr. Whiskers! Roveroo! Wait for me!" Annie called.

Duke and Nathan ran at the door on the hallway, running into it, and the door pushed open. Inside, was the four-poster bed, and on the mantel, Nathan could see the glass case with the two dolls inside it.

'Annie, look!' Duke called to her. 'Your grandma has dolls just like yours!'

Annie put Audrey and Jennifer down before she walked over to the mantel, looking up at the glass case. She picked Duke up, and held him in her arms.

"Those dolls aren't for playing with, Annie - they're just look-at dollies," Mr. Glob said, as he came into the room. "You shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you."

"They're your mommy and daddy, Annie," Audrey said, and Mr. Glob lashed out, knocking Audrey against the wall.

Annie squealed. "You're hurting Princess Rosehannah!" she cried, and ran to gather her up, as Nathan stood protectively in front of them, growling at Mr. Glob.

Audrey was stunned, but managed to gather her senses enough so that when Annie picked her up, she could communicate with her.

"Annie, they are your mother and father. Mr. Glob turned them into dolls and made you forget them. Lift the case off them, and you'll see for yourself."

"I just want to look at them," Annie told Mr. Glob, and headed for the case.

"Annie, NO!" Mr. Glob said in a firmer tone, and Annie turned an angry expression on him.

"You're not the boss of me, Mr. Glob," she told him.

Was it his imagination, or did Glob actually shrink a little? Nathan wondered as he watched.

At that moment, Duke began to shake, and in front of him, he saw the scene unfolding. There was Jeff and Susan Campbell, life-sized, showing Helena to a room. Helena seemed to be struggling with opening a suitcase, and Jeff offering to open it. When he did, there had been a blinding flash, and suddenly, there were two dolls where the couple had once stood.

Helena had removed the glass case from the suitcase, and set it on the mantel, then gathered the terrified doll-couple and put them on the floor of the display case. Instantly, they stopped moving, and Helena placed the glass top over them. She had then sought out Annie in her playroom, and given her a cookie, after which Annie had never asked for her parents again.

Duke's trance broke, and he shook his head, not realizing that he'd somehow mentally connected with Annie when he'd experienced it!

Annie stared at the glass case, tears standing in her eyes.

"Mommy?" she croaked. "Daddy?"

'Yes, Annie - that's your mommy and daddy,' Nathan told her. 'Mr. Glob and Helena made you forget them! But they haven't forgotten you - they love you for real, Annie! Glob is just using you!'

"Don't listen to them, Annie," Glob told her, eyeing Duke. He couldn't believe his luck; a real, live Channeler, and he was all his. Provided he ever got this bratty child to let go of him. "They're just ordinary dollies. You can see it for yourself," he went on smoothly. "I'll hold Mr. Whiskers for you, and you can take the glass top off the dolls and you'll see, they're just regular dollies."

Annie looked uncertain; her eyes glancing from Duke to the glass case and back again.

"I'm just trying to help, Annie," Glob said. "There's no way you could hold Mr. Whiskers and the dolls at the same time."

'Yes, there is,' Duke said to Annie, and climbed onto her shoulders.

As Annie put Audrey down, Glob summoned Helena for back up.

"I see you found my surprise for you, Annie," Helena said, getting Annie's attention. "Yes, those are new dolls for you to play with; I'll just throw some of your old dolls away to make more room."

'Let them go!' Nathan exclaimed, biting Helena on her leg as she picked up Audrey and Jennifer.

Duke launched himself from Annie's shoulder and bit Helena's wrist, making her release the women. Helena flung around, and soon shook Nathan and Duke off, however, they both took a chuck of artificial flesh from her, exposing the metallic skeleton underneath.

'Great; now we have to deal with an Orator and a T-1000,' Duke sarcastically said.

Suddenly, Glob picked Duke up by the scruff of his neck, keeping the kitten at arm's length away from him as Duke struggled.

"Why are you doing this Mr. Glob?! Why?!" Annie exclaimed as she cried. "Why are you hurting my friends?! You're acting like a bully!"

'Put me down, NOW!' Duke exclaimed, surprising both Mr. Glob and himself, because Duke's voice began maturing.

"Annie, you don't understand," Mr. Glob told her. "Mr. Whiskers is being a very bad kitty - I'm going to take him home with me and when he can behave better, he can come back."

"Annie, don't let him," Audrey said. She was getting larger, and noted Jennifer was also gaining size, both of them almost two feet tall now. "He wants to keep Mr. Whiskers because he's magic! He won't give him back, ever!"

"No, Mr. Glob, you can't take Mr. Whiskers!" Annie cried as big tears formed in her eyes. "Why are you being so mean?"

'He's weakening!' Nathan radiated to Audrey, and she was relieved to hear his voice was also deepening.

"Now, Annie, be reasonable," Mr. Glob said. He'd shrunk almost a foot in height, but he still had more than enough power to transport himself and Duke back into his realm if they didn't stop him, and Nathan noted that Mr. Glob was steadily inching backwards towards an old wardrobe that stood out in the hallway.

"That's it, that's the portal!" Nathan was finally able to say aloud, making Annie gasp.

"You really can talk!" she said and Nathan grew to the size of a terrier dog.

"Annie, make him give Mr. Whiskers back! If Mr. Glob goes in that closet, we'll never see him again!" Jennifer cried out.

"Give me back my kitty! Now!" Annie yelled at Glob.

Glob, however, sneered at her.

"I don't need you anymore, you stupid little brat," he snarled. "This-" he held a struggling Duke aloft. "This has more power than you could EVER hope to give me!" he told her.

Duke knew that even with Glob's powers weakening, he had only managed to grow to the size of a large housecat - still not enough to defeat him, but he finally managed to swing around and take a good bite of his hand, and Glob dropped him.

Glob roared his anger, transforming into his true form: a large rabid-looking rabbit, all sharp fangs and dirty, matted fur.

Annie screamed in terror, and Jennifer, realizing that if she were larger, her real wings must be back. She happily sprouted them and flew to the mantel, swiftly knocking the glass case over.

Audrey summoned her powers, and launched a force shield at Glob.

Glob laughed, a hollow sound.

"She still believes in me," he mocked them. "That's right, Annie - I'm the boogeyman under your bed," he taunted.

Annie was so terrified she couldn't move at the sight of this monster in front of her, and Audrey spoke.

"Annie - remember, you have magical powers too. You can beat him," she told her, getting in front of her and looking her in the eyes.

"Now Annie, mind your manners or you won't be allowed to have friends over anymore," Helena said, bobbing around uncertainly.

"Oh, shut up!" Glob uttered, knocking her against the wall, where there was a shower of sparks and Helena grew still.

Annie began to cry all the harder, and Glob advanced on Duke once more.

"Here, Kitty-kitty," he leered.

"Annie, you can beat him," Audrey urged. "All you have to do is say: 'I don't believe in you to him,' and he will go away, I promise."

"H-he hurt my grandma," Annie sobbed.

'She's not really your grandma,' Duke told her, shielding Annie with his body, happy his real voice was back, as the white spots faded from his fur. 'You have your mommy and daddy.'

"W-where?"

"Right here," Susan Campbell said behind her, and Annie flung herself into her arms, Susan and Jeff clutching their little girl tightly.

The four were momentarily distracted by the touching sight, and Glob clutched Duke in long, bony fingers.

"Now you're mine!" Glob cheered, heading for the wardrobe once more.

"I don't believe in you anymore, Mr. Glob!" Annie shouted. "You're mean and evil!"

Glob staggered, losing another three feet in height, as Duke and Nathan gained it.

"Tell him again, Annie!" Audrey yelled, now nearly full-sized, and she summoned her force shield again, this time knocking Glob down, but still had a firm hold on Duke.

Annie's little body quivered with her energy and she took a deep breath.

"I HATE YOU, MR. GLOB!" she shouted, the house seeming to vibrate with it, and Glob shrieked as his spell over Annie was broken.

Everywhere in the house, dolls were rapidly regaining their human forms, and suddenly two-foot tall Glob found himself trying to hold on to a six-foot-plus silver-eyed cougar with long horns and a snarling werewolf at his back.

Glob yelped, and tried to beat a retreat into his wardrobe, but Audrey summoned her sphere.

"To the next world, we sentence you," she answered, and Glob vanished in a flash.

There was a noise in the hall, and Conrad and Marian appeared.

"Is he stopped?" Conrad asked. He then spied Helena, sagging down against the wall, a spring sticking out of her ear.

"She was a robot?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"It's over," Susan smiled, cradling Annie in her arms. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you told us about Mr. Glob, baby."

"It's okay, Mommy," Annie said, wiping Susan's tears away. "I missed you, Mommy."

"We missed you too, baby girl, so, so much," Jeff assured her, holding her tightly.

Annie glanced back at the two women, who had resumed their human form - still wearing their princess dresses.

"W-where's Roveroo? And Mr. Whiskers?" Annie asked.

Jennifer looked around, seeing neither Nathan nor Duke. "Yes - where did they go?" she questioned.

"I think they went to get their clothes," Audrey chuckled, and indeed, she could see Nathan and Duke at the top of the stairs, running into the room in a state of semi-undress, shoes in hand, belts undone, Nathan had one sock on, Duke's shirt was unbuttoned, but neither cared as they held their girls in their arms.

"Are you all right?" Nathan whispered in Audrey's ear.

"I am now," Audrey smiled. Nathan smiled back and kissed her.

Duke planted a long, lingering kiss on Jennifer's mouth.

"Glad to see you're full-sized again, Little Flower," he softly said to her. "I missed this."

"Me too," Jennifer replied.

"Um . . . while this reunion is touching, would you mind telling me who you people are and what's been going on around here?" Jeff asked. "And what is that - thing?" he gestured at Helena, who had begun moving, making a ticking sort of sound as she began to recite a poem in a gibberish tone of voice.

"The Crimson King and The Yellow King
Wanted to have a war.
But neither King could do it
'Cause they couldn't find the Door.

But now the rules have changed
The Kings have found the Door
And when the Key turns the lock
They shall all reign forevermore."

Annie drew back against her mother as Helena continued to jabber, 'Forevermore, forevermore,' like a needle skipping on a record, before there was a pop, and Helena too vanished in a puff of smoke.

Marian soon stepped forward to Audrey and Jennifer, and smiled at them.

"Thank you. I don't know how you did it, but thank you," Marian said. She then looked around the room. "But where are your nephews?"

"Nephews?" Jennifer asked.

"Sorry; were they your sons instead?" Conrad asked, and took Marian's hand. "We'll not judge you if they are, right?"

Marian smiled grew as she squeezed Conrad's hand. "Right."

"Uh . . . no," Audrey confessed and looked at Nathan, smiling. "They are actually our boyfriends. For some reason, they were turned into a puppy and a kitten."

"Huh. Why's that?" Conrad questioned.

"We were thinking maybe subconsciously Annie wanted a kitten and a puppy and Glob made it happen," Audrey dodged evasively, but the answer seemed to satisfy Conrad, and he nodded.

She then turned her attention to the Campbells, who were still embracing their daughter.

"I'm sure you must have a ton of questions," she told them. "We'll try and answer them as best we can. But first," she said, looking down at froufrou dress she and Jennifer were wearing. "We're going to go change out of clothes."

The next day, while Audrey set to work restoring the various people who had been dolls, Jennifer and Marian helped Susan with coffee, and Nathan and Jeff talked.

Duke and Conrad were just finishing with the snow chains when Duke felt a tug on his jacket. He turned, and saw Annie standing there, with a regular teddy bear clutched in her arms.

"You were really Mr. Whiskers?" she asked.

Duke looked at Conrad, who nodded.

"I'll finish up here. You two talk," he said simply.

Duke shot him a grateful look, and took Annie by the hand, leading her inside to the mudroom.

"Yes, I was your kitten," Duke told her. "But I can't be Mr. Whiskers anymore."

"Are you mad at me?" she questioned, her eyes filled with tears.

For answer, Duke leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

"No, we're not angry, Annie. None of us are mad at you," he began gently. "We know it was Mr. Glob who was making you do those things. I'm sure he promised you lots of fun and good times, but turning people into toys, it hurt them," he went on. "It wasn't all your fault; you didn't know he was really hurting them. He lied and pretended to be your friend, but he was just using you. You're very special, Annie," he smiled, touching her nose. "In fact, you're so special that I talked with my fairy godmother, and she's going to be your fairy godmother too."

"Really?" Annie asked, a tremulous smile at her lips.

"Yes, really," Duke replied warmly. "But, fairy godmothers have to travel incognito - that means so people don't know they're really fairy godmothers - so the next time you see her, she's going to look like a nice old lady. You can't tell people who she really is," he warned in a friendly tone. "Just tell them she's your Great-Aunt Gloria."

He patted her hand. "Now, dry your eyes, and let's go see the others. I think your mommy and daddy have a surprise for you," he told her mysteriously. "I know we have one for you too."

"Okay," Annie sniffled, scrubbing her eyes dry. They went back inside, to find everyone gathered in the living room.

"There's my big girl," Jeff beamed as Annie ran to him. "Annie - Mommy and I have something to tell you. We were going to tell you the day . . . well, that's past now," he muttered. "But we wanted to tell you that something wonderful's going to happen next summer. Mommy's going to have a baby. You're going to be a big sister, Annie."

"Me? A big sister?" Annie gasped. "Really, Mommy, really?"

"Yes, really," Susan chuckled. "Although this may be the longest pregnancy on record," she grinned, Audrey joining her. "But yes, come next June, you're going to have a brother or a sister."

Annie hugged both her parents tight, and Jennifer smiled widely, glad that they'd been able to reunite Annie's family again.

"And now we have a surprise too," Duke told Annie.

Nathan drew a box from around the corner of the sofa, and Annie lifted off the lid. Inside, sat a gray kitten with two white paws. It looked up at her with blue baby-eyes and mewed.

"Ohh," Annie said, reaching down to hold it in her arms, stroking the little head gently.

"He can be Mr. Whiskers the Second," Audrey told her. "He's not magic, but he does need someone to love him. Your mom and dad said they thought you'd be just the girl for the job."

"Thank you," Annie answered, still holding the kitten.

"And we can't thank you enough either," Susan spoke. She grew pensive, looking out the window at the snowy landscape. "You don't know what torture it was for us, being imprisoned like that. Not knowing what was happening to Annie, watching those – things - roam around the house with our daughter and she didn't even know who we were," she wept. "And we were right here helplessly watching, and aware the whole time."

Audrey gasped. "But you didn't move. We thought you were in suspended animation."

"We were," Jeff answered. "But we could still hear and see everything - we just couldn't do anything about it."

"Glob probably fed on your suffering," Nathan grumbled. "The others who were turned have all said the same thing.

"Will – he - come back again?" Susan asked in a strained voice.

"No, he won't," Audrey replied firmly. "We'll see to it neither he nor any other type of Cor. . . supernatural beings - come in, save for the ones we spoke about earlier."

"Oh, yes, this Gloria person," Jeff put in.

"She's very nice, daddy," Annie said, still cradling her kitten. "She's really a fairy godmother, but we're not s'posed to tell, 'cause she has to travel incoherent."

Nathan sputtered in his coffee, and Duke chuckled.

"It's incognito," he corrected gently.

"She had it right the first time," Nathan cracked.

"Sh," Audrey reprimanded, smiling in spite of herself. She glanced out at the sky; it looked as if more snow were imminent, and it was well past time they were on their way.

They all said their goodbyes, getting hugs from Annie. Duke gave her an extra-long hug, and then climbed into the back of the Bronco next to Jennifer.

"Good luck to you," Susan smiled. "And thank you again."

"Same to you," Audrey replied, and then they were on their way to New York.

In William's office, a runty, mangy-looking Corrupt that had once been a seven-foot rabbit was recounting his tale of woe at being captured.

"I fought against them with all I had," he whined.

"Yes, I'm sure you did," William said in a bored tone of voice.

"But that one . . . the silver-eyed one . . . I've never felt anything like that before."

"Like what?" William mumbled, rolling an Aether sphere around on the desk with his hand.

"Not that I've ever had previous experience with one, but I know of an Overlord who once had dealings with one, and his description fit precisely what I experienced-"

"Is there a point coming my way this millennium?" William asked.

"I think he's a Channeler," Glob finished.

William stopped rolling the sphere and looked up at Glob.

"WHAT did you say?"

"I said I think the silver-eyed one is a Channeler."

"Hol-lee crap," William breathed. He glanced back at Howard, who was now also listening closely to Glob. "You know about this?"

Howard nodded.

"Yes, I knew. Or rather, I suspected that Duke was a Channeler. I've known for some time, when his Guardian vanquished that Reflector that was feeding on him, it had said that the boy was a Channeler. That's why I made arrangements to Collect him."

William looked hurt.

"Were you planning on letting ME in on your little scheme?" he snarked.

Howard remained nonplussed, and looked back to Glob.

"You're absolutely sure about that?" he questioned, and formed a sphere, which radiated a holographic-like image of Duke. "This is the man?"

"That's him," Glob stated. "I'd stake my life on it."

"If it isn't, you will be doing just that," Howard stated, and Glob looked nervous. "You can go."

"Why didn't you tell me what Duke was before we let him slip through our fingers?" William asked when Glob left.

"Because Duke wasn't ready before," Howard said. "Without his Channeler's powers, he was of no use. Without the Key, neither of them would work."

"You said Jennifer was the Key," William replied, puzzled.

"Correct. Miss Mason is the Key to open the Doorway."

"So what does Duke have to do with that?"

"Miss Mason is the Key to open the door," Howard spelled it out. "But HE'S the Door. We get him to Channel his powers and we can sweep over the earth before they even know we're coming. And not just your realm - ALL realms."

William smiled.

"So what do we need to do to make that happen?" he asked.

"I think it's time we brought out our big guns," Howard answered. "The tougher their adversaries, the more his Channeler powers will emerge. And then we ask our new friends to bring him home again."

"Can you make Duke open the door?"

Howard reached down, and picked up the Aether sphere that William had been playing with.

"With this," he said, looking at it as it glinted darkly in his palm. "He'll have no choice but to obey."

Nathan looked at the reflection in the rear view mirror and rolled his eyes.

"Can you please stop making out like a high school couple?" Nathan asked Duke.

Duke and Jennifer broke part, still smiling, and chuckled.

"Maybe we should stop," Jennifer said in a soft voice and Duke gave her a confused look. She grinned and whispered to him. "We can continue when we get to my apartment."

Duke grinned back and nodded.

"How about after the next rest stop, I'll drive?" Duke offered. "Then you can make out with Princess Rosehannah . . . Roveroo."

Nathan pulled over, and Duke laughed as Nathan chased him, trying to pelt him with snowballs.

"Yes, Mr. Rainey, I know the meeting started 10 minutes ago and I know I'm late," Craig said. "It's not my fault the subway's late . . . yes, I know this is an important deal . . . look, the subway's here . . . I'll be there in . . . YYYYAAAAHHHH!"

More people joined Craig in screaming when they saw the dried up human corpses scattered around the subway car.

Ch. 11: Beneath the Surface

"Nathan - Nathan, if you'll take East 42nd, you'll avoid all this and we won't end up in Schenectady," Jennifer said from the back seat.

"Whoa, Nathan, watch where you're going!" Duke exclaimed as they narrowly missed being taken out by a taxi, the driver honking and yelling obscenities in what sounded like Pashto.

"I thought driving in Philly was bad," Nathan grumbled.

"There's my building!" Jennifer pointed out the window at a large apartment structure.

Nathan barely had time to signal before he whipped the Bronco around the corner, and mercifully came to a stop a few places away.

"You can't park here after seven pm, so make sure you move it to the other side of the street then," Jennifer told him.

"How do you live here?" Nathan asked. "Everyone runs out and moves their car to the other side of the street?"

"Yep," Jennifer answered, peering up at the top floor, where she resided. "It's gonna be good to sleep in my own bed again."

The three followed her in, going past the doorman. Jennifer quickly made the introductions and told them she would be having them as guests for the weekend. They then proceeded up to the twentieth floor, where Jennifer's apartment was located.

"Beautiful building," Audrey remarked as the doors opened.

"Thanks. I was so lucky to get this place," Jennifer replied.

"It looks familiar, somehow," Nathan said, trying to remember where he'd seen it before.

"It should - this building was featured in one of your all-time-favorite Bill Murray movies," Duke grinned, and Nathan gasped.

"That's right! This was the building where Dana Barrett's apartment was located in Ghostbusters!" he marveled.

"You don't live where she lived, do you?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to save you from Zuul," Duke grinned. "Much less a 50-foot marshmallow man."

"We have enough monsters to fight," Nathan cracked, and Audrey smiled, putting her arm around his waist.

"No, I don't have the penthouse. I'm not that rich," Jennifer laughed. "Just a regular apartment," she finished, and stopped at Apartment 2014. "Here we are," she said, opening the door. "Chez Mason."

"I see someone's a big reader," Duke said, seeing the shelves of books, the cozy sofas and chairs.

Jennifer turned on the switch, and the lamps by the sofas and chairs lit.

"I like it this way - it's cozier than the harshness of overhead lights," she said.

"I think so too, Jennifer," Duke replied.

"It's beautiful, Jennifer," Audrey smiled. She walked over to the window, admiring the view. "I see why you bought this place," she commented. "The view's amazing."

"Well, sit down, make yourselves at home," Jennifer told them. "Audrey, you and Nathan can have the bedroom next to the kitchen," she directed. "Um . . . that is, if you're, um . . . " she mumbled, suddenly unsure.

"We are; and it's fine, thank you," Audrey finished her sentence.

Nathan flushed a bright red under Duke's scrutiny, and instead turned his attention to the view outside the window.

Jennifer switched on the television, just in time to catch the lead story on the six o' clock news.

"And in other news, authorities are still baffled by the horrific discovery of six mummified bodies on the 14th Street Subway," the newscaster said. "We take you now to our field reporter, Bill McShaw."

The picture then changed to a youngish man standing on a subway platform.

"Reporting live from the scene, I'm Bill McShaw," he began. "At around 8:10 am this morning, the 14th Street Subway pulled into this stop, and when the doors opened, people who were waiting on the platform were shocked to discover that the subway car held six mummified bodies, all of whom apparently died at the same time," he went on.

"You get a lot of this here?" Nathan asked Jennifer, who shook her head.

"I heard of an old woman found mummified in her apartment a few years back," she said. "But this is a first."

Jennifer's cell phone rang and she saw it was the Teague brothers.

"Hello?" Jennifer asked, as she answered her phone.

"Hello, Jennifer; where are you?" Vince asked.

"In my apartment," Jennifer said.

"Good, good, good," Vince said. "Gloria updated us on what happened with Duke, and we're ready to teach him."

"Not now!" Dave said.

"Of course not now! It's too late! Can all of you meet us a little after breakfast tomorrow?" Vince asked.

"It doesn't have to be all of them!" Dave said.

"Ignore Dave; he's in one of his moods," Vince said, and Jennifer softly laughed. "So how about it?"

"I think so. Where do you want to meet?" Jennifer asked.

"How about you bring him around to Mrs. Dobrev's place?" Vince suggested.

"You mean she's - one of you?" Jennifer gasped, getting a strange look from Duke.

"No, a little more like you; an ally, in times of need. And believe me, those times are coming rapidly," Vince replied. "We'll meet there, say around 10, hmm?"

"Ten is good," Jennifer said. "We'll see you then."

"Til then," Vince answered, and hung up.

"What was that about?" Nathan asked.

"It was Vince; he wants to start Duke's lessons tomorrow at ten," Jennifer said, looking at Duke.

"Sure," Duke said, smiling.

"What was that you were saying about this woman?" Audrey asked.

"Mrs. Irina Dobrev," Jennifer replied. "She's a fellow author they've published. She's also a medium," she went on. "Vince said that she was kind of like me - an ally."

"Meaning she's not a supernatural being, like we are," Nathan said. "You're not - and you've been a great ally, Jennifer."

"I'll say," Duke put in, kissing her temple.

Jennifer's stomach grumbled then, and she inspected her barren refrigerator, finding some shriveled vegetables and a rather fuzzy block of Gouda.

"That jug of milk might be about as old as I am," Duke remarked, picking up and quickly dropping the gallon jug with a solid clump in the bottom that had once been milk, but now seemed to be working towards becoming a new life form.

"Ugh," Jennifer said, and closed the door. "How about takeout? You guys like Greek food? Mr. Mataxis' Olympus Cafe is just down the street. We can walk." She glanced at the clock. "Nathan needs to move the Bronco anyway," she grinned.

"Sounds great," Duke enthused. "I haven't had souvlaki and dolmades in ages."

"Is there anything you haven't tried?" Nathan questioned critically.

"You should educate two things, Wuornos; your mind and your palate," Duke advised. "Does he have Galaktoboureko too?"

"His wife Lyda makes the BEST in New York," Jennifer smiled. "Jason wouldn't-" she broke off, frowning.

"Jason who?" Duke asked, curious.

Jennifer sighed; she knew she couldn't keep this from Duke forever, and now was a good a time as any.

"I was engaged to be married to a stockbroker named Jason Morton. However, during our engagement party, he announced he was in love with another woman, and it went . . . extremely downhill from there."

Duke blinked. "So besides being an idiot, anything else you want to tell us about him?"

Jennifer was very relieved that Duke was taking the information so well and didn't overreact like he did when he found out she ran into his ex-wife.

"Not much worth saying," Jennifer muttered. "It's just that he doesn't live far from the cafe. I hope we don't run into him."

"If we do, the only thing he'd better say to you is 'I'm sorry' and 'Good luck with your new life,'" Duke remarked.

"He's-" Jennifer mumbled, and Duke's face darkened.

"He's what? Did he hit you? If he did, he's a dead man," Duke said hotly.

"No, nothing like that. It was more subtle than that," Jennifer said, and sat down on the couch.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Audrey asked, sitting down next to her.

"I want to know," Duke argued, but Audrey shushed him.

"No, he never hit me or anything," Jennifer sighed. "He's just a jerk; intimidates people, always throwing his weight around. He's studied kickboxing, and he's pretty good too," she admitted. "That's where he met Ranya Wilkes - the girl he threw me over for."

"I'm not afraid of your douchey kickboxing stockbroker ex-fiancé," Duke told her, and lifted her chin. "You HAVE seen what I can do, right?" he winked, and Jennifer smiled.

"Yes, I've seen it," she grinned. "Let's go eat."

After a delicious dinner and dessert, Duke was helping Jennifer clean out her refrigerator, while Audrey stayed with Nathan while he found a new place to park the Bronco. Jennifer was taking out a garbage bag full of rotten food when she heard a familiar voice.

"Jennifer?"

Jennifer turned around and smiled when she saw her across the hall neighbor, Claire Callahan.

"Hi, Claire," Jennifer said and hugged her. "Sorry; I should have washed my hands before; I must smell."

"I told you it wouldn't be too much trouble for me to take care of your apartment when you were gone," Claire said with a tiny smile.

Jennifer rolled her eyes and smiled back. "Yes, yes; I understand now. You don't need to get all psychological on me. When I leave again, you can watch over my apartment."

"So, have you completed your book?" Claire asked.

"Oh . . . um, not yet," Jennifer admitted.

"Really? I thought you'll be done by now," Claire said. "Was there an interruption?"

"Hey, Jennifer, what's taking you so lo—" Duke said, sticking his head out and saw the women. "Oh, hi."

"Um, Claire, this is Duke Crocker; Duke, Claire Callahan, she's lives across the hall from me," Jennifer said.

"Nice to meet you," Duke said, shaking Claire's hand. "So, are you a writer as well?"

"Just research papers and petitions," Claire said with a smile. "I'm a psychologist."

"I see," Duke said and smiled. He then looked at Jennifer. "I'll . . . be waiting inside."

"Okay," Jennifer said, nodding, and the women watched Duke walk back into the apartment.

"Now I see what happened with your research," Claire said with a tiny smirk.

"Yes . . . well . . ." Jennifer stammered, clearing her throat.

"So, spill! Where'd you meet him, what's he like, all that good stuff," Claire said. "He's very handsome."

"I met him in Maine," Jennifer said truthfully. "And then I ran into him again in Ohio, and . . . we hit it off."

"What does he do for a living?" Claire questioned.

'Fights off evil monsters and predatory females,' Jennifer thought, hearing Duke's chuckle at the back of her mind. But instead she said "He's a . . . botanist," she got out.

"Well, he's a big improvement over Jason," Claire smiled. "Speaking of which, I saw him the other day with Miss Russian Hotpants."

"What's he like?"

"As big of a pain as he ever was," Claire said. "He got promoted at his job, so now he's twice as insufferable. He got a new apartment, so he's about to move, so you won't have to worry about seeing him around anymore."

She reached out and touched Jennifer's arm. "I'm happy you found someone else," she said sincerely. "Maybe you two can spend an afternoon with Keith and me while you're here. I'd like to get to know him - he seems like a nice guy."

"He is," Jennifer smiled. "How about tomorrow afternoon? And you can meet my new friends: Nathan and Audrey."

"Well, look at you, Miss Social Butterfly," Claire beamed. "You know, I had worried that your book idea was going to be really hard for you, since you're so shy. But you blossomed instead. I'm glad for you, Jennifer, really glad," she finished, hugging her close.

"Thanks, Claire," Jennifer replied, smiling. She hadn't really thought about it; but Claire was right. Duke, Nathan and Audrey had really brought her out of her shell, treating her not as a socially awkward writer, but as a friend, a valuable part of a team, and if it all came to a stop tomorrow, she'd always be grateful for that.

The two parted, promising to be in touch later to talk about details, and she headed back to her apartment.

Down on Platform 12, a group of teenage boys were harassing a middle-aged woman as she stood waiting for the subway.

"Hey, lady, you got any money or anything?" one said.

"Go away, please," the woman replied. "I don't have anything."

"Yeah, I bet you don't," one boy said, pushing at her. She could see they were all high on something, and she glanced around, hoping to see Subway Security, but there was no one else on the platform, save for a couple who were doing their best to avoid making eye contact with either her or the boys.

"Gimme your money!" the first boy with multiple piercings in his face and a Mohawk told her, grabbing at her purse.

The woman reached for her can of Mace but he was too fast, and laughed at her, then roughly shoved her, knocking her off the platform and onto the tracks below. She landed hard, knocking the wind out of her. She could feel the vibration in the metal rails which could only mean one thing - the train was coming.

She scrambled to her feet, hearing the boys laughing.

"Better run, lady, the train's coming," the boy who had shoved her taunted. "You-" he broke off, and then all she heard was the sounds of the boys screaming, and then a dreadful, eerie silence pervaded the subway platform.

The woman made her way to a small ladder that was fastened to the platform wall, and climbed up and back onto the platform, and then began to scream herself at the sight that greeted her.

The four found a nice café for breakfast, and Jennifer told them about spending the afternoon with Claire, and they were fine with the idea.

"I hope you don't mind that I told Claire that you were a botanist," Jennifer said as they paid their bill.

"I think I can manage," Duke said, grinning. "Just as long if she doesn't have any friends who are really botanists, then I'm done for."

Jennifer laughed and she and Duke headed for Irina Dobrev's place, while Nathan and Audrey decided to tour the city.

As they walked, Jennifer noticed the pensive expression on Duke's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I guess . . . I'm kind of . . . scared of what my power can really do," Duke finally admitted and sighed. "There has to be a lot more than seeing events, sharing them, and knowing things; The Corrupt wouldn't be after me just for that. Even Durrell hinted there was something really special about a Channeler."

"Who's Durrell?" Jennifer asked.

Duke winced. "I forgot to tell you about him, didn't I?"

"Well . . . you were busy being a cute little magic kitten, so I forgive you," Jennifer said and gave Duke a quick kiss. "I'm sure Vince and Dave will have answers for you."

"They're better at evading answers," Duke said and Jennifer laughed. He then stopped and looked at her. "Jennifer, what if this power . . . hurts you?"

"I know we haven't know each other for long," Jennifer said and touched his cheek. "But I know, no matter, you will never hurt me; nothing in the . . . universe could force you to hurt me. I know . . . I feel it's true."

"I hope you're right," Duke answered, and shook his head. "No. I KNOW it. I could never hurt you, Little Flower," he smiled, getting another kiss, before they headed up the steps to an apartment building. They stopped in front of an apartment which had a sign out front that read Madam Dobrev - Psychic Readings and knocked on the door.

Duke was surprised to see that Mrs. Dobrev was not as old as he'd figured, the stereotypical Gypsy fortune-teller look. She looked to be maybe late forties or early fifties, with salt-and-pepper hair and bright green eyes.

"Hello, Jennifer," she greeted, with a slight Russian accent. She kissed Jennifer's cheek, and turned her attention to Duke.

"Irina Dobrev," she introduced herself. "And you are Duke Crocker, my new pupil."

"Yes," Duke replied. "Nice to meet you."

"Please, come inside," she told them.

Nathan and Audrey were heading toward the subway, only to find it closed.

"What's going on?"

"It's a crime scene," the uniformed officer told him.

"Mugging?"

"More of those subway murders," came the reply.

"Hey, don't be scarin' the tourists, man," an African-American man with a small goatee and a hat set at a jaunty angle said from behind him.

"Sorry, Detective Bolan," the cop muttered.

"Detective?" Nathan questioned.

"Yeah, Tommy Bolan. I'm sorry; I don't have time to talk to the press-"

"I'm not press. I'm a detective also, or I used to be," Nathan informed him, and stuck his hand out. "Nathan Wuornos."

"Tommy Bolan. Nice to meet you," Tommy said, and made to brush by, by Audrey put a hand on his arm.

"We want to help," she told him.

"If you have information about these murders, now would be the time to say so," Tommy said mildly.

"Not about the murders, but what might be causing them," she told him, and glanced around. "But this isn't the place to discuss it."

The detective regarded them suspiciously; but there was something about them that made him want to believe they could help.

"All right," he said at length. "Meet me at O'Donnelly's around noon. It's a cop hangout, you'll be safe enough there. If you have a theory on who's responsible for these crimes, I'd love to hear it."

A uniformed officer signaled to Tommy and he left them.

"I hope you know what you are doing," Nathan said to Audrey, as he watched Tommy.

Irina Dobrev lead them inside her apartment and into a room where the Teague brothers sat, looking over some books. They smiled when they saw Jennifer and they hugged each other.

"Have a seat," Vince said and they all sat down. "Now, any questions before we start?"

"A really important one," Duke said. "What's a Channeler?"

"A Channeler, Duke, is able to not only able to see events past, but sometimes, to a degree, events into the future," Vince began. "However, the future is always in motion; sometimes, what you will see is not necessarily something that WILL happen, but something that COULD or MIGHT happen," he continued. "You can control energy, and that is where we will begin today," he finished.

He took a sphere out, and set it down on the table in between them. It was glowing, and Duke eyed it suspiciously.

"Don't worry, there's no Corrupt in this one," Dave reassured Duke and Jennifer. "This sphere holds, well, I guess you'd call it good vibrations, to quote a term that you might use where you come from, Duke."

Duke relaxed a little.

"So...what do you want me to do with it?" Duke asked.

"I want you to withdraw the energy from this sphere, and then you are going to take it and direct it into someone. I-It won't hurt them a bit," he soothed, seeing Duke's startled expression. "In fact, they'll feel great afterwards."

Duke cautiously picked up the sphere.

"Who do you want me to whammy?" he asked.

"Well, you could choose Jennifer, or whoever you like," Vince said. "But you must withdraw the energy first. It won't stay with the person permanently, but they will be in a very good mood for several hours after you transfer the energy to them."

"How do I do that?"

"Just focus on the sphere," Vince instructed. "It is much the same as summoning your wings - you will be summoning your power. Close your eyes; focus on the sphere."

Duke did as he was instructed, stretching his hand out over the sphere, willing the energy to come into his body.

At first, there was nothing; and then he began to feel it flowing into him. Vince was right, the energy felt positive and happy, almost as though he were being hugged by someone he loved and who loved him. He opened his eyes, revealing they were silver.

"That will happen when you draw energy," Vince said. "Very good. Very, very good indeed," he enthused. "Now for the second part - you must choose someone to channel that energy into."

"Anyone?" Duke asked.

"It's easier if you know the person to some degree," Vince said. "Choosing a random person is . . . more advanced."

Duke grinned, glancing at Jennifer.

"I have just the guy in mind," he said, closing his eyes, and focused on pushing the energy out of him.

"I thought we could lead the police in a different direction so there won't be any more casualties," Audrey explained as she and Nathan walked next to the park.

"Have you thought—" Nathan began, when a wave a tranquility swept through him, making him stop.

"Nathan?" Audrey asked, a little concerned. Nathan then smiled at her and gently stroked her cheek.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't be questioning your plan. I trust you," Nathan said, smiling and looked around. "It such a nice day; let's go for a walk."

"Are you okay, Nathan?" Audrey asked. Nathan kissed her.

"I just realized I should spend more time enjoying being with you, than worrying," Nathan said a kissed her again. "Unless you want to plan."

"I think a nice walk would be fun," Audrey said and smiled.

Nathan smiled back and they held each other close while they walked through the park.

Duke opened his eyes and they were brown again.

"Did it work?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes, it did," Duke said, grinning.

"Next time, try to do it in our line of sight, so we can confirm it worked," Vince said, then looked at Dave. "Cross 'long distance practice' off the lesson plan."

"Is that why The Corrupt want Duke? Because he can see events and make people happy?" Jennifer asked. "Also, where did you get . . . good vibrations?"

The Teague brothers, Irina, and Duke smiled at Jennifer's curiosity.

"The Corrupt want Duke because he can control the flow of energy, even affect the polarity of it," Vince explained. "And in answer to your other question, good vibrations are easy to gather - my favorite is from children - they have such a natural joy to them, it can be infectious, if you still have a child-like heart. Much like yours, Jennifer," he nodded at her, and she smiled.

"I still wish we had a way to confirm it worked," Dave grumbled. "Who'd you zap, anyway?"

"Well, let's call him," Duke said, taking his phone out then dialing Nathan and put the call on speakerphone.

"Hi, Duke!" Nathan greeted enthusiastically. "How's your practice going?"

"It's going good," Duke answered, glancing at the surprised expression on Jennifer's face. "How do you feel, Nathan?"

"That's great! And I feel fantastic, thanks for asking," Nathan beamed on the other end of the phone. "I know you can get a handle on your powers, Duke! You can do almost anything!"

"He's high," Duke mouthed at Vince and Dave, who suppressed their laughter. "Um, thanks, Nate," Duke replied. "Do you think I could talk to Audrey, please?"

"Sure thing, buddy," Nathan said, and then Audrey came on the phone. "Duke? Do you have anything to do what happened to Nathan?" she whispered.

"It'll wear off," Duke told her. "I had to learn to direct energy. It's good energy, and Nathan always looks like he could use a good dose of happy."

"Well, it worked," Audrey answered. "Oh, thank you, Nathan," she said, as he presented her with an ice cream cone. "Well, I hope it'll wear off before we have to meet with Detective Bolan later today," she went on, as Nathan kissed her cheek, smiling.

"How long will it last?" Duke questioned Vince.

"I would say around 12 hours," Vince answered, and Audrey groaned.

"Great - so I'm going to be there with Mr. Sunshine and a New York city cop," she protested. "That should be fun."

"Can . . . can I draw it back off of Nathan?" Duke asked the Teagues, and this time, it was their turn to look surprised.

"Duke, you have to learn how to walk before you can run," Vince told him. "Audrey, he will be fine. Being out and about in the city will also tend to wear down Nathan's extra good vibes a little more quickly. Give us a call before your meeting with this detective, and we will see what we can do."

"So until then, Audrey, enjoy the day with - Happy Nate," Duke said.

"Truth be told . . . I am," Audrey confessed and found herself smiling. "But in the future, be a little more careful with your practice."

"Will do," Duke answered, and hung up.

"I almost wish I could be there to see that," Duke remarked, grinning. "Nathan Wuornos, smiling."

"Well, we are meeting with Claire and her friends this afternoon, so maybe you will," Jennifer said, grinning. "Maybe Audrey and Nathan could meet us for a late lunch."

"I like that," Duke said with a wide smile, then looked at the Teague brothers and Irina. "So, what's next?"

"You can not only affect the energies of living beings, but living things as well," Irina put in, setting down a rather sad and wilted African violet in front of Duke.

"Poor little guy," Duke said, looking over the plant. "Somebody didn't look after you too well, did they?"

"I got this one from my neighbor," Irina smiled. "She's something of a serial plant killer, I fear. She loves plants, but she seems to have a brown thumb when it comes to them."

"My Aunt Glenda was the same way," Jennifer smiled. "My Uncle Albert used to say she could kill a silk plant."

"Some people have it, some people don't," Duke grinned, and then turned his attention to the plant.

"Just focus and concentrate on giving it energy," Vince instructed. "Push energy into it gently - too much, and we'll have a six-foot African violet on hand."

"Already fought a round with killer plants, thanks," Duke muttered, and focused on the plant, its wilted leaves beneath his fingers, and he caressed them gently, feeling the plant responding to his touch, the leaves turning lush and green, their soft fuzz like kitten's fur.

Vince and Dave oohed and aahed as first one, then two, and then four buds appeared, growing larger before they finally burst open, stretching their pink and purple petals wide, fully restored to its former glory.

"Duke, you're a natural," Dave grinned.

"Thanks," Duke answered.

"But this is just practice," Vince warned. "There is a Corrupt here in New York - a very dangerous variety that must be stopped. And it is here that your powers will truly be put to the test."

"Oh, no," Jennifer gasped. "What is it?"

"This Corrupt is migratory," Vince said. "The last time they were here, it was during the Korean War."

"No, it was the Vietnam War," Dave corrected.

"No, it – oh, yes, you're right," Vince said, after thinking it over. "The usually stay in their dimension, but they travel to our reality to feast and reproduce."

Jennifer unconsciously shivered, and Duke placed a comforting hand on hers.

"How are my Channeler's powers be useful?" Duke asked the Teague brothers.

"Your Channeler's powers are useful in that you can use it to track them down," Dave told him.

"This particular type of Corrupt thrives on life-force it consumes from its victims," Vince said. "As you can well imagine, the amount of energy it takes to perform this is immense - a young person's life-force is substantial, and it seems to hunt down the young, because they have more life to give."

"Does this Corrupt have a name?" Duke asked.

"Professor Steel categorized them as Subterrestrials, because they stay underground. Daylight kills them, so they never come to the surface world," Vince explained.

"Those subway killings," Jennifer gasped.

"New York is honeycombed with subway tunnels, levels upon levels of them," Duke said. "This thing could hide forever down there and we'd never find it."

"That is why you must learn to focus your powers," Dave replied. "Once you can feel the disturbances a Subterrestrial creates, you can find it as easily as though it were across the street."

"There is a down side to that, however," Vince frowned, and Duke understood.

"They can sense me too when I do it," Duke stated, and the Teagues nodded agreement.

Duke sighed. "Well, maybe it's a good thing for this situation. Maybe we can find an abandon tunnel and lure them out."

This time, Jennifer placed her hand on top of Duke's. "And you won't be alone fighting them."

"Just continue to be careful; just because your Channeler's powers are beginning to surface, don't get overconfident," Vince said.

"We won't, right?" Jennifer said, looking at Duke, who agreed. "Plus, we should wait until Nathan's . . . back."

Irina smiled. "Are you ready to continue?"

"Yes, I'm ready," Duke replied, returning Jennifer's gentle squeeze.

"Good," Irina said. She reached out, and touched Duke's arm, smiling.

"Tag, you're It," she said, and vanished.

"Well, what-" Duke blurted.

"Find me," Irina's voice came from nowhere. "I can project myself from one locale to another. I am somewhere within this building. It is now your task to find me."

"You have one hour," Vince said, setting a stopwatch. "Beginning - now."

Duke got up from the couch, peering around the corners of the house.

"You're so, so cold," Irina's voice teased. "Try harder."

"All right," Duke answered. He tried to remember what exactly he'd done when he'd experienced the flashback with Annie's parents, and he closed his eyes, listening to what the building had to tell him.

Slowly, images began to come to him. There was an elderly lady in Apartment 405 listening to the Rosary on her television set, praying along with it. In another apartment, was a young mother, trying to feed her noisy toddler who was banging on is tray while his parents laughed. In the stairwell, Duke saw a furtive gesture between two teenage boys as one slipped a pack of cigarettes to the other, and then, in the basement, he saw something that looked like a mutant lemur, with huge yellow-orange eyes and rows of sharp teeth, and his eyes turned to silver.

"It's in the basement of this building!" he cried.

"No, I'm not," Irina answered. "I'm on the rooftop."

"No, The Corrupt! It's in the basement!" Duke said, transforming himself instantly, but Vince put up a force field in front of him before he could bolt out of the door.

"Do not go," he ordered Duke sternly. "It's too powerful for you to take on alone!"

"Then help me!" Duke answered, changing back to his human form. "We can take it in the daytime, it's weaker!"

Vince closed his eyes, as if listening to something.

"See it again," he whispered to Duke. "Cautiously."

Duke looked at him suspiciously, and then closed his eyes again, seeing the basement in his mind, and he saw what Vince had been talking about; the Corrupt was not alone. There had to be a good half dozen of other assorted Corrupt along with it.

"They're a hunting party," Vince told him.

"What're they hunting for?" Jennifer asked.

Dave pointed at Duke.

"Him."

"Then we have to stop them before they literally tear this place apart looking for him!" Jennifer exclaimed.

"Irina, you need to come back now; we have a situation," Dave said out loud.

"Hold on," Jennifer said, looking at Vince as Duke called Audrey and Nathan. "How could they find Duke so quickly? Wait, is it the Subterrestrials?" She then studied Vince. "And how come you knew there was more than one?"

"You did dispatch that Orator Gloria told us about to the other side, did you not?" Vince asked.

"Yes, we did," Jennifer said, smacking her head. "He probably ran straight to William and Howard and told them what Duke was."

"Undoubtedly," Vince replied.

"How did you know that the hunting party was there?" Jennifer repeated.

"I knew they were there because we've been setting alarms for them. We've expected hunting parties to begin surfacing. But I'd hoped to get Duke a bit more trained before then," he sighed.

Duke hung up his phone.

"Audrey said that they're on their way here," he said.

"Nathan, we have to go, come on," Audrey tugged at Nathan's sleeve as he fed the seals at the zoo.

"One more," he smiled, tossing the last herring to the seal flapping its flippers together. "What's the hurry?"

"Duke says there's a hunting party of Corrupt in the basement of Mrs. Dobrev's building. They're looking for him, Nathan, we have to go!" she urged. She had been enjoying the kinder, gentler Nathan, but now she needed Detective Nathan...and he didn't appear to be in any great hurry to arrive. She hoped Vince and Dave could restore him to normalcy.

Audrey's words however, seemed to be sinking in.

"Duke's in trouble?" Nathan asked, his face getting concerned. "Hang on, buddy, we're coming!" he called, heading out at a fast trot to the Bronco. He turned to look back at a stunned Audrey. "Well, hurry, Audrey, we gotta help Duke!" he said, his face full of emotion for his beloved best friend.

Audrey hurried her pace, joining Nathan at the Bronco.

"I hope they can fix you back," she muttered. "And save Duke."

Audrey and Nathan meet the Teague brothers, Jennifer, Duke, and a woman outside of the building.

"This is Irina Dobrev," Vince introduced. "She'll lead you to the basement."

Irina nodded and escorted them to the door of the basement.

"Make sure no one enters," Audrey said.

"And if you can't, let us know," Jennifer added.

"We will," Dave said. "Good luck."

As the four walked down the staircase, they transformed, and saw the hunting party of The Corrupt, before they even reached the final step.

Soon, the hunting party became the hunted party, as Duke and Nathan rounded up The Corrupt, while Jennifer spotted hidden Corrupt.

"To the next world, we sentence you," Audrey said, removing The Corrupt that was placed in front of her by others.

"Is that all of them?" Jennifer asked, looking around.

"Hey, Duke, after we're done, let's all have a picnic at lunchtime!" Nathan said, as he wagged his tail. He then went into a play bow, like a regular canine. "We can play Frisbee! We can also play fetch if I'm in this form!"

Audrey and Jennifer did their best to suppress their smiles as they all changed back.

"Remind me not to zap him so hard next time," Duke remarked as Nathan put his arms around him and hugged him. "H-hey Nate, that sounds great, but first I gotta finish my lessons, okay?"

"Okay," Nathan sighed.

In William's office, the would-be hunting party was getting a massive dressing-down from William.

"EIGHT of you, and you can't take one guy down," he was raving. "I thought you were master hunters."

Howard, who had been listening, spoke up.

"It is not entirely their fault," he said. "It has been a long time since they've had to hunt down one like Duke. Channelers aren't born very often, and those that are, are usually done away with once we've found out about them."

"Then how come you kill 'em if you need one so bad?" William asked, the little group of Corrupt at his desk forgotten.

"Channelers can find the entrances to our realm," Howard said. "And we weren't ready for one before now."

"We can still go back and kill him," one of The Corrupt spoke.

"No, you will most certainly NOT kill him!" Howard raged, glaring at The Corrupt, and it disintegrated. "I need him alive and unharmed. But brute force isn't going to get us what we want; their Guardians are too smart for that, and our former employees too strong." He thought a moment, the germ on an idea growing. "So long as they are all together . . . Separated, I think we will be able to achieve what we want."

"Do you have a plan to go with that?" William asked. Howard opened his mouth to answer, but William signaled him to wait. "Hold on for a moment." William pressed a button on his intercom as he looked at the pile of ash and dust of The Corrupt that Howard disintegrated. "Clean up on Aisle 6."

"Well, that Corrupt hunting party did bring some good results," Jennifer said to Duke, when they were all back in Irina's house.

"Which are?" Duke asked with a slight smile.

"Vince and Dave wanted to see the results of your first lesson, and now they can," Jennifer said as she and Duke glanced at the Teague brothers who were taking notes as they observed Nathan. "And you wanted to see Nathan smiling, and now you have."

"You're right," Duke said, smiling himself as he gave Jennifer a quick peck on her cheek. Afterwards she heard him sigh.

"What's wrong?" she asked, a little concerned.

"I'm wondering if I should continue these lessons or we should go after Subterrestrials while it's still daylight," Duke said, then looked Nathan, and smiled. "I'm also really, really, temped to see Nathan play fetch."

"I know the temptation to chase after these creatures is overwhelming, and they do need to be stopped," Vince told Duke, as though he'd been reading his thoughts. "But it is vitally important that you continue with your lessons. You need to learn to conceal your Channeler's powers, how to use them - under the radar of the Corrupt, so to speak," he continued. "If you do not, you might as well hold up a neon sign over your head that says 'Here I Am!' to them every time you use them."

"Yes, you have to learn, Duke," Nathan urged, his eyes fixed on Duke's face with a sincere look. "You'll be in terrible danger otherwise." He hugged Duke tightly. "You're my best friend - we gotta keep you safe."

"Okay, now it's just annoying," Duke said. "As much fun as it would be to see Nathan fetch, it's almost time for them to meet up with this police detective, and Happy Nate isn't going to cut it if we want his help. Vince, would you?"

Vince made a small gesture, and Nathan's expression changed to bewilderment as he let go of Duke.

"Audrey - what are we doing here?" he asked. "Last thing I remember we were talking about that detective, and-" he caught sight of Duke. "And what are you doing here?"

"You came here to me," Duke said, a little relieved to see that Nathan was back to his normal, slightly grouchy self. "You don't remember the last hour or so?"

"No. Why should I?" Nathan growled.

"Because we just rounded up a Corrupt hunting party," Audrey said, a little concerned.

"What were they hunting?"

"They were here for Duke," Audrey replied. "So I think from now on we all need to stick together."

"There is safety in numbers," Dave advised kindly.

What Audrey didn't know was that the Second Chance Diner was not deserted, and it was here, where Reverend Driscoll came in through the front door, spotting Howard in his corner booth.

"You wished to see me, Mr. Howard?" he spoke.

"Yes, Reverend, I did. Please, sit down," Howard gestured. "Coffee?"

"Thank you," the Rev answered.

"First of all, I wanted to tell you what a stellar job you and your people are doing," Howard began, and Driscoll nodded.

"They are an exceptional group of young people," he spoke. "But I am concerned about the others like us."

"Well, see, that's why I wanted to meet with you privately," Howard told him. "It's about Duke."

"What of him?"

"Duke's . . . special. I know that he's with Nathan and Audrey and Jennifer, but I think that he can still be saved from their clutches," Howard said, building to his pitch. "Which is where you come in, Reverend Driscoll."

Driscoll smiled tightly.

"How can I help you, Mr. Howard?"

"So you want us to stay here and baby-sit Duke?" Nathan asked.

"No . . . unless you want to," Dave said. "We'll be here."

"Let's go to O'Donnelly's, Audrey," Nathan said. "I hope you know what you're going to say."

Duke noticed Vince holding back a chuckle when Nathan and Audrey left.

"What's so funny?" Duke asked.

"At first, from the way Nathan was behaving, you might think he was 'brainwashed' to be happy," Vince said, smiling. "When all in truth, all you did was let his happiness fully, truly, express itself."

"In other words, Nathan really does see you as his best friend, Duke," Dave added.

"So Nathan really does like Duke?" Jennifer smiled.

"As much as it would pain him to admit it, yes, he does," Vince replied.

"He's got a funny way of showing it," Duke grumbled. "Okay," he exhaled. "Let's get on with it."

"For this, we're going to turn you over to Irina," Vince told him, and took Jennifer's arm in his. "Meanwhile, we are going to go out to the rooftop gardens."

Nathan and Audrey got to O'Donnelly's, where they found a lively gang of men gathered at the bar. A few uniformed officers were there, but the majority of the people there, they suspected, were either off-duty or detectives.

They spotted Tommy seated over in a booth, talking with a blonde-haired man. He noticed Audrey looking at him, and excused himself from the table, coming over to them.

"Detective Wuornos," Tommy greeted.

"Nathan, please," Nathan answered. "This is my - partner, Audrey Parker."

"Pleased to meet you," Tommy answered. "Let's grab a spot in the back room, it's a little quieter there," he said over the din in the bar. "It's McCullough's bachelor party," he gestured at the rowdy group by the bar. "He's getting hitched day after tomorrow."

They followed Tommy into the back room, where there were a few people, and they found a spot not far from the pool tables.

"You shoot, Nathan?" Tommy asked, taking up a cue stick.

"Sure," Nathan replied, choosing a cue stick. "You can break."

"Thanks," Tommy said, and drew back his cue stick, the cue ball cracking soundly against the cluster of balls, and sank the 6 ball.

"Nice," Nathan remarked. "Now - what can you tell us about these subway murders?"

"Well," Tommy began, lining up his next shot. "Started almost a week ago; then yesterday morning a guy was waiting on the platform down in the subway. The train pulls up, the doors open, he gets in, and the car's full of dead people."

"Shot? Stabbed?" Nathan prodded.

"No, none of that," Tommy said. "Weird thing is, the bodies were all . . . shriveled up, like they'd been dried out. Like they'd been mummified, the coroner said," he went on. "There were six of them then. And then we had a case last night, lady was being harassed by a group of teenage gang wannabees. They pushed her off the platform, laughing at her, and then she said they all started screaming."

"What happened?" Audrey asked.

"By the time she managed to get up there, they were all dead, all shriveled up like those other bodies," Tommy informed her. "So my question is, do you know who or what is committing these crimes, and how do we stop him?"

When Jennifer reached the rooftop gardens, she saw the Teague brothers had already set up a table and a few chairs for lunch. She smiled as she sat down and noticed they also brought her favorite sandwiches.

"Can you share a secret with me?" Jennifer asked, as Dave poured out juice from the crystal pitcher into her glass.

"Depends on the subject," Vince answered, making Jennifer chuckled.

"How do you think Duke is doing?" Jennifer asked, and got herself a sandwich as Dave sat down.

"In all honesty . . . he's making good progress," Vince said and Dave nodded in agreement. "He really shouldn't rush himself; it would do more harm than good."

"Unfortunately the Subterrestrials will still be there when he 'graduates,'" Dave said.

Jennifer nodded and admired the view. She then saw a couple walking down the sidewalk and Jennifer recognized them as her heart fell into her stomach.

Irina smiled at Duke as she set down a cup of tea for Duke and one for herself.

"So, what's next?" Duke asked, as she down across from him. "Drawing back energy, concealing myself, or what?"

"First, drink your tea," Irina instructed.

Duke did so, and began to feel odd.

"What was in that?" he asked.

"Something to help relax your outer consciousness. It won't make you sleep," she soothed. "But you must connect with my mind for the next part. I am going to teach you how to travel astrally."

"You're going to teach me astral projection?" Duke asked and grinned. "I tried for years to be able to do that in meditation. Never could achieve it, though."

"Well, this time, you should be able to," Irina promised. "It is one of the best ways for you to use energy without The Corrupt sensing your presence. Take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. Close your eyes; match your breathing with mine," she went on softly, placing Duke's hand against her rib cage, her own hand resting on his chest. "Good, very good," she whispered, feeling Duke match his rhythm with her own respiration. "Now I want you to focus on the rooftop of this building. There's a garden up there, along with Vincent, David and Jennifer. We are going to join them. One...two...three . . ."

"What's the matter, Jennifer?" Dave asked, seeing her expression.

"That's Jason down there, with his new girlfriend," Jennifer pointed to the couple strolling up the street, arms around one another.

"I know that must be painful for you," Vince commiserated. "But you have a new love in your life - Duke."

"I don't know that he feels that way toward me," she said.

A sudden wind picked up around them, and Jennifer had the overwhelming sensation that Duke was near her; but on turning, he wasn't there.

"Something the matter?" Vince smiled mysteriously.

"I thought . . . I thought Duke had come up here . . . but he's not here."

"Are you sure about that?" Dave asked. "He's not strong enough yet to answer you or show himself, but he's there."

"Focus, Jennifer, and watch by the topiaries," Vince told her, taking her hand in his.

Jennifer drew a deep breath, and looked really hard, and found that she could see Irina, standing there smiling at them, and just the faintest outline of a tall figure that she presumed to be Duke.

"You did it!" Irina smiled, and it faded almost immediately.

"What happened?" she asked.

"As I told you, he isn't strong enough yet. Give him a little time and practice - and he will be able to not only travel astrally, but should be able to manifest himself wherever he chooses," Vince told her. "They'll be up shortly, so while we wait, why don't you tell us some of the stories you've collected for your new book?"

Jennifer smiled. "Okay."

"Thank you, Vince for spoiling my surprise," Irina said as she and Duke watched Jennifer talked to the Teague brothers. "I was going to tell him that."

"I can manifest myself wherever I want?" Duke asked.

"Well, there are limitations, like you cannot manifest on another continent or dimension," Irina explained and saw Duke's smile. "Why? What are you thinking?"

"I thought of visiting Nathan and Audrey . . ."

"Well, try it," Irina said, smiling. "But your time there will be limited."

Duke closed his eyes once more, focusing intently on the bar that Audrey had mentioned, O'Donnelly's. He saw the bachelor party taking place out front, and as he passed through the crowd, he saw Nathan and Audrey, talking with who he presumed to be Detective Bolan, and he drew closer.

"I think what you have down there . . . isn't human," Audrey was saying.

"You think it's some kind of animal, like a giant spider or something?" Bolan chuckled, taking a swig of his beer. "Like a bad Science Fiction movie. This is real life . . . there's no monsters."

'Oh, yes, there are,' Duke thought. He then had an idea and tried it. 'Audrey,' he directed at her.

Audrey looked around. "Duke?"

Nathan craned his neck, looking around the room. "Where do you see Duke?" he asked.

"Who's Duke?" Tommy asked.

"A-a friend of ours. I thought I heard him call," Audrey replied.

'You did,' Duke answered. 'But I can only talk to you just now. I'm not here physically, but psychically.'

'Where are you?' she asked.

'By the pool table. I can't stay long - not strong enough yet.'

'Can you manifest physical action?'

'How do you mean?'

'She means can you make something move,' Irina spoke, joining him. She saw Nathan's beer bottle empty, and gestured at it. 'Like this; watch me.'

Instantly, Nathan's bottle began to sway in front of the three startled people sitting at the table, and he reached out to steady it, but it deliberately rolled out of his reach, dancing in lazy circles before falling on its side.

Tommy stared with his mouth hanging open.

"If you're a street magician, that's one of the best tricks I've ever seen," he gasped.

"Detective . . . there are things in this world that can't be explained away," Audrey told him. "We can't explain exactly, but we want to help you. Our help isn't – regular - police help. We're a bit more . . . specialized. But we ask you to have trust in us," she went on, scribbling a number. "If you want to talk further, then come to this address tonight. Bring your case files, and we'll see if we can't catch the killer."

Tommy looked at the beer bottle, even picking up to see that it was in fact just an ordinary brown beer bottle before he set it back down.

"All right," he grudged. "I'll come by tonight." He chuckled to himself. "My grandmama always used to tell me there were things in this world that couldn't be explained away by logic. Just never thought there was any truth to it."

"We believe in magic when we're children," Audrey smiled. "You just have to remember that."

"You need to return now, or you'll put a strain on your body," Irina said.

Duke nodded and followed Irina out, going past Nathan on the way. As Duke walked past Nathan, he gasped, as memories came to him.

He remembered: being happy, kissing Audrey, getting ice cream for them, walking together, visiting the zoo, fighting the hunting party of The Corrupt, wagging his tail and volunteering to play fetch, hugging Duke . . .

"Hey, are you okay?" Tommy asked, as he caught Nathan, who stumbled a little.

"I . . . I think so," Nathan answered, but gave Audrey a look. 'We're going to talk about what happened later.'

Duke opened his eyes and saw Irina smiling at him.

"Very good for your first time," Irina said.

"Can we join Vince, Dave, and Jennifer now?" Duke asked. "Astral projection gives me an appetite."

"But of course," Irina said, as they got up and she wondered if she should tell Duke what she saw and heard with Jennifer before Duke joined her.

She decided against it, and they soon made their way to the rooftop.

"How did it go?" Vince asked.

"Very, very well," Irina smiled. "He's a quick study."

"He'll have to be," Dave grumbled. "Subterrestrials hunt every two or three days."

"So you think it's going to hunt tonight," Duke said, and Dave nodded.

They heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and soon the door to the roof opened, and Nathan and Audrey came in.

"Well, we talked to Detective Bolan," Audrey began. "He's coming over to Jennifer's tonight with the case files. He noticed that the murders seem to be happening every 48 to 72 hours-"

"Feeding," Duke finished. "Vince and Dave were just saying they think it's going to be hunting tonight."

"So tonight we're going to go hunting for it," Nathan said firmly. "But before then, Duke, you and I need to have a talk about what happened this morning," he added pointedly.

"What happened this morning?" Duke asked, the picture of innocence.

"You tell me," Nathan growled. "That funny to you, make me want to play fetch like I'm a dog?"

"YOU volunteered to play fetch, I had nothing to do with that," Duke protested. "All I did was give you good vibes. You did the rest."

"It's true, Nathan," Dave put in. "He's been here with us all day."

"And that's another thing," Nathan said. "Audrey said you put in an appearance at O'Donnelly's. That whole beer bottle thing."

"That was me, actually," Irina told him. "Duke is not strong enough to cause physical manifestations in his astral form just yet."

"You mean he can now project himself out of his body?" Nathan groaned, seeing a future of any time trying to spend time with Audrey would now hold the possibility of Duke astrally projecting himself into the room.

"A skill that will be useful tonight," Irina informed them. "In that form, Duke does not use nearly as much of his Channeler's powers. Using them in his physical form, he's a searchlight in the darkness, until he learns to better conceal himself. Astrally, he's a pinpoint of light."

"It'll be better for all of us, if he can find these things like that," Audrey noted, and Nathan nodded grudgingly.

"So long as that's the only reason he's projecting himself," he grumbled.

Duke half-grinned to himself, thinking on what Vince and Dave had told him; that underneath all of Nathan's gruff exterior, he really did like him. It was tempting to zap him once more; but Detective Nathan would be very necessary tonight, if the Subterrestrial was going to be on the prowl.

"Don't worry Nathan, I won't spy on you; you're not that interesting," Duke said, earning a glare from him.

"Do you know what kind of Corrupt we're going against?" Audrey asked.

"They're called Subterrestrials," Jennifer said. "They—"

"Wait," Duke politely interrupted Jennifer realizing something, and looked at Nathan. "You remembered what happened when I zapped you?"

"Kind of," Nathan said. "Just . . . little bits and pieces."

"Well, I didn't really do anything to you - I just put your guard down a little. There's a nice guy in there somewhere, Nate," Duke said, poking Nathan's chest. "You just have to let him out once in a while."

Nathan glowered. He hated to admit it, but he had enjoyed the day with Audrey. He'd often wished he could 'loosen up' enough to enjoy himself like he'd seen other couples do - and it had felt pretty good when he had . . . Not that he'd ever tell Duke that.

"Well, next time, ask, okay?" Nathan snapped.

"Okay, okay," Duke replied. "I get it, hands off."

"Well, how are we going to track this thing?" Jennifer asked.

"We're going to ride the subway," Audrey said. "And, if Duke is willing, I'd like him to use a little of his Channeler's abilities when he does."

"You want to use me for BAIT?" Duke asked.

"We'll all be there, Duke," Nathan told him. "If you're so desirable to these things, it's going to sniff you out pretty quick."

"That is a rather dangerous option," Vince said gravely. "However, it would be the swiftest way to find this Subterrestrial. As Duke said before, it's going to feed tonight."

"We need to get back to Jennifer's," Audrey told them. "Detective Bolan will be coming by, and we'll tell him the plan then."

They all bid their goodbyes to Vince, Dave and Irina and headed out.

The rest of the afternoon, they spent with Claire and her friends, and they watched a movie.

When evening came, they ordered Chinese takeout, which was delivered just as Detective Bolan rang the doorbell.

"Just in time for dinner," Audrey greeted him. "Detective Bolan, these are our friends, Jennifer Mason and Duke Crocker," she introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Tommy spoke, shaking hands with the pair. He held up a thick folder. "You promised me some answers," he said meaningfully.

"And you'll get them," Audrey replied slowly. "But you must keep an open mind about what you may see and hear tonight."

"Be open to magic," Tommy grinned. "Right; so why do you need the case file?"

"We're looking for a pattern," Nathan said as Tommy handed him the folder. "Try to narrow down where . . . the killer is located."

"So," Jennifer said, scooting closer to Duke, as Tommy, Nathan, and Audrey looked over the information. "Tell me about Durrell."

"Durrell is . . . a mythical creature I met on my vision quest," Duke said. "He helped me expelled The Corrupt blood. He's . . . enlightened. Other creatures I saw, respect him, and I now I see why. He's powerful, but he protects his world from The Corrupt, and . . . the kindest being I've encountered in a long time."

"Wow," Jennifer said, amazed.

"Nathan, look," Audrey said, pointing out two of the sites. "It seems to favor this subway line."

"Yeah, I'd noticed that," Tommy remarked. "Right along Hell's Kitchen. And you said 'it' - don't you mean he or them?"

"What this killer is . . . isn't human," Audrey answered. "And I don't say that in describing them as a figurative monster-I mean it literally. This is not a human being that's committing these murders."

"Then what is it? Like some kinda demon or something?" Tommy grinned.

Audrey shot him a look, and Tommy put his hands up. "I know, I know - be open to magic," he protested. "It just seems like this stuff doesn't happen in real life though."

"If we showed you - would you believe us?" Nathan asked.

Duke looked nervous, and Audrey frowned.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Nate," Duke spoke.

"No, we need his help, and he needs ours. But we have to learn to trust each other," Nathan told them. "So don't freak out," Nathan said to Tommy. "You've mentioned your grandmother a couple of times. Is she still alive?"

"No, she passed on last winter," Tommy said.

"You miss her a lot, don't you?"

Tommy looked sad. "Yeah, I do. I didn't make it to the hospital before she passed, I was on duty."

Nathan gazed at Audrey, who nodded, and conjured a sphere.

"I can't bring her back for good," she told him. "But I can give you that chance you missed."

Nathan gestured to Duke and Jennifer, and they went out onto the balcony, so that Audrey could perform her spell.

After a few moments, she joined them on the balcony, and they watched as Tommy knelt down by an older woman seated in a chair, his shoulders shaking with sobs as she caressed his head, or would have, had she been solid.

"That was taking a big chance, Nathan," she said.

"I thought it was the best way to get through to him - seeing is believing," Nathan answered quietly, as Tommy's grandmother gave him a smile, a hand on his cheek before she faded from sight.

They gave him a few moments to pull himself together before they came back into the house. Tommy seemed subdued, his eyes red. One last tear fell down his cheek, and he wiped it away.

"What do y'all want me to do?" he said.

"Close down that subway station tonight," Audrey replied. "We'll be the riders tonight. We'll get this thing."

Tommy nodded.

"You got it."

Everyone was anxious as they waited for the subway to arrive. Jennifer noticed Duke looking a little tense and placed her hand on top of his. Duke smiled at her.

"So, what did Tommy say to close this route?" Duke asked Nathan and Audrey.

"What do you mean this route is closed?" a new voice asked and they stared at the unexpected couple.

"Jason?!" Jennifer exclaimed. "How did you get here?!"

"There was some cop up there saying it was shut and some other guy was arguing with him, so we slipped past," Jason bragged. He eyed Duke, who returned his gaze with a stoic look on his face.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Someone who knows a good thing when he's got one," Duke replied.

"Yeah, well, I've got a pretty good thing here, too," Jason retorted, his hand around Rayna's waist.

They could hear the subway coming, and they all faced the track.

"You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous," Audrey told them. "So the next stop, get off, please."

"What makes you so special that you can ride the subways when everyone else can't?" Jason demanded.

"Can you not be a pompous snob for once in your life?" Jennifer shot back. "It's dangerous - we're trying to catch that subway killer!"

Jason laughed out loud. "And they picked YOU? That's a laugh. If you need help, just ask - I've got a brown belt in karate."

Duke drew closer to him.

"I'd sooner have her watching my back than ten guys like you," he snarled.

The subway doors opened, and a few people straggled out. They spotted Tommy, who gave them a nod.

"All quiet so far," he said. "There are a few more people in the next car, and they're all supposed to get out at the next stop. Along with you folks, right?" he asked Jason, showing his badge as the doors closed and the train started moving again.

Jason scowled, seeing that Jennifer was right; she was helping the police.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," he ground out. "Didn't know NYPD was so hard up they have to ask neurotic writers for help."

"Say one more thing," Duke said flatly, stepping closer, Nathan barring his arm across Duke's chest.

"C'mon, Stretch, let's go," Jason answered, stripping off his jacket.

"You can take him, baby," Rayna urged.

"Look, folks, let's stop all this," Tommy protested, when suddenly a train slowed to a stop, the lights flickering.

"What's going on?" Jason asked.

"Duke," Audrey whispered. "Search for it - carefully."

Duke closed his eyes, summoning his energy as Irina had shown him to do earlier in the day. Immediately, he felt the presence of The Corrupt - and it was coming from the next car.

He opened his eyes, their silvery color making Tommy, Jason and Rayna jump.

"What the hell's wrong with your eyes?" Jason asked.

"Shut up," Duke said, watching as a homeless man was pushing his way through the doors that connected to the next car. He was filthy and bedraggled, his bushy beard and hair matted together.

He looked up at the group before him, and hissed at them, brown stubbly teeth on display.

"That's it!" Duke cried out, and Audrey summoned a force field, pushing Jason, his fiancé and Tommy back against the far wall.

"Fresh lives!" the homeless man screeched, transforming itself into the lemur-like creature Duke had seen in the basement earlier even as they transformed themselves.

Jason and Rayna screamed as Tommy winced at the noise.

"How could it come back so quickly?" Nathan asked as he and Duke surround The Corrupt.

"We'll ask Vince and Dave later," Jennifer said, as she hovered above them.

"I can't believe this is the Subterrestrial," Audrey said, stepping forward.

The lemur-Corrupt laughed. "Oh, no; I'm not the Subterrestrial."

The ground shook, as they heard a deep rumbling sound from the tunnel.

"She is," the lemur-Corrupt said.

A giant grub-like creature, about the same size as a subway, shot out and reared up in front of them. The Subterrestrial roared, showing four tusks sticking out of the corners of her mouth.

"What is that thing?" Rayna screeched.

"Something I never want to see again," Tommy commented as Rayna hid behind Jason.

The Subterrestrial shot at them. Nathan and Duke leapt at her, but found themselves going through her instead. The Subterrestrial then went after Jennifer, but she shrunk herself and flew out of the way.

At this point, Jason and Rayna both fainted. Tommy breathed out a sigh a relief.

"Finally, some peace," he commented.

"It makes sense now!" Audrey exclaimed as they dodged the Subterrestrial. "She has the ability to make herself or parts of her body intangible! That's why there has been no physical evidence!"

"See? See? I told you there was a Channeler!" the lemur-Corrupt said, pointing at Duke.

The Subterrestrial attempted to corner Duke.

"So much power," the Subterrestrial boomed. "He will be the feast my eggs shall nourish on when they hatch."

"I don't think so," Duke snarled, adjusting his energies. It was happening so naturally, he wasn't even aware he'd done it until she charged him again, and Duke dodged her, sideswiping her with his claws, ripping long gashes in her side which oozed a horrible foul-smelling black substance.

The Subterrestrial shrieked in a mix of rage and agony, and wheeled back around.

Audrey raised her hands to launch a secondary strike, as Nathan followed Duke's cue, using his own claws. But the Subterrestrial was a little more ready for him, and became intangible when Nathan came at her.

"How could you do that?" Nathan gasped as he joined Audrey and Duke.

"I-I don't know," Duke said. "I just did."

"Here it comes again, look out!" Tommy cried, hoping that whatever invisible wall was keeping him from that thing would continue to hold.

At that moment, the doors opened behind them, and Jordan and Arla came striding through.

"Get outta here ladies, that thing'll kill you!" Tommy ordered.

"Already died once, but thank you for your concern," Jordan said flatly, and reached down, catching the Subterrestrial by its tail.

The beast shrieked at Jordan's touch.

"Hurts!" it raged, wheeling back on the pair.

"What are they doing here?" Audrey asked.

"Same thing we are, no doubt," Nathan answered. "But I'm glad they are."

Kirk followed through the doors next, and Audrey quickly widened her force field, ensuring that they'd still be able to breathe.

The Subterrestrial wheezed, roiling wildly around on the floor as it struggled to gain air. It was weakening, but still had plenty of fight left in it.

"How do we get rid of this thing?" Arla cried. "It's too large for me to capture it!"

Audrey realized Arla was right; the creature's dimensions were simply too big for her to wrangle into a sphere.

Jennifer, however, had the answer.

"It's like an earthworm," she called as she grew to her regular height. "Split it in half, and you each take an end before it has a chance to grow again!"

Kirk nodded, and drew out a large flat-bladed weapon seemingly from nowhere; and then Nathan remembered seeing that Kirk had a tattoo of an absurdly large sword on his left forearm. He could manifest weaponry from his tattoos!

"That's a useful talent," Nathan remarked, as Kirk smirked at him and swung the blade, slicing the Subterrestrial in half.

The over-sized grub shrieked anew, both halves shriveling to half their size, writhing on the subway train floor, the surface slick with black goo, but Arla and Audrey both moved forward, spheres at the ready.

"To the next world, we sentence you!" they chorused, and the two halves of the Subterrestrial vanished in a blinding flash.

Tommy exhaled a sigh of relief, sagging, as Jason and Rayna began to wake up. Jason looked up blearily, seeing Jennifer in her Sylph form, hovering near him, and she flew a little closer to him.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Jason looked at her.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, and promptly got smacked by Rayna.

The cougar-thing that was Duke also came nearer, and Jason shrank back as Jennifer landed.

"Your loss, dude," Duke said, and put his arm around Jennifer's waist.

Tommy looked from one to another of the gathered beings in the subway car, his face full of wonderment.

"You did it," Tommy said, awed. "You really did get that thing."

"That's only half the battle," Audrey replied. "She said she had eggs - we have to find them and get rid of them too."

"We can either fight about it or do it together," Nathan said to Kirk, who nodded curtly.

"Truce," he spoke. "For now. Any ideas on how to find them?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Duke saw the lemur-like Corrupt trying to make a break for it, and he pounced on it, the little monster squealing in protest as he collared it.

"I think he knows where they are, don't you?" he said.

"What is that thing?" Jason asked, his eyes wide.

"It's a Crawler," Jennifer said as the knowledge came to her. "Their name suits them; they're subservient to larger Corrupt, who in turn use them as watchdogs, helpers-"

"Boot-lickers," Kirk added. "Run across a few of these already."

"Don't hurt me," the lemur-thing begged, looking to the women.

"It's so cute," Rayna said, and the little Corrupt looked longingly at her with its large eyes.

"Don't be fooled," Arla told her, flicking its ear. "These little monsters are vicious fighters and would stab their own mothers in the back if they thought it'd get them anywhere."

"Show us where the eggs are!" Duke ordered it sternly.

"I'll show you! Just don't hurt me!" the little Corrupt squealed. "You're so big and brave, and I'm so small! Don't hurt me!"

"We'll see," Nathan grumbled.

"D-Down the east tunnel, where the line doesn't go run anymore," the Crawler told them. "You'll see, that's where they are! You'll see!"

"Let's go," Kirk told Jordan and Arla, and they began to leave.

"Wait," Duke spoke. He looked at the Crawler intently. There was something that wasn't quite right.

"What?" Kirk argued. "Every minute we stand here arguing about this is another minute closer to those things hatching!"

Duke ignored Kirk's outburst, and turned his full attention onto the Crawler.

"Gave up your buddies awful quick," he remarked. "Makes me wonder why you want us to go into that part of the line."

"T-That's where the eggs are, I swear!" the Crawler protested.

Duke tightened his grip on The Corrupt, and it squealed pitiably.

"Stop it - you're hurting it!" Rayna told him.

"And you can drop the 'I'm so cute and cuddly' routine too," Duke said sternly, as his Channeler's powers showed him the truth. "Why don't you show the lady what you really look like?"

He shook it once more, and The Corrupt squealed again, only this time it deepened to a growl and morphed into a goblin-like creature with baleful yellowy eyes, and Rayna screamed.

"Now then," Duke went on. "What's really in that tunnel?"

"The eggs really are there. But there's a-an ambush too," The Corrupt said. "They're waiting for you there."

"To kill us all, no doubt," Jordan put in angrily.

"No, no, not all," the Crawler protested. "Not him," he gestured at Duke. "He's important."

"What makes him so special?" Nathan asked. "Why do The Corrupt want Duke so bad?"

"Ours is not to reason why," the Crawler sniped, and Duke gripped it tighter by the scruff of its neck, making it screech. "Those are our orders - kill them, but not you. You're important."

"Why?" Kirk asked, looking to Duke.

"We can ask them when we get there," Duke replied. "So you've outlived your usefulness," he told The Corrupt, and Audrey quickly confined it to a sphere.

"Hey - I know that line," Tommy spoke. "There's a back way to that tunnel from the 67th Street station. I can show you."

"Tommy, it could be really dangerous - we don't know how many there are," Audrey protested. "I think here's where we need to say goodbye."

Audrey dismissed the force field and Tommy drew closer to this beautiful blue elf creature.

"Thank you - for everything," he told her. "For that second chance."

Audrey smiled.

"My pleasure," she said. "And thank you for your help."

She suddenly turned, and gestured to Jason, who had his phone out, recording them. He and Rayna seemed to freeze, and Nathan went over, deleting the video from Jason's phone and putting it back in his hands.

"You will not remember—" Audrey began, but Duke stopped her.

"No, let them remember," Duke said. "He needs to remember this lesson."

Duke looked at Jennifer, who smiled and blushed back.

Audrey smiled and nodded, understanding. She then lowered her hand. "They'll be back to normal in a few minutes, so we have to go," Audrey told Tommy.

"Thanks again on behalf of the city," Tommy smiled. "I'd give you a key to the city, but I don't have one on me."

Audrey smiled, and then they were gone.

The group found the little service tunnel, just as Tommy had described, and they crept silently down the tunnel. A quick discussion, and they split off into two groups, Nathan, Duke, Jordan and Kirk; and Audrey, Jennifer and Arla.

Ahead, they could large grayish-white objects that seemed to pulse, the larvae within the eggs moving. Already, they could see some of the eggs were beginning to hatch, green goo leaking from the sides as the infant Subterrestrials tried to squirm out.

Audrey and Arla both summoned a sphere, launching them into the air, flooding the tunnel with brilliant light.

Everywhere the eggs began to burst, the ultraviolet rays of the spheres causing them to shrivel and wither, The Corrupt ambush that had been waiting for them, too blinded to attack, and Nathan, Duke, Jennifer, Kirk and Jordan soon made short work of them.

The blinding light faded, and the group took an assessment of the situation.

"Did we get them all?" Duke gasped.

"I think so," Audrey replied, gazing at their replacements as they all changed back.

Jordan looked back at her.

"You helped us," she said. "You didn't try to defend them."

"Why would we?" Nathan asked. "We told you - we're here to fight these things, not help them."

Jordan opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a voice from the darkness.

"Yes indeed," Reverend Driscoll spoke, moving forward towards them. "Why indeed would they be helping us? There is an old saying, Miss McKee," he went on, reaching for his jacket pocket. "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."

Kirk glanced at Driscoll, who nodded at him. Immediately, the four began to gasp for air.

The Rev took out something that looked like a plumb, and it unfolded several rings around itself which began to spin rapidly as Kirk stopped.

"What is that thing?" Nathan had time to ask just before he vanished.

"Nathan!" Audrey cried, just before she also disappeared.

"Separate, Describant, Alienare, Dominari," the Rev toned.

Duke grabbed Jennifer's hand tightly, but she too disappeared.

"What are you doing?" he shouted at the four.

"What needs to be done for your own good, son," the Rev told him, and Duke too disappeared.