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The silence is split by the sound of the smoke alarm in the Martin house. Gary opens his door half asleep he looks down the hallway. Megan’s dad Roy rushes into the hallway from his bedroom. Her terrified cat hides beneath Megan’s bed as smoke fills her room. “I’ll check the kitchen you check on Megan!” Roy commands. Gary tries Megan’s door finding it locked he looks down to see a flicker of light at the bottom of the door. Frantically he beats on the door. “Megan!” Megan’s mother Donna joins Gary handing him the emergency key for Megan’s room. Gary opens the door, smoke floods from the room into the hallway. A gust of heat steals his breath, he backs away bumping Donna into Roy. Quickly Roy enters the room, fire extinguisher in hand with Gary close behind. Gary can’t believe his eyes, his sister is glowing hovering more than a foot above her burning covers. His arms sting as he grabs her, the glow around her vanishes as he feels her weight in his arms. He caries Megan into the living room as Roy continues to extinguish the fire. Donna opens the doors and turns on the attic fan to expel the smoke. Megan wakes with a jump from her nightmare. “What happened? Where am I?” “You’re in the living room.” Gary inspected the burns on his arms. “I had a nightmare.” Megan notices the smoke at the ceiling. Donna entered as Gary left the room to join his dad in Megan’s room. Gary and Roy stood at the edge of Megan’s bed looking at the singe marks. “It’s a perfect outline of Megan’s body.” Roy said slowly. Roy removed the top covers to show the hole burned through them. There on the white sheets was a perfect black and white image of Megan’s backside. Gary looked at Roy then at the bed. “Should I call the fire department?” Donna asked entering the room. “The fire’s out.” Roy sat the fire extinguisher on the floor. “This is one for the book of records.” Gary shook his head. “Oh my God!” Donna gasped seeing Megan’s impression scorched into the sheet. Megan worked her way around her mother to see what everyone was looking at, her mouth dropped open. “You said you had a nightmare?” Gary asked. “I’m afraid to ask.” Donna shook her head. Megan noticed the burns on her brother’s arms, her heart sank, tears welled up in her eyes. She ran to the bathroom slamming the door behind her. She looked at herself in the mirror. “What’s happening to me?” She cried Seven AM the Martin family sat at the kitchen table. May Lynx entered to get Megan for school. May sensed the unusual mood in the house. She looked at Megan. “What’s up?” Gary lead May into Megan’s bedroom. “She said she was having a nightmare. She said she was someone else and she was fighting some kind of creature.” “Creature?” May’s eyebrows rose. “A big hairy ugly monster with fangs. She was floating about a foot above her bed. Her eyes were glowing right through her eyelids. Explain this.” Gary showed the burns on his arms. Megan entered, she looked at the sheets. “Please don’t tell mom.” She looked at Gary’s burns. “I’m so sorry.” She took her brother’s hand. “Close your eyes.” “Why?” “Please just do it.” Megan insisted. The healing green glow was barely visible as it moved over his arms the burns vanished. “Feel better?” Gary opened his eyes looked at his sister then at May. “Why wouldn’t I?” Gary looked at the bed one last time then left the room. May shook her head. “Is that the first time you’ve done that?” “I wasn’t sure if it would work. He won’t remember anything. I couldn’t leave him like that.” “Are you going to school today?” May asked. “Everything I have to wear is in this room.” Megan sighed. “It all smells like smoke.” “We only have a few days of school left, you’ve got to go.” May insisted. “I’ll loan you something.” May offered. Megan and May met at their lockers in the school hallway. “You were someone else?” May asked. “You know who I was.” Megan pulled a book from her locker. “Ember?” May asked. “Of course.” Megan noticed others moving through the hallway. “The monster wouldn’t have been a varlock would it?” May asked. “That’s exactly what it was.” She closed her locker. “So you changed into Ember and fired up.” May said closing her locker. “The thing is if I’m going to change while I’m asleep then no one around me is safe.” Megan said despondently. “Your mom and dad will want answers. Of course you could just make them forget.” “Losers!” Mallory Brown bellowed as she brushed past with her friend Stephanie Bragg following. “God I hate preppies.” May slammed her locker. “People like that are insecure and that’s how they try to make up for their psychological inadequacies.” Megan walked toward their first class. “Psychology 101.” May growled shaking her head. “I hate that class.” “Mallory’s rich and her best friend as poor as dirt.” Megan said. “They say opposites attract. You know Rena Delray is rich and she’s nice.” “Mr. Brown has a high paying job but the job security isn’t good. If he looses his they must move out of the rich neighborhood.” Megan explained. “You think that’s why Mallory is like that?” May asked. “Oh I don’t really know why people act like that.” Megan answered. “Your mom and dad together make as much as he does.” May said. Megan walked without answering. “You have more than a hundred grand that your grandpa Fred left you. I’ll bet you have more than she does and you don’t act like a jerk.” “We live within our means. If mom or dad lost their job we would be all right. Mallory’s dad is the only one who works in their family and if he looses his job they would be in a real mess.” Megan explained as they entered their first class. As they took their seats in English class they noticed the teacher erasing the black board. “It’s the Russian English teacher.” May whispered to Megan seated in front of her. “She speaks five languages fluently.” Megan whispered. “They say she was a spy.” Divora Linsky looked directly at Megan. She was a temporary teacher that sometimes stood in for several other teachers in the city. She walked, talked and dressed in a way that indicated her attention to discipline and detail. Who ever said she may have been a spy couldn’t be far from the mark. There was a rumor she had been married to a Russian fighter pilot who was killed in a freak accident in Russia. Shortly after his death Miss Linsky moved to the United States. The teacher walked over and stood beside Megan’s desk looking directly at her for several moments before turning her attention to May. Seconds seemed like minutes. She lay a little piece of paper on Megan’s desk. Finally she returned to the front of the room and began class. Megan unfolded the paper. “See me after class.” She looked around at May then at the note. After class Megan went to the teacher’s desk with May following. “You wanted to see me.” Megan asked as the other students left the room. “You two are good friends, yes?” Divora asked. “Yes,” Megan answered. Divora nodded. She took Megan’s hand for a closer look then sniffed it. Megan looked at May then back at the teacher as she pulled her hand free. “Are you two all right.” The teacher asked. “Is there something that troubles you?” “Ah,” Megan glanced at May. “Nope, we’re fine.” Megan took a step backwards. The teacher nodded. “If you ever want to talk, about anything I’m here for you.” May stepped forward. “Is it true, were you a Russian spy?” Megan slapped a hand over her eyes not believing what May had just ask. “You want to know if you can trust me.” Divora smiled. “It is true.” “No shit?” May asked slapping a hand over her mouth. Just as quickly she received a rap on the back from Megan. “Sorry,” May said. “The students talk. They are curious. I was in a special division of the Russian secret service. I was a remote viewer and psychic.” May backed into Megan. “That stuff doesn’t really work does it?” “Sometimes it works quite well.” Divora looked at Megan. “I see you surrounded by fire.” Megan and May both took another step backwards. “Don’t be afraid. I am no longer working for the Russian S.S.” Divora watched Megan. “Something strange has happened to you?” “When did you see this?” Megan asked. “Early this morning, I was worried about you.” “Is that all?” Megan glanced at the door. “Yes,” Divora nodded. Megan and May exited the room. “That was weird.” May said. “You asking her point blank like that was weird.” Megan spoke in disbelief. “She saw you surrounded by fire.” “She would be a psychic viewer.” Megan shook her head. “Wonder what she’s seen she didn’t tell us?” Megan shook her head. “I guess we should consult Scratches.” “That reminds me, I didn’t see him this morning.” Megan said. “No doubt ran for his life when you set your bed on fire.” May said. “That’s why she sniffed my hand to see if it smells like smoke.” Megan sniffed her hands. “They say that people who smoke can’t smell cigarette smoke on other people.” “She’s real smart.” Megan said. “I wonder what kinds of things she remote viewed for the Russians?” “Maybe you should ask her.” Megan opened her locker. May nodded. “While I’m at it I’ll ask her where we can get some fire-proof sheets and blankets.” Megan fired an angry look at May. “Well?” May shrugged. From the forlorn expression on Megan’s face it was painfully obvious May had hit a nerve. “Are you all right?” “I feel sick.” Megan held her stomach. “Do you want to go see Dr. Crystal?” Megan nodded. “We need an excuse.” “Orion?” May asked. Megan nodded. Chapter 2 Dr. Crystal Rivers was the twenty seven year old daughter of her father Dr. Rivers. She worked at her father’s practice next door to their house in the country. Their house and office was about an eighth of a mile from the Peaceful Pond church and just one short mile from the Martin farm. Dr. River’s defied progress by keeping his practice in the country and maintaining house calls for the local farms. He believed in giving the best possible medical care. He knew all of his patients by name, their parents and their children. His colleagues in the city accused him of living in the dark ages. The doctor argued that he preferred a personal relationship with his patients. He knew their jobs, their personalities and their medical history. When Megan was twelve and disobeyed the rules by going to the old log house she stepped on a nail, it was Dr. Rivers who came to see her. Dr. Rivers knew the Martin family well and had delivered Megan’s dad here in his office. Crystal had known the Martin family her entire life. She frequently taught Sunday school classes at the Peaceful Pond Church just to the east down the country road. She knew Megan from the time she was a baby. Crystal was near when Megan discovered the amazing crown device. Despite the fact Megan tried to hide her miraculous healings Crystal became suspicious. Then when Megan was shot it was Crystal who saved her life. When May used the crown to heal Megan, Crystal was the first to realize that something unusual had happened. It was then Megan decided to tell her the truth about the Crown and Orion. Megan took Crystal into her trust and gave her an Orion necklace, a room on Orion and a medical research laboratory. Megan and May entered the Doctor’s office. “The doctor will be with you shortly.” The office attendant said. Moments later Dr. Crystal Rivers entered closing the door behind her. Megan sat on the examination table. “What can I help you with today ladies?” The doctor asked feeling for Megan’s pulse. “Megan got sick at school.” May answered looking at Crystal then at the floor. “This is Doctor Crystal you’re talking to.” She shook her head. “Spit it out.” “Megan set her bed on fire last night.” May said. “I was having a nightmare.” “You should see the bed covers!” May waved a hand in the air, “Orion?” One of Orion’s floating viewers appeared with a video showing the bed and sheet with Megan’s scorched image on it. The girls told the story as the doctor listened intently. “What am I going to do?” Tears trickled down Megan’s cheeks. Crystal put her arms around Megan. “I never took any courses for medicine like this. If there’s an answer I promise I will find it.” “I can’t sleep at home tonight! I might burn the house down and kill my entire family!” Crystal thought for a moment. “You won’t sleep at home, you will sleep on Orion. I will monitor your dreams and biological.” “You can’t hurt Orion.” May agreed. “What will I tell mom and dad?” Megan asked. “I’ll tell them you have a sleep disorder and I want to monitor you for awhile.” Crystal answered. “I don’t think any of them will argue about that.” Megan sighed. “How do you classify that?” May asked. “In the category of the unexplained.” Crystal answered. It doesn’t officially exist but everyone’s heard of Area 51, a place in the desert about one hundred miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. Anyone can log onto Google Earth and look right down on it. They even have labels so you know what some of the buildings are used for. What you can’t see are the massive underground structures. They develop cutting edge technology. This is where they developed the ‘U-2’ and the SR-71 spy planes. They built and tested the F-117 stealth fighter. When they retired the SR-71’s in 1989 they said we no longer had a need for them. What they didn’t tell us was they were all ready flying the Aurora. Aurora is a wingless wedge shaped aircraft powered by combine phase engines. You may have seen one of them cross the sky high overhead and not realized what it was. Look for the vapor trails that look like knots on a rope. These are produced by a unique type of engine. The first Aurora’s could reach very high speed and altitude but could not go into space. A new design was developed to launch a smaller remote control space ship from its back. They began launching spy satellites for the military as well as the ultra secret Dark Stars. Aurora takes off like a jet plane then as it gains speed and altitude it changes engine phase from jet to rocket to pulse detonation. When it reaches altitude and speed it launches a smaller remote controlled rocket plane from its back. The rocket plane flies into space, launches the satellites and then returns to earth and lands back at Area 51. People who have been to and worked at Area 51 will boldly tell you there’s no alien technology or aliens there. There’s a good reason why it isn’t kept there, but it isn’t far away. Ten miles to the south of Groom Lake there’s an even less talked about facility known to some as Area S-4. This facility is completely underground and totally hidden. Here they keep, test and back engineer alien technology. They also have a hospital facility where live aliens are kept. In the lower chambers are the archives, where non living specimens are stored. Deep within this facility you will find the man behind the infamous men in black, better known as M.I.B.’s, his name is Lassiter. He’s the chairman of a group known as Majestic or MJ-12. The group was established in the early fifties to investigate catalogue store and process recovered aliens and alien technology. The first aliens and their craft were recovered in New Mexico in July 1947 before the formation of this ultra secret group. Certain specimens were sent to secure locations while others were hidden in civilian areas to give easy access to certain scientists and medical doctors. The old system was closed down when they realized that some aliens and their technology presented a serious threat to humanity. The specimens from these labs were moved to more secure facilities. The original names and locations of these facilities were classified ultra. One division of this ultra secret facility back engineers alien tech in order to try to duplicate it. One of their latest projects is a hybrid craft. This ship is triangular forty feet long black with no markings. It uses pulse gravity wave drive and anti-mater reactor taken from an alien saucer. For weapons it has a T.H.I.L. or Tactical High Intensity LASER. THIL was developed by a US weapons contractor. An alien weapon adapted to this ship is commonly referred to as a disruptor. The techs know what it does but still aren’t certain how it works. The hangers at this facility are concealed in the side of a hill at the north edge of Papoose dry lake bed. The hanger doors blend into the side of the mountain. As the size of the facility increased the design of the underground structure changed. Large elevators take craft to tunnels large enough to move them to various underground facilities. Several of these tunnels connect various levels of the massive underground structure all the way into the Area 51 facility. Separating S4 from Area 51 are large steel doorways in a fifteen mile long tunnel. A complex security system limits where anyone can go at any given time. The massive doors on these rooms are kept closed unless something is being moved in or out of them. Both facilities are highly compartmentalized. People working side by side in these rooms usually are not aware what their fellow workers are doing. Only a handful of dedicated geniuses have full run of the entire facility and they are closely watched by Mr. Lassiter. Deep within S-4 Lassiter’s plush high tech office looked like something from a science fiction movie. The saucer design of the room hovered above a larger room filled with ultra high tech information gathering computers and the people who operated them. If the North American Defense Command known as N.O.R.A.D. deep inside Cheyenne mountain Colorado needed to verify tracking an object their commander will ask Dark Star. Surrounding Lassiter’s office was one way glass. Lassiter could see out but no one else could see in. That was one way he kept an eye on his people. The other way was his security cameras and they were everywhere, watching and listening. At the touch of a button or voice commands Lassiter could pipe anything from the computers below into his office. He sat in his chair watching the video of a gigantic saucer about three miles across as it paid a visit to one of the US battle fleets near Easter Island in the fall of the previous year. On another computer screen he paused video of a gigantic shark as it passed a secret underwater project near the Island of Bimini. “General Allen to see you sir.” A voice sounded from the intercom. Lassiter pressed a button on the arm of his captain’s chair, the door opened and in walked General Allen. The General in his early sixties had officially retired from service but because of his experience working with S-4 he was hired by Majestic as their government connection and military commander. Allen maintained command over a small army of officially retired and discharged specialist soldiers. Like the infamous Men in Black they didn’t officially exist. They didn’t answer to the president or any known branch of the government. Their primary function was to recover aliens and alien craft. Their secondary function was to cover up any evidence of such encounters. Their nicknames were “Janitorial,” “Jan” or “Janice” for short. General Allen commanded the security teams that patrolled Area 51 and though they patrolled it area S-4 didn’t officially exist. The entire place was referred to as Area 51 or “Dreamland.” “Any news?” The general asked. Lassiter shook his head then pointed at the huge saucer on one of the screens. “It’s fairly certain these people have dark mater weapons and reactors to power their massive ships. But this is the last we’ve seen of them.” “The shark?” Allen asked. “Hasn’t been seen since. I still have teams searching for it.” Allen nodded. “I’ve not heard anything through my channels either.” General Allen pulled up a chair beside Lassiter. Lassiter sighed. “That can’t be a fish, not that big.” “I agree.” The General nodded. “It seems to act with intent. It wanted our people to see it.” Lassiter said. “It was out there watching, circling until the sonar man found it.” “Like it was testing the sonar.” General Allen added. Lassiter looked at the General. “Stealth submarines that look like fish. Good Lord man you don’t think it’s the Russians or China?” “You’ve got Dark Star. If you can’t figure it out who can.” Lassiter turned his attention to one of the large screens mounted in a circle around the room. “They scan the oceans all the time. We know the location of nearly every military submarine at any given time. We can track whales and dolphins but this thing.” “What about the Martian crew?” Allen asked. “Their due in this week.” Lassiter answered. “They are currently adjusting their ship for stationary high orbit. They will come down in the space planes and land at Groom Lake.” “What about the girl they met in the Mars Face?” Allen asked. Lassiter shook his head. “We have no idea how she got there.” “Still don’t know who she is?” Lassiter glanced at a computer running facial scans. “Not yet.” He touched an icon on one of his computers, a video of Ember in the Martian tunnel began to play. Two screens lit up synchronized between the little robot named George and the video from astronaut Jennifer Marshal’s suit camera. The video showed Megan bruised, cloths torn and blood dripping from her forehead just as the cannon on top of the giant spider robot exploded showering them with sparks. Video: “You can call me Ember, Ember Reign.” Megan said. The blue light around her intensified, her eyes lit up brightly. She clicked her heals together. “There’s no place like home.” She said and in a flash of blue light she vanished. End clip: Allen took a deep breath. “Instead of asking how, ever ask why she was there?” Lassiter looked at Allen. “You’re the one who told me that everything happens for a reason.” Lassiter slowly turned in his chair and looked at images of other UFO’s he had been tracking. He picked up a large brown envelope and pulled a picture of a translation from it. “This was taken from the hall of records in the Bimini pyramid. Dr. Jackson says roughly translated ‘she comes before the great destruction.’” Lassiter handed the picture to Allen. “Or she is the bringer of the great destruction. Katowski and Jackson can’t quite agree.” Allen looked at the image. A circled area of the image showed a triangle inside a circle carved into the stone wall of the room. “That’s the trouble with ancient languages.” “Their still working on it, but I’m not holding my breath.” Lassiter shook his head. “They both agree that symbol is like her signature.” Lassiter pointed at the image then zoomed into the crown upon Megan’s head. The two men nodded. Lassiter poked a button on one of his computers bringing up the image of a church building in Key West Florida. Hitting another key the image zoomed in on the stained glass windows revealing a triangle inside a circle in one and the oval with the circles in another. “Do you think there’s a connection?” Allen asked. “If there is, those symbols probably didn’t originate on earth.” Chapter 3 Megan removed a box from her bottom desk drawer placing it on her desk. She opened the velvet lined box and removed the beautiful golden crown device. “What in the world have you done to me? I don’t even know who I am anymore.” Hearing the back door open Megan quickly tucked the crown back into the box and hid it away in the drawer. Her door opened and in came the neighbor Brianna Smith, her video camera hanging around her neck and a piece of paper in her hand. Brianna was a brunette two years younger than Megan. Her parents frequently took her on exotic vacations and kept her spoiled. Like her parents she was a certified SCUBA diver. Her aunt Emma was a seamstress and her uncle Jimmy was a city policeman. Brianna tried hard to make Megan and May like her, the truth was she tried too hard. “Hay Megan,” Brianna turned her attention from Megan to the burnt covers on the bed. “What in the…” “If I had known you were coming I would have cleaned the room.” Megan jumped up and began to pull the burned blankets and sheets from her bed. “Or I would have locked the doors.” “Ah, that sheet!” Brianna pointed at the one with Megan’s image scorched into it. “It’s nothing Brianna.” Megan pulled the sheet from the bed throwing it into the pile of burned blankets. “A little piro graphic art.” Brianna nodded. “I’ve heard of that but didn’t know anyone who did it on their bed, in their house no less!” Scratches ran from under the bed, out the door and down the hallway. Megan took the bundle of burned blankets out the door and down the hall. Brianna looked at the mattress on Megan’s bed to find the same scorched image of Megan upon it only in lighter shades. Megan returned to find Brianna looking at the image and just as quickly she threw some new sheets over the bed. “I guess that was your fire alarm that went off this morning?” Brianna asked. “You heard that did you?” Megan asked. “My bedroom is only a few feet from yours via the passage.” Brianna pointed at the window toward her own bedroom. “I’m sorry if I woke you.” Megan apologized. “What happened?” Brianna asked. “I don’t know.” Megan answered. “You’re not a very good liar Megan.” Brianna responded. “What do you want?” “Oh, I got this E-mail from my friend Lisa in California. She said her and her friend Rena have patched things up.” Brianna handed the paper to Megan. “She didn’t say anything else about the UFO did she?” “She said she didn’t want to talk about that anymore.” Brianna answered. “Odd to the way she said that.” Megan tucked the edges of the sheets under the mattress of her bed. “What do you mean?” “It’s like she was doing her best to keep from telling me something.” Brianna sat in Megan’s desk chair. “Like the pod people got her.” Megan laughed. “Pod people?” “You know, like the aliens got to her, scrambled her mind. One day the world as she knows it has ended and the next day she’s fine but doesn’t want to talk about it anymore. That’s not normal Megan, not normal I tell you!” Brianna eyed the bed again. “So what did happen to your bed?” May entered the room. “Oh nothing much. Megan had a night mare and burst into flames is all. Set her bed on fire. No big deal.” Megan clenched her eyes shut. Brianna looked back and forth between the two. May sat upon the bed. “It’s all right her doctor has prescribed some pills for the problem.” May looked at Megan. “Did you find Scratches?” “He was hiding under the bed.” Megan answered. “You burst into flames?” Brianna asked. “I didn’t see it Brianna, I was asleep having a nightmare remember?” Megan answered. “Spontaneous human combustion! Oh my God you survived a case of SHC!” Brianna exclaimed. “Did any parts burn off, toes, fingers, anything?” Brianna looked at Megan’s hands. “No Brianna.” Megan growled firing a snarl at May. “Did you want something or did you just come over to annoy us?” “Oh I just wanted to see if you guys want to join me on a real ghost hunt?” Brianna asked. “Seriously?” May asked. “Where?” “The old Bates mansion.” Brianna smiled and nodded. “The most haunted place in this city.” Several moments passed as the girls looked back and forth at each other. “So?” Brianna asked. “You got to admit it would be fun.” May said. Megan nodded. “Do you have research on the mansion?” “Oh yeah! Just wait until you hear who originally owned the place.” Brianna started for the door. “I can’t wait to tell MaKayla that Megan survived a SHC!” May grabbed Brianna at the door. “No! You can’t tell anyone about that.” Brianna looked at Megan. “But that’s the coolest thing ever!” “No!” May insisted. “Secret!” “Oh all right.” Brianna reluctantly agreed then dashed out the door. “She couldn’t be any worse at keeping secrets than you are.” Megan said. “Yeah I know.” May sat upon the bed. “She saw your image on the sheet?” “Yes.” Megan finished making her bed. “Are you all right?” May asked. “I don’t think so.” Megan’s voice quivered. “Tell me about the nightmare.” May asked. “It was a varlock but it wasn’t like that last one we fought.” Megan sat upon her bed. “This one was very clever, devious and pure evil.” May nodded. “Do you think it killed the pyromaniac?” “It sure as heck could have.” Megan motioned with her hands. “This thing looked like it could suck your life out of you without even touching you. I’m telling you May this thing really scared the hell out of me.” Several moments passed as the girls sat looking at each other. “I think it’s living right here in the city.” Megan continued. “Lurking, watching. It’s looking for something or someone.” “It’s looking for Ember.” Megan nodded. “I think it can disguise itself to look human. Or maybe it’s invisible. I don’t know but I do know there’s a reason why no one has reported seeing the beast.” The back door slammed as Brianna returned with a loose leaf binder filled with pages. “You will never guess who originally owned that property and even had the mansion built back in 1950?” “Ok who?” May asked. “Simon Banister senior that’s who.” Brianna smiled. “The big bad man himself.” Megan and May looked at each other as Brianna continued her story. “Simon Banister built the place then sold it to a company known as Proctor Jewels. I did some research and it seems there never was any business by that name registered with the government. I did an on line anagram and found out that Proctor Jewels is an anagram for Roswell Project, as in Roswell 1947 if you know what I’m saying.” “Are you certain?” May asked. Brianna smiled. “The mansion was built with a huge basement and three stories high but that didn’t include the attic. The attic is larger than most people’s houses. No one seemed to know what was up there or in the basement but get this. My uncle Jimmy said he went into the basement of that mansion once searching for an escaped convict. He said there’s a long hallway with a lot of rooms on each side. Not just any kind of rooms but medical examination rooms.” “Why?” May asked. “Because it wasn’t a mansion, it was a top secret medical facility.” Brianna answered. “That big anti-personnel fence around the place kept people out but it also kept something else in. My uncle Jim found the convict in one of those rooms. He was stone cold dead with his eyes sucked back inside his head like he had been dead for a month.” “No shit?” May gasped. “Swear to God.” Brianna nodded. “Ask him yourself. That convict hadn’t been in that house more than a few hours. Jim tried to call to report he found the guy but his radio wouldn’t work down there. Then he saw something moving at the end of the hall and said it looked like some kind of animal but it had glowing red eyes. He pulled his gun and went to see but when he got to the room where he saw the thing go there wasn’t anything in there. The thing vanished just like a ghost. In fact he said that was the only room that was completely empty.” “Are you sure you want to go ghost hunting in that house?” Megan asked. “The story about the Bates family is what started all this.” Brianna explained. “Mr. Bates lived there with his wife his older son and two daughters.” Brianna showed a black and white photo. “They say this may be the only picture that was ever taken of the entire family.” “What’s wrong with the girls?” May asked. “They said they had some kind of rare birth defect.” Brianna answered. “It made their heads abnormally large. They were really smart but odd looking.” “Look at those big black eyes.” May gasped. “Then one night during a terrible thunder storm the neighbor heard a clap of thunder and a scream. He ran outside and looked toward the house. He said there was a glowing light, a UFO hovering over the mansion. There was another clap of thunder and a woman screamed from beyond the house. The neighbor said rocks fell from the sky.” Brianna nodded. “The older son was found dead in the front yard with a broken neck. The older girl was found dead in the back yard.” “Let me guess, with a broken neck.” May said. Brianna nodded. “The younger daughter and mother were found dead in the kitchen floor clutching each other. For some reason Mr. Bates escaped with his life just long enough to attend the funeral then he was found murdered in his own bedroom. They said he was ripped to pieces and the blood is still on the walls.” “And you want to do a ghost hunt there?” Megan gasped. “Are you crazy?” Brianna shrugged. “It can’t be as bad as that now can it? I mean that convict died in there ten years ago. Besides those stories are always built up to sound worse than they are. The guy probably died of indigestion.” Brianna glanced at her wrist watch. “You think about it. I have some things to do but I’ll be back.” Brianna left the loose leaf folder on the bed and returned home. “Indigestion?” May gasped. “She hasn’t been where we’ve been!” Megan shook her head. “We can’t take Brianna into a place like that.” “I wouldn’t go without my suit.” May shook her head. “Shields on full.” Megan thought for a moment. “Crystal said these things are tied together. She said even Brianna must be an important link to our mission because she was the one who put us in touch with Lisa who connected us with Rena.” “Brianna important?” May shook a fist at Megan. Megan picked up the folder and looked at the picture of the mansion on one page and Mr. Bates and his family on the other. “This place deserves a closer look.” “Ghost hunt?” May asked. “Ghost hunt.” Megan answered. Chapter 4 Eight PM, Megan’s little silver car pulls up in front of May’s house, just a block down the street. May gets into the car, Megan drives on. “How did your mom take it?” “About as well as usual I guess.” Megan answered. “Bawled all the way through dinner I guess.” Megan nodded. “I told her I would be spending a few nights with Dr. Crystal. She found the sheet with the image on it, folded it and took it to her bedroom like it was something special.” “I could imagine what she would do if she knew that you’re Ember Reign.” May shook her head. “That would put her in the hospital for certain.” Megan said. Megan turned off the highway that lead to Dr. Crystal’s. Moments later she turned into the long driveway of the Bates Mansion, pulled up to the gate and stopped. “There it is.” Megan got out of the car. The girls walked up to the gate and looked at the chain and padlock. The iron fence extended both directions from the gate out of a solid concrete wall. The tops of the bars curled one set inward and one set outward with sharp points on each one. May looked across the road to see a field with a solitary tombstone standing above the weeds. She touched Megan on the shoulder and pointed. “The witches’ grave.” “They moved the grave yard down the road.” Megan pointed. “And that’s the foundation of the neighbor’s house that burned to the ground that fateful night.” “They heard the screams, saw the UFO and the rocks falling from the sky during the storm. I heard there were three witches buried there and they moved two of them but not that one. They even put a symbol on the graves remember, an upside down pentagram with the head of a goat in it.” “They did, I’ve seen them.” Megan pointed down the road toward the new location of the cemetery. “Oh that just gives me the creeps.” May rubbed her arms. Megan looked at the fence then at the gate. “They don’t want company.” The girls looked up the long driveway at the mansion looming on the hillside. Megan took hold of the padlock and looked at the key hole. “You’re not going in there right now are you?” May asked. “We have time for a quick look.” Megan answered. “We don’t have our spacesuits, shields or pistols.” “Maybe Brianna was right. Maybe there’s nothing but hype and legend.” Megan focused her mind on the lock, it clicked and fell open. “How did you do that?” May asked. Megan pulled the chain around and pushed one side of the gate open. “I can levitate little things without the crown now. Opening a lock is just a mater of seeing the lock mechanism and moving the little sliding things until it unlocks.” Megan drove through the gate. May closed it behind her. The girls drove to the mansion. Megan parked in a location where she felt sure no one would see it from the road. They got out walked up a flight of stone steps and across the porch to the big double doors. Segments of paint were curled up and sections of bare wood were visible in many places. Megan tried the door. “It’s locked.” “How did the convict get into the basement.” May asked looking around. “The article Brianna printed said they think he got in through a basement window. It said he found himself locked in the basement.” “Ah, how about those suits Megan?” The lock clicked. Megan pushed the door open with a loud squeak. Cautiously the girls entered walking along the shadowy main hallway. The living room was to the left. A closed door was on the right. Just past the closed door on the wall was an old style crank phone. Beside the phone was a list of people’s names hand written on the wall. Megan shined her little flashlight on the names. “What is this?” The girls read the names and recognized some from school. “There’s Gary’s name.” Megan pointed. “It’s the football team.” The girls looked at each other. “It’s the end of the school year initiation party.” Megan said. So this is where they come!” Megan thought for a moment. “I saw a picture of Gary and someone else setting on a bed in an old room. Soon as he saw me looking at it he grabbed it and shoved it into his desk drawer.” “The bloody room?” May asked. “The one where Mr. Bates was ripped to pieces?” The girls looked down the hallway into the shadows. “They have to get their picture taken on that bed in order to make the trip complete.” “And then they sign their names to the wall by the phone.” May looked at the names on the wall again. “And that means they know how to get in here.” May looked at the door. “It’s getting really dark.” The floor boards squeaked several yards from where May was standing. She looked to see Megan continuing without her. Megan stopped at a door on the left near the back of the house. May joined her. “It’s the kitchen.” Megan said. “The younger daughter and mother were found dead in the floor without a mark on them.” May looked at the kitchen floor. Then she turned and saw a hallway behind them. Near the back door was another closed door. “I don’t like this place.” Megan could see the dining room table just beyond the kitchen counter. “Perfect place to find a ghost I would think.” The girls heard a squeaking sound coming from the kitchen. Megan turned her light to see one of the kitchen cabinets open by itself then close again. Footsteps came from behind them, they turned. “It’s coming from…” May pointed at the closed door near the back door. “Sounds like someone climbing steps.” Megan whispered. The girls moved back into the main hallway then slowly moved backward keeping an eye on the closed door. The door knob turned one way then the other with a clicking sound. Both girls bolted for the front door slamming it behind them. “I think we’re late to see Dr. Crystal.” Megan ran for her car with May following. As they drove down the highway Megan giggled. “Probably just some transient sleeping in the basement.” “You were scared.” May said. “Me? Na!” Megan smiled. “It just don’t take me long to investigate a haunted house.” “That would be one short TV show wouldn’t it?” May laughed. Megan nodded. “That is one seriously creepy place.” “Brianna’s going to have a ball with her camera.” Megan glanced at May then back at the highway. The girls met Dr. Crystal at her office then transported to Orion hovering invisibly over the south forty at the Martin farm. Orion is a living multi-dimensional transport known as a delta class light ship. One of the official transport vehicles of beings known as The Great Old Ones. As far as the girls knew the Great Old Ones were ascended beings who watch over creation in various parts of the universe. Orion said he was left in space to wait for the new captain to bring the key and take command of him. The Great Old Ones knew that if someone began to use the Crown Device that when it ran low on power it would automatically transport the user to Orion’s command room. It did this several times before stranding Megan and May on Orion. They were forced to find a way to transport the Medallion to them in order to wake Orion from his hibernation. Since that time Megan became the new captain and brought him to the farm. Orion was a huge dark blue triangle in shape approximately one hundred and fifty yards long. His power channels lit up gold beams along his sides that pulsed with unearthly power. Inside he was seven levels high filled with thousands of rooms containing specimens from all over the galaxy and from millions of years. He had miles and miles of hallways defying the laws of physics was much larger inside than outside. The seventh level was Orion’s higher functions. It was one huge triangular room filled with multi-colored balls of energy of various sizes. Orion was not designed by physical beings and therefore his indigenous realm was not physical. He could pass between dimensions, travel at the speed of thought and move forward and backward through time. The girls quickly learned that sometimes time does strange things on Orion. An hour on Orion could be seconds or days in the real world depending on if time was locked to their time or not. The control room on Orion was triangular in shape at the point of the sixth level. Twenty four official command chairs were positioned in the back half of the room. Megan’s command chair was near the center of the back row. The forward area of the command room was the large three dimensional viewer. In the center of the room on the ceiling and floor were the Orion symbols consisting basically of the circle inside an oval inside a triangle inside a larger circle. Access to the seventh level was done from a transport tube that came out of the center circle on the ceiling. Megan and Orion were the only ones allowed on the seventh level. The control room door was on the right side of the command room. Megan’s room on Orion was the first room on the left from the control room door. Along this hallway were twenty four rooms against Orion’s outside wall all originally identical then modified by the occupants to suit themselves. When Megan first took command there were more doors but when May was checking the rooms she found the rooms past room 24 were all not just empty but without features. When she returned to room 24 the end of the hall wall had moved closing the hallway just past room 24. May ran all the way back to the control room. The women entered Megan’s room. The first area was the living room, very space age and split level. On the far side of the room was a staircase leading up to the high level and bedroom area. To the right of the entry door was the doorway to the kitchen dining room area. Against that far wall was a portal doorway that could be programmed to take them anywhere on Orion they wanted to go. Sometimes it simply allowed access between May’s room and Megan’s. Sometimes it led to the pool or hot tub. Anywhere the girls wanted to go this doorway could take them all thanks to Orion’s portal transport system. Dr. Crystal waved a hand in the air. “Orion I need my medical commands please.” One of Orion’s floating command screens appeared in the air. Crystal began programming it for Megan’s analysis. “I’m attaching a monitor orb to you as a sensor. It will remain with you but will only become active when you are asleep. As you sleep Orion will record your dreams as well as your mental and physical impulses.” Crystal explained. “Orion makes it simple.” May said. “Orion makes the impossible possible.” Crystal said. “And I can’t complain about the price.” “I’ll stay in my room in case you need me.” May pointed at the portal door. “I told mom and dad that Megan was going for some medical tests and I volunteered to help monitor.” “I’ll keep a screen handy even at home but I’ll check in on her now and then.” Crystal said. “That’s all there is to it. I’ll be going home for awhile. Good luck.” Crystal vanished in Orion’s blue transport light. Megan pulled the medical screen to her as she took a seat in her space age recliner. “Orion can you give us a star-scape on the ceiling?” The ceiling changed showing a brilliant view of the Milky Way. Scratches appeared near the doorway in the blue transport light then brushed up against Megan’s leg before jumping onto her lap. “I guess I scared you pretty good last night.” Megan said. “Meow,” Scratches answered. “I was asleep. I didn’t do it on purpose.” Megan responded. May shook her head as she took a seat in the next chair over. “Orion show me your movie list for tonight.” A huge segment of the far wall lit up with a menu like a very large screen TV. “How about a scary alien monster movie with Julianna Skii.” Megan smiled. “Alien monsters, I just can’t get enough of them.” “I can’t complain. We can get any movie in creation even ones that aren’t released yet. If we want we can send an orb down and watch them making the movie.” “Boring,” Megan said. “Most of the time.” “Scratches forgive you?” May asked. “He’s considering it. He’s looking for a peace offering, an Orion mouse I think.” Megan stroked the cat in her lap. “Apparently he was on the bed when I set it on fire. He hid under the bed until I came home.” May noticed Megan brush a tear from her eyes. “Crystal will find an answer.” A new floating viewer appeared in front of Megan. A familiar face appeared on the screen. “Are you all right?” Rena Delray asked. “Where are you?” Megan asked. “In the control room.” Rena answered. “I was worried about you.” Rena held up a drawing of Megan as she slept flaming just a foot above her bed. “You saw that to?” Megan asked. Rena nodded. “You might as well join us. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.” Megan said. Rena Delray was a beautiful blond with blue eyes and fair skin. Where Rena came from was a complete mystery. She was found in a back pew wrapped in a blanket inside a basket at a church in San Francisco. She was adopted and raised by a Mexican couple. They moved to the hills north of San Francisco right next door to a place known as “The Ranch” where a very famous movie producer lived and worked. They met one day and Rena told him some of her dreams which inspired him to write and produce a series of movies based on her dreams of a space princess who rallied her friends and allies to take on an evil tyrant commanding a huge space armada. Those movies put George on the map so to speak and he made sure that Rena and her family never wanted for anything ever again. George insisted that Rena star in the movie series as Princess Leona but only her family the other actors and a few very close friends knew her secret. Her parents were concerned that Rena not live the life of a typical movie star. She preformed under a screen name and never told some of her closest friends. Rena’s gift of dreams ranged from interesting, prophetic to frightening. Her dreams showed her things that according to normal science couldn’t possibly happen, but they did. Rena saw the great invasion in dreams as a child the images flowed to her. She kept elaborate dream journals with color drawings. She had seen Ember Reign long ago before Megan became Ember. She also saw the mystery man and secret projects being conducted by governments of the earth. Rena knew things sometimes years before they happened. She had a special understanding of Ember and Megan came to confide in her. Rena entered the room with two of her dream journals in hand. Then she opened one and handed it to Megan. “That’s the most recent. I saw that one last night.” She opened then handed the older one to her. “I had that one six years ago.” Megan and May looked at the images. “The same dream?” Megan asked. “I think so.” Rena answered. “What are we watching tonight?” “Your friend Julianna Skii.” May answered. Rena smiled and nodded. “It was a varlock wasn’t it?” “I think so.” Megan answered. “Doing battle in your dreams now?” Rena asked. Megan nodded. “Six years ago?” May said. “Oh my!” Megan and Rena looked at May. “You know if you hadn’t been sent home that day this would have been happening six years ago.” Megan nodded. “Yeah, it figures.” “So I had the first dream when the event should have happened. Then I had the last dream the night the event took place.” Rena reasoned. “You’re fighting varlocks in your sleep and setting your bed on fire. We need to figure this out and fix it.” “You’re telling me.” Megan agreed. Rena took a seat. “I won’t leave until we have a solution.” The group watched their movie in Orion vision and then to bed. Although everything on Orion seemed magical one of the fascinating things about living on Orion was the beds. People didn’t sleep on them they slept from a few inches to a foot or so above them. Orion kept the climate in the rooms the perfect temperature so there was no need for covers. Of course the beds had covers and the ability to turn off the gravity field over them but Megan seldom did that. Chapter 5 2 AM, Megan’s eyes begin to glow. The first person into Megan’s bedroom was Rena quickly followed by Dr. Crystal and then May. The three watched as Payah’s blue glow began around her followed quickly by the reddish gold glow of Baby Starburst. “Megan?” May asked. Crystal held up a hand then shook her head. “Don’t wake her.” It was clear that it was no longer Megan they were observing but Ember Reign. Suddenly Ember sat up opened her eyes swung her legs over the side of the bed, stood then vanished in the blue transport light. “Oh shit!” May gasped. “Where did she go?” Quickly they looked around the room but Ember was gone. “She’s on the hunt.” Rena answered. “Orion track Ember. Give us our spacesuits and send us there A-SAP!” Crystal commanded. A moment later Rena, Crystal and May appeared in a large dark building dressed in their Orion spacesuits. At the far end of the building Ember’s glowing form moved about. “She’s hunting what ever it was that killed the pyromaniac who burned that family’s farm last winter.” May said. “This is dock eighteen. Simon Banister owns it.” Ember moved through the rooms and down the catwalks methodically. One by one she searched around the boats and in the ones that were large enough to have rooms. A few minutes later she moved into the center of the room near the others. She turned and looked toward the back of the building. She waved a hand in the air. A ghostly image appeared at the back of the building. A table appeared a small disk hovered above the table. The odd looking controller with six little alien heads and glowing image jewel sat near the computer. A man worked at the computer. Ember moved around the image. “There not there, their images from the past.” May reported. “That’s a hacker known as Excalibur. He works for Simon Banister.” The previous images dissolved into the darkness. Another image appeared in a dark corner of the room. “There!” Rena pointed. The varlock appeared as a ghostly image, not quite as large as the one Ember fought the previous year but terrifying just the same. Ember waved a hand and froze the image as she looked it over. The others followed. May waved a hand in front of Ember’s eyes but Ember didn’t blink. “She doesn’t know we are here.” Ember looked at May. “Of course I know you’re here. I’m Ember, Megan is the one who’s asleep.” “Is she going to remember any of this?” May asked. “Like a dream.” Ember answered. The four looked at the glowing translucent image of the varlock. “This one is different.” Ember said. “The suit is different and this one had some kind of new weapon.” The women looked at the glowing cannon like weapon the beast held. Under it was a magazine with black canisters in it. On its head it wore a helmet. On its arms it had blades, other weapons and devices built into the suit. “This guy is an alien soldier.” Rena said. “This reminds me of something.” “A movie?” May asked. “Yeah.” Rena answered. “An alien trophy hunter.” “I think this one is a bounty hunter and he’s after me.” Ember waved her hand and the image vanished. “He killed that guy to keep Megan from making the link between him and Simon Banister. Most of all he wants me.” “He’s working for Simon?” May asked. “Whether he knows it or not he’s helping Banister.” Ember answered. “We were right here in this building.” May reasoned. “He attacked the henchman. So why didn’t he attack us?” “Maybe he got here late. We were all ready on board Orion when he killed that guy.” Ember walked toward the door then stopped in the center of the room and looked around. “Do me a favor Ember. Please don’t set Megan’s bed on fire anymore.” May pleaded. “I didn’t realize I had.” Ember said. “Talk to her.” Baby Starburst appeared from the glowing shell around Ember and flew up to May. “Please no more fires in the house.” May pleaded as Crystal watched. Baby Starburst looked at May then Ember and then at the others. Crystal shook her head. “You command her.” Crystal said. “She’s a fire sprite. She doesn’t think act or reason like humans. If you want her to do something you have to explain so she can understand.” Ember waved a hand and vanished. A moment later they found themselves once again gathered around Megan’s bed as Ember’s glow subsided from Megan’s body. “We’ve got a serious mess on our hands.” Crystal sat upon the foot of Megan’s bed. “An alien hunter is after Ember and apparently protecting Banister.” May said. “I have the feeling that nothing is as simple as it appears.” Rena said. The three walked down the stairs into the living room. “Because that alien hunter wouldn’t give a second thought of being loyal to a human, no either Banister has something the alien wants or he has something over the alien. Or…” “Or Banister hasn’t pissed the varloc off yet.” May said. “It’s more likely the hunter is using Banister to get to Ember.” Rena looked back up the stairs toward Megan’s bedroom. “I need to consult my dreams.” Rena walked through the portal door and returned to her room. May plopped down on one of the recliners in Megan’s room. “Do you think I got through to Baby Starburst?” Crystal sat in the other chair. “I didn’t believe such things could exist until now.” “Baby Starburst is a spirit of power.” May explained. “Payah is the blue spirit that protects Megan from Baby Starburst. Baby Starburst is the flames that surround her. It was Baby Starburst who killed the other varlock.” “I wonder if the hunter knows what happened?” Crystal asked. “That weapon he had, that’s how he killed the pyromaniac.” May reasoned. “That means he doesn’t have to touch a person to kill them.” May looked at the bookcase. “Orion, I need everything you have on varlocks and hunters of this kind.” An electronic book appeared floating in the air May took it and began to read. “Orion, could you please give me a catalogue of weapons used by these hunters?” Crystal asked. Another floating screen appeared. Crystal took it and began searching for weapons that looked like the one the varlock had. Chapter 6 Megan got up to find Crystal, Rena and May waiting for her in her kitchen. “Well?” May asked. “I had some dreams.” Megan looked at Crystal. “Did I flame on last night?” “You did.” Crystal said. “I think you should spend a few more nights on Orion until we can find a solution.” “Show her Orion’s video.” Rena said. Everyone was silent as Megan watched. “Ember’s hunting the varlock while I’m asleep.” “Apparently.” Crystal wrote something on a pad. “Baby Starburst came to me in my dreams last night.” Rena said. “She wants to communicate but doesn’t know how.” Megan looked at May then Crystal then back at Rena. “Did she say anything?” “I got impressions from her.” Rena answered. “I get something I can’t quite put my finger on but I know this. She was very concerned about something.” “Ember can talk with the spirits.” May said. “And Payah can talk and appear in human form.” “These are power spirits, they are living spiritual energy.” Crystal said. “Why don’t you just change into Ember and ask them what they are saying?” May asked. Megan shook her head, crossed her arms and appeared very uncomfortable with the idea. “You’re afraid to change into Ember.” Rena said. “Ember has taken control of my life.” Megan’s voice quivered. “I don’t know who I am anymore.” “Can you bring Baby Starburst or Payah here without changing?” Crystal asked. “I think so.” Megan answered. “Can Orion talk with them?” Rena asked. “Sure.” Megan answered. “What about school?” “I’ve had Orion put a time lock on us.” May said. “Orion, could you please come to Megan’s kitchen.” Dr. Crystal asked. The blue transport light appeared bringing Orion’s android into the room. Megan looked at Orion. “You can speak with all the spirits can’t you?” “Yes.” Orion answered. “We need you to ask Baby Starburst what she was trying to tell Rena last night.” May said. Megan concentrated until Baby Starburst appeared hovering over the kitchen table. Instantly she turned toward Megan and floated slowly to her then landing on the table she knelt and bowed her head. “She says she’s sorry if she hurt you.” Orion said. “She says she doesn’t understand.” Rena smiled then nodded. “I thought so. That’s what she showed me last night in my dreams. She knows you’re afraid of her and she doesn’t know why.” Orion nodded. “That is what she says.” Megan held her hand out extending a finger toward the firesprite. “Don’t touch her.” May warned. “She may like you but she is what she is and can’t change that.” Rena said. “Tell her she must not set my bed on fire while I’m asleep.” Megan said. Orion looked at the firesprite and she looked at him then back at Megan. “She thought she was following Ember’s commands.” “When I’m awake, she does what I tell her to.” Megan said. “You talk to her when you’re Ember?” May asked. “Sure, but it’s not like talking with a person. I feel the commands and I feel what she says back to me. Not one bit of it is in English.” “Link with me Orion. I want to communicate directly with Baby Starburst.” Rena said. Orion took Rena’s hand then called Baby Starburst to his other hand. It was clear from the movements and expressions that Rena was communicating with Baby Starburst. Rena said. “She’s just confused. She doesn’t understand your thoughts or feelings any better than you understand her. She doesn’t mean you or any of us any harm. She is what she is and wants only to perform her function.” “You can talk with her?” May asked. “No problem.” Rena answered. “Oh I get it.” May said. “This is why Orion created a human looking android body. It was so he could get down here with us and better understand how we think, what we like and what we don’t like.” Orion smiled then nodded. “Just tell her not to be lighting up and burning things unless I specifically tell her to.” Megan said. “That’s a good place to start.” Crystal said. “She is a tool she’s not a friend.” Megan nodded. “That’s how I feel about it.” “She’s terribly cute.” May said. “She doesn’t want to be human, she just wants to understand.” Rena said. “Does this mean I can sleep in my own bed at home now?” Megan asked. “Not yet.” Crystal warned. “Until you find a balance to keep Ember happy this thing with her going on the hunt while you’re asleep isn’t likely to stop. Ember takes over while you are asleep because that’s when you aren’t there to suppress her.” Rena explained. “So until I give Ember what she wants she won’t leave me alone?” Megan asked. “That’s about it.” Rena said. “But I am not sure you understand.” “Explain.” Megan said. “Ember is an identity that lives within you now. Ember is purpose driven. You must allow her to do her job and so doing you can reconcile your problems. In simple English Megan Martin must be in control of Ember Reign while at the same time fulfilling Ember’s purpose.” Rena explained. “I have to become Ember to talk with her.” Megan said. Rena nodded. “I’ll be with you all the way.” “You mean that?” Megan asked. “That is part of my purpose in being here.” Rena answered. Megan saw Dr. Crystal smile and nod. Megan moved to the center of the room. She held her hands out to her sides and the power glow moved around her, her eyes glowed brightly. “She doesn’t even have her crown!” May exclaimed. “Ember is within her.” Orion said holding the fire sprite in his hand. “The crown would greatly boost her power but Megan has not wanted to become Ember.” “She’s so awesome, like a beautiful living Christmas tree angel.” Rena said. Ember held out a hand and Baby Starburst flew to her and hovered over her hand until Payah’s blue glow covered it then she landed. “What is she doing?” May asked. “She’s talking with Baby Starburst.” Rena answered. “You see Ember, Payah and Baby Starburst are all made for each other. They are a team. They all speak the same language. The problem is that Megan in her human thinking hasn’t integrated.” “Megan Martin the reluctant super hero.” May said. “I’m amazed at the things she can do when she’s Ember. I’m almost jealous. Then there’s the other side of that which scares the hell out of me.” “You mean you wouldn’t trade with her?” Rena asked. May shook her head. “I wouldn’t know how to deal with it either. I think there’s a reason why the Great Old Ones chose her. If anyone can she can.” “There’s a reason why they chose you to be her best friend to.” Crystal smiled. “We are all here for a reason.” Rena opened one of her dream journals to a drawing and placed it on the table. Chills ran over Crystal and May as they saw the drawing of that very moment in time. The drawing showed Ember holding Baby Starburst standing in her kitchen. They looked at Rena who smiled then at Ember. A few minutes passed, Baby Starburst flew around the table and bowed to each one then vanished. A blue orb flew from Ember and Payah appeared in the light, the blue glow almost completely vanished. Standing about 12 inches tall he walked around the table and bowed to everyone then winked at May. “I can speak and I learn quickly.” May smiled. “And you can talk with Baby Starburst.” “I can.” Payah answered. “I think he likes you May.” Rena grinned. Payah zipped through the ceiling and vanished. Megan’s eyes were still glowing when she came to the table and sat down. “So are we Ember or Megan?” May asked. “We are both.” Megan answered. “I wonder what the Russian teacher is remote viewing right now.” May said. “What?” Crystal asked. “I’ll tell you all about it.” May said. Chapter 7 Megan and May entered class to find Divora erasing the board. They took their seats and Divora gave them a nod. After class Megan approached Divora. “Have you had any more strange dreams or remote viewing about us?” Megan said. “What are you doing Megan?” May whispered over Megan’s shoulder. Divora watched. “I see you are someone else. I see you battling a creature not of this world.” She took a drawing from her desk then handed it to Megan. Megan looked at the drawing, there was no question Divora had seen her as Ember in her spacesuit and the beast she was in mortal combat with was a varlock. “Who are you?” Divora asked. “Are you good with secrets?” Megan asked. “Secrets were my business for many years.” Divora answered. “I think we should go to our next class.” May urged. “Do you know what that beast is?” Megan asked. Divora shook her head. “I don’t know what it is, but I know where it came from.” She looked toward the ceiling. May tugged at Megan’s arm. “We have our own remote viewer. Let’s go Megan!” Seeing Megan was not budging May moved between her and Divora. “What did you view for the Russian S.S.?” “Everything.” Divora answered. “What do you know about us?” Divora pulled five more pages from her desk. “The first time I met you two in this class I had this dream.” She handed the drawing with description to May. It was of their trip back in time to watch the younger Megan on Sparky at the stream. Divora handed them the next page telling how Megan had stepped on the nail. “I also see your grandfather died.” She handed them another page. This one showed Megan as she had accidentally traveled through time and saw her grandfather in the room with Simon Banister Sr. Divora handed them another page showing Megan standing in the records room on the moon surrounded by alien writing on the walls. “This one I see the moon.” She said. “I see mars. Then I see you inside the face.” Divora handed them the last page. “I see a secret U.S. trip to Mars and someone you met, an astronaut named Jeanie or Jenny.” She pointed at her drawing. “These things, a laboratory in the face.” Then she pointed at another drawing. “This thing, a robot. It falls on you. What I see about you is impossible.” The girls studied the pages. “Why do I see these things?” Divora asked. “You can not go to Mars. Do my visions lie?” “You need to stop spying on us.” May warned. “It’s none of your business!” “Have a heart May, she’s not trying to spy on us.” Megan said. “She was trained to watch what other governments of the earth were doing and ours is at the top of the list. Her mind is just doing what it was trained to do.” Divora pulled another page from her drawer and gave it to the girls. This one showed the ultra secret Martian orbiter in orbit around the earth. “Are they back?” Megan asked. “I don’t know. That is just what I see in my dreams.” Divora answered. “I curse the day I went to work for the Russian secret service. What they have done to me has opened my mind. I find no peace day or night. I see things constantly, some things very crazy like these.” “There is a secret expedition to Mars and I’m guessing they just returned.” Megan explained. “You’re not crazy.” “How can this be you?” Divora pointed at the page of Megan as Ember. Other students were taking their seats. “You have to admit that’s crazy.” May said. “We need to go to class.” The bell rang and the girls ran from Divora’s classroom. In the hallway suddenly there was a flash of light and Megan and May were the only ones moving. Suddenly they slowed and looked around. “What are you doing?” May asked. “Ember sensed my concern being late for class and froze time around us.” Megan said. “Might as well take advantage of it.” May said. When time resumed the two were in their seats in history, as if they just appeared and Mallory Brown was looking directly at them. “Ahhhhh!” Mallory screamed falling backward from her chair into the floor. She pointed at Megan and May. “They, they, they just appeared out of no where!” May looked at Megan smiled and nodded. “Now that was worth the quarter.” The teacher helped Mallory from the floor. “Are you all right?” “They did, they just appeared.” Mallory pointed at the girls. “I’m not seeing things!” She screamed as the teacher led her to the door. “I want you to go see the nurse.” The teacher pushed Mallory into the hallway. “Tell her to get you something to calm your nerves.” “I’m not seeing things!” Mallory screamed. “I’m not crazy!” “Oh yeah, we believe her to.” May said. “I am so going to miss her when we graduate.” Megan looked upward at the classroom security camera. “I hate this class.” May said. “I just hate the teacher.” Megan said. “Hanson thinks he’s so smart.” Megan noticed Mallory’s friend Stephanie Bragg looking at them. “Did you see something?” May asked. Stephanie looked at the papers on her desk but did not answer. Mallory didn’t return and Stephanie cast frequent glances at Megan and May during class. The bell rang, the students began leaving. Stephanie kept a close eye on Megan and May as she gathered her things. “Are you all right?” May asked. “Why?” Stephanie asked. “What’s it to you?” “Oh nothing, just wanted to know if you were going to follow your B.F. to the funny farm that’s all.” May said. “That’s enough May.” Megan moved between May and Stephanie then looked at Mr. Hanson the teacher to see him watching. “I hope Mallory’s all right.” Megan said. “Let’s go May.” “You can’t even be nice to them.” May whispered as they exited the room. “I just ask if she was all right and she gives me attitude!” “You don’t like that do you?” “Hell no.” May answered. “I don’t like people who think they are better than other people then talk down to me when I’ve not done anything to them. What do you think Stephanie would say if she knew my best friend was Ember Reign?” Megan understood, May was saying if anyone had a right to have an attitude it was her, but she tried to treat people nice until they gave her a reason not to. Then again May also had a way of suspecting people of wrong when she had no real reason to. So the Russian English teacher had been a Russian spy, she hadn’t done anything. No doubt Divora had her own story and Megan would bet it was a good one. May had been wrong about Jud, dead wrong. Yes it was true Jud was a likely suspect in the poisoning of the horses and the murder of Mr. Percival but he was innocent. Megan was just glad that Dr. Crystal Rivers hadn’t shot Jud when he appeared in the doorway of his barn soaked in blood. After all Jud was trying to save a deer that was hit by the murderer. Jud was a war vet, an Army Ranger with all kinds of military medals. His team had been sent in to recover a downed pilot in the jungles of Viet Nam but what they found wasn’t a crashed aircraft, it was a crashed alien craft. Jud was wounded as they reached their extraction helicopter. They crashed after take off and he woke in a M.A.S.H. unit. He and one pilot were all that survived as far as he knew and he never saw the live alien again. May took crap from people like Mallory and her friends just like Megan did and it was all uncalled for. She would say “someone should put them in their place” and “one day they will get what’s coming to them.” Megan knew what made a person important was all about who they were on the inside. Nothing gave them the right to make other’s feel bad about who they were. May usually wasn’t known for keeping secrets well. She had a real bad habit of saying exactly what was on her mind. She had met stars and super stars at a Halloween party at Rena’s house. She had met Julianna Skii queen of the horror alien monster movies. She had met the Dark Marauder and others from a very famous movie series. One of her knew wealthy friends Rena Delray starred as Princess Leona in the same movie series but May kept her secret. None of this would have been possible without Megan and the amazing crown device. Sometimes Megan would tell May that people who really are someone don’t have to be mean to others in order to feel good about themselves. Since the girls had Met Rena and some of her famous friends May realized most of these people were rich and famous. Even though they tended to associate mostly with others of similar stature they were generally nice people. Mallory on the other hand wanted people to think she was more important than she really was. It appeared Megan was right and that Mallory was very insecure about herself. Perhaps this is why she chose a best friend who was “poor as dirt.” The girls met at their lockers at the end of the day. “Homework?” Megan asked. “Nah, the teachers can’t wait for the end of the school year and most of them aren’t giving homework.” May answered. Stephanie opened her locker a few feet from the girls, May noticed. “Look Steph, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come across like that.” May said. “It’s just that Mallory…” Megan shook May. “How is Mallory?” Megan asked. “Why would you care?” Stephanie asked. “You mean why would we care because she treats everyone like dirt?” May asked. “She went home.” Stephanie answered. “The nurse said she was traumatized.” “What was she yelling about?” Megan asked. “She was yelling I’m not crazy!” May said then giggled until Megan nudged her. “I didn’t hear her the first time. She said you two appeared out of thin air, something like that.” Stephanie said. May giggled again. “No she’s not crazy.” Megan fired a frown at May, May finally got the message. “Tell her we hope she’s all right.” Megan waved as Stephanie left. As Megan and May got into Megan’s car they saw Divora Linski putting some boxes into her trunk in the teacher’s parking lot. “What are we going to do about her?” May asked. “I don’t think she’s a threat to us. I would like to hear her story though.” “You think she’s hiding something?” May asked. “I would bet she is.” Megan answered. “Next you’re going to tell me there’s a reason for all this. I’ll tell you the reason. The M.I.B.s and the Russians would love to get Ember on a dissection table and find out what makes her tick. Cut her into wafer thin segments and make little finger sandwiches if you get my drift.” “Maybe, but I don’t think Miss Linsky is part of that.” Megan said. “Maybe not but I’ll bet you anything she knows some of the people who are.” May warned. “And I would just about bet they are watching her. I mean after all look who she worked for. Do you think for one second the Russians are going to let one of their own move to the USA and not keep an eye on them? She knows what they know. They can’t have her telling anyone.” “Secrets.” Megan started her car and drove over to Miss Linsky’s car. “Oh don’t tell me!” May gasped. Megan got out and approached Miss Linsky. May watched shaking her head. “I can’t believe this!” Megan picked up one of the heavy boxes of books and carried it to Divora’s trunk. “You know you can talk to us to.” Megan said. “I’m quitting at the end of this year.” Divora said. “I…” She began then looked around. “Are they still watching you?” Megan asked. “They are always watching.” Divora answered. “I think they may see the things I see and I don’t want to be a problem for anyone else, not you May or anyone.” Megan looked to see May shaking her head. “Do you like teaching?” Megan asked. “I love teaching. I love the students. I love America.” Divora answered. “But I can’t stay here. I can not run from who I am.” Megan nodded. “Neither can I, believe me I’ve tried.” Divora closed her trunk. Megan hugged her tightly then whispered into her ear. “The creature you see me fighting is called a varlock. It is an alien hunter and it’s extremely dangerous.” “You?” Divora asked. “You understand that if I tell you anything else we need to find some way to keep you know who from eve’s dropping.” Megan said. Divora shook her head. “How do you tell the invisible eyes not to see?” “I don’t know.” Megan answered. “Who are you?” Divora asked. “A friend. Keep the faith. I’ll see you later.” Megan got into her car and drove away. “Megan, Megan, Megan.” May shook her head. “When are you ever going to learn?” “I doubt I ever will.” Megan said as she drove. “You’re not going to tell her who you are, are you?” May asked. “If she can see these things so can the U.S. and Russian remote viewers. If they know we aren’t safe and neither is she. We can’t leave her here.” “Ah, here’s the thing. Remote viewers need targets before they can track and see things. The only reason Divora saw those things about you is because she’s one of our teachers. She knows us so her mind tracks us when something of magnitude happens. She saw you because she actually cares about her students.” May explained. “The other remote viewers don’t know us so they won’t see us.” “They are watching Divora and if Divora is seeing us then what’s to keep them from seeing us?” Megan asked. “I hadn’t thought of that.” May exclaimed. “She’s leaving because she knows she presents a danger to us. She shouldn’t have to leave the life she loves because of them or anyone.” “Now you’re going to have a moral attack.” May said. “Let her go!” “She sees things like Rena does.” Megan said. “No she doesn’t. Rena is focused on you because she was made that way. You don’t want another remote viewer and dreamer tracking you, believe me you don’t. What happens if the Russians pick her up and torture her and she tells them about us?” “Do you think I can’t handle them?” Megan asked. “Ah, do you have any idea all the things they could do to your friends and family?” May asked. “Let her go!” “Fine May, have it your way!” Megan yelled. They drove the rest of the way home without saying a word. Chapter 8 Friday night near midnight a blue ball of light appears in the living room of the Bates mansion Megan Rena and May appear in the light. Their protective suits continue to glow softly as the blue transport light faded. Megan’s crown cast a ghostly glow around her face and eyes in the darkness. The blue stripes that ran the length of her arms and legs changed blue then gold then back to blue. Rena watched Megan and May and smiled as she had a tendency to notice things others failed to. Despite her wealth and famous friends Rena appreciated the simple things. She loved to watch people and see their reactions to different things. Her dreams had foretold the arrival of the mystery man and Ember Reign. None of her rich famous friends could measure up to these real super heroes in her heart or mind. She had also foreseen tragic and terrible events that she kept to herself at least for the time being. Megan turned to see Rena entranced upon her, she smiled. “What?” “You have no idea just how beautiful you are.” Rena said. Megan shook her head. “One day Megan Martin will own Ember Reign. When that happens you’ll discover there’s nothing you can’t do.” Rena looked around the room. “Someone hasn’t cleaned in here in a while.” May pulled the cushions from the sofa. “I found a Morgan silver dollar!” She looked again then picked up something. “And a gold class ring from 1947.” She looked at Megan. “It says Roswell High School.” An old TV set sat in the corner near the picture window. A book shelf positioned against the wall to the right of the TV with a recliner at the end of the sofa near the book shelf. A doorway in the back led into the dining room. May wandered into the hallway and picked up the phone receiver, put it to her ear and listened. “This phone is making sounds.” Rena and Megan joined May. “There’s a voice.” May said. Megan took the phone and listened. She jerked the phone back looked at it then put it to her ear again. “It said get out of my house or I’ll kill you!” May grabbed the phone and listened again. “Good one Megan.” “It was a deep hissing voice.” Megan shrugged. Rena listened at the phone. “It’s dead now.” Megan walked into the living room and looked out the big window to see a pickup truck passing by run into the ditch. “Stupid people shouldn’t drive.” Megan shook her head. Rena looked at Megan’s glowing form. “Imagine that.” Megan looked at Rena. “What?” “You’re standing in a picture window of a very haunted mansion glowing like a ghost.” Rena answered. Megan backed away from the window. “That was my fault!” A banging sound rang from the dining room. The girls gathered together looking toward the door to the living room. Outside standing beside their truck Lula May jerked Billy Bob’s hat off and commenced to flog him with it. “Now cut that out Lula May and just look up there.” Billy Bob pointed toward the mansion. “Now we got to call the wrecker to get our truck out of the ditch!” Lula May was furious, looked at the truck then whacked Billy Bob over the head one more time with his own hat. Billy Bob stared at the picture window. “There it is again!” He pointed. Lula May looked to see a ghostly form move past the window. “Well I’ll be shucked and shelled.” “I told ya that place was haunted.” Billy Bob said grabbing his hat back from Lula May. Megan peeked into the dining room then cautiously entered with Rena and May following. “Something fell in here.” Megan walked around the large wooden dining room table. In the center of the table was the drawing of a pentagram with a candle holder in the center. At the points of the star were candles burned nearly to the table. On one end of the table were several papers with what looked like scribbling on them. “This one says ‘it lives’.” Megan handed the paper to Rena, then picked up another. “This one says ‘help me’.” Megan tossed it on the table then picked up another. “This one says ‘get out while you still can.’” Megan handed it to Rena. May picked up a candle from the floor and put it on the table. “I think that’s what fell.” Rena picked up a dish that had ashes in it and sniffed it. “Someone tried to do a cleaning here.” “Spiritual cleansing?” May asked. Rena nodded. A squeaking sound came from the kitchen. The girls turned their flashlights. Slowly a cabinet door open and swung back and forth a few times before closing. “Then there were foot steps behind that door the other side of the kitchen.” May said. “What does it mean it lives?” Megan looked at the paper on the table. Rena moved to the far end of the table from the kitchen. Another door partly opened led to another room behind her. “Come here Megan.” Rena curled her finger. Megan started around the table when a chair suddenly fell over in the floor in front of her causing her to stop abruptly. May gasped and moved against a wall watching the chair. Megan looked at May then Rena. “Most of the chairs are knocked over anyway.” May pointed. “We aren’t alone.” Megan said. “I can feel the energy in the room.” “There’s something here that does not want us here.” Rena said. “Please.” She motioned to Megan. “I think I’m going to throw up.” May said. “Sink’s in there.” Rena pointed. “I want Megan in the center at this end of the table.” Suddenly the kitchen door slammed shut with a bang. The girls jumped. “I think something’s getting pissed off.” May quickly moved to the far end of the table. “Do you think?” Megan said taking May’s hand. “Maybe we should leave.” May kept a watchful eye on the kitchen door. “What can hurt us with Megan and the crown here?” Rena asked. “Oh I don’t know, a ghost monster maybe.” May answered. The kitchen doorknob clicked and the door swung slowly open as the girls watched with their flashlights well aimed. “Megan, I want you to do an Ember here.” Rena said taking Megan’s hand. “Like what?” Megan asked. “Remember when Ember waved her hand in the dock building and the ghost images appeared showing her the past. Do you think you can do that for me.” “I’ll try.” Megan concentrated for a moment but nothing happened. She shook her head. “How do I get that?” Megan tried several times while May kept a close eye on the kitchen door. “I want you to link to me.” Rena said. The glow around the silver jewel turned green. “Now move into my mind and let me see if I can guide you.” Rena said. “My fingers are going numb.” May complained. “Is that you?” Megan asked. “Yes, now listen with your heart.” Rena instructed. “I can see that.” Megan said. “I can feel it.” “Visualize the time calibration in your mind. I want to turn back time.” Rena instructed. “How can you know this?” Megan asked. “Don’t get distracted.” Rena warned. “Keep your mind on the task at hand.” Megan nodded. “I can see it.” “Now before you loose it I want you to do it.” Rena said. “Ember could do it.” May said to catch a frown from Rena. Megan released May for a moment then waved her right hand through the air, a set of ghostly forms appeared. “Is it freezing in here or is it just me?” May rubbed her arms. “Stay with me Megan.” Rena said. “Now move the energy forward until I tell you to stop.” A few moments passed until several people were seated around the table. “Now let it play.” Rena said. Megan felt for May’s hand with her right hand in the dark. “Who is the big man?” Rena asked. “That’s Simon Banister senior.” May answered. “You said he owned this place?” Rena asked. “Yes.” May answered. “There’s two psychic mediums and one lady at the other end doing automatic writing.” Rena pointed. The candles on the table were lit, the smoke rose up from the sage and incense. The candles at the points of the star rose off the table and suddenly slammed against the wall just as the kitchen door slammed shut. The ghostly images vanished leaving the girls alone in the dark. Megan’s eyes flashed bright white the heavy wooden table began to move away from her toward the kitchen making a terrible screeching sound. “Ember is that you?” Rena asked. “I am Ember.” Ember said. “We are not alone.” “I can see that. Is Megan still there?” Rena asked. May shook her head. “We are not alone, oh that’s an understatement.” “Megan is here.” Ember answered. “Are you all right Megan?” Rena asked. “I’m a little bit scared.” Megan answered. “HA!” May’s voice trembled. The table stopped moving. “Megan come back, remember you’re the one in charge.” Rena instructed. Megan nodded. The girls heard a strange growling sound from the door behind them. “Go see what that is.” Rena said. “Ah, no!” May shook her head. “Oh go on May.” Rena said. “What could be here that could hurt you?” “Ask the dead guy they found in the basement.” May answered. “Aren’t you just a little bit scared?” “Who me?” Rena shook her head. They all turned to see the kitchen door open and bump against the wall. A scratching sound came from the room behind them causing them all to look. “Something’s in there.” Megan said. “Are you with us Megan?” Rena asked. “There’s something in there.” Megan said. “Are you sure you’re not just a little bit scared?” “One of my best friends is the queen of the alien horror movies.” Rena said. “You wouldn’t believe the things she’s put me through.” “Yes but this is real.” May said. Rena nodded moving toward the door. “I’ll give ya that.” Rena pushed the door open and shined her light into the room. “I don’t see anything.” She said then took a few steps into the room. There was a closet door to the left and a dresser to the right of the door. On the far side of the room were two windows with one of them at the bottom broken. There was a bed and beside the bed was a chair and table with a lamp. A few sticks and acorns lay upon the bed. “I don’t see anything.” Rena said. The girls looked around the room. “There’s nothing.” May gathered her courage and moved around behind the bed. “Nothing but a chair and a white bucket.” She held up the bucket. “What’s this?” “That’s a toilet bucket like they used back when they still had out houses.” Rena explained. “Toilet? Ewue!” May dropped the bucket with a clang. A growling hissing sound came from under the bed. Rena and May jumped on the bed while Megan backed against the wall in the corner beside the dresser drawers. “Crypes!” Rena gasped. “Oh now you’re scared!” May yelled. “What is it?” Megan leaned down and shined her light under the bed. “I don’t see anything.” She moved closer and looked again to see a set of eyes flash toward her. “There’s something under there.” Megan inched toward the door only to catch another sharp warning from under the bed. Suddenly a frightened raccoon ran out causing Megan to fall backwards. The raccoon latched onto Megan’s boot, there was a flash of light and the raccoon burst into flames exploded throwing guts and hair all over the room then fell smoldering to the floor. Rena and May were both screaming, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard from the hallway past the kitchen and the front door slammed. Rena wiped some spattered raccoon guts from her face and arms. May looked under the bed then cautiously stepped down and nudged the scorched raccoon carcass with the toe of her boot. “Jezz Megan.” “You didn’t have to kill it.” Rena stepped down from the bed. Megan got up smoke rolled up from the wooden boards she had been laying upon. She turned to see a perfect image of her body burned into the floor. She looked at the smoldering carcass. “You know you can talk to animals.” Rena shook her head trying to hold back a laugh. “Ember did it.” Megan giggled. “I guess I need more practice.” “Of course she did. But someone’s in the house.” May pointed toward the door. Rena and May slipped from the room while Megan looked at the dead raccoon. A small ball of glowing light flew from Megan to the dead animal and landed. The clear form of a little lady could be seen looking at the carcass. Megan sighed. “It’s all right that was my fault not yours.” Baby Starburst flew up to Megan’s face and nodded her little head. Megan smiled and Baby Starburst vanished. “I’m trying.” Megan looked again at the burned animal on the floor. “Maybe I could get a job at a grill?” “Megan you got to see this?” May called from the living room. Chapter 9 In the road in front of the Bates mansion beside the truck in the ditch was a wrecker, a police car and a news crew. “This is Victoria Monroe reporting from the Bates mansion. A few moments ago one of the city’s finest ran from the building. Ghostly lights were observed by two people passing by. They reported strange lights inside and the police department responded.” “There it is again!” Billy Bob pointed at the window. “Get this!” Victoria commanded her camera operator while pointing toward the house. Another police car pulled up behind the first one. “Great,” May said. “There’s Brianna’s uncle Jim.” “Turn the glow down Megan?” Rena spoke while watching the show out the window. Megan moved away from the window then pulled the glowing crown from her head. “Their coming back up the driveway.” Rena reported. “I wish I could go invisible.” Megan said. Again they heard the kitchen door slam shut. “Ghost in the kitchen.” May reported. “You can go invisible.” Rena said. “Just like Orion does.” “Oh?” Megan put her crown back on. A book floated out of the book case crossed the room then the hallway. The door on the other side opened and the book floated through and the door closed behind it. Megan swallowed hard then pointing. “There’s a ghost man in that room.” May and Rena gathered near Megan. “Did you see the ghost?” Rena asked. “I saw him, all whitish and see through.” Megan leaned into the hallway looking toward the back door. “But there’s a dark shadow thing standing back there.” The front door opened. “Is anyone in here?” Officer Ragsdale asked. “I got your back.” Officer Smith said. “Who’s got my front?” Officer Ragsdale crept into the hallway. Ragsdale shined his light through the living room where the girls had stood moments before. “This is where the lights were.” Smith said. The two searched the room but finding nothing they moved to the window and looked down the hill. “Great, here comes Victoria.” Ragsdale shook his head. “I’ll get it.” Smith said. Megan, May and Rena stood upon the first landing on the staircase looking down toward the dark image that move back and forth and occasionally through the closed cellar door. “You can’t come in here while we are doing an investigation.” Officer Smith warned Victoria. The girls looked over the rail then turned around and saw a door leading to a balcony. “This is a perfect opportunity to get proof of the paranormal!” Victoria responded. “You can’t be certain this was paranormal activity.” Officer Smith said. The door behind him to his left clicked then opened and the book floated across the hallway in front of Smith and the news crew with the camera rolling. “You were saying?” Victoria asked. Smith held his light on the book until it found its place on the book shelf. Ragsdale watched from the dining room doorway. “Did you see that?” May whispered looking over the hand rail. “I’m just glad we remembered these suits have cloaking functions.” Rena whispered. Officer Smith looked upward toward the landing. “I thought I heard something.” “Can we come in there or not?” Victoria asked with a touch of agitation. “Someone could still be in here.” He warned. Finally he backed up. “In the living room and stay there until we clear the rest of the building.” Victoria and her camera operator moved into the living room and began working at the book case. “Did you see that?” Victoria spoke excitedly. “That book floated across the hallway and landed on this book shelf.” She picked the book up and waved a hand around it. “There are no strings attached.” The girls watched from their landing as a ball of light came from the second floor hallway, slowly moved past them and went up the stairs. “A visible orb.” May pointed up the staircase. “Hay there’s a dead animal in this bedroom and it’s still warm.” Ragsdale called out. “There’s also a burned image on the floor.” “Boy you’re quite the popular one tonight.” Rena told Megan. May was moving up the stairs as the boards squeaked at her feet. Rena and Megan followed. “I hear footsteps.” Victoria moved back into the front hallway and looked up the stairs. “Footsteps going up the stairs.” Her camera operator followed her direction. May went down the hallway to the left and slowly opened a door on her right then peeked inside. Carefully she adjusted her suit’s visibility functions so she could see into the room without her flashlight. “You know someone could be in here.” Rena warned. “That’s all right, Megan can fry them.” May answered. Megan rolled her eyes shaking her head. She heard the camera crew starting up the staircase. One by one May and Rena opened the doors and looked into the rooms. “Why would a family of five need this many bedrooms?” May asked. “Because it wasn’t a home it was a laboratory.” Megan answered softly. “And the news crew is coming up the stairs.” “They were told to stay in the living room.” May said. “When does a news crew ever do what they are told especially when there’s news to be had?” Rena asked. “I hate to tell you guys but other than the living that we are aware of no one in their right mind could stay here.” Megan said. “I’m not worried about people in their right mind.” Rena said. “I get it.” Megan responded. “A crazy person wouldn’t be caught in here either.” May peeked into another room. “There’s nothing here.” Megan shook her head and sighed. “Yes there is. We’re not on the right floor.” Megan pointed toward the ceiling. The girls heard footsteps above them. “Where’s the news team?” Rena asked. “Jimmy caught them, made them go back to the living room.” Megan answered. “How do you know that?” May asked. Megan pointed toward her ears. Officer Smith shined his light into the bloody bedroom with Ragsdale searching nearby. Officer Jennifer Harold entered the dining room to find Victoria and her camera operator working in the bedroom near the dead raccoon. “What could have done something like this?” Victoria knelt beside the scorched carcass. “What kind of power would it take to burn an animal like this?” Victoria moved to the scorched marks on the floor with her camera operator following. “Here we find the wood scorched in the shape of a person. Here by what we think must have been the right foot we find the wood scorched to an even greater degree.” Officer Harold turned away looking through the living room. “God I hate this place.” She watched as all the cabinets above the kitchen counter opened one at a time. “Guys? You might want to get this.” She pointed. The camera operator moved into the dining room keeping the camera on the kitchen until all the doors once again closed by themselves then suddenly the kitchen door slammed causing them all to jump. “God I hate this place.” Officer Harold’s hand shook visibly causing her flashlight to quiver. The camera operator turned toward the officer and Victoria. “Tell me Officer Harold, do you believe in ghosts.” Victoria asked. On the third floor Megan opens a door and steps inside. “There’s a little girl in here.” She whispers and points. “On the bed.” Rena and May enter. “Where?” May asks. “There.” Megan points. “Adjust your invisible light sensitivity.” May filled with the controls of her suit on her left arm. “I see her.” Rena said. “What’s with her head?” “She’s the younger daughter, the one who died with her mother in the kitchen floor. They said she and her sister had a birth defect.” Megan explained. There was a table with a lamp on each side of the bed and beside the one on the right there was a very old hand made wooden rocking horse. To the far right there was a closet still filled with cloths. On the bed beside the ghost were several dolls including a Raggedy Ann and Andy. “This was her room.” Megan approached as the young ghost watched. Rena saw the ghost’s mouth move. “What is she saying?” Megan watched as the ghost repeated. “She’s saying help me.” “She knows she doesn’t belong here.” Rena said. “Something’s keeping her here.” Megan said. “I can feel it.” “The thing in the basement?” May asked. “Maybe.” Megan answered. The girls watched as the ghost got up and approached them looking at each one of them then out the doorway and down the hall and back again. “She knows the mansion has other visitors.” Megan said. “The grays couldn’t have babies.” May said. “She’s not a half breed born of a woman is she?” “I don’t think she’s half gray, she’s something else.” Megan answered. “Then again maybe her and her sister had a birth defect.” “If this facility was for alien research her birth defect wasn’t an accident.” Rena said. The girls watched as the ghost of the young girl moved about her room then to her rocking horse. “That was hers when she was younger. I’m guessing she must have been ten or twelve when she died.” Megan said. “Someone or something wanted everyone here dead.” Rena said. “I can feel the presence of something very evil and it’s still nearby.” “I feel something moving below us.” Megan whispered. “The older son was found in the front yard with a broken neck and the older daughter in the back yard also with a broken neck.” Rena said thoughtfully. “But the mother and younger daughter were found dead on the kitchen floor without a mark on them.” “Are we assuming they were all killed by the same thing?” May asked. The girls looked at each other then back at the ghost. “Do you think she knows what killed them?” Megan asked. Downstairs the officers stopped at the basement door. “Open it, I’ll cover you.” Ragsdale said. Officer Smith saw Officer Harrold move into the hallway followed by Victoria and her camera operator. “I would rather not go down there in the dark.” Officer Smith took a deep breath then turned the knob and forced the door open with a loud squeak. A growling rumbling sound moved through the building. Officer Smith shined his light down the staircase. The girls heard the growl and felt the house tremble on the third floor. “They’ve opened the basement door.” Megan reported. The ghost of the younger girl looked down at the floor then vanished. “Did you see that?” Rena pointed where the ghost had been. “If I don’t miss my guess that’s the same thing that killed them in 1952, and it is still here.” Megan said. “Oh I love a mystery.” Rena said. “God I hate this place.” Officer Harold watched Officer Smith descending the staircase with Ragsdale following. Ragsdale looked at Harold. “Don’t look at me. I wouldn’t go down there for a million dollars.” She shook her head. “If I remember the last time Smith was down there he found a dead body. No one ever explained what killed the guy.” Victoria nodded as her camera operator captured everything that Officer Harold had just said then swung the camera to watch the other two on the staircase. Chapter 10 “What the hell is that!” Officer Ragsdale screamed from the basement. “Sweet Jesus!” Officer Smith exclaimed. The sound of hurried footsteps followed by crashing and the sound of men falling echoed from the basement. Victoria glanced at Officer Harold who instinctively drew her service pistol while holding a very shaky flashlight on the basement doorway. “Stay on the staircase.” Victoria commanded her camera operator. “Oh God it’s got me!” Ragsdale screamed. “It’s got to catch me!” Smith exclaimed. Smith ran up the stairs nearly knocking the camera operator down as he passed heading for the door as fast as his legs could carry him. The camera followed Smith to the door then turned back to the basement doorway. Muttered sounds then some scuffling came from the basement. Footsteps could be heard on the staircase. Officer Harold looked through the doorway to see Ragsdale moving up the stairs backwards with his flashlight watching behind him. “What is it?” Officer Harold asked. “It’s a shadow thing.” Ragsdale pointed. “And there’s something else with glowing red eyes down here.” “Are you getting this?” Victoria asked. Her camera operator nodded. Ragsdale backed out the basement door with flashlight and gun drawn. Carefully he closed the door with Officer Harold watching closely. “There isn’t anything down there your gun would have any effect on.” Victoria said. The officers looked at her. “You saw the shadow entity.” The officers moved toward the front door keeping a close eye on the basement door. “There’s something unearthly in the basement of the Bates mansion. We hope to have more for you as the story develops. This is Victoria Monroe reporting.” “Got it.” The camera operator said. “Now what’s a shadow entity?” Victoria moved toward the door then paused and looked down the hallway to her left toward Mr. Bate’s bedroom. “How’s your intestinal fortitude?” The girls standing on the upstairs balcony saw Officer Smith run for his life followed by Ragsdale and Harold. “That was interesting.” May said. “You can say that again.” Rena agreed. The girls turned to see the young ghost standing beside them. Megan approached the ghost. “Is that thing keeping you here?” Megan asked. The ghost nodded. “Do you know what it is?” Megan asked. The ghost nodded then looked up at the night sky and back at Megan. “It’s not from this earth is it?” Megan asked. The ghost shook her head. “Is it a spirit?” Megan asked. The ghost nodded then pointed downward into the house and shook her head. “What does that mean?” May asked. “Sounds like a yes and a no.” Rena said. The ghost pointed at Rena and nodded. “Does it live in the basement?” Megan asked. The ghost nodded then shook her head. “Another yes and no.” Rena said. “Ok, I’m confused.” May said. “It’s both alien and spirit and it lives in the basement but it doesn’t live in the basement.” Megan explained. “We can’t bring Brianna here.” May said. “Wonder how this thing will fair against Ember?” Megan said. “Oh you wouldn’t!” May gasped. “This thing isn’t a varlock you can grab and toast.” Rena warned. “Besides you might flame on and burn this entire mansion to the ground and kill all of us.” May warned. “I doubt Ember would.” Megan said. “Ember doesn’t really care as long as Ember wins.” May protested. “She’s right. Ember wouldn’t hurt us or an innocent on purpose but Ember acts before she thinks.” Rena agreed. “I advise caution.” Megan went back into the house and down the stairs with the others including the ghost following. Victoria posed in front of the bed in Mr. Bate’s former bedroom. The camera record light came on. “This is the infamous bloody bedroom where Mr. Bates was murdered, torn to pieces by something. The stories varied that he was murdered by someone using a meat cleaver from the kitchen. Other’s say he was torn apart by a creature with razor sharp claws. The police found all the doors and windows locked from the inside.” Victoria pointed toward the blood stained wall. “You can see the blood spatter on the wall where a cross once hung.” “I hear footsteps.” Victoria said. The camera operator moved into the hallway. “My camera died!” The footsteps approached until they were right in front of the camera operator. Victoria peeked around the door with her flashlight. “So that’s the bloody bedroom.” Megan said. “I guess.” May answered. “I hear voices! I can’t see anything!” Victoria said. “Me either.” The camera operator responded. “Oh look its Victoria Monroe from the news.” Megan said. “I’ve always wanted to meet her.” May said. Rena giggled as she watched Victoria and her camera operator backing down the hallway. “Do you think we could get an autograph?” Megan asked. “Let me see if I can find a piece of paper.” May said as she entered the bedroom. “I’m hearing two distinct voices and someone else giggled.” Victoria said. “My camera is dead.” The camera operator said. “Do you think their dangerous?” “Very dangerous.” Megan said. “But we like you.” “Come here.” May said. “Thank God they like us.” Victoria gasped. “Fix the freekin camera!” “Look at this.” May pointed at a dish on top the dresser. “It’s another sage dish. There…” Rena picked up a little bag from the dresser. “It’s a mojo bag. Mr. Bates was trying to protect himself from something supernatural.” Victoria shined her light upon the floating MoJo bag. “Thanks.” Megan said. “There on the wall where the blood spattered is the clear outline of a cross.” Rena pointed. Victoria watched the cross float from under the bed. “I found it.” May said. “You guys don’t sound like ghosts.” Victoria’s flashlight shook in her hand. “No, but she is.” Megan lay a hand on Victoria’s shoulder. The glow from Megan moved over Victoria, she saw the girls glowing from the cloaking in their suits. “It’s all right. You’re safe at least for the moment.” “Don’t go into the basement.” May warned. “There’s a very bad thing in this house and for the time being it seems to be confined in there.” Megan warned. “Is that…” Victoria pointed at the young ghost. “That’s the younger daughter who died in the kitchen with her mother.” Megan said. “We think the thing in the basement had something to do with their deaths.” May said. “Who are you?” Victoria asked. “I’m Ember. These are my friends.” Megan answered. “We are trying to get to the bottom of this mystery to.” “You’re invisible.” Victoria said. “How?” “You’re invisible to, you just don’t know it.” May giggled. “The little ghost says the thing in the basement killed her and her family.” Megan said. “It’s time for us to go.” Megan released Victoria’s shoulder and they once again vanished from her view. “I got it! I got it!” The camera operator pointed the camera toward Victoria. “What did you get?” Victoria asked. “I got you standing by the door.” The camera operator answered. “Did you get the voices?” Victoria asked. “Ah, no.” “Ember?” Victoria waited but there was no answer. “That figures.” “What?” “There were three women standing here dressed in uniforms and the ghost of the younger daughter was standing right there by the dresser.” Victoria pointed. “And we got squat!” Megan, May and Rena watched Victoria and her camera operator on the forward viewer. “Oh she’s not happy!” May laughed. “What ever in the world possessed you to walk right up and start talking to her?” “She didn’t seem to be to dangerous.” Megan answered. “The way she’s slapping her camera operator I would bet he would argue with you.” Rena shook her head. “I guess I thought it might be funny.” Megan finally admitted. “Couldn’t resist.” May laughed. “It occurs to me that thing in the basement might be able to roam the entire grounds under certain conditions.” Rena said. “It appears there’s a reason why it confined itself to the basement.” Megan nodded. “What do we do now?” May asked. “We anchor an orb here and watch.” Megan answered. Rena nodded. “Do you think Victoria is going to get into trouble because of us?” May asked. “I hope not. She’s the best reporter in the city. Not one of the others would have set foot inside that mansion.” Megan said. “Especially not after dark.” “If she tells that she saw us in there it might not be good.” Rena warned. “Orb.” Megan poked a command on her floating viewer then sent the orb down to Victoria who was still scolding her camera man at the news van. Megan moved the orb up close to Victoria then touched her head with it. “Victoria can you hear me?” Suddenly Victoria became silent then looked around. “You shouldn’t tell anyone you saw us. They will think you’re crazy. Do you understand?” Victoria nodded. “Yeah I got it.” “Orb dissolve.” Megan touched another command icon on the floating viewer. Victoria sat on the back of the van with one hand over her chest. The wrecker pulled away with the pickup truck, Billy Bob and Lula May. All three police cars followed the wrecker leaving Victoria and her camera man alone in the dark. “Are you Ok?” The camera man asked. “Ember just told me not to talk about seeing them in the mansion.” Victoria answered. “She said people will think we are crazy.” The camera man nodded. Megan turned her view across the road to the foundation of the burned down house. “I want to talk to the witnesses from 1952.” “No doubt long gone.” May said. “City records should tell us who lived there in 1952. There should also be a news paper article about it.” Rena said. Looking toward the mansion they saw the ghost of the little girl on the top balcony. “Where are the others?” May asked. “Their there somewhere.” Megan answered. “That thing manipulates spirits.” “Like a varlock.” Rena said. “This thing is different.” “Ghosts draw energy from the surroundings and this thing keeps draining them like a parasite.” Rena said. Megan nodded. “I could feel it.” She flew an orb into the mansion through the hallways and rooms while the others watched. Finally she guided the orb into the basement checking every room. “I don’t see it.” May said. Megan paused an orb at the end of a hallway where pieces of concrete had been knocked from the wall. “I’m going to leave this orb here.” Chapter 11 Four sleek black spaceships crossed the Pacific Ocean in low orbit one following another. In minutes they will land at dreamland with their precious cargo. Three astronauts wearing advanced spacesuits set at the controls of the lead ship. “Something on your mind Jen?” Roger asked. “I can’t get her out of my head.” Jennifer Marshal answered. “A glowing girl obviously from earth walking around on Mars like it was second nature. No spacesuit or spaceship and she vanished in a blue light.” “Matter transporter.” Roger said. “We have people working on that same technology.” “Somehow I doubt it’s the same.” Jen said. “She said something about having a spaceship named Orion.” Roger said. “She wasn’t happy that it or he wasn’t looking out for her.” Jen said. “Atmosphere contact in 10.” Tony announced. One by one the stealth spaceships landed and were met by tractors that towed them back to the hanger facility that hides the elevator system. The crews remained inside until each craft was sealed inside its containment facility deep within the instillation. Each team was met by a hazmat team and processed through decontamination. Lassitor watched on the monitors from his plush ultra tech office. General Allen watched from his office not far from Lassitor’s. With him were Colonel Tom Kent and Major Mike Wilson. Other teams waited for the precious Martian cargo so they could begin their jobs of analyzing the specimens. In another room deep within the facility several others watch on their own monitors. Dr. Charles Lowe was the lead Electrical Engineer. Dr. Ernest Bledsoe master of all metals. Dr. Bill Harold the chemical engineer. Dr. Randall Casino the Mechanical Engineer and Dr. Greg Robertson was the leading radio technician. These were allowed access to everything at dream land. Likewise they were watched very closely by Lassiter. In Lassiter’s building several others watched their monitors with anticipation. Dr. Greta Farnsworth the photo annalist. Dr. Nemiah Quigley the aerospace technology specialist. Dr. Albert Jackson the linguist who was working to decipher the alien writing. Dr. Kevin Katowski the anthropologist and archeologist who researched ancient civilizations their languages and cultures. The sealed containers with bodies and artifacts were removed from the spaceships and taken to their various laboratories for analysis. Each of the astronauts were run through multiple decontamination rooms and then finally examined by doctors. “Debriefings start in the morning.” Their commanding officer ordered. The astronauts were transported down a tunnel to their quarters in a special sealed vehicle with no windows. Jennifer sat quietly processing a multitude of thoughts. She wasn’t sure what to say about the strange young lady with the crown. Would she ever see Ember Reign again? It was clear that Ember was on Mars for the same reason, trying to solve the mystery of what happen to the Martians. Early morning five miles off the coast of the Florida Keys a boat is drift fishing. The pilot keeps watch while two men fish from the back. In the distance a huge fin rises up cutting the water like a knife. He gets his binoculars for a closer look. He sounds the alarm as the gigantic fish turns at the last moment then heads toward the Keys. The fishermen look at their deep sea fishing rigs and shake their heads. On Orion the girls altered time and had a good night’s sleep. Those on Orion sense 8 hours passing while only one or two hours may have passed in the real world. They can have a full night’s sleep and return home as if nothing is out of place. This morning the team meets at breakfast. The cafeteria was positioned off the hallway behind the command room. Dr. Crystal entered as the girls took their seats at a round table with comfortable space age chairs. “You slept well.” Crystal smiled. “We let Ember out of the box last night.” Rena said. “What’s for breakfast?” Crystal asked. “Anything you want.” Megan answered. “Sounds good.” Crystal headed for the food synthesizer. As they ate they discussed recent happenings and showed Dr. Crystal videos of the previous night. Crystal had a good laugh while watching Victoria Monroe and her camera man. They checked the view on the orb at the mansion but there had been no paranormal activity after the girls left. “What’s the deal with that?” May asked. The others didn’t have an answer. “There wasn’t anyone else to scare.” Megan answered. “The little ghost won’t go into the basement.” Rena said. “Maybe the thing only comes out when someone’s there.” Crystal said. Rena smiled. “If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one there to hear, does it make a sound?” “Of course it does.” May answered. “That’s just silly.” “I mean it takes energy for a spirit to make its presence felt. If there’s no one there why bother to spend the energy?” Rena explained. “What if it feeds off the living as well as the dead? What if it spent enough energy that it’s resting now?” Megan asked. A few moments passed as they considered the possibilities. Crystal stood. “I’ve got to get to the office.” “I need to go help grandma for a while then go home.” Megan said. “I parked my car at the ranch behind the big house. I told the staff if anyone calls just tell them I’m busy. That way no one comes looking for me. Then I zap up to Orion using the necklace.” Rena said. “I’ll just call Mom and tell her I’m with Megan.” May laughed. “Your mom and dad don’t really care where you are do they?” Megan asked. “Sure they do but they give me a long leash most of the time.” May answered. Chapter 12 An hour later everyone was exactly where they said they would be. Dr. Crystal was in her office seeing patients. Rena went home and Megan and May parked Orion over the south forty. They beamed Megan’s little silver car onto the country road and drove to grandma’s house. Megan and May entered the farm house shortly after eight AM to find Martha, John and Alma Butler, Jud and Sidney having a meeting in the kitchen. “There they are.” John said. “Looks like we are going to pull this off.” Sidney said. “The dude ranch will officially open on the last day of school.” “The horses are in the lots to let them get familiar with the area.” John said. “I even bought a new tractor and wagon for use on the ranch.” “I ran some ads in several of the big city news papers.” Sidney said. “I don’t have much for fruit yet but I think we will get by.” “Any takers yet?” May asked. “We have one.” John said. “A little girl by the name of Chloe.” Megan’s eyebrows rose upon her forehead. “Your not charging her are you?” John shook his head. “I’ve all ready put her horse in the lot with the others.” Megan looked at Alma and Martha wondering if they had caught anything they shouldn’t have from what she had said. “You know Chloe?” Alma asked. “I know her brand new house burned to the ground last winter.” Megan answered. “It was on the news.” May added. “Such a terrible thing.” Martha said. “She said an angel saved her entire family, thank God.” “They’ve just about got their house ready to move back in again.” Alma said. “And she’s going to come here for a week?” May asked. “I told her she can stay as long as she likes.” Martha said. “I even offered her a job.” Megan hugged her grandmother. “You’re the angel grandma.” “Oh it was nothing child.” Martha said. “Besides she wants to tell her story at church how the angel saved her family.” “Oh,” Megan looked at May. “I thought it would be good for the summer revival to let people know that God still performs miracles and angels still walk the earth.” Martha explained. “How nice.” Megan said. “Are you all right Jud?” May asked. “You two want to help with the hay this morning?” Jud asked. “That’s why we’re here.” May answered. In the barn loft the three moved bails to the loft door then tossed them into the wagon below. “Why don’t we use the big round bails?” May asked. “John sold most of them. Besides we have a loft full of regular bails we need to use.” Jud answered. “What if Chloe recognizes you?” May asked. Megan watched as Jud tossed a bail into the wagon. “She’s just a little girl and if I tell her it is a secret she won’t tell anyone.” “Are you certain?” May pulled her gloves from her hands. “What else can we do?” Megan asked. “You could erase her memory of you.” May suggested. “I wouldn’t do that and steal her dreams. No way!” Megan answered. “If the little girl wants to believe in angels let her.” Jud growled. “Now come on and give me a hand.” The three distributed the bails to the horses and while the horses ate they brushed them all down. “We built a camp site at the Sidwell house.” Jud said. “We put in picnic tables, a place for a camp fire. We cleared the brush with the new tractor and brush hog. We even built a swim dock. There’s a circular pen for the horses and one of those large round bails.” “You have been busy.” May said. “We’ve been leading the horses down there twice a week to get them familiar with the trip.” Jud said. “We even planted the two fields there with corn.” Megan stroked a horse’s neck the horse nudged her and whinnied. “You remember don’t you Skezics? Just remember, it’s a secret.” John and Sidney arrived as the three finished. “Bring the horses to the barn and I’ll show you the tack.” Megan saw her cow pony Sparky in the chicken yard and ran to give him a hug then returned and led one of the other horses to the barn. “Saddle five horses, we are going for a ride.” John instructed. As they rode the trail through the forest John kept Megan in slot two near him. “Your grandmother said you had some kind of sleep disorder. She said you were seeing Dr. Crystal.” John said. “I hope it’s nothing serious.” Megan looked at Sidney riding behind May then at John. “I had a nightmare and set my bed on fire.” “Seriously?” John asked. Megan nodded. “Because of the crown?” John asked. Megan nodded. “It changed me. Now I have powers even when I’m not wearing it.” “Does Crystal know?” John asked. “She’s known since she saved my life when Jordon Gilmore shot me. She set up a special lab to run tests.” John looked back at Sidney then at Megan. “Sidney said something about you having a tendency to appear and vanish like a ghost. I don’t think Alma or Martha took note of it. She looked at me, I shook my head. She didn’t say anything else. So what’s the story?” “She knows there’s something strange about me but Jud and Crystal told her to keep it between them. She hasn’t said anything to me.” Megan explained. “What about Chloe?” John asked. “Think she will recognize you?” “She might. She’s such a sweet kid. I guess you recognized the business card.” Megan smiled. “It was a true three dimensional animated card made of the same stuff the oil maps were made of. The glowing crown with Ember’s name flaming was a nice touch.” The team put their horses into the circular lot. They walked to the picnic tables and inspected them then to the wooden swim dock at the creek. “This is nice.” Megan said as she tested the water with a hand. “Still a bit cool for me.” “We finished the dock two days ago.” Jud said. “You guys have been busy.” May nodded. “We hired a local farm hand. Don’t know if you would remember him from church, that was over five years ago.” John said. “Ray works at the farmers CoOp over at Midway when he’s not in school. He graduates this year, same age as you.” “Ray?” Megan shook her head. “He works other jobs for farmers in the area when they need help.” John said. “He’s got his ad on the corkboard over there.” Megan turned to see Sidney looking right at her as if she wanted to ask something but didn’t know if she should. “Well if this isn’t awkward?” May crossed her arms. Sidney looked at the others then Megan. “Everyone here knows your secret except me is that it?” “Pretty close.” May answered for Megan. “Shut up May.” Megan growled. “Excuse me.” May responded. “It was your fault anyway. I warned you about…” Megan looked from May to Sidney. “Other than appearing and vanishing what else can you do?” Sidney asked. “That’s about it.” May said. “What about the three ‘D’ maps that were made on material that isn’t found on earth?” Sidney asked. Jud and John took a seat on the benches on the swim dock. “Popcorn and a soda?” Jud asked John. “May made the maps.” Megan answered. “I did not, Orion made them.” May argued. “Because you asked him to!” Megan exclaimed. “So? You wouldn’t have known about the oil under these properties if it wasn’t for me!” May yelled. “Oh yeah?” Megan yelled. “Yeah!” May shoved Megan backwards off the dock. Sidney walked to the edge of the dock as her mouth fell open. There was Megan standing on the water. “Ohhhh-K. You can walk on water.” Megan looked at her feet then at May. “You are so going to get it.” She shook her fist at May. “Ah, you could have fallen into the water instead of standing on it. Don’t blame this on me.” May crossed her arms and shook her head. Megan stepped back upon the dock. “First off I’m wearing my cell phone. Second the water is too cold.” “Cell phone, I forgot about that.” “You didn’t think!” Megan waved her arms. Sidney noticed John and Jud eating popcorn and drinking colas. “Where did you get that?” “Wonderful.” May shook her head. “I didn’t know you could walk on water.” Jud said then looked at John. “Did you?” “No I didn’t.” John shook his head. “I’ve got an idea. We’ll build a combination stadium and horse show arena to let those two entertain the public, what do you think?” Jud asked. “I like it.” John nodded. “Well Sidney...” Megan put her arm around Sidney. “Looks like it’s going to be an interesting summer.” “When did you learn to walk on water?” May asked as they walked toward the horse pen. “Just now, pretty cute huh?” “I’ll say. Think you could teach me how to do that?” May asked. “Sure I guess.” “Where could I get some pop corn and a soda?” Sidney asked. “Here you can have mine.” Megan held out her hands and a drink and bag of popped corn appeared. She gave them to Sidney. “I didn’t just see what I think I saw did I?” Sidney asked. “Nope.” May shook her head. “Enjoy it while you can because when the customers are here tricks like these will be rare.” Megan patted Sidney on the back. Chapter 13 Hovering invisible and silent over the Gulf of Mexico was a one hundred and fifty foot long black triangular spaceship known as Delta Star. A man commonly referred to by the girls as the mystery man watches several view screens. “I’ve got a hit.” One of the female crew members announced. “Bring it.” Richard King commanded. The video appeared on the screen. “That’s right four men on a fishing boat five miles off the coast of the Florida keys reported seeing a shark that was larger than their boat.” The news reporter said. “Why didn’t we get this on the marine band?” Richard asked. “Find the boat that reported this and find the audio of the original transmission. Then get me to that location A-SAP!” Richard got up and left the forward cabin. Just beyond the cabin door was a globe shaped room that contained a confinement facility along with the command controls for the hover hatch and matter transporter. On each side of the room were rotating cylinders that held a dark mystery. Rena Delray had tried on numerous occasions to discover what was inside these chambers but each time was caught and made to leave them alone by Richard’s humanoid alien crew. It wasn’t until Rena called Richard and warned him that Megan and May were in trouble that she discovered the secret of the chambers on the starboard side of the ship. That night after the big fight with the first varlock Rena came to Orion and told Megan and May that Richard keeps bodies in them, not dead bodies but his bodies. “He changes bodies like we change cloths” she said. Rena told the story that Richard told her how he was attacked by people in the desert and left for dead. The aliens in this ship transferred his consciousness into one of these bodies while they repaired his own. They gave him command of their ship. Rena said they watch him constantly yet they take orders from him. When he requires special abilities he puts his own body into a chamber then transfers his consciousness into one of the three selected android bodies. One body was actually slightly smaller than his physical body, light weight agile and very fast. Another was about the same size as his own with special speed strength and agility. This one could alter appearance somewhat. He could look like himself or someone else of the same size. The large body was nearly seven feet tall with phenomenal strength, Richard nick-named this one Goliath. This was the body he used to fight the varlock and help Megan and May during their battle on the high plateau in Africa. Each body had its own special suit, armor and weapons. On the port side of the ship a doorway opened from the globe shaped room into an area where he kept his extremely advanced motorcycle, car and van. Just beyond the car was another chamber that housed a smaller silver space ship with seven seats. Likewise on the opposite side of the ship was another ship in a chamber just like this one. These were commonly considered life boats for the main ship. Just beyond these chambers were two much smaller silver arrowhead shaped ships with two tandem seats. These were fifteen feet long armed and considered fighter ships. The Delta Star held one of these on each side. Standing in the globe room facing aft was another doorway that led into the sleep chambers. Within this room were eight self contained bunks with their own life support systems. In an emergency these chambers could be set for hibernation sleep. From the globe room looking aft to the left is another doorway leading to what some might call the recreation chamber. This room held some of the mystery man’s treasures along with a shower that converted into a hot tub. Against the forward wall angled to the right of the entrance was the three dimensional surround sound theater. The globe shaped room also contains a molecular manipulation system. Anything Richard could design in this computer could be created within this chamber. The computer could literally take matter from various sources rearrange it and reassemble it. Weapons, vehicles, robots or new android bodies could be created. This computer came with a multitude of designs all ready in memory. This system allowed Richard to repair or modify anything he could get into the system. The hover hatch was large enough to accept a vehicle slightly larger than his van. This was the same system he used to repair and modify his motorcycle. Thanks to Delta Star ores and metals were not that difficult to acquire. Turning lead into gold was a simple process. Modifying earth aluminum into bandonite or alien aluminum was also a simple task. This system was also able to synthesize the one metal that could not be created any other way and that was trillium. Light weight incredibly durable trillium was what Delta Star was made of. Delta Star had both pulse and gravity wave drive systems without the common limitations of other spaceships. With dual auxiliary anti-matter reactors and dual array jump drive capacitors Delta Star had phenomenal speed and range. Her fully integrated gravity wave system required no extra inertia dampening. With jump and full gravity wave systems Delta Star had what was called plus light speed or warp and extended jump drive capability. The advanced dual jump drive system could perform multiple jumps simultaneously as well as jumping on curved paths. Rena rightly suspected that Richard King wasn’t the mystery man’s real name. She also suspected the reason for the aliens helping Richard and then giving him command of their ship was connected to the same reason why Megan had been given the crown device and Orion. The purpose was to give an advantage to the human side of the impending invasion. “I got it.” One of the female aliens reported. A moment later Richard listened to the original call. “Where did that originate from?” “This fishing boat has a GPS that transmits it’s location with a digital radio system.” The male alien at the right side forward controls answered. He turned Delta Star and in a blink they were hovering over the ocean east of the Florida Keys. “About here.” “Give me a full scan then expand toward the Keys.” Richard commanded. “Calculate the speed and direction along with how many hours have passed since the shark was at this location.” That afternoon Megan, May and Rena met on Orion. May was teaching Megan how to fly the little spaceships using the simulator. Rena watched with interest using one of Orion’s large screens. The simulated ships zipped along a few feet above the ocean at mach two. “Learn to feel the ship and the controls Megan.” May instructed over her helmet com. “Don’t depend on your ship to keep you out of the water.” “I feel it.” Megan said. “It has a rhythm to it doesn’t it?” May smiled. “Feel the beat girl. Feel the beat.” “Megan can you hear me?” Rena asked. “Sure can.” Megan answered. “Let Ember fly and see what happens.” Rena advised. Megan glanced at her rear view to see May following in her simulated ship. “I’m going to give her a bit more distance and let Ember out of the box.” May took a deep breath and pulled up following Megan. “All right.” “I am Ember Reign.” Megan said. Her eyes glowed and the silver triangle appeared on her forehead. She pushed forward on the speed control on the left consol and shot forward to mach four. Carefully she maneuvered left then right as Ember felt the controls and memorized the ship. Numbers and calculations flashed through Megan’s mind and none of it made any sense to her but Ember understood. “Pacah dech, gorba fa tora.” Ember said over the radio. “Ah what?” May asked. “I have command.” Ember turned loose of the controls and the ship shot upward and accelerated again. “I know this ship.” “Yeah I had a funny feeling.” May said as she tried to keep up with Ember. Rena zoomed in using Orion’s viewer and saw that Ember was controlling the little ship in the simulator without touching the controls. Ember’s ship turned leveled off then spun left and right straightened out and accelerated again. Suddenly May blinked and Ember was gone. “Where the?” “I’m behind you.” Ember answered. “This is fun.” May looked up to see Ember upside down directly above her. She watched as Ember flew around her several times then took lead formation to the left. “Is that what you wanted Ember?” Rena asked. “Rena Delray is my friend.” Ember said. “Yes she is. You just take good care of our girl Megan.” “I’m here.” Megan smiled. “I feel good for a change.” “Ready to try the real thing?” May asked. “I feel really dangerous.” Megan answered. “Kinda invincible.” “Bring it home and we will go out for an hour.” May said. A few moments later May was checking Megan out inside one of the real fighter ships. The side was open. Megan was wearing her crown and spacesuit. “Orion has integrated the ship’s HUD and commands into our suit helmets so you don’t need to use the ship helmets.” May explained. “You power up, set it in hover and cloaked. Set your power level at forty percent and weapons on safety. There’s an automatic check list built in. You can set it and execute it by touching the command on the screen or voice command.” Megan followed May’s instructions. May looked at Rena. “I was going to ride with her but there’s only two seats.” “It’s all right May, take your ship and take Rena with you.” Megan said. “Will you be all right?” “I’ve got Ember if I get into trouble.” Megan answered. “Let’s do it.” May got into her ship, Rena climbed into the back seat. “Orion take us out over the ocean about a mile or so up would be fine. East coast a few miles out will do.” Megan said. They watched their remote viewers as Orion moved them to a location he selected. “What are you thinking Megan?” May asked. “If Dark Star can track alien ships we don’t know if they can track these while cloaked or not. If they see us zipping in and out from the farm that would be like sending up a flair.” Megan answered. “Good thinking.” May said. “Ready?” “Set us outside Orion.” Megan said. A moment later they were hovering high above the Atlantic. “Scanning the area for bogies and ships.” May said. “Give the ship time to know where it’s at.” “Got it.” Megan answered. “Oh this is cool.” Rena examined her command seat and viewer. “It’s round and has a viewer all the way around inside like a ball!” “That’s the weapons officer’s seat. You can see and shoot in any direction from back there.” May explained. “The release button is on the right arm of your chair.” “I see it.” Rena said. She hit the button and her chair unlocked and began to move. “Use the controls on the chair and you can turn in any direction within the ball.” May explained. “Tracking all kinds of things back here!” Rena exclaimed. “You’ll figure it out.” May said. “You will never believe this.” Megan said. “What?” May asked. “Do you see any bogies, UFO’s or anything on your sensors?” Megan asked. “I see airplanes and boats.” She looked again. “I see one submarine south bound in the gulf stream about two hundred feet down.” “I see the Delta Star moving north a few miles off the coast.” Megan said. “Oh? Show me.” May asked. A moment later the new target appeared on May’s sensors. “How did you do that?” “If Orion can see it the crown can see it and I can see him. I linked what I see through my ship to yours.” Megan answered. “Let’s see what he’s doing?” Rena said. “Think he can see us?” May asked. “I would just about bet on it.” Rena answered. “Orion can you give us a link please?” “I can.” Orion said. “It is done using the code Richard gave us.” Chapter 14 Radio frequencies flashed on her com screen then locked into a preset number. “Orion flight cleared to approach.” The female voice sounded from Delta Star. “What are you doing out here today?” Rena asked. “We are looking for a gigantic shark.” Richard’s voice responded followed by a video com link. “Are you following me around now?” “Not exactly.” Megan answered. “We just came out to test fly our little fighters. I just thought I would say hi.” Megan maneuvered near Delta Star as May followed. “Need any help?” Megan asked. “Sure.” Richard answered. “It was sighted a few miles south of here headed north west around five AM.” “Maybe it doesn’t want to be found.” Rena said. “I’ll send the video to you.” Richard said. The girls watched the video of the news report then listened to the radio call the boat had made. “A gigantic shark?” May shook her head. “More likely it is either an illusion generated by a submersed space ship or it’s a high tech submarine.” Richard answered. “If this is a fish it doesn’t really care.” May said. “If it’s not it’s no doubt capable of avoiding detection.” Rena added. “If that’s the case it’s deliberately trying to attract attention.” Megan said. “Attract attention but not get caught.” Rena added. “It didn’t go North West.” Megan said. “It showed up beside that boat because it was convenient then let them see it going North West, it went down and turned south, the same direction that Navy submarine is going.” “How do you know that?” Richard asked. “Listen to her.” Rena said. “Who do you think you are anyway?” The brunette alien female responded. Ember appeared inside Delta Star’s command cabin with a tremendous burst of light. Her eyes glowed like fire flames lept around her. She walked down the isle between the seats and leaned over to the woman. Richard and the others watched from their control seats. “Who do you think I am?” Ember asked. The alien woman’s eyes were wide. “Shit!” Rena exclaimed. “Megan!” “How about you and me step outside and have a little chat?” Ember asked the woman. Richard stood a step from Ember watching. “Megan!” Rena exclaimed over the radio. “Do not let Ember start a war between us and our friends!” The flames calmed around Ember. She looked at Richard. “My apologies, but I do not like her.” Richard nodded. In a flash of light Ember returned to her ship. Richard let go a very large sigh of relief then turned his attention toward the alien crewmember who had started this. “Do you have any more questions?” The radio came to life. “You will excuse me but you can find your fish by yourself.” Ember said. “She’s gone.” The blond female alien reported. “That went well.” May shook her head. “Is everyone all right over there?” Richard was still glairing at his dark headed alien female. “I think you need a time out.” “I, she…” The woman began. “You asked and she answered. Nuff said.” He pointed. She started for the back door. “I think she got the message.” The blond said. Richard looked at the blond. “You read the files on Ember, she apparently didn’t.” “She’s full of herself.” The alien man at the controls said. “She had it coming.” “Your all aliens and you can’t even get along with each other.” Richard shook his head. “It’s no wonder I’m the guy in charge.” Richard climbed back into his command chair in the left front. “Now find that fish.” “She didn’t mean any harm.” May apologized. “She’s just not herself at the moment.” “Forget about it.” “We really should go find her.” Rena advised. Miles away on a deserted island Ember lands, the side of her ship opened, the seat slid outward. Ember stepped out upon the sand. The glow from her eyes subsided. Megan trembled then fell into a seated position. A few tears trickled down her cheeks but were quickly wiped away. “Ember, we have to learn to get along.” Megan said. “Richard and his people are our friends.” The glow returned to Megan’s eyes, her voice changed. “You were looking for the big fish. Look in front of you.” Ember said. A huge dorsal fin emerged cutting the water about a half mile out headed for the island. She stood. “Great Caesar’s Ghost!” The gigantic shark came very near the island then slowed and stopped. She watched, a few moments passed. Megan couldn’t believe her eyes as a naked woman walked up from the water toward her. She walked up to Megan and stopped. Her eyes were as green as emeralds. Her skin was as smooth as glass. She walked around Megan then stopped in front of her. She held out her right hand and spread her fingers apart revealing the webs between them. “You’re a saran.” Megan said. “A real live mermaid.” The woman smiled. “My name is Zannah. You are the girl with the glowing eyes.” “Sometimes I’m.” Megan shook her head. “I’m Megan and yes I’m also Ember Reign.” “We have been looking for you.” “I kinda’ figured that.” Megan nodded. “Our prophecy said you would come before the great destruction.” Zannah said. “Prophecy?” Megan asked. Zannah looked at the little black spaceship. “Is this how you will fight the hord of destroyers?” “I don’t know.” Megan shook her head. “I guess some of them will.” “Our prophecy says the woman with the glowing eyes commands great power. Is this true?” Megan nodded. “You will need great power to save this world.” Megan’s eyes lit up brightly. “Taka dash begat formua.” Zannah nodded. “Vatora. Vatoria taelarum.” “How many are you?” “We are a few.” Zannan pointed toward the others that now emerged from the ocean to surround them. A Saran man carried a beautiful golden box to Ember then knelt before her. Ember took it then opened it and looked inside. “Our world was once like yours.” Zannah said. “It was destroyed by the bug headed people and their allies.” “Varlocks?” Ember asked. “There were varlocks among them. They have new weapons.” Zannah said. “I think I have seen one in an image.” Ember said. “We came to help.” Zannah said. “But we are few.” “How will I find you?” Ember asked. “The answers you seek are within the jewel.” She pointed at the box. “We must go.” Ember watched the Sarans depart the glow faded from her eyes. Megan watched as Zannah waved to her then disappeared below the waves. “Crap!” Megan said. “I wanted to ask them if they really have a tail like a fish when they are in the water.” Megan watched as the gigantic dorsal fin vanished beneath the waves. “Ember, you and I need to have a chat.” Megan noticed a sand crab having a fight with another crab over a morsel they had found. She started toward her ship. She looked up to see May’s ship appear over the far end of the island. It came near and landed, the side opened and Rena leapt out and ran to Megan. “Oh my dear Megan are you all right?” Rena grabbed her hugging her tightly. Megan looked over Rena’s shoulder at May. “Yeah.” Megan answered. Rena moved back and brushed Megan’s hair with her fingers. She shook her head then embraced Megan again and began to cry. May watched the two then noticed the box. “Where did you get that?” “The Sarans.” Megan pointed toward the ocean. “You just missed them.” “I knew it!” May exclaimed seeing the tracks in the sand. “They are here! I just knew it!” “You were right.” “You really put the fear of Ember into that alien gal.” May shook her head. “Rena lost it!” Megan nodded. “Oh and that Navy submarine is about a mile out.” May pointed. “We should leave A-SAP.” On Delta Star Richard paced the isle between the seats. “Where the hell is it?” He yelled waving his arms. “Where?” He fumed a moment staring at the brunette’s station then stormed out the back door of the cabin. “Ouch!” The alien man exclaimed. “Sucks to be her.” The blond responded. In the back of the ship Richard confronted the brunette. “If you ever piss Ember off like that again I’m going to let her have you! Now we lost the fish and God knows what else.” Richard grabbed up a magazine laying on a table ripped it to pieces throwing the pieces at the brunette. “I’m sorry.” She apologized. “Don’t you know who Ember Reign is?” Richard yelled. “She’s the one who unites the forces of good against the alien horde! Without her we are doomed!” Richard fumed glaring at the brunette. “I should make you walk home for that!” Richard turned then left for the command room. “Find me that fish!” He exclaimed to the two in the forward cabin. “I need a drink, something with a bite.” He fell into the brunette’s station just behind the right hand pilot’s seat. The blond jumped up and ran out the back door to return a moment later with the drink. “Why can’t I get good help, why?” Richard took the drink and sipped it. The blond shook her head then looked at the male alien in the pilot’s seat. “I try, I do.” Richard moaned. “I do the best I can with what I have and it’s just not good enough.” The blond looked at the man in the front seat and shrugged. She looked at Richard. “I could try to take your mind off the problem.” “Oh just forget it!” Richard waved a hand at the very attractive woman. “I’m just not in the mood right now. Now find me that fish!” He added sharply. Chapter 15 The blue transport glow appeared in Megan’s room with Megan, May and Rena. There at Megan’s laptop was Brianna, eyes wide. Brianna jumped from the chair pointed at the threesome then promptly fainted falling upon the bed. “Could this day get any worse?” Megan pulled her crown off handing it to May. “This time you didn’t look before you beamed in.” May scolded. “Who is that?” Rena asked. “That’s Brianna the nosey neighbor girl.” May said. Megan rolled Brianna over on her bed and felt for a pulse. She put a pillow under her head then looked at May. “Now what do we do?” “Ahhhh, what happened.” Brianna mumbled. “Simple, we erase her brain!” May said. “You’re kidding!” Megan asked. “This is the girl who called when you were at my Halloween party?” Rena asked. Megan nodded as Brianna scanned the faces around the bed. “One in the same.” May said. “Oh help me Bob you are my only hope!” Rena said in her best princess Leona voice. Brianna gasped. “You did that perfectly!” “She should have.” May said. “She what?” Brianna asked. Megan looked at Rena, she shrugged her shoulders. “That’s because she is princess Leona.” “Well that does it. We have no choice we have to erase her brain.” May nodded as she began to put the crown upon her head with the silver jewel in it. “It’s real isn’t it? It’s all real the battle among the stars and all?” Brianna asked. “Yes I’m afraid that it is.” Megan sat upon the bed next to Brianna. “And now that you know the truth we can’t let you go.” “Erase her brain Megan.” May urged. “Then let her go as far from here as she can get.” Megan got up and took the crown from May then put it upon her head. “I guess that may be best for all.” “Oh no!” Brianna began to cry. “You can’t erase my brain I might need it.” Megan’s eyes began to glow. Scratches jumped upon the bed then climbed right on Brianna. “Your all aliens aren’t you?” Brianna whimpered. “The earth is in serious peril and you’re here to save it I guess.” “Do it Megan.” May said. “Please, I’ll not tell anyone. I’ll join you. I’ll even sign a contract in my own blood but please don’t erase my brain.” Brianna pleaded. Suddenly May went out the door closing it behind her. Megan and Rena looked at each other then at the door then at Brianna. “Where did she go?” Rena asked. “She went to get a contract for Brianna to sign in blood.” Megan shrugged. “Meow!” Scratches said sharply. “Why not?” Megan asked. “Meow.” Orion answered. “He said to give Brianna a chance.” Megan said. “Can we trust her?” Rena asked. “Scratches is a fair judge of character.” Megan said. Several sharp rapping sounds came from the hallway. Megan opened the door then leaned back against the door facing crossing her arms. “Get off the floor.” “I can’t take it!” May rolled on the floor pounding her fist against the carpet. “Oh please don’t erase my brain I might need it! Oh that was worth the quarter!” Megan looked at Rena then at Brianna and shook her head. “I guess we need to tell her what’s going on.” Rena sat beside Brianna. “Are you really princess Leona?” Brianna asked. “I am.” Rena nodded. “I’ve been to Hollywood.” Brianna said. “Have you?” Rena asked. “I rode the Jurassic Park ride twenty times.” Brianna bragged. “Seriously!” Rena shook her head. “You’ve ridden it one more time than I have.” “Do you have a spaceship?” Brianna asked. “Yes we do.” Rena answered. “Just remember it’s a secret.” “I can keep a secret.” Brianna said. “No problem.” “We get back to Orion and he makes me a copy of the look on Brianna’s face. ” May exclaimed. Brianna looked at May then Rena. “The world is in serious trouble.” Rena nodded. May was still laughing out of control in the doorway. “Oh shut up May.” Megan pushed May out the door. Megan sat upon the bed. “We have to find out who lived in the house that burned down by the old cemetery across from the Bates Mansion.” “Oh that’s simple.” Brianna said. “Bob Colgon and his family.” Silence fell over the room. “Are you kidding me?” Megan asked. “Nope.” Brianna shook her head. “Bob was about sixteen or seventeen. He told me the story a few times how the lightning flashed and the UFO hovered over the back of the mansion. The screams were terrible and haunting. It was awful.” “He said he was abducted by aliens to.” May said. “Are you certain we can believe him?” Brianna nodded. “It’s all true. Swear to God. He’s even got a crystal he stole from the alien spaceship.” “You’ve seen it?” May asked. “Held it lots of times.” Brianna answered. “Oh Victoria Monroe did a show at the Bates Mansion last night and she captured a ghost in the big window. The girl was wearing a white outfit with blue and gold stripes down the sides.” Megan stood and crossed her arms showing off her spacesuit. Brianna’s mouth fell open. “Oh don’t tell me that was you?” “Might have been.” Megan answered. Brianna’s surprised expression changed to anger. “Did you kill the raccoon!” “It was an accident.” Megan responded. “Why would you do that to a poor woodland creature?” “It was an accident, honest.” Megan answered. Brianna simmered for a few moments. “Did you get to meet Victoria?” “We did.” May answered. “I’ve always wanted to.” Brianna sighed. “I think I can arrange that.” Megan said. “You’ve met the real princess Leona.” Brianna smiled. “Now can I see the spaceship?” Rena smiled and nodded. “Where do I get one of those cool spacesuits?” Brianna asked. “I will get one won’t I?” “Of course.” Rena answered. Megan grabbed some cloths from her dresser then the four vanished in the blue transport glow. Chapter 16 In the command room on Orion Megan opened the golden box the Saran’s had given her. She removed a beautiful base ball sized crystal clear diamond. “Holy moley!” Brianna gasped. “I’ll say.” May agreed. “Is it real?” Rena asked. Megan handed the jewel to Orion. He filled it with light. “It’s real but it’s a data jewel.” “What’s in the data?” Megan asked. “It has video, audio and pages of information in the Saran language. It dates back to the time just before the Saran home world was attacked.” Megan leaned back in her command chair then looked at May to her right, Rena to her left and Brianna in the seat to the left of Rena. “Dr. Crystal said you were important to our mission.” “Me?” Brianna asked. Megan nodded. “You put us in touch with Lisa who led us to Rena.” Brianna looked at Rena. “Oh you’re Lisa’s friend?” Rena nodded. “The one with the friend who has a spaceship?” Rena nodded. “That would be the mystery man.” Brianna looked at Megan. “And I gave you the E-mail and… Oh.” Brianna thought. “Then you went to see Lisa and Lisa told you how to find Rena and then… and all the while you and your cat were aliens?” Rena shook her head. “We aren’t aliens.” “Should have erased her memory.” May nudged Megan. “Does Lisa know her best friend is Princess Leona?” Brianna asked. “She does now.” Rena answered “Thanks to Megan.” “So Megan saved your friendship?” Brianna asked. “She did.” “And how come Lisa isn’t here?” Brianna asked. “She’s not comfortable with the idea.” “What about Megan?” Brianna asked. “Lisa doesn’t know that Megan is Ember.” Rena shook her head. “It wasn’t spontaneous combustion I guess?” Brianna asked. Rena shook her head. “It was a nightmare, she changed into Ember while she was asleep. Now she sleeps on Orion.” “Does her family know?” Brianna asked. Rena shook her head. “And you don’t tell them or anyone else. It isn’t safe for her them or us.” “That’s right Brianna. If you do you will be cursed for the rest of your short miserable life.” May warned. “Cursed?” Brianna gasped. “You always have us to talk with about anything you want.” Rena nodded. “So do you know any aliens?” Brianna asked. May shook her head. “Do you really want to see some aliens?” Rena realized May had all she could take of Brianna’s questions. “How about I give you a tour of Orion.” Rena led Brianna out the door. Orion continued to scan the jewel and one by one the view screens in the control room were filled with videos and information from the Saran data jewel. Two hours passed as the information from the crystal flashed at high speed on several of Orion’s screens. “So the first Saran ship came to earth looking for help and it crashed in the ocean. No help came.” May said. “Then the Sarans on the home world sent a second ship to see what happened to the first. They managed to locate two survivors living among the Brits and the data jewel from the crashed Saran ship.” “They moved to the Caribbean, found a deserted island and built an undersea base.” Megan continued. “They’ve been living there since then.” “I guess Ember knows what’s going on and what comes next?” May asked. “Ember recognized the Sarans and can speak their language. Ember knows things that I don’t.” May nodded. “How do we get Ember to tell us?” Megan took a deep breath. “I know Ember is going to meet with the Sarans on their island but I don’t know when. I also know we need to go talk with Crazy Bob.” “There!” May pointed at one of the floating viewers showing an island. “That’s the island.” Megan answered. “I have catalogued this data in my memory.” Orion said then placed the giant diamond back into the golden box. Megan’s eyes lit up brightly for a few moments then faded as May watched. Megan let out a large sigh. “I can feel Ember and I know she’s very important to humanities survival. I can’t put it into words.” “Like a feeling you can’t describe?” Megan nodded. “You must always remember, you are Ember Reign.” May reminded her friend. Megan nodded. “I guess that’s the part I have the most trouble with.” “Now what are we going to do about Brianna?” May asked. Megan shook her head. “Crystal said Brianna is suppose to be part of all this.” “Yeah, her and your cat.” May shook her head. “She drives me crazy!” “Brianna can be very annoying.” Megan said. “Maybe now that she’s part of the group things will get better.” The control room door opened Rena and Brianna entered dressed in their beautiful spacesuits. “What do you think?” Rena asked as Brianna modeled her suit for them. Megan nodded. “What do you think of Orion?” “He’s huge!” Brianna exclaimed taking a seat next to Megan. “I could spend days, weeks going through the rooms. Speaking of rooms Rena gave me one next to hers I hope that’s all right.” Megan nodded. “And?” “And she told me the rules about beaming in and out of places. I guess you didn’t follow the rules when you zapped in on me.” Brianna shook a finger. “It was her room Brianna! You never knock!” May waved her arms in the air. “She’s right May.” Megan objected. “I should have looked before I jumped.” “I was just waiting on you guys. I didn’t see any harm in that.” Brianna argued. “It’s all right.” Megan held up both hands one at Brianna and one at May. The others watched in silence as Megan’s eyes began to glow. She got up and took several steps into the room. Her crown floated from its holder landing upon her head. The silver jewel was right behind it fitting itself into its slot. A rainbow of color flowed around Megan then translucent blue covered her followed by Baby Starburst’s translucent flames. “Kinda scary.” Brianna said. “You should see her when she’s angry or in battle.” Rena said. “What’s she doing?” Brianna asked. Rena shook her head. “I can tell you that’s Ember and she’s definitely doing something.” “If you see her flaming like that you just keep your distance.” May warned. “What is it Ember?” “Divora’s in trouble.” Ember answered. “Excuse me.” Ember vanished in the transport light. May jumped into her chair. “Orion, follow, give us full video.” Rena did likewise taking her chair and Brianna followed. Two men held Divora upon her own bed while one bound her hands to the headboard rail. “I’m telling you I don’t know anything about an alien girl or a secret NASA trip to Mars!” Divora exclaimed. “You will tell us.” The man said as he sorted through Divora’s drawings. Another man looked at the suitcases. “Where were you going?” “A vacation I suppose?” Another man prepared a syringe of a truth drug. He started to inject her when a blinding light filled the room. As the light subsided gunfire was heard briefly then silence. As Divora’s eyes adjusted she saw Ember beside her bed and the others frozen in place. Ember touched the bindings that instantly turned to ash. She helped her from the bed. “You’re the girl with the glowing eyes.” “The name’s Ember.” “What did you do to them?” Divora asked. “Nothing yet.” Ember waved a hand and instantly transported them all to one of Orion’s holding rooms. She put each one into a room off the hallway from the laboratory and science room. Divora gasped finding herself instantly transported to an unfamiliar place. She looked around then seeing the men in the rooms. “They are Russian S.S.” “I know.” The glow began to dissipate around Ember. “You are Megan?” Divora asked. “Don’t tell them that.” May said. Divora turned to see May, Rena and Brianna. “What will I do?” Divora asked. “You will finish out your school year and not worry about it.” Megan held out her hand the glow filled it with a new Orion necklace. “You put this on. If you need us you press the sides of this necklace and someone will come or you will be transported to Orion.” “When the Russian S.S. is on the trail nothing can stop them.” Divora looked at the men. “These guys won’t bother you again.” Megan answered. “You can trust her on that.” May nodded. “Get her a room on Orion.” Megan commanded. “I need to have a little chat with these guys.” May led Divora away through the science room and into the hallway. On the opposite side of the room was the row of doorways that led to the living quarters. “What will she do?” Divora asked. “Do you like toast? I like mine with real butter.” May said. “Ember likes her’s extra crispy.” “These men are professionals.” Divora warned. May led Divora into the room. She looked at the ceiling now filled with the stars of the Milky Way. “Oh!” “Put the necklace on and never take it off, not for anything.” May advised. “I’ll explain how to use it, have a seat.” The next thing the Russian spies knew they were standing in a bay room with the stars all around and the earth turning slowly below. Ember stood with her back to them admiring the view. They searched for their guns. “Where are we?” One asked. Ember faced the men. “How would you like to take a nice long space walk?” She leaned up close to one of the men. She walked past with her eyes glowing and translucent flames moving calmly around her. She studied the men’s faces. “I’m going to make you a deal. You had some questions and Divora was telling the truth, she doesn’t have the answers but I may. You ask I’ll see if I can answer.” “Who are you?” One asked. “I’m Ember Reign, one of the guardians of this world.” She pointed at the Earth. “There’s an alien invasion pending and without me and my people the earth will not survive.” Rena and Brianna watched on Orion’s main viewer. “Wow!” Brianna exclaimed. “I’m tingling all over. And she could kill them all just like that!” She snapped her fingers. “Just like that.” Rena nodded. “My neighbor. Ohhhh.” Brianna gasped. “For all the times I’ve made her mad.” “Ember lives inside of Megan.” Rena began. “You know computers run programs. The programs make them do their specific jobs. Well Ember is a spiritual program and she’s running inside of Megan.” Brianna nodded. “Wait until it soaks in.” Rena shook her head. “You will be as confused as the rest of us.” “No I get it. Spiritual energy contains information like a computer program that is run by the living.” Brianna said. Rena nodded. “That means that everything and everyone has a program they run. What if they get a spiritual virus?” Brianna asked. “You’re starting to get the idea.” Rena nodded. “Here’s the deal.” Ember warned the men. “I’ll put you back on earth and you leave Divora alone. You bother her or me or any of my friends again I won’t give you another warning I will toast you and your bosses instantly. You tell them what I said. Do we have a deal?” The men nodded. “Orion orb these guys and watch them.” Ember commanded. Then she waved a hand and the three men vanished, the door closed up and Ember appeared in the command room with Rena and Brianna. The glow subsided. Megan removed the crown. “Where did you send them?” Rena asked. “I set them on a deserted beach on Madagascar.” Megan began. “I figure it will take them about three days to reach anyone who could transport them to a phone and by then Divora should have her affairs taken care of back home. “I’m sorry for every time I pissed you off Megan, I really am.” Brianna apologized meekly. Megan put an arm around Brianna. “I may have been out of line a few times myself. Can you forgive me?” “Oh, well sure.” Brianna glanced at Rena to see her smile. Chapter 17 Ten P.M. Bob Colgon locked his pawnshop door and turned the store lights off. He hobbled to his desk and began to count his daily. A blue light appeared on the opposite side of the counter. He looked to see some familiar faces. “Hi Bob.” Brianna smiled then gave Bob a big hug. “You know the aliens to?” Bob ask. Brianna shook her head. “You know their not aliens.” “No I don’t.” Bob pointed at Megan and May. “They appear and vanish like aliens. I don’t care what Officer Smith says they aren’t normal.” “I just appeared with them does that make me an alien?” Brianna asked. Bob watched as May put her elbows on the glass counter top. “Not aliens huh?” “Nope.” Brianna answered. “Not normal but not aliens either.” Bob picked up a rag and bottle of glass cleaner then set it in front of May. “Make yourself useful.” Brianna giggled. “That’s the Bob I know.” Bob pointed at a stack of tickets on his desk. “You figure that up and there’s the ledger.” Brianna took a seat at the desk and began with the daily tickets. Bob turned to Megan. “You seem to be the one in charge so what do you want?” Brianna giggled. “Yeah, he’s all right.” “He’s an old grump!” May exclaimed as she wiped a counter top. “That means he likes you so don’t push it.” Brianna warned. Megan walked inside the office area where Brianna was working and Bob took a seat in an old worn recliner. He pulled a bottle of whisky from a drawer on the desk where his photo copy machine sat and took a swig. “Pain killer.” He coughed then cleared his throat. “Now talk.” Megan smiled. “Brianna said you lived across the road from the Bates mansion. She said you saw what happened that night.” “Did she?” Bob looked at Brianna. “It’s no secret.” “Would you tell us?” Megan asked taking a seat in another chair. Bob propped a leg on a footstool and took another swig from his bottle, coughed and cleared his throat. A thoughtful expression came over his face and the entire atmosphere of the room changed. “I was just seventeen back in fifty two. It was the end of October, the leaves were all reds and golds. There was a chill in the air, oh how I loved the smell in the air just before a storm.” May and Brianna were now focused on Bob. “This always gives me chills.” Brianna rubbed her arms. “About midnight a bolt of lightning struck the tree beside our house.” Bob changed positions and propped the other leg on his stool. “I don’t have to tell you that woke everyone in the house.” He took another small sip from his bottle. “I jumped up and looked out the window. Pieces of burning limbs lay just outside. I thought I saw someone in the cemetery.” “Oh yeah!” Brianna rubbed her arms again. “There she was, the witch herself returned from the dead.” Bob looked at the faces around the room. “All white and see through. A ragged dress looked like it was made from old dish rags. She was looking straight at me!” He waved his bottle in the air. “And then…” Bob leaned forward drawing the three near. “Ka-Bam! Another bolt of lightning hit the witch’s tombstone.” The girls jumped back eyes wide. “That’s why the top of the tombstone is all chipped and burned black.” Brianna said. “The witch was gone just like that. Dad yelled from the front yard. Come see, and we all ran outside. There hovering over the Bates Mansion was a big ball of white light. The storm clouds turned around the light. There was the older son standing on the top balcony in front of the mansion. There was another clap of thunder that didn’t sound right, the ground shook, rocks fell from the sky. The boy was gone from the balcony.” Bob leaned forward. “They found him dead in the front yard beside the driveway, broken neck.” Bob nodded. “They said he was thrown from that balcony with enough force to carry him all the way across the driveway.” “No man could have jumped that far.” Brianna shook her head. Bob continued. “They found the older daughter in a hole in the back yard.” “With a broken neck.” Brianna said. “They found the mother and younger daughter dead in the kitchen floor.” Bob said. “Without a mark on them.” Brianna added. “Like they both had a heart attack at the same time.” “They were in that kitchen for a reason, like something was after them.” Bob said. “Where was Mr. Bates while all this was happening?” “No one knew and he wouldn’t say.” Brianna explained. “They figured he was inside the building but was he the one after his wife and younger daughter or was he somewhere else in the mansion?” Bob poised the hypothetical question. “Mr. Bates was distraught. The detectives quizzed him for three days at the police station.” Brianna said. “He was allowed to go to the funeral and then back to the mansion.” “That night around midnight there was another terrible storm. The lightning struck our house this time and woke us all. I jumped up and there stood the witch beside her grave. Before I could blink she was standing just outside my window. She leaned over to the window and looked me right in the eye.” Bob said. “She said get out of there!” Brianna exclaimed. “We all ran out into the front yard to see the roof on fire. We heard screams coming from the Mansion across the road.” Bob said. “It was Mr. Bates screaming for his life.” Brianna said. “Mom and dad both ran back into the house to save what they could. I just stood there in the yard listening to the screams.” Bob said. “I ran over there but couldn’t get in because the big gates were locked. I ran down the road to a neighbor’s house who had a phone and called the police.” “Bob was the one who called the police that night.” Brianna explained. “The police came got me and we went to the mansion. We found every door and window on the ground level locked.” Bob said. “Every single one of them locked from the inside.” Brianna said. “The police broke the front door open and I went inside with them. We found Mr. Bates ripped to pieces in his own bedroom.” Bob said. “Torn apart as if by a wild animal.” Brianna said. “The entire room spattered and running with fresh blood.” Bob said. “But not one track in the blood that could be associated with the killer.” Brianna said. “We searched the entire building but found nothing.” Bob said. “Not one blessed thing.” Brianna shook her head. “Cripes!” May gasped. “So you saw the rooms down stairs?” Megan asked. “Yeah, we saw them.” Bob answered. “What did you think about that?” Megan asked. “Wasn’t no ordinary mansion or family that’s for sure.” Bob answered. “Bob never set foot in that mansion again.” Brianna said. Bob shook his head then took another sip from his bottle. “That’s the story girls so get back to work.” Brianna returned to the tickets and May returned to the counter tops. “You said you were abducted by aliens once, what’s that story about?” Megan asked. “You believe in aliens don’t you? You don’t think I’m a crazy old man?” “You might be crazy but aliens are real.” Megan answered. Bob chuckled and took another sip from his bottle. “Of course they are.” “I’m all ears.” Megan said. Bob began while the girls listened intently. The time passed. “There I was on this freezing cold metal table inside their spaceship. They scanned me with this machine, had a jewel in it that gave off a strange rainbow colored light. Then they left for a few minutes. I guess they thought I couldn’t move. I could move my left arm so I reached up and managed to pull that jewel out of the machine. I hid it in my pocket. I guess they didn’t miss it right off. I woke up back in my bed. Just to be sure I hadn’t been dreaming I reached into my pocket and sure enough there was the jewel.” “Bob still has it.” Brianna said. “Show them Bob.” Bob started to get up then looked at Brianna. “Oh go ahead and get it.” Brianna jumped up and went into the back room. She opened Bob’s big safe and brought the long oddly shaped jewel and handed it to Megan. “This thing fits into a machine.” Megan said. “I can see that.” “I figure they’ve been looking for me to get that jewel back for years.” Bob said. “I guess that’s why you don’t want them to know where you are.” May said. “There’s that, and then you ever been abducted by those gray bug headed aliens?” Bob asked. “I can’t say that I have.” May answered. “Would you come with us to our spaceship and show me what the aliens looked like that took you?” Megan asked. Bob looked at Brianna. “Spaceship?” “It’s all right Bob. I’ll be with you.” Brianna reassured Bob. “How do you get there, where is it anyway?” Bob asked. “You beam up like we do.” May answered. “Does it hurt?” Bob asked. “Come on Bob.” Megan helped Bob from his chair. Bob took hold of Brianna with the other hand. A moment later they were standing on the bridge of Orion with Dr. Crystal, Rena and the Orion android watching from the back seats. “We can beam to the holding rooms or we can walk.” Megan said. “It’s up to you.” Bob noticed the three dimensional image of Orion floating to his right as he faced the back of the room. He turned and saw the inside of his pawnshop on the front viewer. “I’ll tell you what.” Megan said. “Orion give me a walk through on the forward viewer.” The image changed. “This is the room where we keep all the aliens. All you have to do is walk through the viewer into the room.” The four walked through, Bob began looking at the aliens. “These dead are they?” “No, their in suspended animation.” Megan answered. “They have no sense of our presence or the passing of time.” “There he is.” Bob pointed at one of the grays that was nearly four feet tall. He turned around and saw several praying mantis headed aliens and pointed at one of them. “That guy right there seemed to be the one in charge.” Megan nodded. “That’s what I wanted to know.” “Now we need to figure out what that machine did they were scanning Bob with.” May said. “I’ll bet Orion can help us with that.” Megan nodded. “Good Lord a-mighty!” Bob exclaimed. “What the hell is that?” He pointed. “You picked a good one.” May said. “That’s a varlock.” Brianna answered. “Real bad news.” “I never saw so many ugly creatures in my life!” Bob took a deep breath then pulled his bottle from his pocket and took a large sip. “Their not all ugly.” May placed a hand on the transparent tube containing one of the little Terans. The little woman opened her eyes and looked directly at May for a moment then closed them again. “I think Bob’s had enough excitement for one night.” Megan said. “Let’s go.” On the bridge Megan showed Bob’s jewel to the others. Dr. Crystal looked the jewel over carefully. “This must be some kind of medical scanner lens.” “Do you mind if we keep it for awhile and try to figure out what it does?” Megan asked. Bob looked at Brianna. “Can I trust them?” “Yeah, I’ll be responsible for it.” “All right.” Bob said. “But you still have to finish my books and you girl…” Bob pointed at May. “Still have to finish my counter glass and the front door.” Rena giggled and nodded at May. “A deal’s a deal.” Brianna said. The image on the front screen changed. “It’s a walk through.” Orion said. “You can walk right back into your shop.” Brianna, May and Bob returned to the shop. Dr. Crystal and Orion took the alien jewel to the lab. Megan plopped down in her command chair and stared blankly at the screen. “Tired?” Rena asked. “Like death warmed over.” Megan answered. “Can I tell him who Megan is?” Brianna asked May. “I doubt it would hurt anything.” May said as she polished the front glass of one of the counters. “Megan?” “I don’t care.” Megan answered. “You heard her right?” May said. Brianna smiled. “I can hear her like she’s right there but I can’t see her.” “It’s the walk through.” May explained. “It’s still open.” Brianna looked at Bob. “Megan is Ember Reign.” “That means what to me?” Bob filled his pipe then tried to get his lighter to work. “Piece of junk, I should never have given that guy a dollar for it.” Bob growled. “She’s a fiery specter and one of the guardians of the earth.” Brianna answered. “I think that’s the coolest thing ever. The most amazing thing I ever saw! You should see her when she fires up. Gives me chills.” “Fire?” Bob asked. “Think she could light my pipe?” “In a heartbeat.” Brianna answered. “Oh look Megan. Brianna wants you to do tricks.” Rena giggled. “Yeah, she’s not so bad.” Megan answered. “I heard that.” Brianna smiled. Rena and Megan watched as Bob tried to get the lighter to work. “I don’t have the energy to get up.” Megan said. “Baby Starburst.” The glowing fire sprite appeared in front of Megan. “Go light Bob’s pipe for him would you and be careful not to touch anyone and come straight back.” The little fireball flew through the walkthrough up to Bob and waited as he gazed with stunned expression at the little flaming lady. “She’s here to light your pipe.” May said. “That’s Baby Starburst! She’s awesome!” Brianna exclaimed. Bob put his pipe to his lips and Baby Starburst touched the tobacco with a hand. Bob drew up on the pipe and it lit. She backed up took a bow and returned through the portal. “Fire sprite?” Bob asked. “Like a fairy?” “A lot like that.” May answered. “Don’t touch that one, very dangerous.” “Thanks for the warning.” Bob growled and puffed on his pipe then looked at the lighter that refused to work on the table beside him. “Does she have a sister?” Brianna, May, Megan and Rena all smiled. Bob was a crusty old character with few friends but now he had a few more. “He’s not so bad.” Megan nodded. Orion held the walk-through view until Brianna and May returned. Chapter 18 Sunday morning found Megan and May gathering the eggs on Martha’s farm. May ran all the hens out to the feed in the chicken pen. Megan smiled and pointed at one of the nests. “Bud.” May shook her head. “We’ve not seen him in months.” “Jud said he hadn’t seen him either, now he’s back.” Megan carefully pulled the old snake from the nest. “Snakes hibernate in the winter.” May took an egg from a nest. “Sure, that has to be it.” Megan took the old snake to the corner of the yard and released him. The girls walked toward the house with their basket of eggs. The two squirrels scurried around the yard and raced through the trees. Megan looked at her watch as they reached the kitchen door. A pickup truck pulled into the driveway beside the barn. An older man and younger girl got out and went straight for the horse pen. May shook her head. “You want me to take the eggs in for you?” Megan handed the basket to May then took a deep breath. She walked to the horse pen leaned against the fence and watched the girl with her horse. It was good to know this was one family who got a second chance thanks to Ember. “Hi.” Megan said. “I’m Megan.” The girl approached with her horse following. She took a seat on the water tank. “I’m Chloe.” She patted her horse. “This is my horse Skezics.” Megan smiled. “He’s a fine horse.” “He’s the best.” Chloe said. “He likes it here with the other horses.” “How do you know?” Megan asked. “I can tell.” Chloe looked at Megan. “You looked after him for me. Thank you.” Chloe put her arms around Megan’s neck and hugged her. “I help care for the horses.” Megan said. “Of course you do.” Chloe smiled and winked. “You must have me confused with someone else.” Megan said. “I don’t think so.” Chloe smiled putting her hand on Megan’s. “How did you know?” Megan asked. Chloe glanced at her father talking to Jud in the driveway. “It was snowing really hard the night of the fire. A beautiful glowing angel saved me, my family and my horse. Her eyes were glowing like white hot coals. Her hair was as white as snow. She had a sadness about her. She said I would see her again.” Chloe looked at Megan. “You look a little bit like her, but you have the same sadness.” “You have a good memory.” Megan sighed. “I wasn’t sure, but he knows.” Chloe patted her horse. “He tells me things.” “You can communicate with your horse?” Megan asked. “Don’t tell anyone. They will think I’m crazy.” Chloe circled an ear with a finger. “I know.” Megan hugged Chloe. “I’m glad you and your family are all right.” She shook a finger at Skezics. “You promised to keep the secret.” “Did you get a job here?” “Not exactly.” Megan answered. “This farm belongs to my grandmother.” “Martha Martin?” Chloe noticed May approaching. Megan nodded. “I should brush Skezics and go for a ride.” “It’s all right Chloe. This is my friend May. She knows who I am.” Megan said. Chloe looked May straight in the eye then smiled. “Is she… You know?” “She’s one of my best helpers.” “Saved your life to?” Chloe asked. “From a wild raccoon.” May rolled her eyes at Megan. Chloe nodded. “Then you two are riding with me this morning.” She started for the barn. May nodded. “So much for breakfast.” “You guys go ahead. I’ll get your horses ready.” Jud called from the barn. “Thanks.” Megan waved. As the girls were about to enter the house a little yellow car pulled into the front driveway. “Brianna.” May shook her head. “It wasn’t bad enough to have her for a neighbor now you can’t get rid of her.” “Try to be nice.” Megan said. “We used to be able to hide from her.” Brianna ran to join the two at the kitchen door. “There you are.” May entered the kitchen without a greeting. “What’s with her?” Brianna asked. “Nothing.” Megan answered. “Breakfast?” “Sure.” The girls had breakfast then joined the group for the trail ride. The four rode their horses past the old log house when Chloe moved up beside Megan and asked about Brianna. “So everyone here right now knows your Ember?” Chloe asked. “Yes. I think I should explain. When I look like this I’m Megan. When my eyes are glowing I’m usually Ember.” Megan winked. “Right, got it. Does your hair always turn white?” “It just depends on Ember’s mood. It’s kinda complicated.” “Mood hair? Neat.” Chloe nodded. “Can I still tell my story at church?” “As long as you don’t tell them who the angel is.” Chloe nodded. “What about her?” “I think you’ll like Brianna.” Megan answered. Megan stopped her horse and pointed as a black panther crossed the path in front of them. “This is where you saw the panther when you were twelve.” May said. Megan handed the reigns to May then slid from her saddle. Megan walked ahead. “Someone should tell her that’s not a good idea.” Chloe said. They watched in stunned amazement as the panther approached then rubbed against her like a house cat. She stroked the large cat then looked toward the girls, her eyes glowing. Chloe smiled. “She is my angel.” “Is that a wild panther?” Brianna asked. May giggled. “You don’t think we would keep a wild panther out here do you?” “Smart aleck.” Brianna growled. Quickly Chloe wiped her cheeks. “You guys known her for awhile?” “Nearly all her life.” May said. “Nearly all my life.” Brianna answered. “She’s my neighbor.” “Cool.” Chloe said. “You can come meet the panther if you like.” Ember said. Chloe jumped to the ground. “I’ll wait right here.” May shook her head. “Good, you hold the horses.” Brianna slid from her saddle. “Fine, I’ll just stay with the horses!” May shook her head. “She’s a guardian of these woods.” Ember explained as the others stroked the big cat. “She’s perfectly tame.” Chloe said. “No she isn’t.” Ember shook her head. “Don’t misunderstand. I wanted you to meet her and get acquainted.” “In English?” Brianna asked. “I mean she won’t eat you if she finds you out here.” Ember explained. “Through association?” Chloe asked. “She knows us through you?” “Correct. She wouldn’t have bothered you anyway, she’s a good kitty.” Megan ran a hand over the big cat’s head. “You never approach a wild animal and you never feed them because once they loose their fear of people they can become dangerous.” “Dad told me.” Chloe said. “This cat lives nearby and hunts along this trail. Now that she knows who I am she will watch but she’s not a threat. If you see her just go on about your business, don’t approach and don’t run, cat’s love to chase anything that runs from them.” Chloe nodded. Ember stood and the big cat strolled into the woods. They rode along the path until they crested the top of the hill overlooking the Sidwell valley. They paused for a moment of appreciation of the view then proceeded to the house and put their horses in the pen. They gathered on the swim dock. Chloe tested the water then sighed. May looked at Megan. “You could heat this up for in about a minute.” “Should I?” Megan asked. “The fish won’t tell.” “We don’t have swim suits?” Brianna shook her head. “Do you need one?” May looked around. “Oh.” Brianna looked at Chloe. “Can she do that?” Chloe asked. “I think she can.” Brianna tested the water with a hand. Megan began to remove things from her clothing like her cell phone placing them on a bench. She waved a hand and towels and swim suits appeared on the benches. “I figure it like this.” May said. “It’s only fair that you can use your powers for fun now and then.” “Now we let Ember out of the box.” Megan waved a hand and a bright light engulfed her leaving her dressed in her swim suit. “Stand back.” Brianna pulled Chloe from the edge of the dock as Megan took her position. Megan’s eyes began to glow as streaks of white highlighted her blond hair.. She stepped off the dock and stood upon the water. She took several steps and began sliding like she was ice skating. A few moments passed and she stopped in the middle of the pool. Flames leapt around her. Down she went until she was completely submersed. Bubbles and steam erupted from the water. “Wow!” Chloe exclaimed. “Double wow!” Brianna added. Five minutes later Ember rose to the surface, the flames subsided then vanished. She walked on the water then stepped up on the dock. The glow faded leaving Megan once again. “There ya go.” Megan said. The girls had fun swimming. Megan felt content with friends who knew her secret. Chloe still thought she was an angel. She considered the definition of the word and decided that angels watch over people and that’s one of the things that Ember did. Megan sat on a rock in the shallows. Chloe came and sat beside her. “May says you weren’t always an angel.” “I told you I was known by another name.” “How does a person become an angel?” Chloe asked. “It was chosen for me.” “I can feel your sadness. I don’t understand.” Chloe said. “There’s a lot of evil in the universe. There are a lot of things wrong here on the earth, things that I can’t fix.” “Do you fight demons?” Chloe asked. “I let Ember fight the demons.” Megan pushed Chloe from her seat. “You’re a nut!” Chloe yelled pushing Megan from her rock. “No you’re the nut!” Megan splashed Chloe. The girls giggled and played until the blue transport light appeared on the dock. Rena took a seat on the end hanging her legs into the water. “Who’s that?” Chloe asked. “Princess Leona. Your majesty.” Brianna bowed. “We just call her Rena.” May said. “Does everyone here have powers?” Chloe asked. “Everyone except you.” Brianna answered. “We can transport and materialize things.” May held out a hand and a soda appeared. She popped the top and took a sip. “Actually we just ask for stuff and the big guy upstairs sends it.” “The big guy?” Chloe looked at the sky. “It’s a job perk. It’s not all fun and games.” Megan dove beneath the water. Chloe nodded. “I’m kinda confused.” “This is the first time we’ve done anything like this. I think she did this for you.” Brianna said. “You guys can just beam around any time you want?” Chloe asked. “Not exactly.” Brianna answered. “One time special today only.” May noticed Rena and Megan talking on the far side of the pool. “Right now all you have to do is have fun.” Brianna hugged Chloe then promptly splashed her. Chloe splashed Brianna then noticed Megan and Rena. “You said Rena is Princess Leona like in the space war movies?” “That’s her.” Brianna answered. “For real?” Chloe asked. Brianna nodded. “Things in some movies are based on truth.” “That means she’s a real star princess?” “I guess.” Brianna answered. “I think something bad is going to happen.” May looked at Chloe then at Megan and Rena. “I’ve got the same feeling.” Chloe noticed the Orion necklaces. “How old are you?” Brianna asked. “Eleven.” Chloe answered. “Do all of Ember’s helpers have a necklace like that?” “Yes.” Brianna answered. “I think we should go for a ride.” Chloe answered. “Sure.” Brianna said. The two got their horses ready. Brianna couldn’t help noticing something was on Chloe’s mind. “Are you all right?” Brianna asked. “I thank God for everything Ember’s done for me. If there’s anything I can do she’s got another helper right here.” Brianna saw May climb up on the dock but Megan and Rena were still talking. She looked at Chloe. “Their not just necklaces.” Brianna explained. “They give her helpers their powers.” Chloe smiled. “You’re good!” Brianna grinned. “Each person who gets a necklace is genetically initialized into the system. No one outside the group can use them.” “No problem, I’ll be here all week.” Chloe did a little dance and pointed at Brianna. “Be sure to tip your waiters.” Brianna laughed. “Do you like movies?” “I love movies.” “Alien horror movies?” Brianna asked. “If Julianna Skii is in them!” Chloe exclaimed. Brianna grinned. “We will get along just fine.” Brianna and Chloe rode toward the west. “Did you know that Rena knows Julianna Skii?” “Get out of town!” Chloe exclaimed. “Seriously, she said I might get to meet her some day.” Chapter 19 Rena and Megan talked at the far side of the pool from the dock. May dried off and got dressed. She watched Brianna and Chloe pass the picnic area onto a seldom used trail to the west. “Richard and Orion can’t figure out what kind of weapon the varlock used on the arson in building eighteen.” Rena said. “It appears it did the same thing the varlock does with its hands.” “Except it does it at a distance instantly.” Rena said. “It’s like an amplified extension of the varlock’s own abilities.” Megan shook her head. “Does it fire something out of the canisters or does it put something into them? We scanned back to watch the event as it happened and all we get is static. Something is preventing Orion from seeing.” “Psychic jamming.” Megan said. “I’ve felt something like that.” “Anything that could jam Orion must be very advanced.” “Or very primitive.” Megan suggested. “Like beings that understand the created worlds.” “Fallen angels primitive?” Rena nodded. Megan nodded. “Jud says we need to get our hands on one of these. It’s very important we figure out how it works before we face an army of these things.” “And who’s going to get it?” Rena looked at Megan. “Let me guess.” Megan pointed a thumb at herself. “The last one nearly killed May and me. Might have killed Richard to if it hadn’t been for the fact that varlock didn’t have one of these mystery weapons.” “You are more powerful now.” Rena said. “I wasn’t wearing my crown then.” “Dr. Crystal said she’s been keeping a medical and power record on you.” “I knew she was working on something like that.” Megan said. “Megan? Brianna and Chloe went that way.” May pointed. Megan stood looking up the creek. “There’s nothing over there but an old barn and what’s left of a house and a lot of trees…” Megan thought. “There’s a cave.” “Really?” Rena asked. “Grandpa said his dad told him outlaws robbed a bank and the posse tracked them to that cave. There was a big gun fight and all the outlaws were killed. They searched but never found the money or gold.” “We could use Orion and scan the cave to see if it’s still there.” Rena suggested. “We could.” Megan held her hand out a ball of light appeared and when it was gone a beautiful piece of gold remained. She gave the gold to Rena. “Orion can make anything I ask for. Why do I need to find a treasure?” Rena looked at the gold. “It seems like the things we need most money can’t buy.” “Things we need is the key.” Megan sighed. “That piece of gold could help quite a few people get things they really need.” Rena smiled nodding. “Still there’s a certain amount of adventure in a good treasure hunt. Just seems like using Orion takes some of the fun out of it.” Megan nodded. “Care to go for a ride?” Megan took Rena’s hand, her eyes began to glow and they both floated to the surface. “You can feel the water under your feet.” “How do you do that?” Rena asked. “You know more about Ember and my powers than I do and yet you ask? It’s simple I’m just levitating where my feet touch the water.” “So you’re not actually walking on the water?” Rena asked. “That depends on your perspective. Walk with me.” Megan held Rena’s hand and they walked to the dock and stepped up on it. The glow left Megan’s eyes. “I get it. You’re balancing your power at that point.” Rena nodded. “It doesn’t really feel like walking on the water. It feels more like sliding on it.” “I need more practice.” Megan waved her arms, Orion’s light moved over them leaving them dry and dressed. Brianna and Chloe crossed the stream west of the swimming pool and came to an old fence, the gate was completely gone. They continued a short distance and came to the foundation of a log cabin that had burned. A few yards to the south was a barn. Once upon a time it had been painted red. The girls rode slowly until they came to the south side of the barn. The lower area was open to the south. Brianna slid from her horse and walked inside with Chloe following. “It’s got stalls and a manger.” Brianna pointed. “It’s really old and it’s still standing.” Chloe looked around. Brianna looked south at a large rock bluff. “Let’s check it out.” Chloe said. They led their horses to the stream at the base of the rock bluff. About thirty feet up the rock wall was the opening of a cave. “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” Brianna asked. They tied their horses to a tree, waded the stream and made their way up the path into the cave. “Nice and cool back there.” Brianna said. “And dark.” Chloe said. Brianna led the way as the light dimmed the chill increased. Black marks on the ceiling indicated carbon stains made by primitive torches. “Someone had a fire here.” Brianna pointed at a circle of rocks. Chloe walked further back. “There’s a wall of rocks.” “Wish we had a good light.” “I thought you could get anything you want just by holding out your hand.” Brianna held out her hand. “I’m new to this.” She tried again. “Maybe it’s the cave.” “Maybe.” Brianna took hold of her necklace and squeezed the sides. “Orion, I need a flashlight please.” An Ember Reign flashlight appeared then settled into her hand. Brianna examined the flashlight on the back she saw Ember with glowing eyes and crown. She turned it on to see it throw a beam surprisingly bright for no larger than it was. Brianna looked around and noticed some of the markings on the walls and rocks. Chloe nudged Brianna. “Where’s my light?” Brianna held out her hand and another flashlight appeared which she handed to Chloe. “Let’s go on back.” Chloe said. Further back the passage turned left again, Brianna saw a bat hanging from the ceiling inches from her head, she backed up a step. “Bats.” She whispered. “Their just common brown bats. Don’t startle them they won’t hurt you.” “You’re not afraid of bats?” Brianna answered. “Country girl, no big deal.” Chloe took the lead, they slipped past a group of several bats into a larger room where two tunnels continued. They checked a few yards in both directions and found a hole leading downward in one of the passages. “Looks kinda dangerous.” Brianna said. Chloe looked around the edges and took notice of the rocks down one edge. “We could do it.” “We could get hurt to.” “Na, we could do it.” Chloe insisted as she sat upon the edge of the hole and begun climbing down. “This is exciting.” “Yeah, well…” Brianna looked around then back at Chloe as she climbed down the rocks about thirty feet below then looked back at Brianna. “Come on.” Chloe said. A bat buzzed past Brianna’s ear. She sat upon the rim and finding a foothold, down she climbed. They moved along the narrow tunnel until they came to a wider flooded section of crystal clear water. The flooded tunnel continued. “Cold.” Brianna said. “This is far enough for me.” “It goes on beyond here.” Chloe shined her light. “There’s still room to breath.” “Ah, cold, dark, wet.” Brianna objected. “We need a wetsuit.” Chloe said. “I didn’t bring mine.” Brianna said. “You dive?” “Yes.” Brianna answered. “Brianna!” May’s voice echoed through the tunnels. “Over here!” Brianna answered. A few moments passed May’s light shined down the tunnel. Megan and Rena followed May until they came to Brianna and Chloe beside the water. They looked at the path then at each other. “Treasure they never found you said?” Rena asked. “Any chance they hid it somewhere that was really hard to get to?” Megan nodded, her eyes began to glow. A small orb of light appeared and floated over passing the others to the water. They watched as the orb continued into the tunnel. “What’s she doing?” Chloe whispered to Brianna. “I don’t know.” Brianna answered. “She’s doing a remote view.” Rena explained. “She can see anything the orb sees.” “She can see without actually going down the tunnel?” Chloe asked. “Cool!” Brianna exclaimed. “There’s one spot that goes for about ten feet under water then it comes up a path out of the water.” Ember reported. “There’s a room and several tunnels leading away from it in all directions.” “See any treasure back there?” Rena asked. “This is the cave where the big outlaw shootout happened isn’t it?” Brianna asked. “It is.” Rena answered. “I heard about it, I never thought I would ever see it.” Brianna said. “These tunnels go for miles.” Ember said. “It could take days to explore them even using an orb.” “Set the orb to detect metal.” Rena said. “Done.” Ember responded. Rena studied the wall of the cave. “This was made by water… It’s been here a very long time.” Chapter 20 “I hear something.” Ember said. “Like an engine running.” “I’ve scanned these hills and the nearest town is two miles south of here.” May said. “I found some drawings on the wall.” Ember reported. “There’s a drawing of people fighting some kind of monster.” She waved a hand and one of Orion’s floating viewers appeared showing the images she was seeing. The others looked. “Indians most likely.” May said. “That thing’s not a bear.” Rena shook her head. “Big foot?” May asked. “Could be.” Rena answered. “I hear voices now.” Ember turned her orb in all directions. “There can’t be anyone down there.” May said. “We’re down here.” Brianna shook her head. “I can’t tell where it’s coming from.” Ember said. “It’s a ghost from the past.” Rena said. “The cave is haunted.” “It’s an Indian dialect.” Ember reported. “They’re alarmed about something.” “It’s gone.” Rena said watching the viewer. Ember looked at the drawings again. “These are very old.” Her eyes moved to a drawing of what might have been someone wearing a spacesuit. Beside this drawing was another that might have been a picture of the sky with the sun and a flying craft. “A demon.” Chloe said. Brianna nodded. “What if?” The glow faded from Megan’s eyes. She turned to Rena then looked at Chloe. “Something on your mind?” Rena asked. “Something Chloe asked.” Megan said. Rena looked at Chloe. “I asked her if she fights demons.” Chloe said. “What if they are demons?” Megan asked. “Oh!” May exclaimed running a finger across one of the drawings. “Do you know what a demon is?” Megan asked. “A fallen angel.” Rena answered. “If they are that means they knew things about creation that humans couldn’t possibly comprehend.” Megan said. “They would be like the ultimate scientists. There’s not much they couldn’t do.” May said. “They could build spaceships able to defy the laws of physics as we know it.” Brianna added. Rena nodded. “Or weapons able to suck up spiritual energy like soda through a straw.” “They can also jam Orion’s orbs.” Megan added. “We’ve been limited to human understanding thinking aliens when we should have been thinking fallen angels.” May shook her head. “Now what do we do?” “This is what great grandpa Henry was trying to tell grandpa Fred. He believed that before Adam and Eve there were other people perhaps on Mars. The being who ruled over these people was considered an angel of God the Creator known to some by the name Lucifer. He was real smart, he understood what made creation work. Grandpa wrote that Lucifer was referred to as the bright morning star which translated means he was nearly as smart as the Creator.” Megan explained. “He thought he was as smart as the Creator. He liked to play God, he got people to worship him.” May corrected Megan. “He could manipulate genetics and change life forms to suit himself.” Rena said. “What were those grays doing in those Martian labs?” Megan asked. “They were doing genetic manipulation.” May answered. “They were trying to fix something that happened to them.” Rena answered. “I’m confused.” Brianna shook her head. Chloe listened with great interest. “They said the Nephlem were giants so what if they were saying they were very intelligent and powerful?” Brianna asked. “I think they were but we still have giants in the specimen cells.” Megan answered. “There was a great war that broke out in the heavens between the archangel Michael his army and the army of Lucifer. Lucifer was finally beaten and he and his kind were cast down from the heavens to the earth.” May said. “The devil was all ready in the garden of Eden through the serpent that lived in the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.” “The war never ended.” Megan said. Suddenly the earth shook and a deep growl echoed through the cave. “I think we should leave.” Brianna looked at the ripples and bubbles in the water. The blue transport light engulfed them and placed them beside the stream near the horses. “I used to talk with grandpa about these things.” Megan said. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this. Varlocks are real vampires and it may be physical but it has unnatural powers.” “Like the grays.” May nodded. “The grays were changed into what they are now. They have been trying to undo what was done to them. It doesn’t make any difference if God, Michael or Lucifer did it.” Rena added. “Now they can’t actually die can’t have children and they depend on humans for the things they need.” May said. “Talk about a slap in the face.” “They know things humans don’t know and they can manipulate spiritual energy.” Rena said. “If we are going to fight creatures like this we need to know more about them.” Megan saw the Orion android petting the horses. “Would you look at that? Orion finally came to earth.” “First time outside of himself I guess.” May nodded. “Who’s that?” Chloe nudged Brianna. “Orion.” Brianna answered. “He doesn’t get out much.” The girls joined Orion. “What do you think?” Megan asked. “There are things one can only experience in this realm.” Orion answered then looked at the cave. “What did you do before?” May asked. “We experience through the eyes and senses of mortals.” Orion walked toward the cave stopping in the middle of the shallow stream. “Viewpoints.” Rena said. “That’s the story of my life. Megan’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Rena. “Is that how you know so much about me?” “I didn’t want to tell you.” Rena shook her head. “I didn’t know how you would take it and besides sometimes the things I see are very personal. I can’t help it. I’m linked to you and there’s nothing I can do about it. I sensed what you felt when Ember took over and you confronted that alien woman on Delta Star. I felt what you felt when you went to the island where you met the Sarans.” The girls listened intently. “I can’t see everything but I saw a hand spread out with webbed fingers. I saw flashes of naked Sarans walk up from the water and surround you. It was like I was dreaming but this time I was awake.” “What is she talking about?” Chloe nudged Brianna. “You got me.” Brianna shook her head. “Saran’s are alien merpeople.” May explained. “Mermaids?” Brianna asked. “Yes.” May answered. “That’s why you were crying on the beach?” Megan asked Rena. “You felt what I was feeling and you were as frightened as I was.” Rena nodded. “Sorry, I’m not usually such a wimp.” “That’s why you can help me when no one else can.” “That’s how I knew you were fighting the varloc in Africa.” Rena explained. “You might be surprised at the things I see.” “I remember you said that.” Megan untied her horse. “I knew you were somewhere in Africa on a very high place but it was Richard who found you by scanning for the ships with Delta Star’s sensors.” Rena explained. “What is a varloc?” Chloe nudged Brianna with an elbow. “Oh, ah, well it’s a demon of some kind I think.” Brianna answered. “They have one on the ship.” “Why do I get the feeling there’s a lot more to being an angel than just watching out for people?” Chloe untied Skezics. The group rode for the trail. Chloe remained near Brianna. “I guess Ember transported us out of the cave.” “Yes, I think so.” Brianna said. “That was cool. You guys transport much?” Chloe asked. “Sometimes.” Brianna watched as Chloe rode near her on a wide part of the path. “Ember has a huge spaceship.” “Oh?” Chloe asked. “I’ll show you if she will let me. And that strange guy is Orion and that’s his body but he’s really the spaceship.” Brianna explained. “Now I’m really confused. Thanks Brianna.” Chloe shook her head. “Don’t mention it.” “Can I keep the flashlight?” Chloe asked watching the animation of Ember on the back end of the light. Brianna laughed and nodded. “Just might not want to tell anyone that’s your angel.” Orion stood in the entrance of the cave looking into the darkness. Chapter 21 The girls stopped beside the old Martin house, Megan moved next to Chloe then taking her hand she pointed above them. “Oh gezz!” Chloe exclaimed. “Secret.” Megan removed her hand and Orion vanished from view. Riding double with Megan Rena whispered into Megan’s ear then transported back to Orion. That evening Chloe, Brianna, May and Megan gathered at Megan’s car parked near the barn. Jud, John and Chloe’s dad were talking by the water tank. “Can I tell Dad that you are the angel?” Chloe asked Megan. Megan looked at May then at Chloe. “I think we should just keep this between us.” Chloe nodded. “I’ll stay but dad is going home.” “Is your school out all ready?” Brianna asked. “We got out Friday. John offered me a job here for the summer. I know that John has to know about you but what about the other guy?” Megan nodded. “Jud is our resident soldier and one of my helpers.” “I’ll tell dad I’m staying.” Chloe started then turned. “I will get paid for working?” “You bet.” Megan said. Chloe ran to talk with her dad. “Now what?” May asked. “We go to Orion after dinner.” Megan answered. “Rena went to ask Richard if he’s located the varloc.” “If he has?” May asked. “I need to ask Orion if there’s some kind of weapon that has a greater effect against those things. Next time I’ll be wearing my crown and I’ll go in as Ember.” Megan answered. “That’s what I’m talking about.” May nodded. After dinner the girls met in Megan’s upstairs room. Megan held out her hand the light appeared leaving a new Orion necklace she handed it to Chloe. “You’re one of the team now Brianna will explain the rules. We’ll leave in my car then transport to Orion. You will be called to transport to us. Make sure grandma doesn’t see you. “I’m staying across the hall.” Chloe pointed at the door. “What about your mom and dad?” “They think I’m staying with Dr. Crystal at night for my sleep studies.” Megan answered. “And she will be joining us tonight. I can’t sleep in a regular bed in case I become Ember and set the bed on fire. I don’t have to worry about that on Orion.” In her room on Orion Divora Linsky studies the drawings that Megan saw on the walls of the cave and reviews the sounds captured by the orb. Rena takes turns pacing the floor, talking with Richard on Orion com and searching for anything that might tell her where the varloc might be. “There has to be something!” Rena scanned the news pages. “Orion get me more channels. Search for anything that might be related to a varloc style murder.” “I’ve got a reported alien sighting on a farm in Idaho.” Orion brought the video on line for them to view. “Four gangly aliens abducted a farmer’s pig at two in the morning?” Rena shook her head. “It’s not a varloc.” “It says he shot one with a twenty two rifle.” Orion pointed at the screen. “Before the fourth one jumped him from behind and left him unconscious on the ground!” Rena exclaimed. “I guess we should talk with the guy.” “I shall send an orb to Idaho to locate this man.” Orion said. “Do you have an orb on the CIA, FBI and NSA mainframes?” Rena asked. “I do.” Orion answered. “You are viewing information from those computers even now.” “I knew that.” Rena shook her head. “Forward this to Delta Star.” One of the floating viewers to Rena’s left held the image of Delta Star. Suddenly it came to life Richard appeared on screen. “I’ve got a hit in New Mexico. A body was found near an Indian burial ground south of Albuquerque. The man’s pickup truck alerted a local to check it out. Found the dead man laying a few yards from his truck. Eyes sunk back in his head and turned black. Looked like he had been dead for a long time but people at a local bar said they saw him last night. The engine on his truck is still warm.” Richard reported. “Get on that one.” Rena commanded. “I’m hovering over them now.” Richard poked an Icon to show what he was seeing below Delta Star. “We need to examine that body.” Rena said. “How do you intend to do that?” Richard asked. “I need Megan A-SAP.” Rena looked around the room. Orion pointed at a viewer. “If I might, the detectives recovered the car from the river last winter. Cause of death undetermined. The blood was solidified and black. It showed no signs of decay. Bacteria could not survive on or within the body.” “Where is it now?” Rena asked. “Some men came from New York. They shipped the body to a lab in Nevada.” Rena sighed. “Of course.” “There is something else you should be aware of. In the Saran data crystal I found video and information concerning the discovery of an under water pyramid near the island of Bimini.” Orion motioned toward the forward viewer, the image changed to show what the shark submarine had seen. “What do you make of that?” Rena asked. “It’s the first marker of Atlantis.” Divora answered from the doorway. “It is the first hall of Atlantian records and the first pyramid that was constructed on earth around ten thousand years ago.” Divora took a seat beside Rena. The three watched the images and listened to the radio transmissions the Sarans had captured. “There is twenty days of data on this crystal concerning this.” Orion said. “I don’t have twenty days to look at this.” Rena said. “Did the Saran’s know about this before hand? Did they go into the pyramid?” “I will search the crystal for previous data.” Orion’s eyes began to glow as he scanned the information. “Yes, they knew of the pyramid and they entered to a point but did not make an effort to enter the blocked passages.” “Why not?” Rena asked. Orion continued to scan. “It does not say. There are areas where information seems to be left out. It appears this is a copy of an original.” “The data has been edited. They are telling us what they want us to know.” Divora said. “The leader of their people may have answers.” “Ember knows who to ask I’ll bet.” Rena said with a sigh. Megan’s little silver car appeared in the center of the room in the transport light. Megan, May and Brianna got out, Megan waved a hand and the car vanished in the blue light. Rena, Divora and Orion showed the girls what they had learned in the past few hours. “I should have scanned that body before I dumped it back in the river.” Megan shook her head. “Wait! Orion told me he scans everything that comes in and out.” She looked at Orion. “I do, my transport function requires it.” “Then you have the data image.” Megan smiled. “Of course.” Orion answered. “Give me a reconstruct of the dead man’s body.” Megan commanded. The blue transport glow appeared as a globe then changed colors as the reconstruct began. The others watched as the body appeared one layer at a time, as this continued the blue transport light appeared with Dr. Crystal. Megan looked at the others then at Crystal. “We need your help.” They watched until Orion completed the reconstruct of the body. The body floated in the air. Crystal sighed shaking her head. “Put it in my lab.” The body vanished. “I’ll get ready.” Crystal left via the cabin door. “She looks dead tired.” May said. “Must have had a long day at the office.” Rena agreed. Again the transport light appeared this time with Chloe. She looked around the room then began walking around looking at things. “Welcome to Orion.” Megan said. “Brianna, show her around. I’m going to the lab and see if I can help Crystal.” She waved a hand and vanished. Brianna walked around the control room with Chloe showing her things and changing views on the main viewer so Chloe could walk among the things in the three dimensional view. “Wow!” Chloe exclaimed waving her hand through the image of her horse. “Orion can make the image solid and you can actually touch the things in the screen. When he makes it walk through you can walk in and out of the image and it transports you to the location being viewed.” Brianna explained. “Can he do that anywhere?” Chloe asked. “I guess.” Brianna answered. Chloe looked at the Orion android. “That’s Orion?” “Yes.” Brianna answered. “And he’s this great big spaceship?” “Yes. That’s how he gets to interact with people.” Chloe walked over to Orion and looked him over. “Weird.” “Oh! Oh I have to show you the things in the holding rooms!” Brianna led Chloe by the hand. “Do you like dinosaurs?” Divora ran her fingers over the images of the underwater pyramid on her screen. Rena watched her for a few moments realizing what she was doing. “What is it?” Rena asked. “There’s some powerful images associated with this.” Divora answered. “I’m getting something. It’s the name of the people. They were called Atlantians in the Martian dialect. The continent they lived on here on earth was named after the people. When Atlantis broke apart and sank the ocean seems to have been named after the people.” Rena nodded. “There’s something else. The cave you guys were in is ancient. Something terrible happened there and aliens were involved.” Divora said. “I see terrible images from that place but I’m not getting the whole story, only pieces of it. I hear growls of some kind of creature. I hear the sound of machines. I hear the screams of native Indians inside that cave. I see much blood. There is something else hidden there.” “How do you do that?” Rena asked. “You remote view?” Divora asked. “Yes but I see what the energy wants me to see.” Rena shook her head. “You see what you choose to see.” “It is a little more complicated. I can focus on a thing or thought and my mind will be directed toward it. I then see images of my target. I seldom see everything, usually just pieces of information and then usually only images.” Divora looked at the image of the pyramid on the screen. “For some reason my abilities seem to be greater here.” Rena nodded. “Maybe you could teach me.” “Perhaps, but then you see what you are suppose to see I think.” In the lab Dr. Crystal dissected the replicated body while Megan watched. “The entire texture of the body has been destroyed on a molecular level.” Crystal removed a segment that fell to dust as she touched it. “Orion must have malfunctioned when he made this.” “Orion can replicate anything.” Megan said. “I’ll put a sample in the analyzer.” Crystal spoke as she worked. In one of the massive dinosaur rooms Brianna showed Chloe some of the amazing creatures. “I think they called it a raptor.” Brianna patted the motionless creature on the head. “They look alive.” Chloe watched as the eye of the raptor turned toward her. “They are.” Brianna said as she pried the mouth of the Raptor open to see its teeth. “Just look at that!” “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Chloe warned. Brianna touched the sharp teeth. “This thing was a flesh ripping machine.” “You said their still alive and you have your hand in the thing’s mouth. Were you born stupid or what?” Chloe shook her head. “Their all in suspended animation.” Brianna ran her finger across the creature’s tongue. “If it ever wakes it’s going to know what you taste like.” Chloe said. Brianna pulled her hand back and pushed the animal’s mouth closed. “Maybe we should go look at the aliens in the tubes across the hall.” In the lab Crystal studied the data on the sample. “It’s like it was never alive. The blood is nothing but basic carbon. The flesh is little more than dust held together by molecular attraction. The bones are the most intact part of this thing and they are little more than a combination of calcium and carbon.” “What could do that to a person?” Megan asked. “Orion said there’s no weapon that he knows of that could do that.” Crystal said. “I think he needs to update his data base.” Megan looked at the body. “No, the only way to solve this is to catch that varloc and take his weapon. I’m going back to the control room.” Megan vanished in the transport light. The body rose from the table and began to rotate. Crystal noticed a strange set of circular markings on the head. “Orion, give me a close up full three ‘D’ scan on this head.” Chapter 22 Chloe and Brianna stood before the chamber with the varloc. “That looks like a demon.” Chloe took a step backwards. “What do you think girls?” Jud spoke from behind them. “Ahhhh!” Chloe grabbed Brianna who joined her in the scream. “You!” Brianna scolded taking a swing at Jud then kicking but missing as Jud backed up. “Hay!” Jud exclaimed. “Sneaking up behind us like that!” Brianna scolded. “I didn’t sneak you just didn’t see me.” Jud spoke in his own defense. Chloe walked over and gazed into the Taran chambers. Brianna grabbed her by the arm. “Come-on Chloe!” The blue transport glow engulfed them and they were gone. Jud smiled shaking his head. “Can’t take a joke.” He leaned near the glass where the varloc was. “Tell your brother Jud is a coming for him.” The varloc opened his eyes and looked straight at Jud. Jud nodded. Megan returned to the lab and took a seat at a desk. Crystal examined a three dimensional image of the man’s head. Slightly behind and above his left hear was a set of three small circles positioned in a triangle. In the center was a larger black circle. The skull was clearly deformed at this location, cracked and broken. “My first guess it was caused by a weapon.” Crystal said. “Any more on the body?” Megan asked. “It won’t rot…” Crystal shook her head. “Because it has no organic value!” Megan sat up and looked at Crystal, her expression changed. “Something on your mind?” Crystal asked. “Something Rena said about a test that Richard did with a mutilated cow. She said that predators and even bugs wouldn’t touch it.” Crystal looked at the reconstructed body. “We should consolidate our information.” Crystal got up then stretched. “I’ve got to get some sleep, you should to.” “Orion, I need you to contact Richard and send him our data on this thing. See if he will give you what he has on alien abductions and mutilations.” Megan commanded. “I’m going to bed.” “I will see what I can do.” Orion answered. At Dreamland Dr. Albert Jackson studies some of the images in photos taken from the pyramids on Mars and the undersea pyramid. Before him is a circle like a wheel with eight spokes. Above it is the symbol of the sun. To the left is the symbol of the constellation of Sagittarius the Archer, to the right the Scorpion. Below to the right was a half moon symbol. Above the Scorpion slightly to the left was the drawing of a man holding a snake. “I’ve seen this before.” Jackson mused over the image from the underwater pyramid. He began poking away at the keys on his computer. “I’ve seen the wheel within the wheel and the eight spokes. I know this set of images has been repeated in different documents, it’s some kind of time marker. The zodiac is ancient but has remained almost exactly the same for thousands of years.” An image appeared on his computer. A man holding an hour glass standing upon a great wheel within a wheel having eight spokes. “The Time Keeper.” Jackson spoke softly. “The sun rises between the Scorpion and the Archer right across Ophiuchus the Serpent Holder, also known as the secret sign.” Quickly he typed on his second computer, more images appeared. “The sun rises in the great darkness, the great abyss of the Milky Way, the exact center of our galaxy. This only happens once every thirteen thousand years.” The images continued to change on the screen as he studied. An hour passed, he leaned back in his chair. “It’s a prophecy of the end of time as we know it, the end of civilization. It happens in December of the year two thousand twelve. It was predicted by the Martian refugees who settled in Atlantis nearly thirteen thousand years ago. It was repeated again by the prophet Nostradamus in the sixteenth century. If this is even close to being correct it means the Martians came to earth nearly…” “At the end of the last Ice Age almost five to six thousand years before Adam and Eve.” Dr. Kevin Katowski approached from the doorway. “If my information is correct that’s when Mars met its demise, give or take a thousand years or so.” “They seem to be predicting the end of civilization on earth.” Jackson pointed at one of his computer screens then at the pictures of the drawings from the underwater pyramid. “So it seems.” Katowski pulled up a chair near Jackson. “How could they predict that with any accuracy?” Jackson asked. Katowski shook his head. “I don’t know but that’s just the time marker, there’s a lot more to the prophecy. Not only that we can’t be certain the Martians, Atlantians or who ever they were had not seen this cycle of life and death before.” “Even so this time marker…” Jackson pointed at the images on his celestial chart. “…Can only apply to the earth. The sun rising on Mars would not apply.” “I realize that. That means there has to be a conversion table somewhere.” Katowski responded. “After thirteen thousand years it could be lost to us.” The two men sat silently looking at the computer screens contemplating the possibilities. “The serpent represents evil and the serpent holder represents the one who restrains the evil thing.” Jackson said. “Yes, but first the serpent must reign or rule on earth before the Serpent Holder comes to subdue it.” “If it is accurate the civilizations of earth are headed for global calamity of epic proportions.” Jackson shook his head. Katowski nodded. “Like a gigantic train wreck.” “Who is the serpent?” Jackson asked. “Who or what, perhaps it is the Anti-Christ.” Katowski answered. “Is it one person or an ideology?” Jackson asked. “I think it could be both. Lassiter seems to think the serpent comes from the stars and might all ready be living on earth.” Katowski answered. “Lucifer?” Jackson asked. “I only have data and speculations.” Katowski responded. “I have information that indicates Mars was destroyed approximately thirteen thousand years ago. Some of my data seems to indicate the planet itself died long before that. Some how at least part of the civilization survived for awhile after that.” “Most people don’t believe there ever was life on Mars.” Jackson said. “There were other ancient writings that spoke of a Lord of Light. Some records seem to indicate people back then recognized at least two light keepers. There was some controversy what the word translated as ‘light’ actually represented. I believe it means truth of impending judgment or truth of prophecy. I would say the Lord of Light means Keeper of Truth.” Katowski continued. “Not only that there are several ancient records that tell the story of the keeper of truth being born of flesh, living on earth and then returning to another dimension or Heaven if you prefer. These stories were told by several races of people. I have reason to believe there may have been prophets in various places among the races but only one person could be the actual keeper of truth born in the flesh. The religions argue and even kill each other over who has the right to claim the messiah.” The men sat silent as they contemplated the possibilities. “Who was it?” Jackson said. “Organized religion and even science has done everything it possibly can to either preserve, transform or hide the trail to the answer of that very question.” Katowski answered. “Even if we found out who the one true Keeper of Truth was we couldn’t tell anyone.” “Do you know?” Jackson asked. “Maybe.” Katowski answered. “I’ve done a life time of research trying to answer that question. I just don’t care for the religious implications of the answer. I don’t like being tangled up in the dogma. Still I believe that at least one of those religions was on the right track before they became mired down in a terminal condition we know as human nature.” Katowski got up and started for the door then looked back. “I’m a scientist like you. I believe in the facts. I also know that what we base our conclusions on can be misleading. Still it doesn’t mean the truth isn’t out there. According to Egyptologists the Spinx was made by the ancient Egyptians. According to our information the Spinx was originally a lion and it was made by a people who lived in Egypt before the ancient Egyptians came to the land. It was a time marker upon the earth marking when the people from the stars set foot upon the earth. In that day the sun rose in the constellation of Leo. It was the Ancient Egyptians who recarved the face of their pharaoh over the head of the lion. By doing this they confused the truth dramatically. If you want to see my data you know where my office is.” Katowski walked out the door. In Lassitor’s office General Allen and Lassiter examine images sent to them of the dead body found in New Mexico. “Bring it to us.” Lassiter commanded. “Just like the one from last winter.” Allen nodded. Chapter 23 Monday morning Megan and May meet at their lockers to clean them out. “What are we going to do about the Bates Mansion?” May asked. “Are we going back?” “Sure, when we’re ready.” Megan answered. “When?” May asked. “Tonight or tomorrow night.” Megan answered looking toward May she noticed Mallory standing behind May near her locker. Mallory looked at Megan over May’s shoulder. “I’ll believe that when I see it, losers!” She brushed past them. “She heard us?” May gasped. “Don’t worry about her. She’s not brave enough to follow us out there.” Megan said. “Maybe not, but she is stupid enough.” May responded. “Graduation is Wednesday.” The girls enter their first class to find Divora behind the desk, she smiled at them as they took their seats. “Must have done something right for a change.” May whispered over Megan’s shoulder. Megan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. After a general discussion about the past school year the bell rang. Megan and May met Divora at her desk as the others moved on to their next class. “I moved all references to my remote viewing to Orion. I’ve packed my bags and made arrangements to move to another apartment using another name.” Divora explained. “I’ll be staying on Orion at night if that’s all right with you.” Megan nodded. “Better safe…” “Exactly.” May interrupted. History class was also a general discussion about the past year’s historical events. Megan and May noticed Mallory and Stephanie whispering to each other while casting curious glances in their direction. “Their up to something.” May whispered. “Their always up to something.” Megan responded. “Look on the bright side, after Wednesday we won’t have to look at them again.” “I can’t wait.” May sighed. The next morning on the Martin farm Jud finish’s up his morning chores with Chloe helping. After all the animals were fed they stopped at the barn lot watering tank. Chloe pulled up on the pump handle then climbed up on the fence placing her feet upon the concrete wall the tank rested within. “Brianna said you were a soldier.” Chloe said. “That was a long time ago.” Jud answered. “She said you got shot.” Chloe said. “I did.” Jud propped a foot on a fence board. “She said you got hurt real bad, but you look all right now.” Chloe said. Jud nodded. “Megan fixed you?” Chloe asked. “Is that what Brianna said?” “Yeah.” Chloe watched the water running from the hose while two of the horses came to drink. “I guess May told her?” “I guess.” Chloe answered. “Brianna wasn’t here then.” “Something bothers you?” Chloe asked as she pushed the handle down on the pump. “I’ve got other things on my mind right now.” Jud walked toward the barn. Chloe watched as Jud entered the barn, a moment later she followed but Jud was not in or around the barn. She pulled her Orion necklace from under her shirt and ran her fingers over it. “I don’t understand why you would do this for me. I’m only eleven years old, how could I ever help someone like you?” “It’s not about you helping her.” The man’s voice came from a dark corner of the barn. “Who said that?” Chloe searched for the source of the voice. “Megan likes you.” The voice spoke. Chloe moved closer then noticed a dark form within a shadow. “Who are you?” Chloe watched the dark form just inside the doorway of one of the grain storage rooms then she looked toward the light switch near the front barn door. She moved to the switch turned it on then returned to her position in the hallway but the dark figure was gone. “Hello, are you still here?” Chloe called then peeked inside to see a mouse scurry along the wall and into a hole. Slowly she backed away to the front door then turned the light switch off. She took her Orion necklace out and held it. “Orion, is Jud with you?” “Yes Chloe.” Orion answered. “Do you see anyone else in the barn?” Chloe asked. “No Chloe.” Orion answered. “Take me to see Jud.” Chloe said. Chloe found herself standing inside the great room filled with aircraft and a few spaceships. In front of her was the damaged diamond shaped varlock ship that Megan had shot down. Jud worked inside not aware that Chloe was watching. She waited until Jud emerged from the alien craft with a small box in his hand. When he saw her he paused. “What is that?” Chloe asked. Jud looked at the scorched alien craft. “It’s a varloc ship Megan and May shot down.” He looked at the piece in his hand. “Oh this is just part of the radio system.” “You’ve been here for the past ten minutes?” Chloe asked. “Sure.” Jud answered. “I’m working on something. I’ll catch ya later.” Jud touched a button on his watch and vanished in the blue transport light. Chloe ran a hand over the edges of the ejection seat from the varloc ship then climbed inside were Jud had been working. “What are you doing Jud?” “Jud is currently working on something in the laboratory.” Orion answered. “What did he take from this ship?” Chloe asked. “I believe it was a homing beacon or transponder.” Orion answered. “What’s he doing with it?” “He is trying to figure out how it works.” Orion answered. “Did he say why he’s doing that?” “He did not say but appears to be curious about the device.” Orion answered. “Can that thing signal other varlocs?” “I believe that is its intended purpose.” Orion answered. After school Megan and May were pulling out of the parking lot then noticed Mallory and Stephanie watching them from Mallory’s car. “That’s a bit excessive.” May said. “I think your right.” Megan pulled out. “Their following us.” May said looking over her left shoulder out the back window. “Watch this.” Megan turned right heading away from home. “Still following.” May reported. Megan turned left down a cul-de-sac. Mallory turned onto the road pulled to the end and turned around, stopped then got out of their car looking all around. “That should keep her baffled for awhile.” Megan grinned closing her door and watching Mallory and Stephanie on Orion’s big viewer. Megan’s little silver car vanished from the room into one of Orion’s many storage compartments. The girls went to their rooms to change cloths. Moments later Divora appeared in the transport area then went to her room. Rena was in her room in a custom circular observation system watching everything and everyone that had anything to do with their mission. She watched as the three Russian agents got off of a bus at a town in Madagascar. She smiled as she watched Mallory walking around her car looking in all directions trying to figure out where Megan had gone. A few minutes passed and Megan and May met in Megan’s room, a moment later Brianna’s little yellow car appeared in the transport glow inside a holding room. Brianna got out and transported to her room. Her door signal lit and buzzed. She opened the door, Chloe entered. Eight of the twenty four rooms now held names upon the doors. “I need to talk to someone.” Chloe paced the floor. “Is something wrong?” Brianna asked. “Someone spoke to me in the barn but when I looked no one was there and it wasn’t Orion.” Chloe explained. “Then I went to see Jud and he was removing a radio part from the varlock ship. I think Orion called it a transponder. It’s used to call other varloc ships.” “I’m sure he must have a good reason.” “I saw a dark figure in the barn in one of the grain rooms. I was just talking to myself wondering why Megan would let me join the group, I’m only eleven. Then this voice said there didn’t need to be a reason. It said Megan likes me. I saw the dark figure and when I turned on the light I only saw a mouse going through a hole in the wall.” “May said the ghost of Megan’s grandpa Fred was still on the farm. It was most likely him.” Brianna said. “Right now we have to get Orion to fit you with a spacesuit.” Brianna positioned Chloe in front of her. “Now just stand real still.” Brianna stepped back, “Orion, size Chloe for a suit.” A light flashed around Chloe for a few seconds then a bright light engulfed her and when it faded she was wearing a space suit just like Brianna’s. “Now we don’t have to worry about wet suits or air tanks.” Brianna waved a hand in the air. “Control screen Orion.” A floating viewer appeared. She pulled it to her and began poking icons until she created an orb and sent it to the cave in the bluff near the stream. “What are you doing?” Chloe asked. “I’m going on an adventure.” Brianna answered. “And you’re coming with me.” Chloe shook her head. “The place growled at us. The ground shook and Ember transported us out of there, or have you forgotten?” “No one found the treasure, don’t you get it?” Brianna waved her arms in the air then quickly checked her power readings on the controls on her left arm then her beam pistol on her right hip. “That treasure could still be there!” “You want the treasure?” Chloe asked. “Don’t you?” Brianna responded. “Let’s go.” Chapter 24 Divora, May, Megan and Rena met in Rena’s room. They watched as Rena turned in her chair watching the viewers around her. “Impressive.” Megan said. “I got the idea from the weapons officer’s seat in the little spaceships.” Rena said. “I’ve got a feeling that we are missing something important.” “Me to.” Divora said. “The cave has history. There is something hidden. The mansion in the city is also important. I see a creature there with glowing red eyes. There is another thing it is not human it is not dead but it is not alive.” The others looked at Divora. She looked at each of them. “What I see makes no sense.” They turned toward Rena. “I don’t know about the cave but she’s right there’s something really out of place at the mansion.” “The thing in the basement?” May asked. “Yeah, it is but it isn’t.” Rena answered. “Like the little ghost said.” Megan nodded. “What the heck does that mean?” May shook her head waving her arms in the air. “It’s dead but isn’t, it’s in the basement but it isn’t. I say we get Jud break out the big guns and go in there shooting!” In the cave Brianna wades into the cold clear water deep in the tunnel. “Can’t even feel the cold.” She checked her suit controls on her left arm. “Helmet up.” Chloe watches as Brianna’s helmet appears out of her collar. Brianna continues until her head moves just above the surface under the rocks. “Are you coming?” Chloe touched the helmet control on her left arm and her helmet appeared and followed. The rocks came lower as the girls continued until they were completely submersed looking up at solid rock above their heads. A few more feet brought them back up and a few more yards brought them onto the nearly dry path. Two paths lead from this room one to the right going down and one to the left. “Which way?” Chloe asked. Brianna checked her view controls changing them until she could literally see through the dirt along the path. Then she hit a control settings transfer button to send the settings to Chloe. “Now we can see through the dirt almost three feet deep.” Brianna looked around the room and into the two passages. “Maybe so but the colors are freaky.” Chloe said. “Which way?” “This passage to the right goes down into water again only this time it looks deeper.” Brianna stood before the passage. “Do you think this was all flooded when the robbers were here?” “How would I know?” Brianna checked the passage to the left. “This way.” They followed the winding passage up down and around until they came to a steep incline. “That must be a hundred feet to the top!” Chloe exclaimed. Numbers flashed on Brianna’s HUD. “Fifty maybe.” She started to climb. “I don’t think you should do that.” Chloe shook her head. Suddenly Brianna slipped and fell to the ground with a thump. As she got up from the dirt floor she saw something. She pulled it up. “It’s a bone.” Chloe moved to help Brianna dig the bones up. “I can see them with my helmet.” “Me to.” Brianna pulled a human skull from the dirt. “Oh my God!” Chloe looked at the skull then pulled a rusty gun from the dirt beside Brianna. “It’s one of the robbers!” She backed up with the gun in her hand and looked at the ground beside Brianna. “There’s a…” Brianna got up still holding the skull and backed up. “There’s a hole there.” “Something was buried there.” Chloe pointed with the gun. “Something rectangular like a…” “…Money box.” Brianna finished. “Someone found the treasure.” Brianna began searching. “Drat! If that doesn’t beat all!” She looked at the bones and gun belt wrapped around them. Then she looked at the skull in her hand. “What did you do with it?” “Wasn’t him. I’ll bet he fell to his death trying to climb out.” “But they said they never found the loot!” Brianna exclaimed. “So who did?” “Who owns this land?” Chloe asked. “Ah, Martha Martin I guess.” Brianna answered. “Couldn’t have been her.” Chloe shook her head. “Megan’s grandpa Fred?” Brianna asked. “Maybe.” Chloe answered. A low pitched growling sound echoed through the cave. “Where did it come from?” Chloe asked frantically. “We’ve got to get out of here!” Brianna looked up the steep slope. Again the growl echoed through the cave. “It came from back there.” Chloe pointed. Brianna grabbed for her necklace and realized she couldn’t get it under her suit. “Orion!” She looked up to see a thick mist descending from above. “We can’t climb out!” Chloe exclaimed. “It’s too slick!” Brianna pulled her little silver ray gun from her holster and checked the settings. “Set your gun on high stun automatic.” “Gun?” Chloe asked feeling for the gun at her side. “Shields, cloaking!” Brianna spoke in panic while searching the commands on her control. “Voice commands on!” The lights began to flash on her helmet HUD. Chloe realized her HUD was also flashing commands as her suit and Brianna’s were still linked. She looked at Brianna to see her change to a translucent blue. She listened, more sounds echoed through the cave. Brianna pulled Chloe into a corner. “Lights out.” She commanded and everything around them in visible light went dark. “Be very quiet. Better hide than fight.” An oddly colored light flashed across the ceiling. Suddenly the silence was shattered as a large hulking armored creature landed in front of them. It turned looking toward the bones on the ground. Then it walked away the direction the girls had entered. “What the heck was that?” Chloe whispered. “My heart is beating like crazy!” “Remember that scary monster I showed you on Orion? I think that was one of those.” “What ever it is it’s on the hunt.” Chloe said. “And it’s blocking our exit.” “Orion?” Brianna called. She watched her HUD, a message appeared. “What does it mean link broken?” “I don’t know how to run this suit.” Chloe said. “Why is the link broken?” Brianna asked. Her suit began to scan, lights flashed around them, the air filled with glitter and a new message appeared. “Communication dampening in effect.” Brianna looked at the glitter in the air. “It’s the mist. The varloc did something to kill radio and even Orion’s com link. We can’t stay here. What do we do?” “We climb.” Chloe looked up the steep incline. On Orion Divora reveals drawings she’s made from her remote viewing. One drawing shows some kind of round odd looking yellow orange canisters being transported by rail car to a flowing stream. Another shows rail type transport boxes being moved by air over open country. “What’s in them?” Megan asked. Divora shook her head. “Chemical or biological weapons would be my first guess.” “Where are they coming from?” May asked. “I saw a chemical plant associated with the ones on the train. I saw those box containers being moved as if by balloon.” “What’s in the boxes?” May asked. “You could carry anything in boxes like those even people or soldiers.” Divora answered. “I don’t know why I see them moving through the air they way they were. I think that can not be right.” “What direction?” Megan asked. “North north east. It’s all being done in secret.” “Who…” May began. “Most likely covert opps.” Divora answered. “Soldiers?” May asked. “Special opps. Highly trained specialists soldiers.” Divora answered. Megan looked at the drawings then handed them to Rena. “I think those are a weapon. Perhaps to be moved or delivered by water.” Divora said. “We have enough problems dealing with aliens and now this.” Megan shook her head. “How do we know these men aren’t aliens?” May asked. “Or maybe they are working for the aliens.” Rena looked at one of her monitors, she poked a few icons. “What is it?” May asked. “The orb watching the mansion basement just went off line.” She looked at another screen. “The orb watching the cave just went dead.” Megan looked at the screens. “Orion?” Brianna pulled herself over the top ledge of the steep incline then helped Chloe over the top. They lay in the dirt trying to catch their breath. The mist hung in the air above them. Their HUDs indicated narrow band IR cameras in their helmets allowed them to see in total darkness without being detected. Brianna got up and walked to a wall where she found primitive drawings. Chloe stayed near scanning in all directions. She looked at the cliff. “That used to be a water fall. This was all made by water a very long time ago.” She looked into the cave the direction they were moving. Brianna looked at the tracks the previous creature had left in the dirt. “Let’s go.” The girls moved through the darkness deeper into the cave. “Orion’s last position on Brianna and Chloe was the cave.” Rena reported. Orion watched nearby. May crossed her arms. Megan shook her head. “They didn’t tell anyone where they were going.” She looked at Orion. “What could kill your orbs?” “Anything that is capable of sucking up or destroying spiritual energy.” Orion answered. “Other things that generate dark matter fields interfere. Anything that generates or absorbs wide spectrum light and radio frequencies can limit or block my frequencies.” “But you said the orbs were gone.” May said. “Varloc?” Rena asked. “While you guys figure this out I’m going after Brianna and Chloe.” Megan stepped back waved her arms and vanished in the blue light. “Awe crap!” May exclaimed. “Orion, tell Jud we need him.” She waved a hand and vanished in the blue transport light. Cloaked Brianna and Chloe followed the creature’s foot prints until they came to a much larger room. Carefully they looked around the rocks into the room to see it also glittering with the mist. “We must be a mile or more into the cave.” Chloe clutched Brianna’s hand. “There’s a varloc ship over there.” Brianna reported, she stood and looked around. “There’s another one with a varloc standing at the back.” Quickly she ducked behind the rocks. “There’s another one walking through the room.” “What are we going to do?” “They can’t see us. If we could slip past them without making any noise we might…” “If there’s two spaceships there has to be a door.” Chloe whispered. Brianna pulled Chloe near the rock. A varloc in full armor walked up and stopped in the entrance of the tunnel beside them. Megan appeared in suit and crown in the entrance of the cave. She entered, a moment later May appeared in suit with pistol in hand and followed. “Megan?” May asked. “What is this?” Megan asked waving a hand through the mist. She watched as figures flashed through her mind. “Well?” May moved up beside Megan. “It’s killing our com systems.” Megan said. “If we go any further Orion won’t be able to help us.” She pulled her silver pistol from its holster. “We still have Ember. Brianna and Chloe are all ready in there.” Megan nodded then led the way into the cave. Ten minutes later the varloc in the opening of the tunnel returned to the ships. “Shit!” Brianna exclaimed. “I thought we were goners.” Chloe took a deep breath. “You have your gun?” Chloe showed Brianna her gun. “We may have to fight our way out of here.” Brianna checked the settings on her gun. “These are really dangerous. They might even cause the cave to collapse on us.” “I don’t like the sound of that.” Chloe objected. “If we are careful we should be able to take out two varlocs though. Still better hide than fight.” Chloe looked at her little silver pistol. “Think you can use it?” Brianna asked. “I probably have more experience with guns than you do.” Chloe nodded. “Maybe so, but that’s a beam pistol. It has no recoil and fires an adjustable beam that could melt a tank.” “I figured.” Chloe responded. “The bad news is our suits are down to three quarters on power from running low shields and cloaking. They have one full charge in the pack but they’ve been maintaining charge from the pack. They can charge from the pistol but that reduces the power of the pistol.” “What should we do?” “I’m switching our suits to extreme low shields and automatic. We must keep our cloaking on and see if we can get past these things.” Brianna poked several keys on her suit control changing both their suits settings. “Now let’s see if we can slip past these guys. Stay low.” They had not gone far when they saw the third larger varloc ship against the left wall of the room. The door was open and another varloc sat in the door. Brianna trembled as she crawled along the right edge of the fairly large room. “Odds just got worse. I’m so sorry I got you into this.” Chapter 25 Megan and May stood before the pool of water in the tunnel looking at the tracks in the mud. “They came this way.” Megan pointed. “And there’s the tracks of an armored varloc.” “Do you think it got them?” May asked. “I should have made the cave totally off limits.” Megan growled. “Helmet up.” Megan pulled her pistol and waded into the water with May following. Brianna and Chloe crawled behind some large rocks looking upward toward the opening in the ceiling. It was painfully obvious the exit was nearly impassable and in clear view of the varloc guards. “I might have guessed.” Brianna said. “It’s a sink hole.” Chloe sighed. Brianna looked at her little pistol. “I’m setting them on high. We have the element of surprise, we might get lucky.” She looked at Chloe. “You can try to go back the way we came and I can draw their fire.” “You would do that for me?” Chloe asked. “It’s my fault you’re here.” Brianna nodded. “I think our chances are better if we stay together.” Chloe smiled. “Shields on full. Weapons on full. Get ready.” Brianna moved from behind the rock and took aim. “I’ll take the one on the right you take the one to the left. When the guy comes out of the third ship we will both hit him. Your gun sights appear on your HUD when you aim.” Suddenly a loud explosion echoed from the tunnel they had just come out of shaking the floor, pieces of dirt and rocks fell from the ceiling. Startled bats circled the room. The three varlocs moved toward the tunnel. “Now!” Brianna commanded her pistol flashed hitting the first varloc dead on. The alien literally exploded knocking the second one to the ground. She turned watching for the second when the third emerged from the larger ship. Chloe’s pistol flashed across the cave knocking the third varloc backwards into the rock wall. A blast of energy flashed away from the third alien knocking the girls to the ground. Quickly they stood, their cloaking fluctuated. The second varloc fired hitting Brianna knocking her backward she fell. Chloe got up and returned fire hitting the varloc with a flash of light and loud explosion. Chloe scanned the alien ships and aliens on the ground. She looked at Brianna motionless a few yards to her right. “Brianna?” Chloe asked moving sideways toward Brianna while keeping her little pistol pointed toward the alien ships. “Am I still alive?” Brianna moaned. “Get up!” Chloe exclaimed. “That hurt like the devil!” Brianna got to her knees, found her gun and stood. “I think we got them.” Chloe watched as smoke emerged from the cave tunnel. “My suit is less than five percent.” Brianna spoke weakly. “I’m going to be black and blue.” Another explosion rocked the cave, more smoke belched from the tunnel to their left. “Something’s going on over there.” Chloe pointed. “I’ll bet anything that’s our rescue team and the other varloc.” Brianna sighed. “This is all my fault.” “Darn you Megan!” May exclaimed as she watched the tunnel in front of her. “Wake up!” Megan lay motionless behind May. The varloc with the big gun had caught them by surprise. May looked at her power gauge to see it at ten percent. “Ember!” May yelled. “I sure could use some help here!” “Boom!” Another blast hit the wall knocking May to the floor upon Megan. She returned fire sending several shots into the cave. “Get off me!” Megan coughed. “We need Ember!” May exclaimed. “Get back.” Megan warned. May crawled back to the wall watching the tunnel ahead. “I think I hit him.” Megan stood. May looked back at her. “Well?” “Something’s wrong!” Megan gasped. “KaBoom!” Another blast hit the wall knocking them to the ground. Quickly May returned fire. “You better get your pistol and use it!” Megan fired a shot into the darkness ahead. Her HUD rolled as scattered pixels lit then vanished. “My suit shields and HUD are off line!” “He shot you with that big gun. If I hadn’t hit him on the first shot we would both be dead now.” “It’s the mist!” Megan gasped. “You guys need some help?” Jud spoke from behind them. “Christ!” May turned to see Jud in a shimmering silver suit with a wicked looking silver gun in his hands, as soon as she looked the silver changed to a dark camouflage. “Jud?” “Thought you could use some help.” Jud moved around Megan against the wall looking into the tunnel a blast of energy just missed his head hitting the wall behind him. He fired toward the source of the shots causing a series of smaller explosions. Quickly he flung a small hand held explosive into the tunnel. “Get back.” “KaBoom!” The bomb exploded shaking the cave. “What’s wrong with Ember?” Jud asked. “We think it’s the mist.” May answered. Megan’s eyes began to glow. She stood holding her arms out to her sides, the blue glow moved around her followed by the translucent fire. “I am Ember.” She said. “Go kick their asses Ember.” May’s hands trembled. Ember moved into the tunnel. Jud shook his head. “It wasn’t the mist.” Ember moved into the next room. There upon the ground lay the varloc and his big gun. Jud and May entered finding the bones and the rusty revolver. “He’s not dead but Orion can’t transport him because of the mist. Get his weapons.” Ember commanded. “I’ll look for Brianna and Chloe.” Translucent flames adorned her form as Ember floated straight up the shaft fifty feet above landing on the ledge she looked back down then proceeded into the cave. Jud pulled the varlock over and tied its hands behind it. “We can’t carry that thing.” May picked up the big gun and looked it over. “You get credit for this one.” “Don’t worry about it.” Jud responded. “As for this guy I’ve got a plan.” Ember walked through the cave until she found herself in the big room. She floated into the air scanning the room then to the ground looking at the girls. “Are you two all right?” “We’ll live.” Brianna answered. A blinding flash of light came from the larger alien ship hitting Ember in the back with a sharp crack. Ember went dark falling backward to the ground as Brianna and Chloe returned fire running to Ember’s side. Ember gasped for air. “Are you Ok?” Chloe asked. Ember got to her knees and looked toward the third alien ship. “Did you get him?” “He’s inside the ship.” Brianna answered. “It’s the soul sucker weapon. I can’t take another hit.” Ember said. “Forget about it.” Brianna said holding her sights on the third alien craft. Ember drew her pistol. “The other varloc nuked my suit shields and HUD. This one got Baby Starburst and Payah.” They approached the varloc ship. Suddenly something inside the ship exploded blowing flames and pieces of the hiding varloc out the door, its head rolled on the ground. A little fire ball flew out of the ship and around the room like a mad hornet finally flying up to Ember. A group of frightened bats circled the room. “Baby Starburst is not happy!” Brianna shook her head. A blue ball of light moved from the doorway of the alien ship and flew to Ember covering her once again with Payah’s protective energy. Baby Starburst flew back inside the alien ship. “She’s really pissed off.” Brianna warned. Ember walked to the door and looked inside. “This is a troop ship. How many varlocs were there?” “One went that way and we shot three here. Baby Starburst got the last one that makes five.” Brianna answered. They watched as Baby Starburst returned from the front of the ship landed on the head of the dead varloc and burned it to ashes. “She’s ticked off all right.” Chloe shook her head. Ember picked up a piece of the big gun the varloc had shot her with. “This should be helpful.” Baby Starburst flew quickly to the third varloc who was trying to get up. Ember walked toward him as he reached for his weapon. “Go ahead, make her day.” Ember warned. The varloc looked at Ember then at Baby Starburst and rethought his plan. Brianna picked up a fragment of light weight black metal. She looked at other black canisters on the ground. “That gun sucked Baby Starburst and Payah into this thing.” She looked at Ember. “Baby Starburst blew it up from the inside.” Chloe held her pistol on the live varloc. “Point is that gun could kill Ember.” “The mist doesn’t help either.” Ember said. “We need to get all this to Orion. You watch them I’m going to help Jud and May. If that guy moves…” Baby Starburst flew up to Ember and saluted then flew right back to the varloc they were guarding. “She’s got the idea.” Chloe nodded. Chapter 26 On Orion the group investigates the varloc hardware. “Your big plan was to wait for Ember to come back and levitate the varloc out of the cave?” May asked. “It worked didn’t it?” Jud smiled. “The point is this one ship could carry eight varlocs in full armor. Each fighter has one pilot. We only got five.” Brianna explained to Rena, Divora and Dr. Crystal. Megan sat in pain watching the others with Chloe seated next to her. “Don’t feel so bad Megan. It was a team effort. We are all right.” “I messed up. I got shot as Megan and should have been Ember. It’s a miracle that first shot didn’t kill me. If it hadn’t been for May and then Jud showing up May and I would have both bought the farm. It was Jud who gets the points for taking that first varloc down. Then I came to help you guys and turned my back on the enemy and got shot again!” “You didn’t know he was there, he was hiding.” Chloe insisted. “And then you and Brianna had to save me.” Megan shook her head. “My hero!” Chloe whacked Megan across the arm. “So you had a bad day. Suck it up girl!” Megan put an arm around Chloe and hugged her. “You’re right.” Chloe sighed. “Besides it was Baby Starburst who got the last one. Boy was she mad.” Megan giggled. “She sure was.” “She’s so cute and you can’t touch her?” Chloe asked. Megan sighed. “She’s made of some very dangerous energy.” “Brianna told me. It would be nice to be able to hold her in your hand.” Megan nodded. “She can’t hurt the little blue guy though?” Chloe asked. “No.” “You can call her anytime you want?” Chloe asked. “Sure.” Megan nodded. “We have three perfectly in tact functional varloc ships. Two fighters and one transport.” Jud spoke from the doorway of the larger ship. “This is better than I had hoped for.” “That’s ten, we got five. Where’s the other varlocs?” Rena asked. “Why were they hiding in that cave?” Divora asked. “Good questions all.” Jud said. “I’ll get right on it.” “The cave shields their ships from Dark Star.” Rena said. “It has to do with the minerals in the rock.” “I want to know who found the treasure?” Brianna asked. May looked at Megan. “I’ll bet I know.” Megan considered her words. All the gold and silver along with a few other very old bills they found buried, hidden around the farm along with some of the things they found in the safe. “Your great grandpa Henry found it.” May nodded. “He kept it. I was right about him.” “Maybe so.” Megan sighed. “I’ll bet if you check the property lines that cave isn’t even on the Martin land.” May added. “What’s she talking about?” Chloe asked. “She’s right, the old house and barn are on the edge of the Martin farm but everything south of the creek at that point belongs to someone else.” Megan explained. “I’m taking this to the lab.” Jud took the big varloc gun and vanished in the blue transport light. “Just look at him. Like a kid with a new toy.” May shook her head. “I want Megan and Brianna in the lab now.” Dr. Crystal commanded. Minutes later Dr. Crystal examined Megan and Brianna to find some serious bruises. Brianna was bruised over the chest and stomach and Megan was bruised both front and back. Three dark blisters in a triangular shape marked the points of the outer bruise. The inside circle was shades of blue. “I thought the suits were suppose to stop things like that.” Brianna said. “I’m sure the suits saved your lives.” Dr. Crystal said. “It’s the weapons. It’s the way they work.” Megan said. “Jud and Orion should be able to figure that out. Brianna’s not so bad and Megan’s not bad in the front but the ones on her back concern me.” Dr. Crystal said. “I should be able to heal Brianna.” Megan offered. Dr. Crystal nodded. Megan waved a hand, called her crown and began. The green glow moved over her and Brianna and in a minute the bruises were gone from Brianna and lessoned on Megan. “Just keep the green glow on for a few minutes Megan.” Dr. Crystal said. Ten minutes later Megan’s bruises were also gone. “We need to know how those weapons work and modify our suit shields to be more effective.” Megan said. Later Rena met Megan in her room. “Are you all right?” Rena asked. “I’m better now.” Megan answered. “Good!” Rena said then slapped Megan across the face fairly hard. Megan jerked back and flamed on, her glowing eyes fixed upon Rena. “Do I have your attention?” A quiver was apparent in Rena’s voice. The flames subside around Megan, she looked at Rena then downward at the floor. “What was that for?” Megan asked. “You have to ask?” Rena responded pointing at a chair at the table. Megan took a seat and Rena sat across from her. “I need your undivided attention.” Rena began. “First of all you were only twelve when you were suppose to find the crown. The Great Old Ones miscalculated your age and that’s why you didn’t get the crown, that’s why you were sent home. It wasn’t your fault it’s just the way it worked out. Now you’re eighteen and you’re still not ready, it’s my job to get you ready.” “You’re not even a little bit afraid of me?” Megan said. “I’m not afraid of Megan but Ember scares the hell out of me.” Rena answered. Megan nodded. “Me to.” “Anything happens to you and I’m out of a job, we all are. Not only that everyone who’s depending on us is in serious trouble. We can’t afford to fail.” “What do we do?” Megan asked. “What did you do wrong in that cave?” “I went in as Megan.” Megan answered. “Error number one, you thought you could find the girls and get out without Ember.” Rena said. “I…” Megan began. “No! You knew there was a varloc in there, you saw the tracks! You suppressed Ember.” Rena scolded. “Why didn’t you send an orb ahead?” “You know the orbs don’t work in the mist.” “Why didn’t you send Baby Starburst in then?” Rena asked. “I didn’t think.” “You’re not thinking could get you and anyone with you killed. Now you tell me why you didn’t change and let Ember do her job?” Megan looked down at the table. “I’ll tell you why, you didn’t want to let Ember take control. Then in the big room you glanced around and not seeing any threats you assumed Brianna and Chloe had shot them. You turned your back on an unseen enemy. Brianna and Chloe were alive, armed and could have waited for you to clear the area to be sure you were safe.” Megan looked at Rena. “I’m sorry.” “I’ve been with Ember and you since before you were born. It’s my job to help you, Megan Martin take command of Ember. We don’t have much time to get you ready. You remember what I said? I said when Megan Martin owns Ember Reign there’s nothing you can’t do, but until then we have work to do.” Rena explained. “What do we do?” Megan asked. “Every day you and I are going to spend some time working with Ember until you’re the master. We are going to start right now with a simple coordination exercise.” Rena moved to the center of the room. “Stand here and call up Ember with Payah and Baby Starburst.” Megan did as she was told. Her eyes lit up white, the blue glow moved around her followed by the translucent flames of Baby Starburst. “Now I want you to take Baby Starburst in your right hand.” Rena instructed. The flames moved into a ball floating upon the blue glow around Ember’s hand. “Now I want you to create a gravity field around her. You will know when it’s working because she will fall like a ball when you release her. Toss her into the air.” Rena instructed. Megan tossed the fire ball into the air, she hovered there looking down on Megan. “Not quite right.” Rena “Why does she have to have gravity?” Megan asked. “It’s not gravity it only acts like it. It has to do with your ability to manipulate your powers. Baby Starburst and Payah are all part of Ember’s abilities. You create your gravity by manipulating your powers. Remember how you walked on the water? You balanced your powers right at the point where you could feel the water beneath your feet. You can feel Baby Starburst the same way. Now try again.” “Ah?” Megan ask. “Draw her to your hand.” Rena explained. Megan tried to focus on Baby Starburst and pull her to her hand while Baby Starburst looked at Rena and Megan wondering what Megan was trying to accomplish. “You can do it.” Rena reassured Megan. After several minutes without any success Rena moved behind Megan putting her left arm around Megan’s waist and right hand holding Megan’s right hand from the bottom. Payah’s blue glow moved over both women. “Now listen with your spirit. Feel Baby Starburst with your hand.” Rena began moving Megan’s hand back and forth pointing her palm toward Baby Starburst then moving it away. “Now close your eyes.” Megan closed her eyes as Rena continued. “Now tell me when you can feel Baby Starburst in your hand.” “Now.” Megan answered. “Good. You’ve been trying to do the work with your mind by sight and you can’t do it like that. Now pull her to you without looking.” Megan worked for a moment then slowly Baby Starburst moved into Megan’s hand. “Got her.” She smiled. “Now do it again on your own. Remember how she feels and what you did to make her move.” Rena instructed as she moved away from Megan. Megan tossed Baby Starburst into the air then feeling for her she pulled her back to her hand. “I know Ember can do it, I want Megan to do it by using Ember’s powers.” Rena said. Megan looked at Rena. “I didn’t say anything.” “Didn’t you?” Rena smiled. “Now switch hands.” Minutes passed and when Megan would become somewhat proficient with a move Rena would change the exercise. “Now throw her out like a yo-yo and pull her back.” “Remember Baby Starburst is not just defensive she is Ember’s primary weapon.” Rena explained. “Ember can fire Baby Starburst like a bullet or guided missile with tremendous explosive force. With practice you can knock down jet planes missiles or spaceships.” Megan worked for a few minutes tossing Baby Starburst out and pulling her back until she could do it very quickly. “The more you practice the less you will have to think about it. Now go ahead and bounce her off the floor and pull her back.” Rena instructed. “It’s all right you can’t hurt Orion. I want this to actually look like your bouncing a ball.” “What about her?” Megan asked. “She’s an energy life form, you can’t hurt her, you can’t bruise her, you can’t even make her dizzy.” Megan giggled. “No but you sure can make her angry.” “She didn’t like that varloc’s gun did she?” Rena shook her head. “Ok, get back to it. I’ve got a long list of things you need to work on.” Chapter 27 Jud worked in the lab with the varlock’s odd looking big barreled weapon. On the table before him lay the pieces of the one Baby Starburst had destroyed. Beside it lay the one that was intact. Piece by piece he studied the fragments of the broken weapon. He pulled a black crystal from the back of the gun and studied the connections between the rear handle and the black crystal. He turned the magazine in the working model and studied how the grenade like black canisters meshed up with the connector to the black crystal. Dr. Crystal studied the two living varlocs in the isolation chambers down the side hallway from the lab. She studied the read-outs on the panel below the window. Suddenly the varloc in that chamber threw itself at Crystal causing her to jump backwards. She saw the beast smile recognizing the fear Crystal experienced. Crystal moved forward and looked at the readings on the indicators. Again the beast lunged at her throwing itself against the transparent boundary but this time Crystal didn’t flinch. She watched the readings then looked at the beast. “That’s interesting. Orion, can these two communicate with each other between the chambers?” “No Doctor.” Orion answered. “Are they trying to?” “Yes.” Orion answered. “They have telepathic abilities?” Crystal asked. “On a basic level.” Orion answered. “Basic but effective.” “Can you translate what they are saying to each other?” Crystal asked. The blue transport light appeared with Orion’s android. “I can.” Orion looked into the first room. “This one is the dominate male. He is trying to feed from your energy. He is also trying to establish a link to the nearest varloc to him.” “A chain of command?” Crystal asked. “Yes. It is looking for a subordinate to give orders to or a superior to take commands from.” Crystal studies the indicators on the panel below the window. “Their both in some serious distress.” “They do not like to be alone or trapped.” Crystal nodded. “They’re like hive creatures.” “They exist to carry out their function.” Orion explained. “If you break that link?” “They carry out their last orders if they can.” Orion answered. “How can they maintain a physical body from spiritual energy alone?” “Varlocs eat raw meat and drink blood. They don’t actually feed on the spiritual energy they take, but they can read some of the information from it and they store it somewhere.” Orion explained. “Where? Why? For whom?” Orion was silent while Crystal considered her questions. “You can’t tell me because I’ve got to figure this out myself.” Crystal nodded. Orion smiled. “Oh you!” She shook her head. “All right, if they don’t consume the spiritual energy they are keeping it for a superior.” She thought for a moment. “Their feeding something else… Wait, you said they could read some of the information?” Orion nodded. “They can read spiritual information?” Crystal asked taking a deep breath. “Memories? That would mean they can know what their victims knew, which means they most likely wouldn’t kill randomly.” “They would kill to keep someone silent. They would kill to follow an information trail.” “I’ve never even heard of something like this in a science fiction movie.” Crystal shook her head. “Their hunting for something or someone.” Orion nodded. Jud entered the hallway. “Breaking their psychic com link momentarily confuses them doesn’t it?” “Yes.” Orion answered. “How do we do that in the wild?” Jud asked. “They use a mist with light and radio frequency refracting abilities to jam my communications. This is effective in confined areas where air circulation is limited. There is one exception and that’s when they generate a cloud around their ships to hide them from view and radar systems.” “How do we create something that blocks their link?” Jud asked. “I have an idea.” Orion nodded. “When they create those mists they also create anomalies that I can scan for. By injecting their mist area with aluminum particles we can make them highly visible to earth radar systems. Jud smiled nodding. “That would defeat their reason for using the mist.” “Just like a swift hard slap in the face.” Crystal agreed. “What kind of delivery system would you use?” Jud asked. “The moment they realize what’s happened they would be gone in a flash.” Orion shook his head. “They would know someone was able to see them and they would find another method to get around us.” Jud thought for a moment. “If we did it once or twice would be about all we could do. Still it might buy us some time. And we still need some method to deliver it. They would detect a rocket quickly. Could you transport a dispersion system over them and detonate it?” Orion shook his head. “That would mean Orion would be taking a direct action against the enemy.” Crystal said. “Someone else could transport it.” “Another stealth ship?” Jud sighed. “They can detect the little fighters we have.” “What about Delta Star?” Crystal asked. Jud nodded. “Or maybe Orion can help me modify the shields on those little ships.” “You don’t like Richard do you?” Crystal asked. “I like to maintain control over my tac-ops.” Jud said then looked at Orion. “Could the varlocs detect Delta Star?” “I don’t know.” Orion answered. “It just so happens that we have three functional varloc ships.” Jud nodded. “I say we run some tests.” “I want to know how those varlocs read the spiritual information.” Crystal said. “Do they have a machine in their ship, a translator?” “I guess we are all going to the hanger room.” Jud nodded. A few moments later the three inspect the varloc troop transport in the hanger room on Orion. Jud shook his head. “This ship isn’t interstellar capable.” “It doesn’t seem to have a method to read that spiritual energy either.” Crystal looked over the various devices inside the alien ship. “There’s a mother ship somewhere.” Jud scratched his head, Crystal and Jud looked at each other. Rena watched the three on the complex viewing system she had Orion construct for her. She nodded. “Where would they hide a mother ship?” She poked some icons on one of her floating viewers. Chapter 28 Tuesday morning the girls arrive at school. They arrive in their first class to see Divora smile at them. May notices two empty seats nearby then looks at Megan and points at the chairs. “Wonder where the Grim twins are today?” May asks. Megan shakes her head. “You don’t think they…” “They wouldn’t dare! They don’t have the guts.” May shook her head. The noise of the other students chattering uncontrolled fills the room. A man wearing a cheap suit enters and speaks with Divora as the girls watch. A few moments pass then Divora calls the class to attention. “Mr. Williams is a detective who works for the city police department. He wants to know if any of you have seen Mallory Brown or Stefanie Bragg since school yesterday?” Divora asked. Megan and May look at each other. Dective Williams looks over the room noticing the expression on certain faces. Megan looks back to see him looking directly at her. “Does anyone have anything they would like to share with me?” The detective asks all the while obvious he’s watching Megan and May with special interest. “How about you two.” Megan looks at May then at the detective. “Mallory and Stef followed us out of the parking lot for a few blocks after school yesterday.” Megan offered. “I haven’t seen them since.” “Come-on Megan what did you do with them?” One of the boys called out. The rest of the class laughed. “Yeah, it’s no secret you guys hate each other.” One of the cheerleaders added. “Nobody liked those two!” Another yelled. One boy watched the others without saying a word. Megan looked directly at him knowing he was about as close to Mallory’s boyfriend as a boy could be. One by one the detective questioned everyone in the room in the counselor’s office. May waited in her seat until Megan returned. Others left the room but Megan went straight to Divora and told her the story how Mallory and Stefanie had overheard them talking about going to the Mansion then followed them from the parking lot. “Do you think they went to the mansion trying to find you?” Divora asked. Megan shrugged shaking her head. “If they did there’s no telling what could have happened to them.” “Did you tell the detective that?” “Heck no.” Megan shook her head. “That place isn’t safe even for cops.” “Just ask Jimmy Smith.” May crossed her arms shaking her head. Megan looked at May. “We should get out there and see.” “If they went out there their most likely all ready dead.” May said. “Hay guys!” Brianna pushed in between Megan and May. “What’s going on?” “What did you do, kill them?” Todd spoke from the door. “Hay!” May exclaimed. “Of course not!” Other students began to fill the room. “If anyone was likely to be killing anyone it would be them.” Brianna added. “You know something.” Todd insisted as he approached. “They made plenty of enemies.” Megan shook her head. “We were just talking about looking for them.” “I’ll bet.” Todd shook his head then left the room abruptly. “We need to check the mansion.” Megan said. “We should transport from the bathroom.” Divora nodded. Moments later Megan, May and Brianna appeared in the backyard of the Bates mansion. “Check the doors.” May said. Moments later they return to the back of the house. “Look.” Brianna pointed toward the large garage building behind the mansion. Seeing the door was slightly ajar they looked inside. “It’s Mallory’s car!” May exclaimed. “Their here somewhere.” Brianna added. “The doors were all locked.” May said. “Orion, suits and crown please.” Megan commanded. The transport light moved over the girls leaving them dressed in their spacesuits. “It’s possible they got into the house and relocked the doors.” “No one in their right minds would go inside that place and lock themselves in.” May shook her head. Megan lead the way around the mansion to the broken bedroom window. She examined it closely noticing the curtains had been torn. She looked at the sill at the bottom of the window. “Grass stains shaped like a shoe.” “They climbed in.” May said. Megan looked at the others. “They went in there most likely last night and didn’t come out.” “Yeah and something closed the window behind them.” Brianna shook her head. Megan’s eyes lit up and a moment later they were standing inside the bedroom. They noticed the dead raccoon carcass was still on the floor then turned to Megan’s scorched image nearby. Cautiously they searched the upper floors, finding nothing they returned to the basement door. “Maybe it’s asleep.” May said. “Let’s hope.” Megan turned the knob then slowly pulled the door open. Cautiously they moved down the stairs into the basement. “What were they thinking coming in here like that?” May asked. “I’ll ask when I see them.” Megan looked around the corner down the long hallway. Brianna noticed bullet holes in the concrete wall to her left. “I forgot my camera. I should go home and get it.” “You can’t shoot us here in our outfits anyway.” May protested. “She’s jerking with you.” Megan whispered as she peeked into one of the rooms. “Jimmy was right. Examination rooms like in a doctor’s office.” Halfway down the hall on the right they found a larger empty room. Megan walked around looking at everything. She looked down. “Something was in here.” She turned around. “Something kinda big.” She looked at the concrete wall. “It’s not here now.” May shook her head. “Footprints in the dust.” Megan knelt taking a closer look. “Not that long ago.” She stood. “Check the rest of the rooms.” Finally at the opposite end of the hallway the girls looked around. “They came in but they didn’t leave.” Megan sighed. “They still have to be here somewhere then.” Brianna pulled a cabinet open. Finding a piece of something odd she picked it up. “Oh shizzel!” She dropped it on a table. “What?” May asked. “It’s a finger!” Brianna wiped her hand on her suit. “Call Ember, take us back to last night and see what happened?” May suggested. Megan nodded, her eyes lit up bright white. She walked along the hallway and waved her hand but nothing happened. She tried again with the same results. “There’s something wrong in this place. She walked along the hallway again looked into the rooms and stopping at the empty room. “I know they were here. They were standing right there.” She pointed. “Psychic jamming?” May asked. Ember nodded. “There’s something very old and very powerful and it’s nearby.” Without warning the lights began to flash around them and in a few moments there appeared a large silver container in the room. “What the?” May gasped. Ember looked through a view-portal into the chamber. An odd looking cat like creature with glowing red eyes looked back at her. She backed up a step. “We are in a real time slip!” May peeked into the chamber. The basement door upstairs closed. Footsteps could be heard. “Hide.” Ember lead the way into an empty room taking a position behind the examination table they waited and listened. The sound of heavy boots could be heard passing the door. “God I hate this place!” The man said. The sound of thunder penetrated the building as the lights flickered off and on. “What’s going on?” Brianna whispered. “I tried to do a view back in time for a few hours and…” Megan began. “She transported us back to 1952.” May whispered then held a finger against her lips. Brianna’s eyes widened. She looked at a calendar on the wall. “It’s the night of the Bates mansion murders!” Grabbing Megan. “I really don’t want to be here right now.” A bolt of lightning struck a tree in the yard with a tremendous clap of thunder. The lights went off in the hallway the basement went dark. “It’s happening again only this time we are here!” Brianna cried softly. “Beam us out of here Megan.” May begged. Megan shook her head. “I can’t get Ember on line.” “Screw Ember, get us out of here now!” May insisted as softly as she could. “There’s something here that sucking up my power.” Megan shook her head. “We have to get out of the building before I can transport us.” “Not funny.” Brianna gripped Megan’s hand tightly. Finally the lights flickered back on again. The man got up and walked to the containment chamber. Brianna peeked through the crack in the door. He looked through the window into the chamber. “What the hell are you?” He asked. The door opened and closed again, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs and past the door where the girls hid. “They say the storm is pretty bad.” A girl’s said. Brianna pulled away from the door carefully pulled it closed. She crawled back to join the others. “It’s the older Bates girl.” She whispered. “You know Mr. Bates don’t like you to come down here.” The man said. “He’s busy and I’m not going to tell.” She said peeking into the chamber. “He doesn’t want you around those things.” The man said. “I know.” She answered. Brianna peeked out the door watching down the hallway. She could see the girl with the oddly shaped head and snow white hair looking into the chamber where the creature was. “Lilly?” Brianna said softly. “That’s her name.” May stood quietly behind Brianna trying to see. “Like Lilly Munster you mean.” May said. They watched as the girl walked away down the hall and when she returned she held a cute but fairly large bunny rabbit. “What’s she doing?” Brianna asked. “It’s feeding time.” Megan whispered from behind the two. Lilly stroked the bunny with a hand. “It’s just not your day is it bun?” She opened a hatch in the top half of the chamber and placed the bunny inside closing the door. Then she pulled a handled with a “CaChud” causing the rabbit to fall into the chamber with the creature. Instantly the rabbit screamed out like a child in terror. The screams became whimpers, a moment later there was silence. Brianna pulled the door closed again looking back at her friends. “I’m going to be sick.” “We are going to be dead if we don’t get out of here.” May spoke urgently. A few moments passed. The sounds outside seemed further away. Brianna again peeked out the door. “Their gone.” “I can hear them down the hall.” May said. She looked but Megan sat silent on the floor. Brianna listened to the sounds from the two in the distance. “What are they doing?” “I’ll tell you one thing they aren’t watching the creature anymore.” May answered. “OMG!” Brianna gasped. “She’s just a kid!” “She’s sixteen.” May answered. “My age.” Brianna gasped. “The plot thickens.” Megan spoke softly. “We got to get out of here!” May spoke urgently. Brianna slipped into the dimly lit hallway looking down the hall, listening to the muffled sounds coming from a room at the end. She slipped over and peeked through the portal into the chamber to see the creature feeding. “Vampire.” She gasped. “Why didn’t Mr. Bates want the girl coming down here?” May asked. “She’s screwing the guard.” Megan shook her head then giggled softly. Footsteps could be heard overhead. The girls quickly moved back to their hiding place. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” May asked. Megan nodded. “If she’s an alien girl maybe…” “She gets pregnant and they have a half breed baby.” Brianna answered. May and Megan both nodded. “Maybe that’s part of what they do here.” May said taking a seat upon the examination table. “There has to be another way out of here.” Megan looked at the ceiling then the walls. Brianna watched out the crack in the door until the girl emerged from the end of the hall. She walked slowly straightening her dress. She looked up and Brianna seeing her large dark eyes she pulled back from the door. May watched Brianna, listening until the footsteps passed their door and returned to the upstairs. “Oh God!” Brianna gasped. “I thought she looked straight at me.” Carefully she pulled the door closed. Again a bolt of lighting struck near the house shaking the entire building and rattling bottles on the tables and inside the cabinets. Chapter 29 Brianna looked at the clock on the wall in the very dim light. “What time did the murders happen?” “You have all the details you tell us.” May responded. “He’s coming back.” Megan pointed at the wall. The footsteps returned, the sound of him taking a seat in his wooden chair was evident. Megan watched Brianna’s expression. “This is 1952 Brianna. That kind of thing happened all the time.” She spoke very softly. May snorted shaking her head. “Nothing’s changed.” Brianna moved near Megan on the floor. “Is she an alien?” Megan shrugged. “I think it’s likely. Maybe she’s a half breed.” Megan shook her head. “What ever she is I feel sure they want her to have a baby for them.” “Who, the aliens or the humans?” May asked. Megan was thoughtful for a few moments. “Did it ever occur to you that this place is a laboratory for the study and holding of alien entities?” “Sure.” May answered. “So where’s the rest of the aliens?” Megan asked. “Two alien or hybrid girls and one creature.” Brianna answered. “I’m telling you there’s something else here, something we haven’t seen. I can feel it.” Megan said. “I guess nothing has changed from now until our time.” May growled. “Can’t you feel it?” Megan asked. Brianna looked at the floor, then at May and then Megan. “I can.” She nodded. “It’s not that far away.” Megan nodded. “Why can’t I see it?” “It’s a demon, a ghost demon.” May answered propping her feet up in the stirrups on the examination table. Brianna and Megan both smiled but said nothing. “It was sometime after midnight.” Brianna said. “Around 2 or 3 AM I think.” They looked at the clock on the wall that read 11PM. Megan put an arm around Brianna’s shoulders. “If you had the chance to go back in time oh to the night of the Bates Mansion murders and do one thing what would that be?” “Survive.” May responded quickly. Brianna became thoughtful. “I… I want to meet the girls. I want to ask them…” Silently the girls exchanged glances. Finally Megan nodded. “You want to know who and what they are.” “And why they are here.” May added. Minutes passed as the girls sat in the darkness. Floods of thoughts, questions filled their minds. Megan held Brianna snugly with her arm. “If we interact with either of these girls how’s that going to affect these events, and the future?” “We have to get out of here without being caught first.” May responded resting her hand on her little beam pistol. “Oh, I just had an idea.” She pulled her little silver pistol from the holster. “Stun setting. We walk right out of here and no one’s the wiser.” Megan looked at Brianna beside her. “We dare not change the outcome of the events from tonight, do you understand?” Brianna nodded. “That means our bodies can’t be found among the dead tomorrow morning.” May said. “Oh! Bob!” Brianna gasped. “Bob’s right across the road. His house is going to be hit by lightning tonight and burn to the ground!” “The ghost of the witch saved him.” May said. “Remember, she told him to get out right now?” “Then he was the one who called the police and came with them here.” May added. “I remember.” Brianna answered. “What will he do when he finds my body among the dead?” “Ain’t gonna’ happen.” May’s little silver pistol settings lit on the viewer. “Stun, they won’t even know what hit them.” The three listen to hear the man snoring down the hall. They get up open their door, sneak a few yards down the hall to see the man sound asleep in his chair across from the creature’s cage. A drip of drool dropped on the man’s shirt. May lowered her pistol. Megan smiled nudging Brianna. “You don’t get it! This is the night of the Bates murders and we do not want to be here!” Brianna whispered as sharply as she dared. “Think Megan.” Megan thought. “The suits don’t depend on the crown.” She looked at the suit controls on her left arm. “Cloaking on.” Her helmet appeared just as she vanished. Instantly May and Brianna followed suit and Megan was once again visible to them. The three breathed a sigh of relief. The man snorted and turned his head.’ “He can’t hear us. He can’t see us.” Megan said still whispering. “What is that thing?” May pointed at the cage. Megan shook her head. “I didn’t see one of those on Orion.” “Orion has thousands of rooms we’ve not even been in yet.” May shook her head. Brianna and Megan both looked around, into the rooms and down the very long hallway. “This is what it looked like.” Brianna spoke softly as she began to walk down the hallway looking into the rooms. “My God this is what it looked like the night of the murders!” She rubbed at her arms despite her spacesuit. Megan and May followed looking into the rooms. “Shame you didn’t bring your video camera.” May said. “You forget these suits have video recording.” Brianna gasped as she looked into one of the rooms. Over the examination table was a very strange looking chrome device with lights and arms on it. “What is that?” The others shook their heads. “We are in some serious shit here.” May responded. The girls entered looking at the strange instruments on the bench. Megan shook her head. “They were definitely involved in genetic research and reproduction.” “They’ve been genetically changing embryos.” May picked up a tool from the table for a closer examination. “I’ve seen some of that on TV.” Brianna said also picking up a strange instrument. “They said that most of the life on earth contains the same basic genetic structure with certain things turned on or off. A dinosaur like a raptor is very similar in genetic structure to an Emu.” “You don’t think they created those two girls do you?” May asked. Megan shook her head. “It’s 1952. The Craft of unknown origin crashed in 1947. That’s only five years. The girls are twelve and sixteen.” “Scientists didn’t know about the genetics until the nineties.” May said. Megan looked back down the hallway. “She’s right. But they had something here they didn’t tell the world about.” “No shit.” May responded. “Who are the girls then?” Brianna asked. “Maybe we should ask them.” Megan removed her crown to notice the dim glow in the silver jewel. She moved away from the chamber with the vampire cat like animal, the further she went the brighter the jewel glowed. She moved back to the cage and the light in the jewel dimmed. She looked through the window into the cage, the creature’s strange red eyes returned the gaze. “What ever is killing the crown is right in this area. Let’s get to some higher floors.” Megan started toward the stairs. Carefully they moved up the stairs to the door and listened. Another bolt of lighting struck nearby shaking the house rattling the windows. Megan opened the door peeking into the house’s main hallway. She slipped through the door with the others following. The house was dark. She looked down the hallway toward Mr. Bate’s room then into the kitchen to see a candle lit on the kitchen counter. The faint sound of voices came from the direction of Mr. Bate’s private study across the hall from his room. Megan moved that direction as Brianna looked at the floor in the kitchen knowing that in a few hours a mother and her daughter would be found dead. Megan listened at the closed study door to what sounded like an argument between three men. “The guards and some of the others are complaining of having nightmares and strange hallucinations. I’m telling you that thing in the basement is responsible.” The first man insisted. “What do you think?” The second asked. “Perhaps.” The third answered. “Some of the doctors and guards complain of headaches and inexplicable illnesses.” “The thing is much too dangerous we must move it to a more secure facility!” The first man insisted. “What about the girls?” The second voice asked. “It doesn’t seem to have an effect on them.” The third man answered. Megan looked at the other girls. “It’s the creature.” May said. Brianna opened the door to Mr. Bate’s room taking a look inside. The cross hung on the wall over the bed. A dresser at the foot of the bed against the wall held an oil lamp, a candle, a mirror and a glass dish. To her left was a wardrobe cabinet. Against the wall under the window was a footlocker locked with a padlock. She looked into the dish remembering it was the one they found the incense in. Beside it they found the mojo bag, but those items were not here yet. “We’ve got to get out of here.” Brianna whispered. “How’s the crown?” Megan glanced at her gauges. “Marginal.” “Does it have enough to get us out of here?” Megan tried to power up. “Not a good idea.” “Don’t you want to know what happened here tonight?” May asked. “Not this bad.” Brianna answered. Another bolt of lightning struck nearby shaking the windows. The men in the study continued to argue. “They’ve built a new facility at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. It’s a large underground structure plenty deep enough. I say we move the things there and let it be someone else’s problem.” The first man suggested. “If we don’t do something real soon someone’s going to get hurt.” “You are having the nightmares.” The third man said. “I’ve been having nightmares every since they brought those things here.” The first man answered. “I think perhaps the thing can communicate with others of its kind. Perhaps it has called for help.” The third man said. “I’ll say I’ve never seen anything so ugly in my life.” The second said. “There’s a team coming but they won’t be here for two or three days.” The first man said. Megan sighed. “That’s got to be Mr. Bates. He wants to get rid of those…” “He said things plural.” May said. “Either they have more than one creature or he’s talking about it and the girls.” Megan said. “I don’t think it’s the girls.” Brianna said. “If they have that cat monster in the basement they must have something else here somewhere.” Brianna walked back down the hallway toward the center of the house and looked up the stairs. The front door opened and a soldier entered. Brianna backed against the wall trying to remain silent. The man entered the study through the first door to join the others. She looked back up the stairs knowing the girls were up there. Thoughts and emotions flooded her mind. Megan and May listened at the study door across from Mr. Bate’s room. “They’ve got more than one thing here. We need to find the others.” Megan said. “We need to get out of here.” May looked around. “Where are you Brianna?” “Upstairs.” Brianna’s voice answered over their radios. “Why?” May gasped. Brianna looked at the door to the room that belonged to the 12 year old girl. “I think she’s asleep.” “Who’s asleep?” May asked firing a startled look at Megan. “Crap!” Megan started for the stairs as quietly as she could. Brianna carefully opened the door to see the girl asleep on her bed. Entering she closed the door behind her. “Brianna don’t you dare do something to change the events of tonight!” Megan warned as a wooden step squeaked under her weight. Gently Brianna sat on the bed beside the 12 year old girl. A moment later Megan and May entered closing the door behind them. “We aren’t suppose to even be here Brianna.” Megan said. “Crown power?” May asked. “Stronger.” Megan answered. “Enough to get us out of here?” “It should be enough to transport us outside but certainly not enough to take us back to our own time.” Megan answered. “Right now I would settle for outside in the thunder storm.” Brianna gazed at the sleeping girl. “What is she?” The girl stirred, turned then rolled over toward Brianna her hand falling across Brianna’s leg. The three were silent. “She wakes up sees us and screams.” May shook her head. “We can’t be part of what happened here tonight!” Megan insisted. “She’s right. What if we caused the events that take place tonight?” May gasped. “We got to leave now!” Brianna looked at the girl’s hand that now lay upon her leg as she considered May’s words. Carefully she slid sideways until the hand fell from her leg to the bed. She stood. “Megan get us out of here.” A blue light engulfed the group, they found themselves standing in the cemetery across the road a few yards from Bob’s family’s house. Brianna looked at the mansion on the hill. “I could have talked to her. I was that close.”She looked at Bob’s house knowing she must be looking at Bob’s bedroom window. May looked at the tombstone beside her somewhat taller than she was. “Shit! That’s the witche’s…” She looked at the ground and quickly moved aside. Megan looked at the etching on the stone. “Look!” She pointed at a marking on the stone. “That’s not an inverted pentagram or a goat. It’s upright.” “She wasn’t a black witch.” May exclaimed. “She’s got one of the tallest gravestones in the cemetery!” Megan said. “She wasn’t hated, the community must have loved her.” “Someone did.” May agreed. Lightning struck a tree near the mansion with a huge “KA-BANG!” causing the girls to drop to the ground. Brianna looked at the witche’s grave stone. “We need to get away from this gravestone.” “Why” May asked. “Look at the top of it.” Brianna answered. “Bob said this grave stone got hit by lightning that fateful night.” A sudden wave of rain hit them so hard it nearly knocked them to the ground. It was all they could do to see each other. Brianna hunched low moving toward Bob’s house as the other two followed. “Give me a reading Megan.” May asked. “I’m nearly quarter power.” “Can you get us home?” May asked. “I wouldn’t trust it.” “Can you orb into the future?” May asked. A view moments passed. “Nope.” “What could affect the crown like that?” “You got me.” May thought as the rain poured down upon them. “The crown runs on spiritual power.” “Who knows what the crown runs on?” “Orion for one.” May answered. Chapter 30 Brianna stood between the witch’s grave and Bob’s bedroom window. Their suits protected them very well even with the force fields off. Her friend Bob was just a teenager like her now and he was just on the other side of that bedroom window. Many times she would be there with Bob in the pawnshop at night while he was doing his books and begged him to tell the story again. She’d heard Bob’s stories from that fateful night so many times she knew them by heart. “He got up because of the storm. He heard the thunder and looked out his window.” “What?” May asked. “He was looking directly toward the witch’s grave stone when he saw her ghost. Then…” Brianna looked upward at the dark and ominous sky. She looked at the controls on her left arm and adjusted her light sensitivities until she could see the energy in the clouds. She took a deep breath. “Can you guys see what I’m seeing?” The girls looked upward synchronizing their suits HUDs with Brianna’s. A round energy field began to become visible as it slowly moved across the sky toward them. “Jeez!” May exclaimed. “My power level dropped to two percent!” Megan reported. “It’s a spaceship.” May gasped. “Our suits are still all right.” Brianna reported. She looked at her friends as the water moved around their suits over the low energy field that helped keep them clean. She turned the power off to her viewer. “I can see you guys. The rain is moving around us like water off a newly washed car. We look like glass statues!” She turned her viewer back on again. “We really need to get out of here!” May exclaimed as she watched the ominous object moving toward them from the north east directly toward Bob’s house. Another huge bolt of lightning struck a tree in the Mansion yard. The girls hit the ground once again. The glowing orb of energy neared Bob’s house. Brianna jumped up looking upward at the light. There stood Bob in the window looking directly at her. She looked up again just as a bolt of lightning hit the top of the witches grave stone. Lighting ran around it in the rain and over Megan and May who were still on the ground. Suddenly Brianna ran to Bob’s window hitting the glass with her hands she screamed “Get out of there Bob!” Suddenly another bolt of lightning hit the craft above the house running around it and straight down onto the roof of the house. “Get out of there!” Momentarily stunned she fell to the ground. Seeing what happened Megan and May ran, picked up Brianna and carried her to the north where they hid behind a large grave stone near some bushes. “Brianna speak to me.” Megan asked. “What happened?” “You nearly got hit by a bolt of lightning.” Megan answered. May watched as the glowing orb moved over behind the Bate’s mansion. “It’s happening right now!” She watched as Bob ran around the house trying to figure out what he had seen. Finding nothing he ran back to the front yard watching the mansion. Smoke began to rise from the roof followed by flames. The rain slacked to a drizzle. The girls watched the mansion. “That’s the older boy on the third floor balcony.” May reported using her suit camera to zoom in. “Something’s going on over there.” “I see men with guns moving around the building.” Megan reported. The ground began to tremble. “Quake!” May exclaimed. “Not moving right to be a quake.” Megan responded. “The flying thing moved up into the cloud.” Brianna said. “Listen!” May exclaimed. “I think I heard gunshots!” Megan held to the top of the grave stone shaking her head. “I can’t tell you how I would like to have an orb in there.” “Do it.” May said. “Can’t. The crown makes the orbs and it isn’t responding to my commands right now.” “Where’s Ember?” “She’s here but her powers come from the crown mostly.” “Ask her.” May said. Megan’s eyes began to glow. “There’s another presence in that building, somewhere in the ground.” Ember said. “It feeds on spiritual energy and it’s able to control and influence some people.” “The vampire monster?” Brianna asked. “No, it’s something else but it’s very near the other animal.” “There’s nothing else there, just the beastie in the cage!” May waved her arms. Suddenly the sound of the drizzle was cut by screams from the house. The girls looked to see the young man trying to climb down the lattice on the front of the building beside the balconies. “The thing is very angry.” Ember said. “It want’s to go home.” “They came for it?” May pointed at the ship hiding in the low cloud above the mansion. “Yes.” “Why didn’t he just go down the stairs and out the front door?” May asked. As they watched the lattice pulled free from the house throwing the young man to his death. His screams as he fell echoed through the night. Bob moved to the edge of his yard trying to watch the mansion as his own house burned behind him. Brianna began to cry. The ship in the clouds moved lower, a bright beam of light shot down from it to the ground behind the mansion. A girl screaming behind the mansion drew their attention. Then a swishing sound and explosion, a flash of light and the ship moved up into the cloud quickly then was gone from view. A second explosion with a much deeper sound shook the ground. “That was the thunder that didn’t sound right to Bob.” May said. “Better find some cover.” Ember said as her eyes brightened. “There!” May pointed then broke into a run toward a shed near Bob’s house with the others following. Seconds after they entered rocks began to rain from the stormy sky. A few seconds later the sound of rocks hitting the roof was replaced by the rain. “I’m half power now.” Megan said. “That ship and that thing in the basement of the mansion are definitely related.” Brianna ran to the corner of the yard near the cemetery to see young Bob trying to get the mansion gate open. Finally he ran up the road toward a house. “It’s just like he said.” “Oh my God!” Bob’s mother cried as she ran around the house. “Everything we own is in there!” Suddenly she stopped and looked directly at the girls wondering what she was seeing. “She can see the water running off us.” Brianna said. Megan’s eyes began to glow and a moment later they were standing on the hill overlooking the back yard of the mansion. Smoke rose from a hole in the ground. The dead body of the sixteen year old girl lay beside the hole. “It was a transport beam.” Ember said. “They were trying to beam her up when something hit the ship.” Several soldiers moved around the yard one of them held a hand held rocket launcher. “So the ship didn’t cause the explosion, the humans did.” May said. “There’s at least fifteen soldiers down there.” Brianna said. “Where did they come from?” “From the mansion.” Ember answered. “All those soldiers and no one would open the gates for Bob.” Brianna shook her head. “They were very busy and they have secrets they are hiding.” Ember pointed toward the road. “There’s the police and ambulance.” “And Bob running back to the gate.” Brianna said. May nodded. “This part is starting to make sense. They wouldn’t have allowed them in there at all if it had not been a catastrophe.” “If they came out of the mansion how come they can’t get back inside.” Brianna pointed at two soldiers trying to open the back door. Muffled screams came from inside the building. Without warning Brianna ran toward the house. “NO!” Megan screamed running after her. Megan leapt tackling Brianna, the two falling right beside the dead teenage girl’s body. “Get off me!” Brianna demanded fighting and hitting Megan. “You can’t go up there!” Megan insisted trying to hold Brianna down. “There’s something in there and the girl’s still alive! We can help!” Brianna cried. “No we can’t.” Megan insisted. “We can’t change the past we don’t know how that might affect the future.” Brianna looked at the face of the dead girl beside her. “I saw her just minutes ago alive and happy.” She cried. “Very happy.” May added. The ground rumbled. “Listen! Do you feel that?” Megan asked. “Very funny Megan.” May responded. “Seriously.” Megan held a hand on the ground. “There’s something down there.” Brianna pulled herself up. “Do you hear that?” “What?” May asked. “She’s not screaming.” Brianna answered. “I don’t think I like you guys anymore.” Megan’s heart was breaking. She looked at the hole. “This was blown from down there.” The sounds of a crew breaking in the front door echoed through the night. They could see flashlights inside the house. “We can’t stay here either.” May shook her head. “I can feel something running down there.” Megan lay upon the wet ground beside the dead girl listening to the ground. May looked up from Megan to see Brianna more than half way to the mansion. “Here we go again!” “What if it’s still in there?” May called out. “It’s not. Bob’s in there.” Brianna half whimpered but spoke sternly. “Take us home Megan.” May said. Chapter 31 The three reappeared standing in the back yard of the mansion in their own time in the exact positions they had been a moment ago in the past, except it was three hours later. Megan folded her helmet into her collar then headed for the broken window without saying a word. May watched then followed but Brianna just stood there looking at the back door. “I’m sorry Brianna.” Megan’s voice sounded over their suit’s radio. “We couldn’t save them back then but we might be able to save Mallory and Stefanie.” May followed Megan through the bedroom window. Through the house and back into the basement. “You think their in the house somewhere?” Brianna asked. “I don’t know.” Megan answered. “There’s a big metal plate over the hole back here.” Brianna reported. Megan held the crown in her hand as she paced around the basement watching the glow of the jewel dim. “What ever was sucking the power out of this thing back then is still here.” She stood in the room where the vampire animal’s cage had been. “They couldn’t have gotten that cage up the stairs so where did it go?” May asked. “It’s a fair bet that animal wasn’t causing the crown to fail.” Megan pushed against the solid concrete wall. “I’ll go check upstairs again in case we missed something.” May said as she left. Megan looked at the floor and noticed some other tracks in the dust. “Two girl size shoes and…” Megan stood abruptly looking directly at the concrete wall. “And to very large ones.” She searched the wall and around the room. “What?” May asked on the radio. “I’ve got varlock tracks down here!” Megan answered. “And they went right through this wall.” May stood on the third floor looking up at an attic access door in the ceiling. Suddenly it hit her. “Did you say varlock?” She grabbed her pistol and checked the settings. Brianna sat upon the bed looking at the scorched raccoon carcass on the floor. “I heard that.” She jumped up and ran for the basement. Brianna and May looked at the marks on the floor near the basement wall. “I’m telling you there’s got to be a mechanism to open that wall.” “Are you real sure you want to do that?” May pointed at the large tracks in the dust. “She’s right. There’s something here that sucks the crown’s power.” Brianna reminded Megan. Megan checked her pistol. “It doesn’t affect these.” “There’s at least one.” Brianna looked around at the floor. “And it knows how to open that door.” “I expect it knows we are here.” May warned. “It’s obvious this place is tied to the reason the varlocks are on the hunt.” Megan said. “And Dock 18.” May added. “Both owned by Simon Banister.” Brianna said. “They must be working with or for Banister.” May said. “Maybe there’s something else.” Megan said. “Banister has the disk and the lamp and he activated it. If they have some way to receive signals from that thing when it’s turned on then they know where it was when it was on.” “I’ll bet that varlock was in the doc building when we were there.” May said. “Watching. Why didn’t it shoot us?” The three considered the options. “Because it wasn’t after us.” Brianna answered. “Or it didn’t want us to see it?” Megan asked. “It knew Ember would kick its ass gun or not!” Brianna said. “Why didn’t Ember know the thing was there?” May asked. “She said it was a hunter. Somehow it was different.” Megan answered. “That means it could be cloaked and standing right here watching us.” Brianna looked around the room. “I’ll do a spectrum analysis with the HUD.” Brianna’s helmet appeared. She began searching the basement with pistol in hand. “How do they get the wall open?” Megan continued to search the empty room. “That’s a room under the staircase.” May pointed at the wall under the stairs. Brianna returned. “If it’s here my suit can’t see it.” “It’s not here.” Megan said. “How do you know, your Ember powers aren’t working?” May asked. “They stink. I would have smelled it if it were very near.” May opened the door under the stairs. “There’s two switches on the wall in here.” She flipped one then the other but nothing happened. Megan looked at the switches then around in the cramped room. “The night of the murders I heard a humming sound coming from the ground.” She looked at the conduits going to the switch boxes. Looking at the light above with the pull chain she saw they weren’t connected. “They don’t go to any lights in here.” “School’s getting out.” Brianna reminded. “I’ve got a real bad feeling about this.” Megan said. “Someone needs to tell the police.” Brianna said. “Someone who won’t tell them we told them.” May added. “Then the place will be crawling with police.” Megan shook her head. “And what if something happens to them? Then it’s our fault again!” Megan walked back out and looked at the wall she felt certain was a door to something. “It’s not our fault the grim twins came out here.” May said. “Indirectly it is.” Megan responded. “Either we have to fix this right now or…” “…Or we tell the police.” Brianna said with a nod. “Fine!” Megan growled and started for the stairs. Chapter 32 Victoria sat in her production van rolling the editor control back and forth while editing a news clip. A soft blue light illuminated the inside of the van. She turned as her mouth fell open and eyes widened then breathed a sigh of relief. There stood Ember eyes glowing with blond and white hair. “What the hell are you?” Victoria gasped. “An avenging angel?” “I’ve found a car in the garage at the Bates mansion and I think you should check into it.” Victoria laughed then shook her head. “Right.” “Do I look like I’m kidding?” Ember said. Victoria looked at her editing monitors. “All right I’ll drive out there and have a look.” She looked at Ember. “But it’s going to cost you.” “I’m listening.” “An exclusive interview with you.” Ember’s mouth dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding?” “Do I look like I’m kidding?” “I can’t be on an interview! I can’t be on TV. People can’t know I exist!” “Why not?” Victoria asked. “Well ah, because…” Victoria turned in her chair crossing her legs and waiting for the answer. “…Because there’s some things people don’t need to know.” Ember nodded. “Some things are better off being secrets and I’m one of them.” “Why is this car important?” Ember took a seat. “Two girls went missing last night and it’s their car. I looked around the mansion but couldn’t find them. If I can’t fix it then someone else needs to look into it.” Victoria nodded. “It’s news. I’ll do it.” She looked at Ember. “An interview off the record?” “You mean with no cameras?” Victoria nodded. “I have some questions.” Ember nodded then stood and vanished in the blue transport light. The blue transport light appeared moments after it left in the girl’s bathroom at school. A very angry Brianna stepped from the stall as Megan and May exited two other stalls. “Why do we have to do this day here at school?” “It’s an alibi.” Megan answered. “Plausible deniability.” May nodded. May giggled. “It’s funny when you think about it. At this very moment we are searching around the Bates mansion and yet here we are still in school.” “Don’t even talk to me.” Brianna growled as she started for the door.     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