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  “You gave up your body to the Scourge,” Terra said. “What did they offer you in return?”

  “Immortality, invisibility, and immunity to the law: nothing you can offer me.”

  “You threw away your mortal purpose for that?” Elise asked.

  “I chose this. I didn't want to live for a purpose I never chose. I have free will!”

  “And a lot of good you've done with it,” Terra said. “You're a pawn. You gave up your free will when you chose to follow the Scourge. Now you will lead me to Liam, or I'll make sure your purpose is never fulfilled. I will destroy you just a little at a time until nothing is left but the particles of energy you borrowed from the sun.”

  “That would be interesting to watch, Terra.” Brendan hovered over to recover the crutches from the floor.

  “Let’s see if you like a taste of what can be your fate if you refuse me,” Terra said. She gripped the creature's shoulder. Her fingers glowed slightly as they sank into the form. Terra began to pull the creature toward her, ransacking its thoughts through her mind as she searched for information.

  “Stop! Please don’t destroy me! I’ll tell you what I know!”

  “You already have," Terra said. The entity's thoughts were exposed to her mind’s eye. After a moment of searching, she shook her head.

  “I’m curious; you came here with a powerful entity. Who do you follow?”

  “Terra, what do you see?” Elise asked.

  “Look for yourself,” Terra said.

  Elise and Brendan joined Terra’s forced mind-link with the creature. The shred of a thought Terra presented to them was a horrible image. In the memory, entity stood among a small group of Scourge followers.

  The memory of what was said was degraded, but the image of the strange individual was vividly preserved. This was the same creature that Terra had seen visiting Liam's surgery before. The Scourge creature was extraordinarily tall. He almost doubled the height of the entities around him. His stature was unnatural, as though he had been stretched too thin. The only part that did not seem terribly stretched was his bulbous head giving him the appearance of a horribly deformed balloon. The creature was completely bald. His eyes were wide-set and overly enlarged. The oversized black eyes bulged as he spoke to his fellow Scourge.

  “What is that?” Terra fought down a wave of nausea.

  The thing gurgled in resistance.

  “Never mind; I don’t need your cooperation, just your thoughts.” Terra closed her eyes as she concentrated. A few moments later, she opened them. “This thing is known as Bartus. He calls the Originator by the name Orthos, his brother.”

  Chapter 27

  Liliana looked up at the Council chamber with caution. She paused and searched for Carol using the special mental link that allowed any guide to be aware and connected to every need and emotion that each of their charges experienced. Since her last visit, the council suspended Liliana’s ability to reach out to her other charges. The silence in the wake of Carol’s strong connection was deafening.

  With a sigh, Liliana remembered experiencing Carol's terror as the strange bag was lowered over her face. Liliana felt sure that somehow it was the cause of her lost connection. As she slowly made her way up to the colossal staircase to speak with the council nervousness gripped her. The council warned her not to return without bringing her charge. She knew that the council felt that she was the one concealing Carol from them.

  If only I hadn’t tried to erase her memories. If I had just believed Carol, things may have been different. She was right all along! There is a terrible evil on Earth, and now it has Carol. It's all my fault! What can I do to make things right? Will the Council of the One help me find Carol?

  The memory of Carol being dragged down the industrial hallway replayed in Liliana’s thoughts. The signs upon the doors were marked. Each door held a clue. Liliana reached the last step and walked onto the wide porch which surrounded the entranceway.

  Many other entities waited on the porch. Some were guides who were there to voice a concern for a charge. Others were corporeals who were there at the request of the Council. This change struck Liliana as strange. It was traditional for a guide to bring any concerns for their charge to the council, not for them to address the ancient ones directly. Liliana stiffened as she noticed the differences.

  Could these corporeals be here because of the situation on Earth?

  She examined the faces of the entities more carefully. A woman seated on the top step caught her attention. Liliana recognized her own charge. The woman gazed back at her with an expression of curiosity. A strange need to speak to her charge caught Liliana by surprise. She approached the woman in three effortless steps.

  “Janie, right? I’m Liliana, do you remember me?”

  “Oh hi, Liliana, I well, I'm surprised to see you here.”

  “Surprised? I'm always in the Tweens.” The new presence of the guides on Earth prickled in Liliana’s conscience.

  “Oh, I guess I thought that you were away. Most of the other corporeals here were called in because their guides were on Earth. They want to account for the charges of those brave guides who went to fight the Scourge.”

  “Oh,” Liliana said. She tried to clear the shock and pain from her expression. “I see. Those who went to Earth are very brave. They had no way to know for sure what they would face. We sincerely hope that they arrived safely. There's no way to know for sure.”

  “I know; I can’t imagine,” Janie said. “I was just there on Earth, a year ago. I had no idea!”

  Liliana swallowed hard. “I think it was a shock to everybody.” She took a step back and then stifled the urge to run from the situation.

  “It really is! Can you imagine how Terra the guide could live as a human for all of those years and nobody realized it?"

  Liliana chewed her lip for a moment. “I can picture her situation,” she said. Viewing Carol’s memories gave Liliana special insight into Terra’s human existence. She took a step towards the entrance to the Chamber. “I… I am glad to have a chance to catch up with you, Janie. We should chat again soon. I really need to be going now.”

  “Okay, it was good to see you,” Janie said. “I hope your meeting goes well.”

  “You too, I hope you hear good news when they call you back,” Liliana said.

  She managed a half-smile as she turned, making her way to the entrance.

  I knew they severed my connection to my charges, but are they really reassigning them? How can I ever set any of this right? The only way is to find Carol and bring her back to the Council. They want me to prove myself, but how can I bring her back from another plane of existence?

  Liliana reached the doorway that would lead her into the chamber where the ancient Council members remained forever in a state of duty and contemplation. Did she dare to intrude on them without an invitation? Liliana squared her shoulders. She was cornered by her situation. She could not address the council without finding Carol, yet she could not find Carol without the council’s help to allow her to visit the mortal world. Her sense of duty to her lost charge outweighed her fear of returning to the council. They would simply have to hear her out. What other options did she have?

  Liliana pushed open the doorway. The Council was seated; their attention was focused on a small group of corporeals.

  I wonder if they are here to be reassigned as well.

  She looked at the corporeals carefully.

  No, they're not my charges. They must be charges that were assigned to one of the guides who went to Earth. I wonder if the council believes that they won't be able to return. It seems strange that they would reassign their charges for a short period.

  Councilwoman Weslyn glanced up and noticed Liliana standing outside the doorway. “Liliana, why have you returned to the Council? Have you found your missing charge?” Her voice sounded dry and tired.

  Liliana was startled. She quickly stepped inside the room and let the door slam behind her. This intrusive noise
turned the attention of every soul in the chamber toward her, which only added to her nervousness.

  “I came to share what information I have found in hopes that the Council will see fit to help me in my search,” Liliana said.

  Councilman Maxton stood, leaning over the table, he gestured to the circle of the council. “As you can see, we are very busy. Having seven guides away from their normal duty has put things more off-balance on Earth. We are forced to make changes to help those corporeals who have trusted us to overlook their mortal journeys. That's our priority.” The councilman’s forehead creased as he stared at Liliana.

  “I understand,” Liliana's voice cracked. She stepped forward and attempted to look Councilman Maxton in the eye. “I want to do what I can to fix the problem with Carol. I need to make things right for her, and for my other charges. They need a guide, and I feel lost without being able to fulfill my purpose.”

  “You would ask us to forgive your poor decisions and reward you by putting others in your care at risk?” asked Maxton.

  Liliana felt as though he had struck her. “I… I understand your concerns. I don't expect your forgiveness. I came to ask for your help. I have reasons to believe that Carol has been taken against her will back to the mortal world. I think I have enough information to find her with your help.”

  Councilwoman Weslyn stood at her seat. Her eyes opened wide. “You have only one charge that you are able to connect to. The Council would suggest that you use this connection and perform the task set for you rather than wasting the time and energy of this Committee!”

  Liliana took a step back. “I understand.” Her voice was quiet. She looked down at her feet.

  “Take your leave Liliana and don't return until you're successful.” Councilman Maxton’s voice reverberated in the domed room.

  Liliana turned to leave in silence. She looked down as she walked back toward the door. As she made her way toward the exit, she noticed something she had overlooked when she had arrived. A large portion of the floor was now covered with a crystalline patch. The makeshift covering had a working trap door in its center.

  The Council has not closed the portal they created! They are leaving it in place in case the others are able to return!

  Liliana froze at the hatch. She glanced back over her shoulder at the imposing council of ancient guides. They glared at her with unchecked contempt.

  I'm alone in this, but I do have a chance to fix things! In a move that would have been too fast for mortal eyes to perceive, Liliana threw back the hatch and stepped through the portal. The chamber disappeared from her sight as she hurdled toward the mortal world.

  Chapter28

  Elise crossed her arms as she chewed her lip. After a long moment, she spoke up: “Abduction; so the Originator sent a pro to kidnap Liam.”

  “I should have seen it coming," Terra said. "I knew they were after him, but I let that creep, the Originator, or Orthos, whatever you want to call him, lure me to a huge gathering on his terms. Kidnapping is much more his style. He knows he can use Liam to manipulate me. It's like that's Liam’s entire purpose.”

  “His purpose?” Brendan asked.

  “It’s nothing," Terra said. "The point is, he waited until I was recovering from surgery, and Liam was unconscious to take him. It wasn't by chance. Maybe it was his plan all along. After the Originator had his goons kidnap Portia and Korin, he must have realized that I would come after anyone he took. “

  “Oh Terra, we have so much catching up to do. Carol didn’t tell us that the Scourge tried to take Portia,” Elise said.

  “She didn’t know. It was after I sent her back,” Terra said.

  “How awful, Orthos is targeting anyone you get close to, Terra,” Brendan said.

  “I think it's safe to say that we have proof. I blame myself. I realized a while ago that anybody who tries to help me is putting themselves in danger. I think you both should know that includes you,” Terra said.

  “I think anything coming for me would think twice when I reduced them to particles,” Elise said.

  “Liam was just an easier target," Terra said. "I'm worried about Korin, though. I need to get her back in her body soon.

  "Where is she anyway?" Brendan asked.

  "You know, I'm not sure," Terra said. "I think she may have felt out of place with all the guides here. I hope she's not still upset with me."

  "I'm sure she understands that you are doing the best you can," Brendan said.

  "I made her a promise, that I would help her get her body back. I've been putting it off because of Liam."

  "I have a different reunion in mind,” Elise said. "If you promised Korin then you need to make good on your promise. But right now we need to help that nurse who lost her body."

  “I bet our nurse friend is still here somewhere. If I was her, I would be hiding in the hospital. It's a familiar place for her,” Terra said. "We need to get her back into her body where she belongs and get rid of whatever took over her body before it hurts somebody else."

  “I’ll go look for her. I want to try out this body-switching thing on my own,” Elise said.

  “That sounds good, but I was thinking you could keep our friend here contained until Portia gets me home,” Terra said. She gestured to the inert form of the Scourge that had once infected Liam’s body.

  “Do you really need to keep it, Terra?" Elise asked. "We have picked through its memories. It honestly doesn’t know where this Orthos creep is hiding out."

  "Besides, you said that he can contact you through any of the cretins when he wants to,” Brendan said.

  Terra stared at the Scourge for a long moment.

  It was the last creature to witness Liam. It's the only thing that saw what took him. Could it be hiding something?

  “Terra, I know it is hard to let go of this hope that it can lead you to Liam,” Elise said. “Do you think it could hide that information from all three of us? Its memories are not going to be lost.”

  “I have to find him. It's my fault.” Terra stifled a sob.

  “Yes, but keeping this thing as a pet is not the right way,” Brendan said. “You were the one who told us that there were entities with advanced abilities here, some that had never been human. Look at this Scourge. Give an honest answer. Is it corporeal? Was it meant to be human?”

  “It had a mortal purpose,” Terra admitted as she tried to hide the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

  “So end it,” Elise said. “It's not natural for this thing to continue in this existence.”

  Terra sighed. Her eyes vacillated between Elise and the Scourge thing she held at arm’s length. “Alright, I know you need to help the nurse. She can return to her life; we owe her that. She still has a chance to complete her purpose.”

  “There's the Terra we know!” Brendan grinned with Liam’s perfect smile.

  A knock preceded Portia opening the door. Her eyes skimmed the room quickly: afraid of what they may see.

  “Hi mom,” Terra's voice betrayed the emotion she was trying to contain.

  “Terra, are you ready to go?”

  “Oh, umm…” Terra began.

  “Actually, Mrs. Roland I really wanted to thank you,” Brendan extended his hand to Terra’s mortal mother: an attempt at a human gesture as he balanced on his crutches.

  Portia shook his hand with a light grip. Her eyebrows raised slightly in reaction to the teenager’s formal speech. “Thank me?”

  “Yes, Terra and I really needed this time to talk out what happened. I know now that Terra blamed herself. She was worried about me, and that led to our disagreement last time.”

  “Yes, I felt like Liam wouldn't have been in the wrong place at the wrong time if it wasn’t for me,” Terra said. She watched Portia for her reaction. What is Brendan working on?

  “Right, but she couldn’t have known. We've cleared the air, and now we're ready to do what we planned to do all along,” Brendan said.

  Portia coughed uncomfortably. “I’m
sorry? What was that?”

  Terra felt the blood rush to her face as she blushed. She gritted her teeth. Brendan?

  Elise laughed, as she looked at Terra. “Wow Terra, you really are turning red!”

  “We were going to tour colleges together,” Brendan said. He smiled at Terra with contentment.

  Terra felt her voice return "Yes. We wanted to visit some colleges. It’s time to find the best place. We would like to go to the same school,” Terra said.

  “Or you could do some Scourge hunting. One of those options…” Elise giggled. She dropped the Scourge creature to the floor where it lay inanimate beneath her tiny foot.

  “Oh. I suppose it is time to make some decisions about school.” Portia wrung her hands.

  “Mom, is everything alright?” Terra asked.

  “I guess I knew this was coming,” Portia said. “You're growing up. It seems like yesterday you were just a tiny baby. Now you’re ready to leave the nest.”

  “Oh mom, I'll go to college, but I’ll always be your little girl.” Terra realized that somehow her words had never been truer. She stood to hug the woman who had chosen to love her as her own child. The scent of Portia’s perfume brought back memories of a human lifetime of nurturing and security.

  “So when are you both leaving?” Portia smiled with tears in her eyes.

  “I think we will leave as soon as… Liam is officially released from the hospital,” Terra said.

  “You’ll call every day," Portia said. "Of course, you spend what you need. I want you to find the right school."

  “I promise,” said Terra.

  “I wish you would have let me teach you to drive,” Portia murmured.

  “Not to worry Mrs. Roland, I have a perfect driving record,” Brendan said. He produced Liam’s driver's license, and a key to the clunker Liam had purchased with his part-time fast-food earnings.

  “Because you've never driven!” Elise said. “I never realized Brendan was such a convincing liar!”

  Terra fought back a smirk. “We are going to do some research and decide where to go first,” Terra spoke with the confidence from conveying a particle of truth. “I know you have to be back at work. Don’t feel tied here, mom. I’ll be fine. I have Liam’s family here if I need someone. I'll call you, and I’ll be home in a couple of weeks.”