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Chapter -14- Diverted Attention

Wednesday, September 29, Mid-morning San Francisco, California ...

Reno sat up, as though startled awake. He looked around and rubbed at his face only to find his short, scruffy beard was gone. He looked down but wasn't wearing any clothes. There was a weird taste in his mouth.

His memories of last night rushed back - he fooled around with Karla. Things didn't go too far, although he wound up getting a _little_further with her than the last two times.

He thought back to it - after they went up to his room, she told him she didn't want to make out with him anymore because it was a little too 'personal.' So, instead, they settled on getting each other off in creative ways. And then...

...And then things blurred together...

Reno slid off the bed and stretched. He came to the conclusion that he must've blacked out shortly afterwards. He walked to the bathroom and turned on the light. Sure enough, he was clean shaven. Even his eyebrows were neatly groomed, as though threaded with string. He still felt something weird in his mouth, along with a strange taste.

Nevada stuck his tongue out and used a finger to lift his upper lip. Neatly applied to his teeth, there was a whitening strip, which had been left on for much, much longer than whatever the packaging instructions typically suggested.

When he peeled off the peroxide strip, he was surprised to see the stark difference - his teeth appeared snow colored, from having the strip on for the whole night.

"Christ, I could've choked on that in my sleep." He used a finger to fish the bottom strip off his lower teeth. He leaned down and turned on the sink. Swish and spit; he threw the whitening strips into the trashcan by the toilet and walked back out to his bed.

Hanging from the curtain, over the window, a dapper looking suit awaited. His shoes were polished on the floor beneath. A pair of boxer briefs and dark socks were laid out on an adjacent chair with a V-neck black t-shirt draped over the backrest.

He smelled a hint of cologne on the suit. The tie was already tied, but loose, hanging from the crook of the hanger. "This isn't weird at all," he whispered, running his fingers through his hair. His hair felt clean and soft to the touch. He vaguely remembered taking a shower with her last night, after they messed around, but before exhaustion took a hold of him.

Karla...

Reno began getting dressed. His thoughts turned back to the youthful-looking succubus.

He didn't want a relationship with anyone, especially right now. But the last few times he fooled around with her, there was no major drama afterwards. Neither was jealous, neither acted awkward, or even territorial. Maybe, just maybe, he could go for 'friends with benefits.'

Just so long as she didn't always groom him in his sleep. Reno pulled the shirt on, the boxers and socks, and the dress shirt. Next came the slacks, his tie, and finally the sports blazer. He adjusted the tie, a full Windsor knot made by an expert. Finally, he slid his feet into the polished shoes.

Reno reached for his smartwatch, phone and wallet on the nightstand, checked his image in a mirror, and headed for the door.

He made it to the balcony and blinked at the sight of a lobby full of people. The fact he hadn't heard so many people until now was certainly a credit to whoever built the mansion.

He headed down the stairs, looking at the large gathering of people, surprised by how different everyone appeared. Some were dressed nicely, some were in t-shirt and jeans. Others wore business casual, while some wore a priest's dress-casual - black slacks, black shirt and a white piece at the collar.

Nearly everyone in the room had some measure of weapon on their hip, their back, or a duffle bag. All kinds, ranging from shotguns, to crossbows, to broadswords, to high caliber pistols - everyone in the room appeared confident and comfortable with one another.

The crowd spoke amongst themselves as though they were at some sort of convention. People networked with each other, some handed out business cards, and others were telling stories.

Reno gently pushed his way through the crowd and headed down the hallway towards the kitchen. He passed the first floor gym, which was empty. He continued past the dining room, which had a few people standing around and speaking to one another, and finally, he made his way to the kitchen.

Sinopa and Carmen were cooking...

"What the hell is going on?"

Carmen looked over her shoulder with a smile then froze. "Wow. You look like a million bucks, Uncle Reno. And it's not just the tan you brought back from the island."

Sinopa grinned. "Karla said she was going to turn you into a new man. Her assessment was rather accurate."

Reno replied with a dull gaze. "Uh-huh."

Carmen laughed. "Oh relax, we're just kidding with you. You really do look sharp!"

"I, uh ... thanks. So, what's going on out there?"

Sinopa's grin faded slightly. She spoke in a tone of business. "Natalia flew to Italy Monday late-afternoon. By midnight, people began showing up here, claiming they came to help. Now, well, the lobby is filled with people."

"Help with what?" Reno gave a tug at his blazer. He stuffed his hands into his pants pockets.

"We're going to attack the Celestial Realm," said Carmen. "Well, I'm not. Sinopa isn't. But you're going. And Karla, and Kalen, Laura, Tammy, Sekhmet, and any hunter willing to go."

"Hunter?"

"People who typically hunt supernaturals. Modern day crusaders," Carmen explained. "We had no idea so many people would show up to volunteer. They're coming in from all over the globe. I had to bribe the neighbors not to call the cops. I told them we're filming a 'B-movie' on our property. How many are out there?"

"Too many to count," Reno said. "Where's Karla?"

"She's getting names, and helping to set up heated tents in the backyard. These people will need a place to sleep, you know?"

Reno stared at the two women. After a moment, he asked, "You two are cooking for all those people? There must be two hundred, just in the foyer, alone. That's a lot of mouths to feed."

Carmen grinned and turned back to the stove. "I'm making food for us, Reno. The family - 'the core team,' as Evan would say. We have catering trucks on their way to feed the hunters. Thankfully, there are a lot of religious types here, so everyone seems to be behaving around one another, out of respect for thee, ah, 'men of cloth' amongst the group. How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good, actually."

"You two aren't going to be a couple are you?"

Sinopa snickered softly and elbowed her granddaughter. "Be nice to him."

"No," said Reno. "We get friendly like that every now and then. We never let it get weird."

"I'm not judging," Carmen said. "I 'shipped you two from the beginning. Just saying."

Reno quirked his brows. "Did you seriously just say you 'shipped us?"

"Yeah, as in I paired you two as relationship material."

"I know what the word means, kid. But I'm not dating Karla."

Carmen shook her head with a smile and turned back to the stove. "There's still time for something to develop. Reno-X-Karla all the way."

"Jesus," Reno sighed, shaking his head. "You're nothing you're your mother. I thought you'd be serious, stoic, and grumpy."

"Sorry to disappoint. I eventually warm up around people. Uncle Reno, we spent six months together on the family island. I think it's okay for you to see my other side."

"Right, right. Your mother took a few months to open up, too. Christmas brought it out of her."

"Anyway, why fight it? Go find Karla and give her a big kiss."

Reno rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go and find everyone else."

"She's taking names without the 'kicking ass' part, Uncle Reno. Try the backyard tents."

"Give it a rest. Christ, kiddo."

The kitsune snickered at their banter. She cleared her throat. "Remember to be polite to our guests," Sinopa said.

"Yeah, yeah." Reno left the kitchen and headed towards the back hall, towards to the courtyard behind the mansion. He stopped at the glass doors, leading outside, and shook his head. "Jesus, it's like a rock concert out there." He looked out over the sea of people and shook his head again. "All this ... in under forty-eight hours? Good God."

"Reno!" Evan approached from behind. "Hey!"

Nevada grinned back at the middle-aged man, a face he grew used to seeing after six months on the Parker family island. "Evan, can you believe this?"

"Looking sharp, Nevada. Karla has you all cleaned up."

"Christ, not you, too. So what the hell is going on here?"

Evan shrugged off Reno's odd nervousness regarding Karla and looked out the doors at the crowd in the backyard. "It's like a hero convention, only some of these people live by questionable means and use unsightly methods. You remember how Topaz left me her father's comic collection for Christmas twenty-five years ago? I finally started reading the ones not put into sleeves. It brought back a lot of emotions I had regarding superheroes when growing up. I really latched on to superheroes because they were different and so was I. But I look at some of those people who are showing up to help and I'm disillusioned by them."

"So then it's sort of like an anti-hero convention." Reno grinned somewhat. "Chin up, the good and the not-so-good are getting together to fight the bad."

Evan grinned. "Yeah."

"Every single one of us will make a difference."

Evan nodded with a slight frown. "What if I didn't break bones in the bathysphere all those years ago? We might have walked away from that city as heroes."

"We're better than we were twenty-five years ago, Evan. Just ... don't break any bones this time."

Evan grinned again. "I guess you're right about being better now."

"That's the spirit, kiddo." Reno chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, force of habit ... Old man."

Evan snorted with amusement. "Seriously, though, Reno. I won't break any bones this time. I've evolved my ability. I can glass the break together and heal fractures."

Reno nodded, impressed. "That's pretty freaking awesome, bud. Oh, and since we're going to be around people outside of our immediate circle, I guess I should go by 'Nathanial,' for a while."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry about that."

Reno waved his hand in a dismissive fashion. "Don't worry about it. No harm, man. So, who the hell is coordinating all this mess?"

"It's all word-of-mouth. These people dropped everything and came here as soon as they heard."

Reno kept his eyes on the crowd out in the backyard. "Let me guess, the Pope tweeted that the world might end, grab your finest silver blades, and a fist full of buckshot - am I close?"

"They have a way of staying in contact with each other, Nathan. Ever since supernaturals were wiped out in 2023, they looked at the world as though the end was near. The quake that killed millions, two years later, is what caused a lot of hunters to start passing on the trade to their kids. Twenty-three years later, those kids are ready to fight this big war they heard so much about while growing up. And, actually, yes the Pope made a statement. Not in the newspaper, but through whatever channels these people set up amongst themselves."

Reno turned to Evan, brows arched. "So there's a hunter network hiding somewhere on the internet?"

"Actually, yeah. You have to have a legitimate bounty hunter's license, then you have to be approved through the Roman Catholic Church as psychiatrically sound. Only then do you get a hunting license number, which you use to sign in to their online network. And, uh, it really is set up like a Twitter clone."

"How...?"

Evan grinned. "A lot of these people are so excited to be here that I met a few chatter-boxes. I wish Johann could be here to see this. Anyhow, these people don't hunt Esoteric Community people unless the Council calls on hunters to track down someone breaking rules. Outside of supernaturally sanctioned humans, they only go after mythological types. Vampires, werewolves, self-proclaimed sex demons..."

Reno folded his arms, looking at the sea of heads out in the yard. "The Council calls on human hunters to go after supernaturals that are out of control? That's like trying to throw water on an electrical fire, isn't it?"

"I think the hunters are hired to_find_ the supernatural offender, and call it in to collect a finder's fee. No hunter in his or her right mind would engage someone like you. However, hunters_do_ have free reign to hunt mythological supernaturals. Vampires, succubae, incubi, werewolves ... the EC used to consider mythological supernaturals 'unclean'. That's why those groups are never part of the council. It's part of the reason there was a civil war in 1908; Natalia's husband took the reigns as a leader, and other supernaturals freaked out."

Reno rolled his eyes. "Even when the rest of the world calls you a freak, you still run into racism amongst your peers. Christ, man." He shrugged, and then asked, "So how do the mythical people stay organized, outside of the EC?"

"Vampires have their own government, werewolves have tribal gatherings and such. But when the attacks started happening, twenty-five years ago, everyone worked together."

"Did any hunters work for Falcon?" asked Reno.

"No, I think they stayed out of it. Hunters didn't mind seeing the mythological supernaturals wiped out. But when the Esoteric Government went under, hunters thought they would be targeted next, so most of them laid low."

Reno eyed Evan for a moment then shook his head. "Man, you really _did_run into some chatter-boxes. Did you find out anything else?"

"Just that these people really take their jobs seriously. And it might surprise you to find out that some of these hunters resort to more than just technology to fight their targets. I'd say about forty percent of them are deeply religious, and another forty percent believe in witchcraft as a way to help them 'fight evil.' The other twenty percent are in this line of work because they either lost a family member in an attack, or ... they're here because they need to kill something."

"I'd imagine there are a lot of disturbed people out there."

Evan shook his head. "You'd think, but like I said the Vatican keeps track of hunters, and who is allowed to be a part of the online community. They have to go through psychiatric evaluations every three years, they have trials and tests, and there's even a sort of, uh, hunter Olympics."

"Say what??" Reno turned from the glass doors and faced Evan. "They get together like gladiators and show off? Please don't tell me they fight captured supernaturals."

"Not that I'm aware of. They do it like a mock Olympics. Spear throwing, archery, sport shooting, competitive shooting, obstacle courses, jousting, strength and running; it's a huge deal to these people. They have their own sub-culture, Reno."

Reno stared at Evan for a moment. He turned back to the glass doors and scoffed. "Freaking jousting. Jesus. So the Vatican sent a message out to all the local Renaissance Festivals. Great."

"I loved Ren Fests." Evan chuckled. "If there was a zombie apocalypse, or some near-total E. L. E., where else would you rather be? These people know how to make their own clothes, their own weapons, and they can cook turkeys and brew beer. They have a high immunity to germs after building a tolerance from being around crowds all the time ... they work together as a community." Evan paused. "E. L. E. stands for extinction level event."

"I know; I grew up on comic movies." Reno shook his head and closed his eyes. "Forty-five years old, but you haven't changed a bit since you were twenty."

Evan grinned. "Thanks. I can't wait for the world to get back to normal so I can take my daughter to a festival. She wants to see a sunrise and a sunset in person."

Reno noticed the change in Evan's tone. Nevada reached over and gave Evan's shoulder a firm pat. "We'll get your girls back soon, bud. I promise. So, are you going to the Celestial Realm to help us do this crazy crap?"

"No. I need to sit this one out, because I know my way around New Atlantis. So I have to stay alive for that fight. Sorry, Nathan." Silence. Evan frowned. "You're not upset, are you?"

"No, bud. It's smart to keep certain key players here, just in case. Who else is going for sure?"

"Karla, Tammy, you, Laura, Kalen and that lady with thee, uh, lion head."

"Sekhmet," Reno murmured. "She's not all that scary, by the way."

"Speak for yourself," Evan said. "I'm staying here to protect the mansion with Conner, Carmen, Rachel, James, Natalia, Sinopa and Wilfred. Everyone that's needed to take the fight to Falcon. And James put that staff from Africa into a vault in the basement, below our feet. And did you notice Tammy's hair is turning white at the roots? Wild huh?"

"Tamae is becoming more like Tamamo. Sinopa says she may have rapid healing by this point."

"Oh, wow. That's pretty wild." Evan changed the tone of his voice, asking, "Is it true Conner was doing stuff like what you can do?"

Reno shrugged. "He can somehow channel and hold electricity in his cane. It triggers off of his temper. The madder he gets, the more intense it is. We need to get him the nanobots."

Evan paused for a moment then looked towards the people out back. "I forgot about those. Fox used'em right?"

"Yeah. They're in a jar, either in the basement, here, or on the Parker Island. You need to help Conner find them so he can start practicing with them. Why don't you guys go look for them now? It will be helpful when it's time to attack Falcon's place."

"Do you know where Conner's at?"

"Start asking around. Let that be your mission, Evan. It's important. I'm almost positive they're on the island. I should've remembered to have Conner grab them while we were all there for six months. That's a long time for me to be a forgetful dumbass. Anyhow, the kid will need those things. You've gotta convince him to go out there and find'em."

"I remember what the container looks like."

Reno arched his brows. "You do?"

"Yeah. I sure do."

"Well good! So drag his butt downstairs, look for them, then head to the island and find'em if they're not here. It's important."

"I'll do that. It will keep Conner's mind busy, so he won't be worrying about Tamamo." Evan offered his hand to Reno. "You come back safe, okay? I mean it."

Reno paused for a moment. A wry smile spread across his face. Nevada shook Evan's hand and said, "You know what? Do me a favor..."

"Yeah?"

"Take everyone who isn't going to this other realm, or whatever. Take Conner, Carmen, Rachel, James, Natalia, Sinopa and Wilfred."

Evan frowned. "James and Rachel left for New York. Weren't you supposed to go with them?"

"Yeah, but finding Watson isn't a priority for me, right now. I don't need to be an USPRI investigator when we're about to go to war on several fronts. Let James and Rachel go and find Watson and Fara. It'll be good for them. Take the Parker siblings, Natalia and Sinopa to the island."

"Shouldn't we have someone here to keep an eye on the mansion?"

Reno shook his head. "I've got a bad feeling. I think you guys should take the mirror to the island vault and hide it. If you all go, you'll keep the damn thing safe. We can't afford to keep it in California. If that stupid thing falls in the wrong hands while I'm over there, I don't want to become stuck in there. Take it out there and keep it safe."

"I'll talk to Natalia. It sounds like a good idea to me."

"It is a good idea." The voice belonged to Natalia Kincade. She stepped from the shadows and curtsied to Reno and Evan. "I apologize for eavesdropping, but I despise large crowds such as the one we're currently hosting. We will bring the mirror here, to this mansion, and send everyone through, one at a time. Then the rest of us will take it to the island and keep it safe while James and Rachel search for Gregory Watson."

Reno shrugged. "Who cares about that guy? Karla doesn't trust him at all."

Natalia shook her head ever so slightly. "His connections with the Government will serve useful in paving the way for our eventual attack on Aris Falcon. Mr. Carrington, you have a splendid idea. I will speak to Tamamo and Trajen."

Reno snapped his fingers. "Right, Trajen - what's his part in all of this?"

"It is quite complicated. I am keeping him around as a resource, but he will not be going to the Parker Island. While I quite enjoy his company, a man who sells information to the highest bidder should never learn the location of the Parker Island. Conner and Carmen came to that decision and Trajen accepted such. He will stay in San Francisco."

Reno turned around, facing Natalia directly. "You knew Nathan Carrington, right?"

"Quite so."

"What was the guy like?"

"Brilliant." She smiled in a knowing way. "I read his files on the USB drive. I wish I could tell you what was on those files, but I cannot. Needless to say, he started off as a plain man with extraordinary power, and grew into an intelligent, witty, brilliant gentleman. And now that I've read those files, so much about him makes sense."

Reno rubbed his hand against the nape of his neck. "Yeah, uh, brilliant. He's a rockstar with big shoes to fill. So I'm told. Apparently I'm starting to look more and more like he did in his youth or something."

Natalia shook her head. "Your eyes a very different, Reno. His were a cloudy grey - rather lovely, actually. You run head-on into battle, he plans before he attacks. You are arrogant at times because you are over confident. He acts arrogant as a calculated measure to keep people at a distance. For him, arrogance was part of his mystique. Your hair is dark and tousled. His was short, dirty blond, and he kept it in a crewcut."

Reno smiled. "I like you."

"Hm?" She cocked her head a bit.

He grinned at the pale woman and said, "You're the first person who didn't compare us and tell me how alike we are. I like you."

"One cannot discount your similarities, but you should also be aware you are quite different."

"Right on."

Natalia furrowed her brows at his informal behavior.

Reno ignored her expressive glance and asked, "Anyhow, who is leading all those yuppies, out there, into battle?"

Natalia smiled and shook her head. "Goodness, you really are _nothing_like Nathanial, Reno. Nathan took charge; you ask who will be leading a group. Find Tamamo, please. You and she will be leading the battle together. You need to learn how to take charge in a battle - this will be very important for you."

"I'll find her. You bring the mirror here. When are we doing this?"

"You leave in thirty-six hours, Reno. I want to give everyone a chance to arrive." She turned to Evan and said, "Would you accompany me to fetch this mirror? If anything happens to it, you are the only one among us with the capability to repair it. Also, you will surely be familiar with how to transport such, due to your familiarity with glass objects."

Evan nodded. "It would be my pleasure. Lead the way."

Natalia offered her hand to him. "Have you ever traveled by shadow?"

Evan lit up. "I can't wait." He took her hand and the two disappeared back into the shadows from which Natalia came.

Reno shook his head with a chuckle and looked back out at the sea of people. "This is going to get interesting."

X

X

A little later...

Evan's hands materialized into mocha skin and Natalia stepped from the shadows at his side.

He looked around and immediately pressed his hands into his torso, trying to acclimate to the sensation of being solid again. He took a step and stumbled. "Definitely the weirdest sensation ever. Now I think I know what it feels like to be stuck in a transporter beam buffer in the Star Trek universe."

Natalia reached for his forearm and kept him stable. "That was a rather long distance for your first time traveling as such." Natalia trailed off with a frown.

Evan noticed her expression and frowned. "What's wrong?" They stood at the top of the driveway leading to the Kincade mansion, an old house built in 1905 with beautiful trim and classy Victorian-style highlights.

Natalia's eyes narrowed. "Evan, the front doors are open. Take a moment to center yourself, then we will go in together."

Evan jumped up and down in place to get his heart rate up. The adrenaline helped him focus. He felt his equilibrium return, and said, "I'm ready when you are."

"Excellent. Attend me. Keep thy eyes sharp." Natalia headed for the entrance to her home. Evan followed.

At the top of marble stairs, she pushed the doors open the rest of the way and stepped into the foyer. Muddy boot prints covered the tiled floor.

She cut her gaze towards the first room at the immediate right; the double doors were off their hinges. Books lay strewn across the floor, bookcases had their shelves broken, decorative bookends lay in pieces on the carpet.

Natalia stepped into the room and looked around at the damage.

Evan knelt in the foyer and leaned down, examining a set of prints. "Mrs. Kincade?"

Natalia walked back to the center of the foyer and glanced down at the tiles. There were dozens of footprints overlapping, but she saw what he pointed to. "Is that...? A footprint without shoes or boots?"

"Yeah, you can see all the toes if you look close. But look even closer - what are these lines above each toe? Talons? Claws? Long toenails? It looks too deformed to be a normal human foot."

"Come with me, I would like to see the rear entrance." She headed into a hallway with Evan in tow.

They stopped in a room at the back of the mansion, which was once a beautiful dwelling with a glass ceiling.

Now, plants and their pots littered the floor. Dirt was strewn about. More of the strange footprints were in the rear room. The entrance doors, now in splinters, lay several feet from one another. The left door had a crack in the thick oak surface.

"These doors were impressive," Natalia said.

"I'm sorry they..."

She shook her head, speaking over him. "I did not mean as decorations. They were solid oak. Very thick. Why use a battering ram, when one could easily penetrate through the windows? I am unfamiliar with the stench of whatever came through this room." Natalia withdrew her cellular phone and dialed Kalen's number. A moment later she spoke into it. "Come to the mansion immediately, my child. Bring Laura." There was a pause, listening to Kalen's reply, then she said, "See thee anon." She closed the phone but kept it tucked in her left hand.

"Do you have an alarm system?"

Natalia nodded and walked to the rear door frame. She placed her right index finger against the touch-screen panel but couldn't read the display. "It was damaged."

Evan approached and touched his hand against the capacitive screen. The display became active, showing, "Breech, door 1 & 4. System offline. Fault Error 102."

Evan pulled out his phone and looked up the error code based on the brand name of the display. A moment later he looked up and said, "Error 102 apparently means your intruder managed to disconnect your alarm system from the server of the alarm company. It says on this website that this error code requires the alarm company to send out an alert, and alert the police. So the police are either on their way, or they came by and made a report, but they were unable to get ahold of you for some reason."

Natalia pursed her lips together. She turned back towards Evan. "The disfigured footprints are numerous in this room. Follow me, please."

Evan followed her back through the house, upstairs, and to the master bedroom. The bed had been destroyed, the furniture was in ruins. He looked around himself at the chaos, and followed Natalia to a door at the far end of the bedroom. She opened it and stepped into a study. Books were thrown haphazardly about.

Natalia approached a large mural painting, which was crooked on the wall. She pushed it to the left. It moved on a set of hidden tracks in the floor and ceiling. "This is the panic room," she murmured.

Evan stepped into the room first. He felt the walls until finding a light switch, and turned it on.

On the floor, facing up, in the middle of the room, was a mirror with scratches on its surface.

"Oh dear," she said, but with a measure of relief in her voice. "At least they did not steal the portal."

Evan knelt adjacent to the large mirror. He touched his hands against the surface and began healing the scratches, restoring the reflective surface to its prior luster. He looked up at Natalia with a frown. "Is this ... the portal mirror you guys were talking about last night?"

"It is. I can only imagine whoever raided my home did not know what they were looking for, nor did they know the importance of this mirror. We should move it to the Parker Mansion as soon as Kalen arrives."

"I'm sorry about your belongings, Mrs. Kincade."

Natalia shook her head with a slight frown. "Mm, most things in this house are replaceable, save this mirror, Mela, and Sero."

"Mela and Sero?"

"The girls who protect this mansion."

"Are they vampires?"

"Not entirely."

Evan tilted his head. "So they're like ... vampire ghouls?"

"I do despise of that word, to be bluntly honest." Natalia sighed and waved her hand. A tendril of pure gloom came in from the doorway and pushed the mirror up against the wall, then lifted it from the floor.

"Now what?"

"We wait for my child to show."

Evan frowned. There was a brief silence. He folded his arms, keeping his eyes on the mirror, and asked, "What did the USB files say about Reno?"

"How do you mean your question, Evan?"

"Is he some sort of chosen one?"

"Did I make it sound as though that was what I had suggested?"

Evan shrugged. "You've been treating him with more respect lately. And when you were pointing out the difference between him and the old man, it was like you were doing it on purpose."

"If only you had the pleasure to meet Nathanial."

"I have. Twenty-five years ago, I came to my store one morning. It was called A Pane In The Glass. And there he was, sitting in my office, waiting for me. Moments later, I was attacked. He gave me written instructions, he gave me Johann Foster's number, and prepared me for all the crazy stuff that was about to happen."

"My mistake. That interaction was not on his USB drive of notes. Perhaps he met you _after_leaving it in Michael Tomes' Chevelle." Natalia pursed her lips together with a weak smile. "He has seen so much more than anyone could ever imagine, save perhaps Raul Poliandro. Nathan is an impressive man."

"So what's the story with Reno?"

Natalia folded her hands. "They are cut from the same cloth, Evan. In order for Reno to reach his full potential, it is best that we hold him to the same standards to which we held Nathanial. It will help Reno to evolve and achieve his full potentialis. Reno is now standing in Nathan's proverbial shoes. It is up to the rest of us to encourage him to wear those shoes the way Nathan once did."

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"Yeah, even though Reno never really knew Nathanial, he's pretty much the old man's protégé. And because he doesn't have Nathanial around to teach him, it's up to the people who knew Nathanial best to help Reno to basically become Nathanial. It's a common theme in superhero stories, Mrs. Kincade. The son, who never met the father, has to become the father to fulfill his legacy."

"Mm, I see. Just so there is no confusion, Nathanial is _not_Reno's father."

"Did you know Reno's father?"

A mysterious smile touched the vampire's lips. "Michael Tomes. He passed away a number of years ago. Reno and Vincent's mother, as well, when Vincent was a teenager."

"What was their story, if you don't mind my asking?"

Natalia folded her hands. "They moved across the country and settled in east California to go into hiding, and raise their children away from the rest of civilization. Nathanial helped them, so that the Esoteric Council would leave them alone, and..."

"Mistress!" The voice belonged to Kalen.

Natalia stepped from the doorway of the panic room and called out, "I am here, Kalen. The master bedroom. Bring Laura."

A moment later, Kalen and Laura stepped into the room together.

Natalia approached Laura and curtsied to her. She, in turn, returned the gesture, despite not wearing a dress. Natalia kissed either side of the girl's face. "How fare thee, my dear?"

"On edge. There are tracks in the house. They look like how my feet once appeared, years ago. But if that's what they are, then we're all in a lot of trouble."

"I feared as much. That is why I asked Kalen to bring you. You are the expert on the experimental super soldiers."

"You know about them?"

"Karla and her friends were attacked by them in France, fifty years ago."

Laura furrowed her brows. "How did Karla live through that?"

Natalia shook her head. "A young man accompanying Karla was able to render them unconscious. It is no longer an option, as that boy is now dead, killed by the Esoteric Council. I only wonder if these beings are one in the same, or if they are more like yourself - evolved and sentient."

Laura frowned and shook her head. "Being sentient would make them harder to fight, but if they're the ones from France ... they are unstoppable. They're worse than zombie ants. They multiply when cut into pieces. They reform if burned to a husk."

Evan's eyes widened. "Then how do you destroy them?"

Kalen folded his arms. "Reno's brother would be able to vaporize them with radiation."

Laura thought about it, briefly, and nodded. "If there is nothing left, there is nothing that can re-spawn. Total disintegration would work."

"We'll need Vincent," Evan said with a soft sigh.

Kalen sniffed at the air and walked to the bedroom door, peering out into the hall. "It seems we may have the chance to find out what we're up against after all. Whatever is out there does not smell human."

Evan crossed the room, moving adjacent to Kalen. "How many?"

"Just one."

Evan looked back at Laura and Natalia. "Suffocation won't kill them?"

"No. Without oxygen, they would eventually lose the ability to move; the muscular system needs oxygen, however the brain will not die."

Evan brightened a bit. "I'll encase that thing in glass to cover our escape. You guys grab the mirror." He peeked down the hall and swallowed. "Oh my God. And here I thought the raptors from Jurassic Park were scary."

Kalen backed into the bedroom. "Everyone, to the panic room. We'll leave together."

"I cannot transport four people and the portal as a shadow," Natalia told the group. "At least not across the city. I am nowhere near as powerful as Justus."

Kalen pointed into the panic room. "Mistress, take Laura and the mirror. Evan and I will hold off the creature."

Laura frowned at the word used by Kalen.

"Come, my dear girl." Natalia interlaced her fingers with Laura's hand and placed her other palm on the mirror, leaning against the wall. They dissolved into shadows and disappeared into the air ventilation system.

Kalen removed his jacket and laid it across the nearby bed. "Sapphire is one of the hardest natural substances, correct?"

"Don't worry, I'm over my fear of velociraptors. Although, I admit, the thing coming up the hallway looks way more menacing than a raptor. Did you know real raptors probably had feathers?"

"Evan..."

"Right, sorry." Balmoral opened and closed his hands several times, watching the shadow of the creature move across the floor. "Okay, I'm calm."

The deformed being stopped in the doorframe and turned to face them. It sniffed at the air and narrowed its gaze.

Evan licked his lips. "Shazbot."

---

X

X

Meanwhile North of New York City ...

Rama Darken rubbed his face."Yeah, Aimee, I knew him for sure." He put his left hand into his pocket. He brushed his fingers against a ring box - he wanted to propose to her in New York but ... how was he supposed to get the mood right with strange situations popping up day after day.

Aimee sniffed at the air. She knelt besides a dead body strewn across the alley, his arms and legs splayed out. Aimee rolled the decomposing man over, checking his pockets. "What was his name?"

Rama frowned. "Elliott, uh," he trailed off, trying to remember the man's last name. "Patkanim. He's from the village where mom and I..." Rama trailed off and shook his head. "Why would he come all this way? I should have checked in with mom weeks ago."

Aimee stood up and turned to her boyfriend. "That's not your fault, we were doing as we were asked."

Rama pulled the man's jacket up and sniffed at the sleeves, near the armpits. He placed the jacket over the man's head. "I knew I smelled a familiar scent when we walked by this alley. I knew it. This is what I smelled. This alley acts like a wind tunnel. I knew I knew this scent."

"Rama, it isn't your fault, babe."

"Why would he come all this way, Aimee? He had to be here looking for us. I mean, Christ, what if mom is in trouble?"

Aimee sighed and shook her head. As if to remind him of the situation they were in, she said, "We found the oracle here, hon. We've been helping him, and lying low as he asked. We've done everything we could. Mr. Powalski was very adamant that we give up trying to call your mom. He said we will meet people here, soon, that will help make things better. He's an oracle, Rama. Just like the one your mother lived with in Greece. I understand you're upset and I understand you don't want your mom to worry, but let's have some perspective here."

Rama replied with a weak smile. "You're right. Working with Cybil is supposed to be an honor. He said he made sure my father will live, and he even told us we'd meet someone I recognize right here on this street corner. Everything Cybil has said so far has added up. I'm just frustrated and I'm getting sick of the District Coast. Plus, it's starting to get cold. It's practically October."

Aimee placed her hands on Rama's face and smiled. "Just keep your faith, babe. I don't know why a werewolf from Seattle would wind up here, dead, in the middle of nowhere outside of New York, but I'm sure of one thing."

"Yeah?"

"We're meant to be right here, right now. And if Mr. Powalski was right about us finding this man's body, he'll be right about us meeting important people soon. We just have to stay local until the puzzle pieces fall together."

Rama looked down at the body and shook his head. "I wonder how Elliott died."

Aimee knelt over the body again and looked it over closely. After a moment, she looked up and said, "There's no bullet or stab wounds." She placed her fingers against the man's neck and felt the sides and back of the neckline. Aimee drew her hand away and frowned. "It's broken."

"Someone was powerful enough to break the neck of a werewolf, yet Elliott didn't feel threatened enough to transform first. Maybe he thought he knew the attacker? Or maybe the attack was too sudden for Elliott to transform."

Aimee frowned. "I know you wanted to bring me to the District Coast to have a nice little vacation and spend some time with me. I'm sorry nothing has gone right lately, but at least we're together and nothing makes me happier, Rama."

He afforded her with a soft smile. "Yeah, you're right. At least we're here together." They hugged. Rama rested his chin on her head for a moment. "We should get back to the camp. I'm convinced Cybil is able to see things. He's bat-shit crazy but he's got the gift. If he says we have to stay here a little longer until we meet whoever we're supposed to meet, then that's what we have to do."

"Chin up, Rama. Don't look so disappointed."

He replied with a slight shrug. "Yeah. Things were supposed to go right. Candles and snuggles. Now we're shacking up with a loon who barks at the moon like that's supposed to amuse us. I keep telling him that's a 'moonlight hunt thing' our ancestors _sometimes_did. He's just ... weird."

"I believe him, though. I believe he saved your father's life several times. Let's just stay the course and head back to camp for now."

Rama took Aimee's hand and smiled. "Let's go."

They began walking together, headed north of the city limits. Aimee glanced back at the crumbling buildings in the distance. Only a handful in the whole city were still standing. "He told me something else. Something that's kind of private."

Rama pushed his free hand into his jacket pocket and touched the ring box, nestled within. "What did he tell you?"

She swallowed and looked down. "That there is a man out there who will be very important to me, but he'll break my heart."

Rama cut his gaze to the girl at his side. "I would never hurt you, Aimee."

"Not you. Cybil said you'll be my protector, my husband, and the father of my children. So what other man could possibly break my heart? I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I just hope it's not our future son. That's the only man I can think of that would be important enough to me to have that kind of power over me."

Rama brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles as they walked. "We'll get through whatever happens. We'll get through it together, okay?" He trailed off, remembering what she'd said to him a few minutes ago. With a slight smile, he told her, "Chin up, Aimee. Don't look so disappointed."

She grinned and elbowed him, playfully.

They continued walking, headed back towards their camp.

---

Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/797467

I finished my move to Florida! So yeah!! Back to the grind! lol

This novel is nearly finished. I decided to break the final novel into two halves, instead of making it one super huge piece. Anyway... yeah. ONTO THE CELESTIAL REALM! MARCH!!