The Order

The morning weather at Stone Mountain Park was perfect; sunny and warm with a slight breeze. The first hint of winter was creeping in with light frost in the early mornings, but the Atlanta afternoons were beautiful.

Ken lay on his back with his knees up, one arm behind his head and the other draped over Brad’s chest, slowly rubbing his chest and shoulders, enjoying the feel of his body.  His body perpendicular to Ken’s, Brad’s head rested on Ken’s stomach.

Brad held their minds and hearts together, touching as their bodies did, relaxing in the warm sun and each other.  Their eyes closed, they enjoyed the fresh air, sunshine, and being with one another.

After being apart from Ken for so long on his last mission, Brad craved the physical and mental connection. Everything about Ken was so… warm and solid. His body was to die for, but the man inside was who Brad truly loved and missed when they were apart. Smiling, Brad admitted to himself he missed Ken making love to him, too.

Fuck Ken, this is nice. It’s been way too long since we’ve just chilled out like this.

You mean since last night on the couch when we watched the movie?

Brad laughed, warmed by the particular emotion Ken exuded when he made Brad laugh or smile. Seeing each other on the inside as they did at that moment never got old.

Douche.

The little kid grin that melted Brad accompanied Ken’s reply.

There’s the B I know and love.

Moving up, Ken’s hand gently stroked Brad’s short hair, occasionally running the back of his knuckles tenderly along his cheek. Brad’s unconscious mind broadcast a compulsion for any gawkers to ignore them. They weren’t invisible; rather, people overlooked them, allowing them to relax and not worry about stares or anyone getting offended at their open display of affection.

Loy and Ricky were doing the same thing, not far away. The four men seemed relaxed but maintained a peripheral awareness of their charges, ensuring they were safe. Sally sat with Liz, Henry, and Drew a short distance away.

That morning the group decided on an impromptu outing to Stone Mountain Park. The Keenans politely declined the invitation; the climb up the mountain was just too much for them, especially with Tag’s leg. Kelly, the pregnant girl from Australia that Darren and Pat rescued never wanted to do anything and was in one of her usual sour moods. Bryan was smoking three huge Boston Butts for dinner and couldn’t come, so Lane, of course, stayed with him. Darren and Pat were on duty at the lab with everyone who wasn’t at Stone Mountain.

Bill said he and Kevin had other plans and couldn’t make it. Bill also stayed out of the link that morning, which bothered Ken. He planned on looking into that as soon as they got back, but for the moment he wanted to relax with Brad and watch Drew run around excitedly.

Of course, Drew wasn’t tired because he rode up the side of the mountain on Henry’s shoulders. Drew loved climbing on the guys in the lab for fun; being so big and strong the guys were like mountains to him. At that moment Henry was on his back with Drew straddling his stomach, squealing with laughter as Henry tickled him.  Henry didn’t have to be a mindreader to know Drew’s cries of “Stop!” were really pleas to continue.

Ken: It’s great watchin’ Henry with Drew.

Brad: Yeah, it is. They’ve both come so far. I’m thinking once we get Liz and Henry settled in their own place, they’re going to tie the knot.

Ken: You think so?

Grinning, Brad replied: I admit it would be impressive if my powers of intuition were that amazing, but I have to fess up.  Sally clued me in. She and Liz are pretty tight, and Liz told her she’s thinking about it.

Chuckling, he continued: Poor Henry. The women are conspiring against him, and he doesn’t have a chance.

Ken: And what about Sally? She’s practically taken over the lab, just like she did the company. The doc can’t live without her now.

Brad: Yeah, that’s great, isn’t it? It’s no surprise merging with Pat and Dar that night did wonders for her, but she’s really digging into the cause. She could be invaluable to us.

Ken: B, I’m worried she’s gonna get hurt if she stays with us. As a normal human, she’ll be vulnerable. We won’t be able ‘ta watch her all the time and eventually somethin’ll happen, and we’ll regret it.

Brad: I’m sure the doc has some thoughts on that. Let’s talk to him about it. Albrecht agreed to train her if she wants to learn to fight. It’s her decision, Ken. I’m with you, but if she wants to do it we can’t stop her. You know how important free will is in our fight. If she’s doing it for the right reasons, we don’t have any right to stop her.

 <><> 

 Henry was happier than he could ever remember. After everything in his past, mainly his forced servitude to The Enemy, he didn’t think happiness was possible for a man like him, but the guys, in their unique way, showed him just how possible it was.

He had come to love the little boy bouncing up and down on his stomach with all his heart. Drew captured Henry’s heart right along with his gorgeous mother, Liz. Over time Henry and Liz shared much of their pasts, so he knew about Drew’s birth father Doug and the abuse both of them suffered, but they decided it was best to move forward with a fresh start and take Drew with them rather than dwell on their pasts. They wanted to be a family and try to find a sense of normality in their lives, at least as much as possible given their situation.

The doctor really had worked miracles with Drew. Henry didn’t know if it was a mental thing or just good old-fashioned child psychology, but whatever the doctor did worked wonders. There were still occasional bumps; Drew occasionally wet the bed and had other accidents, but the doctor assured them that those issues would improve with time. He explained how to handle those situations to minimize any impact on Drew and help him get over them as quickly as possible.

Wound up from being out with Henry, his mom, and some of the guys, Drew was on overdrive. Rarely getting out of the lab, even though everyone paid him a great deal of attention, he was still a little boy and loved to be outside. Even with their busy training schedules and tasks, all the guys carved out time to spend with him when they were in the lab.

Physically affectionate, Drew loved giving and receiving hugs. He had the oddest and most interesting habits for a child, sometimes not seeming like a little boy at all. When his mind slipped open he assumed many adult-like qualities, which was something else the doctor helped everyone cope with.

At that moment Henry was in ‘tickle monster’ mode and Drew wiggled and writhed, laughing so hard he was out of breath. Good at gauging when Drew had enough, Henry eased up.

Drew’s face was red and flushed from the heat, but his smile was a mile wide. Looking down at Henry Drew, collapsed across his big chest, squeezing his arms around Henry’s neck, hugging him, and giving him a wet, sloppy kiss on his cheek. Instinctively, Henry’s arms encircled Drew’s lithe body, holding him snuggly. Drew went limp, content to rest quietly on the big man. Henry kept one hand rubbing up and down Drew’s back until he caught his breath.

“You okay, Tiger?”

Drew nodded but didn’t say anything.

Taking advantage of the quiet, Liz asked, “Hey Drew, did you see the train on the way up?”

“Yes, mommy. I like trains. Mister Kevin said he had a train when he was my age.”

“Well, if you’re good, you can have a sno-cone, and we’ll ride the train. How about them apples?”

Popping up like he was on a spring, his eyes wide, Drew said, “Oh boy! Did you hear that, Daddy? A train ride and a sno-cone!”

The smile on his face and the look in his eyes said it all.

Drew calling Henry ‘Daddy!’ struck him dumb. The doctor emphasized not drawing attention when Drew did things like that, urging them to take his actions and outbursts in stride. Drew could become very self-conscious if he thought he’d done something wrong, which triggered self-esteem issues. With the abuse his natural father inflicted on Drew his whole life, deep down he believed he deserved to be punished, and the doctor was working on breaking those barriers in his young mind.

Fighting tears, Henry’s throat tightened. ‘Daddy’ was a word he never thought he’d hear, and the way Drew said it so naturally took his breath away. His reaction wasn’t lost on Liz, and she knew Henry needed a moment to get hold of himself.

“Drew, honey, come over here.”

Crawling off Henry’s stomach, Drew moved to stand in front of his mom. Reaching out, she brushed the hair out of his eyes, commenting, “We need to get you a haircut soon, Tiger; you’re getting shaggy. Why don’t you run over to Mr. Loy and Mr. Rick and see how they’re doing?”

Drew took off running towards Rick and Loy, who reclined on a blanket in much the same pose as Ken and Brad.

Grinning at Henry, she said, “All those muscles and the ‘D’ word brings you to your knees. What do you think about being called ‘Daddy’?”

Sitting up, Henry pulled Liz close in a hug and took her hands in his own. 

His expression turned serious, and he said, “Lady, you and that little boy are the best things that have ever happened to me. I want to be his dad for real…. What do you say? Will you marry me and let me be your husband and Drew’s dad?”

It was Liz’s turn to have her breath taken away. Looking into Henry’s green eyes she reached up, cupping his rough cheek.  Henry was a strong, powerful man, and so handsome; after getting to know him in the last months, she knew he was a good man. Compared to Drew’s birth father, Doug, Henry was a saint.

In the world Liz found herself in, a pawn in the spiritual battle between the light and the dark, she spent more time afraid than safe. Henry used to be a part of that world, controlled and forced to do horrible things, and had mental and physical scars, but through his own experiences Henry knew about being scared and vulnerable and did his best to make Liz and Drew feel safe.

Sally told her if Henry popped the question not to cave immediately. She told Liz that Henry needed to sweat a little before giving him an answer. It was straight out of the Sally Bisel Handbook of man/woman relations. Liz karate chopped her inner crybaby so Henry wouldn’t see how badly she wanted to say yes.

“Took you long enough to ask, you big lug. You lost some major points for that. Is there something you’re forgetting?”

Henry’s eyes never left hers as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the most exquisitely beautiful ring she had ever seen. They had no money and no home, and Liz didn’t expect anything like it. The band consisted of three different colors of gold - rose, yellow, and white - and too many diamonds to count; big ones too. Henry showed Lane and Bryan the ring before leaving the lab that morning, and Lane referred to the diamonds as “Wilma Flintstone big!”

“Oh my God, Henry!”

Her hands shook, flying to her mouth as tears started flowing.

“How did you manage this? Baby, you didn’t do anything foolish did you?”

As soon as she said the words, she knew they were a mistake. The smile left Henry’s face, and he lowered his head.

“Oh, Henry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything by that, honey… I…”

Before she could say anything else, Henry said, “I get it, Liz, but I’m not Doug. I’m trying to be a man you can be proud of and call your husband.”

Resting her face against his chest, Liz wrapped her arms around him. He felt her crying and gently stroked her hair.

“I love you, baby. I want you to know that.”

“Yes.”

Pulling back in surprise, a hint of a smile on his face, he asked, “Really?”

“Yes. But tell Sally I made you sweat at least a little. She made me promise.”

Looking up and smiling, she held her hand out. Henry’s eyes never left hers as he slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.

“It’s beautiful. How in the world did you get it? I mean, we don’t have anything right now.”

“Albrecht did most of the work, but I helped as much as I could. He’s quite a craftsman, and it was fun learning. We made mine too, but it’s back at the lab.”

Just then Drew came back over, dragging Loy by his hand. Loy was going slow on purpose, making Drew pull him along.

As soon as Loy saw Liz’s tears, he asked, “Hey guys, is everything alright?”

Holding up her hand, the diamonds sparkled in the sunlight.

Rick was just behind Loy, and huge grins spread across their faces.  

“Way to go, Henry! Congratulations, you two!”

It was a touching moment, and Ken, Brad, Rick, and Loy, deeply merged, had the same reaction. It was nice to see their friends happy after the tragedies and atrocities in their lives over the last couple of years. Their engagement felt like a small win for the good guys.

Picking Drew up, his little arms instinctively went around Henry’s neck and shoulder.

Henry looked at him and said, “Hey, Drew, I need to ask you something, and it’s really important.”

Drew’s eyes widened, looking at Henry expectantly.

“I just asked your mommy to marry me. Do you know what that means?”

“It means you make babies. I don’t want a brother.”

Everybody smirked at his answer, and Henry replied, “Well, that’s a conversation to have a little later, but yeah, it’s a possibility. Do you know what else it means?”

Drew shook his head in the negative.

“It means I’ll be your daddy for real. Would you like that, buddy?”

Drew looked at Henry, directly in his eyes as an adult would, and didn’t say anything. He stared intently for a brief moment and then threw both arms around Henry’s neck, resting his head on Henry’s shoulder and hugging him tightly. That was all it took, and the waterworks started again.

“Thanks, little man. I’ll try to be the best dad in the world.”

Trying to lighten the mood, Liz asked, “So who’s up for a sno-cone? I hear they have grape! I know a little boy who loves grape.”

Drew’s head shot up, and with a huge smile on his face, he said loudly, ‘Meee mommy! I love gwape!”

In his excitement Drew sometimes reverted to ‘baby talk.’ It was another habit they were trying to break, but Liz let it slide.

Setting Drew down, he ran to Sally who had wandered a short distance away, admiring the view from the top of the mountain. Excited to tell her his news, as soon as he got close it all came out in a jumble.

Practically dragging Sally by her hand, Drew tried to get her to hurry. He loved having everyone together, partly because he was the center of attention, but there was also a need in him for everyone to be together.

When Sally saw the ring, she immediately hugged Liz, whispering, “Way to go, girlfriend! I hope you didn’t cave too easily! You need to establish the ground rules early.”

Sally ohhh’d and ahhhh’d over the ring, impressed by the number and size of the diamonds along with the setting. Albrecht outdid himself. A small pang of grief hit when she saw the ring, reminding her of Carlo and her own engagement. She missed him terribly, but the memories were now bittersweet and no longer consumed her. Before her thoughts turned melancholy, Sally forced herself to focus on her friends and their happiness.

“Hey guys, if you’re going to take Tiger on the train you better get a move on. The winter schedule started this week, and the last train leaves in about twenty minutes. You’ll have to take the gondola down if you want to make it.”

When Drew ran to get Sally, Rick and Loy moved a short distance away to talk with Ken and Brad.

Henry said, “Tell the guys where we went, Sal. I doubt they want to ride the train anyway. We can meet you guys in the parking lot when we’re back.”

Sally’s face turned serious, and she said, “Henry, you know the rules. It’s up to the guys.”

Hanging his head, Henry sighed and said, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Trotting over to Ken, Brad, Rick, and Loy, Henry quickly explained the situation.

“Sorry, guys, I’m not sure Liz thought this through. I doubt any of you want to go, but Drew’s got his heart set on it now. To be honest, it would be cool to have a little alone time with just the three of us. You know I don’t mean anything by that, right?”

Smiling, Ken replied, “We get it, Henry. You guys go ahead. B, you and Loy stay linked with Henry so he can reach us if he needs to. Henry, it’s your family, so don’t take even the slightest chance. Stay on your toes. I hate it has ‘ta be this way; I know how much you want a normal life. We’ll get you there, but until then, this is the way it has ‘ta be. Now hurry up, or you’ll miss the train.”

Nodding, Henry gripped Ken’s shoulder in thanks. All the men spent an exorbitant amount of time in Henry’s mind over the last few months, and he was familiar with their mental touch. Their friendship and support were evident through the connection, especially their love for him as a brother.  

At first, Henry was bothered by their feelings because he wasn’t gay, but after being so intimately merged with them on numerous occasions, he realized his attitude was stupid. They were men, and he loved them back; he loved them deeply but didn’t want to sleep with them. Each of them was now a part of him, and his relationship with them amazingly comfortable and beautiful.

Seeing a person for who they are and being seen in the same manner was terrifying, but after the initial fear and anxiety, and especially the mortification, it became incredibly liberating. Henry wished he and Liz could do it on their own without the doctor or the guys' help.

Trotting back to Liz, Henry swept Drew up, flipping him onto his shoulders. They practiced that maneuver in the gym frequently much to Drew’s delight, making him feel like he was training with the big boys.

Drew had never been on a gondola before, and Henry quickly realized he was scared. Not used to being around smaller kids, Henry was always surprised at what scared them sometimes, but also what they braved that would make some adults pee their pants.

Kneeling at eye-level with Drew, Henry said, “You know your mommy and me will never let anything happen to you, right? I know it looks scary, but it’s going to be fun, and we’ll be here with you the whole time! I bet if we look we can see the train from up here.”

Holding Henry’s hand, Drew let himself be led onto the gondola. He threw himself against Henry’s leg when the car bounced as they got on, bobbing and swaying back and forth, but in less than a minute he was jumping around and trying to make the car bounce. Since they were the only ones in the car, Henry let him have his fun. Drew quickly became enamored with the view, and before he knew it they were down the mountain at the train station.

The train was actually an open trolley on tracks. With business slowing as winter approached, only a few other people waited to board.

Squatting down, Liz zipped up Drew’s Iron Man hoodie.

“Okay, honey, I know you’re excited, but you have to stay with either me or Henry. No running around. Look at me, baby.”

Cupping his cheek, she forced eye contact to get his attention.

“Do you hear me?”

“Yes, mommy.”

As soon as the boarding call came over the loudspeakers, Drew started jumping up and down in excitement.

The day was warm in the sun, but the train was open with no windows to close, and the tracks ran in the shade of the forest encircling the base of the mountain. Liz was chilly so Henry took the opportunity to put his arm around her, holding her close, and she snuggled against him, loving his higher than normal body temperature.

Holding hands, they watched Drew, who wanted to sit by himself in the seat across from them. Drew was in the stage of vacillating between wanting to be a big boy half the time and a mama’s boy the other half. Henry still had a hard time believing how much his life had changed and how lucky he was to have such a beautiful woman and a terrific little boy in his life.

Before The Enemy transformed Henry into one of their protectors, he never thought of himself as the marrying type. Admitting to himself he wasn’t a very good person even before those dark times, after Loy and the guys broke The Enemy’s hold over him, removing the deep-rooted compulsions placed in his mind, he was a new man.

Once free, the time of his imprisonment and witnessing all the heinous acts he was forced to commit gave him a completely different outlook on life. Knowing Evil existed fundamentally changed his worldview.

For the next fifteen minutes, they enjoyed the scenery. Georgia was a beautiful state, and the woods around Stone Mountain were breathtaking. The fall colors were still evident, and the trees were vibrant with varied shades of red, yellow, and orange. Even more than the scenery, Henry and Liz enjoyed seeing Drew so happy.

Suddenly Henry’s body jerked, and Liz felt something warm and wet against her arm. Turning to look, she saw a rapidly expanding bloodstain on his shirt, over his heart. Before she could scream, a fist connected directly with her face, stunning her. Drew still sat across from her, and as her vision blurred she tried reaching for him, but the butt of a gun clipped her temple, and she blacked out.

Paralyzed with fear at the scene before him, a big wet spot appeared on Drew’s jeans as he lost control of his bladder. The man he never, ever wanted to see again stood before him and shot Henry and hit his mom. Drew watched the bloodstain on Henry’s shirt spreading, the slack look on his face, and the blood covering his mommy’s face.

Sometimes, Drew’s mind slipped open. The doctor still didn’t know why or how; it usually happened in times of extreme emotion, whether happy or frightened. For some reason his mind remained closed, and he watched helplessly as his world shattered.

His eyes, big as saucers, filled with hot tears that dripped down his cheeks. The man standing in front of him was his father, Doug, and memories of the abuse and pain at Doug’s hands came fresh again to his young mind.

The last time Drew had seen Doug was the day Brad and Ken rescued him and his mother in the Mall of Georgia food court. Brad had taken care of his father and told Drew that Ken was Iron Man. They bought him an Iron Man hoodie and made him feel safe. The police took his father away in handcuffs, and Drew was told he would never see Doug again.

The memory of that day, being held by Ken’s protective strength and feeling Brad’s presence in his mind, fought the terror in him. He wanted to call out to Ken and Brad more than anything, but something prevented him.

Doug looked even scarier than Drew remembered, more heavily muscled with less fat and his hair was long and stringy. He had tattoos on his arms before, but now he was covered with them, and they looked strange. Some of them moved.

Reaching into his pocket, Doug pulled out a small metal tin filled with a dark brown paste. Coating his finger, he traced a mark on Liz’s forehead and noticed Henry still breathing.

Leaning over, he placed the same mark on Henry’s forehead and said, “That’s what you get, fucker, for trying to steal my woman and kid.”

Grabbing Drew, Doug traced the mark on his forehead and then picked him up.

“You’re coming with me, you little shit.”

Roughly tucking Drew under one big arm, he moved to the exit. The train wasn’t moving fast, and it slowed even more around curves. At the next bend, Doug hopped off with Drew. Once they landed, Drew began kicking and was about to scream when Doug’s hand covered his mouth. Drew bit as hard as he could, and Doug stopped for a moment, his face red with anger.

Putting his hand around Drew’s throat, Doug held him so his feet dangled a few feet above the ground. Drew’s face went red, and he couldn’t breathe.

“Lucky for you, you little fucker, I’m not supposed to do you any serious hurt, or I’d snap your fucking scrawny little neck! You ruined my life, but now you’re my ticket outta prison, so shut your fucking mouth and be quiet!”

There weren’t many people on the train, and Liz, Henry, and Drew had the car to themselves, but the train had an open layout. Even though Doug had a silencer on his gun, the commotion drew attention from adjacent cars. One man, in particular, sitting by himself in the car behind theirs, watched events with a worried look on his inhumanly handsome face.

The stranger watched as Drew was picked up by someone or something he couldn’t see, who jumped off the train at the curve. Conflicted for a brief moment, his face hardened, and he leapt gracefully off the train to follow the boy. If the rumors he uncovered were true, the boy was crucial and must be saved, even at the cost of losing his parents. 

<><> 

 Liz’s head was on fire, and she couldn’t see straight. Reaching out to steady herself she touched Henry’s hard body, fighting desperately to clear her vision. She needed to find her baby! As her vision cleared, she saw the blood and fought down panic. Henry had been shot, and Drew was gone! In her panic she didn’t realize some of the blood was her own.

Confusion and terror gripped her. How could this happen? Tears and blood covered her face, and she shook but pulled herself together. Tougher than even a year ago, exposure to the doctor and the guys had helped her in ways she hadn’t realized. Just spending time around them affected her. Rick’s Avatar, and the others with his ability to a lesser extent, steadily worked on her psyche, unraveling emotional knots and hang-ups she didn’t even know she had, strengthening her ego.

Putting her fingers on Henry’s neck, she felt a pulse; it was weak, but he was breathing. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath. Drew was gone, and she didn’t know where he was. Henry needed help immediately if he was going to survive. Her best chance was to reach the guys on the mountain. She didn’t understand why they didn’t know they were in danger because Brad and Loy had set up a link with Henry.

Her hands shook so bad she nearly dropped her phone when she pulled it out of her pocket. The doctor provided her with the phone and had everyone on speed dial and emergency codes set up. It took her three tries to enter the code because her hands trembled so badly she mistyped the number the first two times.

Immediately after the first ring, Loy’s voice answered, “Liz? What’s wrong?”

Trying to talk, only a strangled sob came out.

<><>  

As soon as the phone in Loy’s pocket vibrated, he teleported it into his hand. The Caller ID said Liz, and a chill ran down his spine. None of them sensed anything wrong and he and Brad were linked with Henry, so something must be seriously wrong for her to use the phone. Reaching for her with his mind, he couldn’t find her. He reached for Henry and Drew, and his anxiety spiked when he felt nothing from either one; he should have sensed something even if they were unconscious.

Ken, Brad, something’s wrong!

Loy’s Avatar surged with his emotional response, and every animal from the smallest bird and squirrel to the red-tailed foxes living in the park became a part of him. Looking through their eyes and ears, he searched for the train.

Brad reached for Henry, and while their link was active and he sensed Henry’s presence, it was static. He had never felt anything like it and attempted to go deeper but couldn’t. Henry’s mind was unresponsive, but that in itself shouldn’t prevent him from going deeper. Something blocked him, hindering his connection. None of the ‘suits’ had that kind of power, which didn’t leave many possibilities.

Brad: Something in Henry is keeping me from going deeper. The connection is still there, but that’s it.

Already linked with Ken and Brad, Loy’s eyes turned white as he reached out to the rest of the team, scanning them first to make sure it was safe. Everyone was available, and he brought them deep into a construct of the conference room at the lab. He kept the time differential normal so he could talk with Liz, and everyone could hear her. Her voice came through the speakerphone in the conference room, but Loy, holding the phone, was the only one who could talk with her.

Bill was present and supportive in the link but conspicuously shielded from everyone. They were all aware of it, especially Bill, but there was no time to bring it up. It was unexpected and deeply unsettling to all of them.

Everyone tensed at Liz’s strangled sob coming through the speaker.

“Liz, try to calm down and tell us what’s happening. Something’s blocking us from linking with you.”

Breathing deeply, she managed to speak through her tears.

“Drew’s gone, and Henry’s been shot. He’s barely breathing.”

“Where are you!?”

“Henry and I are still on the train. I can’t find Drew! I don’t know where he is!”

“Can you give us a landmark of where the train is now?”

“We just passed the lake with the big paddleboat and we’re in the woods. We’re moving slow.”

“Liz, there should be a cable above your seats near the roof. It’s an emergency stop mechanism. Pull it, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

Ken and Rick vanished from the construct as they physically took off running. Moving inhumanly fast, as they ran by the bathrooms, Ken saw a large map of the park with a big red ‘you are here’ dot and the park's layout with the lake and the train route. Slowing his perception of time almost to a complete stop, Ken studied the map, so he and Rick knew exactly where they needed to go.

B, cover us!

Even as Ken studied the map, Loy found the train through the birds and squirrels close to the tracks. He sensed something strange through his tiny friends; there was a smell in the area and around the train scaring them, and he had to enforce his will to keep them from fleeing. He was about to teleport using their sight as his reference point when Ken spoke in his mind.

Hold off, Loy. Ricky and I are almost there. You and B stay with Sally, and we’ll regroup in a sec when Ricky and I are at the train. As bad as this seems ‘ta be I don’t want any of us isolated, even for a few seconds.

There were no guardrails around the perimeter of the top of the mountain; rocky ledges and drop-offs prevented anyone from going too far down. Ken and Rick took a running dive off the slope in the direction they needed to go.

Brad heard a few screams when Ken and Rick leapt off, tucking and rolling their bodies on the steep slope. Just like in the cave in the valley of the tree when Ken and Bryan navigated the collapsing cavern to get to Leroy, Ken and Rick saw the angles, their velocity and trajectory, and with their inhuman grace and agility, the two big men bounded down the side of the mountain. Trees slowed them somewhat, but they used the thickest branches to grab onto and vault around, Understanding which ones could support their weight without breaking, and they arrived at the bottom of the mountain in less than a minute.

As Ken and Rick took off, Brad placed a compulsion in the mind of everyone on the mountaintop to ignore what they saw. In a few cases, he had to erase or blur memories and force someone to delete a video they recorded on their phone of Ken and Rick.

At the base of the mountain, Ken and Rick saw the train as it came to a halt. Through their eyes, along with Loy’s from the animals, Darren synchronized their Avatars, teleporting everyone to the train. Bryan barely managed to secure the smoker at the lab before he and Lane disappeared.

Sally was shocked as she appeared with them. Bill appeared, pale and sweaty, his face stony, and his conflict over joining them was apparent. Keeping himself tightly blocked, none of them could look any deeper. Kevin seemed worried, and it was evident he and Bill were having a private conversation.

Looking at Bill, Pat’s eyes widened at the emotional turmoil in his brother. Aware of what Pat saw, Bill also knew Pat didn’t know what it meant. The look on his face and his body language told them he wasn’t prepared to talk about whatever it was. They learned long ago on Spec Ops missions to compartmentalize emotions to keep them from interfering with a task at hand. As much as they wanted to stop and find out what was going on with their brother, they had to get to Liz and rescue Henry and Drew.

<><>  

Holding Henry’s hand, Liz stroked his cheek while tears spilled from her eyes.

“Hang on, baby; the guys are coming. Stay with me … Drew and I need you so much; you can’t leave us now!”

Her shoulders shaking as sobs wracked her frame, she held on, keeping herself together; she had to for Henry and Drew.

As the rest of the team materialized in the woods a few feet from the train, Ken and Rick were still in motion, leaping through the open windows and rolling up in a defensive posture as they came to a halt. The train car rocked from their combined weight as they landed inside the car. Brad took control of the minds of the rest of the passengers making their way into the car to see what was wrong.

The strangeness in the area was apparent right away.  Ken and Rick physically saw Liz and Henry, smelling her hand lotion and even the blood on Henry’s torso, but to their minds Henry and Liz were invisible, and there was a perceptible physical resistance as they moved forward.

Relief filled Liz when they appeared, and she said, “Thank God you’re here! Please help him!”

Ken replied, “We’re here, hun. We’ll have him fixed in no time, and we’ll find Drew.”

Ken’s Avatar glowed, pushing the promise of his conviction into Liz and calming her somewhat.

Ken: Doc! Albrecht!

The urgency in Ken’s voice alerted their beloved mentor and his partner, and they responded immediately.

Yes, Kenneth? What is the matter?

At the speed of thought, Brad sent the memories of the last few minutes to them.

Using the team's eyes, the doctor and Albrecht assessed the situation, and surprise and shock came through the link at what they saw.

Albrecht: Ken, have Liz wipe those marks off their foreheads immediately. None of you attempt to do it. Do not touch the paste that made the marks. She or Sally must do it! Hurry!

Through the link, Sally heard the instructions. She wasn’t used to situations like what was happening, but she was level-headed and rushed forward, pulling off her windbreaker.

“Liz, honey, it’s going to be okay!”

As she talked to Liz, Sally used the sleeve of her jacket to wipe the mark off Henry’s forehead. As soon as she smudged the mark, Henry’s presence returned to their perceptions.

Lane opened everyone’s energy centers; they were already deep inside one another, but the increased intimacy was still painfully sweet and fresh. A bright white rope of power flowed between the men, and the warm strength of their auras washed over Liz and Sally. Since they were linked, the women saw them as they appeared in the spiritual realm, shining pillars of light, emitting a warmth of the soul that was nearly overwhelming.

As Sally wiped the mark off Liz, Lane opened Henry’s energy centers, assessing the damage. The bullet was lodged in his chest plate, pressing against the anterior wall of his heart. Henry’s increased musculature reflexively tensed as the bullet struck, clamping down and preventing it from entering further. A higher caliber bullet would have torn through the tissues and destroyed his heart.

The bullet appeared in Lane’s hand, and Henry’s body arched at the sudden influx of healing Lane used to knit the tissues back together. Each of them gave Henry a portion of their strength, replenishing him. The process was jarring and uncomfortable, but they needed Henry up and at full capacity immediately. Normally, Lane would have been much gentler and taken more time.

Sucking in air, Henry jerked, tensing in reaction to the healing, and a light sheen of sweat covered his body. Sally was wiping the mark off Liz’s forehead, but Liz launched herself against Henry in a fierce hug as soon as his eyes opened. Trying to get his bearings, the last thing Henry remembered was holding Liz and watching Drew, and suddenly his body was on fire, all the guys were around him, and he didn’t see Drew.

Trembling against him, he saw the tears and blood on Liz’s face.

His voice foggy, he asked, “Liz, what’s happening? What’s wrong, honey? Where’s Drew?”

“He’s gone… I think someone took him. Whoever it was shot you and hit me over the head. I didn’t see who it was.”

Bill looked intently around with his Avatar while everything was going on. A substantial act of violence, especially one so recent, should leave a strong impression, but he was confused by what he saw; it wasn’t something he had experienced before. He saw the outline of a man, but his image was blank; whoever it was had some kind of aura that made him nearly invisible to Bill’s ability.

He watched as the man picked Drew up and jumped off the train as it rounded a corner. Tucked under the man’s arm, Drew looked like he was floating as he was carried off the train. The man said something, but even his voice was clouded, and Bill couldn’t make it out. Bill’s temper spiked, and the others were shocked at his emotional outburst. Even with everything going on, Ken started to take the time to ask him what was wrong, but Kevin sent him a private thought.

Let it go for now, Ken. Something happened this morning, and we’ll fill you in soon, but not now. If you push, it will just make things worse.

Synchronizing the Avatars of the other four mentalists, Bill pulled deeply from them. It seemed harsh the way he took what he needed, entirely out of character for him. Kevin’s discomfort over Bill’s behavior was apparent, but they also got the message loud and clear that now was not the time to get into it, and they needed to focus on Drew.

Their Avatars synchronized with Bill’s as the five of them fit together like a key. His ability to read the imprints of what happened magnified exponentially with their support. Even with the increase, the image was slightly modulated, but it cleared and they saw who carried Drew.

Brad’s blood ran cold when he recognized the man.

Doug! That’s Drew’s father! But he’s in prison!

Through Bill, they watched Doug walk up to Henry and Liz, and it was apparent he was invisible to them. His body was covered with tattoos similar in design to the mark on Henry and Liz’s foreheads. Pulling out a gun, he shot Henry in the chest from only a few feet away.

His voice heavily modulated, they heard him say to Henry, “That’s what you get fucker for trying to steal my woman and kid.”

Picking up Drew, he said, “You’re coming with me, you little shit.”

Ken: B, how can that be!? You put compulsions in that fuckhead so he couldn’t get close to Liz or Drew ever again.

Brad: I don’t know Ken, but somehow they’re gone, and I never felt it when they were broken. Short of The Master, I don’t know of anyone in The Enemy that could have done that without me knowing it. Doug has protections that are making it hard for us to see him, let alone sense him. Doc? Albrecht? Something isn’t right here… this doesn’t seem like The Enemy.

Albrecht: It might not be, Brad. Those runes on Liz and Henry’s foreheads… I’ve seen them once before a long time ago, and I mean when I was a boy, so that tells you how long ago. To my recollection, they don’t have anything to do with the light or the dark. Vague rumors exist of the beings that use them, but scholars of The Order have never found any definitive proof of their origins, motivations, or allegiances.

Brad: Damn! We don’t need more unknowns.

Ken: I don’t care who’s behind this! We’re gettin’ Drew back!

Ken’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears of anger, anger at Doug and whoever was responsible, and anger at himself for allowing something like this to happen on his watch. Deeply merged with his partner, Brad’s compassion washed over him.

Brad: This isn’t your fault, Ken. There’s some supernatural influence here we’ve not encountered before. We have to stay sharp and get Drew back first, and then we’ll figure the rest out. Don’t beat yourself up over this.

I get it, B; it’s just the thought of what must be goin’ through his head right now. We promised him he’d never see that shithole of a father ever again. We promised him we’d keep him and his mother safe, and we let him down. He’s gotta be terrified.

Brad’s eyes filled with fresh tears, all of their eyes did, as he thought: Then let’s get him. Doug is just a tool for whoever’s behind this. Their runes or whatever those marks were affected even us, so they’re obviously powerful, and we know next to nothing about them. We need to stay sharp.

Bryan asked the question everyone was thinking, but no one had verbalized yet.

What do they want with Drew? If that douchebag hurts a hair on his head…

Ken: We’ll figure out what ‘ta do about Doug when we find Drew. He’s our priority, and then we can find out why they took him and what Doug’s connection is with them and how it ties in with us. My guess is they want Drew as some type of bargainin’ chip.

Brad: None of this can be a coincidence, guys. Even if whoever freed Doug of my compulsions isn’t working with The Enemy, they know more about us than we do about them. Drew’s kidnapping was carefully planned, and our trip here was a spur of the moment decision. They have strong magic on their side or the ability to move outside of time.

<><> 

So hysterical he could barely function, Drew’s five-year-old mind was overrun with fear at seeing the man who abused him and his mother so severely. Drew learned long ago not to push Doug when he was drunk or out of control, and he was older and wiser now; he cried but stopped kicking and screaming and let Doug carry him.

The paste Doug used on his forehead burned his skin and his mind. His stomach hurt where Doug’s big arm pinned him against his side as he ran through the woods. The movement was jarring, and he had a hard time breathing.

“Damn, you smell, you little shit. You pissed your pants like a baby.”

Stopping abruptly, Doug set Drew down roughly. Yanking Drew’s jeans off, nearly ripping them in the process, he left the boy in just his Marvel Superhero underwear. A big yellow stain covered the front and Doug laughed, pulling those off as well. Tossing the jeans and underwear aside, Drew stood naked from the waist down.

His shoes came off with his pants, so he stood in his socks and t-shirt with his Iron Man hoodie. Crying, he crouched down, hugging his knees, trying to make himself as small as he could and cover his nakedness.

“Stand up, kid.”

Drew was unresponsive, and Doug’s temper returned instantly.

“I said, stand up!”

Grabbing Drew by one of his wrists, Doug yanked him up. Drew didn’t straighten his legs, so his curled-up body ended up suspended in the air by Doug’s strong arm.

Frustrated and angry, Doug slammed him down hard and Drew lost the last of his composure. Squealing in pain, he started wailing. Breathing in terrified, ragged gasps, he could barely see through the thickness of his tears. Memories of bruises, broken bones, and burns ran through his mind. He desperately wanted his mom, or Mr. Henry, Mr. Ken, and Mr. Brad, or any of his friends to come get him.

Putting his big hands around each of Drew’s tiny biceps, Doug jerked him upright, yelling at him and shaking him.

“You never do what I tell you! Why can’t you fuck’n listen to me?!”

Drew tried to respond, but his words were lost in the wail that came out of his mouth. Spittle mixed with his tears, making his face wet and flushed.

Doug always had a temper, and while in prison, his anger towards Liz and Drew grew every day. Resenting them, he blamed them for his situation, just as Brad predicted he would. Forced to send them money once he got on a work detail that offered some small income, he hated them all the more for it. That money was his!

Doug’s pent-up anger, as misguided and misplaced as it was, he directed at Drew who sat crying in front of him. Under strict orders, he was not to hurt Drew, but his judgment was clouded by his anger and resentment. Doug wasn’t a bright man to begin with, and his temper was out of control.

Reaching out, he roughly grabbed Drew’s small testicles, squeezing them hard.

“If you’re gonna scream like a little girl, I’m gonna make you one. I’m gonna’ rip these tiny balls of yours off if you don’t shut the hell up.”

Drew screamed louder, doubling over as Doug’s hand pinched his scrotum.

You were told not to hurt the child. If you go against our arrangement, there will be dire consequences for you. What you do to the child will be nothing compared to what we will do to you if he is harmed.

Doug’s eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath. Fear of the voice in his head overrode his anger.

Throwing Drew roughly on the ground, he shouted, “Fuck!”

Drew hit the ground hard, and his head exploded in pain. Rocks underneath the leaves cut his forehead and knees, and blood immediately dripped into his eyes and ran down his shins. Doug didn’t realize the mark he placed on Drew’s forehead was destroyed as it scraped across the rock.

Crying on the ground, curled up in pain and terror, his hands holding his balls, Drew caught movement from the corner of his eye. His vision still blurry from the tears and blood, he saw a man looking at him. As soon as they made eye contact, a voice filled his mind:

Oh, my child! Be brave! I know you are scared and hurt, but I am with you! I cannot reach your friends. There are enemies near that prevent me from communicating with them. I will protect you and keep you from further harm. I can see your mind now, but I cannot see your captor. He is hidden from me, and I will have to use your eyes.

Drew recognized the voice from the basement when he and his mother had been imprisoned by The Enemy, the voice that helped save him. It was his friend Istariel!

Do not be afraid, little one. I am sorry you must see what I am about to do, but I cannot save you without borrowing your sight. Do you know who this man is?

He’s my daddy.

As a nephilim, Istariel wasn’t a naturally emotional being, but through his exposure and involvement with Brad, Ken, and the others while they wore the amulet during his imprisonment, he had changed. Evolving in unexpected ways, he felt compassion for Drew and anger at the man who hurt him. In fact, he had never been so angry.

Turning to pick Drew up, Doug was surprised to see a man step out from behind a nearby tree. Istariel wasn’t a large man, but for some reason a chill ran down Doug’s spine. The man radiated controlled anger.

“If you touch the child again, your life is forfeit. Move away from him now.”

“Who the fuck are you, his fairy godmother? Get the hell out of here, or I’ll kick your ass!”

Already a big man, Doug spent much of his time in prison working out and training to fight, and he was far more dangerous than he had been a year ago. Doug was human, but the sigils tattooed on his body offered spiritual and mental protections against powers of the light and the dark.

It was Eschphene magic and extremely potent against both powers. The sigils were the reason Istariel couldn’t see or sense Doug through his own eyes or mind, or Brad’s and his cousin’s. He was curious and concerned about Eschphene involvement, but based on the rumors and whispers across the veil, he was not surprised.

Using Drew’s eyes, Istariel assessed the situation. Doug seemed formidable enough for a human, and to Drew he must look terrifying, but Istariel was a nephilim, the oldest and most powerful. Even in human form, he had grace, agility, and strength far beyond a normal human.

Istariel’s presence helped calm Drew. Still hurt and scared, at least now there was an adult with him, and one he trusted.

Get behind me little one, and stay as close as you can.

As he watched Doug through Drew’s eyes, Istariel searched his memories,  reaching back tens of thousands of years.  Over that time he lived many lifetimes in human form, involved in wars and atrocities throughout human history before his kind withdrew behind the veil. Unbeknownst to Albrecht, Istariel had trained with him at one point.

Assuming a defensive stance in front of Doug, his body relaxed and fluid, Istariel controlled his anger, using it as a focus. He wished to destroy the man in front of him, but he knew that would frighten Drew even more, and it was not something a child should witness.

Grinning, Doug watched Drew scuttle behind the smaller man.

“Boy, I want you to see this. I’m gonna kick this guy’s ass, and then I’m coming for you. Your ass is mine. You’re never gonna’ see your mom or that other guy ever again.”

Doug’s continued cruelty and abuse, the same as it always had been, pushed Drew over the edge and fresh tears filled his eyes. His head was on fire, he was naked, cold, and ashamed, and his balls ached fiercely.

Do not listen to him, child. He means to frighten you, but I am here. I will let no harm come to you.

Putting one hand behind his back, Istariel held it open.

Take my hand.

Drew was so frightened he could barely move, but Istariel’s presence wrapped around him. It wasn’t like Mister Brad and Mister Ken. It wasn’t as warm and comforting, but Drew knew beyond doubt that Istariel was his friend. Through their mental touch, Drew also knew Istariel harbored a deep concern and sorrow for him, beyond the threat of his father.

Reaching out, Drew took the proffered hand, and its warmth and strength were a comfort, making him feel safer.

Doug, seeing what he thought was a distraction, rushed his smaller opponent. Istariel lithely moved aside, keeping himself between Drew and his father. He was far more worried about the Eschphene showing up than fighting Doug. His mind worked overtime, attempting to find a way to bring Brad Wilson and the others to his aid before the Eschphene arrived.

As Doug spun around to charge again, a squirrel chittering in the trees above him caught his attention. He had no direct influence over its corporeal form as his cousin Loy did; however, he did have authority over its spirit. It pained him to use any creature in such a manner, but he felt circumstances warranted his actions. A bolt of power struck the squirrel, severing its spirit from its body, and it fell dead a few feet from them.

Calling the small ball of light of its spirit to him, he commanded it.

Go! Find the steward with all speed and bring him here! Fly!  

<><>  

Brad altered the memories of the train’s occupants and the conductor, implanting a new memory of a fallen tree as the reason for the train stopping. He effectively made the team invisible, including Henry, Liz, and Sally.

B, take us deep for a second.

All of them appeared in a construct of the conference room dressed in full Kevlar assault gear, including Henry. Looking down, Henry was surprised at his appearance, but Brad knew it would have a subconscious effect on Liz with what Ken was about to tell her.

The Kevlar suits were form-fitting, showing off their bodies, covering the neck close to the jawline, and with their short hair they looked hyper military, which was the look he went for. Brad wanted Liz to see them as soldiers, to give her more confidence and trust in their ability to get Drew back safe.

Standing at the lectern, Ken started, “Okay, guys, our first priority is Drew. We know Doug took him, and he had help from someone or something powerful enough to influence our abilities. Liz, with the unknown of whoever’s helpin’ Doug, I’m sendin’ you and Sally back ‘ta the lab. Henry, I want you ‘ta stay with us if you feel up to it.”

“You bet your sweet ass I do. That little boy means the world to me. I’ll do whatever necessary to get him back safe.”

Liz shouted, “NO! I’m going too!”

Looking at her, Ken’s eyes softened. Linked with Brad, even though he felt great affection for Liz and Drew, their connection magnified his natural compassion to a level beyond human. Her pain raw and visible to him, Ken’s heart ached to see her so distraught.

Ken’s Avatar glowed under his Kevlar, and he said firmly but gently, “No, Liz, you’re not. Henry’ll be with us, but we know he can take care of himself. You and Sally will be too vulnerable, and honestly, we can’t be distracted with protectin’ you when we need ‘ta focus on findin’ Drew and gettin’ him back. I know you don’t wanna hear that, but I’m afraid it’s an order.”

Sally moved to Liz, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Liz, honey, listen to Ken. They’re trained for things like this, and we aren’t. There’s no one in the world better equipped to get Drew back than the guys. Let them do their job. They’ll do it better if they know we’re safe.”

Moving to Liz, Henry put both hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. He cupped her chin, gently lifting her face, and forced her to look into his eyes.

“Liz… I love you, and I love Drew. You know that.  Here, in this place, you can feel it. I’ll bring him back, but I need to know you’re safe. Please don’t argue with me on this.”

Liz threw herself into his strong arms, hugging him as tightly as she could.

“I thought I lost you a few minutes ago. Don’t you dare get hurt again. Find our son and bring him back.”

Looking at Ken, she said, “Watch over him, Ken. I get it; I don’t like it, but I get it.”

Looking at Darren, Ken said, “Dar, send ‘em ‘ta the lab.”

Darren’s eyes turned white, and synchronizing their Avatars, Liz and Sally blinked out of the construct as their bodies disappeared from the woods.

Ken said, “Okay, guys… Drew is one of our own, and so is Henry. No one shoots or takes one of ours and gets away with it.”

Grinning, Kevin asked, “Billy goat?”

Ken nodded, replying, “Billy goat.”

Henry looked confused, and Lane leaned forward, whispering in his ear, “That’s our code for taking off the kid gloves and kicking ass. I almost feel sorry for whoever’s behind this.”

Henry replied, “Well, I know that douche bag of an ex-husband of hers isn’t smart enough to pull something like this off on his own. But I’m asking a favor… before all this is said and done and once Drew is back, let me be the one to kick his ass.”

Bryan replied, “You can have him once I’m through with him.”

Ricky said, “We can hold a lotto or draw straws for who kicks Doug’s ass first. All of us want a shot at him.”

Ken, bringing everyone back to focus, said, “Alright, ladies. Let’s find Drew first. I have a feelin’ when we get Drew back, Doug’s cohorts might not be too happy with him. There might not be much of him left once we get to him. B, take us back up.”

The barest fraction of a second passed while they were in the construct, and they once again stood in the woods by the train tracks.

<><>  

Bill’s Avatar showed Doug up until he leapt off the train at the last big curve roughly a quarter of a mile from where they stood. As one, they took off running in that direction.

Within seconds a tiny ball of light shot up, swirling around Loy. It quickly turned corporeal, and the squirrel perched on his shoulder, flicking its tail excitedly and chittering loudly at him. Its appearance and behavior were abnormal enough to alert Loy that something strange was going on. Looking into its mind he saw an image of a man he did not recognize, commanding it.

Go! Find the steward with all speed and bring him here! Fly!

The compulsion placed on the spirit was potent. It was always difficult to see details through the eyes of small animals because their perspective was so skewed, but Loy definitely saw Drew behind the man. He broadcast the image and the voice to everyone through their link.

Show me, little guy. Take me there.

The tiny spirit flitted around Loy’s head twice and then shot off into the woods with everyone behind it. Like all squirrels it was excitable, and in spirit form it was so fast Loy had to call it back a few times when it got too far ahead. As inhumanly fast as they were, they had difficulty keeping up with the spirit and maintaining a line of sight as it darted through the dense foliage.

In less than a minute it stopped and hovered. The first to arrive, Ken saw the squirrel's lifeless body at the base of a large tree. Using every sense at their disposal, both physical and spiritual, everyone was alert for whatever they might find.

Ken and the bodies smelled urine right away, and tracking the source led them to Drew’s pants, underwear, and shoes. Their anxiety spiked further at the odor and a significant amount of blood on the leaves.

Bill had the same difficulty seeing what happened as he did on the train. A look of intense determination crossed his face, and he synchronized their Avatars. The continued intensity of his emotions through the link was disturbing. On top of his concern for Drew, he radiated a range of extreme emotions; anger, sadness, frustration, and the most surprising of all - hate. Thunder rolled across the clear blue sky, mirroring his emotions.

Bill drew strength from all of them, including Henry. Henry needed to be involved, and his emotional bond with Drew would make his contribution stronger. An image of events formed in his mind, and when Doug ripped Drew’s pants and underwear off, white-hot anger coursed through them.

Their eyes watered as they watched Doug grab Drew by his balls, squeezing hard while verbally abusing him. They watched Doug throw Drew roughly to the ground, cutting his head and knees on the rocks.

A stranger stepped from behind a nearby tree, interposing himself between Drew and his father. Drew took the man’s hand as if he knew him, and a short confrontation ensued. The stranger had a distinct fighting style, and his movements seemed odd and carefully exaggerated.

Brad put the pieces together. Drew’s trust in the stranger was the most prominent clue; he was sure the man was their nephilim cousin, Istariel, and his movements indicated he couldn’t see Doug and must be using Drew’s eyes.

Istariel, even with the handicap of secondary vision, was more than a match for any human. It was apparent Doug had gotten better at fighting, but he was still a redneck with a temper, and emotions clouded his judgment.

Broadcasting his movements, Istariel used Doug’s momentum to send him headlong into a tree, knocking him senseless. As soon as Doug staggered to his feet, they both spun around in surprise, and the scene cut off.

Henry’s eyes were red and glassy, but his voice was hard as steel as he said, “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch. He’s never touching that little boy again.”

Leaning down, he picked up Drew’s wet jeans, underwear, and tennis shoes. He looked at the Marvel Super Hero underwear… they were Drew’s favorite, and his breath caught in his chest as he crumbled them up in his fist, his body shaking in anger.

Through the link each of them comforted Henry, embracing him and letting him lean on them. His stony exterior cracked and his voice choked as he begged them, “Guys, please… we have to find him. We have too… he’s been through so much.  God, he doesn’t deserve this…”

Lane, closest to Henry, put his hands on Henry’s shoulders.

“We’ll find him Henry, and Doug will pay. Istariel is with him, and I’m sure he won’t let anything happen to Drew.”

Ken said, “Okay, guys, we need ‘ta figure out where they went from here.”

Loy’s eyes were white, and he said, “Already on it, Ken. Whatever ability they have to hinder us is a dead giveaway now that I know what to look for… or not look for. I’m starting to see through whatever it is.”

Loy’s Avatar glowed brightly as his awareness fanned out into every animal in a five-mile radius. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see Drew, Doug, or Istariel, so he looked for a ‘blind spot’ among the wildlife, and in a few seconds, he knew where they must be.

“I have them… a few hundred yards from here there’s an area clear of animals, so everyone be on your toes.”

As they were leaving, Loy looked down at the tiny body of the dead squirrel. Its body still warm, he had a thought. His eyes flashed white, and his Avatar glowed brightly as the spirit flew back into the tiny body of the squirrel. A gentle stream of healing reunited its body and spirit, and the squirrel jumped up, darting away at his command. A strong sense of fulfillment washed over him and into everyone in the link. Kevin’s eyes gleamed with love and pride for his partner and his actions. The little life didn’t deserve to be snuffed out and used as it had been, and Loy corrected the loss.

Henry didn’t have their training, so Bryan kept him close, coaching him on when and how to move. A quick learner, Henry mimicked Bryan’s movements as best he could. Roughly a hundred yards further in they stopped, assuming a defensive stance as the woods took on an otherworldly quality much like the lab did when they performed a powerful ritual.

In addition to the lack of wildlife, sounds and color around them took on a muted aspect. Lane didn’t like it at all… it even affected the underlying vibrations of creation. Music wasn’t absent, but it was subdued.

Pat noted the muted relationships, Understanding the entropic forces dampening everything.

Brad also sensed the direct oppression of their nephilim abilities. He usually found it no effort to maintain his link with everyone, but there was enough resistance in that place that he had to consciously keep it up.

They hadn’t shown themselves yet as they stealthily moved closer, but a voice called out, “Nephilim… show yourselves. We are aware of your presence.”

Ken: Okay, guys, stay alert. We need ‘ta gather as much intel as we can on what’s goin’ on before we act. Remember, our priority is gettin’ Drew out safe.

Stepping out from behind the trees, they approached the clearing. Twenty-one men were visible, all normal in appearance ranging from late teens to middle-aged, in varying forms of dress from business suits to workout shorts and tank tops; oddly, there were no women.

Doug stood like a zombie off to one side, his face blank and void of expression as his body swayed slightly.

Istariel also stood nearby, looking calm and relaxed with two men guarding him, but to Ken and the others he seemed alert and ready to react if he sensed an opening.

The biggest shock was Drew, unconscious and floating in the air amid a circle of stones. His body lay horizontal, his back arched with his arms and legs splayed out; it looked like he was being held up by his chest. A translucent dome-like nimbus covered him, mildly distorting his image. His hair was matted to his forehead with dried blood, and deep cuts on his knees and shins were visible.

Lightning ripped, and thunder cracked through the sky in response to their emotions at the sight of Drew. Henry’s breath caught in his throat, and he cried out, “Oh, my God. What are they doing to you? Drew!”

They wanted to rush forward, but their training and discipline held them in place. Bryan put a hand on Henry’s shoulder both in comfort and to hold him back.

Ken: I know it hurts seein’ this Henry… us too, but follow our lead. We need ‘ta find out what’s goin’ on. If we rush in, we could end up hurtin’ or killin’ Drew without meanin’ to.

I can’t stand seeing him like this, Ken. Someone’s going to pay for this big time.

I know, bud. It’s killin’ us too. Let’s get Drew back safe, and then we’ll see about everythin’ else.

Conviction and strength of will pushed into Henry from Ken, comforting him somewhat.  Needing their support, by leaning on them he knew how much they cared for him, Drew, and Liz. His pain was theirs, and they held him as one of them. In the quiet place where their souls resided, where they were naked to one another in all aspects, he felt the warm, solid strength of their arms around him, holding him through his pain.

After the darkness Henry experienced during his forced servitude to The Enemy, he found not only redemption with these men but something with Liz and Drew he never expected; a family that loved and accepted him, that wanted to be with him. For so long, he didn’t feel worthy of being loved, hating himself for what he had done and what he had become. In his mind, he saw himself as a monster.

But in that basement when he, Liz, Sally, and the others were prisoners, they came into his life. Looking into Henry’s mind, Drew saw through his damage and pain, wrapping his little arms around Henry’s neck and giving him a hug. That simple act started an avalanche of emotions in Henry that changed him forever. All the events and actions, the streams, and inlets, even the rapids of the river making up his life led him to that moment.

Taking a breath to calm himself, Henry stayed focused. Putting his hand over Bryan’s, he squeezed back, managing a nod. Bryan patted his shoulder and withdrew his hand. Henry was an open book to them, and they knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt or endanger Drew. On edge but in control, he was focused and willing to follow their lead.

Ken stepped forward, speaking loud and clear, “I don’t know who you are or why you took that little boy, but we’re takin’ him back with us, now.”

The leader of the men stepped forward, moving directly in front of Ken. He was a middle-aged man dressed as a construction worker.

“The boy is ours. His blood father gave him to us in exchange for his freedom. Our claim is binding. We have waited and prepared countless years for the chance to break the cycle. You are out of your depth nephilim, and our magic is stronger than yours. Do not attempt to interfere, or we will destroy you.”

We need ‘ta talk ‘ta Istariel and see if he can shed some light on what’s goin’ on here. Kevin, make sure they don’t sense what we’re doin’. B, bring Istariel in and go deep. I don’t want them knowin’ we’re talkin’ ‘ta him.

Closing his eyes so no one would see his eyes turn white, Kevin synchronized his Avatar with Ken, Bryan, Rick, and Patrick, suppressing their auras and making them undetectable. At the speed of thought, Brad brought Istariel into their link, taking them deep into a construct of the conference room at the lab wearing the same full-body Kevlar suits as before.

Istariel’s face registered surprise, looking down at the suit he now wore in his human form and running his hands across the strange fabric.

Nodding to them, he said, “Greetings, cousins, and to you, Henry Ross. I was not sure your powers would work. The Eschphene leader spoke the truth about the strength of their magic. The fact that you can still do this explains much to me. My powers are bound in the immediate area.”

Brad spoke first, “Istariel, please bring us up to speed on how you got here and what’s going on with Drew. Tell us what you know about these guys. The doctor and Albrecht don’t know much about them.”

Nodding, Istariel began, “After Ulariel’s death and the death of Trenton Ashmore in Australia, opportunities to flush out many Enemy servants presented themselves across the veil. My cousins and I have been busy taking advantage of the chaos that ensued among the dark when their leaders were removed. There was much infighting and competition to fill new roles and advance their positions within the ranks.

“It allowed me to discover the identity of another of their leaders. Before his demise, he shared with me a startling and significant piece of information. In the long history of the battle between the light and the dark, there have always been rumors about The Master’s origin and the story of how to defeat him.

“That knowledge was deemed nothing more than a myth until Greg Rawlins returned from Heaven, conveying the secret of what must be done to finally bring about The Master’s defeat. He must ask and receive forgiveness from his brother for his first death.

“However, there is more to the story in regards to his creation. When The Master killed his brother, the second human soul, it set in motion a cycle of sorrow and death for his sibling, who is also tied to the Curse. To my knowledge, The Master himself is unaware of this, burying the memories of his origin and choosing not to remember them. However, the soul of his brother is perpetually reborn, doomed never to live past his seventh year, the length of his life at the time of his first death.

“Until his seventh year, his destiny lies quiet, his fate indiscernible. However, on the celebration of his seventh-year fate intervenes, and he dies a painful death similar in nature to his death at the hands of his brother. Events orchestrate themselves around him, and he succumbs to the wounds that originally killed him.

“The servant of The Enemy we destroyed believed Drew is The Master’s brother reborn. How he came by this information, I do not know. He must have imparted his knowledge to the Eschphene in hopes of furthering his position in The Enemy ranks. Fortunately, he met his demise before conveying this information to The Master.

“I followed the boy in hopes of verifying the rumor. I did not wish to come to you without proof and cause needless worry. Before your arrival, the Eschphene spoke of a final test they must perform to prove beyond any doubt that Drew is the soul they search for.”

Brad interjected, “But from what you just said, there should be no way for them to do that until his seventh birthday, and that’s nearly two years away.”

“It seems they have discovered a way. I do not know how or what it will do to the boy. I confess my guilt and sorrow to you, Henry Ross, for not aiding you on the train when the boy’s father shot you. I was torn but had to follow the child and keep him safe. I put my trust in my cousins to find and help you and Liz Hastings. My faith was well-founded.”

Henry’s eyes were red, and he sniffed loudly, “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. He’s just a boy… a boy I want as my son. He’s been through so much… and you’re saying he’s going to die on his seventh birthday?!”

“The tragedy of his existence is further proof of the Curse in his bloodline. It seems my fate is intertwined with the boy as well as yours, Henry Ross. It also explains how Brad Wilson heard him when he and Ken Habersham intervened to protect him from his father.

“The story makes more sense as pieces of the puzzle are revealed. There is a vortex around the boy, pulling allies in to help break the cycle. The Eschphene also sense this and wish to break this cycle for their own ends, but they do not have his best interest at heart and will use him in unspeakable ways to accomplish their goals.”

The faces of all the men were stony and solemn from everything they heard.

Ken asked, “So who are these Eschphene? I’m surprised the doc and Albrecht don’t know much about them.”

“The Eschphene exist outside the laws of the light and the dark. They are, in essence, the third power. They have always existed but so rarely make an appearance in the physical or the spiritual planes little is known about them. They claim to be a neutral power in creation and have never interfered in the ongoing struggles between the light and the dark. Their province is law and balance, and they see themselves as keepers of order in creation. The battle between the light and the dark and the fall of man has always kept their goals from being realized. If they find a way to break the cycle, true balance in creation will again be possible.”

Brad asked, “What did they mean when he said their claim on Drew is binding? What did Doug do? What does that mean?”

Istariel’s face was solemn when he replied, “It means they have every right to do what they are doing, Brad Wilson. Magical laws and rituals are governed heavily by blood ties and bonds.”

Slamming his fist down on the conference table, Henry shouted, “No! There has to be a way around that! Doesn’t Liz have a say in this as his mother?”

Henry’s distress was palpable through the link, and Istariel was amazed at the depth of his emotions for the boy, at all their emotions. His own feelings were strong, far stronger than he ever thought possible, but their unconditional love for Drew was profound, and the ache in their hearts became his own. Istariel’s eyes filled with tears and his hands went to his face in surprise. He had never cried before, and his confusion was apparent.

Looking at him with compassion, Brad gently said, “Welcome to the wonderful world of human emotions, Istariel. I wish we had more time to let you deal with this, but we need to figure a way out of this mess. Your knowledge of the Eschphene and their magic is all we have to work with here. Is there some way around this binding? Some loophole?”

Istariel thought long and hard, searching his memories and knowledge of the Eschphene. They were a highly legalistic race, and his dealings with them limited, but similar to Brad and his other cousins, his memory was perfect. Every piece of information he ever heard or came across in his long lifetime he pulled into his conscious mind.

“There is a way. It is quite simple, and I believe they are counting on your ignorance of their laws. Their magic is powerful, and if we try to fight them when they are within the proper bounds of their laws, I am not sure there would be a chance. However, the strength of their laws can also work against them.

“Liz Hastings can contest her husband’s claim on the child. She can call for an Intercedent to replace Doug Hastings with a new mate. Doug Hastings must then fight the Intercedent to maintain his right over the boy.”

Istariel looked at Henry, saying, “That would be you, Henry Ross, but I warn you the fight would be to the death. It is an old law, and there is blood involved. You must be willing to kill Doug Hastings. There is no way to circumvent that.”

Brad asked, “Henry and Liz aren’t married yet. They’re engaged as of today, though. Will that affect anything?”

Istariel replied, “As I understand it, the engagement should suffice if their hearts are truly committed. The magic will know. Does she wear a ring?”

Nodding, Henry said, “She does.  I’m not wearing mine right now, but it’s at the lab if we need it.”

Istariel said, “It would be best to have for additional proof.”

Everyone knew how hard Henry worked to put his past behind him, and being forced to kill wasn’t something any of them wanted him to deal with. But they also knew he was willing to do whatever it took to rescue Drew and get him back safe. Henry’s face hardened, and he took a deep breath.

“Promise me you won’t let Drew see what happens. I don’t want him to see me kill that son-of-a-bitch, deadbeat, piece of shit father of his.”

Gripping Henry’s shoulder tightly, Ken asked him, “Henry, are you sure you wanna do this? Maybe we can figure out another way. We both know what killin’ someone does to you inside. No matter how much Doug deserves ‘ta die, it’s not an easy thing ‘ta have on your conscience.”

“I’ll do what I have to do to protect my family, Ken, and it doesn’t sound like there’s any other way. I don’t know what they have planned for Drew, but I know they don’t care about him. He’s been through so much, and if what Istariel says is true there’s no telling what else he’s going to go through before all this is said and done. I have to spare him even the slightest pain moving forward.”

Henry’s gut-wrenching emotions were visible to all of them, and their eyes were glassy from the intensity of everything happening.

Brad spoke up, saying, “Drew’s lucky to have you in his life, Henry. He couldn’t ask for a better dad.”

Henry almost lost it from the compassion in Brad and all of them as they let him know he wasn’t alone in any of what was transpiring and would be with him no matter what.

Ken sent a private thought to Brad: B, can you bring Liz into the link? We’re gonna’ need ‘ta explain all this. We’ll have ‘ta get her back here for this plan to work. 

<><> 

 Appearing in the lab with Liz, Sally found it exhilarating and even felt a pang of jealousy over what the guys could do. If she could go anywhere in the blink of an eye… it was just unimaginable. The money she could save on parking downtown alone would be incredible! Forcing those thoughts out of her head, she needed to focus on Liz.

“Come on, hun, let’s find the doctor and Albrecht.”

On top of the blood, Liz’s face was red and puffy from crying, and her nose was running.

Sniffing, she wiped her eyes, asking, “Are we ever going to have a normal life?”

Taking her arm, Sally led her out of the room towards the doctor’s office. As soon as he saw her, he rushed towards her, embracing her tightly.

“I am so sorry, my dear! You must not fear the worst; Kenneth and the men will do everything in their power to find Drew and return him safely. There is no one better equipped to handle this situation.”

With a light touch, he took her by the arm, guiding her to an exam table.

“Now, please sit for a moment so I can tend your wounds.”

The doctor performed a quick and thorough examination, his hands gentle as he swabbed her cut.  He spent a fair amount of time cleaning any residue from the mark off her forehead.

“Sally, my dear, I hope you are not too attached to that jacket. I am going to have Albrecht burn it. The substance Douglas used to make the mark has metaphysical properties, and I am not positive a simple wash will remove it. Better safe than sorry in these cases. I will ask Kevin for his assistance in making sure there are no residual influences on you once they get back.”

Taking off her jacket she handed it to Albrecht, who had come in to join them. He gave both women a brief hug.

“How are you two holding up?”

Sally replied, “I’m good, just still getting used to being zapped around in the blink of an eye.”

Albrecht replied, with a knowing grin, “Yes… it is a bit fun, isn’t it?”

Looking at Liz, he asked, “How are you doing? I want to reassure you that Henry and Drew will be back soon. I know you’re worried, but please try to stay calm. I’m sure we’ll know something soon.”

Just as Albrecht spoke, Brad’s voice entered their minds.

Guys, I’m sorry, but we need Liz back here pronto, and she needs to bring Henry’s engagement ring.

Scanning them first to make sure it was safe, Brad brought them all back into the link, appearing in the construct of the conference room.

Although he had never seen Istariel in human form, the doctor recognized his distinct mental and spiritual presence from the time of his imprisonment in the amulet.  Albrecht thought he looked familiar but couldn’t place him.

Brad said, “Sally, Liz, meet our nephilim cousin, Istariel. He’s helped us in the past and followed Drew to keep him safe.”

Brad showed the doctor and Albrecht the images Bill put together of Doug taking Drew and what transpired in the woods. Their mentors went livid over Doug’s continued abuse of Drew but kept their outward demeanor calm for Liz’s sake.

Brad also shared the information with Sally.

I’m sorry to show you this, hun. I’m not sharing this with Liz, but Henry has seen it. I want you to know what’s going on so you can help Liz. I also want you to see more of what we’re up against. I’m not doing this to be hurtful, but there’s so much about what we deal with that you don’t know. I don’t want you making a decision to join our fight when you don’t know what our enemies are capable of.

Blanching, Sally covered well, and Brad dampened her emotional response in the link so Liz wouldn’t feel it. She quickly got herself under control.

I get it, or I’m starting to. We can talk later, but now we need to focus on Drew and what’s happening.

Bracing herself, Brad gave her the equivalent of a quick mental hug. Her thoughts spun from everything, but she appreciated Brad sharing what he did. They weren’t treating her like a fragile doll, and she felt like a part of the team.

Nodding to Liz, Istariel said, “Greetings, Elisabeth Hastings.”

Moving over, Henry put his arm around Liz, holding her close.

“Liz, we need your help. The people who have Drew have a claim on him because of Doug.”

Liz’s eyes went wide, and by the time Ken finished explaining the situation she was crying again.  Trembling, she held herself together with Henry’s support and everyone around her. She couldn’t help her anger and hatred towards Doug once she realized what he had done.

Her voice cold and hard, she said, “Kill that bastard, Henry. Doug has hurt us long enough, and he has to be stopped. He won’t ever hurt my baby again!”

Brad’s eyes softened, and he said, “That’s probably going to happen, Liz, but think about what you’re asking Henry to do.”

His words were like a glass of cold water in her face. Brad’s compassion for both Liz and Henry was palpable, and Liz’s confliction. She loved Drew and Henry… she wanted Drew back safe but realized Henry wasn’t a killer and never had been. At that moment, though, her hatred of Doug drove her.

Henry’s voice held a slight tremor as he said, “I’ll do whatever I have to do, Liz. I’ll get Drew back no matter what it does to me.”

Furious, Ken’s anger and everyone else’s coursed through the link, furious at the situation the Eschphene created to put his friends in such a dangerous position. But from what Istariel said, having Henry fight Doug to become his guardian by Eschphene law was the only way they could get Drew out safely and prevent whatever it was they were going to do to him.

Ken took a deep breath and said, “We don’t know what they’ve done to change Doug, Henry. Those tattoos coverin’ his body are the reason you didn’t see him. We can see him now, so he must have some control over ‘em. It won’t be as easy as you think.”

Henry looked at him and replied, “I know, Ken, but I’ve been training with you guys and Albrecht. I’m sure I can take him if it’s one-on-one. I know he won’t fight fair, but I’ve learned a lot, and I remember my training with The Enemy. As much as I don’t like remembering those days, they taught me well.”

Ken said, “Okay. Istariel, tell Liz what she needs ‘ta say and let’s get started.”

Pat spoke up, “Ken, I’ve been looking at the Eschphene while we’re talking here. Their magic is primarily working against our nephilim heritage. It affects our Avatars somewhat, but I know enough now to work around that. We know our Avatars operate outside the normal bounds of nephilim magic, and the Eschphene don’t have a clue about that part of us.”

Sharing his Understanding of Eschphene magic and how it affected them, as soon as Pat spoke the doctor had an epiphany, quietly saying, “That makes much sense, and will be a tremendous advantage. That is how we can be in your construct without their knowledge. You rarely think of your nephilim abilities as separate from your Avatar’s, but they are.”

Istariel spoke up, “Yes, it will. It is more apparent than ever that you must be free and unfettered. Your fates are intertwined with The Master and Drew Ross, and you must be able to do what is necessary. If Drew is the Master’s brother, you cannot allow the Eschphene to take him. Their goals are not ours, and they care nothing for him. To them, he is but a means to an end.”

His words were true but harsh and of no comfort. 

<><>  

As they came out of the construct, Darren teleported Liz out of the lab. Targeting an area a hundred feet away in the trees, with the help of Pat’s Avatar, he made sure she was out of their line of sight when she appeared.

Taking a breath, Liz steadied herself. She wasn’t used to being teleported, and she appeared alone. Henry and the guys were in her, though, as she made her way to the area where Drew was held. They walked with her, in her, holding her in the warmth of their souls.

As soon as she saw Drew floating in the air, her breath caught, and fresh tears spilled from her eyes. Doug stood nearby swaying gently like a zombie, and Liz wanted to kick him in the balls and claw his eyes out. Once the Eschphene noticed Liz, one of them moved to intercept her.

They had no clue who she was, and the man told her, “This is a restricted area; you can’t be here.”

“Like hell, I can’t. I’m Drew’s mother, and I claim the right of Intercedent.”

She held up her ring and said, “I contest Doug’s claim over my son.”

<><> 

The man escorted Liz to the Eschphene leader, who glared at her, furious at her interference, but by their laws, he had to allow her claim.

Glancing at Istariel, he said, “I don’t know how you did this. When this is over, you will pay for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, nephilim.”

Istariel met his gaze evenly, replying, “Your threats against me are idle. My fate is tied to that of the boy. I realize that now. You also know who my father is, and if you wish to risk his ire by killing me, be my guest.”

The leader harrumphed, turning back to Liz.

“Who do you name as your Intercedent?”

Pointing to Henry, she said, “Henry Ross. I renounce Doug Hastings and any claim he has on my son or me.”

The leader’s face was like a thundercloud.

“You have no idea what you are doing, woman. Would you truly risk the fate of your world, of all creation, over the life of a boy?”

It was Liz’s turn to get angry, and her face hardened. Any fear in her vanished, replaced by anger at the being who treated the life of her son so casually.

She shouted, “He’s my son, and you aren’t going to touch a hair on his head if I have anything to say about it!”

Eschphene magic was new to them and different from anything they had encountered before, but it still operated under laws that were a part of creation. Patrick’s Avatar meant ‘to Understand,’ and as he observed everything, his Avatar gave him a reckoning of the enchantments around him.

He realized Eschphene souls occupied the men in the clearing. He saw the ring of stones around Drew and the dome covering him. Pat’s Avatar was mostly passive; he could consciously control it when necessary, but it operated at all times. When he was with Ken, Bryan, Kevin, and Rick, their Avatars naturally synchronized with his, and the depth of their Understanding magnified exponentially.

Brad’s Avatar embodied strength of mind, intellect, wisdom, compassion, and intuition. His powerful mind took in Pat’s Understanding, while Kevin suppressed their auras so the Eschphene had no idea their Avatars worked to full effect.

Brad didn’t like what he saw. The Eschphene leader was desperate to accomplish his goal. Other than needing Drew, they didn’t yet know what the Eschphene goals entailed. However, Brad recognized the glimmer of fanaticism in the Eschphene leader’s eyes and felt in his gut that as legalistic as the Eschphene were, the being in front of him was desperate enough to break or severely bend his laws to succeed. As soon as Brad had his thought, Doug fell to the ground, unconscious.

“It appears Doug Hastings is unable to fulfill his role.  By our laws, it is my right to choose a replacement since he is unable to continue. I choose myself!”

Ken: B, knock Henry out. I hate doin’ it this way, but I’m not lettin’ him fight that guy.

Brad did it gently, and Henry never felt a thing.  He started to fall, and Bryan caught him, lowering him to the ground. Brad maintained a secondary link with only the team, and they heard Ken’s thought. Relief ran through them, as none of them wanted Henry to fight Doug or the Eschphene in the first place. Aside from the unknowns of Doug’s tattoos, they didn’t want Henry killing anyone after all he had been through.

Henry’s soul was finally healing, and he was starting a new life. If Ken could prevent it, he didn’t want Henry beginning the next part of his life with Liz and Drew having the death of another man on his conscience, even a man as despicable as Doug.

Brad: Liz, Henry’s okay. I knocked him out. Something isn’t right, and we don’t want him fighting this guy instead of Doug. Henry’s going to be pissed when he wakes up, but I hope you can help him understand. I hope you do too.

Liz was surprised at her relief. Once she saw past her anger towards Doug, fear for Henry returned. With all of them in her mind, Liz knew they were doing their best to protect Drew, Henry, and her.

Just get my baby back safe.

Ken said, “It appears Henry isn’t gonna be able ‘ta fulfill his obligation either. As the leader of our group, I get ‘ta designate a replacement as well.”

The Eschphene leader was livid. He was already walking on thin ice by bending the laws of the engagement. Even though Ken and the others knew little of the details, his followers' reaction indicated how far he was stretching things. More than a few looked uncomfortable when Doug fell over. Brad had a feeling that as legalistic as the Eschphene seemed to be, what he did was close to blasphemy.

“Who will face me, nephilim?”

Ken stepped forward, tall and confident, projecting his deep voice so everyone would hear.

“I will.”

“You are foolish. I don’t know what trick you pulled, but your powers will not work here. Are you so anxious to give up your life for the boy?”

“I’m prepared ‘ta do what I need ‘ta do ‘ta protect him. He’s leavin’ here with us.”

“Brave words nephilim. Prepare yourself. Prepare to die.”

Turning his back on Ken, the leader moved to the opposite side of the small clearing. His followers surrounded him, chanting in their native tongue.

They stripped him of his clothing until he stood in his underwear. The man whose body he inhabited was in poor shape for his age and profession. A few of his followers produced small tins filled with the same brown paste Doug used on the train. Dipping their fingers in the substance, they began tracing symbols all over his body.

The body he inhabited was merely a vessel for his essence, and the Eschphene leader didn’t care anything for it. His host's flesh blistered and burned in searing pain from the glowing sigils as his blood fueled the magic.

Using the pain as a focus, power built within him as he summoned his body from beyond the Pale. His skin darkened until it was jet black, and his body thickened with dense muscle.  Small protrusions of bone broke through the surface of his skin at his spine, joints, and shoulders. His eyes became as oily black as his skin, and his features flattened until his nose was nothing more than two small wet slits, and his mouth thin and lipless. His head was almost box-like in shape, and what features he had were blunt.

Ken and the others watched in shock at the horrid transformation. Anger ran through them as well as sadness; the construction worker’s body was gone, his soul devoured by the magic to power the spell. They prayed the man didn’t feel any of what just happened to him.

The creature before them was over eight feet tall and massively muscled. His black hairless skin shone like wet oil as it stretched over corded muscle. The slightest movement caused its skin to flex and twitch, showing striations underneath. Its hands were large, with thick fingers tipped with sharpened bone.

Looking at Ken, the Eschphene flexed his immense body, shredding the underwear to reveal a massive black penis and scrotum. There was no telling how many testicles resided inside its sac, but it was bloated and lumpy, and there were obviously many more than two.

His human followers began wrapping his groin with a dark brown cloth, covering his nakedness. The wrappings were snug, leaving little to the imagination, but seemed flexible and unrestricting.

Deep within his chest came a sound like crushing rocks as he intoned another incantation. His followers' voices joined his rumbling bass, and a smoky vortex formed over his outstretched palm. A stone, slightly larger than a human fist, dark with dried blood, fell out of the whirlwind into his palm, summoned from the Pale. The smell of blood coming from the stone was so potent Ken and the bodies smelled it from where they stood.

Patrick’s Avatar went haywire when the stone appeared. The connection between the stone and Drew was as powerful as anything he had ever seen. Brad thought it first, not in words, but his intuition screamed at him that everything Istariel told them about Drew was true, and the stone was their means to prove it.

All of them watched everything through Pat’s Understanding. None of them had ever seen anything like the transformation that just happened. It was like a scene out of a science-fiction horror movie, but real. Ken knew it was planned as an intimidation tactic designed to induce fear.

The muscular-skeletal system of the Eschphene was incredible, with underlying pieces of bone able to protrude at will and puncture an opponent. Pat saw that he was slightly stronger than Ken, but not as fast, agile, or dexterous; however, he was larger, with a definite advantage in reach. The one thing his Avatar couldn’t determine was how skilled a fighter the Eschphene leader was. They knew nothing about Eschphene culture or way of life, and if they were a peaceful people or a warrior race. If Bill could touch him, all their questions would be answered.

Ken’s face remained impassive, not giving anything away. Nervousness and a small amount of fear resided in the link. Everyone expressed concern over the unknown of what Ken was about to face, but at the same time his brothers were with him, and their confidence filled him.

Ken’s Avatar was in full effect, magnified by Bryan, Pat, Rick, and Kevin. He exuded confidence, conviction, strength of body and will, bravery, leadership, even justice. He was the embodiment of his Avatar in every aspect.

Remaining calm on the outside, they didn’t let their opponents see even the slightest reaction. Brad took them all very deep for the briefest of seconds so each man could hold Ken and give him their support and encouragement. Every one of his brothers had something to offer him. Through their training and Avatars, they all saw things and would see more once the fight started. Ken was the focal point of their knowledge, and he took everything they offered gratefully and humbly.

Along with everything they gave him, he had his own formidable knowledge and expertise to draw upon. Ken was very humble about his skills and abilities, but every time Bryan, Pat, Kevin, or Rick stepped into the sparring ring with him they knew how good he was, and he never once lorded it over any of them.

I want you with me, Brad. Stay in me. When we traveled across the veil together that first time, you said I had no idea how strong you were when I was with you. Well, it’s the same with me. I’ll be much stronger with you inside me. I want the rest of you yahoos with me, too. Ten, five, one… I’ll be the body for all of us. None of you interfere, though, and I won’t draw from you. This is between him and me. We have ‘ta follow the rules.

Pat Understood the magic of the Intercedent, and if Ken broke the rules, the Eschphene would be free to use Drew as they wished.

Ken sensed a small surge of power from Darren and smiled when his buddy tossed him his favorite workout shorts. Stripping off his shirt, he changed out of his cargo shorts.

Thanks, Dar; I wouldn’t want ‘ta give you ladies a show by splittin’ my shorts in the middle of the fight.

Ken moved to Istariel, and the two men guarding him glared. Ignoring them, Ken asked, “Any advice?”

“Give no quarter Ken Habersham for he will give you none. Do not hold back.”

Nodding, Ken moved to stand in the small clearing, waiting for his opponent.

Brad sent him one private thought.

I’m with you, Ken. Remember, together we’re unstoppable. I love you.

Breathing steadily, Ken opened his energy centers, relaxing and warming up his muscles. Sending oxygen into his system, his body visibly swelled. Veins appeared on his arms, up his biceps, and across his shoulders and chest as his muscles pumped up. His already big thighs thickened, stretching the fabric of his shorts, and a light sheen of sweat covered his tanned, muscular body. He looked magnificent, like a Greek god brought to life.

The Eschphene stopped roughly ten feet from Ken. Their eyes met, glossy black to emerald green. Ken slowed his perception of time, patient and waiting for his opponent to make the first move. To the naked eye the Eschphene moved blindingly fast, but to Ken he moved in slow motion.

Ken easily dodged the initial flurry of attacks and blocked others. He saw the trajectory, velocity, and strength behind each movement through his Avatar, knowing precisely how much pressure to apply to maximize and conserve his strength while blocking, dodging, or parrying attacks.

Minutes rolled by as Ken remained defensive, learning his opponent and watching for any sign of weakness. He had a few small lacerations on his arms and legs from the bone protrusions as he blocked blows, but he dodged more strikes than he blocked. Blocking the attacks hurt, the Eschphene’s body was rock hard, and Ken felt the impact every time their bodies clashed.

Minutes into the fight Ken was covered in sweat, but he wasn’t winded, just fully warmed up. His brothers were used to seeing him spar, but none of them could push him like the Eschphene was pushing him. Now he utilized every ounce of skill, strength, dexterity, and agility to his full ability. His body was a weapon, and they were in awe of him.

His grace and beauty were far beyond human, and his nephilim heritage wholly apparent. Bryan, Kevin, Rick, and Pat were exceptional, too, but Ken was beyond them. He embodied his Avatar in a way they had never seen, and the mosaic tattoo on his muscled shoulder glowed like a star.

Months prior, when Ken, Brad, Bryan, and Lane sat around their kitchen table after their first major awakening, Ken commented on how powerful his buddies were becoming, while it was only his body getting stronger. Bryan, always more perceptive than most people realized, saw something in Ken even then and told him he had gotten stronger in ways he couldn’t imagine. Bryan saw it in his insightful way, and he was right.

The fight stretched on, and Ken started looking for opportunities to go on the offensive. He began landing blows, none of which seemed to have any significant effect. Ken knew he had to figure out a different strategy, or he would eventually tire himself out.

Seeing an opening Ken took a risk, leaping on the Eschphene’s back and wrapping his legs around his opponent’s waist and his arms around his neck. Straining and squeezing with effort, Ken tried to inflict pain and push the air out of his opponent and restrict his oxygen intake at the same time.

Ken positioned himself perfectly, so none of the spikes on the creature’s shoulders could puncture him. A few of the smaller barbs made him bleed, but he blocked the pain, continuing his efforts, his body corded steel as he put every ounce of strength into his maneuver.

His tactic didn’t work. Looking deeper, he Understood the physiology of his opponent too late. Eschphene didn’t need as much oxygen as humans. The smaller nostrils should have been a clue, and Ken berated himself for not realizing that. His efforts irritated the Eschphene, which was good but not his intent.

Excruciating pain hit in his stomach as a bone spike impaled his abdomen. The Eschphene projected a long bone shard through its own body in an attempt to eviscerate him.  Caught off guard, his grip loosened at the sudden and unexpected pain. Grabbing Ken, the Eschphene pummeled him into the ground, stunning him. Ken saw the fist coming but couldn’t avoid it as it impacted at the center of his chest. He tensed to absorb the blow and minimize the damage, but it still hurt.

The only other time in his adult life he had been struck such a blow was by the creature that nearly killed him when he and Brad first awakened, the monster of thought and malice that destroyed Ken’s mind inside a construct of the River from Brad’s childhood memory.

Ken tried to roll out from under his opponent, but the Eschphene grabbed one of his legs, swinging him like a club and throwing him towards a nearby tree.  Fighting off the pain he twisted in the air, grabbing the tree and swinging himself around, using his momentum to launch his body like a missile. Both his feet hit the creature square in the chest, sending it flying back. The impact stunned the Eschphene, and Ken smirked through the pain.

Well, at least I know you can be hurt, you bastard.

Both of them were slow to get up, but Ken was hurt more than his opponent. More than anything, the Eschphene was angry; no opponent had ever lasted so long against him!

Glancing down, Ken was relieved to see his intestines weren’t spilling out of his stomach. While extremely painful, the bone spike only went in about an inch. The spine wasn’t long enough to reach through its own body and do any significant damage. However, the injury accomplished its purpose and caught Ken by surprise, and he took a wound that would slow him down.

Ken watched as the hole in the creature’s stomach closed over, and his handsome face scowled in annoyance. Drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, Ken had quite a lot of blood over his body from his stomach wound and all the abrasions from the barbs and spikes on his enemy’s body.

<><> 

Unbeknownst to anyone, Michael watched the fight intently. He knew Ken’s Avatar would make him equal to his opponent, even if Ken wasn’t aware of it. Above and beyond the equality his Avatar bestowed, Ken would need to discover what he needed within himself to overcome his opponent.

Ken fought at a disadvantage because Michael and his brethren removed that knowledge from their minds after Brad’s epiphany about their Avatars. That knowledge would save Ken, and Michael felt responsible for what was happening to his grandson, but he also felt confident they made the right decision.

Unless, of course, it cost Ken his life. 

<><>  

Brad’s anxiety over Ken’s wound went through the link along with the shock and worry of everyone else. Quietly, they supported him, not sending direct thoughts that might distract him.

Their worry touched him deeply. Bryan was so angry he trembled, wanting to charge the Eschphene like a rhino and knock him on his ass. Ken’s energy centers were open from making love to Brad earlier in the day, and his mind was still strong. Breathing in the essence of his lover, the other half of his soul, refreshed him. Renewed strength flowed into him, and just like the Eschphene, Ken’s wounds healed.

Even though his brothers were with him, Ken was honorable and did not draw from their strength. The duel was between the two opponents, and the power he used to heal himself came from his own body. Brad made him stronger merely being with him, and that would have to be enough.

An hour into the fight, Ken was feeling the effects, especially after healing himself. He needed to go defensive and give himself time to recover, so he reverted to playing a game of cat and mouse to build his opponent’s anger. The Eschphene was already showing signs of losing control, and Ken wanted to push him over the edge so he would tire himself out.

His plan worked too well. Dodging blow after blow, Ken taunted his opponent, throwing jeers and insults. Similar to the time with Dr. Cromwell when Ken had been kidnapped, he had a knack for pissing off his opponents. Anger built in the Eschphene, his movements becoming wilder and more erratic, but he was so strong Ken had to be careful and avoid the blows.

Losing track of time, Ken was perfection in motion, dancing and dodging around his opponent while catching his breath and recovering his strength. Finally, the Eschphene snapped, going completely ballistic. Missing Ken yet again, he overbalanced himself, falling forward on one knee beside one of his human followers.

Grabbing the man with both massive hands, the Eschphene ripped his follower in half, swelling with power as the blood soaked into him. Ken and his brothers watched in horror as the man’s soul was consumed. Shock ran through the other Eschphene at such blatant disregard for their laws.

One of his followers stepped forward, crying out, “Hold! Do you have such little regard for our ways?!”

Thrusting a hand out towards the dissenter, the man exploded.

Through the fight, Pat’s Avatar continued delving into the secrets of the Eschphene around him. There was some connection between the alien beings… he assumed it was like their link, but it was more in-depth.

Trees shook as the Eschphene threw his head back, howling his rage. A dark-gray ribbon of smoke emerged from his lipless mouth. It looked vaporous, but it impaled his remaining followers like a spear, lifting and gathering them within arm’s reach. Swinging his massive fists, he either decapitated or crushed them, soaking in their blood and souls, using their essence to fuel his magic and growing even larger with the influx of so much power.

He now moved so fast Ken barely saw him, and tried to slow his perception of time to formulate a plan, but the creature was on him as quickly as his thought occurred. Grabbing Ken in a bear hug, its fists against his lower back, the Eschphene squeezed, attempting to break Ken in half.

Screaming in agony, Ken tightened every muscle in his body to its utmost. Squeezing the breath out of him, his arms pinned, Ken was defenseless as his body was being crushed. Bone protrusions dug into the front side of his body as he was squeezed against his opponent.

Brad and the others knew Ken was about to die after what they just witnessed, stunned by what they saw. Even through his pain, Ken forbade them to interfere.

Ken’s scream turned from pain to rage. Beyond any hope, he held on, somehow finding the strength to keep from being crushed to death. His Avatar glowed as brightly as they had ever seen. Brad’s subconscious put together the same thoughts, making the same connections as in the cave when he had his epiphany about their Avatars and how they worked.

<><> 

While Michael watched his grandson, helpless to intervene, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel appeared by his side. Raphael slipped them out of time as the first cracks appeared in the vertebrae of Ken’s lower back.

Raphael said, “Brad has drawn the same conclusion as before, and we cannot interfere again. I now doubt we should have the first time.”

Michael’s face grim, he said, “Our interference will not matter if Ken dies. The pattern will be broken. None of us foresaw this outcome. Unbound as they are, their futures are too difficult to predict.”

Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel all put a hand of comfort on Michael’s heavy shoulders.

Raphael said, “I’m sorry, Michael. I know you have come to care deeply for him.”

They all slipped back into time, knowing full well if nothing changed in the next few seconds, Ken was doomed. If Ken were aware of the secret of his Avatar, he would have approached the fight differently. They handicapped him and all their grandchildren by withholding the knowledge from them.

Raphael: We should have followed the wisdom of Aaron Thomas. His insight of letting them grow independently and not interfering with their learning and development was correct. Our interference and lack of trust in them will be their undoing and ours.

<><> 

Observing the fight, Istariel hardly believed the carnage he witnessed. His captors were dead at the hand of the Eschphene leader. Further, he was sure Ken Habersham was about to die, and besides losing a good friend, the plans of the Higher Order would come to ruin with his death.

The Eschphene plan for Drew would come to pass, and he would never see the boy again. The stone summoned earlier sat on the ground not far away, the man who held it killed by his leader.

Steam rose from the stone where fresh blood spilled on it. Istariel had an idea of what the stone was, and his heart ran cold. He had no idea how they could have acquired it, but he understood how it could be used to prove Drew was The Master’s brother.

Istariel stood, lost and desperate. Inexplicably, he had become attached to these humans as he helped them on their path of awakening. Many of his brothers and sisters held serious doubts about their hybrid cousins, but Brad Wilson and Ken Habersham, along with the rest of them, proved themselves worthy of the power they would achieve. However, now it seemed everything would be ripped away before reaching their full potential.

Leaning down, Istariel picked up the stone, feeling the weight of it in his hand. If it was, in fact, the stone that The Master used to kill his brother, then the Curse of Eden all started with it. Such a small object in creation's grand scheme and the history of humankind held in the palm of his hand.

He realized, now more than ever, how individual acts have always controlled the destiny of man. Nearly two thousand years ago, Istariel’s Father called the veil into existence, separating the physical and spiritual realms. Most magic stopped working in the world that day, requiring people to rely on faith.

Faith was something Istariel was not, as Brad Wilson so aptly phrased it, ‘wired for.’ But in dealing with his hybrid cousins, Istariel grew in many unexpected ways. He had no need of faith before knowing them but learned what it meant through his interactions with them.

Distraught and not knowing what else to do, Istariel fell to his knees in an act he rarely performed; he prayed. Prayer for a nephilim is different than a human. Human minds and hearts are seldom still enough to hear a response, and the emotional filters and prejudices they hold, the internal brokenness they exist in, twists whatever they might hear into an answer they want to hear rather than the message sent.

Lowering his head, Istariel sent his thoughts to Heaven.

Father? Is there nothing to be done? This seems… wrong! Help Ken Habersham! Please!

It was rare for Istariel to call on his Father. It was even more unusual for his Father to respond. In all the long years of his life, it had only happened a few times, and Istariel was shocked when his Father’s presence surrounded him.

Istariel suddenly knew, beyond any doubt, that the Eschphene leader acted alone, a rebel among his people, working with and deceived by The Dark One. By discarding his laws, the Eschphene leader broke the sacred bindings of the Intercedent, and Brad Wilson and the others were free to act with no repercussions towards Drew or Ken. 

<><>  

Ken was in more pain than he could ever remember. Shards of bone from the Eschphene’s body dug into his flesh, tearing at his muscles. He felt his back starting to break. Blood and sweat flew off him as he struggled to break free. No matter what was happening to him, he sent his thoughts to Brad and his brothers.

Don’t interfere! If you do, we don’t know what it will mean ‘ta Drew!

The runes making up Ken’s Avatar were the most complex of all of them. Many of the virtues that were a part of him were obvious; strength, leadership, conviction, and will. But justice and order were also present and just as powerful. Order meant following laws, and he felt bound to the single combat for Drew’s sake.

Brad was with Ken the entire time, knowing him better than anyone. His heart breaking as he watched Ken endure such incredible pain, sharing it with the man he loved. At that moment, Ken fought for his own life, which meant Brad’s life, because they couldn’t live without each other anymore, and Drew.

Delving deeper in Ken, Brad immersed himself in their relationship and their unending, unconditional love for one another. Filling Ken with what they had, he hoped it would give him strength. Brad pulled every image and emotion Ken held towards Drew, from the first time they met him in the Mall food court to now, intuitively knowing what would drive Ken the hardest to fight back.

Brad knew what Ken needed to be more than enough.

Ken’s Avatar practically exploded on his muscled shoulder, and Brad’s intellect reconnected the dots.  The same epiphany ran through his mind, and he Understood the secret of their Avatars. 

<><>  

Before Brad ran with his thoughts any further, Istariel’s voice came loud and strong into their minds.

Cousins! The laws of the Intercedent are broken! The Eschphene leader acts alone and not with his people. You are free to intervene with no repercussions to Kenneth Habersham or the boy!

Ken heard Istariel’s words, and a crack of thunder ripped through the sky so loud his eardrums hurt as Lane, Darren, and Bill reached out to the heavens, listening to the first sound they heard. Synchronizing their Avatars, Lane made a perfect chord resounding in all of them and filling them with power.

At the same time, Loy synchronized the other four mentalists, sending out a call to the animal spirits. The power came slower but was already building.

Yggdrasil's ghostly image formed as Bryan, backed by Kevin, Rick, and Patrick, drew life energy from all creation through the tree.

Their strength and power flowed into Ken, giving him what he needed to fight back, but he was hurt badly. Lane saw the damage to his body, and knowing it would be harsh, he thrust thick, powerful ropes of healing into Ken.

Reacting so violently to the healing, Ken inadvertently broke the Eschphene’s grip, and his body dropped to the ground. His wounds healed immediately with the strength of the white flows Lane sent into him, but it shocked his system from the sudden influx of so much power. All the minute fractures throughout his body were gone, and the lacerations healed with no scarring.

Revitalized, he caught the foot descending rapidly onto his stomach. The muscles in his arms and shoulders flexed, and every striation and fiber in his thick arms became visible as he caught the foot, stopping its momentum. His face darkened with the strain, but bracing himself, he threw the Eschphene back into the air, and he landed ten feet away, face to face with Istariel, who held the stone in his hand.

His black eyes glanced at the stone, squinting in recognition. Before Istariel could react, the Eschphene’s huge hand swatted him like a hammer. The stone fell from his grasp, and he flew back in the air. Before striking a tree that would have shattered his human form, he vanished across the veil.

In the few seconds it took Ken to catch his breath and regain his footing, as the others called on their sources of power to strengthen and protect Ken and themselves, the Eschphene gripped the stone in the palm of his hand. Squeezing it with all his might, black power oozed from the stone and into him. 

<><>  

Instead of attacking Ken, the Eschphene moved to the dome where Henry lay unconscious, his head in Liz’s lap. Her face was red and puffy from crying as she watched Ken nearly die. Liz and Henry were only a few feet from the ring of stones around Drew where he slowly spun in the air, still unconscious.

A second dome appeared covering the Eschphene leader, Liz, Henry, and Drew.

Glaring at Ken and the others, his voice sounded like grating rocks as he shouted, “You cannot enter the circle nephilim! The boy is mine to test, and if he proves to be the one I seek, I will take him beyond your reach forever!”

Rushing forward, Ken slammed against the dome, but it didn’t give in the slightest.

B! Guys! You gotta figure out a way ‘ta break through this thing! Just get me inside, and I’ll finish him!

Synchronizing their Avatars, Kevin dampened as much of the magic of the dome as possible to make it weaker in one spot for Ken to break through. Bryan synchronized their efforts with the tree, and it became solid as roots moved and grew around the base of the dome, surrounding it. Lane synchronized their efforts to listen, drawing as much power as possible from the music of creation. Loy synchronized their efforts with the animals and animal spirits all over the planet, and swirling ghostly forms swam around the men and the dome, lending them strength.

Pat synchronized their Understanding of how each effort affected the dome and in what combination as Brad threw arc after arc of white power against it, trying to break through, but he knew their efforts were not enough. They certainly had an effect, but the dome was too strong.

The black power of the stone, coupled with the souls of the human hosts the Eschphene leader absorbed, was more potent than their combined efforts. Moving to the edge of the inner dome covering Drew, the crazed Eschphene looked down at the boy as he hovered, slowly spinning. Extending his arm, he held the stone over Drew’s limp form.

Liz threw herself against him in a futile attempt to protect her child, shouting, “Get away from him, you monster!”

She was fortunate he didn’t kill her outright, but he considered her so inconsequential he merely shrugged his body, and Liz flew back against the dome, stunned.

His eyes widening, the Eschphene’s face took on a wild, intent look. He had waited centuries for the opportunity, obsessed with breaking the cycle of death wrapped around The Master and restoring balance. He realized his actions were those of a fanatic but didn’t care. If he brought his people back to the forefront of their rightful position in creation, his actions would be forgiven.

Holding his breath in anticipation, he opened his fist and the stone fell. His eyes widened even further when it passed through the inner dome and stopped, hovering over Drew’s chest. Motionless for a brief second, it started orbiting his body, slowly at first but gaining in speed as red flashes, the color of blood, began sparking off it.

Overwhelming exhilaration filled him at the stone’s reaction to Drew. The boy was the one he sought! He was the Key to restoring balance through all creation!

With each red flash of the stone, Drew’s small body twitched. In his unconscious mind, memories of pain and blood churned to the surface as he relived his first death at the hands of his brother.

<><> 

Brad’s mind was on overdrive. He had to figure out a way to generate more power! They weren’t even close to breaking through, and all of them drove themselves as hard as they could. Ken’s Avatar filled them with the strength of will to push themselves to their limits.

Analyzing the dome through Pat’s Avatar, Brad realized how powerful it was. If it were only Eschphene magic, they would have broken through, but the power of the stone coupled with the human souls the Eschphene absorbed made the dome nearly impregnable.

A slight brush on their minds followed Istariel’s reappearance close to them. The other three nephilim who usually accompanied him were present, adding their strength, but it was still not enough. Istariel’s desperation was evident as he witnessed the stone’s reaction to Drew.

Deeply merged with Pat when Istariel and the other nephilim appeared, Brad Understood the brush on their minds was the veil opening briefly as the nephilim slipped between realms. In that briefest of time, almost too short to measure, an opening existed between the spiritual and physical realms!

Brad once tried keeping the curtain open, and with Ken’s help succeeded, but he realized he went about it all wrong.

Guys, I have an idea.

While camping in the valley of the tree, they were much stronger because it existed on both sides of the veil, fueling both sides of their nature as original men and nephilim.

At the moment they were one, their souls indistinguishable from one another, and Brad synchronized the part of their Avatars that came from him, the ability to cross the veil.

He slipped their souls through and back quickly before their physical bodies even had time to move and felt what he expected; they were all the tiniest bit stronger from even that brief moment.

Like a strobe effect, he flitted their combined souls between the physical and spiritual realms, and power began filling them; however, it would take a short amount of time to reach their full strength. 

<><>  

Standing shakily, Liz tried to shrug off the impact of hitting the dome. Her motherly instincts reacted to Drew’s scream, and her vision cleared. Her heart lurched in her chest when she saw him twitching.

Instinctively rushing to his side, she nearly fell over as she passed through the smaller interior dome covering her son. She was inside the ring of rocks with the sigils, and now the outside world was hazy and unclear.

The Eschphene knew as soon as Liz crossed the threshold. Because she was Drew’s mother and her right uncontested, she could pass through the sigils' inner protection. Henry or Doug could not because they were involved directly as Intercendents. Liz was the only one who could cross as she was the only one who currently had an uncontested binding tie to the boy.

Shouting at Liz, the Eschphene’s rocky voice was even further distorted because of the barrier.

“If you touch the stone or your son, you will die! Your mortal body is too frail, and the magic will consume you!”

Liz heard his words, but she also heard a hint of desperation. He didn’t want her to stop what was happening.

“I don’t believe you, but even if you’re telling the truth I’ll die before I let you hurt my baby anymore!”

Watching, Brad pushed as fast as he could. As their strength increased, cracks appeared in the barrier, allowing the roots of the tree a foothold to dig their way through.

Aware of their efforts, the Eschphene spun to face them. Pushing back, his insanity fueling his power far beyond normal, the cracks disappeared

As soon as the stone made its orbit back around and above Drew’s chest, Liz grabbed it with both hands, and the stone exploded with red magic. Her scream was indiscernible in the ripping sound that followed.

Liz had never felt anything so agonizing as her body vaporized, ripped apart by the blood magic. 

<><>  

Uriel saw his opportunity and took it. It pained him… it pained all of them because they knew what he did. Before Liz’s soul was obliterated, he snatched it out of time.

Before Liz could scream from the pain, she appeared in front of the four archangels, terrified and not knowing what was happening.

Uriel’s deep voice calming, he said, “Do not be afraid, Elizabeth Hastings.”

He held his hands outstretched with his palms up in a sign of peace.

“Where am I!? Where’s Drew!?”

“Your son is where you left him.”

Looking into Uriel’s ageless eyes the thought occurred to her, and her voice quivered as she asked, “Am I dead?”

Uriel’s eyes filled with sympathy and compassion as he quietly said, “Yes, you are.”

Liz didn’t know what else to do and collapsed on the ground in tears. She sat down hard, lowering her head, out of her depth and not knowing what to do. Raphael knelt beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

“Liz… there is no easy way to tell you this. What is happening to Drew will change him forever, and there is no certainty it will not break him completely. The Eschphene is insane, and he wishes to use Drew for his own ends to kill The Master.”

“But he’s just a little boy. He’s my baby… how can that man, that thing, expect him to do these things?”

“It is within his means to bring Drew to adulthood prematurely. He has no feelings for your son, and even if Drew should accomplish their goals for them, he will be changed and broken forever.”

Liz had an idea who these beings were. She heard Ken and Brad and the others talking about their ‘grandfathers.’

“Can’t you stop him?”

“We cannot. We are not allowed to interfere, or we most assuredly would. The act he commits is reprehensible, and he has broken his own sacred laws in his fight with Ken. His insanity is driving him further down a dark path. His arrogance was his undoing… he thought himself powerful enough to make a deal with The Dark One and come through unscathed.”

Liz’s throat tightened to the point where she could barely talk.

Michael steeled himself for what he was about to say. He never imagined he would feel so much for a mortal. As the leader of the infinite Host, he long ago blocked his ability to feel or care for individuals. However, after his encounter with Ken, his heart opened again after eons of being locked away. He used to see his feelings as a liability, and there were times, like in the moment, where he wasn’t sure the ache in his heart was worth it.

“You can save your son, Liz, but not without a heavy price.”

Gabriel felt he should be the one to deliver the message. His province was the bearer of tidings to mortals, good and bad, and he wished to spare Michael any further pain.

Interjecting, Gabriel said, “You have a choice, Liz. Uriel has your soul in his keeping and is ready to take you Home. You can be with your loved ones and spend eternity in peace and contentment. If you do, Drew’s fate is uncertain at best. At the least, he will become something unrecognizable to you, and that path will surely lead him to the dark, and he will not be allowed Home....”

Choking when she heard his words. visions of what Drew would become filled her mind, and she felt a mother’s fear for her child. Looking at him expectantly, she waited for him to continue.

“… or you can sacrifice yourself to save him.”

Raphael intoned the age-old saying, “A soul freely given, a willing sacrifice, has a thousand-fold power of one taken.”

Gabriel continued, “If you Gift your soul to save your son, Drew will be protected from the stone, and it will break the barrier preventing Ken and the others from reaching Henry and Drew.”

“Will it save Drew?”

“It will save him today… and allow Ken and the others a chance to discover a way to defeat The Master without turning your son into a monster. You will have to trust Henry and the others to love and care for Drew and make the world right again.”

Two thoughts ran through Liz’s mind. The first was how much she looked forward to a life with Henry. He loved her in a way Doug never could. He was a good man, and he was hers, and he was so good with Drew. Amazed at first how scared Henry was about being a father, he naturally took to it, and he was fantastic with Drew. She trusted Henry to look after her son and knew the doctor and the guys would be there for her family.

Her second thought was: Will it hurt?

Uriel’s presence surrounded her, wrapping her up in warmth and love.

No, Child, it will not hurt. I will be with you until the end, and it will be peaceful. You will simply go to sleep and never wake up.

How could this be happening to her? She was a single mom with a convicted felon for a husband. Her life meant so little, and she was insignificant. It was unthinkable to her that such a decision could come to rest on her shoulders.

Remembering Ken’s words in their confrontation earlier in the year, Michael said, “There are no little people, Liz. Everyone has a role to play, and everyone has a choice. We will think nothing less of you if you choose to go Home.”

She didn’t say anything, but they knew when she made her decision. It had been nearly two thousand years since Raphael shed a tear, but his cheeks were wet from the heroic act of a mother to save her child.

Raphael sent a thought to Gabriel.

You will lead the choirs of Heaven in song for this woman. Her sacrifice will be honored, and all will know of her bravery.

<><>  

Brad’s heart lurched in his chest when he saw the blast of red magic. As soon as Brad saw Liz begin to vaporize, he slowed everyone’s perception of time. They watched, horrified, as the magic tore Liz apart, unraveling her body like dust. Even as their anguish set in and pain overtook their hearts, the beautiful light of a human soul appeared over Drew, and they knew it was Liz.

Through the dome they heard her voice, “I love you, baby, with all my heart. Henry loves you too… be a good boy for him.

“Henry Ross, I wish you had come into my life a long time ago. Take care of Drew and hold him tight. He’s going to need you so bad, honey, and sooner than you think. He’s your son now.”

In their minds, she spoke to them: I know Henry will be angry. He’ll be mad at the world and blame you at first, but please hold him and help him. Protect them and love them. You’re their only chance. Find a way to defeat The Master without my son turning into a monster or dying. I love you guys… you’re the best. Even with all the bad this year, I never would have met Henry if it hadn’t been for you. I was happier this year than I’ve ever been, and I thank you for that — so long, fellas.

The beautiful light exploded, shattering the dome and knocking the Eschphene leader back. The light of her soul obliterated the black power of the stone he wielded. As her words faded the light died, and her soul ceased to exist.  It was a physical blow to their hearts.

She was simply gone.

Ken’s chest tightened to the point he could hardly breathe. Brad moved up, putting his arms around Ken from behind. Sobbing, Brad heard the same sounds from his brother’s. Reaching up, Ken grabbed Brad’s arms, pressing his sweaty face against Brad’s, trying to take and give comfort.

Istariel moved over, his head bowed low.  Sitting down, he lifted Drew’s limp body into his lap, cradling him in his arms. In his natural form, he was so large Drew looked small and fragile in his lap.

Hearing the deep rocky grumble from the Eschphene leader brought Ken’s anger back. It hit him hard, and a scowl crossed his features as his body tensed. He stood, and the shaking of his body turned from sorrow to rage.

His Avatar exploded with light, and lightning ripped across the sky.

“You son of a bitch! You’re going to pay for what happened here today!”

The Eschphene saw Drew cradled in Istariel’s lap with the stone on the ground beside him. The woman was gone, but he saw Henry and Doug, both unconscious. Glancing around, he saw the dome was gone and the sigils destroyed. His plans were in ruin. Somehow the nephilim found a way to thwart him.

Still holding the blood and souls of his followers, he stood up, pushing back his shoulders and flexing his immense body. In his deranged mind, the ritual was still valid and in effect, and he wanted to kill Ken as the chosen Intercedent.

“I will kill you, nephilim, and once I’m finished with you, I will destroy the rest of you! You cannot stand against me!”

Each of them was filled with power from the physical and the spiritual realms. Embracing it all, and all of them, Ken took their grief upon himself, and using it as a weapon, he launched himself at the Eschphene.

Still overconfident, the Eschphene was shocked when Ken collided with him, knocking him back. Ken’s body was corded steel, and the fluid grace and speed with which he moved were beyond belief as he avoided every blow the Eschphene threw at him. The leader now felt every blow Ken landed, and they hurt.

He screamed as Ken broke off bone spurs and spikes covering his body. The longer ones Ken used as weapons, stabbing them back into the Eschphene’s body. The leader was still strong, though, filled with the strength of his followers.

The fight continued as the men watched. With the law broken, Ken became the physical embodiment of all his brothers. Their Avatars transformed into the perfected rune, shining brightly and spitting off arcs of colorful energy. In the spiritual realm, they were too bright to look at, as white ropes of power arced through them, making them one.

Any wound or laceration Ken received healed over instantly. He didn’t want to be calm, but he didn’t want to lose control either. Ken used their grief as a focus, in full control, every blow planned and executed flawlessly as he whittled away at his opponent.

Finally, the Eschphene showed signs of tiring. Ken was drenched in sweat, his chest heaving, not in exhaustion but to fuel his body with oxygen. He radiated a physical glory the Eschphene had never witnessed before. Patient and persistent, Ken continued to press, waiting for an opening.

Launching himself horizontally, Ken used a large tree to whip his body around, spearing his opponent in the gut with both knees. Rolling, he continued his movement using his entire upper body in an uppercut while the Eschphene was doubled over, catching him under the chin of his large square head. The Eschphene staggered, clearly stunned, and Ken leapt, vaulting over him, grabbing his head and twisting as he came down behind him. Every muscle in Ken’s body taut, veins were visible everywhere, and his face turned dark red with the effort. Ken had the Eschphene’s entire body bowed backward and off-balance, and the flailing of his arms showed his fear and desperation.

His strength relentless, Ken pushed for more, digging inside himself and all his brothers. When they were so tightly bound together as one, sometimes it was hard to determine which of them originated a thought. The idea of Drew without his mother was the bellow on the forge inside of Ken, fanning the flames of his anger until they were white-hot.

Drew was now an orphan like all of them. Some of them never knew their parents, but a few did and remembered the pain of losing a mother or a father. They knew what Drew was about to go through, and the unfairness of it all, after all the other pain in his young life, cut them deep.

Their pain went from their hearts and minds into Ken, and the Eschphene’s neck snapped with a loud crack. Releasing his grip, Ken fell to his knees, winded from his final effort. For a few seconds he remained still, sweat dripping down his heaving chest, his eyes closed and head thrown back, coming to grips with his actions and emotions.

As soon as he released his hold around the massive neck, the Eschphene fell to the forest floor with a loud crash. The creature was heavy and massive enough they felt tremors under their feet from the impact.

Enveloping Ken with his presence, no words were said; Brad just wanted Ken to feel him and give him time to come back to himself and rest in his lover until he was ready.

An eerie silence fell over the woods, save for the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze. The air moving over Ken’s sweat-slickened skin felt soothing.

With the Eschphene’s death, they stopped drawing power, and the image of the tree faded along with the spirits. The power from Lane and Brad began to fade, but for the moment they still shone brightly.

Goosebumps covered Ken as a wave of cold washed over the Eschphene’s corpse. Rolling away, he came to his feet in front of Brad and the others in a defensive posture.

The body remained still and unmoving, but a dark gray ball of muted light came out of its chest. It didn’t have the beauty or light of a human soul, but they recognized it for what it was.

No sound of fluttering wings accompanied his arrival, but suddenly Uriel stood with them. Lane saw the sorrow on his face immediately; it was the same look Bryan got. Uriel didn’t speak but acknowledged them with a nod.

After a brief silence, Brad asked, “Where will you take him?”

“To the place Eschphene souls go. It is different for them than humans.”

Brad’s handsome brow furrowed, and he asked, “Will he suffer? For what he did today, and God knows what else?”

In his deep, quiet voice, Uriel said, “Most assuredly.”

Brad asked, “He was insane, but does he truly deserve that?”

An uncomfortable ripple went through their shared mind at Brad’s question. How could he ask that when the Eschphene was responsible not just for Liz’s death but the destruction of her soul?

Uriel made eye contact with Ken, but his eyes diverted briefly, looking at Ken’s Avatar as he responded.

“Judgment and mercy are not my province.”

Ken: B, take us down.

Appearing in a construct of the conference room, most of them started talking at the same time, but Ken held up his hand.

“Guys, hold on a minute. B, what are you gettin’ at?”

Taking a deep breath, Brad lowered his head and said, “I... fuck guys, I saw everything you did today, and even though Istariel said the Eschphene are supposed to be a neutral power, that guy was an evil bastard. I’m sure his motivations probably started pure, but just like Taliesin, he lost his way and turned into what we saw.

“I’m not saying he’s not responsible for his actions, so don’t think that. Losing Liz today…” his voice broke when he said, “… fuck guys, she’s gone, and we’ll never see her again! Drew lost his mom, and Henry lost his wife! I get that! But think about this… we’ve been around now for not even fifty years. We’re immortal, but we really don’t know what that means. Think about sending someone to suffer forever, even someone as deranged and despicable as that bastard.”

His voice practically quivering with anger, Bill interjected, “So what are you saying, Brad? What can we do about it? Wherever Uriel is going to take that shithead is made for guys like him. I’m sure there are a ton of his kind there that didn’t do anything nearly as bad as this douchebag.”

Sighing again, Brad said, “Yeah, I know, Bill.”

Out of the construct Bill reached down, touching the Eschphene’s body. With their Avatars synchronized the knowledge that flooded into them was deep and painful, even harsh the way Bill did it, and they weren’t prepared for it.

The Eschphene leader’s life from his birth to his death and everything in between; his thoughts, motivations, and transgressions… the path that made him who he was all became known to them. They recognized Luke and realized Luke didn’t contact him; he attempted to manipulate Luke to serve his political ends and was outmatched. That was the beginning of his downfall.

Bill’s face turned ashen, and tears covered his cheeks, but he still blocked his emotional pain and turmoil from them, so they had no idea why he acted as he did.

Bill practically screamed at Brad, “Now tell me that fucker doesn’t deserve to rot in whatever hell his kind goes to!”

His thoughts bordering on irrational, when Brad attempted to soothe him, Bill flinched back in his mind, and Brad looked like he had been slapped in the face.

Kevin moved to put his arms around Bill, but Bill violently shrugged him off.

His voice raspy from crying, Bill said, “You all do whatever the fuck you want. I’m out of here.”

Vanishing from the construct and the link, Bill shielded himself from all of them, even Kevin, so they didn’t know where he teleported to.

Kevin looked like he had been punched in the gut, and everybody else was dumbstruck at what just happened. His face ashen, he felt empty inside.

Ken started to say, “Kev…’

Kevin interrupted him, saying, “Ken, I don’t know what to tell you. The timing of this couldn’t be worse. Let’s finish up here. I know we can take the time, but in the middle of all this… it just doesn’t seem like a good thing.”

Reaching over, Ken cupped Kevin’s neck in his hand, embracing him tightly and saying, “You know we love you both. We’ll figure this out. If you’re sure now isn’t the time, then okay, but you know I’ll put the brakes on all this in a heartbeat for Bill if you need me too.”

Besides Ken, Bryan and Loy were closest to Kevin and they grabbed hold of him, sandwiching him between them. None of them could imagine what happened with Bill that would cause him to react the way he did, and Kevin kept whatever it was walled off in his mind.

Hardening himself, Kevin said, “Guys, we’re on a mission, and the mission comes first. Bill can wait. It’s not life-threatening, but it is serious, and he needs our help bad. Let’s finish here so we can focus on him.”

Looking his friend in the eye, Ken knew it was best not to push the issue and nodded his assent.

There was a brief pause, but before it became uncomfortable, Ken said, “Okay, B, what are you gettin’ at.”

“We have a choice. We can let Uriel take this guy’s soul to whatever damnation Eschphene souls go to, where he will suffer for eternity…. or we can destroy him. He won’t suffer, but he will cease to exist just like Liz. I’m not suggesting that as an act of revenge… nothing so shallow. I’m not sure it would be an act of mercy to kill him… he won’t feel anything because he won’t exist. That’s deep.”

Silence fell as they grappled with the moral dilemma Brad set before them. To ‘end’ somebody so utterly… it was final and irrevocable, yet being trapped in a torturous existence forever was horrifying to think about, but at least he would still exist. The issue boiled down to whether or not the Eschphene’s insanity should influence their decision.

If they did nothing, Uriel would take him, so making no decision was tantamount to making a decision.

Usually, they delved into one another as couples, but Bill’s absence kept them from doing so. They would not do anything to further Kevin’s embarrassment or discomfort in regards to Bill’s behavior, instinctively not doing anything to make him feel left out or excluded.

They debated their thoughts and opinions exhaustively for hours in the construct. In the end, their decision was unanimous; they would end his existence rather than let him suffer for eternity. Their reasons were varied, but the conclusion was the same.

“B, before you take us back up, I want ‘ta say how proud I am of all of you. When I think about the path we’re on and what our goals are… well, we still have a long way ‘ta go, but we’re growin’ all the time. We’re the good guys… and I think in this particular case bein’ merciful was the right call. I don’t like that we have the power ‘ta make choices like this. There are rules in creation ‘ta cover this… but my gut tells me we’re doin’ the right thing.”

Ken nodded to Brad, and he took them back up into their bodies. Barely a second passed while Uriel waited, and he asked them, “Did you decide?”

In response, Brad opened their energy centers once more. Full of power and shining brightly, chains of white power flew out from their hands, wrapping around the gray soul of the Eschphene. Sprouting razor-sharp edges, they yanked the chains, shredding the soul.

Looking at them, Uriel said, “I see.”

Ken asked, “Do you disagree?”

Uriel stared at him intently for a moment, debating on what he could or should say.

Finally, he responded, “As I said, Mercy is not my province. However, I believe you made the right decision. He was no longer sane, and while that does not excuse his actions, it does explain them. I tread the edge by telling you this… but think about your Enemy, not just The Master but The Dark One whom he serves.  The Eschphene approached him, becoming entangled in layers of subtlety and deceit beyond his depth. He was twisted into what he became, and it was made to look on the outside as if it were his own choices that led him to where he was.

“The Dark One delights in causing these types of situations, but today you thwarted him on two fronts. I am sure he would have taken great pleasure at the thought of the Eschphene suffering for all eternity. Also, if he were successful in taking the child, it would have furthered his plans with The Master on this plane. You have deprived him of both, and he will not be pleased.”

Brad was sincere when he said, “Thank you for your insight. Stating it so clearly makes me feel better, but we still took a soul out of existence, and that’s a burden we have to carry.”

The corner of Uriel’s mouth lifted slightly, and he said, “That is true, but it is a testament to your natures that it is a burden. Life to you is precious in all its forms, and I pray you never lose sight of that. Now, I must go.”

Walking to Bryan, Uriel put his hands on his grandson’s shoulders, looking deeply into his eyes. Always astounded at the depth of them, Bryan wondered if, after a few millennia, his eyes would look the same.

Smiling more openly, Uriel sent a private thought to Bryan.

To me, they already do.

Pulling Bryan into a firm embrace, Uriel wrapped his grandson in his arms, squeezing tightly. After kissing Bryan on each cheek, with the sound of fluttering wings he was gone.

<><> 

Remaining quiet after Uriel disappeared, they dreaded what came next.

Brad removed the compulsion from Henry and he woke with a start, looking around in a panic. He saw Drew in Istariel’s lap and the massive corpse of the Eschphene. He didn’t see Liz and assumed she was safe and back at the lab.

Thinking Liz was out of danger, he asked, “Is Drew alright? What’s wrong with him!?”

Henry knew right away something was wrong by the tone of Ken’s voice, “He’s okay, Henry. He’s just asleep.”

Henry started towards Istariel to take Drew when Ken held out his hand, saying, “Henry, wait.”

Looking at their faces, Henry went cold inside. When he saw the compassion in their expressions, their eyes red, he knew Liz wasn’t at the lab. Hot tears filled his eyes, and he fell to his knees with an agonizing groan.

“No! Oh, God, no! She can’t be gone!”

Bending over, he wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering as sobs wracked his body.  Kneeling, Ken put his arms around Henry, pulling him close.

Fresh tears filled Ken’s eyes as he said, “Henry, I’m so sorry.”

Grabbing Ken, Henry latched onto him, squeezing with desperate strength. Brad and the others gathered close, kneeling around him and touching him. Brad brought Henry into their link to feel their support and presence as well as their arms around him.

Moaning loudly, Doug regained consciousness. Holding his head, he seemed groggy as he sat up.

When he saw Istariel’s massive robed form with Drew in his lap, he panicked, shouting, “Jesus! Fuck! What the hell is that?!”

As soon as Henry heard Doug’s exclamation, rage took hold of him. He surprised Ken by pulling away blindingly fast, and Kevin barely managed to grab him as he lunged at Doug, shouting, “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU SON OF A BITCH! SHE’S GONE BECAUSE OF YOU!”

Doug was too stupid to know how much danger he was in. Of all the words in his vocabulary, he chose the worst possible thing to say at the moment.

“Well, whatever happened to her, the stupid cunt had it coming. Fucking bitch.”

Kevin was tempted to let Henry go but knew if he did, Henry would kill Doug. As much as Doug deserved it, they couldn’t allow Henry to have that on his conscience. His main priority moving forward had to be Drew, and he didn’t need Doug’s death hanging over his head.

The focus was on Henry, so they were surprised at the burst of power that exploded out of Brad. Brad rarely got angry, but right then, he was as mad as any of them had ever seen.

Ken let out a mental: Oh shit!

Ripping Doug’s mind out of his body, Brad pulled him into a construct, appearing in the woods with just the two of them. Doug remembered his last encounter with Brad, but his new friends were powerful, and he ignorantly felt cocky that his tattoos would protect him.

Brad felt resistance, but the greater part of his mental strength came from his Avatar, and it was unaffected by the sigils on Doug’s body.

Brad’s voice was ice as he said, “The last time we spoke, Doug, do you remember what I said would happen if you ever hit another woman or abused another child?”

“Fuck you, dickhead! You can’t touch me!”

A bolt of lightning hit the ground a foot away, sending Doug flying back into the closest tree, stunning him. His body tingled painfully, and he shit his pants in fear.

“I didn’t miss Doug. I’m not going to kill you, but I am going to make sure you never hurt anyone again.”

Delving deep into Doug’s mind, Brad realized nothing had changed since the last time he looked. Doug was too lazy and ignorant to change. Having Rick reset Doug would be too good for him, and as much as Doug deserved to die for what he did, they couldn’t kill him outright.

Doug wasn’t part of The Enemy, and as much as it galled Brad at the moment, he held to the onus of free will. Brad tried to find unconditional love for Doug but couldn’t. He felt like he wasn’t living up to his potential by feeling that way, but he couldn’t help it, and it made him even angrier.

Trapping Doug in his own mind, Brad built a prison for him to live in. To the outside world he would be a vegetable, needing to be cared for, able to see and hear everything around him but unable to communicate or interact in any way. Doug would be utterly dependent on others to keep him alive.

Brad set a trigger to find Doug in twenty years and see if he learned his lesson. As powerful as Brad was at the moment, he doubted even The Master could break the cage he built, layering it with trap upon trap to prevent anyone from tampering.

As Ken and the others watched, Doug shit his pants as his eyes glazed over, and his face took on a vacant look. His posture became slack and docile, and he stood gently swaying. 

<><>  

Istariel slowly stood up, moving to Henry. Drew looked small and frail in his large hands, but he was gentle and let Henry take him.

“It seems my fate is intertwined with his, Henry Ross. I will watch over him to the best of my ability. Know that I share your grief.”

Henry didn’t trust himself to speak, but he nodded his acknowledgment and held Drew’s limp body against him. Still in shock, Henry was trying to stay focused so he could take care of Drew. Istariel vanished back across the veil along with his cousins.

Pulling off his t-shirt, still warm from his body heat, Bryan tucked it over Drew like a small blanket, covering his nakedness.

Henry said, “Thanks, Bryan, we need to get him warm and dry.”

Looking down at Drew, Henry saw how pale he was and noted the slight trembling of his body. Henry wasn’t sure if it was from being cold or some after-effect of whatever happened while he was unconscious.

Hugging Drew a little tighter, his voice choked as he whispered, “Fuck Bryan, what am I going to tell him when he wakes up? How am I going to tell him his mom is gone?”

Bryan was at a loss for words; he had such a big heart and hated to see anyone he cared for hurting so much. Hanging his head, hot tears fell down his bare chest as his big frame trembled in grief.

Brad sent a private thought to Ken: We need to wrap things up here and get back.

Brad was always the practical one, and Ken nodded, appreciating the nudge to keep things moving.

Loy, call 911 and leave a tip that Doug is here. Bry, you and Dar take care of the body.

Stepping a short distance away Loy called the police, leaving an anonymous tip about Doug.

Taking a deep breath, Bryan steadied himself as Lane briefly wrapped his arms around him from behind. Bryan’s Avatar dealt with life, and half of that cycle was death and decay; it made perfect sense to him since his grandfather was the Angel of Death.

Bryan’s Avatar glowed emerald green, and ropes of energy surrounded the Eschphene corpse, accelerating the rate of decay.  In less than a minute, all that remained was a skeleton lying on the ground.

With extreme effort, Darren could heat the bones and reduce them to ash, but even with the extra power they still held, it was easier to send the bones far down into the bedrock of Stone Mountain where they would never be discovered. His eyes flashed white, and the bones disappeared.

Rick gathered Drew’s pants, underwear, and tennis shoes. Taking off his shirt he used it to pick up the stone, not wanting to touch it. He also didn’t want anything of Drew’s coming into contact with the stone.

A feeling of finality hung in the air. Liz was gone, and by leaving they felt as though they were abandoning her. They never left anyone behind, but there was nothing to take. There was also the dread of telling the doc, Albrecht, Sally, and the others that she was gone.

A glint caught Kevin’s eye, and fresh tears spilled when he glanced down. The sun reflected off Liz’s engagement ring, sitting on the ground where her body disintegrated. Leaning down, he picked it up, holding it in his hand.

He knew how much Henry and Drew were going to miss Liz; they all were. She had become an important part of their lives, and her absence emphasized the empty place where Bill should be.

Darren pulled everyone together in a brief mental hug as he synchronized their Avatars, and they vanished.

<><>  

The next few hours were hard. Everyone remained quiet and subdued when they got back. Liz’s absence was noticed right away, as was Bill’s. Henry couldn’t talk and took Drew to their room, shutting the door. A short time later, while Brad recounted everything that happened, they heard Drew wailing behind the closed door.

Physically fine, fully recovered and restored, the weight of everything rested on Ken’s shoulders and he was emotionally exhausted. On top of almost dying in the fight with the Eschphene and knowing what that would have done to Brad, he was grief-stricken at losing Liz and felt he somehow let Bill down.

Looking around for Kevin, Ken didn’t see him. Shortly after their arrival, Kevin retreated to the room he and Bill shared and shut the door.

Everyone dealt with the grief in their own way; Bryan went to the kitchen to salvage what he could of the Boston butts he had been smoking. Lane stayed with him, not talking out loud but keeping the two of them deeply merged.

Rick, Loy, Pat, and Darren stayed in the common area to be with Sally and the Keenans. Kelly retreated to her room after hearing the news, her face impassive. In her own way, she liked Liz and anticipated needing motherly advice. Liz’s death was another loss in Kelly’s life, and she withdrew into herself in an attempt not to feel the pain.

Brad stayed by Ken’s side through it all, in his heart and soul. Once everyone was debriefed, the memories of the day shared with the doctor and Albrecht and everyone settled, Brad whispered in Ken’s ear, “Come with me.”

Taking Ken’s hand, Brad led him to their shared room, where he shut and locked the door. Ken sat on the edge of their bed, resting his head in his hands. Now he was alone with Brad, he dropped the mantle of leadership he put on for everyone else’s sake. Rubbing his hands roughly over his face, Brad heard the scratchy noise from the stubble on his cheeks.

Ken.

Ken looked up, his eyes glassy and bloodshot. As they made eye contact, fresh tears came and the emotions of the day poured out.

Immediately moving over, Brad put his arms around his lover, pulling Ken’s face against his chest. Ken shook as he sobbed, releasing everything he held in. Brad held him, whispering soothing words and stroking his short hair back off his forehead. Ken didn’t say a word but delved into the comfort of Brad’s mind and soul.

Ken cried for a few minutes, and when the worst was over, Brad pulled them back onto the bed. Spooning Ken, he rubbed and caressed his body, trying to wash the grief away with his hands. Ken wasn’t sure when Brad managed it, but he realized they were in a construct of their room.

Twisting around to look into Brad’s blue eyes, he said, “Thanks, B. I know you’re hurtin’ too. Come here.”

Rolling over, he reversed their positions to spoon Brad. Wanting to feel Ken against him, skin on skin, their shirts disappeared. It wasn’t sexual, but they both craved the intimacy. It was the comfort they needed, and Brad opened their energy centers, bringing their souls, minds, and hearts together. Ken held Brad tighter in his arms, wanting Brad to feel his presence in every aspect.

In the construct, they stayed that way for hours, holding one another, comforting each other, and letting each other cry when they needed to. After a while, Ken got hard, and Brad realized it was for him. When Ken was in Brad, with his muscled body covering his and their bodies interlocked, it took Brad to a place beyond grief and hurt.

He wasn’t ‘that guy’ this time; instead, he used all the emotion and experience garnered from their lives together to comfort his partner and make love to him in the deepest, most passionate manner he could. By the time Ken was done, after multiple shared orgasms, the last of the tension flowed out of their sweat-drenched bodies.

After a time, Ken broke their silence.

“Fuck, I love you, Brad. You’re everythin’ ‘ta me. I couldn’t do this without you.”

“I couldn’t do it without you either, Ken.”

Laying in silence a few more minutes, their hands roamed and caressed each other as their bodies cooled down, still basking in the intimate physical closeness of being naked and together.

After a few minutes, Brad said, “We need to figure out what’s going on with Bill. I can’t imagine how he’s feeling right now. He loved Liz too, and that’s making whatever he’s going through harder, especially on his own. He knows he needs Kevin, and Kevin needs him. He knows he’s causing himself more pain by acting the way he is, so I can’t fathom what’s going through his mind right now.”

“Let’s go talk ‘ta Kev.” 

<><>  

Ken and Brad had been in their room for about twenty minutes when Brad brought them out of the construct. Their stomachs rumbling, they went to the kitchen first, searching for something to eat.

When they came out, Henry and Drew sat at a table. Drew wore a pair of Disney flannel pajamas with footies, eating out of a plain plastic bowl. It took Brad a second to realize what seemed wrong; typically, Drew was all about Iron Man and anything dealing with Marvel Superheroes.

Usually, Drew devoured his macaroni and cheese, but he looked pale and picked at his food.

Ken and Brad knelt on either side of his chair, and Ken said, “Hey, Drew, how are ya, buddy?”

Drew’s reaction stunned everybody as he looked at Ken and shouted, “Go away! I hate you!”

Balling up his little fist he hit Ken as hard as he could, which hurt his hand. Bursting into tears, he took off running to his room.

Ken looked white as a sheet, and an intense tightness gripped his chest. Drew’s fist and words cut him deeply.

Henry shouted, “Drew!” and went after him.

Ken looked at Brad in disbelief. It was Sally who broke the silence.

“Don’t take it personally, Ken. He’s going to lash out for a while. He doesn’t mean it; you know that.”

Brad pulled Ken to his feet, saying, “I know it hurts, Ken, but Sally’s right. We’re going to have to be patient and let him work through this.”

The doctor came out of his office at the commotion, taking everything in.

“I am sorry, Kenneth. I should have seen that coming and warned you. You and Bradford come see me when you have a moment.”

Henry came out of his room and didn’t say a word. Gathering Drew’s Sippy-cup and bowl of macaroni and cheese in silence, he went back to his room and shut the door. They heard the door seals activate as Henry locked it.

Exhaling, Ken let out a low, “Fuck me.”

There was a coldness from Henry, too, and it made Ken miserable. Everyone but Kevin heard the exchange and saw what happened, and their presence entered Ken immediately.

Each of them gave Ken words of comfort and said the same thing; give Drew time and a little space. Henry, too. More importantly, they gave Ken comfort because they knew how much Drew’s outburst hurt him.

As a Lieutenant in the US Navy and Captain of their SEAL team, Ken had dealt with men who lost loved ones.  A highly trained and decorated Officer, he knew the psychology of the grief process and had always been able to compartmentalize it. 

Yet after the program, he was half nephilim and an unfallen man, and the depth of emotion he now felt was far more profound than before.  His ability to love was greatly expanded, as well as his ability to be hurt, and Drew’s words cut his heart like a knife. Realizing there was nothing he could do about it at the moment, Sally and the doctor were right. It would take time, and hopefully, Drew and Henry would come around.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Ken said, “Come on, B.”

Brad’s eyes were wet from the pain in Ken, Henry, Drew, and the rest of his brothers. He was well aware of the hurt in everyone; it was a part of his Avatar.

Brad followed Ken down the hallway to Kevin’s room. The door was shut but not locked, and Ken wrapped his knuckles on the door as he opened it. Still shirtless, Kevin lay on the bed with his arms behind his head, wide awake and staring at the ceiling.

Of all the team, Kevin was Ken’s oldest friend. They went through BUDS together and were buddies for a few years before the program and meeting Brad.

“Kev, how’re you holdin’ up?”

“Honestly, Ken, not so well. I’ve been trying to reach Bill since we got back, but he’s either shut down or not answering.”

Kevin’s voice was flat but held a slight tremor to it. Ken knew him well and learned a long time ago how his friend handled stressful situations. Sitting up, Kevin looked at his friends with an almost pleading look. His handsome face was pale, and his black hair and dark eyes made him look that much paler. Sitting on either side of him, Ken and Brad put their arms around him, just being with him. Ken’s other hand ruffled his hair.

“Kev, you need ‘ta tell us what’s goin’ on. B, take us down.”

Brad merged the three of them together as one, and Kevin became aware of everything that just happened in the kitchen with Drew. 

Kevin teared up again and said, “Fuck, Ken, I’m sorry.”

Through the merge they were naked to one another in every aspect, and Brad and Ken relived Kevin’s memories from earlier that morning…

<>  

Kevin woke first, as usual, to the feeling of Bill against him. A huge snuggler, Bill always managed to wrap himself around Kevin even in sleep. Bill was the tallest of the men, a solid 6’4” and 265lbs of muscle. Kevin was 6’1” and 450lbs, the heaviest of the bodies, so when cuddled and wrapped around one another they made one giant bundle of muscle.

Inhaling deeply, the smell of sex in the room and from the sheets was potent, and Kevin smiled at the memory of how they got that way before he and Bill finally slept. He also smelled coffee brewing in the kitchen.

Stretching, Kevin curled his toes and put his arms over his head; his whole body swelled, and his face reddened. Bill was a light sleeper, and Kevin’s movement woke him up. His eyes remained closed, but his hands began roaming over Kevin’s furry body.

Kevin said, “Good morning, handsome.”

One bleary blue eye opened, and Bill smiled. Kevin sometimes couldn’t stand how cute Bill looked when he was sleepy. His face was drop-dead handsome, but in the mornings with bed-head and his face squinted, he looked goofily cute. Turning slightly, Bill leaned forward for a good morning kiss.

As they kissed, Bill’s fingers snaked down through the hair on Kevin’s chest, over the ridges of his abs, until he found what he was searching for. By the time Bill’s fingers wrapped around the thick base of Kevin’s shaft, he was fully hard.

Bill’s hands were magic, and he prolonged the kiss as he caressed and stroked his lover. Kevin’s favorite way to wake up was getting a handjob, and Bill was an expert, stroking his lover in all the right ways to take him to the edge.

Bill kept him there a few minutes, letting him teeter on the brink. Red tendrils of energy tickled Kevin’s hardness, and it didn’t take long until his whole body trembled and sweated.

As soon as Kevin’s orgasm triggered, Bill leaned over, taking Kevin in his mouth and activating the supernatural bond between the two men.  The familiar rush followed as strength washed through his body.

Staying hard he rolled over, lifting Bill’s legs and entering him. It was his turn to please his partner, and he knew exactly how to do that.

As an original man, Kevin’s mind was already open but ingesting Bills’ seed expanded his mind to nearly the same level as Bill’s and the other mentalists. Both men were now slick with sweat, and Kevin lowered himself for another long hug, their souls wrapped around each other the same as their arms.

Now warmed up, they put on their running shorts and went for their daily PT. The morning was chilly, but with their extra body heat they comfortably ran in shorts and t-shirts.

Running their usual five-mile route, Kevin set the pace. On their way back, they noticed an accident at the entrance of their subdivision. A small panel truck had been rear-ended by someone not paying attention as they turned in. Everyone in their neighborhood complained about people turning in too fast, but no one ever seemed to slow down. The issue was brought up at every Home Owners Association meeting either one of them had ever attended.

The wreck was minor, and no one was hurt, but toys and boxes were scattered about the road. The driver of the panel truck was a young man wearing a ROTC uniform, looking utterly stressed. The police were taking statements from the driver of the car and the young man, whose nametag read Peterson. The insignia on his shirt showed him to be a Cadet Ensign in the Marine Corps ROTC, which meant he was a first-year Freshman at whichever college he attended.

Kevin introduced himself and Bill, and Kevin shook the young man’s hand. Bill rarely shook anyone’s hand since his Avatar awoke and nodded his hello. Like the other mentalists, Bill kept himself shielded to prevent reading the thoughts of people around him, but couldn’t avoid reading anyone he touched. His Avatar remained active at all times, so he always kept his distance from people and only shook hands in public when it was unavoidable.

The young man introduced himself as Craig Peterson, and he was in the neighborhood collecting donated toys for the “Toys for Tots” Program the US Marine Corps ran every Christmas. Even though it wasn’t his fault Craig was rattled by the accident, so Kevin volunteered their help in gathering the scattered toys.

Reaching down, Bill grabbed a medium-sized metal dump truck and froze as soon as his fingertips came into contact with it, his reaction strong enough for Kevin to feel.

Bill, what’s wrong?

Nothing Kev… it’s just the kid who had this was happy and left some great impressions for me to find.

Closing his eyes, images entered Bill’s mind of the young boy, Cody, who played with the truck for hours on end. The purity and happiness of Cody’s emotions touched Bill. The impressions were strong enough to get several images, and Bill watched the small boy play with the truck.

Not all the toys had impressions; some had never been used, but those that did often had sweet memories and made Bill feel good. Emotions in children are strong and easily carried over into objects. Picking up the toys put Bill in an exceptionally good mood.

After shaking hands with Craig once everything was back in the truck, Kevin and Bill took off, continuing their jog back to their house.

While Bill checked the alarm system, Kevin started the hot water running in the shower. As Bill walked through their bedroom to take off his shoes and socks, he caught a glimpse of Kevin, already naked, in the bathroom mirror.

Kevin saw him out of the corner of his eye and grinning, he turned around and started a helicopter with his dick. Kevin was nearly seven inches long soft, and with his enhanced agility and dexterity, the hip gyrations were easy. His dick twirled so fast Bill could hardly see it, and he laughed, shaking his head.

Kevin was kidding around, but the sight of his muscled hairy body, coupled with Bill’s already good mood, revved Bill’s sexual engine. Stripping, he jumped in the shower with Kevin and they had another round of sex. Showering together ended up saving time in the long run, which Bill laughingly claimed was his plan all along.

Bill whipped up scrambled eggs, sliced tomatoes, and dry toast for breakfast. Using an idea from Bryan and Darren, he scrambled the eggs in the shell and cracked them with his mind. While Kevin and Bill ate, discussing their schedule for the day, Bill suddenly changed the subject.

“Hey, Kev, I have an idea.”

Bill was a smart man, bordering on genius like his mentalist brothers, and he was very spontaneous, which is one of the things Kevin loved about him. Kevin was more of a homebody and needed someone like Bill to pull him out of the house once in a while.

Bill’s excitement carried over into their link, so he smiled and said, “Okay, let me hear it. You know if it involves hot sex with you, I’m all in.”

Bill snorted as he started to laugh while taking a sip of his coffee. Coughing, he flipped Kevin off for making him laugh, which made Kevin laugh at him. Kevin stood up to clear their plates and gave Bill a few solid thumps on his back to help clear his throat.

Leaning over, he kissed the top of Bill’s head, saying, “Sorry, Bill, let me hear this idea I already know I’m going to love.”

“Okay… well, this just hit me, so I’m still thinking it through but go with me on it. This will be our first Christmas fully awakened with all our abilities. When we helped Craig pick up those toys… fuck Kev, when I touched that truck, I felt how much joy it brought the little boy who owned it. The Marines have the ‘Toys for Tots” program for kids in need… and all of us grew up orphans… I want to do something special this Christmas for one of the orphanages around here. Both our childhoods were pretty meager at Christmas, and if we could make some kids feel like the boy who had that truck… well, I’d feel like fucking Santa Claus for real.”

Kevin rinsed their plates, putting them in the dishwasher while Bill explained his idea. Kevin got a small lump in his throat from the passion in Bill’s voice, knowing he was right and wanting to brighten the lives of children leading less than stellar lives. Walking behind Bill’s chair, Kevin put his hands on his solid shoulders, and Bill leaned his head back to look up at Kevin. Their eyes met, and Kevin was struck by how handsome Bill looked. He loved how Bill’s neck thickened when he leaned his head back. He stopped his thoughts from turning sexual, wanting to focus on Bill and his idea.

“Bill, that’s a great idea. I knew I loved you for a reason. You’re a beautiful man inside and out. Why don’t we run it by the guys today and see if we can get everyone in on it?”

“We have plenty of time this morning before we have to be at the lab. Why don’t we do a little research?”

Both men moved into the bedroom they used as an office where they had their notebook charging. Bill was the better typist and usually ran the search engine during missions, so he sat down and launched the doctor’s app. A few seconds later he found a list of Orphanages in Atlanta. There was one not too far away in Duluth.

“Hey, Kev, this one’s only about 20 minutes from here… let’s go now. We can see how many kids there are and maybe talk to one of the administrators and get more info. That way, when we bring it up, we’ll be one step ahead.”

Again, Kevin felt a surge of love for his soulmate.

Bill’s enthusiasm was contagious, and Kevin patted Bill on the back, saying, “Let’s do it.” 

<><> 

 Bill and Kevin had just left their house when Brad’s voice entered their minds.

Hey, fellas, how’s it hanging?

Bill: Hey, Brad, a little to the right. It’s actually pointing at Kev.  What’s up?

Laughing, Brad thought: A few of us are taking Drew, Liz, Henry, and Sally to Stone Mountain for the morning. The weather’s beautiful, and we’re hoping you can join us.

Bill: Sorry, compadre, no can do. We made plans already, but you guys have a great time. We’ll catch up with you a little later today.

Brad: Okay, guys.  Have fun, and we’ll see you later. Love you.

Not wanting to spoil his surprise, Bill shielded himself.  Brad thought it odd and mentioned it to Ken, who also wondered at it.  Brad didn’t have any twinges or weird feelings, so let it go for the moment.

<> 

 On the drive, Bill and Kevin recounted stories of their early days in foster homes and what Christmas was like. As teenagers, they both dreaded Christmas, and as adults it wasn’t an important holiday for them. Bryan and Lane helped change that, along with Ken and Brad. Their brothers got into Christmas much more and decorated their houses, hosting Christmas and New Year’s get-togethers.

Spending so much time in each other made surprises nearly impossible, but all the guys decided to get something special for each other, and a joint gift. It went without saying they would get something for each of their brothers and Albrecht and the doctor.

All of them looked forward to Drew’s reaction on Christmas morning this year. The little boy captured their hearts and could light up the room when they showed up and he got to play with them. With no other children to play with they all took turns with him, and eventually, it turned into a competition with each couple trying to outdo the others. So far, Pat and Darren took the cake with the Hot Wheels track.

Bill and Kevin were a little shocked when they arrived at the entrance to Calvary Children’s Home because it looked more like a juvenile detention facility than a home. The website described it as a ‘beautiful thirteen-acre landscape,’ but the place appeared cold and uninviting. Bill pulled up to the Administration building just inside the entrance.

A few children running around stopped to stare when they pulled up. The place was coated with sad memories, and Bill’s smile faded as they walked up the front steps. Kevin noted the change and put his hand on Bill’s shoulder as they walked up to the office.

Highly aware of how Bill’s Avatar worked and how it affected him, when Kevin sensed sudden shifts in Bill’s behavior or moods, he made a point to touch him. He would often reach out and grab Bill’s hand or cup his neck, making skin contact so his Avatar would read and reinforce Kevin’s presence and what Bill meant to him. Kevin tried to make himself a buffer as much as he could, knowing how vulnerable Bill’s Avatar made him.

On the wall just inside the office door was a large framed photo of the six people who ran and maintained the facility. It had been finished to look like a painting and was in an ornate frame. Reading the placard, Bill noted the Executive Director was a woman named Benita Willis. A young receptionist stood to greet them, and her eyes widened at the two incredibly handsome men in front of her.

“Hello, may I help you?”

Bill replied, “Any chance we could talk to Ms. Willis?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

Smiling, Kevin said, “No, we don’t. This is an impromptu visit for us, but we really would like to speak with her.”

Like all the guys, Kevin was very unassuming about his looks and didn’t realize his effect on people. His big solid frame, short jet-black hair, dark eyes, square jaw, and handsome features, and his confident and friendly attitude usually helped people like him right away. Now that he was awake and his natural charisma was at its fullest, his smile mesmerized the young lady.

“She’s in a meeting right now, but I’ll see if I can work you in after that. She will probably be another fifteen minutes if that’s alright?”

The young girl, whose nametag read ‘Candy,’ seemed very eager to please him.

“That would be nice of you, Candy. Do you mind if we look around while we wait?”

“Of course not! You’ll need to wear these, and the only place off limits for unescorted visitors are the dormitories.”

She handed Bill and Kevin two laminated nametags with ‘VISITOR’ printed on them. When Bill touched his badge, he felt disappointment and sadness. The last person to wear it was denied her adoption and the emotional imprint of that moment became a part of him.

Fuck.

Kevin picked up on the impression through Bill and thought: There was probably a good reason she was denied, Bill. These places have to be so careful with the kids to find good people. I’m sure the screening process is thorough. Turn it around and choose to believe some wonderful little boy or girl was saved from going to a bad home.

Bill’s face squinted in the goofy grin Kevin loved.

Thanks, Kev. Sorry to go darkside on you. You always have a better way of looking at things.

Hey, I’m just looking out for you. I know the impressions can be difficult. Let me be a buffer.

How about a fluffer?

Now, now, William, there are kids present. Keep your dick in your pants, at least until we’re done here.

Bill’s smile widened as he gave Kevin a mental hug and a wink.

They went down the steps and onto the sidewalk that bordered most of the grounds. Scattered playground equipment covered some of the grassy areas, but they didn’t see any kids about. The children playing when they drove up were gone.

Bill: It’s a beautiful morning; where do you think all the kids are?

I don’t know. Maybe it’s breakfast time, or they’re inside for some reason. It’s Saturday, so no school. We can ask Ms. Willis.

Continuing their walk, they came across some old playground equipment like the kind they grew up with. There were monkey bars, a teeter-totter, an old-school slide, swings, and a merry-go-round. The sight of the welded metal equipment brought back memories, and they started across the grass to check it out.

As they drew closer, Kevin heard voices coming from behind a large tree.

“I’m sorry, Brett, I don’t think I can fix it this time.”

The voice that answered sounded sad, saying, “Okay.”

A loud sniff followed, and Kevin was sure the boy was crying.

Not wanting to scare them, Kevin called out, “Hello?”

Rounding the giant tree, Bill and Kevin found two small boys, one about Drew’s age and the other a few years older. They looked like they could be brothers.

Kevin said, “Hey, guys. Is something wrong?”

The smaller boy held an action figure in his hands. It was Bumblebee from the Transformers movies, and it was broken. He held Bumblebee’s arm in his other hand. His cheeks were wet from crying, and he kept his face downcast, avoiding eye contact. The older boy was skinny, almost bony looking, with an unhealthy pallor to his complexion. Both boys were in dire need of a haircut. Their clothes seemed in good shape, not new but not too worn.

The older of the two answered, “We’re fine, thanks.”

Kevin said, “Looks like you have a problem there. Mind if we take a look?”

Neither boy moved, and Kevin and Bill knelt, so they weren’t so tall. To the boys, the two big men looked like giants, especially Bill.

Bill said, “My name’s Bill, and this is Kevin.”

In a dejected tone, the older boy said, “I don’t think you can fix it, mister. One of the older kids did it to be mean. He really messed it up this time.”

Kevin said, “Well, my buddy Bill here is pretty good at fixing things. What’re your names?”

“I’m Tommy, and this is Brett.”

“Nice to meet you, fellas.”

Bill held out his hand, trying to coax Brett closer and let him have the toy. Brett never looked up but moved forward, holding it out. As soon as Bill touched the toy, he was aware of what had happened.

The cruel words of the older boy who broke the toy and his intent to hurt Brett became part of Bill. The harsh, brutal words were successful, and the hurt in Brett evident. In addition to the words, Bumblebee was Brett’s favorite toy, and in his heart, he prayed for Bumblebee to rescue him and his brother Tommy and take them away from the facility. With the toy broken, his prayers could never be answered.

The toy dripped with emotion, and Bill’s breath caught in his chest when he touched it. Bill felt Brett’s reaction as if it was his own when the older boy in the dormitory tore off the arm. The boy taunted Brett, telling him he would never be adopted, or, if he was, he’d be separated from Tommy and never see him again.

Kevin: Damn, kids can be mean-spirited little bastards sometimes.

Bill learned about human nature when they started reading minds, and Kevin did later through Bill. It made sense that kids from broken homes would learn protection mechanisms faster and put up barriers. It was the brokenness in the older boy that made him act the way he did. The tragedy was the never-ending cycle it perpetuated. By hurting Brett, Brett would eventually need an outlet for his own pain and take it out on others.

Bill delved into Kevin, needing a brief refuge and respite. His Avatar was vastly different from mind-reading. Like Lane’s dreams, the impressions became part of him as if he had experienced them himself.

Kevin wrapped Bill inside him, briefly becoming one to help buffer the hurt. Both men experienced the painfully sweet intimacy from being so vulnerable and defenseless with one another, and they also felt how much stronger it made them when they were together.

Tommy and Brett watched the two large men, feeling something from them. They learned not to trust anyone, let alone a stranger, but they were drawn to Kevin and Bill in some inexplicable way. When Bill’s eyes teared up, it surprised them.

Not understanding what was happening but seeing the tears, Brett put his hand on Bill’s and said, “It’s okay, mister, don’t cry.”

Bill’s Avatar fired off at the skin contact, and everything about Brett became a part of him, from the moment of his conception to the present. Since they were merged, Kevin was affected just as strongly. Bill tried never to touch anyone when he and Kevin were so deeply together, wanting to protect him from the impressions.

Brett and Tommy never knew their father, and their mother gave them up for adoption three years ago. They had both been in the facility since. Because they were brothers and didn’t want to be separated, it made their adoption more difficult. Their mother leaving them was tragic enough, but everything else Bill read sent a white fire of anger through both men.

The staff in charge of the facility were horrible to the children. They were strict beyond measure, often punishing them for no reason. Tommy was so thin because he gave most of his food to Brett. As long as Brett lived there, he didn’t remember a single successful adoption. Once in a while kids would disappear, but none of the other children ever saw adults interviewing them or spending time with them. The girls had it worse, and Brett didn’t understand it, but many were kept locked up and had regular visitors.

Bill and Kevin were sure it was prostitution, but it could be more.

Burning light erupted from the two men in the spiritual realm, and thunder rumbled across the clear blue sky, reflecting their anger. Bill kept himself and Kevin tightly shielded as their anger grew, but their faces expressed how they felt.

Tommy and Brett looked terrified, their eyes as big as saucers. Bill realized they were scared, thinking their anger was directed at them.

Kevin’s throat tightened, and his voice trembled with controlled anger as he said, “Oh my God, boys, we’re sorry. We’re not mad at you. Come here.”

Before either boy could react, Kevin swept both of them up into a hug, pulling them close and wrapping them in his arms. He opened their minds enough to feel the love he and Bill had for them and what they shared between them.

It triggered a memory in both boys, more in Tommy than Brett because he was older. He remembered the feeling once a long, long time ago. He recalled being held as a baby by somebody; he was pretty sure it wasn’t his mother, but whoever it was loved him.

The two boys started crying, clinging to Kevin with all the strength in their young bodies. Bill opened their energy centers and taking strength from himself and Kevin, he channeled healing into the two boys.

Tommy’s complexion normalized, and any hint of malnutrition disappeared. The best thing for them was how warm and safe they felt against Kevin, wrapped in his protective strength and knowing nothing could hurt them there. It wasn’t just the strength of his body; his Avatar reached within them, untying knots they had already built in their short lives. The emotional devastation residing in their souls began to heal in the light of the two men.

Bill knelt, putting his arms around them from behind, sandwiching the two boys between himself and Kevin. The light of their combined souls shone over Tommy and Brett, banishing the hurt, loneliness, and feelings of not being wanted.

Bill kept them in the place where time stood still for as long as it took. He wasn’t sure how long they were there, but he was patient, and he never got tired of being with Kevin in that way.

Finally, Brett started to squirm, and his first thought made them both laugh.

What about Bumblebee? He needs fixing, too!

Bill brought them back out, and Kevin used his hands to wipe the tears from their faces. Bill looked at the toy through Kevin’s Avatar, seeing what was broken and knowing what he had to do to fix it. It would have been easier for Darren, but he could do it. Bill exhaled, calming himself and sending out a call to nearby animal spirits. Listening, he drew from the music of creation, and Kevin called on the tree of life. It seemed an enormous effort to fix a toy, but he needed the strength to meld the metal back together.

Bill chuckled when Kevin said: Fuck me, Bill, it’s easier to fix these two kids than a metal toy.

Both men were sweating slightly from the strain of channeling so much power.

Bill handed the fully restored Bumblebee back to Brett. The smile of wonder and happiness on Brett’s face was all the reward they needed for their efforts.

This is the feeling I want to bring to all the kids here, Kev. This is what I’m talking about.

Kevin reached out and pulled Bill into a tight hug.

This is one of the reasons I love you, Bill.

They were surprised when they heard a shout, “What are you doing!? Tommy, Brett, come here this instant!”

The Executive Director had come to find them, and she showed up just as the two men embraced.

Kevin groaned, and Bill jumped to his feet. Tommy and Brett looked like deer caught in headlights and didn’t move a muscle. They were terrified of the woman and knew they were in big trouble.

Kevin said, “Tommy, Brett, look at me, fellas.”

It took a moment for both boys to take their eyes off the Director, but they looked up at Kevin. He put his hands on their shoulders and smiled at them.

“You guys are fine. You haven’t done anything wrong and aren’t in any trouble.”

He saw the relief on Tommy’s face.

“Get your hands off those boys now! You need to leave immediately, or I’m calling the police!”

Kev, stay with the boys. I’ll handle this.

Bill’s anger was evident to Kevin, but he was careful to shield the boys from it.

“We’re going to call the police, alright, Ms. Willis, but not before you and I have a little talk.”

The Director cupped her hands to her mouth, shouting, “ROGER!”

Turning back to Bill, her face livid with anger, she said, “You aren’t wanted here! We don’t allow your kind near the children! How could you do that in front of them?!”

Bill realized he and Kevin struck a nerve when she saw them hug, and the hypocrisy of her attitude astounded him. Through Brett, he knew she ran a child prostitution ring, yet she was upset about a hug between two gay men.

“Ms. Willis, I’m going to give you a chance to come clean with me on what’s going on here.”

“There’s nothing ‘going on’ here. We take care of these children like they are our own. Those two boys are troubled and lie constantly. I don’t know what they told you, but we run a legitimate organization here.”

Bill and Kevin noticed a large, overweight man trotting towards them, arriving out of breath.

“Roger, escort these two men off the grounds. If they give you any trouble, call the police.”

Turning to Tommy and Brett, she said, “You two are in big trouble! If you’ve been spreading lies again, you will both be punished. No dinner for either one of you tonight, and I’m giving you both extra chores!”

Roger moved forward, grabbing Bill by his arm. Roger’s hand barely made it over the ball of Bill’s bicep, and Bill stood solid as a rock, letting Roger know how strong he was. Bill allowed the touch, and as distasteful as he knew it was going to be, he read Roger. Bill squeezed his eyes shut as they turned white to prevent anyone from seeing them change.

Bill was blown away by what he read. Tommy and Brett saw many things, but as children didn’t understand. Through Roger, Bill had the names of the six chief conspirators in the ring of corruption running the orphanage. They were scamming Child and Family Services with the State Department of Human Resources and collecting money for each child living in the facility.

The oldest girls were used as prostitutes and even a few of the boys. The staff kept an iron grip on the children and ran the place like tyrants. Many of the children were unhealthy, and their health problems were ignored because of expenses. The food in the cafeteria was substandard and heavily rationed to reduce costs.

A wave of nausea hit Bill at the brokenness of the situation. None of the people involved in the tragic setup had anything to do with The Enemy or The Master. They were just despicable, horrible people. The kind of people Bill and Kevin and the others fought for, so they could be cruel and hateful to children and make their lives miserable… all for money and under the guise of Christianity. The name and tax status of the Children’s Home was presented as a tax-free business with ties to the Church, and they received regular donations from many local churches in the area.

Emotions heightened, and Bill stood firm, breathing hard. Kevin felt the sudden tension in his partner, sharing the anger and the shock of what was going on, as well as the uncertainty of how to proceed.

I need to know more, Kev. I want to know every detail before we decide what to do. We have to do what’s right for the kids and make sure they’ll be okay.

Bill, you don’t have to read any more of them. I know what it does to you! Hell, I can see what just reading Tommy and Brett did to you. You don’t want to do that to yourself!

I have to, Kev. We need to give all the kids here what we gave Tommy and Brett. They have to know this isn’t the norm. Some of them probably don’t even realize they’re being mistreated and think this is how the world works. We have to show them otherwise.

Bill, you know I’ll support you, but please reconsider. Let’s get with the guys so they can help us carry this.

If this were The Enemy I’d say absolutely, but this isn’t about the team, and I don’t want to put them through this. We all have enough on our plates, and I don’t want to add to their burdens. It’ll be bad enough when we share it later the next time we merge with them.

Ms. Willis and Roger had no idea Bill knew the truth about what they were involved in.

Roger’s eyes widened when Bill didn’t budge. Roger was tall but not as tall as Bill and weighed upwards of 280lbs, but he was fat and out of shape. Roger was a bully and liked to scare and intimidate the kids, but like most bullies Bill knew he was spineless.

Grabbing Roger’s hand, Bill twisted it behind him into an arm lock. It wasn’t painful as long as he didn’t struggle. Reaching into Roger’s pocket, Bill pulled out his cell phone, reading the device to get the PIN.

Looking at the screen, Bill’s eyes flared white, unlocking the phone with his mind. Tapping out a text to Candy, he instructed her to announce the emergency lockdown code that would send all the kids to the cafeteria.

Kevin stood up and said, “Tommy, Brett, would you show us the way to the cafeteria?”

Kevin kept a hand on Tommy’s shoulder, and Tommy took Brett’s hand as they made their way there.

Bill looked at Ms. Willis, nodding his head and saying, “Go. I’m not kidding, Benita. Get your ass in there now. I’m going to let you go, Roger, but only because I don’t want to scare the kids. Don’t try to run or do anything stupid.”

Like Brad, Bill could be extremely intimidating when he wanted to be, and his tone of voice let them know he meant business. He broadcast his anger, enough to get their attention and to show them he was deadly serious.

It took roughly ten minutes for all the kids to make it into the cafeteria. There wasn’t enough room at the tables to seat them all, so many sat on the floor.

The Campus and Program Directors rushed over to Benita as soon as they walked in the door. Brian, the Campus Director, blurted out, “Benita, what’s this all about? Who are these men?”

Kevin said, “Benita, gather your staff over there in the corner.”

Looking at Brian, he said, “No questions for now.”

Brian started to sputter an indignant response until he looked at Kevin’s dark eyes, and he shut up immediately.

Ms. Willis did as she was told and gathered her staff. Even though they whispered, Kevin heard their conversation as they tried to figure out how to get away. They had an exit strategy planned in case the State or the police ever showed up, and they were scared enough at the moment to cut and run. Bill placed a compulsion in their minds to stay and watch.

Moving forward, Bill raised his hands and the murmurs among the kids subsided. Their faces looked at him questioningly, wondering who he was.

Lowering his head to collect his thoughts, Bill spent minutes deep within his mind, while no time passed for the children. Lowering his shields, Bill listened to their thoughts, and his eyes teared up at the pain residing within them. They were just children!

Bringing them all into a light link with him and Kevin, he wanted them to feel the sincerity of his words.

“My name is Bill. This is Kevin. We stopped by this morning for a visit and met Tommy and Brett. While we were here, we learned a few secrets about how this place is run.”

His voice started to crack as he continued, “I’m so, so, sorry for what these people,” he pointed over at Ms. Willis and the staff, “have done to you. None of you have done anything to deserve the life you have here.”

Bill saw the confusion on their faces and in their minds.

“I need you to do me a favor and line up for me. I want to meet all of you, and I want you to tell me your names.”

Bill braced himself for what was about to come but knew he had to do it. He wasn’t sure why he felt the incessant need, but it was in him, from his Avatar, and it was almost like he couldn’t stop himself.  Kevin was with him, supporting him and lending his emotional strength.

Starting with the first child, he asked their name. Taking each hand, with the first touch, he read them, and the pain started. Their lives became a part of his from the moment of their conception. Their lack of self-worth, their longing to be loved and accepted, became a part of him. He saw the troublemakers and the ones who learned to lie and manipulate to get what they thought they needed. He saw the vicious cycles of unhappiness and the brokenness in them. Each child he read broke his heart and his soul a little more.

The most painful were the girls forced to use their bodies to pleasure men and a few older boys who were forced to please women or men. Their physical and emotional scars were tragic, even more so because of how young they were. His soul groaned at the abortions and miscarriages some of the girls already had and the damage done to their bodies.

There were seventy-seven children in all, and no matter how painful each one was, Bill went on to the next. He felt an obligation to each of them to share what they went through, and by the time he read the last child, he was ready to pass out.

Anger and bitterness stormed within him, raging in his soul. Kevin begged him to stop, pushing hard, but Bill rebuffed his efforts. Kevin didn’t understand where Bill’s need to do it all came from, and all he could do was try to be a cushion and buffer against what Bill was doing to himself and make sure Bill knew he wasn’t alone. When he reached the last child, Bill sounded desperate.

Kev, I need you.

Diving into Kevin like a drowning man, Bill felt like every ounce of light in him had been smothered by the brokenness of the children.  Kevin held him as tightly as he could and stopped masking their auras, letting the warmth of their combined souls wash over the children. The two men were so profoundly one that their auras exuded a visible glow.

A few of the younger ones thought they were angels, and Kevin smiled, thinking: They’re half right.

The older children who had already developed bad or dangerous habits were afraid at first, but Bill made sure each of them knew they were loved.

Ms. Willis and the other staff members gasped at their auras. Bill half hoped they would burn up, but they weren’t of The Enemy, and somehow that made it worse. Everything done to the children was out of selfish greed. They chose to do what they did. The children were inconsequential, and a money ticket to be used and discarded.

The more Bill thought about their actions, the angrier he became. As distraught as Bill currently was, Kevin wasn’t sure what he was capable of doing.

Physically pulling back from Bill but staying in him, Kevin cleared his throat,  projecting his deep voice so everyone would hear.

“Kids, I need you to do me another favor and go back to your rooms for a little while. We have to talk to Ms. Willis and the staff.”

Kneeling at the door, as they left, Kevin hugged them for as long as they wanted. Most of them had tears in their eyes, still processing what happened.

Bill stood in front of Ms. Willis, glaring at her. The looks on their faces were mixed, mostly fear but also anger. Their eyes held the gaze of cornered animals. Self-centered, their concern was only for themselves and how they could escape unscathed. Listening to their thoughts, Bill knew each of them was willing to give up the others to the police to save themselves. There was no concern for any of the children anywhere in their thoughts.

Exposed to their brokenness, Bill’s complexion paled even more. He wanted to throw up, and his body ached. Kevin’s worry deepened, seeing Bill sweating and pale.

They started when Bill shouted, “Do you want to see what you’ve done!  Would it make a difference?”

Taking all the pain from the children, he brutally shoved it into their minds.

Bill, no!

Something in Bill snapped, and he forced them to live through everything the children experienced under their care. Taking their minds deep, they lived out each experience in its entirety, even the ravaging of their bodies. Inside their minds, they screamed, begging for mercy, but he was as ruthless as they had been to the children.

You never showed an ounce of mercy to any of the children under your care and protection. There will be no mercy for you.

Kevin was utterly conflicted as to what to do. He Understood what Bill was doing and why he reacted the way he did. He shared the brokenness through their link, but Bill’s Avatar made it worse. Kevin was tempted to shut Bill down until he calmed down some, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He felt, deep down, these people deserved what was happening to them.

The war Bill and Kevin found themselves in was against supernatural forces trying to control mankind. What were they supposed to do when the people they fought to protect didn’t deserve it? Kevin prayed Bill wouldn’t kill them, and he would do everything in his power to prevent that from happening, but they weren’t getting off without a penalty.

Calling 911 on his cell phone, Kevin made an anonymous report of child prostitution and cruelty.

Bill, the police are on their way.

Bill's mental voice sounded exhausted and distraught.

What are we going to do, Kev? We have the power to make this right. These kids need us.

Yeah, they do. I’m not saying this to sound trite, you know this, but the whole world needs us. I hate this as much as you do. We could lose ourselves in situations like this. There is so much tragedy and brokenness in the world… The Enemy isn’t directly responsible for this, but they created a world where shit like this can happen easier. I’m sure The Master would love for us to get overwhelmed with situations like this. Let’s talk to the guys and the doc. Don’t try to carry this by yourself or just with me. When we finally beat The Master, we can make the world a better place where things like this can’t happen.

We’ve talked about this some already, Kev. Do we have the right to interfere on such a big scale?

Please come inside me for a minute, Bill. My heart’s breaking for you, buddy, and you need me right now just as bad as I need you.

Not caring if Ms. Willis and the others saw, Kevin put his arms around Bill, hugging him tight with his arms and soul. He didn’t bother shielding them, wanting them to know what real love felt like. Kevin wanted them to know it existed and was real. He doubted they would be able to change, but if they could, it would start with knowing what unconditional love felt like.

Bill and Kevin immersed themselves in one another, and Kevin did exactly what Bill needed. They were soulmates, fully knowing each other, and Kevin Understood what his lover required at the moment. He held Bill with his body, mind, and soul, letting him cry, rage, and wail his anger and frustration.

Kevin let Bill vent as long as he needed, knowing it wasn’t directed at him and being the sounding board Bill required. Bill needed to know that Kevin understood how he felt and loved him unconditionally, regardless.

The hug lasted for minutes while Kevin and Bill stayed merged for what seemed hours, resting in one another. It didn’t solve their problem, but it gave them the strength to bear it and keep going.

Once they came back to themselves, they saw Ms. Willis and the others staring at them, crying. The tears were a mix of fear, shame, and disbelief, as well as a physical reaction to what they felt. Just as Bill put a compulsion on them to confess everything to the police, Darren reached out, synchronizing their Avatars, and he and Kevin vanished.

The silence in the cafeteria was deafening when Bill and Kevin disappeared. The humans saw the golden aura of the two men and felt the warmth and love radiating from them as they embraced. They had to be angels.

The same thought occurred to all of them simultaneously. A thought that struck fear into their hearts as much as anything else they witnessed that morning. If angels existed, Hell must be real as well, and they felt the fire of eternal damnation licking at their souls.

Even worse, they knew Bill and Kevin believed they deserved to be there.

<> 

Ken and Brad both let out a ‘Fuck me!’ as they came out of the memory. Kevin’s eyes were wet again, and his ache from Bill’s absence became a part of them. Ken’s eyes were glassy too, as he pulled Kevin up, putting his arms around his oldest buddy.

“Shit Kev, I don’t know what ‘ta say. All of that, on top of losing Liz, and my fight…”

Brad asked quietly, “So do you think he’s back at the orphanage?”

Kevin nodded, replying, “Yeah, I do, but he’s not answering, so I can’t be sure. He could be at our house, or the Base in Australia… he could be anywhere, but my guess is he’s back with those kids.”

Ken took a deep breath, and with his hand still on Kevin’s shoulder, he squeezed it.

“I get why Bill freaked out so bad over the Eschphene and what he did. When he read that douchebag’s body… well, it woulda been bad enough on a normal day, but after the morning with all the kids and their pain inside him… just damn.”

Kevin’s quirky, lopsided grin appeared, the one that drove Bill weak in the knees.

“You know what the real kicker is? On top of all this? Deep down, Bill’s mad at himself. He thinks he’s weak for not being able to handle it all. I felt it in him right before Darren pulled us to Stone Mountain.”

The building alarm went off, and Ken blurted out, “Fuck! What now?” as they took off running to the lab's main entrance.

Rick, Bryan, and Pat were already there. The surveillance monitor showed a man they had only met once during their camping trip to the valley. It was Jegudiel, Bill’s angelic grandfather, standing in the parking lot at the edge of the runes' influence.

The doctor looked smug, knowing the archangel couldn’t enter. Since they warded the building with greater runes from the Book of Loagaeth, the archangels could no longer show up unannounced. The doctor didn’t like their direct involvement with his young charges and made no secret of his feelings.

Opening the door, before Ken could say anything, Jegudiel nodded his head in greeting and said, “Hello, Kenneth.”

Unsure of the proper form of address for an angel, Ken resorted to, “What can we do for you, Sir?”

“It is pleasant to see all of you again.”

Jegudiel actually fidgeted and said, “I wish I were permitted to enter, but with your protections, I am unable to do so. Is there someplace we can talk?”

“Are you here to see Bill? He’s not here at the moment.”

“Yes, I am aware of that. William needs Kevin and the rest of you desperately, which is why I am here. I wish to explain something to you, and I have a gift for him.”

Jegudiel had an accent none of them could place, and his vocabulary sounded formal. He was devastatingly handsome like all the archangels, tall and powerfully built. His human form appeared to be in his early forties, with close shaved brown hair and a beard showing a hint of gray. He was darkly tanned and had blue eyes and wore a tweed jacket with suede elbow and shoulder patches with blue jeans and loafers. He looked like a muscular, studly college professor without glasses.

Ken and Brad looked at one another, and a quick conversation passed between them.

“We can go to our house if you like. There’s enough room for everyone there.”

“Thank you. That would be most kind.”

Looking at Darren, Ken asked, “Would you mind, Dar?”

Rolling his eyes at the question, Darren grinned, showing his dimples. Trying to lighten the mood, he said, “You know I got my Taxi license now? I’m going to start charging you bitches for hauling your fat asses all over the world.”

Darren’s eyes turned white as he pulled the image of the safe spot in their house from Brad. Synchronizing their Avatars, Darren teleported them to the kitchen at Ken and Brad’s house. It was more of an effort without Bill, but they managed fine, though it made them more painfully aware of his absence.

Once at the house all the couples found a spot to settle in. Bryan and Lane sandwiched Kevin between them on the couch. Once everyone was seated, Jegudiel appeared as a ball of light, quickly growing into his human form.

When Brad pulled a dining room chair over for Jegudiel, he seemed extremely polite, humbly saying, “Thank you, son.”

“You’re welcome, Sir. Now, what is it you want to talk about? We’re anxious to find Bill.”

“Yes, of course you are. Since that is the case, I hope you do not mind…”

Jegudiel slipped the house out of time. The casual power the archangel exhibited reminded them of the vast difference between themselves and their angelic relatives.

“… there. Now we are not quite so pressed for time.”

An impish grin crossed his handsome face, and he quirked his mouth in much the same manner as Bill, saying, “No pun intended, of course.”

All his buddies felt the emotional rush in Kevin at Jegudiel’s grin. It was one of those characteristics about Bill he found endearing and incredibly cute, and it emphasized how much Kevin missed his soulmate. Bryan, sitting beside Kevin, ruffled his hair and pulled him close, patting his chest in support.

“Now, to William. I know you all have your various Avatars, and you are still exploring and learning about them. They contain subtleties you have yet to uncover, as well as many aspects of your nephilim heritage. Patrick, Lane, and Bryan, I think, can relate more to what is happening with William than the rest of you.

“Patrick, you witnessed earlier what was going on in William. Your Avatar didn’t tell you what you saw, but you realized he was in severe distress... you could see it, but your Avatar lacked the knowledge to explain what was going on. Think of it like putting ink into a glass of water and watching the color change… you would see it and know how the molecules interacted … but you would not know how the water felt having its molecular structure altered. Please do not take my remarks as any criticism towards your ability or think it lacking in any way… it is perfect for what it is intended to do.

“Lane, you have a similar issue when you dream… the dreams become a part of you as if you experienced them. When Taggart Keenan’s leg was blown off in the explosion in Afghanistan, and you dreamt of it, you woke with the pain and experience as though it were your own.

“Twice now, William has faced tremendous evil and pain… the first time with the Skull of General Mstislav at the moment his Avatar awoke. That time he entrapped his mind to prevent the skull from killing him, and even though his body absorbed the knowledge, his mind remained protected. All of you saved him through your own valiant efforts, and the evil was eradicated from his body before he came back to himself.

“This time, however, is different. When William took on the pain and tragedy of those children, it became a part of him. Over seventy children, abused physically and emotionally their entire lives, their pain… it is a part of him now, and he was changed by it… damaged by it. His psyche is powerful, as you know, and over time will heal itself. The process has already begun, and a part of that process is erecting walls to protect himself. This is a natural reaction but comes from the part of him that is human, and in this case, contrary to what he needs. He is shutting out the other half of his soul as well as all of you, the most significant source of his strength.

“You cannot undo this, but you can help him to overcome it. It is dangerous for you as well; you will not be affected as deeply, but everything in William will enter you the next time you merge deeply with him.”

Bryan’s deep voice cut through the pause, and he said, “I get it. Fuck, Bill… I felt it, too.”

Jegudiel nodded knowingly, “Yes, Bryan, when Uriel took you to visit Yggdrasil... when you drank the water of life and your Avatar awoke, you felt all living things for a brief time… you saw the pattern of life as it was meant to be. And then you were wracked with pain as you saw and realized the gaping holes that now exist… some naturally, but many unnaturally. As you remember, the trauma of that experience was severe.

“William faces something similar. He needs you all desperately, and it is difficult seeing him in such a state.”

As Jegudiel’s words sank in, their hearts grew heavier and their eyes watered. More than half of them had tears running down their faces. Bill’s plight added to their grief over losing Liz.

Ken spoke up and said, “Pardon me, Sir… but how can you be here asking for our help? Aren’t you breaking a rule by coming to us?”

“I appreciate your concern, Kenneth. I am walking a fine line here, yes, but what William is experiencing has nothing to do with The Master or The Enemy. He is facing human tragedy; therefore, I can intervene as a concerned relative.

“I am also here to teach you a lesson. Bradford has already touched on this, and it has caused many late-night discussions with Kenneth. It begs the question; is humankind worth saving? If they can inflict such pain on one another in their brokenness… do they deserve your love? Do they deserve to exist?

“William’s outburst over the Eschphene leader and your discussion on whether to end his existence or let him face eternal torment… immediately after facing the staff members of the orphanage who so horribly mistreated all those children… it pushes the philosophical questions you face to the forefront. It illustrates how difficult your decisions and your path truly are.”

Brad said, “It seems as though we’re fighting The Master and human nature at the same time. But we were also told that if… when we finally defeat The Master and break The Enemy… we can restore mankind to his original state before the Curse.”

“Yes, that is a choice you will face. You will not know, none of us know, what direction you will choose until that time comes. Since you have come into your heritage, we have had many surprises. Being unfettered and free as you are makes it impossible to see your path.”

Pat said, “I bet that really pisses some of you off, doesn’t it?”

Throwing his head back, Jegudiel roared with laughter. It took him a few seconds to stop, and he wiped his eyes, saying, “Yes, Patrick, more than you can imagine. Not only us but The Dark One as well. You are quite an anomaly... But I see the need for you. You are random threads in the tapestry of creation, and everywhere you go, the pattern changes in some way. You cause ripples by your very existence, and that upsets many who are set in their ways. Order is nice but boring… I think you were brought into being to ‘shake things up.’”

Each man was aware of the gamut of emotions running through them, from anxiety to fear to confidence. Hearing everything from the perspective of an archangel was revealing yet overwhelming.

It also pushed the idea that the doctor and The Order had been used by outside influences other than the archangels, influences that continued in that very moment. Perhaps only to bring about their changes… like Bryan once said, certain events had to happen to give them a chance to fulfill their purpose. They felt like puppets sometimes, and it felt like more than one hand pulling the strings… which was a paradox if they were supposed to be ‘free’ and ‘unfettered.’

Kevin finally spoke up, asking, “Guys, Sir, this is all fascinating, but what about Bill? He needs me. He needs us. Do you know where he is?”

“Yes, I do. William is at your house.”

“Our house?”

“Yes. He went to the orphanage, but it was crawling with police, reporters, and Social Services. He plans to return this evening when things are calmer. He is conflicted about what is to be done with the children.”

“Guys, I’m sorry, but I have to go. Can you give me a few minutes, and I’ll bring him back?”

“There is one more thing, Kevin. William is still processing everything and not thinking clearly. He loves you with all his heart, but the walls he currently has up might make his behavior erratic, perhaps even hostile. I have something I wish you to give him.”

Jegudiel pulled a small cloth bundle out of his jacket and said, “This is a family heirloom of sorts. It comes from someplace very special, and in times like today, if William is overwrought, it will help. It is not something he should keep with him at all times… The Enemy would like nothing more than to get their hands on this, so you must keep it safe. One day it must be returned so this is a loan, but he needs it now, and it will help him.”

Once unwrapped, the ring glowed softly, getting brighter and brighter until they had to shift their sight or be blinded.

Lane couldn’t help himself and said, “Damn! Bill gets the friggin’ Phial of Galadriel, what do I get?”

Reaching over, Bryan lightly slapped Lane on the back of his head, saying, “You get me, you little shit.”

Jegudiel chuckled, saying, “You are somewhat correct, Lane. This truly is a light for William when all other lights go out. This light, however, is far stronger than what the Lady of Lorien bottled.”

Lane looked shocked, and his eyes widened.

“You know Tolkien?”

“Yes, my boy, I do. He can be a bit grumpy, but we have many good conversations. The Inklings still meet, and you would be astounded at what they have done these days.”

Lane’s inner geek couldn’t take it, and his eyes teared up at that thought, and he said, “Oh my God, I meant ‘you know Tolkien’ like you read his stuff, but you talk to him?! Fuck!”

With a twinkle in his eyes, Jegudiel said, “Maybe one day you will as well. It takes a while to warm up to him, but once he gets a few pints in him, he mellows out nicely.”

“Are you shitting me!?”

“Only a little; it takes more than a few pints.”

Turning and looking at Kevin, he said, “Now, Kevin… go. Go to your partner, my grandson. Bring him back where he belongs. Bring him back to his family.”

Slipping them back into time, he vanished.

Kevin looked at Darren, who grinned and said, “Okay, okay, another freebie, but only because Bill is one of my favorites. The rest of you douchebags suck.”

Darren went into Kevin’s mind, pulling the image of the safe spot in their kitchen. His eyes turning white, he synchronized his Avatar with Brad’s, Loy’s, and Lane’s, and Kevin disappeared.  

<> 

His complexion pale and clammy, Bill shook, sweating and shaking as though he had a fever. Sitting on the floor of their den with his knees pulled up, he rested his chin on his forearms. Deep inside himself, Bill was lost in the children's memories and unaware of the passage of time. The worst ones were those forced to sell their bodies; their shame, violation, and pain were unimaginable for ones so young, their sense of self-worth nearly non-existent.

He saw how their experiences twisted them as they got older, what they did to protect themselves, and how they struck back at whoever they could to make themselves feel better. The things children should have - a good home, a place to feel safe, a loving family - all those things had been denied or taken from them.

Drifting in their brokenness, he wanted nothing more than to make them whole. He didn’t hear Kevin and jumped when a hand touched his shoulder.

“Hey, Bill. I’m glad I found you.”

Kevin was shocked, even a little frightened, at how horrible Bill looked. It hit home how much Bill’s Avatar affected him, and Kevin’s heart ached. He had more sympathy than ever for Bill and Lane, and the double-edged sword their Avatars proved to be.

He also realized just how right Brad and Ken were when they said all of them had to be a refuge for each other, as partners and brothers.

Kevin’s eyes were wet as he knelt in front of Bill. Leaning forward, he cupped Bill’s neck with his hand, pulling him forward until their foreheads touched.

“Fuck, you look awful.”

With the physical contact, he pushed through Bill’s resistance into his mind and heart. Reeling at the storm of turmoil in Bill, he held his lover tightly, filling him with every ounce of love he had for him. He became a rock for his lover to hold onto.

Some of the glazed look left Bill’s eyes, and he blinked through his tears. His voice was barely a whisper as he said, “It hurts, Kev. There’s so much… I’m sorry!”

With his words Bill fell forward, wrapping his arms around Kevin, latching onto him like a drowning man. Shaking with sobs, Kevin held him tight until the worst was over, rubbing his back and shoulders, ruffling his hair, doing everything he could with his soul and his hands to let Bill know how much he was loved.

Once Bill quieted, Kevin said, “Hey, Bill, I have something for you. It’s a loaner from your grandfather. He said it would help. Hold out your hand.”

Bill pulled back, his face wet with tears, so distraught he couldn’t talk. Kevin felt his embarrassment and shame for what he had done and how he reacted. He felt weak.

“God, Bill, you aren’t weak! You’re fucking brave and strong and kind! You put yourself on the line for those kids like no one ever has. You’re a hero, my hero. Jegudiel explained what happened… my only regret is that I wasn’t strong enough for you when you needed me. I let you do too much on your own.”

Kevin took Bill’s hand and turning it over, slipped the ring on his finger. Sucking in his breath, Bill’s eyes widened, turning white. He and Kevin were one and experienced everything together.

Suddenly, they were surrounded by tiny balls of light… fresh, newly created souls waiting to be born. They resided in the Hall of Wings in Heaven, and it was never empty. The purity of each soul was breathtaking, and there were more than he could count.

Bathing in them, they filled him up, driving away the darkness. No…not driving it away… they counteracted the darkness he took and held in him… balancing out the bad with the good, the ugly with the beautiful, the brokenness with perfection, proving to him that humans had the capacity for purity and light.

Kevin sat with him, taking it all in, marveling at what Bill’s Avatar put into them.

Looking Kevin in the eyes, Bill leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips.

“Thank you, Kev.”

“The guys are waiting for us at Ken and Brad’s. Will you come back with me?”

Bill’s apprehension was still there, and embarrassment over his behavior.

Bill, Jegudiel showed us what you went through. You know everyone there loves you, and we all get what you went through, Bryan and Lane more than anyone. Jegudiel explained a lot to us, and we get how your Avatar affected you. Each of us has a downside to what we are now, and there’s no shame or embarrassment about that. Lean on me. Lean on all of us.

What you did was profound beyond words and powerful as shit. You aren’t weak, man. Don’t ever think that, and I’m always going to be with you, no matter what. We’re in this together, you and me and the guys.

Kevin said everything Bill needed to hear, and Bill took it all to heart.

Alright, let’s head back, but I’m going to need Darren’s help taking you with me.

Kevin shared Darren’s new running joke about being a taxi, and Bill smiled, chuckling as he wiped the tears out of his eyes.

<> 

Kevin had been gone about an hour when a piercing whistle filled Darren’s mind.

Hey, Taxi!

Smiling, Darren’s eyes turned white, and suddenly Kevin and Bill stood in the living room.

Immediately, Bill noticed the relief on their faces. Brad pulled Bill back into their link, and he felt not only their relief but their nonjudgmental support, and one thing that no longer surprised him… the contentment when all of them were together. Their unconditional love for him stared back, unflinching.

Grinning, Ken said, “Welcome back, Bill.”

Embracing his brother, Ken slapped him on the back. Everyone came up to him and did the same thing.

It touched him deeply, and he started to cry again. Brad brought them all together, ten to five, and five to one. They swam in one another’s souls, and all Bill’s brothers shared in what he did, and what it did to him. Their pride for his actions washed over him, and he listened to their teasing chastisement as they gave him shit for what he did. It made him laugh, and that was the best medicine.

They stayed together for a long while, each bringing their unique perspective to what happened that day. Everything that happened with Ken’s fight, losing Liz, how Henry and Drew reacted, his experience at the orphanage… all of it.

There was more sorrow than anything, and it was more apparent than ever how badly the world needed them and how much they needed each other. What Bill saw when he put on the ring and continued to feel while he wore it proved that mankind had the potential to be pure. All humans began untainted until their souls entered the world under the Curse. The pressure of that reality rested on their backs… but Ken’s deep voice cut through their thoughts.

One thing at a time, fellas. Even when we defeat The Master, we can’t rush blindly into doin’ somethin’ of that magnitude. We’ll figure it out but for now, let’s hold to our current task and not lose focus.

Once back in their bodies and sitting around the den, Brad and Ken got drinks and snacks together while they talked.

Bill suddenly asked, “Guys, did I do the right thing?”

It was a heavy question, and it was Ken who answered first. He and Brad had discussed this privately and extensively in a construct.

“Yeah, Bill, you did. Those kids needed saving. B and I still have our suspicions about what led you to find them. I’m not sure it was a coincidence that you and Kevin ended up there. It could be entirely coincidental, and we have no proof other than B’s gut feelin’, but that’s a feelin’ I’m comin’ ‘ta appreciate more’n more.

“But here’s the deal. When situations like this land in our laps, we can’t ignore ‘em. We have our abilities, and we’re fightin’ for mankind, whether it’s against their nature under the Curse or The Enemy. But we can’t go lookin’ for things like this yet. If we do, it’ll bog us down, and we’ll lose sight of our primary goal of defeatin’ The Master.

“With what we learned about Drew today… we have ‘ta figure out how ‘ta beat The Master in the next two years, or Drew’ll die. We know that’ll continue every seven years until we figure it out. If he does die and is reborn… at least we have the stone and can use it ‘ta find him, but ‘ta me that’s not an option.

“For eighty thousand years, that boy’s soul has been reborn and died brutally every seven years. That’s…” he looked at Brad for the number.

Brad said, “At least 11,428 times.”

There was a smattering of “Oh Shits!” and “Fuck me’s!” around the room at the number. When it was that black and white, it was unthinkable.

Bill asked, “Why do you think Pat and I can’t see it? I mean, we play with Drew all the time. I’ve held him in my lap, and he’s ridden on my shoulders and crawled on my back. Why didn’t my Avatar kick in and tell me who he is? Why can’t Pat see the connections?”

Brad said, “Pat did see the connection between the stone and Drew, but without your Avatar to fill in the meaning it’s not enough to go on. Istariel has no idea how they came across the stone. I’ll have to talk to the doctor and ask his opinion, but I think it has to do with the Curse and how Drew is part of it. Drew is unaware of who he is… and the supernatural element doesn’t come into play until his seventh birthday. My guess is on that day you and Pat will see a light show like nothing you’ve seen yet, and that’s saying something.”

Ken continued, “That also means our window of opportunity will be small, maybe even the day of his seventh birthday. I hope the doctor and Albrecht can help us figure out more about that.”

Once again, the enormity of what they faced stood before them, and it was staggering how one small boy could determine the fate of Mankind. A boy they loved and wanted to protect; a boy they let down by allowing his mother to make the ultimate sacrifice. Ken had a bruise on his heart where Drew hit him, and it hurt like nothing ever had.

The questions in all of them were unanswered… how would they get The Master to ask Drew’s forgiveness… and if that impossible task came to be, how could Drew bring himself to do it? He was just a small boy, and his life had been hard, abused by a horrible father, and the one person he loved and had been with him his entire life, his mother, was ripped out of his life in a way his five-year-old mind couldn’t possibly understand.

Ken felt Henry’s coldness towards him, too. In her last words, Liz said Henry would be angry at them for her decision and to hold him tight and take care of him. They would do that because they loved Henry too… not because they needed him with Drew but because he was their brother, but his anger hurt.

“We’ve all had a long day, fellas. Let’s draw straws for who gets ‘ta stay at the lab tonight, and everyone else go back home and get some rest.”

Rick and Loy volunteered but so did Pat and Darren, so they played Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle it. Rick was the champ… he won so often they were beginning to think it was somehow a part of his Avatar.

“Okay, ladies, let’s all get some rest and meet first thing in the morning. We need ‘ta debrief the doc and Albrecht.”

A group hug ensued, Darren’s eyes flashed white, and they all appeared at the safe spots in their houses.