 
CAVERS: A VAMPIRE TALE

By

R.G. Richards

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY

R.G. Richards on Smashwords

Copyright © 2013 by R.G. Richards

Thank You for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with friends. This book may not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.

Your support and respect for this author's work is appreciated.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental and unintended. This is a production of the author's imagination.

*****

CAVERS: A VAMPIRE TALE

*****

Chapter 1

Huddled high on a branch outside a small house, dark figures closely watched the people inside. The first figure spread its arms and glided as if an eagle onto the roof of the small two-story house. A second followed, then a third. Together they crept to the first window to peer inside. There, lying in bed, was a woman reading a book.

The first figure was a man who, with deep concentration, stared at the woman, and before long she yawned, put her book down, and went to sleep. His thin lips curled in a smile as he nodded to his comrades.

They leaped to the next window to have a look at the sleeping child that lie in the bed. One of the figures, a green-eyed brunette, had something in the palm of her hand that reflected off the moonlight as she raised the window with small, delicate fingers. Her hair was long, dark-brown, but the top portion was a long-flowing red with dark brown highlights at the tips. She wore a necklace with a large red-jeweled crest emblem. She was accompanied by an older woman who watched her pulled out some type of medical device. This device she ran over the sleeping girl's body, consulting its screen when she had done so. She then put it away and carefully took a sample of the child's blood.

The other woman tapped her: a signal. The younger reached into her bag and withdrew a camera. After snapping a picture of the sleeping child, she replaced the camera.

Their mission was successful, but before leaving, the older woman was driven by curiosity to the sleeping child. She brushed a few strands of the child's brown hair from her face, and leaned down to look closer at her. The angelic face made her scowl. How could something that sweet and innocent have the potential to destroy an entire kingdom? If not for her queen's orders, the woman would have killed the child in its sleep. But she could not, and so instead she left to rejoin her comrades on the roof. Together they leapt as one, and were back in the trees and out of sight.

The brunette was conducting tests on the collected blood when the older woman came into her laboratory to get the child's photo. The old woman took the picture to a pale-skinned woman with red hair, who in turn fixed it with a morbidly curious look before handing it back.

"We are testing the blood now. She will attend the local school with Shelby."

"Don't tell Shelby; she will kill her," said the red-haired woman. "We don't know which direction her future will take. Watch over her and assign a Caver to her. Use Sara; she can bond with her and test her in secret. I have plans for this one. She will serve our cause nicely."

It was three days later that young Allie Carter reached for her favorite hairbrush with an odd look on her face. She plopped her thin frame at her little desk and looked in the mirror while combing through her shoulder length brown hair.

Allie was not overly confident with her looks, but she was sure her personality would make her popular. "Kill them with kindness," her mother always said, and that would be today's secret weapon.

Allie stood to assess her outfit. In the tenth grade, she had gone through as many schools as grades so far in her short life. Each time her father came home with the exciting news of a promotion she would be the only one of her small family to cringe. Letting go of old friends and embracing new ones took skills she had not mastered.

"You are going to like me if it kills you! I am worth getting to know and you will all like me!" She repeated the phrases in the mirror before going downstairs to breakfast. Today was Thursday and it was the first day of a short week. With a brave smile, she bounced down the stairs.

"Hey, Mom."

"Ready, Kitten?"

The timeless Kay Carter gave Allie her strong anchor. She was the only constant in Allie's world and her pulling back her daughter's chair brought a smile to the young girl's face.

"Almost." Allie poured milk over her bowl of cereal and ate quickly. She grabbed her backpack and met her mother at the door. "Dad left already?"

"Yes; there was an accident with one of the oil workers; possibly a bear attack near the pipeline. He left this for you."

Allie lit up when she took the gift, even though the accompanying smile on her mother's face meant trouble. Her mother tapped her wristwatch, reminding her of the time, but she didn't care: the present was her entire focus and she opened it with careful fingers.

Her mother tried to nudge her along. "Hurry up, slowpoke, school is waiting."

"Okay, here goes!" She ripped the corner off the box – and out popped a compressed rubber snake. She yelped. "Argh! Oh my God!" Allie looked at her mother; now her earlier whimsical smile made sense. "Daddy has got serious issues."

Her mother was laughing with her and agreed. "What a joker! Come on, let's get going." Her mother put the wrap in a drawer and they walked out the door to the car. The two of them had developed a routine where Allie was always driven to school on the first day and her mother would lecture her on the drive while she rolled her eyes.

Kay would remind Allie not to talk to strangers and reaffirm that all adults they didn't know were strangers. She prepared her daughter in every way she knew how. Her baby was growing up and the world was a frightening place for someone so young and vulnerable. Kay gave as much information and advice as possible – even more than that, really. So much the young Allie felt stifled.

Allie was far different from her mother: she was an adventurer. She moved so much that her basic strategy was to make one friend, no deep commitments. She just wanted people not to give her a hard time so the time would pass quickly. Allie loved animals and nature and being in parts of the country with more animals than people she felt at home. Her deepest desire was to develop a power that let her talk to the animals. Though she listened to her mother's endless warnings, she wished that she could be a bird: then she would fly to school, land and transform back into herself and go to class. Her mother kept a tight watch on her, and she was only allowed in the backyard – which was always fenced – so Allie was always on mind adventures.

When they finally arrived at the school, Allie opened the door before the car stopped.

"Allie!"

"Sorry!"

She closed the door and waited. Her mother gave her last advice and Allie said goodbye and bolted from the car. Kay sighed as she watched her baby running toward the school. She drove back home slowly, wondering if she had forgotten to mention something and feeling the emptiness of her life, imagining Allie gone for good.

For the first time, Allie entered school without her mother at her side. She was amazed at how dark the inside was: there were no windows, not even in the cafeteria.

"What a depressing place this is."

She walked into the Principal's office to present herself and update her family information contact list. Yet this room was just as dark – and filled with shouting students and teachers. With second thoughts about this school and the year she would have here, Allie took a seat on a bench and after being noticed by the secretary came forward and gave her name. She turned in her paperwork and walked back out, depressed by the scenery, but hoping with all her heart that the classes would be interesting, because the school wasn't.

"Oh well, there is always next year and a new school to look forward to. Lucky me."

In her homeroom class, her teacher, Mrs. Taylor, kept staring at her for no earthly reason Allie could think of. She was glad to go to the gym for an assembly meeting two hours later to get away from her constant glare and scowl. Her class marched in one long boring line and sat on bleachers near the door. Something banged against the wall and she jumped. Allie looked at the other end of the gym and saw a group of upperclassmen walking through the door. Each wore an impressive gray jacket with a patch on the left side. The boys wore blue slacks while the girls donned a checkered blue skirt with various length black stockings and black shoes. All wore a white shirt and blue tie.

The young man on the end grabbed her attention; he had short brown hair and a head more round than oval, which pleased her. In her mind she gave him a perfect five as they marched by her class, carrying a banner in front of them, and took a position on the stage behind the Principal. Allie's fascination with this first group mounted; she turned to the girl sitting beside her who had long black hair with pink highlights and a single strand of green braided tightly on the right side. She whispered, "Who are they?"

"Double E Club, Excellence in Education. You have to be upperclassmen to get in. They are kind of like FBLA back home in Philly."

"What is FBLA?"

"Future Business Leaders of America. They dress like them and travel and stuff."

Sara Johnson set behind Allie and was the only one to talk to her in class. Sara was a year older and was one of a few black students in the entire school – not surprising for a small town named Barlon in North Dakota. Sara recognized the look of always being on the move in Allie's eyes.

According to Sara's explanations back in class, she was the only black student in the tenth grade. The eleventh grade had a set of twin girls and the twelfth grade had two black students, all of which had parents that worked for Lucient Oil Company. Allie had watched her count out the number of students on her hand and her eyes widened as Sara told her about each of them. She wanted to hear more but Mrs. Taylor was talking and walked by and drummed her desk to end their conversation. Allie knew the woman hated her and looked around for her before asking her next question.

"What about the other, um ... W-D-E?" Allie tried remembering the initials on the banner they carried.

"World Dominance through Education. You have to be at least seventeen with a high-grade point average to get in. They take trips, have secret meetings with business professionals and college recruiters and stuff like that. Most of them get scholarships to the college of their choice."

The Principal became background noise as Allie focused on the handsome young man. She took in his face, then let her eyes drop to his jacket's patch. It was mostly black and resembled a family crest. She leaned in and whispered to Sara, "What does the patch mean?"

This was Sara's second year at the school and she averaged a move of every two years instead of the one like Allie. The patch was a large bird like an eagle that held a crest in its wings. The crest was triangular in shape and divided into unequal sections. The largest section on top was a picture of the earth and a man. Then there was a yellow sash like section that cut the crest diagonally. This section held blue Latin writing that said, 'erudio sceptrum orbis terrarum'. The smallest section in the lower right contained a picture of the sun and stars, and beneath was a small banner with EE in the center.

Before Sara could respond, Allie had another question, "What does the writing say?"

"I think it means education rules the world. I'm sure their parents are proud." Sara giggled quietly.

Allie smiled but tried to hold in her laughter with mixed results. She tried listening to the Principal but her attention wandered back to the crest and these people. Joining these people would be a waste of time; she'd be elsewhere next year. Her future would consist of a new home, new school, and a new friend.

After assembly they were handed pamphlets and flyers about the various groups they could join and the rewards for long-term involvement in extracurricular activities. They were dismissed and went back to class.

School went on in the same manner for the remainder of the week. The students attended meetings and were introduced to various groups and organizations and given information on how to join their clubs.

Chapter 2

Late in the night a young man of sixteen was in the trees near a lone daycare center that stood as an ant against the backdrop of the gigantic trees nearby. He had an athletic build with short brown hair and was tree swinging for relaxation. His name was Brad and he would leap from one tree to the next with a look of pure joy on his handsome round face. Swinging high off the ground through the trees, he stopped just before his next swing – something caught his eye. A good distance away he could clearly see a woman in a tree, her hair long and red, staring at him intently. This was his leader, Bethany, and he watched as she glided from the tree to the open ground below and looked up at him.

Brad took flight and glided down a few feet from her. He walked the short distance in the open field to her with apprehension: for her to be in the woods meant something was wrong. What could she want? Why was she even there? He looked all around him as he walked, wondering if others were in the area, but they were alone but for an ominous, gentle breeze.

"Hello, Bethany," he said and stopped in front of her.

"Brad."

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes. We lost another Caver."

"How can I help?"

"I need you to assist those that will be chosen. Help them to adjust; we cannot afford any more losses."

"I live to serve. It will be my honor."

"Good."

"Who has been chosen to serve our cause?"

"We are short on recruits and have to take substandard humans who are not yet ready. They will be far behind the others and will slow them down. I will get a list from the school and you and two others will choose. Do not fail me in this important task."

"I will not fail: my training is complete."

"Have I raised children all these years?" Bethany's voice held a tone of anger. She drew up to her full height, a scowl upon her face grew: in his arrogance, her meaning was lost.

"Task me and I will show you success."

"Very well, you are tasked. Go!"

Bethany held up her hand in front of the young man as if to wave goodbye. A small red ball of fire appeared in her palm and began circling, growing until it was as large as her fist. Brad saw the fireball developing and took off running to the trees behind him. He ran with blazing speed. Leaping tree to tree, he was a good distance away before he was met with his first shock.

Bethany's fireball hit with a loud thundering bang and branches lit up with fire as they fell from the smoldering tree. Brad changed direction mid-flight and glided under the falling limbs of fire to a lower perch. He leaped to another tree and climbed to its top to check her location.

With a speed equal to Brad's, she darted in and out of trees, firing at the running boy. She missed several times – and then hit him, dislodging him from his perch. Brad dove to the ground. He rolled this way and that, dodging fireballs, before returning to the trees.

This section of the woods had been set up as a training course and Brad raced through it without a problem. After several minutes of near misses, Bethany hit him dead-on and he fell to the ground, immobile. Bethany leaped from one branch to another to get a better look at her kill. The young man was gone. He had made it to the finish line and stood with a broad grin as he waited for her arrival.

"Well done, Brad. If your father was here he would be proud of you," Bethany said with little enthusiasm and a slight shortness of breath.

"Thank you. I feel pride when I think of him," he answered, pretending he didn't notice her breathing pattern had changed.

"Go and get ready. I will have you informed when the list is prepared."

"I honor you with my service."

Brad bowed and leaped straight up in the air. When Bethany looked up she saw moving trees – but no Brad. She had faith that they would find good people this time. She took a leisurely stroll through the woods and at the end of her walk she stood in front of the daycare center; she went inside.

# # #

On Monday Allie was back at school in the cafeteria at lunch time. At first she was alone, before Sara joined her. "Hey, Sara, how are you?"

"I'm fine, girl. What did you do over the weekend?"

"Nothing much; it's boring out in the boondocks. I wish we could move closer to town where the action is."

"Girl, ain't no action goin' on round here!" Sara said real fast.

"Maybe not, but you got me beat. Oh, guess what? I think I saw a condor or an eagle, or maybe it was an owl out back behind my house. Something was going tree to tree but I couldn't get a good look at it, but I know it will be back soon. I'm going to try to capture it."

Sara laughed at her. "Capture it? You are crazy as hell! Do you know how big an eagle is? I mean close up, not a hundred miles away. That thing can pick you up and carry you off somewhere. Probably drop you on your thick head in the forest somewhere."

"Yeah right," Allie said disbelievingly.

"I'm serious, that is what they do. They pick things up and fly them real high and then drop them. Kaboom!" Sara laughed again.

"Ha ha ha, very funny." Allie was not amused.

One look into her friend's face and Sara regretted her joke. "Listen, if you need help call me, all right?"

"Sure." Allie felt better now and changed the subject. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Sara looked puzzled by the question. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I was just wondering, is all."

"No, I have no one special. What about you?"

"I don't stay long enough for anything complicated." It was a joke, but deep down it bothered her. The only steady relationship she had was with her parents. Would they ever stop moving? She had no idea, and had stopped asking them the question long ago. "If you stay here another year do you think you will find someone?"

"Maybe," said Sara. "I would rather just stay in one place, boyfriend or not, I hate all the moves."

Allie opened her milk carton and looked around the room. The handsome upperclassman who was on stage sat in the back of the room at a table with the other club members.

"Hey, Sara, who is that guy? The one in the middle with the brown hair and brown eyes."

Sara turned around to look. "Brad Montgomery. Good eye, girl! He is captain of the basketball team and in the summer he runs the 200 and 400 for the track team."

"Really?"

"Down, girl!" Sara laughed before she pointed to the long-haired strawberry blond on the end of the table. She leaned in to whisper. "She will kill you if you look at him too hard. Last year this ninth grader named Kathy Rodgers tried to talk to him in the hall. She disappeared; no one has heard from her since. People say that Shelby did it. Her dad is the sheriff."

"Are you serious?" Allie eagerly asked, wanting to know everything.

"Sheriff Monroe is meaner than a snake and lets her do anything she wants. Don't go anywhere near anybody with one of those jackets. I'm deadly serious; those folks are into more than education." Sara's worried look led Allie to wonder about everyone seated at the back table.

Out of curiosity Allie looked back at the boy, but something strange happened that took her gaze off him. She felt hot and when she looked at the Shelby girl, she swore the girl looked directly at her with a piercingly creepy stare. Could she have heard them talking from where she sat? No, that was impossible. Allie put the thought out of her head. From her morning classes it was apparent that everyone knew everyone else, except for her, so it was understandable for people to want to gawk at the new kid. This is what she told herself, but then she made her mistake and dared to look in the girl's direction again. The girl stared directly at her, unwavering and unflinching. Allie quickly looked elsewhere and avoided eye contact, shoveling food into her mouth.

"Well, it is about that time," said Sara, "you ready to go."

Allie searched her friends face. "What do you mean?"

Out of the blue, Sara began counting in a sing-songy fashion. "And one, and two, and three, and four, and five. Let's try it backwards. And five, and four, and three, and two, and one." She held her hands high with fingers pointing to the clock behind her head.

Ding. The bell rang.

First bewildered, then floored, Allie gave a wry look. "How did you do that?"

"Magic!"

After lunch they went to their lockers to get books for their next class. Allie was glad their lockers were next to each other on the bottom row, though she hated the pushy eleventh graders with the top lockers. Allie knelt, opened her locker, pulled out a book, and set it by her feet before closing her locker. In one fluid motion she took the book, stood up and turned – and collided with someone. Both of them tumbled to the floor. Allie was stunned – and then she flushed with fear: it was Shelby.

Shelby had a pale complexion, almost albino, with light reddish-blond hair and blue eyes. She looked at Allie with contempt that turned to rage. How dare she touch me? At least, Allie hoped she thought that and not something worse. Allie could see a fountain of evil rising to the surface behind dark blue eyes. To her surprise, Shelby didn't say a word; she climbed to her feet and stared down at Allie. Shelby was tall and thin like Brad, almost six feet, and towered over the helpless Allie with a silence that was deadly.

Sara, who had finished getting her book, had walked to the water fountain for a drink. She saw Shelby and one of her girlfriends coming down the hall and turned to see where they were heading. Sara saw the dust up and ran and crouched down in front of Allie. "She is sorry! She is sorry! She didn't mean it, it was just an accident!" Her heart pounded, afraid for her new friend. She turned to Allie and blurted out, "Say you are sorry right now!"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm so sorry." She added for good measure, "I hope you can forgive me."

"Hey! What is going on down there? Get to class right now!" Mrs. Taylor shouted from down the hall.

Allie saw a hand reach over Shelby's right shoulder and touch her. Shelby stopped staring down at Allie and turned to leave. When she stepped away, she saw her saviour: the boy to whom she had given a perfect five. He smiled at her, gave a wink, and then followed Shelby. Allie felt warmness rising from her feet. At first, it frightened her, then soothed her. Her mouth hung opened staring at the handsome rescuer. Suddenly, like being thrown from an enchanting dream, she felt arms around her. Sara and another bystander helped Allie to her feet. She thanked them and they walked to class. Mrs. Taylor stood in the doorway and would not move until Allie looked up at her.

The hair on the back of Allie's neck stood up. The fear she had for Shelby was nothing compared to this teacher. With great reluctance, she steadied herself and looked into the eyes that always seemed to be staring at her.

"Stay away from that girl," said Mrs. Taylor, before stepping aside.

Mrs. Taylor looked down the hall directly at Shelby and Stephanie, her friend. She saw them whispering and was sure she heard Stephanie wanting to go after the new girl, but Shelby told her no, that the new girl was hers. Mrs. Taylor stood with her hand on her hip in the doorway until the two girls left for their next class.

After they were seated, Sara whispered, "I told you."

Allie nodded and opened her book, her bottom lip beaded with sweat. During the last hour of the school day, Allie was still being cautious. She did not know what to make of what happened and was uneasy about meeting Shelby in the hall again or even the cafeteria. Was Sara right? Was she dangerous? Sara looked frightened, but was it an act? Allie remembered she was the new girl and maybe her friend played a joke on her. Perhaps everyone was in on it. She had been tortured before by new classmates. Why should this school be any different?

In the end she decided it was a joke and she would ignore it until she knew Sara better. She was thankful that she had at least one class with her new friend and she would make sure to bring it up later.

They took a pop quiz in her last class and Allie finished hers and got up to turn it in before any of the other students. She smiled at Mrs. Taylor as she put her paper in the tray; somehow the woman's attitude had softened toward her.

"Allie."

Allie turned around.

"Yes, Mrs. Taylor."

"Come here, Allie, I want to show you something." She had been watching Allie and was surprised she didn't try and confront the bigger girl: most impressive. She took Allie to the back door of the classroom. "I hear you like animals?"

"Yes, Mrs. Taylor, I love them."

"Good. I have some you might like." She opened the door and led Allie into the science lab. Like the rest of the building, it too was dark and without windows. Mrs. Taylor was also the science teacher and went from room to room to teach her students. "Do you like ants?"

"Yes. Most people hate them but they are fascinating to me."

"I have here a special ant farm." She put her hand to her lips. "Shh; it's a secret. What makes it special is the ants can spell, but there is a trick to it. Watch!" She tapped the glass several times lightly, once in each of the four corners, and then moved her hand up the glass, tapping it as she went. Allie watched as the ants came out of their holes and began following her finger. They went up the glass in single file. It reminded Allie of marching bands and how they would form long lines as they marched across fields, instruments in hand. Allie looked in wide-eyed amazement as the ants slowly spelled out, in cursive, her own name.

"Wow!" Allie said softly.

Mrs. Taylor watched Allie and saw that look of wonderment that she expected to see. "One of these days I will show you how to do it for yourself. It will make you the life of the party." She touched her on the head and smiled at her. "If you are here next year you will be in my science class. I hope you stay."

"Me, too, Mrs. Taylor," said Allie. She had forgotten about her troubles. She loved animals and always found them to be relaxing for her. They were the perfect escape.

"Come on, your bus will be here shortly. I will see you tomorrow. Goodbye, Allie."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Taylor."

At her locker, Allie put her books away and strolled out to catch her bus home. The teacher she feared had had a change of heart toward her and it gave her new life. She waved to Sara, who was climbing into a car driven by her mother. Allie then boarded her bus for home.

Allie stayed the farthest away and when the last of the older kids left she went to the back so she could look out the glass door. The bus rounded a corner and let some more students off and then started up again. As she stared out, there was a loud bang. She looked up. Neither the driver nor the three remaining students seemed to have noticed, so she went back to looking out.

There was a creaking sound, and Allie looked at the roof of the bus. She got frightened for no reason she could think of. She heard what appeared to be footsteps on the roof of the bus and saw tiny impressions being made with every step. Allie looked at the driver: still he showed no concern.

The bus stopped and the last three students got off. Allie watched them run away, laughing and playing, and the bus started back up. She quickly looked back up for some reason she couldn't explain and saw the impressions heading toward her. Allie got scared and got out of her seat and down onto the floor. She grabbed her backpack and slowly crawled to the front of the bus, all the while watching the roof. She made it to the front and sat in the seat behind the driver. Although terrified, she forced herself to turn to view the roof one last time. When she saw no change she sighed.

She put her head down – and there was another bang. The impressions moved quickly toward her. Allie stood up in a panic.

"Hey! What are you doing? You don't get up until the bus comes to a complete stop!" the bus driver shouted at her in a slightly foreign accent.

He opened the doors and a petrified Allie realized she was home. The safety of home was in reach, but her feet would not listen to reason and move.

"Well, are you going to stand there all day?"

Allie looked at the roof and saw the dents. She did not dream them. She cautiously stepped down to the first step. "Can you watch and make sure I get in all right? I think somebody is after me!"

The bus driver laughed loudly, "Yeah, lassie, go ahead, I will watch out for you." He stood, honked the horn, and said, "Go on!"

Allie saw her mother in the doorway; this cheered her up. She stepped off the bus and took a couple cautious steps before racing for her mother. When she made it to her she turned around and looked at the bus. The driver, still laughing, gave a wave, then closed the doors and was gone. Allie saw no one on top of the bus with tinted windows or hiding in the trees. She hugged her mother and went into the house with her.

Chapter 3

Allie was in her backyard playing with her cat, Lissy. She sat on her swing, thinking about how school had gone. It began to get dark. Hearing strange noises, she looked out past her fence to the trees beyond. The trees were swaying and the flash had returned. A ball of light flashed at the top of one of the tall trees, and then another – perhaps a couple of birds? She tried to keep an eye on both when she saw one of the flashes last longer and move from a back tree to a tree closer in her direction.

"It moved!"

Allie went over to where she put her flashlight and took it out, but the batteries were dead. She shook it a couple times with no result, then set it back down and instead picked up her binoculars. Allie trained them on the trees and brought them into focus. When she lifted them higher to see the tops of the trees, she got a big surprise: a boy, her perfect number five boy, perched high up in the tree. She watched him leap to another tree that held someone else in it. Allie saw what the bright flash was; it was someone's bracelet. She saw the thin legs, the shorts, and she knew it was a girl. When she looked higher she saw that it was Shelby from the cafeteria.

"Oh my God! It can't be!"

Shelby leaped to another tree but the branch gave way and she fell. Allie followed her all the way to the ground and she gasped at what she had just witnessed. Shelby should have been dead from the fall but she got up and held her arm. Leaves fell down around her and then Brad appeared as if he floated down to her. He checked Shelby's arm and pulled something from it. The two of them then ran for yet another tree and were back in the tops of them in no time.

Allie put the binoculars down and ran into the house. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could and pushed her bedroom door in without turning the knob. Desperately, she threw open her closet doors, ran to the dresser to grab a chair, then placed it beside the open closet and clambered onto it, looking at the top shelf. She found her video camera that her dad gave her for last Christmas and raced to a drawer to get a cassette tape for it. Allie slapped in the tape and raced back downstairs and out the door to the spot where she stood before. She turned on the camera and aimed it at the top of the trees.

She zoomed in and out on the recorder, searching the trees for flashes, but found none. For an hour she waited, but she saw and recorded nothing but the trees swaying in the breeze. She was heartbroken; no one would believe her without proof. She would not believe such a tale without proof herself. Frustrated by the events, Allie turned off the recorder and went in the house to go to bed. She was excited by what she had seen but deflated by her lack of proof.

Not being able to sleep left her tired and drowsy the next morning. After getting a good look at her, Kay frowned.

"Kitten, are you all right?"

"I'm fine; I just couldn't get to sleep. I tossed and turned all night." She yawned and stretched before sitting down to a bowl of cereal for her breakfast.

"Do you feel sick? Your color doesn't look good." Worry lines sprouted in her face; her husband was the only doctor in town and he had not returned from treating the injured at the pipeline.

"I'm fine. I hope this is a fast day; I will be hitting the sack early tonight to catch up on some sleep." She finished eating her cereal and picked up her backpack for another day of school.

A horn was honking outside and her mother looked out the window. "Your bus is here; get going. Love you."

"Love you, too."

Allie ran out the door and did not stop until she landed on the first step of the bus. The bus was half full of students so she took a seat in the middle by herself. The bus jerked forward as it started and threw her backward into her seat. She looked up for an instant and then steadied herself. Looking up reminded her of the ride home, but she was surprised there were no dents of any kind in the ceiling, even after a thorough search. She drew a nervous breath before looking at the bus driver: he was the same. She looked at the bus itself: it was the same too, she was sure of it, but there were no dents. Allie's face warmed as she looked at the other students to see if they were watching her. She was no fool; she saw the dents and heard the noise. Were all these people in on a big practical joke at her expense? She knew she wasn't crazy. She sat in silence going over the events trying to make sense of them.

The bus arrived in front of the school and she was the last to get off. She kept quiet until lunch time, when she waited impatiently for Sara. Sara was in a corner huddling with three black students. Allie fidgeted as she waited for her friend, hoping she would stop talking and come soon.

"It's about time!" she blurted as Sara sat down with her tray.

"What's up, girl?"

"I'm going crazy insane! You will not believe what I saw last night and what happened to me on the bus!" She hastily recounted the whole story to Sara, who ate and listened.

"You didn't get any of that on tape?" Sara said with skepticism.

"No! I told you it stopped. Something is seriously out of whack around here. You haven't noticed anything strange?"

"Nope."

"What about Shelby? The way you acted, you know something."

"I know that girl will kill your crazy insane behind if you get in her way. I'm telling you the truth; everybody thinks she did something to that girl. Stay as far away from her as you can get."

"You don't believe me, do you?" Allie said with sorrow.

"I believe you better take my advice to heart or you will be dead meat." Sara finished her sandwich and looked at her worried friend. "Did you ask the bus driver?"

"No."

"Maybe you dreamed the whole thing. You said you didn't get much sleep. People have wild dreams all the time."

"Forget it." The door opened at the end of the cafeteria and young men and women came in wearing gray jackets. Among their numbers were Shelby and Brad. "Don't tell anybody what I told you, promise?"

Sara smiled and held up her hand with her fingers crossed. "Scout's honor," Sara said mockingly.

"Were you even in the scouts?"

Sara shook her head at her friend's disbelief. "Yes - I - was! I promise, okay?"

"Thanks."

The two girls rose to go back to class after their lunch break. As Allie carried her tray, something hit her in the left side of her back. She looked around: it was a dinner roll. Quickly looking up and scanning the room for the thrower, Allie set her eyes to the back table. How could she have made an enemy so fast? She was nice and courteous to everyone and smiled a lot. Everyone at the back table with Shelby was looking directly at her - all smirking. For a brief second Allie considered confrontation, but Sara was walking out of the room, her only friend.

With no backup, she gave up on the idea of wanting to smack the smirk off all their faces and got a surprise. She noticed Shelby taking off her jacket to reveal a bandage on her arm. Allie walked out of the cafeteria smiling: she had confirmation, she was not crazy.

Allie's last class of the day would be study hall. She made up her mind to skip the class and go to the gym. The boys had basketball practice and she knew Brad would be there. Allie sneaked in without being seen and hid under the bleachers so she could watch them play.

Allie was happy to see he didn't have acne or pimples in his handsome yet pale face. He wore a long blue tank top with knee length white shorts that had a blue stripe on each side. His new white Nike shoes screeched every time he stopped suddenly on the hardwood floor. Allie watched him dribble down the court and stop and shoot with a defender against him. The ball went into the hoop and the net wrapped around the rim. His teammates hooted and hollered and pointed at the rim; Allie smiled. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a note on it. She then folded it and waited to get Brad's attention.

Allie stood out from the edge of the bleachers to locate Brad. She found him and then went partially back behind them so no one would see her. When Brad's team came down the court he passed the ball to a teammate near her. The teammate dribbled a couple of times and then passed the ball back to Brad, who was at the top of the key now. As the ball was halfway to him, Allie made her move to get his attention by waving her hand between the bleachers. Only Brad saw her hand waving. He passed the ball to someone else and looked back at the bleachers; the hand had vanished, and in its place was the folded slip of paper. As the others ran to the opposite end of the court, Brad backpedaled. He saw Allie walk from behind the bleachers and sneak out of the gym. He kept his eye on the paper and when the game ended he scooped it up. It was folded over several times like students do when making a paper football in study hall to pass the time. He unfolded the paper and as he read it, his facial expression changed. He put it into his pocket and went to take a shower. Later he took the note out to read it again. It read: I saw you in the trees last night. Come to my house tonight.

At eight o'clock, Allie waited at her window looking out the curtain, hoping Brad would stop by like she asked. Her mother had already come upstairs to check on her so she knew she was good to go if he showed up. Showing no patience, she walked back and forth across her carpet continuously, stopping only to peak out the window before returning to her ritual.

As Brad set out to Allie's house, he destroyed her note. He ran along the road and when a car came he leaped from the road to the trees. He leaped over her eight foot tall backyard fence and walked up to the back of the house. He looked up at the windows; the upper left showed movement. He watched for a minute, then leaped up to the roof and landed softly. He peered through the window and saw Kay Carter lying in bed reading a book. He leaped to the other window and saw Allie pacing. He tapped on the window. She stopped, rushed to the window, moved the curtain, opened it – and grinned. "Come in," she said softly.

"Are you inviting me in?" Brad asked.

"Yes! Come in before someone sees you."

Brad entered her bedroom and stood rigid against the window. Goosebumps rose on the young girl's flesh as she thought about having a boy in her room and her mother right next door. It was exhilarating. Wicked. She glanced toward the door fearing her mother would burst through at any minute.

"What do you want?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

"About what you guys do out there." Allie pointed to the woods behind him. Her heart pounded. She gave the door another glance.

Brad said nothing.

"I saw you in the trees with Shelby. I saw her fall and you landed beside her and helped her. I saw the bandage on her arm this morning in the cafeteria, too." Delight flooded her face. No way could he talk himself out of this.

"What do you want?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Why am I here?"

"Okay, how do you do it? How do you leap from tree to tree like that?"

"Leave it alone."

"No! Tell me how you do it.You were like fifty feet off the ground. I want to learn. Teach me."

"Forget what you saw. You saw nothing."

"No! I won't forget it. Teach me. What could it hurt?"

Brad cautiously thought about how to answer and what her next question might be.

"Leave it alone and forget what you saw. The best thing you can do for yourself is to say nothing to no one."

"Why?"

"This is not a game!" His voice became harder, more forceful. "You tell anyone what you saw and you can be killed, you and your family. It's not a game."

Allie quivered but pushed forward nonetheless. "I have seen so many weird things since I have been here and I just want them explained. Tell me how you do it!"

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"Just tell me, that's all I want to know, just tell me!"

Brad huffed; he had had enough of this. He cast Allie one final look. "If you keep asking questions someone will stop you." And then he was gone.

Allie walked to the window and looked out. There was nothing to be seen; it was as if he melted into the night. Allie was crestfallen, yet she had her verification and that was enough for now. She would find out more in her own good time. She locked her window and pulled the curtains together before going to bed.

The next morning she ate her breakfast and was outside waiting on the bus. Her mother saw her put her backpack down and pull out her father's binoculars, scanning the trees. Kay looked at the trees for animals and saw none. Allie scanned the treetops; Kay looked over and saw the branches swaying in a light breeze, but no animals. Shrugging it off, she began to clean the house.

Sara and Allie did not have their last class together so at lunchtime Allie would have to make her plans for the evening. "Hey, Sara," she said as Sara came to the table after talking with other friends.

"Hey, girl."

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing."

"You want to spend the night at my house? My mom said I could have a sleepover."

Sara thought about it for a moment before replying. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing."

"You still tripping about them Tree People you saw, aren't you?"

"No!"

"Allie?"

"It's just a sleepover, all right!"

"I'll ask my mom when she comes to pick me up. Give me your address. If she says yes she will drop me off."

Allie wrote her address on a piece of paper and gave it to her. "It's got my phone number on it, too. Call me."

"All right, girl."

After lunch as they were heading back to class they saw Shelby, Brad, and the Double E Club members coming into the cafeteria. When Shelby wasn't looking in her direction, Allie smiled slightly in Brad's direction. Sara shot her a worried look. "You are playing with fire, girl. You are not as smart as I thought you were."

"It's nothing," Allie said, trying to smooth things over with her friend. She did not want to tell her about his visit – not yet. Maybe tonight.

Chapter 4

Sara came over and had a sleepover at the Carters'. It was nearly dark when Bertha Johnson pulled her car in to the driveway. Mrs. Johnson was a tall, beautiful woman, and when she climbed from the car she looked more like Sara's twin than mother. Allie saw the car pull up from a window that faced the drive, and ran downstairs. Halfway down she heard the doorbell and slid down the banister to reach her friend.

"What on earth?" Kay Carter yelled. She was near the door, cleaning for the arrival of her daughter's friend.

"Nothing. Nothing. I thought you were out back."

Kay gave her a look to make her back up before opening the door. "Hello, welcome to our home. Please come in."

Kay motioned them toward the living room. It was strange to see someone of her age with long black hair with a red streak on her left side.

"You must be the Johnsons?"

"Yes, we are," said Mrs. Johnson. "I am Bertha Mae and this is Sara Mae."

Allie almost laughed when she heard the name. She looked at Sara, who looked fit to die of embarrassment.

"Speak, ingrate," said Mrs. Johnson.

"Hello, Mrs. Carter. Thank you for inviting me into your home."

Kay smiled and appreciated her good manners. "You are very welcome, dear. Allie, will you show your guest upstairs?" She had a familiar look in her eye that Allie tried to interpret.

"Okay." She nodded to Sara and they raced up the stairs to her room.

Kay was disappointed but tried not to let it show. "Will you sit for a moment?"

"Yes." Mrs. Johnson sat down and looked around the room. "This is a lovely room."

"Thank you. I have only had a few months to get this house in order and it is taking a while for everything to come together. I started in the –"

Kay was interrupted by her daughter who had come back downstairs. "Mrs. Johnson, thank you for letting Sara spend the night. She was the first person to talk to me at school and believe me, being the new kid is not easy. I just wanted to say thanks – so, thanks." Allie smiled at her mother.

"Oh, you are so welcome, dear. We have been the new kids on the block many times ourselves and we know how hard it is."

Allie smiled again and went back upstairs. Kay was so pleased with her daughter's good manners she lost her train of thought.

Mrs. Johnson stood up to leave. "Well, I have to get started home. My husband is on his way and I haven't started dinner yet. It has been a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Carter."

"The pleasure has been mine. You be careful driving back," Kay said. The two walked to the front door, and Kay pulled it open.

"I will. Please tell Allison I said it was nice meeting her as well. She seems like she has her head screwed on right."

"I pray every night." Kay gave her a quick hug and she left.

Upstairs, Allie and Sara watched Sara's mother drive away.

"Sara Mae?" Allie giggled.

"It's a family tradition. All the women have the middle name Mae, so stop laughing, Louise." Sara said the name with a long country twang, then smirked.

"Whatever! Come on." They went to her room and sat on her bed. "Are you up for an adventure?" Allie had a gleam in her eye and a smile on her face.

"You lying little whore! I knew it!"

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You want to go look for your Tree People, don't you?"

"Come on, it will be fun. I got us packs already made up and ready to go." Allie went to her closet and pulled out her backpack from last year. She dumped the contents on the bed in front of Sara and spread them. "We have flashlights with extra batteries; throw away cameras that shoot in the dark; binoculars; and a soda and snacks. I got these walkie-talkies and backpacks a few Christmases ago. When Mom is asleep, we'll go out back and through the fence. Just a few minutes are all that I am asking."

Sara took a deep breath. "Fine, if it will shut you up about your damn Tree People."

The girls had an early dinner and said they were turning in for the night. Allie knew her mother would be fast asleep in no time. It only took an hour, and then they were off on their adventure. They tiptoed out to the backyard and then raced to the fence. Allie had the key for the back gate; she opened it and they went through. Allie was amazed at how tall the trees were and how deep and menacing the forest seemed at night. They pressed on, following a small trail, using the moonlight to guide them until the trees thickened and they were forced to use flashlights.

The trail came to a fork and Allie decided to go left. "No," said Sara, "this way has more light. Let's be safe and try this route first." Allie nodded and they followed the route to the right. They followed down a circular path that brought them to a carving along a wall of stone that protruded from what appeared to be a former mountain of some kind. The carving resembled Egyptian writings with odd pictorials of birds, men and letters. Sara saw it first and stopped to examine it.

"Wait a minute," said Allie. She took off her backpack, found her camera, and took a couple pictures of the fading vine-covered wall. When finished she put her camera away and put back on her backpack. "What does it say?"

"I have no idea. It looks like a bunch of kids were up here and drew it – maybe even your Tree People." Sara laughed.

They continued down the path, then came to another fork. Sara went right.

"Why are we going this way?"

Sara did not answer.

Allie followed and repeated her question. "Why are we going this way?"

"I don't know, why not? If we make all rights then we should end up back close to your house, I'm guessing."

Allie thought about her explanation and agreed.

They continued a few more minutes before Sara asked, "How long are we going to stay out here?"

They strolled a narrow path along a rock face. This area of the forest looked as if once-great mountains had been blasted and reduced to mole hills. Rocks littered the area and the upheaval produced jagged rock faces and waterfalls that lined a stream that fed into a river basin.

"Shh," said Allie. She turned off her flashlight and crouched. Sara did the same. She looked around a bit after hearing noises. A minute passed by and Allie stood, sure the danger had passed. "I thought I heard something," she whispered.

Sara whispered back, "I don't hear a thing, except for my heart beating a mile a minute." She stood and aimed her flashlight around the woods and up the rock face. They saw nothing but more scribbled picture drawings. When satisfied, they continued.

Sara had been right about her turn directions. After following the path they made it to a familiar road: Allie's bus route home. They walked along the side of the road without flashlights and in silence.

Close to the house they heard rustling in the trees and Allie saw a far-off flash. "There it is!" Allie yelled and took off through the woods. Sara ran after her but saw nothing.

"Come on, come on!" Allie shouted as she ran across a short field back into the thick of the trees. She stopped and took off her backpack, whipped out her camera, and started taking pictures of the trees in the direction of her flash.

Sara came alongside her, activated her flash, and took pictures.

"What are you doing? Turn that off! I told you they work in the dark."

"I'm sorry. I didn't see anything and thought the flash would capture something hiding in the dark."

For a time the two took more pictures, before finally giving up – there were no more flashes – and beginning the long trek home. Allie walked in silence but her mind raced. Did she capture a clear image? Did Sara? Was she wrong about the flash and just imagined the whole episode? Was her mission sabotaged by bringing Sara, someone who had no faith in what she had seen? Where was her father and when would he make it home? Allie forced the questions down and put them out of her mind.

They made it to the house and went around to the back door. Allie unlocked the door and they crept in, locked the door and tiptoed back upstairs. The girls chitchatted for about an hour before falling asleep side by side in Allie's small bed.

The next morning, Mrs. Carter, who found it odd that the girls weren't already up, knocked on Allie's door. "Hey, Kit-" she caught herself; surely her daughter would be embarrassed by a pet name. "Hey, sleepyheads, you two up in there?" She knocked louder.

"We're up," said a sleepy Allie, loud enough for her mother to hear and the noise to stop.

"Get dressed and come down to breakfast. You're running late. I made you guys waffles and sausage."

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," Allie said to her friend, mocking her mother.

"I'm up, girl. I'm still tired and sleepy but I'm up." She stretched in the small bed, almost hitting her friend in the face.

"Hey, champ, that's my face." Allie got out of bed in her pajamas and went to her closet. "I have my own bathroom in there. It used to be a walk-in closet for whoever was here before us. I didn't need the space so I asked for a bathroom instead."

Sara got out of bed in a long shirt. "Let me go first; you may be in there all day trying to fix your ugly face. Girl, you look bad in the morning. Kind of like Frankenstein or Uncle Fester." Sara made noises, raised her arms, and imitated a monster as she walked to the bathroom.

Allie laughed and threw a pillow at her.

Mrs. Carter set a place for Sara at the table. She offered them waffles with a choice of sausage or bacon as side dishes.

Allie turned up her nose at the meal. She only thought of the amount of sugar and calories in the waffles and syrup. "I'll just have two of the sausages."

Sara did not hesitate. "May I have two waffles, two sausages, and two pieces of bacon if it is no trouble?"

Kay smiled, delighted at her appetite. "Of course you can." She fixed her a plate and gave it to her with a bottle of syrup. "Eat up. Looks like someone is going to have all 'A's today."

Allie paid her no mind and ate her sausages with half a glass of orange juice. The bus came and the ladies were off to another day of school.

Chapter 5

After an uneventful day, Allie stepped off the bus and saw in the driveway a car with an advertisement on its side door that read 'Lucient Oil Company'. Allie ran into the house, surprised to see her father at the kitchen table. "Daddy, you're back!" She gave him a big hug.

"Alley Cat, what is the matter with you? You act as if you haven't seen this mug in years. I'm surprised you didn't want me gone longer."

"Never!" She kissed and hugged him. "I have something to tell you and you won't believe it, just like everybody else." And so she recounted to him her story, carefully omitting the part about Brad being in her room.

"Where is the film?"

"I'll get it." She ran to her room and returned with the two cameras. "Here they are. Can you get the film developed today, Daddy? Please, please, please!"

"Not today, baby, but as soon as possible. Then we will take a look together." He rose and put the film in his briefcase.

"Why were you gone so long?"

"We had a problem with workers being attacked along the pipeline. Looks like a bear got a hold of Lester Pratt and Bob Mackey; we are still sorting it out right now. I came home because there is nothing more to do until the tests results come back."

"Well I have seen some frightening things so I am glad to have you back."

"Me, too, Alley Cat. Me, too."

Allie looked around. "Where's Mom?"

"She took some things to the shelter; winter will be here before you know it and the poor need blankets and food to survive."

"I guess so."

"Hey, Cat, how would you like to take a ride in a helicopter this evening? I have to go to the South Ridge and I can show you what the town looks like from the air. We can drop your film off then."

"Oh yes!" Allie filled with joy at the thought of a helicopter ride.

They left the house and dropped off Allie's film for development at the general store. The manager said that if they waited he might be able to rush one of the rolls through the processor and she could take it with her. The whole thing took only a few minutes; because of the poor lighting, many of the photos were too dark and had to be discarded, so Allie left with only four pictures. She was so upset that she did not look at them; she counted on them to validate her story.

They arrived at the helicopter pad to meet a man of fifty years. "Honey, this is Leonardo Stone. He will be flying us today."

"Hello, Mr. Stone," said Allie.

"Call me Leo, everybody does."

"All right," said Allie.

"Are we ready to take off, Leo?"

"You bet! Right this way."

He led them to the tiny helicopter and Allie sat in the back seat while the two men crammed together up front. It was a snug fit and their shoulders touched. The helicopter made a whirling sound as it kicked up dust around them. Allie did not see a thing until they were a few feet off the ground, when the dust began to give way to blue skies. Her father turned and pointed upward to her right and she saw a pair of headphones. She put them on and drowned out the noise. She grinned at her father to indicate they were working; he returned a thumbs-up. He flipped a switch in front of him and she heard him speaking. "Hey, Alley Cat!"

She waved to him; she did not know how to work the headset.

"On the arm of your chair is a red pushbutton at the end. Push it to talk, sweetheart."

Allie found the button and pushed it. "Can you hear me?"

"I hear you, baby. Look to your right; that is our house below, the one with the green roof. If you follow the road as we go you will see your bus route, so imagine you are on a bus that floats instead of one that uses the road."

Allie saw her house with no problem, then the road. She did as her father instructed and imagined her bus route. She passed by the corner store, the post office, the city hall, and then the school. They went further into the rocky area of the South Ridge and she saw a river with birds all around it.

Finally, as the sun set, they touched down. They got off the chopper and rode in a Jeep to the pipeline annex building. There Allie sat out front while her father went to the back to treat two men with medicines he picked up in town. As she waited, she retrieved her pictures and began to flick through them. The first picture was of the writings on the rock wall they had traveled alongside. The second was the same from a different angle. The third picture was of a treetop whose branches were in clear focus as they swayed in the wind. The last photo was blurry but when she looked deeply at it she believed it to be a tree – and on the very right side of the photo was the edge of a shoe. "Yes!" Allie whooped. She grinned: proof.

On the way back, the helicopter had a spotlight the pilot activated so Allie could see the town again at night. She looked down and saw buildings and houses. The pilot turned on another light next to the spotlight and Allie was able to see the town even clearer. She saw some design on the top of the school that intrigued her but because of the direction the helicopter flew she was only able to see it briefly. There were two buses on the side of the school that she passed over next and when the light shown over them she saw a shape on top of the buses that caught her attention. Peering more intently, she saw the outline of what she thought looked like the design emblazoned across the Double E Club members' jackets. She focused sharply on the design to commit it to memory. Yet when the buses passed and she peered down through the other window, there was no marking to be seen.

As they passed over another house, a roof came into view and she clearly saw the patch this time. It was the same bird holding a crest. "Gotcha!" However, like the buses, as soon as it had passed and was lit only by moonlight, it looked like just a plain roof. Allie's face soured. How could it be?

The image showed up again on the roof of a local store and the house near it. Allie took out a piece of paper and wrote down the information before she forgot.

Her heart pounded with anticipation as they circled her house. She wanted to see the image but prayed for it not to be there. It must be some kind of mark, she thought. Fortunately, her house was clear, and then they were back at the helicopter pad and the helicopter sat down.

"I tried to talk to you but you couldn't hear me," she said to her father.

"Oh, what is it?" he asked her as they got into the truck to drive to the store and get the rest of her photos.

"Did you see the image on top of the roofs?"

"What image?" He looked confused by the question.

"I saw these images like crests on some of the rooftops. It was also on the school, the store, and the buses. You saw nothing?"

"Sorry, Alley Cat, I saw nothing."

Disappointment welled in her. Her head drooped and silence overtook her as they drove back home. The photos that Sara took were all messed up and showed nothing. She took out her photos and looked at them again. Who would believe her? She had seen so many things and no one close to her believed her. Should she try telling her mother? No. She would keep her mouth shut and tell no one anything. She would solve this mystery on her own and then everyone would believe her.

Allie had a peaceful dinner with her parents and went to her room afterward to think of a plan to solve her mystery. She needed to be in town and her friend Sara stayed in the heart of town near the school. Yes, she thought, I will spend the night with her and start unraveling this mystery.

She got a good night's rest and was up early in the morning for school. Her father had already left when she awoke, so she had breakfast with her mother.

At lunchtime she waited for Sara, who again was talking with others before sitting to lunch.

"Hey, girl."

"Hey, Sara, what's up?"

"Nothing new here. Did you get your film developed?"

"Yes, but they didn't show anything. One picture looks kind of like a shoe in a tree and the other three are the trees and the writings on the wall."

"Other three?" Sara said as she opened her milk and took a drink.

"Yeah, only four pictures came out from my camera and none of the ones you took were good."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did the flash mess them up?"

"I don't know what happened. Some of mine and all of yours had problems; either they were too dark or too light. I should have brought a better camera; you know the ones that automatically adjust and everything?"

"Oh yeah! Those would probably work best."

"Sara?"

"Yeah."

"Can I sleep over at your house tonight? Do you think your folks would mind?"

"Nope, they could care less. Mom will be there but Dad is away for two weeks on the pipeline."

Good: that meant the first part of her plan had been achieved.

The secretary in the office let her use the phone and she called and asked her mother, who reluctantly said yes. At the end of the day they rode to Sara's house in her mother's car.

The girls talked the night away, and when Sara and her mother went to sleep, Allie took out her flashlight and sneaked out of the house. The Johnsons lived near the school so Allie headed in that direction with her flashlight. She was not afraid to be out in the dark by herself and walked along the edge of the road to the school.

The buses were parked by a small shed outside of the school; Allie went to these first. With nearby crates, she climbed on top of the shed and jumped on top of one of the buses. Allie shined her light down on the roof, looking for the image she had seen from the helicopter. But there was nothing.

Allie's thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang behind her. Startled, she turned to see Shelby at the other end of the bus. Her heart pounded. Shelby had a killer look in her eye and skulked toward her. Allie froze. Shelby stopped moving and raised her right hand: instantly her fingernails grew over an inch long. Her thin lips pursed to resemble a sadistic smile. She snarled and then began walking toward Allie. Allie looked behind her to see how far she could go before falling on the hood of the bus, then stepped back another pace.

As Shelby advanced, Allie saw a car come around the corner headed in her direction and she began to think she had hope. The car advanced slowly and Shelby kept coming. When she was almost on her, the car's headlights beamed a bright light at them and lit up the roof of the bus. Shelby looked down and saw something and stopped. She hissed at Allie then leaped from the bus and ran down the street. Allie had enough time to look down before the car left and saw under her feet: the Double E Club crest. Then the car rounded a corner and was gone.

Allie trained her flashlight on the spot but it revealed nothing. Something about the car's headlights and the helicopter's lights made the image visible. Now frustrated, Allie jumped down and ran back to Sara's house as fast as she could. She would try to get some sleep and figure it out in the morning. She would not tell her friend or anyone else – not without enough proof to choke a horse. She pumped her arms and a strange sensation shot through her. Allie tumbled to the ground, shaking. Images of what she had witnessed flashed through her mind. She had truly come close to dying. In the midst of her shaking, a new feeling struck her: ecstasy. She took a moment, then picked herself up and ran on to Sara's house with a twinkle in her eye.

In the morning, Saturday, she had breakfast and Mrs. Johnson drove her home. Allie spent the weekend at home helping her mother. Every time she tried to leave, her mother was there with a new task. Allie was not one for patience, but this time, she showed more patience than ever before. Half of her wanted to solve the mystery, the other half was scared she might die. Brad's words played in her head. His warning was real. Perhaps stalling was a fair tactic in the grand scheme of things.

On Monday morning, she was ready. Fear gave way to exhilaration. She had a plan and set out to put it in motion. Her first stop: the office.

"Good morning, Mrs. Braller."

"Good morning, Allie, how are you getting along with your classes?"

"I'm doing well. Mrs. Braller, you know those new headlights that cars come with now?"

"You mean the blue ones?"

"Yeah! What do you call them?"

"Are you talking about the Halogen headlights? They look off-color and blind you."

"Yes, them. Do they make a Halogen flashlight?"

"Yes, but they are expensive. We have one here somewhere."

"Ooh! Could I borrow it for one night? I promise I will return it to you personally tomorrow."

"I guess so, come back at the end of the day and you can check it out. I need it back first thing in the morning, you understand me? First thing."

"I promise."

Allie left the office and went to her first class happier. She avoided the cafeteria at lunch in case she saw Shelby, and so was hungry when she returned home. As she walked into the house, she clutched the Halogen flashlight. Tonight would be the night for answers.

Chapter 6

Allie waited until her parents fell asleep before sneaking out the back door. She carried her backpack which held the halogen flashlight from school, her mother's digital camera, her binoculars, and snacks. She eased out of the back door and picked up her bicycle, walked it to the front of the house and took off down the road. Allie rode as fast as she could, thinking this would be her chance to get her proof on film and finally let the world know what she had seen.

She rode her bicycle to the school and climbed back on top of the shed and then the bus. Allie bent and opened her backpack and pulled out the flashlight and camera. After shining her flashlight on the roof, a chill came over her and she shook. She took a shaky breath before aiming her camera to take a picture of the image. She smiled and took another picture, then another, and another.

There was a janitor's shed around the back of the building, so Allie went to that next. Inside was a ladder she used to climb on top of the lowest point of the school's roof. Once on top, she went to the middle of the roof, shining her light as she went. She stopped when she got to an area where the image started to show up. Allie took out her camera and began snapping photographs at a pace faster than the butterflies roaming her insides. The image was so big she had to photograph it in sections to get it all.

As she got ready to climb down from the roof she heard a familiar bang behind her. Allie stood on the edge of the roof near the midsection. She saw before her a young blond teenage boy she had never seen before. Was he a member of the club? Like Shelby, he pursed thin lips to give a devilish smile and then raised his right arm. Instantly his fingernails grew over an inch long. They were a dirty yellow color and curved inward. Allie could not move or speak; she only gasped, and then willed her feet to move. The boy gave a wide smile to show razor-sharp teeth. The sight of them made her gulp. She diverted her eyes so she could think. After careful thought, a single word came to her: fangs. She looked at the boy to verify and he obliged and showed his killer fangs. They seemed to drip with saliva. She gulped down a dry throat.

Instead of heading toward the ladder, she moved slowly toward the image. The young man advanced, matching her stride for stride. Allie backed up but kept her wits about her. She remembered Shelby and the roof of the bus, she remembered the car and the headlights, and she formed a plan that just might work. Allie reached into her pocket; she took out her flashlight and kept backing up until she was sure she stood over the image. If this did not work she was dead. She gazed at the far-off ladder and for a fleeting second thought to run to it. She stopped and turned on her flashlight, lowering it from his face to his chest and then downward to his feet, but nothing stopped his advance on her. Perhaps he wanted to create as much fear as he could in her before the kill and toyed with her for as long as it gave him pleasure by advancing slowly.

Then the flashlight's beam crossed the roof – and the boy stopped. He looked down, up at Allie and back down again. He bowed his head as if in apology and walked backward from her. In a quick move, he leaped from the roof into a nearby tree, and then to another and was gone from her sight.

"Oh my God! I don't believe this and neither will anyone else. Aw! You idiot!" she yelled at herself. "Why didn't you take pictures?" Allie took out her camera and looked at the pictures. "At least I still have you."

Allie sat down and took a couple deep breaths and then started hyperventilating as she relived what actually had taken place. As she tried to regain her composure, she tried to piece together everything . She had stumbled on a mystery that she never dreamed would lead her here.

"Vampires, my God, vampires!" She rolled on the roof laughing, "Of all the things in the world to find, I found vampires."

She laughed and laughed, partly from elation and partly to keep from being terrified. "Mystery solved: Shelby and Brad are freaking vampires!"

When finally she was home, Allie laid in bed and tried to sleep, but could not. She thought of Brad and remembered what Brad had asked her, if she was inviting him into her room. From all the movies she watched she remembered that vampires cannot come into your home unless you invited them in, and she had done just that. She wondered how it took her so long to figure it all out before finally falling asleep in the early hours of the next morning.

In the morning she had her usual breakfast of cereal but decided not to share her news with her mother. She went to school with her camera and looked for Sara. She saw Sara look around before walking into the gym; this made Allie uneasy. Slowly she crept up to the door but before she could go in she looked through the glass pane in the door and saw the young man who tried to kill her last night. Sara was on her cell phone talking and when the young man came near her he touched her on her back and she turned and gave him a hug. She bade whoever was on the phone farewell, then she and the boy talked for a minute before leaving together through the other door.

Allie felt sick to her stomach. Her best friend, her only friend – was she a vampire, too? Was the whole school full of them? Vampire High? What had she stumbled into? "God, I can't tell her now!" Allie was so confused she had no one to talk or tell her story to. Now what?

She made up her mind that she would get to the bottom of everything no matter what it took. She burst through the door and ran across the floor to the other door to find them. When Allie made it to the door she cautiously peeked through the glass pane and saw them again. Now they were partway down the hall and talking to Brad. Allie wanted to confront them all, as if they had somehow betrayed her, but before she could open the door the bell rang and they vanished.

Allie went to class and sleepwalked through her day until lunch. She waited at her usual table, not sure of what her response should be to Sara. Perhaps she was wrong and had jumped to conclusions or had made her friend an enemy to ease her conscience. Allie did not want to trust anyone now and seeing her friend with the others gave her a reason to stay isolated and keep her news to herself. She played with her lunch, poking at it with a fork as if deliberating whether to take a bite.

"Hey, girl," said Sara as she sat down.

"Hey."

"You all right?"

"Fine." She took a bite of her food so she wouldn't have to talk anymore.

"You're acting strange. What is it?"

Allie kept her voice low and even toned. "Nothing is wrong. Eat your food before your time runs out." She shoved more food into her mouth while staring at her plate.

Sara again watched her carefully but began to eat her food. "What are you doing after school today? Do you want to come over my house?"

"No. I am going with my mother to visit my dad; he is out in the field and can't get away so we are going to him. Maybe when I get back we can get together and do something. I will give you a call, okay?"

"Okay," said Sara.

Allie did not say much the rest of the school day. She did not want to tip her hand as to what her plan would be because she no longer fully trusted her best friend. She would have to wait and determine whose side Sara was really on before revealing her secrets.

After school she went home and had a normal day until bedtime. She decided to go to bed early in the hopes that her mother would also. When her mother fell asleep, she snuck out of the house with one objective in mind: prove Sara's loyalty. She strapped on her backpack and rode her bike straight to Sara's house. She peeked through windows to find no one moving about and presumed them all to be sleeping. Like the school, her friend had a small shed next to the back porch which Allie climbed on top of. She softly jumped on to the roof of the house and unpacked the flashlight she was supposed to turn in to Mrs. Braller, who had been, fortunately, out sick for the day. Allie shined the light down on the roof and checked it carefully. Near the end of the roof she saw the sign. "Yes! It's here." She took several photos with her camera.

What did the sign mean? Who could help her solve this? She needed to trust someone, but whom? Allie would tell her father but he was away and her mother would not believe her without proof of every single incident.

Allie climbed from the house and when she turned, she jumped with fright, Sara was there staring at her.

"Oh my God, you scared the life out of me." Allie produced a false smile, avoiding eye contact.

At first, Sara did not speak; she merely eyed Allie carefully. At last, she asked, "Why?"

The butterflies stopped circling long enough for Allie to respond. "I had to know and you wouldn't tell me."

"What did you need to know?"

"You are a vampire like the others, aren't you?"

Sara half smiled. "No."

"Yes, you are!" Allie moved closer to take a bolder stance. Sara motioned for her to be quiet. "I was on your roof and saw the sign."

Allie held up her flashlight and Sara took it, turned it on, and put her hand in front of it. She smiled and shook her head, clicking her tongue. "Girl, you are just too nosy for your own good."

"What are you going to do with me?" the words came out soft and shaky.

"I tried to lead you away from the truth, but it didn't work. I guess I will have to kill you," Sara said dryly. She took a step toward her and Allie recoiled. Sara chuckled. "Girl, you stupid!"

"Are you going to kill me?" Allie asked fearfully. She knew if she could get back to the roof she would have some protection against vampires from the image on the roof. But Sara had the flashlight and stood between her and the ladder, making her feel all the more helpless.

"I should," said Sara, watching her reaction. "I don't think you will ever stop being nosy, will you?"

"Yes," she said quickly, taking the opportunity before her. "Yes, I can be normal – I mean, not nosy. You don't have to do anything to me." The words Brad spoke resounded in her head in an endless loop. If you keep asking questions someone will stop you! "I will forget what I saw, everything!" her voice wavered.

Sara judged her not to be telling the truth. She snatched her backpack and opened it, examining the camera and the images on it. "If I let you go you will be back here tomorrow night or some other night. This has to end now!" Sara leaned in to Allie with a scowl plastered across her face, but before she could do or say anything, they heard a whistling noise in the trees. She looked up and saw the trees swaying.

Allie saw her opening. She took off running toward her house, frightened at the thought of vampires in the trees coming for her.

Sara had a look of fright on her face as she watched the trees and saw her friend running. She ran after her and caught up to her and said, "Come with me, hurry!"

Allie had run so fast and so far that she was in the woods unprotected, trying to reach home by way of shortcuts. Sara led her through the woods with the noise following them as they went. Sara ran ahead and Allie followed her along a narrow dirt path between the trees. Every so often Sara would look behind her to check on Allie and then up into the trees, trying to see which way they were moving. They ran for a long time and the path narrowed and then grew larger before narrowing again. They went through a small stream and jumped across a deep ditch on the other side. Allie yelled as she fell and rolled down a small hill as she tried to catch up to Sara, who had opened up a lead ahead of her. Sara heard her yelling and looked up into the trees before going back to help her.

"Come on!" she yelled, dragging Allie to her feet. This time Allie stayed with her as they raced along a rock face and into a railroad tunnel that extended for two miles through solid rock. One third of the way in they stopped and Sara pressed a hidden panel then pushed open a wall; the two went inside. They went down some stairs and then ran to the right for a while before ducking down into a chute. The girls yelled as they slid down a dark slide that curved around inside the rock face. A small amount of light streamed in through tiny overhead crevices. The slide eventually dumped them out onto a dirt floor. They climbed to their feet laughing as they brushed the dirt from their clothing and hair.

Allie's heart thumped wildly as she looked around the cave-like room and saw no windows. There were rock walls with lit torches in stands on each wall. There was a small wooden door at the end of the room. They walked hand in hand to the end of the room and Sara pushed another hidden panel near the door. A door opened to reveal a closet with white jackets on hangers all neatly lined up in various sizes. Sara looked through them and pulled out one of the jackets and gave it to Allie. "Here, put this on and keep it on. Do not take it off for any reason, understand?"

Allie nodded and took the jacket. But for a patch on the right-hand side, it was just like a normal lab coat. The patch was of the same bird clutching a crest that she had photographed on the roofs. She put the jacket on. "What does this mean?" Allie asked.

"That is what keeps you safe, girl. Keep that jacket on, you hear me?" Again, Allie nodded. "Look, Allie, you shouldn't be here this early, but I didn't have a choice. The crest is a badge of protection that will keep you safe. As long as you wear it you are a friend and no one will harm you. It is your only identification. You are about to enter a world that is more visual than what you are used to, more distinctive than you have seen before. Behind that door are people who take their cues from signs – you know, like sign language – instead of ordinary sight. What I am trying to say is that they don't recognize you by your face or even your color: they recognize you by the sign you carry." She put on her jacket and then pointed to the crest, hoping she was being clear enough in her answer. "Do you understand what I am trying to say to you?"

"I think so."

"Ready?"

"I guess." Allie said with a panicked yet excited voice.

Sara pulled a necklace from under her shirt that had a cross and a key on the end of it. She unlocked the door and stepped through it, Allie following behind. Sara locked the door from the other side and then turned around to find her friend staring up at the ceiling. She laughed and hit her on the back of her head. "Close your mouth; you're attracting flies." She chuckled again, remembering how she did the same thing on her first trip; she then led her down a hallway.

Allie was fascinated by everything she saw. Emblazoned across the door they had just come through was a familiar image: the school crest. This image featured an enormous eagle that held a crest in its wings similar to that of the crests on the jackets of the Double E club members, only it featured the eagle clutching the moon with its claws, a deadly look upon its face. They walked on a white tiled floor. The walls, too, were covered with white tiles, and stood twenty feet high. The ceiling was wooden and arched. Six gold chandeliers hung ten feet apart. At the end of the hall was another door, this one thick wood with brass accessories. How could all this exist underground with no one knowing a thing about it?

"Wow! This must be a vampire kingdom."

Sara ignored her comments and led her to the end of the hall, coy smile on her lips. They stepped through a door into a square chamber room. The room had white brick walls with a hallway at either end, a desk placed between them. Allie thought about her father's old hospital and this room reminded her of its entrance, complete with a receptionist and information desk.

Sara waved at the woman behind the desk and they walked toward her. "Hey, Bethany!"

Bethany looked like the perfect person to be a vampire. She had red hair and wore it loosely behind her. Her hair was long and straight and dropped down past her shoulders to the middle of her back. She took the right and left sides and pulled them back and put a tie clip on the pieces to hold them in place and let them drop down behind her to finish off her manicured look. She wore a three row, white pearl necklace that was connected to a large, emerald-cut ruby jewel in the center that was surrounded by small diamonds. Her skin was pale, probably because she couldn't be out in the sun; Allie thought she could definitely use a tan. The only color to her face came from her red lips and blue eyes.

"Hey, Sara. Who is your friend?"

Allie slightly leaned to whisper to Sara, "I thought they couldn't see me?"

"We see you fine, lassie," said a booming voice from behind her. Allie turned around; it was the bus driver.

"We hear you fine, too," Bethany added.

Allie turned back redfaced. "I... I... I am sorry," she stammered.

Bethany smiled awkwardly at her to put her at ease; she had never been able to master smiling. "Relax, sweetheart, you are fine." She turned her gaze to Sara and her look became more intense and troublesome.

Sara knew the look. "Who is out right now?"

The woman looked at the bus driver. "Malcolm?"

The two girls looked back at the bus driver. "Taylor, Jake and Denton. They are supposed to be on the Back 40. I'll go check on them."

Allie had not paid attention before but she now realized that both people had on similar jackets. "Who are they?"

"Never you mind, sweet pea," said Malcolm before he turned and left the room by going down the hall on the right.

"Allie, go sit down over there for a minute." Sara pointed to a chair behind them. Allie complied.

When she was out of earshot, Sara moved forward and said, "I am sorry, Bethany. I had no choice; she saw them and took off. There was nowhere else to run."

Bethany looked over at the small girl staring back at her. She turned up her nose at the ghastly brown hair. "Can she be trusted?"

"Yes, if we tell her what she wants to know. She is like me, Bethany: just curious – curious enough to get herself killed without our help."

Bethany considered the child again. Then the phone rang; she snatched it up, talked for a few moments and then hung up, face worried. "The boys are being hunted by the locals for killing livestock. Farmers are chasing them with rifles close to here. She will have to stay the night. Talk to her. If she cannot curb her curiosity, I will have to do it for her." She flashed a look to Sara that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"I will."

Sara collected Allie, and at Bethany's indication they headed down the left hallway.

Bethany rose from the chair and went to a wall behind her desk. She waved her hands, and an open doorway appeared in front of her. Bethany went inside and stood in her control room. She went to a black wall and after waving her hand the wall lit up with monitors. These showed camera feeds from every area of the structure. As she motioned across those she did not need, they switched off and disappeared from sight.

In one feed was Sara and her friend. Bethany enlarged this display. The girls passed several doors on either side of a long hall and went to the door at the end. Sara opened it and they went inside, Allie pausing to touch the door's crest momentarily, and closed the door behind them. Sara had led her into a room with toys on shelves at the right and tables and books on shelves at the left. They went through this room down a hallway to another door, and inside Allie found herself surrounded by incubators and equipment.

This was a nursery. Three incubators nearby housed tiny babies. They were enclosed in glass containers with wires running into them that connected them to monitors. Two women and a man stood next to them watching the monitors and checking their connections. They paid no attention to Sara but briefly looked at Allie before writing on charts and exiting the room.

Allie moved to the nearest incubator and saw a beautiful baby wrapped in a pink blanket smiling up at her. "Oh, she is so pretty!" She tapped on the glass and made baby noises. "Aw, goo goo."

"Careful, girl. You stick your finger in her mouth and it will get bitten off." She laughed, but tapped on the glass just the same.

Allie got a serious look on her face. "Tell me the truth, Sara. I need to know."

"I work here, in the nursery."

Bethany waved her hand and the monitors turned off and the wall went dark. She returned to the front desk to await further word on the boys.

Chapter 7

Allie looked at Sara with newfound appreciation. "You work here in the nursery?"

"Yes." Sara grabbed a stool and gave it to Allie and they both sat by the desk in the room. Sara waved her hand in the room. "I have worked here for a year."

"A vampire nursery?" Allie asked with skepticism.

Sara smiled at her innocent friend. "They are not really vampires, Allie. They are just different people."

"They are vampires! Are you one of them, too? Tell me the truth!"

Sara took a deep breath. "No, I am not."

Allie was not moved by her denial: she knew the truth despite Sara's words.

"All babies are kept here and we look after them. These are the only three born this year. They will die quickly if not cared for. About ten are born each year, but on average less than half survive. The adults are not around; they come by once in a blue moon and never stay long. The babies are fragile, so we care for them. I like babies and hate to see them die. Come here; let me show you something." Allie followed her to the incubators.

"They look so human, don't they?"

Sara smiled at her innocence and pointed at the first baby. "She is smiling but she really can't see you that well. She can see shapes and patterns. That is why you are wearing the jacket; she responds to the crest on the jacket by instinct. It represents adult members of the family. When you wear this jacket she sees the crest and knows you are safe." Sara smiled and added teasingly, "She also knows you are not food."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. Make sure she sees you and the badge. Never dangle fingers in front of her. If she sees them and not your badge ... well, don't do it." Sara smiled again. "You want to feed her?"

"Oh yes! Can I?"

"Of course." Sara opened the incubator, touched her on her shoulder, and lifted the baby. She turned the baby toward Allie and held her out. "Now let her look at your face and then your badge and then your face again. Smile, Allie."

Allie put on a big smile and swore the baby smiled back at her. Sara put the baby in a crib next to the incubators and had Allie stand next to her while she opened the baby's mouth. "Watch this." The baby's gums were toothless. Beneath the gum line on her upper jaw there was a tiny circular spot. Sara took a pencil and pressed its tip into the spot. A sucker came out and extended downward for an inch and ended in a sharp spear-like point.

"They don't have teeth. They have these two suckers behind their upper gum line that can pierce skin; then they feed on the blood that way. You know, kind of like a leech; they attach themselves to you and suck until full. Look here . . ." Sara pointed to the baby's chest and took her out of her blanket to show the area. "See how clear her stomach is? When she feeds it can expand and hold the entire volume of blood of an adult man. About ten pints worth before she gets full and lets go. That is why you don't feed them without them being able to see your badge. You can stop them anytime you want as long as you display your badge. Part of the reason I like this job is because I am the adult and I am in charge of everything." She wrapped the baby then handed her friend a bottle. "Here, feed like normal."

Allie looked at the small bottle and the thick red liquid inside. "What is this? Oh my God! This is not blood, is it?"

Sara chuckled. "It is a protein shake with a touch of blood; she gets her nutrients that way. Hold the bottle down to her and put the nipple on her bottom gum, right in the center. Lean over her so she sees your badge as she is sucking from the bottle."

"Okay. How does she suck from the bottle. Does she bite into the nipple?"

"At first they do, then they recognize the object and the feel and just suck."

"My God, I wouldn't want to try to breast feed her. Could you imagine?"

Sara burst out laughing. "You are so crazy."

Allie fed the baby from the bottle, and took one of the baby's hands with her free hand. She detected nothing unusual about the hand or the feel; it was a real live baby complete with the normal baby smells associated with all newborns. Allie laughed as she played with the baby. "What is her name?"

"I call her Jessie," said Sara.

"You call her? What is her real name?"

"They don't have real names like we do. Their parents give them a pet name that we can't pronounce and when they are older they get the right to pick their own name."

"Oh wow! I would love that! The right to pick my own name. Little Jessie, you are one lucky lady."

Sara laughed. "You act like you hate your name."

"I do, a little bit anyway. If I had my way I would pick a name I could do something with, like Rebecca or Alexandra. I hate Allison, it is so plain."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I have to be saddled with Mae and if I have a girl she has no choice but to be saddled with the name too. It is so unfair what parents do to us. I wish I could have chosen my name. Believe me, Mae would never have been a choice for me, not in a million years – or two."

They chuckled.

"Do you have to burp her when she is done feeding?"

"Oh no, well, sometimes. Never put her close to you where she can't see your crest. If that happens you are in serious trouble. No matter what you are doing you must face her at all times. Got it?"

"If you say so."

"I do." They finished feeding baby Jessie. "If it is necessary to burp her, turn her over in her crib and then do it that way instead of trying to pick her up and put her over your shoulder."

Allie did it and lightly tapped her on her back until she burped. She then turned her back over and held up Jessie's arms and hummed as if dancing with her. Sara checked her diaper to see if it needed changing.

"Is she good to go?"

"She is ready for a good night's sleep," said Sara. She put her back in her incubator, tucked her blanket around her, and turned out the light before they left the room.

The next room Sara showed Allie had two small twin beds in it and a television on a stand. The room was like a hole in the wall; it had a dirt floor and dirt walls, like a cave. Allie was fascinated by the entire experience and quickly forgot about the walls and focused on the room itself. Right down to its furnishings, it made Allie think of a motel room.

"We will sleep in here tonight."

"Tonight? I thought we were waiting for the boys to leave so we can go home."

"The hunters are still looking for them and they will shoot anyone they see. It is also not safe to be out when you don't know where the boys are at; they could attack from different angles. Don't worry, you are safe here and we will leave in the morning. We can see everything clearly during the day. Which bed do you want?"

Allie had no preference as to where she slept, if she slept at all, so she simply took the one by the door. She was still wired from the day's activities and it would take a lot for her to wind down to sleep. She was also worried about her parents – especially her mother, who would worry about her until she returned safe and sound.

Sara eyed her as she stared off into space. A moment ago she had been so happy. "Do you want to take the chance and go home tonight?"

"No."

"Would you call your parents if you could?"

"Yes. They are probably worried half to death by now, especially my mom."

Bethany quietly entered the room while Allie was talking. "Are you settling in all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Bethany sat down on her bed. "You have been through a lot tonight, haven't you?"

"More than I would have imagined, that's for sure."

"I have lots of children here, Allie. Are you here to save them or to help destroy them?"

"What?"

"I suppose we will have to let time decide our fate."

"What?"

Bethany smiled. "Never mind. Allie, I have to be serious with you for a moment. When you leave here tomorrow you have to swear to keep this a secret, all of it. If you tell anyone, including your parents, you are putting the lives of everyone here in harm's way. People out there are afraid of us and they will kill us because we are different. All of us, including the babies. That is why we live in secret and stay apart from you. Your kind kills everything different, and we do not have the numbers to fight a battle like that. I have to ask you to swear to keep this a secret from your parents and everyone else. Can you do that for us?"

"You are a vampire, too?" Allie said with wide-eyed curiosity.

"We are not vampires," said Bethany.

"Yes, you are. Why do you keep denying it after I have seen all this?"

"You are fighting a losing battle, so give up and let her have this one," Sara interjected before Bethany could respond.

"All right," said Bethany. She smiled at Allie and asked again, "Do you swear?"

"I don't keep secrets from my parents."

More forcefully now: "Do you swear?"

"I swear," said Allie. Bethany nodded and left the room. Allie could not say she was disappointed.

Allie lay down on the bed and tried to get some sleep but could not. She kept thinking about everything she had seen and done and what new things she would do tomorrow. She looked over at Sara, who was lying on her side with her back turned to her. "Sara. Hey, you asleep?"

"Girl, what do you want?" she said sleepily.

"What is the name of your job?"

Sara rolled over to face her friend. "They call us Cavers. You should have guessed that by this room and us being underground. It is a combination cave dweller and caretaker; we are nannies to their children. Baby-sitters without the big bucks, because we live here with them."

"Oh!" She thought about it for a moment then asked another question. "Why do you do it?"

"I like babies; they are helpless and need somebody to watch over them." Sara sat up in bed and looked at her friend. Clearly this young girl wanted to know as much as possible – the issue was just in how much to reveal. "My family is one of many that help them in secret. We know about them and have traveled with them since I was seven. We don't really need or want anything, but if we do, all we have to do is ask and we can have it. Their family structure is different; it's our job to care for their young, not theirs. They leave them with us and do whatever they do and we raise them through their school years and then they leave. Our job is to care for them and make sure they blend in and act like everyone else."

"Your mom and dad work here, too?"

"My mom; my dad is an engineer, remember?"

"Oh, I forgot. Why did she ask if I would destroy the children? Do I look crazy?"

"Yeah."

"Sara!"

Sara laughed.

"They ask everyone that; it's an old prophecy."

"Prophecy?"

"Yeah, there is an old story that a human girl will join them as a Caver. She is the Destroyer of Worlds. She will wage war, destroy the kingdom and kill the queen. She also has the power to destroy the children. Don't worry about it; it's just a fairy tale. Like I said, they ask everyone that."

"Oh, that's a relief. How did they find you?"

Sara yawned and stretched. "That is a long story. Get some sleep and I'll tell it tomorrow." She got up out of bed and opened the top drawer of the nightstand between the beds. She took out a single pill, and passed it to her friend with a glass of water. "Sleeping pill."

Allie swallowed the pill obediently and slid back under the covers. Before long, she was fast asleep.

Chapter 8

While the girls slept, trouble brewed during the nightly feedings in the nursery. Mira, a thirty-five year old woman, was alone with the three babies. She was an expert at feeding, and often fed two at once with no issues. Tonight she fed the first two simultaneously in their cribs while singing to them. When they finished their bottles she picked them up and put them back into their incubators one at a time.

Mira went to the last baby, Jessie, who needed changing first. She changed her diaper and sang to her as she sat her in the crib. Jessie was a bit gassy so Mira put her over her shoulder quickly and patted her on her small back. Jessie threw up a little bit on her shoulder so Mira put her back down. Mira took off her jacket and laid it over a chair so she could check her blouse to see if it needed changing. Satisfied there was no problem with her blouse, she went back to playing with Jessie before giving her a bottle. Jessie took half the bottle before turning her head and throwing up, requiring another pat on her back. Jessie saw the jacket and the crest and cooed as she was being rocked by her caregiver. Without thinking, Mira lifted her and kissed her and put her over her left shoulder. From this position Jessie could no longer see the jacket or the crest. Being next to Mira's neck she felt her pulse and smelled her warm blood.

As Jessie listened to Mira's pounding pulse and smelled her blood, her once-green eyes darkened to a reddish-brown. As Mira rocked and sang to her, Jessie's little arms began stretching and wrapping around the woman's neck. When her hands reached each other, the baby's fingers interlocked and fused. This fusing made an unbreakable wrap around Mira's neck. Jessie opened her mouth, shifted to get a better focus – and closed gently on the woman's neck, sealing Jessie's lips tight upon her. Her suckers protruded, moved carefully and gently to the woman's skin, and extended a tiny black needle. With a gentle prick, they pierced Mira's skin.

It happened with little resistance from Mira because she barely felt the punctures. Jessie's body worked on instinct and began first pumping a hallucinogenic toxin into Mira's system that gave her feelings of joy and happiness. She continued to sing and rock the baby with no warning that her life was about to be drained from her body. Nor did she notice as Jessie began sucking the blood from her neck and the arms of the little baby tightening their grip.

Like a tic or a leech, a small stream of blood flowed into Jessie's mouth, down her esophagus to her stomach, which became darker and redder as it filled. After a couple pints her round belly expanded so it could take in more blood. Now Mira began to feel the effects.

Mira's euphoria suddenly vanished. It was replaced by dizziness. Fighting confusion, Mira gathered her wits, and realized – too late – what had happened. She tried to push the baby away from her chest but it was locked around her neck and would not move. She panicked, started screaming – but she was alone. She hit at the baby and tried desperately, fruitlessly, to pry it off. Each time she pulled the baby, it came back to her, tightening its grip like a constrictor.

With her strength draining and her breathing being choked off, she collapsed to the floor and passed out after a few more minutes of futile struggling. Once she slipped into an unconscious state, the baby released her stranglehold and fed from her neck freely. The baby's belly grew bigger and resembled that of a pregnant woman in her ninth month. Slowly her legs started expanding and growing longer; they turned darker as blood spread from her stomach into her limbs. Mira's body seemed to deflate and crumble as the engorged infant continued to feed. By the time Mira's heart gave its last beat, Jessie had doubled in size.

# # #

The next morning Kay went to Allie's room and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. She knocked again. "Allie... Kitten... you up in there?" No answer, so she knocked once more. Worried by the lack of response, Mrs. Carter turned the doorknob and went into the room. She saw Allie's bed was made, but still, a wave of panic struck her. She became frightened and started to shake. In her chest, her heart pounded.

"Allie!"

She ran to the bathroom. She knocked quickly and flung open the door: it, too, was empty. Frantically, she hurtled back into Allie's room and checked that the window was locked.

Kay screamed her name again as she ran down the stairs to the back door. The dead bolt was unlocked and the door was open. She took a deep breath. Everything was all right; Allie was just out back. Yet, when she went outside, she saw the backyard just as empty. She walked all around the house and then to the back again. Perhaps she was at school already?

"Good morning, Lucient Central."

"Hello, this is Mrs. Carter on Wilshire road; I didn't see the bus today and wondered if school was in session."

"Oh hello, Mrs. Carter. There was a route change because of an unplanned event. Your daughter didn't tell you of the change?"

Relief flooded her. The tightening around her heart eased. "No, she didn't."

"Do you want me to get her out of class? I think they are taking a test but I can check for you."

"No, no, no, that is all right. How long will there be a new schedule?"

"Just for today is all, Mrs. Carter. Everything will be back to normal tomorrow."

"Thank you. Goodbye for now."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Carter."

Kay hung the phone up and sat on the couch. She placed a hand over her chest, rubbing, urging her frenzied heart to calm itself. "Thank God!" she whispered to herself.

# # #

Malcolm had had a long night of searching for the three boys being hunted by the farmers. He rubbed his hands together to clean them as he walked down the hall wearing a camouflaged uniform. He entered the room to the nursery and immediately saw Mira's crumpled body on the floor. He quickly closed and locked the door behind him and focused on the cribs and then the incubators. The cribs were empty and two of the incubators housed babies. He scanned the corners of the room for the last infant. Slowly creeping forward, he took a look behind a stack of boxes: nothing was there. Cautiously, he moved to another corner stacked with boxes, but again found nothing.

The last place to check was behind the incubator station. Once again Malcolm crossed to it carefully, looked – and found nothing. Before he could decide what to do next, the ceiling on the other side of the room caved in. When the dust cleared, standing before him was a wild looking young girl of about five years. Her hair was matted around her face and she wore no clothing. She snarled and charged him.

Malcolm stood his ground and raised his hand to her. In the palm of his hand was an emblazoned crest. It glowed, and light shone in the girl's green eyes. Her scream fell silent, her charge halted. Malcolm walked over to her quickly while keeping his hand up in her eyes, then he touched her on the shoulder with his other hand and she stood straighter. He took his jacket off and put it around the young girl, leading her out of the room. Malcolm went back up front to speak with Bethany before going to his room to shower and sleep.

Chapter 9

Sara and Allie woke, showered, and changed their clothes. They had a good night's rest and were ready to face a new exciting day. They put back on their jackets and went to a small cafeteria for breakfast. They were given a choice between toast and jelly or cereal; both opted for the latter. While they ate, Malcolm passed by them and grabbed two pieces of toast and several packets of jelly.

"The bus driver's name is Malcolm?"

"Yes," said Sara, "he has worked here his entire life. He is a Gate Master."

"What is that?"

"It is the highest rank a human can have without conversion."

But Allie did not hear the answer; her mind had wandered back to the buses. "You remember I said crazy things happened to me on the bus?"

"I remember."

"Why didn't he tell me I wasn't crazy?"

Sara laughed loudly. "Would you have believed him or me? If you weren't so damn nosy you wouldn't be here now."

"I know, it's a gift," said Allie with a big grin.

"Yeah, right. Hurry up and finish so we can get started and then get you home."

Allie picked up her bowl and with a couple of big gulps she was done. "Ready."

"Let's go." They got up and Sara gave her a brief tour that led them back to the nursery. As they approached the door they saw Bethany standing down the hall.

"Come here, ladies." They walked over to her. "Did you sleep all right last night?"

"Yes, thank you," said Allie.

"We were good," said Sara.

"I am glad to hear it. Allie, would you mind waiting over there for a moment?" She pointed down the hall.

"All right." Allie shuffled away, but she watched the two from her waiting area.

"We had a problem this morning. One of the Cavers made a mistake and was killed. We need her now. Have you told her about the safety points?"

"Not yet. I thought she would be leaving today? Should I do that now?" Sara inquired, although she was more interested in who had been killed, and why.

"Are you sure about her?"

"Yes, she is all right."

"Tell her about safety and work with the kids today on the Front Nine. The nursery will be cleaned by the time you get back."

"I will, Bethany."

"Give her a T-shirt and a shot so she can keep up."

"I will."

"Have fun."

"We will. I think she will love the Front Nine."

"Let's hope so," said Bethany. She looked back at Allie one last time before going into the nursery and locking the door behind her.

Sara went and got Allie. "Guess what, nosy girl?"

"What?"

"We are going outside today. Come with me."

Sara led her down a corridor she had not been in before. They went through a door and stood in the middle of a large white room similar to the others but with a different pattern of tiles. Each wall bore the familiar crest. Sara went to a closet and opened it to reveal camouflaged T-shirts with large crests on the front and back of them. She handed one to Allie and told her to change. Allie wondered if there was a change room, but Sara immediately took off her jacket and shirt and changed in front of her so she did as well. After changing, Allie tried to put her jacket back on and Sara stopped her; she would not need it.

They put sweatbands around their heads and went to the door at the end of the room and went inside. Allie was in another large room with shelves on opposite walls that contained books and toys. There was a small jungle gym in the room and small tables with chairs and games on them. A door at the other end of the room opened; two children entered, escorted by a Caver named Lisa. One was brunette, the other blond. Both wore an elegant white dress fit for a princess. Each adorned their head with a tiara and held a doll. Allie looked sharply to see if they wore makeup to complete their look. She turned to hide her smile: dress up was a favorite game of hers when she was their age.

Lisa greeted them both and then talked to Sara for a moment before handing her something and then leaving.

"What was it she gave you?" Allie asked after Sara came back toward her.

"Well, I wonder if the cat died happy, what do you think?"

Allie was confused by what she had said.

Sara laughed. "You will find out later. Listen to me carefully, all right? Nadia and Lila will be going outside for their daily exercise. Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Hold out your arm." Allie held out her left arm and Sara took out a small syringe filled with a reddish liquid. "This is a booster shot that you will need."

"What's in it?"

"Trust me." Allie kept still and took the shot high on her upper arm like a booster shot. "There you go."

"What was in it?" she repeated.

"Adrenaline and other stuff. Without it you cannot keep up with them." She pointed to the two children playing quietly at a table. "I have to give you instructions to use with them." She faced her friend and put her hand on her shoulder. "Do the same to me." Allie put her hand on Sara's shoulder. "Now squeeze like this." Sara squeezed Allie's shoulder a bit too hard and she winced.

"Ow! Do you have to do it so hard?"

"Do it, Allie!"

Allie squeezed and Sara confirmed with a smile. "Okay?"

"Good. This is your safety touch. When you are around the children or the babies and they get out of hand you just touch them here on their shoulder and they will stop. It is an involuntary response. Your jacket is your first line of defense; if you forget it or can't get to it then this is your second line of defense. Touch them here as hard as it takes for them to be still. All you need is a soft touch with babies, but as they grow older you need to apply a stronger force. Either shoulder will do; also the back of the bottom of the leg, the calf." She bent down and touched her friend's calf to demonstrate the maneuver. "Follow procedure and you will stay safe, understand?"

"Got it."

"And never be in a position where they can wrap their arms around your waist or your neck, okay?"

"Okay."

"They can hear your heart beating and when it beats fast they get excited, so try to stay calm and watch yourself."

"Okay."

"Come on, I will introduce you." They went over and pulled up little chairs to the table and set beside them. "This is Lila," she said, indicating the blond girl, "and this is Nadia." They looked exactly as five year olds should; their only distinctive feature was that they were lighter in complexion with dazzling green eyes. "Everyone, this is our new friend Allie. Say hello, Allie."

"Hello, Lila. Hello, Nadia."

"Say hello, girls."

They each said hello in a shy and awkward way.

"Where is Mira?" Nadia asked.

"She has left us, so Allie might be taking her place. Will you give her a chance?"

They giggled and nodded in unison.

"Good. She is a good person who cares about both of you. Treat her with honor and respect."

"Are you our new teacher?" Lila said to Allie.

Allie was stunned at the question. "I guess so. Yes. Yes, I am."

"Yes she is, now are the two of you ready to go outside?"

"Yay!" both girls cried and waved their hands in the air.

Sara motioned for them to leave their tiaras and dolls on the table. She took Nadia by the hand and Allie did the same with Lila. They walked toward a side door and exited. There was an open-air railcar, which they strapped the two girls into. After Sara showed Allie how to work the controls, they were off. The car gathered speed and made a few turns that reminded Allie of an amusement park rollercoaster she loved. The girls raised their hands and laughed as they went through a tunnel and up a steep hill inside the mountain and plunged down the other side, splashing through water.

The railcar went speeding along as Sara and the children screamed with delight. Allie was enjoying the moment with them when she looked ahead and saw that the train tracks were leading them into a wall of solid rock. A wall that would surely be the death of them if they hit. How can they be oblivious to their impending deaths? She thought to warn her friend, but how? Her mind went blank and she could only clutch at her friend and ramble.

"Sara! Wall! Sara! Wall!"

Sara laughed at the weird face Allie made. Seeing her in fear was a thrill and she laughed heartily. "Relax, girl, I got this!"

Allie screamed and put her hands to her face, fearing their crash and deaths. How were they going to get out of the tunnel and past the wall?

It was simple: the wall was not real. It was an elaborate force field that kept their hideaway a secret from the outside world. The technology used was able to sense if a hiker or anyone else was on the other side or nearby; if so the railcar would be halted and they would wait for the intruding party to leave the area. The built-in security was decades ahead of the humans who lived in the area.

When they were near the wall, and Allie's screams were at their maximum, Sara pushed a button on the panel in front of her. The wall disappeared and they went out into the sun and into the forest area. When Allie looked back, the wall had closed and all that she was able to see was a set of old train tracks that led into what appeared to be a collapsed tunnel entrance. This was perfect camouflage and Allie marveled at its ingenuity. The genius who came up with it must be someone at the top of their society, she thought.

The railcar kept going and sped through trees as if flying. The sun beamed down on them and they took a moment to enjoy the warmth. Allie got her first real look at the girls in the sunlight. Out here, they appeared to be even paler. She could see blood vessels in one of the girl's faces. So many movies had told her that vampires would melt or burn in the sunlight. She was glad to be wrong; the girls were so pretty. She was even gladder that she didn't mention it to Sara and seem like a real dummy.

The railcar pierced another force field and came to a stop under a camouflaged awning. The two got out and unstrapped the girls. Allie wanted to hold the adorable Lila, but remembered she could not let her get close to her neck. She set her on the ground beside her; the little girl hugged her around her legs and Allie tensed.

Sara saw it and smiled to let her know it was all right. Allie relaxed and touched Lila on her shoulder and the girl stood straight up, releasing her. Allie smiled at her and then at Sara. She had discovered something wonderful: a newfound power.

"I see you are getting the hang of it," said Sara.

Sara reached into her pocket and pulled out a tin. Inside were a number of square, dark red pills. They reminded Allie of her favorite gum candy, Chicklets. Sara gave one to her friend. "Chew it for a minute and then swallow." She put one in her mouth to show her how. Allie did the same without question.

"Now here comes the fun part. Ready, girl?" Sara said, her eyes sparkling.

"Bring it on!" Allie responded with zeal.

"All right, ladies; let's start with the ground course."

"Yay!" they responded in unison. The girls took off running for an obstacle course. They first dove under a long net that they barely had to bend over to get through and ran toward a rope wall.

"You think you can beat them to the end of the course?" Sara asked.

"Of course I can, they are kids," Allie chuckled.

"We will see," Sara smirked knowingly. "Let's go."

As the girls neared the rope wall, Sara and Allie took off after them and dove under the long net. They made it through and raced for the wall. Sara leaped over the wall quickly; Allie ran for the rope and with two quick tugs she was to the top. She rolled over and down, looking to see what was next and where everyone had gone. The kids ran through tires with Nadia leading the way, followed by Sara. As she approached the tires, Sara turned and yelled for Allie to catch up.

The other girls led the way through the tires, monkey bars, and then a sprint to the finish line. Allie huffed and puffed; she couldn't believe how slow she was! When she made it to the end she collapsed on the finish line and looked up at all of them while breathing heavily. The three girls laughed down at her, pointing.

Allie took a minute to catch her breath. "How come none of you are tired? You don't even look like you broke a sweat." Her breathing now became better but her heart raced.

"You are old, aren't you?" Lila said to her, smiling innocently.

"No, she isn't, she is just weak," said Nadia.

"No, I am not!" Allie said defiantly and reached up and pulled the closer girl toward her. They wrestled on the grass. It was Lila, and they rolled and laughed in mock battle. When they stopped rolling, Lila was on top of her and her eyes had changed color. Lila was a green-eyed blond and her eyes were now a dark brown color. Allie quickly reached up and touched her on the shoulder. Lila froze immediately, her expression turning blank. A moment later her eyes closed and opened back up. The green color returned. She smiled down at Allie.

"All right, you two, let's go tree climbing," Sara said. She was proud of Allie and thought she would make a good teacher.

Lila vaulted to her feet and she and Nadia raced to their left to a giant tree. Allie got to her feet and she and Sara ran after them. At its base, Allie looked skyward: the tree was enormous – easily the biggest in the whole forest. It seemed to go on forever into the sky from this vantage point. At the top sat a structure she could not see: their goal.

The kids jumped to a branch twice their height and began their climb after getting the nod from Sara. They were off and climbing fast, leaves falling as they hurtled upward.

"Are you kidding me?" Allie said apprehensively.

"Relax. You should start to fill an extra lift soon; adrenaline does wonders. You first. Jump for the branch."

Allie looked above her head at an eight foot high branch, and then jumped for it, but could not quite reach it. She tried again and again with no success.

Sara stopped her from trying again. She came over to her and put her hands on each of her shoulders. "So, do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then brace yourself. Close your eyes." When Allie closed her eyes, Sara slapped her real hard across her face. It was a wallop that made her fall backward. Allie hit the ground hard and got up, furious. Blood filled her face, turning her scarlet. Before she could charge her, Sara put up her hands. "Wait!" She gave a big smile. "Trust me completely. Now, jump to the branch."

Allie looked up at the branch. Now it seemed to shimmer, color flickering around its edges. She jumped up and instead of catching the branch with her arms, she leaped all the way on top of the branch. She looked down below at Sara. "Whoa!"

Sara jumped up to the branch right beside her. "Now do you think you can keep up?"

"Lead the way," she said confidently.

Sara took off and Allie was able to follow her without any problems. In no time they had leaped from branch to branch, shimmied partway up the tree, then resumed leaping until they reached the top: a tree house.

Inside, Lila and Nadia played with dolls and a dollhouse. They smirked and waved hello, then went back to playing. There were human dolls, some with white shirts and crests, some with blood stained shirts. There were also vampire dolls, bigger and meaner than the rest. They made sounds as the big dolls towered over the smaller dolls. Allie found it interesting that from an early age they were taught they were superior to humans. With the feelings that she was experiencing she knew it to be true and didn't care. She sat by them and watched them play. Sara had a clipboard that she wrote information down in but it held no interest for Allie so she ignored it and focused on the girls.

"Which one of you is the oldest?"

"I am," said Nadia. "She is just a baby."

"I am not, you take that back," said Lila angrily.

"You are too; I was there when you were born so I should know the truth."

Allie was now curious because the girls appeared to be the same age. "Nadia, how could you be at her birth? You are the same age. Are you telling a fib?"

"A what?" She looked confused.

"I mean are you telling the truth?"

Nadia looked to Sara. Sara looked up from her writing, nodded, and resumed her task.

Nadia explained, "I am five years old; she is my baby sister. She is only three years old."

Allie was shocked. She looked to Sara for confirmation, who gave it with a little nod. "But you are the same height, same weight, and body dimensions! If anything, you are twins."

Nadia laughed. "My father did not want me to be alone when they went away so he –"

"Nadia," Sara interrupted, "you two put your toys away. We will finish exercising and then Allie has to go home. Show her how neat you can be when you clean things up properly."

The girls got up and put their dolls on shelves, cleaned up, and came to the door. They asked Sara to leave a note for their friends, Stav and Misha. Sara left the note before opening the door. Nadia continued their exercises by jumping to a tree about thirty feet away and climbing to the top. Lila followed; she landed further down the trunk and scurried up to her sister. Sara went next and landed where Nadia had been and climbed up a bit and yelled for Allie to jump. Allie hesitated for a moment, backed up, ran, and jumped. She yelled as loud as she could as she flew in the air, first from fear and then from exhilaration. She landed lower than Lila had and saw Sara urging her on from above. She looked past her and saw the two girls pointing and giggling at her.

"I will show you little smartalecky brats what I can do."

Allie got a tight grip on the tree and shimmied to the top and they were off again. They flew from tree to tree, whooping and yelling as they went. They played several games involving chasing, before finally returning to the railcar. The car was behind a force field that resembled poison ivy. They stepped through it, strapped the kids back in, got in the back seats, and went back through the tunnel to the underground lair.

Chapter 10

Sara and Allie held hands with the children as they brought them back inside the mountain hideaway. Once inside, the children walked in front of them, playing. Allie asked, "What is this place called, does it have a name?"

"Caveena. In their language it has several meanings; city, family, community, for us it means nursery school. It is one of several; this one is officially Caveena Six."

"Can I stay and help?"

"We have to get you back. Your parents will be worried, and before long they will have people searching for you. Eventually they will find this place and attack these people. We can't take that chance."

"What if I... what if I told my mother I had a baby-sitting job? That would not even be a lie."

"I'll ask Bethany. I'm not sure she likes you." Sara winked.

"Everybody likes me. I am popular, okay!"

"We will see, girl."

"She doesn't think I will hurt the kids, does she?"

"Will you stop it –"

"I wouldn't hurt a child. I wouldn't! There is no way that stuff could be talking about me. Kill the queen? I don't even know who the queen is, I never met her."

"Relax, girl."

They returned to the room where they met Lila and Nadia. Lisa was already waiting, and she took the two girls to escort them out. When they were gone, Allie looked around the white room and saw new patterns on the walls. "Whoa! Look at the walls!"

"Are you seeing the colors?"

"Yeah! They are so beautiful, like rainbows, just not arches, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I will tell you about them later. Look over here in the center of the crest and tell me what you see."

Allie looked closely at the center of the image. "They have colors in them. I thought they were just black and white, but they have colors. Wow!"

"Is it red or blue?"

"Blue, mostly."

"Good. By the time I get you home, your new found jumping skills will have faded."

"No! They can't fade, not now!"

"Allie. If you had freaky powers that they didn't have you would stand out. To be one of us you have to blend in at all times. The last thing you want is to be noticed. It leads to death and destruction. Come on, let's go."

Sara led her back out the way they came in. They returned their jackets to the closet they had come from, and Sara led Allie out to the surface. They went back to Sara's house and her mother took Allie to school, where she would wait and take the bus home. Allie sat on the curb where she would not be seen. After the car pulled away, she headed for the side of the school and tried to jump – but her powers were gone. Her head hung as she walked back and plopped on the curb.

It was 2:45 and the buses began pulling up to the school entrance to take students back home. Allie saw her bus and got up and walked over to it. The doors opened and she saw Malcolm sitting behind the steering wheel. Allie boarded and tried to speak to him, but he held up his hand and pointed to the back. She saw the image on his hand and she stayed quiet and went to the back of the bus and sat.

Older students boarded the bus and when they went to the back and saw Allie they became upset. "What do you think you are doing back here in our seat, little girlie?"

Allie moved to the middle of the bus and sat there instead. She was angry and wanted to yell back, but she held her tongue. As the bus trundled along, she watched out of the window. She thought about the power she had lost and dreamed of smashing the boy's face in if she had it now.

When the bus stopped at her house she got off, ran to the house and opened her front door.

Her mother was there waiting for her. "Hey, Kitten."

"Mom, could you not call me that?" Allie thundered and huffed up the stairs to her room. She knew she was not really mad at her mother but her frustrations got the better of her. No matter; she would apologize later.

She sauntered into her bedroom, shut the door, and laid on her bed, mentally trying to figure out her future. For hours she stared up at the ceiling. To become a sitter, she would have to edit or flat out lie to her mother, and that would be painful for her. She thought over how best to approach the subject and it hit her: if her mother didn't ask the right questions, it just might work.

Later that night she went to her mother's bedroom and knocked on the door. "Mom, can I come in?"

"It's open."

Allie saw her mother at her dresser, combing her long brown hair in the mirror. "I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't have yelled at you and I am sorry."

"It's okay, Kitten – I mean Allison. You are getting older every single day and I guess I am just not ready to let go of my baby. I know I can't keep you little forever so be patient with me. I promise to snap out of it." She gave her a hug.

"It's okay. Every day I get reminded about how young I am, but I am not young. I have seen things and know things and I am ready to start being more responsible. Nobody will give me the chance to prove I can be responsible. I can do good things. All I need is a chance to prove myself."

"You are responsible. It's not you, baby, it's me. I want to keep you safe, but I have to learn to let go."

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"My friend Sara has a job as a baby-sitter. She says I can help her if I get permission. I got it all worked out. I can get off the bus at her house and sit for a couple hours and come home. I will be able to do any homework there and on weekends I can sit for longer. Will you let me?"

Kay was silent for a while. She had her hairbrush in her hand and played with it while thinking. She had many questions but wanted to be fair. "We will have to know more but I don't see it as a problem. Do you have all the details?"

"I can answer anything you want to know."

"All right." Kay sat on her bed and Allie sat beside her. "Who are you sitting for and where do they live?"

"A woman named Bethany. Sara has been her sitter for a whole year. She has two girls and one of the other sitters quit. I don't know what the pay will be but I imagine it will be fair. I have met her and the girls and they are good people. I can make my own money and show you how responsible I can be."

"Honey, you are fifteen."

"You can baby-sit at eleven. Don't you trust me?"

"It is not a matter of trusting you. Things are happening around here that are hard to explain and your father will have questions. He will probably want to meet this woman first. Let me think about it."

"Mom, I need to start now before someone else takes the job."

"Your father will be back in a minute; ask him."

Allie went downstairs and sat on the couch, waiting for her father. She reviewed her strategy and tried to anticipate every question he would ask her. It was not long before he walked through the door with his rifle in his hand. He saw her and smiled. "Alley Cat, what are you doing up at this hour?"

"Waiting for you. Mom said I needed your approval and I couldn't sleep until I knew for sure."

"All right." He put away his gun and sat on the couch. "Let's have it."

"I want to start baby-sitting with my friend Sara. She offered me the job because someone else quit and I have to let her know in the morning."

George looked at his young daughter. "What did your mother say?"

"She said it is okay with her if you say it is okay. Please let me do this. I won't get behind at school and I will be able to make my own money and show you how responsible I can be."

"Allie, something ... something strange is going on around town. You can't be out alone at night – not until we know more."

"I'll be protected, Daddy; I will be surrounded by people. You know Sara's father from work and her mother is nice; Mom met her and likes her. Please say yes."

"Honey, you are only fifteen, you don't need to work."

"Dad, there are girls around the world that get married at thirteen and start having babies. I was at a school where an eleven-year-old girl got pregnant and had a baby!" she said, starting to shout.

Her father's cheeks flared crimson. "I know! I pulled you out of that school because you don't need to be around stuff like that."

"Stuff like that! Stuff like that!" she yelled back. "Don't you mean people like that?"

The implication shocked him. "How dare you? If you want to fight then you fight fair!" He was calm and slow as he spoke, but his voice held authority.

Allie took several deep breaths but she was not about to give up. She knew her father and they had argued many times over many things and there was a way to win if she saw it. She finally said as calmly as she could, "I am sorry I said that. This is important to me. I want this more than anything I have ever wanted in my life. How can I prove to you I am ready?"

He had trained her well and was more impressed with her new strategy. "Let me think about it. Your safety is more important than a job." And before she had a chance to argue any further, he turned and went upstairs.

Allie exhaled and thought about what she could have done differently. She walked up the stairs to her room. It was the only thing on her mind before lying down and going to sleep.

In the morning, Allie got up with a mission. She stayed in her room because she didn't want any more questions from her parents. She watched the clock on her dresser and took the time to clean her room and her bathroom. She knew her bus schedule and made it downstairs just as her bus was coming around the corner. She politely said good morning to her parents and turned down breakfast. Then she was out the door, standing at the bus stop as it pulled up. She got on board, smiled at Malcolm, and sat in the middle of the bus for the ride to school.

At lunch, she sat at her table and waited for Sara to come in. As usual, the back table was populated with the Double E Club members. Allie cast it several glances, then started on lunch; having missed breakfast, she was starving.

"Hey, girl," said Sara as she sat down with her tray.

Allie perked up. "Hey. I need your help, big time."

"What's up?"

"I told my folks you were baby-sitting and the girl who was helping you quit and you need someone right away and you thought of me. They keep saying it is not safe and this and that. I need you to put in a good word for me."

"With your folks?"

"Yeah, they won't believe me, but I bet they will believe you. Just come over and make it sound good, that is all I need."

"Let me check with my mom."

"Sara, I need you. They won't let me do this without you."

"Do you really want to do this? It's not too late, you know; you can change your mind."

"Why do you keep asking me that? Of course, I'm sure. Help me!"

"Okay, girl, calm down. Dang, you sure are hyper in the mornings, aren't you?"

Allie apologized and laughed. "Thanks."

"Go home and wait. I think I have a solution that will work for you."

"You are the best friend ever," said Allie.

Sara looked at her friend and revisited her last words. Sara's stomach churned, but her face only showed happiness.

That night, Sara called Allie at home. "I got the perfect person to help you. Be ready in half an hour."

"What?" Allie asked. "Who? You're not coming?" She felt her heart racing.

"No, but you will be surprised." Sara hung up the phone.

Allie waited on the couch; her father was wearing camouflage fatigues and was getting ready to leave. Earlier in the day she saw him cleaning his gun and then later he was going through his doctor's bag. There was a knock at the door; George got up off the couch, and Allie raced to the door to get it. "I got it!"

When she opened the door, she was completely surprised. It was Bethany standing in her doorway. She had with her a baby, and Lisa. She looked lower and saw Nadia holding Lisa's hand. "I invite you into my home," she said – although she wasn't sure how she actually got the words out of her mouth or if they were appropriate. She opened the door wide and they entered.

Lisa wore a white jacket with the crest. She had long hair, a two-toned brown and blond mixture, that was tied in the back with a red string. She wore a blue open blouse with a silver cross on a gold-chained necklace that shimmered as she moved. She also had on a black skirt and smiled as she walked in first with Nadia. Nadia's hair was similarly styled and she wore the same blue blouse and black skirt. She too grinned as she entered the house. Bethany was the last to enter. She dressed like the others, and she too had on a white jacket with the crest, her long red hair tied with a white ribbon flowing behind her, Bethany entered the house carrying a baby wrapped in a pink blanket.

Allie closed the door and was immediately in high spirits. "Mom? Dad? This is the lady I told you about, this is Bethany."

Kay came forward. "How do you do, Miss...?"

"It is Mrs., Mrs. Bethaniel Alwudaio Loambardielleeao Caveena Rueman." She smiled. "Don't try to pronounce it, just call me Bethany."

"Oh, I see. Bethany it is. I am Mrs. Kay Carter and this is my husband, George."

They greeted each other.

Kay directed them to the couch. "Please have a seat. Is there anything I can get anyone?"

"No, we are fine. May I call you Kay?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, Kay, this is my cousin, Lisa, and this is my daughter, Nadia." Both said hello and exchanged pleasantries. "I am in need of help because Lisa will be leaving in the morning and Sara will lose her help. I was hoping that Allie would be able to take her place and I was under the impression that you and your husband had reservations?"

Kay spoke up. "I had some. Allie is young and we didn't know who she would be working for. We know Sara but needed more information before making a decision."

A truck's horn started playing the song Dixie outside. George rose, looked out the window, then waved at them. "I'm afraid I have to get going. I wish I had more time to talk with you, but we have to get a move on before it gets too late." He looked at Allie. "Whatever Mom says is fine with me. If a problem develops I will step in." With that, he grabbed his rifle and left the house.

"I'm afraid we are having some sort of problem with livestock that has got everyone literally up in arms," Kay said awkwardly after her husband had departed.

"I believe it will work itself out," said Bethany. "What can I say to ease your mind? I will admit I am being selfish and trying to force you into a quick decision."

Kay smiled nervously. How could she decline now that she had met the woman?

"Would you like to hold my baby?" Bethany asked. "Her name is Marianna."

"Yes, may I?"

Allie's heart sank for a moment. This was her mother – what if something happened? What if the baby attacked her? But she held it inside as best she could; Bethany was here to help, and she knew what was best. Still, she would not draw an easy breath until they left.

"Of course." Bethany stood and placed the baby in Kay's arms. She uncovered her and Kay saw a beautiful little face looking back at her. Bethany touched Marianna's shoulder, pressing down before releasing. The baby made a cooing sound.

Kay smiled and made noises at the baby. "Oh, she is so beautiful, I think she is perfect." She lifted the baby onto her shoulder; Lisa whipped around behind her, staring into the child's eyes, jacket and crest visible to Marianna. Lisa lifted her finger and when the baby saw it, Lisa slowly put her finger next to the cross and held it there. Marianna's eyes followed, settling on the jewel glistening in the cross.

"Kay, I work from home with Sara's mother. One of us will always be available to bring Allie home and if her grades start slipping then we will have to let her go. Our top priority is for our children to do well in school. If they fail, their hopes and dreams would meet a swift end."

Kay lightly patted the baby on the back and rocked her. "What job do you do from home if you don't mind my asking?"

"I don't mind. I run a day care and nursery school. There are newborns as well as girls Nadia's age. These days so much paperwork is involved that I have to hire extra help so I can take care of that. I don't know why, but they paperwork you to death."

"My husband's a doctor so I know that complaint very well." Kay brought the baby back down and turned around to sit back on the couch. For a moment she was startled to find Lisa behind her. She sat and both women moved quickly to either side of Kay and sat beside her.

Allie grabbed Nadia's hand and sat down beside her. In her chest, her heart beat faster. Nadia's head jerked toward her; the girl's eyes changed color. Thinking she was hearing her heartbeat, Allie quickly touched Nadia's shoulder then held her. "Put your head in my lap, close your eyes tight, and pretend you are sleeping," she whispered; Nadia did as she was told.

"Mrs. Carter, we have to be going, I have to put both of the children to bed. I stopped by to personally assure you that Allie is in good hands and as you can see, children love her."

Mrs. Carter looked at her daughter and the sleeping girl on her lap. Pride welled in her chest. "All right." She handed Marianna back to Bethany. Then Bethany climbed back to her feet, and Lisa collected Nadia from Allie. "I will let Allie work for you but her grades are her first priority."

"I understand completely. Goodnight, Kay."

"Goodnight, Bethany."

Allie walked them to the door with a spring in her step. She mouthed thank you and closed the door behind them. She went back in and hugged her mother: she was bursting with joy.

Chapter 11

Allie slept like a baby. The stars had aligned themselves in her favor and she was at peace. She got ready for school and came downstairs for breakfast. Her mother must have been in a good mood as well because she had made pancakes and omelets; normally those were reserved for special occasions.

"Morning, Mom."

"Morning, Kitten."

"What's going on with the breakfast today?" Allie asked after looking at all the food that was set out on the kitchen table.

"Nothing, I just felt like cooking. I guess today will be the first day of your new job? What time can I expect you back this evening?"

"I don't know yet," Allie said as she began fixing her breakfast, "but I will call you as soon as I know. Please don't start worrying yet."

"I'll try."

Allie ate an omelet and two pancakes before leaving for her bus. The day unfolded slowly because she couldn't wait to start her new job baby-sitting. The babies were great to be around and going to the forest and jumping through the trees was the most awesome experience she had ever had. She wanted to do this job daily for the rest of her life if she could.

Mrs. Johnson was busy preparing their day and could not collect them, so after school, Allie and Sara rode the bus together and got off at Sara's house.

"Good luck, lassie," whispered Malcolm to the two girls as they left the bus.

Allie waved back to him and they walked into the house. Sara led her downstairs to the basement. It looked just like any other: there were shelves with many items on them being stored away on one wall, whilst another held shelves packed with books.

"Over here," said Sara. She showed her a secret to the shelves. When Allie walked over she pointed to a book and pushed it inward. "What do you think, just like in the movies?" She smiled at her friend. The book, Great Expectations, was by the left bookend on the middle shelf of three short shelves. Allie watched as the wall next to the bookshelf opened slightly. They walked down two steps to a larger room.

This room was similar to the white rooms in the underground hideaway. White tiles covered the four walls, one had the crest on it. Allie looked about. A series of shelves lined with books adorned one wall, and opposite stood a couch and chair. Alongside another wall was a station. Allie looked inside. It contained an incubator and a crib.

"Hello, Allison," said Mrs. Johnson.

Allie did not see her at first; she was too busy admiring the room and its secret entrance. Mrs. Johnson sat in a big Lazy Boy chair, holding a baby wrapped in a blanket.

"Oh, hello, Mrs. Johnson, I didn't see you." Allie walked over with Sara and took a look at the baby.

"That's all right, honey. I saw you. This is Marianna and she will be your first assignment." Mrs. Johnson got up out of the chair with the baby. "Have a seat," she said to Allie. The girl sat in the chair and Mrs. Johnson put the baby in her arms. "Now the best way to hold a baby is to keep her wrapped up and only expose her head. Lift her head and angle her a little bit – there you go; now she is happy as a clam." Mrs. Johnson put the baby's bottle in her mouth and Allie held it for her while she suckled from the bottle. As the woman and Allie talked, Sara moved to the incubator station and began her work.

"Is this all she eats? This looks just like the stuff down in the cave."

"They are very strict on what we are allowed to feed the babies. The mixture will always be made up for you. Sara will show you where it is kept and what to do to get it ready. Basically, it is a buffet of nutrients that we get from food naturally but they can't get because their systems will not process them correctly. Minerals and vitamins like iron, calcium, B and C vitamins and so on. They are born deficient in everything and we take great care to balance their diets with their growth. You met Nadia and Lila the other day?"

"Yes, did one of them have a different diet?"

"Very smart," said Mrs. Johnson. "If they get too much of something it will influence their growth. You are one of the few people who can actually control the growth and maturity of an infant. If you want her to have longer legs or arms you can change what she eats. Leave out something else and her hair may never grow, or she may be underdeveloped when compared to others in her age group. Awesome responsibility isn't it?"

"Most definitely, yes," Allie said, rocking the baby as she listened.

"The job you will do is the most important thing you have ever done in your short life, Allison. You have the task of bringing that little girl up and making her aware of whom she is so she can blend in and fit in to society. If you fail, she will fail and the result will be her death. You are now mother to that child and you will not let anyone harm your baby. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, I do, Mrs. Johnson. I will not let anything happen to her." Allie looked down at Marianna. "I will not let anyone hurt you, I promise."

"Feed her the whole bottle," Mrs. Johnson instructed. "I will be back in a minute." She turned and went out the room.

Sara came over with a clipboard. She sat on the arm of the chair and showed it to Allie. "This is her entire schedule for today. These checkmarks are everything that she has done today so you know what is left to do. Right here under 'Feeding' are two bottle formulas, C9 and P4. C9 is what you have; the red liquid. P4 is a blue liquid; those are things like enzymes, and those make up her last feed of the day. She is a cutie, isn't she?" Sara pinched Marianna's cheek and made baby noises.

"Yeah, she is." Allie smiled down at her. And – was she smiling back? "How much of me can she see?"

"All of you." Sara chuckled at the crazy question.

"No. You said earlier..."

"Oh! I mean she can't tell me from you from Adam; we are all alike to her. Yeah she can pick you out of a crowd and knows she has seen your face before but she has no impulse control. It isn't coming out right. She can tell her people from us –"

Her mother came in and interrupted her. "She can't tell a baby-sitter from a food source because we are the same thing, the same person. When she gets older she can but for now you need your protection, your identification badge." She walked over and pinched the baby on the cheek like her daughter. She opened her hand and showed Allie a pair of gold earrings emblazoned with the crest. "I noticed you had pierced ears. Put these on."

Sara picked up the baby and Allie put on the earrings. They were smaller than the standard hoop earrings but large enough to capture the attention of a baby near your neck.

Mrs. Johnson reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace. This was the same necklace that Sara wore only Allie had never paid attention to it before. It was a simple small gold chain with a three-inch silver cross. In the middle was an emerald-cut red jewel with an image within it. "The cross is large enough to contain the image of the crest and at the same time keep its meaning hidden from anyone but us. Don't be fooled by its size; it's just as strong as the crests on our jackets and the walls. If you are ever out at night it can be seen for two and a half miles by them. Don't lose it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Johnson. I won't lose it."

"One other thing, Allison, the size of the cross is in relation to who you care for."

"Huh?"

"For babies, a smaller cross will do, but for older children you may need a larger cross and a longer chain; something you can grasp in your hand and aim at the little devils when they are unruly."

"Oh, I get it!"

"Good. Sara will go over a few more instructions with you and I will get you home. Tell your parents you will be working three hours a day after school and on weekends." She smiled and left the room again.

"Come here, girl," said Sara with a sly smile.

After placing Marianna in her crib, Sara took her cross and held it to the baby's eyes. The baby was playing, but when the baby looked deeply into the jewel on the cross, the cross began to glow or emit a light that was reflected back into Marianna's eyes. She stopped playing and her expression went blank, as if listening intently to something the cross was telling her. When Sara removed the cross, she went back to playing like before.

Sara finished the day by telling Allie a few more cautionary notes. Before long, it was time to leave.

"Write down the time and the feeding on the chart here and here, and initial here," Sara instructed, pointing at her clipboard. After that, Mrs. Johnson took Allie home. Allie was so excited she hugged her and got out of the car and ran into the house to share the good news with her mother.

Kay greeted, "Hey, Kit-" she caught herself – "Allison."

"It's okay, I am over it! You're my mom. Just don't embarrass me around others. They need to respect me."

"Well okay, Missy. How did it go?"

"Fabulous, I couldn't believe it. Mom, I know what I want to do with the rest of my life. Oh, Mrs. Johnson said it would be three hours a night so I will be here by six. Look what she gave me."

Allie showed her necklace and earrings and Kay applauded. "I like them. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, I am starving."

"You didn't eat there?" Kay was becoming concerned at the fitness of her daughter's employers.

"I never thought about it, I was too excited. Did you make anything?"

"A little bit, come on."

They went into the kitchen and had dinner together.

That Saturday, Allie spent the majority of her time in the Johnsons' basement. She was relieved it was the weekend and she could devote all her time to learning about Marianna on a sleepover. Before she knew it, she was home in her bed and tomorrow would be Monday.

On Monday, Allie walked down the school hall wearing her necklace but not her earrings; she kept them in her pocket. She smiled as she passed by students on her way to her first class and then something amazing happened. She noticed that many of the students had some type of a cross necklace around their necks, but only two girls her age wore her special necklace. Not sure if she should confront them, she went to class, but made a note of their faces. Inside her classroom, she quickly scanned the room to check the necks of all the females in the room. None of them wore a necklace like hers: she was part of an exclusive club and only elites like herself could have necklaces.

At lunchtime the back table filled with Double E members wearing their gray jackets. Allie rose to go back toward them when an alarmed voice rang out.

"Girl, what are you thinking about?"

"I wasn't thinking anything."

"Girl, I know that is right," said Sara. "Sit your behind down. Don't ever think you can go back there because you can't."

"And why not?"

"You are not old enough. There are tests that you have to go through and the first of many is your age. You're not special."

"Whatever."

Sara made a face at her to mock her 'whatever' comment. She laughed and then put her tray down. "Every group has rules and if you don't follow them, you are out. You got two years to learn what you need to know and then you will be ready to join them. Right now you are not ready."

Allie ate, but continued to look back at them. She would be sixteen soon and thought she was plenty old enough. Frustrated by the thought, she looked around the room and found one of the two girls she had seen earlier with necklaces, an Asian teenager. She scanned again, and spotted the other, a Hispanic girl. "Hey, Sara. Those girls who have the necklaces, are they baby-sitters like us?"

Sara looked at the girl she was referring to, "Yes." The girl in question was just as new and raw as Allie. Her name was Elizabeth, and like Allie, she had someone mentoring her named Monica. Sara looked back at the back table and saw Monica sitting in her familiar place at the end of the table. Monica was made distinctive by her hair: shoulder length brown featuring a streak of white on the left with a thin braid of red, brown, and white on the right. She made eye contact with Sara who smiled before turning back to face her charge.

"Is it okay to talk to them?"

"Not right now. Allie, don't mess up. You are too close, if you make waves now you will be kicked out. We operate on secrecy. Your job is to pretend you don't know them or anything about the necklaces. Secrecy, Allie, secrecy."

"All right, I understand." She looked back at the Double E Club members one last time. "Are they all vampires? Every member?"

Sara burst out laughing. "No, they are not; some of them are like me and you. Don't rush it. You will be seventeen soon enough, and before then you have a lot of learning to do."

Allie finished her lunch and went back to her locker. She retrieved the book for her next class, closed her locker and stood. Shelby towered in front of her; Allie dropped her book. She got scared at the sudden appearance of her nemesis and stood motionless as Shelby looked her over wordlessly. Allie wanted to scream to one of the students passing by but she knew that would be the wrong thing to do, so she stayed motionless, sweating, avoiding eye contact. Staring at Shelby's blue tie.

Shelby lifted her right arm and placed a finger to Allie's chest near her heart. She smiled, leaned in to her, and whispered in her ear, "I like that sound."

An idea struck Allie and she regained her composure. No matter what, she would not show fear. She reached into her pocket, careful not to move too quickly or touch Shelby. Allie withdrew her earrings and placed them on her ears as Shelby watched. Allie took out her partially hidden necklace and let it rest against her beating heart. She steeled herself. She looked up at Shelby, met her gaze, tilted her head and smiled. She smiled as big as she could, showing every tooth in her mouth. Shelby turned a bright red, then pale, and then backed up. Allie smiled even bigger as she watched her nemesis walk away in defeat. Never again could the tall teenager scare her. She bent and scooped up the book she dropped, stood, kissed the cross on her necklace, and went to class almost skipping.

Had she paid attention, Allie would have seen that her cross glowed red.

An hour later the bell sounded. Allie came out into the hallway and she immediately saw Elizabeth, the small Hispanic girl with dark black hair, the girl from the cafeteria with the necklace. Allie walked by her slowly and when she was within a few feet she took out her necklace, tapped it, and smiled as she passed by. Elizabeth gave a little smile back, but kept walking. No matter: that was all the recognition Allie wanted. She finished her school day and waited with Sara for her mother to drive up in her car and take them back to her house.

Mrs. Johnson arrived and in no time they were back at her house. Sara and Allie went downstairs and Sara had Allie open the door to test her memory. She got the book first time, and both slipped through the passageway.

They began their day by feeding Marianna and then changing her diaper. Allie wore her earrings, and her necklace was out for everyone to see. She loved the new life she had stumbled into, the friend she had found. Tomorrow she would learn how to make the formula and began making her own charts for the care of little Marianna.

After the three hours were done, Mrs. Johnson took her home and told her tomorrow they would be going back to Caveena for more instructions on infant care. She was to make sure she carried both her necklace and earrings while she was at the complex. Her testing would begin and would be conducted by the Elders.

Allie's mother was already waiting inside. "Hey, Mom, I'm back."

"Hey, baby, you ready to eat?"

"Yes, I'm starving. I don't know why I am never hungry there but as soon as I walk through the door, suddenly I'm starving."

"That is what happens to people who lose track of time. What exciting things did you do today?"

"Nothing really exciting; the baby, Marianna, is so easy to take care of. I almost feel guilty getting paid to watch her."

"Well as soon as you get that check in your greedy little hands you will change your tune." Kay laughed.

Allie laughed with her. "I forgot about the pay. I am going to have to talk to them about that. Should I get a check or take cash?"

"Whichever way is easier for them. How are you and Sara getting along?"

"We are doing fine, I can't complain about anything. I'm glad she asked me. Oh, today I changed Marianna for the first time and I thought there would be a big mess because of what she eats but there wasn't. There was just one little lump – kind of like a cow patty. Then I gave her a bath and changed her clothes; she was wearing this cute little sailor suit and Sara put a bandanna on her head." Allie started laughing. "She looked more like an Indian than a sailor."

Kay laughed and was captivated by her daughter's face; she seemed to have a special glow about her that she liked. Her little girl was growing up. "Come on, eat up."

Allie ate her dinner quickly, mind on her tests tomorrow. What would they be? She was good at tests – when she had time to study.

Suddenly, Allie realized – "Dad isn't here?"

"He is up at the South Ridge again. The test results came back and he went to get them."

"It's funny how they call it the South Ridge when it's not even south. Oh well, I guess I will see him tomorrow."

Allie finished her dinner and rose from the table. She kissed her mother goodnight and went upstairs. It was only 7 pm and she wanted to rest, hoping she would go jumping through the trees tomorrow.

Chapter 12

Shelby was in the complex when she heard Allie would be meeting with the Elders. She clenched her fist so tightly her hand began to bleed. With no time to lose, she formulated a plan to get rid of Allie and rushed down the halls of Caveena to the cafeteria, looking for the final piece to her puzzle. In the cafeteria, she wiped her hand with a napkin, relishing Allie's demise.

A small girl with multicolored hair came into the room to have dinner. She was part of the crew of Cavers that watched the nursery overnight. The girl filled her tray with a few items and sat alone at a table and began eating. She was the only Asian Caver at Lucient Central and this was the end of her second year. She could join the Double E Club soon and was in the final stages of her last evaluation.

Shelby smiled when she saw her: her prayer had been answered. She glanced about, but the cafeteria was empty except for the two. Shelby walked over and sat, grinning widely.

Although Shelby was smiling, it was not warm or inviting, and the girl suspected trouble. Shelby's mother was the Queen of Caveena so Shelby got her way and used everyone around her in her petty plots and schemes.

"Hi, Shihong."

"Hi, Shelby," the girl looked to the door as if planning her escape.

"How would you like to help me with a small problem I am having? It will make you look good."

"Okay."

"Fabulous! What do you know about the girl named Allie?"

"Sara is training her. She said she is a natural."

Shelby clenched her fist under the table but kept smiling.

"She is not worthy to join us. Help me remove her and I will reward you. The sky's the limit."

Uneasily, the girl said, "I don't know."

"How about this: help me and get rewarded, or refuse me and die a horrible death. Maybe instead of killing you, I will put you in with the Artillies, or better yet, the Sleepers."

The girl gasped in horror at the thought of being locked in a coffin for all eternity with one of the Sleepers or being eaten alive by the cannibalistic Artillies. Shihong shuddered.

Shelby laughed madly as she taunted the young girl. She smiled a malicious grin, licked her lips, and opened them to reveal shining fangs. She saw from Shihong's face that her threat worked and the young girl would do as she told her.

"Kayo's testing is tonight, isn't it?"

"Yes, we will be at a park for her testing phase."

"No. I have made arrangements for Allie to be at the mall. You will take Kayo there and do the evaluation. I want you to leave her on a bench and wait. Allie is stupid and when she sees you there she will try to talk to Kayo and fall into our trap. You will spring the trap and I will be at the door to knock her down. I am getting rid of that scum tonight. She will never get evaluated by the Elders."

The more Shelby talked the more Shihong shrank and the darker Shelby's eyes grew. Hearing her own voice speaking of her enemy's demise thrilled and excited her to no end. She could not wait for her plan to begin. She gave final instructions to Shihong at the table and hurried off to tell the others what part they would play in her plan of vengeance. If this worked, it would send a message to all the others: she was not to be challenged, or even touched, by the lower species.

That night a vampire boy was in a tree outside Kay Carter's window. He leaped from the tree and landed softly on the roof. Kay was inside reading a book in her bed. The vampire boy put his hand to the window and focused on the woman inside. Seconds later, she put her book down and sat up in bed with a blank look on her face.

The vampire put thoughts into her head and after a devilish smile, he took down his hand and watched the woman get out of bed and go to her closet and take out a dress. She was already wearing a nightgown, and as she moved to the bathroom she started removing it. She suddenly had an urge to go shopping and hurried to the bathroom to shower and change.

Delighted with the result, the boy leaped back into a tree and was soon out of sight. His mission had been completed and he was on his way to tell Shelby the good news.

Later that night Allie got up and went to the mall with her mother. They were looking at purses when Allie saw the Asian Caver from school walk by with a child. Her cross was in full display and she was wearing the same earrings Allie had.

As Kay fantasized about the expensive purses surrounding her, Allie eased her way to the door and out of the store. Allie's curiosity was stoked, and besides, she wouldn't be missed: Kay would take forever, and still not buy anything.

The Caver held the little girl's hand and led her to a bench, sat the girl down, and told her not to move. She went into a store across from the little girl to do some shopping.

Allie watched the little girl. She wanted to speak to her; she was sure the girl knew Nadia and Lila. The girl never moved from the bench, she sat quietly staring straight ahead. People would come by and the women with children would smile at her. The girl acted as if she didn't see them and didn't respond to any of them, not even the young girls her age. She simply stared into the store her minder had entered, like a faithful dog waiting for its master to return.

It took the Caver over ten minutes to return, and when she did, she was carrying a bag. Allie could hear her praising the little girl for not moving. She then saw the Caver leave and this time she went farther down and around the corner. The little girl craned her head to see her minder, but she could not and so resumed staring at the store in front of her.

Allie, sensing this was her moment, went over and sat beside the girl. The girl looked at her and then back at the store front. Allie took out her cross and tapped the girl on her shoulder. She turned and saw Allie's cross. She stared at the glowing jewel for a moment then looked up at Allie.

Allie had her.

"Hi. My name is Allie. What is yours?"

"Kayo."

"That is a pretty name, I like it!"

"Thank you, I picked it out two months ago."

"It's lovely. Do you know Lila, Kayo?"

"Yes."

"Where did that girl go who was with you?"

"I don't know."

"Is she your teacher?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to sit here and wait for her?"

"Yes."

"Oh, you don't have to do that, I will keep you company. Do you mind?"

Kayo looked at her necklace again. She looked deep into the jewel, searching for an answer. She returned her gaze to Allie.

"No."

"She may be a while. What would you like to do?"

Kayo grinned.

"Can I see the bunnies?"

"What?"

"The bunnies with the white tails and big ears!" the girl said with large twinkling eyes.

"Oh, you mean rabbits."

Allie looked down the hall; just down from them was a pet store. Its location was ideal; it was in clear view of the bench so if the Caver came back early she would see her, and she could keep an eye on her mother at the same time.

Allie stood and took the little girl by the hand. They walked down to the store and went inside. Though she did not know, Malcolm watched, as did Shelby.

Kayo was excited; she watched a group of bunnies through glass. She touched the glass and giggled as they moved about with her every touch. The store owner brought one of them out to discourage her from hitting the glass and she cradled the small animal and rubbed it on her face. She loved the feel of the fur. When the man tried to take it from her she refused to give it back. Her eyes darkened, and as the man and Allie tried taking her pet, she sneered, leaped up, kicked them both, and they fell backward, crashing into cages. Allie hit her head and stayed down. The man climbed to his feet, furious. He saw her eyes. He picked up a bat next to him and ran at the girl, ready to swing. She sat the rabbit down and lunged at the man, landing on his chest and knocking him to the floor. The man screamed and fought, but she clawed his chest relentlessly, repeatedly, until he fell silent and still.

Allie climbed to her feet, panicking. What could she do?

Before she could move, Malcolm burst through the door with a roar. Kayo turned around ready to claw him. He put his hand up and the child saw his glowing crest. She panted for a few seconds then became still. Malcolm went over to her, pressed on her shoulder, and picked her up.

The Caver came running down the hall and burst into the room. "What happened?"

"Carnage, lass, pure carnage."

The Caver closed the door and turned the sign from OPEN to CLOSED. She went to lock the door when it flung open and Shelby stood there, looking at them. Shelby stepped inside, and the Caver locked the door behind her.

"It wasn't my fault; it must have been her," said Shihong. She trembled and pointed a shaky finger at Allie. "It wasn't my fault, Princess."

"Pull down all the curtains," Shelby ordered. The Caver did as she was told. Then Shelby moved to Malcolm, who was cleaning the child's hands as he examined her. "Is she all right?"

"She's perfect."

"Why are you here?" Shelby asked Allie.

"We were just looking at the animals when he –"

"Why are you here?" Shelby shouted at her.

"I'm shopping with my mother."

"Does that look like your mother?"

Kayo was quietly standing beside Malcolm. She was oblivious to the grown-ups talking; she simply played with a doll she had taken from her pocket. She brushed her doll's hair and hummed, unaware of the implications of what had happened.

"I'm sorry. Malcolm, I saw her and knew who she was. She was just sitting out there on a bench and I thought I would keep her company until the Caver came back."

"You had no right to interfere!" Shihong yelled at her. "I am not failing because of you! You shouldn't have been here, and you shouldn't have interfered with her training. She should be punished, Princess! She broke the rules and put us in danger," the girl shouted, trying her best to make sure none of the blame fell on her.

"I agree," said Shelby. "Malcolm?"

Malcolm looked at Allie with sadness. Arguing with Shelby would be a waste of time. He directed Shihong to take the girl back home and assured her she would not receive any black marks on her record.

Malcolm came back to Allie and sat her down. He assured her that she was in no danger and they would work everything out. Allie offered to help clean up the place but Malcolm told her he had it covered. He said he needed a drink and found some glasses in back. He fixed two glasses; one for him, and one for Allie to calm her nerves. She took it gratefully and sat down. She apologized to Shelby for overstepping and asked her for her forgiveness.

Shelby smirked. "Sure, why not?"

"You should go find your mother," Malcolm told Allie, "before she starts worrying."

Allie agreed and walked toward the door. When she reached it, Shelby called her name. She turned. There stood Shelby, hands above her head, small white fireball glowing in each of her palms.

Before Allie could move, Shelby hit her with both; she fell back against the door, unconscious. Malcolm carried her out into the mall. He leaned her up against a wall and broke a capsule he pulled from his pocket under her nose. A moment or so later, her eyes fluttered open.

"Your mother is in the store looking at purses. You left the store to go to the bathroom. You are a little sad because your employer called to inform you that they are moving and will no longer require your services. You will spend your time improving your grades because you want to have a career helping children. Go to your mother."

"Okay," she said weakly.

Malcolm released her. She walked lamely back to the store, where she found her mother still window shopping for purses.

Malcolm reached into his pocket for his phone. He called a cleanup crew and Demetrie. They arrived several minutes later and began work. The store would open again in the morning.

The next school day, Sara joined Allie at her table in the cafeteria. Sara was anxious to talk to her. Her evaluation had been moved to today, and knowing Allie, she would have a thousand questions about what would happen. Sara came prepared to give her as many answers as she could to put her at ease.

"Hey, girl."

"Hey, Sara." Allie smiled real big.

"You ready to be tested by the Elders?"

Allie frowned.

"Tested by who?"

"The Elders. Are you ready?"

"What are you talking about? I don't have any tests today. My next test isn't until Friday and that's in History. What is this Elders stuff you are talking about?"

Sara's face fell. No one told her. Allie was totally clueless. Sara saw Demetrie standing against a wall, staring straight at them. She knew he served only one purpose and her heart sank. But she could not believe it was true, so she thought of some way of testing her, just to be certain. It cannot be true, not her, no!

"Allie?"

"Yeah?"

Sara swallowed hard.

"Do you know a girl named Lila?"

Allie searched her memories. "Yes."

"Tell me everything you can about her."

Allie frowned at the suggestion. "Why on earth would you want to know about that cow? I haven't thought about her in years. What is going on with you today?"

Sara closed her eyes; she wanted to cry, to cry for herself and for her friend. Tragedy had struck during the night and she wasn't there to help. A light had gone out in Allie's eyes. She was normal again, normal like all the rest. And to top it all off, she had no idea what she'd lost, and never would.

Sara stood up. Demetrie watched as she approached. She brushed a strand of pink hair from her face.

"Why, Demetrie?"

"She became unstable."

"Unstable! Is that what you are calling it now?"

"Shelby said so; you can take it up with her."

"Shelby hates her!" Sara strongly said without shouting too loudly.

"Allie broke the rules; she's out. A man died because of her. I'll watch over her and keep her safe, but she's out."

"We will see about that!"

"You are forbidden from saying anything to her about us. You break that rule and you are out as well. I am watching both of you now. Don't test me!"

Sara turned and left the cafeteria in a huff. She went to the bathroom, locked herself in a stall, and cried.

Allie went to the rest of her classes, determined to be the best student she could be. At the end of the day she rode the bus home. She gazed out the bus's window, watching all the animals go about their daily lives. Another day had ended, a day more momentous to others than to her.

Malcolm was smiling at her as she walked forward to get off the bus. She thought it was creepy; she had no idea who he was. But she did not say a word. Instead, she kept her mother's words in mind: he was a stranger, so she did not speak, smile, or even look at him.

She stepped off the bus and went to the back of her house and sat in her swing. Lissy came over and they played together.

It no longer mattered what was going on in the world around her. Allie was happy and at peace, just her and her beautiful cat. An ordinary life was hers again.

Chapter 13

Allie was in the cafeteria at her usual table, waiting for Sara to come and have lunch with her. She looked down at her tray with disgust, imagining what horrors were secretly put into the so-called meatloaf surprise today. Playing with her food with her fork to pass the time away was all that she could think to do while she waited. Then she remembered the book she wanted to finish. She pulled A Tale of Two Cities from her backpack and began reading.

"Hey, girl."

Sara Johnson had not grown out of her idol envy phase. Her favorite entertainer had been Rihanna for several months now. She dressed in an outfit worthy of her idol and dyed her black hair red in her honor: she kept the thin red and green braid on her right side. She hated that she was a shade darker than her idol but vowed to stay out of the sun, hoping she would lighten and get closer to her idol.

"Hey. I like the hair."

"Thanks, it took forever. New beginnings."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Sara set her tray down across from her friend. She opened her milk and took a sip.

"What's up?"

"Not much."

"You look lost. What you got going on upstairs?"

Sara smiled; Allie returned it.

"I'm not hungry for whatever this stuff is they are trying to kill us with this week. I would start bringing my own stuff but with my mom, it would turn into a disaster quick. I mean, she would have all kinds of junk stuffed in a suitcase she would call a sandwich bag. I mean, for real."

Sara giggled.

"Girl, you is still crazy!"

"What do you mean still?"

"Nothing, my mistake. Girl – you crazy!"

They laughed. Demetrie walked by their table behind Allie. He nodded and smiled at Sara. Sara's smile quickly soured. She did her best to remain calm, but inside, she was angry and wanted to lash out. How dare he have the nerve to parade in front of her? How dare he get that close to her?

The secret about Demetrie was his age. He posed as a transfer student: tall, good looking, short brown hair, and a slim yet muscular physique. Sara had been told by an Elder long ago that he was much older, perhaps as old as twenty-five. He dressed like a regular teenager and wore a necklace, only his was a crest with a small cross beneath it. Demetrie was a Guardian. His sole function was keeping an eye on those who had been cast out. He made sure their memories did not return to them, and if they did, he would order a re-flashing, or something much worse. This school was his territory, his to rule without prejudice or interference from others.

Today was Thursday, and Sara had not seen him for days. She had not yet had the time to adjust to the sudden changes in her life, but she was coping as best she could. Every waking moment she resisted telling her friend the truth, and although it was getting easier now, it was still hard. She was grateful Allie had no memory and seemed as crazy as ever. Sara was grateful Shelby had left her personality alone. Grateful, yes, but forgiving? Not a chance: she blamed both Shelby and Demetrie equally for taking her friend from her. Lucky for them Bethany was out of town, but Sara planned on confronting their leader about Shelby as soon as she returned. Sara took another sip of her milk and tried to shake off the bad feelings that surrounded her.

As Allie sat, she noticed a girl with long red hair staring at her from the end of a table. But why? She knew the girl; Sara had told her in the gym her name was Shelby. Other than that, she knew nothing more except the girl was staring intensely at her, a smirk plastered across her ugly face.

"Why is that girl back there staring at me like she's crazy?"

Sara turned to the back table. She saw Shelby's fiendish look and turned back around.

"She's crazy. Don't pay her no mind."

"I'm not sure, but I think I bumped into her in the hall. You were there with me and –"

"Nope! Now you are being crazy." Sara scanned the room for Demetrie. What if he'd heard the conversation? If Allie was fighting the block, it was going to get dangerous for the both of them. "Believe me, I would have remembered a dust up between the two of you. You need to eat some of that food; your brains gone to mush, girl."

"I guess."

After one final look back at the girl, Allie began to eat. She stayed away from the meatloaf surprise and nibbled on vegetables and drank her milk. As she was finishing the last of it, she heard her friend counting.

"And one, and two, and three, and four, and five. Let's try it backwards. And five, and four, and three, and two, and one."

Ding. The bell rang.

Allie looked amazed: Sara wore no watch, and the clock was behind her. "How do you do that?"

"Magic!"

The two of them headed down the hall to Mrs. Taylor's class. Today there was a lecture on Teen Abstinence. After the lecture, Sara went to her next class and Allie went to her locker to get a book.

The day continued as normal until Allie had gym. She was at a locker getting ready to change out of her uniform after a session playing volleyball. Time was short and she needed to shower before her last class. She reached into her locker for her towel and when she turned, Shelby was in her face.

Shelby didn't speak. She was face-to-face with Allie and let her eyes roam over the young girl's face as if checking every millimeter of her skin. She grinned sadistically and met Allie's eyes. She sniffed the young girl several times and grinned some more.

Allie never moved or said a word. Ideas of things to say occurred to her, but not a word left her lips. She thought of actions to take, but was unable to move a muscle. She thought about screaming or yelling for help, but given the fact that the room was crowded a minute ago and now only the two of them were there, screaming was futile.

Shelby ended the suspense.

"Take a long shower. You stink."

Shelby walked away laughing. Allie regained control of her body and rushed from the spot she had been glued to.

Hours later in her backyard, Allie was chasing her cat Lissy. Lissy got away from her and ran through a hole in the back fence. Fearing for her safety, Allie tore a bigger hole in the fence and went through after her cat. After yelling her name several times with no results, she ventured deeper into the woods, and as it was getting darker, she realized she was lost.

Allie had stumbled off the main pathway into thick underbrush. Several times she thought she heard Lissy. This spurred her on deeper and deeper into the woods. When she came to a small stream she found a clearing and relief. Before her was the path, lit by moonlight. Now she wouldn't lose it again. She looked up at the moon and debated whether or not to give up her search and head back home. Lissy would find her way back.

A meow came from beside her, and Allie swung to her left. Lissy was on the ground, playing with some kind of toy. Allie took a few steps in her direction and was stopped by rustling sounds in the trees above her. She looked up. Down came a figure, gliding softly like a feather straight down in front of her. When the figure touched the ground, Allie's heart began beating faster. It was Shelby. Why was this girl always around? How in the hell did she come down like that? Thoughts circled around Allie's head, flying by one after the other, all going by unanswered.

Shelby's eyes darkened and her fangs and claws grew. She took a step toward Allie, looking ravenous and dangerous.

Allie saw the fangs, panicked – and turned and ran, screaming, moving as fast as she could. She left the open area and ran to the trees. She zigzagged through them, looking behind her ever so often for signs of the vicious monster chasing her.

Allie had no way of knowing Shelby had leaped to the air and was high above her in the trees. Shelby stood several yards in front of her, waiting with bated breath for her victim to run straight into her arms.

Pushing harder, gaining confidence, Allie ducked under branches. She turned back to look one last time for her enemy, and when she turned back around, she realized she was running straight into Shelby.

Backpedaling as fast as she could, she screamed – but was too late to stop her forward momentum. She was going to hit Shelby.

Shelby swung her right arm trying to cut the approaching Allie in half with a single swipe. Victory was finally hers.

Allie saw it coming and ducked down. She was under – except her arm. It stung from the claw marks and forced a scream from deep within her.

Allie lay helpless on the ground with Shelby towering over her. Shelby looked every bit the monster Allie imagined she was. With another smile, she approached her helpless prey, ready to deliver the death-blow. She laughed maniacally and raised her arm.

"Stop!"

Malcolm and Demetrie were there.

"What are you doing here?"

Demetrie spoke. "I'm doing my job. I wish I could say the same about you."

"How dare you interfere with me?"

"My job is to interfere."

"I will have your head for interfering with me."

"Did you forget the wee lass was being watched?" Malcolm asked.

A Guardian's training is nearly as long as a Gate Master's. They are trained to blend in and access all barriers so that they may do their job of protecting their subject. Somehow, Demetrie managed to gain entry to the women's locker room and reported to Malcolm what Shelby had said and done. For Allie's safety, they joined forces to watch over her.

"I will forget you lost your place. And I will remind myself to bring flowers to your grave if you don't leave now."

"And I will remind the Queen. I am yours to destroy, Princess, but even in death, she will know my truth," Malcolm said.

Shelby looked at them both. Suddenly all her power was gone; she felt like a cornered animal. Her prey lay at her feet whimpering – and she could do nothing to kill it. She fumed at the men, thinking fast, forming a plan quickly: she was going to kill them and chop their bodies into pieces so small they would never be found. No way could mere humans outsmart her. A broad smile crossed her lips as she readied to make her move. Which of them should she take out first? Her claws grew an inch longer.

The trees rustled again and both Demetrie and Malcolm smiled. Demetrie pointed to Shelby's left and she turned to see leaves falling from tree branches so high up they blocked the night sky. Brad descended from the darkness. He landed as softly on the ground as Shelby had done earlier.

"You are good enough to kill all of them," said Brad, "and if you want too, I won't stop you. That is your right. But believe me, your secret will see the light of day tomorrow morning."

"You would take their side against me?"

"You had won, Shelby. Why didn't you leave it alone?"

"She attacked me!" Shelby's face reddened with every shouted word.

"It was an accident, but you couldn't let it go. It meant nothing to anyone but you. You were so busy springing your trap that you didn't see the one you fell into."

"What trap?"

"I will let Bethany decide if it is a trap or not. Only she can judge. That is, if I have to report it to her," Brad said, hoping she would get his meaning.

Shelby was defeated. She looked down at her cowering prey and over at the two men. She accepted her defeat and surrendered.

"What do you want?"

"Restore the lass, Princess."

"You heard him," said Brad, "restore her and wipe this from her memory. She will be as she was, with all her abilities and memories, minus the bad ones of your making."

"No!" Shelby fumed. To lose was enough, but to suffer this humiliation was too much.

"As you wish," said Demetrie. "I will report the loss of one of my charges to the queen in person. She had big plans for this one."

Shelby was seething. She shook violently. Now she understood the trap Brad had spoken of. With no other recourse, she accepted defeat. Shelby walked five feet in front of Allie and turned around to face the girl who had defeated her again.

Allie, still on the ground, whimpered like a cowering dog. Who were these people? What were they talking about?

Shelby lifted her arms and small fireballs began forming in her palms. They swirled around and grew larger to the size of her palms. Allie watched in horror. She was about to be burned alive, but still she couldn't move.

The right fireball grew larger, turned as white as Shelby's eyes, and with a fling of her wrist, it struck the girl. Allie shook with an electrical charge and passed out. The left fireball grew larger and turned blue. Shelby closed her eyes and mumbled some words as if in prayer. She opened her darkened eyes and threw the fireball. Allie only shook slightly this time. The fireball hit her and spread out in all directions. It formed around her, stayed in place for a minute, and then dispersed.

"I won't forget this," Shelby warned. "If she crosses me again, I will remember my past mistakes. I will be quicker."

And with that, she leapt into a tree and was gone.

"I guess my job is done here," said Demetrie. "I hope my next assignment is somewhere tropical. I could use a tan."

"Me, too, laddie. Me, too," said Malcolm.

They all laughed. Brad volunteered to take Allie back home. In all the confusion, her cat disappeared. Malcolm volunteered to track Lissy down and return her to the backyard. Demetrie volunteered to help with the search and together they would repair the back fence.

It would take time to discover if Shelby had been thorough or not. They were hoping Allie would skip over the past days and be back to where she was before. The men crossed their fingers and hoped for the best.

Chapter 14

Sara was so excited that she arrived at their usual lunch table before Allie. She had gotten a phone call from Brad letting her know Allie was a Caver again. He did not have time to go over the details, but promised to explain it all later. He asked her to test Allie at lunch to be sure. He could have saved time by asking Shelby; she had been watching Allie, still fuming over having to restore her. Sara had hung up the phone and was jumping for joy. And now it was time to verify what Brad had said.

Allie came into the cafeteria and walked to her table. Beneath her tray she sported a bandaged arm.

"Hey, girl! What happened to you?"

"Hey. You know me; accident prone as usual."

"What happened?"

"I cut myself trying to catch my cat Lissy. She tried sneaking through the back fence and I grabbed her and the boards cut my arm. I bandaged it up before my mom saw it. She would have freaked and asked me to wait for Daddy or taken me to the hospital herself."

"So you're good?"

"Yeah, it won't keep me from doing my job. Do we have Marianna or the girls today?"

The grin that sprouted on Sara's face was huge. No need for further tests: she had her answer. She wanted to hug Allie and never let her go. She could not help herself. The grin on her face was front and center for the entire world to see.

Allie, on the other hand, was worried by the expression on Sara's face. She looked around the cafeteria to see if anyone was watching them and then she quickly sat down.

"What is the matter with you? You better tone it down a little bit before people start thinking we are going together."

"Sorry, girl, I'm just ... just so happy to see you."

"Oooookay!"

"Nothing, it's nothing."

"So, who do we have today?"

"Oh, sorry! Marianna. She is at our place with Momma. We will do her evening feedings and I get to show you how to make the charts, whoopie!"

"Whoopie!" Allie echoed. Although if she had things her way, they would forget the paperwork and just play with the children all day.

Normally Sara would do a countdown, but today she was distracted. It had been less than a week, Allie was back, and it was unreal. Throughout the meal Sara wondered if she was home dreaming. But reality set in before too long: Demetrie was gone, and Allie was back.

After school they received a loud, "Goodnight, lassies," from Malcolm from behind the wheel. Allie waved at him, unsure of why he was breaking his own rules.

Sara let Allie work the controls and open the secret room and it was as if no time had passed between them. Her best friend was back and they were in sync.

Marianna must have heard them coming because she started crying as soon as the door opened. Sara watched Allie touch her shoulder and pick her up. Sara's eyes immediately went to Allie's chest; as usual, her necklace was there. Despite her being 'gone' for several days, Allie had still worn the cross every day. Sara had considered asking her where she got it from, but thought it might be breaking the rules, and with Demetrie hovering, it was not worth taking the chance.

Allie handled Marianna with the same care she always had. She sat in a chair and fed her while Sara attended to the paperwork. Allie told her a story while she rocked her to sleep before setting her back in her incubator. It was now time for her to begin learning the paperwork part of the job. She went over and sat beside Sara at a table. Papers were spread out and she began picking them up and looking at them.

Once Sara had signed in the usual places, she was ready to begin. She took Allie through each paper, explaining the charts and graphs and showing her where to sign or initial them. Some Allie had seen before, but most were new.

Mrs. Johnson came through the door before they finished.

"Hey, Allison, nice to have you back."

Sara looked at her mother, who flashed her a be-quiet-I-know-what-I-am-doing look. Mrs. Johnson had missed Allie just as much as her daughter.

"Thank you, it's nice to be back," said a bewildered Allie.

Mrs. Johnson hadn't changed her hair as dramatically as her daughter. She too displayed red hair, but hers was not as bright, it was darker, more natural in its look. She went to the incubator to check on Marianna before leaving. The girls finished going over paperwork and later that evening, Allie was driven home by Mrs. Johnson.

She said goodnight and got out of the car.

Her father's company car was in the driveway, so she hurried in to find her folks sitting on the couch, watching television.

"Hey, Kitten."

"Hey, Mom."

"Hey, Cat."

"Hey."

She went in and sat across from them.

"How did your first day back go?"

"My what?"

"Baby-sitting Marianna, how did it go?"

"Oh, it was all right. Same as usual. I did a lot of paperwork tonight. God, I hate paperwork."

"It comes with the job, Cat. Don't worry; you'll be used to it before long."

They had a family dinner in honor of George, who was leaving to get test results he was expecting. Allie was hungry and ate more than usual, a surprise to both her parents. Kids her age were so body conscious that they weren't eating much of anything and frantically counting calories in what few things they did eat. It was a joy for them to see her with a full plate of food, a rare occurrence for her.

After dinner they gathered around the living room table and played a game of Monopoly. Allie's parents sat on the couch, while she took the floor, Lissy curled up beside her. She would stroke Lissy for luck before rolling the dice. They laughed and played and made up a few new rules to the game as they went.

George hated leaving the women alone and took their playtime to go over everything that was going on in the town. He went over the rumors and facts and the town's fears with his two precious ladies and reminded them to be careful when he wasn't around. He told them to look after each other and not to be out at night; there was still a lot of unrest in the town and he didn't want them near any trouble.

As he talked, Allie thought of her children and what might happen to them if any of the townspeople met them at night. She briefly wondered who would be the victor in what was sure to be a deadly encounter. She was confident that her children would survive one-on-one attacks, even against an armed man, but what if it was the whole town? Allie regretted she couldn't share her knowledge with her parents. She began to wonder if it would help or hurt her if they knew the truth. She was relieved the choice was not hers to make.

Allie obediently listened to everything her father said and kept silent. After the game, they all retired to their bedrooms to get a good night's sleep.

Chapter 15

On Saturday, Sara picked up Allie to take her to Caveena for her evaluation. Bethany was back now, and though the evaluation day had been changed, everything was on track.

The young women got out of the car and stood in front of a house that had been turned into a nursery. There was a sign in the yard that said 'Barlon Day Care Center'. The same name was also printed upon the side of the small building. The house sat alone on the edge of town at the edge of the forest.

They entered and walked past playing children and waved at the woman sitting at the front desk across from the door. They went to the back of the room and through two rooms, to a small elevator on the right side of the next room. Sara opened a panel and punched in a three-digit code. The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. Allie felt her stomach sinking as the elevator went down several floors before halting. They exited and walked down a long hallway to a small room.

"This is another change room," said Sara. She went to a closet and handed Allie a jacket and put one on herself. Then they passed through another two rooms to their final destination. Sara used her key to open this door and stepped into a familiar white room. "These are called vault rooms."

"Seriously?" Allie wondered.

"Yes. You will find out their meaning later." Sara led her through this room and down a hall to the door of the testing room. "The Elders will test you here. Keep your wits about you and show no fear. They can hear your heartbeat so stay calm and think of anything that will relax you and slow your heart rate down. Good luck, Allie." She hugged her and opened the door. Allie stepped inside.

Shelby and one of her female friends from school came down the hall. They were not in uniform or wearing jackets and as they slowly walked down the hall their eyes, almost black in color, bore straight ahead. They passed by two Cavers in the hallway who immediately stopped and stood against the walls. They held their heads down in respect as the two red-headed women walked by them looking virtually identical. They turned a corner, then entered the next room. A female Caver was in this room; she stood at attention and bowed her head at the sight of them.

"Get out," said Shelby in a low and deadly tone. The woman quickly left the room.

This was an observation room, and on one wall was a one-way mirror linked to the room beside it. Shelby's eyes returned to their normal color and she stepped up to the viewing area and saw Allie in the next room. She would soon get her revenge on the young upstart.

Allie had entered the room and was unsure of what to do next. The room she found herself in was large, and in the center stood a table; on one side was a lone seat – hers, she guessed – and on the other were several. She thought she would face some type of oral exam by these Elders that Sara spoke of. She walked around the room but did not sit down, waiting for the Elders to show up. Allie saw the mirror but gave it little thought; her attention remained on proving she was up to the task and could do her job. They would have to fight her to take this opportunity away.

Shelby called over her friend, Stephanie. They both looked at Allie and grinned devilishly at each other. "Did you get Marcus?"

Stephanie laughed and pointed to the door at the other end of the testing room. They both laughed at the chaos they were about to unleash. Shelby gave her the go-ahead and Stephanie turned on the intercom for the room. Allie heard a whistling noise and looked up to the ceiling and saw a speaker. "This is Phase One of your testing. Go to the chute on the left side of the room and open it. Take off your jacket, earrings and necklace and place them in the chute. Next you will go to the dresser on the far wall and put on a gray jacket."

Allie's ears perked up. Finally, she would be a member of the Double E Club. She rushed over to the chute and opened it wide. She took off her earrings and necklace and placed them in the pullout drawer. She placed her jacket on top of them and closed it. Allie walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. Empty. She closed it and opened the middle drawer and then the bottom drawer – but again, all housed nothing. She looked around the room with confusion and looked up to the speaker for help.

Shelby and Stephanie were still laughing. Shelby reached down and pressed a button and at the end of the testing room a red light went off on the top of a black metal door. Allie began to panic, unsure of what the test was and what was coming next.

The door's locks were a number of gears and cogs, like the innards of a watch, and one of the gears now began to turn. Allie watched in anticipation, and when the turning stopped, the red light extinguished and the door creaked open. Allie hid behind the dresser and was able to see a boy not much older than five standing in the doorway. The boy came into the room. Allie reached for her necklace – then realized it was gone! She'd stupidly thrown it away earlier. She watched the boy stalk around the room and her heart began beating louder. The boy heard the sound, stopped, and she almost died on the spot. He walked toward her, following the sound of her heartbeat.

Closer and closer he came, Allie's heart sinking further into her chest. He saw her from a distance and started grinning. She stood and slowly walked backward toward the chute, keeping eye contact with the boy. Yet the boy matched her, advancing step for step. She reached the chute and reached her hand behind her and opened the drawer and felt around inside. She almost fainted when she felt nothing but the bottom of the drawer: her defense was gone and now she needed a new plan.

Allie remembered what she had been told by Sara: control her heart rate. This was a little kid and she was the bigger of the two of them. She would use her wits and all that she had learned and she would survive this. After a deep breath, she took a step toward the boy – and for an instant it worked; the boy stopped his advance. She confidently took another step.

Shelby saw it and pushed another button on the console in front of her and the red light above the black door went off in the room. Allie lost her concentration and jumped. He was about twenty feet from her and charged with a scream. Allie ran to one side of the room, reached the table and chairs, and did her best to keep them between her and the boy. The boy jumped on top of the table – Allie picked up a chair to defend herself.

# # #

In the nursery, Sara sat in a big chair holding a baby, talking with Malcolm. The blond haired woman who had left the observation room came in and began cleaning in the room. Her hair was accented with a green streak on the right side.

"Melanie, what are you doing in here? Aren't you supposed to be in the observation room?"

"They told me to leave so I came here," she answered.

Malcolm perked up. "Who told you to leave?"

"Shelby; she was with Stephanie."

Malcolm pushed to his feet, worry etched into his features. "Sara, how long ago did you drop Allie off?"

"Not too long ago; you were here when I came in."

"Both of you stay here while I go check on her." Malcolm left the room, then raced down the hall, around the corner, and headed for the door of the testing room.

# # #

Allie had her chair out in front of her up to her face. The boy jumped off the table and charged her again. She kept a firm grip on the chair, blocking his attacks. Carefully she backed up to the wall and braced the chair with one hand and got ready to grab him with her other. He merely slapped at the chair, shattering it to pieces. At the same time, Allie reached out and managed to grab his shoulder and press down hard. She pressed as hard as she could – he stopped and stood straight up. His eyes returned to their usual brown. Allie held her grip and approached him. Unsure of what to do next, she stayed where she was and waited for help.

When Malcolm opened the door, he saw the smashed chair – and in front of him stood Allie, holding a boy with great care. Malcolm looked at the mirror, bowed, and motioned for Allie to come to him with the boy. He told Allie how to get to the nursery and he took the boy back to his room.

Allie entered the nursery, sunk into a chair and breathed deeply. Her heart pumped and for the first time she began to rethink working there. Sara was in a chair rocking baby Kelly while Melanie fed the other baby in its crib. "Hey, y'all."

"Are you all right?" Sara asked, trying to conceal the worry that swirled inside her.

"Yeah, the test got to me."

"What happened?"

"After you left me in the room, someone came over a speaker and told me to remove my jacket, earrings, and necklace and put them in a drawer. When I went to another drawer to get a new jacket: nothing. A door opened and a boy came in and attacked me. I managed to get him calmed down when Malcolm walked in and took him away. Why would they do that? What kind of test is that? I could be dead right now!"

Sara knew it was no test but she held her tongue. "Did he hurt you?"

"No, I got to him in time. I don't understand why they did that to me."

"I imagine we will find out soon. You better just rest for now."

Melanie went over and put her necklace around Allie's neck and then she left the room.

# # #

Bethany opened the door and went inside the vault room. Shelby was inside standing against a wall. The inviting blue was no longer in Bethany's eyes. "Come here."

"No! She disrespected me in front of everyone at school. It is enough that I didn't kill her. She deserves death for offending me!"

"Come here. I won't ask again."

Yet Shelby refused to move, so Bethany began walking toward her slowly. When she reached her she let out a guttural sound and the young girl put her head down and clenched her jaw. Bethany lifted her hand and struck her, knocking her to the floor. Shelby looked up. Her eyes were black and anger covered her face.

Bethany let out another sound and Shelby's eyes returned to their normal color. She knelt down beside the girl and rubbed her face against the child's face. She looked at her with dominance and love. "She is part of our family now. You will accept her apology and keep your place. Never again."

Bethany got up, her eyes once more their usual color. She walked out of the room without another word.

# # #

Malcolm waited a while before returning to the nursery. He opened the door and saw both Sara and Allie holding babies, playing with them by their incubators. "Are you all right?" he said to Allie.

She put the baby down. "Yes, thank you. I am fine."

"Good."

Bethany walked into the room behind him. "Are you all right, Allie?"

"Thank you for asking, Bethany. I am fine."

"Good. You will apologize to Shelby." She said no more and left the room.

Allie was in shock. Apologize? Why should she have to apologize? She wanted to go and talk with her about her statement but she sat in her seat and tried to keep calm.

It was not working, she directed her question to Malcolm. "I have to apologize?" Disbelief covered her face.

"She is female," said Malcolm harshly.

"I don't even know what I did," Allie whined.

Sara looked at her. "Girl, get real."

"Well okay, maybe that one time, but that wasn't so bad. An apology?" Allie said.

"She is female," Malcolm repeated. "Don't get bent out of shape. Just do it and get it over with, lassie."

"Fine, if I have to."

"You do," they both said to her.

They laughed for a moment. "Lassie, what did you do in the first place?"

"Nothing! The first time I saw her I was at my locker and when I stood up I bumped into her. We both fell down. I said I was sorry." Allie began thinking and stood. "Malcolm... that same day on the bus ride home, I felt like someone was on the roof of the bus and they were after me. Was that her?"

"Yeah," Malcolm said, nodding his head.

"Why didn't you say something? I ran into the house scared half to death and you just laughed at me. The next day the bus was cleaned up, but I know there were dents in the roof before."

"I did my job and I took care of everything. She is female. You stay as far away from her as you can get."

Allie was irritated. "Why do you keep saying she is female?" She tried to mimic the way he said it. "Who cares?"

"You better. Their females are the most violent and destructive, just like the rest of your lot." He chuckled. "This place is run by females, both vampire and human. Their men take no part in raising the young so the females must have a little bit of extra testosterone in their systems. They are aggressive and if they think you have slighted them they will attack. You could have embarrassed her in front of her friends and made her look bad. In fact, you probably did without knowing it. Shelby is a Princess. She is next in line to take over, and like an elephant she does not forget. She may not be able to touch you right now, but when she assumes the throne... just like in the Godfather movies, she will settle all debts. Don't ever become one of her debts. Right now she has no power to come after you. As their leader, she will be able to make her own rules. She is female. You will apologize for disrespecting her and then stay out of her way." And with those final words, he left the room.

Allie turned to her best friend. "What do you think?"

"I know she is dangerous; I told you so at school. Apologize then stay away from her and her crowd."

"All right, I guess I better."

"What did the boy look like that attacked you?"

"Short, maybe about seven with short brown hair and eyes.

"That sounds like Marcus. He is Stephanie's brother; she's Shelby's best friend. I bet you anything she is the one who told him to attack you."

"Well, do I have to apologize to her, too? I apologize for you having to go to the trouble of having your little brother kick my butt," Allie said, shaking her finger, sticking out her tongue and making faces.

"Girl, you are so stupid." Sara laughed.

Chapter 16

They finished their day in the nursery and had a quick bite to eat in the small cafeteria. Sara excused herself to converse with a group of girls in the hallway. Allie sat at the table alone. The table felt empty without Sara; in fact, half the room was empty. Allie began thinking of Shelby's prank earlier. She had almost put it completely out of her head, but it was back and she felt uneasy in the tiny space, preferring to be back in the school's larger cafeteria.

Thinking it was silly, she sat down to wait and began an idle search of the room to note who was there and who was missing. Maybe it would serve as a healthy diversion until Sara returned. She looked back at the back table and paid attention to each person there. She saw no one she knew by name. On one end she saw an older girl with short, shoulder length brown hair with a single braid of red, brown, and white on one side. This was the girl she had seen with the smaller younger Hispanic girl with the cross at school.

There were three others and in the center of the table sat the biggest of the girls, a blond girl with dark brown highlights and a ribbon of red who she had not seen before. This girl was doing most of the whispered talking. She told jokes then laughed loudly. Allie paid attention to the cross she wore, a bronze cross with a red jewel in the center that was placed perfectly between her large breasts. She smiled, thinking, this girl has not needed a pushup since probably age five.

Since Sara was still out in the hall talking and had not come into the cafeteria, and since the vampires that were known to her had not come in yet, Allie got an idea she should not have. She rose and walked to the back table. Assuming they were club members and all human, she walked up to the girl in the center of the table and smiled as big as she could.

"Hello, my name is Allie Carter."

They all stopped talking and looked at her. The girl on the end of the table looked at Allie. She looked back at the table she had come from, presumably looking for Sara.

After receiving nothing but dead silence, Allie decided to try again – maybe they did not hear her? "Hello. I'm Allison. I work with Sara. What are your names?"

Allie displayed and touched her cross to indicate who she was. The group peered at it with confusion and then back up at her. Still none of them spoke.

Then, finally: "I'm Rebecca and who they are, is none of your business. Be quiet and get back to your table before the others get here," said the big girl with an evil look.

"They're coming," said the brown haired girl on the end. She tilted her head as if to listen; Allie looked in the direction her head moved. "You have five seconds to get out of here before they arrive. MOVE!"

By the expression on her face and intensity in which she spoke, Allie knew it to be true. She took her at her word and hurried back to her table. Just as she touched down into her seat, in walked Stephanie and Shelby, side by side. They had on dark sunglasses and were not dressed in their club member attire. Each wore a white shirt with red checkered skirt.

Before taking her seat at the table, Shelby sniffed the air and looked directly at Allie, sneeringly. Allie saw her and turned quickly but still felt the daggers Shelby beamed into her back.

The day was saved when Sara sashayed in, talking on her phone. She waved at those in the back and sat down opposite Allie at the table. Yet Shelby continued to stare daggers. One day she would teach the girl to keep her place.

"What up, girl?" Sara said after hanging up her phone.

"Hey, Sara. How does that work down here?"

"Magic!"

Allie looked confused.

"Hey, Sara? Who is the center girl in the table back there?"

Sara looked and recognized her. Sara leaned in to whisper so the others could not hear her.

"Oh, her. That is Becky."

Sara knew Becky was older and often tortured newbies. She assumed the girl must have said or done something to Allie.

"You won't be working with her; she only works with the newborns in Beta section. I doubt she could keep up with the younger kids, being her size and all."

Sara held her breath and made a face, expanding her cheeks to make them look fatter, like a blowfish. Crouching low to the table, she and Allie giggled.

They finished their meal with light gossip about others in the complex before getting up for their next task, Nadia and Lila.

The young women changed their clothes and put on the white T-shirts with the crests on the front and back. Allie left her earrings in the change room to make sure she would not lose them after Melanie brought her items back to her in the nursery. They went to the outer chamber and waited for Lisa to bring the girls in to them so they could board the railcar and go back to the training grounds on the Front Nine.

"Sara, what happened to baby Jessie? It has just hit me that I haven't seen her. Is she with someone else?" Allie asked as they waited.

"Yes, she is. Jessica is being cared for by others so you can have a chance to get more familiar with the other two babies and these two girls. You and I are assigned to them and their care is all that we will worry about. I will take Nadia and baby Kelly and you will care for Lila and help with Marianna. We will watch the babies together in the nursery and work on the kids together. Remember what you have been told: Lila is your sole responsibility. If you fail to teach her everything she needs to know to blend in, she will be killed by outsiders. Everyone in town, including your parents, is an outsider. Always think of the children and what you can do to help them adjust. They are helpless without you. It is your job to be mother and father to them. Understand?"

"Yes. I'm ready."

Several minutes later, Lisa arrived hand in hand with the two children. The two girls yelled, "Yay!" and ran over to hug their mentors.

Allie was happy to hug Lila again; she missed her and being with Lila made her forget her trouble with Shelby and Stephanie. She took Lila by the hand and led her to the railcar and strapped her in the front seat. After Sara had secured Nadia they both got into the back and Sara started the car.

Allie enjoyed the rollercoaster ride out into the sunshine. She did as the kids and raised her arms, screaming the whole way out to the training grounds. By the time the car stopped, all four of them were screaming with joy.

The railcar stopped and they let the girls out and began. When they were halfway through the course, Allie and Sara took off after them, but the girls beat them through the course with time to spare. Allie got to the finish line; like before, she hit the ground, breathing heavily. The girls pointed at her and laughed and were instructed by Sara to run the course again.

"Here you go, slowpoke." Sara pulled out her tin and gave Allie a pill from the box. She swallowed it and relaxed on the ground, staring up at the sky and tree line.

"Where do you suppose these vampires came from? Do you think they are originally from outer space?"

"Girl, how many times do I have to tell you? They are not vampires and they are not from outer space."

"Of course they're not." Allie rolled her eyes. She looked back up at the sky, wondering how she could best help the children.

The girls finished the course and raced back to them. Nadia was in the lead and she dove across the line, landing on Sara. Lila dove and landed on Allie and they rolled down a slight incline. When they rose, Lila's green eyes had begun to change color from her play. Allie realized it was a reaction to hearing her heartbeat so she touched her shoulder. They walked hand in hand back to the others and the four of them took off racing for the large tree with the tree house at the top.

Nadia, who was the elder and stronger of the two, reached the tree first and leaped up its trunk. Lila followed close behind, moving up branch by branch instead of up the tree's trunk like her sister.

"You see how they did it?" Sara said to Allie after they ran to the base of the tree and watched the girls climb up.

"Which way is easier?"

"For you it would be the trunk; the branches are light and if you land on the wrong one you will fall all the way down to the hard ground. You got it?"

"Yep!"

When Sara started climbing, the girls were already in their tree house and playing with their dolls. She leaped above the branch and scaled the inside of the tree with little difficulty. Allie backed up, took a running start and leaped upward. She clung to a branch and drew herself up with sheer willpower. Soon, following Sara's path, she arrived at the top of the tree. She looked down and was surprised at how high she was and how fast she had made it up. She stared out, trying to find her house or school, but they were so far from town that nothing was familiar.

Sara touched her on her back and they went inside. The girls were at a table playing with their dollhouse and dolls. Each held a doll in each hand. Allie sat down beside them and watched them play while Sara wrote on the clipboard. She found it interesting and wanted to know if they played differently than human kids. The girls held human dolls in their hands and they walked them to the top of the dollhouse and threw them off, one by one.

"Why are you throwing them off the roof?" she said to the girls.

"We are not throwing them off; they are jumping," said Nadia.

"Yeah, they are jumping and running for their lives," said Lila.

"Why are they running? Is someone chasing them?"

"Not yet," said Nadia, then she laughed and Lila laughed too.

Allie tilted a confused head. "I don't get it."

Nadia looked at her, then Lila, then her again. "They found us and we have to kill them." The girls put the dolls down and they each got one of the larger vampire dolls and put them on the roof. The dolls jumped down on top of the human dolls and wrestled with them. The girls then put the vampire dolls down and took out bloody human dolls and exchanged them with the others. Nadia stood up and said, "The end!"

Lila jumped up. "Yeah, we win again!"

This playtime creeped Allie out. It is like the time they ganged up with vampire dolls to kill the human girl doll and said it was the Destroyer and they were duty bound to kill her. Allie got a chill. She shook the thoughts from her head, it wasn't her, she knew it. Fortunately, it was time for the part of their exercise program she loved: swinging between the trees. There was nothing like it: feeling the wind on your face and whipping through your hair, and viewing the world from a high position.

They all went outside and Sara chose the direction of travel. As soon as Sara had indicated their direction, the young girls were off, Nadia leaping first and Lila following close behind, mirroring her moves. Nadia would start off slowly, jumping and looking back at Lila to make sure she was keeping up with her. As they jumped more and more, she watched her less and less and led the way through the course.

Sara turned to her friend. "Always let them go first so you can see better where they are going and you can anticipate what they will do. If you go first, they could go another direction and by the time you figure it out they will be far out of sight. After a while you will notice they follow a similar route every time, which makes it easier."

Allie nodded, understanding everything she was told. Sara motioned to her to go next and she leaped to the next tree. Sara allowed Allie to chase the kids; her mission was to see how well Allie could keep up with them. Her friend was being tested without her knowledge and so far she scored high grades. Allie screamed with joy as she followed the girls. In a head-to-head contest she was no match for Nadia, but she was easily able to keep up with slower, care-free Lila.

Without warning, Lila dropped from the trees to the ground and started running away from the densely packed woods to an open field. Sara stopped jumping when she saw her running and tried to see what she was after, but didn't. Allie lost track of her because she was busy jumping and playing; she followed Nadia, unaware that Lila was no longer in front of her.

Sara ran up high to a treetop and searched for Lila in the open field. Lila chased a rabbit. Sara leaped to several treetops and dropped down and ran toward her from the other direction. Lila's eyes were black and she was excited as she caught a burst of speed that enabled her to catch up and pounce on the furry animal. She caught it with both hands as she dived and slid with the creature up against a tree. Sara ran to her.

"Lila, look at me," Sara commanded the young girl.

Lila rubbed the animal against her little face. "It feels good, Sara, it feels so good." She continued rubbing the furry animal against her face and her eyes changed back to their normal color.

Sara knelt down beside her and rubbed the animal. "Yes it does," she said with a smile.

"Can I keep it?" the girl asked excitably. "I will be good and care for it."

"What are the rules about animals?"

"They are people with their own lives," Lila said with disappointment.

"And what does that mean?"

The little girl frowned. "I want to keep her with me."

"And what does that mean?"

"I'll be good to her and feed her every day, every day."

Sara's heart was breaking, but she had to be strong for both their sakes. She told herself it was part of the job, the bad part, and repeated her question with a stronger look. "And what does that mean?"

Lila took a deep breath and relented. "I have to let her live her own life."

"Very good, Lila, now feel her soft fur one more time and set her free. If someone caught you, wouldn't you want them to set you free?"

"Yes." Lila rubbed the soft animal's fur against her face one last time and released her.

"Come on, we have to catch the others." She helped her to her feet and they walked toward the woods, holding hands.

Nadia played on the nearby obstacle course swing set while waiting for Allie. Nadia swung in the swing and giggled as she went higher and higher. She wanted to go all the way around in a full circle, but eventually she reached a point where she could go no higher and she heard the chains pop as they changed direction with her momentum. She instead slowed down and twisted in her seat as she continued to swing at slower speeds and heights.

By the time Allie caught up, the caretaker was breathing heavily. She looked around for Lila, not spotting her, crossed over to Nadia. "Where is Lila?"

"She is back there chasing a rabbit." Nadia pointed far back in the woods.

Allie got a sinking feeling and thought to herself, oh my God; I have screwed up big time. Not knowing whether she should look for her, Allie chose to wait with Nadia for Sara. Keeping quiet and waiting was killing her so she asked the young girl's sister another question. "Why would she be chasing a rabbit?"

"She likes them. She is such a baby." Nadia rolled her eyes.

"She likes them?"

"I mean their fur; it's soft and tickles your face," Nadia said with a grin.

"You saw her?"

"Yes, I saw her and the rabbit."

"Why didn't you tell me or Sara?"

"Tell you what?"

"That your sister left the course. She is supposed to be with us on the course, not chasing rabbits."

"I know, but it was a big pretty bunny rabbit." Her face shined with an innocence Allie hadn't thought the girl had.

"Nadia, next time she leaves and you see her –"

Allie heard laughter. She turned in its direction, and saw Lila hurtling toward them, Sara right behind. Allie felt better but knew she was in trouble. They dropped down from a high tree and raced over to the swing set. Lila leapt into the swing beside her sister and began moving back and forth. Sara ran up and gave Allie a look to let her know she was in trouble. Allie had seen her mother with the same look on many occasions and knew it well.

They all went to the railcar and after the children were strapped in their seats, Allie waited for Sara to get in before working the controls to take them back into their underground home. The children enjoyed the ride back by laughing, screaming, and waving their arms about – but the two in the back were silent.

Lisa was sitting outside waiting for them as they pulled up. The girls were unstrapped and hugged Sara and Allie before joining Lisa for lunch. Lisa stayed back and did not speak to them; she nodded at Sara and shifted her eyes to the right. Sara looked to the right and saw a purple pattern on the crest next to their entrance. Allie took the lead and walked back into the building with Sara following behind her, wondering how to approach the subject.

Allie turned around once they were inside and faced her friend. "How bad is it?" She needed to know if she would be allowed to continue.

"Do you really want this, Allie? If not, now is the time to get out with no harm being done. Don't play, Allie: this is serious work and very few can do it. It is not easy and the sacrifices are huge."

"I know... I know... I know! I'm sorry I messed up; I made a mistake and took my eye off her. It was just a mistake."

Sara took her friend by the shoulders. "You listen to me. There can be no mistakes, not now, not here, not ever. She could be dead right now! You hear me? Dead! If anyone in town had seen her they would have shot her and killed her. No mistakes. She is young and does not know any better, but you, you are her lifeline and you make decisions for her to keep her safe and alive. You failed! You hear me? You failed!"

Allie started to cry. Sara was right: she was playing and had forgotten all about her duties. Her job to watch over Lila and keep her safe had become secondary to her fun. "I'm so sorry."

Sara was tough when she had to be. Allie was her best friend and it hurt, but she had to slap her down hard to make a point. She straightened.

"Are you staying or going?"

Allie wiped her face and stopped sniffling. "I'm staying."

Sara showed her no pity and glared. "Are you in or are you out? You had better decide now."

"I'm in," came a sniffling reply.

"Good. Come on. One of the Elders is here."

Sara led her down a new hallway with patterns and designs in the tiled walls that she had not seen before. Allie saw colors in the tiles and wondered how much of the pill was still in her system. She stopped partway, fascinated by the colors she saw. She touched where she saw the color and traced with her finger the direction in which it took. Sara watched as she drew around the pattern. Inside Sara was joyous, but outside she displayed no emotion.

"I see a rainbow here, and a star here, and over here there is a ball of fire." She moved from place to place in front of the white tiled wall, showing Sara what she was seeing.

Allie reached over to touch another colored area she saw, but Sara caught her hand. "Watch it. Don't fall down; you have enough to deal with. Come on, let's go this way." She led her around the corner to a wider hallway.

As they walked down this hall, two vampire women came toward them, eyes black. They quickly raised dark hoods but not before catching Allie's attention, especially the second woman for she was a gigantic woman of monstrous size. This woman stood nearly seven feet tall, the ends of her short red hair sticking out at odd angles with the tips pointed, dyed black, and moving as if they were the snakes of the fabled Medusa. She dwarfed the other in stature. Before Allie could examine further, Sara stopped and pushed Allie against the wall beside her. "Bow your head and don't speak," she said as quickly and quietly as she could.

They both held their heads down until the women passed. As they did, one of the hooded creature's head moved—her entire body shook beneath her cloak. Something fell at Allie's feet. Did the woman know she dropped it? Should she return it? She searched for an answer as she took a chance and raised her eyes to watch the women hurry around the corner. Allie was not sure, but believed the taller vampire was a prized warrior. She had a weapon at her side and wore some sort of military uniform beneath her hooded cloak, perhaps she was a guard. That meant the other was special in some way, though she didn't get a good look at her. Could she be the queen people spoke of?

Sara tugged Allie forward but not before the young girl bent and grasped the fallen item. She tucked it away in her pocket following her friend with a look of wonderment. She felt as if she had stolen something valuable, as if she had a secret all to herself. She couldn't wait to be alone to check out her prize. She hurried behind Sara with a heart as light as a feather.

"If they ever walk down the hall and their eyes are changed," said Sara, "bow your head, stand against the wall, and don't speak. They can hurt you if you challenge them, understand?"

Allie walked faster to keep up with her. "Yes."

A door opened and the two young girls walked inside the room. Allie was confused by whom she saw, but smiled real big: it was Mrs. Taylor from school. "Hello, Allie."

"Hello, Mrs. Taylor, how are you?" She was so happy it was her that she smiled uncontrollably.

"I'm fine, and you?"

"I'm fine."

"Good. Have a seat and I will be with you in a moment. I need to have a word with Sara first, if you don't mind."

"Okay," Allie said, and sat down as she was asked. Her teacher and Sara left the room to talk in the hall. Allie could hear their voices, but not what they were saying.

Mrs. Taylor came back into the room without Sara and sat on the edge of the desk in front of her student. She opened her hand and revealed a vial with a green liquid in it. It was the same color as Allie's favorite soda. "This is a memory eraser; if you drink it, you will forget everything about this place and our people. If you want to stay then don't drink it. If you do stay, you are in for life. Your allegiance is ours: not your parents', not yours friends': ours. You will live in our world and follow our rules before the rules of your parents or the outside world. Be very sure this is what you want."

The decision was simply: like Sara, she would have both worlds. "I am staying; this is where I want to be."

"Many young girls have sat where you are sitting. They too were offered this choice and the majority of them decided to drink. They are now walking around your school unaware of us and have forgotten ever being here in this place, in this room, in that chair. It takes total commitment, total devotion. You will leave your home; you will leave your parents and friends and live with us. If you change your mind now, you can return to them."

But Allie shook her head; she thought of the children, of her new abilities, this new world, and knew her decision. "I'm staying. This is the world I want to be in. I belong here," she said with total confidence and conviction. "I belong here!"

Mrs. Taylor closed her hand. She went behind the desk and put the vial away. "I'm glad you are staying, Allie. We need you." She took out a syringe and came back to her. Allie rolled up the sleeve of her T-shirt and braced herself for the shot. Mrs. Taylor injected her with a purple liquid that made her feel warm all over, then sick. For a few long seconds she bent and held her stomach, wishing away the pain – then finally drew herself to her feet.

"I feel better now, but I am starting to feel a little sleepy."

"That's normal. Let me put you to bed. When you wake, you will feel better." Mrs. Taylor led the young girl out and down the hall to the sleeping quarters, where Allie fell fast asleep.

She had no way of knowing, but a cocoon formed around her and her body began changing as she slept.

Chapter 17

Sara finished her day early and called home for her mother to come and pick her up. Her mother came in with baby Marianna and took her to the nursery. Malcolm stood with Lisa, caring for the other two babies lying in cribs being fed with bottles.

"Malcolm, I need a favor if you have time," Mrs. Johnson said after greeting them.

"What can I do you for?" Malcolm said with a sly smile.

Mrs. Johnson answered, "We are taking a holiday tomorrow. A family trip up north. Can you take Allie back home today? Sara says she is sleeping right now."

"Ah, the transformation is at work. I would be delighted to escort the fair damsel to her domicile. Have fun on your trip."

"Thank you. We will."

As they walked down the hall, Sara said to her mother, "Why do you keep encouraging him? You don't have to tell him where we are going."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know that pervert likes you. Every time you come into the room I hear his heart beating faster. I guess he forgot you're a married woman."

Mrs. Johnson laughed as they walked to the elevator. She pushed the button and they went back up to the day care center. The building was now free of all but two children playing a video game. They climbed into the car to drive home.

"I ought to tell Daddy on you."

Mrs. Johnson laughed again. "Lord Jesus! I wish you would! Your backside won't like me much after that." Sara gritted her teeth silently. "Stop acting crazy. I am just having a little girl fun. You know your daddy is the only one for me. I do like it when men think I'm pretty and so will you. It makes you feel warm inside. After a day of hard work it's like candy." She reached over and poked her stubborn child until she laughed.

# # #

Allie slept until late in the day. When she woke, she knew neither where she was, nor what day it was. Being underground, she could not even be sure if it was night or day. Her clothes were different, too. She remembered it was noon with the children in the woods.

Allie smiled at the thought of her teacher being an Elder. She should have guessed from the start: it was Mrs. Taylor who first took an interest in her and did the trick with the ants.

Stretching and yawning, Allie rose from bed. Being stricken with panic, she quickly reached for and was relieved that she still had her necklace around her neck. She walked out of the room and down the hall.

Allie regained her sense of where she was and went to the cafeteria, hoping to find her friend there. However, the room was empty. She walked over and opened a refrigerator door and took out a small carton of milk and found a doughnut. After eating, Allie went down the hall to the nursery, knowing she would find a clock there. As she walked down the dimly lit hallway, she turned a corner and entered the larger hallway and noticed patterns on the walls. Allie stopped and stared at the patterns for a moment. She smiled: her abilities had not left her yet and she hoped she could go home and jump around in her backyard in the trees beyond their fence. She strode down the hall and saw the familiar stars, suns, rainbows, and others. Remembering Sara stopping her early, Allie extended her hand to a multicolored rainbow and traced the pattern. She felt a strange sensation and traced a blue star; this one felt different. Extending her hand toward one of the suns, she reached toward it to touch it and feel its sensation. She knew it would be different from the others.

"Stop!" shouted Melanie, who had come from the opposite direction and stopped to watch what she was doing.

Allie froze for a moment, looking at Melanie with confusion. Melanie had not spent much time with her. Allie knew that she was a Caver and lived at Caveena full time, but nothing more.

Melanie was twenty-two years old and strikingly beautiful, with long, two-tone blond hair with a distinctive small single braid of red and green hair, and blue eyes. She was tall – almost six feet, in fact – and thin, so she looked almost like a model. She walked toward Allie and when Allie looked at her necklace her cross seemed to sparkle with her every step.

"Don't touch the walls," she warned. "Did you see Stella earlier?"

Still confused, Allie's mind was not functioning enough to understand what she was hearing. "What?"

"Stella – Mrs. Taylor, your teacher, did you see her earlier?"

"Yes."

"She gave you a shot?"

"Yes."

"Come with me." Melanie turned and Allie followed her down the hall to another room.

Inside the room were several chairs and a television mounted on the wall. Allie thought of her father and his small waiting room, only these chairs were big and comfortable. Melanie directed both of them into seats.

"This is a lounge area; it also can be a testing room."

"Are you going to test me?"

"Yes, but later."

Allie looked about, fastening her eyes on a wall clock; it read 8 pm. Assuming it was the same day she felt better. "What are we going to do now?"

"Just talk. Allie, there is a lot to teach you and not enough time to learn everything. To be successful here, you have to remember things and curb your curiosity at the same time. The shot Stella gave you is a serum they developed over the years to help humans reach their world. It is called TX-27T, and contains adrenaline boosters, sensory enhancers, body shapers, and many others. Your blood is now thicker than normal. Your red blood cells, the ones that carry oxygen, have been reshaped to hold more. Your white blood cells, the ones that protect your system by fighting diseases, have also been changed to make them stronger. You are now what they call an enhanced humanoid. You can run faster and jump higher than others, and you can see and hear better than them as well. Which brings me to a bit of bad news for you. We try and use people who are not into sports; you are not allowed to play sports, not even in your backyard with friends and family. The reason is simple: you would win too easily and draw attention to yourself, and through you, us. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Though she was not sure if Allie really did understand, Melanie continued. "Like our children, you are unsafe in the outside world and can never do anything to draw attention to yourself. Have you paid attention to Sara and her behavior?"

Confusion spread across Allie's face, so she shook her head.

"Sara acts more like a typical teenager at school, sometimes even one with low abilities, and no one is the wiser. Here at home, she is brilliant at her job and very mature and dedicated to her cause. She handles the children with care and they believe in their hearts that she is their mother. They love her and respect her like a child reveres its parents. The people outside these walls have no clue of whom she is, and that allows her to carry out her job. Your goal is to be like Sara. You must fight the urge with everything that you have, not to be different from anyone else. If a student attacks you, verbally or physically, you will surrender and not fight back. You will resist the urge to show them up and show everyone what you can do. If you display your powers, you put everyone here at risk. We cannot take the chance on you hurting us and these children. If you cannot control your anger and curiosity, we will have to remove you from the program and wipe your memory of everything. This is life and death, Allie, and you are required to grow up faster than ever before. You hold lives in your hands."

Thinking about her new position in life, Allie nodded. "I told Mrs. Taylor I belong here, and I do. I will not let anything happen to Lila or anyone else."

"I'm glad to hear that. Come on and I will give you some insight into your new abilities." Melanie stood and led Allie back into the hallway they had just come from. She pointed at the colors and patterns. "Do you know the Egyptians and Aztecs wrote with pictures?"

"Yes; we covered them in school last year. Each picture told a story or meant something in their language."

"Yes. We are just as old and have a similar language here. The colors and patterns all mean something. They are names and stories of great people. This hall is for the Honored Dead. It is sacrilegious to touch them. Even though we pledge our lives to their cause, we are still not worthy enough to touch them. Never let anyone see you touching them." She moved to a wall with red colors and patterns. "This one here, the red tells you that it is a female, and the star's sharpness tells the century of life and death. The rainbow tells her house and the colors on it tell her rank. There is a color code you will need to learn to decipher the numbers with. It will be your second year of training before you get to it."

"And the sun, there in the lower right-hand corner?" Allie asked with curiosity, wanting to know everything about everything.

"That is how you open the door. Once opened, it can't be closed. Your fingerprints will betray you if ever you do open it, and they will kill you. This way."

She walked off without another word and Allie followed in silence. Even though she would never tell anyone what she was seeing, she still wondered what people would think if she told them.

At the end of the hall sat a familiar testing room she remembered all too well. Allie entered the room with misgivings and sat at the table. Melanie opened the box sitting on the table. After taking out large flash cards, she stacked them, then held the first one up and asked Allie what she saw.

Allie studied the picture and responded. "The capital letter A."

"What color is it?"

A strange question to ask but she responded, "Black."

Melanie held up more cards and Allie correctly guessed what letter they were. She then continued to more advanced cards and held up a swirly pattern. "What is this one?"

"It is black swirling with white. It kind of reminds me of the Milky Way galaxy."

Melanie frowned and turned the picture around and studied it herself. She then put it down and held up another card. "Look in the right-hand corner. What do you see?"

This was an ink blot picture that looked like a butterfly because of its mirrored sides. "The wing of a butterfly."

"Look into the circle and concentrate."

Allie focused on the circle and sparkles of colors appeared. She saw small dots like stars in the sky that grew bigger as she focused on them. Focusing now on just one of the stars, she made it grow bigger and change color, so it began to shimmer in the light. "Wow! It is sparkling like a twinkling star."

"Very good." Melanie said with pride.

Together they went through a series of tests, finally, Melanie put the cards away. "You did extremely well. The cards show that you have great potential and make adjustments on the fly. Those are the qualities we look for in caretakers. You have passed the test."

"With flying colors," said Allie, laughing at her own joke.

"Ha ha," said Melanie. Clearly the girl had a lot of kid left in her, but she and the others would mold her into perfection. "You need to help now with the evening feedings, and then you'll be done for the day."

They left the room and went to the nursery. Melanie fed Kelly while Allie fed Marianna.

"Melanie, can I ask you a weird question?"

"Of course, it is always better to ask me or Sara than Bethany. What's on your mind?"

"The incubators, why are they still here? I don't know much, but I thought they were only used by premmies in hospitals."

Melanie laughed and stood. She directed Allie to put her baby into a crib. "That is a good question. Come over here and put your hand in it."

When Allie's hand touched the bottom of the incubator it felt warm.

"The babies cannot hold internal heat for long periods of time until they are a year old. The incubators give them their constant heat source until then."

"So... they are dead?"

"No, silly. They are born cold and deficient in nutrients. Without great care from us they will die quickly. Now, let's finish their feedings and get you on your way."

When Allie's session was almost over, Malcolm entered. "Well, lassie, are you ready to call it a day?"

Allie was not ready to go but she knew her time was up and she better get home to keep her mother from worrying about her. "If I have to."

"You do," said Melanie with a chuckle.

Allie put the baby in her incubator and left out the door with Malcolm. He drove her from the day care center to her house.

"Malcolm, don't you get tired of driving? I mean, the bus and now a car – don't you ever want to be driven for a change?"

"I suppose you would like for me to pull over and let you drive, eh?"

Allie laughed. "Nope. I hate driving. My father wanted to teach me and I didn't like it at all. I just thought you got tired of taking people places."

"Oh, lass, I see what you are saying. I don't mind; everyone has a job and this is what I was meant for. When I was your age, I knew this would be my life and reconciled myself to fate. The work that I do is good work and it benefits both our races."

"Oh." Allie looked out the window, admiring the scenery. "I wish I could jump home, you know, tree to tree. I could put my books in a backpack and take off and be there in no time."

Malcolm couldn't stop himself from all-out laughter as he drove. "That sounds good in theory, but if you tried it out, you would be fired so fast your head would spin off its tiny little neck. It's okay to dream about being free but make sure it stays a dream, for all our sakes."

"Don't worry about me, Malcolm, I will be the perfect employee. I love my job too much to screw it up. But I will dream and dream big."

"Good, lass, good."

Out the window, Allie spotted a small animal – a rodent, perhaps – scuttling quickly along the ground. She glanced up; a large bird circled overhead. She thought of Shelby and Stephanie and the boy that attacked her. "Hey, Malcolm, will Shelby forgive me?"

"She doesn't have a choice in the matter."

"Well that is not forgiveness then."

"She is female. Forgiveness may not be in her vocabulary. Just apologize and stay clear of her like you have been told."

"I will. I am thinking of what I will say right now."

"You will have all day tomorrow to come up with the right words."

"What do you mean?"

"You are off tomorrow so be sure to spend time with your folks so they don't get suspicious or worry about you or your job. When you go to school, be ready to apologize like nobody's business."

Allie watched the road in silence. Tomorrow was Sunday, and she wanted to work all day.

"We're here, lass. Have fun tomorrow. Be a kid while you can."

The moon was rising as she got out of the car and walked into the house.

Chapter 18

Allie walked into an intense environment when she entered the house. "Mom? Dad? What is going on?"

Her father gave her a false smile that tried to say nothing was wrong. "Hey, Alley Cat. Have a seat; I have something to tell you about the men at the South Ridge. You remember me telling you there was an animal attack and two men were killed? Well, it was Bob Mackey and Lester Platt. We got the results back from our autopsy and it might have something to do with kids from your school, at least that's what some of the people think. The results say it was not an animal attack. It's a man with maybe a genetic disorder or something. I don't know, Alley Cat, it all seems so crazy. Well... anyway, I... we... your mother and I want you here in the house at night, every night. Now I know you started working and you love your job, but until this mystery is solved, we want you coming straight home from school every night."

Allie's face fell. The heartbroken teen understood what her father said and knew who or what might be responsible for the deaths, but she could not tell him. The thought of not being able to tell the truth and losing her job was making her sick. Allie tried to stay calm and talk rationally with her father but she did not have the words. "No! No, I am not quitting my job."

"Yes, you are!" he shouted. "You will not be running around out there; it is not safe right now. There are hunters out in those woods who are looking for kids, mutants, animals and any other thing they can find to shoot at. It is real easy to get shot by some idiot out there right now and I will be damned if I let that happen to you. You are staying here if I have to sit on you or chain you to the wall!"

"No, I am not! I have a job! You can't take that from me!" Allie screamed.

"Allison Louise Carter, you go upstairs to your room right now, young lady!" Kay commanded.

Allie gave them both a fiery look, then turned and stamped upstairs, slamming her door hard behind her.

Kay sighed. "I don't know why she is behaving so badly. You go and join the others on the hunt. I will keep an eye on her. She is not leaving this house tonight, I promise."

"All right, I will leave it up to you." He kissed and hugged his wife before leaving for another town meeting.

Allie's behavior baffled Kay and for the first time she realized her daughter was at the stage of changing where her and her husband would take a backseat in her life. She trudged the steps and knocked softly on Allie's bedroom door. After receiving no response she tried knocking again, just a little bit louder, but still there came only silence. Kay turned the doorknob and went inside.

Allie lie on her bed, facing the opposite wall.

"Are you going to ignore me?"

At first Allie was silent, but after a few moments she gave a tiny shrug. That was the most she was willing to give her captors.

"Okay, I see." Kay came around to the side of the bed and Allie quickly shifted so she would not face her. A furious Kay stopped walking toward her daughter and stood still, evaluating the situation. "We have raised you well. If you want the respect of an adult, you will behave like one. Right now you are acting like a five-year-old child, so I will give you no respect until you act your age." And with that, she left and returned downstairs.

An hour later, Allie climbed from her bed and stood at the bedroom window. It was dark and with the moon shining down she could see trees being swayed by the breeze. She closed her eyes and imagined herself in those trees, feeling the wind on her face. She could not describe how wonderful it felt and even if she broke the rules and told her mother, her mother would not believe her. How do you describe such beauty? Allie wanted to be in those trees. So, making up her mind, she crept downstairs as quietly as she could and tiptoed to the back door.

"Going somewhere?"

Allie looked to her side and saw her mother sitting on the couch with her magazine. She straightened, walked through the kitchen to the living room to face her mother. "I was just going outside in the backyard."

"This late at night?"

"Checking on Lissy."

"Why so quietly then?"

"Can't I just go into the backyard? What am I, a prisoner now?"

"What are you, young lady?" Her mother stood as tall as her tone; Allie knew she was in trouble. "You are not a parent; you are a child – and an impertinent one at that! You raise your voice to me again and I will remind you of that fact. Sit down!"

Allie sat on the couch without a word. She stared at the floor, her jaw clenched tightly.

Kay looked at her rebellious child. "I want to know what's gotten into you; you have never behaved like this, not even as a baby. You skipped the Terrible Twos and the hijinks of Elementary. Were you just waiting and storing it all up for now?" Allie did not move. "Talk to me! I want to understand what is going on with you."

"Why do I have to give up my job when I did nothing wrong?"

"There is trouble in town. Why can't you just grasp the situation?"

"I have followed your rules and the one time I want something, all of a sudden it is unsafe to work or even go outside."

"You think this is a trick to get you to stay here? People are dead, Kitten. Until answers can be found, no one is safe. These were two grown men that got attacked. What could you do alone against something like that?"

"I know how to defend myself; I have done so many times before now. This is something you are doing to keep me here against my will."

"I can't believe you would think your father and I would be so treacherous. I like the idea of you working, and when it is safe you can return, but for now it is not safe and I will not risk you for a job! Tell me you can understand that?"

Allie huffed. "Whatever." The battle was lost.

"Go to your room before I slap you."

Kay trembled as she watched her daughter leave, then slumped down onto the couch with her magazine once more. She felt heartbroken, but she was the parent and had a job to do.

Up in her bedroom, Allie continued to stare out her window while trying to solve her problems. Having to deal with Shelby on Monday had now become a distant thought. How could she convince her parents to let her work? Which one of them should she go after first? She reflected on the words her mother spoke. It did not make her feel any better but she knew her mother was right and she was wrong. A parent's job is to keep their child safe, and like Sara had told her with Lila, you cannot let a child do everything they want to do. If she were able to keep her job, she too would be a parent, and would have to say no to a defiant daughter. Not because she hated her, but because she had to keep her child safe.

She absently put her hand in her pocket, resigned to her fate. She felt metal and pulled it from her pocket to gaze on it, wondering where it came from. It was cold yet warm. Smooth and shiny: a crest. It was familiar, something she had seen many times. The graceful eagle with widespread wings clutching what appeared to be the moon while in flight. She knew it from the walls yet this one was slightly altered. The moon shimmered and there were pairs of leaves interlocked with hands at the edges. She felt something on the back and turned it over: a thin needle and hook. It was a pin, a hairpin of all things. She had never seen such a thing. It has to be special and it was all hers—finders keepers. What made it even more special was the red strand of hair trapped in the clasp. Her face brightened. She was right. That woman was special, her smile grew wider. She relished her secret. She studied it until she heard a sound from next door. She quickly hid the pin behind a framed picture of her parents on her bookshelf. She dived into bed waiting for her mother to make another of her boring entrances. In time, her thoughts came full circle to punishment, forgetting her secret and the joy it brought her.

Out in the backyard was Brad; he stood in a large tree watching both women through their windows. With a leap, he softly landed on the roof and peered inside. Kay had come upstairs and was in bed reading her book, unaware that he was there. Brad stood next to the window and touched the glass. He focused all his attention on Kay and with gentleness, he eased into her mind.

Kay lifted her head and looked out the window. Then, putting down her book and turning off her night-light, she settled under the covers and fell quickly asleep. Brad smiled as he watched her obey his order.

He jumped over to Allie's window. The young girl was on her bed, knees pulled to her chest. Her face was red, and there was a sour look on it.

Brad tapped the window. Allie's eyes jerked up – and then her face flooded with relief. She ran to the window and opened it.

"May I come in?"

"Yes, please come in." As he stepped inside, she locked the door, remembering her mother.

"Your mother is sleeping; I thought you could use my help."

A wave of emotion hit her, finally, a rescuer. She could go back to work and not give up her job. Allie was happy to see him, but then his words brought confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

He pointed out the window at the trees. "It is a perfect night to exercise; besides, to be able to keep up with the kids, you need to practice. I hear they ran rings around you today." Brad laughed to let her know he was not serious.

Allie got super excited. Not only was a cute boy in her room making her heart beat faster, but he wanted to go out with her. The added thrill of being able to fly through the trees was too much for her. As hard as she tried, she could not stop smiling and felt embarrassed. "I'm so dorky, God! Is it safe to be out? My folks just gave me this big lecture about how bad things are around here. I am officially a prisoner of the Gestapo."

Brad laughed at the obscure reference. "I guess you are talking about Taylor, Jake, and Denton?"

"I guess."

"Don't worry, you won't be running into them. If you have anything to fear, it will be from the hunters. Let's hope they haven't been drinking tonight." Brad laughed and although she desperately tried not to, she laughed with him and felt more embarrassed. She wanted to impress him and prove herself a mature and wise employee, yet he was there, a boy, in her room with her mother next door soundly sleeping. Goosebumps sprouted on her skin.

"Where can we go?"

"We will stay around here in the woods. Let's go down and check your running skills first." He went out the window and leaped down to the ground.

Allie saw him land and she stepped out of the window onto the ledge. "Okay, here I come." She leaped down and landed right beside him.

"All right. We are going to run to the fence, jump over it, and head for the big tree over there."

She looked to where he pointed, but before she could agree, he took off running. "Hey! No fair!" Allie ran after him. She was so busy trying to catch him that she did not notice how fast she moved. They leaped over the fence and raced to the tree. He beat her there but not by much.

"Not bad for a beginner."

"Don't worry, you'll improve," she toyed.

"Right, let's do something different. We will play follow the leader; you have to do everything I do. Ready?"

Allie nodded, diverting her eyes.

Brad climbed a tree and waited for her to join him. When she was beside him, he leaped to a nearby tree. As the game progressed further, so too did the distance between the trees. Allie managed to keep up with him until he reached one of the last trees. As he leapt, he seemed to walk on air. After he was safely aboard, she jumped to follow, but could only get halfway before she started falling, and fast. Brad dived. He was like an arrow piercing through the air as he flew under the falling girl and caught her, cradling her in his arms, before she hit the ground.

"Whoa!" Allie said as the dust settled around her.

"You okay?"

It took her a moment to catch her breath before she was able to reply. Allie lay in the young man's strong arms and forgot all about falling and instead concentrated on his good looks and strength. "I'm okay; I thought for sure I was dead." Allie stood, embarrassed, she knew he felt and heard her thundering heart. Another question came to her that she had not asked before. "Are you dead?"

Brad laughed real loud. "I've heard of your vampire theory." He took her hand and placed it over his beating chest. Allie had the momentary thrill of touching a boy's muscular chest. His pecks were hard and he was as solid a specimen as she would ever come across. Then, she got down to business.

"Vampires are dead. It's in all the stories I have ever heard." She moved her hand to a different spot on his chest and again felt his heartbeat. Had he somehow faked his pulse?

"Maybe you are referring to my cousins, but if it makes you happy, I am a vampire." Brad smiled, showing sharp teeth, then burst with laughter. "Come on, we are going to test your sight. Look over at your fence. The sign has words on it. It reads, 'Beyond this fence lies...' What's the rest of the sentence?"

She strained to see the sign and could barely make out its edges, let alone read the writing on it. "I can't read that from here."

Brad held his left hand up in front of her, directing her to look at the stars. "Do you see the blinking star over there?" He pointed and she looked. "Do you trust me?" Without looking down, Allie nodded. Brad brought his hand down. Her eyes followed its path – and then he slapped her hard across the face.

"Ow!" Her hand shot to her burning cheek. "Why the heck did you do that?"

"You told me to."

Allie continued to hold her face. "I told you no such thing! That would be retarded!" She winced in pain again.

"Sorry. I sometimes don't know my own strength, but you said you trusted me and that meant it was okay. Now stop whining like a baby and look at the sign again. Read it."

She dropped her hand from her tender flesh and focused on the sign. This time, its lettering was immediately clear. "'Beyond this fence lies protected property owned by Lucient Oil Company. No Trespassing allowed by ownership.' Wow! I did it, I read it all the way from here, I freaking read that sign. Wow!" Allie jumped up, clapping her hands, applauding her accomplishment.

"Okay there, buddy, now on to something more challenging. Follow me." Brad ran to a tree and climbed it and leaped to another. Allie followed and soon joined him in a third tree. "Look at the first tree we climbed. At the base of the tree are marks. Look for colored patterns around the trunk of the tree. Can you see them?"

Allie sharpened her focus but saw nothing. "You are not going to hit me again, are you?"

Brad chuckled, "Not unless I have to, now focus; the spots are red or blue along the base of the tree."

Allie grimaced as she refocused – and this time she spotted them. "I see them, I see them," she said with joy.

"What color are they?"

"Mostly blue, but higher up the tree they become red. Oh my God! A red spot just changed to blue before my very eyes!"

"What you are seeing are heat signatures from us. They are red at first because of their heat and when they cool they turn blue and then fade. If you follow them from tree to tree they will lead you to us."

Being fascinated by her new discovery, Allie did as Brad suggested and followed the pattern from tree to tree. He was absolutely right, the patterns led all the way to the tree they stood in. She let out a laugh. "Wow, man, this is incredible!"

"Now we are going to play hide-and-seek. Turn around and face the tree, count to ten and then come and find me. The trick is to not use your normal vision but to go by heat signature alone. Start counting."

Allie began her counting and felt a breeze as Brad took off. When she reached ten, she turned around and began to search for telltale heat signatures. She looked at the nearest tree and saw red spots but the tree to her right had blue spots on it. Using deductive reasoning, Allie assumed the tree with the red spots was fresh and even though it was the closest tree to her, it was not the tree he landed on first. Allie jumped to the faraway tree with the blue spots and chased after them. She used a strategy of keeping close to fading blue spots. She then leaped faster and faster and was able to get to the dull red spots and eventually the bright red spots. As she made a new leap, she caught up to him and jumped in the tree ahead of him. Brad arrived in the tree with a bright smile.

"Not bad, but I went super slow to let you get a feel for the chase. Now count to ten again."

Once again she turned her back and counted. When finished, she turned with excitement. This time, all the trees she saw were covered in blue marks. Bewildered, she leaped into them and began to move through sets of trees, looking for red spots. A few trees in, she found her target: the trees in front of her had fading blue marks on them but the other two on the left sported bright red patches. Allie smiled and laughed. She figured out the puzzle and leaped to the last tree, saw Brad up ahead leaping to every tree in a row and took off after him. She did not catch him before he finished, but when she leaped to his tree it was still bright red. Allie held up her hand and he high-fived her.

"You cheated."

"No, I didn't."

"Yeah you did, but it's all right with me. How do you feel?"

"I feel great; I could stay out here all night long."

"Well, we can't do that. One more test and we will call it a night, all right?"

"All right." She agreed but a sickening feeling took seed in her.

"Start counting."

Allie turned to count. When she reached five, she felt a strong wind and knew Brad had taken off. When she finished counting she turned around to an amazing scene: every single tree around her had blue marks and they stretched forever in all directions. Allie had no idea how to proceed. She stood there in shock and awe, unable to solve this puzzle.

There came a noise from behind Allie; she turned. It was Brad. He pointed to her right. Allie looked at the side of the tree she was standing in and saw a blue spot. She looked down the tree and saw blue then red spots that went down the tree and around its base, and then bright red spots coming back up the tree on the other side and ending where Brad stood.

"We will save dimensions for another lesson. I'll race you home. I'll give you ten seconds' head-start. Go."

As Brad started counting, Allie took off. Pushing up into the trunk of a nearby tree, she began to travel overhead. She enjoyed the night air, the quietness of the forest, and the awesomeness of the stars overhead.

Brad finished counting and dropped straight down to the ground and he ran as fast as he could toward Allie's back gate. As they neared the finish line, Allie swung from an overheard tree down to the ground and began running for the fence. Brad closed the gap and overtook her: he reached the fence first.

They stood at the gate laughing and breathing hard. They went over the gate and jumped onto her roof. Allie checked her mother's room; fortunately, she slept. Brad smiled as if to say, I told you so.

Allie did not want her time to end with Brad. She leaped to the ground to saunter toward the fence, hoping he would follow. He did. How to say it? What to say? Allie took in a shaky breath. The time in the trees was exhilarating. It made her heart flutter thinking about it. Her breathing came in gasps, her heartbeat accelerated, and she began to sweat and did not know why. Never before had she had such a strong reaction. The closer they walked to the gate the more weight fell on her narrow shoulders. Brad had to stay. She had no earthly reason why, but he had to stay. The pounding of her heart, the pressure bearing down on her, it all meant something and that something was Brad. She thought. She hoped.

"Brad?"

"Yeah?"

Allie turned to him. The moon flared over his left shoulder. A signal. She looked into his magnetic brown eyes and felt a strong pull, a yearning she had never known. Standing next to him suddenly became unbearable. She had to touch him. An alarm sounded deep within her: it was not her, it was him. He was a vampire and was doing something to her, she just knew it. Vampires can hypnotize you with their eyes. They can cast a spell on you. All the movies say it. If she was feeling strange that was the reason, nothing more.

"Nothing. I have to go."

Allie ran for her house and leaped to the roof to stand next to her window. She looked back and saw Brad standing in the same spot, smiling up at her. Screw it! Without hesitation and with a single leap, Allie landed beside Brad.

"Thanks for helping me. I appreciate it."

As she leaped from the roof, she leaped into madness. Allie snuck a clumsy kiss from his cheek and leaped back to the roof before he could respond. Allie went inside the window, afraid to turn and look. Embarrassment filled her as she realized what she had done. Thinking to apologize, she touched her warm lips, then turned to Brad. At first she did not see him, but then, activating her new-found tracking skills, she followed blue spots to a high tree beyond her gate. Brad waved and then he performed a back flip and was gone. Allie searched for more heat signatures but found none. In the space of a moment her exhilaration turned to heartache. She went to bed and hoped when she woke the embarrassment as well as the longing would be gone. God, let it all have been a bad dream. PS. Just the last part.

Chapter 19

Allie woke the next morning dreading it was Sunday and she had no place to go. She wanted to sleep the day away but felt hungry. The house was quiet so before going downstairs she went to her mother's room and found her still asleep in bed. Allie went to the kitchen and began to prepare her usual cereal. If her father had been there, he would have made his famous Sunday pancakes, but he had not returned from town.

As she set down her bowl, Allie looked in the living room and saw the magazine her mother read the night before. She went and picked it up; she would read it whilst eating breakfast.

George came in with his rifle; he dressed in camouflage fatigues and black boots, as if he had just come home from war. He smiled and waved at her, trying to judge her mood. Allie waved but did not smile, and went back to reading her magazine. He put his gun back into its cabinet and locked the door with a key from around his neck, before going upstairs to his wife. Then came the sound of the shower running. Allie did not care that she had not spoken to him: as far as she was concerned, she was at war with her parents and would not consort with the enemy.

Allie smiled as she formed her plan. She knew it would be a winner because her mother loved babies, and she had already seen Marianna. Allie would have Bethany come to the house again with the baby and say she was indispensable to her. This would be a way of showing responsibility and proving she was ready to join the adult world. She went to her mother's purse on the kitchen table, took out her cell phone to call her friend.

"Sara?"

"Hey, girl, what's up?"

"Are you at home?"

"No, a family trip. What are you doing?"

"I am at home, a prisoner in my own house if you can believe it."

"Good God, girl! What happened with you?"

"My dad came home; they are doing some mass hunt deal in the woods for some animal-man-creature thing somebody thinks they saw. I have to stay in the house until the mystery is solved."

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Allie glanced to the staircase to check for her parents, then lowered her voice. "You are not going to believe this. I tried to go out the back door last night and my mother was waiting on the couch for me like I was a criminal escaping from the cell block. Do you know she kept her door open all night waiting for me to make a move?"

Sara laughed over the phone. "Girl, you crazy! Well, did you escape the plantation?"

Allie laughed. "I will tell you about it later. I need a huge favor."

"I thought so."

"It's not that bad. Can you get Bethany to stop by with the baby? I was thinking that if she talked with my mother again she would change her mind. If they keep me here I will not be able to work and tomorrow is Monday. Sara, girl, I got to get out of here, they are driving me nuts with these crazy rules of theirs."

"You decided to put the squeeze on your mother, I see. Good plan. Well, don't use Bethany; she can be a little icy and you need sympathy; instead I would try Melanie or Lisa."

"I can't use Lisa, Bethany told my mother that she was her cousin and she was leaving. What do you know about Melanie? Will she help me?"

"She's all right; I have never had a problem with her. I will try to call her and see if she can help. Anything else you need me to do while I am on my family vacation, girl?" she laughed.

Allie snickered. "Nope, just get me back to where I belong and I will be eternally grateful."

"I will call you later. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Allie turned off the phone and went back to thinking. Her mother would definitely be her target and the baby was the key.

It was noon when Allie's parents returned downstairs, George chasing Kay and hitting her playfully on her backside with a towel. Allie, sat on the couch, saw them coming and assumed her role. She would only speak when spoken to and would only give short responses; she would torture them with silence the way they were torturing her by imprisonment.

"Hello, Kitten," said Kay breathlessly.

"Hey, Alley Cat." George was also out of breath.

Allie waved at them and pretended to watch television. The silent treatment was on. She had played this game many times – and always won. Her parents could never grasp the fact that she did not need to talk to people, but they did, and this gave her the winning hand every time. If silence was golden, she was a millionaire.

Her mother went to the kitchen to make lunch and her father sat on the couch next to her. He looked at the television but paid no attention to it and assumed neither did she. "Are you not talking today?"

Something happened on the television screen and she laughed.

"It's all done with love. We have to be parents and keep you safe. When the danger passes, you can go back to work. I know you love it and I want you to go back to it as soon as possible. We are doing what is right because we love you and have to protect you."

There was still no reply, so he went to the kitchen to a warmer climate.

Kay made grilled cheese sandwiches and ravioli topped with gobs of cheese, one of Allie's favorite treats. They ate mostly in silence. Now and then one of them would ask her something and she would respond with as few words as possible, and only if absolutely necessary. After dinner she asked if she could play in the backyard and was given permission. She had not spent much time with Lissy so now would be the perfect time for them to catch up. She took her cat and a bowl of treats into the backyard and rolled on the ground, playing with her cat.

"She seems happy," said Kay. She and George watched from the kitchen window.

"Yeah, but very stubborn, like her mother." George slapped her on her backside.

"I'm feeling guilty already. It's her first job."

"Come on, Kay, be strong and stick with me. Don't let her break you down. The stories I hear in town have everyone stirred up. What if she's out at night and one of those yahoos hits her with a stray bullet? I am not taking the chance on her safety for a baby-sitting job. No! She is too precious for that, and if I have to endure her wrath... I will!"

Playing with Lissy was a blast; Allie came back in the house happy. She sat Lissy down in her bed by the back door and crouched beside her, making meowing noises.

Kay cleaned the kitchen, happy to see her daughter in such good spirits. "You seem to be in a better mood."

"Lissy knows how to get to me, don't you, girl?" She rubbed her cat and resumed making meow noises.

"Are you still mad at us?"

Allie sat on the kitchen floor playing with Lissy; her troubles had vanished with her resentment. "I'm not mad. You have a job to do. I wish you could see that I have a job to do but you don't, or won't. I guess it will work itself out somehow."

Kay kissed her daughter on the forehead and went into the living room and sat beside her husband, who was watching a game show on television. "She seems better."

"Maybe, but I know her; it could all be an act. Let's hope for the best though."

From the living room couch, Kay shouted, "Kitten, let's play Monopoly! Can you please get the board game from the closet?"

Well, she supposed she might as well enjoy prison life. "Sure," Allie said, and retrieved the box.

Before long they had set up a game and begun. They had been playing for two hours when the doorbell rang, followed by a loud knock. George rose to answer it and was greeted at the door by a young woman and a little blond girl. The woman was a tall, leggy, long-haired blond with a braided strand of red and green. Her eyes were blue and she was very striking in her looks. She wore a white, strapless mini dress. The little girl also had long blond hair with green eyes and was wearing a school uniform compromised of a white shirt, red and green plaid skirt, with white tights. They could have been sisters because their features were so similar.

"Hello, may I help you?" George said to the young woman.

"Yes, I work for Bethany and she sent me to check on Allie. May we come in?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Please come in." He showed them into the living room. "This is my wife Kay, and I am George Carter. You know Allie."

Kay and Allie stood to greet their guests. "Hello, I'm Melanie Dushon, and this is Lila Peters."

Lila smiled and said, "Hello."

The Carters said hello to Lila and then she went and hugged Allie. Allie was happy to see them; she had forgotten her arrangement with Sara and did not bother to check if she had called her back. She sat on the floor with Lila at her side, waiting to see what would happen tonight. She had hoped for baby Marianna but Lila would do; she was just as endearing as a baby.

"Where are our manners? Please have a seat, Miss Dushon." Kay said.

Melanie sat on the couch and looked at the board game. "Monopoly? I used to play that as a teenager with my brothers and sisters."

"How many brothers and sisters do you have?" said Kay.

"I have four brothers and three sisters; I am the youngest. Unfortunately we are scattered across the globe, most are abroad. I still keep in contact with all but one and we try to get together for family reunions in the summer."

"I'm glad to see you care about family values," said George.

"Yes, Mr. Carter, family is the most important thing there is and we try to get our kids off to a good start in life. That is why I am here. Bethany tells me that you are concerned with Allie's studies and she let her leave without giving her the new orientation package. So I stopped by to make sure she had it for Monday." Melanie reached into a large bag that she brought with her and took out a box. She handed it to Mrs. Carter.

Allie gathered around the table with Lila, she kept her hand on the child's shoulder to keep her under control but hoped it would not be necessary. George looked on as Kay sat the box on the table and opened it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Carter, I want you to know that we run a top-notch business and we take care of our employees. We will provide Allie with her own cell phone and take care of all its costs. It will give her responsibility by helping her to keep track of her expenses. If she goes over on her charges it will come out of her salary and that will definitely teach her money is real and has value. We will also provide you with a pass code so you and your wife can always see her incoming and outgoing calls. You have the ability to restrict phone numbers at your discretion. The appointment book will help her keep track of her duties with us as well as her school duties. We believe in paperwork and getting her into the habit of doing paperwork early will help her in life.

"There will also be a series of medical and reference papers you both must sign. These are Allie's insurance policy to cover any injuries on our property. For example, winter is coming and if she slips and falls on our grounds we will rush her to the hospital and pay all costs. We ask that you give us contact numbers for the both of you at home and at work. If you have email addresses we would like them as well. You are also free to give us contact numbers for friends and family members who are authorized to pick her up, drop her off, or visit her on the job. We are a day care center and having so many kids around forces us to take security seriously. We don't allow unauthorized personnel on our property at any time. Now . . . Do either of you have any questions about her job?"

George stayed silent, staring at Melanie, so Kay took the lead. "Yes, I do. What all is she required to do at your day care center?"

"Oh, that's an easy one." Melanie pointed to Lila. "This is Lila; Allie will be in charge of her learning and her physical activities program. We don't allow children her age to play with video games or lounge around. They get an hour a day out in the yard playing like children are supposed to play, in the fresh air. Allie will keep a schedule to make sure she has exercises where she runs, jumps, and just has good old fashioned fun. This is also good for Allie; she has to be in shape to keep up with the young girls like Lila. The rest of your daughter's time will be spent with Marianna in the nursery. She will feed and change her, read her stories, and tend to her needs. Allie displays a talent for caregiving that surprises me; I was under the impression she was an only child."

"She is," said Kay, swelling with pride. "She has always picked things up quickly. Her father and I are very proud of her."

"So are we, Mrs. Carter. Allie is a blessing to us and we will do anything we can to help her. You never want to lose a talent like her."

"Thank you for saying so."

"You're welcome. She is a lovely person and a credit to the both of you. Well, I am afraid we have to get going. I wanted to stop by and drop off these papers and let you take time to fill them out. If it is no bother, can you give them to Allie tomorrow so she can bring them with her to work? I would really appreciate it. Again, thank you for your hospitality and allowing your beautiful daughter to work with us; she really is a godsend. Well, we must be on our way."

They climbed to their feet. Mrs. Carter escorted them to the door.

"Thank you for stopping by. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kay closed the door and returned to the living room. Allie watched her expectantly, but her mother said nothing. Depressed, she moved to go to her room.

"Sit down," her mother instructed; the girl obliged. "We still have issues with your safety."

"I guessed that, since you didn't ask her any questions," Allie said sharply.

"You go tomorrow and we will see after that. With luck, the trouble in town will end and everything will go back to normal. We have to protect you, Kitten, even from yourself. Go on upstairs; you at least get tomorrow."

Allie couldn't resist pushing her luck. "Can I have the phone?"

"I knew that's all you wanted, Cat," said George with a hefty chuckle, "in the morning." He picked up the phone and turned it on so he could get a better look at it. It was a top of the line phone with a touchscreen.

"Well I guess I will go to bed, tomorrow is Christmas! Woo hoo!" Allie ran up the stairs to her bedroom; she could no longer contain her excitement about her job and her new phone. She jumped on the bed, started kicking and thrashing about, while screaming, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Chapter 20

Monday started off great for Allie. Her father programmed his and Kay's cell numbers into Allie's phone, along with their home phone number, each complete with custom pictures and ring tones. He left for work before his daughter awakened, and so it was Kay who presented the cell phone to Allie that morning over breakfast.

"Thank you kindly." Allie took it and began thumbing through the phone's options. Even though she never had her own phone before, she was quite an expert at working the menus. She played her parents' special ring tone and looked horrified at her mother, who tried hard not to burst with laughter. "Where is Dad?"

Kay let out a small laugh before getting serious with her daughter. "He had to leave early this morning for another group of meetings with the townspeople. When you get out of school you can take these papers to your boss and work today. You are going to have to wait and see what comes out of your father's meeting to know if you can continue working." She handed her daughter the folder with the signed papers in them. "Are you surprised?" she asked as Allie ogled them.

"Honestly? Yeah! I don't know what to make of you and Dad sometimes. I can work today, but I have to keep in mind it might be for the last time. Does that about cover it?"

"Yes, it does. Your safety is the issue," her mother said firmly.

"All right, I am not going to argue. I will take what I can get. Do you have my phone number?"

"Of course, and if I or your father should call, you will answer the call immediately or lose the phone. Clear?"

"All right, Mom, Jesus!"

"Watch your mouth."

Allie went to the cabinet and got her bowl and fixed herself some cereal. As she ate, she continued to play with the phone. When done eating, Allie put the folder in her backpack and was out the door, cell gripped firmly in her hand.

Most of the students had phones and had ridiculed Allie daily on the bus for not being old enough to have one like they did. Now that she had her own, she relished the opportunity to throw it in their faces. Her new phone was top of the line, most popular, and cost twice as much as theirs. Boarding the bus, she called 411 just to hear a voice through the phone's speaker, holding it up so everyone could see. Many of the students pretended they did not see her out of jealousy. She loved the looks on their pathetic teenage faces.

Allie stepped off the bus, still holding an imaginary conversation on her phone. During her first period, she passed by Mrs. Taylor standing in the door of the classroom and smiled at her. She learned from Malcolm not to acknowledge anyone in public so she simply took her seat as she always did.

Mrs. Taylor was the kind of teacher that looked forward to parent-teacher conferences and would give parents a great deal of information on their child. It was hard to believe this gentle soul was a vampire – and not just a vampire, but an Elder. Allie wondered what the word meant. Did it mean she was one of the oldest? Allie guessed she was maybe about forty-five. Did it mean she was a leader? She had to be a leader; she was the one who came to test her and see if she could work there. That would mean she had authority and power. Allie, unaware of what her teacher said or did, ran through several scenarios in her head as to what Mrs. Taylor's true role was in the vampire world.

The rest of her morning classes passed in the same fog: most of her thoughts centered on her phone. When it was time for lunch, she went to her table and sat and waited for Sara to show up.

"Hey, girl," said Sara as she sat with her tray.

Allie smiled. "Hey, Sara. How did your family trip go?"

"Not bad, it was just me and my mom; my dad is on a trip."

Allie held up her phone and grinned real big. "What do you think?"

"Nice one, girl. It looks just like mine though. I bet you thought you had the only one and you were special?"

Allie put her hand on her hip and showed attitude. "I am special."

"Yeah!" Sara chuckled. "Special Ed."

They both laughed hysterically for a moment. Allie remembered her task for the day and became somber. "How do I apologize to Shelby and make her believe me?"

"You don't make her do anything to start. Tell you what ... here is what you need to do. You have to apologize and make it mean something. Her friends will be watching; you have to make her look strong in front of them, meaning you have to look weak. When she gets here you go to her and say you are sorry for any disrespect you have caused in front of her friends. Be sincere and meek. Keep your head bowed and show no emotion. Whatever she does, do nothing and show no reaction. If she doesn't say anything, walk away slowly, and for God's sake, don't look back."

"Will she hit me?" Allie wiped perspiration from her forehead.

"She can if she wants to, but I doubt it. Word would get back to Bethany and she wouldn't like it. Bethany told you to apologize and told her to accept your apology. She will accept your apology, but don't expect to be friends or get invited to her house for a sleepover."

"Don't worry about that, if I go to her house I will wind up as the main course for sure," Allie laughed.

The doors in the back of the cafeteria opened and Shelby and her friends walked in and sat at their usual table. Like always, they wore their same gray jackets. Allie looked at Brad. She had forgotten their night together. A warmness stirred in her as she looked into his face, hoping he would sense her and return her gaze. He did not. After they sat, a thought hit Allie. As she watched them, she noticed they brought their own food with them to eat. After sitting down, one of the girls opened a bag she had and gave some of them a wrapped bowl of food to eat, while the others opened their bags and began to eat.

"Looks like it is that time. You ready, girl?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Wish me luck."

Allie took a deep breath and began walking toward the table. Her necklace was around her neck as always but she didn't have her earrings on. When she was halfway to the table she tucked her necklace under her shirt and continued to the table. Allie trudged forward, not wanting to go to the table or even speak with Shelby. As she neared the table, she saw the girl who gave out the bowls of food was Stephanie. Allie moved in closer and watched them while they ate in silence. Being naturally curious, she took the time to look in one of the bowls; what she saw looked like Trail mix.

Shelby sat near the end of the table, bracketed by other vampire girls. Shelby glared at Allie's approach. Her fist clenched under the table to the point of drawing blood from her fingernails. She closed her eyes tightly to get a grip on her emotions and calm down. She knew if she didn't, her eyes would change color and give her away to all the students in the cafeteria.

Allie stopped at the table and stood at the end in front of Stephanie, facing Shelby. She looked directly at Shelby and ignored all the others. Someone coming to their table was an unusual occurrence and caused much of the chatter in the room to die down. Everyone in the cafeteria gawked. Allie decided not to waste any more time: she bowed her head and looked as humble as she could.

"I disrespected you earlier and I apologize. Please forgive me. It won't happen again."

For a moment she waited, then remembered what Sara had told her and so turned around to leave without speaking another word. She took a step forward away from the table and Stephanie, who sat on the other side of the table at its edge, stuck her foot out and tripped her.

Brad sat at the other end of the table on the same side and saw what Stephanie had done. His face flared, bringing color to a pale complexion. Like Shelby, he put his hand beneath the table and clenched his fist so tightly his hand began to bleed. Just as Shelby had, he forced his eyes shut tight to gain control.

The room filled with silence as the few people who were still talking stopped and looked. Allie was expecting something to happen and had prepared for the worst. Sara and Malcolm had known her so well that they had given her good advice to follow when dealing with vampires, especially females. She had caught herself as she fell, preventing from banging her head – but as she went down, she felt one of her fingers snap. She slowly picked herself up off the floor and being who she was, did everything humanly possible to avoid speaking or crying out. With her entire being in agony and crying out for justice, she said not a word. Challenging Stephanie would be just as bad as challenging Shelby. Let her have her fun, she thought, I will get what I want and win in the end.

Without turning, she picked herself up and returned to her table, head bowed low.

Sara watched her friend leave and return, and was mortified at her falling. Sara almost cried when her friend hit the floor. With her superior hearing, she heard the snap and knew Allie was in pain. She scanned Allie's body as she approached the table, trying to figure out where the sound had come from. Sara saw the bent finger and contained her emotions. To anyone who glanced over at her, she would have appeared a statue, but inside she was crying, crying for her brave friend.

Allie sat down in her seat and waited for Sara to give her instructions. "Put your hands under the table and fix your finger. Keep still; they will stop looking soon," Sara said mechanically, barely moving her head or lips.

Allie placed her hands in her lap and then moved them further under the table. She gripped the finger and pulled it back into position; it snapped into place.

"Good. Are you all right?" Sara asked, knowing the answer.

"I survived," said Allie.

"It was Stephanie."

"I know. She will get hers in the end. Are they still watching?"

Sara casually looked back at the table. "No, they are leaving."

Allie relaxed. "Thank God!"

"She wounded your pride, didn't she?"

"No, she wounded me. I thought you were paying attention."

"I did and I am. Let me see your hand."

Allie brought her hands from under the table and looked at them. Her bent finger had a red ring around it but it wiggled like the rest.

"Your adrenaline is healing you. As long as you remain calm it heals the body. If you were in a fight it would do nothing until you came to a complete stop and relaxed. That is a good reason why you don't fight. Let your body heal itself and go about your business. My mom will be picking us up and taking us to the Center after school today. Finish the rest of your day and I will meet you out front."

"Just because they left doesn't mean we have to leave. Where are you going? We have plenty of time to eat."

Sara stood up and held five fingers up in front of Allie. She counted down by folding each finger, and when the last fingertip touched her palm, the bell rang. "See ya." Sara grinned and turned around to go to her next class.

"How do you do that?"

Laughing, Sara gave a backward glance and said, "Magic." Then, with a wave, she was gone.

Allie got up and hurried to her next class. With no more pressure on her, she had an enjoyable day and waited patiently outside for Sara.

Allie wangled two numbers from schoolmates: Connie Benton and Stacy Roberts. She entered them into her phone while she waited for Sara. She had also downloaded a game; she was playing it as Sara walked up and sat beside her.

"Hey, girl, you ready?"

"Yeah." She grabbed her backpack and followed Sara to her mother's car. In what felt like no time at all, she was inside the building, standing outside the secret elevator beside Sara.

"You remember the code?"

"I think."

It took two attempts, but they stepped inside and descended. The elevator let them out in the main hallway and they walked up to the front desk. Watching camera feeds below the counter sat Bethany. Allie handed her the folder with the signed papers. Bethany opened the folder, checked them, and set it aside – not the reaction that Allie wanted.

"I apologized to Shelby in the cafeteria. She didn't speak but I think she accepted my apology."

Bethany checked the monitors before looking up at the two young women. "I need you both to monitor Cecilia's class; she is sick and her children are being unruly." And her attention returned to her feeds, dismissing the women.

Sara took Allie by the arm and directed her down a hall to another elevator. They went down another level and exited on a dimly lit floor. Immediately across from the elevator was a storage closet. Sara opened the door and they pulled on white T-shirts. "Put on your earrings if you brought them with you," Sara instructed.

After finishing, they headed down another hall and entered a room with eight toddlers.

Allie was happy to see all the kids. Sara was not; there were too many of them. Some waved at them; others paid no attention. Four of the kids were running in circles; others were playing with dolls; and a couple was sitting quietly at their desks coloring in a coloring book. Allie went to talk to them but Sara stopped her.

"Hey, you don't just walk into a room with this many children. Children are our biggest problem: they are unpredictable. Like regular children, they are a handful. Your job is to baby-sit them and not let any of them get behind you. The shirts we are wearing have crests on the front and back but that is not enough protection for children their age. They can come at you from different angles all at once. If that happens, you're done for.

"We are going to divide them into two groups. I will take the more active ones and you will take the others. I want you to get the two coloring and the two playing with dolls and get them over by the big chair. Your back will be against the wall and you will have a clear view of the door from there. I want you to read them a story; just sit and get a book and read to them. Then keep them occupied by getting them all involved in an activity together, either coloring or playing. I will take the other four to the other end of the room and keep them there. Never... ever... ever let them get behind you, Allie. Just like in the railcars, they are always in the front for your safety. Remember, you are the one in charge. Use your authority like you would with any child their age. Pop the little monsters if you have to!"

"All right, I'm ready."

Sara clapped her hands loudly to get their attention. "All right! Amanda, Shelly, Joey, and Savannah, this is Allie and she will be reading you a story today."

Amanda and Shelly were the two children playing with dolls. "Yay!" they said. Together they moved to the area in front of the bookshelf, where they resumed playing. Sara nodded at Allie; getting the other two was her job.

Allie walked up to the two children coloring and tapped the desk. The little boy looked up at her with darkened eyes and growled with full fangs. Her mind flashed back to the testing room and the trick Shelby played on her with Marcus. But she quickly recovered and held her cross up to the boy. He stared at the glowing red jewel and she quickly pressed down on his shoulder with her other hand. The boy's eyes returned to normal and the girl took him by the hand and they walked to the area with the other two children.

Allie felt better but now was curious about the relationship with the two children. Were they brother and sister, or was she somehow superior to him? Malcolm loved to say, 'She is female' – did that mean that women are superior, or just more dangerous and unpredictable? Her query would have to wait, though: her duties demanded her full attention and if she failed she might die.

Allie gathered her wits and walked over to the four children. She thumbed through the books the children were read and came across one she knew. Her thumb stopped on the edge of the book, The Hunter and the Rabbit. She knew that book, but from where? She dismissed the thought, picked a book off the shelf, and sat in a large chair with her back facing the wall. From where she was, she could see all her children as well as Sara and the four children she managed.

Eyes half on the door, Allie began reading while the children hung on every word she spoke, fascinated with her storytelling. Allie chose The Three Little Pigs and took a lesson from her mother by reading the story using different voices for each character. By the time she was halfway through the book, she already knew what their next activity would be.

Like Allie, Sara sat with her back against a wall. As she told her story, one she made up from the top of her head about a vampire child who had been abandoned by his parents in the forest for being a bad seed, a story about the importance of family and sticking together, she kept watch on Allie to ensure she wasn't struggling with her duties.

This being a weekday, Allie could only stay for a couple hours, so she spent the day with the children and did not take a break. She did not know if this would be her last day or not so she made the most of her time. It had only taken a short while, but Allie fell in love with all the children, especially the child whose safety she was responsible for: Lila. Looking into each of their faces, she wondered who their parents were. She had never seen any of these kids at school or in the stores or even on the streets. They had been locked away here their entire lives. All they had were people like her, people to look after them and take them outside for supervised exercise. Allie thought of her mother and the story of the Mole People. She knew how easy it would be for the townspeople to shoot and kill these poor defenseless children simply because they were different. Yet she was sure if they knew them like she did, they would change their minds. Allie wanted to make a difference and she wanted to do all that was in her power to help them survive.

After her time with the children expired, she gathered her things to go home. Allie rode up to her usual floor and got off. Lisa had come into the room to take her place and help Sara with the children, which made her happy knowing Sara would not be left alone. Allie regretted that her parents were not understanding or as deeply involved as Sara's parents were. Depression gripped her as she walked down another hall, turned a corner, and passed by several people on her way to the elevator and home.

Chapter 21

Mike Chambers was deep in the woods, hiding in a tree in a deer stand, when he saw a man leaping from tree to tree, before leaping into a truck and riding it down a winding dirt road. Mike put down his binoculars and picked up his rifle. It was Malcolm, and Mike trained his crosshairs right over him, finger gently pushing down on the trigger.

The truck stopped, Malcolm stepped out. He leaped to a rock ten feet above him and started climbing with his backpack to the top of a waterfall. For a moment he was sprayed by water, and then he found a small, dark cave and entered.

Malcolm took off his backpack, took out a metal canister and sprayer, connected them, and sprayed the mixture in front of the area where he had hid three cocoons earlier. Minutes later the cave wall started peeling and fell away. Malcolm pulled the first cocoon out and gently laid it on the cave floor by his backpack. He reached into the backpack and pulled out an electronic device and scanned the cocoon. Being happy with its condition, he took a syringe and injected the side of the cocoon; instantly, its color and mass changed. He waited a few minutes, then put two smaller syringes in his pocket and picked the cocoon up and carried it outside to the cave entrance. Once there, he held it tightly and leaped down to the truck once more. He placed the cocoon in the back of the truck and injected the syringe from his pocket into it. The cocoon started falling away slowly, seeming to become some kind of slime that dripped away into the truck's bed. As it did, Malcolm looped around to the front of the vehicle, retrieved a harness, and returned to the back.

He saw the form of a young man appearing, as if from solid ice, slowly emerging from the decaying material. When most of the mixture faded, the boy opened his dark eyes, hissed, and showed sharp pointy fangs while trying to move towards Malcolm. Malcolm held up his hand, showing his crest, and injected the youth with another syringe from his pocket to put him to sleep. He carefully placed the harness, like a tight corset, around the boy's abdomen and zipped it in the front. Once the boy was secure, Malcolm went to the edge of the water and had a cigarette before tackling the next child.

Mike Chambers had seen it all. With his rifle trained on Malcolm, he waited, took aim, and when Malcolm turned around, Mike squeezed the trigger. Malcolm looked up quickly and fell backward into the water and floated downstream.

"Whoo-ya!" Mike yelled and stood, pleased with his shooting skills. He put down his gun and looked through his binoculars and saw the man floating off, dead to the world in a pool of blood. He threw down a rope ladder and with his rifle slung over his shoulder, ran to a truck of his own. He raced to the area, and then loaded the boy from Malcolm's truck into his own. Now the town would have proof of what he had seen. He had been unsuccessful with his earlier renditions of creatures killing his livestock.

Mayor Taylor Benaford was a portly man of short stature. His round head and receding hair line gave him more the resemblance to a pig than a statesman. His big round nose was no help in dispelling the obvious. He stood, talking in a circle of people when Mike ran in.

"Hey, hey, hey, I got him! I got the animal that has been doing all the killing in the back of my truck. Come on, everybody!" He turned and ran back outside.

Seven townspeople followed him out to his truck and saw the restrained boy in the back.

"Mike, what is the matter with you? Where are that kid's clothes?" one of the men asked.

"He is no kid," said Mike, "he is a goddamn freak show!"

Doctor Carter was in the crowd and took off his jacket and placed it around the boy. "What is the matter with you people? He brings a naked kid in a strait-jacket in front of you and you just stand there?" His hands fumbled at the boy's harness.

"I wouldn't do that, Doc, this kid has teeth the size of a shark. You want to know what bit through poor Bob Mackey, you are looking at it right there. I saw his teeth with my own eyes and they are sharp, like fangs. He can probably rip the flesh from your bones in a single tear."

Doctor Carter stopped and another member of the crowd, John Henry, climbed into the back and opened the boy's mouth. A collective gasp escaped the crowd: all the boy's teeth were long, sharp, and two pointed fangs protruded further than the rest.

"My God, he is right. Look at those teeth! He looks like a damn vampire!"

As John Henry held the boy's mouth open, the boy began to stir. His eyelids flickered open, and the crowd saw the darkest, blackest eyes they had ever seen.

Whipping his hand free with a guttural growl, the boy's fingernails grew – then, before anyone could move, he swiped them over John Henry, who fell backward, clawing at his face and screaming.

The crowd began to shriek. People scattered in all directions in a mad rush. Mike, however, stepped forward, hitting the boy hard over the head and knocking him out. Two brave men came forward to help him strap the boy back into the strait-jacket.

"I told you, I told you all! Next time you better take my word for what I say I saw!" Mike jeered. They were finally starting to recognize him for the hunter he was and he did not want to let the moment get away from him. "Now we have something to show Sheriff Monroe and everyone else. When they see, they'll agree with us! We have to go back in those woods and find the rest of them. Kill them all! Kill them all!"

"What do you mean the rest of them?" asked a frightened bystander who had remained.

"Just what I said, Mable, there has to be more than one of these boys out there. With all the animal attacks and stuff, one person couldn't have done this by himself, and my pa saw three of these deformed beasts. Now let's form into groups and go after them! It is our job to keep this town safe. Who's with me?"

The men looked at one another with fear etched into their features; it would be dark soon. But, timidly and reluctantly, five men raised their hands.

Mayor Benaford, seeing fear in their eyes, decided to take charge of the crowd. "Listen to me, folks. I want all you men to go home and warn your families about what we have found here and tell them to stay in their houses with the doors and windows locked. You grab your guns and meet me back here at the community building in a couple hours. Mike and I will take this boy over to the jail and lock him up. Doc Carter, I would appreciate it if you could come with us. You can give him a once-over and try to make sense of all this while we search for the rest of them. Now, folks, this is serious business and we need serious people on the searches. If you can't be serious then stay home with your families. We don't need anyone slowing us down with nonsense." He finished, "All right, let's get going!"

George Carter went with Mayor Benaford and Mike Chambers to take the boy across the street to the jailhouse. Mayor Benaford opened the door and the deputy directed them to a holding cell. Doctor Carter examined the boy. When he was done, he dressed the boy in pants and socks, but left him shirtless. Nor did he remove the restraint. The doctor said he would stay and talk to the boy when he woke up so he was left in his care while the others went to plan their assault on the forest and find the sheriff. It was time to get their town under control and make it safe.

# # #

Being a master of all survival techniques, Malcolm concentrated his efforts on repairing the damage done to his chest and heart as he floated down the river. The bullet emerged from his chest and fell harmlessly into the water. By the time he came to a stop, he was nearly healed.

Malcolm caught a hold of a large branch over the water and pulled himself on top of it. After getting his bearings, he swung from tree to tree until locating a small shed against the mountainside. He placed his hand in an opening and the rock slid open far enough for him to squeeze through. Malcolm made his way through two tunnels to the main complex and began his search for Bethany, finding her near the testing room with Mrs. Taylor.

"Forgive me, Elders," he said, and knelt in front of the women.

"What causes your rudeness?" said Mrs. Taylor.

Malcolm stood, though kept his head bowed. "I encountered a problem with the humans hunting for the three lads. They wounded me and left with Denton. He was unconscious and in his harness. Forgive me for my failure."

Both women looked fiery; their eyes turned black. Mrs. Taylor slapped Malcolm; he fell against a wall. She turned and went into a room and slammed the door.

Malcolm rose, bleeding. He stood back in front of Bethany. Bethany's eyes returned to normal but she was still rigid, clinching her fists to the point of drawing blood. "What news do you have of the other two?"

"I rushed here to tell the news. The others are in the cave; I will go now to retrieve them."

"Take one of the others with you. Cover your tracks and leave no evidence for them to find. I will cover up your mistakes." She leaned in to the man to deliver her next words. "The next mistake will be unforgivable."

Malcolm gulped, but stood tall, confident. "I will make no further mistakes. I swear it!"

"Go quickly and bring them here."

# # #

Sheriff Monroe pulled up in his car. There were crowds outside the station, spreading their news to anyone who would stop and listen. Exiting his car, he slipped around the back of the building and entered undetected. He watched the doctor, sitting at the sheriff's desk, reading a magazine, waiting for the boy to wake.

"Enough of this," the doctor said to himself at last. "I got something out in the car that will wake you up right now."

He put down his magazine, then exited the building and moved to his car, parked across the street.

Sheriff Monroe went to his wall safe, put in the combination and opened it, then took out a syringe filled with a silver colored substance. He went into the boy's cell and injected the slumbering youth with the contents of the syringe, then left.

Doctor Carter returned with his medical bag. He noticed a putrid smell in the air, but paid it little attention, until he reached the cell. He looked sharper. Horror filled his eyes. The boy's face was sunken in and all of his hair had fallen out. Steam rose from his collapsed chest and body. The doctor held his nose and turned away from the awful sight. He went back into the adjoining room to breathe fresh air and think. What could have happened to cause this? Was this natural or was something else at work here? There was no way that he could complete a thorough exam now, nor send the boy to the home office in Seattle for study. Not to mention that this boy was a freak of nature. Who was he? The discovery of a lifetime evaporated in front of him and left him with unanswerable questions.

"Hey, Doc, what are you doing here?"

The sheriff entered through the front door and took off his hat, hanging it on the coat stand. His face was jovial as if he did not have a care in the world.

"My God, Sheriff, where in the hell have you been?"

"Out in the woods behind your place. What brings you here?"

"You don't know? All the people in this town chattering away and you don't know? Look in that room and see what has been found."

Sheriff Monroe walked back into the cell and immediately came out coughing. "What the hell is going on in there? What did you put in my cell?"

"Mike Chambers found that boy in the woods. He was living and breathing moments ago. He had fangs and long fingernails that grew and retracted on command. I went out to get my bag to wake him and when I came back he was in that condition. One of them kids over at the high school must know who he is; he was their age."

The sheriff looked as if he did not believe the man. "Now, Doc . . . that does not look anything like a boy and you know as well as I do that bodies don't decompose that quickly. Now I hate to ask, and I know it is awfully early, but have you been drinking today?"

"You are kidding me; please tell me you are kidding me! I brought a live boy into this jail with Mike Chambers and we placed him in that cell in there. Your deputy opened the cell for us. Now are you telling me all of us are going crazy here, Sheriff?"

"Calm down, Doc, calm down. There is no reason to fly off the hinges so let's not get hysterical and start making wild claims. I am not saying anything; I am just trying to get at the facts. Now tell me who saw this supposed boy of yours."

"I don't have time for this! I will be with the men searching the woods. You stay here and play detective." Doctor Carter bolted for the door with a scowl across his face. He exited the building.

Behind the wheel and slowly calming, George decided he would go home to check on his family before joining the hunt. He drove quickly, and when he arrived he met his wife, but not Allie.

"Hey, babe," he greeted.

"Hey, yourself. How is my handsome doctor today?"

"Worried. Where is Cat?"

"At her job." Then, seeing that he stared at the floor and would not meet her eyes, she trembled. "George, what is it?"

Grimly, George said, "Have a seat. I have something to tell you." And he began to speak, Kay listening patiently, all the while thinking about her daughter.

# # #

Malcolm was on his way to the nursery and saw Allie coming down the hall in front of him; her shift was finished and she was preparing to leave. "Hey, lass."

"Hey, Malcolm. I was hoping I would see you before I left. Melanie is giving me a ride home."

"Oh, really? Well you have a good night, lassie." He touched her on the head and began walking toward the nursery door. Then, suddenly, he paused. "Hey, lass, want to join me on a mission before leaving?"

Allie turned with a brighter face, excited. "Yes! What is it."

"Come on, I will explain on the way." He gestured her forward and they began to walk toward the area to board a railcar. True to his word, Malcolm explained all and Allie was prepared when they arrived.

Allie marveled at the tall waterfall and excitedly leaped to the high rocks to trail Malcolm to the cave. She took in the majesty around her and even had time to reach out and touch the sparkling water without being noticed. She focused and leaped to the top to enter the cave and stand next to her counterpart.

"Let's try and do everything in one sweep."

He took her to the cocoons and they carefully took them out and laid them down at the cave entrance. Malcolm showed Allie how to put together the sprayer and canister and he let her seal the opening in the cave wall to hide where the boys had been. Allie sprayed with gusto; she loved learning new things and excited for the opportunity. He took the flashlight and double-checked her work. They each gently put a cocoon over their shoulders and leaped down. These they carried to a shed, and after pressing a hidden lever, they went inside the narrow opening and then to a different section of the complex.

"Where are we, Malcolm?"

"We are in the Alpha section. Here they can revive and check the lads. Do you know Lisa?"

"Yes, she brings the children to us before we go outside."

"She is in charge of this section, so mind your manners." He smiled at her, his eye twinkling.

"I will."

Lisa waited in a laboratory. She dressed in a crest-emblazoned white lab coat, her necklace hanging around her bare neck. "Put them there."

Allie sat her cocoon down on a flat metal table and watched Malcolm do the same with his at the next table.

"You can go now," Lisa said to Allie.

Malcolm saw the look of disappointment on her face and took action. "Wait, lassie." He turned to Lisa. "Can she stay to watch the first revival? She helped me rescue them and clean up; she needs to see this for herself."

Lisa looked at Allie with ambivalence. The awakening process had scared off many people and she was sure this little girl would be the next to go. But she relented: "Fine, she can stay for the first; then she leaves."

Inside, Allie was doing cartwheels. She watched from beside Malcolm as Lisa injected a blue mixture into the first cocoon – the youngest, and least destructive of the two. The cocoon turned from brown to a white crystalline structure and grew longer. Next Lisa injected a red mixture and the cocoon began to break down.

"You will see the boy appear as the structure falls away. Stay back and do not move during the process," Malcolm instructed. "The lad has seen me and Lisa but not you, so don't make a sound. Understand?"

Allie nodded. "Yes."

As the cocoon faded away, she saw first the boy's head and then his face. Allie did not recognize him from school. "Who is he?" she whispered to Malcolm, hoping Lisa was far enough away she would not hear her talking and throw her out of the room.

"This is the younger of the two, Jake. The other is Taylor; he led the boys on a raid of cattle. They are the ones the townspeople are looking for," Malcolm whispered back to her.

Allie nodded her head and continued to watch the material fall away from the boy. She saw his entire face and hair, then his chest, and then the rest of the boy. Allie had just seen her first nude boy and he was not even human. She had nothing but the internet to go by, but as far as she could tell, he looked just the same as a regular boy. She wanted to ask Malcolm, who quickly covered the boy with his jacket, but Lisa stood near and she could not chance her overhearing.

"Malcolm, I need you to hold his arm," said Lisa, and then looked at Allie. "You hold his legs and stay clear." A male assistant came over to take the remaining arm, and then Lisa injected the final syringe.

The boy's black eyes jolted open, seeming to stare right at Allie. He opened his mouth; fangs glinted. Allie froze. He tossed and turned while screaming, trying to get free, but Allie mimicked the rest and held tighter. Then Lisa was in front of her, blocking her view, so all she saw was a glowing green light. Allie saw the fingernails on his hand grow longer to about an inch as Malcolm and the assistant held them in place. When Lisa finished doing whatever it was she was doing, the boy stopped moving and his fingernails shrank to normal.

Lisa moved and Allie saw the boy's face again. His eyes were now green and his look was gentle. He was a handsome young man. He looked at Allie's face and was briefly agitated, before being calmed by her necklace.

While the boy was docile, Malcolm helped Lisa and the assistant strap him into a strait-jacket. "Well, that is enough excitement for one day. Come on, lassie, let's get you home."

She and Malcolm left the room, Allie glad for this new experience.

Chapter 22

It was starting to get dark when Malcolm dropped Allie home. She gave him her thanks, then returned inside. Allie saw her parents sitting on the couch and they rose to meet her as soon as she entered through the front door.

"You didn't call me back. I called you on your phone and you didn't call me back! What did I tell you about answering our calls?" Kay demanded furiously.

"What is the problem?"

"You not following directions is the problem. I told you to answer the phone when one of us called and you didn't. Give me your phone!"

"My phone didn't ring – nobody called me," Allie said. She gripped her phone tight.

"Your father was sitting right here when I called you. Give me that phone, NOW!"

Allie handed her the phone and she went through the menus. "You see this; this is proof that I called you. Why didn't you answer?"

Allie was dumbfounded: Kay was right. "I'm sorry. I didn't have the phone with me while I was working and I have not looked at it since. If I'd seen the missed calls, I would've called you back."

Kay didn't care for an explanation; she was still upset from hearing what George had told her about the dangerous boy. She calmed herself down. "I'm sorry for yelling. Something happened in town today while you were working and I have been trying to get a hold of you to make sure you were all right."

"What happened?"

George told her everything about the dead boy. "Cat. The people in this town are forming lynch mobs and going out into the woods to hunt for others like him. You cannot be near those woods or you will get shot by mistake. They won't be checking what they are shooting at; I have seen this sort of thing before and it is not pretty. Until a solution is found, I'm afraid you're going to have to stay here with your mother."

Allie began to pout; she could not believe how mean her parents were being to her. The truth, if she told it, would be that she knew who the boy was and where the other two were. As far as she saw, there was no danger, and she was being kept from her work – work she loved. But she could not reveal the truth, so she threw herself down onto the couch, hating her parents for being so unreasonable and wishing she had Bertha Johnson for a mother instead.

"Kitten . . . Allison Louise Carter. You can stop your scheming. You have lost your phone and you will not be going back to work until your father and I are convinced there is no more danger – and I mean with proof. You will not wait until you go to school and sneak off either. You will not work and I mean it."

Kay was always overprotective of her only child. If her husband was more stable with his job, she could afford to have more children, but since they moved at a moment's notice getting pregnant again would be out of the question. Kay was therefore vigilant in keeping her only child safe. Over the years she had eased up some but when danger was near she would get frantic and start shaking all over. Any threat to her child would make her behave like an insane person. She sat in a chair studying her daughter, knowing full well that if Allie was silent, she was plotting. So she began to go over counter-arguments to any Allie might present.

George looked at both women and knew battle lines were being drawn. He was never good at being referee and decided the best thing for him to do was to leave and let the women work it out for themselves.

The phone rang. George excused himself, picked it up, and began a short conversation with whoever was on the other end. When done he hung up, returned to the two women and cleared his throat.

"That was Mayor Benaford on the phone. Many of the townspeople got together and wanted to cancel school and keep their families home together while everyone else looked for more of these boys. He talked them out of it for now, but school may get canceled so be prepared. This is how serious this is getting: people are scared half to death and rumors are flying faster than facts. Tomorrow morning we will gather in town and start a massive sweep of the woods to find evidence. I have to go upstairs and get some sleep; it is going to be a long day. Let's not start a war tonight; we are going to have to protect one another until this over."

His piece said, George went upstairs to bed, relieved he would not be in the middle of another dispute between the two people he loved most in this world.

For the rest of the night, Allie remained on the couch, considering her problem. There was no solution she could see, but she would not give up so easily.

Kay did not know how to console her daughter and keep her safe at the same time. She hated when her husband would leave her alone in situations like this but she was prepared to make any sacrifice for her family. Allie could hate her all she wanted, as long as she was safe. So, absentmindedly, she turned on the television and began to watch, half an eye on her daughter.

Early in the morning there was a knock at Allie's bedroom door. The door creaked open and George Carter came into the room to talk to his baby girl.

"I know you are awake, Cat. Look at me."

Allie pulled her covers down and looked at her father. She loved him but she looked at him as though he was an adversary, not a friend.

"Yes."

It hurt his heart to see her act that way but he knew he was in the right and stood firm. "School has been canceled. Consider this a snow day. All the men are going into the forest and everyone else is staying home. As mad as you are, I expect you to remember we are the parents and this house has rules that you will follow. Do we have a problem?"

Allie shook her head, not wanting to speak.

"Do not leave this house. Keep an eye on your mother and make sure she doesn't leave either. I am counting on you." George turned and left the room. Though his daughter had not responded the way he wished, he saw in her eyes that she listened. He went downstairs and hugged his wife, kissed her, and then he was out the door with his rifle.

A truck waited outside for him. In the back he saw John Henry, Mike Chambers and four others, along with two large coolers that he knew held beer. With an uncomfortable look, he sat in the cab. Mayor Benaford drove.

Allie had no idea what to do with her free day from school. She was all caught up on schoolwork, being aware of her father's feelings about her job and his conditions; she was doing so well she was even ahead in half her classes. For now, she stared from her bed, out of her window at the trees behind her house. She longed to be in them and gave serious thought to sneaking out the window. Why listen to their small views when she was the one who saw the big picture? If she could do nothing else, she could at least hone her skills for when she could go back to work.

As she stared out, Allie spotted a rabbit. She got off her bed and went to the window, looked at the rabbit, and focused on its feet. Although it was difficult because of the daylight hours, she saw small red spots beneath it that indicated its heat signature. The spots changed color as the rabbit hopped about, chewing on blades of grass under a large shade tree.

Allie's resentment melted away when she realized her backyard had opened into a new school for her and her being home was not a prison sentence but instead an opportunity. She took her gaze off the rabbit and lost herself in this new world as she followed a squirrel.

"Kitten... Kitten... Allie, can you hear me?"

"What?" Allie said as she shook herself out of her trance and back to reality. Her mother stood beside the door.

"What is so fascinating out that window? I called you several times and you didn't hear me, unless you are ignoring me."

"Sorry, Mom, I was watching a rabbit out back." Allie sat back down on the bed. Her mother glanced out the window, then sat beside her. "Mom, have you ever wanted to be an animal? I mean, if you could be any animal for a day, which would you choose to be?"

Kay thought about the question for a while before responding. "I don't know. Maybe a bird."

"Why would you choose a bird?"

"I would want to fly. I guess everybody has that fantasy, but I would take it a step further and fly around the world. I would stop by all the beaches and islands, visit all the monuments and historical structures around the world, and watch all the interesting people out there."

"I said a day, Mom, not a year." Both started laughing.

"I have always been a dreamer. If you are going to dream then dream big."

They laughed again and Allie returned to the elephant in the room. "Any word from the hunters?"

"Not yet, Kitten. Maybe it's a good sign; let's be positive."

"All right, positivity is the word of the day."

"Are you hungry? It's almost noon and I made your favorites again." Kay stood and waited for her daughter to join her.

"Grilled cheese and ravioli?"

"Why of course, my Lady." Kay smiled and curtsied.

The two walked downstairs to lunch together. Later they washed the dishes and sat on the couch and watched television. By now, all of Allie's resentment toward her parents melted away. She knew the hunters would find nothing, she smiled inwardly. She and Malcolm had done an excellent job of cleaning up, besides, how would the hunters reach the high cave? A second smile formed as she recounted leaping toward the waterfall and high cave. She was safe, and she would soon be back at school and back at work. It was just a matter of time and patience on her part. Being angry with her parents was exhausting and she would rather be friends.

Allie asked if her mother would like to play Monopoly with her, to which Kay agreed. Even while they played, Allie practiced her skills and could focus at will to see red and blue spots on the board. She smiled to herself; she had a secret she kept from her parents, a power they would never understand or approve of.

Chapter 23

When George Carter returned home, his wife greeted him. She had heard the truck pull up and rushed to the door to kiss her husband, grateful he had made it back safely.

"Are you all right?" she asked. "Did anybody get hurt out there?"

"No, Kay, everyone is fine, including me." He kissed his wife and walked into the house. He took off his camouflage jacket and hat, and stowed his rifle. He saw Allie on the floor putting away the board game. "Hey, Cat, did you win?"

Allie smiled and got up to hug her father. "I always win; I should have been born into a wealthy family." She hugged him and sat next to him on the couch. "Did you find anything?"

"No. We made two sweeps of the woods and came up empty. If anything else was out there, they're long gone now."

Kay sat down in the chair across from them. "You didn't find anything at all? Nothing to support the rumors in town?"

"No, honey, we didn't find a single piece of evidence to confirm the stories about the boy. Oh, Cat, the mayor said he was on his way to Superintendent Brown to let him know it is okay to resume classes. You got your wish; school is in session tomorrow."

Allie tried to hide her joy at hearing the good news. She remained calm and simply said, "I'm glad nobody got hurt out there with all those guns being waved around."

She kissed both her parents goodnight and went upstairs to get a jump on tomorrow's activities. As she climbed the stairs, she considered everything she would need to prepare. Allie looked at her clothes and took out her earrings. She traced the crest with her finger and wondered why it was so powerful. She had asked them many questions but she could not understand why she had not asked this particular one. She put the earrings back into the box and put the box on top of her dresser so she would have them for tomorrow. Allie wore her necklace and never took it off, not even when she showered, which she was about to do. She grabbed her towel and went toward the bathroom door – then stopped, an odd expression on her face. Allie put the towel down and went out of her room, stopping midway down the stairs to prepare her defense. After talking to herself for a minute, she was ready.

In the living room, Allie's parents sat side by side. Slowly, looking confused, she walked in.

Her mother asked, "Something on your mind, Kitten?"

"Yeah, Mom, I... I... I don't know how to ask this but..."

Kay looked at her daughter sharply with critical eyes. Perhaps the look might warn her off – but there was no deterring Allie.

"Can I go back to work and can I have my phone back?" She got the words out quickly then breathed rapidly, waiting for a response.

George said nothing as usual. Kay sized her up. Allie would fight for this; she knew it. Giving up to save time, she told her, "You can work, but if something else happens you are done. Get the phone out of my purse and go to bed."

"Thank you, Mom," Allie said quickly, and hugged her and ran upstairs. She grabbed her towel and went in to take a shower. She would wait until morning to retrieve her phone.

The next morning Allie was up before her parents. She dressed and went downstairs to have her morning cereal. When done, she saw her mother's purse on the living room table and went to get her phone. Allie sat on the couch and went through her phone contacts. She did not have the phone numbers of any of the important people of Caveena and it troubled her. Those would be the numbers she would need the most and she had none of them. Was she not supposed to have them? Her job would be easier if she did have them, so why didn't she? She did not even have Sara's number saved; she knew it by heart, but had not bothered putting it into the phone.

Entering her friend's contact details, she smiled to herself. At work she would get all the other numbers she would need. Possibly Brad's, if he had a phone. Did he?

Although it was early, she decided to try and phone Sara. After several rings, it went to voicemail. "Hey, Sara, it's me, Allie. Just testing my phone. See you at school today, bye."

Allie cleaned her area and grabbed her backpack to wait outside for the bus. From past experience, her parents would be sleeping in today, so she went outside and sat on a bench on the porch. There was an old rocker out there, and she often imagined herself in her nineties, sitting and rocking her life away in some small town she could not escape. Now she rocked with nothing but joy in her heart. This town is where she wanted to be. All her travels had led her here and here is where she would stay. She would become like the others, like Malcolm, a Gate Master. She would dedicate the remainder of her life to them and live with them forever.

Suddenly, taking Allie by surprise, her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey, girl."

"Hey, you didn't have to call me back. I was bored and started dialing numbers."

"Drunk dialing at your age?" Sara said and laughed real hard.

"I guess; you know me."

"I know you, all right. What is going on over there?"

"I am sitting outside on the porch waiting for the school bus to show up. 'I love you. No, I love you. No, I love you. Oh! Oh! Oh!'" Allie mimicked.

"No, you didn't!"

"They are repulsive. Hey! Did I wake you?"

Sara gave a hearty laugh.

"No, girl, I was up. I was in the shower and saw your message when I got out. I take it your folks were too busy to ground you like you thought?"

"They did, but now that school is back in session I get a second chance. My mom says if something else happens she will take my phone and make me quit working."

"Well, with any luck nothing will happen. My mom is going to be taking us to the Day Care Center after school, so be ready."

"All right, see you at lunch. Later."

"Later."

The bus arrived, so Allie climbed on board with a smile to Malcolm and took her usual seat in the middle of the bus.

Nothing exciting happened for the first half of the school day. At lunch she waited for Sara, who stood near a wall talking to several people. Allie watched the people she spoke with; one of them left and sat at the table with the Double E Club members. The last two were girls she had seen earlier with necklaces, meaning they were Cavers like her. She did not know any of them; nor had she spoken to them or seen them at Caveena. Allie became curious about them and made up her mind to ask Sara when she got the chance.

As she waited, not eating until her friend arrived, she remembered the other day and occasionally looked back at the table with Brad, Shelby, and the rest. Until she became a member of the Double E Club, she would never approach that table again. She still felt the sting of her finger as it hit the floor. Perhaps it was all in her mind, but to her the pain was real and the lesson learned.

Then, she felt heat. She focused and saw that it was Brad, he stared at her. Warmness flooded her. She forgot her earlier nonsense and being drawn to him, prepared to rise from her table and go to him.

"Hey, girl," Sara greeted as she finally arrived.

She was snapped back to reality. Embarrassment flooded her and she hoped no one saw. She smiled brightly to cover.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself."

Unsure if Sara had seen, she diverted. "What did you do yesterday since we had no school?"

"I worked. I spent the whole day with the two-year-olds. Bethany asked about you."

"What did she ask?"

"Um, where you were and if you would be coming back." Sara picked up her fork and began eating.

"And what did you tell her about me?" Allie said in a panic.

"Relax, girl, I didn't say anything bad about you. I told her your folks were keeping you at home while the townspeople hunted around the forest for the boys. She asked if you were coming back; I said you had every intention of doing so."

"Did she believe you? She is not going to replace me, is she?"

"No. You have natural talent for the job; they all say that. That is why they wanted you in the first place. It is hard to teach somebody what you already know. True, you are wet behind the ears and a little on the crazy side, but you like what you do and are not afraid."

"So, I'm not fired?" Allie breathed a sigh of relief.

"We are shorthanded right now. We may have to find someone in the eighth grade. There are too many children for us to handle and some of them are maturing at faster rates than the rest, which adds to the problems."

"Is that why you were talking to the other Cavers?"

"Yeah. Bethany wants us to keep a look out for another you." Sara grinned and pointed her fork at her friend. She took another bite of food then continued. "Ideally, we only handle two or three children each and not at the same time. But some unforeseen problems have altered the numbers, so we need to get them back in line."

"If I see anyone with potential I will let you know."

Sara smiled at her naïve friend. She could not possibly know the process for picking new recruits, but it was nice of her to offer to help. "Keep quiet, Allie. I know you are not planning on telling anybody about us but it could slip out. We have it all under control and will make a decision before too long."

Suddenly, Sara looked up, a confused expression on her face. She stood quickly. "You have five minutes before the bell rings. I have to go somewhere. I will meet you out front after school." And she left, her half-eaten tray left on the table.

Allie looked at the wall clock and took note of the time. Trusting that Sara was right, she ate quickly, and sure enough after five minutes the bell rang. "How does she do that?" she muttered to herself.

The room emptied. Allie was the last to leave and made her way to her next class.

Meanwhile, Sara walked out the back of the cafeteria near the table of the Double E Club members. She turned a corner. Mrs. Taylor stood waiting for her. "You called me?"

"Yes. Is Allie coming to work with you?"

"Yes, she is back with us. Her parents told her if nothing else happens she could work."

"I heard all of that for myself," Mrs. Taylor chastised the young girl. She was a little upset that Sara had forgotten how good her hearing was. "I mean is she all the way in or not? Changes will be coming soon and I need to know how many we can count on to continue our way of life. Will she be with us for the rest of her life? That is what I have you testing her for." Mrs. Taylor's eyes began to darken.

Sara lowered her head and felt her heart pounding when she saw the change in Mrs. Taylor's eyes. She steadied herself and answered as directly as she could. "I have studied her well, Elder. She will be an asset. Her heart is with us and her skill is unmatched. She is the special one you have been looking for. Her home ties are weakening and we are growing stronger daily. She belongs to us and will be loyal to our cause."

The bell rang. "Good. We will need two others." With that, the two turned and went in opposite directions.

School finished, Allie waited for Sara, who was talking to the same group she had been at lunch. When she was done, she came and sat beside her friend on a bench in front of the school buses.

"Hey," said Allie.

"Hey. You ready to go to work?"

"Always." They shared a quick high-five; then Mrs. Johnson pulled up and they climbed into the car.

"Hey, Mrs. Johnson, how are you today?"

"Hey, Allison. I'm fine. How about yourself?"

"I'm fine. I am glad to be going back to work. Did you have a good time on your trip?"

"Thank you for asking. Somebody was raised right." She shot a grin at Sara: her daughter was not a big fan of small talk. "We had an excellent vacation. Everyone had fun except this one here; she wanted to get back to her kids. I keep telling her family is important but it keeps falling on deaf ears," Mrs. Johnson laughed as she drove them to the Barlon Day Care Center.

She stopped at the curb and wished them a good day before leaving for home. The girls went inside. Half a mile down the road, Mrs. Johnson realized she had forgotten something, so she swung the car around.

Sara and Allie went down the elevator to get their assignments for the day, then went to the nursery. They were holding their babies when Mrs. Johnson entered. "You two have baby duty today?"

"Yes," said Allie.

"Why are you back? Is something wrong?"

"No, darling, I forgot to turn something in so I had to come back real quick and take care of it." She looked at the two babies they were holding and went to Allie. "Oh, she is so lovely this evening, let me hold her for a second."

"All right." Allie handed the baby to the woman. She cooed over the baby and sat in a chair by her daughter for a minute.

Malcolm walked into the nursery and saw Sara and her mother holding the babies. He had been down the hall in the cafeteria when he smelled Mrs. Johnson's perfume and got excited. "Well, if it isn't the two lasses of my dreams. I knew you would both make good mothers."

Mrs. Johnson giggled. "I'm already a mother, Malcolm, and you know it."

"Why is it . . . No! Mrs. Johnson? Is that you all dolled up like a schoolgirl? I thought for sure that was young Sara's friend Allie, or maybe a twin sister." He winked at Allie and grinned real big at the other two.

Mrs. Johnson giggled again. "You stop it. You are so bad, Malcolm."

Allie glanced at her friend. If she was a vampire, she was sure Sara's eyes would be pitch black right now. Unsure of what to do or say, she held her tongue.

Mrs. Johnson stood with the baby and handed her back to Allie. "Well, I better be going. I have a ton of work waiting for me at home."

"Don't worry, Daddy is at home and he will help you get caught up," said Sara emphatically, more to Malcolm than to her mother. The truth: Sara's father was on a trip up north for a week and a half.

"Oh, you are so precious and helpful. I did a good thing when I pushed you out into this world," Mrs. Johnson said, directing a plastic smile at her daughter before walking out.

Malcolm darted after her. "Wait, lass, I will be honored to walk you out." Together they walked up the hall; giggling voices echoed behind them as they talked, before dimming to silence.

Sara was silent. Allie looked at her. She wanted to say something, but had no idea what.

"Is she asleep?" said Sara after a long silence.

"Yes, I love holding her so I haven't put her down yet." Allie decided to go for it. "Are you mad at Malcolm?"

"No."

"Are you mad at your mother?"

"Yes. Malcolm is not to blame. He is male," she said, imitating the phrase he loved to use on them. "My mother knows better. She says it's harmless flirting but why would she even need the extra attention? Her life is full and she has a man, a good man."

"I don't know. People do say flirting is harmless though. I'm sure Malcolm would never do anything to hurt you or your family."

"He is not the one I'm worried about. She is female." The girl smirked. She got up and put the baby in its incubator and after Allie put her baby down they went to the lower floor to read stories to the two-year-olds.

Chapter 24

Wednesday night, John Henry and the Mayor landed their helicopter and walked down to the Johnsons' house for answers. John Henry did not like the Johnsons because they were black, and this was the perfect opportunity to interrogate them. Those people were always up to no good in his opinion, and now was the time to find out what they were doing to his town. John Henry had been high in the air in a makeshift tent with Mike Chambers. They had spent the previous night and morning in the forest waiting for signs of the vampire boys. Finding none, Mike suggested his friend search by air with a helicopter. They found no signs of the boys, but found something equally interesting.

Mayor Benaford reluctantly followed behind the man. Like John, he wanted answers, but he was more concerned with the man; he was a redneck, and they could act irrationally without provocation. As they got to the door of the house, Benaford stepped in front of the tall thin man.

"Now listen here, John Henry, these are citizens of our town and you let me do the talking."

"Fine, Mayor, get on with it," John yelled, throwing his arms in the air.

The Mayor rang the doorbell. As he did, John removed the handgun from his belt and casually checked it.

Mrs. Johnson opened the door. "Hello?"

"Good evening, ma'am. I know it's late. I am Mayor Benaford and this is Mr. Henry. Could we come in and talk with you about the search we are conducting?"

Mrs. Johnson looked at the two men with caution and then reluctantly opened the door wider and invited them into her home. "Come in, gentlemen."

"Thank you, ma'am," said the Mayor. He entered, John following behind; he did not dignify the woman with a word.

"Please have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you. Let me get to why we are here. We just flew over the town and noticed an eerie image over your home. It was some sort of design like a crest. We wondered if you might tell us about it."

Mrs. Johnson took a deep breath before answering. "I haven't noticed any image on the roof; can you tell me what exactly you are referring to?"

"Oh come on, you know what we are talking about –" John Henry blurted.

Mayor Benaford cut across. "Forgive my friend here. As you can see, he is a little worried about the town and its people. There is an image of something resembling a crest on your roof. We found the same image on other buildings like the store and the school. Can you explain these images?"

"I have not been on my roof so I can't know if what you are saying is true or false. I know of no image on my roof, Mr. Benaford."

"Can we show you the image we are talking about?"

"My husband is not at home; maybe you gentlemen can come back tomorrow in the daytime and show him what it is you speak of. He will have a better idea of what you are referring to than I."

"Of course, Mrs. Johnson." The Mayor rose to his feet, and so did John Henry. Mrs. Johnson led them back to the door.

When she opened the door, John Henry grabbed her and pulled out his gun. Mrs. Johnson screamed and he covered her mouth, shoved her against the wall, and put the gun in her face. "Shut up, bitch, or I will blow your head off right here!"

Benaford swung out to grab him, but the bigger man shoved him to the floor before training his gun back onto the woman. Mrs. Johnson was frightened but kept her wits about her. She held up her hands to calm him and show him she would cooperate.

"Very good. Now let's take a look around this place and see what we can find. Let's go. Come on, Mayor, get up so we can search this place."

With no choice but to cooperate, the Mayor followed the two, led by Mrs. Johnson who was prodded by John Henry, into the kitchen. As they stood in the center of the room, he began to search through cupboards.

"I don't see anything here."

"All right; living room, then." Yet though they searched, they still found nothing.

"Let's go upstairs," John ordered.

Once more, they found nothing. Now he was beginning to get frustrated.

Then, suddenly, an idea occurred to the man. "Downstairs," he said excitably. "There is a basement down there."

Mrs. Johnson knew she would not be able to stop them from opening the door but she kept calm and hoped for the best. She would not make trouble and if she could make it through this search without them finding the truth, she would ensure that they would never bother them again. It was worth taking the chance and not resisting; to argue would heighten their curiosity and she needed to satisfy them so they would tell the others. Coming up with an explanation for the roof would be easy, she could simply say that it was a failed art exhibition or something else that sounded reasonable. She just needed to make it through this search.

Walking down the stairs, she gently pressed her fingernails into the railing. Though inaudible to the men, they made a quiet noise, which she followed with two taps before repeating.

In the nursery, Sara rocked Marianna. She heard the noise and tapping. She got out of her seat and put the baby in its incubator. Sara went to a desk in the room and pressed a button behind the desk. Part of the wall opened in front of her, revealing four monitors. Each monitor was the feed of a camera trained on the house. The first was the house's exterior; next the living room and kitchen; the third the entryway to the bedrooms; and finally, the fourth was the stairs and front door. On this last monitor she saw her mother being led downstairs by two men, one pointing a gun to the back of her head.

Sara had no time for fear: she leaped into action and detached the incubator from its stand and picked it up with the baby. She took them to the wall and pressed a hidden panel; an opening yawned. Sara went in to the dim tunnel with the baby. The walls were dirty and she stayed in the middle, trying not to touch them. She walked a few feet down the tunnel and sat the baby down, then returned to the nursery room to check the monitors.

Mrs. Johnson led the men to the door under the stairs and turned the doorknob, but the door would not open. She tried again. "It's locked. The key is in the top kitchen drawer by the refrigerator. I'll go and get it." She took a step towards the kitchen, but John Henry stopped her.

"No, you won't. Do you think we are fools? I'm not letting you out of my sight; I know how crafty and deceitful you people are. Mayor, go get that key. Be careful: the room might be booby trapped."

The mayor looked frightened after hearing those words but went into the kitchen and cautiously opened the drawer and found the key. He breathed a sigh of relief and returned with it, handing it to Mrs. Johnson so she could open the door.

It was this that Sara saw as she looked again into the monitors. She flipped on a small light near the stairs and saw her mother look at it and smile. Sara pushed another button and a camera came on in the basement. She watched her mother enter the basement with the men behind her. The men saw an ordinary basement with boxes stacked along walls and a bookshelf with books. Nothing was unusual or out of place.

"Check those boxes, Mayor. I know something is down here and I aim to find it." The Mayor obliged, but all he found were normal household items. "Check over there," John Henry instructed, waving to the bookshelves.

"All right, but this is it."

"Take them down," shouted John Henry in frustration.

Frustrated, Mayor Benaford began tossing books to the floor – and heard a click. He stopped. He turned to John Henry, who also heard the sound and came closer with Mrs. Johnson.

"What was that?" John yelled, pushing the gun barrel harder into her temple. "Tell me now or by God, I will put a bullet hole in your head big enough to drive a freight train through. What was that?"

Mrs. Johnson struggled to get free but couldn't. "I don't know, I don't know!"

The mayor examined the area and saw a crack. He looked sharper and then leaned in toward it. Was that a bright light he could see? John Henry released his grip from the woman. She saw her husband's aluminum baseball bat behind her. As John Henry rushed past, she grabbed it, gathered all her strength, and swung. John let out a grunt, hit the back wall and then fell to the floor. The Mayor, panicking, moved to run – but Mrs. Johnson picked up the gun and fired.

The Mayor dropped to his knees and began sobbing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't kill me. It was him, not me. I wanted to try to solve the town's mystery but it was him, he pulled the gun and did all of this. I'm sorry. Please don't kill me." The man cried and held his head down in shame, lying prostrate on the floor in front of her.

Mrs. Johnson felt sorry for the man. "Keep quiet or my people will find you no matter where you run." She threw down the gun and walked past the man and opened the bookshelf and went through.

On the other side, Sara waited. Mrs. Johnson hugged her daughter and went to the desk. "Marianna is in the tunnel?"

"Yes. What are we going to do?"

Mrs. Johnson pressed a panel on the wall beside the desk which activated a timer. Her fingers flew across a keyboard, then numbers began counting down from 600 on the screen.

"We have to get a few things from upstairs; we are never coming back. Let's go."

Back through the opening, the Mayor was still on his knees, sobbing. The two women went upstairs and grabbed backpacks from behind their doors, stuffed in a few extra items, then ran downstairs.

Before going to safety, Mrs. Johnson stopped in the basement and shouted to the Mayor, who now was trying to pull the dazed man up. "This house is going to explode in ten minutes. Get out while you can." Then she and her daughter were back through the opening.

John Henry began to awaken. "What happened? Where is she, where did she go?"

"We have to get out of here. This house is going to blow up – come on!"

Dragged to his feet by the Mayor, John once again asked, "Where did she go?"

The Mayor pointed toward the panel. "In there. Come on, we need to go!"

"No! I'm going after her." And, pulling away from the other man, he snatched back up his gun and entered the opening. He went through the secret room and opened the door at its end.

He found himself in a long, dark tunnel. Toward its end he spotted Mrs. Johnson and another figure running beside her. He gave chase, then, when they were in sight, he stopped, aimed – and fired. Mrs. Johnson hit the floor, crying out. Sara spun and screamed. She put down the incubator to check on her mother.

"Mom, Mom, how bad is it, can you get up?"

"No, I don't think so. Listen to me, Sara, go to the panel on the wall and open it. Press 2388, you understand? Press 2388. Take the baby with you. Hurry!"

At the same time, Mayor Benaford came through the door. He grabbed John Henry and screamed at him, "No! No, no, no! Why did you do that? She let us go and you do this!"

John Henry broke out of his grip. "That woman is a traitor to us all. They have to be stopped; you don't show your enemy mercy! You take them out!"

Sara raced for the panel and punched in the numbers her mother gave her. She pressed 2388. Nothing happened. Frantically, she entered them again and slapped the return key. Instantly there was an explosion in the middle of the tunnel. Sara went back to help her mother, but all she could see was dust and smoke. With her abilities, she found and easily lifted her mother and carried her to the door. When they made it to the door, her mother punched in the code; the door opened. After Sara and the baby were inside, she punched in another code and entered. The door closed – and another explosion ripped right through the tunnel.

The mayor used all his strength to grab John Henry and pull him back into the basement and then out of the house. Just as they were out, the house exploded.

"You see that, Mayor?" John demanded. "Proof! There is all the proof you need! Those are dangerous people and we have to find them and kill them! We are having a town meeting tomorrow and we are going after every last one of them traitors."

The man limped away, leaving the Mayor alone. What had happened? What was his next move? This town wasn't his; it hadn't been for years. He had no idea about this tunnel system, and it certainly was not put in place overnight. He tried to think back to a time when heavy machinery operated in the area, hoping that would give him an idea of how long it had been, but he could not recall seeing any.

There was pain in his hand; he looked down and saw blood. He walked toward the school, hoping he could find someone in the neighborhood who was home and could help him.

After entering the outer room, Sara called for help, and when help arrived she took the baby to the nursery and went to check on her mother in the infirmary.

Lisa was the top human medical professional on duty. As she talked to the woman who was slipping in and out of consciousness, she removed the bullet from her back and examined her thoroughly. When she was awake, Mrs. Johnson kept asking about her daughter and Marianna.

"They are both fine and resting. Now you rest so I can repair the damage." Lisa gave more instructions to her assistant: "Prepare a syringe with T-95 and go and get Bethany for the conversion."

Mrs. Johnson caught her by the arm. "No! I will not submit to conversion."

"If you don't, you will die. The only thing keeping you alive is TX-27 and it will leave your system in a matter of minutes. With all the blood you have lost, your body cannot repair itself and you will not survive."

"I know, but it is my wish and it will be honored. Bring my daughter to me, quickly." She lay back and closed her eyes, trying to gather as much strength as she could in order to face her daughter and give her the bad news.

Lisa gave her another shot of TX-27 to keep her alive a little while longer and then left the room. She found Sara waiting in a chair. She went to her with sadness on her face; she was not good at giving bad news and wanted to telegraph what she had come to say to the young girl.

"Is she better?"

"No. Come with me. She is calling for you."

Hand in hand, Lisa and Sara walked down the hall. They stopped outside of the door and Lisa spoke to her again. "Your mother is dying. We can save her but that would mean by conversion and she has decided against the procedure. She is asking for you."

Sara was processing the information when she walked through the door and saw all the blood surrounding her mother. She cried; her yelp awakened Mrs. Johnson, who turned to look at her. Sara ran to her crying, "Momma, Momma, don't die, don't leave me!"

Mrs. Johnson reached up and touched her daughter's wet face and put on a big smile. "Baby, you know I love you. I was born human, and that is the way I will die: human. We have talked about this before as a family and you sat on the couch and you told me you understood. Were you lying to me back then?"

Through her tears, Sara shook her head.

Her mother was getting weaker and her voice faded. "Your father is far away in Alaska. He is being told as we speak. I'm sorry I have to leave you, but you are not alone, you hear me? You are not alone! I want you to stay here where you will be safe. Do not go to the surface for any reason. Keep doing your job and protecting the children; they need you more than ever. The townspeople will try and find them and this place. Do everything in your power to keep them safe. I have always loved you and have always been proud of you. You are my angel and if there is a way for me to watch over you from beyond, you know I will. I love you so much, baby girl."

Sara bent down and hugged her mother. "I love you too, Momma."

"No, you don't, there is not that much love in the world."

"You are right about that." Sara sniffled and with a cracked voice said, "That is why I am going to the moon. I'm taking my love to the next level just for you, Momma, nobody but you."

Shakily, the two women clasped hands. "Sing with me, baby," Mrs. Johnson whispered. "One last song to welcome me home. Lay the flowers on my chest..."

Sara began to tear up.

Mrs. Johnson started her favorite Spiritual again, "Lay the flowers on my chest."

"Lay the flowers on my chest," Sara echoed.

"Tell the world I've done my best."

"Tell the world I've done my best," sang Sara in a low shaky whisper.

"Father, Father, can't you see."

"Father, Father, can't you see."

"The army's not for me."

"The army's not for me."

"Daughter, Daughter, don't you cry."

"Daughter, Daughter, don't you cry."

"You know I have to die."

"You know I ..." That was all Sara could manage before her tears overcame her. Mrs. Johnson wrapped her arms around her daughter and after a short embrace, her arms dropped to her sides and she was gone. "I love you, Momma, and I will miss you."

Sara cried some more and lay her mother back down. She wiped the tears from her eyes and wiped them from her mother's cheeks. Sara fixed her mother's hair, combing through it with her fingers and kissed her on her lips.

Sitting beside her mother, Sara watched her. It was almost as if she was sleeping.

The door swung open loudly. It was Malcolm; he had come as fast as he could, desperately hoping the rumors were not true. But when he saw her, he broke down. "No, no, no, it can't be! It can't be!"

Slowly Lisa and the others started coming back into the room; each hugged Sara and told her how sorry they were. She wasn't alone. She had a large family around her that would protect her and love her with everything they had.

Chapter 25

John Henry had tried to find his way back to Mike in the dark but kept getting turned around. He contacted others and waited for daybreak to begin his search anew. This time, he carried the one thing he had forgotten during his nightly ordeal: his radio.

Mike Chambers was still in his deer stand hidden by tree branches high up in a tree when he heard static on his radio and then the voice of John Henry calling him. "Mike, it's me, are you awake up there, Mike?"

Mike picked up his radio and pushed the speak button. "Yeah, John Henry, I am here. Where are you?"

"Coming toward you from the south so don't shoot me. Get down here we have to go into town for a meeting. We have a lead and you are not going to believe who it is."

"All right, I am coming down." Mike turned off the radio, slung his rifle over his shoulder, and lowered his rope ladder. He climbed down the ladder and met John Henry at the base of the tree. The two men walked toward the parked truck and John Henry explained on the way. John Henry drove them by the house and they got out so he could have a look for himself. They were looking through the rubble as the school bus drove by. All the men left and went to the community center for a town meeting.

The Mayor called the meeting to order by banging his gavel on top of the large wooden desk he set behind with three other council members and Doctor Carter. "Order, please come to order." Those talking set down and gave the Mayor their undivided attention. "Yesterday at three o'clock in the afternoon, I took a helicopter ride with John Henry piloted by Leo Stone. We flew over the forest area that we had previously searched on foot and again we came up with nothing. However on our way back, we noticed an image similar to a family crest on the roofs of several of our buildings here in town. John Henry and I saw this image on the roof of the Johnson family on Main Street and we went by there last night to check it out. Mrs. Johnson was the only one in the home and she invited us into her home to discuss the matter. She had no idea why there was an image on her roof and we heard a noise from the basement as we were leaving.

"We went downstairs to check it out and that is when we discovered the Johnsons had a secret room in their basement that led to an underground tunnel. John chased Mrs. Johnson down the tunnel when she fired on him. She turned around and just like the boy Mike Chambers found, she had large teeth and fangs. She fired several shots at him and then hissed at him and tried to run away. John Henry then . . . and let me be delicate here . . . he had no choice but to fire on the woman. Even wounded, she still managed to run to the end of the tunnel where we saw a large door. Before going through the door, she pushed a button and the tunnel collapsed in the middle. I am a witness to all that I say and I am telling you honestly that I picked John up and helped him back out of the house before it exploded.

"Now each and every one of you went to the house and has seen what is left of the house. There is nothing but rubble where once a house stood. How could that house have been destroyed so fast? What about the collapsed ground behind the house leading towards the woods? I tell you people, we have got something strange going on in this town and the Johnson family is at the center, right along with those school kids. We have to take action and hunt these people down and bring safety back to our town."

The townspeople began talking over one another, shouting questions to the Mayor as well as to one another. They shouted at John Henry for answers and he backed the Mayor's version of the events.

The people were at a fever pitch. Only one thing could silence them and that was the sound of a gunshot fired into the ceiling. Everyone stopped talking and looked around. In a corner of the room stood the smoking gun and at the end of it was the arm that belonged to Sheriff Monroe. "Do I have your attention? Now let me put a stop to all this nonsense. Those few people who claim they saw a boy with fangs and long fingernails have no proof of it. And now to get you to buy into their story they come up with this nonsense about the Johnson family. Most of you in here know the Johnsons. They are decent hard working people like the rest of you. Are we going after them simply because they are black people, a different race? I am the law in this town and I have seen no evidence of what the Mayor is saying here today."

George Carter was new in town and did not want to take the lead or seem as if he controlled the group so he chose to keep silent and listen to everyone. He was happy when the Mayor stood with fire in his eyes and responded to the Sheriff's tone.

"What about the Johnson house Sheriff?" Mayor Benaford asked the man. "Are you telling us that that is a bunch of nonsense created by frightened children?"

The Sheriff laughed at the absurd question. "Easily explained, we see this sort of thing on television all the time, it was an explosion of course. What kind is the determining factor. I examined the ruble and I say it was a gas leak explosion, all these theories will only lead us to dead ends and I am not going to waste time chasing a hoax. If we want definitive proof then we have to wait for the county investigation team to get here and evaluate the debris and make their ruling. Until we get a ruling from them, our hands are tied."

"What about Mrs. Johnson, where is she if this is all a hoax? What about the Vampire boy in the jail cell, was he a hoax?"

"Wait, wait, wait. Let's not spread rumors of a vampire boy, Mayor. If it was anything at all it was a wild boy raised in the woods. Now as for the rest, I didn't say it was a hoax, Mayor, I said it is explainable and there is no need to jump to some wild accusations about fangs and vampires and nonsense of that sort. Come on people, this is real life, not some fantasy world. Do any of you seriously think we are invaded by vampires?"

The Sheriff became a calming influence and with his cool demeanor, along with his good looks and tall stature, were enough to convince many of the people to wait for a ruling from the county. If the man charged with authority was not afraid, why should they be? Many of them thanked the Sheriff for his reasoning and left the room and went home to await the results. The rest, whom he could not persuade with simple logic, he came up with a plan to deal with.

Mike Chambers saw the crowd turning and he was the first to make his feelings known. "I am beginning to wonder whose side you are on Sheriff. We have got the Mayor of the town telling us a firsthand account of what he saw this woman doing. We all saw her house, where is she and the rest of her family? I don't believe in little green men, Martians, or Vampires and I was the one who brought that wild boy into this town from the forest. We don't live out in those woods, but who is to say who does live out there? There could be a tribe of cannibals hiding out there, or maybe just a wild pack of folks passing through the area. I say we go back out there and tear those woods apart until we come up with something."

"Tearing up something is your answer to everything isn't it, Mike? How many times have I had you in my jail this year alone? Going off half-cocked is no solution. We need to be smart about whatever action we take. These men are family men. If they go out there and never come back, how are you going to explain that to their families?"

Many of the men still there began to tremble in fear at the thought of going into the darkened woods and not returning. Many began to back away and look for a more reasonable explanation as to what was going on in their town and find a way to stay home. Going into the woods was becoming more and more unlikely as time went on and the day passed.

John Henry, seeing some people starting to weaken and follow the Sheriff, had a solution. "All right Sheriff, you win. We are going to do things the right and safe way. There is no need for any of these family men to take chances with their safety. Here is a solution that we can try. I say we assume that I and the Mayor are right about the explosion, all right? That means that Mrs. Johnson is dead or trapped beneath the wreckage. Why don't we call the school and see if her kid is in school today? If the kid's there then nothing is wrong, but if not, then that will be proof the family does have something to hide. That is step number one, step number two, we look on the rooftops of the buildings we saw and photograph the images for everyone to see, that gives us proof of another part of the story."

Mike chimed in, "Yeah! Then we dig down and find the tunnel and follow it. If she isn't dead then she got away and she is somewhere out there doing god knows what in our town."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You two screwups are not in charge of anything," said the Sheriff.

"Maybe not, but that sounds like a solid plan to me. What do you other men say?" Mayor Benaford inquired of the men still there.

The men all nodded their heads in agreement, it sounded like a safer plan than going into the woods themselves.

"Then it is settled, we will go with John Henry's plan. Sheriff you will contact the county and get a crew over to the Johnson's house and you can stay there and take charge of that part of the plan. I will call the school and see if the Johnson child is in class today and John Henry, you, Mike Chambers, and the rest of you men can get started checking the rooftops. All right folks, let's get going and get a move on it before night fall." The Mayor dismissed the men and they went about their various assignments.

The Sheriff went back to the police station and phoned the county to arrange for a team to investigate the house explosion. He took out his private phone after hanging up with the state, and called Bethany.

"Hello?"

"Hello Bethany, it's me. I tried to delay as best I could but trouble is on the way. The townspeople are checking roofs, checking for the Johnson kid in school, and they will be looking for tunnels. Mrs. Johnson was by a tunnel door when the explosion occurred so they have every reason to believe she is still alive causing mischief."

"Join the men on search teams, we will prepare here and if all goes to plan we will need a cover story that will sound believable to all."

"I obey, my Queen." He ended his conversation by turning his phone off. Mike Chambers and John Henry would be the hardest to convince so he decided he had better join their team.

Chapter 26

Allie woke up after a good night's sleep and felt better than she had for a long time. She got out of bed feeling refreshed and ready for a new exciting day. She dressed and ventured downstairs for breakfast.

Kay was on the floor scrubbing when she came down. She greeted, "Hey, Kitten, I made a big breakfast for you today."

Allie looked at the kitchen table in wide-eyed amazement, not seeing all the food or her mother when she first came in. She turned her nose up at the huge spread. "I can't eat all that stuff, but thanks anyway."

Kay stood up and walked to the table to look at the food. "You expect me to eat all of this by myself? I swear bringing you into this world was a chore I have to rethink."

Allie laughed. "You know you love me." She relented and went to the table, where she picked up a piece of bacon and began to chew. "Where's Dad?"

"He was called in early so I got up with him and fixed him breakfast. We had a meal earlier so I need you to sit down, young lady, and have some of this food before it goes to waste."

"Mom, I am going to be late. None of that stuff is even good for you."

"It's called breakfast food and since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, young lady, I would suggest you sit down and have a bite."

Allie sat and looked over all the food. Her mother had gone overboard again. When would she ever learn? She had made bacon, sausage, and links for the meat portion of the meal. She had eggs for protein - scrambled, fried, and omelets; waffles, toast, pop tarts, and both orange juice and milk. Allie picked up a plate and chose a pop tart and juice. Her mother looked at her funny but she ate the food and proclaimed herself stuffed. Then, she kissed her mother goodbye and was off to school.

Because she was playing on her phone, Allie failed to notice the rubble where Sara's house had once stood. Some of the students discussed it, but she ignored them: she was determined not to let them disturb her peace. After the bus stopped, she walked up front to get off, turned to say goodbye to Malcolm – but he wasn't driving: a short woman gripped the wheel.

Allie shuffled to her first class to begin her day. There was nothing unusual, nothing out of place or off with the events that unfolded to let her know that trouble brewed. Everything went fine except for one thing: Mrs. Taylor. Instead they had a substitute who informed them that Mrs. Taylor was in a special meeting and would return shortly. She handed out assignment sheets and told the class to complete them in silence.

At lunchtime she went to her table and waited for Sara – yet Sara never showed. She tried calling her but the phone went to voicemail, and she never received a call back.

# # #

Sheriff Monroe drove around the town looking for John Henry; he had seen him get into his white pickup truck earlier with Mike Chambers. He knew they would be searching the rooftops and since school was in session, he took the chance they would not search there first. Fortunately, he didn't have to search long: he spotted the truck pulling around the back of a local store. He pulled in behind the truck and shouted at the three men, "Hey, guys, wait for me."

John Henry stopped and turned around. "Sheriff, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be taking charge of the explosion site. Aren't you the one who convinced half the town it was a gas line explosion and not what the Mayor and I said?"

"Calm down, John, I have already taken care of that. The county will have a team here by 4 o'clock. Stanley Tate is in charge of the rescue crew and he and his men are digging over at the Johnson house. I thought I might tag along with you good old boys. You two seem to be where the action is always happening."

John Henry laughed. "All right, but us good old boys are running this here show."

The Sheriff put up his hands. "Don't worry about me, fellas: I just want to get at the truth like everyone else. Lead the way, fellas."

Mike Chambers took the ladder from the back of the truck and they climbed on top of the roof. Mike went first, followed by John Henry, Paul Tobias, and Sheriff Monroe. John Henry was the only man to see the image so he took the lead and walked the men all around the top of the roof – but they found nothing.

"I don't see anything," said Mike, "where is this image you and the Mayor saw?"

"I tell you, Mike, it was here, right here." John Henry turned like a dog chasing its tail in stark confusion. How could it have vanished? It was clear as day the other night!

Sheriff Monroe was delighted at his confusion and secretly smiled over the man's ignorance. He wanted to laugh in his face and tell them all to go home, but he knew this would just irritate them and intensify their search efforts. So like the rest, he searched and held his tongue.

Mike Chambers finished his second look at the roof and then looked out at the rubble of the Johnson house. "Maybe we ought to join the digging crew and follow the tunnel over at the Johnson place?"

"I tell you, Mike, that image was right here last night. It couldn't have been covered up that quickly." He rubbed his foot on the roof, but found no signs of fresh paint.

He had decided to give in when he had an idea. He climbed down and went into the store with the men. They made their way to the back storeroom without being seen by the two customers and the cashier inside.

"When we were in the basement of the Johnson house, there was a secret room along one of the walls that opened by way of a bookshelf. It was a mechanism of some sort in the bookshelf, kind of like a lever, you know like in the movies. If we look around in here we should be able to find it and then the tunnel."

"It is worth a shot," said Mike.

The others agreed and they looked around the room. "I don't see any bookshelves," said Paul Tobias.

"Maybe not," said John Henry, "but there are shelves in here. Let's start taking everything down and see what we can find."

Sheriff Monroe went to a shelf in the center of the room and began taking cans of food off the shelves and setting them on the floor. Paul Tobias gave him a hand while Mike and John worked on a shelf by the door.

After an hour of futile searching and with the men ready to try something new, John had further inspiration. "Over there, on the back shelf. If anything is here it would have to be close to that wall; it is the only thing that makes sense." He went to the wall and started knocking things off the shelf. The rest of the men joined him. In no time Mike picked up a can and they all heard a click, followed by an opening revealing itself beside them.

"There it is! I told you!" John Henry ran for the opening and pulled it wide. Inside was a long dark tunnel like the tunnel at the Johnson house. The tunnel was so long they couldn't see the other end.

One by one the men entered the tunnel, Sheriff Monroe entering last. He had his firearm in its holster at his side and he was going to wait until the men were deep inside the tunnel – then he would kill them all. He had tried meeting after meeting to dissuade them but nothing had worked: this would be the final solution. Bringing up the rear of the cautious men, he unbuckled the strap across the top of his gun. He followed the unsuspecting men, ready to act on behalf of his Queen.

When they had gone about twenty feet into the tunnel, Mike stopped. "Wait, we need our guns. Let's have someone stay down here by the door while the rest get guns. I plan to shoot whatever comes at me."

Quickly, the Sheriff replaced his strap; the other men swung around and headed back out past the smiling redheaded lawman, Paul remaining behind.

The three men left the tunnel and the Sheriff stopped. "Hey, guys, I already have my gun; I will wait here for the two of you. Make sure you get a gun for Paul."

The men agreed and left the storeroom.

Sheriff Monroe went to the wall and pressed a hidden panel. A cover slid down, revealing a keyboard panel. The Sheriff punched in numbers, hit Enter and a counter started. He raised the cover back up. He went into the tunnel. "Hey, Paul, did you see anything?"

"No, Sheriff, not a thing."

"Look, I see something," shouted the Sheriff with fear in his voice.

Paul turned around to look. The Sheriff moved in a blink of an eye to stand behind Paul. He struck him in the back of the head with his gun. With impressive speed, the Sheriff snatched him up and ran him to the other end of the tunnel. He opened a panel and threw the man inside and closed the door. He pressed another button that set off a silent alarm in the room before racing back to the end of the tunnel and out the door. He was standing at the door waiting in the same spot when Mike Chambers and John Henry came back with their weapons. Monroe pressed his hair down to complete his pose.

Mike carried a rifle, whereas John carried two. Both men had a handgun in their belt. "Ready, Sheriff?" Mike asked.

"I'm ready," said the Sheriff.

They entered back into the tunnel, the Sheriff again bringing up the rear.

"Paul," whispered Mike. He did not see him anywhere. "Paul. Where are you?"

"Paul," shouted John Henry, thinking the man was up ahead and out of view. "What happened to him?" he said to the Sheriff behind him.

"How would I know? I was with the two of you." The Sheriff looked as if he was worried and he too shouted, "Paul!"

A worried Mike Chambers looked ahead. "Come on, he must be at the end." He lifted his rifle and took aim as he led the way down the tunnel.

"Damn fool," said John Henry who held up his rifle and walked a few paces behind Mike.

The Sheriff took out his gun and smiled as he aimed it at the two men in front of him.

Mike was in the front. His foot hit a trip wire and he stopped. He backed up. An arrow shot out from one side of the tunnel – he ducked just in time. The men backed up and a bright light illuminated the other end of the tunnel. They turned around to run. John Henry fell into the Sheriff and they both went down. The men heard an explosion and then another and then another, all coming toward them from the other end of the tunnel. They thought it was a train. Then they saw what appeared to be a moving wall coming toward them: the exploding sounds were the bulbs overhead popping. The men got up and ran for their end of the tunnel; they barely managed to get out of the tunnel ahead of the moving wall. The wall hit the outer door and made a loud bang as it stopped.

The men, both frightened and curious, walked toward the wall and opened the half-smashed door. Before them was a wall of solid concrete. It filled the entire length of the tunnel. Now they would never have access to the door at the other end.

"Well, Sheriff, are you going to believe us now?"

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it. Come to think of it, I did see something out in the woods by one of those moss covered shacks. Maybe it is a tunnel to somewhere. You boys want to go with me and check it out?"

"Yeah, let's go get the rest of the guys and load up," John Henry said.

"No," said the Sheriff. "Something is going on in this town and we three know what the deal is. If we stop and pick up people we are going to have to waste a lot of time trying to explain to them something they will never believe unless they see it for themselves. Let's bring back our proof in the back of a truck like you did, Mike."

The two men agreed with him and after touching the concrete wall to verify its existence, they left the store.

Chapter 27

Sara lay on a bed in the Guests' quarters when she heard an alarm and pushed herself up from the bed. It was the next day and she thought of her mother and jumped to the conclusion more men were coming after her to kill her like they did her mother. She ran out of the room and was met by Lisa and others who were on their way to the troubled area. "What is it, Lisa, what is happening?"

"There is movement in the south tunnel. We won't know what it is until we get there." Lisa picked up her pace and Sara followed.

Arriving, Lisa cautiously opened the door. "There is a man in there." She and Sara stepped inside.

Paul had not moved since he was brought into the room. Sara went over and rolled him over and looked at his face. Lisa rarely went outside or associated with the townspeople, so she had no idea who it was.

Sara, on the other hand, did know. "It's Paul Tobias," she said, clenching her fists. "He must have been on a hunting team with others. Where are the rest of them?"

Lisa opened the outer door and was met with a wall of concrete. She went back to the monitors and pressed a group of buttons to work the recorded tape machine. After rewinding, she and Sara watched on the monitor as Sheriff Monroe opened the door and tossed the man in like a ragdoll before closing it up again. They saw an explosion and the monitor went black.

"They are going to find a way to get down here; I will find Bethany and see what she wants to do about this. Stay here and watch him."

Lisa left the room and Sara was alone with the man. She wished he had been one of the men who had shot her mother so she could kill him herself, but he wasn't. She went to the desk in the room and pulled out a chair, brought it over to the man, and sat down in front of him, mind silently on her mother as she tried not to cry.

The man was still unconscious when Lisa returned with Bethany. Bethany stood over him for a minute and made her decision. "We have to prepare the children for leaving. I will need him as storage. I will call the others." Bethany left.

"Do I get Marianna or Kelly?" Sara asked Lisa after Bethany left, knowing full well what would happen next.

"They are both able to carry him; you choose."

They both left out the room together, each to attend to different tasks. After a short time, Sara came back into the room and gave the man a shot from a syringe. She checked his pulse before she sat back in the chair. As she watched, he began to stir. He opened his eyes and started moaning, holding the back of his head. He felt wetness; blood.

Wiping his hand on his pants, Paul tried to stand but couldn't. In fact, his body was only becoming heavier and heavier.

Just as he lost the ability to hold up his arms, he spotted Sara. "Who are you? Why can't I move?"

"It's a paralyzer to keep you still," Sara said without passion. "Your friends killed my mother."

"Who are you and where am I?"

"How many of you were in the tunnel?"

"Where am I? Where am I?" Paul tried to struggle but couldn't: all he could move now was his neck and head.

Sara asked again, "How many of you were in the tunnel?"

More frantically now: "I can't move! Where am I? What are you doing to me?"

Sara got out of her chair and slapped him. "How... many... of you...were in the tunnel?"

Paul trembled with fear. "There were four of us: Sheriff Monroe, me, Mike Chambers, and John Henry."

"Which of them killed my mother?"

"What?"

She slapped him again. "One of them shot my mother in the back! Like a dog! Which one of them was it?"

"I don't know, I was hit from behind and woke up here. It was probably the sheriff; he would shoot a defenseless woman, not me or the others."

"Who killed my mother?"

"I don't know! I don't know!"

Sara stepped away from the man. "Do you want to know what you were looking for?"

"What?"

Sara stepped to the side and showed him an incubator. She opened it up and held up the baby. Sara turned the baby around: it was Kelly. Aiming her to face him, Sara lowered the baby onto his chest. Then she sat back down in the chair and watched the events unfold.

Paul, confused and frightened, began to breathe fast. From Sara's position, she could hear his heart pounding. Kelly, too, heard it: her green eyes grew darker and darker. She looked at the bulging vein in the man's neck and instead of concentrating on the heartbeat in the man's chest, the baby became attracted to the throbbing vein.

Kelly started crawling toward Paul Tobias's neck, stretching her neck out as far as it could go. Pulling the rest of her to rejoin the head before it dashed forward again. The pulses became intoxicating and the baby crawled instinctively forward. Her pitch-black eyes were completely fixed upon it.

Paul was overcome by sheer terror. The way the baby's neck stretched was unreal, the thing of nightmares. And the face, the black eyes. "No! No! No, stop it, stop it!" Paul skreiked – but Sara never moved from her chair. She simply watched the baby advance.

Kelly's tiny arms went around the man's neck and her fingers stretched and interlocked with each other. Arms tightening, her eyes grew wider. Kelly lifted her head and opened her mouth wide, showing the suckers in her mouth. Her mouth unhinged from its jaw and stretched even more – and then from the ends of her suckers protruded small fangs. With one quick movement, she clamped down on the man's neck to sedate him.

Throughout this ordeal, Paul shrieked, but moments later stopped struggling and began to relax: already he was euphoric and without pain. He lay on the floor with a smile on his face, reliving his glory days as a quarterback on the high school football team. He was a young blond god of the arena, playing in his all-time favorite game, scoring the winning touchdown for his team as the crowd roared and chanted his name. Paul felt like he was in heaven. The crowd cheered, "Paul! Paul! Paul!"

Baby Kelly's stomach pulsated with a steady rhythm as she fed. At first her stomach grew larger as if pregnant, carrying triplets or even quadruplets, veins crisscrossing its translucent surface.

Sara watched with a look of satisfaction and fascination on her face. Paul Tobias began to shrivel like a grape being transformed into a raisin. She wondered what he was thinking as his whole body began to collapse in on itself.

When the time was right, Sara stood and went to the far corner of the room. Earlier she had placed here a syringe and sprayer. She sat them both down beside Paul's collapsing body. Sara pressed down extremely hard to break Kelly's grip from his neck and then injected her with a syringe. Kelly stopped moving, unwrapping her arms from his neck and falling to the side.

Sara placed her on the floor and watched a cocoon envelop her. After finishing, she picked up the cocoon and placed it by the door. Next she covered Paul's body in a thick black coating from the spray canister. His body began smoking and then disintegrated, leaving behind black dust. Sara took a vacuum cleaner from a closet and vacuumed up the mess. When she was done the tiled floor was sparkling white again.

Lisa returned; bringing with her a syringe that she injected into the cocoon, causing it to shrink until it was the size of a baby again. Lisa, with sharper vision than Sara, pointed to a speck the young girl missed. It was promptly cleaned up before they existed with the cocoon, getting ready for their next task.

# # #

After a disappointing lunch, Allie was on her way to her next class when she heard her name being called.

Allie turned. "Yes, Mrs. Taylor?"

Mrs. Taylor's face crinkled with worry lines. "Come with me, Allie. We are in danger of being discovered." She walked quickly down the hall toward her classroom and Allie followed her.

Mrs. Taylor went past her class, into the lab room that adjoined it. Allie remembered the last time she had been here with Mrs. Taylor and the spelling ants. In the back of the room was a large walk-in closet. Allie followed her teacher into the closet without asking questions.

The closet was not very large and to look at it no one would suspect deception. Mrs. Taylor went to the far right wall and pressed a secret button which revealed a panel with numbered buttons inside. She entered a code, causing the panel to lift. Then she turned around and walked past Allie to the other side and slid a hidden door that had unlatched. This revealed a small cramped elevator, which both females entered. Once inside, it began to move down. Allie kept silent trying to remember everything she had seen, especially the code that was used to open the door.

The elevator opened to a white tiled room with the crest on the far wall. "We are unable to stop the hunters from coming down here. Rather than fight, we are abandoning this facility and moving. With a little luck and time, this will become one of the many folktales the humans spread among themselves." They walked out of the elevator, then the room, and down a long hallway. "I need you to help the others get the children to safety. Sara will lead the way; you stay in the rear with the children between you.

"There is something you haven't been told. Allie, Sara's mother was killed last night by the hunters while she was in one of the tunnels. They are now searching for our other entryways – and they've found one. They will be here shortly, so we have to move quickly. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Elder, I'm ready. Is Sara all right?"

"She will survive. We will meet them up ahead. Say nothing of her trouble; grieve later after the children are safe."

Mrs. Taylor led her down a hall and Allie kept silent, thinking of her mission and her friend's sorrow.

Bethany was in her office in the main facility's complex. She stood looking at a map on a monitor's screen of their underground bunker. The map showed an architectural view with the different rooms, hallways, spaces, and the tunnels that led to the surface.

Lisa came in, Sara at her side. "Are you ready for the children?" Bethany said after greeting them.

"Yes, my Queen, we have begun the first stage," Lisa answered, head bowed.

Bethany beckoned them closer and pointed to the map. "Ignore the west and main complexes and focus your attention here on the eastern complex." The eastern complex was the entrance that Sara used when she took the children by railcar with Allie to the woods for their exercises. "You will travel in groups of threes with the children. Lisa, you lead this group; the western complex will be headed by Melanie. I want you to stay high and outrun the hunters. Use the T5 Complex for injuries."

Pointing at the maps, she traced out a route. "I want you to start here and go to the trees and come down here by the shed and go back underground. It is a five-mile journey and once free of the hunters you will be able to slow down and keep closer together. Stop and check the children after you have cleared the hunters to make sure none have been left behind and then continue. Once there, you are to remain. No one is to return unless you have orders. The others will be waiting for you and will assist you once you arrive. Do not lose any of the children."

"We will honor you with their safety," said Lisa. She held a fondness for Bethany and she sensed the trouble that would lie ahead for their leader.

Sara committed the map to memory, then went down the hall to get the children ready. Even after all the time she had spent there, she did not know all there was to know about the underground hideaway.

Mrs. Taylor brought Allie into the room where Lisa and Sara were. She smiled at them and went down the hall without a word.

Allie said, "Hey, Sara; hey, Lisa."

Lisa motioned Allie to her. "Hey, Allie, come on, we need your help, but there is a slight change in our plans. Did Stella explain what we are doing?"

Allie had a momentary brain freeze; who was Stella? With so much information coming at her, it seemed as though her brain had switched off for protection – and then she remembered: Stella Taylor. She had only heard her called that once before and that was by Melanie. Was it a privilege they had that she didn't?

Coming back to her senses, Allie answered, "Yes, the hunters are coming and we need to get the children out of here." She stood beside Sara. She wanted to say something but didn't know what, so she placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. Sara looked at her and Allie smiled. Sara smiled back in appreciation and went back to finishing the job at hand.

They each packed a bag and Lisa gave them baby carriers that locked onto the front of the packs they would carry. They changed into T-shirts emblazoned with multiple crests, then strapped on their backpacks and carried the baby carriers with them.

The women ran down the hall to the nursery and went inside. Inside they saw three babies in their incubators. Lisa began her work. "Allie, you have never done this before, so watch me." She opened the drawer below the incubator and pulled out a short black shirt. This was a mini straitjacket for the babies. "Put the baby in the shirt; her arms will go into the holders on the side. Just latch them up and she will not be able to move; her arms will stay at her side for the trip. Let her face stay outward like this, and pull the straps over her shoulders and crisscross them. When you have her in the carrier I will fasten it to your backpack and you will be ready. You got it?"

"Yes," said Allie and she immediately went to work following Lisa's instructions. In no time she and the others had their backpacks on and raced down the hall to the tunnels.

They exited by way of a small shed to stand in the woods near tracks. Instead of taking the railcar, they ran across the field to the trees. Sara followed Lisa and Allie followed Sara. They climbed the trees and leaped from treetop to treetop. In the middle of their journey, Lisa stopped. The others caught up and stopped to look at what she was watching. Down below were hunters by one of the sheds. They were trying to open it by hitting it with a sledgehammer. Lisa took off again and they followed.

The five mile journey took them very little time to complete. Allie even managed to take time to appreciate the scenery as they went. Climbing down from the last tree, they walked toward a moss covered shed at the edge of the woods. Lisa opened a panel and put in the code. The door opened; inside were three Cavers to greet them. They took their carriers and backpacks, the babies and the supplies, and thanked them for bringing the children to safety. Another Caver came out and whispered to Lisa, who had a worried look on her face.

Lisa turned to Sara. "One of the toddlers was injured. I am staying here. You are in charge. Melanie needs help with the toddlers; everyone else has gone to safety. Be careful and watch out for the hunters; they have broken in already so there is little time left. Sara, show Allie how to hide and be safe."

Sara and Allie hugged Lisa and wished her well – then they were off and running back the way they came through the trees. Pausing partway along, Sara stared down at the shed they had seen earlier – but there were no hunters there now. She assumed that is how they got in and she leaped faster and faster to the entry point to help the others. Allie followed and entered the underground bunker behind her.

They walked in silence from the entry point of the eastern complex down a long hallway to the main complex. Bethany was in the office at the control station, monitoring the cameras when they arrived to give her the news.

"We have taken the babies to safety and are going to the west complex to help Melanie. Lisa stayed behind to help one of the injured children," said Sara.

Bethany worked the camera controls while she listened. "There is danger in the western tunnels. Be careful of the hunters."

Sara turned, but Allie looked confused. "Bethany, when will you leave?"

Bethany stopped working and looked hard at the girl. Sara grabbed Allie's arm to lead her out – but Bethany began to speak, and she stopped.

"I have work to finish to keep us safe. We will emerge in due time. Go and help Melanie with the toddlers." She turned to Sara and spoke directly with her. "At the bell, you will need to clear the hallways and the tunnels or you will be trapped. You will have ten minutes at that point. Good luck. I have been honored by your service." And without saying another word, she turned back to her work.

"Serving has been an honor." Sara took Allie by the arm and led her out and she closed the door. "Come on."

The two girls ran down the hallway, into another tunnel and finally another room. They passed quickly through this, then another two. They rounded a corner and met a friend. Allie had not expected to see Brad. He stood before her and she froze as he spoke to Sara who then took off without her. For a moment time stood still, then crept forward to drain life from her. The weird feeling grew by leaps and bounds as she racked her brain trying to figure out what it was. She was getting weaker and weaker, that she knew for certain, but why? Was it Brad? Was it some strange hold he had over her? Was he draining her merely by being in her presence? Then, she remembered to breathed. Life flooded back to her and she felt stupid.

"Allie, are you alright?"

"I'm okay." Somehow she found enough air to utter the words. They sounded strange as if not from her. She hoped he had not notice. She gulped then turned her head to hide her shame.

"You are going to protect the children, aren't you?"

She nodded and felt the tension in his hand upon her shoulder. Did he not believe her?

"I love the children, Brad. It's not me. And these people . . . they are not my people. I would never hurt you. I would never hurt Lila or Nadia. You have to believe me. Nothing could make me do that. Not ever!" she grabbed his hand and searched his eyes. "Please believe me."

Brad smiled. He opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, a boom sounded and debris fell from the ceiling. Allie fell into his chest. She longed to be in his arms and held tight as another boom sounded. She listened to his heartbeat and drew closer to the magical rhythm. She looked up into his face to search him, unsure of what to say. Brad smiled and this time he leaned down and kissed her softly.

"I trust you, Allie. Be safe. I have to go. Take care of the children."

"I will."

As Allie stood watching him leave, she touched her lips, concentrating on the kiss.

"Girl! Come on!"

They ran around another corner and through another room. Finally they arrived in another control room.

Sara activated the camera system and each monitor came on. Sara scanned the monitors one by one. On the last one she saw three men. Cavers and vampires sprang forward to fight the hunters in a hallway not far from them.

"They're here."

Chapter 28

Sheriff Monroe, John Henry and Mike Chambers made it to the moss-covered shed the Sheriff told them about. They each carried a semi-automatic weapon and looked forward to the moment they would take their rifles off their shoulders and fire at the target that had been evading them all this time. They mourned for poor Paul, believing him to be crushed by the concrete that filled the tunnel. They made themselves feel better by inviting Paul's second cousin Dale Portwood, whom they saw as they were leaving town, to join them in the woods.

"I don't see anything," said John Henry.

"Where is this mysterious opening you have been talking about, Sheriff?" Mike Chambers asked.

They all looked around the tiny shed in frustration. They began to think the Sheriff was wasting their time, when he started tapping the rocks next to the small shed. "I tell you it is here. The last time I was out here I saw something that was not quite right, kind of out of place if you know what I mean?" He continued tapping the rock surface.

The others spread out and began tapping. Dale Portwood was the nearest man to the shed and tapped along the wall of the shed by the rock face. A hollow noise echoed back. "Hey, fellas, listen to this." He tapped again. "What do you think?"

"It sounds like it is hollow."

"Yeah! Like the tunnel we found in the Johnsons' basement. I tell you, that's it, we have to find the entrance to this tunnel."

"Do you have your toolbox on your truck?" Mike said to John Henry.

"Yeah! I should have thought of that. I will be right back. Come with me, Dale, I can use your help with the tools."

The two men left for the truck, leaving Mike and Sheriff Monroe to stay behind and start to pry off some of the wood on the back of the shed.

There was a radio in the truck, and John Henry used this to contact the men digging at the Johnsons' to inform them of their discovery and location. Mayor Benaford was with the men and he told John Henry they had opened a tunnel opposite the Johnsons' house and a crew of men would meet them inside whatever underground structure they found. He told them that he and the doctor and another crew would travel by Jeep to their location and join them. John asked them to bring more explosives and weapons when they came. Then he and Dale got what they needed and began their journey back to the others.

The men returned with a wheelbarrow being pushed by John and with a sledgehammer and rope being carried by Dale. "If we get through, we are going to need this in case there is a big drop," said Dale. The men were wearing jackets similar to bulletproof jackets used by policemen that contained a row of pockets on each side that carried everything they would need from ammunition to explosive charges and timers. They took off their jackets and laid them on the ground and gathered around the wheelbarrow to make their selections.

Mike chose a pickax, the Sheriff took the crowbar, John Henry had another pickax, and Dale kept the sledgehammer he carried. Three of them began tearing down the shed while Dale went to work on the rock face where it sounded hollow. In no time they reduced the shed to little more than timber – but still the entrance evaded them. With each swing of Dale's hammer he heard an echo and knew something was there.

From above there was a rustling in the trees. Dale glanced up; just the wind. Determined not to stop until he hit pay dirt, he swung and swung and never got tired, revenge fueling his steady hammering. Yet despite the hammer thrower's rage, the entrance remained hidden.

"Hold on, Dale, I will be right back," said John Henry. He scuttled to his truck, then returned shortly after. "Move out of the way. This is what we need to get in there." John Henry worked for the oil company and he did the demolition work for them as they laid new pipe. He came back from his truck with a bag that contained C4, triggers, and wiring.

"Now we are talking," said Mike Chambers. He helped his friend attach the charges to the side of the hollow rock face.

All behind a tree, John yelled, "Fire in the hole!" He flipped the switch and they covered their ears. The charges went off and rocks flew every which way. When the smoke cleared they were standing in front of a tunnel.

"Son of a gun," said Mike.

John Henry jumped around. "I told you! I told you! I told you all!"

The Sheriff acted as if he were surprised. "Well, I will be damned! I knew something was there but not this. My God, John Henry, you and the Mayor weren't foolin', were you?"

"No, Sheriff, we weren't. That is the proof that we need to clean this town of all the unsavory elements that have been lurking around doing their unsavory activities in our backyard. Can you imagine? They have been right here all along, scheming and plotting behind our backs. Let's go get everybody and hunt them down like the dogs they are."

"Wait, wait, wait there a second, John," said Monroe. "I give you credit for what you found here but we don't know what is in there. That could be a shaft from an old mining operation. I say we check it out before getting the whole town involved, all right?"

"Fine, Sheriff, let's get down there. I got the rope right here if we need it," said Dale.

"All right. Mike, you want to take the lead on this one?" Sheriff Monroe said to the man standing by the opening.

Mike Chambers wiped the sweat off his face and went and picked up his jacket and rifle. He checked his weapon and then nodded in agreement. "All right, let's go."

Each of the men gave their weapons a check, then followed Mike Chambers into the tunnel. Although there was spaced out overhead lighting, unsettled smoke made it hard to see.

Sheriff Monroe did not have his opportunity to shoot the men: this time, John Henry insisted on being last in formation. Now, how would he be rid of them and seal the tunnel's entrance? Plotting, he waited tentatively for an opportunity.

He didn't have to wait long: John Henry whispered to them, "Wait, I got to get something from my truck. Stay here while I go get it."

"What is it?" Mike said with impatience.

"I got a bag with flashlights, C4, and other stuff we may need when we get to the other side of this tunnel. It will only take a minute."

"We have got all that stuff in our vests, but go ahead, hurry!" Mike said reluctantly.

When John Henry had left, Sheriff Monroe turned to Mike. "We can go ahead and wait for him at the other end. We will probably need the C4 then. Let's get there and take a look; it shouldn't be too much farther ahead."

"All right," said Mike, anxious to get to the end. He led on with his flashlight. Sheriff Monroe followed him, smiling in the dark, hand on his gun.

# # #

As Malcolm and Melanie were taking the small children to safety, they came across something unusual. Melanie would need two trips for the one- and two-year olds because one had been injured with an untimely fall. Malcolm, who had stopped to get the child, saw the men gathering equipment from their truck. He made a note of the location so he could return and check their progress. As they made their second trip, they leaped through the trees with Nadia, Lila, and four others. The blast from the rocks shook the trees as Nadia was grabbing for her next tree. She fell to the ground, closer to the truck than to the men. When the other children had been gathered in one place, Malcolm instructed Melanie to take them all to safety; he would retrieve Nadia and arrive shortly.

Melanie disappeared ahead with the others, while Malcolm leaped to a nearby tree and climbed down as quietly as he could. Nadia had fallen sixty feet, colliding with branches on her way down; she now lay dazed on the cold ground. Malcolm, fearing the men had heard the noise, rushed toward her while scouting for the hunters with their rifles.

Nadia grimaced in pain. She shook her head several times and her eyes grew dark black as she lay back down for a moment to heal her wounds. She lay still on the ground as Malcolm approached her. When he came close, she turned her head quickly and looked at him through dark eyes. Malcolm held up his hand; her eyes returned to normal and she sat up. He came to her and held out his hand. She took it. He helped her to her feet and checked her for injuries. She complained about her left elbow and arm and he told her Lisa would help her when they made it to safety.

Nadia heard something and turned around quickly. She did not know what it was but Malcolm did. He took Nadia by the hand and they walked toward the sound.

The noise was static from a CB radio. They came to a truck. In the back, a man bent over, retrieving something. Malcolm pushed Nadia behind him in case the hunter had a gun. He kept his hand behind him on her shoulder, though it wasn't necessary. He was in no danger from her – but the man in the truck would be.

"Hello there!" Malcolm said from a few feet away.

The hunter stopped searching and turned. It was John Henry. "Uh, hello there, yourself. What are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Oh, I am just out for a bit of a stroll, enjoying the fresh air."

"Well you need to get to safety, mister. There are unsavory characters in these woods and we are out hunting for them right now."

"Oh really, you don't say? What are you going to do when you find the lot of them?"

"I'm going to put a hole in them and put them out of their misery, just like I did the last one." John Henry laughed and cocked his rifle.

"You the one that shot that poor lass over at the Johnson place?"

"Lass? That whore was a freak; she was one of these monsters running around out here in the dark attacking people and livestock. I can't wait to catch the rest of her freak show of a family."

Despite his anger, Malcolm held his calm. Grinning sadistically, he brought Nadia from behind him. "You want to tell her why you killed the poor lass who was taking care of her?"

John Henry smiled and shook his head. He held up his gun. "Now are you telling me that this here little girl is one of them monsters?" He started laughing.

Malcolm laughed back at him. He took his hand off her shoulder and Nadia stood looking at the man, smiling at him. A tilt of her head and her fangs glinted. Her fingernails grew longer as she listened to the sound of his heart beating faster and faster. Her eyes grew, turning dark.

"I guess you found what you were looking for, eh, laddie?"

"No. No. No, you are not getting me!" John Henry reached up and felt the scar on the side of his face that he received from the boy. Fearfully backing up, shaking, he fired at Nadia – and missed. She lunged.

The next bullet hit her as she landed on him. He screamed in horror, fear and agony as she slashed with her long razor sharp claws. When the man stopped moving she bit on his neck and sucked blood from the man.

When Malcolm felt she had sucked enough to repair the damage to her from the fall and the gunshot wound, he pressed down hard on her shoulder. She stopped and looked up at Malcolm, blood dripping from her mouth. Hand in hand, they returned to the trees, before leaping from treetop to treetop all the way to the others and to safety.

Inside the tunnel, the men heard the shots and the screams. Mike Chambers turned around and started shouting, "John Henry! John Henry!" He received no answer back.

A shadow fell over the end of the tunnel; the men turned around fearfully and raced for its opposite end, tripping and screaming as they went. They forced opened the door with the Sheriff's help, and shut it behind them. Breathing heavily, they sat on the floor, gathering their strength before moving on.

Bethany was in the control room watching the monitors. She saw the three men enter the tunnel.

Chapter 29

Sheriff Monroe aimed his handgun at the first man, Dale Portwood. He shot the man in the back; he fell instantly. He next took aim at Mike Chambers and fired. But Mike was quick, and the bullet instead hit his shoulder as he dodged. He ducked down behind a large desk, a third bullet spraying woodchips around him.

"Sheriff? What the hell is wrong with you, man?"

"You are trespassing on private property," shouted the sheriff. "Come on out, Mike, so we can get this over with. I promise to make it quick and painless, just like Dale."

Mike checked his weapon; he was low on ammunition, but found more in one of the pockets on his vest. He also remembered he had another weapon to defend himself with in his belt and checked to make sure it was still there. "Why are you doing this, Sheriff? Dale was a good man."

"I know he was. Come on out so we can end this, Mike. Don't be like poor John Henry and end it all in a whirlwind of screams."

Mike rose and fired his rifle. "You bastards!" The sheriff returned his fire, and he dodged behind another desk.

"You are not getting out of here alive. Come on out and make it easy on yourself. Come on out!"

Mike fired again and then threw the empty rifle in the sheriff's direction. "All right, Sheriff, you win. I am coming out. All I want to know is why?"

"Come on out and I will tell you."

Mike slowly raised his hands and stood up from behind the desk. The sheriff trained his gun on him as he stood up too. "It is simple, Mike. This is my home and you are hunting my family. We have lived here in peace for a hundred years and now because of a few bad circumstances we are in danger from idiots like you. I like you, Mike, but I have to protect my family."

The sheriff took aim. One bullet and their problem would be over, once and for all.

Mike Chambers watched his finger as he prepared to squeeze the trigger. He showed perfect timing as he dove to the open floor, pulled a handgun from his back, whirled around, and fired. Being the champion shooter that he was, he hit the sheriff squarely in the chest, knocking him back like a ragdoll. Mike got up and checked: he was dead. Instead of leaving, he opened the other door and went down the hall.

Sara and Allie had been watching the screen nonstop. Sara knew who the sheriff was and was hoping he could finish the job and secure their safety but was disappointed when he failed. As Mike left the room, she switched to an interior camera. Mike was coming toward them.

"Go to the north Honored Room," said Bethany over the intercom. She had seen everything that had occurred and saw the look of fright on the girls' faces. The sheriff's failure was expected and she had alternate plans ready to go for all outcomes.

Sara took Allie into the room mentioned by Bethany. It was one of the chamber rooms with the crest on each wall. The room had white tile on the floor, walls, and ceiling. Allie looked at the walls and saw colors, mainly red. From what little she had learned of their writings, she knew they were women. Sara went to a wall, read it, and moved to another. She reached down low and pressed a sun on one of the walls, making a vertical vault slide forward and open. She looked inside. It was empty.

"These are sleep chambers that have been evacuated because of the crisis," she explained to Allie. "We will hide in them. Get inside and I will show you how to work the control panel."

Allie stepped quickly into the box. She stood straight up in the small, tight fitting area and looked around. By her right hand was a panel with three black buttons. None of them had any markings.

"Listen carefully. The button closest to you is number one, the one in the middle is number two and the one farthest away is number three. The sequence to open this chamber vault is 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1. Do you understand? 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1."

Allie nodded and chorused the sequence back. Sara, still doubtful, said, "Put your hand above the buttons and tap it out to show me."

Allie did as instructed and performed the sequence with no difficulty.

Sara showed her the three white buttons by her left hand. "Look at these buttons on this side now. The button closest to you is the inside light. Push it in and a light comes on inside that no one on the outside can see. The middle button activates the wall in front of you; push it in and you can see the inside of the room without anyone being able to see you. The left button is the activation button; you hold it down while you press in the sequence I gave you earlier to open the door. If you don't hold the button down the vault won't open. Do you understand everything?"

"Yes."

"I will be over there in that vault. Stay quiet. The hunter cannot see you. Do not come out until he has gone, understand?"

"Yes."

Sara pressed a button and the vault with Allie inside it began to disappear back into the wall. It formed a perfect seal with no trace of a seam to be found. Then Sara opened her own chamber, entered it and disappeared.

Allie had been rushed into the chamber so fast she didn't have time to think or react to anything. When the vault closed, all light and sound vanished, leaving her in complete darkness. She had never been in a totally darkened space before and was sure she wasn't claustrophobic, although nobody had bothered to ask her. She did her best to remain calm and kept telling herself that she was safe and with friends who would not allow her to be harmed. This helped her to relax and focus.

Allie felt around in the dark for the buttons on her left side. Finding the nearest, she pressed it. A light came on inside the box. Directly in front of her was an image of the crest. She thought about the children and knew that if they were kept in these chambers that the crest would be the first thing they would see when they woke up and the last thing they would see when they went to bed. Maybe that was why they responded to the crest. Allie fixated on the image before her. Suddenly, the image of the eagle clutching the moon disappeared. Writing was left in its place. Some of it was an ancient language with strange characters and the rest was a group of pictures. As she watched, they evaporated and the eagle returned, only, it was more menacing, crowing. It moved! The eagle flapped its wings and crowed at her. Then, it flew at her in attack mode. Allie screamed and turned her head. In the tight fitting space that is all she could manage. She heard the wings flapping and the crowing and screamed bloody murder, crouching as best she could. And then it stopped and the crest reappeared. In that moment, Allie realized how little she really knew about them. They told her training would take two full years and now she knew why: this was a vast place with many secrets. She thought more about the children and remembered Sara had told her that they didn't sleep in regular beds, but she never said where or how they slept.

Allie pressed the middle button with heightened anticipation. The wall with the crest on it slid down and she was able to see into the room. She saw the room as she always saw it: colors, rainbows and suns danced on the walls, but nothing more.

Since the room was empty, she assumed the hunter had been there already. She put one of her left fingers on the far left button and with her right hand she pressed the sequence of buttons to open the vault. The chamber slid forward and opened and she stepped out into the room. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that if she had forgotten the sequence she would have been there for life. She looked around and saw nothing and went to the door. Allie stuck her head out the door and saw the hunter, Mike Chambers, coming directly toward her.

"Hey!" Mike Chambers shouted. He ran toward her with Dale's gun pointed in her direction. Allie ran back into the room.

Sara was in her chamber looking out the one-way viewing wall. She saw Allie's vault slide open and saw the young girl step out. Sara tried hard to catch her breath as she watched Allie walk to the door and open it. She reached for her buttons when she saw Allie running back from the door with a look of fright on her face. Sara watched as Allie ran to the vault chamber, pushed the button, and jumped back into it as it was closing. She guessed someone must be coming and was praying the door would close in time to keep her friend safe.

The door closed right as the hunter came into the room with fire in his eyes. He pointed his gun around the empty room but no one was there but him. Allie had luckily remembered how to open the chamber and had made it back in time; otherwise Sara would be watching her getting gunned down by the hunter. Sara recognized him as Mike Chambers, the sharp-shooting redneck from town. She watched as the man looked around the room, wondering where the girl had gone that he was chasing. How could she have disappeared from an empty room?

There was only one possible conclusion Mike could come to: like the store, this room must have a secret exit door. And he would find it.

He went to the wall on his right and began tapping, rifle held in his other hand. He tapped around the wall by the door, then the next wall, and then to the wall where Allie was hiding in. Just like the rest of the walls, he heard nothing.

He was about to move when he looked down and saw a piece of cloth sticking between two pieces of the white tile. This must be the door, he thought to himself and smiled. He tried grabbing the piece of cloth but it was so small he could not get a grip on it. He took a knife from his pocket and tried to pry the pieces of tile apart.

Sara watched with horror. She wanted to come out and help but couldn't. If Allie was smart, she thought, she would stay put and wait the man out. She was safe as long as she didn't open the door.

Allie watched the man from behind the wall as he tapped around the room and stopped at her chamber. Why would he stop in front of her? What happened to make him stop? She didn't know at first what he was doing because he was bent over in front of her as if digging at something. Then she looked down where he was working at and she saw her T-shirt had been caught in the door. She closed her eyes in disgust and scolded herself in silence for being so stupid. Now what? She glanced toward the wall; Sara had not moved. There must not be any danger. Her best course of action was to stay put, so she did nothing but watch the man.

The young women had an ace in the hole they knew nothing about. Bethany had been following the man from room to room on the closed-circuit surveillance camera system. She pushed a button on her desk and turned on the intercom in the room. "You can try all day but you will never get in. This room is bulletproof so leave while you can." After another button press, an alarm sounded and lights began to flash.

Mike spun. He went to the hall to take a look but saw no one coming. He went back to the wall and faced Allie. He looked at the wall as if he was looking her directly in her eyes. Allie cringed from the piercing stare of the man. Without warning, he aimed his gun at her head and fired. Allie screamed, covered her head, and tried ducking down to get out of the way.

Yet though Mike unloaded his full clip, the tile did not crack: the only sign it had been shot were tiny impressions from where the bullets had hit.

Mike touched the spots with his fingers. He could not believe it. He thought of the bag he had left and the explosive charges inside it. He turned and left the room to go back and get more explosives than what he carried in his jacket: he would punch a hole through the wall and find out what lay behind it. He ran to the first room they entered and took the jacket off of his friend Dale Portwood. He put charges with timers connected to them in the hallway and in several of the rooms leading toward the room he knew contained a secret door.

As soon as he left, Sara opened her vault and waved Allie out of her own. They closed the vaults and ran down the hall in the opposite direction back toward Bethany. They held hands as they ran down a long hallway and didn't stop until they reached her.

Bethany watched them coming on one monitor. On another she spotted another group of men with guns who'd broken in through a different tunnel. The men were shooting anyone they came into contact with, both Cavers and vampires who stayed behind to protect the complex. They shot them all without regard to who they were. Those they didn't shoot, they threw explosives at and ripped apart.

Then, a new set of vampires charged. An explosion occurred that ripped away part of the ceiling. Sunshine entered the room and struck the fighting vampires. Their movements slowed, then stopped. A vampire in direct sunlight fell and became immobile as if sleeping on the floor, another blackened and became a statue. A hunter shot the darkened figure and it blew into a million pieces. Hunters rushed the slow moving vampires trying to flee from the light. They charged forward or took aim and fired to destroy them.

Bethany was angry by what she saw and turned the monitor off as the girls came through the door.

"Bethany, what do we do now?" Sara asked, breathless after her long run.

"We have been invaded at our western and southern entrances; Malcolm is on his way back here to take the two of you to safety. Go with him. I will stop the invaders and we will start over someplace new. Allie, you must decide if you are coming with us or if you will stay behind with your parents and the townspeople. We will be going far away, so we will not be around any others who can hurt us. If you come with us, you will have to leave home forever. Be quick: you have just minutes to decide. I have to set the sealing process in motion. When I am finished, you will have ten minutes to get out of the tunnels and to safety. Are we clear?"

The two girls nodded.

"Go to the north entrance and wait for Malcolm."

Allie and Sara turned and departed quickly – and ran straight into a hunter around the next corner. He quickly aimed and fired; the two women ducked around a corner as the bullets flew over them.

Sara looked for a way pass the man who fired again. "We have to run and leap over him. Are you ready?"

Allie nodded.

"Don't think about it: just do it. Follow me, do what I do, and stay close. Ready?"

Once more, Allie nodded. Sara waited for another shot and then stood up and charged the man. She ran so fast she was a blur. She went to his right and hit the wall, scaled it up to the ceiling, and was up and over and past the man in no time. Allie followed Sara with the same skill and precision. The two girls were past the hunter as he shot his rifle in the opposite direction at their reflections. They ran past him down the hall and around the corner.

The man turned around from the breeze – he couldn't believe how fast they'd moved. Desperately, he tossed a grenade down the hall they had gone through. He hid behind a desk and waited for the explosion before he got up to check for body parts. The man saw damage done by the grenade to the hall but saw nothing in the way of a body or body parts so he continued his search.

Allie and Sara had moved so fast that they avoided the grenade explosion, although they heard and felt it as they ran. They went through several rooms and hid in the last while they waited for Malcolm.

Malcolm was in the tunnel heading toward the north entrance door. He reached the door and entered the outer room. Scanning the room, he failed to spot Sara and Allie; they were behind him and kept silent, believing him to be a hunter because of his camouflaged outfit.

Spying two townspeople heading down a hallway, Malcolm waited until they'd passed and moved forward. He had barely taken a step when a high-pitched shrill sounded on the intercom. Only Malcolm understood; it was Bethany telling him the girls' location.

Turning back, he whispered, "Sara? Allie? Are you in here?

Allie stood up. "Over here," she said softly and waved.

Sara pulled her back down; a hunter was coming into the room from the opposite door. Malcolm hid behind a desk and the three of them stayed quiet, waiting for the man to finish his search and leave. When he was finished, he walked out the door right by Malcolm, not spotting them.

Malcolm got up and came to the girls. "Come on, lasses, let's get you two to safety."

As he led them out, several grenades rolled in. The three of them ducked for cover.

Several explosions tore through the room; Allie was tossed to the wall before slumping like a ragdoll to the floor, unconscious.

Stella Taylor and Bethany came around the corner and stopped. They watched six hunters that were waiting with their guns in their hands, waiting for the smoke to clear so they could go into the outer room. They had tossed in several grenades and not a sound was heard from Allie, Sara, or Malcolm. Bethany and Stella separated, taking different sides facing the men. Bethany gave the signal to attack.

Their eyes became black and their fingernails grew as they stepped out from the shadows and charged the men. Each shrieking as they charged, they ran toward the men in attack mode.

The men spun, fired. Each woman was hit at least once, before they collided, the women tearing them apart. The second man Stella attacked was not fearful and fought back; he managed to break away for an instant and set off a grenade between them before his death. Stella saw the grenade and covered it with her body, which shaped the blast and protected her Queen. But the blast tore a hole in her side, and she lay on top of the man, shredded by the grenade.

Bethany easily killed the others and after the explosion, checked on Stella. Stella was barely alive but would survive the ordeal if cared for. Bethany left her side and went into the outer room looking for survivors from the grenades. She peered through the smoke and found Allie and shook her.

Allie, waking from her haze, moaned in pain. Bethany helped her to her feet.

"Allie, you are the only one left. You have to get to safety. Mrs. Taylor is injured. I will get her to safety but you have to leave right now." She pointed at the door and then placed her necklace around Allie's neck. "This is the key that will open all the doors for you. Find the others and give it to Shelby. Tell her not to forget what I have taught her and to take my gift. Do you hear me, Allie? She can't rule without it. Now give me your hand and I will make you stronger."

Allie extended her hand. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts. Bethany was talking about Shelby, the girl who hated her, and she wanted her to give Shelby a gift so she could rule. Perhaps be Queen? Never, she thought as Bethany's eyes turned white and she bit into Allie's hand and gave her some of her blood. Allie winced in pain but stayed on her feet.

Moments later she felt fine – better than fine, in fact: the pain and aching in her body from the blast were gone. She felt good as new, energy coursing through her veins.

Bethany wished her good luck, went back out, picked up Stella, and carried her down the hall.

Allie turned and saw the outer door and started to make her way to it. Somehow during their earlier dive she and her friends had separated. Allie peered through the dense smoke and while coughing and waving her hands to clear the dust, she walked through the room and tripped over a foot that belonged to Sara. The room had been destroyed and the ceiling had partially fallen. She crawled to girl, who was trapped under a beam. With her super strength, Allie was able to lift the beam and free her friend. When Sara was free she thanked Allie, and with her help, Sara began to limp toward the door leading to the tunnel.

"Wait, we can't leave; we have to find Malcolm," said Allie.

"We have to leave, the building will begin sealing itself up in a few minutes. If we are not out by then, we will be trapped here forever and this will become our tomb." Sara limped to the door and waited for Allie.

Allie looked around; the room was clearing of the smoke and dust but not fast enough. "He has to be in here, we only need a minute to find him. Help me!" she screamed at Sara.

Sara reluctantly helped look around and then she saw Malcolm. She limped over to where he was. "Here he is."

Allie came over. Like Sara, Malcolm was trapped, but by more than one beam, all crushing down on him in a crisscrossing pattern.

"We have to get him out."

The last of the smoke clearing, Malcolm's true condition was revealed. He lay under the heavy beams with blood trickling from his side. "We can't, Allie. The beams have crushed him. We have to go."

They heard a loud bell; the bell they would hear from Bethany. Sara looked at her friend with sadness. "There is nothing we can do; we have ten minutes to get the hell out of here."

"What about Malcolm? What about Bethany? What about all the others?"

Sara was losing patience with the young girl and began yelling. "They are not coming, all right? They will all stay here and die while we take the children to safety; I thought you were smart enough to understand that!"

"What do you mean?" Allie began to tear up at the thought of all the lives that would be lost. "What do you mean they will all die?"

"They are all still here; they never left, Allie. They didn't plan to leave."

"What? They can leave, just like the children! If they need our help, we can help them leave."

"Allie! They cannot leave!"

"We can help them, like the children." She pleaded, the pain in the pit of her stomach growing larger. She began to shake.

"They are not like the children. They cannot go out in the sun; it would kill them just like the hunters would kill them!" Sara shouted, losing all her patience. She loved them and had known them longer, better than her friend – but they did not have time to argue: the clock was ticking.

"Mrs. Taylor, Bethany, and the others?" Allie was floored by the news. Faces swam around in her head. She had no idea what was happening. They had kept her moving so fast she didn't know what the real plan was, and now it was too late. "My God! No!"

Sara came to her and took her by the shoulders and shook her. "Listen to me, Allie, this whole place is going to seal itself up like a vault, tunnels and all. It will all be buried, and if we don't leave, we'll be buried with it. Come on!" She pulled her forward and they moved to the door opening.

They heard coughing behind them and Allie turned and saw Malcolm moving. "He is alive. He is not dead! He is alive! We can save him!"

Time was running out and a decision had to be made. Allie was determined to stay, a quality Sara loved, but now it was a problem. Should she give in to this face in front of her and risk the safety of everyone? It would be so easy to lead with her heart like Allie.

Before Sara could reply, they heard a crackling from an overhead speaker. Allie dismissed it as noise, but Sara went rigid. Sara's finely-tuned ears heard Bethany, reminding her of her duty and how important it was to get Allie to safety. Sara was overcome by a brief moment of rage: she didn't need Bethany or anyone reminding her of anything or making decisions for her. She had already made the choice in her head. Bethany only confirmed what she had intended, though the thought of it being an order enraged her. Sara eyed the necklace around her friend's neck.

"All right! Listen to me, Allie... let me show you the panel." Sara showed Allie a panel by the door. "The code you need is 55891, then press enter. Repeat it back to me."

"55891, then press enter," said Allie as quickly as she could.

"Good." Sara opened the outer door and showed Allie the tunnel. "At the end of the tunnel is a panel like the one I showed you. I will attend to Malcolm while you run down and put in the code. The code will stop the countdown so we can get Malcolm out. Run as fast as you can and get to the panel. Go!"

Nodding quickly, Allie sprinted up the corridor. She became a blur as she determined to save her friends. She reached the end of the tunnel and opened the panel by the door. She punched in the code, 5, 5, 8, 9, 1, and then pressed enter. The outside door clicked open and sunlight streamed into the tunnel. Allie put her hand to her face to block the light and after adjusting she turned around and looked down the tunnel. She was not expecting that to happen. Had she put in the wrong code?

A small monitor on the panel came on and called her name. She spun. It was Sara.

"Hey, girl. You are mighty hardheaded and stubborn. Malcolm says goodbye, and so do I... Goodbye, Allie. My job was to protect you and the children; and I've done so." Sara had tears in her eyes and her voice broke as she talked. With trembling lips, she held a smile on her face. "I have lost a lot today: my mother, the good people here, and now... and now... I am losing a good friend; my best friend. I brought you into this world and I am responsible for you." Sara's fingers instinctively reached out to Allie, wanting to hold her and comfort her. Wanting to tell her friend how special she was, wondering if she even had a clue. Instead, she put on her bravest smile and fought the tears back. "Goodbye, Allie, I love you." With trembling fingers, she turned the monitor off.

Allie felt the hairs on the back of her neck tightening. "No! No! No!" She turned around to go back down the tunnel.

Sara pushed a button that sent out a wave that knocked Allie off her feet as she ran toward her. If only they had time to install this feature in the older tunnels, Sara thought. She punched in a code and the door in front of her sealed, followed immediately by a green beam coming from outside the door and blocking it. It expanded in the center and formed a circle that stretched to the edges of the tunnel. A blue beam shot from the door, touching the circle. It immediately turned into solid concrete – and began moving toward Allie, breaking bulbs in the ceiling as it moved.

Allie heard the smashing of the bulbs and saw the fast moving wall coming toward her. She pushed to her feet and stumbled out of the tunnel, sprawling out onto grass. The concrete circle stopped with a thunderous bang that shook the ground.

She sat outside on the green grass, staring at the rock face and smooth concrete. Behind it was her home. Behind it were her friends. She was on the side of a mountain and with her head in her hands, she sat and cried.

Chapter 30

Bethany took Stella to the Elders' Vault Room. She opened one of the chambers and waited for it to slide forward. She put Stella into the chamber, then softly bit her on the neck and gave her some blood. After centering her in the chamber, she closed the door and her unconscious friend went sliding back into the wall and was gone.

Opening another panel, she entered another code and the center of the floor, which held a large crest on it, opened to a width of six feet. An apparatus came up from the opening and stood four feet high in the center of the room. The machine was black and had a row of connections for tubes all around its sides, and at the top was a flat-bottomed square tray with a large hole at the bottom. Bethany inspected the machine and when satisfied, she went back and pressed another button; it returned to its hiding place and the floor closed back up. With a spring in her step, she walked quickly out of the room and down the hall and brought back the cocoon of baby Kelly.

She raised the device once again and placed the cocoon in the top tray. There were tubes below the tray that swung up and around to the top of the cocoon, stopping within an inch of the cocoon's surface. Bethany paid her respects to the cocoon and did not want to sacrifice it, although she would have to. She looked over the cocoon one last time; it would feed those that survived this. Bethany activated the wall panel and the apparatus descended into the floor and it closed. Clear tubes then came from the walls above each of the vault chambers and extended down one foot. She inspected them all and then opened the door for her vault to prepare it.

Bethany was checking something inside her vault when she looked up and saw a reflection through the side of the chamber wall. A man was slowly creeping toward her, automatic rifle in his hands. Bethany acted as if she did not see him but raised her head to judge his reaction. The man stopped. She pressed the button to close the vault and it began sliding forward back into the wall. Unaware she was watching his reflection, the man held still. He aimed his rifle at her but he did not move.

When the door was nearly closed, in the blink of an eye, Bethany was inside. The man shot at her before it closed but missed. He stood in front of the chamber and fired at point-blank range several times, yet did not damage the wall. This was Mike Chambers.

"Aww!" Mike Chambers screamed as he fired.

Bethany activated the one-way wall and watched him with a smile on her face. Empty bullet casings littered the white floor as he emptied his weapon, reloaded, and screamed and fired some more. Bethany wanted to burn him alive. She had duties to perform and like before, could not exhaust herself or all would be lost. Her palm tingled, wanting to form a deadly fireball but she resisted. She could not have the pleasure. Then, a thought occurred. A broad grin spread from cheek to cheek.

Unlike the other chambers, these held more buttons. She pressed a button on her left and a blue circle appeared on the outside of her chamber. Mike stopped firing and stepped back. Bethany pressed another button and the edges of the circle turned red, color cascading down into the center, darkening in the middle. Seconds later a beam shot out of the red spot and knocked Mike Chambers up in the air; he slammed into the opposite wall and hit the floor, unconscious.

The chamber door opened again and Bethany stepped out. She went to the man, leaned down and bit him on the neck, and injected him with a blood enzyme that would store him. A cocoon enveloped the man and after covering him from head to toe it began to change in color from an off shade of white to a light brown, before shrinking to half its size.

Bethany smiled down at the cocooned man. "You will provide nourishment for my people to pay for what you and yours have done."

She went back to the panel and pressed some buttons that caused the floor to open back up and the floor apparatus to rise higher than before. Bethany opened a door on the machine and took out a syringe filled with a black liquid. She injected the brown cocoon with the contents of the syringe and waited for it to take effect. After a few moments the cocoon shrank down to the size of a small baby. It then changed its color again and became almost black in color. Bethany took the cocoon of baby Kelly out of the top tray, and placed the cocoon inside a hidden door in one of the vault walls. She picked up the new cocoon and placed it in the tray.

Bethany pressed a button on the device and sharp needles protruded from the tubes and slowly pierced the skin of the cocoon, moving deep inside. Drips of blood gathered around the outside of each tube before drying. Bethany inspected the machine once more and then allowed it to descend back into the floor.

She shut the door and activated two sequences on the panel. The first started a timer that would encase the outer walls and tunnels in concrete. The second activated explosive charges at each tunnel entrance and inside each shed structure. Bethany stepped back into her vault and it sealed tightly. She felt the explosions as her chamber shifted slightly and a few dust particles fell from above her head. The plan had worked: the complex was now sealed from the outside world.

Bethany had but one last duty to perform, and it would be the most exhausting, the one only a Queen could perform. She stepped out of her vault and raised the floor apparatus back up and watched the floor seal around its base. From the panel she activated the tubes above the chambers in the room and watched as they stretched to the machine, connecting them all. She activated the machine and it started making a low humming sound.

To the far wall by the panel she had been using was another hidden switch and when she pressed it the tile next to her feet disappeared into the wall. Below the tile was a small metal platform Bethany stood on. With the press of another button the panel slid back up out of sight and she descended on the lift to the floor below the chamber room. In this small room stood the rest of the apparatus machine that could not be seen from above. It was in the middle of the room and reached from floor to ceiling as a long cylindrical glass tube surrounded by a black metal casing, tubes splitting off it like tree branches.

Knowing the intense pain the process would cause, Bethany hesitated for a brief second before standing in the machine and placing her hands into the receptacles at her sides. The device clamped down around her hands, pressing them out flat so she could not move. Sharp needles pierced the skin of each wrist and she winced at the pain. The machine pulsed, suctioning blood from her wrists, to be carried to the top of the device and in turn to the chambers throughout the complex. Bethany heard the steady hum from the top of the machine as it did its job of pulling her life's blood from her body and redistributing it to each of the chambers.

Stella lay barely conscious in her chamber. A tube came from above her and made its way down to the back of her neck. The self-guided tube found its mark and plunged into the side of her neck, stirring her to life. Blood began to flow in the tube in small droplets; this would sustain Stella for as long as Bethany remained alive. The same tubes descended into all the other chambers and nourished whoever was inside them.

Bethany grew weak as most of her blood was taken from her in the startup phase, but she had prepared and was ready for her sacrifice. She gained her nourishment from the cocoon above. Every so often the machine would pulse and take blood from Bethany's body and with the pain she was tempted to leave the machine. At first the machine drew blood quickly with rapid pulses, but as time passed it would lower its pulsing rate to minutes, then hours, then days, and finally would only need to pulse once a month. With this arrangement, Bethany could feed and keep her people alive for years, even decades underground. Their world was a self-contained one that provided them with unlimited sources of everything they could possibly need except one: blood.

And for this one need, they would eventually need to surface once more.

# # #

After escaping the tunnel, Allie could feel a tremble beneath her and she sensed danger. She thought about the coming explosions and pulled herself up from the ground and looked around. She was in the forest and had a sense of where she was so she turned and ran toward the trees as fast as she could. She had time to leap to several trees to watch the explosion from a distance away. The ground shook and after a loud bang, she witnessed a small plume in the distance that reminded her of the pictures of the explosions she had read about when bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Allie waited and the ground beneath her trembled once more and a greater explosion occurred that lifted dirt hundreds of feet in the air as if from a volcanic eruption. Great oaks sixty feet tall and taller were turned over and snapped in half as if they were toothpicks. The water flowing from the waterfall stopped for a moment and dried up before trickling back to life again. Animals ran in every direction, fleeing the catastrophe.

Allie leaped to another tree to get a better view as the dust began to settle to the ground. As she was looking at the damaged area, the weak branch she stood on gave way and she fell. Though she ought to have been killed by the fall, she was relatively unscathed.

Allie looked back at the damage that had been done. The woods had been leveled. Where trees had once stood, there was nothing but dust and smoke that rose to an unimaginable height. She looked out at what could be described as a pit or bowl. All the surrounding land was flat and untouched, but the center was a depression that was at least a clear foot lower than the surrounding land.

Allie anguished at the loss of the underground city and her friends. Her tears began to flow for Sara, Malcolm, Bethany, Mrs. Taylor, and all the ones she had not met. She looked up at the sun shining down and cursed it for its hatred of those people, her people.

Allie ran from the area and leaped into a tree. She climbed to the top and looked about, trying to find the direction her people had taken to escape this catastrophe. She used her advanced vision to find just a small trace so she could follow them.

She saw two people leaping ahead of her in the trees, no more than half a mile ahead. She whistled and yelled and they stopped. One of them turned around and leaped back toward her into a clearing. She raced to the spot and leaped down and ran to them. It was Shihong.

"You made it! Come on, we have to catch the others."

Sadness hit Allie as she was struck with an epiphany. She saw a vision with her lost friends on one side and her mother, father, their dinners, Monopoly games and Lissy on the other. A strong voice inside her said no, the deaths had broken the bond. The thing she struggled with had been solved.

She stood contemplating, but it was useless, her mind was made up. She loved her children and all the Cavers had gone with them so they were safe and would be well cared for. If she was Death, the Destroyer, the Lost Vampire Princess that would ruin them all, she couldn't risk going. Bethany told her to go. To go meant she would install Shelby as the new queen and that was the real danger. Maybe that is how she would inadvertently destroy their world. She hated Shelby and knew her to be evil. Allie loved the people in the vampire world, but no way would she be involved in helping Shelby to gain power over them.

No. She would not go for that reason. Shelby in control would surely destroy the vampire world. She wouldn't go. She gave a momentary thought to Brad. He was handsome, the handsomeness boy she knew. She touched her lips to feel his echo. If she went he might die in the destruction. She couldn't go for that reason. He was a good friend to her and she would miss him. She gave thought to her parents, Kay and George Carter. They needed her, loved her. They would be a mess if she up and disappeared. She couldn't go for that reason. Sara was dead. Malcolm was dead. Her children were safe and her parents needed her. She would thwart the vampire legend. She was not that person and would prove it. She decided to stay. She would not give Shelby the satisfaction of becoming queen. She would not harm anyone if the stories had a remote chance of being true. She would not rip her family apart. She decided to stay. She made her decision and felt at peace with it.

"Hey, are you coming?"

Allie was in a daze, reflecting on a past line from a book. She mumbled. "It is a far better thing I do than I have ever done before. A far better resting place I come to than I have ever known . . ." She trailed off with a far off stare.

"What?" Shihong inquired with a puzzled look. "Hey, are you coming?"

"No. I'm not going."

"What?"

"I had two families. Malcolm and Sara didn't make it out. Mrs. Johnson is dead and so are Mrs. Taylor and Bethany. All I have left is my parents. Leaving them for the girls is not enough. I've started over too many times. Not again. They need me more right now."

"Oh."

Allie smiled, doing her best to hold the floodgates back. "Who knows what the future holds for me? In a few years I will be off to college. Maybe I will join you then, but for now I can't leave my parents."

"I understand. If I had parents I would do the same. You know you have to keep a low profile?"

"I will. I won't betray anyone."

"If anyone asks, I never saw you. Good luck."

Shihong gave her a hug and then she turned around and ran. Within seconds she was back high in the trees and out of sight.

Allie turned around and went back to where the daycare center was. She thought about an earlier conversation with Bethany as she walked. With her last act as a Caver, she had saved the children, so there was no way she could be their destroyer. She walked with contentment, but for an instant, she wanted to turn back and join them.

# # #

Mayor Benaford was driving the county truck in the forest with a group of hunters and Doctor Carter, who was at his side. They parked in the campgrounds and got out of the truck with their guns and began their long walk into the dense part of the woods. They were on their way to meet up with John Henry, Mike Chambers, and the others who had entered one tunnel while others had entered another. Suddenly, as they walked, the ground shook. The men looked around to see what happened.

George Carter pointed toward town. "Look, Mayor! That is coming from town."

"My God! What is it?"

"I have no idea," said George.

"Come on, guys, we are going back into town to find out what is going on," Mayor Benaford said.

"What about the tunnel?" Doctor Carter asked. He wanted to find one of these creatures and examine it for himself since he lost his last opportunity.

"That can wait; we have trouble in town."

"I'm staying," said one of the men, and then another.

Before any further conversation could take place, another explosion sounded, this time closer. The men instinctively hit the ground and covered their heads.

"My God! What is it, is it an earthquake?" Mayor Benaford asked.

"I don't know," said Doctor Carter. "Stay down and pray it doesn't last long."

They saw dirt and debris flying up in the air, trees toppling over, and just ahead of them the ground began to spread apart.

After the quaking stopped, the men stood up, covered with dirt. They tried brushing off as much of it as they could while they were coughing from the falling dust particles. They stood dumbfounded, not knowing what to do next.

Sheriff Monroe came running toward them, covered in dirt. None of the men could see, but dirt covered blood and two bullet holes in his shirt. He, like Malcolm, was an elder Caver with the power to heal himself. "Mayor, Mayor, it is the town, a major gas leak in town near the school."

"What?" Mayor Benaford asked.

"It was a huge gas leak in town. I was on my way here to join your group when I heard it from Mike Chambers over the radio. He had gone back to get some explosives with John Henry so we could open the other end of the tunnel we found."

"Are you sure it was Mike Chambers, Sheriff? We were told he was here waiting for us," said Doctor Carter.

"I'm sure, Doc. We found the tunnel ages ago but couldn't open the other side. John had charges he could use that would not collapse the tunnel when they went off. They went back to get them and called saying they smelled gas and were not sure they should use them. I told them to be careful and don't set off any sparks. The radio went dead a little bit later. Damn fools – they could have been smoking."

The Mayor shook his head in pity; he knew those boys were fools. "You're probably right about those two, Sheriff. What do we do now?"

The Sheriff seized the opportunity. "Well, we are not going to find anything in all this mess. By the size of all those explosions, I would say that any tunnel we would have found would be covered by now. I am going into town to check on the school. There are underground pipelines all over the place, and if the school was hit, they are going to need all of us there. My truck is just down the hill; do any of you need a ride back into town?"

"No, Sheriff," the Mayor declined, "I brought my truck. We will head on back and meet you at the school." He withdrew a radio and switched it on, but it only blasted static.

"That won't work for some time, Mayor," said the Sheriff. "I will meet you all back in town."

He turned and left. Walking slowly, he listened for the sounds of the men behind him. He was hoping they would quickly follow him. His cover story had gone over well and all trouble would end today for his people if they followed him.

The Mayor was ready to leave but Doctor Carter was not sure. For some reason there was something about the Sheriff that bothered him. "Look, Mayor, we are already here. I have a daughter at the school but I want to stay a bit longer. The shed John Henry talked about is right up ahead. Let's just take a quick look before leaving."

"All right, Doc, we might as well. Lead the way."

Five minutes later the men were up the hill, but there was nothing to be seen except for flat land. Trees, grass, bushes and all were either lying flat on the dirt ground or altogether missing. The section of the woods they were viewing contained no buildings or anything else; it was just flat dirt.

From the static of the walkie-talkie, a voice suddenly sprung.

"Hello, please say again," said the Mayor after he listened to the message.

"This is Sheriff Monroe. Part of the school has been leveled and students are missing. We need everyone back here to help with the search. The local store has been demolished and I smell gas fumes everywhere."

"Ask him if he has seen my daughter," said George.

"Sheriff, the doc wants to know if you have seen his girl."

"All the students are outside and they are doing a head count. I will let you know if - " The Sheriff's voice crackled and then faded.

"Let's get back, Mayor," said George Carter, now concerned more with his daughter than the flat land he was looking at.

The men began their journey back to town through the thick air. As they walked, George Carter glanced to his right – and saw a figure approaching.

"Hold on a second," said George to the men. They stopped and he went by himself toward the mysterious figure. As he got closer he saw that it was his daughter. "Allie? Allie, is that you?" He knew it was her but couldn't believe it. George ran up to her. She was crying. "Cat, what's the matter, baby? What in the world are you doing out here?"

Allie cried on her father's shoulder. She was dirty and looked a mess. She couldn't believe that her world was gone, killed by the very people her father accompanied. She mourned for her friends; mourned for Sara, mourned for Malcolm, mourned for Mrs. Taylor; and mourned for Bethany. She didn't know him well but she cried for the Sheriff, and for the Cavers and vampires that had been shot and killed. She cried for those she had carried to safety, the children, her children, whom she would never see again. She clung to her father, knowing her world was gone and she was left alone with these monsters, the only true monsters of the town.

When finally she stopped crying, she gave her father the only explanation that sounded halfway reasonable in her mind.

"I left school early today and went to work, Bethany needed help and I said I would. Barlon Day Care Center was there. When the ground started shaking I was by the door and ran out. I thought it was an earthquake and that I should find a ditch and lay in it for safety. When it was over, the entire building was gone. I don't know what happened to it or the people inside. It's gone, Daddy, it's gone!" And, hugging him, she began to cry again. Though her story was false, her tears and pain were not.

"Oh, Cat... you don't go outside in an earthquake, honey, you do that for tornadoes. Don't worry, Honey, we will find them. Come on, let's get you home to your mother and then we will form search and rescue teams."

George Carter led his daughter to the others. On the way down the hill to their truck, he explained her presence in the woods to them.

Chapter 31

Later that day, the Mayor was in his office waiting for a news crew interview when the Sheriff called with bad news. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mayor, this is Sheriff Monroe."

"Oh, hello, Sheriff, how are you?"

"I'm well, Mayor. Listen, I hate to disturb you but I have to tell you that I'm turning the day-to-day operations of the police department over to my deputy."

"Oh! Why is that?"

"I guess you haven't heard yet? When they finished the head count at the school, several students and one of the teachers were missing. My daughter was one of the missing students."

"Oh, my lord! Shelby? I'm awfully sorry, Sheriff, I didn't know."

"I know, Mayor."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

The Sheriff sighed. "Well, the truth is, the missing will probably never be found. The experts on fires and explosions have said this is similar to what happens to people in an airplane when it explodes. If you are at the heart of the catastrophe you are... well... well you are vaporized, Mayor."

"Oh, God! I'm so sorry."

"I have to get out of here and clear my head. I just can't stand to be around here any longer; this is killing me and I don't know what to do."

"I understand."

"I am going away for a while and don't know when I will be back. I also have relatives I have to tell and I would rather do it in person. So I have called to let you know that my deputy is in charge and if you don't hear from me shortly, then promote him to Sheriff because I won't be returning."

"Oh, all right, Sheriff. I understand completely. I hope you can find some peace and I wish you well."

"Goodbye, Mayor."

"Goodbye, Sheriff."

With great sadness, the Mayor hung up the phone. He may not have liked the Sheriff much, but he was a father himself and he felt bad for his loss.

George, Kay, and Allie were in their living room watching television. Allie clutched in her hand a tear-streaked tissue. She twisted and pulled on it absentmindedly while watching television, unaware that her parents were watching her.

"Kitten?"

Allie looked over at her mother. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about your school friends but I'm glad you weren't there. I know it sounds horrible to say that, but it's true," Kay said.

Allie halfheartedly smiled at her mother. "I know what you mean. I am glad I wasn't there either." She thought of Sara and how she had saved her life. "But I hate the fact that Sara and the others were there." Her feelings were true even though it killed her inside to keep her parents in the dark about what had really taken place.

"You were wrong to disobey and skip school, Cat," George said with a more authoritarian tone. It killed him to scold her but he had to do his duty as a parent, even at a time like this. "I know it is rough on you and all the other kids in town, but we can't let you get away with breaking rules whenever you like. I talked to the Mayor and school will be closed for at least two weeks while they search for a new building to house everyone. All students are required to go to counseling for the next two weeks and you will be one of the first to sign up. I know you hate talking about yourself and your problems, but you will do it and you will like it. I will delay your punishment until you finish your therapy, but make no mistake, you will be punished. Until then, the only time you leave this house is to go to therapy. Am I clear?"

Allie nodded glumly. "Yes, Daddy, you are crystal clear."

George decided to let the remark slide and chalked it up to the day's events. They all sat quietly and listened to the news broadcaster, who had come on television with a breaking news banner above his head.

"Good evening, everyone, I am Mark Faylock. We are going live to the home of the Mayor of Barlon, a small town that was literally rocked to its foundations earlier today. On the scene is Janis Saveenier with the startling details. Janis."

The screen changed from the studio to the inside of the Mayor's home, where he sat on his couch across from the reporter.

"Good evening, Mark, and good evening to all you viewers out there. I'm here at the home of Mayor Benaford of Barlon. Mayor, what happened in this small town of yours earlier today?"

Bursting with joy at being on television, the Mayor grinned. "Well, Janis, what many of you are not aware of is that our city is built on top of an old mining site and there are old gas pipelines beneath us. Many people are aware of the big pipeline on the surface that comes all the way from Alaska but few know of the underground lines. Unfortunately for us, earlier today we had a tragedy that involved just outright ignorance on the part of some of our citizens. We heard rumors of people in the woods that were killing livestock and an old tunnel was found. These men got a hold of some powerful dynamite and when they blew up the tunnel, they ignited a gas mixture in the old caves and pipelines that blew up a lot of our town."

"Are you saying this was all the work of some of the townsfolk, Mayor?"

"Unfortunately, yes it was. We lost part of the school that was sitting on top of some of the lines and some buildings in town. Out in the forest, we have seen a collapse of the mines that have resulted in a sinkhole with devastating results to our trees."

"But what about the wild boy that people claim to have seen and the rumors of an underground bunker with more of them?"

"Well, Janis, they are just that: rumors. The best information I have is that the boy was part of a small wild tribe of humans that have since moved on. There are always people who reject society and choose to live in the woods with no modern conveniences. At the worst, you might be able to make the argument that he and his pals were a tribe of primitives; maybe even cannibals. I would rather say there is strong evidence to suggest they were people living off the land and ate animals, and that caused the boy's wild appearance. To put the issue to bed, we formed hunting parties and scoured the woods around the town but found no evidence of their habitation. Whoever they were, they are gone now."

"And the status of the school and those missing, Mayor?"

"We lost some good people today, men who were underground at the time of the explosions, and some of our students at the school. We have contacted the state and we have a team of physicians and psychiatrists who will be setting up shop in town for a few weeks; they have agreed to counsel our students and their parents free of charge. They will stay for as long as they are needed."

"And your Sheriff, I understand it has hit him really hard?"

"Our Sheriff lost his daughter in the tragedy and has informed me that he will be taking a leave of absence so he can personally contact the rest of his family. He was also a close friend of the teacher we lost and will deliver news of her death to her loved ones."

"Well, there you have it. If this tragedy has taught us anything at all, it is the need to check where we are building our schools. Who knows how many schools are built on top of old gas pipelines or over abandoned mines. This is a nationwide wake-up call. I'm Janis Saveenier reporting from Barlon."

The view went back to the studio and a different story. Allie was intrigued by the fabricated story; the Sheriff must have had a hand in it. She looked at her parents. To them, all was right with the world – but to her, it was a complete sham.

Allie got up, went to her room and locked her door. She went over to her window and saw the smoking woods in the back of her house. She thought of the children and her friends. They were somewhere out there, hiding from those who would seek them out and kill them. She hoped they were fine and was starting to regret her decision to stay home, but knew it was the right choice.

Looking out of her window, Allie made a solemn vow: "I will find you. I swear by God above, someday I will find you!"

The End

# # #

The following is an excerpt from the upcoming second book of the series as the Vampires and Cavers move to their new home: Caveena

On Thursday morning, Shelby, Brad, Stephanie, and the other Double E Club members were walking down a long hallway of Lucent Central on their way to the cafeteria for lunch. They walked together and any student coming their way stepped to the side to let them pass. They wore their normal gray jackets with crest and looked the picture of perfection as always. Shelby's phone rang followed by Stephanie's, and then Brad's and the rest; this was unusual and had never happened before. They stopped in their place and checked their phones without talking. Each received the same text message and in unison they turned in the hallway and began walking toward Mrs. Taylor's lab room. They walked down the dimly lit hallway around the corner and to the lab room. Shelby led the way and opened the door and went inside, the others quickly followed.

They walked to the back closet and some of them went inside the small room while the rest waited their turn on the outside. Shelby did not need a code; she pressed her palm to a hidden panel that slid down. The door opened and she stepped into the cramped elevator with Brad and Stephanie at her side. They traveled several levels before the elevator halted and when the doors opened Stella Taylor was there to greet them.

"We are abandoning this location; hunters have found us and will be here soon. You and the children will leave at once. Take charge of the others and lead them to safety."

Stella spoke directly to Shelby and then gave her an envelope. They nodded at each other followed by Mrs. Taylor nodding to both Brad and Stephanie.

The three walked down a hall and around a corner and were gone.

Mrs. Taylor stayed there and waited for the next group of vampire students to come down and directed them to the hall that Shelby took. They quickly followed and then last in the elevator were a group of girls wearing their necklaces and earrings: Cavers. Stella gave them their instructions as well.

"Shelby and the others have left for their new home. You will go and help Melanie get the children and take them to safety. You will stay with them in their new home and see to no harm coming to them. You know your charges; see to it that they survive."

The Cavers all shook their heads in agreement and traversed the opposite hallway to help Melanie. Each carried a small backpack of personal mementos they wanted to bring with them; mp3 players, favorite books, photo albums, and the like. They all knew what they signed up for and always kept a bag ready in their school lockers for an emergency departure. Some of them chatted as they moved quickly down the hall while others stayed silent and concentrated on the job at hand. They moved through a tunnel and new set of rooms before reaching Melanie.

"Thank god you made it." Melanie hugged each of them. "You will get your child and take them through the trees to an underground entry. I will lead, keep your children in front of you and after we get there we come back for the next group. Understand?"

They shook their heads in unison; the older girls had taken the trip before after completing their first full year of service. All knew of what had happened to Bertha Johnson and their friend Sara. They were glad to be leaving the townspeople, but were apprehensive about leaving school and friends they had made. They followed Melanie to the children to help arrange for their departure.

After preparing the children, Melanie led them out to the surface and they began their trek through the forest. They told the children it was an adventure to see friends and they eagerly swung through the trees laughing while the Cavers watched for hunters as they traveled.

They arrived miles away at a shed and Melanie put in the code and they went underground through a tunnel to a railcar. These railcars were different from the others, they were like subway trains, completely enclosed with sliding doors for entry and padded seats and poles in the aisles. There were overhead compartments for them to place baggage in and each seat had a seat belt and jack for earphones. The trains consisted of two small cars; the children were strapped in the first, while the Cavers and a conductor traveled in the next.

The Cavers bolted the door of their car and sat down to enjoy their trip. They would travel in luxury during the long journey and the young girls would come in to feed the children after they had made it to the halfway mark. The rest of the girls stood on the platform and watched the children waving their arms about and giggling as the car sped away down the tracks. The small subway train-like railcar went down the tunnel as it began its long journey to take them to their new home. The others returned for other children and performed their duty with great pride and confidence.

The first train arrived in a new complex, the same complex; the other was a satellite city. They were now in the main underground complex, the true Caveena, beneath the surface city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Their home was a large well-hidden underground city about the size of a small city of 10,000 people; roughly two thousand were vampires. It is a great complex which contained a domed ceiling with faux lighting to simulate day and night. The tallest building in the structure towered three stories tall and most went deep beneath the complex's ground level. It had taken centuries to build these hidden, self-contained marvels, built by both Cavers and Vampires, for the enjoyment of both. Here, in Caveena, they lived together and the people did all the things one would do in any city. You went to school or to work, you played in the park, you shopped, and lived a normal life, except for the fact that you did it all underground in secrecy. Everyone was free to live his or her life and there was not much in the way of prejudice although a healthy fear did exist. The people here were a Matriarchal society with vampires occupying the highest levels of society and their Queen as supreme leader.

It had taken several hours to get there and the subway train stopped at a platform and the doors opened wide. Out stepped Shelby, Brad, Stephanie and the other vampire teenagers, still wearing their gray jackets. Johnathon, the head of security for the royal palace, met them. He wore a military type uniform with decorations near his left shoulder all neatly lined up in a row. He bowed his head slowly in honor of Shelby and her eyes darkened briefly in recognition before returning to their light blue almost gray color. Her long strawberry blond hair was tied in the back with a metal clip and the loose ends seemed to move as if a breeze blew by.

"Tabatha is honored by your presence," he said.

"Why is she not here?" Shelby asked with an authoritarian tone, showing her dominance.

Johnathon bowed his head again in respect. He wanted to convey submissiveness and tolerance to the future queen.

"She begs your forgiveness, the hour is late and the council is in session. I volunteered my humble presence to escort you to sanctuary and the inner chambers."

Pleased with his performance, Shelby signified with a hand gesture to proceed and they moved to a car. The city had small one-lane cramped streets and a train system. Shelby and the others were driven out of the immediate city to its edge where they got out of the car and stood in front of a large castle, Willdara. This was the royal palace; it had a tower at each end and a large wooden door as the entry. Johnathon led them inside and a group of humans wearing servant uniforms lined up to greet them. Shelby performed the customary inspection and gave Johnathon permission to dismiss them. One of the housemaids took them up the long winding staircase to the Guests' quarters and they viewed several rooms. After making their choices, assigned servants prepared their rooms so they could rest from their long journey. They retired to their bedrooms for the night.

Caveena was built centuries ago while they were being hunted and driven to near extinction. The city was first wood and dirt, carved out as hiding places and then homes for them to survive without detection. It later over decades evolved into a beautiful modern city absent the skyscrapers and monuments that cities used to distinguish themselves. It was a city built with the finest metal and constantly updated by workers all about the city.

Brad chose a room in the tower facing the city so he could monitor the comings and goings of those entering the castle. He chose the room for defensive purposes, not knowing what trouble lay ahead.

Shelby was the last to go to her room; she stayed outside on a balcony overlooking the city. One day it would all be hers to rule over and the thought warmed her heart. When she had had enough of the view she went inside and closed the double doors to the balcony. Shelby walked down the hall and two servants stood next to the wall with their heads bowed as she passed by them. She went to her room and closed the door.

Her room was large and contained a big bed with canopy. There was a stereo for music and a bookshelf with dozens of books. Vampires are not big on television and spend leisurely time reading a good book, so no television was in the room and very few were in the city. Opposite the bed was the familiar white tiled wall and in its center a wall-sized crest of an eagle with its wings outstretched and clutching the moon with its feet. The rest of the room was a different shade of white and was not in tile form. Shelby went to the wall and pressed the sun in the lower right corner below the crest. A vault slid out from the wall an extended for six feet into the room. This was a horizontal form of the vertical vaults that they stood in back in their Barlon hideaway.

Shelby pushed a button and the top slid back toward the wall and she examined the inside of the coffin-like chamber. Like the others, it contained buttons on each side for its operator to use, only there were two rows of buttons on each side where her hands would be. She focused her eyes and her pupils shrank and then grew larger and she saw writing on the buttons. She read them and then climbed inside the chamber and lay down.

She lay in the vault and for the first time allowed her thoughts to drift to the Cavers. She had lived her life with them, but never allowed herself to get close to them because of her station in life. Shelby was their future leader and she thought keeping her distance was best between them for the sake of the monarchy. She now thought of them, of Sara, of Malcolm, and of the little pain in her side, Allie Carter, whom she was glad was gone. Shelby was not sad at the thought of losing any of them, except for the fact that it diminished their numbers and the future of their survival. She experienced a small sorrow for Sara and Malcolm, and then began to consider replacements if she in fact had to make that decision. Shelby then let her mind wonder to the lost vampires and finally to her mother and her unknown fate. After she had finished indulging in thoughts of torment, she refocused on her surroundings and looked around the tight chamber.

Shelby operated the controls and closed the lid, turned on the inside light, and slid the vault back into the wall. When it finished closing, it made an undetectable seal. She operated the controls by her hand and a tube came from the side vault wall of the chamber. She sniffed the open tube before turning her head and allowing the tube to enter the side of her neck. She turned out the light and drifted off to sleep from the feeding tubes mixture of blood and sedation.

The second train arrived at the same platform hours later and slowed. Monica and Elizabeth were the Cavers who accompanied the two and three-year old children. Monica was a third year Caver and had been here before. This was Elizabeth's first trip and she stood with her mouth open looking out the window at the beautiful black steel city that was passing in front of her. All the buildings were black metal and had tiny white lights on them that reminded her of Christmas trees, her favorite time of the year.

Monica tapped her on the shoulder, "Are you ready, Lizzy?"

"Oh yeah! I can't wait! Who will meet us?"

"A woman named Samantha. She will take us to the Center. Come on, let's get the children ready." Monica unbolted the door and walked out of their railcar into the children's car. The six children were looking out the windows just as excited and awestricken as Elizabeth. The young girls waited for the railcar to stop and the doors to open before they took the children out of their seat belts.

When the doors did open, a long-haired woman with green eyes came on board the car. Her underlying hair was dark brown, the top portion was a long-flowing red with dark brown highlights at the tips. She was wearing a necklace with a large red-jeweled crest emblem on it, neatly centered between her breasts. She wore a low-cut white dress and stood five feet ten inches tall and wore a jacket with the crest on it. If she had been a little taller she could have passed as a model. She smiled and waved at the children and they gleefully waved back at her. She was the first new face they had seen in sometime. She then turned her attention to the young girls.

"Hello. I am Samantha; you can call me Sam, but not Sammy, which is my father. How are you ladies?"

"We are fine, thank you. I am Monica Talbot and this is Elizabeth Freemont. Others will be arriving shortly."

"Good," said Samantha. The conductor stepped out to get instructions from her. "Go back and get the others. The tunnel is not to be sealed, place guards at the entrance and tell them to protect it with their lives."

"It is my honor to serve," said the conductor. He turned and went back to the controls and waited for them to leave so he could return.

"How are you, Elizabeth?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking," the innocent looking girl said with a big smile.

"Let's get the children off. We will walk a block up the street and board a train to the Children's Center. Keep them in front of you and watch for distractions."

They took the children out of their harness-styled seat belts and had them form two rows. Samantha stayed out in front leading the way, the children followed. Monica and Elizabeth followed in the rear, trying to anticipate anything that would distract the children, and everything did. They boarded the train and rode right up to their next stop and went inside the two-story Children's Center.

"Well, ladies, this is your new work area. Each of you has two children to care for. In addition to their exercise program, you will be responsible for their educational needs. I will test them on occasion to see how well you are instructing them, outside of that, there are no rules to your training. I want you both to go in and meet Aiden, she will take you to your living quarters and I will take the children to meet a new teacher." Samantha pointed down the hall to a closed door and the girls went in that direction, merrily chatting as they went.

Samantha took the children into an empty room and had them sit in chairs. Toys were on a table next to the chairs and they picked one up each and were playing, making sounds as they played. A tall thin woman came into the room and gave the children the once-over with an intensely odd stare. She was a vampire and hissed at the playing children, showing her fangs. The children stopped playing and sat rigid in their chairs without talking. Each of them looked at her with wide-eyed curiosity, wondering who she was?

"Children, this is Velma Brianay. Velma will be your schoolteacher, can you all say hello, Velma?"

"Hello, Velma." The little toddlers said, each in their own squeaky little voice.

Velma tilted her head and gave an evil smirk to the children and then she left the room.

Monica and Elizabeth walked down the hall and entered the room Samantha sent them toward. They were met by Marcus Lang, a male Caver who was one of the directors of the Center. He pushed a button and a woman came in from the next room.

"Monica, Elizabeth, this is Aiden Komer, she is over the floor where you will be staying. She lives there and will be available for any questions that you may have. Think of her as a live-in adviser. You will rest today and tomorrow we will meet and began making out class schedules for the children. Welcome to Caveena. Have a good night and I will see you tomorrow." He went to them and shook their hands before leaving.

"Hello, ladies, I'm Aiden. Nice to meet you both." Aiden had shoulder-length blond hair neatly trimmed above her eyes in a box cut. Her inside edges were a dark brown with streaks of brown as highlights throughout her thick blond hair. She had hazel eyes and a beautiful face. She stood five feet eight inches tall and was medium build. She knew Monica from an earlier visit.

They each said hello to her.

"Welcome to Caveena. Let me show you where you will be living." She gestured toward the door and they turned to walk out.

Velma came out of a room with two men who might possibly be vampires. She sniffed the air and looked down the hall and saw the two young women and turned her face into a scowl. She turned to the first man, "Make an appointment to fix that one's hair before Queen-princess sees her and tries to kill her." Velma pointed at young Elizabeth.

The man standing beside her bowed his head in agreement. Velma walked off. When gone, the men faced each other. The second spoke.

"Serve Tabatha right if she turned out to be her albatross. I hate prophecies with a passion. Did you hear the revolting way she spoke?"

The first man smiled and bowed again and they both watched while the girls walked down the hall with Aiden.

Aiden led them down a hall to an elevator and went down two floors. This particular building had four floors, two above ground for classes and two below for living quarters.

After getting off the elevator, Aiden talked while walking them down a long hallway. "The children live above you on the next floor and you will live here. You will work a five-day week with the children and have weekends off to explore the city."

"Can we go out alone; we won't be attacked by the vampires will we?" Elizabeth, the younger of the two girls asked.

Aiden smiled politely at the naive young girl. She thought about the many Cavers who had come through and had long ago decided to stop explaining that they are not actually vampires but instead were human like them. She chose to use the common language like everyone else and ignore the obvious.

"Don't worry Elizabeth; vampires do not attack humans here. Well, let me correct that, those with self-control are harmless. The children have no self-control. When they reach 'the age of being' they will gain control and be harmless, until then, keep your necklace, earrings, and other protections with you."

"Then I don't need protection from the adults?"

"No, Elizabeth, you will be fine. After you two get settled-in, I will take you on a quick tour of the city and you can judge for yourself. But I will warn you, stay around here and don't venture out until I get a chance to talk with each of you in depth about protocols and rules."

"Is living here different from the outside, I mean the vampires themselves?" Monica asked. She had visited twice before but never stayed longer than a day and definitely not overnight, surrounded by vampires.

Aiden thought for a moment and then had a puzzled look on her face. "I don't know. I have never been on the outside with them."

"Never," said Elizabeth in disbelief.

"Never. I have never had a reason to leave here."

"Then you were born here?"

Aiden opened a door on the left side of the hallway toward the end of the hall and they went inside. "What a silly thing to say? Of course, I was born here. My family has been in the service of the Queen for eighty years. My parents met and were matched here and so were their parents. My parents have never left and my grandparents were brought in like you were."

"How old are you Aiden?" The inquisitive Elizabeth asked.

"I'm 21 years old."

"And you were raised with their children?"

"No, that is not allowed. The children have no control and would attack the human children. It is one of the reasons why they are raised on the outside and then brought back in after they have been educated properly."

Elizabeth was curious and loved to ask questions. "Do you date here?"

Monica jumped in. "Excuse our friend here; she forgets curiosity killed the cat."

"No problem. Let's get to why we are here. These are your sleeping quarters. If you brought bags with you they will get here if they are not here already. You have adjoining rooms. Decide for yourselves who gets which, they are pretty much the same. A bed, closet and dresser, books, stereo, and a shared bathroom. I will call on you by morning. Stay here until called on. Good night, ladies." Aiden left them so they could rest.

The girls talked as they went from room to room having a quick look at both before making a decision.

"Do you think they are crying for us right now?" Elizabeth asked Monica.

"Who are you talking about?"

"The townspeople! Stella told me their cover story. We died in an explosion. Do you think any of them are crying for us?"

"I doubt it. We were foster kids, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but still, we were a part of their community."

"Lizzy! They killed our friends and if we were there, we would be dead too! Don't waste time thinking about those monsters!"

"I know you're right, but I can't help it. I think a lot. I wonder if they will throw us a funeral."

"Lizzy!"

"Sorry! I know, I know, I know!"

"Which room do you want?"

"Can we stay together, at least for a while? I'm glad I'm here, but I still feel a little ... you know."

"We will stay in here, in my room!" Monica said, grinning.

Since Elizabeth had other things on her young mind, Monica made the room decisions and picked the one she liked best. Still, they would share a room for the time being, for safety's sake. Monica and Elizabeth found bed clothes in the dresser and each took a turn going to the adjoining room to change. When they were ready to sleep, they slept in Monica's bed.

About The Author:

R.G. Richards is a lifelong Missourian who writes Fantasy/Paranormal/Romance novels. He was an enthusiastic reader of tales of foreign lands (China, Japan, Hong Kong), most of which were "borrowed" from his father's private collection—a big James Clavell fan (Noble House, Shogun). These faraway tales provided the fertile ground which produced a rich imagination capable of spinning strange and unique stories of distant lands and people. Outside of reading and writing, he is a beginning swimmer, a gym hater, an avid gardener of Sugar Baby melons, and a lover of jokes. If you know a good one, send it his way.

SPECIAL NOTE:

Feedback is essential to an author. I look forward to hearing from you. Tell me what you liked as well as what you hated. I can take criticism so don't worry, you won't get a rant in return. With your help, I can make the next book that much better. Again, Thank You for purchasing and reading.

Books by this author:

VAMPIRE SERIES

Vampires aRe Real

Cavers (Cavers #1)

Caveena (Cavers #2) December 2014

ZOMBIE SERIES (Zora Baker Series)

Zombie Zora - Zora Baker #1

Zombie Invasion - Zora Baker #2

Kill Happy - Zora Baker #3

Zombie Eden - Zora Baker #4

Zombie Jokes – Companion book of Jokes told by children.

DEATH SERIES

The Demon Warrior's Light

ROMANCE SERIES

The Flame

Singed Hearts

You can find him online at:

Mail: rgrichards2012@gmail.com

Website: rg-richards.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/robertgrichards/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823275.R_G_Richards

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRGRichards

