

Herbie Hunter  
and the  
Twisted Furies

Last Generation – Book One

Michael HH Warren
© Michael 'Double-H' Warren 2018

www.michaelhhwarren.com

www.sleightsoccer.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the author. Brief excerpts may be cited in book reviews, provided the narrative quoted is verbatim and due credit is given by way of the book title and name of author.

Herbie Hunter and the Twisted Furies, although a work of fiction, has a very strong correlation to historical facts and religious spiritual concepts, and a certainty in the reality of the near future to be faced. However, for the reason that it remains a work of fiction, kindly accept that no apologies will be forthcoming for any offended sensitivities.

While many names of most entities and places are factual, the majority of other names, characters, places, incidents and events are products of the author's imagination and therefore used fictitiously. However, some terms are deliberately fictitious to avoid confusion and to preserve anonymity. Even so, the reader will naturally relate to basic emotional signals.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or having the seemingly impossible likelihood of imitating any actual incident or event, is purely coincidental. Should any artifact, business, event, incident, institution, name or place be found to be evident and occurring in public domain source documents and resource repositories, then accept that they are true to life and therefore factual.

Should any factual inaccuracy or a suspected lapse in basic acumen on the part of the author be detected in the narrative, I hope the reader will interpret the oddities with humor, gravity and/or relevance. Accordingly, the author hereby absolves himself from any libelous action or responsibility for any unintentional errors or omissions.

Illustrations: Siané Power

Cover design: Michael Corvin

Book design: Leila Summers

Editor: Karen McKee

Storyline Advisor and Editor: Ross Julius Henshall

ISBN-13: 978-1986506502

ISBN-10: 1986506509

# Contents

Author's Note

Preface

Prologue

Daddy's Girl

Chapter One: A Weird Welcome

Chapter Two: Seker High

Chapter Three: Light Seeking

Chapter Four: Secrets of the Rift

Chapter Five: The Desert Fury

Chapter Six: Brother Herbie

Chapter Seven: The Galactic Brethren

Chapter Eight: The Spirit

Chapter Nine: The Face of a Fury

Chapter Ten: Doomsday 101

Acknowledgments

# Glossary

1968 Plymouth Road Runner

A classic muscle car produced in the US, available as a 2-door coupe. The car sported a powerful V8 engine which made it one of the most popular muscle cars of its time.

Area 51

A US military base in the state of Nevada, USA, long suspected of being the hiding place for extraterrestrial technology.

Augmented Reality (AR)

A technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.

(The) Big Crash

A term referring to the massive economic collapse occurring in the 2020s.

Chupacabra

A Latin-American mythical creature with reptilian features known for attacking animals, especially goats.

(The) Galactic Brethren

The supposed alien race worshipped by the Light Seekers.

Grays

A supposed alien race featured regularly in pop culture typically depicted with gray skin, large black eyes, and short stature.

Hermetic Kabbalah

An occult body of text (differing from the Jewish Kabbalah) combining mysticism and spells from many pagan religions.

Kunoo'oo

Numu word meaning father's father.

Light Seekers

A cult established in Paradise Rift that seeks contact with an alien race known only as the Galactic Brethren. Their name derives from their search for the mysterious lights that have been documented hovering in the night sky across the world, but most frequently in Paradise Rift. They consist largely of desperate people who lost their jobs and savings during The Big Crash.

Moo'a

Numu word meaning mother's mother.

Naa'a

Numu word meaning father.

Nephilim

A biblical entity shrouded in mystery, referred to as "mighty men of old, men of renown", translated as "giant" in some versions of the Bible.

Northern Paiute

A native North American tribe, part of the First Nations, linguistically distinct from the Southern Paiute, hailing from northern Nevada.

Numu

The language of the Northern Paiute of the Uto-Aztec family.

Paradise Rift, Nevada

Historically a mining and farming town named for its oasis-like presence amongst the harsh Nevadan landscape, attributed to its local springs. After the initial hay and pig ranches were established, hopeful individuals prospected for silver at the base of the nearby mountains. Once the silver mine ran dry, many residents lost their jobs, forcing them to move elsewhere, transforming Paradise Rift into a ghost town until its revitalization by the Light Seekers in the 2020s. However, during this process, the rerouting of local water sources into the newly built water filtration plant turned the oasis into a dustbowl.

Pea

Numu word meaning mother.

QLock board

The name given to a recreational mode of transportation comprising a flat board for the user to stand upon with superconducting metals beneath, cooled to near absolute zero to trigger a "quantum locking" effect. This effect allows the board to travel along a fixed magnetic field projected by the superconducting metals, allowing it to float above the ground.

Rouge et Noir

French for Red and Black, a Virtual Reality role playing game set in Elizabethan Europe, where the player must track down and hunt werewolves.

Tso'apa

Numu word meaning spirit.

Valac Templar

A modern, high-end electric sedan produced by the Valac motor company as both a manual and self-driving vehicle.

Valac Leviathan

A manually-driven, electric-powered, four-wheel-drive vehicle available as a SUV or pickup truck.

Valac Disco Volante

A manually driven top-of-the-line electric roadster, one of the fastest electric cars available on the market.

Virtual Reality (VR)

A computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with, in a seemingly real or physical way, by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with a sensor.

# Dedication

For Kelly, Caden and Generation Z

and

In loving memory of their grandfather, Keith Arthur Warren.

Michael HH Warren, 2018

#  Author's Note

**Herbie Hunter and the Twisted Furies** is a futuristic novel set in 2026 that explores how the challenges we must face in life ultimately guide us to our true purpose and how easily we can stray from our paths when we refuse to face these trials head-on. While technology offers human civilization the opportunity to progress in great strides, it also serves as a distraction from one's higher calling and their relationship with a Divine Entity.

**Herbie Hunter and the Twisted Furies** dares the reader to break away from their screen, to open their eyes to the wonders around them, where the Truth lays waiting. Although life's meaning can seem so intangible and abstract at times, in reality, it stares you in the face, waiting for you to manifest it.

**Herbie Hunter and the Twisted Furies** follows our unlikely hero on an even unlikelier journey, where he faces not only everyday social upheavals, but also a spiritual battle against the forces of evil. While discovering his own identity as a freshman in a new school, he must learn to identify the good in others and the darkness that lurks behind those who seem the kindest. Only by realizing his place in the grand scheme of things can he understand his role among his peers, and ultimately whether he will slip between the cracks or be a leader to a new generation that has become lost in a world of endless distraction.

Michael HH Warren

April 2018

#  Preface

Herbie Hunter had believed in fairy tales—that fate is a string that would pull him toward his destiny, that the hero's goal is always in sight, and that the good are rewarded and the evil suffer.

But now, that string was broken, along with his family and his belongings. Even the world seemed to be dying, turning on its inhabitants and exiling them from paradise into a sun-scorched wasteland.

It was the year 2026. Towns and cities all across the land had begun a devastating transformation. Crippling drought, excessive pollution, and unmitigated demands on dwindling water supplies had left nothing for the earth to sustain itself with.

The poor were the first to feel it, while the elite ruling class remained immune to these ravages of existence, hiding behind built up walls and ignoring the ever-escalating calamity.

And the poor were many, for even man's own creation had turned on him. "The Big Crash" had claimed the little wealth the middle class had collected, widening the divide between the rich and poor at an unprecedented rate, although the extent of the damage was yet to be fully realized.

While most suffered terribly from their descent into poverty, it was impossible not to notice that a select few from the influential and privileged ruling class had somehow profited greatly from these turbulent times. The wealthy now aimed at increasing their fortunes further by exploiting the desperately poor under the guise of serving them, summoning low-cost developments, where fresh water was still readily available. Like a play written by the Devil himself, the despairing working class followed the script of the rich and sunk their last pennies into new lives on the outskirts of society, with the promise of clean water and steady employment quenching their parched lips.

Paradise Rift was one such development. Its natural springs and creek had initially been salvation for those trying to escape the water crisis, but the influx of the desperate and impoverished had resulted in its arteries being circumvented from the land into the mouths of its inhabitants, transforming a thriving oasis into a desolate dust bowl.

It was thus not difficult to see why Herbie felt that nothing happened for a reason, and that he was just a pinball being knocked around by the forces of the universe. He couldn't understand how life could be so cruel. Death had visited his home—now death was all he saw. To make matters worse, if that were even possible, Herbie and his mother, now exiled from their haven behind high walls, had moved to Paradise Rift.

But what Herbie was yet to understand was that the fairy tales were wrong.

There is no fate, but rather predestination. Predestination is not a string that pulls you toward your destiny, predestination is the hammer that forges the sword, the anvil that absorbs the force. Predestination tempers the steel so that the blade is fit for purpose—to fight the battles ahead.

And while Herbie Hunter was still soft and malleable from the carefree life taken from him, he would soon discover that predestination intended for his mettle to be tested.

It is quite plain to see, that it's but sanity

To sort life into neat explanations

But the questions at large, weigh the heaviest charge

Are discarded with life's resignations

So your mind may unwind, when your heart is inclined

To wander and stray in the meadows

Tilt your head to the Light; keep the Truth in your sight

Lest your soul becomes lost in the shadows

#  Prologue

November 27, 2025

The Last Will and Testament of Paul Hunter

To my wife, Mary Anne Hunter

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that upon my passing, I leave you with nothing. Only in death do I find the bravery to confess that it has been some time since we have had any money at all. I lost everything in The Big Crash, all of our savings, investments and properties. I had hoped that the trust fund your parents left you would keep our heads above water while the economy picked up again, but I fear our monthly bills quickly exhausted it. Credit cards, in both of our names, have been maxed out and loans in figures I dare not discuss have gone months without repayments. You will have to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. My life insurance policies have gone long unpaid and the bank accounts are empty. I kept hoping that if I could find a way to stick it out a little longer, things would come right. But if you're reading this now, they did not, and I am not around to pick up the pieces of the lives I have destroyed.

My creditors will come for the cars, the house and everything in it. I should have warned you, I should have told you to find a job to help out with the bills, but I knew that such a life was not what you had agreed to when you married me, and I could not bring myself to admit that I was not the man you deserved. But I have done what little I could to help you with what is to come.

At the time of my passing, a message will be delivered to my mother, Beatrix, to inform her of your situation. It has been some time since I talked to her, but if she is still the kind-hearted woman she once was, she will allow you to live with her at her homestead in Paradise Rift, Nevada, the town of my birth. I have also arranged for a small amount of money to be deposited into her bank account, so that she may arrange everything you will need for the move.

Life is going to change for you. You have not seen what it is like out there, outside of the cities. The news has been an endless horror story of how the economic crash and the six year drought have devastated the country, but to you it has always been just that, a story. No thanks to my faults as the breadwinner for this family, you are going to find out how real the situation is. Food and water are both in short supply in Paradise Rift at the time of writing this letter, and there will be none of the comforts that you have taken for granted your entire life. Life will be hard, you will have to work to put food on the table, and you will get very little in return for your efforts.

I am truly sorry, Mary Anne, to do this to you and our son. Stay strong, keep an eye on our boy and know that even though I failed you as a husband and provider, I always have and always will love you.

To my son, Herbert: I know I have not been the perfect father; I have offered you little in support or guidance, and you probably feel as though you barely know me at all. As a token to show that if things had been different, I would have wanted nothing more than to help you along your journey to manhood, I leave you my compass. Keep it with you and turn to it when you are lost. Let it guide you home when you cannot find your path.

Yours Forever,

Paul

#  Daddy's Girl

It's dark... why has no one come to turn the lights on? Why can't I move? What's this... feeling inside of me? Wait... what is this feeling? It hurts... it's burning... it feels like it's weighing down on me, cracking my bones and tearing my muscles. This doesn't feel right... something's wrong, something weird is going on! Why can't I scream! I want to scream so badly! I think it's killing me! Everything inside of me is screaming but I can't control my mouth! I feel like I'm crying but my eyes are dry. I want to run, but my body... it doesn't feel like my body anymore. What happened to me? Someone please help me! Why can't I scream! Why can't I remember anything? What happened to me! I don't even know where I am! Why's it so dark! I can't feel my own skin! It's just my, my, my bones scraping up against each other. Ahhh! What is this feeling!

Okay... stay calm... breathe... I am breathing! But it's not me! It's not me breathing! What's happening! Why is no one helping me! Why did they just leave me in the dark like this! Hold on, where am I? It feels like I'm just standing in the middle of nowhere, what is my body doing? Why can't I control it? How did I get here? I'm... I'm in the desert! I'm just standing in the desert like some kind of animal! I can't even turn my head to look around. It should be freezing, but I can't feel anything. Why can't I control my body!

Dad should be out looking for me, everyone should, they wouldn't just leave me here! Is he coming? No. No one's coming... no one's coming to help me... It's just me and this disgusting feeling burning through my body. Ughhh! It feels like it's crushing my organs. It's like acid eating away at me from the inside. I need it to stop! I need it to go away! But no one's coming to help me! No one's going to be able to find me! But I have to get it to stop!

I need to calm down, get a grip. I'm all by myself now. I have to save myself. Stay calm. I need to keep control of my thoughts. I need to understand what's happening to me. I need to figure out a way to beat this thing. I need to get back in control. Okay... first off, how did I get here? What's the last thing I remember?

It was graduation... I was so happy. Dad came into my room that morning. He was smiling. He never smiles at me—never like that.

"Today's the day, kiddo! You did it! You're finally being promoted!" He leaned over my bed and hugged my still blanketed body.

I didn't understand at first. I was still half asleep. I never thought the day would come—he told me the day would never come. And there he was, hugging me! I started crying. I hugged him back. He pulled away and saw the tears running down my face... and I noticed that familiar resentment flutter in his piercing blue eyes before he quickly quelled it. Even in this, the moment that I had been preparing for my entire life, he was still disappointed in me.

But I smiled through. My sister came into the room to congratulate me. She's the one that's kept me going all this time—my special little sister. Dad turned to her and told her that she, too, would be promoted soon... that I better keep up the hard work or she would surpass me in no time.

He's always preferred her. I don't know what I did wrong and she did right. She's just a kid. Maybe it's because I remind him of my mother. Maybe I look like her? I wouldn't know. My sister looks—perfect. She is perfect, unlike me.

But that day wasn't about her. My sister was excited. She didn't want to let Dad's spiteful words ruin my big day, she wanted to come with me to get my graduation outfit fitted.

"Everyone's going to be so proud of you," she told me as she hugged me for the hundredth time, "I'm sure the whole town will be there. You're going to look so beautiful."

But Dad corrected her, explained that the whole town couldn't be there, that graduation was a private and sacred event. Only the select few could witness me being promoted. There were things said during graduation that could not be shared with just anyone. This was my honor. The honor I was told I would never be worthy of.

But what did I do to deserve it? What changed? I'm sure I asked... yes, I remember now.

"But why, Dad? You said I'd never be good enough?"

He didn't like hearing his own words back at him. His mouth did that thing where it wants to snarl, but he pushes back down so that he looks like a fish tugging against a hook in its lip.

"I never said that, darling," he tried to use that salesman tone on me, "I would never say that."

I tried to say, "You've said it to me a thousand times—", but he didn't let the words escape my mouth and spoke over me.

"We need you, darling. Body and soul. We need you now."

Such a strange choice of words for him. He's never been the type to talk about souls. He was scientific. That's his whole thing—the entire belief system he pushes on everyone. I don't think I even noticed it at the time. Hearing him talk to me like I meant something, that I was important in some way, it caught me completely off guard. It was like he actually loved me.

"Thanks, Dad, I'll do my best," I smiled. He smiled back. I felt happy. I felt important.

There was a lot to get done that day, a lot to prepare for the evening's festivities. Chef Pappalardo brought me fried eggs, crispy at the bottom, soft on the top, and a stack of pancakes with bacon covered in syrup. I was so hungry. Hungry for the first time in what felt like forever. It was like a knotted ball of failure had been sitting in my stomach for years, and now knowing that I was being promoted, I could finally get it down. I smashed my yolk, spread it over the bacon and felt my stomach rumble as it toppled over the pancakes like a golden waterfall. I stuck my fork deep into the stack and carved out a chasm in its fluffy brown layers, scooping up a whole oily rasher before shoving it in my mouth.

But I had hardly got to chewing it when Brother Quilt pulled me out of bed and started helping me get dressed in his usual methodical and silent way. If anyone else had been so rude and taken so many liberties with me, I would have exploded into a fit of rage—but I barely recognized Brother Quilt as a human. It's got something to do with him being a shadow, a mute. He's so thin that he seems to disappear into the background. He's loveless, dead-faced and almost genderless. Letting him pick out my clothes and brush my hair felt no different than a bunch of robotic arms tending to me like a sedan on a production line. And like an inanimate object, I was put on the conveyor belt that is my life and taken to my next destination.

My sister was waiting outside the house. I could tell because as I descended the marble steps into the entrance hall, I could see her shadow stretching across the floors through open double doors as she blocked the morning sun.

Dad had decided to activate the smart glass walls, something he usually saved for showing off in front of guests. They burst to life with animated crimson dragons and golden flames, dancing from one end of the room to the other. The AI running the smart glass helped the simulated beasts spiral around the tasteless artifacts that littered the entrance hall, as though the creatures were intentionally dodging them. My father—if the saying 'money can't buy taste' was a person. I was sick of that tacky animation after seeing it for the first time, but it was nice to think that Dad was making an effort to make the day feel special.

A black auto-driver had been summoned for us in the driveway. It automatically popped open its passenger doors as I walked up beside my sister. She grabbed my hand and pulled me in, dragging me across the smooth leather seat in excitement. She's so strong, my sister, so much stronger than me despite being so much younger. She wouldn't stop talking about how beautiful I was going to look, how much she wished she could be there to see me get promoted—but I didn't share the same excitement.

Something was off, I knew it. Nothing was making sense. I felt like I was slowly realizing that I was in the middle of a dream—there was just no logical way I could have arrived at this point, not after everything I'd been through. But the energy radiating off my sister clouded my mind, her non-stop encouragement meant my thoughts couldn't hone in on exactly what was wrong.

Magister Primrose's house wasn't far from ours and my sister had barely got through her rambling when the auto-driver's doors popped open once more. Tabatha Primrose—I've never liked her, the way she dotes on my father, treats him like a god. It makes my skin crawl.

She opened the doors of her single room condo with open arms. Her sweet perfume mixed with the dense chemical stench of hairspray filled my nostrils and made my teeth tingle. She turned to hug my sister and when she pulled away, I cringed as I saw that a layer of Tabatha's make-up had rubbed off on her face.

We were hastily ushered in, we'd have to move quickly if she was going to have my outfit ready by nightfall. She pulled me through her modest home. She lived in the same carbon copy condo as nearly every other house in town, other than my own and a few of the old farmhouses on the outer edges. She jerked me into her workroom, grabbing my wrist so tightly that by the time she let me go, my hand had already started going blue.

"You're gonna look as pretty as a peach!" she kept saying as she tugged on my arms and legs to run her measuring tape along them, "But you are thin as a rake! Are you eating right girl? I tell you, if I had a private chef and all the real meat I want, I'd be big as a barn."

"She barely ever eats," my sister answered for me, though I really wish she hadn't.

How much I eat is none of Tabatha's business, and it's not about what food is available to me. If I looked like my sister, I'd eat all the time. If I wasn't constantly being told that I'm not good enough, I wouldn't always feel like there's something I have to change about myself. What does Tabatha know! What was she doing asking that sort of question anyway! Ughhh! If my sister hadn't been there I would have told her where to stick her comments!

But my sister was there, so I just said, "I'm trying to get in shape."

I don't think Tabatha even registered that I had said anything and carried on taking her measurements. I don't know why she had to be so rough! She jabbed her knuckles into me as she pressed the tape down across my body, twisted my legs, contorted my arms, clamped down on my jaw and pulled when she needed me to face another direction. I've seen her work before, and she treats mannequins better than she treated me.

I started to get fed up with her harsh grip and rushed demeanor, "Why are we in such a hurry? I'm excited to be promoted, but... we could just hold my graduation next week, and then you won't have to rush to get my outfit ready."

She had her head pressed against my stomach as she measured my hips when I said it and she immediately stopped what she was doing. She straightened herself out, brought her face right up to mine and put her hands on my cheeks, "We need you now, sweetheart. We can't wait another gosh darn moment. You're so important to the future of this organization."

I didn't like how cryptic her answer was—she wasn't really telling me anything. She was dancing around the question, just like Dad.

I wanted to push her for more, but my sister interrupted, "Ohhh! I'm so proud of you! Everyone's seen how amazing you are, and now they know they need you. I told you! It was just a matter of time."

I didn't want to let her down or show that I didn't share her enthusiasm. She still had some innocence left, there was no need to spoil her excitement.

"Thanks, Sis, Tabatha. I'm proud to be doing my part," I smiled that fake smile I learned from Dad.

Tabatha placed her palms together and revealed her lipstick stained pearly whites, "Alright, I think I've got everything I need. Now the two of you hop on, I've got a world of work to get done."

I was happy to get out of there. I just sort of waved a little 'toodle-oo!' to avoid getting another mouthful of hairspray and cheap perfume. I needed fresh air.

"Don't call an auto-driver," I told my sister as she took out her cell phone and opened the app, "Let's walk home. I need to clear my head."

I'd never seen my sister lose her perfect composure so suddenly, "We can't do that! Everyone's working so hard to prepare for your graduation ceremony! We need to get home as fast as possible! The Magisters will probably want to meet with you to get you ready!"

But I already felt like a child's doll being pulled around and played with, and it was starting to look like there would be plenty more of it in my future, "Come on, it'll only take a couple minutes. Let's spend some time together."

"No," she stomped her foot on the ground, "You've finally done it. You've finally proved yourself worthy. I'm not letting you mess this up. I've called the auto-driver."

As though her words were a witch's spell, the black sedan pulled up and popped open its doors in front of us like a hearse ready to take me to my funeral. The happiness had all faded away by then. Everything I had hoped for, everything I strove to be, it was all happening and I hated every second of it.

I can't blame my sister for her fanaticism—that life is pretty much all she's ever known. She was still just a kid when we moved here from New York. She's too young to remember what life was like when Dad was just the megalomaniac CEO of a multinational corporation, and she wasn't even born yet during the army base days. All she really knows is this version of him—the ringleader, the messiah, the Grand Magus. She's never seen the monster. For some reason, he always hid it from her. That's why Dad's her hero whilst he's my greatest fear. That's why my graduation meant so much to her. That's why I didn't bother arguing with her and got in the auto-driver.

I'm still not used to how quiet the auto-drivers are, the way their electric motors seem to glide along the road like a desert breeze. I wish there had been something to break the silence between my sister and I. Wait, no... the silence didn't last long at all. We got closer to the house and I began to realize that something strange was going on. We turned onto our street to find the sidewalks packed with people heading in our direction. The moment they noticed the auto-driver, they stopped in their tracks, their eyes went wide with awe and they dropped to their knees in unholy rapture, reaching out their hands towards the car—just like they did to Dad.

"They're all here for you!" my sister exclaimed. Was that jealousy in her voice? Was that envy in her eyes?

It gave me a weird feeling. How could the transformation happen so quickly? How did I go from their leader's lesser daughter, to the object of their utter devotion overnight? People had been promoted before, but no one ever reacted like this.

"I don't like it," I told her, "I'm not used to all the attention."

My sister put her hands on my shoulders, pulled me towards her like she owned my body and stared at me with those ridiculous ocean blue eyes, "Don't you understand? You've been chosen! You're going to be told all the secrets they wish they knew! You're everything they want to be!"

This was wrong, none of it made sense!

"I don't understand!" I yelled back at her, "I don't understand what I've done to deserve this! I just woke up this morning and all of a sudden I'm a different person? Why! Why is all of this happening?"

I might have been crying at that point, I can't really remember, but my sister, she became completely calm. She let go of my shoulders and sat back in the smooth tan leather, "Because Daddy said so. And what Daddy says becomes truth. That's why he's our leader."

I remember the cold shiver running up my spine. I remember realizing just how deluded I'd been all this time. I had figured, no one is really buying this, right? They're all just playing along because they've got nothing better to do. They're all broken people that got a free handout, and in exchange, they played along with Dad's insane delusions of grandeur. But no... that's not the case at all. Looking at all those people, listening to my sister... they really do believe the trash that spews out of Dad's mouth. To them... to her... this is all real. All this madness is the complete truth.

I hurled up bacon, pancakes, syrups and eggs all over the auto-driver's seats—the first bite of food I'd enjoyed in years. The artistry, the beauty and order of the meal, spread out as a foul chaotic sludge between my sister and I, the acrid stench filling the sealed cabin.

"What's wrong with you?" my sister screeched, scurrying up to the window and punching the button to put it down.

"I don't understand!" I screamed back, my mouth still spilling vomit, "I'm scared! I don't know what's going on!"

She looked back at me—she glared at me with that same contempt and resentment I saw in Dad's eyes whenever he looked at me, "Get it together! If you let Daddy down today, he'll never forgive you! I will never forgive you."

I stared at her, shaking, a cocktail of chewed up pancakes and bile dripping off my chin, wishing that I had never got involved in any of this, wishing things would go back to the way they were before. My sister tried to act coy for a moment as she took in the onlookers outside falling over each other to get closer to the auto-driver, but I could see the look on her face was as sour as the stench in the car. But then she softened, dropped her shoulders and shook her head before reaching into her bag and retrieving a wad of napkins.

"I always keep these on me in case of emergency," she sighed through her smile and reached over the bubbling puddle between us to gently wipe my chin.

"You know, I get it," she whispered calmly, "You don't understand Daddy like I do. You haven't fully realized the power he's been given, so this must all seem really strange to you. But I just know that after tonight, it will all start making sense. You're going to be one of us, for real this time."

She was trying to calm me down, trying to help me ease into this transition—but her words only served to further disturb me. I knew there was no point in arguing with her, she was as indoctrinated and deluded as the rest of them. All I could do was try to calm down and play along until I figured out what to do.

A crowd of devotees had amassed in the driveway and went into a frenzy when they saw the auto-driver come to a stop, but the men in black suits and tinted shades that work for Dad were waiting to escort us to the door. Their immense presence was well understood by the townsfolk, and as they approached us the crowd cautiously retreated, creating a clear path to the house. But that didn't stop my Dad's followers from gawking at us with bursting, awe-struck eyes.

There were hundreds of them, all sorts of people from different walks of life, people from all over the country and beyond—but they all had the same look as they called out my name, that look of absolute obsession and devotion. My sister absorbed their praises and love as though she had been born to receive it, whilst I tried my best to not seem completely horrified by their zombified engrossment. Their cries became chants, repeating my name over and over again, as though I was a hero coming home from a great battle—but I wasn't. I was the same disappointment I'd always been—the mundane piece of the backdrop they'd hardly noticed just the day before.

I felt like vomiting again by the time we stepped through the doors into the entrance hall, and if the way Dad was rolling his eyes was anything to go by, my face was showing it. But it wasn't just Dad—Magister Quade was there, so was Magister Dolon. They didn't say anything at first. No, they wouldn't dare speak first with Dad in the room.

"We have a lot to discuss," he spoke sternly to me, maybe a little impatiently, "Follow us to the dining room."

My father turned and led the silent procession, and I was expected to follow him and the Magisters without as much as a word—but I felt my legs go weak. I tried to step forward, but my entire body felt like it had turned to jelly. I felt ill. This was all too much—I just wanted out.

And then I turned to my sister. She was looking at me with so much pride, so much love, those obscene blue eyes blasting her affection directly into my heart. I couldn't let her down, not yet, at least.

Brother Quilt was already scurrying around the dining room when we entered, darting from one window to another, shutting the blinds, and by the time I sat down at the end of the redwood table, the door was closed behind me and the room was shrouded in darkness. The fizzle of a match being lit broke the silence, a golden flame darted around the void that had consumed the dining room, jumping across six candles to ignite their wicks. I could see Dad at the other end of the table, shadows fluttering about his cheekbones, nose and forehead. I could just make out Magister Quade and Magister Dolon standing on either side of him like gargoyles protecting a cathedral.

"You're probably wondering what's going," Dad spoke in a deeper voice than usual, clean of all the charm and charisma that usually drips off his every word.

Still, I found his opening reassuring—I wasn't going mad, even he knew that none of this was normal.

In my shaken state, I wasn't able to match his formality—I was too desperate to find out what was going on, "Why's everyone freaking out? It's not like I'm the first person to be promoted to Magister! Why is half the town outside? Why are they looking at me like that?"

"Because you have been chosen," Magister Quade croaked.

"Endowed with a great honor," Magister Dolon agreed.

I was so tired of this cryptic talk—I was done with all of it. I really didn't care if I was promoted or not anymore, what I needed was the truth, "You chose me! There's nothing special about that! You just decided on a whim one morning that all of a sudden I was worthy!"

I was surprised to find that my outburst didn't seem to anger them, in fact, Dad started smiling.

"Not us," Magister Quade corrected from the shadows.

"No, not us at all," Magister Dolon echoed.

"Them," Dad smiled, pointing upwards to the roof, yellow candlelight dancing along his knuckles.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, my heart started pounding, and my breathing became short and labored, "Them? You can't mean..."

Dad leaned forward into the candlelight with a twisted grin, "Our leaders from beyond the stars, the lights that guide our way, the saviors of our broken world... the Galactic Brethren."

I shook my head violently, more confused than ever, "But, but, but, they're not real! They're just something you made up! There's no such thing as aliens, and even if there was, they wouldn't be bothered by who gets promoted in a weird little cult out in the middle of nowhere!"

A wave of hatred crossed Dad's face. He didn't bother trying to fight off his snarling lip as he leaned back into the shadows, "If it was up to me, you would stay a Sister for the rest of your life. But the Galactic Brethren have spoken. You are to be promoted to Magister."

"They aren't real, Dad!" I cried back at him, desperate for him to show some semblance of sanity.

"They are real," Magister Quade wheezed.

"Very real," Magister Dolon agreed.

"And you're going to meet them... tonight," Dad growled, "That is why the entire town has come out to see you. That is why the honor bestowed upon you is so great. That is why your doubt and cynicism cuts me so deeply. To hear a Sister speak like this—if you weren't my daughter, if you hadn't been chosen by the Galactic Brethren themselves!" he pulled a shaking fist as he fought to silence his own anger, "... none of that matters now. You will perform your duty, you will be promoted at your graduation ceremony, you will be told the secret knowledge and then you will meet with the Galactic Brethren so that they can share their infinite wisdom with you."

I remember thinking that it had to be some kind of joke, there was no way they could seriously mean that in a few hours I'd be talking with the imaginary aliens they used to manipulate their messed up cult. But I was too shocked to speak, too horrified to accept the onus they had put upon me.

"Do you understand?" Dad demanded with more resentment than rage.

And then something in me... switched. I remember thinking, maybe this is all real? Surely three grown men would need some sort of evidence to believe in aliens? They wouldn't tell me, a confessed cynic, that I was going to meet the Galactic Brethren if they didn't truly believe it themselves.

"Do. You. Under. Stand?" Dad asked again impatiently.

I guess I kind of liked the sudden honesty. I liked being in on a big secret, and most of all, I liked the idea of being the first of us to have a direct audience with the Galactic Brethren. I felt... special.

"Yeah..." I nodded slowly, letting the idea settle into my head, "I do. Thank you. This is a great honor."

"Better," Dad smiled—but not his usual used-car salesman smile, but a creepy, crooked one, "Maybe you're not the utter failure I'd thought you were all this time. Now go to your room and revise the lore. Brother Quilt will come for you when you're needed."

"I want chicken," I replied in a voice I'd never spoken in before—a voice with self-respect, a voice that demanded authority.

"Excuse me?" Dad asked, somewhat confused, somewhat indignant.

"I want chicken," I said again, folding my arms, "And mashed potatoes, and gravy, and collard greens. I barely got a bite of my breakfast, and if I'm going to meet the Galactic Brethren, I can't be all woozy from starving myself."

Dad raised an eyebrow—and smiled, "I'll have Brother Quilt arrange it."

Was he... proud of me? For real this time? I think he liked me standing up for myself, throwing my weight around a bit. I nodded as though his bending to my will meant nothing to me, rose from my chair and left the room without as much as a goodbye.

I sat up in room for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, gorging myself with the loaded plate of fried chicken, mash and greens, letting the gravy spill onto my desk over my study notes. Once I scoffed it down, I called out to Brother Quilt for an ice cream sundae to chase it down, my face still laden with mash and gravy. When he arrived, he immediately reached for his handkerchief and leaned in to wipe my face for me, but I shooed him away and snatched the sundae off the tray. I think there might have been some emotion in his eyes—maybe. It's always so hard to say with Quilt. He must have understood the shift in power, something in his heart must have panged as I thieved his authority away from him. But he only nodded his usual, dutiful nod before turning to leave.

It was late afternoon when he returned. I didn't bother to brush up on my studies in preparation for my graduation and decided to sleep off my hearty meal instead. My body wasn't used to eating so much—I swear I could see the chicken and mash through the tightly stretched skin across my bloated stomach. Brother Quilt woke me up by turning on the shower in my en-suite bathroom. He stood in the bathroom doorway, staring at me, his usual bravery dissipated, not willing to simply drag me out of bed as he had since he began working for my father.

Although I was enjoying lording my new found power over him, I obeyed, but only because I was eager to begin the evening's festivities. After taking my time in a steaming hot shower, I stepped back into my room wearing only a towel to find Tabatha waiting there for me, a basket with neatly folded white cloth on the floor beside her.

"Well come on girl, we better get a move on, daylight's fading," she grinned in a two-faced tone as she grabbed my dripping arm.

I shook her off and practiced Dad's indignant snarl, "Get off of me—and get out of my room. I'll let you know when I'm ready for you."

The look on her face! She had no idea what was happening!

"Why, that's no way to speak to a Magister!" she cautioned.

I stalked towards her, giving her no choice but to back away towards the door, "And entering the room of she who is chosen by the Galactic Brethren without permission is any better?"

I watched a winding tale of emotions unfold across Tabatha's face—shock, horror, realization, and then... contentment. A smile broke out over her blood red lipstick lips, layers of foundation caking up the crow's feet around her eyes.

"You're right, sugar-pie, I overstepped my boundaries. My sincerest apologies."

What was she smiling about? What did she know?

"Don't call me sugar-pie, it's weird. I'm a grown woman," I growled, "I'll let you know when I'm ready."

The smile didn't budge from her face as I closed the door between us. The moment I was alone, my eyes darted over to the basket that she had left behind. I didn't want to show it in front of her, but my heart was ready to explode. In that basket waited the symbol I would bear as a Magister, as the one who was chosen by the Galactic Brethren—the sign that said: I mean something. I hurriedly dried off and put on something tight and concealable that I could wear under my graduation outfit. I reached into the layers of white cloth and slowly let my Magister's robe unfold itself.

It wasn't as glamorous as the one that Dad wears, but I wondered as I watched the soft white Egyptian cotton shivering in my hands, if maybe after I met the Galactic Brethren—or whatever ritual Dad and the Magisters had planned to represent meeting their imaginary aliens—I would have something fanciful embroidered on my own white, loose-fitting robes.

I opened my bedroom door to Tabatha's smiling face. Had she not dropped that smile in the full five minutes I'd left her waiting there? What was going on in her head? All I know is that watching that smile turn to a grimace when she saw I'd taken the liberty to try my robe on without her made my day.

"Ohhh..." she groaned as she looked me up and down, "Don't you look lovely... you couldn't wait for me to help you?"

"It's a perfect fit, thank you, Magister Primrose," I spoke through her, rather than to her, "You can leave now."

"Oh no," she pulled her head back, "I really must do—"

I closed the door in her face. Yeah, that felt good! I was looking forward to putting her in her place again sometime soon. I went to go and stand in front of my full length mirror again and did a spin, letting the robe's loose sleeves twirl with me like swan's wings.

I wasn't bothered again until sundown—wait... what happened after sundown? Dad came to my room... ughhh... why's everything getting blurry? What happened after sundown? What happened to me! It was them! They did this to me! But, how? What happened? How did I end up out here in the desert alone with this repulsive feeling eating away at me? Don't lose it. Keep calm. I'm still alive. I just have to keep remembering and I can figure this out.

Dad led me down the stairs into the entrance hall. My sister, Chef Pappalardo and Brother Quilt were staring up at me. Everyone was clapping and swooning, I felt so special, so happy—finally, recognized. It was then that it really started to dawn on me that I might be meeting actual aliens in a matter of hours, and I could feel the sweat start collecting under my armpits. I shouldn't have eaten so much. I wanted to vomit, but I held it down.

We didn't take an auto-driver... no, Dad drove us himself in his Disco Volante. He never takes anyone in the Volante, not even my sister. He told me that he was proud that I was stepping up. He could tell I was nervous for the graduation—for meeting the Galactic Brethren, and for the first time in my life, he was calm with me, understanding, and spoke to me like a human being. I remember thinking, he does love me, he's just bad at showing it. He was just waiting for me to prove myself to him. Everything's going to be okay. My queasiness eased. I felt the excitement in my heart defeat the fear in my stomach.

But then came the graduation ceremony. It was at the Lodge as usual, but everything was... different. What happened in there? Why was it different? All I can remember is that... it was wrong. It's not what I expected at all. They told me something... the secret that only Magisters are allowed to know. What did they tell me? Damn, I can do this! I have to remember!

The Lodge... there were candles, lots of candles. All the Magisters were there. Dad was wearing his white robe with the eye on one sleeve and a flame on the other. He wanted me to do something, something really horrible. He told me the secret and I started to panic. What did he tell me! Ummm... the candles... the Magisters... Dad... the secret. He told me the secret and I started to feel sick. The Magisters brought something out... an offering. I told them no, I wasn't going to do it, that they were messed up.

I vomited everywhere, all over my beautiful new white robes. The Magisters gasped, Dad started screaming, "You're a disgrace! An embarrassment! I'm ashamed to call you my daughter!"

I shouldn't have eaten so much. It just kept coming as he kept yelling. I lifted my robe to catch it so that it didn't smear all over the floor, but that just summoned more outrage from Dad and the Magisters. I tore it off. I could have just lifted it over my head, but I didn't want to—I needed to destroy it. I tried to tear at the soft, wet cotton, but it wouldn't give way, so I spat up the last of the vomit and sunk my teeth into the seam. More screaming—Tabatha was screaming, from a place the candle light couldn't reach.

Magister Quade howled so loud through his dried, cracked throat that I'm sure he ripped his vocal chords. Magister Dolon leaped towards me gritting his teeth, trying to get me to stop—but it was too late, the cotton gave way and I burst from the soaked sour robe like I was exploding from a cocoon.

I ran. Dad was calling after me, but I pushed through the Lodge's doors and I sprinted out into the darkness of the desert where I knew they'd have trouble finding me. It would at the very least buy me enough time to figure out what I was going to do with the madness swirling around my head.

Is that how I got here? Is that why I'm standing out here cold and alone out in the desert? But why can't I move? This feeling inside me... it's not queasiness—it's evil. I feel like I'm dying... slowly, atom by atom. Ughhh, it hurts so much! I just want it to stop! Gotta think, gotta think! No... no.... something else happened... after I escaped the lodge... something so much worse.

I tried to call the auto-driver! I'm such an idiot! I might as well have put a flashlight on my head whilst screaming, 'HEY! I'M OVER HERE!' But I'd got away from the Lodge by then. I must have been running for a long time before I decided to stop because I was somewhere near the outskirts of town. It was the old churchyard. I'd made it all the way across town without getting noticed. I remember the taste of the winter air, icy on my tongue, cooling my overworked body. I felt safe for the time being.

It occurred to me that maybe I could hide out in the church until morning—no one ever goes in there. There's an old woman that lives on the edge of town. She hates Dad. I thought that maybe, if I could make it to daybreak, she could help me figure out how to survive all this. But I was impatient. I needed to get away immediately, and so, I pulled out my phone and hailed the auto-driver.

I waited behind the churchyard hedges... it was freezing. The clothes I put on under the robe barely covered me, and the sweat that had soaked into them only amplified the cold. I kept my eyes on the road, hoping that the auto-driver would arrive before anyone else did. A set of headlights cut the night somewhere in the distance. I couldn't tell if I was shaking from fear or icy desert night. The lights turned in my direction towards the churchyard.

The auto-driver pulled up and popped open its doors with reassuring familiarity. I remember the sudden wave of relief that came over me, my heart rate finally slowing, the open doors drawing me closer. I should have been more careful... I should have checked the car before I got in... but I was so desperate to get away, to forget everything I'd seen, I wasn't thinking right. I got into the car and dropped my head into my hands. Tears soaked into my quivering fingers—everything was broken now, my life was over. The auto-driver started making its way out of town.

That's when the doors locked. I'm not sure if I noticed at first, I was too busy balling my eyes out, losing myself in all I'd lost. No... I only realized something was wrong when I heard the voice.

"Worry not, my child, the Brethren will take all the pain away," it spoke.

I screamed like I was being stabbed to death. I tried to clutch at the smooth gripless leather, snatched at the door handle, ripped at it until it came clean off its hinges. I tried to punch at the window, but the moment my fist made contact I knew my starved muscles would never break through the glass.

"Calm yourself," the voice spoke again, "You have nothing to fear."

This time I looked to see who it was that had caught me. They were sitting in the front passenger seat looking forward through the windscreen. It was dark—they had somehow overridden the auto-driver's usual light scheme and all I could see was a bizarre silhouette around the headrest.

I didn't recognize the voice—it sounded intentionally distorted, so I asked the only question that came to my panicked mind, "Who are you?"

The figure was silent. I backed myself against the door as my eyes fixed on its reflection in the rear view mirror, trying to figure out what in the world could cast such a strange shadow. And then we passed by a house—one of the last houses before leaving town. Its front porch light was on and it spilled into the auto-driver for just a moment. That's when I saw it. The face of the person—the THING in the front seat... it was only for a second, but I know what I saw...

A goat. A man with the head of a goat was sitting in the front seat, just staring forward. I screamed my throat raw. I tried smashing the windows again. I tried the other door handle, but my fingers were limp now and could barely get a grip on it. I kept screaming, 'LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!' But it was pointless. It was over. This... thing, was taking me to the Galactic Brethren.

What happened next? It's all just a blur of images and noises... wait... there were people blocking the road... the auto-driver slowed down to stop... people in white robes with white hoods drawn over their faces—the Magisters. I remember looking for Dad among them... maybe it was the chaos of screaming to be let go whilst crying so much that my own tears blinded me—but I couldn't see him. He wasn't in on this madness. He wasn't there.

The auto-driver's doors popped open. I tried to run, but I was surrounded. They reached into the back seat and tried to grab at me as I kicked and screamed. I rammed my foot into one of their stomachs, but they caught it and twisted my ankle out of place. I tried to punch and scratch at them, but they crushed my fingers in their palms and jutted my arms out of their sockets. I went limp, just a rag doll in their grip.

I couldn't see anyone's faces, I don't even know if it was the Magisters. It was all just a blur of white hoods and clutching hands. Did I pass out? Maybe... I was in so much pain. I don't remember where they took me or how they got me there... what happened? All I can remember is not being able to move. Did they bring me out here? No... there was more... a dream.

I was strapped down, barely conscious, flat on my back, pressed against something cold and rigid, my hairs on end from the bite of the frigid night. There was a smell in the air coating my nostrils, like wet pennies. It felt like I was dreaming... was I dreaming? Could that have been real? Ughhh, it's all such a mess in my head... no ways... it couldn't have been. But he was there, looking down at me—the goat-headed man.

He had his hands raised in the air. They were pointing at something—how could I forget! Floating in the sky—six magnificent balls of light simmering in the night! I remember the air bursting from my lungs as my mind was overcome by the sheer beauty of them. It was agony and strange ecstasy all balled into one. It was THEM! I knew it the moment I saw them... the orbs of light... it was the Galactic Brethren.

The goat-headed man was speaking a language I'd never heard before. Aramaic or Hebrew or something... he was drawing one of the orbs out of the sky, pulling it closer and closer. It hovered above me, and although it shone with an incredible light, it brought no pain to my eyes and gave off no heat. As the goat-headed man spoke, the orb consumed my vision until finally—

THIS FEELING! It's not a feeling! There's something inside of me! This decay of my every organ, there's something eating away at me! GET IT OUT! I'VE GOT TO GET IT OUT! The goat man, he put one of those things inside of my soul! THE ORB! It passed through my flesh, effortlessly sinking into my skin, it took over my body! It made me... oh no... what did it make me do?

You don't have to be afraid. You were chosen. I'm here to help you.

WHO SAID THAT! THAT WASN'T MY THOUGHTS! IT WAS YOU! GET OUT OF ME! GET OUT!

I thought it was best I'd give you a chance to figure things out. Let you cool off in the desert. You're stuck here anyway. It's better if you don't fight. Let me take control.

I DON'T WANT SOMETHING CONTROLLING ME!

Don't you? It's who you are. You've always been controlled.

... I've always been controlled.

Isn't it easier this way? Let me make the decisions. Let me take control.

... What do you want me to do?

What do you want to do?

I'm so hungry.

Then, let's eat.

#  Chapter One

## A Weird Welcome

Herbie had been warned that the weather-worn two-story was known to creak and groan—Grandma Beatrix had rambled on about it when she sent him off to bed that evening.

"The wind comes in fast off the desert. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw a sandstorm sometime before winter's done," she had said.

Herbie thought it was an odd thing to bring up when saying goodnight—he hadn't expected to be repeating it to himself as he lay locked in terror with the floorboards and wooden ceilings sighing and rasping through the night, keeping him away from a much deserved night's rest.

He had never known wind to howl so ferociously or heard such viciousness in its tone. Back in Washington, D.C. his double-glazed glass windows would have blocked out such a ruckus, and so, to Herbie's untrained ear, it rang with a supernatural eeriness.

Like a werewolf howling at a full moon.

He forced the idea from his mind as his body begged for sleep. He had spent all day carrying boxes out of the moving van, and this had left his scrawny arms feeling limp. He had spent all evening unpacking his belongings, taking account of everything he had been forced to leave behind, each missing item battering his heart a little more. He had never been so tired—body and soul.

But his mind had not gotten the message his body was desperately sending, and giving in to his insomnia, he grabbed the old brass compass his father had left him off his nightstand. In the dim light of the cosmos projector that painted constellations in white pinpricks on his ceiling, he ran his fingers along the compass' back plate where the initials "P.H" were neatly engraved to the left and right of a mess of scratch marks that someone had haphazardly etched in, distorting the beauty of the work.

He spun it around and watched the needle readjust itself to face north, wondering what his father had tried to cover up alongside his initial—anything to distract him from the ceaseless howling of the wind.

He had only ever seen digital renderings of such things on augmented displays in a Virtual Reality game, the same game that had soaked into every crease of his mind—Rouge et Noir.

Herbie had spent as much time with his Virtual Reality headset strapped on, lost in virtual Elizabethan Europe, as he had in the real world in the last few weeks, desperate to escape the chaos that had consumed his life. In the virtual world, he was a cunning werewolf hunter, slashing up and shooting down abominable werewolves in the light of a virtual full moon. He would investigate suspicious townsfolk to see if they were the ones transforming on those silver nights. He would listen out for such menacing howls, as he heard now, to know when a beast was near.

But he had been forced to leave that world behind in Washington, D.C., although his subconscious was yet to fully readjust to reality. And so, despite his desperation for sleep, his brainwashed mind refused to ignore the wind blowing by—staying alert, on edge, waiting for an attack.

But the closer he listened, the greater and stranger subtleties he heard in its notes, as though it were carrying voices across the desert. There was something rhythmical to it, like the chanting of a cannibalistic tribe dancing deep in the Amazon jungle, thanking their twisted gods for an unspeakable feast.

As his thoughts and imagination swirled into an inseparable nightmare, he was tempted to run and ask for help, if only to hear somebody tell him that everything was okay and he had nothing to worry about—but he didn't have too many options available.

He definitely didn't want to wake his grandma. They had only met for the first time that morning and she seemed as tough as nails with little time for a crybaby. Plus, her pet sierra red fox, Goji, was notoriously protective of her and would probably wake up the whole house if he knocked on her door.

He thought for a second that perhaps it was Goji making the racket downstairs that he was hearing. But just as the thought was birthed in his mind, the wind howled again, carrying the strange chants on its back— sounds that Goji simply wasn't capable of making.

Quivering with fear, he wondered if his mom would listen to him, smile and grab him with a handful of blankets and pull him into the bed like she had when he was younger.

But she hadn't said a word in weeks. In fact, she had barely moved, and if she did, she did so more like a zombie than a person, staring out blankly at something only she could see.

Just the thought of it was enough to make Herbie man up, roll over and try to sleep.

He pulled his blankets over his head and breathed in a mouthful of hot air. He squeezed his eyes closed and did his best to shut out the world around him and drift off into his dreams.

But Herbie was not predestined to sleep that night because it was not long before the orchestra of noises in the night climaxed into an incredible crescendo. The song was clear and loud, dark and tribal. It rang with an evil that Herbie had never experienced in his entire life.

Herbie threw the blankets off and stared in terror at the denim curtains drawn over his bedroom window as the wind carried the deep and foreboding chanting across the desert and into his room—as though the bloodthirsty tribesmen in his vision sat waiting just outside his room.

He covered his ears as the sheer intensity seemed to shake his brain around in his skull. He waited, terrified, for the moment to end.

The cacophony gradually faded as the wind switched direction, sending Herbie running over to the window. He threw open the curtains, expecting to see something—anything that would prove the experience to be more than mere hallucination. But Herbie could have never anticipated what appeared before his eyes.

The night was clear, now strangely quiet and completely still, other than six bright burning lights hovering casually beside the crescent moon. He squinted at them, not sure if they were merely stars piercing through the void of space. The moment hung on timelessly. Herbie stared in awe at the hypnotizing lights which seemed to be staring right back at him.

His eyes did their best to focus in the darkness. The longer he looked, the more one half of his mind assured him that these were only stars, and that the ruckus was something out in the distance and there was nothing worth worrying about.

But the other half of his mind sensed a menacing aura about them, something altogether unnatural. There was evil in the way they hung there—something Herbie couldn't quite explain to himself. He watched them for what seemed like an eternity, his mind desperate to resolve this paradox of normality and absurdity.

He was almost ready to close the curtains and try to fall asleep again when he noticed the lights began to dart left and right, like a wild cat stalking its prey. They held their formation as they began to dance in the darkness. His heart pounded as his eyes remained locked on the lights. He could feel the blood pumping in his ears and his mind becoming murky with a million unanswerable questions.

Sweat began dripping from his brow and a voice inside of him cried to go back to his home in Washington, D.C. where stars knew that they were intended to find their positions in the sky and stay there for the night. The six lights moved faster and faster, shooting back and forth across the horizon and then suddenly went plummeting to the earth and out of sight.

Herbie stood frozen, unable to comprehend what he had just seen. But then something suddenly filled the air. It wasn't the howl of a werewolf, or the chants of cannibals, but the desperate cries of a human!

Breaking free from the paralysis of shock, Herbie leaned out of his second floor window and anxiously looked around to see if he could find where the noise was coming from, but the street lights were broken and the moon wasn't bright enough to reveal any details of the road in front of the house. He leaped out of bed and flicked on his bedroom light, hoping to better penetrate the black void of the night.

He returned to the window and leaned out as far as he could. The sound of feet running on asphalt echoed down the street, getting closer and closer by the second, but the light from his room only illuminated a small square of tarmac in the all-consuming darkness. His ears locked onto the mad pounding of footsteps, his mind trying to visualize how far down the street they were and just what could be causing them.

Then out of nowhere, a young woman tripped on the road, falling into the square of light coming from Herbie's bedroom window. She instinctively lifted her head up toward the light, locking eyes with him. She had long brown hair hanging across her pale face, though even from a distance Herbie could see the glaring whites of her desperate eyes piercing through. Her clothes were ripped and bloodstained, fresh scratches bleeding red on her scrawny white arms.

"Hey!" he called out to her, "Are you okay?"

She froze, paused a moment, then screamed.

Herbie stumbled back into his bedroom, startled by the blood-curdling screech that echoed down the street.

"What the—!" he yelped to himself as he tried to gather his senses. After a moment he stuck his head back outside again.

But the young woman was gone, leaving only the sound of her footsteps running off into the empty lot across the road from the house.

Herbie ran across his room and grabbed his jacket off the hook by his bedroom door. I can't go out there, he thought as he zipped himself up and instinctively grabbed his outdated cell phone off his nightstand, noticing the brass compass and deciding to take it along as well.

I could get killed! his thoughts continued as he ran down the stairs, grabbing the banister and jumping three steps at a time. I would have to be completely insane to take a single step out of this house, he concluded to himself as he threw open the front door and ran across the street.

Outside, Herbie squinted as he gazed out into the desert and thought that maybe, off in the distance, he could see the young woman's silhouette peering out of the darkness. One half of his brain told him it was over, she was gone, that he had no other option but to go back to bed and try and get some sleep. But the other half was still lost in the virtual world of Rouge et Noir. It told him he was at the edge of the Black Forest in Germany, that a damsel was in distress, that to move the game forward, he would have to chase after her.

"Hey! Stop running!" he called out as he sprinted after her, entering the lightless abyss of the desert.

But Herbie soon found out that running in reality was a lot more tiresome than getting a character to run in a Virtual Reality, panting as his sprint turned into a jog. Looking around to try and get his bearings, he realized he had never known such complete and utter darkness in his life. The streets of D.C. had always had some nearby light source to cut through the void of night, whether it be a street lamp or neon sign.

As he pushed forward, it became apparent to him that his eyes might as well be closed, and the silhouette running off in the distance only a hallucination that his mind was using to fill the darkness.

"Hey, slow down!" he called to her, hoping for a response to put his fears at ease, though he could only just hear the faint steps of scurrying feet in sand, urging him forward, further and further away from the old wooden house behind him.

Herbie tried to turn his head to look behind him to see how far he had run. Unfortunately, he employed tactics he would have used while playing Rouge et Noir and didn't stop running while bending his neck around. His body became completely disorientated as his top and bottom halves went off in opposite directions, tangling his feet into one another and tripping him over. He fell through the air, sending his uncoordinated limbs off in every direction and bringing his weight down squarely onto his right knee.

"Owww!" he moaned, rubbing his stinging kneecap, "This imagination of mine is going to get me killed one day," he mumbled aloud while trying to examine himself for scrapes and bruises under the unyielding light of the crescent moon.

He looked back to see if he could make out his bedroom light off in the distance and was met by only a pinprick size dot out in the distance, far smaller than he had thought it would be. He then looked to see if he could still make out the young woman's silhouette way out in front of him—if it had ever been real.

But his breath suddenly froze in his lungs. In the absolute darkness, he could no longer make out the barely audible sound of her feet slapping on the desert sands, but rather a slow, gurgling pant.

It felt close, too close; she should have been much further away by now—unless she had decided to turn around and run toward him.

In... out... the breaths seemed to be edging closer with every hot, wet pant, until eventually, Herbie could feel it brushing up against his cheek. His eyes were gradually adjusting to the darkness. Thin silver halos reflecting the crescent moon's light revealed the outlines of the tough desert shrubs and small clumps of rocks. Then he saw something larger, hunched over, just a few feet away from him. It was her—it must have been!

"H... hey..." Herbie stuttered through the sudden jolt of fear, "Are you okay?

The glob of shadows said nothing. It crouched on its haunches, scowling, panting. He squinted, desperately trying to determine if the thing in front of him was man or beast ... or worse. As he focused, he thought he could make out her thick clots of hair across her face, the shimmering whites of her eyes.

"Did those lights in the sky scare you? What were they?" he tried again.

The shadows shifted, rising from its haunches, looming larger, edging closer to him.

"Hey, what are you doing ... I'm not trying to hurt you," he assured, desperate to get a human response from her.

It came closer, slowly—as if it was making sure it didn't startle him and scare him away. It was doing a terrible job, as suddenly, that was all Herbie wanted to do.

"Um, maybe I should go. It looks like you're okay," Herbie continued, trying not to show how terrified he was.

As the strange silhouette moved in much closer, a drop of something warm and wet fell on Herbie's hand. He swallowed hard and picked himself up off the ground.

"Yep, that's me, I'm gonna go home. My Grandma's probably wondering where I went."

The clump of darkness moved toward him, as he started to back away. Herbie could now see that she—or it, reached toward him with a long wet appendage, dripping with some indeterminable liquid.

"Oh boy..." he whispered to himself as his eyes went wide.

He suddenly realized this was not in the virtual world of Rouge et Noir—there was no respawn point to go back to if he died. He was out in the dark with his life in his own trembling hands.

Shaking, he slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Unlocking the screen, a bright beam of pale blue light lit up his face. He turned it toward the mass of shadows.

In that instant, all he saw was hands covered in thick crimson blood, inches from his face, and snarling lips revealing a mouth full of vicious white teeth.

In a flash, Herbie turned around and ran as fast as he could, screaming, "WEREWOLF!" hoping that someone, somewhere would hear his desperate cries for help.

Despite the massive burst of adrenaline coursing through his veins, his legs and lungs were already at their limit and his knee was throbbing with pain, begging him to slow down. But his ears were locked on the thumping of feet ripping through the sands at an incredible speed behind him and told him that a single stumble could mean his untimely end.

His eyes focused on the light from his distant bedroom window, too scared to turn around—just waiting to feel the creature dig a bloody claw into his shoulder. There was a metallic taste in his mouth, each breath of air stung his throat and despite his pleas for his body to keep running, he knew he would soon collapse. Then, coming from his house, Herbie heard the strange yapping of Beatrix's sierra red fox, Goji.

"Herbie!" a familiar voice called out to him from the distance.

"Help! Please, help!" Herbie screamed back, hoping they were not his last words.

He could see someone standing at his front door—Grandma Beatrix. Goji yipped and howled beside her in a high-pitched squeal. Herbie dug deep in himself and found the energy for one last push.

Now he could make Beatrix out clearly, her old saggy body bouncing around in her nightgown as she ran toward him. Goji darted in front of her, taking a defensive stance and growling. Beatrix opened her arms and Herbie used them as a target for one last sprint. He reached out to grasp her protective embrace.

Much to Herbie's surprise, he did not feel his grandma's arms wrap around him and pull him away from the creature behind him, but instead he received a rather tough tug on the ear.

"What in Heaven's name are you doing out in the cold in the middle of the night!" Grandma Beatrix berated, all the time pulling on his ear so hard that he had to tilt his head.

Herbie did his best to catch his breath, but his ribs and lungs were pulsing with pain.

"Werewolf!" he cried through his panting, "There's a werewolf chasing me!" worming himself around in her grasp to turn and see how close the creature was behind him.

"No there isn't!" Grandma Beatrix lashed back, using her grip on his ear to turn his head to face the desert.

Goji yipped an impatient bark at Herbie, as though the vixen was berating him alongside Beatrix. He looked back at the empty lot and into the darkness of the desert. There wasn't a soul in sight.

"I swear! There were lights in the sky, and then I heard screaming, and then..."

"That's enough of that, young man," Beatrix interjected. "Now get into bed—there ain't no such thing as werewolves."

Herbie's mouth dropped as he realized he would not be given the chance to defend himself. Grandma Beatrix scowled at him, letting him know that she would have none of his nonsense, "And don't let me catch you out and about after bedtime again," she said sternly.

At that, she let go of Herbie's ear and held his hand as Goji led the way across the road to the porch. He was too tired to argue—too tired to say a single word.

Even though Grandma Beatrix had been less than comforting, he was relieved to have her beside him, keeping him safe. As Herbie and Grandma Beatrix reached the front door, he heard the soft hum of an electric engine behind him. Goji whirled around into an attack stance, arching her back up and growling at the sudden noise.

Herbie turned to a see a black Valac sedan—the Templar, a new model with sleek, futuristic lines and black tinted windows, driving suspiciously slowly past his house. He looked back at Beatrix with questioning eyes.

"Never you mind them, off to bed with you," she instructed, and gave Herbie a light smack on the bottom to hurry him up the stairs.

She shot Goji a no-nonsense glare which was enough to get the vixen back into the house and darting toward Beatrix's bedroom on the ground floor. The Valac Templar came to a gradual stop outside the house and stood there, no business to keep it occupied other than the dimly lit night, the desert, or whatever monsters that could be lurking around.

Herbie swallowed hard as the adrenaline cleared from his veins, wondering if it was possible that he had imagined the whole thing, that his time in the virtual world had blurred the lines between reality and fantasy. But he felt his face turn ashen as he looked at his hand while climbing the stairs towards his bedroom. Just between his thumb and index finger was a single drop of crimson blood.

***

"Herbie! Breakfast!"

Herbie's brain woke up, but his eyes were having none of it. He lay there as if in a daze.

"I'm not calling again young man," Grandma Beatrix called from downstairs.

Herbie flipped himself over, desperate to catch up on lost sleep, but more wary of Beatrix's temper. As he turned, his muscles cramped up and sent a bolt of pain through his body.

"Owww," he groaned softly to himself.

He pulled himself up, clenching through the cramps and gazed around groggy-eyed as he tried to make sense of the unfamiliar surroundings. As his memories realigned themselves, his heart sank. This was not his room in Washington, D.C.

The desk in the corner was covered in dust and held only a rusted tin with some old pens and pencils in it. His desk in Washington, D.C. had hosted a top-of-the-line PC with an almost unlimited collection of the latest games installed on it. The walls were old wood panels with chipped paint that may have been white once upon a time. All that he had to cover them were a few framed posters that the repo men had found worthless—a portrait of Einstein with a model of space-time curvature in the background, the famous "Pale Blue Dot" photograph of earth as seen by the Voyager 1 space probe, and a diagram dissecting the upcoming manned mission to Mars. And of course, the cosmos projector, still shooting out dots of light onto the roof and walls in the early morning sun. Other than that, the room was barren—no flat screen TV, no Virtual Reality bodysuit and headset, no nothing.

Herbie wriggled around on his mattress and listened to the old springs twang. He wondered how many hours of sleep he managed to get in. Gauging by his weariness it was three or four at best, and even those few hours were plagued by nightmares of a werewolf stalking him in the desert. Herbie shook his head clear of the image and took a deep breath and gazed into the eyes of Einstein staring back at him from the wall.

"No scientist would ever conclude that a werewolf was running around the Nevada desert last night. Ridiculous," he consoled himself.

But when he looked to his hand, he could still see a stain of reddish-brown where a drop of blood had been the night before.

"Then again, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck..." he continued to himself as he inspected the small muddy lines set into his skin.

He could hear Beatrix's heavy footsteps echoing from downstairs.

"I'm not that old, boy, I'll drag you down if I have to," she called from the foot of the stairs.

"Coming!" Herbie yelled back.

"Correlation does not imply causation, now get it out of your head," he whispered to himself as he tentatively got out of bed.

Reluctantly willing his body to move, he carefully stretched out his back, biting his lip as his swollen knee throbbed with pain. He slowly got dressed. He opened his bedroom door and took a moment to readjust the sign he had fixed to the outside of it with double sided tape.

Warning!

Dimensional Rift!

The occupant of this room is saving the world in alternate realities.

Proceed with caution—bring snacks.

He sighed deeply as he read it, saddened that he no longer had access to virtual worlds, and less importantly, snacks.

Beatrix was waiting in the kitchen, standing over an old iron stove, stirring a pot with Goji at her feet, completely entranced by what she was doing. Herbie sat down at one end of the kitchen table and soaked in the outdated stylings of the room.

Thick skins of white paint peeled off the ancient wooden walls, scratches and stains appearing here and there telling the story of countless kitchen gatherings. Black smudges of soot lined the paint-chipped wooden panels behind the stove where hundreds, if not thousands of meals had been cooked. The stove seemed like something out of a museum with its big stone chimney sticking out from behind it. The cabinets were weather-worn and most had their doors hanging loosely on their hinges.

It was strange and alien, and all too gothic, nothing like the sleek modern design of his house in Washington, D.C. But it was lived in, like a history book secretly recording the lives of those who lived in it, and Herbie couldn't help but smile as he inspected its silent stories.

Herbie waited for Beatrix to say something, letting the moment hang in an awkward silence before the tension grew too much for him.

"What was going on last night?" he finally exclaimed, "The stars were flying round, and that strange lady screaming down the street!" he paused a moment, before coughing, "the werewolf" under his breath.

"Boy, what are you on about?" Beatrix replied without turning around.

"Didn't you hear all the commotion? Crazy tribal chants, a girl in ripped up clothing, yelling at the top of her lungs? She wasn't exactly trying to be discreet," Herbie insisted.

"Nope," Beatrix replied impatiently.

Herbie scratched his head, not sure if he was going mad. He sighed deeply—his investigation would be a solo mission by the looks of it.

"So what's for breakfast?" Herbie asked lightheartedly, trying to move the conversation out of the cloud of tension it had drifted into.

"Oatmeal," Beatrix replied with as much excitement as the porridge itself.

"In Washington, we had bacon for breakfast," Herbie insisted.

Beatrix turned around and faced him, clearly unimpressed. "We've had six years of drought, young man, the Bauer ranch is the only pig farm left in town, and they don't even stock their meat in our stores anymore," Beatrix said sternly.

"Does that mean there's no bacon in the whole town?" Herbie asked, aghast.

"It means, as long I'm keeping three people fed on my pension, we're having oatmeal for breakfast," Beatrix replied.

Herbie pursed his lips as he digested the information. He sighed deeply, but tried to hide his disappointment.

"What is oatmeal, anyway?" he probed curiously.

Grandma Beatrix was clearly taken aback, "You've never had oatmeal, boy?" she questioned.

"Never heard of it, but I'm always up for something new," Herbie replied.

At that, Beatrix shrugged, "They're oats, and it's your meal. Simple enough."

She turned back to stirring the pot.

"I should have guessed. Where's Mom? Do you think she would like it?" he asked optimistically.

He watched Beatrix's shoulders drop. She stopped stirring as she thought about how to handle her response. She rested the wooden spoon on the pot handle and walked over to him.

"Your Ma needs her sleep. She's on a lot of pills to help her with what she's going through, and they make her very tired."

Herbie was surprised to see the sudden switch in his grandma's demeanor. He tilted his head as he saw for the first time since arriving at her house, the authoritarian overlord slip away and a kind old woman appear.

"I know what antidepressants are, Grandma," Herbie smiled, "Practically everyone in Washington takes them. Even fourteen-year-olds, like me."

Beatrix gave him a skewed look, clearly not pleased. Her tough exterior grew back like a skin of thick bark.

She went back to the stove to dish up the oatmeal, laying out two bowls on the table before taking a seat opposite Herbie. Goji seemed displeased that the second bowl was being delivered to him and not to her. She scurried under Herbie's feet, placing her head in his lap and made a sound that seemed like a mixture between a growl and a purr.

"Down Goji, you don't even like oatmeal," Beatrix tisked at her, which sent the vixen scurrying back to Beatrix's side.

Herbie stared down at the brown mush and shivered, wishing Goji would finish it for him.

"My bedroom's pretty boring..." Herbie dared as he pushed the sludge around with his spoon, "No VR, no PC, and no QLock board."

"What in Heaven's name is a QLock board?" Grandma Beatrix disparaged, wiping a bit of oatmeal off her lip with a napkin.

"It stands for 'Quantum Locking Board'. It's got superconductors cooled down to near absolute zero, allowing them to lock onto magnetic fields, which makes them float."

Beatrix stared back at him wide-eyed, "Well, we don't have anything like that around this house. And that was your father's room anyway—he always seemed to make do."

The words hit Herbie like an arrow to the gut. It wasn't in his nature to let life get him down; he hated feeling sorry for himself, but some things just couldn't be ignored.

He looked down into his bowl and tried to fight back the tears. Beatrix hadn't meant to upset Herbie. He seemed to be taking everything so well—other than running out into the desert in the middle of the night—and she had forgotten what he was going through.

"I didn't mean to upset you, boy," she said softly. "I'll tell you what, finish up your breakfast and come meet me at the barn. I've got a surprise for you."

Herbie looked up at her with a smile, "What surprise?" he asked happily.

"Oh, you'll see, now hurry up."

At that, Herbie took a hefty spoonful of oatmeal and shoved it in his mouth.

He froze.

"Gwa-ma," he spoke with the oatmeal still in his mouth, spilling over his lips.

"Thwis isw gwoss," Herbie continued, too scared to swallow.

Beatrix shook her head with a cheeky smile, "Well you better get used to it, Herbie Hunter. Now get it down and get washed up. In the meantime, I've got some business in the barn."

***

Herbie shivered in his coat as he stepped out onto the front porch. The weather was surprisingly similar to Washington, D.C.—despite being at the other end of the country—but Herbie had rarely spent time outdoors in winter, other than getting on and off the autobus during the week. He preferred the comfort of his room.

He made his way over to the barn, hands deep in his pockets. This place sure is cold for a desert, he thought to himself as he gazed out into the sands.

He got a sick feeling in his gut as he wondered what had happened to the young woman from the night before. Had his exhaustion got the better of him and made him imagine the whole thing? Or if she were real, what had happened to her to make her act so crazy? And most importantly, whose blood had dripped onto his hand? Hers, or something she had killed?

"What are you doing just standing there?" Beatrix called from the barn.

Herbie snapped out of his ponderings and walked over. The barn was a perfect fit for the house—wooden, old and falling apart. As he approached, the right hand door creaked open and Beatrix's face peeked out.

"Are you ready?" her face gleamed.

Herbie loved surprises, though he usually only got to experience them while submersed in a Virtual Reality game. But this was so much better, the suspense building up, the tip of his nose and ears tingling from the cold—it was all so new and thrilling to him.

"So ready!" he said with a toothy smile.

Grandma Beatrix pushed both the doors from the inside, sending them swinging open, and slamming against the sides of the barn with a crash. A single bulb hung from the rafters within, illuminating the most beautiful thing Herbie had ever seen. In the dim yellow light sat a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner. Herbie had raced in one in a VR game, but he never could have imagined that there was still one in existence outside of a museum, let alone in his grandma's barn!

The front bumper hung loose, the hood scoop was cracked, the headlight covers were smashed, and the soft-top had caved in and was torn, allowing the tattered black leather interior to be flooded with dust. A layer of dirt had settled on the convertible like dusty brown icing on a cake, but green and black paint peeked through in spite of it, hinting at its former glory.

Herbie stood before it in absolute awe. Beatrix beamed seeing her grandson so happy.

"For... me?" Herbie stuttered once his wits had returned.

"Yep. I got it for your Father when he was just a boy. You can take it for a ride around town if you like?" Beatrix smiled.

Herbie turned to her, absolutely amazed at the offer, "It works?"

"Of course it works!" Beatrix laughed back, "It's just a little rusted."

Herbie smiled like a madman, "We'll just have to watch out for cops, I'm only fourteen, you know."

Beatrix tilted her head in confusion, "What are you on about, boy?"

"I don't have my learner's permit yet," Herbie confirmed.

Beatrix examined her grandson, "You don't need a learner's permit to ride a bicycle," she puzzled.

"A what?" Herbie asked.

"A bicycle," Beatrix confirmed, pointing to a rusty old frame on wheels leaning up against the side of the barn.

"Oh..." Herbie pondered, "Not the car?"

"No, not the car!" Beatrix exploded at the sheer ridiculousness of the idea, "That's my Road Runner! Don't you dare touch it!"

Herbie pouted as he tried to figure out just what was happening, "So that, um, motorbike without a motor is a... um..."

"A bicycle!" Beatrix exclaimed, "You must know what a bicycle is?"

"I'm not really too outdoorsy," Herbie shrugged, "I'd take my QLock board out on the streets every once in a while in the summer, but otherwise I play VR games."

"What's this VR business you're always going on about?" Beatrix tutted.

"Virtual Reality. You put on a headset and suit and it's like going into another world," Herbie smiled.

Beatrix shook her head, "Well, no wonder you're chasing after visions in the middle of the night! You can't tell what's real or not!"

Herbie squinted at her, "You know it's the year 2026 and you don't even know what Virtual Reality is. I could be equally shocked by you. There's no need to act like I'm crazy."

Beatrix crossed her arms and scowled at him, "Back in my day, when people spent their lives in imaginary worlds, we called them crazy."

Herbie locked eyes with his grandma and she fiercely met his gaze in return. A staring match of scowls quickly ensued, until finally, Herbie burst out laughing causing Beatrix to drop her guard and laugh along with him.

"I guess it is kinda crazy when you put it like that," Herbie chuckled.

Beatrix shook her head, "Well are you going to get on or not?"

Herbie sighed, "I have no idea how to use that thing."

A wave of sadness overtook Beatrix's smile, "Fourteen years old and no idea how to ride a bicycle. I thought I'd raised a better son, thought he'd be a better father, at least one good enough to teach his own son to ride a bike."

"Could you stop that?" Herbie interrupted with a crooked smile, "I barely knew him. There isn't any reason why I should be sad about him dying, but you keep making me want to cry."

In that moment, Beatrix could see all the pain he was hiding beneath that easy-going attitude and she felt that maybe there was more to this strange boy who seemed like a visitor from the future.

"It's alright to miss your own Pa, Herbie. No matter how close you were, there's a special place in our hearts we keep for our—"

"I said stop!" Herbie snapped, "I'm out in the cold, my muscles ache from chasing after lunatics in the middle of the night, my knee is all busted up, and apparently there's a whole other side to the world that I had no idea existed. I don't have time to sit around and cry," Herbie breathed deeply as he got a hold of himself, "I don't have the strength."

Beatrix could do nothing but stare, irritated by his audacity, but ultimately won over by her empathy for the boy's pain. Herbie was having none of it. He didn't have time for long, heartfelt staring matches.

"So!" he announced, breaking the tension, "Are you going to show me how this relic works?"

Beatrix smiled and nodded in the direction of the bicycle, "Alright, Herbie Hunter, I'll show you how to ride a bike, and I'm sure you'll get it in no time, you know why?"

"Why is that?" Herbie replied, still a little fed up.

"Because you're so much stronger than you could ever imagine."

***

Beatrix could remember teaching her son to ride a bicycle when he was five years old. The experience was magical, telling him it was all going to be okay if he scraped his elbow, seeing his little face light up as he finally got the hang of it. It was one of the fondest memories she had of him. She had been excited to forge the same memories with Herbie.

But teaching her grandson was somewhat more... challenging. He was far too heavy for her to hold up, and once he did manage to get the bicycle rolling, she couldn't keep up with him to catch him when he inevitably went skidding off the road.

Goji had caught wind of the excitement and had darted out of the desert where she'd been hunting for lizards to yap and growl at Herbie as he struggled to keep his balance.

"Remind me why you have a wild animal living in your house?" Herbie moaned from the side of the road, his face pressed against the dirt, the rusted old bicycle lying on top of him and Goji tugging at his jeans.

"Because his parents never taught him any manners!" Beatrix laughed back at him.

Herbie scowled at her as he lifted himself back up, much to Goji's displeasure. She hissed at him as Herbie wrestled his jeans out of her clenched jaw.

"I meant the fox," Herbie spat.

"She got separated from her family when she was just a pup, no thanks to all the development in town ripping up the land. Didn't trust no one to take care of her, so she lives with me now."

"Aren't they endangered?" Herbie questioned, knowing that it was hard to find a wild animal not on the endangered species list, thanks to the persistent drought.

"Aren't you supposed to be up on that bicycle?" Beatrix insisted, not appreciating his line of questioning.

Herbie sighed as he lifted up the bike, tired of getting his ankles and knees bashed, "Can't we do this another time?"

"This is what we do for fun around here, so you best get used to it now. Come on you, get back up on it."

Herbie reluctantly rolled the bicycle back to where Beatrix stood by the barn while Goji darted ahead, constantly rubbing his bashed up knee and stretching out the cramps in his arms and legs.

Herbie looked up at his grandma with the most pleading puppy-dog eyes he could muster, "I think I've gotta lie down. I'm sore everywhere."

Beatrix laughed, "Don't you try that face with me, besides, you'll only cramp up more if you don't stretch out your muscles. But this doesn't seem to be working. I've got an idea, wait here."

Beatrix disappeared into the barn, leaving Herbie to scratch his head out in the cold. Moments later, she returned with another bicycle, though this one was dark blue, well-oiled and kept in peak condition.

"Now you give me the nice one?" Herbie exclaimed, "Was this old rust bucket some kind of a joke?"

Beatrix glared at her grandson, "This one is mine. Now come on, follow me!"

Beatrix jumped on the bicycle and tapped her thigh to invite Goji to join her, sending the vixen scurrying up her leg and onto her shoulders in a flash. The two of them were halfway down the road in no time.

Herbie watched this feat in awe as his grandma sped down the road. But despite being impressed, he was determined not to be outdone by an old woman. He quickly mounted the old rust bucket and began pedaling as fast as he could to try and catch up with her. When he felt his muscles cramp or his knee ache, he pushed the pain into the back of his mind so that it didn't distract him from balancing. Herbie liked games, but more importantly, Herbie liked winning.

"You're slower than a stampede through peanut butter!" Beatrix goaded him from up front.

Herbie was not about to stand by and get mocked by an old lady and began kicking down on the pedals with all he had. Before he knew it, he was pedaling up to Grandma Beatrix as she let her bicycle carry her on its momentum.

"Tired already, Grandma?" Herbie smiled as he rode up next to her.

Beatrix nodded at him with a grin as Goji nipped at the air from her perch, "Not bad, boy, looks like you just needed the right motivation. Now, how's about we ride into Newtown and get us a treat?"

"Newtown?" Herbie queried.

"Oh you'll see. It's quite close up the road. A little too close if you ask me, but I'm sure you'll like it more than these boring Oldtown ranches."

As they made their way to the end of the road and beyond, it didn't take long for Herbie to notice the transition into Newtown. The wide open fields with their dry Nevadan backdrop soon gave way to small duplexes, newly-built townhouse complexes with fresh paint and neatly-laid-out stone and gravel gardens, crammed to fit in as many houses as a plot would allow.

The roads had a fresh layer of asphalt, and the street lamps were set in newly laid concrete, all fitted with solar panels, just like they had back in Washington, D.C. It couldn't compare to his old neighborhood, that was for sure, but he was amazed and somewhat relieved to see that not all of Paradise Rift was stuck in the past.

"Well, I didn't expect this!" he gleamed, making sure to keep focus on his balance as he looked around.

"You like it, do you?" Beatrix replied with an air of gloom as she cycled, "Never used to be like this. It's... not normal for a town to spring up out of nowhere, especially after most folks were left broke by The Big Crash."

"What do you mean?"

Beatrix sighed, "Seven years ago, none of this was here. Then, POOF! A whole new town appears. Millions and millions of dollars pumped into a quiet little farming town. There were barely a hundred people in Paradise Rift before, and we all thought that Osiris Corp was mad to make such an investment. We couldn't figure out who on earth would come out to our little oasis and fill up all these houses. Then the drought came and with it, water restrictions. By 2020, folks were paying more for water than gasoline, 'cause they had to clean the salt out of the ocean water to get it. All of a sudden, a place like Paradise Rift with its own natural springs spewing up fresh cheap water didn't seem like such a crazy place to live."

"Well that's great for you, Grandma!" Herbie smiled, a little confused as to why Beatrix was so upset, "You didn't have to up and leave to get water."

Beatrix nodded, "True, true, but doesn't it make you wonder?" By now, Beatrix's tone was dead serious, her face knotted with worry, "How did they know? How did they have everything built just in time for the drought? Seems fishy to me."

Herbie shrugged, "Nah, people have been talking about climate change forever, Grandma. We learned about it from first grade. They could have seen it coming."

Beatrix smiled, "S'pose you're right, boy. Would've been nice if they'd just let the river be. Instead, they dammed it up and fed it into the filtration plant. When we destroy something built by man, we call it vandalism, but when we destroy something created by nature, we call it progress."

Goji began sniffing the air intently, before turning her head and growling at something down the road—a sleek black Valac Templar auto-driver.

"Ah! Beatrix!" a voice called out from the back seat window.

Herbie and Beatrix both snapped to attention as they saw the face of a middle-aged woman poking out of the window of the auto-driver that was slowing to a stop just up the road from them.

Beatrix squeezed the brakes on her bicycle beside the car as she came to a halt. Herbie tried the same, but squeezed too hard too fast and locked his wheels, sending him wobbling to a fall. Beatrix shook her head as the woman stepped out of the car and looked down at Herbie.

"You alright there kiddo?" the woman smiled down at him.

She had a long, thin neck and big doe eyes, thick honey blonde hair styled with too much hairspray so that it didn't budge in the wind, and pale yellow colored skin layered in make-up. Despite her all-round overdone look, there was something appealing about her, something enchanting.

Herbie quickly brushed himself off and hurriedly got to his feet. Beatrix forced a smile and squinted at the woman while Goji warily peeked over her shoulder, "Tabatha Primrose, always nice to see you."

Tabatha responded with a great big grin that seemed less than sincere, "And you!" she gleamed then aimed her smile at Herbie, "And I suppose this is your grandson we've all been dying to meet."

"Herbie!" he announced, reaching out his hand to Tabatha's limp grasp, "You own a Valac auto-driver? I didn't think I'd see one out here in the middle of nowhere."

"This ain't the middle of nowhere young man! Why, it's practically the center of the universe," Tabatha said with a toothy smile, "But to answer your question, yes, it is a Valac Templar, but no, it's not my personal runaround. It's the first of a fleet the Grand Magus will provide for the citizens of the Rift to get around in... once the town has gotten a little bigger, of course."

"The grand what now?" Herbie questioned.

"Never you mind that, boy," Beatrix interjected before turning back to Tabatha, "It was nice to see you, Tabatha, but we really must be on our way."

Completely ignoring Beatrix's words, Tabatha leaned down to meet Herbie's gaze, twisting her face from perfect cheeriness to an exaggerated frown, "I'm so sorry for your loss, little Herbie, it's always so hard losing a parent."

Herbie was taken aback by the words. He stared hard at her, not sure how to react.

Tabatha switched back to her wide grin, "I'll come by with a care package, just like this one," she smiled, pointing to an extravagant basket of fruit, chocolates, pastries and cupcakes in the back seat of the Templar, "I hear your mother's quite out of sorts since you lost your pa. But don't worry, this is a fan-tastic community and we're always here for you to lean on."

"How do you know about my father?" Herbie replied sternly.

Tabatha rolled her eyes, "Oh, small town, word travels fast. But don't you mind that, will you be joining us for the Light Seekers meeting come Friday? It's the best way to—"

"He will be doing no such thing!" Beatrix denounced. "Thank you for your kind offer, Tabatha, but I'm sure we'll be just fine on our own. Anyhow, my grandson and I must be on our way."

"Alrighty then!" Tabatha smiled, seemingly unphased by Beatrix's short temper, "I do hope you like it here in our little town, Herbie, I'll see you soon," she finished with a wink.

"Come on then," Beatrix grunted, not giving Herbie much time to find his balance before riding off.

Once Tabatha was back in the Valac Templar and had commanded it to continue on its route, Herbie turned to Beatrix, "Light Seekers? What is that?"

"You're probably gonna hear a lot about them at school, but please, Herbie, please, stay away from those people. They're crazy. They meet up and stare at the sky trying to find these lights that supposedly appear out of nowhere, saying they're aliens." Beatrix rolled her eyes, "If you are what you eat, this town has to lay off the nuts."

"Grandma, I told you, I saw some lights in the sky last night! Just before that woman went screaming down the road. Didn't you hear her?"

"Firstly, your grandma needs one of these to hear properly and I turn it off when I go to sleep," Beatrix said, tapping on the hearing aid plugged into her left ear, "And, secondly, strange things have been going down in Paradise Rift since they built Newtown, and I'll tell you this much, it ain't aliens."

"Then what is it?" Herbie asked excitedly.

Beatrix looked him up and down and shook her head, "Don't you worry about that now—you just stay indoors if you hear weird noises and whatnot. Anyhow, we were having a nice time before that nutjob interrupted us. Why don't we ride up to Big Cottonwood Creek?"

Herbie frowned at Beatrix's secretiveness and shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Where do you suppose she was going?"

"What's that, boy?" Beatrix puzzled.

"Tabatha, she had a care package in her car. Who do you think it's for?" Herbie persisted.

"Well how should I know?" Beatrix snapped.

"Well, I don't know. In Rouge et Noir, my favorite VR game, you've got to watch out for little clues to find out who in the village is secretly a werewolf. Don't you think it's fishy that Tabatha's delivering a care package the night after a lady disappears in the desert?"

Beatrix huffed irritably, "Herbie, how many times do I have to tell you? There's no such thing as werewolves and there wasn't any lady running out in the desert. You've got to get your head out of the clouds, boy. Sounds like those games have done a number on you."

Resigned to Beatrix's stubbornness Herbie chose not to push the conversation any further and so they rode on in silence. Herbie loved secrets and adventure—that's what made gaming so much fun. He wasn't used to having things kept from him and it only made him want to find out more.

They took a right out of Newtown and soon found themselves on a dirt road. Herbie noticed how jarring the transition between Newtown and Oldtown was and could see why the new development might upset Beatrix. Everything outside of it was so quiet and serene, unchanged for more than a century. Newtown was just so... new. It seemed so unnatural and out of place. But that didn't mean the people in Newtown were bad, just because they needed somewhere that had water.

Herbie shrugged to himself, I guess getting old might mean getting a little bitter and paranoid—grandma is definitely no easy customer, he thought. As they rode on, Beatrix got irritated with his silence and the tension it created between them. Things had been going so well until that fake-faced Tabatha showed up. So eventually, Beatrix gave in and tried to explain.

"You know, there used to be a real community in this town where we cared for one another. But since the church closed down and the Light Seekers moved in, everyone's got an agenda. I'm sure ol' Tabatha would have brought some supplies to help us through the month, maybe even some bacon. But the last time she came by the house for some "tea", she yapped on about her nutjob group for hours, trying to get me to join. What do they want with an old bag of bones like me? There's something weird about them, Herbie, something's not right."

Herbie grinned, "I would join them if it meant we got bacon."

"Boy, if that church were still around I'd lock you in there and wouldn't let you out until you got your head on straight," Beatrix tutted.

Herbie chuckled, "Just kidding, Grandma."

"Looks like we're here," Beatrix smiled, gazing ahead to where the springs came pouring down into the creek.

Goji gracefully leaped from her shoulder and darted into the river brush, bouncing around in quick erratic movements.

"Better appreciate it while you can, Goji dear," Beatrix sighed before turning to Herbie, "The water treatment plant is further down river, and they'll probably dam up the whole thing in the next few years. You know the creek once ran right near my house before the—" Beatrix noticed that Herbie wasn't listening to a word she was saying.

Herbie's eyes were wide, staring at a mansion overlooking the creek, "Who lives there!" Herbie exclaimed.

Beatrix rolled her eyes, "The biggest nutjob of them all. The man that owns all of Newtown, and most of Oldtown. The biggest creep that ever walked the face of the planet."

"You're not very nice, you know that, Grandma?" Herbie smiled at her, shaking his head.

"Just trust your Grandma's judge of character, boy. I've got more than a couple of years on you."

Herbie tried to listen, but the mansion called to him. It was even bigger than the house he had lived in Washington, D.C., and he hadn't expected to see anything like it in the middle of nowhere.

Probably the only brick-built house in the whole town, it stood three stories high, with triple volume windows facing out onto the creek. It seemed elevated against the surrounding flatness, giving it the appearance of a castle looking over a common-folk's village. It was painted a sandy brown color as if to camouflage it into the Nevadan backdrop, although its green manicured lawns—in fact the only house with a lush, full green lawn Herbie had seen in Paradise Rift—made the property stick out like a sore thumb.

It was so peculiar to see this one massive dwelling in a town of tiny houses that Herbie's imagination ran wild with explanations for its existence. Something inside of him cried to explore it.

Beatrix noticed his infatuation and didn't like it one bit. "Come on, boy, I think we've seen enough and this cold is getting to my bones. Let's stop off at the diner and get some hot chocolate."

Despite wanting to get a closer look at the mansion, Herbie wasn't going to pass up an offer like that.

"We're moving out, Goji!" Herbie called down to the river where the vixen was busy leaping at water bugs.

She darted back up the river bank and up onto Beatrix's shoulder as they made their way back into Newtown.

***

The Hungry Eye Diner had been converted from an ancient saloon that had been in Paradise Rift since the late 1800's. They had decided to keep the odd memento from the original establishment but had otherwise gutted the building, lighting it with fluorescent tubing and covering up the old wooden floorboards with sticky gray linoleum. Herbie was surprised to find that despite the outdated design of the diner, it was kitted out with charging stations at each table, free Wi-Fi and a VPN to boot.

One look at the town square and it was easy to tell that all of the businesses had undergone a similar facelift. Where small family-owned businesses had once stood for decades, there were now the same corporate-owned chain stores that Herbie knew from Washington, D.C. and across the rest of the United States.

Beatrix buttoned up her bulky coat all the way before entering the diner and made a makeshift nest for Goji beneath it, stashing her away and out of sight like contraband. Goji was less than accommodating of the arrangement, constantly sticking her head out of the coat's collar, much to the surprise of the patrons of The Hungry Eye Diner.

When the hot chocolate arrived, Beatrix glugged hers down hurriedly. Whether it was because of Goji's restlessness or the uncomfortable glares from the new Paradise Rift residents that filled the diner for their late Saturday morning breakfast, Herbie couldn't say.

"Your ma should be up by now. We shouldn't leave her wandering 'round the house alone all day," she said, though Herbie could see she would have used any excuse available.

"What's with all the weird looks we're getting?" Herbie couldn't help but ask.

Beatrix pushed her empty cup toward the middle of the table, "I'm not too popular around here these days."

"But you're just a sweet old lady," Herbie winked.

"I'm not that old, boy. Now finish up your drink; let's not stay here any longer than we ought'a," Beatrix nodded, pointing to Herbie's half emptied cup of hot chocolate.

Peering around and meeting a few sideways glances from some of the townsfolk, he decided to take his grandma's advice and glug down his drink. They were clearly unwelcome there.

Before he knew it, they were back out in the cold and cycling home, Goji happily perched on Beatrix's shoulder. From the diner, they took the most western road around the edge of Newtown before circling back on the route that led home.

As they reached the turn to head back toward the house, Beatrix decided to suddenly stop without warning, nearly launching the unsuspecting Goji from her perch. Herbie had fallen behind her because his arms and bashed up knee were getting painful, and it took a moment to catch up to where she had parked herself.

She was staring out at an old dirt road that had been cleared from the bits of brown desert brush that had survived winter. At the end of the road, an old church nestled against some tough brush hedges. Despite having seen its fair share of sun and sandstorms, it still beamed its former glory.

Only a few slate tiles speckled its arched roof, revealing the faded whitewashed wooden beams beneath. Steep stained glass windows lined either side, although only a few stubborn shards still held true.

The sun-beaten whitewashed wooden beams that made up its walls were cracked and holed, letting the desert sand blow through. Even from the end of the road, Herbie could hear the whistling wind take deep breaths in and out of the dilapidated building, playing it like a bagpipe.

Miraculously, the churchyard still held its beauty, and despite the desert's endless attempts to reclaim the land, the white picket fence cordoning off the area still stood strong. It seemed to have recently received a fresh coat of whitewash. The lawn was a patchwork quilt of dry and green grass, ravaged by the ongoing drought, but it was neatly manicured with no sign of weeds or invasive desert succulents.

Red and yellow flowers had been strategically planted to be both beautiful and resilient in the oscillating Nevadan heat and cold, and cacti larger than Herbie had ever seen rested along the fence like green pointed guardians standing upright amongst the shrubbery. Herbie squinted and made out several granite gravestones lining its northernmost perimeter.

The immaculate churchyard in contrast with the dilapidated church was something to behold, and Herbie had assumed Beatrix had simply stopped to take in its beauty. Herbie noticed that even Goji seemed calm in the wake of its grandeur, sniffing the cool air and letting her eyelids droop lazily. But, turning to his grandma, he could see pain in her eyes that seemed so ingrained that he didn't dare question it.

"This place sure is roached out! What happened here, Grandma?" Herbie asked.

But Beatrix was a million miles away, completely entranced by the image before her. He gave her a moment and looked around, but turning just left of the churchyard was an image that his eyes couldn't believe.

"What on earth is that!" Herbie exclaimed, pointing to a massive construction site. Two large cranes bowed over it, and a variety of heavy-duty vehicles were parked alongside them. A massive signboard had been erected beside the site, reading OSIRIS CORP with the symbol of an ankh beneath the lettering and a warning: CONSTRUCTION SITE — PRIVATE PROPERTY — NO TRESPASSING

Beatrix shook the weariness from her face. "That was once the Henderson pig ranch. What it is now is a monstrosity. Promise me you'll never go in there Herbie, now or ever."

Herbie squinted at Beatrix, trying to figure out just what she meant. But Beatrix's face was a stone wall that said "this is not up for discussion."

"Um, sure Grandma, I promise," Herbie smiled, wondering if his grandma's old age was wearing her mind away into madness.

Beatrix stared at him long and hard, but right through him at the same time. The wind played a haunting song through the church's broken wooden beams as she inspected him—it was enough to creep anyone out.

"Let's not leave Mom waiting," Herbie said through a forced smile.

Beatrix turned back to the construction site. "You're going to grow up in a scary world, my boy. I just hope I'm here with you to guide you through it."

Herbie got back on his bicycle to try and hurry her along. "I'll be fine, Grandma, and with all this exercise I've been doing, I'll be strong enough to fight anyone who tries to chance their fortune with me," he winked, pushing himself off and starting down the street.

"It's your soul that'll need to grow strong," Beatrix whispered to herself before mounting her bicycle and following Herbie, Goji squealing with glee as wind brushed her face.

***

"Right onto Steadfast Grove, that's us," Beatrix called ahead to Herbie who had maintained some distance from her since they had set off from the old church building.

"Right-o!" Herbie called back, and turned his bike down the road.

Our street's called Steadfast Grove? There isn't a tree in sight! Herbie thought to himself.

Beatrix sped up to meet him as they turned the corner. They could make out the old two-story just down the road. As they approached, they noticed three figures standing in the empty lot opposite the house—a boy, a girl, both with the same sandy blond hair, and a rather glum looking golden retriever lying on the ground by their feet. They seemed to be searching the horizon, out toward the desert, barely noticing Herbie and Beatrix ride up behind them.

Beatrix gracefully came to a stop on the side of the road while Herbie slammed on his brakes forcefully, skidding and stopping too fast, letting the bicycle fall out from underneath him, but getting his footing just in time so as to not completely fall over.

The teens jerked and snapped around as the sound of scraping metal on asphalt shot out across the empty lot. Herbie freed his ankle where the bicycle hung onto him and awkwardly stepped to its side, trying not to seem like a complete idiot. He looked up at the two of them, then down at their dog, and they in turn watched him, seeming somewhat confused with the way he wrestled with the bicycle.

Beatrix marched toward them, Goji sensing her tension and bolting ahead of her to growl at the two teens and their dog.

"What are you kids doing here?" she reprimanded, "I've made it clear, I don't want anything to do with no Light Seekers, so you can go back to whoever sent you and tell 'em the same!"

Herbie sheepishly came up behind Beatrix, realizing that the teens must have been roughly the same age as him and cringing at his grandma's embarrassing outburst.

"Not here on official business, ma'am!" the boy replied dutifully, but Herbie sensed it might have been an act. "The boys from Humboldt County Animal Control have been snooping around our house this morning, but wouldn't release any details. My sister and I thought we'd do some recon for ourselves."

He paused and inspected Goji darting around the retriever, "That's a pretty neat fox you got there."

"I just wanted to go for a walk—I'm not with him," the girl inserted sharply, gesturing at the boy.

"Animal Control?" Beatrix gulped, looking down at Goji terrorizing the teen's fur rug of a retriever—but soliciting little response from the lazy mutt.

"Come on, Goji, best you get inside," she continued, "Don't let me catch you near my house again, ya hear!" she reprimanded before retreating back to her bicycle, Goji squealing a sigh of reluctance to leave her new friend.

Herbie took the opportunity to do some damage control. "Don't mind her, she's just a little paranoid. I'm sure you guys aren't really Light Seekers," he smiled.

"Member Hollis Andrews, entry-level Light Seeker! For now at least," the boy grinned, sticking out his hand, "This is my twin sister, Member Brenda Lee, and our loyal hound, Lazy Sam," he concluded, tugging on the retriever's lead, much to the hound's dismay.

Herbie shook Hollis's hand warily before turning to his sister.

"So you're the new kid?" she asked bluntly.

Herbie furrowed his eyebrows, "Um... yeah, I guess so."

"So it is true?" Hollis asked.

Herbie furrowed his brow at the question, "Is, um, what true?" Herbie replied, trying to maintain a smile.

The boy's eyes lit up, "You're starting at Seker High on Monday?"

"Um, yeah," Herbie replied unsurely.

A huge smile burst across the boy's face, and, suddenly, Herbie found himself in his embrace, being lifted into the air and spun around.

"Woohoo!" screamed the boy, "We're not the new kids anymore!"

Brenda Lee watched on with a deadpan expression.

"You're being rude, Hollis," she hissed.

"Don't mind her. she gets real snappy when I get overexcited, but can you blame me? We've been waiting for this day for three years!" Hollis burst out with joy, placing Herbie back on the ground.

"Excuse my brother, he's the world's oldest kindergartener," Brenda Lee said apathetically.

"Um, okay ..." Herbie replied, unsure of the two of them, then turned to Hollis, "What do you mean you've been waiting for this day?"

"No one likes the new kid, especially the weirdos in this town," Brenda Lee interjected.

"Yep! And that's been us since our dad brought us here three years ago from Florida," Hollis continued.

A deep sense of dread spawned in Herbie's gut, "Oh... that seems strange. It was the same back in Washington, D.C., but three years seems a little overboard."

"That's because we're not real Light Seekers," Brenda Lee replied, rolling her eyes.

"We are too!" Hollis blurted at his sister, "We just haven't been at it for as long the rest of them. But once we're no longer the new kids, they'll have to bump us up to Acolyte level, and then they'll have no choice but to like us."

Brenda Lee turned to Herbie, "I'm just playing along. It takes patience to listen to a bunch of crazies, but it takes skill to pretend you're listening."

Herbie cleared his throat. "I'm not joining the Light Seekers," he reluctantly spoke, "My grandma says they're a bunch of whackadoodles."

Hollis's face turned to a look of utter shock and horror while Brenda Lee smiled and shook her head, "Everyone in this town is a Light Seeker, well, anybody who doesn't want to spend their lives on the outskirts of society," she replied sassily, "I think it's ridiculous, but I'm not dumb enough to go against the whole town. Do yourself a favor, sign up as soon as you get to school on Monday, and just play along with the whack jobs."

"We're not whack jobs!" Hollis spat, "We're uncovering the secrets of our Galactic Brethren!"

Brenda Lee raised her eyebrows as if to say, "see what I mean."

"The surest sign there is intelligent life out there in the universe is that it hasn't tried to contact a bunch of loonies like the Light Seekers," she sighed.

The dread in Herbie's stomach grew tenfold. "So you guys came all the way out here just to make sure I would join your UFO searchers group so that you wouldn't be the bottom feeders anymore?"

"Negatory! We came out here for recon," Hollis announced, "It's not like Humboldt officials to come through this way—Light Seeker business is top secret. So if Don allowed them through here, it must be something big! Possibly a Chupacabra, or maybe even the Galactic Brethren themselves!"

"Plus, we don't live far," Brenda Lee shrugged, "We're Oldtowners, Dad isn't one of the broke bankers that followed Don to Paradise Rift. He bought an old farmhouse just up the road after his... encounter."

"Broke bankers?" Herbie puzzled.

"Oh yeah, most of the Light Seekers followed Don here when they lost everything in The Big Crash. Desperate people make easy pickings," Brenda Lee noted, "But not our Dad. He managed to go crazy all on his own."

"He's not crazy! He was abducted by the Grays!" Hollis hissed at his sister.

"Sorry to interrupt, but who's this Don guy you keep talking about?" Herbie inquired.

"You haven't heard of Don Balcom!" Hollis exclaimed, "He's the Grand Magus of the Light Seekers! The master of encounters!"

"He owns this town," Brenda Lee interjected, "He lives in the mansion by the spring."

"That's who lives there!" Herbie exclaimed, "I just came from there—it's the last thing I expected to find in this place."

"That's 'cause Don's super rich and super smart. It was the aliens who made him like that. He says that if you follow him, you'll get your own mansion one day, too. I'm gonna have a roller coaster in mine," Hollis beamed.

Herbie shot a desperate look at Brenda Lee, who rolled her eyes in return. Even Lazy Sam let out a long, sluggish sigh.

Herbie dropped his shoulders and wearily shook his head, "This is all a lot to take in."

Hollis pressed his lips together as his eyes set with empathy, "I know ... 'Herbie' was it?"

Herbie nodded.

"I know what you mean, Herbie. It's taken a while for us to get used to it. But you'll get there. Maybe with me to guide you, you can get to Acolyte level in a couple of months."

Herbie tilted his head, trying to find the silver lining in all of this, "So you guys try to find aliens?"

"And absorb their knowledge!" Hollis added.

Herbie nodded, "Well, I did see something strange last night. I'm not sure if they were aliens though, but it might explain what Animal Control was doing around here."

Hollis's eyes sparkled with excitement, "What happened?" he whispered as though they were discussing forbidden knowledge.

"I heard weird noises last night while I was trying to sleep," Herbie began, triggering an ever wider grin on Hollis's face, "Like... chanting, somewhere off in the distance. But when I looked outside, all I could see were these lights in the sky, six of them, dashing all over the place."

"The lights!" Hollis burst with excitement.

"But it gets weirder," Herbie continued, enjoying how eager Hollis was to hear more, "Suddenly, the lights shot down from the sky and went zipping up the street and out of sight!"

"No way!" Hollis exclaimed.

Brenda Lee just smirked and shook her head, making it clear that she saw no truth in what Herbie was saying.

"Totally!" Herbie smiled back, "Next thing I know, there's a woman running down the street! She had brown curly hair and had torn right through her own clothes with her nails and into her skin. It was crazy!"

At that, Brenda Lee perked up, "That's ... weird."

Herbie leaned forward toward them, "I followed her into the desert."

"No way!" Hollis erupted, "What happened out there?"

Herbie leaned back and sighed as he shook his head, the memory still ethereal and dreamlike, completely terrifying at the same time.

"It's hard to say, it was so dark, I could barely see a thing, but I'll tell you this—I followed a woman into the desert, but what I met out there was no human."

Hollis leaned right forward, hanging on his every word, while Brenda Lee feigned disinterest despite a twinkle of curiosity shining in the corner of her eye.

"A... Chupacabra?" Hollis dared.

Herbie shook his head, stretching out the moment for maximum suspense, "I think it was... a werewolf!"

After a brief pause, the twins burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha, ohhh, you had us there for a sec!" Hollis spewed through a giggling fit.

Brenda Lee leaned down and slapped her knee, "I was just trying to play it cool, but I totally fell for it."

Herbie folded his arms disappointedly as the twins took their sweet time gaining their composure. Brenda Lee was the first to realize that Herbie had not intended the statement to be a joke.

"You're... serious?" she smiled in disbelief.

Herbie shrugged, "It's the only thing that makes sense to me. What happened to the woman if she didn't turn into a ..." Herbie paused as he heard the words coming out of his own mouth and immediately regretted saying them.

"Well, she didn't turn into a werewolf!" Hollis laughed, "If anything, the Chupacabra that the Animal Control boys were looking for got her."

"Like that's any more plausible!" Herbie argued.

Suddenly, Brenda Lee's face went deadly serious, "Hold on, how old was this woman?"

"I dunno, maybe late twenties? Pale and skinny," Herbie shrugged.

A grave look came across both Hollis's and Brenda Lee's faces.

Brenda Lee turned to her brother, "That sounds like..."

"Shush!" Hollis interrupted, "That's next level talk. You've already said too much as it is."

Herbie watched the interaction more confused than ever, "What is it?" he asked.

"Listen, Herbie, there are some things that we're not supposed to discuss with outsiders. But don't worry, I'll help you sign up for the Light Seekers on Monday and then we can talk all about it," Hollis replied.

Herbie gave him a skew smile, "Um, yeah, I'll think about it."

"You'll be saving yourself a lot of trouble by just biting down and going along with it," Brenda Lee added then grabbed Lazy Sam's leash from her brother, "Come on Sammy!" she called down to the retriever.

Lazy Sam grunted back at her then raised himself off the road with as little effort as he could muster.

"We'll see you Monday!" Hollis called as he turned to leave.

"Yeah, see you then," Herbie replied, picking up his bicycle and watching them go.

"Animal Control..." he pondered to himself as he stared out into the desert, wondering what it could have been that he'd met out there. "I think I've found another clue."

Herbie wheeled his bicycle across the road to the barn, staring down at the worn and dusted tar, trying to digest everything he had just learned.

Lost in thought as he rolled the bicycle along the barn's oil stained concrete floor, he bumped the front tire against a tattered cardboard box, held together by layer after layer of brown packaging tape. The lid had been left open, although a tarp had been thrown over it to keep the dust out. Kneeling down to inspect the curious package, Herbie noticed a pair of dusty white earphones dangling from the side of the box. His heart leaped at the promise of technology, throwing the tarp off the box and revealing a cluttered collection of old books and ornaments.

Herbie grabbed at the earphones and followed the cables through the various odds and ends until finally coming upon a chunky white rectangular device with an old-school grayscale screen and a circular dial.

"What in the world?" Herbie said aloud, running his fingers over the white plastic and rubber on the device's front side and the scratched steel of its back plate. He squeezed it in his hands, smiling at how chunky and sturdy the device was—a true relic from a time before all tech was sleek and fragile.

In the clutter of the cardboard box, Herbie spotted a white cable that fit perfectly into the power port at the bottom of the device, while the other end was fitted with a two-prong plug. He punched the device's center button, but it gave no response.

"Must need a charge. But what could it be?" he asked himself, secretly hoping it was some relic of a gaming console that could quench his thirst for video games.

He gathered up his findings and stuffed them into the pockets of his coat, moving with an extra spring in his step to get back to his room as fast as possible. But it didn't take long before his sudden burst of curiosity and excitement gave way to the sense of impending doom that his conversation with the twins had left with him. He had figured there'd be a couple of Light Seekers around after running into Tabatha, but the whole town! Paradise Rift was going to be a living nightmare.

Just stay positive, Herbie, he thought to himself as he made his way to the porch, doing his best to shove his fears down into the bottom of his pockets, alongside his new toy. He pushed open the front door and heard Grandma Beatrix muttering into the landline in the next room. He entered the modest living room. The emerald-colored curtains were drawn, shrouding the room in shadows. The lounge was adorned with tattered green sofas from a bygone era and speckled with ceramic ornaments on every free tabletop and mantle. Dust tickled his nose, carried on thick air that tasted like wood varnish.

Beatrix was hanging up the phone as Herbie stepped through the door. Her face was pale and her eyes murky and distant.

"Grandma?" Herbie asked, sensing the aura of grief radiating off of her.

She turned her head up to look at him, but seemed to be staring right through him.

"Is something wrong?" he continued.

She ran her bottom lip across her teeth as she thought, trying to find the words to say.

"It's nothing, boy. Just some bad news about an old friend," she nodded.

"Oh..." Herbie muttered, unsure whether to pry further, "Is Mom up?" he asked.

"I'll check on her in a moment, I just need to sit down."

She slowly waddled over to the sofa, her age now showing without the support of her wild spirit to keep her standing. His heart became heavy as he watched her, his empathy absorbing her apparent pain.

"Anything you want to talk about, Grandma?" he attempted, trying to figure out how to get back the person he had just been cycling around town with.

"No, no. I just need a minute. Go wash up and I'll make you and your Mom a sandwich," she tutted without looking up at him.

"Okay, Grandma," Herbie nodded, waiting a moment before leaving, hoping she would say something to reveal what pained her so.

Someone's dead, he thought to himself as he made his way to the bathroom—alien lights, werewolf women, crazy cults, and dying friends.... What have you got yourself into Herbie? This is one strange town.

# Chapter Two

##  Seker High

The denim curtains drawn across Herbie's bedroom window blocked out the morning sun almost entirely, with only thin blades of light slicing into the room from its edges. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he winced from the muscle cramps that were taking up residence in his legs. He let out a deep breath before a wave of terror crashed into him.

There was something amiss in the room. He could feel a presence, someone watching over him. His heart began to pound in his chest as he made out a shadowy figure standing by the door—a person, a woman. He had felt this way before, out in the desert, as the woman he had chased transformed into a monstrous clump of shadows.

She was back to finish what she had started.

He slowly reached for the edge of the curtain, doing his best not to move too much and risk triggering some sort of an attack. Then, in a lightning fast tug, he pulled the edge of the curtain, letting the morning sun burst into the room, illuminating the shadows where evil lay in wait.

"Herbert?" his mother questioned drowsily.

Herbie let out the breath that had locked itself in his lungs, "Mom! You scared the bejeebers out of me!"

"Where are we, Herbert?" she pleaded, suddenly seeming lost in the middle of the room.

Herbie eased his way out of bed and walked up to her, grabbing her hand, "We're at Grandma's house. Don't you remember packing up the house in D.C.? The cross-country trip on the Hyperloop?"

"Gr...Grandma's house?" she pondered for a second before her eyes sank into the back of her head and her face dropped in sadness, "Of course... Grandma's house."

"It's my first day of school tomorrow. Want to help get prepared?' Herbie smiled, doing his best to raise her spirits.

Preparing for a new school year was one of the few things Herbie and his mother had done together in Washington, D.C., one of the few times she had truly been a mother to him, and he hoped that this could be a way of getting her back on track.

But she was unresponsive. A tear dropped from her left eye as she stared right through her son, the cocktail of pills she had lived on since her husband's passing receding momentarily from her mind to allow the painful memories to come flooding back.

"Are you okay, Mom? Want me to get you anything?" Herbie attempted.

"Is your grandma taking good care of you?" she whispered as though the words were choking her.

It was like talking to a poorly-programmed chat bot. Her responses were delayed, off topic, artificial, yet desperately trying to be human.

Herbie swallowed hard as he tried to act as though everything was normal, "She's great, Mom, she's been showing me around the town. Teaching me how kids in small towns live. It's been... interesting."

But it didn't seem as though she was listening. Her eyes were aimed between the curtains, watching the endless desert, trying to understand where she was.

"You wanna go lie down?" he tried again.

She perked up suddenly, smiled. The pills were taking hold again. She gazed around the room with a dopey, glazed-over glare, soaking it in for a moment before turning and disappearing down the hallway, leaving Herbie lost and alone.

"Feel better, Mom," he called after her, not knowing what else to say.

***

Herbie spent the rest of Sunday preparing for school. Beatrix had done her best to mask the sadness that was eating away at her, distracting herself by ensuring that Herbie had everything he would need for school. She had taken the liberty of unpacking an old backpack from storage and filling it with writing books and a pencil case loaded with new stationery. Herbie's mom had spent the rest of the day in bed, Grandma Beatrix bringing her all her meals and clearing out the old plates still covered in barely touched food. Beatrix had suggested he check on her throughout the day, but his interaction with her that morning had left him with a sick feeling in his stomach, and frankly, he had enough on his mind.

Starting high school a term late would have set off his nerves in any case, but now he had no idea what to expect with all this talk of the Light Seekers. Herbie's only escape from his maddening anxiety had come as somewhat of a surprise—the white rectangular device, or iPod as he had discovered after powering it up, had offered a much needed emotional release.

Sticking the earphones in his ears, he had set the playlist to shuffle, but after listening to the first track he decided to put it on repeat. In black pixelated letters the grayscale screen read: Jimi Hendrix — All Along the Watchtower.

Never in his life had Herbie heard something so beautiful, so full of meaning. Herbie had shied away from music in D.C.; the algorithmic techno-pop of the latest Pop-AI was just a bunch of noise to him, despite their massive fandoms across the world. But this, Herbie couldn't help but feel like Jimi was singing just for him—much like the Joker, Herbie needed to get out of here, he was confused, he needed relief. Herbie had wished that the thief had given the joker some more specific advice, something that he could have used to escape the confusion in his life.

In a trance of obsession, he had spent more hours than he would care to admit pacing up and down his room, Hendrix playing on repeat, walking to the bathroom, inspecting himself in the mirror, fiddling with his compass then returning to his pacing.

"It can't be as crazy as Hollis and Brenda Lee made it out to be. They must just be fed up with not fitting in," he had told his reflection several times throughout the day.

Herbie had been forced to stash the iPod away when Beatrix called him down to dinner, still unsure if he had broken some sort of house rule by taking it in the first place. It couldn't have been hers, as she didn't seem like the type to get lost in such psychedelic sounds. This left only one likely candidate as its original owner, someone Herbie didn't care to talk about—his father.

After dinner, Grandma Beatrix had helped him pick out an outfit of blue jeans, a white V-neck shirt and a blue bomber jacket. She had instructed Herbie to dry-scrub the dust and dirt off his sneakers, all the while taking every opportunity to mention that she was perfectly capable of trimming back his shaggy brown hair, but if he'd prefer she would take him to the barber shop after school. Herbie thanked her for her offer each time, but insisted that the barber probably knew best.

After brushing his teeth, discovering the taps had ran dry and being forced to rinse his mouth with some three day old OJ in the fridge, he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, "All Along the Watchtower" playing in his ears, blocking out the creaks and groans that the wind beat into the house. That night it was his thoughts bouncing around his head that kept him from sleep.

He tossed and turned all through the evening, wondering if he would ever fit into this strange little town, especially when his own grandma seemed to be its greatest rebel. Did he even want to fit in with a bunch of nutjobs? Was his destiny to live as a hermit in the spooky house on the edge of town, or worse yet, become an Acolyte in some alien-worshipping cult?

He missed his friends back in Washington, D.C.; they were so easy to deal with. It was as simple as slapping on a VR headset and slashing through werewolves together in Rouge et Noir—it didn't matter what you believed, as long as you could wield a virtual sword. In fact, he had barely ever said a word to any of them other than barking commands at them.

But as he lay, his subconscious began pulling ideas out of the ether and into the swirling chaos of insecurities occupying the forefront of his thoughts. The blood on his hand, Tabatha's care package, Beatrix's sudden switch in demeanor after her phone call and Humboldt County Animal Control. As though his mind had been secretly calculating the algebra of reality, it spat out a harrowing answer to the equation of evidence—x = death.

He gulped at his mind's accusation as it meant that in some way, he had played a role in someone's demise on Friday night and it would now be his obligation to come forward with the information. Not exactly how he wanted to introduce himself to his new hometown. These thoughts pestered him all through the night and when the sun finally rose, he couldn't tell if he had got any sleep at all. Nonetheless, he was washed and dressed before Beatrix had got out of bed to put the oatmeal on the stove.

"You scared the living daylights out of me!" Beatrix yelped as she walked into the kitchen and saw Herbie sitting at the kitchen table, turning his compass this way and that, "What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," Herbie replied without looking up.

"It's perfectly natural to be anxious about your first day of high school, especially seeing as you don't know anyone there. But don't you worry, you'll make plenty friends in no time," Beatrix smiled reassuringly.

Herbie sighed, "Oatmeal for breakfast?"

"You betcha!" Beatrix winked as she turned and lit the old stove.

Whatever news she had heard on the phone that had upset her, she was clearly determined not to let on that it was still eating away at her. But Herbie wasn't going to let the silence on the matter continue any longer.

"Grandma, there's something I didn't tell you about what happened out in the desert on Friday night," he spoke severely.

"Oh, not this again..." she sighed.

"No, Grandma, this is serious. When I came back into the house on Friday night, there was a drop of blood on my hand. I think, whatever I saw out there, and I'm not saying it was a werewolf, though I'm not saying it wasn't, but I think it killed someone. I think that someone was your friend," he confessed.

Beatrix dropped her head wearily and placed the spoon she had been stirring the oatmeal with on the pot handle and walked over to Herbie. She leaned down at his side and rolled up his jeans, revealing his scraped up knee.

"There's your culprit. You must have rubbed some blood off your scratch onto your hand," Beatrix smiled.

Herbie considered this explanation. He had tried to inspect the knee after he scraped it. Perhaps he was just jumping to conclusions. But that didn't explain why Tabatha was bringing someone a care package, most likely the family of the deceased, or why Animal Control was snooping around the very place where he had discovered the beast.

"Your brain is all mixed up from those games of yours. How often did you play them?" Beatrix questioned.

"Maybe ... four hours a day. All day on weekends," Herbie admitted.

A grim look sank into Beatrix's face as she shook her head, "Where were your parents? How could they have allowed such a thing?"

Herbie shrugged, having never really thought about it.

"Mom and Dad always had their own things going on. Mom liked shopping, and socializing, and Dad... worked, I guess. He never really spoke much, I never really asked."

Beatrix lifted herself back onto her feet and shook her head, "It's going to take a few weeks for your head to come right, boy. You're trying to fit together puzzle pieces of a picture that just don't exist. But don't worry, your grandma's here to keep an eye on you."

Herbie wasn't sure if his grandma was right or in denial. Her reluctance to discuss her phone call was clear, but was it enough for her to outright disregard everything Herbie was saying? Once breakfast was prepared, Herbie slurped it down without much interest and then packed away his pencil case into his backpack. He slung it over his back and made his way to the door.

"So where is this place?" Herbie asked, turning back to Grandma Beatrix with his hand on the door handle.

"Don't worry, I'll ride in with you," Beatrix replied from the other room.

Herbie ran back into the kitchen, "You can't! Everyone will laugh at me if I show up with my grandma!"

Beatrix scowled at him, "Ashamed of your own grandma—my goodness Herbie Hunter, I thought you were better than that."

"It's not like that, Grandma! It's just... you don't know how mean kids can be, I need to make a good first impression," Herbie replied desperately.

Beatrix shrugged and turned to leave the room, "All the best finding the school on your own then. I'm going to get washed up. If you're still here when I'm done, I'll take a ride in with you."

Herbie let his backpack drop and sighed deeply to himself. He pulled up a chair at the kitchen table and waited for his grandma to get ready. He took the twenty-odd minutes to calm himself down.

"New town, new start," he reminded himself as he sat at the table, biting his fingernails in anticipation.

Even in just fourteen years of life, Herbie had realized that staying positive and finding the silver lining in a situation could get him through anything. Letting the game get to you would only cause more frustration and make things more difficult. You had to keep your head clear if you had any chance of solving the puzzles. Suddenly, he felt disappointed that he had allowed himself to get worked up into such a state.

By the time Beatrix reemerged, Herbie had managed to summon a smile onto his face and maybe even a little excitement into his heart.

"Ready to go?" Beatrix tested.

"Sure am!" Herbie beamed and made his way to the door.

It wasn't long before the two of them were on their bicycles and passing into Newtown. They rode past the endless complexes of monotonously compressed houses and into the town square filled with chain stores and out the other end back into makeshift suburbia. Eventually the school building appeared through the neat rows of dwellings. It was two stories tall, with a big clock face glaring out from on top of its front entrance with the words "Seker High School" emblazoned above it in large cold concrete letters.

"This used to be an elementary school the size of my house. Middle and high schoolers would have to take a bus to the next town over," Beatrix noted as they rode up, "But the state, with the persuasion of a certain property developer, added on the high school when Newtown was built. Guess that works out for you, don't it, boy."

By now Herbie had begun to work up a sweat and was having trouble catching his breath, "Can't say I'd mind taking the bus, Grandma," he panted as he rode.

Beatrix couldn't help but laugh, "Don't you worry; you'll be fit as a fiddle in no time if you keep this up!"

They rode up to the school building and pushed their bicycles into the parking rack beside the concrete pathway that led up to the entrance. Herbie looked up at the clock as they walked up the path, noting that it was still only a quarter past seven, a good forty-five minutes before class started.

"Let's see if we can find the principal and get you the grand tour," Beatrix smiled as they crossed the threshold into the reception area.

Herbie gulped as he took in his surroundings. The term "old school" had never been so apt. The interior of the school looked like something from a 90s sitcom rerun that Herbie might have watched when staying home sick from school. The floors were black and white checkered linoleum, and the walls were tan-colored compressed wood that, by the haphazard placement of nails within them, were raised in a hurry with little care for grace or finesse. The ceilings were white-painted chipboard that seemed as though a stiff wind might collapse it.

Herbie's school in Washington, D.C. had been a marvel of technological progression housed in a historic red-brick building with ivy climbing up its walls. The school had boasted a completely paperless system, taking advantage of smartboards, tablets, holograms and projectors to communicate lessons. Herbie had hardly picked up a pencil since the third grade.

Beatrix led Herbie up to the front desk where a spectacled woman in her late fifties sat scribbling notes into a series of files that lay strewn across her desk.

"Morning!" Beatrix announced with an unfamiliar cheeriness, "It's my Grandson's first day today, and I was wondering if he could meet the principal."

The receptionist pursed her lips together and inspected Beatrix. After a long awkward moment, she swiveled her head toward Herbie and scanned him up and down.

"Herbert Hunter?" she finally remarked.

"I prefer Herbie," he replied, trying to remain positive in the face of his nerves.

She squinted at Herbie for another uncomfortable moment before standing and turning to the matte-white door behind her, opening it up and screaming, "MR. WOODBRIIIDGE!" into the next room like a rooster at dawn. Herbie and Beatrix looked on in terror as they watched the scene unfold. They heard some scuffling and mumbling which somehow translated to the receptionist returning to her seat and continuing with her scribbling.

"He'll be with you in a moment," she said without looking up, "Please feel free to take a seat."

Herbie and Beatrix looked around and found a sofa built from pallets and reused cushions. They sat and smiled at each other, passing an apprehensive look in the mix that said, "Well this is odd." Moments later, a trout of a man flopped out into the reception. He stood in the doorway soaking up the scene, tilting his head so his stubby fin of an arm could reach an itch on the top of his balding scalp.

He had a severe underbite which pushed his lower lip forward in a most fishlike manner, and his wide-set eyes bulged big and white and seemed to be looking in both directions at the same time. He had no neck to speak of but rather several chins that cascaded down from below his lips like gills, until finally being noosed in by his tightly knotted red tie and stuffed into his white collar.

"Hunter, eh?" Mr. Woodbridge drawled as he began waddling over to where Herbie and Beatrix sat.

Herbie put on the politest smile he could and extended his hand, "Pleased to meet you, sir."

Woodbridge inspected his hand and then turned to Beatrix without bothering to shake it, "And you are?"

Beatrix squinted at the man doing little to hide her immediate dislike for him, "I'm Herbie's gran, Beatrix."

"Beatrix Hunter? I should have known," Woodbridge gurgled.

"My reputation precedes me, it seems," Beatrix mocked. Woodbridge's lip quivered at her insolence.

He turned to Herbie, "Come along then, Herbert, I'll show you where you need to go," then turning back to Beatrix, "Have a nice day, Ms. Hunter."

"I'd also like to see the school," Beatrix insisted.

"There will be parent-teacher evenings for that sort of thing, I assure you, but for now we should focus on getting Herbie settled in."

"I'll be alright, Grandma," Herbie reassured.

Much to Herbie's surprise, Grandma Beatrix pulled him in close for a hug. Not used to this sudden affectionate side to his grandma, Herbie did his best to return her stiff embrace.

"He's one of them," she whispered into his ear, "Don't let him get into your head."

She released her grasp and grabbed Herbie by the shoulders, taking one last look at him. He nodded to her to confirm that he understood.

"I don't have all day, Herbert, let's get moving," Mr. Woodbridge croaked.

"Yes, sir," Herbie replied, turning and waving to his grandma, his face fraught with worry.

Mr. Woodbridge led Herbie out of the reception and into the school corridors.

"These are the elementary and middle school classes. You'll notice that they take up very little of the school due to its terribly low attendance," Woodbridge announced down the empty corridor with varnished wooden doors lining its walls.

"Why is that?" Herbie couldn't help but ask.

Woodbridge stopped, flopped his gills left, then right and continued down the corridor, "I suppose it is because we're a young town with a relatively low population. We must wait for a degree of 'coupling' to occur before we can usher in a new generation to fill up the classes."

Herbie pouted as he decoded what Woodbridge was getting at, then shivered as his thoughts clicked into place. Eeuw!

"You'll be shuffling on through here, no need for you to be too concerned. This way now," Woodbridge continued as they approached a staircase. Just beyond was a pair of blue swing doors.

"Through there is the field where you'll be spending recess. But first, let me show you where your classes will be held."

They slowly made their way up the stairs, Mr. Woodbridge inhaling deeply as he lifted each foot and then exhaling painfully as he set it down. After much more time than necessary, they found themselves in a second corridor much like the first.

"Freshman Algebra 1, English 1, Biology, and Introduction to Social Studies. Further down the corridor are the Spanish and French classes, Science and Doomsday 101. There are about sixty of you freshmen this year."

Herbie reeled his head back, "Doomsday, sir?"

"Yes, Doomsday. Follow me please," he confirmed, as though nothing was out of the ordinary about it.

He continued to dodder around the school at a snail's pace, each corridor more boring than the last. Eventually, they descended the stairwell and returned to the reception where he led Herbie to his office. It bore a striking resemblance to just about everything else in the school, other than a four foot portrait of a man with sparkling blue eyes, wisps of blonde-gray hair and a dashing white smile, fixed to the wall behind Mr. Woodbridge's desk.

Herbie squinted at the portrait as Mr. Woodbridge arranged a selection of forms out of his filing trays and drawers. His optimism was fading fast, the dull blank walls, the lack of sophistication, the sheer absurdity of the staff—he couldn't help but scheme a plan to go home and apply for the manned mission to Mars. He would lie about his age if he had to, but even the desolate face of the red planet would be better than this.

"Here is the code of conduct for you to sign, your elective subject list to fill out, and of course, your Light Seekers questionnaire. Be sure to take your time and think carefully with that last one lad, it's not to be taken too lightly," Mr. Woodbridge huffed, passing a stack of papers to Herbie.

Herbie flicked through the pages until he got to the Light Seekers form. The questions ranged from, "Why do you want to be a Light Seeker?" all the way to "Have you experienced an encounter of the third kind?"

Herbie's heart sank as he inspected the form. He looked up wearily at Mr. Woodbridge, "I'm not joining the Light Seekers, sir."

Mr. Woodbridge's fat lower lip went into a spasm of rage, making him look like a beached fish gasping for air.

"That is unfortunate, Hunter. I thought that with your previous prestigious education you might be a star scholar at this school. But it seems that your grandmother has spoiled that fine young mind."

Herbie had heard just about had enough, "You don't know anything about my grandma—she knows a lot more than you do fish-face!"

If Herbie hadn't seen it himself, he wouldn't have believed that Mr. Woodbridge's eyes could bulge any more than their natural setting. He leaned right over his desk to get his trout face right up to Herbie's.

"Well done, Hunter, you've managed to get yourself detention on your first day of school."

Herbie bit his lip as he realized how foolish he was being by letting his feelings get the better of him. He had never sat through a detention in his life. Mr. Woodbridge leaned back as he noticed how easily Herbie withdrew from his anger.

"I should mention that this is a highly sports-orientated school. The house which you represent in sporting events can have a significant effect on how your peers perceive you. I would usually wait until I have read a student's Light Seekers application to place them in their house ... but I think I have seen enough."

Herbie's eyebrows furrowed as he watched Mr. Woodbridge stand and begin pacing as his monologue continued.

"You're certainly no Sacred Ibis," Woodbridge commented, rubbing his chin and inspecting the portrait of the blond haired man on the wall, "They are the most committed to the Light Seekers, studying what information they may be privy to, attending every meeting and taking every opportunity to keep the community seeking the truth."

Herbie shrugged, they seemed like a bunch of weirdos anyway; perhaps he had dodged a bullet.

Woodbridge turned back to Herbie, inspecting him with his bulging eyes. "You might have made a good Blackstart with your academic record, but no Blackstart would ever be so foolish as to insult their own principal. They are too eager to excel to let their emotions get the better of them, and will do whatever it takes to do so."

Herbie thought about this one. Blackstart did seem like a good fit for him, but he didn't like how underhanded they sounded, that wasn't his way. Mr. Woodbridge may have been right in not placing him there. Woodbridge paced to the other end of the room as he continued to think.

"Judging by your scrawny physique, you're no match for Spurwing, that's a house for people who don't spend their lives in front of a television. And Nightjar, well, let's just say with that attitude I don't expect you'll be too popular around here and your tactlessness says little for your public speaking abilities. No, you are neither a Spurwing nor a Nightjar. That is for certain."

Herbie was losing his patience with this endless rant. Woodbridge had clearly come to his conclusion some time ago and was just using this as a way to insult him. But Herbie was careful not to let his emotions show again.

"What's left?" Herbie inquired in his most cheerful tone.

Woodbridge sat back down at his seat and inspected Herbie one last time.

"Sandgrouse, Hunter. You'll be a Sandgrouse."

The name certainly wasn't too appealing, but Herbie's curiosity was tempted, "And what kind of people are part of Sandgrouse?"

Woodbridge straightened his tie and pushed his lip out even further than it usually sat, "People... like you."

***

Herbie had been sent out into the reception area to fill out the rest of his forms and been told to hand them to the receptionist, Ms. Moseley. By ten past eight, he was being led with a timetable in hand to his first class of the day: English 1. He could feel everyone's eyes on him as Ms. Moseley led him into the classroom,

"Mrs. Bilge, this is the new student, Herbert Hunter," she announced as they entered.

A few whispered sniggers crept across the room, making Herbie feel all the more self-conscious.

"You can call me Herbie," he smiled, addressing the class, which only led to more sniggers.

Mrs. Bilge, a tall pencil of a woman with a pointed nose and short black hair, gestured to a seat at the back of the class.

"You can take a seat there for now, Herbie. We've begun learning some essay writing skills, so just take notes for now and we'll catch up after class, okay?"

Herbie nodded and found his seat. It didn't take long for him to notice Hollis in the back row waving at him like a madman with a disinterested Brenda Lee beside him.

"Hey Herbie," Hollis whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Herbie waved awkwardly at him, sat down and took out a writing book. It didn't take Herbie long to become bored with the class. Being used to digital displays and interactive learning programs, the process of writing everything out on a chalkboard and then parroting it back was agonizingly dull. By the time the class was over, Herbie's writing book was filled with more doodles than notes.

"That isn't a very good way to start out a new school year, Herbert," Mrs. Bilge preached as she leaned over Herbie's desk.

"Sorry, Mrs. Bilge," Herbie said glumly, "I've just got a lot on my mind. I'm from D.C. and this all so different and strange. I'll try to pay more attention. I promise."

Mrs. Bilge shook her head and told Herbie to scurry along, lest he be late for Algebra. As Herbie made his way to his next class, he noticed a group of students circled around some commotion in the corridor. As he approached the group, he felt a sudden tugging on his shoulder.

"I think we're in Algebra 1 together, Herb!" Hollis announced into Herbie's ear, pulling him away from the crowd.

Herbie was still unsure of Hollis, with his obsession with the Light Seekers and clear lack of social graces. In Washington, D.C., Herbie had been sure to pre-order every gaming system and every game that he could play on it, and so he was never short on friends who wanted to come over to his house—and he liked it. He had been, in some way, popular. He didn't want to throw himself at the bottom of the food chain on his first day of school by associating with a nobody.

"Uhhh, hold on," Herbie quickly quipped before turning and heading toward the crowd.

He could hear Hollis try to say something, but hurriedly pushed forward through the collision course of students finding their next class. As he approached the group he could see that they were circled around a boy, a sophomore with a Virtual Reality headset strapped to his head.

"Is that the OccuLord Ten!" Herbie cried out as he realized what he was looking at.

The commotion went suddenly still as the crowd stopped and turned to face him. The sophomore, with neat gelled jet black hair and the physique of an Olympian, lifted the headset off his face and revealed deep green, soul piercing eyes locked on Herbie.

"Who the heck are you, squirt?" he demanded.

Herbie hadn't meant to draw everyone's attention to himself and suddenly the group's gazes felt like they were burning into his skin.

"Oh... uh... sorry," Herbie replied, trying to get his bearings in the situation. He put on his bravest smile and reached out his hand, "Herbie Hunter."

The sophomore didn't seem too concerned with Herbie's hand and looked right past it, "What house are you in?"

Herbie pulled his hand back awkwardly and wiped it off on his pants as though that were the reason he had extended it, "I'm a Sand... grouse?"

The group shot loaded looks at one another then turned back to the boy in the middle of them. After a moment of deliberation, a smile came across the boy's face.

"You should have started with that! Herbie was it?" he announced happily, reaching down to grab Herbie's hand to shake it.

"That's me!" Herbie smiled.

"Darius, Darius Smullen. I'm part of Nightjar, but our houses are the best of friends," Darius replied with a big white-toothed smile.

Herbie sensed something off about Darius, especially in the way the rest of the group was watching him and one another with darting eyes. But there was something off about the whole town, and Herbie didn't want his preconceptions to interfere with him making new friends.

"So you know the OccuLord Ten?" Darius inquired, holding the headset in his hand in front of Herbie.

"Oh, yeah!" Herbie beamed, "I had the Nine back in D.C. with the full sensor-suit, motion-tracking, the works."

"You're from D.C.?" Darius smiled.

"Yeah, wasn't easy getting here though. Flew to Vegas, took the Hyperloop all the way to Winnemucca and had to autobus the rest of the way. Finally got here on Friday morning," Herbie replied.

"Oh, so it's your first day of school! Did old Woody give you the grand tour? Show you where the Grouse's like to hang out?"

"I didn't realize the Sandgrouses had a spot..." Herbie noted.

"Let me show you quickly," Darius responded, staring Herbie in the eye and through into his head with those piercing eyes.

"Maybe later, I've got Algebra ..."

"It'll just take a second, you're gonna love it!" Darius insisted.

Herbie thought about it a moment, inspected Darius' champion smile and friendly demeanor then shrugged, "Why not?"

Darius led him down the corridor toward the cafeteria that Mr. Woodbridge had pointed out earlier that day. Herbie couldn't help but notice in the corner of his eye that the group that had surrounded Darius earlier now trailed them from a distance.

"You play sports, Herbie?" Darius asked as they walked, interrupting Herbie's thoughts.

"Um, no, not really, I'm more of a gamer," Herbie replied, distracted as they exited the two blue swing doors and walked around the back of the cafeteria. Herbie noticed that the group that followed them out was even larger than before.

Herbie's curiosity finally won out, "Why are all those kids following us?" he asked, turning again to inspect the group.

"Don't mind them. Anyway, we're here. This is where people from Sandgrouse belong."

Herbie turned around to see what Darius was looking at.

"This is a dumpster," Herbie remarked.

The next thing Herbie knew, Darius and a bunch of other sophomores were lifting him up by his pants. They launched him over the side of the dumpster, sending him flying face first into the rotting trash within. He landed hard in the stinking mound filled with fermenting food scraps.

The group of thirty-odd onlookers burst into laughter.

"You like that trash-grouse!" Darius yelled with glee, bringing on a second wave of hysterical laughter from the crowd.

Herbie sat up in the trash, suddenly realizing the severity of his position. Mr. Woodbridge wasn't joking when he said that school houses made a big difference at Seker High. Being placed in Sandgrouse had been a punishment far worse than detention could ever be.

Herbie peered over the edge of the dumpster and felt his heart break. Half the school was there, all of them had erupted into a cheer led by Darius, "Trash-Grouse! Trash-Grouse! Trash-Grouse!"

All except one.

Somewhere in the madness, Herbie saw a girl with hair as black as a moonless night and big blue eyes like ocean pools reflecting the glorious midday sun. Every feature of her face was soft and flawless, and one look at her made the crowd melt away. She didn't even look at Herbie. She seemed more interested in how everyone around her was behaving, her eyes hinting at a deep analysis going on in her mind.

Suddenly her gaze shifted, her eyes locking on Herbie. He wanted to look away, but there was power in her stare. When she realized he was looking right at her, she frowned and shook her head, sending a ripple of shame coursing through him. Herbie didn't understand what the look was supposed to mean, but it made him feel like a worthless sack of meat.

Overcome by embarrassment, Herbie's body went limp and fell backwards as it accepted its place in the trash. He watched the flies buzz above him and heard the chanting fade as the crowd walked off to their classes. His heart was bursting to cry, but he wouldn't have it. You're better than that, Herbie. You're going to get this right, he told himself, trying to push down the pain.

"Need a hand there?" a voice called out from beside the dumpster.

Herbie lifted himself up and peeked over the side of the dumpster to see Brenda Lee with a crooked smile shaking her head. Just behind her, Hollis was sulking, clearly less eager to help.

"No, it's fine. I think I'll just die here. No point in carrying on," Herbie moaned.

Brenda Lee sighed at his patheticness. "Oh don't be a baby; you're not the first Sandgrouse to find themselves in a dumpster on their first day of school!" Brenda Lee turned to her brother, "Hollis! Quit your pouting and give us a hand here."

"He shouldn't have blown me off like that, Brend! I'm not helping," Hollis hissed.

"Do you want Dad to find out you were in the backyard searching for Chupacabras at three in the morning?" Brenda Lee replied, raising her eyebrow.

Hollis scowled at her, "I saw one, okay! Fine! I'll help the traitor."

Brenda Lee and Hollis reached out their hands to Herbie and clumsily helped lift him out of the dumpster. Once on his feet, Herbie inspected himself. His white shirt was smeared with some indeterminable brown and orange foodstuff, his white sneakers were scuffed with shades of green that had only otherwise been seen in septic tanks and he stunk like the Devil's armpits.

Brenda Lee and Hollis stared at him with twisted faces, reeling back their heads to keep a distance from the stench emanating from him.

"I thought a fancy kid like you might have gotten out of being a Sandgrouse. Let me guess, you didn't sign up to be a Light Seeker?" Brenda Lee asked.

"You might have been onto something with that whole, 'play along with loonies' idea," Herbie replied while doing his best to wipe himself off, but really only smearing the mess deeper into the threads of his clothes.

He looked up and saw the hurt and disappointment in Hollis's eyes and realized how foolish he had been.

"I'm sorry about earlier, buddy. I..." Herbie sighed, forcing himself to reflect on his own actions. "I thought that maybe I could ignore this whole Light Seekers thing and just carry on living the kind of life I had in Washington. You freaked me out the other day. But I'm sorry. I can see you're a decent guy."

Hollis let his shoulders drop and half-smiled at Herbie, "Yeah, I guess I can be a little intense sometimes."

Herbie smiled at him and nodded, "I think we're all super late for class."

Brenda Lee and Hollis shared a quick glance at each other and smiled.

"I don't think that will be a problem with ol' Mr. Badhira," Brenda Lee laughed.

***

Sneak in while Mr. Badhira has his back turned, tiptoe to our desks, the deaf old coot will never know a thing.

The plan seemed simple enough.

But Herbie and the twins had forgotten to take one thing into account, because even though Mr. Badhira had failed to hear the door to Algebra 1 open, or the giggles of the rest of the class as they saw the trio tiptoe toward their desks, he still stopped his chalking and snapped around as soon as Herbie entered the room.

His face started in shock and quickly bubbled in a blistering rage, "What are you doing slinking into my classroom twenty-minutes late! Who are you! And GOOD GRACIOUS! What is that smell?"

Herbie and the twins froze where they stood while receiving the lashing, the whole class glaring at them as they did so.

Eventually, Herbie stepped forward, "Sorry, sir. I had an... um... incident."

"What! Speak up, boy!" Mr. Badhira exclaimed.

"I said, I had an incident, sir!" Herbie repeated a little louder, triggering sniggers and chuckles from the rest of the class.

"Well, you've just had another, detention for all three of you!" Badhira spat.

Hollis let out an audible sigh while Brenda Lee shrugged it off and made her way to her seat. Herbie followed suit and found an open seat at the back of the class near the twins. He unpacked his pencil case and began rummaging around for an empty writing book. But reaching into his bag, he felt something unlike the other books, something smaller, dog-eared and worn.

He pulled it out to discover an old leather bound notebook with the words, "PRIVATE!", "KEEP OUT!" and, most notably, the title along the top, "EZEKIEL'S NOTEBOOK".

"What in the world..." Herbie whispered to himself as he ran his fingers along the worn leather. With as much care as he could muster, Herbie delicately turned the cover, revealing a bone-yellow, black-lined page with the words "AREA 51: A NEVADAN MYSTERY" written in big black underlined letters.

"Woah..." Herbie whispered to himself.

"You! Stinky boy!" Mr. Badhira called out to Herbie.

Herbie looked up and saw that everyone in the class had turned in their seats and were looking at him.

"It seems you know enough Algebra to not have to listen in my class. Why don't you come show us how smart you are," Mr. Badhira tempted.

Right then and there, Herbie couldn't have cared less about this silly school and its mean teachers, not with such a tantalizing mystery in his hands.

Still lost in thought, Herbie gazed around at the class then back at Mr. Badhira. "Um, yeah, sure," he muttered, then got up and walked to the front of the class.

With his mind still miles away, Herbie took a quick glance at the Algebra question chalked up on the board. He grabbed a piece of chalk and jotted down 'x = 5y', then placed the chalk back down.

Mr. Badhira inspected the answer, doing his best to hide his surprise, "No good, Smelly!" Mr. Badhira hissed, bringing the class into hysterics, "Where's your working out?"

Herbie dropped his shoulders and rolled his eyes, then picked up his chalk and began bracketing, crossing out, and heading sections of the equation in a flurry of chalk and blackboard. He lay down the chalk once more and turned to Mr. Badhira.

This time, Badhira nodded and looked genuinely impressed. "It seems your stench is only outdone by your Mathematical ability. Alright, my skunk-like friend, go sit down."

Herbie noticed the glances that darted between the students of his class, loaded looks that said; Who is this kid? What's his deal? Herbie couldn't care less—his mind was on other things.

While Mr. Badhira continued with the lesson in what Herbie was realizing to be more like pre-algebra in Washington terms, he surreptitiously inspected the notebook with meticulous care, raising his arm above the book to ensure the prying eyes of his classmates bared no witness to his clandestine findings.

The second page was a crudely drawn map showing Paradise Rift, well, the former Paradise Rift that consisted of little more than an old silver mine, the saloon and a bunch of sheep, pig and hay farms. Then, far on the bottom end of the page, pointing to its edge was an arrow marked "AREA 51".

Herbie had heard legends of the Nevadan air force base and its supposed connection to covering up UFO crashes and reverse engineered alien technology—but that was mere speculation. Documents pertaining to the work they did there had long been declassified and available to anyone curious enough to take a look.

Moving on, the notebook held diary entries telling of black Valacs with tinted windows, secretive army men in black suits traveling across Nevada from Area 51 to keep tabs on the tiny ghost town of Paradise Rift.

It seemed to raise more questions than answers...Did Grandma Beatrix purposefully place the notebook in my bag or had it been in there when she pulled it out of the attic? What is the significance of Area 51? And who on earth is Ezekiel? he pondered.

Herbie had barely noticed any time pass at all when the bell rang for recess. Suddenly broken from his trance of fascination, he quickly but inconspicuously tucked the notebook away into his backpack before anyone could see.

As he got up, Hollis grabbed his shoulder, "So you wanna come for dinner on Friday?" he asked, trying to hide the fact that the stench wafting off Herbie was enough to make him retch.

"You're being weird again, Hollis," Brenda Lee chimed in from behind him.

Herbie chuckled as they made their way out the door, "No, that's totally normal. Sounds like fun."

They made their way through the hustle and bustle of the corridor, down the stairwell and onto the field. They found a quiet spot at the foot of the bleachers and sat silently as the cool air whipped their faces.

"So the two of you just hang out together? No one else?" Herbie wondered, not used to spending recess in such seclusion.

"Well, like we said, we're the new kids," Hollis shrugged.

"Intelligent people have fewer friends," Brenda Lee did her best to defend with an air of forced superiority, "the smarter you are, the more selective you become."

"We're gonna feel real smart sitting in detention this afternoon," Hollis commented as they found a quiet spot on the edge of the field to sit.

"Makes no difference to me," Herbie laughed, "Mr. Woodbridge slapped me with an hour this morning."

Both Brenda Lee and Hollis's mouths dropped, "Detention before your first class!" Brenda Lee laughed, "What did you do?"

Herbie looked away, somewhat shy to admit the truth, "I called him fish-face," he replied under his breath.

Brenda Lee and Hollis fell on their backs with laughter.

"Well I'm glad someone said it!" Hollis chuckled.

Herbie was glad to see the twins enjoying his company. By the looks of things, they had really only had each other for a long time. But despite the sudden comfort they brought him, he couldn't deny the fear still bubbling in his stomach. It felt like he was playing Rouge et Noir, when the music suddenly changed tempo into an ominous chord, a trigger to set the tension and tell the player that evil was close.

Seker High had the same effect on him, put him on edge, and made him feel like he was being stalked by a werewolf. There was something just not right about the school and Newtown and the Light Seekers, something that he just couldn't shake.

"They're starting a game of SleightSoccer, careful they don't kick the ball at us again," Hollis mentioned glumly, looking over at the center of the field where a group of boys were separating into teams.

Herbie shook his head free of his worries and turned to see the game, "What's SleightSoccer?" he wondered aloud.

"You've never heard of SleightSoccer!" Hollis erupted, "It's huge in Humboldt County, but I hear they've got leagues all over the state. The Spurwing team played in Pershing County and won, but couldn't make it past the Churchill County semi-finals."

Herbie's curiosity was awakening, despite having never played a sport in his life—if there was a game to be played, he wanted to play it.

"Do you two play at all?" Herbie asked the twins.

"I'd like to," Hollis sighed, "But Sandgrouse doesn't have a team. We're not the sportiest bunch. Brend and I tried to practice at recess once, but the Spurwing sophomores pushed me over and stole our ball."

"Is everyone at this school a jerk?" Herbie asked, a bit fed up.

Brenda Lee rolled her eyes, "If you're a Sandgrouse, then yes, pretty much."

Herbie thought about this for a moment and quickly decided that things had to change. He was not going to spend the next four years of his life as the butt of everyone's joke.

"There isn't a game on earth that I can't crack. I'm gonna show them that a Sandgrouse can be just as good as anyone else," he announced, standing up and making his way to the center of the field.

Hollis gritted his teeth in fear.

"That's not a very good idea!" Brenda Lee called after him, but Herbie pretended not hear.

He approached the sideline of the field that the SleightSoccer players had cordoned off, using backpacks and lunch boxes to demarcate the sidelines and goals. He stood watching a moment, trying to decode the rules of the game. It had elements of soccer, basketball and handball. Herbie had watched the odd soccer or basketball game at his school in Washington, D.C. where students were expected to support the sports teams, even though he would have preferred to be at home on his PC or lost in a Virtual Reality world.

He began breaking down the rules like he would have in any video game. There were ten people to a team, with an eleventh playing goalie on each side. They used an old soccer ball with most of its exterior leather worn off from countless games. Players started with the ball at their feet, dribbling like soccer players, but then suddenly, the ball would be kicked into the air, caught by another player in their hands then quickly flicked on again. They seemed to alternate hand and foot play depending on the situation, often using hands to intercept passes and feet to gain distance on the field.

So if you receive with your feet, you can't grab the ball with your hands and vice versa, Herbie thought to himself as he analyzed the game. He noticed a foul being called on a player who had tried to sprint to the goal line while holding the ball and realized it had a similar three step rule to basketball. Players never seemed to keep the ball in their hands for more than just a few seconds, which must have been an addition to this rule.

"I'm out, guys, gotta go talk to coach about next week's game," a stumpy sophomore with the first stray hairs of a mustache speckled on top of his upper lip announced to the rest of the boys.

They erupted in moans and groans and cried out, "Lame, dude!"

I've got this, Herbie thought to himself as the boys began wandering off the field.

"Hey! I'll take his spot!" he called out.

They looked to one another, clearly taken aback by the audacity of the freshman wanting to play with them.

A giant of a boy, who must have been a senior judging by his immense height and muscle mass, took three massive strides toward Herbie.

"What you say, shrimp?" he growled down at Herbie.

Herbie tilted his head up through the shadow the boy cast on him and summoned all the bravery he had, "I'm Herbie, I'd like to play with you guys."

The giant snarled at him, "This is a Spurwing game, and you don't look like no Spurwing."

Herbie sighed, "No... I'm a Sandgrouse, and we don't really have a team. I thought maybe I could play with you guys. Heck, maybe they'll make me a Spurwing if I'm good enough."

The giant leaned down and wafted deeply, twisting his face as he caught the foul stench emanating off Herbie's clothes.

"You're that trash-grouse that Darius threw in the dumpster!" he barked, then grabbed one of Herbie's arms and shook it like a toothpick, "You wanna be a Spurwing?"

"Let him try, Moose!" one of the boys yelled from behind the giant.

"Yeah, we'll show him how Spurwing plays the game!"

Moose thought about it for a moment with his mouth hanging open before a sickly smile came across his face. "Alright, trash-grouse. Go defend."

Herbie grinned at his triumph and jogged over to where the mustachioed boy had been standing before. The game got going again upfield from Herbie, giving him a chance to analyze the interplay between players. But the game had barely been going for a minute before Herbie found the ball flying toward his face. His brain begged his limbs to respond, but they seemed determined to behave like limp noodles. Just as the ball was about to make contact with his cheek, his reflexes kicked in and blocked it with his hands. The ball slapped them like a hot whip and went shooting past the sideline.

"Boo!" the boys on his team cried out, "You're gonna make us lose, trash-grouse!" a boy with a missing front tooth yelled in his face.

But Herbie was determined not to let them get to him. A boy from the opposing team fetched the ball and threw it back in, passing it to a teammate's feet. The receiver swung his foot back and kicked the ball at Herbie with all his force, as though he was aiming at the goal line. But this time, he was ready. Herbie reached out and grabbed the ball, absorbing the force carefully so he could control it once it was in his grasp. With the ball secured, he quickly gazed around to find a teammate, but soon realized he had no idea who was who.

With the clock ticking, Herbie flicked the ball upfield toward the opponents' goal. But the ball had barely left his hands when a player intercepted it, slapping it right back into his face. It made contact with his right cheek and felt like he had pressed his face against a hot stove. He clenched his teeth and held back the tear that screamed to drop from his eye.

He looked up to see who had intercepted him and found it was the boy with the missing tooth.

"Hey! I thought you were on my team!" Herbie yelled at him.

The boy just shrugged and chuckled, "I am," and went jogging back to his position.

Oh, I see how it is, Herbie thought to himself.

The ball was still in play at midfield, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they used it as a weapon against him. If that was the case, then the only counter was to get the ball from them before they had time to take aim. He'd have to beat them at their own game.

Herbie sprinted up the field to where the ball was being passed back and intercepted it with his feet. This is it! he thought, I'm going to go right for the goal! But he quickly realized that he hadn't taken into account that his feet had done very little for him in the past. At least his arms were accustomed to slaying werewolves in Rouge et Noir, but the moment he had to dribble the ball, he realized he had absolutely no orientation with his leg muscles.

Within seconds, Herbie misplaced a foot, stepped on the ball and felt himself slip backwards hard onto his back. He gasped as the wind escaped his lungs, something he had never experienced before. By now, everyone on the field was laughing like maniacs.

"Good job, trash-grouse!", "We've got a real star player here!" the boys yelled down at him as he lay paralyzed on the floor.

The laughter grew louder and louder as the other kids on the field caught wind of what had happened, and soon half the school was on the sidelines getting in on the joke. Herbie managed to turn his head and saw that just to his right was a group of girls all laughing and pointing at him, and at their center was the beauty he had seen earlier that day at the dumpster. Again, she chose not to join in on the laughter, she just stared with ice cold intensity at Herbie, her perfect blue eyes clear in their message—pathetic.

Herbie almost wished he was in the dumpster where he could hide away from the world, but there was no escaping them now.

Suddenly, Hollis's and Brenda Lee's faces appeared above him, both of them clearly embarrassed on his behalf.

"Let's get you out of here, Herb," Hollis whispered down to him and lifted him up.

Still winded, Herbie stiffly pulled his weight up and threw his arm around Hollis's shoulder. Brenda Lee cleared a path through the crowd.

"Alright you morons, that's enough, we've all seen a kid stumble before," she spat at them.

"Don't worry, Herb," Hollis whispered into Herbie's ear as he half-carried him off the field, "We've got double Doomsday 101 now; the only good thing about a Monday!"

Herbie did his best to digest what Hollis was saying through his disorientation. Great, he thought, more madness.

***

"OUR GALACTIC BRETHREN!" Mr. Nabozny announced to the class, "Are coming..."

The class watched him intently, hanging on his every word.

"Will they be kind or will they be cruel?" he questioned, ensuring he made eye contact with every student as he let the question linger.

"We know only what the Grand Magus has shared from his encounters, and he gives us hope."

The class nodded emphatically with the point—everyone except Brenda Lee and Herbie. Herbie was in a state of shock. He had almost forgotten that nearly every student in the school was a Light Seeker, and that being a Light Seeker meant believing in aliens and their impending visitation wholeheartedly. He had assumed at least some students in his class were just playing along for the sake of fitting in.

That evil feeling was bubbling up in his stomach as he watched the class study Mr. Nabozny's performance, as though he were a werewolf trying to hide his identity amongst the villagers. That being said, it was remarkable to see a man his age waltz around the classroom with such grace and pizzazz. He must have been in his early sixties, with an etched in face and perfectly white hair, but muscles like a Spartan warrior.

A manicured white mustache rested elegantly on his upper lip, curled at the edges, without a single hair out of place. He spoke with a Southern twang which seemed to aid his mission of rising emotions out of people.

"Either way!" he bellowed at the class, making everyone jump in their seats, "Only a fool would enter into a situation unprepared. We plan for the worst," he paused for effect. "We plan for Doomsday!" he roared.

The class erupted in cheers and hoots, which Mr. Nabozny seemed to revel in. Herbie couldn't help but let his mouth drop, he had never seen anything like this in his life. If there was ever a doubt in his mind, it was gone now, this whole town was nuts!

"And you, boy!" Mr. Nabozny boomed at Herbie. "Why do you look like you've just witnessed the Sky Lights which hover above this town?"

Herbie stared at him a moment, intimidated by his intensity.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm new here. This is all a lot to take in."

Nabozny squinted, "A new face in the Rift, now that is interesting. What's your name, boy? What brought you here? Do you seek audience with the Galactic Brethren?"

Herbie shook his head nervously, "Herbie, sir. Herbie Hunter. Not the um... Brethren, sir. My Grandma Beatrix has lived here her whole life, and I've come to stay with her."

A great big grin curled up Nabozny's lips, "Beatrix Hunter! How is the old girl? Still as stubborn as an ox?"

Herbie's eyes went wide, "Um, you know her, sir? Yes sir, still a tough customer."

"I bet she is," Nabozny smiled, "You come see me after class, I'm guessing you haven't applied for the Light Seekers yet if Beatrix had anything to say about it."

Herbie nodded, "That's right, sir. Will do."

The whole class let out a collective "Whaaat?" at Herbie's admission, and began whispering to one another, "Not a Light Seeker?" "Who does he think he is?" "What's wrong with him?"

"Now, now, children," Nabozny announced, silencing the class, "Each in their own time, each in their own time."

Soon Mr. Nabozny got the class going again—today's topic was proper canned food storage—but Herbie could still feel the hot stares of his classmates burning into him. In just a few hours he had successfully alienated himself from his class, the rest of the school, the headmaster, and quite possibly the entire town.

He rested his head on his hands, trying to cover his face so that no one could see his eyes swelling with tears. His heart ached and begged to go back to his old life in Washington, D.C., or to fly off to Mars. Anywhere that wasn't here. The class went on for two painful, pointless hours, never a moment without someone sneering at him or slamming their fist into their palm and mouthing the words "I'm coming for you."

His strength was slipping. His resolve was dissolving. He was tired of being positive, of understanding, of forgiving. The rotting lump of rage he had swallowed down too many times finally came heaving up. I hate my Father, he finally confessed to himself. I HATE him for dying, for leaving us, for putting us in this situation! He should never have allowed this to happen! He let his anger simmer. It burned into him like he was a steer being branded.

He shook his head clear. That wasn't like him. He didn't want to be that person. This was just another game, a puzzle that had to be solved. He would have to figure it out. Finally, the bell rang for lunch, but Herbie was in no rush to leave and face the onslaught of his peers. Hollis and Brenda Lee waited behind as he got his wits together when Mr. Nabozny stepped between them.

"Don't you worry, kids; I'll take it from here. Herbie will be back down at the cafeteria in no time," he said reassuringly.

Herbie looked up from his hunched position at his desk and saw a sincere look of concern on Mr. Nabozny's face. He pulled up a chair and sat next to Herbie.

"I know what you're thinking, son," Mr. Nabozny began, "Everyone in this town is a loon and I'm the biggest loon of the lot."

Herbie looked at him with eyes still red from holding back tears and nodded.

Nabozny chuckled, "Well, at least you're honest. But I think you've realized there's something going on in this town, something strange." Herbie perked up, suddenly curious as to what the man had to say.

"For now, we all gotta play our parts, even me. People got a tendency to get real mad when you tell them what they believe is wrong, especially when they have their own doubts. To change people's minds, you gotta show 'em, not tell 'em, and they ain't ever gonna watch you if you don't treat them with respect."

Nabozny got to his feet, sighing deeply, "This town needs people like you and your grandma, Herbie. People with clear heads. People who can see through the madness. I think you can make a real difference, but first, you gotta play along and win their hearts. God don't throw no curve balls unless he knows you can hit it out of the park."

Mr. Nabozny reached out his hand and helped Herbie out of his seat, "Now go grab some lunch, you'll need a full stomach to get through a day in Paradise Rift."

Herbie, stunned by his words, smiled and nodded before making his way to the door.

"Thanks, Mr. Nabozny. I appreciate it."

"Oh, one last thing, Herbie!" Nabozny called out to him.

"Yes, sir?" Herbie replied.

"You smell like you've been swimming in a sewer. Get yourself some deodorant—growing up ain't always fun."

***

Herbie pushed open the cafeteria doors and was met by chaos. All three hundred students of Seker High jockeyed for a place in the lunch line or for a seat at a table. Like the rest of the school, the cafeteria had been raised with haste before grace and without much thought as to how many students it would be serving. As a result, students had to squish themselves shoulder to shoulder in order to get anywhere.

There were students of every shape and size crammed into the hall and they all seemed so... grown up. There were seniors double Herbie's height, sprouts of facial hair on all sorts of faces and girls with... curves.

Herbie bobbed and weaved through the hordes of high schoolers and struggled to find the end of the lunch line. After being pushed this way and that for the first five minutes, he managed to spot the twins still waiting in line. Herbie jumped and waved to get their attention until Hollis finally spotted him and led him to where they were queuing.

"So what did Nabozny have to say?" Hollis eagerly asked as they slowly waited for their turn in line.

"Well, he was actually pretty cool. I thought he was going to force his opinion down my throat, but I feel a lot better about everything after talking to him," Herbie replied with a smile.

"I think he's a weirdo," Brenda Lee chimed in.

"Nah, he's the best!" Hollis spoke over his sister, "He's the house master for Sacred Ibis. Maybe when they make me a Light Seeker Acolyte, they'll move me to Sacred Ibis because I know so much about the paranormal activity in this town, never mind the fact that I've never missed a Light Seekers meet in three years!"

Herbie felt Hollis's enthusiasm creep him out for a moment. But then Nabozny's words returned to his mind, "You gotta play along and win their hearts."

"Maybe, Hollis. Maybe," he smiled, patting Hollis on the back.

After a lengthy wait, the trio collected a modest serving of mystery meat and steamed greens on their trays and made their way back into the madness. The twins seemed to know where they were going and how to remain undetected in the crowd. Eventually, they arrived at a table where seven other kids were already plowing through their servings.

"Liven up, boys and girls! There's a new grouse in the house!" Hollis announced as they took their seats. But they didn't liven up. In fact, if Herbie had been told that any one of them were on death's doorstep, he wouldn't have been surprised.

"Meet the rest of your Sandgrouse house. Don't they just make you ooze with school spirit?" Brenda Lee remarked sarcastically.

Herbie smiled awkwardly at the group, who looked back at him with acne covered faces, spectacled glares and snotty noses. Herbie raised his hand and waved back hesitantly at their silent stares.

He turned to Brenda Lee and whispered, "This is the whole house?"

"Well, everyone who dares show their face in the cafeteria," Brenda Lee whispered back.

"What did they do to get stuck in Sandgrouse?" Herbie wondered.

"They're a mix of underachieving outcasts, unathletic asthmatics and the kids of parents so poor their moms have to work at the grocery store," Brenda Lee whispered back.

Herbie grimaced at that last point and resolved to keep his home life to himself from now on. He sat there inspecting the group, waiting for an introduction, but soon realized that the group was more preoccupied with their mystery meat than socializing.

He decided to do as the rest of them and get his meal over and done with. It was only when he had a mouth full of liver-colored meat strips that one of the Sandgrouses decided to speak to him.

"S-so, you're the kid who refused to join the la-la-la-Light Seekers?" the boy sitting opposite Herbie stuttered.

He stared at Herbie with glassy eyes over upturned nose. His skin was oily and made his cheeks shine, giving him the distinct resemblance to a glazed ham.

"That's me," Herbie answered him warily.

The boy stuck out his hand, "My name's Raymond, Raymond T-Toddle. My Dad won't let me be a Light Seeker."

Herbie shook his hand, "Herbie. Nice to meet you. Why won't your dad let you join the Light Seekers?"

"Oh, he's a scientist. Well, an engineer actually. He works at the water filtration plant," Raymond wheezed, "Been here five years. He hates this town, but he likes his job. He says the Light Seekers are a cult and I should have nothing to do with them. Guess he hasn't realized that by that thinking the whole town is a cult."

Herbie shrugged, "Raymond, this whole town is a cult."

"That's enough out of you, Raymond!" Hollis snapped, "You wonder why you got no friends?"

Raymond withdrew at the remark and looked down at his tray.

Hollis grabbed Herbie's shoulder, "Don't you mind him; his whole family's a bunch of nuts! Scientists, what do they know?"

"Didn't you say that your dad was abducted by aliens?" Herbie inquired of the apparent hypocrisy.

"Uh-huh. By Grays!" Hollis smiled, completely missing the point Herbie was trying to make.

Herbie looked back at Raymond who sat with his face hung over his food. He felt sorry for the boy who, like Herbie, was an odd fit for this crazy town. Then he remembered what Mr. Nabozny had said. I'm gonna fix this from the inside, Herbie thought to himself, these aren't bad people, they're just lost.

The rest of the meal went by in silence. Herbie noticed that the Sandgrouses shoveled their food down like it was the first meal they'd had in months and would rush their trays to the rack while still chewing their last mouthful. They clearly wanted to be in and out of the cafeteria as fast as possible, most probably the best way to avoid the attention of characters like Darius and Moose.

Just as Herbie was getting ready to leave, the intercom came to life, reverberating Ms. Moseley's voice across the cafeteria.

"There will be an emergency assembly after lunch instead of fifth period, all students are to attend. Please make your way to the auditorium when the bell rings."

"That's unusual," Brenda Lee noted once the announcement was over.

"Yeah, we've never had an emergency assembly before," Hollis added.

"I wonder..." Herbie began, before silencing his own curiosity, "No, it couldn't be."

***

It wasn't long before the auditorium had filled up with the entire student body, layered row upon row in their respective grades and classes in front of the slight rise of the stage. There were no windows in the auditorium to improve its acoustics, and this shut out the light so that it would be ready for a recital or school play. This, however, meant that there was no ventilation to speak of. Herbie was quickly discovering what a room full of puberty smelled like and realized even faster that he would have been far happier without the revelation.

To make matters worse, his own clothes still stank like the inside of the cafeteria dumpster, and if the student body of Seker High didn't hate him before, they certainly did now. Even Hollis and Brenda Lee tried to edge away from him in their seats, but he knew as well as they did that the stench was inescapable.

Mr. Woodbridge gasped as he walked down the center aisle between the students to the stage, and quickly instructed Mrs. Bilge to open the doors. A sigh of relief could be heard from the students as a breeze of fresh air filled the room, which Woodbridge used as his cue to begin.

"Seker High, I come to you today with harrowing news," he began from the center of the stage, "Our beloved Science teacher, Nathan Macklin, was found dead on his ranch in Oldtown in the early hours of Saturday morning."

The students gasped at the sudden and blunt announcement, though Woodbridge was quick to rein in their attention.

"Mr. Macklin had been loyal to Seker High since its inception after humbly resigning from his post as principal of the former Paradise Rift Elementary. Despite never joining the Light Seekers, Nathan was always supportive of all school activities and never let his differences in beliefs interfere with his unwavering devotion to the student body. He will be sorely missed by his colleagues, and without a doubt, his students, through his impact on our lives, will live on forever. There will be a small ceremony next Saturday at the Paradise Peak churchyard, but Light Seekers are forewarned that attending religious ceremonies is against our doctrine. As a result, anyone who wishes to commemorate Mr. Macklin with some kind words may do so now, in a clear minded, logical manner."

The auditorium came alive with whispers and hisses as the students came to terms with the news.

Herbie's mouth dropped, "I don't believe it."

"Take a chill pill, Herbie, you didn't even know the guy," Brenda Lee huffed, "But I'm sure that old fish probably couldn't be happier that he's gone," she commented under her breath.

"Why do you say that?" Herbie asked, leaning in.

Brenda Lee tilted her body away from the rank air that encircled Herbie, grimacing, "Macklin was always trying to interfere with how the school was run. He tried not to show it, but he was no fan of the Light Seekers. Always tried to keep their doctrine and school code separate. Didn't do him any good though."

"Not a bad guy, I'll give him that," Hollis added, "He lived just down the road from us, gave us a ride to school once or twice."

Herbie reeled his head back as Hollis's words found their place in the jigsaw puzzle of his mind, "Wait, you're telling me he died on Friday night, right by your house?"

"Closer to you actually," Hollis commented nonchalantly, clearly not catching on to what Herbie was implying.

"My grandma must have been friends with him... that's why she was so upset on Saturday. Do you guys see what's happening here? I told you, when I came out of the desert, I found a drop of blood on my hand. I think it may have belonged to... Macklin," Herbie whispered forebodingly.

Hollis and Brenda Lee turned to one another and gulped.

"That kinda does make sense," Brenda Lee admitted.

"Oh snap! That's why Humboldt County Animal Control was snooping around our house! They were looking for whatever killed Macklin!" Hollis exclaimed.

"I've gotta say something. Whoever that woman was that I saw run into the desert, she had something to do with Macklin's death."

They were interrupted by Woodbridge clearing his throat. After several pregnant minutes of waiting, no one had offered to say a kind word about Mr. Macklin.

"If that is all, please return to your fifth period classes," he announced.

The students of Seker High rose from their seats and gradually made their way out of the auditorium while Herbie pushed his way through the masses to get to the edge of the stage where Woodbridge watched on.

"Mr. Woodbridge, I need to talk to you. It's important," Herbie whispered so as to avoid sharing the delicate information with inquisitive ears."

Mr. Woodbridge didn't seem to pick up on the severity of Herbie's tone, and glared at him irritably, "What is it, Hunter?" he snapped.

Despite the harsh reception, Herbie pushed on, "I think I have some information regarding Mr. Macklin's death."

Woodbridge's bottom lip flapped like a fish gasping for breath, taken aback by Herbie's statement, "What could you possibly have to add?"

"On Friday night I saw a woman run into the desert near Macklin's ranch. She had blood on her hands. I... I think she might have killed him," Herbie stated sternly, gazing into Woodbridge's eyes with determination.

Woodbridge squinted, a flash of shock rippling through his sagging cheeks, before quickly brushing it off.

"I didn't want to indulge the entire school with the gory details, Hunter, but Nathan Macklin was killed by a coyote. A roaming pack went through his farm, after his goats presumably, and was attacked when he tried to scare them away. Humboldt County Animal Control has confirmed this. Whatever madcap theories you've come up with have no place in the investigation of his death and are nothing more than insults to his memory. Now off to class with you before I add another hour to your detention."

"I know what I saw!" Herbie argued.

"That's enough!" Woodbridge snapped, "I will not hear another word of it. The case is closed. Now, off with you!"

Herbie's shoulders sank as Woodbridge stormed off out of the auditorium, leaving him to stew in the injustice of being disregarded.

"What did he say?" Brenda Lee asked, coming up behind Herbie.

"He told me to shut up and mind my own business," Herbie sighed, turning to her and Hollis, "But he knew something. I could see it in his eyes. When I mentioned that I'd seen a woman run into the desert, I think he knew what I was talking about."

"He'd probably take you more seriously if you were a Light Seeker," Hollis shrugged, "Can't be disclosing sensitive information with outsiders now, can he? Anyway, if we're late for class twice in one day we're gonna be spending the rest of the semester in lockdown. Brend and I have Home Ec now. What's your elective?"

But Herbie's mind had begun to wander as Hollis had yammered on and took a second to snap back to reality, "Huh? Oh, I've got Social Studies," he eventually replied.

Hollis sighed, "Bummer. I guess I'll see you at detention."

"Uh, yeah," Herbie said, still off in his own world, "I'll see you at detention, but I've got a feeling we'll be spending our afternoon elsewhere," he noted, wandering out of the auditorium.

***

Herbie spent the rest of the school day lost in his own thoughts. His mind was alive with questions desperate to be answered. He had allowed himself to doubt his own senses before, but now, the truth was fighting to emerge and he would be there to uncover it when its head broke the soil.

The last two periods went by without him taking down a single note and before he knew it, he had his backpack on his shoulders and was heading to detention. When he turned down the corridor, he saw a highly concerned looking Hollis and a rather fed up looking Brenda Lee waiting beside Mr. Woodbridge outside the detention room.

"I see you're taking your role as a Sandgrouse to heart, Hunter, associating with the best of them," Woodbridge said sarcastically.

"Good afternoon, sir," Herbie smiled, "Yes, Hollis and Brenda Lee have been kind enough to introduce me to the Sandgrouse way of life, not exactly what I'm accustomed to, but I'm sure I'll get used to it."

"I suppose you'll have to," Mr. Woodbridge huffed, "Now get on with it the lot of you. Ms. Moseley has been kind enough to give up her afternoon to keep an eye on you three troublemakers."

"I was wondering, sir," Herbie called out as Woodbridge was turning to leave, "If I could take another look at the Light Seekers application form."

Mr. Woodbridge turned his head back around, "What was that, Hunter?"

"Hollis and Brenda Lee have spent the day explaining what a great group the Light Seekers are and, well, I guess my grandma is just getting old and paranoid and gave me the wrong idea about it. I'd really like to join up," Herbie said with a smile.

Woodbridge turned to the twins, "These two?" he gasped.

Herbie shot the twins a look, trying to coax a response out of them. After taking a moment to process Herbie's plan, Brenda Lee spoke up.

"Herbie had some misconceptions about us Light Seekers, and we just did our duty as active members to clear some things up. It was nothing really," she smiled in the sweetest voice she could summon.

Woodbridge walked up to the twins and put a hand on each of their shoulders, "No, no, you children have done a great service to this school and this town. I've been waiting for you two to shine, but I feared that day might never come."

Hollis's face lit up like a child in a candy shop. "It was our honor to aid the cause, Mr. Woodbridge, sir!" he beamed.

For the first time since meeting him, Herbie saw a grin ripple through Woodbridge's sagged face. "Well, I see no reason why two upstanding students as yourselves should spend the afternoon stuck in detention, especially when you still have so much to inform Mr. Hunter of. You will help him with his application, I assume?"

"Of course, Mr. Woodbridge, thank you, Mr. Woodbridge," Brenda Lee curtsied with a big fake smile.

"I'll have Ms. Moseley arrange the necessary paperwork. You can wait for her in the reception area," Woodbridge grinned.

"That's very kind of you, sir. I'll drop my forms off in the morning," Herbie confirmed and turned to leave.

"Perhaps we'll call your time in Sandgrouse a probation period, Mr. Hunter. Mr. Badhira has told me your algebra is at a tenth grade level at the very least, and I hear Blackstart is somewhat underpopulated this year."

Herbie didn't want to admit it, but the suggestion made his heart leap. Being a Sandgrouse was like walking around with a target on his back and his time at Seker High would be infinitely more enjoyable in another house.

"I'll be sure to study hard then, sir," Herbie affirmed, nodding and turned to leave.

"Do send my regards to your grandmother, Hunter," Woodbridge called out as they made their way to the reception.

Herbie turned and tried to smile at the loaded statement, but in his reluctance, only gave him a slight nod. The trio head down the corridor and soon arrived at the reception area.

"Herbie!" Hollis began, still bursting with glee, "You have no idea what you've just done for me! A conversion! I've actually converted someone to a Light Seeker! That's a high-ranking mandate! I'll be made Acolyte at the next meet!"

The word "conversion" made Herbie shiver. Hollis really knew how to make Light Seekers business sound creepy.

"No problem, dude. Just... take it easy, I'm still processing everything," Herbie warned.

Just then, Ms. Moseley threw open the doors behind them, "Stay after school, don't stay after school, get this form, get that form!" she bickered to herself.

She pushed her way past Herbie and the twins, got behind the reception desk and began rummaging through various files and papers.

"Your forms, Mr. Hunter," Ms. Moseley insisted as she pushed a stack of papers into Herbie's chest.

"Thanks, Ms. Moseley," Herbie smiled, hurriedly grabbing the forms. They headed for the exit as fast as their feet could carry them.

"Not bad, Herbie," Brenda Lee grinned.

"Not bad? He's a genius!" Hollis chimed in as they made their way to the bicycle racks, "What are you doing now? Wanna come over to our place and stream the latest episode of Mysteries of the Unexplained?"

Herbie waited until they were out of earshot of the likes of Woodbridge or any other curious party before he answered, "I actually need your help with something."

"You name it!" Hollis burst with glee.

"Okay, just keep it down," Herbie warned.

"I don't like the sound of this..." Brenda Lee sighed.

Herbie stared at her intently, "I need you guys to take me to Macklin's ranch."

Brenda Lee shook her head and waved her hands, "This is a bad idea—we shouldn't be getting involved with this. A man is dead," she insisted.

"A man most likely murdered, Brenda Lee, and they're trying to cover it up. Don't you think he deserves justice?" Herbie argued.

"I think that if the Light Seekers don't want anyone finding out what really happened to him, then no one will," Brenda Lee rebutted.

"Well, Galileo went against everything that everyone in his time believed, and you know what he proved?" Herbie questioned.

"Preach it, brother!" Hollis goaded excitedly.

"That there's no arguing with the evidence."

***

Much to Brenda Lee's displeasure, Herbie and the twins soon found themselves cycling with fury past the border of Newtown, course set to the Macklin ranch. It wasn't long before they were riding down Steadfast Grove, taking care to keep their voices down as they passed by Beatrix's old farmhouse lest she discover that Herbie was messing around with his friends after school instead of getting his hair cut.

The Macklin ranch was just three plots down, at least what was left of it. Herbie and the twins stared on in awe at the bulldozer parked beside the remains of the Nathan Macklin's farmhouse, a sign reading: OSIRIS CORP — CONSTRUCTION SITE — PRIVATE PROPERTY — NO TRESPASSING, in the foreground, offering a grim explanation for what became of the plot.

"The man's been dead three days! How did they get this done so fast?" Hollis exclaimed, eyes wide in awe of the sheer efficiency of the destruction.

"What happened to all the cows, goats and farm hands is the better question," Brenda Lee added, "Remember, Hollis? Macklin told us that the ranch was his retirement plan. You'd think he'd have some livestock to show for it."

"Um, I think you're both missing the real stinker staring us right in the face," Herbie suggested.

The twins turned to him curiously, shrugging.

"How did this Osiris Corp company buy the farm so quickly?" Herbie exclaimed, surprised that the question wasn't more obvious to them.

The twins dropped their heads in unison.

"Dude, that's Don's development company. If there's a piece of land going, they buy it. Nothing strange about that," Hollis pointed out.

"Nothing strange about them buying a dead man's ranch over the course of a weekend?" Herbie probed further.

"Not really," Brenda Lee shrugged, "It always goes like that."

Herbie pulled his head back sharply, "This has happened before?"

"Well, usually no one has to die first, but farms and ranches get bought up all the time—shortly after the owner joins the Light Seekers," Hollis explained.

Herbie rubbed his chin as he digested the information, trying to find the place in the puzzle it clicked into.

"Well, what if someone refused to join the Light Seekers but Osiris Corp needed the land?" Herbie proposed.

"They send a werewolf after them!" Brenda Lee laughed, "Well done, master detective, you've cracked a case that never existed!"

Herbie scowled at Brenda Lee, "I know what I saw, Brend. A woman ran into the desert, and a beast chased me back out."

"It's about time we told you, Herbie, that wasn't a..."

"Shut it!" Hollis interrupted, "Don't you say another word, Brenda Lee. Herbie isn't a Light Seeker yet, and even if he was, it's not a member's place to share that sort of information."

"He needs to know—this is getting ridiculous!" Brenda Lee objected.

"You've done enough to ruin our chances of getting promoted to Acolytes, I won't let you make matters even worse," Hollis growled, "Once Herbie's joined the Light Seekers, a Brother, Sister or Magister will inform him of what happened with Daeva when they feel the time is right."

"Daeva?" Herbie asked.

"Dang it!" Hollis exclaimed, "Pretend I didn't say anything. I'm sorry, Herb, you just get your Light Seekers application filled out. After that, a whole world of answers will open up to you."

Herbie was once again reminded of how devoted a Light Seeker could be. This wasn't a hobby. This was a belief system.

He tried not to make his discomfort with Hollis's absolute commitment to an alien hunting desert cult too obvious, but the tense silence that descended on them was a dead giveaway. Herbie shivered at the idea of becoming anything like Hollis, but the answer to the mystery was waiting behind the iron curtain that the Light Seekers drew over their secrets. So, just as he had in Rouge et Noir, he would assume the identity of a stranger to infiltrate, study and discover who was a man by day but a beast by night.

"Sure, Hollis, I get it. When the time is right," Herbie nodded, doing his best to smile.

"We'd better get going," Brenda Lee huffed, looking down at the dry dirt at her feet.

Herbie nodded before getting back on his bicycle and making his way back to the road. He gave Hollis and Brenda Lee some time to ride on ahead, eager to be alone with his thoughts. Riding back to Beatrix's house, Herbie let the bicycle's momentum carry him along the street. He sighed deeply, realizing he had survived his first day of high school. Despite everything possible going wrong, he felt like he had salvaged the day, that the game had been set with the odds against him, but, as with every game that Herbie played, he had found a way to beat it. But there were still far greater challenges to come.

He was soon riding up to the barn outside the old wooden farmhouse and parking his bicycle inside. As he leaned it against the wall, he noticed that Beatrix's bicycle wasn't in its usual spot.

He made his way up the stairs to the front porch and found a note pinned to the front door. He walked up and inspected it.

Dear Herbie,

Just popped into town to sort out some business. Might not be here when you get home. Please keep an eye on your mother.

Lots of Love,

Grandma

Herbie laughed to himself, this is why we have cell phones, Grandma, relieved that he would not be scolded for coming home from school late. He grabbed the note and, finding the door unlocked, ran in, threw his bag down at the door and sprinted up the stairs three steps at a time, ignoring Goji yapping in the kitchen. Up in his room, he changed out of his garbage covered clothes with a deep sigh of relief.

With a towel wrapped around him, he made his way to the bathroom. The shower left little room for comfort with a bucket to catch the used water taking up most of the space, but it was a necessary fixture. The gray water would later be used to flush toilets and mop floors.

But Herbie's time in the shower did little to fill the bucket because after just a minute of bathing, the water ran dry from the showerhead, the day's rations already used up. Herbie had no choice but to wipe the soap still clinging to him off with a towel. All the same, he was glad to not stink anymore.

Once he was dressed, Herbie decided it was time to see his mother—he needed someone to talk to about his day, even if she just lay there nodding as she had during every conversation they'd shared since his father's passing. Herbie's mom, Mary Anne, had been given the room down the hallway from Herbie, and as he approached, he realized that this would be his first time looking inside.

"Mom?" he called while knocking on the door.

After waiting a moment and getting no response, he turned the handle to see if it was unlocked. The door gave way and creaked open, unleashing a wave of thick sweaty air. Blue curtains were held up over the windows with clothes pegs, the little light getting through making the room seem as though it were submersed under water.

Herbie approached the bed, "Mom? Are you awake?" he whispered as he squinted in the darkness. He warily stepped closer, trying not to make the floorboards squeak. But as he got to the bedside, he realized he was alone in the room. He turned and ran out the door.

"Mom!" he called into the house.

He raced down the hallway, calling out for her as he ran, but still, no one replied. As he got to the bottom of the stairs, he realized that Goji was still yapping away in the kitchen. Herbie bolted through and was met by his mother collapsed over the kitchen table, a furious fire burning beneath the iron stove and a pot of water about to boil over. Goji, having sensed danger, barked desperately to try and wake her up.

Herbie ran over to the stove and grabbed the pot, throwing it in the sink, burning the tips of his fingers and sticking them in his mouth. After dousing the flames, he turned to his mother. Her brown unkempt hair draped over the table with her arms stretched out alongside it like a ragdoll at a child's tea party.

He had seen this before back in Washington, D.C. and by now it barely surprised him. She had come close to burning down their house in the few weeks before it was finally repossessed by the bank. She had let numerous baths run over and had flooded bedrooms. She had been too deep in sleep to wake up and open the front door for him when he got home from school.

Herbie pulled up a chair beside his mother and lifted her hair out of her face.

"Wake up, Mom," Herbie moaned at her, "Come on, you almost burned the house down again, get up."

After a good few shakes, she tilted her head to the side to look at him. "Hi, Herbie, where have you been all day?" she whispered groggily.

"I was at school, Mom, my first day at Seker High," Herbie replied, doing little to hide his disappointment and frustration.

"Oh..." she groaned, taking her time to process the information.

"Mom, you know the doctor said to only take the sleeping pills when you can't sleep at night. Take the antidepressants in the morning, and if you feel anxious, then take the tranquilizer. You look like you've taken them all at once again."

She slowly lifted herself up in her seat, using her arms as support. She turned and looked at Herbie, before tears began pouring from her eyes, "I'm sorry I'm such a terrible mother," she hiccupped.

Herbie shook his head, "You're not a terrible mother—you just need to stop taking all those pills."

She burst into a fit of tears, "My own son has to parent me!" she sobbed hysterically.

"Well, if it's bothering you so much, why do you keep acting like a child!" he decried, fed up with her attitude.

The front door screeched on its hinges as Grandma Beatrix walked into the house.

"Why does your backpack stink like an old shoe, boy?" she announced as she walked through the door.

She turned the corner into the kitchen with his backpack held out at arm's length.

"I'll have to give it a wa—" she began before noticing Herbie sitting next to his teary-eyed mother.

"What's the matter?" Beatrix asked concernedly.

Before Herbie had a chance to explain, his mother exploded, "I'm the matter! I almost burned down the house because I can't get my head right!"

Beatrix frowned, "Herbie, I haven't been out so long, you were supposed to be here to keep an eye on her."

"I'm sorry, Grandma..." Herbie began, realizing he had no choice but to confess, "I was hanging out with some friends from school."

Beatrix shook her head wearily, "When I ask you to be home, you come home. This house is like a tinderbox! We'd be on the streets if anything happened to it."

She then turned to Mary Anne, having very little time in her day to pity a grown woman.

"Mary Anne, I've been meaning to talk to you," Beatrix began, pulling up a chair beside her and placing a hand on hers, "You need to come off those pills if they're keeping you asleep all day long. I've had to take up a job at the grocery store to make ends meet, and you'll have to do the same soon."

"The grocery store!" Herbie exclaimed.

They both turned to look at him, "What's the matter with the grocery store?" Beatrix asked.

"Everyone's gonna know we're poor!" Herbie moaned.

Beatrix squinted at him, "I don't know if you've noticed, boy, but we aren't exactly the Rockafellas. Who cares if everyone knows it?"

"I care!" Herbie exclaimed, "I don't want to be a social outcast for the rest of my life!"

Beatrix's face curled up into a nasty scowl, "It's only been a day, and those darn Light Seekers are already in your head!"

She stood up and looked down at Herbie, "I'm an old woman going back to work for the sake of my family, and this is the thanks I get?"

"You just want everyone in this town to hate me, like they hate you!" Herbie screamed.

Mary Anne watched the scene go down with wide eyes, shocked to see her quiet son behaving so wildly. She erupted in hysterics again. "I've failed as a mother!" she moaned.

"Oh, shush!" both Herbie and Beatrix hissed at her in unison. They turned back to one another and locked eyes.

"Take your Mother to her room, boy," Beatrix commanded.

"Fine!" Herbie spat back.

He grabbed his weeping mother by the arm and led her out of the kitchen, leaving Beatrix alone. Beatrix sighed deeply as she listened to Herbie and Mary Anne's footsteps as they climbed the stairs. "I didn't think I'd be a parent again at sixty-five," she mumbled to herself.

She went over to Herbie's bag, instantly jerking her head back as she caught the smell of garbage again. When she emptied out the books onto the kitchen table so that she could soak his backpack in the sink, a stack of papers caught her eye. She grabbed at the front page and saw the words big and bold in black letters: Light Seekers Application Form.

"Herbie Hunter!" she yelled into the house, "What in heaven's name is this!"

***

Ashverosh was unaccustomed to traveling by plane and the nineteen hour flight had done little to change that. For a man who spent at least half of every day doing intense physical training, there could be nothing worse than having to sit in one spot and keep still for such a painfully long period of time.

Worse yet, the airport staff had been nothing but trouble, the food had been an over-salted catastrophe, and his long white woven beard and brown robe had ensured that a full security check was necessary or him to board the plane in the first place.

But worst of all, they had wanted to put his book below deck. Sure, it was large for a book, perhaps too large for your average man to carry on his person day in and day out, for ten years, but Ashverosh was not your average man. He could and would keep it under his arm as he had since it had been gifted to him by The Order of Tzadikim all those years ago, nothing would ever change that, especially not the toothpicks in blue shirts and black trousers they called airport security.

He exited the plane into the terminal, not bothering to check the carousel for luggage, as he had everything he needed in hand. He didn't plan on staying long in this forsaken place, where even the terminals were lined with slot machines, where gluttony, sloth, lust, envy, pride, vanity and greed were the order of the day.

He pretended not to notice the gawking stares of everyone he passed as he made his way to the information center. He was not here to make a good impression on anyone. He was here on a mission.

A plump young lady with chocolate skin and braided hair sat behind the information desk with a look of complete disinterest lazily painted across her face as she stared at something quite uninteresting in her nails.

"Greetings, my friend," he announced to get her attention.

As she turned to face him, her mouth and her eyes went wide as they gazed up six and a half feet to get to Ashverosh's face.

After a long and arduous glare, Ashverosh continued, "I seek Humboldt."

The young lady's mouth dropped, "Uhhh, I don't know anyone named Hum-bolt."

Ashverosh shook his head, "Not a man, friend, a land!"

A wide grin came across the young lady's face as she realized all she needed to do was her job, "Oh! You mean Humboldt County? I'd take the Hyperloop if I was you."

"Hyper what? No, the train will be just fine," Ashverosh advised.

"The train? Ain't no train run from Vegas to Humboldt in years!" the young lady advised.

Ashverosh shook his head as his frustration mounted, "A bus?"

"That's gonna be a real long drive, but you do you, honey. You can catch an autobus through that way—you'll see the stop right through those doors."

"A what?" Ashverosh pondered.

The young lady tilted her head and sighed, "Just head on down to the terminal outside, a bus will pull up and you tell it where you gotta go."

"I see, thank you, friend," Ashverosh said solemnly.

With his book in hand, he walked out to the terminal where a bus was pulling up. He knocked on the driver's side door, only to realize there was neither a door nor a driver. When the passenger doors opened, a touchscreen awaited him.

"Welcome to Autobus, your self-driving bus service—please enter your destination," a disembodied voice announced.

Ashverosh shook his head, "What has become of this world ..." he sighed as he clumsily typed in his destination with one finger.

"This bus will stop at Paradise... Rift... Nevada... in fifteen hours," the disembodied voice confirmed.

"FIFTEEN HOURS!" Ashverosh called to the heavens, then realized there was a line of impatient looking people queuing up behind him, giving him weird and inquisitive looks.

"Your total is: one-hundred-and-fifty-two-dollars. Please swipe at the card terminal."

He patted his robe up and down before finally locating the small square of plastic that the Order of Tzadikim had provided him with for his journey. He held the card out and flipped it around, inspecting the numbers and gold-colored microchip.

"Ah-HEM!" a lady with bags under her eyes and a baby in her arms coughed from the queue behind him.

Ashverosh raised his hands apologetically and attempted to swipe the card through the terminal. The terminal lit up red.

"ERROR WITH PAYMENT" the disembodied voice announced.

He tried again.

"ERROR WITH PAYMENT" it repeated.

He flipped the card around and swiped it a third time.

"Thank you. Please take a seat and enjoy your trip with Autobus," the voice confirmed as the line behind him breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Abichail best have every dybbuk in history running loose in that town... Fifteen hellish hours!" he mumbled to himself as the autobus prepared to depart.

# Chapter Three

##  Light Seeking

On Friday morning, Beatrix prepared herself for what was sure to be the latest installment in a series of silent breakfasts with Herbie. Each of them had proven to be as stubborn as the other, so neither had dared say a single word to the other for the past four days.

Despite being fed up with the tension that had wound up their shared living space, Beatrix secretly admired Herbie's determination—she had been sure he would have caved in and apologized after just a day or two. But now she was growing weary of the exercise. After living alone on the fringes of society for so long, she had quickly taken to spending time with her grandson. The return of silence was unbearable.

She woke up especially early that morning and heated up some gray water on the stove for her bucket bath so that Herbie and his mother would still have enough water rations left to shower. She got dressed, snuck into the kitchen, and gave Goji a chewing toy to ensure that her inevitable yapping didn't wake anyone up.

After twenty minutes, she began listening out for the creaking of steps from the floor above that meant that Herbie was on his way down to breakfast. She wasn't surprised to hear his feet moving a little faster than usual that morning.

"Do I smell bacon?" Herbie gasped in disbelief as he entered the kitchen.

"Ah ha!" Beatrix snapped at him, making him jump, "I knew you'd speak first! Not bad, boy, but you'll never beat your grandma when it comes to the silent treatment."

Herbie scowled at her as he realized what a wicked trick she had played, but Goji running up to him and placing her paws on his knees ensured that he couldn't stay angry for long.

"Not bad, Grandma," Herbie chuckled, giving Goji a scratch behind her ear, "You're an admirable opponent. But seriously, is that bacon?"

"In a manner of speaking..." Beatrix hinted, then picked up the plastic bacon packaging next to the stove, "HappyMeat Lab-Grown Bacon, cruelty free," she read, "It's some other worldly mumbo jumbo, but it's half the price of the real deal, so I suppose it will have to do."

"Oh, yeah, it's in all the stores back in D.C., it's a little spongy, but not half bad. I'll take three rashers with a side of eggs!" Herbie smiled.

"No you don't, boy, I think you owe your grandma an apology first," Beatrix tutted.

Herbie sighed and dropped his shoulders, "I guess it's just been really hard fitting in and I took it out on you. I'm sorry, Grandma; it's not easy being a freshman,"

"... and you're going to tear up those Light Seekers forms," Beatrix added.

Herbie shook his head wearily, "I handed them in on Tuesday morning."

"You did what!" Beatrix erupted, sending Goji into a fit of yaps.

"I've been a Light Seeker for three days, Grandma, and guess what? I haven't gone mad, I don't believe in aliens yet, and I still think you're the best grandma a boy could ask for," he insisted.

Beatrix placed her hand on her face as she came to terms with what she was hearing, "For the sake of keeping the peace, I'll allow it... for now. But you better believe I'm going to have some strong words with that Woodbridge character."

Herbie shrugged. At least this was a step in the right direction. He could only hope that the threat was empty and his grandma wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his chances of getting out of Sandgrouse. After a week of constant torment, moving to Blackstart had become his highest priority.

But something had been gnawing at Herbie all week, a question in need of answering, and he wasn't going to waste another minute without an answer.

"Grandma, that call you got the other day, the bad news about your friend... was it Nathan Macklin? I heard he was found dead on his ranch not far from here."

Beatrix gave him a stern look and shook her head, "Fourteen-year-olds should not bother themselves with such grim business, boy. But if you must know, yes, Nathan was an old friend of mine."

"He was supposed to be my Science teacher. They said at school that he refused to join the Light Seekers," Herbie added.

The notion seemed to weigh Beatrix down. She ran a finger across her brow as she leaned back on the kitchen counter, "He was a tough cookie, Nathan. Didn't back down to no one. He had hoped to win this town back from those nutjob Light Seekers, but it seems they got to him first."

"Grandma, I think you know where I'm going with this," Herbie insisted.

Beatrix shook her head, "Please, boy, don't disrespect my friend with your wild theories. I know what happened to him and it has nothing to do with you or your video game fantasies. Leave it be."

Herbie was desperate to push the conversation further, but he knew that putting too much pressure on Beatrix now would get him nowhere.

"I'm sorry, Grandma, I didn't mean to upset you," he muttered.

Beatrix did her best to smile through her sadness, passing him a plate loaded with chewy lab-grown bacon, soft-fried eggs and crispy toast.

"Alright then, boy, you have your bacon and then how's about you ride with me to work? I'm doing my training at the grocery store today."

"Sure thing, Grandma," Herbie replied, licking his lips.

"You get that plate cleaned and don't you give that little vixen a scrap, 'cause you can bet she'll be begging. I'll take some up to your ma, she'll need some cheering up now that she's gone cold turkey on those pills," Beatrix warned.

"Why don't I take it up?" Herbie suggested.

Beatrix tilted her head curiously, "Are you sure? You didn't seem to be her biggest fan when I came home the other day."

Herbie shrugged, "She's trying to get herself right at least, I guess she could use some support. I'm tired of being angry at everyone in this house anyway."

"Anger is an acid that does more harm to the vessel than to anything on which it is poured. Mark Twain said that," Beatrix agreed.

Herbie nodded his head, feeling how raw his soul had become holding in all that rage towards his family. He was glad that Beatrix had been strong enough to fix things and he regretted being so stubborn about apologizing.

Herbie laid waste to the plate of food in no time, doing his best to ignore Goji's relentless pining and fighting off the feeling that there was something that Beatrix wasn't telling him. Something that would piece together the mystery that lay before him. It wasn't long before he was making his way up the stairs with the plate of bacon and eggs, talking himself out of the feeling of dread that was bubbling up in his belly.

Mary Anne had barely stepped out of her room since coming off her medication and when Herbie had passed by her door when returning from school, he could make out faint cries coming from within. He had wanted to talk to her, to help in some way, but he barely felt he had the strength to deal with his own problems, let alone take on the weight of his mother's depression.

He knocked twice on her bedroom door but got no answer. He pushed the door open, letting faint whimpers escape from within. He made out his mother's form on the bed, her face pressed into the pillows.

"M... Mom?" Herbie dared.

"What?" she moaned.

Herbie walked over to the window and opened the curtains, illuminating the room.

"I brought you some breakfast," Herbie replied as kindly as he could.

Mary Anne sunk her head deeper into the pillows to escape the light, "Just leave it on my night stand."

"I'm not letting this bacon go to waste. If you're not gonna eat it, I'm having it." Herbie joked, sitting down on the edge of the bed and placing a hand on his mother's shoulder.

She turned her head to face him, "Bacon?"

Herbie chuckled, "Like mother like son!"

Mary Anne sighed as she slowly lifted herself up, taking the plate of food from Herbie and placing it on her lap.

"You're much more like your father, really," she admitted, wiping her eyes.

The words spun into Herbie like a tornado, twisting him up inside, "I'm nothing like him—he was so... serious... and miserable."

"Not always. When I met him, it was rare to find him without a smile on his face. The world could be crashing down around him, and somehow he could just put it all to one side and get on with life. Just like you," Mary Anne smiled through her baggy eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"I... didn't know that."

"I wish he was here to help me through this. But he would be proud of you, Herbert, I know it," she whispered through the pain of her husband's memory.

Herbie scratched his head, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, "I doubt it. He acted like I didn't exist."

Mary Anne lifted her chin as she considered his words, "He wouldn't leave you alone for a second when you were a baby. So overprotective! But I don't know... something changed. I think it was something to do with his job. One day I came home to a different man. A cold, uncaring man. He could never talk to me about his work, so I had no choice but to leave him to grow colder and colder..."

Mary Anne seemed lost in the memory, pausing as flashes of the past ran through her mind's eye. After a moment, she turned back to Herbie.

"But forget about him. I'm proud of you. You've handled this all so much better than I have."

"Kids are tough, Mom. We're built to kick back. And you'll get there. You're already on the right track," Herbie smiled.

"Thanks, Herbert. That means a lot to me. Aren't you late for school?" she asked.

"You're probably right!" Herbie replied, suddenly realizing that the morning was not waiting for him, "Feel better, Mom, I'll see you later."

"Thanks. I...I love you, Herbert," she said, the words difficult for her to muster.

He had only heard the words from either of his parents a few times in his life, and they struck him as both alien and familiar at the same time.

"I love you too, Mom. Don't let your food get cold."

***

Herbie grabbed his backpack and waited for Beatrix at the barn, taking his chance to admire the busted up old Road Runner as he did. He'd be turning sixteen next year, and hopefully be getting his learner's permit soon. He wondered how much work the Road Runner would need to get going.

He thought back to the girl with black hair and blue eyes and her gaze that could strike a boy down like a bolt of lightning. He wondered what it would be like driving up to Seker High in the fully restored Road Runner with the soft-top down, everyone stopping and staring at him, and the blue-eyed girl swooning as she was overwhelmed with the unprecedented levels of awesomeness that Herbie was packing.

"Keep your eyes off her, boy, I don't want you getting any ideas about my baby," Beatrix jokingly warned as she met him at the barn.

Herbie snapped out of his trance and raised his eyebrows suggestively, before getting on his bicycle, perhaps the first step in changing her mind.

Soon, they were on their bicycles and heading into town. The grocery store chain, better known throughout the rest of America as "Sole Provider", was usually structured as massive warehouses stacked to the roof with every sort of useless item you never thought you would need.

The Paradise Rift version, however, was somewhat more manageable. It was a single story building renovated from an old trade store that had stood there years before. Whoever was running the show at the Sole Provider headquarters had done little to improve it other than slapping their branding all over the old building. They hadn't bothered installing automated doors, automated walkways or—fortunately for Beatrix—automated tellers.

As Herbie and Beatrix rode up on their bicycles, Herbie noticed a magnificent white Valac Disco Volante—an ultra-modern but human-driven roadster, parked outside of the grocery store. A man in a tailored black suit with gold cufflinks that shimmered in the morning sun stood ever so patiently beside it. Herbie's eyes went wide as he inspected his perfectly shaped blonde turning gray hair, his dazzling blue eyes and his pristine white smile.

"It's the guy from the portrait in Woodbridge's office ..." Herbie whispered to his grandma, aghast.

A look of sheer disgust consumed Beatrix's face. She pulled up to the storefront with a skid, dismounted her bicycle and spoke like her words were toxic slime, "Don Balcom!"

"Beatrix Hunter! How good to see you! Glad to have you on the team," the man replied cheerily.

Beatrix swallowed hard and forced a smile, though it came out as a snarl, "Team?" she inquired.

"Didn't you know? I'm the majority shareholder of Sole Provider. You could say I pull the strings around here," Don smiled with warmth and sincerity.

"I should have known," Beatrix grumbled between clenched teeth.

"But don't you worry, Beatrix," Don smiled, "I always tell my employees, don't think of me as your boss—think of me as a friend who can fire you."

"How reassuring," Beatrix moaned through her best attempt at a smile.

Herbie stood and watched in absolute awe. This was the guy that everyone was so obsessed with? The Grand Magus of the Light Seekers? The CEO of Osiris Corp? GREETING HIS GRANDMA ON HER FIRST DAY OF WORKING AT THE GROCERY STORE!

"And this must be the math prodigy!" Don grinned, turning to Herbie and piercing him with his bright blue eyes. Herbie couldn't believe what he was hearing—Don Balcom knew who he was?

"Shake the man's hand, boy," Beatrix insisted.

Herbie shook his head and realized he had just been standing there, fixed and dumb like a plank of wood, "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Balcom, sir," he eventually managed.

Don grabbed his hand and shook it firmly, staring right into Herbie's eyes as he did so, saying, "Please, call me Don."

"How... how did you know I was good at math?" Herbie wondered in awe.

Don tilted his head and smiled, "I love this town, little Hunter, and everyone in it. I make it my duty to get to know every newcomer and make sure that they feel at home."

"We wouldn't have a home if you had anything to say about it," Beatrix mumbled under her breath.

Both Herbie and Don turned to her in surprise, "What was that, Grandma?" Herbie asked.

"Oh, I've been dying to get my hands on that old house of your gran's, but she won't budge! Ha ha!" Don grinned.

"And just because you're my boss now, doesn't mean I'm changing my mind about that, ya hear?" Beatrix tutted.

For a split second, a quiver of rage travelled along Don's face before quickly snapping back to its cheery exterior, "Oh, you'll come around. I've got a lovely little duplex with your name on it," he winked.

Beatrix couldn't have looked less impressed, "Well, thank you for coming through to welcome me, Mr. Balcom, but I'm late for my training and Herbie must get to class."

"Of course," Don smiled, "It was good to meet you, little Hunter, I'll be seeing you soon. And best of luck with getting into Blackstart, I'll be rootin' for ya!"

"Um, thank you and you too, Mr. Balcom, sir," Herbie agreed.

Don nodded warmly at each of them and walked over to the Disco Volante, lifting its gull-wing door and slipping inside. The engine started and pulled off with barely a sound, sending the car gliding down the road at an incredible speed.

Herbie watched on, hypnotized by the experience.

"I should have known I'd be under that swine's little trotter sooner or later," Beatrix moaned.

"That guy is intense," Herbie insisted, his eyes still locked on the Disco Volante in the distance.

"Don't let him get in your head, boy. He's a master manipulator and the Devil himself," Beatrix spat.

"He seemed kinda nice," Herbie shrugged.

Beatrix raised her lip and shook her head, "The Devil always does, boy, the Devil always does."

***

"Wanna hear something weird?" Herbie asked the twins as they led him to his first Science class of the week.

"Shoot," Brenda Lee replied without turning around.

Hollis threw his hands in the air, "Shoot, she says! Like weird news is nothing worth getting excited about!" he turned and grabbed Herbie by the shoulders, "Tell us, Herb! Share what bizarre wonders the universe has revealed to you!"

Herbie was yet to adjust to Hollis's fixation on the strange and mysterious, and immediately regretted his wording, "Well... I talked to my gran about Nathan Macklin this morning."

Brenda Lee shot Hollis a loaded look, stemming his enthusiasm.

"What's your gran got to do with it?" he shrugged, letting go of Herbie and carrying on down the hall, "You should be using your membership with the Light Seekers to tap into their clandestine knowledge," he suggested.

"That's just the thing, she was friends with Macklin. She said he had been trying to stop the Light Seekers from taking over the town, but they got to him first," Herbie revealed.

"What are you getting at, Herbie?" Brenda Lee questioned.

Herbie shrugged, looking left and right to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation, "Well, it's pretty obvious that Don wanted to get his hands on Macklin's ranch. What if that... thing I saw out in the desert was being controlled by him? It's all a bit convenient, don't you think?"

Hollis swallowed hard, "Uh, yeah, I guess. But you know there's stuff we just can't talk about. But trust me, Herb, there's no werewolf working for the Light Seekers."

Hearing the words come out of Hollis's mouth did make the idea seem ludicrous, but things just didn't add up and it was the best explanation he had. Herbie was getting fed up with Hollis's secrecy and wondered if they could ever truly be friends while he was so adamant to keep so much from him, but he was not left with his frustration for long.

Just then, there she was, heading towards them down the hall, her hair black as polished obsidian, her eyes blue and shimmering like the ocean at noon, her cheekbones high and sculpted like they were carved from pearl. She strutted down the hall in a tight fitting outfit of white and pink, girls to her left and right doing their best to claim her attention.

Brenda Lee immediately noticed the love-struck look flop down on Herbie's face and shook her head, "You look like Lazy Sam when someone's left food on the counter."

Hollis chuckled, "Don't waste your time, buddy, girls like that don't give Sandgrouses the time of day."

"What's her name?" Herbie whimpered, his eyes stuck to her perfect image.

"Melody. She's in Blackstart. She's an Acolyte and of course..."

Before Hollis could finish his description, a sound echoed down the corridors that had quickly become the anthem of the trio's embarrassment over the course of the week.

"TRASH-GROUWS!" Darius Smullen called like a wild man on a hunt.

Before Herbie had a chance to react, Darius had grabbed onto his underwear and tugged violently, a hot streak of pain running up Herbie's backside as his cotton tighty-whities ripped under the stress of Darius' pull.

"Yow!" Herbie cried in pain, drawing in everyone in the hallway's attention.

The onlookers pointed and laughed as Herbie rubbed his backside, before Darius pushed him into the wall with an effortless shove.

"Gotta watch your back, trash-grouse," Darius snarled.

But Herbie wasn't listening. He was too busy wishing the ground would open up and swallow him as Melody walked by, shaking her head disappointedly, as though she expected better from Herbie. Darius noticed the strange interaction, pouting as he watched Melody pass them by, then turning and squinting at Herbie, wondering what was going on between them.

"Hey, Melody, wait up!" Darius called after her, like a dog dropping his bone to chase after a squirrel.

"You alright there, buddy?" Hollis asked once the commotion had died down.

Herbie sighed, more upset about looking like a fool in front of Melody than anything, "Yeah, but at this rate, I'm gonna run out of undies before Spring break."

"This is what you get for standing out, Herbie," Brenda Lee tisked without a drop of sympathy.

"Don't listen to her. Anyway, there's a surprise waiting for you in Science class that's gonna lift your spirits!" Hollis smiled.

Herbie raised his eyebrow at Brenda Lee, hoping she would decode Hollis's message, but it was only when they entered the Science classroom that they realized what he was getting at.

"Mr. N!" Hollis cheered as he walked through the doors and was met by a grinning Mr. Nabozny at the front of the class.

"Well, howdy, Mr. Andrews, always good to see ya," he smiled.

Herbie stopped in the doorway trying to figure out if he'd walked into the wrong class, "Mr. Nabozny? Are you replacing, um, are you the new..." he stumbled, trying to pick the right words to discuss the sensitive topic.

"I'm just filling in while Mr. Woodbridge finds a new Science teacher," Mr. Nabozny smiled, "Not a lot of scientifically literate folk are keen on coming out to the desert."

"You mean anyone with half a brain knows that if there is intelligent life in the universe, they don't spend their time shining lights over a backwater town in Nevada," Brenda Lee huffed as she found a seat. She had been fortunate that they were the first to class, as such a statement was tantamount to blasphemy to the Light Seekers.

Mr. Nabozny walked over to Brenda Lee's desk. Herbie and Hollis froze as they watched to see how he would react.

"You're darn right, Missy," he finally said, kneeling down to her, "You're smart, Brenda Lee, every one of your teachers knows that. But do your ol' pal Nabozny a favor and keep that sorta talk to yourself while you're at school."

"Or what?" Brenda Lee goaded, unimpressed by Nabozny's attempts to level with her. He let out a deep sigh as he got back up.

"You know who else was smart?" he whispered, "Nathan Macklin."

***

The school day left Herbie emotionally spent. No matter how hard he tried, he just wasn't able to pick up the twins' technique of keeping quiet and out of the way so that he wouldn't draw any attention to himself. There wasn't a soul in that school who wouldn't take an opportunity to humiliate a Sandgrouse.

Despite desperately wanting to play more SleightSoccer, Herbie had been forced to shy away from center field at recess where Spurwing practiced every day, though he had secretly kept an eye out for a secluded spot where he and the twins might play away from Seker High's judging eyes. But the only way to beat this challenge would be to get transferred out of Sandgrouse. Herbie had done his best to show academic prowess in every class he had all week—a Blackstart could do whatever they wanted on the field at recess, and he would do anything to make that a reality.

But now his eyes were tired from staring at chalk boards and his hands were cramping from the unfamiliar practice of taking down notes in pen. By the time he and the twins were walking out to the bicycle rack at the end of the day, Herbie felt like the weekend couldn't have come a second sooner.

"Excited for dinner tonight?" Hollis beamed as he unlocked his bicycle from the rack.

Herbie squinted at him as he tried to figure out what Hollis was getting at.

"He's forgotten, Hollis," Brenda Lee chimed in.

"No, he hasn't!" Hollis assured, "Herbie's been looking forward to Dad's fried chicken all week! Ain't that right, Herb?"

The memory of agreeing to dinner with the twins came sparking back into Herbie's mind, "Oh, dang, I forgot to ask my grandma if I could come. I'm sure she'll be fine though. I'll message you guys when I get home," Herbie replied.

"You got my number right?" Hollis smiled, whipping out his cell phone.

"You've given it to him three times this week," Brenda Lee groaned, "Don't worry; he won't stand you up on your date tonight."

"You wouldn't know a date if prince charming rode in on a white horse and asked you to grab a slice of pie," Hollis hissed back at his sister.

Brenda Lee scowled as she spun away from her brother and unlocked her bike from the rack with a huff.

"Don't worry, I'm going to go meet my grandma now and I'll see you guys later," Herbie smiled, trying to cool off the situation.

"Whatever..." Brenda Lee coughed before getting on her bicycle and riding off ahead without Hollis.

"Is she okay?" Herbie asked Hollis concernedly.

"Oh, she'll be fine, she's just being a girl," Hollis chuckled, "But more importantly, now that you're a Light Seeker, we might be able to discuss... things."

Herbie's curiosity sparked up. Was Hollis finally beginning to trust in the façade of a loyal Light Seeker that Herbie was projecting?

"Sounds great! I can't wait to learn about what it means to truly be a Light Seeker," Herbie replied, putting on his most enthusiastic smile.

"I'll see you later dude!" Hollis nodded, bursting with excitement.

"See ya!" Herbie smiled, then got on his bicycle and headed for the grocery store, music blasting in his ears.

Plugging the iPod's earphones into his ears and going out on his bicycle rides had turned the chore into the favorite part of his day. He had expanded from Hendrix over the course of the week, devouring whole albums by The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam and The Doors.

Although Herbie's legs were stiff and sore from all the cycling he'd got done throughout the week, it hadn't taken him long to get a rush out of the physical exercise. The cramps in his muscles seemed to ease by the day and he'd even noticed his baby-soft calves begin to harden.

But cycling wasn't going to help him win a game of SleightSoccer. That would take learning how to get his legs and feet to obey his mind, and lots of practice. He sighed to himself. Although he was relieved to have the events of Monday behind him, hiding in the shadows just wasn't his style. He wanted to shine, to excel, to impress girls.

In perfect timing with his thoughts, his new favorite track played through the earphones—"Radar Love" by Golden Earring, the song that constantly made him think of her, the girl with black hair and blue eyes—Melody. Now that Hollis had revealed her name to him, she had begun to consume his every thought. Her presence seemed to radiate light, he could somehow feel when she was near, spot her in the hallways, and find her on the field, like she was a bright red blip on his radar.

Herbie had never really liked a girl before; there were too many other distractions to keep his mind off the idea in Washington, D.C. Now his first crush was proving to be a formidable one—a girl like that wouldn't want anything to do with a Sandgrouse. Just the thought of it made his heart ache.

Alone on the streets, he wanted to sing away his pain at the top of his crackling voice, but was yet to learn the lyrics and so resorted to mimicking the slamming leading guitar, bam-balam-balam-bam-bambam-bam, weow—weow—weowweow—weow—weow—weowweow.

Herbie thought to himself as lyrics eased his breaking heart, hoping someday, he and Melody would have a thing they call Radar Love, You might have been the world's worst Father, but you sure had good taste in music, Dad. There's a little bit of everything on this iPod. You must have been a pretty cool kid... what happened?

Herbie listened intently as he rode along, trying to better learn the words, when he heard something strange in the mix, "Did he say Brenda Lee?" Herbie asked himself aloud, not noticing a bump in the road. With his hips off balance from his awkward wiggle-dance, he skidded into the town square on his thigh, the bicycle's pedal digging into his ankle.

"Ow..." Herbie moaned, looking around to see if anyone witnessed his slip.

But the square was empty, other than an autobus driving up behind him. He quickly got out of its way, knowing that the AI running it would bring the bus to a complete halt until he moved, infuriating its passengers. After scurrying to his feet, he wheeled his bicycle to the Sole Provider and watched intently as the autobus came to a stop. Who the heck would visit this town? Herbie wondered to himself.

As the autobus came to a silent and gracious halt at the bus stop and the doors opened, a massive roar could be heard from inside. Out stepped a mountain of a man yelling at the bus as though it could hear him.

"You can drive yourself, but you need a MAN to change a tire! Damn you, hellspawned contraption!" he bellowed at the bus through his thick white woven beard, "I would have been better off walking!"

Herbie noticed a massive book strapped to the man's arm that must have weighed as much as a small child. He wore it wrapped to his arm in a leather carrier and cradled it in his left hand. It could have been an artifact straight out of Rouge et Noir, and Herbie couldn't help but feel like he should approach the man for a quest. The man spat at the wheels of the bus, and then gazed around at his surroundings, trying to figure out which way was up. He soon locked eyes with Herbie.

"You there ... friend!" he called out in Herbie's direction with a booming voice. His accent was thick, perhaps Middle Eastern.

Herbie looked left and right then back at the man, "Me?" he pondered aloud.

"Yes, you! Come closer, friend!" the man boomed.

Shut the front door! He does have a quest for me! Herbie laughed to himself.

He rolled his bike up to the autobus, wondering if perhaps this was the big break he was looking for in solving the mystery—the game always gave you a clue when the leads went cold.

"It has been some time since I've been here," the man began as Herbie approached him, "Which way is the Paradise Peak Reformed Church?"

"Never heard of it," shrugged Herbie, "Come to think of it, the only thing in town that isn't a Light Seekers hang out is the busted up old church in Oldtown."

The man reeled his head back, aghast, "So they have infiltrated so deeply already. How things have changed," he whispered to himself.

"Who have infiltrated what? Sounds like you need help with a quest," Herbie suggested, raising his eyebrows.

The man squinted at Herbie, apparently trying to decode his language, "No. Thank you. Go away."

Herbie watched the man watch him and shrugged. Sure, it was weird to be talking to a six-and-a-half foot robed man with an apparent taste for conspiracy, but what would have surprised him was if something normal had come out of the bus. This guy actually fit in with this strange little town quite picturesquely.

"Well, all the best to you!" Herbie concluded before quickly turning back to the Sole Provider, somewhat disappointed that the man didn't have more for him, but ever more curious about his business in the Rift.

He turned back to get one last look at the man who now seemed to be taken aback by the fact that there was only one, busted up church in all of Paradise Rift.

"You've got some surprises in store for you, buddy. There are way stranger things going down in this town," he mumbled to himself while leaning his bike up against the entrance to the Sole Provider.

He walked inside and found the shop mostly empty. Behind one of the three cashiers, Herbie spied his grandma with her head resting lazily on her fist.

"Busy day, Grandma?" Herbie joked.

Beatrix shook herself awake at the sound of Herbie's voice and smiled widely when she saw him.

"A few crazies here and there in the morning, but it's been a ghost town since eleven," she sighed, "How was school?"

"Tiring, but I've been invited to Hollis and Brenda Lee's house for dinner which sounds like fun. I just saw the weirdest guy out—"

"You will do no such thing," Beatrix interrupted, "Until I've met their parents, you're not going anywhere. Students and teachers are one thing, but I'm not having you sit at a table with a family of nutjobs and letting them spew their nonsense at you all night. You've already been indoctrinated enough."

"Ah, Grandma!" Herbie moaned, "It's not like that, we're just gonna eat some fried chicken and watch TV!"

"You can huff and puff until you're blue in the face, I've made up my mind on the matter," Beatrix tutted, folding her arms.

"But I love fried chicken..." Herbie moaned.

"I said I've made up my mind!" Beatrix snapped.

Herbie bit his lip as rage began to bubble up in his belly.

"Well you can ride home by yourself then!" he spat, turning and stomping down the aisle.

"Don't you make a scene in the middle of the grocery store like a child!" Beatrix yelled at him.

"I'm not!" Herbie announced without turning around, "I'm storming out of the grocery store, like a teenager!"

***

Goji ran up to Herbie excitedly as he opened the front door, yapping and squealing and running circles round his legs—but Herbie was not in the mood. He ran up to his room and locked the door, leaving a glum little Goji to wonder what she had done wrong to fall out of her new friend's graces. He flopped down on his bed, grabbed his pillow at both ends and pushed his face into it, letting out a scream of frustration.

"Herbert, is that you?" Mary Anne called from her room.

Herbie instantly let go of his pillow and shot up like a rocket. Hold on, Grandma can't tell me what to do! Mom will let me go out tonight! he thought to himself as he ran straight to his mother's room.

He swung the door open and was surprised to find the room bathed in light, the bed made, and the dishes cleared from the nightstand. Mary Anne stood by the window, staring out at the desert while she brushed her hair.

"Look at you!" Herbie blurted out, suddenly distracted from his anger.

It felt like an eternity since he had seen his mother without black bags under bloodshot eyes, unkempt hair or wearing a night gown. He suddenly felt a warmth come over him, soothing his rage and daring a smile to ease his clenched up jaw.

"And look at you!" Mary Anne replied, "What's got you all worked up?"

Herbie suddenly remembered what had him storming into the room in the first place, "Grandma won't let me see my friends tonight!"

Mary Anne sat her hairbrush down on the windowsill, her face twisting up as she processed her unfamiliar role as a mother.

"Did she say why?" Mary Anne asked, tilting her head.

Herbie rolled his eyes and folded his arms, "I dunno! She just doesn't like anyone in this town!"

Mary Anne squinted at him, sensing there was something off about his response, "Is that all she said?"

Herbie exhaled deeply, "She thinks they'll be a bad influence on me... but we're just gonna eat chicken and watch TV, that's all."

Mary Anne bit her bottom lip and scratched her head, trying to figure out how to be a parent, "I don't know, Herbert, your gran has lived in this town a long time, perhaps she knows best."

"Ah man! You're kidding me!" Herbie erupted, "That's so unfair!"

"I'm sorry, Herbert, but until I'm back on my feet, you're just going to have to listen to Beatrix."

"I don't believe this!" Herbie huffed, turning around and stomping back to his room.

He slammed the door shut and put an earphone in one ear so that he could still listen out for Beatrix coming home. He picked "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd to fit his rebellious mood, singing along but changing the lyrics to fit his circumstance.

"I don't need no, meddling grandmas! I don't need no life control! A boring weekend stuck in my room! Hey! Beatrix! Leave this kid alone!" he sang, breaking only to chuckle at his own silliness.

He listened as the front door opened when Beatrix got home twenty minutes after him, and ignored her when she shouted up the stairs to offer him a cheese and tomato sandwich. He lay on his bed staring at his cell phone for hours; playing frustratingly simple games on the cheap model he was reduced to after his smartphone was repossessed in Washington, D.C., listening to the angriest tracks he could find. By the time he was done listening to Twisted Sister's, "We're Not Going to Take it", he had hatched a plan.

Six-thirty came, and Beatrix called up the stairs that there was a dish of macaroni cooling off on the stove and he was welcome to grab some.

He didn't.

At seven, after thirty minutes of Hollis messaging him frantically to get his butt moving, Beatrix announced that she was going to bed and that Herbie better get his attitude right before their morning ride.

At quarter-past-seven, Herbie stuck his head into the hallway and listened out for any movement in the house. After a full minute of silence, he ducked back into his room and locked the door again. He put on his coat, zipped it up, walked over to the window and slid it open. He stared down at the wooden awning just below, lifting his leg over the windowsill and gently lowering himself onto it. He tiptoed across it, every step sending a creak rattling through the panels. Herbie clenched his teeth, hoping it wasn't loud enough to wake up his grandma.

He approached the end of the awning and looked down at the drop to the dry dirt below. Herbie thought back to his time as a werewolf hunter in Rouge et Noir. Such a drop was nothing for him in the virtual world—he could do it with a werewolf swiping at him from behind and not even break a sweat. He remembered the gestures he would have to feed into the motion capture sensors to perform a jump and roll and prepared himself to try it out in real life. He leaped with all the grace and skill he could muster.

Herbie hit the ground with a thump, learning another important lesson in the separation between Virtual Reality and the real thing. He pulled himself up, stretching out his arms and legs to ensure nothing was broken and then smiled as he realized his plan had worked, bumps and bruises aside. He took a deep breath and began making his way to the end of the road.

He shoved his hands into his coat pockets and exhaled a steamy breath. He looked at the barn, but then quickly decided not to fetch his bicycle in case Grandma Beatrix heard the door slam. He shivered in his coat as the cold reached his bones, then began walking his way up Steadfast Grove, a bitter wind stinging his face.

He kept an eye out for the dirt road that led to Hollis and Brenda Lee's house, but he had learned that the street lights on Steadfast Grove hadn't worked for years and one was expected to find one's way in the dark. He was tempted to plug in his earphones and listen to something as he walked, but the whip of the wind warned him to stay alert, to listen out for danger.

She turns off her hearing aid at night! Herbie's brain yelled at him in a moment of epiphany, you could have easily fetched your bicycle! Now you're walking around with a werewolf stalking the night!

Herbie pushed the thought from his mind, not a werewolf Herbie. A coyote, maybe, but not a werewolf. The road seemed so much longer on foot—it was a good fifteen minutes before he found the dirt path that led off into a dark and foreboding desert, with only a tiny dot of light from a farmhouse off in the distance.

Despite having done his best to push the memory aside, to rationalize it away, the image of the hot breath exuding off the clump of shadows in the desert, the warm drop of blood dripping onto his hand, his heart racing as it counted down his seconds to live—it all still haunted his reality as though he was lost in Rouge et Noir and unable to remove his headset. He reached for the compass in his pocket and squeezed down hard, a nervous tick he had quickly developed. He couldn't help but check to see if anyone was following him, or to listen out for the thick, heavy panting that had seemed so close behind him when he had run toward Beatrix.

As he made his way down the dirt road, he began to regret sneaking out more and more with every rustle of the desert brush or howl of the Nevada wind. It took another ten minutes before Herbie arrived at the door, finally relaxing as he stood beneath the porch light, glad to be out of the darkness. The house was as ancient and unkempt as his own, and it seemed that someone with very little idea about how to paint a house had coated it with a seafoam green wash in haphazard blotches.

Herbie tried to peer through the window to the left of the front door as he waited, but was met by a layer of dust thicker than icing on a cake. He knocked again and placed his ear to the door. He could make out footsteps, several sets of feet darting around the house, causing the floorboards to creak. Eventually, the door swung open and revealed a bright-eyed Hollis with a mad smile plastered across his face.

"Uh... Hey, Hollis," Herbie mustered, taken aback by his sudden and intense appearance.

"Herbie. You're late. Where's your bike?" Hollis spoke quickly, wired with an inexplicable excitement.

Herbie stepped back to create some room between them, "I thought I'd walk. What's... what's up buddy? You seem a little... intense."

"We'll explain on the way!" Hollis blurted, then turned his head into the house, "Alright people, our guest of honor is here! Everyone in the car, that mothership ain't gonna stick around forever!"

Suddenly, a man with thin brown hair and bright bursting eyes appeared behind Hollis.

"Herbie!" the man exploded, "Glad you're here son—do we have a treat for you tonight!"

Herbie warily reached out his hand to the man who shook it excitedly, "Oh, sorry, I'm Lucian, Hollis' and Brenda Lee's dad."

"Nice to meet you, Lucian," Herbie nodded, "I thought we were just gonna have fried chicken?"

"Chicken's for the road, Herbie old boy, we've got a mothership to meet!" Lucian said excitedly before pushing past Hollis and running over to a dirty white hatchback parked in the driveway.

"Are you ready yet, Brend?" Hollis called up the stairs, "You're gonna make us late!"

"I told you I'll be ready in ten minutes, stop asking every half an hour!" Brenda Lee's voice echoed through the house.

"We're waiting in the car!" he concluded before shrugging at Herbie and making his way out the door.

The house shuddered as Brenda Lee stomped her way down the steps with a scowl that could make a soldier cry.

"I should have warned you—this happens at least once a month," she sighed when she noticed Herbie standing in the middle of the entrance hall like a toddler that had lost his mom at the mall.

"What's going on?" Herbie asked, grateful to be speaking to someone sane.

"Emergency Light Seekers meet," Brenda Lee said, shaking her head, "Don Balcom just put the word out. Someone's obviously spotted some fireflies, and now the whole town's going to go out into the desert to look for aliens. Just how I want to spend my Friday night."

Herbie shrugged, "Might be an opportunity to find out some answers."

"When a door closes, a window opens," Brenda Lee replied.

Herbie tilted his head back, surprised, "That's pretty optimistic of you, Brend."

Brenda Lee shook her head, "No, literally, the windows open when you close the door. Dad did a terrible job fixing the house up. Latch them closed on your way out."

"Oh," Herbie sniggered.

"You two make kissy-face later! There are aliens to encounter out there!" Hollis called from the car.

Herbie's eyes went wide at the accusation, suddenly noticing the subtle trace of makeup on Brenda Lee's eyes and lips and shuddered at the thought of her getting dressed up for his sake.

"Oh shut it, you little nerd!" Brenda Lee shouted back at her brother, and then stepped out of the front door.

"Keep the house safe, Sam," Brenda Lee called into the entrance hall where Lazy Sam lay like an old rug in the middle of the hallway. He raised his head with very little enthusiasm before quickly returning to his nap.

Lucian reversed the hatchback out the driveway, skidding as he drove through the dust-patch garden and pulled up in front of the porch.

"Hop in, kids!" he called with the same excited smile that Herbie had seen on Hollis so many times before.

Brenda Lee pushed past Herbie and made her way to the car, leaving him standing on the porch alone for a moment, deeply regretting disobeying his grandma. Time and time again, she had proven that she knew what she was talking about, but now it was too late to heed her warning.

What's the worst that could happen, he thought to himself as he walked over to the car and jumped in, aliens aren't real?

***

Lucian pushed a compact disc into the hatchback's old fashioned single disc front loader, and after a pause, the car's sound system exploded in old pop music, "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars. It was an energetic track that seemed to fuel Hollis and Lucian's excitement.

Better than that Pop-Ai rubbish, but nowhere near Hendrix, Herbie thought to himself.

"Hollis tells me you've seen the lights," Lucian tempted, taking his eyes off the road to turn to Herbie.

Herbie instinctually grabbed the door handle in case the car went veering off the road, "Um, I'm not sure what I saw," he spoke quickly in the hopes that Lucian would get back to focusing on his driving, "I doubt Einstein or Sagan would jump to the conclusion that they were alien crafts or anything like that."

"I didn't realize that Einstein or Sagan believed in werewolves," Brenda Lee mocked.

"The first encounter is always the hardest to make sense of, so don't you worry, Herbie ol' boy," Lucian reassured, grabbing some deep-fried battered chicken out of a lunch box in Hollis's lap and taking a bite.

"My grandma figures I was seeing things," Herbie suggested, exhaling a deep breath of relief as Lucian turned his eyes back to the road, "I was playing a lot of Virtual Reality games back in D.C. and I guess spending so much time outdoors has taken some getting used to."

Lucian shook his head furiously and turned back to Herbie, "Don't let the doubters get to you, all the greatest minds in history have had to face their haters, but by persevering they changed the course of history."

Herbie nodded briskly, trying to signal Lucian to turn back to the road. How did I get myself into this mess... he thought to himself, getting a bit fed up with everyone telling him his grandma was a liar.

As the car slowed to a roll, Herbie noticed dozens of cars parked on either side of the road and flashlight wielding Light Seekers walking amongst them. Once they found a parking spot, Lucian turned in his seat to address the three of them, "Looks like we're here, let's move quickly before the other search parties head out."

"Search parties?" Herbie groaned as Hollis and Lucian exited the hatchback and eagerly made their way towards the meeting point.

Brenda Lee turned to Herbie before getting out of the hatchback, "Yep, we're going to go wander into the desert to chase after aliens—what did you expect?"

"I really don't know," Herbie shrugged, then opened the door and stepped out of the car.

Brenda Lee gazed out wearily at the hundreds of Light Seekers walking out into the desert, "All these people desperate to find intelligent life from other planets, I'd be happy to find some intelligent life on earth."

Brenda Lee reached into her backpack and passed Herbie a flashlight, "You're gonna need this."

Herbie took the flashlight in his hands and turned it on while Brenda Lee did the same with her own, "Um... thanks."

Looking out into the desert, Herbie was awestruck by the sheer number of Light Seekers moving deeper and deeper into the darkness. Amongst the speckling of lights, he noticed a pitch-black area in the west the flashlights seemed to be avoiding. It was only when he turned southward and made out the silhouettes of two giant cranes did he realize where they were.

"It's the old churchyard," Herbie whispered to Brenda Lee.

"This is where they always start," Brenda Lee began, "I figure Don does it so that people can get familiar with where the hospital is. Some of these whack jobs go months without ever leaving Newtown, but when the hospital's done, they'll have to get used to coming out here."

"Hospital?" Herbie wondered aloud as they followed the crowd out past the churchyard and into the desert.

"That giant construction site, dummy! You really don't know anything, Herbie," Brenda Lee mocked.

"Why would Grandma tell me to never step foot in a hospital?" Herbie whispered under his breath, remembering what Beatrix had said on their first bicycle ride around town.

He reached into his pocket and squeezed his dad's compass as his nerves got the better of him.

Noticing the strange behavior, Brenda Lee grabbed his arm, "What do you have there? Show me," she commanded.

"Oh, this?" Herbie replied, taking out the compass and showing it off on his stretched out hand, "It's a compass. It was the only thing—"

"That's stupid. Just download an app on your phone if you really want to know where you're heading, or better yet, just use a GPS. You're weird," Brenda Lee goaded in a surprisingly playful tone.

The way she was looking at him made Herbie feel a little uncomfortable and he swallowed hard as he chuckled, "Yeah... guess you're right."

As they walked on, Herbie realized that the crowd was congregating around a small stage that had been set up about half a mile past the construction site. It was lit by a battery powered spotlight, illuminating a microphone stand in the center and a white banner behind it. The banner was stretched out over the full length of the stage and had a symbol of an eye and a flame with some words beneath printed on it. As they got closer, Herbie made out the words "Annuit Coeptis". Despite not having the slightest clue on how to speak Latin, Herbie wondered where he had seen that phrase written down before, something seemed so familiar about it.

Suddenly, Hollis appeared from out of the crowd, shining his flashlight in Herbie's and Brenda Lee's faces, "Rule one! Stick together!" he snapped at both of them, "I can excuse you, Herbie, but you know this stuff, Brend!"

"Oh, calm down, loser, we were right behind you. Where's Dad?" Brenda Lee asked.

"He got a great spot right in the front. C'mon, you're gonna have to squeeze through the crowd," Hollis replied excitedly, shoving his flashlight in his pocket and grabbing both Herbie and Brenda Lee by the hand.

Hollis pulled them through the crowd like rag dolls, much to the other Light Seekers dismay.

"Hey!", "Watch out!", "Be careful you stupid kid!" the Light Seekers huffed at Herbie as Hollis sent him plummeting into their backs as he pulled him along. Herbie did his best to apologize, but by the time he had the chance to say anything, he was already hurtling into the next one.

He breathed a sigh of relief as they finally made contact with Lucian right in front of the stage.

"Rule one, kids! You gotta stick together," Lucian tutted at Herbie and Brenda Lee.

"I told 'em, Dad," Hollis confirmed.

"Okay, we're all here at last. Now quiet down, it's about to start."

The crowd erupted in cheers as Don walked onto the stage. He wore a long white loose-sleeved robe with an eye embroidered on the left sleeve and a flame embroidered on the right. He raised his arms to the cheers, waving the symbols on each sleeve like flags. When the commotion died down, Don folded his arms, placing the sleeve with the flame over the sleeve with the eye.

"Seekers!" Don called into the microphone, triggering another eruption from the crowd.

He waved his hands to silence the crowd, "I have received word that the Sky Lights have been spotted out in the desert... the time for meeting our Galactic Brethren is NOW!"

The crowd cheered like maniacs. Herbie gazed around and saw faces filled with hope, adoration and tears of joy. Herbie knew that the Light Seekers loved Don, but this was the first time he was really seeing it in action. Their devotion was absolute. Even Lucian was staring up at the stage with childlike wonder.

Once the crowd had calmed, Don began again, "But please, my children, never forget: One!"

"Always stick together!" the crowd called back.

Don smiled at their obedience, "Two!"

"Flashlights to the ground! Rattlers will kill you!" the crowd chanted back.

"Three!" Don called with ecstasy, clapping his hands.

"Report anything suspicious to a high-level Seeker! There are enemies among us!"

"That's right my children: four!"

"Learn from our leaders for we know nothing!"

"Five!"

"Always follow the Light!"

The crowd cheered for themselves as they completed the mantra, turning to each other excitedly, patting each other on the back and hugging one another.

Herbie was dumbfounded. He felt sick. He had never seen so many people who had given up on truth in hopes of an easy answer. Carl Sagan and every other skeptic in all of history were probably rolling in their graves.

But the feeling forced Herbie to look into himself. Was he any better back in Washington, D.C.? All of this had been going on around him, but he was so lost in some fantasy reality or another that he hadn't noticed that the world was going mad. The Big Crash had left more than the few hundred residences of Paradise Rift broke—what had happened to the rest of them? Had they all been recruited by charismatic leaders like Don? How many towns like Paradise Rift were being taken over across America?

Don cleared his throat, pulling back the crowd's attention, "Magister Quade will continue from here, be safe out there my Seekers, may tonight be the eve of our salvation!"

At that, Don walked off stage where a team of men in black suits surrounded him and escorted him through the crowd. As Don was stepping off the stage, another white robed man took his place. He was old, easily in his seventies, with beady bloodshot eyes, saggy liver-spotted skin. He stood hunched over the microphone like a gargoyle.

"Please try to stick to your regular groups," he grumbled to the crowd, "We need group Amet, Anubis and Apophis to head toward Paradise Peak. Babi, Geb and Horus are to scour the eastern plains toward Cotton Creek. Isis, Kuk and Ra head southward toward the old silver mine, and Set, Sobek and Temu to head north around the edge of Oldtown."

The crowd nodded and mumbled in understanding.

As Magister Quade droned on about logistics, Herbie felt a sharp grip on his shoulder, and turned to see long red fingers poking into his skin.

"Herbie! I am so glad to see you here!" Tabatha Primrose squeaked in delight, "I was worried that mean old gran of yours was gonna keep you outta all the fun."

Herbie nodded with an uncomfortable smile across his face, "Um, yeah, I thought I'd give it a go. But I'm kinda here without my grandma's permission, so please don't say anything."

"I. Would. Never!" Tabatha proclaimed, "Good on you for taking the initiative, I'm sure Beatrix's is gonna come 'round one of these days. But until then, it's our little secret."

Tabatha gently ran the back of her fingers against Herbie's cheek in an endearing manner that made Herbie's skin tingle.

"If you ever need anyone to talk to, Herbie, I'm always here, and your secrets are always safe with me," she concluded, disappearing like a specter into the crowd before Herbie could reply, leaving him feeling simultaneously entranced and unsettled by the brief interaction.

"And remember!" Magister Quade spat in conclusion, "Report any strange activity directly to me or the other Magisters immediately back at base camp. Good luck, and may you seek the lights as they seek you!"

Lucian turned to face them, "Tonight's the night kids! I've got a good feeling about the silver mine!"

Hollis grabbed Herbie's shoulder, "Looks like you're officially part of team Kuk!"

Suddenly snapping back to the situation at hand, Herbie did his best to act as though he had been paying attention the whole time and that the idea of whatever Hollis was on about excited him.

"Yay," Herbie replied, trying to sound enthusiastic but letting the comment crash land into the dirt.

He followed the group as they met up with the rest of their team, every atom in his body begging to go home and never having anything to do with the Light Seekers ever again.

But at the same time, Herbie knew that getting out of this meet certainly did not mean escaping the Light Seekers. If anything, he would only draw more attention to himself. If he was going to beat this game, he would just have to keep playing along. After taking a moment to find his resolve, Herbie turned to Hollis.

"What's up with the odd-sounding names of the teams?" he asked, trying to better know his enemy.

"Egyptian gods," Hollis beamed, "Don believes that the Egyptians encountered aliens and made them their gods, so he honors them wherever he can. Even Seker High is named after the falcon god. The school crest is the serpent with big feathery wings that Seker rode upon."

"That's... a little weird," Herbie confessed.

"Weirder than walking out into the desert in the middle of the night to find aliens?" Brenda Lee chimed in.

"Good point," Herbie replied.

Soon they found themselves with about thirty Light Seekers just south of the construction site. In front of the group stood four men.

Lucian stepped in front of the kids and shook hands with one of them, "Brother Neil, a pleasure to be led by you once more!" he smiled.

"Yes, hello, Lucian," Brother Neil replied, "Who is this you've brought along with you?"

Lucian whirled around and turned to Herbie, "A new member and the latest addition to team Kuk—this is Herbie."

Herbie stepped forward to shake the man's hand, "Herbie Hunter, pleased to meet you Neil."

"Brother Neil," he replied, pulling his hand away, "No relation to the infamous Beatrix Hunter, I hope?"

"She's my grandma," Herbie responded defensively.

Brother Neil grimaced with disgust, "Well, perhaps you can share our way with her—she certainly could use some educating."

Herbie swallowed hard, doing his best to fight his instinct to tell Brother Neil to keep his opinion to himself. "Oh, you know how stubborn old people can be," Herbie replied with his best attempt at a smile.

Brother Neil scoffed at him and turned away. Lucian grabbed Herbie's shoulder and pulled him back toward the twins.

"Always address a Brother by his title, Herbie. They work hard to earn it," Lucian lectured, "Only members go by their first names. Otherwise it's Acolyte, Brother or Sister and Magister. And if you're ever fortunate enough to meet Don, you're to address him as Grand Magus Balcom."

"Um, sure thing... Brother Lucian?" Herbie suggested.

A scowl came across Lucian's face, "Now listen here, Herbie, you can't just go around making assumptions about people's positions, you're being extremely rude and—"

"I'll take it from here, Dad," Hollis interjected, wedging himself between his father and Herbie.

Lucian's face was a knot of rage ready to explode, and Herbie couldn't have been more thankful that Hollis had pulled him away. It was terrifying to see a man's kindness fade so quickly into anger.

A few feet from his father, Hollis whispered in Herbie's ear, "We're all still on member level, the whole family. It's a bit of a sensitive subject."

"But you guys seem so... into it? Why haven't you been promoted yet?" Herbie whispered back.

Hollis looked down at the ground as a deep sadness crept over him, "Dad would say it's because we're not a part of Don's original flock, that we're latecomers. But I think deep down inside, we both know the real reason," Hollis sighed, turning his gaze to his sister who disinterestedly poked at the touchscreen on her cell phone. "The Light Seekers don't just share their secrets with anyone, if they think there's an unbeliever in your family, they'll lock you out without thinking twice about it."

Herbie let the idea sink in as his worst fear came to be—as long as Beatrix was the town rebel, he would always be an outsider.

"Team Kuk! Move out!" Brother Neil called out to the group and began to march south into the desert, leaving the rest behind to be led by the other four Brothers.

The teams walked in order of hierarchy, Brothers in front and members in descending age. Herbie discovered that he was a few months older than the twins and so he found himself caught between Hollis and a dull-eyed senior.

Brother Neil maintained the lead, clearly displeased about the group he was in charge of, batting away all attempts Lucian made to include him in the conversation.

All in all, the walk was far more boring than Herbie had anticipated. With all their fanatical belief, he had begun to think that maybe the Light Seekers had made contact with aliens—why else would anyone follow a cause that was so clearly insane?

But there were no aliens, just mile after mile of desert sand and dry brush—not even a rattlesnake or scorpion to get the blood pumping.

"Aren't you guys worried about coyotes? We're pretty defenseless out here if a roaming pack comes through," Herbie suggested, secretly hoping a pack would come through, just to liven things up a bit.

Brother Neil shook his head irritably, "Coyote's haven't been spotted around here for years, not since the drought. Your grandmother has been filling your head with garbage."

"Na-uh! Our Science teacher at school was killed by a coyote on his ranch just last week! Animal Control came to try and catch them and everything," Herbie defended, before pausing a moment to consider that Brother Neil wasn't in the know "Unless... it was some other animal... or something else entirely."

"It's the first I'm hearing of it, and I've been studying the fauna of Northern Nevada for the past five years. I was a zoologist before The Big Crash, and I've been sure to keep an eye on things since I was accepted into Don's flock. So you can go home and tell your grandmother that her cockamamie ideas have no place in the Forensic Sciences," Brother Neil lectured, confident that he had just won a battle against Beatrix Hunter.

"It was Mr. Woodbridge who told me that," Herbie smiled, secretly bursting with delight that a Light Seeker had poked a hole in his own cult's deception.

Brother Neil stopped in his tracks and turned around, "Woodbridge told you that? That... that doesn't make any—," his eyes suddenly burst open wide in shock, "Where's Brenda Lee!"

Lucian, Herbie and Hollis whirled around to find that Brenda Lee was nowhere in sight.

"Brend!" Lucian called out in a panic.

The whole group turned to shine their flashlights into the desert, calling out for Brenda Lee.

"I'm here!" a voice echoed across the sands; team Kuk all turning their flashlights to its source.

Off in the distance, Brenda Lee came gracelessly stomping toward them, her backpack flopping to and fro on her shoulders.

"You had us worried sick!" Hollis reprimanded his sister, "Where were you?"

"Oh, sorry," Brenda Lee shrugged, "I was looking at my phone and got distracted."

The group erupted in unison, "Rule one! Always stick together. Rule two! Flashlights to the ground!"

"Yes, yes, I know!" Brenda Lee replied irritably.

"This is no way to behave if you plan on becoming an Acolyte," Brother Neil hissed at her.

Herbie noticed a wave of sheer agony travel along the lines of Lucian's face. His love for his daughter and his ambitions to climb the Light Seekers ladder of hierarchy was splitting him in two and breaking his heart.

"You could have got hurt, Brend. Please try to be careful," Lucian begged.

"Sorry, Dad," Brenda Lee replied with no real sign of remorse. Lucian sighed deeply to himself and turned back to Brother Neil, "Let's keep going."

Brother Neil whirled himself back around toward the silver mine and continued marching, muttering to himself about the impossibility of coyotes. While Lucian did his best to have a friendly chat with Brother Neil and distract him from both Herbie and Brenda Lee's behavior, Brenda Lee ran up out of line to walk alongside Herbie and Hollis.

"I found something," she whispered excitedly.

"What do you mean you found something? Get back in line," Hollis replied irritably.

"Tracks, in the desert. Alien tracks. I didn't want to say anything because that dweeb Neil would never believe me. But trust me guys, I think the Seekers were right all along. Nothing from this world could have made those tracks."

"Woah..." Hollis smiled excitedly.

Herbie was less convinced, "Are you sure they weren't just animal tracks?"

"Trust me, I'm the last person to jump to conclusions; this is the real deal!" Brenda Lee replied with more excitement than Herbie had ever seen her muster.

"We need to tell Brother Neil," Hollis confirmed.

"Are you mad?" Brenda Lee hissed back, "He'll tell us not to waste his time and we'll lose the tracks forever. Let's just go and investigate for ourselves."

"Rule one, always stick together, rule three, report anything suspicious to a high-level Light Seeker," Hollis recited.

"What's more important, following those stupid rules, or being the guy that made contact with an alien race?" Brenda Lee dared.

"This sounds like a bad idea..." Hollis replied.

"Bad ideas make the best memories," Brenda Lee smiled.

By his facial expression, Herbie could see the two ideas wage war with each other in Hollis's mind, until finally, his curiosity won out.

"How are we gonna lose the rest of the group?" Hollis inquired.

"Dad's yacking away so loud there, no one will even notice," Brenda Lee smiled deviously before turning to Herbie, "You coming?"

Herbie tensed, "I dunno. Brother Neil just said that there aren't any coyotes around these parts anymore. I know it sounds crazy, but I think my werewolf theory is making more sense than ever."

"Dude," Brenda Lee sighed.

"Yeah, seriously, man, what's with you and werewolves? You're starting to sound like a nut," Hollis agreed.

Herbie frowned, self-doubt and conviction fighting a war in his head. But if even Hollis thought he was acting crazy, maybe it was time to admit to himself that all those hours playing Rouge et Noir had warped his sense of reality.

"Fine, let's go," he shrugged.

Brenda Lee put her finger on her lips and motioned for the boys to follow her. Silently, they trod backwards while Lucian kept Brother Neil distracted with his banter.

"Just over here, quick, before they notice we've gone," Brenda Lee insisted, picking up her pace and heading toward a sand dune in the distance.

"Slow down!" Hollis hissed, trying to keep his voice from echoing across the desert, keeping his flashlight aimed at Brenda Lee's back.

"It's just over here!" Brenda Lee continued, running faster and faster, getting a lead on the boys.

"We're gonna lose you if you don't wait up!" Herbie warned, starting to feel a bit uneasy about sneaking off.

"It's just over this dune, come on, we're nearly there!" Brenda Lee called back to them.

Herbie and Hollis sprinted to keep up with her as she disappeared over the top of the dune. It didn't take long before they realized that Brenda Lee was out of sight and had gone completely quiet.

"Brend?" Hollis called from the foot of the dune, "Where'd ya go?"

After a moment of silence, Herbie stopped in his tracks and listened for any sign that she was on the other side of the dune, "Brend? Are you there?"

"Where did she go?" Hollis asked Herbie, his excitement suddenly turning to fear.

Herbie shook his head, and then turned back to the desert. In their sprint they had covered far more ground than he had thought and a deep icy fear shivered across his bones. There wasn't a single flashlight to be seen for miles and the silhouettes of the cranes had been eaten up by the darkness of the desert.

"Do you know where we are?" Herbie asked Hollis concernedly.

"Not a clue..." Hollis replied with fear in his eyes.

Herbie swallowed hard and fought back the memories of his first night in Paradise Rift, of the sudden feeling of being stranded in the desert, of the clot of shadows dripping warm blood onto his hand.

"Quit messing around, Brenda Lee, we need to find the group," Herbie called out over the dune impatiently, trying to hide his fear.

After getting no response, Herbie motioned to Hollis to start ascending the dune. The two of them moved slowly, placing each step carefully in the loose sand and listening attentively for any strange noises. They approached the top of the dune and got down on all fours to peek over the other side without calling any attention to themselves.

Out of nowhere, their flashlights beams landed upon a grotesque gray head with huge black bug eyes on the other side of the dune.

"Ahhh!" the boys cried in unison, the monstrosity only inches from their faces.

They both quickly lost their footing in their scramble to get away from the hideous gray creature and went tumbling down the dune. They skidded to a stop at the foot of the dune and gazed up in terrified awe as the gray horror emerged completely.

Shining his flashlight at the creature, Herbie could make out that its body was human in size, each hand comprised of five fingers, though its head was easily three times larger than that of a man's. Its eyes took up most of its face and its mouth and chin seemed crammed down into its neck. It stepped with rigid movements, climbing over the peak of the dune and moving ever closer to Hollis and Herbie.

As it gazed down at the two boys, it raised its arms in the air, making bizarre muffled groans. After all his doubt, all his theories Herbie couldn't believe his eyes.

It wasn't a werewolf you fool! It was an alien! Why didn't you listen to what everyone was telling you! his thoughts cried.

But it was too late for epiphanies. They were real, and now they were going to take him and experiment on him. He just wished he could have said goodbye to his mother, apologized to Beatrix, told them he loved them.

"Please!" Hollis begged, "We want to share your knowledge, don't hurt us!"

The alien groaned louder as it took another step forward, waving its hands furiously, shortly before it burst into laughter.

Herbie and Hollis turned to each other, looks of absolute confusion plastered over their faces. The gray-faced creature's laughter grew hysterical, making it keel over and eventually slip on the soft sands, sending it rolling down the dune. It came to a halt between Herbie and Hollis, though along its roll, it had lost its face, revealing Brenda Lee laughing herself into a frenzy beneath.

Herbie dropped his head into his hands as he realized what had just happened. A wave of relief came over him as the adrenaline pumping through his veins began to ease.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Hollis exploded.

"So... worth it..." Brenda Lee managed through her hysteria.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack," Herbie chuckled, throwing himself backwards into the sands.

"I can't believe you didn't notice your own Halloween mask, you bonehead!" Brenda Lee laughed at Hollis.

"I broke two rules for this, Brend!" Hollis snapped, "You could have just ruined my chances of ever becoming an Acolyte!"

"Oh, keep your pants on, you dork, they probably haven't even noticed we're gone," Brenda Lee defended, pulling herself up out of the sand and extracting her flashlight out of her pocket.

"No, Brenda Lee, this time you've gone too far!" Hollis challenged.

Herbie pulled himself back up to try and calm things down between the twins, "It was just a prank, dude. Come on, let's go find the group."

"How are we going to do that?" Hollis hissed back.

Brenda Lee rolled her eyes, "We'll just follow the lights."

"What lights?" Hollis insisted, turning around.

Brenda Lee stood up hurriedly and shone her flashlight in every direction, standing on her tiptoes to see over the dunes. After swiveling her head around this way and that, she hunched down to where Herbie and Hollis sat.

"I might have not thought this plan through entirely," she shrugged, trying to suppress her urge to panic.

Herbie and Hollis pulled themselves off the ground and gazed around, hoping to see something that Brenda Lee might have missed.

"Which way takes us back to town?" Brenda Lee wondered aloud.

"Well, let's try to use some landmarks," Hollis began. "We have the endless miles of sand to our left, and if you look to your right you'll see..." he paused for effect, "ENDLESS MILES OF SAND!"

"There's no point freaking out, dude," Herbie shrugged, "We should be able to find our footprints if the wind hasn't already blown them away, let's just stick to one direction and follow the path we took from the old church."

"Then we can tell Magister Quade that the whole town can stop searching for us and that we intentionally broke two rules so that Brenda Lee could get a laugh."

"Would you rather spend the night in the desert?" Brenda Lee hissed at her brother.

Herbie figured it was time to take control of the situation.

"When things start to overwhelm me, I just pretend I'm playing Rouge et Noir and that I've got a puzzle to solve. There's a way around everything if you look out for the clues," Herbie stated calmly.

"What the snickerdoodle ice-cream sandwich is Rooj at Nwa?" Hollis asked, attempting to mimic Herbie's French accent.

Now I've done it, Herbie thought to himself. He had hid the fact that he'd spent half his life in the virtual reproduction of the murky forests of Elizabethan Europe, solving mysteries and slaying werewolves, lest the twins throw out his experience in the desert as delusion, just as Beatrix had.

He gulped.

"It's a... a VR game," Herbie smiled.

Brenda Lee let a sly smile curl across her lips, immediately sensing Herbie's apprehension, "And you say you solve mysteries in this game? They wouldn't have anything to do with..."

"Werewolves!" Hollis concluded, catching on to what Brenda Lee was getting at.

The twins waited with bated breath for Herbie to answer, big stupid smiles hanging on their faces.

"Maybe..." Herbie finally admitted.

"That... that makes a lot of sense," Brenda Lee sniggered. Hollis was less reserved, roaring with laughter as he finally figured out where Herbie got all his crazy ideas from. "Herbie, ya kook! That's the kookiest thing I've ever heard. This whole time I was like, what's with this guy and werewolves? This is clearly an alien matter."

Herbie scowled at the two of them. He didn't appreciate being called a kook by the kookiest guy he'd ever met.

"So we're going to find a way out of the desert like it was a mystery in your werewolf game?" Brenda Lee suggested with a loaded smile.

"Got any better ideas?" Herbie goaded, completely fed up with being made fun of.

"Alright, gamer-geek, let's find some clues," Brenda Lee said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "I can't believe I put on makeup for a total nerd," she sniggered under her breath, too soft for the others to hear.

"If we could figure out which direction is north using the stars, we might get back to the road," Hollis suggested, looking up at the sky and scratching his head, "If only I knew how to do that..."

"I do!" Herbie exploded, finally feeling like he had a way to deal with the situation, "Well, in theory. I've never done it with actual stars, but it shouldn't be any different to my cosmos projector. All we have to do is find Polaris."

"Ooo! How do we do that?" Hollis beamed, excited to learn something new.

Herbie looked up at the sky and rubbed his chin, "Well, it's a little easier when it's just a bunch of lights on my ceiling, but it's the tip of the tail of Ursa Minor..."

"Ursa what-now?" Hollis questioned.

"Ursa Minor, the little bear, sometimes called the Little Dipper, because it really looks more like a smaller version of the Big Dipper than a bear. Speaking of which, it'll be easier to find the Big Dipper first. The stars Merak and Dubhe are super bright and sort of point to Polaris... that's them there!"

"Nice one, Herb! Now where's Polaris?" Hollis pleaded with enthusiasm.

"That's it there! That's north!" Herbie erupted, pointing at the shining North Star.

"Herbie! You've saved us!" Hollis leaped with joy.

"Are you two quite done?" Brenda Lee snarled, shaking her head.

"What's with the attitude, Brend? Herbie's just found our way home!" Hollis defended.

Brenda Lee stomped over to Herbie and reached into his pocket. Herbie froze at the sudden violation of his personal space—at the sensation of Brenda Lee's hand pressing against his leg through his jeans. But she quickly tugged her hand back out of Herbie's pocket, revealing his father's compass that had been in there the whole time.

"Herbie's had a way for us to get home the whole time! He's just the last person on earth who owns a compass and doesn't know how to use one!" Brenda Lee berated the boys as she shone her flashlight on the compass.

"Oh yeah... forgot about that..." Herbie sighed, slightly embarrassed.

"Cool!" Hollis beamed, grabbing the compass in his hands and inspecting it, "It still works and everything! They really built these things to last back in the day!" he flipped the compass and brought it right up to his face, "What does 'P.H' stand for? And what's with all the scratches?" he added, noticing the engraving on its back.

"It was my Dad's, those are his initials: Paul Hunter. Beats me why he messed it up like that, but let's see if it can get us out of this mess," Herbie replied.

They began making their way northward, Brenda Lee with her flashlight pointed to the ground to watch out for rattlesnakes and scorpions, Hollis keeping a close eye on the compass, Herbie with his eyes locked on Polaris, ensuring the compass pointed true.

Herbie did his best to maintain a brave face and calm the twins when they inevitably started to bicker again, but deep inside, he was terrified. He didn't dare confess to the twins that he was the least likely candidate to lead an outdoor excursion of any sort, that before arriving in Paradise Rift, he hadn't spent a day in the wilderness in his entire life and that he had learned about navigating by the stars through his geeky constellation projector in his room and vids on the net. Right now, all that mattered was remaining calm.

But minute after minute passed without any sign of light, making Herbie wonder if Hollis knew how to use a compass at all, or worse yet, if his identification of the stars was completely wrong. Just when Herbie was ready to break down into a panic, a light appeared on the horizon.

"Get down! Flashlights off!" Herbie commanded in a whispered hiss.

The twins obeyed and lay down flat on their bellies.

"What are we doing?" Brenda Lee whispered to Herbie.

"Look, just on the horizon, someone's out there with a flashlight," Herbie whispered back.

"Then what are we doing lying in the dirt? Let's go ask for help," Hollis hissed back.

Herbie shook his head, "Just one person walking the desert alone? A search party would go out in teams."

"And who knows who could be stalking the desert in the middle of the night..." Hollis realized.

"What are we going to do?" Brenda Lee asked.

"Just lay low for now, I don't think they've seen us yet, perhaps when they're a little close—"

Herbie was interrupted by a light shining in his face.

"Hey!" a voice called out, "Daeva? Is that you?"

Herbie raised his hand to keep the light from his eyes, and realizing his attempt at hiding had been a complete failure, lifted himself off the sands. The twins stood up and placed themselves behind Herbie as they squinted into the beam piercing the darkness.

"Who's there?" Herbie called back, turning his flashlight back on and shining it in the stranger's direction.

Within the halo of light, Herbie made out a face—a girl's face. His heart froze in his chest.

"M... Melody?" he stuttered as she approached.

"No way..." Hollis confirmed, turning his flashlight back on.

"Hey, I know you," Melody replied, shining her flashlight in each of their faces in turn, "You're... trash-grouses!"

The trio sighed in unison.

"We've got names you know," Brenda Lee countered, turning her flashlight back on.

"I'm Herbie," Herbie said with the most charming smile he could muster, "What are you doing out here in the desert alone?"

"She's looking for her sister, Daeva," Hollis said with a proud look on his face, which quickly faded to dread as he realized he had revealed sensitive information in front of Herbie.

Hollis quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat, "But what would she be doing out here? I thought she was under strict surveillance since her encounter?"

Melody immediately became shy and uncomfortable, her sparkling blue eyes drenched in sadness. Herbie's knees went weak.

"I'm not really supposed to talk about it, but I guess... You're all Acolytes, right?" she asked gently.

"Of course!" Hollis announced before any of the others had a chance to speak, "All three of us, proud Acolytes. Now, what were you saying?"

"We haven't been able to find Daeva since the Galactic Brethren contacted her," Melody began.

"The Brethren contacted her?" Herbie questioned.

Melody gave him a skew look, "Everyone above member level should know that, it's been added to official Light Seekers lore."

"Herbie's only just been promoted, he must not have gotten to the recent stuff yet," Hollis reacted quickly, covering for Herbie, "As you were saying."

"Um, okay..." Melody replied hesitantly, "She's refused to come home. She's acting like... some kind of wild animal... a monster."

Herbie listened in total awe and terror. It was all starting to make sense. He felt himself start to shake and sweat as he realized who Melody was talking about.

"She's... here?" Herbie stuttered through his fear.

Melody nodded solemnly, "I saw her stalking our group while we were searching the desert. I didn't want to say anything in case someone tried to hurt her, so I snuck away to try to talk her into going back home. I'm the only one she'll listen to."

"Where is she now?" Herbie asked desperately.

Melody shrugged, "I lost her."

Herbie got down on his haunches as he digested the information. It was real. He hadn't hallucinated anything. The woman running down the road screaming, the beast that chased after him—they were one and the same, and he was lost in the desert, with her hiding somewhere in the shadows.

"Are you okay, Herb?" Hollis asked, looking down at Herbie and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I've seen her. She tried to kill me," Herbie stated, staring down at the desert sands, running his hands through his hair as he desperately tried to figure out a plan to get to safety.

But then Herbie remembered what Hollis had said back at Macklin's ranch and got a sick feeling in his stomach.

"You... you've known all along! This whole time I've been going on about werewolves, and you tried to make me think I was crazy!" Herbie spat.

Hollis kneeled down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, "I wanted to tell you, Herb, but there are rules."

"Hold on!" Melody admonished, "What are you guys talking about?"

Herbie raised his head and looked Melody in the eye, "On my first night in the Rift, I saw your sister run into the desert. But what I met out in the darkness was a... monster."

"When was that?" Melody asked.

"Last Friday, at about midnight," Herbie replied without looking up.

"That's the night she was contacted—hey, wait a minute!" Melody suddenly erupted, "If you only arrived here last Friday, there's no way you could be an Acolyte, you lied to me!"

"Who cares!" Herbie lashed at Melody, panic settling in, "We're all about to die out here!"

"Herbie, calm down," Hollis warned.

"Do you know who my Father is?" Melody spat.

"WHY WOULD I CARE!" Herbie yelled at the top of his voice, fiercely gazing up at her.

"Don't be an idiot, Herbie," Brenda Lee hissed.

Melody leaned down to stick her face right up to Herbie's, "Grand Magus Balcom," she threatened, "And when he finds out you lied to me to uncover Light Seekers secrets, you'll be expelled from Seker High and thrown out of town."

Herbie swallowed hard, suddenly coming back to his senses, "Don Balcom... is your dad?" he wondered aloud.

It dawned on Herbie as he inspected Melody's heart-melting features that the resemblance between her and her father was scarce. They both had piercing blue eyes, but even Don's seemed to pale in comparison to Melody's. Other than that, they couldn't have looked more different.

"You don't look like Don's daughter," Herbie scoffed, finally seeing through her glamor to the rotten soul beneath.

"She definitely is, Herb, so you might not want to tick her off. Now, why don't you apologize?" Hollis suggested.

Before Herbie could reply, the darkness was illuminated by a rich red flame behind them. All four of them turned; ready to witness the horror of their demise, terror making their blood run cold.

"You're kidding me," Herbie sighed as he stood up and saw who held the burning torch, "Is everyone just wandering the desert alone?"

"Who the heck is this?" Brenda Lee bleated, taken aback by the robed man with a torch in his right hand and a massive book in his left.

"I am Ashverosh and you should not be here, children," Ashverosh warned, his voice deep and foreboding.

Herbie took a step toward him, then suddenly noticed the bloody scratch marks across his face.

"What happened to you?" Herbie asked.

"Keep your voice down," Ashverosh whispered, "If I could hear you screaming like a fool, it most certainly can too."

"It?" Brenda Lee queried, squinting at the mountain of a man.

"An alien?" Hollis suggested excitedly.

"A werewolf?" Herbie asked nervously.

"No," Melody whispered, her eyes wide with fear, pointing her flashlight at something behind Ashverosh, "My sister."

Ashverosh roared as a pair of bloodied hands tore into his cheeks from behind and bruised and battered bare feet wrapped around his waist. He dropped his torch and threw himself backwards, pile driving Daeva into the desert sands.

Herbie froze in fear as his nightmare became a reality. Her long knotted brown hair, her violent white eyes, her torn up flesh, and her bloodied hands. It was all too real.

"Damn you, hellspawn!" Ashverosh cried as he turned and tried to wrestle her into submission.

All it took was one kick to the gut to send him flying off her and into the group of teenagers. Hollis and Herbie did their best to catch him, but his massive weight hit them like a ton of bricks, throwing them to the ground.

"Don't hurt my sister!" Melody yelled in terror.

"It's not your sister's safety we have to worry about!" Brenda Lee snapped in response.

Ashverosh pulled himself to his feet and picked up his torch, as Daeva watched on, licking her lips clean of his blood.

"You children get to safety, I will handle this," he commanded, removing his book from its leather strap around his left arm and taking it in his right.

Melody and Brenda Lee helped Herbie and Hollis to their feet.

"Let's get out of here!" Brenda Lee commanded the others.

"I'm not leaving her!" Melody insisted.

Ashverosh dug his feet into the dirt and furiously flipped the pages of the gigantic book in his hand.

"Get back!" he yelled at the others, then turned to Daeva, "Dybbuk! Eyn lekh' dvmyyn al tzadiykiym!" (Demon, you have no domain over the righteous)

Suddenly, Daeva laughed a sick gurgling chuckle and for the first time, Herbie witnessed her speak, an unearthly voice that seemed to echo within itself, "Miy omer sheatah tzadiyk?" (Who says you are righteous?)

Ashverosh snarled and spat at Daeva's feet, "I am Ashverosh of the Holy Order of the Tzadikim, who has studied the Holy text of his ancestors, who has fought your kind for a lifetime—there are none more righteous!"

At that, Ashverosh gazed into the torchlit pages of his book and began chanting a strange guttural song, his booming voice echoing across the desert. Daeva immediately began to spit and hiss, reeling back as though the words were unbearable for her to witness.

"Aniy tzariykh' l'tzayet lekh', aval taam'tiy dam v'zeh taiym!" (I should obey you... but now I have tasted blood and it is delicious!)

Daeva slammed her foot down into the dune with seemingly impossible strength, kicking up a dust cloud that devoured a ten foot radius around her.

Blinded, Herbie called out to the twins and Melody, "We need to get away, follow my voice!"

But it was not the twins who followed his voice. The words had barely passed his lips when Daeva's blood-caked fingers pierced through the dust, reaching out for his face.

Mere inches from contact, Herbie heard Ashverosh roar, "To hell with you!" slamming his fist into her back with such force that its shockwave cleared the dust around them, cutting Daeva's momentum short and sending her downward toward the sands. While Daeva was momentarily incapacitated, Ashverosh reopened his book and once more began a guttural chant.

But not even the incredible blow was enough to slow Daeva down. In seconds she had snatched at Ashverosh with her bloodied hands, knocking the book from his grasp and sending it hurtling toward the four teenagers.

"OWWW!" Hollis moaned as the book hit him in the face with a thump. Now that the dust was settling, Herbie could just make out the other three around him.

"Now's our chance! Run!" Herbie screamed, grabbing Melody whose body had gone stiff with fear.

"Brenda Lee! Hollis! Follow me!" he yelled as he pulled Melody along with him.

Carrying both his own weight and Melody's, Herbie sprinted with every last ounce of strength he had. Melody sobbed desperately as she was pulled along, tugging back at Herbie to go back to her sister.

"I can stop her! Let me go, you idiot!" she screamed as Herbie used all his might to keep her moving.

"Oh shut up, you fool!" Brenda Lee yelled from behind her, "Whatever that thing is, it isn't Daeva anymore!"

Herbie turned back and aimed his flashlight at the settling dust cloud in the distance, far enough away for his adrenaline to calm and his legs to collapse. He let go of Melody's hand which had quickly chafed the soft skin of his own. He dropped to his knees, panting and turning to the others.

"Where's Hollis?" Herbie panicked as soon as he turned to the two girls.

"I thought he was behind me!" Brenda Lee replied, rotating her head and flashlight left and right as she desperately searched for her brother.

Melody looked down at where Herbie sat collapsed in the sand, "We need to go back! She'll kill him!" she cried.

"Too late," Brenda Lee winced, pointing at the horizon.

Herbie and Melody turned and saw a dozen or so flashlights pointing in their direction from half a mile away. Melody looked at Herbie and Brenda Lee with panic in her eyes, then grabbed Herbie by the shirt and pulled him to his feet with surprising strength.

"You say nothing," she hissed in his face—then turned to Brenda Lee. "That goes for you too."

Herbie pushed Melody's hand away and squinted at her as he tried to figure out her game, "Aren't you the daughter of the Grand Magus? There are rules to follow."

Melody stuck her face right up to Herbie's, "No one cares about those ludicrous rules! If they find out my sister is wandering the desert attacking people, they'll have her locked up—I'm not letting her go through that."

Brenda Lee stepped toward them, wedging herself in between Herbie and Melody, "I suppose that depends—are you going to tell your daddy dearest about my lame brain brother lying about being an Acolyte?"

The two girls faced off with fury in their eyes until Melody finally broke, "Fine! I don't care about you half-brained trash-grouses. Just keep your traps shut about my sister, and your little lie is safe with me."

"Deal!" Brenda Lee smirked, and then turned to face the approaching lights, "We're over here! Help! We've lost my brother!"

***

Herbie, Brenda Lee and Melody stood before Magister Quade and Magister Woodbridge—as Herbie had quickly been informed—at the base camp, while the other Light Seekers continued to search for Hollis. The stage had been taken down, but the spotlight still stood as a beacon to guide the Light Seekers home.

Magister Quade circled the perimeter of the light's halo in a slow crooked dodder, inspecting the three of them, snorting and grunting as he did, while Magister Woodbridge stood at attention in front of them, chewing on what Herbie could only imagine was a wad of phlegm.

"I'm highly disappointed in you, Acolyte Melody, as is your Father. He has sent a driver to collect you, who shall be here shortly," Magister Quade began, "But before I let you go, I expect you to explain, firstly, why you have decided to associate yourself with such uninspiring specimens as the Andrews twins and the spawn of Beatrix Hunter, and secondly, why you of all Acolytes broke our sacred rules and strayed from your group?"

"To think!" Woodbridge added, addressing Brenda Lee, "I had hoped that you and your brother were going to make something of yourselves."

"Yes, yes, thank you, Magister Woodbridge," Magister Quade nodded irritably.

Melody stepped forward, "I take full responsibility for their actions, Magister Quade, Magister Woodbridge."

The two old men gasped and reeled their heads back, Woodbridge in shock and Quade in disgust.

"Explain," Quade commanded.

"Herbie and the twins approached me for advice on how to be promoted to Acolyte. It is my sworn duty to help all those who seek the lights and so I devised a plan. I instructed them to leave their group tonight and join mine. If our Galactic Brethren were to reveal themselves to anyone, it would be me, the daughter of the Grand Magus, as they did my sister. If the three of them were witness to such an event, they would automatically be promoted to Acolyte as they would have been deemed worthy by the Brethren."

Quade and Woodbridge looked at one another and turned back to Melody.

"Go on," Magister Quade urged.

Melody nodded, "But Herbie and the twins got lost between groups. When they failed to meet me at our rendezvous point, I snuck away from my group and tried to find them. I apologize, I was out of line trying to accelerate their progress, they looked to me for leadership and I led them astray. I now see more than ever the importance of the five rules. I beg your forgiveness, Magister Quade, Magister Woodbridge. Please show mercy on the members and direct your retribution to me."

Herbie and Brenda Lee watched Melody's impeccable deception with their jaws dropped. If they hadn't been there, they would have believed the lie themselves. Quade and Woodbridge snapped their necks to face Herbie and Brenda Lee, waiting for their corroboration.

Brenda Lee perked up first, "It's true, Magister Quade, Magister Woodbridge. My Father is so desperate to be accepted among the Light Seekers and I know that it's my fault that he hasn't been promoted yet. I just wanted to help him."

Magister Quade turned to Woodbridge, "What do you think, Magister?"

Woodbridge bobbed his head this way and that like a goldfish floating in a tank, "The twins did manage to convert the grandson of Beatrix Hunter into a Light Seeker. I suppose this story is consistent with their recent behavior, though it does not make breaking the sacred rules acceptable."

Magister Quade tilted his head back to the three teens. "No, no, it does not," he groaned, running his tongue over his lips as he digested the information, "But considering your motivations were justifiably... admirable, I will leave it to Magister Woodbridge to devise a suitable punishment for the four of you, given that Master Andrews has not met his end to a rattlesnake."

The three teens swallowed hard. Despite their elegant escape from trouble, they still had no idea where Hollis was, or whether he was even alive. Herbie wondered what was going through Brenda Lee's mind behind her concrete exterior.

"Your father is out searching for your brother, Ms. Andrews; you will have to wait for their return here with me. Mr. Hunter..." Magister Quade glared at Herbie with his beady bloodshot eyes, "We do not have your grandmother's phone number on record, nor do we wish to converse with her. Will you be able to find your own way home?"

Herbie's eyes went wide at the thought of walking home alone in the dark, not knowing Daeva's fate or whereabouts.

"My driver will drop him off on our way home," Melody affirmed confidently.

"If you don't mind, Acolyte Melody?" Magister Woodbridge replied, his feathers clearly ruffled by her suggestion.

"Not at all. Come, Herbie, I think we all need a good night's sleep," she smiled.

"Um, okay, thanks," Herbie smiled awkwardly in response, any hard feelings he had toward Melody immediately melting away at the warmth in her voice.

Melody led the way back to the road where Lucian had parked his car earlier that evening, always a few steps ahead of Herbie and making no attempt at conversation. Herbie's mind was still spinning from the night's events, it all seemed like a nightmare now—it was all just too bizarre to believe. But Hollis's disappearance made it all too real. Herbie felt sick to his stomach for leaving his friend behind in the desert. If he hadn't been walking alongside the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, he'd be slamming his head against the wall for leaving Hollis to fend for himself.

"This is us," Melody stated as they approached a black Valac Templar with tinted windows.

A man in a black suit and black sunglasses, despite it being the middle of the night, stepped out of the driver's side door and opened the back passenger door for Melody, looking Herbie up and down then turning to her.

"We'll be stopping off at..." Melody began addressing the driver before turning to Herbie, "Where do you live, Herbie?"

Every time she said his name, his legs went weak and his heart raced a little faster. He wanted to hate her after the way she had acted out in the desert, but there was something about her that made Herbie want to be close to her. After a moment, he realized he was just staring at her like a lunatic and jolted to his senses, "Oh, um, twenty seven Steadfast Grove."

"Oldtown. Lovely," Melody sighed, stepping into the vehicle.

Herbie swallowed hard and followed her into the vehicle, the driver closing the door behind them. As the car started, Melody pressed a button by her door handle, triggering a screen to rise up between the driver and passenger compartments.

"How are you so calm? Your sister has turned into some kind of monster! We almost died out there! And Hollis..." Herbie whispered, holding back the pain in his heart.

"Aren't you going to say thank you?" Melody suggested, crossing her legs.

Herbie rubbed his temples, trying to clear his head of the frenzy of thoughts spiraling out of control, "For what?"

"For covering for you!" Melody gloated, "Our deal was that I wouldn't discuss the little lie your friend told. I said nothing about taking the blame for you running off into the desert without your group."

"Oh, um, thanks..." Herbie muttered, "What made you decide to help us out?"

Melody leaned back, "Daddy says I'm a good judge of character, and I get a good feeling about you, Herbie. You were pretty brave out there. You took command and you most probably saved at least one of your friends' lives."

Herbie's stomach knotted at the thought of it, he wanted to cry and scream at the same time, how dare she be so obtuse about Hollis's life?

"I'm impressed to say the least," Melody continued, "And I figured you're the right kind of person to owe me a favor. So, when I come a calling, you best be ready."

Herbie sat staring at her dumbfounded. In all the virtual worlds, all the puzzles he had encountered, foes he had to defeat, he had never come across a character like Melody. He found himself on guard yet disarmed, disturbed yet calmed, repulsed yet infatuated. The car suddenly came to a halt and out of the tinted window he could see Beatrix's crooked old farmhouse.

"I suppose this is you then," Melody nodded, signaling the driver to open Herbie's door, "I trust you won't be sharing with your family what happened tonight. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Herbie nodded and looked away, unsure of what to make of the interaction, "Goodnight, Melody," Herbie muttered and exited the car.

"Goodnight, Herbie, I'll see you at school Monday," she smiled, her voice sweeter than honey.

Before the car had even driven off, the front door of the house flew open.

"HERBERT HUNTER!" Grandma Beatrix yelled from the porch, "You get your butt in this house this instant!" Herbie let out a deep breath and prepared himself for trouble.

But Beatrix was quickly pushed out of the doorway by Herbie's mother. She ran through the doors and up to the road, grabbing him in her arms and weeping. Herbie was shocked by her sudden vigor and stood there stiff as a board as she held him in her bosom. It didn't take long for her tears to overwhelm him, and he too broke down and wept alongside her.

Eventually, Beatrix's rage subsided, and she joined them on the side of the road and wrapped her arms around both of them, breathing deeply as relief overcame them all.

"Where were you Herbert? We were so worried," his mother wept.

"I'm sorry, Mom, I thought I was just going to have dinner with my friends..." Herbie sobbed, "They told me we would just be watching TV."

Beatrix pulled away as she sensed that something wasn't right, "What happened, boy?"

Herbie wiped his eyes with his coat sleeve and turned to his grandma, "They took me out into the desert with the other Light Seekers."

"I knew it! I knew it!" Beatrix performed, her temper quickly returning.

"We... lost Hollis... he might be..." Herbie began, but his tears overcame him.

Beatrix reigned in her anger as she realized the severity of the situation.

"Don't worry, boy, I'm sure they'll find him," she whispered reassuringly, "I think for now you need a good night's rest."

Herbie's mother grabbed his hand and began walking him inside, "I'm so sorry, Herbert. I should have been here for you. I'm going to make things right. I'm going to be the mom you deserve from now on."

***

It was half past one when Herbie suddenly woke in his bed. He shook his head clear of the nightmares that had been plaguing him—visions of Daeva digging her nails into Hollis's guts and ripping out the tender flesh. But a sound had overpowered the dream, a clicking noise which had brought him back to the real world.

Click

It sounded again, making Herbie jump and whip his head in every direction.

Click

And again, though this time, Herbie realized it was coming from the window.

Click

A small stone tapped on the glass. Herbie carefully leaned over toward the window, not knowing what horrors may be waiting on the other side. He peered out into the darkness, when another click of a stone startled him and made him jump backwards.

He warily lifted the window open and stuck his head out, squinting to see into the darkness.

"Pssst! Herbie!" a voice whispered up to him.

Herbie's eyes went wide and his heart exploded with joy as he recognized the voice.

"Hollis!" Herbie hissed, doing his best to keep his voice down through his excitement.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Herbie could see him in front of the porch with his bicycle beside him and a trash bag by his side.

"I can't believe you're alive!" Herbie whispered excitedly.

"Of course, I'm alive! Now get your butt down here! My dad's already grounded me for the rest of my life, I don't wanna imagine what he'll do if he finds out I've been riding around town at one in the morning."

Herbie silently lifted himself through the window and tiptoed over the awning, this time dropping himself carefully onto the ground when he got to the edge. The moment he got to his feet, he grabbed Hollis and squeezed him, sighing deeply with relief.

"I thought I'd never see you again, buddy," he whispered.

"Alright, alright, don't get weird; you were ready to bite my head off before Daeva rocked up!" Hollis scoffed shaking his head.

"Well, yeah! You shouldn't have lied to me," Herbie defended, suddenly remembering that he was still angry with his friend.

"I wasn't lying, it's just... if you pieced together that Daeva was contacted by the Galactic Brethren and running around the streets on the same night, well..." Hollis's voice trailed off.

"Well what?" Herbie asked.

"Well, it completely contradicts the official Light Seekers lore. Daeva was supposed to be with the Magisters at the Light Seekers' Lodge in Newtown when she was contacted. Without knowing it, you proved that the Light Seekers aren't just keeping secrets from us, they're outright lying. I... I didn't want to believe it," Hollis admitted.

"Well, they have been!" Herbie hissed.

"I know that now. I saw what Daeva has turned into with my own eyes. But that means there's something going on here, something they don't want us to know," Hollis admitted.

"Speaking of which," Herbie began, "How are you even alive! And what's that?" Herbie asked, pointing at the trash bag.

Hollis sat down in the dirt beside the suspicious trash bag he had brought along with him and Herbie folded his legs and joined him.

"Firstly, you'll be wanting this back," Hollis smiled, reaching into his pocket and retrieving Herbie's compass.

"I almost forgot about that! My grandma would have killed me if I'd lost it. I'm never letting this thing out of my sight again," Herbie sighed in relief, taking the brass contraption from Hollis.

"Now that that's out of the way, how am I alive? Well, that giant book slapped me right in the face. Not fun," he began, "I saw my chance to get out of there and I took it. I must have headed off in another direction to you guys, because after sprinting for my life, I realized I was alone. Lucky for me, I could see the base camp spotlight."

Herbie tilted his head as he tried to make sense of the story, "But we were at base camp and everyone was still out looking for you."

"Yeah, I was busy stashing the book in the bushes at the old churchyard. I just went to get it before someone else found it then, I came straight here," Hollis smiled as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"The book?" Herbie pondered.

A mischievous smile crept over Hollis's face. He grabbed the ends of the trash bag beside him and emptied it out. An ancient leather bound tome hit the ground with a thump.

"You wouldn't believe how much this thing weighs—I ate dirt like half a dozen times trying to get here with it," Hollis smiled his crazy wide-eyed smile.

Herbie's mouth dropped as he gazed upon its ancient cover. Etched into the leather was an outline of a hand with an eye in its palm and strange symbols arranged like letters around it. He looked up at Hollis and shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Hollis—are you are out of your freakin' mind?"

# Chapter Four

##  Secrets of the Rift

Despite the ancient and foreboding appearance of Ashverosh's book, the content within had meant little to either Herbie or Hollis. Page after page revealed text in either unrecognizable symbols or indeterminable languages, rendering it useless. To save Hollis from having to haul the book all the way up Steadfast Grove on his bicycle, they had decided to stash it under Herbie's bed for the time being, carefully sneaking it up the stairs and praying that Beatrix had taken out her hearing aid.

Herbie had woken on Saturday morning with his mind racing with questions. It felt like he had begun a new quest in Rouge et Noir—the clues lay before him like a story begging to be told—he just had to put all the pieces in their rightful places. With Hollis's safe return and in the comfort of his bed, the fear of Daeva slipped away and the thrill of the mystery overcame him, begging him to act.

This was a shame, because Herbie was grounded. His mom and grandma had let him off easy as far as lecturing him was concerned, but Beatrix had been sure to bring him breakfast in bed, deprive him of his showering privileges, snatch away his cell phone and inform him that his room would be his prison all weekend. And a prison it was. Without a computer, VR system, or cell phone, he was alone with his Science posters, his constellation projector, and of course, the leather bound tome beneath his bed screaming to be decoded.

To make things worse, Beatrix checked in on him every half hour to make sure he hadn't attempted a daring escape, limiting his opportunities to study the book to just a peek here and there. Fortuitously, Beatrix was still unaware that he had scavenged his dad's iPod from the barn, allowing him to do his time alongside The Clash's "I Fought the Law". He fiddled with his compass as he sang along—a compulsive habit that had quickly developed as a surrogate for the punching of buttons on a game controller or keyboard.

He droned along with the anthem of failed rebellion, trying to focus on the fact that he had lost the battle with the laws of his house as well as the laws that he had always assumed the universe obeyed—doing his best not to think about the sudden flirtatious tone Melody had used with him the night before.

Ah! I don't wanna think about her! She's so heartless, but so... so pretty. It was so much easier not thinking about girls in D.C., he thought.

Back in Washington, D.C., he would have spent his Saturday decoding the tome from start to finish, scanning pages, running them through image searches, translators, encyclopedias, sacred text forums and any of the millions of other resources that technology made available to him. For the first time since meeting Hollis, he actually wanted to hear all his madcap theories on aliens. He needed to understand what had gone down between Ashverosh and Daeva in the desert—all his gaming instincts were crying out for answers.

But without a cell phone, he would have to wait until they met up at school on Monday to discuss his ideas. By noon, the frustration had become maddening. Nothing seemed to add up—the Light Seekers, extraterrestrials, Ashverosh and his book, the madness that had befallen Daeva. What was the common thread? Where was the truth hiding amidst all this insanity?

It's just another obstacle in the game, Herbie thought, lifting himself off his bed and walking over to his desk. He reached into his backpack and pulled out his pencil case, spilling it out over the desk. Now for something to write in, he pondered, reaching back into his backpack. He grabbed at a bunch of writing books, Math, English, Social Studies, Doomsday and—Ezekiel's Notebook.

It had somehow slipped into a thin pocket along the side of his backpack and with all the chaos surrounding Paradise Rift distracting him, Herbie had forgotten all about the notebook. Holding it in his hands again, a sudden surge of joy overcame him. Was this another piece in the puzzle? He opened the notebook and was once again met by the crudely drawn map of Paradise Rift.

Let's start at the beginning, Herbie thought, picking up a pencil off the desk. First, he noticed a landmark entitled: Paradise Peak Reformed Church. The old churchyard...

Herbie crossed it out and renamed it accordingly. Then, he drew a circle around the fork in Steadfast Grove and up along Big Cotton Creek, up to the schoolhouse then back toward the old churchyard. In the middle of the circle he wrote: Newtown.

Herbie continued to update the map with every landmark he knew, replacing the schoolhouse title with Seker High, adding Hollis and Brenda Lee's house, The Hungry Eye Diner, the Sole Provider, Don's mansion, the water filtration plant, the hospital construction site, the Bauer pig ranch, the Macklin cattle ranch and the few other remaining Oldtown farms on the outskirts of town. He searched among his stationery and found a red pen which he used to draw a line from Steadfast Grove and out into the desert.

He tried to think of a fitting title, Daeva attacks, Daeva first sighting... Then he remembered what Melody had said out in the desert, that Herbie's first night in Paradise Rift was the same night that Daeva was allegedly abducted.

Is that what those lights were? Aliens collecting Daeva, putting her mind in a blender, and then spitting her back out?

He shrugged through his doubt and wrote: "Daeva Makes Contact? Friday, 9 January 2026" over the red line. Then he located the silver mine landmark that the notebook's original author had drawn in. He found a point halfway between it and his addition of the hospital construction site and drew a small red circle, titling it: "Daeva Attacks Ashverosh. Friday, 16 January 2026."

Herbie gazed over the map with its new additions, hoping to see some sort of a pattern—there was always a clue to keep the game moving, but where was it hiding? He ran his fingers along the pages of the book, flipping it open in random places in hopes that something useful might magically appear, until finally he noticed a small green edge sticking out of the bottom of the notebook. He carefully opened the page and saw a green piece of paper sticky taped inside: a one dollar bill.

Herbie hadn't seen many in his lifetime. He was aware that physical money was still in circulation across the country, though these days it was a cumbersome and a dangerous way to do business. With the safety and ease of using plastic and cryptocurrency so accessible, few bothered with the outdated currency. But as he looked closer, he noticed a red circle around a symbol on the left hand side of the note. An eye atop a pyramid with the words... "Annuit Coeptis".

"The Light Seekers logo!" Herbie cried aloud, "But this notebook is older than Newtown and the Light Seekers... why was Ezekiel so interested in these words?" Herbie threw his head back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the information wriggling around in his neurons.

The more I know, the more I know I don't know...

He looked over to the portrait of Albert Einstein hanging on the wall, "What would you do when faced with conflicting information?" he said aloud, biting his lip, when the great man's words popped into his mind, the most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true Art and Science.

"Herbie! Come down for lunch, before you get the crazies up there in your room," Beatrix called up to him from the foot of the stairs.

Just as things were getting interesting... he thought, then wondered if he was going a little crazy up there by himself. He closed the notebook carefully and placed it back in the pocket in his backpack he had found it in.

Aliens, ancient texts, government symbols and crazy cults—Paradise Rift is the greatest Rouge et Noir campaign of all time! he thought to himself.

But as Herbie started making his way out the door, he remembered the look on the Light Seekers' faces as they stared up at Don parading on stage, the way Lucian's heart was ripped in two whenever he was rejected.

This isn't a game, Herbie; you're toying with people's lives.

***

By the time Herbie arrived at school on Monday morning, his brain was ready to explode. He had spent the rest of the weekend secretly studying Ezekiel's Notebook and Ashverosh's tome, desperately searching for a connection between the two. Herbie had eventually discovered a few pages within the tome that comprised of letters similar to English, and so he had resorted to transcribing a few paragraphs into the empty pages in the notebook. Hopefully, Hollis would be able to feed them into his computer and find a translation.

Herbie met Hollis and Brenda Lee at their usual early morning rendezvous at the edge of the school field.

"So how angry was your dad?" Herbie smiled as he approached the twins on the field.

"Really angry that we didn't take him with us to meet Melody," Brenda Lee sighed, "She's practically a celebrity to him. It's... kinda sad."

"We're still grounded for eternity," Hollis shrugged.

Herbie reached into his bag and pulled out Ezekiel's Notebook, "I hope he didn't lock away your computer, because I'm going to need you to translate this," he said, revealing the paragraph transcribed from Ashverosh's tome.

"Woah!" Hollis beamed, "Is it from where I think it's from?"

"Yep, but it's all Greek to me," Herbie shrugged.

"Actually, that is Greek," Brenda Lee noted, leaning over Herbie's shoulder to get a better look.

The two boys turned to her curiously.

"What?" Brenda Lee scoffed, "I also like interesting stuff. I just know where to draw the line between fantasy and reality."

"Oh, yeah?" Hollis goaded, "Then how do you explain Daeva going all crazy? That's clearly an alien mind probe gone wrong."

Brenda Lee rolled her eyes, "Isn't it obvious? Daeva lost her mind after being fed alien conspiracies since the day she was born. Now that twisted freak you call the Grand Magus is trying to play it off as proof of his madcap theories. That girl needs help, but instead her father is letting her run around the desert while hoping that his bug-eyed buddies will come down from the sky and magically fix her screwed up brain."

Hollis threw his hands up in frustration, "She took down that Ashverosh guy like he was a puppy in a clown suit! Probably killed him! That dude was six foot five, easy! Crazy people can't do that."

Herbie listened to the two of them bicker, and honestly couldn't figure out which one of them was right. The facts didn't add up. None of it did.

"Let's not jump to any conclusions, guys," Herbie began, "When Ashverosh spoke to Daeva in that weird language, she understood. That's gotta mean something."

"It was probably ancient Egyptian. The Egyptians learned their language from the alien overlords that built the pyramids. They must have implanted it in Daeva's head when they made contact with her," Hollis stated confidently.

"You need to get back to reality!" Brenda Lee moaned, "That Ashverosh guy was just wandering the desert, ALONE! Seems like a crazy if I ever saw one. They were probably just talking nonsense to each other."

Herbie stepped between Hollis and Brenda Lee in the hopes of calming them down. "Right now, we can't rule anything out. I know the idea of aliens sounds crazy, but maybe the Light Seekers are right? It would explain the weird stuff that goes down in this town. I've seen the floating lights myself, and modern Science just can't explain it! But fortunately, we don't need to assume anything—we have Ashverosh's book, and I'm betting the answer is hiding somewhere inside."

"You're just as bad as him! We should put that book on a bonfire before Don and his cronies find it," Brenda Lee spat before turning and walking off toward class.

Herbie and Hollis watched her storm off into the school building.

"What was that about?" Herbie asked.

Hollis sighed, "She's worried my dad will find out about the book. She thinks it will only make his belief in extraterrestrials stronger. And she's right. I think he deserves to know, but she's still hoping he'll wake up one morning and forget about being abducted."

Herbie nodded solemnly, not quite sure what to make of the Andrews family situation. It was all a bit much for him to deal with. It reminded him of his own father—something that he would rather avoid.

"Come on, let's get to class," Herbie muttered at Hollis.

"Sure, can I have that notebook to take home with me?" Hollis smiled.

Herbie hesitated. The last thing Hollis needed was a look inside the notebook, which certainly seemed to contain more evidence of UFO activity in Paradise Rift. But Herbie knew that puzzles aren't solved by coming up with an answer and trying to work backwards to the question. While Hollis's belief in aliens was absolute, he'd be no real help in finding out the truth behind them. It was underhanded, but withholding the information would ultimately be for Hollis's own good.

"Why don't you just take a pic with your cell phone? That way you can feed it directly into an image search," Herbie smiled as though he were only trying to make things easier for Hollis.

"Good idea!" Hollis smiled, "We'll sort it out at recess."

"Good idea..." Herbie replied, swallowing his guilt.

***

"Wrong," Mr. Badhira spat impatiently as Bryce, a Spurwing who shared a Math class with Herbie finally chalked his answer onto the blackboard, "Herbie, show him how it's done."

Herbie clenched his eyes shut as the words came out of Badhira's mouth. While he did enjoy being the best in class at Math, Mr. Badhira's insistence on showing off Herbie's superiority wasn't helping him become accepted among his peers. Being called up to show up his classmates had quickly become a twisted ritual that Badhira seemed to revel in.

Bryce grimaced at him as Herbie made his way to the blackboard—a sure sign there was a wedgie or a slap to the back of head waiting for him after class. Sighing deeply, Herbie grabbed the eraser and undid Bryce's clumsy calculations. In an instant, he redid the equation correctly.

"Flawless as always, Mr. Hunter," Mr. Badhira smiled, "But why don't you tell Bryce where he went wrong?"

Herbie shot Badhira a poisonous glare.

This guy is trying to get me beaten up! he thought.

"Do I have to?" Herbie moaned.

"Speak up!" Badhira chided.

Herbie dropped his shoulders, "I don't think that's necessary, sir!"

Mr. Badhira nodded with a sly smile, "If you insist on keeping your calculations to yourself, you'll have to show me your working out somehow."

Herbie looked over at Bryce, who seemed ready to lunge across the class and smash his face into the blackboard.

"Uh, Bryce, buddy... pal," Herbie began, trying to soften the blow, "You know the letters, right? They represent numbers. You can't just pretend like they're not there and continue doing basic Math sums. No offense or anything."

But judging by the bulldog snarl wrinkling up Bryce's face, he had taken offense. He said nothing—but exhaled thick breaths, hot with rage.

"Can I sit down now, Mr. Badhira?" Herbie pleaded.

Badhira nodded slyly. He must have known that he was only making Herbie's life difficult by singling him out in front of the others. The rest of the Math class proceeded with Herbie trying to dodge Bryce's fiery glare from the other end of the room.

Herbie leaned over to Brenda Lee, who sat to his left at the back of the class, "Did you have to go through this when you arrived in Paradise Rift?"

"Nope, Hollis and I slipped through the cracks pretty easily. Beats me why Badhira has it in for you," she whispered back.

"I think it's 'cause everyone hates your grandma," Hollis whispered over Brenda Lee, "Hey, and Herbie, why does everyone hate your grandma? I mean, she's not the only non-Light Seeker in town, but everyone really seems to hate her."

Now that Hollis mentioned it, he didn't have a good reason to explain why Beatrix was particularly loathed by the Light Seekers. Raymond Toddle's dad was openly against the Light Seekers, but no one went out their way to make his life constant torture.

Hollis stared at him, waiting for an answer, but Bryce's fiery glare burning through the backdrop quickly made him stick his head down. The bell finally rang for recess. Bryce sprang up out of his seat and was the first out the door before Badhira even had a chance to send them off.

Herbie thought he'd take the opportunity to confront Mr. Badhira on his behavior, in the hope of delaying his inevitable pummeling.

"Why do you keep doing this to me, Mr. Badhira?" he groaned once everyone had left for recess.

"Speak up! I can't make out your pathetic whimpering," Badhira rebuked.

But Herbie knew that Badhira had heard him just fine.

"It's hard enough fitting in as the new kid, sir!" Herbie announced into Badhira's hearing aid.

"Ah, yes, but a Blackstart must know how to step up to a challenge—to adapt, improvise," Badhira rebutted.

Herbie tilted his head, confused, "I'm a Sandgrouse, sir! We just hide away!"

"Are you a Sandgrouse because you hide away, or do you hide away because you're a Sandgrouse?" Badhira posed.

Herbie considered his question, but they both already knew the answer.

"I won't let you slip into the shadows. The Grand Magus has instructed me to keep you focused on your true goals. He has big plans for you, Herbie."

Herbie reeled his head back, "The Grand Magus?"

"What, boy? Enough whimpering, I'm not paid to gossip with you during recess, off you go. Take your lumps, if you must," Badhira snapped, shooing him away.

More confused than ever, Herbie turned to the doorway where Bryce still waited, angrier than ever.

"Chill out, Bryce, I wasn't trying to make you look bad," Herbie began as he stepped into the hallway where a crowd had gathered to watch the show, hands held up defensively, "If you're angry at anyone, you should—"

Bryce grabbed Herbie by the collar and slammed him against the wall. Herbie winced as the back of his head smacked against the flimsy wood paneling with a thump, a painful reminder why Bryce was chosen to be a Spurwing.

"You think you're so smart, trash-grouse. We'll see how good you think when your head's been knocked off your shoulders," he snarled, winding back his clenched fist.

Herbie shut his eyes as his body tensed in preparation for the blow, when a voice as smooth as maple syrup cascading down a mountain of pancakes called out from behind them.

"Who exactly do you think you are?"

"Shut it," Bryce snapped without turning around.

The onlookers in the hallway let out a collective, "Ooo".

Even Herbie was taken aback, looking over Bryce's shoulder and seeing none other than Melody Balcom, arms folded, tapping her foot. Bryce immediately dropped him and turned around, bowing his head in respect.

"A-Acolyte Melody, I was just teaching this trash-grouse a lesson. W-What seems to be the problem?" he stuttered through his nerves.

"The problem, member, is that you're harassing a fellow Light Seeker, and now you've insulted an Acolyte," Melody hissed.

Bryce's face turned to a look of absolute terror. His shoulders dropped, his mouth agape, his mind unable to figure out how it found itself in this situation.

"But he's just a trash-grouse?" he finally managed.

Melody eyes sank into that heart-stopping glare of disappointment that had etched itself into Herbie's memory.

"It seems that you have forgotten our doctrine, member. What is the first rule of being a Light Seeker?" She asked as though she were talking to a child.

"Always sti—"

"Always stick together," Melody spoke over him before he could finish, "I think you might have taken it a bit too literally there, member. Try not to stick so close to other Light Seekers in the future, won't you?"

Bryce's shame and embarrassment froze him into a state of paralyzed terror. Herbie couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, how effortlessly she tamed the beast that had threatened to pummel his face just moments ago.

"Are you getting the point, member?" Melody finally scolded, growing impatient with the exchange.

"Understood," Bryce finally managed.

"Good," Melody smiled with sudden sweetness, immediately diffusing the tension in the air.

She turned her back to the scene like a model at the end of a catwalk, waving her hand as she began to walk away, "See you later, Herbie."

The onlookers gasped, snapping around to Herbie with their mouths hanging.

"See ya," Herbie replied with as much confidence he could muster.

Meeting the eyes of the shocked crowd around him, he finally turned to Bryce. He smiled, winked at him and pushed his way past him. The crowd opened up, not wanting to get in his way, as Herbie made his way to the field.

***

Hollis and Brenda Lee couldn't believe Herbie's retelling of the story and were still questioning him as they made their way to Doomsday 101 at the end of recess.

"Well you guys should have been there, instead of hiding away at the edge of the field," Herbie concluded.

"It's not like we could have done anything to stop it," Brenda Lee shrugged, "We'd just be putting targets on our own backs."

"Been there, done that," Hollis added as they arrived at the classroom and found their seats.

Mr. Nabozny didn't waste any time getting into the day's lesson: Doomsday Prophecies.

In his usual spectacle, he began strutting up and down the classroom as he spoke, waving his hands in the air, making it a show, "The Greeks believed that Zeus would erase the foul humans he had made, the Egyptian's believed that the gods would send the world back to the waters of chaos from which it came, and even religions which still exist today believe the gods will bring about the end of times. But from what we have learned from our Grand Magus, is it truly gods that we must fear?"

At that, Hollis leaned forward with a huge smile on his face. He turned to Herbie.

"This is gonna be good."

Herbie nodded impatiently and motioned for Hollis to face the front of the class.

"Arthur C. Clarke once said that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Is it possible that ancient man made this observation?" Nabozny questioned.

"I'm telling you, Herb, those ancient texts were inspired by ancient alien technology," Hollis whispered again, this time a little louder.

"Is it possible that the end of the world will be brought on by our Galactic Brethren?" Nabozny continued.

Hollis began whispering to Herbie again, "I bet once we translate them, we'll see it's the only thing that makes—"

"Is there something that the two of you would like to share with the class?" Mr. Nabozny reprimanded, stepping between Herbie's and Hollis's desks.

Hollis shuddered as Mr. Nabozny's voice boomed through the classroom. The whole class turned to the back of the class where Hollis, Brenda Lee and Herbie sat. Herbie looked to Hollis, motioning to him to explain himself. But before Hollis had a chance to reply, a knocking came from the classroom door—a deep foreboding knocking—once, twice, thrice, like the Grim Reaper himself had come calling.

The class's focus immediately slipped away from Hollis as everyone, including Mr. Nabozny, turned to the door. With a noticeable wariness, Mr. Nabozny walked across the room and opened it. As the door opened, Nabozny tilted his head upwards, a noticeable look of shock painted across his face. From where Herbie sat in the back of the class, he could see nothing of what stood on the other side of the door, though the surprised look on Nabozny's face turned to one of deep concern. All Herbie could make out was the hissing of whispers between Nabozny and the faceless recipient, desperate and urgent.

After nodding his head solemnly, Nabozny closed the door and walked back to his desk and sat down, his usual pep and vigor sunk into a bottomless pit of fear. The class watched him intently, waiting for him to spring back up and continue the class. He suddenly looked up, gazing across the room filled with confused faces.

"Get into groups of three," he suddenly announced, "I want you to discuss and write a report on the myths of an ancient civilization and speculate how beings from another planet may have affected the creation of those myths."

The class let out a collective groan. Everyone loved Doomsday 101 because it was usually a practical class with little writing involved. This assignment couldn't have been more out of character for Nabozny. The class watched as a clearly disturbed Mr. Nabozny rubbed his eyes, hoping that he would have a sudden change of heart. After realizing that he had nothing more to say, they eventually pushed their desks together to form groups, Herbie and the twins making a team of their own.

"What do you think that was about?" Herbie asked the others.

"I don't know, but I've never seen Nabozny act like this before," Hollis replied.

Brenda Lee shrugged apathetically, "He's a whack job, who knows what could set him off?"

"But Nabozny's not like the other Light Seekers," Herbie defended, "I don't think he's as fooled by Don's charm as everyone else is. Whatever's upset him is probably serious."

"Let's just try to get this report done so we can go to lunch," Brenda Lee continued, "Seeing as you two conspiracy nuts are so interested in your Greek texts, why don't we base it on Greek mythology?"

The double period continued with Herbie and Hollis sitting with their jaws dropped at Brenda Lee's incredible knowledge of Greek history and mythology. She explained, if ever there were gods that were truly technologically enhanced aliens, the Greeks were the most likely candidates. Their gods were jealous, cruel, and flirtatious and flawed—nothing like the deities of monotheistic religions.

"However!" she made a point to emphasize, "Even the great thinkers of their time thought their religion was idiotic superstition. You'd have to be a fool to believe that the Greek gods ever existed."

Hollis rolled his eyes at his sister, "You're such a cynic. If you don't believe anything that you don't already know, then the truth will fly right past you without you noticing. The universe is bigger than us! Our brains can't comprehend what's out there."

The school bell rang. When the class began filtering out the door, Mr. Nabozny finally got out of his seat.

"Herbie, Brenda Lee, Hollis. Please wait behind," he stated sternly.

The trio looked at one another curiously and stayed at their desks while the rest of the class left for lunch. Nabozny approached them, rubbing his temples, "I can't disclose much here, even the walls have ears. But I need the three of you to meet me at the old Paradise Peak Reformed Church at five o'clock this evening. Tell no one. Do you understand?" All three were taken aback by the intensity of Nabozny's tone and were immediately uncomfortable with his request. They sat there, unsure how to answer.

Mr. Nabozny's face twisted up in frustration, "And bring the book. You kids are toying with things you don't understand."

Herbie, Hollis and Brenda Lee froze in their seats.

"Do we have an understanding?" Nabozny concluded.

"Yes, sir," Herbie stuttered, making the twins snap their heads in his direction.

"Good. Now off to lunch. Tell no one."

***

It had taken the better part of the afternoon, but after hours of arguing, Hollis finally agreed with Herbie and Brenda Lee to give up the book. Hollis had suggested that they play ignorant until they had transcribed more passages from the tome, but Herbie was having none of it.

Suddenly, he wasn't sure whose side Nabozny was on or what his game was. Their interaction in the classroom had been downright scary and his warning echoed in Herbie's head—they were toying with things they didn't understand.

This isn't a game, Herbie, he reminded himself, despite being old, Nabozny is a wall of muscle that could inflict some serious harm on anyone that he doesn't see eye-to-eye with.

Fortunately for Herbie, Beatrix had got the late shift at work and his mother didn't seem to mind him going to hang out with the twins after class. She had been too distracted by having to figure out how to find a job without an internet connection to notice Herbie make his way out the door with the weighty trash bag in his hands. He met Hollis and Brenda Lee at the dirt road off Steadfast Grove that led to their house, wobbling on his bicycle as he tried to balance the massive book on his handle bars.

"You guys ready?" Herbie asked the twins as he came to a careful stop in front of them.

"I still don't know why I'm coming," Brenda Lee moaned, "Hollis is the one who stole the book and you're the one who's been keeping it. I just happen to hang around a bunch of knuckleheads."

"Nabozny told all three of us to meet him at the church—let's not do anything else to make him mad," Herbie cautioned.

"Were you able to copy any more pages from the tome?' Hollis asked urgently.

"Just a few. It's not easy getting those symbols right," Herbie confirmed.

"Great, I've got the page I photographed earlier going through an image-to-text program I found online. Then it's as easy as putting it through a translator and BAM! Ancient alien secrets!" Hollis smiled excitedly.

"Let's hope. This whole thing is getting out of hand really quickly, if we're going to find out what the Magisters are trying to hide, and whether they know that Daeva is the one who killed Macklin, we're going to have to be way more careful from now on," Herbie warned.

The twins nodded in agreement.

"It's almost five—let's get going," Herbie continued and began cycling down the road, the twins close behind him.

It wasn't long before the construction site cranes appeared over the horizon and soon after that, the church steeple in the north—still standing strong through the desert's endless barrage of wind and sand. The wind had begun to howl with the setting sun, playing a ghostly tune through the church's cracked wooden beams.

They pulled up on the dirt road that led up to the churchyard, the haunting structure up ahead making their blood run cold with fear. Despite putting on brave faces, the battle between Daeva and Ashverosh in the desert had been tattooed into their memories, keeping them from sleep, haunting their dreams. No one wanted to be alone in an old church at night.

"Come on, we're late," Herbie insisted, getting off his bicycle, doing his best to balance the massive tome on his shoulder while guiding his bike up the path.

The trio lay their bicycles down in the churchyard as the last rays of sun began sinking below the horizon. They shared a lingering look before ascending the stairs to where the cracked front doors rattled on their hinges. Nailed to the chipped wood was a sign reading: CONDEMNED — DO NOT ENTER! They opened the creaking doors, the last glimmers of light revealing pews covered in dust and wood chips. The wooden panels shuddered with each strong gust of wind, raining down splinters from the desolated roof above.

"Hello?" Herbie called into the church, placing the book at his feet.

Suddenly, from somewhere in the rafters, two shadows nimbly climbed down along the tattered wooden walls before jumping to the floor with a thud, causing the entire church to creak. The three of them leaped back, readying themselves to make a dash back to their bicycles, adrenaline pumping through their veins.

"Wait, children!" a familiar voice called out.

Herbie stopped in his tracks. A bright yellow flame ignited in the corner of the church and within its halo of light, Herbie could make out its wielder's face.

"Ashverosh! You're alive!" Herbie yelled excitedly.

The twins joined Herbie between the pews to see Ashverosh with a burning torch in his hand. From out of the shadows, a second figure stepped into the light.

"Sorry to have startled you, kids, there are strange things lurking around at night, and we didn't want to leave ourselves out in the open," Mr. Nabozny smiled.

"Did you jump down from that rafter, Mr. N?" Hollis exclaimed.

"Don't let this old face fool ya'!" Mr. Nabozny laughed, "These bones are still as hard as rocks."

Brenda Lee, who had been watching on in complete shock, finally stepped forward, "What on earth is going on here? How do you, the house leader for Sacred Ibis, a Magister of the Light Seekers and king of the whack jobs, know Ashverosh, the guy who wanders the desert at night fighting a mentally ill woman? None of this makes any sense!"

Ashverosh and Nabozny looked at one another, taken aback by Brenda Lee's sudden outburst.

"King of the whack jobs?" Nabozny asked sorrily.

Ashverosh stepped forward, "That is none of your concern. You children have already seen too much. Give us the book and be on your way."

"Come now, Ash," Nabozny pleaded, "You of all people should know there's no such thing as accidents. Don't you think it's strange that the three most recent members of the Light Seekers found you out there in the desert? That one of them is the grandson of Beatrix Hunter? I think these children are meant to play a part in the plan."

"The plan?" Herbie asked.

"You're a superstitious fool, Abichail! You've grown soft in this comfortable town, away from the prophet and his teachings. Those monsters freely attack the Tzadikim and you still hold onto the old ways? Things have changed."

"Monsters!" Hollis exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement.

"Raaah!" Ashverosh roared in frustration, infuriated by his own inability to keep his mouth shut.

He grabbed the trash bag from in front of Herbie and removed the tome within. Passing his torch to Nabozny, he undid the buckle on the leather strap around his arm and slipped the book in, then redid the buckle with the precision and accuracy of a soldier assembling his rifle.

"We have a right to know what's going on," Brenda Lee huffed.

"It's aliens, right? You guys fight aliens? That's why Mr. Nabozny teaches Doomsday 101, to prepare us for the alien invasion," Hollis beamed at them.

Ashverosh shook his head, "See? Brainwashed fools, like the rest of them," he spat.

"I like you, Hollis, you remind me of myself when I was a boy, young and foolish. But it's not that simple," Nabozny began, "When the world is shrouded in darkness, even the light must learn to fight in the shadows."

"Could you be a little more specific?" Brenda Lee hissed in frustration.

Herbie decided it was time to step in, they were getting nowhere with all these pointless questions. For now, there was only one thing he needed to know.

"What happened to Daeva to make her act like that?" he asked Ashverosh, "Why was she trying to kill you?"

Ashverosh's face grew stern, "You would not believe me if I told you. But know this—she lives. If you ever cross paths with her again, run. She possesses power far beyond that of a mortal. She has become ... something else."

Herbie tried to process the information. If he had learned one thing from his failed werewolf theories and Hollis's secrecy, it was to be more skeptical, to not take things at face value. He couldn't believe every word that came out of anyone's mouth. Everyone had an agenda.

"Then how did you survive the attack in the desert?" he finally asked after some consideration.

Ashverosh sighed, "While we battled, men in black suits appeared from nowhere. They possessed weapons that seemed specifically designed to deal with such a creature. They were able to chain her down and subdue her. I used that moment of chaos to get away. Where she is now, I can only guess. But wherever that is, it will not hold her long."

"The men in black suits ..." Herbie whispered to himself, then turned to Hollis, "They work for Don, right?"

"Wrong," Nabozny interjected, "He is one of them."

Herbie's eyes lit up as the pieces of the puzzle began falling into place, remembering what he had seen in Ezekiel's Notebook.

"Don works for the government? What is he doing leading a cult out in the middle of nowhere?"

Nabozny turned to Ashverosh with a smile that said, "I told you so."

"That is what I'm trying to figure out, Herbie, but there are secrets he keeps even from the Magisters. There is a secret level of authority within the Light Seekers that only a select few are told of, the Masters. That is the true name for Magisters like Quade and Woodbridge, who have entered Don's inner circle. Once I discover their secrets, the truth will become clear," Nabozny confirmed.

Things were getting off track again. If Nabozny and Ashverosh knew so much about Don and Daeva, maybe he had the answer to the question that had been plaguing him.

"Did Daeva kill Nathan Macklin?"

The two elders eyed Herbie before sharing a loaded look between themselves.

"What makes you say that, Herbie?" Nabozny finally asked.

Herbie retold what had happened to him on his first night in the Rift, Ashverosh and Nabozny listening intently to every detail.

"I never thought he'd go this far, turning his own daughter into his murderous puppet," Nabozny whispered to himself, "But it's the only thing that makes sense."

"You should never have let this happen, Abichail," Ashverosh sighed, shaking his head, "You were supposed to be keeping things under control."

"I was supposed to be collecting information, dagnabit!" Nabozny snapped back.

Meanwhile, Hollis had been soaking up everything, his mind totally blown.

"So you guys are like alien hunters trying to stop the Galactic Brethren from taking over the government?"

The two elders turned to him, not all too sure how he came to his conclusion.

"Oh shut up, you idiot! No one has said anything about aliens!" Brenda Lee erupted.

Herbie shook his head irritably, "This isn't the time, guys," he whispered.

But Hollis pretended not to hear him, "Dad was abducted, Brend! Of course aliens are behind this!" he admonished his sister.

"Please children, keep your voices down," Nabozny warned.

"We've just discovered the government is brainwashing the entire town, and you still think the Light Seekers are telling the truth! You're a moron, Hollis!" Brenda Lee yelled at her brother.

"You're the one who's so cynical you can't see what's staring you right in the face! The Grays are controlling the government and preparing us for their arrival!" Hollis screamed over his sister.

"Silence yourself, you fools!" Ashverosh hissed.

"No!" Brenda Lee yelled, "You're the one who's so dense that you can't see our own father has lost his mind! You never got over losing Mom and now you're looking for some magical reason to explain why life isn't fair!"

Hollis was stunned into silence. Tears began to fill up Brenda Lee's eyes as the others watched on, not sure what to say or do. Hollis's body shivered with rage, though he seemed unable to come up with a reply.

The church door rattled.

Immediately, Nabozny threw the torch down and stomped on it to extinguish it. Both he and Ashverosh dug their feet into the dust and wood chips as they assumed attack stances.

"Behind us, children," Ashverosh commanded.

The trio ran behind the line of defense the two elders had created.

"Do you think it's... her?" Herbie dared.

The door rattled again.

"Expect the unexpected," Nabozny advised.

"Doesn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected?" Hollis fretted.

"Shut up and prepare to run," Ashverosh snapped.

Herbie and the twins held their breath as the door creaked open, their bodies going stiff with tension. A flashlight appeared first, then, a middle aged man with glasses and thinning hair followed.

The man shuddered in fright as he made out the elders' forms in the darkness, "What are you doing in here? This building is condemned!" he said.

"Calvin?" Nabozny asked.

"Who's there?" the man replied, shining the flashlight in their faces, making his eyes burst wide with shock, "You!"

Ashverosh stepped forward, "Please, remain calm, Pastor Hendryx."

"I'm calling the police," Pastor Hendryx erupted.

"We only want to help, Calvin," Nabozny insisted.

Pastor Calvin Hendryx held his hands together and did his best to suppress his rage.

"Don't you try to sweet talk me! You are nothing but deceivers, hiding behind a façade of righteousness. Your role in the Light Seekers is proof enough!" he continued, retrieving his cell phone from his jacket and punching in some numbers.

Brenda Lee turned to Herbie and Hollis while the elders argued. "I think we should get out of here."

"Yep. Dad will lose it if the cops bring us home while we're grounded," Hollis whispered back.

"I think we can fit through the hole in the wall there," Herbie whispered, motioning to a point where the wood panels had completely given way.

The trio edged back as Pastor Hendryx huffed and puffed.

"Agents of the Adversary!" he spat as he waited for the police to take his call.

Once the trio had created some distance between them and the bickering elders, they bolted.

"What was that?" Pastor Hendryx burst out as the trio scurried to the opening in the wall. Herbie squinted as a beam of light targeted his eye, just as he dived at the hole in the wall before the pastor had a chance to get a good look at his face.

Outside the church in the cold night air, Herbie and the twins quickly doubled back and fetched their bicycles from the churchyard, hoping the cover of night would protect their identities. They got their bikes rolling down the path and mounted them in motion, desperate not to get caught.

Cycling with fury and fear, the trio were down the dirt path in no time at all, their eyes set on Steadfast Grove. They nodded at one another once they had created some distance between them and the old church, panting fervently as their legs pushed them forward with everything they had.

"Looks like we're safe!" Hollis huffed, trying to catch his breath.

"Don't stop pedaling! The cops could be on their way!" Herbie yelled back.

Once safely on Steadfast Grove, Herbie waved the twins off as they approached the turnoff that led to their house, not daring to stop for a second lest the police, Pastor Hendryx, or anything else that might be out in the desert see them on the road.

Herbie skidded to a stop outside the barn in front of Beatrix's old farmhouse and hurriedly opened the double doors. He was relieved to find that Beatrix's bicycle wasn't parked in its usual spot and didn't waste a second getting to the house, jogging through the cramps in his legs to the front door.

"Is that you, Herbert?" Herbie's mom called from the kitchen as he closed the front door behind him. Herbie took a deep breath and wiped his brow, trying to hide his physical exhaustion from his mom.

"Something smells great!" he managed between labored breaths.

He walked across the entrance hall to the kitchen and stuck his head in. He was amazed to find his mother standing over the stove, all four burners loaded with pots and pans. The counter was covered in utensils, flour, salad bowls and dishes. Goji had built a den in the corner of the room out of grocery bags, oven mitts and an empty flour bag. But the second she saw Herbie, she leaped out of her makeshift den—destroying it in the process—and ran up to Herbie, placing her two front paws on his knees.

"Hey, lil' Goji," Herbie huffed through his labored breaths.

Herbie's mom turned around and smiled at him, "Herbert! You're all flushed!"

Herbie wiped his forehead with his sleeve and smiled back at her, "I was racing home to beat sundown. There aren't any streetlights on the road here and it gets creepy out there."

"My son, away from his computer and racing around town, I never thought I'd see the day," she giggled.

"My mother, cooking! Looks like we're both full of surprises," Herbie chuckled back, his heart rate calming as he pulled up a chair at the kitchen table.

"I didn't have the heart to tell your grandmother that I had no idea how to make dinner, especially after everything she's done for us. Guess I'm not bad for a novice with only a couple of gallons of water handy. Did you know that your grandma owns a fox? I almost fainted when I saw him."

"Dogs have owners, Mom, Goji has staff. Anyway, she's a girl. We're turning out to be the best of friends," Herbie laughed, "Where is Grandma by the way?"

"An old friend of hers was supposed to pick her up from work and stay for dinner, but it's getting a bit late now. I hope she's okay," Herbie's mom shrugged.

Herbie watched on as his mother finished preparing dinner, Goji nestled on his lap, and for that short while, the madness slipped away. For a moment, Herbie didn't miss his life back in Washington, D.C., nor did he fear the evils that lurked in the night, or wonder what secrets were hidden in the Rift. For a moment, he was just a regular kid, watching his mom make dinner.

As they were chatting about the more mundane aspects about moving to a new town—while being sure not to say anything about the stranger aspects—Goji scurried off Herbie's lap and shot off like a rocket to the front door, yapping and squealing and howling like a loon.

"Sorry we're late!" Beatrix announced as she pushed open the front door, "Someone left me waiting outside the Sole Provider for half a cotton-picking hour!"

"And it seems nothing I say will earn me my forgiveness," an oddly familiar voice replied from behind her.

Beatrix appeared in the kitchen doorway with a middle-aged man with thinning hair and bronze-colored spectacles, "Mary Anne, Herbie, this is Pastor Hendryx."

"Please, call me Calvin," Pastor Hendryx smiled from behind her, waving his hand.

Herbie froze in his seat as he realized where he had heard that voice before. Beatrix's introduction confirmed it. Sweat gathered on his brow as his heart started pounding. The jig was up. Herbie's mind raced as he tried to formulate an excuse for being at the old church with two older men who were quite possibly insane, and were definitely not in Pastor Hendryx's good books. But as he sat there with a nervous smile stuck on his face, he knew there would be no talking his way out of this one.

Something instinctual inside of Herbie told him to stay very still as he watched Pastor Hendryx walk over to the stove and greet his mom, but he felt the blood rush from his face when the pastor turned and locked eyes with him.

"You..." Pastor Hendryx began as he squinted at Herbie, "must be the famous grandson I've heard so much about!"

Herbie exhaled a deep sigh of relief as his muscles unlocked, allowing him to stand and reach out his hand to the pastor.

"Nice to meet you, Pastor Hendryx!" Herbie smiled.

But the handshake lasted a moment longer than Herbie had hoped.

"Have we met before, young man?" the pastor asked curiously.

Herbie did his best to feign surprise, "Oh, I doubt it, I haven't been here long, and shaggy-haired teens are a dime a dozen!" he chuckled awkwardly.

"With all your shenanigans, I've forgotten to get you to the barber!" Beatrix chimed in, "Maybe I'll just chop it myself after dinner."

Pastor Hendryx caught the look of dread that came across Herbie's face at the mention of the thought and smiled. "The poor boy's got it hard enough having to go to Seker High, Beatrix, he doesn't need a bowl cut to make things any worse!" he laughed.

"I'm sure I can take him after school tomorrow," Herbie's mom began, "There's a hire car coming in from Winnemucca in the morning for me to get around in. It's been a while since I've had to drive myself around, but at least there isn't much traffic in this little town."

"We can't afford that, Mary Anne!" Beatrix rebuked as they gathered around the dinner table, "Why on earth do you need such a thing?"

A sly smile appeared on Herbie's mom's face, "I'll need it to get to work! I got a job at the grocery store!" she laughed excitedly.

"Well done!" Beatrix cried.

"Congratulations, Mary Anne," Pastor Hendryx smiled, sticking a serving spoon into what he thought was mashed potatoes, but what turned out to be a milky potato soup.

Herbie began dishing up some charred broccoli and dried out cauliflower onto his plate, not sure what to say. Another family member working at the grocery store... his place in Sandgrouse house was becoming an ever more inescapable pit.

"Yeah... well done, Mom," he smiled wearily.

Herbie managed to hide the conflicting emotions in his heart throughout dinner, while the rest of the table did their best to hide their cringing at the dry tasteless food. Pastor Hendryx's face knotted up every time he bit into a piece of the HappyMeat Lab-Grown Chicken Fillet, while Beatrix did her best to smother her giggles as the mashed potato sloshed off her spoon.

The silence of the repressed reactions gradually built up, until Herbie's mom finally broke, "Next time, we'll go to the diner, sound good?"

Herbie couldn't help but laugh, which triggered a wave of laughter from everyone at the table.

"Thank you for trying, Mary Anne," Pastor Hendryx chuckled, removing his spectacles to wipe a tear from his eye.

"I'll throw the potatoes in the sink and use them for washing up! We should save all the water you used in them!" Beatrix laughed, slapping her hand on the table.

Once everyone had stomached all that they could, Herbie and Pastor Hendryx began clearing up the table, "Pastor Hendryx hey? Any relation to Jimi?" Herbie joked.

"Not to my knowledge, young man, and I can't say I'd be happy if I was!" the pastor chuckled.

"You don't like Jimi Hendrix! What about, 'All Along the Watchtower'? It's gotta be the greatest song of all time!" Herbie replied in shock.

Pastor Hendryx reeled his head back, "Let's get something straight, Herbie, Bob Dylan wrote 'All Along the Watchtower', and he even got a Nobel prize for it. Now there's a musician for you."

Herbie cocked his head in surprise, "I didn't know that. I'll have to track down some Bob Dylan and give him a listen to."

"Best you should. How are things at Seker High, Herbie?" Pastor Hendryx asked as he scraped some scraps into the trash, while Goji watched on longingly, unable to comprehend why she wasn't getting the leftovers.

Herbie shrugged, not all too sure how to word his response, "Pretty weird, to be honest."

"You know I used to hold a sermon in the school hall every morning when it was still just an elementary school," the pastor began, when a look of deep sadness overcame him. "I was looking forward to sharing it with a wider audience when they added the high school on. The last thing I expected was to be asked not to return," the pastor smirked as he looked back at Herbie, "But I try not to fret, as long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools."

Herbie chuckled along with the pastor as he caught the joke, "Makes sense," he admitted, "The Light Seekers are pretty much a religion themselves and I don't remember ever hearing about aliens featuring in the Bible."

Pastor Hendryx nodded wearily, "No, no aliens. But there are many warnings of dark forces that will imitate the light."

"You really believe in that sort of thing?" Herbie asked.

Pastor Hendryx stared Herbie in the eye and spoke with severity, "Now more than ever, young man."

Herbie's curiosity itched to ask more, to find out how ancient texts played a role in the madness that followed the Light Seekers, and, most importantly, how on earth a pastor knew of the curious order that Ashverosh and Nabozny were a part of. But it was too risky. The pastor had definitely caught a glimpse of Herbie's face in the church, and all it would take was one wrong question for him to put two and two together.

"Well, at least Seker High has introduced me to SleightSoccer," Herbie commented, trying to change the subject.

"It does look like fun. I've attended a few of the interhouse games, despite how uncomfortable the Light Seekers try to make me feel. Have you joined one of the school teams?" Pastor Hendryx replied warmly.

Herbie rolled his eyes, "My house doesn't even have a team, and everyone hates us so much that we get beaten up if we even try to play at recess. To make things worse, there's nowhere decent to play after school thanks to the drought drying up any patch of grass we could have hoped to have practiced on."

"Why not practice at the churchyard?" Pastor Hendryx smiled excitedly, "The lawns are a little brown, but I do my best to keep it alive. It would be perfect!"

"You wouldn't mind?" Herbie replied happily.

"Not at all; in fact, it would be nice to see somebody appreciating the churchyard. People act like it's haunted these days."

"Too bad he's grounded!" Beatrix chimed in from where she sat at the table, "But maybe if he lets his grandma come along to spectate I'll allow it."

"But you'll be at work, Grandma!" Herbie moaned.

"Then you'll have to wait until Saturday," Beatrix noted with a tone that ensured there was no more room for arguing, "and I think it's time that you started getting ready for bed."

Herbie turned to Pastor Hendryx and shrugged. The pastor smiled back knowingly.

"One last thing, Pastor Hendryx," Herbie began before preparing to head upstairs, "how did the church get all busted up? You take such good care of the gardens, it seems strange to me that you'd let the church itself turn into a wreck."

Pastor Hendryx rubbed his chin and sighed deeply, "That's because I'm not allowed to step foot in it. As soon as they began developing Newtown, the development company made an offer on the land to the Reformed Church Trust that owns it. Naturally, seeing as the church was doing as well as a small town church can, the Trust declined the offer."

The pastor waited a moment gathering his thoughts, "Not long after that, a man from the government arrived. He told us that the groundwater had seeped into the church's foundations—that it could collapse at any minute. They claim that they extracted a core sample from the construction site before they started digging, but they went too deep. Then they plugged it up, shifting the whole water table. We've been fighting the case against that conclusion ever since, but no matter what we do, it seems like everyone is against us. We haven't even been able to get anyone to come out and do a formal analysis. For some reason, no one will touch the place."

Herbie scratched his head as he tried to make sense of what the pastor was saying, "It seems weird that too much water would be a problem in the middle of a drought. Why would someone go to all that effort just to close down a harmless old church?"

Pastor Hendryx put a hand on Herbie's shoulder and locked eyes with him. "Someone who doesn't think a church is harmless at all," he replied.

***

"What ya got there, son?" Nabozny asked as he leaned over Herbie's desk. Herbie slammed closed Ezekiel's Notebook and shoved it into his bag in one swift movement.

"Uhhh... just taking some notes. Very interesting class, Mr. Nabozny. You make a great Science teacher," Herbie replied, hoping that Nabozny hadn't seen the diary.

"The bell for lunch rang two minutes ago. Do you have some extra thoughts to add to my class?" Nabozny asked, looking around at the empty classroom.

In truth, Herbie hadn't heard a single word Nabozny had said all through the Friday afternoon Science class. With all the information that had come to light regarding Daeva and Macklin's death, he had spent the hour compiling his thoughts in Ezekiel's Notebook and hadn't even noticed the bell for lunch ring.

"Just got carried away," he replied with a skew smile, trying to act casual.

"How come your friends didn't wait up for ya?" Nabozny continued.

Herbie dropped his shoulders and shook his head, "Since our, um, meeting the other night, Hollis and Brenda Lee have been at each other's throats and I'm stuck in the middle of it."

Nabozny pulled up a chair from the desk beside Herbie's and sat down. "Those two couldn't be more different. It's hard to believe they're twins sometimes. Is Hollis still mad about what Brenda Lee said about their dad? They both seem madder than wet hens."

"Among other things. Her outburst must have been the tipping point in an ongoing war between them," Herbie admitted.

"Have they tried talking it out?" Nabozny suggested.

"I can barely get them near each other! And to make things worse, I finally found somewhere to have SleightSoccer practice, but if I only invite one of them, the other is going to think I've picked a side in their battle!" Herbie lamented, throwing his head in his hands.

Nabozny smiled, shaking his head, "You're a smart kid, Herbie. You've already figured the answer to your problem, but you don't even know it yet."

"Whaddya mean?" Herbie pondered.

"They won't sort out their problems because you can't get 'em to sit down and have it out with each other, right?"

"Yeah..."

"They both wanna play SleightSoccer, right?" Nabozny continued.

"Right... so you want me to trick them into talking to each other?"

"Now you're getting it!" Nabozny erupted.

Herbie squinted at him, "That seems a little... deceptive, don't you think?"

"Some people don't wanna know what's good for 'em. Give it a try!"

***

Saturday morning arrived and Herbie found that for once, he felt well rested. As far as he could recall, he had just gone his first night without dreaming of Daeva's terrifying grin since he had arrived in the Rift.

Before Herbie had even got out of bed, Beatrix was knocking at his door.

"Come on sleepy head! Daylight's wasting!" she called from the other side of the door.

"Coming, Grandma!" Herbie called back.

"Can I come in? I've got something to return to you," she replied, pushing open the creaking door.

"Sure thing," Herbie smiled.

Beatrix entered the room and sat at the edge of Herbie's bed. She was already dressed and washed up and the smile on her face hinted that she was as excited as Herbie was to spend the day in the churchyard.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out Herbie's cell phone.

"You've stuck to your punishment like a man, Herbie. I'm proud of you," she said as she handed him the phone.

A wave of guilt came over Herbie as he remembered going out on Monday despite being grounded, though he knew it could not have been helped.

"Thanks, Grandma," he said warily.

"Come on, then, get in the shower and take some dirty shirts in there to wash along with you. I'm almost out of gray water. When you're done, you can use that contraption to make sure your friends are ready for us when we arrive," Beatrix smiled, getting up and heading to the door.

Herbie held the cell phone in his hands and powered it up. Once the screen had lit up, he was surprised to see several missed calls from a number he didn't recognize. Checking his inbox, he saw several messages from the same number, ranging from, "Yoo-hoo, Herbie!" to "Answer your phone, loser! I need to talk to you.", and going as far as, "I can't talk about this at school, please; I need to talk to you."

Who on earth could this be? Herbie thought, practically no one at school has my number, other than Hollis or Brenda Lee, but their numbers would have come up on my phone.

"I don't hear the shower running!" Beatrix called from downstairs.

Herbie shrugged, figuring that either Brenda Lee or Hollis would know who it was and got out of bed to get ready. In no time, Herbie was cleaned up, dressed, and grabbing his compass from his bedside table, he made his way downstairs. He sent separate messages to Brenda Lee and Hollis to ensure they were ready to meet him at the corner of Steadfast Grove, where they would be finding out that they were both heading through to the churchyard.

"Looks like we're having sandwiches for breakfast," Beatrix moaned from the kitchen as Herbie entered.

Goji happily panted up to Mary Anne from her feet. The two had quickly bonded thanks to the never-ending supply of failed meals that Mary Anne had scraped into the vixen's food bowl.

"Sorry, Herbert, I burned the oatmeal," Herbie's Mom moped, standing over a smoking pot on the stove.

"You could burn cereal, Mom!" Herbie laughed, shaking his head.

"You really need to mind not to waste water, Mary Anne, this isn't Washington D.C! We could have used that to do some cleaning. This kitchen has a layer of dust on it thicker than the hair on my head!" Beatrix warned.

"I'll get it one day—sorry Beatrix. Take care of Herbie while you're out there; I'm still not used to him being outdoors all the time," Herbie's mom hummed as Beatrix made her way to the door, a swollen backpack fixed to her shoulders.

"I will, Mary Anne, your boy's grown a lot in the past weeks," Beatrix replied before turning to Goji, "Come on, you, if I leave you here with Mary Anne's cooking all day, we'll be rolling you up and down the stairs on your swollen belly!"

Goji pined three high pitched squeals as she was torn between her love for food and her obedience to Beatrix, before darting out the door and leading the way to the barn.

"Love ya Mom!" Herbie called as he made his way out the door.

"Love you, Herbert!" she called back.

***

The twins waited at the corner for them, apparently willing to suffer each other's company for the sake of a game of SleightSoccer. After an awkward re-introduction to Beatrix, Herbie, Hollis and Brenda Lee were slowly cycling westward toward the churchyard, Lazy Sam sluggishly trotting behind them while Goji gleefully nipped at his back leg to keep him moving.

Beatrix had done little to hide her wariness toward the twins, untrusting of how brainwashed they may be by the Light Seekers, but Herbie knew it wouldn't take long before she warmed up to them. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Brenda Lee and Beatrix shared very similar opinions about the Light Seekers, while Hollis's enthusiasm for pretty much everything that came his way made him undeniably loveable.

But what truly won Beatrix over was Goji's delight in having Lazy Sam as company. She nipped his ears and ran circles around him, pouncing on him whenever she got a chance. Beatrix had been worried that the retriever would lose his patience with the vixen, but his response was careful and soft pawed, knowing all too well not to claw and bite back too hard, as though she were just a puppy.

Goji yapped with excitement as they approached the churchyard, the oasis of plant life a refreshing change from the dry sands that had consumed the Rift. She scurried up the road, diving into the lush bushes and flower beds as though they were an ocean of life.

All the excitement was too much for Lazy Sam. In a rare display of athleticism, he cantered up the dirt path after Goji, excitedly sniffing around the bushes in search of his new friend. The others were soon laying their bicycles down on the persistent lawn and stretching out their limbs for practice.

"Maybe Sammy just needs someone to get him moving? I've never seen him like this!" Hollis smiled, as he watched Sam shove his nose in the flower beds after Goji.

"So, who's got a ball?" Herbie asked the group.

The twins looked to one another and shrugged.

"Neither of you brought the ball!" Herbie snapped.

"I thought Brenda Lee was gonna bring it," Hollis huffed.

"It's your ball, why didn't you bring it!" Brenda Lee hissed back at him.

Herbie threw his hands in the air, "Well, maybe if the two of you would just talk to each other, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Out of nowhere, a brand new soccer ball bounced into the space between them.

"I had a feeling you kids wouldn't know your ups from your downs, so I got you a little gift from the Sole Provider," Beatrix smiled.

"Wow! Thanks, Mrs. Hunter! Mine was super busted up anyways—we'll be pros in no time with this beauty!" Hollis beamed.

"Not a problem, kids. Now you'll need a goalie if you expect to test any of your plays. Looks like you kids are up against me."

"Awesome, Grandma!" Herbie laughed.

"Now I suggest you three rotate between defense, midfield and striking positions. Pass the ball up from your defense line and get it to the striker to take a shot at the goal. It's practice drill to teach you kids how to get the ball upfield into a striking position."

"You sure seem to know a lot about SleightSoccer," Brenda Lee commented, speaking up for the first time all day.

"I played plenty of sports growing up, though we didn't have anything quite like this. You kids will have to teach me the finer details. But for now, I should figure out how to goalie just fine," Beatrix replied, kicking off her shoes and using them to make goal posts.

Herbie and the twins took their positions, Hollis starting in defense, Brenda Lee at midfield, and Herbie ready to strike at the goal.

Hollis started with the ball at his feet, "So you see, Mrs. Hunter, the game's like a combination of soccer and basketball, the ball starts at your feet, but..." Hollis attempted to kick the ball at Brenda Lee's hands but instead sent it rolling toward the shrubbery lining the churchyard fence, "... your teammate can grab it with their hands," he concluded sorrily.

"Too bad the shrubs aren't on our team then!" Brenda Lee laughed, Beatrix and Herbie doing their best not to chuckle along with her.

"Shoot first, and whatever you hit, call it the target!" Hollis smiled through his embarrassment.

"Keep your kicking foot and your hip in a straight line, Hollis, then your leg becomes your sight and the ball will always travel in the direction your knee is facing," Beatrix called over to him.

Herbie made a note to consider the advice as he fetched the ball from the shrubs and threw it back to Hollis. Hollis caught it in his hands and placed it back at his feet, then stepped back. Heeding Beatrix's advice, he aligned his hip, the ball and Brenda Lee in a row in his mind's eye,and tested the arc of his leg a few times like a golfer about to take a swing. His foot made contact with the ball, and although it didn't manage to leave the ground, it at least rolled in Brenda Lee's direction this time.

"Nice one, Hollis!" Herbie called to him.

Beatrix left her spot at the goal posts and walked to Hollis, "Much better, but you're kicking with the tips of your toes," she advised, then turned back to Herbie and Brenda Lee, "The two of you come here, let me show you how it's done."

The morning progressed slowly in this manner, occasionally interrupted by Goji and Lazy Sam wanting to get in on the game. Herbie tried to hide his frustration at his slow learning curve because as soon as any of the trio tried to perform the most basic of moves, Beatrix would stop them and point out what they were doing wrong.

By the time the high noon sun shone down on them, everyone was ready for a break. Even little Goji emerged from the shrubs still chewing on a cricket to lie beside Beatrix and Lazy Sam, who by now refused to leave the vixen's side, trotting along after her. Beatrix unpacked a canteen of orange juice and a lunch box crammed with cheese and tomato sandwiches from her backpack and called the kids to sit with her in the shade of the yew tree behind the old church.

"You're in pretty good shape for someone your age!" Hollis admitted as he sat beside Beatrix.

"That's rude, you dunce," Brenda Lee scowled.

"Ha ha!" Beatrix laughed, "I know my age, but I'd rather be sixty-five years young than fourteen years old!

Beatrix sighed deeply and wiped her lips on the back of her hand after glugging down some OJ, "That was a good start kids, but if you want to get your plays clean, you need to trust each other."

"What do you mean, Grandma?" Herbie asked.

Beatrix lazily leaned up against the tree trunk behind her and gazed knowingly at Hollis and Brenda Lee. Both Brenda Lee and Hollis huffed and folded their arms, turning away from one another in unison.

"Aha! You two are so much alike, but you seem to be far more preoccupied with your differences than your similarities," Beatrix laughed.

"I'm not a naïve child," Brenda Lee grunted.

"And I don't like to act like I know everything," Hollis countered.

"Well, it looks like you're two sides of the same coin. Perhaps if the two of you listened to each other, you might find the perfect balance."

Herbie watched the twins digest the information and it was clear to see that neither could argue against the point.

"You don't know us," Brenda Lee scowled, rolling her eyes, "If I was anything like him, I'd have been bitten by a rattlesnake searching for Chupacabras in the desert by now."

Beatrix shook her head, "Oh, I was just like you when I was your age—stubborn as an ox."

"You've changed so much, Grandma," Herbie sniggered.

Beatrix shot him a mean look before turning back to the twins, "Now pretty words ain't always true and true words ain't always pretty, but listen up. You're only limiting yourselves when you go out of your way to be unlike each other. Stop holding on to all your anger and start treating each other like siblings."

"I guess I could try to be a little more open minded," Brenda Lee whispered reluctantly.

"And I could be a little more skeptical," Hollis replied.

While the twins were talking out their differences, Herbie felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw an incoming call from the same unknown number that had been calling him all week. He carefully got up and walked back to the front of the church while the others were distracted.

"Hello?" Herbie said after punching the answer button.

"Her-bert Hunter, have you been ignoring me?" the voice on the other end replied.

"M... Melody?" Herbie stuttered.

"Who else?" she giggled.

"How did you get my number?" Herbie queried.

"I am a very resourceful young lady and, anyways, you should have given it to me yourself. You do owe me a favor after all. Speaking of which ..." Melody hummed.

Herbie swallowed hard, "H... how can I be of service?"

"I need your help, Herbie. I need to find my sister."

The words struck Herbie like a bullet to the brain. He stood there a moment with the cell phone to his ear, the implication of the statement sending a bolt of fear down his spine.

"Yoo-hoo! Earth to Herbie!" Melody mocked impatiently.

"Are you trying to tell me that your sister is still running free in the desert?" Herbie shuddered.

"Don't be silly, she's just not at the house anymore," Melody began, "Daddy says it's not safe for her here after her last little escapade and now he won't tell me where they're keeping her."

Herbie shook his head, "Maybe your dad's right, Melody, she needs help, you should probably let the adults sort it out."

"Herbie! I never took you for a coward!" Melody huffed.

The words stung. Herbie hated the idea of being thought of as a coward, and it seemed that since he arrived in Paradise Rift, he had failed at every test to prove otherwise.

"Anyway," Melody continued, "If you knew my Dad like I do, you would know that she's not getting the help she needs. Only I can help her. I know she was scary out in the desert, but trust me, she listens to me."

Herbie sighed deeply, "She didn't listen to you when she attacked Ashverosh."

"If you recall correctly, I didn't command her to stop attacking that weirdo in the desert. I was in shock. She would have listened if I had got my brain together," Melody hummed.

Herbie chewed on that a moment. The last thing he wanted was to ever see Daeva again. But if Melody was right, if she could keep Daeva calm, it would present a unique opportunity to find out some answers.

"She could be anywhere. She might be out of Nevada by now," Herbie conceded.

"A woman uses her intelligence to find reasons to support her intuition, Herbie," Melody insisted.

"So you really think she's still in town?" Herbie conceded.

"Does that mean you'll help me, Herbie?" Melody burst out with glee.

"I do owe you a favor," Herbie smiled at Melody's excitement.

"Okay, great. I don't think Daddy would have sent her far away—in fact, I think he's with her now. He snuck out while I was in the shower and now no one will tell me where he is," Melody replied.

Just then, Herbie noticed something on the horizon. He stepped toward the white fence that lined the churchyard as he squinted to make out what was in the distance.

"I think we're in luck," Herbie said cautiously, as he figured out what he was looking at.

"What do you mean?" Melody queried.

"There's only one guy in town who travels in a convoy of black Valacs, and he's heading my way," Herbie stated.

"Where are you?" Melody erupted.

"The old churchyard. Get here. Now!"

# Chapter Five

##  The Desert Fury

By the time Herbie returned to the yew tree behind the church, Beatrix was napping lazily up against its trunk with Goji resting, while the twins continued to talk among themselves. Lazy Sam had taken Goji's cue and had receded back into a lump of meat, letting his chops flap floppily against Brenda Lee's legs as she scratched behind his ear while she spoke.

"I think we wore your gran out," Brenda Lee smiled as Herbie approached them.

"We need to talk, try not to wake her up," Herbie whispered.

The twins looked at one another curiously, and then got up to join Herbie. He motioned for them to follow him and walked across the churchyard back to the perimeter, pointing out at the convoy in the distance.

"Looks like Don's out for a drive," Hollis joked.

"That many cars? It's probably every Magister in town," Brenda Lee added.

"They're on their way to see Daeva," Herbie noted solemnly.

"What! How do you know?" Hollis exclaimed.

"Melody told me. She's on her way here now," Herbie replied, his eyes still fixed to the horizon.

"But that means Daeva's around here somewhere," Brenda Lee noted.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Hollis erupted, "That's not just some hospital they're building there! It's the Light Seekers' headquarters. It's just like the Denver airport!"

"Denver airport?" Herbie queried.

"Yeah, they built this airport in Denver, but, somehow, it ran two billion dollars over budget, and it barely gets used! They say there's a secret underground bunker beneath. I bet they've done the same thing with the hospital," Hollis said with excitement.

"That sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory," Brenda Lee huffed, then looked at the sudden disappointment in her brother's eyes.

She sighed deeply then shook her head, "But I guess it makes sense. Unless Melody's wrong and Daeva's nowhere near here, and the Magisters are just... checking on construction?"

Herbie and Hollis looked at her as she realized that there wasn't much sense to that explanation.

"So, what do we do now?" Hollis pondered.

"We wait for Melody to get here and watch. If they are heading to the hospital construction site, then let's find some cover at the southwest perimeter. We should hide the bicycles as well, it'll be best if they don't know we're here. Hopefully they won't spot my grandma in the shade of the yew tree," Herbie ordered.

Crouching down behind the cover of the fence and shrubbery that lined the churchyard, Herbie and the twins fetched their bicycles and rolled them around to the back of the church, then cautiously crawled toward the shrubs at the southwest perimeter. From there, they watched intently as black Valac Templars and Leviathan SUVs and pickup trucks made their way to the construction site.

"This is big," Hollis noted, "They usually travel in convoys of three or four max, but there must be fifteen vehicles out there."

"How many Magisters are there in total?" Herbie asked.

"Nearly twenty, and they usually travel with an escort each," Hollis replied.

Herbie rubbed his chin as he tried to figure out what was going on, "Keep an eye out for Nabozny. If he's not here, this group might be the Masters that he spoke about at the church."

"Son of a monkey!" Hollis beamed, unable to contain his excitement, "I'm going to know secrets that not even Magisters know about!"

Herbie watched as Brenda Lee rolled her eyes at her brother, but this time she couldn't help but smile at the same time.

"I guess it is pretty cool," she muttered.

"What are you guys staring at?" a voice announced from behind them. The trio spun their heads around to see Melody standing behind them right out in the open.

"Get down, birdbrain!" Brenda Lee hissed, grabbing Melody by the sleeve of her pink T-shirt and pulling her down to her haunches.

"Hey! Take it easy!" Melody reprimanded.

Herbie raised his hands at the girls, "Keep your voices down."

"H... hey Melody," Hollis managed, smiling like an idiot.

Melody grimaced, "Who are you?"

"My brother, Hollis. The guy that went missing out in the desert? We're all at the same school? You can't be that brainless, can you?" Brenda Lee hissed.

"Calm down, Brend. I'm sure Melody just didn't recognize him," Herbie whispered.

"Yeah, sheesh, 'Brend', no need to take your claws out," Melody began before turning to Herbie and placing a hand on his shoulder, "So what's going on, Herbie?"

Herbie's heart began to race as her whispered voice hummed in his ear. He took a deep breath as he tried to keep a cool head. He couldn't ask Melody about the Masters without giving away that he knew something about them himself. Even if she had never heard of the secretive rank within the Light Seekers, Herbie couldn't trust her not to slip something to her father. The last thing he needed was to appear on Don's radar—if he found out that Herbie was trying to discover Light Seekers' secrets and their role in Macklin's death, the consequences could be dire.

"We're just trying to find out who's with your dad," Herbie stated.

"Hmmm, let me see. Oh! There's Daddy now!" Melody beamed far too loudly, pointing at Don as a man in a black suit opened his door for him. "That's weird..."

"What's weird?" Brenda Lee asked.

Melody scowled at her then turned back to Herbie, "Herbie, Daddy doesn't usually wear his Magus Robe unless he's at a Light Seekers meet, which means..."

"This is official Light Seekers business," Hollis interjected.

Melody's lip began to quiver and tears swelled up in her eyes, "They're probably going to do all kinds of horrible experiments on Daeva to find out what those aliens did to her!"

Herbie and the twins stared at her with screwed up faces, taken aback by how quickly she had turned on the waterworks.

"Just calm down and keep your trap zipped for five minutes, we need to see who's there before we can do anything," Brenda Lee barked.

Melody's tears dried up immediately as she snapped around to Brenda Lee, "You watch how you talk to me, missy, don't forget who my Dad is."

"You two need to get off each other's backs! We could be missing vital clues while you argue!" Hollis insisted with an unusual ferocity.

"Come sit here next to me, Melody, and tell me if you recognize anyone," Herbie requested calmly.

"Okay, Herbie," Melody smiled, sneaking in one last scowl at Brenda Lee before graciously seating herself next to Herbie.

"Well, there's that wrinkly old prune, Magister Quade," Melody noted, pointing at the old man in his Light Seekers robe as he made a strange hand gesture at Don. "And there's Magister Dolon, he works for Osiris Corp and oversees The Hungry Eye Diner and a bunch of other shops in town."

"Who's that guy he's shaking hands with? He's wearing a Magister's robe, but I've never seen him at any of the meets," Hollis asked.

"That's Dr. Ackwell, and you're right, I didn't even know he was a Light Seeker. He's the head of operations at the water filtration plant," Melody replied curiously.

"There's two more heading into the construction site," Brenda Lee pointed out.

"Hmmm..." Melody pondered, "Well, I doubt it's any of the teachers. Daddy likes to keep the Magisters at the school on a short leash."

Herbie shot a quick glance at the twins, who nodded back at him assuredly. Melody had unknowingly confirmed Nabozny's theory on the hidden authority of "Master". That meant that regardless of whatever Nabozny and Ashverosh's true intentions were, they trusted Herbie and the twins enough to share top secret information with them.

"Looks like they're all heading inside, we should try and take a closer look," Hollis suggested.

"There might be agents guarding the perimeter," Brenda Lee warned.

"Who? Daddy's bodyguards?" Melody asked.

"I think it's pretty clear that they don't just work for your dad," Brenda Lee muttered.

"Either way," Melody huffed, "They won't lay a hand on me."

Herbie shook his head, "Well, that doesn't work for us. We need a way of getting closer undetected and there's nothing but desert between us and the site. We're stuck."

"Oh, Herbie, when are you going to learn? As I've told you before, I'm a very resourceful young lady," Melody hummed with a mischievous smile before turning to Hollis and Brenda Lee. "You two stay here and keep watch. Herbie, come with me," she commanded before standing up and walking back toward the church.

Brenda Lee stared at Herbie flabbergasted. All Herbie could do was shrug apologetically, then he stood up to follow Melody. They cautiously made their way around the church where Herbie and the twins had stashed their bicycles, but as they rounded the corner, Herbie noticed something else alongside them.

"No. Way," Herbie gasped.

"What?" Melody perplexed.

"Is that a QLock board?" Herbie exclaimed.

Melody walked over to the board and lifted it. "This old thing? It's actually the first time I've used it in a while. Daddy usually gets a driver to get me where I want to go, but I couldn't go blabbing about my plans today, so I rode it out here."

"That's so cool! I used to have one back in D.C., though I wish I'd taken it out more," Herbie smiled, running over and grabbing the board from Melody, activating the superconductors and letting it hover just above the ground.

Melody rolled her eyes, "That's great and all, Herbie, but we've got more important things to worry about now. Grab my backpack; it's there by your feet."

Herbie left the QLock to hover and picked up the pink and black backpack, noticing an unexpected weight in it. Melody motioned for Herbie to open the bag, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw what was within. He held out a Virtual Reality headset in his hand and inspected it.

"I never took you for a gamer, Melody! But, how's this going to help us now?" Herbie wondered.

"Eeuw! I'm not a gamer," Melody grimaced, "That's just a headset for a little toy of mine that I thought might come in handy. Keep digging, you'll see."

Herbie stuck his hand further in the bag and wrapped his fingers around an oddly-shaped object. Pulling it out, his mouth dropped. He brought the object up to his eyes. It was tiny, smaller than a baseball, with four propellers and a slim black chassis. A tiny lens protruded from the front of its outer casing, with a small dot beneath that Herbie knew as an acoustic receptor for a microphone.

"A micro-drone. It's... amazing. I've never seen one so small," Herbie beamed.

"It links up with the headset so you can see through the drone's eyes. Daddy got it for me for my birthday. At first I thought it was a useless toy, but it's proved itself to be quite handy in the past," Melody smiled wickedly.

Herbie soaked in the implication of the statement. Was Melody spying on people? She was undoubtedly a determined young lady, but she feigned innocence with such a perfect deception that even Herbie had caught himself believing that she was nothing but a sweet, kind girl. He took a moment to remind himself who he was dealing with and who had raised her.

At the very least, Herbie conceded, he had found himself in her inner circle, or at least close enough for her to confess to him that she had a devious side.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Melody insisted, "Every second we waste here is another second they'll be torturing my sister."

"You want me to fly it?" Herbie asked.

"Darius tells me that you consider yourself quite the gamer, so I'm sure you could pilot that thing better than I could," Melody hummed.

Herbie couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as Melody mentioned that brainless jock's name. Are they... going out? he asked himself, trying to suppress the urge to punch Darius in the face the next time he saw him. But now wasn't the time. Melody had come to him, not Darius, for help. And if nothing else, the promise of using a VR headset again made his heart race with excitement.

Melody reached into her backpack and pulled out a gyroscopic controller, much like what Herbie might have used as a sword or pistol in Rouge et Noir. He pressed a big red button at the top of the controller, triggering the drone's propellers to start spinning and lift itself off Herbie's outstretched palm. Melody took the VR headset from him and slipped it over his head, her face coming right up close to his as she did so. Herbie hoped that she wouldn't notice his body's gentle tremble as her soft fingertips ran through his hair as she fastened the strap around the back of his head.

The headset and camera linked and with a flash of light, Herbie was seeing through the drone's eyes. He gently tilted the gyroscopic controller upwards, sending the drone soaring into the sky.

"The height on this thing is incredible! If anyone's guarding the perimeter, there's no chance they'll even notice me!" Herbie beamed with excitement.

If Melody said anything in response, Herbie was unable to hear it, the drone's microphone feeding directly into the speakers attached to either side of the headset. Herbie placed his thumb on the joystick in the center of the controller, sending the drone forward at an impressive speed. Through the eyes of the drone, he saw Hollis and Brenda Lee still crouched behind the shrubbery, watching the construction site. He decided to use this as an opportunity to test how easily the drone could be detected.

He allowed the drone to hover above the twins and lowered it gradually to see when they would notice its presence.

"What's taking them so long?" Herbie heard Brenda Lee ask through the drone's microphone.

"Worried that Melody's stealing your crush from you?" Hollis mocked in response.

Through the drone's camera, Herbie saw Brenda Lee give Hollis a mighty shove, pushing him over, "Don't be gross you little goblin, I don't have a crush on him."

"Then, how come I'm always catching you making googly eyes at him?" Hollis chuckled.

"I might be a girl, but I'll break your nose right here, you got it?" Brenda Lee threatened, raising her fist to her brother.

"Flip it, Brend; I'm just joking," Hollis huffed, "Anyway, if they are back there making kissy-face, Herbie's one lucky kid."

Herbie saw Brenda Lee throw herself back and look upwards, sincere pain and disappointment in her eyes. He suddenly felt like what he was doing was a disgusting intrusion of privacy—he had shared in a secret moment with Brenda Lee that was never intended for him.

He quickly pulled the drone backward before Brenda Lee noticed it hovering above her. He flicked his controller upwards until the drone reached its maximum height. From there, Hollis and Brenda Lee shrunk down to smudges, and tilting the drone forward, Herbie noticed he was hovering at the same height as the cranes that stood over the hospital construction site.

Perfect, he thought, I'll sneak the drone up behind the crane and descend along its mast.

Herbie sent the drone shooting forward and quickly had it perched along the crane's jib. He now moved forward with far more care and precision, knowing that any sudden movement might be detected by someone on the ground. By the time Herbie had descended the drone halfway down the crane's mast, he had a perfect view of the interior of the construction site. It was still in its early stages and was exactly what he had expected it to be, iron beams protruding from freshly laid concrete, sacks of cement and piles of building sand, an assortment of tools scattered here and there. But there wasn't a single living soul in sight.

Herbie moved the drone away from the cover of the crane's mast with caution, gradually passing over the temporary sheet-metal walls that concealed the site. He sent the drone zipping from concrete pillar to concrete pillar, doing his best to keep it hidden. Herbie, the twins and Melody had all seen the Masters and at least ten black-suited agents enter the construction site—they had to be around there somewhere!

He rotated the drone on its axis to get a full three hundred and sixty degree view of its surroundings. When the drone had only done half a rotation, he finally caught sight of something. Over toward the northwestern perimeter of the site, three men in black suits stood in a circle around something, though Herbie was unable to make out exactly what it was.

Do I edge forward and risk detection, or retreat and find out nothing? Herbie considered. But he knew the answer to the question before he had even asked it, edging the drone forward from one point of cover over to another. He tilted his gyroscopic controller up as gently as his wrist muscles would allow. With the micro-drone gaining some height, he was able to see over the agents' heads and managed to make out what they were protecting—a staircase leading down into a black abyss.

"What on earth is going on here?" Herbie said aloud, licking his lips as fascination consumed him.

He decided that patience may be the most strategic move from this point. Something was bound to happen eventually, but for now he had to preserve the drone's batteries to ensure he still had eyes and ears on the stairwell when it did.

Herbie rotated the drone around until he found a half built concrete pillar that would provide enough height for it to rest on while keeping his view of the stairwell unobstructed. Once it was resting on its perch, he powered down the propeller motors, but left the camera and microphone running.

Herbie entered a state of complete focus. He had developed this skill when playing his most difficult Rouge et Noir on nightmare difficulty mode—when the slightest movement could end with a werewolf claw slashing across his virtual neck. Often, game developers made sections of games so challenging that only the most dedicated and precisely skilled players could pass them and superhuman focus was essential to do so. He found that in such a heightened state of awareness, one's sense of time became distorted due to all conscious resources prioritizing one's sight, hearing, and muscle reflexes.

It was thus difficult for Herbie to determine how long he had been watching the guards when he heard the horrific screams coming from down the stairwell. His intense focus suddenly broken, he reeled back as the shrieking pierced through the speakers in his ears.

"What was that!" Herbie cried aloud, the sheer agony in the shriek pulling at his heart.

Quickly gathering his senses, he powered up the drone's propellers and sent it soaring upwards to get a better glimpse down the stairwell as the guards hurriedly descended into the abyss below. With the guards gone, he confidently moved the drone forward to a closer hiding spot. Shrieks and groans filled the air and shot through the speakers into his brain like bolts of lightning.

"It sounds like they're torturing her..." Herbie whispered painfully.

Despite his fear for the monster that Daeva had become, the sounds of agony shook Herbie's heart to the point where he found himself holding back tears. It was like an animal being beaten to death. Suddenly, he felt someone grabbing his shoulder and shaking him. He had almost forgotten that he was still sitting behind the church, his mind completely transferred into the drone's body.

"Hold on, Melody, let me park the drone somewhere safe," he said irritably.

Herbie quickly spun the drone around and parked it behind some sacks of cement. Once he was sure the drone was out of sight, he lifted the headset off his face and squinted as his eyes readjusted to reality. He was amazed to find the sun sinking in the west, the sky turned blood-orange and the evening wind starting to whistle through the church. He turned to discover that Melody was nowhere in sight. Instead, Brenda Lee and Hollis kneeled next to him with panic bursting from their eyes.

"Melody just ran off! She's heading toward the construction site!" Brenda Lee fretted.

"What's going on, Herbie? What are you doing with that headset?" Hollis added.

Herbie threw his head back and pressed his palm against his forehead, "She's going to get herself killed!" he moaned.

Herbie quickly shoved the headset and controller into Melody's backpack, "I don't have time to explain, we need to stop her."

"What about your gran? She's still sleeping behind the church!" Brenda Lee questioned.

"She'll be fine! Right now we need to worry about ourselves! Who knows what will happen if the Light Seekers find out we were spying on them!" Herbie replied, noticing the QLock board ready to ride beside him.

Without wasting a moment, he jumped on the board and pushed forward, the frictionless momentum allowing him to accelerate out of the churchyard in seconds. Racing ahead of the twins, his eyes furiously scanned for any sign of Melody, hoping she was yet to descend into the basement beneath the hospital.

Herbie spotted her sprinting toward the hospital construction site with breathtaking speed. But there was something else following her.

"Is that.... Oh no!" Herbie gulped as he noticed the flashes of gold and red running up behind Melody.

Unbeknown to Melody, Goji and Lazy Sam were frantically chasing after her, thinking her panic was nothing more than a game she was playing. Quickly peering back at the church and then to Melody, he instantly calculated the comparative distance they had covered and realized that there wasn't a chance he would catch up to her.

"Melody! Wait!" he screamed out at her, kicking down to add to his speed.

It was then that Herbie noticed something else off in the distance. One by one, the Masters in white robes were hurriedly filing out of the gate in the sheet metal barrier that surrounded the construction site, practically tripping over their long white robes to get away.

Now close enough to make out some detail, Herbie noticed them scurry behind the convoy of black Valac Templars, Leviathan SUVs and pickup trucks, peeking out from every available opening between them, without leaving themselves exposed.

By now, Melody was approaching the entrance, but stopped in her tracks as ten black-suited agents backed out of the gate, weapons drawn and aimed at an unknown target. Goji and Lazy Sam stopped to assess the curious activity before them, still a good few yards behind Melody, giving Herbie the chance to race up behind them on the QLock board and grab them by the scruffs of their necks.

He kicked down on the tail of the board once he had calmed the beasts, and deactivated the superconductors. Relieved to have caught them before they had caught anyone's attention, Herbie squinted as he noticed something strange about the agents' weapons—these weren't your standard handguns. They had massive barrels that required two hands to hold, making them seem more like handheld cannons than guns, with large steel gas canisters attached beneath.

Herbie turned back to the twins, "Careful, you two, these guys mean business," he warned.

Hollis and Brenda Lee came up next to Herbie, sweating and panting after the sprint.

"What's... going... on... Herb?" Hollis managed through his labored breathing while grabbing Lazy Sam's collar.

"I think they've got Daeva in there and by the looks of things, something's gone bad. Really bad," Herbie murmured.

Brenda Lee picked Goji up and held her over her shoulder, "Then we need to get out of here. I'm not dying for Melody's sake! And we're just standing in the middle of the desert—we could get spotted at any moment!"

"She's a human being, Brenda Lee! We can't just leave her here!" Herbie roared in response.

Brenda Lee reeled back at the sudden outburst. She stared at Herbie defiantly, clearly hurt.

"Fine," she muttered, "What do you plan to do?"

Herbie sighed, not really knowing the answer to the question. He turned back toward the construction site, where Melody stood frozen a few yards from where the agents had formed a semicircle in front of the gate. By the looks of it, she too was planning her next move. Whether the agents or the Masters had spotted her yet, Herbie couldn't say, but there was a good chance they were too distracted by whatever it was they were running from.

But the next move was not theirs to make. A terrifying screech went echoing across the desert. From behind the gate a figure leaped into the air, releasing a blood-curdling scream.

"Daeva!" Melody cried as the agents fired their weapons.

Harpoon-like projectiles shot out of the agent's strange guns with a trail of chains on their tails. None of the projectiles made contact with Daeva's flesh, but rather wove a thick net of chains around her. The chains ripped Daeva out the sky as powerful motors began reeling them in. She went slamming into the ground with a crash, landing just in front of the gate with enough force to kick up a dust cloud around her.

Melody bolted toward Daeva at an incredible speed. Without any time to strategize a plan, Herbie's instincts kicked in. He reactivated the QLock board and raced after Melody, doing his best to get to her before she reached the agents.

"Get away from her!" Melody screamed as she reached the ring of agents, grabbing one of them by his shoulders and pulling him to the ground as though he were made of paper, then disappeared into the maelstrom.

Herbie dug his foot into the sand to bring the board to a halt, thirty yards from where they battled. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"What the ..." he whispered as the dust cloud consumed Melody and the agents.

Hollis and Brenda Lee had now caught up with him and watched the ensuing carnage by his side, their limbs frozen in terror. From inside the dust clouds, howls of pain and horror could be heard, until from somewhere within, an agent went soaring into the sky.

And another.

Then another.

They were hurled upwards, effortlessly, as though they were as light as air. The remaining agents came running out of the dust cloud, instinctual fear bursting from their eyes, weapons and sunglasses abandoned as they fled. Too focused on getting back to their Leviathans, none had a chance to notice Herbie and the twins still frozen in terror only thirty yards from the entrance.

The three agents that had been effortlessly flicked skyward by the chain-launchers they were holding landed with a thump on the desert sands. Coughing and spitting, they dragged themselves toward cover until the other agents that had got away pulled them into a Leviathan. The remaining agents urged the Masters to retreat back into their sedans and remaining SUVs and pickups, as they nervously rose from where they hid.

Herbie and the twins finally broke from their trance when the convoy started moving. Plumes of sand filled the air behind four of the Valac Leviathans as they pulled off with their pedals to the metal, speeding off as they pushed their electric motors to their limit, not bothering to link up to the road before doing so.

The trio turned to one another, their shock inhibiting their ability to form sentences, but the horror in their eyes saying everything that needed to be said. They waited as the dust in the distance cleared, too scared to turn their backs to the monster within.

A bitter wind danced through the desert as the sun sank below the horizon, leaving only an orange halo across the tip of Paradise Peak in the west. Herbie willed his legs to step forward as a gust cleared the dust cloud, revealing Daeva and Melody standing in front of the construction site gates. Their eyes were locked on one another—Melody's wide with adrenaline and Daeva's squinted like a predator focusing in on its prey.

Herbie could make out their chests rising and falling as they caught their breaths with heavy pants. He stepped forward again, abandoning the QLock board, but this time, both Hollis and Brenda Lee grabbed him by his shoulders.

"Don't be crazy, Herbie," Brenda Lee hissed.

Hollis tightened his grip and pulled him back, "Did you see what she just did to those agents?"

Herbie didn't have an answer for them. He knew that what he was doing was insane, but he had to protect Melody, no matter what happened. He didn't know why, but his heart urged him forward. He shook his shoulders free of Hollis and Brenda Lee's grasp and placed another foot forward, fighting the urge to tremble as he did. He noticed thick white froth collecting around Daeva's mouth, her arm rising and reaching out toward Melody.

Herbie's heart rate soared as he pushed through his fear and picked up his pace. Daeva ran a bloodied finger across Melody's cheek, the foam at her mouth dripping from her chops like drool from a rabid dog's muzzle. Now just a few yards away, Herbie could see that most of her fingernails had been ripped clear off her fingers.

"Don't you touch her!" Herbie spat, repulsed by the sight of Daeva's hideous hands against Melody's soft white skin.

Daeva slowly turned her head and snarled a mouth full of yellow teeth at Herbie, before turning back to Melody. Melody defiantly shook her head at her sister. Daeva responded with a feral grunt as froth cascaded off her lower lip.

Herbie took another step forward, then another until he stood directly before Melody and Daeva, fear thumping through his veins.

"Melody, step away from her," a voice called from somewhere behind the remaining Leviathans.

Daeva immediately spun around and locked eyes with its source. From behind the convoy, Don sheepishly emerged. With his hands held out in front of him, he cautiously approached his daughters.

"You're too important, Melody, you need to let us handle your sister. We can't afford to lose you," Don pleaded.

Melody grimaced, "I won't let you hurt her."

"She means nothing, Melody! She's weak!" Don begged in response.

Daeva turned back to Melody, like a dog awaiting a command. Melody shot Herbie a devious glare then turned back to her sister. She mouthed out a sentence, too quiet for Herbie to make out the exact words. He watched her lips and saw the words they made, and if he didn't know any better, he would have sworn she had said, "Kill him".

In an instant, Daeva turned and leaped at Don like a wolf on its prey, fingers stretched out like claws, teeth ready to sink into his flesh.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" a voice boomed from behind Herbie.

The words brought Daeva crashing to the ground split seconds before her twisted hands reached Don's face. But it barely took a second for Daeva to lift herself up, reeling back her arm to strike at Don's face again.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" the voice boomed again.

The words seemed to hit Daeva like a knife to the gut. She stopped her strike mid-swing, grabbing her gaunt stomach and digging her fingers in. She gagged, then hurled up thick white froth. Lifting her head, she turned in Herbie's direction while Don scurried back behind the remaining convoy of vehicles.

Herbie's legs were frozen in place, his neck so stiff with fear he could not bring himself to turn it and see who had spoken those strange words.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" the voice called a third time, though now its source moved past Herbie, mere feet from where Daeva writhed on the floor, vomiting up white foam.

"Grandma?" Herbie whimpered as Beatrix stepped past him, repeating the same words over and over again.

Daeva's entire body went into spasm as Beatrix stood over her, an astonishing calmness radiating from the old woman's body, lit only by the last minutes of twilight. Herbie could not believe what he was seeing, his own grandma controlling the horrific beast that Daeva had become.

He felt Brenda Lee's shoulder rub up against his own, Hollis to her right, as Goji and Sam whimpered by his side. Melody ran over to where Daeva lay and held her in her arms.

"What are you doing to her! Stop it! You're killing her!" Melody shrieked as she watched her sister spasm and writhe.

Daeva's spine arched violently and her mouth burst open so wide it seemed that it might unhinge. Above her body, six glowing lights began to form—the same six lights Herbie had seen on his first night in Paradise Rift. Melody went into panic at the sight, shoving Daeva away from her and cowering from a safe distance. Herbie turned to Beatrix, hoping that somehow, she could explain what he was seeing, but even she stepped back fearfully, terror exuding from her eyes.

The lights began to rise into the twilight, leaving Daeva's body a stiffened husk of its former self. Beatrix grabbed Herbie and the twins and cautiously pulled them away, ensuring to stay in front them as a shield.

"Young lady, I suggest you get behind me," Beatrix commanded Melody.

Her defiance now replaced by fear, Melody obeyed and joined Herbie and the twins behind Beatrix.

"And you..." Beatrix hissed at Don, who was leaning over the bonnet of a Valac Templar with his cell phone camera aimed at the six lights floating above Daeva's broken body, "Put away that contraption and get behind me. It'll be no use to you if that thing gets inside of you."

Don nodded, but kept the phone out as he carefully moved around the convoy to where Beatrix stood.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" Beatrix roared one final time.

The orbs of light seemed to dim and wobble as the words traveled past them. Slower than before, they ascended higher and higher into the sky, then stretching out across the horizon. Then suddenly, they darted off out of sight like shooting stars. With his jaw dropped in awe, Don aimed his phone up to the sky.

"Our Galactic Brethren, they have spoken to us, they have cured my daughter!" he praised.

Beatrix shook her head and bit down on her lip with rage, "Shut up and call an ambulance, you imbecile."

***

"Will you kids be alright from here?" Beatrix asked the twins as they approached the dirt road that led to their house.

Hollis and Brenda Lee nodded, still shaken from what they had seen. They looked at Beatrix in a whole new way now, awestruck by her power over Daeva. She was no longer a sweet old lady—she was a superhero.

"Alright, go straight home and be safe," Beatrix said sternly, motioning for them to continue down the road.

Herbie watched the twins cycling off hurriedly with Lazy Sam on their heels, imagining what was going through their heads.

"Are you going to explain to me what I just saw?" Herbie asked his grandma.

Beatrix shook her head wearily and let out a deep sigh, "I was hoping that you'd never have to see anything like that. I thought I could protect you. But that all changes now. Come on; let's get home where it's warm."

"That's not good enough, Grandma! What the heck were those things!" Herbie erupted. Goji growled defensively from at her feet, not appreciating Herbie's aggressive tone.

But Beatrix had nothing more to say to him and began pedaling her bike down the road with Goji draped around her shoulders. Furious, Herbie stood there a moment, unable to believe that Beatrix didn't feel like she owed him an explanation. But then, suddenly realizing he was alone in the setting darkness, he felt the hairs on his arms and neck stand on end and hurriedly cycled after Beatrix.

They packed their bicycles away in the barn next to the rusted up Road Runner and made their way inside. Herbie had so many questions for her, but whenever he turned to her it was easy to see that her mind was miles away. They walked into the house with a painful silence hanging over them.

Herbie's Mom waited for them in the kitchen with folded arms. "What took you guys so long? Dinner's been on the table for over an hour!"

The kitchen table was covered in various dishes, each more adventurous than the last.

"I'm sorry Mary Anne, the day got away from us," Beatrix sighed, sitting down at the table.

"Well, I hope you had a good time at least," Herbie's Mom shrugged.

Beatrix shot a sly glance at Herbie that instructed him to be careful of what he told his mother.

"Yeah, Mom, it was fun," he replied solemnly, joining Beatrix at the table and serving up a bowl of lukewarm soup.

Dinner progressed in a heavy silence, though Herbie found he had little appetite. He was sure that eventually Beatrix would crack, say something—anything, that would explain how she had stopped Daeva and saved Don's life. But he quickly discovered that he could spend all night staring her down and it would make no difference to her.

"Thanks for dinner, Mom, I'm gonna go to bed," Herbie eventually resigned.

"But you've barely touched your food? I worked so hard on it, Herbie," Mary Anne moaned.

"Sorry, Mom, I'll have leftovers for lunch tomorrow," he began before turning to Beatrix, "I've just got this sick feeling in my stomach."

If Beatrix had heard the comment, she did nothing to show it and continued slurping up her soup.

"Good night," Herbie concluded before turning and heading upstairs.

He collapsed on his bed the second he got to his room. This was all getting too much. Nothing made sense and now the only person he felt he could trust was hiding the answer to this mystery from him. Just then, he felt a vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and saw a call coming in from an unknown number.

"Hello?" he said after punching the answer button.

"Herbie, how are you feeling?" a familiar voice answered.

"Don! I mean, Grand Magus Balcom..."

Don laughed from the other end of the line, "Don is fine. I just wanted to check up on you after our ordeal today. Are you alright?"

"I'm... really confused," Herbie sighed.

"Yes, I'm sure that grandmother of yours has filled your head with all sorts of strange explanations," Don consoled.

"Actually, the most confusing part of all of this is that she won't tell me anything. But... you saw it, right? When she spoke those words, it stopped Daeva in her tracks."

"Delusions of grandeur, Herbie. Your grandmother had nothing to do with what we saw today. But I have answers for you, Herbie. Real answers. That's why I'm having an emergency Light Seekers meet at the Seker High sports field tomorrow. And guess what? You're the guest of honor," Don stated excitedly.

Herbie's eyes burst wide with shock, "Me?"

"Our Galactic Brethren do not show themselves in front of just anyone, Herbie. You have been chosen. You are special."

"I'm... special?"

***

Herbie didn't appear at the breakfast table on Sunday morning. He had woken at the crack of dawn with his heart racing, gotten dressed in such a rush that he had forgotten his morning ritual of pocketing his compass and had spent the early hours texting Hollis and Brenda Lee until they finally woke up.

After hearing the news about the Light Seekers meet, the twins had decided to meet up at the sports field before anyone else arrived to discuss what they had seen, and what was about to happen. They waited for him on the corner of Steadfast Grove, bicycles at their sides.

"So, she said nothing?" Brenda Lee queried as they cycled toward the school.

"That's cold," Hollis responded, "Are we just supposed to pretend like we didn't see anything?"

"All I know is that we're not getting any answers out of her, so we'll have to find them elsewhere," Herbie replied, and then turned to Hollis, "How far are the translations for Ashverosh's book?"

"It's getting there, but what I've got so far doesn't really make sense," Hollis answered.

"What do you mean?" Brenda Lee asked.

"The passage you transcribed seems to be Greek mythology, or maybe even history. It's a description of the Furies."

"Furies?" Herbie inquired.

"Spirits of vengeance and justice. The Greeks believed that people who had committed the worst of crimes would be plagued by these things, making them go mad," Hollis replied.

"I've read plenty about them," Brenda Lee chimed in, "They were daughters of Nyx, the god of night. They lived in the underworld until it was time to torture those who had done wrong. But it's just a myth. Why would Ashverosh carry around that sort of information wherever he goes?"

"Well, it gets weirder than that," Hollis continued, "The passage also talks about the Hermetic Kabbalah, a combination of magic practices from all across the world. This Kabbalah thing revealed the truth about the Furies. They weren't torturing the wicked—they were controlling them, making them commit their crimes in the first place."

"Do you think that's what got into Daeva's head?" Herbie asked the twins.

"We saw it with our own eyes and Don confirmed it, those orbs of light were sent by the Galactic Brethren, I don't see how mythical spirits would be involved," Hollis argued.

"Maybe those things weren't healing her, maybe they were inside of her, driving her mad," Herbie suggested.

"I'd find it easier to believe that aliens were behind what we saw—it's more likely than creatures out of Greek mythology, Herbie," Brenda Lee replied, much to Hollis's surprise.

"Right now we can't be sure of anything," Herbie remarked as they pulled up to Seker High, "Don's a master manipulator, he'll twist anything to suit his story. We need to talk to Nabozny and Ashverosh. Did you guys see how easily Melody took down that agent? Or how quickly she ran across the desert? It was almost like she was as strong as Daeva."

"We were kinda distracted by monster woman throwing people in the air like ragdolls," Hollis replied.

"Yeah, not everyone is as fixated on Melody as you are, Herbie," Brenda Lee added, rolling her eyes.

"Hey! What are you getting at?" Herbie defended.

"Come on dude! Who you trying to kid? You get big ol' puppy dog eyes whenever she's around," Hollis laughed.

The twins continued to mercilessly mock Herbie as they made their way around the school building, while Herbie did his best to act like they were both crazy. But they were stunned into silence when they arrived at the field. A stage was being erected at its furthest end. It was easily twenty yards long with a massive black half dome behind it. Work hands scurried around like ants in an anthill, hurriedly preparing for Don's address to the Light Seekers, while men in black suits watched their comings and goings, ensuring the site was secure.

"You know those guys used to scare the heck out of me," Hollis commented as the trio found a seat on the dry brown grass, "But now we know that Herbie's braver than any of them."

"Or dumber..." Brenda Lee chimed in, "But I'm glad you're okay, Herbie. You had us really worried. Next time there's an insane woman with light orbs living inside her, and attacking people, can we just run away?"

Herbie couldn't help but chuckle, "I think all those years of playing VR games have warped my brain. I run into the fight, not away from it."

But then Herbie took a moment to think back to what was going through his mind as Melody ran into chaos that Daeva had created and realized that his gaming instincts had nothing to do with it. For the first time in his life, Herbie felt like there were people in this world that he truly cared about, that cared about him in return, and he knew that he had to protect them, no matter what. With that in mind he realized he hadn't actually done anything—he hadn't acted when his time came, he hadn't protected anyone. If Beatrix hadn't come to his rescue, they might have all been in coffins when Sunday morning came.

By the time the sun hovered overhead, cars had started parking alongside the road leading to the school. Food stalls selling favorites from corn dogs to cotton candy were assembled, and Brothers, Sisters and Acolytes were drawing in hungry customers from behind the stalls. The energy was palpable as every Light Seeker in all of Paradise Rift arrived to join in on the festivities.

Herbie and the twins made themselves comfortable on the bleachers with a plate of nachos dripping with artificial cheese sauce and sliced pickled jalapenos, patiently waiting as the morning slipped away with little event.

Hollis stared down at the foot-long chili dog dripping ketchup and mustard over his fingers, "Ah, the noble hotdog. The only dog that feeds the hand that bites it."

"You need to see a shrink, you know that?" Brenda Lee chuckled, shaking her head.

"Or maybe, it's everyone else that's crazy?" Hollis retorted with a mad smile on his lips.

The day's big event seemed to be waiting on the construction of a huge LED screen being erected behind the stage within the half dome, while cameramen hoisted dollies onto the tracks that encircled it. It was a setup worthy of a TV show, and neither Hollis nor Brenda Lee had ever seen so much money and effort go into a Light Seekers meet.

"This is big. Are you sure you're the guest of honor, Herbie?" Brenda Lee pondered skeptically as the sky began turning red with the sinking sun.

"That's what Don said, though I'm hoping he wasn't serious," Herbie replied with some concern.

"We both are," a voice announced from behind them.

The trio turned to find Melody standing behind them, her usual glamor dissipated and replaced by a quiet calmness.

"Melody, are you okay?" Herbie asked, standing up to greet her.

Melody wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close, "Oh, thank you, Herbie, thank you for being by my side through that terrible ordeal."

"It's not like he did anything, he just stood there frozen in fear like the rest of us," Brenda Lee hissed.

"Don't talk nonsense. Herbie was right there on the frontline, waiting for his opportunity to protect me and Daeva—until that horrible grandma of his got involved."

Herbie swallowed hard at the attack on his grandma but failed to find the courage to defend her.

"According to Herbie, your dad doesn't seem to think Beatrix had anything to do with Daeva's sudden... seizure?" Brenda Lee suggested.

Melody sighed and shook her head, "Daddy and I don't always agree on everything. He keeps things from me. But that's all going to change today."

"What do you mean?" Herbie puzzled.

A mischievous smile curled across Melody's lips. "You'll see. Now come on Herbie, everyone's waiting for us, we've got front row seats for the show," she ordered, reaching out her hand.

Herbie turned to the twins who looked on curiously and shrugged. He grabbed Melody's hand and hoped that his palms wouldn't get too sweaty as she led him to the stage. The LED screen behind the stage was shining the Light Seeker logo at the crowd, its mysterious slogan, "Annuit Coeptis" tucked under the eye with a flame in the middle.

"It's about to start!" Melody beamed, clapping her hands together as excitement oozed from her every pore.

Herbie turned to the stage to see Tabatha Primrose behind the microphone, dressed in a provocative tailored white robe, hair and makeup expertly managed so that she seemed ready for a red carpet event.

"HELLO LIGHT SEEKERS!" she called into the crowd, her red lipstick smile bright enough to shine through to the cheap seats, "Do we have a surprise in store for you tonight!"

Techno-pop began whispering from the speakers behind her, an upbeat kick drum building up the suspense.

"The Grand Magus knows it ain't always easy living out in the country, and so he thought he'd bring a bit of the city to Paradise Rift!"

Herbie had never thought of it like that, the Light Seekers comprised mostly of city folk that lost their jobs to The Big Crash or automation, and just like him, probably missed the fast-paced, indulgent life that the big cities offered. The music intensified as synthesizers and space-age samples melded to the beat. Herbie could feel the electricity in the air as the Light Seekers bit their lips in anticipation.

"And so, I present, from the Grand Magus to you, the one, the only, ROBO POP!"

The crowd exploded into cheers as smoke machines exhaled thick gray clouds across the stage, filling the half dome. Tabatha scurried off stage as one by one an array of lasers hidden around the support structures crossed their beams to weave the flawless hologram of Robo Pop. Herbie was all too familiar with the Pop-AI and had stood out from his friends in D.C. as one of the few people who couldn't stand him. One of the few advantages of leaving the city was escaping this sort of mindless spectacle, but now, it danced its ridiculous dance before Herbie's eyes while the crowd cheered with all they had.

The hologram of Robo Pop was a cartoon caricature of a blue-steel robot with inflated arms and legs protruding from a ridiculously misshapen torso. But what really made Herbie cringe was its face. Robo Pop's head—or lack thereof—was an animated screen that displayed rapidly changing emojis, the still images transitioning so quickly that they often seemed like a fluid animation. It seemed to Herbie that whoever had designed the avatar was trying too hard to be cool and relevant to teens, but then again, Robo Pop's international success meant that it was effective, whether Herbie liked the character or not.

The techno-pop bled into Herbie's ears like the sound effects of a low budget sci-fi film, but looking round, he realized he was alone in his displeasure. The crowd was cheering, dancing, and swaying arm-locked with their partners.

Melody might have been the most enthusiastic out of everyone, crying out, "I love you RB!" with every shift in tune or break in a build-up.

Herbie made a mental note to shove the earphones of his dad's iPod into Melody's ears and give her a crash course in real music. What happened along the way? he wondered, When did we decide a computer program could make better music than a human?

But despite his distaste for the playlist, the show was a visual spectacle that could blow the mind of any cynic. It had clearly been customized to Don's taste, drawing on Egyptian references to fill the stage behind Robo Pop. The light-woven vector holograms were pushed to their limit as falcon-headed Seker flew upon a winged serpent around the virtual star, pyramids rose from desert sands in the background, and the ever watchful Light Seekers flaming eye opened up in the black voids between.

The music was simultaneously intense and hypnotic, luring the listener in with entrancing vocals layered on top of one another before suddenly breaking into violent mantras with heavy electric guitar riffs to drive the words into the depths of the mind. By the time the act ended, Herbie was breathless. Melody turned to him and grabbed his shoulders, jumping up and down, unable to contain herself.

"Can you believe that Daddy got a custom Robo Pop show just for us!" she squealed with excitement.

Herbie shook his head, dumbfounded, "I honestly can't. That's a full vector hologram rig, how did he arrange it so quickly? It must have cost him a fortune!"

Melody's lips curled into a knowing smile, "He did it for us, Herbie—today's a very special day."

Before Herbie had a chance to question the comment, the next act began. Yet another Pop-AI, this time a trio of Japanese school girls testing the limits of their vocal pitch in the expected J-Pop style—Kawai Torio. The AI had reached international fame as a result of it being almost entirely programmed by its interaction with its fans over the internet, with just the right amount of sweetness to offset the ugly face of humanity. Fans could submit songs they had written for the artificial trio, and popular submissions were often performed live at concerts.

But as the upbeat, playful J-Pop backing track got going, Herbie quickly realized that today's performance was custom designed for the ears of the Light Seekers, as Kawai Torio performed never before heard tracks entitled, "The Lights Overhead", "Our Galactic Future" and "The Master's Rise".

The performance came to an end with a thunderous applause, the entire crowd captivated by the spectacle.

"I think that's it, we should get backstage—" Melody began, before Tabatha Primrose appeared before the microphone once more.

"How d'ya like that, Light Seekers?" she questioned the crowd, who replied with feverish applause accompanied by whistling and shouting.

"Well, we've got another surprise for you, shipped in from LA this morning!"

Melody reared her head back, "He didn't..."

"In honor of today's special announcement, Grand Magus Balcom called in a few favors to get this special guest to the Rift. You've heard all of her songs, watched all of her music videos..."

Melody's mouth dropped, "Shut the front door, HE DID!"

"... The one, the only, LIORA!"

Melody released a screech of such incredible intensity that Herbie thought his eardrums might burst.

"LIORA!" she screamed in unison with the crowd, practically shredding her vocal chords as obsession overcame her mind.

A fresh plume of smoke filled the stage as a laser light show beamed into the clouds. The veil began to settle and back up dancers in futuristic LED embedded uniforms appeared on stage. Then, in a glorious ray of spotlight, a perfectly petite, platinum blond in a scarlet leather jumpsuit appeared amongst them, microphone in hand. Her eyes were lined with thick black eyeliner and her lips with charcoal lipstick to match. Her beauty was a calculated balance between innocent and devious, light and dark, good and evil.

"Hello, Paradise Rift!" she called out to the crowd, her voice rich and seductive like melting chocolate.

Tears streamed down Melody's face as she frantically waved her arms in the air, screaming blue murder. Herbie gulped at the sight of her mania, though he admitted to himself that this sort of behavior was far from unusual when it came to people's obsession with celebrities.

"I can almost touch her!" Melody cried, reaching her hand toward the stage.

Liora didn't waste another second, moving straight into her first song, gyrating and swaying to the perfect time of her backup dancers. The Light Seekers to either side of him shoved him this way and that as they fought each other to get closer to the stage, while Herbie happily allowed himself to drop back to get away from the madness.

Once further back in the crowd with those who were not as desperate to get close to Liora, Herbie felt a chill to his bones as he watched the Light Seekers turn into a horde of stampeding animals. He did his best to peer over their heads, hoping to find Hollis and Brenda Lee to spend the rest of the concert with, assuming they too had not got lost in the frenzy.

But the chaos was too messy as over a thousand Light Seekers fought to be the closest to their idol. Herbie stood there, surrounded by people, but feeling completely alone. Doing his best to understand exactly what everyone was so excited about, as he tried to decode the lyrics of the song that Liora sang.

Am I just being suspicious, or does this have a Light Seekers theme as well? he thought, listening to mentions of "eyes in the sky", "following the light" and "staring into the flame."

Did she write a song just for this show? his thoughts continued, How could she have done it so quickly? But that wasn't possible, everyone was singing along—this track was already a hit. Why are all these Light Seeker symbols showing up in a mainstream pop song? he wondered, thinking back to the words "Annuit Coeptis" appearing on the one dollar bill and the Light Seekers emblem.

Herbie's thoughts were interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He tilted his head around and was met by a wall of muscle dressed in a black suit. He gulped as he looked up at the agent, who still wore thick black sunglasses despite the sun having already set.

"Herbert Hunter?" the man with a shiny bald head asked.

"Um, yeah?" Herbie replied.

"Please come with me. You have been summoned by the Grand Magus," he spoke.

At a loss for words, Herbie nodded and followed the man down the path he cleared through the crowd. He had been so distracted by the incredible show that Don had arranged that he had completely forgotten that he was supposed to be the guest of honor. It wasn't long before Herbie found himself beside the stage, Liora saying her goodbyes while the crowd desperately called for an encore. Melody waited for him while a makeup artist dabbed base onto her face and fixed her eyeliner which had run down her cheeks with her tears of joy.

"Herbie!" she called, pushing the makeup artist aside and running up to him, "Where did you go? Did you see Liora? She was amazing!"

Herbie smiled, not sure whether to mention his thoughts on her lyrics, "Yeah, it was... cool."

"Not your style, Herbie?" a familiar voice asked from behind him.

Herbie turned to see Don in his long white Light Seekers robe, a knowing smile on his face.

"Grand Magus! No, it was great! I'm just... a little overwhelmed. What am I doing here?" Herbie replied.

"Oh, you'll see. Are you ready, Melody?" he asked, turning to his daughter.

Melody rolled her eyes, "If this makeup artist hasn't done me up like a party clown, then let's get going."

"And you, Herbie?" Don beamed.

Herbie felt his heart start to race as he realized that he would soon be standing in front of the massive crowd spread across the sports field, "Ready for what?"

But Don's reply was simply a sly wink as he began ascending the stage.

"And now what you've all been waiting for..." Tabatha announced after Liora disappeared off stage in a cloud of smoke, "The Grand Magus!"

The crowd went wild as the camera feed linked up to the LED screen, showing Don ascending the stage with his hands in the air, accepting their praise. "LIGHT SEEKERS!" Don announced into the microphone that waited for him center stage, triggering even more hysteria from the crowd.

He waited a moment for their cries of joy and praise to die down and continued, "Today is truly a great day for those that seek the light! For I know each and every one of you have their doubts—some more than others."

The crowd shook their heads as though nothing could be further from the truth.

"Even among us there are those who call me a liar, a showman, those who have seen the lights that hover in the night sky, but still think I lie when I tell you that we are the ones chosen by our Galactic Brethren."

The crowd booed at the very idea of it, erupting into calls of praise and faithfulness. Don raised his hands to bring on silence.

"Some weeks ago, my daughter—my very own flesh and blood, was chosen by our Galactic Brethren and taken aboard their ship. There, they shared knowledge of the cosmos with her, the same knowledge they shared with me!"

The crowd went wild once more, though Don reeled them in quickly to keep their attention.

"But she was not prepared. Her mind was not yet ready to accept such incredible secrets of the universe and she was thus rendered mindless."

A hush overcame the crowd. They turned to each other with curious looks, whispering their opinions on the matter amongst themselves.

"But our Galactic Brethren are wise beyond our understanding, and they returned to my poor daughter's body... Light Seekers, they came back to heal her!"

The crowd burst into complete insanity, waving their arms and cheering with all they had, clasping their hands together in praise of their leader and his wisdom. As Herbie watched, he couldn't help but wonder if some in the crowd were merely putting on an act to fit in. Judging by Don's speech, there must have been some sort of insurgence within the Light Seekers, doubters who were seeing through Don's showmanship—and now they were about to be silenced.

"Witness those among you who doubt my wisdom! Witness and discover the truth I share!"

The camera feed that had been shining across the LED display suddenly flickered away, and Herbie felt a sudden shock as he made out what replaced it. The screen displayed the last glimmers of twilight in front of the hospital construction site, Melody curled up in the corner, Herbie in the foreground at the edge of the frame and between them—Daeva's ravaged body.

Her spine was arched and her mouth overflowed with a broth of white foam. Herbie felt his leg start to tremble as the terror that he had done his best to suppress suddenly erupted from deep within his soul. On screen, in front of every Light Seeker in the Rift, he saw the fear in his own eyes through the blues and oranges that the setting sun had left in its trail.

He watched the tears gather in own his eyes on screen as Daeva retched and clawed her scarred and scabbed-over fingers into the desert sands around her. He saw his own body tremble with awe as the six orbs of light began to materialize above Daeva's tortured husk. Gasps and screams echoed from the crowd as the bizarre spectacle played before them.

Some even cried out regurgitated doctrine, "We are chosen!", "They have come to save us!", and "She has found the light!"

The footage played on—Melody and Herbie had moved out of the shot as Don's cell phone camera had focused in on the six orbs of light hovering higher and higher into the darkness.

The grand finale shocked the crowd into silence as the orbs of light stretched out across the horizon and shot off out of sight, concluded by Don's closing lines, 'Our Galactic Brethren, they have spoken to us, they have cured my daughter!' sealing the deal and forever erasing any doubt that the Light Seekers' doctrine was anything but the truth.

Herbie couldn't fail to notice how Don conveniently removed all traces of Beatrix from the footage. He felt like what he had just watched told a very different side of the story—one with a fake narrative—one that made Don seem like a hero, even though he had done nothing.

"Light Seekers!" Don continued once the crowd had begun to settle, "If you still have doubt in the wisdom of our Galactic Brethren, then you doubt your own eyes! But if you still don't trust me, then listen to the voices of the children, those chosen to bear witness to this incredible happening."

Herbie felt someone suddenly shove him as the stagehands heard their cue and ushered him and Melody on stage. Herbie looked out over the massive crowd and felt his legs tremble as stage fright kicked in.

"I present to you my daughter, Melody Balcom!" Don announced, sending the crowd into a roaring applause.

"And you're probably wondering who this young man beside her is!" Don continued, grabbing Herbie's hand and pulling him forward. "We all know Beatrix Hunter, who tried to bring an end to our peaceful group, and who had the FBI search our homes and insult our integrity!"

The crowd booed and hissed at Beatrix's name, the love and praise they had shared, quickly dissolving into rage and frenzy. Herbie's eyes went wide as he listened, horrified to hear that his own grandma had gone to such lengths to end the Light Seekers, and more horrified still that an angry mob was being reminded of it. He wondered if this was their plan all along, to make Herbie a Light Seeker so that they could exact their vengeance on Beatrix by stoning him on stage.

"Our Galactic Brethren have shown us that the will of one bitter old woman is meaningless, and that her bloodline does not carry the weight of her crimes. This young man is Herbert Hunter, and he was chosen to witness their incredible power!"

The crowd roared in agreement, their energy levels spiking as their enemy was dealt a fatal blow.

"Despite being new to our ways, Herbie here has taken to our doctrine as though he had known it his whole life, so let's show him that we bare no ill feelings toward him."

Don lifted Herbie's hand into the air as though he was a prizefighter who had just won a boxing match, and then began to chant, "HE IS FORGIVEN! HE IS FORGIVEN! HE IS FORGIVEN!"

The crowd quickly joined in, echoing the chant across Paradise Rift. Herbie was dumbfounded. The elation from the crowd flowed into him like ten thousand volts of electricity. He could see why Don loved to agitate them up on stage—their praise was like a drug.

Before Herbie realized what he was doing, his mouth was chanting the words, "I am forgiven" in time with the crowd. Don patted him on the back, ruffled his hair, and gave him a hug.

"To immortalize this auspicious occasion, I think it's only fitting that we scribe this event in the official Light Seekers records," Don beamed at the crowd, "But wait just a second..."

A hush came over the crowd as they ate up every word that came from Don's lips.

"Only Brothers and Sisters may read from the official Light Seekers records," Don continued. The crowd nodded in agreement, turning to each other as they considered Don's words.

"With that in mind, I present to you—the newest Brother and Sister in the Light Seekers hierarchy, the youngest in our short history..."

Don paused for effect, giving Herbie a chance to turn to Melody in disbelief. She raised her eyebrows and nodded with a huge grin.

"... Sister Melody Balcom and Brother Herbie Hunter!"

***

Herbie had never shaken so many hands in his life or been hugged by so many people he didn't know. Every Light Seeker in Paradise Rift wanted to meet him, to touch him, to tell him that he was forgiven. He had barely made it off stage before the crowd began to descend upon him, shortly after Don had stuck a Light Seekers symbol pin to his shirt and told him, "You are special, Herbie Hunter."

Melody stood beside him receiving her own barrage of praise and worship, though she seemed far more adept at coping with the attention. Herbie fought the constant urge to turn and watch her as she gracefully dealt with each Light Seeker, accepting their praise as though that is what she was born to do. He thought back to how she had scowled at him when he'd poked his trash covered head out of the dumpster behind Seker High on his first day at school, and how desperately he had wanted to know who she was.

And now he stood beside her as a fellow hero of Paradise Rift. He couldn't believe how quickly things had changed. Even the Magisters had managed to clear a path through the mob to congratulate him.

"This is more than a mere pin, Brother Herbie—it is a symbol of your authority. Use it wisely," Magister Quade had croaked at him, running his finger across the Light Seekers broach on Herbie's shirt.

Once the Magisters had had their turns, the men in black suits created a perimeter around the two teens and led them away from the crowd to the school parking lot. A limousine waited for them with a chauffeur standing at the ready to open the door. As Herbie slid into the back seat, he was met by Don's penetrating glare from the other side of the limo, Tabatha Primrose seated beside him.

"Brother Herbie, Sister Melody," he nodded with his million dollar smile.

"Grand Magus Balcom! Magister Primrose!" Herbie burst out, startled by their sudden appearance and intense energy.

"You kids handled that so well, I'm proud of you both," Don smiled. "It's not always easy being the center of everyone's attention. But you'd better get used to it, everyone will be keeping an eye on you, making sure you uphold the doctrine of the Light Seekers."

"I could not agree more!" Tabatha added with her usual enthusiasm, "The two of you are going to be shining symbols of hope for a new generation of Light Seekers."

"Don, I... I don't understand," Herbie muttered, "Why me? Hollis and Brenda Lee were there, too, it's not like I actually did anything."

Don smiled warmly at Herbie while Melody gently placed her hand on his knee, "The Andrews twins are great kids, Herbie, but I can't go promoting the whole of ninth grade to Brothers and Sisters. The reason I have chosen you and Melody to be promoted is because you have both seen the incredible acts that our Galactic Brethren are capable of, and I trust that your belief in their power is absolute. I want you two to be symbols to inspire the Light Seekers, to remind them that our Galactic Brethren are going to save us, regardless of how bleak the situation looks. Do you think you're up for the challenge, Herbie?"

"Me? The poster child for the Light Seekers? My grandma would kill me," Herbie laughed, imaging what Beatrix was going to say about all this.

"That's what I'm here for!" Tabatha smiled with big white teeth, "Of course outsiders can't know every little detail of what we do, so I'll be helping them understand why you'll be spending less time at home, without giving away too much."

Herbie tried his best not to show how uncomfortable the idea made him. Is she admitting that her job is to weave a lie for my Mom and Beatrix to believe? She doesn't seem to think that there's anything wrong with that, he thought. But then a scowl twisted up his face as he remembered how Beatrix had treated him.

She chose not to tell me what she knew about Daeva's insanity and the lights that appeared above her—she treated me like a child. How is Grandma any better than Tabatha?

Don stared back at him like the answer to his question, asking him to step up, to be a leader, to share in the discoveries that the Light Seekers had made. Herbie's goal had become honed to change the Light Seekers from the inside and to find out the truth behind the mysteries of Paradise Rift, and this was the perfect opportunity. But first, there was something he had to know.

Herbie bit his lip as he wondered how to ask the question, then decided the direct approach would be best, "Those things you said about my grandma; were they true? That she called the FBI?"

"I'm surprised she didn't tell you," Don sighed, rubbing his chin, "In fact your grandmother and I go way back. Not many people know this about me Herbie, but I grew up in Paradise Rift. I've known Beatrix since I was a boy. That's why, when I made my fortune, I chose this oasis as the destination for my development. I thought that the people who had lived here their whole lives like Beatrix would be happy that I wanted to improve things, to bring the future to Paradise Rift. But instead, she rejected me. Told me I was evil and that the knowledge I wanted to share with the world was the work of the Devil. So, she wrote to the governor and told him I was trying to brainwash the citizens of Paradise Rift and create some sort of independent government under my rule. They could have shut down the whole town, but fortunately, the leaders of this country are wise men and saw that the Light Seekers only wish to enlighten the world, not harm it."

Herbie digested the information. Beatrix's actions could have left desperate people without homes or water. He understood she was stuck in her ways, but she had taken it too far. No wonder everyone in town hated her.

"You know what? I'll do it!" Herbie smiled, grabbing Melody's hand.

"Oh, yay!" Melody exclaimed, "This is going to be so much fun, Herbie!"

"I knew you were smart, kiddo," Don winked, "But Herbie; this means you have to leave Tabatha to do her job."

"What do you mean?" Herbie asked.

Don gave Herbie a warm but stern look, "Well, Herbie, usually when someone is promoted to the level of Brother, they have to ensure they've set a good example in their homes. Each of their family members have to be committed Light Seekers, Acolytes at the very least. Something tells me that Beatrix doesn't plan on becoming an Acolyte any time soon."

"So I'll need to ..." Herbie wondered.

"I need you to keep your promotion a secret from her for now. The Light Seekers won't share any information with her, so as long as you don't say anything, we should have nothing to worry about."

Herbie turned to Melody and back to Don as they waited for his answer. He hated being underhanded, lying and keeping secrets, but since arriving in Paradise Rift, he found himself doing it more and more. He had a mission now, to find out the truth, to make the Light Seekers more accepting of outsiders, and most of all to use his new authority to find out what really happened to Nathan Macklin.

"But what are you going to tell my mom?" Herbie asked with a reassuring smile.

"Don't you worry about your mom for now, Herbie," Tabatha nodded happily, "We've got big plans for her."

# Chapter Six

##  Brother Herbie

Herbie had hoped that with Daeva—the obvious, though unspoken culprit of Nathan Macklin's murder—now cured of her madness and forty odd miles away in Humboldt General Hospital, the dust would settle and life in Paradise Rift would start to resemble something normal.

But the Light Seekers had other ideas for him. As the poster boy for the organization, Herbie had been warned not to associate with outsiders or low level Seekers, Hollis and Brenda Lee included. Although he had been prepared to ignore this advice, neither of the twins seemed interested in talking to him.

Hollis was infuriated that, despite being by Herbie's side during Daeva's alleged healing, he had been given no credit for his presence. A promotion to even Acolyte level would have changed his and his father's life and fulfilled a long time dream, and Herbie had done nothing to defend their right to it.

Brenda Lee was disappointed in Herbie, believing that the promotion was clearly a ploy to manipulate him, and make the group more powerful.

"The grandson of Beatrix Hunter—hero of the Light Seekers! Plays nicely don't you think? Your gran's a tough customer, I'll give her that, but she doesn't deserve to be demonized and hated by her own grandson just so the Light Seekers can think they've won a battle against a non-existent enemy. Think about it if you have the wit! If everything's coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane," she had told him.

Herbie had pleaded with them both that his new position would be to their benefit and he still wanted to change the Light Seekers for the better and discover the truth behind the organization. But this did little to console the twins or repair what was to them an unforgivable betrayal, and without their support, Herbie was blind to the fact that he was losing sight of these goals.

He had hoped to discuss what he had seen go down in front of the hospital construction site with Nabozny and Ashverosh—surely they would know why Beatrix's words had hit Daeva like a barrage of cannon fire, or what the orbs of light floating above her actually were. But neither of them could be found. Doomsday lessons were substituted by Mr. Woodbridge while Nabozny was supposedly away on leave, and there was a good chance that with Daeva gone, Ashverosh had returned to whatever strange place that had birthed him.

His relationship with Beatrix was simmering into the occasional greeting at the breakfast table, and his oath was not to discuss Light Seekers lore with outsiders, Herbie was quickly becoming estranged from his own family and locked out of whatever guidance they could give him. Now, the Light Seekers were his family.

Tabatha had become a regular at his house, though only on days when Beatrix had a grocery store shift and his Mom was alone in the house. Herbie couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty when he saw how glad his mother was to be making friends in the Rift, completely unaware of Tabatha's ulterior motives. Tabatha's strategy for converting Mary Anne was precise and patient, being careful not to unload too much information at once. So, despite having talked Mary Anne into not mentioning her visits to the house to Beatrix, Tabatha was still a long way from inducting Mary Anne into the Light Seekers.

Since being promoted to Brother, Herbie's afternoons and evenings had been filled with all sorts of activities. Although he would have to wait until he got his final marks for his exams back before officially making the cut to be transferred to Blackstart, Herbie's status as Brother had ensured that he was no longer treated as a Sandgrouse. As a result, a simple request to Mr. Woodbridge to play on the Blackstart SleightSoccer team was all it took to get invited to their Tuesday and Thursday training sessions.

Monday and Wednesday were spent in Mr. Woodbridge's office catching up on Acolyte lore, before Herbie joined Melody for Brother and Sister training with Magister Quade at the Light Seekers Lodge in Newtown. The Lodge was a simple affair, benches, couches, a fireplace, a bar, Light Seekers symbols hanging in frames and knitted into tapestries. Members and Acolytes were forbidden from entering The Lodge, and Herbie had speculated that perhaps there were underground basements that hosted hidden secrets that he was yet to be privy to, as there was nothing with a clandestine nature above ground level.

Herbie had been excited to learn the secret lore, hoping it would finally answer the millions of questions that living in the Rift had raised, but he soon discovered that the process was painfully slow. Acolyte training was more moral value than anything, the importance of attending every meet and that the group should always be the highest priority in a Light Seeker's life, even above family and friends.

They imposed doctrines of logic, free will, and self-worship. At first the idea of self-worship made Herbie feel uncomfortable, but it didn't take him long to realize that the Light Seekers weren't worshipping themselves, they were worshipping the Galactic Brethren. In fact, everything the Light Seekers practiced was entirely contradictory to what was written in their doctrine. They denied logic by blindly believing Don's interpretations of what the lights were, they obeyed Don's will, not their own, and they were willing to be mistreated, stepped on and told to perform outrageous tasks to show their belief. But the fault lay with the individual, not Don or the doctrine, Herbie had rationalized to himself. He had thus hoped as a leader of a new generation of Light Seekers, he could help show people where they were going wrong.

Magister Quade taught him how to recruit others to be Light Seekers, the routes to follow in the desert and how to use a compass to get back to home base. The closest they had come to discussing anything to do with aliens was how to run to a Magister if you did see anything peculiar around town or on a search.

In truth, the Light Seekers seemed more like a way of training people to police each other, to spy, to pry, to ensure that no one within the organization doubted Don and his guidance in any way. It was a matter of the rules on paper saying one thing, but the rules being enforced in another way. But despite the agonizingly slow tiptoeing around the true Light Seekers doctrine, the perks were undeniable. Recesses were spent either playing SleightSoccer with the Blackstart boys or sitting by Melody's side on the edge of the field, surrounded by anyone lucky enough to be considered her friend. Although he was rarely awarded talking time in her social circle, he enjoyed being by her side and—he hoped—she enjoyed being by his.

Fridays would see him back at The Lodge, he and Melody the only two under the age of twenty one and thus the only two who were not allowed to drink. The other Brothers, Sisters and Magisters would sip whisky, compliments of the house, a notable perk of reaching a high-level of authority, as the price of alcohol had skyrocketed with the arrival of the drought and few in Paradise Rift could afford it on their wages.

Again, Herbie was disappointed by how little was actually discussed at these meetings. Their purpose seemed more of an opportunity for Don to show face, receive praise, and parade Melody and Herbie around as the promising faces of a new generation of Light Seekers. And he couldn't help notice something strange about many of the Light Seekers at these meetings, especially after the whisky had started to take its effect on their minds—many of the Brothers and Sisters openly spoke of trying to have children.

Herbie often found some of the middle-aged women gently laying a hand on his cheek and staring at him with big doe eyes welling up with tears, "One day I hope to have a son as brave as you," they'd say, though it was apparent that none of them were pregnant.

It reminded Herbie of his first day at Seker High and how Mr. Woodbridge had mentioned that the elementary and middle schools were underpopulated. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen a single baby or toddler since arriving in Paradise Rift!

When Herbie tried to raise the topic with either Don or Melody he was met by knowing smiles and patronizing one-liners that made it seem like there was some bigger secret that he wasn't in on. It was becoming apparent to Herbie that perhaps his promotion to Brother had been more symbolic than practical, and in fact he was as close to the truth as he could've been as a low-level member of the Light Seekers. But life was good and the respect he received from his peers was enough to keep his mind off the few setbacks. It was only a matter of time before the truth rose to the surface of the murky pool of Light Seekers secrecy, and in the meantime, there was always SleightSoccer to make it worth his while.

***

Herbie cycled home with some extra zeal after SleightSoccer training with "My White Bicycle" by Nazareth, blasting through his ears at full volume. Then he pedaled faster and faster as the wailing guitar built the suspense and the chorus repeated the title line, singing along at the top of his lungs through the silent roads of Oldtown, joy oozing from his every pore.

After a full month of training with the Blackstart team, he had finally been asked to play in an interhouse game. He couldn't wait to see the look on his mom's face when he walked through the door and announced the news to her. Maybe it would even score him a trip to the Sole Provider for some candy, or dinner at The Hungry Eye Diner.

Despite growing distant from one another over the course of his first month as a Brother, Herbie was still incredibly proud of his mom for her recovery. He was still hoping that Don would come to him with a plan to convert her to a Light Seeker so that he could stop being so secretive with her, though until now he had dodged the topic whenever Herbie attempted to bring it up. But now there was news they could both share in, and he hoped to use it as the first step in repairing their relationship.

Herbie hurriedly pulled open the double doors to the barn and spied Beatrix's bicycle leaning up against the wall next to the Road Runner, pulling the earphones from his ears and stashing the iPod away. She's got a shift at the Sole Provider, I wonder why she's home? Herbie thought to himself as he parked his bicycle and closed the doors behind him, somewhat upset that she would be there during his special moment with his mom.

Trying not to let his resentment toward his grandmother get him down, he made his way to the front door with a spring in his step and the electricity of excitement beaming off his body. But as the door creakingly opened, he could feel that something was wrong. Usually, his mom would greet him the moment he stepped through the door, chorused by Goji's excited yapping, on the days she worked morning shifts, but today he was met by an unusual silence.

"Anybody home?" he called into the house.

"Please join us in the kitchen, Herbert," his mom replied sullenly.

Herbie cautiously turned the corner into the kitchen and was met by his mom and Beatrix sitting at opposite ends of the table, Goji restrained gently in her hands.

"What's going on?" he asked, standing in the doorway.

His mom looked up at him, and now he could see that her eyes were wet and red.

"Where have you been?" she asked, as though the words were razor blades in her mouth.

"SleightSoccer practice—you know that," Herbie replied defensively.

His mom pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. "Apparently, I don't know anything! Because I found out today that my son goes around telling people that aliens are trying to communicate with us! I thought you were just trying to fit in, Herbert. I didn't think you actually believed in this nonsense ..." she sobbed.

Herbie swallowed hard as he realized what was happening, "Mom, it's not like that."

The tears flowed freely from Mary Anne's eyes, "I thought the Light Seekers was just some kind of... social group, that's what Tabatha told me. She was probably just trying to ease me into accepting that you were some kind of hero for these loonies!"

A deep sense of doom sank Herbie's heart into his guts. Someone had spilled the beans about his promotion to Brother.

"I can't talk about Light Seekers stuff, Mom. I'm sorry," he shrugged.

Now it was Beatrix's turn to add her two cents worth, "Well, fortunately for us, your friend Brenda Lee shared her concern about your involvement with them."

Herbie could feel himself stiffen up as the two cornered him. Brenda Lee had crossed a line. He would have been happy to talk to her if she was concerned about his wellbeing, but going behind his back and talking directly to his family was just despicable. Worst of all, she had shared Light Seekers secrets with outsiders, a crime with only one punishment—banishment.

"What did she say?" he asked, not wanting to show his hand yet.

"It doesn't matter what she said, Herbert! The point is that you've been lying to us!" his mom accused, "To think, I thought Tabatha was just trying to be my friend, I'm such an idiot. No wonder she never came around when your grandmother was home! And I've just been letting you spend all day with these people ..."

Herbie turned to Beatrix with a scowl on his face, "What have you been telling her? Mom's been fine with me going out to The Lodge until now."

"Well, that was before we realized how deeply indoctrinated you'd become. That you were now Brother Herbie!" Beatrix spat with disgust.

"I thought you were just hanging out with your schoolmates like a normal teenager, not being praised because you were chosen by an alien race! This is insane, Herbie!" Herbie's mom erupted, tears now rolling from her eyes.

He gritted his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to scream, "Grandma is the one who got me into this mess! She's the one who summoned the lights over Daeva's body! She's the one who won't tell me the truth and has forced me to get my answers elsewhere!"

But he knew as well as Beatrix did that he couldn't say a word. Now that Daeva's miraculous healing was Light Seeker lore, he was forbidden to discuss it.

"It's not how it looks, Mom," is all he could manage, desperate to explain that he had seen things that needed answers—answers that Beatrix had refused to share with him. He would never have accepted his role in the Light Seekers if she had only been honest with him.

"It doesn't matter what it looks like, I have come up with a solution," Herbie's mom stated before turning to Beatrix.

"I told you it's not going to happen," Beatrix sighed.

"Beatrix! Look at what's happening here! I know, I should have been looking after things from the beginning, but I trusted you. I thought you could take care of Herbert, but you've proved me wrong," Herbie's mom erupted.

He found himself lost, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Your Mother wants me to sell my house so that we can send you to some fancy boarding school back in Washington, D.C.," Beatrix groaned.

The words shot through Herbie's mind like an arrow. He had never thought it would happen, but he had almost forgotten all about Washington, D.C., where he would have access to all the latest tech, his old gaming groups, where the drought was something you read about in the news and not the reason to get out the shower still half covered in soap.

But his eyes were open now—the last thing he wanted was to shove them back into a VR headset. He couldn't go back to a life of illusion—he had to find out the truth. If the Light Seekers really were connected to the government as Nabozny had suggested, who could say how big this conspiracy was?

"I won't go!" Herbie countered, "You can't make me!"

His mom buried her head into her hands. "You're fourteen years old, Herbie; you don't get to make that decision."

"In my day, we would ground disobedient children until they forgot what the sky looked like," Beatrix muttered.

They looked up to see Herbie's response, but he was already out the door. By the time his mom and Beatrix were out the front door, trying to get him to come back inside, he had his bicycle out the barn and rode right past them up Steadfast Grove, pedaling as fast as his legs could carry him. He knew with all the cycling and SleightSoccer practice he had done lately, Beatrix would never be able to catch up with him and he could only hope that his mom would save him the embarrassment of driving after him in her rental car.

As he approached the turnoff that led to Hollis and Brenda Lee's house, he felt his rage bubble up. He had hoped that things would improve between him and the twins, but now Brenda Lee had put the final nail in the coffin. But instead of wanting to scream in frustration, Herbie felt a tear come to his eye. All he wanted was to ride over to the twins' house and hang out and talk about what was going on, to tell them he wasn't mindlessly following every word that Don said, like the other Seekers, that he was going to use his authority to peel back the curtain of showmanship and charisma that Don had drawn across his true intentions.

Despite having won the respect of every Light Seeker in town, no one saw him as a person, only as a symbol. Light Seekers weren't supposed to care about family or friends, only about preserving the group. Herbie quickly realized that he had no idea where he was even going. With the first townhouse developments of Newtown just up ahead, he decided to pull over and call the only person he had any sort of closeness to.

Sitting on the side of the road, he looked up the number on his archaic cell phone and waited for it to ring.

"Herbie! Is something the matter?" Melody said as she answered the phone.

"Ha ha, how did you know?" Herbie chuckled over his misery.

"Who calls anyone anymore? I figured it was an emergency! Is there some Light Seekers business I've forgotten about? It's never ending these days!" Melody laughed.

"No, no, nothing like that. I'm just... I need someone to talk to," Herbie sighed.

"Oh."

"I'm sure you're busy, I just thought..." Herbie interjected, suddenly embarrassed that he had ever asked Melody to spend time with him outside of their Light Seeker duties.

"No! Hold on a second for me," she urged.

Through the receiver, Herbie could make out bits and pieces of a muffled conversation Melody was having with someone. After a few seconds, she picked the phone up again.

"Where are you now?" she asked.

"The outskirts of Newtown."

"Meet me at The Hungry Eye Diner in twenty minutes, okay?"

Herbie felt sudden warmth in his stomach where the rage and disappointment had been just moments ago.

"Okay, see you there."

***

"Brother Herbie," the waiter greeted as he passed Herbie a menu, "Dining alone this afternoon?"

"I'm waiting for someone," Herbie replied solemnly.

"Who would be so rude as to keep the youngest Brother in Light Seeker history waiting? Shame on them," the waiter joked.

"Oh, I don't mind, I need some time to clear my thoughts," Herbie muttered.

But looking up, he realized that the waiter had become distracted, his eyes locked on some commotion at the entrance. Herbie turned in his seat to find every patron at the diner standing in their booths, bowing their heads.

"Grand Magus Balcom," they greeted one by one as Don made his way through the diner, Melody directly behind him but invisible in the wake of Don's glamor. By now the waiter had scurried off to Don's side, offering him any table in the house, regardless of whether anyone was sitting there or not. Herbie watched the waiter's eyes turn to dinner plates as Don pointed directly at Herbie's booth.

"Brother Herbie!" Don called as he approached, the entire diner watching his every move.

"Grand Magus Balcom, I didn't expect to see you here!" Herbie replied warmly as Don took a seat beside him.

"I'm here too, you know," Melody moaned as she slid up next to Herbie.

"Thanks for coming, Sister Melody," Herbie replied with a smile.

Don leaned forward and shot Herbie his million dollar smile, "I thought it was time for a catch up. Melody tells me you're not doing so hot."

"Oh, it's nothing really, I wish she hadn't made you worry," Herbie replied shyly.

Don raised a curious eyebrow, knowing all too well that Herbie was downplaying the severity of the situation.

"Come on, Herbie, you can tell us, we're here for you," Melody hummed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The waiter appeared at the booth with a tray of milkshakes, "On the house, Grand Magus," he nodded subserviently.

"Oh, you're too kind," Don replied as the waiter served the drinks to the table.

Herbie sighed as he took the milkshake in his hands and began retelling the events of the day, from discovering that he'd be playing his first interhouse match to being told by his mother that she wanted to send him away.

"Your mom clearly doesn't know Beatrix," Don nodded after taking a moment to consider everything Herbie had said, "I've been trying to buy that house off her for years. I doubt this will be enough to get her to finally bite the bullet."

Herbie nodded, "It just... hurts. I didn't think my Mom would ever try to get rid of me."

"Don't think of it like that, Herbie," Melody interjected, "She just doesn't understand our ways. She thinks she's protecting you."

"Why don't I have a chat with her, I am her boss, technically. I'll invite her to the next Light Seekers meet," Don suggested.

Herbie winced at the idea, now that the truth was out, his mom would never give the Light Seekers the time of day.

"Funny, Paul was always fascinated by the idea of life on other planets, I'm sure he would have been proud of your promotion," Don shrugged.

"P... Paul?" Herbie stuttered.

"Your dad, Herbie! He loved that sort of stuff," Don smiled excitedly.

"You knew my dad?" Herbie asked in awe.

"Of course! I told you I've known your grandma for a long time, and that I grew up in Paradise Rift. Your dad was right there beside me. We even went to the army together, rose in the ranks together. I was a government man as well before I was contacted by our Galactic Brethren," Don affirmed.

Herbie couldn't believe what he was hearing. His father had always been a mystery to him, distant if not completely absent. He knew his father worked for the government, but he had never learned any of the details. To discover that his father and Don had worked alongside each other raised more questions than his mind could bear.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Melody probed.

Herbie shook his head clear and turned to Don, "I didn't really know my Dad very well. It's weird to think that you knew him better than I did."

"Well, I know he would have wanted me to keep an eye on you. I'm sure he saw, like I have, that you are destined for greatness," Don smiled warmly.

"I doubt he even knew what I looked like..." Herbie joked.

"Don't be crazy," Don winked, "Now, how has your training been going?"

Herbie sighed at the thought of it, "A little slow. I thought I would understand more about our Galactic Brethren by now."

"That's what I like about you Herbie—you're just like your dad—curious, inquisitive, hungry for the truth. But you just be patient, Brother Herbie. The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. There is certain information that can only be shared with those who have proven that they will not abuse it. But I hear you're doing very well in your lessons and will be ready to bear witness to the grand truths of the Light Seekers in just a short while. Your questions will not remain answerless for long."

Herbie's eyes lit up at the thought of it. The lessons would be well worth their mundanity if it meant gaining access to whatever truth the Light Seekers kept to themselves.

"Anyway, Herbie, I don't want to keep you out late and get your mom and grandma any more riled up than they already are. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?" Don asked.

"No, thanks, Grand Magus Balcom," Herbie nodded.

"I'll see you at the big game! I'll be rooting for you," Don winked.

Melody wrapped her arms around Herbie, "Just give me a call if you need anything."

Herbie slipped out the booth and stood, noticing that everyone at the diner still had their eyes locked on the three of them. After awkwardly meeting their glances, he turned back to Don and Melody.

"Thanks again, guys, I feel a lot better," he smiled before making his way out the diner.

Cycling back home in the setting twilight, Herbie felt like he had come to grips with the situation. Surely his mom had been making empty threats out of fear rather than truly wanting to send him away. Everything was going to be just fine.

But most of all, he was relieved that when the time had come, Don and Melody were there for him. The Light Seekers were proving that they truly were the support structure they advertised themselves to be. He didn't need anybody else. He felt bad for ever being suspicious of Don. Sure, there were things that he kept from most of the Light Seekers, but he had said it himself, one had to prove themselves worthy of certain information, and Herbie was ready to prove himself.

Most of all, it was time to put his detective work to rest. It had now been months since he had played Rouge et Noir, and his mind felt free of reflexes and instincts that the game had embedded in him. Macklin probably was killed by a coyote and Brother Neil had failed to prove himself worthy of being let in on the information.

After parking his bike in the barn, Herbie was ready to make a beeline straight to the kitchen. Between SleightSoccer training and cycling to Newtown and back three times that day, he had worked up a serious appetite. But as he closed the barn doors behind him and began making his way toward the house, he noticed Beatrix sitting on the edge of the porch beneath the light of a dim yellow bulb. As he stepped closer, he could see that placed on her lap was a book. Herbie approached warily, not really in the mood for whatever she had to say.

"I wanted to talk to you alone," she noted as Herbie stepped within the light's reach.

Herbie rolled his eyes. "Can we do this another time? I'm starving!"

"I should have told you the truth, boy. I'm sorry. Come and sit here," Beatrix requested.

Herbie slowly made his way toward the porch and placed himself next to Beatrix, eyeing her carefully as he did so.

"I was trying to protect you, because I didn't want you to have to face the evil in this world—I thought you might just be able to live a normal life here. When I realized you couldn't, I panicked," Beatrix stated wearily.

He looked her up and down, not sure what her game was. Surely, after all this time, she wasn't going to suddenly tell him how she managed to stop Daeva outside the hospital construction site.

"I didn't want to be like the Light Seekers and force my views on you. I tried that with your Father and all I did was push him away. I hoped that eventually the truth would be obvious to you. Now, I think it's time for a little guidance."

Beatrix picked up the book on her lap and handed it to Herbie, "I want you to read this, study it, and come to me the moment you have any questions."

Herbie inspected the book, making out the worn title: Holy Bible.

"You're kidding me?" he laughed.

"Nothing to joke about, boy. You need a clear vision. If you don't believe in something, you'll fall for anything," she replied sternly.

Herbie chucked the book back on Beatrix's lap, "Why can't you just tell me how you did it? Everything has to be a riddle with you. I wish you would just be direct with me and stop treating me like a little kid that can't handle the truth."

"I'm trying to—"

"I've had enough of it," he chided before she could finish, "I'll find out the truth without you. I don't need you anymore," he concluded before standing up and heading inside, leaving Beatrix alone beneath the dim yellow light.

***

Friday was the day of the interhouse SleightSoccer game. Sacred Ibis versus Blackstart. The Sacred Ibis team was the lowest in the ranks, followed by Nightjar. Blackstart stood in second place thanks to their renowned strategic ability, though it had never been enough to overthrow the undefeated champions, Spurwing. Today's game was considered an easy win in the pre-game locker room, and Herbie suspected that this tipping of odds had had a lot to do with why he was allowed to play on the team despite his minimal experience.

He had been placed as the left field defender, a position that would see little-to-no action throughout the game if the Blackstart boys' predictions came true and they kept the ball at the Sacred Ibis goalposts from start to finish. But Herbie didn't let it get him down, he was just happy to be included. The sense of camaraderie he shared with his team did wonders to erase the knotted feeling in his stomach caused by the absence of Mom's and Grandma's presence in the bleachers.

Once again, the Light Seekers had proven to be an adequate surrogate for his family, and even as he joked with his team as they prepared for their pregame pep talk by the Blackstart coach, a sense of guilt fluttered in his heart for ever having considered the group to be a bunch of whack jobs. It would take more than the little doctrine he had been taught to convince him that the so-called "Galactic Brethren" actually existed, but more than once Herbie had found himself hoping that there was real evidence waiting to be revealed to him and that the Light Seekers truly were chosen by higher beings.

It would be a short four year stint putting up with his mom and Beatrix and then he could truly assume his role as a leader for a new generation of Light Seekers, reach the secret level of Master and gain their clandestine knowledge.

But that was a worry for another day, Herbie reminded himself as he dressed in his new "Number 4" jersey in the Blackstart colors of black and blue, strapped on his shin guards and laced up his boots. Today was about proving to himself that no matter what the game, he would master it.

Coach Argo thumped his way into the locker room as game time drew ever nearer—a suspiciously large man for someone who coached a sport. He was never seen without a baseball cap on—a poor attempt to cover his balding pate. He carried his stomach as he walked, as though he were hauling a beer keg around. Ironically, he doubled as the school gym teacher, but often had to instruct classes from the comfort of a foldout chair thanks to unstable blood sugar levels brought on by diabetes. But it was no surprise that he had been chosen as the Blackstart coach—he was a master strategist and an inspiring speaker, hinting at a former life as a star athlete of some sort.

"Gather 'round, Blackstart!" he announced to the team as he hauled his way to the closest bench, "First up, can we get a big welcome for Brother Herbie!"

The Blackstart boys gathered round, cheering and patting Herbie on the back.

"Now as you know, Coach Nabozny's been away awhile, so the Ibises have been training under some new guy from Winnemucca since Nabozny went AWOL. They might have some tricks up their sleeves, so don't let your guard down."

"Ain't no Ibis gonna get through us, Coach!" Jared Marks, a senior and the Blackstart striker replied, triggering a round of cheers from the boys.

Herbie did his best to pay attention as Coach Argo got the team fired up for the game, but his nerves were getting the better of him. He would be up against boys as much as four years older than him who had been playing sports all their lives. He couldn't help but wonder if his position as Brother hadn't got him into a situation he was ill equipped to handle.

Half in a trance, Herbie found himself jogging out of the locker rooms at the back of the line, his heart pounding in his chest. Before he knew it, he was finding his position on the field, the bleachers now overflowing with SleightSoccer fans—their eyes locked on their new hero. Their cheering and hooting was dampened by the blood pumping in his ears. He took a deep breath as he tried to gather himself. He looked around to see if Don was somewhere in the crowd. But wherever Don went he was followed by an army of men in black suits and Herbie couldn't see a sign of them or Don anywhere in the bleachers.

"Ibis wins the coin toss!" the referee announced.

Herbie felt his hands become clammy and his vision blur as the midfielders took their positions. Just focus. You can do this, he repeated to himself as the whistle blew.

The Ibis left midfielder immediately punted the ball up into the right midfielder's hands who flicked it to the striker. The striker bounced it on his chest before positioning it at his feet. The play was fierce, instant, and flawless. Herbie knew immediately that Blackstart's confidence had been preemptive and foolish. If he didn't get his wits about him, Blackstart wouldn't stand a chance of winning.

Fortunately, Robert Granville, a brick wall of a sophomore playing right defense was ready for the play, crossing over to Herbie's side of the field to get between the striker and the goalpost. The striker ran a few paces upfield before reeling back his leg as though to strike at the goal, only for him to fake out and pass the ball across field where the right forward stood ready with nothing but the Blackstart goalie to block his shot.

A powerful shot with precise curve sent the ball hurtling toward the goal, too quickly for the goalie to react. A mere minute into the game, Sacred Ibis had scored their first goal. The crowd erupted into a mix of cheering and booing, with the Blackstart boys upfield throwing their hands into the air in frustration.

"What are you doing left field, Granville!" a midfielder called out.

"Herbie wasn't watching! They were gonna score one way or another!" Granville defended.

Herbie felt a flicker of rage burn inside of him.

"Just stay in position, Granville! You're gonna throw the game!" Herbie hissed, trying to save face and pretend that what Granville had said wasn't the truth.

The ref whistled to continue play, the Blackstart midfielders restarted play at the center line. Herbie tried to get his head clear while the Blackstart forwards did their best to find an opening to score. Breathing deeply, he filtered out the crowd, and then suppressed his emotions.

It's just another game. Remember your goal; focus, and defeat the enemy. Herbie dug his feet into the ground as reality slipped away. His eyes locked on the ball upfield and readied himself to react when the moment came. Only moments had passed when the ball made its way back onto the Blackstart half of the field. He sprinted up toward the midfield line as the Ibis midfielder flicked the ball to the right forward's feet. They had clearly been planning on him failing to react to the pass, the ball moving at a leisurely pace, giving Herbie more than enough time to intercept it with his knee.

But his plans to gain control of the ball and kicking it upfield immediately fell apart as he brought his knee up with too much force, sending the ball flying past the sideline. I would have had more than enough room to get it upfield if I had managed to gain control of the ball, but it's better than allowing the pass, Herbie considered.

The Blackstart midfielders ran back to help the defense, ordering Herbie to retreat to the goal line and leave gaining control of the ball to them. As a Sacred Ibis forward threw the ball in from the sideline, a Blackstart midfielder leaped in to intercept it, headering it away upfield flawlessly. He caught his breath as the team regained control of the situation.

Sacred Ibis continued to keep Blackstart on their toes for the remainder of the first half of the match, not allowing a single opportunity for a goal to be scored. When the whistle blew for halftime, tensions were high and the Blackstart boys feared that they might have their name dragged through the mud by the wimpiest team on the interhouse scoreboard.

"Alright boys..." Coach Argo began as the team huddled around a bag of orange slices on the sidelines, "They've taken us by surprise, I didn't expect these doggone Ibis's to turn their game around so quickly. They did a good job of guessing that we'd see Herbie as a weak spot in the defense and waited for us to overreact."

The words stung Herbie. He realized in that instance that he allowed himself to believe that everyone actually thought he was the hero that the Light Seekers had made him out to be. Meanwhile, everyone had just been playing along with whatever Don said, still seeing him as a stupid kid in their hearts. This was obviously such an accepted truth that Sacred Ibis had incorporated it into their strategy and may have just used it to win the game.

"But we recovered well. You proved yourself a strong defender back there, Herbie, but try to get the ball upfield when you've got the room. Good news is, it was a one-time dirty shot they took at us—we certainly won't be making that mistake again!"

Coach Argo spitballed some plans to get through the Sacred Ibis defense while the team slurped up the flesh off the orange rinds before the referee called the two teams back onto the field. Herbie took his position and did his best to swallow the pain in his heart.

I'll show them I'm not a weak link, he told himself, and they'll see they were wrong to have doubted me. He tensed his muscles as he prepared for the second half, using his anger to fuel his focus. The whistle blew, the second half beginning with the ball in Blackstart's control. The midfielders passed the ball between themselves using only their feet, gradually moving upfield while the two forwards and striker found their positions. But every time they tried to kick the ball up into the other's hands, a Sacred Ibis defender was there to deny it. The midfielders however, seemed ready for this, quickly regaining control of the ball after every interception.

Herbie watched as they repeated this cycle, the Sacred Ibis boys becoming sloppier with every denial as they overextended their energy. After keeping Sacred Ibis running up and down their half of the field for ten minutes, the defense's reactions had slowed enough for the ball to be easily flicked at Jared's feet as he ran into a striking position.

Standing on the corner of the outer box, Jared blasted the ball at the Sacred Ibis goal, right over the goalie's head. The ref whistled as the goal was scored, sending the crowd into hysterical applause. Herbie raised his fist in elation, relieved that there was still a chance of them winning the game with the score now tied. Sacred Ibis restarted play at centerfield, but the Blackstart midfielders quickly intercepted a pass and regained control. The Ibis's weaknesses were finally showing.

The midfielders managed to keep the ball out of Ibis's hands, doing their best to tire out their defenders some more. But time was pressing on and if each second wasn't optimized, there was a good chance that Blackstart would miss their shot at scoring another goal and winning the game. So, at their first opportunity, the left midfielder chipped the ball up to Jared's hands. He caught it with one hand and took three steps left before blasting it down with an overhand throw at the left forward's feet, doubling the force on impact and set its course directly at the goal.

But the speedy play had been executed at the cost of accuracy, and sent the ball hurtling straight toward the goalie's stomach. Catching it with both hands, the goalie didn't need long to run to the edge of his box and pass the ball across the field to the Sacred Ibis midfielders before the Blackstart offense had time to react and intercept the pass.

Herbie prepared himself to act as the ball was dribbled through the Blackstart midfielders and passed it onto the Sacred Ibis forwards. He bolted to the outer box as he saw the Sacred Ibis striker reel his leg back to make a shot at the goal. Herbie kicked out his leg to intercept the ball, but he hadn't anticipated the gradual curve in its direction. He gave an extra push, stretching his leg out so far that he found himself doing this splits and slipping down hard onto his groin. All the same, the tip of his foot managed to just nick the edge of the ball changing its course.

As the pain of landing on his crotch shot through his brain, he turned to see if his awkward maneuver had proved to be useful. But what met his eyes caused a far greater pain any physical injury could. The goalie was directly behind Herbie in the perfect position to block the ball from scoring, making Herbie's "split kick" completely pointless. But far worse than that, the goalie had not anticipated the spin that Herbie's interception had put on the ball, sending it spinning past his feet into their goal net.

Herbie's vision became blurry as the merciless shame and embarrassment of what he had just done mixed with the nausea and agony of his fall. He tucked his legs in and threw his head into his hands as the crowd burst into a symphony of boos, hisses, cheers and laughter. The referee whistled thrice, bringing the game to an end. Herbie could hear the Blackstart boys around him moan in disappointment. He clenched his eyes shut, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him.

"Dude, are you serious!" the Blackstart goalie yelled, taking off his gloves and throwing them on the ground.

The teams began to make their way off the field, but Herbie could not bring himself to move. The pain and embarrassment had knocked him into a near catatonic state of shame. Suddenly, he heard a hush come over the crowd, followed by a tremendous cheer.

He felt an arm wrap around his side and a voice whisper into his ear, "You did great, Brother Herbie, I'm proud of you. Now stand before your adoring fans."

Herbie turned to see Grand Magus Balcom at his side, lifting him up to his feet. The crowds of cheering teens around them were standing in their seats, applauding the scene with fury. Don raised Herbie's hand as he got to his feet, sending the crowd into hysterics. The shame melted away as the crowd cheered on with pride, Blackstart and Sacred Ibis supporters alike.

"Lesson one, Brother Herbie," Don spoke under his breath, "By taking control of a situation, you command the very nature of reality."

***

Herbie stared out the window of the black Valac Templar as the school disappeared behind them, his heart stinging with pangs of shame and embarrassment.

"Don't let it get you down, Brother Herbie, you'll face greater battles than losing a sports game," Don reassured from the seat opposite him.

"You can always pick up ballet seeing you're so good at doing the splits!" Melody laughed from his side.

"Hey!" Herbie cried.

Don shot Melody a stern look which got her to smother her giggles somewhat.

"Sorry, Herbie. You did great out there," she conceded.

"All I did was mess things up," Herbie moaned.

"You have to start somewhere. Everyone knows you're new to the game and the Light Seekers still love you. You're chosen, Herbie, that's all that matters," Don smiled warmly, "But I know what will fix you right up—a slice of the best pie in town."

"I didn't know that there was a pizzeria in Paradise Rift?" Herbie wondered.

"There isn't, but our chef is from Sicily and designed our wood fire oven himself," Melody smiled with an air of royalty about her.

"We're going to the mansion?" Herbie beamed excitedly.

Don laughed at his choice of words, "We're having dinner at home, yes, and I want you to consider it your home too, if ever you need it."

Herbie smiled and nodded, overwhelmed by the gesture. He couldn't have been happier to have Don and Melody by his side while he coped with his embarrassment. As long as he had them, he had all of Paradise Rift behind him. They turned down the road that ran along Big Cotton Creek, passing the few remaining farms left in Paradise Rift, before the mansion finally appeared on the horizon.

It wasn't long before they were making their way up the driveway to Don's mansion, tones of red and orange glistening against the glass of its double volume windows as it reflected the setting sun. After pulling up outside the front door, Herbie was led into a massive entrance hall that seemed to double as a museum. The stark white walls were lined with artifacts from across the world, stone tablets with Aztec symbols engraved into them, framed sheets of papyrus stained with elaborate illustrations, and white marble statues of Greek mythological creatures.

But for each ancient artifact, there was a technological marvel to counterbalance it. Digital wall displays that tracked your eyes to produce a constant 3D effect were embedded into the walls, cycling through images of the six lights that haunted the Paradise Rift witching hours.

A coffee table like no other sat in the corner. Herbie slowly made his way towards it as his mind tried to make sense of what he was seeing. It was comprised of magnetic blocks each repelling the other's magnetic fields so that they levitated off one another. Herbie gave it a gentle push with his hand and watched how the blocks moved as though they were in a liquid until returning to their original positions.

But just as Herbie was overcoming his amazement of the coffee table's design, the wall behind it came to life, splashing animated patterns of blues and greens with spots of white in the shape of a magnificent serpent. The animation leaped from wall to wall, growing larger as its tail whipped and tangled until the once white walls became completely consumed with scales and horns in magnificent shades of a murky green ocean.

"The walls are smart glass!" Herbie exclaimed, gently running his hand along its smooth surface.

"They are!" Don smiled, "I thought it would be fun. All run by an AI mind you."

Don tilted his head to the roof, "Reset display," he commanded.

The shimmering scaly pattern began to fade as though it was a liquid evaporating until finally simmering away into nothing, leaving the walls stark white once more.

"Woah..." Herbie cried in awe as he approached each curio and inspected it.

"It's my prize collection," Don began as he walked up behind Herbie, "Each item is one hundred percent authentic."

"Amazing!" Herbie beamed as he walked over to a white stone sculpture tucked under an arch. It depicted three monstrous women, their otherwise clotheless bodies draped over by serpents.

"What's the story behind these three?" Herbie inquired.

"Oh! I know this one!" Melody interjected, "Those are the Furies!"

Herbie snapped his head around in shock, "The Furies?"

"Ah, yes. A rare piece indeed," Don hummed, placing a hand on Herbie's shoulder, "Cost me a small fortune to have them shipped here. They are some of my favorite characters from history."

"You mean mythology, right?" Herbie suggested.

Don tilted his head and gave Herbie a knowing look, "I'll tell you more about it over dinner—you must be starving."

Herbie swallowed his curiosity as his stomach growled in agreement with Don. He followed Melody and her father through to the dining room.

Like the rest of the house, the dining room was a lavish affair lined with ever more of Don's worldly curios and completed with an elegant redwood table at its center, capable of seating a dinner party of twenty guests or more. They were promptly served champagne flutes filled with sparkling grape juice by a slight, pale man in a black suit and bow tie, who offered no greeting and was in and out of the room before Herbie had barely realized he was there at all.

"That is Brother Quilt, though he rarely has time for Light Seeker meets. He takes his job super seriously. Don't take his silence as rude, he's a mute," Melody whispered to Herbie.

"He handles everything for me," Don interrupted after overhearing Melody's whispers.

Herbie scratched his head, "But you've got a smart AI running the house, why bother with a human assistant?"

"That's because, Herbie old boy, artificial intelligence can never replace natural stupidity," Don winked.

Moments later, Chef Pappalardo waltzed into the room with a broad, toothy smile stretched across his face.

"Welcome to the Balcom house of international pizza!" he announced joyfully, "What can I interest you in this evening?"

"I'll have the usual," Don smiled, "And for you Herbie?"

Herbie wasn't sure how to approach the request, not wanting to seem greedy.

"Do you have bacon? Even the lab-grown stuff will do," He suggested.

"No no no, Brother Herbie!" Chef Pappalardo exclaimed, "I would never allow such a rubbery imposter into my kitchen! But what I do have is prosciutto, the meat that rashers of bacon dream to be!"

Herbie's stomach growled with excitement. He couldn't remember the last time he had a truly delicious meal.

"Slap on as much as the pie can carry!" he smiled with joy.

"Bellissimo!" Chef Pappalardo cried, "Sister Melody?"

"Chicago deep-dish with the works, please Chef," she hummed gracefully.

Chef Pappalardo bowed in response and disappeared into the kitchen in a flash. Don raised a finger in the air, apparently all that was required to summon Brother Quilt back to the table.

"I don't suppose Brother Herbie will have time to go home and change before we're due at The Lodge this evening, please arrange an outfit for him."

Brother Quilt nodded sternly before disappearing into the bowels of the mansion.

"I almost forgot!" Herbie exclaimed, "That's really kind of you, Grand Magus Balcom."

"Oh, Herbie, when it's just the three of us, you can call me Don. No need to be official over a slice of pizza."

Herbie nodded and looked down at the table, suddenly swept away in thought.

"Is something bothering you, Herbie?" Don asked concernedly.

"Just something that doesn't make sense to me. I was hoping my promotion to Brother would help make sense of it, but I'm more confused than ever," Herbie admitted.

"Shoot," Don offered.

"The lights that everyone's seen hover in the sky—those that came down and cured Daeva. I guess I just figured that if they did have something to do with aliens, they would be the lights on some sort of spacecraft. That's how they looked when I first saw them; that's what you see in the movies. I was pretty surprised when I discovered that the lights were the Galactic Brethren. I guess I'm asking, what exactly are they and how did they get here?"

Don placed his glass down on the table and stared pensively into the distance. Herbie shot a glance at Melody who shrugged in response.

"I suppose it's time I tell you about the Furies," Don began without breaking his stare, "Their myth is one of the first written records of the Galactic Brethren communicating with humanity."

"The Galactic Brethren have been here for thousands of years?" Herbie pondered.

"Since the dawn of mankind. They have left their mark all over history, but man in his ignorance perceived them as spirits, monsters... demons. But the Furies are perhaps the closest we have come to decoding their true nature. The Greeks believed that men who committed heinous crimes would face a punishment worse than death. The Furies were spirits of the underworld that would act as the hand of justice, driving these criminals into the darkest depths of madness. I think we all know that isn't exactly the case."

Herbie swallowed hard, "Daeva?"

"That's right, Herbie. You see, the Galactic Brethren communicate telepathically, from their minds directly into others. They chose me all those years ago, and in their voice I saw the truth of the past, the reality of the present and the terrifying horrors that the future may hold. Daeva, as my daughter and a committed Magister of the Light Seekers, was chosen to be the next to inherit this incredible knowledge. However, like the Greeks driven to madness by the Furies, so was Daeva driven to madness by the visions she witnessed."

"But I don't understand—didn't the Furies only punish those who had committed terrible crimes?" Herbie questioned.

"The Greeks had it backwards. People committed terrible crimes after the visions the Galactic Brethren had shared with them had driven them mad. Many claim to be worthy of such knowledge, but few have the constitution," Don spoke mournfully.

"But how have the Galactic Brethren been here so long?" Herbie pressured.

Finally, Don broke his hypnotized stare into the abyss and turned to Herbie, "They are not of flesh as you and I, Herbie. They have long shed such crude forms. They exist of pure energy, able to deconstruct and recreate themselves at any point in space they please. They require no food, no water; they do not need to reproduce. They are ... gods. The Egyptians knew it, the Aztecs, and the Greeks. And they wish to share their knowledge with mankind so that we too can reach the plane of divinity."

Herbie and Melody sat before Don dumbfounded. Up until now, the Light Seekers doctrine they had been taught seemed so superficial, so innocent. What they were dealing with now was serious, and they both had to come to terms with what being a Light Seeker truly meant.

Herbie eyed Don as he analyzed the information. It brought a question to the tip of his tongue, a terrible question that could ruin everything, but a question that had to be answered.

"Grand Magus... Don. There's something you should know," Herbie uttered, his intensity drawing in the attention of everyone at the table.

"What's the matter, Herbie?" Don replied, matching Herbie's intensity.

Herbie swallowed hard as he amassed the courage to say what needed to be said, "When I first arrived in Paradise Rift, the night that Daeva was contacted by the Galactic Brethren, the night Nathan Macklin died... I saw the lights hovering in the sky and shortly after, I saw Daeva, mad and screaming, running into the desert."

Don nodded his head, a severity in his eyes urging Herbie to continue.

"I followed her thinking she needed help. When I came face to face with her, I thought she had turned into some kind of werewolf, which it turns out, wasn't completely wrong. But the thing is, when she reached toward me in the darkness, her hands were dripping with blood. The blood of Nathan Macklin. She killed him, didn't she?"

"Herbie!" Melody cried at the accusation.

"Silence!" Don commanded, bringing a hush to the table, "Who else have you told, Herbie?"

Suddenly realizing that his theory was more than pure conjecture, Herbie felt his legs tremble, "No one. I didn't think anyone would believe me," he lied.

"That was wise of you," Don sighed, "You have proven yourself to be a very smart young man."

"Daddy, you can't possibly mean..." Melody began.

"Daeva was walking along the creek when the Galactic Brethren contacted her. They had obviously not anticipated her reaction to the supreme knowledge they shared. She ran along the banks of Big Cotton, eventually reaching Macklin's ranch. When Nathan went to investigate she..."

Don dropped his head and sunk his face into his hands. Instinctively, Herbie leaned in and put a hand on Don's shoulder. When Don revealed his face once more, his eyes were red and flowing with tears.

"She killed him. My own daughter, killed a man because I did not prepare her well enough for the responsibilities she had to assume," he wept.

"No, Daddy! It can't be true!" Melody cried.

"I lied. I paid off Humboldt County Animal Control to falsify a report that there were coyotes in the area, and I had my men make it seem as though Nathan was killed by a bite to the throat. But please, Herbie, you have to understand, I did it out of love for my daughter," he begged.

Herbie was completely taken aback. The last thing he had expected was for Don to be open and honest with him. If anything, he would have expected to be disregarded as a fool or silenced for his knowledge. With all his power, charisma, and command, Don was just a normal human being, trying to protect his daughter. There was nothing insidious about his agenda.

"I... I understand Don," he spoke, a softness in his voice.

Don turned to him, brought his teary-eyed face right up to Herbie's, "So you will keep this as our secret, for Daeva's sake?"

Herbie swallowed hard, but didn't feel like he had many options for a response, "Of course. I'll never tell a soul."

"Thank you, Herbie. I can't tell you how much that means to me," Don smiled.

Melody grabbed his hand and held it tightly, "You're amazing Herbie Hunter, thank you for protecting my sister."

"Fresh hot pies!" Chef Pappalardo called into the dining room, balancing all three plates on his hands.

"Thank you, Chef, smells great!" Don replied, completely rearranging himself into the image of controlled composure.

Herbie nodded as the piping hot pizza was laid out in front of him, still shell-shocked from what had just happened. He looked down at the pizza, trying to copy Don by casually pushing the event aside. The thin-crust base with crushed fresh tomato, dollops of melted mozzarella balls, smothered with glistening paper-thin slivers of prosciutto was the most decadent dish that Herbie had ever laid eyes on.

However, there was now a knot in his stomach where he was trying to digest all he had learned.

"Something smells great!" a voice called into the dining room. Herbie looked up and felt his blood run cold.

"Daeva! You're up!" Melody sang with glee, jumping out of her seat and running over to her sister in the doorway.

Herbie's entire body began to tremble with instinctual fear as he gazed up at Daeva's ravaged body, her arms like twigs, her hair thin and split, her eyes deep and black; her face gaunt and starved. Thick red lines were scratched into her body where she had dug into her own flesh, ripping out her nails. Her hands were wrapped in bandages, still healing from their tearing and clawing her twisted mind had commanded of her. He was witnessing the wrath of The Furies before his very eyes.

Taking his first proper look at her standing beside Melody and Don, Herbie noticed that, despite having darker hair and eyes than Don, her facial features were almost a carbon copy of his, while Melody bore little to no resemblance to either of them.

Don stood up from his seat, "You're not supposed to be out of bed. Pappalardo will bring something to your room," he commanded furiously.

"Oh, come on, Daddy! Isn't it nice to see her up and about?" Melody defended. "And I think it's about time that she has a civilized introduction to Herbie."

Daeva's eyes drowsily scanned the room until they locked on Herbie.

"You..." she groaned lethargically, her voice raspy and strained, "I remember you... in the desert... you tried to help me..."

Herbie nodded his head nervously, his mouth half opened and his eyes wide with shock.

"That's enough! Brother Quilt!" Don roared.

At his command, Brother Quilt appeared in the doorway, his surprise at seeing Daeva was apparent for only a moment, before he locked his arm with hers and gently tugged at her to follow him.

"Well, good night everyone, it was nice to meet you... Herbie," Daeva lazily spoke before allowing Brother Quilt to lead her away.

Don sat back down and rubbed his temples while Melody joined them back at the table.

"I don't see why she had to leave, Daddy," Melody moaned.

"Don't be a fool!" Don reprimanded, "Don't you think Herbie needs some time to process everything he's seen? Now, let's eat up or we'll be late for The Lodge," Don continued, picking up a slice of pizza.

But before bringing it to his mouth, he turned to Herbie. "I trust you will keep everything you have seen and heard this evening between us, Brother Herbie. You are part of the inner circle now. If you prove yourself trustworthy, there will be much more knowledge for your hungry mind, and much, much more power."

***

Herbie had been quiet at The Lodge, still shaken from everything he had seen and learned. He had been relieved when Don had decided to make it an early night and call a driver to take him home after just a few hours.

But by the time Herbie arrived, the porch light had already been turned off, signaling that his mom and Beatrix had already gone to bed. So quietly, he found the spare key that his mom ineffectively hid under the doormat on nights he was out late and crept inside, up the creaky wooden stairs and into his room.

After changing out of the button-up shirt, blazer and slacks that Don had lent him, he threw himself onto his bed without bothering to lift up the blanket. But as his body made contact with the bed, he heard the crinkling crunch of paper beneath him. He lifted himself up and found a handwritten note.

Herbie,

It's probably my fault that you've been acting out lately; I wasn't there for you when you needed me most. Although your grandma still refuses to sell the house, trust that I will do everything in my power to get you out of this town and give you the life you deserve.

I love you more than anything in the world, and I'm always here for you if you need to talk.

Love, Mom

Herbie looked at the note and shook his head. She had no idea what was going on his life, the secrets he was uncovering, the incredible future that awaited him in Paradise Rift, and the terrible things he had gone through to get him to this point.

"Too little, too late, Mary Anne," he sighed, crumpling up the note and throwing it in the corner.

Weary from an emotionally and physically taxing day, he crawled beneath the blankets and was asleep just moments after closing his eyes. But as he slept in the safety of his room, evil awoke in Paradise Rift. By daybreak, Herbie would learn that his path of discovery still had many winding turns and obstacles to overcome.

When Herbie pulled himself out of bed with the rising sun and found that he had forgotten to charge his cell phone in his exhaustion, he had no idea that something sinister awaited him. Dragging himself over to the charging pad on his desk and turning on the device, he was immediately barraged with notifications of missed calls throughout the evening.

Then, a message arrived—a message from Melody.

Herbie, I'm scared. I can't find Daddy or Daeva, and the lights, the lights are in the sky above the Bauer pig ranch. Please, Herbie, answer your phone. I'm scared.

# Chapter Seven

##  The Galactic Brethren

Light Seekers and non-believers alike gathered at the Bauer farm to witness the aftermath of the atrocity. Herbie and Melody watched from behind yellow police tape set up around the perimeter of the farm. John Bauer sat with the Humboldt County Sheriff on upturned buckets at the edge of the pig pen, doing his best to hold back his tears. A deputy stood in the mud on the other side of the fence, shaking his head and biting on the back of his pen, in an attempt to translate the horror as words scribbled into his notepad.

All around him, there were dead pigs lying on their sides, legs stiff and extended; their skins almost white. An identical scene awaited at the other twelve pens, easily two hundred pigs, sliced with surgical precision from the base of the sternum all along the soft meat of their bellies, blood drained and hearts removed. The deputy patted the mud beneath the carcass at his feet, rubbed the dirt between his fingers, sniffed it, and tasted it. Tapping his pen on his chin, he repeated the process several times at different points in the pig pen.

"Can't find a drop of blood, Sheriff!" the deputy called out from the center of the pen.

The sheriff, who had been busy taking a statement from John Bauer, turned to the deputy with a scowl.

"Well, it ain't in the pigs! It's probably soaked through the dirt!" he called back, triggering a heartbroken wail from the farmer.

"I checked! Nothing for five inches!" the deputy called back.

The sheriff turned back to John, "Don't you mind him—this ground's thirsty. Probably soaked in real deep. Ain't nobody gonna carry away all that blood without waking someone up. Now the question is; do you know who would go to all this effort to kill all your pigs? I mean, this don't make no sense! These pigs are worth their weight in gold nowadays. Least they could've done was take some bacon with them. But no, just the hearts! It just doesn't add up!"

John Bauer sighed deeply. As one of the original residents of Paradise Rift, he had a few ideas who could be behind such a foul crime.

"There are folks here, Sheriff. Those damned Light Seekers! They're not right in the head. I don't know how, but they're behind this. I know it," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his neck.

The sheriff leaned forward and lifted John's hand, inspecting the mark on his neck that was ailing him, "That new?"

John Bauer tilted his head, "Whatcha' on about?"

The sheriff stroked his chin as he assessed John's strange behavior, "Just a sec."

Herbie and Melody watched the sheriff and his deputy retreat to their SUV and activate the smart glass on the windshield. It transformed into a video call with another young deputy back at the office.

"I'm bringing Mr. Bauer back to the office with me. Make sure you've got a room prepped. We're also gonna need someone from the lab down here to take soil samples and the like, you get that done for me, ya hear?"

Herbie did his best to listen in on the conversation from a distance, making out the gist of what they were discussing. He wondered how Don planned on handling this.

"Why would they do this, Herbie? I thought they were here to help us, not... not this," Melody spoke with tears in her eyes.

"We don't know that it was the Galactic Brethren," Herbie defended, not sure what to make of all of this.

"I saw them, Herbie! They were here last night! And anyway, who else would be capable of this? You heard them, not a single drop of blood. No human could do this alone in a single night," Melody said.

"Enough people might. Medical tech gets better every day. There are AIs replacing doctors all over the country, robots performing surgeries..."

"Machines made to drain pig blood?" Melody interrupted.

Herbie shook his head, "The point is we don't know what's possible. Did your dad and Daeva come home last night?"

"I don't know. I fell asleep watching the lights. I woke up to the sound of sirens heading toward the farm and called you to meet me here as soon as I got dressed," Melody replied.

The loud hum of a fleet of electric engines interrupted their conversation. They turned to see a convoy of black Valac Templars and Leviathans heading toward the farm. Three agents in black stepped out of the first SUV to park, briskly making their way to the sheriff. Herbie did his best to listen to their conversation, but they spoke in intentionally hushed tones. One of the agents held up a badge to the sheriff and his deputy, shock painting over their faces.

The sheriff summoned the video call back to the smart glass, "That's a no go on crime-lab, Deputy."

"But protocol..." the deputy attempted to argue.

"Protocol nothing, we've been outranked," the sheriff snapped, cutting the video feed.

The sheriff and his deputy shut the doors of their SUV hurriedly, starting their engines and speeding off without as much as a goodbye. With the sheriff and deputy gone, the back door of a black sedan flew open, revealing Don in his white Light Seeker robe. He summoned one of the agents to his side, who assisted him up onto the roof of one of the Leviathans.

Meanwhile, the agents who had been talking to the sheriff had collected John Bauer and forcefully lifted him up by his dungarees onto the roof beside Don.

"Light Seekers!" Don called out over the crowd that had collected around the perimeter tape, "What your eyes may see is tragedy. But trust me when I tell you they are wrong! Our Galactic Brethren are speaking to us! For too long have farms as this polluted the earth! These swine have been lapping up your share of water so that they may feed the bellies of the rich!"

The crowd erupted in hisses and boos, John Bauer shivering in fear before them.

"John Bauer, this is a message to you! Our Galactic Brethren have spoken, and they have named you evil!" Don continued, inciting the crowd into an ever more enraged fury.

Don raised his hands, calming them, bringing them to momentary silence. He exhaled a calm breath that felt like a wave of serenity blowing over them. He turned to John and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"But they have not harmed you, because they know that you are simply misguided by a world run by greed. They have given you a chance, John. The question is; will you mend your evil ways?"

By now, John was in tears, shivering before Don like a mortal before a god.

"Will you answer the call of our Galactic Brethren?" Don questioned calmly.

"I will..." John whimpered, falling to his knees.

"I said, WILL YOU ANSWER THEIR CALL!" Don repeated.

"I will! I will answer their call!" John cried.

Don turned to the crowd, warmth radiating from his being, "He is forgiven."

"HE IS FORGIVEN!" the crowd echoed.

"HE IS FORGIVEN!" Don repeated.

"HE IS FORGIVEN!" the crowd chanted again and again, sending John Bauer into an ever more unstable state, groveling, whimpering, pleading, until the men in black suits lifted him off the roof of the Leviathan and carried him away.

Herbie rubbed his chin as he digested the scene, noting how Don had taken a disaster and played it to his advantage. He had not forgotten what Don had said on the SleightSoccer field when Herbie had messed up the game—by taking control of a situation, you command the very nature of reality. It was one thing to use such a philosophy to get a crowd to cheer; such was the practice of anyone with a following, from celebrities to politicians. But Don had just converted one of the few remaining non-believers in town in the wake of a tragedy, this was more than shifting a mood, this was controlling a thought.

Herbie had felt it himself, his doubt, his will, twisted and controlled by a few simple words. The better he got to know Don, the more he realized that there was terrifying power hidden beneath his exterior.

Herbie felt the sudden pressure of a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around to find Nabozny staring down at him.

"Why hello, Herbie," Nabozny smiled.

Nabozny had been gone for a month and in that time, Herbie had been so distracted by the Light Seekers that he had almost forgotten about The Order of Tzadikim—that Nabozny was their spy.

"It's Brother Herbie now, Magister Nabozny," Herbie spat, enforcing his loyalty to the Light Seekers in the bitterness of his tone.

"And Sister Melody," Melody added sweetly, not knowing that a traitor stood before them.

The toxicity in Herbie's voice seemed to slip right off Nabozny, "Of course! I wanted to congratulate you. We've got a lot to catch up on. I was hoping you and the twins could come see me after school on Monday."

Herbie's face turned to a scowl, "As the youngest Brother in Light Seeker history, I've been discouraged from associating with them and my training has left all of my afternoons booked. My apologies, Magister Nabozny, but perhaps I'll see you at The Lodge next Friday."

If Herbie's icy presence had got to Nabozny, he did little to show it, "Right you are, Brother Hunter, you have a reputation to uphold."

"As do you, Magister Nabozny," Melody added, knowing full well that Brenda Lee had gone behind Herbie's back and spoken to his mother, "I'd be wary of the Andrews twins. They have been exhibiting some traitorous behavior. I would hate for your association with them to ruin your good name when we expose their true natures."

Nabozny began to crack, his body stiffened, and he swallowed hard as he realized the severity of the implication.

"Thank you for letting me know. Funny, not a single cow or goat could be found on the Macklin ranch when the old boy was found dead there. I wonder if the Galactic Brethren were trying to tell us something there too," Nabozny wondered aloud.

"Of course not. Daddy would know. You know that, Magister. It's inappropriate to interpret the Galactic Brethren's actions without the guidance of the Grand Magus," Melody stated with a stern authority in her voice.

"Of course, of course," Nabozny defended, "You kids stay safe now, it's not just pigs who get messed up around here," he concluded, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

***

"You're obsessed, you know that, right?" Herbie laughed as he stared at the walls of Melody's bedroom.

After a month of Friday night dinners at the Balcom residence, Herbie still hadn't got used to the shrine to celebrity culture that was Melody's room. Her walls, like most of the house, were layered in smart glass and projected a collage of celebrity gossip blog live streams, high-res stills of celebrity crushes and 3D renderings of the latest wave of Pop-AI. 3D printed models of singers and actors lined her desk and a never-ending stream of pop music spewed out of the surround sound fitted into every corner of the room.

"Some people like sports, other people like games, I like celebs. Sue me," Melody shrugged with her eyes fixed to a smart glass display of gossip articles.

"Most of them are just CGI characters! Don't you think these Pop-AIs kind of defeat the point of listening to music?" Herbie commented, tilting his head curiously as he inspected a poster of a near-perfect rendering of a young blonde woman in a skimpy schoolgirl outfit.

"I'm surprised a geek like you hasn't heard of Maya Idol— she's the most famous AI in the world," Melody noted without looking up.

Herbie grimaced at the idea, "Why would anyone care about an AI? There's no way it could be smarter than a human."

"That's the point, Herbie. She's a collection of all the popstars. She scans libraries of pop songs and makes her own stuff from what she learns. It's some of my favorite music. And you should see the drama she makes on social media, she runs all of her own accounts and she just loves making trouble with other celebs."

"That is the weirdest thing I've ever heard," Herbie laughed, shaking his head.

Melody shrugged as she scrolled through her social media feed on the smart glass, "Think about it, you spent half your life in a Virtual Reality world back in D.C., the rest of us just bring the virtual into our current reality. We all praise one idol or another."

Herbie thought back to his room in Washington, D.C. I guess it was kinda like a shrine to tech and geek culture, he thought.

Melody lifted her head from the smart glass, noticing Herbie's pensive stare, "Come sit here," she ordered Herbie, patting the side of her bed, "Give it a try before you get on your high horse."

Herbie gulped as he sat down beside Melody, her arm leaning up against his. She retrieved a miniature holo-player from her bedside table, a clear pyramid shaped device that split and reassembled a 3D image to turn into a holographic projection. As the room's surround sound began playing a rhythmical hip-hop beat, the hologram appeared in the center of the glass pyramid, an animated woman with inhumanly huge brown eyes, bright pink hair, and massive chocolate colored thighs wobbling through tiny jean-shorts as she performed a concerningly provocative dance.

Herbie grimaced at the sight of it. It seemed to be walking a line he wasn't comfortable crossing. A character flaunting itself, even if it was just an AI powered hologram, shouldn't be anyone's idol.

Melody passed the holo-player to Herbie. "I know all her moves!" she smiled with glee as she stood up and began mimicking the holograms movements.

Herbie tried to hide the shaking in his legs as the mood in the room transitioned into something he was completely unfamiliar with. He did his best to smile as Melody swayed her hips and dropped to her knees and jumped back up again, not really sure what the appropriate response was.

"So what do you think?" Melody asked while she danced to the beat.

Herbie stared at her, hypnotized by her black hair swinging across her face as her body swayed.

"Beautiful," he smiled.

"Uh, I think you mean, DOPE!" she laughed.

"Oh, yeah, the music, it's um, DOPE," Herbie stuttered, snapping out of his trance.

Melody plopped down next to Herbie, barely out of breath from the high-energy dancing, "Glad you like," she smiled, giving him a nudge.

He felt his skin tingle as the warmth radiating off Melody spilled onto him. He was at home, maybe even, loved. Things are going to be okay, even if my family hates me, he thought. But there was one thing that still needed to be settled, one unanswered question ruining the serenity of the moment—a question he was terrified to ask. It was now or never.

"I think it's time we dealt with the elephant in the room," Herbie said sternly.

Melody scooted up a little closer to Herbie.

"What elephant in the room?" she smiled knowingly.

Herbie rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean. I've been coming over here for a month now, and I think we both know that something's... missing."

Melody blushed and turned away, "I know what you mean, and it's been on my mind too. I just didn't know how to bring it up," she hummed sweetly.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring it up! You must be really concerned," Herbie admitted.

Melody turned back to him with big doe eyes, "Oh, Herbie, I'm not concerned, some boys are just shy."

Herbie pulled his head back, "I'm not shy, I just don't know what your dad will think if I try to talk about it."

"What goes on between you and me is none of Daddy's business," Melody whispered flirtatiously.

"So?" Herbie gestured for her to continue.

"So what?" Melody asked curiously.

"Where is Daeva? I haven't seen her since I first came 'round for dinner," Herbie questioned.

All the kindness and affection in Melody's eyes twisted up into a scowl that could melt a steel beam.

"Daeva?" she spat.

Herbie bit his lip, inspecting Melody's tone and expression and realizing that their wires had crossed somewhere.

"Um... yeah? What did you think I was talking about?" Herbie shrugged.

Melody stood up in a huff and walked over to the window, "She's in her room. Under guard. Daddy says I can't see her."

Herbie got up and followed her to the window, "Why are you angry with me about it?"

Melody shook her head, staring out at the plot of land where the Bauer farm had once stood. It was now completely levelled; bulldozers and other heavy machinery parked within it to continue work come Monday morning. Herbie stood beside her, trying to figure out what was going on in her head.

"Crazy how fast it happened. I hear John Bauer works at the water filtration plant now," he said, attempting to change the topic.

"There you go again, Herbie. This town and the Light Seekers are all you ever think about," Melody sighed.

Herbie couldn't really argue there. Since the night he arrived in Paradise Rift, it had been one thing after another, and, still, there was so much he didn't know.

"Don't you want to understand what the Galactic Brethren want with us?" Herbie questioned.

Melody turned to Herbie, "Of course, I do. But chances are if we try to communicate with them, we'll end up like Daeva, so what's the point?"

"That's why I'm asking where she is. Maybe she remembers something of what she experienced. It could be invaluable to us," Herbie insisted.

"That's Magister business, Herbie. Daddy would be furious if he found out we were trying to uncover the knowledge of the Galactic Brethren before we reached Magister authority," Melody replied.

A mischievous smile crawled across Herbie's face, "I thought what happened between you and I was none of 'Daddy's' business?"

"I wasn't talking about..." Melody began, before realizing that she couldn't argue with Herbie without showing her true intentions, "We just can't, Herbie. I'm not supposed to talk about it, but after the incident at the Bauer farm, she started to act strange again."

"And you're only telling me this now?" Herbie erupted.

"Don't get snappy with me, little man! You know as well as I do that there are things that we just can't talk about," Melody spat back.

"But! It's me! I just thought... I dunno, we had something special between us," Herbie muttered, quickly becoming shy.

"You're kidding me, right?" Melody replied, dumbfounded by how oblivious Herbie was.

He didn't know how to answer and wished he hadn't let the conversation take this awkward turn.

Melody grabbed his hand and began pulling him out of the room, "Alright, little man, you talked me into it; let's go see my sister."

"Wait, what?" Herbie spat, flabbergasted.

"Has Daddy taught you nothing? It's all about using the right words," Melody winked, pulling him out the door.

They descended the staircase and followed a hallway through to the deepest depths of the mansion.

"I thought you said the room was under guard?" Herbie whispered as they made their way to Daeva's room.

"There's something I want to try, but it will only work if it's Gilroy's shift," Melody replied deviously.

"Gilroy?"

"He's one of Daddy's men. He usually takes the night shift. I've been programming him for weeks in the hopes of getting past him to see Daeva," Melody hummed.

Herbie stopped in his tracks, "Hold on, programming?"

Melody pulled him aside into a passageway leading to a guest bathroom, "Herbie, I thought you would have noticed by now. Daddy does it all the time. I have a suspicion that a lot of Magister training has to do with programming people to do what you want."

"That seems really messed up," Herbie whispered, a sick feeling bubbling up in his stomach.

"Everyone does it in one way or another. Here, I'll show you," Melody smiled, pushing him further down the passageway.

"Herbie, go tell Gilroy to let you into Daeva's room or you'll beat him up," she commanded.

"Have you lost your mind? I'm not doing that," Herbie hissed, reeling his head back.

Melody smiled knowingly, "Okay, let's try that again," she snickered.

"Herbie, go and tell Gilroy to let you into Daeva's room or you'll beat him up," she repeated, but this time, she ever so gently brushed her hand up against Herbie's. The effect was undeniable. Something about the way her hand had touched his had triggered a sense of duty—of obedience in Herbie, and he suddenly found himself considering whether the idea might work or not.

"That's insane!" Herbie exclaimed.

"I've seen Daddy do it so many times, I sort of just... figured it out and started practicing on you. After I saw how easy it was, I started programming Gilroy. Whenever Daddy needs him to do something, I go and tell him myself. When he radios in to confirm, I give him a little poke in the belly and that muscle head thinks I'm just being playful. I've only done it a couple of times, but my theory is that he'll be programmed into believing that a poke in the belly means the order is real."

Herbie needed a minute to take in everything he was hearing. Melody was smart, but her sheltered life had resulted in a degree of naïvety, and it was showing. Without realizing what she was doing, she had just admitted that both she and Don had been manipulating him since they met.

He felt sick. In an instant, he realized how easily he had let his authority and power as a Brother get to his head. How much of his recent behavior had been his own will and how much had been programmed into him? He had pushed away everyone that Don disapproved of, his friends, his family, Nabozny—suddenly, that didn't seem like something the boy from Washington, D.C. he had once been would do. But now wasn't the time for it. The method had proved itself effective. Before Herbie made any rash decisions, he would find out what Daeva knew of the Galactic Brethren's plans. He took a deep breath as he gathered himself, "Okay, let's give it a go."

Melody wriggled with excitement and grabbed Herbie's hand as she led him down the hallway to Daeva's room where Gilroy stood at attention.

"Sister Melody, Brother Herbie," Gilroy greeted as they approached.

Melody's lips stretched into the sweetest smile she could muster, "Gilroy! How are you?"

Gilroy was slight of figure, but the way his black suit fell across his shoulders suggested that he was nothing but muscle. His eyes were covered up by black sunglasses despite the hallway being dimly lit, and Herbie couldn't help but wonder if they provided him with an augmented reality display. He nodded sternly at Melody's question without looking down at her, not one to mince words. She pushed on despite the cold reception.

"Daddy is looking for you. He says he needs you to do a scan of The Lodge before tonight's meeting," she smiled, poking him in the belly to initiate her programming.

"Negative, Sister Melody. My duty tonight is to watch the door while you visit your sister," Gilroy replied with a stone-faced expression.

Melody turned to Herbie, surprised by Gilroy's response, "We can just go in?"

"Confirmed. The two of you have clearance for the evening... and Sister Melody?" Gilroy asked.

"Yes, Gilroy?"

"Please do not poke my stomach. It is not appropriate," Gilroy stated sternly.

"Um, sure thing, Gilroy, sorry about that," Melody shrugged in response.

At that, Gilroy stepped to one side and opened the door to Daeva's room. The curtains were pulled closed, shrouding the room in darkness. Herbie squinted, hoping to make out some detail before entering, but he could only make out the faint lines of a four-poster bed at the far end of the room.

"So much for programming," he whispered to Melody once they had entered the room, relieved to find that her theory had some holes in it.

"There must be more to it than meets the eye. I'll get as good at it as Daddy is, you'll see," she winked, closing the door behind her and shutting out the little light that the hallway had shed.

In the absolute darkness, Herbie could hear his heart thumping in his ears—and breathing, heavy thick pants, like an injured wolf.

"Lights on," Melody commanded as she entered the room. But the command did nothing. They stood there in the darkness waiting, the sound of heavy breathing stretching out the moment into an eternity.

"The AI's acting up. The bedside lamp should have a switch, Herbie," Melody instructed as she patted the walls.

Herbie swallowed hard as he felt his way around the room in the darkness, Daeva's thick breaths growing louder and louder as he got closer to her bed. The soft clinking of chain links made him shiver as he edged forward, his hand pressed against the wall, until he felt out a bedside table in the darkness. He could feel the heat radiating off Daeva's body as he pressed himself against the bed, her warm breath in the air around him.

He fingered his way over a porcelain lamp and followed its base to a cord with a switch and flicked it on. The room became sparsely illuminated. In the dim light, Daeva lay on the bed, eyes fixed on Herbie with blood vessels burst and bleeding. Her wrists and ankles were restrained by leather triple-buckled psych-ward straps and bloodied scabs had formed where they gripped her. The broad straps were connected to three inch thick chains, padlocked onto the steel bed posts.

He jumped back, releasing a high-pitched yelp in fright, expecting Daeva to be asleep, not watching him in the darkness.

"Hello, Herbie," she croaked from her dry throat.

Melody laughed boisterously, "You got him good, Sis!"

"I didn't mean to frighten you," Daeva whispered in a deep haunting tone, "I'm so glad you came to see me."

"That's... okay, Daeva," Herbie nodded, trying to calm himself down.

Melody made her way to the bed and ran her fingers across the restraints binding Daeva's wrists, "Why do they have you chained up like this? I thought you were all better, Sis?"

"Sweet Melody," Daeva hummed with a despicable resonance in her tone, closing her blood red eyes and floating away on her thoughts, "If only life was so simple. I have seen things—terrible, terrible things. Nightmares that plague me like memories of a time that is yet to come. Visions of a future that humanity chases—like a dog after a car. Father won't let me take a step into the world until I understand them, lest I make his minions question their faith."

Herbie had been sure to keep his distance, but Daeva's words now drew him closer. He could see deep lines across her throat and collarbone where she had dug her nails into her own skin.

"What did the Galactic Brethren show you, Daeva?" he questioned.

Her piercing eyes shot open and locked directly onto Herbie, making him shudder involuntarily.

"I'll be happy to tell you all about it. I want the world to know what I've seen. Father is not telling the whole truth. The Light Seekers deserve to know the name of their master. But first, please untie these chains? They cause me so much pain," she whimpered with an unsettling insincerity.

"Of course, Sis!" Melody smiled with loving eyes, apparently unphased by the menacing tone in Daeva's voice.

Herbie watched as Melody fiddled with the buckles, wishing that she would think about what she was doing.

"Just hold on a second," he warned, but Melody wasn't wasting any time.

"Melody, you said it yourself, she's still sick. Don't be a fool," Herbie warned.

"You heard her, Herbie, Daddy is just scared of what she might say. She doesn't deserve this!" Melody snapped back.

"She killed Nathan Macklin, Melody!" Herbie cautioned.

"I... I did?" Daeva whispered with genuine curiosity, her eyes growing heavy with concern.

"See, she doesn't even remember doing it, she wasn't in her right mind," Melody defended.

Herbie turned to Daeva, "You remember the night I followed you into the desert?"

Daeva paused a moment. Herbie watched her eyes dart left and right. She was thinking, calculating. She remembered seeing me in the desert and when she walked in on us having dinner, why the delay now? Herbie thought.

"Yes, of course. You were so brave," Daeva said eventually with a sickening sweetness, though Herbie was unconvinced.

"There was blood on your hands. Nathan Macklin's blood," Herbie continued.

"I... I don't remember," Daeva replied.

"Yet you remember me chasing after you in the desert?" Herbie suggested.

Daeva pushed her neck out to get as close to Herbie as the chains would allow her. "Please, Herbie, just undo the straps, they're cutting into my skin," she cried as innocently as she could, tugging on every sympathetic string in Herbie's being. But no amount of pleading could undo the memories in his mind. To him, she was still the monster with bloodied hands in the desert.

"Melody, stop! You're making a mistake!" Herbie begged.

"Stop being such a goody two-shoes! Daddy gets things wrong sometimes, he's just a human. But it's our job to fix things when he screws up. Now stop yapping your flaps and help me!" Melody preached in response.

"This isn't about your dad!" Herbie argued.

"Please, Herbie, help me, I'll explain everything, give you all the answers you've ever wanted, but please, loosen my chains," Daeva pleaded. But her voice hid something, a near silent whisper, a resonance of evil, as though she spoke with two voices at once.

Herbie weighed things up in his mind. Perhaps Melody was right. Perhaps Don had got this one wrong. Maybe Daeva was just the victim of a cruel happenstance. Maybe the blood on her hands was her own. Either way, if Melody continued working at the buckles on the restraints at her current rate, Daeva would soon be free and Herbie decided he'd be better off in Daeva's good books once she was loose.

Dropping his shoulders, Herbie began to work at the buckles on the restraints around Daeva's left wrist.

"Thank you, Herbie," Daeva groaned as though her throat were lined with sandpaper, "You're so kind."

"I'm just trying to do the right thing," Herbie sighed.

"It's never as easy as you'd think, choosing the right thing. I always thought it would be obvious, but here I am, chained to a bed like an animal," Daeva spoke wistfully, closing her eyes as though in a trance, drunk on the promise of freedom.

"Don't worry, we're going to make everything right," Melody consoled as she finally managed to free the first buckle.

"I'm sure your grandmother thought she was doing the right thing, when she hurt me like she did," Daeva gurgled into Herbie's ear as he leaned over her to get to the restraint, a gruff harshness in her voice. The words made Herbie's muscles lock up, his hands, his arms, his heart.

"My grandma?" Herbie asked, terror pulsing through his veins.

A crooked smile cracked its way across Daeva's gaunt cheeks. "Oh, I see. You're pretending like you didn't see it. The way her words cut into my flesh like a blade. My father has really gotten into your head," she croaked coarsely, sounding more like the beast he had seen out in the desert than the victim that had stood over Don's dinner table.

Herbie's heart panged with the painful truth of her words, sending an uncontrollable shudder up his spine.

"We need to teach her, Herbie, teach her that she cannot go around using those words. They are forbidden by the Light Seekers," Daeva spoke as though she gargled blood.

"She's just an old woman..." Herbie whispered in terror.

"An old woman that doesn't know her place!" Daeva spat, a sudden ferocity in her voice—like the growls of a rabid dog.

"Melody, stop!" Herbie commanded, suddenly realizing what Daeva's true goal was.

But it was too late. Daeva's knuckles slipped out of the restraint and went hurtling toward Herbie's face. They made contact with his cheek with a hook, sending him flying backward into the bedpost. His temple crashed against it, concussing him and sending him dropping to the floor. He heard a second thud as Daeva grabbed the back of Melody's head and slammed her face against the wall, leaving a thick red stain where it made contact.

As the shadows in the corner of his eyes consumed his vision, he heard a thump as Melody dropped to the floor on the other side of the bed. Before everything went black, he made out Daeva's gaunt figure freeing herself from the buckles on the restraints attached to the last chain—its metal links clinking and clunking along the bedposts as it fell. She climbed out of the bed and stood over him.

"I'm going to teach your grandma a lesson," she hissed violently before the swirling in Herbie's head tired him and the darkness ate up his eyes.

***

"Drive safe now, Mary Anne," Gerald, the manager of the Sole Provider cooed as Herbie's mom made her way out the staff exit at the back of the grocery store.

"Will do, Gerald," Mary Anne smiled as she pushed the door open, walking through the employee parking lot to the rent-a-wreck she had hired from a dealership in Winnemucca. It was an old Toyota Corolla, something she might have driven as her first car some twenty-odd years ago. By now, the odometer had circled around enough times that the two hundred thousand miles it read was practically meaningless and was referred to by both her and her co-workers as "the Jalopy".

She sighed deeply as she sat down on the torn driver's seat and watched the last glimmers of sunlight set behind the buildings of Newtown. It had been her fourth double shift that week, after requesting as many hours as Gerald had available for her so that she could save up for Herbie's future. After a third turn of the key, she finally managed to start the engine, nothing like the self-driver that had chauffeured her around in Washington, D.C. She was still getting used to manual driving, but appreciated the rush that holding her own life in her hands had offered.

Usually, by the end of her second shift, her eyes would be heavy from a long day of work at the checkout point and the weariness of its mundanity. Her mind would have little else other than the road to stimulate it—but today was different. During her lunch break, she had got the call she had been waiting for. Now, the excitement of a plan finally coming together thrilled her, tingled in her bones. She would finally give her son the life he deserved.

The loan officer who had called had not been from any bank—they wouldn't touch her with her measly income. Getting credit had become near impossible even for the few stable families around after The Big Crash and one had to resort to shadier methods if they hoped to get a loan.

She wasn't sure exactly who ran the operation that had approved her application, but the interest rate they offered soared high above the legal limit, and it was safe to assume that there was a criminal element to whoever they were. But it didn't matter. She was desperate. She knew that if she didn't get Herbie out of this town now, she ran the risk of losing him forever. Every day he grew colder toward her and Beatrix, a stranger to his own family.

She just knew that if she could get him to a good boarding school, away from the influence of the Light Seekers, she would one day have her son back. He would hate her at first—that much she understood well. But one day he would look back on everything she had done for him and know that she had acted only on the love in her heart for him. And that alone was worth the crippling debt that she was about to take on. That made it worth doing business with criminals. There was no price too high for fixing the mistakes she had made.

She gripped tight on the cracked sunburned leather wrapped around the steering wheel, pressing a little harder than usual on the gas, the excitement of getting home and arranging everything Herbie would need to attend his new school now egging her on. Newtown soon slipped away as the unlit roads of Oldtown called her home. Dodging potholes on the unkempt roads in the dark was the most challenging aspect of learning to drive the jalopy, especially with the anxiety that the broken seat belt dangling at her side instead of securing her to her seat brought on.

But by now she had become familiar with the ditches and the gripless sand, and she swerved in and out of her lane with as much ease and precision that the old car would allow. Steadfast Grove was the worst of the lot. As one of the oldest roads in Paradise Rift, it hadn't been maintained since the first Newtown buildings were erected and was more pothole than road in some sections.

Almost home, she thought to herself with a smile, wondering how Beatrix would take the news. She squinted as her tired eyes focused on the coronas that her headlights beamed onto the road, the silhouette of the old two-story farmhouse barely visible in the distance. She took her eyes off the road for only a moment when it happened.

Daeva sprinted into the road from out of the desert. Suddenly stunned by the headlights, she froze in front of the car, turning her gaunt face to Mary Anne, baring her rotting yellow teeth. Mary Anne instantly panicked, swerving the car into the opposite lane, sinking the front right tire into a deep pothole. The tire burst with the immense impact, sending the car spinning off the road and into the desert.

The bumper crumbled and the left headlight exploded as the jalopy collided with a massive rock fixed deep into the earth on the side of the road, while the other missed the rock and illuminated the cloud of dust the crash had kicked up. Without a seatbelt to secure her, Mary Anne's head went slamming into the windshield, smashing it and leaving a halo of white cracked glass and deep red blood where she had made impact.

Daeva slowly stalked her way to where the car had come to a sudden, violent stop, the chaos and destruction drawing her closer as though it sweated a delicious scent. She crawled up the hood of the car using her hands and feet like a jaguar, letting the chips of broken glass dig into her flesh. She stuck her scarred hands into the crack in the glass that Mary Anne's head had made and tugged on it, peeling it away in large chunks.

Once she had cleared an opening, she could see Mary Anne thrown back in her seat, unconscious, hot blood pouring down her face from the wound in her forehead. Daeva grabbed her throat and pulled her through the opening in the windshield, holding her up in the moonlight and letting blood run across her hands.

"This will do for now," she hissed with delight.

Clenching bloodied hands, nails barely grown back; she squeezed on Mary Anne's neck with inhuman strength, snapping it like a wishbone before dropping her onto the hood. Taking a deep breath of the evil she had brought into this world, she licked her lips and smiled a sickly smile. In the distance, she could see the front porch light turn on at Beatrix's farmhouse. She would leave it to the old woman to figure out what had happened and let the fear sink into her bones. Beatrix Hunter's time would come. Eventually.

# Chapter Eight

##  The Spirit

The arrival of April erased the thirsty desert's last hope for rain or snow, but was yet to usher in the heat of summer. Herbie stood in the cold beside Beatrix in the churchyard, hands tucked into the pockets of the black suit pants that Don had lent him. The events of the past week sat in his soul like a smoldering lump of charcoal—burning away at him, but too painful to handle and dismantle.

He had woken up to Magister Grimsby, the local general practitioner, with a torch aimed in his eye, checking the severity of his concussion. Melody had been laid out on the couch beside him in the Balcom mansion living room, her nose broken and crooked and caked with blood—her perfect beauty would don a scar of that day for the rest of her life. Herbie's head throbbed badly, and he instinctively touched his swollen eyebrow, only to be met by a sharp sting. He had trouble remembering exactly how he ended up there, though Daeva's bloodshot eyes still peered into his soul from the dark recesses of his memory.

Once Magister Grimsby confirmed that his injuries were mostly superficial and the mild amnesia to be expected from the concussion, he was told to meet Don in his study. Herbie had assumed that he was going to receive the lecture of a lifetime, and perhaps even have his title of Brother revoked for letting Daeva free.

He could never have anticipated what awaited him. The news of his mother's passing had turned his muscles to jelly as his mind went completely blank, refusing to process the information. The moment of shock could only last so long as he fell to his knees, Don running up to his side to console him as the tears poured from his black eyes. It would still be a few days before Herbie was able to make sense of the world around him again.

While Beatrix planned the funeral, Herbie had refused all calls and visitors, unable to face anyone or discuss what was going on in his head. The only thing he could think of was the note his mother had left shortly before her death, how she had wished to make things right, how he had crumpled it up and thrown it away. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to witness him tearing himself apart.

He felt like the worst human being to have ever walked the planet, that if anyone had deserved to die, it was him. Even standing at the gravestone etched with her name, his mind was unable to comprehend what was happening before him. Beatrix had decided to bury Mary Anne in the lot that she reserved for Paul, Herbie's father. But Paul's body was burned to ashes in the accident that killed him, and now only a memorial headstone in a military cemetery in Washington, D.C. commemorated his death.

There were few lots left in the small cemetery, and it served as a small consolation to Beatrix that a Hunter would fill it. One day, she would be laid to rest in the lot beside Mary Anne. Neither Don nor Melody attended the funeral, though it was the last thing on Herbie's mind. The suit he wore was delivered to him by a driver with a note that the Balcom house was always open to him, though now he would always remember the mansion as the place where he heard of his mother's death, where his world fell apart so shortly after he had repaired it.

Pastor Calvin Hendryx stood beside the grave as the coffin was slowly lowered six feet into the earth, speaking of man's inability to comprehend the Will of his Maker, but that all events since the beginning of time were part of His Plan. Herbie pushed the words aside with the rest of reality. It hurt too much to hear someone trying to justify a world that was so clearly indifferent to the trials of humans. Unable to cope with the sentiment, he retreated to the back of the small crowd of grocery store employees and regulars that had befriended Mary Anne during her short time in the Rift.

At the back of the crowd, he felt a hand squeeze his own, a familiar warmth in its grip. He turned, relieved that Melody had come to help him cope with what he was going through, but was surprised to find Brenda Lee standing behind him with Hollis at her side.

"You!" Herbie hissed, quickly pulling his hand away.

"Herbie, I just wanted to..." Brenda Lee attempted.

"No, you don't get to speak, this is all your fault!" he muttered through gritted teeth, barely able to keep his rage at bay.

"Hold on, Herb, that's not fair," Hollis interjected.

Herbie could no longer hold back his anger, "Don't act like you're innocent either, Hollis. I'm sure you knew exactly what Brenda Lee was doing when she went behind my back and poisoned my mother's mind against the Light Seekers. She would never have overworked herself like she did if she hadn't been trying to get me out of the Rift. She would never have been so tired if she hadn't been trying to make enough money to get to send me to boarding school. She would have made it home safe if the two of you could just mind your own business!"

Brenda Lee and Hollis stood frozen, unable to summon a response from the outburst.

"I think you should apologize to your friends, Herbie," a voice announced from behind him.

Herbie turned and saw Nabozny standing over him, and by the sounds of it, he had heard the entire outburst.

"I don't owe anyone an apology," Herbie spat at him.

"It's not their fault, and I can prove it," Nabozny nodded sternly.

Herbie shook his head, not in the mood for any of this, "She had a car accident, there's nothing else to be proven," he hissed with tears welling up in his eyes.

"I can see you're stricken with grief. But do come to find me when you're ready to listen. There are things that you need to know—things that will make you think twice about whom to trust."

Herbie stood there with his fists clenched, every atom in his body begging to punch Nabozny in the face for his insolence. But Nabozny knew not to push Herbie too far—not at his mother's funeral, and decided it was time to make his exit.

"My sincerest condolences, Herbie," he nodded before turning to the twins, "Come on kids—I told your dad you'd be home before lunch."

Herbie dropped his head and clenched his fists until they went bone white as the blood was squeezed out of them.

"That's Brother Herbie, to you," he muttered.

***

Herbie lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, ears clogged with "Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads, still dressed in the black suit Don had lent him. A million different emotions swirled around his head until he reached for his pillow and pressed it against his face, releasing a deep and agonized scream into it. The baseline thumped into his ears—invasive, intense, and severe, like a second heartbeat trying to take control of his own.

Beatrix and Pastor Hendryx had tried to counsel him on their drive home, but Herbie would not listen to outsiders. His position as Brother and the chosen child of the Light Seekers was all he had now and he planned to cling onto it with every fiber of his being. He would now be more committed than ever, he decided. He would focus on their doctrine and spread their word with every spare second he had—any opportunity his mind may find to wander to dark places where death lay waiting.

He would become a Magister and discover every hidden truth that the Light Seekers harbored—he would prove himself worthy. And if Nabozny was right, if the Masters truly did exist as a secret highest authority within the Light Seekers, he would prove himself worthy for that role too.

Nabozny, he thought, like the name itself was deadly poison.The rage that his image inspired in his mind was enough to make him throw himself off his bed and start pacing around his room. Who does he think he is, telling me who I can and can't trust? Big words for someone who disappeared when we needed him most. He is the greatest liar in all of Paradise Rift.

Just like that, the facts aligned themselves in Herbie's brain. It was perfect. He would punish Nabozny for his insolence and prove his loyalty to the Light Seekers in one swift action.

That's it! If I can show Don that one of his own Magisters is a spy for a secret holy order, I will be praised as the savior of the Light Seekers. They'll probably make me Magister right there on the spot and Nabozny will get what's coming to him.

The rage and revelation were a much needed relief from the pain in Herbie's heart, so he clung to it, molded it, and expanded it into an inferno of hatred. Why wait! he called out maniacally into the empty halls of his mind, I'll go right now! This has gone on too long—I don't know why it's taken me all this time to figure it out.

Herbie ran over to his wardrobe, pulled out his earphones and stripped out of his suit, packing it into the sling bag he usually used for his SleightSoccer kit. He quickly dressed in a white long sleeve shirt, his only pair of jeans that had become tattered from his constant cycling, and a pair of sneakers. After grabbing his coat off its hook, he bolted out the door, jumping the staircase three steps at a time.

"What do you think you're doing boy?" Beatrix called out from the kitchen when she heard the ruckus of his heavy footsteps on the creaking wooden floors.

Pastor Hendryx was sitting beside her at the kitchen table, drinking black, sugarless tea. They shared a concerned glance.

"I'm going out. I need to clear my head," Herbie replied coldly.

Goji ran to his side at the sound of his voice, yapping and squeaking as she placed her two front paws on his knees.

"Get off me, Goji!" Herbie snapped, not in the mood for the vixen's games.

"Don't talk to her like that, boy! Just for that, you can go straight back up to your room!" Beatrix retorted.

Pastor Hendryx placed a gentle hand on her arm."Give the boy some space, there must be a lot going on in his head," he advised.

Beatrix shrugged, knowing that the pastor was right, but sensing something disturbing in Herbie's behavior.

"OK then, just go. Be back by dinner. Pastor brought some HappyMeat beef to have with our potatoes."

Herbie huffed at the statement. He would have a slab of rare roast to himself, prepared by Chef Pappalardo, if that's what he really wanted.

"Yeah, sure," he moaned, rolling his eyes before making his way out the door and slamming it behind him. He plugged his earphones back in his ears as he mounted his bicycle, the overwhelming baseline now accompanied by violent shrieks—entwining with his raging soul.

Cycling down Steadfast Grove, he could feel his rage driving his feet into the pedals, a rush of mania as his calves flexed, dense and fit from their constant use. He was pleased to see how quickly his tires ate up the road. He would be at Don's mansion in no time. As he approached the eastern road that led to Big Cotton Creek, he noticed Hollis and Brenda Lee cycling up behind him. They were desperately trying to communicate something to him, but the music blocked them out.

They were watching the house. They know. They're trying to protect Nabozny. They're trying to stop me from becoming a Magister. Herbie heard the thoughts in his own head and felt his heart trying to interject.

You're not in your right mind, Herbie, it whispered, They're your friends, and they just want to talk to you.

Herbie shook the thoughts from his head and begged his legs to push harder, his heart was weak, his rage insisted, they were weak. He would not let them get in his way.

"Herbie, stop!" he heard Brenda Lee's muffled voice call through the music, but it only drove his legs to pedal faster.

"Herb! There's something you've got to see!" Hollis yelled in his ear, but the music smothered his message.

Faster! You can't let them stop you! his mind raged as he pulled ahead of them.

He had no choice but to push harder despite the unevenness of the road and the desert sand the wind had blown onto it, loosening the tire's grip. But it didn't take long for Herbie to discover that he had been wrong to gamble on his control of the bicycle, as it slipped out from underneath him on a patch of sand.

His already battered head smacked down hard on the road, sending an agonizing pain through his skull. His foot had slipped between the pedal and the asphalt, pinning it down at its tendon. His hand caught the earphone cables as he tried to brace himself for the fall, ripping them from his ears.

Dazed from the impact, he heard the twins ride up next to him.

"Is he okay?" Herbie heard Hollis question.

"Just call Nabozny, I'll check," Brenda Lee muttered as she kneeled down beside him.

Trying his best to keep his eyes open, Herbie threw his arm out to push Brenda Lee away but missed completely.

"Just relax, Herbie. You've probably given yourself a concussion," Brenda Lee calmly spoke.

"Get away from me..." Herbie groaned, but the pounding in his head urged him to be silent for now. His eyes grew heavier and heavier, despite him willing them to stay open.

"He's just around the corner, he'll take us somewhere safe," he heard Hollis say before he slipped off into the darkness.

***

"Do you think he's possessed?"

Herbie could just make out the words as his senses began returning to him, though his head was still spinning while bullets of sharp pain shot through his temples.

"Nope, not quite possessed, but I figure the little weasels have started whispering in his ear. Surprised he's not completely gone, they tend to find a way in when the individual is emotionally distressed and at his weakest," a second voice spoke.

"Probably only made it thanks to Beatrix. She has much power for an old woman," spoke a third voice with a thick accent.

"Ashverosh?" Herbie muttered, his vision still blurry.

"Ah, good to see you're still alive friend!" Ashverosh replied gleefully.

"Where am I?" he groaned through the pounding in his head.

"Paradise Peak Reformed Church! Or what's left of it," a familiar voice replied.

Herbie squinted until his eyes were able to focus. He gradually made out the cracked and split pews, the faded whitewashed walls with gaping holes bored through by the wind and sand, Ashverosh, Hollis, Brenda Lee... Nabozny.

Suddenly, everything came rushing back into Herbie's mind. "YOU! TRAITORS!" he spat.

He tried to get up, but suddenly realized he was bound by ropes across his feet and arms.

"What the... HEY! Untie me! When Don hears about this..."

"If you've still got half your mind about you, Don won't be hearing about any of this," Brenda Lee hissed.

"Yeah, Herb, there's something you need to see. Something that's going to change the way you see everything," Hollis urged, leaning down to Herbie at floor level.

"But why the heck did you tie me up!" Herbie exclaimed.

"We thought..." Brenda Lee began, but quickly lost the words she had wanted to say.

"They thought the dybbuk had taken control of your body," Ashverosh concluded for her.

Herbie shook his head, trying to make sense of what they were saying, "Dya-what? Have you people lost your minds?"

"A Fury, Herbie. We thought you'd been possessed by one," Nabozny clarified. Herbie took a second to see if they were joking.

"You have lost your minds!" he laughed, throwing himself back, but misjudging his center of gravity with his arms and legs bound, and falling back onto the cold stone floor.

The back of his head absorbed the impact, making him bite down in pain.

"I'm so sick of getting hit in the head ..." he moaned as his skull throbbed with pain. The four of them circled Herbie and looked down at where he lay.

"Well here's an idea—stop putting yourself in situations where you're guaranteed to get hit in the head," Nabozny mocked, leaning down to help Herbie back up.

"Thanks for the great advice, Nabozny, but it's not going to stop me from telling everyone who you really are," Herbie replied.

"Oh, shut it, Herbie," Brenda Lee snapped at him.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for this garbage too?" Herbie laughed.

Brenda Lee tilted her head down to Herbie, "That day in the churchyard, your grandma suggested I open my eyes to the world around me. I hope you'll do the same."

"I have! If you people weren't a bunch of backstabbing traitors, then maybe you too would share in the knowledge I've been shown and the truth would be clear."

"Then tell us, Herbie," Brenda Lee suggested.

He knew that sharing Light Seekers lore with traitors could result in terrible consequences for him, but he had to defend himself.

"The Furies are the Galactic Brethren, or at least, that's how the ancient Greeks perceived them. If a mind is unworthy to share in their knowledge, they go mad. Thus, the myth was born. So if you think that the Galactic Brethren were trying to contact me, it would only be proof that I am worthy of them."

Nabozny sighed and shook his head before turning to Hollis, "It's time we got this boy's head straight—please begin."

Herbie watched as Hollis rummaged through a backpack at his feet and pulled out a small black object.

"Remember this little guy?" Hollis smiled, leaning down to show Herbie what sat on his outstretched hand.

"Melody's micro-drone..." Herbie gasped, "Where did you get that?"

"I fetched it from the hospital construction site the day after Daeva attacked the Masters. I was gonna give it back, but I was kinda peeved after you decided to soak up all the glory for yourself and got promoted to Brother," Hollis confessed.

"Okay, so you're a thief as well as a traitor. Point proven! Can you untie me now?" Herbie grunted.

"That's clearly not the point, Herbie," Brenda Lee sighed, rolling her eyes.

"The point is," Hollis continued, "that this little guy is even more advanced than you'd think. For one, it can pair up with any device, even a smartphone."

"There's nothing special about that," Herbie moaned.

"Well, if that doesn't impress you, it's also got a pretty nifty infrared camera for seeing in the dark," Hollis smiled, unabated by Herbie's cynicism.

"Is this going somewhere, Hollis? Or are you four just trying to delay the inevitable?" Herbie spat.

"Sure is!" Hollis continued, "Because it came in real handy when I saw the lights hovering above the Bauer farm. I was on my bicycle the second I saw them, after borrowing, um... okay, 'stealing' my Dad's new smartphone and pairing it with the drone, of course. That thing streamed the footage nice and clear."

Herbie felt his blood run cold as he realized the implication of what Hollis was saying.

"You.... SAW what the Galactic Brethren did to those pigs?" Herbie gasped.

Hollis's cheeriness quickly slipped from his face, leaving a grave concern behind, "I was hoping to, Herb. But what I saw..."

"Show him. Let him see the true face of these so called, 'Galactic Brethren'," Ashverosh insisted.

Hollis nodded and placed the drone down beside Herbie. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a brand new multi-processor smartphone. After a moment, he held it up in front of Herbie's face. A video played in black and white infrared vision. He could hear the gentle hum of the drone's blades spinning and then gently coming to a stop. Hollis must have parked the drone on top of a shed nearby one of the Bauer farm pens.

In the darkness, Herbie could just make out the pale faces of men in black suits standing at the ready across the pen. They wore black sunglasses despite having little to no light, which suggested that they too had an infrared display of some sort. There must have been thirty of them scattered around the pen, waiting at attention, each with a long pole with a noose at the end in hand, similar to what a dog catcher might use to catch strays.

"Tranquilizers have been successfully administered to the subject. Phase three, commence," a stern voice called out from somewhere out of the drone's vision.

At the command, the agents began wrangling pigs from across the pen, their squeals piercing through the drone's microphone. Hollis had displayed some patience at this point, waiting until the agents had cleared all the pigs out of the pen before adjusting the drone's position. If they had noticed the drone, it wouldn't have been difficult to track the device it was linked to.

Eventually, the drone took flight once more, slowly hovering to the roof of a rain shelter further down in the pen. The screen suddenly went white as the infrared camera adjusted to a bright light burning at the edge of the frame. Slowly, a few details emerged from the whiteness, a picture that filled Herbie's mind with horror.

On the edge of the frame, Magisters—or more likely, Masters, were circled around a raised stone slab, all dressed in their long white robes. Flaming torches burned at either end of the stone slab, illuminating the most horrific image of all. A woman was sprawled out on her back, chained down to the slab. A man with the head of a goat-faced mask over his head stood behind her, a shining dagger in his hand.

Herbie squinted, trying to make sense of the bizarre ritual playing out before his eyes. The goat's head mask had long spiraling horns pointed up to the sky, and imprinted on its forehead; Herbie could just make out the shape of a pentagram. Every atom in Herbie's being screamed to look away, but his curiosity kept his eyes locked on the scene. Two agents held a squealing, wriggling pig over the slab by the throat, each propping it up with a pole and noose from either side. It hovered directly above the woman's limp body, facing the goat-headed man.

Chanting and groaning could be heard from the Masters between the swine's high-pitched squeals. Herbie saw the goat-headed man raise the dagger high above his head, catching a detail that made his blood run cold before finally breaking.

"Enough!" Herbie cried, shutting his eyes and turning his head away.

"No, Herbie, you need to see this!" Nabozny shouted, "Do you see whose robes that beast wears?"

He had. He knew those robes better than anyone, the only robes embroidered with a flame and an eye on its sleeves—the robe of the Grand Magus.

"Why!" Herbie cried, "Why would he do this!

"Open your eyes, Herbie, and you'll see," Brenda Lee whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"He shouldn't have to stomach the whole thing, I'll fast forward to the important bit," Hollis suggested.

When Herbie finally willed himself to open his eyes once more, the scene had progressed at least an hour forward. The stone slab and the woman—Daeva, were layered in red and surrounded by wet severed hearts. Herbie wanted to vomit—he had never seen anything so foul in his life. It was evil incarnate.

"I don't want to see this!" Herbie cried.

"Wait, watch," Ashverosh insisted.

Doing his best not to gag, Herbie watched on—watched as the Masters ceased their chanting to gasp at the six lights descending from the sky. The glowing orbs hovered above Daeva's body momentarily before sinking into her skin—into her flesh—into her body. Her once still form erupted into convulsions, her eyes shot open; she flung her head left and right.

"PLEASE NO!" her screams crackled through the speakers, "Don't put it back inside of me! Please!"

Herbie sat with his mouth agape, unable to digest the information. This was all too much. His mind had taken too much of a beating over the course of the last few weeks. He let the tears pour from his eyes unchecked, like a burst in a dam wall.

"Untie him, Ash," Nabozny asked.

"What did I just see?" Herbie begged through his tears.

"An ancient pagan ceremony. It is designed to win the favor of dybbuk by offering the life force of the innocent and a host to exist in. There are many reasons why a sorcerer would perform such a ritual, and we can only speculate why exactly Don Balcom has assumed such a role, though I have my suspicions," Ashverosh stated sternly as he undid the ropes.

"So, when my grandma stepped in at the hospital construction site..." Herbie began.

"The orbs of light weren't healing Daeva, they were leaving her," Hollis concluded for him.

"How she did it, we don't know. That sort of power has been lost to the Tzadikim for some time," Nabozny added.

Herbie threw his face into his hands as soon as he was loose and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I believe that Nathan Macklin's cattle met the same fate as John Bauer's pigs," Nabozny noted. "But Macklin must have walked in on the ritual."

"So that's what Daeva was doing running up the road? She killed Macklin after the Fury took over her body, then she ran screaming as it took over her mind," Hollis noted.

"Which is why they chained her down this time," Ashverosh added. "She must have been a willing host during the ritual at Macklin's ranch, but after learning what it meant to succumb to a dybbuk, of the pain of having one's soul devoured, she refused to undergo the possession a second time. But that was not going to stop Don Balcom. He is an unquestioning servant of the dybbuk and will put their will before his own daughter's pleas."

"I need to get to Melody and get her away from that madman!" Herbie insisted as soon as he had gathered his wits.

"You will do no such thing!" Nabozny commanded. "Daeva's body has now been possessed by a second Fury, after your gran banished the first. Her body doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell at holding that thing for long. It'll devour what's left of her real quick, leaving her a soulless husk." He ran his hands through his white hair as he imagined what Daeva was going through.

He turned back to Herbie. "We suspect Don has already chosen the next vessel for it to possess. And that is you. We need to get you somewhere safe and prepare you for the battles ahead."

***

The fire licked a starry sky, inviting moths and beetles to dive between the flames of the small fire Ashverosh had lit in the freezing evening. Herbie's shadow danced across the craggy rocks of brown and gray behind him, though his eyes were fixed to the heavens, sharing their glorious bounty of shimmering white stars.

After hours of walking, Ashverosh noticed Herbie tiring from the endless trudging up Granite Peak. His steps were becoming slow and labored, his face tensing each time he had to lift his leg. Despite his obvious exhaustion, Herbie had not said a word since they left Paradise Rift, and Ashverosh knew it was better to camp overnight on the peak rather than to drain the boy of all his strength.

Not one for meaningless banter, he had feared that Herbie would pester him all through their journey with a barrage of questions about the evils that lurked in the backrooms and tranquilized midnights of Paradise Rift, but he had been met with the complete opposite. Instead, the boy walked with the thousand mile stare of a soldier returned from war after leaving limbs on the battlefield, earphones crammed into his ears. The silence started to tap on the tough exterior of Ashverosh's heart, almost wishing that Herbie would bother him with something—to ask where they were going or even to complain about the toll that trudging through soft desert sand took on one's legs.

He thought that the chargrilled sagebrush lizard he had passed him on a skewer would inspire some sort of reaction, but Herbie simply grabbed it from his hand and picked away at the soft muscle in its arms and legs, leaving the more gruesome center to be scavenged by the beasts of the desert. His caution of the meal at least suggested that the Furies had failed to possess the boy. He had seen their victims return to their most base instincts, hiding in forests and wetlands, feasting on toads and insects, though such severe reactions were not always the case.

He decided that if he was going to trust Herbie enough to sleep beside him without fear of the boy scratching his eyes out while he lay vulnerable, he would have to probe into his mind and check the state of his inner workings. He unstrapped the worn leather book from the buckle on his arm and placed it carefully and reverently on an intricate and symbol-rich embroidered cloth beside him, stretching out his elbow beneath his long brown coat.

Ashverosh tapped on his ear to signal to Herbie to take out his earphones. Herbie shot him a scowl, reluctant to obey. Ashverosh replied with a tugging motion, as though to say, "rip them out!"

Herbie rolled his eyes as he pulled the earphones out of his ears, "What is it?"

Now that he had Herbie's attention, he wasn't sure where to begin, "What are you listening to, boy?"

Herbie dropped his shoulders at the seemingly pointless question, "Nothing, now that you've interrupted me. But I was listening to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, 'The Weeping Song'."

"Weeping song... hmmm" Ashverosh considered, stroking his beard, "What are they weeping about in this song?"

Herbie sighed, not in the mood for such a trivial conversation, "They don't really get into specifics, but I imagine... they're scared to die, and so they weep."

"It's quite funny how we fear death, don't you think?" Ashverosh began, stroking his beard and staring up at the infinite majesty of the night. Herbie shrugged, not bothering to pass a glance of recognition.

"I always say, don't worry about death—it's life that will kill you. Death is but life's servant, sweeping up the mess that life creates, cleaning the stains, easing its pains."

Herbie released a deep sigh, the words tugging at his broken heart.

"It's death that creates pain," he muttered under his breath.

Ashverosh bobbed his head this way and that as he considered Herbie's words, "I have seen it otherwise. You know, I wasn't always a part of the Tzadikim. In fact, I once thought that such an order was blasphemy of its highest form. Much like your grandmother believes now."

Despite his inner turmoil, Herbie could not resist such a curious statement.

"What made you join them, then?" he asked as lazily as possible as he tried to hide his sudden spark of interest.

Ashverosh smiled with relief to see some part of the boy he had met at the bus stop outside the grocery store come out from behind the zombie he had walked alongside all day.

"I studied the Kabbalah in Jerusalem for many years, an honor only the most committed of scholars are awarded. In fact, you must be at least forty years old before you may be left alone with the ancient texts, and so most of my life had been dedicated to studying the Torah."

"The Torah?" Herbie inquired.

"The Pentateuch, as your grandmother might put it," Ashverosh explained.

Herbie nodded in understanding, "Then what made you quit to join the Tzadikim?"

"The Kabbalah consists of ancient oral traditions that have been passed down between generations of Jewish mystics," Ashverosh said.

"Like shamans?" Herbie asked.

Ashverosh waved his hands in the air at the statement. "That's not the term we would use. Though, one could find similarity in the roles. For one, the mystic deals with evil spirits, dybbuk—the Furies, as the Greeks would say. The books of the Kabbalah contain ancient rituals aimed at expelling them, and so, when my own wife became ill, I feared it was one such spirit that was attacking her to impede my ability to learn how to dispel them."

"Your wife was possessed by a Fury?" Herbie inquired, edging himself closer to Ashverosh to better hear his words over the crackling of burning wood and the roar of the flames.

"Indeed. She became a beast much like the one that has been terrorizing Paradise Rift. She tore at her own flesh, attacked those whom she loved. No chains could bind her for long and no incantation seemed to weaken her. I spent months trying to release the evil spirit from her body, but her condition only worsened," Ashverosh spoke solemnly.

Herbie's heart was not quite prepared for such an honest confession from this brick wall of a man. Ashverosh had always been so careful of the words he spoke, never giving anything away. Now, Herbie watched the way he stared up into the abyss, saw the same pain in his eyes that clenched Herbie's heart like a snare.

"What happened to her?" he questioned.

The giant's massive shoulders sank, his heart bleeding out a song of mourning in the way his body suddenly seemed to shrink.

"After reaching the limits of my knowledge, I was left with no choice but to seek answers elsewhere. That is how I met the prophet, the leader of the Tzadikim. He shared with me the book I carry around with me wherever I go, the Hermetic Kabbalah," Ashverosh began, gently stroking the book beside him, "It contains many pages from the sacred Hebrew texts, and more—spells from ancient civilizations—some older than even the Egyptians—rituals from religions born and destroyed in ancient times. Such a book was sheer blasphemy to my eyes at first, because at that age, I was still naïve. I thought that the world was black and white, good and evil. I now believe that I found the prophet so that I could understand that there is a gray area, that sometimes, one must use the magic of dybbuk to defeat them."

"So you used the book to cure your wife?" Herbie pushed on.

"The prophet performed a ritual, an ancient Egyptian rite, and I watched with my own eyes as the demonic spirit left my wife's body. But it was already too late, and the dybbuk took with it the last remaining fragment of my wife's soul, leaving only a cold corpse behind."

Herbie watched as Ashverosh's eyes strained through the pain in his heart.

"I learned two things that day," he continued, "That I would need to expand my knowledge if I was to protect the world from the dybbuk, and also, that death is not the enemy. Death is the faithful servant that erases the hardship of life. Although it pained me to lose my wife, I knew at least that her suffering had stopped, and for that, I am thankful."

"But death... It still hurts so much, Ashverosh," Herbie answered, a tear trickling from his eye as he did his best to hold himself together.

"Yes, but one day, death will come for you too, and on that day, you will feel no more pain. But we cannot spend our lives waiting for that time to come, because such a life would be entirely meaningless. We must spend our days doing our best to learn from what death has taught us, and to try and rid the world of evil so that life might not be so cruel to those who are still to face it," Ashverosh assured.

Herbie wiped the tear from his eye and felt a sudden strength, a sudden sense of purpose birthing itself from the void of pain and resentment within him.

"I want to learn. I want to help rid the world of evil," he spoke with the flames bouncing in the reflection of his eyes.

"And so, you will, young Hunter, for tomorrow we meet the Paiute and your training will begin."

***

"I'm starving," Herbie groaned as they descended the northwestern slope of Granite Peak, the mountain's shadow setting a chill across his neck.

"I preferred you quiet and mopey," Ashverosh muttered.

Herbie jogged up to Ashverosh's side, "Are we going to get something to eat?" he pleaded.

"You shouldn't have wasted half your lizard last night. The abdomen has all the tasty bits," Ashverosh replied without turning around.

"Is that all we're going to be eating while we're walking aimlessly around the desert?" Herbie goaded.

Ashverosh stopped in his tracks and grabbed Herbie by the neck, turning Herbie's head to face the horizon, "What do you see out there?" he questioned. Herbie looked around at the harsh landscape. Barely a browned shrub could be seen. The sand was dry and cracked, not a desert, but an enormous expanse starved of water. It could have been the surface of Mars if he didn't know any better.

"Death," Herbie admitted, wondering to himself how anyone could survive and exist out here, let alone live any kind of meaningful life.

"The Northern Paiute still survive out here as they have for centuries, though now they must incorporate Western methods to do so. The Quinn River once flowed through here—it brought life to the land and sustained the tribes who made it their homes. But now even that has been taken from them. The water has been rerouted to a lake so that others may drink it. So listen here, young Hunter, if this desert offers you a lizard, you eat it!" Ashverosh asserted.

Herbie swallowed hard as guilt bubbled up in his belly. He found life in Paradise Rift impoverished. He lived such a simple life with such basic technology at his disposal, only lab-grown meats for dinner and barely enough water to get himself clean. He had never thought to be thankful for what he did have.

Maybe I wouldn't have been so easily manipulated by Don's life of luxury if I had seen how good my life had been without him. Maybe I would have told my Mom I loved her, he thought, his heart stinging with deep regret.

Ashverosh saw the pain ripple through Herbie's face and reminded himself to perhaps not be so hard on the boy, letting go of his neck and patting him on the back. They descended the peak in silence, passing a leather skin water pouch between them as the crisp cold air dried their throats, and trudged on through the wasteland that followed.

"How could they dam up the Quinn River if the Paiute need it to survive?" Herbie asked, shaken by the devastated landscape surrounding him.

"Because water is money, and money means more than people's lives," Ashverosh answered coldly.

As Herbie digested the injustice of the statement, he noticed the first signs of the McDermitt Native American Reservation on the horizon. When Ashverosh had first told him they would be visiting a Native American tribe, he had expected the illusion of the people that Hollywood had painted for him. Warpaint-faced tribesmen living in thriving forests; galloping across the open fields on wild mustangs; sleeping in teepees; huddling around fires at night recounting legends of their ancestors. But the man, who drove up to them in an ancient rust bucket of a Chevy Napco pickup that looked like it had survived a World War II atom bomb explosion, wore normal clothes like Herbie's and didn't have a lick of warpaint on him.

"Hey, Ash! Whatcha doin' back here so soon? We ain't got no giant problems no more," the man in an orange button up shirt and bolo tie asked, hanging his arm out the Chevy's driver window.

"Hello, Tate. My friend here needs to meet with Tso'apa," Ashverosh nodded.

"You know you can just call him Edmore," Tate laughed. "But I'm sure he'll be happy to make some time for you after all you did for us. Hop on in. I'm sure the boy wouldn't mind a hot meal and a clean change of clothes before he goes back out into the desert," Tate smiled.

"Thank you!" Herbie exclaimed at the sound of something to eat that hadn't just been living under a rock.

They lifted themselves into the back of the pickup and found a place to sit amongst seed bags and weathered coils of rope. The rust bucket pulled off with a huff and a puff, chugging its way across the uneven road that led to McDermitt, tossing its passengers around as it went.

They drove alongside dried up circular plots with the last remnants of crops wilting over like gravestones for a prosperous past, before connecting to the main road. Derelict houses were spaced miles apart, most abandoned, the few trees that had once fought to survive in the harsh climate now only dead husks.

Herbie soaked in the desolation the drought had brought, trying to understand why nothing was being done to help.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

Ashverosh tilted his head woefully, "No farms, no food, no way to survive. The few Paiute that remain sip on the last of the groundwater to keep their crops alive, but soon such wells will dry up. They have lived here for centuries, but now even those trying to hold onto the land have no choice but to leave and integrate into towns like Paradise Rift."

Guilt bubbled up in Herbie's stomach once more as he thought of the lavish meals he had indulged in at the Balcom mansion, plates piled high with delicacies worth as much as what it would cost to feed a family for a week. They drove on in silence, being tossed this way and that as the rattletrap pickup made its way up the rocky dirt driveway to Tate's house.

The simple single story had seen better days, though once upon a time it may have fit in amongst the typical middle class American suburb. As the Chevy announced its arrival with chugging and rattling, three girls between the ages of five and ten came running out the front door. With joy bursting from their beings, they ran up to the pickup and chased it as it circled around the house to its parking spot. Tate embraced them as he got out, the warmth of love radiating off them passing over Herbie like a gentle wave brushing across a silent shore.

"You kids been helping your Pea make lunch?" Tate smiled, getting down on one knee.

"Yes, naa'a!" they replied joyfully in unison.

Tate patted the head of the youngest of the three, "That's what I like to hear. Now go fill a bucket so we can wash up."

The three girls nodded excitedly before running off, as if the chore was the most fun they had ever had. Herbie had been so taken in by the scene that he hadn't noticed Ashverosh lift himself out of the pickup and reach his hand out to help Herbie.

"Come now, boy, I need a good meal," Ashverosh insisted.

Herbie nodded, grabbing his hand and using it to guide himself out of the pickup. They followed Tate back around the house to the front door, where his wife stood waiting.

"I wasn't expecting guests," she muttered with her arms crossed.

"Imala! This is the man I told you about, who helped us with the beast," Tate announced, before turning around, "Ashverosh, and his young associate..."

"Herbie," Herbie concluded for him, bowing his head to Imala.

"Your Mother named you well, Tate," Imala chuckled, shaking her head, "I'll go prepare two more plates."

Herbie walked up to Tate once Imala had disappeared into the house, his curiosity roused, "What did she mean, your mother named you well?" he asked.

"My name is Numu for 'he who talks too much'. That was her way of telling me to keep my mouth shut in future," Tate laughed, before leading them inside.

After washing up in a bucket of murky brown water, Herbie and Ashverosh joined Tate and his family for a simple meal of corn on the cob, winter squash and tepary beans. Despite its simplicity, Herbie savored every mouthful of the meal, for the first time in his life understanding how precious each morsel was.

"We call this the three sisters," Tate explained to Herbie as they ate, "It's a farming technique we have borrowed from the Iroquois, another tribe of the Americas. We plant the corn first, and then train the beans to grow up the corn stalks. The squash are then planted between them to protect the roots. It has proven very effective in these hard times."

Herbie nodded happily as he swallowed a mouthful of beans.

"What brings you here, Herbie?" Imala asked.

"The boy's here for healing," Ashverosh answered on Herbie's behalf.

"What ails you?" Imala asked concernedly.

"It's a precautionary measure. We have discovered an evil spirit in the boy's hometown, and his soul is weak. I fear the spirit seeks him as a host," Ashverosh spoke over Herbie once more.

Herbie's heart stung as he heard the words and felt that he should defend himself.

"I've just lost my mother. I'm sorry if I haven't been at my best," he snapped at Ashverosh.

A wave of tension sunk the table into silence before Ashverosh shook his head disappointedly.

"There is no need to be proud. I am merely stating the facts, not passing judgement on you," Ashverosh explained.

"Where is your father, Herbie?" Tate asked, a deep worry in his eyes.

Herbie shook his head, wishing they had never brought up this topic, "He's dead. But I can't say I mourn his loss all that much. He was a bad man."

Imala gazed deeply at Herbie, biting her lip as she began to understand the battle that went on in his heart, "Tate, send for Edmore. I will find Herbie some clothes. This boy has been left alone with his pain for far too long."

***

Imala guided the twine-bark leggings up Herbie's legs, bits of straw-like fibers scratching and itching his skin as it climbed the tender flesh.

"Tate's Moo'a made these for him when he was about your age. It seems only fitting that you should wear them for your meeting," Imala said tenderly.

Herbie did his best not to show his discomfort at the strange texture, biting his lip through the irritation.

"Moo'a?" he asked.

"His mother's mother. She held much knowledge that she took with her to her grave. I've tried weaving a larger version for Tate, but sagebrush bark is difficult to manipulate. I don't think Tate minds too much though—these things itch like the devil!" Imala laughed.

Herbie couldn't help but chuckle along with her, "They're really warm at least."

Imala dug inside her bedroom cupboard and pulled out a poncho weaved from the mashed up fibers of bark and bulrushes, "You should be able to get this one on yourself, just leave your shirt with the rest of your dirty clothes and I'll make sure they are clean by the time you return."

"And my iPod? I... don't have any pockets for it," Herbie shrugged, looking down at his new outfit.

"I'll guard it with my life. I'll need to with those three troublemakers running around," Imala winked.

Herbie nodded his head, but he could no longer suppress his guilt, "That's so kind of you. I have to ask, Imala, why are you being so good to me? I've done nothing to deserve your generosity, but you share so much even though there's so little to go around."

Imala shrugged, but smiled warmly, "Perhaps I am a fool, but I still believe that this world will be healed by love and understanding. Maybe if I do what I can to help lift the darkness in your soul, I will be creating a little more light in this world."

Herbie did his best to understand the sentiment, but Imala's selflessness was so different from how he had lived his life until now that it only served to reawaken the guilt in his heart.

"Don't worry," Imala assured, detecting Herbie's discomfort, "Once you have spoken to Tso'apa, it will start to make sense."

After knocking on the door, Tate stuck his head inside the bedroom, "Edmore is up on Buckskin Mountain, keeping an eye on things. He'll meet us at the foot of the mountain and take Herbie up for the evening."

"Well, you best get a move on, sun's still setting early and you don't want to be climbing the slope in the dark," Imala advised, "But if you'll be spending the night in the mountains, you'll be needing this."

She returned to the cupboard and came back with a thick gray fur coat. She draped it over Herbie's shoulders, and then held him back to see how he looked.

"This belonged to my Kunoo'oo, my father's father. It is made from rabbit fur. It kept him warm even when snow still fell on Buckskin Mountain. Treat it well," she smiled.

Herbie stared into her eyes and saw the same love and kindness that his mother had looked at him with when he was a young boy. A single tear ran down his face as he remembered how desperately she had tried to undo the mistakes she had made in the past. He would do anything to thank her, to tell her he forgave her for her selfishness, and to look into her eyes just one more time.

"Thank you, Imala, I'll take good care of it," he smiled through the pain in his heart.

"That's a good boy, now be careful up there. You will be in my thoughts," she nodded before pulling him close and hugging him.

After saying his goodbyes to Imala and her daughters, Herbie met Tate and Ashverosh at the pickup.

Ashverosh's face stretched out into a broad grin as he approached them, "You look good, boy!" he laughed.

Herbie smiled and shook his head, "I'll be warm, and that's for sure."

"I'm glad someone's putting my grandmother's handiwork to good use. Now let's get going, you can sit up here, next to me in the front seat," Tate suggested.

"What about Ashverosh?" Herbie asked.

"I won't be joining you, boy, but I'll be here waiting for you when you're done, to take you home," Ashverosh stated.

"But..." Herbie attempted, fear welling up inside of him.

Ashverosh kneeled down beside Herbie and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Your heart is brave, Herbie, I have seen it with my own eyes. But you wear your doubt like shackles. Trust in yourself. Courage is knowing what not to fear."

Herbie took a deep breath and nodded, "I will."

"Good boy, you're already well on your way to healing your soul."

With that, Herbie slid down the bench seat to the passenger side of the Napco, minding the tears in the leather where tufts of the soft cotton inner spewed out. Tate slipped in and shut the door with a sharp metal clang, before turning the ignition on. With a sudden shudder and clunky roar of the motor, the pickup truck was pulling out of the driveway and heading back to the main road.

They made their way through the ravaged landscape toward the foot of Buckskin Mountain, the suspense building up inside Herbie like a fresh water spring trying to break through stiff dry earth.

"Don't you worry, Herbie, Edmore will keep you safe out there," Tate winked, picking up on Herbie's fear.

"Keep me safe from what?" Herbie asked nervously.

"The spirits that roam these lands. Some good, some bad," Tate confessed.

"So you also believe in all stuff about The Furies?" Herbie probed.

"Believe? It's not a matter of belief. Folks from the cities have been coming out here with their telescopes and binoculars since before I was born, trying to spot UFOs and all that mumbo jumbo. But the city folk have minds that look at things they can't explain and see machines, because they are the builders of machines. My people have minds that understand the spirits, and so we see the lights and know that there are spirits amongst us," Tate assured.

Despite all that Herbie had seen, he couldn't help but feel skeptical of the statement. But how else could he explain the repulsive ritual that Don had led in a goat's head mask, the lights hovering above Daeva on the stone altar? Spirits or no spirits, Herbie knew evil when he saw it.

Tate spun the steering wheel, sending the busted up pickup's back tires flying out and the rest of the car bouncing off the road.

"What are you doing!" Herbie yelped.

"Shortcut to Buckskin, don't worry, the old girl can take it," Tate smiled wildly.

Herbie grabbed onto the door handle for dear life, only to find it wobble off its screws in his hand, leaving him to be haphazardly tossed around the cab of the pickup as Tate swerved between boulders and ditches. Fortunately for Herbie, it didn't take long before Tate slammed on brakes, sending the pickup skidding to a halt at the foot of Buckskin Mountain. Herbie released a sigh of relief as his heart pounded in his chest.

"Come on, then, it wasn't that bad!" Tate laughed at Herbie's wide-eyed expression, "Couldn't leave Edmore waiting."

Herbie nodded frantically, not quite able to form sentences yet.

"A bison could drive better than you," a deep croaking voice spoke through the passenger window.

Herbie whipped his head around, startled by the sudden presence. He was met by the face of an old man with long black and gray hair, straight as an arrow, cascading down his shoulders. His skin had been tanned to leather in the sun, the deep lines in his cheeks like rivers drawn onto a map. He rested his weight on a long staff that stood as tall as his head.

"Just having some fun, Edmore! Gotta get your kicks somehow," Tate smiled sheepishly.

Edmore shook his head wearily, then opened Herbie's door for him.

"You must be the lost soul that needs some guidance," Edmore spoke warmly, motioning for Herbie to exit the vehicle.

"Herbie Hunter, sir," Herbie stated nervously, then turned to Tate, "Thank you for everything."

Tate gave Herbie a knowing smile and sly wink, "You be safe up there. We'll have a plate loaded with the sisters ready for you when you get down."

With that, Herbie slipped out of the rusted old Chevy and began following Edmore up the winding path that led to the peak of Buckskin Mountain. Edmore hadn't wasted any time and had already begun plowing his way up the path with the help of his staff. He wore traditional clothes similar to those that Herbie had been given, though his were weathered from countless nights beneath the stars.

Herbie jogged up to him, wary of being out in the desert alone.

"The message I received simply said you were troubled, child," Edmore began with his eyes fixed to the ground, "What is it that troubles you?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure what I'm even doing here," Herbie admitted, "After my Mother's funeral, I was kidnapped by people I thought were my friends, shown that one of the only people I thought I could trust was a monster and told that I had to leave town just in case a Fury possessed me. I'll tell you what troubles me—I'm lost, and really confused!"

Edmore smiled knowingly as he dug his staff into the water-starved dirt, something in the confidence of his steps and the gentle nodding of his head saying that the chaotic happenings in Herbie's life were completely normal.

"Not all who wander are lost, but you seem to have wandered a little out of your depths," Edmore posed, "So perhaps the better question is, what is it that you believe?"

Herbie let out a deep sigh, not sure where to begin, "I once believed in Science—that all of life's mysteries could be analyzed and understood. But after the things I've seen, I just don't see how science can explain any of it."

Edmore nodded thoughtfully as he chewed on Herbie's words, "Have you ever considered predestination as an explanation?"

Herbie scratched his head, "What, like fate?"

"Fate is perhaps the simple way of looking at it, but it is somewhat more complex than that. Fate seems to describe the serendipity of life, the happy accidents, the challenges that we face and the place we land after the storm has picked us up off our feet and sent us swirling in the wind. Predestination talks about the purpose of all things, good and bad, as smaller parts of something bigger, a grand scheme—a Divine Plan."

Herbie rolled his eyes, "You sound like Pastor Hendryx. I'm sorry, but I can't see how becoming an orphan could be part of a Divine Plan. It just seems cruel. I'd rather believe in an apathetic universe than one that wanted me to suffer."

Edmore lifted his head and tilted his gaze up to the mountain's peak, "Ah, suffering. Have you considered that suffering may too have its purpose in this world? No tree, it is said, can grow to Heaven unless its roots reach down to Hell. You are not the first person to come to me with doubt in their heart, but fortunately for you, my role in this grand scheme is often helping those with doubt to see the truth that rests before their very eyes. This is how I have earned the nickname, Tso'apa, the spirit,"

"I think you might have met your match, Tso'apa," Herbie mocked, feeling somewhat insulted that anyone could imply that there was a reason that his mother should die such a gruesome death.

Finally, Edmore stopped in his tracks and locked eyes with Herbie, "How are you confused, if you seem to know everything already?" he asked.

"I'm not saying I know everything, I'm just saying that I need evidence before I believe in something," Herbie retorted.

Edmore looked up to the sky, then to the shadows that the sun cast against the craggy rocks along the path.

"I can show you nothing that will inspire faith in your heart. The Great Spirit is the One who chooses when the heart will soften from stone. But I can show you something—something that will prove that Science does not have all the answers."

***

"Fortunately, people have stopped looking for this place," Edmore noted as they descended a path between two small peaks, "My people grew sagebrush over the mouth of the mine so that none that came looking could find it, thus preserving this mountain. But the sagebrush has long died from drought and any fool could find it now."

Herbie gazed down the path into a deep black cavity dug into the mountain. The wind blew from behind his back into the long lost mine, but only stung his cheeks thanks to the thick rabbit skin coat around his shoulders. Still, Herbie shuddered. There was something dark and foreboding about the abyss beyond the mouth of the mine—he could feel it in his bones.

"What's down there?" Herbie asked, doing his best to hide his fear.

"Something scientists are yet to study—something that would force them to rethink the entire history of the world if they were to ever lay eyes on it," Edmore replied as he led the way into the void.

At the mine's entrance, Edmore recovered a torch from the ground. After retrieving a match from a small bag hidden behind his poncho, he struck it against a rock and used the flame to ignite the torch.

"Are you ready, Herbie Hunter?" Edmore asked forebodingly.

Taking a deep breath, Herbie nodded and followed Edmore into the bowels of the mountain.

He stayed close behind Edmore, fearful to stand outside of the dim halo of orange light that the torch provided. The air felt heavy in Herbie's lungs as he breathed slowly and deliberately. The wind howled ferociously as it whipped against the mine shaft's carved walls, awakening memories of his encounters with Daeva in the desert, causing his body to shudder once more.

But despite Daeva's monstrous actions, her bloodied hands with missing fingernails, her terrifying predatory glare, she had still been a human. Herbie had been able to rationalize her existence to some degree, albeit completely absurd. But what he saw as Edmore lifted his torch to the back of the mine—that was something else entirely.

The creature stood easily fifteen feet tall, roughly humanoid in shape, arms and legs chained to the wall with shackles buried into the stone. It's massive, elongated head covered in bushy red hair hung down between sinuous muscles bursting from its bare chest. A fibrous loincloth hung from the creature's hips, similar in design to the leggings that Herbie had been given.

Herbie had thought Ashverosh was large, but what stood before him was more than double his size and easily four times his weight. It was a living nightmare that Herbie wished he could wake from—it's very existence more than his mind could bear to comprehend.

He instinctively leaped back as his entire body convulsed in terror.

"Do not fear, I have fed it sleeping medicine," Edmore advised, grabbing Herbie's hand and pulling him toward the giant.

Carefully stepping forward, Herbie gazed up at the creature, unable to believe what his eyes were showing him.

"W... what is it?" he stammered through his shivering.

"They go by many names. My people called them the Si-Te-Cah, other cultures may simply call them giants, others, the Nephilim," Edmore stated.

"They must be some sort of ancient ancestor of man, a long lost cousin..." Herbie suggested.

"This is not a creature made in our image," Edmore corrected, raising his staff up to the creature's hand.

Herbie inspected the now outstretched palm and noticed six digits extending from it, then down to its feet to find an extra toe on each foot.

"The Si-Te-Cah terrorized my people for centuries. To them, we are no different from the trout or the antelope," Edmore warned.

"You mean?" Herbie began.

"They feast on the flesh of men, amongst other things. This one found a man and his daughter collecting water from a well not far from their home on the reserve. We tracked it all across the Santa Rosa mountain range, following the drops of blood it spilled as it feasted on the man, saving the child for later. If it were not for Ashverosh's help, we would have lost the girl as well, but thanks to his strength, we subdued it and brought it to this cave before its hunger awoke again."

Herbie swallowed hard, imagining the massive creature sprinting across the reserve, easily picking up a man and ripping him apart.

"We thought we wiped them out hundreds of years ago," Edmore continued, "But I have since learned that creatures as these were plentiful in days of old and we only dealt with a small group of them. They are incredibly intelligent, physically superior in every way and thus ruled over cities whose people saw them as gods."

"Impossible," Herbie muttered, eyes still fixed on the giant, "There would be historical records, there would be giant skeletons in every museum across the world."

"Oh, they have been unearthed throughout time, but the powers that be are always sure to destroy their remains, and man is quick to accept that anything out of the ordinary must surely be a hoax. Here sits such a beast before your very eyes and still you doubt your own senses," Edmore suggested.

"You see, Herbie," Edmore expounded, "Scientific enlightenment has given man many gifts. The Great Spirit made us curious and creative so that we could make the most of the world that He made for us. The discovery of the new need not erase the knowledge of the old, yet science has somehow replaced spirituality. There was never a need for us to exchange the one for the other."

Edmore continued, "But, it was in this exchange that these monsters chose to hide themselves, turning themselves into myths as the knowledge of our ancestors was forgotten, finding it safer to work from the shadows in case The Great Spirit's elect eradicate them as The Great Spirit Himself had done in the past. But they could not stay hidden forever—The Great Spirit sheds His perfect light to chase the horrors of the night."

"There are more of these alive today?" Herbie questioned.

"It is hard to say. Where this one came from, I am not sure, but it is a fearsome omen. There is something greater at play here, something we are yet to understand. All I can say is, it is no coincidence that this one arrived so soon after that woman was possessed in Paradise Rift. These creatures are hungry for power and will do deals with whatever entity that can offer it to them. It is possible it came here to aid the dark spirit that controls Daeva."

"Do you think the Furies have something to do with it?" Herbie asked.

In the dim light, Herbie could see the hints of a smile curl the corners of Edmore's lips, "So you have accepted the existence of spirits?"

"Well, I mean, come on!" Herbie joked, pointing at the giant, "There's definitely something going on here that I don't fully understand."

"But do you now understand that the man of faith does not follow blindly? That he must, in fact, be more skeptical than any scientist, that he must discern and investigate, but put himself on trial and be judged by no man?" Edmore questioned.

"I understand," Herbie nodded.

"Then you are ready," Edmore smiled, turning back to the entrance of the mine.

"Ready for what?" Herbie asked.

"To meet the others."

***

Edmore had instructed Herbie to keep an eye out for whatever dried wood or grass he could find on their walk up to the peak, although the mountain had little to offer. The sun was quickly setting and the coming of spring had done little to warm the air—if they didn't have a fire going by sundown, there was no chance they would make it through the night on the icy peak.

As they climbed and searched in the twilight, Herbie shared with Edmore all he had experienced since arriving in Paradise Rift, from his horrifying first encounter with Daeva in the desert, to succumbing to the temptation of power that Don had offered him, to the blood-chilling footage of the swine being slaughtered on the Bauer farm.

"From the second I arrived, the madness started following me around..." he concluded, gathering a log under his arm.

Taking delight in Herbie's sense of revelation, Edmore thought to guide his understanding, "I know it is painful to accept, but perhaps you can now see how your father's passing played a role in the Divine Plan? It seems to me that The Great Spirit intended to show you these things. You must have an important role in what is to come."

But turning from his gathering to see Herbie's reaction to his statement, he was met by an unexpected scowl from the boy.

"Don't talk about my Father, Edmore," Herbie stated harshly before turning his back to collect the browned tendrils of a dead sagebrush shrub.

Edmore decided to take caution from the statement, but in the back of his mind, he had realized that the feelings that Herbie was harboring toward his father were leaving him weak to the attacks of darkness in his heart.

"You will have to face your father's death someday," Edmore muttered under his breath, his words carried off by the shrieking wind before reaching Herbie's ears.

Despite the damage the drought had done to the mountain, Herbie and Edmore reached the camp with outstretched arms loaded with sticks and dried grass for the fire. Edmore had been camping there for a week already and Herbie was relieved to find pots, plates, and cups and rolled up blankets waiting for them.

Edmore let Herbie take the reins on getting the fire started, showing him how to build a pyramid of thin sticks around a bundle of dried grass before placing thicker sticks and branches around its perimeter. By the time the sun was fully set, the fire was burning with fury, keeping the cold off their faces. Edmore gave Herbie a bag of dried salmon skins to snack on while he prepared a pot of boiling water on the fire, throwing in dried yellow flowers to create a rust-colored tea.

"This is Hopi tea, named after the tribe that first brewed it. It is believed to cure many ailments. Like these tea leaves, you will only know your strength when put in hot water," Edmore advised, passing Herbie a small wooden cup of the broth.

Although the tea was bitter, it warmed Herbie up from the inside and he would have happily drunk it all night long. While he sipped at the brew, Edmore pulled out his small leather bag from beneath his poncho, revealing a bundle of herbs wrapped up in string.

"We'll be starting with a practice called smudging. It is a ceremony aimed at expelling darkness from the heart. We burn a mixture of cedar, lavender, sage and mugwort. The smoke gathers up the negativity emanating off the individual and carries it away on the wind," Edmore advised, miming the motion of the wind with his hands.

Herbie watched as Edmore stuck the end of the bundle into the flames, allowing it to catch alight, trying to understand the sentiment behind the ceremony rather than allowing his skepticism to write it off as a bunch of mumbo jumbo. Finally, Edmore retrieved a massive black and white feather from his camping supplies, most likely from an eagle or hawk on the endangered species list, if not completely extinct.

"This was a gift from my father," Edmore began, showing Herbie the feather, "He searched the Lake Mountains in Utah for a week to find the perfect one—it is one of my most treasured possessions."

Edmore motioned for Herbie to stand before the flames, as he began to chant a haunting but beautiful song, emanating deep down in his diaphragm and reverberating in his throat. As Herbie rose to his feet, Edmore began waving the feather across the thick plume of smoke swirling from the red embers at the end of the bundle. The clouds of thick white smoke engulfed Herbie, crawling up his nose and stinging his eyes.

Edmore circled around him, using the feather to direct the smoke toward Herbie, chanting his hypnotizing song, blinding and deafening him. Herbie tried to imagine the pain in his heart lifting up out of him, sweating from his pores and taking off with the dank fumes around him. And then he did begin to feel something, a flexing of his diaphragm, a lightness in his heart, and he allowed himself to relax and be carried away with it. But then, Herbie realized what it was, and could hold it back no longer.

It started with a chuckle, but soon he was roaring with laughter, waving his hands for Edmore to stop, so that he didn't waft in huge lungfuls of smoke as he caught his breath between fits of hysteria. He got down on his haunches, trying to get a hold of himself.

I'm... I'm so sorry, Edmore," he managed between chuckles, "I think this all a bit too much too quickly. It just all seems a bit ridiculous."

Edmore stared back at him with a face of stone, clearly not pleased with Herbie's reaction.

"You mock my ancient traditions?" he questioned sternly.

"I really don't mean to, I promise, it's just... super weird," Herbie defended, getting back to his feet and raising his hands apologetically.

Edmore shook his head and sighed, "Perhaps we need to try another angle. Come and sit by the fire, I'll make more tea."

Herbie sheepishly returned to his seat by the fire, somewhat disappointed in himself that he was unable to overcome his innate skepticism. "I really am sorry," he muttered as Edmore passed him another cup of tea.

"Don't worry, Herbie, your skepticism has a role to play in The Great Spirit's Plan. As I said, the man of faith must be discerning of all, for many are the deceptions of evil," Edmore smiled, "Next, I would like you to pray."

Herbie reeled his head back at the words, "I don't know any prayers."

Edmore chuckled as he took a seat beside Herbie, his hands cupped around his wooden tea bowl. "I want you to come up with your own prayer."

Herbie looked into the flames as he considered what Edmore was saying, "I wouldn't know where to start. I don't know how to be holy; I don't know what to ask."

"The purpose of prayer is not to get answers, things—or anything. Valuable as they are, those aspects are just side effects. The purpose of prayer is to get acquainted with The Great Spirit—anything else is just a blessing. That's the beautiful thing about prayer—it reminds the soul that it is not alone. I want you to try and identify what darkens your heart, and I want you to ask for help," Edmore advised.

"Help from whom?" Herbie pondered.

"Start by asking, and you will see who answers," Edmore smiled.

Herbie shrugged, feeling completely lost and confused, not really knowing how to continue from there. Sensing Herbie's apprehension, Edmore tried to guide him.

"Why not start by praying for your Father's soul."

Herbie tensed up at the words and turned his head away from Edmore, "No. Never!"

"You will not ever heal yourself while you hold onto your pain, you need to forgive him Herbie, you need to pray to The Great Spirit to forgive his soul, wherever it may be," Edmore insisted.

"I can't!" Herbie spat, feeling a deep rage bubbling up inside him.

"Why not?" Edmore exclaimed, desperate for Herbie to confront his pain.

"Because he's not dead!" Herbie erupted, huffing with rage, fists clenched.

Edmore pulled his head back and inspected the boy, not sure of what he meant, "But you said so yourself—is that not why you left your past life to live in the Rift?"

"I saw him, after his funeral. I saw him outside our house," Herbie trembled as he reached into his mind to grab the tenuous memory. "I woke up suddenly in the night and looked outside my window. There were men with guns. Two of them, in black suits, like the ones that follow Don around. They were walking up the driveway to my house. Then from out of nowhere, I saw him appear, I couldn't see his face, but I knew it was him, his height, the way he walked. He came out of the bushes behind the men and he..."

Herbie took a deep breath as he fought to keep control of his emotions, "He snapped their necks like they were made of dry twigs."

Edmore watched as darkness descended over Herbie's being.

"I hid away and spent the night under my blankets, too scared to move. My mom was so drugged up; she probably would have thought I was a hallucination if I'd woken her. By the time the sun rose, there was no sign that anything had ever happened, no bodies, no car, no Dad. But the more I've thought about it, the more sense it made. Just a few weeks before his accident, he had sold his self-driving electric car for an old fashioned gas guzzler. When he crashed it, it burst into flames, incinerating everything. The forensic cops had even said it burned far too hot; it didn't make any sense. All they found were his teeth. I know I sound crazy, but I know what I saw, he faked his death and left us with nothing."

By now, Herbie was shaking with rage, his face red from tension, tears welling up in his eyes. Edmore said nothing. He simply collected the bundle of herbs that he had left by the fire and reignited them in the flames. Once the tip of the bundle had smoldered down to embers, he fetched his feather and guided the smoke to Herbie from where he sat, singing from deep in his chest, letting it reverberate from his throat and out of his mouth, but this time quietly, gently.

Herbie felt the warm smoke brush up against his cheek and breathed deeply of the fumes. He wasn't sure if it was just the warmth it provided or something more, but he felt his rage lifting from his body, relaxing his shoulders, letting a tear or two trickle down his face.

Once Herbie's body was completely relaxed, Edmore knew he was ready, "Now pray, Herbie, reach out and ask for help to ease the pain in your heart."

Herbie shut his eyes, sunk his head and breathed deeply of the smoke before opening his heart to the warmth surrounding him, "If... there's anybody out there, tell my mother, I forgive her and that I'm sorry for pushing her away when she was ready to be a mom."

"Good, good, keeping going," Edmore encouraged.

"I'm scared. I don't know who to trust. I don't know what's real and what's not. Please, if there's anyone out there, please show me The Way," Herbie continued, keeping his eyes closed but pointing his head up to the stars.

His mind traveled back to his first night in Paradise Rift, when Daeva had turned on him—the fear he felt, how he had run like a coward. He thought of being lost in the desert, when Daeva had attacked Ashverosh, how he had left Hollis for dead to save his own life. He thought back to the way Melody had run into the dust cloud as Daeva attacked Don's bodyguards in front of the hospital construction site, how he had stood frozen in fear and did nothing to help her.

He breathed deeply of the smoke around him. He reached down into himself and touched his broken heart, "I don't want to be scared anymore!" he cried to the heavens, "I want to be brave! To protect those I love! I want to fight the evil in this world!"

With his eyes still closed, the darkness in Herbie's mind was unexpectedly overcome by a brilliant light. It was more intense than staring directly into the sun and felt as though it reached into every fold of his mind, traveling down his spine and filling his body. He felt a marvelous warmth around him, as though a soft eiderdown blanket had been placed around his shoulders and tucked around him.

His eyes shot open, overwhelmed by the sudden intensity of the moment. Looking around, he had expected to see someone there, someone holding him closely. But Edmore had moved to the other side of the fire to give him space, and there was only the dry dirt of the thirsty mountain to either side.

His heart started racing as his senses and reality contradicted one another.

"Woah. What was... woah!" was all he could manage, overwhelmed, confused, taking short, quick breaths as his mind desperately searched to make sense of what he had just experienced.

"You have nothing to fear, Herbie," Edmore advised, getting up and pouring Herbie another cup of tea, "You're just a little disorientated. Take your mind back to the image you saw, let it calm you."

Herbie took the tea from Edmore and drank deeply, allowing himself to relax.

"What was that?" Herbie finally asked after calming down.

"What was what?" Edmore questioned with a sly smile.

"I felt someone... something. It touched me, but passed right through me, I... can't explain it."

"That was a reminder that man does not fight the battle against evil alone. You have heard much about the darkness, the evil spirits, dybbuk—the Furies. But there are good spirits, too, that fight alongside you, guiding you, healing your heart when it has been beaten. And if I'm not mistaken, you just met one such spirit."

Herbie took a moment to take in what Edmore was saying, thought back to the feeling of warmth inside of him.

"I don't get it, what was the answer to my problems?" he asked.

"Now that you know they are there, all you must do is listen, watch, and trust that they will guide you in the right direction. But for now, I think it's best we get some sleep."

***

Herbie awoke to the crisp morning air as only the first few rays of light peered over the horizon. Edmore lay snoring on his blanket beside the ashes of the previous night's fire. He sat up, wrapping his blankets over Imala's rabbit fur coat for extra warmth, tasting icy morning wind. There was lightness in his heart—for so long it had been caught in a vice and wrapped in chains but now beat freely and uninhibited. He stretched out his legs, admiring the strength that they were developing and felt a rush of energy.

The world looked different today. It was huge, exciting, filled with possibilities. It made him realize how much of his life he had spent with blinders on, whether it was his VR headset in Washington, D.C. or the path to wealth and power that Don had started leading him down. He turned to the rising sun and decided to watch its full majesty on the eastern slope, while he waited for Edmore to awaken.

He slowly made his way down from the campsite and turned off the path to blaze his own trail directly to the slope, appreciating the twisted beauty of the desolate land that the drought had left in its wake. A boulder was peeking out over the slope—the perfect viewing point. He absorbed every aspect of the mountain, the scent of the cold dirt, the craggy texture of the boulder beneath his fingers as he lifted himself upon it, the rays of light peeking over the mountain range across the horizon, leading down to the red earth of the reserve.

But then something caught his eye as it trailed down to the foot of the mountain. Herbie quickly slid himself down along the boulder, pressing his back against the slope to try and hide behind the little cover the craggy rocks provided. Slipping down onto his belly, he pushed himself forward again to try and get a better view. A black van and Valac Templar were parked alongside the road near the foot of the mountain with two of Don's men at its side. Herbie scanned the nearby road, then back to the van and the path leading up to the mountain. At the foot of the path, four of Don's largest men did their best to carry an enormous object across two steel poles.

His heart suddenly sank. He saw the massive bulk, ripped muscles, and elongated head covered in red hair. They had captured the Nephilim.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," Herbie muttered to himself as he quickly slid off the rock. He bolted back to the footpath, standing out against the gray rocks like a sore thumb, but hoping that the men below would be too distracted by hauling the giant down the mountain, like a skewered kill being brought back from the hunt, to notice. But before Herbie could make it back to the campsite, he felt something grip his shoulder and pull him to the ground.

"Ash! You scared me half to death!" Herbie hissed as he turned to see Ashverosh in his brown cloak, book in hand as always, "Don's men are here, they found the Nephilim!"

Ashverosh grabbed Herbie by the shoulders, a terror in his eyes that Herbie had never seen before, "They have Abichail, and we need to help him."

"Nabozny? What are we going to do?" Herbie panicked.

"They'll probably be coming up here now to find you. You need to tell them that you were being held here against your will. Stay by Balcom's side and find out where they have taken Abichail. I will help Tso'apa get to safety," Ashverosh instructed.

"After everything I've seen? I can't go back and pretend like everything's normal!" Herbie hissed back.

"You are Abichail's only hope, Herbie," Ashverosh pleaded.

The sound of scrambling footsteps on the loose rocks along the path could be heard coming up the mountain. Ashverosh stared at Herbie with pleading eyes, Don's men just a few feet away. Herbie nodded dutifully, sprung to his feet and ran down the path.

"Help!" he screamed as he ran toward the two men in black suits making their way up the mountain, "Please! Take me back to the Grand Magus!"

# Chapter Nine

##  The Face of a Fury

As Herbie waited outside Don's study, he couldn't help but feel somewhat ridiculous in his sagebrush bark leggings, poncho and extravagant fur coat. He had been hoping that he would be allowed to return home before seeing Don, to tell his grandma he was safe, to apologize for his behavior and most of all, to change into his normal clothes.

But the men in black suits and sunglasses had said practically nothing to him and acted as though his words were nothing but the silly pleadings of a child. Two of them still stood by his side as he waited outside the study—he got the distinct feeling that they were there not for his safety, but to ensure that he didn't get away.

He kept a close eye on the van that held the Nephilim while driving to the mansion, but it had quickly chosen its own route, turning off from the road that led to Paradise Rift and headed toward the highway that led south out of Humboldt County.

"The Grand Magus will see you now," one of the men instructed.

Herbie nodded and followed the guard to the door, the safety he had once felt when visiting the mansion replaced by a sickly dread of what was to come.

"Herbie, glad to see you're alive," Don stated from behind his desk as Herbie entered the lavishly decorated study, though his tone did little to convey any sort of relief, "You've been making some... interesting fashion choices I see."

"I'm glad to be back. Thank you so much for rescuing me from those madmen! They, um, made me wear this. How did you find me?" Herbie smiled, trying to be warm to the man whom just a few days ago had been a surrogate father to him, but coming off wary and nervous instead.

Don stroked his chin thoughtfully as he analyzed Herbie, inspecting his outfit, with his face still blotched with ash from the smudging ceremony.

"I sent a car to come pick you up for dinner after your mother's funeral, but the man I sent was met by a rather interesting surprise. No Herbie to be found, but rather Cale Nabozny, one of my most trusted Magisters, informing Beatrix that you had been taken away for some sort of... healing ceremony," Don noted.

"Yes, he kidnapped me," Herbie replied, trying to sell the idea that he had gone against his will.

"Well, who kidnapped you, Herbert? If Nabozny was at your grandmother's house, he couldn't have been hiking you up into the mountains. Yet I'm informed that you were alone on Buckskin Mountain when they found you," Don questioned suspiciously.

Herbie swallowed hard. He had to think fast. He didn't want to reveal enough about Ashverosh to get him in any sort of trouble, but his story couldn't have any holes in it if he hoped to find out where Nabozny was being kept.

"There was another man, a Paiute traditional healer. He was the one who took me up the mountain," Herbie stated.

"And you just went along with him?" Don questioned, with a harshness to his tone that Herbie had never experienced before.

His heart raced as Don posed questions faster than he could come up with explanations.

"They knew where I lived. I was worried they would hurt my grandma if I didn't cooperate," he defended.

Don inhaled slowly through his nose as he digested Herbie's words, not seeming completely sold.

"Well, Herbert, I'm glad you're back and safe, for now at least," Don posed with a twisted smile across his face; his usually bursting eyes squinted down into a beady-eyed glare.

"For... now?" Herbie wondered.

"Oh, of course you haven't heard, you've been out gallivanting across the mountain range," Don began, a sickening falseness in his tone. "Your grandmother has finally agreed to sell me her house; I'm just waiting on her signature. I'm assuming she plans on using the proceeds to fulfill your mother's dying wish and send you to boarding school. It really will be a shame to see you leave the Light Seekers, but I desperately need the land for my new developments. There are a lot of farmers out of work, thanks to the drought and the lab-grown meat boom. The waiting list for my affordable houses is long enough to roll out the door. I'm really sorry, Herbert, but you know what they say. Business is business."

Herbie's jaw dropped. "I thought... you were my friend," he began, his heart stinging from betrayal. "I thought I was going to lead a new generation of Light Seekers?"

"No, I'm afraid that you've shown me where your priorities lie and that you are simply unfit to be a Brother. Your title has been revoked," Don stated as though the words meant nothing.

"But... Melody and I were chosen by the Galactic Brethren," Herbie begged.

"As was Daeva, and we all saw how that turned out. Thankfully, we were finally able to capture her last night. But I'm not risking having Melody run around the desert attacking people so..." Don paused, carefully considering exactly what he was going to reveal to Herbie.

"So what? Tell me," Herbie insisted.

"Thanks to Daeva's exploits, my daughters have generated a lot of interest within the military. They have been trusting me to keep an eye on things, seeing that I had once been a military man myself. However, now they have taken matters into their own hands. It is within my supreme knowledge that Melody was the next to make contact with the Galactic Brethren, but I fear she will face the same fate as her sister. As a result, both Daeva and Melody will be held and studied at a military facility to get a better idea of the effect the Galactic Brethren have on a human mind," Don confessed.

Herbie fell back in his seat, "You're... a monster!" he whispered, suddenly terrified to be alone in a room with Don.

"I'm not a monster, Herbie, it's just business," Don defended suddenly applying his charismatic smile.

"How could handing your daughters over to the military just be business? They're your family!" Herbie spat.

Don tilted his head as he considered his words, "I suppose you were going to find out sooner or later..."

"Find out what?" Herbie probed.

"Come November, I'll be running for Governor of Nevada. I need to clean up my image. So really, by taking my unworthy daughters off my hands, the military is actually doing me a favor."

"You operate a cult in the middle of the desert, Don. The second anyone starts looking into your past, they'll expose you for the madman that you are!" Herbie exclaimed.

Don reeled his head back at Herbie's outburst, twisting his face into a patronizing glare.

"Herbert, Herbert, oh poor little Herbert, I've never seen you like this. It seems your time up in the mountains has changed you. What a shame. You've forgotten that the Light Seekers obey my every word. No one would dare tell a soul of our interactions with the Galactic Brethren. But fear not, when the time is right, I will reveal what they have to offer us, and I shall lead the world into a new age of enlightenment."

Herbie could only sit and stare at the monster before him. But it did not take long for his shock to begin to simmer, to boil and explode. He knew he shouldn't say anything, but his anger was blinding his judgment.

"I know you killed Nathan Macklin and I'm going to prove it," he spat.

Don threw his head back as he roared with laughter, "How do you come up with these imaginative stories? We've discussed this, Daeva killed Macklin, and now she is paying the price."

"No. I came up with that idea because I was scared of her and wanted to believe that she was the evil one. But she's just an innocent girl who trusted her father too much. I'd assumed that the blood on her hands was Macklin's—Macklin died that night, it seemed to make perfect sense. But then I realized something—that night I saw her running down my street, she was screaming because she was in pain, because her body was being hijacked by your so called Galactic Brethren. But the transformation was only completed when she was lost in the darkness, that's why she turned around to attack me. If she only lost her mind at that point, she wouldn't have been crazy enough to kill Macklin."

"Fascinating, Herbie, but then how do you suppose her hands got all that blood on them?" Don posed, smirking, a twisted smile at Herbie.

"It was her own," Herbie confidently replied, "I realized that when I saw all the scars on her body where she had scratched away at her own skin. Which leaves the question, why would you go to all the effort of covering up Macklin's death if Daeva wasn't the one who murdered him? The answer to that question is obvious. You murdered Nathan Macklin, and when I prove that it was you behind the Bauer farm mutilations, it certainly won't be hard to prove you were at Macklin's ranch as well. You're busted, Don."

Don squinted at Herbie with beady eyes as he ran his tongue across his teeth. He seemed disgusted by Herbie, insulted, perhaps even momentarily defeated. But it wasn't long before he reined in his apparent hatred and plastered his million dollar smile over his face.

"Well, that was a fascinating story, Herbie, be sure to tell it to your friends at your new school; it's bound to make you very popular. Though I imagine it will be difficult to make your case when you're halfway across the country."

Don peered down at his watch and put on an exaggerated frown, "Oh, no, it seems you've been so busy coming up with stories, you missed your chance to say goodbye to Melody. Her convoy was scheduled to leave just a minute ago."

Herbie's eyes went wide with shock as he leaped out of his seat, realizing that Don had only humored his theory to stop him from seeing Melody. "Ah! You're so evil!" Herbie hissed in frustration, throwing open the door of the study and pushing past the guards outside.

He sprinted to the marble staircase that led to the double-volume entrance hall. By the time he made it out the front door, the convoy was already halfway down the driveway. Desperate to catch up with them, he bolted down the long driveway with every last bit of strength he had. But it didn't take Herbie long to realize the futility of his efforts. He crashed down onto his knees as he reached the end of the driveway, the convoy off in the distance, turning down the western road that led along the southern perimeter of Newtown.

"Melody..." he whispered, his heart shattering as he resigned himself to failure.

I've lost the first girl I ever loved because I wasn't there to protect her, he thought, I'm such a fool. I should have told her how I felt, how her eyes made my heart melt.

But just as Herbie was ready to let the tears flow from his eyes, a strange yet familiar sound began to ring through the desert, a clunking, metallic chugging. He looked up, trying to place the familiar racket. Coming down Big Cotton Creek road, he saw the rattletrap Chevy Napco, hobbling along as though it may fall apart at any second. Standing in its cargo bed with his hands on the roof of the cab for support, Hollis smiled like he was having the time of his life.

"Need a hand there, pardner?" he called out to Herbie, putting on a terrible Southern accent.

With a sudden burst of energy, Herbie got to his feet and ran to the road. As he approached, he saw Ashverosh behind the driver's wheel and Brenda Lee beside him.

"Did you find out where Abichail is?" Ashverosh asked the moment Herbie was in earshot.

"Don saw right through our plan, but we don't have time now. They've got Melody! They're taking her to some military base to run experiments on her!" Herbie begged.

"We can't just ask for her back, Herbie. Those men have guns," Brenda Lee hissed.

"Then we must see where she is being held and plan a way to break her out. I will let no child suffer such a fate!" Ashverosh interjected. "Get in the back, boy!"

At that, Herbie placed one foot on the pickup's rickety side rail and lifted himself into the cargo bed.

"Here I am—what are your other two wishes?" Hollis smiled, throwing an arm around Herbie's shoulder, "Good to have you back, buddy."

"Good to be back," Herbie replied, messing up Hollis's hair.

"That's an, um, interesting outfit you've got there ..." Hollis couldn't help but comment.

Herbie took a second to look down at himself and sighed, "Not my outfit of choice for a rescue mission, but it's gonna have to do," he shrugged with a wink.

The Napco pulled off suddenly, forcing them to hold onto the roof to stop them from falling over.

"Take a right before Steadfast Grove, toward the old churchyard!" Herbie called to Ashverosh over the cacophony of rattling steel, misfiring pistons and backfiring exhaust.

By now the convoy was out of sight and Herbie could only hope that they hadn't lost Melody for good. Herbie noticed Hollis's face suddenly go pale.

"Oh no..." Hollis whispered to himself.

"What is it?" Herbie asked.

"If they're taking Melody along with Daeva, it means my theory was correct."

Herbie tilted his head, "Theory?"

"While you were away, there was another incident. This time at the Codero sheep farm, some ways out of town. Same as before, each animal bled of every drop of blood, heart removed," Hollis lamented.

"Did you send the drone in?" Herbie asked, trying to stay on his feet as Ashverosh sped around the corner, now heading west toward the churchyard.

"Not a chance. When they took Nabozny, he had the drone footage from the Bauer farm incident backed up on his phone—the only copy of it after he instructed me to delete it from my Dad's smartphone. I think it's safe to say that Don's now aware that we've seen everything and will be looking out for drones in the future," Hollis confessed.

"So, if you didn't get to see what happened at the Codero sheep farm, what's your theory?" Herbie questioned.

"Well, whatever the ritual is supposed to achieve, we know that it requires a host for the Fury to take control of," Hollis began.

"Daeva?" Herbie suggested.

"Daeva was already possessed at the Bauer farm, plus, she's been running wild in the desert. There have even been reports of her attacking people on the border of Newtown. I doubt the ritual had anything to do with her. And if you were out in the mountains, that only leaves one candidate left," Hollis calculated.

Herbie felt his blood run cold, "Melody..."

"If we find her, there's nothing to say that she'll be the same Melody that you left behind," Hollis stated warily.

"No, Melody wouldn't give in to something as evil as that. She would never have gone through with the ritual in the first place. And if they somehow forced her, Ashverosh will release the Fury from her body," Herbie insisted, but Hollis did not seem to be listening.

His eyes were wide and fixed on something in the distance.

"What is it?" Herbie asked before turning to see what he was looking at. It didn't take Herbie long to see what had caught Hollis's attention.

Just before the turn in the road that led up the hospital construction site, a black van lay on its side. As they got close, Herbie could make out a massive dent in the side of the van, as though a cannon ball had been fired at it. The back doors had flung open and whoever—or whatever had been kept inside, was now running free. Two agents in black suits lay on the ground by its side, completely still.

Ashverosh came skidding to a stop next to the overturned van and ran over to the motionless agents. Herbie, Hollis and Brenda Lee quickly joined him as he kneeled down, but even from a distance it was easy to see that their throats had been caved in by an incredible force, thin red streams trickling from their open mouths.

"What happened here?" Brenda Lee wondered in shock.

"Are they..." Hollis began.

"Stay away, children; the dead are unclean and will poison your soul," Ashverosh warned.

"Was it Daeva?" Hollis asked.

"She couldn't have done this," Herbie noted, going over to the van and inspecting the dent, "The impact came from the outside."

He got down on his knees and lifted the turned over van's back door. Dangling from the side panel, a set of chains swayed in the air, blood dripping from their torn open shackles.

"But it does look like she was inside the van. I don't think Melody would have torn her own wrists open like this," Herbie concluded.

"What could have done something like this?" Brenda Lee asked.

"My guess? The Nephilim that these men took from the Buckskin mine broke free when Tso'apa's medicine wore off. The Nephilim seek the dybbuk for they serve the same dark master. It must have been seeking Daeva all along," Ashverosh stated, stroking his beard worriedly.

A tremendous crash echoed through the desert, coming from the old church. Brittle planks of whitewashed wood shattered into splinters and dust, causing the entire church to shake.

"What was that!" Hollis exclaimed excitedly.

"Silence you fool! You'll give away our position!" Ashverosh hissed, "You children go and hide in the pickup truck. I will find out what's happening."

"I'm coming with you," Herbie insisted. "I'm not running away anymore."

"Don't be insane, Herbie, you'll be killed!" Brenda Lee hissed.

"I know you're strong, Ash, but there's no way you can take on a Fury and a Nephilim at the same time. Let us create a distraction while you prepare the releasing ceremony," Herbie suggested.

"I won't have the blood of three children on my hands," Ashverosh retorted.

"And I won't have yours on mine. We're not just children, Ash, we're warriors against evil!" Herbie replied, digging his foot into the sand and doing his best to reach his face up toward Ashverosh.

Ashverosh buried his face into his palm, "I suppose there's no way for me to stop you, but please make me a promise."

"Anything, just name it."

Ashverosh got down on one knee so that he could meet Herbie at eye level, "If I tell you to run, you run. Got it?"

"I promise," Herbie replied with determination beaming from his eyes.

Ashverosh turned to Hollis and Brenda Lee.

"Don't look at me!" Hollis yelped, "I've seen what that woman can do!"

"Yeah, Herbie, I just... don't know how we'd be of any help," Brenda Lee shrugged.

Herbie turned to the twins and put a hand on each of their shoulders, "I know it's hard to believe, trust me, but I'm starting to understand that there's more to this world, some kind of... plan. The universe can be so dark and uncaring sometimes, but there is something out there protecting us. Think about it, all those run-ins we've had with Daeva, Hollis sending a drone into a Pagan ritual unnoticed. Every time we've looked evil in the eye, we come out okay. I think it's because we've got a part to play in all of this. Right now, I need you to trust me. I made a promise that I would fight the evil in the world and something... amazing, something made from light, it touched me for just a moment. In that moment I knew that as long as I fight for good, I will always be protected. The question is—will you fight by my side?"

A second crash went screeching across the desert; this time dislodging the few remaining shingles from the church roof and sending them cascading to the ground.

"Maybe we could just—" Hollis began.

"It's the maybes that will kill ya," Herbie winked.

Hollis turned to his sister with determination and then back to Herbie and Ashverosh, "Well, I can't let the two of you go it alone," he shrugged.

"I would never forgive myself if something happened to you," Brenda Lee confirmed.

"Then let's go!" Ashverosh roared.

The four of them sprinted toward the church, the cacophony of pews being broken and walls being smashed getting louder and louder as they made their way up the dirt path to the churchyard. Ashverosh was first to reach the churchyard and motioned for Herbie and the twins to keep quiet and move stealthily from there. Approaching the weather-worn wooden doors, the sound of Daeva's shrieks that they had heard one too many times before, echoed against the church's walls. But there was something else inside, something that sounded—human.

With Herbie and the twins now at the opposite side of the doorway, Ashverosh turned to the massive book strapped to his arm, flipping through the pages until he came across the symbol of a hand with an eye in the middle of it, printed at the center of a page with complex symbols spiraling around it. But before he was able to begin his deep guttural song to force the Fury from its host's body, the church doors flew open, a blur of black mass shooting past his face.

All four of them leaped backwards as the object went crashing through the doors and skidded to a stop in the churchyard with enough force to tear through the lawn. But by the way it twisted and contorted with the impact, it became clear that this was not a church pew or the old church organ that had come flying out the doors, but a man, of sorts.

He wore a thick black cloak with a hood draped over most of his face, and there was something altogether off about his proportions. His left arm was nearly twice the size of his right, and though Herbie wasn't sure if it was just the folds of his hood, it seemed that the left side of his skull was bizarrely elongated. As the man threw his head back, recovering from the incredible blow, Herbie noticed a mask beneath the black hood covering his face. It was white and seemingly ceramic with black lines around its eye-slits that looked almost like two simply drawn fish facing each other. A crack had formed down the middle of the mask, undoubtedly caused by the incredible force with which the man was thrown.

Herbie turned to Ashverosh and silently gestured a shrug, as if to say, 'who in Heaven's name is this guy?" Ashverosh shrugged back, clearly just as confused by the sudden turn of events.

"Get out of here..." the masked man wheezed as he forced his head up, his voice strained and gravelly. "You can't take her."

"Who are you?" Herbie questioned.

But before the masked man had a chance to reply, his reeling caused the crack in the mask to deepen, letting half of it fall from his face. He grabbed at the falling half, holding it to his face with his freakishly large left hand.

"Just run, you idiots!" he coughed, scurrying to his feet and sprinting away from them in massive bounds.

Herbie, Ashverosh, Hollis and Brenda Lee watched as the masked abomination cleared the shrubs and fencing around the churchyard perimeter in a single incredible leap.

"Was that a Nephilim?" Herbie asked Ashverosh.

"It was so small, it couldn't—"

Before Ashverosh was able to finish his sentence, he was blocked from Herbie's view by Daeva's feral, white eyed visage.

"Hello, Herbie," she hissed with a devious smile, baring her rotting yellow teeth.

Before Herbie knew what was happening, she grabbed onto the rabbit fur coat draped around his shoulders with her bloodied hands, digging in deep enough to rip into the soft skin of his belly. With her firm grasp, she swung him round and sent him hurtling through the air into Ashverosh. He felt his head spin as his skull smashed up against Ashverosh's sternum, throwing the mountain of a man backwards into the church door. They went tumbling into the church, smacking down hard on the stone floor as they rolled.

Through blurred vision, Herbie saw Ashverosh spring back to his feet and launch himself back at Daeva, just as she was turning to Hollis and Brenda Lee, both frozen in the doorway.

Dazed and bleeding, Herbie lifted himself up and saw Daeva and Ashverosh locked in a grapple, fighting for control, while Hollis and Brenda Lee hammered at Daeva's sides with pieces of broken pews they had picked up off the church floor in futility.

"Here comes your chance, children!" Ashverosh called out.

He dropped down onto his back, taking both his weight and Daeva's in the fall, and then lifted his right leg into Daeva's stomach, springboarding her backwards right over Herbie's head toward the pulpit. She came down with a magnificent crash, upsetting the dust on the stone floor.

"Keep her busy while I perform the ritual!" he called into the church. He began his song of exorcism.

Hollis and Brenda Lee ran to Herbie's side and helped him stand.

"Are you okay?" Brenda Lee asked.

"I'll be fine," Herbie confirmed, stepping forward out of their grasp toward where Daeva lay.

"What's the game plan?" Hollis questioned from his side.

"She's more rage than brains. I figure if we can dodge and dive her attacks and constantly call her attention away from her target, we might buy Ash enough time to release the Fury from her body," Herbie commanded.

Meanwhile, Daeva was trying to lift herself back to her feet, but her legs had buckled under her as she fell, snapping her left fibula so severely that it jutted out from beneath her skin. Ashverosh continued chanting from the text and symbols in his Hermetic Kabbalah, his utterances mixing with the whistling of the wind, filling the hollow church with a haunting song.

"So you stupid little humans think you can take me?" Daeva gargled as she limped toward them, dragging her shattered leg as blood poured from its wound, "I feel no pain—I will snap your puny little neck like I snapped your mother's!"

The words shot through Herbie like a firing squad putting him to death.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Daeva smiled sickly, inching toward Herbie, "After you so kindly freed me, I went straight to your house to silence that decrepit old fool that exorcised me before, but when I came across your mother, I thought it would be more fun to pick you Hunters off one by one."

Hollis and Brenda Lee had bolted to the north and south aisles, but Herbie found himself unable to move as an all-consuming rage filled his being.

"You... you're the one that caused the crash?" he stammered.

"I pulled her out of the wreck and crushed her throat like an eggshell," Daeva laughed, now just a few feet away from Herbie.

"I'll kill you!" Herbie cried, fury bubbling over the steaming cauldron of his mind.

Without thinking, he bolted toward Daeva, grabbing at her face and hair, hatred spewing from his every pore, Hellfire in his heart, driving his nails to rip and tear at whatever they could grasp. But Daeva's only response to his attack was hysterical laughter, before grabbing him by the throat as though he weighed nothing and lifting him up toward the ceiling.

"If only I could make you watch your little granny squirm as I tear her limb from limb, but I'm sick of you worms getting in my way. Goodbye Herb—"

Daeva's face swung to the side as a rock hit her square in the temple as she dangled Herbie from her outstretched arm.

"Nice shot, Sis!" Hollis called out to Brenda Lee, "Let me see if my SleightSoccer flick has gotten as good as yours."

Hollis picked up a chunk of wood off the floor and pitched it at Daeva's face. It smashed into her cheek, disorientating her for a moment. She slightly lowered her arm as she looked left and right to assess the situation, though her grasp was still tight enough to leave Herbie choking in her scabbed and bloodied hands.

With adrenaline pumping through his veins and the last gasp of air slipping from his lungs, Herbie knew that if he did not break Daeva's hold now he would black out and lay before her defenseless. He kicked out with as much force as his limp body could muster, further choking himself as he struggled in her grip, but making contact with the exposed bone jutting out of Daeva's leg.

"Kyaaa!" she shrieked as she lost stability.

But before she went down, a twisted snarl creased her face as she swiped at Herbie left cheek with her free hand, digging her fingers into his skin and tearing, cracking his cheekbone and pulling up its soft flesh in a straight line from below his ear and stopping as she reached his nostril.

Herbie released a howl of pain with his last gasp of air as Daeva collapsed on the floor, taking him with her. He rasped as his eyes shot open, desperately trying to catch his breath. He looked up to see Ashverosh standing over him, chanting deeply. Daeva writhed beside him, spitting and frothing, scratching at herself as though insects crawled beneath her skin. But still, she laughed.

"I will leave this body as you ask ... Tzadikim ... it cannot carry me... any longer," she gargled in a sickly chuckle before turning to Herbie and whispering, "I have my sights set on a far better one."

With that, Daeva's back arched, grinding her head against the stones beneath her. Her hands clutched at the ground around her, scratched at her own flesh. And then, six orbs of light began emerging from her chest, slowly and gently rising to the tempo of Ashverosh's chant. Herbie and the twins watched in awe as the orbs rose higher and higher into the arched ceiling as Ashverosh sang with ever more emphasis. Hollis and Brenda Lee helped Herbie to his feet, barely able to take their eyes off the incredible sight before them.

But something strange started to happen as the orbs ascended above Daeva's mangled body. When before the orbs had gradually dissipated, now they froze, hovering menacingly in the air, vibrating and pushing themselves into a single point like magnets being forced together at opposing poles—pushing inwards then snapping back, each time coming closer to coalesce into a single orb.

"What's going on?" Brenda Lee called out.

Ashverosh ceased his singing, staring up at the orbs, "I don't know, the Fury is banished from this world yet it fights to remain."

"What are we going to do?" Hollis questioned urgently.

"I ... I have no idea, children. The song has ended, this should not be possible," Ashverosh lamented, stepping back from the orbs.

It was the first time the twins had seen true fear in his eyes. Herbie's gaze remained fixed on the oscillating orbs, fire still pulsating through his veins despite barely being conscious.

"What have you done to my church!" a voice called from behind them.

Herbie lazily turned his spinning head back and saw Pastor Hendryx standing in the doorway.

"And what in the name of all that is Holy is that!" he continued, noticing the orbs of light hovering in the air.

As though the Fury had been waiting for the pastor to arrive, the orbs finally congealed into a single ball of light.

"Stay back, Pastor!" Ashverosh called to him, "It fights to stay on this plane!"

The ball of light began to darken, quickly turning from a brilliant white to an ichor black. Its texture seemed more than mere light now—it bubbled and sloshed like hot tar.

I can see into your heart, Herbie's own thoughts announced to him, it is as cold as a tomb, as hard as stone... it calls to me.

"Do you guys hear that?" Herbie drowsily asked the others, his head flopping around on his neck as he fought to stay conscious, while blood poured generously from the gash in his face.

Brenda Lee shook her head desperately, "What are you talking about Herbie?"

It's just you and me, Herbie. I have no interest in these fools that surround you. You seek power, power to control the hand of fate. I can give that to you, I can give you the strength to keep those around you from dying, the voice in his head whispered to him.

"No, you're evil," Herbie groaned, his head spinning into a trance like state, his face oozed blood.

"Who are you talking to, dude?" Hollis questioned.

The pastor had now joined the others at the pulpit, staring up at the viscous black orb in terror.

"What did you use to banish it?" the pastor asked desperately. Ashverosh squinted, surprised to see that the pastor knew what was going on.

"An Egyptian rite I have used without fail many times in the past," he stated.

"You Tzadikim, you have no idea what you're doing!" the pastor erupted.

Your words contradict your heart, it asks for my power and who am I to say no? the voice whispered into Herbie's mind. In an instant, the orb shattered into a million black locusts, filling the hollow hall with a cacophony of buzzing.

"Run, children!" Ashverosh yelled, turning for the door.

Panicking, Hollis and Brenda Lee released Herbie from their supportive grasp and went sprinting to the door after Ashverosh.

But despite the storm of black locusts swirling around him, Herbie remained completely still, entranced by the buzzing and fluttering of black wings. They flew up to him—through him, an illusion made of air. They passed right through his outstretched fingers, into his chest and out of his back. These were not locusts, there was nothing physical to them, they were merely the projection that the Fury had chosen to represent itself with, as it had done with the six orbs of light before.

Yes, Herbie, receive my power and this world will be yours to control, the voice gleefully hissed into his mind.

"You will not have this boy, Demon!" Pastor Hendryx called up into the maelstrom of buzzing black wings, "You have no power in the Face of Yeshuah, and His love rests in me!"

The moment the word Yeshuah was uttered from the pastor's lips, the buzzing softened, the locusts seemed to thin out in numbers, clearing Herbie's vision so that he could make out the walls of the church once more.

Stop him, Herbie! the voice shrieked violently, echoing across the valleys of his consciousness. Drunk on deception, Herbie swung his fist at Pastor Hendryx's face. But the pastor had been expecting the Fury's trickery and caught Herbie's balled up hand in his own, squeezing down hard on it.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, I command you to depart from this world, Demon!" Pastor Hendryx commanded, his voice booming over the buzzing of wings.

You stupid child! Silence him! the voice hissed desperately. But the rage that had been fueling Herbie's insanity was softening, slipping away like cool water as the pastor held onto his hand.

"Get out of my head!" Herbie screamed into the church.

"Help me, Herbie!" Pastor Hendryx begged, "In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" he screamed into the swarm, thinning it drastically.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" Herbie cried in unison with the pastor.

This old fool may banish me now, Herbie, but your heart is weak and you will serve my Master! The time of the Antichrist is upon us, and not even the righteous can stop him from being born! I will see you in Hell, Herbie Hunter.

"In the Holy Name of Yeshuah, depart!" Herbie cried with the pastor in response, letting the words emanate from the depths of his heart.

As the voice faded into silence, the locusts shimmered out of existence, leaving nothing of their presence behind. The pastor dropped to his knees before Daeva's lifeless body, and began praying. Not knowing what else to do, Herbie kneeled beside him, and thanked whatever force had kept him alive. He asked whatever or whoever was listening to help cure the evil that lingered in his heart so that it may never be a gateway to darkness ever again. He asked for Daeva to be forgiven for allowing herself to be puppeted by such a malignant force. He told his mother's spirit that he loved her.

***

Pastor Hendryx carried Herbie's weight on his shoulder as they walked through the doors of the church. Outside, Ashverosh and the twins waited tensely in the churchyard, seven teens on bicycles behind them. Herbie gazed across the yard, inspecting their wide-eyed, gaped mouth stares, bodies frozen, at the same time waiting for someone to say something.

"What's all this? You guys having a party out here?" he smiled through the pain radiating off his still-bleeding cheek.

Brenda Lee was the first to react, running up to Herbie and taking him in her arms, squeezing him as tightly as she could.

"I thought we'd lost you!" she cried, her eyes red and teary.

Before Herbie could say anything, Hollis joined in on the hug, wrapping his arms around both of them, "Why didn't you run, you lunatic!" he sobbed into Herbie's ear.

"Easy guys!" Herbie reeled, pushing them away slightly and lifting up the rabbit fur coat to reveal the blood stained poncho beneath, "She got me good."

"We need to get you to a hospital!" Brenda Lee exclaimed.

Ashverosh stepped forward, kneeled down and lifted the poncho to inspect the wound, "A bit of disinfectant should do fine, no need for stitches, but that cheek will leave a nasty scar if you don't get it sewn up."

"That's okay, I think I could use a reminder of what happened here today," Herbie nodded, half-smiling so as not to tense his cracked cheek.

Ashverosh dropped his head, "I'm... sorry, boy."

"For what?" Herbie asked.

"I left you for dead. But I told you, Herbie, when I say run, you run," he said angrily, though the rage seemed more directed at himself than anyone, "I was out of my depth. It seems my studies are still far from complete."

"Don't you worry, big man," Herbie winked, "We've both got some learning to do, and I hope Pastor will help."

Pastor Hendryx seemed ruffled by the statement, "That's a conversation for another day. Anyway, I best get you home so that your gran can get you to the doctor."

"What about Daeva?" Brenda Lee asked, her eyebrows scrunched with concern.

"I have called an ambulance and the sheriff, but I fear that Daeva now awaits her final judgement," the pastor replied, looking down to the ground as he too came to terms with what he had witnessed.

Hollis cocked his head, "You mean she's..."

"The Fury took too much from her, she couldn't fight any longer," Herbie mourned.

The pastor turned to the teens standing in the churchyard, "You kids, I'm afraid you'll have to cancel SleightSoccer practice for the day, the sheriff will need to close this off as a crime scene."

Herbie looked up and inspected the seven teens on their bicycles, and finally realized what they were all doing there.

"You're all... Sandgrouses," he smiled.

"Did ya' think we were gonna stop playing just because you became a Blackstart? We got a team together and have been practicing after school every day," Hollis winked.

At that Raymond Toddle stepped forward after leaning his bike on its side, "H... Herbie, what happened in there? One second there were bugs flying all over the place, next second they were gone. I... I just don't get it."

Herbie shook his head wearily, "I wish I had an answer for you, Ray, but as soon as I figure this all out, I'll be sure to let you know."

Raymond nodded solemnly before turning to the other Sandgrouses, "A-alright guys, Pastor says to m-move out!"

"Bye, Herbie!", "Feel better!", "See you at school!" the Sandgrouses called as they got on their bikes and made their way out of the churchyard.

Suddenly, Herbie's eyes shot open, "School! Pastor Hendryx, you gotta get me home! My grandma's gonna sell her house!"

"Oh goodness, alright, I'll go get my car, wait for me at the bottom of the driveway," Pastor Hendryx replied, hurriedly scurrying around the back of the church toward his manse.

Herbie turned back to Ashverosh and the twins, "Are you guys going to be okay?"

"The Fury may be banished, but Abichail is still missing. Hopefully I will be able to search for him while the Light Seekers are distracted by Daeva's passing," Ashverosh replied solemnly.

A vexing sadness suddenly tore through Herbie's heart, "And Melody..."

"We'll find her, Herbie," Brenda Lee insisted, "Even if we have to go to the police, or the news. We'll blow this whole story wide open. Don can't get away with this."

The pastor honked his horn three times at the bottom of the driveway, his pristinely restored split screen VW Beetle idling softly in wait.

"You guys get home safe, I'll drop you a message later!" Herbie stated urgently, turning and running down the dirt path of a driveway.

"May the Good Force be with you!" Hollis and Brenda Lee called after him in unison, immediately looking at one another, astonished at their serendipitous greeting.

"Stay strong, my friend!" Ashverosh added.

Herbie hurried down the driveway to the Beetle, ignoring the stinging pain from his scratched up stomach and cheek, and the ringing in his ears from one too many knocks to the head. Pastor Hendryx opened the passenger door for Herbie as he approached, allowing him to slide right into the seat.

"Hit it!" Herbie yelped as he got into the Beetle.

"Uh-uh-uh!" Pastor Hendryx insisted. "First, we set the scene."

He pushed what appeared to be an ancient tape into the Beetle's tape deck, the words "Subterranean Homesick Blues" written in black marker on a piece of masking tape on its side.

"Alright then, let's go save the farm!" the pastor smiled, shifting the Beetle into gear and pulling off with as much power as the little classic split screen could muster, Bob Dylan furiously spewing the lyrics to "Subterranean Homesick Blues" in the background.

They went zipping down the road, course set to Steadfast Grove. The pastor tapped the steering wheel to the beat, singing along under his breath, spitting out lyrics as fast as Bob Dylan could sing them.

He turned to Herbie, "Way better than Hendrix, don't you think?"

Herbie looked at him dumbfounded, "I've just seen a swarm of black locusts rise out of a woman's body and try to possess me. I'm not sure if now's the time, you know?"

The pastor shrugged, "You can always make time for Bob."

"How did you do that, Pastor? You gotta teach me," he asked.

Pastor Hendryx sighed deeply, "I know it seemed like I stopped that demon, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Unfortunately, what you witnessed today is not something that can be taught. I can try and guide your immortal soul, but in the end, it is not man's choice whether he be saved or not."

"Saved?" Herbie questioned.

The pastor shook his head wearily, "Look, we're starting in the middle here. You come by my manse some time and I can teach you what I know. But fortunately for you, you have a wealth of knowledge right under your nose."

"Grandma Beatrix? She doesn't want to tell me anything," Herbie lamented.

"Just give her time, Herbie. She's scared to reveal too much after things went so wrong with your father. But I don't think you're like him. I have a lot of hope for you," Pastor Hendryx smiled.

But before Herbie could ask the pastor what he meant, something caught his eye turning onto Steadfast Grove—Don's Valac Disco Volante and a black Leviathan parked outside Beatrix's old two-story.

"Dang it, Don's already there to pick up the papers, step on it!" Herbie pleaded.

"Herbie, this bug only has forty horsepower, we're going full speed," the pastor admitted.

"You're kidding me," Herbie laughed.

"Just hold on, we'll be there in a second," the pastor replied calmly.

Eventually, the pastor pulled up beside the barn, but Herbie was out the door before the Beetle had come to a complete stop. Herbie barged through the front door of Beatrix's house, practically knocking it off its hinges. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he was met by his worst fears. Beatrix sat at the kitchen table, stacks of paperwork beneath her pen-wielding hand, Don and two of his men leaning over her like blood thirsty vultures circling in on their prey. Goji stood on the table, eyes locked on Don's guards, snarling her lips and growling.

"Stop!" Herbie screamed, making even Don's burly bodyguards shudder in surprise.

Goji swiveled her head around at the sound of Herbie's voice. She bolted off the table, leaping into his arms.

"Goji!" he smiled, catching the vixen in his arms and giving her a cuddle.

Beatrix looked up at him with wide eyes as he stood in the kitchen door, "Herbie, what happened to your face, and what in Heaven's name are you wearing?"

"Never mind that now! What are you doing?" Herbie yelped.

Don stepped in between the two of them, "As I told you earlier, chief, she's selling this property. Now why don't you go outside and do a rain dance; the adults are busy."

Goji growled viciously and wriggled in Herbie's grasp to be let free to give Don a nip. He placed her down beside him and patted her head to calm her. She scurried to Beatrix's side and took an attack stance.

Herbie pushed Don out of the way, "You can't do it, Grandma! I won't leave! This town needs me."

Beatrix looked down at the papers before her and then back up at Herbie, "Your mother was right, Herbie, this town is not the place for you. I have to do this. You'll thank me one day."

"One day? When the world has been won over by madmen like Don Balcom, who spew lies into the ears of desperate people? That's not a world I want to live in! I need to be here, to stop it from happening," Herbie pleaded.

Don began to chuckle under his breath, but he quickly lost his restraint and laughed louder and harder. Even the bodyguards in the kitchen sniggered along with him.

"Stop me? Your time as a Brother has gone to your head!" he laughed, "You're just a stupid little brat. This town never wanted you, it would never have accepted you if I hadn't told them to. You are not welcome here, Herbert, now get out of my way,"

Beatrix tilted her head curiously, "What's going on here? I thought the two of you were the best of friends?"

Herbie knelt down on one knee beside Beatrix to meet her gaze, "I was wrong, Grandma, I was being manipulated."

Beatrix shrugged, "Well, when you dress up as a dog, prepare to bark."

Herbie dropped to his knees, knowing his grandma was completely right, "I know, Grandma, the Light Seekers have been led into the darkness, like I was, but they can still be saved. We just need to show them that this man is pure evil. Please, Grandma, let me make this right."

Don forcefully grabbed Herbie by the shoulder and pulled him away from his grandmother.

"If you stay here, Herbert Hunter, I will make your life a living Hell. You will be hated by everyone. And if you reveal any of the secrets that have been entrusted to you, the Light Seekers will punish you accordingly," Don snarled at him.

At that, Beatrix leaped from her seat, pushing Herbie aside to get right into Don's face, "I might be old, but I'll give you the ass whooping of a lifetime if you threaten my Grandson again! And then I'll knock a couple of teeth out of Tweedledum and Tweedledee here's mouth, just to get the point across."

She turned back to the table and picked up the papers she had been signing, tearing the entire stack of at least thirty sheets effortlessly in her coarse hands without breaking a sweat, "Now get out of my house, you hellspawn snollygoster! You'll have my land over my dead body!"

Herbie, Don, and his bodyguards stared at Beatrix, mouths agape from her impressive show of strength.

"I SAID GET!" Beatrix retorted, ending the silence.

Don's face curled into a scowl as he turned to leave, "You'll pay for this, Hunters, you're messing with forces you do not understand!" Goji went into a barking fit, running at Don and his bodyguards before Herbie collected her up in his arms.

Don stormed out of the kitchen, his guards close behind him and nearly pushed Pastor Hendryx over as they marched out the front door.

A ruffled Pastor Hendryx walked into the kitchen with a surprised look on his face. "I've never seen him so uppity!" he laughed, "I suppose that means we did it?"

"Oh, we did it alright!" Beatrix moaned, throwing her hands in the air and taking a seat at the table, "We've gone put some big-ol' bulls-eyes on our backs. Before we get into that mess, the two of you have some serious explaining to do. But first ..." she paused looking Herbie up and down, "Go get washed up, boy, you look like you've been up all night dancing with wolves."

***

Herbie felt his shoulders drop after the shower's soothing hot water cleaned the blood from his face and stomach, easing the stiffness in his muscles. Looking in the bathroom mirror, he ran his fingers along the fresh scab that ran from his ear to his nose, wincing as the blue and yellow bruise on his cheek ached at his touch.

Let this be a reminder, he thought to himself, You failed her. You let them take her away. Herbie noticed his compass gathering dust on the edge of his desk. He had forgotten all about it since becoming a Brother. I lost my way pretty quickly without you nearby, he thought, I'll never go anywhere without you again.

Wiping himself dry, he sighed deeply as allowed himself to relax for the first time in quite a while. He walked up to his phone, still charging on his desk where he had left it days before. Dropping the towel he had been using to dry his hair on the floor, he dried his right hand and used it to check his messages.

There was only one. A message from Melody, dated the same day as his Mother's funeral. With a heavy heart, he opened it.

Hey Herbie, sorry I couldn't be by your side today. Daddy said it wouldn't look good if we went to an outsider's funeral. I really wanted to go. Sorry. Daddy's been acting awful strange lately, but he says he's got something special planned for us tonight, he'll send a car for you later. I can't wait to see you!

Each razor-tipped word cut into Herbie's heart, making it difficult to breathe. He gripped his cell phone tightly and sat down on the edge of his bed. He hated himself for leaving Melody alone, knowing full well that her father was evil incarnate. He felt like a coward for running, for putting himself first—he would never allow it to happen again.

I'm going to find you, Melody. I'm going to bring you home, he promised himself, deciding he would not get sad—he would get angry, he had found his purpose and he would not rest until Melody was found. He read the message again, and then again, each run-through fanning the inferno that laid waste to his soul. He clenched the phone in his hand, and swung his arm back, ready to throw it at the wall—but then, it rang.

With a sudden soberness, he brought the phone back down, inspected the unknown number on the display.

"Hello?" he snapped into the receiver.

"That's no way to greet your old pal!" Abichail Nabozny joked in response.

Herbie's eyes went wide, a wave of relief cooling his burning heart, "Mr. Nabozny! You're alive!"

"Barely!" he laughed back, "Checking in from the McDermitt clinic, with a drip in my arm and a yarn-ball's worth of stitches holding me together.

"How did you end up there? What happened to you?" Herbie questioned urgently.

"Those nasty ol' Masters had me locked up in the hospital basement, beat the living daylights out of me for days, try'na find out exactly who I was. I figure they were set to kill me—bury their secrets in the shallow grave they dug for me, if I hadn't been rescued," he replied soberly.

"So Ash found you? Thank goodness!" Herbie sighed with relief.

The line was silent for a moment before Nabozny continued, "Wasn't Ash I'm afraid. But fortunately he was in the area fighting the Fury when I got let loose."

"Wait, if Ash didn't free you, then who did?" Herbie questioned curiously.

"Can't say who or what it was, but I hear that the two of you have briefly met. Some kind of Nephilim-like creature wearing a mask found me down there—broke me out. But that's not the strangest thing, believe it or not," Nabozny replied.

"The masked man..." Herbie asked.

"He gave me a message, Herbie, a message for you," Nabozny stated.

"For me? But... how does he know who I am? What did he say?"

"He seems to know a whole lot of what's been going down in this town—seems like he's been watching from the shadows for some time. But listen, I don't want to go into too much detail over the phone. I won't be showing my face in Paradise Rift again, but you come visit me sometime. I'll be staying with Tate and Imala for a while, I'm sure they'd be happy to have you over," Nabozny suggested.

"Wait, you can't just leave it at that!" Herbie's curiosity pleaded.

Nabozny sighed deeply into the receiver, "I don't want to get your hopes up, but... But I think he knows where Melody is."

# Chapter Ten

##  Doomsday 101

The school bell rang for home time, bringing Herbie out of his trance of Math equations and calculations and back into the shoddily built classroom. He closed his writing book and rose out of his seat with the rest of the class, his heart racing with the suspense of what was to come.

"Now I want the rest of the exercises done by Monday, have a most pleasant weekend," Mr. Badhira announced to the class as the students hastily evacuated the room.

"I'm not sure about this, Herb," Hollis warned as he packed up his desk, "People are already giving you nasty looks, maybe we should just lay low for a while. Stay out of sight. Eat lunch in the boys' room cubicles."

"That will just delay the inevitable," Brenda Lee chimed in, "The Light Seekers are going to be waiting around every corner to make our lives difficult one way or the other, might as well just get used to it now."

Herbie chuckled, shaking his head, "That's the spirit, Brend!" he laughed sarcastically, swinging his bag over his shoulder and heading for the door.

It hadn't taken long for Herbie to notice that the hallways that had once welcomed him when he walked at Melody's side had turned into a labyrinth of icy glares, threatening snarls and outright threats. The scar on his face had led to a new wave of nicknames and insults, ranging from the highly creative, "Scarface" all the way to the less expected, "Scarlet".

He had hoped to receive at least the slightest bit of sympathy after losing his mother, but Don had clearly put out the memo that Herbie was a villain in the great fantasy that the Light Seekers existed in. Daeva's death had been, for the most part, swept under the rug, but it was not hard to see that Herbie had been implicated in her sudden passing, and so he was expected to be ashamed, silent, and apologetic for existing at all.

But Herbie was not going to hide away in fear as Don had expected—he would not have his destiny dictated by evil. He walked the halls with confidence, dodging the skew looks that battered him from every angle. The Sandgrouses collected themselves behind him as he marched forward, doing their best to ignore the stares from the student body, ranging from curious to completely enraged.

Word had gotten out about Herbie's arrangement with Moose, the captain of the Spurwing SleightSoccer team, and so the students of Seker High did not race to their bicycles or their parents' cars on that Friday afternoon, but found themselves trailing Herbie and the Sandgrouses, eager to see how things would go down.

Herbie arrived at the field with Hollis, Brenda Lee, and eight other Sandgrouses at his side, while half the school watched their every movement from the perimeter. Moose and the Spurwings had wasted no time getting there and waited at center field for Herbie to arrive.

Raymond walked up to Herbie, pregnant with a soccer ball he had been hiding under his hoodie.

"W-we don't have to do this you know, there's not a ch-chance we can beat them," he warily advised, birthing the ball into his hands and holding it out for Herbie.

"Don't you worry about that, Ray, just remember what we practiced yesterday," Herbie winked, grabbing the ball and walking up to the center of the field, the Sandgrouses close behind him.

Moose dragged his massive bulk toward Herbie, stopping to spit a thick white ball of phlegm.

"Hey, Spurwing, Scarlet and his trash think they can beat us in a one-on-one!" Moose called out into the open field.

The Spurwing boys, along with most of the spectators, burst into laughter, their cries echoing off in every direction, making the Sandgrouse players swallow hard as their nerves got the better of them.

"Come on, Moose, we don't have all day, I've got things to do," Herbie sighed, spinning the soccer ball on his finger, showing no sign of fear, "Quick match, first team to score wins. If we beat you, we get to practice on the field at recess, no getting in our way, pushing us over, or stealing our ball."

"And if we win," Moose snarled with a sickly smile, "No trash-grouse steps foot on this field again, you spend recess at the dumpster, you eat lunch at the dumpster, and if we catch you doing otherwise, you get put in the dumpster, where you ugly little trash-grouses belong."

Herbie's lip quivered at the irony of the statement—a vile stream of breath leading the way to an array of swollen white pimples that protruded from Moose's face.

"Seems like you managed to understand the arrangement," Herbie nodded, stepping back from Moose's stinking breath, "Let's get this show on the road."

Herbie turned to face the Sandgrouse team behind him, "Take your positions!"

Brenda Lee jogged up to Herbie before taking her position as striker.

"It's not too late to stop this, Herbie; it's not fair for us to act on behalf of all of Sandgrouses."

"Brend, I've seen you knock the sense out of a Fury with a rock from fifteen yards. We've got this," Herbie smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"This new fearless Herbie is going to be the end of me," she moaned, before turning and taking her spot.

Herbie took position as left-wing defender, just as he had in the Blackstart team, despite desperately wanting to be closer to the action—it was the only chance they stood at getting past Spurwing.

"Who's gonna start?" one of the Spurwing midfielders asked.

"By all means, Spurwing should kick off, you'll need the advantage," Herbie goaded.

The crowd watching on released a collective 'Ooo' as the insult landed on their ears.

"Show them how it's done, Moose! Get those trash-grouses in the trash, Spurwing!" they called out from the sidelines.

Moose's lips curled up like an angry dog, "Fine, we'll end this quick."

Without wasting another moment, the Spurwing midfielders kicked off at centerfield, quickly flicking the ball up into the striker's hands and getting it past Hollis and the other Sandgrouse midfielders. Raymond wiped his face with his goalie's glove in the box, sweating as the tension grew. But the Sandgrouse defenders had been expecting the play, moving like a liquid to form an impenetrable barrier between the striker and the goal, forcing him to think quickly.

The Spurwing striker instantly flicked the ball across field, down to Moose's feet in the right winger position, with only Herbie between him and the goal. Without a second delay, Moose blasted the ball at the goal. Herbie swung his leg out, just as he had during the Blackstart-Sacred Ibis game, and once again just nicked the ball on its side, sending it spinning backwards toward the goal.

The entire crowd—Moose and the Spurwing team included, burst into laughter, all too familiar with Herbie's clumsy footwork. But little did they know—Herbie had been banking on just that. Knowing exactly where the ball would be heading, Raymond ran forward, right out of the goalie's box and snatched the ball up in his hands, instantly transforming the catch into a powerful overarm throw.

The Spurwings had been too distracted by their collective hysteria to notice Raymond's quick reaction, or Hollis volleying the ball to the right of Spurwing's defense before letting it touch the ground. It was only when the Spurwing goalie yelped, "Oi! The girl's got the ball!" did they even realize that it wasn't sitting in the back of the Sandgrouse net.

But it was too late for Spurwing to react. Brenda Lee was in position at the corner of the outer box mere seconds after gaining control of the ball, executing a flawlessly curved shot at the Spurwing goalposts. The Spurwing goalie dived but had misstepped in his sudden realization and fell short of the top left corner of the goalposts, allowing the ball to glide elegantly into the back of the net. A hush came over the crowd as the ball bounced once, twice, and then stopped behind the goal line, at the back of the net. Moose spun his head around, and then turned back to Herbie, his face a concoction of confusion and rage.

"Hey! What the—you cheated!" Moose exclaimed.

Herbie shrugged with a mischievous smile, "It's not my fault you guys didn't take us seriously—you should have been paying closer attention."

Moose roared with rage and turned back to his team, "What are you guys doing! You didn't even put up a fight!"

The Spurwings turned to each other awkwardly, shrugging as they finally pieced together what had just happened.

"Fair's fair, Moose," Herbie insisted, "We got the goal—you leave us alone if we want to practice at recess. Heck, maybe we can even do some friendly games if you guys are looking to get your butts kicked again."

"I'll show you, trash-grouse," Moose snarled.

Herbie felt a sudden force grab him from behind and before he knew what was happening, he was being lifted by his belt into the air.

"Don't you worry Moosey! We don't have to listen to this know-it-all trash-grouse!" Darius Smullen laughed, "We'll stick him in the trash where he belongs."

"Hey! Let me go! We had a deal!" Herbie spat as he wriggled in the air.

Darius chuckled menacingly, "You didn't have a deal with me!"

Desperately trying to free himself from Darius's powerful grip, Herbie heard a roaring like a mountain lion launching on its prey. He turned to see Brenda Lee charging at Darius, but then suddenly slipping down into a hard slide tackle, flying full force into his ankles. Darius went toppling over backwards, bringing Herbie down hard on top of himself. Herbie used the opportunity to lift his elbow, driving it into Darius's solar plexus as he landed.

Brenda Lee got to her feet and helped Herbie up, the Sandgrouse and Spurwing teams gathering in a circle around them. Darius writhed on the floor, completely winded, desperately trying to catch his breath, but only able to release pathetic marmot like squeals as his diaphragm went into spasm.

"Eee-eee-eee", his air-starved larynx squeaked.

The entire crowd, both SleightSoccer teams included, burst into laughter as the former silver-tongued loudmouth was reduced to embarrassing whistles and the chattering and 'chuck-chucking' of an angry groundhog.

Brenda Lee leaned down right up into Darius's wide-eyed, gasping face, "I've taken on bigger monsters than you, rich boy, so stay away from my friends, or there's a lot worse coming your way."

Herbie turned to Hollis with his mouth agape from shock.

"Woah," they both said in unison.

Herbie turned to Moose who was still roaring with laughter beside him, pointing at Darius and mimicking his pathetic squeals, "Eeep-eeep-eeep! I'm a lil' groundhog! Taken down by a girl and a freshman!"

"Well, you enjoy that, Moose. I'll see you at recess Monday," he winked.

Moose's face quickly turned into a scowl as he turned to Herbie, "Yeah, whatever, you're still a trash-grouse."

"I think you're mistaken, Moose... who are we?" Herbie called out to the team.

"SANDGROUSE!" the Sandgrouse team called out in reply, their voices echoing across the open field, into the ears of the crowd that watched on.

"That's right!" Herbie boomed back at them, "Now come on you two," he said, turning to Hollis and Brenda Lee, "We've left Grandma and Pastor Hendryx waiting long enough."

"I almost forgot!" Hollis burst out excitedly, sprinting to the sidelines to grab his backpack.

Herbie and the twins made their way to the school's entrance, the Sandgrouse team close behind them, oozing with pride and the first droplets of self-respect they had ever experienced.

"Daylight's wasting!" Beatrix called from the passenger side window of the pastor's VW Beetle parked outside the school entrance.

She hopped out the car and pushed her seat forward so that Herbie and the twins could get to the back seat. The pastor waved to the teens from the driver's seat over Goji's bobbing head, doing his best to stop her from bolting out of the open door, while Lazy Sam barked excitedly from the back seat.

"Coming, Grandma!" Herbie called back.

Hollis turned back to the Sandgrouses, "We'll be away all weekend, but you guys run drills at the churchyard if the sheriff's taken down the crime scene tape. Otherwise, we'll see you guys Monday!"

The Sandgrouses said their farewells, patting Herbie and twins on the back as they did. The trio made their way to the Beetle with their backpacks slapping against their backs.

"Goodness knows how you're all planning to fit back there!" the pastor laughed as the teens approached.

"We'll lay Sammy out like the rug he is!" Brenda Lee smiled, "Thanks for picking him up Mrs. Hunter."

"Always a pleasure, Brenda Lee. It was nice to meet your father. He's an... eccentric fellow. I'll be sure to invite him 'round for dinner."

"Did you remember everything?" Herbie asked his grandma as he slid into the back seat, the twins squishing in beside him while Lazy Sam stretched out comfortably across their laps with an indulgent yawn.

"It's all in the trunk, I was going to give it a wash, but I don't think sagebrush bark will mix too well with detergent," Beatrix confirmed.

"Good call, Grandma," Herbie chuckled.

Goji, unable to resist the call of Sam's squidgy folds of fat, launched herself into the already cramped back seat and nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"I hear that McDermitt is a non-stop UFO light show! I hope we get to see some flying saucers!" Hollis burst out excitedly.

Herbie and Brenda Lee turned to him with deadpan glares.

"You can't possibly still believe in aliens after everything we've seen," Brenda Lee moaned.

"Oh, I know about the Furies and all the other evil spirits that lurk in the shadows, I've studied the translations from the Hermetic Kabbalah back to front. But that doesn't mean there's no life out there, watching us from a distance. After all, Dad got abducted, remember?" Hollis insisted.

Herbie and Brenda Lee shrugged with a smile, knowing that they'd never change his ways.

The best of Bob Dylan played on through the Beetle's crackling speakers as they drove on toward McDermitt, discussing SleightSoccer routines, finals and the sweet relief of the fast approaching summer, Beatrix and Pastor Hendryx smiling with relief, glad that the teens could relax and experience a normal life. Goji had quickly moved back to the front seat to snap at the passing wind from the comfort of Beatrix's lap.

The Beetle took a good two hours to reach the Northern Paiute Reservation, dodging potholes as it slowly made its way along the neglected road. Herbie pointed out the circular center-pivot plots of dead crops that popped up along the route, the utter desolation of the land bringing a heavy silence over the passengers. Only Bob Dylan's voice could be heard through the speakers asking a grave question—whether all the money Osiris Corp made off this sickening desolation would buy back the souls of those in charge.

"I don't see how the government could just ignore this. Aren't there systems in place for drought relief?" Brenda Lee asked the elders.

"Sure, if you're a corporate mega-farm supplying food to supermarket chains, but these are mostly subsistence farms. The solution for these people, like many others, is to find somewhere else to live," Pastor Hendryx sadly confirmed.

"We're not far now, I'll tell you where to turn," Herbie directed, knowing all too well of the plight that the Northern Paiute were facing.

Tate and Imala's three daughters were playing tag on the rocky dirt patch in front of the house as they turned down the driveway. Smiles burst across their faces as they noticed the Beetle, excitedly running up alongside it as Pastor Hendryx parked beside Tate's post-apocalyptic Chevy Napco.

"Why, aren't you three just perfect little angels!" Beatrix smiled as she got out the car and lifted the seat back for Herbie and the twins.

Herbie and the twins wrestled with Lazy Sam to get him to unpin them from the back seat, though Goji wasn't planning on waiting around for him. The girls squealed with joy as Goji leaped from the car and went running around the garden as she playfully chased them.

"Well howdy, cowpokes!" Abichail Nabozny called from the front door, leaning on a pair of crutches, his forehead and right eyebrow lined with thick black stitches and his eyes black and blue.

"Mr. Nabozny!" the three teens cried in unison, running up to him and embracing him in an awkward group hug around his crutches.

"Good to see you, kids," he smiled, "I ain't your teacher no more, so you can just call me Cale if you like."

He grabbed Herbie by the chin to get a better look at his face, "That's a mean mark she left ya, boy, but you look tough as nails now."

"Thanks, um, Cale, it healed up alright," Herbie nodded, remembering his promise to Melody as he thought back to his battle with Daeva.

"Herbie, come help us with our packages!" Beatrix snapped from behind the Beetle's open trunk.

Herbie rolled his eyes and gave Nabozny a knowing smile.

"Grandma, have you and Cale been formerly introduced?" he asked, knowing full well that they had.

"Oh, I know him alright, but we'll have to discuss that later," she moaned, tapping her foot and glaring at Herbie and the twins until they scurried over to the open trunk.

Pastor Hendryx had loaded up a plastic crate with carrots, potatoes and butternuts that he had managed to grow in his vegetable patch back at the manse. It was so packed with produce that Hollis and Brenda Lee struggled to carry the weight between them.

"A little help wouldn't hurt, Herb," Hollis groaned as he sweated under the weight of the crate.

"Sorry, guys, there's something I have to personally hand-deliver," he winked, reaching into the trunk for Imala's neatly folded rabbit fur coat, poncho and sagebrush leggings.

Nabozny hobbled back into the house, giving the twins enough room to carry the crate into the kitchen with Herbie, Beatrix and Pastor Hendryx close behind. Imala stood over a small two-plate stove, stirring a steaming pot that stood as high as her collarbone. She turned to see Herbie's beaming smile, his outstretched arms bearing the clothes she had lent him. Imala immediately ran over to him, taking him in her arms and squeezing him so tightly that the clothes slipped from his grasp and onto the floor.

"When I saw those men at the mountain... I was so worried about you, Herbie. I thought we'd never see you again," she whispered.

Herbie's heart soared as he felt the immense amount of love radiating off of her, "It'll take more than some heavies to stop me," he smiled reassuringly, somewhat choking in her tight embrace.

"My goodness, what happened to your face?" Imala exclaimed, noticing Herbie's fresh scar.

Herbie sighed deeply, "Something the darkness left me with after I tried to bring a little light into this world."

After a moment, Imala released Herbie from her grasp and helped him pick up the clothes off the floor. She looked up to see the twins, Beatrix and Pastor Hendryx watching the scene from the doorway.

"Oh! Hello! Welcome to my home," Imala smiled, bowing her head, "And what do we have here?" she asked, noticing the crate of vegetables.

"Oh, sorry!" Herbie laughed, suddenly remembering everyone else in the room, "These are two of my closest friends, Hollis and Brenda Lee Andrews, my Grandma Beatrix and Pastor Calvin Hendryx. The pastor was kind enough to bring some of his homegrown veggies as a gift."

"Some! This could feed an army!" Imala cried with glee at the sight of the bounty of fresh produce.

"It's the least I could do after Herbie informed us of all the kindness you showed him," the pastor smiled in return.

"Not that he should have run off without telling Grandma where he was going," Beatrix tutted, stepping forward. "Beatrix Hunter, thank you for keeping an eye on my boy."

Imala stepped forward and shook her hand, "His heart was so broken when he arrived here—it was my duty to do whatever I could to help. I'm glad to see the light has returned to his eyes."

After dropping off the sagebrush leggings and rabbit fur poncho on the edge of Tate and Imala's bed, Herbie was relieved to find his iPod sitting amongst his freshly cleaned clothes, stashing it in his pocket before going back out to the kitchen.

"Hey, where's Ash and Tate?" Herbie asked, after emerging from Imala's room.

"Dad's down the road helping the giant clean his new house!" Imala's youngest announced from behind them.

"What did I say about calling Ashverosh a giant?" Imala chided.

"New house?" Hollis asked with an excited smile.

"Ash and I have decided to stick around awhile, to keep an eye on things. We might have brought an end to the Furies' reign of terror, but while Don is still around, you can bet there'll be plenty more trouble coming our way," Nabozny stated gravely.

"Please, speak not of such things in front of the children. I think it's time you tried to stretch that leg of yours, Abichail," Imala commanded in a parental tone, despite being at least twenty years younger than Nabozny.

"But it still hurts!" Nabozny groaned childishly.

"Nonsense, it's not even a sprain, if you don't work the muscle it will never heal. Now why don't you take Herbie and his friends down the road to see Tate and Ashverosh while I show Beatrix and Pastor Hendryx around," she instructed.

"Okay ..." Nabozny sighed.

"I like your style!" Beatrix smiled, truly impressed, "You don't perhaps want to come and stay with us to keep these teenagers in line, do you?" she joked.

"If I didn't have three children and a husband who thinks he's one of them, I'd pack my bags in a heartbeat," Imala jested in return.

"Come on, kids, let's leave them to it. I'm sure Ash is looking forward to seeing you hooligans. Herbie, you got your school bag with you?" Nabozny asked, leaning his crutches against the wall and standing with surprising ease.

"Um, yeah, it's in the back seat of the Beetle," Herbie replied curiously.

"Grab it," Nabozny commanded.

Herbie turned to the twins and shrugged, not really sure what Nabozny was on about. They made their way to the Beetle where Lazy Sam was still sniffing about and collected Herbie's bag before heading up the dirt driveway to the road.

"So what happened to you, Mr. Nabozny, I mean, Cale?" Brenda Lee asked as they walked amongst the devastated landscape.

Nabozny sighed deeply, running his hands through his white hair, "Those government boys that follow Don around like ducklings caught me talking to Beatrix, telling her that Herbie was being primed to be the next lamb on the sacrificial altar. You can bet your bottom dollar they didn't take kindly to that. If I ever had a chance of talking my way out of it, it disappeared real quick when they found that video of the Bauer farm ritual on my cell phone. Least to say, they beat me up good. Had me locked up in the hospital basement overnight without a drop to eat or drink, came by to smack me around every now and then in the hopes of getting a confession out of me. But your ol' pal Nabozny ain't no snitch, so I stuck to my guns and kept my mouth shut. That's when that... thing arrived."

"The masked man!" Hollis erupted, "What the weasels was he!"

"Boy, you said it!" Nabozny cried out, "I've seen some crazy things in my day, but I ain't ever seen anything like that!"

"He just broke you out and left?" Herbie asked.

"He had some words for me, but essentially, yes," Nabozny replied as he hobbled along the road, before pointing to a smallholding coming up, four plots down from Tate's house, "Almost there. That's where Ash and I are gonna be staying for a while."

"Looks abandoned," Brenda Lee noted as they got closer, inspecting the pale orange single story residence with smashed out windows and a layer of dirt on it thicker than its own paint.

"Looks like our house!" Hollis laughed, though Brenda Lee didn't seem to appreciate the comment, replying with a deathly scowl.

"Speaking of which," Herbie began as they turned off the road down the driveway toward the abandoned house, "did you guys tell your Dad about everything that happened with Daeva and The Furies?"

"Dad's a bit... fragile, ya know?" Hollis shrugged, "I don't know if he's ready to find out that there are evil spirits as well as aliens out to get him."

Nabozny curled his eyebrows, not too sure how to take Hollis's statement, but Brenda Lee waved her hands cautiously to signal him not to ask any more questions about it.

Getting the message, Nabozny smiled, "Right you are, Hollis. One step at a time."

They approached the sunburned orange single story with gray shingles stuck firmly to its arched roof, but there were few signs of life within to welcome them.

"This doesn't look like the sort of place anyone should be living in," Brenda Lee demurred as they pushed open the unlocked front door.

The interior of the house looked like a hurricane had hit it. It was a mess of upturned threadbare sofas, kicked-over kitchen appliances, smashed in rear-projector televisions and torn up mattresses.

"Looks like a coyote was the last thing living here," Hollis shrugged, curling his lips downwards and popping his eyes open wide.

"You're probably right!" Nabozny laughed, "But there is one room worth fixing up, follow me."

He led them past the open-plan kitchen and living room and down a hallway where a wooden trap door lay waiting.

"Hollis, go tap on the door like this," Nabozny smiled and tapped on the wall beside him: tap-tap-tap-tap-tap—tap-tap.

Hollis leaned down over the trap door and mimicked Nabozny's rhythm with his knuckles against the cheap plywood. But the sound that echoed back was not that of plywood, or any variety of wood, but a hollow steel drone, as though he were knocking on the hull of a submarine.

"Who's there?" a muffled voice replied from beneath the floor.

Hollis shuddered at the sudden realization that they were not alone. He turned his head back to Nabozny, his lips curled down with an exaggerated grimace.

"It's me and the kids, open up!" Nabozny called back.

"Who's me?" the muffled voice replied.

"Quit fooling around, you old fart, and let us in! This dust ain't doin' my lungs any good."

With that, the creaking of steel on steel vibrated through the wooden floors until finally the hatch opened up.

Ashverosh's head poked out from the chasm beneath, his beard wrapped up in a plastic bag to protect it from the dust. He had foregone his usual brown robe for an old pair of tattered dungarees, stained with drops of black paint.

"Ash!" the three teens cried at the sight of their friend, broad smiles on their faces in response to his new eccentric look.

"Loving the beard protector, big man," Herbie chuckled, "You'll be making waves in the fashion world in no time."

Suddenly realizing the bag was still attached to his face, Ashverosh pulled it off hurriedly.

"Oh, shush, boy. Get inside before all of Nevada knows we're down here," he tisked back before retreating down the flight of steps leading up to the hatch.

Herbie, the twins and Nabozny followed him down the steps and found themselves in a massive basement—or rather, a bunker. The eastern wall was lined with hundreds upon hundreds of cans of tinned food, water tanks, blankets, medi-packs and everything you'd need to survive an apocalypse. A steel table surrounded by chairs formed the centerpiece of the room, lit by two fluorescent bulbs plugged into the concrete ceiling.

But what made the room truly incredible were the markings inscribed on the other three walls—painted in tar were countless glyphs, symbols, pentagrams, phrases in Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and hieroglyphics. The familiar hand with an eye in the palm was most prevalent, forming a repeated pattern around the room. A wooden desk was pressed against the southern wall carrying the hefty weight of Ashverosh's Hermetic Kabbalah.

As Herbie took in his surroundings, he couldn't help but feel a little creeped out by what he was seeing. Something rang evil about the markings, though he admitted to himself that there were aspects to the order that Ash and Abichail belonged to that he simply didn't understand.

"What am I looking at?" Hollis announced gleefully, spinning around the room.

"Weren't you paying attention in class?" Nabozny smiled, "It's Doomsday one-oh-one!"

"Well, this is unsettling..." Brenda Lee noted, staring at the walls with horrified awe.

Suddenly, the sound of a toilet flushing rang through the room. Herbie turned back to the stairwell where the noise seemed to be coming from.

"Plumbing's working, but don't go drinking out of it!" a voice called from beneath the stairs.

A door in the stairwell that Herbie had been too distracted to notice opened up, revealing a greasy handed Tate.

"Oh, we have company!" Tate smiled, wiping his hands on his work overall, "Good to see you, Herbie! And who do we have here?"

Herbie reached forward and happily shook Tate's greasy hand, "Good to see you too, Tate. These are my friends, Hollis and Brenda Lee."

"Hi there!" Hollis beamed.

"Howdy," Brenda Lee muttered, barely taking a second to look at Tate, far too distracted by the absurdity of the room she was standing in.

"Enough chit-chat," Ashverosh remonstrated, "We have important matters to discuss."

"Oh..." Tate's smile faded, "I'll leave you to it then, I'll see you kids back at the house."

As Tate retreated out of the bunker, Ashverosh pulled up a chair at the table and invited the others to sit. As soon as Tate was out of earshot, Herbie was ready to get down to business.

"So, where is she?" Herbie asked, in a somewhat demanding manner.

"Herbie, if you would be so kind as to pass me your backpack," Nabozny requested as he carefully seated himself at the table, careful not to bump up against any of his cuts or bruises.

"Um, yeah sure," Herbie replied confusedly, slipping the bag off his shoulders and sliding it across the table to Nabozny, before taking a seat with the others.

The group watched intently as Nabozny rummaged through the bag, checking every divider and pocket within it. Herbie's heart raced as he realized what Nabozny was searching for, and swallowed hard as he finally pulled out the small worn leather-bound diary from the hidden pocket within.

"Area 51: A Nevadan Mystery," Nabozny read aloud, the supposed location of Melody Balcom."

"Whoa, has that been in Herbie's backpack the whole time?" Hollis cried.

Brenda Lee leaned forward, "What is it?"

"An army base near Vegas," Hollis replied, "A lot of conspiracies surround it, but it's been declassified. It's pretty much a glorified aircraft storage facility."

"I mean the book," Brenda Lee scowled at her brother.

"It's Ezekiel's Notebook," Herbie explained.

Ashverosh stroked his beard as he squinted at Herbie, "You knew about this, boy?"

"For months. I didn't think too much of it though. I was using it to keep track of all of my discoveries regarding Daeva, the Light Seekers and Macklin's murder, but I sort of forgot about it when I became a Brother," Herbie admitted.

Ashverosh stood up and leaned over the table, "And you didn't think to tell anyone!" he bellowed.

"It's just the diary of some kid!" Herbie defended, "I thought it belonged to my grandma, or a friend of my Father's that grew up in Paradise Rift. I don't know of anyone named Ezekiel."

"I do," Nabozny whispered forebodingly, "It's the name of the creature in the mask that freed me."

"No way..." Hollis whispered in awe.

"That thing grew up in Paradise Rift? Does that mean he's human?" Brenda Lee questioned.

"It's hard to say just what he is, part human, part Nephilim perhaps. Some kind of hybrid, though I didn't think that was possible," Nabozny sighed wearily.

"There's more, children," Ashverosh said as he sat back down, "Go on, Abichail."

"Ezekiel told me he had given you the diary to help you see through the Light Seekers and their deceptive ways, Herbie," Nabozny continued, "He said we would need to gather as many honest souls as possible for what is to come."

"Which is?" Brenda Lee questioned.

"He didn't have time to explain. All he said was that we need to get to Melody and that the diary would lead us to her. He had been hoping to rescue her himself, but stumbled across Daeva instead."

"So he's the one who knocked over the van? Incredible!" Hollis beamed.

Herbie bit his lip as he digested the information—the facts aligning in his head like puzzle pieces forming a grim picture.

"When the Fury was released from Daeva's body, it... spoke to me," Herbie noted.

Ashverosh nodded, "It is to be expected, they weaken the soul by implanting their dark will in the mind of their hosts. It was preparing you for possession."

"I know, but when Pastor Hendryx banished it, it gave me one final message—the time of the Antichrist is upon us. Do you think that is what Ezekiel is trying to prepare us for?"

Both Nabozny and Ashverosh's faces went white. A sudden tension devoured the room, sitting thick in the air like noxious gas. Herbie and the twins had never seen such severity in the two elders before. It made them uneasy, sending a sickly feeling of doom coursing through their bones.

"What is it?" Brenda Lee finally asked, desperate to break the tension.

Ashverosh's gaze sat heavily on Herbie, analyzing, decoding, deciding.

"What!" Herbie snapped, "You guys are giving me the creeps."

"Are you sure that's what the dybbuk said, boy?" he asked, his tone severe, filled with the bitter taste of fear.

"I'll never forget it as long as I live. I could feel the way the Fury rejoiced in the words, despite its apparent doom," Herbie replied, matching Ashverosh's intensity.

Ashverosh turned to Nabozny, "You will return to Jerusalem and inform the prophet of this message in person."

"Understood. I will make the arrangements immediately," Nabozny confirmed with an unusual intensity.

"Could someone please explain what's happening here?" Brenda Lee begged, fed up with the elders' cloak and dagger antics.

"What's happening is... there are many more battles to come. The fate of humankind may depend on our actions from here on out," Ashverosh stated fearfully.

"The fate of humanity? Depending on what went down in a busted up church in Nowheres-ville, Nevada? Sounds like you're being a bit dramatic," Brenda Lee smirked, rolling her eyes.

"Paradise Rift is just the start," Herbie stated solemnly, "That's why Don is running for governor. He's going to spread the Light Seekers doctrine across the state."

"It's the first of many signs to come. It also explains why the Nephilim are reemerging," Nabozny noted as he rubbed his temples, "It's finally starting to make sense."

"Sense!" Hollis exclaimed, "What the frog is going on!"

"All three of you will need training—this is what I was slowly trying to prepare you kids for in class, but it looks like we'll have to do the crash course. I think Beatrix and Calvin will be able to provide some—" Nabozny began before a thumping echoed into the basement.

The teens and elders snapped to attention as the thumping persisted in short intervals, desperate and urgent.

"Who goes there?" Ashverosh's voice boomed as he stood up and moved towards the staircase.

"Beatrix Hunter, now open up, we need to get in," Beatrix's muffled voice called back.

Ashverosh ascended the stairs and opened up the steel hatch, suddenly jumping back as Goji and Lazy Sam stormed the bunker.

"Oh no... she's gonna have a cow when she sees—" Herbie started before his grandma's voice filled the room.

"No wonder our calls weren't getting through, why are you hanging around in a dirty old basement? It's fortunate we had Goji and Sam to sniff you out or we might never have—" Beatrix began as she pushed passed Ashverosh and climbed down the stairs, Pastor Hendryx right behind her.

She froze. Her jaw dropped. She swiveled her head towards Herbie, revealing a scowl that could stop a marching army.

"Herbert Hunter, what are you doing in this den of witchcraft!" she yelled.

"We don't have time for this, Beatrix," Pastor Hendryx added, managing to keep his composure despite the look of horror painted on his face as he inspected the occult symbols on the walls.

Ashverosh grimaced, seeming somewhat insulted by their reactions to the bunker, "What are you doing here? If you wish to mock my sacred work, do it where I cannot hear you!"

"Sacred!" Beatrix erupted.

"Now's not the time, Beatrix!" Pastor Hendryx reprimanded before turning to the others, "There's a sandstorm coming this way, it's going to be... a doozy, to put it mildly. By Tate's description I thought it might be best to hole up here, but I think we should try to get back to Imala and the girls."

"A sandstorm!" Hollis beamed excitedly.

"If there's a sandstorm coming, I'm staying in the apocalypse-ready bunker with a lifetime supply of food, thanks," Brenda Lee stated.

"Oh, no you don't, Missy! Your Dad left you in my care, and I'll be dried out and pickled before I leave you with these black mages. I was a fool to have thought you two could be trusted," Beatrix snarled at Ashverosh and Nabozny, "I wanted to believe you had good in ya', but now my worst suspicions have been proven right."

"They are good, Grandma!" Herbie defended, "They've been trying to take Don down, just like you. You're on the same team."

"I ain't on the same team as people who practice... this," Beatrix shook her head, a sickly frown on her face as she gazed at the glyphs, runes and pentagrams on the walls.

"If we don't leave now, we're going to get caught under ten feet of sand," Pastor Hendryx advised.

"All right kids, grab your stuff, we're leaving," Beatrix snapped.

"But, Grandma..." Herbie moaned.

"Now," Beatrix countered.

"That's okay, Herbie," Nabozny stated calmly, "Sooner or later your grandma's gonna have to accept that things aren't black and white like they used to be. But it's a conversation she has to have with someone else."

"Don't you dare!" Beatrix roared.

Brenda Lee got up out of her seat with a huff, "Well let's go, then; I don't wanna eat a bunch of dirt on my way back to Tate's house. C'mon Sammy."

Without giving them a chance for a proper goodbye, Beatrix grabbed Herbie by his wrist and dragged him up the stairs of the basement, the twins, the pastor, Goji and Lazy Sam just behind them.

The Beetle was parked by the front door, but a suspicious shadow was cast over it. Herbie turned to the east and was met by a mile high wall of sand racing toward them from the other end of the reserve, gradually eclipsing the sun.

"G-grandma! We need to go back inside!" Herbie stuttered through his fright.

"Jumping lizards on a stick! I've never seen one so big!" Hollis exclaimed.

But Beatrix was already sliding the Beetle's front seat forward, "It's just a little sand; we've still got plenty of time to make it to Tate and Imala. Like I told you on your first day in the Rift, sandstorms are common 'round these parts."

Pastor Hendryx's hand was fixed to the door handle as his eyes burst wide with fear, "That doesn't look like your run of the mill sandstorm, Beatrix."

"Come now, Calvin, we've both seen worse," she defended, "Now let's not waste any time. In you go, Goji," she commanded the vixen.

"This is a terrible idea," Brenda Lee said, slipping into the back seat of the Beetle with Sam.

Herbie took another look at the immense wall of sand as he was getting in.

"It's getting really close! Let's just go back inside!"

"Just move your tail boy!" Beatrix yelled, giving him a nudge.

Once everyone was seated, Pastor Hendryx sent the Beetle flying backward into a full speed J-turn before plowing through the dirt driveway back onto the main road. But the sandstorm was coming at them far faster than they had thought. Goji sat on Herbie's lap, eyes fixed to the storm coming toward them, while Sam did his best to hide under Brenda Lee's arm, pining in fear. As Herbie leaned forward between the two front seats, he saw the road ahead get devoured by plumes of raging dust clouds.

"Guys, Tate and Imala's house is going to disappear in that mess any second now!"

"Sit back, boy, you're not used to the rough side of the desert, we're gonna be just fine," Beatrix reassured.

But their worst fears were realized when they noticed something heading towards them from up the road—the busted up Chevy Napco with Tate and Imala's daughters clinging onto the roof as they stood in the cargo bed. The Napco hooted furiously as it passed the Beetle, desperate to warn its passengers of the oncoming danger.

Brenda Lee leaned forward in her seat, "They're trying to escape the storm! Their house isn't secure enough!"

It only took a few seconds for the dust wall to rush up toward them, the brown haze blocking out everything except a few yards of road in front of them.

"We need to turn back!" Brenda Lee commanded.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Ms. Andrews, Beatrix," Pastor Hendryx advised.

"Poppycock!" Beatrix assured, "We can navigate through the dust, just put your high beams on. We'll just plow through it and come out the other side."

"I'm not risking our lives so you can avoid confronting your problems, Beatrix! You called upon the Tzadikim, now you have to deal with them!" the pastor yelled, slamming on the brakes, skidding and sliding the car around with the skill of a rally driver, the sandstorm just a few yards away.

"Whoa!" Hollis squealed with glee, loving every second of the action. Brenda Lee turned to the back window and saw Tate and Imala's house disappear behind the raging sands.

"Looks like you made the right call, Pastor Hendryx," she noted.

"He's doomed us all is what he's done," Beatrix moaned as they raced back to the bunker.

"It's just a room with some creepy stuff painted on the walls, Grandma! It's not worth risking our lives over! What's going on here?" Herbie demanded.

"Leave your grandma be, Herbie, she's got her own issues to deal with," the pastor advised.

"Oh snap! Here it comes!" Hollis announced, his eyes glued to the back window, the afternoon sun now bleeding red through the wall of sand.

With the bunker a hundred yards away, the sandstorm swallowed the Beetle. As more and more sand swooshed past, the light from the sun became ever redder, until it turned a deep crimson, then black. The pastor slowed the Beetle down as the road disappeared in front of them, the desert reclaiming it and devouring any sign that it had ever existed.

The pastor shifted the Beetle down to first gear as it slowed to a stop.

"What are you doing?" Brenda Lee asked with panicked urgency.

Pastor Hendryx closed his eyes and breathed deeply as he assessed his options. The Beetle's frame began to creak as mountains of sand blasted into it, the engine spluttered as the intake choked. The passengers sat in a dense silence with only the fierce whipping of dust and wind to fill it.

Until a cracking of glass shot through the Beetle's passengers as though it were their own bones breaking. The teens turned and saw the crooked line that ran through the rear window, threatening to shatter it. Their hearts began to race.

"We're in trouble," Hollis announced.

"We're going to die here," Brenda Lee resolved as she started to shudder.

Herbie leaned forward to speak to the elders, "You need to get us out of here."

"I'm such a fool," Beatrix whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Seeing his stubborn ox of a grandmother cry for the first time, Herbie realized just how much trouble they were in.

"Herbie..." Brenda Lee spoke, softly, her voice shaking with every syllable, "I'm so sorry I went behind your back and told your gran about your promotion. I knew it wasn't right, but you wouldn't listen to me. If we die here, I just want you to know, I only did it because I care about you. I didn't want you to become a monster like Don Balcom."

Herbie tried to catch his breath to reply, but his lungs felt as though they were filled with water.

"Me too, Herb," Hollis wept, his eyes red and glassy, "I shouldn't have been jealous of your promotion. If I had been there to guide you, you might never have got so caught up in Don's games. I love you, man! You too, Brend!"

Herbie fell back in his seat and stared at the swirling abyss in the high beams. Goji squeaked at him as she pawed at his shirt, desperately wanting to ease his sorrow.

"It's been a blast, guys. I never had real friends who cared about me in D.C., so thank you... for everything. Moving to Paradise Rift was the best thing to ever happen to me," he whispered, doing his best to hold back his tears, "I love you, Grandma, sorry for being such a useless grandson."

"You're the best grandson an ol' gal could ask for. I let you down. I love you, my boy," Beatrix wept.

Crack!

The jagged line through the back window split into a white spider's web pattern as it prepared to give in.

"Calm yourselves," the pastor assured, a gentleness in his tone, "This is not the end; this is a message. An omen. A way for the Maker to speak to his creation."

There was an unusual assertiveness to the pastor's voice, but also a reassuring calmness, each word easing the fear in their hearts.

"Heavenly Avinu Shebashamayim, we come before You now, bowing our hearts..." the pastor began, closing his eyes and bowing his head.

"Pastor Hendryx?" Herbie asked.

Beatrix let out a deep sigh and began praying in unison with the pastor, "... asking for protection in this moment of peril."

"I get that you're a pastor and all, but I don't think this is the time for praying!" Brenda Lee objected as the sandstorm blasted the Beetle's windows.

Herbie placed his hand on hers, "Let them."

Brenda Lee turned to her brother who could only shrug in response.

"... surround us with Your divine hedge of protection. Encompass us with Your strength and Your might," the pastor and Beatrix continued. The pastor began revving the Beetle's engine as he prayed.

"What are you doing? You're not planning on..." Brenda Lee began; her face fraught with shock.

"He's just gonna wing it!" Hollis announced excitedly.

"Oh boy..." Herbie sighed, grabbing onto Goji and holding her tight.

"... shelter us, that those who love Your Name may exult You..." they continued, speaking louder and louder as the pastor revved the Beetle's engine.

"Hold on, Sammy!" Brenda Lee shouted as she grabbed onto the retriever.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Hollis cried.

"Salvation is from The Lord. Blessed be the name of Yeshuah. Amen!" they concluded at the top of their voices, before the pastor dropped the clutch and sent the Beetle flying forward into the swirling black void of charged whistling sand.

"Woohoo!" Hollis cried while the others hung to whatever they could for dear life.

It wasn't long before the pastor tugged on the steering wheel, sending the Beetle flying off the road. Herbie clenched his teeth and shut his eyes as he anticipated the Beetle smashing into a boulder or sinking into a ditch. But he was surprised to find the car carry on down an even path.

"Sweet sassy molassy! He found the driveway in the dark! What even!" Hollis erupted with joy.

"But if he doesn't slow down, he's gonna hit the..." Brenda Lee began, when the Beetle smashed into the front door of the house.

The crunching of metal echoed through the Beetle's cabin as its passengers flew forward in their seats. Herbie's head slammed into the front seat and ricocheted into the side-window.

"I'm so sick of getting hit in the head..." he muttered as his eyes grew too heavy to keep open and his head too heavy to hold up.

***

"How many times I gotta tell you, Herbie? Stop putting yourself in situations that get you hit in the head!" Nabozny laughed as he lightly slapped Herbie on the cheek to wake him.

"Mr. Nabozny, I mean Cale? Is... is everyone okay?" Herbie muttered as his eyes adjusted to the light and the Doomsday bunker took form around him.

"Everyone's just fine. We just managed to pull you out the wreck before the dust filled your lungs. House ain't looking too good though, not that it was anything to write home about before it took a Beetle and two hundred tons of sand to its front door," Nabozny shrugged.

Herbie turned his head and saw Beatrix, Pastor Hendryx and the twins being seen to by Tate and Imala while their children carelessly played with Goji and Lazy Sam. The bunker rang with the pounding of metal as Ashverosh attempted to open the hatch, though it refused to budge under the weight of the sand that had filled the hallway above.

"You okay there, Grandma?" Herbie called across the room.

"I'm here. I'm fine, but I'm not happy about it," Beatrix scowled as she came up from behind Nabozny.

"Well, I am," Nabozny smiled, "I don't believe in accidents. There's a plan in the works, and it looks like us settling our differences is the only step forward."

"I must admit," the pastor began as Imala disinfected a nasty cut along his arm, "It would seem we are predestined to be stuck here together. I have seen countless sandstorms come through the Rift, but what we experienced out there was something else entirely. We need to listen when we are being spoken to."

Beatrix shot Pastor Hendryx a scowl as she pushed Nabozny out of the way, leaning down to inspect Herbie's face, "Looks like you came out of that disaster better than the pastor, boy, not a scratch on ya, and you didn't lose your mind along the way neither."

"Grandma, why don't you just listen to what they have to say? What harm could it do?" Herbie begged.

"The Tzadikim might be our best bet at stopping Don from turning all of Nevada into his mindless followers," Brenda Lee added as she slowly made her way over to where Herbie sat, still disoriented from the crash. "If he gets elected governor, it will already be too late. I'm as freaked out as you by all of... this," she continued, raising her hands to the markings and pentagrams on the walls, "But the enemy of your enemy is your friend."

"They've studied all sorts of crazy texts!" Hollis chimed in from where he wiped the dust off his face and hands at the table, "Maybe they can teach you something?"

Beatrix's face twisted up like she had just bit into a lemon. "I've seen what listening to the wrong people can do. It turns families against each other, friend against friend, lures the good into the darkness."

"Maybe it could also guide the evil into the light?" Herbie suggested.

Beatrix shot up to her feet and turned to the room, "It's not my job to lead people to the light! Every time I try, I lose the people I love!"

Ashverosh ceased his attempts to open the hatch as a hush came over the room. He descended the stairs and stood before Beatrix, embracing her. She locked up in response, taken aback by the gesture.

"You haven't lost anyone, Beatrix. Trust me. He will return to you in time."

Ashverosh stepped away from Beatrix and held her out at arm's length while the rest of the room wondered who he could be talking about, "But this is no longer about you or me; it is about the fate of the world. We have reason to believe that the time of the Antichrist is nearing, and we need your help to stop demon-kind from overrunning this world. You and Pastor Hendryx possess a power we thought was lost to man: the power of His Name. You need to teach us what you know, or all will be lost."

Pastor Hendryx carefully got to his feet, shaking his head, "The power is not ours and so could never be lost."

"But that's the very truth that the Tzadikim is built on!" Nabozny defended, "The forces of evil have unhinged themselves from the divine plan, giving them the power to attack the righteous, to take no order from His Name—that is why we have resorted to using their own magic against them."

"Impossible!" Beatrix snapped, "A kingdom divided will only see its own desolation—a house divided cannot stand. So tell me, if the Devil's power can be used to drive out his own evil, doesn't that mean he has become divided against himself? Has he not brought about his own end?"

"I have read the scripture, Beatrix, but how does it explain why my wife was possessed?" Ashverosh roared, "Why did she die? It's the only thing that makes sense! That is what our prophet has taught, and that is how we have banished hundreds of dybbuk!"

His booming voice echoed through the room, sending the three girls to hide behind their father and even bringing Goji and Lazy Sam to a standstill.

Ashverosh breathed deeply as he got a hold of himself. "But I am starting to understand that there is more to this than meets the eye. Abichail is to return to Jerusalem to warn the Tzadikim of what is to come, but I will be here. For the sake of stopping the Antichrist, I will forget everything I have been taught and learn anew from you and the pastor, if you will teach me."

"And we can all go to Area 51 to save Melody!" Hollis added.

Beatrix reeled her head around to look at Hollis and then spun around to Herbie.

"I was getting to that, Hollis," Herbie scowled at his friend.

"We believe that Melody has some role in the coming of the Antichrist, but we'll need to plan her rescue carefully," Nabozny confirmed.

Beatrix turned to the pastor, her face as cold as stone, waiting for some guidance on what to do next. But Pastor Hendryx had a way of softening the hardest of hearts, melting the thickest ice and replied with a warm smile and gentle nod of the head. Beatrix sighed deeply and turned to Ashverosh and Nabozny, "We will help where we can, but if I catch you talking black magic with these kids, you'll see the business end of my shotgun, ya hear?"

"You have my word," Ashverosh smiled.

"You made the right choice, Grandma!" Herbie smiled, turning to his friends, knowing that although there were many trials to come, they would face them together.

As though the forces of the universe had been waiting for the agreement to be made, a crash echoed through the bunker as the walls of the hallway above gave way under the pressure of the sand lodged between them. With a sudden joy in his eyes, Ashverosh ran up the stairs and pushed on the hatch. With a mighty roar, he flung it open, allowing a stream of sand to run down the stairs.

"Looks like we've been given permission to leave!" he laughed.

The occupants of the bunker joined Ashverosh as he cleared a path through the sands and made their way outside; wedging themselves through the front door and over the Beetle's smashed-in bumper and hood. With Hollis and Brenda Lee by his side, Herbie took in the aftermath of the sandstorm. The Beetle and Napco would need some seeing to, but for the most part, the winds had carried off the majority of what they had brought. It was a miracle that a storm of that severity had not completely covered the house, which hopefully meant that Tate and Imala's home had only taken the same superficial damage.

But as far as the landscape was concerned, the only sign that the storm had come through was an extraordinary smoothness to the land. The cracks in the craggy earth had been filled, and the dead plants uprooted and taken away by the winds. It was a blank canvas, ready to start anew.

"This ain't bad soil! Must have lifted it up from some mega-farm down the river," Tate noted, leaning down and rubbing some earth between his fingers, "If we could get some rain, I might actually be able to grow something in this!"

"It's kind of breathtaking," Brenda Lee noted as she stood in awe of the view from the front of the house, "Strange how something so violent can create such beauty."

"I guess that's what life has been trying to teach us all this time," Herbie agreed, staring out at the vast open plain, "Sometimes it takes getting battered and bruised to become the person you need to be."

# Last Generation Series

Thank you for taking the time to read Herbie Hunter and the Twisted Furies, the first book in the Last Generation series.

If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author's best friend and much appreciated.

Look out for the second book in the series: Herbie Hunter and the Fathomless Legion. If you'd like to be the first to know when new books are released, you can sign up for the latest news here:

www.michaelhhwarren.com/last-generation-book-1

Find all of Michael HH Warren's books on Smashwords here:

 www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MichaelHHWarren

# Acknowledgments

I would like to express my deepest appreciation, gratitude and thanks to:

The people who anchor me to planet Earth while I attempt to reach out to the stars in the cosmos, and who show me what it means to be connected to humanity on a daily basis―my wife Alison and our children Kelly and Caden. I am grateful to have the opportunity to seek out meaning in this world as we journey through life together. Thank you for affording me the time and space to create this work.

My Illustrator: Siané Power; my Cover Designer: Michael Corvin; my Book Designer: Leila Summers, for the book's layout, formatting and assistance with publication; my Editor: Karen McKee, for her proofreading and edits.

My Storyline Advisor and Editor: Ross Julius Henshall, for his unfailing assistance in the initial and ongoing development of the book's framework, his diligent editing thereof and his visualization and support of Herbie Hunter as a series.

Avinu Shebashamayim and Yeshuah―this book has been created to reveal Your Truth to an unbelieving world―may your Names be lifted up, on high!

