CHAPTER 15 Friday, October 28, 1994 An Invitiation is Received By L. Dawn Steele Dawn was helping Tracy to unpack. The last trips from the old St.George residence had been made in the past couple of days, and the new apartment was simply full of boxes, books, papers, odd items of food, etc. "Tracy? Where does this go?" Dawn held up a large poster with a vaguely Tolkien theme. It was remarkable similar (except for time of purchase) to one she had herself. "I don't know. Maybe over there... Center it in the corner beside Henry." "I still don't know why you named that plant Henry. I looks more like a Bernard to me." The discussion was postponed by a firm knock at the door. Tracy went off to answer it while Dawn found some tacks for the poster. "Dawn? It's for you. A delivery courier." "I didn't know anyone knew I was here." Dawn thanked the delivery man and opened the package. Inside was an fancy invitation to some sort of party in New York. "Tracy? Do you know anything about this?" "If it's related to the war, then I'm afraid I've been too busy moving to even look at messages lately. If they aren't from Dearest Uncle, then I've just been saving them to read them later. Is it something he should know about?" Cousin Tracy looked over Dawn's shoulder, but she had already put away the invitation. "I'm sure he already knows about it. Besides we both promised not to pry into each others affairs while I was here." "Yeah. But you're a Die-Hard. Even if you did find out something interesting, you'd probably either tell all of the groups or none of them." Dawn felt at the invitation in her pocket. "Maybe I should answer the invitation. Could I use your account to telnet McMaster? I need to contact the other Die-Hards." "Sure. As long as you're not around chocolate, your ethics are pretty firm. You wouldn't let loose a virus in my account." "Tracy! Of course I wouldn't. After all, you might have joined the Cousins, but you were a Die-Hard first!" Tracy went back to unpacking while Dawn quickly logged on. *** To: Calliope Catlin Kitty Hanks Ruth Dempsey Kathy King Subject: An invitation. I've just received an invitation from Janette. The Die- Hards are officially invited to a party in New York. There weren't any details on the invitation, but I think things are drawing to a head in the war. We might be able to help out. If we can't then we can at least try to keep things calm. Neutral parties can sometimes defuse tensions. I'll email you all again later with more details. I'm going to call in a few favours around town. Dawn steeleld@mcmaster.ca ps. You're all heard about Ruth's "suicide". I've been checking some sources. It looks suspicious to me. I think we need to meet in person. I've made reservations in the Royal York hotel. I was able to get a suite of rooms in a floor beneath the one had. I wasn't able to get rooms on the same floor. I talked to the desk clerk. Apparently all the rooms on that floor have been reserved by a group of people who wear black all the time and have had a few loud parties. Maybe it's the Corbie headquarters. pps. I don't want to seem crazy, but I think Ruth is still around. I think I saw her ghost the other day. I'm sending this message to her old accound in the hope that she can still access her email somehow. You know if they Raven/ nettes are occupying her old rooms, they may have seen her. I'll try and sneak in. *** A couple of hours later, Dawn slipped out of Tracy's apartment. Another courier package was filled out at a corner postal store, and the reply to the invitation was under way. Janette,Thanks you for the kind invitation to your party. I've contacted the other Die-Hards, and we will be accepting. I'll see you in New York.-Dawn Steele When she got back to the apartment, she carried a small bag full of expensive, imported chocolates. Dawn knew her own weaknesses, but she also knew that chocolate was one addiction she and Tracy had in common. Tracy hadn't been in touch with the other Cousins for awhile. The chocolate should be enough to sooth her desire to call them. In another couple of days, it wouldn't matter anyway. Cousin Mike Gets a Suprise By Kat Feline "Something devious, huh?" Kat said to herself as she stared thoughtfully at the message on the screen. She thought for a moment more, then a slow smile spread across her face. In one fluid motion she turned, reached across the bed and picked up the phone. The phone rang four times before someone answered. "Hello?" "Dan? It's Kat. I need you to do something for me. Can you?" "Kat?? Where are you?" "I'll tell you in a minute. Can you do something for me?" "For you, anything. What'cha need?" "For you to come to Toroto and bring your equipment. You'll need it." Dead silence on the other end of the line. "Dan??" "I'm still here. Did you just say you want to me to come to Toronto, as in Toronto, Canada??" "No, Toronto, Texas!!" she snapped. "Of course, Toronto, Canada. Where else?" thought Dan. "Why? What's going on?" "I'll explain when you get here. Don't worry about the plane ticket, it's all taken care of. Can you come?" "When do you want me there?" "As soon as possible. I'll tell you the rest when you get here. Here's the address where I'm staying..." After hanging up on Kat, Dan grabbed a bag, stuffed some clothes in, grabbed his equipment and left. *** Kat chuckled as she hung up the phone. she thought She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, it read 2:28, which meant it was 4:28 where Dan was. He should be here by 6:30 or 7. Hmm, that was cutting it a little close but it would have to do. *** Several hours later, Dan squatted down in front of a door and started to carefully pick the lock. He glanced up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming. he thought. He laughed softly as he remember what Kat had told him what she wanted done. It wasn't just devious, it was downright evil. It was right up Kat's alley. Finally, the lock sprang open and he slipped in. After a momentary search, he located what he was looking for. He sat down on the bed and got to work. The procedure took about a half-an-hour. Everytime he heard a noise in the hall, he looked up. It would not do to get caught by the occupant of this room. He finished, put his equipment away, wipped the room and the door to get rid of prints and slipped out the door. He checked the door to make sure it was locked and headed for the stairs. Along the way, he passed somebody, who, he assumed had just walked up the stairs. The person was a tall, slightly muscular man, with dark brown hair and dark eyes. He was wearing all black. He walked right past Dan, didn't spare him a look. Dan watched him disappear around a corner, then trotted down the stairs. He had the strangest feeling that he had just seen the occupant of the room he had been in and he wanted to get the heck away from him and the room before the man discovered what he had done. Dan ran the rest of the way down the stairs, out the building and hailed a cab. He gave the cabbie the address of the hotel Kat was in, he wanted to report to her the success of the mission. *** Mike walked into his room and went over to where he kept his PowerBook hidden. He pulled it out and started the warm- up procedure. He wanted to check and see if he had gotten any mail. Whlie he waited, he thought about the man he had seen in the hall. Tall, well-built, with reddish- brown hair. He walked right past Mike and continued down the stairs. He had been carrying a tool box with him. Mike had never seen the man before and wondered if he was new convert. he thought, looking at the screen, wondering what was taking so long. He realized what was wrong a moment later. Instead of the menu, he normally got, a JPEG of Barney was staring at him, strains of "I LOVE YOU..." started eminating from the machine. He stared dumbfounded. Who dared to come and mess with his computer??? Ravenettes??? Knighties??? FoD's??? Suddenly, his mind flashed back to the man on the stairs. Of course!!! Why hadn't he figures it out sooner! The man with the toolbox was the one who had messed with his computer. But who had the man been working for?? He was furious, if he had been a vampire, his eyes would have be glowing red by that time. A polite beep came from the machine, breaking into his thoughts, he stared down at the screen and a message appeared. It read: Cousin Mike: We have had your computer rigged. Everytime you reboot, you will get this message on the screen. Every button you push will result in the Barney song, music only, being played and a JPEG of Barney will appear on the screen. One aspect of this is that if you try to delete this sub- program your hard-drive will crash and dump everyting on it into the void. There is a key; you can find it at The Slaughtered Lamb in New York City on Halloween night. Thank you, Kat, Ravenette Mike was beyond furious at this point. He tried to reboot and sure enough, the music and the picture appeared. he thought. He shut off the PowerBook and went to tell the others what had just happened. he thought as he stalked down the hall. A Conversation, Overheard By Selma McCrory Karin and Jennise sped onwards in their rented car. They had their minds set on locating Susan, who had been kidnapped by Nick. So they could be forgiven for not noticing their visitor. He hovered in the night, listening to their conversation with LaCroix on the phone. Karin was talking at a normal volume, and it really helped when they stopped at stoplights. Vince was that visitor. He had followed orders and tried to find out what LaCroix was up to. And what he had found out was interesting. Karin and Jennise were trying to find Susan for her interview. In New York. And LaCroix was scheming to drive Dorian up the wall. Once he was sure that he knew everything that he needed to know, he headed for a payphone. He got out his phone card and went to call Sacramento. Lost Connections By Selma McCrory I listened as the phone rang again, frustrated at not getting anyone. First I'd tried Sharon, and then I'd tried ringing Nat at work and at home. I'm sure that someone at the Raven would have answered the phone if I had called during the night, but I was too impatient to. Since my email had gone out, I'd had difficulty reaching anyone, and I'm not sure that my current screename was sending anything out. AOL's mail system was having fits, sometimes handing me things from yesterday, sometimes handing me the most recent stories from fkfic. Oh, I'd been reaching John occasionally, since he'd been helping me handle Vince for the last few months, but he hadn't been responding lately. The only person I reached, or I should say, reached me, was Vince. He'd uncovered something. I could tell that he'd found something that he was excited about, even though he tried to cover it up with that calm British demeanor of his. Maybe he'll even forget that he wants to bring me across. Well, Vince may be heading home soon, but then he may become so fascinated that he'll forget me. I pray so... And maybe I'll find Sharon. Sometime. A Knightie and a Ravenette Take Flight (Part 1 of 2) By Amy Denton and Kate Feline I e-mailed Sandra about the blond brick I received in the mail, then left for class. After class I came into the computer lab, logged on and discoverd that I had an e-mail message from Sandra. *** To: z_dentonam@titan.sfasu.edu From:TMP_HARKINS@DIRAC. PYHSICS.JMU.EDU Subject: You got one too, huh? So, you got one of the bricks, huh?? I don't know why they attacked us. We haven't done anything to them. That, however is about to change. :)= Why don't you join the others in Toronto. You know where they are staying. Sandra, forever Knightie tmp_harkins@dirac.physics.jmu.edu *** I thought, "Yes," I said out loud, "I'll go. It'll be fun." Joe, the computer worker looked in my direction but not for long. He was used to me talking to myself. I e-mailed back to Sandra that I would be on the first plane out, after getting some stuff. (GrimJim had asked me to bring something). I asked her for transportation from the airport and the address of the hotel. I then logged off and ran out of the Boyton computer lab, banginng the door behind me. I had a million things to do. When I got home, I went downstairs and banged on the door of my Raventte neighbor Kat. She opened the door on the second knock. "Guess what," she said, "I'm going to Toronto." "Me, too." I replied. "Whanna go to Tyler and get some stuff?" "Give me half a minute." She said, disappearing into her bedroom in the back of the apartment. "You wanna drive or should I?" I yelled to her. "Why are you asking?" She reappeared, shoes in hand. "Well, I don't want to die on the way there but I also don't want to take an hour and a half getting there." She looked up from tying her shoelaces. "Are you implying that I drive too fast?" "No, I'm *saying* that you drive too fast." I grinned when she made a face at me. "So," I said, repeating myself, "do you want to drive or should I?" "I'll drive as long as *you* don't back-seat drive." We walked out of her apartment. She locked the door and we headed for the car. "You won't hear a peep out of me. Maybe a squeak of fear now and then but no peeps." She made another face at me. I handed her the keys and got in the passengers seat. "C'mon," I said "it's already 2:30 and I don't want to be on these roads after dark. You can't see anything on them." "All right. Hang on." She turned on the engine and we flew out the apartment parking lot. The trip to Tyler was uneventfull. (It took half-an-hour. I didn't look) We arrived in downtown Tyler at 3:00 and decided to go to Foley's to get some clothes for out trip. Yes, Foley's was expensive but it had the greatest selection of clothes for 150 miles around the area. Three hours and hundreds of dollars later, we staggered out of Foley's weighted down with our purchases. As we waddled to the car, I remarked "Now would be a great time to mug us." "Nah," Kat replied "they'd never find us under all this stuff." We finally made it to the car (all the way at the end, wouldn't you know) and dumped our purchases in the trunk. (Big trunk, Nick would approve) After we got back in the car (I releived Kat of the car keys.), "Where to next?" she said "I've got to go to Target and get some stuff." "Okay, I'll come along with you." "I need to get some stuff, but I don't want you to be there." "Ditto. Why don't we split up and meet back at the car at quarter till?" "That's cool." Amy... As I walked into Target, I wondered It was, after all, near Halloween and the junk food should be nearby. 15 to 20 minutes later, I had located the object of my search. I got a few strange looks from people as I dumped all of the Raisinettes into my cart. I thought. Kat... I got my stuff for the party and picked up a cheap walkman for the ride. We'd be on the puddle-jumper for a couple hours and they might not have a radio on the plane from Dallas and I could not handle the country music usually available on Texas flights. I also refused to take my own walk-man because there might be nasty little surprises waiting for us in Toronto. As I prepared to meet Amy back at the car I was ready to argue with her over who was driving. If I let her drive we wouldn't make it back for our 9:30 flight to Dallas. It was 7:30 and we still had to get back to Nac, leave the cat with the neighbor, Caroline, Amy had to call her mom and I still had call my sister, get to the airport. leave our stuff with the guy at the counter, get on the plane for a take-off time of 9:05. If she drove we might make it back to Nac by 9:00. I drove. Arrival at Nac...8:15pm...Amy... "Let me unclench my hand from the door now," I said glaring at Kat. "I thought I told you not to act like Mario Andretti." I got out of the car; Kat just smiled evilly. "Let me go upstairs and leave `Flake with Caroline and call my mom while you call Mimi and let her know we're going to Toronto." Kat waved as she walked away, not bothering to reply. "Oh, shit! I forgot to pack!!!" I ran up the stairs praying to God that I wouldn't fall and break some important bone. I unlocked my door, grabbed a cussing Snowflake and banged on Caroline's door. Snowflake caught sight of Moo-bear, Caroline's cat, and freaked. She bit me, I released her, she jumped over my shoulder and ran back into the apartment and dove under the couch "Dammit! Come back here Snowflake." Deciding this was not worth it, I turned to Caroline. "Here are the keys," I gave her my extra keys. "She gets fed at 7:30 am and 6:30 pm. I'm going to call my mom." I thanked Caroline who was laughing too hard to reply and re- entered my apartment, slamming the door behind me. "Come out from under there, you little monster! I lifted the ruff on the couch and looked at Snowflake, who glared back at me, her green eyes glowing in the light of the lamp behind me. "I'm leaving you here. Caroline will feed you if she's feeling like it. You ungrateful little harridan." Snowflake just glared at me, then came out from under the couch, nipped at my hand (which I yanked back before she could sink her fangs into it) and stalked into the kitchen yowling at me that dinner time had passed over an hour and a half ago. I fed her and then called my mom. "Mom! I'm going to Toronto for a writer's convention." Isn't invention on-the-spur-of-the-moment fun?! "And who is paying for this? And what about your classes?" "Uh...Well...They're paying everything...and...uh...," I was trying not to break out laughing, and still come up with a story she'd believe and accept. "Professor Carbajal will not be there on Friday. Dr. Darville had to sit with his children while his wife had a job interview. And Dr. Beatty gave us a walk because she felt like it." Damn I'm good! "Uhuh. And when will you be back?" "Tuesday." "And what about Dr. Malpass? And work?" "Dr. Malpass is in DC at a history teacher's convention. And there's nothing going on at work. Any more questions?" "No. Just call me when you get there." "OK, will do. Bye. Oh, next-door neighbor, Caroline, is taking care of Snowflake." I hung up. I went to my closet and picked up my suitcase. I walked out and opened the thing on the bed, opened my drawers and just dumped them in the suitcase. I walked into the bathrom, got my toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, soap, dental floss, make-up, etc. and threw them into the over-full suitcase with my clothes. I went into the living room, carrying the suitcase grabbed my book-bag, stuffed my Spanish textbook in it , opened the door, exited, locked the door and went downstair to bang on Kat's door. "I'm ready!!!" Kat...back in the car, before Amy went home to wrestle with her cat... Amy was gritching about my driving. I went into my apartment, checking my mail on the way . I walked into my bedroom, got my suitcase walked back into the living room grabbed my red bookbag and my caboodle with my make-up, etc. in it and went back out to the car. I could hear Amy shouting at Snowflake, a yowl and more yells. Caroline was laughing fit to split herself in two. I walked out the car, unlocked the trunk (I have keys) put my suitcase and caboodle in. I closed the trunk, walked around to the passenger door and unlocked it. I opened the bookbag and put the new walkman into it, closed the bag, threw it into the back seat, locked and closed the door. I then walked back into my apartment to read my book and wait for Amy to bang on the door. I grabbed the phone and dialed her number. Ring, ring, ring, ring. "Damn, she must be at Mawmaw's." I dialed *her* number. Ring. "Hello?" Cindy answered the phone. "Cindy, is Mary there?" "No, she went to town." "Can I talk to Mawmaw?" "I'm on the phone," Cindy's attitude showed. Cindy is 16 and a freshman in high school. Gods forbid I interrupt her talking to someone she sees 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. She might miss something. "Tell Mawmaw and Mimi that I'm going out of town for the weekend and will call them Tuesday when we get back." "It's only Wednesday. What are you doing, taking the week off?" "Not that it's any of your business, but I'm leaving town. Bye, Cindy." She hung up on me without saying Bye. Little witch. As I hung up...BANG BANG "I'm ready!!!" Amy... "Let's go. You drive...it's ten till and we'll be late driving on these dang back-roads you seem to prefer." "Dude. Let's go." "Did you get ahold of Mary?" "No, she wasn't home, but I talked to Cindy and told her to tell Mary and Mawmaw I was leaving." "Did you tell them where?" "No." Shoppers' Paradise, Sharon's Hell By Simone "Angel" Morgan Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.....CRASH!....bzzzz...bzz.. Angel felt better now that she had destroyed the alarm clock. 10 AM...it was too early to get up. She hoped last night had been a twisted dream. The meeting between Janette and Natalie had gone well enough. She had even found time to flirt with Jeff, and set up a time to meet with Sharon. The Ravens and Ravenettes had pulled off the meeting perfectly. Then, after what seemed like an eternal night already, she had arrived back at her hotel suite, ready for a blissful night's sleep. Angel groaned as she thought about what the Knighties had done. Her precious wardrobe... Angel sat up. She had to go shopping! She didn't have a thing to wear! Karen had already left, taking one of Janette's credit cards with her. And Angel had discussed the situation with Janette last night. She was not amused. Yes, it was time to go shopping. But what about Sharon? Hmmm. What *about* Sharon? She wouldn't mind tagging along. Maybe Angel could recommend some appropriate outfits for the party. Angel had also been given another mission by Janette. Sharon's company would make it that much easier to accomplish. Angel staggered out of bed, refusing to even glance in the direction of the closet. She would have to wear her outfit from last night, even if it smelled like smoke. She was glad it had been spared. It was one of her favorite ensembles. *** 11 am, the Raven Sharon was waiting in front of the Raven when Angel drove up. Angel motioned her into the rental car. "Good morning," said Sharon in an annoyingly cheerful voice, Angel noticed a half empty cup of coffee in her hand. "So where are we headed?" As Angel began to drive, she answered, "Well, I have to pick up some clothes. I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to decide on a game plan. You don't mind shopping with me, do you?" The pained expression on Sharon's face spoke volumes. "Don't worry, it won't take long. Besides, we might find a suitable outfit for you to wear to the party. It's just a couple of days away, you know. These things can sneak up on you, and then suddenly you realize you don't have a thing..." Sharon's annoyed glance cut her off mid-sentance. "Look," said Angel, in a no-nonsense voice, "I'm having a slight...complication with my clothes. I need to get some. You're coming along." It was not a request. Sharon took a closer look at Angel. *Wow, she looks beat.* Although her hair and makeup were impeccable, there were bags under her eyes even the makeup couldn't hide. And what was that smoke smell? Sharon realized with a start that Angel was in the same outfit she had worn to the Raven. The stockings, the boots, everything was identical. What was going on? "Haven't you gone to bed yet?" she asked. Angel's chuckle made her wonder even more. "Let's just say it was an unusual night. I deserve a shopping spree," she replied with a cheerful smile. Angel seemed to be her usual friendly self again. Too friendly for Sharon's peace of mind. An hour and a few thousand dollars later, they had been to seven shops, and had seven large bags of clothing to show for their efforts. Every concievable type of clothing and accessory had been purchased. And Angel had been less than subtle about using Janette's credit card. Sharon was annoyed. She detested shopping, but had to admit that Angel was the fastest shopper she had ever seen. Still, almost nothing had been resolved. The morning had been passed with sly attacks and subtle barbs. Sharon breathed a sigh of relief as they left the shop. "Done?" "Just one more stop. Janette's tailor needs to fit me for some things." "You're kidding, right?" "Half of the things I need can't be store bought," Angel replied as if talking to an ignorant child. "I'm having them made instead. See, lighting cigarettes has it's perks." She laughed to herself. Sharon ignored the jibe, wondering if they would ever get back to the subject she was there to discuss. "So how are you planning on getting everyone to the party?" "Oh, that'll be simple enough. I'll send out an invitation to the Die-Hards this afternoon. They can't resist an opportunity to mediate. You ladies aren't a problem. We can extend a banquet invitation to the FoD's. They're easily enticed. Since *some of us* aren't on a budget, we can go all out. If we can lure Nick to the party, the Knighties (she almost spat the word) will follow. And he's not hard to trick. Besides, the Knightie spies at the Raven last night probably helped prod them into action. The Cousins will be more difficult. I think torment is the only thing they understand, so that's what we've been using to spur them into action. See, it's simple." Sharon wasn't so sure. "Wouldn't honesty be a better method? I can't imagine everyone turning down a party invitation." She guaged Angel's reaction carefully. "Sharon, you don't seem to realize how serious this is. We can't take chances. I would rather be sure of their presence and be deceptive than be honest and fail." "Yeah, the Ravenettes seem to live by that, just like their mistress." "Rather deception without pain for anyone than bluntness and lack of finesse like your friends. Who benefits from that?" she asked as she pulled up to the tailor shop and got out of the car. Sharon followed Angel into the expensive shop. A little man came forward, greeting them profusely. "Mademoiselle Angel, welcome back. Is the cloak to your liking?" "Oh yes, Edouard, it has worked out splendidly. Did you receive the list of things I'll be selecting today?" Angel asked. When Edouard nodded, she said, "Then lets get started." As Edouard hurried out of the room, Angel started examining the creations hanging all over the shop. She eyed a lovely silk dress. "What do you think?" she asked Sharon. "It's nice, but isn't it a bit conservative for you?" "Not for me, silly. For you. You haven't gotten anything for the party yet. And it looks like a perfect fit. Come on, try it on. You'll love it." Angel started pulling Sharon towards a dressing room. "Don't look at me like that. Listen, if money's the problem, I'm sure Janette would rather pay for your outfit than have you show up looking like a..." "No, Angel. Look, I don't *need* more clothes. I'm sure my own clothes will be fine." Angel tilted her head and just looked dubiously at Sharon, who was dressed simply in jeans, a t-shirt, and a long grey wool coat. Sharon glanced down, then looked back up at her. "Don't start," she warned. "Just *one* outfit!" Angel protested. Sharon shook her head, holding her hands out in front of her as if warding Angel off. "Thanks, but no," she said. Angel sighed and shook her head. Just then Edouard returned, his arms loaded with velvets and other black fabrics. As he started measuring and draping, Sharon paced around the shop. She had to admit that Edouard's creations really were beautiful. She was restless, and decided to pry more information out of Angel while Edouard held her captive. "Angel, I've started wondering what this party is really all about." Angel laughed under her breath. "There are things that need to be resolved. You don't understand what's going on, but trust me, this party is essential for all of us." "Oh? And why's that?" Sharon asked, as Edouard left for a moment. "Look Sharon, I'm not sure what exactly is happening either. Janette has us doing some confusing things. Doing background research that just doesn't fit together. Asking scary people unusual questions. And I've been trying to figure this out while relaying the information to Janette. There is something big going on. And I'd prefer not to speculate what it is." "Oh yeah, you're just a mortal. This is none of your business, right?" Despite her comment, Sharon was thrilled that she was finally getting somewhere. Angel had been elusive with most of her responses. "Did I say that? Maybe this as a problem we can't solve. From the looks of it, I'm happy to leave it to Janette and the others. This whole situation is getting really strange." Although Angel was getting annoyed, Sharon could tell she was serious. "How's that?" Sharon asked. "I dunno...I've just had these feelings since I got here. Something's not right. I feel like I'm being watched, like people know things but won't speak up, all kinds of stuff. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Wars can do that to a person." Sharon just shrugged. Edouard returned with a rack full of gorgeous dresses. Angel couldn't disguise her delight. Sharon could have sworn she saw mischief in that smile. "Mademoiselle, I've done all the measurements. I can have the velvet dress ready by tonight. I'll have the rest delivered to you as I finish them. Mademoiselle Janette suggested you look at the dresses here for..." "Thank you Edouard. I appreciate you doing this on such short notice." The man nodded and left the room. Angel started flipping through the dresses. "Don't you have enough? You're going to need new luggage if you buy any more stuff." Sharon was getting exasparated. Angel just smiled slyly. "Oooh, look at this!" She held up a dark red dress. "My favorite color. That dried blood shade." "Uh. . .i--it's nice?" she stammered. Sharon had never seen anything quite like it, not that there was all that much to it, and it was beyond her how someone could wear something like that in public. In fact, she'd be embarrassed to wear something like that in the privacy of her own home where no one could see her! "But I thought you didn't wear red." Angel laughed. "Stranger things have happened. I'll take it." She signalled to Edouard that she had made her choice. He put it in a box for her, and the two women were on their way. Sharon was so relieved to get out of there. "We're going back now. Can you drop me off at Nat's?" "Sure. I'm done for today. It's been a long time since I had a good day's rest, so I think I'll take the rest of the day off." "You haven't exactly been working." Angel harrumphed. "You'd be surprised." Sharon decided not to probe any further on this subject. "I'll be heading to New York pretty soon to secure those pubs. Are you going to check out the `Jeckyl and Hyde'?" "No. Janette wants me here. I'll send some of the others ahead and come down with Janette later this weekend." Sharon started to get out of the car, but turned back toward Angel. "We'd better be able to trust you," she said. "The same goes for you," Angel said evenly, putting the car into gear. "Mmmm. Well, it's been...interesting. I'll see you at the party." And with that, Sharon got out of the car and headed into building. Angel chuckled as she drove away. Her mission was accomplished. She had worked things out with Sharon and gotten Natalie a dress all in one fell swoop. A Change of Scenery By Eryka Hughes "Adios Vampiero," Professor Ash called to me after I dropped the midterm on his desk. "Adios don Pablo." It was Thursday and I could care less about anything that didn't include my upcoming trip to Toronto. Midterms were finally over and I was free until the next Tuesday for some fun. An old friend from high school, now living in Toronto had invited me up for the long weekend. "It'll do you some good to get out of that dingy city," she'd said. Back in June, Toronto had been the farthest place on my mind, but some strange happenings with my neighbors in the dorm over the past few weeks had me curious. Suddenly everyone and their uncle were breaking out of New York. Not one to be left behind, I called Amber and let her know I was on my way. "That's fantastic!" she gushed. "I'm dying to take you to this club. You will _love_ it. You probably won't want to go back to New York. I know I don't." "I'm looking forward to it. It'd better not let me down." "Oh I promise you. You won't be let down at all." That was about a month ago. Now I was two hours from boarding a plane and getting the hell out of New York. After sitting on the groud for an hour at LaGuardia, the plane ride was uneventful. Amber picked me up and instead of heading for her apartment, we hit the mall. "Amber, I never knew you to be a shopper." "We're going to the Raven and dress is too important for me to trust you to your own instincts." I looked down at my ripped jeans and flannel shirt. "What's wrong with me?" "Nothing. You look fine--for daytime. It's the night that I'm concerned about. To get into the Raven you've got to have the right look. Don't worry. You can trust me." "OK. Just no frilly dresses and no pink." Culinary Enticements By Simone "Angel" Morgan Angel frowned as she examined the list of FoD's. Janette had charged her with getting them to the party on Tuesday. What could she do? Petty torments would work on the Cousins and Knighties. But the FoD's were different from the other groups. How could she lure them to Manhattan and the Jeckyll and Hyde? Suddenly it occurred to her. The solution was so obvious! The FoD's were connoisseurs of all things edible. The only way to lure them was to offer them culinary delights. Angel grabbed some of Janette's stationary and started writing. Ten minutes later, several invitations were sent out to the FoD's, inviting them to a gourmet tour of Manhattan next Tuesday, all expenses paid. The last stop on the tour was the Jeckyll and Hyde. The attendance of the FoD's was assured. Dawn Checks Out the Corbie Digs By L. Dawn Steele Dawn was decked out in black. Her make-up was all in dark tones to complement the silver jewelry. The jeans were a bit tight and the shoes were a bit small, but it was all for camouflage anyway. She hoped that if she were caught trying to break into the Corbie rooms... pretending to have joined affiliation was not a pleasant thought. It had to be done only in a last resort. Breaking in was relatively easy. Dawn could tell that someone had already broken in once before. The lock had numerous scratches. Dawn had gotten friendly with the desk clerk. Apparently all the occupants had left earlier in the day. He had overheard something about a mass shopping exhibition. The first two rooms didn't hold anything of interest. The third (Ruth's old one) was a mess. There was glass everywhere and the furniture was disarranged. The wallpaper was discoloured as if someone had taken a black spray paint can and decided to start spraying the wallpaper. "Either they had a truly party, or Ruth showed up." Dawn went over to the middle of the room. Upon closer inspection, the black streaks on the walls were also in the carpet. They all seemed to be pointing to a particular spot on the floor. Dawn walked over and cautiously stepped into the center of the black lines. Nothing happened. "Ruth? I'm here. Can you come and talk?" Dawn walked over to the bag she had dropped by the floor. She brought out a pad of paper and some pens, then a bunch of candles. "I'm glad this room is a mess already." Dawn set the candles in a circle on the floor. The center positioned at the equicenter of the black lines. Entering the circle she reached into a bag and started to mark outside the candles with chalk powder. After she was done, the candles were lit. "I'd like to talk to you Ruth. I've tried to make this a friendly place to visit. I know it's difficult to appear, but it'll be easier this time, I promise. Enter my circle." Dawn closed her eyes and tried to visualize Ruth as she'd last seen her. She concentrated on calling out Ruth's name in her mind. In less than two minutes the air within the circle started to noticibly cool, and Dawn opened her eyes. Ruth was within the circle. She didn't look very well. Sections of her body weren't well defined and her feet refused to appear. "Hello Ruth. I've done some research since you first appeared in my apartment. I thought it would be easier for you if came to you." <<>> "I still can't make out what you're trying to tell me, but I've got a solution. We both know you're telekinetic. I want you to move either my hand or just the pen. You can write on the paper what you're trying to tell me." The ghost hovered within the circle, then moved over the pad of paper. Soon the pen was working furiously and the paper was being filled up at an alarming rate. Dawn leaned over and helpfully turned the page before the pencil reached the bottom. The writing continued for some time. "I'm going to have to take this pad with me in order to read it all. I can't risk being discovered here. Is there anything else I can do for you?" The ghost slowly left the circle. Her edges smoothed out, but she was starting to fade. Dawn quickly blew out the candles and started to follow. They went through a connecting door into another room. Black feathers were lying everywhere but Ruth ignored them and moved quickly over to the TV. Under Ruth's urging, Dawn inserted the tape into the vcr and turned on the TV. It was an episode of "Forever Knight". "Is there something I should see?" It was (naturally enough) the "Fate Worse Than Death" episode and the vcr was playing the scene in which LaCroix reaches out his hand to Janette. The ghost emitted what appeared to be an impatient hiss and seemed to sink into the TV. The show continued but with certain slight changes. LaCroix and Janette were surrounded by a faint black nimbus of light. It seemed to shimmer and move and the longer Dawn watched the stronger it got. The black light thickened and then seemed to {reach} out of the TV and headed straight for Dawn... CLICK!! Ruth had turned off the TV. "What the #@$&&* was that?!" Dawn headed hurridly into the other room and started to pack everything back into the bag. The chalk couldn't be helped, but they probably weren't using this room anyway. She didn't want to think too much about what had happened with the TV. Dawn's subconscious went to work trying to figure it out while her conscious mind didn't want to deal with it. "Ruth? I'm going to leave now. The Die-Hards will be meeting just one floor down tomorrow morning. I've reserved rooms #415 to 418. If you can make it, the others would probably want to meet you. It looks as if you've been wearing yourself out though. Try to rest tonight and recover." The ghost seemed to float across the floor until she was in the middle of the chalked circle, then she seemed to dissolve and sink into the floor. Dawn hurried out the door and took the stairs to the ground floor. She wasn't going to chance meeting anyone in the elevator. She was almost out the front doors of the Hotel before her subconscious slapped the answer in her face. Dawn face became paler than it normally was and the freckles started to stand out. "Shades of the Nine Hells! There's a spell on the actors in the show! It must be affecting everyone who watches `Forever Knight'!" Dawn went down the street and headed for a subway terminal. The pad of paper that Ruth had spent so much of her precious energy on was tucked sucurely beneath her arm. Dawn's mind wasn't on the pad of paper though. It was trying to figure out what kind of spell it could be, and how it could be affecting the viewers. Alternate game plans were being formed and discarded furiously. It was going to be a long night. She had to figure it out before the other Die-Hards arrived in the morning. On The Road Again By Karin Welss The small tracking device on the dashboard of the rental Honda Accord beeped steadily as the car flew north on the Garden State Park, in the direction of the Jersey Turnpike-- and the Newark Airport. "How are you feeling?" asked Jennise sympathetically, for the hundredth time. She was driving, her face lighted an eerie blue-green color from the dashboard lights. Sitting in the passenger seat, wrapped in a large blanket, Karin gave a muffled groan. "Why the hell did you let me bite Lisa? I couldn't have been that hungry.." She blinked, and sat up groggily, her head still pounding from the aftereffects of Lisa's poisoned blood. "If Susan and Nick got on that plane to Toronto, we're shish-kebab, Jennise. Dorian will kill us-- if LaCroix doesn't first." Jennise looked critically at the tracking device, estimating the distance from the transmitter concealed in Susan's antique garnet earrings by the frequency of the beeps. "We seem to be holding steady. Not really getting any closer, but we're not losing them either." "Thank goodness for small favors." Karin said shortly, and began rummaging around in the glove compartment for the cellular phone. "Who're you calling?" Jennise asked. Karin smiled for the first time in two days. "I'm doing mail order-- for our friend Lisa. How does the Good Vibrations catalog sound? I'll ask them to leave off the brown paper wrapper-- that should give the folks in Columbia, South Caroline something to talk about. Now, which of the bondage toys do you think would cause the biggest scandal...?" *** Thousands of miles away, in San Francisco, a bored mail order clerk wrapped up the first of the black leather whips, and addressed them to a Ms. Lisa McDavid.... Another Night At The Raven By Simone "Angel" Morgan Angel sat at her usual perch in the Raven, watching the dancers and reflecting on the day's events. She had just received confirmation about the rental of the pubs in New York. She had hired caterers to set up a banquet for the FoD's, and sent out the invitations. She had also hired men to guard their hotel suites. Angel was fed up with the nearly constant flow of intruders during the past few days. Now the rooms were nearly impregnable. She felt much better knowing that her wardrobe was safe. The next person who messed with her clothes would die slowly. Her eyes stayed to Jeff, who was talking to Rob. The three of them had gone shopping for a few hours. They looked extremely handsome in their new clothes. The Nat- Packers had liked them before. They would really swoon when those two showed up on Monday. Angel had really gotten to like Jeff. Even Janette had a hard time resisting his charm. Unfortunately, she still turned down their requests to DJ again. The two of them had turned the Raven into a total goth club Wednesday night. Janette didn't mind, but she thought it might hurt business on a Friday. As Angel scanned the crowd, she noticed a brunette, who looked a bit out of place. She was standing near the dance floor, watching the swaying bodies. *Hmmmm. Another Knightie spy? Geez, I don't have time for this.* She got up, and walked over to the girl, who appeared to be close to her own age. As she got closer, Angel saw the girl's eyes stray towards Rob. "He's prtty fine, isn't he?" Angel commented over the loud music. The girl smiled. She seemed friendly enough. She wasn't acting paranoid like a spy would. "Yeah. You know him?" Angel nodded. "His name's Rob. He's German. You should hear his accent. I just melt every time he opens his mouth. Want me to introduce you to him?" Eryka wondered who this girl was, and why she was being so friendly. She was one of those goths. Her hair was blonde with a purple glow, and her face was practically white. This was definitely the strangest club she had been to in a very long time. She thought women were supposed to compete for guys, not help each other get dates. "Yeah, that would be great. I'm not from here, so I'm not sure it's worth your effort." Angel smiled as she led the way towards the two men. "Don't worry about it. He's not either. I just thought he looked lonely over there talking to Jeff. I'm Angel, by the way." "Oh, I'm Eryka." They walked up to the two men. Eryka was certain they were the two best catches in the club. Of course, that bartender was pretty hot too. "Rob, Jeff, this is Eryka. She's visiting here and I thought she could use some *company*." Rob understood that he was supposed to pump this girl for all the information he could get. The guys mumured their greetings. Eryka was quite charmed. She noticed the flirtatious look that passed between Jeff and Angel. *Well, I guess he's off limits. That's okay. Robert's more my type anyway.* "Eryka? Jeff and I need to take off for a while. Could you keep Rob safe from all these women for me?" Angel winked at her. "It was nice meeting you." "Nice meeting you too." Jeff took Angel's arm and led her away. Eryka would be in for an interesting night. ------- CHAPTER 16 Saturday, October 29, 1994 Getting to Know You By Eryka Hughes Rob eyed the newcomer Eryka with suspicion. She didn't look like she belonged to any other factions, but those Natpackers could be slick. It would be just like them to have a set of back up spies. Then again, she could be completely innocent. He'd have to see. *** I didn't exactly like the way Rob was staring at me. "I hope you don't mind me asking you this bluntly, but what are you staring at? Have I grown an extra appendage anywhere?" "I was staring? So sorry. That was rude," he apologized in his melting German accent. I smiled up at him. "You're forgiven. They made small talk for awhile with Rob gracefully asking her questions. To him she didn't seem to be connected to anyone. If anything, her sympathies lied with the Ravenettes. *** Very early the next morning... The club seemed about to close. Only a few strangling groups of people remained. "It looks like the party's over," Rob observed. "Well it doesn't have to be." "I'm staying with a friend here in Toronto. If you'd like to come over--" "I'd love to take you up on your offer, but I've got business to attend to." I looked at him and batted my hazel eyes. "OK. Have it your way. Will you at least take a lady home?" Dawn makes a Lot of Fudge (Part 1 of 2) By Story, by L. Dawn Steele Poetry by Ruth Dempsey Saturday, Pre-dawn Dawn hadn't gotten to bed yet. The past fews days had been a nightmare of lost sleep, but she had to keep going. Her secret stash of chocolate covered coffee beans was disappearing rather quickly though. The past hours had been spent divided up into two goals. Figure out what Ruth was trying so hard to tell her, and also to work out just what that spell on the Forever Knight actors was for. After supper she'd done some experiments to base her theories on the spell, but then she'd started going back and forth between the two projects. She had spent the latter part of the evening trying to figure out what Ruth had written down. Dawn didn't know if it happened to all ghosts, but apparently Ruth had lost the ability to communicate clearly. The pages could have been written in code and Dawn would've been able to figure them out quicker. It was worse though. Every single line Ruth had written was some form of poetry. Some poems straightforward, but there didn't seem to be any consistency from one poem to the next. The third one for instance... I sought wisdom in ancient tomes Where only scholars go Where by chance there passed One whose face matched portrait On yellowed page, "Not at all flattering," said he "Look into my eyes," he said O ancient, ancient is his name "Know me for what I am" And ancient, ancient is his name "Dragons live beyond the lives of men," said I "Dragon or devil?" smiled he, "How much do you think you know, wise child?" The child stung and I was not wise "Seven years unknown to the living or dead And Devil or Dragon can the sun regain, So it says in ancient legend." *"Woman you know too much"* Green, green are those soulstealing eyes Hand and thought were not my own "Die for peace," said he. "Protest as a monk, the blame will fall on others." Seven years come to an end soon And war will be an excuse for his rising. Beware, beware his green, green eyes For ancient, ancient is his name. The poem seemed to indicate that Ruth might have been killed by a green-eyed vampire because she knew too much. Perhaps something to do with Nick becoming human again. Perhaps it meant that a vampire would be coming back soon in the midst of a war. Like most poetry, each line could be interpreted in different ways. Most of the poems though, seemed to deal with phrases and images of cults or groups of obsessed humans. Vampires images were intermixed, and some seemed to imply that the vampires were being watched. It was past two-thirty in the morning before Dawn decided to take a break on the poetry. There was that other matter to concern her... The matter of the spell. And just the Die-Hards should do about it. Dawn makes a Lot of Fudge (Part 2 of 2) By L. Dawn Steele It was after 02:30 Saturday when Dawn had left Ruth's poems behind and had gotten back to the "small" matter of the spells... Dawn got out her small blue notebook. It had been given to her by her youngest sister who had drawn a dragon on the front cover. The notebook had originally only contained recipes for some of Dawn's favorite foods, but after the war this past summer other items had been written in. Spells. Spells of protection. Spells to break other spells. Detailed instructions on setting up a basic work area so the spell-caster wouldn't be sucked into another dimension just for mispronouncing one of the words in the ceremony. Now Dawn hadn't exactly been brought up for this sort of thing and she was certainly not a natural talent. Practice did help though and she was able to do the more simple spells with little effort now. Dawn paused for a moment and started to reflect on just how she'd acquired this recent budding talent... Semi-flashback/explanation mode on She certainly hadn't imagined herself practicing sorcery, or witchcraft or whatever you wanted to call it. At the end of the last war though, she suddenly found herself in the possession of a copy of the Abarat. Copies had been flying left and right throughout the war. LaCroix had made a copy, but Dawn got the original. Or at least she had it for awhile. Dawn had been going slowly through the book. Laborously translating page by page. She had managed to copy a few of the spells into her recipe before that unfortunate accident... She had been trying a short spell that she didn't fully understand when the book started to burn... Within seconds flame whose colors ranged from nearly ultraviolet to wine red were consuming the book. The fire didn't even singe the living room carpet, but it was gone in less than a minute. Any hope of Dawn discovering a cure for Nick and slipping it to him was gone with it. She had felt guilty not handing the book over from the moment she received it, but she hadn't wanted to start another war. Explanation mode off Now here she was, trying to remember what little she knew about spells and the general rules they followed. If it was LaCroix who had put the spell on the Forever Knight show, then perhaps one of the general "break" spells would work. Dawn closed her eyes and thought back to her "experiments"... Flashback, Friday evening right after supper The first thing to do was figure out exactly what the spell did. Dawn hated using Tracy as a guinea pig, but she was a Cousin after all. LaCroix wouldn't want to hurt his own... So after supper she and Tracy had sat in front of the TV (Dawn wearing a protective amulet and Tracy exposed to the spell). The show had gone smoothly enough, but as soon as the actor playing LaCroix showed on the screen, Dawn could feel her amulet getting warm. And that wasn't all. Tracy was gushing. Dawn wouldn't have believed it, but it was happening in front of her eyes. Tracy had started to expound on how wonderful LaCroix was, how handsome he looked, and how he was so . Nick was described as being willful, and after one particularly well-acted scene... Nick was now being nasty to LaCroix. Tracy seemed ready to go on for quite some time in quite cruel detail, but then the episode ended and Dawn decided not to show another. Half an hour later Tracy was more even in her opinions about Nick as if some negative influence was wearing off, but LaCroix was still the best thing since sliced bread. The spell seemed to catch peoples attention and make them more sympathetic to LaCroix. If they had any Cousin-ish tendencies, these were brought to the fore. It also seemed to work when Janette was on the screen but not as strongly. Dawn didn't know if that aspect of the spell was weaker, or if perhaps Tracy had more "Cousin" leanings than "Ravenette". Was Tracy's recent conversion to the Cousins forced through spells. Dawn had known Tracy for quick some time and hadn't been surprised at the sudden departure from the Die-Hards into the ranks of the Cousins. Was it fast though? A lot of new Cousins and Corbies had shown up recently. It might not be a coincidence. It didn't really matter who had cast the spell though. People were being "forced" to choose a side. Dawn got queasy just thinking about it. She'd been wearing her protective amulet quite a lot lately. Obviously it had been enough to protect her, but others didn't have that option. The strong willed wouldn't be swayed by a single viewing. VCR's would capture the images the spell. Repeated viewings would intensify the effect. The confirmed Nat- Packers and Knighties wouldn't be paying that much attention to the scenes with Janette and LaCroix in them. That should have protected them from the worse of the effects. The unaffiliated were fair game though. This COULD NOT be allowed!! It went against everything the Die-Hards stood for!! When Tracy went to bed, Dawn leaped into action. Flashback mode off She kept herself in the kitchen. Her only light that of a few candles. She tried one after another of the spells on the videotape she'd brought over from Hamilton. Trying to figure out it the spell was broken took quite some time. After each trial she got out the ingredients and tried to make a batch of fudge. It was a well known fact that fudge turn out well if there was a strong spell resonating nearby. Batch after batch of fudge was made. Spell after spell was cast. The candy thermometer was checked carefully throughout the process. Fudge was a tricky business at the best of times. Batch after batch either solidified into a solid, uneatable crystalline mass or refused to solidify at all... It took five batches, but finally Dawn managed to turn out a delicious penuche and walnut fudge. It melted beautifully in the mouth and seemed to give an almost instantaneous sugar rush. She checked the last spell she'd cast. With a couple of modifications, she might be able to boost it's effectiveness enough to permanantly break the spell. She'd need some help though. Luckily enough, Die-hards would start arriving within a few hours. In the meantime though, Dawn planned on getting a few precious hours of sleep. The fudge would be waiting for Tracy in the morning. Dawn had made sure that one side didn't have any walnuts in it. A New Approach By Caile Donachaidh Kane In which Cousin John tells Cousin Caile of a new approach 29 October, evening Toronto, Ontario, Canada Things have been quiet here at Uncle's pad. No new attacks, and I hadn't been out since my experience at the Raven. Facing Janette's wrath in person had been a sobering experience. Also, there was still the matter of that guy following me... As usual, I rose a little after Uncle had left. He was in and out more than usual, and was keeping closed-mouthed about his business. I knew he'd had a meeting with Jennise and Karin about Susan, but he'd left me in the dark about the rest of his activities. I went downstairs first thing after eating the hot breakfast I found on my table. I got on to the computer and checked the mail. It was almost exclusively for Uncle, but I at last found one for me: From: mx%"jdencoff@polaris.unm.edu" To: mx%"LC@dungeon.com" Subj: for Caile - plots & plans & things Hiya Cousin! I've sent this to all the other Cousins as well, so pay attention. We're planning a suprise visit to the Raven, I'll get back to you with date and time. Also, I need you to pick up a box at the airport. It's in my name, just sign for it, ok? I've made sure you can get it. Thanks alot, and I'll see you at the party! >:> -Cousin John Hmmm. This sounded *very* intersting! I got my coat and called a cab for the airport - I couldn't wait to see what was in this box! Die-hards Dare to Defy Deception in the Dark By Story, by L. Dawn Steele Poetry by Ruth Dempsey Four Die-Hards were sitting around a campfire in High Park. They were a motley bunch and came from all over North America. Kathy had learned of the emergency meeting and had sneaked away from a fencing tournament in Kingston to help. Her coach was still under the impression that she was studying in her hotel room. She had managed to bring along her epee, in case there was any trouble. Kitty Hanks and Calliope Catlin were sitting next to each other. They both had reddish-blond hair, but that's where the similarities ended. Calliope only topped five feet and had hazel-green eyes while Kitty was the second tallest in the group (Kathy was 5'8") at 5'6" and had gray eyes. They had been briefed earlier in the afternoon. Dawn, Kitty and Calliope had gone to Le Marche for supper and had argued over the meaning of Ruth's poetry. They had agreed on several points and also on some other matters. The rest of the list would to be told. Ruth had been murdered because she had known too much. The murderers had learned that Ruth had come to the Toronto area to talk to Dawn. Unfortunately for the murderers Ruth had proved tenacious and refused to leave the material plane without her knowledge being passed on. Sitting around the campfire the Die-Hards planned and plotted. They would go to New York and see what the rest of the list members knew. If it looked as if their knowledge would be needed... they would scatter amongst the groups and pass it on. Knowledge on such a serious subject should not be held in reserve by one group or another. Some groups probably already suspected though... Of course there was the other matter. Dawn had gathered up the needed materials and had briefed them all on their roles. Only one thing was missing and Dawn had high hopes that it would come in time... It was time to get started. [I've got to clear the area of all the garbage camp-goers have left behind.] {Hey Kathy, could you help me get the chalk and dried eggshells mixed together? Did anyone bring a hammer?} "I've gotten the white and gold robes over in the corner. Try them on and make sure you don't trip over the hems." "Probably not. Most spells don't even need a lot of the trappings we put on them. Just the desire of the people casting the spell and the knowledge of what they're doing. Hey I thought we could have a bit of fun with this while we're at it! You're welcome to keep the robes. Hallowe'en is coming up after all." {Knock, Knock} The others stared at Calliope for a second, but then Kitty decide to accept the challenge. {Dawn} {It's dawn, so the vamps better watch out.} Silence reigned for a minute and then they got back to work. [Who do you think cast the spell in the first place?] {My vote's on LaCroix or Janette. Hmm... Maybe both. They both took the desertions very hard during the last war.} "The spell would help to cement loyalties." [Kitty? Have you finished copying the glyphs onto the ground?] "They're supposed to be made out of a expensive type of seaweed. I couldn't get my hands on enough of it today for the ceremony so I mixed in a bit of it with some salt. It dyed the whole batch." Dawn had experimented on the best type of structure to enclose the glyphs in and had finally decided to use the sterotypical pentagon. They spent the next half hour getting ready. Friendly chatter kept them occupied as they started to learn more about each other. The moment arrived. The Die-Hards took their places in the pentagon. Four people went within four of the stars tips. They all turned and stared at the empty spot. It was the moment they were halfway dreading. Dawn had told them that Ruth had stuck around after she died, but they had doubts that she hadn't just cracked up. All this white witchcraft didn't help matters. "Ruth? We're waiting for you. We need your presence to break the spell. You can be our link between the material world and the one beyond. The spirit plane has many borders. Planes of the underworld, and the upper. Planes that cross into the bounds of fiction where LaCroix is only a dream. Planes of reality we wouldn't recognize." "Please come Ruth. We're counting on you." As if only waiting for the invitation, the empty space within the stars' tip began to be filled. Wisps of white were the first to appear and then Ruth's familiar face coalesced. The apparition shimmered and seemed to vary it's demeanor and clothes by the second, but it was there and ready to help. "We gather now in a time which has no time. The clock has struck one, but it is not one. Time has no meaning, and has started to repeat. People's senses are confused. This night has an added hour, and it is ours to use." "A hole in time."