If I got some of the parts of the book wrong, please tell me. Even though I just read it, it's amazing how much I forgot or overlooked, especially in the older books.(the little details, which I wanted to know) So, this is my guess as to what will happen.. sort of.

WARNING: BIG SPOILERS.. and really, only people who have read Necropolis should read it. Sorry!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything thats in the books!

At A Loss

A movie preview played in front of him, with flashes of exciting and dramatic scenes wrapped up into thirty seconds. If only those directors knew real action. Matthew Freeman was sitting in a run-down motel in Glasgow, Scotland, with Lohan, who was currently wrapped up in a phone call, pacing back and forth, spitting out Chinese at a very fast rate.

Although he may have had a father that was probably close to a billionaire, and even he, just a young man around twenty, in the business that he's in, must have been at least a millionaire, Lohan didn't have much money on him. Or maybe he was just saving it, being that this was a dire situation. So they stayed in a motel that I'm sure he would never had stayed at by choice. It was small and smelled – not as bad as Hong Kong had – with two double beds, one which Matt was sitting on, and a T.V. on top of a dresser. Over the beds was a cheap, thin wooden head board with little detail. It had cracked when Lohan had thrown his cell phone at it, yelling in anger. Matt hadn't even flinched.

Lohan was displeased, but frankly, so was Matt. This had turned out all wrong! All five of them had finally met up, but for barely a second. After Scott had saved Jamie, Scarlett was shot instead. They were rushed out by the typhoon and had ran into the door – without knowing where to go. They all must have arrived at different places. And now, two days after, Matt felt hopeless and lost and defeated. So instead of concentrating on all that, he gazed at the T.V., trying to take an interest in what was being said.

He and Lohan had ended up in Glasgow from a door in the Glasgow Cathedral on Castle Street. Lohan, however surprised as he may have been, got right to business as soon as the shock wore off. He had rushed Matt to a motel and spent the past two days talking on his phone. Although, Lohan had accomplished nothing yet.

Soon after the head board cracked, Lohan picked up his cellphone. It wasn't even scratched. He dialed a number and talked for a long time, while Matt watched a documentary on a cult. Somehow the leader had made the whole town commit suicide. He didn't want to find out and quickly turned it off.

A loud ceiling fan whirled overhead and Matt started listening to that, trying really hard not to think of the complete horror of this situation. Suddenly, Lohan spoke, "Very good news, Matt," The boy's head jerked up. Wonderful, good news was exactly what he needed at that moment. "Mr. Cole had managed to call the Master of the Mountain. Apparently, Mr. Cole had kept the phone that the Master had given him.

"That's great! How is he? Is he still with Scarlett?" A surge of hope soared through Matt. But then he realized it was still only one Gatekeeper. That still leaves three. But Richard would be a big help, and he liked the idea of having someone he knew around. Matt had no idea what to think of Lohan.

Lohan frowned and it seemed like he was almost disappointed at his enthusiasm, "He is alive, she is still with him."

Matt waited for him to say something else and soon got impatient, "Nothing else? I'm sure Richard didn't just call in to let him know everything is okay!" The boy had raised his voice. It was almost like this man didn't care. Matt needed answers right now.

"You forgot that Scarlett-" He pronounced the two syllables separately, as if they were two completely different words. He must be used to calling her Lin Mo as well. "-had been hurt. Mr. Cole had called to let him know that she was okay. They are in Italy." For that moment, Scarlett had totally slipped his mind and he felt a twinge of guilt. But that soon passed because she was alright, though he wondered how. All five Gatekeepers may not have been together, but they were still alive and untouched, for the moment. Matt was sure that the Old Ones would only know about the few doors that have been used already.

Italy. That was much better than China, Matt thought.

"How did she get 'okay' so quickly?" Matt asked. The image of Scarlett's body crumpling after the shot flashed in his mind.

"Richard did not say. It was just a quick phone call. It seemed as if he had more to do," Lohan told him. Maybe Richard is trying to contact the Nexus. Maybe this would all be resolved quickly. "Are you hungry?"

And then that was that, there was no more talk about Richard and Scarlett for the rest of the day. "Not really."

Another thought popped into Matt's head. "What's going to happen with you?"

"I'm going to stay with you." He said and looked at the boy with slightly curious eyes. Then Lohan smiled warmly at him and his scar contorted. "It would be my pleasure."

"Why? Han Shan-tung's business has all blown away. Why would you still help me?" Suspicion lurked into Matt's eyes. It didn't add up. Sr. Shan-tung made it clear he wouldn't help them if there was nothing to gain.

"Why?! Our ancestors would be rolling in their graves, that's why! Although we may have changed the goal of this organization, we have always respected the old ways and rituals. I'm sure you know that by now," Lohan explained, a slight tinge of annoyance in not only his voice but his face as well, his scar moving and twisting in accordance with his emotions. "You mistrust my father?" He had taken on a more serious tone and Matt responded quickly by shaking his head 'no'. "You misunderstand him, then. He is not as 'evil' as you think," Lohan glared at him with contempt. Matt looked up at the ceiling fan, it's droning toneless but now it had become deafening. Matt looked up at Lohan's face; he was still glaring, but this time with something else was in his eyes. "I am going for some food. Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"No, I'm good," Matt said quickly, shaking his hands in front of him. Lohan nodded at him and left. Matt now knew not to anger him. The man may have forgotten some of his credit cards but Matt was sure he didn't forget his weapon. He had it in Victoria Prison when they were saving Scarlett and he was sure to still have it. Besides the gun, it was not good to make him angry because without him it would be much harder. Matt wasn't an adult and with Lohan, he could get much farther, like going on a plane, and if need be, drive to where ever they're heading next. Matt also had no money and no protection without him.

And then Matt began to worry about the rest of the Five. How is Pedro, Jamie and Scott? Scarlett may have been okay, but what if the others walked into some place that was covered with Nightrise agents or Chaos's hidden army? They have to get from where ever they are to... There was no place for us to meet. They have no idea where they are going! Pedro, Jamie and Scott could be anywhere, all separated, with no goal, no where to go or be! That just makes it even more difficult. Hopefully Scarlett doesn't get taken again. It's like I'm back to the start, he thought. They're just people now. Four people he needed to find of the billions there is on this planet. Hopelessness sank in. Desperation. He would give anything just to know where they are, or at least if they're safe or not.

It was too late. There was no one he could bargain with. He could only hope that the Nexus had some sort of clue or sighting of one of them. Most of all, he counted on Susan Ashwood. He was skeptical before of her talents, and for one moment, her sanity. Next he had gotten used to the fact she thought she could speak to ghosts. What did it matter, her thoughts were always correct, so who cares where she got the hint from? And now, now he fully understood. She could talk to ghosts. Plain and simple. He was sure of it and thankful for it. Without her amazing abilities, he wouldn't have gotten as far as he had. Or at least not as quick as he had. She would tell him what to do. Matt sat back on the bed, staring up at the out-of-date ceiling fan. It had lowered the temperature dramatically and he pulled a thin blanket over him, too tired to shut it off. He relaxed.

But he couldn't fool himself. Somehow he didn't believe that she would have some sort of hint as to where any of the other boys and girl were. Soon he fell into a haunted and distressed sleep that was all too familiar.

Matt was back in the humongous library. He looked up and saw the librarian smirk, "It's your choice. If you don't want to read it, you won't ever know until it happens. You read it, you can find out now." For the second time, the Librarian placed it in his hands. Matt breathed in. 'You can find out now.' He weighed those words. Did he want to? Well, of course he did.

Matt lifted it and noticed it was much thinner than some of the others on the shelves. Was it just him, or has it gotten even more so? No, it was just him. As he thought, time seemed to slow down, almost stop completely. He looked around him. The dust particles hung in the air and they reminded him of flies stuck in a spider web. He blinked. "Is it a matter of 'do I want to?'" He considered his self-asked question in his head. "Or is it about what's right, what's fair?" The first Matt was able to do this with out a stupid book telling him what will happen, he could do it too.

Matt looked into the other man's metallic eyes with his head held high. "No. I don't want to read it. And I never will."

He walked out of the door. The five circles on it seemed to be glowing.