Julie stayed over that night and we turned in early. Gobbles was supposed to go hide at her place tomorrow.

I hoped we neared the end of this play soon.

They cuddled on the sleeping bags she'd brought and wished me a good night.

"Goodnight." I turned to Beck. He waved at me and started to float away. He went brought the door, off on whatever nightly adventure he came across.

I'd asked him before we reached the hideout what he'd done the night before.

A part of me hoped he would bring up the alley man. I didn't want to think I'd gone nuts.

Or that I wasn't, and that what I'd seen was real.

But he hadn't mentioned it. He had just told me that he didn't sleep apparently, and that the first night he'd been testing the limits of how far he could travel without me. Apparently far enough that he could go do his impression of an explorer.

I chuckled but stopped when a sudden coldness filled my veins. I shuddered, my whole body spasming. Terror made my mouth shut tight. It was over quickly, leaving me feel like my internal temperature had gone down another couple degrees.

I'd been good about ignoring my body's confusing changes, my perpetual state of cold, but this left me wondering for the first time if something was truly wrong.

What have I gotten myself into?

The apartment was dark and quiet. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes.

I hadn't felt so alone in a long time.

I miss everyone. Lula, Joe, Ranger, mom, grandma...hell, I even miss Vinnie.

I shut my eyes tightly and let myself be carried away into a cold, deep sleep.

The figure stood at the center of the room, eyes sparkling darkly. This time it left the confined room where they slept, unaware.

Once outside, it prowled, searching. Searching for it.

It felt that presence again and turned, growling dangerously at it.

The other being. It had stopped it last time from taking the innocent. It reeked of something that gave the figure pause. The energy around it was potent.

"No," said the other.

It would not stop this time. The figure charged at it, a shadow of fury, ready to tear it to shreds.

It was no match the second time.

From behind it felt a brush of hands over its eyes. It fell to its knees, immediately weak.

"Sleep now."

Next time, it thought as the other drowed out it's thoughts. It was a promise.

Next time...

I woke up bright and early. Me and Becker hit the small restaurant next to the building and I ate a hearty breakfast. I almost expected Beck to comment on my ability to shovel down food, but he didn't.

That done, we headed to greener pastures.

We started for New York.

"You're looking pretty pale Steph. Are you alright?, " he asked, concerned. We had another half hour of driving before we arrived at the University.

"Am I? I haven't been feeling well I guess." To tell the truth, I hadn't noticed it much myself anymore. But if it was starting to become noticeable..it wasn't good. I sighed.

The younger boy started to nag me about the benefits to eating balanced meals and excercise in my life. I agreed in monotone.

We spent the rest of the drive chatting and deciding how I would go about the investigation.

I called Connie.

"Hey. I need you to look into a number for me." I gave her the digit atop of the document I'd found at the shed. I described the rest of it to her. "If you can find anything about 'Project Black Blood' too I'd appreciate it.

"Yeah, sure. Anything else?" I detected a note of sarcasm. I raised an eyebrow.

"By the way," I started slowly, "You wouldn't happen to know who ratted me out to Ranger and Joe would you? Somehow they were able to get a hold of some pretty sensitive information about my whereabouts. Even my number if you can believe it!" I laughed with meaning.

I heard a swallow at the other end.

"Alright! Alright! It's not like I wasn't going to help. Don't guilt trip me. I feel bad enough as is," she said. I laughed, shaking my head. I couldn't blame her. It's not like I hadn't thought about the possibility.

I wouldn't want to be caught lying to those two either.

We left it at that and agreed to call each other later. "Poor Connie."

"I wouldn't want to go up against Superman and Batman either."

I turned to him, my eyes bulging.

Superman and Ba...

I exploded in laughter. My side's hurt.

I can't...

"Oh, man. I really do like you, Becker"

"Told you. The ladies love me. By the way, nice guilt trip skills."

"Thanks. I learned it from the best. My mother."

"New york huh? I have some relatives here actually." We chatted as we walked into the campus. It was pretty busy for some reason. I said as much to my personal poltergeist.

"Don't you know? It's New Years day tonight. My campus was celebrating it too." He looked thoughtful. "It's why we had tried to hurry up the fireworks. Me and Gobs." He looked distant again.

The fireworks were the reason he'd been killed. Pooka had assured the boys he would help them but it was for his own, dark purposes.

Becker had caught on and...

"Oh, look, there's the Department of Music and Theater!" He turned to me, now excited. "Pleaseee! Can we go take a peek? I've always wanted to see it. They have some state of the art stuff." If ghosts could drool, then this one was certainly doing it.

I caved in quickly after several pleas.

I didn't know I was so soft. Another reason I'm not fit to be a mom.

I'd just stick to Rex and my spectral man-child.

He spun around me at a dizzying speed as we entered. I had to admit that even I appreciated the equipment. There were several rooms. Some were empty, others were filled with serious students, honing their crafts.

I hadn't realized I was on my own until I turned to say something to Beck. I turned around and caught sight of him going through a room of wide double doors.

"Hey!" I went after him.

I walked inside the dim room. It turned out to be a small auditorium. I saw Beck going up to the stage and faint music sounded from a huge grand piano atop of it.

"Hey! Stop it would you-" I swallowed, as I realized he hadn't been the one playing. It was an older woman who sat behind the piano. She didn't look happy at my outburst.

Dang it.

Beck hovered behind her, eyes closed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shook his head slowly.

"Excuse me?," asked the woman. She was dressed in a tasteful suit in a burgundy shade. Her jewelery suited the outfit and complemented her dark skin tone. Her hair was cropped short. In her dark eyes shun a keen look that people usually lost with age.

I immediately backtracked.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it. I mean-i didn't know it was you. I-" I took a breath. She took her hands off the keys and regarded me quietly.

"I thought my partner had come in here just now. I was mistaken. And I apologize for disturbing you." Her eyes narrowed.

"And who are you? You don't look familiar." Her voice was a surprising smooth soprano. It was pleasant to listen to. Or should've been, but she sounded, and looked, seriously suspicious of me.

"Oh, well...I'm a fugitive recovery agent. Stephanie Plum. I'm here investigating the disappearance of a primary character in my search." That sounded plausible. I was glad me and Becker had come up with it on the way here.

Still, she looked wary. "You don't look like an enforcer of any kind."

Becker made a frustrated sound. "I can't take it."

He told me to tell her to...well I wasn't sure but it was some kind of music jargon I didn't really understand. It had been a long time, okay?

It had to do with the song she had been playing before.

I squinted at him. Was this really the time for that? The woman looked behind her and glanced back at me warily. I was starting to look like a nut. Great.

Well, I have nothing to lose anyway. I can shake her off and hope for the best of she decides to sick security on me.

I repeated Becker's words and her eyebrows went up. She turned back to the piano and played a few notes. Her head was inclined, as if listening closely to the sounds.

She was silent for a moment. I started to worry. She looked up at me then, her lips pursed.

"It's...not according to the book. But it sounds...lovely." Her expression changed then, curious.

"How did you know? Are you some kind of progidy?" My eyes widened and I waved my hands back and forth.

"No, not at all! I can hardly play anything. I just know a few things," I said weakly.

Her face was more open now, and gone was her scowl. She smiled at me.

"So you're here investigating?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. Mabye she'd point me to the right direction.

"Yes. Mabye you can help me? I'd like to know where the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology is. I was hoping to look into a project that a couple researchers in this school were a part of. It would help me a lot."

She looked at me thoughtfully and stood, walking over to me. Beck drew close to me.

She extended her hand and we shook. It was a solid handshake. That of one accustomed to working with people who underestimated her. But I didn't.

"I didn't introduce myself, Stephanie Plum. I'm Amanda Greer. I'll do you one better. I'll take you to the new heads themselves and ask them to assist you. How's that sound?"

I was surprised. "Good. But I don't know how much help you'll be. I think these records are private. I'm sure they won't take much heed to the words of a Music professor." I almost kicked myself over my lack of tact.

She laughed heartily. "I'm not a Music professor, Stephanie. Like you, I only dabble in it. It's a hobby." She shrugged one shoulder elegantly and looked me in the eyes. I knew I hadn't mistaken the look in them.

Intellect.

"I'm the Dean of Columbia University. They'll listen to my orders." Her musical voice held an edge to it, like a steel undercurrent.

"Dang," I heard next to me.

I grinned and she smiled, eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Lead the way then, if you please, Dean Amanda Greer."