The sun had not yet risen when the group headed for the stone circle gathered outside the livery stable. John was there too, having come to say goodbye, and also Dr. Fraiser - she had been up before anyone else, preparing provisions for their journey. Approaching Jason, she also handed him a carefully tied package in a leather wrapping.
'I know it's far removed from a regulation first-aid kit, but it's the best I can offer you.'
'I'm sure it will do fine. Thank you.'
Jason turned to stow the supplies in the saddlebags of the roan mare he was set to ride, but the doctor of Camp Eden hadn't quite finished with him yet.
'Are you sure I can't persuade you to stay? We could really use a second doctor around here. You could do a lot of good, whereas you'll likely be risking your life out there.'
'I'm pretty sure that's what he's hoping for,' Jack remarked sharply. 'I just hope he doesn't drag us all down with him.'
'Jack, don't...' Sam pushed him aside and hastened to change the subject. 'What's in that bag, doctor? It smells delicious!'
Joining them at that moment, Kermit buttoned up his black coat and said, 'Janet actually stayed up late last night to make almond macaroons - enough to fill a bakery.'
'Not that there were many left after you so generously volunteered to help me wrap them,' Dr. Fraiser teased with a smile.
Kermit grinned, patting his stomach. 'Well, they were mouth-watering.'
'You must really enjoy baking,' Sam said.
'Well, I have to do something with all the ingredients my patients keep giving me as payment. And these macaroons are a favourite of MacKay's - that's the leading scientist at the array. Would you please make sure he gets this batch, and that Kermit doesn't eat them all on the way?'
'Who, me? Never!'
Kermit pretended to look hurt, making Sam laugh heartily.
'Of course. I shall guard these macaroons with my life. Even from my husband,' she added, nudging aside Jack's hand, which was already reaching for the bag.
She secured the package in her saddlebag and entered the stable one last time to say goodbye to Chinook. She was still talking soothingly to the anxious mare, explaining that her injury meant she would have to stay behind this time, when David walked in.
'D'you want me to look after her 'til you get back?' he offered. 'I can come every day.'
'That would be extremely nice of you, if you don't mind,' Sam accepted gladly.
'N, I don't mind.' David came closer and started patting the horse's neck. 'I'll come visit her and talk to her, and I can feed her and brush her, and make sure she doesn't get lonely. She's gonna get well again real soon, don't worry.'
Sam hugged the boy close. 'That's very sweet of you, David. Thank you.'
She stroked Chinook one last time, kissed her forehead, and then regretfully left her behind.
'Is everything okay?' Jack asked.
'Fine. David's going to take care of Chinook for me while we're away.'
Jack raised an eyebrow and smiled. 'Well, that's good to know.'
'Is everyone ready to go?' Braden called soon after, having exchanged a few words with his men and given them the order to mount up.
'Anytime,' said Peter.
'Good. I'd like to get as far as possible in daylight while we have it.'
The big man then said a fond farewell to his family, who had all turned out for the occasion. Last of all, he kissed his wife Tisha goodbye.
'Be careful,' she asked.
'You know I am, always.'
'We'll pray for you.'
'Now that gives me confidence,' Kermit grumbled.
Peter said, 'You can still change your mind and stay here, if you think it's too dangerous.'
'Huh. Someone has to watch your back when that unique penchant the Caines have for attracting trouble kicks in again. Speaking of which, where's your father? Isn't he coming?'
'I haven't seen him today, but I'm sure he'll be here soon. Come on, let's mount up. Braden's already chomping at the bit.'
Kermit murmured something into his beard as he vainly attempted to make his horse stand still long enough to let him reach the saddle. Peter seized the halter, and the animal calmed down immediately.
'Showoff,' said Kermit.
'He's a living creature, Kermit, not a machine. You have to show him love and earn his love in return. Then he'll be your friend for life.'
'Spreading the love isn't exactly what I do.'
'Don't I know it!' Peter laughed. 'Give you a straight road and a hot rod any day, right? Preferably in bright green.'
'Oh yeah.' Kermit grinned crookedly.
'With a cute blonde riding shotgun.'
'The only cute blonde around here is waiting for you.'
It was true that Valene was already up in Spartan's saddle and holding Tanimara's reins. Peter held onto Kermit's horse until he had grouchily mounted up.
'You okay?'
'I just wish these things came with a steering wheel.'
Again, Peter laughed. He leapt up to his saddle with ease and called Lobo to his side; the wolf had just been receiving a farewell petting from David, who now took out his smart phone to take photographs of the troupe before they waved and rode out into the street, good wishes following them on their way. They rode through the silent camp, which still seemed to be sleeping at this hour. When they reached the gates, they found Commander Gold waiting for them. To their surprise, he was dressed in a sturdy winter uniform and had a saddled horse at his side.
'Good morning. I have decided to join you,' he announced.
'Sir, with all due respect, I don't think that's a good idea,' Braden tried to protest. 'You're needed here.'
'Well, I need a break from being needed, or I'm afraid I'll go mad. Of course, I could barricade myself in my home, but I feel an urgent desire to see something other than my own four walls.'
It was clear that Braden was anything but thrilled with his superior's decision, but he raised no further objections. He did, however, shake his head in some disgust when Gold turned to mount up and revealed the guitar he carried on his back. Then he shouted a command to the guards on the gates, and they hurried to open them for the riders. Braden was the first to ride out into the white wilderness. Behind him rode two soldiers, then Peter and Valene, Jack and Sam, Jason and Gold, Kermit, and finally three more soldiers who brought up the rear. Until the very last moment, Peter fully expected his father to appear and join them, but when the gates closed behind the last rider, even he had to get used to the idea that he would be making this journey without him. On the other hand, Lobo stayed close by. The wolf seemed as tense as the humans, as though he expected an ambush at any moment.
Half an hour went by, then one hour, and another. Nothing happened. Nevertheless, no-one dared to breathe easier or let their guard down too much. Jack kept glancing at his sister in front of him and Sam at his side. She looked pale, and he knew how nervous she was feeling. Detaching one hand from the reins, he reached for hers.
'Don't worry,' he said. 'It's going to be just fine.'
Sam said, 'I'd feel a lot better if you actually believed that. But as long as you keep fingering the butt of your shotgun, you can't expect me to feel any safer.'
'Oh.' Jack hesitated. He wasn't aware that he had been doing it, or that Sam had noticed, and he hastened to explain, 'Force of habit.'
'And I suppose you think I'll believe that,' Sam retorted. 'I just wish we knew how much further we have to go...'
'We're still about six hours away, including breaks,' Commander Gold answered her question. 'I imagine Braden will call the first stop before long. We're coming quite close to a dense forest that we'll have to pass through quickly, and without stopping. It's wisest if we partake of some sustenance first and water the horses.'
He was proved right soon after. Braden raised his hand as a sign, and the horses came to a halt. Peter rode past the two soldiers to the point and spoke to Braden.
'You really wanna stop here, in the middle of nowhere, with no shelter?'
'We can't be attacked here without warning,' the soldier explained. 'And we have plenty of escape options if we're attacked. The creatures rarely try anything in places like this. They prefer to attack from ambush or drive their victims into a tight spot.'
'Like the cave?'
Braden nodded. He positioned his men around the perimeter of the makeshift camp and lit a fire. They took care of the horses first, and only then did the humans take their provisions out of their saddlebags. Jack remained close to Sam. He was worried about her, not just because she was clearly afraid of the hybrid savages, but because she seemed to have something on her mind ever since she had been to her saddlebag.
'What's wrong, Sam?' he asked her gently.
Sam sighed. 'I wish I knew. I can't help feeling that I've missed something important.'
'What brought this on?'
'Macaroons.' She held up the bag Dr. Fraiser had given her, stared at it for a moment, and gave Jack a sheepish smile. 'That sounds pretty crazy, doesn't it?'
'A little. Don't make a habit of it - after all, you're supposed to be the brains of the family. Madness is my domain.'
Still smiling, Sam lovingly stroked the stubble on his cheeks and cautiously touched the arm he had injured in their fight against the hybrids.
'Does it still hurt?'
Jack shook his head. 'I'm fine, but Goldilocks looks like his leg's giving him trouble.'
Jason had, in fact, had difficulties dismounting and was limping noticeably as he stretched his legs. Nevertheless, he declined Peter's offer to help him up when they prepared to continue their journey about half an hour later. Commander Gold looked up at the sky, frowning.
'The clouds are gathering. I wouldn't be surprised if it started to snow before long - a lot.'
'It's starting already,' Kermit pointed out, indicating the flakes on the palm of his black glove.
'Wonderful. A snowstorm is all we need,' Jack complained.
'I thought you liked snow,' said Peter.
'I love snow - for sledding and building snowmen. For getting somewhere safely without falling prey to an ambush from beasts that can probably smell us out, while we can't see past the tips of our noses... not so much.'
'Indeed,' Braden agreed gravely and began to issue orders. 'Line up as before. We're gonna step it up a notch from now on; I want us to reach the tree line before the snow becomes so thick we can't see where we're going. Keep an eye out for those in front and beside you. Let's go!'
It only lasted a while. After only a short time, the snowflakes became larger, then denser and faster, until Jack's concerns were proved justified: visibility was practically nil. Braden shouted a disgruntled command, and they dismounted.
'This is pointless,' he explained. 'If we keep going, we'll veer off course, and it will only take longer - or worse, one of the horses could get hurt.'
'But what else can we do?' Sam asked. 'Surely you're not suggesting we hang around out here in the wilderness and wait for the weather to improve!'
Jack was about to reply when Peter hastily raised his hand.
'Quiet... Can anyone hear what I'm hearing?'
Everyone strained their ears, but could hear nothing except the gentle whoosh of the snow falling. Valene shook her head at Peter.
'I can't hear a thing. What is it?'
'The flute,' Peter said excitedly. 'You've gotta be able to hear it!'
He looked into a series of confused faces, but was not about to be discouraged. With determination, he steered Tanimara back in the direction they had been moving a few minutes ago.
'What are you doing?' Commander Gold asked.
'I'm gonna lead the way,' Peter replied. 'Just follow me - single file, lead the horses by the reins. And don't worry. I know where I'm going.'
'You must be hallucinating or something,' Jack grumbled. 'Val, your boyfriend's lost it!'
Without saying a word, Kermit pushed past Jack and Sam and took his place behind Peter.
'What, you too?'
'Yes, Jack,' the former mercenary said calmly. 'I've learned that when a Caine tells me he knows the way, it's worth more than a blacktop road.'
'You're right,' Valene agreed. 'Go ahead, Peter. We're right behind you.'
Peter nodded and set off with Valene behind him, closely followed by Kermit. With a shrug of his shoulders, Jason joined them. Jack sighed heavily, then signalled Sam to go in front of him. And so the column slowly started moving again. Their new leader never hesitated. It was as if he could see a clear path through the snow, while everyone else struggled even to make out the silhouette of the person in front without tripping over their own feet. They trudged through the snow like this for a long time before the storm finally began to clear and they were able to see something looming ahead that looked, at first glance, like a wall in the misty air.
'The forest!' Jack exclaimed suddenly. 'We actually made it!'
'We haven't made anything yet,' Braden grunted, working his way to the front once more. 'Our enemies are at home in the woods; if there is danger anywhere, it's in there. So from now on, you will all follow my lead again. Mount up. Weapons at the ready. That goes for you too, young man.'
'I'm not armed,' Jason replied, earning a disgusted look.
'What? Walker, give this man a pistol!'
One of the soldiers hurried forwards, but Jason shook his head.
'No thanks. I can't shoot anyway.'
'Then what the hell are you doing out here?' Braden bellowed.
Valene intervened. 'Take the weapon, Jason, and stay close behind me. If you have to use it, just make sure none of us is anywhere in front of you. Come on.'
Since further protests were obviously pointless and would merely have wasted time, he took her advice. Braden took point again, and was the first to ride into the forest. It was dark and still in the woods, and yet from time to time, they seemed to hear something in the undergrowth - a rustling, the snapping of a twig - and were never sure whether it was just an animal, whether they were being pursued, or even if it was their minds playing tricks on them.
'Are you still hearing the flute, Peter?' Valene asked after a time.
He shook his head. 'Not anymore.'
'Silence,' Braden ordered from up ahead. 'No talking until we're out of these woods.'
Valene felt Peter's mind brush against hers, and heard his voice inside her head.
'I don't think I'm gonna hear the music again unless we need help. You really couldn't hear it?'
'Not a sound,' she answered him the same way. 'What are you thinking? Was it the stone circle that made the music - like the light that it sent to guide you?'
'Maybe, but I have a different theory.'
'You mean your father? You think he's out here somewhere?'
'I'm sure of it.'
'Then why doesn't he show himself?'
'Maybe he's just waiting for the moment when we need him most. Or it could be he's just enjoying a game of hide-and-seek. You never can tell with my dad.'
She knew he was smiling, even though she couldn't see it, and found herself grinning in response. Peter's suspicions could very well be right. She had noticed lately that for all the dignity he exuded, Kwai Chang Caine enjoyed a bit of mischief quite as much as his son did.
'What was that?'
Jason's exclamation interrupted their secret conversation and earned another reprimand from Braden. But Jason was not to be silenced quite so easily.
'I saw something,' he insisted. 'Something moving.'
'Probably just some animal,' Jack suggested.
Peter glanced at Lobo, who was still trotting peacefully by his side. The wolf's behaviour did not seem to indicate that they were in immediate danger. They rode on. But it was not long before Valene heard Jason quietly call her name. Twisting around in the saddle, her eyes followed the direction he was pointing. She caught her breath. This time she had seen it too, quite plainly: a dark shadow slipping through the snow-covered scrub close to the path and disappearing. A few moments later she caught a glimpse of a pair of large amber eyes. She touched her index finger to her lips and turned back to Peter.
'There's something there,' she told him through her thoughts. 'I saw it too.'
'Just act natural,' Peter recommended.
Valene saw his left hand close more tightly around the handle of his service weapon. At a click of his tongue, Lobo switched to the other side and slowed down, until he was level with Valene. The wolf raised his snout and kept sniffing along the edge of the path, but he did not seem alarmed.
It felt like a small miracle when they came out of the forest at last, without incident. It was almost midday, and so Braden waited until the woods were safely behind them and called for another halt about half an hour later. Valene fed and watered her horse, then picked up two mugs of coffee and climbed through the thick snow to join Jason, who had once again distanced himself from the group as far as possible. She offered him a steaming mug.
'Here, drink this. It's strong, and it'll warm you through.'
'And probably give me gastritis.'
'Still healthier than freezing to death.' Pushing the mug into his hand, she smiled. 'I suppose you must have felt colder these past few days than you've ever been in your life.'
'That's true enough,' he admitted.
'I don't suppose you've ever done anything so dangerous either.'
'Well, they do say there's nothing quite as dangerous as crossing a road.'
'Maybe, but that doesn't usually get you mauled by mythical creatures. Speaking of which, how's your leg?'
'Not too bad.'
Valene studied him thoughtfully. He really did make it hard to keep a conversation going. She looked around, and seeing Peter check Tanimara's saddle girth, thought of something that seemed harmless enough to draw him out a little.
'I couldn't help but notice what a fine rider you are,' she remarked. 'You sure fooled us, letting us believe you couldn't ride at all.'
'I said I didn't want to - not that I couldn't.'
'Where did you learn to ride like that?'
'School. My uncle sent me to Eton College. I had to choose a sport, and rugby was obviously out of the question, so I tried polo for a while - which is terribly bad for your back, by the way, at any age.'
'I take it that's the doctor talking.'
'I suppose so.'
She risked a direct question. 'So what did you specialize in? Paediatrics? General medicine? Gynaecology?'
He hesitated briefly before saying, 'Surgery.'
'I see.' It wasn't much to go on, but she kept digging. 'Cosmetic surgery? Do I come to you when I start to go wrinkly, to have you stretch my skin and staple it behind my ears? Like this?'
She raised her hands to her face, pushed back her cold cheeks, pursed her lips and raised one eyebrow. Jason turned slightly to face her, and she was pleased to see that she had finally coaxed a small laugh from him. It changed his whole expression; his eyes sparkled and his cheeks dimpled. It suited him, and she grinned back.
'So, not plastic surgery then?'
'Definitely not.' After another brief pause he said, 'I was a neurosurgeon.'
Whatever Valene might have expected, it wasn't this. She was impressed and found it somewhat hard to imagine Jason in full surgeon's get-up, complete with rubber gloves and a bone drill. Wait. That was something she really didn't want to imagine. She shuddered.
'Me and my big mouth. I just had to ask, didn't I? Now, is there any way you can remove these images from my head?'
Jason said quietly, 'No, I'm afraid there's nothing that can do that. And I've sworn I'll never touch a scalpel again.'
'Never is a long time,' Valene pointed out.
'Not long enough.'
Without meaning to, Valene suddenly felt a wave of emotion wash over her. Jason's feelings of grief and guilt were becoming familiar to her, and on their ride through the woods she had even practised identifying his mind among all the others by focussing on those feelings. What she hadn't expected were the images that suddenly rose up before her with overwhelming clarity. She saw a young woman with big brown eyes, laughing happily, just a few feet away. But in a flash, the image blurred and changed - to a wet road, shattered glass, blood stains... The same woman lay on a stretcher, moving hurriedly along a brightly lit hallway. Valene heard people calling for a doctor. Loudest of all was Jason's voice, filled with despair as he kept calling a name.
'Melanie!' Valene cried suddenly.
'What?'
Suddenly she was back in the present, back with Jason. He was staring at her incredulously, his face almost as pale as the snow around them.
'M-Melanie,' Valene stammered. She was feeling dizzy and reached for Jason's arm to steady herself. 'That was her name, wasn't it? Your wife's name.'
'How can you know that?' he breathed. 'What just happened?'
'I saw her,' Valene admitted. 'How she was and then... after the accident.'
His eyes reflected his horror. 'Y-you saw... What else did you see? Tell me now, Val!' he demanded forcefully. 'Did you see how she died?'
'No, not that.'
'But you saw enough, didn't you? How could you? What gives you the right to...'
'I didn't mean to,' she protested quickly. 'I really didn't mean to do it, it just happened.'
'Of course it did!' he said bitterly and wrenched his arm away.
'I told you I don't always have control of my abilities!' she reminded him. 'I'm really, really sorry, Jason. Please don't run away!'
Her plea came too late. Jason had already turned from her and was limping away as fast as he could. He didn't even seem to know where he was going, and almost collided with Jack, who now joined his sister with a frown on his brow.
'What's up with him now?'
'He's in a lot of pain,' Valene said sadly. 'Forlorn. I so wish I could help him, Jack, but he just won't let me.'
Jack gave a snort, but when he looked at her and saw how upset she was, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her encouragingly.
'If it's that important to you, I know you'll get through to him, sis. After all, you're an Avery. We turn them all around sooner or later. Look at me. I even got that wonderful woman over there to marry me. Now if that isn't a miracle, I don't know what is.'
Valene laughed. 'As I recall it, that was more my idea than yours at the time.'
'And did you get your way or not?'
'I did.'
'You see? Chin up, kiddo. Come, let's get you something to eat before the sergeant major back there starts calling the roll again.'
It started snowing again as they continued on their way, though not as heavily as before. Valene tried to stay close to Jason, but he moved his horse away from her and joined the ranks beside Kermit at the back of the procession. Frowning unhappily, she turned to Peter, but he did not seem to realise what had happened. He sat bolt upright in his saddle, his gaze fixed firmly on some point in the east. On the whole ride across the vast plain, which was broken by nothing more than the odd copse here and there, he hardly ever glanced to the side and never spoke a word, until Valene could no longer stand the silence.
'Can you sense our destination?'
Peter nodded. 'I can almost see it. It's breath-taking.'
That was all he would say. In fact, this whole stage of the journey was very quiet. The terrain was flat, easy to survey and with few places to hide, and although this made them feel safer than before, the strain was still great and they all wished they were already at the end of their ride. However, it was a long while before Braden pointed ahead at last, and they could finally see what they were heading for. It was a high plateau that appeared small in the distance, but seemed to grow with every kilometre that they came closer to it. It was sunset by the time they reached the rocky elevation, and they felt tiny beside the sheer cliff of the plateau's lower level, which was several hundred metres high. The entire plateau rose more than a thousand metres above the surrounding landscape, and from this angle they could no longer even see the outline of the stone array they had been able to make out vaguely from a distance.
Jack emitted an impressed whistle and asked Braden, 'So we have to get all the way up there? How are we going to do that?'
The soldier dismounted and signalled the others to follow suit. Kermit slid from his saddle gingerly and gave a low moan.
'Great. I'm not gonna be able to sit down for about a week.'
No-one paid any attention to his complaint. They followed Braden, who circled around the north of the plateau and led them to a tall crack in the rock, guarded by two men standing on guard close to a campfire. They saluted Braden, greeted the rest politely and made room for the newcomers to pass through the crack into the mountain. There they found themselves in a large, round shaft that reached further up into the darkness than the light from the flaming torches which illuminated the stone floor and lit up the frame that apparently served as an elevator. Valene and Peter regarded the rickety-looking scaffold with dismay: a simple wooden structure held together by rusty nails, with a kind of large cage suspended by ropes in the centre. Peter looked up.
'How high is this shaft?'
'It goes all the way up to the first level of the plateau,' said Braden.
Peter gulped. 'Is there any other way up?'
'No. The mountain is surrounded by cliffs no man could climb, let alone a horse.'
'Then I guess we have no choice. How many people can this thing carry without collapsing?'
'Two people and two horses.'
'You're sure about that?' Sam queried doubtfully.
'Well, it might not be wise to attempt it after a hearty meal, but since our stomachs are pretty empty, I think we can risk it,' Gold joked and stepped forward to go first. 'Care to join me, doctor?'
Jason hesitated, but finally he agreed. Thus they all eventually reached the top of the shaft and a surprisingly large area littered with wooden cabins, tents, and even a stable. More guards hurried to meet them. They helped them out of the cage, took the horses' reins and led them to be fed and stabled. But while the others were still looking around in fascination and Jack spoke longingly of coffee, a hot meal and a soft bed for his tired bones, Peter seemed to be in a world of his own. He approached a rock face and laid his palms against it.
'We're almost there,' he whispered to Valene when she asked what he was doing. 'I can feel it. I can hear it. Whatever's up there, it's calling to me louder than ever.'
Valene heaved a sigh as she realised Peter wouldn't rest until he had reached the top and seen the mysterious circle of stone. Commander Gold seemed aware of it too, for he watched Peter closely and then turned to the rest of the group.
'We're going up. You can stay down here if you like. Braden, please find them accommodations and something to eat.'
'Actually, I'd much rather come with you,' said Sam. 'I'm far too curious, and I'd really like to see what's up there.'
The majority agreed with her, and so everyone but Braden and the soldiers decided to take the next elevator up to the top level. This time there was no shaft, just a contraption built against a wall. At the top, they were greeted by the most impressive sight any of them had ever seen: a circle of stone reminiscent of Stonehenge in England rose up so high that even Peter, the tallest of them, barely measured a third of one of these stones in height. There were thirty such giant arches, and minuscule runes had been etched into the top stone of each. Everyone held their breath as Peter stepped reverently into one of these arches and then stopped. For a long moment, he simply stood there, his eyes closed and his palms extended to either side, but without touching the stones.
'Do you feel that, Val?' he breathed at last.
He reached for her hand, and his palm felt warm in spite of the icy air. Valene felt that warmth flow through her, filling her entire being. Then she sensed something else; something that wasn't Peter. The gentle touch of... something. Her skin crawled and she felt surrounded by an invisible energy that she could not find words to describe. It was almost a consciousness, but too vast to belong to any living creature. Something about this place was different from anywhere else she had ever been. It was special, and Valene suddenly experienced the same urge that had brought Peter here. She simply had to know more.
'What is that?'
Fascinated, she reached out to touch one of the stones, but Peter quickly seized her wrist.
'Don't. There's a power here that I don't understand. It could be too much for you.'
He slipped his arm around her and stepped through the arch. Immediately Valene understood his warning. It was like walking through a viscous substance that offered resistance at every step, and yet seemed to draw her in ever deeper. Her knees buckled. She was thankful that Peter was holding her upright. The sensation passed as soon as they left the arch behind them, before anyone could register what had happened to her. She looked at Peter and knew he had felt the same, though it had not affected him as strongly. He gazed in awe at the inner circle which now lay before them.
The two circles were arranged concentrically, and yet they were not exactly the same. Here, the arches stood apart and did not form a colonnade. There were eight of them, four of which served as frames for large, polished mirrors. In the very centre of the circle stood a stone plinth, about one metre high and half a metre in diameter. Like the arches' top stones, it was decorated with runes. They were arranged in columns around the smooth stone.
All of this they could see by the light of five stone braziers spaced evenly within the circle, like the points of a pentagram. The flickering light also fell on a figure seated at the base of the plinth, playing on a flute that sent a haunting melody into the night. Even though the slouched hat covered most of the face, everyone present recognised who it was at once: Caine.
16