Hey everybody! Guess who's back with a vengeance! Heck yeah! After this week, I'll be an updating machine!

I plan to do a lot of character development as far as the campers go as I lead up to major action. Yep, I'm just getting started! Brace yourselves, because there's about to be a new piece in the puzzle!

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Milla looked as though she might faint.

"Is there any sign of foul play? Could he, Maloof, and Mikhail all have been abducted and the helicopter used as a means of escape?" Milla asked.

"I don't think so. Even if that were the case, We know where his helicopter is." Morry said. Ford ran in carrying a laptop.

"You got a lock on him yet?" Morry asked.

"Yep, and don't worry. He hasn't been kidnapped. Clearly, Sasha isn't thinking straight. Footage from the security camera outside his room as shown in infrared shows that he slipped out of his room without being noticed because he had invisibility engaged. He went to the hanger and made an unauthorized takeoff in his own helicopter." Ford explained, bringing up the footage on his laptop.

"Has anyone tried radioing him?" Milla asked.

"Yes, but his radio is off. But, just like all Psychonaut aircraft, he has a tracker." Ford said.

"Where is he?" Milla asked.

"That's where things get interesting." Ford said. He brought up a map on the screen.

"The red line is his flight pattern." Ford said. The line began in their current location in Oregon and went north over Washington and into Canada. Then, it cut off.

"Has he landed?" Milla asked.

"No, he turned around. He's retracing his route exactly. He's headed back our way." Ford said.

"What on earth is going through his head?" Milla wondered.

"Let's go find out. The jet is ready. Let's go pick him up before he gets himself into any more trouble." Morry sighed.

"Truman has taken over the search for Maloof and Mikhail. Don't worry." Ford said.

And with that, Milla, Ford, and Morry were off.

"GRIZZLY BEAR!" Maloof cried.

Guardian growled viciously and stood in front of Maloof. The massive grizzly barreled toward them with a loud bellow and knocked both Maloof and Guardian to the ground. Maloof clung tightly to Guardian and put up a shield around them as the bear swiped at them.

"HEY! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" A voice cried. Mikhail ran into the open and up to the grizzly. The bear stopped and looked at Mikhail.

"They are friends." Mikhail explained. The bear groaned and backed away from Maloof and Guardian disappointedly.

"Mikhail!" Maloof sighed, relieved. Mikhail walked over to Maloof, his expression stony.

"I was so worried about you!" Maloof said, throwing his arms around Mikhail's neck as he knelt beside him to help him up.

"Maloof…don't take this the wrong way but…" Mikhail began. He pulled away from Maloof and slapped the smaller boy sharply across his cheek. He grabbed Maloof's shoulders and shook him.

"WHAT IN SEVEN HELLS IS TINY BOSS DOING OUT OF BED, MUCH LESS WAY OUT HERE IN COLD AND WET WITH NO COAT OR SHOES!? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Mikhail shouted. Maloof had been startled by Mikhail's sudden violent behavior.

"I could ask you the same question." Maloof stated simply. "I had this terrible feeling…I knew I needed to find you. I could feel you hurting. Misha, what happened?"

Mikhail's expression softened. His grip on Maloof loosened and he let out a soft sigh.

"Misha is sorry for yelling and hitting you." Mikhail said softly.

"I'll get over it. Just tell me what's hurting you so much." Maloof said. Mikhail hung his head.

"My mother and father…those terrorists got them." Mikhail said softly. A few tears leaked from his eyes.

"Oh, Mikhail…" Maloof whispered. "A-are they…"

"They're alive, but badly hurt. My father…" Mikhail choked. "My father may not ever walk again…and my mother…"

Maloof waited patiently for Mikhail to finish. He put an arm around Mikhail's shoulders soothingly.

"She was with child." Mikhail said.

"She was pregnant?" Maloof asked. Mikhail nodded.

"In two months I was to have a baby brother or sister...Misha didn't even know about it… Mother and Father were going to surprise me with news when I got home…but…they do not know if baby is still alive." Mikhail said.

"Then there is still hope, Mikhail." Maloof said.

"I just cannot muster it." Mikhail sobbed.

"Why is all of this happening? I can see why Nein, Vodello, Cruller, and Oleander might be attacked; but you and I did nothing to these people! Cowboy friend Jt and shy, invisible girl Milka have done nothing to these people! Gypsy friend Razputin did nothing to these people! My mother and father are investigators, not enforcers! They have done nothing to these people!" Mikhail growled.

"I know how you feel, Misha." Maloof said softly.

"HOW CAN YOU?! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I FEEL!" Mikhail snapped.

"Mason Canola died a hero up in the Alps when he crashed his jet into a known terrorist compound to complete a mission. He was the finest pilot the Psychonauts had ever known. He graduated flight school at the top of his class with his best friend Sasha Nein beside him, married a beautiful, sweet young woman from New Jersey with Sasha Nein as his best man, started his own restaurant called Canola Oil, and had two beautiful children. One daughter, and a few years later, a son. He was always known as an optimistic, happy man. He was a loving father, a fierce fighter pilot, a wonderful husband, a great cook, a model agent, and a true friend to the very end of his days." Maloof recited. Mikhail looked over at him.

"That's what the author of True Psychic Tales wrote about him at the end of the issue about the mission my father died on to honor his memory." Maloof said. He seized Mikhail suddenly by the collar and looked him in the eyes.

"So don't you dare ever say that I don't understand what it feels like to hurt for a loved one." Maloof said sternly.

"I'm sorry, Maloof. That was a stupid, hot-headed thing for me to say." Mikhail said.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it. Rough times like these are enough to bring out the worst in anyone." Maloof said.

"I don't see you blowing up in anyone's face." Mikhail said, ashamed.

"That's because I'm too doped up on meds." Maloof chuckled.

"It would explain why you came out here in the middle of nowhere alone with no shoes or a coat while it's dark and raining." Mikhail joked.

"Hmm. You're probably right." Maloof said.

"We are going to be in so much trouble when we get back…" Mikhail said, paling slightly.

"Yeah, I know." Maloof said. A nervous silence fell over the two.

"So…I see you got to meet some bears after all." Maloof said, gesturing to the grizzly bear forging in a nearby bush absently.

"Yes. The bears here are very nice." Mikhail said.

"You came out here to find comfort from them, didn't you?" Maloof asked.

"Yes. I guess I just needed a friend." Mikhail said.

"Well, you could have just come to me." Maloof said.

"Yes. That would have saved much trouble that we will be in when we return." Mikhail chuckled.

"Misha. I think we both need our heads examined." Maloof said. Mikhail nodded. A few moments later, they both burst into laughter.

"So your buddy here…he won't try to eat me again, will he?" Maloof asked as the bear started wandering closer to them, staring curiously at Maloof. Maloof flinched as the bear got right up next to him and began sniffing him down. Mikhail chuckled.

"She says you're all right by her." Mikhail said.

"Oh, she…sorry, ma'am." Maloof said.

"Besides, you wouldn't even make a decent snack. She likes prey with plenty of meat on their bones." Mikhail said.

"Please tell me you're just joking…" Maloof said as the bear proceeded to nudge him slightly with her nose.

"I am." Mikhail chuckled. The bear licked Maloof's cheek experimentally. Maloof let out a little squeak.

"Relax. Don't be afraid. She won't hurt you. She is just checking you out. Gauging your reactions." Mikhail explained.

"She thinks you're funny." Mikhail said.

"So you can talk to the bears?" Maloof asked.

"Yes. Like jumpy boy Elton talks to fish and small boy Dogen talks to squirrels, Misha can talk to bears." Mikhail said. "Can you talk to any animals?"

"I don't know. If I do have animal telepathy, it's very limited, and it works on dogs. Sometimes I'm pretty sure I can understand them and they understand me. I can't sit there and have a conversation with them, though. I just have a pretty good idea of what they want to get across to me." Maloof said. Guardian got up and started licking Maloof's face happily.

"It would appear that that may be the case." Mikhail said. The bear leaned over and licked Guardian as well.

"Do you want to touch her, Maloof?" Mikhail asked. Maloof stared at him.

"Go on. she likes it." Mikhail ushered. Hesitantly, Maloof reached out and put his hand on the bear's head. A soft rumble escaped the bear's throat and it closed its eyes and leaned into the touch.

"She's so soft…" Maloof said.

"You should see babies." Mikhail said. A loud crash of thunder made them both jump.

"Maybe we should do that some other time?" Maloof suggested. Mikhail nodded.

"Lets head back." Mikhail agreed. The two began to head back to the main building at a slow pace so that Maloof didn't hurt himself.

"Misha, do you know where your parents are?" Maloof asked.

"They tracked terrorists to China. Likely, they are at Japan medical facility. Why?" Mikhail asked.

"Because I might be able to take you to them." Maloof said.

"What?" Mikhail breathed.

"The Japan Medical Facility is the best medical facility the Psychonauts has. I'm going to have to go there anyway to get my physical to begin training for the launch to Primary HQ. It's likely that I'll be sent there for physical therapy too. I'll pull some strings and call in a favor." Maloof said.

"You are watching too much of Mafia movies." Mikhail chuckled, immensely grateful to the smaller boy.

"Hey, just be thankful I know how to operate like a made man." Maloof joked.

"I'm sure everyone is terrified of you, Tiny Don." Mikhail chuckled.

"Hehehe…Capo Crimine Maloof Canola…It fits, don't it? Any good Mafiosi knows that when it comes to muscle, Russians are the best way to go. Reliable, powerfully built, strong, sharp…You can't find a better Capo Bastone than a Russian man. " Maloof said. Mikhail laughed.

"Capo what?" Mikhail asked.

"Capo Crimine is just another word for a Don, Capo Bastone is like the second in command. You'd be surprised how many Capo Bastone, past and present, have been Russian." Maloof said. "You and I, Mikhail; we're the perfect team."

"So, if you are Don and I am second in command, who is godfather?" Mikhail asked.

"I thought I told you, Sasha Nein is my godfather. He is our Capo di Tutti Capi; the boss of all bosses." Maloof said.

"Do you think he'll be able to rejoin the ranks, then?" Mikhail asked.

"Capo di Tutti Capi or Capo di Capi Re; he'll still be my godfather and I'll take whatever advice he'll give me." Maloof said. Seeing Mikhail's confusion, Maloof added "Capo di Capi Re is like someone who is retired."

"Ah, I see. Spoken like a true Italian, my friend." Mikhail said.

Quentin lay on his bed, his mind buzzing from the day's events. The crazy dream he had had, the walk through the garden with Phoebe…then there were those two incidents that took place while everyone had been contacting their families. Of course, there was what happened with Mikhail, and Quentin hoped that the Russian cadet was alright. He would be out there looking for him too if he were able. But, alas, as soon as he had finished talking with his aunt and uncle, he had been ordered to return to his hospital room to rest.

Quentin also wished that he could go make sure if Vernon was alright. No one else seemed to have noticed, but something had happened to Vernon just moments before the incident with Mikhail. Quentin believed that Phoebe might have noticed it, but he wasn't sure.

All Quentin knew was that Vernon had grown terribly distressed over the course of his conversation with his family. Quentin felt Vernon's control over his powers slip briefly. He felt a powerful surge of anxiety come off of the younger cadet, then he felt abnormally strong shields come up around Vernon's mind. Abnormally strong shields meant that Vernon was frightened and possibly in denial. He was trying to either block everything out, or hold everything in. Quentin guessed that it was a mix of the two.

Quentin hadn't gotten a chance to ask Vernon if he was alright. Vernon had fled the room with his sister only moments before the agents bearing the message to Mikhail concerning his parents arrived.

Quentin sighed. His conversation with his aunt and uncle could have gone better. The conversation started out with much concern and assurance. After that, things turned into an awkward silence until Quentin just couldn't take anymore.

"Just say it, please. If I hadn't insisted on honing my powers rather than ignoring them, this wouldn't be happening." Quentin said, annoyed. His aunt and uncle tried to appear confused as they turned their attention toward him.

"Oh, stop. Don't even try that. You might as well be saying it, because I know that you're thinking it." Quentin said.

"I love you both. I really do. And I know that you both love me too and only want what you think is best for me." Quentin said.

"I know that you're trying to understand and I know that you're frustrated because you want me to understand too." Quentin said. His aunt and uncle hung their heads.

"I'm a psychic. It's part of who I am. I can't change that and, to be perfectly honest with you, I don't want to." Quentin said. His aunt and uncle wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I know that you wish I was different. You want me to be a regular kid with no psychic powers. You wish I was into soccer instead of the supernatural. You wish I played videogames instead of learning swordsmanship. You wish I toyed with a skateboard instead of cryptic riddles." Quentin said. A small smile crept onto his lips.

"You wish that my singing wasn't so bad and that I'd take up classical music on a piano or violin instead of pop or rock and roll or hip-hop. And I'm sorry, I know that you wish that I wouldn't read your thoughts. I'm working on getting that under control. As for my singing, yeah, I know. I could use some voice lessons." Quentin said, blushing slightly. His aunt and uncle smiled sheepishly.

"I know that it's been difficult for you since your parents died. I guess even after six years, we're still adjusting to you and you're still adjusting to us." His aunt said.

"Yeah. I know that you didn't exactly approve of my parent's lifestyle either." Quentin said.

"I still loved my little brother…your father very much. We were raised differently and just had very different views and we accepted that." Quentin's aunt said. Quentin's uncle cracked a smile.

"I thought their lifestyle was absolutely fascinating and I adored your father and mother…" he began.

"You just didn't think of it as something you would try yourself." Quentin finished with an understanding smile. His uncle nodded with a smile.

"That's it." His uncle said.

"We're only trying to keep you safe. I promised your father I would. I know that he raised you and influenced you in they ways of his culture…It's not that I mind his culture…and I understand that you prefer to live the same lifestyle…but your roll…" His uncle began.

"It's dangerous. I know." Quentin said.

"I know that my parents died upholding their lifestyle…" Quentin began.

"But that means that it must have been worth dying for. Isn't that saying something?" Quentin asked.

"You are very insightful, Quentin. Always have been. If you want to be a Psychonaut…if that's what you really feel that you need to be, then you have our support. But please, Quentin…please just…" His uncle began.

"Please don't think I'm trying to be rude but, do you have any idea what you're asking of me?" Quentin asked.

"Please just what? Ignore my ancestry? Ignore my heritage? Ignore the ways of my people? Ignore my upbringing? Ignore that feeling that grips me and tells me that I'm needed as part of a greater good? I hate to be so blunt, but, that's what you're asking of me." Quentin said.

"I'm afraid that I can't do that." Quentin said. Quentin's uncle was begging to get aggravated.

"We are very different people." His uncle said, trying not to start the same old argument again.

"Very different." Quentin said softly.

"I know what you're both thinking. Are we too different?" Quentin said.

"We're trying our hardest to understand one another." Quentin's aunt said.

"Will we ever…really…" She whispered.

"Understand one another fully?" Quentin asked. "As you said, we are trying our best; and that's as much as we can ask of one another."

"Let's just agree to disagree for now and talk about something else. I would hate to get into an argument. All fighting ever does is wind up hurting someone." Quentin's aunt said.

"Words from your loved ones can cut the deepest." Quentin agreed.

"And there are some things that can be said that can never be undone." Quentin's uncle said.

"None of us want anything like that between us." Quentin's aunt said. Quentin sighed.

"I don't want anything like that either…but…I hate to break it to you…we're going to have to jump that hurdle soon, because…" Quentin began.

"Yes, we know." His aunt said.

"Happy sweet sixteen, Quentin." She said with a sad smile. "We had a big party planned for you…but, well it seems that we'll have to reschedule."

"I appreciate the effort all the same." Quentin said.

"We love you, Quentin…so very much…" His aunt said.

"We absolutely do." His uncle agreed.

"I love you both too." Quentin said.

Snapping out of the reverie, Quentin sighed and rubbed his injured shoulder tenderly. He vowed that he would not be caught off guard again. Next time he encountered a hostile Areono gypsy, he would be ready. The deaths of his mother and father would not be in vain.

As we said in our rendition of The Emperors New Clothes: DUN DUN DUNNNN!

Oh, I'm so naughty, dragging Quentin into my thick plot of soupy doom! Ah, but it adds some favor to it, because Quentin is delicious! What do I have in mind for our little Hedgemouse? Is he even an actual hedgemouse?

I dunno! XD! Just kidding. You'll have to read and find out.

The next chapter is going to up the drama even more! Benny and Bobby in a fist fight? Chops trying to kill Bobby? The calling of a truce? Heads up out there, all you fellow Vernon lovers! In the next chapter, we're going to delve into the deepest recesses of Vernon's mind and learn of his darkest secret. What does Vernon have in common with Quentin? I'll give you a hint; it involves mice!