Sisters Reunited

by Shirley Ann Burton

When Angie's lifelong best friend reunites with her, Faceless plans on using them to get to Ace! Please R & R.

2. Part 2

Sisters Reunited

Part 2

Exactly three weeks later, Ashley and her first-grade class had a fun day, seeing this was the last day of school before the Spring Break holidays.

With about five minutes to go before the final bell, Danny asked, "Miss Brighton, what are you going to do for Spring Break?"

"Well, I'll be going west to Electro City."

Everyone in the classroom said, "Electro City?"

"That's right. There's a dear friend of mine who lives out there. It's been almost six years since I last saw her, but in a matter of hours, we'll be reunited. We grew up together here in Mason City, and we were more like sisters than best friends."

Yvette, another student in the class, questioned, "How long have you known your best friend?"

"Since we were first-graders ourselves."

The class gasped in total surprise at the length of this friendship.

"What this proves is a very important point: You will have lots of friends as you grow up, but the ones who stick by you through the best and worst of times, help you when you feel alone, and can make you smile when you're sad are truly considered 'best friends.' I wouldn't be surprised if at least six of you have the same best friends in ten years. Just remember, a great friendship means you let nothing get in the way, not wealth, not popularity.

"You see, I was popular in high school, but she wasn't. She kept getting picked on and beaten up, yet I was always at her side because knowing her for so long kept that wealth and popularity from going to my head. Three weeks ago today, I found out she lives in Electro City."

"What job does she have?" asked Danny.

"She's a magician-in-training," the teacher replied.

"Magician-in-training? How's that possible? The only good magician out there is Ace Cooper."

"Danny, do you remember that newspaper picture I asked you about?"

When he realized what she had said, he gasped with excitement. "It's Angie Jacobs!"

"That's right. My best friend is an apprentice and training assistant magician to the best in the world, and I know for a fact she's waiting for me."

"Wait a minute," said young Jake. "If Angie is really your best friend, how come you two haven't seen each other in so long? Did she forget about you?"

"No way. We haven't seen each other for three reasons. First, we both received college scholarships, but I ended up at Southern California while she attended Iowa State. Second, my computer was stolen from my dorm room, so I couldn't contact her at all. Finally, on the assumption we both graduated college at the same time, I came back here, but Angie didn't, so I actually thought something had happened to her. Luckily, it'll only be a matter of hours before we're back together at last." The bell then sounded, signaling the end of the week. "Kids, have a great vacation, and I'll see you next Monday."

As the kids dashed out of the classroom, Ashley put her papers into her suitcase and left the classroom.

The principal saw her walking fast. "Take it easy, Ashley. You look like you're going to a fire."

"Sorry, Mr. Stevens, but I have to get to the airport for the 5:20 flight to Electro City. My best friend is waiting for me." She then ran to her car and quickly took off for her home.

An hour later, after she had her luggage loaded onto the plane, she wished her butler well as she let him go on vacation himself to visit his family in England. She then boarded the plane and was on her way to the long-awaited reunion with her best friend.

In the Magic, Angie became more anxious with each passing minute. "Oh, boy," she said nervously. "Ashley's flight arrives at the airport in about an hour, and I'm starting to go nuts!"

"Calm down, Angie," Ace said. "It's been almost six years, but another hour won't hurt."

"I'm sorry; I can't help being crazy about this, especially considering what unusual paths we've taken. Maybe I need to go ahead and get to the airport, with the Friday traffic and all."

"Probably a good idea. You and Cosmo go ahead and go on while Mona and I finish the preparations here."

"We'll take the Racer," Cosmo said. "Uh, you don't mind if we use it as a taxi, do ya?"

Mona said, "This is a special occasion, Cosmo. I don't think Ace's going to mind."

"Right," the Magician agreed. "Besides, the Magic Bike couldn't hold three people and someone's luggage."

After a good laugh, Cosmo and Angie headed for the airport in the Magic Racer.

On the way there, though, Cosmo got pulled over by a police officer for going just a little too fast on the road. Angie explained to the officer about the situation and said she put a little pressure on him to get to the airport. The officer understood, and he gave Cosmo a warning not to do it again.

Afterward, the two apprentices arrived at the airport, and not a moment too soon. The moment they entered the terminal, they heard this announcement: "Flight 017 from Mason City, Iowa, now arriving at Gate 43."

"That's Ashley's flight!" Angie said excitedly. "Let's get over there!"

A few minutes later, Cosmo and Angie waited anxiously at Gate 43 for Ashley's arrival.

After many people had passed by, a woman with hazel eyes and auburn hair came along last. Noticing Angie, she said, "I think I've seen you somewhere before."

"Besides on television?" Angie joked. "Oh, Ashley, I can't believe it's you!"

The two lifelong friends hugged each other very tightly, they knowing they had not laid eyes on each other in nearly six years.

Looking closely at Angie, Ashley happily said, "You look absolutely wonderful."

"So do you, first-grade teacher Miss Brighton."

"What did you expect, magician-in-training Angela Jacobs. I never expected you to have a career like this, learning to master your magical powers from the best in the world."

"It was not very easy, I can tell you, but it's been a great experience."

After another hug, Angie introduced her "sister" to Cosmo. Then, all went to get Ashley's luggage and walked toward the Magic Racer.

What the threesome failed to notice was someone standing at the top of the terminal. Wearing a completely dark outfit with a dark tail, this unusually dressed person had even wore a mask, seeing with red eyes. In a creepy low tone, she said, "I think I know how to get rid of that do-gooding Magician once and for all!" The mysterious person then ran off as she hoped to stop Ace Cooper any way she could.

Within 30 minutes, Cosmo, Angie, and Ashley arrived at the Magic Express.

Ashley was surprised at how it looked, but Angie told her about a similar reaction she had when she saw the exterior of Ace Cooper's home for the first time.

After parking in the garage, the three took the luggage into the living room, where Ace and Mona greeted Ashley with a welcome banner.

While Angie and Cosmo took her luggage to the guest room, Ashley shook hands first with Mona, and then with the Magician himself.

"Mr. Cooper," she said happily, "I am so thrilled to meet you, especially considering what you've been able to do for Angie. For all the times I've known her, she was so shy and quiet, even around me."

"She was the same way when she first got here," Ace told. "Shy, quiet, but very helpful. When Cosmo had the flu, she was able to cook a cure for him."

"Angie always liked being helpful. She took that after her parents." Ashley then had a sad look in her face.

Mona said, "Angie's told us you would rather have had her parents as your own. Why is that?"

"While her parents weren't as wealthy as mine and had modest livings, they still had caring hearts and enjoyed helping others. My parents only cared about themselves, and they're still alive. Hers became two innocent victims on the road."

"You were very close to Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs, right?" Ace asked curiously.

"Absolutely. They were so wonderful to me, and they didn't care how rich I was. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs helped me to feel wealthy in heart and spirit."

"They treated her like she was a part of the family," Angie said in returning to the living room. "Mom and Dad saw through the riches and knew how kindhearted she really was."

Ace smiled at how unique their friendship really was. "Both of you had to withstand a lot: Angie being ridiculed by popular students, Ashley's parents and Angie's aunt trying to ruin your friendship, and who knows what else."

Ashley then asked one very important question. "Mr. Cooper, do you know about the day Angie saved my life?"

"Yes. You were both on Spring Break vacation when you fell from the mountain on your climb. Angie saw you while she was on a nature walk, and then, she used her magical powers to save you."

"Right. She told me the truth about her gift, but after her parents died, she said she didn't want to use her powers ever again. I stayed with her every day after that terrible accident. When he had to take off for college, we had to separate for the first time in our friendship. We kept in touch for a little while by e-mail, but during my sophomore year at USC, someone broke into my dorm room and stole my computer."

Angie gasped and said, "So that's why you didn't contact me for almost three years. I thought you didn't want to be my friend anymore."

Holding her best friend's hand, Ashley stated, "Angie, you're my little sister. My friendship with you has lasted way too long, and I honestly thought something had happened to you. The problems I had were no computer and difficult studies the last two years of college. Why would you think something like me not wanting to be your friend anymore?"

"For two months I'd snuck into the computer room in the middle of the night to check the e-mail."

"She was worried something had happened to you, too," Ace said. "I could tell that when she started talking about you in her sleep. For the last few weeks she had some dreams about the high-school days, but one that really bothered me was when you and she planned that Spring Break vacation, and she got beaten up very badly by another student named Bobby."

Ashley was surprised at how detailed Ace was in describing that incident. "How did you know all that, down to the name of the creep who had beaten her up?"

"Here's something you didn't know," said Angie. "Ace and I share this special psychic bond because of our powers. We can read each other's minds, sense each other's feelings--"

"And one knows if the other's in danger," Ace completed.

"That's incredible," Ashley said in awe. "My question now is this: How did Angie get to being with you in the first place?"

Cosmo came into the living room and replied, "Like, it all started when she arrived in town and ran into me . . . literally."

For the next hour, Ace, Cosmo, Mona, and Angie took turns explaining to Ashley all the circumstances Angie had after her arrival in Electro City, including getting a home in the Magic Express, Ace's discovery of her magical secret, and the moment Ace and Angie utilized their combined magic to stop a giant robot.

Ashley absorbed the story and shook her head in amazement. "Man, I'm almost speechless. Angie, I knew you had this magical gift, but I had no idea it was that powerful."

"I didn't know it myself, but Ace helped me discover what I could really do. Also, there's a part very deep in my heart which holds a greater power than I could have ever imagined."

Ace noted, "She's had to use that special power on just a couple of occasions so far, including once to save her aunt."

Ashley was totally surprised. "You mean your Aunt Rita, who tried to ruin our friendship like my parents?"

"Yeah. She came here to Electro City and tried to make me come home with her, but after she saw me use my magic to rescue Ace and stop Sonny Boy Surge from causing trouble, she started to understand I was no longer a child. She also was able to come to terms with the loss of her own son."

"So, you and your aunt are making amends?"

"That's right. She and I went to the family reunion a couple of months later, where she was welcomed with open arms."

"That's fantastic. I only wish that could work for me and my parents. After all, they're still selfish and thinking only of themselves." Ashley then changed the subject. "Oh, you remember my grandparents, right?"

"You bet I do. They were always fun and full of life. They took care of us when we were kids."

"Yeah, but sadly, they both passed on a couple of years ago."

"Oh, Ashley, I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I think about them a lot, but I've been doing fine, since they left me their mansion and their fortune."

The others gasped with excitement.

"Wow!" Mona exclaimed. "You must be the richest teacher in Iowa."

"You're probably right, but to me, the wealth really comes from all those kids I teach."

Cosmo said, "In other words, the rewarding career as a teacher gives you a better sense of feeling wealthy."

"There's that old cliché, Cosmo. 'Money can't buy happiness,' and believe me, I've never been happier in my life."

"So," started Mona, "are you hungry at the moment?"

"Actually, yes. I couldn't handle the airplane food."

"Not to worry. I whipped up some pasta and a chicken casserole."

"In that case, let's eat!"

An hour later, after everyone enjoyed dinner, Ace introduced Ashley to the computer, Angel.

The hologram appeared in front of her. "Hello, Ashley," it spoke.

"Hi," said the teacher in a surprised tone. "So, you're the computer who keeps the Magic Express in tip-top shape."

"In a word, yes. I can also provide information when needed and can activate the defenses if someone tries to attack or invade the home."

"You're the Internet, a security system, a library, and a maintenance machine all rolled into one."

"Exactly," everyone said to Ashley.

Just then, a black panther came into the room, and its soft growl made Ashley jump back in slight fear.

"Relax, Ashley," Ace said in assurance. "Zina's the mascot, and she's very friendly."

Zina came up to her and rubbed the fur against her legs.

"My heavens, she is a friendly panther," Ashley happily said as she petted the creature. "Man, this is nothing like Mason City. So many buildings and so much to do."

Angie smiled at her best friend and said, "Wait until Mona and I take you around the city tomorrow."

"I feel like a little kid again. It's a good thing I brought the camera because I want to take as many pictures as possible. I want to show my first-graders what Electro City looks like when I get back."

"You are gonna love it," said an excited Mona. She then looked at her watch. "It's getting late for me. I better get some shut-eye if I want to be ready for tomorrow."

Ashley yawned herself. "Oh, I'm really tired. I think I'll hit the sack, too, if you don't mind."

"You've had a long trip," said Ace, "and you're probably suffering from jetlag. A good night's sleep is just what you need."

"He's right," Angie agreed. "You'll feel better in the morning. Besides, I'm cooking homemade pancakes and omelettes for breakfast."

"Oh, boy. If you take after your mom's cooking, I'm looking forward to breakfast." Walking toward the guest room, Ashley said, "Good night, everyone."

Ace and the others wished her good night, and Mona left for the evening.

As everyone in the Express went to bed, Ace could feel happiness within Angie. "She feels whole now. The missing part of her life has been found, and I can feel the warmth of her heart. This must be the happiest day of her life. It's almost exactly like what happened to my friend Gus Moreland. When Doctor Charles was able to save him, a part of me came back to life. He's now a good person with a great job as a construction foreman." With that happy thought, Ace went to bed and had a sound sleep.

Meanwhile, in a rather seedy part of town, a woman paced around in very intense thought. "I can't believe she's here," said the woman with red eyes and dressed all in black. "She has the absolute nerve to come here to Electro City, her and her kindheartedness to others. She has no business being here, but if I can capture her, I lure the younger magician, which will lead to the bigger Magician, where I can finally do away with him, after all those times he's ruined my plans!"

Clenching her right hand into a fist, she angrily said, "Cooper, your time will come soon, and when it does--" She stopped as long metallic claws came out of her knuckles. Slashing a picture of Ace Cooper, she finished, "--you'll be a dead magician!"

She then walked to a nearby drawer and grabbed a photograph. The photo had a young woman with hazel eyes and auburn hair. "You may be a caring and generous person, but with a little disguising, I'm going to singlehandedly destroy you and both magicians in one major stroke."

The anger and hatred in her eyes and in her heart gave her the motivation to want to ruin the lives of two Electro City celebrities and an innocent teacher. The question: Why would she have hatred for someone she had never seen before . . . or had she?

The next morning in the Magic Express, Angie was already awake. She was deeply relaxed in her daily state of meditation. Unbelievably, she was almost two feet above her bed!

"I've never felt like this before," she thought calmly. "With all my friends past and present here, my power feels even stronger in my heart. Why is it like this now? It must be because of the happiness of having all the people I care about together here in Electro City.

"I know all my friends and my magic can never make the pain of losing my parents disappear completely, but I'm glad I don't have to deal with anything all alone like I did for over five years. I'm not alone, I have real friends who care about me, and I know what my destiny is. I hope I never have to worry about having to wait so long to see my best friend again."

As her meditation ended, she landed softly on her bed and opened her eyes. She then looked at the clock. "Oh, dear, I'd better get breakfast made, since Mona's going to be here at 9:00."

Taking the robe from her closet, Angie put it on and quickly and quietly got to the kitchen to cook the pancakes and omelettes.

In his room, Ace meditated with the sun shining into the room. "The sun feels so nice this morning," he said calmly. Taking a deep breath, he added, "The warmth of the sun mirrors the warmth inside the Express, especially from Angie. She's reunited with the one special friend in her life, and she's the happiest she's ever been. I can tell in her heart there isn't as much pain about her parents' death, but it'll always be there. She's been able to think about her wonderful times with them, giving her a sense of peace."

He then sniffed into the air. "Mmm," he said happily. "She's already cooking breakfast, and it won't be too long before everyone can smell her cooking."

Sure enough, within a half-an-hour, all had gathered in the kitchen to enjoy Angie's homemade cooking.

Ashley thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast. "Just like your mom would do. This is so delicious."

"That's our Angie," said Ace, "culinary magician extraordinaire."

"Ace, will you stop it?" said a blushing Angie. "It's embarrassing. Besides, I"m only doing it the way Mom would."

Cosmo said, "Yeah, but you'd better hurry because Mona's going to be here at 9:00."

"Oh, yeah, right," Ashley stated as she hurriedly finished her meal. "Come on, Angie. I have a pretty good idea your friend's going to be here on time."

"Mona's never been late for things like this," joked Angie.

Ace said, "Don't forget to be back by 3:00, Angie. We've got to work on that metamorphosis trick for the show on Thursday night."

"No problem, Ace. You implanted that thought in my mind last night."

After a hearty laugh, the Magician added, "You and Ashley have a good time, okay?"

"Thanks, pal. See you at 3:00 sharp."

Soon enough, Mona picked up Angie and Ashley from the Express for Ashley's sightseeing tour of Electro City.

Using her camera, she took snapshots of the buildings, including City Hall, Police Headquarters, the Surge Consortium, the Croesus Palace, the Abraxas Circus, and the Sinsun Hotel.

"I can't wait to show this to the class," said a very happy Ashley. "They were so surprised when I said I was coming here for Spring Break. Most of the other teachers are either at the beach or spending time with their families."

"And here you are," Angie joked. She turned to Mona and asked, "Should we stop at the mall in the DNA Club?"

"Not a bad idea. Ashley can get some great souvenirs in the specialty stores."

"I want some strange souvenirs," the teacher said, "not the typical t-shirts, magnets, and postcards."

"Put some pizazz into your show-and-tell," Angie noted. "I know of some cool stores you could try."

"Okay, and afterward we'll have lunch at Keaton Park. I cooked up some grilled lasagna and a vegetable pizza."

"Miss Malone--"

"Please, Ashley. You can just call me Mona."

"Anyway, Mona, are there some odd stores in the DNA Club area?"

"Oh, yeah. We'll let you see that for yourself."

Arriving at the DNA Club, the three ladies took off in search of odd souvenirs for Ashley's students to see.

Outside in the parking lot, another car parked next to Mona's, but the driver wore a long overcoat and a large hat on a warm day. "I'll keep an eye on all of them, and when the one with the auburn hair is by herself, that's when I'll start phase one of my plan to eliminate Ace Cooper once and for all." She then proceeded into the mall herself in the hopes the three ladies would become separated long enough to spring the trap.

Inside the mall, Ashley had no idea where anything was, so she suggested, "We need to stick together the whole time to keep from getting lost."

Both Mona and Angie agreed to the idea, and they all stayed together in their shopping spree of strange stuff.

Within an hour, Ashley purchased a Magician doll from a toy store, an odd pair of sunglasses from a clothing store, a statuette of the DNA Club itself from the gift shop, and a video disk containing the sights and sounds of Electro City from a kid's point-of-view.

At lunch time, the three ladies took off for Keaton Park for their meal, all the while the woman with the overcoat stayed a safe distance behind them. "Shoot!" she said angrily. "They didn't split up at all in the DNA Club, so maybe I'll get a shot here at the park."

Eating her lunch, she could not believe how beautiful the park really was. "Who knew you could have a beautiful park in the middle of downtown Electro City?"

"Around here, there's almost no end to possibility," said Mona. "Let's finish up and get on the second leg of the tour. Remember, Angie needs to be back at 3:00 for practice for the new show."

Ashley noticed how dirty her hands were and said, "I'm going to go clean myself up. I'll meet you at the car."

Angie and Mona cleaned up the picnic area while Ashley went to the ladies' room to wash her hands of the food.

After she had finished, however, she walked out the door and was immediately struck in the back of the head by an aluminum baseball bat!

Falling to the ground, Ashley was out cold.

The person who knocked her out was the woman in the long overcoat! She then signaled for two men to come along. "Boys, get her out of here and back to the hideout."

As they took the unconscious Ashley away, the woman took off the hat and had a face which looked exactly like Ashley! "Just the moment I was waiting for! Phase one complete. Now, on to phase two." Changing her voice to sound exactly like Ashley, she then said, "Angela Jacobs, you're phase two!" she then laughed hard, knowing she had succeeded in the first part of her vile plan.

The Ashley double then gained composure and joined Mona and Angie for the second part of the sightseeing tour. She grabbed the camera and started taking pictures of the Sunset Casino, the Grand Canal, and the St. James Cathedral. "Wow, these places are going to be great for the students to see in picture form!" she said excitedly, pretending to enjoy the tour.

"Will you turn them into slides?" Mona asked.

"Huh? Oh, no. I'll make them into video format, a lot more fun for the kids to see."

Mona and Angie continued giving her a great tour of the city, neither realizing the Ashley with them in the car was not the real Ashley.

The real Ashley awakened after about 45 minutes, only to find herself locked up in some kind of room. "What's going on here? Where am I?"

She then ran to the door and started pounding on it. "What's going on? Why am I here? Who's doing this to me!? I want answers!" She realized her efforts were useless. "I have no idea what's happening," she said sadly, "but Angie may be in danger, and there's no way for me to warn her."