The Darkness of the Past on Trial (Part 1)
The DARKNESS of the Past
on Trial

by: Shirley Ann Burton

The Always Needed Disclaimer:
The Magician, and all other related material, is copyrighted by Gaumont Multimédia. Angela Jacobs, Brad Fallon, the Rogers Family, Ashley Brighton, George Wellington, and Rita Wisland are the original creations of the author. Marshall, Father Sean Gregor, and Michael and Victor Raven are the inventions of Frances Marshall. You know what to do if you want to use them in any story of your own, and the author of this story has received permission to use Frances's characters.

Part 1: The Difficult Trip Home

Within the practice room of the Magic Express, home to Ace Cooper, the Magician, both he and his trainee Angela Jacobs were busy working on their grand finale act for the show to come the next week while Cosmo, the experienced apprentice and hacker, watched.
After landing on the ground, Angie noted on the trick's progress. "Ace, I think something's missing from the trick, but I'm not sure what."
"Yeah, I agree with Angie," said Cosmo. "It's not as exciting as it oughtta be."
"Hmm, you mean that extra flair for the dramatic?" he asked curiously. "Let's see, um, we're both levitating and creating fireballs to juggle to each other. You're right, it does sound a little less exciting than normal. What can we do to improve on it?"
"Lemme think. How to make this trick more exciting…" She thought carefully about what to do to enhance the excitement level of the trick. "How about…we add a ring of fire around ourselves, one that gets continually smaller as we get higher? Sounds a bit risky, I know, but it would add to the thrill."
Both Ace and Cosmo nodded at her suggestion.
"I like that idea," said Ace happily. "If we can work on that ring of fire by itself first, then add it to the last trick, that would work out."
"Sounds cool to me," added Cosmo. "Give the audience a sense of danger while doing what appears to be an innocent levitating/juggling trick."
"Okay, we'll work on the ring of fire around ourselves first for the rest of this week, and then slowly add it into the finale trick. Angie, your suggestion is a good one. That's why it's great to have both of you around; I can get some input about what's needed, if a trick's too dangerous, and so forth."
"What could you do without us, dude?"
"Not half as much as I wanted," the Magician answered in laughter.
Angie smiled and laughed heartily herself, as she loved those who made up her "second family." She cared that much about her friends and would do anything to protect them. Because of the psychic bond she shared with Ace, she knew she would never be alone because of the gift of magic she possessed.
Just then, a holographic dodecahedron with pink and purple highlights then appeared in the room. "Ace, the mail carrier has arrived."
"Hmm, I wonder how much of it is real mail, and the rest fan mail?"
The three laughed as they made their way to the front door of the Express, where Zina, Ace's pet panther, lay in waiting.
When the door opened, the mail carrier stood with only four pieces of mail. "Hi, guys."
"Hey, Reggie," said Cosmo. "What's up?"
"Well, I've got some mail for you, guys, while the usual fan mail will come tomorrow, to the garage." He then gave the mail to Ace, one piece at a time. "Let's see…you've got the power bill, you may have won $10 million, a postcard with a bookstore's big sale coming up, and…oh, something for Angela Jacobs from 'The State of Iowa.'"
Angie's eyes widened. "For me? Gosh, I wonder what it is." She took the letter from Reggie. "Thanks."
"Anytime. Well, I've got rounds to finish, and you know the motto, 'Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor hail, will prevent the mailman from delivering the mail.'"
Ace and the others waved their departures as Reggie entered his mail truck and left.
When all entered the living room, Ace and Cosmo wanted Angie to open her mail first.
Angie joked around with them. "Guys, come on, I'm going to open it. Be patient."
She tore the envelope to get to whatever could be from "The State of Iowa."
Cosmo said, "Who knows? Maybe she's got some unclaimed money."
As she took what looked like four pages of paper, she stated, "Ashley must've ran a check through the State Treasury to see if I did have anything unclaimed. I've got to thank her later for this."
She soon started by reading the letter to herself.
"Well," said Cosmo, getting more excited, "what is it?"
"What did you get?" Ace exclaimed in wonder. "Are you a millionaire, or did you get a mansion!?"
Angie's face suddenly went down and became sad. "It's…it's neither. I've been given a summons."
Cosmo became slightly concerned. "A summons? You mean you have to go to court? For what—"
"No, Cosmo. This is a summons, but not for court. I have to attend a parole hearing, and it starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday, less than two days from now."
"A parole hearing? You aren't—"
"I'm not, Cosmo!" Angie snapped. "I'm not a parolee, so knock it off!"
"Wait, Angie, what I was going to say was you aren't a witness to a crime from a few years ago, right?"
"Oh," she said, realizing her actions. "I'm sorry, Cosmo. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"I know. But, what's the story about the parole hearing?"
"This parole hearing is a bit…personal." She then muttered, "I never thought I'd have to face them again."
"What do you mean?" asked a worried Ace. "Face whom?"
"The two drivers who were responsible for killing my parents in the road-rage accident."
The two gentlemen's eyes widened in shock.
"Oh, man," Cosmo whispered. "How long ago was it?"
"The trial took place a couple months after the accident. This is the year they're both eligible for parole. I had forgotten all about it until I noticed the two names: Harry Rogers and Brad Fallon."
"I take it," Ace said, "those are the two gentlemen who engaged in road rage, right?"
"Yes. However, there is one very important stipulation which tears me apart about this."
"What is it?"
"When they were both found guilty, they were both sentenced at the same time."
"So?" said Cosmo. "What difference does that make?"
"Plenty in Iowa. There's a law we have stating that if more than one person committed a crime, were all found guilty, and sentenced at the same time, the chance for parole is limited to just two options: Either they both receive the parole, or they will say in prison to await their next chance in seven years."
"That's an easy one to figure, since you'll try to keep both of them behind bars."
Angie looked at Cosmo with an angry face. "You don't understand! It's not as simple as you've made it out to be! One of those drivers does deserve to be out on parole because he has a family."
"He does?"
"Yes. Harry Rogers has a wife and two kids, and he had a good job before this happened." She soon started crying. "I know he's paid his debt, but this one rule could keep him away from his family again, especially with what I say to the parole board."
Ace came up and gave her a comforting hug. "Angie, all you can tell is the truth of what happened. I know this is going to be very difficult for you. You want us to go with you?"
"No, Ace. This is one I must face alone. You and Cosmo need to concentrate more on getting ready for the show next week."
"You're absolutely sure about this."
"Yes, I am. Besides, the last thing needed is a media frenzy. Right now, I need to contact Ashley and see if she's received the summons herself."
Going to the computer room, she immediately put out a telephone call to her best friend in Mason City, Ashley Brighton.
At her home, Ashley was looking over the summons herself when her phone rang. "Hello?"
"Ashley," said her butler George, "Angie is on the telephone right now."
"Good, put her through." She then got connected. "Angie, did you just get the—"
"Summons? Yes, I did. I need to figure out how to get to Mason City on short notice. The hearing begins the day after tomorrow."
"Don't worry, I've already taken care of that for you. You're going on flight 319 round trip tomorrow morning at 10. Is that too soon for you?"
"No, that's just fine, thanks. Unfortunately, this means I have to cancel my first date with Victor that was planned for Thursday night."
"Oh, your first—" Ashley's eyes enlarged in total surprise. "Date? You were about to go on your first date!? I didn't even know you had a…well—"
"I guess I didn't tell you yet," Angie said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I'll explain the whole story when I get there tomorrow. Thanks for booking the flight."
"Anytime, little sister. George and I will meet you at the airport. See ya tomorrow."
"Okay. Bye."
After the line disconnected, Cosmo became curious. "Wait a sec. Why does Ashley have to be there?"
"She was involved in the trial, and remember, for about three months she served as my legal guardian."
"Oh, gotcha."
"Now, I need to find Victor and tell him what's going on. I think he's over at the House Sanctuary tonight helping Michael and Marshall get things set up for a wedding planned for Saturday. I just hope he can take this okay."

At the House Sanctuary, Angie entered the church and immediately found Marshall. "Hey, Marshall."
"Angie, hi. What brings you here tonight?"
"I need to find Victor. Is he around?"
"Yeah, he's over at the reception area helping Father Sean get the tables set up. Why?"
"Let's just say this is something important." She then proceeded to find the reception area.
Marshall, though, started to sense something not right. Something's been bothering her, and it has to do with…two drivers?
In the reception room, Angie found Father Sean. "Hello, Father."
"Good evening, Angie. What brings you here? Do you need some guidance?"
"I may need that after what I'm about to go through. However, I need to find Victor; it's very important."
Just then, a gentleman with jet black hair, blue eyes, and comfortable clothing entered. "Angie," he said with a smile, "it's good to see you."
"I'm glad to see you, too," said the female magician with her face going down. "It's too bad it's not under pleasant circumstances. Can we talk…alone?"
"Of course." He then walked with Angie to the balcony area of the second floor. "Angie, what's wrong?"
She then took out a piece of paper. "We had our first date planned for Thursday night. Unfortunately, there's been an unexpected change of plans."
Victor took the paper and read very carefully. "Oh, no. You're required to attend a parole hearing for two gentlemen?"
"Not just any two gentlemen, Victor. They're the ones responsible for…taking the lives of my parents."
The older Raven brother was appalled because he had never heard what happened to Angie's parents before. "What did they do?"
"They engaged in road rage against each other, not realizing my parents were out getting my corsage for prom night. In the process of going at each other, one of them sideswiped Mom and Dad's car, causing it to go out of control and flip at least 12 times. They were killed instantly. That's according to the police report from that night. It still haunts me to this day."
While Angie was talking with Victor, she failed to notice Marshall, in silver falcon form, listening to the conversation. My goodness, she thought sadly, I had no idea about her parents. She must face those responsible, but I'm not going to let her go alone. Scanning Angie's mind very carefully, she formulated a plan of action. Flight 319 to Mason City, 10 a.m. tomorrow. Doesn't give me a lot of time, but I need to see what she will go through during this parole hearing. Problem is…how to sneak into the plane, or…sneak on the plane. I need to figure out a form that would work best to keep up with her and get to Mason City.
The tears started coming down Angie's face. "What rips me apart is the fact I think one of those drivers deserves to be back with his family. It's the stipulation of both of them being sentenced at the same time. I mean, if what I say sends him back to prison and denies the parole, his family may not forgive me, and I may never be able to forgive myself."
Victor cuddled Angie in his arms. "Angie, you have to face one of your greatest fears: Having to relive the awful moments surrounding what happened to your parents. However, you mustn't make yourself guilty if that comes to be. It's apparent this special rule about being sentenced at the same time is the biggest obstacle to making this easy."
"Yes. And to make things worse, I know Harry Rogers' children are now aged 8 and 10. I have a pretty good idea they'll both be there, too. It only adds to the pain."
He then looked at Angie. "Let me ask you something: Have you completely forgiven Rogers for his role in the road rage accident?"
"I'm…not sure. I guess a little of me still wants him to be guilty. However, it's going to be what I say that matters, not my feelings. Emotions are important, but it doesn't play a significant role. I don't know if I can go through this with a clear head."
"For most people who have to do these hearings on behalf of victims, having a clear head is very difficult to do. I do know, though, that you have to just tell the truth about that night. You can't let your emotions get control of you. Where will you stay for the duration?"
"In the mansion of my best friend, Ashley Brighton."
"She's rich?"
"Let's just say she's the wealthiest teacher in the state of Iowa. When I called her earlier tonight, she was staggered by the fact I now have a, well, boyfriend."
"Oh, she doesn't know, does she?"
"Nope. I said I'd tell her all about it when I got there. Is that okay with you?"
"Of course it is. Ashley is your best friend, after all."
"Yeah, and until I came here to Electro City, the only person who knew my magical secret."
"You didn't tell your parents about it?"
"I wanted to, but they were killed before I could tell the truth. That's why I kept my secret hidden for so long."
Victor held Angie's chin to make her look at him. "You're a special person, Angie. It's just all this pain you've been carrying…it still haunts you a lot, doesn't it?"
"Yes…I can never get over that completely. I'm struggling to come to terms with it one day at a time." After wiping her eyes and face clean, she added, "Victor, can you ever forgive me for causing the cancellation of our first date?"
"I already have." He then reached over and kissed her on the mouth for a few seconds.
Even in falcon form, Marshall's eyes grew big. Wow! This is some relationship going, but I've got a more important job to do, starting tomorrow morning.
After releasing the kiss, he added, "Angie, I do love you, with all my heart. I'll be thinking about you while you're away."
"And I love you, Victor. I'll be thinking about you and my friends while I'm there. I know you'll all be in my heart during this hearing." She then looked at her watch. "I've got to go. I need to pack for the 10 a.m. flight tomorrow."
"Okay. Will you be all right?"
"I hope so. Well, good night." She then walked down the stairs and left the House Sanctuary for home.
Victor looked at her carefully. "Godspeed on your journey, Angie. It will not be easy finding peace within yourself in this situation, but you must try."
Back at the Express, Angie came back in.
Ace, sitting on a sofa in the living room, asked, "How did Victor take it?"
"He understood. He knows this is a family matter, so he took it okay. We'll reschedule our date when I come back. I just hope it won't be too long. Well, I'm gonna start packing now and get some sleep right afterward. It'll be important I get to the airport on time tomorrow morning."
"Okay. Good night, Angie."
"Night." She then went to her room and grabbed one suitcase out of the closet to pack some comfortable clothes. "I don't want to get too formal, but blue jeans won't help, either." She then found the right clothes needed for the hearing. After some careful folding, she closed the suitcase and soon went to bed herself, knowing she was only hours away from taking a flight back to her hometown…not for the reasons she had hoped, though.

The next morning, Angie was already dressed and on her way to the airport with Ace, Cosmo, and Victor in the Magic Racer.
At the House Sanctuary, Marshall heard the 9 a.m. chime of the bell, meaning she had to make her move to follow Angie to Mason City. "I've got to get out of here, first." Realizing everyone else was busy in different areas in the church, Marshall found this to be the opportunity to get out. She then ran to the second floor and was about to shift and leave by the second floor balcony.
*Hold it, Marshall,* a voice said inside her head. *Where are you going?*
She turned and saw it was one of the mage cats, Loremaster Shiel. :I'm sorry, Loremaster, but I have to follow Angie.:
*Why?*
:She faces a difficult journey ahead, and I need to know more about something she said to Victor last night, something about trying to forgive one of the two drivers who took her parents' lives. Please, you've got to let me do this.:
*What will Father Sean say when he questions why you are not here?*
:Very well. Please tell Father Sean, but only Father Sean. I do not want anyone else to know. If I don't take off now, I won't be able to catch up.:
The mage cat let out a sigh. *Very well, Marshall. Please, though, be careful.*
:Thank you, Loremaster. Thank you so much for giving me this chance.: She then shifted to her silver falcon form and took off for the airport herself.
The mage cat looked out the window. *Peaceful journey, Marshall. Take care.*
At 9:30, Angie had placed her luggage through baggage claim and went with her friends towards the gate.
Marshall arrived and placed herself at the top of the control tower. Hmm, which plane is it? I've got to find the right plane. Come on, which one is Flight 319? She was able to tag Angie's mind and learn it was the plane to Marshall's right. That's the one. Okay, now, when the plane takes off, I need to change into a form that could fool anybody, like a…dragon, one that will blend in nicely with the sky, like a blue cloud. That's it! A blue cloud dragon. I can stay on her tail the whole time. When I'm close enough to Mason City, I'll convert to a red-tailed hawk, as I believe that type of bird is appropriate for the location. I've got to keep close tabs on her through this whole thing.
As 10 a.m. approached, Angie looked at her friends. "Guys, I'm sorry things have been messed up because of this parole hearing."
"Don't worry about it, Angie," said Victor. "This is a very important family matter for you. Just be truthful and do the best you can."
"And above all," Ace added, "don't let your emotions get the best of you. You've got to maintain composure, or you may end up in jail yourself."
"Yeah, I've seen all those situations on those reality shows before. Fortunately, Ashley's mansion does have an exercise room, so I can take my anger and frustration out there before I get to the hearing. I'll also do my normal morning meditation to help me prepare for each day. I just hope I do what's right."
"Don't worry, Angie," said a reassuring Cosmo, "you'll do fine, I promise."
Then, the intercom sounded, "Flight 319 bound for Mason City, Iowa, now boarding at gate 24."
"That's my flight. I'd better get going."
"Good luck, Angie," said Victor, who then pecked her cheek.
"Thanks. I'll call you when I get there." She then took her carry-on luggage and went into the gate for the flight.
When she was out of sight, Victor told Ace, "She's really torn about this parole hearing."
"I know. I sensed a lot of pain within her last night."
Cosmo then noticed about what Angie had said just before she left. "She said she'd call you, Ace. What about the telepathy?"
"Cosmo, our telepathic link is limited to about 300 miles. Where she's going is about 1500 miles away. There's no way we can make regular contact once she's out of range."
"Oops, I forgot. Telepathy can only go so far."
Meanwhile, Marshall noticed Angie in the gate. There she goes. Now, it's time for me to follow her. The shifter switched to the blue cloud dragon form and flew straight up over the clouds. I just wait for the plane to take off, and I follow closely. After all, only a little child would believe there's a dragon in the clouds.
Taking an aisle seat, Angie placed her carry-on luggage into the overhead compartment and then sat down.
The passenger next to her carried her little baby, which soon started crying. "Oh, honey. It's okay. It's okay."
Angie looked at the baby and tried to comfort the little one. She made a little squiggle appear with her magic.
The baby's eyes sparkled in joy as he laughed at the squiggle.
The mother looked at Angie and said, "That was beautiful, Miss Jacobs. Thank you."
"You're welcome." She then created a little pacifier for him. "Here, maybe he needs this."
As soon as the baby took it, it calmly went to sleep.
"So," said the passenger, "you're going to your hometown?"
"Yes, but only for a few days. I have a…personal situation to deal with, but Ace is not coming with me because of the media frenzy it would create."
"I understand, especially after Paparazzo's stunt."
"He got what he deserved…demoted from star reporter."
Soon, the stewardess gave instructions to buckle their safety belts, as the flight was ready for take-off.
Within a few minutes, Angie was on her way home, if only for a few days.
Marshall followed closely enough to avoid being detected by any radar. If Angie thinks she's going alone, I'm not about to let her out of my sight for a second.
Back at the airport, Ace, Cosmo, and Victor were about to leave for home when a frantic Michael and Father Sean found them.
"Mike," said a worried Victor, "what's going on?"
"It's Marshall. We can't find her anywhere in the Sanctuary."
"You don't think she—" Cosmo realized what may have been happening. "Oh, no. Marshall must be following her."
"It's a 'tag,'" said Michael. "Marshall must have picked up on something from Angie's mind and figured out what was going on."
"Who else would know about it?"
"I don't know," said Michael. He then closed his eyes to concentrate on anyone who may have discovered Marshall's plan. "I've got it! Loremaster Shiel saw Marshall just before she left."
"Can you track Marshall now?" asked a worried Ace.
"Yeah, she's following Angie's plane closely, as a blue cloud dragon."
"Wait," said Father Sean, "maybe it's best if we allow Marshall to follow her. This way, Angie will not feel completely alone. I have a pretty good idea if she were not compelled to go, the Loremaster would never have let her go, despite the shifter Council's words that she is free to leave at any time for any reason. All we may do is pray that she and Angie come home whole."
"Maybe," said Cosmo, "but will Marshall be all right? I mean, the people in Mason City more than likely have never seen a shifter before."
"If there's one thing Marshall is good at," said Michael, "it's camouflaging herself in the area. The red-tailed hawk is very indigenous in Iowa, hence the name of the University of Iowa's sports teams, the Hawkeyes."
"Let's just hope," said a concerned Ace, "both Angie and Marshall will be all right."

On the flight, Angie was very relaxed as she listened to the music on her headphones. As Vivaldi's Spring was being played, she thought about the times she had shared with her parents, the happy times of fun and play, the times where she asked them for help…basically, the times they were alive.
After a sigh, she whispered, "I need to be relaxed for now. I shouldn't worry about it until tomorrow."
At a window seat not too far behind, a little girl noticed a beautiful cloud on the outside. "Mommy, Mommy! There's a dragon outside the window!"
The mother looked and smiled. "Yes, sweetie. That's a pretty dragon-shaped cloud."
Marshall was doing well with her special disguise. So far, so good. I'll keep a close watch on Angie from beginning to end. She continued flapping her wings proudly as she continued making her way towards Angie's hometown.

Within a couple of hours, Angie's flight landed at Mason City Regional Airport.
Marshall stayed above the clouds and quickly shifted into the red-tailed hawk. Whew, I made it. Now, I need to find Ashley's mansion and a tree close enough. She then flew down and noticed Ashley standing by with George the butler. Oh, I can follow the car or limo straight to the mansion. Marshall then perched herself on the top of the building where the three would leave for the car.
Angie entered through the gate and then claimed her luggage. She then went to find Ashley and George, who were standing by with a sign that said, "Angie."
The female magician smiled as she came up to her longtime best friend and hugged her. "It's good to see you, Ashley. Just too bad it's not in good circumstances."
"I know. C'mon, let's get up to the mansion. You need to rest up and get ready for tomorrow morning."
"Thanks. Let's go."
George led them to the car and soon took off with his passengers to Brighton Estates.
Marshall started pursuing them immediately to reach the mansion.
Less than 30 minutes later, the car arrived at the mansion, and Marshall found a tree nearby at which to perch for a couple of days. This will do nicely. I can keep up with Angie every step of the way from here. Of course, I have to follow her tomorrow morning to find the building where the parole hearing takes place. For now, I need to rest. I've flapped my wings way too long today.
Ashley, George, and Angie entered the large home of Brighton Estates, the mansion Ashley inherited from her grandparents along with the inheritance.
"Wow," Angie said in awe. "This house is beautiful."
"Thanks," said Ashley. "When I'm not home, George takes care of things. When I am home, I do some work around the house to make his job a little easier."
George smiled and said, "Believe me, Angie. Ashley would rather feel like a million dollars than have a million dollars. She has even allowed her first-grade students to spend the night here in the mansion before."
"That's great. Ash, you're really making sure they're ready for a bright future."
"You know, for a while, my future was in doubt because of what had happened between my mother and me. I was scared to death to tell about Mom being Faceless, but when I explained it by phone at the Town Council meeting, they were all supporting me. You and Ace gave me some encouragement, but I was just unsure. After the meeting, though, my self-confidence came back. Oh, and your shifter friend, Marshall, she gave me a feather and a poem to remind me I'm not alone, either."
"Marshall's a talented poet," said Angie happily. "Even though she caused a bit of tension at the Magelight when you were there—"
"She was still around to help me out when I was scared to face anyone with the truth about Mom. Anyway, I don't think you feel like doing anything today, do you?"
"No, but I do need to call Ace. Where's the telephone?"
Ashley was a little astonished. "Wait, you can't use your telepathy to contact him?"
"'Fraid not. Our telepathy is limited to about 300 miles."
"Okay, there's one in the exercise room. Go to the end of the hall and make a right. The phone's right near the table."
Angie made her way to the training room and noticed how big it was. "Hmm, maybe I should do some working out in here during the time, help me vent my anger before I get to the parole hearing. This way, I can stay a lot calmer and not get into a raging outburst."
She soon found the telephone and contacted her kindred brother out west.
At the Magic Express, Ace heard the telephone and quickly answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, Ace. I made it."
"Good. Was the trip smooth enough?"
"Yeah, just had a crying baby next to me, but I helped keep it comforted. I'm at Ashley's house—I mean, mansion—now. Found an exercise room, just what I needed."
"Okay, will you be all right during this?"
"I'll try, Ace. Believe me, all I can do is try."
"All right, Angie. Good luck."
"Thanks, kindred brother. Bye."
After Ace hung up, Cosmo was concerned. "Um, dude, why didn't you tell her Marshall followed her to Mason City?"
"If Angie knew Marshall was there, it could affect her emotionally. Better not to let her know what's happening."
"She's basically on her own over there."
"No, she's got Ashley, George,…and Marshall. I just hope she can keep her emotions in check while going through this."

A few hours later, after finishing a good dinner, Ashley wanted to know one thing. "Okay, Angie. Please tell me. You got a boyfriend now?"
"I don't know if I can call it a 'boyfriend' yet, but I do know I have fallen in love with someone for the first time."
"Tell me about him, please. You're making me nuts by keeping quiet!"
"Okay, okay. His name is Victor Raven. I met him out on the reservation a few months ago. You remember Michael, right?"
"Yeah, he's a shifter. Is Victor a—"
"No, Victor's not a shifter himself, but he accepts the existence of shifters, mainly because he's Michael's older brother."
"Whoa! Michael has an older brother? Wait a minute. How old is Michael?"
"Let's see now…I had a pretty good conversation with Khentura Fire Eagle about age. Mike is 20, Victor's 27, Khenta herself is just 21, and Marshall's 19."
"I believe Marshall's age, but not the others. I thought they were a lot older than that."
"Wanna know the biggest surprise? The head of the Council, Ashanti, is only 28 years old, but she's been the head since she was just 15."
"Oh, my God!" Ashley exclaimed. "We were going through our sophomore years of high school at her age."
"Exactly. But, back to the subject of Victor. I met him on the reservation, and somehow I started having feelings for him, but for the longest while I was scared to admit it…especially after I saved his life."
"You saved Victor? How?"
"In almost the same manner I saved you: from a death fall with levitation. Ace, Marshall, and Khenta were all trying to tell me I was falling in love with him, but I went into denial about it."
Ashley recalled the incident from the past. "Oh, yeah. What Bobby Riggins planned on doing to you if you and he both won the Homecoming titles. I've never forgotten that. That creep got what he deserved."
"Well, I finally admitted my feelings to Victor, who in turn, also had feelings for me, but he was also scared to tell me himself. It eventually ended up with us…kissing."
Ashley's smile went wide. "That's wonderful. You finally found true love, and that part of your heart was finally able to accept someone."
"Yeah, and we had planned our first date for Thursday night, but it was called off because of this."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Me, too, but Victor understood because this is a family matter. I'm lucky. Most guys probably wouldn't be."
"Angie, it doesn't appear Victor is like most guys at all. I'd like to meet him one day, but not to steal him away or anything."
"Hey, I'd love to introduce you to him." Angie then noticed the clock. "Man, it's later than I thought. I have to get to sleep and be ready for tomorrow. It's not going to be easy to get through this, though."
"Yeah. Let's get some shut-eye. We've got a long first day tomorrow."
Angie and Ashley went to their rooms and went to bed for the evening, both knowing the next few days would be very emotional…