Chapter 4: A Crucial Mission

When Michael and Kitt came back to the hospital, they were rather worried. After all, when the young man had left, he had been rather harsh on Bonnie and, he realized, insensitive.

As he walked into the lobby, he asked where Devon was. The nurse replied that he was in his own room and that his daughter was with him.

When he went to the third floor and into the room, he was surprised to find not only Marissa, but also Bonnie and Rodrigo. Laura and Jack were looking out the window…most likely at Devon's star.

The older woman looked up from a bowl that she had in her hands. Unlike when he had last seen her, her expression was drawn, tired…and regretful.

"Hey, Bon," he said quietly, "How is he?"

"Not too good," she replied, "Dr. Alpert called in a botanist, and he's isolated the poison…it comes from a very rare flower."

"I've managed to make a concoction and introduced it into his system," Rodrigo said, "It's only staunched the poison and slowed it down for a while. In time, though, when it wears off, the poison will course through his system again."

Michael said, surprised, "You're the one he called in?"

"It surprised me, too, but Rodrigo is a licensed botanist that dabbles into herbal medicine," Bonnie agreed, then stared at him.

"Take a bowl, Michael. I was finished cooking about the time that I was called in. No sense in good food going to waste."

He nodded and got a bowl, used the ladle to get some food from a crock-pot, then took a spoon and ate some.

"Hey, Bon, look—"

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked softly.

"Uh…ya lost me there."

"The Mystics," she said as softly, "I know everything."

"Lo siento, Michael…but I told her. She was going to demand all the information from Devon…and that would have been worse."

Michael nodded and replied, "It's not the sort of thing that no—regular people should know."

"But, Michael--! I'm a normal person, but Devon's part of my family, too. I have as much of a right to know what's going on as any Mystic."

Michael asked Rodrigo, "She know to—"

"Yes, I already promised to not tell anyone," she replied, irritated.

The younger man nodded, whispered an apology to Bonnie, then turned to Rodrigo.

"Rodrigo…the poison…Kitt thinks it's something called Flora senti-something."

"It is," the Mexican replied, "Flora sentientus. Also called Sentias flowers."

That bit of news made Michael feel sick.

"The same flowers used at the Initiation in March."

"Si."

"I found out the name of that little organization. Mystic and Gypsy Eradication, or MAGE. The assassin was with the group."

"Was?"

"Yeah…she had some poison set in her teeth. When I told Kitt to call the cops, she chomped down and died in seconds."

"Michael, there is one thing you need to know," Rodrigo said grimly, "My medicine will only last a week at the most. Once the concoction wears off, I won't be able to use it again. At that time, if he doesn't receive the antidote within 24 hours, he'll die."

Michael took a breath, then saw movement on the bed.

Marissa, who was in a chair on the right side, said, "He's coming to."

Indeed, Devon groaned softly and opened his eyes, trying to focus.

"Devon?" the younger man asked.

"M…Michael?"

"Yeah, it's me," he replied and took the older man's left hand in his own, "You're in the hospital. How're you feeling?"

"Not…well. What happened?"

"You were poisoned," Marissa blurted, "And Aunt Cassa did it."

"What!"

"Marissa's right," Michael said, "She got you downstairs and you collapsed in the elevator. I had a talk with the woman after we got you here." He sighed as he added, "That woman wasn't Cassandra Miles."

"She…wasn't?"

"Yeah," he answered grimly, "I had Kitt do some checking. Devon, your sister was never in the city. She died in the blitzkrieg, right along with your parents."

He nodded sadly, then stared straight at Michael, whispering something.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry, Michael…I should have listened to you."

"Hey, don't worry about it," he replied.

"I mean it. If I had listened, none of this would have happened."

"I said, don't worry about it. Can't change the past, but I will see about the present." Michael then turned to Rodrigo and asked, "Where there's poison, there's an antidote. Any idea where I can find a Sentias flower?"

"Yes. They grow in very few places outside of the US, namely in Mexico. And the best place in that country to get them is in a greenhouse in my old neighborhood…and to get there, you'll have to cross enemy territory."

"MAGE—" Bonnie started to say.

"Si, enemy territory," The Mexican agreed quickly.

Michael nodded and asked, "You know precisely where the plant is?"

"Yes, but so does Laura."

"Good." He then faced Devon, then Marissa and said to her, "This does involve the Foundation's Youth. Select 1 or 2 from your group."

The little girl started to get up, then sat back down. She looked down at something and said, "I'm staying here." After looking up, she said, "Laura, go with Michael. Jack, can you please stay with us?"

The operative walked over to her side of the bed, then looked at what she had peered at, then chuckled.

Devon had taken his daughter's hand in his own…and when she had gotten up, the grip had firmed.

"Yeah, I'll say you're staying here," he said.

"Rissie, you and I can keep in contact. I, well…I recently got an e-mail address, just for cases like this. We can use it to keep up to date on Devon's condition."

"That'll really help, Kitty. Thanks," she said quietly.

Michael blinked and was about to say something when he saw something in front of him.

Michael, Laura and Jack racing in Kitt, trying to become as fast as wind while looking for something to fight off a black shadow…and the image, itself, was changing to replace one of those people…Rodrigo replaced Jack.

"Michael? You okay?" Bonnie asked, "You just…seemed to zone out for a moment."

"It'll happen," Rodrigo said, "When an image ingrained into his mind and soul surfaces…one image of many received from the Initiation."

"Y…yeah," he said, "Rodrigo, you'll come with us." Michael then turned to the ex-gangleader and said, "Young man, I know you want to go with us, but I've got something very important to ask you."

"What's up?" he asked, looking surprised. How'd Michael know that?

"Marissa's gonna be staying here with her father, but you can bet that MAGE is gonna come here and try to finish the job on both of them…and now that Bonnie knows the truth, they'll kill her, too."

Bonnie blanched a little, but her eyes remained fierce.

"Go on," he said.

"I'm gonna need you to protect them from MAGE. Call in anyone you want, as long as you can trust them, but protect them. You hear me?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Great," he said and ruffled the young man's hair.

Rodrigo said, "I'll leave the crock pot so that you can eat. After what happened in March, I had a feeling we would be having more encounters with MAGE, so I asked a friend to scan in all maps and information. It's ready for transmission. All Kitt needs to do is to interface with my computer."

"Thanks," Michael replied, "Okay, time for us to become like the wind. Devon, we won't return without the antidote. I promise."

"You three, be careful."