TOMMY - ONE WEEK LATER

I drag myself into the house, tired and frustrated. Mara Jane had a point. I should have been using my anger to help find whoever has been committing the murders rather than fuming and adding to Zedd's already present concern. Especially since there have been three more in this last week. The police nor Zedd can seem to find a connection between them, but that doesn't mean there isn't one.

The officials allowed me and Zedd to visit the crime scenes. According to Zedd, all of them have the same dark power signature, but unfortunately, it's not familiar to him. Whether anyone there but me believed him or not is another story however and wasn't that just about my snapping point when every one of the those escorting us gave him a barely hidden look of doubt at his claim.

Then of course there was the outing which pretty much just clenched my belief that the world in general is not exactly on the best of terms with any of us at the moment. A group of us went to the marketplace a couple of days ago and I could swear that we were being watched. Granted, it was more of a feeling than anything, but even Mara Jane and Jacob noticed it and if I'm honest it concerns me a good bit. Zedd originally let himself be lured into the Alliance because of the way he was treated by his peers and those around him, the last thing I want happening is for him to have to face that same type of judgmental behavior and exclusion again, especially when he's worked so hard over the past several decades to prove what an honorable man he is.

Pushing my simmering anger aside once more, determined to at least keep calm for Zedd's sake I find him in the living room, looking none too happy himself. "Anything?"

I shake my head. "No." I know that he wants to be out there looking and helping, but we all agreed (him reluctantly) that he shouldn't go out alone until this is resolved to make sure that he has an alibi should it be needed. "Any news here?"

He nods, obviously even less happy about this. "The officials called. There's been another murder. This time he left a message."

"What kind of message?"

"He used the victim's blood to write 'Lord Zedd will rise again' on the wall." I can think of a lot of ways that could be taken, not the least of which involves turning my mate back to the side of evil. "At least now the authorities are certain that it isn't me behind it."

"And how did that do it when even Zordon couldn't convince them?"

He sighs. "My reputation being what it is, they know that I certainly would be more egotistical than to: one, refer to myself in the third person and two, not claim credit for this many killings - especially if there was any kind of reason for them and three, if I were going to kill this many, I'd certainly do it all at once and, again due to my ego, in a much more grand fashion to remind people just how powerful and dangerous I actually still am."

Well, I can't argue with that. Before I can comment, the doorbell rings. I go to answer it, to find nobody there. There is, however, a small box. Before I pick it up, I hold my hand over it and allow my power to 'feel' what's in it. Over the years, I've learned to use my powers and my scientific knowledge to determine what's in something given we have had a few unpleasant deliveries in the past either from old enemies or new ones we've cut off doing business with. Whatever this is, it won't explode so I take it in the house.

It's addressed to me, with my title in quotes, indicating a bit of sarcasm. Zedd joins me as I open it. There's a blank envelope on top of a pile of papers. "What is it, love?"

"Not sure yet." I set the envelope aside for now and dig through the sheets underneath. It quickly dawns on me what they are - essentially, they're newspaper articles from many different worlds. All of them involve Zedd in one way and another - mostly enslaving worlds or doing battle on them to make them part of the Alliance. Lots of different languages, some with pictures and some without, not one of them has a story about him being defeated, rather his victories.

Zedd flips through some of the clippings as I pick up the envelope. I open it slowly and draw out a single sheet of paper.

This is who he is meant to be and I shall return him to his former glory.

"Well, well, well. Seems like you have an admirer, Zedd."

"What?" I hand him the note, not surprised when he rolls his eyes a few seconds later. "Let's call the authorities and check the front door camera."

An hour later, the police have come and gone. All the cameras on the property show no sign of the person that sent the package, rather that it was dropped by a drone that was also used to press the doorbell. Dar, Pina and Kira have all come home by now and have been filled in and silence has fallen as we take it all in.

Finally, Kira speaks. "Okay, let's look at this from this new angle. Zedd has an admirer. So it would have to be someone that looks up to him or wants to be like him. Odds are, at some point in his past, this person would have probably made contact with him, wanted to serve under him."

Zedd sighs. "There have been a few of those over the centuries, Kira."

"Okay, start to make a mental list. Cross out any that you know are dead, found their own way, that sort of thing and see who sticks out from there. The ones you remember clearly would be the easiest to eliminate first."

"The ones I remember clearly I only remember because they were incompetent idiots." Suddenly, he cracks a small smile. "Well, except one or two. One in particular, though. Sharp young man, lots of rage, extremely impatient. Almost killed a young woman in a bar. I stopped him and he found his fight in an alley later."

I exchange looks with Goldar, remembering a long ago conversation. "What was his name?"

"Never got it, but I got the feeling that he could really have gone far if he could control his temper." He looks thoughtful for a moment. "I do believe that I told him that if he could prove himself, perhaps he could serve at my side."

"How long ago was that?" Kira asks.

"Oh, it's been centuries now."

"Damn. That'll make it hard to find him" she mutters.

Dar and I exchange looks again and he sighs. "Not really. That was me." The others look at him in shock. Well, everyone except Zedd. Dar shoots a look at me. "I told you not to tell him!"

"I didn't!"

"He didn't" Zedd agrees. "I overheard you two talking about it years ago at the palace."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" Dar demands.

Zedd looks at him, surprised. "You said right out that it was in the past and there was no reason to bring it up. Until this moment, I agreed and let it go."

"So why bring it up now?"

"I don't know, for one I didn't want you to think I held you in the same incompetent idiot category I do nearly everyone else. Truthfully if I'm honest I'm kind of sorry I didn't keep better tabs on you back than as if I had I'm nearly certain the few failures I had during my time with the Alliance wouldn't have happened."

Calming slightly at this, Dar looks thoughtful for a moment before giving a slow nod. "Maybe, however if that had been the case we might both still be with the Alliance right now and while the thought of ruling a handful of galaxies is tempting I don't think truthfully either of us would be as happy or content as we are now."

"We would certainly be a hell of a lot more lonely" comes the agreement before Zedd wraps his arm around me, Dar mimicking his actions with Pina.

"Agreed. Even if we'd no doubt be too loaded to notice most nights."

"True."

"Well on that touching note..." Slipping out of his hold even as Scorpina rolls her eyes, I move back to the box of clippings and topic at hand. "Let's think logically about this for a minute. Now clearly you've had your share the followers, however like with Goldar chances are the ones worth anything didn't keep following you but rather went their own way to make names for themselves and impressions that would make you take notice."

"Sort of like this one is doing, but way later in life and on a far less grand scale" Kira agrees.

"Right which means they very likely didn't have the drive and skill Dar did back then, never mind given the age of some of these clippings and how they're preserved it would almost stand to reason he acquired them at the time they happened, meaning he was following you and keeping up with your exploits."

Pina sighs. "Unless they were too shy or frightened to have actually approached him, preferring instead to work their way up first."

Zedd frowns. "Most of the ones I do remember, as I said, were fairly incompetent boot lickers, only wanting to serve with me to boost their own reputations. Some of them have made their own names, as Kira suggested, and more than a few have died or given up."

Silence falls once again before Kira remarks frustrated, "So we're right back where we started."

Suddenly, Zedd's brow furrows and he speaks slowly. "There was one other. No idea what happened to him. It was right around the time of the bar incident with Dar, but Dar outshone him by so much, I've nearly forgotten him entirely." He thinks for another minute. "I think his name was Wilem or something like that. Don't remember the planet he was from, but he was about to go through alterations. Kept talking about how he'd be able to enhance my reputation after."

Dar frowns as he thinks. "Well at the time you 'met' me, I was due to undergo my own alterations in about a week. I don't remember anyone by that name, but few of us exchanged names seeing as we were about to change them. I definitely don't remember anyone mimicking Zedd's look."

"But what if he's gone down a similar path as Zedd and become a sorcerer like him? It would be all of nothing to change his look when he needs to" Pina points out.

"And he's certainly had enough time to learn how" Zedd agrees.

"Not to be difficult" Kira speaks up "But if that's possible, then couldn't it be a female as well?"

"No" Zedd answers. "Quite frankly, any and all of the females I remember that tried to curry favor with me only wanted to be in my bed."

Jealousy flashes through me as I'm quite certain at least a few of them got their wishes, given what Zedd has revealed about his past bed partners. Let it go, Tommy. He's been with you for quite a while now and has no intentions of leaving. I exhale slowly as Zedd shoots a look at me. I shake my head, unwilling to address my issues in front of the group.

"Unless she was unable or unwilling or afraid to approach you until now" Kira suggests.

I barely keep my growl in check, instead commenting, "We still don't have enough to go on. Right now, this Wilem or whatever is our best possible lead."

Dar nods. "I'll start reaching out to some of my contacts and see if we can't get more information. A solid name, home world, what his alterations were."

Kira nodded. "I'll start checking with some of my contacts on the other side. Maybe he's been imprisoned and has only recently been freed or escaped and that's why he's doing this now."

The others all hurry out of the room to get started while I pace and try to get my thoughts in order and my emotions under control. Zedd watches me for a few minutes before he speaks. "I'm not leaving you, Thomas."

"I know. I just - can't help it. You're mine and I'll be damned if I let anyone try and divide us."

He bites his lip for a second before saying hesitantly, "Do you want to go to the bedroom? Remind yourself that I am yours?"

"Too angry, Zedd."

Softly, he commands, "Come here." I go to him and he holds me tightly. "If something happens, remember that we are bonded. You can find me and help me that way even if you can't get to me physically right away."

This does calm me slightly, although I'm still too upset to completely calm down. "I love you, Zeddic. More than my own life."

"As I love you."