The Highway West Andrew 62
Chapter Two: American Gothic
"This is a very dangerous and uncertain world."
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
I'm waiting for the Angels of Avalon, waiting for the eastern sun.
-Led Zeppelin, The Battle of Evermore
The first time Cassie Byron realized that she would never look like the other little girls her age, she cut off the heads of all her Barbie Dolls. Her parents never recovered.
Smiling, Cassie parked her black Moped next to St. Elmo's Cemetery. If her parents knew where she spent her Saturday nights, they would strap her into a straitjacket and ship her to the nearest asylum until she was thirty. "Damn!" Cassie cursed, glancing at her watch.
It was 12:22 am and she was late again. Across the deserted road was an old white 1976 Chevy pickup. That meant Rice and Barker were waiting. Attempting to be silent, Cassie slipped open the colossal rusted gate to the cemetery. Unlike many cemeteries, St. Elmo's never locked its gates. It had been too many years since anyone important had been buried here and no one cared except Cassie and her friends, or so she believed.
Several old style tombstones dominated the landscape. Twin statues of the Virgin Mary welcomed visitors with open arms. Dry yellow grass covered her feet as she walked into the gloom of the cemetery. The sound of giggles and laughter in the distance tickled her ears.
Somewhere amid the shadows and the flickering illumination of the full moon, a pair of eyes watched her enter his cemetery. Observing her stumble over a rock in the path caused him to chuckle. With her elegant tight shoes and heavy backpack, Cassie struggled along the path in the murky night.
Cassie's long, straight hair used to be chestnut brown, but she recently dyed it jet black. Her eyes were usually blue, but sometimes seemed light green depending upon what she was wearing or her mood. She wore a long, black lace dress that contrasted her soft, white skin. Although she was five foot five, she weighed about a hundred and eighty pounds and people thoroughly enjoyed reminding of it.
Keeping next to the wall, Cassie spied vague shapes dancing menacingly near a covered light source. Delighted, she continued her trek. On the other side of the large adobe wall, she detected the rhythmic beat of footsteps. Massive footsteps that sounded like an elephant. Pausing for a moment, she thought she hear sweet whistling that reminded her of a whale song. Closing her eyes, Cassie allowed the spiritual serenade to overwhelm her. The whistling merged with a rich, deep voice.
"Walking across Egypt, no shelter from the sun. My journey has no stopping place. My journey's far from done. Walking with Jesus, I shall not stop to rest. My faith I set before me, and my journey shall be blest,"
Although she had never heard this song, Cassie knew the rich voice in her heart; it washed over her like a flashflood then faded like a treasured dream. Keeping her eyes closed, Cassie hoped to capture the song like a sleeper trying to reclaim a disrupted dream. Realizing her goal wad futile, Cassie joined her friends.
"Did you guys hear that?" Cassie questioned them.
"What?" Barker asked.
"The whistling!"
"That's the Whistling Dude," Rice answered.
"Who?"
"The Whistling Dude. You know," Rice said.
"I don't think so."
"Someone I don't know about?" Barker said sarcastically with a laugh.
"Tell us about him," Kat pleaded. Barker sighed.
The lantern that Rice borrowed from his dad barely lit the small area. Kat straddled the large tombstone, smoking her cigarette. Although her hair was once long and blonde, Kat shaved the left half of her head and dyed the other side jet black.
Rice and Barker sat on a sleeping bag spread out like a blanket. Rice was tall, lanky, and pale skinned. He shaved his black hair on one side and let the rest grow long. Barker looked as though he were a Nazi propaganda poster-boy with exquisite blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes.
"Thrill me," Cassie muttered, sitting next to Rice. Her long black lace dress merged with the shadows so that all that could be seen was her milky white skin.
"I've heard a lot about the Whistling Dude, but I've only seen him once. He likes to walk around as though he's looking for something. He's huge, like he's a body builder or something. . . .only it's not from working out in a gym. It's almost like he's larger than life. His skin is dark black and in the sun it shines so bright it could blind you. I would have been afraid if it wasn't for his big dopey smile." Rice said.
"I've heard he's okay," Kat agreed.
"Did your dad give you any problems?" Kat asked Cassie, quickly getting bored with the subject.
"A little," Cassie admitted. "He's starting to wonder where I go. Wouldn't be surprised if he followed me."
Rice chuckled. "At least he stopped buying those diet shakes."
Cassie put her finger in her mouth and pretended to gag. Kat and Barker snickered wickedly. "Did I tell you guys about the biology experiment I had to do yesterday?" Rice asked. The others nodded no. "We dyed a chicken blue and released her in a cage full of other chickens. At first the others just left her alone, but when she tried to eat the others attacked her and pecked the life out of her. It was strange. . .like a dream or an old episode of the Twilight Zone."
"Cool," Kat laughed.
"Speaking of dreams, you still having yours, Cassie?" Barker asked.
"I'm starting to remember them a little more," Cassie answered.
"What are they like?" Rice asked.
"Weird shit. I'm walking down a highway with friends. . .only they're not you guys. The highway twists like a snake. I can't. . .explain it yet," Cassie tried to answer.
"Hmmm. A road that twists like a snake. You need to get laid," Kat declared.
"I think her dreams are cool," Rice defended Cassie.
Barker frowned. "Your dream signifies change. The snake represents the darkness that's coming."
A moment of silence threatened to kill the joy until Rice burst into a loud, obnoxious laughter. The others, except Barker, joined him.
"When's Steve getting here?" Cassie asked hopefully.
"He's not coming tonight," Rice answered.
"WHAT?" Cassie cried, upset.
"He got tickets to see a concert," Barker explained.
"What concert?" Cassie inquired.
"I don't know. A bunch of screaming, sweating boys. Damn I wish he asked me to go!" Rice said sarcastically in his best fag voice.
"Besides, he's too busy screwing Sylvia to bother with us," Kat added.
"That asshole!" Cassie muttered
"What's your damage?" Kat sneered.
"Nothing. He just promised me he would go," Cassie explained, trying to save face.
"You know you might as well move on, Sylvia already had her hooks in him. We might as well have his funeral tonight. Besides, he was never that interested in you to begin with," Kat told Cassie.
"Did you bring film for the camera?" Rice asked, trying to defuse the situation.
"Yeah, I also bought that night flash. Don't know how well its going to work," Cassie answered as she dug through her backpack.
"Great!" Rice exclaimed, he had been waiting for this all week.
"Yeah, thrill me. Give me a few minutes to setup," Cassie told them as she turned away from them and towards the light. She almost started to cry. She knew with the same certainly that she would have her period in the next few days that Steve would never be hers.
While Kat, Barker, and Rice debated whether or not Becky was a slut, Cassie looked past them and tried to remember the Whistling Dude's song. Feeling her nipples get hard from the cold, she wrapped herself in Barker's brown leather jacket. Glancing past Kat, Cassie could see a small, brilliant flash of blue.
"Did you see that?" Cassie asked.
"What?" Kat asked.
"See what?" Rice questioned her.
"The blue light. . .over there."
"Girlfriend, have you been smoking something we don't know about?" Rice mocked.
"No. I'm telling you, I saw something over there," Cassie said.
"We were all looking that way, we would have seen it too," Kat said.
"Just relax a little," Barker said with an uneasy chuckle.
Cassie shrugged off Barker's jacket, stood up, and adjusted her dress. "I'll go over by myself then," she said.
"Scream if you see the bogeyman," Kat mocked her.
"Please be careful," Barker whispered.
Cassie knew this gave Kat the perfect opportunity to trash her behind her back, but she no longer cared. She had seen a blue flash and no one was going to tell her otherwise. After walking past the tall gothic statues, she found a clear, worn path that led to the other side of the cemetery. Each step she took crunched through the dried leaves and grass.
After passing several stone angels, tombstones, and an old mausoleum, Cassie reached the wall of the other side of the cemetery and found nothing. Disheartened, Cassie sighed and sat on a tombstone shaking her head at herself.
"She walks in beauty like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that's best of dark and light."
Scared, Cassie jumped off the tombstone and looked around. "Okay. Ha! Ha! Come on out so I can see you."
"Are you sure?" the voice asked.
"Thrill me."
A thin blue steak of light shot out from the shadows. Dazzled, she thought it might be a laser beam. The streak of light circled Cassie a few times. Frightened, Cassie swiped her hand at it. The streak dodged her clumsy blow then disappeared.
The small sphere of blue light rested on top of the tombstone waiting for Cassie. Squinting her eyes, Cassie detected a vague shape inside of the tiny ball of light. Slowly the sphere dimmed and a small figure about five inches tall appeared. "Hello," he greeted her.
"Hi," Cassie said nervously.
With a burst of blue energy, the small figure became a handsome fifteen year old boy. He was tall, skinny, and naked. His blond hair was long and shaggy. Like Cassie, his eyes alternated between blue and light green depending on the light.
"Hello, I'm Ariel," the boy said with a laugh.
Although the boy appeared to be a few years younger, Cassie found him attractive. He might have passed for a cherub if it were not for the devilish smile dancing on his lips. Trying not to be obvious, Cassie looked away from his face and began to stare at his penis.
She had never seen a real one before. Once she found a Playboy magazine of her father's, but then penises seemed a foreign concept. It was not like she imagined. Instead of being large and erect, the penis was small, soft, and limp. Cassie tore her eyes away from his penis to notice that he was watching her watch his penis. Embarrassed, she looked away.
"Aren't you cold, or something?" Cassie asked.
"Yes, isn't it wonderful, Cassie?" the boy said as he hopped off the tombstone and took a deep breath.
"How did you know my name?" Cassie asked.
"Oh, I'm your uncle. Not the uncle that's married to your aunt. I'm the one that's supposed to bring you in."
"Bringing me in?"
"To Avalon."
"I'm not going anywhere with you!"
"You saw the light! Didn't you?"
"Yeah, so what?"
"So! That means you're one of us," Ariel explained.
"What are you?" Cassie asked.
"We have been called many names over the centuries. . .messengers, spirits, the Fay, goblins, guides. . ."
"You're an angel!" Cassie cried.
"And so are you. The term I most prefer is fairy."
"Okay, so then you're a fairy, but not from San Francisco."
"From where?"
"Sorry, I'm nervous. I've never met an angel. . .fairy."
"That's okay. I'm here to teach you and bring you back to Avalon."
"Avalon? You mean Heaven?"
"No. The place you know as Heaven is a long journey. Avalon is our home through the Dreamweb," Ariel answered.
"I'm afraid you made a mistake. Fairies are supposed to be happy all of the time, I'm not the happy sappy type."
"That is interesting. You do not seem the type, but then you did see the light and the light never lies."
"The blue light?" Cassie asked.
"Fairy magic...only true fairies can see it," Ariel explained.
"Also, aren't fairies supposed to be thin?"
"Most are, but the lucky ones aren't"
"The lucky ones?"
"In Avalon, you would be one of the most beautiful in all of the land."
"Because I'm fat? Where is this place?"
Ariel pointed at the moon. "Inside there in the Dreamweb!" he told her.
"Ha! Now I know they drugged me," Cassie laughed.
"Trust me. Have you ever been sick?"
"Not that I remember."
"Have you ever hurt yourself for a really long time?"
Cassie thought for a few seconds. "I once thought I broke my arm, but when we got to the hospital it was perfectly okay, just a little sore."
"You are one of us, you just don't know it. Throw off your dress and dance with me!"
"Not likely."
"Why are you angry?"
"Look, maybe in Avalon fat people are beautiful, but here they're ugly. I don't want to turn anyone into stone."
"Ha! You're a fairy not a gorgon!" Ariel giggled.
"That's not what I meant!"
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's not that I don't want to, I can't."
"Okay, can I show you?" Ariel asked.
"Show me?"
"Yes. Mindspeak to you."
"Mindspeak?"
YES. MINDSPEAK TO YOU.
"How did you do that?"
ALL FAIRIES HAVE THIS ABILITY AND MANY OTHERS. DO YOU WANT TO LEARN? I CAN SHOW YOU.
Born into a rational world, Cassie craved something she couldn't quite identify. It was almost as though she had lost her capacity to worship and tried to buy it back through her fantasy novels. Somewhere inside her, a voice told her what to do. A voice told her this was her chance, maybe her only chance to achieve that dark wisdom. Maybe this was her chance to explore a world she had always wished existed. Bursting through the iron wall of rationalism, she knew there was no turning back.
"How?" she asked.
YOUR BLOOD IS FAIRYFOLK BLOOD. YOU CARRY US INSIDE YOU. YOU CARRY OUR HISTORY INSIDE YOU. I CAN AWAKEN YOUR MEMORIES.
YOU MAY FEEL STRANGE AT FIRST. IT WILL BE YOUR MIND ADJUSTING TO YOUR BODY. THE WORLD HAS TOLD YOU WHAT IS POSSIBLE, YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO BELIEVE.
Scared, Cassie knew she could never be the same again. The thought thrilled and frightened her. "Yes," Cassie said weakly, "do it."
Slumbering synapses deep inside her brain awoke like a sleeping volcano. The world seemed dark as she struggled to filter the important memories through her mind.
Thousands of dancing fairies circled the giant mushroom bonfire praising the starless night. Goblins gleefully slammed into each other to the beat of loud booming drums. Fawns chased Nymphs across the open field, not for the kill but for the thrill of the chase. Brownies, sitting on the giant mushrooms, watched the fairies dance while drinking their homebrewed beer.
A bold man with a beard knells next to the emerald throne. Oberion. Older than ancient or time or matter. One of the seven witnesses of creation. Enthralled to his niece and wife resting on the emerald throne.
Titania. Queen of the Fay. Daughter of the Dark One. Beautiful giantess with blue skin. Cassie knew this world; Avalon.
Her mind adjusted to her new status. She could feel herself flying through the air like Ariel had done. Cassie remembered the ancient lore of fairyfolk and their travels through the realms to reach Earth. She met the girl that she was and learned of the woman she was to become.
"It is so evil!" she cried.
THE UNIVERSE IS NOT GOOD OR EVIL, BUT THINKING MAKES IT SO.
"Then why are we living in such evil?" Cassie questioned him.
YOU MEAN, WHY ARE THE MORTALS LIVING IN EVIL?
"Yes."
BECAUSE THEY CHOOSE TO.
Angry, Cassie broke the mindlink. "Are you okay?" Ariel asked.
"No. You're telling me that everything. . . all of this is because mortals choose evil."
"Yes."
"Can't we change that?"
"Why would we? It is their choice."
"How can it be their choice? Have you seen the world?" Cassie asked.
"The last time I really explored this world was a few hundred years ago. I was the Uncle for a wonderful fairy named Will. He writes the most astounding plays. Of course I pretended to be a mortal so I wouldn't scare anyone. It took him a while, but he eventually joined us in Avalon. He used to think like you saying that we should help the mortals so he tried to write plays that would change things. Every opening night all of Avalon would watch, usually invisible. I must have seen the one play with me in it about a thousand times. It's really quite good. When you come to Avalon, you should watch it."
"The Tempest, right? I've already seen it."
"Will realized that is it not the place of fairyfolk to change the mortals. Our task to continue the Awakening," Ariel explained.
"The Awakening?" Cassie asked.
"Each of the fairyfolk have kept the Awakening alive. We take the spirits of the age and imprint them in our hearts. The heroes that are remembered by the mortals are felt through the Dreamweb. Every fairy throughout time sends their dreams through the Dreamweb to the Awakening. In the last days, the last fairy is supposed to take this Awakening and use it to give the universe a second chance. Until then, we have to wait and dream."
"The world has changed in the last four hundred years, can't we help it?"
"The more things change the more they stay the same. Many of us thought as you do now. We tried to change the world."
"What happened?" Cassie asked.
"We caused holy civil wars within the Children of the Celestial Father over different methods of worship. Some of us. . .changed," Ariel explained.
"Changed? I don't understand. What happened?"
"One of us was steward of the mortal realm. He was not prepared for the free will of humanity. Jealous, the Dark One tried to crush them. The Celestial Father erected the Great Barrier to protect earth from him. The followers of the Dark One changed. They became warped by their nefarious nature," Ariel explained.
"You don't mean God, do you?"
"The Celestial Father has been called by many different names. Allah, Yaweiah, the Great Spirit and about a thousand others."
"And that means that the Dark One is. . ."
"Satan. . .the Trickster. . .Lucifer. . .and sometimes shithead. We prefer to call him the Dark One."
"How can this wall protect earth from the Dark One?"
"The Great Barrier, through the Dreamweb, is fueled by the hopes and dreams of humanity. As long as the Great Barrier is intact, the Dark One can not return to earth."
"What about Titania? She's the Dark One's daughter."
"That is. . .a matter of great concern for us. There are some. . .who oppose her rule and want Oberion restored. As long she continues the tithe, none can touch her for if they do the Great Barrier will shatter," Ariel said sadly.
"Tithe?"
"Titania surrenders the soul of a single mortal every seven years."
"How evil!"
"Yes, but as long as she has the power of the Dreamweb there is nothing that can be done."
"You've mentioned this Dreamweb a few times. What is it?"
"It is the spiritual manifestation of the dreams of humanity. Our home is there. If you decide to come with me, I will show you sights unlike any other."
"I don't have to go with you?" Cassie asked.
"Of course not. We would love to have you, especially now."
"I don't get it."
"You are the only fairy born in this century."
"If I am a fairy then why wasn't I born in Avalon?" Cassie asked.
Ariel's face turned solemn. "That's not the way we do things. A fairy can not mate with another fairy and have children. It's forbidden."
"Why not?"
"Fairies need human blood to remain sane. The result of a pure fairy child is always an imp?"
"An imp? What's that?" Cassie asked.
Ariel's face danced between fear and disgust. "Imps are an insane abomination!"
"Why would a pure fairy child become an imp?"
It has something to do with our healing abilities. You'll find that almost nothing can hurt you."
"Almost? I take it that we're not invulnerable."
"Only cold iron and nefarious magic can harm us," Ariel explained.
"So who are my parents?"
"The woman that you believe to be your mother is actually your mother. However, the man you knew as your father is not your father. A friend of mine had to see Earth again, so he left and found the New World exciting. Your parents were married and happy, or as happy as mortals try to become. When my friend saw your mother, her beauty caught hold of him and he took the form of the man you think is your father and made love with her. Nine months later a healthy baby girl was born," Ariel revealed.
"You speak well for someone out of touch for the last few centuries."
"I learned the current adaptation of English while Mindspeaking to an interesting mortal. What was the name of his profession? Oh yes, I do believe he was a lawyer. Anyhow, it took a while to find you. I didn't expect that your family would have moved so many times or I would have kept a better eye on you."
"People. . . mortals, do that now. It is our way."
"Will you not come with me?" Ariel asked.
"And leave my friends, school, my life. . . .I can't"
"You know the true way home."
"Yeah. I'm starting to remember more about the mindlink. Old memories are starting to emerge."
"What do you remember?" Ariel asked.
"I remember Avalon and the great trek to reach it. I remember all of the tribes of. . ."
"Sarazin. She was the first wife of Oberon," Ariel added.
"Yes. . .Sarazin. She gathered the tribes from Morgana le Faye. Morgana trapped them in stone and in trees. She hated the fairyfolk for helping her brother, Arthur. Only she tricked them. She created tree spirits. . ."
"Dryads," Ariel explained.
"Dryads made them sleep, but Morgana failed to consider their dreams. Sarazin dreamed of the river Alpheus that ran through measureless caverns to man down by the sea. Up the river she flew, entering into a whole new world; Xanadu." Cassie continued.
"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree," Ariel said as though reciting a long forgotten poem.
"I have heard that, before the mindlink," Cassie said.
"Kubla Khan by Samuel Coleridge," Ariel told her.
"Was he a fairy too?"
"No. No. He dreamed of Xanadu. He traveled up the river Alpheus just as Sarazin did," Ariel explained.
"Sarazin entered the Dreamweb. She discovered the universe is an onion. Each time she peeled off a layer of fabric from the universe, she discovered a deeper level of existence. Through it all, Titania felt as though someone called her. She dreamed of Xanadu and he spoke to her."
"The guardian" he added.
"That is not his name. He has had many. He cheered Hitler fell. He cried when the bomb was dropped in Hiroshima. He helped free the slaves," Cassie revealed.
"How do you know?" Ariel inquired.
"I remember him showing Sarazin. Don't you?" Cassie asked.
"Because we are all so different, we remember different memories. Time does not work the same in Xanadu."
"He showed her the way. . . the way to Avalon."
"You know. . ."
Cassie paused for a moment. Her mind felt tired, even though her body remained fresh. Exhausted, she rubbed her eyes to snap out of the trance.
"Do not try to remember too much. It will come slowly."
"I remember so much. . ." Cassie tried to explain.
"Does it help?"
"No. So many choices. . .so many memories."
"You have to focus on certain aspects or you'll drown in a sea of memories."
"The memories showed me everything. How to fly. How to change. How to find Avalon. . ." Cassie muttered more to herself than Ariel.
"Did they show you how to forgive yourself?" Ariel asked innocently.
"What?"
"I felt you. . .felt your anger and hatred," Ariel explained.
"And who am I supposed to hate?" Cassie asked angrily.
"Yourself."
Cassie wept. Turning away from Ariel, she hid her eyes in her hair. "Fuck you, you little prick!"
"It is true. Let go. The universe is not good or evil, but thinking makes it so."
"Thinking didn't give me this!" Cassie told him as she gestured at her body.
"No. I'm not saying that life is perfect. It's not. Come with me, we will love you. Every male in Avalon will be chasing you within the hour."
"I can't. . ." Cassie told him, "I can't leave Mom. . .my friends."
Ariel responded by hugging her. "I am sorry that you hurt so much. I can see why you chose to stay."
It felt weird for Cassie to hug this naked boy almost her own age. "I want to. I really do."
"I know. You can't be happy in Avalon. Not yet."
"Will you be there when I do come?"
"Perhaps. There is a storm coming. I was hoping that we could shelter you in Avalon. But perhaps that was a mistake. I only hope that the storm doesn't take you with it."
"I'll be fine. Promise. Will we see each other again?"
Ariel smiled. "Of course. We're fairies. We live forever. I will return when you can answer the most important question of them all."
"And that is?"
"Who are you?"
Ariel gently stroked Cassie's cheek and then kissed her lips. Inside, Cassie giggled. Her first kiss and it was from a fairy with the body of a fifteen year old. Slowly she responded. It seemed as though it would never end. She could feel his body hunger for hers. To her surprise, he wanted her and she could feel it. Before she could act, Ariel drew away from her.
"When you stop hurting, come to us. We will love you. I will love you." Cassie opened her mouth to speak, but Ariel placed his finger on her lips, motioning her to be silent. Bowing, Ariel transformed into the thin, blue globe of light. Wildly, he circled around Cassie a few times. "Watch me go home!"
Cassie nodded, concentrated, and saw the world for what seemed to her the first time; she opened her Fairy Eyes. It was like stumbling around in a dark room, searching for light, seeing only vague shapes, and then seeing the world in three dimensional color. Although the darkness blocked her normal vision, her Fairy Eyes felt the energies of the universe. She could see threads of magic connected across the universe.
When Ariel shifted into the void, Cassie's Fairy Eyes followed. The desolate universe glowed with the single ray of thin blue light. Once this universe belonged to the Dreamweb. Its fuel burned in the hopes, dreams, and love of mortals. Morgana le Faye pierced this realm with her Nightmares. The Nightmares slowly sucked the energy from this universe by Morgana, which gave her the power to strike at Merlin, her ancient enemy.
Cassie wandered if Merlin was the same Merlin from the King Arthur legends. She decided she would have to look those legends up at the library. Feeling their universe dying, the fairyfolk traveled to Earth, leaving behind a black void. To seal the void, Titania made the pact with her father, the Dark One.
Ariel shifted to the Dreamweb. Ghost images and icons floated past him. Cassie swore that one of them was Elvis. Flying across the river Alpheus, Ariel bounced dimensions until she reached Avalon.
The voice followed her. It was the Whispering Dude. "You are welcomed into the fold daughter of Oberon, daughter of Eve. The time has come for you to join the army of light. Ariel was correct. There is a darkness coming. A darkness the like of which the world has never seen. Soon, it will be time for the gathering. There you will meet your new allies; your new family."
"I don't understand."
Silence. She called to the voice, but it failed to respond.
Frightened, she shifted her Fairy Eyes towards Barker, Rice, and Kat. Kat remained straddled between jealousy and lust. She loved Rice. She wanted Rice, who loved Baker. Rice drifted in a stream of content, surrounded by the loving arms of Barker. Barker remained a mystery. She could sense his form via his connection to Rice, but his energy, his soul, his life were transparent. Either Cassie had not yet learned to control her Fairy Eyes or Baker was not as he appeared.
Out of the corner of her Fairy Eyes, Cassie detected another presence. Curious, she expanded her vision until she could see the entire cemetery. Two additional souls prowled the cemetery. Neither were human.
Cassie concentrated on the presence close to her friends. Although he hid in the shadows, Cassie could see his aura as if he was standing in front of her. She could feel a wealth of emotions that her friends lacked. He liked watching her friends. It chased away his loneliness. He wanted to jump out and join the party, but he felt shame. Each layer she peeled away lead to another layer of depth. This cemetery was his home and he loved company. He would never allow himself to hurt anyone. Yes, Cassie was certain that he meant no harm, and even wanted friendship. Although Cassie could not tell more than his current mood, she knew she had much in common with this person. Not wanting to invade his privacy any further, Cassie shifted to the other presence.
The wild emotions hit her like a runaway truck. Anger. Dark Hunger. Waiting to strike, he watched the watcher. To Cassie, he felt more like an animal than anything human. Slowly, he stalked towards the other presence. She could feel him sniff the wind and catch the other soul's scent. His mouth watered at the thought of the hunt. Deeper and deeper she pried until all that she could find was the emptiness. Using all of her will, she forced herself to close her Fairy Eyes.
Should she warn the watcher? Although she could not be certain, she felt she could trust him. It was as though they were meant to be friends. Two people so much alike had to be friends. . .or enemies. Either way, she knew the other was evil.
DANGER! HE IS AFTER YOU!
Thoughtfully, the watcher crept closer to the Gothics. Remaining unseen, the creature named Caliban listened to them with great interest.
"What's her damage anyway?" Kat asked.
"I don't know," Rice snapped.
"Steve's not here."
"Did you hear that?" Kat asked.
"No. Now you're doing it!" Rice barked.
Although Rice missed the sound, the watcher heard it. Although he knew Cassie was wandering around the cemetery, she had to come back along the north path. This sound came from the south path, near the main gate.
DANGER! HE IS AFTER YOU!
Focusing, Caliban sensed the intruder. Although he literally owned the cemetery, his proprietorship of this holy place reached far beyond logic. He knew every inch of his home. If it were not for the fact that he was watching the kids so intently, he would have caught the intruder instantly. The telepath sounded like Cassie, but he could not be sure. In his brief time as a Fallen, Caliban had seen many strange creatures. Nothing surprised him anymore.
The intruder was supernatural and a hunter and a killer. He had the patience of a Zen spider waiting for the perfect time to attack. Glancing back towards the Goths, Caliban was relieved to see that the noise had frightened them. Rice and Barker were helping Kat over the wall. His top priority had to be protecting the Goths. Quietly, he placed himself between them and the hunter.
THE NOISES YOU'VE BEEN HEARING ARE ILLUSIONS I'VE CREATED TO SCARE THE GOTHS OUT OF THE CEMETERY!
Recalling her racial memories, Cassie reached inside her soul. Releasing an exact pattern of powerful thoughts, she shrank into an ocean of clothing. Climbing out of her dress, she discovered that she was five inches tall. The part of her that loved irony laughed. She had always wanted to lose weight. Although her size was dramatically smaller, her proportions were exactly the same. The only difference Cassie could notice was that the world seemed incredibly larger and slower. That was when she noticed her wings.
Powerful wings extended out of her back. Carefully, she flapped them a couple of times. It felt like growing another pair of arms. Flight reminded her of swimming. By motioning various aspects of her arms and legs, Cassie found that she could maneuver like a fish.
Enthralled by the flight, Cassie buzzed the Goths. Kat, still straddling the cemetery wall, screamed. Rice, unsure of what to do, tried climbing the wall to protect his friend. Barker smiled darkly and pushed both of them to the other side of the wall and casually climbed it.
Glad that the Goths escaped, Cassie turned her attention to the watcher. Within his mind, Cassie felt a pain akin to her own. Terrible loneliness. Unholy self hatred. She felt his concern for her friends. It was the other that worried her.
Her Fairy Eyes watched the hunter's aura swirl with shades of black and blood red. He was eager for the kill.
Once Barker hopped over the fence, Caliban stepped from the shadows. The light from the lantern reflected off his sickly white skin. Covered with hideous boils, Caliban wore a black leather trenchcoat and a fedora as a disguise to look more human. The only part of his flesh visible was his face.
His diseased looking skin pulled tightly on his face, giving the impression of a skull. His mouth was filled with sharp fangs designed for one purpose, tearing flesh. His eyes were red like a feral animal at midnight. It was a face that not even a mother could love.
"For almost an entire year I have lived here undisturbed. Now tonight, I have an intruder. Show yourself and we can talk about this like civilized adults. Perhaps you would like to sell me life insurance, yes?"
The wind howled softly as it caressed the trees and tombstones. "Or perhaps you are a spy? Yes. Yes, I can see the great advantage in that. I do important work here. I watch teenager frolic. I talk to the other corpses. Oh yes, the stories I could tell. "
The wind carried the scent of cheap cigarettes. Caliban smiled. Removing his fedora, Caliban bowed towards the shadows and the lit cigarette. Stepping into the light, the hunter took an additional drag of the cigarette and arrogantly rubbed it into a statue of Jesus carrying the cross.
He wore a black t-shirt with a picture of the Tasmanian Devil masturbating, jeans, and large black combat boots that were dirty after his hike through the cemetery. The hunter had long feral brown hair and light blue eyes. Stalking under a tree, the hunter had to duck slightly so that he did not bump his head on some of the lower branches. Smiling, the hunter waited for Caliban to act. His classic rugged good looks attracted many woman over the years. Caliban wondered how many women fell prey to the beauty before they met the beast.
"Hello, Mr. Morrison."
"Gideon says 'hello, Caliban,'" the hunter replied softly, still smiling.
"Please return the favor and extend my salutations as well."
"You lied to us."
"What? Me lie? I am a paragon of virtue."
"You promised that you would not take sides."
"Oh, yes. I confess. I have been slowly building power for the last five years. I only live in this cemetery as a alibi while MacDuff and Gideon fight it out for L. A. It has even occurred to me that I might want to take out the Shadow Lord."
"Your wit will not save you tonight. Gideon said that you have joined MacDuff."
"That bearded troll in a dress! Oh yes, I joined him a long time ago. Come now, you must know that I would rather boil my head in oil than even to speak his name."
"That is not my concern."
"Then what is your concern, Mr. Morrison."
"Gideon said that you will help MacDuff in the upcoming battle."
"Battle? What battle?"
"The Ascension War is beginning soon. L.A. is the first battleground. Gideon said that you are to join MacDuff."
"Yes. I am going to fight in the mythical Ascension War on a bearded troll's side so that I can determine who shall rule the world when the Great Barrier falls. The only thing I am going to fight is boredom as I continue to read through A Prayer for Owen Meany."
"I'm afraid we can't take that chance."
"So it comes to this? You would fight me so that I won't become your enemy later and fight against you. Yes. I can see the superior logic in this plan. "
"It doesn't matter. The boss gives the orders. I cut the throats."
"We do not have to fight," Caliban insisted.
"Yea, we do," Morrison growled, this time sounding like an animal.
Facial hair sprouted on Morrison's face. Bones broke and reformed. Muscles swelled in volume and mass. His bulging chest muscles ripped through his t-shirt and his legs split open his jeans. His hairy paws tore free from the combat boots. Thick curly brown hair enveloped his entire body. His face grew outwards like a wolf. His ears stretched, becoming canine. Powerful predator fangs grew from his mouth. Sharp claws grew from his fingers. The beast that Cassie sensed was released. Morrison became the Manwolf.
Morrison transformed in time to see Caliban's fist strike him in the face. The force of the impact knocked Morrison through a tombstone, landing flat onto his back. Blood splattered. Morrison quickly rolled to his feet and crouched in a defensive position. As Caliban turned to strike again, he noticed the wounds healing close. "Not bad. But not good enough. I've always heard that the Fallen were wimps," Morrison growled.
His voice shot through Caliban and Cassie like a someone scratching a chalkboard. Summoning his courage, Caliban hit Morrison again, knocking him flat. Shockingly, Morrison laughed. It was the bellow devoid of humanity. "Now it is my turn," Morrison taunted.
Standing, Morrison smiled as the last of his wounds were healing, leaving a small bruise below his left eye. Like a cat, Morrison leapt onto Caliban gouging Caliban's stomach with both claws. Caliban, who had not felt physical pain in two years, screamed. Green slimy blood squirted from his intestines covering Morrison, who howled to the moon. Instinctually, Caliban swatted Morrison away, knocking him through another tombstone.
ARE YOU HURT?
Caliban might have laughed if he could breathe in the air. His bowels were exposed and she was asking if he was hurt. He could feel himself healing the wounds, but the Fallen did not heal nearly as fast as a werewolf. Morrison rose again and laughed. His body had completely healed. "You may be strong, but I'm a killer, you are not," Morrison mocked him.
"Hey, Wolfie!" a feminine voice shouted from above.
Morrison looked up to see a naked, normal sized Cassie falling towards him. His eyes opened wide with shock as all hundred and eighty pounds of Cassie struck him on the nose. Her impact broke his nose inward and snapped his neck. Morrison fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Cassie fell next to him, spraining one of her ankles.
"Shit!" Cassie screamed.
Cassie rolled over to see Morrison's nose reforming. Caliban grabbed under her shoulders and dragged her away from the recovering werewolf. Cassie shivered as his slimy hand touched her.
"Mr. Morrison will revive in a few moments Ms. Byron. I suggest that you change back into fairyform so that you can escape. Your ankle will not heal for several minutes and Mr. Morrison is not the forgiving type."
Nodding, Cassie changed into Fairy Form and flew towards Caliban's face. As long as she did not put weight on her ankles, she could ignore the pain.
"How do you know my name?"
"Does it matter, Ms. Byron? This is my grand home. Oh yes, I have watched all of you for some time and now is not the time for introductions or explanations."
"Okay, then let's get out of here!" Cassie exclaimed.
Morrison howled, praising the goddess of the hunt. "There is no time. Mr. Morrison is already revived."
Cassie shifted to her Fairy Eyes. She could see Morrison sniffing the wind in search of his prey.
HE'S TRACKING US BY SCENT!
"I know that fairyfolk can cast illusions. Can you cover our scent?"
YES.
"Do it!"
HE'LL STILL BE ABLE TO SEE US!
"Do it!"
Cassie's ability to produce illusions directly tied to her concentration. She could fool any one of the five senses. However, she could only fool one of these senses at a time. Once she practiced more, Cassie would be able to concentrate on more than one part of an illusion. At that moment, Cassie did not have much of a choice. She focused on changing their scent to the stench of dead grass. As far as Caliban could tell, their scent had been changed.
IT'S DONE.
"Good. Hold my hand!"
Cassie flew over to his hand and landed on it. It felt like sitting on a giant, slimy fish. She looked over to Caliban's face and nearly screamed. His ugliness was the terror of legends. Silently, he covered his mouth with his other hand.
I GET THE IDEA, I'LL BE QUIET.
Cassie could hear Morrison growl behind the bushes. Although Cassie tried to be quiet, she swore Morrison would hear her shaking.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WE ARE STANDING OUT IN THE OPEN. HE'LL SEE US FOR SURE!
Caliban shook his head.
Morrison entered the grove. He sniffed the air and crept past Caliban. Frightened, Cassie thought she would scream, but Morrison ignored them. Casually, Morrison knocked over a tombstone on his way through the grove. "I will find you Caliban! And this time no one will save you!" he howled. It was a scream that both Cassie and Caliban would remember for the rest of their lives.
Resting on the Fallen's hand for almost a half an hour, Cassie opened her Fairy Eyes and scouted around the cemetery and detected nothing. Violently, she flew from Caliban's hand and stretched her arms in the air. "So what's the deal? Why didn't he see us?" she asked.
"My kind has the ability to remain Unseen. Yes. People choose not to see us. I have found that my kind have that effect on others. My scent often gives me away. I believe it is a strange cross of rotting eggs and fish. Oh yes, it is quite horrid. I'm quite tempted to have my nose removed. You were able to mask that so he could not detect us," Caliban reported.
"Wait here a second, okay?" Cassie asked.
Caliban agreed.
Cassie became a blue streak of light and disappeared. Two minutes later, a clothed human sized Cassie returned.
"I see that your ankles have healed nicely."
"Thanks. Hope you don't mind me asking, but who the Hell are you?" the young fairy asked.
"I do not think that you want to know."
"Thrill me."
"I am one of the Fallen," Caliban revealed.
"Okay. I just found out that I'm a fairy. I can live with that. I've heard about them. I've heard about vampires, werewolves, ghosts and even the boogieman, but I've never heard of the Fallen."
"I think it would be wise if we gather your belongings Ms. Byron and then talk in my home."
Caliban carried her Moped to his mausoleum, while Cassie gathered her purse and other items that Rice, Barker, and Kat left behind. Upon entering the mausoleum, Cassie smiled. It reminded her of her favorite horror movie.
The mausoleum was the size of a small house. Upon closer inspection, Cassie noticed several words were inscribed into the brick walls in Spanish. Fantastic artists had carved holy angels battling demons into the brick and stone. Caliban opened the door for Cassie and then motioned for her to enter. "What a time to be a gentleman," Cassie thought.
At first the stench nearly twisted her bowels, but then she transformed the scent to fresh roses. "This cemetery was built by the Spanish when they first explored the California coast. That was when this city was really the City of Angels," Caliban said as though he were an undead tour guide.
Caliban opened one of the crypts and crept inside. Cassie shivered and followed. Under the crypt was a large cavern. Lighting a lantern, Caliban revealed a huge room, decorated with hundreds of pictures of the Goths posing in the cemetery. A simple bed, desk, table, and a dozen bookshelves were scattered in a circular pattern around the room. Casually, Cassie scanned the books to find an eclectic collection ranging from Something Wicked this Way Comes to the Foundation of Western Political Thought.
"Wow! You live down here?"
"Yes. It is the only place suitable for me."
"So what's your story?" Cassie asked as she lit one of Kat's cigarettes.
"Smoking is bad for you."
"After what I've been through? Ha! Give me a break! Start flapping your jaws!"
"I will tell you this, what I have not told anyone. My real name is Gary Ernest. Now I am known as Caliban."
"Why Caliban?"
"The ancient Greeks had a myth about a hunter named Caliban. This Caliban was the prince of the city-state. A powerful man. A man well loved. Everyone loved him even though he treated them like dirt. Caliban's only love was hunting. Caliban was sick. Yes. He would capture birds and pull off their wings. He had a wound, only it was inside and no one could see it."
"That's nothing like you. Hey, your wound is healing!"
"By morning, the wound will be gone. And yes, I am not that monster now, but I was. Caliban was such a monster that he dared to hunt the Pegasus. Now, the winged horses were the sacred animal of Zeus. On a night similar to this, Caliban killed the last of the Pegasus. Enraged, Zeus mutated Caliban until he was human and animal and monster, doomed to be hunted for entirety."
"What does this have to do with you?"
"Not long ago, I was Gary Ernest. From the time I was a child, my family had money. Oh yes, I had whatever I wanted, I possessed. When I was of age, I helped Father run the business. In time, I was more ruthless than he could ever be. Milton once wrote that most people never get into Heaven or Hell. It takes real creativity to go to either. I will surely go to Hell. Oh yes. I would drive men to ruin for a few dollars profit. It was not the money, it never was. It was the power. . .the power."
Stunned, Cassie stared as Caliban continued. "I have been thinking a great deal about the way that we live. Not 'we' as in you and I, but we as a society. We live our lives on the basics of imaginary wealth. What is money? but a promise of payment? It used to be that money stood for gold. Oh yes, gold. Now it is the promise of payment. Only that payment never comes because the paper becomes the payment. A dollar is worth the promise of the United States government and that is all. Even when it used to be based on gold, it was nothing. What use is gold? Oh, it looks nice and is semi-rare. I can think of a dozen metals that match the same description. Gold and money has worth only because we have decided that it does. Think about the implications of this."
"I don't see what this has to do with you."
"Here is a thousand dollar bill. Do you want it?"
"Yeah. . .sure," Cassie said grabbing the dirty bill from his fingers. "Are you sure about this?"
"I have enough money to last for the next three centuries."
"Thanks."
"What will you do with this?"
"I've been wanting a computer, and this can go a long way towards getting me one."
"So you are not going to keep the money because it is money?" Caliban asked.
"I don't understand."
"For you, money in and of itself is not valuable, yes?"
"Yeah. What's your point?"
"It was not so, for me. When you put value on something that does not really exist, eventually your values will fall. The money became more important than anything else. I cheated my father out of his money and left him penniless. I bought and sold people at a whim."
"What happened?"
"A homeless man saved me. Oh, he didn't mean to, but he did. I was leaving the building late one night and walking across the street to where my Cadillac was parked. There he stopped me. I couldn't see him well, because it was dark and the street lamp was broken. All he wanted was a little money to buy something to eat. I laughed at him and told him to go and get a job. He begged me and I laughed at him. I told him that I was about to go to a nice restaurant and eat a nice thick steak with A-1 sauce and I hoped that he would starve. You seem shocked, yes. I told you I was a monster, but the story is not yet over."
"I can't believe you did that." Cassie said.
"There's more. I tried to walk past him, but he would not move, so I hit him. I hit him so hard that he fell to the ground. He was so old and hungry he must have died before he hit the sidewalk. Instead of helping him, I looked around to see if anyone had seen me, and continued on my way. But someone did see me. Once I made it to the parking garage, I had the feeling that I was being followed."
"And it was someone like. . .you?"
"Yes. Oh, he was monstrous. I nearly fainted from the sight of him, you handled seeing me much better. He asked me if I could spare a dollar. I gave him all the money I had and he hit me. He told me that money could not buy my way out of this problem. He grabbed me with his iron strong arms and bit into my shoulder. When I awoke I was like this."
"It must have been awful!"
"I have not, except today, felt pain like it. I must have scared the first lady I met to death. Eventually I found that I could make myself unseen. Yes, I wandered around, learning all that I could. At first I thought that the sun light would kill me, like vampires. Oh yes, I would have gladly died. I waited for the sunrise and nothing happened. After promising the various fractions of the nightlife that I would be neutral, I found this place. Even vampires and werewolves, except Morrison who fears no one, seem afraid of me. It is almost as if they know my sins are worse than theirs. They had a name for my kind; the Fallen. What this means, I do not know. And in the end, I became glad of my curse."
"What?"
"A monster I became least a monster I would be."
"I don't get it."
"By becoming a monster on the outside, I was no longer a monster on the inside. And here for many nights I have read. When I discovered the name Caliban, it seemed to fit."
Cassie wiped her eyes. "Wow. That's some story. How did you know about me?"
"I have watched you and your friends for several months. Yes. I know all about you. In a sense, you have become my friends. I was there when Barker and Rice first declared their love. I watched as Kat declared her love for Rice, only to be told the truth. I watched all of you drink wine and watch the sun rise. In a sense, I have lived through you."
"You pervert!" Cassie cursed.
"It has been my only contact with the world. You were my only saving grace from despair."
"I'm sorry. . . but this was our place."
"Yes, I know. It still is if you want it."
"You know everything?" Cassie asked.
"Yes. I know about your love for Steve."
"Twist the knife a little harder why don't you?"
"Forgive me, I have never learned the art of tact."
"No shit Sherlock, where'd get your clue?" Cassie inquired.
"You are the only one that knows of me, please do not tell anyone."
Cassie looked into Caliban's face once again. Although incredibly ugly, it was not so bad once she had gotten used to it. "Only if you do not tell anyone that I'm a fairy."
"Deal. I have been wondering about you. How did you become a fairy? I should have known before now."
"Hey! I just found out about it tonight," Cassie told him.
"Then I am impressed with your performance and in case I forgot to say this, thank you."
"You were the one that went between the guys and that psycho," Cassie said with a smirk.
"It had to be done."
"So what crawled up Morrison's ass and died?"
"He is the enforcer of Gideon, a powerful vampire lord trying to take power in the city of angels. Gideon seems to have gotten the idea that I am working for his rival MacDuff."
"And are you?"
"No. That is what is curious. Something is wrong. Very wrong. Before my change I never believed in the supernatural, but you and I meeting has to have a purpose," Caliban said.
"I can feel that too. On my way here, I heard a voice tell me that I have joined the army of light, or something like that. He said that I would soon find allies," Cassie added.
"A voice?"
"The Goths call him the Whistling Dude."
Although it was difficult to read the Fallen's face, Cassie thought for a moment she detected a hint of surprise from Caliban's face. "You heard His voice? Are you certain?"
"No. Just know what Barker and Rice told me." Cassie answered nervously, "Is there something I should know about?"
Caliban sighed. "No. It was just a passing thought."
"Hey! I just thought of something. Morrison was speaking in the future tense when he was attacking you."
"Meaning?" Caliban asked perplexed.
"That it is not something that you have done, but something that you will do that caused him to attack you."
"That would explain a lot. I have had strange dreams of walking somewhere. I can not explain it but somehow I know that it will happen," Caliban revealed.
"Now that you mention it, so have I." Cassie muttered, "We were going up a highway."
"Yes, and now that I ponder the matter, you could have been in it. It is difficult to remember," Caliban said.
"Yeah, I know what you mean, and there were three others."
"And we all walked together."
"I don't know what this means, but you are not the monster you think you are. At least not now."
"Just as you are more beautiful than you know."
Cassie blushed. Although it made her skin crawl, she opened her arms and hugged Caliban. "Thank you," he whispered.
"I have a feeling we are going to be spending a lot of time together." Cassie told him.
RING! RING! RING!
Cassie jumped up from her bed as though someone blew a trumpet into her ear. She looked at her alarm clock: 7:55 a.m. She had talked to Caliban until sunrise. Silently, Cassie thanked God that her parents and brother were asleep when she returned home. Grumbling to herself, Cassie stumbled to the phone.
"Thrill me!" she bellowed.
"Hi Cassie, can we talk?" a male voice responded.
It was Steve. "Of course. What's up?" Cassie asked.
"Have you seen Sylvia?" he asked.
"No. Barker told me you guys were going to a concert."
"We did. Did he tell you where?"
"No. He didn't seem to know."
"We got tickets to the Viper Room."
"How the Hell did you get tickets to the Viper Room? How do you rate?"
"I don't know. Sylvia did somehow. Anyway we got separated and I can't seem to find her."
"I can tell when you're lying. Cough it up."
"A man picked her up. A tall black man with dread locks. Sylvia acted like she didn't know who I was anymore, like she was on drugs or something. Then I turned around and she was gone. I tried making a fuss but some tall guy hairy guy tossed me out. I thought she might have stayed the night with you."
"Do you know either guys' name?"
"The one that threw me out. His name is Morrison."
"Morrison? What time did he do this?"
"About four o'clock in the morning."
"That would be about right." Cassie muttered.
"About right for what?"
"Never mind. I might know some people that might know where Sylvia is."
"Really who?"
"No one you know. Tell me, do you really love her?"
"More than anything. I haven't felt this way before. You know me, I never let anyone inside. Didn't want to after Mom died. Are you still there?" Steve asked.
"I'm here. Call the police, just in case."
"I can't do that, she could get in trouble for being there in the first place. She's under age."
Cassie wiped a tear from her eye. Sylvia had more problems than getting in trouble with the police. "I'll do my best. Don't tell anyone what happened. I'll call you in a little while," she told him.
"Okay. Thanks." Steve said.
"No problem," Cassie said after she hung up. "No problem at all."
Cassie dropped back on her bed. She hugged her stuffed fox and cried. All she had to do was do nothing and Steve could be hers. If she did nothing, Sylvia would die. Or worse, Morrison might eat her alive. Caliban, or rather Gary, had said that we all know the good from the evil. Ariel said that mortals choose evil to exist. She would make her own choice.
She picked up the phone and dialed the number Caliban had given her. "Hello, Gary speaking," he said.
"Caliban, this is Cassie. I think I know what's going on."
"Please enlighten me," Caliban said.
"What do you know about the Viper Room?"
"It is owned by MacDuff and he usually meets with Gideon there," Caliban answered.
"That's what I thought. Last night, Sylvia got lost in there and Steve was kicked out by Mr. tall, dark, and hairy."
"Morrison?"
"Yeah. Funny how you get attacked and then Sylvia gets kidnapped."
"Are you sure she was kidnapped?"
"No, but it looks like it."
"Did Steve know who did it?" Caliban inquired.
"A black man with dread locks."
"Did he have a chicken foot necklace?"
"I didn't ask. Is that important?"
"Yes. It could mean Sylvia's life."
"That's what I thought. What do you know?" she questioned him.
"It could be Murphy. He's a vampire of the worst sort. He works for Gideon."
"Meaning?"
"He likes little innocent girls to play with."
"Do you think this is why Morrison attacked you last night? To stop you from helping Sylvia?" Cassie asked.
"I think so."
"So do I. What do you think we should do? I'm new to this."
"If I am right, Sylvia is being used as a bargaining chip so she'll be okay. They let Steve go so he would tell us where they are."
"Okay. So what do we do?"
"Play their game," Caliban declared.
"What?"
"Play their game. . .only we play to win."
"When?" Cassie asked.
"During the day, the Viper Room is closed. It would be pointless to try to go now. Tonight is a different story."
"Thrill me."
"We'll walk right into the lion's mouth and pull out his teeth."