Matthew joined Benjamin and paced around the couch. James, Wesley, and Benjamin had told them everything they knew about the situation, and they were just waiting on him to analyze the situation. Usually it didn't take as long, but given the exceptional depth of this particular problem, Matthew found that the solution would not be so easy to discover this time.
"So," Matthew finally said, getting the full attention from everyone except Jordan, who still lay on the couch, "if he can channel powers, and this Shelina can make fireballs, then I think that would make for one hell of a child."
"But it's not him," James said, pointing to Jordan. "There's something missing."
"He could've come back here to warn us," Wesley suggested.
"But then why didn't he?" Matthew asked. "From what you told me, he went out looking for Benjamin, whose name was on that MENSA list, which presents another mystery."
"Huh?" Benjamin asked. "How did you know about MENSA?"
"There's a group of people missing," Matthew explained, "all of whom I suspect are members of MENSA. Jimmy and I did some investigating at the headquarters and it seemed like there were voices coming from somewhere under the place."
"Voices," Benjamin repeated, thinking carefully.
"What is it?" James asked, seeing something in Benjamin's expression.
"I really can't believe how I missed it all," Benjamin replied, dumbstruck. "Do you know anything about Akum Warlocks?"
"A-whats?" Wesley asked.
"They're a rare breed of warlocks," Benjamin stated as Matthew went to retrieve the Book of Light. "I should've known from the start…"
"They're good witches gone bad," Matthew continued, returning with the oversized tome. "It says that they end up using their powers for greed and personal gain, and once they cross the line by killing someone, they become evil. It also says that this only happens once every five hundred years or so."
"Is it that time again already?" Wesley quipped.
"Why should you have known this?" Matthew asked Benjamin.
"When I'm not teaching at the university," Benjamin explained, "I'm doing research on demons and warlocks. I was looking into the whole incident at the MENSA headquarters and all of the evidence suggested an Akum. They're very manipulative, and have the ability to temporarily cloud people's judgment. I also know that they are never allowed to mate with other good witches, because the child would become a very powerful force of evil."
Wesley looked at James, who ignored him, at the mention of good witches mixing with other types of beings. Those words also made James feel slightly uncomfortable; he could not help but think about Sam and the boy lying on the couch. He realized that he didn't even know his name.
"I'd think any child of a warlock would be powerful in its own right," Matthew said.
"Think about it," Benjamin said. "A child whose parents are both good and evil potentially has access to both sides of magic. The child would grow up as an Akum, but with the added ability to harness good magic."
"So what does that have to do with the voices at the MENSA building?" James asked, trying to change the subject.
"Akums try to find as many witches as they can so they can mate," Benjamin said. "Once they're done, they usually kill them, but my research has shown that the victims' souls remain here because they can't move on until their deaths have been justified."
"He's right," Matthew confirmed. "It's in the Book, more or less. You must be pretty smart to have figured all this out on your own."
"I wasn't on my own," Benjamin said. "Not many people know this, but MENSA is not only home to some of the most intelligent people, but home to some of the most intelligent witches as well. It's a well kept secret."
"Are you serious?" Wesley asked. "You mean the IQ thing is just a front, and that MENSA is just a big…coven?"
"Not necessarily," Benjamin said. "From what you've told me and what I've worked on, I can only guess that Shelina's gotten to many of the MENSA members already. The fact that she was…with me…suggests that she hasn't been able to get pregnant yet. It's hard for them to conceive."
"I think our friend here," Matthew said, pointing to Jordan, "may provide us with some more information that could really help us out here."
"But Sam's not here," Wesley said. "She got…pulled away or something. She told me to tell you that she loves you, Jimmy. Then she just disappeared."
"What?" James asked. "What do you mean she disappeared? Isn't that what glimmering is?"
"I've never seen it done that way before," Wesley said. "It looked…violent, like she was being pulled against her will."
"And you just let it happen?" James asked, a little more angry now.
"Stop," Matthew said, stepping between James and Wesley. "This isn't Homeboy's fault. And we need to keep focus here. We need…wait! That's it!"
"What's it?" James and Wesley both asked.
"Benjamin might be able to channel the Guardian half of this guy and heal him," Matthew suggested.
"Is that possible?" James asked.
"It's the only chance we've got," Benjamin said, walking over to where Jordan slept.
The three brothers crowded around him as he took a deep breath. He held his hands over Jordan's body and concentrated, calling forth Jordan's latent powers and channeling them into his own body. Seconds later, Benjamin's eyes clouded over as a golden spark ignited a warm glow that began to emanate from his hands. The brothers watched as the blood and the wounds slowly faded away into nothingness, and the color returned to Jordan's face. Suddenly, Jordan jerked upright, inhaling sharply but with no signs of pain at all. Benjamin's eyes then recolored themselves, returning to the usual gray.
"Welcome back…son," James said, pulling Jordan upright on the couch.
"I…you…uh…" Jordan stammered, trying to cover for himself. "What are you talking about?"
"You don't have to hide who you are from us," Wesley said. "I told you before, we know who you are."
"Nephew," Matthew added.