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Chapter 12- Blowing up
Los Angeles
On board the Marianne ship, Angel reached out from the darkness, grabbing 2 pureblood Demons and pulling them away, while Buffy pulled a startled Demon towards her from behind, snapping its neck. Angel did the same to his captives, as Sam grasped a Demon's mouth from behind, stopping it from screaming, and stabbed it with a knife, taking it down too.
Gunn came up behind Angel, the four walking to the ship's innards. Angel listened around to sounds in the ship, and after a while, decided it was safe to proceed, gesturing for the rest to follow him down a set of stairs farther into the ship's bowels.
Going down, Buffy commented. "This just keeps getting badder and badder, doesn't it?"
"I'd say so", Sam said, him and Angel looking around at the various stacked crates, clearly supplies for the troops.
"All so well-organized as well", Angel had to say. "This was all being planned for a while. Should have noticed it earlier."
"No point beating yourself up with what-ifs now", Buffy assured him, while Gunn put his pack to the ground, removing its deadly contents.
"Where did you say you got that again?" Buffy asked out of curiosity.
"A box of this stuff fell off a construction truck at the start of the year. Me and my crew decided to save it for something special, like this", Gunn grinned, peeling away the plastic sheath covering the C4 as he began to break off pieces of the explosive.
"Very lucky that happened", Sam chuckled. "Still, this is gonna be quite useful for here."
"Right about that", Gunn nodded.
"Wouldn't want to be in your neighborhood on the Fourth of July though", Sam quipped, getting a chuckle out of everyone.
Angel stopped at a slightly curved wall of the ship, placing his hand against the cool metal seam. "Place the first charge on here."
Gunn showed them how to insert the detonators and set their timers, before they started placing explosives at points in the ship where they would do the worst kind of damage once they ended up exploding, and then send the ship to the bottom of the harbor.
"Think we'd have enough time?" Buffy asked once they were done and started climbing back up.
"Only six minutes, should be enough", Sam replied to her, as they reached the next level without incident, quietly creeping to the second stairwell that would take them above deck. The stealthy climb continued as Angel thought of Tara, Fred, Phoebe and Calvin waiting for them back at the car.
"Hope nobody's gone poking around and found the guards we-" Buffy began in a hushed whisper.
"What was that?" Angel asked quietly. "Didn't catch the last part." He followed Gunn's gaze onto the deck and froze.
"I think talking about it jinxed it", Sam groaned, the four of them staring at ten of Axtius' soldiers now, with a variety of bladed weapons. There were Vahralls and Yuits, and a Doselle too.
Gunn chuckled lightly. "I think it did. She was hoping no one found the guards that were taken out."
Angel and Buffy swept into combat stances, remembering for a second the times they used to do it together, as a wave of familiarity spread through them. They may not be together anymore, but fighting together against their foes, side-by-side like this, it always good, and took them back to a simpler time.
"Just like old times", Angel commented.
"Time is short, let's do it", Sam said.
Part of Calvin wished he'd stayed back in the neighborhood as he looked at the battle ax in his hands. Waiting for the ones doing the job seemed so much more stressful than doing it themselves. Here he was, hiding behind a forklift stacked with wooden pallets along shy but pretty girl Tara, the big boobed Phoebe and the totally hot Fred.
He also wished parents would stop lying to their children. There were so many dangerous things in the night that could get them.
"What's taking them so long?" Calvin hissed. "Maybe we should-"
"Maybe we should wait for them and relax", Tara said, her voice calming, though a lot more would be required to really calm Calvin down.
"They're late", he said.
"Not yet actually. They got five more minutes", Phoebe pointed out to the teen.
"So, just calm down a bit", Fred squeezed his shoulder gently, and that seemed to actually do the trick for him.
Then two pickup trucks appeared, the backs loaded with many Demon soldiers, speeding towards the Marianne ship already.
"Oh no! Reinforcements are here", Fred said in horror, moving around the forklift to get a better look alongside Phoebe.
"Looks like they've been found", Phoebe realized.
"We got to do something!" Calvin said, hoping he'd be courageous enough to actually be able to use that thing in his hands.
There was a gust of frigid wind, and they turned to see Tara was suddenly standing out in the open now.
"What are you doing?" Calvin hissed.
"What Witches do best", Phoebe smirked.
"And buying us time", Fred added.
Tara stood with her arms outstretched, her mouth moving very fast, only Phoebe being able to make out what she was saying. The wind around them got colder, and Calvin swore he could see flakes of snow in the freezing air.
A mini snowstorm moved with lightning swiftness across the dock and enveloped the entire truck and all its riders with its freezing embrace. Phoebe smiled, very impressed by Tara's power as the vehicle's demonic occupants stopped moving, covered by layers of snow and ice, frozen by Tara's powerful magick.
"That was killer", Calvin said, only to be concerned on seeing her pale and stumble backwards.
Phoebe rushed to support her. "You all right?"
"Yeah….just strained", Tara said in a breathless whisper.
"Don't mean to sound ungrateful", Fred suddenly spoke up. "But there were two trucks."
"Tara got one, I'll get the other one", Phoebe took out a potion she'd brewed, looking at Tara. "Only had one of those, sorry about that."
Tara panted, shaking her head, as Phoebe hauled her hand backwards, and then hurled the potion. It hit its mark, shattering right on the striking the back of the truck, and the explosion sent the truck tumbling, already catching on fire alongside all of its Demon occupants. By the time it fell off the harbor, it had been reduced to nothing but ashes, as had the Demons who'd been screaming in agony on it.
Calvin gave them both a thumbs-up. He'd been fascinated by Tara and Willow on figuring out they were girlfriends. Not because they were lesbians, as he knew many gay people, but because they were lovers and Witches. He'd the idea the combination was powerful, but even alone, either one was a force to be reckoned with, as Tara had just show.
Then there were the three sisters, the Charmed Ones. They too seemed like a big deal united, but Phoebe had shown that they could do a lot of things by themselves, like brewing such a destructive potion to use upon enemies.
"I think I see them", Fred pointed, and the others followed her gaze to see their companions on the ship surrounded by some nasty Demons.
"Yeah", Calvin nodded. "But they aren't the only ones."
Buffy launched herself at the Demons, crushing the windpipe of one of them with her fist before snatching his metal staff and using it to decapitate the cobra-like head of another Demon.
Angel and Gunn were fighting a Fyarl and Vahrall, as Sam took out his gun, seeing the Doselle lunge for him, maw in the belly gaping wide. Sam shot it right there, causing it to collapse.
Gunn drove his fist into the stomach of a Yuit, making it bend forwards before he sent it sprawling with an uppercut.
Angel got a sword from one of his attackers and started cutting a bloody swathe through the troops.
Sam dodged the blow of another Yuit, then grabbed its hand as it tried to punch, before aiming at its abdomen and shooting, causing it to die as well.
"Let's hustle kids", Angel cut off the head of another Yuit. "Not much time before the big event."
Buffy, Sam and Gunn joined Angel, their backs against the cold and rusted railing of the ship.
"How much time do we got left?" Gunn asked, reinforcements arriving on either side of them.
"I think we're out now", Angel sighed.
"Well", Sam pointed out. "There is one more escape route."
Buffy looked at the ocean. "After you."
Angel shrugged. "I'd say ladies first."
"And I'd say he has the right idea", Sam added.
"I'm surrounded by gentlemen", Buffy said before hurling herself over the railing into the water. Angel, Sam and Gunn were right behind her.
As they dropped into the surf below, a loud explosion rocked the whole night, the sound deafening as the explosive charges planted below did their work, destroying the ancient freighter.
The four of them felt it on their back, hot and hungry, before the chilly waters of the Pacific enveloped them.
Questral
It was pretty much about to hit the fan now. The Bazhripa were snarling and pointing spears in their general direction.
"So, what do you think?" Xander asked no one in particular.
"I think we need to do something", Willow told him.
"Well, Phoebe isn't here, but you're quite good", Piper held out one hand to Willow. "Hold my hand."
Having a feeling what was going to happen, Willow held Piper's hand, and then Paige held her other hand. An unseen force exploded from the three Witches, propelling the approaching Demons away, scattering them here and there.
"Ya know what? I take it all back. Witches are great", Dean said immediately, shooting the three a grateful look.
"We still need to talk our way out of this", Leo noted grimly.
Cordelia stepped away, Wesley and Bobby close behind as she outstretched her hands. "Hello everyone, listen to me! Let's count to ten and take a deep breath. We'd no idea Vampires are as offensive to you as they're to us."
"I'll show you how bloody offensive I am", Spike snarled.
Dean turned to see Spike jump from the boat to the dock, and rushed forward to cut him off, pushing him back towards the boat. "I think you should stay back until we straighten things out with the locals."
Spike tried to push past him but Dean wasn't giving in. "Back off, bleach boy. Do you understand what's happening?" He stared into Spike's eyes now. "They want us dead because of you. Let that sink in into your thick Vampire skull." He pushed Spike back.
Then there was a blue flash in the sky as they turned to see Dai'shu swooping down towards Willow, Piper and Paige, wings sweeping like a bat.
"You say you've come to help us against a powerful threat yet you bring that vile, soulless creature with you", Dai'shu sneered. "I think you are the threat!"
A blast of blue lightning erupted from his fingertips, but Paige aimed at it, managing to orb it towards the sky, the resulting sight looking it had been pulled directly from a nightmare, and Dai'shu could only stare at her in shock and horror.
Cordelia decided to play peacemaker again, striding forwards.
Dean started. "Maybe we should-"
Spike grasped his arm. "Hold up, boy wonder. Let's see how prom queen is at diplomacy."
Leo tried to be reasonable. "Listen, we did not know, we're sorry about that. But we're telling the truth."
Cordelia put a hand on her hips and stared at Dai'shu. "Look, blue eyes, we wanna be here as much as you want us here, but lives are at stake, and the Powers That Be love dumping the responsibility in our laps, and that includes trying to keep you folks alive."
Dai'shu growled, electricity crackling from him. "You dare address me in such a manner?"
"Listen up, Spanky," Cordelia said, gesturing for the demon to come down. "I know you're upset about the vampire being here—that it's some big taboo deal or something—but we didn't know. We're sorry. Get over it."
The demon reared back as if slapped, and a collective gasp went out from all those present. It didn't take the demon long to react—but Dean doubted it was the kind of reaction Cordelia had been looking for.
"Insolent human!" the sorcerer shrieked as he raised both of his malformed arms. Crackling energy leaked from his fingertips as he pointed his glowing hands at Cordelia. "You shall be the first to suffer!"
"My, this is getting interesting," Spike muttered, his amusement plain in his voice.
Dean watched as Zeke, Willow, Piper, Paige, Leo, Xander, Wesley and Bobby all moved to shield Cordelia from Dai'shu. Lorne actually stepped up as well, proving himself far more courageous than he had let on.
"Great Dai'shu, please," Zeke pleaded. "Show the ignorant humans mercy. They are nothing more than children beneath the superiority of the populace of our blessed home."
"They're just a bunch of big dumb animals, really," Lorne added, Dean frowning at that.
Dai'shu waved his arms, the air shimmered with his magick, and Cordelia's protectors flew off in different directions, their bodies entwined in tendrils of writhing eldritch energy.
"First the Princess of Pylea will be punished for her insolence, and then the others shall follow," the Yill demon growled, his hands again crackling with sorcerous energy.
Dean now took out his gun, deciding he'd have to do something with it if it really came down to that, and started moving forwards discreetly, slowly coming up next to Cordelia.
The others were stunned but unharmed.
"This is between me and hover-boy here", Cordelia said as Dean came next to her.
The Yill demon was snarling, and the electrical activity between the spines on his head was truly something to marvel at. It was obvious this guy had some anger issues, and Dean wondered how much was actually about the fact that they had brought a vampire to Questral.
A cry filled the air. "Stay your anger, Dai'shu," pleaded the female demon who had earlier vouched for Cordelia. She emerged from the outskirts of the crowd of demon spectators, joined by several of her tribe.
"My kind will not allow this," she said in defiance as they encircled Cordelia and Dean, clasping their hands.
"The Princess is under our protection. We would rather die as a whole than see any harm come to her."
Dai'shu shrieked his rage, his short arms flailing in frustration as the mystical energies dancing around the spines of his head erupted in a bizarre display of paranormal fireworks.
"Then die you shall," the sorcerer growled, his hands beginning to glow brighter, and brighter still, as the magickal charge grew within them.
"I think he means it, guys," Cordelia said, tapping the female demon on the shoulder. "You might want to get away before he blows his top."
"Then we meet our end protecting one who defended us in the past," the demoness said, turning her chin up proudly. The others within the circle did the same, and Cordelia cringed, waiting to be crispy-fried.
Dean was just about to aim his gun at Dai'shu, when there was another commotion as the Demons began murmuring amongst themselves, and many bowed their heads in reverence. The commotion distracted the Assemblage sorcerer as he turned to look at the cause of the disruption.
Another demon, this one dressed in flowing robes of scarlet silk, emerged from the crowd, and Dean wondered who this latest addition to the party could be to cause such a ruckus. The demon was tall and carried himself in a regal way.
His skin seemed to be carved from fine, white marble, his eyes large and solid black. His hair was long, combed back severely on its pale, skeletal skull. The new arrival raised a long, spidery hand, the fingers covered in multiple rings, toward the sorcerer angrily hanging in the air.
"Cease your tantrum, Dai'shu," the demon said, his voice calm and soothing. "I have heard the reasons why these visitors have come, and I wish to question them further."
Lorne seemed to deflate. "Oh honey, you're not a minute too soon."
Dai'shu immediately backed down, although he looked none too happy to be doing so.
"Who's the guy in red?" Xander whispered to Zeke, moving to stand behind the Miquot, whose yellow skin gleamed in the moonlight.
"That is the Sage, Ephraim—leader of the Assemblage. Though its members rule together, his is the final voice."
"Great sage," Dai'shu said, bowing to his leader, still floating in the air, "the invaders have flagrantly broken our most sacred law."
The sorcerer gestured toward Spike with his stubby arms. "They have brought an abomination to our paradise, and for that they must be punished."
The Sage nodded his head, his enormous black eyes seeming to take in all that was around him.
"I am well aware of the laws they have broken, sorcerer," he said clasping his long, bejeweled fingers before him. "But if what they say is true—if there is a terrible threat to our home—then we must be tolerant of their ignorance."
Dai'shu descended to the docks, making his way toward the Sage. "But surely—"
"I will hear no more, Dai'shu," the Sage proclaimed, his voice growing louder and more powerful. The sorcerer seemed to shrink, bowing his head in acceptance.
"As you say, Great Sage," Dai'shu capitulated, his voice tinged with displeasure.
The demons encircling Cordelia and Dean unclasped their hands and moved back into the crowd, each bowing to Cordy as they passed.
Ephraim turned to regard them, these people who had come unbidden to the shores of the island sanctuary. His eyes scanned each of them in turn, but settled, in the end, on Zeke. There were beads of sweat on the fin on top of the Miquot's head.
"Ezekiel of the Miquot Clan," Ephraim began, his voice like distant thunder, filling the air. "You are welcome here. Your judgment in bringing strangers to this island, bringing humans here, shall be debated at another time. Until such time as the issue of their presence is resolved, you will continue to act as our ambassador."
Zeke nodded respectfully.
"Now, tell me, who speaks for these visitors?"
Wesley, Cordelia, Bobby and Piper stepped forward.
"I speak for us, Great Sage," Wesley stated with a bow of his head. "And I wish to reiterate how sorry we are to have broken your laws."
Cordelia nodded in agreement. "It's kind of ironic," she said in explanation. "We didn't even really want to bring him, regardless of certain things."
She shielded her mouth with her hand. "Between you and me, I appreciate something he did, but I still think he's a big pain in the butt."
"I heard that," Spike said, striding away from the boat. "Thank you for the appreciation though, luv. You made your way to my heart."
"Hope not", Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"We know you heard that, idjit", Bobby said, before looking at the Sage. "Anyways, sorry about that, but like we said, something huge is coming."
"And you'll need our help", Piper said, before gesturing to herself. "We are two of the three Charmed Ones. You might know of us."
This seemed to get the Sage's attention.
"It is an honor to meet you two", he said, giving a respectful bow, as Piper and Paige bowed back respectfully. "I apologize for Dai'shu attacking you."
"As long as you listen to us", Paige added.
The Sage turned his large black eyes to Spike, and the vampire froze in his tracks.
"If the terrible warning you have brought to us is true," the Sage said, turning his attention back to the gang, "then it must be discussed amongst the Assemblage. Only then will we decide whether to accept your aid."
"Sounds like a plan," Lorne said, looking around, obviously relieved by the turn of events.
"Meanwhile, however," the Sage began again, "if you are to remain here"—he focused again on Spike and pointed a long, gnarled finger covered with multiple adornments—"The vampire must be placed in custody."
Cordelia shrugged. "Okay by me," she said, seeking the approval of the others. "You can chain him up until it begins. You won't hear us complaining much."
"Now just a bloody minute," Spike snarled again, moving toward them. "I've got just as much right to be here as—"
Dean intercepted the vampire and pushed him back toward the vessel. "If you act up, we're back to square one here bleach boy," he said, attempting to be the voice of reason.
"I'm here to help these stupid gits," Spike spat. "Just like you are."
"I know pal," Dean said soothingly. "But if you don't do what they want, they're going to kick us off the island—and worse, all these people are going to die."
"Way I'm feeling, I'm not sure I really care one way or the other."
"Okay. We'll just let them kill you," Dean said. Spike thought for a moment.
"There's that," he said, eyeing the gathering of very angry-looking demon folk behind him.
"What's it going to be, Spike?" Dean asked. The vampire turned on his heel.
"I'm going to get my shirt," he mumbled, and then spun back toward Dean, pointing an accusatory finger. "But don't expect me to be a bloody model prisoner."
"Well", Leo sighed in relief. "At least now they'll listen to us."
Axtius sat in the cool darkness of a trailer that had once belonged to a Hollywood starlet, anger in his mind, for Angel, whom he'd wanted to suffer the most excruciating demise possible, had survived. The creature responsible for his son's death was still out there in the night.
Satanel, Addwaitya and Hex were all behind him.
A faint knocking was heard at the door.
"Enter", Axtius said as Guhl-iban and Haborym came in.
"What is it?" Axtius asked.
"Great Axtius…" Guhl-iban began.
"I know what I am", Axtius growled at him.
"Now, now, let's not let ego take over, shall we?" Satanel put a hand on Axtius' shoulder, making a shiver run down his spin, which was ironic considering who Satanel looked like. "Things like that can cause downfall, you know? We don't want that in this crusade."
Haborym then looked to Axtius. "Lords Axtius, Satanel, Addwaitya, Hex. We've received word that the ship has been sunk."
Axtius got up in rage. "What? How is that possible?"
"A Vampire. The local talent tells us he is called Angel. Supposedly, he has a soul", Guhl-iban now spoke. "And….he wasn't alone. The Slayer was with him."
"Aren't you the one who wanted him to suffer an excruciating death instead of killing him outright?" Addwaitya asked Axtius, causing the Brachen Demon to look at him. "Looks like that was the wrong choice."
"Clearly, someone got past your runes", Axtius accused him.
"Doesn't mean you didn't make a mistake by not just killing him outright", Addwaitya shrugged. "Your mistake has now cost our crusade. If this was Legerdomain, I'd have had your head for this."
"I am still the General here, and this is not Legerdomain", Axtius sneered. "So you won't."
"Like I said, ego leads to downfall", Satanel said, before turning away, a cruel smirk on his face. "Of course, it is not as delightful as the downfall of purity."
Axtius sighed. While Satanel agreed with the pureblood supremacy ideology, obviously, he was much more into corrupting magic users, especially those who were pure.
"What else?" Hex decided to ask Guhl-iban and Haborym.
"What about the Mahkesh cache?" Axtius asked the big question.
"The one we dealt with to get those hadn't sent it yet", Guhl-iban gave the only piece of good news. "So it is safe."
"Well, better hope he sends it fast now", Satanel said in a growl.
Crafted during a time before the rise of Babylon, the Mahkesh cache was created for a similar war against impurity long, long ago. It was a symbol of everything they believed in, and Axtius saw it as a sign that it had been spared.
"Leave us," the demon general ordered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"As you wish, Lord Axtius," Guhl-iban said as he and the fire deity quickly backed away from the general's quarters, carefully closing the door behind them.
Axtius stood, hands clasped behind his back. With the freighter destroyed, they would need to move quickly to maintain their schedule. He began to analyze the situation, to formulate a course of action. His thoughts were interrupted by an intrusion upon his mind, words whispered inside his head.
General Axtius, came the voice in his head. We need to speak with you at once.
The demon commander sighed heavily and made his way from the office to the space within the trailer that had been designated as the entertainment center.
"Must be them", Addwaitya realized. "Be prepared to justify your failures, eh?"
Axtius growled. Where once stood a large screen television and state-of-the-art audio system, there was now an undulating pool of dark burgundy liquid upon the floor, the blood of a Vertazzi Seer, a most excellent conduit for communication.
Axtius approached the rippling puddle and bowed his spiny head.
"I am here," the general said in obeisance. The wine-dark fluid began to bubble and seethe, and three shapes began to form.
"We have been hearing whispers, Axtius," the liquid-figure in the shape of Chancellor Dejardom said, seven tentacles waving in the air as he spoke.
"Whispers of what?" Axtius asked, raising his head to gaze at the images of the Coalition's three demon chancellors forged in blood.
"Your ship has been destroyed," Chancellor Tee-Kal gurgled, wings of crimson unfurling upon his back.
"Ah, that," Axtius said with a nod of his head. "I've just heard of this myself. A minor setback," he assured his masters. "I will begin the process of obtaining a new troop transport at once and—"
"Of course you will, General Axtius," Chancellor Dejardom said, arms waving as if caught in a pleasant breeze. "But what is this we have heard about an attack on an archaeological dig in Cambodia?" he asked.
"Yesssssss," Chancellor Shammesh said through multiple mouths, his body of blood changing size and shape as he spoke. "The director of thisssss dig—sssshe wassss attacked and nearly killed by Coalition soldiersss. What hasss sshe to do with our busssinesss at hand, General Axtiusssssss?"
He thought of his son and felt his rage begin to roil. The demonologist who had—revoltingly enough—been his son's wife was another loose end that he should have seen to himself.
"None directly, sirs," he answered, "but she had been known to provide safe haven for those we wish to see destroyed. I thought an example of our power would crush the morale of those who often relied upon her, and she would no longer be a hindrance to our plans."
The demon chancellors went eerily silent, and he hoped that his explanation was sufficient enough to placate their prying curiosity.
"And what of the vampire with a soul?" Tee-Kal belched, his wings fluttering, spraying blood around the room. "Why pray tell have your actions drawn him into the fray?"
Axtius scowled. "Angel is an abomination," the demon general spat, "the antithesis of everything our cause stands for. With him destroyed, we are that much closer to achieving our desires."
"But he hassss not yet been dessstroyed, General Axtiussssss," Chancellor Shammesh chimed in. "And the Sssslayer hasss now become involved asss well. And the Charmed Onesss."
"I am aware of that, sirs," Axtius said in response, a model of cool efficiency, though his mind was awhirl as he tried to determine who among his legions might be spying upon him for the chancellors. "Another small wrinkle in the tapestry of imminent glory."
"Is there anything you wish to share with us, Axtius?" Dejardom asked, swaying in a nonexistent breeze. Axtius stood tall before the questioning chancellors.
"I have no idea what you're suggesting," he said, clasping his clawed hands behind his back.
"You have always been an exemplary officer in our service, Axtius," Chancellor Tee-Kal hissed. "Do not give us cause to believe that you serve a purpose other than our own."
"There is no other," he lied, the memories of his son forcing their way into his thoughts. He was grateful that none of the chancellors present were psychic, or he would have been in dire trouble indeed.
"Good", Tee-Kal told him. "Because if you do, well, Satanel and Addwaitya can always replace you."
Axtius gulped, as this was something he feared.
"You are to deal with thessse—how did you put it?" Shammesh asked. "Sssmall wrinklesss?"
"Angel, the Slayer and Charmed Ones are proving themselves to be quite the nuisances," Tee-Kal added. "We think it would be in your best interest—and the best interests of the Coalition—that they be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. You have three powerful magicians backing you up, so destroy the three Witches."
Chancellor Dejardom pointed all of his bloody tentacles at him. "Do not give us reason to doubt your abilities further, General Axtius."
"Thy will be done," the general said, bowing his head to his masters, just as the bodies of blood began to discorporate, the shapes losing their cohesion, splashing back down into the body of the small scarlet puddle.
And one more done. Things cool down a bit at Monster Island while the others blow up a Coalition ship, and Axtius feels threatened.
But it'll get worse before it gets better.
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.