Previously:

"Okay," TJ breaks in, hoping to deflate some of the awkward tension. "So how do we find the Others?"

"Don't worry," Marissa replies with a smile. "From what She told me, Hosha will be sending us Bait." TJ looks suitably impressed at the idea, but Josh wonders what Bait for the Others could possibly be.

--

"Do you think that means anything?" Pizoku turns to see his mother looking up at the ceiling of the room. Everyone looks up to see an odd swirling pattern on the ceiling. Overlayed on top of it there is the image of a bird, a phoenix, and on each side of the phoenix it appears that there is a sun.

Neah studies it with interest. "Probably, let's find Ma'at and ask."

--

"Wait," The South sighs and directs Marisol back. She wafts towards Naoki who seems quite scared of her glowing form. "You were traveling in the desert. Why?"

"You don't already know?" Naoki is a bit surprised. "Shouldn't you be all knowing if you claim to be gods?"

The East has had enough of waiting. "Link to his mind," he tells the South. "If we can't have him speak the truth, we will mine his memories for it."

Episode Ninety-Six

"The Ambiguity of Morals"

The dimly lit halls of Duluth East High School are quiet and vacant. The new school year has not yet begun. It will be another five days before the halls will fill with young semi-eager teenagers. So there is currently emptiness and tranquility. Nothing that will even remotely explain the sudden flash of light from under the door of the Custodian's Closet and the immediate rumble of thunder that follows.

The door to the broom closet creaks open and out peeks a young man. At his feet a snow white fluffy cat bounds out and looks up one end of the hallway then down the other. He makes the young man jump when the cat hisses at the sight of something.

"So then..." The young man turns towards a voice. He sees an older boy standing near the main entrance to the school. "You must be the bait."

"Excuse me?" He replies in a startled tone as he watches Josh walk towards him.

"He isn't entirely aware of his purpose on this mission," the fluffy white cat informs, twitching his tail. It still seems a bit suspicious. "Come to think of it, I'm not aware of his purpose on this mission." The cat glances up at his traveling companion who shrugs.

Josh smiles at the two new arrivals. "Yeah, that happens a lot. My name is Josh Addams." He motions for them to follow him. "We're outside, so this way."

The young man looks around at the halls as he follows the cat and Josh outside. "Why East?"

Josh looks back at him with interest. "You know this place?"

He nods. "My brothers went here."

"Hmm, I think I know your purpose," Josh says with a smile as he leads them towards a blond girl who is walking to meet them. "Amanda, meet Zach, our guide to Duluth, and Snowball, our bait."

Amanda waves kindly at them. "Pleasure."

"How do you know our names?" Zach asks in shock.

"Why am I the bait?" Snowball asks in a huff.

"Someone called ahead," Josh tells Zach, "You were in the custody of the Others," Josh reminds Snowball, then he turns to Amanda. "And where is my sister?"

"She and TJ are acquiring a car," Amanda responds. She smiles somewhat apologetically.

Josh closes his eyes in an resigned sort of acceptance. "And by acquiring a car, you mean stealing, don't you?"

Amanda shrugs. "Moral Ambiguity seems to be the course of the day." Zach and Snowball exchange looks. What exactly is it that they are getting into?

Meanwhile, At Heliopolis

Neah leads the way back towards where she felt Taylor and the others to possibly be. As they come around the corner a voice greets her and her instinct is proved right.

"There you are." Taylor walks towards her with the other four following him. "We've been looking for you."

"Funny, so have we," Neah replies with a smile.

"Oh?" Taylor is surprised yet intrigued. "Why were you looking for us?"

"We need Ma'at to look at something and tell us if it means anything," Neah explains. Pizoku nods behind her as the other four caught up.

"We're in the wrong desert!" Neah jumps at the sudden outburst from Ashlee who is looking decidedly annoyed.

"Or you could explain what that means," Neah says, looking to Taylor for clarification.

"Bennu might actually be in Arabia," Reese answers. Neah looks startled. "According to legend that is where he lived."

"We're in the wrong desert!" Ashlee says again. Annoyed doesn't seem to cover her apparent reaction any more.

"Yes, we got that, thank you," Jilan replies with a roll of her eyes. Ma'at is looking at Ashlee as if she may explode.

"So what's the plan?" Kha'lei asks. He puts his arm on his sister's shoulder. "We find a portal to Arabia? Do we have a relative possible location for where he may be or have been?"

Reese shrugs. "I can't remember but I'm sure we can find it."

"Possibly in the Archive?" Jilan suggests. She smiles at Ma'at.

Ma'at consider this thoughtfully. "It's worth a look."

"Okay," Kha'lei says with an excited sort of smile. "Moving out then?"

"What about the thing on the ceiling?" Pizoku reminds them. They were so sure it meant something, that it really doesn't seem like a good idea to just not investigate the possibility.

"We're in the wrong desert!" Ashlee rounds on the Japanese boy making him jump in surprise. Jilan smacks her in the arm.

"Hush you," Taylor says with look. "Fine," Taylor turns to Ma'at. "You should probably have a look just in case." Ma'at nods and moves towards Neah when Raul suddenly grabs her arm.

"They're here." He looks extremely horrified.

"Who is here?" Pizoku asks. He doesn't like the looks of shock on the faces around him.

He isn't sure if the others anticipate it or not, but when the wall behind them explodes, Pizoku is already on the ground under the arms of Jilan. The dust wafts away on the breeze and across the way they see them approaching.

Jilan looks back over her shoulder as Raul pushes out from under her other arm. "It's the Ancient Ones."

To Be Continued...