Mathias and Jake drove out of the backwoods of Absaroka County and down the highway just as 11:15 rolled around. Mathias took a sharp right turn onto a gravel road and continued straight, Jake following after him half a second. Mathias thought the neighborhood to be a little cute one while coming to the first three-way intersection at 11:20

All of the houses were one-level houses with cute little yards, each having a small paved walkway leading up to the cute three-stepped porch; also having a screen door front of a regular door; various colors painted all of the cute one-level houses. The houses went from cute one-level houses with small fenced in yards to bigger one-level houses with bigger porches and medium sized fenced in yards on Lakerson Street.

Mathias and Jake drove a little more than halfway up Lakerson Street to stop in front of a nicely paved medium-small-ish walkway leading up to a cute white medium porch. Mathias took notice of Walt's Bronco parked on the opposite side of the street between Vic's truck and Henry's old truck, Ferg's car and Cady's CRV flanking the trucks. Mathias closed the door of his police car. He looked up towards Val's house and felt his heart suddenly weighed by the heaviness of the news he was about to deliver.

Jake put a comforting hand atop his best friend's shoulder. Mathias was wishing to be standing on a different walkway leading up to a different house and Jake could hardly blame him, as he shared the feeling Mathias felt. "I'm right here with you." Jake gave Mathias' shoulder an assuring squeeze. "Let's walk the yellow brick road together to deliver the news." Jake caught the corner of Mathias' mouth being tugged at by a smile.

Mathias let out a snort, but flashed the young man a smile. "Okay Dorothy." Mathias put one foot in front of the other to venture up Jake's "yellow brick road" while Jake flanked his heels.

"No Isabel is Dorothy which makes you Toto."

"Are you saying I'm a dog?"

"Well you would have to be, for some reason Isabel finds you to be cute and cuddly."

"That she does." Mathias hummed while ascending the three wooden steps to stop before the front door. Of all the people in the bloody county, why did Val have to be the one Mathias had to talk to?

'Because the Houlihans are descendants from one of the Ancestors,' whispered a voice at the back of Mathias' mind.

Letting out a deep sigh, Mathias wiped his shoes off on the rug outside the front door and pressed the doorbell. "If I'm Toto, are you an Oompa Loompa?"

Jake snorted. "Oompa Loompas are from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, not The Wizard of Oz."

"Well I can't call you a Munchkin, you're not exactly short."

True. But I'm more like one of the guards that works for The Wizard of Oz."

Mathias raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, you remind me more of one of those flying monkeys."

"How so? I'm not furry."

"No but you are a pest." That earned him a good-natured swat on the shoulder.

Soon, the front door opened, Mathias smiled when his eyes locked on little Claira standing in the doorway. She reminded him so much of Isabel it hurt so much.

"Tass!" Claira squealed with delight when her dark brown eyes looked up at him.

"Hi Claira. Can I come in?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Claira squealed, pushing open the screen door. Mathias allowed her to take his hand and lead him through the door with Jake following behind.

Jake shut the door then caught sight of Mathias scooping Claira up in his arms while she giggled, planting a kiss to her nose.

"Claira, who's at the door?" Val walked into view as she asked her question.

"Tass!" Claira squealed with excitement while wrapping her little arms around Mathias' neck for a hug.

"Hi, Val." Mathias hugged Isabel's mother with one arm, Claira giggling.

"I'm so glad you came." Val framed Mathias' face while she informed, "Walt's retirement party is today. The only two that still haven't arrived yet are Isabel and Deputy Jameson."

Mathias and Jake exchanged a knowing look, pain and worry and fear reflecting between them.

Val knew something was wrong. "What's wrong?"

Mathias turned to Claira. "Claira, can you go get the others and have them meet us in the living room?" He set her down after she nodded and waited until she was out of earshot before turning to Val, letting his walls down just enough to show his worry. "It's Isabel, náhko'éehe."

Val framed Mathias' face between her hands to help him keep his calm composure. "What happened, sweet boy?"

Jake chose that moment to step forward, gently resting an encouraging hand atop Mathias' shoulder as he spoke. "Hello, Val. My name is Jake. I am the patrol for the Cheyenne Reservation. I was making my rounds this morning up near Lake McArthur and the abandoned house. I called Mathias to come meet me because I spotted Isabel's police car sitting along the shoulder of the road, abandoned. Mathias and I did some investigation and we felt compelled to come here to ask the others for help because the evidence we found confirms Isabel is missing."

Mathias felt his heart break when the look of fear filled Val's eyes and paint her face. "Isabel's missing?"

Mathias nodded. Val sniffled. "Will history end up repeating itself?"

"Only if we don't stop it. That's why we need more help."

"We will stop it," Mathias assured Val. "But we need more help." he said as Val led him and Jake into the living room.

Mathias and Jake sank down in the couch while Val sat in her recliner chair. A smile pulled at Mathias' mouth when he heard the soft pitter patter of Claira's feet and Claira appeared in his line of sight. Spreading his arms apart, Mathias held his arms out for Claira, who lit up like a Christmas tree and climbed into his lap.

Mathias wrapped his arms around Claira's tiny body to hold her against him as Henry, Ruby, Ferg, Vic, Cady, Zach and Walt walked into the living room.

All seven faces shared the mirrored look of surprise mixed with concern.

"We didn't expect to see you here." Walt said as a way of greeting Mathias.

Mathias got right to the point. "I'm here about Isabel." He didn't bother to hide his concern.

"Deputy Houlihan isn't here yet." Walt added, "to think she hasn't shown up to a retirement party that was her idea. That's not like her."

Mathias couldn't help but smile at hearing the news of Isabel being the one to plan the party, instantly falling from his face when he remembered her abandoned police car and the stone altar stained with animal blood. Jake chose that moment to introduce himself and shake hands with everyone.

"My name is Jake and it's a pleasure to finally meet the friends Isabel talked so highly about. I am the the Cheyenne Reservation Patrol, and earlier this morning, I was making my rounds. I went up to Lake McArthur and the abandoned house and…." Jake plunged into detail of his and Mathias' discovery earlier that morning and of why they came to seek help.

Mathias clenched his jaw. "Jake and I came her to ask for your help, Walt." everyone's' faces were pale while Mathias further explained, "unless the person who took Isabel and Deputy Jameson isn't stopped, history will repeat itself. The Ancestors' descendants will be the first ones to be killed, then the rest of the townspeople of Absaroka - and the Cheyenne."

"You said 'history will repeat itself' if whoever took Isabel isn't stopped." Vic spoke up. "What happened exactly?"

A knock suddenly sounded before Mathias got the chance to answer. Henry was the one to explain in a short version while Val went to go answer the door. "During a sacrifice, our Ancestors opened a gateway, letting creatures into our world that were supernatural. At first the creatures seemed friendly, but when our Ancestors found out the exact intentions of the supernatural creatures, they locked them back up in their world and permanently sealed the gate. But not all of them. Some had managed to escape. One of those creatures is what took Isabel because her blood is the key to opening the gateway."

Everyone fell silent when they heard Val greet the new arrival. "We were wondering if you were coming."

"I'm sorry, Val." A familiar voice spoke. "I was trying to find a good dessert to bring."

The owner of the familiar voice appeared behind Val when she re appeared in the living room.

"Hello everyone."

Deputy Jameson had arrived.

náhko'éehe: my mother