The tower of energy twisting into the sky resembled a vibrant spinning spool of the leg of a rainbow. It stopped just above the treetops in what could be described as a screen that displayed events in real-time of nations far away. Almost, at times, it configured its form into a large arial map, and the tanks and jeeps and troops were like pieces on a game board. The energy rose from a circular hole in the ground hidden deep in the backwoods of Mayberry. Three rows of dark winged demons knelt face down and arms sprawled forward, all surrounding the circular hole, all facing the guizer of energy, all chanting a dark prayer in unison in a tongue not known to any man.

McBeevee stared at the visions atop the spout of energy and had a large bright smile with the reflections of the visions dancing on his eyes. Earnest T. stepped beside McBeevee and said, "I have a report from Mayberry."

Without taking his eyes from the visions, McBeevee said, "Go ahead."

"The entire town has been evacuated. What do you suggest?"

"I suggest nothing. Andy created some lie about a dangerous chemical spill and evacuated the town. It was wonderful. In Kisnu, where the war is almost to begin, a true chemical spill happened near the capital. It has also been evacuated. Conspiracies of it being a terrorist attack have formed. Absolutely beautiful."

Earnest nodded and turned to leave, McBeevee stopped him, "Do we know where Floyd and his little band of do-gooders have assembled?"

"We do not know where they are." Earnest did not move while McBeevee silently stared into the visions.

McBeevee suddenly growled, "Find them."

Earnest shook a bit, he knew that the growl was more than an order, it was a threat should he fail. "What do I do when I find them?"

McBeevee then turned his gaze from his window of joys in the sky and bore an angered face at Earnest, "I will not tell you again that you do not directly involve yourself. When you find them, you report to me immediately."

Earnest nodded again, and he opened his mouth, almost to reply but kept it to himself. Instead, he lifted his wings and soared into the dark sky.

Inside Mayberry's only barbershop, Floyd walked from his back office into the salon. He was coughing, it was a painful sounding cough, one would expect to see splatters of lung shoot from his mouth. He walked by the client chair where he had served so many customers and ran a soft hand across the back of it, tenderly caressing those memories. He switched on his radio and the faint glow was very bright inside the dark shop. The announcer through the radio said, "Since the death of Prince Shahi, the regions of Kisnu and Terhati have been in a constant duel of blame and threats. After the recent developments of hostilities over what has been perceived as an act of war by spilling toxic chemicals, what has been described by the council of Terhati as chemical warfare, Italy, Germany, Russia, and Japan have taken sides with either nation. Russia and Japan siding with Kisnu, Italy and Germany siding with Terhati. Great Britian has declared a state of neutrality, but it has been speculated..."

Floyd switched off the radio and sighed, the sigh led him to cough horrendously yet again. He stepped in front of his large mirror and spread what was left of his burnt and molted wings. The once brilliant white was now a dingy brown and orange. The wings trembled, and Floyd frowned from the evident pain extending them was causing. The left wing made a harsh snapping sound and it fell to the floor. It didn't hurt, it simply fell away. A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked skyward and said, "I didn't know what else to do."

Andy Taylor paced the gray concrete floor in the spacious concrete walled and tiled ceiling of the room he was locked in. He would pace to one corner, turn and pace to the other, muttering to himself angrily. At the end of his patience, he stomped to the locked metal door and drew back a closed fist, his mouth wide before he began banging and shouting, but he never was allowed to do that, the door opened in that exact moment and Otis stood on the other side. "Can I get you something to drink Andy? I mean some water, not whisky."

Andy said, "You could give me some answers."

Otis sat at the single table in the room in a metal folding chair; Andy sat across from him. He told Andy, "I will answer what I can. I don't want to get anything wrong."

"Okay, then how is it you are here? I sent you home to get your wife and leave Mayberry."

"And I did. Well, that Otis did."

Andy asked, "That Otis?"

"Yeah. There are only five of us left after the bomb went off. The one you spoke to belongs in your town, mostly to keep up appearances."

Andy tilted his head, "Are you sure you haven't taken a few swigs of hooch before you came in here?"

Otis held up the hand with six fingers, "See, six fingers. All of us clones has six fingers."

"Clones," Andy replied nodding his head as though someone had made the claim to him that indeed, pigs could fly. "So, I'm not going to get any answers. You're just going to talk nonsense to me."

"Oh, you'll get answers. Just not from me. That's not what I am here for."

"What are you here for?"

Otis shrugged, "Ah, just to keep you a little company. Get you anything you might need like food or water. Listen to you if you have anything to say."

Andy shook his head and looked down into his lap, or maybe he had his eyes closed, "I should have never evacuated Mayberry. I should have found a way to fight back. I could kick myself." He looked up into Otis' face, "Do you have any idea what I have lost, Otis? The life I had? It's all gone. I have nothing left." He banged his fist on the table, "I should have found a way to fight."

Otis asked Andy, "What exactly do you want, Andy? Mayberry can't go back to that corruption."

Andy had no reply to the previous statement; he traced a fingernail across the smooth top of the table and wore an almost childish pout on his lips.

The metal door opened again, and another Otis entered. Andy's eyes sprung open, and he jumped back out of his chair, sending it over on its side and sliding across the concrete floor. Andy clutched the wall with his back, "Shit on me."

The newer Otis asked the seated Otis, "You didn't tell him about the cloning?"

The seated Otis said, "I did."

Floyd stepped into the room and thanked the newer Otis for the ride. Newer Otis stated that it was his pleasure and left the room. Floyd stood by the seated Otis and said, "That will be all. Thank you for watching over him."

The seated Otis stood and placed a hand on Floyd's shoulder, "Be gentle with him. He's a little stressed out."

Floyd sat and motioned his hand over the table, welcoming Andy to come sit with him. "Don't be afraid, Andy. I don't bite."

Andy cautiously sat the chair back up and slid it to the table and sat, never taking his eyes off Floyd. After he sat, he said, "Maybe you don't bite. But do you fly?"

"Not anymore," Floyd said. "But that's a whole other story. I'm sure you have some questions."

Andy slowly nodded and asked, "What's happening?"

Floyd said, "Short answer, Mr. McBeevee is actually Satan, and he has taken over Mayberry, and he is trying to start the war of all wars. When that war is over, he will take over the world."

Andy asked, "Why Mayberry?"

Floyd said, "Mayberry was the last vestige of purity on Earth. Once it fell, it became the location."

"The location for what?"

"A tether."

Andy sat back in his chair, again the face of a man who is being tricked into buying snow during a blizzard became his demeanor. "A tether?"

"Yes," said Floyd, and he then made two fist and positioned them as if he were pulling taut an invisible rope. "Like a string, or a line of some kind that connects two things and holds them together."

"So, you're telling me that the devil went to Mayberry to buy a rope?"

Floyd sighed and rubbed his forehead, "I'm not very good at explaining the technicalities of this. But I do have someone here prepared to explain it to you if you wish."

Andy said, "Please."

Floyd called out, "Bring her in please."

Helen Crump stepped into the room. Andy remained emotionless, "You guys just keep rolling with the hits, don't you?"

Floyd said, "We felt there was no one better suited to break it down for you than a teacher. So, we invited a teacher." Floyd stared deeply into Andy's eyes and said, "We need you, Andy. If you want to listen to what Helen has to say, I will take that as a sign you want to help."

Andy tapped his index finger on the table and thought for a moment, then said, "I'll listen."

Helen smiled, "It's good to see you again, Andy."

Andy asked, "Will there be a test on this afterwards?"

Her smile broadened, "You could say that."