It's been two days since the circus incident, the five Inner senshi have returned to Tokyo to continue school (much to Usagi and Minako's chagrin). Haruka and Michiru decided to remain in Chicago until the end of the school year to aid their American friends and keep a protective eye on Hotaru while she's the new girl at Nicolae High.

Now the Senshi joined by Setsuna were at the crown Fruit parlor in Tokyo, Japan, eating with Nehelenia, who told them of her meeting Saki – another believer and how she'd been able to find temporary lodging for her people. The girls confirmed she was trustworthy, but to beware of any patrolling peacekeepers.

In turn, the senshi fill her in on what happened back in Chicago with the doppelganger of the former Queen, who'd turned out to be one of the fallen and how Usagi had turned into Princess Sailor Moon, destroyed the false Nehelenia, and brought down the whole amusement park. The divulgence took Usagi aback.

This also stuns the original Nehelenia who understands now why she felt so strange yesterday. She blames herself for what happened, as she was the one who started the whole Dead Moon Circus nonsense and apologizes to the Senshi. "I cannot help but feel partially responsible."

"It's no one's fault but that thing that impersonated you." Usagi reassured.

Rei contemplated her drink. "But why a fallen angel would want to pretend to be Nehelenia? It doesn't make sense. "

Nehelenia blanched then shivered at a sudden terrible thought. "Oh, you don't suppose that vision of me in old age was the…?"

The senshi all paled at the scary likelihood… the Ultimate Big Bad Fallen one having as hand in creating an enemy in such a manner was unnerving.

Ami took a gulp of her drink, trying to remain level-headed. "Well, often copy-cats tend to repeat what others do."

Setsuna was looking out the window grimly. "I would not be surprised if the Dark One were to embellish our last ordeal for the News media. It would be another trick to sway the people of Earth from the truth."

As if on cue, the CNN News comes on the TV in the top corner of the wall and showing News-or at least footage from two days ago in Chicago-with a male American News reporter standing outside the burning carnival as fire-fighters work hard to put out the fires. In Japanese, he explains how yesterday, during the first day of the carnival, chaos erupted and the ended with the entire amusement park catching on fire. "There is no motivation as of yet, but according to the circus's ring-master, the ones behind this attack is non-other than the Sailor Senshi."

This shocks the girls and Nehelenia. The scene on the TV then cuts to the ring-master giving his statement to the about the Sailor Senshi attacked, starting with the circus, and it ending with their leader killing the star of the show. "I just never seen anything like it. Who does something like that?"

The scene cuts back to the male news reporter, who lets them know that that was the ring-master that witnessed the Senshi begin the attack on the carnival in the circus tent. "Other than the star of the show losing her life, there is no body-count in this chaos as of yet. Where the Senshi went is anyone's guess, but one thing is for certain: They will be found and delt with swiftly and justly by the Global Community." The reporter then says, "We now go live to Potentate Nicolae Carpathia."

The scene cuts to Nicolae sitting at his desk, hands folded in a concerned manner that by now the Senshi and their allies knew to be an act.

"Do not fear, for the Global Community will find out who these girls are and bring them to justice. And that is a promise."

The News goes off and most of the Senshi are shocked by what they've heard, but Setsuna isn't, for she had warned them that something like this would happen. Nehelenia stiffly drank her latte with wide eyes. Things have gotten more complicated.

"What do we do?" Makoto asked.

Setsuna had her eyes closed for a moment before answering, "It's high time to tell the Young ones about the past just as you've told those in the Tribulation force everything."

"We can't involve them in this!" Usagi protests.

"You cannot protect them from what is happening, for they and the entire population are lost in it with the rest of us. It would've been wiser to find a right time to inform them, however, now is as good a time as any. And preferably before the sixth seal takes place."

Usagi and the rest of the Senshi agree that it's time for them to reveal to the Young Trib-force the whole truth about them.

That night in the Chicago forest, the Sailor senshi with Luna and Artemis, teleported to the US for this brief meeting. There were advantages to having given their new friends those makeshift communicators. The youngsters accompanied by Shelley and Chaya were full of questions about what happened at the carnival the other day.

"The time has come for you to know about us and what we were in days long past." Sailor Pluto declared. She then brings up the news about the carnival and asks if they've seen it.

Looking grave, they affirm it, and that Carpathia knew how to spin things in the News and make it believable.

"That that's why they're here." Sailor Moon spoke up, "To reveal the whole truth to you about who we are." she'd said, much to the kids' confusion. Sailor Moon then cleared her throat. Luna and Artemis hopped over in front them.

"I guess we'd better start at the beginning…" Luna began, startling Shelley and Chaya.

However something made them all stop. They began to hear something. Whispers, but not the sort one imagined hearing in a Haunted house or other uncanny locations. No, strangely enough they felt almost… comforting. Sailor Mars felt a gentle presence reassuring them. Sailor Pluto stops and raises her head to the sky almost expectantly.

And then, they all noticed something peculiar. In the city one cannot see the stars because of light pollution caused by the use of artificial lights at night. Now imagine their surprise to see a single star closest to the Moon begin to shine in the night and glow brighter, getting closer like a distant silvery firefly.

Just then, the light shines down onto the ground between the two astonished groups, projecting a small transparent image of the late Queen Serenity. The Queen smiled at the shocked adolescents kindly, "Hello, young faithful ones. I am Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium from long ago, just short a few years before the Great Deluge… I was once Usagi's mother."

"Whoa what?!"

"Is she serious?"

"What?"

"You do not know me anymore than your full-grown comrades do, but thanks to your loved ones I know who you are." She said warmly and began to address the youngsters one by one. "Devoted Victoria Byrne, you've come such a long way. Even now you are willing to share your faith with those who do not deserve it."

Vicki looked right at her in shock. "M-Ma'am?"

"Sagacious Lionel Washington."

Lionel straightened up nervously as though he were on roll call. Hotaru patted his back gently in reassurance.

"You have your mother's smile. She, your father and siblings are delighted to see you with Hotaru." Her words made him flush.

And so it went, the Queen addressing each of them by their full names, remarking their families talk about them all the time. The youngsters are stunned that this mysterious lady knew their names and their loved ones who had died or had been Raptured. Were they actually meeting someone from the far past that had come down from Heaven?

Ryan, who'd been momentarily been overwhelmed by Queen Serenity giving him a simple title 'Bold Ryan Daley', waved his hands and put them in the time out gesture. "W-wait a minute! What do you mean you're the Queen of the Moon and that you were Usagi's mom?"

"Yeah, how does that even work?" Shelley questioned.

Queen Serenity calmed them down, "I believe it better to show you everything rather than tell." She'd raised her hands to sky… and immediately a gentle comforting feeling washed over them. Probably a "Go ahead" from high above. Then the late Queen addressed Sailor Pluto. "Pluto...would you please?"

Pluto bowed her head once, "Yes, milady." She then taps the ground with the bottom of her staff and the whole scene changes to outer space, shocking and amazing the teenagers at the same time.

Queen Serenity began to narrate about the Moon Kingdom and Earth thousand years ago as the events play themselves out like a movie screen. It then shows how each of the Inner Senshi becoming a Sailor Senshi, their fight against the Dark Kingdom, Princess Serenity's fight against Queen Beryl (and the heavenly reassurance), then it shows their fights against Ail and Ann before they reformed, the Dark Moon Clan, Fiore, the vicious Heart Snatchers, Princess Snow Kaguya, the Dead Moon Circus, the future of Crystal Tokyo, Badiane, and Shadow Galactica.

When it's all over, Pluto taps the ground with bottom of her staff again, restoring their surroundings to the Chicago forest. Queen Serenity looked to the Young Trib force. "I trust that is that persuasive enough?"

The teenagers are all mind-blown. They can't believe all of that actually happened.

Queen Serenity nods, "I'll take that as a yes. Now I must bid you farewell. Be of good cheer, for I will see you all again in five years when the Lord returns to Earth."

"Wait, please!" Ryan was first to reach out.

"Could you give my family a hug-" Lionel began shakily

Vicki was on the verge of tears. "Mine too, and that I'm sorry."

"That we're all sorry for how we were before the Rapture." Lionel said starting to tear up himself.

Queen Serenity gave them the sweet smile a mother could give. "They know that. And the Lord God knows it too."

Chaya found her voice, "Please, say 'Hi' to my mother for me."

Vicki adds. "Give Bruce our love and let him know we all miss him."

"It shall be done. And do not fear for Judd, he is safe and in hiding with someone from the militia, you will see him again much sooner than you think."

And the late Queen disappears with light from the moon before they could ask any more questions.

The next day, the Senshi and the kids Trib-force say goodbye to Lionel. He is proceeding to leave,

Hotaru says "I love you", which stops him in his tracks.

Lionel turns to face her and she shouts. "I love you, Lionel Washington!"

Then she runs up to him and hug and kisses him on the lips. Surprised, but he holds and kisses right her back before being promptly pulled back by his "relative".

Soon afterwards, Usagi is trying to med her sibling relationship with Shingo and spends a lot of time with him, doing whatever he wants to do, which kind of weirds him out.

Once returning to school, most of Usagi's classmates barely acknowledge her presence and walk away without speaking. Naru, Ami, Saki and the others, however, are quick to come up and greet her. If it wasn't for them and their other allies, she'd have lost it.

A short distance away, Mio watches, frowning. Not too far away, Umino and Saki were arguing with their irascible classmates again.

"Religion is child abuse. And no, I don't care if you think you're 'doing it right', it's creepy to indoctrinate your child from birth, let alone tell them that some invisible presence is always watching them, even when they're getting dressed or going to the bathroom."

"Now you're just exaggerating." Umino retorted with an eyeroll. Though it was hard to tell. "Just because some crazy people stink at parenting their children doesn't mean that all Judeo-Christian folk are bad."

"Yeah, we're not nitpicking you every five minutes." added Naru.

"You know what else is abuse? Withholding the right for the child to choose whether they actually want to follow a faith or not." Saki points out. "And for that matter, what if the kid decides they want to be in the religion after you keep trying to forbid or hide it from them?"

"Then I'd have obviously failed as a parent."

"And THAT wouldn't make you any better than the more prejudiced dogmatist you claim to be against." Saki retorts.

"And why should I be worried about going to heaven? Hell is where all the interesting people can be found." Someone joked.

Saki unfolds her arms and questions with a raised eyebrow, "You mean you want to go to a place where you're surrounded by rapists, cutthroats, extortionists, gangsters, cannibals and other crazies constantly fighting, abusing, and tormenting each other?"

A few of the other students seemed to consider her words and became a little more uncomfortable.

"I know I don't." one of the younger girls Satsuki Miyanoshita admits.

One of the boys who was slowly coming around, Hajime Aoyama had listened then shook his head. "Yeah… a dark afterlife full of crooks and kooks out to get everyone and without my loved ones is a hard pass for me."

This only served to anger the naysayers, because now more students are being swayed away from the new world order.

"Aargh! I'm getting tired of you always trying to promote that stupid viewpoint."

This time Umino is the one who stands up and sternly putting his hands on his hips. "Why is that? Have you completely given up on freedom of speech for everyone except you and those who think like you? It's only your atheistic views that must be accepted and not those of someone who believes in a Creator?"

"Did you hear about the dial-a-prayer for atheists? You dial a number and no one answers." Saki said sarcastically. "I was going to continue a secular life but I've had it. They don't have any interesting or fun holidays."

"You are at liberty to present your beliefs as just that—beliefs. This is High school, and we cant have these Bible stories presented to impressionable young students as if they're true. This isn't one of your churches!"

"Last time I checked, the Ancient Jewish people and Christians are still a part of International history." Yaten suddenly came up.

"Historical People with outdated beliefs and discarded morality."

Yaten responds. "I thought you were all about tolerance? Yes, we should respect the right of other people to believe what they desire. Not everyone believes the same thing. But we don't have to put what another person believes on the same level as what we believe. That would make truth relative and not absolute."

"Truth is relative."

Now Taiki speaks up, "Is it really? If oh say, an Arab terrorist, or a Russian terrorist, or a terrorist from any country blows up innocent children in a school—you're saying that I should hold his beliefs, values, and behaviors on the same level as mine, when I think life is sacred? And because I don't hold and endorse his beliefs on the same level, I'm judgmental and intolerant? That's not how it works."

Saki adds, "Look people working together for peace and harmony are fine and good, but spare me the irrational hate towards Christians or Jewish people stuff. I've seen enough malicious apostasy to last me a lifetime. I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and I'm beyond sick of it.'

Back in the states in Nicolae High, Mrs. Jenness called an all-school assembly, and Vicki found her friend Shelly sitting near the back with a grim Hotaru. The Japanese girl had chosen to wear colder colors or black to make herself look more uncanny in front of the other students that were on the side of the Global Community.

"You're not gonna believe this," Shelly said. "I was working in the office yesterday when the Global Community called. This is mandatory."

"They made the school call this assembly?" Vicki said.

"It's a grief awareness seminar," Shelly said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they started encouraging the increase of antidepressants to those not actively using them." Hotaru said darkly. "Right now we can expect just about anything."

Mrs. Jenness introduced the speaker as a therapist. She also attended an Enigma Babylon One World Faith congregation and had personally met Nicolae Carpathia.

"Two good reasons to get up and walk out," Shelly whispered making Hotaru nod.

The speaker began by asking how many people had lost family members and friends in the last two years. Almost every hand went up. "You have the power within yourself to overcome anything," the woman said. "No matter how bad your situation, if you learn to trust yourself and your feelings, you can become the person the Global Community needs."

Two microphones were positioned in the front and back of the auditorium. At each end, students lined up and waited their turn. Vicki was second in line at the microphone in the back. Kids who had lost family members in the bombings were in tears. Most of the kids were energized by what the therapist said.

The speaker pointed to Vicki and smiled. "You have a question?" she said.

"Yes," Vicki said. "If you knew for sure where a person was after they had died, wouldn't that be the best hope of all?" The woman looked bewildered. "I don't understand the question," she said.

Mrs. Jenness stood and moved toward the woman.

Vicki continued. "Let's say your father dies on the day of the bombings and you're really bummed," she said. "But you know without any doubt that your dad went to heaven. Wouldn't that help in your grief?"

Mrs. Jenness whispered something to the woman, and she nodded. "Heaven is a state of mind, not a real place," the woman said. "I think we should leave matters of faith to our religious leaders. Next?"

"No, answer the question!" Vicki said.

"You, in front?" the woman said. The girl at the next microphone looked back at Vicki. It was Shelly!

"I'd like to hear you answer her question," Shelly said.

Someone in the crowd yelled, "Answer it!"

There were a few boos and some applause. Things were quickly getting out of hand. "All right," the woman said, trying to regain control. "If a person knew what happened after a loved one had died, in a psychological sense that would give him or her hope. But we have to deal with reality here. And the reality is, we can't know what's beyond this life until we've gone there."

"That's where you're wrong," Vicki said. "We can know."

"So you're saying you can judge whether a person is good enough to go to heaven?" the woman said.

"Yeah, who made you God?" someone said.

"I can tell you that nobody is good enough to go to heaven," Vicki said. "Every one of us has sinned. But God made a way for us—"

"That's enough," Mrs. Jenness said. Global Community guards moved toward Vicki.

"Byrne," the principal shouted, "sit down or you'll be escorted out of here."

Vicki stepped away from the microphone. Everyone turned to look at her. She didn't want to betray her faith, but she also didn't want to give Mrs. Jenness any more ammunition against her. She sat.

"There are FAR worse actions happening all over the world, why are you all getting so bent out of shape the moment someone expresses their faith in the Judeo-Christian Heaven?" Hotaru Tomoe stood up, trying to make herself as morbid looking as possible.

"Tomoe!" Mrs. Jenness snapped.

Hotaru continued and for a moment she resembled more of her stoic sailor alter ego than her usual quiet self. "You can't define what I am inside. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the majority of you can't see yourselves believing, so you don't want anyone else to do either, just because it disrupts your version of a coldblooded logical perfect world."

Vicki and Shelley face-palmed. Some of the students were indignant while more than half appeared to be acknowledging Hotaru's blunt words.

During the rest of the meeting, three girls passed notes to Vicki asking to talk with her when the assembly was over.

Later she met with the three girls at lunch after the assembly.

"You really showed that Global Community lady," one girl said.

"And your Japanese friend there's pretty cool, she's got guts." Another one of the girls complimented about Hotaru.

"I only stood up because I don't think she was telling us the truth," Vicki said.

Hotaru concurred. "Exactly. And the school isn't living up to the seemingly open-minded or tolerant policy the GC claims to enforce, especially if they're so easily offended by anyone who believes in Heaven."

Vicki then briefly told her story. The other girls listened while they ate. When she was almost finished, Shelly tapped Vicki's shoulder and nodded toward the entrance. Mrs. Jenness scanned the room with a scowl. The three girls picked up their lunch trays and moved away. Hotaru defiantly met the woman's gaze, her violet eyes hardened as if daring her to say something. After all it was her fault Lionel was taken away by some strangers. Finally Mrs. Jenness looked away.

Shelley and Vicki gently calmed the girl down.

In Japan, Usagi walks home from school, looking sad as she is once again snubbed by her classmates.

"Usagi!" Mio came rushing up apologetically. "It's my fault everyone's accusing you."

"There's no helping it I suppose," Usagi mused. "They'll find out the truth for themselves sooner or later. At least I have friends that believe me."

"But now I think I've given the Three Lights a bad image too."

Usagi glanced back uncertainly. "I guess things like that happen."

"I know! Why don't we put on a concert to put things right?" Mio suggested brightly.

"A live concert, you mean now?"

"We'll do a private live Three Lights concert. If they hear their songs live… we'll blow away their bad image!"

"What? That's way too much! There's no way I could possibly do that!" Usagi protested a little.

"It'll be okay, you've got me!" Mio smiled, to convince her further, "I even talked to them. They're free today!

"Really? Wow! Usagi cried.

Tell everyone to be around at the auditorium at six o clock okay?

Mio then suggests that Usagi should do all the work to show everyone that her and Mio are friends. Usagi jumps at the chance and Mio smiles evilly.

In the meantime, GC spies had almost caught Ryan, Buck came to his rescue taking him and Darrion Stahley someplace safe. He'd informed them that the GC had Mrs. Stahley and Taylor Graham in custody.

As they drove, Ryan asked Buck questions about the adult Tribulation Force. Rayford Steele was preparing to return to New Babylon. Amanda, his wife, was staying to help Chloe with the materials Bruce left behind. Tsion Ben-Judah was in hiding, though Buck didn't say where, and Buck was working on a Global Community Weekly article.

"What's it about?" Ryan said.

"I'm taking Bruce's message and turning it into a cover story," Buck said. "I've assigned reporters from offices in several countries to interview different religious leaders. I'll include their answers in my article."

"What are the questions?" Darrion said.

"Just one," Buck said. "Will we suffer the 'wrath of the Lamb'?"

"Wow," Ryan said. "Has anybody been assigned to talk with that Enigma Babylon guy?"

"Peter Mathews?" Buck said. "I did that myself. He thinks the book of Revelation is just literature. He says the earthquake is symbolic and that if God exists at all, he or she is a spirit or an idea."

"Sounds like what I used to believe," Darrion said. Buck pulled up to a stoplight in Mount Prospect.

'The only question is, where do I take you?" Buck said. Ryan smiled. He knew a place where no one would find them.

As much as he liked the Bible room, Ryan hated being cooped up. Buck was able to find an old laptop computer for him, but since there was no telephone in the room, Ryan had no connection for E-mail. He knew he shouldn't bother the rabbi. Bruce had equipped the room with a cable hookup, so Ryan kept up with the news. News stations ran footage of the arrest of Mrs. Stahley and Taylor Graham, but nothing more was said. They were being held in connection with the murder of Mr. Stahley. Each day Ryan was supplied with food by Chloe or Amanda. Ryan loved his visits with Amanda because she reminded him of his mother.

However the trouble was already brewing, the Global Community wanted to form an organization of healthy, strong young people who are devoted to the Global Community. So devoted that they would want to make sure everybody is in line with their objectives. Carpathia wanted them to blend in with everyone else, but they would be trained in psychology. They would secretly inform the GC about people who oppose their views. And right about now, they'd set their sights on Minako and Makoto as possible Morale monitors.

Makoto had a recruiter already visit her home. Fighting would be ideal but she did the next best thing: pack up her important items and go into hiding, the better for her and the senshi to keep an eye out. So she went to the Crown Arcade hideout.

And when Minako returned home, she saw her parents sitting in the living room with a strange man. He said he was there to recruit new 'volunteers' for a GC cause.

"Believe it or not, there are still people who don't agree with the global community agenda of tolerance and acceptance."

Minako froze, she had a pretty good idea what they're talking about. "Why…?"

"They wanna hang to their narrow-minded old-fashioned views of things like religion and morals."

Artemis listened from the hallway intently. Minako was unnerved, how was she going to get out of this?

That night, Usagi begins work with Mio, decorating a public stage for the Three Light's performance. As the time draws near and the seats begin to fill with students from her and other schools, and the band is nowhere to be seen.

By 6:30 the impatient students set up a chant for the Three Lights. Backstage, Mio borrows Usagi's cell phone and says that none of them are answering; she wonders if maybe they lied to the new girl and stood them up.

"We can't make them wait any longer. I'll go apologize to everyone." Mio offered. "It is my fault after all."

But Usagi insists and goes out on stage. She apologizes and tells everyone that Minako is not there, and the students all exclaim in dismay and demand that she brings out the Three Lights.

"She's dying out there." Saki remarks sympathetically. She, Umino and Naru were seated in the middle – looking concerned with the proceedings.

"Yeah, we should do something."

"Something's not right here." Naru suspiciously looked around for Mio. "I'm starting to think this was set up meant for Usagi."

Backstage, Mio watches the proceedings laughing gleefully. "Usagi's quickly losing her friends too! What a shame. At least she still has me, the one who hates her the most."

Just then, the lights all go out in the theater, and loud music begins to play. The crowd, Usagi and Mio run over to where it's coming from and find a large truck which opens to reveal the Three Lights, a band a full-on concert lights and speakers!

"Everyone, sorry for the delay!" Seiya waved from the stage.

The crowd didn't mind too much and ran over cheering excitedly. The trio began their new song 'Everlasting Love' as the crowd applauds along with Usagi who is delighted. Mio meanwhile is shocked and furious at the trio actually showing up.

Usagi runs up to the three as the concert finishes and thanks them for coming. Mio walks to the three. "Why?"

"Why? Why did we show up you mean?" Taiki demanded. He, Seiya and Yaten were glaring suspiciously at their musical rival.

"That's not what I was going to say!"

"Oh yeah? No one told us about you planning a live concert just for us. Seiya snapped. Why don't you tell us the truth: you never intended to call us from the very start!"

At the same time, Saki, Naru and Umino walked up.

"And I suspect you called the other girls and told them Usagi would be somewhere else which is why they never showed up to support her." Umino accused.

"Is that true Mio?" Usagi asked. "Why?"

Mio pretends to cry, dropping down. "I just wanted Usagi alone and all to myself! I just love Usagi so much!"

"She's faking it." Saki and Yaten said flatly at the same time.

"Is that what you actually feel?" Seiya questioned. "What are you trying to pull?"

Sadly, Usagi believes it. "Mio, you didn't need to do this! We're classmates after all. We're friends."

This made the others face palm.

"It's painful when people don't believe you." Usagi added. She thanks the Three Lights again and runs off to call the other girls. Strange, only Ami picked up. Naru, Saki and Umino then came up offering her a snack or two at Saki's café.

She's got a good heart." Seiya remarks.

"But not enough common sense." Taiki reminded.

"And I'm not her either." Seiya adds glowering at Mio. "You better not to do anything like this to Usagi ever again."

Mio continues to pretend she's a nice girl and thanks them for coming tonight. Once they leave, she gives them a menacing look.

Meanwhile Rei is sitting at the table in the Secret Base was reflecting on her relationship with her father, she'd been chatting with Ryan, Shelley and Chaya about it and how difficult it is to forgive her father for not being there while her dying mother was in the hospital.

I don't even know where to begin, my father won't even look at since I put my faith in Christ. Chaya said sadly.

Shelley shrugged. "You're pretty much asking the wrong person here. Nowadays my Mom doesn't really seem to care about anyone but herself, booze or if I get in trouble. Living with hatred toward a parent sours life. Guess you heard the story from Vicki."

"I have." Rei confirmed.

"You know the Bible – well, particularly the Ten Commandments says we should honor our mothers and fathers. Maybe you or others think you're exempt because one parent or both are jerks but the lack of peace in my life told me differently. I spent a long time wrestling with how I could honor someone I couldn't get along with. During that time I learned to do two things that really helped. One was to ask the following questions: Why was my mom the way she was? Why was she so angry? Why did she drink all the time? Why was she emotionally disconnected?"

"Reflecting on questions like that and answers helped me see my dad as a regular person with the kinds of problems regular people have. Trying to understand him actually helped me to feel compassion toward him." Chaya added.

Ryan said. "Just like when I was a kid, I wanted God to give me answers, logical explanations and undeniable experiences. Then I could be 100 percent certain. But the life of faith does not offer that kind of certainty. When I looked for total assurance, what I really wanted was a God I could understand and control. I wanted a God I could fit into a box. But the truth is God is not that way. He is bigger than I can fathom and more profound than we could ever understand. The Bible describes it by saying, 'His ways are not my ways, and his thoughts are not my thoughts: Though we may not understand God completely, we can trust him completely. That is what faith is ... trust, and trust is risky, especially for people like us. Trust is placing confidence in something other than ourselves or our ability to understand. God wants us to trust him. The assurance that faith brings comes from trusting that God exists despite what we might think or feel."

Which brought up the issue Rei has: telling her grandfather and her father and Yuiichiro bout her conversion. Time was running out and she couldn't skirt around it anymore.

She had been pondering this when a black car pulls up in front of her and her father's secretary, Nishizaki, gets out along with two other men. He apologizes to her and says that he is following her father's orders. She agrees to meet him, her first thought had been the church but it would be better if her father didn't see the dug up grave nor the empty coffin.

Nishizaki is pleased that Rei agreed to meet with her father because now his job is safe. Rei replies that all she is going to do is talk to him and Nishizaki replies that was all he wanted. He adds that her father wanted to talk to her so much that he kept inventing excuses, like interviews and polls. Rei is shocked to hear that but still wonders why he never came to the hospital.

A little later, Takashi Hino is holding his copy of the Hino family photo Rei had. The same photo Rei had framed in her bedroom, with his wife and young Rei posing together - but his version of the picture also has him standing just to one side.

As Rei walks up, he quickly hides it again but not before she sees him holding it.

"Why didn't you come to the hospital that day?"

"You are an obstinate one." Her father mumbled. "Would you forgive me if I had a reason?"

"It depends on the reason."

"It was work. I was really busy, the same reason I had to give up custody of you. I don't want to say good-bye."

"You can't go on like this."

"I didn't expect you to understand."

"And I probably won't. I needed my father there with me and for my mother's final moments."

Her father didn't appear to have listened. "I have reporters coming, let's have a meal as father and daughter."

Rei remembers that day in the hospital when she called for her Papa but he did not arrive. She initially would rather have more time pass but they couldn't afford that luxury anymore.

"Make it tomorrow for breakfast." Rei answered. "There's a very important matter I've got tell you before grandfather. Just you and me, no reporters."

"All right."

Usagi was returning home, only for her cellphone to begin ringing. She answered it and heard her mother weeping. This filled her with worry, what happened?

"They took Shingo!"

"Who took him?" Usagi held to the phone tightly.

"Some people from the Global Community…" Ikkuko Tsukino sobbed. "They broke into the house and took him. They've already several other remaining young ones in the neighborhood!"

The stakes have risen. How much time did they have left before the sixth seal takes place?

To be continued…