Shadow Guardians - Genesis (9 page)

Seven humongous thuds striking the ground and shaking the trees here announce the arrival of the Tarrons. “Miguel, I’m so glad you’re here,” Mimi said, whispering with her mind. Miguel did not know how to reply back, so he just smiled. Orin unsheathed his double edged flaming sword. Jordin, Clause, and Fidex soon joined his side. “You are not welcome here, Tarrons,” Orin said. “Nevertheless, there’s nothing you can do to make the situation more to your liking, is there,” Krizel said. “Release Matt now, or this entire place will be in chaos,” Miguel said. “As he commands, so it shall be done,” Caroth replied. The Tarrons formed a circle around the Soulcatchers and began battle chants. “Get the boy,” Orin instructed Fidex. “Our numbers are low now, thanks to the Tarrons and the Demi-Ghosts,” Orin said. “However, in time, we will be back to full strength, and we will never cease hunting you. Fidex came back, cradling Matt in his arms. He was limp and lifeless. “What have you done to him,” Mimi commanded of Orin. “He is only in a sleep. He will awaken soon, probably forgetting this ordeal,” Orin responded. “I knew we should have crossed him to the other side as soon as we got our hands on him,” Fidex lamented. Miguel reached for Miguel, and the Soulcatcher lay him in Miguel’s arms. “Tarrons, return to your home base, and I will join you there shortly. Guardians, gather around me. Soulcatchers, beware. Fozzley and Selda, go back to the city and wait to hear from us,” Miguel barked commands. Soon, everyone was off in the directions ordered by Matt. Jericho, Matt, Mimi, and Miguel flew out of Climlos, made the long trip back to New York and perched atop a hill overlooking the western part of the city. Miguel laid Matt on a home-made cot, and Mimi held his hand—intermittently injecting small burst of energy into Matt.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: MIMI’s DELIMMA

“No, don’t you touch my sister,” Mimi screamed. “Molly”! “Molly”! Oh, my, please someone save her,” Mimi screamed. The door to the room burst open and Fozzley sat beside Mimi on her bed. “It was just a little dream, child,” Fozzley said. It wasn’t true. “It seemed more than real,” Mimi replied. “Molly is in trouble. I can feel it. She needs me. She needs all of us to help her. We have to go back to Maine as soon as possible and look in on her,” Mimi sobbed. Miguel, Jericho, Matt, and Selda came running into the room. “She had a vivid dream about her sister Molly being in trouble and wants us to go to Maine with her to check-in as soon as possible,” Fozzley said. “Something is terribly wrong,” Selda whispered to Fozzley. “I can feel it in the air,” she added. “OK, then, we go to Maine to check in on Mimi’s sister, Molly,” Miguel said. Within ten minutes, Miguel, Matt, Mimi, Jericho, Fozzley, and Selda were flying above the city on their way to Maine. When they arrived at Mimi’s house, they all entered through an ajar back door. A cat in the kitchen hissed and growled at the spirits. They went from room to room looking for Molly and her mother, but found no one home. The place looked like it hadn’t been lived-in for a couple of days. They went to Molly’s room. The bed was made, not a toy was on the floor, and there was no sign of Molly. Mimi began to worry. “Where could they be,” she asked rhetorically. Mimi walked outside, and the rest of the spirits followed her. She put her hand on a tire-track that her mother’s car left behind days earlier. “They’re in motel,” Mimi said sadly. “I know which one. Let’s go,” Mimi said.

“Jericho, Matt, Mimi, Miguel, Fozzley, and Selda were soon flying just atop the trees to a small hotel in the city—the only hotel in the city. “Let’s get a look at the registry and see which room their in,” Mimi said. She eased past the sleeping desk clerk and found her Mother’s name. “Room 112,” she announced. The desk clerk turned over and stared at Mimi as if he had seen a ghost. Then, just as quickly, he rolled over and continued his slumber. In room 112, the spirits hovered around the room, staring at Molly and her mother. They didn’t appear to be harmed. In fact, Molly’s mother was wearing nice jewelry, and Molly had on a rather flashy, brand new dress. Mimi touched Molly. She could feel the little girl’s kind, tender, compassionate spirit. She could also sense that something horrible was happening to Molly and that she felt that she had no protection to fight it. Mimi let go of Molly, then walked outside the motel room. The others followed her.

“I felt something wrong with her,” Mimi said. I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems like it has to do with my Mom”. “Anything out of the ordinary about them”, Matt asked. “Yes. Yes,” Mimi said. “Molly didn’t feel ‘innocent’ to me anymore. I also noticed that she and Mom were wearing expensive things that we never would have afforded when I was alive”. “Let’s just hang around for a while, follow Molly and her mother’s movements and see what’s happening here,” Miguel said. The seven of them stayed in the room all night, watching Molly sleep. “There’s no reason to feel like you’re burdening us,” Jericho said. “Any of the others would do the same for any other member of the team,” he added. “That’s very comforting to know,” Mimi said. “I feel like this team has been to hell and back, but we still survive,” she added.

“Look. They’re waking up,” Matt whispered. “You will be in a good mood today, and you will reveal what secret you are hiding about your life,” Matt whispered into their ears. “Funny, Matt,” Mimi said. Molly got out of the bed first. She went into the bathroom and took a shower and washed her hair. “You have an appointment in half an hour, girl. Get moving,” he Mother said. “Some middle-aged insurance salesman who says he went out with you once about three months ago. Sounds like premium bucks. Hurry up, you little slut,” her Mother yelled. “You know I love you, Molly, and I wouldn’t ask you to do this unless we had no other way. After the accident at the construction site crushed the bones in my leg, working was no longer an option for me. The government doesn’t give people enough to eat on, buy clothes, and pay rent. You’re my good girl,” she smiled.

Molly didn’t say anything in response to her mother. Instead, she asked if a red thong or no panties at all went better with a black skirt. Her mom chose the latter. Molly finished dressing and drank a carton of milk. “Gotta have my vitamins while I’m out there,” she said. “Okay, what’s this guy’s name and address,” Molly asked. “Do you have any rubbers,” she added. Here is his address, her mother said, handing her a sheet of paper. Here are some rubbers, her mother said, handing her a handful of the items.

“No,” Mimi screamed. “This can’t be what it looks like,” she added. “You don’t want to see this,” Matt said. “Let us handle it,” Miguel added. “How do you want it to turn out, Mimi,” Jericho asked. That’s your Mother, but she’s obviously not fit to raise your sister. If we take her away, they will put her in a foster home. If we leave her, this continues day after day,” Jericho said. “I say we kill the Mother,” Miguel said sharply. “That won’t solve the whole problem, Mig,” Matt said. “What will Molly do with no family on earth”? “Perhaps the answer lies not in life, but in death,” Miguel said. “If your sister died, we would know the exact moment and location, beating the Soulchasers by at least ten minutes. We don’t know if she would just be a normal ghost, or if she would have greater powers,” Matt said. “However, we would know that she was not suffering another day,” Matt added.

“No,” Mimi said. Nobody dies. Death isn’t the answer for either of them. Just use your persuasive powers and tell her to get a job, get off drugs, pay more attention to Molly, and be good,” Mimi asked Jericho. “Is that what you really want,” Matt asked. “Jericho’s powers don’t last forever, controlling the subject,” Matt added. “It will be long enough for me to decide what is best for Molly,” Mimi said. “Jericho...,” Mimi said. “Say no more. It’s as good as done,” Jericho said to Mimi. You three head back to Fozzley and Selda’s place. I’ll be along about ten minutes after you,” Jericho said. Miguel, Mimi, and Matt took to the sky and flew back to New York.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE HUNT FOR FOZZLEY

The door to Selda’s apartment had been fried off the hinges by a great blast of fire. The front room was in shambles as was the rest of the apartment. No one had a doubt in his mind, a great shoot-out had taken place here. The children walked through the apartment, calling for Selda and/ or Fozzley. “I hear movement over there under than collapsed wall,” Matt said. Jericho went to the area, lifted the wall and saw a dusty feathery wing. He removed more debris, to find Selda lying on her stomach. She was bleeding and had a gigantic cut over her left eye. Jericho could see that it was already healing itself. “What happened,” Matt asked. “The Tarrons. The Tarrons. They were here looking for Miguel. They must have followed me and Fozzley home the other night. All six of them came, and Fozzley and I were no match for them,” Selda said. They knocked me out with a knee to the head. I don’t remember anything after that. I haven’t seen or heard Fozzley in this mess, so I assumed that they took him,” Selda said. “I don’t feel his presence here,” Mimi said. “They took him.” “Now, where do we go to get Fozzley from the Tarron’s,” Miguel asked. “We don’t,” Selda said. “The want to make a trade at 1AM this morning in the park—Fozzley for Miguel.

“Never play a game by the rules of a Tarron,” Selda cautioned. “Speaking as the best friend of one, I know how dastardly they can be—especially when trying to obtain an item of interest against another’s will. “So, we go looking for them, kick some tail, and bring back Fozzley,” Miguel asked. “That’s the plan,” Matt said. Selda brought each of them two bottles of pineapple juice, and they drank them. Soon, the group was in flight—Selda leading them.

The flight to the land of the Tarrons was long and tiring. When the group reached the remote island, skeletons of defeated enemies lined the streets—warnings to those who might dare cross the Tarrons. The group was hovering over the island, peeping for anything that might foretell where Fozzley was being kept. Seconds later, they were seated in the middle of a gathering of Tarrons. “So, Fozolorne does mean something to you,” Caroth said. “Where is he,” Miguel asked. “For anyone other than you, the answer to that question would have been met with instant death,” Krizel said. “Fozolorne is being brought to us at this very moment, ‘Seventh One’,” Caroth answered.

Selda fell to the floor and coughed uncontrollably. The Tarrons gathered around her. She was holding her throat. “An Angel cannot expire here,” Caroth said. “That would re-ignite the war. We are not prepared to assume control of the planet, just yet,” he said. Matt aimed his right hand at Fozzley’s shackles and burned them off with a jolt of electricity. Miguel gave the rest of the team the sign to retreat and leave. They gave him a stern look. “No,” said Mimi. “We can help you.” Caroth and Krizel stood behind Miguel. They poised to aim their hands at him to emit some form of energy. Matt dove in front of Miguel and pushed him out of the way. Miguel was filled with his greatest rage. The Tarrons fired their powers at him at will. Miguel did not retreat. He aimed a cataclysmic ball of blue energy at Krizel and fired. Krizel screamed a high pitched, shrill scream. “No”! Orin shouted. “Krizel,” Jordin sobbed. Caroth, Shorman, Loth, Beegal, and Kristh all fell to their knees. Krizel disappeared into a pile of dust on the ground. “Get out of here,” Miguel yelled to his team. Jericho, Mimi, and Matt left. Miguel, Selda, and Fozzley awaited the Tarron’s next move. Fozzley eased over to where Krizel had fallen and scooped up some of his ashes, depositing them in a plastic bag in his pocket. The Tarrons, in unison, disappeared from the battle-site, taking the remaining flakes of Krizel’s cremated remains with them.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: WHO CAN YOU TRUST

“Molly is fine, now, thanks to you,” Matt said to Mimi. Jericho and I just got back from checking in on her. Her mother is very good to her and tries, every day, to make up for what she did to Molly. Mimi cried. Jericho hugged her.

Selda and Miguel sat in the kitchen drinking juice and eating sugar cubes. It had been completely silent for some moments before Miguel asked, “what powers do Angels have”. Selda didn’t look up at him, but began her answer anyway. “An angel’s basic powers are flight, strength, telepathy, and control over events. Some more gifted Angels embody talents known only to them and the Supreme One,” she replied. “As an Angel,” Miguel began, “I assume that there is a certain moral foundation to you and that you don’t lie or lead people astray. “That is true,” Selda said. “So, tell me, can I trust Fozzley? He’s got a couple of dogs in this fight, and it seems that preserving me and my teammates might not fit his best interests,” Miguel replied. “I’ve only known Forzzozolone since he changed sides during the last great war and joined the Angels. He helped us to win. Based on that, I believe, he is a man of morals, principles, loyalty, and trustworthiness. He fights for what he believes in and what will benefit the people the most,” she said. “I would trust him with my life,” Selda added. “Good enough for me,” Miguel said. He left the room. Selda started to hum some tune Michael never heard before. He passed by Fozzley on his way to the front room, Fozzley heading to Selda’s room.

The group had been sitting outside talking about trivial things and watching humans. “That police car that just zoomed past here gave me a bad vibe,” Jericho said. “Don’t all police give you the scares,” Matt giggled. “Miguel, Jericho yelled, let’s you, me, and Matt go check up what was up with that police car that just passed. I got a bad feeling. Miguel took to the air, as did Jericho and Matt. They followed the police cruiser for many miles, far outside the city’s district. The cruiser stopped in front of the law offices of Frankley and Fern. Miguel, Matt, Jericho, and Mimi went in for a closer look and listen. “Officer Durden, it’s come to my attention that you’ve been arresting and deporting certain Chinese children who are in the employ of American factories. It seems you have a moral problem with it,” the chubby, hairy man with the tiny spectacles said. “Mr. Frankley, I’m just doing my job,” the officer replied. “Do you have a monetary problem with looking the other way,” Mr. Frankley asked. “I know your kids are in college, and your wife doesn’t work. Must be a lonely, tough, life,” he said. “Pay me $1000 a week, and you’ll not hear from me,” the officer said. “Very good then. Here’s your first installment,” Mr. Frankley said. The officer left. Mr. Frankley dialed his cell phone and asked for Senator Ornman. “I need the locals in check, or this whole thing is gonna blow—a million dollar a week operation. Are you going to the party tomorrow night,” he asked the person on the line. “Good, we can talk there,” Mr. Frankley said.