Windows - Part One

Chapter One

A History

Five Hundred Cycles A.E. (After the Explosion)
         Come, Young One. It is time for your lesson today. It is a long tale, but we have all the time in the world, said the Old One, sitting on a prism rock.
          I would prefer to hear about how growing an appendage works. I wish to create a smaller me to do my chores and sit through these stories, complained Frup. I meant to say I would make a new appendage so they could listen to these wondrous stories.
          Telling falsehoods is not allowed and not warranted. You forget I can see your thoughts, the Old One announced telepathically.
          You know I am yet untrained to reach my core and be able to use telepathy.
          I am aware of your limitations. I am also aware that you cannot see your potential.
          Please tell me. I want to know my future, said Frup eagerly.
          We can discuss this after the tale I am about to tell begins the Old One. This tale contains valuable information regarding our world and us, and he got more comfortable and started his story.
         When creation began 7.8 million cycles ago, all possibilities began. Due to that event, universes, stars, planets, and eventually inhabitants came into being. For example, our Planet, Hydranous, is millions of cycles old.
         How do you know it is that old? Frup inquired, looking confused.
         We analyzed the mountains and ground and looked to our suns for age clues. We have looked back in time and saw the beginning. Now is the beginning of my tale.
         I thought you had already started. How can you create a story twice? Frup asked.
         Ignoring the question, the Old One began.
         Hydranous combines different components, such as fluorite, glass, helium, phosphate, and Liquid Eterinite. The sky at that time was the color of the Sounds of the Suns and the Highest Peak of the Mountain due to the atmosphere. The atmosphere creates the color of the air around the Planet, depending on what elements are floating in the air. All of this determines what bands of light get through, creating the colors of mountains, ground, and us.
         So, light is what determines what makes me. Right?
         After a slight eye roll, Let us walk a bit. My old legs need to move. As they walked, the Old One began to speak again. When you form, you receive a specific color. While others may share your coloring, you are different because when both suns shine on you, it creates a distinct color, as we are made of fluorite, phosphate, and Liquid Eterinite.
         Frup wondered why they needed to walk; it was comfortable sitting.
          The Old One continued: The mountains, hills, and ground are made of fluorite and glass of great colors. This helps sustain all life forms.
         How? asked Frup.
          The light all around provides warmth and nourishment, allowing us to go Out of Phase.
         The Planet's rotation is a helix. Each cycle revolves around both its suns: Retpmoc and Tana. The Old One resumed. As you know, there were three phases in one half of a Hydranous cycle, six degrees combined. The Liquid Eterinite would change color in each step.
         It is boring. Talk about the growth of the appendages, grumbled Frup.
         The Old One began his story when he stopped. Our evolution took millions of cycles to create sentient ancestors. When physical animation occurred, the Hydranousians formed from prisms, phosphate, and Liquid Eterinite. They each were of assorted colors and shapes. Through evolution, early Hydranousians developed a way to communicate without speaking aloud. We believe this because of our Planet's atmosphere. We can only be out in the open for half a cycle. We needed a method to speak long distances without going out in the open.
         The Old One continued, As our bodies consist of prisms, the intensity of our suns creates excessive heat within us. This heat increases the likelihood of using too much energy to cool down. Our ancestors were afraid to go out because of the heat. Creating Phase Buildings took four times as long as it should have been due to the heat. Many of our people became One with the Planet at this time.
         I already know this, but someone told it using big words and lengthy explanations, said Frup.
         Let us talk about something else, then. I have just the story to tell you, explained the Old One.
         The Old One slowed his pace so they could walk together instead of Frup walking behind.
         Long ago, there was a small one much like you. The name of the Young One was Eternity. She was a very gifted Young One. Eternity was a brilliant pupil. She proved so advanced that she was assigned an Elder as a tutor. Eternity was successful in all her studies and practices. Her only limitation was her assigned Elder. The Elder did not feel it was her responsibility to train a Young One and did not teach everything the Supreme High One thought was being taught. That discrepancy is hidden until many cycles later, to the detriment of Eternity.
          Eternit had a stubborn side, preventing her from seeing others' views or sharing information. She learned to mask her thoughts and feelings by using her will alone. Being young, the Elders initially did not pay much attention to her. They knew she was gifted but did not realize how talented she was.
          When confronting her Elder to increase her tutoring and being denied, Eternity determined all the Elders and the Supreme High One must go. They were responsible for the lack of proper continuation of knowledge and representation of all Hydranousians. Change must occur, and she was the One who could make it happen.
          If she has that much power, she sounds like a fully formed Hydranousian, but Eternity wasn't, was she? I do not understand how that is possible.
         The Old One continued the story. The Hydranousians never suspected a Young One could accomplish such a feat, let alone keep it a secret. As she progressed, she became more powerful; all the while, her Elder was unaware. After a lesson regarding the stars' names and their movement, Eternity decided she had enough of the useless information and wanted the secrets of life to become even more powerful and able to send Elders to be One with the Planet. This information is forbidden. Only the Supreme High One knew of this. He knew this in case someone became a renegade and tried to upsurge the hierarchy. Of course, Eternity was unaware of this. She had mistakenly thought this was only her thoughts and ideas, and by looking for the information, she would become a Supreme Being, Master of All.
         From what I know of it, she sounds like one who is going through madness, observed the Young One.
          Even though she was still a Young One, Eternity began questioning the rules of the Supreme High One. With this practice, more attention became focused on her, the unwanted kind.
          Some of the more arrogant and brazen Elders did not take her seriously. Within the Collective, a ripple of questions went through, including:
          Who could this Young One be?
          Why is she acting so strange?
          Why was a Young One acting like an Elder?
          Are we safe with this Young One around?
          The actions of Eternity attracted the attention of more compassionate Elders and, eventually, of the Supreme High One. The Supreme High One could break through Eternity's blocking thoughts, if desired, and learn the reasons behind what she was doing and why. He sent her a telepathic message and advised her that he knew of her plans, and she would fail and go back to being taught by her Elder, or she could be assigned a kinder and wiser one.
          The Old One stopped his storytelling and waited momentarily, staring at the Young One, waiting for a reaction from his pupil.
          What happened? Why did you stop? Are you punishing me by leaving out the information? What happened? Please tell me.
         He received her response. Eternity, he sent a psychic scream.
          While many supported Eternity's principles, her methods were not favorable. Eternity had very few followers, so her psychic scream strength was meager. He overpowered her like you could squash a Meebee. He used a tiny portion of his power not to destroy her consciousness. Instead, he just nudged it.
          Because Eternity had no defenses and no one had tried to challenge her, he destroyed her telepathic powers. She could neither send nor receive any communication: she was now deaf telepathically.
         The Little One stopped walking. He knew what that meant. She would never be in the Collective, unable to draw any power from anyone else, and is in Silence.          
         Do not shed a tear over her. She broke our most sacred rules. She attempted to overthrow the Elders, and, most importantly, she was planning to Silence the Supreme High One.
          Eternity, at first, tried to regain her lost power. She failed. She then went to the Supreme High One and begged for her abilities. The Supreme High One investigated her consciousness and found a seed of revenge and hatred toward him and all the Elders.
         After much contemplation and with wisdom, he knew he could not return her powers. He also knew where this would lead. He advised her of his decision and invited her to be his guest at the palace. He warned her that he would exile her to the North Quadrant if she tried anything unlawful or mistreated his staff or him. Forever
         The North Quadrant? I thought that place was a myth. Is it a place? Has anyone who went there ever come back?
         No, was all the Old One said.
         After arriving at the destination, they found an Out of Phase building.
         The Old One stated that we are here and in time for your next lesson, some of which we have touched on before.
         The Young One was still thinking about the story's morale: Do not presume you know more than the Collective Mind and be careful what you say and think because the truth will always come out.
         If I may ask, what happened to Eternity? The Young One queried.
         She could not stop her cruel ways, so the Supreme High One and Elders teleported her to the North Quadrant without her powers. She became lost to the Collective, the Old One stated sadly. Let us turn back to your studies.
         As you know, our hierarchy is based on our prism bodies' assorted colors, he began. The rarest color is called the highest Peak of the Mountain. For example, if one of us were the color Ground Shake, compared to the Sound of Running Liquid Eterinite color, the former would be below the latter. The person born with the final color of the Highest Peak of the Mountain becomes the Supreme High One, the ruler of our lives.
         Where do you rank? Where does The Smell of Rock stand in the hierarchy?
         My color is not rare. Many have the base of this color, The Smell of Rock. I am slotted as an Old One, as I have been around for a long time.
          But we do not have a Supreme High One now. Who is leading us? I volunteer to be the Supreme High One. I will have the final color of the Mountain's Highest Peak. Then I can tell people what to do, Frup wishfully stated.
          The Elders are leading us. They have a collective awareness of all things and govern justly. They wait for a new Supreme High One. The Old One stated, Besides, you have already received your final color.
          How? asked Frup. Will I learn how a young one has reached its final color?
          That is another good question.
         Let us continue where we left off before our walk. As you are aware, our physical forms are solid. Over time, we have developed a large, squared-off head containing our powers and amplifying them, and we have three eyes, with the middle eye being the conduit for our power beam. Through evolution, we developed telepathy and telekinesis. Our telepathic communication abilities allow us to speak with different life forms, analyze their needs, and communicate within the stasis of out-of-phase individuals, sharing thoughts and experiences as happens to the Out of Phase members.
         That sounds incredible. I can communicate freely and read some thoughts, but mostly emotions. I have wondered about when we fully develop these skills. I thought they were always just there all the time, declared Frup.
         A mistake many of us thought, the Old One began. With telekinesis, adult Hydranousians can create a powerful blast. They use it to cut into the fluorite mountains. It also allowed the sharing of life energy among individuals. This sharing would increase their mental capacities and energy output. We can move, lift, or destroy matter by sheer thought. This power also enabled us to create structures, meeting circles, and stasis chambers.
         I want to create energy blasts to shoot little critters, pew, pew, pew, pew. I got them all. Frup started happily.
         Yes, changing the subject, all of us can go Out of Phase or stasis. Multiple stasis phases occur per cycle. Stasis begins when we reach maturity. The aging process is delayed during stasis, causing us to live many millenniums. It would be possible to go through a life span, never seeing familiar Hydranousians while in stasis. However, speaking with them is easy.
          Frup inquired, Is it because we are telepathic, right?
          Correct! You are paying attention. Your questions are becoming more thought out and concise. If you keep this up, I shall reward you.
         To gain sustenance, we go to our ocean, ponds, pools, or streams of Liquid Eterinite. We stand or sit in it and refresh our life force by osmosis. This process can occur right before an Out of Phase period. If we cannot gain access to the Eterinite, we use our mental abilities to sustain ourselves until we can reach the Eterinite. Once you are an adult, you must visit the Liquid Eterinite when you can.
         As you are aware, all of us can read the thoughts of others from any distance. Our Elders would have many out-of-phase individuals feeding them the energy to make it dominate among the others. In contrast, the Supreme High One has hundreds of Out-of-Phase individuals providing power to them. We are careful of where we expend our energy. When one of us spends more energy, our life span can be shorter.
         The creation of new life forms occurs with everyone.
         It's about time we got here. Are you going into detail or leaving all the pieces out? Oh, how I wish I could read your mind, stated Frup.
         As I began, twice during our existence, we formed an appendage during one of our Out of Phase periods. This appendage grows into a smaller version of its creator, though possibly not of the same color. Our miniatures will change colors several times during the formation cycle. It does not signify the status of the formation, just that they are maturing. After the final color is present, which is unknown how it decides, miniatures detach from the host and leave. Once in society, the Young Ones are on their own. They will make contacts, explore, and discipline their mind for when they reach adulthood.
         That was boring. Nothing exciting happened. I thought people gathered around to see me fall off or that I received gifts from everyone. I guess I do not know if that happened. I do not remember what happened when I fell off. I was just broke, you know. I remember going around, meeting many good and understanding Hydranousians who helped me get ready to meet you to begin tutoring when I was more prepared.
         It is good that you are questioning yourself. It means you are thinking outside of yourself and into the community. Particularly good, praised the Old One.
         To continue, there exists a condition where we can become susceptible to early termination of our life force. It causes us to go into madness that affects our use of mental abilities. Our thoughts can be uncontrollable and disconnected. When this happens, the others in our community stop feeding the Afflicted One's energy and ignore them. This isolates them, causing conscious depression to the point of self-termination. The lifeless body is taken to Liquid Eterinite to become One with the Planet.
         There is a theory that throughout our history, the Planet and its inhabitants would experience the pull from the place of the color One with the Planet. Time anomalies frequently occur because of the force of both our suns and the distance of the location of the color One with the Planet.
         Let me get this straight. Everyone on our Planet experiences time anomalies or shifts in time, right? The Young One asked.
         Correct. Time could jump forward, backward, or completely cease to exist. All life would not feel these changes because a new reality is written. It would be as if our original history never happened. When reality moves forward, all memories leading to that moment are gone. The present reality is all that exists. Due to the changes in time and reality, the changes that occurred never occurred.
         So, if that happened now, I would not remember this story or all the information. Would it also make me not know what happened? Frup asked.
         You are learning well. Something like this incident could have large-scale consequences if time shifted forward or backward or just changed reality. Whole villages would cease to be, and no one would know. They would not become.
         Do you mean if my creator had this happen to them, I would cease to be me? I would become One with the Planet.
         Good question, you are thinking. It means you, too, would be erased from time. Everyone who met you or knew you would have their memories erased because there is a new timeline and reality that did not have you.
          Let's change the topic to a lighter subject. Despite the influence of the place, the color of One with the Planet, our society prospered. Our collective intelligence allowed us to create stellar observatories using rare power crystals from the crystal mines. The most potent crystals were the Smell of Silence, the Sound of the Sun, and the Vision of Forever. With the combined energies of all the inhabitants and crystals, we can open one-way dimensional apertures to other planets and realms. While our physiology does not allow us to enter new worlds, we can observe the individual planets to gain helpful knowledge to become a stronger society. Some planets are barren of sentient life forms. Most have cultures quite different from ours. Hundreds of other worlds display peaceful habitats. Some have destruction and ruin, with many becoming one with their Planet.
         That aperture they made; can I see it? Do you need your full powers to see it? That ending was sad, observed Frup.
         You are now becoming aware of our culture and the concern for all our people the Old One offered.
         Through the aperture, the last planet that held our attention was smaller than our Planet and had substantial amounts of prisms because the Planet was the color of the Smell of Silence, the Sound of the Sun, and the Vision of Forever. There was also a color on their Planet we did not know. It appears on the Planet's axes and a few other locations. When we focused on the axis of the Planet, we discovered it was all colored the same. The air had tiny falling prisms the same color as the unknown color. We need to do more research on this phenomenon.
         We discovered millions of different life forms when we began looking at the life forms. Some were simple life forms, and others were complex. One species was the most complicated. We were amazed at the diminutive size and lack of prism bodies. We did notice, however, that they came in distinct colors. Despite the variety, no one had a brilliant prismatic color as we do.
         While looking, we noticed smaller versions of the other inhabitants. We surmised these were the appendages that formed and had joined the society. We became alarmed and surprised when larger ones carried the smaller versions and did not seem interested in separating from their host.
         That is very odd. I certainly did not want my creator to carry me around like that. I have feet and hands. I do not need that sort of thing, Frup shared.
         While viewing the inhabitants, another individual intrigued us. It had three legs, though one was much smaller and connected to the upper appendage. Its bent body did not move as fast as the other inhabitants, even though it had three lower appendages. A collective thought occurred that this was an inflicted one, soon to be One with the Planet.
         While we were looking through the aperture, a sudden gasp occurred from half of the population present. The Supreme High One, controlling the aperture, suddenly felt a great wrong was happening. Then, a giant power surge hit him. His thoughts and control were almost gone. All he felt was a great power flowing through him toward the aperture. Then, an idea flowed from another linked to the Supreme High One. 'The Power Crystals can help. He carefully lifted the crystals and pointed them at the aperture. Three blinding lights erupted through the gap, causing the restraining frame to glow.
         Then half of our people disappeared.
         Frup was speechless. Was that true? I thought you said no one could remember the time-changing thing. If you remember it, it must be a story.
         Accurate or not true, that is for you to decide, proclaimed the Old One. Our time is up for today. It would be best if you explored the western portion of the Valley of the Prism. We will talk about that tomorrow.

Chapter Two

The End

         Although Matthew Yule was 73 years old, he was still proud of his ability to walk in the local park. All those years in the service took their toll on his body, but he kept moving. Matthew used a cane to compensate for the damage from a grenade exploding too close to his left leg, which also took out his right eye. The big guns he helped to load took a toll on his ears.
         As Matthew took each step, he mused about his latest neurologist doctor visit. There was cancerous fist-size growth in his brain. The doctor felt it could be safely removed, and with chemotherapy, he had an excellent prognosis of living more years. He could not decide if he would tell Misty about the problem.
         A smile spread across his face. Today was his granddaughter's birthday.
         "A penny for your thoughts, Matt." his friend Joe stated, startling Matthew.
         Joe Earnest and Matthew had been in the military service and have been friends since. They met every Tuesday and Thursday to play chess in the park. However, this week was different. Today, Joe had errands to run, and he accidentally met Matthew.
         Joe Earnest was two years younger than Matt, but you could not tell. During the war, Joe got shot several times. With each bullet, a significant organ got hit. Joe believes he should have died each time but is convinced he was meant for better things. Even when he was close to a land mine, as someone triggered it, his left leg was severely damaged. It was injured in such a way that the doctors could not repair all the damage, so it had to be amputated. Even after this, Joe was optimistic.
         "Why don't you get one of these?" Joe referred to his wheelchair scooter. "You wouldn't have to walk everywhere, and it could greatly enhance what you can do."
         "Nay, I am fine walking. You know I do not like just sitting. I must be moving all the time. Plus, my condo is on the second floor."
         "Matt, we have had this argument too many times already. You live where there is an elevator, and you can still be moving, just easier," Joe said, trying to convince Matthew of the advantages of the scooter. "Besides, these are fun to use and save you all the pain you're in by walking."
         "Fine. If you get off my back, I will investigate it," Matthew conceded. "If I get one, I better not rearrange my place. You know I am not too fond of change. I like my living room the way it is. Change is something I have had too much of."
         Matthew did not like to bother his friends or family about what was happening with his medical problems. He had decided he would let them know right before the procedures. Besides change, Matthew did not like to worry about the people he cared about.
         "So, where are you going, Joe?" Matthew asked.
          "Oh, I needed to pick up supplies for a few days' worth of food. Later, I will have Physical Therapy."
         "I have time before the party. Need any help bringing your stuff home?" Matthew asked.
         "No, I have everything delivered, so I don't have to carry anything," Joe replied. "Besides, You need to use your cane, and the groceries would be too heavy."
         The two of them proceeded to go to the store together. Joe knew Matt would still offer help. Joe sensed something was going on with Matthew. He usually talks about his family and what they are doing. Today, Matt was much quieter and did not start any conversations.
         The two men began their journey to the store. Joe had to slow down because Matthew could not walk as fast as Joe went as the Scooter traveled. Joe began to talk about his family. Matthew was not listening because he was thinking about his tumor and the possibility of an operation. He also thought of his family, how they would respond to his situation, and that he did not tell them until the chemotherapy began.
         As they walked, several people passed them. It surprised them when two strangers stopped in front of them. The tallest one had his hand in his coat pocket, and the more muscular man had his hand underneath his coat.
         "You two need to follow me, and nobody gets hurt." said the tall man. Both mysterious men showed Matthew and Joe the guns they were carrying, and they were pointed directly at them.
         "He will lead," pointing to the tall man, "and I will follow. I will keep both of you in sight and will shoot without any second chances or hesitation." the muscular man said ominously.
         Matthew was about to scream for help but could only start the word before the tall man punched him in the stomach. Matthew went down hard to his knees, barely able to breathe. The tall man picked him up and threatened to kill him the next time he tried anything. While Joe was complying with the shooters, the muscular man hit Joe on the back of his head, causing Joe to lose consciousness and slump over his Scooter.
         "Wakey wakey, old man," the muscular man said as he slapped Joe's face to rouse him. It took a couple of slaps before Joe responded. The burly man commented, "You do anything like your friend; I will shoot you in the eye so you can see the bullet coming."
         "Leave him alone," Matthew began, "He didn't do anything. I will be quiet if you promise not to shoot us."
         The muscular man advised Joe and Matthew. "Yeah, sure. We will not kill you. It depends on both of you following directions and keeping quiet."
         The tall man added, "There is no promise of not killing you. Like my friend told you, it depends on how well you listen and not talk."
         They were at the small grove of trees by the time he finished. Being there obscured the visibility of what was happening. "We want your billfolds, credit cards, and bank information. You are now our sponsors in our endeavors. Hand over everything quick like," the tall man instructed.
         Matthew and Joe knew the men were not joking about shooting them.
         Neither man hesitated to produce their wallets with the money they were carrying, credit cards, I.D.s, and family pictures. While the two men were going through Matthew's and Joe's billfolds, they began taking the photographs and dumping them on the ground. The tall man mumbled, "Not very much in this one. No cash, just three credit cards, an AARP membership card, and an expired driver's license."
         "This one has two credit cards, a driver's license, and $50.00 in cash. Not much else but pictures and junk," advised the muscular man about Matthews's billfold. He then dumped out all the contents and stepped on them, grinding his foot.
         Joe and Matthew were helpless to stop them. To make matters worse for Joe, they turned off his Scooter, stranding him there. Matthew did not care about the credit cards or the money. His eyes kept darting to the pictures in the dirt. He wanted to pick them up but thought drawing attention to himself would not be wise. He saw pictures of his family covered with mud. His wife's last photo was ripped and smeared with dirt. Matthew knew he had to do something. He remembered his combat training and how often he used it. Matthew had a weapon, the cane, with him. He remembered what he could do with a Bo Staff while in the military. He just needed to get closer.
         "Can I sit down on the rock right behind you?" Matthew inquired.
         "No, you will sit until we figure out what to do with you two. I want to shoot you both so there are not any witnesses alive. My partner thinks we should clobber you into unconsciousness. I am not sure that would be a clever idea. However, that does sound like fun," said the tall one.
         It was now or never to act. Matthew knew he was not as young anymore. He did have the advantage of surprise. He needed to work as fast as he could and decided to start with the closest, the muscular one.
         As Matthew readied himself to attack, the tall one looked at Matthew and must have known his thoughts. He held up his gun and pointed it at Matthew. He then walked closer to him until the gun was on Matthew's forehead.
         "I strongly advise you not to move, or your friend will have the golden opportunity to see the bullet before he dies," the tall man growled at Matthew.
         "Just to make sure you don't move; I will borrow your cane." He grabbed the cane and jerked it away from Matthew. Suddenly, without support, Matthew fell to the ground in a heap. He struggled to sit up without the use of one leg. He eventually managed to sit up. His hands and a good portion were scraped and bruised.          
         "Hey Matt, you all, right?" asked Joe. "You hit the ground hard. How is your leg?"
         "I'll survive. How is your head?' Matthew asked.
         The muscular one declared, "This ain't a social call, you two," the muscular one ordered, "No more talking. Hey, are we done here?" the muscular one asked the tall one.
         "Grab their cell phones so they can't call anyone." The muscular one walked over to Matthew, searched for his phone, and placed it on the ground a few feet away from Matthew.
         "Whatever," the muscular man said to Joe in response.
          The muscular man stomped on the phones when placed on the ground, breaking them into pieces and destroying any chance of further use. Before Joe or Matthew could speak, the tall and muscular robbers drew their weapons and pointed the gun barrels at Matthew and Joe. "You haven't listened to anything we told you not to do. Give us one reason not to kill you."
         "You disabled us from doing anything by breaking Joe's Scooter and taking my cane, stealing our money and cards, destroying our phones, and defiling our pictures. Neither one of us will be able to identify you because our vision is not clear, I only have one working eye, and our memories are not as accurate as they once were," claimed Matthew. He spoke before thinking, "I think you have had plenty of opportunities to kill us but haven't."
         "He's right," said the muscular one. "I say we just leave them and high tail out of here. Besides, no one can contact the police or call for help. Also, even though we have silencers, the gunfire could still be heard if anybody was close enough."
         "Good idea. Let us knock'em out and take off," advised the tall man. Both men walked over to Matthew and Joe. The tall man stopped by Matthew, and the muscular one went to Joe.
         "The heck with this. Let us go now to get a distance from here," insisted the tall man. He looked at Mathew, then smiled, "Maybe next time I'll just shoot you." The two men left the little grove of trees. Matthew could not hear the two men when they left.
         With Joe still unconscious, he looked for his cane. He saw it; however, it was six yards away. With no other options, he started to crawl toward it. Crawling was painfully slow because he needed to rest his left leg every few feet. About fifteen minutes later, he reached his cane. He knew standing up without support would be impossible. He looked around for something to help him. The only things available were the trees. Luckily, there was one by his cane. Matthew grabbed his rod and laid it against the tree.
         He began the process of standing up. Using the tree for support, he first maneuvered to his knees. After accomplishing this, he had to curl his right leg up so his foot was firmly on the ground. He leaned toward the tree for support and slowly straightened his right leg to stand. After several tries, he managed to get into an unsafe standing position with his leg. He was exhausted by this time but needed to get upright. He used the tree and his cane and moved the left leg into standing. Doing this was easier because he had his right leg for support. After only a few tries, he managed to get his left leg out of the kneeling position. Using the tree for help again, he slowly stood up. Finally, he was standing, unsteady, but standing.
         He rested again until he could catch his breath and readied himself to walk. When he started toward Joe, he wondered if Joe was still alive as he had not moved. Matthew grabbed Joe's wrist to check for a pulse when he got to Joe. Matthew quickly found one. He started to shake Joe to try and rouse him gently.
         "I'm awake, so stop shaking me," Joe said faintly. "I've been awake since you started walking over here. I just wanted to make sure those two had left. What happened to you, and how did you get over there?"
         "I crawled over there, and I feel exhausted. My bad leg is tired, and I can barely walk on it," answered Matthew.
         "I'm glad you're okay. I am not. I have two lumps in my head and a bad headache. And in addition to that, my Scooter's broken, so I cannot get anywhere," Joe groaned. "That leads me to the question of how we will get out of here?"
         "Well, we can't use our phones. We both can't just walk out; nobody knows where we are." Matthew answered. "Like it or not, and I say not, I will have to get help. I hope I don't run into those two again."
         "I am sure they have left the park by now, especially since we are still alive." Joe offered. "However, I don't like the idea of you walking by yourself," Joe exhaled, "but it looks like that is the only alternative unless you can fly and carry me with you."          
         "Yeah, sure. I have been hiding that secret from everybody, including myself. I have been hiding a pair of wings the whole time. I guess I better get started." Matthew then began walking toward the accessible area near the trail they came from. "You sit tight. Help will be here soon."
         Matthew began to walk out of the grove. It was slow going. He caught glimpses of people walking on the path; however, it would be a while before he arrived within yelling distance.
         While within shouting distance, he called for help from three girls walking the path. They heard him and jogged over.
         "Thank you. I appreciate you for coming over. My name is Matthew Yule. A friend of mine, Joe Earnest, and I were mugged and taken to that grove of trees. The two men threatened to kill us if we did not comply. My friend is hurt with a head injury and cannot walk independently. His Scooter was turned off by one of the men. Could one of you please call 911 for an ambulance and the police?"
         The woman in red offered to call. While she was on the phone, he told the other two what had happened and how he got there.
         The woman in red said, "They are on their way. By the way, my name is Rita Wen." Indicating the other two, she introduced her friends, "The one in yellow is Candice Apper, and the other is Tiffany Agnew." Candice and Tiffany each said hello and asked if he had any injuries.
         "Pleased to meet all of you. I am grateful you stopped to help us. As for me, I am exhausted, very sore, and upset that we let this happen. Joe and I are usually conscientious and have never been in this position." Matthew asked, "Could we move over to those benches? I need to sit down and rest?"
         Tiffany offered, "Sorry, we didn't suggest that. Let us get you over there so you can rest. It will also be a great place since the police and ambulance can find us more easily."
         Ten minutes later, a squad car and ambulance appeared on the path. The two police officers walked over to Matthew and the three ladies.
         "Did you call 911 for assistance?"
         Matthew answered, "Yes, we did. My name is Matthew Yule, and my friend is Joe Earnest. We were mugged and taken to that grove of trees over there," pointing to where he came out, "He was hit in the head twice and knocked out both times. He was awake when I left. I am afraid Joe may have a bad concussion. He has one leg and uses a scooter. The men who mugged us deliberately broke his Scooter so he could not come with me."          
         One of the police officers went over to the ambulance driver, spoke with him, and pointed out the grove of trees before they pulled the gurney out with some boxes on it. Three ambulance medics, with the gurney, started walking toward the grove of trees.
         Before Matthew could get started on what happened, Rita spoke, "Matthew, we need to get out of here. It would be best if you talked with the police officer regarding what happened. I am glad you are getting better and hope your friend will get help." The three ladies double-checked with the officer, who advised them they were no longer required and said goodbye.
         Matthew gave the police officers all the details of what happened. She also wanted a description of what the thieves looked like. He provided the reports to her.
         "That's about all I know. I got a glimpse of their guns but cannot tell you the type," Matthew offered.
         "It's all right. I noted that the assailants were armed and dangerous. I need to call it in. Sit tight in case I have more questions regarding what happened." She left and walked to the squad car, and got in. He wondered if the ambulance people had found Joe and were getting him ready to move. Matthew soon got his answer when he saw them coming out of the grove with Joe lying on the gurney. Matthew got up and began walking there by himself. He needed to find out how Joe was doing and which hospital they were taking him to.
         Matthew met them by ambulance. Joe was awake and talking to them.
         "I then began to crawl over to where my buddy was to see how he was doing. The gunshot I got on my side was hurting, and I was losing blood." Joe and I made eye contact. "Hey Matt, are you still alive and kicking?"
         Matthew said he was fine and added, "I see you are telling one of your stories. Is it the one where you removed a battalion of enemy soldiers or rescued five wounded soldiers two klicks behind enemy lines?"
         "Neither one. I am telling you about the first time I met you. When you got shot in the back," Joe answered.
         "I don't remember being shot in the back."
         "Um, no, I am pretty sure someone shot you in the back. I had stuffed cotton in the hole and taped it up with duct tape."
         After Matthew asked the medic if Joe had a concussion, the doctor affirmed there was a strong possibility. He also said he had abrasions on his head and needed an X-ray and some bandages for the wound.
         She then inquired about Matthew's condition. Matthew told her about his leg and the need to crawl on the ground. Matthew did not know if he had cuts and bruises, just that his bad leg hurt. Matthew did not want to go to the hospital for bandages, so he kept quiet.
         He did ask for the hospital Joe was going to and got the answer.
         The police officer asked Matthew if he wanted a ride to his home. He said that would be nice and thanked him. Matthew mentioned more about the men who mugged them on the ride home. "The tall one seemed to be in charge, with the muscular one taking the orders."
         The police officer then asked him if they had used their names. Mathew stated they did not. "They functioned as if they knew each other for a long time, if that helps."
         "Any information about them or the incident is helpful," responded the police officer.
         When Matthew arrived home, he thanked the officers again and got out. The police officer gave him her card, telling him to call her if he remembered anything else.
         He wondered if he had forgotten anything as he went to his condominium. He would need to talk with Joe to see what he remembered.
         He unlocked his door and went inside, then locked it again. He sat in his chair and began calling his bank, credit card company, and the Department of Transportation to see what he needed to do. He had forgotten who else he needed to call until he looked at the phone on the table.
         He remembered whom he needed to call and contacted his cell phone carrier to order a new phone. After speaking with them, he felt better. He entered the bathroom, got his first aid kit, and went to the bedroom. He took his pants off and put on a pair of shorts. As he looked over his bad leg, he noticed several scrapes and bruises caused by his crawling to the tree. Other than hurting, there was not anything else wrong with it. His other leg felt much worse. There was an enormous scrape right on his knee. By the red stains on his leg and pants, he could tell it did bleed much more than his left leg. He put on several bandages to help it heal and cushion any bumps, then went to sit in his living room with a bottle of water.
         The telephone rang, and he answered, "Hello, who is this, please?" Matthew inquired.
         "Hey, Dad, it is just me. We wanted to know if you were still attending the birthday party tonight. We want to know when you will get here. Why haven't you been answering your cell phone? We've called at least four times with no answer."
         "Well, honestly, I wasn't going to tell you, but Joe and I were mugged in the park."
         "What! Oh, my Lord, are you all right? Did they hurt you? Tell me what happened. Did you call the police? What about Joe?" Misty wanted to know.
         Matthew told his daughter everything that happened and then about the police and ambulance taking Joe to the hospital. He left out the part about the condition of his legs.
         "Oh, poor Joe. I hope he is all right and does not have a concussion. I am glad you are okay. Have you called your bank, cell phone provider, and credit card accounts?"
         "Yes, I have, so don't worry about that. I will tell Joe you are thinking of him."
         "I can remember calling him Uncle Joe. That made him uncomfortable. Do you need any cash until you get a new bank account?"
         "No, I have money here. I do not carry much cash with me when going out. I only bring what I need to spend. Say, if you don't mind, I am exhausted and want to go to bed early tonight, so I would like to bow out for tonight."
         "Of course, you certainly stay home. I was going to suggest it to you. I will tell Becca you will not be coming tonight because you got hurt, but I will see her later. She will be sad, but we will keep her occupied with everything else. She will be okay, do not worry. Take care of yourself tonight."
         "Thanks. Give Becca Boo a big kiss from Pa-pa. Let her know I will be there in a couple of days. Well, I am going to go. Tell everyone I love them. Oh, I forgot to ask if you have any pictures of the kids I can have. They destroyed all my other pictures, including the last one of Mom." Matthew said somberly.
         "Yes, I have plenty of pictures of the kids. I will get them around and give them to you when you arrive. Sorry about them trashing your picture of Mom. I thought I saw an extra one in your Family Bible. You should check it out. Someone just fell, and it sounds like they need a mom. I have to go, Dad. Call me tomorrow, please. I love you."
         "I love you too, Misty. I will talk with you tomorrow."
         Matthew went directly to the Bible. Sure enough, he found an identical picture of his wife. Tomorrow, after going to the bank to sign some papers and taking some more money out, he would go to the Men's department at his favorite mall to buy a new billfold to put her picture in. His second stop would be the Department of Transportation to get a new license.
         The following day, Matthew got up a little later than usual. He felt stiff when he got out of bed. He ate his breakfast and then went to take a shower. While getting dressed, he looked at the cuts and bruises. The amount did not look infected, and the bruises were turning purple. He did not feel like walking or taking the bus, so he drove.
         If he got stopped for not having his license, he would tell them he was going to the Department of Transportation for a replacement.
         With all his stops completed, he headed to the hospital where Joe was. Once there, he asked the hospital customer service clerk at the front desk which room Joe Earnest was in.
         "The patient is on the fifth floor, room 533. Can I help you with anything else?"
         "No. Wait. Where is the gift shop?" Matthew inquired.
         "That is down the hall to your right. There is a big sign on the window. Can I help you with anything else?"
         "No, you've been accommodating. Thank you," replied Matthew.
         After buying Joe a big flowering plant, Matthew went to room 533. When he got there, Joe had a doctor with him, and it looked like an intern. They were wrapping up their discussion, "If you have further questions, ask the nurse to page me. Until tomorrow, rest," the doctor said, leaving the intern behind him.
         "About time you were here. Guess what? There was still a warranty on my Scooter. I can get it completely repaired for free!" Joe explained happily.
         Matthew answered, "I waited until now to come over because I had to get a new license, talk with my bank and sign some papers, call my credit card companies, and buy you some flowers. They are..."
         "Well, where are the flowers? I would like to see them, especially since you got them," Joe interrupted before Matthew could tell him about the kind of flowers he bought.
         "As I was about to say, it's a flowering plant. The shop is bringing your plant up later because I couldn't carry it with one hand."
         Joe and Matthew had several good conversations regarding what happened yesterday, the past, and his condition.
         "The results came back. It was not the best news I had gotten lately. When I was hit in the head yesterday, a piece of my skull got inserted into my brain. If a spot opens tomorrow, they will undergo surgery to remove the piece sooner." He then added, "I have a concussion. They said it was due to being hit twice. The doctor just in here was the surgeon. He wanted to tell me about the concussion I have and the severity of it. Here is the kicker: I might not wake up after the surgery. Slip into a coma. If I do, there is a chance I would never wake up."
         Even though Joe told him this as if it were a minor concern, Matthew knew he would be distraught. Matthew decided something at that moment. "Joe, I have something to tell you." Matthew then told him about his cancerous tumor, what the doctors had said, that he hadn't told anyone except him, and his uncertainty of what to do."
         After finishing, Matthew waited for Joe to say something. He waited five minutes before he spoke,
         "Matt, I don't know what to say. I was sitting here feeling sorry before you came. Now, I feel stupid. Wow, I cannot believe you are going through this. Why didn't you say something earlier? Does your family know? Is a surgery date scheduled? I'm glad they didn't hit you on the head yesterday." Joe confessed.
         "Joe, let me answer these questions, and then I have a question for you."
         "I didn't say anything earlier because I didn't want you or my family worrying and making a fuss about it. Secondly, I have not met with the surgeon again. That appointment is next week. I was not too worried about them hitting me on the head. If they had killed me outright, saving me from deciding on having the operation. Before you say anything, what would you have done in my shoes?" Matthew asked.
         "Not sure. I am sure what you are doing and the reason behind it. I know it would have killed Heather. We have been married for the past 55 years. You are right; I would not have told her or the family until I met with all the doctors. Then I would hesitate. Another thing is that I might tell them about it and do nothing. Did they give you a period on how long you will live without the surgery?" Joe inquired.
         "No, they didn't give me a time frame," Matthew confessed. "I would like to think it would be over a year since they found it. I could call him and find out."
         "My phone is right there, Matt," Joe pointed to the hospital phone. "Call from here."
         "I memorized the number because when I first was diagnosed, I called the surgeon daily for a week, asking questions about the diagnosis, what they would do during the surgery, and my chances of living with and without it. I asked him if he could tell me that. Best guess is what I was looking for." Matthew answered.
         "Did you get any answers after all that? Did he tell you anything? Joe asked.
         "When I spoke with the surgeon, he answered all my questions. Some were statistics, some were from past experiences, and some were answers from books he read. After what would be the last day of contacting him, he said he knew what I was looking for, but he couldn't tell me."
         "Couldn't or wouldn't?" Joe asked.
         "Couldn't. The surgeon said he did not know," Matthew answered. "I guess the decision is mine to make. I can call him now; I believe today is his office time." Matthew picked up the phone and dialed the number. It rang several times before the receptionist answered.
         "Hello, Margrett. This is Matthew Yule calling for Dr. Harris...I have one question to ask him... No, it is personal...I understand you are his assistant; I would prefer to ask him myself... Can you please have him call me later today?... I appreciate it...Oh, have him call my home phone... My cell phone got broken...Yes, that is the correct phone number...Thank you. Have a good day."
         "Well, now I have to wait for a return call. I doubt I will get one." Matthew mused. "I guess he is busy with many other patients. Since we are meeting next week, he may talk to me then."
         "I am going with you. It would help if you had support and someone to ask the questions. I know you have done the same for me," Joe said.
         "We'll see how well you'll be after your surgery. Let us talk about something else. Anything," Matthew offered.
         "Sure, sure. Did you look at my nurse?" Joe was good at making Matthew smile.
         Later, as Matthew was walking home through the park, he suddenly felt extremely hot, as if someone had opened a door or window and let the heat come into a cold house. He then heard a terrible crackling noise that sounded like electricity with something else mixed with it. Matthew turned around just in time to see blue, green, and yellow lights and a fog-like wave crashed into him, throwing him back against a tree. He felt the impact as he hit the tree; however, it did not hurt as bad as it should have. Right before unconsciousness, he thought he saw the lights coming from a window in mid-air with a moving statue, and then he passed out.

Chapter Three

Discovery

700 Cycles B.E. (Before the Explosion)
         There was absolute silence.
         Yes, that is correct. One of you is a traitor to your fellow Elders, the Collective, and me.
         The Supreme High One let that information worry them for a bit. He heard all their inner thoughts and all the conversations between them.
         I hear you. I know who you are. There is no place you can hide. I can read your most closely kept secrets.
         All the Elders were silent now. Who was the traitor? Will the Supreme High One announce who it is, or will he pass judgment and be done with them? How will they know if the chosen Elder is the leak? No leaks have been reported, just from the Supreme High One.
         No, they will stand trial, and I will judge them myself. I will give you one chance to announce yourself, wipe your mind, and block your ability to connect with the Collective or worse.
         The Supreme High One knew they could not tell he was bluffing about knowing who the traitor was. He could discover them by searching each mind. He preferred it if they would come forward. When he did not get a response, he made a decision that would affect everyone. It will not be permanent, only a week or so. He drew in power from the Collective and blocked all the Elder's ability to contact the Collective.
         What have you done? Questioned an Elder named Dyserl, daring to speak first.
         Elder Lecbp sent out; I am not the traitor!
         Elders Gymph, Ynaff, and Msadr voiced their thoughts simultaneously:
         Who is the one being punished?
          How could you do this? I am most loyal to you.
          You have condemned all of us to be One with the Planet!
         An Elder named Gnit raised his voice above all others. Silence! The Supreme High One is aware of your concerns. I am silent, too. I am not questioning his judgment, for he knows and sees all. In time, we will come to understand his wisdom.
         The Supreme High One sent a message to the Elders. He is right. I can see all. Even though you are silent, I am not. I am the Supreme High One. I can still read your thoughts and secrets. Without the Collective, you now have no essence to block me. I will peel your mind away to see your memories, secrets, and authentic self.
         The Elders were silent again. Most of the Elders were now afraid. They have never witnessed the Supreme High One demonstrating his true power like this. They then realized he could send any of them to be One with the Planet.
          While all defenses were down, he saw into all their minds and thoughts. He reached into each Elder's mind. He finally found the traitor. He also found a disturbing fact. She was not alone in her deceit. There was another.
         What say you, Merkil? Or you, Demaney? Koht, is there anything you wish to admit? None of you? The Supreme High One asked.
         He felt the fear of the two traitors, Ingeous and Sirois.
         The traitors, yes, there are two of you. You have one last chance. If you do not come forward, I will turn the Smell of Silence crystal on you both.
         The Supreme High One brought out the Smell of Silence crystal and activated it. He began to increase the intensity of the power.
         Neither Ingeous nor Sirois came forward. He knew they would not.
         The Supreme High One aimed the crystal into the air and discharged it. The power was magnificent. The power of the crystal showed so brightly that the Elders had to shade their eyes.
         The Supreme High One sent a message to Ingeous and Sirois.
         As neither of you came forward, pay the price, declared the Supreme High One.
         Twin beams of powerful light came from the Smell of Silence crystal. The beam shot into the air and divided into two power shafts. Before Ingeous and Sirois could move, each power shaft slammed into them. After the glow from the blast faded, there were only two piles of molten ashes.
         All was silent. The Elders could not have imagined the Supreme High One would have done that. Everyone could see the separate piles of ash.
         Elder Gnit shakingly spoke, Your judgment was final. You allowed the traitors to come forward, but they chose not to admit their guilt. You gave them another chance, and yet they still ignored you. You again gave them one last chance. Similarly, they missed you. Judgment was swift and final. We are truly blessed to have one such as you, Supreme High One.
         All praise the Supreme High One! shouted Gnit.

Chapter Four

A Beginning

         When Matthew woke up, he was disoriented. The last thing he remembered was seeing an aperture hanging mid-air and strange lights approaching him. His practical self knew that was impossible. Did he trip against a root and hit his head, causing the hallucination? That must be it. But why was he in a hospital? Was he in the Emergency room? No, he was already in a room with a terrible headache and felt like a train hit him. Two intravenous bags were above his head, with one on each arm. A nurse came in while he was wondering about his condition.
         "Hello! I am glad you are awake; my name is Linda. The doctor will want to know that you are awake. He is still here, so he may see you before he leaves. How are you feeling?"
         "Disoriented, like waking up from a long nap or something. I hurt almost everywhere and have a terrible headache." Matthew stated, "Where am I?"
         "You are at Wood Plaza Hospital. Let us check your vitals and see what we got," Linda checked to ensure all the tracking information was correct, checked the IVs, and then put the bed upright, "That didn't take long, now did it?"
         "Do you know what happened to me today?" Matthew queried.
         "Nothing happened to you today that I know of," she began, "You were admitted three days ago and have been unconscious since then."
         "That's impossible. It seems like it happened just today."
         Linda stated, "Well, the chart states when the paramedics found you, you had a broken back; however, when they performed a Magnetic Resonance Imaging ("MRI") here, it did not show any breakage or scar tissue. There are changes, but it is best to let Doctor Schmitt discuss this with you. I haven't seen the test results."
         "That's funny. My back and legs are the only parts of my body that don't hurt." Matthew said, "This is strange because my left leg was damaged, and I could barely walk on it."
         "When the doctor sees you later, he can check and see what happened to your leg. For now, you should get some sleep. I will note that the doctor will wake you if you sleep when he comes. Would you like your bed lying down?"
         "No, I'm fine. Thank you for asking."
         "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
         "I guess not. As I am not tired yet, may I watch television?" Matthew asked.
         "Of course," as Linda returned to the bed, "Let me get the remote. Here are the settings for the television, the Call Button in case you need anything, the buttons for the bed, and the light switch button."
         "Great. Thank you again."
         "No problem at all. If you need anything, call."
         After the Nurse left, Matthew turned the television on. He was looking for the news channel to see if anything was on about him and Joe. When he found it, he turned up the volume.
         "Then, Mr. Earnest was admitted to George Freman Hospital for evaluation. After being attacked in Weston Park, Mr. Yule was released from the doctor's supervision earlier this week. The following day, Mr. Yule was admitted to Wood Plaza Hospital after being found unconscious by a tree in the same park. As of this morning, no updates have been provided on his condition. Now, it is time for the weather with Betty."
         Matthew turned the television off and wondered what had happened and why he was found unconscious. Suddenly, he remembered the mugging and what the tall man stated about shooting him the next time he saw Matthew. He put the remote down and started feeling for bandages, indicating if they had shot him. After a thorough search, he did not find anything resembling a wound. He discovered his headache did not feel as sore as before the nurse had come in. On a whim, Matthew uncovered his legs and was about to pull up his hospital gown when a doctor came in.
         "Good evening, Matthew. I am Dr. Schmitt. I am glad you are awake. I heard you have questions for me. Then I have questions for you."
         "Yes, I do, a couple of them." Matthew started. "The first one is I heard the paramedics thought my back was broken, but the MRI didn't show it was. How is that possible?"
         Dr. Schmitt said to Matthew, "It could be human error or false information provided. We double-checked while doing the MRI, and it showed the same results."
         "Is it usual for a paramedic to misdiagnose something like that?" Matthew asked.
         "It can happen as the paramedics do not have the tools that would have aided them, such as an MRI or X-ray. What is your next question?"
         "I'm not sure if you looked at my past medical notes, but my leg was injured long ago. I could barely use it, let alone stand or walk on it."
         "I did. I read all the notes specifically about your left leg. Honestly, I have no idea how it healed within three days. It is astonishing. I would have thought Dr. Murphy was mistaken if I had not seen it myself. But it does not; I question why you had difficulty standing or walking so poorly when there was no evidence of scar tissue substantiating it. How tall are you?"
         Taken aback, Matthew answers, "I'm 5' 8". Why?"          
         "That's what your license stated, but we have you at 7' 8". We had to find a bed for extra-large adults to accommodate you." Dr. Schmidt replied. He continued, "There are many inconsistencies about you. I want to keep you here until we have answers."
         "Yes, please. I don't understand what is going on with me." Matthew declared.
         "That's not all. You have also gained weight; according to your previous weight, you weighed 185 pounds. When we admitted you, your weight was 450 pounds. It was not easy to pinpoint your Body Mass Index. It stated you had an index of 39.8, which is obese. However, you have no fat. It is all muscle and bone."
         At this, Matthew got out of bed and stood up before the doctor could protest. "There is no way I am 7' 8". " However, when he stood up, he discovered he was easily two feet taller than the doctor. He sat down in disbelief. "I... I do not understand. There must be something wrong with me. What are these changes caused by, and why are they happening to me?"
         "That is what I want to find out." Dr. Schmitt advised. "Get back in bed and try to get some sleep. If you need something to help you sleep, ask the Nurse for it. If you do, I will write and leave a prescription for the Nurse."
         When the doctor left, Matthew stood back up. He slowly lifted his right leg. There was no pain or sign of an injury. He lifted his gown to mid-thigh and was startled again. These could not be his legs! They were extraordinarily muscled and showed it. With both feet on the ground, he tried to jump slightly to assess if there was any weakness in his left leg.
         Matthew's head hit the ceiling. That was impossible as the ceiling was about nine feet above the floor. Besides that, he did not jump that hard. His head was swimming with all this latest information and what could have caused it. There had to be a medical reason for what was happening to him.
         He called the Nurse for something to help him sleep, as he was not tired. "Can I help you?"
         "Yes, the doctor was just in here and said there would be a prescription to help me sleep. May I have it?'
         "Of course. I will be there shortly. Do you need more ice water?" The Nurse asked. "No, I am good with the water."
         When the Nurse brought in the pills and an injection for the intravenous drip, Matthew did not want to talk because he was still thinking about all the latest information he was still processing. Linda offered Matthew the pills and water. He drank all the water when he put the pills in his mouth.
         "I guess you were thirsty. After I finish with my rounds, I will bring some more water in." Linda then proceeded to place the sleeping agent into the intravenous drip. When done, she left with Matthews's glass to get more water. He turned the news back on.
         All the news anchors talked about were the wars that were currently happening and corruption in the United States capital. While watching, Linda came back in and was surprised. Dr. Schmitt had prescribed a powerful sleeping agent that should have put Matthew to sleep within minutes. She was expecting him to be sound asleep when she returned. Instead, he was sitting up in bed with an agitated look.
         "Oh, my, I thought you would be asleep by now. I brought you more ice water. Before I leave, would you like the lights turned off?"
          "Yes, that would be good. I am waiting to feel the effects of the sleeping stuff before I try to sleep. I am still a little thirsty. Could I have some more?" Linda promptly gave him the water cup. Like before, he drank all the water at the same time.
         "You do seem to be thirsty. Do you need some right now?"
         "Not right now. I will try to go to sleep with the TV on." Matthew said.
         Linda turned the small lights off and told Matthew, "I hope you get some sleep."
         After she left, Matthew got as comfortable as he could. He felt a chill in the room and went to the thermostat to see if he could get more heat. No such luck. He then searched the closet and found two more blankets. He promptly put both on the bed, climbed back in, and covered up. He felt warmer but still a little chilly. He thought about calling the Nurse but then decided against it. He has bothered her enough for tonight. He again turned his attention toward the TV to determine what he wanted to watch. He discovered the Science Fiction/Fantasy channel. It was a guilty pleasure watching this channel. He felt guilty because when with his family or friends, he always said it would never happen, or fantasies are for dreaming about, not for TV shows; it is all make-believe, and things like that aren't real.
         Unfortunately, Matthew did not sleep at all that night. He attributed this to his thoughts being all energized because of the changes he was going through. During the night, the Nurse returned twice: one was with the water cup, and the other was to get his vital signs at 3:00 a.m.
         "Have you slept at all?" Linda queried.
         Matthew answered her, "No, not at all. I can't sleep. The sleeping pill didn't work because it wasn't enough to help me sleep or even get me tired."
         "I can't give you more because it only allows one dose a night, and you take the maximum amount. I will talk to the doctor tomorrow and see if anything is more potent than what you already received."
         "I appreciate that," Matthew stated.
         The Nurse finished her vitals check and changed both intravenous bags as they were empty. After doing so, she studied the intravenous sites on both arms. Satisfied, she took his cup and said she would return it shortly.
         Matthew was bored. He rarely watches television as he seldom finds anything that keeps his attention. If Matthew did find something he liked, commercials would make watching the show a waste of time. He did have three favorite actors: John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Katharine Hepburn. He loved the old Westerns and shows that had any one of the three actors. He will sometimes quote one of the movie's lines if it fits the occasion.
         At five-thirty in the morning, he called for Linda. When the nurse arrived, Matthew was surprised because he was expecting Linda.
         "Where's Linda?" Matthew asked.
         "Her shift ended at five, and I am the Nurse assigned to you. My name is Mike. I must admit it is good to see you awake. What can I do for you?" asked Mike.
         "Can I take a shower with these in my arms?"
         "Sorry, you can't. I can bring a bar of soap, a washcloth, and warm water, and you can take a sponge bath. I can help you, or you can do it yourself."
         "That would be great. I can do it myself." Matthew still felt cold; the warm water would help. Mike turned on the ceiling light so Matthew could better understand what he was doing. He unbuttoned the gown, exposing his chest, shoulders, and stomach. While seeing his massive chest, broad shoulder, and eight-pack stomach muscles, he was shocked to see his skin color. Instead of white skin with tan lines on his arms, he saw now a medium gray color with no tan lines. He looked in disbelief and then stated in alarm, "What did you do to me? Did someone paint me gray? Why? Will it come off?"
         Mike answered slowly, "We didn't do anything to your skin. You changed color on your first day here while you were still unconscious. At first, we thought you were losing blood pressure. However, your blood pressure, if anything, was a bit higher than normal. We then took a small skin graft and took it to be analyzed. The results are not back yet. We did try removing the color with alcohol, but nothing happened."
         "What about my face? Is it the same color? Did anything happen to my eyes, nose, mouth, or ears?"
         "Let me get you a mirror. " Mike went into his bathroom and came out with a hand mirror. "Just take it slow."
         "Am I deformed?" Matthew asked, alarmed. He then sat down, and before he received the mirror, he felt his face and ears. He felt his ears had points. That cannot be. He grabbed the mirror and began looking at himself in disbelief.
         His face had the same gray coloring as his body. He immediately noticed that his eye color was bright green, almost glowing. He looked to the top of his head. He first saw his ears. They looked like a cross between the demon's and Fae's ears. He then moved the mirror to the top of his head. His hair was gone. Nothing was there but a bald, gray head.
         Out of disbelief and shock, he accidentally let go of the mirror, and it began to fall to the floor. Before it was two inches from his hand holding it, his other hand snatched the mirror out of the air.
         "Great catch! You moved so fast I do not believe I even saw it move until it contacted the mirror." voiced Mike.
         Matthew knew he did not make his hand move. He had acted on pure instinct when grabbing the mirror.
         What was happening to him, Matthew wondered. Before thinking about the changes, he felt one slight pinch on both arms. Looking down, he saw that IV needles had come out.
         "I'm sorry. All my moving about must have pulled the needles out of my arms," Matthew confessed.
         "Not a problem. I can reinsert them. Why don't you lay back down while I get the necessary supplies." Mike offered.
         When back in bed, Matthews's thoughts were racing. He had many questions with no answers. He had a passing thought; was it because of the brain tumor? He quickly dismissed that idea because he was not the only one with this tumor. He then thought it could be the chemical agents he was exposed to in the military.
         Mike returned and set up the needles, tubing, alcohol, cotton balls, and tape. "I will need to move the injection site a little."
         "That's OK, as long as the medicine changes me back to normal."
         After Mike had prepared the needles and syringe, He secured the rubber cord around his upper arm. After he started to feel for a pulse, he immediately found a strong one. He then rubbed the alcohol over the new sight. When Mike tried to insert the needle, it slightly indented his arm; however, it would not pierce the skin.
         "That's odd. I can't break the skin. This is a defective needle. I'll try the other one." Mike changed the needle and attempted to place it within Matthew's arm. After several attempts, He again stated, "I can't pierce the skin with this needle either. "Let me try something else. We needed to get your glucose reading, too. I will try using one of those needles and check your blood sugar."
         Mike prepared the glucose monitor and the tiny needle. He cleaned off his index finger and placed the device to take his glucose reading. After clicking the device with the needle, Mike quickly tried squeezing the finger to produce the blood droplet with no results. He switched fingers and tried again. The same effect happened: no blood. Mike looked at the puncture site closely and did not see where the skin should have been pierced.
         "I can't seem to pierce your skin with any needle. Something is wrong with the needles, or your skin is forming a shell." Mike stated, baffled.
         Matthew apologized again for the difficulties and felt his arm for hardness. "I don't feel any difference with my skin."
         Matthew was becoming more frustrated with what had happened to him. He is discovering all these changes without any answers. He wanted to be left alone to think about what was happening.
         "I am getting tired. If we didn't go any farther, I would like to get some sleep."
         "Oh, OK. I can leave you alone now. I will need to report this to the Lead Nurse. She may want to come in and try inserting the needles and IV line. I will turn all the lights out except for the Nurse's light."
         Unknown to Matthew, when Mike returned to the nurses' station, he told the lead nurse, Judy, what had happened and about the conversation with Matthew.
         "I think more tests are needed. We will wait for the doctor to return before we do anything," Judy continues, "The skin graft results have come back. Dr. Schmitt will need to review them before talking with the patient. I did look at them and discovered something very odd. According to the test results, the patient is undergoing a physiological change. It goes into more detail for Dr. Schmitt.
         Matthew was in his room in the dark, even though it was not dark to him. He could see the room. He was intrigued if the same effect would happen outside. Since he could not go out, he went to the window in his room. When he arrived, he immediately noticed it was no longer dark out. He could see for miles. He did a double take because he had never seen that far before. Not only that, but he could also see clearly from that distance. He was amazed by this and wondered what else he could see. He began to look around at the buildings and cars he could see from his window. He saw parked cars, their colors, entrances to buildings, windows that did not have their shades drawn, parking meters, and even expired ones. He also saw a car with a flat tire as if it were only feet from him.
         He stayed at the window for a long time just looking around. He discovered he could focus on a single object, like a zoom focus camera. He also learned that he could go back to his normal vision but go into focus mode just by concentrating a little.
         Matthew walked over to his bed and sat down. He was not tired, so he just sat up. He turned his television back on to the news and weather channel. While watching the news, Matthew suddenly had a thought about his voice. Had that changed, too? There was no way he could tell unless he recorded himself speaking. Then, he had a more practical way. He would call Joe, and he could tell me if my voice had changed. The problem with that was 5:45 in the morning. Joe would be sleeping. He would have to wait until 6:30 to call him when he woke up.
         He turned his attention back to the news. He watched the news, and the same information was rebroadcast later: the wars between countries for no apparent reason, the death toll from across the oceans due to wars and environmental issues, and stories of political unrest in his own country.
         As he continued watching, he thought society, as a whole, was better than this. When he and Joe were in the military together, they felt like they were doing something to resolve conflict, liberate a country from a corrupt regime, and protect people who had no voice. He and Joe could not do anything now because of their age and infirmities. Oh, they could stuff envelopes or make calls to the public. He did not think that would be enough. He needed to be actively involved like he used to be. But what?
         When 6:30 arrived, he waited 5 minutes longer for Joe to be up and start his morning routine. At six thirty-five, Matthew called. George Freman Hospital for Joe's room. Joe answered the phone almost immediately.
         "Good morning, Joe. Sorry, I haven't called before this."
         "Is this Matt? You sound different. Where have you been? Where are you now? Last I heard, you were mugged in the park again and badly hurt. Was it the two who robbed us the first time? You should have called right away. That is if you could have called. Your daughter has called me five times to ask if you contacted me. I hoped you would have called them; they are worried about you."
         "I know, and I am very sorry. I have been unconscious for three days; I just woke up. Say, Joe, something is happening to me. I need you to come to your hospital. I saw a news story about me. Didn't you see it?"
         "No, I haven't seen any news about you. I had surgery yesterday to remove my gallbladder. Your family may have seen it yesterday because I didn't have any messages from them."
         "Yeah, I am calling them next. I imagine I will hear an ear full where I've been, why I haven't called, and many other questions." Matthew confessed. "Say, you said I sound different. How so."
         "You don't sound like yourself at all. You sound like a different person.
         " I have changed, Joe. I cannot explain what happened or why, but I am worried I will never be the same again. It would be easier if I were there to talk in person."
         "Matt, are you OK? You sound, well, stressed. As long as you are not dead, everything else is a plus. Nothing can be that bad. I will be able to go tomorrow or the next day. When you are released, we can meet up and have a few drinks and play Hearts or Rummy."
         "Yeah, that sounds good. I will show you what happened and some differences with me."
         "Sure, Matt, you can do that. In the meantime, relax. It cannot be as bad as you think it is. Oh, don't forget to call Misty."
         Right before he began dialing, the door started to open. Matthew hurried over to the bed, lay down, and covered up. He looked at the entrance to see who was coming in. It looked like they were coming in exceptionally slowly, as the door took two minutes to open. The nurse walked in just as slowly as the door opened. Matthew blinked a couple of times to ensure he did not see things, and then the Nurse and door were back to normal.
         It was Mike. As he came in, he saw the puzzled look on Matthews's face. "What's going on, Matt? You look like you have a question for me. I see you're in bed again. Did you get any sleep?"
         "No, I have been awake all night but don't feel like it. I feel good. When does the doctor come in to do his rounds?"
         "He should be in around 7:00 a.m. He has other patients so that it may be later. Are you hungry? I imagine you are. I can still order some breakfast for you."
         Even though he did not feel hungry, he stated, "Yeah, breakfast sounds good. I want scrambled eggs, sausage, toast, two cups of coffee, vanilla yogurt, and an apple. Oh, and pie, I would like a piece of pie. Any kind."
         "For not being hungry, you sure ordered a lot," Mike observed. "You sure that's all you want?" Mike mused.
         "Well, now that you mentioned it, can you double the scrambled eggs and sausage? I guess I am hungrier than I thought."
         "I am not sure they would do that. I will request two trays and see if they send them."
         After eating two trays of food, Matthew again turned his attention to his room's window. He noticed that his vision was the same as earlier in the day. Matthew could see for miles, and when he tried to zoom in, he still saw the car with the flat tire that someone was now changing, wearing blue sweatpants, a red shirt, and black and yellow tennis shoes. When he looked at the clock, it was 7:15. Hopefully, the doctor will be in soon.
         Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Schmitt came in. He had three people with him, all wearing blue scrubs and white hospital coats, and Mike. "Glad to see you're awake and sitting up. I have three residents with me on my rounds today. If it bothers you, let me know."
         "No, it's all right. What is happening to me? Is this some mutation I am going through? And why is it happening? I know I just asked that, but this is upsetting." Matthew voiced.
         "As of right now, we don't know too much. Your skin graft returned, showing your body is spontaneously going through a rapid change. Yet, we cannot pinpoint the cause. The early blood samples indicate that everything is properly functioning. Your thyroid test returned within an acceptable range, showing increased metabolism. Your body is rapidly repairing itself and reinforcing the repairs. If there were a perfect score for all your blood samples, you would have met or even exceeded it."
         "If it came back that good, why is this happening? When can I get out."          
         "As I stated, we do not know what happened, how it happened, or the root cause of your situation. We need to do more tests. We will schedule an MRI for later today with more blood work. What happened to your IVs? There wasn't an order to remove them."
         Matthew remembered how they popped out on their own. "They just came out. The Nurse tried to put them back but could not pierce the skin. He tried several times with different needles, but nothing worked. The same thing happened when he tried to take my blood sugar."
         At this, Dr. Schmitt took out a glucose monitor the nurses use, changed the needle, and went to Matthew to take his blood sugar. When he placed the needle injector on Matthew's finger, he pushed the button and heard a loud click. When Dr. Schmitt lifted the injector, he saw no blood or needle mark. He tried again with identical results. Thinking the needle was defective somehow, he changed hands and tried again with the same results.
         "These must be defective needles. I can't imagine what else is going on," Dr. Schmitt stated, "I'll request this batch be removed and replaced." Dr. Schmitt told Mike, "Let's try placing the IV again. I want to watch what happens." Mike excused himself to get the supplies needed. While he was gone, Dr. Schmitt spoke with the residents regarding the test results and explained there were no perfect scores, so he wanted to do another blood work makeup.
         When Mike returned, he had two IV medicine bags, tubing, syringes, and needles. He addressed Matthew, "Let's try this again. He prepped Matthew's arm, put the cord around his upper arm, and looked for a good vein. "This one is perfect. We'll go for this one." When Mike cleaned the site, he inserted the needle into Matthew's arm. It did not go in. Mike tried again but pushed harder, "Sorry, I have to push hard."
         "It's OK. I do not feel anything but a little pressure," Matthew responded.
         Mike turned toward Dr. Schmitt and advised, "The needle is not going in, no matter how hard I push. I do not know what to do because this is the same as the previous result. Do you have any suggestions?"
         "I saw what happened and have no answer." Dr. Schmitt began, "I have never seen this happen. Our patience is full of surprises. I need to go and examine the previous blood sample. Do not try any more IVs until I find an answer. Until then, Matthew, we will wait for the MRI results. I have another question: have you experienced any other changes?"
         Matthew hesitates in telling the doctor about his sight improvement, reflexes, and apparent speed, "Well, not really. I am not tired if that helps".
         "It does. Do you have any questions before I leave? Just let your nurse know, and I will be contacted".
         "No, I haven't got any more questions," Matthew affirmed.
         Before Mike left, Matthew requested him to stay because he had a question for him. "What can I help you with?" Mike questioned."
         "Do you have any bigger gowns? This one does not cover my backside and is too short," As he pointed to the upper portion of his bare legs above his knees. "Or at least another gown to cover my back?"
         "You are wearing the largest gown we have. I can get you another gown to wear, like a coat. I will get one for you and bring it back." Mike offered.
         "That is better than flashing everyone my backside. And the gown looks like I am wearing a mini skirt."
         "I will go and grab another gown for you. Do you need anything else?" Mike offered.
         "Could you get me some more water, please?" Matthew asked.
         "Most definitely," Mike assured Matthew. He then left the room.
         Matthew received a call right after Mike left.
         "Hello, who is this?"
         "It's me, Dad, Misty. What are you doing in a hospital? Are you OK? What happened? The last time we talked, you were fine after the mugging. You were a little shaken up but fine. Were you hurt more than you told me? I called Joe, and he said it was best to talk with you, and he gave me this number."
         "No, no, I told you the truth about feeling OK. What did Joe tell you?"
         "He said you were in an accident in the same park you were mugged. You were in the hospital, and he did not know when you would leave. Is that true about the accident?'
         "I don't remember what happened before I passed out. I saw some lights coming toward me with what looked like a hazy cloud. Next thing I woke up here." Matthew left the opening about four feet wide by eight feet tall above the ground. He caught a glimpse of what looked like colorful statues right before he saw the colored light coming toward him.
         "We are coming down today to see you," Misty insisted, "I want to talk with your doctors about you and what they are doing. Besides that, I want to ensure you get the best care possible."
         "You don't have to worry about the care I am getting. The doctors have taken a special interest in me and my condition."
         "Well, that is reassuring. Good, I am glad they are. Do you know when the tests will be completed so you can go home? And we still will be coming down to see you." Misty insisted.
         "I am having an MRI later this morning or in the afternoon, and the doctor will decide what is next at that time. I know I cannot talk you out of it, but do not bring the kids. I am on a quiet floor; they don't want kids around." Matthew lied, not wanting the grandkids to see him like this. "Hey, if you are coming, stop by my condo and see if my new phone is there. You can help me set it up when you get here."
         "OK, Dad," affirmed Misty, "I will be there later after I pick up your phone. Please do not worry. We will get through this. I love you. So do Cindy and Becca."
         Matthew had to brace himself for when she would arrive. How will she react upon seeing him? Will Misty turn around and leave? He would feel better if she were not coming, but he cannot always get what he wants, especially with Misty.
         Matthew could not wear his old clothes as they were too small. He could not wear a hospital gown because he would attract attention. Then again, a 7'5" man with pointy ears and gray skin was hard to miss. He then had another idea. He grabbed the phone and called the Men's Clothing Warehouse. He requested delivery to the hospital and advised the clerk that he needed clothes for a 7' 8" man weighing 450 pounds ...No, he was not overweight; he was very muscular, like a boxer or basketball player. No, I have no idea...I want pants, a shirt, socks, underwear, and shoes. No, I do not have the shoe size. Just send whatever is your most giant pair. No, I do not care about the color. Yes, charge this to my account under Matthew Yule...That's right...Can you make this a rush order?... Great. Please deliver to Wood Plaza Hospital, room; wait, I have to check." Matthew went to the door and peeked out. He saw his room number, 605, returned to the phone, and began talking again. "The room number is 605...No, you have been helpful. Thank you for your time."
         Two hours later, Matthew hears a knock at his door. "Come in," he called. A delivery man came with four packages of assorted sizes and a giant shoebox.
         "Delivery from Men's Clothing Warehouse. Whoa. You are not what I was expecting. You are gray and noticeably big. Are you one of those television wrestlers or something? What is your stage name?" Looking down at the packages, "Everything you ordered is here. I need you to sign the order, please," the delivery man requested. "Do you want me to stay in case nothing fits?'
         "Yeah, that would be great," Matthew answered.
         The delivery man stated he would wait outside the door.
         When Matthew opened the packages, he saw a green t-shirt, cargo pants, an overcoat, socks, and Black army boots. They all looked large enough to fit. He immediately went into the bathroom to change. The pants were tight but uncomfortable, and the shirt and coat fit perfectly. He wondered if the boots would do. He left the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed to put the shoes on. After lacing up the boots, he stood up. The boots were snug but fit. He went back into the bathroom to look in the mirror.
         Matthew was looking at someone he did not recognize. This person was tall, very muscular, gray with glowing green eyes, and looked like someone you did not want to mess with.
         Once back in his room, he called for the delivery man to return. When he re-entered the room, he just stopped and looked at Matthew. After waiting a minute, the delivery man asked, "Never mind being a wrestler; you're a superhero. You sure look like one. Why are you here? Can I have your autograph? Make it out to Ryan Brown."
         Matthew didn't know how to respond to the response he was getting. He never considered that he would look good, let alone be mistaken for a superhero.
         "What's your name, like your superhero name?"
         "Well, I don't have one," Matthew explained.
         "You gotta have one. All superheroes have them."
         "Well, I am not a superhero. There was an accident, and this is what happened." Matthew offered.
         "Sure, you are. All superheroes are muscular, tall, and mysterious. Since you do not know what caused your transformation, and it was an accident, you fit the bill of a superhero. What powers do you have? Super strength? Flying? Super speed? Causing fire or ice? Mind reading?"
         "I'm not sure if I have any of them."
         "Have you tried anything to assess your abilities? That is the way it happens. Lift your bed to see if you are super strong."
         Matthew played along. He went over to the bottom of the bed, put one hand on the bottom rail, and lifted. It was like he was lifting a pencil. There was minimal effort to raise the bed. He set it back down and went to the side of the bed. He found the bed frame using both hands, took hold of it, and lifted it again.
         He picked up the whole bed quickly. He was so surprised by what he was doing that he almost dropped the bed. He looked back at the delivery man, recording Matthew lifting the bed on his cell phone.
         "People are not going to believe this. Can you fly or hover in mid-air?"          
         "No. I mean, I don't think so. I don't know how to tell if I can even fly."
         "Some people need a running start while others just lift off from the ground. You can think about wanting to fly and then do it. The same goes for increasing or slowing down. Since we are not outside, try hovering. Just think of going up."
         Matthew closed his eyes and thought about floating up off the ground. He concentrated hard because he wanted to know if he could. Suddenly, his head hit something hard. Matthew opened his eyes to see his head was touching the ceiling. He looked at the delivery man on the ground, smiling at him.
         "Now, think about moving forward."
          Matthew was still shocked about floating, let alone moving toward the window. With that thought, he moved slowly toward the window and the delivery man.
         "How is this possible? Nothing is holding me up! How am I going to stop?" With that thought, he stopped moving. He had an idea and willed his body to go down and did.
         The delivery man stated he had to go but wished to stay and watch Matthew do other feats of wonder. Matthew thanked him for bringing the clothes, helping him find his strength and flight, and bade him goodbye.
         After he left, Matthew wanted to do something he once saw in a comic strip. He went over to the bed and proceeded to lift the whole bed. When Matthew had the bed clearly off the ground, he thought about moving toward the window and began to hover. As he drifted toward the window, someone opened the door without knocking and came in without Matthew noticing.
         "Dad, is that you?"

Chapter Five

Changes

450 Cycles B.E.
         The Supreme High One had been to the North Quadrant once before. He wandered about Hydranous to gather information regarding the planet. During the sojourn, he took the opportunity to spy on the Elders from afar. He wanted to spy on them without their knowledge. The Elders, who were Out of Phase, were the easiest to tap into. He found their secrets first. He did not act on them; he kept their thoughts and plans in case a timer would arise where he needed to act upon them.
         During this trip, he met no sentient beings, only a colony of furry knee-high creatures. He did not know their names, so he gave them the name of Nata. He noticed their settlement seemed to have guards looking at the sky. There also appeared to be outlying burrows surrounding a central, more giant den.
         While watching, he saw a flying creature the size of an older Young One circling the colony. He named that a Rere. He then heard strange noises from the guards and saw all the outside inhabitants suddenly rush to their burrows. Unfortunately, he saw one of the Natas still outside and scurrying toward a shelter. The flying creature dove down and grabbed the Nata with its feet. The Nata screeched as the Rere carried it away.
         The Supreme High One felt sorry for the creatures. He wanted to help but knew if he went any further toward the colony, the Natas would remain in hiding. The Supreme High One then increased the connection to the Collective and reached out to contact the Natas. At first, he met resistance, not because of any barriers on their part, but because their minds were so foreign to him. He started sorting through their collective minds to search for keys to understanding them.
         It took time, but the Supreme High One did discover their rudimentary communication abilities. As he began exploring this newfound information, he realized that the Natas were more intelligent than he thought. He recognized that Natas had complex language. He also saw there was a hierarchy of individuals, much the same as Hydranousians have. He also felt, rather than saw, that the Natas mourned the lost member of their tribe.
         He was impressed with their minds and their complexity. Their minds function as a natural defense against those who communicate with their minds, such as the Hydranousians. He knew that anyone searching Nata's mind could overcome their defenses with time.
         The Supreme High One decided to push the Natas closer to being actual sentient beings. The Old One discovered the most advanced Nata in the colony through his search. He entered the mind of the Nata Leader and began to alter his Essence to become more adaptive, cunning, and perceptive. Because they have foreign intellect, the Supreme High One took longer than he expected.
         Once done, he left believing it would take twelve to fifteen cycle generations before the full effect of what he did to mature to fruition.
         As he walked the way he came, he thought this colony, and others like it, should not be disturbed by others. How could he prevent others from coming? He needed to create a story about the North Quadrant to keep others away. He thought about the distance this was from where his people lived. It took him one complete cycle to get here, and he had not been to the northernmost point of this land.
         Walking back, he saw more of the flying Reres, more hardships with other colonies of Natas, and more Reres hunting them. An idea formed with the Supreme High One; he would declare this territory off-limits to all to keep others away because it was so hostile to the Hydranousians. He then thought of something else. He would enforce this land as being aggressive by making this area a prison for Hydranousians criminals. He would need to silence their touch with the Collective, making them silent and unable to use any of their mental powers. They would be unable to search or control the minds of the Natas and then contact anyone else about what they have found. Those sent would be unable to come back and helpless.
         By placing these off-limits, Hydranousians on their walkabouts will avoid this area because it is what the Supreme High One decreed off-limits.

Chapter Six

A Birth

         Matthew abruptly stopped hovering and almost let go of the bed. He put the bed back and turned toward Misty.
         "Misty, you're here. Why are you here? Is anyone else with you? Let me explain." The words came out rapidly as Matthew desperately tried to drape a blanket over his new clothes.
         "Is that you? Do you have makeup on? How did you get so big? Assuming that you are who you state you are, tell me what happened on my 16th birthday."
         "Misty, it's me, Dad. I did not know you were coming so soon. I don't know how to answer your questions." Matthew explained.
         "Just answer the question. Only my Dad could answer my question."
          "Um, your 16th birthday? Oh, I remember! You were so nervous about getting your driver's permit that you entered the wrong office. Instead of the Motor Vehicle Center, you went into a National Guard office and told them you wanted to apply. Once they showed you the paperwork, you realized you were in the wrong office and left without a word."
         "My Dad is the only person who knows. I did not tell anyone else," Misty explained. "What happened to you? Have they experimented with new drugs on you? Did they transfer your consciousness into a new body?"
         "No, nothing like that. Sit down, honey, before you fall over. You are shaking, and your pulse is going a mile a minute."
         "You need to tell me everything. Now. Joe never told me you changed. Did you even tell him? Wait, how do you know what my pulse is?"
         "Well, I can hear your pulse from here. Your pulse is deafening."
         "No, it's not. I cannot hear my pulse, and it is my pulse. You are starting to creep me out, Dad!"
         "I'm sorry, Misty. I do not mean to. I am shocked at what I can do. I am going to change back into my hospital gown. I will be in the bathroom changing." Matthew proceeded to the bathroom and began changing as quickly as possible. When he came out, Misty gasped.
         "How, how did you change so quickly? Are your green clothes underneath the gowns? You went in not even a couple of seconds ago! I need to sit down."
         "You are sitting. What do you mean I went in a couple of seconds ago?" Before he continued, he remembered when he got in bed before the nurse came in. Everything around him was in slow motion. Was stopping time a power he possessed? No, there is no way he could do something like that. There must be a logical answer. He needed time to think.
         "Misty, I honestly do not know what is happening to me. I do not know what happened after I saw the lights and mist. I passed out when I hit the tree."
         "What kind of lights and mist did you see? Describe them."
         "Well, the lights were like light beams but multicolored. I saw yellow, green, and blue. They didn't appear to be anything else, lights."
         "What about the mist you saw?" Misty asked.
         "Well, the mist looked like mist, but lighter, not in color, but consistency. I am sure the mist did not appear to be water. Have you seen the pictures of what sound waves would look like, assuming you could see them? They are like sound waves, but there is no sound. When the mist got to me, I was flung backward into the air before I hit the tree."
         "If you hit a tree, why aren't you in bed with a cast on or something?"
         "As I advised you earlier, I don't know what is happening to me. Also, did you notice I am walking upright, with no cane, and standing on both feet?"
         "No. Oh my gosh, Dad, your leg is better! Did they operate on your leg?"
         "They didn't say they did, and there are no scars or stitches. Besides, they wouldn't have operated and not told me on that account."
         "Be honest with me; how are you feeling?" asked Misty.
         "I feel better than I ever felt. Even in my prime, I never felt this good," Matthew answered.
         They heard a knock on the door, and Mike came in. "I am here to get you ready for the MRI." He noticed Misty for the first time: "Hello, my name is Mike. I am Matthew's nurse."
         "Hello. I am his daughter, Misty. Can you tell me what happened to my Dad? He has changed."
         "The MRI and blood work will answer your questions."
         "Why more blood work?"
         "They need to do blood makeup to see how everything is. On the premise, we can draw the blood," Mike answered.
         "What did you mean, 'on the premise we can draw the blood'? I do not understand". Misty asked.
         "When we attempted to reinsert the needles earlier, we could not penetrate the skin. We tried multiple times with different needles with the same results. We even tried taking his blood sugar; however, we came across the same results: we couldn't break the skin."
         "Were the needles sharp?
         "We checked out all the needles used. We tried using different needles. Nothing changed." Mike answered.
         "Dad, was that painful with all the attempts?" Misty asked.
         "I didn't feel anything, a slight pressure where they tried. I felt nothing when they attempted to take my blood sugar."
         The room was silent as everyone was thinking. Matthew thought about leaving the hospital. Sneak out. Of course, being 7'5" has its drawbacks. Also, he did not believe being the color gray with pointy ears would be helpful. An idea came to him. He would have to let Misty know after the MRI.
         "Misty, will you wait for me after the MRI?"
         "Yes, I am. I want to ask you more questions when you get back. Oh, here is your cell phone. I have already activated the phone for you. It's ready to go."
         "Great and thank you. I could never figure out how to navigate those things."          
         Two hospital aids came in to get Matthew with a big gurney. He laid down and covered up his neck. He fluffed the pillows to cover most of his head and ears. "I'm ready."
         The two aids wheeled him through the hall to the elevator. Once in, they pushed the button for the floor with the MRI. When they got into the elevator, someone else got in with them. She looked at the aides and Matthew. Her eyes widened when she saw his face up close. She said nothing, but Matthew knew she wanted to scream or flee. When the elevator doors opened, she quickly got out.
         When they arrived at the MRI room, Matthew saw that this was not the MRI device he recognized.
         "Is this an MRI? I thought MRIs were cylinder in shape."
         "This is what is called an Open MRI. The opening is much wider and allows larger patients to be scanned in comfort with the same accuracy." The technicians then got Matthew on the MRI's sliding table and in the correct position. After this, they advised him not to move while the MRI was operating. After getting him situated and covered up, one aide asked Matthew if he wanted to listen to music while in the MRI because the music helps mask the noise and gives him something to listen to. After Matthew agreed, the aide asked what theme he wanted.
         "I like classical music. Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, or whatever else is in that category."
         "Not a problem."
         They advised Matthew of what he needed to do and what would happen. They asked if he had any questions. He stated he did not.
         "If there is any problem while you are there, push the button in your hand. The MRI will stop and slide you out". The aide gave Matthew the button and went to a different room to begin the MRI. Matthew began to enter the MRI machine.
         While in, Matthew began thinking about what had happened to him. His thoughts kept going back to the lights and mist in the park. The park is where it all began, he believed. There was not any lightning because the sky was clear. He did not remember anyone close to him so that no one could have attacked or injected drugs. He wondered if he hallucinated the lights and mist. He quickly discarded the thought. The memory was too real for it not to be accurate. Matthew began to stretch his imagination. A ghost or spirit gave him these powers. That would explain the mist but not the lights. He remembered the aperture. It is where the lights and haze came from. He was sure about that.
         So, where did the aperture come from? The gap appeared as he was walking in the park. What he remembered was that the hole was real. He focused on the image of space. Was there a frame, and was anyone standing near the opening? What was in the background? When he thought of the environment, he remembered seeing something red-orange with colorful statues when the beam of lights hit him. He began to put the pieces together--a widow from someplace else opened to allow three brightly colored lights to burst forth. What closely followed appeared to be a rapidly moving haze. When the three colored beams and the smear of reality slammed into him, he was thrown backward into a rotted tree stump and remembered nothing else.
         Matthew now believed he knew where he received his powers and the change in appearance and physiology. He still had no answers: what caused the window to appear, where it originated, and why it chose him? Matthew wondered if this change was a precursor to future changes. Was he to save the planet from an alien invasion?
         After an hour, Matthew slid out of the MRI opening, stretched his arms, and sat up. One aide came up to him and began to discuss the MRI. "Sorry the MRI took so long. There was trouble calibrating the MRI because nothing was showing. After re-calibrating, we saw an image that was darker than it should have been. We did another re-calibration to get a better picture, but nothing helped. We will have the doctor examine this to determine what to do. He may do a Computed Tomography ("CT") scan or x-ray. For now, we will send you back to your room."
         After returning to his room without any other patients or visitors seeing him, he saw Misty still waiting while looking out the window.
         "Did you see the car with the flat tire?" Matthew asked.
         "What car with a flat tire? I don't see any cars. Wait, I do see them. They are over there. I cannot make them out. Where was the car with the flat?"
         "Next to the white building."
         "I see a white building, but the cars are too far away to distinguish them, except vaguely by the color. Wait, you can see that far away in detail?"
         "It was like I was looking across the street. I watched the morning traffic from here."
         "Dad, do you know what this means? You have super sight. It is incredible! What else haven't you told me?"
         "Let me think. You saw me float. I could fly were I outside. Though the bed was not heavy, I could lift and carry heavy objects. I have super speed, though I am unsure how fast I am going. I think I have super hearing, but I am not sure."
         "What do you mean you're not sure?" Misty asked.
         "When you arrived, you were very upset seeing me at first. I thought I heard your heart beating faster." Matthew confessed.
         "You heard my heartbeat? Try listening more. Try to listen to the nurses talking."
         He concentrated and suddenly heard everything: nurses, patients, doctors, the ventilation system, clocks ticking, and the elevator moving. He tried covering his ears with his hands, but that muffled the sounds. He tried to "turn the noise off" but could not.
         Misty asked, "What's wrong, Dad?"
         He replied loudly, "Too much noise. Why are you yelling? I am hearing everything in the hospital, I think!"
         "Try to shut the noise out. Listen to something quiet. I know. Focus on my heartbeat." Misty whispered.
         Matthew turned and looked at his daughter. He concentrated on her. Soon, all the noises stopped, and all he heard was the soft heartbeat of his daughter.
         In his speaking voice, he advised, "You did a great job. Well, you helped me to get all the noises to fade away. I can hear your heartbeat, and you are not shouting. Thank you."
         "I never shouted. Your hearing was picking everything up from a distance, and my voice sounded like I was yelling. Did all the noise hurt your hearing?"
         "No, I don't think so. Everything is gone except talking with you."
         "Great! Well, that answered my question about your hearing. What about bulletproof?
          Matthew thought for a minute and remembered, "I am impenetrable. Remember the needles are not going in me? I think I can resist more than needles. Are you carrying the pocketknife I gave you three years ago?"
         "Let me look. It has been so long since I cleaned my purse out," Misty observed, "Ah, here's the knife." She handed the knife over to her Dad.
         Matthew opened the knife and proceeded to run the knife down his arm. The blade just indented his skin. He used the pointed end of the edge and tried to penetrate his skin. Matthew felt nothing except a minor sensation on both attempts that something was trying to cut his skin.
         Misty, almost shouting, observed, "You didn't tell me you were going to cut yourself. You could have hurt yourself, Dad."
         "No, I knew this would happen. Supposing I was to push harder, I think your blade would break."
         "Let's not try. I thought of another ability you might have. You stated that you have not slept or felt tired after waking up unconscious. How long ago did you wake up?"
         "Oh, about 30 hours ago. Why"
         "Why do you think you're not tired?"
         "I am not sure what you're getting at. I am running on adrenaline. I will probably sleep pretty well tonight."
         "I think you have a super constitution. You don't get tired, you feel great, and you seem to be able to do all these tests with no problem." She added, "You're like a super-being."
         "The man who brought my new clothes voiced something like this. I did not pay much attention until I lifted the bed and carried it across the room. Like when you came in.
         There was a knock on the door. Matthew climbed back in bed and laid down, "Come in," he called.
         "Hello, Matt," Mike stated as he entered the room. He was wearing a surgical mask. "I hope you and your daughter had a nice talk. I just heard from Dr. Schmitt. He is placing you in quarantine because he does not know the root cause of your transformation. I am sorry, but I will have to leave," he told Misty.
         "Quarantine? You are putting him in quarantine because the doctor cannot find anything wrong with my Dad? The doctor is nuts. My Dad is perfectly fine. There is no reason for him going to quarantine. Get your stuff, Dad, and change. I am taking you home," Misty asserted.
         "He can't leave if he is in quarantine. He could be contagious. Dr. Schmitt wants your blood drawn because you have been with him for hours. Do you feel ill or have symptoms of fatigue or weakness?" Mike asked.
         "I feel fine. This is not contagious or a disease. Dr. Schmitt wants to make Dad a guinea pig for his testing. You have no right to keep him here without his consent," Misty stated. "Dad, let's get out of here and go home."
         "I can't stop you; however, the doctor may have the police come and bring him back. It is best if he stays,' Mike began. "I will inform the doctor of your plans."
         After Mike left the room, Misty got up and went to the bathroom to get Matthews's clothes. "Put this on like when you took them off, fast like." We are leaving. They are not going to evaluate you because of what is happening. If they knew the truth, they would lock you up in a research facility."
         Matthew got his clothes, went into the bathroom, and changed. He was glad to leave the hospital, even under these circumstances. When he came out, Misty was standing still, frozen in time. Matthew concentrated, and time caught up with him.
         Seeing her Dad pop out of thin air, startling her, "Geez, Dad, you scared the living daylights out of me. I do not think I will ever get used to that," Misty thought for a moment, then had an idea. "Dad, how long can you do that? The super-speed thing?"
         "I don't know. It feels like I could do that all day if I had to. Why?"
         "I will leave, go to my truck, and park by the white building. Once you see me there, using your super-speed, come to me. I will leave the door on your side so you can get in. I will make sure the nurses see me leaving alone."
         "That's a great idea. Go now, and I will watch for you." Matthew stated.
         "There should be room for you in the backseat if you sit crossway. I will see you in a couple of minutes. Be careful."
         After Misty left, Matthew placed his cell phone in the pocket of his pants. He then went to the window to watch for Misty to park by the white building. As Matthew waited, he began to think about how he would leave. He knew he was fast, but how fast? He thought of opening his door just enough for him not to stop. He was about to open the door when he saw Misty parking. With his super sight, he saw her wave. He almost waved back but realized she could not see that far away.
         When he got ready to run, he focused on running fast. He hoped that would get him into running mode. He went to the door and pulled it open just enough to leave. He braced himself and ran. He was unsure if he was running at hyper-speed until he passed the Nurse's Station. They all were like statues. No one moved or talked. As he ran by, he saw Mike talking to another nurse. And then he was at the exit door. He opened the door and proceeded down the stairs.
         After leaving the stairwell, he ran to the doors. When he got there, the electronic doors did not slide open. He ran past it several times until he realized he was moving too fast for the sensors to read his presence. He saw a regular door on his third try and headed for it. He clicked the handle and then pushed. The door opened and then stayed open. Outside the hospital, he could run, and he did. Time seemed to go on for him, but everything was frozen. Cars, trucks, people, and even birds froze in mid-air. He glanced up and saw an aircraft frozen in the sky. By the time he reached Misty, He felt great. He was not tired or winded. He felt like he could run forever.
         Misty had the truck door open when he got there. He noticed she had been waving when he left because her arm was out the window, frozen like everyone else. He concentrated on not running. In an instant, Misty was bringing her hand back into the car.
         "I'm here," Matthew announced.
         Misty jumped and screamed, "How did you get here so fast? I just started waving and figured you saw it, so I stopped. That was like one second ago. Did you start before you saw me?"
         "No, I waited a little bit to get to the door. Then, I tried to figure out how to get the automatic doors to sense my presence. They were not opening, so I had to use a push door. I ran as fast as I could to get there. Like you, everything outside just froze in place. Also, there were no noises as you would normally hear. I even saw an airplane frozen in mid-air. Creepy. I was waiting for it to fall out of the sky."
         "Lay down back there. We need to leave. Thank goodness these windows are tinted," Misty explained, "I need to get you to my house. I will park in the garage so no one sees you leaving."
         Meanwhile, back at the hospital at the Nurses' Station, the nurses were taking care of several instances of patient distress due to a sudden noise commotion.
         "Did anyone hear that crash? It sounded like something violently fell off its hinges or slammed open," questioned Nurse Jean.
         "I'll go look and see." Mike offered." I will then stop and see how our mystery man is coming. Dr. Schmitt should be here soon, and I will want to talk with him again."
         When Mike walked down the hall, he saw nothing unusual until he came to the stairway. After being ripped off its hinges, the fire door was in the doorway, blocking the stairwell entrance. Mike went to slide it out of the way until maintenance could arrive. However, when he went to move it, he found it weighed more than it looked. He had a challenging time, but he did manage to move it slightly to the left of the open doorway.
         "Whoever did this was either very strong or had three people to help him. The camera should have recorded this. I will have to contact security and have them look at it to tell who this did," Mike said to himself.
         On the first floor, the side door lay broken with glass everywhere. It, too, broke off its hinges and lay on the sidewalk, preventing anyone from entering or exiting. The front entrance automatic doors opened and shut independently, not allowing anyone to enter or leave for over five minutes until the security guard had to shut down and restart the motors.
         When Misty was driving, she asked her Dad, "Do you want other clothes besides what you are wearing? I can go shopping tomorrow at the Big and Tall store for you. I will need the sizes of what you are wearing, though, so I can get the right size."
         Matthew replied, "That would be good. I cannot wear one outfit all the time. You will need to take my credit card. Oh, wait," Matthew explained, "My new credit cards may be in my mailbox. I requested expedited service to replace them. You will need to check. Sorry"
         "No problem, Dad. I still have your mailbox key. It will not be important. I will drop you off first, then go. Wait, never mind. I will go now and check. When I get home, the babysitter leaves. I am unsure how the kids will react to you without me there."
         "I never thought of that. I certainly do not look like I used to. The kids will think I am a scary monster. I wish this never happened." Matthew lamented.
         Misty tried to comfort her Dad. "They won't think you are a monster. We'll tell them you had an operation to fix your leg, and the surgeon accidentally changed everything."
         "Maybe we shouldn't tell them I am their grandpa. I do not want them going to school or the playground to tell people their grandpa looks like a giant gray man," Matthew offered. "People will think there is something wrong with the kids. Worse, they will think they are abused and live in a fantasy world. Plus, I don't want to traumatize them."
         "We'll play it by ear, then," she added, "We are at your place. Sit tight while I go in and get your mail."
         While she was gone, Matthew began thinking about how adults would treat him. If he were not gray and had pointed ears, people would assume he was a basketball or football player. He knew how to cover his ears: wear a stocking hat. That would cover the ears. He would have to tell Misty to pick it up tomorrow.
         Misty got back in the truck and handed over the mail. There was a lot because it had been four days since he last checked his mail. He discovered that both credit cards were there as he looked through his mail. He also sees his bank statement. He would have to look at that later. The rest of the mail could wait until he was at Misty's house.
         "We're almost home, Dad; stay put until I get in the garage."
         Misty opened the garage door via the remote as they pulled into the driveway. She carefully pulled in and then shut the door.
         "Stay here until the babysitter leaves. I will come to get you," Misty added, "I also want to talk with the girls about you."
         "OK. Not a problem. I will sit tight until you come and get me."
         When Misty got out and went inside, Matthew got out of the truck and sat on the tailgate. He then took the credit card and called to activate it. He was fortunate that it could be done without talking to anyone.
         Matthew then decided to call Joe.
         After three rings, Joe answered, "Hello, this is Joe. Who is this?"
         "Hey Joe, it's Matthew."
         "For cripes sake, Matt, where have you been? I have been worried sick about you. Have you spoken with Misty?" She said she couldn't get a hold of you."
         "Yes, she came to the hospital to see me. It almost knocked her out when she saw me. I cannot blame her. I do look strange."
         "Matt, you keep saying that. Were you disfigured while being mugged?"
         "That's not what happened, Joe," Matthew began, " I was walking through the park, ensuring to stay on the lighted path. When I went around that sharp corner, the one you like to increase the speed of your scooter, I saw a strange light appear about four feet above the ground, like someone suddenly opening their curtains. There weren't any houses nearby, just trees. While looking at the aperture, multicolored lights suddenly burst out, followed by a haze-like wave. After it appeared, I thought I saw a strange statue in the aperture. I didn't look at the statue long because a light burst and grey haze engulfed me and sent me backward into the tree.."
         Joe interrupted, "It wasn't a sound cannon? I have heard that the military has machines that produce sounds. I do not know much more. Sorry."
         "It's OK, Joe. As I said, I flew back into a tree after the lights and haze overwhelmed me. The paramedic at the scene said I broke my back; however, the hospital states I didn't. Over the next three days, from what I understand, my body went through dramatic changes,"
         "How so? What kind of changes?" Joe asked.
         "I'm getting to that. When I woke up yesterday, I discovered I am now over seven feet tall and weigh close to 380 pounds. My skin is gray, and I have pointy ears and glowing green eyes."
         "Matt, are you serious?" Joe began, "Did you receive a severe concussion? What about your bad leg? Did the accident make it worse?"
         "I am being 100% honest with you. That's another thing. My leg is brand new. Well, it feels and acts like it is brand new. Now, are you sitting down?"
         "Yes, Matt, I am always sitting down. Get on with your story."
         "Well, I now have these abilities. I can run amazingly fast; I can see in the dark like it was day; I am super strong; I can hear everything, even a heartbeat; I can hover and fly."
         Joe was silent. That was never good.
         When he spoke, he said, "I am not sure what to say, Matt. You have never taken illegal drugs. You have never been one to exaggerate information and have always been honest with me."
         " Wait, let me take a picture of myself and send it to you," Matthew offered. He went about taking a selfie and sending it to Joe. "Did you receive it?"
         "Yeah, I am opening it up right now," there was a pause before Joe got back on. "Holy crap, Matt, what happened to you. You look like the Jolly Green Giant man but gray. I never imagined you would or could look like this. You have everything new. Let me take a minute to process this."
         "Sure, I am still processing this, which happened to me. I am still wrapping my head around the fact that I have these incredible abilities. I feel like there is nothing I cannot do. But I have no idea what I can do and where to do it."
         Joe was momentarily silent before speaking, "When you describe your abilities, they sound like superpowers from the old comic books. If they are superpowers, that would make you, maybe, a superhero." Joe continued, saying, "If you are a superhero, you need to start doing what we did overseas: save lives and stop terror."
         "I thought about that. But I have no idea how to become one. Do I go out in public doing honorable deeds?"
         "Heavens no. You will be doing it by saving lives and taking on criminals. Start small. Muggers, thieves, or arsonists. Work your way up to save a town or country from terrorists abroad. There is no end to the number of terrible people who do bad things."
         Matthew added, "I have only seen a few superhero movies. When I was little, I watched George Reeves on television every Saturday. A big problem those heroes had was having families or friends. The hero needed to be extra careful to ensure those closest to them wouldn't be hurt or killed by the bad guys they'd go after. I am not putting Misty, Cindy, Becca, or you into dangerous situations."
         "Who is going to know who your family or friends are? You look like a Superhero from a different planet. No one will know you are from Earth as you don't look like anything from here. You need a Superhero name to ensure no one knows who you are."
         "You got to be kidding? I have no idea what name to call myself.'
         "How about a Super Being from a Different Planet? Or Super Guy? What about Green Gamma? You mostly wear green clothes, and your eyes are glowing green."
         "No. But I do like naming myself after the color green. Like The Green Man, the Man in Green, how about the Green Vigilante?"
         "None of those fit you. Some are also corny. Hmm, I know The Renegade in Green."
         "Well, that is better than I came up with. But why Renegade? Doesn't that mean I am a traitor?"
         "It also means rebel. You can prove you are just a Superhero who wears green."
         "How about Defender Man? Oh, I just had a thought. What about Defender in Green? It says what I am, a Defender, and it also states the color of my clothes."
         "I like that," Joe confessed. "It is simple, easy to remember, and catchy."
         "Great, The Defender in Green is born!"

Chapter Seven

Crime and Punishment

350 Cycles P.E.
         The Supreme High One was beginning to get bored again with the daily routine of hearing complaints from the Elders and deciding what to do about their issues. They often wanted to hear from the Supreme High One that the Elders were right and whomever they had problems with was wrong. More often than not, it was the other way around. They were getting careless.
         On this day, an Elder named Gnit had an issue regarding a Young One causing trouble. Her name was Eternity. She was barely formed and still being tutored by the Elder because Eternity was deemed gifted. An Old One reported that Gnit was not providing adequate training or education to keep Eternity on track to suit her elevated power abilities. When questioned, the Elder said she did not want to give the student unnecessary tasks and training. The Supreme High One probed the Elder's mind and uncovered that the Elder purposely withheld valuable lessons from Eternity because Gnit didn't want to be bothered by teaching her.
          The Elde reported that the Eternity had probed minds, broken barriers, and read inner thoughts to gain knowledge without permission. During an investigation regarding this claim, the Elder did not allow Eternity the opportunity to defend herself because she imparted strict discipline and did not believe in allowing Young Ones to speak for themselves.
          When the Supreme High One brought this up, he questioned Eternity, attempting to give her the benefit of the doubt.
          It is said you acquired access to others' minds without their permission. How did you accomplish this feat? Inquired the Supreme High One.
         It was easy. I bypassed their barriers with ease. Eternity answered, Many people never expect to have their thoughts examined, let alone used against them.
         Before his next question, the Supreme High One felt a faint touch on his mind. It was someone trying to gain access to his inner thoughts. He saw Eternity's inner thoughts and what she was planning. He knew she could not succeed. Out of consideration for her future, he sent her a message to return to her Elder or find another tutor and complete her training.
         After sending the message to Eternity, he automatically reinforced his barriers and forgot about her. Eternity sent a response to the Supreme High One's message. The Supreme High One felt her hatred and revenge within Eternity's message toward him and all Hydranousians. She attempted to send a psychic mind attack to the Supreme High One.
          The Supreme High One sent a small message in response to her attack. It was so small that it would not take any reserve power to transmit.
         He was monitoring Eternity's thoughts before sending the response. When she received it, he could tell how much damage occurred. She could neither send nor receive any telepathic communication. As he learned, he could read her thoughts, but she could neither read nor receive ideas from anyone else.
         He felt her anguish and pain. He knew her punishment was just but felt she needed some compassion. He opened a small two-way telepathic communication link between her and himself so he could talk with her.
         Eternity, this is the Supreme High One. Can you hear me?
         Do I hear things? Am I becoming an Afflicted One? All because of the Supreme High One? Eternity lamented.
         No, Eternity. I am the Supreme High One. I have opened a unique link just between you and me. I have an offer for you, began the Supreme High One. I want to invite you to live at the palace with me. Hear me out. All your needs are provided for you. All I ask of you is that you respect the others there and do no harm. Do you accept?
         Though Eternity could not respond on her own, she did send this to the Supreme High One: Are you mocking me? You want to keep me there as an item to show to your precious Elders as one of your defeated foes. Oh, I see now! You feel bad for what you did to me! You want to feel better about yourself. I will stay here, But I will make it a living torment for you.
         And she did. Eternity was there for two cycles. All the while, she was causing mischief of one kind or another. The final deed was when the Supreme High One probed her mind and discovered she had been sending scripts regarding false accusations of an Elder uprising against the Supreme High One. When confronted, Eternity did not deny anything.
         Yes, I sent them out. The Elders are not going to announce their rebellion against you. There are several who hate you about as much as I do, if not a little more. Go ahead and probe my mind if you have not already. You will find everything I have told you.
         The Supreme High One probed her mind and saw nothing about an Elder rebellion. She purposely misled him.
         I did not find any past or present information to support your claims. I felt misled.
         No, I lied to you. You are too trusting for your own good.
         The Supreme High One came to a final decision at that moment. He had been thinking about it for some time but felt it was too drastic until now.
         Eternity, I have decided to banish you to the North Quadrant because you will not change in your deceitful ways as soon as the Elders convene at the palace.
         After waiting for one-third of a cycle for all Elders to make their way to the palace, the Supreme High One called the meeting to order.
         My esteemed Elders, I have called this meeting today because I require your assistance. We have a criminal in the office of the Supreme High One and the Elders. If she had had her will, we would have been eliminated, and she would have assumed full power over all our offices. Her name is Eternity, and she stands before you guilty as charged.
         How could you allow such a dangerous creature here, stated Ingeous.
         Remove that traitor immediately, called Siirois.
         What would you have us do? Supreme High One asked Tem.
         I hear all your cries for justice and concern. Eternity's sentence is in two parts. In part one, I have already silenced Eternity. She is cut off entirely from her telepathy and telekinesis abilities. Part two of her sentence is the banishment to the Northern Quadrant for life.
         There was silence.
         We will begin the teleportation process immediately. I will be the focus, the conduit. Focus all your energy on me. I will know who is not putting forth effort and call them out afterward. You will not like the consequences.
         Follow my mental commands and images. This may seem like a complicated task, but it is simple. Keep your mind on Eternity. Focus on her. Focus harder. There. Now, open your senses to the image I am giving you. It is no trick. It is just an image. I can see who is resisting and why. If this fails because of you two, I will search your deepest secrets to know what you are hiding. Good. Now, here it goes.
         For a tense thirty esuoms, there was no noise. At last, Eternity began to fade slowly away. It took another twenty esuoms for the entire process to occur.

Chapter Eight

Announcement

         When Misty went to ask her dad to come inside the house, he had already finished the call with Joe. Matthew felt energized after talking to his friend. He wanted to tell Misty what they talked about. But first, he had to meet his two granddaughters as a 7'5" tall gray man with pointy ears and not as the grandpa they knew.
         "Come on in, Dad. I have talked to them and told them that Grandpa has changed. He is still the same on the inside but different on the outside. I showed them the picture I took of you at the hospital.'
         "I didn't know you took a picture. When did you take it?"
         "I took it when you were in your clothes, not in the hospital gowns. I was going to print the picture out but then changed my mind. I am glad I didn't delete it. It helped tremendously. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Misty apologized.
         "It doesn't bother me that you did. I just wanted to know when. And thank you for not taking a picture with my butt hanging out of the gown," Matthew joked.
         Laughing, Misty stated, "Not a problem, Dad. Let's get inside with the kids. They are waiting to see the new grandpa."
         Misty led the way. Matthew had to dunk his head under the door frame because he was too tall to go through. Matthew met with one little girl looking at him when they got inside. No one said anything for two minutes.
         Finally, little Becca spoke up, "Grandpa?"
         "Yes, it's me. How are you, Becca? Where's your sister?"
         "What happened to your bad leg? Cindy is hiding. She doesn't want to see new grandpa."
         "I got it fixed when I changed into a new grandpa. I have two good legs. We can play hide-and-seek now! "Matthew said, thinking about Cindy.
         "It is you," she said excitedly. "Where have you been? Mommy was trying to call you for this many days, "she held her hands with nine fingers up.
         "I know she was. I was in the hospital getting a shot and sleeping," Matthew began, "I feel much better now." He took a step toward her. She backed up to where Misty was kneeling. "I'm sorry, Becca. I didn't mean to frighten you."
         "I not scared. You have big feets." She pointed to his feet.
         "Yes, I do have big feet. They will help me chase you when we are playing outside. Becca, where is Cindy? I want to see her, too."
         "In her bedroom, hiding. She scared."
         "Were you scared to see me?
         Becca thought for a minute and then said, "Yes. Mommy showed us a picture of you. You look like the guy on TV who sells icky green beans."
         Matthew chuckles at her comparison. He needed to talk with Cindy. He wanted her to be comfortable with him.
         He then tells Becca, "I am going to see Cindy. We could play a game together after she is comfortable around me. First, I must convince Cindy I am not a monster."
         Cindy was four years older than Becca. She had always been quiet and reserved. Now that Cindy is in third grade, she has become more outgoing. She even goes to sleepovers with her friends. Cindy loves to read. She and Matthew used to walk to the Library every Sunday to return and check out more books. Sometimes, when they were having fun, they would see who could check out the books.
         Matthew stood by Cindy's door and knocked. There was no response. He struck again, saying, "Cindy, this is Grandpa. May I come in?"
         "You're not Grandpa. You're something else. Grandpa was never that tall. He also wasn't gray with devil ears."
         "Cindy, I am not a devil; these are not devil ears. I couldn't help the type of ears given to me, just like you." Matthew wondered what he could do to make Cindy more comfortable around him.
         He could not think of anything that would help. Just then, an idea came to him. Matthew would walk in and start talking with her. He didn't know how this would go, but he knew this was how he needed to do it.
          He turned the knob and stepped in.
         Matthew saw Cindy sitting by her computer, looking straight at him. She just stared.
         Matthew began to speak to her, "Hello, Cindy. It is nice to see you. How is school going? Are you doing anything exciting?"
         Cindy did not answer--a few minutes elapsed with no one talking.
         "Want to see my superpowers?" Matthew asked. He didn't wait for an answer. She went over to her bed and lifted it off the ground.
         As he turned to face her, he lifted the bed above her head, then moved to the other side of the room and placed it down in the new spot. "Is there anything else you want me to move for you?"
         Cindy watched him move the bed and couldn't believe what she saw. It was special and exciting. Her grandpa was a superhero with real powers.
          "That was cool."
          Matthew turned to face her and said, "I have many more superpowers, too. I can run so fast you can't see me. I can see extremely far away objects and zoom in on them. Oh, I can fly and hover." He said excitedly. "Watch. No, wait. Come here, please." Cindy got up and slowly walked over. Matthew continued, "I'm going to hold you and hover around the room."
          After saying that, He gently picked her up and started thinking about hovering. He rose off the ground slowly.
          "You're flying, Grandpa!" Cindy excitedly announced. "Can we go higher? I want to touch the ceiling."
          Matthew rose slowly and then hit the ceiling with his head. Cindy raised her arm and slapped the ceiling with her hand, "I did it! I touched the ceiling. I have always wanted to do that," she shared, "Thank you, Grandpa, for doing that."
         As they descended, Matthew asked, "How about we go out and play your favorite game with your sister?"
         "Can we float again after the game?"
         "Most certainly."
         They went directly to the living room when they left Cindy's room. There, they found Misty, Becca, and George, the cat.
         "Hello, we're back. We had an enjoyable conversation and rearranged Cindy's bedroom," Matthew announced. He then asked, "What type of game are we playing?"
         Becca was the first to answer, "I want the Dot game."
         Misty rolled her eyes and answered, "Hun, we played the Dot game twice already. How about we play a different game and then the Dot game?"
         "Promise?"          
         "Yes, we promise."
         Before they could set up the game, Matthews's phone rang. It was Joe calling. He answered the phone, "Hello, Joe. What's up?"
         "If you are near a TV, turn it on to channel 18. You gotta see this."
         "Joe wants me to see something on channel 18." Misty turned the TV on and switched the channel to eighteen. It was a news update regarding the kidnapping of two women at the same park where Joe and Matthew got mugged.
         "I got the TV on 18 and watched the coverage. I wonder if the kidnappers are the two who robbed us?"
         "I was thinking the same thing. I also thought we need to see what the Defender in Green can do."
         "Think so? I could help. See how it goes. OK, I'll go. Keep watching. I'll talk with you after I am back here."
         "That was Joe. You heard what we were talking about and watched it on TV. I must go. Watch for me. Can you record this? If you can, start recording now."
         Matthew went to the garage and opened the door. He backed up a bit before he left. He wanted to run when he exited the garage, as this was the second time he had done this.
         "Here goes nothing," Matthew stated before he started. He then began to run.
         If you were watching him as he left, you would've seen a greenish blur as he started, and then it would be gone before you could blink.
         As he ran, he saw everything stop. Nothing was moving. The cars, people, and even the hummingbird froze in mid-flight. He arrived at Windor Park within seconds after leaving the garage. He saw the police, the news crews, and citizens watching the events unfold.
          He had a hunch where the criminals were hiding. He headed in that direction, and when he was within the trees, he stopped running. The trees concealed him, and no one had seen him so far. He couldn't see anything or hear anything. Matthew then remembered he had super hearing. He focused and then heard everything at once. He focused and started to listen to talking or whispering within the trees. Within seconds, he heard them. It was the Tall One and the Muscular One. He also heard women crying. He went in the direction of the crying. As he entered the clearing, he assessed the situation and thought of a plan.
         First, disarm them. The Defender in Green ran past each of the men, took their guns from their hands, and threw them toward the area of the police.
         Second, secure the hostages. He went over to one of the hostages, picked her up, and ran to where the police were. He did the same with the other hostage. He stopped very briefly with each delivery.
         Third, apprehend the criminals. When he returned to the men, he stopped running in front of them.
         When time caught up with him, the two criminals both shouted in pain. When he took the guns, Matthew just yanked them from their hands. With the speed he was moving and the strength he possessed, he broke each of their gun hands.
         As he stood in front of them, they became aware of him. "Who are you? Where did you come from? Where are the two girls we had?"
         "Allow me to introduce myself, gentlemen. My name is the Defender in Green. And you are out of business," the Defender in Green stated.
         "I see someone who thinks they're all that because he has pointed ears. Well, friend, you aren't. My friend and I will walk out, and you'll be a gray puddle." Said the Tall One.
         They rushed him at the same time. The Muscular One reached the Defender in Green first. The Muscular One attempted to tackle him. As the Muscular One slammed into him, he broke his right shoulder and dislocated his left shoulder; seven ribs were fractured, and he received a concussion. The Tall One hit him on the jaw, and he fell into a heap. This action broke his other hand.
         The Tall One fell back, defenseless. "Who are you? What are you?"
         The Defender in Green told the Tall One, "Hold that thought."
         The Defender in Green disappeared, along with the Muscular One. In the next instance, he was back.
         "I am the Defender in Green and a Superhero."
         If anyone were watching, they would see a towering giant, and someone hurt on the ground disappear.
         After being unceremoniously dropped off, the Tall One realized where he was and who surrounded him. He was about to rub his eyes out of reflex when he again realized he couldn't move either hand.
         "Ugh! Can I get a doctor here? Some vigilante wearing a dumb outfit beat me up and dumped me here for no apparent reason. Come on. I am not joking. Don't believe those ladies. They have no idea what they're saying. Ask the other poor individual lying there in a heap."
         "Shut up, Hinder. Just be quiet. I have a splitting headache, and your screeching is making it worse." said the more injured man lying curled up on the ground.
         Hinder kept proclaiming they were innocent, and someone attacked them. "A man in green was the attacker. He was very tall, had gray skin, and pointed ears. That mask was very unbelievable. He crippled my friend with a rock and then used the same rock to break my hands. Oh yeah, he used some weapon for ripping our guns from our hands as we were using the guns to protect ourselves."
         "Don't forget he used that rock to break my back and shoulders. I can't move my legs. My vision is going dark. He paralyzed me and blinded me. I shall never see my wife and loving children again", cried the larger gentleman.
         "I demand to see my lawyer. I want to sue all of you for not protecting fine, upstanding citizens such as us. I will not move until I see my lawyer.' shouted Hinder.
         "You can see your lawyer at the hospital." cited one Policewoman.
         "We aren't going to jail. Of course, we are not going to jail. I will wait for my attorney in the hospital, as will my friend. We will each need a different attorney. Make mine the better of the two." Hinder stated.

Chapter Nine

Attack

150 Cycles B.E.
          On his many journeys over the planet, the Supreme High One went to one of the farthest cities and took lodging. He wore a disguise because he often did not want to be disturbed by trivial matters. However, due to the placement of this city in his realm, he did not need to wear a disguise as this city only knew of the Supreme High One and followed him. The majority have never seen him; if they have, it was from a great distance. If anyone questioned his business, he advised them he was on a pilgrimage to find his Center. All but one person wished him well. The other was baffled at how he could choose to walk around when staying in one area would be beneficial.
          The Supreme High One would continuously mentally check on the Elders at rest. They did not feel his presence because they hid his identity. He would subconsciously describe the day he sent Ingeous and Sirois to be One with the Planet. This way, it would send an unknown fear among the Elders.
          The Supreme High One would occasionally enter one or two Elders' minds and examine their hidden thoughts, agendas, and recent activities. He wanted to make sure they obeyed his laws and see if they were open to the Hydranousians asking their questions and requesting a boon.
          Supreme High One, can you hear me? It is I, Sopite, your faithful servant.
          Yes, Sopite, I can hear you. What caused you to contact me?
          An unknown assailant has struck down two Elders. Both are One with the Planet. It was not a mental attack. They used flying crystals with crystal tips. It happened while they were Out of Phase. No one there remembers what happened. I have requested a mind sweep to determine if that was true.
          The assailants were undetected. Who was guarding the High Ones while Out of Phase?
          Two guards could have offered information: One with the Planet. The other Elders completed a search for the assailant's essence but could not find any clue.
          How did you find out about this if you are not an Elder?
          I am a Scribe for the Elders. Since I Scribe for four Elders, two of the four are now One with the Planet.
          I did not feel their essence drained. Nor did I hear the Final Scream of their mortality. Whoever did this know of the Elder's barriers and the full power of the Collective? The Supreme High One then asked, do you know if this attack was planned or random?
          We do not know. The chosen were Out of Phase, lightly guarded, and had minimum defenses. It could have been a random attack.
          This action is an attack against the Elders and me. It will not go unpunished. I am at least one cycle from you. I will begin my mental investigation. In the meantime, increase the guards, triple up the guards for the Out of Phase Elders, and finally, advise the other Elders to strengthen their barriers from physical and mental attacks.
          Anything else, Supreme High One? queried Sopite.
          I will return as soon as I can. Have the Elders contact me daily regarding their status. The Supreme High One gathered his belongings and began his return to the palace. Never in history had he known of attacks made on Hydranousians by an unknown assailant.

Chapter Ten

Enigma

         "This is Polly McKensie with Channel 12 News live on the scene at Windor Park where a startling event occurred. Two young women allegedly were mugged while walking through the park this sunny afternoon. The muggers were the notorious Windor Park Duo, Jessup Hinder, and Mike "The Train" Tetterson. While the Police were searching for the hostages, an astonishing turn occurred.
         "The two captive women abruptly appeared among the Officers, followed by Teeterson and Hinder. While Teeterson was unconscious, Hinder was awake but disoriented. He kept shouting that they were innocent and that someone had attacked them. He also stated that a man in green was the attacker. According to Hinder, the assailant was 'very tall, had gray skin and pointed ears'".
         "Hinder and Teeterson mugged the two women in a twist to the story. While the women were not hurt, they remembered something or someone had carried them to the Police. Hinder and Teeterson will be going to undisclosed hospitals for their injuries. They will be under guard during their stay and then escorted to the courthouse for arraignment. This is Polly McKensie reporting live from Windor Park. Back to you, Mark."
         "And cut," the camera operator stated. "Do you believe what those two, Hinder and Teeterson, were saying? I don't believe their story about being mugged by an unknown assailant. It doesn't fit. The two women stated they were being mugged by those two and threatened with being killed if they didn't cooperate. They gave the officer detailed descriptions of the two men but did not say they saw anyone else. It's just weird."
         "Tell me about it. The Police were baffled by how the two women had just shown up near the ambulance, and the two assailants showed up by the police cars in the middle of the police officers without any trace of who or what got them there," affirmed Polly. "We best get back to the studio. The Police aren't offering their take on what happened and what they saw."
         Matthew saw and heard the reporter's newscast. He was relieved no one could make him out except Hinder and Teeterson, though no one seemed to take what Hinder said seriously. As he left, he felt good about what he had done that day.
         As he returned to Misty's house, he wondered how fast he was running. He knew it wasn't the speed of light, but what was it? He knew how to check, but he needed Misty to help him. He was at his daughter's house before he could think of anything else. The garage door was still open, waiting for him.
         When he entered the house, Becca and Cindy met him.
         "Well, Hello, little ladies," Matthew stated. "Where is your mom?"
         "She is in the living room watching you. She said she was proud of you. We watched the same thing but didn't see you," Becca announced.
         Cindy added, "How did you make them all appear out of nowhere? I think it was magic."
         "Me, to Grandpa. You know magic?" asked Becca.
         Matthew advised, "It wasn't magic. Grandpa just ran fast. Faster than the bad guys. Let's go into the living room and see what your mom says."
         "I race you, Cindy," announced Becca as she started running before Cindy could move.
         "No fair, Becca. You cheated," Cindy ran after her sister, with Matthew following.
         When he arrived in the living room, he saw Misty turning the channels to find more stories about him. She stopped on a track providing a report on the mysterious hero in Windor Park. Matthew didn't understand how they called him a hero when no one saw him. He turned his attention back to the news anchor.
         " . .and after the two women mysteriously appeared, their would-be assailants also appeared. They had a run-in with whoever saved the women as they had broken bones and crushed hands, and one was unconscious. The Police searched the area where the women stated the assailants held them. It did show signs of a struggle. When the police discovered something of note, they contacted the forensics team. There was no information on what they discovered; however, it must have been important because they wrapped the area with the bright 'Do Not Cross - Police Investigation' tape. When we approached a Police Officer who had been there, he stated it was still under investigation, so he could not comment on what happened. For Channel 57 News, This is Lila Pace.. "
         Misty had turned the television off and turned to her father. "What happened over there? Did you leave anything? Tell me exactly what happened."
         "Well," began Matthew, "When I arrived, the two ladies were kneeling before the same guys who mugged Joe and me. I first disarmed them using my super speed. I must have broken their hands because when I turned to normal speed, they yelled out in pain while holding their broken fingers. I then went to the hostages, took them to the waiting ambulance, and placed them gently on the ground. When I returned to the clearing, nothing changed. They may have moved slightly, but they looked the same. I stood still and let time catch up with them. They saw me and wanted to know who I was and where I came from. They then questioned what I did with the hostages."
         "I told them I was the Defender in Green. They both came to me at the same time. The big one hit me first as a tackle. What I saw was astonishing. He hit me with what I believe is his full strength and crumbled down in a heap. I barely felt anything. At that time, the other one hit me on my chin. I heard an awful noise as bones broke. As he knelt, he wanted to know who and what I was. I again told him I was the Defender in Green, and then, on impulse, told him I was a Superhero. I took him to the Police and came back here. That's it."
         "If that was it, why is there a search? From what you stated, you ran in and out three times. Did you lose a shoe or a glove?" Misty inquired.
         "No, I have everything I went in with. I am not aware of what the Police are looking for. It could be something the muggers left. I don't know."
         "Well, it can't be anything to lead them here. We will have to wait and see what they find." Misty turned and looked at her girls, "Now it's time to play Dot!"          
         While Becca clapped her hands, Cindy rolled her eyes.
         The following day, Misty got up early to catch the morning news. She went to the living room and saw her Dad sleeping four feet off the ground. If that wasn't enough, he was glowing a soft green color.
         Misty softly told her Dad, "Wake up. It's time to wake up, Dad." Matthew woke with a start and fell onto the floor.
         "What happened? I was resting, and the next thing I fell off the couch," said Matthew.
         "No, you didn't. You were floating about four feet off the ground, sleeping and glowing. I thought you never got tired?"
         "I don't know. This hero stuff is all new to me." Matthew explained. "When I was in the hospital, I never got tired. I was always full of energy. Wait, I just thought about what happened. Like I said, in the hospital, I was full of energy. Maybe that is because I didn't use any of my powers."
         Misty added, "No, that can't be it. You changed clothes at superspeed, lifted the bed while floating, and used supersight. Did I miss anything?"
         "Well," began Matthew, "I used super hearing, too."
         "That's right, you did. So, why weren't you tired after all that?"
         Matthew thought for a minute and then offered, "Maybe it is because I used all those other powers with time between them. I used to run, super strength, and whatever my invulnerability fell under yesterday. They were all used at about the same time. That is why I got tired. Besides," looking at the clock, "I was only sleeping for half an hour before you woke me."
         "I think we need to do more tests. We need to check your endurance levels. I don't want you falling asleep while saving someone or facing criminals," Misty stated.
         "I'm fine with more practice. What do you suggest?"
         "How about you go running for an hour or two and then come back?"
         "Where do I run? I am not running around the block for two hours."
         "Just go straight for about an hour, then come back." Misty offered.
         "That sounds better. I will start now and be back for the 8:30 news. I will be back at 8:30." Matthew opened the garage door and began running west.
         In two hours and 15 minutes, Matthew returned.
         Misty looked at her Dad and observed, "You aren't even winded. Did you stop and rest as you ran? Where did you run to?"
         "Well, I headed west until I came to the ocean and kept going. At first, I thought I would need to swim. However, I discovered I could run on the water when running at super speed. Imagine that," Matthew explained excitedly.
         "You ran on the water? Was it like solid land, or did you sink?"
         "No, I didn't sink. The water felt as hard as the ground. The tricky part was running over more than fifty feet or taller waves."
         "When did you turn around?"
         "I didn't. After about an hour, I turned right and headed toward where I thought Alaska should be. From there, I went over the Arctic Circle and made another right turn. There was some snow and ice I ran over, then more water. After a bit, I turned right again. It was Asia I ran through and turned right again. I ran through Russia and many smaller countries than more oceans until I reached the East Coast. Within 10 minutes, I was home."
         In disbelief, Misty stared at her Dad. "You ran basically around the world. That's about 24,000 miles, isn't it?"
         "Technically, I don't think I ran around the Earth. I made shortcuts. It can't be more than 13,000 miles. Let me see, 13,000 divided by the minutes it took; 120 minutes equals 108 miles a minute. Wow, thinking of it that way, I'm pretty fast. If I take short bursts of speed, I am even faster."
         Misty was looking at her Dad with disbelief and awe. He was a superhero, at least as powers go. What else could he do that hasn't been assessed?
         At this time, Cindy and Becca came running back into the house. While they were playing outside, Becca skinned her knee. There was a little blood, but it was an abrasion. Whatever its label, Becca was crying.
         Misty got up immediately, went to Becca's side, and looked at her knee. She told Becca to sit on the chair, and Misty would get the Boo-Boo kit.
         After Misty left, Matthew came over and knelt to be closer to her. When he got down, he asked Becca if he could look at her knee. When Becca showed her knee to Grandpa, he gently put his hand behind the knee and held it there. "When your mom comes back, we'll make it all better. I can remember when your mom was your age, and she got an owie, I would hold it like this," he then wrapped his other hand over the abrasion, "and tell her it will be all ok when," All of a sudden, a green glow came from underneath his hands. It wasn't hot, just a warm, comfortable feeling. He felt that this was a natural feeling. Becca was staring at the glow beneath Grandpa's hands and on her leg and knee.
         Misty came out at this time and dropped the Boo-Boo kit, "Oh my gosh, what is happening? Becca, are you ok? Dad, stop whatever you are doing now!"
         "I'm sorry. I didn't do this intentionally; it happened when I placed my hand on Becca's leg and knee, just like I used to do with you."
         "I remember that, but you didn't glow when you did it to me."
         When Matthew raised his hands, a miraculous event occurred. He had, somehow, healed Becca's abrasion.
         "What happened here? First, there is an abrasion; when I return, it's healed. To top that, your hands were glowing green. I know I've already said this, but what happened? Did you know you glowed?"
         "As I said, I just touched her while trying to calm her, and the wound healed. I don't recall doing anything. She didn't have an abrasion, and I just brushed it off her knee?"
         "No, I saw it, and it was real blood. And secondly, that doesn't explain the green glow."
         "Maybe I did heal it. We can't heal it again to determine if I can heal people," Matthew began, "so I don't know how to prove if it was me."
         "I have an idea," Misty said. She went over to the Boo-Boo kit and picked it all up. Misty brought it over to sit by Matthew. She withdrew a sharp blade and cut a one-inch line on the back of her hand. "Here, heal this, if you can. Please hurry because it hurts."
         Matthew grabbed her hand and thought about healing, but nothing happened. He tried the other hand and did the same thing, with the same result. Matthew thought of what he did with Becca. He remembered he had kneeled in front of her, placing one hand under her knee and one over her knee.
         That was it. Both hands need to touch the wound, or close to it, for it to work. Matthew again grabbed Misty's hand and placed his other hand around her wrist and lower arm. As soon as he did this, the glow became brighter.
         "Oh my gosh, Dad, you're doing it! You're making your hands glow," Misty explained, "I feel a little tingling on the back of my hand, but it's not uncomfortable."
         The glow began to fade and was soon gone completely. Matthew raised his hands and looked at Misty's hand. The cut was gone. It looked like nothing had happened.
         "You did it! You healed my hand. How did you do that?"
         "I didn't do anything on purpose. It happened by itself. I never knew I had this ability because I had never touched someone who needed healing. If I am saving someone who needs healing, I can do that. That's great."
         "That is great news. You can heal those who need it once you are out in the public's eye."
         "That's a great idea, though I first need to be in the public eye. I am not sure I want to do that just yet." Matthew begins to yawn and then stifles it. "Excuse me. I must be winded or something. I haven't yawned since I had my old body."
         "Maybe you're tired? You have used a lot of energy today with running and healing." Misty offered. "You should try to get some sleep."
         "I am not going to argue that. I do feel a little tired. Maybe a 15-minute nap is all I need." Matthew then laid back on the floor with a pillow and blanket, though it barely covered down to his knees.
         From what Misty could tell, her Dad went to sleep almost immediately after lying down. She looked at her daughters as they watched their favorite cartoons. "I am going out to make a call to Uncle Joe. Don't wake Grandpa."
         When Misty called Joe, he picked up after the third ring. "Hello, Misty. How are you and the girls doing? How is Matt doing? I saw the newscast this morning, and it looks like we have somewhat of a hero in our midst. Is your Dad available? I want to talk with him after talking with you."
         "He is sleeping now. We were experimenting with his powers. He ran over 13,000 miles in just over two hours and discovered he can heal wounded people."
         "He what? Run 13,000 miles? How fast was he going per minute? Wait. Did you say he can heal people? When did he start that?"
         "Yes, he can heal people, and it started today by accident. He was caring for Becca's scraped knee when he covered her knee with one of his hands and cradled the calf of her leg with the other. A soft green glow occurred and then faded away. Her knee is better than new."
         "That is incredible! How did you confirm it? Did Cindy have a scrape, too?"
         "No, I was the guinea pig. I cut the back of my hand and had him try to heal it. He tried single-handed first, but it only worked when he used both hands. He healed it so well there wasn't even a scar."
         "Really? I would like him to try and heal me. Not my leg. It would be tough to explain how I grew my leg back. No, I want him to try and get rid of my tumors and cancer."
         "Oh, I am sure he would love to help you. I will ask him when he wakes up. Oh, the miles per second is roughly 108 miles."
         "That is fast. It is a good thing he is on our side. If he weren't, there would be no end to the havoc and destruction he could cause. Have you been watching the news?"
         "This morning, we watched it. Dad stated he wanted to watch the 8:30 news. I don't know why. Has more come out about yesterday?"
         "That's the reason I am calling. The two muggers are talking about what happened and about your Dad. Hinder and Tetterson have differing accounts of what happened. It has something to do with the fact that they are not in the same hospital room and are separated. Two different accounts do not bode well for them."
         "What are they saying about what happened?"
         "Hinder is starting the Defender in Green. Yes, he used your Dad's alter ego's name, showed up when he and his partner, Teeterson, were minding their own business, and brutally attacked them and knocked them both out. That is why they do not remember how they arrived encircled by the Police. Teeterson, on the other hand, has admitted he and Hinder are the Windor Park Duo. They have mugged and robbed countless people. On the day of their mugging of the two young women, right before going to force them to throw all their valuables on the ground and knock them out, a gray giant with no hair, bright green eyes, and pointy ears dressed in green clothes appeared out of nowhere. He said he was the Green Defender. Well, not knowing what was going to happen, Teeterson charged into your Dad. Teeterson confessed it felt like an unmovable boulder. He broke several bones and got a concussion. He states he wanted to pass out but didn't. He heard and witnessed what happened next."
         "Dad said he was unconscious. Teeterson must have fooled him. You said he heard what happened next?"
         "Yes. Teeterson said Hinder tried punching your Dad but received a broken hand instead. He stated that while talking to Hinder, the Defender in Green told him to sit tight or hold that thought. He wasn't sure. He remembers one moment, Teeterson was in the clearing, and the next, he was surrounded by the Police with no idea how he got there. Within seconds, Hinder appeared out of nowhere next to him. Hinder was babbling about a superhero who had been there, the Defender in Green."
         "So, they didn't recognize Dad? That's good."
         "I'm not done. After the Police talked to the two young girls about what happened, neither one could remember anyone else being there or how they got to the ambulance. They advised the Police that they had been standing beside a fire pit. With this information, the Police went to the clearing and started sweeping the area. They found footprints of the young ladies, Hinder and Teeterson. They also found giant footprints. They had the forensics team make plaster prints of the shoe prints. There is no information regarding their findings."
         "That's a bunch of information. I think once Dad is awake, we will start watching the news again. I will also have him call you."
         "That sounds good, Misty. Thanks."
         Joe hung up the phone, and Misty went to the living room. Before she got there, she heard her two girls giggling and laughing. Misty wondered if they were still watching cartoons or playing a game.
         She was shocked by what she saw as she turned the corner into the living room. Instead of playing a game or watching TV, both sat on top of Grandpa as he floated up and down.
         "What are you two doing?" she snapped.
         "We ride Grandpa up and down. He sleeping." Becca answered.
         "Honest Mom, we aren't hurting him. His chest and stomach are hard as a rock.
         "Just get off when he floats down. That goes for you, too, Becca. Off."
         "I am going to try and wake Grandpa. You two stand back in case he stops floating and falls to the floor."
         "Dad, Dad? It is time to wake up. Can you hear me, Dad? Time to wake up."
         Matthew was still floating slowly up and down. He didn't seem to hear her. Misty was going to shake him gently. However, Becca had a different idea.
         She went to his head, cupped her mouth like a funnel, and shouted into Grandpa's ear, "Wake up, Grandpa! Wake-up!"
         Matthew did wake up. However, he was so startled that he disappeared.

Chapter Eleven

Revelations

149 Cycles P.E.
         The Supreme High One probed the Collective for Sopite, whom he trusted.
         Sopite, are you available?
         It is you, Supreme High One. I am always available to speak with you. Let me increase my barriers so others cannot listen to our conversation. The Supreme High One also bolstered Sopite's barriers to maximize its strength.
         There. How may I serve you?
         What is the update on the Elders? I have not received any messages as I requested. Have any more Elders become One with the Planet? Is there any news on who may be responsible for the terminations?
         Allow me to answer your questions in order. Four more Elders have become One with the Planet. These were not Out of Phase. Some were at their places of residence. No guards have been slain during the attack. The Elders terminated in the four separate instances are Elders Hacuuk, Osit, Peetorim, and Acmine. There was no warning. However, two Elders walking in the forest, Acmine and Harcuuk, managed to send a final message. They stated, 'Ground Attack,' and then we lost all contact.
         There is one other piece of evidence that may not mean anything. The dwelling of Osit had a small opening in the rear of the residence, about the size of a mature Young Adult. We do not know how long the gap existed.
         All four Elders had a crystal rod inserted within their third. The inserted portion of the rod had a pointed crystal shard. Termination of all Elders would be instant.
         There were footprints of Young Ones in the forest leading into the vegetation, but nothing else. No additional clues could be found after our investigation. The guards performed a physical search of the nearby woods and valley. Their search did not find any other clues. The remaining Elders searched for any unknown thoughts; however, that, too, led to a dead end.
         Four lost with no trace? We must be missing something. Are the Elders all linked together?
         No, Supreme High One, they are not. They are suspicious of other Elders, so they do not create a connection. I have established a relationship with ten Elders. We would know instantly if our link were broken due to becoming One with the Planet.
         Be prepared for what I am about to do. Do not take this personally, exclaimed the Supreme High One. He gathered his strength and bolstered his barriers. He then contacted all the Elders at once with an overpowering presence.
         You have failed to protect one another with your petty beliefs and suspicion. All of you are responsible for the four lost Elders. You are all guilty of not being one in the Collective. You may have stopped their termination or, at least, traced the assailants. What say you? What petty excuses do you have? Are you trying to protect your minor inner secrets that mean nothing? How about those of you who consider yourself to be above others? Would you like me to share what is within your inner thoughts with all?
         The Supreme High One was scanning all the Elder's deep thoughts. He saw the fear of exposure of their past deeds. He knew they were all on their knees with the weight of his telepathic announcement. Does anyone of you feel remorse because of your inaction? What about your lack of cohesion as Elders? I expected more from you as Elders. It is time for me to choose better Elders as you have become soft, greedy, and pompous of your worth.
         He instantly heard their thoughts. Most feared they would be replaced and stripped of their powers and Essence to become normal Hydranousians. Others became very afraid because they created animosity among quite a few Hydranousians. Without their protective powers, they would be easy targets for revenge. A few others felt relief. These were the ones who had connected their consciousness to create a warning collective. They were also the ones who treated the citizens and used their powers respectfully.
         I will watch for anyone who refuses to join the group daily. I will also systematically remove non-followers from my directive. The deaths must be prevented and traced. This is not a suggestion, Elders.
         As he started to close the link, he joined the Collective to draw more power and established a link to all the Elders with their knowledge. He wanted to let them know he was watching.
         The Supreme High One thought of some ways the Elders would be safer. He contacted Sopite, explained his ideas, and commanded Sopite to carry them out.
         As you wish, Supreme High One.

Chapter Twelve

Discoveries

         When he was jolted awake, Matthew stopped floating and fell to the floor, flattening the coffee table.
         "Dad!" Misty shouted, startled, "Where did you go?"
         "Grandpas right here," Becca stated as she patted something invisible, "can't you feel him? I can."
         Misty tenderly placed her hand where she thought the head was. She immediately found her dad's nose. She moved up toward the forehead and accidentally poked him in what she believed to be his eye.
         "Ouch! Be careful," Matthew said, "that could've hurt."
         "Sorry. I cannot see where your eyes are. Or any other part of you, for that matter. How can you do that? Are you still lying down?"
         "Yeah. Let me get up. Stop poking me, Becca. I'm right here." After standing up, still unaware of his invisibility, he saw the coffee table he had smashed. "Oh, Misty, I am so sorry about your table. Here, I can pick up the pieces."
         As Matthew was about to reach down to begin to pick up pieces from the table, he, for the first time, noticed he could not see his hands or arms. "Where am I? Where did my hands and arms go?"
         "Dad, I am pretty sure you're invisible."
         "Are you sure? I was not invisible when I took my nap. What happened while I took my nap? Did something happen to trigger something drastic?
         "Becca scared you, and you were startled awake, stopped floating, broke my coffee table, and turned invisible."
         "Well, I'm sorry I broke your coffee table. Let me get you a new one today."
         "And how are you going to do that? Walk into a furniture store and walk out with a floating table? It's OK, don't worry about it." Misty sits down. "This is too much." Out of frustration, she places her face into her hands. "I think I'm in shock. My dad is an alien. A seven-foot-tall super alien who is invisible. I need to sit down." She stands up.
         "Listen to me, sweetheart. You were sitting down. Sit back down again. You are just now processing everything that has happened. It will be OK. You will be OK, and so will I. I am OK now, except for being invisible.
         "OK? OK? How can anything be OK again? You look or look like something from a comic book before turning invisible. You cannot go out in public without attracting attention. What are you going to do? Stay in the house all the time? And now you are invisible. When will you change so we can see you again? And then, what will happen next? Giant height?"
         "Well, I haven't tried to become visible. I must work on it. Might as well be now," Matthew said, "Let's focus on this instead of worrying about everything at once. When did I turn invisible? The only thing I remember before you poked my eye is being asleep."
         "You're right. Focus. We came out, and you were floating up and down, and the girls were sitting on your chest and legs. I told them to get off and then tried to wake you by gently talking with you. When that does not work, I shake you a little. Before I could do that, Becca yelled into your ear. That startled you awake. You then became invisible and crashed onto my coffee table."
         "That's it, huh? I do not remember wishing myself invisible. It is a defense thing. I do not know. That would hide me from everyone, and I could be outside again. I couldn't interact with people because they would talk into empty air, thinking they were going crazy."
         Cindy was sitting just listening and then spoke to her grandpa and mom, "Why don't you tell yourself to be seen?"
         "That's a good idea, Dad. Try to become visible. For example, when you focus on flying or seeing far away, It's worth a try."
         "Focus on being seen. OK. Let's see." Matthew closed his eyes and visualized his body. He began to try to increase his focus when Misty told him to stop.
         "We can see you now, Dad. Whatever you did, it worked. Try not to get startled. I like seeing you instead of being unable to see you. You're easier to keep track of that way."
         "Misty looked at the mess of the smashed coffee table. "Why don't you use your power of super cleaning and pick up all the wood and magazines and put them in the garage recycle bin? The garage door is down, so you will not be seen doing this."
         Matthew picked up the big wood pieces and magazines and carried the first bundle to the garage. When he placed them in the recycle bin, he picked up the container and brought it into the house to save on trips back and forth and returned for another load. When it came to the final trip, Matthew was picking up the tiny pieces of wood and veneer from the floor when he got a splinter in his finger. He instantly felt the worst pain he had felt in his entire life. He could barely sit down on the couch before his legs gave out. He was holding his hand with the splinter and trying to activate his healing power but could not. He attempted to call for Misty, but she was out of the room. He tried talking to Cindy or Becca but could not form words.
         After a bit, Cindy saw her grandpa sitting on the couch, holding his right hand by the wrist, looking like he would pass out. She yelled out, "Mom, I think you should be in here. Grandpa is going to pass out. He looks sick." She went over to her grandpa and looked at the hand he was holding. She saw the small yellow splinter on his index finger and small yellow lines spreading toward his wrist. "Hurry, Mom, he has weird lines over his hand coming from the splinter."
         Misty hurriedly from the other room carrying the Boo-Boo box, "I'm right here. Let me see his hand." She sat down beside her dad and took his injured hand. She immediately saw the yellow lines coming from the splinter spreading over his hand to the wrist. She saw the lines rapidly spread over the wrist and moving up his arm."
         "Hurry, momma, and take the owie out," Becca told her mom, "It be OK, Grandpa. Momma helps you."
         "Cindy, hand me the tweezers to get the splinter." Turning toward her dad, she said, "Dad, I am removing the splinter now. Take it easy until it is out."
         Misty carefully dug into the skin using the tweezers and grabbed the splinter. She began to pull the piece of wood out gently. As she did so, her dad began to cry out in pain. She almost had the splinter when he passed out. She finished the job and got up from the couch. I took the yellow fragment to the garbage can in the kitchen. After returning, she took a moment to look at his infected hand and arm. She saw the small yellow lines were halfway to his elbow. While holding his hand, she noticed a slight green glow from where the splinter had been. It started to grow larger and brighter. Soon, the whole hand was glowing and moving up his arm.
         She did not think she should wake her dad during the healing process. His body needed healing. Somehow, the yellow piece of wood had toxins that caused a nasty infection.
         She returned to his arms and noticed the yellow lines were gone. The green glow got brighter and then went out. There was no sign of the splinter wound or the yellow lines. She heard her dad moan as he woke up.
         "What happened?" Matthew stated, "I remember gathering the small pieces, and then an excruciating pain overwhelmed me. I was aware of that when you were pulling it out. I have never felt such pain in my life. I know I passed out."
         "I first saw the yellow lines creeping up your arm and to your elbow while you were unconscious. When I removed the splinter, the yellow lines began to disappear. While that happened, I saw your hand and arm begin to glow green, like when you healed Becca and me. You must have healed yourself."
         "Where is the splinter? I want to see it. Maybe it had spikes or something to make it painful."
         "I threw it away. Let me go get it." After retrieving the splinter and handing it over, Misty carefully placed it in Matthew's hand.
         Nothing happened.
         "Well, there goes that idea," Matthew voiced, "I thought there was something different about that splinter."
         "Oh, wait. That isn't the one I took out. Let me go get it." After looking for several minutes, she found the splinter. "Here is the yellow splinter I pulled out of you. I got the two mixed up. Sorry." Misty then carefully put the yellow splinter in Matthew's outstretched hand.
         He promptly fell over in pain, "Take it off, take it off!" Matthew cried.
         Misty quickly moved closer with the tweezer to remove the splinter. When she got to his hand, she saw it was still in the same spot she had placed it. He was moving too much for her to use the tweezers, so she reluctantly picked it up with her bare hand. Nothing happened to her.
         There was no more pain. He sat back up and looked incredulously at Misty's hand holding the splinter, "A tiny piece of wood did that to me?"
         "I do not think it was wood. Nothing is happening to me. It is something else because you carried all the other wood out without feeling anything, right?"
         "No. I just carried it out with no problem. Let me see your hand with the splinter."
         Misty held out her hand, and Matthew cupped it in his hand. He withdrew it immediately. "I felt something through your hand. I was not exactly in pain, but something else. An uncomfortableness. Let me hold your other hand."
         Misty held up her left empty hand, and Matthew carefully placed his hand on it. He kept it there.
         "I don't feel anything except your hand. It must be the splinter. I don't understand what the significance is about that splinter."
         "I think I do, Dad. Just a second." Misty put the splinter in the garbage and went over to the pieces of wood still on the floor. She carefully dug through them until she found what she had been looking for.
         Misty held a red bobby pin and asked, "Dad, I want you to touch the end of the bobby pin."
         Matthew stretched tentatively, reached out his hand, and touched the bobby pin. Nothing happened.
         "Now touch the blue bobby pin."
         He then touched the blue one. There was not any pain, just a sense of calm. "There is no pain, but I did feel something. Not sure how to describe it.
         "Now touch the yellow bobby pin."
         He did and promptly removed his finger and started rubbing it. "That stung! It hurt about as bad as when the splinter was in my hand.
         "It's the color yellow. You cannot touch yellow like the bobby pin or the splinter was. It is like your weakness," Misty explained excitedly.
         "So, anything yellow can hurt me to the point of causing tremendous pain or disabling me?"
         "Yes, I believe so."
         "Well, I am not sure how to respond. That is good to know. I can avoid anything yellow. I wonder if any other colors do the same thing?"
         "Try touching green. That is the color you produce with your healing power."
         Matthew touched a green bobby pin, but nothing happened. "Nope, I didn't feel anything. I think it must just be yellow. Let me try the blue bobby pin again." He touched the blue bobby pin again and felt the same sensation. The longer he held it on the bobby pin, the stronger the sense got. Not until about a minute did he realize what he was feeling.
         "It feels like I am healing. When I spontaneously heal, this is what it feels like. A calm, soothing feeling."
         "So yellow causes pain, and blue causes calm. Maybe we need to change the colors of your clothes to blue."
         "Why? They fit well, and I like the color green."
         "Green is made up of blue and yellow."
         "My eyes are green. My healing power is green. There is yellow in those."
         "I don't know, Dad. There is also blue in those. Figuring this information out is all new to me."
         "Me, too. Let us stop for now and relax. I am sorry this is happening. Maybe I should go home or Joe's place and stop disrupting you and the girls' lives."
         "No. You cannot go out and do any shopping or other errands, and Joe's place does not have room for you. You will stay here. I need some time to relax and process all this."
         "Why don't you go for a drive or take a nap? Just get away from all this."
         Misty exhaled profoundly and then started to cry. Soon, her whole body was shaking while she sobbed. Matthew held his daughter close. He did not say anything. Just let her cry. Cindy and Becca soon hugged their mom in the group hug.
         After crying, Misty went to bed and took Becca with her for a nap. While sleeping, Joe called Matthew.
         "Hello, Joe," Matthew answered, "how are you doing?"
         "Are you watching the TV? There is a big story on all the channels. I am watching twelve. A bank robbery turned into a hostage situation."
         "Let me see," advised Matthew while turning the TV on and to channel 12, "OK, I am there."
         ". . .with Channel 12 News up-date live on the scene at the corner of Sioux Avenue and 106th street. We are down the road from the World State Bank, where robbery has become a volatile hostage situation. Sergeant Bakers from the 1658th Precinct Police Department has stated nine hostages, one wounded, and at least six shooters holding them. The police are up against shooters with handguns and semi-automatic rifles. The Police are not stating how negotiations are except that they are ongoing. The shooters did not allow any emergency teams in to treat the wounded. The stand-off is in its fifth hour, with no end in sight. I am Polly McKensie with Channel 12 News. Live at the scene. Back to you, Marcus. "
         "Well, what do you think?" Joe asked, "Do you think you can do this one? There are more of them. There are also hostages, with one hurt. It is time for the Defender in Green to show up."
         "I don't want the hostages hurt by showing up at the scene. Maybe the gunmen will shoot them."
         "Then take out the gunmen first. Do not hit them. Could you give them a little push or something? Maybe a little poke to knock them backward."
         "What about Misty? She is sleeping. Should I wake her up? Also, Cindy is right here. Who is going to watch her?"
         "Grandpa, I am old enough to watch myself with Mom in the other room. I will watch you on TV."
         "I heard what she said. You better get going before someone gets hurt."
         "OK. Keep watching."
         With that, Matthew went to the garage, opened the door, turned invisible, and began to run downtown. He knew exactly where he was going as the World State Bank was his primary bank. As he arrived, he saw the police were blocking roads two blocks out in all directions. He had not seen that many Police in one spot for a long time.
         As he ran up to the door, he became visible, and as he was about to open it, he remembered that when he opened it at super speed while at the hospital, he pulled it off its hinges and damaged the doorframe. He stopped suddenly, opened the door quickly, and went in. He assessed the situation and thought, what had he just walked into?
         He saw the hostages with their heads on the floor, the bank teller with the name tag wounded, and armed shooters around the bank walls, all aiming their guns at him.
         He started walking with his hands up toward three shooters standing by the hostages.
         "Stop where you are. Who are you, and how did you get in here?" the apparent leader demanded, "Just stay where you are, or the hostages die."
         The Defender in Green stopped. He looked around at all the shooters and stated, "I am here for the hostages and nothing else. Just let them leave here, and no one gets hurt."
         "Except you," smirked the leader. He pointed his gun at the Defender in Green and fired one shot. It flew directly toward his head. Flattened and fell to the floor.
         Before anyone reacts, the Defender in Green stated, "My turn." He ran to the farthest shooter, touched his chest, and pushed lightly. The shooter flew backward into a wall and crumpled down, unconscious. He then ran to the next closest shooter and did the same. He did this until the first three shooters remained. The Defender in Green then went to where he started.
         "Who do you think you are?" asked the leader.
         "Hey, man, this is the Defender in Green guy, the news talked about on TV. He is like a Superhero or something."
         "I don't care if he was the President. Just shoot him!"
         With that, all three began firing at the Defender in Green. The leader had an automatic and emptied the cartridge on the Defender in Green. When the last shot was fired, all three shooters could not believe what they saw. His shirt and coat were riddled with bullet holes, and the ground cluttered with flattened bullets surrounded the superhero; the Defender in Green was still standing.
         "Don't move, superhero," the leader threatened, "I have a remote control to set off a bomb that will blow this building sky high. Make a move or twitch, and I press the button." The leader stepped aside and uncovered the bomb.
         By this time, the Police stormed the building with their guns pulled and ready to fire. The scene they came in on made them pause.
         A huge man was standing in a pile of bullets; all but three of the nine shooters were unconscious, and there was a bomb in the bank.
         Everyone froze except the leader. He pushed the button on the remote.
         The Defender in Green was a blur as he went forward and grabbed the explosive device, ran outside, and curled up around it. He waited for the explosion. It happened right on cue from the timer. He heard the explosion and felt heat against his stomach and chest. Smoke rolled out of where the bomb went off. He stood up and noticed that the front of his coat and shirt were gone from the explosion. There was a shocked silence among all the onlookers, Police, and paramedics.
         Someone from the crowd was the first to say something. It was a scream, "There's the Defender in Green!"
         It was instantaneous when the onlookers began cheering and taking pictures. The Police were walking toward him with their direct guns drawn and stopped when they were within twenty feet.
         "I don't want any trouble," putting his hands in the air, "there is an injured man in there along with the other hostages. I do not think the Police inside can oversee all of them and the shooters. Oh, and send in paramedics. There are six unconscious shooters in there, too.
         He paused a moment before he stated, "I got to go. I need to get back to babysitting." With that, he focused on flying, felt himself lift into the air, and flew straight up.
         As he flew up, he realized he could not fly home. It would be awkward why the Defender in Green made a social call. He grabbed his phone and called Joe.
         "Matt, is that you?"
         "Yeah. I am flying now. Have you been watching the news? Was I on it?"
         "You sure were. Excellent job. Did the bomb hurt when it exploded? That was a powerful explosion you took. It looked like it tickled you. You just shrugged it off and looked at your clothes."
         "I felt it, but not in a painful way."
         "So where are you flying to? The television crews cannot see you anymore. They discussed using a helicopter to find you, so be careful."
         "I need to get back home. I was thinking about landing and just running home."
         "Too bad you can't fly as fast as you run or turn inv . . ."
         "What did you say? You are breaking up. I am getting too far away from you. Joe? Joe?"
         He did not know what to do. He thought he should stop going up, so he focused on that. He stopped going up and hovered three miles above the ground. He thought about going down and did quite rapidly.

Chapter Thirteen

Surprises

147 Cycles P.E.
         Within two relffs of reaching their target area, the assailants knew where their marks were. Three were Out of Phase, and the others were in their respective dwellings. It would be simple for the four of them to accomplish their goals.
         Their leader had instructed them on accomplishing their goals and the best way to terminate an Elder's existence. They trained to use their natural knowledge of stealth and camouflage techniques to approach their targets secretly.
         As they approached the Out Phase retreat, they noticed the number of guards had tripled. Instead of standing still, the guards circled the retreat so there were no blind spots. There were seven guards, and only four of them. An alarm would be raised if they attacked, and their advantage would be gone. One or more would perish in the attack. Their leader had warned them under no circumstance should any get caught or killed. The Reincarnated Chosen states that they collect the body and return with the body or don't return. Failure was not an option, and judgment would occur against their families.
         They decided to attack the guards, causing a diversion. They should be able to generate a distraction to gain entrance to the dwelling before having to flee.
         As one, they charged the side with the fewest guards at the time. As they ran, they readied their spears of crystal. They would launch their spears as they drew near, but far enough away that the remaining guards could not attack them.
         Once inside the cleaning, they recognized that all the guards were waiting as they stopped charging and prepared to throw their spears. Multiple-colored lights shot out at them. The mysterious lights hit three assailants, causing them to collapse on the spot and not move. The fourth threw his spear, hitting the mark squarely in the chest.
         It should have easily penetrated the chest. However, when it hit, it simply bounced off. The one remaining assailant turned to flee, only to find four more guards had flanked him. He was trapped. He decided to go in the direction of no guards. As soon as he stepped, a colored beam of bright light struck him. He could not move. Trapped in a cone of light, he couldn't understand what was happening to him. How could light hold him?
         He then felt the impossible. The light was moving up, and he was too. He tried to jump down or break the contact but could not move.
         One of the guards, wearing more armor than the rest, approached him and began to speak. Who sent you? Where are you from? Why are you sending our Elders and guards to be One with the Planet? Speak, or you will end up like your friends!
         The assailant did not know what to do. No one informed them of the reasons for terminating the stone ones called Elders. According to his leader, he did not know who the Elders were, except that they were evil.
         Were you not going to speak? I will probe your mind and will not be gentle in doing so.
         The assailant knew about mind probes. His leader had advised them that this may happen but not to worry.
         The Captain of the Guard began his probe. He quickly discovered he could not contact the criminal. He reached into the mind and found nothing he understood. But that was impossible. Even if barriers were in place, he would have felt them. Here, there was nothing.
         Take him to the reinforced crystal cage. Make sure guards are surrounding it. Check it so there are no other weapons with him.
         The Guard's Captain immediately contacted the Elders regarding the strange creature. Elder Tem, we have news of an attack. Please open a connection to the other Elders so I can provide my report. Is the Supreme High One still in contact with everyone?
         Yes, Captain, I am here. What news do you have? Did anyone become One with the Planet? The Supreme High One inquired. All the Elders are listening. Please continue.
         We surprised the attackers just as they were going to attack an Out of Phase retreat. There were four of them that attacked as one. We surprised them and sent three to be One with the Planet. The fourth attempted to send a guard to be One with the Planet with a rod-like object; however, the new armor easily deflected the rod. We will compare the weapon to the others we have found. We attempted to interrogate the criminal, but he was not talking. I then tried to read its thoughts only to discover they were foreign and indecipherable. I am aware that is impossible. We have the prisoner safely detained, awaiting your interrogation, reported the Captain.
         As you stated, I have already attempted to investigate its mind only to discover it is unreadable. I will need to gather more Essence and open a portal into the Collective, advised the Supreme High One. Once there, I should have enough Essence to remove mental barriers and discover who is responsible for the Elders' and guards' deaths.
         After fortifying his connection with the Collective and narrowing his concentration, the Supreme High One began to probe the assailant's mind. He surmised there would be nothing, diligently searching until he found a well-hidden path to his sentience. Using his available Essence, he increased his barriers as much as possible and began his search. What he saw nearly broke his concentration.
         He discovered images of a city where strange but familiar creatures lived. At first, he did not know why they were friendly. He probed more to see if he could locate the background information of the life forms. He discovered an organized, intelligent, and advanced species for their level. They had their language, government, and culture. He also saw that they were the dominant species in their territory, with hunters, gatherers, and warriors. They had an advanced language system to communicate even over long distances. He did not recognize the dialect but was sure he had heard something like it. Their relationships with their Young Ones were foreign to him.
         As he probed, he again sensed something familiar, but it was buried even further into their consciousness. He would investigate that later. He began to search for why they were attacking the Elders. As he searched, he kept noticing something vaguely familiar about this species.
`          He then remembered. He went to his guarded information and, after a bit, came across what he feared. These were the Natas he discovered cycles ago. He is personally responsible for Nata's current evolved state. When he decided Natas needed a boost toward being closer to actual sentient beings, he sped up their evolution process. He did not think this would happen to hundreds or thousands of cycles. Indirectly, he was responsible for all their deaths.

Chapter Fourteen

Deals

         He had a little time before he needed to panic, even though he was getting closer to the ground.
         After a bit more time elapsed, he decided now would be an enjoyable time to stop. He focused on hovering again by slowing his descent. It seemed to work because the ground was not getting any closer, and he was not going up.
         Now that he got that under control, how would he get home? He could not fly there, land, or casually enter the garage. He decided to cross that bridge when he got there.
         He needed to get his bearings on where exactly he was. He discovered that looking down would be like looking at a road map. That was easy. He would have to get much closer to seeing the detailed information. Getting too close would result in people seeing him, and he did not want that.
         Oh! He remembered the power of invisibility. He could even land and walk home; no one would see or know he was there. He focused on not being there, waved his hand before him, and saw nothing. Perfect. Now, to descend, land, and go home.
         He tried to focus on going straight down but was unsure he was accomplishing that. As he looked down, he was grateful he had been assigned as a Paratrooper during the war, as the height did not bother him.
         When he reached about two hundred feet off the ground, he saw that he was coming down only a block from the robbery scene. The Police, paramedics, and news stations were all still there. He did not see any of the robbery suspects or the hostages, which was good.
         He kept floating down, away from the Police and the crowd. As he landed, he made sure he was still invisible. Good, he could now run home.
         After an uneventful, non-super run home, he entered the garage and shut the door. He focused on being seen. He looked at his hand and arm and saw he could see them. "That was pretty easy," thought Matthew. He went into the house and the living room. Cindy was still there alone, watching the news.
         "That was cool, Grandpa! You held a big bomb, and it exploded, and you just looked at it and smiled. Did it tickle?"
         "I didn't know. I smiled. No, it did not tickle. Has your mom been out here?"
         "No, she and Becca are still sleeping. You should change your clothes before Mom wakes up. She does not like dirty clothes.
         At this, Matthew looked down at his shirt and jacket and saw the tattered remnants. He could not go out shopping and did not want the clothes delivered to Misty's house. How would he get some more?
         He remembers the delivery man from the hospital. He digs through his pockets and searches for the card he gave him and finds it. He pulls it out and searches it for the name. Ryan Brown. He grabbed his phone and called him.
         "This is Ryan. How can I help you?"
         "Mr. Brown, I am not sure if you remember me, but I am the man you brought clothes to while I was in the hospital."
         "Hey, I remember you! You were all over the news yesterday and today. Great saving at the bank. Are you doing something else now? What is it?"
         "No, I need your assistance. The bomb damaged my current clothes, and I need more. Could you bring me any?"
         "Hey, no problem. Let me get back to the store and check what we have. Do you need pants, a shirt, and a coat? Anything else?"
         "Yeah, Give me as many as you can. Make the clothes all the same color. Green if you can. Get the manufacturer's name, and I will order them from them directly. Oh, nothing in yellow. It does not agree with me. Any questions?"
         "Where do I bring them? To your secret lair?"
         'No. Call me when you get the clothes ready, and we will arrange a pickup. OK?"
         "Got it. Call when ready."
         "Thanks, got to go." Matthew hung up the phone.
         After hanging up, Matthew called Joe. When Joe answered the phone, Matthew began to talk. "Hey, Joe. I got home OK; I turned invisible and ran all the way. Anything new on the news?"
         "Plenty. All the local stations have been playing their feed on what happened today and their take on the new superhero. One channel got an interview with one of the hostages. All they talked about was the big gray hero who saved them all. She said you would disappear and reappear in front of some shooters. She stated that when you placed your hand against their chest, they would fly backward like a hurricane-force wind pushed them backward. She also said that she never got a good look at your face so that the Police could not get a rendering of you," Joe continued, "One station has gone so far as stating they will get an interview with you before anyone else.
         "Oh, which station is that? Our channel twelve with Polly, what's her name?"
         "No, she is too busy trying to discover your alter ego, if there is one. One station had a story that you are from a hospital. Genetically enhanced humans. She doesn't mention the hospital's name but has hinted it is in town."
         "Did you catch her name? I might need to do undercover work or long-range listening."
         "I believe it is Erin Bogle. How are you going to go undercover? Paint yourself brown with a green head and go like a tree?"
         "No, being invisible. Ms. Bogle will never know I am there."
         "Put a hold on that, Matt. We need to determine if she has anything first. Speaking of hospitals, I thought of Wood Plaza Hospital, where you were admitted and turned into your current persona. Why haven't they contacted you or told the press about you?
         "That's a good question. I do not know. Does the hospital staff think someone there will get blamed for what happened? Or I would report them to the Medical Board. I guess I do not know. I could contact the doctor working on me and get his information."
         "That's if he would talk with you. It is worth checking out. We first need to think of a way to do it unnoticed. Maybe go there at night and check around? Let us sit tight on this one. I contacted someone I know who will get you more clothes. I told him they were for an old boxer I knew. He is a big guy. He is retired, but I still talk with him now and then. Hopefully, he can come through."
         "I contacted someone, too. He knows about me and has helped me before. He will call, and then we will meet somewhere far away from here."
         "Let's hope he doesn't betray that trust."
         "Yeah, I agree." He hears Misty and Becca talking and getting up. "I need to go, Joe. Misty is up, and I must ensure she is sitting down before I tell her about today."
         "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes right now. Talk to you later."
         As Misty and Becca entered the living room, Matthew held a blanket against his chest, covering the torn, shredded shirt and coat. "Have a seat, Misty. I was cleaning up and folding this blanket. With it still held against him, he sat down at the opposite end of the couch from Misty.
         "Mom, Grandpa stopped a bomb from hurting people."
         Great.
         "You did what? Did you just say you stopped a bomb from going off? How did you stop a bomb from going off? That could have killed you! Why didn't you wake me up? Were you hurt? Did anyone see you? Why was there a bomb?"
         "Just wait. I can answer all these questions. Just relax," Matthew drops the blanket without thinking, "first, no one. "
         "What happened to your shirt and jacket? Most of it is missing! Did the criminals do that?"
         "Of course not. That is from when I was holding the bomb against my stomach, chest, and arms as it went off."
         "You what? Did you hold a bomb when it went off? Have I already said that could have killed you? Was anyone hurt? Why did you do that? Couldn't you have left it alone and run away?"
         "No. Many people would have died. My military experience kicked in, and I took the hit. No, I was not hurt at all. I barely felt the heat where I held the bomb. After the bomb went off, I left. The Police had everything under control at that time. It looked like the shooters had shot a teller because he was on the floor. Why did I go there and help? Because without me there, many people would have died. I have seen enough killing in my lifetime. I don't want to see it anymore."
         "Grandpa smiled after the bomb went off," offered Cindy.
         Ignoring Cindy, "I'm sorry, Dad. I did not realize you felt this way. Mom always told me that you regretted it when you were unable to be in the military anymore due to all your injuries. She told me you were an excellent soldier with a conscience, both you and Uncle Joe. I am sorry if I overreacted. I wasn't expecting to wake up to hear this."
         "You didn't; I did. These old bones missed many years of being able to help people here besides your mother."
         Joe called again, this time about something new. "Hey, Matt. I have a question. Do you have force beams coming from your eyes?"
         "Force what? Beams? What, like headlights?"
         "No. Something like a laser beam or fire? Since your eyes glow, there may be something in there that could do that."
         "I have no idea at all. I know I can see far away. I'm not sure if there are force beams in there. I could try it; I need to go someplace to try it. If I do, I do not want Misty or her neighbors to lose their house. Have any suggestions where I can try without onlookers?"
         "Remember our old training base about ten miles out of town? It has been closed for the last five years. There are no guards or security guards, as all the military equipment is gone. It is a popular hangout for the older teens on the weekends."
         "Joe, how on Earth do you get all this information? You know everything."
         "Well, I don't sit around all just watching Soap Operas. I have made many connections over the years and learned many things. One such piece of information is regarding the military base. You interested?"
         "Sure. I want to try all my abilities more. Become more familiar and accustomed to using them. When do you want to meet? It is three o'clock in the afternoon. Say in an hour?"
         That sounds perfect. I can spend more time with Misty and the girls before I leave. Let's meet by the old military bunker."
         "OK. See you in about an hour." Joe said as he hung up.
         Matthew spent time with Misty and the girls playing Chutes, Ladders, and Mouse Trap. Misty won Chutes and Ladders, and Cindy creamed everyone, winning Mouse Trap. When it was three-fifty-five, Matthew left. After opening the garage door, he turned invisible and flew to his meeting with Joe. Instead of flying way up in the sky, he flew above the tree line, following the road.
         When he got there, he saw Joe's van. Joe had the van remodeled inside so he could drive his scooter through the back and into the diver position.
         When Matt landed, he ensured Joe knew he was landing so as not to startle him.
         "Heads up, Joe. Coming in for a landing." Matthew turned visible the last ten yards before he landed. Joe watched in wonder.
         "I can never get tired of seeing you do that. Say, after we get done, I have a favor to ask you."
         "Sure. Ask now if you want," Matthew replied.
         "It'll wait. So, let us see if you have anything super about your eyes besides zoom focus," Joe began, "I got here early and set some paper targets at the end of the ramp here. See if you can hit them with your eye power."
         Matthew turned and saw the pages with targets. He did not know how to go about this. Did Matthew focus like he did with his supervision? He attempted to look at the target and willed his eyes to shoot forth their beams. When nothing happened, he tried closing one eye and trying again. Nothing happened. He was trying hard enough. He opened his eyes and looked closely at the target, picturing beams coming from his eyes, destroying the target. He imagines seeing the rays come forth.
         After nothing happened, he noticed his vision was different. He could see more clearly, more defined. He turned to Joe to tell him what he was feeling.
         As he turned toward Joe, he saw Joe about fall off his scooter, "Holy crap, Matt. What did you do?"
         "Nothing. Weren't you watching?" Matthew began to voice his thoughts when Joe interrupted.
         "Matt, just don't panic. We will figure this out. Just relax."
         "Joe, I don't understand. Why are you acting this way? If you are upset about my inability to hit the target, it is OK. I will practice. Just stop staring at me."
          "Matt, you have a Third Eye on your forehead. Come here and look in my scooter's mirror."
         Matthew walks over and reluctantly looks into the mirror. He falls backward away from Joe and the mirror.
         "What the heck is that? I never had another eye before. All I did was focus on firing a beam from my eyes. I did not want a Third Eye. What else? A tale?"
         "Wait, wait a minute. That eye is here for a reason. Can you see further?
         Matthew focuses his eye on a distant mountain. It became clear. However, it was the same distance as he had before. "No, I can't see further, but I can see much clearer than before."
         "OK, let's try this again. Focus on the wall and target. Picture all three eyes shooting out a ray of light."
         Matthew took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He then looked at the target and began to think about hitting the target with a beam. He tilted his head forward a little bit while he readied his focus again. Before he could do anything else, a powerful green beam shot out of the Third Eye and hit the target. It burnt the mark to ashes, and the beam traveled through the solid concrete structure and into the hill beyond. Matthew opened the other two eyes, the shaft turned off, and the Third Eye closed.
         "That's what I was talking about!" cried Joe. "That was bloody marvelous. Did you see how far it went? Wonderful job! Let's try some more tests."
         "Did you see how I did that? When I closed my normal two eyes, a Third Eye opened. You need to watch my face, the front part, when I do this." Matthew excitedly stated. Joe moved to the front side of Matthew so he could see his eyes.
         "OK, I am ready."
         Matthew turned again to look at the target. He closed his regular eyes, and his extra eye opened where previously one had not been. He could still see the target clearly, along with everything else. He turned to Joe and asked, "What do you see? Is it the Third Eye? What color is it?"
         Before Joe could answer, Matthew looked at the targets and focused on two at a time. He willed the energy bolt to come out, and one very bright green beam came out, divided into two, and hit both targets. He opened his other two eyes and felt the power dissipate and no longer be there.
         "With your Third Eye open, it looked exactly like your other two, but bigger. It was very bright, almost hard to look at. When you fired it, a beam of pure energy came out of the Third Eye and blasted two targets. The color of the beam was bright green. How did you manage that? Incredible."
         "It works much like everything else I do. I focus on what I want to happen, and it does, eventually. Everything has its quirks. I bet they will not require intense thought once I get used to the powers. I will be able to activate any one of them at any time."
         "So far, I see one problem with your force vision," Joe announced.
         "What's that?" asked Matthew.
         "What happens if you use your force vision on a person?"
         "I am not following you. I would stop them, of course:
         "Try using your force bean again, but very lightly. Like a nudge for bad guys to move back."
         "Easy. Just watch."
         Matthew again faced the targets. There was one left. He bent his head forward slightly. His Third Eye opened. He focused on the last mark and willed a gentle push backward. His Third Eye discharged and blew the target back with a hole through the center.
         "I didn't put that much effort into this. I just thought about moving it back. Not ripping through it as it did." Matthew observed.
         "That's what I thought would happen after seeing your first blast. You could use this power blast to enter a vault or smash away boulders. You should never use this on a normal person."
         Matthew added, "You're right. I cannot use this on people. It would be best to use it on an emergency basis for opening vaults or smashing walls or things like that."
         "Let's go to the next tests. We are going to see how strong you are and your invulnerability."
         "Good. After the bomb incident, I have wondered about my strength and invulnerability."
         "Well, we know you are invulnerable to at least bomb blasts. Let us knock down that old tower over there. Go to the side of the building and lift as much as you can. Try to lift it out of the ground."
         Matthew went to the edge of the old radar tower and looked for someplace to grab. He kept walking around the building until he found an already exposed part of the base. He bent down and saw where the tower's edge met the Earth. After scooping out the land, he scooped away some dirt to better see the rim. He put his hands underneath the base of the tower and lifted.
         Joe was watching what Matthew was doing as he walked around the tower. When Matthew went to the other side, Joe could not see him because his scooter was not particularly good at off-road driving. As he waited for him to show up from the other side, Joe thought about Matthews's offer to heal his missing leg. His thoughts were interrupted by Matthew's grunt.
         The tower and slab of concrete had been around for one hundred years. Even though no wars or uprisings occurred in this part of the country, the base and tower were built to last the worst events. The tower stayed together when Matthew grabbed the base and began to lift. As he lifted the base, he kept moving inward so the bottom of the base was above his head. He kept walking inward while raising the base. When he thought he had gone halfway, he stopped, turned around so his back was to the stone floor above him, and faced the way he came. He placed his back toward the bottom of the floor and stood up.
         Joe was watching the tower from the outside. He noticed the building move slightly one way and then the other as Matthew dug it out from underneath. When the tower stopped rocking, he wondered what was going on. He then saw the building shift down on Matthew's last seen side. Then, the tower began to rise.
         Matthew had placed his back underneath to stand up, raising the tower as he stood. As he stood erect, he pushed his hands against the ceiling.
         Joe saw the tower rise, base and all. He noticed it was slowly rising off the ground. It wobbled a couple of times but stayed steady otherwise.
         Underneath, Matthew felt he could extend his arms up but did not think the old tower would stay together. He also thought about floating up with the build, which would do the same to the foundation. Either way, Matthew knew he could do more. He began bringing the tower back down and placing it where it was.
         Joe saw Matthew standing almost erect when the tower reached five feet off the ground. He wondered if Matthew had exerted all his strength or if the building was collapsing. Either way, it was being placed back in its resting spot.
         Matthew soon came walking around the building, covered with dirt and debris from under the ground.
         "So, how'd I do?"
         "Pretty darn good," answered Joe, "I was surprised the old tower held together. When you stopped, you had it about five to six feet off the ground. Very impressive. How did it feel using your super strength?"
         "Felt great. I could have pushed more, but the building would not have held together. I could do a lot more. Too bad they don't have any tanks here I could smash."
         "How long can you hold your breath? I think a swim is in order."
         "Are you saying I need a bath?" Matthew joked, "Yes, let's go for a swim. Are you coming?"
         "We'll take my boat to the middle of the lake, and you and go explore the bottom." I will meet you on the lake. Make sure you are invisible."
         "Right, see you there." Matthew then began to float upward and then disappeared.
         When Joe gets to the middle of the lake in his motored dinghy, he drops his anchor and begins to fish. He soon feels the weight of another person. "About time you got here. I hate fishing alone."
         "How can you be fishing when you didn't bait the hook?" Matthew asked.
         "I hate worms, can't see lures, and never touched Stink Bait." Besides, I don't like the smell or taste of fish."
         "Then why do you come out here to fish?"
         "Fishing helps me learn skills in patience," Joe replied.
         "Well, can't argue that. I am beginning to smell. I am going down. Wish me luck." Matthew got out of the boat and into the water.
         The first thing Matthew saw was that it was dark and murky. He wished his vision were more sensitive to light. Matthew felt something happening to his eyes, and suddenly, the water was much more transparent and brighter. He then began to swim downward.
         When he was young, he enjoyed swimming. He felt like he was flying, almost weightless. He loved the times he and his friends would swim in the lakes and ponds around his hometown. That is also how he met his wife. While remembering his youth, he reached the bottom. He saw rocks, mud, sand, plants, and garbage on the bottom. He could never understand why people who wanted to be on the water or swim would throw their trash into the same water.
         He began to swim around the bottom to see what he could find. He saw fishing poles, tires, a small dinghy, lots of rocks, a body, and fish in stringers that held the fish after being caught.
          A Body?
          Matthew swam back to the body. Three large pieces of concrete weighed it down. He carefully ripped the cords apart that were holding the body down, gathered the body, and swam to the nearest shore. He placed the body onto the beach and swam back down to check for other objects that may have been with that person. He saw bones and fragments, bits of clothing, and what looked like jewelry. He placed them by the body on shore and went to get Joe.
         "I can't tell how old these remains are. They may have been there for months," Joe observed, "I am pretty sure this was a female. I will call the Police. You disappear."
         Soon, the Police arrived and began questioning Joe. "How did you come across this body?"
          "I was fishing and saw some birds over here eating something. As I got near, I could see what it was and called you. I didn't disrupt the body."
         "We appreciate that. Did you notice anything else when you observed the body? Any weapon?"
         "No. What you see is what I saw. Can I go? I gave the other officer my personal information in case you need to contact me."
         "I saw that you did, thank you. As of right now, we're through. Please be aware that we will contact you with any further questions."
         "Not a problem. More than happy to help."
         As Joe was driving, he talked to the invisible Matthew in the back seat.
         "Hey, Matt, how upset would you be if I left and moved out west someplace?"
         "I don't know. It depends on why you are leaving. What do you think about it?
         "I guess a new start." Joe quickly changed the subject, "What else did you find down there? Under the water?"
         "Besides the body? Nothing else but fish and junk."
         "Oh, by the way, you were down there for about forty-five minutes without coming up for air."
         Later in the afternoon, Matthew got a call from Ryan Brown, his contact from the clothing store, regarding the clothes he wanted. "Hello, Ryan. How can I help you?"
         "Hey, I got those clothes you wanted. I managed to get four of everything you requested."
         "That's great. Let's meet tonight. Do you know that old farmhouse on East Fourteenth?"
         "Sure, that's a great place to kick back and have a few without the Police knowing about it. What time?
         "Oh, how about ten o'clock?"
         "Sounds good. I will make it there.
         "Thanks, see you then,"
          Later that night, Matthew landed near the area. He was early so he could see if Ryan would come alone. He found an excellent place to meet him. It had three roads connected to it so it would be easy to get out in a hurry, had trees and ground covering it so it would be difficult for people to see them, and had a fire pit to give them light.
         With Matthew's increased vision, he did not need extra light to collect wood and other debris to start the fire, providing enough light for them to see. Matthew used his Third Eye to light the fire.
         He did not have long to wait. He soon heard a car coming up the road. He turned invisible and waited to see who it was. When the vehicle arrived, Ryan got out, went to the trunk, and pulled out a large bundle. He left his car on with his car stereo playing country music. Ryan came over to the fire pit, looked around, and then sat on one of the logs around the fire pit to wait. After Matthew thought he had given enough time, he appeared ten feet before Ryan.
         "Hello, Ryan. Thanks for bringing the clothes."
         "Woah! You scared the jeepers out of me by just popping up like that. It's a cool superpower, in any case. Do you have any other new ones? Oh, here are your clothes. No one at work caught me buying all the biggest items. Your receipt is in the bag. You are saving all those people at the bank, which is all the talk at work. I am, like, dudes. I met him in person. I'm his go-to guy for clothes." He places his hands up, palms toward the Defender in Green, "But, hey, I kept quiet about you. No one knows but me. Be careful. The news station posted a reward for anyone who could get a good picture of you. Do not worry. I did not bring my camera.
         "I appreciate you keeping my secret."
         The Defender in Green goes to the bundle of clothes, removes the receipt, crumples it, and throws it in the fire.
         After bidding goodbye to Ryan, he returned to Misty's house. As he was lifting off the ground, a spotlight lit him up. Then another and another. He is bathed in light from three sides. He was about to fly away until he saw Ryan held by the Police. He stopped floating and descended to the ground and instantly surrounded.
         "Underwood Police Department! Put your hands in the air, and do not move!" One Police officer yelled. Matthew stood still as three other officers approached with their guns drawn. "Put your hands into the air, in the air now!" the Police officer shouted. Matthew complied, knowing what was coming next. As the same officer approached to handcuff him, he attempted to reach for Matthew's wrists. He could not contact them. Instead of waiting for the officer to tell him to lower his arms, he dropped them himself. The officer then cuffed him.
         "Can I ask what I am being charged with?" Matthew asked, "I do know my rights. Why are you detaining the other gentleman? He did not do anything against the law. I am sure you watched the whole transaction."
         "We did. We saw nothing against the law."
         "I have another appointment to go to after this." He knew he did not, but they did not know.
         "Sir, you will be allowed to leave after our conversation."
         An unassuming detective approached the Defender in Green, stopped a few feet from him, looked him over, and stated, "You are big. Bigger in person, at least. I bet you are wondering why we are here?"
         "The thought did cross my mind. Did you wiretap Mr. Brown's phone or coax him into it?"
         "His employer called us after Mr. Brown purchased many large clothes. Seeing your current outfit is in tatters due to the bomb, we put two and two together and followed him here. While you were talking, we surrounded you and waited."
         "Well, good job, I guess. Now that you have my attention, what do you want?"
         "My name is Captain Ventz. We want to stay connected with you. Now, before you speak, hear me out. We do not want to control you. We merely want you to come and assist when we call. You do not have to show up for petty crimes; however, you showed great tactics and control today. We can use that in situations like this morning's robbery. No one was hurt, the criminals were behind bars, and most importantly, no laws were broken. We will provide you with a direct line to me. I would be the only one to contact you when your assistance is needed. Whomever you are staying with will not be contacted by us."
         "What do you mean by that? Did you plan to use them as leverage?" He quickly broke the cuffs, made a fist, and placed his hands by his side. "I wouldn't like that. I would take that as a hostile maneuver by the Police and be forced to take tactical actions."
         "Ex-military? I am, too. I did not fight in those wars to come back here and infringe on our freedoms, and I do not plan to start. You have my word that you will not be harassed or contacted outside of the calls for assistance."
         "What about possible friends like Mr. Brown? Will they be under surveillance? Will he be let go tonight?"
         "He was free to go now and was encouraged to do so. As we do not know who you are, how can we know your other friends?"
         "Will I need to make any non-criminal appearances, such as interviews or other media appointments?"
         "While you are certainly different, we do not plan to display you like a circus freak. Your privacy is most advantageous for us and you. Do you have any other questions?
         "Your phone will not track me?"
         "No, it will not. If you know of anyone with tracking equipment experience, have them check the phone out. Or supply one of your own. We can supply you with the telephone number."
         "I will take yours. One last thing, since you stopped my clothing distributor, who will I get needed clothes without attracting attention."
         "Good point. Here are the clothes he brought tonight. We will supply whatever you require from now on. Just call me and request what you need, and we can leave them on our roof for you to pick up."
         "Do I get a badge?"
         "No. We will be working in tandem. You are not on the force. This way, you will not have to report to anyone. You're free to do what you have been doing; answer the call when needed."
         The Defender in Green then breaks the cuffs off his wrists and hands them back to the officer who placed them, "these are yours, I believe," he grabs his bundle of clothes and flies away.

Chapter Fifteen

Old Enemies

147 Cycles P.E
         The Supreme High One was beyond consolation. He knew he was solely responsible for the evolution of the Natas. He should have considered the ramifications of such an act. He has never made such a grievous error that he knew of. He needed to correct this, but how? He first would need to go back to the North Quadrant. He was unsure what he would find and what the Supreme High One would do when he arrived.
         He contacted all the Elders. He wanted to advise them of his plan to go to the North Quadrant to investigate a lead of where the assailants were from. He urged them to keep him posted as ordered earlier and to stay diligent as it was unknown if there were more in hiding. He advised them to recruit more guards to ensure their safety. He suggested the Elders break their tradition of living apart and find somewhere a group could live near each other. This way, the guards could protect in force.
         He then began his journey north. He needed to go as fast as possible to get there to prevent more Elders from becoming One with the Planet. He knew if he used his Essence too rapidly, he would suffer the rigors of his travel. He decided to open a significant conduit to the Collective to provide substance for his trip. Doing this would enable him to move more rapidly without tiring himself.
         While traveling, he began to develop strategies to resolve the issue of the Natas attacking his people. He knew he had limited access to their minds. He also knew the ones staying in the village would never have dealt with an outsider. He needed a strategy for how to get into the town and communicate with the Natas. He thought of several scenarios, all of which had flaws. His three main obstacles were being allowed into their village, communicating with them, and protecting himself.
         He thought about the first obstacle, being allowed entry. He could use stealth and go into the village at night with minimal guards. That would not work, however. He wanted to enter the town so he could investigate freely. He tried to discover exactly how far they had advanced and wanted to meet with their leader to open a discussion about why they were attacking the Elders and a peaceful resolution. A straightforward approach would be the best for this situation.
         He knew communicating with them would be difficult. He could repeat the process that he used on the captive Nata.
         A problem with entering the village of the Natas is that he would have to create a defense against their advanced weapons. He needed to create a counterforce to stop their flying crystal shafts. He thought about using telekinesis to stop the projectiles from coming near him. Something like that would need to be always active. That would cause a severe drain of his Essence and reservoir. He would have to keep the conduit open with powerful barriers from someone investigating the drain of the Essence.
         As he walked, he began to wonder what else he did was careless. He begins to guess everything he has done, from pretending to be an Old One to the termination of the two Elders for betrayal. At this moment, he felt he had made one mistake after another without accountability. The Elders would not openly question him because they knew he was much more powerful and always had access to the Collective. No one would dare challenge him.
         His time as Supreme High One should end. The problem is that the only way out is to become One with the Planet. With that thought, he felt his usefulness was still needed. Who else would deal with the Natas? However, Natas would not have been a threat if it weren't for him.
         He was getting nowhere with his thoughts except frustration. He needed to focus on what he needed to accomplish once he got to the village. His physical defenses needed to be working; he needed to be able to communicate with Nata's leader and make the Elders aware of what transpired.
         First, to work on his defenses. Using his telekinesis was the best way to deal with physical attacks. He would focus on repelling all matter coming in his direction by reversing what he would typically do. Instead of bringing objects such as crystals to him, he would send them away. With practice, he may even send them back to the sender. That would work. Now, to begin practicing setting the process together and make it work all the time.
         After half a cycle of working on his physical defense, he had it repelling all material objects coming toward him. He practiced by throwing pieces of crystals straight up into the air and landing on his head. At first, assessing the defenses was a disaster as most of the crystals would hit him on the head, causing minor damage. Not until he tossed a large stone into the air, promptly hit him on the head, and broke into smaller pieces did he understand what he was doing wrong. The Supreme High One only concentrated on the deflection around him, not from above. He made the adjustments and tossed a smaller stone into the air, only to bounce off the barrier a foot above his head.
         Now that he knew how to create an effective defense, he needed to learn to maintain it constantly. Doing so was different from keeping mental barriers up. Learning to keep his physical barriers always functional required little to no conscious effort after creating them. The physical defense power was unlike anything he had attempted before this occasion. Stopping physical attacks has never been tried until now. With practice and time, he learned how to keep his physical energy force active without concentrating.
         Soon after learning how to maintain his defenses, the Supreme High One encountered a small group of evolved Natas in hiding. He felt several crystal weapons bounce off of the force barrier and fall harmlessly to the ground. He reached out and tried to communicate with them by using the same method he used on the assailant. He made contact and began probing into their communication abilities. As he investigated, he discovered an unexpected term of events.
         These Natas could speak and understand Hydranousian.
         How was this possible? Could they have evolved so much that they mastered a language they had never heard? The Natas would encounter some criminals exiled here and, over time, assimilate the language. Where were the criminals now? Were they still wandering, or had they built a village for themselves?
         While the Supreme High One was thinking, the Natas began to move, forming a circle around him, flanking in six different spots. They again began to throw the shafts of crystal poles at him. His physical barrier easily deflected all advances.
         I am not here to harm you, the Supreme High One stated. I come in peace. He hoped the Natas would stop and speak with him.
         You are not peaceful. You violate our minds with ugliness. You are not from Tra. You are tainted, one of the warriors stated.
         Tra? Is this what the Natas call themselves, or is it a location? The Tra must have felt the Supreme High One's probing. How was that possible? He had masked his probe under several layers of defense to avoid notice. He needed to let them know he was on a peaceful mission.
         I apologize for the mind probe. I did not know we could speak together. I am a traveler from far away. I want to talk to your leader, the Supreme High One requested.
         Our Reincarnated Chosen does not speak to strangers. She is All-Knowing and prophesized that a stranger, unlike us, would be coming to seek her wisdom. She advised our warriors to be ready and seek you out and destroy you. We sent our best warriors to find and eliminate you. If you are here, they failed. We will not.
         The Tra began to use their weapons again. The Supreme High One noticed they were using long, thin crystal rods with a pliable type of stretched material tied to each end. They then placed a smaller rod across the larger one against the flexible material. After pulling the skin while holding the smaller rod, they would release the shorter rod, which flew out of their hands and toward whatever they were looking at. The speed was remarkable, as was the aim of the device. His physical defense barrier was keeping all the rods from harming him. Without his barrier, he would have been One with the Planet by the second rod.
         After several attempts to get through his barrier, the Tra stopped. The Supreme High One again addressed the Tra who had spoken earlier.
         I will not use violence against you. As I stated, I come in peace to speak to your Reincarnated Chosen. I wish to find harmony between us.
         The Reincarnated Chosen knows all. She is the wisest of us all. If you seek peace, you must speak to Her if it is in Her Will. You will stay here while our fastest messenger seeks Her out for permission or death. With this, the apparent leader ordered one of the Tra to leave. The Supreme High One didn't understand the language used. It sounded familiarly like the sounds he heard when he was here the first time.
         While waiting, he noticed he had not seen any Reres flying. He wondered where they were. The last time he was here, he would see them hunting throughout the sky. At that time, he only noticed that the only source of food for the Rere was the Tra.
         Please excuse the interruption; how far is it to the palace of the Reincarnated Chosen?
         Far on foot. A runner is back by Glos--a much quicker way to move.
         What is a Glos?
         Glos is Glos. Travel faster than Tra. Travel above.
         Travel above? Do you mean travels in the sky? The Supreme High One asked while pointing up.
         Yes, travel above.
         The Tra looked in the direction of where the messenger had gone. He then pointed and said, Many come back now. Colors say Reincarnated Chosen is coming, too. He made a chirping noise, and the other guards circled the Supreme High One again with weapons aimed at him.
         As the Tra got closer, he saw larger versions of the Rere. This must be the Glos they spoke of. They were easily twice as big as he remembered. The Tra must have trained the Glos to carry them.
         As they arrived, the Supreme High One saw at least twenty-four more guards and someone covered from head to toe in brightly colored feathers with brightly colored crystal shards.
         After touching the ground, the Glos bent down to allow the Tra to get off. They then gathered around the one in feathers. That must either be the Reincarnated Chosen or someone in her stead. The Supreme High One reinforced his mental and physical barriers as they approached.
         Oddly, he did not feel anyone attempting to probe his mind. He did not examine the mind of the Reincarnated Chosen, either, because they knew he was there to investigate the attacks. So, he waited.
         When the group arrived, the feathered one stepped closer.
         "You appear to be an Old One. Why did you come here?"
         How did you know I am an Old One? I did not advise anyone, and I felt no mind probe.
         "I know much about the Hydranousians and their history. Why are you here? Did the Elders send you? I assume you have felt my ability to destroy them through my will alone."
         So, you are sending the Tra to terminate the Elders and guards. Why? I know of no attack from the Elders on your people. The Elders are unaware of your existence. They do not even know who the attackers are. I just learned they are called Tra.
         "Of course, they have no idea who is attacking them. They, and the Supreme High One, are guilty of crimes against their people. Their Supreme High One is responsible for condemning his people to silence from the Collective and banishing them to my land. I hold him and the Elders guilty of treason against his people. His punishment will be the termination of his Elders and his silence and banishment to a cage in my throne room for my amusement."
         "I am allowing you to return and tell your Supreme High One that if he turns himself in, I will spare his people from becoming One with the Planet. Further, I plan to bring my people to his palace and surrounding area to live and govern. My Tra is immune to your probes, so you cannot discover any plans. Further, the Supreme High One's belief that no one returns from the North Quadrant is wrong. Deadly wrong."
         "Who were you before coming here? You are a Hydranousian. Are you one of the banished ones, or did you come here alone?"
         She doesn't know about the explosion or my disappearance.
         If I may, Reincarnated Chosen, the Supreme High One, disappeared some time ago and was presumed One with the Planet. No one could contact him mentally, and there is no trace of him in the Collective. A new Supreme High One has not appeared. The Elders are in charge.
         Is he One with the Planet? He's gone? He cannot be. I have not had my revenge yet. You are not speaking the truth. If that is the truth, I will have my revenge on all the Elders. They cannot defend themselves against my army. I have many squads waiting for their orders. I will send word today that they are to finish them at once.
         She called ten guards and said, "Go to your squads and tell them to concentrate on the Elders. I want them terminated."
         "You, Old One. I am releasing you today. Leave my kingdom at once. I shall have two squads watching you until you reach my border. I will order your demise if you stay, return, or delay."
         With this, the Reincarnated Chosen removed the covering of her hands and pulled off the hat and mask."
         No.
         It can't be.
         The Reincarnated Chosen is Eternity.

Chapter Sixteen

Decisions

         "OK, Dad, let me get this straight: they want you to help them with bad situations? You aren't making that up, are you?"
         "No, I'm not. The Police approached me while I was picking up my new clothes," he points to the bundle on the couch, "Captain Ventz guaranteed no one would contact me unless directly needed. They gave me a phone with a direct link to their Captain."
         "So, do you sit around until they call?" Misty asked.
         "I wouldn't think so. I wasn't planning on it. Do you think I should call Captain Ventz to find out? I wouldn't think they would want me to sit on the sidelines. I'll ask Joe and see what he thinks."
         "That might be a good idea. I agree with you, but it is always better to get a second opinion, "Misty advised. She remembered, "Uncle Joe called here earlier wanting to know how you healed Becca and me. I told him it was by accident with Becca but intentionally with me. That's all he wanted to know. With all the questions he asks about you, I think he is writing a book about you and all your powers or exploits."
         "I sincerely doubt that. Joe isn't one to write much. He likes word puzzles, and that's about it," changing the subject, "How much do you think a Police Scanner is? I thought about buying one. I could use the scanner to find out where the trouble is and help out. I would need you to go to the store and buy it for me."
         "First, Dad, you don't need me to buy one. You can order online and have them delivered to your home or here. Second, you have a Smart Phone. There are applications you can easily download onto your phone. The more complex the app, the more it may cost. The trouble with that is you can't use the police radio station application outside your home. It's illegal in most states to do that. It is up to you to decide which you want to use."
         "I am not a big phone application user, so I will go ahead and buy one. Can you help me get to the site where I can order one? Please."
         "Sure. Let's research which device would be the best for your needs."
         Matthew and Misty spent the next several hours debating what kind to get and whether to buy it online or in person. After discussing the pros and cons of each method, they decided to buy one online; that way, no one in town would know they owned one and could link the Defender in Green to Matthew or Misty.
         After purchasing it, Misty offered her dad to use her bedroom to nap, as he hadn't rested since he returned. He reluctantly agreed and headed to the bedroom.
         After about 30 minutes, Matthew couldn't sleep. He decided he would go on patrol. That sounded odd to him. He hadn't been on patrol for over fifty years. He remembered all the time he and Joe went on patrol together. They always seemed to get into firefights with the enemy, and one got hurt. He smiled now because back then, there was no time to smile. It was always a life-or-death situation. Now, all he had to worry about was not hurting anyone, which was more challenging than you'd think.
         Instead of sneaking out, which he thought about doing, he went and told Misty what he had planned.
         "I thought you were only going out after dark. What changed your mind?"
         "Well, I guess, and this sounds lame, but crime doesn't always wait until dark. Also, this will help more people during the day because they are active. Right?"
         "Well, I guess you are right about that. However, it is because you are bored."
         "Yes, I am bored. I am not used to being stuck inside during the day. Joe and I would meet and play chess, go for walks, run to the store, or sit and chat."
         "You and Uncle Joe are pretty close, aren't you? I mean, he is because he is my godfather. Did you two know each other before enlisting?"
         "Yes, we were best friends in junior and senior high school. Neither one of us went to college before enlisting. We went to boot camp and were sent to the front simultaneously. While I followed orders better, he got promoted faster. He took the more dangerous missions, volunteered for more patrols, and always seemed to know what to do."
         "I remember the first time he saved my life, like yesterday. It was February of 1968, and we were in the Vietnam War, Siege of Hu?. Joe and I were on artillery. It rained the entire nine hours we were out. It had been pretty uneventful until we were getting close to being relieved. We got word that an enemy unit had passed the first watch and was coming our way. No sooner than we got the message, then the attack happened. From where I was, I saw two unit members get hit. I crawled over to the closest one to check their status. By the time I got there, it was too late."
         "The nearest ally from me was a hundred yards away: I was alone."
         "I managed to fire a couple of times but could not confirm any hits. While lying there, I heard a noise behind me. Before I could react, a bayonet came through my right shoulder. I managed to block most of the attack after but took a couple more hits. He tried to shoot me if it weren't for Joe appearing out of nowhere. The enemy got away, but I survived. Joe carried me back to base on his back with the rest of our unit following."
         "You could've been killed. What did Uncle Joe say to you as you were going back? Did he tell you to stay awake or 'don't die on me'?"
         "No. Joe complained I needed to lose weight if I wanted him to save me again."
         "After many skirmishes, he and I just started looking out for each other more, along with all the other guys in our unit. When Joe had his leg blown off, it nearly killed him to be sent home. I know I sorely missed him when he was gone. He was more than a friend, more than a brother. He saved my hide more than I can remember. I owe him my life several times over."
         "Why haven't you told me this before? I mean about what he did for you while you both served. I knew you served together, but you never discussed what you did over there."
         "Some memories are best left unsaid."
         With this, Matthew turned around and went to the garage to start a patrol.
         Instead of flying, Matthew turned invisible and began to run. He didn't run at super speed as he wanted to clear his head.
         He went to the business district downtown and looked for someone to save. He didn't notice anyone breaking laws or hear anything using his super-hearing. He was about to run to the lake district when he heard tires squealing and a police siren.
         It was easy to hear where they were. He began to use superspeed to get to where the noise was coming from. As soon as he arrived, he saw a red car speeding down Main Street with two Police cars in pursuit. He would let them pass before he saw an older man crossing the street in front of the oncoming vehicles. He couldn't move the older man because the speed or jolt could seriously hurt him. His only other choice was to stop the speeding car before it got to the intersection.
         As he got into position, he tried to think about how to stop the car quickly. He briefly considered grabbing it from behind, but that would rip off the bumper and not stop the vehicle. He had to decide right then as the car was at the intersection. So, the Defender in Green stood still before the on-coming car.
         Just before impact, the Defender in Green's Third Eye snapped open, and a small beam of light came out and bathed the car in a soft green glow. The vehicle stopped instantly, frozen in time.
          The older man stopped momentarily to look at the frozen car within the green sphere of light and then continued his walk to safety.
          By this time, the two pursuing Police cars pulled up behind the immobilized vehicle, and four officers got out. They all drew their weapons and yelled for the driver and passenger to get out slowly with their hands in the air. They were looking toward the Defender in Green but did not address him then.
         To facilitate the surrender of the criminals, the Defender in Green went to the driver's door and pulled it open by removing it from its hinges and tossing it behind him. With the way clear and seeing the giant of a man waiting for him, the driver threw his gun out the door, stood up, and ran toward the waiting Police. After the driver was out and away from the car, the passenger held up his gun and fired three shots at the Defender in Green. Each bullet hit its mark, crumpled, and fell to the ground harmlessly.
         The Defender in Green stated, "Really?" He walked over to the passenger side door, tore it off the hinges, tossed it aside, ripped the seat out of the car, carried it over to the waiting Police, set it unceremoniously down, nodded, and disappeared.
         The Defender in Green was spotted in several parts of the city late morning into mid-afternoon. Citizens would state that he appeared out of nowhere and disappeared by flying away or just disappearing.
         During a break around three, Matthew called Joe back.
         "Hey, Joe, what's up? I saw that you called. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you. It's been crazy since I started helping the Police."
         "It's OK, Matt. I saw many news updates about you. There is no rush. I have a favor to ask. It's pretty big, and I wanted to know if you would do it?"
         Matthew answered immediately, "Of course, I'd do anything for you. Do you need a ride someplace or something moved? Is your van working OK?"
         "No, no, everything is fine. Say, could you come over so we can talk in person? It would be easier."
         "Yeah, sure. Is tonight OK?"
         "Yeah, that'll be great. About ten o'clock sound good?" Joe asked distractedly.
         "Joe, you OK? You seem, I don't know, reflective."
         "No, I'm fine. I have just been thinking. I got to go. See you tonight."
         Before Matthew could say goodbye, Joe hung up.
         Matthew debated about making any more appearances. He thought he would go back out after talking with Joe.
         His pocket buzzed. Then again. The phone. He forgot about it. He pulled it out and answered it quickly.
         "Yes?"
         "Defender in Green?"
         "Yes, this is."
         "Good. There is a four-alarm fire in an apartment complex. The people need to be evacuated, and the fire contained. Can you handle this type of emergency?"
         "I think so. Where is it at?"
         Captain Ventz gave him the location. It was on the other side of town. He ran and was there within two heartbeats.
         When he arrived, he saw a big four-story apartment building on fire in several locations. He went to the Police officers speaking with the firefighters.
         When he arrived, he heard the Police officer stating, "I just got off the phone with Captain Ventz. He stated he called for that superhero to help. We'll have to see when he gets here."
         "I am here."
         "Cripes, man! You scared me half to death. I thought the Captain said you were on the other side of town when he called a second ago."
         I was. The Captain told me about the emergency fire, so I trotted over. Tell me what you need me to do."
         "Well, first, we need to evacuate the building. We have people on all floors needing to get out. Start on the fourth floor and work your way down."
         "Got it." And he was gone.
         Within moments, people appeared out of seemingly nowhere behind the police cars, near the ambulances. The appearance of victims kept occurring for ten minutes, then abruptly stopped.
         The Defender in Green appeared in front of the Police officer once again. "OK, now what?"
         "Are you sure everyone is out? Did you check all the apartments and all the rooms in them?" The Police officer thought he would have the upper hand.
         "Yes, I did, twice. All clear."
         "Now, we need to get the fire under control. There appear to be several separate fires burning. The Fire department is working on the front of the building. See if you can assist with the rear until they can make their way around the building."
         "Where do I get a hose?"
         The Officer pointed to the nearest hydrant with a hose beside it, not hooked up then. The Defender in Green went over, hooked the hose up to the hydrant, and, using his bare hand, unscrewed the bolt until the hose had expanded and was squirting water at high pressure. And then, to the amazement of everyone there, he rose off the ground, flew toward the burning apartment, and began going to each window where a flame was present and hosing it down until the fire was quenched.
         The Fire department had been working on the front side, so the Defender in Green only had to worry about the backside. After all the fires seen through the windows were out, the Defender in Green flew in one window with the hose and worked on interior fires. By doing this, he would glide in a window, back out, go into another, and repeat the process.
         After three hours, the Fire department deemed all fires were extinguished, and there were no casualties. The Defender in Green flew back to the hydrant, turned off the water, unhooked the hose, and, for good measure, blew into it to expel the remaining water. He then approached the Officer.
         "Can you call your Captain and advise that the fire is out and the citizens are safe? He will need to find housing for the people, of course, but that can be handled by more qualified people than me. I will take my leave." With that, he flew a few feet into the air and disappeared.
         A firefighter beside the Officer said, "I am happy he is on our side."
         By the time Matthew got done, it was eight-thirty. He had a little time to take a shower and change. When he arrived at Misty's place and went back inside, the television channel changed to different channels.
         "What are you watching, or can't you decide?"
         "I was trying to catch all the news stories about you today. Every local channel and State website is all about you this evening. If you wanted to become known, you accomplished that today. There was a channel that broadcasted the entire fire where you were at tonight. They had three crews there so they could keep track of you. They said you saved over fifty families tonight. That was over two hundred twelve people. I wish I could brag about you."
         "Well, thank you. I am just using these powers to help whomever I can. That's all."
         "Dad, some people would use those powers for their gain, even to the point of hurting people. You should be proud of yourself."
         "Oh, I am. I'm not the bragging type. I am just doing my duty. If you'll excuse me, I must shower and change."
         "Uh, Dad? You won't fit in my tub, let alone the shower. You are way too big and tall. I could hose you off in the backyard. Or get the kids kiddie-pool and fill it with water, if you want."
         Exhaling a big breath, "I guess I can return to the lake and bathe there. Where are your biggest towels and soap? If you have a big bag, I could use that, too."
         After being given his soap, towel, and bag, Matthew grabbed some clean clothes and left.
         Matthew discovered as he turned invisible that only what he was wearing disappeared, not the bag he was carrying. He held the load close to him and ran to the lake. It was only ten miles away. He decided he would head for the dock. Joe kept his boat tied up.
         Moments later, he was there. As he headed for the shore of the lake, he saw one of the outside showers people used to get the sand off them after sunbathing. It was big enough for him to stand under and was enclosed. He set the bag down and proceeded to disrobe and take a shower. While the water wasn't warm, it didn't matter as much as taking his first shower since the accident.
         Cleaned and changed, he began walking toward the dock to stow his soap in Joe's boat. When he arrived, he noticed Joe had placed a 'For Sale' sign on it. Joe hadn't mentioned selling his boat. That was his go-to place when he was stressed or needed a time out from the world. He would have to ask him about it tonight.
         Speaking of Joe, it was nine forty-five--time to drop the bag off at Misty's and get to Joe's place.
         On the way, he called Joe to open his deck window so he could float in. Joe said he had already thought of that and was waiting for him. Matthew again thought of everything he owed Joe.
         As he floated through Joe's sliding glass door, he noticed boxes littered the floor and on the furniture.
         As soon as he landed, he announced his presence. He didn't just pop in. "Hey Joe, I'm here."
         Instead of being surprised, Joe looked up from what he was packing, "Hi, Matt. It looked like you had a busy day today. The assistance you gave at the fire was incredible. Did it make the Captain more relaxed about you? People got to look at you in action, plus you saved lives, a win-win deal."
         "Assisting the Fire department tonight, plus stopping the robbery yesterday, has made me feel useful after all these years of depending on others to assist me. I have never gotten used to feeling helpless or dependent. It even bothered me when Misty would help with something I couldn't do alone."
         "I have been fine getting others to help if I fell short at no fault. What I mean is, if I couldn't do something because of my missing leg or my scooter wasn't working properly, it was OK if someone did an errand for me," Joe offered, "I guess after giving my all during the war and my life after, I am finally ready for me time."
         "Is that why you are packing all your old things up? Are you making room for new stuff? I also saw you were selling your boat. That surprised me. I thought you loved that boat."
         Joe conceded, "I do love it. When Erin was still alive, we frequently went out on the lake. Even after she passed, I enjoyed going out because it reminded me of our time together. She hated fishing but loved just sailing around the water. That's where I started fishing, not to fish. It was an inside joke with us." Joe smiles wistfully, "she always kidded me how I hated fish."
         While alive, Erin had always been frail, and Joe doted on her, even though he had to use the scooter to get around. He treated her like a princess. Her tumors and cancers took a heavy toll on her, and her body could take no more at sixty-five. Joe had been her strength to the very end. After the funeral, Joe sunk into a deep depression and had to go to the hospital for care. It took him years to come to terms with her passing.
         "As for the packing, I am moving to Alaska, Matt. I don't have any family to keep me here except you, Misty, and the two girls. Seeing how you are beginning to take on a new life, I thought I would, too. Now, the favor I wanted to ask of you."
         "Sure, Joe, what is it? I owe you so much. A simple favor is the least I could do."
         "Wait till I ask it," Joe began, "I want you to heal me. Get rid of my cancer, grow my gall bladder back, male pattern baldness, make me a new leg."
         Matthew was quiet for a moment. He didn't know how to respond. He knew he could heal, but to do everything Joe asked? Was that even possible?
         "Joe, I will try and do this for you. But do you have to move away?"
         "The way I look at this is everyone who knows me or even has seen me only knows I have one leg. If you heal me and my leg returns, they will wonder how. By moving away and getting a fresh start in Alaska, no one will know the previous me with one leg. See?
"So, what if people knew I healed you? They would then understand how you got your leg back, and you wouldn't have to leave."
         "They would also want you to heal them. Maybe you want to spend all your days with people asking you to heal everything from terminal illnesses to warts. I don't think you would be doing too much superhero stuff. I could be wrong, and people may not bother you. But I think they would."
         "You may be right. You see people more clearly than I do. So, are you ready?"
         "Yeah, I've been ready, I guess, for years. What do I do?"
         "You just stay where you are on your scooter, and I will do all the work. I have no idea how long this will take. I guess we'll see."
         Matthew went over to Joe and placed his hands on Joe's shoulders. His hands immediately began to glow a bright green. Joe twitched when that happened.
         "Did you feel something just now?" Matthew asked.
         "No, the glow just startled me. Does that mean it's working?"
         "Yeah. I can feel something is happening. This process will take more energy than healing a boo-boo or a small cut."
         "I have major boo-boos."
         They then sat in silence while the green glow grew in intensity. As it was from Matthew's hands on his shoulders, Joe could not see how bright the glow was. The intensity of the glow somewhat startled him from previous use, as the light was minimal the last time. After several minutes, the glow began to diminish until it was gone. At that time, Matthew removed his hands from Joe's shoulders and went around to face him."
         "How are you feeling? Any different? Is the pain still there? Any new hair growth?" Both men smiled.
         After a few minutes, Joe tells Matthew, "I suddenly feel tired. Not the weary type of tired. A good kind. Maybe the healing takes a couple of days because it is extreme. Either way, I wouldn't mind calling it a night."
         "Oh, of course. I will leave the way I came. I will shut the door on my way out. I wouldn't mind coming over tomorrow morning, say about eleven. To see if anything is happening. If not, I will try again. Either way, I will see you tomorrow."
         Matthew paused before leaving. "Joe, I understand now what you need to do and why. It doesn't make losing you any easier. See you tomorrow." He then went to the patio door, walked out, and closed the door behind him. He heard it click shut. It sounded final. He turned invisible and flew away.
         Matthew decided as he flew away from Joe's place. Because his alter-ego's name, Defender in Green, was Joe's idea, he would no longer use it because it would remind him of what he lost; from then on, he would be called 'Defender.'

Chapter Seventeen

Changes

147 Cycles P.E
         How could Eternity be the Reincarnated Chosen? He was not aware she possessed any of her past mental powers. He made sure his barriers were in place and slowly began to probe her mind and memories again. He met the same barrier as before. Before examining it more closely, he saw three Glos approaching him from above. He fortified his physical barricade as they first attempted to grab him from above. Confident his wall would hold, he readied himself for the impact. Instead of crashing into the barrier, the Glos grabbed the Supreme High One and lifted him off the ground.
         Very much surprised, the Supreme High One began to struggle. As the Glos flew higher, he stopped struggling and attempted to focus. He could not. The claws were causing a tremendous amount of pain. The beast flew higher. He began to feel lightheaded and unable to concentrate. He lost track of his surroundings and soon became unaware.
         When he woke, he did not know where he was. He remembered the Glos flying, but not much after that. He then realized he was in a cage made from crystal. The crystals were the color of One with the Planet, but that was impossible. There were no crystals of that color in the mountains. He was sure of it. He reached out and touched one of the crystals and received a severe shock to his system.
         "I see you noticed your new home. I hope you like it. It was designed specifically with you in mind. Did you enjoy my earlier performance of not recognizing you?" Eternity said as she walked over to the cage. "For you, there is no way out. Let me explain a few details of your new home. These crystals are not like anything you have experienced back home. They are only found in one cave here. I discovered they are toxic to any Hydranousian connected to the Collective or their powers," gloated Eternity.
         "How would you have found that out? You are not connected."
         "Do you think that just because you declared this quadrant off-limits, no one would be interested in seeing what is here? By making that decree, you invited them to come here. I have had several visitors over the years, newly graduated Young Ones. A Young One named Bzebulite was one of the first to explore the area, and then, over the cycles, more would trickle up here."
         The Supreme High One remembered Bzebulite. Another innocent person was hurt because of him.
         "Oh, I can see by your expression that you knew him. Do not worry. He did not last long in the cage. I discovered that the more influential the person, the longer they survive in the cell. If you are as powerful as you are, we will have lots of fun for many cycles." Eternity laughed and then grew serious and began to speak." Instead of amplifying powers like other crystals, these crystals dampen and siphon your powers. As you are connected to the Collective and have stored energy, you will eventually terminate in an excruciating process."
         The Supreme High One just stared at Eternity. He had never experienced or heard of such a thing. He attempted to contact the Collective and discovered he could not. He tried again but with more concentration, and the result was the same. He then tried to contact his Essence and found it was also inaccessible.
         "I see you are trying to contact the Collective and testing to see if my statement was true. Do not worry; it is." She laughed again, this time cruelly." Now you know what you did to me. I was utterly alone as I could no longer hear the Collective. To top that, you sent me here. Alone. You thought I would become One with the Planet. I did not.
         The Supreme High One stated I did not wish you would become One with the Planet. You were a criminal for attempting to overthrow me and the Elders. Instead, I invited you to live in the palace and continue your life without being sent here. Instead of accepting that, you began to plan another uprising. At that point, you gave me no choice. That punishment was just.
         "Just? You have no idea what I felt when you sent me here. You have never experienced living without the Collective and not having access to one's powers. Since you are a captive audience, let me tell you what it was like and how I became the Reincarnated Chosen."
         "When you teleported me here, I was in two places simultaneously. I thought I was descending into Madness. I was incredibly dizzy. The pain was immense. I was sure I was becoming One with the Planet. I could still see the palace briefly until it began fading. The image of the desert increased and became clearer until that was all I saw. I was here."
         "The teleportation sickness did stop eventually. I was in the North Quadrant, alone and frightened. Nothing could have prepared me for my surroundings and mind's expansive emptiness. I sank to my knees and passed out."
         "When I became conscious, I noticed nothing had changed. I was still in the North Quadrant and had no idea which way to travel. I began to walk toward crystal formations. Because I could no longer touch my Essence, I could not enhance my vision or even increase my speed. I could do nothing with my mind, only think."
         "I noticed a beast flying high in the sky as I walked. It was carrying something in its claws. While watching, I saw the life form still struggling. Despite what you may think, I do have feelings for others. I began to feel an emotion I had seldom felt before. I felt sorrow for the alien creature and was sad I could not assist.
         "I then saw the flying one descend to the ground. When it got there, it began trying to eat the smaller creature. I witnessed the smaller creature fighting back against all odds. I ran toward the enormous beast, waving my arms. Once I got closer, I picked up a small crystal and threw it at the massive creature on top. Even though I missed it, the flying creature was startled and flew off without the smaller one."
         "When I arrived, I saw the creature was soft, unlike Hydranousians. The form had upper appendages like us, but at the end of the upper appendage, there were smaller, more delicate-looking appendages. I then noticed the tiny creature was badly hurt. I never had the opportunity to care for anyone, though I did want to be a Healer. Gnit talked me out of it. However, I knew I needed to stop the tiny creature from passing all its life fluids. I placed my right appendage on a wound and pushed. The force caused a cry of pain from the smaller one. I lessened my strength to push lighter. It seemed to have worked because the small one did not yell out, and the body fluid did not flow as easily."
         "I needed to keep covering the opening to stop the flow. I did not know what to do. I thought about putting a piece of crystal on the wound to hold it down the injury. Before I went to look for a suitable crystal, I noticed some vegetation on the small one's body. When I bent down to look closer, I saw a small opening. With the size of my appendage and the frantic grab, I ripped the covering off. I suddenly had an idea."
         "I placed the covering on the opening of the wound, took more of the vegetation, and ripped some of it off to put on the other injuries to stop the leakage. When I had used up all the greenery, I still had one more wound to cover. I used the covering from the vegetation it wore and placed it on the uncovered wound. It stayed where I put it and applied slight pressure on the wound. After pressing the damage briefly, I removed the pressure to see what the wound looked like."
         "When I looked at the wounds, I saw no more leakage of the life fluids. I then tried to rouse the small one to try and communicate."
         "'You, small one, wake up. I require information from you.' I softly started to shake the creature gently. At first, I thought the tiny creature had become One with the Planet when it did not rouse. I became upset because I had put much effort into fixing the wounds. How would I get the information regarding this land and how to return home? I attempted to shake it again, this time a little harder. Success! The smaller creature opened its eyes. It then began making a bunch of noise."
         "'Ch-chir nim-o tk tk! Ch-chir nim-o tk tk!'"
         "I did not know what the smaller creature was trying to say. 'I do not understand you. What are you saying? Speak Hydranousian.'"
         "The Young One stopped making the noises. It looked at me with wide eyes. It then said, 'You be Hydranousian? You be Reincarnated Chosen,' then promptly lay prostrate before me."          
         "'You speak my language? How is that possible? Who taught you? Can you take me to them?'" I paused and then suddenly said, "'I am who? What are you saying?'"
         The tiny creature looked at me with respectful eyes and kept kneeling before me, "'You are be Reincarnated Chosen. Leader. You do not remember us?'"
         "'No, I do not remember. What do you mean I am your Reincarnated Chosen? I have never heard that before. Is there someone else I can talk with? Where do you live? I demand you take me there.'"
         "'Of course, anything you want, I do. I am damaged. We will travel slowly until the others see us.' He then got up and began hobbling as his appendage was broken. 'Please, this way, Reincarnated Chosen.'"
         After walking for a while, I asked the creature what the animal that attacked him was.
         "'That was Tra. Tra attacks our villages and takes the not-ready away. I was gathering when one spotted me. I did not hear the call to flee. I was not ready. You saved me. You are Reincarnated Chosen. You must be injured. At your home, you will get better.'"
         The Supreme High One listened to Eternity's tale. He could not believe what she had told him. He could not determine the truth while he was inside the crystal cage. He would try again to reach his Essence and power but needed to distract her.
         "If this is true, how did you end up here? Who, or what, was the Reincarnated One before you? That creature was a Tra?"
         "You do not listen well when scheming to touch your powers."
         The Supreme High One thought, how did she know that is what he was doing? Did she get her powers back? If so, how?
         "You fool. I do not have any powers except what I have acquired over the many cycles I have been here. I have developed a keen sense of observation. I read your face and actions, not your mind. You have never changed since the last time we saw each other. I have." Eternity gloated.
         "My mind has become more organized and disciplined since you first examined it. While I do not possess any barriers, I have disciplined my mind to the point where I am aware of everything around me and any changes that might occur. I also have much more naturally heightened senses than you. My hearing, vision, and sense of touch are much more acute. I have adapted to my unique environment. Instead of relying on Essence and powers, I rely on myself alone."

Chapter Eighteen

Tabula Rasa

         After Matthew reached Misty's house, he entered the garage, made himself visible, and closed the door. He would let Misty know of Joe's decision and plans. She would be crushed because she loved him like a real uncle. Misty grew up with Joe and Erin, who were always there. She would take this pretty hard.
         Misty was in the living room alone when he entered the house, as the girls had gone to bed earlier.
         "Good, you got cleaned up. You look great in the new clothes. You need to give your delivery man a raise."
         "His name is Ryan Brown. He is a good guy. He is the one who got me started on being a hero. You should date him. I can set you up if you want." Matthew stated with a smile.
         "Uh, no thanks, Dad. I am taking a needed break from relationships and focusing on my family and my photography career. So, what did Joe have to say? What does he think of your recent exploits?"
         "Not much. Joe wanted to talk about some other things." Here it comes.
         "Like what?"
         "He wanted me to heal him. His cancer, gall bladder, and restore his leg."
         "Really? Do you mean he will be finally cured of cancer and be able to walk again? That would be great! When will he be over, or when can we see him? The girls will be delighted to play with Uncle Joe outside."
         "Wait, I'm not done. He wanted to start new, fresh. He knew if I healed his leg, he could not stay around here without lots of questions. He decided that because Erin was gone, he had no ties besides us. He is moving to Alaska. He was packing tonight and is selling his boat, the 'Beloved.'"
         "Alaska? No ties? We are his family. You have known him longer than anybody. He practically raised me after you and Mom. The girls adore him. How could he say that?"
         "It has something to do with Erin. He has never gotten over her death. I believe, and I may be wrong, that he blames himself. He feels he could have done more to keep her here. I know when your mother died, that is how I felt. It took a while for me to come to terms with her death. I do not think Joe ever has."
         "Is that why he is leaving? Because he cannot deal with it, he wants to leave the place that reminds him of her. That is sad. Poor Joe. When is he leaving?"
         "Tomorrow, I will be going over about eleven o'clock or so. I need to check and see how Joe is doing. I am unsure if growing a leg back is even possible. I also want to discuss his decision to push us away from him. I agree with him not staying around. People would question his brand-new leg. It is just that it sounds like he wants to be left alone. As you said, we are family. He is closer to me than my brother was."
         Misty thought momentarily and then offered, "Dad, maybe he just needs time to get his life back together. He might think the best way to do that is to leave. Did he say he did not want to see us anymore?"
         "No, but he did make it clear he wanted to start over."
         "Speaking of changes, I am changing my alter-ego's name. It is now just Defender. I do not want to explain why, just that it's changed."
         Misty knew by the tone of her dad's voice that he would not discuss this. Secretly, she was glad he dropped the "In Green" part. It's easier to say and more mysterious.
         Later, after Misty went to bed, Matthew felt restless. He was not in the mood to watch television or was tired. He decided to go and patrol.
         Once outside the garage, though dark, he decided to become invisible and walk. He began listening for any trouble nearby. He did not hear anything, so he used his super hearing. He immediately heard snoring, televisions, people talking about their day, a cat, someone at the laundromat, and countless other night noises. He tried to sort through the noise to determine if anything was happening illegally. Nothing was happening, and there was no illegal activity. He needed something to get his mind off the day's events.
         He soon found himself on the central street downtown. He kept walking until he came to a bench. He decided to sit down and think about being a hero and, more directly, why this change happened to him.
         While he has done charitable deeds, he did not feel as fulfilled as he initially thought he would be. While his body was near perfect, his mind was still a seventy-five-year-old man from a different period.
         Joe was right. Go somewhere and start over. While Joe could do that, Matthew could not. He would never fit in anymore. He would be different, an outsider. All because of that breach, in reality, the strange beams of light, and the statue. Where did that aperture come from, and where did it lead? He decided to do something he should have done right after leaving the hospital.
         Using super speed, he arrived at the park. He quickly found the tree into which he slammed into. He examined the damage he made when thrown against the tree. How could he have survived? It must have broken his back and caused fatal internal damage. He remembered a nurse at the hospital advised him that the paramedics stated he received a broken back due to his injuries; however, after an MRI scan, they found no damage.
         Matthew tried to remember where he saw the hole or doorway in the air. After searching for twenty minutes, he believed he had found where it was. A slight scorch line about three feet long and an inch wide on the ground: he lined up the scorch mark with the tree, and it made a straight line.
         Standing where the opening had been, he began to remember that day. He had the feeling of being cold, as if a chilly wind blew on him. He then heard a sound resembling a crackling noise from behind him with an acrid odor, followed by bright beams of blue, green, and yellow lights with an air distortion from the window-like opening. Before going unconscious, Matthew saw a red-orange glow coming from mid-air, with someone standing in the foreground looking at him. He was unaware of anything else until he woke up in the hospital.
         With this renewed memory, he needed to concentrate on who was looking at him and why. Where was the viewer from? Was there any way to trace them? If so, how? What was he missing?
         He became increasingly frustrated and angry at himself for not paying closer attention. He wished this had never happened to him. Out of frustration, he rubbed his face and eyes with his hands. Without consciously willing it, the Third Eye opened. Matthew could see where the original opening occurred. He could make out the sides, top, and bottom borders. After Matthew opened his other eyes, he discovered he had reopened the window and could see into it. He got as close as he dared without stepping through it.
         The scene had changed. The colors in the background remained the same, but the view was within a cave or spacious dwelling as it had walls and a ceiling. Matthew could see a three-dimensional world as he walked over to the aperture, now three feet above the ground. He saw strange ferret-like creatures the size of ten-year-olds walking on their hind legs like humans, but faster. They were carrying rudimentary bows and arrows with them.
         He noticed that if he walked behind the opening, he could see in the opposite direction. From this point of view, he saw a cage with black bars. Encaged within was the statue he had seen on the day he was transformed. However, the figure was walking around within the enclosure.
         Matthew was fascinated with what he was watching. These were alien individuals he was watching. As far as he knew, this was Earth's first contact with a new life form. He was amazed at the differences between the species. He wondered how long the different life forms had observed Earth before the window was seen and collapsed in on itself.
         Matthew believed they could not see him as no one reacted toward the opening he created. He focused on the one in the cage he had previously seen. The body was made of a hard-looking substance with movable joints. There appeared to be two hands with four fingers, each with two large-sized legs. The head was square with a flared top. There was no mouth or nose he could see. They had two smaller eyes with a much larger Third Eye.
         The one in the cage seemed distressed and crouched in the center of the cell. It was dull gray in appearance. If it once showed more brightly, it was not now.
         Matthew felt he needed to help the prisoner. He did not believe the creature was a criminal; it was more of a feeling than knowledge. Matthew tried to whisper to the prisoner through the window. He thought the stone creature heard because the prisoner looked up toward the window, went to the edge of the cage, and tried to put its hand through the bars. The enclosure must have had an electrical charge because the prisoner was thrown backward in pain.
         Before Matthew could react, his Third Eye shot forth a green light toward the prisoner. No, it hit the cage instead and shattered the bars. Black shards flew everywhere, and the concussion-like force knocked all the ferret creatures down along with the prisoner.
         Everyone seemed passed out. Matthew felt terrible because he had no control of his Third Eye. He did not know how he activated it as he did not attempt to focus the power. It must have reacted to his emotions and thoughts.
         The black shards, seen scattered everywhere, began to glow green. As with the glow, the fragments began to change color into a dull, darker green. Soon, the light began to subside until all there were green shards.
         Soon, the ferret-like creatures began to move, along with the prisoner. It regained its feet and closed its eyes. Soon, a soft shimmering light appeared around it and then disappeared.
         The prisoner looked at the green shards and tentatively picked one up. After a moment, it dropped it. As the prisoner looked directly at Matthew, it stood still and stared at him. Matthew raised his hand in a gesture of peace. The prisoner copied the gesture and nodded. While staring at each other, the prisoner suddenly looked to its right and began to run in that direction.
         From behind the Defender, someone yelled, "Hey! What are you doing there? What are you looking at?" A flashlight beam shined from behind Matthew. This startled him, and the window disappeared. He turned to see someone with a small dog and a flashlight standing there.
         "Holy cow, you are real. You are genuine. I thought the news just made you up, but you are real. No one will ever believe me that I saw you. Say, can I have you sign something, Mr. Defender in Green? My name is Ed. Ed Reat."
         "Call me Defender. I am dropping the 'in Green' title. Do you have something I can write on and with? I don't have a pen or paper."
         "Yeah, sure. Just sign my newspaper. 'To Ed, from the Defender.' Can you sign it like that?"
         "Sure. There you go. Now, I must go. Crime waits for no man." The Defender then flew away without turning invisible. What a dumb thing to say, 'Crime waits for no man.'
         After ensuring Mr. Reat saw him fly off, Matthew turned invisible and flew to Misty's house. After landing, entering the garage, and shutting the door, he turned visible and entered her home.
         Matthew needed some quiet time. He suddenly felt tired and knew he needed to lie down. As he lay on the floor, he recounted what occurred that evening. Though it seemed like he did not initiate the cage blowing up, he did something good that night. While not sleeping, he still relaxed and thought about Misty and his granddaughters.

Chapter Nineteen

Games

147 Cycles P.E
         While the Supreme High One was astonished by Eternity's progress while in exile, it did not improve his situation in the cage. His frustration grew because the longer he stayed in the cell, the weaker he felt, and he didn't know how to get out. If he touched the bars, he would receive a numbing shock and drain even more of his Essence, which he could not replenish. He could not access his powers, Essence, or the Collective because of the dampening field around and above him. He had to bide his time getting Eternity to talk. She would give away instructions on how to get out or deactivate the cell.
         "So, you learned to depend on yourself when you took over the Tras?" he asked.
         "They were the ones who taught me. I learned their language, went on hunts, listened to their quarrels, mourned their losses, and celebrated their victories. All the while, I was thinking about how to bring you and the Elders down. As you know, I sent my best squads to hunt your Elders down. I observed that Tra had invented a method of hunting from a distance using short crystal shafts and a bendable shaft of defective crystals. The bendable rods were something I had never seen before. They also use Beezz, a stretchable material inside the Glos they hunt. She paused and then addressed the Supreme High One directly. Have you thought of how to escape yet?"
         "If I have, why would I tell you?" Snapped the Supreme High One.
         "Because you are self-gratuitous, you say you have done everything for the good of the Collective. If that were the case, the corrupt Elders would have been eliminated or Silenced. You would have paid more attention to the Old Ones who do not teach the Young Ones all they need to know. You would have paid more attention to your people instead of gaining more power. You would not terminate or exile those who differ in what they believe suits the people. Did I miss anything?"
         He did not know how to respond. Was he guilty of any of her accusations? Indeed, he could not be. He believed he had done everything for the good of his people. It is what he thought.
         "Did I strike a chord with you? Why are you suddenly silent? Do you feel unsure of your crimes against your people? How many have challenged you? You have eliminated all who opposed you. Or at least raise them to be Elders so you can watch them. You are free to control without opposition to differing thoughts or beliefs."
          She continued, "I have learned from you. I have thought about how you govern. And I have made sure I never followed you. The Tra is free for people. They decide who governs their tribes. I was chosen to be the Reincarnated Chosen because of what you did. Your actions made me their choice of leader."
         "What are you talking about?"
         "Do not play dumb. I know you are the one who took it into your hands to nudge their civilization forward. I know it was you because they showed me an etching of you when you visited them hundreds of cycles ago. You were the only Hydranousian to have ever visited them in the beginning. Sure, others that you exiled came later, but it was you whom they saw."
         Before stopping to think, the Supreme High One stated, "Impossible. No one saw me." He realized he had just admitted to what Eternity was accusing him of.
         "I knew it. You are the one who made and created what they are today. You are the one who advanced them. I know you did something with the Collective to change them. You took it into your hands to alter them without consideration of the ramifications. Doing what you did makes it possible for me to be their leader. I thank you, oh most Supreme High One." She bowed deeply and then laughed again at him.
          "I will tell you more about what you did. Enhancing the Tra made them more aware of who they were. They began to grow, both in numbers and knowledge. They soon became a large colony. With so many to feed, they created separate tribes who moved away to build their different settlements. They initially had a central leader but selected the smarter ones to help lead. They had their share of bad leaders. They learned from their mistakes and began choosing leaders by agreeing on who would make better leaders than others. Their chosen leader would report only to the Chosen. That person alone had complete authority."
         "Now, this is where you shaped them directly. When you exiled your so-called criminals, they found their way to these colonies. It took time for the Tras and the Hydranousians to learn each other's language. During this time, the Hydranousians began to know about this unknown civilization. They found it peaceful and welcoming. There were, however, ones who felt they should be the leaders. That ended with their termination."
          "The Tra who left to start their colonies also met exiled Hydranousians. These were willing to merge into their societies and taught the Tra many things. Those who did rose in prominence and became loved leaders. Through them, the taming and procreation of the Glos occurred. Mining crystal was learned, though, without the power of the Third Eye. It was strenuous work, but it helped create their weapons and cages. Through the mining, crystal the color of One with the Planet was discovered. At first, it was used for decoration because it was different. When curious Hydranousians began to arrive, we needed something to hold them. Because the One with the Planet crystals were the strongest, we used them. How it affected the Hydranousians still connected with the Collective was then discovered."
         At this time, a Tra came in, went to Eternity, and spoke to her quietly. After he turned and left, she again addressed him, "I received word from my squads that your people were becoming more organized in stopping my initial raiding parties. That is unfortunate for them. We knew something like that would occur, so we had many contingencies ready. Ten more Elders and several guards have become One with the Planet. It is believed they still have not discovered why there have not been any distress calls from the impending victims. Too bad."
         The Supreme High One was getting tired of this. His head was beginning to feel faint, his heart pounding in his chest, and he was getting frustrated with all the information Eternity was sharing. "You have me. Stop the termination of the Elders. Many of them are new since you were exiled. They are trying to hold the people together with just laws and change for the good, " the Supreme High One begged.
         "We have seen your pity--silencing, exile, and termination of your fellow Hydranousians. Your Elders are self-serving or follow you mindlessly. I have enough of you for now. I will make more plans for your people when we take over." She turned and left.
         After sitting down, he again tried to connect with his Essence or the Collective. There was nothing, just silence. He was alone except for the guards around his cage and the ones patrolling the room. They were all equipped with those weapons. He noticed the longer pieces of crystal were slightly bowed because of the tension caused by the Beezz. He also saw that each Tra had a container of what looked like Glos skin with several smaller shafts and the Color of One with the Planet crystal on the ends.
         The Color of One with the Planet crystals on the ends? That is how they terminate the Hydranousians without them calling for help. The Color of One with the Planet crystals dampen their Essence, so they cannot contact the Collective. Why did he not see that before? He did not know about the Color of One with the Planet crystals and what they could do. Eternity slipped up.
         No, she did not. She knew he would figure it out. So far, she has been two steps ahead of him. She told him how she rose to power within their ranks. She still, however, has not told him why they call her the Reincarnated Chosen. She hinted at it a little. That is something he could use to get more information.
         "You, Tra. I have a question regarding the Reincarnated Chosen," addressing the nearest Tra, "Tra! I have a question about your leader."
          The Tra either did not understand Hydranousian or was ordered not to speak with him. So much for that idea. It looked like he would be here for a while.
         The Supreme High One felt the emptiness of not connecting with the Collective. He knew this would happen. He even prepared himself for the void by focusing on his current situation and how to escape. The more he thought about escape, the more he became worried.
         Was there no escape? Was he guilty of everything she accused him of? He did everything she stated, but they were for the betterment and safety of his people. Yes, instead of putting Hydranousians who only wanted power into the positions of Elders, he should have addressed their issues head-on. Did the people exiled to the North Quadrant deserve this fate? He began questioning all his decisions. At this time, he noticed he had been rocking in place while in thought.
         What is happening to me? Am I going into madness?
         No, he thought, I am not going into madness. I need to stay focused on my thoughts, not the silence. I need to be here, not in my head. I need to find a way out.
         As time passed, Eternity would come and go. While present, she would relentlessly speak with the Supreme High One by telling him of the updates her people would share with her regarding the fate of several more Elders. He could not tell if she was bluffing or telling the truth. He wanted to believe she was bluffing, but the information she shared regarding the locations of the Elders could only come from someone who had been there.
         At one such point, the Supreme High One knew he was becoming an Afflicted One. He was kneeling in the center of his cage when he saw a strange window open. He knew that was impossible because he could only open windows and was trapped without power. Within the window stood a peculiar being unlike anything he had seen before. The being was smaller and did not possess the form of Hydranousians. However, how could a non-Hydranousian have a Third Eye? It could not be a Young One as its size and shape were bigger than any Young One the Supreme High One had ever seen. In addition, Young Ones do not possess the Third Eye until adulthood.
         It was not until he saw the stranger move toward the viewing window with an easy gait that he believed it was the actual viewing window of an alien being. However, it did have the color of the Highest Peak of the Mountain, meaning he was a Supreme High One from where it came from. Out of desperation and without thinking it through, he reaches between the bars for help. He was immediately thrown back to the middle of the cage. As he stumbled to stand, the alien opened its Third Eye.
         A shaft of light came forth from the Third Eye, the color of Sound of the Suns. It crashed into the bars the color of One with the Planet and shattered them. The shards of crystal flew in all directions. The detonation was so intense that all the Tras and the Supreme High One were knocked unconscious within the cave.
         The Color of One with the Planet shards, which could be seen scattered everywhere, began to glow the color of the Sound of the Suns. The fragments changed color into a darker shade of Sound of the Suns. Soon, the glow began to subside until there were only shards the color of Sound of the Suns.

Chapter Twenty

Chess

          When Matthew arrived at Joe's place around eleven the next day, he landed on the deck and softly knocked on the patio door. When no one answered, he opened it and went in. It was not like Joe was sleeping this late. He has always been an early morning riser.
         Matthew quietly called for Joe, "Hey, Joe, you awake yet? I can come back later if it works better for you."
         "I will be with you in a minute, Matt. Just dressing now."
         Matthew thought to himself: so, he did sleep in late. I'm unsure if that is a good sign about his healing. Joe has been stressed lately. It is taking its toll on his health. Looking at the boxes, he hasn't packed any more belongings. I should offer to help. Give us a chance to talk some more.
         Out from the bedroom walked a twenty-five-year-old man with blonde, curly hair, light blue eyes, and a muscular build.
         "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong house." After a double take, Matthew exclaimed in disbelief, "Joe? Is that you?"
         "Hi, Matt. Recognize me?"
         "No, I don't. How come you look so young? Hey, you got your leg back. Great for you."
         "I owe both to you and your healing. After you left last night, I did go to bed, as I said. I fell right to sleep and slept better than I have in years. If I had any dreams, I don't remember. I woke up at about five this morning. I must have been very sleepy because I was not even fully awake when I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. About halfway there, I suddenly realized I was walking. I looked down and saw two legs. Two. Legs. Well, I about lost my balance and fell. I stared at the closet's full-length mirror for about ten minutes."
         "I jumped, hopped, did squats, tickled the bottom of my foot, and ran in place. All the while, I was looking at myself. This is what I looked like before we enlisted. I changed last night. I am no longer old. You healed and gave me back my youth, legs, health, and hope." He outstretched his arms and turned a complete circle as he said this. "I feel I could run for miles," he laughed, "and I just might for the sheer joy of moving without the scooter."          
         "Um, where did you get the clothes?' Matthew inquired, remembering all Joe's old pants had the left pant leg material removed.
         "I had some pants and new shoes delivered this morning when the stores were open. They fit perfectly. I think I am in better health than I was at this age."
         "How else do you feel? We would probably need medical tests to determine if your cancer is gone and if your gall bladder grew back."
         "I feel great. It is like being cured of all ailments or improving your life. I feel I could do anything."
         "You sound like you could. Are you still planning to leave?" He knew the answer but wanted to hear it from Joe.
         "Yeah, I am. I am selling the condominium as furnished, so I don't have to move anything except what I can get in the van. I will trade that in once I get to Alaska,"
         Joe paused for a few minutes, then began again, "Matt, I want to thank you for doing this for me and for me. It is much more than I thought would happen. I can make a fresh start in my life. There are things I will do differently and never do again. Don't worry. I will visit Misty and the girls from time to time. You are only a five-minute run from me. We never evaluated your flying time. Before you say anything, I leave my feelings about Erin's death here. I couldn't move on because everything reminded me of her and our life together. That shadow was too much to step out of."
         "I think I understand, Joe. Becoming a hero has changed me. I see the worst of people repeatedly. I left that behind when we left the Service. I know I am doing well, but is it enough? I don't know. I feel I am in a giant chess match and only one move away from having a checkmate against me."
         "You got to do what is best for you, Joe, and it sounds like you are. Yes, you will be missed by the girls and me. With your new youth, you can easily make a fresh start. No one will think of you as an older man with one leg. No one would think you are the same man even if you stayed here."
         "I appreciate your thoughts, Matt."
         After a small silence, Joe advised that he needed to get going. Matt left his friend for the last time. He knew Joe would never come back.
         Before Matthew had time to leave, the police phone vibrated in his pocket. He didn't want to answer it right then. It rang repeatedly, then stopped. Within a minute, it rang again.
         Very reluctantly, "This is Defender."
         "Defender? Change your name? That can wait. We need you over at Happy Dale Mall now. There is a hostage situation. The leader is asking for you specifically. Most likely, it's a trap."
         "I'll be careful. Anything else you can tell me?
         "Plenty. Remember the Windor Park Duo, Hinder and Tetterson, and the bank robbers with the bomb? We discovered they are all part of a larger gang that operates within the city. Their boss's name is Vik 'The One' Sinister. I am not making that name up. He is on the Federal Bureau of Investigations' ("FBI") Ten Most Wanted List for anything you could think of. This guy thinks he is a criminal genius because he has never been caught. We have enough to put him away for several lifetimes without parole. This is most likely a trap."
         "I will be extra careful, then. On my way."
         Before showing up, the Defender flew around and assessed the situation. He saw snipers on the rooftops of the five adjacent buildings. However, after a closer look, he determined they were not from the Police department or FBI. Before taking them out, he wanted to see what else he could discover.
         As he flew near the hostages, he discovered something alarming. Wrapped around the hostages was yellow Primacord, a highly explosive material with a detonator attached. Matthew knew how to deactivate this without the Primacord exploding. He didn't know how to bypass the yellow color of the Primacord.
         Before showing up before Vik Sinister, the Defender had a few things to do first.
         As the Defender floats down on the opposite side of the hostages, Vik Sinister states, "I was wondering when you would show up, Defender. Cutting the 'In Green' was a bad choice. It gave you a dimension that you otherwise lack."
         "You asked for me by name. What did you want? Money in exchange for the hostages? A free ride out of here? Someone released?"
         "How common. Did you think of those yourself, or is there a hero book you use? No, I wanted you because I wanted to make the deaths of these people your responsibility."
         "As you can see, the hostages are wrapped in Primacord. If the connection were to be cut or disturbed in any manner, it would explode."
         The Defender glances at the hostages and inspects the Primacord and detonator.
         "I see you are familiar with the little present I have left for you. If you even try to remove the cord, it blows up. If you try to diffuse the detonator, it blows up. If you stop me from leaving, it blows up. The control switch is held in my fist. If I loosen my grip, they blow up. You can either try and save them or let us go. You may be fast but aren't fast enough to be in two places simultaneously."
         "What guarantee do we have that you won't kill them once you leave?"
         "None."
         "I have seen this before. I know the detonator needs to be near the control switch to activate or connected to the trigger switch. I also know the explosion would be big enough to take you out if you are within twenty-five feet of it. The control switch has a range of twenty-five to fifty feet. What is stopping me from taking you past that distance?"
         "Because, hero, if you do and I haven't deactivated the control switch, the detonator will activate, and then your clever idea goes up with a big bang,"
         "Don't get any half-bright ideas. If you release us and we go out of range with the switch deactivated, the bomb could still go off. You see, I have five sharpshooters aimed at my little party. If we are stopped, defeated, or even looked wrong, they will shoot the Primacord and set off the explosion. Go ahead and look around at the buildings surrounding us. Better use your super sight to see them."
         The Defender did look at the tops of the surrounding buildings. He saw all five high-powered rifles with telescopic scopes.
         He was puzzled. How did he know his powers? He needed time to think.
         "Don't strain the smallest muscle in your body. Your intellect is far inferior to mine. I have thought of all contingencies. I know what you are capable of and planned this with you in mind. You see, I had help from a friend of yours. Remember Mr. Brown? He would be here to see you but is with his pregnant wife at the bottom of the lake."
         "So, Defender in Green, what is your choice?"
         Matthew thought, Checkmate.
         "Well, hero, we are all waiting for your move."
         He walked away.
         "Stop right there," ordered Vik Sinister, "where do you think you are going? You haven't finished here. You haven't done what I wanted you to do yet. You need to save the people or admit defeat. Which is it? Stop walking away."
         The Defender kept moving in the opposite direction. He heard the crying and pleading of the hostages but did not stop. When he reached the street, he turned around and addressed Vik.
         "I will not play your game. There is no scenario where I don't win."
         "What? Are you kidding me? Were you listening? I can blow the hostages up right now and still get away.
         "No, destroying the hostages frees me up to take you out.' You flee; I am free to take you out. You have your sharpshooters kill the hostages; I am free to take you out.
         "Your scenarios benefit me. When I go to prison, get out and start over."
         "Wrong. I am not a Police Officer. I am not part of any local or Federal Police or FBI. I am my own identity."
         "So, what exactly does that mean?"
         "When I take you out, you will be taken out, and there will not be a tomorrow for you."          
         With that, the Defender uses super speed to get near the hostages.
         "Your sharpshooters have been disabled. Your move."
         "Impossible." The lead terrorist calls one of the sharpshooters via telephone. The Defender pulls out a ringing phone and tosses it on the floor. Soon, four more phones joined it.
         "I still have this," Vik waves the remote detonator in his hand and makes a show of lifting the cap and pushing the button.
         Nothing happened. Vik Sinister pushes the button repeatedly. No explosion. In frustration, he tosses the remote down while drawing his weapon.
         "I don't know what you did, but you will not stop us from shooting them." With that, the remaining five terrorists begin shooting at the hostages.
         The Defender was ready for that. He began running toward all the bullets, using his hands and body for deflection. However, two shots found their way to a hostage, mildly wounding him.
         When the last shell casing hit the floor, and the criminals were just beginning to re-load, the Defender grabbed the yellow Primacord, unwound it from the hostages, ran to where the terrorists stood, and circled them with the Primacord. The Defender then stopped in front of them.
         "Even in the end, you failed to save them and capture us. Using the useless cord to tie us up was, at the most, a joke. As soon as we untie, we leave with your dying breath. You could not save them or yourself.
         The Defender held up his hand with the detonating switch and his finger on the button.
         The terrorist leader laughed. "Were you not paying attention? It didn't work. It's faulty. A waste of energy on your part."
         "I moved you further from the Primacord. You were out of range. I'm not."
          The Defender knew this would push him further than he had previously experienced. He would push his healing ability more than before and his ability to run greater distances at incredible speeds.
         The explosion was massive. It knocked over the hostages, but none were seriously hurt. The explosion made a crater on the site where Primacord tied around the terrorist. There were no discernable pieces of the six terrorists left.
         After the smoke dissipated, the Defender was gone. Only tatters of his outfit remained.

Chapter Twenty-One

Deja Vu

147 Cycles P.E
         After the glow dissipated, the Supreme High One began to wake. He slowly rose and stood upright. He looked at the shards scattered around him and tentatively picked one up. There was no trace of the power that was previously within them. He threw the fragment down and looked for the window. He quickly found it and saw the mysterious stranger looking directly at him. It raised its upper appendage and held its palm in front of the Third Eye toward the Supreme High One. This gesture was a sign of peace, as all Hydranousians use this sign. In response, the Supreme High One copied the gesture.
         A sudden noise came from the direction of the cave's entrance as more Tra were entering with their weapons drawn. He saw the tips of their crystal weapons were the color Sound of the Suns. The Supreme High One reached out immediately to connect with the Collective, placed his protective shields up, and fortified them. He began to run toward the entrance.
         The Tra began shooting him with their weapons. Without the crystals, the Color of One with the Planet, all projectiles bounced harmlessly off the barrier. With his wall up, the Supreme High One's confidence to keep running toward the opening grew. As he drew closer, several more Tra guards, along with Eternity, met him.
         Eternity stood motionless. The once impervious cage lay in ruins. All crystals, the Color of One with the Planet, have turned the Color of the Sound of the Suns and lost all the dark powers. She saw still unconscious Tras scattered throughout her throne room. A very mad-looking Supreme High One was approaching her, ignoring the attack of the Tras.
         Are you still hiding behind your Tras? Where is their quick-witted leader? Are you still sending them to attack and hoping for one of them to get lucky and strike me down?
         You still do not understand what is happening here, fool. I am the beloved Reincarnated Chosen, and you are the enemy. They will protect me with their lives if necessary.
         The Supreme High One was growing angry because Eternity was right. He could not hurt the Tras for following their orders to protect their leader. But he could blame Eternity for allowing her personal feelings to get in the way. It was time for her to see the bigger picture again.
         The Supreme High One began opening a connection to the Collective. He made sure his barriers were up and secured. He focused on Eternity and removed the Silence.
         Eternity watched the Tra attack the Supreme High One with their crystal shafts, causing the already weak Supreme High One to strain with his barriers. A sudden and pervasive noise occurred. The sudden noise and the mental weight of the intrusion caused her to sink to her knees.
         Eternity cried out, Stop! The overwhelming noise was all she could hear and bear. After a few moments on her knees, she remembered what she was hearing. It was the Collective, with everyone's thoughts and conversations coming to her simultaneously. She covered her ears and tried to escape the noise, but that did not help.
         The Supreme High One did this. He is the only one who could have reversed what he initially did to her by Silencing her. Why? Why did he give her the powers back? Did he reconsider her punishment unjustly? Did he regret the pain he caused? Did time in the cage change him?
         No, Eternity. It is none of those. I gave you your powers because the Tra was mindlessly following you. I figured out why they addressed you as their Reincarnated Chosen.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Going Home

          To her disbelief and horror, Misty saw her father's death broadcast. She was startled when her phone rang. Before answering, she saw it was Joe.
         Before Misty could speak, Joe began the conversation, saying, "Don't assume the worst. Your Dad had a plan, so he did what he did. He would never take a life, especially after what we went through. He will most likely show up later with another torn outfit."
         "Joe? I thought you were leaving today. Where are you?"
         "Well, I am only three hours away from you right now. I stopped for the night and watched the nightly news when they interrupted it with a live report from Happy Dale Mall, where the hostage stand-off was taking place. Did you hear any of the conversations they were having? The lead terrorist specifically asked for your Dad, the Defender."
         "Really? Why? If Dad had confronted him, he would still be in custody."
         "I don't know, Misty. He had a run-in with your Dad, but nothing happened. Regardless, there was a little back-and-forth banter before your Dad vanished just to reappear right next to the hostages. I noticed your Dad was wearing a pair of light gray leather gloves. He must have changed his outfit again. The lead terrorist pulled the detonating switch and looked like he activated it."
         "Is that when he disappeared?" Misty asked.
         "No, well, not really," Joe began, "when the explosion didn't happen, the terrorists began shooting at the hostages. Your Dad became a blur. He must have been moving fast because this was my speculation; he stopped all the bullets. Well, let me think. I do remember two hostages went down to their knees but didn't appear to be mortally wounded."
         "After the terrorist fired their last bullet, your Dad appeared beside the terrorists with the Primacord wrapped around them. I have no idea how he worked so fast. Faster than the camera could keep up. I paused the news broadcast and went forward frame by frame, and your Dad was moving so fast that the scene completely changed from one slide to the next. Then a short, quieter exchange occurred, and the explosion."
         "Even though the smoke dissipated quickly, nothing was left except a hole in the ground. I'm sorry, Misty."
         Misty began sobbing. From what she had watched and what Joe had told her, she knew that her Dad must have perished trying to save everyone. She felt devastated that Cindy and Recca would no longer have a grandpa and was still shocked that she saw him die on television.
         The Defender returned to Anniversary Park with the last two of the six terrorists. After running with two terrorists at a time, one under each arm, he had knocked them out after arriving as he did not need them running off if they woke up too soon.
         When the Defender got back to the mall, he noticed the explosion had caught up with his speed before he returned. He believed he had timed it to look like everyone had blown up. Matthew patted himself on the back after getting a pair of leather gloves to take the yellow Primacord before he tied up the terrorist. He then went back to the park and his detainees. After checking to see if the terrorists were all still unconscious, he called the Captain.
         "Hello Captain...no, this isn't someone who is calling you a prank...it is me, Defender...I can explain later...I have those terrorists who tried blowing those people up with a bomb. No. They are not dead; they are unconscious. No, I did not blow them up. Speaking of fast, get officers to the five adjacent buildings' roofs tops ...why...you will find five more terrorists with sniper rifles wrapped around their wrists. .why? It was a good place to put them at the time. They are sleeping right now... They were tired, so I helped them sleep a bit... no, that's it. If you don't mind, if asked, you haven't heard from me. An anonymous caller told you about the terrorists in Anniversary Park, where you found them. If I remember correctly, it is five miles from your office.'
         "Oh, one more thing. Vic Sinister admitted to killing Jim Brown and his wife. She was pregnant. You should put Vic under extra guard."
         The Captain responded, "Message received. I have sent three squad cars to the park now. The estimated time of arrival is ten minutes or so. You are staying there to watch them?"
         "Yeah, I planned on it. I will be watching for any early risers. They may be happy the Police arrived because of the big, mean hero."
         "Go home to your family so they know you aren't dead. They'll be happy about that, I am sure." With that, the call ended, and Defender turned invisible to watch the terrorists until claimed.
         What began as an uneventful flight home turned into a reunion of sorts. When he was just a block away from Misty's house, the Defender felt a distinct pull from southwest of where he was going. It felt as if someone was trying to contact him. He changed directions and sped up.
         After homing in on the location, he felt where the summons came from; he expected someone to be there waiting for him. As he flew down to the ground, he turned invisible and landed. His Third Eye opened, and a bright green light flashed; the brightness hurt his other two eyes, and then there was darkness.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Obaschi

147 Cycles P.E
         I believe that Tra initially met an exiled Hydranousian many cycles ago. The Tra did not know what to think of the Hydranousian when the meeting occurred, except they were different. The exiled Hydranousian saw an opportunity to take advantage of the Tra and exploit their willingness to take the Hydranousian in. Either through manipulation or an actual desire to aid the Tra's evolution, the Hydranousian began to treat the Tra as individuals and taught them our language and customs. In return, the Tra taught them their language, customs, and weapon advancement. Knowing our history and weaknesses, the Tra could be used to assassinate any Hydranousians they encountered, so their existence was kept a secret.
         That is until you came here. It is apparent the other Hydranousians who came here before you were deemed a being reborn, where the title 'Reincarnated Chosen' came from.
         Eternity heard what the Supreme High One was telling her, but she was not paying attention. Her mind was resisting the new conversations and background noise she was hearing. A few Hydranousians knew someone new had entered the Collective and began contacting her.
         Are you a new adult? I do not recognize your mind. Can you hear me? I see you are learning to discern divergent backgrounds and talking to focus on vital information. How can I assist? Would you like me to send additional conversations so you can practice more? With that, Eternity's already overburdened mind was overloaded.
         Another person who remembered her sent a message, Eternity? Is that you? I cannot tell because your mind is as chaotic as the new Young One. And loud. From what I can remember, you had much more control of your Essence before being silenced and exiled to the North Quadrant. Did the Supreme High One give you back your voice in the Collective? If not, how did you get it back? Did it just appear, or was it gradual?
         Make it stop. Make it stop! I cannot focus on anything because it is too much. Please.
         The Supreme High One commented, Eternity, when I Silenced you, you begged for the Silence to end so you could hear the Collective. Now, after giving your voice in the Collective back to you, you want me to take it away. Why? Do you not want to be One in the Collective?
         Nearly shouting, I don't care about the Collective or being part of it. I can now see how it detracted from my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It takes me away from myself. Please, Supreme High One, please have mercy on me. I was angry and blinded by what you did to me. I did not see it as not a curse but as salvation. I could finally think independently, not worry about my thoughts, and answer only to the Tra and, most importantly, myself.
         The Supreme High One was speechless. Her answer was not the outcome he was expecting. While he had no intent on giving her powers back, it did not dawn on him that she would want to be Silenced again. Was it a punishment if someone tried to have themself Silenced?
         I will grant your request on one condition. The Supreme High One said.
         Yes, of course. Anything. Eternity agreed without thinking of the consequences of her decision.
         You must recall your troops from their assassination attempts. I am tired of the killing taking place on both sides. You must refrain from sending any back out after I leave. If you send even one scouting party, I will give you back your voice and amplify it.
         Yes, yes, I agree. You will never see or hear from the Tra or me again. She then called over three scouts and spoke with them. They said in the Tras' native tongue. After they left, Eternity turned and faced the Supreme High One again. I sent the Tra riding Glos to bring the others home there. Give them twenty Relffs. Now, will you take away the noise?
         Yes, let's get this done.
         As the Supreme High One entered Eternity's mind to block all contact with the Collective and from all other Hydranousians, he saw the same blocked-off piece of information he had seen before. Instead of entering the blocked-off information, he would question her about this.
         Before I Silence you, I wish to know what is behind your barrier. It is a small piece of information, and I do not want to break your final barrier because you are not holding something that could ruin our way of governing. It is personal information. However, I wish to be sure.
         Have you not looked at it yet? I thought you would have looked at it when you first Silenced me. Yes, I will share the memory with you. She turned and faced the Supreme High One and began her tale.
         When I first began learning the Tras language, there were many words the Hydranousians did not have, so the meanings were challenging to understand. Two such words were 'Obaschi' and 'Obascha.' The best way to explain this quickly would be by comparing how Hydranousians created appendages twice in their lifetime. For us, it is an unconscious process. Because we are Out of Phase when it occurs, we do not even know what the appendage looks like.
         For the Tra, the process is vastly different. The Obascha and the Obaschi mate, or are joined together, for their adult lives. Together, they create several Young Ones every other five to six cycles. These Young Ones learn directly from their Obascha and Obaschi and the community within the Clan.
         You are telling me that the Tra is more advanced with how the Young Ones are created and taught because they live in a society that treats them as unique beings. Why does it take so long for them to learn? Are they deficient?
         No, they are small and weak when they are born. That is another difference from how Hydranousians differ from the Tra. Eternity continued; the Tra treated their young ones with care and concern. After detachment, the Hydranousian's Young Ones are on their own, expecting an Old One to tutor them, and then the Young Ones become adults, ready or not, after a cycle or two.
         The Supreme High One interjected, So, I hear that the Tra young Ones are better treated, are taught by Obascha and Obaschi, and are with them longer than a cycle. You believe the Tras young are better off than the Hydranousians Young One. Is that a correct statement?
         Most definitely. If you spent about ten cycles here, you would witness that. But you have obligations elsewhere. You need to go. As promised, the Tra will no longer be in your lands or terminating your Elders. You have Silenced me once more, and for that, I am grateful.
         Now, I will share what is behind my barrier. I broke off from my creator when I was created as an appendage and received my final color. Before I left, I wanted to see who my creator was and thank them for making me after leaving their Out of Phase replenishment.
         Is that whom you are hiding? Why would you hold something so familiar as someone Out of Phase a secret?
         Because the Supreme High One, the one who is my creator, Silenced me so many cycles ago.
         The Supreme High One was speechless. He could not be her creator. He made the one person who held him in a cage outwit him and silenced him from his powers. She was in complete control until that strange being in the viewing window rescued him.
         Eternity confessed I was angry. I came from a Supreme High One, but not the same color. It was not fair that I was not like you. When tutored, I was quick to learn. I was always one jump ahead of the Old One. When she wanted me to slow down to her tutoring pace, I left. When provided with an Elder as a tutor, I was initially grateful, then disillusioned, for her resentfulness, which gave me less mundane tasks to accomplish. I listened to her reports to you. All lies. But no one would hear me or believe me. So, I rebelled.
         I watched you. I listened to whatever I could from you and about you. I saw you picked weak Elders to be with you. I knew it was because you wanted to track what they did and how they treated the Hydranousians. I saw how you treated others who broke the rules. I knew I was better than them. All were weak in powers or character.
         Now we are here. We are not friends, even if you are my Obaschi. We are the leaders of our respective tribes. Someday, we can open trade with you. More time must pass before I allow Hydranousians to mix with my people freely.
         It is time for you to leave. I will have the Tras follow you until you have reached your borders. Keep your people away from here.
         With that, Eternity turned and walked away. The Supreme High One began walking home.
         Obaschi, wait.
         The Supreme High One stopped and turned around.
         Before you leave, I would like to ask you something. A boon, if you will.
         The Supreme High One responded, what could you want from me after all that had transpired between us?
         I would like you to come back to visit me. Knowing you are, my Obaschi makes me want to know you better.
         What trickery is this? More assault plans. Are you trying to lure me back?
         No, I swear. I discovered I miss my people. I did enjoy talking with you at times.
         The Supreme High One could not detect any deceit within Eternity, only sincerity. He was uncertain if this was something he wanted to do. It would, however, be able to track her.
         I will think about it. If I return, I expect you will treat me as a guest, not a prisoner. I may or may not have a pupil with me. If I do, you must not advise them of our relationship.
         Agreed. Until we meet again, farewell, Obaschi.