Waiting at the door

Nepal's psychic strength had increased over the few weeks since the hospital incidents. He could delve deep into the minds of others, teleport, and move objects with his mind. He could even see the silver cords that connected people in ways unimagined by him. For all his strength, he felt helpless in the face of this little girl's plight. “I hated no knowing where Karden might show up. He was with us all along,” he explained to Armand.

“You could not have known. He only had a few clues. We don't even know what Karden is anymore,” Armand counseled.

“That is absolutly right, Armand,” Jueqel said while he walked to the center of the gym. “Bring her over here.”

“Right,” Nepal helped her up over to sit on a center mat.

“Etten and Dru should be here any moment now,” Jueqel said.

As if on cue, the two Oragwains arrived.

“How's our Kelly doing?” Etten asked.

Nepal noticed Dru had put on a couple kilos, and almost said something about it. What stopped him was the silver within silver he saw in Dru's stomach, as if something living was growing inside him. Is he pregnant? Nepal decided to ask him later. Asking Jueqel might even be more polite.

“Fine,” Kelly said, but she didn't sound fine. She sounded scared, but at least she showed signs that she was glad to see them. Moving to wave at Etten and even crunching her hand open and closed to throw him hugs.

Now, that he looked at her, she was paler than she had been at the loft.

Jueqel noticed, too.

There was another shimmer into the room. It was Breyn. “I've come to help. I want a piece of this guy,” she said and rushed over to Kelly. They hugged briefly, “Kelly, how you doing, baby? We'll get this guy.”

“Hi Aunti Brains,” Kelly said with more cheer.

Dru started to say, “I'm not sure...”

But Breyn cut him off with, “I'm not sure you'll be able to pull this off without me. I know his tricks. He almost had me. I will not let him take my favorite niece.”

Dru raised his hands in defense to ward off her tongue lashing. “As long as it's fine with Kelly.”

Kelly nodded emphatically.

Breyn told Kelly, “we gals have got to stick together.”

Jueqel started to say, “Gal...” But stopped with a look from Breyn.

Raymond came into the gym followed by Sherry, and then Tony.

“Sherry, I'd like you to take Tony and wait until we are through,” Jueqel asked. “Let me know if any dangers that may come.”

“That's why I'm here,” Sherry said. “We've been shut down of all premonitions. I can't get any future. It's all coming up blanks.”

Tony ran to his sister, “Kelly,” he said softly to her as they hugged. Kelly started to cry, and when her brother felt the tears on her cheeks his eyes welled up, filled with wetness.

Kelly choked her voice and cleared her throat. “Can you wait outside for me?” She asked.

“No, Kelly. I want to be here with you,” Tony pleaded.

Sherry bent down to give them both a hug. “Tony, you and I will wait outside. We don't want to get in their way,” Sherry explained.

“No, no, Kelly,” Tony protested.

“Will you be my big brother for a little while?” Kelly asked. “Can you do that for me?”

His tears flowed as much as hers by now. He'd wiped them away but more came. His red nose and swollen eyes still defiant. She looked at him in a way that communicated a warmth siblings shared. Something between a big sister and her little brother that was beyond words. That was enough to convince him to wait outside. Tony got up and ran to the door and waited just at the entrance, not wanting to give an inch, even when they closed the door.

Kelly convulsed, and went pale white. Raymond bent down to touch her forehead. He did something, Nepal couldn't tell what, but psychic energy flowed from him like a flamethrower. Color came back into her cheeks. Not perfect, but better.

“I think we'd better do this,” Raymond recommended.