January 2008

It took a couple of days before Stan descended to talk to her. He stood stiffly in front of her cell with a frown. Goosebumps rose on his forearms, a testament to the cold. "I can hardly believe I am in the presence of a dragon slayer."

Despite his cold demeanor, the statement preened her ego. She tried to not let her cockiness exude as she stood up and walked to the bars of her cozy, cozy cell. She had to remember he was the one with the power to let her out. "Is this about the Dragon Temple?"

Stan stayed stoic as he stroked his white stubble. "You were under strict orders to not inhabit any of our people."

"Would you rather they all died? Tanu must have told you what the stakes had been."

"He did. And no, I would rather the team stay alive." Stan hesitated. "That is why I don't want to punish you for your transgression. But, who knew what information you gathered in Tanu's body? Or if you've inhabited anyone else while Mendigo was absent on the mission?"

"I can tell you that I only learned of the identities of the team members and that they were in a dragon temple. I can only assume what they were up to. As for your second question..." Vanessa shrugged. "Obviously not. But also I have no evidence for it."

Stan nodded. "It's really no matter if I believe you or not. My dilemma remains as such: Mendigo was destroyed in the mission and we are spread much too thin to place a guard at your cell."

Chills spread across Vanessa. She really, really did not want to go back in the Quiet Box. She had been so good.

At Vanessa's aghast expression. Stan smiled humorlessly. "You understand. But, there is an opposing force. Simply, we need more manpower after our recent losses. I believe, even if certain others don't, that you've proved your loyalty—at least enough in our dire context."

Vanessa straightened. "You're asking me to do what, exactly?"

"Use your powers for good. Inhabit every contact you can think of. Discover secrets for our benefit. Search for their fifth hidden preserve. Find the Translocator. Scrounge up any allies or clues to the Society's next move with the artifacts."

Hope unfurled in Vanessa, but it was stemmed by some of his earlier words. "What do you mean—recent losses?"

Stan grimaced. He fidgeted with the collar of his dress shirt and looked to the floor. As steady and slow as a saline drip, dread crept into Vanessa's veins. "Navarog had disguised himself as a young teenager and proceeded on the mission. Arlin Santos has been outed as a traitor along with several others—Deridea Fount, Paul Ungar, and Harrison Erie so far. A dragon destroyed Mendigo." Stan paused, his mouth flapping open uselessly. He looked to the floor. "Dougan Fisk—I believe you knew him from the Knights—was killed by Navarog. The inter-dimensional knapsack was burned to a crisp with Warren inside. As of now, there's no way to reach him. Marla and Scott, my son and daughter-in-law, have been kidnapped by the Society." Stan met Vanessa's eyes again. "In short, we're crippled."

Anguish crushed Vanessa, and she sat down in her chair. Warren? Warren was gone again. Dougan had died. Grief plowed through her body, leaving goosebumps and tremors in its wake. The despair dampened the air and her lungs struggled to pull oxygen from the sea.

Vanessa wrapped her arms around herself and felt the wood of the chair beneath her, the scratch of her clothes on her skin, and the tightness of her boots on her feet. She pulled herself back to reality.

"So," Stan sighed," are you still ready to commit after what you heard?"

It was true they were outnumbered. It was likely they would lose the war. But, Vanessa hadn't defected for the odds. Something had changed inside her. Warren had planted a seed in her that had bloomed with careful tending. Even without him here, her motives remained unchanged. Stronger, even.

She would destroy the Sphinx, once and for all. She would burn the Society to the ground. As much as she could, before her own flame was snuffed.

Her mission remained clear.

Vanessa stood, crossed to the bars of her cell, and shook her jailmaster's hand.

"How soon can I begin?