CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Mrs. Foster came into Arnie's room to wake him up. "You've got to head to school," she told him.

"No," he replied. The last thing he wanted was to go to class. He especially didn't want to see Miss Keller. He couldn't handle facing her. That would make everything real.

"It isn't optional, Arnie. Your behavior may have been acceptable in other foster homes, but it won't be allowed here. Go to school."

"Fine, whatever," he mumbled. When she walked away, Arnie pulled on clothes he'd retrieved from Alex's house. He desperately needed to go shopping for anything but what the Fosters had filled his closet with.

When Arnie arrived downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Foster were sitting at the kitchen table with Eliza. Edward had, presumably, already left for class. Eliza looked at Arnie briefly before putting a few strands of hair into her mouth and chewing on them absentmindedly.

Mr. Foster packed his briefcase and headed out of the house with a brief, "Bye, kids."

Mrs. Foster smiled at Eliza and said, "Eat your breakfast, Eliza darling, not your hair please." She pushed the pancakes closer to Eliza, who obediently ate them before going back to chewing on her hair while Arnie finished his own plate of food.

When Mrs. Foster left the kitchen briefly, Arnie moved his chair closer to Eliza. "Are you okay?" He asked her softly.

Eliza ignored him. He tried again. "Listen, Eliza, if something's wrong, you can tell me. Maybe I can help you," he continued.

Eliza shook her head. "You told me you can speak," Arnie said. "Why don't you?"

Eliza stared at him before beginning to rock back and forth. Arnie stood up and found Mrs. Foster. "Hey," he said. "Please don't be offended, but is something wrong with Eliza?"

"Why do you ask?" Mrs. Foster asked.

"She's just... I don't know how to say this without you getting mad at me, but she seems kind of different."

"Eliza's very bright," Mrs. Foster replied.

"I don't doubt that, but she doesn't speak, and she rocks back and forth like she's self-soothing... I mean, is she autistic?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. She's just very shy, and she hasn't been feeling well lately. Give her time and she'll open up to you. Now, hurry up. I'll give you a ride to school."

Great, just what I wanted, Arnie thought bitterly.

"You need an attitude adjustment," Mrs. Foster said suddenly.

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"Your sarcasm is unacceptable. I don't know why the others put up with it, but we will not."

"I didn't say anything," he replied. Is she a telepath? He wondered in a panic. How did she know what I was thinking?

"You've been sarcastic since we brought you home, Arnie. It's time you learned your place," she said harshly.

He had expected this, to an extent, but not so suddenly. Would she try to beat him up, or would she have her husband do it? Or would she simply go with psychological abuse? He didn't think the Fosters were the sexually abusive sort, but he couldn't be sure. Eliza certainly acted like she was being abused, and that kind of abuse tended to have the most obvious effects on kids.

"And what is my place, Mrs. Foster?" He asked, ready to run if she tried to hit him. He didn't believe in hitting women, but that didn't mean that he was still a little kid who would let a woman hurt him. He was a slayer. He had reflexes.

"You're our son now, Arnie. You will live by our rules. And maybe we'll come out of this alive," she replied.

"What the hell does that mean?" Arnie demanded.

"You got your parents killed, and now your most recent foster family has met the same fate. I would like my family to survive, thank you."

Her words were a shock. None of his other foster mothers had ever said that his parents' deaths were his fault before. He believed it anyway, but hearing the words from someone else did more damage to him than any physical beating ever could.

"I... I... Look, I didn't get them killed," he replied quietly, not believing his own words.

"You and I both know that's not true," Mrs. Foster said. "You're a bad seed, Arnie, and you destroy everything that you touch. Families, friends, girlfriends... No one is safe around you, are they?"

Arnie grabbed his bag for school and fled from the house before she could say anything else. Mrs. Foster was a whole new breed of evil, and the worst part was that Arnie agreed with everything she'd just said.

~*~

Melissa was still in the hospital, so Jesse headed to school by himself. He ran into Randy on the way there. "Hey, man," he said.

"Hey," Randy greeted him. "How's Melissa?"

"She's better, but still healing. I think she's kind of freaked out, but she's hiding it well."

"I can't believe this happened! Does she have any idea who did it?" Randy asked.

"No... She can't remember anything except for a ball of energy hitting her, but Skip and the others think it was a warlock," Jesse replied. "They won't tell me much. Dylan might know more, since he's always working at the Unit. I think Skip told Alex the whole story, but Alex hasn't shared it with me."

"Was it the E.V.S. kids?" Randy asked.

"I wouldn't know," Jesse replied with a shrug. "I'm not part of their club anymore. I'm hoping that mauling the President gets me banned for life."

"Arthur would probably know if it was their doing."

"I couldn't care less what Arthur knows."

"He's part of the new chapter, right?"

"Tommi said he joined up, but that he swears it's only because he has no choice. He says that his dad would kill him if he didn't stay involved. Other than the new chapter's officers, Arthur's the only current member. They haven't recruited the other seven yet."

"Maybe Arthur's not so bad, Jess. He helped Deenie when the warlocks kidnapped her, and he hasn't done anything evil since the fire took out last year's chapter."

"I'll never trust him. You can't trust warlocks, Randy."

"He can't help who his father is anymore than either of us could," Randy pointed out.

"Yeah, but he doesn't have to go along with everything his dad tells him to do. Sometimes, parents are wrong," Jesse countered.

"Hey, you and I know that, but we also both know it's hard to stand up to your own father."

"Whatever. New subject, please."

Randy knew better than to push him. "Sure. How are your classes?" He asked.

"I meant an interesting subject," Jesse replied.

"We're playing our top rival from last year on Sunday."

"Dude, football doesn't interest me."

"Cheerleaders do," Randy pointed out.

Jesse laughed. "You're right. I didn't think of that."

"Hey guys!" Beth called, running toward them. Jade was several feet away, continuing to walk at the same pace she had before they'd spotted the boys.

"You seem eager to see us today," Randy said.

"I needed some space from Jade," Beth admitted. "She's an emotional rollercoaster lately. You guys are a lot calmer."

"Isn't that kind of harsh?" Jesse asked. "I mean, the girl watched her boyfriend die a few weeks ago. She's entitled to freak out."

"I'm usually there for her without a problem, but with Melissa in the hospital and Arnie bugging out, I'm sort of on empathic overload," Beth explained.

Randy instinctively hugged her. He was embarrassed by his automatic gesture, but Beth welcomed it. Connecting purely to Randy's emotions was enough to calm her down.

"Thanks," she said. "I've been so antsy since yesterday."

"No problem," Randy replied. "I'm always happy to help."

"You're just looking for an excuse to cop a feel," Jesse joked.

"Shut up, man. You're so wrong. It's not like that," Randy said defensively. Beth silently turned pink.

"Sorry, Beth," Jesse replied. "Sometimes, stupid things just come out of my mouth."

"I'm glad you've finally realized that," Aideen said with a laugh as she joined them.

"Hey, Deenie," Randy said. "How's Courtney?"

"The doctors are calling it the flu, but medication isn't helping. I'm worried," Aideen admitted.

"I'm sure she'll be okay," Jesse said gently.

Beth latched on to Randy. "Help," she whispered.

Randy pulled her into a tight hug, and this time, Jesse kept his mouth shut. "Empathic overload?" Aideen guessed.

"Yes, a massive one," Beth replied. "I need a vacation from being an empath."

"Talk to Alex. He's good at building shields. He might be able to help a little bit."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Deenie."

"So, is Evan planning on following you to school every day?" Randy asked, spotting Evan standing nearby.

"Who is he? Mary's little lamb?" Jesse mumbled.

Aideen whacked his arm. "Don't be a jerk," she said. "Yes, he's going to follow me to school every day, and not just because my life's in danger. He knows about my habit of ditching class." She laughed. "It's cute that he thinks he can change that."

"At least you go more often than Arnie does," Randy replied.

"Arnie's been going more this year," Beth said. "I've seen him around."

"That, my friends, is a long and complicated story you'll hear about at the next meeting," Aideen promised. "He's only been going for one reason."

"Two, now," Jesse said. "He needs an excuse to get away from his foster family."

"He won't be with them for long. Mom's working with Johnny to fight for custody of him. We're getting Arnie out of that house as soon as possible."

An overconfident daywalker jumped out of the trees and grabbed Aideen. He tilted her neck painfully to the side and cursed when he realized that she had on a turtle neck. She laughed at his attempt. "Nice try," she said, her neck still titled. "Would you mind letting me go now?"

Jesse and Randy tore the vampire off of Aideen. He was young, but strong, and he struggled against them. He clearly wasn't that intelligent, seeing as how Aideen was walking with two slayers and was a slayer herself. The odds had been severely against him from the start, but the turtle neck seemed to agitate him more than anything else had.

Evan was by her side immediately. "Do you need me to deal with him?" He asked.

"I'm good," she replied. She looked at the daywalker. "Today, you get to live. If you try that again, you will be returned to your parents in a shoebox. Are we clear?"

The daywalker grunted. "I don't think she quite caught that," Jesse said, tightening his grip on the teenager.

"Yes," the daywalker hissed. "I understand."

"Let him go before I spank him and make him my sub," Aideen said. "I'm already having one of those days."

~*~

Jade passed out in math class, something she was doing too often lately, and immediately found herself back in a place she never wanted to revisit.

She was in the room where Spencer had died. She watched him die again in the nightmare. It wasn't exactly the way things had happened, but that didn't make the nightmare any less painful. Spencer fell at Jade's feet in the dream and bled on her shoes, staring at her as if to ask why she didn't save him.

Jade began screaming as she had that night, a banshee's cry, and found that she was unable to stop. She didn't realize that her body was also screaming.

Her math teacher looked terrified when he shook her awake gently. He led her outside, staring at her like she was some kind of lunatic.

"Jade, what was that all about?" He asked.

"I'm sorry," Jade replied. "I guess I fell asleep. I had a nightmare."

"Maybe you should go see your guidance counselor," he suggested.

"I'd rather not," Jade replied.

"I think you need to." He wrote her a pass. "Go. I'll make sure someone gets the homework to you."

Yes, because I'm having a nervous breakdown, but at least my math homework will get done, she thought bitterly. She reluctantly headed toward the main office.

~*~

Arnie went through the day in a daze until Miss Keller's class. He intended to do his best to skip it, but couldn't resist the urge to attend. When she didn't show up, however, he became alarmed.

The substitute who came into the classroom looked bored. "Miss Keller is going to be out indefinitely," he announced. "I'm Mr. Reed, and I'll be teaching this class until she returns."

"What happened?" Arnie demanded.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that."

"I don't care what you're at liberty to do. Tell me what happened to her."

Calm down, man, Dylan said. I know this guy. He subbed for one of my classes last term, and he's strict. He'll send you to the dean if you cause trouble.

Like I give a damn, Arnie sent back. "Please," he said. "Tell me why she's out."

"I don't know, alright? No one tells me the intimate details of teacher's lives. She's absent. That's all you need to know, young man," the substitute replied.

Arnie stood up. "Then so am I," he said. He walked out of the classroom, not bothering to modify the man's memory to make him forget. It really didn't matter. He knew that something was horribly wrong, and he had to find out what it was.

When Arnie arrived in the main office, he started talking before he even knew what his excuse was. "Why is Miss Keller absent?" He asked the secretary.

"That's not your concern," she told him.

"Actually, she's my birth mother, so it kind of is my concern."

Did I just say that aloud? He wondered. Whatever happened to cover stories?

"I... Oh my," the woman said awkwardly. "I had no idea that she had a son."

"Please," he said. "Please tell me why she's not here."

"I'm really not supposed to discuss this with students, but you do sort of look like her..." She paused, her face going a bit blank for a moment before she continued. "She's missing. She vanished from school yesterday afternoon."

That was too easy, Arnie thought. A telepath must have gotten into her head.

That was when Arnie noticed Jade sitting outside of the guidance counselor's office. "Do you know anything else?" He asked the secretary.

"No, just that she missed her last class of the day yesterday, and no one has seen her today. She didn't call or anything."

Arnie nodded. Yesterday afternoon... That's when Melissa got attacked. That's when he was here, he thought. It was too terrible to consider, but he had no other choice. His birth father must have kidnapped her. He refused to believe that Miss Keller might be dead.

He headed toward Jade. "Thanks," he said.

"It's not like I had anything better to do," Jade replied with a shrug.

"What are you in for?" Arnie asked.

"I had a bit of a nervous breakdown in class. I fell asleep, had a nightmare, and started screaming. My math teacher thinks I belong in a rubber room."

"Ouch... Want me to modify his memory?"

"For the love of the Gods, yes! I so don't want to sit and get all touchy-feely with an evil guidance counselor."

"Your guidance counselor is evil?" Arnie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Aren't they all?" Jade replied.

"That's a fair point... Melissa told me that her guidance counselor isn't so bad. I'll find out her name for you, and maybe you can get switched to her."

"She's still alive," Jade said suddenly.

"What?" Arnie asked in confusion.

"Miss Keller... Your birth mother... She's still alive. I can feel it," she said. "I can't quite hear her thoughts, but I sort of sense her mind. She's alive, Arnie. I'm sure of it."

Arnie hugged her. "I needed to hear that."

"I know." She sighed. "When I first told Spencer about Joey, before Joey found his way back to me, Spencer gave me hope because he was sure that Joey was alive. I can tell you need that now, as bad as I needed it then. So hold onto it, Arnie. Miss Keller's still alive."

"Thank you," Arnie whispered. He took a deep breath and added, "Now, let me get you out of this."

~*~

After he got Jade out of her situation, it didn't take Arnie long to convince Aideen to skip the rest of the day and help him find Miss Keller. Instead of going to the Unit, they went to her house. Salem was a small enough town that tracking down her address had been simple. She lived near Essex Street.

Since Aideen was with Arnie, Evan came along to help. He proved to be very skilled at breaking into houses. He was also the first one to notice the note that was sitting on Miss Keller's bed. Without a word, Evan handed it to Arnie.

Hello, Son. If you're reading this, you're as smart as I think you are. I have taken your mother away to punish her for hiding you for all of these years. I assure you, she is alive. How long she remains that way depends on you. Come to Gallows Hill Park when you read this. I will know you've received the letter and will be waiting for you. I look forward to meeting you. Most Eagerly, Your Father.

"That son of a bitch!" Arnie shouted.

"What?" Aideen asked.

"He knew I would be here. He wants me to meet him at Gallows Hill."

"It's a trap," Evan said.

"Of course it is, but I have no choice. She's my birth mother. I may not have known that until yesterday, but she is, and I refuse to lose another mother."

"You aren't going alone," Aideen said firmly.

"I'd tell you not to come, but I know you'd never listen," Arnie replied.

"We'll stop him, Arnie. We'll find a way. I'm with you," Aideen promised.

"Well, then, I guess I'm in as well," Evan said. "Who wants weapons?"

~*~

He smiled as the energy hit him. Arnie had read the note. He was finally going to meet his son, and either the boy would join him, or he would perish. Regardless, the end would come.

"Our son is coming home, Dawn," he said.

"Don't hurt him," Dawn Keller begged. She was strapped to a chair and bleeding from her head, but the wound was not as bad as it appeared to be, and she knew she wasn't dying, yet. "Please... He's just a child. He didn't know."

"No, you saw to that, didn't you?" He slapped her across the face.

"Why are you wearing that mask?" She asked, trying not to give in to her pain or her fear. "I already know who you are."

"You do. He does not. And if he brings anyone along, I'd like my identity to remain a secret." He gagged her. "I'll let you know how it goes, my dear." With that, he shut the lights and left.

~*~

It was freezing when Arnie, Aideen, and Evan arrived at Gallows Hill. They descended the extremely steep hill, hoping to find Arnie's biological father before he found them. They saw him standing near the bottom of the hill. He wore a cloak and a mask, and he waved at them pleasantly as though this was a perfectly ordinary meeting.

"Welcome, welcome," he said. "I'm so pleased to see you, my boy! And it's so nice to see your friends as well. I had a feeling you wouldn't come alone."

"What do you want from me?" Arnie asked him.

"I simply want to get to know the son I was denied," he replied.

"Killing the people I care about isn't the best way to win me over."

"It's unpleasant, yes, but necessary. They're not your blood, Arnie. I am."

"Warlocks are so obsessed with blood. Who cares?" Aideen wondered aloud. His voice is so familiar, she thought to Arnie. Can you place it?

No, Arnie replied, but I agree. It's really familiar. We know him.

"I see you've realized what I am," the man said. "How interesting! And yet, you still came."

"Let Miss Keller go," Arnie said firmly. "Then we can talk."

"I can't do that yet. Dawn needs to realize the error of her ways, my boy."

"And what about my family? Why did they have to die?" Arnie demanded.

"I'm your family. They were merely pathetic substitutes."

"I'm talking about the ones who raised me, not the Berlins."

"I'm talking about both. They were not your family. You needed to learn that."

"You tried to kill Melissa."

"Only to prove a point. I have no issue with Melissa personally. I'm actually rather impressed with her. As you saw, the girl survived my attack."

"Barely... And only because she has good reflexes."

"If you come home to me, no more harm will come to those you care about. I will protect them, Arnie."

"And if I don't?" Arnie asked.

"If you don't come with me, then those you love the most will always pay the price."

"I'll kill you before I let you hurt anyone else," Arnie replied firmly.

"You can't kill me, my boy. You don't even know who I am," the man pointed out.

"I know who I am, and I am most definitely not your boy! Stop calling me that! I want nothing to do with you!"

The man sighed. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but so be it," he said. He quickly flung a spell at Arnie, but Arnie was able to dodge it.

Aideen moved farther away from them to get a better shot at the man. She took aim with the gun Evan had given to her, but before she could pull the trigger, the man flung a powerful spell directly at her head.

Everything suddenly seemed to be happening in slow motion. Evan knocked Arnie to the ground before Arnie could race toward Aideen. He was too far away to reach her in time, and it was clear from the energy of the spell that it would destroy anyone it touched.

As the spell hit Aideen, Evan shielded Arnie with his body to protect him. The explosion that followed was deafening, and then, there silence. After a few seconds, Arnie frantically looked around. Where Aideen had been standing, there was nothing left except smoke and flames.