Back to Earth

Being sent back to Earth makes me feel as if I can do no right. It's like I keep making these silly mistakes. Maybe they aren't silly. Maybe everyone is overreacting. Peter told us the Falcons are faithful, but I wonder if they get sick of flying back and forth for us. Then again, they are cooped up in stables all day long. They probably enjoy spreading their wings. I know I would . I hold tight to the falcon and pier out into the grey sky morning. It's an unusually chilly day for late May. I'm not complaining, just noticing. Olivia turns her head to me. "What are the odds that the couple saw anything?" She asks. "I don't know. They could have seen us fly away. I don't think much else." "Do you think they're in danger?" I shake my head. "Then why are we going down there?" She asks. "It's not our call to make." Olivia turns her head forward. I hear her let out a sigh. It is frustrating. I know without knowing that they are fine. We could quit the Wellness Center and deal with any repercussions as they happen. If we do choose to do that we won't get the library. I'm not sure why we wanted it in the first place other then we could, but we came this far. It would be pointless not to complete the mission. That is how I must look at this, as a mission. We started out as two. Now we are gaining eyes and ears. Support of all kinds. We started simply seeking the unknown. Somehow it's evolving into something grander. Something bigger than us. "Where do you think we'll find them?" Olivia shouts. "Probably where we last saw them." "You think they'd go back." She asks. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Todd, the HR Guy

On our first visit to the Wellness Center we traveled up a twisty staircase that lead to the second floor. I had no idea there were more than two floors at the time. I have been told that it was in a different wing than the one we are venturing now. Part of me wonders if they build these additions while we are away. I'm just glad we get to use the elevator this time. I'm in no mood to climb stairs. Anything that can speed up this process makes me happy. The fourth floor hallway is bright and clearly labeled. It has signs pointing in the direction of HR. The signs lead us down the hall to a closed oak door. We knock. A moment later a man with neatly parted hair and a cardigan sweater answers. He looks like a John, or Mark, or - "Hello, I'm Todd." The man says, interrupting my inner monologue. "How can I help you?" "We have some legal troubles." I reply. His mouth becomes small. "Oh, come in." His office is neat and organized, yet quirky at the same time. On his desk is a bird that drinks water, and his walls are filled with cliche posters of cats that say things like " Hang in there." He has a coffee urn and mugs in the corner. He pours two cups , and hands them to us. "I apologize. I have no cream or sugar at the moment." "That's quite alright." Olivia assures him. Todd sits down behind his desk. He ushers us to sit at the two chairs in front of the desk. "Now, start from the beginning." I take a deep breath and I spill the beans. I tell him everything. Every last detail. When it was all said, Todd calmly folded his hands. He sat there for a minute in silence, taking in all the information. "Ok. First of all, I don't condone how you handled that matter at the museum. However, that part will be the easiest to deal with. There may be some lingering effects, but I'll have some of my guys go down there and put a positive spin on it." "What will they say?" Olivia asks. "Strange, violent occurrence that went away with money? My guess is mass hysteria." He says, confidently. "But there were multiple witnesses." Olivia says. "All the better reason for mass hysteria. Listen, as bad as it sounds , I wouldn't worry about that at all. What concerns me is the second half of the story." "I know." I say, sheepishly. "Hey, I'm not trying to lecture you. You did what you had to do, but when you did that thing with the hearts -" "Yeah, how did you do that? I never saw you shoot them like that." I ask, interrupting Todd. "I hadn't used the hearts in a while, so I had full energy, and I just concentrated." Todd coughs. We pier up at him. "May I continue?" We nod. "Thank you. Yes, that thing with the hearts... What happens to the person afterwards?" "They have a change of perspective." Olivia responds. "How long does the changed perspective last?" He asks. "It depend how strong their will is. It could be a matter of minutes, hours, or days." She says. Todd taps his fingers. "This is where my concern is." "What's the problem?" I ask. His jaw drops. "You have two teenage witnesses. You two are safe, but how do you know he won't go after them to get to you?" "We'll check up on them." Olivia says. "You better." He shouts . Todd takes a moment to collect himself. "I'll put in an order for a falcon. You know where to go from there, right?" We nod in unison. Olivia and I attempt to get up. "One more thing, and you probably won't like this." He says, quietly. "What?" I ask. "I want you to check up on the biker." "What?!" Olivia shouts. "If his change of perspective is permanent then his life may be in danger with his gang." "Why should we care about him?" I demand. Todd leans forward. "If you were aimlessly going about your own missions you wouldn't have to care, but you are technically employed by the Wellness Center. This will be a priority." Olivia and I begrudgingly agree. "If that man is trying to start a good, honest life, I will not have anyone harm him." Todd writes on a sheet of paper and hands it to us. "If you need me for whatever reason, don't be afraid to call. Good luck, and please stay out of trouble."

Past Deeds

Bethany the accountant, examines the yellow shield closely. It's obviously something she had never seen before. "This is definitely interesting, and it would be good to have an artifact in the library. I have to ask though, why is it in an evidence bag?" "I knew we should have taken it out of there." I say to myself. Bethany places the shield on her desk. She looks at us sternly. "Well, why is it in an evidence bag?" She asks. "Because we had to get it out of the evidence room." I reply. "And why was it there?" "Because the police put it there." I say. She sighs. Clearly, the conversation isn't going anywhere. "Did you steal it?" She asks. "No, it belongs to us." Olivia jumps in. "But how did you go about getting it?" I stare at the floor. "We kinda stole it from a museum." Bethany takes a deep breath. "It's amazing you two weren't arrested." "We were, but a sleazy lawyer balled us out." Olivia replies. Bethany removes her glasses and buries her face in her hands. "What else happened?" She asks, her voice muffled. "We met up with a biker gang and unsuccessfully tried to sell drugs to kids." I inform her. Her head pops up. "What?!" "I said unsuccessfully." "This is not my jurisdiction." She says, in a stressed tone. "What do you mean?" Olivia asks. "You have to go to Human Resources on the fourth floor. I'll get you your paper work for the library, but please go to them now."

Confrontation

There was some distance between the couple and Russell, so it gave us some time to plan what we would say. However, unbeknownst to us, he knew we weren't able to coerce the couple. As we walked up to him he didn't let on one bit. He greeted us with a warm smile. That should have been a dead giveaway. "I see it went well." He says to us. "Very." I reply, trying to sound as confident as possible. "I take it they love superheroes?" He asks. "Everybody does." Olivia shouts. "Did you say you were from a movie that they have seen recently?" "No, we didn't need to." I tell him. Russell's eyes widen. "And they liked that you were original?" There is a brief pause. "Yes." I respond, nervously. Russell rubs his face. "There is only one thing I loath..." He casually pulls a switchblade out of his pocket. "And that's liars. I bet you didn't know I understand body language. I also can read lips a bit." I back up as he inches closer. Olivia stands firm. She raises her right hand, and like a gatling gun, she rapidly fires hearts into his chest. Pow! Pow! Pow! The rapid hearts create a strobe effect. She eventually stops. He is left in a daze. I quickly call out to our falcon. He seemingly swoops down out of no where. I make sure I have the yellow shield before we leap on the falcon, and fly off into the light blue sky once more.

Amateurs

The couple is oblivious of us inching closer as they continue to make out. Unsure how to break up the teenage lovers, I cough obnoxiously. The couple halt their passion. "What do you want?" The guy asks, angrily. "Just a minute of your time." I reply. "Can't you see we're busy." He says. "Yes, but it will only take a moment." The guy rolls his eyes. "You shouldn't have been doing that in daylight if you didn't want to talk to people." Olivia insists. "Who are you supposed to be anyways?" The girl asks. "What do you mean?" I ask. "Well, she's got one of those skull mask things, and you got a red cape. I don't get it." The guy chimes in. "Yeah, are you supposed to be Superman?" "No,I'm me." They both look at each other, baffled. "So, you're not trying to be anyone?" He asks. "No, why would I?" I respond. The guy scratches his head. "You walk around like that, and you're not trying to be anyone?" I nod, annoyed. He laughs and claps his hands. "I don't know what you guys are on, but I want some of it." I grin. "That could be arranged." "It was an expression." The girl blurts out. "No, I'm curious. Let's see what they have." He says, slyly. "What are you into?" The guy leans back. His relaxed demeanor reveals his disinterest. "What?" I wonder aloud. "Nice try." He says. "What are you talking about?" Olivia asks him. He shakes his head. "If you were legit, you wouldn't ask what I was into. You would tell me what I want." "It's your loss." I turn and walk away. Olivia runs to me. "What are you doing?" "Taking back our power."

Scouting

We view high school students from afar through high powered binoculars. Nothing creepy about that. Especially when you take into consideration that we are searching for the most naive looking kids to push drugs. I think I spot a kid who is walking to his car. Russell shakes his head and says "You must be a rookie." "What gave it away?" I ask. "Going to someone who is alone is looking for trouble. You want to appear friendly and open. Never go to someone who is alone, but also avoid crowds." Sage, disturbing advice from a criminal. We spent most the afternoon watching students leave the high school. Russell would always turn down any of our suggestions. They would always be too plucky, not plucky enough, sometimes he didn't like their look. Eventually he found a teenage couple on a park bench. "Perfect!" He shouts. "They don't look too smart, and they don't look dumb. And they aren't that close to the school." I bite my lip. He slaps me on the back. "Go do your thing. And remember, I'll be watching." He says, with a sinister smile. We've received our assignment, now to find a way out of it.

Gone Too Long

I was gone much longer than I had thought. By the time I crept in the window and exited the Men's room, I was greeted by a mass of bikers. All of them looking upon me with angry eyes. I was gone for far too long. I blew it. The move was mine. I just wasn't sure if should try to sneak past them or say something. A biker angrily blurted out profanity. At least now I wouldn't have to think about my next move. "Sorry, my stomach has been acting up." I explain. A man with a red bandanna laughs. "Bullshit. Jimmy said you didn't touch your food." He draws himself closer. "Where were you?" "Where does it look like I was?" I say. The man in the red bandanna clenches his fist. Russel steps between us . "What is going on?" He demands. "I don't trust this guy." The man in the bandanna says. "We need him. He's our key." Russell assures him. "Yeah, then why was he in the bathroom so long?" He asks. Russell laughs. "Look at him. He's Hollywood. Probably the smell of real food makes him nauseous." The crowd of bikers agrees with him. "Besides, we're gonna take him out now and test where his loyalties are."

Escape Plan

Just looking at the breakfast makes me want to vomit. The eggs are grey and the hash browns don't appear to be cooked. Olivia and I poke at our meals. Meanwhile, all the men are in ecstasy. They shovel their food down their throats. "You think it's safe to eat?" I whisper to Olivia. "They're all eating." "I don't think that says much." I quip. I crane my neck to see the Men's bathroom door wide open. "I have an idea. I'll be right back." I tell her. I walk to the bathroom. All the bikers are too busy with food to see me leave momentarily. Hopefully, it stays like that for a while. The inside of the restroom is a wreck. The garbage can is overturned, the mirror is cracked and broken, and the sink is missing. None of that matters though because this bathroom has a window. A window that I could easily sneak through. I climb on the toilet and reach for the window sill. After a moment or so of struggling, I make it through the window. It leads me to the back of the bar. Fortunately no one is around. I guess breakfast is the only time they don't use guards. Who knew? I walk a hundred feet down a marshy field. That's when I decide it's safe to call my falcon. Unlike the previous time, he does not circle around in the air. He swoops down immediately. He stands before me, majestic as always. "We got what we came here for. Olivia has it at the bar, but I don't trust those men. If we can get away from them to this spot will you take us away?" The falcon nods slowly. "Good, I will get back. We'll see you soon."

Wake Up!

"Wake up!" Shouts an angry, grainy voice. I open my bloodshot eyes to see the man in sunglasses and a short, bald man standing over us. "Sleep time is over." The man in sunglasses announces. I crack my neck. "Jimmy is making eggs and hash browns, but he doesn't like it when people are late." The bald man says. "Who is Jimmy?" I ask. "You were at the bar last night?" He asks. "Yeah?" "That's Jimmy's bar. He makes breakfast. Now , come on. He hates it when people are late." The bald man continues. "Alright. Just let us get ready." I say. "No, you're ready now. We go to breakfast now." The man in sunglasses demands. I stand up and pull Olivia off the ground. I half smile at the chaotic situation we seem to have found ourselves in. "Let's eat."

The Guard

Ten minutes is a long time when you have something to occupy your time. It's even longer when you don't. I don't think it was a full ten minutes. We counted two Mississippies then got bored. Our anxiety and eagerness got the best of us. I tried to open the door slowly. It still creaked loud as ever. The man with the sunglasses popped into view when it was fully open. "May I help you?" He asks. "We wanted fresh air." Olivia says. "You need rest." He responds. "Have you been out there this whole time?" I ask. "I was given the task of watching you two." "And you're gonna stay out there all night?" Olivia asks. "I'm doing shifts with this other guy." He says. "How can we trust you? How can we trust him?" Olivia asks. He shrugs. "Trust me, don't trust me. I don't care, but I was given a job. I'm gonna do it. Now go to bed." He demands. I back up into the house and close the door. "Can we sleep with the bubble?" I ask. "We can try, but it'll probably go off if I'm not concentrating. I sigh. "Look's like we're sleeping in shifts."

The Suite

The man in the sunglasses takes us to a small, one room, wooden house. The outside is falling apart. There are broken windows and shingles missing from the roof. I hope that this isn't where we'll be staying. That we'll actually walk somewhere past this place. My wishes go unfulfilled. The man in sunglasses unlocks the front door. "This is where you'll be staying." He opens the door. It makes a loud, creaking noise. "Take a look." Olivia and I poke our heads in. The inside is worse than the outside. There is absolutely no furniture, and garbage covers the floor. Most of it is beer bottles and fast food wrappers. "What do you think?" He asks. "It's something." I respond. He sees right through my facade. "You don't like it?" "It's not what we were expecting." Olivia replies. "You should be happy. Normally this room would be filled with people." "It was nice you cleared it out." Olivia says. He sneers. "Only because Russ thinks highly of you. I don't see what the big deal is, and most the guys agree with me." The man in the sunglasses starts to exit. "We start early. Be ready." He exits the room, and shuts the creaky door, leaving us alone in the garbage filled room. "Should we be concerned?" Olivia asks. "We'll wait ten minutes and then make our escape."

Saved?

We walked for hours until we reached a remote biker bar in the middle of the sticks. By the time we got there Olivia and I were so fatigued that we could barely think. That might have actually been a saving grace. In instances where you found yourself surrounded by shady characters it is best not to have clever remarks. We couldn't sneak in undetected. As soon as we entered, everyone stared at us. They dropped their pool cues, they stopped drinking, and they stared. A particularly menacing man in dark sunglasses walks up to us. He holds a pool cue firmly in his right hand. "Relax, I have special requests to bring these two here." Chad tells him. "Is that so?" He asks. In the distance we hear a toilet flush. Before chad can respond, Russel Myers exits the men's bathroom. He instantly spots the ensuing conflict. Russel stands between Chad and the man in sunglasses. "What are you doing? That is no way to treat the guests of honor." "Guests of honor?" The man in shades repeats. "Yeah, they're the ones I recruited for our operation." The man in shades smiles big. I see a mouthful of rotten, gnarly teeth. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?" The man in shades gives me a big bear hug. "Enough. They look tired. Show them the sleeping quarters." Russel says. "But they just got here." He replies. "I know, but they will be more use to us after they are fully rested." The man in shades nods and opens the door to the bar. He tips his sunglasses down and stares us in the eyes. "Come along this way."

Got the Evidence

We sit on the front stoop outside the police station. We wonder when exactly we will be able to make our move and escape. We could make a run for it now, but we came this far. It would be strange not to get the shield at this point. Before our pondering can lead us anywhere,Chad exits the police station with the shield in his hand. It is still in the evidence bag. "Does this look familiar?" He asks, waving it in front of my face. "Yes, that's it!" I shout, excitedly. Chad hands the shield to me."Great, now to meet up with Mr.Myers and his gang." He says. Olivia wastes no time. She takes that exact moment to fire hearts into his chest. Chad is a bit disoriented as a result. After a beat he grins. "You know what? I was going to get us a cab, but it's such a nice day. Why don't we walk?" Chad suggests. Olivia and I stare at each other, wondering when the next moment will be. Chad ushers us . "Come on, it will be fun."

Lime Green Suit

The jailer marches us down the hall where we are met by a tall, lanky man in a lime green suit. "Nice suite." I say, sarcastically. He smiles smugly. "You know what they say, Cash is king. Money is power." "I've never seen money that shade of green." I utter. "Perhaps it should be." He replies. "Forgive me for being informal." The man puts out his hand. "Chad Billington." Olivia and I reluctantly shake his hand. "Russel Myers referred me to you two." "Who?" Olivia asks. Chad chuckles. "You became good friends with him. He's an older biker." "How do you know him?" I ask. "You can say we are old friends." Chad eyes the jailer. "Jailer, would you mind giving us some privacy? I have to discuss some legal matters." The jailer begrudgingly walks away. "Now to discuss business." He says. Chad clears his throat and continues. "You two aren't out of the woods just yet." "I didn't think it would be that easy. Olivia replies. Chad smiles. "People will do anything for money, lots of money. However, as it stands my power and influence was not able to get you out of a court date. " "So, you basically came to tell us we're screwed?" I say. Chad shakes his head. "Work for Mr. Myers. This could all go away." "How?" Olivia asks. " Mr. Myers and I have built up strong ties to this district. The cops who can not be bought will fall to addiction." I back up. "No, I don't want to be a part of this." Chad fixes his tie. "You realize you are facing a few felony charges and right now I am your hope." I take a deep breath. "Could you do something for me?" I plead. " I believe I am." He says. "I need you to get something from evidence." Chad laughs to himself. "Easy as pie. What is it?" "It's a golden shield." I tell him. "I'll do it. And then I will meet you two outside." Chad walks away, whistling. Olivia rushes up to me. "What you doing?" She demands. "We'll get the shield, and then when we can we'll call the falcon and fly far away."

A New Friend?

The biker shared his plans of involving us in his drug trade. He had started with cannabis, but wanted to move on to heavier drugs because that's where the money is. He had been manufacturing and selling crystal meth. The problem was that the last shack he was cooking in blew up. He has been in the works of finding competent chemists as well as securing a new place. You may be asking "what does this have to do with you?" One word ... Distribution. The biker grew to love our costumes. In fact he realized it was a way to appeal to college aged/ high school students. A sinister plan indeed, but after he gained our trust, he slept like a baby. Once he was asleep, Olivia and I were confident enough to sleep in shifts. In the morning he was gone. We breathed a sigh of relief. Our troubles were far from over , but at least we were no longer involved with the man. The jailer walked up to the holding cell. He was an older man with a smaller frame. "You're free to go." He announced to us. "What?" I said, in disbelief. The jailer unlocked the door. "Your bail has been paid." "By who?"

Holding Cell

I could have sworn that they only place the same gender in a holding cell. Perhaps that's how they do it here, or maybe this is just convenient story telling. At any rate , we're stuck at a New York City holding cell ,bored out of our minds. We've been here a few days. Well, that's certainly what it feels like. There are no clocks or windows, so time is a very abstract concept. We're both exhausted, but sleeping in shifts isn't the best idea either. It's a room full of drugged out junkies who would jump at the chance of us off guard. There is also a middle aged biker. He is chubby and has a grey beard. He wears a leather vest with club patches. I don't look too closely. I don't want to know who he's affiliated with, nor do I need to know. "What day is it?" Olivia asks, wearily. "I don't know. Saturday maybe." "What did you say?" The biker shouts from across the room. It's been a few days since I've slept, so I don't know how to respond. "You talking shit?" He asks while stomping his way to us. "No, I wanted to know what day it was." Olivia replies, innocently. She is unaware of the current threat. "You wanted to know what day it was? I'll buy that, but what's with the costumes?" "It's a long story." I say. The biker folds his arms. "We're seekers of the unknown." Olivia jumps in. "Yeah? Some things should remain unknown. Stay out of my business." The biker gets in my face. "I don't know what you're talking about." "How do I know you're not lying? Why are you here?" "We robbed a museum." I explain. The biker laughs. "Yeah, right. You two?" Olivia lifts up her hand and fired a pink heart. It is faded because of her exhaustion, but it makes its way to his chest. The biker's expression changes slightly. "You guys are telling the truth, aren't you?" "Unfortunately, yes." I say. "Shit, now we have to work together." "No, our crime days are over." The biker leans in closer. "You're not listening to me. We have to work together."

Surrounded

It's like a bad action movie. Bullets are flying everywhere. They hit the walls, pillars, and yes, even paintings. Once the first shot was fired, any rules or ideas of a museum being sacred went out the window. I argue with Mr. Bones over whose fault this is. He says I'm solely responsible for this catastrophe because I took the shield. I tell him if he didn't move we could have taken care of things. Olivia pays no attention to our bickering. She's able to hold up the bubble as we make a hasty retreat. Outside is worse though. There is a barricade of Squad cars on the street.SWAT members carefully take aim behind the cop cars. The Sargent talks through a bullhorn. "This is Sargent Winston. We have the place surrounded. Give up peacefully, or we'll be forced to fire." "You said you had a falcon?" Mr Bones asks. Olivia calls out to our falcon. "Falcon!" A moment later we hear a caw in the distance. The three of us look to the sky. We see our falcon circling high in the atmosphere. "That ain't good." Mr. Bones declares. "What?" I ask. "He's not gonna come down." "You think so?" Mr. Bones nods. "He's not gonna put himself in harms way." "What do you suggest we do? I can only hold them off for so long." Olivia says. "I'm gonna go lifeless, but you two gotta turn yourselves in." Olivia and I glance at each other, nervously. "It's the only way." He continues. Olivia takes a deep breath. "Alright. Let's do this." Mr. Bones falls to the ground, becoming a lifeless pile of bones. Olivia and I raise our hands high above our heads. We then deactivate the bubble.

Armed Guards

"If you wanted to be subtle, you sure as hell blew it." Mr. Bones comments. "What do we do?" Olivia panics. "I know what I'm gonna do." Mr. Bones says while retreating to his battle position. We hear loud stomping approach. Olivia prepared by placing a pink bubble around us. Five security guards enter the room. "This is a bit much." I remark. "Drop the shield and place your hands in the air." A security guard shouts while pointing a gun at us. "I'm afraid I can't do that." I insist. "Drop it!" He screams. "This actually belongs to us." Olivia says, trying to disarm him. "I don't care what you think. Drop it or I'll shoot." Mr. Bones eases out of his battle position. "While I don't agree with their methods, my friends are telling the truth ." The security guard is in such shock that he fires a shot at Mr. Bones. The bullet hits his shoulder. The impact causes him to fall off his pedestal. He groggily picks himself up. "Why is the first reaction to shoot?" Seeing Mr. Bones move again, the other officers decide to shoot. Luckily, Mr. Bones drops to the floor before any more bullets can hit him. The security guards continue to shoot as he takes cover behind the pedestal. We run to Mr. Bones with our pink shield still in tact. The bullets bounce off our bubble as we inch closer to him. I duck down. Olivia temporarily weakens the bubble so I can pull Mr. Bones in . As soon as I slide him in, the bubble is at full strength once more. Mr. Bones views the surrounding chaos. "Please tell me you have an escape plan." I bite my lip. "We might have a falcon."

Recovering Treasure

Olivia hushes Mr. Bones. He slants his head. "What was that strange noise you made with your lips?" He asks. "I'm trying to get you to be quiet." She says. "Why?" "Because the world isn't ready to see a talking skeleton." I explain. Mr. Bones chuckles. "I scare kids all the time, but no one ever believes them." "That may be, but I prefer to keep this as quiet as possible." Olivia tells him. Mr. Bones shakes his head. "Suit yourselves. What brings you here anyways?" I point to the shield. "That." Mr. Bones lifts up the shield and stares at it. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" He says. "It is. And I would like it back." "C'mon. You know the rules. When you're with me, you gotta leave something behind. " He explains. I stare at him for a moment, annoyed. "You knew where it was the whole time, didn't you?" I ask. "Of course I did. But, you know, it's not like you needed it. The thing was weighing you guys down." "That may be, but we need it now." I tell him. "For what?" He asks. "To buy a library." Olivia says, calmly. Mr. Bones scratches his head. "That's ambitious." "It is, so can I have it back?" I demand. "No." "Why? All you're gonna do with it is pretend to be a character from Jason and the Argonauts." Mr. Bones laughs at the comment. "You're not gonna leave me alone, are you?" "No." "Ok, I know this night watchman. His name is Gus." I decide to cut him off then and there. "No, we take it now." I grab the shield from his bony hand. Immediately a loud, pulsating siren goes off. Mr. Bones hangs his head. "And that's why we should have went with my plan."

"Facts"

The room containing the 1700's Man is interesting. Various "artifacts" are behind a glass wall explaining what they are. These items range from an Atari, to a pack of cigarettes, to a pair of X - Ray specs. In the center of the room is Mr. Bones. He is propped up in a battle position with my yellow shield firmly attached to his right hand. We hear many oo's and ahh's from the children. Our tour guide points to Mr. Bones. "This, some of you may know as The 1700's man. He was around before the American Revolution." A child raises his hand. "Did he fight in the war?" The tour guide looks befuddled. "I don't think so." She calls on another child. "Did he like to play video games?" "No."She responds, firmly. "Then why are there video games here?" The child continues. "We don't know. We don't know how they got there." She says. The children groan. Obviously this was not an acceptable answer. "Are you sure he's from the early 1700's?" I ask. The tour guide stares at me. "Should you be here?" "Yeah, we're not part of the tour, we just walked in." I tell her. The tour guide does not buy a word I am saying, but she continues. "Yes, he is from the 1700's. We know that as a fact. Anymore questions?" I glance at Mr. Bones holding the shield. "Why is he holding a shield?" I ask. "Did you watch any of the reports on him?" I shake my head no. The tour guide sighs. "When he was found, he was clutching that shield." "That doesn't make sense. We were there. He wasn't holding a shield then." Olivia says. The tour guide shrugs. "These are the facts they tell me. Now, I have to get back to work." The tour guide directs the children in to the next room. We watch them leave, then stare up at Mr. Bones. He lowers his head slightly. "I thought you'd never be back."

Tour

I admire museums greatly, but I often find that this is when my short attention span gets the best of me. There are so many wonderful and amazing things around me. I want to see them all at the same time. Without a goal in mind, it would be easy to lose focus and wander off. I can not do that. We have a purpose. So, with that being said , we snuck on to a tour. It is actually for an elementary school. No one seems to notice the adults all the way at the end. I plan on keeping it that way. There is a college aged tour guide at the front. I can't see her, but judging how quiet the children are it means they trust her authority. I only wish I could understand what she was saying. Then again, what do I care? I don't need to be an expert on dinosaur bones. The line of children stops abruptly. "And now, you might have seen this on T.V." Our tour guide shouts over the children. I lean to Olivia. "Looks like we found him."

The Accountant

Peter leads us to a basement office. It's significantly different than the rest of the Wellness Center. It's dark and cold. Papers and files are everywhere. A woman in her mid forties sits behind a metallic desk and types away on a computer. She has a bright orange beehive hairdo and thick, black glasses. "Bethany, there is someone to see you." Peter announces as we walk up to her desk. Bethany glances up from her computer. "Oh yeah? What for?" "They wish to purchase the library." Peter responds. Bethany snorts. "I'll let you take it from here." Peter says while walking away. "Ok, why are you really here?" Bethany asks. "We want to buy the library." Olivia replies. Bethany sinks down in her chair. "I don't know if he told you, but we don't operate with money here." She says. "Peter did say that. However, we gave him a magic camera. That should count for something." Olivia explains. "A magic camera?" She repeats. "It allows you to teleport." I elaborate. Bethany bites her lip. "That is something that would be highly sought after." She says. "Do we have a deal?" I ask. Bethany sighs. "Let me pull up your file first." "You won't find us." I saw in a low voice. "And why not?" "Because technically we're not members." Olivia says. Bethany removes her glasses. "What do you mean?" She asks, annoyed. "We used the magic camera to become honorary members. It's not official." I tell her. "If you're not members, I can't help you." "How do we become members?" Olivia asks. Bethany shakes her head. "You don't become a member. You are born into it." "If that's true then how did we find this place?" I question. "I don't know. You probably asked the right questions to the right people." "That means we deserve to be here!" Olivia shouts. Bethany puts her glasses back on. "I'll level with you. The magic camera was a good find , but I don't know if that will be enough to turn the library over to you." "What if I told you we could get you more things like the camera?" I say. "Such as?" "How about a golden shield that contains a deadly element? So deadly that no Earthly person should have it." I suggest. Bethany looks to Olivia. "Is this true?" Olivia nods. "Alright. Where is it?" "New York City." I respond. "What? Why is this lethal item in one of the largest cities?" She asks, dumbfounded. "It's a long story." Olivia says . Bethany sighs again. She types away on the computer. "I'm sending out a form for a falcon." "Does that mean we get the library?" Olivia asks. "Retrieve the item. Then we'll talk." She scowls. Bethany continues typing. "Do you have a more approximate idea of where it would be?" I smile to myself. "The Metropolitan Museum of Art."

"What's Your Price?"

"You want to purchase our library?" Peter asks in disbelief. "Yes, I would love to." Olivia responds. I hold up my index finger for Peter. I then take Olivia to the side. "What are you doing?" I ask her. "I'm gonna buy the library." "I see, but why?" "I think it'll be good for us." "But it's gotta be a fortune." I insist. "We'll figure it out." Olivia ends our conversation there. She turns her attention back to Peter. "Yes, we would like to buy the library." "But why?" He asks. "We love books. We could add our own to the collection. We would inspire others to read, and you know we'd keep it in good condition." She explains. Peter rubs his chin. "The library would find a good home in your hands, however, I can't say it's for sale." "Everything is for sale. Name your price." She says. Peter laughs. "Spoken like a true business person." "It's true though, isn't it?" She asks. "To a degree, but we don't operate on monetary value." Olivia taps her fingers on the desk. "What about the camera?" She asks. Peter pulls our camera out of the top drawer. "This?" He asks. Olivia nods. Peter examines it. "It's a nice camera. I don't know if it'll be enough though." "We have resources." Olivia pleads. Peter stands. "This isn't my jurisdiction, but because you are so determined, I'll take you to someone who may help." Peter looks at the bellboy. "Max, I need you to mind the gate for a while."

Altered Path

There must be a million ways to enter the Wellness Center. Our bellhop explains how he was just assigned to this entrance. He doesn't tell us where the other ones are. I'm guessing it's for security reasons. That's alright. Some things are not meant to be known. The walk to the Wellness Center is a good mile. At least that's what it feels like. We eventually make it to the front gates. Peter is at his desk as usual, but this time he has his nose buried in a Farmers Almanac. "We have guests." The bellhop tells him. Peter slowly lifts his head up from his book. He squints, trying to make out our image. "Sir, may I suggest your glasses?" The bellhop asks. Peter grabs his glasses and places them on his head. "Oh, you're here." He says, surprised. "You weren't expecting us?" Olivia asks. "Not quite like this, but that's ok." "What were we supposed to do?" I ask. "Well, when the mailroom flooded , it was to be part of a bigger story of corporate corruption." He explains. "Corporate corruption?" Olivia wonders out loud. "Yes, your boss was doing shady things. The flood was just the tip of the iceberg." "He flooded the mailroom?" I ask. Peter nods. "He tampered with the pipes. The company was going under. He was going to write it off as an insurance thing." "That is a crime, but how were we supposed to dig any deeper?" I ask. "Because, he doesn't think much of either of you. He views you two as unlucky kids at the wrong place , wrong time. For that he felt sorry for you. He was going to take you under his wing where you would learn all his dirty secrets." Peter finishes his speech. Olivia and I look at each other, sheepishly. "Oops." I blurt out. Peter sighs. "What comes around, goes around. If he didn't meet his demise at your hands , then it will be some one else's. Besides , the fact that you are both here means that you are willing to start a more interesting story." "It does." Olivia says, gleefully. "Good. Any ideas what you want to do?" Peter asks. "Yes, I'm going to buy the library." Olivia declares. "What?" I say, surprised. Peter leans forward. "Beg pardon?"

Hang Out in Clouds

We've spent time in clouds before, yet each time is a bit different. Sometimes they are puffy, sometimes they are thin, sometimes they appear as thick as a building. We gracefully ascend higher and higher. A cloud in the shape of the Sphinx swallows us. It's not eating us. It's more like a garage door opening. The inside of the Sphinx cloud is similar to many other clouds except we hover over a glass floor. We remain there for a moment or so. A slender man in his mid twenties walks up to us. He wears a bellhop uniform. " May I park your vehicle?" He asks. Olivia looks up at our bubble. "Oh, this isn't exactly a vehicle." She says. The bellhop looks dejected. He starts to walk away. Olivia deactivates our bubble. "Wait, where are we ?" She asks. The bellhop turns around. "Outside the Wellness Center." Olivia smiles brightly. "Would you mind leading us there?" "It would be my pleasure."

Upward now

It's a beautiful day in Anywhere , USA. That's right, I still have no clue where we are. There are no landmarks to give that away. I'm not bothered though. Like I said, it's a beautiful day. Birds are chirping, trees are the greenest of greens, and the sky is light blue with some wispy clouds. We look on in awe." What should we do?" I ask. "Go up." I nod and walk to the closest building, thinking she meant for us to use the stairs or elevator. "No." She says, stopping me in my tracks. Olivia cups her hands. She concentrates hard. A pink stream flows out of her palms . It then turns into a bubble that wraps around us. "Now we go up." She says, happily. Olivia bounces up and down. The bouncing allows us to be pulled off the sidewalk, high into the air.

Discussion

The pin striped man smokes a fat cigar. Much like in the business meeting we crashed, except this time there is no ventilation. Thick, black cigar smoke surrounds us. My eyes water. I'm doing everything I can not to cough. For the longest time he doesn't say a word to us. He just stares and smokes. " I had a marvelous speech planned out. One that took me an entire afternoon to write, and I was very proud of it." He informs us. "Are you gonna give us the speech?" Olivia asks. The pin striped man shakes his head. "Why not?" I ask. He briefly takes the cigar out of his mouth and leans in. "Because now is the time to break the fourth wall." "Again." I say. "Yes, again. This isn't the first time. It most likely will not be the last time. " The pin striped man shakes my hand. He then hugs Olivia. "Congratulations. An engagement is no small feet." He says. Olivia and I both smile. The pin striped man stares me dead in the eye. "Are you afraid?" He asks. "A little, not as much as I thought I would be. I feel the hard part is over." I tell him. The pin striped man continues smoking. "Not exactly, but I know what you mean." He says. The pin striped man doesn't say anything for a while. He waits for us to talk. "Were you afraid?" I ask. He nods yes. " I once was in your shoes." "What did you do?" I ask, trying to pull words out of his mouth. "It's sink or swim." He replies, simply. "Don't you have more solid advice?" Olivia asks. The pin striped man appears offended. "That is the best advice. That is the only advice you need. Just get past your own bullshit." He sternly informs us. "I feel you put on a facade. No one is that confident." I tell him. "You may be right, but I'll tell you this, the "facade" as you call it, works for me. So, I'll keep it up." There is a brief silence. Olivia decides to change the subject. "What was your speech?" She asks. "It had to do with the recent flooding of the mail room, but it's not important." He says. "Wait, are we going to ignore that plot point?" I demand. "I believe we are." He tells us. "But why?" Olivia asks. The pin striped man shrugs. "I don't feel like talking about it." "So, what do we do know?" I ask. The pin striped man opens his car door. "You'll figure it out. There's a whole wide world out there."

Statements

As we sit in the back of an ambulance with blankets draped over our shoulders, a detective goes over our statements for the 100 th time. "So you were in the basement and the pipe went off by itself?" He asks. "That's what we said." Olivia answers, annoyed. The detective rolls his eyes. He jots something down on his yellow note pad. "Ok, but why didn't you shut it off?" "We tried it." I reply. "Yeah, I believe you said the water threw you back." "Maybe I'm ignorant about how this works, but right now isn't your job to take our statements, even if you don't believe them?" Olivia questions. The detective places the notepad into his pocket. He gives Olivia an icy stare. Just then, a black Buick rolls up. The back window lowers slightly. All we can see is a pin striped arm. It ushers the detective over. The detective talks to the mystery man for a moment. He then walks back to the ambulance, peevish, shaking his head. "You're lucky. No charges are being pressed." He announces. Olivia and I are relived, yet confused at the same time. We knew this was an accident that was clearly out of our hands. How could anyone see it differently? "He would like a word with you though." He clarifies. "Who?" I ask. The detective smirks. "Why, your boss."