Cyrosphere 4:: Gathering of Lives

by Deandre Dean

  Penny suggested she enter his thoughts.

  Maybe she hoped to get through. Ginger relaxed her mind and slowly slipped inside like a deep slumber. All the room faded away and Caleb was chained to the bed suddenly, thrashing against the bindings.

  Ginger runs back towards this bed where her friend was at least active. She touched his cheek and his furious gaze - soften when he looked at her.

  He spoke with a stutter, “Gin-ng-er?”

  Ginger smiled as tears fell.

  She states, “I’m here. Let me help you.”

  She used all her mind to break the bed, chains to restore this thin damaged man to the image she remembers.

  Caleb says, “Thank you. My uncle did this to me. He must pay.”

  Ginger grins and replies, “And we will.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three:

  Leaving his mind, Ginger was stunned when she saw she wasn’t alone. The tall man with a beard and the powerful gaze narrowed it onto her.

  The splitting image of Caleb, but just an older version.

  He says, “Ginger Solis. I am Brutus Creed.”

  Ginger snarls, “I know who you are. A monster!”

  He smirks and looks at Caleb.

  Brutus responds, “Oh that, that is for his own safety.”

  He coughs and the stunned look on Brutus’ face is priceless.

  Ginger snaps, “Cat got your tongue?”

  Brutus smiles and says, “I heard from an old friend you are powerful. But this is incredible. No one has been able to break her spells before.”

  Ginger asks, “Her?”

  He grins.

  Brutus states, “You don’t know everything? How refreshing?”

  He begins to laugh.

  Caleb yells, “Guards.”

  The doors fly open and six armored men march in. They surrounded them.

  Brutus smiles and states, “Yes. Do get this rift raft out of the palace.”

  Ginger grins and replies, “I didn’t come alone.”

  Brutus smirks.

  He responds, “Oh, I know. I was given containment spells to trap them. They are in this orb.”

  He pulled out a glass canister from his jacket pocket.

  Ginger thought, “Oh no. Is he lying?”

  She used her powers, but the connections to the others was faint at best.

  Ginger says, “Shit. He has them.”

  Caleb asks, “You sure?”

  Ginger states, “This is me. I’m certain. I would read his mind, but I am sure it is disgusting.”

  Caleb laughs.

  Brutus snaps, “What you laughing at caveman?”

  Caleb growls and his eyes flash a shade of blood read. She grabs his arm to stop him from lashing out.

  Ginger says, “We can’t, my friends. Think.”

  Caleb replies, “Fine. We’ll try it your way.”

  Ginger asks, “What will it take to get my friends back?”

  Brutus smirks and states, “A game.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four:

  She thought she must have heard him wrong.

  Ginger thought, “A game. Was he insane?”

  Caleb asks, “A game. Are you mad?”

  Brutus says, “Hardily. Winner gets the canister and the kingdom.”

  Caleb yells, “Absolutely not. I am still the king.”

  Brutus laughs and states, “You were. Don’t you remember you signed over the palace and the kingdom to me? I am now the ruler.”

  Ginger gasps and responds, “Oh shit. I have no other choice.”

  Caleb says, “Don’t. He is a champion chess player.”

  Ginger grins and answers “Don’t worry. I got this. Deal!”

  Brutus smiles and replies, “Exactly. Let’s play.”

  The guards were ordered to detain Caleb after they set up the game for Brutus. The man truly was a bastard, throwing around power like it was given to him. He was a common theft and she knew it.

  Ginger asked, “Why chess?”

  Brutus says, “I used to play with my little brother Sebastian. I would dominate him, but our parents gave him the throne.”

  Ginger states, “Jealously. Because it was the only thing you could win.”

  Brutus snaps, “Are you trying to psychoanalysis me little girl?”

  Ginger answers, “Why? Does it bother you?”

  Brutus snarls, “Nope, not at all. Your move.”

  So they played and talked, but Ginger was losing. He was good, but she learned from a Pro. Thanks Frost, she had a fail safe winning strategy up her sleeve.

  She allowed him to think he was winning; it was all apart of her ultimate plan.

  Ginger thinks, “Last question.”

  She stares him down.

  Ginger asks, “Did you kill Caleb’s parents?”

  Brutus smirks and states, “Yes. How did you figure me out?”

  Ginger says, “I am smarter then I look.”

  She made her final move and won the game.

  Brutus yells, “Impossible. This can’t be happening!”

  Ginger smiles and answers, “It is. You lose.”

  Using her telekinesis she pulled the canister from his grasps. She casted a spell shattering it, which freed the tiny party. All of them looked relieve.

  Brutus smirks, “You have bigger problems to be concerned with. Feltus was replaced by his assistant and she has plans for you little girl.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five:

  That little speech Brutus made still shook her because his haunting words were nothing but truthful. She had bigger problems then just Brutus Creed as she paced the kitchen to her house.

  Mark says, “Can we talk?”

  She turns to a concern Mark GrimJones.

  Mark responds, “PHD is behind all of this. When I touched him, I saw those letters and think we need to uncover how Shalice was able to free Feltus. And why is she the key to freeing Daniel? No witch is that powerful.”

  The comment stunned her because it was so untrue.

  Ginger says, “Actually Penny is. She has uncovered every form of magic on earth, studied it. She is a pro and Shalice was a twin witch at that. We should focus on Alkmene.”

  Mark states, “I have doubts about that line of investigation. Didn’t you tell me about the twin indigo.”

  Ginger stunned responds, “Gretchen. No, she is legit.”

  Mark shakes his head and answers, “Her brother.”

  That was an idea.

  She wondered, “What happened to Hunter Cotner? Hell, well did her timetraveling friend vanish to? She needed to call Jensen and see what he thinks.”

  Things were picking up speed.

  Ginger nodded and said, “Goodnight. I am going to bed.”

  Mark asks, “What about writing?”

  Ginger responds, “What?”

  Mark smiles and says, “You know in your journal like old times.”

  Ginger snaps, “I haven’t written in two years.”

  Mark frowns and states, “You should. It’s you gift, and if your boyfriend is an editor I think you should let him read some of your work.”

  That snapped things into perspective. Here was Mark trying to be a friend, and he was encouraging her.

  She nodded and says, “Maybe I will. Thanks Mark for coming today.”

  Mark states, “My love for you, knows no end. You will forever be in my heart.”

  With those words, Ginger’s head was spinning.

  Desire for the past and lost opportunity came rumbling forward.

  Mark stops her thoughts when he speaks.

  He says, “I know I lost you but I will always care for you. Goodnight, just forget I said that last part.”

  And with that, he was gone.

  She was on autopilot the rest of the night. No way was that not going in her journal. That night she opened a new journal and let everything out.

  Chapter Twenty-Six:

  The next couple of weeks went by in a daze of routine and things with Luke got better.
>
  Damn that boy was romantic. A few hours with him and the past with Mark was an after thought. She truly was in love and moving forward with her life.

  Planning a wedding was time consuming and Luke thought it a fantastic idea that she published her book. She owed a thank you to Mark, so after classes she transcribed her journal into chapters of a great fantasy fiction.

  The wedding was all up to her, but since in another country she decided to wing a few things to the last moment. With planning, she also turned to Malcolm who had connections everywhere. He’d ask her opinion on something and bam it was done.

  Going back to classes at Dark Force University, she met a lot of new and interesting people. She needed to give a shout out to Natalie, Frost, and Jensen.

  Once classes was over Ginger texted Frost and Natalie, a quick thinking of you. And call Jensen, spilling everything and he said he’d be in town in a few hours. He was meeting an old friend for lunch, Trinity Barlett.

  He suggested she met them at the Marriott hotel for lunch tomorrow and there he could discuss things with her.

  She hung up after they made their plans.

  She thought, “Who was her that Brutus was referring to?”

  Luckily he was in jail with all those other that tried to hard her friends and family; safely locked away.

  Chapter Twenty- Seven:

  Thank God it was Friday, as she finisher her run with Stacey and Guadalupe. All of them had lunch plans, sadly hers’ was not with a fiancée or boyfriend. She was on her way to meet her biological blood stepparent type. That was still a complicated title for Jensen.

  She paid for valet parking and went inside to see Jensen already there sipping his coffee and waiting for them. She ordered some tea and joined them. They sat for five minutes in silence enjoying the beautiful reception hall were guests could sit and chat.

  With no signs of Trinity, Ginger grew restless and craved answers.

  She asked, “What is PHD?”

  Jensen sighs and says, “I might as well explain it all. MaryAnne Kris and her husband Thomas had a son Feltus. He died of leukemia and she founded PHD. Project Human Data was her baby; she worked restlessly to cure diseases. A compassionate thought, but when her son died. MaryAnne changed; she became obsessed with cloning and alchemy.”

  Ginger gasps and asked, “Where was her husband during all this?”

  Jensen sipped her coffee and continues, “He divorced her. That stung, but at that point she was on a mission and she must succeeded since you saw a version of Feltus as an adult.”

  Ginger asks, “How did Shalice free Feltus?”

  Jensen states, “It is my belief that a spell was used the day she received that letter.”

  Ginger stunned asks, “What letter?”

  Jensen says, “You don’t know?”

  Ginger replies, “Know what?”

  Jensen sighs and answers, “She was being blackmailed or threatened or perhaps both as far as I know. She was an affluent woman with powerful friends. And not to mention she was powerful herself, all that magic. She came from money and began to use dangerous magic to find her blackmailer. Shalice may have unlocked a doorway is my best guest, since MaryAnne is missing. Like Shalice there was no body, so who knows for sure. We all assumed both killed each other.”

  Ginger whips the tears from her eyes and continues to listen to this painful story.

  Jensen says, “Once MaryAnne was gone PHD is runed by others. I don’t know who now, but I am sure Aaron Darkholme could find out.”

  She nods and the tears stop.

  Jensen speaks, “I don’t think PHD or its current owner is after you. This mystery woman you spoke of is a different matter.”

  Just then Trinity approached their table.

  Late!

  It had been twenty minutes already, which doesn’t seem to bother Jensen.

  Ginger wonders, “Why is she late?”

  I must know. For some reason, something was off and that bothered her. She entered her mind and gasps.

  They both turn to face her.

  Ginger point to Trinity.

  She states, “It’s her. She is working with the new Feltus. I read her mind and know everything.”

  Jensen just sits there stunned and pissed off. She hadn’t brought her shields back up, and felt all his rage.

  Trinity cackles and snarls “Don’t worry. I never work alone. You may throw me in jail, but my empress will destroy you. She is the smartest woman I know. Feltus got most of his plans from her and yet you have no idea her identity.”

  Ginger smirks and thinks, “I do now, thanks to you.”

  Aaron came ten minutes after she called him. She told him everything, and used her powers to suspend Trinity into his unit arrived to take her away.

  Ginger asks, “Where are you taking her?”

  Aaron responds, “Away. Why are you worried?”

  Ginger snaps, “I deserve to know. People are constantly after me and I need to find out why.”

  Aaron sighs and states, “I will talk to Riley. Get you clearance for that and I will let you know immediately when you can be taken there.”

  Ginger nods.

  She replies, “Going out later with Luke. See you later.”

  Aaron smiles and answers, “Have fun, sweetie.”

  She hugged him farewell and walked away. She was putting her own plans into action tomorrow. Jensen drove back home while she was talking to Aaron, he was still upset but she knew people change over time.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight:

  The next day Ginger prepares to meet the woman who had all the answers.

  She focused on her date last night. It was spectular.

  Luke took her to a lighthouse, which represented her as his shining beacon of hope in the darkness that is life.

  They had a picnic by candle light inside the lighthouse and made love with the scents of clove and rosemary.

  She washed her thoughts away.

  Ginger wondered, “Should I tell someone or is going in alone foolish? Definitely foolish but she never got answers from Feltus. Why he stole all the people she loved?”

  She needed closure and maybe meeting her was the solution. One threat defeated and two years of peace, no this woman was a problem.

  The luxurious mansion in Silver Lake didn’t disappoint. It had a beautiful glass entrance that was breath-taking. The gates were ivory and extra high to sustain the privacy of the owner. The two story, eight room house was the definition of glorious.

  Ginger got out of her car and used a spell to blast the gates open. An alarm sounded but she disregarded it and walked up the long driveway towards the house. Partial way up the driveway, the alarm ended. Once infront of the door, the door opened to reveal her.

  She thought, “Not what I was expecting, Piper Astrid Granes. She married money and became Piper Granes-Sharp. Years later, her husband up and died. That wasn’t suspicious at all. She asked Leo to check into her background and good thing too.”

  Piper smiled and said, “Hello Ginger. I’ve been expecting you.”

  Ginger states, “You must have spies everywhere.”

  She nods.

  Piper says, “Come in. I would offer you refreshments but I am certain you would deny them.”

  Ginger answers, “And you’d be correct.”

  They skipped past the pleasantries and moved into the foyer. Which was grand, high ceilings and paintings that cost a fortune.

  Ginger glanced at an arrogant Piper.

  Each moment in her presence Ginger grew to dislike her.

  They stepped inside the private office. She was met with brown and cream colors. The room was luxurious.

  Piper says, “Sit, please.”

  She sat next to her as oppose to behind her desk.

  Ginger wondered, “Why would she do that? What does that say about her motivates?”

  It must be a trick for Ginger to lower her guard and help her gain her trust.

  She took a second to give her
a once over. Piper was 49 years by the looks of her, but probably much older. She was Caucasian, long dark hair that reached her mid back. She had an arm band wrist watch that screamed money, the pants suit custom made and on her left wrist a tence bracelet. Light make-up and viper brown eyes that were probing.

  Ginger knew in that instance and thought, “Watch your back.”