“He believed everyone around him was out to destroy him. In his confused state, he put the Amulet on a Port and sent it to parts unknown. He did this thinking no harm would come to him so long as he was the only one who knew where it was. The illness took my father’s life before we were able to find where he had sent the Amulet.
“Godfather was able to come up with another mixture; unfortunately, it was too weak. It was only able to fool the Trimeter long enough to get him out. He has been in search of the Amulet with the original mixture for many Cycles now. While he is away, I am leading the Quo people. Although he is not here with us, Godfather has never forgotten us. He has labored and risked everything to set us free.
“Finally all of his hard work has brought us to this moment. Godfather has located the Amulet. It’s in a place that is too treacherous for him to travel. We would like you and your team to go on his behalf and get it.”
“Where is it?” Marcus asked.
“In the Pyron fields.”
“That means the Amulet is with—”
“Yes. The Amulet is with Kairo.”
I know in my soul I will have nothing but regret when I ask the team this question…
“Who’s Kairo?”
“The only Demon Angels are forbidden to kill,” Jay informs me.
“Why can’t you guys kill him?”
“Politics,” Marcus says bitterly.
“I don’t understand.”
“The Council worries killing him will make them look as if they are showing favoritism towards good. Also killing Kairo would severely enrage Lucy, causing her to be even more destructive.”
“Why does Lucy care so much about Kairo?”
“He’s her son.”
Like I said: Nothing but regre.t
“Um…no one ever told me Lucy had a son!”
“She’s didn’t give birth to him, she created him. The two of them had a falling out and she banished him to Pyron.”
“Okay, so how bad is this Kairo guy?”
“Kairo is—”
“Nothing to worry about,” Marcus lies. I know he’s lying because the others are exchanging quick, worried glances at each other.
“You’re saying there is a whole race of people that the Council has been hiding?” Rio asks.
“Yes, we have been held here.”
“Why would you want to leave this place? It’s beautiful,” I volunteer.
“It’s a prison!” the middle sister snaps. We all turn to look at Choice.
There’s a sort of frenzy behind her eyes.
“Forgive her, Choice can be rather tempestuous,” Chance confesses.
“It’s okay,” I say awkwardly.
“Once you have obtained the Amulet and bring it to us, we will cast the Dy out of the human,” she assures Marcus.
“When you’re free what do you plan to do?” Jay asks.
“Many of us will remain here in Adam City.”
“Then what’s the point?” Jay pushes.
“The point is we are beings like any other and we have the right to choose where we live,” Chance says clearly with an ice-cold certainty.
“Chance is very passionate about our freedom. She can be a lot to take,” the youngest, Charity offers gently.
“Who is this Godfather? We need to speak with him,” Marcus says.
“He only speaks to those whom he wishes. You do not summon him. He summons you.”
“We’re not going on a mission for someone we’ve never laid eyes on.”
“I understand. Lakom will show you out,” she says casually, as the three sisters get up from their thrones and start to leave the room.
“Wait!” Marcus leaps to his feet.
“Yes, Mr. Cane?” all three say at the same time.
“Are sure you can do what your father did and cast the Dy out?”
“Certainly.”
Marcus addresses her with a steely coldness.
“If we get this Amulet thing and you can’t fix my girl, I will destroy you, your city, and every damn thing in it.”
“Agreed.”
******************************
Chance has her sisters give us a tour around Adam City. We follow them towards the back of the temple and through a set of double doors. Adam City looks just like any bustling metropolis. The only difference is, everywhere you go, you see people using their powers.
Across the street from the temple, a lady disappears and reappears just in time to prevent her toddler from crossing the street on her own. A teenager uses his camouflage powers to leap out and scares his friends.
A block away, a man effortlessly lifts up his car and squeezes it into a parking space. In a grocery store nearby, a clerk does inventory by suspending fruits in the air and counting them. And a school of kids spill out into the schoolyard making a game of throwing fire at each other and blocking it with their super-powered shields.