A Tomorrow People/Poltergeist: The Legacy Crossover
By Jen Sulzer (jsulzer@kent.edu)
Disclaimer: The characters of Adam Newman, Megabyte Damon, Ami Jackson, Kevin Wilson, Jade Weston, and General Damon and the concept of the Tomorrow People are the property of Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra Television, ITV Television, Nickelodeon, etc. The characters of Derek Rayne, Alex Moreau, and Nick Boyle, as well as the concept of the Legacy belong to Trilogy Entertainment, MGM, and the SciFi Channel, etc. These characters are used without permission, but not for profit. Carrie Morgan and the "urn demon" are my own creation.
Note: For the P:TL fans, the first story in this trilogy is posted on my website: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~jsulzer/fanfic.html This is the second story in my "Surprises from the Past" Trilogy.
This story takes place where The Tomorrow People left off, and during the second season of Poltergeist: The Legacy. Quotes indicate verbal speech, single quotes indicate thought, and colons indicate telepathy.
I would like to thank my beta readers, Ellenore, Kristin, Ishtar, Jeff, and Megan for all their comments and suggestions. Thanks guys!
Story Synopsis: An old friend returns, and the teleporters face danger on two fronts.
Note: For the P:TL fans, the first story in this trilogy can be found on my website, http://www.personal.kent.edu/~jsulzer/fanfic.html (The Legacy doesn't appear in that story, so I didn't post it to the P:TL fanfic list. You might want to read it to understand this story better, though.)
What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
A Tomorrow People/Poltergeist: The Legacy Crossover
By Jen Sulzer (jsulzer@kent.edu)
Prologue
Taphini Island, Somewhere in the South Pacific
Adam glanced up at the central column of the Ship in surprise as it suddenly came to life. The Ship, a safe haven for all Tomorrow People, a group of genetically evolved young people who had special talents like teleporting and communicating telepathically, was usually quiet, especially at this hour.
That was not the case tonight, however. The column was giving off a series of bright lights, and the "ahhhh" that was it's only form of verbal communication sounded especially cheerful and welcoming. Suddenly, a bright flash filled the Ship's main chamber.
'Who could that be?' He wondered. His surprise increased as he saw who had teleported in.
"Carrie! What are you doing here?" He asked. The young redheaded woman laughed.
"Is that any way to greet an old friend, Adam?" The tall Australian quickly embraced her.
"That wasn't what I meant, and you know it! How're you doing?" Carrie's smile faded.
"I don't know. Some really weird things have been happening lately." Carrie confessed. "You were the best person I could think of to talk to." She added quietly. Adam put an arm around her shoulders.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"I've been having these strange visions--I'll touch someone's hand, and I see into their past. Or sometimes I just have a vision for no reason at all. At first, I thought it was just part of being a Tomorrow Person, but then the visions got more and more intense. Sometimes I actually need to physically get away from the person or object." Carrie replied.
"That must have made your undercover work for General Damon pretty difficult." Adam commented. Carrie nodded.
"I think I'm going to quit, at least for a little while. I really need to take a breather--get my head together." She told him. Adam nodded in understanding.
"Do you want me to go with you to see General Damon? Just for moral support, of course." He asked.
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate it. I don't think the General will be that upset, but you never know."
"You'd be surprised. He's actually mellowed a bit." Adam said.
"I'll believe it when I see it." Carrie replied. Just then, she was blinded by the image of an urn, and a feeling of intense danger. The vision disappeared as quickly as it had come, and Carrie groggily realized Adam was shaking her and calling her name. She slowly opened her eyes.
"What happened? You just blanked out!" He demanded.
"I Saw an urn of some kind--it felt dangerous." She replied, clearly shaken. Adam led her over to a nearby ledge and they both sat down.
"Any identifying marks?"
"Only that it looked Egyptian; it was covered in hieroglyphics. I couldn't see anything about the surroundings, though." Adam was being surprisingly calm and accepting about all this. Carrie guessed that living in an alien spaceship and hanging around with other teleporters for all these years made him take just about everything in stride.
"Have these visions been affecting your telekinesis?" She shook her head. Each Tomorrow Person had an additional individual talent: Adam's was healing, and Carrie's was telekinesis.
"Not a bit. See?" She gestured behind Adam, and he turned to see his portable CD player hovering in mid-air.
"Okay, okay, I believe you. Now please put that thing down. I can't afford a new one." Both teleporters laughed as the CD player gently descended back to its original position on the small table by Adam's bed. Adam fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Carrie sent a gentle telepathic probe into his thoughts, and smiled at what she found. He was already dividing up what research would need to be done about the urn. She put a hand on his arm.
:How about we handle one crisis at a time. Let's go see the General first and then focus on the urn, okay?: Adam grinned and nodded in agreement.
:Good idea.: He replied, and they both teleported out.
******
General Damon's Office, WorldEx Securities, Inc., London, England
Carrie hesitated for a moment as she and Adam stood in front of General Damon's office.
:What's wrong?: Adam 'pathed gently.
:I was just remembering the last time we were here.: She replied.
:You had just told me you were going to work for the General, and I--: Adam searched for the words he wanted.
:Completely lost it.: Carrie finished with a small smile.
:I did not!: Adam responded indignantly. Carrie glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. :Well, maybe a little.: He admitted. They both smiled.
:I did, too. You know, I don't think I ever apologized about what I said then.: Carrie remarked. Adam put a hand on her arm.
:Forget about it. I have.: He replied quietly.
:Are you sure?: Carrie asked. :Some of what I said was pretty harsh.: Carrie put her hand on his, but he pulled away from her almost immediately. For a moment, tension hung between them like a weight. Suddenly, Adam reached past Carrie and knocked on the door. After hearing a muffled "Come in," he abruptly opened the door and entered, leaving a surprised Carrie in the hallway.
'I've never seen him react like that before.' Carrie thought as she followed him inside. There was no time to wonder about that, though, for the General had already risen from his desk to greet them.
"Now to what do I owe this surprise?" He asked warmly, shaking each of their hands.
"Well, this isn't an emergency or anything--" Carrie began.
"You wouldn't have used the door if it was." General Damon commented dryly. This statement caused everyone to grin.
"You're right about that, of course. What I came here to tell you was that I need a break from undercover work. Maybe permanently." She steeled herself for his reaction, afraid to meet his eyes.
"I understand. Actually, I figured this was coming--undercover work is difficult in itself, but doubly so for a Tomorrow Person." He smiled at her expression of surprise.
"That's not the only reason." Carrie quickly filled him in on her visions and how they had affected her. The General reached out and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.
"I'm glad you came to me before it got any worse. It's definitely time for you to get out." He smiled at her relieved expression. "You see, I can be reasonable once in a while." They both laughed.
"There's one more thing, though." Carrie described the vision she had had in the Ship. The General's expression quickly turned serious.
"I'll have my people look into it." He replied.
"We'll look into it, too." Adam promised, giving Carrie a shadowed smile. She returned the smile, relieved that the tension between them had passed, at least for now.
Chapter One
San Francisco, CA
(One month after Prologue)
"Adam!" Carrie exclaimed as she opened the door of her apartment. "What are you doing here?" The handsome Australian grinned.
"Is that any way to treat an old friend?" He asked teasingly. Carrie glanced over his shoulder.
"I don't see any old friends around, do you?" She responded. Adam winced.
"You've been hanging out with Megabyte too much!" He exclaimed. Carrie laughed and let him inside.
"You didn't answer my question--What are you doing here? You didn't even 'path me that you were coming!" Carrie demanded, arms crossed over her chest, although with a wide grin on her face.
"I was sitting around with nothing to do and thought we could go sightseeing or something. You haven't been in San Francisco long enough to see very much." Adam remarked.
"You, sitting around with nothing to do? I don't believe it!" Carrie declared.
"Well, I was actually doing more research on that urn you saw in your vision, but no luck. I felt ready to throw the book I was looking at across the room." Carrie nodded in understanding.
"I know how you feel. I'm beginning to wonder if that urn even exists." Carrie sighed as she sat down on the couch, Adam sinking down next to her.
"I'm sure it does, but you've got to remember--it may not have even been discovered yet." Adam remarked.
"That's true." Carrie replied. "You've got a good idea; I think we could both use a break. In fact, I was about to 'path you and see if you wanted to do something when you knocked on the door. Why didn't you just teleport in, anyway?"
"You said you wanted to keep a low profile--look as normal as possible. Walking out with a guy no one had seen walk in would probably attract some attention." Adam pointed out. Carrie blushed slightly.
"Probably--I'd forgotten about that. Let me just get a few things, and we can get going." She disappeared into another room, leaving Adam to look around her apartment.
It wasn't very large, since she was trying to save money for college, but it was comfortable enough. Prominently displayed on the wall was a framed photograph of all the TPs. Adam smiled as he remembered the day that picture was taken. Kevin's Aunt Ruth had gotten him a camera for his birthday, and he had insisted that they needed a current "team photo." It had taken a lot of shuffling and wisecracks, but they eventually ended up with a decent looking picture. They were arranged in two rows, with himself, Carrie, Megabyte, and Ami in a semi-circle behind Kevin and Jade. Even though they were slightly crowded, you could see that they were a closely united team. Adam smiled to himself; they weren't just a team, they were a family. For some of them, the only family they had.
"It took some digging, but I finally found my guide book." Carrie said as she emerged from the other room, brandishing the book in victory.
"I thought you were the neat and organized one!" Adam said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, well, I haven't gotten completely settled in yet. Is anyone else coming?" She asked, smiling.
"Megabyte is on vacation with his dad, Ami has to work at her Mum's shop, Kevin is on a camping trip with his school, and Jade is grounded." Adam counted each person on his fingers as he worked through the list. Carrie groaned as she heard the last part.
"Jade got grounded again? What was it this time?"
"What it always is--she went shopping again without permission. This time, though, she went all the way to Los Angeles." Adam replied. Carrie made a face and shook her head.
"When will she learn? I swear that girl is a shop-a-holic, and her being a teleporter only makes it worse!" Adam nodded in agreement.
"I promised to talk to her later--want to help?"
"Planning a good-cop/bad-cop routine?"
"No, just a good-teleporter/bad teleporter routine." Adam replied with a grin.
"Now who's been hanging out with Megabyte too much?" Carrie groaned. "Come on, let's go check out Fisherman's Wharf. I heard they've got some really cool shops." She made a face as Adam rolled his eyes. Laughing, they left her apartment and headed for the streetcar stop on the corner.
******
Downtown San Francisco, later that afternoon
Carrie squinted at the sun--it had become surprisingly warm as the afternoon had worn on. She glanced over at her companion; Adam didn't seem to be bothered by the heat.
:It's not nearly as bad as the island can get.: He turned to her and smiled. Carrie blushed slightly.
:Sorry, I didn't realize my shields were down.: Adam's smile grew into a full-fledged grin.
:Don't worry about it. Why don't we find a nice, air-conditioned building and get out of this heat?:
:Sounds good. Any ideas?: Carrie asked as they paused in the shade of a tree. Adam nodded.
"I heard some people we passed talking about "The Winston Rayne Hall of Antiquities". A place like that would have to be air-conditioned, right?"
"I sure hope so!" Carrie brushed a lock of her red hair off her face as she consulted the map in her guidebook. Adam leaned over her shoulder.
"There it is," He pointed to a tiny circle on the map. "It doesn't look too far from here." Carrie glanced up at the sun through the trees.
"Let's hurry up before it gets any hotter." The two of them started up the street.
******
The Winston Rayne Hall of Antiquities
Derek Rayne and Nick Boyle both walked through the exhibit slowly, albeit for different reasons. While Derek was busy admiring the ancient artifacts, Nick was occupied with noticing security cameras and alarms on the cases. Both men were part of a centuries-old secret organization known as the Legacy. This organization, which battled evil in all its forms, worked under the cover of the Luna Foundation, a well-respected and widely known philanthropic institution.
"Well, that about covers it, boss. This place is as tight as a drum." Nick remarked as they reached the end of the exhibit.
"Yes. Thank you for checking, Nick. I was a little concerned about the new security consultant we hired, but he seems to have done his job exceptionally well." Derek observed.
"How did you get a new one on such short notice?" Nick asked.
"Let's just say I was very persuasive. Considering the exceptional value and reputation of these artifacts, I thought it best to be extra cautious. Especially since there has already been an attempt made to steal them." Derek replied. Nick nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. The Legacy was pretty excited about these artifacts when they were excavated in Egypt. They're supposed to be haunted somehow, right?"
"Yes." Derek replied. "It was a completely unexpected find. No one can find any information on why someone buried these artifacts in the first place. Since no ghost could be coaxed out of any of them, however, despite all their tests, the Legacy gave me permission to display them here." Just then, the curator approached them.
"Do the new security measures meet with your approval, gentlemen?"
"Very much so, Ms. Lanning. I think the exhibit should be reopened to the public immediately. I don't think the thieves who tried to rob the Museum the other night will be able to get through this new system." Derek replied with a wide smile. The curator unclasped the velvet rope that had sectioned off the exhibit, and a few tourists walked into the room. Among them were Adam and Carrie.
Carrie was immediately drawn to a display near the front of the exhibit. She walked over to it quickly, all the while feeling like some outside force was drawing her towards it. Once she reached the display, she was astonished by what it contained.
:Carrie? Are you ok?: Adam 'pathed as he came up behind her. Carrie drew a shaky breath.
:It's the urn, Adam! The one from my vision!: She replied anxiously. They stood for a moment in stunned silence, staring at the seemingly harmless urn behind the glass.
It was fairly small, made out of clay with a complex seal on the top. The urn itself was covered with hieroglyphics, tantalizing the two teleporters with their seemingly simple picture-images.
:If only we could get a closer look at it. Maybe Jade could pick up something through her psychometry.: Carrie mused.
:What do you want to do, steal it?: Adam asked teasingly.
:I'm not the one who's been involved in criminal activities before. I seem to remember a certain "Cornucopia Machine" vanishing without a trace from a guarded room, or am I mistaken?: Carrie 'pathed with a sly grin.
:Hey, it was for a good cause; Dr. Connor needed it to ransom her son, remember?.: Adam replied. Suddenly, a strange hissing sound caught their attention.
Chapter Two
:What's that?: Carrie asked worriedly. Adam glanced around the room, and suddenly spotted a white smoke coming from the vents on the other side of the room.
:We're in big trouble!: was all he had time to reply before they were both overcome by the gas.
A few minutes later, Carrie opened her eyes groggily and found herself staring at two pairs of army-booted feet. She slowly looked upwards, and realized that the feet were attached to two men, all dressed in black, who were busy with the urn's display case. Trying not to attract their attention, she looked to see if anyone else was awake, but apparently they were all still unconscious. She was suddenly aware of a slight stirring at her elbow. She turned her head slowly, and found Adam had regained consciousness as well.
:How come we're the only ones awake?: She 'pathed.
:Probably one of the perks of being Tomorrow People.: He responded weakly.
:We've got to stop them somehow! They're trying to steal the urn!:
:What do you suggest?: Adam asked.
:I don't know. Maybe we could separate them--: Adam suddenly cut her off.
:Close your eyes, quick!: Carrie did as she was told. The two men had evidently gotten what they came for, because they stepped over the two teleporters and headed for the doorway.
:Now's our chance!: Carrie 'pathed as soon as the men were out of sight. She stood and took off after them.
:Carrie!: Adam called after her. But he ended up rising and following her. He caught up with her a short distance outside the exhibit room, at the intersection of two hallways.
:Which should we take?: Carrie asked him. Always the leader, Adam quickly took charge of the situation.
:You go left. I'll go right.: Carrie nodded in agreement, and the two split up.
******
Back in the Exhibit Room, a few minutes after
Nick Boyle groaned as he rose, still slightly groggy from the gas. He heard a groan off to his left, and discovered his precept had also regained consciousness. Nick helped Derek rise, and quickly took stock of the situation.
"All they took was the urn--but two tourists are missing as well." Nick commented.
"Why only take one artifact? And what happened to the tourists? Are they hostages?" Derek wondered.
"Only one way to find out." Nick replied, pulling out his gun. The two men quickly exited the room.
******
Somewhere off the right-hand hallway in the Rayne Museum
Adam crouched behind a display of antique armor and watched the thieves carefully. Apparently, they had gassed the entire museum; he had seen several more unconscious people on the floor as he pursued the thieves.
:Carrie--I've found them. Can you get over here somehow? I don't see any place that would hide the teleport flash.: Adam asked anxiously--they didn't have much time.
:I'll find a way.: Carrie replied. Sudden movement caught Adam's eye. The thieves were getting away! He suddenly realized that he would have to handle this himself. He leaned closer, trying to get a better view of what the thieves were up to. Unfortunately, he leaned a little too close, and knocked an antique lance from the display. The clanging noise quickly caught the attention of the men he had been watching. They both noticed him immediately, and the one not holding the urn pulled a gun and fired at Adam, who collapsed behind the display.
When the thief came to check, Adam rolled over and hit him with the lance he had managed to grab as he "fell". When the second thief came to check on his partner, Adam was waiting. He tried to hit him with the lance, but only succeeded in making the thief drop the urn, while he ended up dropping the lance. Adam winced at the sound of ancient clay shattering as it hit the floor. His momentary distraction was all the thief needed. He lunged at Adam, and they both tumbled to the floor. Suddenly, he saw a bright light out of the corner of his eye, and then something slammed into the thief's head. Adam gasped as the thief collapsed on top of him.
He looked upward to see Carrie brandishing the lance angrily. She dropped it and pulled the thief off of Adam.
"I can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" Carrie teased as she extended a hand to help him up.
"Thanks for the rescue." Adam responded with a rueful smile as he rose. Suddenly, they were both aware of a strange chill in the room.
"What now?" Carrie asked exasperatedly to no one in particular. Then she noticed the urn, or what was left of it. A black smoke was rising from the pieces, and it was heading straight for them. There wasn't enough time to even teleport.
"Carrie, look out!" Adam suddenly exclaimed, pushing her out of the way. She lost her balance, and fell. She quickly scrambled up, but it was too late. The smoke had surrounded Adam, and, although he was fighting it, it appeared to be stronger.
There was a sudden bright flash, not unlike what they produced when they teleported. Carrie was momentarily blinded by the light, and was horrified by what she saw when her vision cleared.
Adam was lying in a heap on the floor, completely motionless.
"Adam!" She cried, running to his side. :Adam!: She 'pathed to him when he didn't respond. It was no use; the place where his mind should be was empty--a black hole.
:Carrie! What happened?: came the call from four different voices. Carrie closed her eyes to concentrate on her reply and to keep from panicking.
:I don't know,: She responded. :Something's happened to Adam. He--: She was abruptly shoved aside. Carrie's eyes snapped open, breaking the contact with the others.
In front of her, a man she vaguely remembered from the exhibit was kneeling over Adam, checking for a pulse. Another man was checking the two thieves, who were sprawled nearby.
"He's alive, Nick, but he's in bad shape." The man who was checking Adam's pulse called to his companion.
"These two are out cold." The younger man responded as the older one pulled out a cell phone and dialed 911.
******
Community General Hospital, A few hours later
After the ambulance, being examined by doctors, filling the others in on what had happened (she convinced them to stay put until she had more information on Adam's condition--it would be difficult to explain who they were), and worrying about Adam throughout it all, Carrie was exhausted. The last time she had seen Adam was when he was being wheeled into the emergency room, and no one could or would tell her anything more.
Once the doctor had given her a clean bill of health, Carrie made her way to the front of the hospital, where she intended to find out what had happened to Adam.
"Excuse me," she said to the receptionist. "I was wondering if you could tell me how Adam Newman is doing? He was brought it by the ambulance a little while ago." The woman behind the desk smiled.
"Are you family?" She asked, the "friendly smile" never wavering.
"I'm a friend--he doesn't have any family." Carrie responded. The receptionist's face fell.
"I'm sorry, but I can't release information on a patient's progress to non-family members. You'll have to come back once the police have contacted his family."
"You don't understand--Adam doesn't have any family. I just told you that." The receptionist merely shook her head and gave the same answer.
"But--" Suddenly, a voice behind Carrie cleared its throat. She turned and saw the man who had checked Adam's pulse at the museum. He moved to stand beside her.
"Excuse me, Ms.-" He leaned forward to read the receptionist's tag. "-Greenwood. I'm Derek Rayne, head of the museum where this young lady's friend was hurt. Is there any way you could give us even a slight idea of how he's doing?" He gave the receptionist a dazzling smile. She hesitated for a moment, but then relented.
"Well, I suppose I can tell you something, Dr. Rayne," The receptionist decided, and turned to her computer. Unfortunately, the only information on Adam's condition was that he was in a deep coma. Dr. Rayne nodded at this news, took Carrie by the arm, and led her to the nearest chair.
"You should be resting, Ms. Morgan. You won't be any help to your friend if you don't take care of yourself." He commented, settling himself in the next chair over.
"Thank you, for back there." Carrie gestured in the direction of the receptionist. "I couldn't seem to make her understand Adam doesn't have any family." Dr. Rayne nodded. Something suddenly occurred to Carrie. "Wait a minute--how did you know my name?" The man smiled.
"I did some checking while the doctors were seeing you. Now, can you tell me anything about what happened?" Carrie mentally reviewed the events leading up to Adam's hospitalization. 'No way of telling him without me looking crazy.' She concluded.
"Don't worry, Dr. Rayne--none of this was your museum's fault. We went after those thieves of our own free will. There won't be a lawsuit or anything." She replied. Much to her surprise, the man burst out laughing.
"I'm not worried about that, Ms. Morgan. I only want to know exactly what happened to put your friend in the hospital. And please, call me Derek."
"Only if you call me Carrie." Carrie responded with a sheepish smile. Dr. R--Derek nodded in agreement.
******
Locked Inside Adam's Mind
Adam stood in total darkness. He strained, but could not detect even the faintest light anywhere around him. He also could not teleport or communicate telepathically with any of the others. A loud laugh suddenly boomed out behind him. He whirled, and came face to face with-- a demon.
That was the best he could do to describe it. It looked like a combination of every child's worst nightmare. It walked around Adam appraisingly, clearly not liking what it saw.
"You mortals are so pathetic! Do you have any idea what it was like being trapped in that urn all those centuries, having to watch you all those years? Of course you don't--it's beyond your comprehension!" The demon declared pompously.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Adam asked.
"That's for me to know, boy, and you to wonder about!" The demon replied with a sneer. Without warning, the demon vanished, leaving Adam alone in the darkness.
******
In the Hospital waiting room
"And that's all I can remember." Carrie concluded her story. Most of it had been true, but she had left out a few things, like their telepathic communication, of course. They had enough trouble already, no use borrowing more.
"Are you sure that's all you can remember?" Derek asked gently. His expression clearly showed he thought she had left something out.
"I'm positive." Carrie responded. Suddenly, she yawned, and glanced at her watch. "Sorry. I didn't realize how late it was." She rose to leave, but Derek stopped her.
"I don't think you should be alone right now." He was going to say more, but Carrie interrupted him.
"Oh, I'm not going home or anything. I'm going to stay with Adam, at least until he's out of danger." Carrie said, barely finishing before she yawned again. Derek smiled slightly.
"From what I can see, you need to get away from here and rest. Since this ordeal happened in my museum, I insist you come back to Angel Island with me. Unfortunately, I will have to return to the museum early tomorrow morning to help with the investigation. There are other people at the House, however, my colleagues from the Luna Foundation, so you won't be alone. You'll be safe there, and I can have the hospital call the House at the first change in your friend's condition."
"I don't know." Carrie hesitated. She was exhausted, but she didn't want to leave Adam.
:You should go, Carrie.: Megabyte recommended telepathically. :One of us can sit with Adam.: All the other teleporters 'pathed their agreement.
:This isn't fair--I'm out numbered four to one!: She sent, with a slight mental chuckle.
:This is a democracy, and majority rules. Get some rest, that's an order!: Megabyte replied, sounding an awful lot like his dad, General Damon. Carrie turned to Derek and smiled.
"All right, Derek. You've got a deal."
Chapter Three
Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, a guest room in the Luna Foundation mansion
Carrie awoke slowly, squinting at the sunlight that streamed in from the window. She looked around groggily, uncertain of her surroundings. She was in a bedroom she didn't recognize, a very nice bedroom in fact. Carrie slowly remembered. Derek had invited her to stay at his home, and the others had all thought it was a great idea. Glancing about the room, Carrie wasn't so sure. There was something about this place that just didn't feel right; something she couldn't put her finger on, but it was there.
She looked down, and found she was still in the clothes she had been wearing the day before. She thought back, and found the last thing she could remember was leaving the hospital with Derek.
'I must've fallen asleep on the way over here.' She realized ruefully. 'It hope it wasn't too much trouble for Derek to get me in here.' She looked over at the clock on the bedside table. It was nearly eleven o'clock! 'I must've been really exhausted; I've never slept so late in my life, even with the time zone changes!' She cleaned herself up, and quickly made her way downstairs.
Fortunately, her room was at the head of the stairs, so she had no trouble finding the kitchen. When she entered, the only other person in the room was a striking African-American woman. The woman smiled as Carrie walked in and rose to shake her hand.
"Hello, Carrie. It's good to see you up and around. I'm Alex Moreau." She said as she extended her hand to Carrie, who shook it.
"Thank you, Ms. Moreau. I really appreciate all the Luna Foundation has done for Adam and me." Ms. Moreau motioned for her to sit down.
"You're welcome. Please, call me Alex. Now, I'm sure you're starved, so we'd better grab what we can before Nick comes in." Carrie laughed, and they both began brunch.
******
Angel Island, The front entryway of the Luna Foundation mansion, several hours later
Carrie came out of the Library, two books in her hands. Alex had told her to feel free to look around the mansion, and Carrie had found some very interesting volumes about demons in the Library. One thing she couldn't figure out though, why would a philanthropic institution need books on demons?
'Just one more piece of evidence that the Luna Foundation is not exactly what it seems.' Carrie thought to herself. Suddenly, she saw something that stopped her dead in her tracks.
There was some kind of black cloud at the top of the stairs. As she watched, the cloud condensed, sinking into the most frightening thing Carrie had ever seen. It looked like a combination of every monster from every horror movie ever made, but with a chilling menace all its own. The scariest thing about it, however, was that it had an air of strange familiarity about it. For some reason, the demon made her think of Adam.
The thing began to make its way down the stairs. Carrie tried to contact one of the others, but she was somehow being blocked. She couldn't teleport either. She searched frantically for some way to defend herself, but what could possibly get rid of something like that? She pulled telekinetically at the lance from the suit of armor in the hall, but it was immovable. Her eyes then lit on a full umbrella stand by the front door. Desperate, she lifted several of the umbrellas telekinetically, and flung them at the demon. They went right through it, and landed on the steps behind it. She tried yelling for help, but no one came. Running out of time, Carrie tried a more direct approach. She reached deep into her mind, and flung a blast of pure telekinetic energy at the demon. It staggered, but recovered quickly. Realizing she was out of options, and almost out of energy, Carrie ran. Hoping to lead the demon away from Alex, she ran in the opposite direction, and ended up alone in the library.
She was just glancing over her shoulder to see if she had been followed, when she heard a weird sound and then something smacked into her. 'Someone', she corrected herself as she looked up. She had run headlong into a dark-haired young man she recognized from the museum, the one Derek had referred to as Nick. Had he been in the room a moment before? She couldn't be sure.
"Sorry, I didn't see you there." He began, but became concerned when he saw her face. "What's wrong? You're white as a sheet!" Carrie had trouble finding her voice.
"I was-- there was something on the stairs! Some kind of monster or something!" She finally forced out. Nick's expression hardened, and he pulled his gun and left the room. Carrie followed a few feet behind.
When they reached the front hall, Nick motioned for her to stay behind as he entered. Carrie followed anyway, this was her fight too. Her jaw dropped as soon as she looked around.
"There's nothing here." Nick commented, keeping his gun drawn as he scanned the room.
"I know I'm not crazy--there was something here! I threw those umbrellas at it!" Carrie exclaimed, pointing to where they still laid on the stairs.
"I believe you. You don't strike me as the type to throw umbrellas at hallucinations." Nick replied, with a wry grin.
"Thanks. I think." Carrie commented. Just then, Derek emerged from upstairs, and Alex walked out of the kitchen.
"Do we have a mouse problem again, Nick?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow. Alex looked away to hide her smirk as Nick rolled his eyes.
"Not that I know of, but we do seem to have some kind of apparition popping up around here." He replied.
"Oh?" Derek asked. "Please elaborate."
"Ask her." Nick replied, jerking his thumb in Carrie's direction. "She's the one who saw and tried to shishkebob it." Derek and Alex turned to her with obvious interest.
"Well, it all started when I came out here after brunch…" Carrie began.
******
Taphini Island, Somewhere in the South Pacific
"We've got to do something." Megabyte Damon announced to the others gathered in the spaceship. "I'm sick of just sitting around here, doing nothing!" Kevin, who was sitting next to him, kept silent, though he did glance anxiously at the redheaded computer hacker.
"We are doing something, Megabyte," Ami replied gently. The pretty black girl sighed; Megabyte could be so difficult when he got in one of his moods. "We're trying to figure out a strategy we can use to help Adam. Even Jade is trying to help, even though she's still grounded." The redheaded boy snorted.
:Come on, Megabyte! We're all trying here!: Jade chimed in, right on cue. Unfortunately, her perky attitude had no effect on Megabyte.
"Lot of good that's doing us! No one has come up with a single idea!" He rose to his feet. "I'm going to see exactly what's up with Adam!" He disappeared in a flash of light too quickly for Ami to stop him.
:Look out, Carrie. You've got a very angry Megabyte coming your way.: she warned.
:Thanks for the heads-up.: came the terse reply. The worry line between Ami's eyes increased. Her friend's voice had sounded strained and upset. She realized Kevin was watching her carefully underneath his shaggy dark hair. She smiled to lessen the feeling of hopelessness she felt building up all around her.
"Well, let's get back to work, shall we?" She asked brightly.
*****
Angel Island, In the guest room
Thanks to Ami's warning, Carrie was prepared when Megabyte appeared in her room a split-second later. Derek had told her to get some rest after her "scare," but Carrie was sure they just wanted to get rid of her for a while. She was more certain than ever that there was something strange going on in this house.
:You're lucky no one saw you!: She admonished. Megabyte only rolled his eyes.
:Don't you go scolding me! You're the one who won't let us near Adam! How can we help if we don't know the whole story!: He demanded. Carrie sighed angrily.
:I've told you everything! As for being near Adam, did you ever think what possessed him could jump to one of us?: 'So there!' she added in the deepest part of her mind. Megabyte could be so dense sometimes!
:What about when Ami sat with him at the hospital?: He asked, still angry, but no longer volatile.
:Ami wasn't allowed near him that night; she wasn't family. They made her stay in the waiting room, remember?: She told him. :There's something else.: She quickly filled him in on the weird apparition on the stairs and on the weird feelings she had been getting.
:Great. Not only is Adam out of commission, but now we're being haunted by some evil spirit. Things can't get any worse!: He declared.
:You never know.: Carrie replied grimly. They'd been so involved in their conversation that they never heard the footsteps approaching until it almost was too late. Working with the ease of longtime teammates, they moved into action without a word. Megabyte got on the floor and rolled under the bed, while Carrie laid down and pretended to be asleep. They both held their breath as the door swung open. Belatedly, Carrie realized the bedside lamp was still on. There was nothing she could do without whoever it was noticing. Megabyte watched from beneath the edge of the bedspread as Derek entered the room.
He moved quietly, evidently not wanting to disturb Carrie. He pulled a blanket up from the foot of the bed and drew it over her. He paused for a moment, just watching her "sleep." Underneath the bed, Megabyte frowned. Something weird was definitely going on here. After a moment, Derek reached up and turned off the lamp. He left the room just as quietly as he had come. Carrie counted to twenty, and then sat up.
:That was a close one!: She remarked, unsure if they were out of the woods yet. Megabyte rolled out from under the bed, a puzzled look on his face.
:You're not related to that guy, are you?: He 'pathed. Carrie shook her head.
:No, why?:
:He was acting strange, kind of like my dad.: Was the answer.
Chapter Four
Locked inside Adam's Mind
The last time Adam had felt this weak was right after Ami and Megabyte had freed him from one of Dr. Culex's pods. He had no idea what was happening to him, only vague visions of a dark cloud transforming into a monster. Suddenly, he was yanked into the air.
"How did she do it, boy? How?" The monster demanded grasping him by the throat.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Adam managed to get out. The monster tightened its grip on his throat, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.
"Your friend was able to throw some kind of energy at me that I couldn't block. How did she do it?" The monster was dangerously close to losing its temper. Abruptly, everything fell into place.
"It wasn't a dream. You used our link to attack her, and she hurt you! You're not invulnerable!" Adam gasped excitedly. The monster's eyes narrowed.
"She has a power different from yours. That is the key." Adam struggled to keep his face and thoughts blank as he felt the demon probe his mind. He was quickly thrown to the floor in disgust.
"You are strong, but I will control you all! That is a promise!" The monster declared, and then he was gone, leaving Adam alone in the darkness once again.
******
Taphini Island
"I've got it!" Kevin exclaimed excitedly.
"Got what, Kev?" Ami asked tiredly. They'd been trying to brainstorm ideas for hours, with no success.
"A way to fix all of this!" He leapt up, too excited to sit. :Carrie, Megabyte, I've got something!: He sent.
:What've you got, Kev?: Came the response.
:The urn was Egyptian, right?: He asked. Everyone agreed. :Maybe we could use those drawings you and Adam did, Carrie, as a focus to get information on how to stop whatever was in there! Someone had to put it in the urn in the first place; maybe we can contact them!:
:I like your idea, Kev, but we have to be careful. We don't know anything about contacting people, even other Tomorrow People, from the past.: Carrie replied.
:I'm sure the Ship can help us! Besides, Tutankhamen contacted us!: Kevin cried. As if in response, the Ship, which had been strangely silent began to whine. It reached into their minds and showed them how it could help them search the Astral, or Psychic, Plane of the Earth.
:We still need to know who we're looking for. We know next to nothing about what's out there, and, if we're not careful, who knows what could attack us.: Carrie responded. Once again, the Ship came to the rescue.
This time it showed them a picture of the one person who could help them.
:Of course!: They all exclaimed in the same mental breath.
******
Taphini Island, about fifteen minutes after
"Well, we've got the drawings, but what exactly do we do now?" Megabyte asked. Ami and Kevin stood next to him, thinking the same question. Megabyte had stopped at Carrie's apartment and picked up the drawings on his way back to the Ship. Carrie had remained at the Luna Foundation to keep up appearances.
Suddenly, the whine of the Ship broke the silence, reaching into their minds yet once again and showing them what to do. Glancing at each other skeptically, Ami and Megabyte settled themselves into the seats that hung at the top of the Ship's central column.
As Kevin watched from the floor of the Ship, the two of them closed their eyes and began to concentrate intensely. They pictured each drawing of the urn in their minds, along with the person they were trying to contact. The Ship gently merged with their minds, and propelled them where they needed to go.
They found themselves hurtling through hyperspace, too confused to do anything but try to stay together. They were moving too quickly to distinguish anything, but then everything just stopped. Ami and Megabyte suddenly found themselves in the middle of a thick, gray fog. No matter which way they turned, they were surrounded.
"Great! Now what?" Megabyte exclaimed to no one in particular. Ami abruptly grabbed his shoulder and pointed. A figure was emerging from the fog in front of them.
They looked at each other excitedly. Contact!
******
Angel Island, a Luna Foundation guest room
After Megabyte had returned to the Ship, Carrie had pulled out the books she had gotten from the Library downstairs. She settled on the floor next to her bed, a book open in her lap, and the other books stacked on the bed.
She had been poring over the same hopelessly complicated page for about ten minutes when she was reminded of something she had read in another book. She reached for it without looking, and ended up knocking the stack over.
'I've got to learn to be more careful!' She thought ruefully to herself. Unfortunately, the book she wanted had fallen off the other side of the bed. After a quick glance around, Carrie extended a hand and willed the book to telekinetically float to her. She smiled as it settled in her outstretched hand, and went back to reading.
She never noticed Derek, who had seen the entire event from behind Carrie's door, which had been slightly ajar.
******
Angel Island, In the Library
Derek entered the Library a few minutes later with a purposeful stride, but the information he needed could not be found in any of the ancient volumes that lined the walls of this room. Instead, he walked over to the antique map that hung on one wall. A red laser beam emerged from the top of it, and scanned his eye carefully. Once a retina match was established, he was able to walk through the map like it wasn't even there.
The room on the other side of the impressive hologram was full of enough electronic equipment to equip all three seasons of the original "Star Trek." Derek walked over to a central computer terminal, and began a search through all of the major world newspapers, as well as through the Legacy's own database.
He was determined to find out everything he could about Carrie and her friend before confronting Carrie about what she was hiding. Just then, Nick walked through the hologram.
"What're you looking for?" He asked, swinging his legs over the seat of a nearby chair and resting his arms on the seat back.
"I'm hoping to find some information on our houseguest and her friend." Derek stated. Nick nodded.
"Something's definitely weird about those two." He agreed.
"You have no idea." Derek commented.
******
Angel Island, The front entryway
Carrie came down the stairs slowly, trying to keep in contact with what was going on at the Ship and pay attention to what was going on in the House at the same time. She must have been unsuccessful, however, because Alex startled her on the stairs.
"Sorry, Alex. I guess my mind was somewhere else." She said. 'And it wasn't exactly a lie, either.' She reminded herself.
"Oh, don't worry about it. That happens to me all the time, and you've got a lot on your mind right now." Alex replied. Carrie nodded and smiled ruefully. Alex reached out and put an arm around her shoulders. Suddenly, Carrie staggered as another vision hit her.
She saw a jumble of images, some clearer than others. In one image, a man was standing over Alex and draining the life force out of her. But the images were gone as suddenly as they had come, and Carrie abruptly found herself back on the stairs, with Alex staring at her intently.
"You have the Sight, don't you." It was not a question.
******
Somewhere on the Astral Plane
Ami and Megabyte watched anxiously as the figure emerged from the fog. They were both relieved when they recognized him, but the relief was quickly replaced by euphoria when they realized what they had done. They had actually contacted Tutankhamen!
The boy king greeted his fellow Tomorrow People warmly, and smiled at their surprise when he spoke to them in English.
"When I contacted you before, it was only through luck I was able to get through. I was so inexperienced with my abilities that I could barely get through to you, much less understand your language. However, I have now developed my telepathy enough to "borrow" what English I need from your minds." He explained. It took Ami and Megabyte a moment to find their voices.
"I wish this meeting could be under better circumstances, but we really need your help." Ami told him, quickly outlining the situation. Tutankhamen's expression hardened.
"All of you, especially Adam, are in grave danger. That demon is known as the Spirit-Stealer. It possesses the ability to control the powers of a Tomorrow Person." Ami and Megabyte exchanged worried glances. "Fortunately, there are limits to the Spirit-Stealer's influence. It can only control those powers that its host possesses."
"That would explain how Carrie couldn't teleport or use telepathy when she fought it, but she was able to use telekinesis to hurt it." Megabyte concluded.
"You have already been confronted by it?" Tutankhamen asked worriedly. Ami nodded and described her friend's encounter with the demon. "The demon was probably able to influence the psychic bond you all share in order to make Carrie think she was seeing the demon. It could not have disappeared that quickly otherwise. We must hurry though, Adam's strength must be weakening with every attack."
"We?" Megabyte asked. Tutankhamen nodded.
"I was one of the ones who originally imprisoned the Spirit-Stealer. I am sure performing the imprisonment ritual anew will banish the demon once again. Here is what you must do."
******
Angel Island, The Living Room of the Luna Foundation mansion
"I don't know what you're talking about." Carrie said from her position on the couch as Alex paced in front of her. Alex had pulled her in here after the incident on the stairs.
"Carrie, the Sight is nothing to be afraid of. It's simply an extra talent, like being able to play piano or being able to draw." Alex told her, sitting down next to her. "Whatever you Saw, you can trust me." Derek chose that moment to enter the room with a file folder in one hand.
"What's going on here?" He asked as he took in the scene before him.
"Carrie had a vision on the stairs, but she won't admit it." Alex told him as she rose from her seat. Derek nodded.
"Could give us a few minutes, Alex?" He asked. She nodded, and left the room, closing the door behind her.
"Now, why don't you tell me exactly what you are and what you're doing here." Derek said as he walked over to Carrie and sat in a nearby chair. When she didn't speak, he went on. "We both know you didn't tell me the entire truth about what happened at the museum, and you weren't telling the truth to Alex just now. So why don't you tell me?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Carrie replied stubbornly.
"I saw you telekinetically lift that book you knocked over." Derek stated. Carrie paled, but said nothing. Derek pulled a few newspaper articles from his folder and read the headlines aloud.
"'Mysterious Boy Disappears From Bus.' I believe he disappeared in a flash of light, and returned a few minutes later with a load of seaweed." He read from a second article. "'Mad Mosquitoes Destroyed.' Several witnesses claimed seeing teenagers appear in flashes of light.'' He threw the articles onto the table. "I have noticed you repeatedly closing your eyes and then muttering under your breath as if you were talking to someone. I even heard you mention the names Ami and Megabyte once. Those names, along with your friend Adam's are mentioned in the article on Dr. Culex's mosquitoes as helping to "avert tragedy." Do you care to explain your connection to these articles? I can go on if you like; there are plenty more where these came from. I have all the time in the world."
Carrie sighed and hung her head. Things were not going well.
******
The Astral Plane
The three Tomorrow People crowded close together as Tutankhamen drew a diagram in the dirt for the ritual they needed to perform. He pointed to the middle of the diagram with his finger.
"Now this is the most important position in the ritual. You need a very special Tomorrow Person to focus all the power. The ancients spoke of this person as 'The one with the power to foresee the danger and the power to close the gate.' You need a dual Talent for this position."
"We have someone who'd be perfect for the job." Ami commented. Tutankhamen smiled.
"Well, then, that's everything." He bowed to each of them in turn. "I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor." With a parting wave, the Egyptian boy king turned and disappeared into the fog. Just as Ami turned to Megabyte to ask about a way out, they both were enveloped by a thick black cloud.
******
Angel Island, The Living Room
Carrie was feeling the heat under Derek's intense gaze. He was reading more headlines about their adventures, waiting for her to explain them. She desperately tried to think of something to say that would satisfy him as well as protect herself and her fellow Tomorrow People.
:Carrie, come quick! Something's wrong with Ami and Megabyte!: Kevin's telepathic voice was terrified. Carrie leapt up without a second thought.
"I'm sorry, Derek, but I have to leave." He rose to stop her.
"I can't let you go anywhere until you answer my questions." He said, moving towards her.
"I really hate to do this, but there's nothing you can do to stop me." Carrie told him, and then disappeared in a flash of light.
******
Taphini Island, immediately following
Kevin was kneeling over Ami and Megabyte's motionless bodies when Carrie 'ported in.
"What happened?" She asked as she bent over them.
"I don't know. They were fine until the ship began to go nuts and then they both stiffened and slid out of the chairs!" Kevin was near panic, and the ship was flashing its lights rapidly and whistling agitatedly. Carrie was relieved when she found a strong pulse on both Ami and Megabyte.
"I think they're going to be okay." She said, just as both of them began to stir. Ami was the first to open her eyes and sit up. "What happened to you guys?" Carrie asked.
"I don't know exactly." Ami said, rubbing the back of her neck. "We had just said goodbye to Tutankhamen when there was this dark cloud coming towards us. It only grabbed us for a second, though, and then we were back here." She gestured at their surroundings. Carrie frowned thoughtfully.
"So you did contact Tutankhamen?" She asked. Ami nodded. "Was he able to help?"
"Oh, yes. He had helped imprison the demon originally, and he told us exactly what to do."
"The first thing we need is what's left of the urn." Megabyte stood, and Carrie instantly realized what he was planning. She grabbed his arm.
"You're in no shape to get the urn; not after what you've just been through." She told him.
"So who do you think should go?" Megabyte snapped.
"I will. You guys stay here and go over the ritual; we haven't got much time." She replied, and disappeared in a flash of light. Ami crept over to Megabyte and put an understanding hand on his shoulder.
Chapter Five
Police Evidence Locker
Carrie crept quietly down the dimly lit aisles, not making a sound. She was immensely relieved when she finally spotted a box marked "Rayne Museum Robbery." Keeping an eye on the door, she picked up the box, and teleported out. Just then, the door opened, and a tall, gray-haired policeman walked into the evidence locker, accompanied by another officer.
"The box from the Rayne Museum is right here, Detective Karmack." The second officer declared, smiling at his companion and pointing to the now-empty spot on the shelf without even looking. Detective Karmack was not amused.
"No, it's not, Detective Wilson. Do you have any idea where it went?" He asked tiredly. He should have figured something like this would happen in a case connected to Derek Rayne.
When Detective Wilson saw the box of evidence missing, he turned as red as a tomato, and began sputtering uncontrollably. Detective Karmack rolled his eyes, and returned to his desk to call his old friend, Derek Rayne.
******
Angel Island, The Living Room
Derek had called Alex into the living room shortly after Carrie disappeared, in the hopes that her Sight, or psychic talent, would pick up something his had not. Unfortunately, all she could tell him was that a large amount of energy had been expended, which was something he had already sensed with his own talent.
They moved to the Library, and, after the retina scan, walked through the antique map that hung on the wall. Nick, the only non-psychic of the team currently on duty, sat at the central computer station, peering at the screen. He glanced up as his colleagues entered the secret room.
"Were you able to pick up anything?" He asked. Both Derek and Alex shook their heads. At that moment, the phone rang. Derek strode over to the phone on the desk, and picked up the receiver. He spoke for a moment, and then put the caller on speaker.
"It's Frank Karmack. He says there's been a new development in the robbery case. Go ahead, Frank." The voice on the other end of the line was tired and understandably concerned. Frank Karmack had been an ally of the Legacy ever since Derek saved him from something with teeth and claws that there isn't a police code for.
"The box that held what was left of the urn has disappeared. The strangest part is, though, that no one knows where it went or how it disappeared. None of the guards saw anyone go in, they're backed up by the security cameras, and none of the alarms were tripped. It's like the box just vanished." Karmack concluded. He and Derek conferred privately for a few moments, and then hung up.
"Well, what do you think happened?" He asked his team.
"Isn't it obvious?" Nick commented. "I mean, here's this kid that can appear and disappear at will, and as soon as she disappears from here, the primary evidence from the robbery case disappears from lockup. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. She might even have been part the original attempt to steal the urn."
"I agree that Carrie probably took the evidence, but I don't think she was part of the original robbery attempt at the museum, though. It just doesn't seem like her." Alex said.
"How can you tell?" Nick asked. "She gained our trust by going after the robbers, and having her friend get hurt, and we brought her into the House. Who knows what she's really after?"
"Good question." Derek replied.
******
Inside Adam's Mind
The monster's footsteps were approaching quickly; Adam had no time to hide. Suddenly, the monster was there, but for once it didn't grab him.
"Well, boy, it's just about over. I almost had your friends, but that blasted ship of yours pulled them back. It doesn't matter, though. Your friends think they've found a way to get rid of me, but it won't work. They'll never be able to complete the ritual in time. You're getting weaker by the minute!" The monster gloated.
"What ritual?" Adam asked weakly. When the demon only smiled maniacally, Adam finally lost his temper. "Are you going to do something, or did you just come here to gloat?" He snapped. He was extremely weak, and really didn't want to listen to this. The demon glared down at him.
"I thought you might like to know what your little friends are up to. Silly me. I've been practicing with your powers. Do you want to see what I can do?" It sneered.
"Not really." Adam replied. The demon raised its hand over him, and it glowed red. Adam steeled himself against the pain, but it was almost too much. The demon laughed and gave him and short reprieve.
"You pitiful mortals are so narrow minded--you never realized your powers can also be used to hurt people, as well as heal injuries. Well, heal this!" It raised a red-glowing hand again, and Adam could barely keep from screaming with the pain.
:Hurry, guys: He struggled to send the plea between waves of pain.
******
Taphini Island
Ami had drawn Tutankhamen's diagram in her notebook, along with all the directions he had given them. She was reading them aloud to Kevin when he noticed a problem.
"You just said we need five people total. We're a teleporter short." He pointed out as both of his teammates groaned. Just then, Carrie appeared in a flash of light, a box in her arms. She dropped the box onto the floor, and came over to where Ami, Kevin, and Megabyte were sitting.
"We've got a problem." Ami told her. Carrie sighed.
"What's wrong? I thought Tutankhamen told you everything."
"He did. That's not the problem. We're a teleporter short for the ritual." Ami replied.
"Someone's going to have to explain all this to Mrs. Weston. She should let Jade off the hook, at least until we can get rid of this thing." Megabyte commented.
"I'll go. I think I can get Jade early parole." Ami remarked with a smile. "There's one more thing--we'll need Adam, too." Megabyte jumped in before anyone else could speak.
"I'll go get our 'fearless leader'." He said sarcastically as he and Ami disappeared on their respective assignments in twin flashes of light.
******
Angel Island, The Control Room
Nick and Alex were sitting at the computer console, trying to come up with any information concerning the urn itself or any rituals associated with it. Surprisingly, there was only a little bit of sketchy information available. Suddenly, Derek strode through the holographic wall with a very angry expression on his face.
"I just got a call from the hospital. It would seem Mr. Newman has been abducted from his room. Again, no one was seen entering, and all the security cameras in that area suddenly went on the fritz." He told his colleagues.
"Gee, now who could have done that?" Nick asked sarcastically. Derek nodded.
"It must have been her, or at least someone like her. We don't know how many 'teleporters' are out there."
"I think I know where to find them." Alex suddenly spoke up. Derek and Nick turned to her eagerly. "It only makes sense that they took the remains of the urn and Adam to perform a banishing ritual of some kind. The best place to do that would be wherever the demon first appeared."
"The museum!" Nick concluded with a pleased smile.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Derek asked them. They all rose and left the Control Room quickly.
******
The Winston Rayne Hall of Antiquities, somewhere off the right-hand hallway
Carrie drew a large diamond in white chalk on the marble floor, as specified by Tutankhamen's instructions. When that was finished, she connected the opposite corners by drawing a cross in the middle of the diamond. She smiled as she finished, slowly backing up to compare her work to the drawing Ami had put in her notebook.
:I'm finished, Kev. Any sign of Ami or--: She broke off as she backed into something. She whirled around, and was immediately gripped by strong hands on her shoulders. Her face paled as she recognized Nick Boyle. "Oh, no." She muttered under her breath.
"Surprise, surprise. Imagine running into you here!" Nick said.
:What's going on, Carrie?: Kevin 'pathed anxiously from just inside the shadows across the room.
:Stay there, Kev.: Nick shook her by her shoulders to get her attention. This brought her back to reality before she could give Kevin any details.
"I can see movement over there, so you tell your friend to come out slowly. No fast moves." Derek and Alex had by now come up behind him.
:Do as he says, Kevin. We'll deal with this somehow.: Carrie told the younger boy. He moved out of the shadows slowly, not wanting to incur Nick's wrath. A quiet word from Derek in Nick's ear made him release Carrie, and she rubbed her shoulders angrily.
"Why are you here?" She asked, struggling to keep calm.
"We could ask you the same question-" Nick began, but Derek stopped him.
"We need to know what you're planning. Who are you people? What do you want?" Derek asked.
"It's a long story, one we really don't have time for right now." Carrie replied. Nick suddenly jumped back into the conversation.
"We know you were behind the original robbery attempt of the urn, so why don't you tell us what you're really after." He said threateningly. Carrie looked at him in total surprise.
"There was a previous attempt to steal the urn?" She would have said more, but four flashes of light caught everyone's attention. They faded to reveal Ami, standing next to Jade, a short girl with light brown hair, and Megabyte, who was supporting an unconscious Adam. All three Legacy members showed various degrees of surprise, but Alex recovered first.
"We don't really think you're evil, or anything." She said, with a glance at Nick. "We just need to know where you got the plan for this banishment ritual." She gestured to the diagram on the floor.
"We got it from--a friend." Carrie replied, crossing her arms over her chest. Suddenly, she and the rest of the team were struck by a mental wave of pain and desperation.
"What the heck was that?!" Megabyte exclaimed.
"I think it came from Adam." Carrie replied. "We have to hurry; Adam can't hold out against whatever that thing is much longer." She turned and began to go over to where her friends were gathered, but Derek reached out and caught her hand. Both psychics froze at the images that assaulted their respective minds.
Derek Saw the ship, and quick flashes of Carrie's memories of the team's previous adventures, including their plans to help Adam. Carrie Saw Derek's memories of past Legacy cases, including his father's death at the hands of a demon in Peru. They broke physical contact, and both psychics staggered backwards. Kevin sprang forward to steady Carrie, while Alex did the same for Derek.
"You were telling the truth." Derek said weakly. Carrie nodded.
"But what are you?" She asked.
"It's a long story, one you really don't have time for right now." Derek replied with a weak smile. Carrie returned the smile, and quickly walked over to her friends.
:What was that all about?: Megabyte 'pathed.
:I'm not sure. I saw a bunch of things from his past, and he saw my memories about us. I can't explain it.: She sent with a shake of her head.
:We can figure it out later. Now, let's get this thing out of Adam.: Megabyte replied with a brief smile, and the two of them walked over to where Ami was filling Jade in on the ritual.
Ami, Megabyte, Kevin, and Jade took their places at the four points of the diamond, while Carrie stood over Adam in the middle of the cross, the box from the evidence room at her feet. They all took a collective deep breath, and began the ritual.
Carrie had Ami's notebook open in front of her, and began reading the Ancient Egyptian haltingly, the others repeating the words a second later. After a few minutes, though, a strange thing happened. The chalk lines on the floor began to glow, softly at first, and then more and more brightly, soon obscuring the notebook and everything else from view. The notes were no longer needed to tell them what to say, however, for the words were now coming to them as naturally as if they were truly their own. Suddenly, there was a horrible scream that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Carrie looked down at Adam's prone form, and was shocked to see a black smoke rising from his body.
Abruptly realizing what her position called for, Carrie telekinetically lifted the broken shards of pottery from the box. The pieces began to come together seemingly of their own accord in mid-air, each piece knowing exactly where it fit. Carrie could feel sweat breaking out on her forehead; reassembling the urn was harder than she had thought it would be. One piece of the urn wobbled as it floated out of the box--then it dropped to the floor. Carrie reached out and caught it in her hands just before the shard his the ground.
'I can't do this alone.' She thought to herself. A sudden hissing sound from behind her caught her attention. She whirled around to see the black smoke had nearly surrounded her while she was distracted by the urn. She reached out to the others, but the smoke was like a brick wall--she was cut off. Carrie pushed at it telekinetically, but it was useless. The smoke was closing in when the strangest thing happened.
A new power, visible to Carrie only as a wall of light, suddenly appeared beside her. The new power was the only thing standing between her and the demon that had possessed Adam. The light slowly pushed outward, scattering the smoke in all directions.
'How--?' Carrie wondered to herself. She was shocked to hear a slight chuckle in her head.
:You don't have to do this alone, you know!: The voice sounded like all of her friends at once. Carrie smiled as she realized her friends had come to her aid once again. She combined their power with her own, and completed the task at hand.
By this time, the smoke had reformed, and was trying to get away. The newly combined power of the Tomorrow People quickly dragged it back, though. As the shards finished fusing themselves together, the black smoke was forced into the newly reconstructed urn, screaming all the while. The last bit of smoke was forced into the urn just as the last piece of pottery was fitted into place.
And then it was over. The light was gone, as were the chalk lines and the instructions in Ami's notebook. The urn had also disappeared, but no one noticed that during the happy reunion that followed. Once the demon had been imprisoned in the urn, Adam had quickly opened his eyes, and was struggling to sit up. The three Legacy members watched with broad smiles as the five teleporters welcomed their leader back to the land of the living.
"Hey, Adam." Carrie said, struggling to keep her voice steady as she knelt down to help him up. "How do you feel?" Her friend managed a weak smile as he leaned against her, one arm around her shoulders.
"I've felt better, but I'll live." He replied, managing to give each of his friends a weak, one-armed hug as they gathered around him. "Let's get out of here, okay guys?" Everyone nodded and laughed in agreement. At that moment, Derek stepped forward.
"Adam needs to be examined by a doctor, allow us to provide all of you with a ride to the hospital." He offered. The six teenagers glanced at each other for a moment, and Derek was sure an unspoken conversation was taking place.
"We accept your offer, Dr. Rayne." Adam replied. Derek and Nick came over and helped Adam out of the museum, with Alex and the other teleporters following behind.
Epilogue:
Angel Island, a few days later
As Carrie came into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Adam already sitting at the breakfast table.
"What are you doing up already?" She asked.
"I've been feeling better and better each day since you guys exorcised that thing. And besides, I really appreciate all the Legacy has done for us, but I was getting sick of my room!" The dark-haired Australian replied with a broad smile. Carrie grinned as she sat down with a bowl of cereal.
"So, when are you going back to the island? Jade says the ship misses you."
"Tomorrow, I think. When are you going back to your apartment?" He asked between mouthfuls of food.
"Tomorrow." Carrie said without thinking. Both teleporters laughed. "We've got to quit thinking like this!" Carrie exclaimed. After a moment, Adam sobered.
"So, what do you think we should do about the Legacy?" He asked.
"I think we should work with them on testing our powers and such. We really don't know that much about them. How they work, I mean." Carrie replied.
"True. We should be careful, though, or we might end up under a microscope. Or worse." He commented.
"I don't think so. We could really learn a lot from the Legacy."
"And we could learn a lot from you." A voice finished from the doorway. Both teleporters looked up to see Derek standing in the doorway. He joined them at the table.
"I'm glad to see you up and around, Adam. I want to assure both of you that any information we gather about the Tomorrow People and their powers will remain in this House. We have had some other Houses that have gone over to the Dark Side, and I won't ask you to take that risk."
"What's to keep this House from going over?" Adam asked.
"Well, we have an interesting mix of personnel here, and we are all very close. We're almost like family." The two teleporters smiled at each other knowingly. "Besides, the Dark Side has tried to turn this House before, and has always failed."
"You know, we still don't know who commissioned the theft of the urn in the first place." Carrie commented.
"We're working on that, and when we find out, I promise you we will deal with him or her as a joint effort." Derek replied. A companionable silence reigned in the room.
(To be continued in my next story, When the Past Catches Up. Please let me know what you think!)