The Trinity War (Book 3 of the Trinity series)

Chapter 18

Gerrard and I started running--no sprinting--away from the figure that was rising from the old man's body. I was horrified; it was like a snake emerging from the inside of a human body. But what was even more frightening was the fact that the figure knew my name. How did he know who I was?

"And where do you think you are going?" we heard the creepy voice say. I turned to look behind me, but saw no one. I turned my face forward and saw the man standing a few feet in front of us. Gerrard and I skidded to a stop, nearly losing our footing in the sandy ground. We stood panting--me more than Gerrard--in front of the man.

He was tall and lanky, probably over six feet. He towered over us with jet black hair and tanned features. His beady black eyes were lined with black eyeliner and he had a thin mustache going around his lips and connecting down to the stubble on his chin. He wore a long black tunic that opened up like a jacket. Underneath, he was wearing a shorter black tunic with gold embroidery on it and black pants. Who was this character and how did he know our names?

"Why are you running?" the man asked.

"Well, it could have been because you're over six feet tall and you just transformed out of a human body!" I exclaimed sarcastically, gesturing towards the remains of the old beggar man's body behind us.

The man chuckled.

"Who are you?" Gerrard demanded.

"Who are you?" the figure mimicked in a high-pitched voice.

"We asked you first!" I exclaimed.

"We asked you first!" he repeated.

Gerrard and I glared at him and chuckled gleefully.

"Fine, if you want to do this the hard way..." Gerrard threatened, summoning up an orb of energy with gusting winds swirling around it.

"Oho! I wouldn't do that if I were you!" the man said, grinning almost evilly at us.

"Who are you?" I demanded again, getting ready to conjure up my own energy orb.

"The question is, who am I not?" the man said. We looked at him, confused.

"Look, you have exactly three seconds to tell us who you are before I destroy you," Gerrard said.

"You kno-ow, you should really learn how to control your anger," the man said in a sing-song voice.

"Three..." Gerrard began counting.

"Now you're counting! How utterly fearsome!" the man cried, laughing. I conjured up an energy orb of water.

"Two..." I said.

"Oho! You, too!" he cried.

"On-" Gerrard and I both started saying, raising our hands to launch the orbs.

"Wait!" the man said, putting his bony hands up before we threw the orbs at him.

"Tell us!" I shouted.

"How about I show you?" the man suggested.

"What are you on about?" Gerrard hissed.

"Hee hee!!" the man said gleefully.

The man stepped back a few steps and then, with a swish of his cloak, he transformed. There, standing in front of us, was Jameel.

"What in the name of Merlin--" I began, not believing what I was seeing.

"Amrikan!" the Jameel standing before us cried. I glanced at Gerrard, who didn't seem to be as perplexed about this as I was.

With the flip of his turban Jameel turned into the bitter lady at the reception desk in our hotel, complete with black uniform and heels.