The Morgan Effect: Life's Chronicles of a New Era

"What have I got without it...?"

Chapter Twenty-Three

                They all went down the stairs, and Skandáli̱ put tea on. His back was to the pair and they used that to reengage in their conversation.

"In my reading, I found reference to powerful energy sources and ways to extract it. That might not pan out as I'm hoping, but: Think about the implications. I've been thinking about it for a while now. If we could manage to collect enough energy to substitute the human energy you use now then we don't have to hurt anybody to get theirs."

"How in the world are we supposed to get our hands on so much energy?"

"That's the other thing. I need to be able to know the difference in energies. I discovered that human energy differs from the energy you find in, say... stones. The stones have a particular energy signature."

"I know that. Humans have one too?"

"You think he would know his prey Dear."

                Skandáli̱ handed them their tea, sat down beside his brother, and listened in for small grains of knowledge. He'd read most of the books in the library, but not all and he didn't remember half of them.

"Humans have individual energy signatures, ones that could theoretically be tracked. There are two, I guess you could call them input details, that go into a human energy signature. That's a mouthful so I'm going to call it HES. Can you keep up with that?"

"She's been bubbling with this for weeks little bro, wanted to tell you all she learned in school today."

                He laughed and she glared.

"Anyhow. Your signature is based off your mentality and strength. Each signature is like DNA. By I've digressed. The signatures are different, so I need to be able to recognize a HES and I need to study it, so I need to go with you the next time you close a Fade."

"What?"

                The men blurted in unison and she almost believed they were related. Skandáli̱ looked her up and down, obviously thinking about how unprepared she was for anything south of messy. Eirini simply couldn't speak, so Skandáli̱ took the lead.

"Don't be stupid girl; you don't even know how to fight. You don't know anything but what you read in those damn books and they don't tell you a molecule of real battle."

"You can teach me Eirini? You told me that you came for me because you needed my help, so let me help you. I need to know this. Once I figure out the HES, than I can find a viable substitute. The closer it is to the HES, the stronger the possibility of it working, you have to listen to me."

"I cannot take you in the field as you are—"

"Teach me Eirini."

"Don't even consider it Augustus. She'll be the death of the both of you."

"Don't be so jaded Skandáli̱. Eirini listen: This could be the only thing standing between thousands and millions of deaths. Do this. I'm one woman and I willingly give this to your cause. Please...."

"Cosette,"

                In a flash Skandáli̱'s entire demeanor changed. His face grew darker and his body seemed to stretch wider.

"Cosette? You? You're Cosette, daughter of Maxim and Fate?"

"Yes, that's me."

"What the hell are you doing here?"