The S.T.F. Files, Book 4: DIATON

Flicker of Hope

"Well thank you, for all of your service. Theresa is a bit out there. If you don't restrain her, she'll take you for a wild chase and you'll end up getting lost."

'Gretto was cocky, "well I do my best. I thought she needed to go home for a bit."

"Riza you're shaking! You need to get a hot bath!" My mother started dragging me up the stairs.

"Mother, this isn't necesscary!"

"Do you wanna catch a cold?"

I was thrown in a hot bath. If my power wasn't fire I'd probably have burned myself. Instead I just sank to my eyes were above the bath water and just breathed underwater. It was peaceful, but I hope my family wasn't creeping on 'Gretto.

I close my eyes and attempt to look half-asleep and peaceful when the bathroom door opens and was closed gently. The figure's back was against the door as they slid down. I lift my head above the water to look at them.

"'Gretto....how did you sneak up here?" I asked.

He just shook his head, "not hard, actually. Can you feel any of the rest of the STF?"

"Hand me my bathrobe and get outta here for about a minute and I'll tell you. I think I've been soaking in this sauna for long enough."

"Don't you need me to protect you, m'lady?"

"Shut up! And I'm in a bath. People normally don't bathe with jeans and a t-shirt on, now do they?" I look out the window that was opened wide that lay beside the bathtub. The window opened outward, as the early morning sun poured in. It was about six in the morning, yet everyone was already up.

'Gretto moans, "alright," and he throws me my robe and walks out.

I take a deep breath and sink beneath the surface of the water. I flip the plug with my toe. I surface, flipping my hair back like Ariel did in the Little Mermaid. It remided me of Cleo. Oh, I hoped she was okay.

I grab my robe from the side of the tub and quickly tie it on me, then slip on my fuzzy lavender slippers. As for my wet hair, I use a brush to brush it out. My bathroom was large. Double vanity, large tub, seperate huge shower. I look at myself in the mirror. I notice the cuts on my arms. They were still there. They spelled a word...more like a phrase.

'Alagretto: to stop DIATON'

"'Gretto come here!" I shouted.

He bursts in, holding my snowboard, "is everything okay?!"

"Your arms, hold them up to the mirror. I don't think Elizabeth did that. I think it was a sign from someone else." He holds up his arms below mine. The message horified me. It read 'Alagretto: to stop DIATON, help Riza create life'

We stay put, frozen in time, reading the message. Then I move to hug 'Gretto. He just holds me tight. We couldn't do it-I couldn't do it. We just stood there, crying.

My mother comes into the bathroom and finds us, "Theresa? What's the matter? Shouldn't you be with Nat-"

"No. I shouldn't. I-I can't marry him. I couldn't. I'm too young. And...and I don't love him." I cry. I couldn't hold myself together. I noticed she was holding a long lavender dress that went down to the floor. It sparkled and had a nice sash to it. Also a butterfly hair clip was there. Why did I keep seeing butterflies? What did they mean?

She also had a black tux for 'Gretto.

"Well you must get ready since we have visitors coming over later this afternoon." My mother handed 'Gretto the clothes as I nodded. "I knew you wouldn't go through with the marriage. Just keep this secret from your father for as long as we can. He believes that Alagretto is truely only your body guard, and that no one's gonna pay much attention to you for a few years."

"Y-you know?!"

"Why else would you keep such a hansome man around? There's something about him that you like. I don't know your mind, but you love him. I can see it writen all over your face."

March

"Here miss! You need better clothes!" Three maids bring in a huge, frilly, puffy, emerald green and sky blue dress. They go to help me undress and take all my guns I had on me. Before one of them takes them away, I yank them all back and put them back on me where I had them before. After I was wearing something insane and all the maids left, Nathaniel came back in. He was followedby a main carrying a tray with soup on it. It smelled so good. My mouth watered.

But then I remembered: He could've poisoned it. I didn't know where I was. I just fell into his grasp. Literally.

"How are you, darling? Feeling better?"

"Better yes, I just know I have to leave soon. As much as I'd like to stay, I can't say that I can. There's someone who I have to meet, somewhere I have to go."

"Wherever it is, I'll escourt you there, miss. You deserve to be. You haven't regained all your strength. Why don't you eat some soup?"

"I will only if you do first." I say.

"Can't trust your savior?"

I shrug, "I can't trust the other people around here. Look: I've really gotta go. I need to get back right away. People are looking for me."

"Where do you need to go?"

"Airport, London."

-few hours later infront of the STF plane-

"Thanks, thanks for everything. This is kinda my ride so..." I drag my foot along the ground infront of me.

"It's fine. Just...take a message to Theresa, would you?"

My hand flings down to my side, "how do you know-?!"

He shakes his head, "it's a long story. Knew each other a while back. Here. This note." He hands me a note, and a bottle of what looked like poison. "You need to get outta here as soon as you can. My sister wants to use you to capture Theresa and use her so my sister can be reborn from Theresa with powers. You can't let her win. I used to love Theresa before I learned she found a lover. Your his sister, right?"

I nod, "correct."

"Then don't wander off on your own. You're too vulnerable. They want you as bait."

"Wouldn't be the first time. I was used as bait before. Look pal, I don't know if I can trust a world you say, but I believe with all my heart you're telling the truth. So thanks. But I have to go, so...thanks," I smile as he kisses me on the hand. What a real gentleman.

"Be safe. Stay away from my sister."

"Will do," I say as I board the plane. Inside I find Aly and Dimitri playing go fish.

"Aly! Dimitri!" I shout, hugging them both. They were so excited to see me too.

"March you're okay," Aly smiled. She looked like a mess.

"Yeah, what about you two? You guys look like-"

Dimitri sighed, "it's a long story. We'll save it for the trip. But right now we need to get this thing off the ground and to Brazil."

"Why there?" I ask.

Aly turns to head to the front, "'cause that's where Riza is."

I protest, "about the others-?!"

Aly answered, "Nada and co. are...well let's not get into that, the triplets and twins and Sam contacted Dimitri. They've escaped from somewhere in India and are at a layover in China. Ulison is in the bathroom in the back, Katelyn and Matt are getting some food so we have something to eat, and no one's heard from Damien and Cleo, so our best assumption is that they didn't make it."

"No! They had to!"

"Well, we didn't hear from you either, and you're okay. So that means there's still hope," Dimitri picked up the go fosh cards.

"Can't we look for them?" I ask.

"Too dangerous. We're going to Riza. We need to at least get to her to make a plan. Chances are they're already there."