The Sisters: The Curse of Gabriel's Gardens

Reunion

Reunion

She failed.

Well, to be exact, she did not fail. I have chosen her perfectly and gave her undying motivation to complete her task. But I underestimated the cunning of the infamous Warren sisters. I should not have. They are, after all, true daughters of their mother, so I could have expected that.

Using that crippled girl was a great idea. They would never suspect her, even though she started behaving strange and even broke up with her so-called girlfriend. A love between two women, how ridiculous. It was also her brother who is responsible for the fall of my plan. Together, they form a strong alliance. A force to be reckoned with.

Even though I would love to vent my anger and frustration on the crippled girl or her friends, entering her mind already cost me too much power. Sometimes I have to take two doses a day to prevent myself from falling apart. I remember my early days, where I happily invaded minds of the people and pushed them into a suicide or caused them a brain stroke if their health was undermined enough.

These days are long gone. Now I just sit here, barely able to move, looking at what I have become and bitterly realizing that even my gift which seemed perfect at first has its flaws. Flaws whose final destination can be even worse than death, the fate I feared so much.

But soon, this is going to end. I will be powerful again. I have to proceed with caution, though, since the Warren girls caught HER trail.

Gwendolyn Pearl, the creature of pure kindness and beauty, but also immense power. When I saw her for the last time, she was leaving the city on the verge of mental breakdown. But now, I'm aware that she regained her power. If she and her daughters join forces, they could possess a threat, considering she alone was able to deal with the pest known as Chance Arlington.

But there's still chance to keep her away from me.

<<>>

"It's frustrating," Alexis said. "If Anna was here, it would be just a matter of minutes. But since our computer expert is still indisposée, I have to search through every goddamn social network on the interned and see hundreds of women named Gwendolyn Pearl. And maybe I do it uselessly since it's possible she doesn't operate on any of these websites. And it's also possible that I already saw her, but since there was no photo, I couldn't tell that it's her."

"I know it's getting annoying, sis," Diane said, "but we mustn't lose hope! Mom had to leave us some trace so we can find her. It's going to take time, but..."

"It's already nearly two weeks!" Alexis lashed out. "Two weeks of Sisyphean job done while there's probably some evil mastermind after us and the girl I love is still a honorable guest in a mental hospital! You have no idea how many times I've been this close to just quitting this all and just... letting go. Mother, Anna, my powers, my carreer of a paranormal investigator."

"You would also have to abandon me," Diane said.

"And that's what keeps me from doing it." Alexis sighed. "Sorry, Diane. It's just too much for me to take recently. I just feel that something is coming at us like a Tsunami wave. That it's only going to get worse. It's like everything was against me. If there was at least one bright moment..."

"There will be one," Diane said. "When we reunite with our mother."

"And that's the only thing that keeps me going," Alexis said. "Reverend Warren did a great job as a parent, you can't deny that. But right from the start, we knew he's more like our caretaker than actual parent. He was already old when we came into his life, so there wasn't as much fun and excitement as there would probably be if we were raised by our real parents."

"You're right," Diane replied. "He's kind and sometimes funny for sure, but definitely not an action type."

"Maybe it sounds cheesy, but I want to, at least remotely, know the feeling of being mommy's girl," Alexis put on a dreamy expression. "I know that she missed my whole childhood and teen years, but still, it's not completely lost. I want to have a mother-daughter talk with her, ask her for advices, confess my problems to her. Through all these years, I had to be the responsible one, the one who had to keep calm and solve the situation at all cost. But I'll be glad if mom takes just a bit of these responsibilities to herself."

"You've been an awesome mom-sis," Diane said, only half-ironically. "But seriously, I know where are you going with this. I also missed my real parents. Like, really frequently. Reverend Warren is more like a grandpa to me. I want a real mom. And maybe a real dad."

"Father... I mean Reverend Warren never really talked about our real father," Alexis said with a gloomy voice. "I think he's dead. It's highly probable considering the events before our birth. Our dad can be any of these people Arlington killed... well, any of the younger ones. Maybe it's the reason mom left the city. She was, I don't know, wounded or something and she wasn't able to take care of us alone."

"That means we're probably half-orphaned," Diane frowned. "But as long there's still our mother, there's hope. She may be dead, too, who knows what happened during these twenty years, but I hope she's not."

"Don't be a doomsayer," Alexis smiled. "Mom is alright. I know it. Now I should probably continue my search... the sooner we find her, the better." With a sigh, she returned to the computer and started to examine another batch of Gwendolyn Pearls.

After a while of work, someone knocked at the door, then the knocker entered straight away. It was clearly Gus since he was the only one to have their keycard.

"Hi, girls," he stepped into the living room. "I was just walking by, and I decided to visit you... I hope you don't mind a little distraction."

Alexis smiled. "You're always welcome here, Gus. What do you need?"

The man smiled mysteriously. "I've brought a person who just wants to say hi." As he spoke, the sisters heard a familiar buzzing sound. Anna drove into the room with a shy smile on her face.

<<>>

"Annie!" Alexis exclaimed and rushed towards the impaired girl to hug her, but then she paused in the middle of the move. She doesn't know how's her ex-girlfriend feeling right now and maybe she doesn't feel like hugging. Maybe she hates her. Maybe she decided their relationship is futile.

"Girl, it's so nice to see ya again!" Diane said. "How do you feel?"

"Better... I guess," Anna replied. There was much more emotions and life in her voice than she had in the hospital, but it still wasn't the same as it used to be. "In the hospital, I had so much time to think about what happened. So I did. I... still have mixed feelings about it all, but now I understand that blaming you was probably a wrong move... and I'm sorry."

"I'm not saying everything's completely okay now," Alexis said, "but I'm so glad that you're starting to grasp the entire thing. Go on. If you need to talk about it, we're right here. We'll try to understand. You were manipulated and mind-controlled..."

"No," Anna interrupted her. "That's not true. I also wanted to believe it, but I would only lie to both you and myself. It was all my decision. The Visitor never forced me into anything. He just gave me an offer and I accepted. He didn't control me in any way."

"But he still tried to manipulate you, didn't he?"

"Not really. He wasn't like that textbook villain who tries to lure you into things you'd never do voluntarily. He helped me to evaluate the pros and cons. He told me that I may lose you in the process, but at that moment, my legs were more important to me. He wasn't a mastermind, but a business partner. This is the part which scares me the most about this. It revealed what I'm capable of... and I'm afraid."

Alexis handed her a cup of coffee which Anna gladly accepted. "You have been paralyzed for more than ten years," she said. "You had an opportunity to change it. To change your life for good. There's no wonder you accepted the offer since being able to walk again is your biggest wish."

"But it turned me into a traitor!" Anna exclaimed. "I realized one thing. The Visitor wanted me to sabotage your investigation, that means he didn't want you to succeed. And there has to be some reason behind it. If I thought about it before, at least a bit, I would realize. God... who knows what kind of plan did I aid. It can be even dangerous for you. I'm so ashamed."

Gus gently stroke her hair. "It's okay now, Annie."

"Don't be so kind to me!" Anna barked. "Unlike me, you have all the reasons to hate me. I sold you out to Alexis and Diane. I... I didn't even hesitate much. The Visitor just told me to put the blame on Augustus... so I did, without any hesitation. I didn't even feel guilty. I felt nothing at all. All that remained was the desire to walk again. That's why I behaved like I did."

"Of course I can't hate you," Gus said. "You're my sister. And we all make mistakes. I won't lie, you let me down and prepared some nasty moments for me. But I'm not a guy who holds grudges. Y'know, it's exhausting and you constantly have to remember something, so it's easier to forgive."

"I should probably cry now," Anna said. "But I still can't. I still feel numb, more or less."

"But it's getting better," Alexis smiled.

"Probably. But I feel destroyed, raped, unworthy. I should've probably stayed there and keep myself away from you. Who knows what I've caused. I'm dangerous to you and if you wanted to cut me off just like I did, I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe I'd prefer if you did."

"No, shut up," Diane smirked. "Now it's time for the mushy reunion scene with love, forgiveness and tears. Well, you can't cry, got it, but at least pretend you are."

Anna gave a short laugh. "Okay. But I have to warn you, I'm not completely okay yet. Just... after those weeks of loneliness, I needed to talk to someone. To have someone by my side. Maybe he will come again... and if he does, punch me in the face. And do it until you knock some sense into me again. You should have done it earlier, before it got so far. Maybe it's too late now."

"It's never too late," Alexis said. "As long as we're alive, we can work it through."

"Alexis..." Anna sighed. "Before everything, I have to talk to you. In private."

<<>>

Augustus followed Diane to her room while Anna drove into Alexis'. Alexis sat on her bed and for a while, they just stared at each other, no idea what to say.

"Out of everything," Anna started shyly, "what I've done to you was the worst. In the hospital, I started to realize what I've probably caused. What did you have to go through. I hoped that after we... separated, you started to hate me, you cut me off and forgot. But I was aware you aren't like that. I probably made you suffer. God, Alexis... you were right all along. Good lovers would discuss what happened and work on a solution together. But he told me that if I tell anyone about him, the deal is cancelled. I had to choose between you and him. And... I made a horrible decision."

"I won't lie, our... separation led to the biggest sadness I've felt since Marlene died," Alexis said. "But I didn't stop loving you. Not even for a second. I tried to move on, tried to convince myself that one day, I'll be able to find another girlfriend. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I'll never be able to love someone as much as I love you. I'll either be with you or alone."

"I think you'd do better if you found someone else," Anna said. "I sacrificed our love for some vague chance to be able to walk again. If I was a good girlfriend, I wouldn't let that happen. I failed and I don't deserve your love. Maybe we're meant to be apart."

"And what do you feel?" Alexis asked. "When we met for the last time, you didn't know if you still love me. If you'll forgive me for ruining your opportunity. Have you made your mind?"

"I did," Anna replied. "I'll tell you. Lean closer."

Alexis didn't understand, but she complied. As she leaned closer, Anna grabbed her head and kissed her. Alexis closed her eyes and enjoyed it since this exact moment was something she missed for many weeks (that dry, faint kiss in the hospital didn't count). They gradually demolished the wall that grew between them with several shy lip touches, then they ended in a tight hug and their passion intensified. It was finally the kiss only Anna could give, a kiss which equally and perfectly combines lust, love and lust for love.

After a while, they separated, red and out of breath.

"Does it mean that the breakup is cancelled?"

"If you want it to be," Anna said.

"There's nothing I want more."

"So you're really willing to forget everything, how I treated you, Diane and especially Gus? That I intentionally hindered your progress and maybe put you... us all into unknown danger? I was so selfish. I stopped thinking. It will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Let's make an agreement," Alexis said. "We'll just forget what happened. From now, there was no breakup, no deal with the Visitor, no dark days. It was just an unfortunate event and a mistake that shouldn't be clinged on. Do you agree? Can we just start again, like nothing happened?"

"But it happened," Anna objected. "And it may have consequences."

"In that case, we'll face these consequences together. As lovers. People often take these things like united we're stronger as clichés, but it's undeniable it actually works. Starting today, nothing will be able to divide us and we won't make any more mistakes. Do you agree?"

Instead of answering, Anna just hugged Alexis again. "I missed you so much," she voiced.

"That's two of us," Alexis replied.

Anna smiled. "So, I think that's enough romance for now. We have to keep moving. You didn't cease your search for Arlington, that's what I know for sure. So what did you find out?"

"I think there are more people we should talk about it with," Alexis said and entered the living room, Anna right after her. Diane and Gus were already waiting there. When they saw the satisfied smiles of both lovers, they knew everything is alright again."

"So, how did it go?" Diane asked. "All's clear between you?"

"Our IT expert is back on the track again!" Alexis announced. "And she offered help."

<<>>

"Wow, she's beautiful," Anna said upon seeing the photo of Gwendolyn Pearl. "Well, Lexie, your kindness and beauty didn't come out of nowhere, right?"

Diane rolled her eyes. "Y'know, girls, I'm glad you're together again and stuff, but I seriously didn't miss all that bill and coo between you."

"Okay, sorry," Alexis said, then turned to Anna again. "We have more or less a complete story of Chance Arlington, but some parts are still missing. All we know is that Gwendolyn Pearl, our mother, was probably Chance's nemesis which was responsible for his fall. Then she gave birth to us and left the city. We have to find out where is she now and how can we get to her."

Anna nodded. "It should be easy."

"Easy?!" Alexis exclaimed. "You have to be shitting me."

"Did you loosen your language while I was away?" Anna smirked.

"No, not really, but I got really angry since I spent two goddamn weeks by scanning the whole internet, searching for our mother just randomly, and then you just say it's easy?"

"Easy if you know how to do it. Maybe I should visit my dear room again," Anna said and headed towards the main door, the remaining trio following her. A few minutes later, the impaired girl was booting up her hyper-performance computer.

"Oh, man, so many updates," she muttered. "It's gonna take forever."

After she clicked "Later" many times, she opened some kind of software only she understood. "Alright, now I need to know the complete profile of Mrs. Pearl," she said. "Everything you know about her. To put it simply, this is basically a very sophisticated search engine which lets me search based on more criteria than just a standard phrase. I'll just enter the name, and we can start." She entered the name "Gwendolyn Pearl" into a thing which seemed to be the main search bar and uploaded a close-up photo of Gwendolyn's face.

"We know she worked as a florist," Alexis said. "She was also a volunteer worker in old people's home and loves animals and swimming." Anna filled the smaller search bars with keywords: Volunteer, Old people's home, Florist, Animals, Gabriel's Gardens, Swimming and her birth year.

"Aaand... here we go!" the girl smiled proudly and opened the first article that popped up. The sisters gasped in awe. There was a photo of a woman, Gwendolyn without any doubts, in her forties. She didn't lose her charm even though there were already traces of wrinkles around her eyes and cheeks. She was still wearing the messy ponytail and her golden eyes and bright smile still radiated kindness.

The photo depicted her in some kind of short-sleeved uniform and the woman was holding a freshly born tiger cub in her arms. The article answered why. The rare tiger cub was born thanks to the selfless help and determination of Gwendolyn Pearl, a woman who came from Gabriel's Gardens and started to work in a ZOO with animals initially as a volunteer. But later on, she became one of the biggest experts.

And place? The ZOO in Philadelphia.

"The article was published just three years ago," Anna said. "I bet she's still working there."

"We did it!" Alexis cheered and kissed Anna on the cheek. "Annie, you are the best. The best of the best. Now we know where to go... where will we find our mother."

"There's just one tiny problem," Diane noted. "Philadelphia lies across the whole country."

Alexis shrugged. "If you went through so many horrible things, you'd also want to go as far away as possible. The distance is unimportant when we already know the location. The journey is probably gonna cost a pretty penny, but that's a price I'm willing to pay."

"Pretty penny," Diane mumbled. "But how are we gonna get it?"

The blonde girl sighed. "Well, I have some money saved for the university tuition. I guess it'll be enough for tickets to Philadelphia and back."

"But that'll delay your education by years!" Diane objected.

"I know," Alexis shrugged, "but it won't be so bad. We aren't gonna hire a private jet..."

"Hold on," Diane said. "Private jet... I guess I have an idea!"

<<>>

The girls met their guest in a small coffee bar in the Centre; it was located near the border with Serenity Square and chosen because it was much quieter (and a bit less pricey) than the stores near the Angel Square. The small, dim-lit bar built in black and brown colors was probably a favorite place of students of the nearby private university. It were mostly spoiled, prominent kids who parked their expensive cars in front of the bar.

Their guest arrived a few minutes in advance. He seeked the girls, sat with them and generously ordered drinks for them. Then he smiled at them. "Hi. So you remembered I exist, right?"

Grayson Forrestal junior was the son of the city's most important manufacturer of security systems who was murdered last year by a vindictive ghost of his late business rival. Gray was accused for commiting the murder and the sisters managed to clean his reputation. They remained friends after the case was solved and occassionally met each other.

Initially, Alexis didn't trust him and harbored some hard feelings towards him since he reminded her of Kyle Fletcher so much - both were successful, rich and good-looking. However, Gray turned out to be good at heart. Diane's friends often mocked her that she has a crush on Gray, which Diane violently denied. It wouldn't, however, be that surprising since Gray was tall and slim, with blonde hair and sincere dark eyes. He wasn't as perfectly handsome as Kyle was, but he had his charm for sure.

Instead of a tailor-made suit, he appeared in a simple gray sweater and jeans, making him look less prominent and distant. Modesty was also a part of Gray's personality.

Alexis returned his smile. "How could we forget about you?"

The waitress served the trio their drinks. Gray took a sip from his latté macchiato. "Let's skip the friendly talk for now," he said. "You probably want something from me, don't you? Don't be shy and go ahead. You saved me from rotting in jail and I'm still your debtor."

Alexis felt a sting of guilt. "Well, Gray... we thought..."

"I said don't be shy!" the young man laughed. "Go on. Fire it right away."

"We need to get to Philadelphia, as soon as possible," Diane said without further hesitation. "We thought you're influential enough to help us."

Gray frowned. "And that's all? Girls, that's a matter of five minutes. I just tell the pilot of my private jet and he'll take you there. Or if you long for my dazzling presence, I can pilot it myself."

"You'd really do this for us?" Alexis said.

"Of course! I'm glad when I can use some of the cash I have to do some good. If you don't believe me, I can show you a complete list of all my donations to charity and stuff. In my case, money aren't root of all evil. I use it to plant some good, y'know?"

"Thanks, Gray," Alexis said, relieved. "I'd kiss you, but well... I'm commited."

"There's no need, save your lips for your girl," Gray smirked. "But Diane is single, as far as I know...?"

Diane raised her eyebrows. "Is that supposed to be hitting on me?"

"Let's not take this too far since people may start shipping us," Gray winked at the girl. "If you need it, we can take off right now. It's really no problem for me."

"We don't rush that much," Alexis said. "We'll pack some things and get ready for the trip. Is tomorrow morning okay? At six?"

"At seven," Diane corrected her. "Who the hell is supposed to get up that early?"

"We want to arrive before the ZOO closes," Alexis objected.

"My jet is capable of flying that distance in, maybe, four hours," Gray said. "So Diane can freely enjoy her sleep. You are pretty uptight, Alexis."

"I've been told that many times," the girl smirked. "Okay, let's do that tomorrow."

"I'll be looking forward to meeting you, my charming young ladies! Tomorrow at seven, the Gabriel's Gardens airport. No flights are scheduled for that tome, so we should be free to go."

<<>>

"Today. I can't believe we actually can see our mom today," Diane said, packing several things into her trademark black leather handbag decorated by numerous button badges of various movies and bands.

"Do you really want to give this first impression?" Alexis looked at her sister's attire, consisting of a crop top with Nirvana logo, a light leather jacket and tattered jeans, all complemented by a spiky bracelet and a black choker, with a doubt in her face.

Diane shrugged. "She has to learn to love me no matter who I am, so I prefer showing my true colors right at the beginning, so she has some time to deal with it."

Alexis sighed. She picked a long-sleeved white blouse, long black skirt and a gray spring jacket. She had to wait until Diane decided all the things the wanted to take with her.

"We're going for a day or two," Alexis noted. "There's no need to pack up like this."

"The flight's gonna be boring," Diane objected. "I need something to distract myself."

"Let me introduce you the magic," Alexis smiled and showed her sister the e-reader which landed in her bag. "This is gonna keep me busy for a while."

"Maybe you haven't noticed, but I'm not really a reading type."

Alexis shrugged. "Your bad."

Before they left, they went to say goodbye to the Lightfoots. Augustus wished them good luck while Alexis and Anna shared a few goodbye kisses.

"Do you really want to stay here?" Alexis asked.

Anna nodded. "That's okay, don't worry. I don't feel like traveling right now, actually. Besides that, your reunion should be a private matter and I wouldn't feel good making a third wheel. I hope you'll return soon and show me my future mother-in-law!"

Alexis laughed. "I'm glad the idea of marriage is in play again."

"We'll keep you updated if something strange happens here," Augustus said. "It'll be better if you leave some messengers here in Gardens."

"We're counting on you," Diane said.

The girls left. They caught a TEx which stopped at the station Icaria: Airport. The airport itself was small, yet busy. There were already numerous people waiting for their flight scheduled to several hours later, securing their luggage and buying tickets. The main purpose of the airport was to send people to bigger, more important airports where they changed the planes... or to host private jets of local moguls.

"It's ten to seven," Alexis said. "We're on time."

There was only one plane on the runway. It wasn't very big, but it could easily overshadow all the commercial Airbuses which usually landed here. It was black and shiny, with an emblem of a knight shield with the letters FORRESTAL over it.

Gray was already standing next to it, this time in a navy blue shirt and casual leather jacket. "Welcome!" he announced. "Let me introduce you to the girl which will take you all the way to Philly today!"

"Could you please address the plane gender-neutrally?" Diane asked. "Maybe Alexis is alright with being inside of a girl, but when it comes to me, it makes me slightly uncomfortable."

As the trio laughed, an older man approached them. He was in his early forties, with an army haircut and a weather-beaten, sharp face; his eyes, however, were kind and welcoming. "This is Wayne, our pilot," Gray introduced him as the man offered the girls a handshake. "And I'll be the co-pilot. We... eh, what is she doing here?" Gray looked at a person approaching the plane.

"Cassandra?" the sisters said in unison.

"Of course it's me!" the journalist said. "You wouldn't be here without me, so I guess you owe me a favor. Take me with you, that's all I ask for. When you reunite with Ms. Pearl, I'll be the first one to ask her a few questions. That would be a bomb for my newborn channel!"

"Uhm..." Alexis paused for a while, "I don't know if it's a good idea. There's something strange going on here and we don't know if..."

"Quiet!" Cassandra barked. "I'm going with you, like it or..."

The woman suddenly stopped and collapsed on the runway. Alexis noticed a few red spots on her blouse which wasn't there before. With horror, she realized what are they.

<<>>

"TAKE COVER!" the girl screamed. "Someone's shooting at us!"

Diane, Gray and Wayne hid behind the plane, Alexis following them. Alexis heard a few whistles as several bullets missed her head by only a few centimeters. Then they saw the threat - three men in all-black clothing and ski masks. They vaguely resembled grotesque ninjas, but instead of shurikens and ninjatōs, they were clutching pistols with silencers.

They took a few shots at the plane. The bullets penetrated the plane's perfect black body and left several holes inside of it. Grayson groaned; Alexis wasn't sure if it's because of injured (or dead) Cassandra on the ground or the damages caused on the plane.

"What the hell is happening...?" Diane exclaimed.

"Wayne!" Gray said. "Get inside the plane and rev up the engines! We have to get the heck out of here as soon as possible. Someone doesn't want us to leave."

The man nodded and entered the jet; the entrance was fortunately on the opposite side as the mysterious thugs who started firing at the windows which were fortunately bulletproof.

"Cassandra!" Alexis shouted. "We have to help her!"

"Lex, she's dead," Diane voiced. The woman was laying on the ground, motionlessly, with a puddle of blood growing under her. Her situation looked bleak, if it wasn't too late already.

"We can do this," Alexis said with determination in her gray eyes. "We can take them out."

"Not sure about it," Diane said. "We already fought some ghosts, monsters, unarmed thugs, but not guys with guns! And it's three against two."

"I hate to say it, but you should just leave her and board the plane," Gray said. "Look at those dudes. They wait for an opportunity. Don't give them one!"

But it seemed that the girl already made up her mind. "Diane, I'll shield you," she said. "But I'm not sure about how long am I able to hold it against bullets. Do it as quickly as possible."

Diane nodded. Alexis focused on her and formed a shining silver forcefield around Diane. The girl used this power only rarely because it was by far the most exhausting power. Its biggest test so far was imprisoning the demon summoned by Kyle Fletcher. Will it be able to prevent Diane from being killed?

"Uno, dos, trés," Diane counted and undressed her jacket. Then, with her insignia shining, she dashed towards the thugs. They immediately started firing at her, surprised by both the girl's courage and the fact the bullets just ricochet from the strange forcefield around her.

Alexis, however, felt each gunshot like a wound in her aura. Every shot weakened her power and made it harder to concentrate. Fortunately, the thugs didn't realize what's the source of the forcefield. If one of them walked around the plane and attacked Alexis, it would be over.

The girl used all her focus to make the shield stay. She felt a few hot drops of blood dripping from her nose, but she didn't cease. Her sister's life was on the line.

Diane approached the first thug and sent him airborne with a crushing uppercut. He landed on the ground unconscious. The other two paused the fire out of shock; that was Alexis' chance to catch another breath and recharge at least a part of Diane's shield. It, however, didn't last long. The thugs spread on the runway and continued shooting, this time more carefully.

"It's no use, I'm invincible!" Diane cheered and ran towards the second attacker. When she got close enough, the last thug stopped firing in fear he might hit his own ally. Diane took a few swings at her opponent, but he was apparently well-trained and learned from the first attacker's fate. He skillfully evaded Diane's attacks and tried to counterattack several times. To her horror, Diane noticed a knuckle-duster on the man's right knuckle. It was clear Gray was right. Someone didn't want them to leave.

<<>>

The fight continued. A few years ago, Diane attended courses of self-defense where she was taught how to fight. The training only contained the basics and it was far from a master martial art, but combined with Diane's inhuman power, it was enough to fight off most of the opponents.

The thug managed to break Diane's defense several times and punch her with his knuckle-duster. Fortunately, Alexis' shield was strong enough to absorb most of the damage, even though the girl still intensely felt the impacts on her body.

She maintained eye contact with the attacker. His eyes were green, emotionless and determined. The rest of his face was covered by the ski mask; only his lips, thin and clenched, were visible. He wasn't just a random guy from the street. He was a hardened warrior, otherwise he would quickly fall victim to Diane's enhanced reflexes. But like this, he was a worthy opponent.

Diane, however, managed to win the fight after a few exhausting minutes. The thug tried to finish Diane off with a hook punch and that's where he made the mistake. Diane quickly ducked and the man's fist flew above her head. Then she quickly stood up and hit the thug's jaw with a powerful direct strike. She heard a crack as the man's jaw broke, then he collapsed.

Diane, drunk on her victory, briefly forgot about the third attacker. The man carefully aimed for her head and pulled the trigger. Alexis' shield was strong enough to stop the bullet, but it was the last thing it stopped. The powerful impact knocked Alexis unconscious for a second, cancelling the shield and leaving Diane defenseless. Diane also stumbled backwards and fell over.

And that probably saved her life since the attacker's second and third bullet flew through the air where Diane's chest was just a few miliseconds ago. The man cursed as the gun clicked, giving away the empty magazine, and reached into his pocket for another one. Diane, even though she was given this opportunity, was too shook to move.

The man reloaded and came closer to her. Diane was staring into the muzzle, which she saw three times, and expected the bullet to run through her brain at any given second.

However, before the man could fire the gun, he stumbled forward and tried to regain his balance while blindly shooting in all directions. It was Gray who tackled him down. Now he grasped the man's arm and tried to yank the gun from the thug's hand.

Diane overcame the shock and rushed to help, punching the man in the abdomen and making Gray's task easier. The gun fell on the ground and Gray kicked it away. Diane then pinned the man down and immobilized his limbs. She removed the man's mask and revealed a shaven, rough head of a man who was apparently a professional soldier or something similar.

"Now tell me," Diane barked. "Who sent you? Tell me or I'll make the things really hard. Yeah, it's a double-meaning... I should've chosen a different wording."

The man moved his lips as if he tried to say something, but then started to twitch in pain. Diane didn't let go, in case he's only faking it, and watched what happens. The man gradually started to scream and twitch even harder. Then he just collapsed, the light in his eyes faded away, a stream of blood emerged from his left ear.

"Holy shit," Diane echoed. "He's dead."

"But... who killed him?" Gray wondered. "Some kind of... suicide pill?"

"Someone didn't want us to leave," Diane stood up and tried to regain her balance. "And he also didn't want these goons to start singing. Damn... we can't wait until the remaining two wake up!"

Then they heard Alexis' painful groan. The girl wasn't injured; she was examining Cassandra's body. Judging from her sobs, there was no hope for the journalist. Diane approached them; there was a hole in LeFevre's heart which already stopped beating.

"No..." Diane voiced.

"That goddamn annoying woman," Gray said. "She had to be on the runway every time a private jet was ready to start, trying to find out where are its owners going and stuff. And I guess she was especially interested this time since you two were here. But this time, curiosity killed her."

<<>>

Alexis gagged several times, but managed to keep the content of her stomach inside. Diane just blankly stared at the woman's dead body. Cassandra LeFevre, the ace journalist, a caffeine-fueled powerhouse which offered the biggest helping hand in search of Gwendolyn Pearl.

And now, she was dead.

"We should board the plane and go," Gray said. "If someone went here right now, we'd have awfully lot of explaining to do."

Nobody objected against that. Alexis just gave Cassandra one more look full of sorrow and entered Gray's jet which was damaged, but there was no time to do a complex check-up. They just had to hope the bullets weren't strong enough to completely penetrate the shell.

The inside of the jet looked like a tiny, luxuriously furnished apartment, but nobody was in the mood to appreciate it. They just collapsed on the leather couch as Wayne reved up the engines, getting ready to take off. Gray sat next to him in the cockpit, ready to assist the pilot.

Alexis quickly undressed her blood-drenched blouse as if it was poisonous, used it to wipe off the blood that soaked through from her skin and put on almost identical piece she carried in her handbag. Then she hid her face in her hands and started to quietly sob.

Diane sat next to her and tried to console her. "This went so wrong," she said. "So horribly wrong, sis. We should've expected something like that. Plan A-nnie apparently failed, so our villain had to execute plan B-ruisers. I hope he won't be able to realize the plan C-atastrophe."

"She was a friend," Alexis echoed.

"Yeah, she was," Diane replied. "She was a pain in the butt sometimes, but you can't deny she helped us like nobody else in our search. Damn, that sucks so much. I'd normally make a joke how curiosity killed the Cass, but it's probably pretty inappropriate now."

Alexis tried to scold her, but she was interrupted by a shout coming from the cockpit. The girls rushed inside and found Wayne twitching in pain. "Wayne!" Gray yelled. "Man, what's wrong? What's happening?"

"My... head," the pilot groaned.

The plane was already airborne; Gray had to take control to prevent crashing into the sea. "He's inside," Alexis looked at the pilot. "The same man who invaded Annie." She wiped off her tears and put her hand on the man's head. Her insignia started to shine. She closed her eyes and seeked the darkness in Wayne's head. She finally found it. The dark maggot inside Wayne's mind.

Using her powers, she grasped the alien mind and violently tore it out of the man's mind. For a second, she experienced the invader's powers herself - intense pain bursted in her head, a foreign, deep voice resonated through her mind. It was trying to tell her something, but her powers destroyed the invader before he could cause too much damage.

The girl's head started spinning and Diane had to break her fall. Wayne, however, recovered quickly and took control of the jet again. "What the hell just happened...?" he muttered.

Alexis regained her footing. "Maybe it's hard to believe, but we're dealing with a guy who can invade other people's minds and either talk to them or cause them pain... or both."

"We're what?" Wayne frowned.

The blonde girl turrned to her sister. "It seems that our adversary really moved on to the next plan, but I'd name it plan C-ontrol. He either tried to take Wayne down completely or force him to crash with the jet. Good that I managed to cancel that plan."

Diane nodded. "I hope the next plan won't be D-ammit, we screwed up so much."

"You should hit the gas," Alexis told Gray and Wayne. "We need to be as far as possible from Gabriel's Gardens. The radius of his influence should be limited and I hope this was the last futile attempt to prevent us from leaving. I hope so. People already died..."

"We're dealing with a guy who can kill on distance, I think," Diane added. "That last thug me and Gray defeated. I asked him who does he work for, but he died before he could tell us. It looked like some kind of... hemorrhage from the inside. Now, when I thought about it, it's probable that the guy just entered his mind and killed that thug before he could break his secret."

Alexis sighed. "Great. That's exactly what I needed to hear."

<<>>

The flight continued without any further complications. However, the mood was completely different than the girls expected. In the morning, they saw themselves in a luxurious private jet, enjoying a choice food and happily chatting about their mother. Instead, they were sitting in silence, without a trace of appetite, mourning over the loss of their friend.

"First Marlene, now Cassandra," Alexis muttered. "Another innocent person died because of us. Forming alliances with us is becoming dangerous. Maybe we should follow our mother's example and just land somewhere, settle there and never come back."

"That would be pretty cowardly, y'know?" Diane replied. "We leave the city alone for a few days and boom, armies of ghosts appear, a demon ravages the city, a necromancer raises an army of zombies, the former One Direction members release new solo albums, and other unimaginable horrors will appear."

Alexis managed to give a short laugh. Then, her phone started to ring. She accepted the call and enabled the speakers; Augustus' voice sounded through the plane's interior.

"Please, tell me you're okay," Gus bursted out. "I've just seen the news. Something horrible happened at the airport. Cassandra LeFevre was found dead, gunned down. There were also some unknown masked men. Did something happen? Tell us everything."

"We managed to fight them off, but we couldn't save Cassandra," Alexis said. "The masked men attacked us just as we were getting ready to take off. We were lucky."

"Thank God..." Gus replied. "Girls, you should be really careful. It was clear before that something sinister is happening and now, after Cassandra died, it's clearer than before."

"I think we're safe for now," Diane said. "I think the real fun will begin when we return to Gardens with our mom. I guess there's a person who really hates her."

"And yeah, there's one more thing," Anna's voice sounded from the phone. "I've been browsing the internet to catch up with things that went by when I was... gone. And there are several articles that lately, lots of women and girls disappeared from Gardens without a trace. Nobody knows what's the reason for it, they blame some rapist or a serial killer, something like modern-day Jack the Ripper."

"Do you think it can have something to do with the Visitor?" Alexis asked.

"I think it's too much to be a coincidence, but I can't be sure. I just found it suspicious and felt like sharing it. The news by themselves are pretty subtle and hard to miss, people disappear almost daily, but when I did some refined search and made a statistic, it seems that it's really an issue."

"The problem grows more and more complex," Alexis replied. "Too many things are happening. And I believe the same man is behind all of this."

"The question is... who?" Diane noted.

"Maybe mom will be willing to help us," Alexis said. "There has to be a reason why does Mr. Unknown want to keep her away from Gardens."

"Something really, really bad is gonna happen soon," Anna said. "I'm almost certain. Please, return as soon as possible. We need you."

"We'll do as much as possible," Alexis promised.

"Love you. Bye," Anna ended the call.

"All these problems are endless!" Gray complained from the cockpit. "And they just keep piling up. But you can count on me, girls. If there's any problem that can be solved using money, I'm always here for ya!"

"They say money can't buy happiness," Diane said, "but I'd much rather cry in a Lamborghini than on a bike. Moreover, I'm getting a bit hungry. Gray, can I take a look in that fridge?"

<<>>

Some time later, they finally landed in Philadelphia; it was close to three in the afternoon, local time. Their mood gradually improved, even though the shock caused by Cassandra's death was still present. They managed to eat something (Diane kept eating like there's no tomorrow) and even crack a few jokes.

"So, here we are!" Gray announced as the plane touched the ground. "Thank you for choosing the Forrestal Airlines and I hope you'll find what you're looking for!"

"What about you?" Diane asked him. "Who knows when are we returning."

"First of all, we have to store this plane somewhere," Gray replied and Wayne, standing next to him, nodded in agreement. "And then... well, let's say that I was a little bit bored in Gardens. I have several credit cards and I'm not afraid to examine this place's night life with them!"

Diane laughed. "So blackjack and hookers?"

"Maybe not," Gray replied. "I'm not really into gambling and instead of hookers, I'd prefer to, y'know, have a long-term relationship. So maybe I'll raid some bars and social events and look for cute lonely females who would appreciate my company."

"And your credit cards you're not afraid to use," Diane smirked.

The girls left their male companions at the airport and started to roam the city which looked much like the Serenity Square district in Gabriel's Gardens. They enjoyed the trip since they weren't able to travel outside Gardens very often.

Later on, Diane started singing Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen while imitating his breathy voice. Alexis sneered. "Isn't this a bit predictable?"

"Do I look like I care?" Diane replied with Springsteen voice.

They had to make some mandatory stops, mostly suggested by Diane. Alexis didn't complain. The city seemed somehow less hostile than Gabriel's Gardens and she keenly observed the differences between the Eastern and Western coast.

However, they couldn't waste much time since the ZOO was closing at five. They found the nearest TEx station (the city finished building its TubeExpress transportation system roughly ten years ago) - fortunately, one of the stations was called ZOO. The girls bought tickets and let the train take them there.

When they stepped out, the ZOO was already visible. The excitement bursted into their bodies not only because their mother was so close, but also because they rarely visited any ZOO during their lives. Gabriel's Gardens didn't have any, so Reverend Warren had to take them outside the city. The last time they visited a ZOO was when they were about fifteen; they took a trip to the Sequoia Park ZOO in California.

"So, are you ready?" Alexis asked.

"Let's do this," Diane replied.

The girls bought tickets and entered. The beautiful animal park had lots of things to offer, but the girls didn't come here to look at animals. They looked for the employees, for the woman with dark hair and golden eyes. Since they were unsuccessful and the closing hours were close, they decided to ask someone. They approached a man standing by the big elephant enclosure. The giant mammals roamed the enclosed sandy area and sometimes just casually threw a pinch of sand at their massive bodies.

"Greetings," Alexis told the keeper. "Does a woman named Gwendolyn Pearl work here?"

The man in his late forties smiled and nodded. "Of course she does. I'd say she's keeping our team together. What makes you seek this wonderful creature?"

"We're... her relatives," Alexis replied. "We come from Gabriel's Gardens and we want to meet her."

"Gabriel's Gardens? That sinful hole?" the man said. "Good you came here. Well, Gwen should be somewhere near the felines, probably with Jonas, the tiger she helped to raise."

"Thank you," the girl said and followed the directions the keeper gave them. After a while, they arrived to the tiger enclosure with rocks, grass and a big pond. The animals were mostly slacking around, but one of the beasts, apparently younger than the rest, stood right behind the glass barrier. On the other side stood a woman in a green shirt and beige shorts with a dark brown ponytail.

The tiger looked at her with reverential love and the woman whispered some words to him even though the animal couldn't hear her through the glass barrier. Nevertheless, it looked calm and satisfied.

Alexis took a deep breath and approached her. "Excuse me... are you Mrs. Pearl?"

<<>>

The woman looked around and stared at them. She was even more beautiful than in the photo. Not because of her look or perfect face, but because of the peace and kindness her face radiated. Her hands were hardened, yet somewhat gentle. On her right hand, there was an insignia resembling an hourglass.

They just gazed at each other for a solid minute.

"My name is Alexis Warren," the girl said. "And this is my twin sister, Diane."

Suddenly, Gwendolyn bursted into tears and hugged them both tightly. She smelled of a gentle perfume and animal odor which wasn't unpleasant at all. "Forgive me," she said. "Please, forgive me."

"Wait, did you do anything wrong?" Diane said.

Gwendolyn released them and wiped off her tears. "I don't know what to say. For so many years, I hoped that this day will come... and in the morning, I would never guess it'll be today. My girls. I saw you for the last time when you were newborns. And now... beautiful young women. Both of you."

"So you are... our mother?" Alexis finally used the word.

"Yes, I am." Gwendolyn grabbed their hands and looked at their insignias. Then she added her own hand. The three insignias spoke the truth loud enough. "Looks like the gift - or the curse, depends on how you take it - stayed with you. I guess I have some explaining to do."

They spontaneously hugged again. The family resemblance was clear at the first glance. The zookeeper and her two daughters. The family divided and reunited again.

"I have so much to tell you, and I suppose you do, too," Gwendolyn said. "Look, my work here ends in half an hour. Just wait for me by the entrance, I'll drive you to my place and there, we'll discuss everything that happened during all these years we were apart."

"Okay. Thanks, Mrs. Pe... uhm... Gwendolyn... damn, it doesn't sound right."

Gwendolyn smiled. "Just call me 'mom', if you can forgive me all the un-motherly things I've done. I will try to explain it, I promise. I was hoping someone will call me like that one day."

"Alright... mom," Alexis said.

A female zookeeper passed by. "Gwen, who are these young ladies?" she asked.

"Maybe you won't believe me," Gwendolyn replied, "but these are my daughters."

The zookeeper raised her eyebrows. "Daughters? I had no idea you were married."

"Actually, I wasn't. It's a long story... a story even my daughters don't know yet."

"I always thought you're a bit mysterious, Gwen, but you'll never stop surprising me!" the older woman laughed, then looked at the girls. "Congratulations. You can't wish for a better mother."

After she left, Gwendolyn sighed. "Actually, you can hardly find worse mother than I am. Which mother would leave her daughters right after they were born and didn't contact them ever again, waiting until they find her themselves? I regretted it every single day of my life."

"Don't worry," Diane said. "Reverend Warren did a great job as a parent."

"Reverend Warren," Gwendolyn smiled upon remembering the old friend. "How is he?"

"Fine, I guess," Alexis replied. "His church is still active. And he kept his promise - he didn't tell us anything about you. We had to do all the research by ourselves."

"I'm sorry about that, but I had to do it," Gwendolyn replied. "I needed some time to recover. Lots of things happened and I..."

"We know," Alexis interrupted her. "We discovered the truth about Chance Arlington."

"Oh, Chance," Gwendolyn sighed. "Probably my second biggest mistake. And about you... I knew that one day, you'll start wondering. That you'll start to look for me... and you'll succeed. And fortunately, I wasn't wrong. You're just as smart as I expected you to be."

"To be completely honest, my sister and one of our friends did most of the work. I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed," Diane admitted.

"That doesn't matter, I'm sure you have lots of other talents. But we should save some talking for tonight, don't we? I'll take you home."

<<>>

When Gwendolyn finished her shift for today, she invited the girls into her car, a simple blue Ford. She turned on the radio and the three women even sang some of the songs together. That was the first time they felt like a real family. They even joked and laughed and the initial insecurity was gone within minutes, like they always belonged together and now, the Fate finally fulfilled.

Gwendolyn owned a small house on the Philadelphian outskirts. Her former occupation as a florist was clearly visible as the garden in front of the house was beautifully colorful, decorated by fruit trees, rocks and even a koi pond.

The interior was just as charming as the garden. The house was bright, airy, meticulously neat and filled with flowers and nature-themed decorations. Alexis was fascinated by a huge library which gave away Gwendolyn is an avid reader, just like her.

The woman took a shower and then walked into the living room where the girls took a seat, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and sweatpants - she was apparently used to comfort at home. "Welcome!" she told them. "This is where I live for the past ten years. Before this, I lived in a small flat until I decided to move into something bigger. As you can see, I live here alone, just with ocassional visits."

"Don't you have a partner?" Diane asked. "What about our father?"

The dead silence was a sufficient answer for this question.

Gwendolyn served them some tea and cookies and sat besides them. "Well, I should probably start in the beginning. You said that you know about Chance Arlington. I fought him, but I can't say I won. The day the matter with him has been settled was the day I lost myself. The beginning of the end. My lover - your father - was dead and I was already pregnant with you. Would you mind if I didn't recount what happened that day? I hate bringing these memories back, I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Alexis said. "We understand."

The woman nodded. "After my final fight with Arlington, I fell into severe depressions during which I'd probably commit suicide if I wasn't pregnant with you. I hit the very bottom and I probably wouldn't survive without the help of Reverend Warren and a police officer called Alyssa Lafayette."

"We know Alyssa pretty well," Diane smiled.

"She's a great woman, I hope she's doing well. Several months later, I gave birth to you, but my problems didn't cease. I had to make a choice - and forcing you to spend your childhood with crazy, depressed mother wasn't the right one. I asked Reverend Warren, the wisest and kindest person I know, to take care of you. He agreed and I left the city because there were too many horrible memories associated with it. It was the hardest and the most heartbreaking decision I've ever made."

"But it was a right choice," Alexis said. "You needed time to recover. We can only imagine what happened and we're glad that you're alright now."

"I'm so glad you understand. I was afraid you'll hate me because I basically abandoned you for my own selfish reasons. But trust me, I only wanted the best for you. I wouldn't be able to raise you right. And so I hit the road and spent several weeks just by roaming the country. Countless times, I just wanted to crash into a tree and end it all, but it was you who saved me once again. The hope that we'll meet again in the future was keeping me alive and prevented me from giving up.

Then, basically by coincidence, I ended up here in Philadelphia. It was far enough from Gabriel's Gardens, so I decided to stay. I've always loved animals and working with them, so I started to work as an intern in the local ZOO, hoping that they'll cure my feelings. And they did. It took a while, but they did. Several months later, I got a part-time job and after two years, I started to work here full-time. I can say I work here for eighteen years already, and I learned to be happy again.

Every day, I hoped that you'll arrive. It also helped my recovery, knowing you're somewhere out there and you probably want to know me. I decided that I'll be completely alright when that happens. I didn't want you to see the depressed parody of a human being I used to be. Apparently, I succeeded."

"I'm so happy for you," Alexis smiled at her, then showed her the insignia. "But can you explain this?"

<<>>

"I suppose you don't know about Trimorts," Gwendolyn said.

The girls shook their heads.

"A Trimort is a person who cheated Death - in other words, survived clinical death - three times. After the third death, they receive three paranormal powers - who will give them to you depends on your qualities as a person, since there are both Celestial and Infernal Trimorts. As you can probably already tell, me and Chance were two exact opposites. He was an Infernal, I'm a Celestial.

Each Trimort is accompanied by a guide invisible to the other people who can introduce them into the Trimort life. The guide of Infernals is a Demon. My guide was a divine being called Celestiale. Her name was Blanca. One day, when I started to live my own life away from my Trimort duties, I asked her to leave. She didn't show up since, but I'm certain she'd come if I asked her."

"But that doesn't make sense," Diane objectec. "We were born with these, we didn't have to die to obtain them. And I've never seen any angel or demon in my entire life so far."

"Trimort powers usually can't be inherited," Gwendolyn explained, "but when I was pregnant with you, something happened. At one point, my powers became so powerful they impressed themselves into you. I didn't want it to happen; I wanted you to live a happy, peaceful life. But after you were born, I saw these small spots on your tiny hands and I knew that my heritage will live within you."

"So you basically infected us with these powers?" Diane said.

"It can be said like that. Which powers did you inherit?"

"I can manipulate energy," Alexis replied. "Either give it to people or drain it from them. I can also create energy shields or forcefields and even do some minor healing."

"And I have badass super strength," Diane said. "With stuff like reflexes and endurance."

"That's good," Gwendolyn said. "You basically inherited my powers divided into two bodies. Energy manipulation is my first gift, inhuman strength is the second. I had also a third gift, but it's inactive for a long time already. Maybe I lost it."

"So basically you can do all the stuff we can plus one more thing?" Diane bursted out. "That's unfair!"

Gwendolyn laughed. "Too much power comes with even bigger responsibility, so you should be glad that there are two of you to handle such power. I was all by myself. Yes, I had some allies... Reverend Warren, Alyssa and several others. But nobody had powers like me, so I had to face Arlington on my own.

I was afraid you'll be born with Chance's powers. The powers of Infernal Trimorts are more oriented on killing and manipulation - stealth, escape tactics, mind control, confusion. I'm glad you stayed pure Celestials whose powers are either oriented on helping others or engaging in fair, face-to-face combat."

"Why would we inherit Chance's powers?" Alexis wondered. "He's not our father, is he?"

"No. We were friends for a short while when we were children, but Fate threw us on the different sides of the barricade. Your father... he was one of these upstarts from the Centre. Initially, we just formed a short-time alliance because we had a common enemy. He was self-important and annoying. But then... without even knowing, I managed to change him for better. And then I fell in love."

A single teardrop rolled down her cheek and the girls decided to not pry anymore. Maybe Gwendolyn will tell them about their father later, but now, she didn't feel like it and the girls understood.

"So... now we know everything we needed," Diane said. "About you, our powers. But the question is - what now? Now, when we have a mom, we don't wanna just leave her here."

"I was hoping you'd move here," Gwendolyn said. "There's enough space for all three and we can be a family again. Just as I always wished. I think Gabriel's Gardens aren't ideal for you."

"We can't," Alexis replied. "We're connected with Gardens too tightly. I have a partner there. And besides that, there are some weird things going on in there. Someone didn't want us to find you. I'm afraid it's something we can't handle on our own. We need you."

Gwendolyn paused for a while, then said firmly: "I'm not coming back."

<<>>

"But...!" Alexis gasped.

"I'm sorry, girls," Gwendolyn said. "You can't force me to return to the city which caused my downfall. Now, when I live a happy new life here, away from all memories. Honestly, I don't care about Gabriel's Gardens anymore. That city is rotten from the inside. Disgusting. Sinful. I want my daughters to live here, in peace, with me. Please, stay here. I can offer you everything you wish for."

"Don't make us choose," Alexis looked her straight in the eyes. "Our friends are in danger and we can't just leave them behind. We already achieved many things which would, hopefully, make you proud. The city is our responsibility. And the woman Reverend Warren told us about would also think so."

"You don't understand," Gwendolyn said. "I'm afraid everything would just come back to me if I returned!"

"But everything is different now," Alexis insisted. "We are with you. You'll reunite with Alyssa and Reverend Warren. Chance Arlington is dead."

"You can never be sure about this," Gwendolyn replied. "It wouldn't surprise me if he just faked his death. And now, maybe, he's waiting for me to come back. To take his revenge."

"It's sad that the bold, strong woman we kept hearing about is gone," Diane said. "Even if that sucker really waits for you, we'll be with you and defend you. We need you, mom. Now that we know who you are, when we met you, we can't simply part ways again."

"I don't want it either! But I also don't want to return to Gardens!"

"In that case, you have a choice," Alexis said while trying to keep her voice emotionless. "We are returning to Gabriel's Gardens. And you can either go with us, or we will be on our own again."

"You have no right to give me ultimatums!" Gwendolyn exclaimed.

"And you have no right to force us to stay here!" Diane shouted back.

"You are right," the woman voiced. "I just wanted to save you from all the suffering the city brings towards ones like us. Its weight would eventually crush you, just like it crushed me. You still have time to leave it all behind. You'll be safer here. With me. I want to catch up with all the years we missed. But you're right... I can't force you. I'll just ask you to stay here with me."

"And we ask you to come with us," Alexis said.

The silence indicated a stalemate situation. One of the sides had to give up, and the girls knew they just can't leave the city at the mercy of a mysterious villain. However, they came here to bring Gwendolyn Pearl back to the city. Which, according to the woman, is impossible.

"What if we told you about what we've already achieved?" Alexis echoed.

"Go on," Gwendolyn said. "Since you're probably leaving soon... I'l cherish every minute spent with you. Just please, stay at least until tomorrow. I don't want you to disappear while leaving only a short memory which can be also mistaken for a beautiful dream."

"Of course we will," Alexis said. Then the girls started to tell Gwendolyn their stories until the late night. They left out several details, like Diane's episode with a delinquent gang or Alexis shooting Marlene and dating Anna; she chose to conceal her homosexuality for a little longer in case Gwendolyn's religious roots would lead to unnecessary judging and second-guessing.

"I can tell you're really my girls," the woman said after her daughters told her about Kyle Fletcher and his downfall. "And I'm really proud of you. Instead of letting the Fate just toy with you, you firmly grasped it yourselves and created your own story. I wish I was as strong as you."

"You were. And you can still be," Alexis said. "Mom, your destiny is calling you. That's why are we here. The city needs you once again. And if not the city, then the people inside of it! We need you. We don't know who's threatening the city right now, but he's afraid of you!"

"Afraid..." Gwendolyn echoed.

"Yeah, afraid!" Diane joined. "Even though you may not feel like it, you're still a force to be reckoned with. Mom, you were a hero. And you can still become one again. Just please, come back with us."

Gwendolyn sighed. "I guess it's too much for one day... let's go to sleep and decide tomorrow."

<<>>

Fortunately, Gwendolyn had a guest room where the girls could spend the night. The woman even borrowed them her nightgowns which fit well, considering Gwendolyn had roughly the same figure and height as her daughters. The homely atmosphere caused them to fall asleep quickly and sleep tight until the morning.

After they woke up, for a second, they were confused as they couldn't recognize the room they slept in. Then, the fresh smell of flowers reminded them they're guests of their own mother.

Diane stretched and turned to Alexis. "So, whaddaya think about mom so far?"

"Everything looked perfect," her sister replied while putting on her glasses, "until we started to talk about her return. It's actually understandable, though. She has her own home, friends, job. She seems to really enjoy what she's doing. And now, we're trying to tear her out of everything she got used to and bring her back to a place where she knew only suffering."

"When you put it like this..." Diane admitted.

"I think it's up to her now," Alexis said. "Whether she'll choose a comfortable, peaceful life or join her daughters and most probably risk her life again. I personally have no idea what would I do if I had to face such choice. Of course, the urge to help would be too strong, but if it meant leaving everything behind..."

"Let's ask her," Diane said.

It was probably Gwendolyn who gave Alexis her early riser personality; the woman was already up, full clothed, preparing an English breakfast - even though the girls weren't used to heavy meals in the morning, they had to admit the bacon and toasts smell delicious.

"Good morning, girls," Gwendolyn smiled at them. "Did you sleep well?"

Diane nodded. "Your house is comfy."

The woman served them the breakfast, but didn't start to speak as the girls expected. Instead, she just looked at them like she was reconsidering her entire life. Finally, after a while, she spoke: "You probably know what am I going to say, right? I can't just abandon my family. My daughters I've been expecting for the past nineteen years. But it's going to be hard," she sighed.

"So you're going with us?" Diane cheered.

"I am."

"I knew you'll decide right in the end," Alexis smiled and hugged her. "We understand that moving back will be difficult for you. Just please, don't feel like being forced. It has to be your own choice, otherwise it's useless. We don't want you to be unhappy."

"I'll be the happiest with you," Gwendolyn smiled back. "I've been thinking about it all night. I can't leave Philadelphia for good. I won't sell this house and I'll return here every once a while. I can't leave the ZOO and my friends, so I suppose I'll spend one month in three here. That means I'll spend one month with you in Gardens and one month here, with my animals."

"That's a great solution!" Alexis said. "You don't have to cut off your entire life completely."

"That was the point. I already started packing my things, at least the most important ones. Don't worry about money. I have some savings and the ZOO pays me well. I also don't have much expenses since I live alone. I can handle my both lives if I find a job in Gardens."

"I'm so glad you changed your mind," Alexis took another bite of a fried egg.

"I didn't change my mind," Gwendolyn replied. "From the very beginning, I was aware I'll have to return to Gardens once you find me. I was preparing myself for that, and I think I'm ready. Maybe it didn't seem like that yesterday, but it was because it was too sudden. I'm clinging to my current life way too much. That's why I can't leave it completely."

"Well, you don't have to give up animals in Gardens," Diane smirked. "We have a doggy."

"A dog?!" Gwendolyn gasped. "Oh my God, I love dogs! Now I'm ready to leave immediately. Besides that... how are we going to get to Gardens?"

"We're VIP chicks," Diane replied. "Not so long ago, we saved ass of a rich guy. He's also kinda nice, but the most importan thing is he has his own private jet which got us here."

Gwendolyn laughed. "I see you're just as crafty as I expected you to be."

<<>>

The next day in the afternoon, the trio was ready to depart. Gwendolyn had only one big suitcase with her; the fact she's not leaving the house for good improved her mood. She used the previous day to settle her things before leaving. The ZOO staff wasn't happy that she's leaving, but at least they could count on her promise she'll come back soon to take care of her beloved animals.

After a lunch in a restaurant, Gwendolyn guided the girls to the Philadelphia airport where they should meet Gray and Wayne. The woman seemed nervous, but also strangely excited, like a timorous person about to watch a horror movie. About to face her fears, to reconcile with her past.

In the airport main hall, they finally found the tall man, once again in a blue sweater. "Greetings!" Gray grinned upon seeing them. "I see your mission was successful! Is this your mother?"

Gwendolyn shook his hand. "Gwendolyn Pearl. Nice to meet you."

"Grayson Forrestal junior, at your service!" the man announced. "We have all the permissions to take off. Wayne is getting the machine ready, so we can leave immediately!"

Gwendolyn looked at the girls. "What a charming company you have."

"We know, right?" Diane smirked, then turned to Gray. "What about your Philadelphian pub crawl? Did you find any cute female, as you told us?"

"Eh, it didn't go well," Gray said. "It looked promising twice, but it turned out these girls don't have a good taste after all. I guess I'm destined to find love somewhere in Gardens."

"Strange," Alexis added. "One would say that a rich, handsome guy will pick up three girls per night."

"I have high standards," Gray shrugged.

Several minutes later, the Forrestal plane soared into the sky with the whole crew aboard. Gwendolyn wasn't used to flying, so she looked a bit startled until the jet finally stabilized. "Looks like I'm gonna get used to it," she smiled, pale in the face.

Gray seemed confused, so the women had to explain Gwendolyn's decision for him. The man smiled. "Would you mind if I offered my private jet for your travels to Philadelphia?" he said.

"I... I can't accept that," Gwendolyn said. "It has to be expensive..."

"Don't worry about it, Ms. Pearl," Gray said jovially. "I still owe a lot to your daughter and that's the tiniest thing I can do for you. Also Wayne won't get bored and this flying girl won't be just catching rust in the hangar."

"We'll talk about it later, but thank you in advance, Mr. Forrestal."

Gwendolyn winked at the girls. "That would be a nice boyfriend for one of you," she smirked, keeping her voice low. "What about you, Alexis? You like him, don't you?"

Alexis blushed. "Well... there's some... explaining needed."

"Oh, now I remember!" Gwendolyn said. "You said you already have a boyfriend, right?"

"I'll show you when we arrive home."

The woman sighed. "My daughter already went through her first love while I was away, trying to escape myself. I have yet to find out how much I've missed... and I'm afraid of that."

"There's no need to feel guilty," Alexis said. "Now we should focus on catching up!"

The flight went without any problems and the lights of Gabriel's Gardens could already be seen in the distance. Gwendolyn tried to fight her demons which seemed to be closer and closer. The memories she tried to forget turned vivd again. Fire and water. Glistening eyes and malicious smile.

There's no angel in you in the end...

Suddenly, Gwendolyn's head started to spin and she passed out within seconds, not hearing the scared screams of her daughters.

...

A long, gray road gives, at the first glance, the impression of safety, it gives away they finally arrived home. The wheels are starting to lick the concrete.

Another safe landing.

Suddenly, a deafening bang resonates through the whole airport. Screaming people start to gather on the runway, watching the infernal theatre in front of them. Some of them are almost killed by pieces of burning wreckage landing on the runway.

The last thing she saw were her daughters with shocked expressions before the wildfire swallowed them, immediately burning their flesh off their bones which are cremated a second later. She meets a similar fate just a milisecond later. The pain isn't long. It's quick, only accompanied by a brief, agonizing burst of pain.

...

"Mom? MOM!" Alexis shouted at the unconscious woman which started to slowly wake up. She didn't hesitate, jumped on her feet even though her head was still unstable and rushed into the cockpit. "Are we in Gabriel's Gardens yet?" she bursted out in Wayne's direction.

"Just a few minutes," the man replied. "What's up?"

"Now listen to me and don't ask any questions," Gwendolyn's face turned red. "You mustn't land on the Gabriel's Gardens airport. Find a different spot for landing."

"Mom? What's up?" Diane wondered after the girls joined her in the cockpit.

"The third gift I told you about," the woman explained hastily. "I was able to catch the glimpses of future sometimes. It was completely random and it often warned me about important events, giving me an advantage. Now it appeared again. I suppose there's a landmine set at the airport. If we land there, we die."

"What the hell's wrong with this woman?" Wayne frowned.

"You have to listen to her!" Alexis told him. "That mysterious someone isn't giving up. He didn't prevent us from bringing her here, so he'll try to kill her on the spot."

"Nothing like a good welcoming commitee," Gwendolyn smiled grimly.

Wayne still looked doubted, but he changed the plane's direction, seeking a different place to land. "I swear if that woman's shitting me..." he muttered under his breath. He flew over the Clearwater district - the local Golden Beach was almost empty since the day was relatively cold and rainy and the few people who decided to relax there anyway quickly moved away upon seeing the plane's emergency landing.

"This is a suicide!" Diane yelled.

"Have some trust in me," Wayne uttered. "But hold on tight."

They did and that probably saved them from a painful fall as the plane almost crash-landed on the beach and left long, deep furrows in the sand. It still went well considering the circumstances - Wayne was indeed a skilled professional. Now he collapsed on the joystick and cursed colorfully.

"Welcome home, mom," Diane gave Gwendolyn a goofy smile.

"This isn't exactly how I imagined my homecoming," the woman admitted, "but it's still better than dying in fire. We'll have to get the airport checked."

"As soon as possible," Alexis nodded. "It can harm innocent people."

"Looks like I should reunite with an old friend," Gwendolyn smiled.

They intended to leave the Golden beach; several people dressed in swimwear blocked their way and started to shout curses at them. Gray left the plane and halted them with raised hands. "Sorry for this inconvenience," he said. "Our plane had some issues and this was the closest place we could land at. Is anyone hurt?"

The people calmed down a little and confirmed that nobody got injured.

"That future-predicting thingy," Diane said. "It's super cool."

"But it can also be dicey," Gwendolyn replied. "It shows you something, but you have to figure out when and where will it happen. Once, I managed to save a life of my friend by deciphering the vision in time. But then, one time... I came too late. Many people died."

"Oh, yeah... I understand," Diane muttered. "Good you managed to save us."

"It would be a shame if we blew up right after we arrived, wouldn't it?"

<<>>

Gray and Wayne detached from the group to somehow cover the incident on the Golden beach. The women took a taxi to the main police station of Gabriel's Gardens. It was a race with time since a plane could land on the landmine at any given moment.

They arrived, quickly paid the driver and seeked a familiar face inside the station after they bursted through the door. Fortunately, Alyssa Lafayette was one of the first officers they encountered. The woman greeted the girls with a smile, then looked at the woman.

"Oh God," she gasped.

"Do you remember me, Alyssa?" Gwendolyn said.

Alyssa laughed and hugged her; even though the officer was several years older, she was significantly shorter, so the encounter looked a bit comical. "Gwen!" Alyssa said. "I thought I'll never see you again. What happened? Why did you return?"

"These two are very persuasive," Gwendolyn looked at her daughters, "but there's a reason why did we come to you in the first place. You have to listen to me - there is a landmine set on the Gabriel's Gardens airport. You should send someone to remove it before a plane lands on it."

"That's a bit harsh way to reunite," Alyssa frowned. "And a serious accusation. What makes you think so?"

Gwendolyn leaned towards the officer. "You know... I had a vision."

"Now I understand. I'll send someone right away." She rallied the officers and explained the situation, stating that Gwendolyn overheard the conversation of a terrorist group. The bomb disposal squad immediately left to examine the threat.

"We had to do an emergency landing on the Golden beach," Alexis explained. "If mom didn't warn us, we would be dead by now. There's someone who doesn't want our mom to return. Someone who tried to prevent us from taking off and now atempted to blow us up right after we land."

"Oh yes, a few days ago," Alyssa sighed. "I personally had to examine the dead body of Cassandra LeFevre. It wasn't an easy job. I know that she helped you to find your mother and I'm sorry that she had to die. I'm also trying to exclude you from the whole event so nobody will try to accuse you of Cassandra's death. Regarding this, it's good that there was also the dead hitman there."

"Thanks, Alyssa."

"I'd love to help more," the officer said, "but I'm afraid this is your kind of stuff. Remember when we were after Arlington, Gwen? I coudn't help much and in the end, you had to face him alone. Sometimes I hate being just an ordinary human, especially when those I care about are in danger. If I had some super-cop skills, I'd also be able to help your daughters way more often."

"You helped us more than enough," Alexis assured her.

"Be careful what you wish for, Lyss," Gwendolyn said. "Sometimes, such powers are more like curse. Ironic, I often wished to be an ordinary person without any powers. Especially after I left. I thought that if I didn't have such powers, if someone else had to fight Arlington, I'd be able to live happily with my daughters instead of that exile I chose."

"I understand you, Gwen," Alyssa said.

"It's cool to have a cop as an ally," Diane noted. "We'd fail to solve many cases without her. Without a doubt, she's more useful as an ordinary cop than she'd be as a superheroine."

"That flatters me," Alyssa stated.

Gwendolyn and Alyssa had a coffee together. Gwen told the officer about her new life in Philadelphia and about her recovery. "I'm glad you are alright," Alyssa smiled. "When I saw you for the last time, right before the delivery... it was breaking my heart to see you like this. I was hoping I'll see you again one day, but didn't believe it much. I'm not wrong often, but this time, I'm glad I was."

"Thanks for helping my girls," Gwen returned the smile. "How's June?"

ALyssa sighed. "We divorced shortly after you left. But I have a new wife, Melody. You have to meet her someday, she'd love to know you."

"But beware, she'll invite you into a threesome," Diane uttered.

After a while of talk, Alyssa's phone started to ring. The officer picked it up and listened. He ended the talk with a brief Thank you. "You were right," she said. "The bomb squad found explosives on the airport."

<<>>

The girls went home with chills running down her spine. Their mother's prediction really saved their lives. They were so close to death - if Gwendolyn refused to return with them, they'd land on the explosives. At that moment, they completely stopped believing in coincidences. They literally felt the presence of the invisible hand guiding their steps.

But fortunately, it at least seemed to favor them a bit.

"So this is where we live," Diane announced after she unlocked their flat with a keycard. The trio entered and Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows in awe at the sight of neat, well-furnished flat.

"It had to cost something," the woman stated. "How did you get that?"

"After we saved Gray's ass, he gave us something to spend," Diane explained. "We used the money to move and now we're pretty satisfied. I'm glad you like it here!"

When they stepped into the living room, Dante rushed towards Gwen, greeting her like he knew her for ages. "God, he's so lovely!" the woman exclaimed and started to pet the dog. "I secretly hoped there will be a pet, and this one is really beautiful. Shiny fur, lively eyes, lots of energy. You seem to be taking good care of him, but I didn't expect anything less from you!"

"Woof, woof!" Dante said, as if he was trying to confirm how good friends Alexis and Diane are.

Alexis cooked the lunch and Gwendolyn didn't hold back compliments. "I'm afraid that you'll have to continue being the chef here," she smiled at her daughter. "Me and cooking, that's not a good combination. I was barely able to learn enough recipes to keep me going in Philadelphia; I had lunch in a restaurant at least three times a week. Finally, I'll have some good, home-cooked meals!"

"My pleasure," Alexis said, blushing becuase the compliments. "Mom? There are some people who'd love to meet you. Should I call them now?"

"Your boyfriend?" Gwen smirked.

"Sort of."

Alexis texted the Lightfoots who arrived in a matter of minutes. Gus offered Gwen his hand. "So you're Ms. Pearl!" he said. "I'm Augustus Lightfoot, a friendly neighbor. Nice to meet you."

Anna was standing aside, looking timid. Alexis pushed her in the foreground. "And this is Annie," she announced. "A great artist and a computer expert. We were able to find you only thanks to her. And... she's my girlfriend." She paused, expecting her mother's reaction.

Gwendolyn seemingly ignored the fact the girls are dating. "Pleasure to meet you!" she said, shaking Anna's head. "You can call me just Gwen. And your brother, too."

Anna smiled shyly. "Thank you, Ms. Pe... uhm... Gwen."

"There's no need to be formal," the woman smiled. "I'll need as many new friends as possible. This city... I still don't feel completely alright. It didn't change at all. And the memories... they still haunt me. Please, have some patience with me. I'll be fine soon, I promise."

"Take your time," Alexis said.

Gwendolyn turned to Anna and Augustus. "You are the children of Patricia Lightfoot, right?"

"Yes, we are," Anna confirms.

"I used to know her. We attended the same literature club and soon became friends. I tried to write my own stories and poems, but Pat was so much better than it. However, she was always willing to help me, to give me some advices. In return, I helped her with her personal problems and guided her through a few heartbreaks until she finally met Daniel, the man she would later marry. I attended her wedding and helped her to take care of Augustus for a few years after he was born.

It has a shock for me when I heard that Patricia Lightfoot, the best-selling author, died in a car crash. I shed many tears for her, but I'm glad that her legacy lives on." She looked at Anna, then removed Alexis' glasses. With Anna's permission, she put her girlfriend's glasses on her nose. "That's it," Gwendolyn voiced. "You look the same as her. And it seems you also inherited her wonderful personality."

Anna removed the glasses, handed them back to Alexis and then wiped off a tear. "Thank you. It's special for me when I meet someone who knew mom. I wish I could spend more time with her."

"Are you happy to be with Alexis?" Gwendolyn asked.

"As happy as I can be."

"Then I'm happy for you," the woman smiled. "Maybe I lost Patricia, but at least a piece of her will live in my future daughter-in-law."

Alexis blushed. "Mom? You don't mind I'm...?"

"Dating a girl?" Gwendolyn laughed. "Why should I. I just want you to be happy, and if you really love her, then I'm not the one to judge - and I presume Reverend Warren told you the same. I have to admit, when I was younger, I had some issues with same-sex relationships. I was full of prejudice and tried to avoid homosexual people. But then, I met Alyssa and found out they are no different from the rest. That they can also be awesome people. And so I learned to judge people based on their personality instead of sexuality. And since my daughter chose to date Patricia Lightfoot's daughter, I can be sure she made a right decision."

"Well, I'm glad everything went well and we can be a big, happy family," Augustus noted. "And yeah, I'm already reconciled with the fact that everything will probably go to shit since this family seems to be cursed or something. But what can we do, right?"

<<>>

She is back.

All my attempts to stop her from coming turned out to be futile. She even somehow escape the bomb I set on the airport. A miraculous child, indeed.

I have no idea what to do now. My attempts to stop them consumed my power even further - I almost lost everything when I had to kill one of the men I hired. It was necessary since he could reveal who is he working for and ruin everything.

The sentimental memories about the times I was able to kill almost anyone without bigger problems came again. I am holding on to a thought that I will be able to do that again, soon.

If I manage to remove Gwendolyn Pearl somehow.

I am sure that her daughters will really soon tell her what they went through lately, if they already did not. Maybe I chose a wrong strategy. Maybe if I just hid myself in the shadows and let her come, nobody would notice what I am planning to do and I would be able to execute my plan in private.

But it would be too risky since Gwendolyn seems to predict future to some degree. I think that's how she escaped the explosion I set. She could just foresee my plan right before it happens and ruin it. No. After all, it was a right decision to wage an all-out war with her.

And I am not out of ways to remove her yet.

I just feel so weak. I am barely able to move. And I am not able to oppose Gwendolyn without power. So I decide to get off my chair and enter the elevator which takes me straight to the underground level of my mansion. The room I enter is the most important for me lately.

In the beginning, I used to hear screams, crying, pleas for mercy. Now, when I enter, I encounter only resigned silence. The sources of my power already gave up fighting. But despite that, the one I chose today still asks for mercy. I ignore them as I reach my hand.

The brand on my hand shines as the power of youth streams through me. Even though I know this dose won't last long and I'll have to repeat the procedure soon, I enjoy the ecstatic experience. For several (hours? Days?), I will be able to be myself again.

My body will not fall apart.

I look a lot better, my source looks much worse. The other sources just stare at me, glad that I chose a different one this time. I can once again walk without bigger problems. I even decide to not use the elevator and take the stairs - something utterly unimaginable several minutes ago.

In my room, I look in the mirror. Once again, it is the face I am used to. I feel fit enough to continue my crusade against my biggest possible enemy. And for this phase, I need help. I call one of my most faithful employees who enters my room in several minutes.

"Did you ask for me, Sir?" he says.

I smile at him.

This man is going to become Gwendolyn Pearl's worst nightmare.