Andie made her way home a little later and found her parents watching the news in the living room.
"It has been confirmed that someone broke into the Washington State History Museum last night." said the anchorwoman.
Andie froze. Had anyone found out it was them? Had a camera caught them? If it had, her parents would never forgive her... She forced the nerves off her face and stood still, listening to the report.
"But despite many manageable and valuable objects, nothing has been reported missing. Police suspect a practical joke for the thrill of it. But they strongly advise not to try that again, and remind the population that breaking and entering is a felony. After last night, the museum's board decided to double the security detail. The police ask for anyone who might have any information to please step forwards and call the hot line number now appearing on your screen."
"I don't understand people, sometimes," Hank said. "If you're bored, there a million things you can do. Why break into a museum?"
"I'm more surprised they didn't steal anything." Lauren commented. "They had the perfect heist. No camera surveillance footage, no eye witness, no physical evidence... nothing to investigate on."
Andie frowned slightly. The museum hadn't reported anything stolen? How was that possible? Maybe they could have tried to claim so to save face, but the police would have realized that something was missing from that Hermes statue... and they had tried to avoid the cameras but were amazed they had never been so much as glimpsed...
We made sure there was no possible link between the museum and you, Ardente told her. We recreated a copy of the Caduceus and disabled the cameras so nothing can be retrieved from that night.
Andie sighed silently in relief. She didn't like having to do that, but she didn't exactly want to go to prison, or face her parents. And no one had been hurt, so... the police would probably look into it for a while and then close the case for lack of evidence. She quietly slipped out and went to her room.
Andie slept better than she had in a long time that night. Bane was still in a coma of course, and each day she missed him more. But she was also feeling more hopeful. They were finally getting somewhere towards healing him.
"You seem happier today," Hank noticed at breakfast that morning.
"Oh, uh... I... yeah... it's a nice day out."
It was cold but sunny. A glance at the calender told her it was Halloween that night.
"Nice days aren't cold, they're hot," Hannah pointed out with a pout.
Andie couldn't help smiling. Hannah had always hated the cold.
"Yes,, it is a nice day," Hank agreed. "Any news on Bane?"
Talking about Bane was still unpleasant but she knew it wouldn't help to avoid it.
"Not yet." Andie replied. "But I've been thinking he would want me to keep going, you know? He wouldn't want me to wallow."
"Yes, I'm sure he would want you to live your life." Hank agreed.
Andie nodded, but couldn't help thinking it was hard.
"Hey, Andie, are coming trick-or-treating with Dad and me, tonight?" Hannah asked.
That was Hannah. She always had the way of cheering Andie even when she didn't even notice it. Her big eyes and innocent smile would have melted any ice in the world.
"Uh... I don't know. I haven't decided yet." Andie told her.
"Ah, we'll have fun anyway, won't we, Hannah?" Hank smiled, ruffling her hair.
"I have to go." Andie swallowing down her last bit of orange juice and jumping to her feet.
"Love you dad, bye!"
She kissed his cheek as Hank chuckled and said:
"I love you too, honey."
She hurried to the door as Lauren came in.
"Morning, Andie."
"Morning, mom!" Andie called. "Bye, Mom!"
And she was out the door before anyone could say another word.
Zarias had seen his father furious before, on quite the number of occasions, but this was an entirely new level. Zorak wasn't just furious. He was enraged. The way he always was when something wasn't going exactly the way he wanted. He was pacing angrily in his throne room, his cloak whipping the air like a blade, his footsteps echoing in the tall, empty throne room, and he always did that when he was angry. Zarias had often found him pacing, ever since he'd been a child, so he had come to think his father was just angry all the time.
"I am not happy." he told Zarias.
"... I know, and I apologize..."
Zorak ignored him.
"Why is it taking so long to overpower four teenage girls who barely master their powers?" he demanded furiously.
Zarias struggled to find a way of explaining that wouldn't make his father too angry. Of course, Zorak had long since shown he had the patience of a barrel of nitroglycerin.
"Well... that's the problem... they don't barely master them... the former masters have been training them... and they seem to be good studies, because they are getting quite skilled..."
"Nonsense!"
"But, father..."
"They are children!" Zorak argued. "You are the Prince of Darkness! You have more power than they do! Or do you think the amount I gave you is not enough?"
"No!" Zarias said at once. "... no, I don't think that, it's only that... I don't know. They must have good luck."
"Then keep trying!" Zorak ordered. "Why did they want the Caduceus?"
"I suppose they were planning to use it to heal the fifth member of their group."
"Go back there and bring them to me! Do you not wish for your ruler to be all powerful?"
"Yes, father, of course." Zarias said. "I will not disappoint you again."
When Andie came back from class that afternoon, she had barely had time to get inside when Hannah came tearing towards her dressed a witch.
"Trick or treat!"
"Oh, no, it's the dreadful witch Hannah! What will I do?" Andie asked.
"I have all the power in the world!"
"Not as much as the evil empress of magic!" Andie grinned. "And she's in the mood for turning a witch into a frog!"
"Aaah! No!" Hannah giggled running away as Andie chased her.
"Andie?"
"Hey, Mom," Andie said as she straightened up from playfully wrestling Hannah.
"Honey, I'm afraid your father won't be able to go trick-or-treating with you tonight... a difficult case came up and he wants to get started on it tonight..."
Hannah looked crestfallen.
"Oh... okay... can I still wear my costume?" she asked.
"Of course! You can even go trick-or-treating," Andie said.
"Andie, I just have too much work, and we are not letting her out alone."
"Of course not, who do you take me for? I'll take her."
Lauren looked surprised.
"Would you?"
"Well, why wouldn't I?"
"... I just figured... you wanted a little peace."
"I'll be fine. It'll take my mind off things."
And be a chance to take a look at wherever the snakes of the Caduceus are... Andie added mentally.
"If you are going, I'd rather you don't go too late." Lauren said.
"Okay. Uh... I'll just go and change and we can go, okay?"
"What's wrong with your clothes?"
"Well, I need to have a costume, too, don't I?"
"Oh... well, I suppose if you want to..."
Andie kissed her sister's forehead and headed upstairs. Once in her room, Andie pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, it's me. What would you say to a little Halloween snake hunt?"
After rummaging a few minutes in her closet to find the fairy costume she'd worn for Jessica's birthday party the year before. She hadn't grown too much since then, and she hoped it still fit. She slipped it on turned to look at herself.
"You look like a real fairy," Ardente said.
"Thank you, Ardente," Andie smiled. "I can't believe it still fits... I haven't used it in ages."
"Well, you would look rather peculiar walking around with wings in your back on another day than Halloween or Mardi Gras," Ardente smiled.
Andie laughed. Then, she turned to her mirror and applied a little makeup.
"Why bother? I mean, you're merely accompanying Hannah, aren't you?"
"Well, I think we deserve to have a little fun too," Andie said. "I'm trying to focus on the positive side rather than the negative."
"I see." Ardente said.
Just then, the door bell rang.
"Andie!" Lauren called up the stairs. Your friends are here!"
"Can you send them up?" Andie called back. "Thanks, Mom!"
Seconds later, there was a knock at her bedroom door.
"Hey, guys, come on in," Andie said.
They did, and Isabelle gasped.
"Wow, Andie, you look amazing!"
"So do you," Andie said.
Isabelle wore black and had her long hair tied up.
"What are you dressed up as?" Andie asked.
"An demon hunter of course," she winked.
Andie laughed. Jessica was dressed as a female version of captain America (the same costume she'd used for her birthday) while Emily had gone for a ghost with a chalk white face and clothes. Andie had a long cream colored dress and wide blue and purple wings in her back. Her blond hair fell down her shoulders and her eyes sparkled.
"Okay. So what are we doing again?"
"Taking my sister trick-or-treating, and taking the chance to check where the second piece of the Caduceus is."
"You know where it is?"
"Yes. I used the pendant again, and it's somewhere in Roosevelt Street, which is not too far from here."
"Great!
"It'll be great when the Caduceus is complete and Bane is back with us." Andie said, sliding her coat on.. "Come on, let's go."
It was cold outside, but Hannah's excitement was enough to ignore it. Andie was secretly relieved to see other people her age and even older dressed up. She would have felt a little embarrassed if not, if she was honest. Of course, a fairy didn't exactly fit the theme, but who cared? Lots of people dressed up in things completely unrelated to Halloween. It didn't matter. So they went from door to door. Some were perfectly friendly about it, others were less so. Andie even had to wrestle Jessica away from a particularly rude elderly man. But all in all it was fun. They got a decent amount of sweets. After a couple of hours, Andie thought it was getting late so they decided to do one more house and then head home.
"We checked this portion of Roosevelt Street," Isabelle whispered. "Maybe it's in the other one."
"Maybe. If it is, I'll look tomorrow." Andie whispered back. "Unless we get lucky."
They looked up at the house in front of them. It was the last in the street they were in. It was taller than most of the others, and clearly the owners were wealthy.
"Mrs... De la Verrière...?" Jessica read on the gate. "What kind of a name is that?"
"It sounds French," Isabelle said.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Hannah said. "Come on, let's go to the door."
And without waiting for an answer, she marched up the path to the porch.
"Hey, Hannah! Hold on!" Andie called, hurrying after her.
But before she could stop her, Hannah's hand had hit the button.
"Hannah!" Andie chided.
The door opened soon after. A middle-aged woman stood in the doorway, a bored expression on her face.
"Trick or treat!" Hannah said with a grin.
"Evening ma'am, sorry for the disturbance." Andie said.
"Oh, no matter, you're only the fifteenth I've had this evening," she sighed and held out a bowl of candy.
Hannah took a handful.
"Thank you, ma'am!" she smiled.
"Yes, yes, you're welcome."
"Thank you, ma'am, sorry for the trouble." Andie said.
She suddenly froze.
"Excuse me... can I ask where you got that necklace?"
"Oh, this? I found it in my attic. It must have been my family's and left there forgotten."
It was an elegant pendant with one gold snake and one silver one.
"I see... it's beautiful," Isabelle said. "And I know this will sound strange, but I happen to know someone who'd love it, would you be interested in selling it?"
"Oh, no, no, it's my family's, it will stay there, thank you very much."
Of course, that would be too easy. Andie held back a sigh and they took their leave.
"What was that, back there?" Emily asked.
"Didn't you see that necklace around her neck?" Isabelle asked.
"It was just some twirly thing, wasn't it?"
"They were snakes!" Andie said. "And they were positioned exactly like they were on the Caduceus!"
"We'd need to touch it to be sure... but how can we get close enough...?"
"She seemed bored," Isabelle pointed out. "Maybe we can try and strike a deal. If we can help her feel less bored for a while, she'll give us the necklace."
"Maybe... but what will we do if she doesn't?"
"... We'll have to do another copy and switch them somehow." Andie said.
She didn't like that idea at all, but didn't see how else to do it, yet.
"Well, we'll get the little monster home and think about it tomorrow." she went on. "Come on, Hannah."
Just then, Emily froze.
"Guys!"
She was looking to the left. Looking too, Andie felt her heart skip a beat.
"Hannah, get behind me."
"What's going on...?"
Andie struggled for a moment to think of something believable. When she came up with nothing, she said:
"It's... I can't explain right now. Okay? Just stay close to me."
She looked at her friends.
"What's he doing here?"
"I don't know... but it's Zarias, so it can't be good."
*******************************
Uh, oh, I smell trouble, don't you?
Have you ever been trick or treating? Share some of your memories in the comments!
What will Zarias do? What does he want? Let's find out in the next chapter!