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From: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com (arfic-l-digest) To: arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: arfic-l-digest V1 #46 Reply-To: arfic-l-digest Sender: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk arfic-l-digest Friday, October 5 2001 Volume 01 : Number 046 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 21:26:30 -0700 From: Ailie S McFarland <aixla@juno.com> Subject: (arfic-l) The Mom of Us Title: The Mom of Us Author: Ailie McFarland E-Mail: aixla@juno.com Rating: PG Fandom: BTVS Spoilers: Bargaining Archive: http://www.geocities.com/aixla/fanfic.html Distribution: Oh! Well, if it helps at all, IÆm gonna say yes. Disclaimer: IÆm not Joss. If I was Giles wouldnÆt be leaving and Oz would still be around. IÆm just trying to take a little peek inside of WillowÆs mind. (Hey, sheÆs doing it to everybody else these days, you know?) AUTHORÆS NOTES: All quotes are from Bargaining, although not necessarily in order. In my mind this is taking place sometime while Willow is making her final preparations, and so the story flows through her train of thought, not necessarily the time line of the episode. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ TodayÆs the day. *The* day. The four of us have been preparing for this for more than three months now, and I thought I had it all worked out. But everything is changing, in ways I couldnÆt have begun to imagine. {Xander, I can do this. I promise.} XanderÆs freaked. I can understand why ... I mean, raising the dead and all. And it didnÆt work out too well any other time weÆve seen it; with that mask a few years ago, or when Dawn tried to bring back Joyce. But this is different. I hope he can see that. I need him. I need all of them. Because IÆm scared. Terrified actually. There is so much that can go wrong. {I wanna stay here, with you and Willow and Tara.} IÆm scared for Dawn. I just wanna make sure weÆre doing the right things for her. Losing her mom and her sister so close together ... sometimes I wonder if we should send her to her dad. HeÆs no prince, but he is family. Kinda. Well, she remembers him as being family, and he remembers her. Only itÆs all a lie. The only real family, real life, Dawn has ever had is with us here in Sunnydale. So she stays. Being in the house with Buffy-Bot canÆt be easy for her. ItÆs not easy for any of us. {Now just relax. IÆm going to make you good as new. I promise.} ItÆs so strange to have her ... it ... around. It looks like Buffy, talks like Buffy ... mostly ... it even smells like Buffy. But itÆs not her. Sometimes itÆs almost like talking to her, though. Her feelings for Spike are almost erased, but not quite. Sometimes itÆs like old times, Buffy-bot wanting to talk about her love life. Only Angel is gone, Buffy never loved Spike ... except for that spell but I try not to think about that ... and Buffy-bot is so much needier than Buffy. SheÆs a child really. She depends on me for everything, physically and emotionally, as much as she has emotions. And yet the fate of the world could well rest on her shoulders. Everything that lives in Sunnydale thinks the Slayer is still alive, which keeps most of the big scary things somewhat in line. If she were to break down this town would literally be sucked into hell. And it would be all my fault. SheÆs my responsibility. {WeÆll miss you, but weÆll be okay.} TheyÆre all my responsibility, actually. Giles is gone. He was the dad of us for so long. Okay, lately heÆs been more of a friend, an advisor, but he was still there with the fatherly type advice. And as long as he was here at least we had a real adult around. {Well you got her opened up, fix it!} SpikeÆs the oldest now, technically. But heÆs more of a child than any of us. How can someone who has been so evil, still is in some ways, be so fragile? IÆm afraid one of these days heÆs gonna tear Buffy-bot limb from limb. And then where will we be? At least I can trust him to watch Dawn sometimes. He promised Buffy he would do that, and that at least is the one thing I know he holds sacred. As sacred as a vampire can, anyway. {Baby, tell those bats everything will be fine. I promise} Goddess, IÆve made so many promises lately. I donÆt know if I can keep them all. I hope I can. I told Dawn sheÆll be safe here, Xander IÆll be able to bring Buffy back ... I told Tara IÆd be safe. I hate hiding things from her. But if she knew ... if any of them knew ... I mean, once I found out what it would take I almost backed out. The last time someone tried this they didnÆt survive the tests of Osiris. The god of the dead is a jealous god, he doesnÆt give anything up easily. But neither do I. And neither did Buffy. {Who made you the boss of us?} BuffyÆs gone, and somehow IÆve ended up in charge. Only IÆm not the boss anymore. IÆm the mom. I have to hold this whole family together until I can bring back the one thing that brought us together in the first place ... Buffy. Because when sheÆs back, somehow I know everything will be alright. It has to be. ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 11:31:31 +1200 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (13/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_00C0_01C14D91.48057B40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (13/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Thirteen Kyle Valenti listened to the young red headed girl talking to the = British boy, Kevin. Her boyfriend, Geoff, interrupted every few minutes, = trying to explain what exactly he had thought he'd heard. He took another gulp of water and tightened his grasp on the glass he = was holding. This whole teleporting thing had totally freaked him out, = but he was trying to give the impression that he was okay with the whole = thing now. Judging by the looks Kevin kept giving him, he wasn't = entirely sure he was succeeding. It wasn't natural being in one place = one minute and another the next. Kyle hoped this whole experience wasn't = going to affect him in some way. He still remembered enough of 'The Fly' = to know what rearranging your molecules could do to a guy. "Are you okay?" asked Kevin.=20 "Yeah fine. I mean it's not everyday that I'm in Roswell one minute and = London the next is it?" Millie giggled. "You'll get used to it." "You don't seriously mean I'm going to let him do that to me again do = you? No way." Kyle studied his glass of water, feeling the coldness from = the glass seep through into his fingers. What had she meant by that = remark exactly? "Don't you think we should be looking for whoever might = be snooping around out there?" He got to his feet, looking out the = window to see if he could spot anything suspicious, pausing as something = occurred to him.=20 "Do you guys have any weapons? After all if we're going to go up against = who knows what, shouldn't we be prepared for them or something?" Millie shook her head. "Dad's got his revolver with him," she replied. = "I don't know if he has anything else in the house. He didn't tell me, = and Mom's not due back for ages." Kyle turned to Kevin and Geoff. "What about you guys? Kevin, do you = think you should pop back to Roswell and get something from my dad?" He = mentally kicked himself. "I should have thought of that before we came, = but we were here before I had the chance.if you know what I mean." The = last comment was directed accusingly at Kevin. "Sounds like a good plan to me," commented Geoff. "If the bad guys came = in here with guns blazing, at least we'd be ready for them." Kevin looked at both of them, an expression akin to horror on his face. = "You can't, we can't." he spluttered. "No guns. Definitely no guns." "What's the matter?" asked Kyle. "You don't mean to tell me that you = guys, with all your powers, are squeamish about stuff like that? Or are = you telling me you don't need guns? What other cool powers do you have = that I don't know about?" Kevin rolled his eyes. "And we wonder why the psycho bad guys, as = Megabyte calls them, keep coming after us. No Kyle, we don't have powers = like the ones you are thinking about." Kyle felt disappointed. "So what's the big problem with using guns = then?" "Don't you know?" Millie shot Kevin a glance. "You don't mean you didn't = tell them?" "Tell me what?" Kyle glanced between Millie and Kevin, certain he was = missing something important. "Don't tell me there's a catch to these = powers of yours." "I wouldn't call it a catch exactly, " replied Kevin. He took a deep = breath and got straight to the point. "We can't kill." "Well, no one *likes * to kill. I remember this one time my father took = me hunting. It was just a duck." "No Kyle, I mean exactly what I said. Tomorrow People can't kill. We = can't, even the idea of it." Kevin shuddered. "Oh great," Kyle rolled his eyes. "Now he tells us. So Mr I Can't Kill, = what do you suggest we do if the bad guys attack then? Run away?" Before Kevin could reply, Kyle noticed a movement out of the corner of = his eye and yelled, "Get down!" He dived for the floor as some sort of = light beam hit Kevin full in the chest. The British boy went down = without even a sound, lying in a crumpled heap on the carpet. "Kevin!" screamed Millie. "Nobody move," barked a tall man standing in the doorway brandishing a = small hand weapon. "Unless you'd like to hit with the same thing as your = friend, that is." Kyle looked behind the man, adding up the number of weapons the other = commando types had in total. At least he presumed they were commando = types judging by the camouflage gear that they were all dressed in. He = raised his hands, the universal signal for surrender. "I think we'd better do as the man says," he told Millie and Geoff. At = least for the time being, he continued to himself. He could see the look on Geoff's face. The other boy looked angry, very = angry. Kyle hoped he wasn't going to do anything stupid. He tried to = send a look of reassurance to the boy, while at the same time = desperately trying to remember what his dad had told him you were = supposed to do in situations like this. Geoff looked at the door and back again at Kevin lying motionless on the = floor, looking pale in stark contrast against the dark carpet. He slowly = raised his hands to match Kyle's.=20 "You haven't killed him, have you?" Millie sounded very upset. "Oh no, young lady," the dark haired man smirked. "Not yet, anyway." He = reached into his pocket and spoke into his phone. "Colonel Masters? We have them, sir. Yes sir, the Damon girl and a = couple of others. Oh yes, and a bonus, I think one of the boys is = another one of those teleporters. I disabled him with the taser weapon = in case he got any bright ideas of disappearing." He gestured towards = one of his companions who produced some photos which he laid out on the = large coffee table in front of the dark green two-seater couch at the = side of the room. Kyle leaned over as far as he could with being obvious, and tried to get = a look at them. The red headed boy must be Megabyte, Millie's brother. = Completing the gallery were two more photos, one of Kevin and another of = a dark girl whom Kyle had never seen before. They didn't have any of = Ami, Jade or Adam he realised. He glanced again at the photos. Judging = by what he could see these photos looked quite a bit out of date. Kevin = looked very much younger than he did now. Probably Megabyte did too. = Kyle wondered who the other girl was. It certainly sounded as thought this Masters guy was after the Tomorrow = People all right, with a vengeance. Kyle wondered if there was any way = he might be able to get a warning to his dad in Roswell. Someone needed = to warn Ami and Jade that they were in danger too. Their captor speaking to his superior interrupted his train of thought. = "Yes, it's definitely the other boy," he told the man at the other end = of the phone, as he double checked his suspicions by examining the photo = again. "As soon as you get the blond girl, whoever she is, we'll have = them all apart, from the Davis girl." ********* Alex turned away from the window he was looking out, and gestured to = Michael. "Hey, what do you make of this?" he asked. "Looks as though = Valenti's up to something." Michael came over and glanced out quickly towards where Alex was = pointing. "Wonder what he's playing at?" He could see the sheriff, = sitting in his jeep carefully watching Damon waiting outside the UFO = centre. As a black nondescript car pulled in next to Damon, Valenti slid = down in the driver's seat, so that he wouldn't be seen. Maria came up behind the two boys and peered over Michael's shoulder. = "He's going to follow them," she exclaimed. "Won't that put Max and the = others in danger though if he's found out?" "Only if he's caught." Michael sounded annoyed. "Looks as though we'd = better go keep an eye on him." "Yeah, like that's going to help," put in Jade. "Maybe the sheriff's got = the right idea. Has anyone thought of that? I mean we can't reach = Megabyte and Adam telepathically, so how else are we going to find out = where they are exactly so that we can rescue them. I know I didn't pick = up enough from the flash to pin point their whereabouts, did anyone = else?" Ami shook her head. "Megabyte's flash was too weak. I could have maybe = got something from Adam but whatever severed the transmission seemed to = scramble that side of things too. I'm not sure why but I couldn't get a = location of where they were at all." She tried to keep the worry out of = her voice, but with not much success. "Can you usually do that?" asked Liz. "You know, home in on where they = are, that sort of thing?" Ami nodded. "We've been able to in the past, not this time though. It's = almost of though something is stopping us." Maria grabbed her coat and started for the door. "Where do you think you're going?" asked Michael. "Well, duh," she said. "Didn't you say something about keeping an eye on = Valenti? I've got a car parked outside, makes sense that if we're going = to follow him, we should do it now. After all if he's going now, so = should we. You coming, Michael?" "I'm coming too,' said Liz, with a look directed at Michael that said = 'don't try and stop me.' "Ami, if you get anything, phone me. Alex's got = the number. You can always do your teleporting thing if you need any of = us. In the meantime Valenti and Megabyte's dad are going who knows where = and we'll lose them if we don't hurry."=20 The two girls paused at the threshold of the Crashdown and Maria = gestured to Michael. He shrugged. "I'd better go and keep an eye on = them." He shot a warning glance at Isabel. "Don't do anything without = me. Remember this Masters creep and his goons are dangerous. They've = already got Max and the others, we don't want them getting their hands = on anyone else." Isabel watched Michael and the two girls follow Valenti's vehicle from a = discrete distance as he headed after the black sedan. She looked up at = the night sky, watching the distant stars for a moment before seeming to = come to a decision. She ran her hands through her long blond hair as she = directed her question at the two Tomorrow People. "If you could find out = where the boys are and could ask them what it was stopping their powers, = that would help wouldn't it?" she asked. Alex laid a warning hand on her shoulder. "Isabel, are you sure about = this?" he asked. "I can't just sit here wondering if I could help, and not doing = anything," she replied. Jade looked at Isabel and then Alex. "I don't get it. If we can't reach = them, how would you be able to?" She was silent for a moment and then = continued, a look of realisation on her face. "Kevin!" she exclaimed. = "Kevin knew, that's why he kept looking at you. You're an alien too, = just like Michael and Max." She blushed for a moment. "I thought that = Kevin was only looking at you because he.er.um.forget I said that." Jade = repeated her earlier statement quickly to hide her embarrassment. = "You're an alien." Isabel nodded. "Yes," she confirmed, "and I think I know of a way to = reach them. I'm not sure it will work, as I've never done it when the = other person's been awake before, but it's worth a try." "Awake?" asked Ami, her mind ticking over. Isabel an alien? She kicked = herself mentally. How could she have missed that? As Jade had said, = Kevin had obviously worked it out, even though the two of them had = missed it. Maybe the girl's natural mental shielding was stronger than = Michael's. Yes maybe that was it. Still now wasn't the time to worry = about that, if she could reach Adam and Megabyte.Ami was trying very = hard not to think about what could be happening to her two friends. "She dreamwalks," explained Alex. "Isabel can go into other people's = dreams, and talk to them." He moved closer towards the tall blond girl = and Ami wondered if there was some kind of relationship between the two = of them. After all he certainly seemed very protective of his friend. "As I said, I'm not sure it would work. I've only really dreamwalked = other people while they've been asleep," Isabel said. "What if we added our powers?" asked Ami. "Contacting other people while = they're asleep, through their dreams, sounds as though it might be on = some sort of psychic level. It can't hurt." "But our powers aren't psychic." Isabel paused and thought for a moment. = "At least I don't think they are. I'm willing to give it a try though, = if you guys are." "Well, we've got to do something," reasoned Jade. "I'm going crazy = sitting here thinking about what could be happening to Megabyte.and the = others." She blushed for the second time in as many minutes, and Ami = knew she was wondering if anyone had noticed that Megabyte's welfare was = obviously her main concern. "We're worried about them too, Jade," Ami shot the younger girl a smile, = sensing her embarrassment. When they rescued their friends, she was = going to sit down and have a very long talk to Megabyte she decided. It = was becoming very obvious to everyone but the redhead exactly how Jade = felt about him. Her mental shields tended to slip a bit at times, = especially when her emotions ran high, Ami had noticed. Even though the = young American was a Tomorrow Person, and with that supposedly able to = pick up on the thoughts and feelings of his fellow telepaths, there were = still a lot of times where he seemed totally unaware of what exactly was = going on around him. ************ End of part 13 - ------=_NextPart_000_00C0_01C14D91.48057B40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> All That Glitters (13/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Thirteen Kyle Valenti listened to the young red headed girl talking to the = British=20 boy, Kevin. Her boyfriend, Geoff, interrupted every few minutes, trying = to=20 explain what exactly he had thought he'd heard. He took another gulp of water and tightened his grasp on the glass he = was=20 holding. This whole teleporting thing had totally freaked him out, but = he was=20 trying to give the impression that he was okay with the whole thing now. = Judging=20 by the looks Kevin kept giving him, he wasn't entirely sure he was = succeeding.=20 It wasn't natural being in one place one minute and another the next. = Kyle hoped=20 this whole experience wasn't going to affect him in some way. He still=20 remembered enough of 'The Fly' to know what rearranging your molecules = could do=20 to a guy. "Are you okay?" asked Kevin. "Yeah fine. I mean it's not everyday that I'm in Roswell one minute = and=20 London the next is it?" Millie giggled. "You'll get used to it." "You don't seriously mean I'm going to let him do that to me again do = you? No=20 way." Kyle studied his glass of water, feeling the coldness from the = glass seep=20 through into his fingers. What had she meant by that remark exactly? = "Don't you=20 think we should be looking for whoever might be snooping around out = there?" He=20 got to his feet, looking out the window to see if he could spot anything = suspicious, pausing as something occurred to him. "Do you guys have any weapons? After all if we're going to go up = against who=20 knows what, shouldn't we be prepared for them or something?" Millie shook her head. "Dad's got his revolver with him," she = replied. "I=20 don't know if he has anything else in the house. He didn't tell me, and = Mom's=20 not due back for ages." Kyle turned to Kevin and Geoff. "What about you guys? Kevin, do you = think you=20 should pop back to Roswell and get something from my dad?" He mentally = kicked=20 himself. "I should have thought of that before we came, but we were here = before=20 I had the chance…if you know what I mean." The last comment was = directed=20 accusingly at Kevin. "Sounds like a good plan to me," commented Geoff. "If the bad guys = came in=20 here with guns blazing, at least we'd be ready for them." Kevin looked at both of them, an expression akin to horror on his = face. "You=20 can't, we can't…" he spluttered. "No guns. Definitely no = guns." "What's the matter?" asked Kyle. "You don't mean to tell me that you = guys,=20 with all your powers, are squeamish about stuff like that? Or are you = telling me=20 you don't need guns? What other cool powers do you have that I don't = know=20 about?" Kevin rolled his eyes. "And we wonder why the psycho bad guys, as = Megabyte=20 calls them, keep coming after us. No Kyle, we don't have powers like the = ones=20 you are thinking about." Kyle felt disappointed. "So what's the big problem with using guns = then?" "Don't you know?" Millie shot Kevin a glance. "You don't mean you = didn't tell=20 them?" "Tell me what?" Kyle glanced between Millie and Kevin, certain he was = missing=20 something important. "Don't tell me there's a catch to these powers of=20 yours." "I wouldn't call it a catch exactly, " replied Kevin. He took a deep = breath=20 and got straight to the point. "We can't kill." "Well, no one *likes * to kill. I remember this one time my father = took me=20 hunting. It was just a duck…" "No Kyle, I mean exactly what I said. Tomorrow People can't kill. We = can't,=20 even the idea of it…" Kevin shuddered. "Oh great," Kyle rolled his eyes. "Now he tells us. So Mr I Can't = Kill, what=20 do you suggest we do if the bad guys attack then? Run away?" Before Kevin could reply, Kyle noticed a movement out of the corner = of his=20 eye and yelled, "Get down!" He dived for the floor as some sort of light = beam=20 hit Kevin full in the chest. The British boy went down without even a = sound,=20 lying in a crumpled heap on the carpet. "Kevin!" screamed Millie. "Nobody move," barked a tall man standing in the doorway brandishing = a small=20 hand weapon. "Unless you'd like to hit with the same thing as your = friend, that=20 is." Kyle looked behind the man, adding up the number of weapons the other = commando types had in total. At least he presumed they were commando = types=20 judging by the camouflage gear that they were all dressed in. He raised = his=20 hands, the universal signal for surrender. "I think we'd better do as the man says," he told Millie and Geoff. = At least=20 for the time being, he continued to himself. He could see the look on Geoff's face. The other boy looked angry, = very=20 angry. Kyle hoped he wasn't going to do anything stupid. He tried to = send a look=20 of reassurance to the boy, while at the same time desperately trying to = remember=20 what his dad had told him you were supposed to do in situations like = this. Geoff looked at the door and back again at Kevin lying motionless on = the=20 floor, looking pale in stark contrast against the dark carpet. He slowly = raised=20 his hands to match Kyle's. "You haven't killed him, have you?" Millie sounded very upset. "Oh no, young lady," the dark haired man smirked. "Not yet, anyway." = He=20 reached into his pocket and spoke into his phone. "Colonel Masters? We have them, sir. Yes sir, the Damon girl and a = couple of=20 others. Oh yes, and a bonus, I think one of the boys is another one of = those=20 teleporters. I disabled him with the taser weapon in case he got any = bright=20 ideas of disappearing." He gestured towards one of his companions who = produced=20 some photos which he laid out on the large coffee table in front of the = dark=20 green two-seater couch at the side of the room. Kyle leaned over as far as he could with being obvious, and tried to = get a=20 look at them. The red headed boy must be Megabyte, Millie's brother. = Completing=20 the gallery were two more photos, one of Kevin and another of a dark = girl whom=20 Kyle had never seen before. They didn't have any of Ami, Jade or Adam he = realised. He glanced again at the photos. Judging by what he could see = these=20 photos looked quite a bit out of date. Kevin looked very much younger = than he=20 did now. Probably Megabyte did too. Kyle wondered who the other girl = was. It certainly sounded as thought this Masters guy was after the = Tomorrow=20 People all right, with a vengeance. Kyle wondered if there was any way = he might=20 be able to get a warning to his dad in Roswell. Someone needed to warn = Ami and=20 Jade that they were in danger too. Their captor speaking to his superior interrupted his train of = thought. "Yes,=20 it's definitely the other boy," he told the man at the other end of the = phone,=20 as he double checked his suspicions by examining the photo again. "As = soon as=20 you get the blond girl, whoever she is, we'll have them all apart, from = the=20 Davis girl." ********* Alex turned away from the window he was looking out, and gestured to = Michael.=20 "Hey, what do you make of this?" he asked. "Looks as though Valenti's up = to=20 something." Michael came over and glanced out quickly towards where Alex was = pointing.=20 "Wonder what he's playing at?" He could see the sheriff, sitting in his = jeep=20 carefully watching Damon waiting outside the UFO centre. As a black = nondescript=20 car pulled in next to Damon, Valenti slid down in the driver's seat, so = that he=20 wouldn't be seen. Maria came up behind the two boys and peered over Michael's shoulder. = "He's=20 going to follow them," she exclaimed. "Won't that put Max and the others = in=20 danger though if he's found out?" "Only if he's caught." Michael sounded annoyed. "Looks as though we'd = better=20 go keep an eye on him." "Yeah, like that's going to help," put in Jade. "Maybe the sheriff's = got the=20 right idea. Has anyone thought of that? I mean we can't reach Megabyte = and Adam=20 telepathically, so how else are we going to find out where they are = exactly so=20 that we can rescue them. I know I didn't pick up enough from the flash = to pin=20 point their whereabouts, did anyone else?" Ami shook her head. "Megabyte's flash was too weak. I could have = maybe got=20 something from Adam but whatever severed the transmission seemed to = scramble=20 that side of things too. I'm not sure why but I couldn't get a location = of where=20 they were at all." She tried to keep the worry out of her voice, but = with not=20 much success. "Can you usually do that?" asked Liz. "You know, home in on where = they are,=20 that sort of thing?" Ami nodded. "We've been able to in the past, not this time though. = It's=20 almost of though something is stopping us…" Maria grabbed her coat and started for the door. "Where do you think you're going?" asked Michael. "Well, duh," she said. "Didn't you say something about keeping an eye = on=20 Valenti? I've got a car parked outside, makes sense that if we're going = to=20 follow him, we should do it now. After all if he's going now, so should = we. You=20 coming, Michael?" "I'm coming too,' said Liz, with a look directed at Michael that said = 'don't=20 try and stop me.' "Ami, if you get anything, phone me. Alex's got the = number.=20 You can always do your teleporting thing if you need any of us. In the = meantime=20 Valenti and Megabyte's dad are going who knows where and we'll lose them = if we=20 don't hurry." The two girls paused at the threshold of the Crashdown and Maria = gestured to=20 Michael. He shrugged. "I'd better go and keep an eye on them." He shot a = warning=20 glance at Isabel. "Don't do anything without me. Remember this Masters = creep and=20 his goons are dangerous. They've already got Max and the others, we = don't want=20 them getting their hands on anyone else." Isabel watched Michael and the two girls follow Valenti's vehicle = from a=20 discrete distance as he headed after the black sedan. She looked up at = the night=20 sky, watching the distant stars for a moment before seeming to come to a = decision. She ran her hands through her long blond hair as she directed = her=20 question at the two Tomorrow People. "If you could find out where the = boys are=20 and could ask them what it was stopping their powers, that would help = wouldn't=20 it?" she asked. Alex laid a warning hand on her shoulder. "Isabel, are you sure about = this?"=20 he asked. "I can't just sit here wondering if I could help, and not doing = anything,"=20 she replied. Jade looked at Isabel and then Alex. "I don't get it. If we can't = reach them,=20 how would you be able to?" She was silent for a moment and then = continued, a=20 look of realisation on her face. "Kevin!" she exclaimed. "Kevin knew, = that's why=20 he kept looking at you. You're an alien too, just like Michael and Max." = She=20 blushed for a moment. "I thought that Kevin was only looking at you = because=20 he…er…um…forget I said that." Jade repeated her = earlier statement quickly to=20 hide her embarrassment. "You're an alien." Isabel nodded. "Yes," she confirmed, "and I think I know of a way to = reach=20 them. I'm not sure it will work, as I've never done it when the other = person's=20 been awake before, but it's worth a try." "Awake?" asked Ami, her mind ticking over. Isabel an alien? She = kicked=20 herself mentally. How could she have missed that? As Jade had said, = Kevin had=20 obviously worked it out, even though the two of them had missed it. = Maybe the=20 girl's natural mental shielding was stronger than Michael's. Yes maybe = that was=20 it. Still now wasn't the time to worry about that, if she could reach = Adam and=20 Megabyte…Ami was trying very hard not to think about what could be = happening to=20 her two friends. "She dreamwalks," explained Alex. "Isabel can go into other people's = dreams,=20 and talk to them." He moved closer towards the tall blond girl and Ami = wondered=20 if there was some kind of relationship between the two of them. After = all he=20 certainly seemed very protective of his friend. "As I said, I'm not sure it would work. I've only really dreamwalked = other=20 people while they've been asleep," Isabel said. "What if we added our powers?" asked Ami. "Contacting other people = while=20 they're asleep, through their dreams, sounds as though it might be on = some sort=20 of psychic level. It can't hurt." "But our powers aren't psychic." Isabel paused and thought for a = moment. "At=20 least I don't think they are. I'm willing to give it a try though, if = you guys=20 are." "Well, we've got to do something," reasoned Jade. "I'm going crazy = sitting=20 here thinking about what could be happening to Megabyte…and the = others." She=20 blushed for the second time in as many minutes, and Ami knew she was = wondering=20 if anyone had noticed that Megabyte's welfare was obviously her main=20 concern. "We're worried about them too, Jade," Ami shot the younger girl a = smile,=20 sensing her embarrassment. When they rescued their friends, she was = going to sit=20 down and have a very long talk to Megabyte she decided. It was becoming = very=20 obvious to everyone but the redhead exactly how Jade felt about him. Her = mental=20 shields tended to slip a bit at times, especially when her emotions ran = high,=20 Ami had noticed. Even though the young American was a Tomorrow Person, = and with=20 that supposedly able to pick up on the thoughts and feelings of his = fellow=20 telepaths, there were still a lot of times where he seemed totally = unaware of=20 what exactly was going on around him. ************ End of part 13</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_00C0_01C14D91.48057B40-- - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 10:02:41 +1200 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (14/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_00AA_01C14E4E.0964C860 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (14/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Fourteen "So Masters has emailed this Trent, whoever he is, all the information = he has about the Tomorrow People?" "I think that's what I just finished saying, Megabyte," commented Adam. = "At least that's what I'm presuming from the conversation I overheard in = Masters' office." "So when we escape, it might be a good idea to make a short stop and = wipe Masters computer along the way? Once I've ditched this band, I'll = do so much damage to the creep's computer he'll wonder what's hit him." Max looked at Megabyte, wondering exactly what the older boy's powers = were. "Won't that take a while though?" he asked. "Wouldn't it better to = just worry about getting out of here, and deal with the whole computer = problem later?" Megabyte smirked. "Once I lose the headband, I only need a minute or so = and his hard drive will be dust." He frowned. "Doesn't solve the problem = of this Trent guy though, but at least it will slow Masters down." "There should be a record of where he sent the information to though, = shouldn't there?" pointed out Adam. "Yeah, true. I'll get that first, then dust the drive. Shouldn't slow = things now by too much." "Dust?" commented Adam. "Why do I get the feeling you've been watching = Buffy again?" Max felt it was time to put his two cents worth in. "Guys, I don't know = if you've noticed but I think the more immediate problem is getting out = of here. We can worry about the computer stuff later." "Sorry, Megabyte tends to get a bit carried away when he gets onto the = subject of computers," explained Adam. "So." Max paused as he thought he heard something or rather someone. He = shook his head, trying to clear it. He noticed both Adam and Megabyte = staring at him, concern on their faces. "Thought I heard." There it was again. Max looked around the room and = blinked. Standing in the corner was Isabel, a very faint Isabel, but = still clear enough for him to make out. "Isabel?" ************* Masters looked up as General Damon was shown into his office. "Put away = your gun, Hawkins," he told the young man in front of him. "General = Damon is our guest here, aren't you General?" Damon looked as though he was trying to contain his anger, though not = too successfully as he glared up at his host. "Where's my son?" he = demanded. "You'd better not have hurt him or the others, Masters." Masters tried to smooth over the situation. "Your son and his friends = are quite safe for the moment," he said reassuringly. "I'm only trying = to do what's best for them, you know." Damon didn't look very convinced. "So kidnapping them and experimenting = on them is for their own good? Masters, I hate to be the one to tell you = this, but you're crazy." Masters felt shocked by the other man's comments. He gestured for him to = take a seat, and when he refused, waited for Hawkins to convince him to = co-operate. "I would have thought that as a parent you would only want = what's best for your child. Do you really think that he has a future as = one of these.Tomorrow People?" Masters tried hard not to spit the last = couple of words out. Even the name these non-humans called themselves = made him sick to his stomach. "Don't you want him to able to be normal = again?" "If being normal is being like you, you can keep it." Damon gingerly = touched the growing lump on the back of his head as he spoke. Masters tried to ignore the look his former colleague was giving him. = Obviously the man didn't understand what was really going on here. He = seemed to be under some illusion that there was nothing wrong with his = son, nothing wrong with having these powers. It was up to him, Masters, = to put the man right. He had to explain to him that there was still hope = for the human race, that they didn't have to become the genetic = abnormalities that Megabyte, Adam and the rest of the Tomorrow People = had become. Didn't the man understand about the importance of keeping = the human race pure, of keeping the gene pool untainted? "Don't you understand?" he asked Damon. "I've found a way to remove = their powers. Without their powers they will be human again, fit to live = in the world, share its resources." "The Tomorrow People are more human than you'll ever be, Masters," = replied Damon. "Their powers make them special, they're the future of = humanity. They have just as much right to live in this world as the rest = of us. What gives you the right to tamper with evolution?" "What gives me the right?" asked Masters, trying to conceal his shock at = Damon's attitude. "At least I'm trying to do the right thing for the = human race, which is more than I can say for you. I can't understand how = you could wish such a .curse on your own child." He placed a couple of = computer print outs in front of his guest.=20 "Okay, so you've been running blood tests," commented Damon. "And this = is supposed to impress me, how?" Masters tried not to show his exasperation. How this man ever got to the = rank of General was beyond him. "Don't you see," he explained, keeping = his voice calm and speaking slowly so that Damon could understand. = "There's not much difference between their DNA and ours. A slight = genetic marker, here." He indicated to a couple of points on the graph, = "and here. Plus another couple of differences here and here. I'm = confident that I can reverse those abnormalities given time and restore = them to the way they were before they became infected." "I think the Tomorrow People are quite happy the way they are," pointed = out Damon. "Personally, I'm quite happy the way they are too. What gives = you right to play God?" He stopped for a moment before continuing. "You = said before that you have found a way to remove their powers. What have = you done to them? If you've hurt them in any way, I swear I'll kill you = myself, with my bare hands if I have to." Masters sighed. Obviously the whole parenting instinct was still alive = and well, even though his son was a freak of nature. It proved one = theory though. Love was blind. Totally blind in this case. Masters lost his train of thought as he realised Damon was still = speaking. "Masters are you listening to me? Where's my son? I want to see him, = now." "Aren't you forgetting something here General? You're my guest here, not = the other way round. Your son is quite safe, as are his friends. It's a = shame about the Evans boy though." He shook his head sadly. "His DNA is = just so different from ours, so alien. There's no way to save him. Your = son and Adam were fortunate that their 'problem' was caught in time, = before it advanced to the point where treatment was no longer an option. = I regret the fact I didn't learn about the other one in time to save = him. He'll just have to be put down before he can cause any permanent = problems." Damon suddenly became silent, giving Masters a look he decided it would = be better to ignore. Masters gestured to the screen on his desk, motioning to Damon to watch = as he turned it on and flicked the volume control. Evans was talking to = his companions he noticed, catching the end of the conversion. "It's my sister Isabel. I can see her, hear her. Can't you?" Masters flicked another switch on his desk. "Beckett, get in there, = quickly. Evans is using his powers somehow to contact another non-human. = Stop him!" He turned again to Damon. "It looks as though you may get to see your = son sooner than you thought." He rose to his feet and headed for the = door of his office. "Well, aren't you coming?" he asked. ********* "Max, are you okay?" Isabel sounded very concerned. She paused, almost = as though she was getting information from somewhere or someone. "Adam = and Megabyte? Are they okay too?" "Yeah, we're fine, for the moment. Isabel, how?" Max frowned, ignoring = the stares he was getting from his companions. He knew this must be some = kind of dreamwalking, but he didn't think Isabel could do this to anyone = unless they were asleep. "Max, what's going on?" Adam wanted to know. The Australian sounded = concerned, very concerned. "It's my sister, Isabel. I can see her, hear her. Can't you?" Adam and Megabyte shook their heads. "She must be concentrating her effects on me then." That made sense. Max = doubted that Isabel would be able to dreamwalk more than one person at a = time. After all, he hadn't thought she could do what she was doing now. Max realised that Isabel was talking again. "Ami and Jade are helping = me," she explained. She faded out and then in again. "We'd better be = quick, I'm not sure how long we can keep this going. I keep losing you." = Isabel continued quickly. "What's stopping Adam and Megabyte from using = their powers? Will it affect the others?" "Masters has fitted these headband things. We're not sure how but they = work like a feedback circuit when we try and use our powers." "Our powers?" "Yeah, he's convinced I'm a Tomorrow Person, for some reason." Max = wasn't going to tell Isabel that he had used his powers in front of = Masters. He reasoned that she had enough worries without adding to them. "Have you got any idea where you are?" Isabel wanted to know. "I was unconscious when I was brought here but." "We're in an old factory on the outskirts of town." Adam interrupted = Max. He and Megabyte had been following Max's side of the conversation = and he'd obviously worked out what Isabel had been asking.=20 Before Max could reply, the door to their prison burst open. Beckett was = first into the room, a couple of men carrying guns right behind him. "Shut up. Shut up now." As Beckett pointed his gun at Max, Adam moved in = placing himself between the weapon and the young alien. "Max!" Max heard his sister scream his name as she faded from view, the = link broken. He hoped she had heard enough to know where they were being = held, but at the same time realised that now she had that information = she would probably act on it. His heart sank. Isabel, stay away he = thought to himself. It's not worth the risk. "Now, now, Mr Beckett. I'm sure our young friends have realised that we = know they were trying to contact another of their kind." Masters frowned = as he entered the room. "Obviously the silencer bands don't work as well = as we had hoped. It sounds as though I had better do some more testing = after all." He turned and spoke to one of his men out in the hallway. = "Show in our other visitor," he ordered. "This is going to be rather = interesting, I think." Max heard a sharp intake of breath from Megabyte as an older dark haired = man walked through the door. The two Tomorrow People looked at each = other, their expressions grim. "Say hello to your father, Megabyte," said Colonel Masters. "It's a = shame this family reunion is going to be so short isn't it?" ********************** End of Part 14 - ------=_NextPart_000_00AA_01C14E4E.0964C860 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> All That Glitters (14/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Fourteen "So Masters has emailed this Trent, whoever he is, all the = information he has=20 about the Tomorrow People?" "I think that's what I just finished saying, Megabyte," commented = Adam. "At=20 least that's what I'm presuming from the conversation I overheard in = Masters'=20 office." "So when we escape, it might be a good idea to make a short stop and = wipe=20 Masters computer along the way? Once I've ditched this band, I'll do so = much=20 damage to the creep's computer he'll wonder what's hit him." Max looked at Megabyte, wondering exactly what the older boy's powers = were.=20 "Won't that take a while though?" he asked. "Wouldn't it better to just = worry=20 about getting out of here, and deal with the whole computer problem = later?" Megabyte smirked. "Once I lose the headband, I only need a minute or = so and=20 his hard drive will be dust." He frowned. "Doesn't solve the problem of = this=20 Trent guy though, but at least it will slow Masters down." "There should be a record of where he sent the information to though, = shouldn't there?" pointed out Adam. "Yeah, true. I'll get that first, then dust the drive. Shouldn't slow = things=20 now by too much." "Dust?" commented Adam. "Why do I get the feeling you've been = watching Buffy=20 again?" Max felt it was time to put his two cents worth in. "Guys, I don't = know if=20 you've noticed but I think the more immediate problem is getting out of = here. We=20 can worry about the computer stuff later." "Sorry, Megabyte tends to get a bit carried away when he gets onto = the=20 subject of computers," explained Adam. "So…" Max paused as he thought he heard something or rather = someone. He shook=20 his head, trying to clear it. He noticed both Adam and Megabyte staring = at him,=20 concern on their faces. "Thought I heard…" There it was again. Max looked around the = room and=20 blinked. Standing in the corner was Isabel, a very faint Isabel, but = still clear=20 enough for him to make out. "Isabel?" ************* Masters looked up as General Damon was shown into his office. "Put = away your=20 gun, Hawkins," he told the young man in front of him. "General Damon is = our=20 guest here, aren't you General?" Damon looked as though he was trying to contain his anger, though not = too=20 successfully as he glared up at his host. "Where's my son?" he demanded. = "You'd=20 better not have hurt him or the others, Masters." Masters tried to smooth over the situation. "Your son and his friends = are=20 quite safe for the moment," he said reassuringly. "I'm only trying to do = what's=20 best for them, you know." Damon didn't look very convinced. "So kidnapping them and = experimenting on=20 them is for their own good? Masters, I hate to be the one to tell you = this, but=20 you're crazy." Masters felt shocked by the other man's comments. He gestured for him = to take=20 a seat, and when he refused, waited for Hawkins to convince him to = co-operate.=20 "I would have thought that as a parent you would only want what's best = for your=20 child. Do you really think that he has a future as one of = these…Tomorrow=20 People?" Masters tried hard not to spit the last couple of words out. = Even the=20 name these non-humans called themselves made him sick to his stomach. = "Don't you=20 want him to able to be normal again?" "If being normal is being like you, you can keep it." Damon gingerly = touched=20 the growing lump on the back of his head as he spoke. Masters tried to ignore the look his former colleague was giving him. = Obviously the man didn't understand what was really going on here. He = seemed to=20 be under some illusion that there was nothing wrong with his son, = nothing wrong=20 with having these powers. It was up to him, Masters, to put the man = right. He=20 had to explain to him that there was still hope for the human race, that = they=20 didn't have to become the genetic abnormalities that Megabyte, Adam and = the rest=20 of the Tomorrow People had become. Didn't the man understand about the=20 importance of keeping the human race pure, of keeping the gene pool=20 untainted? "Don't you understand?" he asked Damon. "I've found a way to remove = their=20 powers. Without their powers they will be human again, fit to live in = the world,=20 share its resources." "The Tomorrow People are more human than you'll ever be, Masters," = replied=20 Damon. "Their powers make them special, they're the future of humanity. = They=20 have just as much right to live in this world as the rest of us. What = gives you=20 the right to tamper with evolution?" "What gives me the right?" asked Masters, trying to conceal his shock = at=20 Damon's attitude. "At least I'm trying to do the right thing for the = human race,=20 which is more than I can say for you. I can't understand how you could = wish such=20 a …curse on your own child." He placed a couple of computer print = outs in front=20 of his guest. "Okay, so you've been running blood tests," commented Damon. "And = this is=20 supposed to impress me, how?" Masters tried not to show his exasperation. How this man ever got to = the rank=20 of General was beyond him. "Don't you see," he explained, keeping his = voice calm=20 and speaking slowly so that Damon could understand. "There's not much = difference=20 between their DNA and ours. A slight genetic marker, here…" He = indicated to a=20 couple of points on the graph, "and here. Plus another couple of = differences=20 here and here. I'm confident that I can reverse those abnormalities = given time=20 and restore them to the way they were before they became infected." "I think the Tomorrow People are quite happy the way they are," = pointed out=20 Damon. "Personally, I'm quite happy the way they are too. What gives you = right=20 to play God?" He stopped for a moment before continuing. "You said = before that=20 you have found a way to remove their powers. What have you done to them? = If=20 you've hurt them in any way, I swear I'll kill you myself, with my bare = hands if=20 I have to." Masters sighed. Obviously the whole parenting instinct was still = alive and=20 well, even though his son was a freak of nature. It proved one theory = though.=20 Love was blind. Totally blind in this case. Masters lost his train of thought as he realised Damon was still=20 speaking. "Masters are you listening to me? Where's my son? I want to see him,=20 now." "Aren't you forgetting something here General? You're my guest here, = not the=20 other way round. Your son is quite safe, as are his friends. It's a = shame about=20 the Evans boy though." He shook his head sadly. "His DNA is just so = different=20 from ours, so alien. There's no way to save him. Your son and Adam were=20 fortunate that their 'problem' was caught in time, before it advanced to = the=20 point where treatment was no longer an option. I regret the fact I = didn't learn=20 about the other one in time to save him. He'll just have to be put down = before=20 he can cause any permanent problems." Damon suddenly became silent, giving Masters a look he decided it = would be=20 better to ignore. Masters gestured to the screen on his desk, motioning to Damon to = watch as he=20 turned it on and flicked the volume control. Evans was talking to his = companions=20 he noticed, catching the end of the conversion. "It's my sister Isabel. I can see her, hear her. Can't you?" Masters flicked another switch on his desk. "Beckett, get in there, = quickly.=20 Evans is using his powers somehow to contact another non-human. Stop = him!" He turned again to Damon. "It looks as though you may get to see your = son=20 sooner than you thought." He rose to his feet and headed for the door of = his=20 office. "Well, aren't you coming?" he asked. ********* "Max, are you okay?" Isabel sounded very concerned. She paused, = almost as=20 though she was getting information from somewhere or someone. "Adam and=20 Megabyte? Are they okay too?" "Yeah, we're fine, for the moment. Isabel, how?" Max frowned, = ignoring the=20 stares he was getting from his companions. He knew this must be some = kind of=20 dreamwalking, but he didn't think Isabel could do this to anyone unless = they=20 were asleep. "Max, what's going on?" Adam wanted to know. The Australian sounded=20 concerned, very concerned. "It's my sister, Isabel. I can see her, hear her. Can't you?" Adam and Megabyte shook their heads. "She must be concentrating her effects on me then." That made sense. = Max=20 doubted that Isabel would be able to dreamwalk more than one person at a = time.=20 After all, he hadn't thought she could do what she was doing now. Max realised that Isabel was talking again. "Ami and Jade are helping = me,"=20 she explained. She faded out and then in again. "We'd better be quick, = I'm not=20 sure how long we can keep this going. I keep losing you." Isabel = continued=20 quickly. "What's stopping Adam and Megabyte from using their powers? = Will it=20 affect the others?" "Masters has fitted these headband things. We're not sure how but = they work=20 like a feedback circuit when we try and use our powers." "Our powers?" "Yeah, he's convinced I'm a Tomorrow Person, for some reason." Max = wasn't=20 going to tell Isabel that he had used his powers in front of Masters. He = reasoned that she had enough worries without adding to them. "Have you got any idea where you are?" Isabel wanted to know. "I was unconscious when I was brought here but…" "We're in an old factory on the outskirts of town." Adam interrupted = Max. He=20 and Megabyte had been following Max's side of the conversation and he'd=20 obviously worked out what Isabel had been asking. Before Max could reply, the door to their prison burst open. Beckett = was=20 first into the room, a couple of men carrying guns right behind him. "Shut up. Shut up now." As Beckett pointed his gun at Max, Adam moved = in=20 placing himself between the weapon and the young alien. "Max!" Max heard his sister scream his name as she faded from view, = the link=20 broken. He hoped she had heard enough to know where they were being = held, but at=20 the same time realised that now she had that information she would = probably act=20 on it. His heart sank. Isabel, stay away he thought to himself. It's not = worth=20 the risk. "Now, now, Mr Beckett. I'm sure our young friends have realised that = we know=20 they were trying to contact another of their kind." Masters frowned as = he=20 entered the room. "Obviously the silencer bands don't work as well as we = had=20 hoped. It sounds as though I had better do some more testing after all." = He=20 turned and spoke to one of his men out in the hallway. "Show in our = other=20 visitor," he ordered. "This is going to be rather interesting, I = think." Max heard a sharp intake of breath from Megabyte as an older dark = haired man=20 walked through the door. The two Tomorrow People looked at each other, = their=20 expressions grim. "Say hello to your father, Megabyte," said Colonel Masters. "It's a = shame=20 this family reunion is going to be so short isn't it?" ********************** End of Part 14</DIV></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_00AA_01C14E4E.0964C860-- - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of arfic-l-digest V1 #46 **************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.