Chapter 24 - Shades of Gray

  Aisha exited the phone shop and began walking west. It was a short distance to the town's edge, where the familiar dark brown desert stretched before her. It seemed like ages since she first arrived in Dirthrow from the Valt swamp. This very spot marked her entry into town. But now was not the time for reminiscing.

  Tia should have returned by now, Aisha mused. The concealed laptop that her Porygon discovered in the ducts could provide them with crucial information, especially if Elduran failed to extract any valuable information from Audrey. They were fortunate that the laptop had sufficient battery life remaining for Porygon to establish a connection and detect its presence hidden up there.

  She reached for a Pokéball and released Marril. The water Pokémon stretched and performed a brief Roll-out, a habit he had whenever he found himself in wide, open spaces. Aisha found it endearing. She turned to him and said, "Splash, just keep watch while I make this call. I'd rather focus on the conversation."

  Marril gave a nod, offering a simple "Mar." He then proceeded scanning his surroundings, ready to spot any danger from every possible direction. Elduran's valuable lesson had taught her well—to train her Pokémon for situations like these. With their heightened senses and bursts of speed, they held immense potential, yet many merely limited them to one-on-one battles governed by tournament rules.

  Aisha dialed a familiar number by heart. After a couple of rings, the other person picked up.

  "Hello?" came the voice on the other end.

  "Hey Gemma, it's me," Aisha greeted.

  "Aisha? Girl, you've taken forever to call. I told you to call sporadically, but it's been over a month while you've been there.

  "Yeah, my bad, haven't really had much time to catch my breath. There's just so much happening," Aisha said.

  "I noticed the money I deposited was withdrawn in Dirthrow; that was the last location I "Well, I'm still here," Aisha replied.

  "Tell me, what's been going on? Why Dirthrow?" Gemma inquired.

  "There were people here working for the Watchers, maybe even among them, someone named Audrey Lindes. Elduran is after her as we speak," Aisha explained.

  "What drew you to them? What gave them away?" inquired Gemma.

  "They attracted too much attention. Constantly in the library, stockpiling books about legendary Pokémon, taking shifts to ensure at least one of them was always reading, thus never relinquishing the books. People discussed them on forums. I caught on," replied Aisha.

  "You are so smart. I knew I picked the right person for the job. But hold on, you said Elduran was chasing Aud...this Audrey something?" Gemma asked.

  "Yes, hopefully he catches her alive, in order to interrogate her." Aisha replied, her voice laced with concern.

  "Damn it, Henry just called me into his office. I have to go. Aisha—I don't really trust him. Our head of department has some secrets I'm trying to uncover, but he's extremely interested in you and Elduran. I think maybe it's time to tell Elduran the truth about Kyogre. Henry said something that worries me, but...the later he finds out, the worse it would be," Gemma said, her voice urgent.

  "About Elduran, his dislike for Pokémon, I don't think..." Aisha began but was interrupted by Gemma.

  "I really have to go, I'm sorry," Gemma said as she hung up the phone, leaving Aisha with a sense of unease.

  This was meant to provide her with a sense of comfort and direction. Yet, Aisha couldn't help but wonder what Gemma had implied. Could Henry Jacobs, their agency's director, possibly be involved with the Watchers? The mere idea seemed insane. If they couldn't trust the person leading their agency, Aisha thought, what chance did they have of bringing the Watchers to justice?

  Aisha threw the phone to the ground. She had told Tia she needed some air to get some time to herself. The device had been inexpensive, but she had hoped it would at least last through a longer conversation than the brief call she had with Gemma. Destroying it was necessary. That Porygon of hers, it would undoubtedly track the phone's location.

  She couldn't tell the others, perhaps only Elduran, given their shared past. But after today, even he would advise against contacting Gemma again. He still had feelings for her and would caution Aisha against reaching out, not wanting to put Gemma at risk.

  Tia, on the other hand, would be livid. She despised intelligence agencies, and her relationship with Aisha had only recently begun to improve because Tia believed Aisha was secretly exploiting her agency's resources to pursue the Watchers on her own terms.

  She turned her attention to Mariil, "Splash, destroy the phone to smithereens, please."

  "Maaar," Marril said as he first used Water Gun. Aisha didn't know if he knew how electrical components short-circuited with water, but the fact that he used a water attack to destroy a phone rather than Slam made her smile. Of course, after, he proceeded to slam every component to smithereens. The smile on Marril's face after he won against the phone, the wiggling of his tail from left to right, melted Aisha's heart. She always got amazed at how happy he got doing two things: swimming and fulfilling her commands, any commands, no matter how small or trivial they were.

  It was time to go back. She believed that Tia would have likely discovered something from Audrey's laptop by the time of her return. Expecting news from Jabari regarding the Meteora situation was premature. However, her first stop needed to be the Pokémon center. Hattrem's recovery should have been completed by now.

  As she began to walk, her phone beeped. This time it was her primary phone, she thought. The text was from Faelan. He was on his way to the mayor's office. That was a good sign. It meant that the mayor had been true to his word. He had indeed made Faelan a detective. A wave of relief washed over her. That had been another worry weighing on her mind. The last thing they needed was for Faelan to go to prison for killing that despicable human filth, even though technically, it wasn't him who had done it. It was her, Cyndaquil, who was her Pokémon after all.

  Now, one more piece of good news would make this day just a bit brighter for her. She longed to hear positive results from Jabari and Elduran.

  Jabari finally reached the summit. He was utterly exhausted and thought he really needed to lose some weight. This would be the first and last time he would make the daunting climb to the top of Meteora. Surveying the area, he noticed a vast caprock and three buildings. After pausing briefly to catch his breath, and with Meltan tugging on his ear to keep moving, he continued toward the trio of structures. The daylight was nearly gone, and he hoped to find Elduran and Mew before darkness enveloped the landscape.

  He was about to enter the largest of the three buildings when he spotted Mew flying towards him. They seemed delighted to see him, circling around him a few times before nodding towards the east. He followed them, passing through a Muk that had been split into two pieces. He was genuinely surprised to discover that even Muk had organs; he could have sworn they were made of pure slime and mud. Where Muk had been separated, the scene was gruesome. Some professor he was—not his field of expertise, perhaps, but he should at least know a few basics.

  There, he first spotted the flame on Cyndaquil's back, on the opposite side of the fence. As he approached, he saw Elduran sitting against the fence logs, his back pressed against one of the wooden posts. Jabari hastened his steps, puzzled by Elduran's decision to be on the other side of the fence. Drawing nearer, he realized the situation was even more perilous than he had initially thought. The ground on the other side of the fence was barely long enough to sit on before the cliff abruptly ended.

  "Elduran," Jabari called out, "I'd greatly prefer it if you were on this side of the fence, my friend," he said as Meltan jumped off his shoulder.

  "She is dead, the fucking hag leapt to her demise, after realizing she couldn't win against all of us. Mew descended to verify her fate," Elduran declared.

  "It's alright, you did well, Elduran...really good. As always," Jabari remarked.

  Elduran began to rise, Cyndaquil leaping from his lap as he did. He squeezed himself through the fence, tumbling to the ground and rolling onto his back as he emerged. His wound on his shoulder was bleeding; he needed to change the dressing immediately and rest. How much had he exerted himself today, Jabari wondered. But more importantly, it was his eyes. He had been crying, his eyes still watery as he gazed up at the sky.

  Elduran, still avoiding Jabari's gaze, began softly, "I did not do good at Dasos... I'm sorry, Jabari. I let Anaya—" He was cut short.

  "Don't you dare say that," Jabari interrupted. "From what I heard, if not for you, none of you would have returned to Dirthrow." Jabari knelt, placing a reassuring hand on Elduran's good shoulder. "Look at me," he urged. Elduran's eyes remained fixed on the sky. Jabari gave a gentle shake, "I said, look at me." This time, Elduran met his gaze.

  "You did well, Elduran," Jabari continued, his voice steady. "Thank you for bringing back Ink and Anaya's final painting. Her death, Viv's death, Blue's death—they're not on you. What is on you, though, is that Forge is alive, Aisha is alive, and her Pokémon are too. How about you stop blaming yourself and stand up so I can tend to that wound?" Jabari's hand extended towards him, and Elduran accepted it.

  As Elduran was helped to his feet and began walking, leaning on Jabari's shoulder for support, he spoke with determination, "Listen, man... things will change from now on. I won't live solely to hunt these bastards. They may be my destination, but I won't let them consume my journey as well. I've decided to continue being a trainer, but from now on, my Pokémon will have an equal say in where we go."

  Jabari managed a smile, sensing that his friend had managed to overcome the mental block he had put up over the past day. "It seems like whatever you were going through... well... you've beaten it. I'm happy for you. I don't think the rest of us could do without you," Jabari said, his voice filled with relief and sincerity.

  Meltan and Mew appeared to be engaged in a deep conversation, not following Elduran and Jabari. Curious about their discussion, Jabari decided to let it be, respecting that it was their business.

  "Everything clicked once all five of them were dead. I could breathe again. My mind cleared," Elduran explained, a weight lifted from his shoulders. He then turned to his Pokémon and requested, "Forge, can you burn Muk's body, please?" as they passed by the lifeless form.

  "Cyyyn," Cyndaquil responded without hesitation, igniting the body in a swift, fiery blaze.

  "They say revenge doesn't make you feel better," Jabari remarked.

  Elduran chuckled softly, "what a load of Arceus crap. I can assure you; it makes you feel a whole lot better," he said as he lifted his head and gazed towards the smaller building opposite the direction of the larger one. "Help me get to that smaller building over there, it's filled with beds," Elduran requested.

  " I won't lie, knowing they're all dead doesn't do much for me. Anaya's still not here - does anything else really matter? Not to me," Jabari said as they reached the door, and he swung it open.

  As they entered the room, Elduran reclined on the bed closest to the door. With a knowing nod, he said, "And that, my friend, is precisely why you are a better person."

  Jabari started removing Elduran's boots, remarking, "I'm not so sure about that. In any case, let me grab a first aid kit. I assume they're in the main building."

  "Yes, Gale is there too. I gave him an antidote, but give him a potion too, I was in a rush and did not have the time to do both," Elduran said.

  "Chasing an old lady leaping off a cliff, yes, I would say so," Jabari remarked.

  Elduran was visibly absorbed in his own thoughts. Leaving him, he entered the larger edifice. There lay Gale atop one of the tables, apparently slumbering. Jabari gently placed a hand on Gale's forehead; all seemed well. Crossing to the room's far side, he retrieved a first aid kit and a potion. Opting for the needle form, he delivered the potion in full by piercing Gale's chest. It appeared that Gale bore no external injuries that would warrant the use of the potion's spray variant.

  Jabari moved ahead, picked up Gale, and gently laid him on a bed opposite Elduran. Cyndaquil had returned and was now resting on Elduran's chest, contentedly receiving pats from him. Yes, something profound had shifted within Elduran. Mew and Meltan had also entered the room; Mew seemed particularly fond of Elduran for reasons unknown. Perhaps the courage he displayed when they first met had truly impressed them, but this was merely speculation. Meltan eagerly jumped onto Elduran's bed, clearly intent on aiding Jabari with the task of cleaning the wound.

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  Changing the dressing on the wound took little time. Despite knowing Elduran needed rest, he couldn't resist asking a few questions: "Did you threaten to torture her or something before she jumped?" he inquired.

  Elduran explained, "She assumed I would. Once she realized we were aware of her location, she understood she couldn't outsmart all of us. Yet, I sensed she wasn't surprised, as if she already knew. I keep replaying it in my mind, and I think I reached her just before she was about to jump anyway."

  Jabari sat on the bed across from Elduran, where Togetic lay. He spent a full minute lost in thought. Nothing made sense. He had to keep thinking, as whenever his brain stopped processing, thoughts of Anaya crept in. If the Watchers threatened Audrey, death would be the ultimate price. With Elduran, the worst outcome could also be death, but there was a chance of survival. Why choose certain death? Jabari pondered this. What could be worse than death for someone like her with no immediate family, according to Tia's research? He lowered his head into his hands, resting on his knees, squeezing his skull. There must be something he was missing—an idea so powerful it could change everything. The Watchers had never been caught because whatever they believed in, any action to sabotage it, must be worse than death to them, dissuading members from betraying their organization even in exchange for their lives.

  "Tia and Aisha don't believe she's a Watcher. Did she tell you anything?" Jabari asked Elduran.

  "She claimed she wasn't. She was intelligent, smarter than me for sure, but I doubt she was clever enough to be part of an organization that has never had a single member caught for decades," Elduran replied.

  Jabari pondered Elduran's words. "I think you're mistaken. Tia can explain in detail, but until her graduation from Castella University, she was top in everything. She excelled in school, earned a full university scholarship, graduated with top grades, and then took a job as a supermarket clerk—a job to basically disappear. Tia suspects she can find some mundane reason for it if she digs deep enough, but I believe it's because she was actually a Watcher. Her age suggests she could have been among the first to join the organization. She might even have been a founder and if after forty-plus years trying to achieve a goal, whatever that may be, death might be preferable to seeing it die," Jabari concluded, noticing Elduran's exhausted stare.

  "You're telling me I had a Watcher within reach, and I let her die right in front of me? That I allowed her to bungee jump without a rope, and with every foot she fell, an invisible palm was essentially slapping me repeatedly as she descended to the bottom of her victory road? And I didn't even realize I was being slapped. Fuck!" Elduran exclaimed.

  Jabari looked at Elduran with curiosity, wondering how these sentences even formed in his brain. "You did not know, and we still don't know," he said to him. "Wait for Aisha to work this problem out. I might be wrong. But even if you did, do you honestly think you could have done something different?" Jabari asked.

  It was obvious that Elduran was struggling to think, trying to find a reason to say yes, but after a sigh he said, "no, if I had Viv maybe, but with what I had to work with...no, nothing I could have done to change the outcome." Cyndaquil looked at him with a hurt expression. Elduran spoke again, looking at him, "Forge, I am not saying you were inadequate, I know how strong you are. But all of us have different strengths and weaknesses. Viv's String Shot could have stuck Audrey to the ground, you surely can see that. But when I needed someone to keep dodging and annoying Muk while I saved Gale's life, there would be no Pokémon better than you Forge." Cyndaquil's mood clearly got brighter.

  Elduran's direct way of talking often got him into trouble, but it also got him out of bad situations as much as it threw him into landmines. What a peculiar individual.

  Jabari noticed Meltan had already fallen asleep at the foot of the bed where Elduran was resting. He often jokingly thought Meltan was part cat since the Pokémon seemed to sleep more than it was awake. Meanwhile, Mew was quietly perched on the top bunk above Elduran, listening to their conversation without interruption, which Jabari found unusual. Mew's behavior was uncharacteristic, and Jabari wondered if it felt guilty for today's failure. He decided to discuss it with Mew after Elduran was asleep. "You need to rest; we go down in the morning," Jabari reminded Elduran.

  "Wake me at three. We must leave before the first ranger arrives. It's crucial for Audrey's body to be found far from here. One of the rangers knew I was here with Audrey. She’ll eventually be reported missing, and I'll be the prime suspect. They must find her body elsewhere," Elduran explained.

  "Wow, I can't believe we're even considering this," Jabari replied, troubled.

  "Dan is dead. If we can't prove Audrey was a criminal, I'm in deep trouble," Elduran said.

  "I understand, but it feels wrong. I feel like I'm becoming a criminal myself, and I hate it. Earlier, I asked Tia and Aisha to search Audrey's house for evidence. Everything feels off," Jabari confessed.

  "You need to operate on the gray side of morality, Jabari, to even stand a chance against them," Elduran advised.

  Jabari grasped Elduran's point but believed there had to be a better way. Though he saw no immediate alternative, he promised himself to find one for the group's sake. He then addressed Mew, already looking at him. "Can you transport Audrey to the foot of a mesa south of Dirthrow? It's a long way, but I'm asking for Elduran sake," Jabari requested.

  Mew connected with Jabari telepathically, assuring him they could accomplish the task. It might take some time, but they were determined to do it for Elduran. To Mew, Elduran was a powerful ally, even admired by them. They couldn’t hide these feelings, nor did they try to. Yet, something about this admiration troubled Jabari. Was Mew feeling inadequate?

  "Thank you, Mew. Let's go outside for a moment and let Elduran rest," Jabari said, rising from his seat. He turned to Elduran, who was already half asleep, and added, "I'll wake you at three." With that, he stepped outside, Mew following closely behind.

  They approached the location where they had discovered Elduran in complete silence. Jabari leaned against the top log of the fence, while Mew perched on the log beside him. Together, they gazed out at the dark horizon, which seemed especially black on this particular night. The moon was barely visible, only a slim crescent hanging in the sky.

  "From now on, mesas will always remind me of Anaya, thanks to her last painting," Jabari said, a tear escaping his eye. "The irony, Mew, is that nothing could represent her better. These stones that seem to come from another world, are just like Anaya: dangerous, untamed, rugged, and yet trying to paint the prettiest scene."

  He could sense Mew beginning to express their feelings at last. An overwhelming sense of remorse emanated from them. But why did Mew feel such regret? They had only ever acted for the good of the group. Jabari pondered what could truly be troubling them.

  "What is up with you? Why do you want to apologize?" Jabari asked with a soft voice.

  A rush of emotions overwhelmed Jabari as images and sensations flooded their mind. They felt guilty for failing the group, believing that a strong Pokémon like them should not have been fooled by these people. They also felt inadequate for not defeating Spiritomb faster, as Elduran and Faelan had contributed more to the victory. If they had defeated Dan quicker, they might have caught Audrey before she jumped off, giving them answers instead of feeling like they had nothing.

  However, what troubled Mew the most was the shift in their perspective regarding the relationship between humans and Pokémon. They had never truly understood why Pokémon would accept being commanded by humans, but this experience had changed their view. It was the humans who did most of the heavy lifting, going above and beyond to make their Pokémon fight more effectively and intelligently. Moreover, the humans in this group saw their Pokémon as equals, combining human intelligence with Pokémon prowess to bring out the best in their Pokémon's battle power.

  Mew believed that without Faelan's help, a non-legendary Pokémon like Spiritomb would have defeated them, simply because it was trained by a very smart trainer, a fact that Mew acknowledged about Dan. In just a few days, Mew's entire belief system had been shattered, and everything they thought they knew on this topic had evaporated, despite their centuries of life since being created by Arceus.

  Jabari stumbled a little, because Mew just now, had basically validated that Arceus existed and based on the images that flashed his mind, Mew indeed was the first Pokémon created, in the deep of space, in the middle of nowhere. He tried to think of something else, not wanting Mew to think that his professorial curiosity had overtaken his concern for their friend's existential crisis.

  Jabari's heart ached for Mew, and it wasn't just guilt. He had grown to love everyone in the group deeply. Overcome with a strong sense of responsibility to take care of them all, Jabari stopped leaning on the fence. He walked right in front of Mew, who turned around to face him, hovering at eye level. Gently placing his hands on either side of Mew's torso, Jabari drew them into a tight hug when they didn't resist.

  "Young as I may be compared to you, I believe I have the wisdom to say that our current situation is no one's fault. Though the Watchers bested us this time, we remain standing. Considering the hardships Elduran and Aisha faced in Dasos Mew, I would even call this a half victory. From what Aisha told me; it was a miracle they escaped alive. Even after her explanation, I still can't fathom how they managed to survive. As for the human-Pokémon relationship, it is one of the universe's most mysterious phenomena. Whether by grand design or sheer chance, humans and Pokémon seem to bring out the best in each other. Even Pokémon professors can't fully explain why this is the case. I don't consider Pokémon less intelligent; we simply channel our intelligence into different areas. Humans may appear smarter to you, Mew, but it's because we are physically weak. We can't produce fire from our mouths or move objects telekinetically like you. Instead, we use our brains to create machines that perform these tasks for us. We also use our intellect to guide you in using the right moves and techniques to maximize your potential. However, Pokémon must focus all their intelligence on tapping into their inner power to unleash their incredibly potent abilities. How can you expect to have any remaining brain power for anything else?" Jabari concluded with a smile.

  Mew calmed down, their emotions settling as they clung to Jabari. He could sense their gratitude for his kind words, but he had one more question for the mythical Pokémon.

  "Mew, I can tell there's something about Elduran that interests you. Why not join him? I can transfer ownership of your Pokéball to him if you'd like," Jabari offered.

  Mew pulled away from Jabari's embrace, hovering before him with a serious expression, flooding him with emotions and images once more. Jabari realized his misunderstanding; Elduran was his least favorite from the group, it wasn't that Mew disliked Elduran—quite the opposite. Elduran was the first to challenge Mew's belief in their superiority over humans, teaching that strength resided not in physical power but in strength of character.

  Mew embraced this lesson, and Jabari wholeheartedly agreed, making him Mew’s preferred companion for his unmatched character strength. However, Mew was troubled by Elduran’s readiness to take a life. This aspect unsettled Mew, as Elduran, whom they liked the least, exhibited the survival instincts and battle readiness typical of Pokémon.

  "I understand, thank you for sharing, Mew," Jabari said, acknowledging the importance of companionship for even powerful Pokémon like Mew in this dark world. Elduran might call it gray, but Jabari found it too dark for his liking. Mew, feeling reassured, was ready to begin the mission: relocating Audrey's body. Just before departure, Jabari instructed, "Once you move her, Mew, please search for any documents or a phone she might have on her." Mew nodded, then flew over the cliff, vanishing into the night. With a few good hours before waking Elduran, Jabari decided to first call Tia and Aisha and let them know what happened here and then get some rest.

  "You made Dirthrow much safer today, Faelan. Thank you," Steven Collins said as he poured whiskey into two glasses.

  "I had a lot of help. Elduran was invaluable," Faelan replied, settling into a chair across from the mayor's desk. His eyes briefly lingered on a green book by the bookcase.

  Steven slid one of the glasses toward Faelan. "I can't believe someone in Dirthrow was hiding a Spiritomb. That Elduran fellow, he's well-known. I asked some friends in Kanto and while you were the prodigy, he was the celebrity. Why is he no longer with APSO?" he inquired.

  Faelan took the glass. He wasn't fond of alcohol, but he intended to sip courteously. Raising his glass, he nodded at Steven before taking a small sip. "It's simple," he explained. "He wanted to become a trainer, so he quit. It was a mere coincidence we met here. He was visiting to earn his first badge, and he did."

  "It's a shame; he would have been an excellent addition to your group. But for some reason, President Ketcher doesn't want trainers," the mayor said.

  "Really? There will be no trainers in my group? That sounds a lot like APSO," Faelan remarked.

  "It's different. You won't be defending cities or towns from powerful Pokémon here in Tenera; we haven't had any legendary Pokémon attacks. If we did, you might be called upon, but that's just speculation. The mission objectives seem to be about locating where these Pokémon reside. As for not having a single trainer in your unit, while it pleases me for obvious reasons, I genuinely don't know why they don't want trainers in this team," Steven explained.

  Faelan rose and approached the bookcase, pretending to be interested. "You have an awful lot of books. Have you actually read all of these?" he asked.

  Steven chuckled. "I doubt I've read more than ten of them. I just keep them around to appear sophisticated. I even had my assistant buy used books intentionally, so they seem like they've been read," he said, still laughing.

  Faelan pulled out a new-looking green book and noticed the pen in the back of the bookcase, where the book had been. "Well, this one looks brand new," he remarked, then he reached inside with this free hand, discreetly slipping the pen up his sleeve. Then, he picked up another book next to where the green book had been. This one appeared old and weathered, with a dark blue faux leather cover. "Compared to this one, which looks like it's from ancient times," Faelan added with a feigned laugh.

  "The same assistant insisted I needed some new ones, or else it would seem like I don't appreciate anything new," Steven said, still smiling.

  Faelan put the books back on the shelf and then sat down in the chair. "I'm assuming you know Audrey," he said. "Even though you're not an official member of the Reapers, you should at least know her—it's a small town, after all."

  "Of course I know her. Too bad Dan did not make it out. Nothing we had found so far on her paints her a criminal. Did Elduran comprehend her?" Steven asked.

  "I received a text from him; she wasn't up there, despite being seen going up by a ranger, so Elduran followed. Did you know if she had a secret flying Pokémon? Even though she's a Reaper, she did have a Muk," Faelan said, lying.

  "Yes, it's odd she kept that Muk. I've never seen her with a flying Pokémon. But her fleeing as you went to intercept Dan makes her suspect," Steven said.

  Faelan felt he could trust the mayor to reveal the reason behind their pursuit of Dan and Audrey—their connection to the Watchers. However, he realized that Aisha and Tia would likely be furious if he disclosed that information without first investigating the mayor further. It was time to leave, and he suggested that he needed some time alone with Aisha. But then, he remembered that all the beds were in the common room on the first floor. Any time alone would have to wait until the second-floor renovations were completed, which he figured would take no more than two days. Another problem loomed: who would run the café? "I need to go, Mr. Mayor. I need to get some rest. Thank you again for the part-time detective job," he said.

  "It was my pleasure. I wish everyone in the force were as dependable as you, but we must work with what we have. Have a good night," Steven said, extending his hand.

  Faelan shook Steven's hand. "Good night to you too, sir. I'll let you know if I learn any more about Audrey," he said as he left the mayor's office. He realized there was still enough time for a walk with Aisha. Now that things would settle down, with adrenaline levels dropping, she would need support. It was hard to believe that just yesterday she lost her Clefairy, Faelan thought. He hadn't received any message from Elduran; instead, the message came from Jabari, who assured him that Elduran was doing much better. That eased Faelan's mind considerably. They desperately needed Elduran's leadership to be in top shape—especially mentally. This struggle against the Watchers was clearly going to be a long one.

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