December 9, 2003
Early in the morning, while Frank was busy preparing coffee, the doorbell rang. He stopped what he was doing and frowned, wondering who could it be.
The bell rang again and again. Coralis came to his mind and he dropped the spoon of coffee grind that he was holding to rush to the buzzer. He pressed to unlock the door below and opened his entry door to find out who it was. Down the stairs, he saw Samantha, panting. She looked up toward him.
"Hey, M. Blue! Sorry to show up at this time; I didn't know where else to go."
"Uh, it's fine. Come in," he said as he let her in. "What happened?"
"My mom just found out about me. She wasn't supposed to be home, or I would have gone to Tom's aunt probably, I don't know. During the full moon, I can't control my shift, but I can usually shift back just before dawn."
Samantha paused. She stood, her legs slightly apart and leaning over, her hand resting on her knees.
"Your mother came back while you were still in panther form?" said Frank, indicating her to take a seat.
"Yeah. Oh Goddess, she was so afraid of me and she started yelling, threatening to call animal control and the authorities. We never were close, but I never hurt her. It became weird; it was as if she remembered my dad, but I don't remember him. When I started yelling too, she slapped me, so I ran. I wanted to call Blue when I got on the bus, because I usually call her when that kind of shit happens but I didn't take my phone with me."
"You're 16, right?" said Frank as he pulled his phone out to call Coralis.
He wasn't sure if she would answer. He knew she had a home game that day and that she wouldn't answer if she was on her way to her practice, because of the guard following her. He was hoping she was still in London.
"Yeah. You see, M. Blue, you barely know me, yet you know more about me than my mom. I don't think she knows how old I am."
A small smile appeared on Frank's face. He was still getting used to being called that way by people close to Coralis. He didn't mind the nickname, but especially with her being forced away, he found comfort in it. He was still hers. When she answered the call, he handed the phone to Samantha.
"Did you eat something?"
She shook her head and grabbed the phone to talk to Coralis. Frank went to the kitchen to make breakfast. He washed the spoon he had dropped on the floor and decided to make more coffee. He didn't know if Samantha drank coffee, but figured that even if she didn't, he would probably drink it as he barely slept.
He plated breakfast and put her plate near a kitchen island stool. She was still on the phone with Coralis. She put it on speakerphone and sat down to eat, the phone beside her plate.
"I'll have to leave in about 10 minutes. I'm hoping the damn guard isn't going to knock on my window sooner."
"House arrest sucks."
"It really does, but it could be worse. Does your school know about your absence?"
"No… I don't think I want to go anymore. I don't even know where I'll be going. All of my stuff is still at my mom's and I don't even want to go back. I've been to a group home once, I don't want a repeat, but with the damn witch hunt going on, you know it's not to a group home she'll probably send me to if she sees me again."
"We have a spare room if you need to crash somewhere," said Frank.
"I don't know when my nightmare will be over, but I'll transfer money to Frank if you want to stay at our place for now, to buy what you need. I've been in the system, so I understand, but Sam, you need to finish high school, at the minimum."
"I have to leave here around noon, but I'll have time to have spare keys done for her, so she could come and go without needing us here. My sister and Vic are coming tonight to watch the game and I work tomorrow night, but I could take her shopping this weekend."
"I'd like to stay here, if I can, yeah, but school is far from here."
"From the little I know about the human school system, I don't think either one of us would have the right to have you transfer school. Dan lives close by and is still out of work. I'll pay him to drive you to school if you want to. Frank, when I return to London after the game, I'll call my banker to transfer you money. Do you know if Victoria works today?"
"I don't know, but I can check. I can also see if my sister can bring her some stuff tonight if that's what you worry about."
Coralis heard a knock on her window.
"I need to go. Sure, and please, make sure she goes to school tomorrow, I'll call her a taxi tomorrow morning if I need to."
A few hours later, his friend Victoria arrived.
"Hey, Samantha! Haven't seen you in a few years! How are you doing?"
"Pretty good, all considering. I think my mom disowned me this morning, but it's not like it's gonna make a difference."
"Ouf! So you'll be crashing here?"
"Yeah, at least for now."
Stephanie arrived a few minutes later.
"I swear, these damn elementals are more protective of their mates than the wolves are. I'm the one here who should worry about him, not the other way," said Stephanie as she walked in, which made Frank laugh. "That's for you, Sam. Blue will probably arrange to get you a phone… I was about to say when she gets back… but you know what I mean."
"Tell me about it! She didn't say anything about phone but I'm sure she'll mention it when she calls me later."
"It is indeed odd to be watching the game here with you two when they're playing home but can't say I blame them. I would probably be doing the same."
"See, exactly my point," said Stephanie as she opened a bottle of wine. "Do you really think anyone would be dumb enough to touch either one of us at the stadium?"
"Maybe not, but I can imagine someone following Frank after the game or taking pictures of you two to collect information. Knowledge is power. Blue and Sebastian are highly targeted by dangerous people on both sides of the fence. If their foes can't take them down, they'll go after those they love most. Now, wanna tell me who that is?"
Two days later, after she finished her phone call with Frank and arranged for him to pick up a phone at the same store where she got hers, Andrew called on her hologram.
"Xanita Aza killed Minister Luke Massina."