Chronicles of Stephen BoxSet

by Kenyon T Henry

  “It’s not possible.” Alistair stared at Stephen. “You shouldn’t have any powers. Crossing bloodlines is discouraged to keep from shrinking our numbers.”

  “It does make sense. Both Layla and Waltz were sensitive to the warrior class.” Sam paused. “This gives the council a few new questions to consider. Two Mighty have never produced a child with power.”

  “I’ve told you everything I know,” Stephen stated. “You understand why Waltz kept me a secret?”

  Sam nodded. Over by the window, Anastasia remained silent.

  “Waltz knew that it was important no one knew about me. I didn’t even know until after he passed. He left a video file with Vincent for me.”

  Anastasia rejoined the group. “Sam, we should go see the council.”

  “Agreed. Stephen, I know you must have questions. After we meet with the council, we’ll be back. Alistair will stay here with you, just in case we need to get in touch before we return.”

  Stephen rolled his eyes. “Let me guess—he’s actually a security detail?”

  Sam smiled. “Do you think you need one?”

  As they left, Sam opened the door for Anastasia. Before he walked out, he looked back at Stephen. “We won’t be away long.” Then, they were gone.

  Stephen scanned the room. He imagined they were all wondering the same thing: How would the council respond to all this? Even Alistair didn’t seem sure what to make of it all.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you two about Waltz being my dad.”

  Patty threw her arms around him. “It’s okay.”

  They stayed up late, discussing the events that had happened. Alistair wasn’t even sure what to make of it all. However, they were all glad that Stephen had returned safe.

  Chapter 22

  Alistair paced by the windows in the conference room. Lightning lit up the room, and thunder rattled the building. Stephen looked at the lights as they flickered a moment. Alistair hadn’t left Stephen’s side since the incident in Metropolis. For the past three days, he had been Stephen’s shadow, even preventing Patty from having any meaningful conversations with Stephen. Basically, he had turned into Stephen’s bodyguard.

  Stephen waited in anticipation. He wasn’t completely sure why Sam and Anastasia had gone back to meet with the council. Quizzing Alistair didn’t produce any results. It was clear he didn’t know anything either. Stephen hoped for answers.

  The conference room phone rang and Stephen answered. “Yes?” He listened to Patty on the other end. “Will you walk him over? Thanks.”

  Alistair stopped pacing.

  “Sam is here,” Stephen told him.

  Alistair took a seat next to Stephen.

  Patty opened the door and Sam walked in.

  “Thank you, Patty.” Sam’s voice gave no indication of his mood.

  “You’re welcome.” Patty smiled and winked at Stephen before she closed the door.

  Stephen felt good seeing him. Besides learning what took place, he hoped Sam’s arrival meant Alistair would stop following him everywhere. Sam seated himself across from Stephen and Alistair.

  Sam spoke first. “Stephen, I should start by telling you how surprised the council was at discovering you had a gift. You were a very well-kept secret. Your mother gave you the last name Cross, which was her mother’s maiden name. She wasn’t one of the Mighty, which kept you off our radar. We’ve never had a Mighty with the last name Cross. You are the first and have now been recorded in Waltz’s bloodline. And of all your family’s bloodline, you are the last, Mighty or not.”

  Stephen had always felt alone on some level. Finding out he had no family left scared him. “Wait, was my family targeted?”

  “We had never considered it until recently.” Sam sighed. “With what we do, sometimes people die. Your bloodline has a history of being bold and fearless, sometimes even reckless. Several of the last ones to die out were due to age or illness. It wasn’t until Waltz’s mysterious death that we realized it could have been part of something larger. Only then did we search for members of his bloodline to find they were no more. Your vision confirms our fear. Somehow, the Fallen realized your family would be instrumental in stopping them in the future and took drastic measures to see that doesn’t happen.”

  “All my family killed because of me?” Stephen tried hard to process it. He didn’t know what to do with this new information. Should he be happy he was alive or sad to be alone? Guilt built at the realization of how many must have died because of him. “Should I be concerned?”

  Alistair remained quiet as Sam continued. “We think you are safe for now. They obviously knew you were important. But they underestimated your power. Greed kept them from killing you early on. They likely wanted you to join them, thinking that would secure their victory. Based on what you told us of the vision, they would have been right. What they didn’t know was just how much like Waltz you turned out to be. Being attacked by the opposition opened your eyes and heart to what is right. They thought it would harden you. But you are compassionate and kind, like Waltz. It softened your heart to be open to God’s call.”

  “Yeah, I guess it did. Waltz made sure I was brought up right. When I discovered this gift, I first felt like a monster. It made me question God.”

  Alistair chimed in. “What about the council? What did they have to say about Stephen?”

  “Of course they want to meet him,” Sam replied. “Stephen, we have protocols, rules we go by. There is training that would help you reach your potential. Aside from that, you live your life, making a difference. At times, there are larger problems that may require a group effort. Mighty may be called upon then. The decision to respond is always up to you. Training at Enclave has a lot to offer. There are records that would give you information about your family history. Each bloodline has its own trove where historical artifacts, personal belongings, and various items are stored. Only blood relatives can open the doors. You are the only one that has access to yours. I believe there are a lot of opportunities for you there. There is much we don’t understand about you. Perhaps we can learn together.”

  Stephen had questions floating around in his mind. He did want answers. “Answers, huh? Can you answer some questions for me now?”

  Sam smiled. “I will try.”

  “The shroud that was placed over Waltz’s casket—why didn’t the stone light up?”

  “We discussed that while I was with the council. They are probably still discussing it, among other things. There are several hypotheses. The truth is, we really don’t know. Please understand, you are different, more special than any Mighty since the time when these gifts were bestowed upon us. I’m sure they are searching the archives for some answer. I’ve studied them more than most, and I don’t believe the answer is there.”

  “Okay, then.” Stephen thought for a moment. He didn’t expect to be a mystery to even the council. “Am I a Sensitive?”

  “Only training will confirm. There are some who believe you are actually a warrior, based on the information you gave us. The mental abilities you’ve described can be used as a weapon or to a strategic advantage. However, it doesn’t explain your vision, or being able to share thoughts. Waltz indicated you are of the prophet class. We’d like to know more. Waltz was a skilled trainer, having trained even Alistair many years ago. He almost instinctively would know a person’s class, even before seeing their skill.”

  The idea of going to Enclave intrigued Stephen. He figured he would meet the council sooner or later. But to see his family’s trove and learn more about his skills and the history of the Mighty excited him.

  He turned to Sam. “One more question. When I told you I was Waltz’s son, your physical reaction seemed greater than the others. Why?”

  Sam dropped his head. Stephen sensed the sadness build in him. “Stephen, I was the Prophet in Waltz’s triune. He and I were close once. Knowing you were his son and that he never told me forced me to see just how betrayed he must have felt.” Sam sighed.
“When our warrior- Elizabeth fell, he did the only thing he knew to do. As a protector, he surrendered the triune’s powers to get her away from the drunkenness of it. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.”

  “Yes,” Stephen replied without hesitation. “Using the power feels good. It makes you want to use it more.”

  “Right. That’s why we teach restraint. Elizabeth had none. She didn’t see the harm. The council admonished her. She didn’t like it and ended up falling.”

  “It was more than that,” Stephen replied.

  “You know the story?”

  “Yes. She fell in love with a Fallen named Anthony Abate. That wasn’t known until later. Waltz never gave up on her.”

  “I do know Waltz never gave up; but I did. I didn’t know about Mr. Abate, though.” He stared into space for a moment. “Anyway, I left the triune. Bernie agreed to take my place and surrender his power as the triune’s prophet. What we didn’t know was that in surrendering our power for a just reason, we would have kept our original powers. Waltz kept his, as well as Bernie.”

  “Bernie kept his power? What was it?”

  “Bernie’s ability is similar to yours. But he can see only someone’s subconscious. He’s very limited.”

  Stephen felt betrayed. He realized it was Bernie who had implanted the dreams and voices in his mind before. And, at some point, Bernie had fallen.

  “Where is Bernie?”

  “At Enclave. We also hold some of the Fallen there, in a place we call the Catacombs. It’s well guarded, and all powers are dead there, in a way. You’ll have to see it for yourself to understand.”

  Stephen looked at Alistair. “Do you have any questions?”

  “Nah. I know what Enclave’s like. And I know what the council is like. Sure, the individuals have thoughts and ideas about things. But it can take the council a bit to decide on something collectively.”

  “Well, then, I’ll be ready—”

  The door burst open. Vincent stood in the doorway. “Sorry to intrude, but I do not wish to hide any longer.”

  The three looked at Vincent as one might look at a crazy man.

  “Vincent,” Sam said, “what are you hiding from?”

  “You,” he stated. “Stephen and Alistair can confirm that I am Mighty, a priest. Only, I did not know it.”

  Sam laughed. “That’s impossible. We know when all become Mighty. We don’t know about you.”

  Stephen spoke up. “Sam, very simply, how does your notification system work?”

  “Well, there is a scroll—the Scroll of the Chosen. Children of the Mighty are recorded on the scroll, and their names disappear. When they have both awakened and chosen Christ, their names reappear. After the funeral, because of the shroud, we wrote Stephen’s name on the scroll, just in case. Vincent Abbott, however, is not listed on the scroll. You would have to be born to a member of the Mighty to have had your name written in the first place.”

  “Can you tell if his name was ever written on the scroll?”

  “We do keep a record of all Mighty children. Even though some aren’t chosen to have gifts, many still fight the good fight alongside us. But I did check when we returned to the council. I checked on Patty too. I didn’t want any more surprises.”

  “Well, surprise. Elizabeth Marie is my mother.”

  Sam’s eyes widened. “Elizabeth’s son? But who’s your father?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I guess it doesn’t, at least not now.” Sam stood and walked past Vincent through the door. “Excuse me a moment.”

  Stephen heard him talking in the hallway but couldn’t make out the conversation. After a moment, he returned.

  “They wrote your name on the scroll. It disappeared and reappeared instantly, signifying that your name is recorded as Mighty. We would like you to accompany us to Enclave also.”

  Vincent and Stephen smiled at each other.

  “You’ll need to pack your things and be ready to leave tomorrow. Alistair, you know where to meet.”

  “The airport?” Alistair asked.

  “No, the other place.”

  “Oh.” Alistair looked surprised.

  “What other place?” Stephen asked.

  “He will show you tomorrow,” Sam replied. “But I must go. Until then.”

  Sam left in a hurry as Patty walked in.

  “Did I just hear Sam say you guys are leaving tomorrow?”

  “Uh, yeah. We’re going to meet the council, if that’s okay? Stephen realized his mistake in not talking with Patty about it first.

  “You were planning to tell me, right?”

  “Of course. I was going to come see you right after the meeting. Actually, I was going to ask you to check on my apartment for me too. I had a key made for you, just in case.” Stephen pulled a key from his wallet, hoping it would save him.

  Patty smiled. “Really, you want me to have a key?”

  “There’s no need for you to knock when you come over. Just come in. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone. But I’ll let you know what I find out.”

  “You better. No secrets.”

  “None. I’ll also have my laptop and cell phone for business stuff.”

  “Not a problem. Johnathan and I will keep both of you up to date.” Patty kissed him and walked away. “See you tonight.”

  “Tonight?” Alistair asked.

  “Yes, Alistair, tonight. We have a date planned. And I’ll expect you not to tag along, unless you bring a date.”

  “A double date, huh?” Alistair smiled. “I might be able to manage that. Yer place?”

  “No, not my place. Pappy’s, six o’clock.”

  Stephen left, wondering what the enclave would look like. The opportunity to learn more about his roots seemed overwhelming. It had been a long time since he had any hope of knowing more about his family. The mere possibility meant the world to him.

  Both Stephen and Vincent left early to pack. Stephen packed light, not knowing what to expect. A few articles of clothing littered his bed as he stuffed clothes into a duffle bag. Before long, the time came to pick Patty up for their date.

  ****

  Stephen waited outside the apartment early the next morning as Alistair pulled up. Vincent already sat in the car. Stephen had dressed comfortably for the trip, wearing ratty jeans and an old long-sleeve T-shirt. He opened the rear door, threw his bag in, and sat behind the driver.

  “Guid mornin’.”

  “Shut up,” Stephen grumbled.

  Vincent chuckled. “I think he’s a little cross with you.”

  Alistair looked in his rearview mirror. “Nah, I can see he’s a lot of Cross.”

  “I’m glad you two are enjoying yourselves.”

  Alistair pulled off. “Are ye still upset with us? We didn’t know she would leave early.”

  “We thought she would see the humor in me being Alistair’s date last night,” Vincent added.

  “Guys, we really needed some time to talk alone, without either of you.”

  “I’m sorry. Alright?” Alistair said. “I really didn’t think she’d be that upset.”

  “I’m just lucky she was hungry, or she might have left as soon as she saw you two doofuses.” Stephen leaned back in his seat and stared out the window. “So, are we going to pick up Sam?”

  “No,” Alistair replied. “We’re on our way to meet him.”

  “Where is Enclave?”

  “He will not say,” Vincent interjected before Alistair could speak. “I tried already.”

  “Okay? Are we driving there?”

  “No,” Alistair replied.

  “Flying?”

  “No.” Alistair sounded irritated.

  “What then?” Stephen continued.

  Alistair smiled. “Ye’ll see soon enough. We’ll be meeting with Sam in about forty minutes.”

  The rest of the drive remained quiet. They had left early, well before rush-hour traffic. Stephen thought about Patty and how disappointed they both
had been not to be alone together. Until then, he hadn’t realized how much he missed being alone with her. Even still, he recognized how good it felt to have friends.

  “Are we going to Fort Belle Fontaine?” Vincent’s question got Stephen’s attention.

  Stephen sat straight and looked around as they crossed over train tracks, leaving suburban houses and entering a rural area, where pasture and forest dominated the scenery. “It looks that way. Why are we meeting here?”

  Alistair remained silent and parked the car. Sam waited at the bottom of the steps to the fort. Stephen looked around. “How did he get here?”

  “Ye’ll see in a moment.”

  The three men got out of the car and made their way to Sam. Vincent and Stephen carried their bags.

  “Gentlemen, are you ready to meet the council and see Enclave?”

  Stephen and Vincent looked at each other and shrugged.

  Sam smirked. “Follow me.”

  As he turned to walk up the steps, a red mist appeared, getting thicker and thicker. Sam disappeared in the mist.

  “Ye two better get going,” Alistair encouraged. “It won’t last long.”

  Vincent and Stephen walked up the stairs into the red mist.

  Stephen looked at Vincent. “What’s supposed to happen?” He could barely make out his shape.

  “I don’t know,” he replied.

  They continued walking until they were out of the red mist. Somehow, they were no longer in Saint Louis. Instead, the two looked up at a fifteen-foot-tall statue of Thomas Jefferson.

  “Are we in the Jefferson Memorial?”

  “Yes.” Sam’s steady voice floated through the air. He stood against one wall.

  “Vincent? Do you see what I see?” Stephen asked, looking back and forth between Sam and the statue.

  “Yes. I see the resemblance,” Vincent agreed.

  Sam’s ceremonial attire resembled the clothes Jefferson wore. He pulled a medallion from inside his shirt. As it began to glow, a door appeared and opened in the wall next to him. “Follow me.”

  They walked through the doorway and down a spiraling staircase that seemed to descend thirty feet or more. Soon they were standing in a small chamber in front of two large stone doors. Above the door were words that Stephen didn’t understand. “What is that?” he asked.