The recent past… Khaliq approaches Kacey, being careful to make his presence known and not frighten her. The woman is nervous like a cat, and she has a unnearving sense that borders on paranoia. He has had to take exceedingly great caution in interacting with her. His mission to kill Mark Barimen became secondary when he learned the truth about this “Kacey”, and her special talent. Had he just simply killed Mark that night instead of agreeing to help the dark-skinned girl, none of this would have been possible. She is the key to making everything right. Khaliq wonders about the source from … Continue reading Chapter 5 – Addendum

The house feels empty with Hope, Doc, and the boys gone. Faith did not have the opportunity to share the news about her pregnancy with Hope before she left. Or perhaps she had the opportunity, and just chose not to take advantage of it. Either way, saying goodbye to her brothers was possibly the most difficult thing she has ever done. Jimmy was there for her, of course. He is always there when she needs him. He gently offered comfort and attributed her haywire emotions to pregnancy hormones gone wild. Maybe he’s right. Then again, hormones can’t explain the feeling … Continue reading Chapter 5.23 – Birthplace

Hope gives birth to twin boys, Thomas and Joseph, during the quiet weeks that lead up to Faith’s wedding. — It has been a long time since there were babies in the Barimen household, and the additions make for a very welcome change. But raising children is never easy, and right from the beginning, the boys’ personalities show that Doc and Hope will have their hands full. Faith wouldn’t have thought it possible for infants to compete with each other, but Thomas and Joseph seem to be the exceptions. Faith wonders what kind of sibling rivalries she will have to … Continue reading Chapter 5.22 – Optimism

Even though boys grow up, they rarely grow out of their favorite childhood things. For Jimmy Vergne, his obsession of choice is hot rod cars. Faith doesn’t mind the hobby so much as she does the exhaust fumes that hang in the air at the trade shows he enjoys attending. Looking back, she should have seen the rather obvious outcome of tonight’s big event. He had asked her a million times that day whether she was still planning on coming with him. After stopping at EVERY SINGLE hot rod car on display, they finally head into the stadium to watch … Continue reading Chapter 5.21 – Engagement

In the weeks that follow Faith’s daring underground rescue, there is an odd air of uncertainty surrounding the Barimen household; for Faith in particular. By her best estimation, it started the evening she brought Doc home. It has continued, now, into her adult birthday. Her troubling vision in the cavern has only complicated matters further. In the past, her birthday wishes have been no-brainers. She had always wanted to learn who her biological father is, and bring him into her life. Her mother had always been completely honest about her past, and the circumstances by which she found herself pregnant with Faith. But the … Continue reading Chapter 5.20 – Supercomputer

Mark awakens with a number of sharp pains all over his body. The worst one is his shoulder, where the attacker had struck while aiming for Mark’s head. Had he been a few years younger, Mark would have avoided the strike completely. He tries to make sense of what Jimmy is frantically saying to him over the bells still ringing loudly in his head. Has something happened to Faith? Mark slowly gets up and stands on his unsteady feet. He took quite a beating. He quietly wonders to himself whether he ever hit that hard. Mark waves Jimmy off and stumbles … Continue reading Chapter 5.19 – Khaliq